A/N: This is inspired by the Red Riding Hood story and will feature the Katekyo Hitman Reborn characters. For the sake of the story I will not yet post who the other main character(s) are so there will be no spoilers. Please enjoy.

Disclaimer: I don't own either Red Riding Hood or Katekyo Hitman Reborn. Seriously. No joke.

This is How a Fairytale Ends

Prologue

Fairytales are often depicted as sparkling stories of dreams coming true. Of romance and happy endings. In our world, the fairytales are nightmares, leaving stories of blood and death. We have no princes armed with honor and courage. We have Slayers who venture into the darkness armed with the grim uncertainty of return.

But sometimes, just sometimes, the stories might gift you a moment of irreplaceable happiness in-between. This is one such story.

The story of a Slayer and a Monster...

"Dear Slayer,

As Mayor of Namimori, I send you this message of utmost urgency to ask for your help. We are plagued by a brutal monster who lives in our woods. It is a werewolf of wicked viciousness. Many of our huntsman have been ravaged by the monster and without the ability to hunt in our woods, we cannot feed our children. We ask you to come to our village and slay this monster. Lodgings and meals will be provided for you upon your arrival if you accept this request. Your payment will be given to you upon completion of the task.

We beg your help, Slayer.

Sincerely,

Mayer of Namimori, Hayashi Yukio"

The reader of this message smiled, reclining against the cherry oak headboard of the inn he was resting in for the night. From one perilous job to another, he mused to himself as he folded the letter and sat up, striding to the writing desk across the room.

Taking a seat, he pulled out the stationary set supplied by the inn and took a piece of parchment from the box. He dabbed a quill into the inkwell and scratched his reply in a quick flourish. Folding the message, he slipped it into an envelope. He pulled his personal seal out of his pants pocket and closed the envelope, leaving an indigo imprint of a lotus blossom. He turned in his seat, raising a hand and in a swirl of indigo mist formed a beautiful white owl which perched on the table. Tying his message to the owl's leg, he carried it to the window and opened it.

"To Reborn." He said shortly, and the owl took flight into the darkness of night, disappearing over the smoking stacks of the other village buildings. Flipping the request letter in his hands, he sat back down on the bed and considered his new assignment for a moment. Namimori wasn't too far away, but he would need to leave in the early morning if he wanted to make it to the village before nightfall.

The young man reclined back into the bed, a glint of silver catching his eye and he looked over at where he had laid his Slayer Weapon against the wall. The polished silver of his trident glinted ominously in the fireplace's light. The sight made him grin just a bit, knowing it would soon be put to good use again. After re-reading the letter a couple more times he set it on the bedside table and turned on his side, and his grin grew at the material hanging on the hook of the door. Closing his eyes, he chuckled, "Kufufu…"

Gently swaying in the warm summer breeze of the open window was a long, blood-red hooded cloak.

And this is the beginning of their fairytale's end...

Review if you want to see who this mysterious (come on guys, I hope you know) Slayer is and what he encounters in Namimori Village.