From: Rain Dance (pokefreakazoid@yahoo.com) Subject: [PW!] The Trials Begin Newsgroups: alt.games.nintendo.pokemon Date: 2000/05/06 (Author's Note: You have to begin somewhere...don't worry, if you are a little confused, things will slowly start to clear up as I add more...) "The Trials Begin" We Are Strike, Part I Writer: Rain Dance The wind blew gently through the forest. Its cooling breeze shook the leaves on the tress, and caused loosely hanging vines to sway. It blew under the blazing sun, under the same sun in which rolling hills faded off into the distance, and grass grew on those hills. From that grass sprouted the seeds of life, from which everything was built. That same wind carried these seeds to the four corners of the earth, where the cycle would start again. Yet, despite the gentle breeze flowing through the forest, something in the bushes is rustling. Something different, something that was not as serene or innocent as its surroundings. Then, out of the underbrush came a large creature. It arouse from its crouched position, blossoming into full stature. Its pale green skins glimmered, the sun dancing on its long scythes and wings. This is the one they call Kuula. Then, another of the creatures arouse following the first. This one was slightly smaller than the first, although its scythes still menacing. Its skin was darker though, a thicker forest green color. Compared to Kuula, this one's scythes were shorter and stubbier, yet their serrated teeth were finer than that of its counterpart. They call this one Ktulu. A third than arouse, slightly taller than Ktulu, this one seemed different from the first two. Its body seemed more streamed more streamlined, more elegant than the bulkier Kuula and Ktulu. Its scythes were longer and thinner than those of Kuula and Ktulu, and its wings were darker than those of the other two. This was the one the called Kshara. "Kuula, are you SURE you saw it headed this way?" Kshara moaned, a combination of frustration and whining in her voice. Her whining was met only was a low growl from both the males in the party, as they continued to scour the ground looking for telltale footprints or blood spots. Kshara was ready prod Kuula with another frustrated moan, when Ktulu flashed left scythe Kuula and Kshara. The two Scythers both did pivoted around to see what there comrade had found. Without a word, Ktulu brushed a low lying bush upwards to reveal blood soaked hove prints leading westward. "See for yourself ky'ua." Ktulu growled. Kshara growled in reaction to Ktulu's insulting her dignity. She did not take kindly to being called a babbling dung-sucker when she had not had any sleep in two days, and they were still tracking the same prey. Ktulu and Kuula bent over and smelt the tracks, and their eyes narrowed in unison. "Come, the tracks are fresh. It's only been a few minutes since the Tauros has been here. It couldn't have gone very far, especially with that bad leg." Kuula said, ducking under the still suspended branch into the winding path weaved by his query. "Pa'kla, we settle this after hunt." Kshara hissed at Ktulu. Obviously taken by Kshara's brazenness. He was in shock for a few moments before he finally was able to respond. "Quiet Sister, or do I have to remind you of why we're here. We came on this hunt to help Kuula, for better or worse." She raised her left scythe to thrust at Ktulu, a point to release her pent up frustrations, but she angrily grimaced. Ktulu was right, she had agreed to come on this hunt to help Kuula, and now she was stuck on it, fraying, and on the verge killing her brother, she was still honor bound to assist Kuula in this task. She bitterly bit her lip, and ducked into underbrush after Kuula. Ktulu, cocked a confident smile at having defeated his sister, and ducked into the bush after her. Kuula was a good five strides ahead of Ktulu and Kshara when he suddenly stopped. His nostrils flared with an oh to familiar stench. It was the smell of decay, the smell of rotting flesh. Judging from the strength that it was permeating, it was fresh, very fresh. He turned to see Ktulu and Kshara coming rapidly towards him. He narrowed his eyes and sternly stared them down, as they slowed and crept up next to him. Both immediately recognized the odor, and the three of them edged toward it, until they saw it in plain sight. The massive hulk of a Tauros, dead for only a few minutes at best. Already the Rattatas and Spearows were beginning to pick at it. Its left front lag mangled by deep slash, cutting into the bone, and attempting to run on it. Other deep cut marks streaked the cow's body, as they had stalked and attacked it twice before but failing to kill it. Kuula was the first to emerge into the small clearing where the Tauros had collapsed. The other two Scythers were still rustling in the underbrush, causing a raucous among the scavengers already feasting, and they all scrambled away in a state of panic. Kuula was about five feet from the kill when a sudden flash of movement caught his attention. It was first nothing but a sound coming from a nearby tear to his right, but it was a distinctive rustling. He turned to see a blur of brown fur and fangs cross his peripheral vision and then settle in front of him. A massive Persian had seemed to have staked off this kill as his own. It was long and thin, its body making a distinctive impression on the viewer, for he looked as though he hadn't eaten in weeks, its flesh clinging to its bone showing how thin it truly was. Its shaggy was also thinning more than it should have been.it losing material that the body couldn't support. But its massive fangs were still there, and gleamed a pearly white in the midday sun. "Back scum, this is mine." It roared. Kuula flashed his scythes. "Smell it, my scent is on it, I was the one who killed it." The cat sniffed the carcass and sneered in defiance. "There are other scents here as well. You did not alone kill this. Since no others are present, I will take their share." Kshara flared up in anger. She had went two days with no sleep trailing this Tauros halfway across the island, and now this fleabag had the nerve to try to gyp her out of her share? That wasn't about to happen. In a surge of power she was about to leap out of bushes and attack the cat, when Ktulu's blades interrupted her. "What are you doing?!" She hissed, enraged. "This was a challenge on Kuula's honor. The cat challenged him by insulting him, and disputing his right to a kill. That infringed on his honor, and now he must fight for it, alone." Ktulu whispered, trying to keep his sister from doing something brash the Kuula would end up hurting her for. "Bakaphoon!" she grunted to herself, knowing that if she did anything rash, it'd end up hurting Kuula more than the cat. "You shall not and will not take any part of that Tauros." Kuula said bluntly. "And who's going to stop me? You bug boy? Fine then, it'll be your death." The cat hooted. Kuula set up for the oncoming battle. The shifted his weight onto his back leg, and readied his scythes. He let his left scythe lead, and his right scythe hang loosely, unfixed to a battle position. All he had to was wait now, for if he made the first move, it was yet another strike against his another. The cat did not make him wait too long, for it lunged at him within in a matter of seconds after he setup. Kuula let his leading scythe retreat backwards as he brought his right scythe to bear and clubbed the Persian with the side of it. The cat's charge was blocked completely as it was sent flying off to the left, in response to being hit by the blunt side of the scythe. The cat landed back first and rolled over on impact, but quickly righted itself and launched another charge. This time it was faster, and beat Kuula, sinking its claws deep into his exoskeleton. Kuula grunted the cat finished his pass and left a massive gash in abdomen. The cat pivoted on its front legs as it made ready to make another pass, but it was too late. Kuula had beaten him to the punch and had made a charge of his own, bringing the serrated edge and point of his right scythe into a cut, he slashed at the Persian, cutting the flesh from the right paw up to chest. The Persian howled in pain, as blood began to seep up through the gash. The cat attempted to plant its feet for another thrust, but it couldn't, for Kuula had managed cut to the bone in the paw area, causing excruciating pain to attempt to move on it. The Persian growled again, but unable to do anything, slowly turned around and disappeared into the forest. Saying nothing at all, Ktulu and Kshara emerged from the underbrush, and the trio stooped over the dead Tauros, and began to feast on their work. (A little short, yes, but I needed to start somewhere....how exactly this ties into things you'll soon see in my next one.) -- -Rain Dance