We're going to skip ahead a few more days into the future! Now with everyone relaxing in Agate Village, we've reached the same point in the story where Samarra was released from her cell. How are things going with the others in Agate Village?

The Semi-Final Round of the Pokemon Academy Best Girl Contest 3 has begun! These are our semi-finalists! Make sure to get those votes in, and choose which of these girls you think should make it to the finals! You can only vote for 3, so make sure to pick your favorites!

Semi-Finalists: Ayame, Chloe, Cynthia, Elaina, Kate, Marion, Sango, Vic

KedharS: Yep, Yellow is a very wholesome woman.

Just a Bad Writer for Fun: You called it, several day timeskip. Gotta line up the timeline, after all.

Pokemon Academy: Beginning of Beginnings

Chapter 1002

It had been several days since Maddi returned to Agate Village, and things had mostly settled down. Everyone was interacting positively with one another, even if it was in a shaky sense, and there weren't any major conflicts.

In fact, there was only one serious source of tension in the otherwise peaceful town.

"Boss, are you okay?" Ayame asked, approaching Olivia. The Empress had taken the time to set up a private space of her own, a fair distance away from Rui's house, where she could relax in peace without having to be bothered by the others. She only joined them for meal times, but even so, the effect her bad mood was having on the rest of the group was palpable.

"What do you mean?" Olivia asked, smiling politely to her friend. "I'm perfectly fine, there's nothing to worry about!"

…Not that she would ever acknowledge such a thing, of course.

Ayame sighed under her breath. Olivia had been the strongest advocate in their group for going to Agate Village, and had practically forced the decision on the rest of them. But now she was the only one who wasn't enjoying herself. Even Lila had come around, seduced by the peaceful atmosphere of the village, which would have been impossible to believe a week ago.

But for some reason, Olivia insisted on maintaining her bad attitude, even if, on the surface, she was completely fine. Her excellent skill at acting did little to conceal the negative aura emanating from her, much to everyone's frustration, because as long as she pretended everything was okay it was basically impossible to actually have a conversation.

So because the Empress was being so difficult, Ayame didn't really see that she had any options left. She turned and trudged back to camp, giving a resigned shrug to her mother. Hiromi sighed. This was bothering her the most.

"Sorry, mom. But if the boss doesn't want to talk to anyone, she won't," Ayame explained. "She's difficult, if you hadn't noticed."

Hiromi didn't like the fact that she couldn't do anything, but again, she couldn't do anything. So she just watched over Olivia from afar, hoping that she'd come and speak to them when she was ready. It was all she could do.

For Olivia though, that would be a long time coming. From where she sat in the lawn chair she'd procured from Rui, she had a perfect view of the waterfall of Agate Village, and more importantly, the small cave up on the ridge beside it. She spent most of her day watching that ridge.

Meanwhile, at the end of the cave, far from Olivia's view, Vic and Alcea played with Shaymin in the clearing.

"So what's the deal with the Empress?" Vic asked, glancing up from Shaymin's fur and lowering her brush.

"Hmm?" Alcea glanced up. She'd been hard at work taking care of the flowers and bushes around the Relic Stone. Just because Shaymin was filled with abundance and increased the vitality of the land that didn't mean that everything should just be left to grow unchecked, after all.

"I mean, I know that woman's a bitch," Vic scowled, a shadow crossing over her face, "but she's been particularly bitchy ever since she got here. What, is she too 'good' for a small village like this or something?"

Alcea wasn't sure that was it. She tapped her finger thoughtfully against her lip. "Well… I suppose it's a possibility, is it? The Empress has always held a certain amount of contempt for things that don't quite fit her image of beauty."

"Agate Village isn't beautiful, huh?" Vic snarled, her anger at Olivia flaring up even more. "The nerve of that witch! This is a paradise!"

Alcea sighed. "What I mean is that she is the type of person to prefer things such as the city, is it? So a place like this must seem very… quaint to her usual fare."

In Vic's eyes that was a distinction without a difference. "Well, I don't like it. She's acting like she's too good for this place, and won't even dignify the rest of us with some conversation!"

"Oh?" Alcea raised her eyebrow. "I did not think you would have desired to converse with the Empress about anything."

"I don't!" Vic snapped. "But it's a PAIN IN THE ASS to have her staring coldly at everyone and acting like a complete bitch!"

Vic had not caught on to the fact that the only people that Olivia was staring coldly at were her and Alcea.

"This is supposed to be where I go to relax, and she's ruining it!" Vic continued her tirade as Alcea listened patiently and acted as though it wasn't a very big deal. The truth was, she was far more curious than her friend why Olivia had such a negative attitude.

With Victoria's friendship and Alden being the sort of person he is, it's fairly likely that, should the opportunity arise, I could secure the Commander faction's support against the Phantom, Alcea contemplated. But the Empress remains a mystery. I don't know if she would ally with me, but based on our relationship…

Alcea sighed. It was no secret that the Empress despised her. And as much as Alcea wished she could change that, Olivia's attitude had only gotten worse since the last time they met. At this rate trying to negotiate peacefully with her was like trying to push a Golem up a mountain.

…But it's not like I can afford to give up, Alcea winced. It can't be just that she hates me, it can't. If there's anything I could do…

For a while now, Alcea had been going over her interactions with Olivia in her head, and had noticed inconsistencies in how the other girl treated her. While in most instances the Empress expressed contempt and hostility, there was the occasional moment of generosity or concern. It would not be a stretch to say that Olivia, at times, was even something akin to amicable towards the redhead under the right circumstances.

If Alcea wanted her relationship with the Empress to advance in the direction she desired, she would need to figure out how to bring that part of her to forefront.

"Victoria," Alcea said, rising to her feet and turning to her friend, "if you don't mind, I will be going back first."

Vic raised her eyebrow curiously. "Huh? What do you mean? I thought we were going to play with Shaymin some more."

"Oh, please don't stop on my account!" Alcea smiled. "Oui, the more time the two of you have together, the better. I just… have a personal matter to deal with, is it?"

"…Yeah, sure, go ahead. I don't mind," Vic shrugged, smiling internally. That meant more Shaymin time for her!

With a final nod, Alcea headed back into the tunnel. It wasn't a long walk back to Rui's house, but it was long enough to give her some time to think to herself. If she wanted to talk to the Empress, who was in a bad mood even by her standards, it would require a proper opening. She already knew Olivia considered her a rival at best and enemy at worst, so she couldn't afford to seem too high and mighty or arrogant. Politeness was good, of course. Maybe even friendliness? Spending time with Vic had led her skills in that regard to improve significantly.

Eventually, that decision was forced to the forefront as she got closer to Olivia's little campsite. Olivia just stared evenly at her. She'd seen Alcea coming, of course, having been watching the girl's approach ever since the first flash of red at the lip of the cavern. It had been enough time to get some coffee brewing, even if it WAS in a crappy portable coffee maker.

It wasn't like Olivia needed to like it. She'd only done it to piss Alcea off.

"Would you like a cup?" She offered the redhead coolly as Alcea stopped in front of her. She didn't bother glancing up to meet her eyes. If she did, she would have seen that Alcea was smiling, and not a fake smile, either.

"No, thank you," Alcea shook her head.

"Well if you're not interested, then what has brought you here?" Olivia asked, taking care to keep the venom out of her voice. If she let Alcea think she was annoyed by her presence that would be akin to admitting that the other girl had power over her, and she'd rather die than admit to that.

"I wanted to talk with you," Alcea said calmly. "That is okay, is it?"

Olivia scoffed. "And what is it that you of all people would have to say that I might be interested in? I can't think of a single thing."

Alcea raised the hem of her dress and curtsied. "I wish to express my gratitude to you, Olivia. Thank you."

Olivia blinked, completely caught off-guard by Alcea's declaration. She reached for her coffee cup and took a swig of the revolting concoction, not even caring about the taste. She wracked her brain for any idea of what she could have done to cause Alcea to thank her.

"Your gratitude is appreciated, but I'm afraid I cannot accept it," Olivia diplomatically replied. "As generous as a person as I am, there are a great many things I may have done to merit such kind words, but none were done with the expectation of thanks, I can assure you. Unless I am mistaken?" She was still feeling out Alcea's words to find any hint of what she was alluding to.

Luckily for her, Alcea was happy to provide her with an explanation. "My thanks are for our conversation from before, is it? Last week, when you gave me that advice, you truly helped me when I was experiencing doubts about my ability. Thank you for guiding me to the proper course of action." Again, she punctuated her sentence with a curtsy.

Olivia was taken aback once more. She couldn't recall having said anything in that discussion to merit gratitude, but was happy to reap the benefits. "Ah, I understand now. And while you're very welcome, I assure you it was no less than what I would have done for anyone in your position. Thanks are not necessary."

Both girls were smiling. But behind those smiles was enough tension to snap piano wire. And that atmosphere did not go unnoticed by the others, either, who felt an intense wave of discomfort wafting from the direction of the Empress and Rose Queen.

"D-Do you think we should say something?" Lila swallowed, shivering a little.

"I think if anyone tried to go talk to them right now they would die," Darla coldly responded. No one doubted her statement.

A sigh escaped Alcea's lips. Her thanks completed and conversation officially initiated, she permitted herself to relax, and sat down in front of Olivia. That surprised the blonde. After all, she didn't have any extra chairs, so the redhead had sat on the grass.

The Alcea Vermeil was sitting on her butt in grass. Certainly she was just wearing a thin white sundress and not one of her fancier outfits, but to think that the heiress to the Vermeil family would so degrade herself as to sit on the grass to speak with Olivia was astonishing. It also served to place herself below Olivia's line of sight, cementing that the Empress was below her.

All in all, not a bad position to be in, Olivia thought. She took another sip of coffee and this time nearly spit it out. Ugh. So much for that.

"I take it by your continued presence here, there is something else you'd like to discuss?" Olivia asked, tilting her head to the side like a sweet angel even while her body language radiated hostility. "How may I help?"

Alcea swallowed. She'd made it through the easy part. But now she had to get to the meat of the conversation, the reason she was here. And yet for some reason, she couldn't get the words out. In her time as the heir of the Vermeil family, she'd held many discussions on quite a lot of topics, with a wide variety of people. And yet right now it was though she were stranded on that island once more, fumbling for clarity in a sea of contempt.

What could she say that wouldn't offend the Empress? What correct sequence of words would get her to acquiesce? Alcea had gone through many such thoughts while climbing down the path, and in the end she still had not arrived at a definitive answer.

Perhaps she should have taken Olivia up on her offer of coffee. This was so much harder than talking with Kanone Harker!

At the same time, Olivia patiently waited for Alcea to speak. Even though the redhead's face was measured and stoic as always, for someone like her who had spent countless hours admir- studying it, Olivia knew how to look beneath the surface and see her true feelings.

And right now, Alcea was troubled. It was obvious to everyone. And like the bitch she was, Olivia was more than happy to sit there for as long as it took the girl to get over herself, especially if she continued to stress about it like this.

Go ahead, Alcea, take all the time you need. I can wait! Olivia thought with a hum.

Finally, Alcea found the right thing to say. Or at least, what she thought the right thing to say was.

"I was surprised that you came to Agate Village," she said.

Olivia raised her eyebrow. "Oh? You didn't think someone of my standing would be welcome in a place like this?"

It was a ludicrous interpretation of Alcea's words, of course, but then Olivia was thrilled to squeeze every last bit of shame out of her rival as possible as Alcea quickly backtracked. But to her disappointment she didn't do it with quite the flustering Olivia would have preferred.

"Not at all," Alcea shook her head. "I thought that you would not be happy setting foot in a place like this. After all, you never struck me as someone who would be happy to spend their days in the bosom of nature."

Olivia had happily spent her days in all sorts of bosoms, but she declined to speak such vulgarity. She was about to reply when Alcea quickly followed up her statement with a small smile.

"I was… happy, in fact," she added, and the sparkle in her eyes nearly made Olivia's heart stop.

"O-Oh?" She said, regaining her composure. You did NOT just get rattled by that!

"Oui. I thought that if you found joy in a place like this, then maybe… it would be possible to find common ground with you after all," Alcea explained. "Perhaps if you could come to love nature as I do, then… maybe…"

When Olivia sobered up, she realized that Alcea was probably playing her. Acting all coy and flirty like a schoolgirl with a crush, while just being chaste enough to make it seem like her statements were purely platonic in nature. But Olivia was a player herself, she wouldn't fall for something like that.

And it was precisely that suspicious nature of hers that made her completely miss the possibility that Alcea was expressing a genuine interest in connection. Such a thought didn't even cross her mind for a second.

"Well, as you can see, I don't find this place all it's cracked up to be," Olivia sneered, refusing to fall into Alcea's rhythm. She saw the way the girl's face fell and a swell of triumph surged in her chest, though it was quickly followed by a stab of pain.

"…But it's passable, I suppose," she hastily added.

An awkward silence hung in the air, and Olivia quickly changed the subject before Alcea thought any further on what they had just discussed.

"So, I don't believe you came to speak with me just to check my opinions on the local flora," Olivia said, narrowing her eyes. "What else can I help you with?"

Alcea's eyes averted for only a second, but that was enough for Olivia to know that she wasn't being entirely honest. Which led her bad mood to sour even more. Alcea was definitely manipulating her, and she wouldn't stand for it.

Then she looked back at Olivia with renewed determination, and the Empress had to admit- the look in her eyes was intriguing.

"I wanted to talk with you about the Phantom," Alcea said.

A thin smirk spread across Olivia's lips. There it was. What she'd been waiting for.

"Oh-ho, so here it is. You, the great Alcea Vermeil, has come to me asking to make use of my strength in crushing your foes once again. Why am I not surprised?" Olivia said with a mocking ring in her voice. "It feels like just last week that you were asking for my assistance in stopping that boy, Gerard, whatever happened to that?"

Alcea blushed a little. "That was… w-well, it has come to my attention that Gerard is now working with the Phantom, so-"

"And that's none of my concern," Olivia cut her off. "You see, Alcea, this isn't one of your pokemon battles. You can't just 'power' your way to victory. Someone like the Phantom requires a more… subtle brush, do you understand my meaning?"

Alcea really didn't get it. She shook her head.

Olivia sighed. "What I mean to say is that I'm sure you've cozied up to the Commander and asked him exactly this. But a man like that, with nothing in his mind but the battle, could never defeat someone of the Phantom's resourcefulness. And as for what goes through the mind of the other one…"

"Woooo! Fishing!" Marion cheered, running past the two and towards the stream.

Olivia glanced back to Alcea, her point made.

"I can't deny that your assistance would be critical," Alcea agreed, hoping that meant Olivia would accept while also doubting it was the case.

"Of course you can't. In other words, if you didn't need my help, then you wouldn't have come to me in the first place, isn't that right?" Olivia asked icily, startling Alcea a little.

"In-Indeed," she admitted. "I would never seek to trouble you with this were it not necessary, is it?"

Olivia rolled her eyes. More bald flattery. "Yes, yes, I understand quite well," she scoffed. "You don't wish anything to do with me until you need my help for something. And I can't say I'm a fan of such a blatant attempt at exploitation."

Alcea didn't know where that response came from, and she didn't have any reply to it. She just stared in numb silence at Olivia as the other girl seethed in silence.

It seemed that negotiations would be difficult.

Oof, that's not good. Olivia and Alcea just can't seem to find common ground. But will Alcea eventually manage to convince Olivia to take her side? Or is the Empress just someone who she can't win over no matter what?