บท 41: A Dark Bliss

A faint memory slowly shines in the inner dark memories of the young Katsuragi. He couldn't tell what it was but the words of his father's warnings many years ago were intact in a distinct memory.

"Don't go to my office, this is your last warning Yoake!" His father's angered voice shouted to the innocent boy. He was furious to say the least, he doesn't want any of his kids to enter his office yet this boy, Yoake, annoyingly tries to.

"But papa-! Owww!" The boy cried as his father dragged him off to his room while pinching him. His nails slowly dig deeper into the boy's skin and he was crying and pleading to his father for forgiveness but it was no avail.

He threw him to the floor and gave an angered look to the boy.

"Try to enter my office again and I'll cut both your arms and legs off." He said as he closed the door and locked it on the outside, leaving the pained, tearing and whimpering kid in his room alone in the darkness.

He may have parents to provide food and shelter for him but the essence of family was absent. He may have a father but not a dad, He may have a mother but not a mom, the only person he considered family is his sister, who was also trying to survive this household but even then, they sometimes fought each other. There was no family in the Katsuragi, just a group of people sharing the same blood and roof.

Back in the present time, Yoake began to remember his dark life that he tried to shun, from the abuses of his mother and father, to the fear of outsiders. There was only one true family that Yoake knew, and that was Leaf, she nurtured and rehabilitated the kid to become a functioning member of society but it was torn to shreds after the betrayal. He accepted the loneliness that he has to pursue in his two years of hermit life, he may leave the house every now and then but he has to wear a mask, to cover the pain and sadness in this kid's eyes but that mask was slowly being lifted after Claudine entered his life.

"Yoake, are you alright?" Claudine worriedly asked the trainer as he was spacing out in the bus ride. She can sense the facade in the trainer's head, loomy memories that opened as soon as their battle earlier ended.

"Is there something wrong?" Ren asked her rival. The two were worried about him throughout the entire bus ride.

"Oh? I'm fine, don't worry." He assured the two. as he continues to look out in the window.

"You sure? You've been quiet throughout the ride plus, Claudine can read your thoughts." Ren doubts that her rival is fine as she can sense the depressing aura radiating through the scene.

"Ohhhh, right. Forgot about that." Yoake scratched his head after realizing that his inner thoughts can be sensed and read by Claudine. Even though she rarely looks at his thoughts, this was very worrying.

"Yoake, is there something bothering you?" Claudine asked him.

"I'll just tell you about it later." Yoake sighed as he continued to look at the window out sighed as he felt the warmness of his scarf try to comfort him from his dark thoughts.

'It'll be alright.' a feminine voice echoed through his head as he was being assured that everything will be alright.

After the bus ride, they went to the condo and were greeted by their guard.

"Oh, Long time no see Mister Katsuragi. How was your adventure? Are you now the champion? Is that your friend? Girlfriend perhaps? And I might say that little Ralts grow to become a fine Gardevoir." His guard greeted him. He was agitated and his words were flying through the air as he missed the trainer.

Ren and Yoake giggled after hearing the words from the guard.

"We're just friends. Besides, we're too young." Ren said as she assures the guard that she has no intention of being more than friends to the young Katsuragi as she knows that he has a significant other that he has promised to, a long time ago.

"Okay then. Oh by the way, Mister and Miss Katsuragi left earlier and they said that Yugure is in the studio practicing for her upcoming performance next week." He said.

"Alright then." Yoake said as he led the two to the elevator and headed to their penthouse.

"So, this is where you live, damn." Ren was surprised as she looked around with awe. She was surprised at how lavenous the Katsuragi estate is.

"Yeah." Yoake sighed as he placed the keys on top of a drawer.

"Imma just call Leaf." He said as he grabbed his phone and dialed Leaf's phone number. While calling for his former babysitter, the two, Ren and Claudine decided to sit on the sofas as Ren continued to look around with awe.

"I've never realized how beautiful this place is." Claudine uttered as she glanced at the beauty of the living room. It was heavenly as the atmosphere of the place is warm, soothing and relaxing as the pure whiteness of the walls and blackness of many furniture cultivated the place into a realm with colors of only Black and White.

"Hey, what's up?" Leaf asks the trainer after picking up the phone.

"So, my parents aren't here right now, and I don't think I can access my dad's office, since you know…." Yoake told Leaf as he wasn't sure if he would dare to lay a finger on his father's office after the amount of warnings he got from his father.

"I see, well, have you tried contacting your grandfather?" Leaf suggested to the trainer.

"Grandfather? I Have a Grandpa?" Yoake repeated as he was shocked that he has a grandfather.

"You don't know you have a grandpa?" Leaf asked the trainer as she was surprised after hearing this news.

"No, My parents didn't mention any of my grandparents. Well, where is he right now?"

"He's in Unova right now, well, he has a Unovan Citizenship and you are technically one-fourth Unovan. Plus, he's the CEO of Emerald City in Unova."

"Emerald city? Isn't that the most famous hotel in Unova? Grand and Luxurious."

"Yup. He might pass it to you if you're at the right age…. so, you might have a good future in the coming years." Leaf joked to the trainer.

"I see. Well, do you know his contact number?" He asked Leaf.

"Sadly, no. But I think there might be a contact number."

"Alright, Thanks Leaf." He said as he ended the call as he sighs with relief knowing that he has a grandfather that might explain everything about battle bond.

"Okay then. Time for the apple to return to the tree." He said as he returned his phone on top of a desk and began finding the number on where he could call his grandfather.

'Why didn't mom and dad talk about my grandparents?' Yoake thought.

He sighed as he realized that his parents might have a darker history than he thought. He only knows their occupation but never realizes why they are busy 24/7 in the first place.

He thinks for a moment, trying to understand the bits of pieces he's receiving. He decided to walk to his father's office door as he tries to master up the courage to open it and to know the secrets that his father has been hiding for so long. His hand grabbed the knob of the door and slowly turned it to open the door.

'Try to enter my office again and you're dead to me!' the voice of his frustrated father that is tormenting him in his head.

All of his courage disappears as he releases his hand from the knob with utter disappointment to himself. Fear got the better of him.

"Ren, let's go to Saffron city." He told his rival as he walked back to the living room. He saw the two, Ren and Claudine having a nice conversation on the table but he decided to interrupt them as he gained the urge to take his sixth badge.

"What? Why? Don't you think we should learn about Battle Bond first before competing so you can unlock its full potential?" Ren argued.

"I'll understand it along the way. I must be strong first before knowing the truth." He stated.

"Come on. Sabrina is waiting for us." He continued as Ren and Cladine stood up and left the penthouse, leaving Yoake on its entrance.

Looking around as he sees a colorless house where the Truth and Idealism slowly reveals itself to the young trainer. He was living in a world of Black and White but as he continued his adventure, his world changed for the better, colors of happiness, friendship and courage but all were sucked by the tormenting color of his house.

He locked the door and didn't look back.