In this chapter, we catch up with Nick and figure out who his partner is going to be, and the tournament officially begins!

The Finals have begun! The Pokemon Academy Best Girl Finals have only gotten a few votes in, I can't wait to see how it goes. All the girls there are pretty good, but as you may have guessed I'm personally polling for Ayame in light of the story direction. How will it go? We'll have to see! Be sure to get your votes in! Only one girl can win, who will that one girl be? Who will be the Pokemon Academy Best Girl?

Finalists: Sango, Ayame, Marion

Aquahaze675: Well, the first battle matchup starts in this chapter!

Pokemon Academy: Beginning of Beginnings

Chapter 304

"…So why'd you choose me, anyway?" Nick asked, taking a sip from the coffee in front of him. He glanced apprehensively at the student across the table from him. "You came to me saying you wanted to team up with me, and I agreed because I didn't really have anyone to team up with at the time, but I'm not sure why you chose me, of all people."

"It's not the best reason," Will admitted.

A few days before the party, Will had called out to Nick after class and taken him out to get coffee at this very same café. Nick hadn't been sure of why, since he hardly ever interacted with Will. The most time the two had spent together had been in the escape room, and they hadn't really done all that much. They weren't friends. If anything, Nick was a little wary of how obsessed Will could get with winning, even though Nick himself wanted to be a stronger trainer. And yet… Will had still asked him to team up. Nick had agreed, since he didn't have anyone he wanted to team up with and he did want to join the tournament, so he might as well. But after hearing the thoughts of his friends about why they had wanted to team up with specific people had made him curious to find out why, exactly, Will had wanted to team up with him, specifically.

Nick wasn't sure what the answer was going to be, but he wanted to give Will the benefit of the doubt that there was a good reason.

"It's fine," Nick said, glancing down. "Just tell me."

He braced himself for his self-esteem to take a hit, like "I figured you were wishy-washy enough to say yes" or something like that.

"Look, see, I focus so much time on battling, well…" Will sighed, twirling his shoulder-length copper-colored hair. "I don't actually have that many friends."

Nick blinked, not sure what that had to do with anything.

"So, like, it wasn't like it had to be you or anything," Will said. "It's just that I wanted to join the tournament, but since it's a tag team I needed someone to team up with. And since I don't have many friends, there wasn't really anyone I could ask, you know?"

"So you figured I was good enough?" Nick sighed.

"I'm not going to lie, that's a part of it," Will admitted. "But more importantly, well… remember back in the escape room?"

Nick remembered it just fine, but he didn't understand what that had to do with the two of them teaming up for the tournament. He nodded anyway.

"Well, I felt that you and I would be able to get along pretty good," Will said. "You're a pretty quiet dude, and I'm, well… I'm somewhat of a loner, so… when it comes to teaming up with someone, I'd prefer someone who I might be able to get along with well, you know? And since I don't know very many first-years, I thought that you would be one of the ones I could get along with well enough to team up with…"

Nick nodded. That definitely made sense, especially considering what would happen if Will teamed up with, say, Cynthia. That probably would not go well for him, and he was personally glad that he wouldn't have to team up with her, either.

"Don't you get along pretty well with Reiner and Nikita though?" Nick asked. "You could have asked one of them to team up?"

"Well, yeah, I could have," Will said, nodding in agreement, "but I thought that they'd want to team up with each other, you know? Since they're dating and all, it would be kind of weird to ask one of them to team up, you know?"

Nick resisted the urge to laugh.

"Actually, they aren't teaming up with each other," Nick said.

"…They aren't?" Will asked, surprised.

"No, Nikita wanted to team up with our friend Kitty," Nick explained. "They thought that it would be a little embarrassing if they were to team up together in front of everyone, so they looked for different people to team up with."

Will let out a long, drawn-out sigh.

"Well, looks like I should have just asked to begin with."

"So you didn't want to team up with me, after all?" Nick asked.

"Huh? No, I thought you were the one who had the issue?" Will said, confused at what Nick was trying to say. Nick was equally confused.

"I mean, I'm not that strong of a trainer, so I figured you were teaming up with me because you didn't have a choice," Nick said. "You know, since you're a loner, like you said? I can't imagine anyone wanting to actually team up with me, you know…"

"No, that wasn't it," Will said, shaking his head. "I mean, yeah, I chose you over other people because we kind of know each other and I thought that I could get along pretty well with you, but it's not like I chose you because you were the only option."

"Oh?" Nick asked, perking up a little.

"Yeah, I mean, I did want to team up with Reiner since he's kind of a friend, but he was talking about wanting to team up with Nikita, so I gave up on that. But you were my second choice," Will said. "Honestly."

"Then… why me, if we aren't that close?" Nick asked. His only experience was being the backup option after Julia and Reiner had both lost their primary picks, and had no one left to rely on, which hadn't exactly been great for his self-esteem. Not that Will was all that better, openly admitting that Nick was a second choice for him, as well. And yet, it somehow felt better when Will admitted it. Maybe because Will had actually taken the time to approach him, as opposed to using their friendship to just assume that Nick would team up with him as a default.

"Well, you're decently strong," Will explained. "You did make it to the Top 16 of the Fall Festival Tournament, after all."

"Yeah, but I lost in the Top 16," Nick reminded him. "I didn't really do that good, you know. That girl Naya, she…"

"So what? You're still one of the better freshmen," Will said, dismissing Nick's concerns. "Come on, is it really such a big deal that you lost in the Top 16? That's further than most of the people on campus got, and you lost to a sophomore, right? It isn't that big a deal. I'm fine with it, so you don't need to worry about anything. Or is that you don't want to team up with someone who only wants to team up with you for your strength?"

"…Well, I will admit that I'd prefer to team up with a close friend," Nick admitted. "But on the other hand…"

Nick's "close friends" hadn't exactly been the most respectful to him at the party, so he didn't mind too much.

"So you don't mind?" Will asked.

Nick thought back to Julia and Reiner "fighting" over him.

"Nah, actually, our prior agreement gave me a pretty good excuse to get me out of something annoying," Nick admitted. "Also…"

"Nick!"

Nick raised his head and glanced over his shoulder, waving to Callie. The short girl's face brightened, and she skipped over to their table, sitting on Nick's lap. Nick's mouth dropped open. He hadn't been expecting THAT. His face turned bright red, and he couldn't even bear to look Will in the face, considering how fawning Callie was being over him. Even though they had been dating for months, Callie's clinginess could still be more than a little embarrassing, especially around another guy who Nick didn't know very well.

Will gave Nick a look filled with sympathy. While he didn't have any experience with a girl so… clingy and upbeat, he was well-aware of what it was like to be involved with a girl that was more clingy around others than he was particularly comfortable with.

…Wait, why I am I thinking like that? She's a robot not a girl.

Will shook his head. Fortunately, Misato was no longer pseudo-stalking him, though he would occasionally run into her in the library.

"So you're Nick's tag team partner!"

Callie's bubbly voice shook Will out of his thoughts of the robot girl who'd followed him around for the better part of October and November, and he looked up to meet Callie's inquisitive gaze. She had a suspicious look on her face that he found slightly unnerving, like he had done something wrong and she was accusing him silently, without actually saying a word.

"Uh, yeah, I'm Will-"

"Will Harmond, I know, we've met," Callie said. "You're dating that girl, Misato Daisan, who works with Richard Valon, right?"

"Whuh-? NO!" Will exclaimed, his face flushing. Callie looked surprised.

"But I thought… never mind," Callie said, shaking her head. "It just looked like you two got along really well, that's all."

"Of course we wouldn't, she's a-" Will paused. That wasn't his secret to tell after all. Callie looked at him expectantly.

"She's a what?"

"She's… a… type of girl I don't really get along with," Will mumbled. "We're just, um… circumstances, you know?"

"Do you like her?"

"Why are we talking about this?!"

"When I knew that I liked Nick, I told him right away," Callie said.

"You kidnapped me," Nick corrected.

"…I don't remember it going that way. My point is, if you like her, then just let her know, you know?" Callie said. "Because it looked to me like you like her, and well, maybe she likes you? I don't know, that girl is like a robot, so hard to read."

Spot on with that one, but…

"I don't like her like that, okay?" Will asserted. "And can we please stop talking about my dating life? I can't imagine that's why you came here."

"Nope!" Callie chirped, shaking her head. She nestled in a little deeper into Nick's lap, causing him to turn bright red. She was getting dangerously close to certain areas. "Actually, I came here because I wanted to meet Nick's partner. I've been really, really curious! I'm glad that it was you, though, that's a load off."

"Really?" Will asked, surprised. He didn't understand why Callie might be so positively inclined towards him.

"Yeah, if you were a cute girl who was tall with big boobs then I might have snapped," Callie sheepishly admitted. "So I'm real glad that you're a guy."

"Come on, you know I'm not gonna…" Nick turned bright red.

"…I know, but still…" Callie sighed. She turned her head and looked him in the eye. "I get jealous sometimes, you know? And there are a lot of freshmen couples forming right now, so I was worried that you might…"

Will could leave, right? These two were having some deep couple-related thing, but it wasn't like he was needed here, right? So he could go home. That was fine.

"I heard what you said, too," Callie said, turning back to Will just as he was thinking of standing up and saying goodbye.

"Er… what was that?"

"What you said earlier, about recognizing that Nick had tried really hard, and was a good trainer," Callie said, giving Will a warm, grateful smile. "Nick's been trying so hard, and it still seems like no one really appreciates it."

"Uh… really?" Will asked, surprised.

"I guess, compared to first years like Blake, or Cynthia, or Elaina, he isn't that impressive," Callie admitted. "But he tried his best, and he managed to make it into the Top 16. So what you said before, about how impressive it was that he made it into the Top 16 and that's why you wanted to team up with him, I was like 'ah! He gets it! He sees how awesome my Nick really is, even though he's usually so shy!' That… that was something that really made me happy."

Callie turned and beamed at her boyfriend, the brightness of her smile causing Nick to blush even more than he already was.

"He's always feeling insecure, so someone else seeing him for the great trainer I know he can be really meant a lot."

"Err… it wasn't anything that deep," Will said, blushing slightly. He was antisocial by nature, and wasn't on the receiving end of much in the way of praise. Even when Misato complimented him, it was with such an emotionless veneer it that it didn't feel real, not in the way that Callie seemed genuinely thankful for him. So, embarrassed as he was, he deflected as usual.

Still, Will couldn't help but feel jealous that Nick had a girlfriend who cared about him as much as Callie clearly did.

"You know, I thought you were kind of an antisocial jerk before," Callie admitted, laughing sheepishly, scratching her blonde hair. "You just kind of had this 'I'm better than you' air, you know? But you're actually a pretty good guy, Will!"

"…Thanks?" Will said, not sure if that was a full compliment or not.

"Honestly, I wanted to be his teammate, but that wouldn't be okay," Callie sighed. "Oh! But I'll definitely cheer you on, Nick! The tournament starts today, right? Let's go find you someone to fight! Start off strong with a win, that's how you handle pokemon battles!"

The tournament would officially start at 10 on Sunday morning. It was almost time. Will and Nick glanced at each other, taking out the pagers they had been given.

Their pagers began to beep. That meant, starting now, first-years would be able to challenge each other in official tag battles.

"Is that it? Is that the signal?" Callie asked, her eyes shining. "Awesome! Get out there, you two! Let's go!"

Callie hopped off of Nick's lap and grabbed him by the hand, pulling him out of his seat. She grabbed Will with her other hand, and pulled him along, too. Will barely had time to scan the tip in the card reader before Callie dragged the two of them out of the café, and into the mall proper.

"Hmm, doesn't look like there's anyone here," Callie mused, looking around. "Maybe everyone's outside?"

"Callie, you don't have to help us, you know," Nick said. "We can find opponents on our own, you know."

"I know, but still!" Callie huffed. "I want you guys to get as many wins as you can, so you can get into the top 4! It's always good to have help, I can be your cheerleader!"

"Please no," Will said, shaking his head. Having her cheer for him would be embarrassing. He envied Nick, but not THAT much.

"Nick's right, we can find someone on our own," Will tried to assure her. Callie looked back and forth between the two of them. She wasn't entirely convinced.

"…You sure?" She asked, glancing at Nick.

"Yeah, you don't have to worry," Nick said, smiling.

"Okay, I guess I'll keep quiet then," Callie sighed. "But you better give it your best, okay? Go out and find someone! It's important to have a good ratio, but it's also important to have a lot of matches, too! The judges look at all sorts of factors, so don't think you can just win won match and that's the end of it with a 100% win ratio, you've got to fight lots of people!"

"…Yeah, obviously," Will said.

"Do people really think that way?" Nick asked, surprised.

Callie's face turned bright red.

"Of-Of course not, I've never heard about anyone making a dumb mistake like that, ahaha…" Callie laughed awkwardly, not able to look either boy in the eye. She quickly regained her composure.

"And don't take it easy, fighting weak opponents, got it?" Callie demanded. "Yeah, winning is important, but I want you guys to really put yourselves out there! Nick, you want to challenge yourself, right? I don't think you'd be satisfied with just beating up small-fry! That's not the kind of training we've practiced! Always aim for the best!"

"Of course," Nick said, nodding. He had no intention of just fighting weaker trainers, he was looking forward to fighting teams like Reiner and Julia, or even Blake and Elaina. This wasn't just about winning, but about training, and showing the results of his training.

"…I don't know what kind of matches Will is okay with," Callie added, giving Will another suspicious look, "but I don't want you to pick on the weak just in order to pull ahead! Do your best!"

"Hey! Your opinion of me hasn't improved at all, has it?!"

"That was that, this was this," Callie shrugged.

"I'm not a bully!"

"Don't worry, Callie, we'll do the best we can," Nick reassured her. "I'll look for strong trainers to give me a challenge."

"Good," Callie said, nodding. "That's just what-"

"That's just what I wanted to hear!" A voice shouted, Nick and Will whirling around.

Cynthia was standing on one of the food court tables, her arms crossed in front of her, and her eyes shining with challenge.

"Cynthia?!"

"What's she doing here?" Callie gasped.

"…Why are you on a table?" Will thought to ask.

"I expected to find a team to battle here in the mall, so I came!" Cynthia declared. "And lo and behold, there's a team right in front of me! Nick! …And whoever! Let's fight!"

"You don't remember my name?" Will asked, scowling.

"Wait, are you alone?" Nick asked. "Don't you need a teammate?"

"Who? She's right here, duh," Cynthia said. She pointed at another girl, who was sitting at the table Cynthia had climbed atop of, showing zero emotional reaction to Cynthia's… disruption of her breakfast.

Will raised an eyebrow, Cynthia was partnered with Caelia Auburne? She'd done a decent job of fighting in the Fall Festival Tournament, having been defeated by Sylvia in a rather close match. And Will had gotten a second look at her abilities on Mt. Chimney. She was a talented trainer, but in terms of social skills, Will knew that she most certainly had a lot to desire.

"So what do you say, Nick? Do we have a match?" Cynthia demanded, her smile widening. "You want to fight someone strong, right? Well, this team is going all the way, so put your pokemon where your mouth is!"

Nick and Will glanced at each other.

"Do it, Nick! Take her down!" Callie was still nursing a grudge against Cynthia from when she had stolen a win off of her months ago. Even though they were friends now, she still had the occasional sour thought about the girl, and wanted to see Nick knock her down a peg.

Nick sighed.

"You good with it?" Nick asked.

"It works for me," Will said. "I never got a chance to fight either of them in the last tournament, so it should be fun."

"That's just what I like to here!" Cynthia nodded. "Let's not waste any time, then, let's do this right-"

"There she is!"

"Get off the table!"

Two mall security guards were approaching Cynthia. Her eyes shot in their direction, and then back to the two trainers she challenged.

"…On second thought, let's do this outside!" Cynthia declared, hopping off the table. She grabbed the uncaring Caelia by the hand and dragged her beside her as she fled from the security guards, leaving a whirlwind in her wake.

Callie was the first one to pipe up.

"…Do we follow her, or…"

"What a frustrating girl," Will grumbled. Nick sighed, and nodded in agreement.

"That's just the way she is."

Personally, though, Nick was a little apprehensive. A match against Cynthia… he wasn't sure how it was going to go, to be honest. They'd never fought for real. And yet somehow, he wasn't that nervous. Cynthia was the kind of girl who could blow away tension effortlessly, even the tension of his first match of the tournament. It was better her than, say, Elaina Bishop, who would probably make him even more anxious.

So, the tournament officially begins! Who will win? The Will x Nick team, or the Cynthia x Caelia team? Is this even a fair matchup, I wonder? Let's see how far Nick has grown since his fight against Naya! Maybe they'll be able to win!