Hello! Welcome to my little short series. Fear not, the next chapter of LA is coming soon. In the meantime, I figured I'd share a few of these short stories I wrote a short time ago.

There are three, which I will be posting over the next few days.

Enjoy the first one, about a Zangoose and Seviper...

Murderous screeching and yowling broke the humid night air, punctuated by furious hisses in between. If one listened enough, the noise almost sounded like a feral symphony, as if twenty wild pokemon were locked in combat, dancing around each other in concert.

In reality, only two pokemon fought.

Moonlight glinted off a Seviper's blade as it slashed at a Zangoose. Snarling, Zangoose danced backwards before launching himself at his opponent and swiping, claws fully extended. The tips grazed Seviper's scales. Zangoose caught a glimpse of Seviper's crimson eyes flashing with smug satisfaction as it twisted around the attack.

Zangoose landed, sides heaving and limbs trembling. A few yards away, Seviper returned his body to a cautious coil, tongue flickering rapidly and its skin pulsing with each rapid heartbeat.

Seviper's eyes narrowed and flicked its tail. "Time to leave, hairball."

"Did you get so turned around you've got things backwards?" Zangoose retorted, fur fluffing. "Clearly I won. Law of combat says you scram."

The Seviper's eyes nearly bulged from his head. "The match was mine, rodent."

Tension crackled to life. Zangoose's body became rigid and Seviper uncoiled slightly, taking on a posture as if ready to fight. Yet both combatants showed exhaustion, despite their attempts to mask it. As if it took great effort to do so, both relaxed slightly. Slightly.

"Let's settle this tomorrow." "We'll resolve this next time."

Both spoke at nearly the same moment, voices overlapping. Instantly they flared up again. How dare the other suggest such a notion!

"Fine! Midnight," Seviper spat the words, stabbing his blade into the air for emphasis.

Zangoose's mouth contorted and he seemed to have trouble speaking, as he had to force himself to speak. To think he had to agree with this this... "Then you'll taste defeat. Midnight."

The two lingered, neither willing to leave first, until with a maddened huff, they both whipped around and raced into the night.

xXx

A new chorus of combat began at midnight the following night. In true form, the concert lasted well into the night, until both parties were truly exhausted, battered and worn. Yet neither backed down.

"Not bad. For a spineless reptile," Zangoose sneered.

Seviper chortled. "Never knew rats could put up a fight."

A hiss and howl came together, then slowly waned. "Next week. Noon," Zangoose spoke quickly. "I'll beat you again, just like tonight." Though he'd never admit it, he wasn't quite sure he'd be ready for a fight if they did it tomorrow.

"Again?" Seviper rose up, fangs bared. "Don't lie to yourself. Tonight I won." He paused. His gaze never showed it, but relief flickered through him. Two nights in a row left him winded. Not because his opponent was good of course. Only because he'd wanted to prove how much better he was, of course. "But if you want to lose twice, be my guest."

Once again, the two split with great reluctance, vowing defeat and humiliation on the other.

xXx

"Not bad. For a belly crawling reptile," Zangoose hissed.

Seviper coiled into a smug circle, raising his head to look down upon Zangoose. "Who knew four legged mon could put up a fight. You might be able to beat a baby Seviper."

"Two nights from now. To prove once and for all who the winner is." Seviper declared.

Zangoose's tail twitched, but he stilled it. He'd been about to suggest they fight again two nights from now, to show up the worm. Whatever.

"It's your funeral."

xXx

"Hah! I'm almost impressed," chortled Seviper. He smiled, a little mockingly, then his gaze turned serious and sneering.

Zangoose stood, folding his arms. "The least pathetic display I've seen from a Seviper in awhile."

Seviper's tail wound in slow circles. "Of course, I was going easy on you."

"I barely even tried," Zangoose said snorting.

For a moment, neither moved, both seemingly relaxed. Then in near perfect sync, they brandished claw and blade, taking up combat stances.

Zangoose dropped to all fours, digging his claws into the dirt. "How about I show you how weak you really are. Dusk. Four nights from now, I'll destroy you."

Seviper smiled. "Did I hit you too hard on the head? I'm looking right at the only weak one here."

"Then you must be staring into a mirror!"

Seviper hissed, and Zangoose hissed back, feeling quite pleased with himself.

xXx

Two definitely sworn enemies faced each other, tired, angry and maybe a little impressed. They glared, gazes never wavering. Another tie. Though if you'd asked Zangoose, he would have insisted he'd won. Seviper would have said much the same.

"Tomorrow!" they growled in unison. With matching huffs of annoyance, they once again turned away and stormed off. Thought, for a brief moment, both paused a few yards away and discreetly glanced back, only to catch the other doing the same. They shot each other dirty looks and left.

xXx

" I have to say," Zangoose said, between pants. "I admire you." He took another breath. Dang. He'd still not managed to land a sound victory yet. This Seviper really was good. "Admire the way you love losing."

"And I'm impressed at the way you are so talented." Seviper stuck his tongue out at Zangoose. Of all the Zangoose he'd fought, this one was perhaps the most skilled. "Talented at lying to yourself.

Both paused.

"There's only one way to settle this then," Seviper said, continuing. He hoped the Zangoose was on the same page as him. Not that it mattered. He didn't care. At all.

"Another fight?" Zangoose said, smirking. Somewhere beneath, a real smile lingered.

"Only to prove once and for all." Seviper said, restraining the excitement from his tone.

xXx

Any who lived or passed through that area of Hoenn's forests spoke of the constant cries of combat, of two pokemon who no doubt hated each other's guts and fought day or night to prove it. Researchers insisted that over months of observation, it was the same two pokemon, always fighting. A decades long territorial dispute, they theorized. An ancient and fierce family rivalry.

If one was particularly observant however, they might note how this Zangoose and Seviper seemed to take delight in their sparring, as if it were a game. They would dance through combat ritualistically, neither giving ground, yet at the end of each fight, (which was always a tie), they seemed much more pleased then times when others of their species would fight each other.

One researcher posited a theory that the two had actually become friends through their fights, and met not to win, but to just hang out under the pretense of combat.

That researcher was immediately dismissed and written off as crazy.

Friends. As if.

Comments accepted, critiques not so much. I don't have plans to revisit this, so while I wont stop you, I don't have time to implement anything much. But I welcome commentary and thoughts anyway! :D