This chapter, we get more bonding between Blake and Ayame, and we also have Blake begin his hunting trip with Ayame's father!

KedharS: Of course they are, they're a perfect couple, really.

Aquahaze675: Yeah, he's adorable. What, you don't find it believable?

Rosealine gold: We'll get there at some point, don't worry. They've got some stuff to do.

Pokemon Academy: Beginning of Beginnings

Chapter 412

It was still night out when Blake was roused from his sleep by a hand on his shoulder, the darkness still filling the room.

For a minute, Blake didn't know where he was. He had just been having a lovely dream about going on a picnic with Ayame at his father's estate, and now here he was in the darkness.

"Blake, wake up." A deep, husky voice whispered into his ear, hot breath tickling his ear. That got Blake up, in more ways than one. He sprung out of bed and turned in the direction of the voice, blinking in the inky blackness as he tried to see where Ayame was.

"Aya? What-what time is it?" He asked.

"Early," she whispered. "Keep your voice down!"

Blake nodded, but he realized Ayame couldn't see him doing it, and so he whispered as well, "yeah, okay."

"Get your coat," Ayame urged.

"My coat? Why?"

"Just do it," she said, grabbing him by the shoulder and giving him a shake. He felt the bed shift underneath him, Blake realizing she must have been sitting on the bed beside him. She flicked on the light, the lamp nearly blinding him. Blake held his head and winced, letting his eyes adjust to the brightness.

"Where's Skorupi?" He asked, looking around blearily.

"He's sleeping in his bed," Ayame whispered. "Come on, don't worry."

Blake felt Ayame's hand on his shoulder again and looked up, seeing Ayame clearer. She had a bright look in her eyes, clearly burgeoning with excitement. More energy than he would have expected at- 5:30 in the morning?! Ugh. Jet lag was really getting him down.

"Sorry, just… I'm a little tired," Blake yawned. "If you're going to suggest we go for a run, I'm sorry to say that I'm not exactly in the mood…"

"Don't worry, I wasn't," Ayame said, laughing. She leaned down and rested her chin on his shoulder, whispering into his ear, "it's something way more fun."

She pulled back and flashed him a smile, stretching. "Grab your coat!"

Blake leaned over and reached for his coat, but his hand froze.

"Uh, no, um…" Blake found that he was not exactly able to get up at this point. There was something… in his way.

"C'mon, let's go," Ayame bubbled, her hand on the doorknob as she shifted from foot to foot eagerly. "We don't want to miss it!"

"Can you, uh… give me a minute?" Blake asked, his face bright red. He couldn't meet Ayame's confused gaze. "There's, uh… something I need to take care of."

Ayame blinked, not sure what he was talking about. Then she connected the dots and her face lit up in embarrassment.

"Ugh! Fucking gross!" She hissed, turning and exiting the room.

Blake came out about a minute later, choosing not to… "take care" of his problem, hoping it would resolve itself on its own with the cold air. He slid his jacket on and patted his Skorupi on the head, the small pokemon snoring away, walking to the light and flipping it off, stepping out of the darkness and meeting Ayame outside in the dim hall.

"You, uh… you didn't…" Ayame couldn't meet his gaze, she was too embarrassed.

"No," Blake hissed, just as embarrassed as she was.

Ayame sighed in relief, the smile returning to her face.

"Come on, we can still make it!" She grinned, pressing her finger to her lips to tell Blake to be quiet. She grabbed him by the wrist and led him down the hall, Blake following after her obediently. Even though he knew where they were going (well, not exactly, he just knew it was outside) he still enjoyed Ayame leading him by the hand, he enjoyed her taking charge. It reminded him of how bright and forward she was.

The two stepped out into the snow and Ayame closed the door behind her, switching her flashlight on and handing one over to Blake.

"Can I ask you a question?" Blake asked, tromping after her through the snow.

"About where we're going? It's a surprise," she smiled, her white teeth shining in the light. "Don't want to spoil it, right?"

"No, not that," Blake said, catching up to her so that he was walking beside her. He wore a coy smile. "How long were you waiting in my bedroom? Watching me sleep?"

Ayame flushed, looking at a particularly fascinating drift of snow in the darkness of the hill ahead of them. "N-No comment on that one…"

Blake chuckled. They walked in the opposite direction from Mt. Silver, down a path leading up to a large ridge that overlooked the house. Blake couldn't see very well, but he did notice that it was slowly starting to get brighter out. Ayame had pulled ahead of him, much more used to walking up steep hills like this.

"Come on, Blake! It's just over this ridge!" Ayame called down to him, waving her hand in the darkness to urge him to follow her. Blake picked up the pace, and he caught up with her at the crest of the ridge, the two overlooking the Ayame's family's house on one side of the ridge, the steeper end, while the ridge on the other side gradually eased down into a long field of snow that was slowly starting to get brighter.

"We made it, just in time," Ayame said, sighing in relief. She set her backpack down in the snow, Blake just now realizing she'd been carrying a daypack on her back for their hike. She unzipped it and took a large rolled blanket out of the pack, spreading it out on the snow, flopping down on it and facing out on the field. She looked up at Blake and patted on the blanket beside her.

Blake sat down next to her, staring at her in interest.

"So, what?" Blake asked.

"I wanted to show you," Ayame said, sidling up close to him, leaning her head down on his shoulder and wrapping her arm around his. "Think of it as making up for the fact that we can't go on our picnic this afternoon."

The bitterness in her voice was clear.

"You're still upset about that?" Blake asked.

"I was looking forward to it," she pouted, letting out a huff. "I was going to make sandwiches and everything."

"Sandwiches? Really?" Blake asked. "You've never made sandwiches before."

"It was going to be a surprise," she sighed. "They're really good."

"I'd love to try one," Blake said.

"Sandwiches are only for boyfriends who go on picnics," she replied saucily, giving him a playful pinch on his cheek through her mitten. "Though, I could be encouraged… to make an exception"

"What do I have to do, huh?" He laughed. "I suppose I could keep saying 'I love you' until you turn bright red."

"Or…" Ayame smiled, tapping her chin. "Tell you what, you want a sandwich, I'll make you a sandwich. And in exchange, you will owe me a favor!"

"What kind of favor?" Blake asked coyly.

"…Wouldn't you like to know," she purred. "Sorry, that would be telling."

"So if I want a sandwich I have to agree to a favor without knowing what the favor is?" Blake asked, raising his eyebrow. "That doesn't sound like a very good deal for me."

"My sandwiches are very good," Ayame laughed. "So it's going to be a big favor."

"Sandwich first?" Blake asked. Ayame's smile widened and her eyes began twinkling.

"When we get back," she promised.

"Deal," Blake said, sticking his hand out. Ayame shook it, the two grinning. Suddenly, her head shot to look out over the field, and she clenched his arm tightly to draw his attention.

"Blake, look! It's starting!" She gushed eagerly, pointing out at the horizon. Blake could see red begin to bleed out onto the blank snow backdrop, illuminating the sea of pale white before their eyes, dying it deep reds and oranges and golds as the sun rose on the horizon.

"Whoa…" Blake gasped, his mouth dropping in shock.

"The air is so clean up here," Ayame sighed wistfully, squeezing his arm tighter. "The sunrises are so beautiful, and against the pure white of the snow it looks just lovely… Don't you think, Blake? This was what I wanted to show you."

She rubbed against Blake, resting on his shoulder as she looked out over the beautiful landscape in front of them.

"It's amazing," Blake said, nodding.

"I love watching the sunrise from this ridge," Ayame continued. "And I'm so glad I got to share it with you."

She sighed, and squeezed his arm tighter.

"There's so much stuff I want to show you, Blake, I just love this place so much. Everywhere I look, I see another memory that I want to share with you." She raised her head from his shoulder, Blake turning his head to meet her gaze. Ayame smiled. "We can come out every morning, if you like," she added, looking forward to it.

"I'd like that," Blake agreed.

"Oh, I almost forgot," Ayame said, kissing him on the cheek. "Merry Christmas Eve."

"It's Christmas Eve already?" Blake asked.

"We lost a day in the flight," Ayame laughed. "Tomorrow, Christmas Day."

"I wonder, you want me to tell me what I bought you for Christmas?" Blake laughed.

"I don't know, but if you show me yours, I'll show you mine," Ayame giggled.

"Wasn't your birthday just a few days ago?" Blake asked. "Don't I get any leeway for that?"

"That's the joy of my birthday," Ayame cooed, bopping him on the nose. "I get double the presents."

"Well, you're in luck. I already got you something," Blake assured her with a wink. "It's in my suitcase. So please stay out."

"Dangling something so tempting in front of me?" Ayame grinned, batting her eyelashes. "Well, now you're just a tease."

She rose to her feet, smiling down at him.

"If you want me to make that sandwich before you go out with my dad, we'd better get going now," Ayame said, Blake standing up as well and getting off the blanket so that she could roll it up and stuff it back in her pack.

Ayame walked past Blake and patted him on the shoulder, getting one last look at the sunrise. Blake glanced back at it as well.

"It'll still be there tomorrow morning," Ayame assured him.

When Blake and Ayame got back to the cabin, Blake had barely set one foot in the door before he was stopped by the giant of a man that was Hideo Toujou.

"Just in time," he rumbled, glaring down at Blake.

"Dad! You're up early," Ayame said.

"Gotta get out early, Aya," Hideo said, glancing down at his daughter. He turned to shoot a glare at Blake. "I'm rather excited to begin the hunting trip, after all."

Blake gulped.

"Uh, Aya…"

"I'll have your sandwich for you when you get back," Ayame said, holding her hands out, clearly asking for a hug. Blake glanced at her father, who was staring at him in silence. He could feel the weight of the man's glare. He gave Ayame an awkward hug, feeling rather uncomfortable about the fact that he could feel her father looking at them while he did it. "Good luck!"

"Goodbye," Blake murmured, parting from his girlfriend and glancing anxiously up at her father.

"Let's go," Hideo gruffly replied, wrapping a massive arm around Blake's shoulder.

"You two have fun!" Hiromi called from the living room.

Hideo guided Blake out of the cabin and towards the large truck parked outside. Blake got in the passenger's seat, while Hideo slid in behind the wheel. Seeing the mountain of a man crouched behind the tiny wheel, his head banging against the roof of the car, it was rather surreal. Blake sat in silence as the truck pulled out of the driveway, not sure what he was supposed to say, if anything. One thing he did notice, though, that was starting to nag at him, was the fact that he couldn't see a gun anywhere in the truck. There was even a gun rack, but no gun. That made him relax a little, but not enough to feel comfortable in the least.

"Um…"

"What?" The man snapped, not taking his eyes off the road.

"Why, um… where are the guns?" Blake asked.

"We don't need guns," Hideo muttered.

"But… aren't we going hunting?" Blake asked, even more confused.

"I just said that," he growled. "Just a lie. I'm not bringing you hunting. From what I hear, you aren't cut out for it."

Blake frowned. True, he had no interest in hunting, the thought of shooting and killing a pokemon was honestly kind of sickening to him. But the way the man said it made it sound like he was talking down to Blake for not having the guts to kill pokemon.

Indeed, it looked like they weren't going hunting. Hideo pulled the truck off the snowed-over side road and onto the main drag, notably heading in the opposite direction from where the forest and mountains and wild pokemon were, heading in the direction of town.

Whatever Ayame's father had planned for him, Blake was feeling more confused than ever, but at least it wasn't going to involve him being shot in the woods by an overprotective father. That was something that made him feel better, at the very least. He could breathe a little easier thanks to that, though he was still rather stressed out by the massive man sitting beside him. It was a long drive into town, and Hideo Toujou wasn't exactly the most pleasant company for the trip. Blake just hoped that wherever they were going, they would get there soon. It was starting to become a hassle.

Blake looked out the window of the car as they drove into town, wondering where the man was taking him. Hideo pulled to a stop outside of a building, Blake taking a look at it in surprise. This was not the place he had expected Ayame's father to bring him under the guise of hunting.

"A barber shop?" Blake asked, confused.

"That's right," Hideo grumbled, nodding. He stepped up the stairs and headed into the barber shop, Blake following after him.

Behind the large man, Blake could barely be seen. They were the only customers in the shop, considering how early in the morning it was.

The barber looked up from his paper, staring at the two men. To Blake's amusement, the man was bald. He raised an eyebrow and stared at the two with curiosity.

"Hideo? What are you doing here? Finally decide to trim that beard of yours?" The barber asked.

"HA!" Hideo threw his head back and laughed, slapping his stomach. "Not a chance! No, I'm here with the kid."

Hideo jammed a meaty finger in Blake's direction, Blake looking at him in confusion. This was the first he'd heard of that.

"Wait, what?" Blake asked, confused.

"You want a haircut?" The barber asked, glancing at him.

"Uh, no, I'm good," Blake said, glancing at Hideo and then at the barber. "I don't need a haircut." He had no idea why Ayame's father was suggesting it. The man turned his glare back to Blake, but Blake could see there was confusion in his dark eyes, as if Hideo didn't know why exactly he was here, either. The two stood in silence for a while.

"So, neither of you want a haircut?" The barber asked, looking between the two of them.

"Strange, Aya said…" Hideo stroked his beard, clearly lost in contemplation. "Blake, are you sure you don't have anything to do here?"

"…Why would I have business here?" Blake asked, his incredulity managing to overcome his intimidation for a very brief moment.

The man gave a shrug the made his muscles flex against his shirt, turning back to the barber.

"Sorry to waste your time then, Tom." Hideo slapped Blake on the shoulder and escorted him out of the barber shop and back towards the car.

Blake was still trying to figure out what was going on. He had no idea why the giant man walking in front of him had taken him to a barber shop of all places.

"Strange," Hideo was mumbling to himself. "Could've sworn she said… and then… so that's not what he…"

Blake was only able to pick out a few fragments, but they were enough to put the rest of the pieces together. And when the puzzle was completed it nearly made him burst out laughing. No way. There was absolutely no way.

"Um, excuse me, sir?" Blake asked as the two got back in the truck.

"What is it?" Hideo grumbled. The gravelly tone of his voice used to intimidate Blake not as little as 5 minutes ago, but right now it didn't bother him at all. Looking at Hideo in a new light, he could only see Ayame's face in the swarthy lumberjack.

"Why did you want to take me to a barber shop?" Blake asked.

"Because I heard from Aya that you like haircuts and stuff like that," the large man barked over the engine. Blake smirked.

Blake thought that Hideo Toujou was scary, but he really wasn't. Clearly, as intimidating as he was, his daughters certainly liked him, they'd even described him as a Teddiursa. Blake wasn't sure he would go that far, but what he did know is that, under the guise of a hunting trip, Ayame's father had taken him somewhere that he had thought Blake might enjoy, based on what little he knew about him. Without even understanding how dumb of an idea it was, it was the first thing that popped in the man's mind. He could easily imagine Ayame doing the exact same thing. Hell, Ayame had done nearly the exact same thing more times than Blake could count! As the man pulled out from in front of the barber shop, Blake suppressed a chuckle.

He wasn't afraid of Ayame's father anymore.

The man was just as clumsy and awkward as his daughter was.

So in the end, Ayame's dad is just awkward and misunderstood. Ayame had to have gotten that awkwardness from somebody, after all, and it certainly wasn't her outgoing mother. So what else will Blake learn about Ayame's father on this "hunting trip"?