Time to continue the prelude to the Phantom Cup! More people are getting letters in their mailbox, and we'll have to find out what it will mean for them moving forward.

KedharS: Should be interesting, that's for sure.

Aquahaze675: The pokedex is pretty messed up, that's for sure. As for the prize, well, we'll have to see what it could be…

Rosealine gold: Oh, you might be surprised.

Pokemonking0924: Those are pretty good thoughts behind his motivations. Will they bear out? We'll have to see.

Hellraiserphoenix: There won't be anyone from the Ranger Course I don't think, but there will certainly be people from the other courses for sure.

Pokemon Academy: Beginning of Beginnings

Chapter 487

"25 years ago, in the Orre Region, there was a group known as Cipher," Alden explained. "They had a plan, to create pokemon that were more powerful than regular pokemon. They were known as Shadow Pokemon."

"Shadow Pokemon," Maddi echoed. She narrowed her eyes. She had heard that term before, during the final match of the Winter Tag Team Tournament. Vic had shouted it, calling that strong Chandelure used by Caelia Auburn a "Shadow Pokemon".

"Shadow Pokemon," Alden continued, "were powerful, far moreso than regular pokemon. They had stronger power, at the cost of everything they were. Completely obedient tools, that would occasionally lose control and turn violent. Cipher's goal was to use those Shadow Pokemon to take control of Orre, and then the entire world. But thankfully, their plans were put to a halt. As one could imagine, it wasn't the police or the Pokemon Rangers who put a stop to Cipher's plans, but two teenagers."

"So if Cipher's gone and everything, why are we even talking about this?" Tommy asked, rolling his eyes. "This isn't any of our business!"

"You didn't see it," Vic scowled. "The Winter Tag Tournament… that Chandelure was a Shadow Pokemon!"

"Caelia's Chandelure?" Cynthia gasped.

"That's right," Vic said, nodding. She glanced suspiciously at Cynthia. "Keya, you saw it too, didn't you? With your harmonia…"

"…Yeah," the dark-skinned boy nodded. "It… that Chandelure was awful. Just thinking about it makes me want to throw up. I can't imagine, a pokemon like that…"

Cynthia was surprised, she didn't know much about the other members of the Commander's organization, but she hadn't expected Keya to have harmonia like Kitty and Elaina Bishop. And from what she knew of Vic, she did, as well.

"So you're saying that someone is still creating Shadow Pokemon, then?" Ross asked, tapping his finger thoughtfully against his chin.

"They have to be," Alden said, nodding. "And that's not all. Vic…"

"Cipher… has returned to Orre," Vic said quietly, her usually-stern face twisting with discomfort. "When I went back home and saw my parents, my mom told me… about some rumors. That Shadow Pokemon were returning to the streets of Orre. She hadn't seen any herself, but… there were whispers. And my dad, he…"

Her voice cracked and she cleared her throat, quickly returning to her usual, composed demeanor. She sat up straight in her seat and narrowed her eyes into a glare. Not at anyone in particular, just a general glare aimed at the wall.

"Cynthia…" Alden turned to Cynthia, and she flinched, sitting up straight.

"Yes, sir?" Cynthia asked.

"You fought with Caelia in the Winter Tag Team Tournament, is there anything you can tell us about that Chandelure? You must have fought a lot of battles to make it to the finals, did you ever have any suspicions about it before now?" Alden asked.

Cynthia frowned. There was a murkiness in her gut that she couldn't shake. That Chandelure… Caelia was using a pokemon like that?

"She didn't use it," Cynthia began, her voice distant and hollow. "Throughout the entire tournament, until that last match, she never used that Chandelure, not once."

"She didn't use it against Sango and I, either," Maddi nodded. "Which seems odd for a trump card, if Shadow Pokemon are so powerful."

"Hmm," Ross mused. "I wonder why-"

"That… that's not all," Cynthia interrupted him.

"What do you mean by that, Cynthia?" Alden asked, keeping his voice even.

Cynthia took a deep breath, and let it out. She clenched the hem of her skirt. She hadn't wanted to tell anyone, because she was hoping to keep Caelia out of this whole mess between factions as best as she could. But that wasn't an option. Caelia made her choice, and as much as she wanted to protect her sort-of friend, there were serious issues at stake.

"Before the final match… against Blake, and Elaina Bishop… When we were healing our pokemon, the nurse told Caelia that she wouldn't be able to use her Charizard in the final match. And when she did… Sylvia Driscoll came up to speak with us."

That statement elicited some serious gasps and looks of surprise from the others, followed by concern and contemplation.

"Sylvia Driscoll?" Alden asked.

"She gave Caelia this pokeball, it was like black and purple, and I'm assuming the Chandelure came from that," Cynthia said.

"Why didn't you tell us this before now?!" Vic demanded.

"Uh… because Winter Break?" Cynthia said. "Because I had no idea what 'Shadow Pokemon' were until just now? I'm sorry, but I didn't see any issue with Sylvia giving Caelia a pokemon to use! And after break, I put it out of my mind until just now!"

"That changes things," Alden said, frowning. "If Sylvia Driscoll is involved, then that means the Phantom is involved."

"So you think the Phantom is working with Cipher?" Ross asked. "That seems like kind of a stretch. I mean, none of us were even born yet back then. What would his connection be?"

"My parents were involved with that mess," Vic said quietly. "Maybe his were, too?"

"Aaargh, this is all too damn confusing!" Tommy said, slamming his hand on the table. From where Maddi was sitting it was pretty clear that he had reached the end of his brainpower.

"We need to look at this from the possibility that the Phantom is indeed working with Cipher," Vic said, her expression darkening. "And because of that, well… other Shadow Pokemon might be appearing soon."

"Then this tournament could be a testing ground that the Phantom intends to use to show off his Shadow Pokemon…" Alden mused. An excited smile crossed his face, his eyes shining. He was trembling with excitement. "Newly created, powerful pokemon?! My Sense is throbbing… this tournament, I'm only getting more excited!"

Cynthia was less enthused. But at least for now, she was a little happy that she wasn't invited to this tournament. These Shadow Pokemon sounded like a big problem.

Across campus, Blake had just gotten out of his Pokemon Caretaking class, his face brightening as he saw Ayame.

"See you, guys!" He said, waving goodbye to Sango, Julia, and Kitty as he headed off to greet her. "Aya! Ready for lunch? …What's up?"

Ayame had a complex look on his face. He narrowed his eyes suspiciously, reaching out and placing a hand on her arm.

"Hey, what's the matter, Aya? Is everything okay?"

"I don't know," Ayame said, digging into the pocket of her jeans and fishing out a black envelope. "I… I got this letter. It was just sitting in my mailbox, like nobody's business. It's talking about a tournament that I was invited to…"

"What, like a Pokeathlon thing?" Blake asked. Ayame shook her head.

"No, a pokemon battling tournament, like the ones that you fight in."

"Really? But you aren't in the Battle Course," Blake said, confused. "So why were you invited?"

"I don't know," Ayame said, shaking her head. She handed the letter over to Blake so that he could take a closer look at it. "All I know is that… I think it's being held by the Phantom. The Phantom Cup… that name…"

"…So it's the Daevas, then," Blake said, frowning. He closed the letter and handed it back to her. Ayame nodded her head glumly.

"Blake, what do you think I should do?" Ayame asked. "I mean, I don't use my pokemon for battles… I have a few times, but a tournament… the boss says I should go, that it would be a good experience and help me get a better look at what the Phantom could be planning, but… I'm just not sure."

"…I see," Blake said, nodding. "…I think that's something we should think about over lunch, don't you think?"

Ayame smiled.

"Yeah, let's go. Restaurant, or…?"

"Snorlax Commons," Blake suggested. "It's closer, plus, I want to stop by the mail room."

"Really?" Ayame asked.

A complex look crossed his face, which made Ayame grow concerned.

"Blake?"

"I want to check my own mail," he replied. "This could be… if I get a letter, too…"

"Oh," Ayame said. "I hadn't even thought of that…"

"Yeah, well, probably not, you know?" Blake laughed it off, but he couldn't help the sinking suspicion in his gut. "I mean, with a bunch of seniors, it's not like I'm going to make the cut, you know?"

Ayame wanted to agree with him, but neither one looked like they really believed it.

Blake and Ayame walked into the main building, Blake heading over to his mailbox. He unlocked the slot and pulled it open, and the sinking feeling in his gut was confirmed. He didn't have any mail. He never got any, not from his brother, not from his father, not from anyone. Which meant that, in a box that had been empty all last semester, and should be empty right at this moment, sat a single black envelope, staring accusingly at him.

Blake sighed, and took it out, turning and showing it to Ayame. Ayame sighed as well.

"…I guess we have to postpone lunch, then," Ayame said, knowing that now wasn't the time to eat. She needed to go tell Olivia.

"…So you got one too, Blake?" Olivia asked. "First Aya, now you… I'm wondering if I might be getting one of those envelopes sometime soon."

Olivia had invited Blake and Ayame to her meeting room, where she would often hold court. Right now, though, it was just the three of them. Olivia sat in her nicely decorated (and garish) throne, while Blake and Ayame sat stiffly on chairs, staring warily at her as she planned things out.

"I don't expect very many people in our group to be invited," Olivia mused. "We don't have very many people in the Battle Course in our number. But I suppose it's always possible. Maybe Celia will get one? Or anyone, really… Aya isn't a battler primarily, though her pokemon certainly have the capability. In the meantime…"

"So you think this is another plot from the Phantom?" Ayame asked, sighing. "Great, just what we fucking need…"

"It looks like Richard Valon is making his first move," Olivia agreed. "That letter, it said there would be 16 participants? So with you and Blake that leaves 14… I think we can assume that the Commander received an invitation as well, as for the rest…"

She reached up and rubbed her temples, shaking her head. "What a mess."

Olivia looked up and turned to Blake.

"I'm sorry that you've gotten involved in this, Blake. I understand that, in spite of your relationship with Aya, you've tried very hard to not get involved in my… interests. And I don't mind that, honestly. I'd like to respect your desire to remain an unrelated party to this mess as much as possible, but if the situation calls for it, then…"

Blake didn't say anything, but Olivia and Ayame both saw him tense.

"…I know, never mind," Olivia said, shaking her head. "It was wrong of me to ask that. If you don't want to get involved, you don't have to."

Blake nodded. He was tormented. He wanted to help Aya, but at the same time he wasn't sure how he should go about doing it. He really, really didn't want to get drawn into this war if at all possible. Cynthia and Maddi were both working with the Commander, and it could lead to tension.

"I'll help if I can, but… I don't know," Blake said, shaking his head. "I'm not really a 'big picture' kind of person, I'd like to keep from being drawn in."

Olivia nodded.

"That's certainly your right," she admitted. "Thank you for your candor. Now then-"

A knock on the door interrupted her.

"Aya?" Olivia asked, glancing at her friend. Ayame nodded and rose to her feet, walking over to the door.

"You're expecting someone else?" Blake asked, surprised.

"I sent out an email to all the students under my flag, asking them to come here if they got a letter like the one you and Ayame did," Olivia explained.

"…Hey guys, what's up?" Ayame asked, surprised. Blake glanced over his shoulder. Darla Drake and Lila Seelie were standing in the doorway. Lila had a worried look on her face, her eyes shifting from Ayame to Darla, and Darla herself wore a hard, stony-eyed expression.

Darla didn't say a word, she simply flashed a black envelope with the seal broken to Ayame, causing her, Blake, and Olivia to gasp.

"…Yeah, come in," Ayame said, nodding, stepping back and pulling the door open to let the two of them in.

"You got an envelope, too?" Olivia asked, narrowing her eyes. "Now that's a surprise."

Olivia turned her eyes to Lila.

"Lila, did you-"

"No, I didn't," Lila said, shaking her head, her eyes wide with fear. "What… what is it?"

"A tournament." Darla's voice was cold. "Battling."

"What?!" Lila gasped. "Darla, you can't!"

That was intriguing. Blake glanced at Ayame, who shrugged her shoulders and shook her head, her eyes wide with confusion. Whatever this was, she didn't get it either.

"What do you want me to do?" Darla asked.

"Do you want to battle?" Olivia asked.

Darla didn't answer that question with her words, only with a cold glare from her blazing red eyes. It was pretty clear to Blake that she didn't.

"If you don't want to, then you don't have to," Olivia assured her.

"Exactly, Darla!" Lila said, nodding, grabbing her partner by the arm. "Isn't that what you always say? You don't like battling, you like being onstage, with me! So just forget that letter, it's not worth it! Toss it in the trash!"

"…It's not that easy," Darla said through gritted teeth, unable to look Lila in the eye. She clutched the letter tightly in her hand, crumpling it up. But she didn't drop it, either. She was clearly tormented by it, and while Blake didn't know why or what was hidden behind those red eyes of hers, he wasn't fool enough to ignore the look of pain.

"I'll do it," Darla sighed, shaking her head, loosening her grip and lifting the letter up.

"Darla, you don't have to-"

"I do," Darla said, cutting off the Empress's attempt to mollify her. "Look, boss, the thing is… I shouldn't have gotten this letter. I've spent my three years at this school avoiding battles wherever I could, so that I could focus on my appeals. So why the hell did I get it, huh?"

She finally turned back to the others, and Blake could see that while the torment was still on her face, right now she was more angry than anxious.

"Someone who organized this thing knows a hell of a lot more about me than I'd like, and this letter is a message to me in and of itself. So yeah, I'm in. Running away won't get me anywhere, after all."

"Darla…" Lila took her partner's hand in hers, rubbing it gently. "Whatever they know about you, that doesn't-"

"I said it's fine!" Darla said, shaking her hand free of Lila's, her voice clearly more snappy than she had intended. "…It's fine," she corrected, shaking her head. "Fine…"

Blake scowled. It didn't seem fine.

Back with the Commander, things were finally wrapping up. Maddi had already made moves to go, maybe to get a late lunch. She paused at the doorway to the meeting room for a moment, part of her almost considering having lunch with Cynthia, before coming to her senses. She glanced back and saw that Cynthia wasn't coming with her, anyway. She was going over to speak to the Commander and Vic. Maddi decided not to stick around, heading out herself.

"Sir…" Cynthia said, Alden turning to her, picking up on the caution in her voice.

"Cynthia, if this is about the incident with Sylvia, you don't need to worry about that," Alden assured her.

"No, it's not about that," Cynthia said, shaking her head. "It's just… Over the break, something happened, I was fighting someone who was really strong, so strong that I couldn't defeat them, I didn't stand a chance. My pokemon were really badly hurt. And I realized, as strong as I was, I was still not strong enough."

She bit her lip, trying to summon up the courage to go forward and ask.

"Sir… I was wondering if you could help train me," Cynthia asked, her eyes glimmering with resolve. "I need to get stronger, and you're the strongest trainer I know. So if it wouldn't be too much of an inconvenience, I could really use your help in getting stronger."

Alden blinked. Vic glanced at him. The sour look on her face told her that she wasn't exactly happy about this situation.

"…I see," Alden said, nodding. A smile crossed his face. "That's some great Sense you've got there, Cyn! You got it! I'll lend you a hand if you need some help from me! Let's build that Sense up even stronger, you'll be amazing!"

Cynthia brightened, and nodded eagerly.

Maddi had watched the entire exchange from the doorway. A small smile reached her lips and she turned, heading out and leaving the building.

Maddi didn't know what she was expecting to see as she headed into the mail room. It wasn't like she was going to get one of those letters, after all. Not a chance. None.

She told herself that, but she was still worried. There was an anxiousness in her chest that she just couldn't shake, not until she saw that she hadn't gotten a letter.

But she wasn't so fortunate. She unlocked her mailbox and looked inside, and much to her chagrin, she found a black envelope sitting there.

…Me too, huh?

So more people are getting envelopes! Who else will be invited to this tournament?