Title: Evolution
Rating: T, for Language
Genre: Undecided. Maybe it'll be easier to decide when this story's completed...
Summary: The newly-evolved Ninjask, Sokudo, is terrified of his Shedinja counterpart. His biggest dream was to evolve and now that he has, will he pay the price in the end?
Author's Comment: This is my very first story, so I would very much like constructive criticism (aka, NO FLAMES) and advice. Positive reviews is always good too! Enjoy!

Chapter 1: Ninjas and Zombies

Evolution is close. He can feel it. The tightening of his exoskeleton, the gradual growth of his wings. Even his rookie ninja skills is sharpening at a much quicker pace. It is great news to him, as he is growing increasing frustrated by his current limitations. Every night, he practices in the hopes that it'll end in his goal. Every day, he goes to sleep disappointed.

But it's different this time. It won't be long now, just one more training session to go, he's sure of it!

Focusing his eyes on his target, Sokudo the Nincada takes a deep breath as he makes sure he's still concealed in the shadows. His victim must never know of his presence until it's too late. He readies his claws before gathering every bit of his speed and charging out.

The target didn't even know what hit it as nothing but a blur charges passed it. The Nincada landing a few yards away, he is still poised from his attack, the training dummy still standing in one piece. A silent second passes before the wooden figure crumbles to the floor in pieces.

Standing proudly on his hind legs, Sokudo looks back over his shoulder as a triumphant smirk grows on his face. That tricky maneuver has been executed perfectly, and he would have gone into a fit of gloating had a massive wave of pain not wash over him.

Crying out, the little insect crumples to the ground, heavy shudders overtaking his body. He scarcely knows what's happening, for the pain is so great. He doesn't even notice as his body begins to glow a blinding white. A cracking sound fills the air and a gasp escapes his mouth as he loses all sensation before regaining it in a flood not a split-second later. He feels very different as he allows his body to move on its own instincts.

He literally steps right out of his skin, his wings feeling massive as they fan out. Finally, the white light disappears in a glorious explosion of stars.

For a long minute, Sokudo keeps his eyes closed, trying to get used to the new feel of his body. When he finally opens his eyes, he sees his vision is much sharper than it ever was as a Nincada. No longer is everything hazy as if shrouded in fog. Looking down, he sees his claws, now gold, and his forearms, now silver.

His eyes are wide in amazement and he looks down at the rest of his body. He is now a slick black color, a ring of gold encircling his abdomen. His hind legs are the same as his forearms, albeit slightly smaller. Turning his head as best he could, he could see his thorax has more golden markings, although he couldn't see the precise pattern. His wings, once stubby and green, is now large, clear, and rimmed with red.

He is a Ninjask, a true master of the ninja arts. His training is now complete...

With a excited cry, he wastes not a second in indulging in his life-long dreams of flight and dashes into the air. Circling at high-speed near the ceiling, he is all but invisible to the naked eye, his species notorious speed obvious in his actions. His shrill voice can still mark his location however, and it is filled with every note of joy the newly evolved cicada has.

"FINALLY! I CAN REALLY FLY! I'M A NINJASK NOW! AFTER SO MANY YEARS OF GROUND-BOUND TORTURE, I FINALLY EVOLVED AND I'M GONNA BE KICKING EVERYONE'S ASS, MOTHERFUCKERS!"

But his excitement is cut off as something catches his eye from the opposite side of the room. Snapping around to confront the intruder, he freezes as he stares at a white halo, and below that is a brown creature that looks like…

"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!" he shrieks, throwing himself backwards against the wall, his claws sinking into the wood as his wings are rendered useless. The creature across from him doesn't react to his shout or his retreat and simply stares at him…

Then it starts moving forward.

Whimpering, Sokudo presses even tighter against the wall as the creature continues its advance silently, not a twitch of movement coming from its actual body. Sliding down from the wall onto the floor, Sokudo can't take his eyes off the thing, shivering. A black trail of energy lingers behind the monster as if seeping from its back, and it stops just inches from his face.

Beginning to hyperventilate in terror, the newly-molted Ninjask can't even think as he stares into the empty eyes of this husk. It is near-silence for a long minute, Sokudo 's heavy breaths the only thing disrupting the peace from being total. His heart is about to explode from his chest, the edges of his vision growing black as if to focus only on the unknown creature.

Finally, there is movement from the thing, it leaning forward to nuzzle into his neck and chest.

That did it.

Sokudo stiffens considerably, eyes so wide that it looks as though they're going to pop out of their sockets. And with only a soft whimper escaping his throat, the Ninjask falls limp as he loses consciousness, the last thing he hears being its raspy echoing voice whispering into his ear.

"Brooootherrrrr…"

Light is slowly beginning to return to his mind as he opens his eyes. Blinking heavily, he feels something pressing against him, and it takes a minute before he could make out a deep, throaty purr. His vision sharpening just as his confusion increases, he sees that the creature that nearly gave him a heart-attack is still cuddling with him.

It must have been doing that for hours by now…

Screaming, Sokudo tries to pull himself away only to feel the wall behind him. Reorientating himself, he throws himself off to the side and takes to the air, vanishing from sight before reappearing by the door so he can look back.

The creature stays where it is for a long while before turning to him silently. Black energy is still seeping from its back. Cringing in absolute terror, the Ninjask flies out the training gym, leaving the creature behind as he hurries home.

"I don't really write in journals often, or at all for that matter, but this is just too important. I always thought Pokemon who believed in zombies were stupid, crazy, ya know? But now I find myself in what appears to be the beginning of a zombie apocalypse. But it's not the undead in the way you or I might expect, oh no! Instead of rising from the graves of the Bone Yard, it's taking the form of shed husks. I just evolved not too long ago, and being a Bug-type, that meant I had to shed my skin. Well, believe it or not, but the skin I left behind has come to life! And it's following me!"

A small crash comes from the kitchen and Sokudo cringes involuntarily, glancing in its direction before continuing to write.

"Although it hasn't shown interest in eating my brains yet, I'm not taking the chance. I tried flying away from it, but no matter where I hide, it keeps finding me! It's in my house right now, although thankfully it seems more interested in exploring than stalking me."

As if to confirm this, the Ninjask glances over his shoulder, finding that the closed door that stands between him and the creature still remains undisturbed. Taking a deep breath, he turns back to his journal.

"There's only one thing to do. I have to take it out, hit it in the head or something. I've tried attacking it a couple of times, but my attacks have no effect on it. I'll have to use some kind of weapon, perhaps something from my training. If I don't write any entries beyond this, know that the zombie got me. And if that's the case: my stuff better not be touched or I SWEAR I'll come back as a Haunter simply to kill your ass! ...Wish me luck! :("

Putting his pen down, he sighs before looking about his room for the perfect weapon. He is used to using only his claws in battle, but he has decent knowledge on how to handle outside tools. Casting his eyes over his collection, he grabs hold of his katana and flies to the door. Unsheathing the sword, he takes a deep breath and opens the door.

Buzzing his wings only at its minimum in order to reduce the sound of his approach, he looks down both hallways before heading carefully towards the kitchen. Peeking into the room from beyond the doorway, he sees the creature peering into a cabinet and he begins stalking towards it, gliding soundlessly for as long as he can before raising his sword for the deadly blow.

But he freezes as the unaware zombie pulls away from the cabinet and turns around distractedly, its back now facing him. Staring, he sees a gaping hole between its stiff wings, the ever present black energy emerging from there. It is beckoning and he feels himself being pulled towards it, his heart skipping a beat as a feeling of weightlessness takes hold of him.

Sensing his presence behind it as the black energy begins to twine around him, the zombie turns to face him, snapping the Ninjask out of the spell. Sokudo hesitates, knowing he is caught red-handed with his katana still held up and ready to strike. He should do it now, while he still had the chance!

But the creature's gaze was unfaltering, boring into his with no emotion within them. Feeling the lump in his throat increase a hundredfold, he offers a sheepish grin, dropping the sword as he tries to bullshit his way out of this mess.

"Hey,Iwasn'ttryingtokillyouoranything! InfactI'mabouttogobackinmyroomrightnow! Kaythanxbye!"

He doesn't even bother trying to see if his words even made sense or even if the creature could comprehend it before turning and flying off in a panic back towards the safety of his room. The creature merely stares after him silently…