~Flashback

"Let go!" She yelled, trying to break free from the cloaked Pokemon's grasp. "Let me go!"

The cloaked Pokemon ignored her and struggled to hold on. She tried to leap away. Having failed, she charged up her Energy Ball.

"CRASH!"

The Pokemon lost his grip. It was stunned long enough for her too leap way.

She ran as fast as she could. "Blade, where are you?"

~Flashback end

***

Four days. Just four days after he left. Just four days after he started his journey.

 To Blade, it felt like four years. The whole trip was boring, as nothing interesting happened. He was dearly missing his home, but he had to continue.

'No turning back now'. He thought.

He was about to turn on the path when suddenly he paused. His face contorted.

"Come out." He ordered. "Now."

"Not bad." A cackling voice answered. "Looks like we need to work on our pursuing skills. Whaddya say boys?"

Three Mightyena appeared from the brush. Their eyes were crazed, and rabid foam spilled from their mouths. Blade held his ground.

"Perfect timing by the way." The tallest Mightyena, who Blade assumed was the leader, said in his manic voice. "We were all just starving, and look what comes into our territory in the middle of the night."

"You really don't want to do this." said Blade calmly.

"Ooh, acting tough. I'm so scared!" The leader said, laughing. The other two joined in.

All of a sudden, his face turned into a shape of frenzied anger. "I'll show you who acts tough around me!"

~Note: I warned you, this is gonna be bloody! Stop reading if your sensitive to gore.

The Mightyena leaped at him, his jaws open, rabidfoam and drool spilling closer. Blade just stood there, watching. Waiting...

The Mightyena's jaws came nearer and nearer until...

Blade grabbed his head with his pincers and ripped his skull off, blood spilling everywhere. Even the spine, which was hanging from the joint in which the brain connects with it, was tore clean off.

It was all over in seconds. The two followers watched, terrified as their leaders headless, bloody corpse fell to the ground.

Blade still stood there, still holding the head. The two Mightyena ran away like they were escaping death...which was kind of true.

Blade tossed away the head, the thick, chunky blood still pouring from the hole, and walked towards the nearby pond to wash the blood off. He had just reached the edge when another voice spoke up from the darkness.

"Nice work back there, boy."

The Scizor turned his head at the direction of the masculine voice. Who would dare call him a "boy" at the same age?

"Funny story, see. I'm actually older than you think."

Now, Blade was stumped. It was as if the speaker knew what he was thinking.

The owner of the voice stepped out into the clearing. He had a blue body, and a horn perched on his head. Yellow irises with black pupils described his eyes. Tiny, white claws tipped his blue hands and feet.

A Heracross.

It was a species Blade had only encountered once in his entire life. When his parents were still alive...

There was something different about him though. He had a bag made from...Heracross hide? He wore a band on his left arm, with a perfect, semicircle knob on top.

"Who are you?" Blade asked, not letting his guard down whatsoever. 

The Heracross didn't back away. "Name's Hercules." He answered. "Judging by that face you made, it seems I read your mind.

"How? Blade asked.

"Lucky guess, I guess." He said back. "Saw what you did with those rascals. Haven't seen a good fighter like myself since a time I can't even remember."

Blade stared at him, then slowly calmed down.

"Name's Blade. You aren't a threat, are you?"

Hercules shook his head."Nope. Just wandering around from my group."

"Group?"

"Sure. We call ourselves the "Yellow Bloods."

'Wait, THE Yellow Bloods?' Blade thought, astonished.

Hercules smiled. "Looks like you've heard of us before. I'm guessing you thought we were just plain legend, didn't ya?"

"But...but that's not possible! They don't exsist. They can't!"

"Who says they can't?"

"My brother told me the story." said Blade, remembering what Dagger had said about the legendary Bloods. "They couldn't have just found and slain a Ravager . It's just not possible!" Ravagers were Pokemon turned into vicious creatures by a strange magic.

Ah, that's why. You think we don't exsist because we killed that Ravager? Here's my proof."

Hercules pulled out a head from his bag. A head that was cut off by the Yellow Bloods to ensure victory, with the markings of the mutation on the forehead. Just like the legend...

Blade was in an unspeakable state. He didn't understand it. How...how could Ravagers, or even the Yellow Bloods, be real?

"T-This means that Night Magic...exsists." Blade said, his voice quivering. Even someone as fearless as him can feel afraid.

"I wish it wasn't." Hercules answered. His face seemed to droop.

They both stood their, one looking down and the other still shocked. Then, Hercules spoke up again.

"So" he began, "Want to meet my crew?"

At first, Blade hesitated, but then he decided his mind. 'If they really do exsist, maybe I should see them for myself. Or at least play along.'

"Fine." he answered. "I'll come."

Hercules nodded. "We leave first thing in the morning. First things first. Get yourself cleaned up." He pointed at the drying blood on Blade's body.

Blade nodded and stepped into the lake. After cleaning himself off, they both went to find a suitable sleeping spot under a tree.

As Blade was leaning on one side, Hercules thought about something.

"Blade." He asked

"Huh?"

"Do you have a dream?"

Blade thought about it, then nodded.

"I want to find out who I really am. Where I belong. What my worth in this world is."

Hercules stood there for a moment, studying him. "That's...nice. That you have a dream." He finally said, quietly.

After a while, the exhaustion of a day of traveling and talking got the best of them, and they both fell asleep without resistance. 

Completely unaware that they were being watched the whole time they met.

~Cliffhanger

The second chapter! I know it's early, but it's to make up for being late on the previous chapter. So, a few exciting (and brutal) things happened this time. Blade killed a Mightyena and met a new character. Just who is Hercules and the Yellow Bloods? And who was watching them? Find out on the next chapter of...A Bug's Tale. See ya then! ^D

~Hero