Yay, another story! I don't know if you've noticed, but some Pokemon have really dark, disturbing PokeDex entries. This is a collection of short stories featuring some of those Pokemon based upon said entries. There are human characters, but they're not too important. That's why they may seem under-developed. Be prepared for some blood, gore, angst, and whatever.

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon.

First up, Cacturne!

Cacturne, the Scarecrow Pokemon
If a traveler is going through the desert at the thick of night, Cacturne will follow in a ragtag group. The Pokemon are biding their time, waiting for the traveler to tire and become incapable of moving.
-Sapphire version

#1 Desert Prey

It was a stupid mistake. Wandering into the desert that made up a portion of Route 111 with Go-Goggles was a stupid mistake. Pokemon Trainer Brent whole-heartedly regretted his foolish decision. He was cocky; convinced it wasn't as bad as the stories portrayed. Even his close friend warned him of the danger – of the mysterious horde of creatures who preyed upon the foolish who entered their territory. It was probably just a band of rogue Pokemon he could easily dispatch with his Crawdaunt.

Still, Brent regretted his decision immensely as he drained the last dregs of warm water out of his canteen. Sand was swirling all around him, chaffing his skin and entering his eyes, mouth, ears; any opening on his body. Brent was blind, unable to see anything but the ever-shifting sands. He wasn't even sure how long he had been wandering of where he was. All he knew was it was late afternoon, judging by the sun's position and the dropping temperature.

Behind him, through the whistling of the sand in his ears, Brent swore he heard the shuffling of feet and low cackling. He whipped around quickly, only to see the still silhouettes of oddly shaped cacti on the horizon. Shrugging, Brent continued his trek, unaware of where he was going or the true danger that lurked in the sand.

He walked and walked, traversing the desert in hopes for finding someone of something that could help him get back to stable ground. Occasionally, Brent saw shapes, swiftly navigating through the sands circulating around him. The creatures? No, they must simply be mirages. Deserts were prone to producing such in weary travelers.

Wandering aimlessly…endlessly. Brent was dragging his feet across the land, not caring his shoes were filling with sand with every step. His foot caught on something and he tripped, landing face-first in the abrasive sand. Sitting up, he sputtered, coughing out sand in the process. A harsh wind blew, taking the sand with it, and revealing exactly what Brent tripped over.

He almost vomited.

It was a human body. Skeleton, more like it, its bones picked clean. Brent backed away quickly, scrambling to his feet. He vowed that there was no way he was going to end up like that. He wasn't going to die here. There was so much more he had to accomplish. He hadn't even earned his 4th Badge yet. That was what Brent was on his way to do, until the desert proposed to be a larger obstacle than originally expected…

Nevertheless, night fell quickly, both the high winds and the temperature dying down. Brent fortunately found a suitable place for rest, right along the edge of a sheer cliff face, worn away by the rough sand. He was sure this designated one of the ends of the desert, and was sure it would lead him to the end eventually.

But as of now, Brent was exhausted and desperately needed sleep to conserve his energy. Ignoring his nagging thirst and hunger, Brent laid down on a sleeping bag his mother made sure he packed. As soon as he shut his eyes, Brent heard the memorable shuffling and cackling noises. He shot up and looked around. Only cacti… Eerily familiar cacti that seemed to be stalking him around the desert.

Filled with unease, Brent tried futilely to get rest. The noises increased in volume and the shadowy cacti moved closer. Brent nervously fingered the PokeBall on his belt, his trusted Crawdaunt inside.

Before he could even send out his Pokemon, the cacti were surrounding him, the moonlight highlighting their terrifying features. Their golden eyes glinted maliciously and the gapes in their heads were shaped into evil grins. They were Pokemon, Cacturne, Brent recognized. Still, just because he knew what they were didn't mean he could stop them. The desert trek had worn him out.

In an instant, the Cacturne were upon him, tearing at tender flesh with sharp needles. Brent screamed, although it was pointless. It's not like there was anyone around for miles to hear. He was silenced soon enough though.

The Cacturne at well that night, deciding to rest near the discarded corpse. They were too full to still remain active, even when dawn broke. But when night fell once more, they picked their next victim to stalk.

Like Brent, they didn't see it coming.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Well that was lovely. Up next, Houndoom!

I'm not sure how popular this story will be, so it would be nice if you reviewed! The next chapter should be up in two days.