We continue with exploring Elaina's situation, but this time we return to the perspective of Blake and Ayame to see their thoughts on it! How is Elaina's rejection and darkness affecting our protagonist? What will he do with this information?

The Pokemon Academy Best Girl 2 Finals are up and running! Who do you think is deserving of the title of Best Girl in the second year of the contest? Cast your votes! We've only gotten a few votes so far, and I know that a lot of people are reading, so come on guys! The poll's in the profile, who do you think deserves to take the crown?

Finalists: Sylvia, Marion, Sango

Just a Bad Writer for Fun: Already DM'd, dude. Link it to me, I can't wait to check it out! It sounds like a blast! I'd love to oversee what you guys have done so far. As for your theories, well… we'll just have to figure it out, won't we?

KedharS: Definitely a dark situation, that's for sure. Things aren't going well.

Venoms Cross 2: I hope so too. We'll have to see!

Pokemon Academy: Beginning of Beginnings

Chapter 709

Blake was trying to enjoy his date, he really was.

With most of the facilities on campus closed, dating options were rather limited, so the two of them had agreed to a romantic walk. Enjoying the last traces of winter around campus and seeing the snow already starting to melt in some places, Aya had led them to one of the last places it was still nice and chilly.

He and Aya walked along the shoreline of the beach. It was quite a sight to see. Snow, rolled up right to the water's edge, licked away by the waves slowly rolling over it to reveal traces of sand. Not a sight that came often, especially in the Kalos Region.

It was a really sweet date idea, walking along the beach with just the two of them (and Olivia a ways back watching them at a safe distance) and Aya was clearly trying her best to enjoy it, having done the insane and kicked her shoes off to feel the snow and sand through her toes, even as she giggled at the coldness.

If only Blake was in the right frame of mind to enjoy it, he would have been able to appreciate just how happy she was.

But even as he saw Aya's smiling face and heard her laugh as she shifted from one foot to the other to keep from getting too cold, even as he replicated those emotions on his own face as he so often had done when he was younger, his thoughts still kept slipping towards Elaina.

It made him feel rather disgusting, to be thinking of another girl at a time like this. He should have been giving Aya his full attention, rather than worrying about someone else. But he couldn't find a way out of it, sadly.

He was just too worried about Elaina's condition and how she had been acting to be able to do something as selfish as enjoy his date with his girlfriend. If only Elaina would have let him reach out to her, but she hadn't. This wasn't like her previous rejections, for some reason it felt like she was in a much harder to reach place, like she-

Something cold and wet splashed his face, startling him. He gasped in surprise, staring at Aya. She was laughing, standing in the surf, her hands glistening wet. She'd…

"You-You splashed me!" Blake gasped in shock. It was freezing, and she'd splashed water on him, what was going on?!

"You were making your brooding face," Aya pouted, sticking her tongue out. "That's no good! Come on, enjoy yourself!"

"Sorry," Blake apologized, trying to laugh it off. He walked closer to the water's edge, smiling at Aya. Her big grin was really doing wonders to improve his mood, but he still felt a little hurt by everything that had happened with Elaina. "I was just lost in thought."

"On our date?" Aya asked, putting her hands on her hips and huffing in frustration. "That's no good, Blake! No good at all!"

"Sorry, but this whole mess with Elaina is-" Blake gasped and shut his mouth, realizing what he had just said. Aya looked at him, her face souring. She stomped through the water and stood eyes to eyes with him.

"So, thinking about another girl on our date, huh?" She asked, crossing her arms in front of her chest and letting out a huff of mock outrage. "Now, you know that's not okay!"

"Sorry, sorry," Blake laughed, feeling a little bit better. "I'm just dealing with some stuff right now, my relationship with Elaina is complicated, you know that."

"Well, what I know is that our relationship is very simple," Ayame said. She wasn't pleased that Blake was thinking about Elaina instead of enjoying their date, but she understood why. The important thing was to think about having fun right now, worrying about this issue was a problem. "As your girlfriend, my job is to make you happy!"

She flung her shoes and socks into the snow and grabbed his collar with both hands, pulling him into a startling kiss. She practically jammed her tongue down his throat as he fumbled in her grasp, shocked by the sudden aggression.

Eventually he began to reciprocate, but it was saddeningly short, because they had to separate for breath, Ayame gasping.

"Weeeew," she panted, wiping her lips. "That take your mind off of things?"

"Um… y-yeah," Blake said, his face red due to more than just the cold air. He wiped his forehead and stepped back onto shore, not even bothered by the water seeping into his socks and freezing his feet solid.

Ayame grinned. That was a good start.

"That's better!" She crowed in victory. "Now, if you don't mind, I think we should head inside and get some hot cocoa! My feet are starting to freeze, and I won't be able to run very fast without my toes, you know!"

Blake couldn't help but laugh. Aya skipped out of the water and slipped her socks and shoes on, the two of them heading up the beach and towards the path back to Olivia's dormitory.

"Blake!" Ayame gasped, grabbing his shoulder and spinning him around. "Take a look! What do you think?"

Blake gasped, staring at the beautiful sight before his eyes. For the second time in as many minutes, all thoughts of Elaina faded from his mind as he looked at the gentle pulse of the ocean rolling up against the snowy shore in front of them. Like a glistening sea of crystal, the way the water bled into the white was just lovely.

"Don't you think that's quite a nice sight?" Ayame asked, taking his hand in hers. "I grew up around snow my entire life, but we never had something like this at Mt. Silver," she murmured. "The way the water touches the shore…"

She let out a sigh, nestling her head against his shoulder and giving his hand a squeeze. "Part of me wishes we could stay here forever…"

Blake smiled in spite of himself. He could see it, too. He wished that they had more time to appreciate the sight. He would only get so many more moments like these, he needed to treasure them while they were here. "Hey… Aya…"

"Hmm?" Ayame raised her head and turned to him. "What do you need?"

"No, nothing, it's nothing," Blake said, shaking his head. "I was just thinking that I wish we had more time together. But… you guys are leaving in only two weeks for the Orre Region, right? And when you go… well, it's just… we won't have as much time together."

"…Yeah, I know," Ayame sighed. She had been so happy to get Blake back from that awful place, it still hadn't sunk in just how little time they still had. She wanted to spend more time with him, but they only had a few short weeks left. "I wish we could be together a little longer, honestly. But hey, it's not like things are that bad, you know?"

Blake turned to her. He was surprised by what Aya had said.

"It's like we agreed, right? It's practice for long-distance," Aya said, raising her hand and his with it to show off how tightly they were holding each other. "And when I get back, then we'll know just how solid we really are together."

Blake smiled. Aya really did know how to say the right things. At the same time, though, he couldn't help but feel uneasy. He was happy, he really was, and he was enjoying his date with Aya. But Elaina was still slipping into his thoughts.

Ayame could see it in his eyes. Elaina still haunted him. And that was okay. It stung, to think that he couldn't focus entirely on her right now, but she supposed that was just the way her boyfriend was. He couldn't bring himself to ignore someone who needed his help.

"Blake… I just want you to know that I'm not really upset. I understand, even though I'm not happy about it," Ayame said quietly, reaching up with her other hand and cupping Blake's face. "You don't need to feel guilty about Elaina."

"Wh-What do you mean?" Blake asked, not exactly enthused by the fact that his secret thoughts had been revealed to her.

"You care about Elaina. I get it. You're a lovely person," Ayame cooed, stroking his cheek. "That's what I love about you, you know? The fact that you can't see someone alone and suffering without doing whatever you can to help. It's exactly like it was with me. Even if she pushes you away and says she doesn't want your help, that isn't enough to get you to stop."

"Aya, I'm sorry I'm not giving-"

"Don't apologize, that makes me feel like I'm doing something wrong and making you feel bad," Ayame said, moving her finger to his lips. "Just focus on me right now, okay? Then, when our time together is done, do whatever you need to do to get through to that girl, okay?"

"That's for the best anyway," Olivia interjected. Blake and Ayame gasped in surprise, turning to her with stunned looks on their faces. They had totally forgotten about Olivia's presence in the heat of the date, that was embarrassing.

"Wh-What are you talking about?" Blake asked.

"Well, that girl needs help right now," Olivia said. "But she won't accept it right now, will she? She's too lost and damaged right now. She'd just drive you away again if you reached out to her. So instead, you need to think carefully about what you want, and how you can get it, and then when everything is calmed down, you can go to her and make your case."

Blake thought about Olivia's suggestion. It was clear that she had a lot more experience with stuff like this than him, and that made him feel a lot better. Her advice was something that he appreciated, and he showed his appreciation with a smile.

"Thanks, Olivia. That means a lot," Blake said, nodding in agreement. "I'll take your advice and let it go for now. But as soon as I can, I'm going to go to her, and I'm not taking no for an answer."

"Can you say that in a way that's a little less… gross?" Ayame giggled, patting him on the back. "Now, if you don't mind, my feet are freezing in my shoes, and I want to head back to the dorm! Let's go, Blake! I'll race you there!"

Blake's feet were feeling pretty numb themselves, so he wasn't exactly enthused about the notion of racing Aya back to the dorm. But if that was what she wanted, he was more than happy to oblige. He nodded. "Sounds good," he agreed, and followed after her in hot pursuit.

Olivia watched the two run off and sighed. She turned and glanced at the ocean herself, and smiled. It was really a lovely sight. Hopefully, things around the Pokemon Academy would be just as peaceful as the bay soon enough.

When Olivia made it back to her dormitory (in spite of curfew rules, she wasn't about to run like those two lovebirds) the sight she returned to warmed her heart nearly as much as it was warming the room itself.

Blake and Ayame were cuddled up on the couch in front of a roaring fire, socks and shoes kicked off and feet propped up on a small cushion to warm up.

"Hey guys, enjoying yourselves?" Olivia greeted coyly.

"Oh! Boss!" Ayame laughed. "Where have you been? It's about time!"

"I thought it would be nice to give you two some privacy," Olivia smiled, giving her a wink. "Are you enjoying yourselves?"

"Yeah so far the date's going well," Ayame nodded. "Nice and warm in front of the fireplace, especially with this guy."

She pulled Blake a little closer to her, laughing to herself. Olivia rolled her eyes and gave a snort of mock disgust.

"Whatever you say," Olivia said. "But if you ask me, I'd say that the two of you had a lot better ways to end this date than just curled up in front of the fireplace. When I offer you alone time, you're supposed to take it as a signal to… well…"

Ayame and Blake both blushed, and Ayame flung a pillow at Olivia. "Hey! We were having a good mood going here, you don't have to come in and just-! Well-!"

Olivia cackled, enjoying having made her friend that much more uncomfortable. "Enjoy your date, you two! But I've got some other things to do, so I'll leave you to it." She wiggled her eyebrows. "You know, if you're really going to be enjoying yourself, then the two of you might want to consider taking the opportunity to-"

Olivia ducked up the stairs, another pillow hitting the wall just where her face had been a few seconds earlier.

She had something else to plan. Seeing the heartwarming moments between the two of them reminded her of something she wanted to focus on.

As an actress and coordinator, Olivia was a very good judge of atmosphere. She could tell when an audience was responding well. And if the student body was an audience, then they were clearly not responding well to what was happening on campus.

The campus climate wasn't just chilly, it was sub-zero. And even worse, below that sub-zero atmosphere was a big lake of rage, boiling like magma. It was like standing on the frozen peak of a volcano, knowing that any minute it could erupt and turn the freezing temperature into a sea of fire that would swallow you whole.

Olivia needed to do something to even things out, and fast. Luckily, she had the perfect strategy right at hand, considering the time of year. She just needed to implement it, and hopefully everything would return to a more moderate level.

The students needed something to take their minds off the challenging events they were faced with, and luckily the Empress was the best person for scheduling events. She would have had to rush this one anyway because she would soon be leaving for the Orre Region, so it would be fine to rush it a little more, right?

These kids are all so high-strung, Olivia mused. They need something to really give them a good jolt in order to liven things up.

Olivia entered her room and threw her head back, letting out a wicked laugh.

"The Miss Pokemon Academy Contest will certainly be interesting," she cackled, getting prepared for the announcement email and post on the main campus website.

Night set down over the Pokemon Academy. The day had been long, as so many days were now. Ayame left Olivia's dorm with Olivia and Blake, to escort him back to his own dormitory.

Blake let out a sigh and stared up at the night sky. It was cold. As he looked up, he was reminded of a certain night not too different from this one, a night he had spent with Aya in the cold winter. And what had interrupted them.

It was odd to think about the party at the end of the Winter Tag Tournament now, but it still couldn't escape him.

It was just another night, but it was so much like that night for some reason. It must be because of seeing Elaina earlier. As much fun as he'd had with Aya all day, in the back of his mind, Elaina was still burning a hole.

Seeing the way she had snuck into his thoughts, he couldn't let this drop and be just another night. He had something else he needed to deal with right now.

Elaina had waited for him long enough, he wasn't going to make her wait any longer. That was the decision he had arrived at after a long period of thought that evening. She might want space, but that was what she always wanted.

Blake had promised her that he wasn't going to back down. And all throughout his happy day with Aya, he kept being reminded of how much he had failed to live up to that promise, how little time he had spent with Elaina in this last semester, because he was too occupied with other issues.

Well, not anymore. He was going to keep it, to reassure her that there WAS someone who cared for her, someone who would keep fighting.

He had messed up before, and maybe that was why she was so upset with him now. But even if it hurt, he had to prove to her that he was sincere, or she might be lost forever, and he wasn't going to let that happen.

He hadn't given up on Kitty, and he WASN'T going to give up on Gwen. So why on earth would he give up on Elaina? He wouldn't that was the answer.

Turning his attention forward, Blake stopped and looked back at Olivia, releasing Aya's hand. The two girls stared at him in surprise. His face was hard with resignation.

"Sorry, guys, but I can't go back to my dorm right now," he said quietly. "There's something I have to do, and someone I have to go find. Sorry about this!"

And before they could react, he turned and ran through the snow.

"B-Blake!" Ayame gasped, shocked. She had a good idea what he was thinking, but it had still come as a surprise. She had thought he would at least wait a full day before chasing after Elaina!

Her indecision lasted for only a second, and she charged after him. "Blake! Hold up, you can't go off alone!" She chased after her boyfriend, terrified as hell. She wasn't sure if Elaina would hurt him or not, but she wasn't about to find out.

Blake knew Aya was chasing after him, but he didn't let that distract him. He had a good idea of where he would run into Elaina. He needed to get to the Pikachu Dorms to see her, that was the only way he could be sure she might show up.

Ayame wanted to be sure that he would be okay. So she didn't try to catch him, or stop him, she just wanted to keep the pace with him.

I hope it works out, Ayame silently pleaded, watching his back. Blake was her boyfriend, and she trusted him. And that's why she was going to leave it up to him to decide what to do, because he knew better than she did what was good for him.

This is something that Blake needs in order to move forward, she reminded herself. Even if she personally wasn't thrilled by the circumstances, it wasn't about her, it was about what Blake could live with. So she would stand by his side and support him.

But if Elaina does anything to try and hurt him… she's going to regret it! Ayame vowed, darkness slipping into her thoughts. She cared about helping the other girl, horrible as she might be towards people. Elaina was scared, and she deserved pity and care.

But Ayame's sympathy only went so far, and it stopped when it came to Blake's safety. She was willing to put her own body on the line, but not his.

A sting of worry in her heart told her that it would probably come down to exactly that, and that wasn't something she wanted to hear. So she felt her pace quickening just a little bit more, thinking maybe, just maybe, if she managed to get to him that he'd be able to see that he didn't need to do this on his own, and that she could lend her support and keep him safe.

Olivia watched Blake and Ayame run off into the night, their heads filled with thoughts of Elaina. She shrugged her shoulders and did an about-face, trudging back to her dorm.

She didn't give a damn about Elaina. That was their mess. And it was way too late to run, especially in her fancy snow boots.

So it looks like things are heating up! Blake's about to make his move, and Ayame's going to be right there by his side! Will things turn out okay? We'll have to find out! And what's this about a Miss Pokemon Academy Contest? What could Olivia be planning?