Author's Note: Folkloreshipping (KotonexMatsuba/LyraxMorty). I will be using their japanese names because I really like them lol. AU but I kept the towns the same. Anyways, it took me a very long time to settle on a title for this. As you can tell, this is a dark fic, so turn away if you don't like pain or blood. Or are easily frightened?

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.

The sun shone brightly at its highest in the endless blue sky. Clouds stretched across forming lines, shapes, and just plain clouds. Rays of light showered the small town of New Bark giving it a soft glow. If only the serene could bless the silence.

SLAM.

"Kotone, get back here this instant!" shouted an angry lady as she screamed through the kitchen window.

A girl wearing a white puffy hat clad in a red sweater and blue overalls stomped away, huffing with every step. Her light brown hair tied in low pigtails bounced against her shoulder as she walked away. She had pretty chocolate brown eyes to match her hair, but her anger did not fit her face.

"Kotone!" the woman screamed again, but the young girl did not answer.

The sun smiled at her, but she scowled under the light. The cute shaped clouds tried to bring her laughter, but she'd rather make them disappear. The weather was brilliant, but the girl would rather let her fury burn the sky.

The girl, Kotone seethed with rage as she walked down the streets carrying a single bag with her. Neighbors eyed and whispered words behind her, beside her, and before her. She could hear it all.

"Oh, I heard them yelling again in the morning. You'd think they'd be more thoughtful for us residents especially considering that we have other things to deal with as well."

"I heard them last night, too! My husband usually wakes up early for work, but he barely slept at all. He's been so cranky lately and now he's lashing at me! Can you believe it? The nerve and all because they can't have a normal conversation."

Kotone gritted her teeth. They blamed her and her mother. They always did. It wasn't their problem, but they always wanted a say. Why couldn't people just mind their own business? Why can't they just fix their own problems? Why push the blame on someone else? Everyone else?

'Why are they all like mom?' She felt her rage rise.

'I've had enough,' she thought. 'I hate this place, I hate the people, I hate everything about this town! That's why...that's why I'm leaving...for good.'

Kotone recently turned eighteen. Although her birthday was not a fond memory, she did however feel mature enough to finally go out on her own. She clenched the bag in her hands and walked out of the city. Her house was located on the edges of town so not much time was wasted on leaving.

"This is the first step," the girl smiled. "My new life is just beginning! I'm so glad I saved up for this."

As she walked out of town, she entered a grassy field. The path led towards the next city, Cherry Grove City. Thinking it would be a good place to stay, Kotone hurriedly made her way through the patch.

It took a good hour to reach the next stop. Taking a break, Kotone decided to rest at a nearby cafe while enjoying a meal and her new found freedom.

After ordering food, she sat quietly while admiring the scenery. It had always been her dream to travel and now she was finally living it, but the single thought trailed back to her previous debates. It made her think about her mother, how they always did everything together.

It was about five years ago that her father had passed away. He had contracted an unknown disease and needed immediate attention. The hospital in New Bark Town didn't have the necessary equipment to treat him and even if they did, they didn't know the cause. Her father had seen many doctors, but they found nothing. He started to loose his mind and sometimes even mutter strange things that no one understood. His strange words turned into strange acts such as sniffing at uncommon objects and food, hiding in dark places, and even shouting and hurting the family he loved so much. He disappeared for some time until the police found him and everything went downhill from then. After seeing his mangled body, a suicide, she knew there was no hope any more.

Her mother didn't make anything better. After her dad died, her mom went through denial and when she finally accepted he was gone, she became delusional, fidgety, and shouted most of the time. But she eventually found a new boyfriend. Kotone hated him. HE was loud and obnoxious. He abused her mother, but she never did anything to stop it. Kotone had tried to get through to her mom, but always failed. Her mother was too blind to notice her conditions and too weak to fight back at all. Her perfect family was no more. The image of her once happy family was no more but a shattered dream. All the more reason she wanted to leave, but in doing so, she'd leave behind her suffering mother.

Kotone felt the guilt stab her like a thousand glass shards. She loved her mother more than anything else in the world, but she didn't want to live lying to herself. She could no longer find any hope for her delusional mother. They could no longer return to being the perfect family they once were. That's why she was leaving it all behind for a world that was new, wide and unknown, full of mystery and a sense of adventure. Away from her sorrow, away from her mother, but not the guilt. That was something she would continue to carry with her.

As she contemplated her decisions, she sipped her cup of tea and let the aroma take away her stress. She sighed. It was no use fretting over what's done. Getting up, Kotone headed towards the counter to pay for her meal. Since it was still bright out, she hoped she could hitch a ride to the next town. Sure she wanted to stay longer, but she was too excited about the unknown world that she couldn't quite stay in one place. So she opted to hop on over to the next town or wherever she can go.

The young girl waited along the side of the path hoping to catch a willing driver, but so far she had no luck. It had been a few hours or so, but only a few cars had passed by. If she didn't get a ride soon then she'd need to book a room at an inn for the night. Hopefully, they still had room.

But there would be no need for that. As soon as the thought crossed her mind, a small carriage stopped before her.

'Odd,' she thought. 'No one drives these nowadays.'

"Welcome Miss, how may I help you this evening?" asked the driver. He wore a tall black hat and had black hair that covered his face. He was dressed in a black gentleman's coat and even his gloves down to his horses were black. Although he smiled at her gently, she felt shivers run down her spine. The man was eerily kind, but somehow off the margin. She couldn't quite place it, but there was something seriously wrong with him.

"Umm, well...if you don't mind, I'd like to go to the next city if it's on your way," said Kotone. She hesitated to ask, but she felt like she shouldn't judge a book by its cover. And yet she also hoped he couldn't help her.

"Oh, definitely," said the man with a huge grin. Kotone suddenly felt like it was a bad idea, but the man had gotten off his seat and opened the door for her.

"Please, mylady. We should make haste and be on our way before night falls," he said never leaving out the smile. "It is quite dangerous after sunset. I must deliver you soon or who knows what may become of you. Oh, pardon me for speaking so ill of your becoming."

"N-no, that's alright. We should hurry right? The sun will set soon," said Kotone almost wishing she had stayed home. To her, the black man may be the real danger, but it was already too late to turn back. She feared that running would stimulate the man into a rabid chase and she was the prey. For now, the best option was to pray that the man had no ill intentions and deliver her safely to the next town.

Kotone did as she thought best and reached out for the man's outstretched hand. Grabbing her lightly he helped her into the coach and shut her in before climbing onto his seat and setting off.

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Kotone woke up with a start feeling unsettled. Her heart pounded against her chest as her mind scrambled for answers. When did she fall asleep?

Before she could think any further, the door opened startling her. She let out an awful gasp upon seeing the black clad man.

"Ah, mylady. I wanted to tell you we have arrived." The man spoke, not once letting go of his smile. He didn't even seem to notice her surprise. "Oh? It's quite dark. I will walk you to your hotel."

Kotone glanced out behind him and for sure, the sky was black, just like the man before her. If he wasn't so close, she may not have been able to see him.

"I-I see... Don't worry, I'll be fine by myself. I'm positive I can find the hotel myself." Kotone quietly prayed for him to leave while trying her best to gulp down her fears.

"Nonsense! That would be ungentlemanly of me. On further note, I am quite acquainted with this town. I assure you that as long I am beside you, no harm will make its way."

She was cornered. There was no way she could brush him off by saying, 'you scare the shit out of me' and hope to live another day. The creepy vibe she got from him was too unsettling.

"Very well," she replied. "I...am counting on your performance."

A tiny quiver and a wide smile surfaced onto the man's face.

"Certainly, miss."

It was a silent walk. Every step she took was on par with her heartbeat. She walked quickly, but the man strode weightlessly. One step from him was two for her. She knew that if she even tried to run away, he'd catch her in no time.

Moments passed until she finally reached the door to a hotel. She released a sigh of relief. The hotel looked old and a bit run down, not the least bit welcoming.

The door before her opened swiftly and smacked her in the face causing her to step backwards and hit the floor and drop her stuff.

"My apologies," replied a curt voice. "I did not perceive a young lady to be behind this door. Are you hurt?"

"N-no, I'm fine. There's no need to apologize." Kotone rubbed her nose, but refrained from wiping her eyes, insisting that she was fine. Looking up, she turned her gaze towards the figure in front of her and saw a blond haired man with violet eyes. His hair reached his chin, but was tossed around by his purple headband. He wore a matching scarf on top of his black long sleeves and belted his white pants. He stretched out a hand and pulled her to her feet while picking up her assets.

"Well then, I'll be on my way." But he didn't move. He stayed rooted on his spot staring off behind her. Curious, Kotone turned around and followed his gaze. There behind her, stood the man in black still smiling since their first encounter. Her lips parted, surprised, clearly having forgotten about the strange man.

"Oh, don't mind me, as a gentleman, it is my duty to see off this lady safely. I can't possibly allow the miss to be taken by strangers."

"You...are acquaintances?" Asked the purple eyed man. Kotone shivered.

"...Yes." And the black clad man's smile grew.

"I see... Well, I have to excuse myself now." The man briefly glanced at Kotone and caught her stare before turning back to the black clad driver. "Good night, miss."

Then he walked away.

"Ah... Well, I'll be going too. Thanks for everything. Bye!" she chimed.

"Oh, dearest no. I can't possibly leave you until I know you have been received. I shall enter with you."

Kotone gulped. "There's no need to go so far. I will be fine from here. I'm sure you have more important-"

"Ah, what could be more important than the well being of my lady? If anything were to happen, I'd DIE...oh, but maybe it won't be me!" Unbelievable. It was too unbelievable. The man could say such things...and still smile.

"I will accompany you until I know for sure you are received properly. Please allow me to stay by your side for just a little further."

She can't refuse. And he knows it too.

"O-okay," she squeaked, making the man's smile widen. She waited until the man was beside her before opening the door and entering. She was too afraid he might attack her from behind.

As she walked into the hotel, the woman at the front desk helped her sign into a room.

"Here you go. You'll be in room thirteen." After receiving her key, she waited for the bell hopper to arrive and lead her to her room. Moments later, a male attendant, the bell hopper received her.

It was only then that the dark gentleman parted with her never once losing the smile. As she bade him goodbye, she could not suppress another cold shiver from running through her body.

"Good night, Kotone-chan," He hummed finally leaving her be.

As she reached her door, she froze, causing the bell hopper to gaze at her curiously.

"Are you alright?" asked the male attendant. Kotone nodded.

"Yes...I'm just tired. I shall retire now. Thanks for all your work." The bell hopper smiled and replied.

"If you need my assistance, do not hesitate to call."

"Thank you," replied Kotone. With that the man left and Kotone entered her room.

She took a quick shower and headed to bed. Glancing at the clock, she noticed it was midnight. It was weird. She fell asleep not so long ago and was still feeling extremely tired. Maybe she was stressed...maybe it was the man clad in black. And yet, despite her sleepiness, she could not enter into a slumber. It was as if falling asleep now meant she might not ever wake up.

One thought continued to circle her mind.

She never game him her name.

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Kotone shifted in her bed with her eyes clenched and mind occupied. The slightest sounds would set her heart rampaging. She had never been so scared. Time was too hard to tell without light so who knows how long she stayed awake. But she knew it would be a few more hours until daylight.

Maybe she should just turn on the lights. The dark made her feel uneasy and countless images fueled by her fear only made her feel even worse.

As Kotone was about to get out of bed, she heard a small click and froze. It was coming from her door. The knob continued to clutter and slowly turn. She swore she had locked it before turning in. She waited a bit longer and the door started to creak. Her chest pounded harder and harder as she felt a dark presence inch closer to her. Footsteps could be lightly heard as it made its way to her bed. In a matter of seconds, it was above her.

Somehow, she knew. She just knew that a hand was reaching for her.

At that moment, Kotone made a decision. Instantly, she threw off her blanket and tossed it onto the creeper. Taking that chance, she hopped out of bed and ran out the room, closing the door behind her.

When she looked before her, all she could see was darkness. Her heart pounded and her head throbbed. What was she going to do now?

The door knob twisted behind her. She had no other choice but to run.

As she ran through the hall blindly, she could hear foot steps echo behind her. She was able to secure a good amount of distance, but not enough to escape the perpetrator.

After her eyesight adjusted, Kotone reached the elevator and noticed the normally glowing buttons were off. It was as if the whole building were dead.

Frustrated, she gritted her teeth and ran towards another door hoping to find the stairs. There was no way she could turn back and head down the main stairs. She was in luck. Although the stairs were hidden, it was built in case of emergencies or fires. Perfect for her situation. Not that she was rejoicing.

As she scrambled down the stair case nearly falling dozens of time, she finally made it out. There was a faint light up ahead and she sighed with relief. She ran towards the light and reached the front desk of the hotel and gasped. The lady attendant laid lifelessly against the counter, ripped and bloody. Her neck was almost completely devoured.

"Oh my... what a mess," grinned the black driver, emerging from the shadows near the main stair way. Beside him was the bell hopper, stricken with fear. The bell hopper was completely drenched in blood from head to toe, and yet he continued to bleed profusely as he writhed in pain.

"Ah, Kotone-chan, I was searching for you." The man walked closer all the while smiling and dragging the bleeding bell hopper. In his other hand, was a long weapon with a curved blade at the top. No matter how he looked, he echoed death.

Kotone shook in fear as the man came closer. The goosebumps on her skin crawled continuously as her knees rattled against each other. The stiff hair on her neck spiked straighter than she ever thought possible.

As the man edged closer, the trail of blood leaked onto the floor. The crying man, shouting to be released never reached the madman's ears. No, not even his presence registered. His sole attention was on her. On Kotone, the young girl who reluctantly allowed herself the aid of a strange, terrifying man who now seemed intent on taking her.

And finally he stood before her. Between the only source of light that still worked in the building. And she could see it all. But what scared her most was not the fact that he was creepy and eery, nor the fact in his hands were a bloody body and an oozing weapon. It was the fact that his smile stemmed from pleasure. The sight of her fear, the blood, everything seemed to intoxicate him.

"Kotone-chan, I'm sorry you have to see something so horrible. I wasn't fast enough to get you," he hummed. "Oh well, I finally have my chance."

And in that instance, Kotone her mind screamed for her to react. She grabbed the lamp and struck the man before her causing the light bulb to break. The light went out and the man had pulled away. She took her chance to cross him and grab the bloody bell hopper and scamper away.

"Run!" she commanded while dragging the whimpering man. As she made her way to the door she turned back to see the stranger. He stood on his spot, still as a statue. He wasn't coming for her. But she knew that was wrong. He was giving her a head start.

After running for a few minutes, she finally stopped to catch her breath. The bell hopper was equally tired, albeit in a much more worse state due to his blood loss. They stumbled upon a blinking lamp post and stopped for a few breaths of air.

Kotone wondered if that was a good idea. Being in the light meant they were clearly giving away their location. They couldn't stay for too long.

As she was about to suggest them to leave, the bell hopper suddenly grabbed her hands.

"Thank you!" he cried. "Thank you so much!"

He continued to hiccup and cry loudly, eyes widening dangerously as he cuffed her hands. "That man...he tried to kill me!"

His grip on her wrists hardened and she winced in pain. The blubbering man, would be her death if she did not do something soon. "I-I'm glad you're okay. Listen-"

"Okay? Okay? I'm covered in blood and leaking like crazy, hic, what part of me is okay?"

"Look, if you don't want to die-"

"No, No!" the man screamed. Kotone bit her lips. The man rampaged with fear, slowly losing his mind. The beating of her heart thumped harder, but so did her gained headache. If this man didn't quite down, they would surely be found and soon.

Too late.

Kotone's ears caught the sound of soft patting across cold pavement. It was coming from the opposite direction from whence the came. It was slow and quiet, the opposite of her raging heart that hammered against her chest. She could feel cold sweat drip across her face, down her neck and drench her shirt.

The cowardly man clung harder to her all the while shivering in fear and she almost couldn't feel her hands. She wasn't quite sure which of them was shaking because she too was scared out of her wits. They stood rooted in fear, knowing fully well that this time, escape was impossible.

A single foot entered their circle of light. It continued to flicker and more and more a body emerged. Kotone opened her eyes, not realizing she closed them. She let out a startled scream as the man stood in front of her only a few feet away.

It was the blond man from before. He looked at her questionably and then wide eyed at the bloody man.

"You-you have to get out of here!" she cried. The man only looked at them in shock.

"What happened?" he asked.

'Forget that!' she thought, 'we're about to die and that's all he can think to say?'

"Please! I don't have time to explain. If you don't want to die, leave!"

Suddenly, the bloody man let go of her.

"Help me! Please help me! A man, a strange man is trying to kill me!" Using whatever strength he had, the bell hopper pushed himself forward until he latched onto the new stranger.

"Help me! Save me! Haha...HAHA!" The bell hopper dug his nails into the violet man's sweater. The bloody man screamed hysterically as his eyes turned blood shot. "Don't let him kill me! Please! Don't let him!"

"Alright." Said the blond, calmly. He put a reassuring hand on the man's chest as if trying to push him off.

"Haaa! Thank you, thank you, thank-"

Not even a second later, Kotone saw a flashing red rain in her vision. Blood splattered against her clothes and pooled the circle of light. The bell hopper fell to his knees, still gasping with what little life he had left. Kotone's eyes widened as the violet eyed man tore his hand from the attendant's chest leaving a gaping hole.

"Wh...why..."she murmured. Her knees felt weak as a newly arrived fear cast on her body. Her stomach squirmed and tugged, leaped and blanched. Her wide eyes didn't dare blink while in his ominous presence.

"Why? Because he did not wish to be killed by him." Was his answer. Kotone could not speak. The fear and hopelessness was too much for her to bare.

The man did not approach her as she fell to the ground, but distant footsteps could still be heard. When she thought things couldn't possible get any worse, she managed to be proven wrong, again at the worst time.

"Oh, you're quite late!" It was the man in black. Another shiver ran through her body as her heart palpitated to its highest. The dark haired man walked over to the much lighter haired company."Ah, but I guess I can't complain."

They both turned their attentions to Kotone who could only stare back in fear. She could not find any salvation or hope. The dark haired man with his foxy grin, waved happily at her. The blond however, stared back at her without a smile, nor a frown. He wore no expression at all.

The black clad man began to clap as they both made their way over to her. His eyes seemed to glimmer when she was within his sight. She looked down, not wanting to see their faces, yet was too afraid to close her eyes even though she'd rather not see at all. Her eyes strayed over to the silent blonde's blood soaked hands as she heard the other man chuckle. Kotone felt her heart stop.

"Splendid work, Matsuba~kun."

A/N: I hope this was scary or heart pounding enough. I'm not too sure about detailing fear and other reactions, but i'm trying. Took me a long time to write this chapter, but who knows when I'll actually update. Me updating relies heavily on mood and reviews. Reviewing actually makes me want to write the next chapter because it puts me in the mood. No guarantees, but it does influence me. So...reviews are welcome!