Now that the battle has ended, the party will resume! Still some stuff to wrap up before break can get started! Hopefully, everyone is doing okay!

KedharS: Because you have brain cells I guess.

JoshGamerV: Yes it certainly was.

Aquahaze675: Gerard isn't going to be eating crow for a very long time, I'm sorry to say.

Pokemon Academy: Beginning of Beginnings

Chapter 408

"Blake, are you okay?" Ayame asked quietly, walking over to her boyfriend. She really wasn't sure what to say in a situation like this. Blake had put so much effort into this battle, he had tried so hard to get through to Elaina, and it had all been for nothing. How must he be feeling right now? She wondered. If she was in his position, she would certainly feel quite rotten, she believed. Was there something she could do?

"Yeah, I'm fine," Blake said, turning back to her and giving her a smile. It looked like a pained smile. She winced, knowing that he wasn't being honest with her.

"Liar," she said, reaching up and cradling his cheek. "I can see that you're hurting. You don't have to be so tough, you know? You big fucking dummy…"

"I know," Blake assured her. "And yeah, my heart hurts a lot, knowing what happened. I wish I could have gotten through to her. But… I believe in her. I felt her hesitation, her worry… I believe that she's still not too far gone. And as long as I keep showing her, I believe that I'll get through to her. It's just like you said. I got through to Sarah, didn't I? Even if she's not fully better, and still goes wild sometimes, you were right. She's improving, step by step."

Blake smiled.

"So Aya-"

"Wait," Ayame interrupted, holding her finger up and pressing it against his lips. She scowled. "Before you say anything else, I want you to promise me something."

"…Yeah, what?" Blake asked.

"I don't mind if you… if you do what it takes to get through to her," Ayame sighed, hanging her head. "But if I'm being honest, I'm still worried about what will happen to you if you fight against her again. You could get seriously injured, Blake, and I don't want that. I know it's selfish to ask that of you… but as your girlfriend, I think this is something that I have the right to be selfish about."

"Aya, I know you don't want me to get hurt, but-"

"What if it was me?" Ayame asked, her head shooting back up to look him in the eye with a fierce gaze. "What if I was the one putting myself in danger, risking my life to bring her back? Because I remember that when it was me, you weren't exactly the most enthused about it, or did you forget? So if you insist on going through with this, ask yourself one thing: what if it was me, instead of you? Would you want me to go through with it?"

Blake shook his head.

"Aya… it's not about what I want," he muttered. "It's about what I need to do, what she needs. So even though I don't want to…"

"You have to, I know," Ayame sighed. "Look, I understand, Blake, it's just…"

Ayame clutched her chest and winced in pain.

"When I think about you getting hurt, I just… my heart, it… that's why I pushed you out of the way, because I was terrified that you were going to get injured, and I couldn't bear to see that. So I know that you won't stop, but please… take care of yourself. If you could think about my feelings just a little…" Ayame felt bad putting all this on him, but she didn't want to bottle it up any longer. It wasn't like she wanted him to abandon Elaina, but…

Okay, well, a dark part of her wanted him to. But that was the scared and selfish Ayame that she didn't want to be.

"I do think about your feelings," Blake assured her. The light in his eyes reassured her; he wasn't just spewing sweet words to make her feel better, he really was concerned about how she felt. "I hate that I have to worry you like this, but I need to save Elaina. I'll try as hard as I can to not let myself get injured recklessly. I don't want you to be worried, either."

"Thank you," Ayame beamed, her cheeks flushing.

"Besides, as reckless as I might have been, it's not like I got that badly injured, right?" Blake asked, laughing. "If you weren't there to save my ass, though…"

"Well, I might not be there to save you next time," Ayame replied, her voice softening. She reached a hand to his lips. "You're lucky that this was your only real injury this time…"

"Yeah, it's starting to sting a little," Blake said, cracking a grin. "Would you mind kissing it and making it better?"

"Don't joke," Ayame pouted. She reached over and petted the Skorupi in Blake's arms. She smiled at him. "Let's, well… it's been a long day. And a long night. Head back to the party with me, Blake?"

"Yeah," Blake said, nodding. "Let's go." Blake followed Ayame back into the ballroom, glancing behind him one last time. Elaina… I couldn't help you tonight. But I'm not going to give up on you. No matter what it takes, I'm going to help you get over this fear of yours. You aren't a monster, Elaina. You're just a scared girl. And I'm going to help fix your fears, so that you can wear a smile on your face instead of that mask of yours.

Blake and Ayame reentered the party, but as Blake walked out of the entrance hall and towards the ballroom, he was stopped by a hand on his wrist.

"Aya?"

Ayame glanced away, blushing.

"W-well, I mean… we can go back to the party, but… we're… alone right now, so…" Ayame fidgeted. She wrapped her arm around Blake's free arm. "Look, I just got you back from Elaina after such a long too week, and if we go back then it'll be you and your friends again, just…"

Blake smirked. "So you want me to yourself for a little while, huh? I guess three weeks just aren't going to be enough for you."

"What can I say, I'm a selfish girl," Ayame teased, sticking her tongue out.

"Well, what did you have in mind, then?" Blake asked.

"Just… just talking," Ayame said, blushing and glancing aside.

"Can that talking involve making out?" Blake asked, following her to the coat closet.

"…Maybe," she said, flipping him off. Her face was too hot with embarrassment to show him, so she refused to meet his gaze.

While Blake and Ayame were making out, back in the party, Cynthia was trying to take her mind off of what happened with Maddi by playing with her Vulpix. She tickled Aud's belly as she walked among the tables, greeting people around her, including her friends.

"Cynthia, I forgot."

Cynthia glanced up from Aud and smiled at Serefina as she approached. "Your phone number? Yeah, you forgot to give it to me, what was it again?"

"Not that, never," Serefina dryly replied, ignoring Cynthia's childish attempt at flirting. "It's about your Vulpix. I'm assuming you'll be taking her with you when you leave?"

"Uh, yeah, obviously," Cynthia said, rolling her eyes.

"And how long has it been since she hatched?" Serefina asked. "A little under two weeks, right?"

"Yeah, that sounds about right," Cynthia agreed.

"Well, you can't keep baby pokemon in pokeballs for the first month after their hatched," Serefina informed her. "I think I told you before, right? When you first brought Aud to the daycare?"

Cynthia had vague memories of a conversation with Serefina that went along those lines, but something had occupied her attention. Make that two somethings.

Still, she nodded her head.

"…Right, I feel like you didn't. Do you have the carrying case I lent you?"

"Yeah, it's in my room."

"Good, use it. It's the only way you can bring a pokemon through customs without it being in a pokeball," Serefina said. "Take care of the little guy, okay? You're going to the Hoenn region, right? The climate there might not be good for Aud. You might need some special medication…"

"Serefina, it's fine," Cynthia reassured her. "They have pokemon centers in Hoenn, too."

"…R-right," Serefina said, smiling sheepishly. "Take care of the little guy, Cynthia."

"Will do," Cynthia nodded. "Oh, Serefina, one more thing."

"Hm?" Serefina turned back to her. Cynthia looked down sheepishly. She took a deep breath and refocused herself, turning her attention back to the voluptuous girl in front of her. Serefina was intrigued, in spite of herself. Cynthia didn't usually look this composed.

"I'm sorry for the way I treated you," Cynthia apologized.

"Huh? The way you treated me?" Serefina asked, confused. "What are you talking about?"

Cynthia shook her head, and sighed. "I… I've been kind of… forceful to you. Inappropriate. I've said some stuff, treated you like, well… I've been really rude."

"No, really, I had no idea…" Serefina said without breaking an octave, staring with blank, judgmental eyes at Cynthia. "That's such a shocker…"

"I'm serious, Serefina," Cynthia sighed. Serefina refocused on her, seeing that Cynthia really was bothered by something. Cynthia looked down, reaching up and wiping her eyes. "I… I did something bad, I… I've done a lot of bad things, actually."

"Oh?" Serefina looked at her with concern.

"My fr- this girl I know, I… I was really insensitive to her," Cynthia said. "She said a lot of stuff, and I realize that I've been pretty insensitive to a lot of people, you included. So… sorry for looking at you like you're a piece of meat sometimes."

"Cynthia, my eyes are up here."

"…Oh. Right. Sorry again," Cynthia raised her eyes and looked sheepishly at Serefina, who sighed, patting her on the shoulder.

"Looking is fine, Cynthia," Serefina assured her. "Just no touching."

Cynthia brightened.

"So, about photos-"

"Don't push it."

"You really don't mind?" Cynthia asked. "I feel like I've been really rude."

"Oh, don't get me wrong, I don't like the way you treat me sometimes," Serefina clarified, Cynthia looking down sadly. "But… it's fine. You're annoying in the moment, but I don't hold it against you personally. There're guys that treat me far worse. Plus, you apologized, you understand that you shouldn't always be acting like that. That means a lot. Besides…"

Serefina turned and pointed at Dakota, who was straddling Akira on a chair, sloppily making out with him.

"…That's my roommate."

"Ah. Point taken."

"Yeah, compared to that, you aren't really that rude or invasive."

Serefina said her goodbyes to Cynthia and Aud, and Cynthia turned to go hang with some of her other friends.

"Nick! Callie! What's-"

"And make sure to call me no less than three times a day, got it?" Callie was talking with Nick, and her face was unnaturally serious.

"Yeah, Callie, you don't have to worry, I'm going to," Nick assured her. Callie sighed with relief. "Look, Callie, it's going to be fine. We're going to talk all the time, okay?"

"Don't you think you're overreacting a little?" Cynthia asked.

Callie scoffed. She glanced at Nick, and sighed.

"Look, Nick, sorry, it's just, well, this is the first time I've, um, had a real boyfriend," Callie admitted. "And, well… we haven't been apart for three whole weeks, so… look, I get it, you have to go home to your family, but why can't I come with you, like Ayame and Blake are? It's just not fair, I won't get to see you for three weeks…"

"Man, Nick, she's real clingy, huh?" Cynthia smirked. Nick shrugged, not engaging with her any further on the topic. Callie shot her a dirty look.

"I'm just going to miss him. Besides, at least we aren't all awkward like those two."

Callie pointed at Nikita and Reiner, who were clearly a little flustered. They were both drinking punch, not looking at each other in the eye.

"What's up with them? Fight?" Cynthia asked.

"No, the two of them are going to their own places over break, they're just finding it a little awkward to say their goodbyes," Nick replied.

"Nikita wants them to write love letters," Callie cackled. "Not texts. Love letters. Mailed and everything! Talk about romantic…"

"Wow, I'm actually envious about that," Cynthia sighed wistfully, wishing she could get a love letter from Blake.

"How's the party been going for you?" Nick asked, seizing the opportunity to change the subject from off of going on vacation apart from Callie and onto how Cynthia's night was going.

Cynthia sighed. That was a long story.

"My night's been… complicated."

Meanwhile, across the party hall, two people were sitting off in a corner in the thick of an awkward silence. Will was slowly sipping punch, staring vacantly off into the distance, while Misato sat with her chair facing his, looking at him with an equally empty expression.

"So, Misato, for break you're planning to… what? Just turn off?" Will wasn't exactly that curious, but the silence was killing him.

"Affirmative. Do you have any plans?"

"What, is this another thing about some mission you have for me?" Will asked. "Don't tell me I have to do something for the Phantom."

"Negative. The Phantom has no need for your services over the winter break."

"Then why did you ask?" Will asked.

"I was curious," Misato replied. "Is that not something I should have asked?"

"No, I'm just surprised that you would care," Will said. "You aren't usually that curious about what I'm doing, are you?"

"That is because I consistently monitor your activities," Misato replied. "That is the most efficient method of keeping track of you."

Will choked on his drink. "Wh-what? Monitor my what?"

"Monitor your activities," Misato restated.

"Why? Are you spying on me for the Phantom again or something?" Will asked.

"Negative," Misato said, shaking her head. "I am monitoring your activities for my own personal reasons."

Will blinked. That was… interesting.

"Can you stop?" Will asked, feeling like his privacy was being invaded.

"Negative," Misato rejected his request.

"Why not?!" Will protested.

"That information is classified," Misato replied.

"What do you mean it's classified?" Will asked.

"It is classified," Misato repeated. Will could swear he saw the corners of her lips turn up, but that was impossible, right?

"Why are you spying on me, then?"

"That is also classified."

Will sighed. He reached up and rubbed his temples in frustration. A hand on his head made him take a second look, confused. He looked up and saw… Misato head-patting him?

"…What are you doing?" Will asked, confused.

"…Comforting you," Misato said. She rubbed his hair again. It was anything but comforting. Will looked at her incredulously. He still had no idea what she was talking about. Misato was the exact opposite of comforting.

They stared at each other in silence for a moment.

"There, there," Misato said, her tone completely lacking in any emotion, as usual. Will sighed, shaking his head.

The next day, Cynthia waited on the pier with her suitcases and bags packed, holding her carrying case with a sleeping Aud in her hands. Cynthia glanced behind her, up the pathway, shifting from foot to foot as she waited, checking her phone. Still five minutes until the boat arrived, she should be fine, right? Sango would be coming any second. And as for Maddi, well…

She could hope, right? That was okay, right?

"Cynthia!"

Cynthia's ears perked up at hearing Sango's voice and she turned to greet her friend with a wave. Her eyes widened when she saw that Sango wasn't alone.

"Sango! Maddi! You guys made it!" Cynthia gasped, waving her hand quickly to the girls. Both of them were carrying cases identical to Cynthia's (apparently the Pokemon Caretaker course had quite a racket going on) Sango's holding Silver, Maddi's holding Grim. With their other hands they were dragging suitcases behind them, and large packs were on their backs.

"Hey, just in time," Sango grinned. "Maddi had some last-minute packing to do, so…"

"You decided to come?" Cynthia asked, turning to Maddi, hoping she didn't sound too hopeful.

"Well, I mean… I've never been to Hoenn before, so I figured… what the heck?" Maddi shrugged, trying to make it sound like not that big a deal. She glanced away from Cynthia and Sango, looking towards the approaching boat. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't looking forward to it at ALL.

"Personally, I'm excited for the hot springs," Sango sighed wistfully. "Oh! Are Blake and Ayame here yet? I wanted to say my goodbyes."

"Oh, you were with Maddi this morning, right?" Cynthia said. "Yeah, they already left."

"Serious?" Sango asked, surprised.

"Yeah, like around 4. Something about needing to leave early in the morning for the long plane trip so they could get there at a reasonable time. I think it's something like 12 hours to Johto? Pretty long trip. We're going to be getting to Hoenn late at night ourselves."

"Aw, I wanted to say goodbye to them," Sango sighed. "Oh well, I'll just text them for the holidays, wish them good luck."

"…They're probably banging tonight," Cynthia said bitterly. Maddi rolled her eyes and Sango scowled at her.

In truth, at about that time, Blake and Ayame were on an airplane headed to the Johto region, just as Cynthia had said.

"You seem nervous," Blake yawned, glancing at Ayame. She yawned in return. The couple were sitting side by side in the airplane, both rather sleepy from having to wake up so early. Even Blake, who was used to waking up early, was tired. Skorupi was resting in a heat-controlled carrier in a special compartment, comfortable as could be, so he knew that Ayame wasn't worried about him.

"Actually, I'm a little excited," she admitted, giggling a little, her cheeks flushing. "It feels so… naughty. You and me, going on a trip together? I feel like… I don't know, teens sneaking out after curfew, it's so much fun!"

"Well, if you want to feel real naughty, we could always sneak out of your parents' place tonight and go play in the snow," Blake suggested. "You've talked up Mt. Silver so much that I'm excited."

"Why do I think you don't mean 'play in the snow'?" Ayame asked, flipping him off. "Don't be such a fucking pervert, Blake."

"Don't worry, I'm kidding," Blake laughed. "I don't have any expectations about stuff like that."

"…Oh," Ayame said. She smiled coyly, her eyes shining. "Maybe you should have some expectations, couldn't hurt."

"Wait are you-"

"Kidding," Ayame smirked, flipping him off again. Blake scowled.

"Don't play with a boy's heart," he said, yawning. Ayame stuck her tongue out. She reached down and entwined her fingers with his. She flashed him another smile.

"Hey, can I ask you a weird question?" Ayame asked. "A few nights ago… um, remember, that ribbon, I just, well."

"Oh, this ribbon?" Blake fished out a sky blue hair ribbon out of his pocket, waving it in front of her face. Ayame's eyes widened, and her mouth dropped open.

"Wait, you seriously brought it? In your pocket?"

"Yeah, of course," Blake said. "I keep it with me all the time, like I promised."

"I think I just fell in love with you all over again," Ayame cooed, squeezing his hand harder. She yawned, leaned over, and rested her head on his shoulder, nestling in close so she could get some rest. "D'you mind if I get some sleep?" She yawned. "It's gonna be a long trip *yawn* and… *yawn* I stayed up really late last night, I was too excited to go on this trip with you."

"Also we spent a lot of time making out in the coat closet before we got kicked out," Blake reminded her, yawning as well.

"That too," Ayame giggled.

Blake felt his own eyes start to get heavy. He leaned in and rested his head against Ayame, enjoying the tickling feeling of her ribbon on his nose, and he got some sleep on his own.

Winter Break begins! Blake and Ayame are going on their trip to Mt. Silver, and Cynthia, Sango, and Maddi are going to the Hoenn Region, time for the break arc for a breather after the major tournament conclusion, time to take some stuff easy.

Yeah, right.