Chapter 23
Swellow swooped down low, skimming sea level, kicking up water behind it. Setijin
fearfully shielded his face with one hand as the bird veered upwards upon sight of land. It
slowed its speed to a gently glide, scanning the ground for Setijin's destination. He
sighed deeply, wiping away the cold tears from his eyes, squinting to focus on the ground
beneath them.
"Down there," he called above the wind, pointing down to the banks of a river. Swellow
screeched, banking and sloping downwards, swirling down towards the ground.
Fortree River crackled gleefully, Setijin dismounting Swellow. He patted it on the back,
returning it to its pokéball, observing his surroundings. To his left sat the river, to his
right the edge of the dense forest, behind him a steep incline, crude rock steps crawling
up its face. He turned to walk up them; the glass paneled Weather Institute glittering in
the sun on the hills above him. He clambered up the steps, arming himself with a
different pokéball.
As he walked, he admired the flowers, dancing colorfully in the gently breeze, the large
wooden rope bridges swaying gently from side to side, and the fish pokémon splashing
playfully out of the cascading streams. He strode along, smiling while inhaling the fresh
air, dropping the pokéball to the floor. Nincanda fired out in a flurry of blue, hopping into
a hover close behind him.
"I think its time we gave you back to your real owner," he explained, Nincanda listening
intently. "You've been a great friend, and without you, I could never have gotten
anywhere in that competition." Nincanda chirped disappointedly.
"Canda?"
"It's only right that I give you back to your real trainer." The two made their way up to
the top plateau, crossing the rope bridge over to the weather institute. Outside it stood the
same two scientists as before, with their Magnemite and Castform floating next to them,
the scientists jotting down notes onto their note pads. Setijin strode over to them,
Nincanda unwillingly following.
Setijin talked with the scientists, the first standing back, observing his pokémon, the
second listening to Setijin's story.
"Sounds like you two have had quite a trip!" he exclaimed.
"Yeah, well I just came back to say thanks, and to give you your pokémon back…"
Setijin's voice slowed and sounded a hint more solemn than before.
"Well…don't be so hasty!" he continued, crouching down next to the bug. He observed
it, before standing back up, with a satisfied look on his face. "After all you've been
through, I feel you should at least have a battle to see if it's amounted to anything."
Setijin smiled, accepting the challenge, looking to Nincanda for its support. It hummed,
the scientist calling his Magnemite over to the field around the back of the building once
more. They stood apart, as before, their pokémon waiting readily.
"Same rules as last time?" Setijin asked. The scientist stepped back, rubbing his chin in
thought.
"Why not make it a two on two battle?" he suggested. "I want to see your Medicham in
action now too."
"Sure thing," Setijin replied, releasing Medicham from his premium ball. The bug and the
fighter stood side by side, as the scientist released a Magneton, which floated alongside
its partner. Both fizzled with electricity, waiting for the starters orders.
"And begin!" the scientist called, the pokémon donning battle stances.
"Nincanda, harden!" Setijin ordered, Nincanda's thick skin shining freshly, as if coated
with metal. Magnemite hovered forwards, sparking as it released a small shot of
electricity. Nincanda's tough hide simply shimmered as the bolt struck, diffracting it off
into the air.
"Magneton, use Iron defense!" the scientist called, the Magnet pokémon whirring into
life, coating itself with an extra layer of metal coating, in a similar fashion to Nincanda.
Setijin watched, before ordering Medicham into action.
"Ok Medicham, high jump kick!" Medicham leapt forwards, halting itself half way
through the attack. It looked up at the foreboding Magneton, backing away, evidently still
shaken from its previous bout.
"Cham…" it muttered, Magneton closing in.
"Thunderbolt it!" the scientist shouted, Magneton screeching demonically, its magnets
whirring violently, throbbing with lightning, the bolt striking down just in front of the
agile fighter. The mud of the floor churned up, the grass around it charred thoroughly,
Medicham continuing to back away.
"Come on Medicham, I know you can do this!" Setijin reassured, Medicham turning to
listen, before charging at the Magneton. The static from the machine threw him
backwards, shuddering on the floor. Magneton charged up a second blast of thunderbolt,
launching it directly at Medicham, paralyzing him, the helpless fighter shivering in a
heap on the floor.
Meanwhile, Nincanda and Magnemite continued their fight. The two seemed to be in a
dead heat; Nincanda continuously upgrading its defenses and evasion by creating
multiple images of itself with double team, Magnemites electrical attacks either missing
or having no effect on the bug.
"Magnemite, use Sonic Boom!" the scientist shouted, the magnet pokémon building up to
a deafening screech, the wind shooting forwards, blasting Nincanda at Sonic speed. It
flew backwards, the shock of the blow knocking out all of its copied images. Nincanda
sat on its own, with no form of protection left.
"Nincanda!" Setijin cried, the bug hopping backwards, ready to initiate its last line of
defense. It swirled its small head around and around, a gentle updraft growing beneath
the Magnemite. It seemed to wallow in the soothing breeze, only coming too as the
breeze grew into a wind, sparkling with tiny particles of silk, shimmering like tiny
diamonds in the air. The Magnemite struggled as the winds whisked it upwards, before
dying and sending it hurtling back towards the ground. As the winds gathered back
towards Nincanda, it squealed happily, the breeze encircling him, providing him with
new strength. His hide shone with newfound resilience, his claws seemed to sharpen, and
its reflexes heightened. Magnemite whimpered metallically as it returned to its master's
pokéball, Nincanda now shaking with light. The winds grew stronger, lifting him gently
into the air, his body encasing itself in light, growing into a large ball of energy, splitting
into two, taking individual shapes, one shorter and fatter than Nincanda's original form,
its legs tucked in around its belly, fore claws outstretched in front of it, his short stumpy
green wings shedding their color and growing long and glasslike, beating vividly,
keeping the new figure hovering above the ground. Its face had flattened, eyes now
glowing red, its supple skin encased in a complex golden mask covering.
"Ninjask," it hissed, fidgeting uncomfortably in its place, as if desperate to move.
"Wow, it evolved!" Setijin exclaimed, the Scientist smiling and nodding.
"It looked like it would soon enough," he explained, Ninjask zipping over to the stunned
Medicham's side.
"Ninjask," it buzzed, flying high into the sky, its speed increasing with each movement. It
looped back around, a copy of itself formed from blurred light splitting off from it. The
original floated back to the ground, the light version embedding itself in Medicham. He
leapt up, examining himself, Ninjask's strength enhancements somehow swirling around
inside of him. He charged towards Magneton once more, arm outstretched and fist
clench, accelerating sharply, the magnet charging up a third thunderbolt blast.
Its magnets whirled, throbbing with power again, sparking wildly, the streams of
lightning whipping around, curling through the air, narrowly missing the fast moving
Medicham. He threw himself up and over Magneton, turning on the spot behind him
upper cutting him with an Ice punch. The electric pokémon wobbled, floating dizzily
back down, Medicham swiveling onto on foot, heaving the second up, lobbing Magneton
off to the other end of the battle field. It flopped to the floor, spinning weakly, the
scientist returning it to his ball.
"What a wonderful battle!" he congratulated, the second figures light dying, details
becoming visible.
Its main shape was almost identical to Ninjask's, its face rounder, and its entire body
encased in dull ochre yellow skin, a wisp of white swirling around its head, thick strips of
dead shell in place of wings. It floated lifelessly, whispering, 'Shedninja'.
"What is that?" Setijin recoiled in shock. The scientists face lit up in excitement, shooting
over to Shedninja, handling it gently in his hands.
"Incredible! So it's true! Nincanda does have a split evolution!"
"Split evolution?"
"Yes. It is said that when Nincanda evolves into Ninjask, its old skin is discarded and
takes the form of a separate pokémon, this here Shedninja!" he explained. Setijin
wandered over to his Ninjask, examining it, and handing it a poke block as a reward.
"I guess this is goodbye then buddy," he said, Ninjask humming sadly.
"Now wait just a minute. That Ninjask evolved for a very good reason. You've trained
him far better than I ever could!"
"But he's your pokémon. It's only right that he stays with you!" Setijin protested.
"You may be right, but he'll be a lot better off under your care. It's all too easy to see that
you both care and stand by each other…as for me, I don't mind. It's this Shedninja I'm
interested in!"
"Really?"
"Well sure! Ninjask is a pokémon designed for battling. Shedninja here isn't really the
combat type. Tell you what, you keep Ninjask, and I'll look after Shedninja. This way,
we'll both be happy!" Setijin smiled, hugging Ninjask, before returning both him and
Medicham to their pokéballs.
"Thank you again," he said to the scientist, receiving a smile and a wave in return as he
walked off, heading towards the wooden bridge.
"I'll take good care of him!" both called back to each other simultaneously, resulting in
laughter on both their parts. As he walked into the forest, he turned back one last time to
see the Scientist waving him off, Shedninja floating emotionlessly by his side.
"Well, it looks like its time to say goodbye to everyone in Fortree," he said to himself,
traversing deeper into the undergrowth of the forest.
Swellow swooped down low, skimming sea level, kicking up water behind it. Setijin
fearfully shielded his face with one hand as the bird veered upwards upon sight of land. It
slowed its speed to a gently glide, scanning the ground for Setijin's destination. He
sighed deeply, wiping away the cold tears from his eyes, squinting to focus on the ground
beneath them.
"Down there," he called above the wind, pointing down to the banks of a river. Swellow
screeched, banking and sloping downwards, swirling down towards the ground.
Fortree River crackled gleefully, Setijin dismounting Swellow. He patted it on the back,
returning it to its pokéball, observing his surroundings. To his left sat the river, to his
right the edge of the dense forest, behind him a steep incline, crude rock steps crawling
up its face. He turned to walk up them; the glass paneled Weather Institute glittering in
the sun on the hills above him. He clambered up the steps, arming himself with a
different pokéball.
As he walked, he admired the flowers, dancing colorfully in the gently breeze, the large
wooden rope bridges swaying gently from side to side, and the fish pokémon splashing
playfully out of the cascading streams. He strode along, smiling while inhaling the fresh
air, dropping the pokéball to the floor. Nincanda fired out in a flurry of blue, hopping into
a hover close behind him.
"I think its time we gave you back to your real owner," he explained, Nincanda listening
intently. "You've been a great friend, and without you, I could never have gotten
anywhere in that competition." Nincanda chirped disappointedly.
"Canda?"
"It's only right that I give you back to your real trainer." The two made their way up to
the top plateau, crossing the rope bridge over to the weather institute. Outside it stood the
same two scientists as before, with their Magnemite and Castform floating next to them,
the scientists jotting down notes onto their note pads. Setijin strode over to them,
Nincanda unwillingly following.
Setijin talked with the scientists, the first standing back, observing his pokémon, the
second listening to Setijin's story.
"Sounds like you two have had quite a trip!" he exclaimed.
"Yeah, well I just came back to say thanks, and to give you your pokémon back…"
Setijin's voice slowed and sounded a hint more solemn than before.
"Well…don't be so hasty!" he continued, crouching down next to the bug. He observed
it, before standing back up, with a satisfied look on his face. "After all you've been
through, I feel you should at least have a battle to see if it's amounted to anything."
Setijin smiled, accepting the challenge, looking to Nincanda for its support. It hummed,
the scientist calling his Magnemite over to the field around the back of the building once
more. They stood apart, as before, their pokémon waiting readily.
"Same rules as last time?" Setijin asked. The scientist stepped back, rubbing his chin in
thought.
"Why not make it a two on two battle?" he suggested. "I want to see your Medicham in
action now too."
"Sure thing," Setijin replied, releasing Medicham from his premium ball. The bug and the
fighter stood side by side, as the scientist released a Magneton, which floated alongside
its partner. Both fizzled with electricity, waiting for the starters orders.
"And begin!" the scientist called, the pokémon donning battle stances.
"Nincanda, harden!" Setijin ordered, Nincanda's thick skin shining freshly, as if coated
with metal. Magnemite hovered forwards, sparking as it released a small shot of
electricity. Nincanda's tough hide simply shimmered as the bolt struck, diffracting it off
into the air.
"Magneton, use Iron defense!" the scientist called, the Magnet pokémon whirring into
life, coating itself with an extra layer of metal coating, in a similar fashion to Nincanda.
Setijin watched, before ordering Medicham into action.
"Ok Medicham, high jump kick!" Medicham leapt forwards, halting itself half way
through the attack. It looked up at the foreboding Magneton, backing away, evidently still
shaken from its previous bout.
"Cham…" it muttered, Magneton closing in.
"Thunderbolt it!" the scientist shouted, Magneton screeching demonically, its magnets
whirring violently, throbbing with lightning, the bolt striking down just in front of the
agile fighter. The mud of the floor churned up, the grass around it charred thoroughly,
Medicham continuing to back away.
"Come on Medicham, I know you can do this!" Setijin reassured, Medicham turning to
listen, before charging at the Magneton. The static from the machine threw him
backwards, shuddering on the floor. Magneton charged up a second blast of thunderbolt,
launching it directly at Medicham, paralyzing him, the helpless fighter shivering in a
heap on the floor.
Meanwhile, Nincanda and Magnemite continued their fight. The two seemed to be in a
dead heat; Nincanda continuously upgrading its defenses and evasion by creating
multiple images of itself with double team, Magnemites electrical attacks either missing
or having no effect on the bug.
"Magnemite, use Sonic Boom!" the scientist shouted, the magnet pokémon building up to
a deafening screech, the wind shooting forwards, blasting Nincanda at Sonic speed. It
flew backwards, the shock of the blow knocking out all of its copied images. Nincanda
sat on its own, with no form of protection left.
"Nincanda!" Setijin cried, the bug hopping backwards, ready to initiate its last line of
defense. It swirled its small head around and around, a gentle updraft growing beneath
the Magnemite. It seemed to wallow in the soothing breeze, only coming too as the
breeze grew into a wind, sparkling with tiny particles of silk, shimmering like tiny
diamonds in the air. The Magnemite struggled as the winds whisked it upwards, before
dying and sending it hurtling back towards the ground. As the winds gathered back
towards Nincanda, it squealed happily, the breeze encircling him, providing him with
new strength. His hide shone with newfound resilience, his claws seemed to sharpen, and
its reflexes heightened. Magnemite whimpered metallically as it returned to its master's
pokéball, Nincanda now shaking with light. The winds grew stronger, lifting him gently
into the air, his body encasing itself in light, growing into a large ball of energy, splitting
into two, taking individual shapes, one shorter and fatter than Nincanda's original form,
its legs tucked in around its belly, fore claws outstretched in front of it, his short stumpy
green wings shedding their color and growing long and glasslike, beating vividly,
keeping the new figure hovering above the ground. Its face had flattened, eyes now
glowing red, its supple skin encased in a complex golden mask covering.
"Ninjask," it hissed, fidgeting uncomfortably in its place, as if desperate to move.
"Wow, it evolved!" Setijin exclaimed, the Scientist smiling and nodding.
"It looked like it would soon enough," he explained, Ninjask zipping over to the stunned
Medicham's side.
"Ninjask," it buzzed, flying high into the sky, its speed increasing with each movement. It
looped back around, a copy of itself formed from blurred light splitting off from it. The
original floated back to the ground, the light version embedding itself in Medicham. He
leapt up, examining himself, Ninjask's strength enhancements somehow swirling around
inside of him. He charged towards Magneton once more, arm outstretched and fist
clench, accelerating sharply, the magnet charging up a third thunderbolt blast.
Its magnets whirled, throbbing with power again, sparking wildly, the streams of
lightning whipping around, curling through the air, narrowly missing the fast moving
Medicham. He threw himself up and over Magneton, turning on the spot behind him
upper cutting him with an Ice punch. The electric pokémon wobbled, floating dizzily
back down, Medicham swiveling onto on foot, heaving the second up, lobbing Magneton
off to the other end of the battle field. It flopped to the floor, spinning weakly, the
scientist returning it to his ball.
"What a wonderful battle!" he congratulated, the second figures light dying, details
becoming visible.
Its main shape was almost identical to Ninjask's, its face rounder, and its entire body
encased in dull ochre yellow skin, a wisp of white swirling around its head, thick strips of
dead shell in place of wings. It floated lifelessly, whispering, 'Shedninja'.
"What is that?" Setijin recoiled in shock. The scientists face lit up in excitement, shooting
over to Shedninja, handling it gently in his hands.
"Incredible! So it's true! Nincanda does have a split evolution!"
"Split evolution?"
"Yes. It is said that when Nincanda evolves into Ninjask, its old skin is discarded and
takes the form of a separate pokémon, this here Shedninja!" he explained. Setijin
wandered over to his Ninjask, examining it, and handing it a poke block as a reward.
"I guess this is goodbye then buddy," he said, Ninjask humming sadly.
"Now wait just a minute. That Ninjask evolved for a very good reason. You've trained
him far better than I ever could!"
"But he's your pokémon. It's only right that he stays with you!" Setijin protested.
"You may be right, but he'll be a lot better off under your care. It's all too easy to see that
you both care and stand by each other…as for me, I don't mind. It's this Shedninja I'm
interested in!"
"Really?"
"Well sure! Ninjask is a pokémon designed for battling. Shedninja here isn't really the
combat type. Tell you what, you keep Ninjask, and I'll look after Shedninja. This way,
we'll both be happy!" Setijin smiled, hugging Ninjask, before returning both him and
Medicham to their pokéballs.
"Thank you again," he said to the scientist, receiving a smile and a wave in return as he
walked off, heading towards the wooden bridge.
"I'll take good care of him!" both called back to each other simultaneously, resulting in
laughter on both their parts. As he walked into the forest, he turned back one last time to
see the Scientist waving him off, Shedninja floating emotionlessly by his side.
"Well, it looks like its time to say goodbye to everyone in Fortree," he said to himself,
traversing deeper into the undergrowth of the forest.