The girls have made it out of the labyrinth and the competition is really heating up! Who will win the Miss Pokemon Academy Contest?! Alcea is currently in the lead, but Olivia certainly has the will to come out on top, and Sango and Ayame both have the athletic ability! It's sure to be a real nail-biter!

Pokemonking0924: Her life has definitely been really rough, that's for sure.

KedharS: It's definitely painful to go through.

Thunder Fire: Who says she doesn't already know?

Pokemon Academy: Beginning of Beginnings

Chapter 775

Olivia was not amused. She had plowed through the labyrinth without even bothering to sleep, fully determined to emerge the victor. She had overcome all the obstacles in her way and come out the other side…

And it still wasn't enough!

Alcea still beat her!

Unacceptable! Such a performance was simply not acceptable! She would need to do better, try even harder, and overcome Alcea's lead!

The problem was, Olivia wasn't suited to physical exertion. Could she catch up to Alcea on this mountain? Beat Sango? Aya?

Those were the wrong questions to ask. It wasn't about whether she could or couldn't.

She had to.

And so she would. It was as simple as that.

Sango could sense the tension flaring up from Olivia, and a shiver went down her spine from more than just the chill of the fading winter cold. Just as she was about to say something to try and calm the other girl down that would more likely than not just result in Olivia having an angry outburst at her, someone who was far more suited to that particular task showed up to relieve her.

"Hey! Boss! Sango!"

With a great sigh of relief Sango turned to see Ayame jog out of the labyrinth, her Wooloo hot on her heels. Trailing behind her was a far more exhausted-looking Serefina, her messed up clothes and hair a testament to her ragged appearance.

"Ayame! Serefina!" Sango said, waving to her friends. Olivia was less forthcoming in her joy at seeing the two, if there was any to be found at all. As much as she cared about Aya, right now, it wasn't the time for sentiment.

Aya was already catching up. That would make things even more complicated.

"Enough of this," she huffed, turning and proceeding up the path of the mountain, towards the peak. She wasn't going to let the other girls distract her from her rightful victory for a moment longer, she had to catch up to Alcea!

And when I catch up to her, she silently vowed, I might just throw her off this fucking mountain for good measure.

Olivia was seeing red right now, and her motivations were rather cluttered. She didn't really want to hurt Alcea (after all, if Alcea was dead, then it wouldn't be a victory that she could acknowledge, now would it?) but her anger was in full swing right now. She strutted up the trail, maintaining her poise in spite of the seething rage that seized her.

Belle followed obediently after her, leaving the other three girls alone with their pokemon, and a lot of questions.

"What's up with the boss?" Ayame asked, the worry clear in her voice. She knew that this was a competition, but she expected that her best friend would at least spare her a greeting, or even a smile. Right now, Olivia was in a bad mood, though, and when she was in a bad mood, Ayame got very worried about her.

She looked to Sango for clarification, assuming correctly that Sango and Olivia had spent a lot of time together in the labyrinth.

Sango sighed, and shrugged. "She's been kind of… moody all night," she delicately put it, "and then when she heard that Alcea and Gabrielle were ahead of her, she sort of… didn't react very well to the news."

Andre, who had nearly freaked out in terror from the way she had looked at him, thought Sango was putting it lightly.

"Oh, Alcea…" Ayame groaned, slapping her palm against her forehead in frustration. "That makes sense…"

Serefina wasn't sure what was going on, and she didn't particularly care, either. But she was the one who raised the relevant point.

"So, we're in fifth and sixth place, right?" She clarified with Andre. Andre gulped and nodded his head, still shaken from earlier.

"Th-That's right," he said, clearing his throat. "The only girls left are Darla and Lila."

"So in other words, rather than spending time worrying about what's going on with them, we should focus on catching up, yes?" Serefina clarified, looking pointedly at the two tomboys. "Assuming, of course, we care about winning."

"Holy fuck!" Ayame exclaimed. "I totally fucking forgot! It slipped my fucking mind because I was too fucking worried about Olivia! Fuck!" She turned towards the mountain trail and leaned forward, dashing past Sango. Foof quickly followed after her.

"W-What?!" Sango was so stunned she had given the lead to the other girl.

"Come on, Sango!" Ayame called over her shoulder, a big grin on her face as the spirit of competition filled her. "Don't just stand still, let's get a move on!"

"Ah!" Sango gasped, finally realizing how behind she was. "Silver! Let's go!"

"Castform!" Silver nodded frantically.

Sango dashed after Ayame, putting everything she had into running, Silver following closely after her. She wanted to slap herself, she was such a fool! The whole plan was to get out of the labyrinth before Alcea and Ayame so she could reach the peek first, and she'd done neither! Now, if Alcea placed high enough, then even if she won she would still lose in the end. And there was no way she could catch up to Ayame under normally circumstances!

Sango's dawdling may have cost her the entire tournament.

That just left Serefina and her Banette with Andre. The buxom girl stretched and yawned, turning to the ranger student.

"Got anything to drink?" She asked. "I used up my water rations."

"Uh… n-no," Andre said, shaking his head. "You only get the bottles provided, sorry. And, um… shouldn't you be getting a move on?"

Serefina raised her eyebrow. "Huh?"

"Well… you competition is still going, so…"

"Yes, but I can't win," Serefina reminded him. "So I'm going to take things at my own pace, and right now, I'm a little exhausted. It's not exactly easy to walk through a labyrinth all night with no rest, you know. I'm not a sports monster like those two."

Andre had to admit that made a lot of sense.

There was another thing Serefina didn't want to admit, stretching again. She was starting to get sore, walking this much with her boobs. She could really use a good backrub. Unfortunately, things weren't so simple, since they were all still being recorded. With a sigh, she began to trudge up the mountain. This was as good as it was going to get.

She wouldn't be able to take care of her soreness until she finished this task; thankfully, she could go at her own pace.

Not long after Serefina and Barneby began their ascent up the winding mountain path towards the peak, Darla and Lila made their way out of the maze, both girls exhausted. Lila was leaning against Darla, so worn-out the other girl was practically carrying her.

"I don't wanna go anymore…" Lila wailed. "My feet hurt, and I'm tired, and my hair's a mess! I haven't showered since yesterday, this is terrible!"

Darla had been putting up with Lila's complaints for the last two hours. She was getting really tired of it, but Lila was her friend, and she was going to make sure that they completed this competition together, as a team.

After all, winning wasn't everything.

Darla helped Lila to the path, and all the girls were now on the final leg of the Toughness Competition, and the final competition of the Miss Pokemon Academy Contest. The climax of the event had finally arrived!

"The climax for the event has finally arrived!" Lukas announced into the microphone. Most of the audience had woken back up at this point, eagerly watching the final rung of the Toughness Competition. And what a competition it was building up to! The labyrinth had done a good job of balancing the distance between the girls, and even though Alcea was in the lead, it was far from a sure thing.

"Look at them go!" Cynthia cheered, applauding Ayame and Sango. Both girls were running as fast as they could, making good progress up the footpath section of the trail. They had already passed Olivia, much to the Empress's chagrin, and were gaining on Gabrielle and Alcea.

"It won't matter," Kate boasted. "Her highness is more than capable of winning! She's already in the lead, just watch!"

"True, Gabrielle doesn't seem to even be trying to beat her at this point," Blake noted suspiciously. He wondered what the deal with that was. He'd always known the two girls to be bitter rivals, but Gabrielle seemed rather close and friendly with her now. It was like she was following obediently behind Alcea, watching her every-

Suddenly it struck him what was going on. It might have just been him projecting his own tastes onto the other girl, but he recognized her behavior. Could it be that she was following after Alcea because she was looking at…

Blake shook his head. No, no, there was no way that Gabrielle was thinking anything along those lines, she was way too cool to do something like that. That was the sort of guy Blake was, after all, and frankly, Alcea couldn't compare to Aya.

He was just imagining things.

Gabrielle followed dutifully behind Alcea, grateful that the slope of the hill allowed for a better vantage point to view the girl's ass, molded to her long dress. The way her hips shook as she strutted forward, Gabrielle didn't have to try and win the competition.

With a view like this, she was already the victor.

Alcea herself didn't seem to show much care for the fact that she was in first place. She walked with confidence, taking the lead like it was natural for her. Her true thoughts on the matter were a mystery, even though she knew that at this rate her victory in the Miss Pokemon Academy Contest was a matter of course.

Such confidence would look like arrogance to Olivia, who would no-doubt be outraged if she could see Alcea right now.

Meanwhile, not far behind Gabrielle and Alcea, Sango and Ayame were running their hearts out, trying to catch up, with the far less athletic Olivia chasing them as best as she could, her determination carrying her forward.

Sango was surprised that she was actually ahead of Ayame. She had thought that Ayame would easily keep ahead of Sango the way she had during the obstacle course, but no, Ayame had been a lot slower going up the hill.

She knew that Ayame wasn't tired though. That wasn't the kind of person she was, if Sango wasn't winded yet, even after the long night of walking through the labyrinth, then she couldn't imagine that Ayame was, either.

But she was still moving slower. Sango realized what it was as she began to pull further ahead of Ayame, while Foof was still running ahead of the other tomboy.

Ayame wasn't used to running uphill! She was a natural on the track, but that was across a flat surface! When it came to running uphill, the technique was different. Not by much, but apparently just different enough where Ayame's superb talents wouldn't be able to help her!

With that realization surging through her breast and filling her with confidence, Sango felt her second wind take hold, and she started running even faster, leaving Ayame in the dust.

Well, not totally. Sango was overestimating just how much of a lead she really had on Ayame. She was faster, sure, but Ayame was no slouch even when running uphill. She was hot on Sango's heels, and wasn't about to give up the lead on her rival! Seeing Sango pick up the pace, Ayame surged forward herself, not about to give in.

And then there was Olivia, in fifth place, and only getting slower and slower as she tried to run up the sloping path. She was enraged at the fact that she was so slow, and every muscle in her body was aching as she tried to catch up to the two sporty girls who had passed her. Their backs were already getting smaller in the distance, and she cursed under her breath, her throat raw with the taste of blood.

Olivia loathed running. She despised athletics of all kinds because she didn't have the physique for it, but running in particular was frustrating. It reminded her of that night in the rain when she had run until she collapsed, bitterness and venom filling her heart.

But it wasn't the time to be complaining about running. She had to win. She had to catch up to not just Sango and Ayame, but Alcea Vermeil! She wouldn't allow the other girl to keep the lead over her, if Alcea would win…

No. It simply wouldn't happen. Alcea would be crowned "Miss Pokemon Academy" over Olivia's dead body.

Her refusal to lose to Alcea, her desire for everyone's eyes to turn towards her, to be the center of the spotlight, for everyone to adore her, these were the things that drove Olivia up the hill in spite of the soreness of her legs and the burning pain in her chest. She would be the star, and even Alcea would acknowledge how superior she was when she saw that Olivia was the winner of the contest for four years in a row.

She just had to win one more competition.

Olivia was a woman driven by determination. Her refusal to lose made her stronger than even she had expected, and though she wasn't ever going to overcome the difference in running ability that set Ayame and Sango apart from the others, it was enough to keep her going up the hill at a decent pace, one even faster than Gabrielle and Alcea's, not that she would be aware of that.

"Look at them go!" Lukas announced. "Sango and Ayame are rushing ahead, catching up to Alcea and Gabrielle, and Olivia is making good pace herself! Serefina, Darla, and Lila aren't moving that quickly, but they're not completely behind, either! Who will make it to the climbing all first?! It's certainly a nail-biter!"

The girls got closer and closer to the final portion of the Toughness Competition, where they would be forced to climb the side of the mountain. There was a walking path up that was available for the purpose of the contest, but it was by far the longer path, and would almost guarantee a loss if someone were to take it. As the girls drew near, the distance between them was closing.

Alcea and Gabrielle had quite a lead from the start, but neither was athletic enough to keep pace with the faster runners Ayame and Sango, and soon enough, the two raced past.

Alcea noted it with a look, but didn't care that much about being behind in the end. She continued to run at her own pace, even as Olivia began to catch up to her.

Sango and Ayame were neck and neck when they reached the large escarpment up to the mountain's plateau. Erik was waiting for them.

"Hello ladies," Erik greeted them gruffly. Sango had a few choice words for him after that labyrinth, but she was too out of breath at the moment. He continued, "this is your final part of the competition. You will climb up this mountainside! Don't worry, your safety harnesses will keep you from serious injury, so give it your best. If you'd like to withdraw from fatigue, they come with an emergency button that will call one of us for assistance. Do you have any questions?"

Neither girl was in any position to ask questions, both quite winded from the long run uphill. They shook their heads. Erik continued, "also, at this point, your pokemon will be returned to their pokeballs. Their portion of the competition is finished. It's all up to you girls, now.

Ayame recalled Foof to her pokeball, and Sango glanced at Silver, who nodded, moving over to Erik so he could help her any longer. Erik helped them fasten their climbing harnesses so they could begin climbing up the mountain.

Ayame and Sango began to climb just as Olivia reached them, Alcea and Gabrielle not far behind.

"Yes!" Olivia gasped out, slapping her hand against the side of the cliff. She was soaked in sweat and her face was flushed, but she had managed to get ahead of Alcea just in time! She turned back to the other girl, a triumphant smile on her face.

"I made it…!" She panted out. Then she turned to Erik. "Help me… fasten my… harness…" she panted. Erik began to fasten it on her, but he was moving too slow for her tastes. "Enough!" She growled, swatting him away. "I'll do it myself."

She finished fastening the harness, and all three girls recalled their pokemon and began climbing the mountain, following after Ayame and Sango.

Alcea was making great progress. Olivia might have pulled ahead earlier on sheer will and guts, but she wasn't going to be able to go the rest of the competition on that. At this point, Gabrielle was starting to fall behind, but Alcea didn't spare her a second thought, and neither did Olivia.

Olivia's thoughts were solely on catching the two girls in front of her.

"Alcea!" She shouted out through ragged breaths, glaring at the redhead who was matching pace with her up the wall. Alcea glanced at her for a brief moment.

"Oui?" She asked, moving a little higher as Olivia climbed with her.

"I… am not… going to lose…" She spat out. "Even… if I have… to get to Aya… pass her… I promise-! I will… beat you!"

Olivia talked a big game, but her body was aching. Her fingers stung and her hands were number, and every time she bent her arms she was afraid she was going to fall off the mountain. She knew she should take a break and rest, but she couldn't!

Ayame and Sango were ahead of her, after all. And Alcea was right at her side! If she stopped to rest, then there was no way she was going to win!

And losing wasn't an option.

Even as her muscles screamed at her to stop, she kept pressing forward.

"You are… very bold, is it?" Alcea gasped out, keeping pace. She moved to the next curve out of the rocky surface, pulling herself up after Olivia. "But… your determination… will not… be enough…"

Those words made the fire of rage in Olivia's gut burn even brighter. Who the hell was Alcea to say that her determination wouldn't be enough?! She would show her! It just made her want to climb the mountain even more! Gritting her teeth, Olivia hefted herself up with her arm, balancing on a precarious part of the wall as her fingers stretched out to the next handhold…

And then she lost her grip. Her hand scraped against the rough surface of the cliff as she lost her hold on the rocks, falling back. Thankfully, the pitons kept her from falling all the way, and for a brief moment she hung suspended on the ropes, staring up Alcea as the girl looked down at her.

Fucking bitch… always looking down at me… Those were the thoughts that flashed through Olivia's head, and then the lifeline of a rope holding her to the wall snapped and she plummeted through the air.

Oh no! Olivia's falling! Improper equipment maintenance is no laughing matter! What's going to happen now?! Will she be okay?! Or will the Miss Pokemon Academy Contest come to a tragic end?!