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Blades (One-Shot, PG-13)

StellarWind

The Sylvan Saber
The tale of a scyther come full circle, told from her own perspective... It can get a bit bloody at times - in a kinda national-geographic kind of way - but not often. The scyther is based on a Scizor owned by an RP character of mine - so don't flame me for her having attacks Scizors normally cannot learn or her unique color scheme. I know it's been overdone countless times. But at least I provided some explanation. ^^;

And without further ado:



Blades

Running. Running through the darkness. I could hear them behind me. They were gaining.
"Take off, dammit!" I thought "Before you'll never get the chance!" flapping my wings as hard as I could, I tossed myself into the air.
I believe that this is the first time when I actually flew. Saved by the last minute. I looked down on them - three horrible heads extending from one feathered body. Powerful, muscled legs. I would have fallen to them if I didn't manage to take off in time. Upon their faces was a grim parody of emotions - Anger, Disappointment and Sadness. Then, all three faces suddenly changed.
Upon their face was now determination.
I instantly knew I wasn't out of the woods yet. I neglected to remember the height these creatures could jump to. Flapping my wings with all I could muster, I pulled myself out of danger range just in time, watching them walk away in disappointment.

Dodrios. How I loathed them.

Too many days ended like this. Me running for my life for fear of large birds. That's how life is like for my kindred, hatched without a pack to protect them. Many were caught and eaten by birds. Others fell prey to wild fires. Only the strong survive in this world. Those who have a pack to protect them in these vulnerable times, and those who live long enough to escape.

Chases like this always left me hungry. I landed silently, hidden in wild grass, seeking out a Caterpie. I still haven't grown to my full size, and so it was the only foe I could overtake at my current age.
Sure enough, one was there. the eye-like markings on its head, designed to deter attackers, and the stink glands on its antennae made good defense against certain creatures. It didn't matter to me the least bit.

Hiding, I waited for the Caterpie to catch a good position... perfect.
Careful not to reveal my location, I sought the Caterpie's real eyes. they were much smaller than the gigantic markings on its head, and so were hard to find. I've hunted Caterpies before, though, so I knew about where to look. I locked my gaze on the unsuspecting Caterpie...

It didn't notice me until it was too late.

I leapt at the Caterpie quickly, grabbing it using my blades. Staring into its eyes, I could see, for an instant, its expression - surprise, terror, pain... and that one look that could mean that it knew that its death has come.

With a single squeeze, the head was severed. Insect blood stained my blades and my thorax.

My eyes were the last thing the Caterpie ever saw.

~*~

Since that night when I flew out of its reach, I have never seen the Dodrio that chased me again in the area. Doduos were still around, though, but I was already fast enough to outrun them. With the advantage of flight, I did not have to worry about them anymore. Danger was now mainly from the larger flying birds, such as Fearows, Pidgeottos and Pidgeots. I did not have my aerial advantage against them - Although, ever since I have learned to focus my energy better, I've managed to deter attacks from wild Pidgeys and Spearows (though a scar on my right arm is still fresh from a battle with a Spearow. My blades were not yet sharp enough to leave more than deep scratches on the small bird, but that was progress. I felt that it was coming soon. The final shedding - the one which will finally bring me to my full size. Which would make me more maneuverable and boost my agility - giving me a more significant edge against other bugs - I would be able to hunt larger creatures than Caterpies and Weedles (though I still preferred Caterpies - Weedles have been both harder to capture, as well as their poison stings could hurt me quite badly if they managed to hit me.)

Then, I would be free. I will not have to hide anymore.

It was beginning. I felt my skin begin to separate from my body. Opening my mouth a few times, I managed to create a crack, exposing my softer, new skin to the cool night air. Feeling my skin begin to harden again. I struggled against the old shell that I used to call my skin for a while...pushing myself forward with my blades and three-clawed feet. It was close...
I finally released myself, and immediately collapsed, leaning on my blades for support, breathing heavily. Air began flowing across my skin, cooling it and hardening the chitin-like shell which covered my body. I spreaded my wings. At last, they have fully grown. Wind blew across them, drying them. Preparing them for use.

I lifted myself from the ground, spreaded my wings, extended my blades, and with newfound resolve... roared into the night.

It was done. From the hatchling I was, I have now become full-grown. The hunted... now becomes the hunter.

The hunter that they shall all learn to fear.

SCYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYTHERRRRRRRRRR RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

~*~

I have quickly made progress. Becoming faster and faster every day. Flying. Nothing felt quite as wonderful as flying. Soon enough, I could battle birds. Free as the wind! Nothing could stop me!

My next prey was intended to be one of my kind's mortal enemies - a Pinsir. They too were rather quick, Their exoskeleton was extremely tough, and the strength of their large horn-like pincers was a legend. They however lacked the grace of our kind... and the flight. This have could have served as an advantage, if it weren't evolution's way to place Pinsir's pincers atop its head, to prevent just such a situation. I've heard of Scythers falling into the deadly embrace of such pincers and crushed. I did not intend to share their fate.
There was one way to approach.
From below.

I landed inside a tree, waiting to make my move. The Pinsir did not suspect a thing. Or mayhap it was too confident in the protection of its pincers. I waited for it to climb a tree in the vicinity. the Pinsir began to, apparantly after food.

How Ironic.

Concealed by the green of the leaves, I watched as the Pinsir began its ascenction. Claw by claw it climbed, its short arms and legs finding a grip almost anywhere on the treebark.

"Patience..."

It began shifting its weight to a branch. Perfect for cutting.

"A bit more..."

Its claws nailed on to the branch, its pincers menacingly flashing.

"A little bit more..."

Its entire weight was focused on that branch as it began finding its balance.

"Perfect."

With a meancing hiss I leapt off the tree and spreaded my wings, tackling the Pinsir hard. The sides of my wings made sharp cuts along its side - perfect for my blades to grab hold of it. This was my chance.

Sweeping by the ground, I tossed the Pinsir directly onto a cluster of sharp rocks. Even the tough hide of the large insect could not survive that unnotched. a few plates in its armor fell, leaving a soft, defenseless spot on the belly.

Surprisingly, the Pinsir stood up, even though injured.
And now it knew I was here.
I did not have the element of surprise anymore. I'd have to face it in open combat.

The Pinsir charged forward, its pincers opening and closing menacingly. I focused... allowing it to come near... And just as it was about to grab hold of me, My Agility allowed me to escape its deadly grasp. The Pinsir, unable to stop running, slammed into a tree. It then quickly turned back, annoyed.
It was at his belly I had to strike. The pincers are too much of a threat, though. Something had to be done.

And I had a plan.

I stood in front of it, with a sly grin,slashing twice in the air - perhaps the universal gesture for "You want a piece of me, punk?"
And began focusing my energy.
The Pinsir was wild with rage. Its eyes almost began to glow as it charged with all the speed its short feet could muster. It ran forward at full speed.
my energy was almost completely focused. I could feel the blood rushing to my scythes. This was it. In a few minutes - one of us will be dead.

I did not intend to be that one.

The Pinsir charged...
And I slid down beneath it, grabbing its pincers with my blades.
The crushing power of the pincers was incredible. I had to use most of my strength to keep the Pincers open for long enough... Keeping it busy until it'll expose its underbelly...
there it was.
my window of opportunity.
With one quick move I thrust my head onto the exposed tissue and bit into it. The Pinsir screamed in pain and surprise, but it was too late. It let down its guard, allowing me to separate the pincers completely and take another bite. I must have severed a vital organ... as the Pinsir's strength was sapped completely. It collapsed to the grass for the last time.

I have prevailed.

Little did I know how short-lived my days of freedom were.

~*~

It began with the strange, two legged creature that appeared, five balls attached to his belt. By him walked a creature I dreaded. A large Ninetales.
"Alright, Inari." he said, clearly speaking to the large vulpine Pokemon. her fur glowed lightly. Amazing how such a beautiful creature could be so dangerous to my kin. "We're here... Now... We're going to catch ourselves a Scizor."
The two legged creature stood, apparantly sensing something.
"Inari... go!"
The Ninetales charged into the high grass.

I leapt out, glaring at the creature and the Pokemon that distrupted my rest. The Ninetales looked up, to glare back at me.
"Well, we're in luck! A Scyther!" the creature said, drawing an odd red contraption from what it wore "High levelled, too. Perfect."
I didn't know what was it talking about. The concept of levels was new to me. But whatever it was, it seemed to be in control of that Ninetales.

Suddenly, I grasped what was that creature.
It was a trainer. And it was after me.

"Ninetales, Flamethrower!" he called out, commanding the foxlike Pokemon. It obeyed, breathing out a stream of blazing hot flames in my direction. I barely evaded it. Every time I evaded, it shot out again.
"It's trying to tire me." I thought. "I cannot let it do that."

I took off higher into the sky, out of the fire's reach, and circled around the Ninetales. The fox attempted to attack me in any way possible - but it was useless. I was too high above.

Then, diving from the sky with a screech, I wing-attacked the Ninetales. It was knocked back into a large rock, but held on.

Then it did something strange.
It stood up, glowing in a strange shade of blue... and shot out a strange orb, yellow and spinning, at me. It hit too fast. Like a beam. I felt my mind wandering. "Not now..." I thought, trying to shake off the confusion, but it was too late. I could not tell what was I doing. The world became foggier. I attempted another wing attack... but the Ninetales i've seen was not a ninetales, but a rock. It hurt, but not as much as the searing blast of flames that impacted with me seconds later. I felt myself losing concsiousness.
the last two words I've heard in that day were simple.
"Pokeball, GO!"

~*~

My name is Murasame.
And once, I was a Scyther.
Now, A Scizor I am.

It wasn't long before I grew accustomed to my new "trainer". He was quite easy going with me in my first few days - He told me his name was Collin, and asked me If I wanted to have a name of my own. He suggested Murasame, the name of an ancient blade - so sharp that it seemed to draw its victims into its deadly cut - which I accepted gladly. I've heard stories about trainers enslaving their Pokemon... but it was entirely different with him. He treated my like an equal. That revolutionized my world in ways I could not imagine.
A few days later, though, which I'll remember as the end of my old life and beginning of my new ones - he released me from my Pokeball, and presented me with what appeared to be a Metallic shell, which would suit my armor perfectly. He asked me If I wanted to evolve.

I was torn in two for a short while. On one hand, I was drawn to the mysterious - and the thought of evolution made me curious. On the other hand, I didn't know how will evolution affect me. I knew a bit about Scizors, by now. They were much stronger and hardier than my kind, but their speed was reduced. Also, they were said to be too heavy to fly - but there have always been a few exceptions.

Was I willing to take the risk?

Suddenly, I felt something within me. Something that wished to erupt - to come outside - to triumph over all. Driven by survival up until now, I did not think of my Battle Spirit too much until this point.

I nodded.

The feel of the Metal Coat being attached to my armor was strange. The metal was cold, but something told me that it would be very hot if it was exposed to fire. That made me a bit uncomfortable. But I knew that I did not evolve yet. I was just that - A Scyther plated in metal.

Then, Collin drew a small stone from his pocket. It had the symbol of two arrows, facing away from each other, carved on it, and it seemed to glow lightly. I felt power radiating from it.
"This is a Switch Stone." Collin said "Normally, Pokemon with items attached will only fuse-evolve with them if they are traded to another trainer. The Pokemon's mind clings to the closest memory it has of its former trainer - the item attached to it - and so, somehow, a fusion occurs. The Switch Stone was created to cause that process without actually having to trade the Pokemon away. You may feel a bit distant when it touches you... it passes very quickly."

I nodded.
It touched.

I felt like i was ripped away from all i have known and tossed elsewhere, far away. For a single second. I clutched my Metal Coat close to me...

And the light began.

I felt my blades changing into sharp, pincer-like claws. My body became more slender, but heavier, as the metal coat and my natural chitin armor fused. My head changed shape. And my wings... They became heavier, but wider. The light subsided.

It was all an Illusion. I was not thrown away anywhere - It was just an odd dream.
But I was now a Scizor.

"Whoa. That's new." Collin said, looking at me. I didn't realize what it was until he showed me a Scizor in his Pokedex entry.
I was different. While Scizors were naturally red and deep blue, I was silver and blue.
I felt another strange thing about myself...
I could still fly. Leaping up into the air, I beat my wings. It took a bit more strain, but I could still fly! And I was almost as maneuverable, too.

Collin smiled at me. "This looks to me like the beginning of a new age for both of us."

~*~

The large Nidoking collapsed. breathing heavily, and was returned. His trainer, a girl with short, spiky purple hair groaned.
"I don't know how you got that Scizor of yours to learn those moves of hers, but this is about the last straw. It's the final turn... And i'm using my most high-leveled Pokemon... Prepare to meet your doom! Tritori, go!"

And out of the Pokeball emerged my old nightmare. The same three heads. The same menacing eyes. The same high-leaping legs. It was the same Dodrio which chased me what seemed like an eternity.
It recognized me too.

The battle began.

"Tritori, Leap and Triattack!"

The Dodrio leapt up into the sky. Its jumps have grown more impressive since i've last seen it. I saw the triple beam of elements unleashed and approaching me. Ice, Fire and Lightning. No time to think.

Flying, I braced myself, glowing red.
The attack bounced off, sailing in the Dodrio's direction. Unfortunately, the Dodrio landed before the attack hit.

"Drill Peck!"
"Metal Claw!"

The Dodrio leapt up again, and attempted to unleash that dreaded attack upon me. Drill Peck was my greatest fear back then - and it still brings memories to me that I do not wish to remember. Upon hearing my trainer's command, though, I dove, extending my Pincers. A white glow formed around them as I slashed at the Dodrio. Quicker than a flash of lightning. The Dodrio stumbled, surprised. A good Ice Punch now, and...

"Ferric Beak!'
"Ice Punch!"

The Dodrio's trio of beaks sparkled. they began glowing... The Dodrio ran at me, beaks glowing. What was this attack? No matter, I must stay focused...
Drawing hot air from around then, my claws formed terrible cold around them. It was a dual impact.

My frozen claws impacted with the Dodrio.
The Dodrio's glowing steel beaks began pummeling my armor. I don't know which one of us was suffering more... If I could only get through one more punch...

Then, something happened that wasn't in the handbooks.

One of the Dodrio's heads began attacking another. The other head did not take kindly to this, and attempted to counterattack, accidentally hitting the third head. The three heads began fighting each other, for no reason at all.

"Tritori, this is NO time to argue! Finish it!" the girl cried out in furstration.
"Murasame, you know what to do!"

I nodded, as cold began forming around my claws...

The punch flung the Dodrio out of the field, where it landed, unconcsious.

"Tritori is unable to battle. The winner is Murasame!" Said the referee, raising a red flag, indicating my Victory.

The girl muttered something about this not being the last time they will meet, returned her Dodrio and walked off.

From that moment, We never saw her again.

And yet, I feel as If I have come full circle. I've gone a long way since that day where I first flew to the day I stood victorious against what sought to make me its prey. In a way, I feel like another part of my life has ended, and a new one begins.

What will the future hold for Me, Collin, and the rest of his Pokemon?
Only time will tell.
 
Squee! Welcome again!

Got some lovely bits here. I'd never thought of Metal Coat as an actual 'coat' of armor before - more a as a fluid that could be poured over a pokemon. Strange. But great interpretation.

I was a little surprised as to why Murasame became a blue and silver Scizor. Weird. But I suppose it was just something I missed whilst reading.

I think there were a few typos in there but mostly fine. Probably a spellcheck or whatever would fix those. Also, I think the flow was a little interrupted, especially in the Caterpie section. Maybe the word 'Caterpie' was used too often and too simply in that paragraph? Not sure - it's just my opinion.

I admit I was taken aback when Murasame just accepted Collin. With a such a tough little fighter of a Scyther - a common pokemon for 'free spirited pokemon gets captured but remains wild' fics - I would have thought it would have just killed the poor boy. But no. In a stroke of genre-defying kindness, teh bug turned out to be a more mild sort than I'd expected. Nice!

...after the babble, I'd like to congratulate you on your entry to the group of Serebii writers! Great to have you around!

Piney.
;204;;324;
 

StellarWind

The Sylvan Saber
Hi. ^^

This story's not very new, so It may have a few things I've missed in the grammar department. ^^;

You didn't miss anything - I didn't point out the reason for Murasame's unique color scheme in this fic. Truth be told, None of Collin's PokeMon have had the exact color scheme they're supposed to have. The particular RP he was a part of had some explanation to this, or at least, part of the explanation. He didn't get to explain all of his strange creatures before that RP died. -_-

The caterpie hunting section... Yeah. I think I see what you mean there. ^^;;

Thanks for the comment and the welcome. Always appreciated. ^^
 

IceKing

Sexorific!
Ive wanted to review this for a while, hear I go...

I would have fallen to them if I didn't manage to take off in time. Upon their faces was a grim parody of emotions - Anger, Disappointment and Sadness. Then, all three faces suddenly changed.
Upon their face was now determination.


Hmm, you definetely have a unique style of sentence structure and flow. At this point, its decent but not fantastic, I'll just have to wait and see. Also, how exactly are you using the word "parody"?

Sure enough, one was there. the eye-like markings on its head, designed to deter attackers, and the stink glands on its antennae made good defense against certain creatures. It didn't matter to me the least bit.

Watch out for captilization.

With a single squeeze, the head was severed. Insect blood stained my blades and my thorax.

Hmm, Im guessing your trying to use short dramatic sentences, but its really not that vivid for me. Perhaps you should describe that fatal squeeze a bit more and the Caterpie's death? Vividness is always good


It was beginning. I felt my skin begin to separate from my body. Opening my mouth a few times, I managed to create a crack, exposing my softer, new skin to the cool night air. Feeling my skin begin to harden again. I struggled against the old shell that I used to call my skin for a while...pushing myself forward with my blades and three-clawed feet. It was close...
I finally released myself, and immediately collapsed, leaning on my blades for support, breathing heavily. Air began flowing across my skin, cooling it and hardening the chitin-like shell which covered my body. I spreaded my wings. At last, they have fully grown. Wind blew across them, drying them. Preparing them for use.

Oooh, I liked this passage a lot. I could really imagine it shedding its skin and finally getting the wings it once, but I still can't tell which pokemon it is. I don't know if that is intended or not.


SCYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYTHERRRRRRRRRR RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

Oh, thats what I thought. Hmm, I'm trying to picture a maturing scyther without full developed wings now...

My next prey was intended to be one of my kind's mortal enemies - a Pinsir. They too were rather quick, Their exoskeleton was extremely tough, and the strength of their large horn-like pincers was a legend. They however lacked the grace of our kind... and the flight. This have could have served as an advantage, if it weren't evolution's way to place Pinsir's pincers atop its head, to prevent just such a situation. I've heard of Scythers falling into the deadly embrace of such pincers and crushed. I did not intend to share their fate.
There was one way to approach.
From below.

Nice passage and description again, but you really should put spaces between the paragraphs. It puts better emphasis and is more purty to look at.

I stood in front of it, with a sly grin,slashing twice in the air - perhaps the universal gesture for "You want a piece of me, punk?"
And began focusing my energy.
The Pinsir was wild with rage. Its eyes almost began to glow as it charged with all the speed its short feet could muster. It ran forward at full speed.
my energy was almost completely focused. I could feel the blood rushing to my scythes. This was it. In a few minutes - one of us will be dead.

And here you might want to combine all these awkwardly position sentences into one paragraph. But it is nice suspense

With one quick move I thrust my head onto the exposed tissue and bit into it. The Pinsir screamed in pain and surprise, but it was too late. It let down its guard, allowing me to separate the pincers completely and take another bite. I must have severed a vital organ... as the Pinsir's strength was sapped completely.

Hmm, Scythers jaws arent really that big, are they? How could a bite inflict so much damage?

Now, A Scizor I am.
The improper grammar doesnt really work for effect

"Ferric Beak!'
"Ice Punch!"

Did you make up Ferric break, or is it a new attack from XD or something that I havent heard about? Can Scizor even learn ice punch? I dont mind if it can't, im really really loose when it comes to cannon




Ok, this was a pretty good fic. The life of a scyther...his love for battling. I felt it started out a little weak and choppy, but it grew a lot better as time passed on. The major thing I suggest you try to improve is the way you structure your paragraphs, right now it's awkward and doesn't really work. Don't remember any typos or grammar mistakes, if there were any, I probably didn't notice. Description wasn't the greatest, but it was ok and I dont have description as a high priority when reviewing. I also liked how you started with a Dodrio and ended with a Dodrio as well. First person is hard to pull off, I wouldn't say you pulled it off beautifully, but you still pulled it off pretty good. I kind of wish there was a more concrete point rather than just the life of a Scyther, one shots tend to be full of meaning and all that crap, and this fic did have to potential for more meaning, but I'm not too fused about it really. Overall, good job, I might read your other fic sometime.

4/5
 

StellarWind

The Sylvan Saber
And here's answers to all questions. xD

1 - I don't think that Dodrio's heads genuinely do feel different things each in a way that is mirrored by their expression - so, their face is arranged in what may be a facsimile, or a parody, of emotion. (shrugs) That's how it works for me. ^^;

2 - Oops. ^^; See, that's what happens when you copy/paste old fics into boards without proofreading them first. X_x

3 - Scythers don't have big jaws, but already the Pinsir's armor is broken at some point, and, mind you, without an armor, it's just a bug. Under the chitinous shells, Bugs have rather soft bodies, and Scyther's fangs are rather powerful - at least that's the way I see it. If it took advantage of a weak spot and managed to plunge its head into the wound and bite through a vital organ, it might be plausible...

4 - When I wrote this fic, XD wasn't even in planning, and I'm pretty sure that even Colosseum wasn't released. I made Ferric Beak up because it bothered me that a wingless creature like Dodrio can learn Steel Wing. I thought it needed another avian steel attack. (shrugs). Canonically, Scizor cannot learn Ice Punch. Or any of the punch moves. However, Murasame was a Scizor belonging to a character in an RP, and his training methods allowed her (yes, Murasame's a *female*) to learn some moves Scizors normally wouldn't. She could, through meditation, draw the warmth from the air around a pincer to create an Ice Punch, or compress air so much in one of her pincers until it ignites and use it to create a fire punch. Couple that with learning to manipulate static electricity loosely and you can see why Murasame, the Flying Fortress Scizor, was the world's first Tri-Attacking Sciz. ^^

5 - I started and ended with the same Dodrio. Tritori was the Dodrio that chased Murasame on the night the story began, captured and trained by that human.

6 - Lastly the whole point of the story WAS giving Murasame a bit of a back story. ^_^;

Thank you for your review and comments. I like constructive criticism.
 
Pinecone Tortoise said:
I'd never thought of Metal Coat as an actual 'coat' of armor before - more a as a fluid that could be poured over a pokemon. Strange.

Me too. Anyway, that was a great one-shot. I noticed few errors.
 
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