The shadows deepened as Skylar and Misty pushed further into Viridian Forest.
Thick clusters of leaves dimmed the sunlight above, and the terrain became more unpredictable—roots forming natural trip hazards, sharp thorns brushing against their clothes as they ducked beneath hanging vines.
Gardevoir floated silently ahead, and Charmander took the lead, cautiously sniffing the trail while keeping his flame tail low to avoid setting anything ablaze. Misty followed with Starmie at her side, her gaze sweeping the edges of the overgrown path.
—"This part of the forest feels… older," Skylar murmured.
—"And ten times more humid," Misty added, brushing sweat from her brow. "If I get attacked by another Caterpie, I swear—"
A sudden, sharp slicing sound cut through the air.
SWISH.
Both froze.
Then they heard it again—like blades cutting clean through thick grass.
And then again. Closer.
Gardevoir raised a hand instinctively. Aura pressure. Many presences. Close. Focused.
Skylar didn't need more warning.
He dropped to one knee behind a large moss-covered log, signaling Misty to do the same. They waited… breath held.
A few meters ahead, the foliage rustled—and out stepped a Scyther.
Then another.
And another.
A total of five.
The mantis-like Pokémon glided silently through the forest, twin blades at their sides gleaming under the flickers of sunlight. They weren't attacking—they were sparring, testing one another's speed and precision in short, controlled bursts.
Skylar's eyes narrowed as he studied them.
—"They're a scouting group. Training each other."
—"They're fast," Misty whispered. "Too fast for a head-on fight."
—"I don't want all of them. Just one."
She blinked. "You're going to try and catch one now?"
He nodded slowly. "I don't know when I'll see a pack this healthy again."
He stepped out slowly—cautiously—into the open.
Gardevoir moved beside him, arms raised in neutrality.
The nearest Scyther turned sharply. The rest followed.
Blades raised.
Skylar raised his voice, calm and even.
—"I'm not here to challenge your group. Just one of you."
The lead Scyther cocked its head, then stepped forward, tapping its blade to its chest.
A challenge.
Skylar smiled.
—"Fair enough."
He motioned to Charmander, who stepped forward, claws flexing.
—"One-on-one. Let's go."
The battle began instantly.
The Scyther blurred forward, wings slicing the air, going for a Quick Attack. Charmander countered with a burst of Ember, the flames catching Scyther's shoulder. It hissed and rolled midair, landing with one foot on a stone.
—"Dragon Breath!"
The blue-green energy pulsed toward the Scyther—but it dodged, wings flaring, before using Fury Cutter in rapid strikes.
Charmander took a hit across the chest but held his ground.
—"Smokescreen!"
The battlefield flooded with thick gray clouds. Scyther darted through it, but Skylar had already shifted the rhythm.
—"Jump left! Use Ember—scattershot!"
From the smoke, flame burst in every direction.
A cry of surprise.
One flame hit its mark. Scyther tumbled out of the smoke, wings struggling to stay upright.
Skylar didn't hesitate.
He pulled a Poké Ball from his belt—silver-trimmed and fresh.
—"Poké Ball, go!"
The red beam pulled the weakened Scyther in.
Shake.
Shake…
Shake…
Click.
Caught.
A moment passed. The remaining Scyther stepped forward, blades twitching—but the one who had lost let out a soft chirp from inside the Poké Ball's containment field.
The others paused, then slowly dipped their heads before vanishing silently into the trees.
Skylar let out the breath he'd been holding.
—"That was intense."
Misty walked up beside him, arms crossed.
—"Only you would casually walk up to a pack of Scyther and say 'Hey, I just want one of you.'"
—"Worked, didn't it?"
—"Charmander nearly got diced!"
Skylar smirked. "He's fine. And now we have a new blade on our side."
He held up the Poké Ball.
Scyther was his.
But more than that—he had earned it with clarity, timing, and respect.