Author's Comment: I made this chapter a little bit longer than I usually submit. I think, given my slow updates, that I should do more per chapter to get the story moving along a bit faster. Special Thanks: Kirbyhammer100, and Lectro Underground!
Chapter 14: Training
It's times like this where Kowai's convinced that stupid Loren character is just fucking around with it...
Floating upside down below a thick branch of a large tree, the little Shedinja grumbles softly to itself as it stares at the distant silhouette of the village. Loren left it here a couple hours ago, instructing it not to move an inch from this spot nor from its upside down position. It was incredibly frustrating, to say the least, but still Kowai followed orders.
It has been a couple days since its brother issued his challenge and although Kowai felt confident enough that his anger has cooled to go back to him, it doesn't. Not because it didn't want to, nor from the lack of trying; no, Loren simply refused to let it. The older Shedinja keeps insisting that the little one still has a lot to learn if it's to have a lifetime of happiness. It was best to have at least some success with its training first before taking the risk...
It hasn't been easy, for either ghost.
Fidgeting irritably, Kowai scans the forest around it, taking note of the various forest Pokemon and the white haze of their souls. Little Kowai hasn't eaten since it got here and they looked awfully appetizing...
It is about to abandon its silly post for some lunch when it hears the distinct droning sound of a Ninjask. Looking about, it sees nothing, but already its hopefulness gets the better of it.
"Brother?" There's nothing in response, the droning still persisting and it takes a moment for Kowai to realize that its brother's nowhere near it at the moment. He's still at the village according to its instincts. Besides, he still hasn't healed enough to fly from what it managed to gather. It stays where it is, listening intently to the drones. This Ninjask is moving pretty slow, zigzagging in its general direction. Finally, the noise stops just outside the small clearing it was in and little Kowai's about to right itself to investigate when something lands on its tree.
Looking up at the branch above it, it sees a Ninjask perched over it, staring down at it with an unreadable expression. This must be the Ninjask it heard, although it doesn't make sense that he got to its tree so fast without flying...
Kowai grunts and begins to hiss at the intruder, still remaining upside down as it does so. The Ninjask doesn't react to its discontent and rather glances back as Loren makes its way over. At this, Kowai silenced its hisses to growl softly instead.
"Young Kowai," Loren starts, seemingly pleased that the little shed is still where it left it and still in its ridiculous upside down position. "Well done. You've successfully passed this test."
"What test?!" Kowai barks. "What's the purpose of me just being here?!"
At this, its teacher gives a clicking chuckle, obviously amused. "To give you a sense of humor, little one," the elder chirps good-naturedly and continues on when Kowai makes a move to snap. "But besides giving me something amusing to look at, there is a greater purpose in this trivial task. This is another lesson of patience and self-control. As a young ninja-to-be, you will find yourself in situations where you would have to stay completely still like this, sometimes in uncomfortable positions. You'll have to have the discipline to fight your impatience and boredom as well as any temptations."
The elder gestures towards the nearest forest Pokemon, well aware of Kowai's hunger towards them as it had required the little one to fast for the past couple of days. Turning back to Kowai, Loren watches it fume for a moment before adding. "It's also an opportunity to keep your temper in check."
At this, Kowai forces itself to stop its growls and looks away, grumbling. "Can I stop being upside down now?"
"Of course, young one," Loren permits with another laugh, Kowai wasting no time in righting itself. "Now, if we may proceed with the next lesson, I've been having you fast for a reason, Kowai." The older Shedinja glances at the Ninjask waiting silently on the branch before returning its attention on Kowai. "What I'm about to teach you is probably the most important thing a Shedinja can learn."
"What?" Kowai grumbles softly, still peeved that it had to subject itself to such silliness.
Again, Loren glances at the Ninjask, who nods softly and the Grandmaster ninja floats over to Kowai, who keeps a bit of distance. It still doesn't like its fellow ghost getting closer than a couple of yards and luckily, Loren doesn't push it. "I'm about to teach you how to control your soul-stealing abilities."
At this, Kowai chirps a bit in surprise, looking at the other bug. The concept of it gaining control over something it's come to accept as automatic is almost foreign to it. Seeing the little one's reaction, the older insect grunts.
"You would've learned this upon first being shed, but since your brother fled our clan so early in life, you never had the chance. It's habit to you by now, no doubt, but I do think you're still young enough to break out of it easily." Its tone takes a more serious note. "I want you to give your best in this training. Such a skill is vital if you wish to guarantee absolute safety to your family."
Floating back up to the Ninjask, the elder continues firmly. "This is very dangerous, especially for our volunteer. In having you fast for so long, I've added the extra trial of temptation and self-control." The husk turns to their living counterpart. "Thank you for sparing your time to help us today." The Ninjask only gives a silent nod. "You are aware of the risks?"
"Yes, Grandmaster," the ninja replies. "I'm aware and I'm prepared should my life end here."
"Hopefully something we won't have to come to," Loren states, turning back to Kowai. "I will do my best to intervene if things go awry, but Kowai, his fate is in your claws, so it must be you that gives your best. Understood?"
Kowai says nothing, just watching the Ninjask almost hungrily. He's not its brother, or any part of its family, so he might as well be food. Its dark intentions must've been obvious, for the elder bug speaks up again.
"Don't be so short-sighted, young Kowai," it chides. "Your hunger is but a small price to pay for the rewards in the long-run. Besides, if you succeed in your task, I shall allow you to eat once more. Does that sound like a fair deal?"
"No," Kowai mutters softly, before giving a frustrated growl. It's starving for food and the fact that it's being denied even longer, when the Ninjask in front of it is so willing to practically give his soul up for lunch, is almost too much. But the image of its brother flashes in its head to counter the frustration and it mimics a sigh. It has to do this... "Okay, fine... Whatever."
"Then let us not waste any time, then," Loren says, turning its attention to Kowai's black mist. "This strange trait of yours worries me a bit, but hopefully it won't alter how the lesson will go." Turning to the Ninjask, it gestures to little Kowai and the ninja makes not the slightest hesitation in hovering off the branch and circling Kowai a couple of times. He doesn't seem even a little afraid as he comes to a stop behind the young bug shell, and Kowai feels a split second impulse to snap around to face him. Usually the only Ninjask around was its brother and it never like having him behind it, and it has to quickly remind itself that this isn't its brother.
At least after this is over, it never has to fear for its brother's safety like that anymore...
That thought alone gives it strength to see this through and although it can't see the Ninjask actually looking into its back, it can sense it happening. Its black mist automatically wraps around the living bug, who unlike its usual prey puts up no struggle and willingly allows himself to fall into the near-trance that made it near impossible to look away from the hole. It takes every bit of will Kowai has to counter its instinct to restrain its prey and it releases the bug from its mist's ethereal grasp. It almost misses its teacher's words when it speaks up.
"Kowai, I want you to focus as hard as you can, in the deepest core of your spiritual being, you should feel your soul beckoning his if you give it all your attention." Loren instructs, ready to jump in if things take a turn for the lethal. It can see the entranced Ninjask wincing in pain at having his soul tugged at, but the full effect of the soul-steal has yet to kick in and Loren takes advantage to come close and allow its wing to obstruct the ninja's line of sight, enough to keep the soul from being ripped out, but still allowing enough of the view to provide the needed stimulation.
Kowai tries its best to do what its told, trying to feel what its teacher is alluding to. It doesn't notice anything out of the ordinary and it grunts a bit in irritation. But it doesn't give up, searching its spiritual body and focusing on every inch of it...
This is stupid, the darker voice in its head hisses. Just get lunch over and done with already.
"Shut up," Kowai whispers in reprimand. "I'm trying to concentrate..." Another moment later and it feels the tugging instinct, like its spirit is trying to grab something out of reach. "I... think I found it..."
"Excellent," Loren praises. "Now, focus only on that feeling and try to direct it. What your spiritual being is doing right now is creating a kind of pathway, a link if you will, to allow the souls of the living to pass through this physical world in order to get to you. What I want you to do is see if you can get that link to focus somewhere other than the victim, such as the sky or ground."
"Hm," Kowai grunts, trying to remain focused on the feeling. It tries to will the feeling, the link, to move but it doesn't know if its succeeding. It senses the other Shedinja move out from behind it and it feels the sensation of soul-stealing intensify hungrily. It hears a grunt of pain from the Ninjask and it tries hard to redirect the feeling, to resist the urge to give in to its instinct and hunger. It's difficult, but it realizes that after a moment of exposure, the Ninjask wasn't dead.
"I... I think I'm doing it..." Kowai mumbles, not letting an ounce of its concentration to fade. However, it's quite draining and it doesn't know how long it can keep it up. Just as it goes to tell its teacher that, its focus breaks for just a second and-
A loud shriek comes from behind it, startling it, as the pent-up soul-snatching sensation lets loose and begins wrenching ruthlessly at the Ninjask's spirit. Immediately, Loren tackles the living bug away and they both tumble to the ground. Kowai shakes itself a bit, trying to rid the lingering attempts to feed, and looks down at the other two bugs.
The Ninjask is having a rather violent coughing fit, a claw clutching his chest as his body shudders a bit. After a few moments, he begins to calm, catching his breath.
"Are you alright?" Loren asks the other insect, who gives a nod in response. "Do you wish to return to the village?"
"I'm fine, Grandmaster," the bug chokes out. "Thank you..." The Ninjask unsteadily gets to his claws, still wincing at the lingering pain before forcing himself to get back in the air. Loren makes sure the other ninja is stable enough to continue before turning to its student.
"So..." Kowai starts uncertainly. "Does that mean I can't have lunch yet...?"
"Where're we going now...?" Kowai grumbles half-heartedly, too tired to be hostile as it follows the older Shedinja.
It's night now, the little one feeling exhausted not from the late hour, but from the earlier training. It hasn't been able to succeed in the soul training and unfortunately, it had to go yet another night without food. It wonders how long it can last like this, but it tries to take some solace in the fact that the elder had to know what it was doing and surely wouldn't let it starve to dangerous levels, right?
"We're taking a small break from our lessons," the other ghost tells it. "Despite taking you under my wing, I still have a responsibility to my village." Arriving to a familiar meadow, Loren turns to the little one. "You may rest, but be sure to stay close. This meadow is very dangerous to Shedinja like us and we need to keep our senses alert, understand?"
"Whatever..." Kowai mutters uncaringly as it turns to a bordering tree and plops itself down on one of its higher branches. It gets itself comfortable and lets its black mist droop and relax, before mimicking a contented sigh. Watching as the other Shedinja cautiously moves towards the center of the clearing, the younger bug wonders just what is so dangerous about this place where even the elder of the village and Grandmaster of the local ninja clan is nervous about it. It was beautiful, with soft waves of the grass and the brilliant view of the night sky.
Looking up at the moon hanging above them, Loren scans its environment one more time before going about the business of making moondust. This piques Kowai's interest as it watches. So this is what its brother's been wanting all this time. Maybe, just maybe...
Getting itself off the tree, Kowai floats over to the elder, Loren snapping at its movement before relaxing. The older bug does gain an air of suspicion though, as if expecting Kowai to try to steal the dust for its brother. The thought doesn't escape the young one's mind, but it thwarts it by remembering Loren's lesson of not being so short-sighted. No, it has a different idea.
"Can..." It hesitates, not liking the fact that its making a request of the other insect. But it pushes on regardless, not wanting the idea to die so easily. "Can you teach me?"
Loren stares at Kowai, surprised at the question. "You wish to learn how to make moondust?"
"Yes," Kowai mumbles with obvious effort. "I... I think it'll help me with brother... He likes shiny stuff, especially if it'll get him those money things everyone here want so much. If I can make moondust, then maybe he'll accept me more readily."
The elder bug watches little Kowai for a moment before responding gently. "Kowai, you can't buy your brother's love. Trying to make moondust to please him won't get him to like you, truly like you."
"I know..." Kowai mutters. "I just want him back... I hadn't seen him since we started this stupid training thing, and I want to give him more incentive not to abandon me when we get back home..." That threat is still fresh in mind, as if Sokudo has hissed those words at it just yesterday. Even if it succeeds in this training, there's always that looming over its head like a thunder cloud, that all its work would be for nothing.
Loren watches to little husk for a while, feeling sympathy towards the young bug and its ongoing quest for its brother's affections. Rarely is such devotion ever seen, even amongst their own kind. Perhaps it should humor Kowai, give it some hope even if Loren thought it was a lost cause. But- "Kowai, making moondust is not an easy skill to master. You would need to first succeed in controlling your soul-stealing ability in particular and even then, it requires discipline, patience, precision that you simply haven't mastered yet. If we were to begin tonight, you won't be able to make enough moondust to make any difference."
"I don't care," Kowai mutters. "I want to at least try." It glances at the moon, then at the village, where Sokudo is. "Even a little will be enough to show brother I'm worth something..."
"Worth..." the older Shedinja trails off, gaining some insight on how Kowai views itself with just that sentence alone. "Kowai. Your brother does not determine your worth, only you can decide that." Loren sighs a bit when Kowai only stares at it with incomprehension. "Devotion to your family is one thing, but you need to rely on yourself as well. As a Shedinja, you will outlive your brother, your mother and father. There will be times you have to face the world alone, and your perception of self-worth will be the thing that'll determine how you handle that."
Kowai doesn't speak for a while, refusing to look at the other Shedinja. When it speaks, it's in a soft, almost incomprehensible whisper. "Whatever... So are you going to teach me or not?"
Loren sighs again, having hit a wall in its attempt to reach the young one. Turning to look at the moon, the inside of its body is glowing a strong silver, a heavy mound of dust visible in its back. Kowai wanted that dust, its own dust, and it wonders if it can somehow force the other bug to teach it should Loren refuse. But it seems it didn't need to do that when the elder returns its attention to it.
"Very well," it relents. "If that's what you truly have your heart set on, I suppose it can do no real harm. You and your brother have been through a lot since you two got here, more than even I intended." It turns its back on the moon once more, carrying on with moondust making even as it continues. "Besides, I myself am quite old even for our own kind. Eventually, I'll have to leave this world and being the only Shedinja that can make moondust, the knowledge will disappear with me. Teaching you, a descendant of mine, will at least allow this tradition to live on in you and perhaps, in your own descendants if your brother's genes are lucky enough to allow his successors to bear Shedinja."
Kowai almost lets out a satisfied purr, but stops itself, not liking the concept of showing how... well... appreciative it was. No, instead it too turns its back on the moon to mimic the elder before waiting expectantly. Loren gives a soft click before beginning its lesson.
"Remember what I told you earlier, when we were practicing your control over your abilities. Focus on that feeling and try to get it to work without the need of a victim."
"Wha...?" Kowai pipes, not expecting this. "So... I'm suppose to steal the moon's soul?!"
"Not exactly, young one," Loren says with humor at the little husk's reaction. "But we are using the same method. The way we Shedinja steal souls, combined with the moon's light and our own spiritual energy, creates the dust out of the contents of the air. That's why I told you that you needed to learn to control your soul-snatching tendencies, as well as activate it without stimulation."
Kowai says nothing, not knowing what it was getting itself into. Maybe this was too difficult for it to handle right now, but... "I won't give up." It mutters to itself to boost its confidence. "I won't give up..."
"This takes quite a bit of mental and spiritual energy," Loren tells it. "If it helps, try to imagine something behind you, something you're interested in eating. Try to trick yourself into creating the link, then broaden that link to encompass the moon's rays."
Kowai does its best to follow the orders, trying to pretend a Sentret is behind it. Focusing on the feeling within, it tries to make it work, tries to get it to do what it wants. It's practiced so much all day, and it has to employ everything it learned here-
"It's not working!" it growls irritably.
"Patience, young one," Loren tells it. "I don't expect you to get this right on your first try."
"But brother..." Kowai trails off, fidgeting a bit before making another attempt. It pays close attention to the sound of the swaying grass behind it, of any sound from behind it, to help it imagine someone sneaking up on it. So concentrated it is that it doesn't even hear Loren say something to it, and it feels a slight flare from the feeling. It almost loses itself to its excitement and instead tries to get itself to do it again.
Come on, Kowai thinks with the utmost determination. Come on...
This is still stupid, the darker voice growls impatiently.
"Shut up! I'm doing good!" it barks, earning a confused glance from its teacher. It ignores the look and aims its mental prowess on its hunger, on its imagination, and it feels another spark from within its feeding instincts. Excitement comes again, but it remains focused this time and it feels the spiritual pathway form behind it, searching for a soul to take.
"I'm doing it!" it squeaks. "A little, but I'm doing it!" It then remembers who's accompanying it and it quickly tries to pull itself together from its usual childishness and grunts. "I got the link up..."
"Excellent," Loren states after a moment. "Now, the link is usually a thin pathway looking to pierce into the souls of the living. What I want you to do is direct the link in the moon's direction, and widen the connection like a funnel. The larger the funnel is and the longer you maintain it, the more moondust you'll make, and the higher quality it will be."
Kowai grunts again, its skills at directing the invisible beam still at a rookie stage. It couldn't do it for more than a few minutes, but maybe that'll be enough, and it aims the path at the moon with considerable effort. Now it just needs to focus on broadening its range. It feels its energy flicker and it puts more concentration into it, ignoring the growing feeling of overwhelming weariness.
"Come on," Kowai whisper with a slight whine. "I have... to do this... for brother..."
It feels its soul-snatching pathway widen just a little bit, just for a few seconds, before Kowai's mental exhaustion gets the best of it and all the energy vanishes completely and it falls to the ground. It whimpers a bit, its head and back hurting as its hollow little body shakes a bit. It hears Loren abandon its post to fly over to it, the elder's voice soothing.
"It's alright, young one," it tells it. "The pain will fade with time, and it's normal for your first few attempts." The elder glances towards the direction of the village, and then continues its encouragement. "With practice, your stamina will improve and you'll be able to last long enough to make sufficient amounts of dust."
Kowai barely listens to its teacher, silent as a thin tendril of its black mist retracts itself within its shell to brush along the inside. Pulling it out after a moment, Kowai looks at it and its heart soars a bit despite its exhaustion.
A very faint and extremely thin layer of silver dust glistens in the light. It's not quality moondust, it knows that right off the bat. It doesn't glow its own silver light, nor is its shine as luminous as it should be. But it's still moondust, still something that has the potential of value. And that means-
Immediately, Kowai throws itself back into the air and zooms off towards the village as fast as it can, its sudden action startling even Loren. But no longer does its mentor exist in its mind, even when the older Shedinja yells at it to come back. No, none of that matters, at least not right now, and it single-mindedly homes in on its brother, on its home. It has to show him.
Arriving to its home, it bursts through the door unceremoniously, startling its mother who was napping on the couch. It zooms right passed her, into the kitchen, and it ignores its father as well as its eyes focuses on its brother sitting on the table. The Ninjask barely has time to react when his brother tackles him onto the floor, the two rolling a bit with the momentum before settling in a bundle of exoskeleton.
"KOWAI, GET THE FUCK OFF ME!" Sokudo screeches with rage. After all, what in the world made Kowai think that it was welcomed to come back to him? His parents may still be encouraging him to talk to it, but he's nowhere near cool-headed enough. Pushing and shoving, he hisses and snarls at it before throwing it off right into a wall and getting to his claws to glare at it.
But Kowai doesn't seem to notice the blatant rejection and heated anger as it hurries back to him with childish excitement. "Brother, look at this! Look what I made!"
"I DON'T GIVE A FUCK!" he shrieks, refusing to look at the tendril of mist Kowai is holding out at him. "GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!"
"Brother, please! Just look! It's important!" Kowai pleads. "I worked really hard and I-" It yelps when Sokudo grabs its wing and begins hauling its ass towards the front door.
"I DON'T HAVE TO LOOK AT SHIT! JUST GET OUT!" he completely disregards everything it has to say, tugging the little bug shell despite its struggles.
"No! Please, brother!" Kowai begs before turning to its next line of defense when he shows no sign of easing up. "Mama! Help!"
"Sokudo, stop it!" Ninika pipes up, snapping out of her shock before flying towards the two boys to separate them. But Sokudo ignores his mother and the two Ninjask soon take part in a tug-of-war, with Kowai as the rope.
"Mom, I'm not ready for it to come back yet!" the younger bug yells.
"Doesn't matter, Sokudo! He's still your brother and you have to give him a chance to talk!" Ninika reprimands with as much firmness as she can convey in her voice, tears beginning to well up in her eyes. Kowai is crying and shrieking as well, clinging to its mother like a lifeline as its brother pulls at its wings and abdomen. The chaos continues for a long moment, Kiru hurrying to take Sokudo's scruff in his teeth and pull the young bug away. But it's useless as Sokudo's vice-like grip threatens to tear the little Shedinja in half, the husk beginning to scream in pain.
SNAP!
Everyone visibly jumps at the noise, eyes darting straight to the open front door to see Loren floating there with a small switch held in its psychic grip. At once, Ninika and Kiru release their children and bow their head submissively and Sokudo reluctantly averts his eyes to the floor, his claws still clinging to his brother.
"That is enough," Loren growls, flying over to the family. Ninika, well aware of what role the elder Shedinja is assuming at the moment, feels her heart stop and her maternal instinct come up and she steps forward to defend her offspring from whatever consequence the master ninja had in mind.
"Grandmaster Loren, please, I-" But she's cut off by the firm look she gets and she silences herself before her superior. Loren returns its attention to Sokudo and Kowai, snapping the switch on the floor with another loud crack when Sokudo growls at it. It's quite clear that Loren's no longer taking any bullshit and the two young bugs feel genuinely intimidated by the usually laid-back elder's change of demeanor.
"You two always have the knack for disrupting the peace and breaking the rules," the elder hisses softly. Glancing at Kowai, it reprimands the little one with a harshness it's never heard from it even during its lessons. "Kowai, abandoning your training and fleeing your teacher is unacceptable. You did not ask nor received any permission to fly off like that. This is your first and last warning, that if you repeat that mistake again, you will face punishment."
"You can't-" Kowai begins to object, feeling its previous hostilities return at this threat.
"Kowai..." Ninika interrupts it with a scared and pleading voice and Kowai quiets itself reluctantly.
Turning its harsh gaze to Sokudo, Loren practically oozes an aura of domination as it speaks up in a low voice. "Sokudo, release your brother and step forward this instant."
The young Ninjask glares at the older bug, holding his tongue as he knows his place here. Best not to make it worse... Letting go of Kowai, he holds in a grumble as he slinks forward a couple of steps. He doesn't look at the ghost as it speaks once more.
"Sokudo, your actions lately have been unacceptable. Your abuse towards your brother, your disrespect towards your parents, and your blatant disobedience to my orders. Did I not tell you to withhold judgement until Kowai's training is complete, and to not speak to it with malice?"
It takes a moment for Sokudo to respond, his voice strained as he tries to keep as much venom out of his words as he can. "Kowai ambushed me..."
"Doesn't matter," Loren states. "You are the older brother here and you have provided a very poor example for your sibling, and as a ninja, you too need to have control over your temper. Your actions are an insult to our art, to our way of life, and it threatens to dishonor you and your family and perhaps even our entire clan. I will not allow you to tarnish our family reputation."
Sokudo goes to speak again, a spike of anger flaring up at those words, but Loren doesn't allow it. "You abandoning us as a Nincada is usually worthy of disownment, and even death depending on the circumstances. But I was lenient with you, given your very young age at the time, and I allowed you to return to us with open arms, even allowed you to remain as a Rogue among us given you do a few simple chores. And this is how you behave?"
Sokudo is still silent, this time due to having nothing to say rather than holding himself back. He glances back at his family, seeing his mother cry in fear and his father's worry quite clear as well. Seeing this, a seed of fear begins to grow in his chest as he wonders just how bad this'll be...
"Ninika, hold on to Kowai and both you and Kiru will step back from your son." Loren orders.
"Grandmaster Loren, please don't-"
"Ninika," Loren growls, not budging from its position. The mother Ninjask whimpers, but she takes Kowai and hold it close to her in a comforting hug and she feels Kiru nudge her as the two parents step away from Sokudo, further isolating him. The young Ninjask looks back at them, his good wing twitching and he is about to go to them when another deafening crack from the switch changes his mind fast. "You are staying where you are, Sokudo. Now..."
The elder floats around him as if pondering his fate. The young ninja doesn't take his eyes off it, off that switch, and he keeps in a defensive growl. He doesn't like the suspense of his fate, the way the Shedinja is scrutinizing him like a lesser insect. He tenses his body, ready for anything.
"I promised strict discipline should you disobey me, did I not?" Loren starts. "Keep tonight in mind should you choose to do so again, because I promise you that your punishments will only get worse from here."
Before Sokudo could reply, the switch zooms through the air and meets his side with a brutal snap. He shrieks at the unexpected pain and scrambles back from the Shedinja only to feel another strike from the switch. His cry of pain is mixed with a cry of rage from Kowai as the little shed tries to pull away from their mother.
"STOP HURTING MY BROTHER!" the husk screams. It wriggles and thrashes, its instinct going into overdrive despite its brother's abuse towards it and the fact that the young Ninjask had fair warning that this would happen. In fact, it thought Loren was just bluffing...
"Kowai, please, stay back," Ninika whispers, clearly distressed herself. "You'll only make it worse."
"HE'S HURTING MY BROTHER!" Kowai cries, beginning to whine in frustration at its mother's grip on it. "BROTHER!"
Sokudo doesn't seem to hear its cries, focused on trying to escape the pain. He only just got out of the hospital and he's not eager to make his condition worse with the relentless beating. Hissing and growling, he tries to Aerial Ace in defense, but his injured wing still refuses to let him fly. He tries to run away, but Loren merely aimed the strikes at his limbs, bruising them and even causing some bleeding.
The sight of the blood enrages Kowai even more and it puts all its strength into trying to rip free. But its mother refuses to let it; in fact, she's buried her face into its shell, her tears soaking it. It's torture seeing her son take such punishment, but she knew her place and doesn't interfere despite her maternal instinct objecting to her restraints. No, the best she can do is ensure her youngest doesn't suffer the same fate.
Luckily, the scene doesn't last long and Loren stops when Sokudo curls up with whimpers and instinctive hisses. Shaking and shuddering in pain, the young Ninjask tenses as he waits anxiously for the next blow and peeks up at the Shedinja when it doesn't happen. Loren instead lowers the switch and replaces it within its hollow body before lowering itself to his level until its face is mere inches from his.
"Don't think I derived any pleasure in doing this to you, Sokudo," it starts in a cold tone. "I'd rather this doesn't happen again, so don't make it necessary. Treat your brother with respect, treat your parents with respect, and above all, remember your place and treat me with respect. If you choose to do otherwise, I guarantee you that banishment will be in your future. Do you understand me?" It takes a long moment before the beaten insect nods softly and Loren pulls away from him. Turning back to the front door, it begins to make its leave before pausing and looking back at the family. "Kowai, come."
"No!" the little ghost objects, wanting to stay with its brother and be nowhere near a bug that just attacked its sibling. But its mother holds it tighter and whispers in its ear.
"Kowai, please," she starts. "Just go to him, and do what he says. Your brother will be fine, I promise." She nuzzles and licks the little one and Kowai reluctantly begins to calm down at her attention and reassurance. "Go finish your training and we'll share cuddles when you get back, alright...?"
The little husk looks at its mother for a moment, not wanting to do anymore training, but... "Okay, Mama..." It receives another nuzzle and it savors its mother's love before pulling away. It starts to make its way to its teacher, pausing only to cuddle with its brother. It feels its Ninjask flinch in pain and he gives it a soft push away in a clear message. Whimpering, Kowai respects his wishes and resumes its way outside the house.
With a single curt nod as a goodbye to the family, Loren closes the door to leave the trio in thick, suffocating silence...