Contest #2: Garz's entry!

This story is a submission for the HPF's first story-based contest, written by Garz. If you wish to vote for this entry, please use this thread!
(All entries are posted exactly as submitted for the contest.)

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The Other Side

"P... p-p-please... please sir, I just - "
A tuft of flame silenced the Snover. To his credit, the frosted tree pokémon didn't flinch as the small puff of flame seared him, didn't stagger as his tremendous weakness sent the pain rushing to his very core.
Any negative reaction would only encourage the Charmeleon.
Slowly, the flame pokémon stood from his throne. Most Charmeleon stood a hair over three feet tall, but this particular one stood a comfortable six. His form rippled - it looked like muscle, but his skin pulsed as though molten liquid was rushing through it. Behind him was a mirror - showing that his back was just as toned as the rest of him.
Snover hadn't believed the rumors that liquid flame ran through this Charmeleon's body, but now that he was so close to him...
"You 'just' missed two weeks of penance."
The Snover swallowed nervously, as the Charmeleon continued "What, pray tell, will occur to the pokémon under your purview? Or perhaps you'll join your predecessor, & your pokémon will simply have to find a new leader."
A thin smile grew on the Charmeleon’s mouth as the Snover fell to his knees.
"P-p-please don't kill me! I'm sorry, we just - "
"Kill you? I said 'you'd join your predecessor', and he's very much alive."
The Charmeleon smirked at the Snover's confused face. "Since his capture, we've kept him nice & warm - namely, in the furnace. More accurately, in our specialized furnace, which is itself connected to a stolen pokémon centre machine."
There was an extended pause - almost like the Snover didn't want to make sense out of what was just said. "So.. so he's… for the past two mon-"
"Quite alive, yes. And always in a lot of pain. 43 days, by my count"
Snover stared blankly at the Charmeleon, still not quite comprehending what he'd heard. Charmeleon smirked - he loved the look on their face when the reality of what he was doing finally dawned on them. "You have four days to deliver, or I'll see how your screams work in a duet. I expect payment for my good nature."
"H-h-h-h-h-how m-m-much d-d-d-o - " The Snover was visibly quivering, incapable of speaking clearly due to fear and shock at the Charmeleon’s cruelty. "Surprise me. Or, more accurately, impress me."
"Y-yessir!" The Snover began to backtrack. "Th-th-thank y-y-you f-f-f-f-for y-your k-k-kindn-n-ness, s-s-si-"
"Machoke. Magmar. Escort this pokémon off the premises."
The Snover rippled with fear as he walked between the two pokémon - not so subtly remaining a hair closer to the fighting pokémon over the fire. Charmeleon remained still, simply watching the Snover as he walked away - his odd, pupil-less white eyes flickering red like a barely controlled fire was within. He remained there for a couple more minutes, gathering his mind. With as many of his own that he was moving about the area, he knew it would attract the attention of some of the region’s greater powers. All the better; he could use spicing them up as well.
"The rest of you are dismissed. I will call if I need you again."
Charmeleon remained in his seat, as his other servants left. Life was good; no challenges to his domain, no questions about leadership, no dissent amongst his own ranks. Heck, the only person who could possibly challenge him was himself.
Standing, he shifted away - returning to his own quarters.

He paused just outside the door. It was flanked with full-sized mirrors on either side, but otherwise was very plain. Almost reflexively, he flexed in front of one of the mirrors as he thought to himself - his room was very plain for one of his stature. Made of solid stone, & sparse sans his elegant mirror & pile of straw. He knew he could get a better bed, but he preferred sleeping on straw – more comfortable.
He stepped inside, slamming the door behind him. He flexed reflexively as he passed his grandiose mirror, continuing to think. Perhaps if he took a small advance - in Heatran's direction. He'd proven, last time they met, that his flames were hot enough to sear even through Flash fire. This would make the fire pokémon suspicious, & fr -
"Char?" He uttered aloud in surprise, as he served to his mirror. It was quite a bit larger than he was, & had a thick silver frame on it. Still, it wasn't the frame he was looking at - it was the reflection he'd caught out of the corner of his eye. He could only stare in disbelief - as it was a charizard that was staring back at him.
He stared. The Charizard stared back.
He lifted one claw. The charizard did the same.
He shook one leg, then swiftly lifted the other. And in all respects, the charizard in the mirror reacted the way any reflection would - mimicking his actions perfectly.
He looked down at himself, perplexed - yes, he was still a Charmeleon. No wings, slightly different build. Looking up at the Charizard, the face was almost identical to his - albeit a bit tougher. The Charizard was a good two feet taller than he, and rippled with muscle. As the Charmeleon looked closer, however, he saw that the Charizard's muscle was also similar to his own - liquid flame coursing though his veins.
Slowly, hesitantly, he stepped halfway away from the mirror. The Charizard did the same - half of him disappearing. He walked a full circle around the mirror - it was hardly thick enough to fit an Unown in there sideways, let alone a Charizard. He stepped to the front, staring again - was this some kind of a trick?
Slowly, hesitantly, he reached towards the mirror, tapping it as the Charizard did the same with the reverse claw. The mirror felt the same as always, still very solid.
Further thought was negated when the Charizard did his first action without the Charmeleon's consent - grasping his claw firmly.
Eyes widening, Charmeleon gave a fierce pull. The Charizard, as if again mimicking his actions, pulled back - solidly yanking the Charmeleon forward. Surprised, Charmeleon unleashed a devastating blast of fire - fire so hot it could burn fire pokémon to a crisp from contact, flames so hot that they ceased to be reddish.
Flames which didn't so much as singe the mirror, nor the Charizard.
The Charmeleon’s eyes widened, startled - even flash fire pokémon were scalded by his flames. He remained still in shock, too surprised to react immediately. At least, until the Charizard leaned forward, engulfing his head in one gulp.
This, at least, drove through the haze in the Charmeleon's head. He gave a fierce swing - to have it caught by the Charizard's other free hand. The Charizard gave a pull, yanking the smaller pokémon’s neck and the tops of his shoulders into his maw.
For the first time since he was a Charmander, the Charmeleon felt fear. Fear which he'd inspired in many others, the fear that his life was in danger.
His struggles were futile. The massive charizard was far and away stronger - and fire didn't seem to phase him. He struggled as his shoulders and chest were pulled into the charizard's maw, struggled as the long tongue began lapping at his chest.
It was when he felt the his thighs enter the throat that he really started to worry.
He cried out - but he couldn't open his own mouth enough to give a particularly loud shout, and he could hear it muffled by the thick walls of the Charizard's throat. He shifted his arms, but couldn't get the leverage for a real punch - what little scraping he did with his claws weren’t noticed. He flailed, giving one feeble blast of flames - which didn't at all effect the dragon-like pokémon.
The Charizard paused there, only the Charmeleon’s long tail sticking out of his mouth. He smiled, as it waved frantically, the Charmeleon still fighting tooth and nail. Then, leaning his head backwards, he slurped down the tail as if it was nothing more than a noodle, his mouth closing the outside world to the Charmeleon within his gullet.

"Sir?"
The door swung open - a Quilava. He glanced about confused - he'd have sworn that he heard a cry... but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. The hay was not being slept on, and the mirror wasn't scratched or anything. Shrugging, he turned around.
"...hmm?"
He turned back, staring at the mirror perplexed - he'd have sworn that he heard it burp. But, after staring at his reflection for a time, he shrugged & closed the door behind him as he left. Obviously, he was just hearing things.
As it's not like there's anything on the other side of a mirror...