Here's the end of the battle between Nick and Naya! Which of them will come out victorious?

Jay Hayden: Yup, Alcea's certainly got a rough time with the girls in her club.

Guest 1: Yeah, it sucks. Naya is a sophomore like Kate.

Superblal: Yeah, Alcea's students definitely aren't exactly the nicest people. Naya makes Kate look like a sweetie.

Number13teen: That's… an interesting viewpoint of Naya.

Guest 2: I have no intention of stopping anytime soon, so yes. Whenever I can work it into the story. We still haven't even gotten to Alola yet.

Guest 3: I have plans for Naganadel and the other Ultra Beasts. They'll show up at some point.

Pokemon Academy: Beginning of Beginnings

Chapter 56

From the pokeball, a light yellow pokemon emerged, landing on the ground. The pokemon had a long tail that ended in a large leaf, and its fox-like ears did the same. Other green leaves emerged from its fur, and it glared at Abbie.

"Naya's next pokemon is her Leafeon," Darla announced.

"Urrgh! She's so mean, but that Leafeon is so cute, I'm feeling conflicted!" Lila whined.

"Fia, if you please, take down that atrocious bladed pokemon," Naya ordered.

"Leaf," Fia said, nodding, running toward Abbie.

"Abbie, use night slash!" Nick shouted. A large blade of darkness appeared from Abbie's blade, and with a swing of her head she flung it at Fia.

"Fia, counter it," Naya said. A long blade of shimmering green energy emerged from Fia's leafy tail, she parried the blade attack with it. "Leaf blade!"

Fia created more swords from the leaves on her body, swinging them one after another at Abbie. Abbie countered the attacks with more blades of darkness, the two slashing attacks colliding with one another as the two pokemon circled each other.

"Leafeon's leaf blade and Absol's night slash attacks are a perfect match for each other," Lila said.

"Yes, it looks like this exchange could be a long and drawn out hacking away at each other's stamina," Darla agreed.

"Fia, razor leaf," Naya said. Fia's leaf blades shattered into thousands of leaves each as sharp as a razor, hovering momentarily in the air before spinning toward Abbie.

"Abbie, jump back and use razor wind," Nick ordered. Abbie leapt away from the grass pokemon and summoned an intense gust of wind that encircled her body, deflecting the leaves. Abbie sent the tornado flying toward Fia, who dodged to the side and ran toward the dark pokemon.

Fia's leaf blade collided with Abbie's night slash again, and the two pokemon jumped back.

"Fia, we'll need to increase your attack speed to beat that Absol," Naya said sharply. "Use double leaf blade, and overwhelm her."

"Leafeon!" Fia said, nodding. Her tail split in half, forming two long blades that danced around her body. She began slicing toward Abbie, who blocked several of the swings while dodging the others, but she was being forced on the defensive, unable to mount a counterattack as she was focused solely on not getting hit.

"Abbie," Nick called out. "Focus on the body, not on just blocking."

"Ab!" Abbie growled, dark energy focusing into her blade. She swung her head and collided blade on blade, but rather than pull her sword back, she pushed forward into the attack, cutting through the leaf blade entirely before moving her head to slice through the second blade as well, forcing Fia into a quick retreat.

"So while the two pokemon seemed matched, it looks like Absol's attack power is higher," Lila observed.

"Probably because of that swords dance attack raising her power," Darla said.

"That's a trick we can do too," Naya said, frowning. "Fia, use swords dance!"

Fia jumped back to Naya's side, swords made of leaves swirling around her body as Abbie ran toward her. Abbie raised her head and sent a slash of dark energy at Fia. Fia summoned a green blade of her own and flung it back at the night slash, the two attacks colliding in the air, tearing each other to shreds. Fia and Abbie charged in after their attacks and sliced at each other with blades and claws, blood streaking across their fur. The two pokemon separated, Abbie summoning a tornado around her body to carry the leaves on the ground into the air. She flung blades of wind at Fia, who leapt through them with a quick attack and created more blades of leaves, swinging them toward Abbie. Abbie circled around Fia and prepared another night slash, Fia swinging behind her with her tail to parry the attack. Fia whirled around and slashed at Abbie, who jumped off the ground and flipped backward through the air, flinging more night slash attacks from midair at Fia.

Abbie landed on the ground ran toward Fia, who opened her mouth, a barrage of leaves spinning off from around her body and flying at Abbie. The leaves made glancing cuts into Abbie's body, and with a twist of her blade Abbie sent a blade of darkness that crashed directly into Fia, drawing a deep cut into her foreleg, Fia crying in pain and sinking to the ground, Abbie noticing her opportunity and preparing another night slash attack. Fia raised her head and glared at Abbie, growling, as Abbie prepared to charge at the grass type. When Abbie moved to attack, however, she felt a strong pull on her leg, keeping her locked in place, pinned to the ground.

"Abbie!" Nick cried, Abbie's eyes shooting down to see the leaves littered across the battlefield, glued into thick vines that wrapped around her paws and up her legs, holding her.

"Absol!" Abbie growled, hacking at the leaves rising up over her legs.

"Fia, synthesis," Naya ordered. Fia began drawing solar energy into her body, her wounds starting to heal as the long cut on her leg began to close. Once restored back to health, she lunged at Abbie, creating a blade of leaves to slash at the Absol with.

"Abbie, you need to block the attacks!" Nick shouted. Abbie created a blade of darkness that she attempted to block the leaf blade with, but being pinned to the ground, she was unable to maneuver the blade in the right directions, leaving her left side open for Fia to attack.

"Absol!" Abbie wailed in pain as Fia's attack struck her, trying desperately to rip herself free.

"Oh no!" Lila cried out. "Leafeon's grass knot attack as sealed Absol's movements!"

"If Absol can't get free, then she won't be able to fight back!" Darla said, biting her lip.

"Mm, yes, that's it, Fia, another few more just like that," Naya purred, her smile widening. Fia unleashed another leaf blade that struck Abbie again, Abbie letting out another pained cry.

"Abbie! Razor wind!" Nick shouted. Abbie created a torrent of wind between Fia and herself, pushing the leaves off of the ground. Taking advantage of her brief period of safety, Abbie sent night slash attacks at the ground, slicing through the leaves, finally pulling herself free. She glared ferociously at Fia through the wind and sent blades of wind flying from around her, cutting at Fia as Abbie charged in alongside them.

"Fia, end this," Naya ordered.

"Leaf!" Fia growled, nodding, leaping into the barrage of wind. The blades sliced into her, but the speed of her attack resulted in them leaving only glancing blows on her. She prepared another leaf blade attack as Abbie created another night slash, the two swinging their attacks at the other. The two blades pushed past each other and stabbed into their bodies, the two pokemon coughing out blood as they collapsed to the ground.

Abbie remained unmoving, but Fia slowly rose to her feet, panting, bleeding badly but conscious.

"Absol is unable to battle," Darla declared.

"This means that Nick has only three pokemon remaining to Naya's four," Lila said.

"Return, Abbie," Nick said, returning Abbie to her pokeball. "Nidorino, go!"

Nick threw out a pokeball, which his Nidorino emerged from.

"Fia, use synthesis," Naya ordered. Fia began glowing from the sunlight, recovering some of her wounds.

"Nidorino, use poison jab," Nick shouted. Poisonous energy began gathering in Nidorino's horn as he lowered his head, charging at Fia. Nidorino assaulted Fia with multiple thrusts of his horn, but compared to Abbie's speed, it was no trouble at all for Fia to dodge the attacks with her quick attack, slipping from side to side as Nidorino advanced, conjuring a blade of leaves that she sliced at Nidorino with.

"Nido!" Nidorino winced as a gash was cut across his cheek, stopping his attacks, Fia preparing another leaf blade. She slashed the ground, causing Nidorino to lose his footing, the poison pokemon stumbling back as Fia leapt forward, cutting across his belly, Nidorino letting out another cry of pain.

"Leaf!" Fia winced, her leaf blade retracting as she stumbled as well, her attacks stopping momentarily. A purple miasma began coursing into her from her tail, Fia letting out a cry of pain.

"Leafeon had an advantage in speed, but it seems she slowed down for some reason," Darla said, frowning.

"It's Nidorino's poison point," Lila declared. "For a pokemon that relies on physical attacks like Leafeon, it's a dangerous risk when fighting against poison types."

"Nidorino, are you okay?" Nick asked.

"Nido…" Nidorino panted, rising to his feet, growling at Fia.

Even before this, Fia took a lot of damage against that Absol, Naya noted. She won't last for much longer, especially now that she's been poisoned. I should have her switch to other tactics besides close combat.

"Fia, pull back." Fia nodded her head and ran back to Naya, turning in front of her trainer to glare at Nidorino.

"Okay, she's poisoned," Nick said. "Now, we can keep up the aggression while the poison whittles her down."

"Nidorino," Nidorino grunted, nodding, gathering poison into his horn. He charged at Fia, who narrowed her eyes. Nidorino felt a tugging on his legs, holding him in place.

"Excellent grass knot, Fia," Naya complimented her Leafeon, Fia smiling proudly. "Now, use leaf blade!"

"Leaf!" Fia nodded, creating a shining green blade from her tail as she ran toward Nidorino.

"Nidorino, use drill run!" Nick shouted. Nidorino's horn sharpened and he ripped through the leaves on the ground with his claws, freeing himself, and leaping into the air. He rotated his body like a drill, carving through the ground toward Fia.

Fia raised her leaf blade and slashed at Nidorino, but the poison pokemon's body was moving at too high of a speed for the blade to cut, the rotations deflecting the blade as Nidorino collided with Fia, drilling into her stomach at high speed, flinging her backward. Fia spun through the air before hitting the ground, badly injured, the grass pokemon leaping to her feet. As Nidorino pulled to a stop, Fia created a storm of leaves that she flung at the poison pokemon, cutting into him.

"Drill run works pretty good, it seems," Nick said. "Try using it again!" Nidorino jumped into the air and began spinning again, rotating like a drill toward Fia.

"Fia, if leaf blade won't get through, try razor leaf," Naya ordered. Leaves flew off of Fia's body, hovering in the air. She sent them flying toward Nidorino, but his high-speed rotations deflected all of the leaves, the grass attacks bouncing harmlessly off of him as he approached.

"Nidorino's drill run attack is keeping Leafeon's attacks from getting through!" Lila said.

"Leafeon is finding it difficult to land a blow on Nidorino," Darla said.

"The poison is getting to you…" Naya said, frowning. "How distasteful. Return for now, Fia. There is not much left for you to do in battle against this one. I'll save you for later."

Naya returned the poisoned, injured Leafeon to her pokeball. "Now, I think I'll try other tricks. Rey, come out to play!"

Naya threw a pokeball into the air, which a large Ferrothorn emerged from. The pokemon resembled a large silver disk covered in thorns, with three long vines emerging from its body, tipped in spikey metal disks. His eyes were golden, and glinted with the look of a predator.

"Naya has called back her Leafeon and her next pokemon is a Ferrothorn!" Darla announced.

"Ferrothorns are dangerous to handle lightly, due to their sharp bodies and high defenses," Lila said, frowning.

"Nidorino, your poison type attacks won't do much good against a steel-type," Nick said, frowning. "I guess we'll stick with drill run, then."

Nidorino leapt into the air, spinning like a drill and flying at Rey.

"Power whip," Naya ordered. Rey set himself down on the ground and stretched his vines out toward Nidorino, wrapping around the poison pokemon and clenching tightly. Nidorino's rotations slowed to a stop, Rey squeezing down around his thrashing form.

"Rey, use spikes," Naya ordered. The spines on Rey's body grew wider and split open, raining thorns down onto the battlefield, several of the spikes cutting Nidorino, the poison pokemon crying out in pain. Rey pulled Nidorino in closer, slamming the poison pokemon against him, the spikes on the steel pokemon slicing into Nidorino's flesh.

"Ferrothorn is making use of his iron barbs to cause massive damage to Nidorino," Lila said worriedly.

"And his power whip has shut off Nidorino's drill run attack," Darla added. "Without the ability to use poison moves, there isn't much Nidorino can do to fight back!"

"Nidorino, use double kick," Nick ordered. Nidorino raised his hind legs and slammed them down on Rey's face, both pokemon grunting in pain; Rey from the force of the attack, and Nidorino from directly kicking Rey's spines. Fortunately, the fighting attack was enough to cause Rey's vines to weaken, Nidorino forcing himself free and landing on the ground, the poison pokemon letting out a wail as the spikes on the ground dug into his already injured legs.

"Nidorino, use drill run to escape," Nick ordered. Nidorino began rotating his body at high speed, pulling away from Rey. As he moved across the ground, before stepping on the spikes, he cut into the ground, flinging the caltrops into the air while sending many of them at Rey.

"Don't let him get away that easily," Naya said. "Rock climb."

"Ferro!" Rey slammed his vines onto the ground and lifted himself up into the air. He reached one claw outwards and dug it in, using the leverage to fling himself forward. He shot across the battlefield toward Nidorino, slamming into the poison-type pokemon from behind, sending him sprawling across the spike-covered ground, Nidorino letting out a wail of pain.

"Now, let's begin again, shall we?" Naya asked, her smile widening. "Power whip."

Rey extended his vine out, wrapping around Nidorino's body, lifting him up into the air before brutally slamming him down onto the ground again, scraping him across the battlefield. Just as Naya's Tangrowth had done to Rio, Rey began flinging Nidorino across the spikes, thrashing him against the ground until Nidorino was beaten bloody.

"Now then, is he done?" Naya asked.

Rey lifted Nidorino up into the air, and brought him closer, eyeing the poison pokemon closely. Nidorino wasn't moving, not even twitching.

"Once more, it seems," Naya giggled. "Again!"

"Nidorino, head smash!" Nick shouted. Nidorino's eyes snapped open and he raised his head, smashing his horn into Rey's face with immense power, sending the spikey pokemon tumbling backward. Rey's grip released, and Nidorino fell to the ground.

"Return," Nick said, returning Nidorino to his pokeball.

"Now, what next?" Naya asked, smiling sweetly at Nick. "I can't wait to play with whatever pokemon you have left…"

"Charmeleon, go," Nick said, sending out his Charmeleon. Charmeleon cried out in pain as he landed on the spikes, Rey taking the opportunity to lunge at him with his vines.

"Charmeleon, use flamethrower!" Nick ordered. Charmeleon opened his mouth and a wave of flames came out, Rey skidding away to a safe distance from the flames.

"Yeah, that's what we've been waiting to see," Darla cheered. "Fire moves are just the way to keep that Ferrothorn down!"

"Maybe this is how Nick can turn it around," Lila said confidently. "Fire moves are good against Naya's grass types!"

"Oh, that's no fun," Naya said, frowning. "Rey, use mirror shot!"

Rey began gathering energy, his body glowing with reflective light. He released the energy in a blinding blast, Charmeleon's eyes shutting closed from the energy output as the attack slammed into him, knocking him backwards but not doing a lot of damage. Rey shot forward, swinging his vine claw, wrapping around Charmeleon and lifting him into the air.

"Charmeleon! Break free with flame charge," Nick ordered. Flames leapt up around Charmeleon's body, burning Rey's vines, the pokemon groaning in pain.

"Rey, bring it in close," Naya said sharply.

"Ferrothorn!" Rey said, wrapping tighter around Charmeleon and pulling its burning body closer.

"Charmeleon!" Charmeleon roared, opening his mouth and releasing another stream of fire at Rey, engulfing the pokemon in flames.

"Rey, explosion," Naya ordered. Rey began glowing with light, releasing a blast of powerful energy from its body, spikes flying out in all directions as Charmeleon was caught up in the blast. The crowd shielded their eyes, and as the light died down, both pokemon were lying unconscious on the ground.

"And with that, you're down to one pokemon," Naya said, returning her Ferrothorn. "Now, Sabo, it's time for you to come back out!"

Naya sent out her Cacturne again, this time the pokemon preparing to battle.

"Return, Charmeleon," Nick said, returning Charmeleon to his pokeball.

"After taking both pokemon out with an explosion attack, Naya has sent her Cacturne back out," Darla announced.

"Nick only has one pokemon left? What's it going to be?" Lila asked.

Nick looked at the remaining pokeball he had left, and then turned his head to look at the Eight Leaders' viewing box.

"I'm giving up," Nick said, frowning.

"Oh?" Naya asked, narrowing her eyes, smiling wickedly. "That's a good boy."

"Seriously?" Darla exclaimed into her microphone. "Geez, doesn't anyone know how to end a battle properly?"

"Nick…" Kitty said, frowning.

"Poor guy…" Sango said.

"Darla, it's okay," Lila said, putting her hand on her partner's arm. "I… I don't want to see any more of this either."

"Well, fine then," Darla sighed. "Nick withdraws, so Naya is the winner!"

"What are you doing?!" Callie exclaimed, slamming her hands against the glass in frustration. "Don't give up! You can still win! Why would you-?!"

"Callie, just… stop," Alcea said, stepping up and placing her hand on Callie's shoulder. Callie shrugged her off and turned away, running out the door.

"I'm sorry to say, but your pokemon have taken some significant damage," the school nurse said, looking at the readouts on infirmary's recovery machine. "Particularly your Nidorino and Riolu. I would suggest giving them some time to rest after recovering their health, and don't use them in any battles for at least a few weeks, understood?"

"Yeah," Nick said, nodding. He took back his pokeballs and turned to leave the infirmary.

"Take care of your pokemon," the nurse called out behind him as he left, but Nick's attention was already focused on the blonde girl standing outside the infirmary door.

"…Callie…" Nick said, looking guiltily at the girl.

"…Why did you give up?" Callie demanded, tears welling up in her eyes.

"I… I don't…"

"Why?! You could have won! You didn't have to…" Callie sniffed, rubbing her eyes. "It's because you didn't want to let Champie get hurt… that's it, right?"

Nick looked down, confirming her suspicions.

"It's my fault… If I had lent you stronger pokemon, then you wouldn't have had to give up… you could have won! So… so I…"

"It isn't your fault, it's mine, too," Nick said, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. Callie shook her head, looking at him with renewed conviction.

"You're going to get stronger," Callie said, smiling. "I promise. I'll make sure of it, okay? I'll train you so you won't lose next time, okay?"

Callie leaned up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips against Nick's, Nick's eyes widening in surprise. Callie pulled back and took a breath, her face bright red. She turned and ran out of the infirmary with a big smile on her blushing face. Nick looked after her, touching his fingers to his lips and blushing.

Aww… So Nick couldn't win, but he got something better in return, I'd say.