Vic and Alcea have finally got their memories restored! What will their relationship look like now? Where will things go from here? What other secrets does Agate Village have in store for us? In the meantime, I've been having difficulty reading reviews, even though they're finally coming in! Vic and Alcea's memories may have been restored, but until the reviews are, just keep 'em coming anyway! Thanks, guys, we're about to move to the next leg of our journey through the Orre Region!

So far, we've got some great girls running in the Nomination Round! Any others we want so far? We've got a little over a week left! If there are any other girls you think should be added, make sure to add them in the reviews! Let's see who the third Best Girl will be!

Currently Nominated: Ange, Ayame, Caelia, Cynthia, Donoma, Elaina, Maddi, Marion, Misato, Sango, Satsuki, Sylvia, Vic

Pokemon Academy: Beginning of Beginnings

Chapter 955

Things were quite awkward at the Carver House.

Wes and Rui grudgingly walked back home without saying a word to one another, both worried in their own ways about what had transpired with their daughter, and what was going to happen as a result of that.

To their surprise, however, when they got back to the house, Vic hadn't gone on a rampage, and she hadn't broken down crying, either.

The students had gathered together in a cluster on the front lawn, along with Ryoko. Everyone was staring awkwardly at Vic and Alcea, who had walked off to the other side of the field so they could have a conversation in peace.

"What's going on here?" Rui asked worriedly. Everyone turned to look at her, except Callie. She continued to watch Vic and Alcea.

"Vic came back and hugged Alcea," Alden explained. He nodded over to Ryoko. "Then she came in and did some weird thing with her fingers that nearly caused Alcea to pass out. It was really strange, we were worried for a second."

"I'm still worried!" Callie snapped back at him.

Alden cleared his throat. "So yeah, anyway, then those two said they needed to talk about something, and then they went over there. It's been kind of weird for the rest of us.

Wes and Rui exchanged a look. That was rather concerning. What did Ryoko want with Alcea? What was her connection in all this? Both of them were certain that they'd never seen the redhead before this trip.

"I hope Alcea's okay…" Chloe murmured under her breath. She was feeling pretty anxious about the whole thing, and didn't even mind if her concerns were overheard. While she wasn't close with either of them, not by a long shot, she still didn't want them to be in trouble of course.

But Chloe's worries couldn't hold a candle to what Callie was feeling as she watched the two of them talk. The way Alcea had fallen after Ryoko had touched her was frightening. The purple-haired girl had promised that she wouldn't do anything to harm her, and yet for some reason, Callie still felt like she had been harmed.

Maybe she was just overthinking things.

The fact was, nobody in front of the house had any inclination what the two of them were talking about, they could only watch from afar and hope that, whatever happened, things would turn out alright for them.

The actual content of the discussion was rather awkward.

Alcea and Vic sat facing each other on a couple of large rocks, courtesy of Giraud's stone edge from the match that morning. It provided a suitable backdrop for their discussion, if there was any discussion going on.

Neither girl was really sure what to say to the other.

"…So," Vic said, finding it too awkward to look Alcea in the eye. "So… yeah…"

She felt like a complete jerk. She'd been snooty and rude to Alcea the entire trip, and significantly before that, as well, because she hadn't known any better. Alcea had been her very first friend, and she'd treated her like… well, not at all how a friend should be treated. Even though she knew it wasn't entirely her fault, she still felt ashamed of her behavior. How Alcea must think of her now, after what they went through back then…

In the end, it's my own fault, she thought, hanging her head and sighing. If I wasn't so… like that then maybe I wouldn't have driven her away…

It was Alcea who extended the first olive branch.

"…You're bigger than I remember," she murmured.

"Wh-What?" Vic gasped, jerking her head up in surprise. Alcea was smiling. It was a small smile, but a smile nonetheless.

"Back then," Alcea clarified, holding her hand up, "you were only this tall… I remember it so clearly now, even though I had forgotten, is it?"

"Uh, well, yeah, that's true," Vic admitted sheepishly.

Alcea puffed up her cheeks in the tiniest of pouts. "I thought you were younger than me. How disappointing, is it?"

"Hey, you were the one who traveled through time, don't blame me!" Vic exclaimed, pointing an accusing finger at her.

The two paused for a moment, finally making eye contact. Then they burst out laughing.

"Ha… how odd… it was so many years ago, and yet… I remember it so vividly, is it?" Alcea mused. "It's like your past self is the only way I can see you now…"

"I guess that's kinda the same thing," Vic admitted, rubbing the back of her neck. She felt her face heat up. "After I remembered everything that happened… when I saw you again, it wasn't… it wasn't like I was looking at you the same way I did before. It was like I was looking at the girl who I thought of as a cool big sis all grown up…"

"What I don't understand is why," Alcea frowned. "I remember traveling through time clearly now, meeting Shaymin, and even receiving this…" She reached into her shirt and withdrew the pendant containing the Oracle, causing Vic's eyes to light up in surprise. So that had been what she'd been feeling coming from Alcea! She'd gotten weird vibes for her the entire trip, but it wasn't until her memories had returned and she'd seen the Oracle again with her own eyes that she realized what she'd been sensing with her harmonia.

"But why did my memories only return now? Why did Ryoko take them away, and why did they give them back to me?" Alcea's mind was still stuck on that point. "Certainly it would have been to keep me from talking about what had happened, is it?"

"I think that's… a fair guess," Vic said, nodding in agreement. "When I… when I passed my trial… Ryoko restored my memories, like she promised. All those memories of you… and Shaymin."

"And how is Shaymin?" Alcea asked hopefully, her eyes lighting up. "Is she still alright? Is she here, can see her?"

Vic winced, and glanced down. "She's… she's here," she managed to admit. "But as for seeing her… I don't know."

She also wasn't sure if Shaymin was alright. While certainly she was in better condition than she had been that day in the clearing all those years ago, it was plain to see that she was still weakening, and Vic feared that her condition could worsen severely.

Alcea was perceptive enough to pick up on that shift. She narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "Tell me, is something the matter with Shaymin?"

Vic flinched. "Um… listen, it's not that… it's complicated," she said. "I'm sorry, but I can't just take you to go see her."

"And why not?"

Vic and Alcea both jerked their heads to see Ryoko standing before them, a serious expression on her face. She was completely unreadable, an inscrutable mystery of time.

"What… what do you mean?" Vic asked, confused. "That's the rule, nobody but the Village Protectors are allowed to enter the Relic Cave."

"That is correct. And yet, it seems to me that you were entirely willing to forsake that rule when it came to your associates, is that not the case?"

Vic glanced down, her face filled with shame. "Ahem, well… that was…"

Alcea was far more focused on what Ryoko had just asked. "So wait, are you saying… are you saying it would be okay for me to… to go see Shaymin?" She asked hopefully.

The smallest of smiles broke the surface of Ryoko's enigmatic visage. "I am saying that a visit of that sort can be arranged," she nodded.

Vic and Alcea turned to look at each other, their faces lighting up.

A few minutes later, the duo returned looking very at ease and refreshed. It was a rather strange sight to see, given what was known about the two of them.

"Is it just me, or does Vic almost look happy?" Tommy whispered to Ross, who shrugged. Neither boy had any idea what to make of this.

Callie, of course, wasn't one for subtlety, and barged right over to the two to ask what was going on. "Are you guys okay? What happened? What were you talking about?" She demanded, knowing that she was invading their privacy but also incredibly worried.

"Oui, everything is fine," Alcea assured them with a smile. "We have… the term is 'come to an understanding', is it?"

"Something like that, yeah," Vic said, scratching her head sheepishly. "It's okay, it's just whatever. Nothing to worry about."

Callie sighed with relief. That was good, at least.

While they were working on that front, Ryoko had something to discuss with Wes and Rui of far greater importance. She had hid the truth from them for far too long.

"…So what you're saying is that ten years ago your brought that girl here? Through time? And that's what happened to the Oracle my family was tasked to protect?" Rui asked, her jaw dropping in disbelief. "And to keep the secret, you erased not only her memory, but also my daughter's as well?"

No wonder Vic had snapped the way she had. Rui felt like she wanted to sock Ryoko across the face herself, even after everything the woman had done for them.

"I understand your feelings," Wes said, placing a hand on his wife's shoulder to calm her down. "But you also have to keep in mind that what she did was for the good of Shaymin, and therefore, for the good of Agate Village and all of the Orre Region."

Needless to say, that didn't make Rui feel much better.

"You always say that!" She hissed, glaring at her husband. It was taking all of her self-control not to cause a scene in front of the kids. "It's always about 'the needs of the many' with you, but this is our daughter! We should have been told!"

"I agree with you in that regard," Wes said, turning and glaring darkly at Ryoko. "You should have come to us first. You should have trusted us. We've guarded your secrets and your sacred stone all these years, you should have trusted us with this, as well."

"Perhaps that is true," Ryoko admitted. "Perhaps it was my own bias that got in the way." She turned to Rui. "But tell me, Rui, could you, as a mother, have let Alcea go? Could you have allowed that little girl to spend three years on a deserted island in order to preserve the good of the timeline? Or would you have tried to prevent such a tragic outcome?"

"That's…" Rui glanced down, her face heating up with shame.

"Your words made it clear," Ryoko said. "You spoke of 'the needs of the many' did you not? Could you, a mother, have let that child suffer in the name of 'the needs of the many'?" She looked down, a shadow crossing her face. "I do not think that anyone who calls herself a mother would be capable of something like that."

She looked up at Wes. "If I had told you, then you would have understood my position, I think. You would have said nothing and done your duty as you always have." She gave him a sad smile. "I could not do that to you. Because when this day came… if your wife knew that you had always known, this entire time, and that, as she said, you prioritized 'the needs of the many', then your relationship would have come to an end, I think."

Wes and Rui glanced at each other, mentally walking through the situation Ryoko had described together. Neither could say that she was entirely wrong. A revelation like that could have fractured them both.

"I have already apologized to Victoria and Alcea, but I have not yet apologized to you," Ryoko said, lowering her head in contrition. "I am sorry for my actions, and how they hurt you. But I truly believed that there was no other choice."

Wes took Rui's hand and squeezed it tightly, nodding. "I understand. I don't like it, but I understand," he admitted.

"So what now, then?" Rui asked. "Shaymin is only growing weaker. At this rate, in a few more years, she'll be right back in that situation again. Didn't you tell the girls that working together like they did would heal her for good?"

Ryoko bit her lip. She looked anxious for once, which was not a good sign. "As you may very well know, as a time traveler I do not experience events in a linear order. I have traveled to the future, where I have seen Shaymin healthy and happy and thriving in Agate Village. It is for that reason that I assured the children that their help would restore Shaymin completely. But without the knowledge of all events, even I can be incorrect. Their actions delayed the weakening of Shaymin, but only temporarily. It would appear that there is another step necessary to permanently recover her strength. However, I have not yet traveled to the point in the timeline where such an event transpires."

She turned to look appraisingly at Alcea. "…But perhaps that is because I am in that very point in time as we speak."

Wes and Rui glanced at each other again, not quite sure what she meant by that.

"So you're saying… you think that they should try again?" Rui asked.

Ryoko nodded. "Both of them, now on the cusp of adulthood, and you as well, of course," she said. "Perhaps the three of you working together will now have the strength to help Shaymin recover completely."

Rui swallowed. She was used to Ryoko speaking like a prophet, knowing everything that was to come. Having grown up hearing stories about Celebi the time pokemon, it was unusual to see Ryoko seeming so… uncertain.

But perhaps she was right.

"If that's what you think, then I'll do it," she agreed, nodding.

Ryoko smiled, and checked her watch. "Excellent. I have a considerable amount of time before I must depart. But it is still imperative that we hurry."

"Right, I'll go tell Victoria and Alcea," Rui agreed. She turned to Wes. "Hey, um… sorry to spring this on you. We should only be a little while, alright?"

Wes raised his eyebrow. "Are you sure 'a little while' will be enough time?"

She chuckled. "Fair enough," she admitted. "But I'm sure Ryoko's right. We'll be able to cure Shaymin for sure!"

"Take all the time you need," Wes nodded. "In the meantime, I will be looking after the children to make sure that they don't get into trouble."

He glanced over at the students, Tommy in particular. "A few of them I'm not so sure should be left up to their own devices."

Rui snickered. "They're great kids, sweetie, you'll be fine."

With that, she left the students in her husband's care, and went over to her daughter.

"Victoria, Alcea, I hear that Ryoko spoke to you?" She said, interrupting the conversation taking place between Vic, Alcea, and Callie. Keya had joined in the interim, still incredibly excited about the possibility of the pokemon in Relic Cave.

"About going to Relic Cave and taking care of… 'that', right?" Vic said cautiously, making sure not to reveal too much about what was going on. "Are you really okay with that, mom?"

"Of course I am!" Rui beamed. "It's important, you know. So come on you two, let's get going!"

"Going?! Going where?!" Callie demanded. "To Relic Cave? Seriously?! Alcea, too?"

"Aww, no fair! Can I come too?" Keya begged. "Please? Please?!"

"Sorry," Alcea lamely apologized, glancing guiltily over to Callie. "It's a complicated situation. I would explain it if I could, but… confidential, is it?"

Callie sighed. "Yeah, okay," she agreed. "Just take care of yourself, okay?"

Alcea flashed her a smile, and nodded. "Oui," she agreed, and then she and Vic headed off with Rui, following Ryoko to Relic Cave.

Just as they left, one of the villagers came strolling by, an old man wearing a concerned expression on his face.

"Ah! Wes! You're back!" He called out, waving to the retired trainer. "Just in time, too! I wanted to talk to you about something!"

Wes raised his eyebrow. "I'm watching the children right now," he said. "What is it you wanted to talk about?"

The old man sighed, stroking his beard. "Well, it's not me, particularly… see, there are some other students here, a couple of girls? They walked into town a little while ago and came to the Pokemon Center looking for you. Something about being lost? I offered to give them directions but they said they wanted you, specifically."

Well, that was certainly strange.

"I said you'd come over, but if you're busy right now…"

"No, no, it's fine," Wes assured him. "This should only take a moment, anyway." He turned to the students, and narrowed his eyes into a cold glare. "Right now, you lot have some free time," he said calmly. "I hope you will use it judiciously, understood?"

Nobody wanted to argue with those eyes. When he walked off to go to the Pokemon Center, they all let out a collective sigh of relief.

Wes entered the Pokemon Center and scanned around for the two girls he was supposed to guide. They weren't hard to miss, given that they were the only other young people in the town.

One of the girls was lounging back on the counter with her elbows, relaxing like she didn't have a care in the world. She had curly black hair and golden eyes, and wore a uniform like someone might see in a private school, which was odd, as the Orre Region had no such institutions. She had a very relaxed mood, smiling without a care in the world as she chatted with the nurse.

The other girl was a blonde with shorter hair, flared out above her shoulders. Unlike her companion she was sitting at the table a few feet away, and stared off into the distance with eyes as grey as slate. She wore a frilly black dress that looked completely out of place in the rustic atmosphere of Agate Village, and her strikingly pale skin looked completely out of place in the Orre Region entirely.

This must be them. Wes walked over to greet them. "Hello there, are you two the ones who wanted to see me? Something about being lost, was it?" He was trying hard to keep his voice from sounding too cold.

The brunette's eyes lit up when she was him and she pushed herself forward off the counter. "Ah! Hey there! You're Wes, then?"

He nodded. "Yes, now about-"

She didn't give him a chance to finish her sentence. "Hey there, nice to meet you!" She grinned, curling a lock of her hair. My name's Valerie, but most folks call me Val. And that's my friend Gwen over there!"

"I see, nice to meet you," Wes said. "Now, what's this about the two of you being lost?"

She blinked. "Lost? Oh, no, we're not lost, that was just a misunderstanding," she laughed. "No, we came to Agate Village to do some sightseeing, and we were hoping you could help show us around!"

Wes raised his eyebrow. "Sightseeing?"

Val's ruby red lips curled up into a smile and her eyes narrowed. "That's right… see, folks have been talking about Agate Village a lot where we come from, and the two of us were just dying to see it! But we don't know our way around these parts. So I was just wondering… you wouldn't mind showing us the way to that 'Relic Cave' we've heard so much about, would you?"

I think that can probably be arranged.