It seems that not a lot of people are into this backstory, but it's important. Just hold on a little longer, then we'll finally get the payoff we've been waiting for… a conclusion for Ayame and Blake!

We've got a decent amount of votes in the Pokemon Academy Best Girl Semi-Finals! The current lead runners in the polls may surprise you! The shakeup really makes me realize how a girl may be in many people's top 5, but not necessarily in their top 3. So I'm certainly feeling more than a little surprised Looks like the girl I'm pulling for isn't going to win, but that's fine. They're all wonderful girls! There have still only been a few votes, I'm sure there are more of you that want to vote! If you want your best girls to make it to the final round and beyond, then make sure to get your votes in! You have 3 votes, make them count!

Semi-Finalists: Cynthia, Ayame, Sango, Kate, Marion, Alcea

ConfusedCradily: Yes, from the beginning he didn't want Blake to think of him as his real father. Blake has a real father, after all.

Aquahaze675: He explained it in an earlier chapter. Blake already has real parents, and he doesn't want him or Cynthia to take their place.

Tambry96bj: Well, we should be exploring it soon, don't worry. Their family is a rather complicated one, I will admit.

Pokemon Academy: Beginning of Beginnings

Chapter 281

Blake always felt intimidated by Richard Harker's presence. He was tall and strong and dark-haired, with piercing brown eyes and a stern look on his face. Even seated at the dinner table he was imposing. He seldom smiled, in fact, Blake could not recall seeing it once before.

He was smiling now, however. That was the first thing that Blake noted when he entered the dining hall behind Cynthia. Richard Harker was talking with a young man with short brown hair and bangs falling over his eyes. They were both laughing. Richard was seated at the head of the large, carved oaken table, with the young man across the corner, on his left. When he saw the rest of his family enter the wide dining room, he raised his head and gestured them over.

"Cynthia, Blake, Guinevere, just on time," Richard said. "Please, be seated! Blake, this your elder brother, Kanone. I believe this is the first time you've met him, correct? He's been looking forward to meeting you for quite some time now."

Cynthia moved to sit down on the other side of Richard, leaving Blake and Guinevere standing in the entryway. Guinevere made no concerns, but Blake was feeling a little uncomfortable. He swallowed, turning his eyes to the brown-haired boy who was looking back at him with the same shiny brown eyes as his father.

"So you're Blake!" Kanone said, rising from his seat. He walked over to the two kids. While Richard's face was always stern, Blake didn't see that reflected on his son. What he saw was a passive look of relaxed comfort behind a placid grin.

Kanone held his hand out to Blake.

"Looks like I'm your brother, now," Kanone smiled. "Always wanted a little brother."

Blake cautiously extended his hand and shook Kanone's. Kanone turned to Guinevere.

"Hey, Guinevere, how are you doing?" Kanone asked.

Guinevere cocked her head to the side.

"I don't understand what you mean."

"Kids, come," Richard called. Kanone headed over to his seat, Blake and Guinevere following after him.

"Blake, come sit next to me, I'd like to get a chance to know you better," Kanone requested. Blake complied, and sat down next to him. Guinevere followed behind like a loyal puppy, sitting on the other side of Blake. This set the balance of the table off. Cynthia sat on the right hand by herself, with the three kids on the other side. The older woman smiled ruefully, a little saddened that her daughter hadn't wanted to sit beside her.

"Sephiria is preparing the meal, but there is still one more guest we are waiting for," Richard said. "Ah, here she is now."

The doors to the dining room opened, and a young lady with hair the color of lavender walked in. She was underdressed in comparison to Cynthia. She wore a white blouse with a red dress over it, revealing the sleeves and chest of the shirt. The skirt flowed out, emphasizing her long white socks. There was a large red ribbon tied in a bow on the back of her head. To Blake, she looked like a doll, even more than Guinevere did. Her golden eyes were shining and her small red shoes clicked as she walked over the tiles.

"Hello, Richard," the girl walked around the table to Richard's side and gave him a kiss on the cheek. She leaned back and looked over the table. "Ah! These are your children! Oh, are they not just the most precious little things?"

Her voice was so strange. She talked in Kalosian, but the way she talked, the way tone of her voice, it was so strange to hear. He'd never heard her particular sort of voice before. Everything about this girl was so intriguing to Blake.

It seemed that the feeling may have been mutual, as well. The lavender-haired girl walked around the kids, taking special interest in Blake. Her golden eyes shined appraisingly as she looked at him, a smile on her face. She smelled nice, like a flower garden, the scent of mint, lilac, and lavender lingering in the air behind her.

"You are Blake… My, you were such a cutie back then!"

She reached out and patted Blake lightly on the head, much to his confusion.

"Ryoko, I'm glad you were able to make it," Richard greeted her with a smile. Cynthia smiled at the young woman as well, and bade her to take a seat. Ryoko sat beside Cynthia, directly across from Blake. Her golden eyes were still twinkling at them.

The food was served shortly afterwards. It was a delicious meal to be sure, but Blake and Guinevere ate it in silence while Kanone, Richard, and Cynthia talked. It wasn't until his name was mentioned that Blake's attention was drawn from his steak.

"So, how old are you now, Blake?" Richard asked. Blake raised his head with a start.

"Eigh-eight, sir," Blake said.

"I see. Only a year older than Guinevere. And I heard from Sephiria that your lessons in reading and writing are coming along nicely. You can read Kalosian now, yes? And English?"

Blake nodded his head.

"Yes, sir."

"Marvelous," Richard smiled. "Such progress since you've come here, wouldn't you agree Cynthia?"

"Blake really is a smart one," Cynthia agreed. "I think he'll do quite well in school, don't you agree Richard?"

"Indeed. I'll make the arrangements to have him enter the same school as Guinevere come the fall," Richard decided.

Blake's heart rose in his chest. He would be going to school? He'd never been to school before. The animes he watched often made school out to be something enjoyable. He couldn't wait.

"That sounds quite nice," the lavender-haired girl, Ryoko, murmured. "You will enjoy school quite a lot, Blake, I am certain."

Blake nodded quietly, averting his eyes. The girl was like a doll, but there was something about the way she smiled at him that made him uneasy. There was a strange stretch in his heart that he didn't quite understand.

"Oh, I had almost forgotten," Kanone said, reaching into his backpack, which was resting against his chair. From the backpack he withdrew two pokeballs, setting them on the table.

"Pokeballs at the dinner table, Kanone?" Cynthia asked, raising her eyebrow disapprovingly. "Is this the time?"

"Cynthia, it's fine," Richard reassured her. "Our son is an excellent pokemon trainer after all, we don't want to discourage his talents, now do we?"

Cynthia shrugged her shoulders.

Guinevere did not pay the pokeballs any mind at all, focusing entirely on eating her food. Blake, on the other hand, was intrigued. He'd never seen pokeballs before, honestly, he'd never really seen any pokemon before. He knew that his mother was a famous pokemon master, but she'd never shown her pokemon to him. Any other opportunities he may have had to see pokemon, he could not remember. So he was interested in the balls resting on the table beside him.

"Are… are there pokemon in them?" Blake asked curiously.

"You bet there are," Kanone smiled. He lifted them up, and got out of his seat.

"Kanone?" Cynthia asked, curious.

"Don't worry, mother," Kanone smiled. "It's a gift."

Blake blinked.

A gift?

Blake hadn't received a gift before, either.

Well, he had, Cynthia had given him quite a lot in terms of clothes and the like, in fact, living in this mansion was a gift of sorts. But this… this felt… different, somehow. Blake's eyes shot to the pokeballs in his brother's hands.

Kanone took one of the pokeballs and placed it into Blake's hands, much to his surprise. He turned the shiny red and white ball over in his hands, eager to see what was inside.

"Guinevere," Kanone said, getting the attention of his little sister. She glanced up at him with her slate gray eyes, not entirely interested in what he had to say, but still listening. "This is a pokeball. Guinevere, I want to give this pokeball to you."

Guinevere took the pokeball from her brother, and set it on the table. She didn't seem to care that much about it.

"Guinevere, the pokemon in that pokeball is yours now," Kanone explained.

"Oh," was her only response.

"Kanone, I don't think it's a good idea to give them pokemon," Richard chastised him, much to Cynthia's surprise. Richard never spoke out against Kanone's actions. "They aren't like you, after all, they're still just kids, not pokemon masters."

"I think it's fine," Cynthia disagreed, shooting Richard a look. "It's not like they'll be going out battling with each other or anything, I think it's perfectly fine for kids to raise their own pokemon, even if they're not ten years old yet."

"I also think that it is a good idea," Ryoko agreed. "They may just be children, but pokemon are things everyone should have a chance to love, dear Richard."

Richard sighed.

"Well, if you two say so, then I guess I understand," he admitted. He glanced to the two. "But not at the dinner table. You can take them out in your rooms."

Blake understood, but of course, Guinevere didn't get it at all. She didn't even realize he was talking to her, but to the good fortune of everyone there she had no interest in releasing the pokemon from its pokeball to begin with. It just wasn't something she was interested in.

The meal continued, but Blake was more interested in the pokeball sitting on the table in front of him than finishing his food.

Later that night, Blake and Guinevere were in Guinevere's room, along with Kanone, who was explaining to the two kids (though only Blake was listening) about the pokemon that he was giving to them. Blake was also only partially listening, he was more excited to release the pokemon from their pokeballs already and get to meet them.

"These pokemon are pokemon I caught in the Unova Region," Kanone explained. "I just came back from there, you see. There are a lot of sights to see, after all. But enough, wouldn't you like to meet them already?"

Blake nodded excitedly, the pokeball trembling in his hands. He couldn't wait any longer, and pressed the button on the pokeball.

From within the red ball, a flash of light erupted. A small figure emerged from the flash of light, a tiny pokemon that landed on the floor of Guinevere's room.

The pokemon was small and round, with a rocky body colored dark blue. There was not really a face on the small thing, just a yellow indent in the front. The only other distinguishing features were three small brown rocks sticking out of its body, two in the form of feet, and the third sticking up out of the top, like a horn.

"Rogen…?" The pokemon tilted the small horn protrusion to the side. Blake would think it a look of confusion, if he could tell any details about the pokemon's feelings going off of its face. It was small and cute, and Blake loved him immediately.

"What… what's his name?" Blake asked, looking to his brother hopefully. "What should I call him, big brother?"

"Well, the species of pokemon is a Roggenrola," Kanone explained to him. "A small rock pokemon. As for what you would like to call him… well, that's why we give nicknames to our favorite pokemon, don't you think?"

Blake blinked.

"So… I should give him a nickname?" Blake asked, turning to look at the small rock type pokemon, who was looking back at him. He reached his hand out, and the small pokemon took a few tiny steps closer to him.

"I didn't know what kind of pokemon you liked, but this one felt like it belonged with someone," Kanone explained. "You can call him whatever you like, does that sound like something you'd like? So what do you think? Can you come up with a name for this little guy?"

"Rogen?" The Roggenrola tilted his body up, as though he were looking at Blake. Which… well, he kind of was, if his eyes were visible. But Blake didn't really understand the anatomy of pokemon at this point in time.

"What about… Rogen?" Blake suggested. It was the first thing that he could think of. Kanone blinked, and had to resist the urge to burst out laughing. That was quite a name, alright. He couldn't resist the urge for very long.

"Your sense of names is great, Blake!" Kanone snickered. "Hah! Quite creative! I can't wait to see what you'll name your next pokemon!"

Blake's face flushed at Kanone's laughter. He looked down in embarrassment. Kanone noted his brother's reaction, and changed his tone immediately. He reached out and placed a hand on Blake's shoulder reassuringly.

"Don't worry, Blake, I'm just teasing you," Kanone reassured him. "If that was the name that you want to name him, then that's fine."

"You're… teasing me?" Blake asked, confused.

"That's what brothers do," Kanone grinned. "At least, that's what I've heard, anyway. It's not like I can tease her, after all."

Kanone glanced at Guinevere, who was sitting cross-legged on the carpet staring blankly at Blake, not paying her blood brother any attention. Kanone's grin turned into a sad frown as he looked at her, before glancing back to Blake.

"Guinevere is special," Kanone said. "We don't tease her, we have to look after her. She's our sister. And she may be bullied by other people. Not teased. Bullied. When you go to school with her, I want you to look out for her, okay? They probably won't be as understanding as you and I are. I'm not able to be here for her. Which is why I'm glad you are. Can you do that?"

Blake nodded his head. Kanone smiled.

"Good. Now, what about the other one?"

Kanone scooted over to his sister, who took no notice of his presence.

"Guinevere," Kanone said, getting his sister's attention, "would you like to meet your new pokemon?"

Guinevere nodded.

"Well, she's in that pokeball."

"Who is?"

"Your new pokemon."

"My new pokemon is what?"

Kanone glanced at Blake. Blake shrugged. Guinevere could be hard to deal with.

"Guinevere, your new pokemon is in that pokeball. Would you like to meet her? If you would like to meet her, then just push that button."

Guinevere nodded, and pressed the button on the pokeball. The ball opened, and from within it… another ball emerged.

Well, not a ball, exactly. It was a small pokemon, round and green. Her small body was covered in a bubble of green jelly-like film.

"Solosis?" The pokemon floated up and down, bobbing in the air, much to Guinevere and Blake's surprise.

"She's adorable!" Guinevere gushed, much to the surprise of Blake and Kanone. That was more energy than the two had ever really heard from her.

"She's a Solosis," Kanone said. "A psychic type. She-"

"Hello," Guinevere was already ignoring her brother, reaching out to hold the pokemon. She wrapped her fingers around the psychic-type's body, surprised at the coolness and softness of the small pokemon, stroking it gently.

"Guinevere," Kanone said, calling her attention once again. "Now that you've met your new friend, would you like to give that pokemon of yours a nickname?"

"A nickname?" Guinevere glanced at him. "I don't understand."

"A nickname is a special name we give to things that we love," Kanone explained. "So if you love that pokemon, then you give her a nickname to show that you-"

"Uni," Guinevere stated. "Her name is Uni."

Blake remembered the name from one of Guinevere's favorite anime.

"…Well, okay then, that's a nice name," Kanone shrugged.

"What about me?"

Kanone blinked. He wasn't used to Guinevere speaking up on her own. But she wasn't speaking to him, she was looking at their brother, Blake.

"…What are you talking about?" Kanone asked, but Guinevere did not pay him any mind. She had something else she was focused on.

"Big brother. What is my nickname?" Guinevere demanded. Blake wasn't sure how to answer her, since he didn't know she had one.

"Uh… what do you mean?" Blake asked.

"You give nicknames to people you love," Guinevere explained. "Do I understand? I call you 'big brother' so what is my nickname? Since big brother loves me, he must have a nickname for me, so I want to know what it is."

Blake looked to his brother for help, but Kanone just snickered.

"What about… Gwen?" Blake suggested, prompting another snicker from Kanone, but this one punctuated with a nod of approval.

"What about it?"

"As a nickname."

"What is?"

Blake tried again.

"Guinevere, your nickname is Gwen," Blake said. "Is that okay with you?"

Guinevere, now named Gwen, smiled softly, and nodded her head in agreement.

"I like that nickname big brother. You can call me that from now on."

Blake nodded his head, and smiled. The two reached an agreement as Kanone watched them, smiling at the two. Things were going as well as could be expected. He hoped that things with his siblings would continue to go this well.

But sadly, we know they won't. There should only be two chapters left, and then back to the main story!