Summary:

Jinjira and her best friend, N, decide to go to a Haunted House, but little do they know the house brings all your worst fears and phobias to life, slowly driving you insane. As Jinjira and N work together to escape, they confront their one deepest, darkest fear, a fear they both have that reveals how they truly feel for each other...

Chapter 1:

"Aiee!"

A piercing shriek shattered the evening silence like an arrow. It was Cheren running for his life from Jinjira. They both ran through the forest, and while Cheren overreacted as he just barely dodges every tree, rock, and torn bush, Jinjira ran through the forest with a ninja's grace, swiftly and cunningly avoiding everything that may trip her as if she's run through it a million times. Cheren was impressively fast, but Jinjira was faster, and more cunning. As he ran, at the last second, he saw a flash of white in front of him. He couldn't stop in time and tripped over it, stumbling, but quickly getting up and running again. "Good job, Absol!" a female voice laced with a Scottish accent praised the Pokemon, now running at her side. As soon as his brain processed the voice belonged to Jinjira and Absol had tripped him and they were now gaining up on him, she caught up with Cheren, she grabbed both his wrists and pinned him to the tree. "Take it back!" she growled. Cheren struggled to free himself from her grip, but she held him firmly against the tree. Absol stuck to her side, staring Cheren down with its fiery red eyes. "I would...if it wasn't true!" he yepled, again, trying to wriggle out of her grip, but Absol took a step forward, growling, revealing razor sharp from canine teeth that looked like they could bite through steel.

"Jinjira, don't!" another voice yelled, capturing Cheren's, Jinjira's, and Absol's attention. As soon as Jinjira heard her name, she straightened up and looked behind her. Soon, there was a tall figure come up behind Jinjira. "N, come on, he started it!" Jinjira growled, tightening her grip on Cheren's hands as he tried to escape again. N's hands glided down Jinjira's arms to her elbows for a moment. Jinjira tensed. "Zoruuua,!" it cried, now perched on her outstretched arm. Zorua shot a curious look at Jinjira, distracting her as N gently lowered her arms. Jinjira tensed but didn't resist, allowing N to then pull her away, but still kept her gaze locked with Cheren's, his auburn eyes pleading for mercy. N pulled Jinjira back close to him, tilting her chin up so she looked at him. "What are you trying to kill him over?" he asked, watching Cheren out of the corner of his eye. Jinjira freed herself from N's grasp and crossed her arms. "What do you expect? The stupid nerd called me princess!" she growled, pretending to lunge for Cheren. He yelped and lept back, but then realized she was faking. He blushed. A series of high-pitched yells and yaps escaped from Absol's mouth; it was the Pokemon's version of a laugh.

Jinjira ran her fingers through her long, blazing red Zoroark-like hair. One of her biggest pet peeves was being called a pet name, such as 'sweetheart' or 'dear' or 'honey.' She never allowed herself to fall for sugar-coated truth, she knew better than that.

Cheren slowly made his way back to his two friends, keeping an eye on the one who just tried to kill him. Not the girl to call princes, Cheren reminded himself yet again. Whenever he wanted to get her attention, he'd yell 'Princess!" and it worked every time, but he had to make sure to get a good head start, because that was a surefire way to piss Jinjira off, and he knew it.

"Come on. Halloween isn't just about getting revenge on people who call you princess. There's more to it than that," N scolded Jinjira, unable to hide a smile. "But that takes the fun out of it," Jinjira crossed her arms and pursed her lips to form a pout. N shook his head. He couldn't say no to her when she tried that on him, and she knew it. "And plus he deserved it. He knows I hate being called 'princess!' " she growled. He smiled.

"You know there's a haunted house supposed to open up tonight, right?" N asked both of them, trying to get Jinjira to focus on something besides a million and one ways to kill Cheren (he knew that was the reason for her devilish smile.) The words 'Haunted house' made Jinjira straighten up. He knew Jinjira couldn't resist an opportunity to scare the living hell out of people. Cheren, however, slowly backed away. Jinjira, without any effort, grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him back.

"Oh no. You chickened out last year, and you're not going to this year," Jinjira said, a sly grin on her face. Cheren looked at N, hoping he'd tell her to let him stay out of it, but N made no attempt to change her mind. Jinjira looked at Cheren, a strange, slightly crazy, look in her eyes. "Fine...if you're scared to come with us," Jinjira teased, knowing Cheren would react to that.

He looked at her, a scowl on his face. "I'm not scared," he growled. As she took a step closer, N put his hand on her shoulder, capturing her attention. "Don't force him to come, alright? It was just a thought," N scolded her again.

Jinjira started to say something, but N pressed his finger against her lips, bith shutting her up and stunning her. A low growl escaped her throat, but she didn't resist. She kept walking with N to the haunted house. She turned back to Cheren.

"Just remember: It's Halloween, so you better watch out for me!" Jinjira hissed, a sly grin on her face. N shot her a look, and she obeyed and kept walking.

"You had to try and scare him, didn't you?" N asked Jinjira, shaking his head. She smiled. "Come on, N, it's Halloween! I have to scare someone!" she mock-whined, not stopping. N shot her a look. "What? Halloween spirit, moron!" she playfully punched him. N stpped short. "Jinjira, you're always in the Halloween spirit! You always wear black and have an unusual talent for being able to scare the living hell out of someone," N started. Jinjira shrugged. He was right. She looked down at what she had on right now; a black tank top with a somewhat low cut neckline, black (severely) torn jeans, and black lace-up military boots. It contrasted with her ivory skin, making her look even more pale, almost like a ghost.

"So what? It's funny seeing the look on their faces that moment you scare the living hell out of someone! You agree with me, and you know it," Jinjira taunted, nudging him in his ribs with her elbow. He smiled and shook his head. N knew she was right; he just didn't want to admit it. He wasn't the best at scaring people like Jinjira was.

"Well, there it is," N said, stopping in front of an old mansion that looked about to collapse at any moment. Out of the corner of his eye, N saw Jinjira smiling. "What you bet this'll be another lame haunted house like all the others?" she asked him, tilting her head. He looked at Jinjira and smiled. Her mask of freckles covered her high cheekbones, and her cerulean eyes were clouded with excitement. N smiled. She reminded him of a child when she was excited, with endless energy and unable to keep still. Jinjira started to walk up the entrance when Absol and Zorua stopped cold. The fur around Absol's neck and chest bristled, it's crimson eyes darting around. Jinjira stopped cold. "Absol, what's wrong?" she asked it. The Pokemon crouched down low to the ground, growling, as if about to pounce on someone. "Something, or someone, else is here," Absol growled. Zorua said the same thing, but since its so small, it wouldn't do much good attacking whatever else was there with them. At that moment, an elderly woman appeared at the doorway, making Jinjira and the Pokemon jump. She wore old rags, like a patchwork cloak with a hood. Even though he couldn't see her eyes, he somehow knew the woman was staring them down.

"Welcome, trainers," the woman croaked. Her voice sounded weak,as if simply speaking drained the woman's energy. "Have you come to visit the haunted house?" she continued. Jinjira nodded, fire in her eyes. N absentmindedly put his hands on Jinjira's shoulders and pulled her slightly closer to him. He felt her tense, but she didn't resist. He didn't trust the old woman. "I don't trust this woman," Zorua wrinkled her nose up to the old woman. The woman stepped to the side and extended her arm out to the doorway, welcoming them to go inside. "Please, trainers, come. Come and enjoy the thrills of the haunted house," she said. Jinjira narrowed her eyes, and Absol imitated her. "Oh, I assure you...this is no ordinary haunted house," she chuckled. N was watching the woman's every move. How did she know Jinjira would compare this mansion to other haunted houses? Jinjira didn't even say a word. It was as if the woman read her mind. Having the same question in her mind, Jinjira started to speak...

"How did you-"

"Oh, but, would you mind putting your Pokemon back into their PokeBalls?" the woman asked. Jinjira snapped her attention to the woman, fire in her eyes. "Why?!" she asked, venom lacing her voice. N pulled her closer to him, trying to keep Jinjira from punching the woman. She hated being told what to do. A lot.

The woman chuckled. "Oh, we've had Pokemon attack our...ah...decorations and tricks, and we would like to minimize those occasions as much as possible, as we've had to spend thousands of dollars replacing them," she said, her voice now sounding sweet, caring, and gentle, she seemed like a grandmother talking to her grandchild. Jinjira reluctantly agreed and took Absol's PokeBall off her belt. N did the same. "Sorry, Absol. I'll let you out as soon as we come out, alright?" she assured, the Pokemon nodding as a red light surrounded it, confining it into its PokeBall. N returned Zorua, promising the same.

The woman watched them carefully as they returned their partners, the two best friends then turning to the old woman. "Excellent! Now please enter! I promise many thrills and excitement as you journey through this haunted house!" the woman squealed in excitement. She smiled as they looked at each other.

" Ready?" N asked Jinjira. She smiled, her cerulean eyes filled with curiosity and excitement. She smiled back at N.

"As ready as I'll ever be," she said, her Scottish accent emphasizing the excitement in her voice.

" Then let's go," he said, him and Jinjira walking in. A click sound echoed in the distance. It was the sound of a key being inserted in the door, locking the two of them inside.