In last chapter, Olivia was in a bad position! Will she be able to turn it around in the Appeals Round, and win her third contest of the day?

KedharS: Except being open and honest with people.

Aquahaze675: Slowbro will show off his charms, don't worry.

Rosealine gold: She might not get a chance this time, but it's certainly not off the table for later on.

Guest: Different kinds of contests may show up if I feel the urge.

Thunder Fire: Better, a special effects department.

Pokemon Academy: Beginning of Beginnings

Chapter 446

The Appeals Round of the Cuteness Contest was wrapping up. At the moment, Lola and Zuzu were leading, with 22 points. Followed by Milly and Bun-Bun with 20 points, and Lucille and Mara with 19 points.

Olivia was the last one up. How was she going to win this, Sango wondered? She couldn't imagine Olivia scoring high enough with her Slowbro to pull into first place.

"Can she really do this?" Sango asked as the lights dimmed. She looked over Violet to Lila, asking for confirmation.

"…Entering a Hyper Rank Contest requires the pokemon to have competed, and won, at both the Normal Rank and Super Rank Contests," Lila wisely answered. "Which means that Ren has already done that."

She turned and glanced at Sango, smiling coyly.

"So are you saying you're going to ignore his proven record, and are just going to judge him based on his appearance?" She asked.

Sango scowled. She didn't like the sound of THAT. When Lila put it that way, it really did make Sango feel kind of judgmental.

"Just watch," Lila urged her, turning back to the stage as a spotlight shone down on the center. "Ren will show you that there is more than one definition of 'Cuteness'."

Sango nodded, and lowered her head. She turned to the stage and watched, at least willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.

The Slowbro, Ren, lumbered onto the stage, his expression twisted, almost… angry, or maybe a little sad. Olivia was nowhere to be seen.

"Ren!" Olivia's voice echoed across the stage, Ren freezing in place. His face fell. He was surprisingly expressive for a pokemon that normally looked so dopey; maybe Slowbro in Galar's brain functions were different?

Olivia ran out into the spotlight, panting, placing her hands on her knees as she caught her breath. Her face was flushed, streaked with desperation. She straightened up and wiped her forehead, running to her pokemon's side.

Sango leaned forward, confused. This was… something?

"Ren… you don't have to-"

"Slowbro," Ren said, turning away from her. Olivia's face fell.

"Ren…" Olivia reached out and placed her hand on his shoulder, but he shook free of her, curling into a ball and using withdraw, hiding from his trainer. Olivia cried out, "Ren!"

"Slowbro!" Ren's muffled grunt came out. "Slowbro!"

"…I see," Olivia said, kneeling down beside her pokemon, a bitter, knowing smile crossing her face. "They really got to you, huh?"

"Slowbro…" Ren murmured.

"Ignore them, Ren. You're the most adorable pokemon I've ever seen," Olivia said, her tone soothing. She reached out and rubbed his back gingerly. "It's okay if they don't see you as someone that's cute or adorable. Because I do. They just… they just don't know you the way I do. So you don't have to hide yourself."

"Slowbro!" Ren snapped. A barrier of light pushed Olivia back as Ren used protect, blocking her off from him. Olivia cried, slamming her hands against the force field.

"Ren! Why are you doing this?" Olivia wailed. "I know… I know that you're feeling ashamed. Being here, putting yourself out there, so I could show you off… I didn't know that they would reject you like that… think so little of you…"

She lowered her hands and gripped the hem of her skirt, trembling. Tears fell from eyes.

"Is that what this is, Ren? Do you *hic* do you think…" Olivia reached up and wiped her eyes, her voice cracking. "Do you think you're not worthy… of being my pokemon anymore?"

Ren didn't say anything.

"Well you're wrong," she shouted, slapping her hand against the barrier. "No matter what they say, no matter what they think! I won't abandon you!"

Ren rose to his feet, the protective barrier shattering, and turned to his trainer. There were tears in his eyes.

"Slowbro!" Ren cried, slapping the hand not covered by a shell against his chest. He stomped on the stage, crying louder. "Slowbro…"

"I love you, Ren…" Olivia whispered. She reached out to touch his cheek. His face flushed and he stumbled back, crossing his arms over his chest and looking away.

"S-Slowbro," he muttered bashfully.

"No, I am NOT just saying that!" Olivia replied, closing the distance between the two of them yet again. "I do! No matter what! You're the most lovable, adorable pokemon in the world!"

Ren grit his teeth and narrowed his eyes, the pain and turmoil burning on his face for everyone to see. He lowered his head… and disappeared in a puff of smoke, a small Slowbro doll falling to the ground where he'd stood.

Olivia gasped, stunned. She fell to her knees and reached out a trembling hand in disbelief, picking up the pokedoll and turning it over. Her face was white with shock.

"…R-Ren?" Olivia whispered, shaking. She clutched the doll tightly to her chest as she broke down sobbing. "No, Ren! Why… why would you… please!"

She raised her head, looking around desperately for her Slowbro, but he was nowhere to be seen.

"Ren," she croaked out, squeezing the doll. "I love you, Ren! I don't… I don't care what they think of you! Even if no one else can see your cuteness! So please, please don't run away! I won't… *sniff* I won't let you go! No matter how much you try to run, I'm not going to let you push me away! You're my… you're my pokemon, Ren, no matter what! Even if no one else sees how cute you are, they don't see the little things. How you always comfort me when I think I've had a bad show… how you try not to act like you want my attention, but can't squash that hopeful look in your eye… how much you take care of my other pokemon, even though we know they can take care of themselves, just because you're so worried… who cares what you look like, you're the cutest! Absolutely! And I will always love you. So please… tell me what I can do, Ren! Please, don't block me out, just… *hic*"

Her voice broke and curled up, letting out a choked out sob.

"Just come back to me, please…" she whispered.

Olivia cried in the center of the spotlight, cradling the pokedoll when a voice spoke out from behind her.

"Slowbro…"

Olivia's head rose, staring out at the audience, her face bright with hope and her eyes shining desperately. She whirled around to see Ren standing behind her, pressed against the curtain. His head was lowered, and his face was red as he glanced bashfully away from her. Olivia rose to her feet and gulped, staring hopefully at her Slowbro. She didn't want to step forward, in fear of scaring him away from her.

"…R-Ren?" Olivia gasped out, her voice tight, barely louder than a whisper and yet overflowing with hope.

"…Slowbro…" Ren said, taking a few tentative steps forward. He wasn't able to bring himself to cross the line completely. A glance at his face told the world that as hopeful as he was, he was still too afraid. As much as he wanted to believe, he couldn't bring himself to take that final step.

Olivia was the one who crossed the border between them. Throwing the doll aside, she ran to Ren, taking him by the hand.

"No matter what anyone else may say, you are the absolute cutest pokemon in my eyes," Olivia told him, beaming up at Ren. She stood in profile so everyone could see the adoration shining on her face. "So all you have to do is stay by my side, sweetie."

Olivia leaned in and kissed Ren on the cheek. Ren's eyes widened and he reached up, placing a trembling hand over his cheek as his face turned bright red.

"S-Slowbro!" Ren gasped, turning tail and preparing to run, but Olivia stopped him by pulling him into a hug that even a Bewear would call excessive.

"Don't be so shy, Ren! You don't have anything to be ashamed of, you're adorable!"

"…Slowbro," Ren sighed, his face softening as he let Olivia hug him, placing his hand over hers.

Sango stared blankly up at the stage.

What is this farce?

The rest of the crowd, though, was crying. A chorus of sympathetic sobs was echoing across the audience as they all shouted their support for the Slowbro and his coordinator.

"It'sh sho beautifuww!" Cynthia cried, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Even the judges had been moved to tears.

"Indeed, we must realize…" one judge murmured, removing his glasses to dab at his eyes with a handkerchief, "that to every trainer, their beloved pokemon are always the cutest."

"Indeed," another agreed. "We were so caught up in appearances… we didn't stop to consider the cuteness of a truly unshakable bond between coordinator and pokemon."

"I'b cobered a lot of Cudeness Condesds," Mami, the MC, blubbered into her mic, "bud dis one… id'sh doo adowable… 100 points, 1000 points!"

Even the other competitors, watching from the sidelines, were getting misty-eyed at the sight of Olivia's unyielding belief in her beloved pokemon, and her absolute faith in his cuteness, regardless of how he looked.

The votes were unanimous, 10s across the board. A perfect score. The audience cheered in agreement as Olivia's face lit of in shock, turning to Ren with tears in her eyes.

"You see?" Olivia sniffled, pulling him in for a hug. "You managed to get them to see just how wonderful you really are. So please… don't pretend like you aren't 'cute' enough to be my pokemon ever again, okay Ren?"

"…Slowbro," Ren sniffled, nodding his head and hugging her back.

Darla clasped her hands over her mouth and kicked at the air, anything to keep from bursting out laughing and making an ass of herself. Lila wore a placid smile, slightly touched, but much better at maintaining her decorum.

Maddi and Sango looked at each other, they were both on the same page with this one. While neither girl doubted the sincerity of Olivia's words, it was pretty damn clear that the entire scene had been one long performance for the benefit of the judges and the audience, making full use of Olivia's talents as an actress to lead them into voting for her, and the crowd had eaten it up with a big spoon.

"It was an act?!" Cynthia exclaimed. They had gathered in Olivia's dressing room as she was reapplying her makeup and redoing her hair, already changed out of her frilly dress and into her casual clothes, preparing for her next performance.

Olivia stuck her tongue out in response.

"I can't believe this!" Cynthia scowled. "That… that's dirty!"

"Please," Olivia scoffed, rolling her eyes. "I just took advantage of the preconceptions about Ren's appearance to set the stage for appealing his cuteness to the audience, letting their own guilt about judging him so harshly work against them to elicit sympathy. From his heartbroken tsundere performance."

She smirked, and shrugged her shoulders.

"The North Wind and Sun strategy, absolutely amazing," she declared confidently. Cynthia rolled her eyes.

"I think it was great!" Violet gushed, nodding eagerly. "I can't wait for your next performance."

"Simp," Cynthia masked with a cough, Violet glaring at her.

"The next contest will be Cleverness," Olivia said, as they left the changing room for the Cuteness Contest. "I can't say it will be as good of a performance as my last, but… be sure to check it out. Ciao, ladies."

She blew the girls (and Lukas) a kiss and headed into the crowd of reporters as she walked towards the Cleverness Contest hall, Cynthia and the others heading to the viewer stands.

As expected, Olivia and Rooney's clever appearance, Olivia dressed in smart witch's robes with a pointed hat, Rooney towering over her, won her the lead in the Introduction Round. The Appeals Round began next.

The lights were dim. Sand began to swirl around the stage in a sandstorm, the tornado parting to reveal Olivia, in full witch's garb, completely untouched by the sand. Her hair was pulled back into two long ponytails trailing down her back, her clear blue eyes peeking out mysteriously from under the brim of her hat. Behind her, a large slab of stone with an image of a serpent etched into loomed ominously, cracks spreading across it.

Shadows oozed out of the cracks and slid across the ground, spreading out over the stage and across the walls, bathing the hall in a wonder room that was glistening with millions of tiny lights, as though they had been all transported into space. The stage lit just bright enough to make out, the Runerigus broke out of the slab, her arms stretching out over Olivia.

The shadows crawled up and shifted into big, black cauldron right in front of Olivia, burning with ghostly flames that lit up Olivia's face.

"Please remain seated," she whispered, her voice dusky and filled with malevolence. Suddenly, Sango found herself frozen in place. She tried to move out of her seat, but she couldn't. She was completely immobilized from the neck down. She turned her head to Cynthia, who sat on one side of her, and Maddi on the other. Both girls had similarly shocked expressions, the entire audience was imprisoned by Rooney's moves.

Rooney cackled wickedly, her body surging with accursed power as her eye gleamed, intensifying her special attack with the use of nasty plot, before the ritual could begin.

"A little brew, if you would…" Olivia purred. Rooney held up her shadowy hands over the cauldron, poisonous sludge dripping through the stone cracks and into the cauldron, the toxic attack bubbling up like a sick witch's brew. Olivia reached into the wide sleeves of her witch's robe, taking out some seasonings that she shook into the vat. "And some texture, if you would?"

Shadows dripped down from Rooney's body, landing in the poison. She began to stir it with a thick ladel, as sand swirled around her, mixing into the bubbling concoction as well. A noxious smell began to spread through the hall.

Olivia released the ladle, which began to glow with an eerie blue glow, Rooney stirring the concoction with the power of her mind. Olivia held her arms out, and more ingredients were drawn out of her robe, lifting them with psychic. She dropped the ingredients into the cauldron and began to stir them faster as Olivia moved a wand back and forth, swirling it around to guide Rooney's movements as he stirred the potion. Then, the concoction began to glow with a bright blue light.

The poison rose out of the cauldron, swirling over Olivia and Rooney's heads, Rooney using her psychic attack to mix the poison and shift it around, squeezing the venom into a multitude of shapes. The poison oozed out over the crowd, swirling in spirals and lines, the blue light illuminating the opaque liquid with such brightness that it was slightly translucent.

Rooney raised her hands and focused her power, glowing a bright blue. The poison gathered together in a sphere over the audience's heads, everyone looking to see it. The poison spread out into a ring, circling around, the ring shifting and stretching until the poison formed a chain of symbols that resembled a ring of runes. The mystic letters began to glow even brighter, as Rooney's light grew more intense as well.

The ring of letters began to spin, moving back towards the stage. It floated ominously around Rooney and Olivia, slowing to a stop, the runes shining brightly and illuminating the darkness of the stage.

"A wicked hex, a powerful spell," Olivia chanted, the words drawing closer and closer around them, bobbing up and down and shaking. The poison glowed one final time and the words were broken, flying straight towards Olivia with the aid of Rooney's psychic powers.

Olivia held her hand out, and the poison gathered together above it, compressing in on itself, squeezing tighter and tighter as it was packed together by Rooney, squeezed into the shape of a single bar of chocolate. The massive contents of the cauldron that had danced over the audience's heads had now been compressed and solidified into a single piece of candy. The light around it faded, and it dropped into the palm of her hand.

The minute the psychic power turned off, the spell was broken. The cauldron sunk away into nothing, the wonder room shattered into harmless shards of light to reveal the contest hall once again, and the audience felt the force pinning them to their seats let them go, finding themselves able to move once again.

The stage lit up brightly and Olivia held the bar up for the audience to see, bringing it to her lips and taking a big bite.

"Mm! Delicious!" She cooed, finishing the rest of the substance off, licking her fingers. "Can my Rooney cook, or what?"

Gasps of shock and surprise rose from the crowd, who began to applaud the display of Cleverness demonstrated by Rooney and Olivia. Whatever the mixture was, it had started with a vat of poison that was incredibly toxic to pokemon, never mind what it could do to people. And with a few chemicals and some mixing, and maybe just a tiny bit of magic, and Rooney had turned it into something that Olivia had eagerly devoured without a care in the world.

Must have been some recipe.

Olivia took a bow, first to the applauding audience and then to the judges. She awaited their assessment. 24. It was a good score, and she smiled cheerfully about it, but it told her that Rooney might need a little more training to compete at the Master Level contests.

She shrugged her shoulders and recalled Rooney, walking off to the side. What are you gonna do?

Olivia planned to meet up with the others after the Cleverness Contest. After her victory, a little too close for comfort, she had taken the initiative to hide out in the changing room for the Cleverness Contest, preparing to duck from the paparazzi. It was an uncommon act on her part. As much as she liked the spotlight, though… Olivia stroked her chin.

She rose and headed out of the changing room, back out to greet the crowd and go see the other girls. But before she could leave, she ran into someone else.

"Hey, Liv!" Lisia waved to Olivia, catching her before she stepped out into the crowd. "Paparazzi are everywhere, I hear you've been sweeping the contests today. Five by five?"

"Four so far," Olivia said, holding up four fingers, a smile on her face. "Only one left."

"The Coolness Contest!" Lisia grinned. "I can't wait! You and me, competing on the stage! You know, I've been a fan of yours since WAY back, you're just amazing! Imagine, you and me, performing our hearts out up there? It just gives me chills!"

Olivia smiled back, nodding her head.

"I'm a big fan of yours, too, Lissi," Olivia admitted. "I can't wait for our match this evening, either."

"Soon to come!" Lisia winked. "I can't wait to see your talent shine bright enough to reach me on the Master Stage!"

"Don't worry about me," Olivia smiled. "I'll get there."

"Ta, Olivia!" Lisia cooed, heading out into the lobby to greet the paparazzi.

Olivia smiled after her, feeling her face get hot. She shook her head frantically, calming herself down. Head in the game, girl. No time to get hot under the collar!

Next, the climax of the contests! Olivia and Lisia, competing on the stage! Who will show their coolness the best? And what will Olivia's secret weapon be? We'll have to find out!