The games continue, and this one focuses on the warm and fuzzies that come with shipping and couples being happy. So just a nice, sweet little chapter interlude in the game.

KedharS: Can't do everything perfectly, sorry to say.

JoshGamerV: Actually, lots of people do. Just not the people who actually know Dakota, or the people who are starred in it.

Pokemonking0924: Yes, Sango is quite adorable. She's actually getting along with Marion and enjoying fishing quite a bit, now.

Aquahaze675: No, just people who make stuff up like she does, good reporters just report the facts as they stand.

Hellraiserphoenix: I'm glad, there's still fun stuff to come.

Guest: Yes, it's going to be going through the entire senior year. I've made it clear that this is the kind of story that will go on for a LONG time.

Pokemon Academy: Beginning of Beginnings

Chapter 481

Julia returned to her seat with a scowl on her face, in a foul mood after being embarrassed like that by Dakota. She snatched her book back from the girl and shoved it into her bag, her face flushed. It didn't help that she was still wearing those cat ears either. Today had been pretty embarrassing for her. She was about to try and say something, maybe Truth or Dare Nikita to try and embarrass her in response, when she felt a hand on her head.

Julia glanced over and saw Kitty had climbed onto the couch next to her chair, and was reaching over to pat her on the head.

"Nya~" Kitty smiled brightly, Julia feeling her cold heart thawing a little.

"Thanks," Julia smiled, reaching over and patting Kitty on the cheek. She turned to Ayame. "Ayame, Truth or Dare?"

"Dare," Ayame said, feeling a little more relaxed. There was something soothing about seeing the smaller girl comforting the taller girl, especially with them both wearing cute cat ears.

"Give her a good one Julia!" Cynthia, who was currently giving Maddi a shoulder massage, suggested. She was really getting annoyed that no one was backing down from the Truths or Dares, because it meant she was forced to continue being Maddi's servant.

Julia had been planning to give whoever she called on "a good one" before, but right now she was content just being pampered by Kitty, so she didn't mind giving an easy Dare.

"Ayame, I dare you to pretend to be the person to your right for the next 10 minutes," Julia said.

"The person to my right?" Ayame began to glance to her right, when Blake grabbed her shoulder to stop her.

"Wait, first…" Blake turned his focus across the room. "Kitty, can you come over here for a moment?"

"Nya~?" Kitty looked at Blake, tilting her head to the side in confusion, but nodded, dropping her hand from Julia's head, much to the taller girl's disappointment, and scurried over to Blake.

"Cool, Aya, just scoot over a little," Blake said, scooting to the left and wrapping his arm around her waist, pulling her along with him to make a tiny crack in the couch. "Okay, good, Kitty, can you sit here please?"

"Nya~" Kitty nodded, sitting down next to Ayame.

Blake cleared his throat. "Okay, Aya, continue with the dare-"

"You fucking-!" Ayame practically strangled him, her face red turning bright red.

"Hey, you gotta do the Dare!" Cynthia cackled.

"Nya~!" Kitty cheered, raising her hand up and curling it like a paw, rubbing it against her cheek, smiling brightly.

Ayame trembled, grinding her teeth together. She glared at Blake, who was smiling innocently at her, his eyes bright with expectation.

"…You're lucky you're cute," she pouted, not sure if she was talking to her boyfriend or to Kitty.

"Nya~!" Kitty jumped off the couch and ran over to her bag, grabbing another set of cat ears (how many of those did she have?!) and running back to Ayame, handing them over to her, her crimson eyes overflowing with joy.

Ayame took them. Her hands were slowly moving, still not wanting to put the ears on. But the eventually did, sliding it on in front of her ribbon. It was an odd effect, but it wasn't like she was going to try any harder.

She glanced over to Blake, still blushing. Curling her hand into a tiny paw-fist, she raised it and shook it gently a few times.

"N-nyaaa~" she meowed, her voice cracking. She wanted to just die.

Blake clenched his chest, his heart stopping momentarily. He nearly fell off the couch, reaching enlightenment at the sight of his girlfriend's embarrassed face as she played at being a cat just like Kitty was.

He didn't know who to thank for this boon, 10 minutes wouldn't be nearly enough.

Kitty smiled, assured of herself, and returned to her seat, glad that she was able to help. More people in cat ears was nothing but a good thing.

"Ayame, it's your turn!" Cynthia laughed, having a blast again. She might still be forced to serve Maddi, but seeing Ayame pretend to be a cat was definitely raising her spirits.

Ayame sighed. "Okay, Nikita, Truth or-"

"Like Kitty," Blake reminded her. "So you have to act like a cat pokemon."

Ayame hissed at him in response.

"Nya~ Nikita, Truth or Dare, nya~?" Ayame asked, Nikita resisting the urge to burst out laughing at Ayame's cutesy impression of Kitty. Ayame herself wanted to die.

"D-Dare," Nikita giggled, holding her hand over her mouth. She was feeling in a little bit of a daring mood, thanks to the amusement of seeing Ayame act like Kitty. Luckily, she was polite enough to not laugh out loud, but several others were, including her boyfriend.

"I dare you to put a bunch of ice cubes in your panties and let them melt, nya~" Ayame said, the cute perkiness of her tone not making the chilling Dare she had given any more palatable. Nikita flinched, pretty sure she didn't want to do the dare. But it wasn't like it was some horribly humiliating thing or anything, it was just a little bit uncomfortable. But she didn't want to bring down the mood, so she nodded and agreed to do it.

Ayame and Nikita headed into the kitchen, Ayame getting a tray of ice cubes out of the freezer. She cracked the whole tray, Nikita swallowing in fright. Ayame turned to her and smiled, Nikita sighed, pulling out her pants and letting Ayame do her work.

The high-pitched scream "ahiin!" could be heard from the common room. A few seconds later, Ayame skipped out with a big smile on her face, followed slowly by Nikita. The girl was waddling like she needed to go to the bathroom really badly, holding her legs far apart. The troubled look on her face spoke directly to the discomfort she was clearly feeling, causing the group to give her sympathetically looks. She finally managed to make it back to the couch, shivering, and when she sat down she let out another yelp and nearly leapt from her cushion, the ice cubes shifting in her panties.

"Calm… huuu… huuu…" Nikita took several deep breaths, focusing on mind over matter, too dazed to remember it was her turn to go, until Cynthia cheerily reminded her.

"Uh… yeah…" Nikita mumbled, her mind a million miles away at the moment. "Maddi… Truth or Dare?"

"Truth," Maddi replied, not interested in the least at getting ice cubes shoved ANYWHERE.

"What, um, what's the dumbest thing you've ever done around your friends?" Nikita asked.

Maddi rolled her eyes. "Agree to play this game, probably… ow!"

Maddi whirled around to glare at Cynthia, who had just given her a wicked pinch in the back of the neck and was now scowling back at her.

There would be no point in giving Cynthia a Truth or Dare, though, because she had to be Maddi's maid either way. So there was no reason for her to accept either. Besides, she had a more interesting idea in mind…

And she still needed revenge for getting dressed up in a cheerleader outfit.

"Dakota, Truth or Dare?" Maddi asked.

"Truth," Dakota snorted, rolling her eyes. "I always tell the truth, after all."

"What are three things you like about Akira and three thing you hate about Akira?" Maddi asked. Dakota opened her mouth to respond, and then paused, shutting it again. She tapped her finger to her chin in contemplation.

"THREE things I like about him?" Dakota clarified.

"Yes, three."

"But that's so many!" Dakota whined. Maddi shrugged her shoulders, obviously not caring about Dakota's difficulty. Dakota pouted, glancing at her boyfriend, who wasn't exactly the most enthusiastic sort about her attitude.

"You can start with the things you hate, first," Maddi offered.

"Oh, pft, that's easy! Number 1, he never lets me have any fun, always getting in the way whenever I'm trying to get a good scoop," Dakota said, counting off on her fingers. "Number 2, we never do anything! He's always like 'no, I can't go on a date with you today, I need to train my pokemon' like, come on, I know you're entering the Battle Course but like… I have needs, too! And Number 3, he's always bothering me, making fun of me, not taking my career as a reporter seriously!"

"That's because YOU don't take it seriously," Akira clarified. "You're not a reporter, you're a sensationalist gossip."

Dakota scowled at him.

"That's what reporting is all about!" She protested. Akira rolled his eyes in response. She gestured to him, glancing at the others for confirmation. No one wanted to get involved with this feud, averting their eyes.

Maddi smirked, leaning back in her seat and enjoying herself.

"Okay, what about the three things you like?" Serefina asked, not all that happy about where things had gone with this discussion. She wanted Dakota to focus on her more positive feelings for Akira, not just the bitterness the two shared with each other.

"Things I like," Dakota mused, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Hmmm, things I like… what do I like about Akira? Man, that's a real stumper…"

"Dakota!" Serefina chided, giving her friend a scowl. Dakota lowered her head sheepishly, understanding that she was being a little too rude. She glanced at Akira, and sighed.

"I like that you stand up for yourself," Dakota admitted. "You're so tough and strong-willed, you won't ever do what I want. It's what I hate about you, but you wouldn't be you without it, it makes it so much fun to tease you, watching you butt heads with me… I can't help but love it."

Akira wasn't sure that was a compliment, but the warm look in her eye still made him feel good about things.

"Next reason, you always look after me when I'm feeling down," Dakota continued, blushing a little. "I mean, I know I'm always right, and I know I don't NEED any help, but, well… sometimes it's really nice to know that if I slip up and feel miserable about things… that you'll be right there for me. Ready to help, or even just lend a shoulder to lean on. That part of you, how reliable you are, it's why I didn't want to stop at just being the girl who teased you, but… I actually wanted to be with you. See you smile at me, so we could be together…"

"So I'm a tool to make you feel good, huh?" Akira asked dryly. Dakota stuck her tongue out in response, putting her hands on her hips.

"And finally," Dakota said, "Because you always make me laugh. Whether you mean to or not, whenever I see you, when you're smiling, you bring a smile to my face, and make me feel like laughing with you. And that's what I want from now on. To enjoy myself with you, and for both of us to be smiling. Even if it means I have to tease you to do it."

Her expression softened, her eyes glistening with emotion as she placed her hand over Akira's. Akira averted his eyes, blushing with embarrassment. He hadn't expected her to be so genuine about this, it was embarrassing right here in front of everyone.

Serefina was practically squeeing with joy at the sight of the two of them getting along. She had to dig her fingernails into the couch cushion to keep from hugging the both of them and gushing with joy, settling instead for looking warmly at the duo.

Maddi was less enthused. She had wanted something salacious, but instead she'd just caused some heartwarming moments. Maybe she should have just stuck with the hate. Oh, well.

"Aren't they cute together?" Blake asked Ayame, pointing at the couple as he turned to his girlfriend.

"Nya," Ayame opened her mouth and hissed at him in response.

"You know, Aya, you could at least try to enjoy it, like Kitty is," Blake said. "I believe that was the requirements of the dare? To act like her?"

Ayame sulked, her cheeks scarlet as she rubbed her head against him, leaning down into his lap the way Kitty was doing with Callie. It was more than a little embarrassing to be given a lap pillow by her boyfriend, until Blake's fingers tickled her hair. He was petting her. His touch was so gentle and soft, it just made her want to…

"Prrurrrr…" Ayame hummed. Her eyes snapped open and her face went pale as she realized what she'd done. She turned to glance up at Blake, who was staring back down at her, wide-eyed.

"I-I…" Ayame stuttered, hiding her face in shame after having inadvertently purred in response to Blake's petting. There was no way she would ever be able to live this down. It didn't help either that Blake was staring at her like she was the most adorable thing he had ever laid eyes on.

"My turn!" Dakota cheered. "Callie! Truth or Dare?"

"Humm…" Callie glanced up from Kitty, thinking. "Dare!"

"I dare you to let one of us pluck 10 of your eyebrows!" Dakota dared her. Callie made a sour look, but it wasn't that big a deal. She shrugged.

"Sounds good, but who's gonna do it?" She asked.

"I have tweezers," Giselle volunteered, reaching into her purse. As an aspiring member of the Appeals Course, that made sense. She walked over to Callie as Cynthia sulked, watching the two of them. Why did no one give any good Dares anymore?

"Ow!" Callie said, wincing a little when Giselle plucked her eyebrow. She did that a few more times, and soon enough 10 were done. A rather easy Dare, all things considered. "Anyway, my turn! Nick, Truth or Dare?"

"Um, hmm…" Nick wasn't sure what Callie wanted him to say. She looked eagerly at him, her eyes sparkling. Nick decided that the only reason Callie was in the dress she was in was because she had trusted him enough to take a Dare, so he could afford her the same. "Dare."

"Make out with me, please!" Callie said, hopping to her feet and rushing over to him, glancing up at him with her eyes filled with excitement. Nick turned bright red at her proposition.

Cynthia rolled her eyes, another nothingsauce of a dare.

"Uh, Callie, that's…" Nick glanced at her, but he couldn't resist the hopeful look in her eye. She really wanted to make out with him, even if it was right in front of everyone. He nodded.

Nick leaned down and pressed his lips against hers, his body heating up as he felt the softness of her lips against his. He felt her hands slide up his collar to tangle themselves in his hair, feeling her pull him closer into the hot kiss. He wrapped his arms around her slender, tight figure and pulled her closer himself, her body so-

"Ahem, I think that's enough," Serefina said, clearing her throat. "You guys are practically dry-humping, just so you know."

Callie and Nick pulled away from each other, faces flushed, and glanced down. They had clearly gotten a little too into things. They shared an awkward look and quickly parted, sitting down on the couch with a sizeable distance between the two of them. Kitty pouted at losing her petting pal.

"Nick, I think it's your turn," Cynthia reminded him, wanting to speed things up so that they could get more Dares in, hoping someone would snap. Maddi was now forcing her to feed her grapes, and she was starting to regret all of this. But no, Serefina's photos were certainly worth it.

"Blake, Truth or Dare?" Nick asked.

"Dare," Blake said, not wanting a repeat of his last Truth.

"Okay, I dare you to order a pizza, with exactly what I list on it," Nick said. "Then, you have to eat a slice of it."

"What about the rest?" Blake asked.

"I don't know, feed it to Sango or something," Nick shrugged. Sango's cheeks turned red with a mixture of anger and embarrassment. What was THAT supposed to mean?!

"Hey! I won't eat ANYTHING!" Sango exclaimed.

"We'll worry about it later," Nick said. "So, you in for it?"

Blake nodded, pulling out his phone, and calling the 24-hour "build your own pizza" place on the island. He and Ayame had eaten there a few times, considering her love of (Italian Region) cuisine. Although it was really more like Unova cuisine.

"Yes, I'd like a large pizza with…" Blake looked at Nick for his cues.

"Blue cheese," Nick began, Blake repeating everything he said, "as well as black olives, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, red peppers, shredded Spoink, diced Magikarp, ginger, yes, ginger, spinach, and then for sauce, can you make it ranch sauce and barbecue sauce?"

Blake paused, listening to the worker's reply, and sighed.

"Yes, both of them, together. That's right. …Yes, I am aware that your restaurant serves food."

Nick smiled, this was going to be good. Cynthia was also smiling, certain that when the pizza arrived, Blake would back out of the dare and secure her freedom!

"While we're waiting, I guess it's my turn," Blake said. "Aya, Truth or Dare?"

Ayame glanced at her phone, holding her hand up to stop him from continuing. "…And 10 minutes! Ha! Done!"

She took the cat ears off, and walked over to hand them back to Kitty. At least she wasn't so insensitive as to fling them off joyously.

She glanced back at Blake, smirking. "Truth, obviously. Think I'm going to let you Dare me back into those cat ears?"

"Okay, Aya, how did you feel about me pampering you like a cat pokemon?" Blake asked, smirking. Ayame's face turned bright red, not expecting that.

"Fuck you," she muttered.

"Wow, it made you want to fuck him?" Cynthia giggled. Ayame shot her a death glare. She turned back to Blake, unable to keep a straight face, or even look him in the eye.

"Well, Aya?"

"It… it made me feel really good, okay?!" Ayame admitted, not liking the fact that she had enjoyed being treated so sweetly. "I-I felt like a pampered princess! What are you making me say?! Forget I said that right now!"

"No, never," Blake said, grinning at her. She turned bright red and looked away, unable to put up with the joy in his eyes at seeing her embarrassment.

"Jerk," she pouted, sitting next to him. She crossed her arms in front of her chest and turned away, not willing to let him see her face out of spite.

"It's okay, you don't have to be a cute kitten for me to pamper you," Blake assured her, placing his hand on her shoulder.

And why did he always have to say such sappy, perfect stuff?! Fuck!

Aww, there was a lot of flirting and romance in this one, just a little bit of casualness. But what will the pizza have in store for Blake? What else will arise from this game?