Time for more from round 5, Nick vs. Naya! Let's see how things will go!

Superblal: Nice catch. Wonder what gave it away?

Darkhammer: Oh, most definitely.

Rilu'Karass vas Mazzar: Excellent, glad to have you.

Pokemon Academy: Beginning of Beginnings

Chapter 55

"Naya." Alcea was seated at the same table she had hosted the tea party at earlier that day. Blake, Kate, and Kanone had departed several minutes ago. After they had left, Naya walked up and sat across from her.

"Yes, milady?" Naya asked.

"I wanted to congratulate you on reaching the top 16," Alcea said, sipping from her tea. "Good work."

"Thank you, milady, your praise is deeply appreciated," Naya said, bowing her head.

"I would like to ask you a favor for your upcoming matches," Alcea said.

"A favor?" Naya asked, smiling, tilting her head to the side.

"There is a girl in the top 16 who has a captured my attention," Alcea said, narrowing her eyes. "Her name is Elaina. I would think you've noticed her?"

"Oh, yes," Naya said, licking her lips. "She was quite strong, wasn't she?"

"I want you to get as far as you can in these matches. If she is defeated before you are, then there is nothing to worry about. But if not…"

"You wish me to fight against her, yes, milady?" Naya asked.

"Not only do I want you to fight against her, but I want you to win," Alcea said. "This student is quite powerful. I want to see exactly what she is capable of. To do that, you must push her to her absolute limits, understand? You must hold nothing back. But I'm sure that is no trouble for you, is it?"

Naya shook her head, her smile widening.

"No, milady. I always fight my foes to the fullest extent of my ability."

"Good," Alcea said, nodding. "If you continue to win, the two of you will eventually meet each other in the brackets. And if you manage to win…"

"Hm?"

"I will grant you the wish you keep asking of me," Alcea said, Naya's eyes widening in response and glimmering in anticipation.

"I will make sure to do as you ask, milady," Naya said, rising from the table and bowing to Alcea.

"Now, come out, Sabo," Naya said, tossing a pokeball up into the air. From it emerged a green humanoid pokemon lined in sharp, broad spines.

"Strange," Lila said, turning to Darla, "why did Naya send out her Cacturne? It doesn't have a type advantage against Mankey. In fact, it's even weak to it."

"True, but if it's a part of her strategy, it might be worth the type disadvantage," Darla said, frowning. "We'll have to see."

"Hopefully he'll be a little better for fighting," Naya said worriedly. "But I'm not sure, your Mankey is quite fierce! Sabo, do your best!"

"Mankey, can you move?" Nick asked.

"Man…" Mankey said, nodding. He couldn't run, but he moved cautiously toward Sabo one step at a time. Sabo remained as still as a scarecrow, leering intently at the monkey pokemon.

She's not commanding her pokemon to attack… Nick thought, frowning. Is she bating me to attack? She might be preparing to take advantage of her Cacturne's spikey body…

"Mankey, don't attack head-on," Nick ordered. "Use power-up punch on the ground!"

"Man!" Mankey shouted, striking the ground with his fist, sending a shockwave through it. Sabo jumped into the air, dodging the wave, landing back on the ground.

"Wow, you can attack from far away, just like the Eighth Leader!" Naya said. "Amazing! Now, is it my turn to attack?"

"Mankey, watch out," Nick warned. Sabo ran forward and lifted his arm, the spines on his arm glowing green and extending. He hit Mankey in the face, knocking him into the air.

"Now then, enough is enough, don't you think?" Naya asked, smiling. "Sabo, use spikes."

Sabo raised his arms, spikes shooting off of him and littering the ground, across the battlefield.

"Copycat," Kate muttered, crossing her arms in irritation. Sango rolled her eyes.

Mankey fell upon the spikes and cried out in pain, thrashing wildly as the barbs dug into his flesh. He scrambled to his feet, bleeding from large cuts across his body, Naya smiling.

"Return, Sabo," Naya said, returning her Cacturne to his pokeball. "Now, since you've been properly weakened… Wata, come back, if you please."

Naya threw out Wata's pokeball, the cotton pokemon reemerging in a puff, a broad smile on her face.

"Mankey, are you okay?" Nick asked.

"Man…" Mankey panted.

"Wata, acrobatics," Naya said. "Put a beautiful end to that poor pokemon."

"Jump!" Wata cheered, leaping into the air, jumping off of cushions of wind to propel her over Mankey's head, and letting her kick Mankey fiercely in the back, sending him crashing into a pile of spikes. Mankey let out another howl of pain, Wata landing on top of him and delivering several more kicks that dug the spikes in deeper. Mankey struggled to push her off, but Wata avoided the attacks, jumping up into the air and kicking down at him a final time, Mankey crumpling from the paralysis and the stabbing pain.

"Return, Mankey," Nick said, returning Mankey to his pokeball. Wata leapt back and landed daintily on her feet, avoiding the spikes.

"Okay then, time for my next choice," Nick said, frowning. "Something fast that can take on that Jumpluff…" He reached onto his belt, and pulled a pokeball off of it.

"Rio, I need your help," Nick said, throwing out a pokeball. A Riolu emerged from the pokeball, landing on the ground, wincing in pain and the spikes dug into her paws.

"Oh, what a cute little Riolu!" Naya said, smiling. "It's almost a shame that I have to hurt it!"

"Rio, are you okay?" Nick asked. Rio looked back at Nick and nodded, smiling, before turning back to Wata and Naya.

"So it seems that Nick has chosen a Riolu to fight against Naya's Jumpluff," Lila said, a worried look on her face.

"It doesn't seem like the best choice, but then again, we haven't seen him use this pokemon before, so who can say how capable it really is?" Darla said thoughtfully.

"Hey, wait, since when did Nick have a Riolu?" Kitty asked, confused.

"I think it's actually that girls'," Sango said. "You know, the junior who's always hanging off of him? Doesn't she use fighting types?"

"Callie," Julia said, nodding. "The Eighth Leader."

"Yeah!" Callie cheered. "That's it! Give it to her, Nick! Rio, go!"

"Callie," Alcea said sharply, turning to look at the blonde, "did you lend Nick your pokemon?"

"…" Callie sunk down into her seat, looking away.

"Callie…" Gerard growled.

"O-Only two of them!" Callie hurriedly explained. "And besides, it's not like I gave him any of my really strong ones! I gave him ones that were easy to control, and not that much more powerful than any of his should be!"

"It is of no concern," Elle stated. "Trainers may borrow pokemon from whoever they wish to compete in the tournament, so long as at least three of their own are entered."

She turned to Gerard.

"Besides, Gerard, did you not give that girl of yours her Aerodactyl?"

Gerard sighed, turning back to the match. Callie smiled cheerfully and leapt out of her seat, skipping over to the window to get a better view of Nick's fight.

"Yeah, Nick, Rio, there's no way you guys will lose to this girl! Show her what you two are really capable of, you got it?!" Callie shouted down to Nick, pumping her fist excitedly.

"Now, Wata, use a lovely bounce to strike down that cute Riolu," Naya ordered. Wata leapt into the air, floating on her pom-poms, hovering over Rio's head.

"Rio, watch out," Nick said. "Can… can you attack her when she's that far away, even?"

"Ri!" Rio looked back at him and smiled, nodding her head. She leaned over, holding her arm behind her, slowing her breathing. Wata closed her body inwards and shot down toward Rio, the feelers on Rio's head standing on end. She slammed her palm down onto the ground, being careful to avoid the spikes, sending a shockwave echoing through the ground with her force palm attack. The ground pulsed, sending the caltrops littering the battlefield spiraling into the air, several of them slicing into Wata.

"Jump!" Wata cried out, spinning backwards toward the ground. Rio closed her eyes and skillfully avoided the falling spikes as she closed the distance toward Wata, sensing her aura.

"Rio, use ice punch," Nick ordered. Rio raised her fist as she infused her entire arm with icy energy, punching Wata in the face, ice coursing over the grass pokemon's body as she crumpled to the ground.

"Oh, Wata!" Naya cried, holding up her pokeball, returning the cotton pokemon.

"A powerful ice punch has knocked Jumpluff unconscious!" Lila announced.

"It seems that Nick borrowing pokemon from his girlfriend seems to have turned out well for him," Darla said, Nick's face turning bright red.

"Sh-she's not my…" Nick exclaimed. "…Urgh…"

"Wow, wow!" Naya said, her smile widening. "That was quite something, Nick! Quite something indeed! Taking out my Wata like that! That Riolu of yours is quite cute, and quite strong, oh yes!"

Naya licked her lips, narrowing her eyes into a predatory gaze.

"Oh, yesss… but she'll be even more adorable all torn up and bleeding, yesss…"

Nick flinched, taking a step back, Rio shivering.

"Moju, tear that cutie apart!" Naya shouted, throwing out a pokeball, which a large pokemon covered in long, tangled blue vines with glinting eyes piercing out from the darkness within.

"Naya's next pokemon is Tangrowth!" Lila announced.

"That's a pretty tough competitor," Darla said, nodding.

"Moju, use ancientpower," Naya ordered. Glowing stones of energy floated up around the grass pokemon, and with a fling of his tentacles he sent them flying at Rio.

"Rio, use force palm," Nick said. Rio raised her hand, striking her palm against the air, the shockwave pulsing through the air, shattering the closest stone, the pulse echoing out through it and striking the stones that followed it, turning the attack into glistening dust.

Naya's smile widened. "Where are you looking, cutie?"

Rio's eyes shot down as long vines curled around her legs. Using the ancientpower as a distraction, Moju had woven his tentacle through the spikes and across the ground, striking at Rio from below. He swung his vines upwards, lifting Rio into the air.

"Power whip," Naya ordered. Moju spun his vines, swinging his arm downwards, slamming Rio down onto the spikes.

"Riolu!" Rio choked out.

"Rio!" Nick shouted.

"Again," Naya shouted. Moju swung his arm out widely, dragging Rio across the spikes as she skidded on the ground, whipping her back and forth with repeated slam attacks and power whips.

"Oh my…" Lila gasped, hiding her eyes.

"In a brutal display, Naya's Tangrowth is making full use of the spikes littering the battlefield, and is roughly beating down Riolu using his superior bulk." Darla said, frowning. "It looks like Riolu is barely struggling to stay conscious, let alone fight back. This might be the end of the line for that poor pokemon!"

Having pummeled Rio enough, Moju retract his vines, holding the blue pokemon up in front of him. The poor Rio was cut up and bleeding, her body barely moving.

"Oh, yes," Naya moaned, clutching her flushed cheeks as her smile widened. "That's it exactly, Moju! Oh, yes, such a cute Riolu! But the cutest of alllll… is an adorable pokemon beaten, bleeding, and on the edge of consciousness!"

"Rio…" Callie wailed, looking helplessly at her brutalized pokemon, Alcea glancing aside in guilt.

"Rio, return," Nick said, holding out Rio's pokeball.

"No, no, no running away," Naya said, shaking her finger from side to side. Mujo held out his arm, deflecting the beam with his block attack. "I still haven't enjoyed myself with this cutie nearly enough, isn't that right, Moju?"

"Tang!" Moju said, nodding, flinging Rio down toward the ground again.

"Rio!" Nick cried out.

"RIOLU!" Rio shouted, her eyes snapping open. She slammed her feet down onto the ground, ignoring the painful spikes digging into her pads, and braced herself. As she did, she tightly clenched her pawed hands around Moju's vines, straining her muscles as she lifted Moju into the air, and flung her onto the ground.

"Tangrowth!" Moju howled as his vines were perforated by the spikes, the vines wrapped around Rio finally loosening, Rio stumbling free before collapsing onto the ground, unconscious.

"Return," Nick quickly returned the injured blue pokemon before Moju could stop him.

"Oh, how disappointing," Naya huffed.

"What is wrong with you?!" Nick exclaimed. "How could you torture Rio like that?!"

"Hmph," Naya scoffed. "It's your fault for taking this so lightly."

"What?" Nick asked.

"Oh, I can see why Callie likes you," Naya said, licking her lips. "Your innocence is so cute! Whenever I see a trainer like you, I just can't help but want to beat you into the ground…"

"Urgh, this is why I can't stand Naya…" Kate said, frowning. "She's a complete and total sadist…"

Kitty hid her face in Julia's shirt, Julia wrapping a comforting arm over the sobbing, fearful girl, glaring down at Naya.

"You see, Nick, I love battling," Naya licked her lips, her cheeks glowing red. "Especially battling cute trainers like you. I can't help it, of course. Whenever I see a strong opponent… or an adorable opponent… it makes a fire inside of me start to burn… and my inner sadist comes out to play! So come on, Nick! Send out your next pokemon~! I can't wait to see how I can make it suffer!"

"Oh man… this chick is crazy," Cynthia said, frowning. "I'm glad I didn't have to fight her…"

"Abbie!" Nick shouted, throwing out a pokeball, which his Absol emerged from, howling in rage. "Retaliate!"

Abbie began glowing with white energy, ignoring the spikes digging into her paws. She lunged at Moju, raising her head-scythe, slicing at Moju before he could stand. Moju cried out in pain as Abbie cut into her. Moju leapt up, raising his vines, swinging them at Abbie.

"I know how you feel, Abbie," Nick said, narrowing his eyes. "How dare they treat Rio and Mankey like that?! No mercy, got it? Full force!"

"Absol!" Abbie growled, energy drawing into her scythe. She swung her head, sending a blade of darkness flying at Moju, who raised his vines defensively, the attack slicing through them and cutting in Moju's core body, the grass pokemon crying out in pain.

"Absol's swift and powerful attacks are putting Tangrowth on the defensive!" Darla exclaimed.

"Yeah! Go get him!" Lila cheered. "Take him down!"

"Moju, use ancient power," Naya ordered. Glowing stones levitated around him, and he flung them at the enraged dark pokemon.

"Night slash!" Nick ordered. Abbie raised her blade and leapt forward, slicing through each of the rocks as she charged at Moju.

"Rrgh! Power whip," Naya said. Moju raised his arm, swinging a powerful vine down toward Abbie, who leapt to the side, swinging her head, releasing a blade of darkness at Moju, knocking him off his feet.

"Abbie, use swords dance," Nick said, Abbie leaping back, dark blades dancing around her body as her attack rose, Abbie letting out another howl.

"Moju, use poison powder to weaken Absol," Naya ordered. Moju rose to his feet, holding his arms out, a cloud of poisonous powder wafting off the grass pokemon's vines. With a swing of his arm, Moju sent the poison powder swirling toward Abbie.

"Absol!" Abbie growled, lowering her body, glaring at Moju.

"Abbie, use razor wind," Nick ordered. The air surrounding Abbie whirled up into a tornado that spun around her body, the high-powered winds deflecting the powder, pushing it harmlessly around Abbie.

"Absol's razor wind is creating a high-pressure air barrier that is protecting her from the harmful effects of Tangrowth's poison powder!" Lila cheered.

"That's not all, Lila," Darla said, smiling. "Take a look at the ground."

"The ground?" Lila asked, confused, looking down at Abbie's paws. "Oh!"

"That's right," Darla nodded. "Not only has razor wind blown away Tangrowth's powder moves, but it's also lifted Cacturne's spikes off of the ground, just like if Absol had used rapid spin!"

Indeed, the caltrops Sabo set up had been pulled off the ground by the incredible wind generated by Abbie, completely clearing the battlefield of the hazardous terrain. Abbie whipped her head forward and the wind obliged, tearing across the battlefield in a devastating tornado of spikes and poison.

"Moju, run!" Naya cried out. The Tangrowth tried to outrun the razor wind, but he couldn't move his bulky body fast enough, and the wind attack engulfed him, the large vine pokemon roaring out in pain from within. When the wind finally died down, Moju was badly cut up, many of his vines shredded and his eyes crisscrossed from dizziness. He stumbled backward, and then to the side, utterly turned around, before finally falling forward in a heap, unconscious.

"It looks like Tangrowth is unable to battle!" Lila cheered.

"True, but that was only Naya's second pokemon to faint," Darla reminded her. "This battle isn't over by a long shot!"

"Oh, that was amazing!" Naya cooed, returning Moju to his pokeball. "Not just one, but two of my pokemon you've managed to faint! My fire is burning hotter and hotter I can barely stand it! Ooooh, I want to see that look of despair in your eyes even more now!"

"Hey, pervert!" Callie shouted down. "You keep your awful, Riolu-torturing hands off of him, you got that!?"

"I just want you to know, Nick, this wasn't anything personal," Naya said. "You see, I wanted to take my time and play with you a little more, and spend a good long while drawing out your agonizing defeat, but unfortunately I made a promise with her highness that I would go all-out and win."

Nick remained silent, glowering at the smiling sadist.

"You're just a stepping stone to my real goal," Naya continued, glancing at Elaina, raising her hand to her mouth to hide her smile. "Once I win this tournament and take down everyone in my way, her highness promised to grant my deepest wish."

"Wish?" Callie said, glancing back at Alcea suspiciously.

"Yes…" Naya said, running her tongue across her lips as she panted, wiping the sweat from her cheek. "Her highness is such an amazing trainer, wouldn't you agree…? I've never seen a more powerful, beautiful, and elegant trainer... From the moment I laid eyes on her, I knew that I just had to battle her! But when I challenged her… it was a thorough trouncing! I'll never forget that piercing look in her eyes… it was superb! I've never felt my fire burn hotter! I've continued to ask her for rematch after rematch, but she would never oblige me… until now!"

"So you're just in this tournament to have a chance to fight that Alcea lady again?" Nick asked, frowning.

"'Just'?" Naya said, narrowing her eyes into a glare. "Watch your tongue, boy! Lady Alcea is far beyond your imagining! She's flawless and beautiful! That cool stoicism and cold aloofness, as a sadist she is my ultimate ideal! Ooh, yesss…"

The other members of the eight leaders looked at Alcea with pity in their eyes, Alcea's face bright red in embarrassment.

"Her highness' cold glare… As a sadist… I can't help but want to snuff it out," Naya moaned. "Finally, I'll get a second chance to test my exquisite pokemon moves against her! The look of despair in her eyes when I conquer her pokemon and force her to surrender… oh, I can't even imagine that ecstasy! And the only ones standing in my way are you and Elaina!"

Naya retrieved a pokeball from the sleeve of her kimono, throwing it into the air.

"So if you don't mind, dear Nick, now is when we must part!"

"…That one's quite a pervert," Cynthia said, frowning. Blake stared at her with a look of shock on his face. "And I'm saying that."

Ooh boy. This one's a weirdo alright. Alcea always attracts the weird ones.