...

It was raining again...

Staring at the dark cloudy sky, I merely let out a sigh.

As the rain got even heavier, I walked on the empty street with my bare foot on the cold ground. Water was all over me, soaking every piece of fabric on my body. Every step I made was as if I was haft dead.

And then I accidentally came across a water puddle.

A ragged doll, with a zipped smile and bizarre pair of eye, wandering around aimlessly...

Who would ever pick it up...?

I smiled at the reflection of myself in the puddle, ironically.

The answer was as clear as daylight.

...

Oh home, sweet home.

My foot moved quickly toward the corner of the street, regardless how tired they were after going such a long way.

Yes, this was the play I called "home".

This was the place where all human's broken or no longer used things were stored and get rid of.

I think you can guess where it is.

Getting under a large cardboard box, I lied down, waiting for the rain to stop...

_ _ _ _ _

"Hey, wake up."

"..."

"Banette, wake up!"

"..."

"Wake uppppp!"

My eyes shot open when I felt something was pulling the tip of my head, only to see a white piece of fabric was floating in front of my face, staring at me with his two eccentric eyes.

"What is it, Shuppet?"I rubbed my eyes tiredly.

"Well..."Shuppet began. "I had a feeling that you were going to sleep till midnight and properly would pass dinner so...Besides, you haven't eaten anything for days."

"I'm not hungry."I replied frankly. "Go home."

"But..."

"Leave me."

And with that, I left the piece of fabric behind.

Shuppet, he was a pokémon that had his own trainer.

I met him only by accident. It started with a battle between him and another pokémon which I really didn't know. And I was so unlucky that I walked pass them right when the other pokémon was attacking Shuppet. So instead of hitting him, it all ended up on me. But lucky enough, since the pokémon was relatively weak, the damage wasn't very serious. After I had gotten back on my foot, I scared the hell out of the pokémon and made it run away. When I was about to leave, something was holding my right hand back. I turned around to look at it and was very surprised to see that white fabric was pulling my hand back with its...mouth. He was a small ghost with very funny eyes and didn't have arms. And as what I could see, he was far more surprised than I was when he saw me. It wasn't because he hadn't seen a Banette before. It was because I was a lot different from the other Banette. I had a scar that ran from my left eye down to my neck and several small sewing lines all over me. To be honestly, it would be very unusual if one didn't surprise to see me. It took him a few seconds to snap out of it, and then he asked me if I wanted to join his team with his trainer. I thought for a while and nodded eventually. But when he showed me to his trainer, I got rejected immediately. It was quite easy to understand and predictable, because hello, a Shuppet would evolve into a Banette and more to it, who would ever take a ragged doll for a change?

Ever since that time, he began to get to know me, despite all my inattentiveness. Honestly, I don't know why in the world that made that fabric care about me that much. Maybe he was sorry for my situation...But still. He was the first one to be nice with me over the past ten years. I'm very grateful to his for that, but I never told him.

So after I left Shuppet behind, I proceeded to the wood behind my 'sweet home'. I hate to admit it but that fabric had a point. I really need to regain my energy; otherwise I could easily be killed by any wild pokémon roaming around the place. Since I'm always on my own, I must really have to defend myself well.

And what do you know? I happened to find something interesting this time going into the wood...

But red and white is not a good combination.

Well, dinner it is then...

Rain, again. Really? At night?

I really can't get human. Some of them actually like this kind of weather and sometimes just soaking themselves under the rain for fun. Try to do it about ten years like me and see if they still like it or not. And besides, there isn't always rainbow after the rain...

I sighed and found some place to cover me from the rain. It would be very hard to sleep while water just kept on pouring onto your body, really.

The night was cold and much colder when it rained, but I didn't mind anymore. Ten years was a very long time and I didn't think that I could make it this long. And on this day, ten years ago...

I was considered as dead.

_ _ _ _ _

Actually, I wasn't original a Banette, or a Shuppet that evolved into Banette.

I was an abandoned doll.

Ten years ago...

"Mother, can I have that doll? She is so cute! Please buy me that doll in red dress for me, please?"

Sitting on the behind the glass window, I could see a smile of an innocent child who was pointing at the shop while telling something with her mother. Red dress...is she implying me? Are they going to buy me? Am I going to have an owner?

They entered the shop and went directly to my place. The shopkeeper greeted them and asked them what they wanted to buy. The little girl ran toward me and picked me up, caressing the crimson flower on my brown hair. She hugged me and smiled at her mother and insisted on buying me. Her mother then smiled back at his with a slight nod.

And I was leaping for joy on the inside that time.

Ever since that little girl bought me, it was as if I was in heaven. We almost did everything with each other. There were times when she was sad and I was usually the one to comfort her, for that fact that she would just keep holding me and cry to her heart's content. She shared everything with me, from the happiest stories to the most depressed one, and I felt sympathetic to her all that time. Being a doll didn't mean that I couldn't feel anything. Everything had its own feeling but it was just that human couldn't see it.

But I should have known...

Nothing lasted forever.

A year later...

Time flew quickly than I thought. And before I knew it, I was lying on the ground under the bed.

She had got a lot of new toys now, and of course, I was old and boring compare to all his new toys. Each month passed, the amount of toys join me under the bed increased.

Well, I couldn't blame his for this, because things got old eventually.

_ _ _ _ _

It had been a year since the last time she played with me. But what to say, she was grown up now. So of course she couldn't play toys forever...

Then one day, she suddenly took all of her old toys out. A hope was lightened within me. But it immediately disappeared when she threw us into a box that written "Yard sale". Oh what was I thinking anyway...?

She carried the box to the kitchen then laid it on the ground and came to her mother's place. They talked about something for a while and after that, she turned back to the box. But on her way, she accidentally touched the knife which was on the edge of the table right above the box. The contact made the knife fall down, and with its sharp edge...

It almost tore me out into two pieces.

The knife made a long cut from my left eye down to my neck. It pained me so much, but the most painful thing was...

"How lucky."She mumbled while picking me up. "If this old thing wasn't there, I would have hurt myself instead."

Then she removed the knife from my face, staring at me...

"This old thing couldn't be sold anymore. And honestly, even if I was in good sharp, I could hardly imagine that someone would buy it."

So she carried my out of her house, tossed me into the trash can.

And I felt like being stabbed by a hundred knives.

I began to lose my consciousness gradually. Everything was sinking into darkness...

_ _ _ _ _

A sound of rain drops touch the ground brought back my consciousness. I tried to open my eyes, only to see the dark sky was above me. Looking around, I found myself in a completely strange place. Where am I?

I sighed as tried to move my arms. But I felt very strange. I tried to lift my right arm up, and my eyes were wide opened.

I had turned into a Banette.

"Banette!"

"..."

"Would you just wake up already? It's eleven in the morning already!"

Again, I was woken up by a violent pull on the tip of my head.

"Would you stop that?" I hissed Shuppet at the moment I sat up. "Do you have any idea how hurt it is?"

"Well, if I didn't do that, who would know when the hell you would wake up?"

"..." I couldn't say a word. That piece of fabric had a point.

"Hm...So...Would you help me train again today?"

"Are you serious? The last time when I accidentally knock you off the ground, your trainer had given me a very memorable pain by asking his Houdoom used 'Bite' on me. I surely don't want to experience it again."

"But..."

"Sigh...You're annoying me."

Once again, I left Shuppet behind with his sad looking face. I went to the busy street and tried my best not to let anyone see me. But the best solution was climb up a building and jumping from houses to houses. And the only reason for me to do this was...I wanted to find that person, the one who had abandoned me; the one who had made me turned into this ragged and cursed doll...

Although she was the one that I used to care about so much...

Shaking my head, I looked down to the street. There were many pokémon playing with their trainers, happily...cheerfully...joyfully...

And then I saw a little girl was playing with her doll, merrily...

_ _ _ _ _

How would it feel, when you have suffered with all the pain trying to sew your scattered heart and then...something just tore it off, like nothing...?

After every time like that, you would have to pick up your needle and threat again, gather all the pieces and then put it together...

Until those pieces became so ragged that you could no longer seam it...

You die...

Again, the sky is dreadful. I hate raining season...

Walking on the empty street with my eyes on the road, I barely noticed anything around me.

Oh please, just don't rain again. At least not now, not...-

*Drip*...

Oh great...!

I sighed then quickened my pace to the building nearby. As I ran, I saw a couple of female students were walking with their umbrellas opened. I was about to run pass them, and then...

"Hey...Did you notice the dress in that shop?"

"Oh yes, It's so cute, isn't it?"

"Yeah..."

That voice...It sounds so familiar...

I stopped in the middle of the street and to the tree to hide myself. Then I took a peek...

There were two girls were standing in from of a clothes shop, admiring a lovely blue dress was present behind the glass window. The girl on the right had shoulder-length black hair and the other had pretty long hair with the same color.

"Want to try it out?"_The short hair girl asked.

"Sure!"

Lightning violently tore off the dark sky as thunder began to play their symphony...

After ten long years of searching and searching...

I have found her.

It's just ironic that when you have finally arrived home, the sky is clear again.

Why am I always being under such a...

"Hey! You've finally back"

Again, something was pulling on my head. A turned around and saw that piece of fabric's happy face. Honestly, what is he so happy about?

"Yes yes, I'm home." I replied. "What are you doing here anyway? Aren't you supposed to be training with your trainer right now?"

"Well..." That fabric finally let go of me. "My friends are, actually. My master is training the other today. He's kinda..." Shuppet paused. "I think he had spent enough time training me so..."

"I see." I said and made my way into wood for some snack.

"You're leaving again?"

"I haven't eaten anything today."

Then I walked to the direction of the wood. But when I have just made a few steps, the fabric landed in front of my face, eyes closing.

"I know I have asked this before but please help me train."

It came out so fast that my mind had to take a little time to process it. My eyes, from the point when they were wide open, then closing slowly...

"Really..." I sighed. "I have already told you that I don't want to end up like...-" I paused for a few second. "Fine." I breathed out. "But I have to eat something first."

"Really? Thank you Banette!"

The fabric exclaimed happily. His face was lightened up with a smile on his lips. I walked pass him to the wood, with an ironic smile on my lips...

The sky tonight was so beautiful...

I don't know why, but in ten years of wandering, I have never ever seen such a marvelous scene like this. The stars were shining so brightly I the velvet sky, sparkling beautifully. Those little lights lit up this dreadful place, made it livelier somehow. But still...the ominous aura was lingering around here, haunting the area...

And yet, there was somewhat peace wandering in my mind.

Lying on the cold ground, my eyes were on the starry sky. But my mind...

My mind was left somewhere along the way...

Turning my body to the right, I laid my head un under my right arm, tending to get some rest...

"Banette! Banette!"

Oh what in the world is that fabric doing here in this time of day?

I opened my eyes, only to see a white fabric was coming to my place from the wood. What the hell was he doing in there?

"Banette, wake up! Come with me!"

"I...-"

The fabric didn't let me finish my sentence. He 'grabbed' my hand and just like that, pulled me up, which made me almost lost my balance.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing?" I hissed.

"Quick! This way."

That fabric didn't listen to me, not a single word of mine seemed to run through his ears...if that fabric even had one. He just kept pulling me into the wood without noticing that I was having a hard time following him.

After having dragged me for a considerable amount of time, the floating fabric finally seemed to stop. He turned around to look at me, and smile.

"Close your eyes."

"What?"

"Just do it. Trust me. You will like it."

At first I wasn't going to, not at all. But seeing this innocent face of a fabric made me somehow changed my mind a bit.

"Do anything suspicious and you're so gonna get it." I glared at the ghost pokémon.

"I won't. Just close your eyes, please."

I sighed in somewhat annoyance and did what he wanted. Few second later, I felt something was pushing my back as if it wanted me to go forward. Knowing that it was him, I moved my foot slowly and carefully, until the pokémon had finally stopped pushing.

"Okay. You could open your eyes now."

With my mind filled with curiosity, I did what he said. And the next thing I see was maybe one of the most magnificent sights that I have never come across in my life.

Deeply inside the wood, there was a field of reed growing around a small pond. And everything wasn't immersed in darkness, no.

Because everything was glittering with light.

The light of the fireflies.

Fireflies sank the surrounding in their fiery yet enchanting light. The lights broke the darkness and the cold of the night, lighten the haunted wood and warm the air.

I stood there, overwhelmed by the breathtaking view and indescribable feelings.

"This is my sorry and thank you gift for you."

Shuppet's voice brought me back to reality. I adjusted turned to the ghost pokémon.

"Sorry?" I confused.

"Well...Sorry for the injury that you had after being bite by Houndoom..." He laughed slightly. "And thank you for...firstly, rescued me out of that horrible battle two weeks ago. I swore that I could have spent at least a week lying helplessly on the bed if you weren't there. And secondly, help me with my training."

"It was nothing..." I replied, almost like whispered. "So...you have just found this place today?"

"No." He shook his head. "I found this place last year when I was too bored and having nothing to do. Then I decided to wander around in the forest and then...found this. Beautiful, isn't it?"

"Yeah..."_I gazed at the nearest firefly. "I have never seen such a thing like this before."

"Then let yourself enjoy the moment."

To be honest, I wished that I could stay here to observe this wonderful sight as long as I could. But then I know...I can't, which pained me a little.

"Hey..."

"What is it Banette?"

"If..." I looked down. "If someday you evolve... please tell me, okay?"

"Of course. I promise that you would be the first one to hear me yell "I have finally evolved."...Well, after my partners and trainer that is." He laughed playfully.

"Uhm." I chuckled slightly. "And I promise that I'll always listen..." I breathed out and turned around. "I'm sorry but I'm getting tired now."

"Oh, then just go and get your sleep." He smiled. "Ah, that's right. Banette."

"Hm?" I stopped.

"Do you...have a name? I mean...There has to be some other way to call you other than...Banette, right?"

"...I do..." I sighed.

"Can you tell me what is it?"

"..."

I breathed out and looked up at the sky, let the wind carry the words that need to be heard...

_ _ _ _ _

"Go to sleep honey. It's late."

"Yes, mother."

She turned off the computer and when to the bathroom. About ten minutes later, she came out and closed the window. After that, she switched off the light and went to bed. Crawling under the blanket as closing her eyes, she relaxed herself on the soft mattress and began to sleep.

*Tinkling*

Her eyes opened and turned to the sound's direction. The window was somehow, wide opened, let the wind go in and rang the wind chime hung on the window. She looked at it with pure surprise and confusion. Maybe she was wandering how it could open itself like that.

"I guess I haven't locked it carefully then..."

She lazily got off the bed to close the window and this time, she made sure that it was locked carefully. Then she went back to her bed again, expecting for a nice and decent sleep to come. But for minutes, she was tossing and turning on the bed uncomfortably. Once again, she sat up and looked around the bed, but she didn't find anything suspicious. Still having that confused look on her face, she slowly lay down and out the blanket in herself, closing her eyes...

"Good evening, mistress..."

She opened her eyes immediately as hearing the strange voice. She turned her head to the left, where she thought the voice was from, and then...

"Aaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh!"

She screamed in shock at a ragged doll which was smiling hysterically...

"Y-You a-are..."

"I am a Banette." I said, still keeping the smile on my lips.

"W-What a-are y-y-you...doing h-here?" She asked. Her voice was trembling with fear.

:What am I doing here you asked...?" I chuckled darkly. "I want to find somebody."

"And...w-who is that...s-some-body...?" She stuttered.

"You." My crimson eyes glowed as I answered. She was completely overwhelmed with fear.

"W-What?" Her eyes wide opened. "W-Why me...?"

"Oh..." I smirked. "Do you know the origin of a Banette that doesn't evolve from a Shuppet?"

It took her few minutes to think. And then she finally gave out her answer...

"Y-You meant an abandoned doll that t-turned into a Banette?" She replied with her shaking voice.

"Exactly."

My smile got wider as I turned on the night-lamp on the small table. Then I turned to face her, looked at her in the eyes. Her eyes was once again, wide opened. But this time, it filled with fear and maybe somewhat disgust. She began to move to the other side and jumped off the bed, dashing to the door. But at the moment she unlocked it, she found it impossible to do so, because the locker was broken. And then she knew...

There was no way out.

She was trapped, trapped in her room, with a cursed doll.

"Don't you remember me, mistress?" My voice got darker and darker as I approaching her. "We used to be so close to each other..."

"Y-You...S-Stay away from me!" She yelled. "I-If you do anything, I would scream so loud that everyone would hear it, and you would be so in trouble that time."

"Oh...I have already put them into a very deep sleep so just scream to heart's content." I took one more step closer to her.

"G-Get out!"

"Don't you remember me? We used to be best friend..." I ignored her fear and kept walking toward her. "Look at me, dear mistress."

Then she looked at me. I could tell that she was trying to hold back her fear and taking a careful look at me. Until her eyes met mine...

"T-That...scar..." She stuttered. "D-Don't t-tell me y-you a-are...t-that...brown hair doll."

"Bingo!" I smiled at her, sadistically. "And I have a wonderful idea for us, mistress."

"N-No. No! Stay-away!" She yelled helplessly at me.

"Let's play together again...Shall we...?"

I smiled sinisterly as the zipper on my mouth began to slide...

_ _ _ _ _

The next day, the girl was found dead in her room. Her white pajama and short black hair were vitiated by blood, as for the blanket covered her too. Her body was scattered with scratches which were all seemed to be caused by no one else but her, since her fingers were sinking into her own skin. On her face, there was a long cut ran from her left eye to her neck. At the end of the cut, there was a sharp knife, held in her left hand, stab through her flesh. Her eyes were filled with pain and insanity.

But most important, they found a hole in her chest.

And next to her dead body was a heart in a gore puddle, stabbed by a scarlet needle...

"Hey Banette, guess what? I have evolved! I have finally evolved! Look -...Banette?" The "used to be Shuppet" pokémon looked around to find a certain familiar figure. But the place was empty. There was nothing but trash and garbage in here. The pokémon searched every corner of the place, but the one he wanted to find was nowhere to be found.

"Where...is she...?"

The pokémon looked at the place where she usually slept and let out a sigh. Or maybe she was finding something for breakfast in the wood, he thought. With a little hope inside his mind, he proceeded to the wood...

The sky was getting darker as clouds had almost covered the sun. The pokémon quickened his pace, but still couldn't avoid the incoming rain. Now he knew why she hated the rain so much. Water penetrated the cloth on his body, made every step of his grew heavier. He kept walking in the pouring rain, with one of his hand cover the rain from his eyes. Suddenly, he found himself was stepping on something...

"What the..."

The pokémon looked down to the ground to see what was under his feet...

"T-This can't...be..."

His eyes opened in shock as seeing a ragged grey doll lying on the ground, with its zipped mouth unzipped and blood was all over its hands. In its right hand, there was a beautiful crimson flower...

But the flower had withered and rotten in its hand.

And next to it was the same flower, only it was in white color, standing firmly under the pouring rain...

Everything in this world has a price. And I have paid mine.

A life for a life...

...

"My name is Raina, and from now on, we will be best friend forever, okay my lovely doll? Let's see...what name should I give you...?

...

"Ah! I know! I will name you Higana, okay?"

In response to heavy rainfall...

...

_ _ _ _ _

So this is one my very first stories on Wattpad. Thank you for reading it. Comments that help me improve my story are appreciated. If you like it, please vote for it. That's all I have to say. Thank you again and have a good day.