After taking a look at Gabrielle, let's pause and turn our attention to Alcea! How is she feeling at the moment, I wonder, now that she's under assessment from Kanone Harker?

KedharS: Hopefully it will.

Just a Bad Writer for Fun: Well, we'll have to see who had the better showing. It all comes down to Kanone.

Rus0804: Gabrielle x Alcea as a friendship, hmm?

Rowlets and Oshawotts: I've been trying to find a place to develop her some more, and this is a great opportunity.

Thunder Fire: Assuming, of course, that venoshock would hit.

Pokemon Academy: Beginning of Beginnings

Chapter 752

Alcea held her breath, her heart pounding in her chest. She knew how important the decision was, but even still she couldn't believe how worked up she was, waiting to hear what Kanone thought of her performance.

Honestly, she didn't care about this contest. Miss Pokemon Academy? A title like that didn't matter to her in the slightest. But what did matter to her was Kanone's judgment. She had been trying her hardest this whole time, because she knew that Kanone's eyes were on her.

It was ridiculous. So stupid! She wasn't some schoolgirl with a crush! (She was) She just respected him as a trainer and wanted his judgment on her abilities, because she knew that he was a trustworthy arbiter and a good trainer to measure her skill against; if Kanone thought that she was a strong trainer, then she could be confident that she was growing and doing her best, it had nothing to do with any feelings she had about Kanone as a person! (It did)

And besides, even if she DID have some sort of feeling for him, it's not like she expected anything to ever come of it! (Okay, that one was true)

But she had no idea that her heart would be so ill at ease when she waited for his thoughts. That smile on his face… could she be confident in it?

"I think both girls had an excellent fight," Kanone said. His voice lacked its usual jovial tone, and his eyes had a real glimmer in them. He was being completely thorough and forward in his assessment, taking it seriously. "Gabrielle did an excellent job of seizing the initiative; she demonstrated her skills by using taunt to prevent Alcea from setting things up with sunny day, tilting the battle heavily in her favor, and followed it up with some excellent ice moves that did major damage."

Alcea felt like her heart had been torn apart. Kanone said…

She shook her head, keeping her expression flat as she tried to maintain her dignity. She was a well-trained noble lady, she knew how to conceal her feelings, even as her heart was breaking into little tiny pieces.

Alcea glanced at Gabrielle out of the corner of her eye. She didn't see any hopefulness or eagerness in the girl's expression. She was totally flat, like Kanone's judgment didn't mean a thing to her. Both girls were composed and dignified, but Gabrielle…

Alcea was sure her desperation was leaking out in spite of her best efforts. So to see how unfazed Gabrielle was really struck her. She had always taken her rivalry with the girl seriously, in spite of what Gabrielle claimed; after all, if she was the strongest female trainer at the school, then Gabrielle was the second-strongest.

She knew that Gabrielle would always have the potential to defeat her, and that's why she had kept her guard up, and never skipped her training. Gabrielle was always there, right behind her, viewing Alcea as someone to test herself against and overcome, and Alcea had always secretly thought the same for the other girl.

And now, it looked like Gabrielle had finally reached the point where she could fight against Alcea, and overcome her. She had lost. And there was nothing left to do but accept her defeat with grace and dignity and-

These thoughts all occurred within the span of a few seconds. The world seemed to slow down for Alcea as she processed that, and then Kanone said something else that caused the world to shoot forward around her at high speed, slamming into her and snapping her out of confusion.

"But…"

But. There was a but. Alcea hoped that she was maintaining her dignity right now, but no, she was not. To anyone in the know, they could see Alcea practically light up like a street lamp as she heard Kanone say her new favorite word in the English language, "but".

"But I think that Alcea as well pulled off a marvelous display of skill and power," he continued. "Being in as bad of a situation as was, pushed to the edge like that, she didn't flinch, and implemented multiple strategies to mitigate the downsides, even with only attacking moves. Using bulldoze to limit Froslass's speed, using magical leaf to track down her location, and sludge bomb to poison her, Alcea and her Venusaur showed a great deal of flexibility and skill in their ability. It was a very magnificent display on their part. Well done."

Alcea's heart soared higher and higher as she hung onto every word, but when Kanone finished speaking she was left with nothing but confusion. That… well, of course, she appreciated just how many kind words Kanone had given in praise of her abilities, but in the end, as sweet as he was, she hadn't heard anything definitive.

She and Gabrielle looked at each other. Which one of them had been the winner in the end.

"…Uh, Kanone," Lukas said, just as confused as the girls, "we still need an answer from you, which of the girls do you think had the cooler battle?"

Kanone blinked. "Oh! That's right, I have to pick the winner. I was so enraptured by the performance that I completely forgot; both girls, their pokemon were so dedicated to winning that I just got swept up in the atmosphere, I apologize," he said, laughing and clapping his hands.

"Well, I suppose I'll have to think about it a little more, now won't I?" Kanone said, shrugging his shoulders apologetically.

Alcea's eye twitched. She was a patient girl; she would wait days and months for flowers to bloom into their beautiful countenance, but as patient as she was, Kanone was pushing it. She appreciated that he thought so highly of her abilities that he would spend this much time thinking about it, but at the same time-

"Okay!" He declared, clapping his hands together again, snapping Alcea out of her thoughts. "I've decided. Between the two of them, the one that put on the better performance, and the winner of this match in the Coolness Competition is…"

His voice trailed off.

"…Dragging things out to build suspense…" he informed them in a teasing voice. Ian snickered a little and Akira rolled his eyes and sighed. He was almost willing to just change his vote in order to put an end to this nightmare.

"…Alcea Vermeil."

Alcea had been so incensed and frustrated by Kanone that at first she hadn't heard him call her name out. But when he did, she had to take a second look and think about what he had just said. She was completely shaken.

She had won. Kanone had judged her performance against Gabrielle, and decided that she was the stronger, cooler trainer.

She took care to not let her joy show on her face. That would be rude to Gabrielle, to seem so outwardly overjoyed by the decision. So she put on a polite smile and curtsied to the judges. "Thank you for consideration," she said.

"And there you have it!" Lukas declared. "The last girl to move on to the semi-finals is Alcea Vermail, let's give her a round of applause!"

As the audience applauded her, Gabrielle walked past her and headed towards the exit. As she passed, Alcea heard a brief flicker of congratulations pass her ear; had Gabrielle just said that? Alcea's head shot to the side to see the girl's departing figure.

She was sure she'd heard it. "Congratulations" had escaped Gabrielle's lips and touched Alcea. It wasn't rude or bitter or snarky, or even cold, as one would have expected from the stoic girl. It was a congratulations that was filled with genuine feeling and warmth, and it touched Alcea's heart, even if she had barely heard it.

Those words were enough. She didn't care for her dignity or receiving her praise right now, she turned and ran after Gabrielle, she needed to talk with her.

Alcea hadn't realized it until just then. But Gabrielle had fought so hard and tried to be the kind of girl who could stand on the same level as Alcea, and thatt told Alcea all she needed to know about the other girl.

She remembered the Phantom Cup, and how well the two of them had worked together in the preliminary free for all, they had made a good team.

In spite of the fact that she was often surrounded by lots of people, Alcea wasn't the kind of girl who had many friends. She had admires among her clubmates, but she often felt separate from them. The only one she could really consider her friend was Kate. She never admitted this, but sometimes she felt very lonely in the Gardening Club. Like everyone was treating her like she was a flower growing on a hill, something to admire from afar.

In a manner of speaking, Gabrielle was the same way. She looked at Alcea like something to aspire too, even if she so seldom said it. And unlike the countless other people who wanted to fight Alcea and defeat her, Gabrielle was always giving her a run for her money. Doing her hardest to win, just to be the strongest. Alcea had to keep her position on top, and Gabrielle was a good person to measure her capabilities against as well.

That was one of the many reasons Alcea thought that Gabrielle was different. Gabrielle didn't just want to defeat her, they were rivals who respected each other and wanted to be better than each other. It was a very special relationship for Alcea, even if it was a relationship that she didn't acknowledge very often. Some things she thought were better off personal.

But Alcea didn't just want a rival right now. She wanted to see if it was possible for the two of them to become friends. It was a difficult thought to ask, because Gabrielle always seemed so aggressive against her.

It didn't seem normal for Alcea to pursue her, wanting so seriously to make friends with someone else. It almost made her seem desperate, like she wanted Gabrielle's friendship even though she was a woman of such high standing.

That didn't matter right now, she sensed something real.

She caught up to Gabrielle in the hall.

"Gabrielle," Alcea called out. "Can we speak?"

Gabrielle flinched, clearly not expecting that Alcea would come and catch up to her. But when she turned around, none of that surprise could be seen; she had a look of composure, as stoic as she always was.

"As you wish," Gabrielle said, nodding her head. "What is it that you wanted to talk about?" She asked, raising her eyebrow.

"I was thinking about our match together," Alcea said quietly. "And not only that, I was thinking about when we fought in the Phantom Cup."

"It was an acceptable match," Gabrielle said, barely nodding her head. She had liked that match quite a lot, even though she had lost the battle against her.

After all, it was the match when she fought against Alcea, and realized just how much Alcea respected her rivalry, and treated her like an equal. Alcea had practiced so hard, Gabrielle couldn't be mad that she had lost against her.

"That's not what I meant," Alcea said, shaking her head. "I meant before that. Back when we fought in the preliminary round against the other people in that battle royale. The way we worked together and fought side by side, is it?"

Gabrielle didn't know what to say. Alcea was saying she had enjoyed the battle royale? It made her feel… she had no idea how to feel.

"I was wondering…" Alea wasn't used to asking this kind of question. Friendship never seemed to be the kind of thing that Alcea should ask for, and yet…

"Would you like to be my friend?"

Gabrielle's eyes widened and she stepped back, shocked. For once Alcea could see her face take on an emotional look like that. It amused Alcea, bringing a smile to her face in spite of herself. Seeing Gabrielle taken aback was quite a rarity, and it made Alcea want to be her friend even more.

The two were some of the strongest trainers at the school, and they had worked well together. Alcea needed a friend, and she sensed Gabrielle needed the same.

"You… want to be my friend?" Gabrielle asked. Her voice was a whisper so soft and vulnerable Alcea could barely hear it. That look in surprise in the other girl's eyes was so beautiful, it reminded her of Kate in a way.

A sweet smile spread across Alcea's lips. "Oui. You and I haven't always had the best relationship. But I believe that we could make very good friends. I respect you quite a lot, and I feel that we could both benefit from a closer relationship with one another. What are your thoughts on the matter, Gabrielle? Do you agree? I would not blame you if you do not wish to be my friend, of course," she added, nodding at the other girl.

"N-No!" Gabrielle gasped, shaking her head. She was normally quiet and reserved, but Alcea extending her friendship had flustered her quite a lot. "I mean, not 'no' like I don't want to be your friend, I meant 'no' I do wish to be your friend, I mean…"

Alcea raised her eyebrow, surprised. She had expected babbling from a girl like Kate, but not from the notoriously stoic and private Gabrielle Breaux of all people. It was a rather amusing sight to be sure, Alcea noted.

Gabrielle took a pause in the conversation to regain her bearings. Alcea had extended an offer of friendship, it wasn't something that she ever could have expected. But that's what it was, and the two of them were facing a crossroads in their relationship.

Gabrielle clenched her fists and bit her lip. She had to tell Alcea the truth. She couldn't let her usual coldness out, or push her away with her usual awkwardness. She wanted to be friends, and she wanted it more than anything. Just today she was bemoaning the fact that she couldn't be Alcea, that she couldn't make friends easily, but now here she was, having an offer… well, offered to her, and she didn't know what to say.

Well, she knew what to say, but she didn't know how to say it, she just wanted… well, she wanted… she wanted a chance to catch her breath.

It seemed like it took her years to spit it out. But when she finally did, it was like an enormous burden had been lifted from her.

"I would… like that very much," she finally admitted, and the smallest of smiles crossed her face. But that wasn't enough, she pushed through and tried to spread it, creating a shaky smile as she stared at Alcea.

Alcea brightened as well, both girls sharing a look of relief that they had managed to admit how they felt to each other.

…Well, almost.

Gabrielle still had one secret. Something she felt, something she wasn't strong enough to say to her new friend.

And that was the fact that she wanted more than friendship from Alcea. Alcea wasn't the first girl that Gabrielle had realized she'd had feelings for. But if confessing to a boy had been tricky, explaining her feelings to a girl was even trickier, and she had been summarily rejected quite soundly. That was the feeling that was keeping her on edge, and unwilling to tell Alcea her feelings.

But right now, friendship was more than enough. Alcea wore a smile, and that made Gabrielle want to smile, too. She had the kind of feeling to her that just brought that out in Gabrielle, and she wasn't sure if it was because of her feelings or not.

"Well, isn't this nice and sweet? Two opponents making up at the end of a match and extending a hand to one another in friendship."

A snarling voice drew Alcea and Gabrielle's attention. They turned to see Olivia Himeko standing behind Alcea, wearing a bitter expression on her face. She had her arms crossed.

"Just so you know, Alcea, we're going to be facing each other in the next round," Olivia said, walking over to Alcea and twirling a lock of her hair between her fingers. "Don't expect that the same thing will work with me. I have no intention of cozying up to you and becoming your friend, do I make myself clear?"

"Oui," Alcea said, nodding. She didn't seem particularly hurt by that. "If that is what you wish, I will be pleased to oblige, is it?"

Olivia's scowl deepened. She tilted her nose up with a huff, and stormed past the two girls as she headed down the hall, annoyed that Alcea had reacted in such a way.

"Who does she think she is, talking to me like that?" Olivia fumed, her anger rising more. "It wasn't too long ago that she was down on her knees begging for my help! And now she's all 'I will be pleased to oblige' that fucking girl!"

Olivia grit her teeth and prepared for the next round. She may have been a rather pitiful pokemon trainer, but she couldn't let Alcea win! Alcea acknowledged that Gabrielle girl as her rival?! Her friend?! The nerve of her! Gabrielle may have been a powerful trainer, and sure, she was cute, in a distant, ice queen sort of way, but as a partner for Alcea Vermeil?

There were much better women to rival her, women of her caliber!

Olivia shook her head, pushing those thoughts aside. She had things to plan.

Meanwhile, back on the main stage, Lukas was preparing for the next round of fights. "Those were all some wonderful battles!" He proclaimed. "Let's take a look at our four lovely ladies who have made it to the semi-finals!"

Sango, Lila, Olivia, and Alcea all advanced up the bracket to the next rounds.

"For our next match," Lukas continued, "we're going to have Sango Akana vs. Lila Seelie! These two young ladies are pulling off quite an upset! Both girls faced off against girls who were tied for first place, trainers from the Phantom Cup with a significantly higher amount of battling experience, and both were able to pull off the win! But I wonder, which one of them is stronger?"

Lukas touched his hand to his chin in mock-contemplation. "Well, we won't have to wait any longer to find out! Let's give a hand to our lovely semi-finalists, Sango Akana and Lila Seelie!"

Sango and Lila's entrances couldn't have been more different. Sango walked in with a serious expression on her face, feeling a little tense, and it showed. Even though she was used to smiling, she didn't feel much in the mood for it right now.

At the same time, Lila walked out with a big smile slathered across her face, and waved to the cheering crowd, blowing kisses and giving winks liberally as she greeted her adoring fans in a way that only the flouncy idol could.

"Are you ready to fight?" She asked, turning on her heel and taking her spot. "I can't wait myself, getting a chance to battle against Kanone's Samurott! Oh, you're so lucky that you get to use his pokemon, that seems like it would be amazing!"

Sango smiled a little. Lila was the kind of girl who brought out energy in everyone, and she was a naturally energetic person.

"Yeah!" She said, nodding in agreement. "Let's have the best fight we can!"

The semi-finals of the Coolness Competition begins!