The second semester begins! What will our students do when they reunite? This should be an interesting start to the term, let me tell you. Remember to review!

Rosealine gold: Well there's still room in Blake's harem…

KedharS: Good, that's what I was hoping to hear.

Aquahaze675: Well, we'll hear from some people we missed, that's for sure.

JoshGamerV: I'm glad you liked the arcs, I put some time into them (more time than I had hoped).

MikySP: Agreed, I'm not interested in this story becoming M, either.

Pokemon Academy: Beginning of Beginnings

Chapter 453

Hello there!

My name is Katherine Kuroso. But you probably know me a little better by my nickname Kitty. Today has been a very exciting day for me, because after three long weeks, I'm finally returning to school for my second semester at the Pokemon Academy!

What? You don't think I look like a high schooler?

…

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL?! How rude! I'm short, but I'm not THAT short! I'll have you know I'm over four feet tall! …Yes, on my tiptoes, but that still counts!

Wh-why are we talking about my height, anyway? Besides, I grew a whole half an inch over break, so there! I'm a brand new girl, ready for my new semester back at school! My break was really, really difficult, you know! I didn't get to do anything fun! I just spent all my time helping out on my parents' ranch, taking care of the pokemon they were raising. And in whatever free time I had, I spent it on practicing my breathing like Marion taught me! I even meditated under a waterfall in order to cleanse my mind and build my concentration!

…Fine, it was in the shower, the Johto Region isn't exactly known for their waterfalls.

…Okay, yes, THAT ONE, but that's not even close to where I live! Never mind, I'm getting off track! Anyway, I just finished unpacking and getting my room back into shape, and since classes don't start up for another few days, I'm going to go pay my friends a visit! I bought a special tank to keep my baby Pearl in, so I'm all set!

…Aaaah, that's right, that's the smell, the crisp winter air. It's snowing in Johto, too, but something about this island, so far away from the rest of civilization, it's so serene and peaceful, I just love it. Ooh! A snowflake! Delicious!

Don't you just love when snowflakes land on your tongue? I know I do.

Gosh, I wonder what everyone's up to? I know my roommate Nikita hasn't arrived yet since her stuff is still not here, and I don't get along too well with my other roommate, Violet (not because she's mean or anything! I'm just really shy and we hang out with different people!) so I'm looking forward to meeting my friends.

Honestly, I'm… surprised. I didn't have a lot of friends before high school, because, well… I'm short.

Don't laugh!

I'm short, and my hair is so white I look like an old lady, even when I also look like a kid! How do you tease me for both of those things?! Am I too young to be a middle schooler or too old? Make up your minds! Plus, my fashion sense is a little…

No, I will NOT remove the cat-ear headband, because it's adorable and I love it!

Where was I? Oh, right, I was walking over to the Bulbasaur House, where my friends are. At this school, my best friend… is probably Nikita, my roommate. She's as shy as me, so we weren't actually friends for the first part of last semester. But because we're both so shy, we both know a lot about the struggles we both went through, being so shy. So I feel like I can call her the person who understands me best at this school.

But there's someone else who means a lot to me, too. My friend, Blake. At first, I didn't like Blake that much. Not… not because there was anything bad about him, just… he was a boy, and I'm not… good with boys. But… he kept showing me sides of himself that touched me. When his pokemon hurt me… the pain I saw on his face, pain for my sake, that's when I knew he really was my friend. And from there…

I learned a lot more about him. I was the first one here who he confided in about his family situation, and his sister's condition. It was a secret that weighed heavily on me, which meant it was a secret that I had to keep because, at the same time, I knew the weight of it. Blake… when I struggled, he was there to help me. He never gave up on me, even though we aren't the kind of close friends who share our hobbies or laugh together the way he does with others. No, while he and I have a different kind of closeness… we aren't close the way he is with Cynthia or Sango.

He really just helped me… because he was that kind of person.

Because I'm shy around boys, I'm not that close with Reiner or Nick, either. I'm much better friends with their girlfriends, Nikita, of course, and Callie, who we bonded over our mutual… lack of stature amongst our peers.

But my three closest friends… they're in this room.

I know that Cynthia and Sango came back yesterday, and Julia arrived today, just like me. I've been waiting a long time to see them, I feel most comfortable when I'm around them, that's for sure. Yes, because I care so deeply for them.

Cynthia… is a very kind, outgoing person, even if she can be a little mean sometimes. She always has these zany schemes that I can't always agree with, but there's something about that smile of hers that I just can't look away from. I may not be… the best with people so p-p-perverted like her, but I guess it's different when I'm with a friend.

And not only that, we share other things in common. Like me, she's short. (Although she's still taller than me…) So she knows a lot about the struggles that I've gone through. She treats me like a cute kitten sometimes, which does irritate me, but it's only in fun teasing. Maybe because of how short she is, but… I don't think she's the type of person to really look down on others. She doesn't hate or judge, she just looks people in the eye and sees them for who they are. That… that's the kind of person I want to be, if I'm being honest.

…Though not the groping boobs part…

And Sango, well… Sango is a different kind of energy. She's fun and passionate too, but has an air about her that's approachable. If Cynthia is like a cute and spunky friend from childhood, Sango is a lot like I imagined a girl next door to be. Fun-loving and full of life, but capable of being serious when the situation calls for it. Sweet and friendly, with a lot of love for the world around her, the kind of girl who can make friends easily, but still gets shy when she needs to, as well.

…

Okay, yes, there's a little bit of a crush there that's a holdover from my idealized image of a cool tomboy childhood friend, BUT! BUT BUT BUT! That doesn't mean I like her! I don't! She has someone she likes anyway, and it's a boy, so don't even go there! I really just like her for being a compassionate breath of fresh air that brightens up my day, and is willing to listen to me when I have problems. I feel… that Sango, like me, is doing her best to improve herself, step by step. And that's why I won't give up, not as long as she's working hard, too.

But more than Cynthia, more than Sango, there is someone else who I've wanted to see, most of all. The person I think about every night, asking myself "what is she doing right now?" and wondering "is she thinking about me?"

Julia Keruz.

I called Nikita my best friend before, but… that may not be technically true. Julia… in a technical sense, may be my best friend.

But she is so much more than that!

Julia is a beautiful person.

Yes, there are girls who are prettier than her, I know, I've met them. But when I look at Julia, they're nothing in comparison. She may not be tall, but she's still taller than me, and her long, slender legs, with that deep tan color, like a soft coffee with cream, they're perfectly toned, especially when she wears shorts. A tight figure that isn't wanting in any area, but perfectly proportioned like a model, I can't believe someone as amazing as her could spend time with someone as scrawny as me. And her face, angular and beautiful, like a noble elf, the countenance of a lady, so gorgeous she can even be scowling and it still makes me swoon. And that dark hair of hers, thick and luxurious like velvet, flowing down her back like a river, and the way they lighten at the tips catches the light so brilliantly, it just draws your eyes right to her trim waist. But the most beautiful feature of all is those eyes of hers, blue as the sky and just as wide, I can just stare into them for hours and bask in their kind glow, she's truly perfect in every way…

…

No, I am not a pervert!

It isn't just Julia's looks that are so alluring, it's everything about her! Her stern strictness with everyone, not letting people take advantage of her, or the people that she cares about? She's like a noble knight, protecting the honor of her charges, unable to stand by in the presence of evil! Rather, she stands up for those she cares for, and more importantly, stands up to those she cares for! Yes, just like with me… if one of us were to go down the wrong path, I have no doubt that Julia would try to stop us, to correct us, with whatever harsh words she could muster, simply because she cares so much about us that she couldn't bear the thought of us falling into darkness.

Kind, strong, smart, cool, so many words I could use to describe her, but the one that I believe more than any applies to her is the word "savior".

Because that's what Julia was.

My savior.

When I was all alone in the class, feeling lonely and wanting to make friends, but too shy to do so, I at first found some hope when Sango, Blake, and Julia came up to me. That had been fine, but then more and more people had joined them, too many for me to be around. I was nervous and anxious, I wanted to just die, there were too many people. So even though I wanted to be friends with everybody…

I just couldn't stay there any longer, so I left.

And Julia came with me. She came with me, even though all her friends were over there, and I was just some mousy cat-girl who no one bothered to care about. She wasn't a fan of the crowds, either. But rather than go off on her own… she came with me. We laughed, and smiled… and she complimented me on my hair. I love my hair, so pristine and white, but other people don't. But Julia… she did. When she said that she liked it… my heart skipped a beat. She introduced me to her pokemon, and I introduced her to mine, and we grew closer… and from there…

Julia brought me into her life, I met Sango, Cynthia, Blake, Reiner, Nick, everybody… if she hadn't reached out to me and been my friend, then I probably would not have made all the friends that I've made here…

So yes, Julia is my savior. Always looking out for me, treating me as precious, and showing me all the best sides of her… I wanted to be strong like her, cool like her, I wanted her to look at me and see someone amazing, the same way I looked at her and saw her as amazing…

Yeah, I want Julia to look at me the same way I look at her.

Because I love her.

Well, here I am. Right outside their door. I can't wait, I've spent three weeks, looking forward to seeing them again, my best friends!

The door opened.

"Cynthia, give me back my bra!" Julia exclaimed, struggling with Cynthia. Her hand was over her chest, shielding it away, and her clothes were half-off, her face flushed with rage.

"Nanna-nanna boo-boo!" Cynthia teased, waving Julia's beige bra over her head, holding it back out of reach as she skipped away from the angry girl. "Hey, Julia, did you go up a cup size over the break? Mind if I give 'em a little feel? Whattya say, not like they'll shrink!"

"I'm back for an hour and you're already messing with me, you bitch?" Julia fumed, covering her breasts with one hand and throwing dirty clothes at Cynthia with the other. "That's my only clean bra, give it back!"

"Cynthia, this is ridiculous!" Sango groaned, rubbing her forehead in frustration. "Just give her her bra back! Do you seriously have to behave like this all the time?"

"Come on, seeing her get all flustered is adorable! I can't tease Maddi, so let me get my fun with Julia!" Cynthia laughed.

"That's just- oh, Kitty!" Sango's face brightened as she saw Kitty standing in the doorway, hopping off of her bed and walking over to her. "I heard you got back today, too! You finished unpacking?"

Kitty glanced away from Sango, placing her hand over her face. She felt like this was all some sort of cosmic joke. She should have known better than to get hopeful, she really should have.

What happened to the happy, perfect friends and school life of my dreams?

Kitty and Julia weren't the only ones to arrive at the Pokemon Academy today, either. Among the great number of students getting off at the airport and waiting for the school shuttle to take them to the docks for their boat, a certain couple had foregone that experience, not that they had realized it.

Mainly because there had been someone waiting to greet them before they even made it out of the terminal.

"Ayaaaaaaaaaaa!" Ayame had barely walked off the plane when Olivia, waiting for her in the terminal, pulled her into a tight hug.

"B-Boss?!" Ayame exclaimed, her cheeks flushing as Olivia hugged her tightly. "Wh-what are you doing here?"

"In a minute, just want to get my fill of Aya first," Olivia cooed, nuzzling her cheek against Ayame's shoulder.

"Can you please not grope my girlfriend like that?" Blake asked, raising his eyebrow. Olivia glanced at him, smirking when she saw the scowl on his face.

"You got to hog Ayame all break!" Olivia pouted, tightening her grip on the taller girl. "It's my turn, let me restore my spirit off of her!"

"I'm not some fucking battery charger," Ayame replied. Olivia ignored her, squeezing tighter, sticking her tongue out at Blake, who rolled his eyes.

Ayame sighed, and glanced at her boyfriend, shrugging her shoulders in a "what can you do" sort of resignation. Besides, she WAS happy to see Olivia, no doubting that. Blake sighed, and nodded his head reluctantly.

"So, boss, how was Hoenn?" Ayame asked, trying to change the subject from Olivia's not-so-subtle attempts to cop a feel, as she often did when she was in a more flirty mood. "Must have gone pretty well if you're so positive."

"Won my way through the Hyper Ranks," Olivia said, finally letting Ayame go and returning to her normally composed, regal appearance. "But I decided not to challenge any Master Rank contests. The Hyper Ranks showed me that there was still room to polish my skills. I'm thinking of taking another run after graduation."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," Ayame said, frowning. "I know you tried your best."

"Yeah, but it's no problem!" Olivia grinned. "I'm going to do my best, and when I return to Hoenn, it's going to be an amazing show!" She turned to Blake. "You two, be sure to check it out! Make a nice, romantic overnight trip in Lilycove over it!"

Ayame and Blake glanced at each other and blushed.

"…Oh! I almost forgot! You'll never guess who I ran into while we were in Hoenn! Cynthia and Sango!" Olivia remembered. "Can you believe it?"

"Small region, huh?" Blake said, surprised.

"Um, boss, this is nice and all, but…" Ayame stepped aside as more people pushed past her through tunnel from plane. "But, um, we need to go to meet the next bus, so-"

"Nah, forget that," Olivia said, waving her hand dismissively. She held up a set of keys. "We'll take my ride."

"N-NO, that's okay," Ayame said, shaking her head, her face going pale.

"Unless your car doubles as a boat, I don't think that's a very good decision," Blake said.

"Nah, it's a rental, no big deal," Olivia laughed, shrugging her shoulders and turning towards the long line of people heading for baggage claim. "We'll just take it to the dock and board the boat from there, come on, let's go!"

Blake took a moment to follow her towards baggage claim, when Ayame stopped him with a hand on his wrist. Blake glanced back at her and she shook her head, her face pale as a sheet. She looked terrified as hell.

"Aya? Wh-what's wrong?" Blake asked, confused.

Ayame turned and took a glance at Olivia, and then turned back to look at Blake. There was real terror in her eyes.

"We can't get into that car with her," Ayame said. "We'll die. Seriously."

Blake blinked.

"Olivia… she's that bad of a driver?"

Ayame shook her head. "Worse. So, so much worse. I don't have a license either, so-"

"Aya! Blake!" Olivia turned back to look at them, her hands on her hips. "You guys coming?"

"Yeah, coming boss!" Ayame said, her fake voice filled with cheer. She shot Blake a glare, shaking her head. "No."

The two ditched her at baggage claim, Ayame silently apologizing as they made their way onto the shuttle towards the docks. Ayame ignored her phone blowing up with messages from Olivia, smiling at Blake as the two sat down on one of the paired seats of the shuttle, hand in hand.

They got off the shuttle to see Olivia standing in front of the boat, arms crossed in front of her, fuming angrily at Ayame and Blake. The confident smiles on their faces weren't making her feel any better, either. She had managed to get there first, clearly breaking a lot of speed regulations to do it, and to make matters worse, Ayame didn't see any trace of the car she'd rented. For all she knew, Olivia had accidentally driven it into the ocean. But those weren't her concern.

"Sorry, boss, but-"

"Save it," Olivia scowled, holding up her hand. She glanced at Blake. "Let me guess, Aya told you I'm a bad driver?"

Blake nodded. Olivia rolled her eyes.

"She likes to exaggerate, she had one bad experience-"

"You were driving on the fucking SIDEWALK!"

"Those kids were totally fine, that judge was just jealous of my looks," Olivia scoffed. "'Suspended license', what's that? BS, that's what that was!"

Blake didn't have anything to say on the subject. He followed Ayame and Olivia onto the boat along with the other students, staring off into the horizon. He reached out and grabbed Ayame's hand, much to her surprise. She glanced back at him, her cheeks flushed.

"Sorry, just wanted to do it," Blake admitted sheepishly. Ayame gave him a bashful giggle and squeezed his hand back, the two going to find somewhere to set their luggage down and unwind for the short boat trip back to the Pokemon Academy.

Olivia ignored the lovebirds and walked to the bow of the boat, looking out over the crystal-blue ocean with a wistful expression on her face.

This would be her final term at the Pokemon Academy. And the worry in her gut was telling her that it was going to be an arduous one.

So things have gotten off to an interesting start for the second semester of the year! Where will things go from here, I wonder?