Time to end the first night in Galar. The chapter's kind of short, but I think it's still pretty good. Anyway, 250 chapters, made it! Hopefully, we can start the next morning off with some good momentum!

Pokemon Academy Best Girl Elimination Round is still going strong! Keep those votes coming, a few girls are pulling ahead, but things aren't done just yet! We've still got a good chance of girls getting into the final 5! The poll is on my profile, so go cast your votes there!

Nominated: Sango, Cynthia, Elaina, Kate, Dakota, Ayame, Marion, Kitty, Serefina, Madison, Alcea

ConfusedCradily: Kate will definitely grow as a result of this arc, that's quite certain.

Badoobadoop: Well, anything to get in shape.

DJ Dib Dab: A thicc MILF. That tends to spur stuff like this forward.

StarsForTheMoon: Thanks for your character, but IDK when I'll get the chance to include him.

Pokemon Academy: Beginning of Beginnings

Chapter 250

"I see… so to do your friends a favor, you wanted to switch rooms with them, so they could be together while you and this boy Blake hang out?"

Sango nodded. Elizabeth's expression was calm and thoughtful, she looked at Sango with an inquisitive eye.

"And you weren't going to tell the professor, or your chaperone, and certainly not your father, I would imagine," Elizabeth said. Sango swallowed, hanging her head in embarrassment. She shook it back and forth.

"Well, I can't believe you'd try and pull something like this!" Kate huffed, turning her nose up at the idea. She whirled around in the water, crossing her arms in front of her chest indignantly. "Blake!"

Blake had been trying to make himself scarce. No such luck.

"Any thoughts on this?" Kate demanded.

Blake sighed. No getting out of this, so he might as well explain things from his side and hope Kate would understand.

It was a foolish hope, but a foolish hope was better than none.

"I don't see what the big deal is," Blake said. "Reiner and Nikita said they weren't going to get up to any…"

He remembered Nikita's word, and snickered, "…shenanigans."

"And what about you two?" Kate asked.

Blake blinked.

"What about us?"

"Are you going to get up to anything?" Kate demanded. She tried to seem filled with moral outrage, but Blake could see quite clearly that it was plain jealousy on her face. Kate's crush on him, whether she was aware of it or not, was what was driving her actions this time. Elizabeth was a different story. If Kate was easy to read, then this Elizabeth Skye inscrutable, keeping the composure of an adult on her face as they discussed the circumstances.

"Of course I'm not," Blake said. "What are you talking about? Sango and I are just friends."

"Right," Sango agreed, even though she didn't exactly like admitting that fact. "We're just friends, we aren't going to do anything. Besides…"

Sango yawned, stretching out in the water.

"I'm freaking tired, it's been a long day. I just want to get to sleep."

Well that certainly wasn't debatable. It had been a very long day for all of them. Reiner and Nikita were the only students who hadn't gone through some majorly emotionally draining experiences, the other three were pretty damn exhausted.

Kate frowned, considering this. She glanced at Elizabeth for a sign of what she should say.

"Well, I think it's fine," Elizabeth decided. Sango baulked at this, she was expecting a lecture, and for their plans to be reported to the professor. But Elizabeth was fine with it?

"Really?" Kate asked, shocked.

"Well, they're responsible enough," Elizabeth smiled. "I think we can trust them, don't you?"

Elizabeth turned to Blake.

"You and Sango wouldn't get up to anything untoward, now would you?"

"I already said no," Blake said, nodding. "We're just friends. The only reason we're doing this is so that our friends can spend some more time with each other."

"There, you see?" Elizabeth said, turning to Kate and smiling. "Perfectly fine."

Kate paused. She didn't like it, but she wasn't sure how she should argue now that she was the only voice there in objection to it.

"But… but… it's not fair!" Kate cried. Blake saw that one coming. Left without a logical reason, Kate had resorted to simple whining.

"Oh?" Elizabeth asked, raising her eyebrow.

"I… I want to have a sleepover too!" Kate pouted.

Blake and Sango looked at each other. Sango was just confused, and Blake was outright shocked at the nature of the girl's objection.

"Wait, what are you talking about?" Sango asked.

"This is a school trip," Kate pouted. "You guys are all going off and swapping rooms and having fun, and I have to stay by myself! So if you guys get to hang around and don't have to sleep in your assigned rooms, then why do I have to be all alone, huh? It's not fair!"

Blake was pretty sure that Kate's objections were coming from more than just a feeling of being left out, but didn't want to say anything. Elizabeth was nodding in agreement.

"Oh, how cute! Your name was… Kate, yes?"

"Yes, that's me! Kate Nomia, Doctor!" Kate said, returning her attention to the older woman and nodding her head vigorously.

"Well, you seem like a nice girl," Elizabeth smiled.

Blake and Sango gave each other a look that said "really?"

"So how about this?" Elizabeth suggested. "How about the three of you stay in the room, huh? That should be fine, right? You get to all spend some quality time together!"

"That could work!" Kate agreed, nodding eagerly. "Guys! That's gonna be so much fun!"

Blake and Sango gave each other another look.

Sango shrugged, honestly, she didn't care. She really was exhausted after everything that had gone on between her and her father, and Elizabeth. The hot spring was relaxing, and she could feel the tension from the incident slipping away. Now, all she wanted to do was tuck herself in and get a good night's sleep, and confront her father in the morning. If Kate wanted to tag along? She was fine with it. She'd initially thought of using the opportunity to confess her feelings to Blake, but now, that was the furthest thing from her mind. That could wait until after she had worked through her other issues, her heart had been dragged in too many directions today already.

Blake was a little more apprehensive. He knew full well that Kate had feelings for him, and was suspicious that she might try something. And even if she didn't, he'd had a lot of Kate today. While he certainly had a much more positive view of her now than he'd had before, he wasn't sure if he could stand her very long if she began to get snooty towards Sango and acting like a bitch. But if she really did just want to hang out and have fun with them…

"I'm fine with it," Blake said. "Same with you?"

"Sure, it's okay," Sango said. "But again, we gotta keep it secret."

"Great!" Kate gushed, overjoyed. "This is gonna be such a fun night!"

Blake and Sango didn't share in her enthusiasm, but they weren't exactly dreading spending the night with her, either. They all finished lounging in the hot spring without further incident, and headed back to the changing rooms. Meeting up together again on the other side, it was time for Elizabeth and Sango to say their goodbyes for the night. Sango had a contrite look on her face, but Elizabeth washed it away with her kind smile. She placed a hand on Sango's cheek.

"I'll be heading back now," Elizabeth smiled. "I'm glad we got to spend some time together, Sango. It was nice getting to know you."

"…Yeah, you too," Sango said, nodding. "Um… sorry again, for what I said. You… you really aren't that bad, honest."

"Oh, not that bad?" Elizabeth laughed. "How flattering."

"N-no, I just meant, uh…" Sango's cheeks turned pink. "It… it was nice getting to talk with you, is all."

"Thank you, Sango," Elizabeth smiled. She lightly patted Sango on the cheek, removing her hand. "You go and have fun, okay? But make sure you and that Blake boy don't get up to anything too racy, understood? I know I'm not your mother, but if I let you go and you do something behind my back, I think your father would be very cross with the both of us."

Sango's light blush turned into a crimson gasp, and she took a step back.

"Th-that, I-I said, I don't-!" Sango stuttered, glancing desperately over her shoulder to see the rest of her group waiting outside the elevator, thankfully out of earshot.

"Even if Silver hadn't told me, it so obvious," Elizabeth giggled. "But he doesn't know, does he?"

Sango shook her head glumly.

"Well, I wasn't going to tell him in front of everyone," Elizabeth smiled. "So hopefully with that nice chaperone, things can be kept under control."

"I-I wasn't going to do-" Sango shut her mouth, blinking. Elizabeth also paused, looking Sango in the eye. They had been so caught up in the flow, that for a moment they had forgotten. For a brief instant, Elizabeth had been chewing Sango out as if they really were mother and daughter. A pang of nostalgia throbbed in Sango's heart. The giggled softly, and said their goodbyes.

"Sango! You coming?" Reiner called. "This elevator isn't gonna wait forever!"

Reiner was standing with his foot in the door to keep the elevator on the ground floor. Sango ran over to them, and they headed to the second floor.

"Well, uh… I'll go get my stuff?" Blake said, glancing over his shoulder to make sure that no one was watching. And no one was. But someone was listening.

Lana, fresh out of the shower, had heard the sound of voices coming from the hallway. She caught sight of Blake and the others from her peephole, and now was listening to their discussion.

"-our room," she heard Kate say.

"-or the nigh-" She caught snippets from another one of the girls, the blonde one? Kate was saying something about their room… but Kate had her own room, right?

"Wait… Blake…" Kate's voice again.

Lana stifled a gasp. Kate and the other girl, Sango, along with Blake? In the girls' room?! They were going to hook up? No, but wasn't the other girl, Nikita, dating Reiner Zollern? Unless…

Lana did the math and it added up to some very suspect equations. Nikita and Reiner were dating. Blake and Kate, they were up to… something, she knew that much, and Sango was the odd one out. But Blake wasn't going to Kate's room, Kate and Blake were going to Sango's room. Which meant Nikita, probably, wasn't.

Nikita and Reiner are going to spend the night in the boys' room, to hook up, Lana reasoned. Which means that Blake and Kate are going into the girls' room with Sango, and the result of that would be…

Lana's face turned bright red. A bunch of filthy degenerates, the lot of 'em! She considered informing the professor of Group 3's inappropriate liaisons, but doing so would draw attention to her own sordid intentions. She didn't want anyone to find out that she was spying on Blake for the Phantom's sake. She shook her head and ran over to her bed, pulling her sheets over her entire body and tried to block the image of what they were no doubt doing out of her head.

What was actually happening was nothing like that, though. Blake retrieved his stuff and left the Nikita and Reiner to their own devices. He was sure to inform them that his bed was up for grabs, and that Nikita was encouraged to make full use of it. He was quite insistent on this fact. Just Nikita. Or Reiner.

Not both.

Very insistent.

Nikita practically shoved him out of the room, her dark complexion flushed with embarrassment as Blake laughed to himself.

Blake headed down the hall and knocked on the door to the girls' room. He wasn't sure what he was going to expect. He trusted Sango, of course, but Kate had been acting weird all day, and with the stuff that had developed between them, she might do anything. He took a deep breath as the knob turned, coughing in spite of himself. The heat from the spring had soothed his throat slightly, but he still had shortness of breath every now and then. He wasn't sure when he'd be making a full recovery, but as long as he didn't strain himself, he'd be fine.

"Blake, are you okay?" Kate asked, having answered the door in a large hoodie, her face drenched in concern. Blake nodded. She let out a sigh of relief. Since she'd seen the scars on his body, she found herself surprisingly protective of him. It was quite a strange feeling. She was protective of her highness, sure, but worrying over Blake made her feel all fuzzy.

Blake followed Kate inside, and noted that the hem of her hoodie was rather high, showing off most of her thighs. He was quite certain that she was NOT bold enough to go bottomless, so that meant she was either wearing only her underwear or very, very short shorts.

Or…

"So, you wearing that miniskirt?" Blake smirked. Kate jumped a little. "I thought you decided not to buy it?"

"No, I'm not!" Kate snapped, glancing over her shoulder. Yes, I am!

"Miniskirt?" Sango asked. She was already changed into her pajamas and sitting up in her bed, clearly ready to go to sleep. Blake saw that Silver was curled up in a blanket on a table near the bed.

"It's a long story," Blake replied. Sango blinked, too tired to inquire further.

"So what do you guys want to do first?" Kate asked, sitting down no Sango's bed and glancing back and forth between Sango and Blake. Her energy was oozing out of her, but it sadly wasn't contagious. Blake set his stuff down next to the other bed, and climbed in as well.

"Tol' you," Sango yawned. "Wanna sleep."

"…Oh," Kate said quietly. "I thought you were just saying that to get Doctor Skye to let you room with Blake."

She was clearly disappointed, but Sango was a little too exhausted to feel bad. The bed was looking comfy, and that pillow was looking oh, so soft…

"We should probably turn in, too," Blake replied. "Don't want to wake her up, after all. And tomorrow's gonna be a long night."

Kate glanced at Sango as the blonde nestled her head down on one of the pillows of the bed. She let out a sigh.

"Want to sleep in my bed?" Blake joked over her shoulder. Kate glanced back and gave him a dirty look. She raised the blanket and crawled inside, as Blake got out of bed to flick the lights off.

Kate stared at the back of Sango's head as she rested in the darkness, thinking. Sango's breathing was even, and soothing.

"Sango…" Kate whispered into the girl's ear, scooting closer to her.

"Mmm?" Sango muttered, not opening her eyes.

"Uh… can I, um… do you mind… can I hug you?"

Sango's eyes snapped open. She scooched around, looking over her shoulder but not seeing anything. The room was still dark, after all.

"Why?"

"Well, um…" Kate was happy that the embarrassment on her face wasn't visible in the dark. She dropped her voice even lower than the whisper she was already using, she absolutely did not want Blake to hear her. "I… I used to have a friend, and we would sleep in her bed together when we were kids. She used to let me hug her, and, well… that was the last time I ever had a sleepover. Is it… not okay?"

Sango considered what she had said, and the two girls laid there in the darkness.

"If you want… that's okay," Sango said, nodding her head in the darkness. She flopped back down into her original position.

Kate reached over and wrapped her arms around Sango's waist, sidling up to her. She pressed herself gently against Sango, feeling the warmth from the other girl warm her, as well. Kate smiled. It wasn't the kind of sleepover that she wanted, but she was happy to be with other people instead of being all by herself. Even if Sango wasn't exactly her friend, she was still happy to have the other girl's company, all the same.

It wasn't the best it could have been, but it was still quite nice and comforting.

This chapter's a little short, but I wanted to wrap everything up so we can move on to the next day. Some significant stuff happens, so it's good to start fresh.