The silence that followed was deafening. I slowly walked towards the last remaining hunter, my body trembling, my hands shaking.
The last remaining hunter was barely conscious, watching him made me want to throw up, his entire front body was burnt miserably, flesh sticking out as if trying to flee from his body, his bones visible from a distance, blood and other fluids spilling out of his entire body like a fountain, his clothes barely covered anything.
As I walked towards him, with my trembling hands, the only thing I wanted to do was hit him until he was dead, and I would have done so, but I knew I didn't have it in me to kill someone, even if he was at the verge of death, more importantly, he was Zeraora's prey.
At the exact moment, a sharp and strong,
"Zeraaaa!!!"
came from behind me, just as I turned, I saw the innocent and pleading eyes change to a complicated and angry one. Although I could clearly understand what was going on in his head and what he wanted to do, I didn't want that to happen.
After living under the same roof, eating the same food, playing the same games, and training together, I didn't wish for the smiling and playful Zerarora to change.
But I also knew that he couldn't just forget what happened to his mother.
She was like a second mother to me. In fact, she is my mother in this world.
She took care of me like a baby, providing extra food every day for me and helping me train in my martial arts.
Hell, even I am enraged; I want nothing but to kill this man with my own hands.
I can't let Zeraora spiral out of control. I will be fulfilling her wish even if that is the last thing I do.
"Calm down, Zeraora."
I told Zeraora, while looking in his eyes, honestly, I was a bit scared myself; those eyes were ready, those eyes were ready to take on the world.
"Zera!!!"
Called out the Zeraora sharply, clearly with no intention to back down. And then, started to charge up his fists with static electricity. He was preparing for his full-powered Plasma Fists.
"Wait, listen to me."
"He is going to die anyway; we need to get all the useful information from him."
I started explaining, trying to calm down.
But, to no avail,
"Zeraora !!!"
Honestly, I have never seen him like this; he always used to listen to me or his mothers whenever we said anything twice.
As Zeraora's fists were charged up, he got into his usual fighting stance, strengthening his leg muscles. I tried to think of a way, and after racking my brain, I did find a way. I just didn't like this way.
"She spoke to me!"
"Zera Zeraora?"
Said Zeraora with a surprised and hopeful look.
"No, she is dead; there is no way she can come back to us. At the last moment, she said to me something about you."
"Zera?!"
That hopeful look went away, but he was still surprised.
"She told me to take care of you."
"-"
He didn't say anything.
He became silent.
It looked like he had calmed down, so I took my final shot.
"Zeraora, I want to fulfill the last thing she ever said. Will you help me?"
"-"
He was still quiet, but soon his stance shifted into his normal posture, and the charged-up static energy in his hand started to disappear.
I finally took a deep breath. I needed it.
Then, I shifted my attention to the dying hunter;
"I need to get information out of him."
Saying to Zeraora, who also looked his way, but with a hateful face, while mine was more neutral. Although he was part of the first humans, I felt nothing from seeing him die such a painful death; at the same time, I didn't think I had the mental fortitude to be able to kill him even now.
It was a strange feeling. I strongly desired to kill him, but I also felt as if this rabbit hole would keep going if I entered it.
Anyways, I turned back to Zeraora and asked him,
"Help me!"
"Zera!"
Came to a short and quick reply. He was more than happy to pounce at any chance he got to confront the people responsible for his mother's death.
After confirming, I started walking to the last hunter.
He was barely alive.
I grabbed his collar to pull him up, but his head had just come halfway up when the collar just tore, and his head went back to hit the ground. I did nothing to save him. It was his fault that he ended up here, in this state.
No one asked them to catch Pokémon for a living.
His head jerked from the fall, and he started regaining control over his losing senses,
"Huhh?!"
"Hel-- Hel-- Help --- "
"Help M---e"
"Ple---Pleas--- Me"
He tried to speak up, but his voice cracked every other second, but it was enough to understand him, so without any concern for his condition and request. I started my interrogation,
"Who are you? Which group are you a part of? Are there more members in this forest?"
He looked back at me with a confused look.
One look at his confused face, and I understood what he was thinking.
"Even if I am a human, I consider this forest and its Pokémon my family. That Zeraora that died because of you was my mother. So, I don't expect any mercy or help from me. Moreover, I am sure even you have realized that there is no coming back for you from this state."
His eyes widened, and he was shocked.
After thinking for a few seconds, I started talking,
"Why do you --"
Cough, Cough
"Think, I will --"
Another set of coughs
"I will help you -- I am going to die anyway within an hour. "
Cough Cough
"Ahhhhh!!!!!!! "
He screamed suddenly as he tried to pull himself up to sit with the help of a nearby branch. His legs started bleeding even more.
"-- What is in it for --- me?? Arghhh !!!!"
"Death."
I stared at him coldly as I replied.
The man was shocked.
Even, Zeraora beside was shocked.
I myself was shocked by my own statement, I didn't know I had it in me. But, after witnessing the mother's death, something in my clicked. I remembered the vow I had taken few months back, I promised to enjoy everything that comes in my life, good and bad.
Thinking of that, a small smile crept up on my face.
"You are clearly in a lot of pain. Do you want to remain in that state for an hour more, and don't worry, in this forest, there are several grass and fairy-type Pokémon, who can heal you."
"-Ah!-"
"Of course, they won't be able to save your life, but they will be able to prolong our suffering. Moreover, Zeraora here would like to settle some score with you."
"Argghhh"
I finished with the same little smile, as I began with.
"So, what will it be?!"