Cynthia dragged herself forward an inch, her burned skin scraping on the stone. Her hand, trembling violently, reached out toward the vanishing form of her friend. Tears streamed down her face, cutting clean lines through the slime.

The swallowing was methodical, cruel in its slowness. Diantha’s struggles were vigorous, her legs kicking wildly. One elegant, cream-colored boot flew off, landing near Cynthia with a soft thud. Cynthia stared at it, a symbol of everything that was being stolen, everything that was being destroyed.

Aldith knelt beside Cynthia, her face inches away. “Watch closely,” she whispered, her breath hot on Cynthia’s ear. “This is the fate of your world. This is what becomes of your power. You’re both just meat. Delicious, nutritious meat. In a week, there will be nothing left of Diantha. Not a bone, not a strand of that beautiful hair. Just like there will be nothing left of you. You’ll both be part of the same pile of fertilizer. Maybe you’ll help a Berry tree grow. Ironic, isn’t it? Champions, nurturing the next generation of Pokémon food.”

Inside the Seviper, Diantha’s kicking grew more frantic as her hips disappeared into the throat. Cynthia could see the outline of her friend’s body moving down the serpent’s length, a second, smaller bulge joining Cynthia’s own in the digestive tract.

“She’s reaching you now, Cynthia,” Aldith purred. “Can you feel her? Your friend, sliding down toward you? Soon, you’ll be together in the gut. You can embrace one last time before you both melt into nothing.”

The final, awful moment came. Diantha’s feet, clad in one remaining silk stocking, kicked one last, desperate time in the open air. Then, with a final, powerful gulp from the Seviper, they were drawn up and in. The jaws closed.

Silence, except for the Seviper’s contented rumble and the crash of waves outside the cave.

Inside the stomach, Cynthia felt the new arrival.

diantha