Maria walked through the busy streets of Castelia city. Her hand gripped firmly by her mother. Her light brown eyes stared curiously at the city lights. Even at night, people were buzzing about, doing their own business.

But even in the crowd, Maria couldn't help but shudder. She moved her free hand to her small arm, rubbing in slowly. The night wasn't cold; it was spring. But the seven year old could not stop shivering. "Mommy…" she cried, pulling the hem of her mother's shirt.

The old lady stared down at her only daughter, eyebrow raised.

"I'm cold…" Her voice was small, squeaky. The older brunette led out a small chuckle and lifted her daughter up.

"I'm not, darling. Are you catching a cold?" she asked, placing her hand on Maria's forehead. Her body temperature was fine. Yet her eyes seemed dull, scared. The woman hugged her child tightly. "Don't worry, we're almost home. Then I'll make you some hot cocoa to make you feel better."

The little girl nodded slightly. She would have said something if she didn't see a certain shadow that was looming on the wall. A bit scared, Maria hugged her mother's neck tighter. She wanted to tell her mother. She wanted to ask the woman what was creeping in the crowd. But Maria kept quiet; thinking that it was just her imagine like her mother always says.

The two ladies moved forward – both of them unaware that a certain shadow was lurking, following them.

O.O.O

Maria came out of the bathroom after a short bath. She wore her typical pyjamas – pink and had a picture of Ponytas on it. Her mother followed behind. The little girl was used to take her baths alone. But tonight, she felt an uneasy feeling. So in the end, she cried and pleaded her mother would give her a bath, not leaving her alone.

The old lady rubbed her daughter's hair with a towel. Once dry, she hung the cloth on her shoulder. "Alright Maria, I'm going to make some hot cocoa. You stay inside your room for awhile." The old brunette saw the sad and fears in her eyes. She sighed quietly, kneeling on one knee in front of her child. "There's nothing to be scared about honey. Look, I'll be right downstairs and I'll come back in five minutes, okay?"

The little girl bit her lip. A few minutes later, she finally nodded. Her mother flashed a motherly smile and stood up. She went out the door, her mouth grumbling, "What's gotten into her today?" She closed the door. The little girl's room was dim, only lit by a small nightlight near her bed and the city lights outside her window.

Once alone, Maria went to her bed. She sat quietly, gazing into the streets of Castelia through her window. Her mother was right: what's gotten into her today? The small girl hugged her knees, trying to think of Ponytas and rainbows; anything to remove her irrational fear.

But all that was pointless as she felt the cold shiver again.

Maria bought her knees closer to her chest. She cringed as her ears caught a sound of something rumbling. Her small head snapped towards her toy chest. It was slightly shaking, moving. The young girl squealed in fear and quickly hid under the covers. She began to shake madly. "Mom…my…" she cried, tears began to form in her eyes.

Her ears caught the sound of her toy chest creaking, opening. The petrified girl cowered under the sheets, gripping it tightly. "Mommy…" Tears began to trail down her cheeks.

Everything was quiet.

Everything was frozen.

Slowly and still in fear, Maria lifted the sheets above her head. Her eyes could see her toy chest, unmoving but open. She bit her lower lip. She gazed at the door. The youngling still has time to jump off her bed, dash towards the exit and run at her mother for safety. But she sat there, frozen and numb.

"Nette…"

An eerie sound filled her eardrums. Maria hid under the covers again, praying that it was just her imagination.

"Nette…Ba…"

The sound was getting closer and closer. The little girl began to cry louder, hoping that her mother would walk right into her room and get rid of whatever that was haunting her.

"Bannn…"

The sound began to slow down. Then silence.

She felt her bed shifted – something was on her bed. Swiftly, she tossed the sheets away. Maria wanted to scream, to yell, to cry very hard.

But her mouth was left agape as she saw what was in front of her.

Banette stood quietly in front of the girl. Her red eye's glowed maliciously under the dark light. Her zipper mouth flashed a wide smile. "Bannnettee." She cooed, flapping her arms playfully.

It's a Pokémon. Maria stared dumbly at the Pokémon. Her heart began to move in a normal rhythm, very relieved that it wasn't a real ghost – or worst. Slowly, a small smile flashed upon her lips. "Hi there," she said, tiny hands reaching for the marionette. "Are you lost?"

Banette giggled happily as Maria patted her head. "Neeeette…" she purred, clasping her doll-like hands together.

Maria began to giggle herself. Her thoughts laughed at her paranoid self. There was nothing to be afraid of. It was just a Pokémon. "Hehe. You're adorable." The little girl giggled some more. She flinched slightly as the marionette took hold of her right hand. But the youngling ignored her scared self and smile. Banette was jumping up and down her bed, making her chuckle louder. "You want to play?"

The ghost Pokémon nodded in bliss as she gripped her hand tighter.

Maria kept smiling at the Pokémon's joyous attitude.

But her smile dissolved in an instant as soon as her body felt weak.

Her throat began to ache, giving her the inability to breathe. The cold shiver was getting worse, as if she was buried in a deep blanket of snow. A deep, crackling cough began to escape her lips, hurting her throat even more. W-Wha… Her wide eyes stared at the Pokémon in front of her.

Banette was still smiling.

The marionette Pokémon was still flashing a vicious grin.

Her glowing red eyes began to shine brighter.

She released her grip. The little girl quickly clutched her neck, gasping for air. But more coughs were heard. Worst – drops of blood began to spew out of her. Maria gawked in aghast. Soon, it wasn't just her throat, but her body began to ache. Her skin began to burn. Nothing harmful was around her but the youngling felt like her skin was being burned alive. She felt like she was drowning in a sea of flames.

Banette floated in the air, smiling to see the girl in intense pain. Using her Psychic, she locked the door shut – making sure no one comes in. She then focused her attention at the dying human. The marionette chuckled wistfully, enjoying the scene.

Maria couldn't think of anything else. She was rolling helplessly on the bed. Without proper balance, her body frailly dropped off the bed. Both her hands were grasping her neck. Her tiny legs and feet began to flail limply. She cringed in horror as her lips tasted something disgusting – blood.

Blood was forming on her eyes, trailing down her cheeks.

Mom…m- She couldn't let her thoughts finish, let alone say it. Her broken ears could catch sounds of a frightening cackle. She turned her head, gawking in terror at the laughing Banette.

The marionette laughed louder and louder. Her cackles began to quiet down as she glared at the dying girl. With a devious smile, she began to glow purple. The aura around her was shaped like flames, coating the ghost Pokémon.

Just when Maria thought it couldn't get any worst, she felt her head had just exploded. She felt like someone had stabbed her head, twisting the imaginary knife into her skull. Her mouth was wide open, wanting to scream.

But no sound came out.

Not a single scream.

Not even a whimper.

The pain was getting worst, agonizing. Trails of blood were spewing faster, staining the clear white carpet. Her whole body was being brutally tortured by an invisible force.

Finally, fully satisfied with the entertainment, Banette plunged her sharp claws into the girl's chest.

Ripping her heart apart.

Everything was silent.

Frozen.

The marionette gazed in amusement at the lifeless body, all covered in red. She wiped away the dots of blood that stained her cheek. Banette then turned her red eyes at the dead heart. She smiled, pleased at what she saw. Using her Psychic, the bloody heart exploded into a million pieces.

The explosion apparently caught the mother's attention as the older brunette began to bang on her daughter's door. "Maria, dear. What's going on in there? Why did you lock the door?" Her voice was heard behind the door – filled with worry.

Banette giggled quietly. The little girl's mother was not her problem. She had done her job. She had avenged what the little human had done to her before. With one last glance at the lifeless body, she disappeared through the wall – not before unlocking the door with her Psychic.

O.O.O

"There you are!"

Banette turned around as she heard a recognizable voice. Her zipper mouth flashed a wide smile as she plunged in her beloved trainer's arms.

"Ban Ba Banette!" she squealed in delight, nuzzling her head on her trainer's neck.

White laughed happily and hugged her Pokémon. She lifted the marionette away, giving a somewhat angry glare. "Where were you? I was looking all over for you? Don't you know you had me worried sick?"

The ghost Pokémon scratched the back of her head. She purred an apologetic tone. White couldn't stay mad at her Pokémon forever as she flashed a forgiving smile and continued hugging her.

"Aww you cute little thing. Come on. Let's go get a Casteliacone!"

Banette screamed in joy and floated around in circles at her trainer's treat. White laughed amusingly and the two began walking together. Just near the Casteliacone stall, White couldn't help but notice a bunch of police cars and an ambulance in front of an apartment. Her brown eyes saw two paramedics pushing a bed into the ambulance. A sheet covered a small body on the bed. Her eyes froze to see a huge stain of blood on the white sheet.

Soon, her body froze to see a limp hand dangling out of the sheet – dripping with black blood and filled with deep, horrifying scars.

The brunette stared to see an older woman, crying hysterically in the arms of another woman. Whoever she was, it has something to do with the broken body inside the ambulance.

White shook her head sympathetically. "Poor woman. I hope whoever is in there is okay."

Next to her, Banette just flashed a pleased grin. Her mind will always remember the screams and bloody tears of the little girl who had disowned her.

END.

I blame Tv Tropes, Nightmarefuel and Pokepasta. I love Banettes. They're so cute! And when I read their Pokedex entries for the first time, I love them even more! OwO

Anyways, I though I'd write something different. I enjoyed it and it's 1.48 in the morning now. And I can't sleep. Yayy for paranoia! =w=