Secrets of the Night
DISCLAIMER: I Do NOT own Pokemon!
Warning: AspenxCorentin fluff~ xD
Chapter 43: Behind Illusions
The air whooshed all around him, threatening to force back the black hood that kept his face hidden. Keeping his head low, his eyes focused on the hazy canopy ahead as his ebony locks whipped against his head and goggles. He let out a shallow calming breath and fortified his grip on the base of the sand dragon's neck. Zircon felt the gesture and hastened his flight, diving and rocketing over and under suspiciously colored cloud of fumes.
Minutes passed. With the rest of the competitors out of sight, a partial silence came over the atmosphere and Aeron's thoughts slowly wandered. He once again pondered on his decision. He felt conflicted. A pang of doubt was gnawing away at the pit of his stomach but a voice in his head kept yelling at him with a desperate voice. He snapped himself back. His brows furrowed and his jaws clenched, pulling away from his daze. He had to focus. He must focus. He should focus. He couldn't.
Aeron needed to think, to reaffirm to himself that he was doing what he needed to do. Of course, he knew his actions were in the wrong. It was an assassin's bargain after all. But, could he trust the other man who was supposed to be in the right? He needed to know the answer to that.
"Just keep it up, Zircon," Aeron muttered over the violent breeze as his shiny Flygon summoned yet another Sandstorm to shield them against the toxic haze.
At times like this, he had to rely on seasoned instincts and his current flying partner. His body leaned in sync with Zircon's actions and movement while he began to dwell inside his mind. As the symphony of the Flygon's wings echoed in the swirling sands and howling breeze, Aeron thought back to his meeting with the redheaded assassin leader.
The two walked a little away from the buzzing crowds in order to talk. None spoke as they walked. As soon as they decided they far enough from earshot, Aeron turned to Lord Tristan and stared at him with a narrow gaze. Tension instantly grew between them but the redhead with the white top hat and black vested white suit was completely unfazed. He kept a smiling face as he took off his hat and brushed the dust off.
"Now, shall we discuss business?" Lord Tristan began.
"I have nothing to say to you," Aeron deadpanned.
"So much like your father." The redhead chuckled and re-positioned his fancy hat as he finally met the boy's steely eyes. "Honestly, that man seems devoid of any emotion except anger. It's such a wonder how or why he decided to take in a son, don't you agree?"
"What's it to you?" Aeron narrowed his eyes further, his silver orbs gleamed dangerously.
Lord Tristan eyed him observantly and began to circle him. The boy's eyes followed, unwilling to let the man out of his sight. Halfway through, the Black Scythe leader stopped. He stood behind the boy while Aeron was looking at him from over his shoulder. "Tell me... Do you ever wonder about your life before you came here?" Aeron was about to speak but he was cut off. "...Of course you do, but it's not like you remember." That fact made the boy flinch slightly, earning a sly smirk from the older man. "And do know why is that?"
"Why're you asking me this?" Aeron demanded, his voice unexpectedly higher. He was losing his composure and Lord Tristan knew that.
"Don't you want to know?" The man cocked a brow as his smirk grew.
For the first time, Aeron felt his gaze crumble away from the man. Waves of confusion and doubt seeped into his thoughts. He took a deep breath. He got a grip over himself and glared at the assassin leader, conviction swimming in his silver orbs. "Anything I need to know, I'll ask Master Altair." He didn't need to rely on some shifty murderer. He had his father.
Lord Tristan frowned and feigned childish disappointment. "Is that so? Even if... 'He' is the reason why you can't remember?"
"What?" The boy fully turned to face him. His body grew rigid. He felt as if an ice-cold dagger stabbed him in the back. He looked away from the man once again. Lord Tristan couldn't be trusted. He knew that but why? Why did he felt drawn to his words? Was there some piece to the puzzle that he was missing? A piece that his father couldn't provide him?
Tristan rubbed his chin as he gazed in absolute amusement at his predecessor's charge. Spinning on his heel, he spoke up, "Tell you what... I shall give you the answers you seek if you do me another favor."
Aeron shifted his gaze back to the man and eyed him suspiciously. "How do I know that you're not trying to trick me?"
The redhead stopped in his tracks and peered over his shoulder with a sly grin. "Seeking collateral? Alright. I don't blame you. If you want proof..."
Aeron suddenly felt a cold eerie presence behind him. Before he could turn around, his body froze on the spot. A three-set claw pierced the back of his head. There was no pain but in an instant, he was pulled into complete and utter darkness. It was silent, cold and devoid of anything. Did he pass out? Was he dreaming?
A shrill shriek shattered the silence.
Aeron felt his heart race and his breath hitch. He knew that sound. There was no mistake. It was the one that continued to haunt him whenever he had nightmares. He didn't have any for a long while but he couldn't forget it. Panting heavily, he focused and listened intently. It was quiet once again. Then loud wing beats began to echo in the void. It wasn't fast. There was a considerable interlude in each beat that only added emphasis. Aeron deduced that the creature was either on the ground, testing its wings or it was massive. It was more likely the latter.
Suddenly, a blood-red tint dyed the ceiling. It was like red ink spilling into a sea of black. And out of that abyss, a pair of ice blue eyes gleamed and once again the unknown creature let loose a blood-curdling shriek.
The next moment, Aeron found himself standing once again in the presence of Tristan Fenikkusu. It was bright and sunny. Behind him, he could hear the voice of the crowd bustling in the bleachers. He took another full minute to compose himself before meeting the Black Scythe leader's gaze. "What. was. that?"
"A preview," the man answered. "Now then, shall I state your end of the bargain?"
Aeron sighed heavily as he finally emerged from his reverie. What he was doing was going against his father. But he wanted answers, that much he was sure of. And those answers may never be answered by the man he came to know as his father. It was then that he realized that part of the inevitable outcome was a confrontation with Lord Altair. Whether their familial-like relationship and years of established trust comes out intact has yet to be known. Lord Tristan's encounter has certainly shaken them considerably.
Sensing something amiss, Zircon glanced back and stared at him with his amber eyes. He crooned in concern, drawing the boy's attention.
Aeron met his gaze and stroked the base of the Flygon's neck with one hand while the other remained firm. "I'm okay, Zircon."
Focusing back on the race, the two found themselves still within the boundaries of Trickster's Labyrinth. They had flown a good distance considerably but they haven't seen the outskirts. The fog was partially thick but not enough to really remove them of total visibility. Aeron panned their surroundings with discretion as he slowed Zircon's speed. Peaks of the gray stone Aztec-styled pyramids rose above the treeline. It was odd to see two to three spread out in every direction. Surely the Gambit division's area was wide, but not wide as it now appeared to be. There was only one explanation.
"Zircon, let's find a tree to roost." Aeron grumbled under his breath. "We're caught in an illusion..."
"Ren! This all your fault!" Aspen yelled from the back of her Skarmory who was perched on a thick branch of a giant tree.
"How is this my fault?!" Corentin argued back as he leaned forward on the back of his Staraptor. They were currently atop of another tree directly across the angry brunette. "We were more or less flying straight."
"More or less? Are you kidding me?" Aspen groaned in exasperation. "Did you breathe in too many spores?"
The brown-haired senior of the Sky Division popped a few Cheri berries which he found earlier in his mouth and gave the rest to Ekaitz who cawed in gratitude. "If you're as lost as me, then I could say the same to you." The girl grumbled in response as she continued to fume. Corentin felt a little bad seeing Aspen upset and frustrated more than usual. Sighing lightly, he shrugged off the growing tension and grinned optimistically. "Then again, maybe we're just lost in each other's presence."
"Ugh. Just suck up all the Poison Powder and die already!" Aspen groaned once again and slumped back on Ailith's metal back.
"Chill, Aspie. Don't get your pony-tail in a bunch." Corentin waved a dismissive hand. "I'll think of something."
"Wake me up when you do..." Aspen almost whispered and rolled on one side.
"Looks like the Sleep powder is getting to her..."
Meanwhile, the rest were also caught in the illusion. The girl was sitting on a branch with her Crobat still clinging behind her like a backpack. Rozalia found a clearing on the ground and decided to give Haru a rest. They ate a few berries to recover from the light symptoms of the fumes, but more or less they were doing fine. Corbin had taken a breather atop of a tree. His Braviary was roosting on a branch while he was scaling towards the top to get a better vantage point. Moving as agile as a Mankey, he reached the peak and scanned the treetops. He sighed inwardly at the vast forest that stretch far into the distance. He was in the middle of nowhere.
Back at Sedgwick Valley, the Semira Island heads continued to watch intently at each participant.
"Vindryl... You planned this?" Lady Amalia of the Rosette division drew the attention of the man standing behind the podium.
The former Sky unit leader turned around with a proud grin. "Of course, I wanted things to be a little interesting."
"So now what? Do you want them to figure out the maze on their own?" Lord Owen spoke up, his muscular arms crossed over his bulky chest. "I'm guessing this is not a usual illusion, otherwise the rest are playing at a major disadvantage over the Gambit division representative."
"True..." was Lord Altair's short and simple comment. It surprised everyone but they were otherwise relieved to know that the scowling man wasn't completely detached.
"I like this setup. It sets apart the last race we had," Lord Tristan added with a chuckle. "Brings back memories, right Altair?"
The man in question didn't reply. Lord Altair continued to scowl as he stared back at the levitating light screens, the violet one showing the Black Scythe representative in particular. The cloaked individual had just found shelter in a tree and was now studying the horizon. His face was still hidden but sometimes the lower half of his face became visible.
"You seem very interested in that one..." Lady Amalia whispered to the man beside him.
"Who is he?" Altair unconsciously said aloud.
"Dunno. Care to ask the current assassin leader?" The only female of group gestured to the opposite side of the row with her amethyst-like eyes.
Altair Zenith merely scoffed and looked the other away. It was an expected reaction.
Seeing as the rest of the group was settling down, Grandmaster Vindryl decided to move on with the race. He turned towards the podium and announced, "Our valiant racers seem to have gotten themselves caught in the ethereal maze and have yet to find a way out. Let's see if we can make it easier for them..."
As soon as the tension of the silence began to settle, a few of Sigilyphs appeared out of the fog. The flyers figured they were few of the ones that trailed them during the race in order to keep track of their position and progress. One by one, they approached the representatives. They hovered in the air just within the sight of the teens. One was assigned to each of them, except for Aspen and Corentin who were together in one spot so only one Sigilyph appeared before them.
The majority of the representatives began to wonder what they were for, but their confusion was soon answered by a familiar voice in their head.
"Greetings children!"
It was Grandmaster Vindryl with his cheery and carefree tone.
"As you may have noticed, you are all caught in an illusion. Go figure! Anyways, any ideas on how to escape?"
"I have a few ideas but I don't know if they are allowed," Rozalia spoke up first. She sat on the back of her Tropius, her back against the leafy dino's slender neck. She seemed completely relaxed in the midst of the situation.
"Care to share, Miss Felis?" The former Sky division leader asked, making sure the whole psychic conversation was heard by each of them.
"Foresight," the redhead answered with a shrug of her shoulders. "A pokemon with Foresight can cancel out the illusions and lead the way out of the maze."
"Bravo~! You're really your mother's daughter. Clever 'and' beautiful," the voice commended the girl with a chuckle. "Now, seeing as not every pokemon you currently have can use that move, I have assigned a small flock of Hoothoot to guide you. They should be around the woods. Shouldn't be a problem, seeing as all of you are already wandering about. What's a few more rounds of flying in circles?" He paused to take in the possible inward groans of the teens. "Just kidding. Your partners are currently in the area. You can ask for their assistance if necessary, just not for the main task. There's a possibility that some may know the move but I won't allow usage of it. And you just track down the Hoothoot. They are already tamed and do not require capture. Search on foot or in the air, your choice. Farewell."
The psychic broadcast quickly ended and the Sigilyphs flew back to the cover of the fog, signifying that the hunt was on.
Corbin was the first to move. He swung around the branches and flipped down, landing on the branch adjacent to the resting Braviary. Then he pressed two fingers in his mouth and whistled for his partner. Knowing his Riolu would find his aura easily after his call, Corbin turned to his Braviary and instructed him to follow in the air. The bird nodded and took off while the dark-skinned boy continued to descend the tall tree, vaulting and twisting fluidly along the many branches until he touched the grassy forest floor with a soft thud.
And within moments, a blue blur catapulted from the canopy and dropped to the space in front of the boy after a couple of somersaults, landing in a crouch. The two exchanged grins, the mini blue jackal having the wider smile, then they bumped fists and began their search.
"Let's go, Ryu!"
Rozalia began her search above the canopy, following the familiar Sweet Scent of her Cherrim. A stream of pink petals sprouting from a tree quickly caught her attention. She maneuvered Haru over and the Tropius hovered just beside the tree in order for the girl's Cherrim to leap out of the treetop. Sakura squeaked and perched on Rozalia's shoulder, the alluring scent still radiating from the flower-like pokemon.
"Good job, Sakura! If we can't find the HootHoot, let's make the Hoothoot come to us," Rozalia prodded her partner's soft cherry-colored cheek and smiled.
Corentin was also calling out to his Linoone using a hand whistle. He heard a whistle not too long ago and not far from his position. He figured it belonged to another flyer in the competition. It was of no concern. His pokemon would easily tell the difference. Certain that Linnea had heard him, his eyes panned the ground, waiting for a fawn-brown color to come into view. Instead, he got two incoming figures, one brown and one white. A grin curved on his face as he recognized the second figure to be Kyria, Aspen's Absol who probably guessed that Aspen wouldn't be far-off from Corentin's position. Of course, she was right.
Linnea scurried up the tree with ease and perched on the branch just above Ekaitz and Corentin. The boy reached up and petted his second partner, earning a purr-like moan from the badger-like pokemon.
Corentin grinned and glanced over his shoulder to check on Aspen. He frowned when he saw the girl had yet moved from the back of her Skarmory who was looking back with a worried and sleepy expression. Kyria was waiting at the foot of the tree with deep anxiety. Corentin ran a hand through his chocolate locks and instructed Linnea to find him berries, Chesto berries specifically.
Linnea nodded and scampered off. Upon reaching the ground, she stopped by Kyria and soon the two once again disappeared into the woods.
Corentin turned his attention back to Aspen. Sighing, he mounted on Ekaitz and they transferred to the tree the girl and her steel avian was on. They positioned themselves on the adjacent branch and Corentin promptly got off to go near Aspen. He patted Ailith's metal beak and directed his attention to the slumbering girl.
"Aspie! Wakey-wakey!" He shook the brunette's shoulder. Nothing. He grumbled but then smirked slyly. Reaching out, he pinched the girl's cheek. Aspen groaned and her brows visibly furrowed but she was still asleep. Corentin felt sorry for teasing and compensated by moving the girl's bangs away from her face. His gloved hand brushed her cheek but she didn't shift.
A moment later, Linnea came back with a branch bearing blue berries. Wagging, she handed it to Corentin who accepted it gratefully before plucking a few and giving it to the slowly dozing off Skarmory. Ailith cawed her thanks to both the boy and his furry pokemon.
Corentin smiled and took a deep breath. He still had to find a way to actually make Aspen eat it. Moving passed Ailith's wings, he slid and arm under Aspen and made her sit up. "Okay, Aspie... Do me a favor and wake up for a few seconds. I just need you to eat a Chesto berry."
Aspen seemed completely out cold. Her head just lolled to one side and rested on Corentin's shoulder. A light pink hue streaked across the boy's cheeks as he looked away to escape the thoughts flashing in his mind. Aspen mumbled slightly but was other than that, no progress.
Corentin knew he was wasting time. He gently pressed the berry against Aspen's lips but it didn't accomplish anything. An idea suddenly formed in his mind in the midst of all the pink-colored visions. Groaning, he shot a hesitant glance at Aspen and muttered to himself, "This is seriously cliche..." He nimbly placed the Chesto between his lips and used his freehand to pull the girl's lips apart. Pausing for a second, Corentin leaned close and transferred the berry, lightly brushing the Aspen's lips against his. The soft contact immediately made Corentin flush and he pulled away as soon as he was sure the berry was in place.
Aspen shifted slightly, feeling the item in her mouth. To Corentin's relief, she swallowed it on her own and soon began to wake. Her weary auburn eyes wandered and came to rest on a pair of gray eyes staring back at her. Focusing her vision, she immediately recognized the face of whom they belonged to. She furrowed her brows and groaned. "Did you find a way... Why're you all red?"
"Nothing!" Corentin immediately replied, the blood rushing more and more to his face. He wanted to jerk away but Aspen was still leaning against his shoulder, his arm supporting her.
Aspen took a moment and assessed the situation. She noticed a lingering taste in her mouth, Corentin was definitely invading her personal space and what was she leaning on? Her eyes shifted sideways and she noticed Corentin's brown aviator's jacket. It took her another moment to realize she was wrapped around his arm. Blushing furiously, she shoved Corentin away, almost threatening to push him off the branch if he didn't grab a nearby branch to steady himself. "Just what the heck were you doing to me!?"
"NOTHING! Geez, Aspie! Chill out. I was trying to wake you up but you were completely knocked out by Sleeping Powder," Corentin reasoned out with as much composure as he could grasp at the moment. He decided to divert the the subject to something more important. The race. It was then that he recalled that they were watched at all times by a handful of people from every division, not to mention four out of six mentors. He slapped himself with his palm and muttered to himself. "Oh crap..."
"What?" Aspen snapped, confused and growing ever impatient.
Corentin suddenly found himself at a loss for words. His mind was swirling in chaos, preventing him from thinking straight.
"Ren! If you don't give me answers, I will drop you from this tree!" The brunette threatened as she grabbed the boy's white shirt.
"O-Okay." Raising his hands in submission, Corentin took a deep breath and explained as simple and as short as possible. "Grandmaster Vindryl added a twist to the race. We each need to find a Hoothoot and use it to dispel the illusion with Foresight. And Kyria is waiting for you below to help."
"A Hoothoot?" Aspen repeated with a tone of disbelief before looking up and pointing a finger towards the upper branches. "Like those?"
Corentin glanced up and sure enough there was a pair of big-eyed brown birds sitting conveniently on a branch. It was all good but the Hoothoot pair were snuggling against each other and occasionally tapping beaks. It almost seemed it was on purpose, seeing they were staring suggestively at the boy. The sight made Corentin recall the earlier events and worry about his well-being if ever Aspen were to find out that he semi-kissed her in front of dozens of people, mentors included. He concluded it was best that Aspen heard the news from him rather than another person.
"Uhm... Aspen, I gotta tell you something," Corentin began with a bashful tone.
"Can it wait? We have a race to finish." Aspen shrugged him off and reached out to one of the Hoothoot. The pair broke off but only before a short farewell nuzzle. The first one hopped onto Aspen's shoulder while the second one perched on Corentin's gloved forearm. "Heh. That wasn't so bad. Now let's get going... And just so you know, I'm not gonna go easy on you." She gave him a small warning.
"Aspen... just wait a sec!" Corentin grabbed her arm just as she was about to take off. He couldn't risk not getting another chance. Seeing the confused expression on her face, he wasted no time and pulled her close so he could whisper in her ear.
At first, Aspen was annoyed but the grimace suddenly turned into frown and then finally she burst out redder than a Tomato berry. "Y-You... You. did. WHAT?!"
Aeron pulled his hood closer to himself as the ends of his cloak billowed in the wind. He needed to get far from the other flyers and if possible lose whatever psychic pokemon was trailing him. He whispered his plan to Zircon and once again, the shiny Flygon conjured another Sandstorm that obscured them from anyone's eyes. The sand funnel snaked over the treetops and ventured deeper into the mist.
Aeron watched Zircon vanish from view as he hid himself in the shadow of the foliage. Once the rustling noise of the Sandstorm died down, he gave his surroundings a quick scan and jumped down from his dark shelter. Taking in the quiet atmosphere, he cautiously pulled down his hood and eyed the dense cluster of leaves that stretched far and wide, blocking away the sunlight that would otherwise rain down upon the forest floor. His strode forward, his form ominous like a shadow but with a touch of moonlight than came from his silver eyes.
After a short walk, a flutter emerged from the myriad of leaves. A round brown bird with big round eyes hopped into view. It cocked its head a few times as it studied the boy. Aeron extended a hand and softly gazed at the avian. The Hoothoot flew over to Aeron's shoulder and let out a small cry. The boy, having accomplished what he set out to do, pulled back his hood and turned around to leave. But just as he did, the owl-like pokemon hooted and pivoted about, staring intently to a small bundle of fuzz lying just between some bushes.
Aeron followed its gaze and was immediately startled frozen for a couple of seconds. His eyes widen and his heart rate quickened as he desperately tried to mouth a name. "N-Noir?"
Without another moment to spare, Aeron rushed over and knelt to the soft forest floor, his black cloak pooling around him. He pushed back the bushes and hurriedly collected the purple bat in his arms. Frantically checking him over, Aeron confirmed that Noir was uninjured and that he was simply caught in a sleep spell, most likely Sleep Powder since there was a trace of white powder around his black fur collar.
"Noir..." Aeron attempted to coax his partner awake but to no avail. A pang of guilt swam at the pit of his stomach. He realized his partner had found out and chased him all the way to him, getting caught in a string of messes in the process. No one else was to blame. It was his fault, his decision to accept Lord Tristan's proposal. Shoving back the heavy emotions, he secured the Noibat, who was bundled up in his own wings, in his arm and stood up. "I'm sorry... I promise I'll make it up to you, Noir."
Glancing momentarily at the Hoothoot on his shoulder, Aeron assured himself that the bird was secure. Then, using his free arm, he scaled up the tree and peered over the treetops. The leaves shuffled as the wind started to bellow violently. Aeron followed the origin of the wind and saw a sand funnel closing in towards him, a green figure zooming in the center.
Zircon circled back to same spot, making sure not to venture too far from the perimeter. He saw a shadow shift in a tree and took that as his cue. Diving down towards the canopy, Zircon leaned to one side and cancelled out the Sandstorm just as the black silhouette leaped onto his back. Feeling a strong arm cling to his neck, he straightened up and shook off the lingering sand surrounding them.
Exhaling after the feat, Aeron clutched Noir close to his chest and kept him covered underneath his cloak. He then commended Zircon on a job well done and glanced over his shoulder. The Hoothoot flapped its wings and hooted, ready to start its own task. Nodding in acknowledgement, Aeron's gaze shifted to the mist behind them and watched with great discretion. He wondered if he managed to go unnoticed, but what's done is done. He turned to face upfront, focused and determined to finish the race.
End of Chapter 23
I wanted to stretch the race a bit so I included a little twist. (That and I needed to incorporate random fluff)
Anyway, the race is back on, Noir is safe, Aspen and Corentin are in a pinch (Corentin mostly) and Aeron is digging deep in trouble for going behind his father's back.
I'll explain Aeron's unusual gift as the story goes on. All I can say is that it has something to do with winged pokemon.
And any guesses what pokemon was in his nightmares? hehehe. It's a major pokemon in the story (Well, Aeron's arc).
I did give subtle hints in several chapters. It's pretty obvious I think... xD (Wings, Red, Blue eyes)
Anyway, thanks for all the reviews~! I have yet to touch any drawing/art activities.
One more chapter for Semira I think... Then back to Neo.