[Iodine_X]

Chapter 2- Recognitions
Absol lay motionless, sorrowful eyes staring into the distance. Thoughts flashed through his mind quicker than he could care to catch them. He’d given up trying to do that. If he did, they escaped his grasp again and plunged him into a deep depression. He hadn’t moved since the day of the disaster, a week ago. He was hungry but he didn’t dare move. Thirst stung his tongue and throat, and hunger gnawed at his insides, but he knew he must not give into that temptation. Happiness was a lie. It lay far from his grasp and would escape he reached out his paw.

An illusion, he thought, it is nothing but an illusion. He knew he would be happy if he ate, but it wouldn’t be real. And reality had a nasty way of biting you out of your trances. He moved, he breathed, but that was all he would tempt himself into. Sleep was meaningless and he had no real reason to do it. Besides, even if he tried, he just wouldn’t be able to. His mind was just far too active.

It was only the first few days he lay motionless by choice. After that he had no choice. He didn’t have the energy to move.

His eyes swivelled to observe his environment every now and then, but that was all. Most of the time he stared at nothing, unseeing. A soft footfall landed, not far away, and Absol looked at its source. He couldn’t see whatever it was, but he presumed it was a Pokémon since it had a golden fur-coated paw. A haunch of meat fell before his eyes with a thud that echoed for eternity in his mind. Absol looked away, sorely tempted, but disciplining himself not to give in.
“Go on, eat. You look hungry, and beside that, your ribs are showing. Not a nice look.” Said a female voice. Absol understood the dialect as Ninetales.
“I’m not hungry.” He mumbled.
The Ninetales snarled fiercely and brought her face close to his. Absol started in shock. Ninetales internally disciplined herself and backed away.
“You ought to do something about that anger problem. Could get you in some serious problems one day.” He mumbled, shaken by the experience. He regretted the words the moment they came out of his mouth. They sounded like a threat. He certainly wasn’t up to carrying it out either. Beside that, the Ninetales could probably destroy him in battle.
“Well how the hell did you expect me to react?! I went out of my way to catch you a Stantler, food that I’d heard was adored by Absol, because you look awful. Then, after all that, you turn it down? You ungrateful bastard!” she shouted, small sparks escaping her mouth in anger, setting small plants alight.

Well, needless to say, this was the last thing he needed. Smoke drifted over to him in dancing spirals. He knew the smell. He roared in anger.

“You!” he bellowed, forcing himself to stand up, albeit, shakily.
“What? Grace me with more than a one word answer! You’re impolite as well as ungrateful!” she snarled back. Before she could control herself, a billowing fountain of flames escaped her jaws, scalding Absol. This was all the proof he needed.
“You set the village on fire! This is all your fault, you *****!” he roared.
“And so what if I did? It’s not as if anyone needed it? Besides, a kid there bugged me!”
“And what did this kid do that was bug you that was bad enough to kill off the entire population of the village?” he said, sure that it was certainly not bad enough to do such a horrendous thing.

He was right.

“She tried to pull my tails!” This was the last straw for Absol; his paw glowed in a blackish light, raised it and tried to use Shadow Claw. Dimness obscured his vision and he collapsed, the last of his remaining strength used up.