The party continues! But who is it that Blake has chosen to fight with for his tag team partner? Will they accept?

We've reached the final day of voting for the Pokemon Academy Best Girl Semi-Finals! Time for any last-minute votes! There's a front-runner currently, and multiple ties, so these last votes are critical to see who will make it to the final round! I can wait to see who will win, so be sure to get those votes in if you still haven't supported your favorite girl yet, because the finals start when the next chapter goes up tomorrow!

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

Rosealine gold: Don't worry, she'll show up here. She's not a party person, sadly.

ConfusedCradily: Overpowering? Bruh you haven't seen anything yet.

Mercury – Mercuraneous: The key to giving your characters life is to make them have reasons to do the things they do, and distinguishable ways in which they do them.

Duskzilla: You can always start back at the beginning… Might help you enjoy a few of the surprise twists a lot more.

Aquahaze675: Well, it's certainly worth the wait, I'll tell you that much.

Thunder Fire: Let's find out.

FinLay Real: I will say, the person who Blake wants to partner up with will certainly make sense. As for who that will be…

Tambry96bj: Good, as you might guess I'm not a fashion person, which makes writing Olivia rather difficult.

Badoobadoop: Good, hopefully this chapter should up the excitement levels a few notches with what we'll see in it. An interesting pairing, no doubt about that.

Pokemon Academy: Beginning of Beginnings

Chapter 296

Elaina Bishop could not stand the idea of parties. This was the last place she had wanted to go. But Gerard had told her that her attendance was mandatory.

"Don't let them tell you where you can and cannot go," he had told her. "You're a student of this school and you have just as much of a right to be there as any of them. Assert yourself and show them that they can't keep you down."

But Elaina didn't want to be there. Not in this ballroom, not in this dress, and certainly not with all these other people who looked at her like she was a freak. She stood with her back to the wall, her porcelain mask giving her the appearance of an intimidating statue. No one got within ten feet of her, there was a massive gap in the mingling crowd, and that would have been just fine. But it was the looks. The whispers. Those on the edge of the crowd were peeking out at her, glancing at her out of the corners of their eyes, telling her just how much they weren't ignoring.

"That's her," she caught the whisper of one.

"What's that witch doing here?"

"She's a freak, she shouldn't be here."

"Why would they let her be around other students?"

"Someone should say something, before she snaps and tries to kill us."

"Shouldn't we get a teacher?"

It was always the same. The looks in their eyes, the contempt, the fear, well… it didn't matter. Elaina would loathe them right back. All these disgusting people who hated her so…

Elaina glanced down. Gerard had bought her a brand new dress for this party. It wasn't the sort of dress she would have chosen for herself. It was black with blood red lace and held in place by a dark red corset that pushed out her chest and revealed her cleavage, which was partially hidden by the black ribbon wrapped around her throat and tied into a thin bow, draped over her chest. Long sleeves reached her wrist, ended with lace, and she wore dark high socks up to the tops of her thighs. The contrast of her dark clothes and the paleness of her skin, like the white mask standing out against the fringes of shoulder-length brown hair framing it, caused her to stand out even more.

Elaina didn't like dark clothes. She preferred sky blues and whites. But these outfits Gerard would buy for her, as much as she disdained them, were necessary, just like he said. Leather corsets and stern dresses in blacks and reds, loud outfits to scare other people, to keep them at bay. Just another piece of armor, intimidating the hateful people and keeping them away from her.

Why am I even here? Elaina asked herself. It might be mandatory, but now that I've shown up, can't I just leave?

It wasn't like she would join the tag tournament.

After all… who would want to team up with a monster like me?

As she was considering leaving, she didn't notice that someone had broken out of the crowd, crossing the invisible barrier that separated her from the rest of the first years.

"This might not make a lot of sense… but do you want to team up with me for this tournament?"

Elaina's head shot up in surprise at the sound of a voice she recognized. Her eyes widened behind her mask and her heart skipped a beat. Blake Harker!

"Elaina?" He asked, looking at her with those hopeful eyes of his, the eyes that she could see so deeply into. The eyes that told her that she could be so much more than she was, like he could see her for who she was. The sweet, kind, lying eyes that made her heart weep with unworthiness.

More whispers broke out across the crowd, Elaina scanning their audience from the safety of her mask. Her eyes landed on Blake. He was staring straight at her, his eyes direct and clear. Even though people were already starting to gossip.

"Isn't that Blake Harker?"

"Why is he teaming up with someone like her?"

"They won't actually let that monster join the tournament, will they?"

"Clearly he just wants to use that monster strength to win."

"I can't believe they'd let her join, that's basically cheating."

"She doesn't belong here anyway, she's a freak!"

"You're not serious," Elaina growled.

"I am serious," Blake said, nodding his head. "You're the only person I would think to take as my partner for something like this."

Elaina warily gazed down at his outstretched hand.

"He's inviting her?" Aidan asked, stunned. "That Elaina Bishop? Doesn't he know what she's capable of?"

"He knows," Sango said quietly. Of course he would choose her. After what had happened with Guinevere? Of course he would choose her. He wants to save her. The same way he couldn't save his sister.

He always chooses the girl he can save… she bitterly added, surprised at how venomous her thoughts were at the sight of the two of them.

"Is that… is that going to be okay?" Nikita asked worriedly. She was still scared of Elaina, like most of the other students at the school. Nick and Reiner were both worried as well, Reiner in particular seeming very wary of the other girl. Nikita had only been on the sidelines during the Fall Festival Tournament, but Reiner had discussed Elaina's… abilities in extensive detail with Gerard and others. He knew what to expect. Nick was just afraid as usual, but Reiner was worried, and he wasn't the only one. When Julia saw Blake greeting Elaina Bishop, she felt her arm begin throbbing in phantom pain as she remembered her own battle with the harmonia user. Instinctively, Julia made the attempt to stand between the girl and Kitty. Ironically, Kitty herself was the only one who wasn't standing there who wasn't afraid, thanks to her own experience with harmonia. She was perhaps the only one in the entire room, save Blake, who wasn't afraid of the girl whose loneliness Kitty could feel raging around her like a maelstrom. Fear? No, none of that, if anything she felt bad for Elaina, isolated as she was.

Good luck, Blake, Kitty silently wished him.

"I told you I didn't need your help," Elaina said, grateful that her mask was in place so Blake couldn't see the turmoil on her face. In truth, the idea of teaming up with Blake, spending the next two weeks practically locked at the hip, it was appealing. It was something that a part of her wanted more than anything.

But that wasn't the part of her that knew better. Her brain knew full well that if she teamed up with Blake, people would get hurt. She didn't care about the students that cursed her and mocked her. Not anymore, that ship had long since sailed. But if Blake fought at her side, then she would hurt him, too.

And Elaina couldn't bear that.

"You must be a fool, or desperate," Elaina scoffed. "Just trying to use my strength in order to get ahead in this tournament."

That wasn't true of course, but Elaina would have told herself and him any lie she could to drive him away.

"What? Are you so desperate to win that you would rely on the abilities of a freak like myself?" She asked haughtily, letting out a hurt laugh that betrayed the pain of her self-condemnation to the boy she couldn't restrain her feelings towards.

"I don't care about any of that," Blake said, giving her a good-natured smile. "If you don't want to battle at all, then that's fine, too. I don't really care about winning or anything like that. But let's team up, okay?"

"Ridiculous," Elaina scoffed, turning away from him. Even though she was wearing a mask, she was afraid he could see her happiness on her face. "There isn't any point in accompanying someone like you. I already told you, I don't need your help, or your company, or anything!"

The more she spoke, the more the joy in her heart was turning towards sad rage. Not directed at him, but at the cruel world that would not allow her to partner with the boy she liked simply out of concern for his own safety.

"…Are you that worried about me?" Blake asked. The harshness in his tone actually threw Elaina off-guard for a moment, causing her to glance back at him in surprise. What was he talking about, she wondered? Of course she would be worried, even though she wanted to pretend otherwise. She wouldn't want to hurt him, of course.

When she returned her gaze to his, she saw a flash of something that she had seen deep down in his eyes only a scarce few times. There was a pain there, not the pain she saw when he showed concern for her, but a pain that reflected his own heart, and the wounds that belonged to him alone. It made her curious, in spite of herself. She took a step forward without even meaning to, standing face-to-mask with the boy. This caused a ripple in the crowd behind him, everyone taking a large step away from her.

The circle widened.

She searched his eyes for answers, but could find none.

"You're all the same," Blake said quietly. More pain. He didn't even need to project harmonia for Elaina to feel the pain rolling off of him in waves. "You're so worried about hurting me… like I'm so weak that I can't stand by your side, like I can't help."

"…You are weak," Elaina coldly replied. She locked her emotions away behind her mask. Sealed away the part of her that wanted to give him a reassuring hug, and reached out her hand. Such a forward action sent gasps and cries out across the crowd, but Blake didn't even flinch. She placed her hand on his cheek in a gesture that would have been gentle, had Elaina been a normal girl. But she wasn't a normal girl. She was a freak who could only hurt others. Her hand rested on his cheek like a slap that caused no pain.

"So weak… so fragile…" she murmured. "Just being around me would cause you to break. I don't need someone like that at my side."

No! She screamed. Don't listen to me! Don't abandon me! Please don't leave me alone!

Don't cry. If you cry then you have to acknowledge how you feel right now, she forced herself, her face scrunching up in pain behind her mask. He would not see her tears if she did shed them, but even so, she could not bring herself to cry over words she'd spoken for his safety.

"I don't care." Blake's answer was like a growl, low and unheard by the onlookers. There was a fire in his eyes that made even Elaina take pause.

"You will care," she replied, lowering her hand. "When you and your pokemon are left broken and unable to keep moving forward, you'll care then."

"I already let one person I care for push me away because she thought I was too weak to stand by her side," Blake said. "So if you want to think that way too? Fine. Go ahead and think it. But I'm sick of people telling me that I can't be with them, that I can't help them, all because they're afraid that they'll hurt me."

"But I can hurt you," Elaina quietly replied.

"I don't care about the wounds. I don't care about my body getting hurt. It's been hurt before, worse than you could ever do."

"You don't know what I can do…" she muttered, shaking her head.

"Fine. But I don't care about anything like that," Blake said, reaching out and grabbing her by the shoulders. "Even if you hurt me… what hurts me more is you pushing me away like this. Elaina, I don't… I don't want to lose you. And if you keep pushing me away… then I will. So please, just… won't you just stand at my side this once?"

That… Elaina's face turned bright red. Is that… a proposal?! (It isn't)

Elaina shook herself free from him and turned away, staring at the wall behind her. It was like her mask was gone, and she feared he could see everything written across her face. She couldn't bear to show him the excitement in her breast.

"I will… consider your offer," Elaina said. She reached into her purse and dug for her phone, before her hand froze. Wait… Blake already had her number, didn't he?! Uh…

"I-I will contact you with my response," she quickly concluded the conversation, shaking her head. "That is all. I have nothing more to say to you at this time."

"O-okay," Blake said, nodding, not really sure how she would actually get in contact with him. "…Enjoy the party…"

Not likely, Elaina thought bitterly. She couldn't turn back to watch him. She was sad to see him turn from her and walk back through the crowd, who all parted in his path, no doubt looking at him worriedly as he returned to his friends. She could imagine it, and it stung. She wanted to team up with him… but could she?

Her body turned without her being able to control herself.

"Blake Harker!" Elaina cried, Blake flinching. He glanced back through the crowd of people, who were nearly flinging themselves out of the girl's way as she approached him with strong, purposeful steps, though she did not understand why she walked with such purpose.

"El-Elaina-"

"I'll do it," Elaina said, taking his hand. "If you want to fight by my side… if you are willing to accept me for who I am, then I will fight with you."

Blake's face brightened and he sighed with relief, nodding his head.

"I'm glad," he replied, giving her a smile that eased the pain in her chest.

"Th-then… I shall take my leave," Elaina said. "I will… contact you tomorrow."

"How will-"

"Do not concern yourself with that," Elaina said, shaking her head. She released his hand and whirled around, storming out of the ballroom, and the unbearable quiet vacuum echoing through it. Everyone watched her leave, too afraid to say a word. When the door closed behind her, the curtain of silence remained for a few seconds more, and the conversation regained.

The rest of Blake's friends looked at him, nearly as stunned as the others, though slightly more understanding of his position.

This… this is okay, right, Ayame? Sango felt a little queasy. She's not a strange girl with suspicious intentions… right?

Somehow, she didn't think that Ayame would be cool with this.

Meanwhile, across the ballroom, there was someone else who was likewise very much not cool with this.

Seething like a spurned lover, Cynthia watched enviously as Elaina left the room.

Okay, fine. So he chose Ayame over me. Whatever, I'm cool with that, it's not like I liked him that way anyway, right? But now he chooses Elaina over me, too? She sulked, saying goodbye to the students she was talking to, walking across the room to a more private corner, where less people could be seen.

Okay, yeah, if he wants to win, it makes sense to go with her, but…

Cynthia's face was wet. Was she crying?

So Blake didn't want to team up with me? Even though us fighting together would have been so much fun? Jerk…

Wiping the tears from her eyes, Cynthia broke from the crowd and came across someone she hadn't expected to see, but was actually a little exited to see all the same.

Making herself look as small as she could, sitting in a chair the corner where no one would see her and talk with her, was Maddi. She wasn't wearing a dress like the other girls, or even a suit, but rather just a black leather jacket and black pants, along with her trademark choker and boots. She looked clearly out of place for such a party, and not just because of her wardrobe, but the sick look on her face as she nursed the drink in her hand. (Not alcoholic, since this was a school-sponsored event)

"Maddi? You actually came?" Cynthia asked, surprised.

Maddi turned up from her cup to shoot Cynthia a sour look.

"…Whatever," she muttered, shaking her head.

"Well someone's happy to be here," Cynthia said. Maddi rolled her eyes in response. Then she got a better look at who was actually speaking to her.

"…You don't seem that happy yourself," she commented.

"Yeah, just… saw something I didn't want to see," Cynthia muttered. Her expression brightened. "Hey, Maddi, you know that tag tournament-"

"NO."

"O-Oh," Cynthia stuttered, taking a step back. In a way, she had seen this coming. Maddi probably wouldn't want to team up with her, she knew that the girl found Cynthia's perkiness and pushiness to be annoying.

Still, rejection hurt.

"I understand," Cynthia said, nodding. Seeing the look on her face made Maddi feel a little bad. She wasn't used to feeling bad for Cynthia.

"…Sorry," she apologized. "Just… I don't really want to team up with you, you know? But don't worry, you'll find someone better than me. …Probably."

"It's okay," Cynthia smiled. Unlike with Blake, Maddi's rejection didn't sting as much. She wasn't much of a people person to begin with.

"Good luck," Maddi murmured, finishing her drink. She stood from her chair and gave the girl a last look. "I'm sure someone'll team up with you, at any rate. You're a talented enough trainer. Me, though… I need to take a breath of fresh air."

Maddi looked out over the crowd of people, feeling all too pinned in by people who she didn't like interacting with. The Commander had told her to make connections. But that was never something she was good at. She shook her head, and shrugged her shoulders. It was all too much for her right now, she needed to breathe.

"This crowd is too stifling right now," Maddi muttered, walking past Cynthia and heading towards the balcony of the ballroom, stopping to fill up her cup before walking outside, inhaling the night air. This was much better.

Cynthia watched her leave, and let out a sigh. She pushed a smile back onto her face, ignoring the prior… unpleasantness that came from Blake. This was a party, after all. She needed to be smiling! She went back to mingling, feeling a sad sense of freedom. She'd been pining for Blake, envisioning herself teaming up with him and defeating everyone that came up against them. Well, that dream had died off nicely, and now Blake was teaming up with someone that Cynthia was having a tough time envisioning herself being able to defeat on her best day.

She scanned the crowd. She wanted to beat Blake, and that girl Elaina. That meant she would need a partner strong enough to do it. Unfortunately, while she could handle Blake, and maybe give Elaina a decent fight, she couldn't think of a single first year who would be able to do the same. Per the Fall Festival Tournament, she was the strongest of the first years (save Elaina) and in the crowd she didn't see anyone who could match her.

…Except maybe the girl who just walked in. Dressed even less suited for a party than Maddi, in a ratty grey hoodie and sweatpants, was a girl with stringy brown hair who the crowd gave a wide birth to, in part from the moldy odor wafting off her, in part due to the cold air around her and the dull look in her pale blue eye.

Cynthia's eyes widened, a smile spreading across her lips. Now she would do nicely.

Some old favorites are making their reappearances! This tournament is looking to turn out to be a rather fun affair, I'd say.