Secrets of the Night (with Artwork)

Summary​

In the midst of the six regions, exists a mysterious island shrouded in darkness, a training ground for assassins and other contractors of wealthy noblemen residing in the different regions of the Pokémon world. The island is divided into units that specializes in certain areas, and certain Pokémon types. But despite their shadowy identities, the bond with their Pokémon is unquestionable. Instead of relying solely on their Pokémon, they harness their individual abilities to work alongside with their partner.

The story follows three individuals.

The first grew up in the island after taken in by one of the heads as a small boy. All his life, he only knew the world that lied within the boundaries of the isle. Like a bird in a cage, he yearns to see the lands beyond his known home, not because of curiosity, but for the reason he has no clear memory of the place he came from prior to being brought to the island. With his special ability, he seeks to unlock his past and learn the secrets hidden by the world around him.

The second was born into a noble family in the Kanto region. Blessed with loving parents, his life was peaceful. Until one fateful night, he lost both of them in a horrible incident at sea. Haunted by their murders and a strange recurring sickness, he lived on to uphold his family's name. But when clues began to surface concerning his parents' murderers, he goes out and searches for answers as well as his vengeance.

The third was also born into wealthy noble family. And being the only child of her father, she led a highly sheltered life. For years, she spent her days within the family manor. Her close companion was her dear older half-sister. Everything was perfect until the day came, their mother passed away. She was separated from her sister who moved back to her home region while she remained under her father's strict care. Then the point in her life arrived, she turned ten but she was forbidden to go on a Pokémon journey like she'd always dreamt. But when an opportunity presented itself, she grabbed it and set off, unknowing of the dangers that lied ahead that will bind her to the island of shadows.

Fanfiction Link: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9774281/1/Secrets-of-the-Night​

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Chapter 1: A World Hidden in the Shadows​

(Aeron's POV)​

I could feel faint warm sunbeams penetrating the darkness of my room, calmly waking me from my slumber. My eyes fluttered open and I took a few moments to adjust my hazy vision. What time was it? I tossed around a few times before finally flinging away my sheets and siting up, grumbling. I knew that I could be scolded if I woke up any later. Even if it was my rest day, I still had responsibilities to adhere to.

My name is Aeron. Last name? I don't have one. I have hair as black as the night and eyes as silvery as the stars that adorn it. I was often mistaken to be blind especially when I display a sense of disinterest in things that I found irrelevant. My age is approximately fifteen. I said that because I don't know when my real birthday is. But I do have one; the 9th of September. It is the day when my master/father found me. I was very young with little memory of that day. I can't even recall the first few days that I arrived here. I only knew my father and the name he gave me.

I took a minute to breath and soak in the morning atmosphere, while gazing blankly at my room. It was small and plain. Nothing too extravagant. It consisted of the usual furnishings: a drawer, a desk, a lamp, windows, and of course, a bed. Most of it were made of wood like the walls and floorboards. The only things that gave the place some life was a midnight blue scarf hanging lazily on a chair.

That and the sound of someone running outside my room.

"Hey, Aeron! Get up already!" A male hyper voice shouted through the halls, just outside my quarters. I knew all too well who it was... Truthfully, I'd rather wish I didn't. The door swung open and an overly energetic boy, around my age, bounded in and flopped on my bed. His spiky sandy hair became even messier as he rolled around on my unmade covers. A large goofy grin streaked across his face, telling me that he had something important to say. He sat up and slammed his hands on my bed. "We're finally getting our partners! Isn't that awesome!?"

I saw his enthusiasm sparkling in those pair of lace agates he called eyes. I sighed and opened my mouth to speak, but another person entered my room and spoke first.

"Give it up Kirian. Aeron doesn't care. He already has his Pokémon, remember?" A red-headed girl stood by the doorway, twirling the end of her ponytail with her finger.

"But still Rozalia, he has the right to know that he's gonna have some competition," Kirian shot back, his grin still the same size as it was a minute ago.

Rozalia is a girl our age as well. She has pinkish ruby eyes that match her blood colored locks. I find her straightforward and most of the time quick-witted especially when she makes Kirian's antics backfire on himself. She and I grew up together. Seeing as she's the daughter of Lady Amalia, one of the headmasters here. But unlike me, she's blood-related to her mother.

"Let's get this over with." I stood up and forcefully pulled the sheets off of my bed, tossing the grinning deadweight that was sitting on it moments ago.

*thud*

"Ouch! That was mean!" the said deadweight rubbed the sore spot of his rear.

I flung my covers back unto the bed and wrapped a dark blue scarf around my neck. After a quick adjustment, I turned to my two companions. "If you don't hurry, all the good Pokémon will likely be taken..."

"Crap!" Kirian scrambled to his feet and grabbed my arm before dashing out, dragging me with him. Rozalia followed swiftly behind with a giggle between smirks.

We rushed through the lengthy wooden corridors. Our dorms were not that far from tour destination. It was a matter of minutes before we arrived. The Grand Hall was shaped in a wide hexagon with strong tall pillars supporting each corner. In the middle, an array of Pokémon hailing from various regions waited anxiously to be partnered with a trainer. I spotted several familiar ones, but there were a few that I can't remember the name. I scanned the sidelines for their potential trainers who stood by, carefully judging which creature to choose.

It was an important choice. After all, it would be your partner for life, and it would also determine which division you would most likely be assigned in.

Judging by the aimless random chatter, the choosing didn't start yet. We still had time to find a good place to watch. That, in my case. Kirian and Rozalia were going to have to pick a Pokémon sooner or later. The three of us maneuvered through the crowd and settled at the left of the platform where a few of our mentors were. It was a convenient way for them to oversee the event, as well as to stay clear of the swarm of graduated trainees.

I glanced at them easily spotted my father. He, along with two more of our masters, stood composed, eyeing every person present in the hall. They were judging everyone, just like they do from the very beginning of training. By the time, our eyes met, I knew what was coming.

"Aeron, come up here." A cold emotionless tone came from the man with dark brown hair and eyes. I did as I was told and jumped unto the stage. The other two beside father looked at me with the same apathetic demeanor.

One was Lady Amalia Evalon Felis, Rozalia's mother. She has the same hair as her daughter. Her eyes, however, were deep violet like deadly venom. She wore a black cheongsam dress with blood-red rose petals. Personality-wise, she's cunning like Rozalia but in a more serious disposition. The other individual was Lord Owen Ragnorr. He was a large muscular man with silver hair and beard. He was only wearing a pair of worn-out grey pants with a thick black belt. He may look extremely tough. Scratch that. He is extremely tough, in words and in actions. But he is passionate about Pokémon, and for that reason, he was chosen to give the lecture on bonding with your partner which was ceremonial, during this time.

Both of them get along with my master and father, Lord Altair Zenith. I noticed there were three empty seats. The rest of the leaders didn't seem to have any plans of showing up. I was thankful, though. I'm not in good terms with them anyway and neither was Father. I took my position beside him and secretly listened to the murmuring of those at the foot of the platform.

"...Why is Aeron here?"

"Doesn't he already have his Pokémon?"

"He's just here to show off."

"He's Lord Altair's favorite, after all..."

Father could likely hear them as well but he remained oblivious. It wasn't his place to intervene. If he did meddle into such business, it would only worsen their perspective of me. It didn't matter. I was used to people talking about me anyway. I no longer cared. I've longed given up on making new friends. Having Rozalia and Kirian, if I do mind counting him as well, is enough for me.

Lord Owen began his opening speech about bonding with Pokémon and how these bonds affect both Pokémon and trainer. The topic about my presence were soon drowned in yawns and other pointless chatter. I remained still in my post, listening to Lord Owen's lecture. I've heard it many time before, but I listened nonetheless. As if I've got anything else to do.

Midway through the lecture, I felt a pair of twin-fingered claws cling to either side of my shoulder. A purr-like screech whispered through my back. There was something small and fuzzy moving behind me. I didn't turn around. I already understood who it was. My Noibat.

"Noir... You are not supposed to come," I spoke in a hush tone as to not interrupt Lord Owen.

Noir nibbled my backside and nudged me with his little two feet. He was playful-type who loves nothing more than than to cling to me. I pretended not to take notice but that only made Noir more eager to seek my attention. His screeching became even more audible and his large ears poked out from behind me. Rozalia and Kirian could see what was happening but they couldn't help me at all.

I hoped, but I could not avoid the imminent.

Lord Owen turned and called me over. "Aeron, Noir... How about you two come in front?"

Noir shifted to one side of my shoulder and poked his head out, revealing his bright yellow eyes. I walked forward and patted his fuzzy head. He purred like a Skitty and nuzzled against my neck. Lord Owen continued his speech as I stood silently, listening once again to the people at the sidelines.

"That's his Pokémon..."

"...I hear it is the offspring of Lord Altair's Pokémon."

"It's a dual dragon-type right...?"

"I thought it was a flying-type?"

"Why can't we have one like it?"

"QUIET!" Lord Owen's deep voice roared throughout the hall, silencing everyone's voices as well as hurting my partner's sensitive ears.

Noir folded and cupped them protectively with his claws. I glanced sideways to him to check if he was okay. Noir turned to me and perked his ears up again. He was fine.

"Owen, I've had enough if this long talk. Just let them choose already," Lady Amalia spoke up, crossing her arms and glancing over at her daughter, who like the rest were not paying much attention. The small crowd sighed in relief and cheered, but it soon ended when Lord Owen shouted again.

"Aeron." Father gestured to me. "Assist Lord Owen in picking out their number."

"Yes." I bowed dutifully in his direction and descended down the platform.

In order to be fair, each person was to pick a number to tell who was to choose their Pokémon first. Other than Kirian and Rozalia, everyone was giving me jealous looks as they approached me to get their number from a box. Noir glared them with slit-shaped irises and gave a screeching growl that only I was able to hear. I knew he could also feel the tension between them and me. He may be young and small but he was ever dependable.

One by one, they chose a Pokémon from the set that was brought in. Those Pokémon are not just random ones that our seniors have caught. Here, your partner must be able to fit in with the different divisions. I'm sure that it's obvious by now that this place is out of the ordinary. Usually one receives his/her Pokémon from a person they call a Professor, then they go on a journey to collect badges, win contests, etc., but not here.

This place is a fortress situated in an isolated rocky island. It was once a stronghold for Ninjas but those days are long gone. Now it has become a Tavern for hired mercenaries, bodyguards spies and other jobs in line to those. There are still a few who try to uphold the old practices and traditions, but in the end, it was the same. We enhance our capabilities for the benefit of those who will hire us for jobs. They were mostly people with high-ranking and wealth.

My fate is the same. All my life I have lived on this island and one of these days, I'll have to go out there and serve under a master. It is inevitable. The same goes for the ones now pairing up with their Pokémon. Tomorrow, they'll be divided into classes and specialties under one of our mentors.

I belong in the Sky unit of Lord Altair. They specialize in reconnaissance, retrieval and most of all flight. Lady Amalia of the Rosette unit is an expert in concoctions and poison. I also hear that her unit also teaches healing. I wondered if Rozalia would choose a Pokémon that would be fitting there. Lord Owen's Warrior unit is all about martial arts and hand-to-hand combat. Other groups include armed combat using blades known as the Saber unit, another trains in the art of traps and tricks called Gambit. Kirian would likely belong there. Lastly is the infamous Black scythe unit, a group specializing in assassination.

After my duty, I excused myself from my father and the other two masters. Then I made my way out the crowds and towards the exit. Noir was still latched on to my shoulder, waiting anxiously to be out in the open. For a moment, I glanced back at Kirian and Rozalia in the sea of people. I barely caught a glimpse of them, but I could tell that they were eager and thrilled as the rest of the newly graduated trainees. I couldn't tell what Pokémon they chose but I was likely to find out soon. Finally, I made it out and didn't look back again.

End of Chapter 1
1st person POVs end at Chap4​

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Insignias​

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Chapter 2: The Inevitable Destiny, Part 1: Crossroads​

(Aeron's POV)​

I went back to the dormitory and made a quick visit to the cafeteria for breakfast. It was good that no one else was there. The seniors were probably out on a job or on patrol while the ex-trainees were in the Grand Hall. The silence was calming. I prefer some time away from the constant blather of people. I grabbed a piece of bread for myself and an apple for Noir. Then I headed out to take care of my chores.

As I exited the double doors, Kirian came running towards me with an even bigger grin than when I woke up. I assumed he has his partner, but it was nowhere in sight. Was it a ghost-type? I did see a Ghastly and a Misdreavus. I glanced behind him and saw Rozalia approaching. There was a little round Pokémon on her shoulder. It had small beady eyes and a pair of leaves growing out. It was like a moving Cheri Berry. If I assumed correctly, it was a Cherubi.

"Aeron! Check out my Pokémon!" Kirian excitedly held out his hand and showed me a fuzzy yellow arachnid with blue eyes. "Isn't he awesome!?"

"Heh. It's as small as your brain," Rozalia commented with a smirk.

"What did you say?!" Kirian clenched his fists, unbelievably forgetting about the Joltik and thus resulting in his electrocution. His spiky hair grew spikier and his body became stiff and charred as charcoal. He fell to the floor and the Joltik jumped to his face to check if he was okay.

"I proved my point," Rozalia giggled and motioned her new Pokémon to help out. "Alright Sakura, let's practice your Aromatherapy."

The Cherubi nodded with a smile and jumped down to Kirian. It began glowing vivid gold and emitting a strong soothing aroma. Noir and I got a whiff of the strong sweet scent and stepped back a bit. It was far too sweet for my taste. The sandy-haired boy became outlined in green. I saw he was slowly relaxing and the black marks started to fade.

"ACCHHOOO!" Kirian let out a massive sneeze, blowing away his Joltik who luckily landed nimbly on the wall.

Sakura, the Cherubi, looked offended as it retreated to her trainer's shoulder to sob. Rozalia, on the other hand, was very insulted. She grind her teeth and glared at Kirian. "What in Arceus' name is wrong with you!?"

*sniffle* "What kind of move was that? Are you trying to give me an allergy attack?" Kirian sat up and wiped the snot out of his face.

"I was trying to help. And if you really want an Allergy Attack, I could whip something up that'll leave you sneezing till your guts come out, that is, if you've got any," Rozalia retorted with a mocking grin.

"Heh, keep making fun of me. Let's see who'll be the best in the end." Kirian stood up and stuck his nose in the air. "I'll master all the tricks that the Gambit unit will throw at me in one week."

It seems everyone has chosen what unit they will be joining tomorrow. This is how things are. People move in and train primarily for half a year or more before they are judged capable of handling Pokémon and choosing a division. Kirian is an example of one. He hails from Johto and has been around here for almost a year. Rozalia and I are a different case. We lived here since we were kids. If I had a family before and whether or not they are still alive, doesn't matter. This is my home and Lord Altair is my sole parent.

"So where are you headed now, Aeron?" Rozalia asked, trying to shift the subject before she completely snaps.

"I was just about to feed Itzal," I replied. Noir twitched his ears in eagerness. I knew he wanted to see Itzal again. He is after all Noir's father and Lord Altair's Noivern.

"Are you serious?!" Kirian's face grew pale. "That overgrown Zubat will eat you alive! Plus that cave's swarming with bat Pokémon."

"Idiot. You're just scared because he once mistaken your spiky head for a giant Pinap," teased Rozalia.

"Oh, yeah? If he sees your Cherubi, I'm sure he's gonna eat her up like a Cheri berry!" Kirian remarked with an evil grin, scaring the redhead's Pokémon.

Rozalia finally snapped and lashed her leg straight to Kirian's face, but lucky for him, I took pity and jerked him, inches away from certain death. The girl's attack struck the concrete wall, cracking it in the process. Kirian shuddered and raised his hands in submission, but knowing Rozalia, it was not the end. She grabbed the boy's Joltik and flung it to his face, and consequently it released another electrical shock.

My days were always like this when I'm around them. It passes the time. After tomorrow, I'm not sure how much of these peaceful periods will go on. It cannot be avoided. That is how our fate here works.

After receiving a bucket full of fruit from the feeding department, Kirian and Rozalia accompanied me to the cave. It was a long way from where we were and they only plan to stay until we reach the outskirts of the forest that surrounded it.

"I still have to think of a name for my Joltik." Kirian stared at the yellow arachnid on his palm.

"How about Brain?" Rozalia suggested sarcastically.

"Would you cut that out–"

Kirian suddenly bumped into someone. It was some boy with purple hair, framing his face before it was tied back in a long ponytail. His indigo and black motif matched his cold violet eyes.

"Watch where you're going, shorty!" Kirian exclaimed.

The boy silently stared at him for a few seconds. A noticeable chill settled in the air, though Kirian was much of an idiot to even notice it. I kept my guard up as the violet-haired boy turned and walked away.

"Hey, I'm talking to–"

Rozalia pulled him back in time. "You really don't know when to shut up, do you?"

"Why? What's wrong?" Kirian turned to her with a confused expression. Then he just shrugged his shoulders and chuckled. "He's just like Aeron, being all quiet-like and emotionless."

"We are nothing alike," I faced front and continued walking.

Then I heard Rozalia' whisper to Kirian, "Didn't you see the Poochyena behind him?"

I stopped once again and glanced back at the two who were watching the purple-haired boy moving further away with a grey pup at his heels. Kirian finally knew why we acted as we did. Poochyena are some of the Pokémon best suited for the Black Scythe unit, the assassin group. It is the most infamous division as well as the most mysterious. Not many people come and go in their section of Semira Isle.

"That pipsqueak wouldn't last a day there," Kirian remarked, snickering.

"I wouldn't be so sure," I spoke up as I recalled some documents of the enrollees that Lord Altair had me review. It was around the beginning of the term. There were about fifty to sixty trainees, including us. "If I recall correctly, his name is Ikari Kageyama. He comes from Hoenn where Poochyena are native there. I'm sure he's familiar with the species' behavior and capabilities."

"So he knows his Pokémon, so what?"

"Kirian, you moron." Rozalia smacked the back of the blue eyed boy's head. "If Aeron takes an effort to remember a name, it means that he's someone to be watched out for."

"He remembers my name. Does that mean I'm awesomely dangerous too?"

Rozalia smacked him yet again. "He knows your name because you've been bugging him since you first came here."

She was right about that; more importantly the former one. I have trained for years honing my intuition and instincts. It is part of being a fine member of the Sky unit. Our eyes must be sharp in judging the enemy. Any miscalculation could result in dire consequences.

"Hey, I forgot to ask, Rozalia, why did Aeron receive his first Pokémon already and you just got yours now?" Kirian inquired as we continued to make our way to the deep cavern.

"Noir was given to Aeron on his birthday. Lord Altair probably already saw his potential," Rozalia answered. "And I, before you jump to conclusions, asked my mother to let me have my first Pokémon like everybody else."

"It's so that you won't be viewed as having special treatment like Aeron, huh?" Kirian blurted out, unconsciously.

"Kirian!-"

"It's fine Rozalia. Let them think as they wish. I don't care..."

The three of us exited through the east of the main building and descended down the rocky staircases carved on the side of the mountain. We could see a giant cylindrical-like mound standing high above the dense forest with flying silhouettes circling above its peak. That place is called Zephyr Pillar. That is where we were going. It is also the place where my unit is based.

Semira Isle is divided into seven areas; the Main fortress, Zephyr Pillar, Rosette Forest, the Battle Plains of Callan, Sedgwick Valley, Trickster Labyrinth and lastly Senka Island. Of all places, one must avoid the latter. It is a secluded peninsula located in the west. Not many are allowed there other that the Black Scythe unit and those who are unlucky enough to run an errand there.

Rosette forest is north of Zephyr Pillar. It makes it easier for us to receive medical supplies to be delivered to the other areas in the isle. The other three locations are spread throughout the south with Trickster Labyrinth in the middle. It keeps the two battle-hungry groups from fighting.

Thinking about it now, the three of us will unlikely see each other often. I will possibly be orienting the newbies. Rozalia has just officially entered the Rose unit, but I know that she has enough knowledge to understand what is done there. Kirian, on the other hand, I have no clue and I assume, neither does he.

So different choices, yet our fate arrives at the same conclusion: to remain forever tied to the path that we have yet to fully understand. My destiny brought me here. Others had a freedom to choose but they still ended up here, just like Ikari.

Just as certain people are drawn here, I too, feel drawn to the outside world. There were times that I wonder what awaited me beyond this place. Where exactly did I come from? From what region was I born before Lord Altair found me and took me in as his son? Just what kind of world lied in wait away from the shadows?

End of Chapter 2​

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Ikari​

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Chapter 3: The Inevitable Destiny, Part 2: Beyond the Horizon
(Neo's POV)​

It was a fair day at sea, with the sky, blue and clear, and the afternoon sun brilliantly shining above. The sound of the waves crashing against the ship blended with squawks of Wingulls and Pelippers flying overhead. Voices of the crew, both human and Pokémon, also mixed in with the damp salty atmosphere. It was invigorating but at the same time cold.

"Young master, you should stay inside your cabin. It is not good for your health," an older man wearing a butler uniform lectured me as he came up the upper deck where I was standing.

"I am fine, Gremio. There is no need to worry," I assured him with a small smile, and moved away from the side of the ship.

Gremio sighed with some relief. "Even so, you still need to look after yourself. I don't want your mother and father haunting me in my sleep for neglecting you."

"Very well. I shall return to my quarters to rest. But be sure to call me when we've reached land." I walked passed him and descended to the lower deck.

As I went to my room, I noticed the sailors looking at me. They must find it unusual for someone like me to own a vessel such as the one we were on. Even if I am from a noble family, my age is still not eligible to inherit my family's fortune. But all that will be corrected in a few months. Till then, I have to bear the opinions and rumors around me.

My name is Neo Takamoto. I'm seventeen but soon to be eighteen. When I was six, my parents died in an incident, a horrible incident. I was there, and I saw it happen before my very eyes. The memory of that day runs vividly in my head, even now. I could never forget it. After their death, I was taken under the care of Gremio, our family's most trusted butler, until I would rightfully take my place as the sole bearer of my family's name. But I already took it upon myself to uphold the duties of my family. I couldn't bring myself to wait until I turned eighteen to take over the responsibility. That tragedy and my shortcomings will not be a hindrance for the Takamoto estate to prosper.

Recently, I made a visit to another noble family located in Hoenn, just to keep our trade connections and dealings stable. It went smoothly. Gremio continues to teach me all the dos and don'ts of the business. Under his guidance, I'm becoming more prepared for my future.

Right now, we are heading back to Kanto, my homeland for some rest. It was the house physician's advice. As much as I want to push myself, my body could only take so much. I was born with a weak health. One, I wished to overcome especially in the long-run. There's no cure, but it's not terminal.

I turned my eyes away from the gossiping sailors and entered my chambers. In that wooden cabin, I was met with darkness and uneasy atmosphere. All I could hear was the faded sound of the waves cashing against the ship and the billowing wind passing through the closed curtained windows. There wasn't much light coming from them, making the room darker than it should.

Immediately, the memory of my parent's death flashed through my head.

The thunderous flaps of wings, a long piercing screech, a large black shadow with bright golden eyes, and... my parents' screams as they called out my name, telling me to run.

*ba-thump*

I slumped to the floor at the moment my heart throbbed sharply. Sweating, I clutched my shirt and breathed heavily. Another chronic attack? Damn it. I need to calm down. I can't let this sickness get the better of me. My heart thumped rapidly as a surge coursed through my body. Everything was fading deeper into the dark. My body grew stiff and numb with every passing second. All that I could feel was my heart on the verge of bursting. Calm down... breath... I told myself.

Suddenly, I felt a cold presence beside me. A soft and gentle wail echoed around the room. The room continued to sway along with the ship's motion. I focused my vision as the place became shrouded in a blue light. The furnishings became more visible. I saw the map on the wall, the shelves lined with books and my bed at the corner of the cabin. My heart grew calmer and my breathing eased.

Two Pokémon materialized out of the darkness. One was my Lampent, Arana. She hovered above me and radiated light from her brilliant blue flames. Though, many find the glow eerie, I found it comforting. It brought about a cold-like calmness that drowned ominous shadows around me. The other presence was Nero, my Gengar who leaned against my leg. He stared at me with a frown, asking me if I was alright. I managed a small smile. Both of them are my irreplaceable companions that I had since I was a child.

"Thank you..." I muttered.

Grinning, Nero levitated off the ground and pulled me up. Once I got to my feet, Arana shone my way towards my bed. I was fine a while ago but my condition really saps away my energy. I laid my head against the pillow and stared at the two Pokémon, watching over me. I smiled warmly and glanced around at the dimly illuminated corners. Where is he? I was missing my third companion. Actually, he belonged to my father.

Just as I was about to call for him, Novus appeared between Arana and Nero. His menacing red eye glowed in the dark as his large bulky body gradually became more visible under my Lampent's ominous light. His appearance seemed fearsome but in truth, he's very kind. He doesn't make much sound unlike Arana and Nero, but he stares at me like he completely sees through my soul.

Most people would be afraid of ghost-types, but for me, I find their lingering presence, comforting. Even if they are out of sight, I knew they were nearby. Knowing that I wasn't alone, made me strong.

I closed my eyes and drifted into a peaceful slumber, under the glow of Arana's flames and the rocking motion of the ship caused by the waves. I dreamt of something but I can't remember. All I know, that it was a pleasant dream. But due to that, I unintentionally missed dinner.

Morning came. The ship docked. Gremio woke me up, presented my breakfast and loaded my belongings unto the carriage that was waiting for my arrival. I neatened my dark blue vest and combed my short black hair. Then I emerged from my cabin to relish in the bustling scenery of Vermillion City. The sunlight was warm, but the neighboring salt waters still dampened the air with smell of the sea.

Once again, I caught the attention of crew members. They were busy mopping or moving back in forth to unload the cargo, but I still drew their sharp gazes. They looked down on me as if I was just a spoiled rich boy playing around with my inheritance. It was a shallow perspective, one that I was used to. They knew nothing of me so I couldn't blame them.

A cold air swept all around and in a moment, my three ghost-types appeared out of thin air, hovering closely as they eyed the sailors who consequently shuddered at the sight of them. Shortly, they resumed their duties on deck. I smiled and descended towards the dock with Nero, Arana, and Novus following suit.

I boarded the carriage drawn by a couple of Rapidash and left the port. Usually, nobles use cars but I preferred using the carriage that my parents used to travel with. My dear mother raised many Ponyta and Rapidash when she was alive, so it was only right for me to keep a few of them around. It keeps her close, just as Novus does.

The carriage began to leave the port. I could still recall those days as a child when I poked my head out of the window and awed at every new thing. My mother and father would just laugh. It was very nostalgic but in a bittersweet way. The chatter of people resonated outside my window. I peered outside and watched them in their daily activities together with Pokémon. It was very pleasant sight to see humans working side by side with Pokémon. It never ceased to amaze me how very different beings coexist so harmoniously, like it was the most natural thing in the word. As if I was no exception.

Satisfied, I moved away from the window and leaned back against the seat. My three Pokémon were hovering inside the spacious carriage. Novus was calmly stationed across me while Nero was restlessly playing haunted carriage ride with Arana. I let them do as they pleased. The Takamoto manor is located between Lavender Town and Celadon City. It was still a long journey ahead.

By lunchtime, we arrived. I was immediately welcomed by a long line maids who bowed their heads and smiled pleasantly. I greeted them back with a smile as well and headed to my room. I went up the grand wooden staircase that stood elegantly before me when I came in. Then I made my way through the long hallways as I breathed in the familiar atmosphere of the mansion.

It was a rustic old English manor with tall glass windows and antique red curtains framing the sides . Large family paintings adorned the dark mahogany walls and red carpets lined up to the far end of the hall. There were also lush potted plants which added a bit of life and color to the surroundings.

It was empty and quiet. I could hear my footsteps echoing. The only thing that made noises were my two ghost-types playing about. Suddenly Arana and Nero flew pass me as if they were trying to race me to my room. The little game they had earlier didn't manage to deplete their playful energy. To amuse them, I hastened my pace to catch up. But then they phased through the walls, making it impossible for me to follow.

"No fair, you two." I chuckled and returned to my normal walking speed.

I was at ease. I didn't have to put up a firm persona just so people wouldn't look down or pity me. Here, in this place where I grew up, I was completely at ease. I could catch a few moments to relive my simple childhood days. I was never able to fully enjoy them, but I regret nothing.

I entered another adjacent hall where my quarters were located. The radiant warm sunbeams permeated through the clear glass windows. The place was filled with light, giving me no reason to be afraid. The darkness isn't coming, said to myself. The Darkness. I leaned against the wall and attempted to sway my mind away from such thoughts.

Sensing my fear, Arana and Nero came back and stayed by me. I smiled and told them how thankful I was. I glanced the other way to know where Novus was. I saw him a few feet ahead of me. He met my gaze with a stoic eye and phased through the door.

I exhaled deeply and continued walking. As I reached the room where the Dusknoir entered, I stopped and stared at the door. My fingers trailed the smooth carvings up to the polished doorknob. I hesitated to turn it. My hand trembled and a lump settled in my throat. In the end, I turned my head and continued my way towards my destination.

That was my parents' chambers. It was always open but I never got the courage to enter ever since they passed away. When I was a child, I used to run to them when I had nightmares. But now, I, alone have to overcome them. Nero and Arana are with me so I'm not completely alone. Novus, too. Though he stays there frequently, while I remained in my own room along with Arana and Nero. Sometimes I wondered if Novus was still mourning their death. He and my father were really close, so I wouldn't be surprised. Perhaps, that is the reason he prefers to stay there rather than with me.

I entered my room and sat in front of my desk. The surface was filled with scattered papers and a couple of pens. I picked up a few documents and sorted them accordingly. Then I noticed something else, an unopened letter with a familiar seal. Was it from her again? I opened the drawer of my desk and pulled out a letter opener. Carefully, I cut it open and unfolded the parchment. Arana and Nero flew closer and peeked over my shoulder.

I let out a short chuckle. My guess was correct. It was from her, my pen pal from Kalos.

End of Chapter 3​

​

​

Here's the link to my Fanfiction Story
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9774281/1/Secrets-of-the-Night
​

 

Chapter 4: The Inevitable Destiny, Part 3: Unchartered Road​

(Faye Lin's POV)​

Dear Neo,

How was your trip to Hoenn? I hope everything went well with your father's old business partner. I wish I could have gone too. I hear that place is very beautiful. They have these quaint houses in the treetops and a town floating in the middle of the sea. If you had seen them, I'm sure they were breath-taking.

Perhaps someday, I could also travel to such places, but my father won't permit me even though I shall be turning fifteen in a month. I do not know how long I will be living like this. I have never set foot outside of Lumiose City, let alone outside of Kalos region.

I have heard stories of ten-year olds journeying the across the world. They must have grand adventures every day, don't you agree? They are very fortunate unlike me. Perhaps, that is the burden of being the beloved daughter of a noble.

Forgive me if I'm ranting again. Father only lets me associate with people within our level of society. I do not understand why he thinks that way. I see no difference between them and us. Truthfully, I envy them. Every time I stare out of the car, I see them having such fun. They are so free.

Do I sound depressing? I apologize.

My life really sounds like the typical captive princess in fairytales, huh? My father could be the Salamence. Please don't tell him I wrote that, otherwise he would start breathing fire. I'm simply teasing. He is not that bad, just a little overprotective. But did I make you laugh? If so, I'm glad.

Each time I write to you, I feel really calm. I am so fortunate to have someone like you. Thank you for reading my letter. Hope to hear from you soon. I shall be sending an invitation to my birthday in my next letter. Take care of yourself until me meet again.

Sincerely,

F.L.

I folded up my letter and neatly placed it inside an envelope. After applying the family seal, I stared at the enclosed parchment and imagined Neo opening it with a smile. Ever since the day we met at a gala hosted by my father, we've became friends. He was the only person who was near my age, despite the fact that he is three years older than I am. It only goes to show how little my world is.

Neo resides in Kanto which I presume to be on the other side of the planet. Writing letters to each other was the best way for us to communicate. I find it better expressing my feeling through writing rather than speaking to him via phone or email, though those are ideal options.

"Milady, it seems you fancy this young nobleman," Whim teased, giggling as she brushed up my golden locks into a bun.

Willamina, or Whim as I fondly call her, is my personal maid. She's been with me ever since I was a child. She has short seafoam hair that framed her face and matching eyes. And like most of the female servants in the manor, she wears a blue and white maid uniform, but with a ribbon belt that has the same shade of her eyes and hair.

"It is not like that..." I replied calmly and sealed the envelope.

Truthfully, I'm not sure of my feelings for Neo. I barely know what the world outside is like. Let alone know what it truly means to have that certain someone in your heart. Things like those can't be found in any books, none that I've read at least. I sighed. It was as if I became one of the hopeless romantics in those novels.

If only my world was wider, then maybe I would understand. I could see and learn so much, meet new people and perhaps, person whom I will truly love. That is one of my dreams. Not the meet that person part, but the chance to widen my world.

My name is Faye Lin Azril. I reside in a manor located in the Kalos region along with my father, a prestigious noble, and the servants of the household. As the only child of my father, I lived a sheltered life. He treasured me like a fragile little princess. But I wonder if that is who I merely am or is that all I could ever be. All my life, I have lived within these city walls, whilst following his rules and authority.

"Shall I deliver your letter, milady?" Whim asked after she finished fixing my hair.

I curled a lock behind my ear and stood up to face her. With my perfected lady-like smile, I faced her and handed my letter for Neo. "Thank you very much, Whim."

"My pleasure." She curtseyed and left me in my room.

I turned about and gazed at my reflection on the mirror. The red highlights that accented my blonde hair were completely out of sight. My father never approved of me having them in the first place, but I was persistent in convincing him to let me keep them. That was by far the only order I refused to follow.

The reason is because they hold the memory of my elder sister. She has also colored highlights but in a different shade. She had them first but we decided that I should have them as well so we would appear more like sisters, since we don't look that much alike in the first place. The only similarity we have is our eye color which is aqua blue.

We lived together for a few years before our mother's death. After that, she had to return to her home region. I wished for her to stay by my side, but she wasn't allowed to live with me, for we were only half-sisters.

Father loved mother, even when he knew she already had a child. Growing up, I saw no hostility in him towards my elder sister. Nor did my sister say anything that would make me believe father hated her. I assume his love for mother was greater was the reason for that. But after her death, in my father's eyes, there was nothing linking my sister to us. She no longer belonged to the family. And father didn't like the idea of having someone like her, a child of another man, live under the same roof as him.

It was a sad parting for her and I, but there was absolutely nothing we could do. We were only children that must abide under the rule of adults like my father. We never saw each other again and I had idea no idea where she lived so I couldn't write to her. But I pray that one day our paths would cross once again. That is my other goal.

I took out a red dress with laces and accents from my closet and flung it over the bed. Father has visitors coming over and has asked me to join him in order to welcome them. As much as I disliked formalities especially in the simplest events, I had little option. It is part of being a nobleman's daughter.

I sat down and closed my eyes to imagine myself going out on a Pokémon journey. It was my only escape in my enclosed world.

"What do you think, Isis?" I glanced over at my Fennekin who was comfortably positioned on my pillow. She flicked her large ears and yawned.

Isis was a gift from my father when I became ten. I wasn't permitted to go on a Pokémon journey like the others who were my age but for the very least, I was to have my first Pokémon.

After almost five years, she has become accustomed to a life of luxury and comfort. Though I believe, somewhere in that little pampered body of hers is a fierce-hearted adventurer, just like all the eager starters in the world. Someday, I too, would go on a long journey to see the world, I have no thoughts of taking another Pokémon, other than her. And I'm positive that she and I would be a perfect team.

I collected my partner in my arms and glanced out the window. "In one month's time..."

I made my resolve and I was going through with it, no matter what consequences may lie ahead. I will not be caged here forever. Even if it's just for a short while, I wish to set foot into the world, will all the excitement and uncertainties. All those I could only read in books. I wasn't the same. Dreams are different from reality.

End of Chapter 4​

Here's the Link again:​

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9774281/1/Secrets-of-the-Night​

 

Chapter 5: The Spark of Future Encounters

Zephyr Tower, Semira Isle

A month had passed since the training division moved up a class, and was consequently given their Pokémon partners as well their unit assignment. The first few days were the worst for the newcomers. It was a harsh start. The transition between basic training to the specialized classes came as a shock to many. Eventually, they came around, due to the fact that they had no choice in that matter.

Aeron was walking with Lord Altair in the main halls located deep in the mountain. His class session had ended not too long ago, wherein he lead the group to the top of Zephyr Pillar. The winds surrounding that area were violent but ideal for individuals and their Pokémon to get a feel of flying in the harshest of air currents.

But the training method was the least of Aeron's concern. He had gone through that many times before and as well as other forms of training. For that reason, Lord Altair gave him the responsibility of handling the new recruits, his former co-trainees.

As Aeron expected, majority if not all of his former co-trainees didn't respect him. They didn't like the idea of having an instructor, who was once a trainee in the same batch, ordering them around. They merely saw him, flaunting his status as the Sky unit leader's son. On the other hand, Aeron not showed much care for what they thought of him. His concern was meeting his father's expectations which may prove to be difficult with an unruly class.

"Aeron, I heard from one of your seniors that you're having trouble with the new recruits. Is that correct?" Lord Altair asked, keeping a steady and composed pace beside the boy.

"It's merely a minor setback. I will have the matter under control as soon as I can," Aeron replied calmly without glancing at his mentor/father.

"I see." Lord Altair took a deep breath and stopped in front of his adopted son. "You do understand that all I've been doing for you is for your sake."

Aeron met the gaze of his solid brown eyes and nodded. He didn't have a solid grasp as to why Lord Altair was eager for him to grow stronger especially when they aren't blood-related. All he knew was that Lord Altair is the closest thing he had to call a family and the only person to ever teach him the meaning of it; even if his definition of being fatherly was in the form of harsh training. Aeron would do anything to live up to the title as his son.

"Master Altair." Suddenly, a girl with a Honchkrow approached the two. She bowed and presented a letter to the Sky unit leader. "Your presence is requested by Lord Tristan."

Aeron narrowed his eyes at his senior. He had nothing against his upperclassman but the news she bore was another matter. The name Tristan is infamous. Tristan Fenikkusu, Lord of Senka Island and Master of the Black Scythe Unit.

Lord Altair thought deeply whether to see to the matter immediately or put it off for the meantime. He was not afraid of the man. Rather he was concerned as to why he requested him. Usually, requests like those meant that he required the services of the Sky unit. And Lord Altair didn't like involving his members in the bloody conflicts of assassins.

Aeron took in his father's hesitance and intervened. "I shall go."

Lord Altair glanced at the boy with discretion. He wasn't at all surprised by Aeron's proposal. He, of all people, understood his capabilities and his familiarity of Lord Tristan. "Very well. Hear him out and report to me immediately."

There was an emphasis on the last word meaning that the final decision will be with Lord Altair. Aeron bowed to his father and called out his partner who was trailing them from above. On cue, Noir flew down and attached himself to his trainer like a backpack. Then they bid goodbye to Lord Altair and followed his senior to the exit.

The girl lent Aeron her Honchkrow for the back-forth-trip, seeing as his Noibat was still too small for flying with a rider. With the note in one hand and the other holding on to the Honchkrow's claw, he took off heading towards the dark region of the island.

~*~*~*

Lumiose City, Kalos

The faded murmurs of people resonated in the garden as Faye Lin entered through the glass doors. She had just turned fifteen and her father held a gala in her honor. It was another formal event, much to her dismay. Her hair was tied in a neat bun, adorned with a dark red rose and silk ribbons. She was dressed in a red-velvet off-shoulder dress with pink and white lace accent. It was beautiful than the ones she had previous worn so far, according to Whim and her other servants.

The celebration was as expected by many, lavish and grand. Her father invited various famous dignitaries and noble families from across the regions. All wore fancy garments, representing their wealth and prestige. It was a familiar sight for the girl. Gatherings like those were pretty common throughout her life. The only difference was that the celebration was for her. Even then, she didn't feel it especially being surrounded by unfamiliar faces.

But at least one face proved to be a friendly one.

Faye Lin was mingling with a nobleman and his wife when she noticed the arrival of her friend. Hiding the thrill behind her lady-like persona, she excused herself from the couple and made her way across the room to greet her awaited guest.

When they finally came face to face, she curtseyed and smiled slightly more warmly than she usually had done so far. "I am pleased that you accepted my invitation, sir Takamoto."

Neo bowed in response. "Please my lady, it is my honor."

Both of them took quick glances at the noble families who staring at them. Then they laughed softly and stood erect. Neo extended his arm and offered to be her escort for the night. Faye Lin had previous offers from other bachelors belonging to similarly famous noblemen but she gracefully refused them. This time around, she had accepted.

The night continued to drag on but with her dear friend, things went more smoothly. Faye Lin didn't have to bother with unknown boys walking up to her and asking for a dance, nor did she feel out of place in her own party. It was all because Neo was at her side. They couldn't have any time alone, because Faye Lin needed to be present at all times in her party. Her father had many important guests that she needed to greet and accommodate. But it was alright for both of them. One dance was enough to make up for it. It was like a real fairytale. Prince Charming? Or a Knight in shining armor?

But like fairytales, the dream ended at the stroke of midnight. Faye Lin bid farewell to Neo. But before they promised each other that they'd keep in touch, by sending letters. The celebrant also had to say farewell to her other guests.

The party had to end early, because her father needed to finalize his preparations for his long trip tomorrow. It was decided that he would be away for a month or two, while Faye Lin would be left to look after the estate in his absence. Her father didn't go in to details as to what his trip was about. Either way, the outcome would be the same. He would leave and she would stay.

Faye Lin retired to her room and closed the door, only to be jumped by Whim and the other servants. They popped confetti and presented a small angel cake with her name written in berry syrup.

"Happy Birthday, Milady!" They cheered in unison.

Faye Lin cupped her mouth and held back her tears of joy. It was a small yet sweet gesture that touched her heart. In her opinion, it was far better than the grand party her father held, exclude the fact that she saw Neo again.

The room was filled with giggles and plates full of cake slices. Faye Lin sat down on her bed and scooped up her partner who was dusting away the discarded confetti. Whim sat next to her with a white box in her arms.

"Today's the day!" She proclaimed and handed the present over. "Happy Birthday, Milady."

Faye Lin set her Fennekin to her side and stared at the box. She knew what was inside, having requested for it months prior. But still, she wondered whether or not Whim and the others would go through with it. She exhaled deeply and opened it. Her heart flew as she gasped at the contents: a Pokédex, five pokeballs, and other gear necessary to go on a Pokémon journey.

Whim handed her another box, much to the blonde heiress' surprise. "From all of us, to you."

With fingers still trembling, Faye Lin opened it up and found a new set of clothes and an egg with blue and red triangles. She had seen pictures of it in a book but she never got to see or even touch a real one. "A Togepi egg?"

"Yes, Milady. I know how much you love Fairy-types." Whim smiled kindly.

Faye Lin set the box away and threw her arms around Whim. The seafoam-haired maid returned the embrace and listened to the sobbing voice of her precious charge.

After a while, Faye Lin tried on her new clothes. It composed of a red collared sleeveless top, a white skirt with matching boots and thick grey stockings. It was not like the usual type that Pokémon trainers use but it was flexible enough for her. For a final touch, she let her hair down and exposed all the red highlights that seem to flare her blonde looks.

Then out from a different closet came a maid dressed identically to replace Faye Lin for the time-being. The plan was falling into place. With her father leaving, a look-alike to avoid suspicion, the girl was raring to go.

Faye Lin recalled her Fennekin, Isis, to her luxury ball and faced everyone in the room with a determined look. "Next stop, Unova."

[sharedmedia=gallery:images:1229]​

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End of Chapter 5​

"Please Comment"​

 

Chapter 6: The Deal​

Senka Island, Semira Isle

The western side always seemed gloomy like it was accumulating all the evil and darkness. It was the last to be touched by the sunrise and the last sight before the sun sets. No matter how it was explained, one thing was certain. The ominous area smelled of death.

Aeron flew overhead and scanned a suitable place to descend. He and Noir darted their eyes to the places closest to the black pagoda which stood in the very heart. Landing haphazardly was dangerous even if his arrival was requested by the head, himself. The best way was to find a Black Scythe member and be escorted there.

And a couple of which were spotted, sparring in a small rowboat.

It was a black-hooded boy with a Sneasel and the other a purple-haired boy with a Poochyena. They traded attacks using Wazikashi, a shorter form of a Katana used for close-quarter combats. Their Pokémon synchronized with their assault, and assisted any follow-up moves that sealed away any openings their trainers had.

The make-shift arena was small and the constantly rocking around. It was all about balance and coordination. The purple-haired boy was smaller than his opponent but that meant he had more room to move around in. Coupled by his nimble movements, he was gaining the upper hand.

Aeron recognized him as Ikari, a former trainee and now a new member of the Black Scythe. He didn't want to disturb their match but he didn't want to waste time either. And there were no other members in sight. He just had to make do with them.

Aeron motioned Noir to move towards his arm and the Noibat quickly complied. The purple bat curled its wing around the boy's arm and extended the other outward like a blade. Aeron gave the final signal and the Honchkrow let out a loud caw before it threw its passenger unto the boat.

The Black Scythe duo ceased their fight and looked up. At that moment, Aeron landed, shaking the boat violently, almost making the two fighters lose their balance. Once they regained their footing, they directed their attack unto the trespasser.

Aeron blocked Ikari's blade with Noir's Steel wing while following up with a small Gust that blew the other guy off of the boat along with the Sneasel.

Ikari jumped over to the other side, just as Aeron was about to turn and face him. He swung his blade horizontally, barely missing the black-haired boy as he turned his head. His Poochyena followed up by attacking below, aiming for the legs. It bared its fangs and prepared to sink its teeth.

Aeron heard it in time and side-stepped out of the way, titling the boat to the point it almost completely tipped over, if Ikari hadn't shift the weight on the opposite side. The Black Scythe newbie repositioned his blade into strike mode as his Poochyena prepared to lunge at the next moment.

"Wait. I came here on Lord Tristan's request." Aeron presented the letter with the Black Scythe's seal, making Ikari ease back a little. "My name is Aeron, member of the Sky Unit. I request that you take me to your Master."

Ikari stared at him, similarly to his Poochyena when it faced an enemy. The parchment seemed authentic and no one would dare to come to this part of Semira Isle without just cause or reason.

Then all a sudden, a shadow burst out of the water and launched itself unto the silver-eyed boy's back. Aeron stood still as the drenched Sneasel held a claw inches to his neck. Noir glared at his trainer's assailant and screeched threateningly.

Ikari's co-member popped out of the water and hung securely to the side of the boat. He looked pissed to the point that he was going to give the signal to his Sneasel. But Ikari intervened and agreed to take him to the Master of the Black Scythe unit.

After reaching dry land, Aeron and Ikari proceeded to the pagoda while the other guy went somewhere else to dry off. The walk was short but it felt long due to the unseen dangers lurking in the shadows.

Noir returned to his post, around Aeron's shoulders. He seemed upset that his trainer was mere seconds away from being sliced and all he could do was growl. Aeron sensed his uneasiness and placed a hand on his head, ruffling his purple fuzz. "It's okay..." he whispered, reassuringly.

Ikari glanced back occasionally with his Poochyena, Crystal, staying close to his side. He lead the boy up several flights of stairs until they came to a pair of doors with intricate carvings of a Pokémon with large wings and a thick tail that all looked like claws. Its eyes were sapphires and they seemed to glow ominously. Ikari rewrapped his violet scarf and left the boy to face his master.

Aeron took one last look at Ikari before he disappeared at the corner. Then he stared at the door for few seconds before he pushed it open. The room was plain black with several blades adorning the walls. Each was a different length or a different shape. But surely, each had a story behind it. A story of how it took a life.

The rest of the room consisted of filing cabinets, like a normal office, drapes and rugs just to add a bit of color the dark room and a desk with a man, sitting down and waiting expectantly for the boy to come closer.

Aeron recognized him as Tristan Fenikkusu with his blood-red locks that reached his shoulders in varied angles. The rest of his hair was covered by his white top hat that adorned a red ribbon. He also wore a white shirt beneath a black short-sleeved tuxedo top. And his eyes were protected by round black glasses which prevented the boy from making direct eye contact.

Aeron met him a few times before. A couple of which, was with Lord Altair. He didn't know much about the man but he heard many rumors circulating him. What would one expect? He was the head of the assassins in the island. Besides that, he was only around his early twenties.

A smile curved on his face as he welcomed the boy, "Greetings... Aeron, was it? Was your father too busy to come personally?" He observed the boy and the Noibat as he leaned against his hand.

"I volunteered to come in his place to hear your request," Aeron replied, keeping a cool composure and emotionless air.

"How thoughtful." Lord Tristan chuckled as he motioned to a piece of paper lying on top of his desk. "We recently got this request that also requires that an item must be recovered and delivered to a certain place."

"So you want a member of the Sky unit to deliver this item after you accomplish your tasks," Aeron concluded. In his mind, he was already going through the scenarios that would likely happen if his father accepted this.

"Why go through the trouble of flying back to ask and coming back here again?" Lord Tristan trailed a finger along the paper as Aeron's silver eyes followed his movements, guessing the direction this conversation was going.

"I was strictly ordered to only listen to your request. Whether the Sky unit accepts is solely on the decision of Master Altair," Aeron countered.

Lord Tristan sighed but the dark smile on his face remained. Then his Houndoom and Liepard appeared from either sides of his desk and approached the boy.

Aeron eyed the two but showed no fear. He knew Lord Tristan would know better than attack him just like that. Noir, on the other hand, didn't want the earlier scenario to be repeated. He began to grow restless even when Aeron kept a hand on his little fuzzy head.

"This'll only be a quick task. My team will hand you the item and you can fly it off in a jiffy. If you do it, you'll get to see the world beyond this island. It's a win-win situation." Lord Tristan smiled in anticipation as he clasped his hands.

"Sorry, at the moment, I am not one of the hirable members and besides, my partner, Noir, is not fit for flying." Aeron gestured to his Noibat who finally settled down at the call of his name.

"But you sound like you want this job. You didn't say your father will not allow you to go," The Black Scythe master grinned more cunningly as Aeron winced slightly at his words.

The boy was dwelling deep into dangerous waters too long. He needed to leave before the red-headed devil could twist his words around and tempt him further. But when he glanced at the door, the Liepard and Houndoom poised themselves directly in his way.

"Come now. I assure you that your hands will remain clean." Lord Tristan sugar-coated it. "As for your transport, I have someone who'd be willing to lend you a Hydreigon for a day... I'm sure with your talents you can fly just about any Pokémon."

Aeron narrowed his eyes. He didn't know if the man was simply saying that or was he really aware of the boy's ability. So far, any flying Pokémon Aeron encountered or rode was easily tamed by him. Lord Altair recognized that ability and wished to fully utilize it in the future.

"So what is your answer?" Lord Tristan asked.

End of Chapter 6​

​

Tristan Fenikkusu​

[sharedmedia=gallery:images:1208]​

 

Chapter 7: The Unexpected Turn​

Lumiose City, Kalos

That morning her father left, Faye Lin set her plans into full motion. She readied all her belongings and bid goodbye to Whim and the rest of the household who helped her reach that point. Just when she was about to leave the gates, she took one last glance at her home and reminisced the times she spent there. It wasn't goodbye but it would be sometime before she would set foot in her home again.

With determination in her face and eagerness in her step, she set out.

The first agenda in her mind was merely to get the feel of being out in the open. Everything was an eye-opener for her so it was wise to take it slow. One step at a time. She let Isis, her Fennekin, walk by her side to accompany her. They strolled along the yellow cobblestone streets of the breath-taking metropolis, where they saw the Prism tower standing grandly in the distance. People were passing by her without a fuss as to who she actually was. It was all surreal for her. No guardians, no fancy dresses, no overprotective father, just the grand blue heavens above as witness to her adventure.

Faye Lin took out her town map and searched for the nearest town with a seaport. She found Coumarine City, located in the north. It was only a route far from Lumiose City, much to her delight. Then her luck suddenly faded when she read what kind route she had to go through to get there. Route 13, otherwise known as Lumiose Badlands.

She was just starting out. Heading to a place like that with only a Fennekin and a Togepi egg would mean her complete demise. The Pokémon around those parts are rumored to shoot out of mounds randomly at trespassers. She needed a way of knowing where or when the Pokémon would attack so she could avoid them as much as possible.

Then an idea hit her. What she needed was a psychic-type and knew the right one for the job. The best way was to catch it herself but that would mean taking a different route. She couldn't afford to lose precious time backtracking. Fortunately, the Lumiose City Pokémon Pet Store was nearby and if fate was really on her side, the Pokémon she wanted would be there.

~*~*~*~

Senka Island, Semira Isle

Aeron was at the departure area with a borrowed Hydreigon. He was also lent a dark hood with the Black Scythe's insignia embedded on the back. He refused it at first, but Lord Tristan insisted that the night winds at sea would be bad for his health, even for an experienced flyer. The boy thought back on his decision as he recalled the event last night.

"So what is your answer?" Lord Tristan asked.

Aeron hesitated. He found himself being pressured into the offer. Lord Tristan's tone was not forceful but it was strangely convincing. The boy glanced again at the duo guarding the door before he returned his gaze to the master of the Black Scythe. He knew all too well what would happen if he agreed.

He took a deep breath and answered, "My father would not agree."

"I see." Lord Tristan's smile faded and he motioned his two Pokémon to back away. The Liepard and Houndoom complied and moved to the opposite sides of the room. The boy bowed and expressed his gratitude for understanding. Then he turned around and walked towards the door. But just as he was about to push it open, Lord Tristan interrupted, "I could understand why Lord Altair wouldn't want his son to be involved with his past..."

Aeron flinched and stopped at his tracks. He hesitated for a couple of moments but finally glanced back. "What do you mean?"

"There's a lot you don't know about your father." Lord Tristan's grin returned. He wasn't done luring the boy in. "He played a huge role in the Black Scythe unit ...before you came along."

Aeron studied his tone and expression but even with his keen senses, he couldn't read the man at all. Lord Tristan was shrouded in mystery and that made him dangerous. The boy turned to other points for his judgment. Lord Altair showed no liking to the Black Scythe unit so why would he be playing a huge role in it? And why did everything change when Aeron came along? Was it all just a lie to tempt him into agreeing?

"I could tell you more when you return," Lord Tristan suggested, playing his final card. The boy seemed emotionless but when it came to his father, he showed curiosity and weakness.

"...Alright."

~*~*~*~*~

Aeron started having second thoughts. His father would surely disapprove of this. All of a sudden, his trail of thought was cut short by the trio of assassins assigned to the mission. Much to his dismay, they were all female. It was probably Lord Tristan's idea. He took a quick peek at them as the shortest member came over.

"So you'll be the delivery boy?" A white-haired girl asked and grinned childishly.

Aeron rolled his eyes inwardly. He didn't like others referring to his division as simply the delivery guys. But he knew better than to start an argument with a stranger whom he had no intention of fully associating with. He shrugged her off and hid his face under the hood.

The girl sulked and pulled the back of Aeron's hood, unveiling the boy's stern look. The white-haired assassin continued to grin as she eyed Aeron's features. "You know what? ...It's like you're me from a parallel world."

Aeron noticed her raven-colored eyes and white wavy locks that contrasted with his jet-black hair and silver eyes. Their personalities and gender were also on opposite ends of a stick. She was a girl with a childish upbeat attitude while he was a cold and emotionless guy.

"Glad you found your long lost twin, Alice," another Black Scythe member mused as she guided a trio of Sharpedo along the side of the dock.

Sharpedos were the main water transportation of the Black Scythe division and they've been use frequently in missions related to the sea, much like the task at hand. Aeron settled to using a Hydreigon since he was more versed in flying. And his part extended beyond a water Pokémon's means. He had to go deep into the client's region to personally deliver the item.

"I don't see why we have to leave now. I mean, we're gonna hit the joint at night, right?" A girl with short red hair slumped against a pile of boxes while twirling a pair of gold-accented chakram in her hands.

"It's because, Leiko, we have to intercept the ship in time. We don't have room for errors. You know how Master Tristan gets when we fail a job. Besides now, he asked for a spectator to come watch us." The last female assassin glanced at Aeron with a piercing glare.

"C'mon, Bellatrix. Don't be such a meanie. Our little birdie is sort of cute," Leiko commented as she stood up and walked over to Aeron. Her hands still played around with the sharp crescent blades like she was showing them off.

Aeron took a better look at his three companions. They were already assigned a formal mission so he assumed that they were senior ranked members. The most mature-looking one was Bellatrix. She had chestnut brown hair tied in a long braid by a dark violet ribbon. Another of her noticeable features was her cold blue eyes that could send chills with one glare. Her outfit was a half-shoulder black and violet suit with body-fit leggings and a belt matching her ribbon.

The second was Leiko. Her red locks were in a shade similar to Lord Tristan. The only different was that they give more of a blazing aura rather than a vision of blood. Like her fiery hair, she had amber eyes that added more flare to her appearance. She wore a ninja garb but without long sleeves or long pants, exposing her long legs and slender arms.

The last one was the smallest of the three, though Aeron doubt she was younger than him. Alice, as referred to by Leiko, was childish in both appearance and personality. Her appeal was like that or a storybook Alice but her wonderland was severely twisted and drenched in shadows.

Leiko introduced herself and her two co-assassins. Then she put away her weapons behind her and leaned closer to Aeron. "So does our little Delibird have a name?" She inquired, slightly flirtatious.

Aeron didn't want to answer especially with a nickname. But that would mean disrespecting a senior. He swallowed his pride and replied without meeting eye contact, "...Aeron."

"That's a cute name," Leiko complimented with a smile. "So Aeron, where're you from? Me? I'm from Johto. Bellatrix is from Sinnoh while Alice is from Unova."

Aeron had no reply to her question, seeing as he, himself, didn't have a major clue as to where he was born or who his actual parents were. And explaining how Lord Altair took him in was a waste of time. Deciding to leave the question hanging, He mounted on the Hydreigon with Noir and prepared to depart. "I'm going ahead to scout. I'll contact you three when I find the ship's position."

Even if Semira Isle was a secluded region, it was not one to lose track of the latest technology. They geared themselves with communication and navigation devices but that is all. The rest is compensated by their abilities and instincts.

Aeron was given an Xtranseiver along with the Hydreigon, hours prior. It was a permanent gift that Lord Tristan presented him with. He knew that he needed some way of communicating with his three companions. The outside world, after all, was a huge place.

Aeron double-checked the numbers listed: Bellatrix and Lord Tristan. He scoffed at the latter, but ignored it altogether. With everything set, the boy flew off.

Leiko sighed in disappointment and placed her hands behind her head. She watched at the Hydreigon's figure gradually disappeared in the early morning mist. "Looks like I scared off my little Delibird."

"No fair, Leiko nee-san!" Alice whined and pouted, puffing her pink cheeks. "I wanted to play with birdie nii-chan as well."

"Calm down you two. Master Tristan said not to touch him. Besides, our real game will be starting soon, so better save all that energy." Bellatrix smiled slyly as a Mismagius materialized beside her. The ghost-type mirrored her expression with a mischievous giggle.

"Don't worry! I already sharpened my Vorpal blade," Alice unsheathed a silver knife with intricate carvings. It was almost the length of her arm but she showed no trouble holding it with one hand.

Leiko wrapped an ebony cloak around herself and jumped unto a Sharpedo like it was a jetski. She double-checked her charkram, tied to her belt along with her partner's Pokéball, to make sure it wouldn't fall off on the way. "My Umbreon and I are ready to go!"

Bellatrix motioned her Mismagius and it dematerialized in an instant. Then she pulled out a pole and swung it around, calling forth the retractable crescent blade of the scythe. With another whirl, it disappeared. "I'm all set."

Alice was last to mount on the Sharpedo. She was busy putting away her blade and recalling her Liepard to its Pokéball. When she finally got on, she motioned eagerly towards the blue horizon. "Let's go catch up with birdie nii-chan!"

​

End of Chapter 7​

 

Chapter 8: The Mysterious Blade Wielder​

Lumiose City, Kalos

Faye Lin was now heading to Route 13, otherwise known as Lumiose Badlands. In her arms was a small grey cat with round amethyst eyes that seemed to always be staring into space. The store owner didn't know why she wanted a creepy-looking Pokémon, but nonetheless, he was glad that it was out of his store and in the hands of a sweet-looking trainer. The girl smiled as she cuddled the furry creature. "From this day forth, you shall be known as Freya."

The Espurr didn't make a peep and kept a steady gaze in front.

Isis, who was still walking beside her, was on the side of the store owner. She couldn't put a paw on what her trainer was thinking taking an Espurr. Sure they needed a psychic-type, but why that one in particular? It was really creeping the Fennekin out.

"My sister will be thrilled when she sees you. She loves cat Pokémon," Faye Lin daydreamed about her elder sister's initial reaction when she'll finally see her. She couldn't quite picture her face after being separated for years, but she recalled her hair, her aqua eyes and that smile. "I can't wait to see her again. Certainly, she misses me as much as I miss her."

Isis nodded in agreement.

****

Route 13 a.k.a Lumiose Badlands

After making her way up the sandy slopes, she arrived. The land was brick-red with clouds of dust blowing around. Most of the surface was arid and barren. Not a single tree or shrub grew. There were only piles of boulders and shallow cliffs, surrounding the red desert. With the sun nearing the peak of the sky, her world just became dry and hot.

Paying no heed to prickling heat, Faye Lin clung to the Espurr in her arms and took a deep breath. She wasn't going to back down from this. Not now. The young heiress was no longer in the safety of the city. She was about to set foot into the dangers of a Pokémon journey.

Isis didn't like the idea of touching weird looking sand. She shuddered at the thought of her silky fur covered in it. If her trainer wasn't holding another Pokémon, she'd definitely ask to be carried. She shot a glance up at the Espurr and threw away any idea of taking the spot in the girl's arms. She understood the importance of her new teammate as well as the value of this whole undertaking to her trainer.

After a tense moment, Faye Lin mustered her courage and stepped forward. As she did, a stillness enveloped her surroundings, like a calm before a storm. All was quiet but the air remained tense and heavy. What was the cause of it was yet to be seen. With eyes panning every corner, she continued on.

Isis felt the uneasiness as well and walked closely beside her trainer, ready to fend off any attackers to the best of her abilities.

"Puurrrr...." Freya slowly extended a paw upfront, alerting her two companions.

Faye Lin directed her attention to where the gray kitten was pointing at and saw a portion of the red earth rise. It was probably one of those mounds that stalk around before suddenly bursting an assault. The girl took precaution and moved the other direction while maintaining the goal of reaching the other end of the badlands.

Faye Lin kept going. All the while, Freya pointed to more and more mounds rising from the dirt. The girl quickened her pace as did her Fennekin. They did their best to outrun the mysterious moving dunes. But halfway through, they found themselves surrounded.

The largest pile of dirt was first to burst open with a Graveler, readying a Rollout. Faye Lin refused to give in to fear. Taking the reality of her first battle, she cued her Fennekin, "Isis, use Ember!"

As quickly as her trainer commanded, the yellow fox shot balls of fire from her mouth directly at the Graveler that was slowly rolling into a ball. The flames dispersed immediately. The attack had little effect, making Faye Lin and Isis gasp with worry. The enemy was rapidly advancing in a rotating ball of rugged rock.

Suddenly, a girl jumped out of nowhere and dealt a swift kick to the Graveler, redirecting its rollout away from the Fennekin and its two companions. The round rock Pokémon crashed into a mound and knocked a Trapinch out of its hiding.

The impact startled the rest of the advancing wild Pokémon. They shot out of the ground and lunged for the closest enemy. There were at least three, excluding the Graveler and Trapinch: a couple of Gible and a Slugma.

The mysterious girl stood in front of Faye Lin who was at a loss of rapid events transpiring before her. She smirked and placed a hand on the hilt of a sword strapped to her waist.

In that moment, another figure darted through the air in a series of Slashes. One by one, the wild Pokémon fell to the ground, groaning in pain. Then as by mere coincidence, the rolling Graveler ran through them like a bulldozer, knocking them further away. But now the course of the rock-type's onslaught was heading towards the two girls.

Unfazed, the sword wielder unsheathed her black blade. The dark color gleamed in contrast to the bright sunlight. Faye Lin gazed at the weapon. It was narrow in width but long like a Katana. But unlike a Katana, it was a double-edged sword. The hilt was silvery white with more black edgings.

The taller female aimed her blade at the incoming Graveler. It was moment filled with suspense. Faye Lin couldn't believe she was going to fight the rock Pokémon with a sword. Could her weapon really stand up against a spinning boulder? There was one way to find out.

The Graveler closed in, a couple of feet away. In that second, the sword wield planted her ebony blade in the ground and halted the enemy from advancing. But the Graveler continued to roll steadfastly. The clash released a piercing screech of rock grinding against metal. Faye Lin held her breath, fearing that the sword would soon break.

Then the second mysterious figure returned and dealt a Megahorn attack at the rotating Graveler from the side, slamming it against a pile of rocks and ending its Rollout assault.

And with that, the wild Pokémon retreated into the ground, hurt and humiliated with defeat.

Faye Lin snapped back to her senses and gazed at the tall female before her. She had chocolate hair that dangled above her shoulders and tied back in a messed up pony-tail. Her aura exuded a sort of cool and laid-back air with her faded jeans and violet jacket over a plain grey shirt.

The unknown girl stood erect as she sheathed her black sword back into its scabbard. Then she sighed heavily and placed her hands on her waist. "That was good Kyria. Next time though, you should leave more for me. I didn't get to test this sword out fully."

Faye Lin looked at the creature that the swordswoman was talking to. It was a white four-legged Pokémon with a black crescent horn growing out of the side of its head. The blonde heiress took out her Pokédex and examined its data.

Absol
The Disaster Pokémon.
Absol live in steep mountainous regions, and rarely venture down into areas inhabited by humans, but should an Absol be seen by humans, it is said that catastrophe is soon to follow.

Faye Lin learned that it was native to Hoenn. It was really a rare sight to meet a Pokémon all the way from another region, especially on the first day of her Pokémon journey. Lucky for her, her Pokédex was updated with all Pokémon from each region. It was a must since she was aiming to go to Unova instead of travelling around Kalos.

The Absol shook off the red dust from its ivory-white fur and trotted over to the brunette. It was obvious that it belonged to the mysterious girl with a black sword.

Faye Lin took a quick glance at her Espurr and Fennekin before gathering enough courage to thank their savior. "Uhm... Thank y-you very much for y-your help."

"Eh?" The brunette glanced back at the young heiress with an oblivious look. It took her a couple of seconds to realize that she was the target of the wild Pokémon before and her little training ended looking like a heroic rescue. That was not her intention. Whether that was the outcome or not, she really didn't care. She shrugged her shoulders and returned her attention to her Absol. "Hey, no prob."

Faye Lin smiled in admiration. She had met a really strong yet humble trainer. "My name is Faye Lin. These are my Pokémon," she gestured to her Pokémon one by one. First, her Fennekin who was still feeling awestruck, "Isis" and then to the Pokémon who was still in her arms, "And this is Freya. I just got her recently."

The girl fully turned around and met Faye Lin's aqua-blue eyes with her auburn ones. She could tell how naïve the blonde was. And judging how she had the guts to come here of all places with a low level starter and a new Pokémon, the young trainer had much to learn. But the brunette wasn't a teaching type. In fact, she was there in the badlands to pass time and skip the whole babysitting the new batch of recruits' issue.

"May I know your name?" Faye Lin asked sweetly, oblivious of the 'would you leave already' vibe the other girl was giving off.

The sword-wielder sighed. "Aspen."

"Sol." The Absol barked, following her trainer's greeting.

Consequently, Aspen thrust a thumb at her partner. "And this here's Kyria."

Faye Lin shot a smile at the Absol as well. "Pleasure to meet you."

"Fennekin!" Isis chimed in while Freya merely raised a paw.

"Is Kyria the only Pokémon that you own?" Faye Lin inquired further. In her eyes, surely a strong and experienced trainer such as Aspen would be likely carrying a powerhouse team. She was eager to see more Pokémon especially ones hailing from other regions.

Aspen was getting uncomfortable with the other girl's formal speech patterns. This was not how she had planned when she decided to come here. Finding a good enough excuse, she motioned her Absol and began to walk away. "It's dangerous chatting in the middle of nowhere. Better keep moving."

Faye Lin darted her eyes at the sidelines. Many mounds were slowly forming and creeping closer towards them. Knowing her own lack of experience and inability to protect herself and her Pokémon, she rushed to catch up with Aspen.

****

Coumarine City, Kalos

The sun was now situated in the high western sky. It was the start of a warm afternoon. The duo and their Pokémon made it out of Lumiose Badlands, filthy, tired (in Faye Lin's case), but alive nonetheless.

They were now in Coumarine City, where the bay and butte are bound. The change in scenery was a welcoming sight for them, after trudging through a forsaken red desert. The ground was now lush with green grass and the dry air was replaced by a refreshing smell of the sea. The city, itself, was also a sight to behold. It was serene place situated on a cliff overlooking the glistening blue ocean. It wasn't as grand and urban as Lumiose City, but it was still a bustling. It was hot spot for resorts, after all.

Faye Lin huffed heavily, sweat running down her face. She was exhausted and covered in dirt, like her two Pokémon who were now walking on the ground. She dutifully dusted off as much as she could from her clothes and hair and proceeded to do the same with her pokemons' fur.
Overall, the experience was an eye opener. She found battling invigorating but excessively stressful to her and Isis, her partner. Freya, on the other hand, was not showing signs of exhaustion, not in an open manner, that is.

The blonde heiress took a minute to compose herself and recall the prior events. Aspen and Kyria were having no trouble doing their share of the work. Majority of the battles were theirs. Faye Lin battled too but struggled a lot. Who could blame her? A beginner was no match for the wild Pokémon living there.

Several occasions, Aspen had to step in for her and weaken the opponent considerably before letting the other girl have a go. As much as it exasperated her, the sword wielder had to do it, if she wanted to get to the next town quickly. She didn't show any new Pokémon. But her Absol and her own sword skills were more than enough to get them through. She was wishing to really test out her black sword but it would have been bad to show it off to an outsider. It would raise unwanted questions. Plus, she was growing hungry.

Aspen laid her hands behind her head and glanced at the younger girl. "You'll treat me to lunch, right?" She asked, but it was more of a statement.
Faye Lin didn't mind. It was the least she possibly could do. She owed her a lot and she was very much aware of it. If it wasn't for Aspen, then she wouldn't have made it. Managing a smile, she looked up at Aspen. "Of course..."

Satisfied with that answer, Aspen resumed walking with her Absol following closely. Faye Lin wasn't completely recovered but she didn't want to be left behind, so she pushed through her short breaths and caught up with the other girl. Isis and Freya followed suit.

Aspen chose a restaurant with the first whiff of something mouth-watering. She followed her hunger's instincts and found a vacant table at the far-end. It wasn't too classy nor did it look cheap. It was a quaint place with a picturesque view of the sea.

Faye Lin sat across and scanned the menu. There were familiar delicacies and some not so. The expensive ones, she recalled having eaten in several occasions. She decided to try out the more unfamiliar meals. Then she ordered a cold berry milkshake to go with it. She really needed something to quench her dry throat. Aspen ordered whatever was giving off that tasty smell, that drew her there in the first place, and a cool drink. Their Pokémon were also given the chance to pick out some treats in the special section of the menu. It was mostly berries, poffins and the usual Pokémon food.

While waiting, Faye Lin took the chance to freshen up in the bathroom, along with her two Pokémon. Aspen and Kyria stayed behind. The sword wielder yawned at the cool breeze and began cleaning her sword. It wasn't really illegal to carry a sharp blade. Heck, Pokémon could do more damage if they wished. As long as she didn't point it at anybody, she was fine.

After lunch, they parted ways. Aspen took out a Skarmory and flew off, but only after Faye Lin scanned the big metallic bird with her Pokédex. It was all too fascinating for the sheltered princess. She was eager to see more sights and meet new Pokémon. And her destination was very promising.

Faye Lin bought sandwiches and snacks for the trip, making sure that there were enough for Freya and Isis, too. Then she made her way to the seaport. Coumarine City was not as populated and noisy as Lumiose. It was tranquil, certainly an obvious reason as to why it became a resort city.

It was another long walk, but it was worth it. Loud honks shattered the previously quiet atmosphere. Wingulls and Pelippers squawked throughout the area. It was really noisy. Sailors were also yelling nonstop to load or unload the cargo. There were a lot of huge vessels docked. Their sheer size was enough to take the girl's breath away. Even her Fennekin could hardly believe it.

Destination: Unova Region. Faye Lin repeated in her head with an eager grin. Her first day so far was nothing she could ever imagine. It was much, much more.

Scanning the ships and listening in to the Sailor's conversations, she found the vessel that she sought: A cargo ship heading to Castelia City, Unova. Where's the thrill of taking a tourist vessel? Sneaking in a cargo vessel was the whole definition of 'adventure lying in wait'. Besides, fancy cruise ships carry many famous people, not to mention wealthy people. If she was careless, someone might recognize her.

With her psychic kitty in her arms once again, Faye Lin crept past Sailors without much effort. Freya was really useful in sensing not only Pokémon, but people as well. Speaking of Pokémon, Faye Lin couldn't believe what cargo the vessel was carrying. There were large crates with Pokémon starters across the regions: from Kanto-native Bulbasaurs to the obvious Unova trio. It was probably going to the other regions after Unova.

Faye Lin found a nice dark spot behind a containment unit full of Cyndaquils. The cage was wide enough for the fiery mice to move around, and at the same-time, fire-proof. Most of them were napping. While the others were looking at the girl and her two Pokémon, with child-like wonder and curiosity. Faye Lin sat on the cold metal floor and petted a few of the Cyndaquils who squeaked in delight. Then she motioned them to keep it down which they complied after a small nod.

Isis and Freya took a gander at the unfamiliar Pokémon too. The Fennekin hit off well with her fellow fire-types. She blew heat out of her ears as a Cyndaquil lit a blaze on its back, in return. Freya, on the other hand, was having a staring contest at another Cyndaquil.

Faye Lin giggled. The trip was likely going to be long, but at least she wasn't going to be bored.

End of Chapter 8​

​

Aspen​

[sharedmedia=gallery:images:1211]​

 

Chapter 9: The Price of Freedom​

Semira Isle Outskirts

It was late morning. The sun was shining high above in the eastern heavens. The wind was cool and smelled like the salty sea. No longer was it filled with the earthy scents of the forests and mountains. It was slowly sinking in that he was leaving Semira Isle.

Flying overhead of the crystal blue waters, Aeron glanced back at the island gradually growing smaller behind him. With his black hood blown down, his raven locks fluttered against his goggles as his silver eyes turned away from the mainland. There was no going back on his decision. It was too late to back out. His father would be furious by the time he returns, but...Would it be worth it? To step outside his home? To learn his father's past? He sighed. Lord Tristan proposed quite the offer.

The glistening aqua blanket stretched far into the distant horizon. Even at the altitude Aeron was on, there were no other land forms to be seen. It only proved the how big the world really was. The lands beyond his view were unknown and full of mystery. He could only wonder what those places are like. Probably, like Semira Isle, probably not.

Either way it was going to be a long flight to reach anywhere. Aeron gently stroked the dark dragon's back, wondering how long could the Pokémon manage with its three pairs of thin black wings. Knowing that it was raised in Black Scythe division, it would probably last longer than normal ones. The creature growled submissively at his gesture, showing no signs of fear or uneasiness.

Aeron took a deep breath and gazed upfront. His mind wandered again. It was like a first for him. He was now beyond the boundary of his known home. The skies were a familiar place yet somehow the atmosphere had this unexplainable feeling of freedom. He flew several times using his father's various flying Pokémon, but this time around, something was different. The fact he was on a Hydreigon belonging to the Black Scythe unit wasn't it. It was as if he had flown out of an invisible cage.

*beep* *beep*

Aeron's Xtranseiver went off. He snapped out of his semi-dazed state and glanced at the contact: Lord Tristan. His mood darkened as he pressed the answer button. The image of the man appeared on screen. He looked like he hadn't moved from his usual spot that night. He was still sitting in front of his desk with an amused grin on his face.

Aeron stared at the screen with a cold look. "Is there a problem, Lord Tristan?"

The Black Scythe master chuckled under his breath. He could barely hear the boy properly in the midst of the roaring wind, but he managed well enough. It was a common talent to read by just looking at the person's lips. "It seems you're enjoying yourself."

Aeron's brows furrowed slightly as he answered, "...Hardly."

"Is that so? Are you getting along with your pretty little seniors?"

"They are not my seniors," Aeron corrected, calmly yet defensively. It was true in a sense that they belong to a different division. And besides that, the boy didn't want to be associated with the Black Scythe division, any more than he already has. He was now standing dangerously on the edge of that boundary. Tossing aside the useless comments and questions, Aeron stared at the image of the man displayed on his device. "If you don't have any important questions, Lord Tristan, I shall resume my duty."

With a moment's wait, he pressed a button on the Xtranseiver and ended the communication. Aeron redirected his gaze up front as he grasped the black cloak with the Black Scythe insignia. His expression became completely solemn. The call wasn't overall useless. Truthfully, it reminded him that he was bound to their agreement. He was on a job with a trio of assassins somewhere surfing the waves below. The feeling he had before was merely transient.

A tension lingered. The billowing breeze muffled the symphony of the vast ocean waves. Only the howls and the Hydreigon's beating wings were all that could be heard.

Noir, positioned in front of Aeron's lap, sensed the boy's dampened mood and zoned out expression. He cooed to catch his attention which he knew worked all the time.

The boy looked down at his Noibat partner who was smiling and flicking his ears cutely. Aeron's eyes softened and he patted Noir with gratitude. "I'm okay. Let's just get this over with. I'm sure father will be angry by the time we get back." Father, I want to do this. Not because I want to know about you and the Black Scythes, but I want to see what this world really is.

~*~*~

Senka Island, Semira Isle

Lord Tristan dropped the Xtranseiver on his desk, and waited. He could hear someone coming. Footsteps outside his door grew louder with each passing second. His mouth curved into a grin as the doors to his office flew open. A brown-haired man with stone-like hazel eyes stormed towards his desk. He was cloaked in a tattered desert cape that wrapped around his neck and hung just above his feet. It was dusty in color with the Sky unit's insignia embedded in sepia.

"Where is Aeron?!" he demanded, slamming a hand on the table.

Lord Tristan was calm. He glanced behind the man and saw several of his Black Scythe subordinates, along with their Pokémon, sprawled on the hallway floor. The sight was amusing for him. He adjusted his round glasses and looked up at the glaring individual.

"I had him run an errand for me," Lord Tristan replied with an innocent sly grin.

"What kind of errand?" Lord Altair stared the other man down. He was composed but steadily growing impatient.

"My, my, aren't you the concerned father?" Lord Tristan held back a laugh of amusement. He turned his eyes away from the Sky unit leader and scanned a few papers scattered on his desk. "He isn't out there to kill someone, I assure you. My girls have that covered."

Lord Altair clenched his teeth. At that moment, a whirlwind came out of nowhere and ravaged the inside of the office. Documents flew like leaves in twister. The decors shook and slammed across the room. By the time the violent winds died down, the whole office was a mess. The Black Scythe master readjusted his hat and glasses. Thankfully, they weren't blown off, due to the fact that they were in the middle of the mini-hurricane.

"Yyyannnmee..." A large green insect buzzed hoarsely and perched itself on Lord Altair's shoulders. Its large tail curved in front of his trainer's chest while its wings kept vibrating.

Lord Tristan's smile vanished as he gazed at his office. He placed a hand below his chin and sighed. "I still don't understand you..."

"Just tell me where you sent Aeron." Lord Altair was calmer but his icy tone was still there.

"Tell me, my dear predecessor..." The red-headed man locked his two hands together and gazed at the Sky unit leader with utmost discretion and curiosity. "Why are you still hung up on this child? Have you really gotten attached to him?"

"That is none of your concern."

"Oh, contraire ...it is." Lord Tristan chuckled amusingly. "After all–"

"-Enough! I have severed all my ties here, as well as that of Aeron's." Lord Altair declared.

Lord Tristan sighed in disappointment and looked down at the surface of his desk. "You know that boy is perfectly like a bird. One you chose to cage for many years." He paused and waited for the other man to contemplate on his words. Then he raised his head and once again met Lord Altair's gaze with a small grin. "Even if he is loyal to its owner, the primal instinct of a bird is to fly off once it gets the chance... I was merely the person to open that boy's cage."

Lord Altair was silent, but his emotionless gaze was still fixated on the person sitting down before him. They stared each other down as tension grew all around. Finally, it broke when the black Xtranseiver rang somewhere in the room.

With a small gesture, Lord Altair's Yanmega flew around the office and returned with the communication device. It handed the Xtranseiver over to its master and returned to its former position. The Sky unit leader gazed at the caller's name: Bellatrix. Then he tossed it over to Lord Tristan who pressed the answer button.

"Reporting in?"

A young lady with braided brown hair appeared on screen. "We are en route as we speak to the point of interception."

"Very nice." Lord Tristan complimented with a small chuckle. Before he continued, he grinned slyly and returned his attention to the other man, "...And the boy?"

Lord Altair flinched unnoticeably, knowing all too well who he meant. His eyes narrowed as he listened more intently. Lord Tristan seemed amused. Even if the man before him showed no strand of emotion, the current leader of the Black Scythe division could feel the change in the air, easily reading the amount of tension settling in.

"He went on ahead," Bellatrix answered, unaware that her master had company.

"Alright. Report in after you all complete your mission," Lord Tristan instructed.

"Yes, master."

And with that the call ended. Lord Tristan placed the Xtranseiver back on the desk and waited for his guest's reaction.

"What mission?" Lord Altair asked in cold and serious tone while raising a brow in suspicion.

Lord Tristan explained a few details of the task that was sent to them. He also explained why a member of the Sky unit, a.k.a Aeron, was necessary for the mission. He didn't give the final destination of the job, nor did he mention anything about what Aeron was receiving in return for his assistance.

Lord Altair couldn't care less about the assassination job. All he was demanding was Aeron's location. He grew frustrated with each passing minute, but he maintained much of his composure. By the time, Lord Tristan finally answered his predecessor's demand, it was already the middle of the afternoon. He had some of his members bring them tea while others took the ones that were badly beaten to the infirmary.

When it was time for the Sky unit leader to leave, Lord Tristan stood up and called his attention. "You know, even if a Bagon sprouts wings, it's not a bird. Deep down, it will always be a merciless dragon with the lust for blood and violence."

Lord Altair ignored his remark and left the grounds with his Yanmega and his son's location.

Back in the room, Lord Tristan contemplated on his guest's actions. "Dear me, it really seems like the Salamence still intends to act like a fatherly Swellow towards his little chick... Shame."

~*~*~*~

Night was descending. The first couple of stars sparked in the faded pastel skies, while, the cool blue waters became dyed in a deep orange tint. A cold wind drifted by as if it was heralding a bad omen. Aeron stood beside the Hydreigon on a rock formation in the middle of the sea. Indeed, it had been a long flight, and the dark dragon needed rest.

The sun was setting. The darkness and chill was settling in. The boy's eyes panned the horizon for an approaching ship. So far, there wasn't any. Anticipation and anxiety grew. Aeron pulled his hood up and clutched the black cloak. Somewhere underneath, he could feel his royal blue scarf. It brought him a sense of calmness, but it wasn't enough to completely ward the heavy atmosphere. Noir flew off of the Hydreigon's back and clung to his trainer's shoulder. He cooed and watched the distance along with Aeron, hoping to help lighten his spirits.

Then a large dot appeared, growing bigger and more distinguishable with every passing minute. The time had come.

Aeron placed a hand on his partner's head and took a deep breath. He predicted much bloodshed, and took a moment to prepare himself mentally. He wasn't going to take part of it, but either way, knowing what was about to happen, made his stomach turn. The raven-haired boy contacted Bellatrix using the Xtranseiver and informed her that the objective vessel was in sight. Once he confirmed that the assassin trio were arriving soon, he ended the call. Without wasting time, he got back on the Hydreigon to get a bird's eye view of the ship.

It was a massive cargo vessel, strong and grand as it surged effortlessly through the waves. He couldn't tell the number of people or Pokémon inside, but he could guess that there should be a lot; if not people or cargo, then Pokémon.

Aeron maintained a high altitude to prevent people from seeing him. He took cover amongst the bluish-grey clouds and eyed the opposite side of the ship where streams of white water waves rocketed towards the ship. One was ahead, keeping a straight and steady pace while the other two were zigzagging around, almost forming double-helixes. The three had arrived.

Aeron looked away at the thought of the assassin trio. He turned his gaze up at the heavens where the final traces of daylight faded away. Stars began to dazzle the moonless sky. If it was any other day, then it would be considered beautiful. But this beautiful night will soon be drenched in shades of red, along with the sea.

End of Chapter 9​

The next chapter will be pretty dark (with blood and death)​

 

Chapter 10: Impasse​

Warning: Bloody scenes​

The night had fallen, and darkness loomed over the waters and heavens. The only light around came from the vessel, steadily advancing through the raging blanket of tides.

The voices of the waves roared along the lower flank of the ship, as Bellatrix and her two companions sized up the massive vessel. Gushes of cold saltwater continued to rain down on them, further impairing their vision in the dark. From where they were, it was impossible to see the upper deck so it was hard to assume if there were any sailors out.

"Whoa. This thing's huge!" Alice awed, arching her head back to see how tall the ship was. Basing on her personal judgment, it didn't look possible for their Sharpedo to leap high enough for them to get them on deck.

"How many people do you think are up there?" Leiko asked, shielding her eyes with an arm while holding on to the torpedo-like Pokémon's dorsal fin.

"Does it matter?" Bellatrix remarked with cold sarcasm. The other two looked at each other and laughed softly, grinning, eager to get the party started. Bellatrix also shot a grin as she pulled out her Pokéball from her belt. "Let's get to work..."

A Mismagius flew out of the capsule and hovered overhead. It smiled crookedly as the set of elliptical gems on its chest glowed vivid purple. Bellatrix became outlined in the same light and began to levitate off of the Sharpedo. Now both trainer and ghost-type floated in mid-air, gazing down on the two others, still surfing on their Sharpedos.

"See ya up there!" Leiko bid her a temporary farewell before Bellatrix and her Mismagius flew up unto the deck.

Aeron flew closer but remained in the cover of the darkness. He watched as the massive cargo vessel became hazed in a thin dark layer of mist. If it wasn't for the light coming from the ship's windows, the whole thing would be invisible. He stayed clear of the ominous mist, while his keen eyes followed the primary measures that the assassins were initiating.

First, Bellatrix cloaked the deck with her Mismagius' Ominous Wind and then lowered the anchor causing the ship to gradually halt. The loud splash was followed by confused frantic voices from the crew. A few went out to the deck to investigate, but not a peep was heard from them when they ventured deep into the open deck. The others inside waited anxiously and restlessly, but as soon as they felt something was terribly wrong, a couple of them decided to check. They brought out an Electabuzz and Poliwhirl to accompany them.

As soon as they stepped onto the open space of the back deck, a chill ran down their spine. A distant cackle lingered in the cold tense breeze. Before anyone else could utter a word, the Electabuzz used Flash and lit up the area around them. It was empty. No one else was around. Relieved, they all took a deep breath and then asked themselves where were their fellow crewmates?

*clink* *clank*

The sound of metal against metal echoed, gradually growing louder. One of the sailors acted on instinct and ordered his Poliwhirl to use Water Gun towards the origin of the noise. Again, nothing happened. Nothing stirred. The eerie sound stopped.

"Enough. You're just paranoid," the sailor's mate placed a hand on his friend to calm and reassure him. Even though he himself was unsure if everything was really alright.

The Poliwhirl trainer breathed deeply and turned towards his companion. As he did, a flash of red hair attracted his gaze. There was a girl standing with her back turned behind his friend. Dazed as to who she was and what she was doing there, he opened his mouth to speak up. But then the redhead cocked her head back, rendering the sailor speechless with her amber eyes.

"It's such a lovely night, don't you think?" Leiko commented with a sense of playful mystery.

The other sailor jerked about to see who said that. But when he did, he was met with a clean slash across his neck, instantly killing him on the spot. His body dropped to the floor with an almost inaudible thud.

The Poliwhirl trainer gasped and was about to shout when he felt that there was something prodding his back. The object trailed up his spine, towards his shoulder and finally stop a few inches beside his neck. The man raised his arms and surrendered, not daring to see the cold metal weapon or who was holding it.

"P-Please d-don't ...me," He pleaded under his breath, unable to even say the word 'kill.'

Leiko stepped closer, stepping over the bloody body sprawled on the floor. With an innocent grin not leaving her face, she leaned towards the trembling Sailor and ran a finger up the man's chin. "Sorry, no can do..."

The light vanished.

It was total blackness.

Another lifeless body fell to the floor, after the sound of sleek metal slicing the air. Bellatrix retracted her scythe and glanced at her Mismagius, under the receding darkness of the haze. It was subduing the Electabuzz and Poliwhirl with Dream Eater, after the brown-haired assassin trainer placed them to sleep with some powder she acquired from the Rosette Unit for their mission. It would wipe the memories of the Pokémon and leave them unconscious for the time-being, but it wasn't like that they'd die. Killing humans was one thing. Killing Pokémon is a different one.

Alice was the last to arrive on the spot. She had difficulty climbing up the chain of the anchor. She was not as agile as Leiko, but her Liepard compensated for that. With the violet feline's assistance, she finally rejoined her companions. She saw the aftermath and pouted. She cursed herself for being a couple of minutes late. After a while of sulking at the work already done by the other two, she turned to the so-called leader of their group.

Bellatrix reviewed their mission. The ship was scheduled to be heading straight to Unova. But in before that, it was going to meet with another ship, where they would transfer some cargo, along with the secret package, which was yet to be known. Many of the crew was in on the deal, while others had no idea of such a plan. It would only seem as if they dropped off the usual goods to another carrier, heading to a different region. Nothing suspicious especially with a storage full of starter Pokémon.

The trio's goal was to take command of the vessel and sabotage the exchange. They were to eliminate anyone on sight, witnesses included. Then locate the special item hidden somewhere on the ship and have it delivered to their client. And finally meet up with the dealers and finish off the deal with their own.

Bellatrix went on to discuss how and who should cover the areas of the ship. Going together was pointless and less entertaining, as Leiko would have put it. Cargo vessels didn't have that many people, unlike passenger ones. So the prey was scarce to begin with. With a short argument, Leiko was picked to investigate the lowest level, the cargo hold. Alice was to sweep up anyone on the second floor, while Bellatrix handled the upper deck.

Further up, Aeron stood still with the Hydreigon resting beside him and his Noibat hiding behind him. They were situated on the roof of the crew quarters, facing the back area of the ship. The boy's eyes had long adjusted to the dark, so he saw everything that transpired before him. Taking deep breaths in the cold night, he continued to listen in as much as he could, while restraining his stomach from churning.

There was nothing he could do, but watch and wait. He had no power to prevent it, and if he had where would it lead him? To become a traitor to his only home? Disgrace his father's name? He had no right. So was it a mistake to have taken the deal? Or was it an event planned by fate?

He closed his eyes and secured his cloak against the chilly sea breeze. That was when he noticed something was amiss. He turned about and shifted his vision from left to right.

"Noir?"

~*~*~

Alice and Leiko headed to their respective assignments, weapons in hand and their pokemons by their side. Bellatrix glimpsed at their fourth companion. She had noticed him as soon as he landed, but made no effort to acknowledge his presence, unless he proved to be a hindrance in their task. For now, she remained vigilant of him and the silhouettes of the crew running about inside the rooms.

The mature brunette walked closer with the long staff in hand. Her Mismagius fooled around inside, flickering the lights, hovering and tossing various objects around, and secretly opening the metal door. As the sailors panicked and ducked away from the possessed debris, they failed to notice the elegant lady in black stepping inside. By the time they saw her, it was too late. It was the last sight they witnessed. That and the blood stains streaking across the window pane and floor boards.

Alice bid her redheaded companion farewell as she watched her descend to the lower deck. Now she was alone, excluding her Lieapard. With a child-like smile, she motioned her Pokémon and the violet feline darted through the halls. Surprised yelps and screams echoed back to the white haired lass. She continued to lean back and forth, with hands behind her back where she held her enormous silver knife. It extended above her head but she didn't seem to really mind. Her victims were coming.

The sound of running grew louder. And soon her Liepard returned with four pursuers covered in tattered clothes and scratch marks. They all stopped abruptly at the gothic themed girl smiling a few meters in front. Behind her was the mischievously grinning feline. At first, they wanted to confront her about the trouble her Pokémon caused but then they wondered as to why she was there. Before they could utter a word or make another step, they froze in fear as a dark chill filled the hall. Alice giggled sweetly and brandished her silver blade to her side. Her innocent grin became dark and her ebony black eyes turned empty and merciless.

~*~*~
Down below, Faye Lin had just shared snacks with her two Pokémon, Isis and Freya, as well as her new Cyndaquil friends. It had been hours since she snuck in and nighttime had come, basing on the plummeting temperature and the time on her poketch.

It was cold and dark, but the fire-types in the cargo hold made it more bearable. The Charmanders were the ones giving off most of the fire from their tails, though they were a little far from where the blonde heiress. The radiating glow was enough for her. Besides, she had to stay in the shadows to avoid being seen.

*rustle*

Just then, Faye Lin heard a sound coming from nearby. She glanced sideways and saw a little creature rummaging through her bag. Its head was already in the bag, only the fuzzy torso and skinny feet were visible. Immediately, her Fennekin jumped into a fighting stance and growled, while the girl pulled out her Pokédex.

Noibat
The Sound Wave Pokémon
They live in pitch black caves. Their enormous ears can emit ultrasonic waves of 200,000 hertz.

Faye Lin stepped closer and observed the little Pokémon. It wasn't a starter and it originally resides in the Kalos region. Her first thought was that it snuck in just like her. Feeling the sense of kinship, she grinned warmly and called out to it, "Hello, Noibat. Are you perhaps looking for something to eat?"

The purple bat poked its head out and flicked its ears. Then it shot a grin and pulled out an egg with red and blue triangles and held it in its little winged appendages, much to the girl's shock. Was it going to eat the Togepi egg?

"No! Stop! That is not food!" Faye Lin demanded, slowly making her way to the Noibat so she wouldn't accidentally scare it off. Her Fennekin was still between her and the purple bat, inching cautiously.

"AHHhhhh!"

All of a sudden screams echoed through the area. Loud noises and running sounded from upstairs and somewhere further from where she stood. Faye Lin shifted her attention to the noises as she placed a hand over her chest. She could feel her heart race. Something was definitely not right.

Freya, the Espurr who was napping against the Cyndaquil cage, opened her eyes and stood up. Faye Lin looked at her and then to Isis and the Noibat. Her Fennekin was looking at her with frightened eyes, while the Noibat had vanished with the egg. The girl didn't know which was worse, the screams and noises or the winged egg thief.

"Help! Someone!"

A scream jolted her attention. The sound of footsteps grew closer. Faye Lin stepped forward and peeked beyond the cage. A sailor almost bumped into her, if the girl didn't immediately back away in shock. The man was covered in bloody wounds. His white uniform was soiled with crimson stains. He heaved heavily and clutched the deep cut on his chest.

Faye Lin trembled in fear. Her face grew pale and her legs almost gave out on her. Her aqua blue eyes stared at the man before her, unable to look away or even try to believe that it was all a bad dream.

The man stared back at her. The blood loss was taking its toll on his strength and vision. He knew he wasn't going to last much longer. His mates had already died before his eyes. He was lucky to escape down the narrow stairways but that didn't stop his pursuer. Now, he had led the assassin here, where a defenseless girl was hiding.

"R-Ru-unnn...." He murmured under his final breath and fell to the cold hard metal floor.

Faye Lin snapped out of her shock and rushed to the fallen sailor's side. Blood was flowing nonstop, pooling the floor with thick red liquid. Something must be done. She had to do something. She knew some first aide, but not enough for deep wounds like the man had. But either way, it was too late. The man was dead.

Faye Lin stepped back, unable to believe that someone had just died before her eyes. What was happening? Who did this to him? Questions swirled in her thoughts as her hand continued to tremble and her heart thumped like a galloping Rapidash.

"Tsk. He made me run all the way here?" A girl's voice broke the tense air with her irritated tone. Slow but steady footsteps drew nearer with each passing second. *cling-clang* the sound of something metallic slid across the iron cage bars. "Yawnn... I hate it when they play hard-to-get when I'm not in the mood."

Faye Lin grabbed her bag and hid herself in the dark corner between the cage and crates, with her Espurr and Fennekin standing still near her feet. Basing on what she heard, she suspected that it was the murderer. But, that was a girl's voice. Could a girl really take out a grown man? She didn't want to find out.

"Umbre! Umbreon!" A black fox-like Pokémon adorning golden rings on its ears, legs, head and tail, sprinted over and circled around the body of the lifeless sailor. It sniffed it momentarily and raised its head, facing back to a shadow of a person, walking closer.

Faye Lin held her breath and hoped from the bottom of her heart that she wouldn't be discovered. This wasn't anything she had even imagined to face when she decided to go on a Pokémon journey. If things went wrong here, was it going to be the end of her? No. She still had to find her sister. She still had to fulfill her dream of travelling all over the world. It shouldn't end here. It mustn't...

Leiko sighed and stared over the bloody corpse. She nudged it with her foot to check if the guy was indeed dead. Her Umbreon tilted its head and looked up at its master. Leiko twirled her blood-stained chakram in one hand and proceeded to take her leave. "Looks like there's no one left on my end..."

Faye Lin released the breath she was holding. She was saved...

"...Or is there?" Leiko grinned and turned around, swinging her weapon to one side.

*swoosh*

A circular metal ring with a sharpened outer edge sliced through the air and pierced the wooden crate beside the blonde girl. She was found out. Faye Lin trembled as her eyes met with the redheaded assassin who was spinning her second bloody charkram in another hand.

"Nowhere to run, little princess." Leiko was about to throw her weapon when a black shroud clouded the area around her. She coughed repeatedly and cursed under breath at the group of culprits in the cage.

The Cyndaquils released Smokescreens and fired mini fireballs from their back and mouths, attempting to distract the redhead away from their new friend. Faye Lin mentally thanked them and took the opportunity to make a run for it, with her two Pokémon following ever so closely.

"Oh no, you don't!" Leiko squinted her eyes and flung the remaining chakram at the escaping silhouette.

Faye Lin glanced back at the incoming projectile. It was heading straight towards her. She shielded herself with her arms and waited for the inevitable blade to strike her, but it never came. She opened her eyes and saw the bladed ring outlined in blue, hovering mere inches away from her. Freya used Confusion in time and stopped the weapon dead on its tracks.

Leiko didn't see what happened, but she had a feeling the other girl was still alive. She had no option, but to rely on her Pokémon partner. "Yue, use Pursuit!"

The Umbreon darted through the black smoke and tackled the Espurr, slamming the psychic-type against the crates. The grey kitten lost consciousness and the psychic hold on the weapon lost effect, dropping the metal ring on the floor.

"Isis, Ember!" Faye Lin instructed as she ran to Freya and scooped up the injured Espurr in her arms. She withdrew her back to the Pokéball for safety and turned her attention back to her Fennekin, fighting off the killer's Pokémon.

The Umbreon was quick and experienced. It dodged all the fiery attacks and landed a clean hit on the yellow fox, easily knocking it back. Isis was losing. She had no chance going up against a higher level Pokémon. The only choice was to get away.

*screeeeech*

A piercing shriek pierced the atmosphere, forcing everyone to shrink back in pain or shield their ears. Faye Lin saw the Umbreon backing away in pain, as did her Fennekin. This was another chance to get away. She hurriedly grabbed Isis and ran as fast as she could. She didn't know where exactly she was heading, but it was better than staying anywhere near the assassin.

Leiko groaned in pain and tried to find out where the piercing screech was coming from, but suddenly it ended and her target had disappeared. She slammed a fist against the cage, scaring the Cyndaquils into the far corner of their containment, and then retrieved her weapons. Her Umbreon quickly rejoined her at her side and they ran in pursuit of the escaped witness.

Faye Lin found a stairway and ascended to the upper levels. She needed to tell someone had been murdered, and that the killer was after her. When she arrived at the end of the stairway, she was greeted by a bloody floor and a couple of lifeless sailors slumped against the base of the wall or laid out across the floor. There were also Pokémon around, but she wasn't sure if they were dead as well or merely unconscious. She gasped in horror and backed away, but then she realized that the assassin must be after her. She needed to get away and hide, but where should she go?

Just when she lost hope, the sound of fluttering drew her attention. Above her, was a smiling fuzzy purple bat with the Togepi egg secured on its feet. It screeched in a gentle cooing manner and gestured her to follow. Faye Lin realized that the screeching that saved her must have come from the Noibat. She exchanged looks with her exhausted Fennekin and chased after the Noibat. Along the way, she averted her eyes from the blood and bodies around the hallway. It was beyond scary, like nothing her nightmares could ever conjure up.

"Ahhh!..."

More screams resonated in the metal halls. Faye Lin stopped at the corner and took a peek. She paled at the sight of a white haired girl, wearing a black gothic dress, stab a man with a crimson-dyed silver knife. What scared her most was the happy grin the mysterious lass was showing, even with the blood stains on her hair and ivory cheek. She was one of them. The redhead assassin was not alone, Faye Lin concluded.

The Noibat shifted directions and motioned the blonde heiress to continue to follow. Faye Lin complied, having presented no other choice. She scooped up her Fennekin and ran back to the other side of the hallway. After a couple of new turns, she saw a door, leading outside. The Noibat flew out and the girl followed suit.

Then Leiko appeared across the hall, weapons in hand, and a fierce-looking Umbreon already dashing forward. Faye Lin saw her but kept going. Her mind was set on leaving the narrow halls. Her Fennekin fired a couple of Ember shots at the dark-type, forcing it to back up momentarily. Then Leiko followed up with a fluid throw of her Chakram, but it was blown back by an unexpected strong Gust of wind that burst from a window.

Faye Lin made it and ran out of the door. The cold darkness of the night breathed heavily on her trembling and sweating frame. Her legs were ready to give in at any given second, but her mind continued to chant her to run. She turned and sprinted to the side, only to bump in to a hooded figure with cold silver eyes.

End of Chapter 10​

 

Chapter 11: Intertwined Paths​

Faye Lin jolted back and shuddered. Her eyes fixated on the mysterious stranger before her. That was it. She was caught. She had nowhere to run. Rapid footsteps closed in from behind, probably the assassin that was after her before. She tightened her arms around beloved starter, and prayed that at least Isis would be saved. Her Fennekin had no more strength to fight and even if she did, would the fire-type even stand a chance? It was hopeless. She closed her eyes and mentally prepared herself for what would come next.

But what did, was nothing she had expected.

Aeron uncoiled his deep blue scarf from under his cloak and wrapped it around the girl's neck, much to Faye Lin's surprise. She flinched and raised her head to face him again, but was immediately dragged behind the boy.

"Hide the Fennekin and don't say a word..." He instructed sternly.

Faye Lin trembled under his strong grip, but mustered enough courage to nod. The boy's hand loosened and the girl pulled her arm closer to herself, stepping back a couple of feet. She withdrew Isis in a panic and stared at the person's cloaked back. There was this almost discernible insignia of a scythe. Faye Lin questioned herself if he was one of them, if he could be trusted, if she should just run for it. But before she even could decide, the redhead made her appearance in front of the silver-eyed boy.

Leiko glanced at the blonde, hiding behind Aeron. Fear flashed in the aqua blue eyes of the blonde. The redhead grinned in satisfaction, having seen her prey cornered. She stepped forward and then with a mischievous smile, she turned to the boy standing between them. "Hey Delibird, if you wanted to join in the fun, you should have asked."

Aeron didn't reply.

Leiko shrugged off the cold shoulder and approached the frightened girl, only to be blocked by the boy's arm. She raised a brow and met Aeron's stern piercing gaze. He was serious and unwilling to back down. Leiko's Umbreon growled at the interference, but was hushed by its owner, who decided to find out what the boy was up to. She spun her pair of blood-stained charkram in her hands and stepped in front of Aeron. Then without batting an eye, she draped herself over the boy's shoulders and pulled down the black hood, exposing his feathery jet-black locks and stoic face.

Faye Lin moved back further at the sight of the bladed rings, coated in crimson liquid in the redhead's hands. For a moment, she caught the gaze of Leiko's merciless amber eyes, but was quickly cut-off when the assassin grinned and stared back at the boy. She watched nervously as the other girl trailed her fingers in the boy's hair, carefully as to prevent cutting him with the sharp edges of the chakram, still in her hand.

"So tell me, my sweet Delibird, are you planning to stand between us and the job?" Leiko asked, grinning dangerously at both the boy and the girl behind him.

"She is not part of the mission," Aeron replied flatly.

"Oh, how so?" Leiko leaned closer and studied the boy's face.

"She followed me here. She's one of the new recruits that are under me," Aeron lied, but displayed a more believable front to mask it. Whether or not it would fool an experienced assassin was quite the gamble, one he chose to bet on.

"Is that true?" Leiko cocked her head and turned her attention to the blonde girl. The boy may be hard to read, but a newbie would easily be found out with a couple of threats.

Faye Lin kept recalling what the boy said to her, "Don't say a word..."

Leiko flashed her razor-edged rings and waited for a reply, but was interrupted by Aeron who grabbed her wrists and calmly pushed her away from him and the other girl. The redhead grumbled under her breath. She knew the boy was hiding something, but she didn't want her new plaything to hate her. She decided to play along, for now, and maybe let Bellatrix handle the rest. Sure, she would get in trouble herself, but not as much as the boy would be.

"Tell you what, my darling Delibird, I'll let you off for now... If-"

"-If what?" Aeron asked, furrowing his brows slightly.

Leiko grinned seductively and tucked away her pair of chakrams back unto her belt. Then she inched closer to Aeron and placed a hand under his chin, pulling his head up to meet her gaze. "If you give me a kiss...."

Aeron stared back at her in silence. Leiko giggled softly and stroked the boy's cheek, staining his face with a bit of blood as she leaned closer with every moment. But before she could touch his lips, a shadow descended nearby with a long staff in hand. The redhead pulled back and sulked at the person who made her timely appearance.

"Leiko, stop harassing him and find Alice." Bellatrix ordered, positioning the exposed scythe threateningly in front of the blonde girl.

Faye Lin froze in fear, unable to see the person standing behind her. All she could do was look at the curved blade glinting near her neck and the two individuals in front of her, a redhead standing defiantly with her hands on her hips, and a silver-eyed boy with an empty gaze.

Leiko sighed in defeat and left, waving a hand as she reentered the metal halls. Aeron watched her leave before placing his full attention on Bellatrix and the blonde girl standing in the line of the assassin's scythe. His hands balled into fists underneath the cover of his cloak as he tried to estimate his chances of fooling the serious-type assassin. It didn't look good.

"I told myself that I'd cut you down, if you proved to be a hindrance in this mission," Bellatrix explained with dark glare, observing the length of defiance the boy was willing to display. So far, his cold demeanor was unwavering. "I'll give you a chance to give me your reason, before I pass judgment on you two... Be wary, I'm not in the mood."

Aeron could tell how dangerous the situation was, but he was confident in himself that he had the chance to save himself, and the girl. He stepped forward and held the dull end of the crescent blade. "As I told senior Leiko, this girl is one of the new members of our Sky Division. She probably followed me here, when news of my sudden disappearance and my involvement with the Black Scythes reached my father."

"I've heard of your circumstances from my master," Bellatrix answered back, keeping a firm hold of the staff and an authoritative air before the younger individuals. "What I want is confirmation that she is indeed not an outsider."

Aeron gestured to the scarf around the blonde girl. "It has the Sky unit's insignia..."

Both girls turned their attention to the sky blue symbol stitched on the end of the midnight blue scarf. Faye Lin realized why the boy gave her the muffler in the first place. It was for that reason. Somehow, it brought a sense of relief. Bellatrix studied the insignia closely and turned her attention back to the girl in question.

"So tell me, how'd you get here? Where's your Pokémon partner?" Bellatrix questioned.

Faye Lin felt a dark chill run down her spine. Should she answer? What if she said something wrong? Would she get killed? Would both of them get killed?

"Senior, leave her alone," Aeron demanded in a submissive tone, pulling away the scythe from the girl's neck. For a second, he met the blonde's scared yet hopeful blue eyes before locking gazes with the brunette. "Tonight's been scary enough for her. Don't traumatize her further."

"Hmph..." Bellatrix retracted her scythe with smooth and swift click. Then she pointed the end of the pole directly at Aeron. "I shall report this to Master Tristan. If you are indeed lying, I'll personally hunt you both down."

Aeron stared at her fearlessly, despite knowing all too well of the consequences. His father was already undoubtedly angry at him for acting without his consent. Now, he had more reason to be punished. As for Lord Tristan, he was unsure what kind of things he had to face for doing this.

After another minute of staring each other down, Bellatrix left and rejoined her two companions inside. She had an important development in their mission, one that needed to be resolved as soon as possible.

When it was only the two of them alone, Faye Lin's legs finally gave out and she slumped to the cold metal flooring, releasing all her tears as her whole body trembled with relief in the freezing evening air. She had never felt such fear in all her life. Inside, she wished that she was home with her father, Whim and everyone she cared for, and cared for her in return. But then she kept recalling her goal to find her sister.

"Stand." Aeron looked down on her with a somewhat demanding tone.

Faye Lin wiped her tears but more kept coming. She tried to push herself up, but that too proved futile. She was weak, that much she admitted, even if she forced herself not to be. There was no hiding what kind of person she was; a sheltered heiress who was oblivious to the dark shadows lurking beyond the beautiful world she saw in her books.

"How long do you intend to sit there and cry?" Aeron questioned coldly, quietly observing the girl. "If you don't help yourself, there is nothing more I can do for you."

Faye Lin watched him walk pass her. She gasped inwardly and reached for the end of his cloak. She didn't want to be left alone. "P-Please wait..."

Aeron stopped and glanced back at the girl still shaking on the floor. His expression didn't soften nor did he look annoyed. He merely waited patiently for the blonde girl to gather enough strength to stand on her own, figuratively and physically.

"I-I want t-to thank you... for s-saving my life," Faye Lin stuttered, unable to prevent her voice from cracking or her body from shaking.

"If you want to thank someone, thank him." Aeron gestured to a flapping violet fuzzy bat hovering above them.

Noir chirped and cooed in joy before flying down to the girl's arms. Faye Lin failed to notice that the Togepi egg was no longer in the Pokémon's possession. She was too happy to see the Noibat that first saved her from the Umbreon and then guided her outside to where the mysterious boy prevented the assassins from taking her life.

Noir nestled warmly against the girl, screeching like a purring Skitty. It gave the girl much comfort that she stopped trembling and crying. She finally managed to smile and even giggle. Afterwards, the Noibat flew off and perched on the boy's shoulder, with a huge grin still plastered on the playful bat's face.

Faye Lin realized that the Noibat belonged to him. It made her think that underneath that cold front, there was a softer side to him, especially when he had a happy-go-lucky Pokémon with him. She took a deep breath and stood up, stumbling a bit but she regained almost half of her lost composure.

"I certainly don't know how I could ever repay you both." Faye Lin smiled with gratitude and bowed her head formally. When she raised her head again, her eyes began to well up with tears. She held them back as much as she could but as expected she was unable to. They flowed down her cheeks before she smiled again. "M-My name is Faye Lin... Faye Lin Azril."

Noir raised a claw in greeting while grinning cheekily on his trainer's shoulder. Aeron hesitated for a moment, but gave in to his partner's friendly mood. "I'm Aeron, and this is my partner, Noir."

"Pleasure to meet you, Noir... Aeron," Faye Lin giggled softly, recalling the dark mysterious heroes in her fairytale books. The boy was a prime example, sort of like a black knight. Usually princesses end up with the heroic princes, but there were time where valiant acts of a dark stranger won the hearts of the main heroine.

"Ooooh! Delibird sweetie!" Leiko's voice echoed through the calm night, shattering the transient peace in one swipe.

Faye Lin flinched and turned around, only to see Aeron's back when he hastily returned to his protective position in front of her. Her heart began to race again, but the previous fear was held back with her gained faith in the boy.

Leiko returned with Bellatrix as well as another girl, seemingly much younger than the two, but equally ruthless, indicated by the innocent grin despite the blood stains on her wavy white hair and youthful face. Alice was already informed by her two companions about the blonde individual. She was not as suspicious of her, unlike the other two, but not being able to clearly read behind the child-like persona she displayed, was unsettling.

Bellatrix eyed the boy and his so-called recruit, and then sighed heavily. "We have a situation," she stated submissively, hating to admit the mistake she and her group made.

"What happened?" Aeron asked, feeling an opportunity to regain the so-called trust between him and the trio of assassins.

"Uhm..." Alice giggled sheepishly while leaning back in forth with her hands behind her. "We sort of went overboard and didn't ask anyone where the parcel was..."

Aeron felt his stomach turn at the realization that everyone else in the ship has been slaughtered. He kept his disgust to himself, but wondered if the girl behind him knew what Alice had just said. But there was no chance to glance back and check. His priority was to keep his focus on the three in front.

"So here's the deal," Bellatrix began, crossing her arms, still refusing to admit that she had no power over the matter. "We want you to find the item, and deliver it to the client."

Aeron figured as much when he heard that they didn't know where the parcel was. It was impossible for Faye Lin to know, obviously, she was a stowaway. Her formal tone and light clothing proved that she really didn't belong in a cargo vessel. With little clues, he had to place himself in the dealer's shoes: A ship heading to Unova with a secret package hidden somewhere in the ship. Where is the least likely place for people to look?

"So are you up for it?" Bellatrix asked sarcastically.

"We'll do what we can," Aeron answered plainly, grabbing Faye Lin's arm and pulling her closely as they passed the trio of assassins. He couldn't leave her behind, though he knew the sights inside were going to be hard to bear.

Faye Lin lowered her head and followed, feeling the piercing glare of the older females behind her. She didn't dare to meet their eyes, nor utter a word before they were out of sight. They went back to the familiar halls and descended down the metal stairways towards the cargo hold, passing many corpses and pools of blood along the way. Shuddering with fear, Faye Lin lost her strength to speak and diverted her faltering composure to the hand that firmly held on to her. At times, it would tighten and draw her attention away from the massacre display.

With Noir's guidance, Aeron maneuvered through the long corridors until they arrived at the room where the various starters of different regions where kept. Having felt that most of the gore and bloody scenes were over, he released the girl and made his way towards the Pokémon cages, carefully inspecting each one with great care.

Faye Lin trailed behind, unsure if she could give any form of assistance. Aeron did say 'We' so if it was within her power, she wanted to help. She walked up to him as he was eyeing a group of Squirtles, some hiding in their shell, others were at the corner, scared, while the rest gathered the courage to approach him and say hi.

"May I ask what it is we are looking for?" Faye Lin asked quietly.

"I don't know," Aeron replied. It was a pessimistic response but his tone merely stated his honest point of view. The boy pondered for a bit and then turned his attention to the girl. "Do you know which Pokémon starters belong to the Unova region?"

Faye Lin was caught off guard, but her face lit up at the notion she had the means to find the answer that Aeron was seeking. She eagerly pulled out her Pokédex and looked up the trio belonging to the Unova region: Snivy, Tepig and Oshawott. She showed him each Pokémon's picture and hoped that it was enough.

Aeron nodded in acknowledgement and made his way around the vast chamber of crates and cages. Faye Lin tagged along, feeling more secured whenever he was around compared to standing by herself in a massive shadowy room where the assassin girls could come out of nowhere.

There were dim light bulbs on the wall, but they didn't provide enough light. Most of the areas were dark, but Aeron's Noibat was especially suited to that kind of environment. With its perfect night vision, Noir lead the two to where the Unova trios were caged.

First up were the Tepigs, little fire pigs, primarily orange with little embers shooting out of their snouts. Aeron bent down and observed each of them as well as the cage itself. Faye Lin joined him and petted a couple of the Unova fire-types.

"Aren't they cute?" She was reminded of her Fennekin and the joy she felt when she received her partner. She wondered if Aeron ever felt that way when he got his Noibat. Looking at the two, they seemed very close, even if their personalities were polar opposites. Faye Lin titled her head towards him and asked, "May I ask how you and Noir met?"

Aeron didn't respond or even look at her. His cold demeanor raised a barrier telling people that he refused any small talk. Faye Lin got the message and shrank back to her spot. She understood that he had a job to do and that was his first priority.

Up next were the Oshawotts. They were little otter-like Pokémon with white round heads, sky blue bodies with a yellow seashell attached on its belly. Most of them were wading in a built in basin with water while the rest came up to see the two. As usual, Faye Lin was enjoying herself by stroking the water-type's finely furry head. One Oshawott walked up to Aeron, but the boy didn't give much attention to it unlike Faye Lin. The young heiress sighed at his disinterest at seeing new Pokémon especially starters from other regions. Not many were fortunate to meet them in one place.

After another detailed assessment, Aeron stood up and went to the final cage with little green reptilian grass-types called Snivys. His eyes shifted from one corner to the next, judging each one with utmost focus. Faye Lin knew that it was the last of the trio so there has to be some sort of clue. Otherwise, they were barking up the wrong tree from the start.

With a semi-optimistic smile, she walked over, only to be surprised that Aeron stood up and motioned his Noibat to the end of his extended arm. Noir complied and stretched out a glowing white wing. Like a blade, Aeron sliced an opening in the cage with his Noibat's Steel Wing. The group of grass snake Pokémon retreated to the far end of the cage in fear.

Faye Lin came over and tried to calm them down. With a gentle coaxing, most of the Snivys came over. Only one remained at the dark corner of the cage, curled up nervously in a ball. It was the one that Aeron kept on looking at. The girl couldn't tell what was special about that one, other than it seemed more timid than the rest. Faye Lin tried to call for it, but it was no use.

Aeron reached inside the cage and grabbed the odd one out. It struggled and whimpered while hiding something in its arms and tail. Faye Lin stood up and attempted to calm it down. She collected the trembling little grass snake in her arms, and stroked its slender body.

"We got it. Let's go back..." Aeron declared and began to walk away.

With the now calmed Snivy in her arms, Faye Lin sighed again and watched Aeron walk off. Her eyes fixated on the Black Scythe insignia flickering under the faint glow of the light on the walls. She questioned herself about who he was–what he was, as well as what he meant by the Sky Unit. She clutched the deep blue scarf around her neck and stared momentarily at the wing-shaped pattern stitched at the end, before catching up with Aeron.

End of Chapter 11​

 

Chapter 12: Expanded Perspectives​

Aeron and Faye Lin walked back to the upper deck, with the Snivy now in the boy's arms. It was still trembling nervously with the small parcel secured in its little arms and flimsy tail. Faye Lin kept checking on it occasionally, while walking behind the boy. If she were the one holding it, then the grass snake would be calmer, but then she would have to approach the assassins, which was dangerous since they were very suspicious of her.

When they arrived, Bellatrix shot them a piercing glare and came over to confirm the package. Leiko also went over, curious to know see the mysterious item hidden in the cargo vessel. She found it questionable, at first, that a little Snivy would be the one carrying the item, but Bellatrix saw it more logical since the ship was heading to Unova so nobody would think that a starter hailing from that region would have it. She cursed inwardly that she didn't think of it before. Alice, on the other hand, couldn't care less about it. She was more engrossed in wiping off the blood from her Vorpal Blade after a small argument about her not acting her age. Aeron also explained that it was the odd one out, having seen the starters in groups of six. Only the enclosure with the Snivys had seven individuals.

Thinking it would be best to confirm it with another person, Bellatrix dialed up her Xtranseiver and made a call for Lord Tristan. The screen blinked and the infamous leader of the Black Scythe division appeared. Bellatrix shot another threatening glance over at the boy and the girl he was hiding, before starting her report. "Master, target vessel has been secured, and as for the package, we have located it, but yet to confirm if it is genuine."

"I see..." Lord Tristan clasped his fingers together and rested his chin on top. He pondered for a moment before speaking once again, "And what of my guest?"

Bellatrix narrowed her eyes and reported, "It seems he brought an unexpected companion with him."

"Oh? Is that so?" Lord Tristan's intrigue peaked, his plain smile curved into a sly one. "May I speak with him?" Bellatrix nodded and ended the call so that the Black Scythe leader could call the boy.

In the growing tense night, Aeron's own Xtranseiver rang, jolting Faye Lin who was already feeling very uneasy. The boy clicked the answer button and laid eyes on the man who recruited him for the mission.

"Good evening, my dear boy. How was your first outing in the real world? Was it much to your pleasure?" Lord Tristan chuckled almost inaudibly.

Aeron hesitated in answering. His thoughts flashed back to the wide open sea and then to the bloody scenes that he encountered in every corner of the massive cargo vessel. A moment of freedom led to a glimpse of hell. Letting out a breath of calmness, his last thoughts returned to the blonde girl. He was having doubts whether or not things would turn for the worst.

Lord Tristan took in the boy's silence and shifted his attention to the Snivy curled up protectively in the boy's other arm. His gray eyes peered through his round glasses as he studied the item, slightly hidden by the timid grass snake. He couldn't fully confirm it for himself, but he predicted either way that the other party won't be able to lay a hand on any of other cargo, having the whole vessel taken over by the trio of professional assassins.

Having one matter resolved, Lord Tristan looked over at the boy's shoulder and caught a glimpse of the unexpected guest that Bellatrix was talking about. In the Black Scythe unit, eliminating witnesses were a strict rule. It would be unfortunate if the world knew of an island raising individuals to be merciless assassins. But he had a feeling it was a special case. "May I see her?"

Aeron flinched, feeling a dangerous chill settle in the air around him. He couldn't refuse. Unsurely, he stepped back and ushered Faye Lin to come into view of the screen. His overall expression was composed, but underneath, he couldn't help but wonder what Lord Tristan's judgment will be.

Faye Lin met his silver eyes and pushed back the fear welling up in her chest. Aeron was the only person she could trust at that moment. But this time, she had to face the danger alone. There was no one else, alive, on board to actually rely on, other than her Pokémon. She bit her lip and placed a hand over her heart to calm down herself down before stepping forward. Her aqua blue eyes gazed upon the eccentric man on the monitor. She heard one of the assassins refer to him as master so she assumed that he was the leader of them so he should be feared as someone just as cold and merciless as the female trio near her.

All of a sudden, Lord Tristan laughed and an amused smile appeared on his face. Everyone present on board was caught off guard by the sudden shift in the mood, Bellatrix most of all. Aeron glanced at her and then returned his attention to the man on his Xtranseiver.

Lord Tristan shifted his focus back to the boy. "You may go. Our client is waiting."

Aeron was completely taken aback. He just stood there motionlessly for a second, before snapping out his daze to address the Black Scythe leader. "As you wish, Lord Tristan..."

"Oh, and by the way, your father was looking for you. Better not be caught before the mission is completed," Lord Tristan warned, adding more reason for the boy's composure to weaken.

Aeron nodded and ended the call. Then he faced the assassin trio before him, and bid them farewell. Bellatrix, having felt defeated, turned around without another word. She wanted so badly to swing her scythe towards the boy's head, but then she would get in trouble with her master.

Leiko was also unhappy by the outcome, but she was glad her plaything won't get punished by Lord Tristan. She went over to him with the urge to wrap her arms around him again, but there was a little green Pokémon between them, preventing her from doing so. Instead she leaned over and whispered in his ear, "Till we meet again my little Delibird..."

After Leiko moved back, Alice tucked her Vorpal Blade behind her and trotted over. Before they left Semira Isle, she wanted to socialize more with the boy but when they arrived at the ship, her mind was elsewhere, specifically in her blood-lust killing spree. Now that she had no one to play with, she decided to at least make an impression.

"Birdie nii-chan, you'll play with us again, right?" Alice asked innocently, leaning against her head against Aeron's side as if to show off a cute side, while visibly covered in blood. Her clothes were black so it wasn't that obvious. Her wavy white hair, though, still dappled with crimson stains, like the edges of her pale face.

"Alice, what did I say about acting your age? Aren't you already that brat's senior?" Bellatrix scolded, unable to look at the boy anymore.

Alice pouted and twirled around before approaching the blonde girl, hoping to at least get an interesting reaction from her. From the time the outsider appeared, the youngest assassin knew of the fear flashing in those aqua blue eyes of hers. It was like an on-switch for Alice, to crave for screams and cries of her potential victims.

"Hello? Alice? Don't you dare go psychotic again... It was your fault that we didn't have anyone to ask for the parcel's location," Leiko remarked, after noticing the dark grin and murderous intentions in her companion.

Alice snapped back in an instant and met the boy's gaze instead of the blonde girl's. In her sudden mind shift, she didn't notice Aeron move between her and Faye Lin. By the time she did, she had lost interest in facing a boy who didn't display a sliver of emotion. Her time was up and she daintily made her retreat.

Faye Lin, who was staying behind Aeron, breathed in relief and clutched the blue scarf closer to her neck. She had eluded death too many times and was now on edge every time she saw any of the assassin trio. She was restless and unable to calm down. It was to the point that her exhaustion was growing unnoticed.

Having fully excused from the spot, Aeron grabbed Faye Lin's wrist and led her to the roof where the Hydreigon was resting. The boy approached it and woke it up. Having been disturbed from its slumber, the dark dragon snapped its eyes open and roared in frustration, scaring the girl, the Snivy and even the Noibat who was hovering nearby. But the next moment, Aeron calmed it down with a calm hand. The Hydreigon lowered its main head and growled submissively.

Faye Lin was surprised how Aeron handled such a fierce-looking Pokémon. She wondered if it also belonged to him, but she was unable to inquire when the boy called for her to come closer.

"I can't take you anywhere specific. I'm heading to Nimbasa City in Unova," Aeron explained as he motioned the Hydreigon to lower itself so that the girl could climb on. "According to the map, I'll be passing another place called Castelia City. So I can only drop you off at any of those two cities."

"Castelia City would be perfectly fine," Faye Lin replied, bowing slightly to show her gratitude. She didn't have her sister's address, but she recalled that her mother came from Castelia City, so perhaps, that was the best place to start.

Having gone through her plan once again, she walked up to Aeron and sized up the intimidating dragon beside him. She had never seen a Hydreigon before, but she had read a book on one when she looked up Pokémon in Unova. Seeing one in person was just as fascinating as she thought, in a more frightening sense.

"It'll be better if you ride in front," Aeron suggested as he handed the Snivy over to her. "I don't want to catch you falling off if you accidentally fell asleep..."

"Y-Yes, I believe that is best," Faye Lin agreed with a hint of embarrassment, and mounted on the Hydreigon, with the grass snake Pokémon now settling comfortably on her lap. It was only then that the young heiress realized that it would be her first time flying on a Pokémon. Curiosity and intrigue filled her mind, until Aeron also got on and sat behind her. She flinched and felt her heart thump. Was she just surprised? Or was she just used to staying behind Aeron rather than being in front?

Noir flew down and latched on to his trainer's shoulder. Aeron patted him on the head and made sure he was also secured. Then he moved his arms between Faye Lin and held on to the Hydreigon. "Let's go..."

The three-headed dragon stretched out its triple wing set and took to the darkness of the night. The vessel of nightmares gradually grew smaller as they flew farther and farther away. Above, the sight was breath-taking. Even without the moon, the heavens were alive because of the sparkling myriad of stars streaming across the cosmos. It brought a sense of peace and comfort after the frightening events that occurred throughout the beginning of the night.

Faye Lin gazed upon the beautiful sky, but then shuddered at the cold winds that blew harshly. Unintentionally, she shrank back, slightly bumping unto Aeron's chest. Her heart thumped once again as her eyes moved to catch a glimpse of the boy's face. Under the extreme dimness, she was only able to see his silver eyes, mirroring the color of the stars.

Aeron didn't look at her. His gaze was upfront, towards the direction of Unova, while his mind filled with thoughts of his father. Lord Altair was now looking for him. The boy had caused the man much worry and trouble. His intention was merely to catch even a glimpse of the world outside Semira Isle, and to satisfy an urge to learn about his father. For the past years, he had this unsettling feeling that there was something Lord Altair was not telling him. He never got to ask since he did not know exactly what it is he needed to know.

"Aeron? Have you ever been to Unova?" Faye Lin asked, shifting the boy's out of his thoughts.

"No. It's my first time..."

Faye Lin was taken by surprise, but she managed a smile at the fact Aeron actually responded. "I as well. For as long as I can remember, I have resided in Lumios City in the Kalos region with my father and friends." Her mind flashed images of her home, her father, the servants and the dazzling city that stretched out into the distance from the view of her window. "How about you? Where do you live?"

Aeron paused and pondered before replying, "It's better for you not to know where it is exactly... Just know that I came from the same place as those three."

Faye Lin flinched and became afraid to ask further, her thoughts, however, continued to flood in with questions and worry. Was Aeron going to grow up to be like them? An assassin? But he doesn't seem like the type. In fact, he seemed against killing people. So... will he be alright? Does he have friends? Parents? Is he treated there nicely? He seems to simply endure anything that he faces? Could he be just hiding his pain? What kind of life does he have there?

Faye Lin's face saddened and she leaned against him, listening to his heart beating steadily as opposed to her own that was thumping loud and erratic. It was the first time she had ever been that close to a boy, especially one she barely knew. She just had this urge to comfort him. Was it pity? Or was it because he was her savior, her black knight.

"Are you cold?" Aeron inquired, looking down at the girl, settled between his arms.

"I am fine..." Faye Lin replied, feeling the wave of comfort began to lull her to sleep. She wrapped her arms around the sleeping Snivy to make sure that it wouldn't fall before she succumbed to the full extent of her exhaustion, and drifted into a deep and peaceful slumber.

Aeron felt the shift of the girl's weight against him, confirming that she had indeed fallen asleep. He too, was tired, having only slept a few hours before departure from Semira Isle and a little just prior to the arrival of the cargo vessel. Judging by the situation, it would be some time before he could earn any rest.

To keep his mind off of his growing exhaustion, he shifted his eyes back to the distance where the dazzling stream of stars met the whispering waves of the dark waters. The world was indeed bigger that he could ever imagine. Lord Tristan said that he'd be back before his father would find out that he's missing. Now, the boy had been gone for more than 24-hours and counting. He clicked his tongue, having realized he was tricked. Still, seeing how little he actually knew was in itself a thing of value.

A strong gust blew by and forced the Hydreigon to bank sideways. Aeron's attention quickly focused on his passengers. Reacting swiftly, one hand held on to the dragon while he wrapped his other arm around the girl's waist and laid a hand on hers to ensure the Snivy and the precious package wouldn't be blown away. The girl's hand was cold, and so was his. Aeron was used to the frigid winds when flying but the air temperatures over the sea at night were on a different level. He almost felt thankful that Lord Tristan lent him the cloak.

Faye Lin stirred and murmured in her sleep as she shivered against the chilly air. The Snivy was also feeling the intense cold. Its frail frame trembled in the girl's hands. Aeron sighed inwardly, unsure what to do with the given circumstances.

Noir, on the other hand, knew what to do. He was eager to lend a hand, or claw. Little by little, the Noibat inched along the boy's arm and positioned himself with wings blanketed across their hands, including the Snivy. Noir's gesture was small, but it was enough to shield most of the cold.

"Good job, Noir," Aeron whispered and rechecked on Faye Lin and the Snivy. Their sleep was more peaceful, thankfully. Looking at them, he too, wanted a bit of shut eye, but was unable to. He looked ahead and wondered if there would be land soon.

What will Unova be like? How big is it compared to Semira Isle? It'll be the first ever region he will set foot on. What are the places there like? What will he see? What will he learn? It was somehow overwhelming. After today's trials, he was going to receive his first reward, an encounter with the world he never really knew.

~*~*~*~

Takamoto Estate, Kanto

Neo was staying up late. He had just finished going through some documents concerning the family's dealings with another noble family. It was the usual kind of paperwork that he normally went through, so it wasn't that difficult to settle. Only the matter of quantity made the matter extend further into the night.

Gremio, his butler, entered the room and brought him tea to help him relax before he went to bed. When he saw the amount of paper on his desk, he sighed deeply and reminded his charge about his weak health. He suggested that he should turn it for the night and finish it in the morning. As much as he tried to convince him, Neo merely nodded and thanked Gremio for his concern.

The teen watched his butler leave the room before taking a few sips of the tea. It slowly warmed him up and calmed his mind to the point that he was getting sleepy. He placed the teacup back on the saucer and scanned the remaining amount of documents. There wasn't much remaning, but it was pretty late to continue. In the end, he gave in to Gremio's request and tidied up his desk so he could rest.

Among the files, he noticed Faye Lin's letter which arrived sometime in the afternoon. He smiled and neatly opened it with a letter opener. His thoughts recalled the time they spent during her birthday. Gatherings of noble families were common, but that time, he regarded it as special. He enjoyed Faye Lin's company, just as much as she did his.

Dear Neo,

I wish to express my gratitude for attending my fifteenth birthday. Your presence itself was more than enough of a present for me. It was because of you that I enjoyed it, despite the formalities.

On another note, I also wish to inform you, as my dear friend that I will embark on a Pokémon journey with my Fennekin, Isis. I am uncertain if you agree to my decision, but please understand that I have been dreaming of this ever since my tenth birthday.

As for my father, he is away on a business trip that will last for two months, so that is the only amount of time I have to make my mark on the world. I shall return before my father's return, and surely, I will be able to attend your coming of age ceremony. I will not miss it. I know how important it is to you.

I shall depart the day after my birthday, therefore, when you read this letter, I shall no longer be in Kalos. I will be taking a ship to Unova in order to find my elder sister, whom I wrote to you about before. I am certain you remember.

I hope to have your support and blessings on my journey. I shall write you again, once I settle down in a city. For now, take care of your health, and thank you once again.

Sincerely,

F.L

End of Chapter 12​

 

Chapter 13: Land beneath the Sunlight, part 1​

Takamoto Estate, Kanto region

The old English manor was cloaked in darkness of the moonless night. All but a glow from a small desk lamp, radiating from a window, indicated that a life was still stirring. In a room of books and important documents, a vintage grandfather clock continued to tick back and forth.

With a soft sigh, Neo massaged the space between his brows and placed the letter back on his desk. He had mixed feelings about his friend's decision. On one side, he was glad for her to muster the courage to see the world, and embark on an adventure. It would be quite the experience, having lived in a place with so much formalities and limitations. On the other, she mentioned something about boarding a ship to Unova. Neo knew of the dangers, having lost his parents when they were travelling home by sea. Faye Lin was alone, and not even familiar with the other cities in her home region Kalos, yet she chose to journey to a whole different region. It was something to be very concerned about, yet it was too late to stop her. She was probably already halfway to Unova, if not already there.

There was only one thing he could do. Neo silently prayed for Faye Lin's safety and reached for his tea once again, fearing his mysterious sickness would surface after he felt an ache in his chest. With a long calming breath, he attempted to take a sip, but something felt amiss. The teacup was lighter. Confused, he peered inside and saw that it was empty. Could he have drank it all? But he only took a couple of sips.

"Khehehehe...." A playful cackle echoed in the room as a dark purple figure shifted in the shadows. A smile crept into the boy's features as he turned his revolving chair about and came face to face with a Gengar, grinning mischievously, and beside it was a Lampent, dimly glowing blue. As the cheery mood simmered down, the two ghost-types motioned the boy to his bed and vanished yet again in the shadows.

With a kind smile at his Pokémon's concern, Neo sighed in defeat and stood up. "Very well. I give in."

*~*~*~*~

Faye Lin's eyes fluttered open as she stirred in the warmth of cozy sheets. Her mind was dazed, and her body kept yearning to sleep once again. But something was telling her to get up. The sun had already risen.

When her eyes fully opened, she saw she was lying in a white room with a chair with her bag on top, a wooden desk with a clock displaying the time 10am, a desk with a mirror, a door, a potted plant with pink flowers and a pair of windows with faded blue curtains, billowing in the wind as sunlight beamed down the warmth of the late morning.

Faye Lin sat up and gave out a soft yawn. Her mind was slightly hazy, but she understood that she wasn't at home. So where was she? How did she get there?

Before she could start remembering, a small pink and cream Pokémon with round ocean blue eyes entered through the door. Faye Lin never saw any creature like it. Its large ears flicked as it smiled genuinely at her. Then the door opened wider. Behind the Pokémon appeared a pink-haired lady dressed in a peach-colored nurse uniform with a white apron.

"Good morning. I hope you slept well," the lady greeted with a kind smile, mirroring her Pokémon's.

Expecting a reply, she faced the blonde girl but then noticed the confused expression on her face, asking for an explanation. The kind-looking lady obliged. "You're here in Castelia City's Pokémon center. I'm Nurse Joy," she gestured to herself and then motioned to the sweet little Pokémon beside her. "And this is Audino."

"So I am here in Castelia City?" Faye Lin questioned herself, unsure whether or not she was still dreaming. She remembered leaving home and sneaking in a cargo ship to Unova. Then after she got on board....

"Earlier, a boy carried you in and asked to stay for the time-being," Nurse Joy continued, interrupting Faye Lin's trail of thought. With a short ponder of recollection, she added further, "It was very unusual since it was extremely early in the morning. I was suspicious and reluctant at first, but looking at you two, I guessed you had a long night's travel... So in the end, I prepared two rooms for you."

"I see..." Faye Lin took in the pink-haired lady's words and pieced together the final pieces; the massacre at the ship, the silver-eyed boy Aeron and the long flight to Unova. At the first point, her thoughts desperately nagged to tell the authorities about the incident on the ship, but she managed to control it. First things first, after all. "Uhm, pardon me, but may I ask where the boy is now?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. He left as soon as the sun rose," Nurse Joy answered. "But he did leave you a note." Nurse Joy motioned her Audino and on cue, the pink bunny-like Pokémon walked over with a piece of paper in its hands. "I'll leave you for now, breakfast is downstairs. And your two Pokémon are fully healed and also waiting below. If you want to take a bath, the bathroom is at the end of the hall."

"Yes. Thank you very much." Faye Lin bowed slightly and bid the kind nurse goodbye. The door shut, and once again, she was alone. Her thoughts wandered to a certain silver-eyed boy as she looked down on the folded up paper in her hands. With a hint of curiosity, she unfolded it and began to read.

To her surprise, it only had one line.

Do not speak a word of what happened.

Faye Lin felt a chill crept into her fingertips. The nagging voices became silent. Instead, the horrors she witnessed on board swirled in her mind. Her body began to tremble again, but when Aeron's face, his back cloaked in black flashed in her mind, she gradually calmed down. Then she realized that keeping what occurred a secret was for both their safety. After all, the assassin with the scythe did threaten to hunt them down.

Without a point to argue with that matter, Lin got out of bed and tidied her wrinkled clothes as much as she could. When she moved up to her red top, she noticed the blue scarf was still there, though it was loose and merely draping over her shoulders. Did Aeron forget it? Or did he leave it on purpose? She asked herself.

Aeron already did so much for her. He protected her, stood up for her. He took her safely to Unova and even arranged for a room for her to sleep in. Faye Lin felt disappointed in herself for being so weak and burdensome. She told herself to find a way to return it, and at the same time, thank him properly.

After taking a shower and getting changed, Faye Lin went downstairs and approached the counter where Nurse Joy was. As she walked, her eyes continued to gaze at every corner of the vicinity. She heard a lot of things about Pokémon centers, but she never got the opportunity to go inside one. The machines around looked really complicated. She wondered how they work or what purpose they serve.

"Here are your Pokémon..." Nurse Joy handed over a couple of pokeballs to the girl, who gladly accepted them with smile of gratitude.

Unsure how effective Pokémon centers were, Faye Lin sent out her two Pokémon and checked them if they alright. Twin crimson matters shot out and materialized on the spotless floor tiles. Isis jumped up and grinned happily, while Freya cocked her head to one side and raised a paw as if to say hello.

Awed and satisfied, the blonde girl laughed and scooped up her furry duo. She was glad they were fine, after the intense time they had yesterday.

They had brunch in the waiting room, where various trainers and Pokémon either came in, sat down, stood around or left. To many, it was a common sight, but to her, it was all very fascinating.

Afterwards, she went up to her room and tidied her belongings in preparation for her departure. Her plans: Find her sister and return Aeron's scarf, after finding him first. She packed up her clothes and neatened the contents of her bag. Surprisingly, it felt more spacious compared to when she left home. It was only then that she recalled her Togepi egg. Aeron's Noibat snatched it away when they were at the cargo hold. She never got the chance to get it back. Now, the girl had more reason to find the boy.

~*~*~*~*~

Meanwhile...

Aeron was making his way to route 4, a road connecting Castelia City to Nimbasa City. He had continued on foot after he left the Pokémon center in Castelia City, figuring that his father would find him easily if he travelled by air. Noir and the Hydreigon were now asleep in their pokeballs, after Nurse Joy treated them, after she offered to. The Snivy was also treated, but since it didn't have a Pokéball Aeron had to carry it with. It was fine since he had to keep an eye on the parcel, still persistently held by the grass-type.

When Aeron was nearing the outskirts, he breathed out and calmed his thoughts. It was nearly over. The long urban trek was an overwhelming experience for him, as a person, who was used to looking down with a bird's eye view. For the first time, he felt the sheer size and difference of a place called a city.

The smells, the sounds, the sights were all new to him. There were barely any trees and plants. The earthy soil was covered in thick gray pavement. Rows of massive skyscrapers towered over him in every direction, almost covering the grand blue sky. Many even rivaled the height of Zephyr Pillar. Truly, he was no longer in a world like Semira Isle.

The streets were bustling. Various kinds of people pass him by, paying not much heed to him, as they were busy with their own agendas. Aeron also gave little attention to such strangers, seeing as they knew nothing of his origins. He barely stood out anyway, without the ominous black cloak, and only a Snivy in his arms and plain brown knapsack over his shoulder which carried his necessary supplies.

Upon, reaching route 4, he was greeted by whipping sandy winds. He immediately shielded himself and the Snivy, and wondered what place he arrived in this time. It wasn't as grand as Castelia City, more like a sever downgrade. Many buildings where under construction, or at least left that way. The roads were completed, though. The urban noises and smells lingered, but at least the cool blue sky was more visible, giving him a hint of easiness.

Aeron checked a small piece of paper with the directions to the client. The rendezvous point was in route 4, near the boundaries of Castelia City. It wasn't long now. His part in the mission was almost over.

He continued onwards, but he took out his goggles to protect his eyes, and the Black Scythe cloak to wrap the Snivy around with. The timid little grass snake found his gesture reassuring and comforting. But any means of trying to express gratitude was muffled in the whistling winds. All that it could do was nestle deeper into the ebony sheet and hug the parcel more tightly.

After a short walk, Aeron arrived at the doorstep of a three-story building located at the corner of the road. Pulling his goggles over his head, Aeron breathed out and eyed the area cautiously. Other than the billowing breezes, it was quiet. Nothing out of the ordinary so far. He held the Snivy securely in one arm and knocked thrice.

The door creaked open with no one behind it. Aeron proceeded to come inside and scanned the vicinity. It looked abandoned, with walls barely painted, floors cracked and dust settled in the corners. The boy peered through each room until he found a staircase and decided to head to the next floor. Upon reaching the 2nd level, he saw there was a humanoid Pokémon, seemingly waiting for him.

It stood at the end of the wooden hall, avoiding the warm light of the sun, peering through the window panes. With discerning eyes, Aeron studied the tall gothic Pokémon for a few moments and approached. He wasn't familiar with its species. It looked feminine with its long black dress, adorned by a series of white ribbons that matched the one behind its teardrop-shaped head.

The humanoid stared back at him with its piercing blue eyes, but once the boy was near enough, the Pokémon turned away and ushered him to a door which opened with a stroke of its hand. Aeron could guess it was a psychic-type since there was a bluish energy radiating from its dainty hand. He nodded at it for acknowledgement and entered the room.

The gothic Pokémon followed him in and shut the door behind it. Aeron faced front and saw a man, clothed in a formal business attire with a white mask covering his face. He was standing firm with arms crossed. There was no one else present. The room itself was nearly empty. The only purpose it held was the transaction.

"You are from Semira, I presume?" The man inquired, presenting a parchment with appears to be the contract that Lord Tristan had. It had the Black Scythe's insignia stamped on nodded and unraveled the black cloak, revealing the Snivy and the package. He placed the grass-type starter on the wooden floor and stepped back.

Nervously, the grass snake looked back at Aeron and then to the tall man in front. Gulping, it shrank back and wrapped its arms around the item, as if to hide it. No matter the situation, it seemed determined to protect the item.

The man stared down at the little green creature and snapped his fingers. Immediately, the gothic Lolita-styled Pokémon used its psychic powers and pried the item away from the Snivy who struggled off the ground, but was inevitably separated from the parcel.

The masked man held the mysterious item in his hands and dismissed the boy. "Your work here is done."

Aeron bowed dutifully and prepared to leave, but his eyes caught the sight of the Snivy approaching the man, with the package still in its sights. He wondered about its attachment to the item and what will become of it after this.

The man looked down at the grass snake and motioned his Pokémon who was still standing behind the boy. The Gothitelle came over and glared down at the Snivy with the same cold air as its trainer.

"It seems it was convinced that if ever the package made it to its destination, it would be rewarded with a chance to be taken in with a trainer," The gothic Pokémon, after reading the Snivy's mind, explained through telepathy, in which Aeron was also able to hear.

"So that's why..." Aeron whispered to himself. He thought back when he first saw the Snivy. It was seventh individual in group of six. And basing on its personality, it didn't seem that good with socializing with humans and Pokémon. But its yearning was able to show through by its protectiveness over the parcel.

"I have no use for a grass type, especially one as weak as this..." The man declared and turned around. "Grass-types have several weaknesses compared to other starters, which is why they are rarely chosen. And furthermore, this particular one, seems extremely feeble. Not many would want a Pokémon that can barely stand up for itself."

That man's words struck the already trembling Snivy hard. With tears welling up, it shut its eyes and attempted to erase what it heard from its thoughts. But the words continued to echo and haunt its mind. Part of it though, wanted to prove him wrong. Mustering its courage, it raised its head to try and defy the man, but it was lifted off the ground with a psychic force and tossed aside like worthless trash.

"You can do whatever you want with that thing. Just get it out of my sight..."

Without batting an eye, Aeron nodded and picked up the Snivy that landed in front of him. After another bow, he took his leave and exited through the door. On the way out, he could feel the grass-type's fragile frame, crying and trembling in his arms. His eyes softened slightly as he wondered what he should do with it at that point.

Once outside, Aeron placed the Snivy on the dusty pavement and stood by. Individuals at his level weren't allowed an additional Pokémon unless they were seniors. And besides, he was from the sky unit, a group specializing in flying-types. What would he do with a grass-type?

The Snivy was severely crestfallen. Its hopes were riding on the package and now that it's gone, what else could it do? Would there still be someone to take it in? There was a young trainer in front of him. The Snivy decided to try for one last time. Still tearing up, it looked at the boy with hopeful eyes.

Aeron gazed back at the little creature and sighed. The Snivy's face lit up but then it felt its world shatter when the boy turned around, as if to leave. Disheartened, it slumped back unto the cold pavement and whimpered.

Just as Aeron took another step, a Pokéball burst open and a Noibat flew out, fuming angrily. Noir flopped unto his master's head and persistently clawed his ebony hair. Aeron reached for him, but the purple bat leaped off and hovered near the Snivy who was wiping its tears away. Then Noir landed with a cheerful grin and it flicked it ears around encouragingly.

Aeron turned around and stared at his partner. "Noir, I have no time for games..."

The Noibat shook it head and sat down, defiantly.

Aeron knew what Noir was after, but he must abide by the rules in Semira Isle, and he had no idea how to raise a grass-type in the first place. He narrowed his eyes and attempted to reason out with his Noibat, but Noir continued to ignore him. Aeron admitted that his partner was stubborn and spoiled to the core. He stood his ground and once again tried to call his partner, but he was interrupted.

"Hey! Wanna have a Pokémon battle?" A child with an orange cap and shirt called out to him.

End of Chapter 13​

 

Chapter 14: Land beneath the Sunlight, part 2​

Castelia City, Unova

Peaceful winds blew as Pidoves soared overhead of the urban landscape. Above them, the cerulean sky stretched far into the distance with snow-white clouds feathering its surface. At the very heart, the sun in highest peak, shone radiant beams down upon the region.

With a spring in her step, Faye Lin headed out of the Pokémon center and dove into the grand metropolis. Instantly, the sights took her breath away. Buildings towered all around her. City sounds resonated in every direction. To normal people, it was nothing special, but to her, it was a scene she wished to never forget. When thinking of a dazzling metropolis, she couldn't help but think of Lumios City, but compared to where she was now, her hometown seemed much smaller.

Faye Lin took a moment and indulged in her freedom, before she focused her thoughts on the mission, and that was to find her sister. But, how could she locate a single person in such a massive city? Where would she start? There was only so little she could do in an unfamiliar region. It was only then, she realized how rash her decision was.

"Excuse me? Is there something wrong?" A lady dressed in a dull beige uniform approached her.

Judging by her badge and clothes, Faye Lin assumed she was the local law enforcer. She bowed slightly to greet her and explained her circumstances. The lady, known as Officer Jenny, listened to her attentively. She seemed to sympathize with her wish to find her sister, but she was also unhappy at the fact that Faye Lin didn't have a specific address to locate her. As far as they know, her sister could have already moved out of Castelia City.

The search was harder than she had anticipated. Faye Lin became discouraged at the possibility of not finding her sister. But, she told herself to not give up so easily. She came this far. She exhaled deeply and thought of other alternatives. Officers can't just plainly give away a person's address to a stranger, right?

"Don't you have any friends or other relatives living in Kalos?" Officer Jenny inquired, feeling concerned for the troubled teen.

Faye Lin shook her head, but then she remembered Aeron was heading to Nimbasa City. Maybe, he would help. Scanning the city by air would be faster than walking around in circles. It also beats searching by herself. Not to mention, she did have to return Aeron's scarf. A smile returned to her face. "I have a friend who might be of help... He's heading to Nimbasa City, so I must take my leave before I might miss him."

"How about I drive you to the end of the city?" Officer Jenny suggested as she gestured to her parked motorbike with a built-in sidecar.

Faye Lin politely turned her down, worried that she would bother the Unova law enforcer on her job. Officer Jenny smiled at the young heiress' thoughtfulness, but she insisted that she accepts. After all, she couldn't leave a defenseless girl alone in the big city, especially when it's her first time in Unova.

*~*~*~*

Meanwhile is the sand-filled road connecting Nimbasa City to Castelia City, a battle had just occurred. Aeron crossed his arms and leaned back against a tall metal post, after witnessing a very short bout between a trainer's Lillipup and his Noibat. At first, he tried to refuse the Pokémon battle, but the youngster was insistent. He kept pestering the older boy to fight. The result was a severely one-sided match, with Noir knocking out its opponent with a single Air Cutter.

The young challenger groaned at his defeat and recalled his Lillipup back to its Pokéball. Then he glared back at the purple bat, doing mid-air somersaults and barrel rolls in triumph. He underestimated the older boy after seeing him argue with his rebellious Noibat. At the beginning, he thought Aeron was bad with Pokémon since he couldn't make his Pokémon obey him. But now, he realized he was outclassed. Despite the odds he just faced, he was determined to redeem himself.

"Beginner's luck!" The youngster exclaimed as he pulled out a second Pokéball. "Let's see you go up against my starter!

With a burst of red light, an orange piglet appeared on the dusty pavement. It snorted out tiny flames from its nose and twirled its spirally tail. Noir saw the arrival of his potential opponent and grinned with eagerness. He calmly halted his aerial performance and flew back in position to continue the battle, but the youngster had other ideas.

"Hey, it's not fair to use the same Pokémon, again." The kid pointed at the Noibat, accusingly.

Aeron didn't move from his spot. He merely raised his head and glanced at the younger boy. "There's nothing I could do. Noir is my only Pokémon."

"Then, what about that Snivy?" The boy gestured to the little reptilian-based Pokémon sitting on the doorstep.

The Snivy looked at the youngster with hesitation and then it looked up at Aeron, wondering what he would say. But the words it was waiting for drove a sharp icy dagger in its chest.

"That Snivy isn't mine."

The youngster snickered, knowing full well of the advantage he had if he went up against the grass-type. "You're just scared to admit that, seeing as it wouldn't stand a chance against my partner, Tepig!"

Aeron ignored him, but the Snivy took the boy's words to heart. It was true. Even if it tried, would it even have a chance to prove everyone wrong? Pessimistically, it looked at the Tepig. The fire pig looked very confident and its trainer called it his partner so they were probably a tight team. If the Snivy did step up to fight, would he work well with Aeron? Then again, would Aeron even give it an opportunity to?

The kid continued to taunt the older boy, but it showed no effect. Noir still hovered in place, but waiting around, listening to a noisy kid rant was boring. After a long yawn, he flew back to the Snivy, only to find it standing up and walking towards the youngster and his Tepig.

"Hah! Unlike you, looks like your Snivy has guts!" The boy in orange smirked and looked at Aeron with anticipation. Still, the raven-haired boy remained motionless and uncaring. It made the youngster irritated. "Hey! Don't tell me you're scared?"

Meanwhile, the Snivy listened to the one-sided conversation, waiting for a good chance to make a move. But with each passing second, it grew restless. What was doing? Could it really prove something? Thoughts like that circled in its mind. Finally, it couldn't take anymore. It was all or nothing. Trembling slightly, the Snivy clenched its leafy fists and shifted its sights unto the Tepig. Then without warning, the grass snake Pokémon swung its tail across and summoned a whirlwind of leaves, knocking the Tepig off the ground.

Shocked, the youngster's attention snapped back to his Pokémon. The Tepig roughly landed on the hard pavement, but it didn't look hurt. It was merely shaken up due to having been caught off guard. Nevertheless, it was a cheap shot. The youngster grunted and glared at the Snivy. "No fair! That's cheating!"

Aeron shot them a glance and straightened himself up. Then he began to walk over, much to the Snivy's surprise. The grass-type watched him attentively, unsure of his intentions. Noir, on the other hand, smiled and flew back to the raven-haired boy's shoulders. Happily, he wrapped his leathery wings around Aeron's neck and cooed in a purr-like manner.

"Finally stepping up, are we? Well even if you had the first move, I'm still gonna win! I'll beat you up and completely humiliate you for cheating!" The youngster declared smugly.

Aeron didn't remark. He looked at the Snivy who was staring back at him in shock, then he turned to the younger boy. "What was that move just now?"

"Huh?" The youngster was taken aback. He looked at the older boy in disbelief and bewilderment. At first, he thought Aeron was joking, but the serious expression the silver-eyed teen had proved otherwise. "You've got to kidding me! You don't even know Leaf Tornado?"

Aeron shook his head.

The youngster snapped and cued his Pokémon, ensuing the second battle he was yearning for. "Tepig, use Ember!"

The fire pig leaped into the air and launched balls of cinders from its snout. The Snivy froze at the sight of the incoming attack, but then it jolted out of its daze when Aeron called out to it. Reacting quickly, the Snivy flipped back a couple of times and dodged the fireballs.

"Charge in and use Leaf Tornado," Aeron instructed. The Snivy dove back in and spun its tail around, conjuring a swirling green vortex of blades. The Tepig, still in the air, was caught and rolled like a ball in the whirlwind of leaves.

"Tepig! Use Flame Charge!" The youngster yelled.

The orange pig coated itself in blazing fire, burning the surrounding leaves in the process, and launched itself like a fireball, directly at the Snivy below. The little green Pokémon was hit hard and thrown back across the sandy street. Groaning, it struggled to its feet as its weary eyes caught a glimpse of the black scorch mark on its body. Just after one move, it was already sensing its defeat.

"Can you stand?" Aeron asked, bending down near its level. The Snivy turned its head and met the boy's gaze. "If you want to give up, it's your choice... If you decide to keep ongoing, we can win this."

The word we sparked something within the Snivy's chest. The pain it felt didn't matter anymore. For the first time in its life, it felt confident and believed in. It got back up and faced its opponent who was now firmly on the ground, crouching on all fours.

"Alright. This is what I want you to do..." Aeron whispered to the Snivy who listened with utmost attention.

"Got a plan? Sorry, but nothing can save you now!" The kid motioned his starter. "Alright, Tepig, let's finish them!"

The fire pig Pokémon nodded and darted towards the enemy. At the same time, the Snivy charged in as well, serious and unafraid. Aeron stood up and watched whether or not the grass-type could pull it off.

As both Unova Starters closed in, the youngster shouted his instruction, "Tepig, Ember now!"

The fire-type planted its feet on the ground and unleashed a small torrent of flames from its nose. The Snivy was in the direct line of fire, but it showed no fear or even hesitation. As the flames drew close, the grass snake Pokémon swung its tail in front and summoned an air barrier of leaves. Then it followed with the second half of the revolution to launch itself high in the air, leaving a trail of leaves that slowly sizzled into ashes below it.

"Tepig, use Ember again!" The youngster yelled.

As instructed, the pig-like Pokémon shot balls of fire at the Snivy who was slowly falling back to the ground. But with another fluid sweep of its tail, the Snivy shielded itself with a wall of wind and leaves. Then it spun around, shifting its tail forward, whipping a wave of air and leaves at the Tepig. Caught off guard, it was struck by the grass-type's assault and was sent tumbling back.

In utter disbelief, the youngster grit his teeth and commanded his starter, "Tepig, Flame Charge!"

Grunting, the fire-type burst into a blaze and leaped into the air like a cannon ball. Aeron met the Snivy's eyes and nodded. The grass snake nodded back and shifted its attention back to the Tepig who was closing in dangerously. Acting quickly, the Snivy straightened its body and dove smoothly to the ground, evading the attack. Then upon touch down, it spun its tail rapidly and conjured another Leaf Tornado, trapping the fiery Tepig within the vortex of leaves and cinders.

The kid watched his Tepig being tossed around in the cyclone. The leaves in the Snivy's attack were gradually disappearing into ashes, but so was the fire protecting the Tepig. The young lad had to think quickly. The enemy was just below his Pokémon. "Tepig, use Ember!"

The fire pig Pokémon endured the strong swirling currents and aimed below. Once it locked-on, it launched a big ball of fire. The Snivy saw it coming and adjusted the flow of its Leaf Tornado, making the bottom half of the mini green hurricane as narrow as possible. Maintaining the Leaf Tornado was already taking a heavy toll on its energy. And now it had to accomplish manipulating it. It was a pain-staking task to do, but the Snivy was determined to make it happen.

Remarkably, the fireball slowed down, almost coming to a halt in the middle of the hurricane, and was gradually growing smaller by the second. When the right moment arrived, the Snivy ended the onslaught and whipped a final green energy wave at the opponent. The Ember attack died out instantly like a flame on a candle, while the orange piglet was flung high into the air. And with a loud thud, it crashed onto the pavement and passed out.

The youngster fell to his knees and cried out in exasperation. It was another crushing defeat, even after all that effort he gave to convince Aeron to fight using the Snivy. It was all meaningless. He withdrew his unconscious partner and left, cursing his own actions.

The Snivy heaved heavily and slumped to the ground. It was exhausted, but very happy at its victory. Somehow, it all felt surreal, but everything did happen. It defeat the Tepig. Smiling, the grass-type turned its head to look at Aeron, only to find the boy place a hand on its head.

"You did well," Aeron whispered while crouching down behind it.

Unbelievably, there was a faint smile on the boy's face. It was enough to make the Snivy lit up with happiness. But the tender moment was cut short when the full extent of the grass snake's exhaustion took over. Dizzy, it swayed back and forth and finally fell forward unto Aeron's arm. The Snivy opened its weary eyes and realized where it landed. Feeling contented, it wrapped its leafy arms around the boy's limb and extended long green vines to secure itself further.

Aeron watched the little green Pokémon fall asleep after coiling its whips around his arm. He didn't seem to mind, after all, it listened to him and won the match. After an inward sigh, Aeron stood up with the Snivy settled comfortably in one arm.

"You're amazing with Pokémon..." a familiar feminine voice drew the boy's attention.

Noir's ears perked up and immediately, he leaped off of his trainer and flew over to the owner of the voice. Feeling certain of the arrival's identity, Aeron turned his head and sure enough, he saw Faye Lin walk up to him with a kind smile on her face. He couldn't understand as to why the girl was there. He recalled that he left her in Castelia City because that was where she said she wanted to go.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, and then noticed the woman dressed in a police uniform, standing at the roadside. His eyes narrowed, remembering the instructions he gave to the girl.

Faye Lin was greeting Noir back when she felt the cold atmosphere coming from Aeron. Nervously, she met his gaze and stared deep into his icy silver eyes. She realized he was mad about something. Was he angry that she came all this way to find him and ask for help?

"Is he the friend you were talking about?" Officer Jenny inquired, studying the raven-haired teen. Her first impression was that Aeron had an intimidating air, and the look in his eyes felt dangerous. The boy met her gaze and a heavy chill settled in the air.

"Uhm... Yes," Faye Lin replied, breaking the tenseness with her gentle voice. She stepped in between the two and bowed earnestly before the Unova law enforcer. "Thank you very much for your help."

Aeron relaxed a bit. It didn't look like the girl mentioned anything about what happened to them at sea. It was his mistake to assume immediately. Officer Jenny left a few minutes later, leaving the two in the quiet street. A tenseness lingered, but not as much as before.

Faye Lin breathed and faced Aeron again. "I apologize for troubling you. I simply want to return your scarf and thank you once again for saving my life."

Aeron took back the midnight blue scarf after Faye Lin handed it over to him. He flung it around his neck and looked back at the girl who was standing around, partly troubled by something. "What is it?"

Faye Lin fidgeted her fingers and replied, "Actually, I want to ask if you can help me find my sister."

"...Your sister?" Aeron concluded that was her reason for coming to Unova. But by the looks of things, she wasn't doing well.

"Yes. Her name is Maya. Maya Philomele. Ten years ago, we lived together in Kalos. But after our mother died, she moved back to Unova," Faye Lin explained. Her words resonated with both sorrow and nostalgia.

"Why me? Don't you have other relatives living in Unova?"

"I don't know anyone else I can turn to," Faye Lin admitted, clasping her hands together nervously. "I understand if I seem to be asking so much from you. After all, you've helped me so far..."

Aeron pondered a bit. Somewhere, his father was looking for him. Should he head back to Semira Isle? His mission was over after all-His mission ...was over. It had only sunk in at that point. His contract with the Black Scythe was done. He was now outside of Semira with nothing binding him.

Faye Lin waited for Aeron's decision. Momentarily, she diverted her attention to Noir who was flapping in mid-air, listening to their exchange. Then she remembered something. The second reason she had for locating Aeron. Worriedly, she turned to the Noibat, "Noir, where is the egg that you took from my bag?"

Noir cocked his head in confusion, but then he grinned sheepishly, recalling what the blonde girl meant. Cheerfully, he returned to Aeron, drawing the boy out of his daze, and tugged the knapsack that his trainer carried on his shoulder.

Aeron didn't hear what Faye Lin was after, but he understood that Noir wanted something in his bag. With the slumbering Snivy in his other arm, he bent down and laid his bag on the pavement. Noir landed on the boy's shoulder and waited for his trainer to find the item that he was looking for. Aeron rummaged through his belongings and felt something smooth and round. He didn't recall carrying something like that before leaving Semira Isle.

Faye Lin approached as Aeron pulled out a white egg with blue and red triangle patterns. Immediately, her face flashed with relief and gratitude, and she proceeded to explain the circumstances of how the egg came to his possession.

After listening to the explanation, Aeron handed the egg over and scolded Noir for his rash actions. Faye Lin smiled at the closeness of the two and turned her attention to the Snivy, sleeping peacefully. Her first thought was to take it to a Pokémon center. The closest was in Nimbasa City. Maybe there, they could discuss further how to find her older sister. That is, if Aeron would agree to help her.

"About my sister..." Faye Lin began. "Would you be willing to help me?"

Aeron remembered the subject he was thinking over before Noir interrupted him. He had nothing else to do that he could think of. Also, part of him was curious to know more of the world outside of Semira Isle. Maybe helping a little wouldn't hurt.

"Alright."

End of Chapter 14​

 

Chapter 15: Ever-changing Skies​

Nimbasa City, Unova

After their agreement, Faye Lin and Aeron headed to the Pokémon center in Nimbasa City to talk further. Beyond the desolate streets of route 4 was a new city. Both of them couldn't picture what it would be like, but judging from the lively music echoing in the distance, it would be nothing like they've ever seen.

And they were right.

The bustling downtown setting was replaced with a light and cheerful mood. And instead of silver-gray skyscrapers like those in Castelia City, the buildings in Nimbasa City were less tall, and they came in an assortment of fun vibrant colors. It was like an urban version of a wild flower field. And the biggest attraction stood grandly at the very heart, a giant rotating wheel with Pokéball-shaped compartments.

They walked awhile in the streets and soon located the Pokémon center. Faye Lin went to the counter with Aeron's two Pokémon, Noir and the Snivy who woke up just after their arrival in Nimbasa City. The duo were getting along well with the young heiress, who also in return, was growing fond of them.

Meanwhile, Aeron found a secluded corner in the lobby. He took in a calm breath and turned on his Xtranseiver. With his mission over, he was required to report in to Lord Tristan. He listened to the dial tone while shooting glances at the passing trainers nearby, as a form of precaution.

"Yes?" The voice of the Black Scythe leader drew back his focus. Aeron shifted his silver eyes unto the screen on his Xtranseiver and saw Lord Tristan, enjoying a cup of tea in his office.

"I'm here to report that the item has been successfully delivered," Aeron informed.

Lord Tristan nodded with a contended smile. "Yes, I know. Our client confirmed it hours ago. You did well for your first unofficial job. Your dear father would be proud."

The last part didn't sound like a compliment. It was more like a foreshadowing of some sort. One that made the air tense and heavy. Aeron averted his gaze and wondered. What should he do now? End the talk? He had done what he needed to do so there was no more reason to continue the conversation.

"Lord Tristan–"

"How is that girl you were with?" The redheaded man interrupted while grinning cunningly.

Aeron was startled for a moment. His eyes shifted sideways towards the direction of the counter. He couldn't see her, but assumed Faye Lin was still there. After a small pause, he returned his gaze back unto Lord Tristan and answered him, "She is ...well."

Lord Tristan chuckled. "I see. That's good."

Aeron wanted to ask why the man didn't order Bellatrix and the other two to kill her. Faye Lin was a witness after all. But the words wouldn't come out. He wasn't scared. He just felt like he shouldn't ask about it. So instead, he blurted out the next thing that he was concerned with.

"Shall I head back?"

"You should enjoy your freedom for now," Lord Tristan encouraged with his version of a fatherly demeanor, caring with a dark vibe radiating from his voice. "Think of it as an extra reward for accomplishing the mission ...As for the one we agreed upon."

Aeron recalled the deal: his cooperation for information about his father's connection with the Black Scythe unit. Remembering it again made him restless. Lord Altair didn't seem to have a deep hatred or grudge over the assassin division. He just avoided them as much as he could, as if he was hiding something.

"I shall be waiting for your return in the Shadow Pagoda." Lord Tristan chuckled softly. "Also, if there is anything you need, feel free to ask. After all, you are like a member of the Black Scythe division."

The comment was uncalled for. Aeron felt his blood boil over in an instant. Clenching his fists, he glared at the man. "I am not like you. I am not a member and never will be."

Lord Tristan chuckled amusingly. "Oh, yes. My mistake... That was all in the past."

"What?" His words startled Aeron considerably, to the point his blood turned ice cold. What did Lord Tristan mean? Could he have said that only because Aeron went on a mission to assist the Black Scythe assassins? No. Somehow, the boy felt there was something much more. A voice behind his head was persistently nagging at him. He wanted to know. He needed to know.

"Lord Tristan, just what-*beep*"

The call ended, and Aeron was left staring at the empty black screen of his Xtranseiver, with his questions left unanswered.

"Aeron, I have wonderful news!" Faye Lin rushed over with Noir gliding behind her and the Snivy following closely near her feet. "There was this kind person-Is there something the matter?"

Aeron turned his head towards them. For some reason, he appeared rather pale. Noticing this, the two Pokémon quickly went over to him, with concerned expressions. Noir chirped and landed lightly on the boy's shoulder, while the Snivy tugged his pants and looked up to meet his eyes.

Aeron turned away from them, hiding away any troubled emotions that was possibly showing. His stoic composure faltered after his conversation with Lord Tristan. But with every slow breath, he was steadily regaining it. When he was calmer, he gently patted his partner and glanced down at the grass snake Pokémon. "It's nothing. I'm fine."

Faye Lin didn't know much about Aeron, but after all her personal experiences with feigning smiles and bravados in front of several judgemental aristocrats, she knew when something was up. Slowly, she approached him with a kind smile, "Aeron, would you like to take a stroll with me in Nimbasa City?"

The raven-haired boy looked at her, questioningly, unsure of the girl's actual intentions. Before he could answer, Noir beamed with approval and motioned his trainer to accept the offer. The Snivy also gave an encouraging smile, hoping to help the others in cheering up the boy.

Having presented with no other option, Aeron agreed with a silent nod. They all left the Pokémon center and headed back out to the colorful streets of Unova's entertainment capital.

*~*~*

Since it was past lunchtime, their first stop was at a café serving sweet ice desserts. Faye Lin ordered Magost smoothie with ice cream and the Unova special: a parfait of assorted berries. Aeron was unfamiliar with anything on the menu so Faye Lin recommended the less sweet ones, assuming that the boy was not that fond of sugar. So it was a mini Custap cream pie and a Nanab berry float for him. As for the troupe of Pokémon which now consisted of two additional members, a Fennekin and an Espurr, they shared a large bowl of the Unova Special, seeing as it's not that cold and the healthy variety of berries made it a great choice.

They settled in a long wooden table, under the shade of a large umbrella. Faye Lin and Aeron sat by each other with their Pokémon directly across their respective trainer. On the human's side, the mood was tense because of the boy's constant silence. On the Pokémon's side, however, the four were giving off a bright and cheery air as they happily dug in their food.

Faye Lin tried to break the ice by finding a topic, but it wasn't that easy. Sighing softly she looked to her Pokémon, blissfully enjoying the berry parfait. Then her aqua eyes turned to the Snivy smiling between her Fennekin and the boy's Noibat. Struck by an idea, she faced Aeron's direction. "Have you decided on a name for your Snivy?"

Both Aeron and the Snivy in question stopped eating and directed their attention to the girl. There was a heavy pause in the air, spreading the heavy mood over to the Pokémon's side of the table. But before the suspense could get any worse, Aeron turned away and exchanged looks with the Snivy.

"The Pokémon doesn't belong to me."

The grass snake Pokémon flinched and lowered its head in disappointment. It realized it was too optimistic and all that happened before was merely its imagination. Despite that, it tried to force out a smile in gratitude for the short time it felt happy to have a trainer. Faye Lin and Noir noticed the Snivy's saddened state and was about to speak up, when Aeron interrupted.

"Where I come from, we're not allowed to have second Pokémon. Because if we do, we can't focus bringing out the full potential of our first Pokémon. Only when we are deemed qualified, we can take in a new Pokémon. "

The explanation made Faye Lin and the Snivy understand. It wasn't like Aeron didn't want a second Pokémon. It was just that he wasn't permitted have it. That was the reason. Partly glad, the Snivy's smile widened as it told itself that maybe Aeron was not the trainer for it. Knowing the circumstance, there was no way to force the boy, nor did it want to force itself onto him.

"But that doesn't mean you cannot give it a name," Faye Lin pointed out optimistically, snapping the Snivy out of its daze. "It seems rather fond of you. I am certain that you would make it very happy if you gave it one."

The Snivy's eyes sparked with glee at the suggestion. Brimming with hope and anticipation, it turned its head and met Aeron's gaze. Noir backed it up with a chirp of approval. Even Isis and Freya followed in with smiles and nods.

All eyes were on him. Aeron groaned inwardly. He didn't like being the center of attention. He was used to it in Semira, but the reason was the envy of the people around him. This time, it was different. Everyone was smiling. That's why he found it uncomfortable.

"Noir is French for black, correct? Part of initials are from Noibat as well." Faye Lin figured, hoping to help Aeron find a name, whether he had any actual intentions. "That is quite a difficult name pattern. My Pokémon are all based on the mythological characters that I've read in books." She glanced at Isis and Freya before returning her focus on the subject. "Perhaps we should begin with inquiring the gender?"

All four Pokémon nodded in agreement. Aeron followed a moment later, confirming that he was indeed showing interest in the subject. Satisfied by the response, Faye Lin directed her attention to the Snivy and asked. The grass snake Pokémon answered by shaking its head or nodding.

Result: Male.

"Alright then. Names with Sni or Vy... And they should either be associated with green or a similar shade." Faye Lin thought deeply. The name pattern was indeed very difficult. "Verte? It's French for green."

The Snivy shook its head and glanced over at Aeron who was facing away from everyone. It wanted a name from him, but it didn't seem like it was going to get it. But he was proven wrong the next minute.

"Viridian." Aeron added in, unexpectedly.

Faye Lin giggled softly. The boy showed more interest than she expected. But other than that, she found something else amusing. "Very nice, but it is four times as long as Snivy. It should be shorter, shouldn't it? It is a nickname after all."

The Snivy briskly shook its head in protest. It didn't care about the length. What mattered more was Aeron's effort to even give a name.

Faye Lin's expression softened at the Snivy's innocence. She wanted to agree with it, but the name was indeed longer than it should be. There had to be some way for everyone to come to an agreement.

Then she got it.

"How about Vivi? It's far simpler and more adorable."

It was acceptable. With quick nod, the Snivy smiled and turned to Aeron, with anticipation. The boy didn't meet his gaze, leaving the little grass snake in suspense. The mood began to thicken. The Snivy lowered its gaze and started to think negatively. Did he not like the name? Is he upset? Maybe, Viridian was good enough.

Faye Lin was growing pessimistic as well when she looked over at the Snivy slumped of the table's surface. What else could she do? She sighed and smiled encouragingly at the little grass-type. "Let's call you Vivi for now. Then when the day comes that Aeron can have you, he can give you a proper name himself. In the meantime, you can stay with me."

The Snivy frowned but agreed. It almost forgot that Aeron wasn't going to be his trainer yet. So how long did it have to wait? Should it still wait? What if Aeron finds a better Pokémon in the future? Will he still want the little grass-type?

"Vivi is okay," The boy murmured, burying his mouth in his palm.

Its heart skipped a beat. The Snivy almost couldn't believe it. Its expression shifted dramatically from crestfallen to ecstatic. It stood from its spot and approached Aeron. And with an innocent smile, Vivi placed his frail leafy hands on Aeron's arm and nodded in acknowledgement.

After that, they continued their late lunch. Vivi stayed by Aeron's side rather than rejoining his fellow Pokémon. It was agreed that for the remainder of the day that Aeron would be the Snivy's trainer. When the time comes that the boy had to leave and go back, Vivi would stay with Faye Lin, till the day Aeron comes back for him. The girl even provided him with a Pokéball of his own, since he didn't have one and Aeron didn't carrying any.

Vivi understood the situation. It was saddening but for the meantime, he wished to make full use of the time he had. His first act, since he was far from the bowl of his share of the berry parfait, was taking a bit of food from Aeron, mainly the Custap pie and eating it. The raven-haired teen didn't mind, giving the little grass snake the notion that doing it was okay. Vivi smiled and continued to pick off small portions of the tasty treat.

Noir, who was currently sitting in the corner, with a noticeable gap between him and Faye Lin's Pokémon, was now growing envious. He was the first to encourage Aeron and Vivi to be close, but now he feels like he was being left out. Pouting, the Noibat stood up and made his way over.

Vivi was startled by Noir, but nevertheless, he welcomed his new friend. He scooted over and offered a place beside him. Happily, he watched the Noibat sit down. Then his smile turned to a look of shock when Noir suddenly grabbed a mouthful of the creamy pastry and shoved it down his throat.

Aeron sighed at the sight of the cheeky purple bat and noticed the bits of cream stuck to the fuzz on its face. Without a word, he reached for a table napkin and cleaned his Pokémon, gently wiping near the cheeks, mouth edges and chin. Noir grinned and purred at the gesture while nestling playfully against his trainer's hands.

Seeing the response, Vivi had a sudden yearning to be treated the same. He mimicked Noir and devoured a sizeable portion of the food, purposely leaving cream on its muzzle. And as predicted, Aeron also cleaned him up, despite seeing through the Pokémon's childish intention.

It continued like that until there was nothing left on the plate for the boy. The two rivals realized their mistake and apologized. Vivi was ultimately more sincere and bothered by his actions, while just Noir grinned sheepishly. Aeron didn't say a word and simply patted their heads before finishing his float, which was fortunately left untouched by the duo.

Faye Lin who was watching them attentively, decided not to bring up the topic of what was troubling the boy previously, fearing that it would only ruin the mood. Instead, she smiled and offered to buy Aeron a crepe for take-out. The boy was about to refuse when his two Pokémon cut in and accepted the offer in his place after expressing their gratitude in advance.

~*~*~*~

After lunch, they headed out to see what more Nimbasa had to offer. Faye Lin was in front with Isis in her arms and Freya in her Pokéball after the Espurr decided to take a nap after the meal. Aeron was walking behind with Noir flying over his shoulder and Vivi trailing near his feet. They visited some souvenir stalls and Faye Lin bought an Audino plushie for herself and a Snivy keychain for Aeron. Then they took a ride on the Ferris wheel.

Being in Nimbasa City was exhilarating for Faye Lin. She had never felt so free in all her life. The events that transpired at sea was almost lost in the new fun memories she made. Aeron, on the other hand, has been silent since they left the cafe. He was contented to simply walk around and see the things that never existed in Semira Isle. But partly because he was still dwelling on Lord Tristan's words.

Aeron leaned against the glass pane and looked down on the buildings slowly shrinking below. Noir was watching with him on his shoulder while Vivi dozed off as he leaned against the boy. Faye Lin took seat opposite of Aeron and gently placed her Fennekin beside her. By that time, she had calmed down from all the thrill and excitement. Now, she just wanted to enjoy the sights of Nimbasa from the height of the Ferris wheel.

"Wasn't this fun?" she asked. Aeron didn't reply, his eyes were still glued to the scenes outside the window cab. Faye Lin sighed softly and joined him in the sight-seeing. Looking down, she breathed out and relished the breath-taking scene. But little by little, she grew anxious at the height they were going. She glanced over at Aeron and saw how calm he was. "Do you like being up very high? It almost feels like we're flying."

Aeron shot her a glance and returned his attention outside. The afternoon was slowly descending into the night. His mind went to Semira Isle. He recalled the endless oceans surrounding the massive land that he called home, the forest breeze filling the air and the earthy tower called the Zephyr Pillar. Perhaps, it was time to go back.

"How's the search for your sister?" Aeron inquired.

Faye Lin flinched and faced him. She smiled and remembered what happened in the Pokémon center. "I almost forgot. I was conversing with Nurse Joy concerning my sister, when a kind trainer told me that he knew her. He gave me directions to where she stayed..."

"That's good," Aeron commented plainly. His eyes unconsciously shifted towards the girl and saw her looking melancholic. It was strange. She was happy a while ago. "Something wrong? I thought you'd be happy. You'll be seeing your sister, right?"

Faye Lin collected her partner and clasped her fingers together. "I know. It's what the trainer said that worries me. He told me that he hasn't seen my sister around lately. He did leave Nimbasa a few months ago, but when he returned he never saw Maya even once. I fear she might have left."

"Well, it's worth a look. If she's not there, maybe, you'll still find a clue or two," Aeron said with a hint of optimism, lightening the girl's mood slightly.

Faye Lin beamed and nodded gladly.

Suddenly, the Ferris wheel halted. The two directed their attention to the view outside and saw the night envelope the city. But then the surface lit up like a sea of multicolored stars. Even the bars supporting the cabs of the Ferries wheel streamed with an array of neon lights. Aeron closed his eyes for a moment and looked over at the girl. Faye Lin was in awe. Her aqua blue eyes appeared tinted in the reflection of the spectrum display as she etched the scene deep into her memory.

Noir, who was also enjoying the view, looked over at his trainer and then to the girl. He had grown fond of Faye Lin and knew that Aeron was gradually getting close to her too. Other than Rozalia, his trainer was never close to another girl. Most people in Semira were older than him, and those who were around his age, were avoiding him because he was Lord Altair's adopted son. It was a refreshing change of pace, having a friend whose unrelated to Semira Isle.

The ride ended and the two teens decided to resume the search for Faye Lin's sister. After buying a quick snack, they followed the directions given to them by some trainer and ventured into the residential area, beyond the entertainment center. Aeron and Faye Lin walked side by side with their slumbering Snivy and Fennekin in their pokeballs. Noir stayed close, flying between them, yawning occasionally.

Soon, they had arrived at a small wooden house. The lights were out, the grass was overgrown and the street was empty. Faye Lin clasped her arms, fearing that Maya was no longer living in the place.

"It looks abandoned." Aeron panned the area for a minute and approached the door, much to Faye Lin's surprise. He checked the door and saw that it was locked. He tried the window next and managed to open it. "Let's just check it out. Maybe there's a clue to where she went,"

Faye Lin hesitated but agreed, yearning to find her sister as soon as she could. Aeron slid in first, followed by Noir and then the girl. Dust clouds flew up when they set foot, but Noir blew them away quickly with a small whirlwind.

After a quick coughing fit, Faye Lin laid eyes on the home of her sister. They were in a place of what seems to be the living room with the other half to be the kitchen which also doubled as the dining room. The lamps were not working, but the light coming from the lamp post outside provided some much needed visibility.

With her heart clenching, Faye Lin's fingers trailed the edges of the old wooden furnishings and door frame leading to a narrow hall. Aeron tagged behind a good distance but observed the girl closely. Faye Lin was used to living in a luxurious manor so it was difficult to imagine her sister alone living in a small house such as that. Absently, she walked further up and arrived at the bedroom where a single bed stood, with sheets tarnished and undone and a small drawer beside it.

"Maya... Were you lonely?" She asked aloud.

Just then her eyes caught a glimpse of small brown notebook lying on the foot of the bed. She went over and picked it up. At close inspection, it seems to be a journal. Taking a deep breath, she turned the pages and saw entries written by her sister. Before she could start to read, she lost the courage and closed the journal.

Aeron stood by the doorway and saw her shadowy silhouette against the light from the window. He waited a couple of moments before approaching. "Aren't you going to read? You might find out where your sister went."

Faye Lin shook her head and sat down on the bed, with the leather book tightly in her hands. "I'm afraid to. All this time, she lived by herself, while I was living in a mansion, surrounded by my father and friends. I should have been there for her after we lost our mother. She's my sister..."

Aeron crossed his arms and leaned against the rusty iron bed frame. "That's right so shouldn't you be looking for her instead of sulking around, feeling guilty?"

Faye Lin flinched and turned to Aeron who was facing the dark empty space of the room. He was correct. Sitting around, feeling sorry for her wasn't going to solve anything. She had to act. Once again, she opened the journal and panned the writings. It was difficult to read under the dim light, but she tried hard to decipher the wordings. She picked off a few words but ultimately, it was hard to read in the dark.

"It's getting late. We should settle in for the night," Aeron suggested as he took a seat on the floor with his back leaning against the bed. "Since no one lives here anymore, I think it'll be fine to sleep here. Unless you prefer somewhere else?"

Faye Lin refused. She decided to stay. It would give her a first-hand perspective of how her sister had been living on her own. She dusted off the sheets and lied down. Immediately, she felt restless. It was unsettling and the lingering smell was strange to her. She glanced around the room to try and fall asleep.

Noir was flying around for a while but then he settled down below the door frame, hanging upside down like a regular bat. He let out a screechy yawn and wrapped his wings around himself. But before he closed his bright yellow eyes, he caught a glimpse of the girl looking at his direction. He shot her a grin and chirped his goodnight.

Faye Lin smiled back and bid the Noibat goodnight as well. She shifted her eyes towards the end of the bed to see Aeron but he was out of view. Nonetheless, she also said her goodnights to him. And usual, she was answered with silence. Despite that, she smiled. Finally, she took one last glance at the night sky from the nearby window.

"Sweet Dreams, Maya..."

Outside, a few houses away, a man in long billowing cloak stood on the rooftop of a building. Behind him was a blue dragon Pokémon with long plane-like wings. Under the shadow of the night, he gazed down at the old abandoned house with his stone brown eyes.

"Aeron..."

END OF CHAPTER 15​

 

Chapter 16: Stalemate​

Takamoto Estate, Kanto Region

The morning after receiving Faye Lin's letter, Neo sat in his room, flipping through mail, worrying about his friend. Along those thoughts, visions of the sea and the night he lost his parents haunted his mind.

Nero, his Gengar and Arana, his Lampent hovered nearby, dutifully watching over him in case his sickness would surface. Whenever the boy would gasp or move suddenly, they would immediately flock to his side.

The stillness went on for a while until it was broken by a knock on the door. Neo turned his revolving chair around and saw his butler, Gremio enter the room with Novus, his father's Dusknoir behind him.

"Young master, you shouldn't strain yourself by worrying about this. It's not good for your health," Gremio warned, closely observing his charge's condition.

"I understand but..." Neo trailed off, thinking about Faye Lin once again as he laid the parchments on his desk.

Gremio sighed. His charge didn't seem to have any plans to settle down on the issue. It was not good for him or the older man for that matter. After all, he was no longer as young as he used to be, being in his late fifties. His hazel hair was now grayed with age, his vision beginning to grow dull and his once youthful face and dexterous hands were now partly scarred in wrinkles. Despite that, he makes an effort to maintain a neat appearance with his silky black tuxedo and clean white gloves.

For many years, he had served under the Takamoto family, beginning from the previous head, Neo's father. And after his charge's birth and his former master's passing, he had remained ever loyal and dedicated to the prestigious noble gamily of Kanto, dutifully guiding Neo throughout his life like a second father.

"If you're that worried, why not go after her?" He suggested with a small chuckle, concluding that it was the only way for his charge to calm down.

Neo's face lit up at the idea. He abruptly stood up from his chair and smiled at his trusted butler. "Prepare to depart immediately."

"Right away, young master." Gremio bowed respectfully.

"...And we'll be taking the yacht, this time around."

The older man flinched. "A-Are you certain, young master?"

"Yes. It'll be alright," Neo answered with a smile filled with resolve.

"As you wish." Gremio bowed once again and took his leave.

Neo mentally prepared himself. Taking the yacht was faster and the crew would only consist of his butler, his Pokémon and himself. Gremio was growing old but he was very much capable, and the yacht itself was not that large. Its purpose after all was for private outings and vacations.

But there was a catch.

The yacht held beautiful memories but it also contained bitter ones. It was the same vessel where Neo's parents were killed. Since then, he had never set foot in it ever again. But now, because he was coming of age, he needed to overcome the memory and live on. It would be a huge step if he accomplished that. And besides, he didn't want to have another run in with the sailors if he charted a large ship.

Feeling calm and partly refreshed, Neo motioned his three Pokémon to make preparations too as he was about to do the same. The three ghost-types nodded and phased out of the room. Neo tidied up the scattered documents on his desk and separated latest Faye Lin's letter. Taking a deep breath, he held it in his hand and made a silent wish for her safety.

Before noon, everything was set. Neo and company arrived at the sea breeze scented city of Vermillion. They headed to the family yacht which was docked and ready to depart. The young Takamoto head took a deep breath and embarked on the elegant ivory vessel. His three Pokémon stayed cautiously beside him in case something happened. Gremio also remained close at the first few steps the boy took on the yacht.

Neo walked around the stern and proceeded to the sun deck, inwardly fighting the visions that flashed at every corner of the vessel. In a blink of an eye, the bright noontime turned into a dark night, the distant chirping of Wingulls were replaced with a piercing screech, and the polished pristine floors suddenly became stained in blood. The boy felt his body tremble and turn cold. His breathing narrowed as he fell to one knee, which was a cause for alarm for those around him.

Gremio was instantly at his side, with a firm hand on Neo's shoulder and a calm voice to call him back from the daylight nightmare. "Young master... Perhaps, it wasn't the best idea to take the yacht."

Neo heaved deeply and glanced around at his three Pokémon and close confidant. It was unaccepted. He had already gone this far. He wasn't about to give in to the attacks that coupled to his condition. Gradually, he got back to his feet and regained his composure. He could still feel himself sweat and his chest pains had yet to disappear.

"Young master?" Gremio called out to him again.

"Let us depart," Neo declared.

Gremio hesitated for a moment, but complied with the young family head's wish. Nero and Arana took the initiative to usher their trainer to his quarters to rest, while Novus remained on the upper deck, gazing at the area where his first owner died.

Time flew as the alabaster vessel surged through the ocean waves. The pale blue sky was gradually glowing with a yellow hue. Even the waters were losing their cool deep sea colors to the setting sun.

Neo had woken up and decided to check on Gremio. He exited his quarters with his Gengar and Lampent and headed to the bridge where his butler was managing the helm. Through the windows, Neo gazed at the glistening golden sea. It was a calming and beautiful sight.

"Young master? How are you feeling?" Gremio noticed his presence and slowed the vessel down. Then he handed it over to his own Pokémon, a Gallade who seemed to be as old as his owner, but was still sharp and skilled as those below his years.

"I'm feeling better. Thank you," Neo answered as he took a seat. His thoughts returned to uppermost level of the yacht and the events that transpired a few hours ago. It was shameful to admit that he had underestimated what would have happened. It had almost been twelve years since that incident, yet the wounds have not fully healed.

Gremio looked down at his charge with a fatherly disposition. "Young master, I'm sorry..."

"Gremio?" Neo raised his head and met the old man's gaze.

"If only I had been there, things would have turned out differently," Gremio continued, his words resonated with much sorrow and regret.

"What are you saying? It was your day off. And besides, you couldn't have saved mother and father... It was more than anyone could handle." Neo averted his eyes and wished he had the strength before to stand up to his parents' murderer. He was only six. All he could do was cower in the corner with his Litwick and Gastly.

Gremio sighed inwardly and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Lade...!"

Everyone's attention turned to Gremio's Gallade who turned the ship and drove it to a halt. Startled, Neo stood up and approached the windows, along with his butler and pokemons. Further away, he saw two massive ships floating in the middle of the ocean. Both were cargo vessels but the other was almost thrice as big as the other. It was strange though. Not one was moving. Something was amiss.

"Young master, we should keep going," Gremio suggested, replacing his Gallade on the helm.

"Wait. Perhaps something happened?" Neo felt strangely uneasy about the situation, like he had a bad premonition, yet chose to confirm it first.

"I apologize, young master, but I cannot allow you to investigate this... It is not our responsibility," Gremio reasoned out as he started the engine. "Also, do not forget, milady is waiting for you."

Neo recalled his main purpose for taking the yacht out to sea. Faye Lin was out there. He needed to confirm that she had indeed made it to Unova. Still, he could feel that there was something not right about everything.

Grabbing a pair of binoculars, Neo motion his Gengar and Lampent to follow, and dashed to the uppermost deck. Gremio reached out to stop him but was too late. He gave the wheel back to his Pokémon and went after the boy.

On the sun deck, Neo ran into Novus who had not left his spot. He acknowledged the ghostly Cyclops and proceeded to his reason for coming. He leaned against the steel railing and peered through the pair of binoculars.

He checked the bigger one first, which was partly hidden behind the smaller ship. His vision panned from the one end to the other, carefully eyeing any details that could provide a clue. Nothing. He didn't see anyone. It was like no one was on board, as if it was abandoned.

Neo breathed in as the premonition grew stronger. Shifting to the second vessel, he scanned the upper levels for any signs of movement. There, he saw three figures walking along the side. It wasn't clear due to the diminishing light from the setting sun, but he could tell that they were all wearing black. The tallest was in front with some sort of long stick, the second one had shorter hair, and the third was the smallest of the three. They didn't seem like sailors.

"Young master! Return to the lower deck this instant," Gremio demanded in an authoritative yet concerned tone. He grabbed Neo's forearm and firmly lowered the binoculars. "Please, young master..."

Neo was bothered by Gremio. His butler seemed more concerned than normal. Hesitantly, he nodded in compliance. But before he could descend the stairway, something happened...

A dark purple glow drew his attention. Neo turned around and saw a massive Shadow Ball coming directly at them. Reacting quickly, he ran back to the center and commanded his three ghost-types, "Nero, Novus, Shadow Ball! Arana use Fire Spin!"

The Gengar and Dusknoir combined their energies and conjured a huge black sphere. Then they hurled it at the first Shadow Ball, just as the Lampent enveloped it in an ominous vortex of blue flames. Both attacks clashed and disintegrated into tiny blue cinders before disappearing entirely.

Neo raised his binoculars again and searched for the origin of the Shadow Ball. In the distance, he saw the previous trio jump down from the cargo vessel and dive towards the shadowy waters. Before he could assume anything, he saw them race towards the yacht on what appeared to be jet skis. But as they surfed closer in a side-winding pattern, it became clearer that all three were females riding on Sharpedos.

At the very front, Bellatrix signaled her Mismagius who appeared above her, flying in the same speed as its trainer. And just as cued, the witch-like Pokémon summoned a dark and gloomy cloud that soon enveloped the luxurious vessel.

Adrenaline was rushing. Neo could feel his heart thumping nonstop. It was painful, but his current focus managed to mask it. He stood in place, scanning the eerily silent surroundings, while his three Pokémon formed a protective circle around him. The Dusknoir watched his back while his Gengar and Lampent guarded his sides as well as his front.

"Cheshire! Use Shadow Claw!" a dark child-like voice pierced through the dark mist.

Neo and his Pokémon raised their guards and anticipated the incoming attack, but they saw nothing through the thick fog. Just as dread kicked in, Nero, the Gengar caught a glimpse of a glowing purple form streaming across the floor towards his trainer. Acting on instinct, he grabbed Neo and pushed him out of the way. The sinister claw shot out of the floor and sliced a three-set cut across the Gengar's back.

"Nero!" Neo called out in horror to see his Pokémon in such pain. His Pokémon were ghost-types, and he was up against opponents using dark-type and ghost-type moves which were super-effective against his team.

Arana fumed and formed a circle of spiraling blue flames around them, driving away the dark mist and setting area alit. Neo rushed back to his Gengar who was struggling to stay aloft. He reached out his hand and steadied Nero down to the floor before bending down himself. The Gengar grinned and managed small snicker to show that he was not as hurt as his trainer thought.

Neo breathed in relief, but only for a moment. He turned his attention to the receding fires and eyed the three figures slowly approaching them. A moment later, three other forms joined them, one in the air and two on the ground.

"Morrigan, Shadow Ball!"

"Chesire, Night Slash!"

"Yue, Feint Attack!"

Another dark energy sphere surged towards them. Neo grit his teeth and quickly instructed his Pokémon, "Arana, use Flamethrower!"

The Lampent obeyed and unleashed a cerulean torrent of flames at the Shadow Ball, disintegrating it into nothing. The next moment, an Umbreon appeared out of the darkness and dove in for the attack. Alongside it was a Liepard with a claw enveloped with the same aura as the Shadow Ball. Neo's Gengar couldn't retaliate in time to protect his trainer, but Novus intervened and stopped the Night Slash with a Thunder Punch while taking the Feint Attack's blow. The Dusknoir was struck back against the steel railing, shaken up and injured, but more than willing to fight back.

Neo readied himself for a counter-attack, but before he could give any commands, a glint caught his eye. One of the mysterious individuals lunged at him, swinging sideward a long staff with a silver curved blade at the end of it. And from the sides, a pair of sharp-edged rings spun towards him. Fear took over. His parents' horrible death flashed in his mind. He shut his eyes closed and waited for his fate.

But nothing happened.

There was a flash. He heard a series of consecutive blade clashes and a sudden crash that made the surface below him tremble. Shaking, he gradually opened his eyes and saw Gremio's Gallade standing over him with the twin chakrams planted midway through the floorboards. He felt relieved, but part of him couldn't believe it. Just then he caught a glimpse of another figure beside the Gallade. He shifted his eyes and saw a person holding back the scythe with a long steel blade.

"G-Gremio?" Neo muttered.

"Forgive me for my tardiness, young master." His butler glanced back at him and then pushed back the scythe-wielder with a smooth swing of his sword.

Bellatrix landed elegantly a few meters away and motioned her companions. The trio regrouped, alongside their Pokémon and stared at the gray-haired swordsman clad in a black tux. A tense silence descended in the atmosphere. With a deep breath, the scythe-wielder approached with her weapon firmly in her grip.

Gremio stepped forward as well, with his long sword in hand. But much to everyone's surprise, he sheathed his blade and declared, "You have no business here..."

Bellatrix drew back her scythe with precaution and eyed the man sharply. "Who are you to say such things?"

Gremio was silent. He removed his right glove and presented an insignia of a red sword tattooed on the back of his hand. "If you know what this means... then you should leave."

The Gallade plucked the metal rings embedded on the floor and threw them back at the redhead behind the tall girl with the scythe. Leiko caught them and exchanged looks with her two companions. After what felt like a long minute, they lowered their weapons.

"Aww... That's no fun." Leiko sighed in exasperation and dragged the pouting Alice behind her. Their two Pokémon also followed as they jumped off the opposite side of the yacht. Bellatrix was the last to leave. She re-positioned her staff on her shoulder and motioned her Mismagius to follow. She shot another glare at the old man and the boy slumped on the floor, before leaping off. The assassin trio descended into the darkened sea and disappeared on their Sharpedos.

Neo was at a loss for words. Those three tried to kill him, like they did his parents long ago. But why did they stop after Gremio told them to? Who were they?

"Young master, are you unharmed?" Gremio approached his charge and looked him over for any injuries. Fortunately, the boy was not hurt. Unlike his two Pokémon, Nero and Novus, but the Gallade was already applying treatment using Heal Pulse.

"G-Gremio... What just happened? Explain." Neo questioned, his gaze not meeting the older man. He was thankful to Gremio for saving him, but part of him was feeling distrustful. What if Gremio knew them? Were they related to the people who murdered his parents? Then, would that mean his most trusted butler knew his parents' murderers but never said a word about it?

"Young master, you've been through a lot. You should rest first," Gremio evaded.

"NO! Tell me now!" Neo demanded, clenching his fist and fighting back the erratic throbbing of his chest. His breathing was shallow and his body continued to tremble out of anger. But his mind focused on getting the answers he wanted.

Gremio gave in and extended his hand out, with the palm facing down. Neo stared at the crimson sword insignia with random assumptions flooding his already chaotic mind. Gremio stayed calm and began, "This is one of six symbols. Each one is different, as different as the person bearing it. I was employed long ago by your father, my first contractor. After you were born, I was assigned to you, and my contract with your father ended."

Neo shook his head. "That's not it... I want to know... about those three... and why did they just leave like that..."

Gremio nodded and continued, "They left because of a law called the Stalemate Agreement. They cannot touch a bearer of a symbol or their contractor."

"Were they...?"

"Assassins," Gremio finished. His eyes continued to study his charge, for any severe signs of his illness. So far, the symptoms were surfacing gradually. But he couldn't stop midway, knowing Neo wouldn't let him even if he forced him to. So he went on. "They were probably on a job when you saw them. Witnesses are an obstacle and are consequently eliminated. That is why they went after you..."

"Were they... Were they related to the people who killed mother and father?" Neo finally brought up the vital question.

Gremio hesitated, fearing of how would his charge react to what he was about to say. He took a deep breath and answered, "Most likely..."

Neo shook uncontrollably. He grabbed Gremio's sleeve as tears ran down his face. "WHY!? You knew who murdered my parents! Why did you hide it from me?! Who are they?! ...Who was HE?!"

"I'm sorry, but I do not know..." Gremio informed, looking down at the boy and placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "The other half of the agreement also entails that I, including you cannot go after the assassins or their contactors."

"B-but... they killed them... Mother... Father..." Neo murmured between sobs. He didn't know what to think anymore. His mind was in total disarray and his breath was growing shorter by the minute.

Gremio couldn't bear seeing the boy he watched over, since he was an infant, in such turmoil. "Young master, I beg of you... You must rest..."

Neo turned his attention to his butler, but still avoided eye contact. "F-Father trusted you..."

Gremio felt his heart clench at the boy's words. But even through it, he didn't falter. "That is why I will do everything in my power to see that you are alive and safe. Now please, young master..."

Neo didn't answer. His grip on Gremio's sleeve slowly loosened, and his body became limp. Everything grew dark and silent. He could no longer breathe. He was at his limit.

"Young master!"

END OF CHAPTER 16​

 

Chapter 17: Uncertainty​

The serene melody of the calm waves filled the sea-salted air with music. The amber sky was painted in a canvas of golden yellow streaks, with the waters mirroring its beauty and the sun disappearing in the distant horizon. Amidst this picturesque scenery, a couple stood by, watching their child play with the water at the edge of the boat.

"Be careful, sweetie..." a tall elegant woman cooed, with an arm wrapped around her husband's.

"Yes, mommy!" The child answered back with an innocent smile as he continued lean over and splash the water around with one hand. Alongside him, were his two Pokémon; one was a cautious candle-like being that hid behind the little boy's leg in fear of getting wet, while the other was a playful purple ball of gas with a vampire grin.

"Neo, that's enough. It's getting dark. Time to go inside. You don't want to catch a cold, now?" His father called, gazing at the boy's shadowed frame with the backdrop of the darkening sky behind him.

"Coming, daddy ..." His son stood up, whisked the water off and trotted over to his parents. And with a joyous face, he wrapped his arms around his father's leg.

The couple laughed softly, as the raven-haired gentleman placed a tender hand on the boy. Truly, it was a picture of a beautiful loving family with many hopes for the future. But as they say, the future is always uncertain.

~*~*~*~​

The sun had set and the moonlit night had begun.

Neo and his parents were having a peaceful dinner inside the yacht. Everyone was all smiles and the room was filled with light and laughter. But all of a sudden, the mood shattered when a shrill cry pierced the air. Everyone froze and exchanged worried looks. Then the vessel shook, knocking over and shattering glasses and plates. Neo rushed to his mother and clung to her for safety, while his father rose and went outside to investigate with his Dusknoir.

A long minute passed.

Then the heavy silence was soon followed by explosions, screeching roars and more shaking. Neo's mother wrapped her arms protectively around the child and shielded him as much as she could from the various falling debris in the room. Nero and Arana, the boy's Gastly and Litwick helped by firing Nightshade at the incoming objects as they remained by the side of the mother and son.

The situation was turning for the worst. Neo started gasping and trembling. "M-mommy... I..."

"Sweetie... Hold on. Your father will be back soon." The lady brushed her son's hair and softly kissed his forehead to calm him down. "For now, you have to be strong... Understand?"

Neo nodded and buried his head against his mother. Loud noises and piercing shrieks continued to rain outside, but he did his best to muffle it as much as he could while thinking of his father. He knew his father was a talented Pokémon trainer with a knack and expertise for ghost-types. It was for that reason, he started raising a Gastly and a Litwick.

"Arrghhh!..."a sudden cry jolted the mother and son. The familiarity of which instantly filled dread within their hearts.

"Mommy! M-Mommy! That was daddy!" Neo tugged his mother dress with tears trickling down his face.

"It's alright sweetie... Daddy is fine..."His mother pulled him closer and nestled her forehead against the child's to reassure him. She tried to stay calm but even she could feel something was not right.

The ominous silence came back. Suddenly, a howling whoosh passed, settling a dark chill in the air. Neo's mother raised her head and saw a large shadow zoom across the window of the room. Fear flashed before her eyes as the winged entity loomed outside with a green aura accumulating above its head.

The next moment, the windows were shattered by an earsplitting screech. Neo's mother shielded him as pieces of glass flew throughout the room. The child sobbed and looked up to meet his mother's gaze.

"M-Mommy?"

"It's alright Neo..." The woman lowered the boy's head to avoid him from seeing her injuries.

*crack* *crack*

A stranger's footsteps drew close, breaking the shattered glass spread all over the floor. Neo felt his mother flinch. He could hear her heart was racing almost as much as his. He raised his head to see who it was, but once again his mother drew him away from the sight.

"Let's just make this quick, okay? I have somewhere to be..."

Neo trembled. It was a man's voice. Definitely not his father. Who was he? Before he try and take a peek, his mother stood up with him safely in her arms.

"I won't let you hurt my son..." The lady's voice resonated with resolve and conviction. She shot a look at Neo's two Pokémon and called out to them, "Nero, Smog! Arana, use Ember!"

The Gastly released an ominous purple haze as the Litwick ignited it into an explosion. The stranger shielded himself as his winged Pokémon flapped its large wings and blew the fire away from its trainer. A moment later, the unknown man opened his eyes, to find the room in flames and the two targets gone.

Under the light of the thin crescent moon, Neo's mother rushed to the upper deck to search for her husband. When she arrived with her son, she saw a person slumped against the steel railing of the sun deck, and an unconscious ghost Pokémon on the other side.

Instantly, she placed her son in a safe corner and told him to stay put, while she rushed to her husband's side. The man was heaving heavily with his clothes ripped and drenched in blood. Neo's mother tore part of her dress and wrapped it around her husband's torso to slow down the bleeding.

Meanwhile, Neo stayed in his spot, gasping and clenching his clothes as his chest pains continued to throb. His two Pokémon remained closely at his side, brooding over what they should do to help while keeping wary of their surroundings.

"Honestly, you all should just stay still. It'll be less trouble for everyone..."

Neo flinched. The stranger had returned. Trembling, he crawled out of his hiding place and took a peek. What he saw, scarred his young mind with never-ending nightmares. His mother was struck back with swing of the man's long Katana blade, while his father was struggling to move as a tall creature pinned him down with a claw as it screeched and stretched its wings outward.

The child's eyes shifted back to his mother, sprawled motionlessly in a pool of red liquid. "M-Mommy?"

"Oh? Did I miss one?" The man's voice sent a chill down the semi-conscious head of the Takamoto family.

"N-No... Leave him alone..." He pleaded, desperately trying to break free from the winged Pokémon's sharp claws. "Y-You can't t-touch him... He's a contractor."

"Is that so?" The stranger walked back and waved tip of his second Katana in front of the other man's face. "Sorry, that only applies if you show proof of it."

Despair and fear overcame him. Neo's father struggled frantically, but to no avail. His strength was rapidly fading from the blood loss. He clenched his teeth and looked up at the assassin who gave his Pokémon a signal. On cue, the creature roared and dug its claws deep into the flesh of its prey, forcing a blood-curdling scream from the victim.

"Daddy!"

Neo ran out of the corner and laid eyes on the mysterious stranger. He was tall, clad in a long black cloak, with long twin blades, dripping with blood, in his hands. The child froze in fear and slumped to the surface of the deck. His heart raced erratically and with each throb dealt a stabbing pain in his chest.

"...M-Mommy? ...D-Daddy?" Neo called out as he looked at his parents, silent and still on the crimson-dyed floor. They didn't answer and he couldn't move anymore to come to them. He could barely breathe or focus his vision. Everything was growing blurry and all he could hear was the throbbing of his own heart. His consciousness was fading into the dark He brought his knees up and buried his head in between. He didn't know what else to do.

His Litwick and Gastly rushed over to his side but was forced back by the stranger's Pokémon who instantly took to the night sky with a thunderous beat of its wings.

The assassin walked closer and loomed over the fragile frame of the child. He could hear the boy heave and sob. He could also tell how much he was trembling. But it didn't matter to him, as long as his target wasn't going to escape. He stretched out his blade drenched in blood and took one last look at the child.

Neo embraced the silence and raised his head to have one final look. Through his blurry eyes, he etched the shadowy figure of the stranger in his mind as well as that of the Pokémon flying above them. The last sight he saw was the glint of the blade in the man's hand as it swung towards him. He closed his eyes as his remaining strength vanished.

~*~*~*~​

"...Nnghh."

Gremio could only watch as Neo quivered in his bed, sweat running down his pained face. He knew the boy was having another nightmare, but he couldn't wake him up, even if he wanted to.

Hours ago, they had arrived in Floe Island, the fourth island of the Sevii archipelago, located at the south of the Kanto region. After Neo passed out, Gremio immediately rushed him to his quarters and attached an oxygen tank. Then he drove the back to Kanto because he was unsure how far Unova still was. On the way, they passed the famed archipelago. When Pokémon center came into view on one of the islands, Gremio could no longer wait, knowing his charge needed immediate attention. He pulled over at the beach and brought Neo in.

Now it was late morning. Gremio had not left his charge's side even though he was very exhausted. Nurse Joy came in before, advising him to rest, but he refused. He knew when Neo would wake up, he had many questions in mind. Most he feared he couldn't answer.

Nurse Joy came in again and brought a cup of warm tea for the man. She looked at him worriedly and persuaded him to rest. She had already prepared an adjacent room for him. Gremio thanked her, but shook his head at the proposal.

Just then, three ghost-types phased through the room and settled at either side of the patient's bed. On the right, Arana, the Lampent, moved closer to comfort Neo with her ominous yet warm blue flames, while at the opposite side, Nero and Novus took turns keeping the nightmares at bay with a harmless Dream Eater. At their gesture, Neo's expression grew more tranquil and peaceful.

Nurse Joy smiled and said that the boy had enough company, counting also the Gallade that stood by at the corner of the room.

Understanding her point and knowing his own limits, Gremio gave in and took his leave. He brushed Neo hair for a moment and whispered, "I'll be in the other room, young master. We'll talk again when you wake up... For now, I bid you pleasant dreams."

~*~*~*~​

Residential Area of Nimbasa City, Unova

Faye Lin opened her eyes and remembered where she was. With a stifled yawn, she gazed at the room which was now well lit by the morning sun. The paint was peeling off the walls, the shelves were barren, and the wooden floor was cracked and dusty with a few imprints of footsteps that she left during the night.

As her eyes panned the room, she noticed the door was empty. Noir was no longer there, which lead her to question if Aeron was still around. She cocked her head to one side and peeked at the end of the bed. And as she expected, he wasn't there anymore.

"Aeron?" Faye Lin called.

Hearing no answer, she got out of bed and stepped on a flat object. She looked down and saw her sister's journal on the floor. Her heart missed a beat as she picked up the brown leathery book and stared at it in her hands.

"...Shouldn't you be looking for her instead of sulking around, feeling guilty?" Aeron's voice echoed in her mind, encouraging her.

With renewed resolve, Faye Lin sat back down and opened the pages. Her fingers trembled unconsciously as she skimmed through entries. She noticed that instead of writing Dear Diary, the entries were addressed to their mother.

...I wish you were still alive, mom.

...If only I could turn back time.

...It's lonely, but I'm used to it.

The few phrases caught her eye and pained her heart, but she moved on, determined to find answers as to her sister's whereabouts. Tears welled in her eyes but she held them back. When she reached the final page, a folded up piece of paper fell out. Curiously, she picked it up and shifted her attention back to the journal to read the final entry, which was dated six months ago.

Mother,
I'm going away for a while. I have a feeling this new path will present me with better opportunities for my future. I know you will continue to watch over me from wherever you are. Wherever I am. I'll always think about you. I love you, mom. -Maya

Nothing. There wasn't anything about where she was headed. Did she miss an important part? She turned to the previous pages and scanned the entries. Then she remembered the separate paper that fell out from the pages. Taking a deep breath she unfolded it and stared at its contents.

There wasn't any wordings, only symbols. Six of them: a crimson sword, a green shield, a yellow web, a pinkish-red rose, a black scythe and a blue wing. The last two insignias were familiar. Faye Lin knew them. The black scythe was the same as the one on Aeron's black cloak, and the blue wing was at the end of the ocean blue scarf that he lent her.

So it means that Maya headed to the place where Aeron came from? Where those three merciless assassins also are from? Why? What kind of place was it? Faye couldn't understand on her own. She needed to find Aeron.

~*~*~*~​

Route 16, east of Nimbasa City
For a small breather, Aeron took an early morning stroll with Noir just outside of the house, but then the Noibat wandered off, unconsciously leading to their current location.

The forest park was empty. It was too early, let alone cold for anyone to be around. The morning mist still filled the woods lingering with freshly formed dew. And the sky was much cloudy for the sun to fully warm the land.

Despite that, Noir was up in a tree, munching away any fruits that he could find. Aeron was standing by on the ground, silently observing after refusing a half-eaten fruit from the cheeky purple bat. He glanced at his belt and wondered if he should let Vivi out. Perhaps the Snivy was also hungry for some fruit.

He tapped the Pokéball's side and was about to open it when a whirring noise drew his attention. Aeron turned around and saw a vivid pink stream of energy coming his way. He reacted quickly jumped out of the way, only to bump into something... or someone.

"Didn't I say to report back to me immediately after talking to Lord Tristan?"

Aeron jolted and locked gazes with the man before him. "Father..."

~*~*~*~*~​

​

Along the empty streets, Faye Lin hurried with her Fennkin on the ground, following closely and Espurr wrapped in her arms, helping to track. In her bag, she brought along her sister's journal and the piece of paper with the six insignias.

With Freya assisting with her psychic powers, it was only a matter of time before they reached Route 16. At first, no one was in sight. Faye Lin and her two Pokémon ventured further and came across a newly formed crater on the ground. It appeared that a battle had just occurred. Fearing of what became of Aeron, Faye Lin ran farther and ahead.

There she saw a man clad in billowing desert-brown cloak. He walked up to a blue and white dragon and laid something on its back. Faye Lin's eyes widen when she recognized it was Aeron. He was unconscious and someone was taking him.

"Aeron!" Faye Lin rushed over with her Fennekin in front, ready for battle.

Lord Altair turned about and studied the unfamiliar girl who called his son's name. He assumed that she was someone Aeron met along the way during his unscheduled time away from Semira.

Faye Lin met the man's cold gaze and glanced back at Aeron. He didn't seem hurt but what did the man want with him?

"State your business and leave," Lord Altair said directly.

Faye Lin snapped her attention back to the man and furrowed her brows. "I should say the same about you. What do you intend to do with Aeron?"

"Simple. I'm taking him back..." Lord Altair replied, shrugging off the rudeness that the girl displayed.

Taking him back? Does he mean the place that Aeron is from and one where Maya went to? Is this man from there as well? Faye Lin questioned herself.

Looking at the situation, it seemed like whoever goes to that place, can't easily leave. Faye Lin felt the people there were prisoners and in the future, they will become assassins like those three that murdered everyone aboard the cargo vessel. It was fearful conclusion. Her sister was there. And Aeron, who became her first friend outside of her aristocratic society, was forcibly being taken back. She needed to do something for them both.

"I won't allow it!" Faye Lin protested.

Lord Altair was somewhat taken aback by the girl's courage. She pictured her more fragile, but there was more to her than meets the eye. Then again, she didn't know whom she was dealing with. "I don't care about your objections. I'm taking my leave and I'm bringing Aeron back with me."

Faye Lin studied the situation. The man was surely a strong trainer to have taken down Aeron. There was no way for her to win and escape, given her current power. All she had left was to try and persuade him. "Why are you forcing Aeron to go back?"

Lord Altair stared back at the girl as a pang of guilt settled within him. "Because... That's where he belongs."

Faye Lin shook her head. "Aeron can decide that for himself. He may appear quiet but he is a strong and kind-hearted trainer. He doesn't want to kill anyone. He's not that kind of person and you can't turn him into one."

Lord Altair grew interested when the young blonde mentioned the word kill, leading that she was probably involved in some way with the mission assigned to the Black Scythe unit. But overall, she wasn't that knowledgeable of Semira, so Aeron must've kept most of it a secret from her.

"Aeron... He should be free to do whatever he wants..." Faye Lin felt a bad taste in her mouth as she said those words. Perhaps, it was the fact that she wanted her father to hear those words too. Before, she never had the courage. But little by little, she was growing strong. Someday, she was going to say it to him without fear or hesitation.

"It seems you think you know all about Aeron," Lord Altair commented.

"He's... an important friend of mine," Faye Lin answered.

"I see." Lord Altair studied her more closely. "Would you care to come with us?"

Not expecting that question, Faye Lin flinched and met the man's gaze. "I-I..."

Suddenly, a fuzzy purple bat flew out of the woods with a mouthful of berries. Noir's face lit up at the sight of the blonde girl and her two Pokémon. He flew over to Isis first and handed a Kelpsy berry to her. Then he flew up to Freya and dropped a similar one in her outstretched paws. As for the Faye Lin, Noir gave her a Magost, which he remembered was one of the berries that she ate for yesterday's lunch.

"T-Thank you, Noir." Faye was a bit at a loss due to the appearance of Aeron's partner. Noir was acting all happy-go-lucky while the boy was unconscious and on the verge of getting kidnapped.

Oblivious to the bewildered expression the girl had, Noir accepted her thanks and flew over to the man in the brown cloak, furthering Faye Lin's shock. Even more so when the Noibat was petted by the man before it flew over to Aeron's side, on the back of the blue dragon Pokémon.

"...W-Who are you?" Faye Lin stuttered.

"My name is Altair Zenith, Aeron's father," the man replied.

The shock hit critical mode. Faye Lin bowed her head deeply. "I sincerely apologize for my rudeness. I was unaware of the circumstances."

"I understand." Lord Altair answered. He looked over at the girl once again. Judging by the accent, she was of noble blood. It made the situation a bit more interesting. "Now, about my proposal..."

Faye Lin raised her head and recalled what the man said about coming with him and Aeron. If she said yes, where would she go? What kind of place was it? Would she be able to see her sister?

End of Chapter 17​