. g o t h i k a .
Prologue: An Invitation To The Darkness
/ / do not swallow the words you've said / /
/ / darling, open your eyes / /
/ / the butterfly wings / /
I want you to s h a t t e r it into pieces.
Soo… I dunno where this came from, but what can I say? At least I have something to offer you, I suppose?
/gets shot/
I have no idea what's wrong with me. I haven't had any inspiration for what, three or four months now? Or am I over-exaggerating? I can't tell anymore. Anyways I'm putting this up because I can't find any inspiration for my other stories. So this will be here to be my muse! ALL MY OTHER STORIES WILL BE ON A TEMPORARY HIATUS.
You'd think I would have more time in the summer to write, but unfortunately that isn't the case. College is a real pain to have to get ready for. Urgh.
ANYWAYS. I've already got the first few chapters drafted out and I know how I'm going to end it, pretty much, but yeah. This is a twist on all the fairy tales in the world, including Alice in Wonderland, Little Red Riding Hood (the whole wolf concept will probably be a combination of a few tales), Cinderella, Hansel and Grethel, Rapunzel (maybe), The Little Mermaid (another maybe) and others with a horror twist on them.
This is not going to be pretty. It's going to be gory, graphic, and M-rated. And…perhaps I will have a lemon. Maybe. (I mean I might as well since its already rated M right? Right?)
Oh, and it's Ikarishipping. I think they fit well into the category.
And this is SO AU it's not even funny. Lol.
Summary: / / AU \ \ 'You can't trust anybody here.' Echoed inside her head as she stared into the eyes of death. 'It's kill, or be killed.' / / Ikarishipping \ \
"Our top story tonight, another girl has gone missing! In the past four weeks there have been multiple reports of girls going missing, vanishing without a trace into the night. There is never any trace left behind. It's like they just got up and went poof!"
"You seem to be exaggerating a bit, don't you think so, Detective?"
"No, she's right… Unfortunately, we don't have very many leads. None of the girls seem to be related at all. They all went to different schools, they didn't leave near each other at all, and none of them looked alike. They were from all different races and ethnicities, various religions and were all studying different things. The only thing about them that's similar is their age group. They were all high school teenage girls."
"Wow… And these girls just… disappeared?"
"That's how it seems. All of them were taken in the night, in their beds, with no signs of forced entry."
"Oh no… think of the poor families."
"Yes, and I extend my deepest regrets. But we are doing everything we can to apprehend the criminal."
"What should we do to help protect ourselves, Detective?"
"I would advise all girls to not go out after dark by yourselves. And –"
Dawn stared at the blank TV screen a moment longer, her thumb still on the power button of the remote, arm extended towards the TV. She shook her head, her hair flitting around her cheeks gently. She sighed sadly, before picking up the newspaper.
It was all over the news. She could barely flip a channel without the same story flashing obnoxiously in her face. It was plastered over the front of every magazine and the newspaper especially. In black and white was the picture of a girl. In color she would have had short red hair and confident dark ruby eyes. Dawn looked sadly at the picture, gripping the newspaper hard in her hand, crinkling the pages and causing a rift to split right through Zoey's face.
It'd been a month since the disappearances started happening. The latest was Zoey, a smart young girl who was a track star at Dawn's high school. The two had been great friends, like sisters, and they usually walked to and from school together. Zoey lived close by to Dawn, so Dawn would wait in the morning so they could walk to school.
One morning, she never came.
Frowning to herself, Dawn threw the newspaper onto her kitchen table. Her apartment was small, suited to just a single person. Dawn had moved out of her mother's home when she was sixteen to go to school in Slateport. Only a year had passed since then. Dawn shoved the remaining toast inside her mouth as she began to tie the tie around her neck. Her school uniform consisted of a short-sleeved white button up shirt, a gray cardigan, and plaid, pleated skirt. Stockings were allowed but most girls wore leg warmers or knee-high socks in preference.
Grabbing her beige bag, Dawn rushed out the door, locking it before heading down the stairs, chewing her breakfast as her thoughts drifted to Zoey.
Dawn stopped, turning her head upwards to stare at the building Zoey lived in. The two had exchanged house keys for emergencies. Glancing at her watch, Dawn walked through the revolving doors of the apartment complex. The receptionist paid her no mind as Dawn walked straight to the elevator doors. Zoey's apartment was on floor twelve, and mindless music played in the small space as the elevator bumped its way upward. A familiar ding rang through the enclosed area and Dawn stepped out, walking the familiar hallways to Zoey's room. She dug the key out of her pocket, inserting it into the lock. She entered in, glancing around to make sure it was clear.
The police had already gone through the apartment, but Dawn knew they weren't looking in the right spots. Zoey hid her most valuable things in the hidden slot in her desk. It was hard to find, and nearly impossible to open unless one knew the right combination to get the lock to release. Dawn knew the entire combo by heart.
The drawer slid open easily and Dawn frowned at the colored envelope sitting inside. It was the only thing in there, the red wax seal broken on the front, carefully, as if Zoey hadn't wanted to ruin it. The paper felt old and antique, and the writing on the back in elegant cursive spelled out 'Zoey'. Flipping it back over again Dawn opened the envelope cautiously, fingers shaking as she began to pull the papers out.
Then her watch began to beep, startling her out of her reverie. Dawn glared at her watch, the time flashing 7:30 a.m.
The morning bell rang as the chaos of before class began to die down and students sat in their seats, loud voices slowly drifting to silence.
"Good morning, class!" Lola cried out cheerfully, her brown hair flouncing, long beige skirt flitting in the wind as she skipped her way into class.
"G-good morning, sensei!" The class chimed back. Even after three years of having Lola as a homeroom teacher, Dawn couldn't help but note that the class still wasn't used to her perkiness.
"Ah – today we have a special treat! A transfer student!" Lola began, waving her arms frantically in the arm in excitement.
Dawn could hear the mutters all around her. Curious as to who could be transferring in halfway into the semester, Dawn felt her ears perk up.
"Come on in, Paul!"
Said boy walked in, his mauve hair complementary to his onyx eyes. He was tall – at least a head or so taller than Dawn. He wore the traditional white button up shirt with black trouser pants and black shoes, his tie bearing the insignia of the school they all attended.
"Say hello, Paul!" Lola started, speaking as though she were talking to a child. "Why don't you tell the class about yourself?"
Dawn leaned in.
"No thanks." He deadpanned, looking at Lola blankly. The rest of the class stared at him, an awkward tension beginning in the class.
"A-all right then, why don't you take a seat next to Dawn?" Lola could feel a cold sweat developing on her forehead as she attempted not to stare into the seemingly blank eyes of the new transfer student.
Dawn raised her hand in response, and Paul stuffed his hands into his pockets before walking towards her.
Lola had just started her daily rant of mathematics (usually with her ending on a tangent of a trip she took, thus never really achieving anything that day) and so Dawn slipped out the envelope she'd hidden in her notebook from Zoey's house. She sat in the far back corner, next to the windows, Paul to her right. She glanced at him briefly, and satisfied that he wasn't looking at her, slowly began to open the envelope once again.
Paul, on the other hand, stared at the teacher, bored, his chin in the palm of his hand.
'This world is boring.' He noted mentally, before frowning. 'This is so useless –' Paul glanced at the cobalt-haired girl next to him, before noticing the piece of paper in her hands, as she attempted to hide it in her desk.
'Wait a minute – that envelope is…'
Dawn pulled once again the papers out of the envelope, hands shaking.
"Dawn!" Dawn yelped before shoving the papers back into her desk and jumping up.
"Y-Yes?"
"Could you please answer this question?" Lola smiled at Dawn cheerfully, completely oblivious to Dawn's shaken attitude.
"S-sure." Dawn wandered up the aisles towards the chalkboard, not noticing the critical eyes on her back.
Dawn had practically run the entire way home, the envelope from Zoey's house safely tucked inside her favorite notebook. She stopped as the clear glass sliding doors opened to the lobby of her apartment complex, breathing heavily, a piece of sweet bread in her mouth. Dawn pulled her mail key out, and pulled out all of the contents in the small mailbox. She walked into the elevator, chewing her food and alone, as she shuffled through her mail.
A single envelope caught her attention.
Made of the same paper with the same cursive spelling was the name 'Dawn'. Flipping it over quickly, was the same thick red wax seal from Zoey's letter, unmarred and unbroken. Dawn felt the bread begin to slip from her mouth and quickly moved to catch it with her hand. She swallowed hard as the ding from the elevator indicated she had arrived on the eighth floor. Dawn looked around her, paranoid, as she ran towards her apartment.
Slamming the door closed behind her, Dawn threw the rest of the mail on the kitchen island before settling at her kitchen table. She threw her bag on the table, grabbing the notebook as she pulled out the envelope dedicated to Zoey. In haste, she quickly pulled from the envelope a thick, cardstock invitation.
Falling from between the envelope and card was a blackened, burnt piece of paper. It was crumbling between her fingers, and Dawn carefully placed it onto the table. Fingers shaking, Dawn flipped the card between her fingers and began to read.
Dear Zoey,
We cordially invite you
To play a little game of tag.
If you think you're quick enough to beat us,
Use the paper enclosed
To find us.
Dawn frowned at the clear challenge written in the note.
'Zoey never could say no to a challenge…' Dawn picked up the envelope on her table. The writing was a carbon copy of itself, the only thing differing were the letters. Dawn stared at the charred piece of paper, confused as to what it could have been. Sighing loudly, Dawn gently placed the burnt paper and card back into the envelope. She closed it shut, and staring at it a moment longer before dropping it on the table, uninterested.
"Today I will be assigning your project partners!" Lola picked a large stack of papers up from the desk near the front of the room. A collective groan murmured throughout the classroom.
"The due date for this assignment will be next week! I look forward to all your effort!" She gave a bright smile before she began reading off pairings.
"…Misty and Ash… Charlotte and Riley… Casey and Richie… Dawn and Paul… May and Drew…"
Dawn groaned mentally at the name of her partner. For the past two days he'd been nothing but rude and sarcastic to her. Nonetheless, Dawn turned with a bright (albeit a tad forced) smile on her face.
"So, what days would be good for you?" Paul turned to look at Dawn with an annoyed look on his face.
"Any day is fine."
"Okay… how about after school today at four, then?"
"…Fine."
Paul turned to face the board again, effectively ending the conversation. Dawn twitched angrily.
The afternoon bell chimed, signaling the release of all the students. Dawn stomped out of the school, grinding her teeth angrily.
'Who does that jerk think he is? I mean honestly!' Dawn grumbled furiously to herself as she walked towards the door to her apartment.
She threw her things on the couch, pulling off the tie and throwing it at the TV. It didn't make it, and landed softly on the ground in front of it. She tugged off her white shirt and instead pulled on a loose, light pink tank top with a faded floral pattern crawling up the side of it, before pulling on a loose black cardigan and black pleated skirt, a cute lace cloth underneath it.
Plopping on her kitchen island, Dawn sipped a cup of orange juice, eyes distant.
There was still no news of Zoey.
Her eyes instinctively traveled down to the two near identical envelopes sitting on her table innocently. Dawn hadn't touched anything since two days ago, and placed her porcelain cup down before jumping down.
Dawn noted the time – 3:55 p.m. – and that Paul would be getting there soon. Turning back to the envelope in her hand, Dawn broke the waxy seal and pulled out similar thick cardstock invitation, as well as a papyrus thin piece of paper, with a strange and large black circle on it, strange stars and symbols etched inside of it, and fine black print at the top.
Dawn flipped the invitation card over.
Dear Dawn,
We cordially invite you
To play a little game of tag.
Why don't we
bet your friend's life?
If you win, you get her back.
Dawn's eyes widened at the last sentence, and her breath hitch. She frantically threw the card onto the ground and grabbed the thin paper that had been enclosed with it.
'Use the paper enclosed
to find us'
Dawn stared down at the paper, hands trembling as her mind went in a flurry of past memories, of Zoey, and of the invitation. She glanced down at the paper, holding it close as she attempted to read the black letters engraved at the top.
"Open… the gate…"
Paul frowned as he thought of the envelope in Dawn's hands just a few days back.
'She can't have been chosen, a girl from this area has already been –' Paul stiffened immediately, before beginning to run down the hallway towards Dawn's apartment.
"To…the…"
The familiar rush of energy from another world filled his body as he began to run faster, his instincts on alert. He threw himself into Dawn's apartment, the door unlocked.
"Nightmare?" Dawn spoke the last word, turning the moment to look at Paul, breathing heavily at her door. His eye widened, and the moment he stepped in the door slammed behind him.
"Shit, Dawn!" Paul lunged for the girl, the paper fluttering into the air. The same black symbols engraved upon the paper suddenly spread off the paper, widening and opening a large black hole at the ceiling of Dawn's apartment. It began a torrent of wind, sucking everything into its center. Paul grabbed onto Dawn's hand, in a vain attempt to keep her down. The wind suddenly picked up, lifting both Dawn and Paul into the vortex.
And suddenly everything fell silent, the wind dissipated, and a single lone paper float down to the floor, before igniting itself on fire, the black edges curling into the center.
Ah, too bad. They got sucked into a vortex.
Hope it was good!
This plot has been bugging me for a while. I got a lot of inspiration for it from a vocal CD! You get a cookie if you can figure out what CD it's from.
AH! BEFORE I FORGET:
Lola – The homeroom teacher, also Brock's mother. Check Serebii (dot) net Bios for her!