Author's Comment: Gah, I'm so sorry! I did it again! I took forever updating! Between work, drawing DA pictures, writing out another story, and playing Pokemon, it's been busy as of late. But like last time, I worked on this chapter bit by bit throughout it all! Again, thanks for the patience and I shall try harder to put out chapters faster! Special reviewer thanks goes to the one and only, Thewinkingme!

Chapter 4: Ninika

There're so many things in this world that confuses little Kowai to no end and this is one of them.

Staring at the female Ninjask, it feels its growls falter and it begins to whimper in a noticeably frightened tone. The mystery bug looks about quickly, as if looking for something, before focusing back on Kowai and taking a few steps closer. She flinches when the Shedinja screams, throwing itself back against a tree. So many things are rushing through its head and it can only manage to ask one of its various questions.

"HOW DO YOU KNOW MY BROTHER?!" Kowai shrieks, its panic growing.

Despite such an extreme reaction, the Ninjask's eyes glow with a smile, a relieved tone taking over her soft voice. "Oh, oh, thank goodness. I... You... He is your brother..." She seems close to tears and Kowai feels its confusion rise, as well as feeling a spark of frustration.

"ANSWER ME!" it screeches. "HOW DO YOU KNOW MY BROTHER?! WHO ARE YOU?!"

It takes a moment for the Ninjask to answer, beginning to cry in happiness. Trying to keep her body from shuddering and her voice steady, she fails in that completely and her words come out in a shaking whimper. "M-My name's Ninika..." She sniffles and looks Kowai with glistening eyes. "I-I'm Sokudo's mother... I'm your mother..."

Kowai freezes, falling completely silent at this. Staring at the other bug, it has no idea how to react, what it should do. Never once did it ever think it would have a mother, Sokudo being the only family it's ever known. And now, this is happening. Taking a moment to grasp this, to let it sink in, the husk slowly pulls away from the tree, approaching Ninika inch by inch. A soft squeak begins to emerge from its throat and it too begins feeling its body shudder.

"M... Mother...?" it mutters, earning another nod. It almost doesn't believe her, but all the signs point to her telling the truth. A whimper chokes from it and it can no longer help itself. Throwing itself against her with a squeal, it feels her arms wrap around it and it melts in her warmth and scent. There's a definite hint of its brother in this Ninjask's scent and that encourages it to cuddle as tightly as it can. It feels Ninika, its mother, nuzzle into its neck, reveling in its scent as well.

"You... you're okay... I... I never thought I'd ever... ever..." She trails off, just immersing herself in the moment before continuing. "Wh-what's your name, baby?"

"Kowai," the little shed responds, still snuggling with a coo. "My brother named me. Do you like it, Mama?"

"Kowai..." she repeats with a soft laugh, before beginning to pull away a bit. Kowai whimpers at this, but starts to purr when Ninika pets its cheek soothingly. "My little Kowai. Let me get a good look at you, sweetie."

Kowai coos and purrs some more as its mother casts her eyes over it again and again. To her relief, she sees that Kowai is a healthy husk with its halo nice and bright, although the scars on its wings and the healed wounds on its body does bring up some concern.

"You weren't shed with these wounds, were you?" she can't help but ask.

"No," Kowai answers. "The scars on my wings came from a tree, and I was bitten by a Mightyena a while ago. But I'm okay."

"That's good..." Ninika whispers, looking it over again before staring in confusion at its black mist. She's met many Shedinja in her life and none had this strange feature. "What's this...?" she asks, reaching out to poke the mist and shivering when a thin tendril wraps around her claw.

"Oh, um..." Kowai falls silent for a moment to think before muttering its answer as vaguely as possible. "That's just there... Don't worry about it, Mama." It sees her about to question further, but luckily the cicada changes her mind and shakes her head.

"Okay, baby," Ninika replies, taking some assurance by Kowai's lack of concern. For a second, she was worried the mist was some spiritual parasite or something... She certainly doesn't want one of her babies in that kind of trouble. Speaking of which, she looks about again, before finally asking the question that's been haunting her. "Where's Sokudo?"

At this, Kowai falls silent again and she feels her heart skip a beat. Already, she can imagine all sorts of horrible things happening to her son and she almost starts crying again when the Shedinja answers uncertainly.

"He went to a place called Mossy Village," it starts. "He left a few days ago and hasn't come back... I... I have this feeling that... that something's happened..." It starts to whimper at the thought, sharing its mother's growing distress. "I... But I'm tracking him down right now."

"My baby..." she chokes a bit on her tears. "We have to find him. If he made it to Mossy Village, then he's close by. I can take us there quickly, but..." Sniffling, she wipes her eyes a bit before looking Kowai in the eye. "But when we get there, can you lead me to him?"

Kowai pauses for only a second, a little spark of instinct denying her request. If she was anybody else, it wouldn't have any qualms with snapping at her before attempting to kill her for daring to ask such a thing. But this time, it cuddles back into her, humming softly. "Yes."

"UGH! THIS IS THE BIGGEST WASTE OF FUCKIN' TIME EVER!"

The loud shriek echoes through the entire village, scaring the living daylights out of any who heard it. Sokudo continues shrieking his frustrations, clawing at the ground beneath him in a rage. He's been fuming to himself for hours now as he worked. His claws hurt, his wings hurt, and he's very unkempt, covered from head to toe in dirt, and this only adds to his anger. Next to him, Jacques cringes at every outburst, staring and uncertain of what to do. The Ninjask just spontaneously exploded after a long stretch of silence, whilst tucking a seed into its designated spot.

Now that seed is being lashed out on as Sokudo jumps on it and tears it apart, much to the Ivysaur's horror.

"Sokudo, don't!" he cries out, hurrying over to the Ninjask and pulling him away with a vine. "We need that seed! Stop i- OW!"

Jacques jolts back, holding his vine close before looking at the bite mark Sokudo left on it. Licking it gently, he gasps as his eyes flickers back to Sokudo to see him lashing out at the rest of the seeds. Looking about desperately, he takes a breath and calls out as loudly as he can. "MR. LOREN! HELP!"

"GO AHEAD!" Sokudo shouts at him in response, flaring his good wing at the Grass-type. "CALL IN THAT ASSHOLE! I'LL TEAR HIM A FUCKIN' NEW ONE!"

"Calm down, man," Jacques tells him. "There's no need to be so angry!"

"FUCK YOU!" Sokudo screeches, unable to control his rage any longer. "FUCK YOU, FUCK THIS PLACE! I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!" He throws down the seed he's currently holding to the ground and starts storming off. "I'M GETTING THE FUCK OUTTA HERE, YA BASTARD!"

Not sure of what else to do, Jacques takes aim and launched a Leech Seed at the rampaging Ninjask. Snarling, Sokudo feels the seed latching itself to his head and almost immediately, it restrains him in a tangle of vines. "LEMME GO!" He struggles for a moment before he cries out, feeling the plant sapping the strength right out of him. Gasping, he crumples, his rage growing as he's getting plenty sick of always being rendered helpless like this. Maybe he really should've quit his job when he had the chance, at least then he wouldn't be in this predicament...

"BROTHER!"

Never in the entire world did he ever think that he'd be glad to hear that annoying, ear-shattering screech. Gathering what strength he had left to squirm, he manages to turn towards the husk as it rushes towards him, its black mist surging forward to pull the vines off of him.

"Kowai!" he exclaims with the most gleeful sounding voice he's ever used in correlation to his brother. "About time you arrived, you little fucker!"

Kowai doesn't respond, freeing him of the majority of the vines before turning to Jacques with a snarl. "HOW DARE YOU HURT MY BROTHER!" Lunging for the Ivysaur, it barely misses a Shadow Claw to the throat, shrieking angrily as it tries again. But someone pulls it back and it struggles against the hold. "LEMME GO! HE HURT MY BROTHER!"

"Kowai, please," Ninika tries to soothe the shed. "He's a friend, you mustn't hurt him!"

"Yeah, what she said!" Jacques exclaims in panic, gaining further relief when another bug arrives hurriedly at the scene.

"What's going on here?" Loren asks, staring at the chaotic situation before it. Catching sight of the older Shedinja, Kowai freezes and goes silent, Ninika petting its head whilst whispering reassurances into its ear. Meanwhile, Sokudo pulls off the rest of the vines before glaring heatedly at Loren.

"I warned you, didn't I?!" he hisses. "I told you my brother would come rescue me! Kick its ass, Kowai!" But he hesitates when Kowai doesn't respond and all seems calm for a moment. "Kowai...?" His heart almost stops, worrying that his brother will turn on him in favor of its own kind. But thankfully, it's a false alarm as Kowai yanks itself from the random Ninjask's hold and throws itself against him, almost knocking him over.

"YOU! YOUYOUYOUYOUYOU!" it snarls. "You STAY AWAY FROM MY BROTHER!" It begins to truly sound demonic as it wraps its black mist around Sokudo possessively, almost choking the ninja from holding him too tightly. "You're not stealing my brother... He's mine, and mine alone. So GO AWAY!"

Loren respectively keeps its distance, not wanting to impede on the over-protective husk. Although this is a typical reaction of two Shedinja meeting in the presence of a Ninjask, what isn't typical is the extreme nature of this young one. It looks close to ripping it to shreds just for being in the same airspace as its Ninjask. Hopefully, it's not blinded with hate and will listen to reason. "I have no wish to take your brother from you. I merely-"

"No, shut up!" Kowai snaps. "JUST LEAVE!"

"Kowai," Ninika chimes in, her soothing voice calming the angry Shedinja just a little bit. Holding the husk in a tight, comforting hug, she shushes it gently before muttering softly. "It's okay, it's alright, baby. He's another friend, a key figure in the village."

"But Sokudo..." Kowai growls, never taking its eyes off the other husk.

"He's not going to take your brother away, sweetie," she reassures. "I trust him with my life, and you can trust him too, Kowai."

"No..." Kowai grunts. "I trust nobody but brother... and you..." It gives a snort. "Just get him away..."

Sighing softly, Ninika keeps holding the shell as she looks to the elder insect. "Mr. Loren, if you please...?"

"Of course," Loren complies, returning the female Ninjask's trust with its own. Casting a glance at Jacques, Loren quickly makes itself scarce further into the village. Jacques clears his throat a bit, before following after the retreating Shedinja to save himself any further incidents. He's not being paid enough to deal with demented husks and hot-headed cicadas all day...

Sighing again in relief this time, Ninika purrs to Kowai, giving it a few more pets before pulling away. Turning to Sokudo, her heart soars as she beholds her long-lost son.

Sokudo certainly hasn't paid too much attention to the identity of the other Ninjask, so caught up he was in the action. And now that that action was over, -for the moment at least-, he can carry out the important duty of confronting the other bug. Turning to her in a glare, he already starts his words in a hostile tone. "Now who the hell are y..." But he then trails off as his eyes widen, his mouth gaping open in pure disbelief.

Tears start to flow down Ninika's cheeks, beginning to soak her silk mask as her eyes scans the other cicada. Flying closer, she lands beside Sokudo and starts to purr to him. "Sokudo..." She mutters, placing a claw on his cheek. "My sweet, sweet Sokudo..."

"M..." His voice chokes, his face still conveying his shock as he stares back at the older Ninjask. "Mom...?"

Giving a soft laugh through her tears, she nods softly before pulling him into a hug. "My baby..." Beginning to sob softly, she buries her face into her son, her body wracked with shudders. Blinking as he begins easing out of his stunned state, Sokudo feels a sharp sting in his eyes and his breaths begins to hitch a bit. Glancing at the purring Kowai floating nearby, he clamps his eyes closed as he tries his hardest to keep his emotions in check. But it's not working as he feels a soft drop of water tickle down his cheek.

Immediately, Sokudo pushes his mother away before turning and running away as fast as he can...