Lot of drama going down in this one. Lot of drama, some light romance, maybe even some kissing? Who's to say? Review!

Aakareo Kokokuhikari: It should be pretty good.

KedharS: Responsibility is hard for some people.

Just a Bad Writer for Fun: Hopefully hilarious, but also hopefully a little heartwarming.

Hellraiserphoenix: Olivia is sadly not bi. She is very much only interested in women.

Pokemon Academy: Beginning of Beginnings

Chapter 125

"Aaannd… done! So, what do you think?"

Sango's eyes fluttered open, and she looked into the threefold mirror in front of her, and the image captured in it.

"This… this is me?" She reached a hand up to touch her cheek, just to make sure it was real.

"It took quite a bit of doing, but I think I've done it," Olivia said, nodding in self-satisfaction. "So what do you think? Want to go show the new you to the others?"

Sango smiled. She couldn't wait to see what their reaction would be.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" Olivia stepped out of her dressing room with a flourish, calling the attention of everyone in the room. "May I have your attention please?"

"What's up, boss?" Ayame asked, looking up from the board. Blake had just finished decimating her entirely. The freshmen all turned from the television screen to see what was going on.

"May I present to you the guest of honor?" Olivia said, stepping to the side. "Probationary Ranger Sango Akana."

Sango stepped out into the boudoir, trying to keep her face as even and confident as she could; even so, her heart was beating in her chest as she looked at her friends.

Sango was wearing a stylish sky blue dress with silver trim and ribbons wrapping up the sides and crisscrossing over the waist, which was tied down with a large white ribbon, with two bows on the sides. Normally, the dress would be revealing cleavage, but Sango, lacking in that department, had it wrapped over her chest entirely, tied in place with more silver ribbons.

Sango's hair, which normally sat flat on her head, was now fluffed up in a feathery, windswept style, giving it a volume and a lovely sheen that it had never appeared to have before. It fell down upon her face, which was vibrant and glowing as never before. Her less flattering blemishes had been expertly concealed, but not drastically so. Her makeup was precise, but subtle, so as to emphasize a more natural look to suit her playful hairstyle and more casual dress. Her lips were glossed, but uncolored, and her eyes were emphasized with an electric blue coloring that immediately called attention to the beautiful pools of brown they encircled. The entire effect resulted in a look that was saucy and feminine, but at the same time captured her more masculine features in a more sporty air, that Olivia had somehow perfectly blended together into an image of both cuteness and boisterousness.

"Well? What do you think?" Olivia asked everyone and no one in particular, talking more for the sake of her own boasting. "Do I know how to make a masterpiece, or don't I?"

"Damn, girl!" Cynthia said, her mouth falling open. She leapt from her seat to get a closer look, glancing at Sango from every angle. "I knew you had it in you, but seriously, damn!"

"Not bad," Reiner said, whistling in approval. Sango blushed, glancing down slightly before recovering her confident appearance.

"You look so pretty…" Kitty said, blushing as she looked up at Sango, envy in her eyes.

"She's right, you really do," Julia agreed. Nick nodded as well.

"Now, if only you had a little something more up top, then-"

"I'm not doing this for your preferences, Cynthia," Sango commented dryly.

"Yeah, forget that," Ayame laughed, Sango glancing over to her. Ayame grinned, giving her a thumbs up.

"If there's something the boss knows, it's beauty," Ayame said. "She really did a great job, don't you think?"

Sango nodded. She swallowed, her heart beating, and glanced at Blake. He was looking at her, but… like what? What was that look in his eye? Attraction? Or…

"So, what do you think?" Sango asked, batting her eyes at Blake and smiling.

"About what?"

Olivia winced.

Sango felt like her heart was going to tear in two, but she wasn't going to back down that easily. She twirled on the spot, her dress rising up, and gave him a smile.

"My new look, of course? What do you think? I was going for 'pretty', any thoughts?"

Olivia nodded in approval, surprised Sango was that proactive judging by what she'd seen of the girl.

Blake blinked.

"Yeah, but I mean you were pretty before, so is it really that big a deal?"

"Eh."

Sango's face turned bright red and she flinched, the previous wound on her heart healing completely.

"Blake," Olivia said, clearing her throat. Blake glanced at her, and immediately wished he hadn't. Though Olivia wore a gorgeous smile, it radiated a destructive miasma that threatened to tear his throat out.

"Let's not have any of those half-baked statements, shall we?" Olivia requested. "That answer of yours is worth less than trash."

"Uh…"

"It's wishy-washy comments like that which destroy a girl's self-esteem, even when you think you're being kind. All you're doing by saying 'you looked pretty before' is telling her that all the effort she put into looking good was meaningless. Do you understand? A girl does not want to hear 'oh, you'd look good in anything, it doesn't matter' or 'I'd like you even without makeup.' All those statements do is deny the effort we put into ourselves. If you just give the same bland non-answer to sweatpants and a jersey that you would to a fancy dress, then we start thinking 'well what's the big deal anyway' and we stop trying. Don't tell her 'she always looks pretty' and avoid the question. She put effort into her appearance (or I did, anyway). Acknowledge. It."

Blake gulped, and glanced back at Sango.

"You… you look really nice…" Blake admitted, his cheeks feeling hot.

Sango wanted to cry with happiness, hearing him say that had just made her day.

"Oooh, someone's embarrassed," Cynthia teased, poking Blake in the cheek. "What, did seeing Sango all gussied up make you have a reaction somewhere~"

"Shut up," Blake said, brushing her hand away. "Come on, it was just because I was a little surprised to see it, that's all. I'm not used to… you know. Sango looking like that. But come on, it's not a big deal, it's not like she got all dressed up for me, anyway. Right Sango?"

Sango blinked, and then smiled.

"Well, who knows?" She purred, Blake glancing away from her in embarrassment.

"Hah! You're a riot," Cynthia laughed, assuming that Sango was taking the opportunity to join in on teasing Blake, the two of them completely missing the truth behind her words.

Poor girls… Olivia thought, glancing at Ayame, then at Sango. Blake seems to be as dense as they come…

Or…

Is he just pretending, I wonder? If so, quite a performance he's giving.

"Now, it's getting late," Olivia said, feigning a yawn. "And I'm sure Sango would like to get some sleep, would you not? You mentioned quite a long flight, after all."

"Oh, right," Sango said, nodding, her body suddenly recalling how tired she was. It had been… how long since she'd slept on a real bed? "I guess we should probably head back then, right guys?"

A flash of lightning followed by a crash of thunder put a swift end to that discussion, though, drawing attention to the fierce rain pelting the windows.

"W-whoa…" Kitty blanched, staring at the storm raging outside.

"Are… are you sure we should be walking back in that?" Nick asked, the anxiety apparent on his face.

"If Silver was here, we could get him to change the weather a little, but… I guess we'll just have to rough it out…" Sango sighed.

"Or you could stay here," Ayame suggested. Everyone turned to her in surprise.

"What?" She asked, confused at their confusion. "We've got tons of guest bedrooms downstairs that aren't being used. It's better than going out in the middle of the night. When the storms around here get fierce, the wild pokemon get irritated. It's always safest to stay indoors during something like this."

"Ayame's right," Sango said, nodding. "But still, we can't just-"

"I insist," Olivia insisted. She ran a hand over Sango's sleeve. "After all, I can't have you ruining your new dress after I so graciously gifted it to you."

"W-wait… my dress? But…"

"I told you," Olivia said, smiling sweetly. "A gift. For your license." And for such a wonderful performance…

"W-well… I… I don't know what to say…" Sango murmured, looking down, her cheeks flushing. "Thank you… for the dress, and for… you know… everything…"

"Please. It's last season's anyway, I wouldn't be caught dead in it," Olivia laughed. Sango felt a little less gratitude with that revelation, that's for sure.

"Well, it's decided then!" Ayame said, draping her arm over Blake's shoulder, much to Sango's irritation. "I'll show you guys to the guest rooms."

Sango moved to follow the others out the door, but Olivia stopped her with a hand on her arm.

"Oh, by the way, I'm letting you keep the dress, I'll have your own clothes washed, and the makeup job I did was on the house… but it's not a regular thing, you know," Olivia said, making a point to draw a clear line. "I charge quite a bit in consultation fees. If you want another makeover, it'll be… pricey. I could give you a few pointers, recommend a few brands… but no matter how you slice it, looking beautiful will cost you a bit."

"…That's fine," Sango said, smiling, shaking her head. "I'm planning on going back to my old style after this. It feels… more natural than this does. Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful, but… I still like the old me, too."

"Oh really? What a waste…"

"Maybe so… but Blake said I was pretty… all my friends gave me so many compliments…" she turned to Olivia with a smile teaming with gratitude. "That's more than enough for me. It isn't a waste at all."

Olivia shrugged her shoulders. Some girls just didn't make sense, choosing to not look their best at all times. She waved Sango off, stretched, and went to go remove the makeup she'd just put on herself. No sense in worrying after those who chose not to help themselves, after all.

There were only six rooms not being used, and so Julia and Kitty agreed to sleep in the same room, while everyone else got their own room. Sango sat in front of the mirror in her bathroom, and inhaled, snapping a picture of herself. She took one last look at her pretty face in the mirror, and began removing her makeup with the wipes Olivia had provided her.

It was nice while it lasted… but I wonder… if it really suited me.

She smiled.

Pretty is nice… but I think in the end, I still prefer a more natural look after all.

Sango was not the only one having complicated feelings that night. Ayame was staring up at her ceiling, her heart beating wildly in her chest.

Blake is in the room next door… He's sleeping next door…

She tried to push those thoughts out of her mind, but every time she closed her eyes, she started seeing images of her deams. She sat up in bed, her face hot. She snapped on the light, lifting the Wooloo doll off of her nightstand, staring at it in frustration.

"This isn't like me," Ayame sighed, staring at the big fluffy ball, squeezing it between her hands lovingly. "Should I… go see him?"

"…"

"Fuck that!" Ayame shouted, flinging the Wooloo across the room, panting in embarrassment. She frowned, sitting back down on her bed.

"…"

Ayame got out of bed and walked over to pick up the stuffed doll, giving it a hug of apology and brought it back to bed, nestling it lovingly down beside her pillow.

"Sorry, you're right. What's the worst that could happen?" Ayame smiled, and hopped up.

It's cool. I'll just be casual. Yeah, just a casual knock on the door at two in the morning to see how he's settling in. Casual...

She paused before leaving the room.

"W-well, a little preparation wouldn't hurt," she told herself, walking over to the bathroom. She began applying some lip gloss. Just… just so she could look a little nicer! Not because she actually expected to… to… that!

...But it never hurt to be prepared, right?

That was the thought that guided Ayame the short distance down the hall, to Blake's door, she took a deep breath, her heart pounding like never before. Why was this so terrifying? She'd never gotten this nervous, not even before a big track meet! He was just a boy! She could easily seduce him if she wanted to, she just had to-

Why are you thinking that?! She slapped her cheeks, catching herself.

Come on, what are you getting so nervous for?! She told herself. You aren't some simpering schoolgirl!

She let out her breath in a low hiss, knocking on the door. Her heart was in her ears as she waited for an answer. Okay, maybe he's asleep. That's it, he's definitely asleep, this is all a big waste of time. I'll just go back to my room and-

"Wha… what time is it?" Blake's voice muttered from in the room. Ayame had a mini-freak-out as she heard his voice, her breath halting in her throat. His door slowly creaked open and he peeked his head out, blinking bleary-eyed at his late-night visitor.

Ayame gave him an awkward wave, smiling.

"Ho. What are you doing here?" Blake yawned. "If this is a booty call, I'm not going to say I'm uninterested, but I'll let you know I don't have a lot of energy at the moment, so-"

"No, it's not a… you know." Ayame said, flustered. "I-I… just wanted to see how you were doing, you know, how you're getting on, make sure you weren't having any problems sleeping, you know, the usual stuff. Ha ha…"

"Yeah, actually, I have," Blake said, yawning. "I was trying to get to sleep, but then this really hot girl came and woke me up… *yawn* I'm really exhausted, but I just can't get to sleep… Any suggestions?"

Well, that was a good sign, Ayame thought, relaxing.

"I'm actually having a little trouble sleeping too," Ayame yawned. "Maybe… so I was wondering… could we go in and talk for a little bit?'

Blake eyed her suspiciously.

"And you're sure this isn't a booty call?"

"It's not," Ayame snarled, though she was growing less sure.

"Pity," Blake shrugged, opening the door to his guest room and stepping aside so she could come in.

"Man, I forget how nice our guest rooms really are," Ayame whistled. She stepped into the room and flopped down on the bed, spreading out. "My bed's nicer, though."

"Oh, really?" Blake asked, sitting down next to her.

"You don't believe me?" She huffed, sitting up so the two were sitting side to side. "It's way nicer."

"Well you could always invite me back to your room to prove it."

"Why Blake!" Ayame gasped, holding her hand over her chest. "You should know better. I'm not that kind of girl!"

"Ah, what a pity," he sighed. The two shared a laugh.

Hm… this mood's going pretty good… Ayame thought, smiling. I wonder if I should…

She gulped.

You don't win a race if you just wait at the starting line forever.

"Actually, Blake… when I said I was having trouble sleeping… there's something I didn't mention."

"Oh?"

She nodded.

"See… I've been having some trouble sleeping lately… not just tonight… There's a certain something that's been burning in my thoughts for a couple weeks now… a certain somone."

She blinked, staring into his eyes. She was surprised how close they were. Seated like this, the two were actually the same height.

"Whenever I think about him… my chest gets really hot, and I can't stay relaxed. It's like he's all I can think about sometimes. And I… I…"

She didn't want to give him a chance to respond. It was now or never. She moved forward and pressed her lips against his, removing all traces of ambiguity in her words.

Blake's eyes widened into the kiss as he fell backwards in surprise, Ayame landing on top of him. She pulled away from him, her cheeks flushed to match her soft breathing.

"Uh… um…" The two said at the same time, blushing. Ayame let go of his hands and moved off of him, Blake sitting up, moving his fingers to his lips. Ayame was now feeling more than a little awkward, being the only one standing. But at the same time, she couldn't just casually sit back down, either. So she decided to press forward.

"That's… how I feel. My heart beats a mile a minute whenever I think about you, Blake, and I can't help myself. I… I'm so flustered, so… take responsibility, okay?"

Blake blinked, his expression morphing in a way Ayame couldn't quite read. It seemed conflicted…

"S-so… uh… I'm sorry… for suddenly kissing you without warning like that…" Ayame apologized. Blake chuckled quietly.

"Don't be. It was… nice. And it was a very 'you' thing to do. I don't mind."

"It… wasn't your first, was it?" She asked, not sure what answer she wanted to hear.

"It wasn't," Blake said, shaking his head. Oh. Well now she just felt disappointed.

"M-mine neither," Ayame said, nodding. He still wasn't saying anything about it. Why wasn't he saying anything?! Why not give her an answer? Or did the fact that they were still joking around like nothing had happened… was that his answer? Were they going out now? Was it that easy to just start dating?

"So, umm… about… what I just said… and did…" Ayame sid, glancing down shyly at Blake. "Any… any thoughts…?"

Blake smiled up at her. This was it, wasn't it?! He was gonna say-

"Sorry."

Ayame felt her blood run cold.

"Wh-what?" She asked. She must have misheard him, that was all.

"I can't… go out with you." Blake said, shaking his head.

Why… why did she feel like crying? God, why had she done something so stupid, like come here in the middle of the night and then k-kissing him? Olivia had warned her this never could have worked out… why had she been such a fool?

"Oh…" she said, her tone far more broken-hearted than she wanted it to be. "That… that's okay, I-"

"But it's not you," he said, reaching out and taking her hand, stroking it softly to comfort her. "I just… have no plans to go out with anyone."

"Why?" Ayame whispered, willing her tears not to come out. Somehow, she knew that if she cried right now, Blake would hold her, and comfort her… and then it would really be over.

"There's a certain girl… right now, she's completely alone, with no one but me looking out for her. Until I can help her… I can't split my attention on anything like dating."

Ayame narrowed her eyes. She leaned over until she was eye to eye with Blake.

"That's a terrible excuse, and you know it," she growled. "Or are you now forgetting everything you told me about 'not having time' for stuff like that?"

"It's not the same," Blake said, shaking his head. "But if me being a hypocrite in your eyes is what it takes to make you happy, then-"

Ayame had had enough. So she shut him up in exactly the way her body was telling her to. Another kiss.

While her first kiss with Blake had been tender and gentle, this one almost felt like a battle. As though she was trying to force him to understand her, see how she felt. And much to her surprise… he was kissing her back. Her tongue brushed up against his and a jolt of electricity ran through her body, the two pulling apart, panting. Ayame's face was hopeful, and carried a deep undertone of triumph. Blake's expression was pained.

"You might… not want to date anyone…" Ayame breathed. "But you said 'right now' before. And judging from your reaction… it seems like you aren't entirely sure what you want, is it?"

Blake remained silent. Ayame got off from on top of him, kneeling at his side. She wiped her lips on her sleeve, smudging away the gloss.

"Maybe… but that's the only answer I can give you right now."

"'Right now' again, huh?" Ayame glared at him, and he turned his head away from her.

Ayame felt like she was at a real crossroads here. Keep pining away for a guy who might never be ready to have a relationship? Or move on… onto what? This was her last year here. Either way, she didn't have an abundance of time. So she might as well spend it how she wanted, right? And if things weren't going to work out... then she could move on when she graduated.

"You gave me your answer, but don't think that changes anything about my feelings," she told him. She reached down and cradled Blake's head in her hands, nestling him against her chest. "Listen… my heart is still running wild… just thinking about you. Is that wrong…? Do you not want me to feel this way?"

Blake didn't say a word. The sound of Ayame's heart was speaking enough for the both of them.

"Take this," Ayame said, slipping a key out of her pajama pocket and into his hands, rising to her feet.

"What's-"

"It's a key to my room," Ayame said, giving him a seductive wink. "It can also give you access to this building."

She gave him a tender smile, walking to the door.

"If you change your mind, you can come visit me next time. Maybe then, we can do more than kiss. Or maybe not…? Who knows…"

"See ya, Ayame," Blake said, smiling sadly after her. "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize, you dummy," Ayame sighed, flipping him off as she turned away from him, "I don't give up so easily, and I don't want you feeling bad over your answer. I'll make you look at me before you know it, I'll capture your attention so much you'll forget all about that 'right now' decision."

"Good luck," Blake teased her, Ayame laughing and flipping him off again as she stepped out into the hall. Closing the door behind her, she slowly walked back to her room, and flopped down on her bed. With the storm raging outside a perfect mirror to the storm in her heart, she squeezed her stuffed Wooloo close to her chest and began to cry.

The weather made it feel so much worse. It was a horrible night to be heartbroken.

The wind howled and battered the buildings across campus, but one place remained untouched. Like the sky was raging around a specific area, leaving it completely free and clear, for some reason. The school infirmary was a testament of fortitude, only facing a deluge of water, unmarred by the strong winds.

Elaina lay in bed, hooked up to a machine reading her vitals, an IV keeping her well-maintained. She was as unmoving as she day she'd been admitted three weeks prior. But now… her face shifted in an expression of discomfort, her eyes twitching behind their lids.

"Momma…" a soft whisper slipped through her lips, gone unheard in the crash of thunder echoing outside.

Man, love is a real pain in the ass, isn't it?