I was intending to end things here, but it looks like I'll be going for one more chapter. I'm glad I didn't try to cram all this into one chapter like I had planned, it wouldn't be nearly enough.

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: There will be a lot to process. But we'll certainly see Ayame's reaction to Blake's revelations.

Thunder Fire: Well, a lot went wrong. It must be pretty hard on him.

Aquahaze: Well, we'll have to see soon. It will all become clear.

Slycerr: Maybe, but it's certainly funny.

PikachuKetchup12: Sadly, bad things happen with little preparation.

Tambry96bj: It wasn't her fault. She was wild and feral, and doing what vicious, angry dragons do. And as we can see, she's slowly getting better.

JoshGamerV: Yep, exactly.

Pokemon Academy: Beginning of Beginnings

Chapter 283

Sitting in the waiting room of the Couriway Town Hospital, Blake was feeling numb.

He hadn't gotten hurt. In fact, he was perfectly fine, physically speaking. But his mother and sister were taken by the doctors, and he hadn't seen them since. He didn't know if they were okay.

Blake raised his head and looked up at the ceiling, his vision blocked by tears as he resisted the urge to cry. His friend Claire hated hospitals. Right now, he could understand why. He had spent too much time in hospitals already.

"Blake."

Blake lowered his head and turned to see Kanone standing in the waiting room entrance. His expression was cold and hard.

"Big brother…" Blake bit his lip, his brother walking up to him.

"I took that Ralts to the pokemon center," Kanone replied. "It's going to be a rough time of it, but he's going to make a full recovery."

Blake sighed with relief. Kanone sat down beside him, his expression still cloudy. He was clearly just as troubled as Blake.

"Have you heard anything?" Kanone asked. "The nurses said that Galuna is still asleep, and isn't waking up. Because of her connection with mom… I'm worried about her."

Blake wasn't sure what Kanone meant by that.

"Boys."

Kanone and Blake raised their heads to see Richard Harker standing in the doorway, a doctor at his side. His face was the color of ash, and he looked sick to his stomach. Blake gulped. His foster father had always been such an imposing figure, to see him looking like this…

"Dad…" Kanone stood up first, confronting his father. His voice sounded so weak, nothing like the talented, brave, pokemon master of an older brother that Blake had been told stories about for the past few years. He sounded like a worried son and brother. "Are… are they… are mom and Guinevere alright?"

Richard Harker's voice wasn't the strong, commanding tone Blake was used to, either. "Gui… Guinevere is…"

Kanone took a step back, his face going white.

"And… and mom?"

"She's in a coma," Richard Harker said quietly. He put a hand around Kanone's shoulder, and began whispering to him so Blake couldn't hear. Blake saw Kanone numbly nodding his head, but he didn't know what was going on because no one was telling him anything. It wouldn't be until much later, when he learned about harmonia, that Kanone would explain to him about his mother's real condition, and the unlikelihood of her recovery.

But right now, he didn't want to be here. He had just heard that Cynthia was gone. She wasn't coming back. Blake was only 10, but he knew what a "coma" was. He turned and ran crying from the waiting room. He couldn't see where he was going, and he was blocking out the shouts in his direction. He threw himself through the hospital doors and ran out into the grass, wiping his eyes. He was crying over his mother, he was crying over his sister. He wished they had never come today.

But that was going to make him get mad at his mother, and he couldn't do that. It wasn't her fault. Even though it had been her decision to come there to celebrate the birthday of her kids… he couldn't blame her, she had gotten hurt. And of course he couldn't blame Gwen, she hadn't gotten to choose the day she was born.

But if Blake had never come here… if Blake hadn't been adopted by the Harker family, then he wouldn't have gotten them hurt. It was all his fault.

Blake wasn't looking where he was going, and crashed into something red.

Blake fell on his back, looking up at the figure towering over him. It was the red pokemon from before, the one who had tried to save that Ralts, and the one who had protected him and his sister.

"Scizor," the pokemon said, extending one of his pincers towards Blake.

Blake was experiencing something rather odd.

He and the Scizor were sitting on a log outside of Couriway Town, like a park bench. Blake was crying, and the Scizor was sitting there beside him. He wasn't saying anything, because there wasn't really anything that a pokemon could say to comfort a human. And even if there was, that apparently wasn't the kind of pokemon that the Scizor was.

So he just sitting there, letting the human cry his eyes out. Blake didn't know why the Scizor was here, or why he was being so considerate of him, but he appreciated it.

"Blake!" Blake nearly jumped off of the log, raising his head in shock. His brother was standing in front of him, anger on the older boy's face.

"Blake, what are you doing here?" Kanone demanded. "Father was worried sick about you, how could you run off like that?"

"I… I'm sorry, I just…" Blake looked down. His shirt was still stained in blood. Kanone sighed and stepped forward, kneeling down to Blake's level and wrapping his arms around the boy in a hug.

"It's okay," Kanone said. "Everything is going to be okay."

It was a lie, and Blake knew it was a lie. But it was a reassuring lie.

"Scizor."

The Scizor's utterance interrupted Blake and Kanone, the two boys turning to glance at the pokemon. Kanone's eyes widened.

"I see…" A thin smile crossed his lips.

"Blake, I think… that this Scizor wants to go along with you," Kanone said quietly. Blake blinked, and looked up at his brother with confusion. The Scizor looked rather startled, as well. If he had wanted that, it didn't show on his face.

"R-really?" Blake asked, confused.

"You're regretting what happened, aren't you?" Kanone asked the Scizor. The pokemon lowered his head and nodded. "And at the same time… you're grateful, aren't you? Grateful that Blake was there to take care of that Ralts, grateful that our mother protected them, and that I was there to save you both, aren't you?"

The Scizor nodded again, agreeing with what Kanone said.

"Grateful? What do you mean?" Blake asked, confused.

"If you weren't there, if you hadn't come, then those two pokemon would have been in for a very bad time," Kanone said quietly. He took a pokeball off of his belt and looked at it. "The Salamence in this pokeball… the girl who attacked you… she was wild, feral, even worse than a normal Salamence should have been. I think… I think she's been through something traumatic. And now… she's even worse off than before. There's nothing I can do to help her. If you hadn't been there, then those two pokemon might not have made it out alive."

Blake finally understood what Kanone was trying to say. He was telling Blake not to blame himself. That even if it had been his fault that his mother and sister had gotten hurt, then it was also thanks to him that the Ralts and the Scizor were still alive. It was a double-sided coin, the good and the bad.

"Mom… our mother isn't dead," Kanone said. "She could still come back to us. And I believe that she will. So don't blame yourself for what happened, okay, Blake? We just need to hope that everything will be alright."

Blake nodded. Everything will be alright…

"I almost forgot," Kanone said, reaching into his pocket. He took out a pokeball, and placed it in Blake's hand.

"Wh-what?" Blake asked, looking at his brother in confusion.

"It's your tenth birthday," Kanone sighed. "Since you aren't going on a journey… I thought it would still be okay to give you another pokemon to look after. I didn't get one for Guinevere, but… that might be for the best."

Blake didn't know what he meant by that, but he took the pokeball from his brother and pressed the button. A small green pokemon emerged from the ball with a yawn, looking up at Blake with shining red eyes.

"Snivy?" The green pokemon tilted her head to the side in confusion.

"You getting two pokemon instead of one is a little odd, I must admit," Kanone said. He glanced at the Scizor, who was watching on in silence. "Assuming you want to come with us, of course."

Blake glanced at the Scizor.

The Scizor closed his eyes and nodded his head. He knelt down on one knee, looking Blake in the eye with concentrated silence.

"He wants to grow stronger," Kanone replied. "Strong enough where he won't fail like he did today. And he wants to do that by fighting at your side. Isn't that right, Scizor?"

"Scizor," the pokemon agreed, nodding.

"Snivy!" The small Snivy hissed at the Scizor, jumping up and plopping herself down in Blake's lap possessively.

"As for this one, well…"

The Snivy turned her head to Kanone, a startled look on her face.

"…It wouldn't be my place to tell a girl's secrets, so I'll hold my tongue," Kanone chuckled. "Let's go back, Blake. Guinevere is awake."

Blake's eyes widened. He lifted the Snivy up from off of his lap and rose to his feet.

"On the way back, you can think of nicknames for the two of them," Kanone suggested.

"Tara and… Weiss?" Kanone asked, glancing at Blake with a questioning look on his face. He had given Blake a pokeball to hold his new Scizor in, making the number of pokemon Blake had acquired now three.

"Are they bad nicknames?" Blake asked worriedly.

"No, they're fine," Kanone laughed. "But still, Weiss? You know that means 'White' and not 'Red' right, Blake?"

"I-I named him after an anime character, him and Tara both," Blake protested, his face hot. They entered the hospital, but before Blake could even step through the door, Gwen leapt through it and threw herself into his arms.

"G-Gwen?" Blake sputtered.

"Big brother!" Gwen cried. "You're okay!"

Kanone wasn't sure if it was okay for his sister to be moving around like this so soon after her… collapse. He glanced at his father, whose expression was troubled. But he didn't have anything to say, so Kanone didn't say anything, either.

"Where is the Ralts?" Gwen asked, separating from her brother. She looked up at him adamantly. Her eyes were strangely passionate for Gwen, he didn't see that look from her very often. Why was she so interested in that pokemon?

"The Ralts?" Blake asked, more than a little confused. "He… we took him to the pokemon center, to heal his wounds. Why do you want to see him?"

Gwen didn't respond.

"Gwen, we took the Ralts to the pokemon center," Blake explained. In his worry, he had forgotten how to talk to his sister. "Why do you want to see the Ralts?"

"I heard him," Gwen said. "His voice. He was so frightened, so angry… I want to see him."

This was a surprise to everyone who knew her. She didn't often express feelings like this.

Gwen turned to her father.

"Father, will mother come with us?"

The room fell silent.

Of course she didn't understand what had happened. How could she have?

They explained in detail, until Gwen could understand. She didn't say anything in response. She just asked to be taken to see the Ralts, once again.

So that was what they did for her.

Gwen stared at the injured Ralts, sleeping in an incubator. She didn't say anything. She looked at the scars crossing the pokemon's frail body in silence, standing as still as a statue. Her brothers and father watched her from a distance.

"So small…" Gwen whispered. She wasn't sure why, but even as the pokemon slept, she could still hear his voice. He was in pain, and he hated it. It was so strange. She never knew what people were thinking, but just like with Uni… it was so clear what this Ralts felt. She knew what he wanted just by being around him. It was wonderful, like being with her big brother. Even though he didn't always know how to talk with her, she could somehow always feel his love, his kindness. She didn't feel love or kindness from this Ralts, not yet. But like with Uni… certainly it would. But what he wanted…

He wanted to be strong. She could feel it from him. It was like she was reading everything about him in a book. He had been beaten so badly that he never wanted to feel this weak and powerless ever again. And she would make sure that he wouldn't. She would take care of him, and help him grow strong, strong enough to where he would never lose to anyone, ever.

"Father…" Gwen turned to her father with purpose in her eyes. Richard Harker was a little put off by this. His daughter seldom acknowledged his existence. He couldn't even remember the last time that she spoke to him, and now she'd done it twice in two days.

"I want this pokemon," Gwen said. "He's mine. He belongs with me. I want to have him. For my birthday."

Richard glanced at Kanone, but Kanone didn't know what to say in this circumstance. They were all a little out of sorts. He and his father were both still numb to everything that had happened. Cynthia… her condition… they still hadn't properly recovered from the horrible revelation. Even Kanone didn't know what to do right now. It seemed like Gwen was the only one thinking straight. Maybe this was some complex form of grieving? He shrugged to his father.

"Guinevere, I'll talk with the nurse. When the Ralts has recovered from his wounds, then you can take him back home."

"Thank you father," Gwen nodded. Gwen seldom thanked others, either.

"Look, Guinevere, I know this might not be the right time for this, but, uh… I also got you a birthday present," Kanone said, walking over to her.

"What might not be the right time for what?" She asked. Kanone sighed. He reached into his pocket, and withdrew a shiny blue stone, light blue starbursts in the center of it. Guinevere liked looking at pretty rocks, and this one was more than that, it was special, even if she didn't know it. He held it out for her inspection.

"Guinevere, this stone in my hand is your birthday present," Kanone explained. "It-"

"Thank you, brother," she murmured, interrupting him in her usual way and taking the stone from his grasp. She turned it over in her hands. Her face was impassive as she looked at it, but her eyes were shining. "This will do nicely…"

Nothing was the same when they got home. How could it have been? Cynthia, Blake and Gwen's mother… she had always lit up that old house with her smile, treating everyone, even the servants, kindly. Gwen didn't understand it, but she missed her mother. Not in the way she always missed Blake when he wasn't around, but… it was like having a very comfy pillow. And then the pillow was being washed, and so you needed to spend the night without sleeping with it. Only it was every night instead. That was how she felt about her mother being gone.

Things were not going the best for Blake, either. Without Cynthia, and only with Gwen as company, things in the house were clearly off. His father… well, Richard Harker, never spoke with him. Or with Gwen. Whenever he was home, he would ignore them completely. And his brother was never home anymore, either. He was always off doing something or other, but when he would come home, he would talk with their father in private.

Blake cried himself to sleep for many nights over what had happened with his mother. Besides Gwen, she had been the one who showed him the most love. And because Gwen's nature made displaying her love very odd, Cynthia had been the one he would often turn to for things like that. He loved his mother. And he loved his sister. But now his mother was gone. And his sister, well…

She was different, most certainly. Something in her had changed after that incident, and Blake had no idea what. She would keep trying to spend time with him, and while he loved it… something was different, most certainly.

Blake awoke to a wet pillow. He and Gwen slept in the same bed now, taking comfort in each other. They had been all they had for a while. And now that was still the case.

Gwen was… crying?

Gwen never cried.

Never.

She woke up, yawning.

"Gwen… you're crying?" Blake asked, surprised.

Gwen raised her hand to her eyes, and wiped her tears away.

"I don't understand…" she murmured, shaking her head. "Why do I feel this way?"

Blake reached out to Gwen. He pulled her close, hugging her. She hugged him back.

"Big brother…" she whispered. "I don't understand. Everything is… I don't…"

Gwen felt so wrong. But she didn't have the words to describe what she was feeling. Not to Blake. She could share her feelings with Lancelot and Uni, it was all so easy. So why wasn't it easy with Blake?

She shook her head.

It should be that easy. Blake loved her, after all. He was her brother, and he wanted to be with her, he wanted to make her happy. So of course he would understand her if she…

Gwen looked into Blake's eyes. They were desperate, searching hers for something. She smiled. She leaned in and pressed her lips against his. She sighed. This was a kiss. It was something that she had seen in anime and television all the time, people who liked each other kissed. And she liked Blake, and Blake liked her. She wanted to kiss him, so maybe he could understand. And it felt so good…

Blake broke things off, backing up in confusion.

Gwen blinked. She didn't understand why Blake had pushed her away. He loved her, didn't he? So why didn't he want to kiss her like she wanted to kiss him?

"Blake, I don't understand," Gwen said, shaking her head. Her eyes were shining, and her head throbbed with pain. A light blue light engulfed her body, pushing Blake backwards. He fell out of bed.

"Owwiee…" Gwen wailed, holding her head. She looked around desperately. "Blake?! Where are you?!"

Blake didn't understand what had happened. Picking himself up off the floor, he assumed that he had just fallen out of bed. Little did he know at the time, this was where it would begin. It had started in Couriway Town, but right now… now was when he lost his sister for good.

One chapter left. One chapter remaining to see what happened between Blake and Gwen, and how they got to where they are now.