POV – JAKE
As Jake and Trixie continued their journey down the creek, the warmth of the day steadily intensified. The creek began to meander, its banks gradually giving way to the sprawling expanse of a marsh. The landscape around them transformed subtly yet persistently, the ground underfoot becoming softer, squelching with each step they took.
Tall trees still towered above, their roots sprawling like gnarled fingers into the moist soil, while dense clumps of weeds clung to the water's edge. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and decaying vegetation, a pungent aroma that filled Jake's nostrils and clung to his clothes. Every breath felt heavy in the increasingly muggy atmosphere, and he found himself wiping his brow more often than he liked.
The sounds of the marsh provided a constant, ambient soundtrack to their journey. The distinct croaks of Croagunk and Palpitoad resonated through the air, in eerie and rhythmic amphibious calls. Enormous Gastrodon, with their vividly coloured bodies, sluggishly navigated the aquatic fringes of the marsh, leaving trails in the soft mud as they moved.
With every step, Jake had to be increasingly cautious. The ground beneath him was deceptive – solid-looking patches often gave way to the squelch of marshy undergrowth, threatening to swallow his foot whole if he wasn't careful. His trainers were caked in mud, adding a cumbersome weight to each step, a constant reminder of the Stunfisk, which he certainly did not wish to encounter again.
Above and around him, Trixie was a contrast to his struggle. Having shed her fear of flying, she seemed to revel in the freedom it offered. With grace, she skimmed just above the surface of the marsh, wings barely touching the water before she soared up again. Her flights were punctuated by playful loops and turns, displaying a joy in her newfound confidence. Each time she returned to perch on Jake's shoulder, there was a triumphant gleam in her eyes.
Watching Trixie's display, Jake couldn't help but feel a pang of envy. Her ability to rise above the mire, both literally and metaphorically, was a sharp difference to his own earthbound fortune.
"You know, Trix," Jake quipped, watching her fly, "if you're going to show off like that, the least you could do is offer to give me a lift."
Trixie landed on his shoulder, chirping "Emol, emolga," she seemed to say, which he took as, "Sorry, you're a bit too fat for me"
Jake gave his flat stomach an exaggerated pat. "Cheeky, aren't we?" he remarked with a wry grin. "You do realise, all those berries are turning me into a shadow of my former self," he continued, his voice laced with mock despair. "I'll be looking like an Inteleon at this rate!"
Jake furrowed his brow at the notion, a thoughtful expression replacing his usual easy-going demeanour. As he surveyed the marsh stretching before them, he couldn't help but ponder how much farther they would have to go. The squelching mud underfoot and an oncoming light fog beginning to roll in from the marsh made every step feel heavier.
He glanced at the berry bushes dotting the landscape, their bright fruits a sharp contrast to the dull greens and browns of the marsh. Getting to them was becoming a real hassle, though. The ground was so soggy it was like walking through thick soup, and more than once, Jake had almost lost a shoe to the trenched mud.
The Pokémon situation didn't make things any easier. Jake eyed the Chewtle colonies warily. These Pokémon were all over the marsh, and where there were Chewtle, their evolved form, Drednaw, was never far. They guarded the berry bushes like little terriers, making it clear they weren't up for sharing.
Since their run-in with Greedent, Jake and Trixie had faced a few more Pokémon battles. Trixie, with her distinctive typing and exceptional agility, easily outmanoeuvred most opponents who struggled to land even a single hit on her. But Drednaw, with their rock-hard defences, were a different story. Jake knew that Trixie didn't have the best matchup against these tough rock-types. Perhaps they could handle one or two, but taking on a whole colony? That was pushing their luck.
He understood why the Pokémon were so protective. In this marshland, food wasn't exactly lying around for the taking. Everyone, Pokémon and humans alike, had to fend for themselves. Still, this made snagging a quick berry snack way more complicated than it should've been.
Jake briefly toyed with the idea of hunting a Pokémon for food, but quickly realised the complications. First off, he lacked the necessary tools; capturing a Pokémon without them seemed impossible. Sure, Trixie could probably help, but the thought of asking her to harm another Pokémon for food was unthinkable to him, even though he knew she sometimes ate bug Pokémon. Then there was the second, more significant hurdle: his own nature. Deep down, Jake was just too kind-hearted. The idea of eating creatures as intelligent as Pokémon didn't sit well with him. Maybe he'd re-think it later after all, he wasn't exactly a stranger to a good steak back home. But for now, he just couldn't do it. What could he say? It might be shameless, but he was simply not the type to want to meet the cow before eating the burger.
Jake's state of cleanliness, or rather the lack thereof, certainly wasn't doing him any favours. Encased in layers of marshland grime, he was a far cry from his usual self. Given the circumstances and the lack of any spot to clean up properly, he was starting to feel like he might be mistaken for a Garbodor if they stumbled upon a town.
Trixie hadn't appeared to notice yet but in his mind's eye, he sometimes pictured Trixie's reaction as she'd hold her nose, feigning horror at his state, and then turning away in disgust. Jake imagined himself collapsing to his knees in despair as Trixie walked away from him.
"I would have to commit seppuku with the humiliation!" He thought.
Jake's daydream abruptly ended as he caught Trixie's gaze, her expression a mix of amusement and mild confusion, her nose wrinkling slightly.
He winced, turning away with a muttered "Gah," a wave of embarrassment washing over him. Fortunately for him, Trixie remained tactfully silent on the matter, judging him with only the occasional sniff.
Together they continued their long trek through the marsh, their only companion the rhythmic squelch of mud beneath his feet.
As Trixie and Jake ventured deeper into the marshy forest, a change began to permeate the air around them. Fog, initially just a thin veil, began to thicken, slowly creeping through the trees and enveloping them. The landscape, once familiar became barely navigable, as the mist settled and slowly morphed their surroundings into something eerie.
Trees, which had stood tall and imposing, began to loom oppressively. Trunks taking on increasingly ghastly appearances. Branches, gnarled and twisted, reaching out like crooked fingers, as if trying to grasp something. The once vibrant green foliage seemed muted, shrouded in the growing mist, giving the forest an almost monochrome appearance.
"The trees are getting a bit dramatic, don't you think?" Jake tried to joke; his voice slightly uneasy in the thickening fog.
Trixie, perched on his shoulder, emitted a soft "Emol," a hint of apprehension in her tone.
Jake noticed a dropping in temperature, the summer warmth giving way to a clammy chill that did not fit the season. He shivered, wrapping his arms around himself. Feeling an uncomfortable pinprick upon the back of his neck.
Mist began to swirl, tendrils curling and uncurling around them. Sounds became muffled and distant, as if the fog was not just obscuring sight but also swallowing sound. The usual marshland noises were dampened, replaced by a heavy silence that was occasionally punctured by a distant, unidentifiable rustle or the splash of his trainer.
The marsh previously full of Pokémon sounds and life seemed to dry up in that regard. The increasing scarcity of life beginning to disturb him.
Jake squinted, trying to make sense of forms that seemed to flit just at the edge of his vision.
"Just our imagination, right?" he whispered, more to himself than to Trixie.
"Emol," Trixie chirped in response, her ears flattened against her head, usual playful tone subdued.
The atmosphere grew heavier, air thick with a sense of foreboding. Even the trees seemed to lean in closer, their gnarled forms casting unsettling shadows in the fog. The feeling of being watched grew, a sensation pressed uncomfortably at the back of his neck.
From somewhere in the distance, a whisper drifted, faint and elusive. It teased at the edges of Jake's hearing; a murmur barely discernible over the marsh's hush. He tilted his head, straining to discern its nature, but it remained just beyond comprehension. With every step, he willed himself forward, a growing unease within.
Then, a rustle. The grass beside him quivered as if touched by an invisible hand. Jake's nerves tightened, a knot of apprehension forming in his stomach.
Whisper, whisper. The sounds multiplied, surrounding him in an eerie symphony. Each murmur seemed to brush against his ears, a ghostly caress that left him shivering.
He glanced at Trixie, her wide eyes mirroring his own trepidation. Their shared look was a wordless exchange of fear and uncertainty.
Rustle, rustle, rustle. The noise grew, movement seemed to encircle them. Grass blades danced as if to a sinister tune, something unseen and ominous.
"Trix, get ready," Jake's voice was a low, urgent command, his words slicing through the thickening tension.
Rustle, rustle. Whisper, whisper, whisper. The sounds converged, an auditory vortex swirling around Jake and Trixie, each rustle and whisper amplifying their rising panic. The forest seemed to close in, the whispers and rustles unrelenting in the heart of the mist.
Then, abruptly, silence.
The sudden absence of sound was more terrifying than the whispers. Jake's heart pounded in his ears, the only sound in a world gone mute. The mist clung to him, cold and damp.
He stood there, frozen, every sense heightened., Trixie' presence on his shoulder offering a slight comfort. The silence stretched on, oppressive, suffocating. Jake's breaths came in sharp, ragged pulls. His eyes darted frantically, searching the impenetrable fog.
In that silence, in that moment of suspended terror, the world held its breath. And Jake knew, with chilling certainty, that they were not alone.
Thud! A sound resonated softly through the fog, deep and muffled, vibrating the air. Jake tensed, rooted to the spot as the rhythmic thuds continued, growing steadily louder, closer.
Thud! A massive outline began to emerge. Towering and vast, it loomed above, segmented and undulating slightly with each step.
Thud! The ground resonated with the sound. A broad, curved shape hinted at a formidable jawline, started to grow out of the mist. The creature's head was clearly massive, dwarfing Jake. Two backward-arching horns protruded from its forehead, adding a demonic visage.
Thud! Below the horns, two faintly glowing spots pierced the fog, like embers smouldering in the grey. Their gaze, though obscured, was unmistakably fixed on Jake, sending a shiver down his spine.
THUD!
Frozen, Jake stared at the creature before him.
'Really now?'
POV - ?
It watched. It watched from behind the veil of fog, its eyes fixated on the two figures making their way through the mire. It knew not their names, only that they were there, and It was here.
It saw the tall one, trudging heavily, his steps laboured and slow. It saw the smaller one, flitting about with a grace It lacked. It did not like this. It watched their interactions, their laughter, their camaraderie. It hated this.
It followed them, always a shadow, always unseen. It moved with stealth. They would never see. It giggled. It was hidden by the fog and the gnarled trees. It observed their every move, every word, every chuckle. With each moment, It hated.
The tall one wiped his brow, laughed, spoke words It couldn't hear but could imagine. The smaller one responded with chirps, perching on his shoulder. It saw something between them, It did not know what it was. But It wanted it. It hated it.
As they progressed towards the haunted forest, the feeling inside It intensified. It needed it and It would have it. For the first time in Its existence a desire was born. A desire to disrupt, to destroy. It imagined the small one away, separated from the tall one, lost and alone. It imagined the tall one alone, isolated, looking at It. Calling It.
It giggled at the thought, a sound that could have been a sobbing cry or a hysterical laugh. It would make them pay for having each other. It would bring them sorrow, for in their sorrow. It would enjoy. It would hate. In doing so, maybe find Its own place, Its own connection.
The haunted forest loomed ahead, a place where shadows danced, and whispers lived. They had come to Its home. It would welcome them. Full hospitality would be given. It giggled at the thought, this time sounding like whisper.
It would weave Its plan. The fog thickened, and It moved closer, Its steps silent, Its resolve firm. The time was coming, and It would be ready. It knew what else lived here. It hated them as well. But It would be useful.
It knew nothing of the past, nothing of the future. But It knew this – It would no longer be just a watcher. It would be a disruptor, a bringer of despair. It would BREAK them. For in their loss, in their destruction, perhaps It would find something akin to joy.