Secrets of the Night

DISCLAIMER: I Do NOT own Pokemon!

Chapter 40: Falling

Time passes ever so constantly, never slowing down, never growing faster and most of all, never ceasing. Change, though, was another matter. It is never in the same form, it can be small, barely even noticeable, but at times, it can be so drastic that one's life makes a full 180-degree turn.

And such a change had become for Faye Lin. Life for her was never the same. From the lax and luxurious lifestyle of a nobleman's daughter to the exhausting and challenging daily life that came from being a newbie and a pseudo-member of the Sky division.

On her first day, she was introduced to the junior members. It was awkward at first, lots of curious stares and murmurs, but Faye Lin gradually mingled with the small group, given that they were only around ten of them, Aeron included. Her meek demeanor and pleasant smile, as well as her calm lady-like persona, gave her an advantage to dealing with people.

The male members were particularly friendly to her. To them as well as the female members, Faye Lin was pretty, but not a threat. In an environment where one continues to strive to be stronger than the other, the blonde girl was simply an observer. Faye Lin showed no intention to topple any rivals, rather, she seemed more like a newly hatched pokemon, with no idea what to do, similar to her partner, Aegis, a Togepi.

The following morning, before the break of dawn, Faye Lin and the Sky division juniors scaled the side of Zephyr Pillar, when the winds were the harshest and temperatures were cold as ice. And not only do they have to battle those circumstances, they also have to be wary of their footing. The pathway was narrow and it spiraled around the earthy mound. There were times a few of them fell, but were nonetheless caught and rescued by the patrolling seniors and their fully evolved flying pokemon.

Faye Lin had her share of falling for the first time. It was one of the scariest experiences she had faced, second only to the massacre at sea. She was rescued by a brown-haired guy on a Staraptor. The flyer reassured her with a friendly and encouraging smile, but it wasn't enough to really erase the fears of falling to your death.

The following day, the group returned but Faye Lin didn't have the courage to even set foot on the trail. At the sight of the narrow uphill road, her legs trembled and she felt like collapsing. A couple of male juniors urged her on and even offered a hand to lead, but Faye Lin just couldn't move from the spot at the foot of the path.

Seeing the situation, Aeron came over and told the group that they should carry on, whether Faye Lin would continue or not. The two boys called Aeron heartless, but nonetheless followed his decision since they didn't want to be reported to Lord Altair. Muttering curses, they passed by and rejoined the rest who were further up. Aeron's eyes followed them until they disappeared at a turn. When they were out of ear shot, Aeron reminded Faye Lin about her reason for coming to Semira and all the hardships that she had faced so far.

Faye Lin understood that but she just couldn't make herself move. She told herself that nothing bad would happen, someone would catch her, but it was ineffective. Even Noir and Aegis' encouragements failed. It was hopeless. Faye Lin apologized as she restrained the tears. After a long minute of silence, Aeron turned around and joined the junior class along with an upset Noibat, leaving Faye Lin to reflect and ponder on her fears before retiring to the inner tunnels of the Zephyr Pillar.

Later that day, after training, Aeron found Faye Lin in her room and brought her back to the trail. Once again, Faye Lin couldn't walk up the path. She simply froze. Her hand leaned against the earthy outer wall while her other arm held on to her Togepi.

Aeron retrieved Aegis from her and handed the Togepi over to his Noibat who let the little hatchling ride on his back. Then the raven-haired boy then wrapped his signature midnight blue scarf around Faye Lin's neck and offered to lead her by hand.

Faye Lin was reminded of the day they first met. It was also a frightening situation with dead bodies and cold-blooded assassins, but Aeron was there. He protected her. He wrapped the warm scarf around her and with his silver eyes and firm hold, he brought her out of the darkness. Simmering down to a sense of comfort, she reached out and held Aeron's hand.

Slightly squeezing Faye Lin's hand and maintaining eye contact, Aeron stepped backwards, heading up the winding path. He had gone up the way so many times and had no trouble knowing where to place his feet, still for precaution, he kept a hand along the rough outer layer of Zephyr Pillar as a guide.

Faye Lin looked deep into Aeron's silvery eyes, while, Aeron stared back into her ocean azure orbs. Slowly, the two walked further up, gazing at each other without wavering, their hands hung connected between them. For that time being, it was as if everything fell into the quiet, leaving just the sound of their footsteps on the ground's surface. The terrain didn't matter. Not even their partners who were happily watching them from a suitable distance.

Suddenly, Faye Lin's foot slipped off the edge, shattering the moments and threatening another terrifying fall. Fortunately, Aeron pulled her in and drew her close, safely moving her away from harm. Faye Lin found herself in an embrace, her arms over Aeron's shoulders, and her trembling body against his. Almost instantly, her fears melted away in the midst of her rapidly beating heart. She breathed in and out as she lingered on the feeling of Aeron's arm behind her. It was warm and comforting.

The warm afternoon breeze blew.

Aeron averted his gaze from Faye Lin and looked outward towards the vast green forestry dyed in the golden glow of the sky and sea. Slowly parting, Faye Lin followed his gaze, her hand smoothly slipping along the boy's arm. They stared at the scenery for a few moments more before Aeron spoke up, explaining that he had another idea to help Faye Lin's training.

The two along with their pokemon headed to the Aviary forest. Several birds flew overhead while some even dropped down and fawned over Aeron, much to Faye Lin's delight and wonder. There was a Swablu on his head and a Chatot on his shoulder. It was a weird sight, but the boy didn't seem to care how he looked. He merely petted each docile fowl before they flew off with a satisfied coo.

A while later, they arrived at a clearing. Aeron then sent out Zircon, his shiny Flygon who stretched his rhombus-shaped wings lowered his head so Aeron could pat him. Noir immediately grumbled at the sight of the insect-like dragon, but he didn't act as rashly as before since he had a cutesy passenger sitting on his back.

After whispering final instructions to his pokemon and gearing up his blue goggles, Aeron mounted on Zircon's back and hoisted Faye Lin up as well. When the girl was now seated behind him, Aeron instructed Noir and Aegis to stay put. The two pokemon frowned but complied. With all things set, Aeron patted his Flygon and they took off to the sky in whistling burst of wind, almost blowing away Noir and Aegis.

Zircon spiraled upwards as Aeron firmly held on to the base of the dragon's neck while Faye Lin restrained a yell and fastened her arms around the boy's torso. As soon as they were high enough, Zircon hovered in place, letting his two passengers breathe and relax.

Positioning his goggles over his head, Aeron glanced over his shoulder and saw that Faye Lin's eyes were fluttering open. He could feel her trembling, and he knew that she was scared.

As soon as the girl's eyes were fully open, her gaze turned to the vast overview of Semira shrouded in the ate afternoon light. From the deep green woodland, to the rocky mountains, a warm orange tint had blanketed the landscape, separating the areas within light and the pitch-black shadows that were out of the sun's reach. Faye was at a loss for words. No matter how many times she saw it, it always left her in awe.

Aeron placed a hand on the girl's arm that was still wrapped around him. Faye Lin flinched and turned to Aeron, inevitably meeting each other's gaze. Gently, he slid Faye Lin's arm away and raised his legs so that he could get into a kneeling position on Zircon's back. Faye Lin had no clue what Aeron was thinking, but she did feel that it was something dangerous.

A moment later, the boy reached out to her and instructed to get into the same position. Faye Lin bit her lip nervously and carefully knelt beside Aeron, her hand keeping a secure hold on to his. After getting into position, Aeron stood up, furthering the dread mirrored in the blonde girl's eyes. With quiet encouragement, Aeron cast her a glance and slowly pulled her up so she could stand too.

Holding her breath, she instinctively close her eyes as she stood up. Faye Lin felt her body sway back and forth, her legs were wobbling like jelly. She could barely keep herself straight. It was only her grip on Aeron's hand that made sure she was keeping her balance. She staggered on the final moments, but she did it. Opening her eyes, she turned to Aeron and was met with an approving nod.

Now they both stood on the back of Zircon. The chilling winds howled and the Flygon's wings buzzed. Aeron was the first to withdraw his gaze away from Faye Lin. With a solemn intake of air, he stepped to a more open spot away from Zircon's wings. And with a calm face, he released Faye Lin's hand and motioned her to stand at a similar spot as well, directly adjacent to him. Aeron stood near the Flygon's head while Faye Lin positioned herself just beside the base of the tail.

With her mind blank and her body on adrenaline, Faye Lin shot a questioning and hesitant glance at Aeron who finally explained to her what they were going to do and that was to free fall down. The girl instantly became pale as a Froslass, but even more when Aeron closed his eyes and fell back, dropping himself off of the Flygon's back. Panic-stricken, Faye Lin attempted to reach for him, but she slipped on the Flygon's sleek scales and she, too, fell off, screaming. Her eyes immediately closed as her life flashed in fast forward motion in her thoughts. Just as the memory of her first meeting with Aeron flickered in her mind, she felt a hand grab onto hers. Faye Lin's eyes shot open and she locked gazes with Aeron who was falling next to her, a calm expression on his face.

Aeron shifted his gaze forward and closed his eyes. Over the roaring winds, he instructed Faye Lin to do the same. Peeking sideways, he observed the girl as she obeyed. Her eyes shut tightly, her lips were quivering and the midnight blue scarf Aeron lent her was fluttering violently around her neck. Aeron felt her grip tightened. He knew she was scared but she believed in him. It was a strange feeling. Shrugging it off temporarily, he signaled Zircon who was already diving towards them at high speed.

Myriads of fluttering wings soon resonated in the air, silencing the bellowing winds. Faye Lin nervously opened her eyes and found herself and Aeron in a middle of a swirling funnel made out of flying pokemon. Each was delivering a mild Gust attack that combined into a mild updraft, just enough to keep the two teens aloft. Above them, Zircon was hovering by cautiously in case something went wrong. Faye Lin felt at ease with so many pokemon helping them. She smiled warmly and turned her head towards Aeron whom she saw was lying in mid-air like her, but he looked as if he was sleeping. Soaking in the tranquil expression he was making, Faye Lin shifted her head forward and closed her eyes.

There was no more fear. All there was left was a breath-taking vastness, a certain unexplained sense of freedom. It was as if one could drift off and arrive anywhere in the world. Nothing could compare that feeling.

By the time she came to, she was lying on the soft green grass with Noir and Aegis curled up beside her, both were also taking a quick nap. The sky above was growing purplish and the evening star had just appeared. It was late. The sun was already gone. Realizing that, Faye Lin sat up and felt a warm sensation in her hand. Glancing sideways, she saw that she was still holding Aeron's hand and the boy was still sleeping peacefully on the ground. It was amusing to see that Aeron actually did fall asleep. Beside him was Zircon, lying on his belly, wings tucked in, but head raised to keep watch.

Suddenly, something caught Faye Lin's eye. There was a white cottony feather caught between Aeron's midnight locks and blue goggles. Slowly, she reached out and gently plucked the feather off. By the softness and color, Faye Lin guessed that it was a Swablu's feather. She smiled and glanced back at Aeron, only to find him awake and staring back at her. Instantly, she flinched and blushed light red.

Blinking blankly, Aeron sat up and looked around at their three pokemon before looking up towards the darkening sky. He realized that they were out longer than they should have. He faced Faye Lin again and stated that it was late and that they should return to the headquarters.

Scrambling her thoughts together, Faye Lin agreed without a second thought. Sliding her hand away, she collected Noir and Aegis and stood up, while, Aeron walked towards Zircon and prepared him for the flight home. As Faye Lin cradled the two pokemon in her arms, she continued to stare at the boy's back.

Aeron soon looked back and called her over. Faye Lin complied and made her way towards him and Zircon. As soon as the girl was standing next to him, Aeron caught a glimpse of a black feather in the midst of her golden locks. He reached for it, causing Faye Lin to momentarily freeze. Once he removed it, Aeron pointed out that it was a Murkrow feather. Faye Lin feigned a laugh to shrug off the occurrence and took her place on Zircon's back. Aeron followed and they returned to the Sky division headquarters.

And after that day, Faye Lin was no longer afraid of climbing up the trail. In fact, she was eager to go even higher. The feeling of the wind in her hair and arms was almost like she, herself, was flying. Many of her fellow juniors were surprised, but nonetheless glad that the new girl was no longer lagging behind. Faye Lin told them that it was all thanks to Aeron, much to their disbelief since the boy continued to act coldly around Faye Lin.

Faye Lin always wondered about that. Aeron was always distant to her during the Sky unit training. It was only afterwards that Aeron displayed any attention or interest to her. It was just the two of them during basics after all, exclude Noir, Aegis and the rest of their pokemon, including Vivi and Isis.

Aviary Forest, Semira Isle

Early in the afternoon, after another training session, Faye Lin took a quiet break. She sat down on the grass and leaned against a large tree. Aegis and Isis were playing nearby, along with Vivi. Usually, Faye Lin's Fennekin and Aeron's Servine would stay in their respective rooms, but since nobody else was around, their human partners decided to give them time to stretch and breathe the fresh air.

Faye Lin watched them with a contented smile. Suddenly, Vivi scampered away from the girl's two pokemon and bounded towards Aeron who was walking over with Noir flying overhead.

Seeing his friend, Noir dove down and tackled the Servine, pushing him to the grass to engage in a playful scuffle. Vivi happily obliged and showed the Noibat that although he was a timid at times, he wasn't going to back down. the two tumbled and rolled around in the lush green grass, taking turns pinning each other down.

And while they were playing, Zircon flew down and landed behind Aeron. His appearance immediately caught the attention of the playful duo, especially the glaring Noibat. Choosing to ignore, Zircon curved his neck behind Aeron and slid his head under the boy's hand, making Noir even more furious with envy.

Breaking away from Vivi, Noir rushed in and bared his fangs, releasing a threatening screech. Zircon accepted the challenge and bared his fangs as well, letting loose a low growl. As the two eyed each other fiercely, they didn't notice Aeron walk off, sighing.

Aeron was already used to their conflicts and learned that it was best to ignore both Noir and Zircon altogether rather than try to separate them. He scooped up Vivi who was currently the most behaved of his three pokemon and made his way over to Faye Lin, just as her two pokemon took their place on her lap.

"Good afternoon, Aeron," Faye Lin greeted with a friendly smile as she scooted over to give Aeron space to sit beside her.

Sighing once again, Aeron leaned against the rough tree bark and muttered, "You too... Faye."

Faye Lin smiled, hearing him call her by simply Faye. It was the name that the other Sky division members used on her so it was not that special, but in a way it was, for her at least. Contentedly, she turned her attention elsewhere, specifically to her two pokemon. Looking down on her Togepi and Fennekin, she stroked Isis' golden yellow fur while trailing a finger against Aegis' head. The Fennekin let out a purr-like sound as she curled up more comfortably, while, the Togepi closed up her crown and settled in her dormant form.

Vivi glanced at Isis and Aegis and then looked back to his teammates who were still going at it, screeching and growling in each other's face. Just then he felt Aeron's hand rub his head. Vivi delighted in the gesture. He squirmed in the boy's arms and curled into a more comfortable position, just as Noir and Zircon took notice of the grass snake pokemon taking all of Aeron's attention.

The two dragon-types grumbled at the sight and once again glared at each other. Breaking off first out of boredom, Zircon sighed and swatted Noir away with his fan-like tail. Then he satisfyingly walked off.

Noir tumbled in mid-air but regained his balance just before he could crash unto the ground. Shaking off the Flygon's blow, he turned to look for Zircon, only to find him settling down cozily beside Aeron. Fuming with envy, the Noibat flew over and landed on Aeron's head, much to the boy's dismay and Faye Lin's amusement. Noir cooed as he nestled comfortably on Aeron's raven locks.

"Your pokemon are quite fond of you." Faye Lin giggled softly.

"They're a handful, Noir especially..." Aeron answered back and Noir simply snorted, not denying that fact.

Time passed. The forest breeze blew quietly, filling the air with the fresh scent of nature and the melody of its pokemon inhabitants. The sun was high in the radiant azure, partly hidden by the shade of the treetops. It was completely tranquil, and the temperature was simply ideal for napping.

Faye Lin stifled a yawn and gradually began to nod off. But before she could, her eyes caught a glimpse of Aeron who had already fallen asleep. His expression was that of a child, completely tranquil. It was a cute sight, especially with a Noibat lying awkwardly on top of him.

Like the rest of the pokemon, Noir was also slumbering soundly, barely keeping himself from falling off of Aeron's head. Vivi, Isis and Aegis were on their respective partner's lap, enjoying their sleep in the warm afternoon. Zircon, on the other hand, being biggest in the group, simply napped beside Aeron. Suddenly, he rolled on his side and nudged the boy slightly, enough to tip him off balance, causing Noir to fall over and wake the rest of the pokemon as well as make Aeron lean his head against Faye Lin.

The blonde heiress froze as blood rushed to face. Her blue eyes locked on to Aeron's face before wavering and shifting towards the handful of pokemon who were looking at her expectantly and suggestively. Their gazes made Faye Lin even more flustered. She stayed quiet and still as Aegis, Isis, Noir and Vivi decided to continue their nap a little father away.

The four settled on the grass. Vivi, being the largest of them, became the center point. Noir flopped on his back, Isis curled up against him while Aegis squeezed in between the Fennekin and Servine.

Faye Lin watched hopelessly at the four and turned her attention to the sleeping boy beside her. Her hand reached up and she lightly ran her fingers in the boy's feathery black locks. Aeron stirred but remained asleep. Faye Lin withdrew her hand and leaned against him as well. And slowly, she closed her eyes and drifted into the ambiance of the peaceful afternoon.

A moment later, Aeron peeked open his eyes and saw that Faye Lin was indeed sleeping against him. Her golden hair tipped with shades of red covered her face, but Aeron could still see her contented smile and serene expression. Carefully, he moved his head away and let Faye Lin lean on his shoulder instead. The girl stirred a little, but she seemed comfortable. Sighing under his breath, Aeron slid his hand into hers and intertwined their fingers together.

The feeling was sort of new to him. Aeron initially shrugged it off as responsibility or friendship, but gradually, he couldn't help but be protective of her for reasons unknown to him. He found himself staring constantly at the girl's warm smile and radiant blue eyes. At times, he admitted that Faye Lin was naive and fragile. Throughout the trials and obstacles, she stumbled constantly and most of the times, she let her emotions carry her. But once she found the strength to stand up once again, she shone as bright and as warm as the sun's morning rays. And in the kind of world Aeron grew up in, that sort of sunshine was rare.

Meanwhile, back at the Sky division headquarters...

Lord Altair was holding up his last slivers of patience while conversing with his predecessor, Vindryl Aurelius. He walked along the halls, massaging the spot between his brows as the former leader strode ahead of him, explaining the final details of the event that he had planned for the final days of his visit.

"It'll be just like that day before I left and handed the position over to you." The flaxen-haired man in a long blue coat chuckled in reminisce. "It'll be great to relive it, don' you think? I mean the wagers back then were high, weren't they?"

"I understand if you let the Sky division participate, but inviting representatives from the other divisions as well is too bothersome..." Lord Altair argued.

Grandmaster Vindryl laughed and pivoted around to face the current Sky unit leader. "You never know... There might be promising individuals from other divisions. I mean look how you turned out. Zen Bladewing, the Sky Reaper, former leader of the Black Scythe unit, now the leader of the Sky Division. Quite a change, don't you think?"

"..."

"Heh. To think that mere little boy was able to change you so drastically," Grandmaster Vindryl pointed out as his skyblue eyes stared down his silent successor.

"You leave him out of this. It's all in the past and I'm no longer that person..." Lord Altair declared with a hardened tone.

"Shed your feathers and scales all you want, but you can't completely wash away the blood stains," Vindryl Aurelius reminded with a sort of warning in his voice. "Under the previous circumstances, you gained the boy's custody. But do you think if he knew... would he still regard you as his father?"

"Regardless, if he is no longer under my watch, he won't be safe... He will use him. That I am sure." Lord Altair growled under his breath. "I shouldn't have left it with him before I left."

"Well, there's no use regretting it now... Let's just look forward for tomorrow's event." Vindryl Aurelius grinned and once again strode ahead.

"The sooner it is over, the sooner I can finally rid myself of you..." Altair Zenith sighed heavily and picked up his pace.

End of Chapter 40

Sorry for the delay. I was busy with RL/OL life.
I have yet to finalize CK's character. It's been busy. Next time.

Well, here's a bit of fluff between Aeron and Faye Lin. ;)
As well as one hell of a cliffhanger.
The next chapter will be an event, and I will have the OCs once again gather in one place.
Who knows, maybe Maya and Faye Lin will finally meet? Hehehe...

Read and Review~!
Thanks for all the feedback.