"One, two, buckle my shoe. Three, four, knock at the door. Five, six, pickup sticks. Seven eight, lay them straight. Nine, ten, a big fat hen."

The small child giggled as he read the nursery rhyme. The playroom was quiet but calming. Most of the Pokémon were asleep. Only he as his dearest friend, Zorua sat on the ramp, reading one of the greenette's favourite books.

"This book is fun." N chimed. "They have such colourful words."

Zorua nodded blissfully. 'I especially love the Jack and Jill one.'

The child laughed, his voice bouncing on the walls of the room. "Yes. That one is cute. But I pity Jack. He is so clumsy." The two giggled joyfully, enjoying their time together.

"N."

They stopped. Zorua quickly scampered and hid behind a toy chest. N turned around, only to see his father standing at the door.

And standing by his side was a crooked, one-armed Patrat.

The Pokémon's left arm was missing. His tooth was yellow and cracked. A huge bruise bulged from his right eye. Drops of blood dripped down his nostrils, splotching on the tiled floor. Small, faints pants wheezed through his mouth, indicating that one wrong step and it will be the end for the scout Pokémon.

Emerald eyes widened in total shock. His feet quickly dashed towards the dying creature. Unable to endure it any longer, Patrat feel to the ground. Luckily, small child arms caught the weak being.

N's eyes began to simmer in tears. He looked at the semiconscious Pokémon. His eyes fluttered. His breathing broke once or twice. He felt cold in N's arms. His heartbeat slowed down, pumping weaker to its near death.

The small child looked at the tall, eerie man he called 'father'. "What happened…?" The youngling's voice was broken and cracked. Tears trickled down his cheeks. His emerald eyes were now puffy and red, giving him the same result every time he cried – every night.

The man, eyes red like blood, stared at his son with a blank expression. "Humans, child. They did this. They take the life of the innocent."

N's heart broke into a thousand pieces. The air of the room intensified in a maximum. The once happy, cheerful atmosphere of the room had turned into sorrow and demise. The little one wept silently, placing his forehead on the Patrat's chest. He felt something sticky on his face, but N chose to ignore it. The Pokémon's heartbeat was getting slower, and weaker.

And finally, none.

The boy's voice was getting louder as he cried. Zorua frowned from afar as he saw the misery in his friend's eyes.

"I'm sorry…" N muttered without a sound. "I will help you…" I will make the humans pay.

He didn't look up to face his father. N stood up, the dead Patrat in his arms. He walked towards the ramp. His legs were wobbly and weak, unable to walk straight. But he kept his posture. His eyes were now dead and blank; filled with vengeance.

Unwarily, he stepped on his favourite nursery book.

One, two, he's coming for you…

N stooped down on his knees. He placed the lifeless one in front of him. The greenette's head was downcast, silently mourning on the dead.

Three, four, better lock your door.

He wept again. His shoulders shook as N tried his very best not to wail out loud.

Five, six, grab your crucifix.

Completely unaware to N, Ghetsis slowly moved towards his son. But as he walked, his red eyes shined maliciously. His hands stayed by his side. His gaze sharp focused on the kneeled child.

And that wasn't the worst part.

Suddenly and slowly, Ghetsis's skin began to melt. His flesh boiled and oozed. Small bubbles of human meat popped from his arms and face. His skin quietly melted into brown chunks of liquid, letting it trail down onto the coloured floor. His locks of hair slid through his body like they were never attached. Each second ticked by, and he began to – literally – lose his skin and muscles; leaving only pieces of black bones.

The optic nerve of his eyes snapped like a thread. And just like that, his eyeballs dropped to the ground, bouncing on the red carpet. Still, Ghetsis – now a walking skeleton – walked without a thought. His foot stomped on his eyeball. A quiet 'squish' echoed inside the once happy playroom.

Seven, eight, stay up late.

Ghetsis stopped behind the child. N still didn't look back. His attention was fully focused on the departed being.

But only Arceus knew how horribly terrifying it was if N ever turned around.

There stood Ghetsis, still in his robe. But instead of flesh and hair and skin like a real human – he was a living, black skeleton.

His eyeholes were hollow. His teeth were vividly shown without the covers of lips. His bones were black as coal. Even so, the shapes of his eyeholes were slightly narrowed, as if he was angry.

But the edge of his skull-like mouth twitched upwards, as if he was smiling.

An eerie smile, that's what it was.

Without a peep, his skeletal hand moved forward, reaching to touch the little boy's shoulder. His thin, pointy fingers wiggled slowly as he stretched. The sleeve of his robe draped backwards, revealing his skinless, bony arm.

N felt a touch; so cold and hard on his shoulder. He quickly snapped his head to look behind.

Shock. Fear. Trauma. Horror. Terror. Paralyze.

All of that slammed into him like a meteor once he locked eyes with the walking skeleton.

"Nine, ten," Ghetsis grimly croaked the words out. His voice sounded hoarse, cackled, deep, and broken. Like a real monster, "never sleep AGAIN!"

In a blink of an eye, his mouth was wide opened – almost an arm's length – and Death plunged towards the screaming victim.

O.O.O

N quickly shot his body upwards. He screamed out loud into the dark, black room.

Seconds later, light emitted from the room. White swiftly shot her body upwards, eyes staring in full concern at the gasping man next to her. "N! What happened?"

Gasp and pants wheezed through his mouth like a motor. The greenette cupped his face, but then frantically pulled them away. As he closed his eyes, all he can see was the skeleton rocketing towards him. His body trembled viciously in utmost fear. The smile, the gaze, the cold touch; N could feel and see all that.

So that's why he yelled and swatted as a hand touched his arm.

White was stunned. N was baffled like a madman. "N, it's me..." She softy murmured, trying to calm the anxious man. The brunette tapped the blanket next to him, catching his attention.

Thankfully, it did. N looked at her hand, then his eyes trailed from her arm to her face. He looked – or gawked – at White like she was a stranger.

A small, comforting smile curved her pink lips. "N, I'm here. You're not in danger anymore." Slowly and carefully, White poked his arm. "Nobody is going to harm you…"

N kept his gaze on White. Her mouth moved, but words were like broken audio to his ears. Even so, only two words were N able to decipher in his mind: "I'm here."

Another minute passed by, and N pulled White into a tight hug.

The petite girl was shocked, but kept her composure. Her hands pressed against his bare chest. She heard his heartbeat, rapid and banging like drums. His chest was still pumping in and out like he had just woken from a coma.

…Or from a horrible nightmare.

She heard tiny whimpers. Her head felt slightly soaked. N cried silently on her head. His eyes shut tightly, letting his tears drip on her brown locks. "I'm scared…" he faintly muttered, voice like a lost child. He tightened his grip on her. His body still shook, but was slowly calming down after a few breaths.

White bit her lower lip. Her heart felt heavy, like she had rocks pumping in her vein. Her fingers tapped and caressed his white skin. Her forehead pressed gently on his chest. "N," she whispered, voice soft like velvet, "I'm here for and with you. You're not alone anymore."

Hearing her words, feeling the honesty from her tone, it calmed N down. The image of the monster, the sounds of his shrieks, was slowly evaporating from his mind. Finally, all N could see was White.

A smile finally curved on his shaking lips. N locked his grip, never planning on letting go any sooner. "Thank you…" He breathed the word a few times, almost like a chant. White pursed her lips and grinned bashfully. She chuckled slowly and tapped his bare chest.

"Silly idiot…" She muttered slowly and closed her eyes, hearing the sounds of their hearts beating as one.

END.