The Bug and the Weasel

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Kuro looked back to the exit of Serene Cave with a sigh of relief, then to the horizon, the evening sun setting over the hill of Pricklemist "Such a romantic scene.. I'm so glad I got to spend it with.." She looked to her side with a slight look of dissapointment "Ah well! The adventure continues to Rainfront!" She seemingly narrated to herself, not caring if she interrupted and sleeping Cherubi or waking Hoothoot.

The Sneasel looked around, surveying her surroundings from the small rock that she stood on "Let us see... moving north would be the best choice... buuut~" She decided to head northwest instead "That wouldn't be fun at all would it.." She said under her breath, raking her claws against the nearby bark as she roamed aimlessly, keeping the claws sharp and ready to fight. Signs of her feral heritage still showing despite being around reserved and 'normal' pokemon, although to her they weren't quite so normal.

Being out in the wild reminded her of her youth, days spent hunting for food, sometimes berries, and on harsh winter days when the vegetation and other tree-bared foods dwindled, other pokemon were the prey. She disliked those days unlike those of her kind.

"It's not really a choice.", Ned corrected his conversationary opponent.
"Should I evolve I will turn into both of them at the same time."
How exactly something like this worked was something not even the Nincada himself understood.
And noone back at the clan had been able to really explain int convincingly either.
Maybe it was something one would have to experience themselves.
Or it was one of those things that simply couldn't be understood.
Other Pokémon probably did not have evolutions as complicated as his.
They simply got better, faster and stronger.
They didn't have to deal with the implications of suddenly being two beings.
Oh, how much he envied those normal Pokémon.

"That's really cool!" Kuro exclaimed loudly, most likely announcing her location to many wild pokemon hoping for a midnight snack, but she didn't care "That's gotta be awesome though, you grow stronger and get a friend out of it, so in my opinion it's a win-win" She said with a bright grin on her face "I mean I just get stronger, while you get stronger and get someone to watch your back" The Weasel pokemon kept up her steady pace, turning to the Nincada "You coming?"

The Nincada winced at the sudden increase in volume, certainly not used to such an amount of decibels being launched at his eardrums at the same time.
"Actually I have no idea, whether one would even be able to consider the other part of the evolution a friend. Both Pokémon are born from the same being after all. Maybe we will still hold the exact same mind. You can't really call that a friendship, can you?"
But that was not the point right now. The Sneasel had made an offer and the rules of common courtesy dictated for the Nincada to follow.
"I guess I have no choice.", he resigned.
"Any specific direction you are headed in?"

"Both pokemon from the same being eh? Well to me that sounds like siblings, but I don't know..." Kuro thought for a moment "I've not had any siblings, atleast none I remember.." For a moment Kuro had a frown, but it was soon replaced with her general happy expression "Hmm... well I was heading for Rainfront, although Cattail Marsh does look interesting. But I'm thinking I just want to take my time, head for Rainfront and enjoy the nighttime scenery out here. I don't have a mission any time soon anyhow"

"Cattail Marsh...I have to warn you about that place. It is damp, dreary and disgusting."
The Nincada spoke from experience, having just been there a few days ago.
It truly was not a place any sane Pokémon would voluntarily visit in his mind.
Of course his own trip there had been less than voluntary - it had been an escape much rather.
Why did the clan have to have spotted him in the labyrinthine structure of the Shadowhue Forest?
But the why was not of the matter, it was important that they did find him, which meant that he had to escape them. Some day he would finally be strong enough to take down the entire clan, but many, many moons would have to pass until that would finally be the case.
Until then it would be running.

Kuro nodded "Well the name kinda implies that in a way, as a Marsh it's gonna be dreary. But there could be some tough challenges in there! Could be fun" She said with a short laugh at the end of her sentence "Although this place isn't too bad. Especially at night, with the hoothoot making sure it isn't silent. And I'm guessing there might be some pokemon to battle here too. Ya never know!"

Guest carried out 1 launched of one Pricklemist Hill :

((For my next post))

"I will never understand the Pokémon believing battling to be fun. But everyone is different after all -sadly. Well, I guess we should get going then."
Why had this world been created as it was? Why were there Pokémon who were stronger or weaker than others? If everyone was exactly the same, if everyone would like the same things, then life would be much easier. But the Nincada obviously had no choice but to bear his heavy burden and try to make the best out of the situation he was in.
At least he wouldn't have to initiate combat by himself, now that this strange Sneasel was by his side.
She seemed to have a decent character.
Thus far at least.
Hopefully the Bug type's fears would not come true, as the possibility of this all being a trap was still very real.

Kuro nodded "I kinda enjoy a battle, a nice little challenge to keep my claws sha-" She stopped herself mid-sentence, which is something she wouldn't normally do. She looked around with almost eagle-like vision. A few foot forward a purple-black ball of gas was slowly drifting towards the unique duo of pokemon "Well looks like this may be our first battle" The Gastly simply replied with a rather menacing glance, shooting a Mean Look at Kuro and Ned, now stopping them from escaping this encounter.

The Gastly drifted closer to them, and Kuro sharpened her claws against themselves, then proceeding to taunt the Gas Pokemon "Oi, you ball-shaped... ball of... gas! How about you use an actual move instead of something as pitiful as that!" The Sneasel crudely taunted the Ghost type

(Kuro's Current Energy - 12)

Suddenly the Sneasel stopped talking.
A large, dark, menacing, horrifying ball of darkest gas was floating in front of them, grinning tauntingly.
"Uh...I-I-I th-think maybe we should just l-AAGH!"
All of a sudden the Gastly's expression changed into an even more horrible, distorted visage.
If Ned hadn't been terrified out of his mind before, he certainly was now.
Any and all clear thoughts were replaced by the mental image the Ghost type had created.
And on top of that there was another problem - not a single move the Bug type was capable of using would be remotely useful in this situation, the Gastly's resistances covering the exact types Ned used to attack.
Paralyzed with fear the Nincada could just watch...

"Eh, don't worry bout it Ned, I got this!" Kuro quickly surveyed her surroundings, taking note that she was simply in a level grassy plain, the darkness not being to her advantage at this point, perhaps even a disadvantage "Well.. You're actually gonna be some trouble huh.." The shade didn't bother with a reply and rapidly floated towards the Weasel, using it's tongue to launch a Lick attack, causing Kuro to stumbled backwards "Eww! Gross!" Kuro shook herself, recovering from the attack as the ball of purple gas came towards her again, she dodged the lashing tongue this time "Careful Ned!" She exclaimed, the Ghost type heading towards Ned at this point

Seeing the Gastly now charging towards him, the Nincada's mind stopped doing anything, his reflexes taking over instead. He had no idea, how he managed to pull this off, but the Bug type managed to leap into the air, trying to land on the spectral Pokémon to use a Leech Life attack. But even though he would have landed on the intended target, the Ghost type's gaseous nature prevented him from actually standing on it, falling through the poisonous being instead. And while he did use a Leech Life attack, the Gastly was holding on to its lifeforce rather strongly, only a miniscule amount of it being drained by the attack.
The Sneasel had to do something, or the Bug type would be doomed.

Kuro used the distraction, as she thought it was used as, to approach the Gastly with a rather quick sprint, running from side to side in case this Ghost type wanted to launch any other attack, yet it instead went to launch a Night Shade at the Ned, noticing its fear and making itself appear large to the Bug type, giving itself a menacing appearance, baring its fangs also.

The Sneasel hoped Ned didn't take too much damage from it, and struck at the Gastly with a closed fist, normally it would just pass through, but it had a cold energy about it, and the strike was infused with Ice. It damaged the Gastly, yet it still stood, figuratively, it winced at the cold intense feeling and prepared to counterattack with a Lick

The Nincada meanwhile had landed on his back, flailing around helplessly in a futile attempt to get up again. Then however the Gastly appeared directly in front of him, suddenly expanding to several times its size. With a yelp born out of panic the startled Nincada somehow leapt up into the air again, landing sin an upright position this time.
But there was not much he could do. Just as he had always insisted on, he was utterly useless. He could do little to no damage to the Ghost type - worse even, his presence in the battle forced the Sneasel to be extraordinarily careful both to avoid hitting him and to protect him from their adversary's attacks.
What could he possibly do?

Kuro looked at the Nincada, an idea coming to mind that may just involve the bug type, to invigorate his spirit. She aptly sidestepped a lick attack, jumping to the Nincada's side "Ned! Tell me, what moves do you have?" The Gastly was focused on Kuro, as she was the loudest and the Ghost type found it incredibly irritating, gliding forward in a rather mystifying fashion, its tongue hanging low out of its mouth, readying another lick attack.

Kuro enjoyed this battle, she had grown a little rusty for sure, but either way battles got her blood rushing, it was the reason her team focused on outlaw missions.

Surprised by the Sneasel's sudden speaking it took the Nincada quite a while to think of his moves.
"Uh...Leech Life, Scratch, Silver Wind and..."
Ned shook his head. No, he simply must not use this attack. It was far too powerful, far too dangerous. It was simply not meant to be used.
"...and that's it. Nothing to be even remotely useful here."
A Ghost type attack. A Dark type attack. Or any attack that would not be resisted twice or the Gastly would be outright immune against. That was what Ned needed in this situation. But he did not possess the skill to do anything of the sort. Once more he had proven one thing - he was a failure.