Now then, here's another chapter!
Important note: I am currently choosing a few more characters! Yes! I said this would happen, but I didn't expect it to be so soon! Now then… For starters, there are some important points. For one, if I accepted your character already (at the beginning of the story I listed them) YOU CANNOT PARTICIPATE, even if I have not used your character yet.
If you've already submitted a character, but they have not been accepted, then specify that you would like me to use this character instead.
Finally: The characters chosen are eligible for gym leader positions within the school. With that in mind, all characters submitted must be juniors, and must use pokemon of only one type. Because of this, for these submissions only, the number ratio of pokemon stages is being upped from 10 to 12. Also important, these types cannot be used because of reasons. Don't worry that this technically only leaves one position open; not all of the types listed there are gym leaders, but that's a little surprise for later, mwahaha.
Rock, Psychic, Grass, Ice, Fighting, Dragon, Fairy
For the profile, return to the prologue. Also important, unlike the first submission, this submission will NOT be based on first come first serve. I will select characters based on whether or not they are interesting or I think they can further the story outside of their role as gym leaders. Also, I WILL NOT BE TELLING YOU which characters make the cut, and similarly, there is no real deadline date. Consider submissions closed when all eight gym leaders are revealed.
Sonofthetrigod: He most definitely will.
Wildlian: Maybe.
Duskzilla: Of course it's brutal.
Daozang: Well, we'll have to wait and see.
EternalOrigin: Thank you!
My Wunderwaffle iz missin: Most definitely.
Darkhammer: Thanks!
Arcana of the North: Yup, he's pretty cool.
Asdf12345: Sorry, not accepting those kinds of OCs right now, but I like her!
Pokemon Academy: Beginning of Beginnings
Chapter 17
A young girl about Kitty's height was standing on a stool, trying to hang a banner up over a stand. The stool was trembling as she stretched up for it. Suddenly, it gave way, and the blonde fell backwards.
She landed square on Nick, the two falling in a heap on the quad grass.
"Sorry, are you okay?" The girl asked, jumping to her feet and helping Nick up.
"Yeah, I'm fine…" Nick said, his face flushing a little.
"Oh, no, do you have a fever?" the girl asked worriedly. "Did I land on a sick person? I'm sorry!"
She pressed her forehead to his, Nick's face going redder.
"I-I'm fine!" Nick said, backing up.
"Okay, good," she said, smiling. She looked at him bashfully. "Um, do you think you can help me with this banner?"
"Banner?" Nick asked.
"Yeah, I'm a little… short for it…" She said sheepishly.
"Well, I'm not much taller, but I guess I could help," Nick said. The two hung up the banner, which read "Pokemon Fight Club."
"'Pokemon Fight Club'?" Nick asked, surprised. For the first time he noticed that she was wearing a karate uniform with a black belt.
"Yeah," she said, nodding. "We spar with our pokemon to train them… We aren't supposed to talk about it though."
"I'm Callie," the girl said, holding out her hand, her blue eyes twinkling shyly.
"Um… Nick," Nick said, shaking the girl's hand.
"Your hand is really sweaty," Callie giggled, wiping it off on her uniform. "Say… if you aren't in a club yet, what do you think about joining us?"
"Sorry, I'm already in a club," Nick said. "The Pokemon Friends Club. I was actually heading to our first meeting of the year."
"…I see…" Callie said, nodding. "Okay then…"
Nick headed off, Callie staring after him.
"Captain!" Callie turned to see three large students in karate uniforms run up. "We found that stepladder you asked for!"
"It's fine…" Callie said, her face tinting pink. "Besides that… I just found something that would be interesting…"
"Sorry I'm late…" Nick said, running up to the group. They were gathered in a clearing surrounded by trees near the edge of campus. Eli wasn't exaggerating when she said there weren't a lot of members. Kitty, Blake, Cynthia, Serefina, and herself were the only ones there.
"No problem," Serefina said. "Our president isn't even here."
"He won't be coming," Eli said, shaking her head. "Anyway, I think a good idea, to start with, is for each of us to introduce each other to our pokemon."
"Excuse me!" Everyone's heads turned to see Callie standing at the edge of the clearing, the Pokemon Fight Club behind her.
"Callie?" Nick asked, confused.
"Hi…" Callie said, waving at him, blushing.
"Um, who are you?" Serefina asked, walking up to them.
"…" Callie looked her body up and down.
"GODDAMNIT!" Callie exclaimed, running away with tears in her eyes.
"Captain!" One of the fight club members ran after her, the rest standing there awkwardly.
Callie walked back, wiping her face, glaring at Serefina. Then she noticed Kitty.
Pushing past Serefina, Callie wrapped her arms around Kitty and pulled her into a big hug.
"A fellow shortie…" Callie cried, wiping her eyes. "You understand the hardship!"
Kitty, embarrassed, simply turned red.
"Anyways, I'm here to challenge you! If I win, then Nick gets to join the Pokemon Fight Club!"
"Wh-what?" Serefina asked, confused.
"You're the captain of the Pokemon Fight Club?" Eli asked, surprised. "But you're just a kid."
"I'm a junior," Callie glared.
"Seriously?"
Everyone had gathered around the strange girl, and were equally confused.
"Not a chance…" Eli said, shaking her head. "We can't afford to give up any members to you. You have enough people, anyway!"
"I don't want any of these big beefy guys!" Callie said, frowning. She glanced at Nick, blushing, looking down. "I… I'd like someone a little cuter… more shy…"
"Aw, how cute…" Cynthia gushed. "Our little virgin has a girlfriend!"
Now there were two people turning red.
"I'm with Eli…" Serefina said, frowning. "We can't let go of any members right now…"
"Fine then, fight me for him!" Callie said, frowning.
"My pokemon aren't good at fighting," Serefina said, shaking her head.
"Neither are mine," Eli added.
"I'll do it!" Cynthia said, smirking. "I'll take you down easy."
"Are you sure?" Callie asked. "I'm pretty strong you know. I don't often tell people this, but I'm actually one of the shichibukai."
That's a lie… Everyone else thought.
"What a coincidence," Cynthia said, smiling. "I happen to be one of the Yonko, myself."
Why are you escalating?
"Well, I tamed the Nine Tailed Fox with my bare hands."
"I defeated Majin Buu."
"I used the Death Note to become the god of the new world."
"Well I-"
"Cynthia," Nick interrupted.
"What now?" Cynthia asked.
"I'll fight her."
"Really?" Callie asked, her eyes sparkling excitedly.
"No!" Eli said, shaking her head. "He'll just throw the match!"
"I won't!" Nick said, shaking his head. "All my friends are here, after all!"
"Fine, but if I win, you have to join the Pokemon Fight Club!"
"Wait, what do we get if we win?" Cynthia asked.
"Well, Nick, if you win… then I'll go on a date with you…"
"Um, what?"
"Let's go!" Callie said, smiling. "How many pokemon?"
"Um, three?" Nick asked.
"Sure, works for me!" Callie said, smiling. "I'm just happy I get to fight you!"
"Abbie, go!" Nick tossed out a pokeball, which his Absol emerged from.
"Whoa, what a cool pokemon!" Kitty said, surprised.
"Not bad!" Callie said, grinning. "Champie, go!" Callie tossed out a pokeball, which a Pancham emerged from, smirking.
"Comet punch!" Callie ordered. Champie ran towards the Absol, letting loose a barrage of punches.
"Double team!" Nick ordered. Several copies of Abbie appeared, confusing the Pancham.
"Champie, try a thunderpunch!" Champie nodded, electricity crackling through his paw. He struck the ground, electricity surging out and knocking through the clones, hitting Abbie.
Abbie leapt back, wind raising up around her. She ran towards Champie, swinging the blade on her forehead and firing a blast of wind that knocked the fighting type pokemon into the air.
"Night slash!" Nick ordered. Abbie ran towards Champie and leapt into the air, swinging her blade and releasing a slash of dark energy that struck the fighting type. Champie hit the ground, but immediately leapt to his feet, excited.
Abbie landed in front of him, whipping up another tornado around her body. She raised her claw and hit Champie in the chest, knocking him into the air. Blades of wind shot out from the tornado and collided with Champie, badly injuring him. The fighting type hit a tree and slid to the ground, unconscious.
"Oh, poor guy…" Callie said, returning her Pancham.
"Yeah, way to go, Nick!" Cynthia cheered, grinning.
"Okay, let's go, Jania!" Callie said, releasing a Mienshao from her pokeball. The ermine pokemon stood proud, rubbing her sleeves together.
"Another fighting type?" Nick asked, surprised.
"Yup!" Callie chirped. "I'm a fighting type specialist!"
Abbie formed another tornado, flinging blades of wind at the fighting type.
"Wide guard!" Callie ordered. Jania held her hands up, forming a wide barrier protecting herself from the blades.
Jania leapt into the air and spun around, shooting towards Abbie. Abbie jumped out of the way and swung her blade at the fighting type, but Jania whipped her arm and blocked it. She leapt up and kicked Abbie in the side of the head, skillfully flipping back and landing on the ground as Abbie skidded across the grass.
"Alright, go, go!" Callie cheered. Jania ran towards Abbie, who charged at her as well.
Jania leapt into the air and swung her leg towards the dark type, but Abbie ducked her head and dodged out of the way, raking into Jania's back with her claws.
Jania crashed into the grass and immediately rose to her feet, swinging her fist and hitting Abbie in the face.
Energy drained from Abbie's body as Jania healed some of her injuries. She then leapt into the air, spinning around, and landing with an axe kick on Abbie's side, knocking her unconscious.
"Return," Nick said, returning Abbie to her pokeball. "Okay, Charmeleon, go!"
Nick's Charmeleon emerged, flames spurting from his mouth.
"Jania!" Jania jumped back, away from the Charmeleon right before a burst of flames shot out of his mouth.
Jania dodged the embers, and leapt towards Charmeleon, catching him in the jaw with a drain punch.
"Dragon rush!" Nick ordered. Dragonic energy surged through Charmeleon's claws, and he charged at Jania, swinging his claws. However, Jania quickly dodged this attack too, jumping into the air. She swung her leg at Charmeleon, but he quickly dodged, turning his head and releasing a blast of flames.
Jania jumped out of the pillar of flames, and swung her arm, catching Charmeleon in the face and knocking him back.
"Aerial ace!" Nick ordered, Charmeleon disappearing. He reappeared behind Jania, hitting her in the back with his claws. The fighting type cried out in pain, spinning her leg around and kicking Charmeleon in the stomach.
Charmeleon skidded backwards, clutching his chest, Jania jumping into the air and hitting him in the jaw with a high jump kick, knocking him unconscious.
"Return," Nick said, returning Charmeleon to his pokeball. "Okay, Mankey, go!"
A Mankey emerged, stamping his feet excitedly.
"You have a Mankey?" Callie asked, excited. "So cool!"
Jania charged at the fighting type and swung her fist, Mankey quickly dodging. He swung his paw, hitting Jania in the forehead with a karate chop.
"Power-up punch!" Nick ordered. Mankey pulled his paw back and hit Jania in the stomach, his attack power rising.
"Yeah, power-up punch is a move that increases in power with each hit," Blake said, nodding. "Not a bad move."
"So cool! You're perfect for the Fight Club!" Callie said. "Jania, she'll win it for me, just you watch!"
"Not quite, my Mankey is pretty strong," Nick said.
"…Jania, aura sphere."
Energy coursed through Jania's hand, and she fired it in a blast of energy, hitting Mankey in the stomach, knocking him unconscious.
"Yes!" Callie cheered, excited. "I did it! I won!"
"Darn it!" Eli said, frowning.
"I guess I lost…" Nick said, shocked, returning Mankey to his pokeball.
"Hey!" Callie skipped over to him, beaming. "Aren't you happy? You get to join our club!"
"Um…" Nick glanced over at the others.
"Magnificent."
Everyone turned their heads to see another student walk up. He had wavy blonde hair and a red armband, as well as cool blue eyes. His uniform was neat, and he had a blanket wrapped around his shoulders, a Woobat perched on it.
"Rafe!" Callie said, running over to him, giving him a big hug. "Where have you been?"
"Well, I thought I should come back before classes started…" the boy said, chuckling.
"Um, classes have been going for a few weeks now…" Callie said, shaking her head.
"…Oh, I see…" Rafe said sheepishly.
"Who's that?" Blake asked.
"That's our club president," Eli sighed. "He's got this bad habit of living outside, instead of in the dorms."
"Well Eli, if I lived in the dorms I wouldn't be able to spend as much time with pokemon," Rafe said, patting his Woobat on the head. "They have so many fascinating things to say."
Blake narrowed his eyes.
"You can understand pokemon?" Blake asked suspiciously.
"Not exactly," Rafe said, shaking his head. "I just like hanging around them. It doesn't mean I know what they're saying, sadly enough."
"Okay, Nick, let's head back…" Callie said, wrapping her arm around his and pulling him with her.
"…Well, there goes Nick…" Blake sighed.
"I can't believe we lost a member already…" Eli sighed, sitting down in the grass and wrapping her arms around her knees.
"Ah well," Rafe sighed.
He pulled the blanket off of his shoulders and spread it out. He sat down, opening his bag, and pulled out a small tea set and a folding table.
"Eli, would you please get us some hot water?"
"President, is now really the time to be drinking tea?"
"I always think that a nice cup of tea is worthwhile."
Eli sighed, and walked off to go get some water from the nearby lake.
"I have an idea!" Cynthia said, smiling.
"What idea?" Blake asked, frowning.
"We can do a Challenge Battle."
"Challenge Battle?" Blake asked, confused.
"…Look at the student guide…" Cynthia sighed.
Blake reached into his bag and pulled out his guidebook.
'A student may challenge any other student to a Challenge Battle. A Challenge Battle must be supervised by a member of the faculty. Challenge Battles may be fought for points, or for an agreed upon wager with teacher permission. The Challenger selects the type of battle, as well as the number of Pokemon fighting.'
"…Cool."
"But how do we know she'll accept the Challenge Battle?" Serefina asked.
"Huh?"
"Accepting a Challenge Battle is up to the challenged student. If you don't offer them something worth fighting for they are not likely to accept the agreement," Rafe informed them.
"Oh, man, you're right…" Cynthia said, frowning. "Then we have to find something that she'd be willing to risk Nick's membership for."
"Like what?" Blake asked.
Cynthia put her hand on her chin and thought for a while. Then, her eyes met Kitty's eyes, and her mouth turned upwards into a cruel smirk.
"I just had a brilliant idea…"
Kitty realized a second to late and turned to run, but Cynthia grabbed her by the shoulder.
"Where do you think you're going?"
"…Um…" Kitty looked up at Cynthia, her eyes tearing up in fear.
"Come on now, be a good little kitty and help out your friends from the club, okay?"
"…Poor girl…" Serefina and Blake said as Cynthia grabbed her by the collar and pulled her from the clearing.
"I'll go find a teacher to supervise the match, you go with them and make sure nothing too bad happens," Serefina said.
Blake sighed and followed after the two of them as Serefina headed off.
"…Ah… such a peaceful day…" Rafe said, petting the Woobat sitting on his lap.
"Okay president, I brought your water…" Eli sighed, walking back into the clearing, holding a thermos. "I'm sorry I don't have a fire type to heat it up."
"No, no, I can just have my Elfuria heat it for me," Rafe said, releasing his Delphox from her pokeball to heat the water up.
"…So where did everyone go?" Eli asked, noticing that there was no one else there.
"They went to go challenge my sister to a Challenge Battle, offering that cute cat girl up as a wager against getting the other boy back."
"Your sister? Oh, right! I totally forgot you had a sister… So that girl Callie was your sister?"
Eli's eyes widened as she realized something.
"That's right… she's your sister… I forgot…"
"Yes, that's correct."
"But didn't you say that your sister just joined the group you're a part of?"
"…Yes."
"Then that means she…"
"…Is one of the eight gym leaders like me, yes."
"ISN'T THAT BAD?!" Eli cried. "They're about to challenge one of the gym leaders to a Challenge Battle!"
"…Ah, the tea is ready," Rafe said, picking up the tea. "Would you like some?"
"Oh, sure," Eli said, sitting down at the table next to him.
…
"Is that your only reaction?"
"...You expect me to panic?"
"We're about to lose another club member…"
"Elizabeth…" Rafe said, sipping from his teacup.
"…Don't sweat the small stuff."
I'm sweating it…
So, will they manage to win the fight against Callie? We'll have to find out!