In this chapter, we have the conclusion of the battle with Kate. If you're wondering why I keep updating so often, it's because I can't stop right now. Maybe take a break after this chapter, for a few days or so. Anyway, please review!
Darkhammer: Maybe so.
Phantom Knight21: Thanks, yeah, really want to show more of angry Blake.
ReallyRaichu: Go watch Bleach and see what flower petals can do..
Pokemon Academy: Beginning of Beginnings
Chapter 32
"Skitty is the cutest!"
"No way! Glameow are way more classy and cool!"
"You guys are wrong. The cutest one is obviously Floette!"
St. Beatrice's Girl's School was an exclusive private school in Kalos, with young ladies from across the entire region coming there for fine education in elementary, middle, and high school. Several of these young ladies were discussing their favorite pokemon over their lunches.
"Hey Kate!" One of the girls called to an elementary school aged Kate, who had been eating lunch by herself.
"Wh-what?" Kate asked, looking up.
"Which one's your favorite?" The girls all came over to her table and stared eagerly at her, Kate looking down as her cheeks flushed.
"Um… I think…" Kate said, smiling shyly, "I like… Grimer…"
"…Eh? EHH?" The girls gasped in shock.
"Grimer? You mean those ugly, smelly things?" One of the girls asked, pinching her nose.
"Ew, that is so gross!" One girl exclaimed, shivering. "Those things are like… made of sludge, right? And they eat garbage?"
"I-I mean…" Kate said, confused, looking at one grossed-out classmate after the other in search of a sympathetic face. "I just think… poison types like Grimer are cute… they're gooey and fun… I mean…"
Her voice got quieter and quieter as she continued, eventually falling silent in embarrassment, looking down.
"Kate likes poison pokemon?" Another girl laughed. "But they're so gross and weird!"
"God, what a weirdo! I can't believe we have someone like her in our class!" The girls walked off and left Kate sitting there, the mocking laughter echoing in her ears.
"I just… I just like them, is all…" Kate muttered to herself, wiping the tears from her eyes.
"Let's go, Bareru!" Kate exclaimed. "Faint attack!"
Bareru coated himself in dark energy and slammed into Weiss, pushing him back. The attack didn't do much damage, but the Amoongus continued the barrage.
"Weiss, this guy is pretty slow," Blake said. "We can outspeed him, no problem!"
"Sci," Weiss said, nodding. With a flap of his wings he shot into the air, flying toward Bareru.
"Bareru, use clear smog," Kate ordered. Bareru's cap opened and a sickly white smoke billowed out around it, blocking Weiss's vision.
"Weiss, blow the smoke away with your razor wind," Blake ordered. Weiss created a tornado of wind in front of him, blowing the smoke away. But as the smoke cleared, Bareru, who had been in front of the Scizor, had vanished.
"Now, hidden power."
"Sci!" Weiss yelled out in pain as an orb of fire struck him in the back, falling to the ground.
"Whoa! With that fire type hidden power, it seems like Kate had a move to deal with that Scizor after all!" Darla said, surprised.
"But as a grass type user, wouldn't it be better to have hidden power water? For fire types?" Lila asked.
"Not right now, that's for sure," Darla said. "A fire move is just what she needs for a steel type!"
"Nice work, Bareru!" Kate smiled. "Now, let's finish him off!"
Bareru fired another hidden power, but Weiss was too fast. He leapt to his feet and dodged the attack, shooting towards the large mushroom pokemon.
"Metal claw," Blake ordered. Weiss slammed his pincer straight into Bareru's stomach. The large pokemon groaned in pain, but did not succumb to the attack. Instead, he wrapped his stocky arms around Weiss' waist, holding him in place.
"Spore!" Kate ordered. Bareru's cap opened wide, a torrent of green spores falling over the Scizor. As Weiss inhaled the pollen his struggling stopped, and he lost consciousness. Bareru flung him into the ground, standing over him.
"Weiss!" Blake exclaimed.
"Oh no! It seems like Blake's Scizor is asleep!" Darla exclaimed.
"This is bad! He's entirely at the mercy of the Amoongus!" Lila said worriedly.
"Now, another hidden power," Kate said. "Just as our queen did… we'll finish off this Scizor for good!"
Bareru coated the cap on one of his arms with a veil of hidden power flames, and slammed the attack into Weiss's stomach. Weiss soared over the field and crashed onto the ground, Bareru charging toward him.
"Moon!" Bareru shouted, drawing energy into the cap on his head. He held up his arms and fired a double solar beam attack at the Scizor, hitting Weiss at full power.
Weiss skidded against the ground and fell into a pile at Blake's feet, unmoving.
"And it seems that Kate has managed to even things up with a stunning display!" Darla said. "Now both of them are down to their last pokemon!"
"Who will Blake send out to handle this powerhouse of an Amoongus?" Lila wondered.
"Well, it seems you're finally taking this seriously," Blake said, returning Weiss to his pokeball.
"I've been taking this seriously since the beginning," Kate stated, narrowing her eyes. "This is the stage on which I can show everyone that I'm just as amazing as our queen!"
"I see," Blake said, nodding. "And… are you really going to be happy with that?"
"Wh-what?" Kate asked, momentarily taken aback.
"The pain that comes with constantly being compared to someone else…" Blake said, no longer staring at Kate but at a specter of Kanone standing behind her. "It's a hard thing to live with."
"I know that…" Kate said, gritting her teeth. But even so, I… "But even so, I… I decided that I would change myself! To become my ideal!"
"If your only goal is to be like Alcea, then we might as well end things here," Blake said. "I can't acknowledge you as an opponent anymore."
"What was that?" Kate growled, narrowing her eyes.
"I told you before, we're all trying the best we can!" Blake shouted. "But you… you're different. A pokemon battle is a battle between two trainers, with their own convictions, their own goals! Someone who only copies someone else, rather than put themselves out onto the battlefield, no way would I ever acknowledge that person as a pokemon trainer. I came here to fight Kate Nomia, not some girl trying to be something she's not."
"Oh, damn," Callie said, clapping, leaping out of her seat in the viewers' box to get a better look. "That was pretty cool, kinda, don't you think?" She turned back to the other members of the Eight Leaders for agreement.
"Mirar, it's like he's calling you out, huh?!" Raizer cackled, shaking his head. "Can't say I'm disappointed, though! Those words are giving me all sorts of thrills!"
Kate… Alcea though, staring sympathetically at her club mate. No matter how hard I try… Even now… you still keep trying to be like me…
"W-wow, that was quite a… um… declaration, wouldn't you say, Darla?" Lila asked, turning to her partner.
"As a human being, saying such a rude thing to his opponent is disgusting…" Darla said. Her fist was shaking, but her eyes were aflame. "But as a trainer, part of me can't help but agree…"
"Those are some big words!" Kate shouted. "But save them for after you've beaten me! You've stalled for long enough! Now send out your last pokemon!"
"A pokemon battle is a battle between two trainers, with their own convictions, their own goals!"
"Even though she's only a 15 years old, Pokemon Academy Freshman Alcea Vermeil has won the Kalos Cup with a stunning display of her mastery of the grass types!"
I'm not wrong… I'm not. I'm going to win and be just like her… Even someone like me!
"Uni, go," Blake said, sending out his Solosis.
"So it seems Blake's final pokemon is a Solosis!" Darla said.
"True, psychic type moves will be super effective against poison types," Lila nodded. "But still…"
"Toxic spikes!" Kate said. On cue, the poisonous needles erupted in toxic energy, striking the small green blob, infecting her.
"Oh no…" Sango said, shaking her head.
"I've never seen Blake use a Solosis before…" Kitty said, surprised.
"Uni may have the edge due to typing…" Sango murmured, "but she was always so weak before… I wonder if she'll even stand a chance…"
"With the pain from the poison, I doubt that blob will even be able to move," Kate smirked. "Bareru! Use faint attack on that thing!"
"Amoon!" Bareru cloaked a stalk in dark energy and lumbered towards Uni.
"Uni, use reflect," Blake ordered.
"Sol!" Uni bobbed up and down, a strong barrier appearing around it. Bareru struck the barrier at full force, but it didn't give way.
"Solosis is keeping the Amoongus at bay with a powerful reflect attack!" Darla said.
"We'll see about that!" Kate shouted. "Bareru! Hammer away at that thing until it breaks!"
"Amoon!" Bareru struck the barrier over and over again, but Uni's power at creating barriers was strong. She narrowed her eyes and strengthened it with a second reflect attack, repairing the tiny cracks that had begun to form.
"Now, push him back with psywave," Blake ordered. Uni began forming an aura charge around her body and the barrier weakened, but before Bareru could shatter it the wall came slamming into him, propelled by a blast of psychic energy that pushed him across the field.
Bareru came to a stop, mostly uninjured. Kate bit her lip, utterly flummoxed. Even though the poison from her toxic spikes should be coursing through the Solosis's system, she seemed completely oblivious to it. The only clue that she was even poisoned at all was the purple discoloration of her body, but everything else was doing fine.
"If all you want to do is hide behind barriers, then the poison will surely get to you in time!" Kate shouted. "But we won't let it take that long! Bareru! Use solarbeam! We'll blow that thing away!"
"Moon!" Bareru began drawing in energy from the sunlight, charging up his cap.
"She's not the only one who can stockpile power," Blake said. "Uni, calm mind."
"Sol," Uni said, bobbing. She closed her eyes and began focusing power into her body, increasing her psychic powers.
"Fire!" Kate shouted. Bareru slammed his arms together and the caps flared open, firing a solarbeam into a single massive blast of light straight at Uni.
"Uni, light screen!" Blake shouted.
"Solosis!" Uni opened her eyes and began glowing, firing a line of barriers between her and the attack. The solarbeam broke through barrier after barrier, losing energy with each hit. By the time it hit the psychic type it was barely enough to force the pokemon back, and hardly damaged her at all.
"Even my strongest grass move had no effect," Kate muttered, biting her lip. "This stupid pokemon… it should be falling over in agony and yet it's still perfectly fine…"
"Are you wondering how come Uni is doing so fine, even though she's been badly poisoned?" Blake asked.
"Yeah? So what if I am, huh?" Kate demanded.
"The reason why is because of her ability, Magic Guard," Blake explained. "A pokemon with magic guard takes no damage from anything besides moves."
"…What?" Kate asked incredulously.
"Uni might be poisoned… but no matter what you may be doing to her, she's completely immune to it."
"You used a pokemon that couldn't take damage from poison?!" Kate exclaimed. "Why would you… it's because you saw me use toxic spikes before, isn't it?!"
"Yeah, that's part of it," Blake admitted. "But I knew that if I wanted to defeat you, I needed to use a team capable of dealing with poison type pokemon."
"Shut up! Stop calling them that!" Kate screamed, momentarily silencing Blake out of shock. "I'm a grass type specialist, just like my queen… I…"
"You say that, but look at how you've been fighting!" Blake said. "You keep using poison type moves, even when you don't meant to, you set up toxic spikes right away to drain your opponents… Isn't the truth that you really like poison types?! Huh?!"
"No, shut up!" Kate exclaimed. "I don't, I… I love grass pokemon! I'm not some freak who likes poison types, I'm not!"
Blake had absolutely no idea what the hell was wrong with this girl, but it seemed like he had inadvertently brought up something seriously painful from her past.
"I don't get it," Blake said, shaking his head. "What the hell does it matter?! What's so wrong with liking poison types, anyway?!"
"…Wh-what?" Kate looked at Blake for perhaps the first time, utterly confused.
"It doesn't matter what kind of pokemon you like, geez!" Blake said, shaking his head. "If you like a pokemon, then that's enough! Nothing else matters, that pokemon is the best one for you!"
Alcea's eyes widened and she stood up, walking to the window and getting a closer view of the battle.
Those words… they're… she said to herself. …Of course. They're exactly the same as his.
"I don't… what…" Kate muttered, shaking her head. What the heck are you saying? What do you know?! I want to be cool and beautiful like her… like the queen… But I…I…
"Kate's a weirdo! Only weird girls like poison types!"
"Blake… is… can I…?" Kate asked, tears welling up in her eyes. "I won't be…? Weird…?"
She blinked, shaking her head. "Bareru! We have to win! We have to!"
"Moon!" Bareru shouted, charging at Uni.
"If our attacks won't get through, then we'll put her to sleep! Use spore!" Kate shouted. Bareru's cap flung wide, and he sent a wave of pollen at Uni. But the attack had no effect.
"Wh-what?" Kate gasped, her eyes widening.
"Oh no, it seems that Blake's words distracted Kate enough to make a critical error!" Darla said. "Because she's already poisoned, even though the poison has no effect, Solosis can't be put to sleep!"
"This could be bad," Lila said, frowning.
"Uni! Psywave!" Blake capitalized on Kate's misstep, Uni firing a blast of psychic energy at Bareru, forcing him back.
"I… how could I screw up like that?" Kate shouted to herself. "I tried to do what she would do, but I…"
Kate… Alcea shook her head, frowning. You were so distracted you forgot yourself for a moment… and tried to emulate me again…
"It's over now," she murmured.
"If you're poisoned… then fine! It doesn't matter anymore! I have to win… I have to! Bareru! Venoshock!" Kate shouted. Poisonous energy began gathering in Bareru's body and he held his arm up, releasing a blast of venom at Uni.
"Uni, calm mind!" Blake ordered.
"Sol!" Uni closed her eyes and began focusing energy around her, the poison attack striking her head on. Uni fell to the ground, shaking, badly injured.
"And with that powerful poison move, Kate has seized control of the initiative!" Darla said.
"This battle isn't over yet!" Lila agreed.
"Blake…" Kate called out, Blake raising his head to look at her.
"Let's keep going…" Kate said. She was fighting back the tears in her eyes, with a shaky smile on her face. "I'm scared… so scared I'm trembling… But somehow… I can't help but smile… What's the matter with me? I really am a weirdo, huh?"
"We aren't done yet either," Blake said, nodding. "Let's end this, okay?"
"Sol!" Uni floated back into the air, reinvigorated.
"Uni, let's start with a recover," Blake ordered, Uni beginning to restore energy.
"Bareru, you do the same," Kate said. "Synthesis."
The two began restoring their health, but Bareru was the first to move. He charged at Uni, stalk raised. The large mushroom pokemon fired a blast of poisonous energy at Uni, but she was prepared.
"Light screen." Uni followed Blake's command and created a barrier of light to deflect the attack, pushing it towards the poison pokemon.
"Now, psywave!" A wave of psychic energy slammed into Bareru, knocking him back.
"We aren't done yet!" Kate shouted. "Bareru, use faint attack!"
Bareru cloaked himself in darkness, disappearing, reappearing behind Uni.
"Uni, use psyshock!" Blake ordered. Psychic energy crackled in an electrical field around Uni's body, and when Bareru struck the Solosis with his cap, it transferred into his body, the resulting force sending both pokemon flying.
"Solosis!" Uni cried, righting herself first in midair.
"Kate," Blake said, turning to his opponent. "Uni and I have something we have to do, together. We won't lose now. We need to keep going forward. This is the end."
"Not yet!" Kate shouted. "Bareru, get up! Please!"
"Mo-moon…" Bareru muttered, pulling himself upright, focusing venomous energy into his arms.
"Uni! Psyshock!"
"Sol!" Uni cried, firing a powerful bolt of psychic energy right at the poison type, striking him with a blast of psionic power and sending him flying into the air. Bareru crashed down in front of Kate, trembling.
"Bareru…" Kate moaned as the mushroom tried to pick itself up again. He stood, trying hard not to wilt. Uni panted, staring at him, clearly exhausted herself. She wasn't used to fighting battles at all, certainly not against powerful opponents like this. And all the training Blake had given to her in the past weeks wasn't going to change her lack of experience.
"Amoongus…" Bareru growled, lurching towards her, Uni floating backwards fearfully.
"Amoon…" Bareru gasped, his cap deflating as he fell forward. "…Gus…"
"Bareru…" Kate whispered, looking at her unconscious pokemon, falling to her feet.
"Kate's Amoongus is unable to battle!" Darla announced.
"And that makes all three of her pokemon defeated!" Lila cheered.
"And you know what that means, right, Lila?"
"What, Darla?"
"It means that Blake is the winner!" Darla declared, the crowd going wild.
"I… I lost…" Kate murmured, returning Bareru to his pokeball, her vision beginning to cloud with water. She turned her head in sudden realization, staring at the box where the Eight Leaders were watching from. Her highness… she… she saw me… I lost so shamefully… right in front of her…
The tears she'd tried so hard to hold back came pouring out, and Kate ran off the battlefield crying.
"He managed to win!" Sango cheered, a wide smile on her face.
"I did it," Blake sighed in relief, Uni floating up to him. He returned to her to her pokeball, looking around at the cheering audience, smiling.
So Blake managed to defeat Kate, and secured himself a place in the top 16! But what about Cynthia? Will she manage to win her battle?