Sango and Blake are going out to the hall! What will they have to talk about? How has Elaina's identity changed the foundation of their relationship, and Sango's perception of things? Remember to review!

Rowlets and Oshawotts: Say what?

Aakareo Kokokuhikari: Answered in the PMs.

KedharS: We'll see. It's definitely going to be interesting.

Just a Bad Writer for Fun: Sort of, but also not really.

Tambry96bj: Yeah, it's definitely nice, that's for sure. To see them all relaxing and getting along.

Pokemon Academy: Beginning of Beginnings

Chapter 729

Blake had agreed with Sango that they needed to talk about Elaina/Elly. They were clearly on the same page with that. And yet, out in the hallway neither one of them had anything to say on the matter. They just stood there staring at each other, the air pregnant with awkwardness.

"…So, Elly," Blake said.

"…Elly," Sango said, nodding.

The conversation died again.

Sango let out a long sigh and rubbed her temples. "Sorry, sorry, I invited you out here to talk, but I'm still feeling a little messed up in the head."

Blake nodded in agreement. He could understand. "Elly… Elly and Elaina…"

"They're the same person, yeah," Sango murmured. "I guess it's still sinking in. It's hard to believe though, you know? When I think about Elaina, I can see how violent and angry she always was, imagine her hurting my friends, it just… it doesn't compute, you know? Because Elly…"

Sango's eyes glistened with tears. She remembered Elly's smiling face. Her shy gentleness, the way she tried to do her best, and most of all, the overjoyed way she looked at the two of them when they had extended a hand out in friendship. It had touched her heart in a way that no other friendship she'd made this year had really done, with the exception of maybe Kate.

Elly had needed a friend. And Sango was happy to be that friend for her. And the fact that she'd had to say goodbye to that friend after the first day they met, and hadn't been able to contact her since. It had hurt, but she'd gotten over it.

And now…

"I just… when I think about Elly, she was the sweetest person in the world, you know?" Sango explained, trying to put words to the feelings running through her. "But she's really Elaina, and I find myself wondering, was that all a lie?"

Blake narrowed his eyes. "No, Sango," he sharply cut her off, startling her. "Don't think about her that way."

"H-Huh?" Sango asked, surprised.

Blake realized that he had snapped, and calmed himself back down. "Sorry," apologized. "It's been a stressful day, and I'm feeling a little exhausted. I didn't mean to snap like that."

"N-No, it's fine," Sango said, shaking her head. Blake's harshness had reminded her of just how sensitive of a subject harmonia was to him. She probably should have chosen her words better when explaining how she felt. "I'm sorry, too. I didn't mean to sound so… well, harsh."

"It's okay, I understand what you meant," Blake assured her. "Just keep in mind, Elly isn't a lie. Elaina wasn't 'pretending' to be Elly to trick us. That was her. The real her. I'm sure of it."

"R-Really?" Sango asked. She had her doubts.

"Yes, really," Blake said. "I didn't tell you this, but actually, I've suspected that Elaina was Elly for some time now, and I actually confronted her about it."

That caught Sango off-guard. "What?" She sputtered. "No, no way, really? Why didn't you ever tell me, then?"

"Because I didn't know for sure, and I didn't want to worry you on a hunch," he explained. He took note of the sour look on Sango's face. She crossed her arms over her chest and raised her eyebrow, clearly not amused.

"…Okay, maybe I should have thought about that," Blake admitted.

"Yeah, maybe you should have," she snapped. "I deserve to know if one of my friends could be someone who goes around hurting people, Blake."

"Well, in my defense, when was the last time you mentioned her?" Blake asked. He didn't have the time to argue over this. "I didn't think you still considered her a friend, so I didn't want to bring up anything that might be a bother!"

Sango opened her mouth to reply, but quickly shut it and sighed. "…Okay, yeah, you have a point," she admitted. "Guess I can't blame you for that."

"But like I was saying. I noticed that Elly and Elaina could have been the same person, and I confronted her about it," Blake said. "Because they're both really kind and gentle, and were overwhelmed with nervousness and shyness, in spite of how sweet they are. They were completely alone, and that's when I began to wonder."

Elaina was kind and gentle? In what UNIVERSE was Elaina kind and gentle? Sango was about to say that, or maybe even something worse, but she held her tongue because she understood that she didn't actually know the first thing about Elaina as a person. All she knew about her was what she'd observed in battle.

That was a lot different from Blake, who had talked to her a lot and spent time getting to know her. He would know Elaina better than she ever could. And if he said that he could notice the similarities between Elaina and the girl they had befriended, it wasn't really here place to call him on that. So she nodded in agreement.

"If you say so," she accepted, though she was far from convinced.

"I know that Elaina can be intimidating," Blake continued, and he shut up when he saw Sango raise her eyebrow. "Okay, a lot intimidating-"

"Try terrifying," Sango dryly replied.

"Yes, yes, terrifying," Blake grumbled. "But anyway, as I was saying, don't think that means she's a bad person, not inside." The next thing Blake said threw Sango for a loop. "Look, I know… I know this isn't going to be a popular opinion with you, or anybody, so I want to trust you with this theory I have, Sango, okay?"

Sango perked up, a little surprised. Blake was trusting her? With something he hadn't told anybody, not even Ayame? "Are… Are you sure?"

Blake nodded. "Sango, I know you're a good judge of character, and you're really good at making friends and trusting others. Even if they're pretty difficult people."

Sango shrugged, averting her eyes and trying not to smile and blush like a schoolgirl. But it was pretty difficult; Blake was giving her compliment upon compliment right now, and it was making her feel all warm and fuzzy inside, even if it shouldn't be.

"R-Really? What about Cynthia? She's pretty good at that too," Sango reminded him.

"Cynthia's good at making friends, sure, but she's not as discerning as you are," Blake laughed. "She makes friends with just about anybody. But like I said, you're a really good judge of character, so I wanted to ask you something serious, and take it seriously."

Sango nodded. "You can trust me, Blake. Don't worry. So what is it?"

"I believe… I really, honestly believe… that no one who has harmonia can really be a bad person," Blake said. "Not really. Even if it's deep down inside, I believe that the power of harmonia only manifests in good people."

Sango considered that. She thought about the harmonia users she'd met before. Marion, Kitty, they were lovely girls. Oscar seemed like a pretty decent guy, too, and so did Blake's older brother, Kanone. Yeah, there were a lot of harmonia users that were good people, she'd said as much to Marion way back when they'd first approached the exams and she'd learned of Marion's abilities, and that was why she didn't think any differently, since she knew that just having harmonia didn't make Marion a bad person, it was what she did with it.

But then there were people like Elaina. People like Gwen. The other Children of the Oracles, Marion's old friends, they were all people who used their harmonia to hurt others. And Blake was saying that they were all good people deep down?

"Blake, that… I know you want to believe that, but…" It was obvious why Blake would develop a belief like that. He loved his sister, after all, it was as simple as that. And he wanted to believe that deep down inside, Gwen was still a good person. And he might have even been right. "…I'm not sure. My experiences with harmonia, I don't think… sorry. I'm not sure if I agree," Sango admitted. She felt bad she couldn't be more reassuring.

Blake seemed to understand just find. "Yeah, don't worry," he said, flashing a smile. "It's okay, I don't mind. I know that it's something hard to accept."

"Is this… about your sister?" Sango asked quietly, tensing up. She knew that was a serious subject for Blake, and didn't want to pressure him too far on the topic.

And yes, Blake's face took on a complex expression when she mentioned Gwen, he seemed to be a little upset. But he nodded his head and shrugged it off, giving her a smile. "Okay, yeah, I admit, that part of this could be because of my sister," he admitted. "And yes, it's about Elaina, too. But believe me, Sango, they're both lovely people, they really are."

Sango thought about Elaina again. If she really was the same as Elly deep down, and Sango was becoming more and more convinced that she was, then maybe Blake had a point. She sighed. Why did this have to be so irritating?

She didn't like having to think about complicated stuff like this, it was too much brainpower. But she was willing to give Blake, and Elaina, the benefit of the doubt.

"…I-I guess," she murmured, looking down. She could understand why Blake felt that way about harmonia users, even if she didn't personally agree with it. And she could definitely see why he felt that way about Elaina.

But it wasn't a mindset that she could develop for herself with what experiences she had had with Elaina and how the other girl didn't really show her real self to others. Thinking back on the battle between Blake and Elaina…

There was a lot that Sango didn't know.

Sango could feel the pressure of Blake's stare on her. She didn't like it. She knew what he was probably thinking, and the desperation in his stare struck her. It was clear that Blake really, really wanted Sango to understand Elaina.

Sango decided that she would try to give Blake the benefit of the doubt. She sighed, drawing in a deep breath and letting it slowly escape from her lungs.

"I want to talk to Elaina… Elly… myself," Sango decided. She didn't even realize she had said it out loud until she saw the surprise crossing over Blake's face. She gasped, and then quickly regained her composure, clearing her throat. "I think it's important that I get to know her a little better," she explained quietly. "Like I said… Elly was my friend. So if you're right, and Elly really is just a part of Elaina, and they're the same kind person deep down, then that's something I want to understand for myself, and see with my own eyes."

"R-Really?" Blake asked. He was clearly surprised, and his face was filled with a mixture of excitement and worry.

"Elly is my friend," Sango reminded him. She had been wary of it before, but the longer her words hung in the air, the more confident she was feeling. "And if she really is Elaina, then that means that Elaina… she's my friend, too. But… I want to get to know her. Really get to know her, because I never had the chance."

A small smile spread across Blake's face. "Sango, I think that's a great idea," he agreed. "I think that there's a lot you could gain from talking with Elaina, I definitely think it would be good for you, and I also think it would be good for Elaina, too."

Sango perked up, surprised. "Really?" She asked.

"Elaina… Elly… she needs friends," Blake said. "She needs to know that people care about her. After our battle, I managed to break her mask, and I think… I think I convinced her to move forward into the future and find a life for herself, so she could be happy. But she's still afraid. I think, though, if you go to her as a friend, you could be one of the best people to reach out to her. You might be able to really help her."

Sango smiled a little. Hearing that made her feel a little better.

"…But I think you should give her some space," Blake added. "Right now, she's in a really fragile place, emotionally, so give her some time and space to let her adjust, and then I think you should go and check up on her. I think she might like that."

"Yeah, I think I will," Sango said, smiling and nodding. "And I really hope it'll go well."

Blake felt relief wash over him as he smiled back. That made him feel better. What Elaina needed most was friends, people who cared about her and she could confide in. And he knew from experience that Sango was a great friend to have. If the two of them could become friends, then that would be a wonderful feeling for everyone involved.

It might even help Elaina open up to others if she had a friend she could trust in.

"That's good," Blake smiled. He glanced over his shoulder, looking back at his bedroom, before turning back to Sango. "Honestly… I'm really worried about Elaina. I know that I was able to get through to her and take that mask off of her, but… I don't know if that will be enough."

"Oh…" Sango said, surprised. She thought that with how comfortable Blake had been carrying himself and how sure he'd seemed, that he wouldn't be having doubts like this. But now that he said it, he definitely looked a little worn down.

Blake slumped over and leaned back, pressing his back against the wall and sinking down to the ground. He let out a long sigh, and Sango could see the tiredness stretch across his face. She went over to Blake and crouched down in front of him.

"Hey, come on, are you okay?" Sango asked, forcing a smile to her face. "Is that the sort of attitude that a guy should have when he's the man of the hour? You did save Elaina after all, and did what no one else has done and defeated her, right?"

She wanted Blake to feel better. But for her, comfort was asking someone to hang out and do something fun, and it was clear that Blake wasn't really in the mood for something like that. He looked like he wanted to go to sleep, not for a jog.

"Elaina… I'm just really worried about her," Blake admitted. "I'm tired. I spent so much time fighting her, so much energy getting through… and I was able to smash her mask and reach her, but… I don't even know if I helped at all."

Sango could see that Blake was exhausted. He had put everything he had into that battle, and now here he was at the end of it, not looking at all like the victor. He seemed so sad and fragile, it made her heart ache for him.

Why was he telling her? It didn't make sense that he would confide in her, of all people, not while Ayame was just a door away.

"Hey… do you want me to get Ayame?" Sango asked quietly. "I can check in with her, get her to come out here and spend time with you? If you're feeling a little overwhelmed from the party that could help you decompress you know?"

Blake shook his head. "Actually… I'd rather be here with you right now, than Aya," he said quietly, glancing up into Sango's eyes.

Sango's heart skipped a beat. No way. He did NOT just say that. She knew he clearly didn't mean it the way it sounded, and yet she couldn't convince her heart of that, the damn thing was just pounding away like crazy.

Why? She wasn't happy to hear something like that! She was trying to get over Blake, she knew that he didn't like her!

"Me?" Sango asked quietly, trying to keep the treacherous feeling of hope she carried in her heart from seeping out into her voice. "You want to talk to me?"

She didn't understand why.

"Aya… she's a really amazing person," Blake said. His eyes were a million miles away, and a smile stretched across his face. "If she was here, she'd tell me not to worry, say a bunch of comforting stuff and try to make me smile."

Sango couldn't agree more, Ayame was a great person, and she would absolutely be a comforting girlfriend for him. So why was Blake acting like that was a bad thing? "So what's the problem then?" She asked.

"I don't want to be comforted right now," Blake said. "I just, well… I just want to sit for a little, and talk about it. Aya would try to comfort me, and Cynthia would try to cheer me up, get me to think it wasn't a big deal. But Sango… you're not like that. You're trying to cheer me up, sure, but you're also aware of how I'm feeling right now, and you're fine with the idea that we can just sit."

Sango felt honestly touched. And more than a little relieved.

"Yeah, you're right," Sango agreed, nodding. She sat down next to him, not even focusing on her feelings right now. "I think if you don't want comfort, I'm fine with just sitting here with you for a while. You know, if that's what you want."

"Yeah… I'm grateful that everyone's here, I really am. And it makes me feel happy, knowing that they're happy for me and glad that I'm alive. But honestly, if it was up to me, I would probably be in bed right now," Blake explained. "Or just spending time with Aya."

"Or just spending time with Aya in bed?" Sango tried to tease him, but her words were like a knife twisting in her heart.

Blake gave her a look that made her realize she'd messed up on multiple fronts. She sighed. "Sorry, that was tasteless," she apologized.

"Don't worry about it," Blake said, waving his hand dismissively. "I don't mind. But you're right, I am worried, and I think it's mainly just fatigue. Or at least I hope that's all it is. Right now, I guess I just… I guess I just want to go to bed, you know?"

He smiled at her.

"Elaina is really struggling right now," he continued. "And hopefully things will get better in the morning, but right now…"

Sango didn't say anything. Blake didn't want her to comfort him, after all. So she just sat with him and let him feel the ennui of the atmosphere.

She could see that Blake wanted to disregard his suggestion and go to Elaina. He had clearly been hoping that, after defeating her, Elaina would magically be all better and open up to him as a friend. And though he hadn't been devastated, the fact that that hadn't happened was clearly bothering him a lot.

So much so that he wanted to just fast-forward and go to sleep. Sango didn't say anything about it, but she thought it was because he wanted to get to the next day sooner, not just due to exhaustion but so that he could check in with Elaina and see if she was okay.

Blake was just that kind of guy.

"Let's just wait for a little," she murmured, staring at the far wall with a thin smile on her face. She didn't know when Elaina would be ready to talk, but she hoped it was soon. She wanted to see how her friend was doing.

A nice, calm moment between Sango and Blake. I think this was a good moment for them, and shows that they're friends first. What will happen? Will Sango be able to reforge a connection with Elaina and get to know her as a person?