Secrets of the Night

DISCLAIMER: I Do NOT own Pokemon!

Chapter 46: Interlude

Summary of events

Faye Lin Azril is the daughter of a wealthy nobleman from the beautiful region of Kalos, specifically Lumiose City. Sheltered and naive, she dreamed every day to explore the world outside the confines of the massive manor. Fortunately, upon her 15th-birthday, her father needed to leave for a business trip that would last over two months, leaving her by herself in the manor. With her Fennekin, Isis, and a Togepi egg that later hatched into Aegis, she set out on her personal journey in search of her older half-sister who was separated from her upon her mother's death many years ago. The thing is, her sister was supposedly in Unova, the home region of her late mother. And that was where she was headed.

Leaving the safety of her home, Faye Lin embraced the new world, gained a new pokemon, an Espurr named Freya and stowed away on a cargo ship heading to that foreign region. And much to her misfortune, the said vessel was targeted by assassins. She became a witness to a bloody massacre and feared that she too, would be nothing more than a cold pale corpse lying on board a ship floating in the middle of the sea. But as fate decreed, her life was spared by a mysterious raven-haired boy with silver eyes.

Aeron is the adopted son of Altair Zenith, one of the six heads of Semira Isle, a mysterious island that was converted into a training ground for assassins and other hired help. The place was founded long ago by noblemen who sought control and power through whatever means possible. Semira has provided them with such but over the years, the island had grown immensely in their beliefs and bond with pokemon who worked alongside them.

Aeron grew up with no memory of his life before he was taken in. This led to an insatiable yearning to know who he was and why he was there. Having the ability to calm, tame or manipulate winged pokemon was also something he desperately needed to understand. His adopted father wouldn't give him answers that he desired. His friends, Kirian and Rozalia as well as his pokemon partner, Noir, a playful and energetic Noibat provided him with company as well as their somewhat understanding, but they could only do so much.

Day by day, he looked farther into the distant seas, wondering about what life was like out there; what his life would have been like out there. It wasn't until the day he was called out by Lord Tristan Fenikkusu, the leader of another group in the island, the infamous division of assassins, the Black Scythe. Despite being fully aware of the boy and his father's animosity towards assassins, he presented Aeron with a proposal; a simple accessory mission to retrieve an item and take it to Unova. The reward: an explanation of his father's past with the Black Scythe division and a glimpse of the world beyond the boundaries of Semira.

With Noir by his side, Aeron agreed and flew out of the island with a trio of female assassins that were assigned to the main mission: to eliminate the passengers of the cargo vessel and use it as a decoy to lure a second vessel that was to retrieve the item hidden away in the former. As the task went underway, Aeron watched, unable to interfere, as the crewmen were murdered one by one. It wasn't until Noir had gone astray that Aeron ran into a frantic blonde girl that drove him to stand against the assassins in order to prevent the girl from getting killed as well.

The trio were unwilling to spare the life of a witness that could very well compromise their mission. They threatened the boy to either stand back or be cut down as well. Aeron managed to talk his way through by fibbing Faye Lin's status as a member of the Sky division which he belonged to. That, and coupled by Lord Tristan's backing, they left the vessel unscathed and with a new companion, a timid but hard-working Snivy whom was later taken in by Aeron and named Vivi.

As they traveled to Unova, a letter Faye Lin had sent to her long-time friend and pen-pal had arrived in Kanto.

Neo Takamoto, the sole living member of the Takamoto estate, had been upholding his family's legacy ever since he was young, after his parents were killed at sea when he was merely six years old. Since then, he matured greatly into a well-mannered gentleman at the age of seventeen, despite his weak health condition that prevents him from overexerting his body.

After reading the letter, Neo grew concerned, finding out that Faye Lin had suddenly left home and was traveling miles and oceans apart to a whole different region. He cared deeply for her and wasn't just about to sit in his study while who-knows-what was happening to his dear friend. With his mind made up, he made the necessary preparations to travel to Unova.

Despite the protests of Neo's caretaker and butler, Gremio who feared for his charge's fragile health, Neo went through with his plans, accompanied by his three loyal pokemon, a Gengar, a Dusknoir that once belonged to his late father and a female Lampent that later evolved into a Chandelure. As they boarded the family yacht and crossed the vast seas towards Unova, they came across two massive cargo vessels drifting idly. Suspicious, Neo proposed to investigate, much to Gremio's constant disapproval and fears.

Then those fears and suspicions were quickly answered by the arrival of three female assassins who attacked them for being witnesses. Neo skillfully coordinated his pokemon in a battle against them but the assassins weren't fighting alone. They had pokemon of their own and they fought with the same skill and finesse as their dangerously armed human partners.

All seemed grim until Gremio's Gallade and Gremio himself intervened, stopping the fight with a double-edged rapier, blocking the path of the assassin's scythe. As the assassins sized up their new prey, Gremio flashed an insignia tattooed on the back of his hand. The said insignia was a crimson blade, a mark of a Saber division member, one of other six units that comprise Semira Isle. And thus being a member of one of the six, granted the man and his contractor immunity against the other groups that sought to bring them harm. A law in Semira known as the Stalemate agreement. With that, the assassins were given no choice but to back off. And Gremio and his charge were not to pursue them nor report what they witnessed because that was part of the agreement.

Once the assassins faded away in the dark of the night and sea, Gremio turned to his charge who was staggering considerably due to the stressful events. But it wasn't the fact that they faced assassins that overwhelmed the seventeen-year old but memory that surfaced after that encounter.

Neo's parents were murdered at sea and he, a small six-year old boy at the time, was there to watch every moment of it. He recalled the shrill cry in the night, the crackling fires, the broken shards of glass, the faces of his parents as they screamed and pleaded before they were brutally killed and the silhouette of the man and the pokemon responsible for it all.

Agonized by the excruciatingly vivid recollection, Neo demanded answers from Gremio. Hesitantly, the man told him about the existence of Semira Isle and how it may be linked to the murder of his parents. Upon hearing the revelation, Neo felt betrayed. Gremio had raised him and taught him all he needed to know ever since that dreaded day. Now, the man he had trusted with his life had withheld such vital information for so many years.

Gremio explained that it was also a rule that he had to obey. The right to utilize the services of Semira, excluding the ones that have already been made, have certain requirements, one was that the contractor needed of legal age and Neo was still seventeen not eighteen. Besides that, Gremio also didn't want Neo to be consumed with revenge. It was dangerous, especially for someone like him with a weak body.

Neo, though, was not swayed. The fact that his parents' alleged killer almost with his grasp was too great to simply set aside. He had to find that person. He needed to. But as soon as his body reached its limit, he collapsed into unconsciousness.

Back in Unova, Aeron and Faye Lin parted ways in the pokemon center. Aeron went ahead to deliver the item that the Snivy was holding in the abandoned construction site located north of Castelia City's outskirts while Faye Lin roamed the bustling metropolis, admiring the massive skyscrapers while looking for clues concerning her older sister Maya's whereabouts. It was then she realized how futile it was for one person, especially someone like her, to scour the unfamiliar streets and cities in search of a single person whom she last saw as a little girl.

Luckily, Faye Lin met Officer Jenny along the way and the Unova law enforcer openly escorted her to Route 4, where Aeron was supposed to be. Once they met up, Aeron agreed to aide in the search. They traveled ahead to Nimbasa City in order to regroup and plan. There, they gathered info from Nurse Joy, toured the lively theme park-like city, ate sweet pastries, rode the Ferries Wheel and finally arrived at an old abandoned shack where Maya used to live.

The two spent the night there and Faye Lin found a journal that belonged to her sister. She read a few entries, somehow addressed to their mother, describing the life she led after she was driven out by her stepfather and separated from her younger sister. The most vital part Faye Lin picked up was that Maya left months prior in order to join other recruits to a place called Semira Isle, the place where Aeron and the assassins came from.

The morning she discovered that part, Aeron had gone out and was tracked down by his father in order to bring him back. Faye Lin rush to his defense, assuming the man was trying to kidnap Aeron. But Noir's appearance and calmness around the mysterious man proved Faye Lin's assumption otherwise. After Faye Lin apologized, Lord Altair introduced himself, much to the girl's shock and stroke of luck. With some effort, she managed to convince Aeron's father to take her to Semira Isle as well.

Aeron woke up, after having been knocked out by his father, some time during the way back. He was promptly brought up to date just before they arrived at Semira. He, along with his father, went back to Lord Tristan and confronted the man. The heated conversation became violent a couple of times before Altair stormed out, bringing his son along with him.

On the way, Altair confirmed that he was indeed the former leader of the assassins and that his hands were smeared with a fair share of blood. Another surprising revelation was that during his assassin days, he took in Aeron but according to Altair, he was too young to really remember those times. Nonetheless, Aeron voiced out his deep value of life and his opposition in the matter of murdering another person. Altair expressed his pride in the boy and the two reconciled as father and son, before adding that Aeron was still going to be punished, specifically mentoring Faye Lin.

That night after their arrival in Semira, a mysterious visitor came and Aeron experienced a horrific nightmare where he stood in a dead wasteland surrounded by barren trees. The sky was blood red, the moon was full, the cold wind reeked of death and the air was drowned with voices screaming in fear. And as soon as the silence had descended, the atmosphere was shattered by a blood-curdling shriek. Aeron found himself running until he came across a weeping child trembling in front of a massive winged creature with ice blue eyes. He stepped forward but was startled by a light. Blinking, he looked at the scenery once again and saw the creature had vanished and in its place was a figure of a human being, an adult. Aeron called out and the stranger replied, only no words came out. He tried again but the nightmare ended, much to his relief. Strangely, he felt like the nightmare was more like a memory. The sense of familiarity was too great to shrug off.

Aeron tried to decipher things by himself but with no more clues or hints, he wasn't going to make progress. Instead, he immersed himself by beginning Faye Lin's training, specifically survival. Leaving a few items, the girl's Fennekin and assigning his two close friends and faithful pokemon to keep an eye out for her, he left Faye Lin and assumed the rest of his responsibilities back at the Sky division headquarters.

Aeron's nightmares surfaced on a nightly basis. It was always the same haunting vision. He slept less and less but still continued his duties at the Sky division headquarters and at the same time looked after Faye Lin's Togepi which hatched at the time. Corentin, a senior and a figurative older brother of the younger generations, found him weakened and brought him to Lady Amalia, Rozalia's mother and leader of the Rosette division specializing in medicine and concoctions. There, Aeron rested and recovered his strength. The nightmares rarely repeated afterwards, but Aeron could still recall it clearly.

Meanwhile, Neo regained consciousness in Floe Island, a famous isle located in the Sevii archipelago, south of the Kanto region. He found out that he was unconscious for several days and that a certain silver-haired teen had tracked them down in order to learn the whereabouts of assassins. His name was Chase Graceland and he sought to rid the world of assassins after his mother was killed by one of them. His companions consisted of a shy Gallade named Vince and a quirky chocolate-loving Gardevoir named Faith.

Neo and Chase considered themselves kindred spirits after learning that they both had gone through the ordeal of having a parent murdered by assassins. They became friends and shared the goal of seeking their parents' murderer. But in order to do so, Neo needed to be stronger, physically and mentally. Chase suggested that Neo should return to Kanto and battle gym leaders. Not only would he be training his pokemon, the travels would heighten his physical endurance.

Gremio was concerned but he couldn't defy his master's wish. He had no choice but to support Neo in anyway possible. And that meant temporarily taking over the affairs of the Takamoto family and ordering a special medicine from Semira Isle that would ease the Neo's body before the strain would cause him to collapse. And as for Faye Lin, Gremio called the pokemon centers in Unova and learned that Faye Lin had safely arrived, much to Neo's relief. He was confident that Faye Lin would succeed in her journey just as much as he hoped that he would for himself.

So it was decided.

Neo first visited the Icefall Cave in Floe Island where he caught a Squirtle with a snowflake birthmark on his shell. He named the little blue turtle Genbu. Afterwards, he, Chase and the rest of their pokemon traveled via the Takamoto family yacht to Cinnabar Island where Neo faced off in a blazing hot battle against Naomi Shika. He won and became close friends with the energetic girl who guided them to the Seafoam Islands where Genbu evolved into a Wartortle and came face to face with Articuno. Naomi, using her elite fire-type team , drove away the legendary bird and impressed Neo and Chase more than ever.

With Naomi's company, they went to their next destination; Fuchsia City. By the time they arrived, Naomi became fondly attached to Neo, much to Chase's amusement. Neo, being the gentleman that he was, treated her with utmost respect of that befitting a lady and a gym leader. They got to know each other and Neo even shared his past with Naomi.

During those days, Neo trained constantly out in the field in preparation for his next gym battle. He lingered in the outskirts, testing his skills on wild pokemon as well as traveling trainers like Arc who was accompanied by a girl named Lily. The battle was fierce as Arc displayed his skill and compassion with his Orange Island variant Butterfree, starter Charizard and main powerhouse Salamence. The match flowed smoothly until Neo had a relapse upon seeing the Salamence. The piercing roar and thundering beats of its wings made Neo recall the unknown pokemon that was alongside the man that murdered his parents. As the memory overlapped with the present, he realized that it was not the same creature nor the same kind. With a little help, Neo recovered and continued the battle. In the end, he lost but gained a friend. Arc gave him a Dusk stone as a memento of their encounter. The stone was used to evolve Neo's Lampent into a Chandelure.

Following that arduous trainer battle, the three entered Fuchsia City to rest and recuperate. The next day, Neo was going to face the local gym and earn his second badge. But sadly, Naomi couldn't stay and cheer him on. She had to return to Cinnabar Island to continue her duties as gym leader. But before that, she made a promise to Neo that they would battle again once he collected the rest of the Kanto gym badges. They exchanged numbers and wished each other well.

After seeing the girl off, Neo and Chase went to the gym to gather data in order to know what they were up against. They learned that Fuchsia City had three gym leaders called the Dolosa Trio consisting of Iago, Marr and Ode. The three were full-fledged ninjas clad in black and purple with different adornments (robes or armors) and weapons. The match was decided to be a triple battle with each side consisting of six pokemon, meaning Neo had to catch two more or he could borrow Chase's at the meantime.

But things didn't go as planned.

At the sight of the ninja trio, Chase felt unwell and he recalled his own tragic experience with a dark figure who killed his mother. That person was also clad in black with a flicker of violet and was armed with a katana. The trauma caused Chase to snap and suddenly storm out of the gym, leaving Neo bewildered and concerned.

Excusing himself, Neo went after him. He ran into Faith, Chase's Gardevoir in the streets and together they found Chase who ended up running to the zoo where he was suddenly attacked by a rouge Grovyle. During the fight, the green gecko displayed TM moves, indicating that he had a trainer, more accurately 'once' had. Chase defeated it with the help of his Gallade and Gardevoir. He then captured it and named him Percival. Neo came over afterwards and consoled Chase about the little gym incident. Chase apologized for his behavior and agreed to lend his friend his two pokemon, Faith and Vince.

Neo returned to the gym after a quick trip to the pokemon center. The Dolosa Trio welcomed him back and the battle begun. Utilizing his training, Neo coordinated his pokemon against the poison-types of his opponents, while, Iago, Marr and Ode worked together like clockwork, each member executing their roles and making use of different battle styles. It was seriously long, strenuous and challenging but Neo emerged victorious, earning himself his second badge.

That night, exhausted, Neo and Chase returned to their room in the local inn and slept. Unbeknownst to them, they were closely watched in the shadows by a violet-haired assassin from Semira Isle who was under orders from Master Tristan. Ikari Kageyama observed them from afar but was suddenly interrupted by the appearance of the Dolosa Trio who deemed the teen an intruder to the city. Ikari sent out his full arsenal of pokemon made up of his Mightyena partner, Sneasel, Froslass and Darkrai. Under the light of the silver moon, they crossed blades.

And while Neo's journey continued, as did Faye Lin's training. Despite the first few days being harsh, she learned well from living in the wilds. It greatly contradicted with the kind of luxurious lifestyle she led as a nobleman's daughter but somehow, she took it in with a smile. Aeron and his friends supported after all. And she had to endure it so she could meet her sister who was someone in the island.

All went well until the second to the last day wherein she encountered a Roselia. She fend off the grass-type with her Fennekin but Isis was poisoned in the process. Without Pecha Berries on hand nor a pokemon to fend off the wild ones in order to retrieve one, Faye Lin feared for the worst.

It was then Noir, Aeron's Noibat, came to her rescue. He had been guarding the girl daily but keeping in mind not to interfere unless it was an emergency. And under the circumstances, it was. With his help, Aeron came and rushed through the pouring rain. Using his ability, he procured a Pecha berry and treated the Fennekin. But it wasn't the end. Faye Lin had been shielding her Fennekin from the chilling rain and the exhaustion she felt was doubled as a result. Aeron had no choice but to bring her back to base. There, he took care of her and reunited the girl with her Togepi.

Outside, the storm raged, lightning flashed, dark clouds loomed and winds howled. But suddenly the heavens grew quiet and the storm ceased by the arrival of the former Sky division leader, Vindryl Aurelius who descended from the cloudy skies on board his Rayquaza. Semira Isle was caught off guard by the unexpected visit. Lord Altair was particularly irritated by his predecessor but out of duty, he made sure to be hospitable as much as his character allowed him to be.

Vindryl Aurelius had known Altair for many years and was there when the man had taken Aeron in as a little boy. He took it upon himself to act like the boy's godfather, even presenting him with a shiny Flygon that he caught. Other than the blue and amber tones that set it apart from the normal deeper green and red Flygons, that particular Flygon, named Zircon, held some sort of connection to Aeron, a connection that Aeron himself felt but couldn't explain. In light of this fact, Noir became jealous and often squabbled with the dragon, only to be overpowered by the latter's sheer size.

During the days of the former Sky unit leader's stay, Aeron continued to train Faye Lin in the basics as she balanced it with the formal training of the Sky division. The two spent a lot of time together and gradually grew close. Faye Lin had long hid her admiration and attraction to Aeron ever since the incident at sea. Aeron, on the other hand, grew to marvel at the girl's optimism, gentleness and radiance. The girl shone like the sun. It was a rarity in Aeron's opinion, one that he instinctively wanted to protect, even if he, himself, would be the one to summon the darkness. Aeron had already built a negative reputation among his peers, seeing as he was the adopted son and favored student of Lord Altair and he didn't want Faye Lin to be dragged into the crossfire. And that is the reason why he makes sure to keep his distance when around other people.

On the last days of Vindryl Aurelius' visit, he organized a Sky race involving one representative from each of the six divisions. Corentin Greyling represented the Sky unit. Aspen Weathercroft, childhood friend and sadistic in-denial love interest of Corentin, participated for the Saber division. Corbin Aureus for the Warrior division, Rozalia for the Rosette unit and another girl for the Gambit division. None for the Black Scythe assassins.

As the race was about to begin, Lord Tristan approached Aeron and struck another deal with him. This time, the reward was the truth of his past. Once again, Aeron couldn't help his yearning and agreed, leaving Faye Lin in the stands to watch with no knowledge of his sudden involvement. Mounting his Flygon, Aeron wore a cloak to disguise himself . His father was watching so he had to be careful.

But as soon as Aeron made his way to the starting line, Faye Lin recognized Zircon and knew immediately that it was Aeron. She rushed to halt the race but failed inevitably. And in twisted turn of events, she ran into the person she had been searching for, her sister Maya who also recognized her as her half-sister. The two, finally reunited, shared a warm embrace and began to catch up. Freya, Faye's Espurr was officially Maya's (After Kirian's mishap) and the Espurr (Touya) that Kirian planned to replace her with now belonged to Faye Lin.

But then, their conversation was cut short when Faye Lin couldn't shake off the worry and dread flooding in her because of Aeron. Maya, naturally taking up the role as big sister, comforted and reassured her, telling her it was not her place and that there was nothing any of them could do at the time.

At the race, the six weaved through the serpentine rift of Sedgwick Valley, circled around and dispelled the illusion of the woods surrounding Trickster's Labyrinth and finally displayed their determination, skill and finesse as they barreled pass each other in a free-for-all sprint to the finish line located at the Coliseum of the Battle Plains of Callan.

Throughout the race, Aeron was constantly conflicted by his decision. He went behind his father, bargained with an assassin, kept secrets from his friends and even dragged Noir into his situation. The guilt and regret washed over him. By the time he realized it, there was no going back. He pushed on with the race, trying and failing to keep his mind focused. At a few points in the race, he used his ability discreetly but it still led to suspicion by Corentin and Rozalia who were well-aware of the ability that Aeron solely had. Near the end, because of constant pressuring for the lead, Aeron used his ability and made the his mount as well as the two closest to him halt in mid-air.

Seeing this, Lord Altair rose from his seat and rushed to the last leg of the race in order to confront his son whom he had no doubt was the cause of it. The race ended with Aspen finishing first, followed by Aeron, Corentin, Corbin, Rozalia and the Gambit representative. Upon Lord Altair's arrival, the stadium descended into silence. He walked up to Aeron, revealed his identity and slapped him across the face. Murmurs and whispers erupted but was quickly toned down by the overseer of the race and the five other flyers, having been ordered by the Sky division leader to clear the crowd.

The rest of the heads, mainly Lady Amalia (Rosette division), Lord Owen (Warrior division), Lord Tristan (Black Scythe division) and grand master Vindryl (former Sky division head), arrived on the scene. At once, Lord Altair furiously swept across the Coliseum arena and grabbed the Black Scythe leader by his shirt and pinned him against the wall, eliciting a grunt but not enough to wipe off the sly smirk of the redhead. Lord Owen quickly intervened before things could go out of hand. Lord Altair defiantly snarled but released the assassin in the end. Then he went back to Aeron and the two left, but only after Lord Tristan managed to part a few words to the boy, out of earshot of his father.

After the father and son left, the two heads and former head confronted Tristan, warning him not to meddle with the affairs of Altair and Aeron, the latter especially. The redheaded assassin argued back, saying that it was unfair for them to keep the boy from knowing the truth. Amalia stated that it was for Aeron's own good. And Vindryl added that it wasn't just for the boy's sake but for the creature that was under the possession of Tristan who shrugged and explained that the said creature won't be going anywhere since none can control it but Aeron.

In the eastern side of Semira, near the Sky division base, Aeron and his father settled on a tree to have their talk since the boy wouldn't say a word at the Coliseum. Aeron, after calming down, told his father that he wanted the truth of his past; who he was and where he came from. Altair, inwardly fuming, forced to be patient with his adopted son.

With noticeable hesitation and vagueness, Lord Altair told him that the he met Aeron during one of his hands-on quests (when he was still an assassin) and that the boy lost his parents in a tragic incident, one he couldn't put into words since they were already gone by the time he arrived. The quiet lapse between questions and answers made Aeron skeptical but didn't point it out, knowing his father wouldn't elaborate it.

He moved on to his next question: Why did Lord Altair take him in? Altair's anger had subsided by that time and was now focused on replying. His answer: a whim, out of pity. Basic human response. But then he added that it didn't matter because it was the past. The present and future were more important. The question was unclear still. Aeron then wondered why he couldn't remember any of it. Before, according to Lord Tristan, his memory loss was because of his father so Aeron wanted to hear what kind of answer he would give. Altair replied that Aeron was too young and traumatized that he made himself forget the whole ordeal.

Who was lying? Who was telling the truth?

Finally, the sun began to set so the two needed to head back to Zephyr Pillar (Sky unit headquarters). But before they left, Altair gave Aeron a pokeball containing one of his pokemon in order to keep constant watch over him. Much to Aeron's dismay, it was Fenrir, a fierce, hot-headed, stubborn and proud Arcanine. The feral-tempered beast immediately intimidated Noir (Noibat)and Vivi (Servine) after he got out of his pokeball. Aeron planned to meet up with Tristan after a week, but with his new guard dog, it wasn't going to be easy.

End of Chapter 46

*phew*
45 chapters squeezed into one with an exact total of 5300 words
I tried to keep it short but included the most important facts.
Any questions?
Everyone up to speed now?

Review please~
Thanks for sticking with me throughout this story~!

Cover art: ht$tp:/$/sta.$sh/03jo2z6bmpy