In this chapter, Blake and the other members of the gang run into a new challenge. The eve before the semi-finals, at that! What's going to happen? Review!

Tambry96bj: It's pokemon, time travelers are an everyday occurrence, probably.

Pokemon Academy: Beginning of Beginnings

Chapter 75

"No way! A real, live, legendary pokemon?!" Callie stared dumbstruck at Cynthia, her eyes wide and her mouth open in disbelief. "Here? On campus?"

Cynthia nodded.

"Yeah, it was amazing! It looked like a little green fairy! It was glowing green, and then there was this fairy ring, and *boom*, the girl was gone!"

"That's quite a thought," Julia said, frowning. "A pokemon that can travel through time…"

"Guys!" Sango called back to where they were sitting at the front of one of the many crowded restaurants hosted in the evening avenue of the campus shopping mall. "They're calling us, Fafnir, party of eight!"

"Finally, I'm starved," Callie said, rubbing her stomach. "Unlike you guys, us leaders don't get a lunch break. Plus, I'm cutting back on snacks to maintain my girlish figure."

"Girlish is right," Claire noted, running her eyes over Callie's body. "Calling it a womanly figure would be laughable."

"Hey!" Callie snapped, glaring at the voluptuous girl, her face twisting into a grimace.

"It's okay, Callie, you look… good…" Nick stumbled on his words, blushing, scratching his ear sheepishly.

"O-oh, you think?" Callie asked, twiddling her fingers, an embarrassed smile on her face. "I-I did try to tie my hair up in a new way tonight…" She gestured to the small blonde ponytail hanging at the nape of her neck, the most she could scrunch her short hair.

"Oh." Claire paused, eyeing the two of them. "Well, okay then. If that's how it is."

Her expression turned into a smirk.

"I didn't mean to bother someone with such a charming B-O-Y-F-R-I-E-N-D~"

Callie and Nick both turned bright red.

"It-it's…" Callie stuttered. "It's not a big deal! It's not like I'm Nick's b-bride, or anything like that…"

"Um, that's a leap too many, don't you think?" Nick asked.

"W-well, I mean…"

"Okay, enough of that," Cynthia huffed. "Don't you all go getting hot and heavy! I ain't interested in spending my celebratory party watching you too make goo-goo eyes at each other for the whole night."

Nick and Callie glanced at each other and blushed, smiling.

"Don't worry, we won't," Callie said. "I'll try my best to, um, keep things normal! I-I guess…"

She glanced at the others.

"I'm a little… nervous… this is the first time I've gotten to hang around with Nick's friends and all, so I'm just kind of… you know?"

"Ah, don't be," Cynthia said, reaching over and latching onto her shoulder. "We're all just freshmen after all, and you're a big junior! Or, well, a small junior, but either way, no need to be uncomfortable! Besides, since you two are going out now, we'll probably be seeing a lot of you around, right?"

"I hope so," Callie nodded, glancing at Nick. "Whenever Nick talks about you guys during club, he always seems so happy… so I guess I… what I mean is…"

Callie was clearly trying to say something, but didn't really feel comfortable with saying it. While naturally outgoing, most of her relationships up until this point had been with big, sweaty gym guys. She didn't really know how to even act around a bunch of pretty girls, let alone muster the courage to say that she wanted to be friends with them!

"We get it," Julia said, letting her off the hook with a small but comforting smile. Callie visibly relaxed, nodding.

"Okay, then!" Callie said. She rubbed her stomach again, smiling. "Then, on to dinner!"

As the party stood up from their seats to enter the restaurant proper, Sango glanced at Blake, who she noticed had been uncharacteristically quiet since their strange experience with Ryoko and that mysterious Celebi. She swallowed, reached her hand out, and gently placed it on his shoulder.

Blake blinked, and glanced back to Sango, a confused expression on his face.

"Yeah?"

"Are you… doing okay? You seem a little iffy…" Sango wasn't sure what she was supposed to say, so she thought it would be best to inquire closer.

"Yeah, I'm doing alright," Blake said, smiling. "I just have a lot to think about."

"Do you… want to talk?" Sango asked. "We could go somewhere and talk, you know, after dinner?"

"No, no, you don't need to worry," Blake said, shaking his head. "It's nothing, honestly."

Sango wanted to frown, because she knew he was probably lying. But she didn't want him to feel down, so she didn't. Instead, she smiled, and nodded.

"Okay then. But if you ever want to talk, just let me know."

"Will do."

"Hey, guys, what's taking you?" Cynthia's voice echoed from near the back of the restaurant. Sango and Blake rushed off to join the others, who were sitting at a half-circle table around a large iron grill where the chef would come to cook their food. There were only two available spots at the table: between Claire and Cynthia. Claira waved Blake over, Sango frowning as he sat down beside her, quickly sitting on his other side.

"Oh, man, I can't wait! This is going to be so good!" Cynthia cheered quietly, picking up her menu. "Sango, what are you gonna get?"

"Probably something with a lot of meat," she mused. "It's late, so nothing too starchy."

"I'd also like to get something with a lot of meat," Claire purred, leaning up against Blake.

"Yeah, sounds good," Blake said, holding her menu up as a barrier between the two of them, pushing it towards her. She took it with a pout.

"Oh, you're no fun."

"Um, I don't want to get too much…" Kitty murmured.

"Oh, so should we get a kids' menu?" Cynthia teased.

"I can eat adult food!" Kitty huffed, pouting.

"Aw, how cute! Acting like a little grown up!" Cynthia punctuated her teasing with headpats, Kitty's face growing red in frustration.

"Fine, I'll get a ton, then!" She huffed.

"Cynthia, you're doing a little too much," Julia said, concern in her voice.

"Sorry, Kitty," Cynthia sighed. "I won't make fun of you if you want to eat off the kids' menu."

"I don't!"

"Sorry, sorry…"

As they were beginning to finalize what they were going to order, the sound of footsteps from behind could be heard. There were lots of people in the restaurant that evening, but these steps were with purpose, and could be heard over the din. Nevertheless, they were dismissed by the ears of the group sitting around the table, until they were matched with something stronger.

"Blake Harker." A deep, commanding voice whose feminine origin could be noted only from the slightly feminine lilt cut through the crowd, demanding their attention. This drew the turn of their heads.

Standing behind the table, looking down on them, were two students, both girls.

The tall girl standing at the front, arms defiantly on her waist, was the likely source of the voice judging by her austere expression. She wore her uniform without her vest and with her collar unbuttoned, and in place of the standard-issue shoes she wore high-tech running shoes, explaining her fit and tight physique. She had dark brown hair cut straight to chin-length, her bangs parted to the sides to frame her angular, handsome face, revealing her sharp hazel-gold eyes narrowed into a smirking leer. A light-blue ribbon tied her hair back to show off the fringes, tied upside down like a pair of bunny ears. It was the one concession to cuteness on an otherwise cool and handsome exterior.

"That's him, right," she asked, her deep, husky voice confirming her as the previous speaker. "The one with the headphones?"

"That's him," the other girl confirmed. She was much shorter than her companion, her slim figure making her look like a young teenager. She wore a black beret over her blonde hair cut into a pixie cut, and unlike her partner her clothes were perfectly maintained without a single button off-center. Her eyes were a light brown, and carried a mysterious allure that matched quite well with her silent, immaculate appearance.

Blake noted that the girls wore armbands, green on the tall girl and red on the slim one. Upperclassmates!

"Do you girls need something?" Cynthia demanded. "This is a private party, you know!"

"Blake Harker," she repeated. "Could I have a word?"

"…Sure," Blake nodded, getting out of his chair and standing up. To his surprise, the girl was actually a little taller than him, by almost a head, forcing Blake to look up to meet her gaze.

"Well now," she said, quickly glancing over Blake, her lips curling up. "I guess I see why our boss wants to meet with you so badly, you're not half-bad looking."

"Why thank you," Blake said, giving her an equally courteous (and equally fake) smile.

"Now, why not come along?" She asked, jamming her thumb over her shoulder and toward the exit. "There's a rather beautiful young lady who'd love to make you acquaintance."

"I suppose so, but you didn't have to come all this way," he grinned, "I'd be happy to come see you if you asked."

"Wasn't speaking about me," she shrugged.

Sango was feeling uncomfortable about all this. Was Blake… flirting with this girl? And not only that… Sango had a sinking suspicion she knew who this girl was.

"Wait, wait, you're not taking him anywhere!" Cynthia objected, rising up out of her seat. "This is my celebration for making it all the way to the semi-finals! You can't just come in and take one of my friends away, right Blake? He's staying right here, I don't care what you or your boss have to say about it!"

"Oh really? And who're you?" Ribbons asked.

"She's Cynthia Fafnir," Beret answered.

"Oh. Never heard of you. But you must be pretty brave talking like that, huh?" Ribbons chuckled. "I guess you must be a freshman, then, because everyone who's anyone knows not to get in the way of our Empress."

"Your Empress, you mean Olivia Himeko." This voice was a surprise.

"Oh. If it isn't Callie. What's one of the Eight Leaders doing here?" Ribbons asked. Callie stood up, frowning.

"I'm more curious as to what the two of you are doing here, bothering our underclassmen?"

"You might be a high ranking member of the Eight Leaders," Ribbon scoffed, glaring at her, "but you should still show your seniors some respect."

"As you wish, Ayame-senpai." Callie said in a voice dripping with syrupy sweetness.

"Ah! I was right!" Sango gasped.

"Oh?" The ribbon-wearing girl asked, glancing down at Sango, smiling.

"You're Ayame Toujou!" Sango said. "The track star! I heard all about you when I was reading up on this school! You've even competed on the national level!"

"Oh, you've heard of me?" The girl, Ayame, smiled. "Why, I'm flattered." She did a mock bow.

"Who is she?" Cynthia whispered to Sango.

"Ayame Toujou, the superstar of the track club. She's a senior," Callie said. "And what's more she's the right hand of Olivia Himeko, the Empress of the Daevas."

Cynthia's mouth dropped open in shock.

"Our school has a track club? For people?" Cynthia asked.

"That's what you're reacting to?" Sango asked.

"Guilty as charged," Ayame shrugged. "And Blake, today's your lucky day. The Empress requests an audience with you."

"I see, I see," Blake said, nodding. "And if I say no?"

Ayame frowned, leaned back, and swung her leg up, her foot pulling to a stop just shy of the side of his head, Blake's hair shaking slightly.

"Anything else you'd like to say?" Ayame asked, smirking.

Blake paused, glancing down for a moment, then up to meet Ayame's eyes again.

"Performing high kicks like that while wearing our school uniform's skirt reveals your panties, Ribbons."

Ayame's face turned bright red and she leapt back, smoothing her skirt down, trembling in embarrassment as she glared at Blake.

"You… you lech!" Ayame cried.

"I don't know what you're upset about, it's not like you have anything to be ashamed of," Blake shrugged.

"You were ogling my ass!"

"Mm. It was quite nice. 87 points."

"NO ONE ASKED YOU TO GRADE IT!"

"Aya, calm down," Beret said. "We're making a scene."

Ayame looked around, noticing that the other customers were beginning to look over to see what was happening. She took a few deep breath and cleared her throat, straightening back up.

"Now then, as I was saying, I'd like you to come with us," Ayame demanded. "The Empress requests your presence."

"Can I have your number?"

"NO."

"Then I'll pass," Blake shrugged. "This is an important celebration for my friend here. If this Empress, whoever she is, wants to come have a talk with me, then she's welcome to do so."

"Hey, hey, what about me?" Cynthia asked. "Why do you guys want Blake, anyway? I beat him, remember? So that means that she should be interested in me, too, right?"

"I haven't heard anything about you," Ayame said, shaking her head.

"Blake said he wasn't gonna go," Callie said, stepping forward and standing between Ayame and Blake, staring up at her. She cricked her neck, loosening her arms. "Don't even think I'll let you grab my… f-friend so easily. If you try to take him using force, I won't let you. I don't think your Empress is willing to start a war with the Eight Leaders over something like that, is she?"

Ayame glared at Callie, who glared right back at her.

"Ahem." Everyone's eyes turned to the blonde in the beret, who had cleared her throat to draw their attention.

"What's up, Celia? I'm handling this."

"Aya, be quiet for a while." Celia stepped in front her associate, and glanced at Callie. Callie warily stepped to the side, watching the blonde girl.

Celia reached into her shirt pocket and withdrew a pen, picking up a napkin and writing on it. She handed it over to Blake without saying a word.

"What's this?" Blake asked, staring at the string of numbers on the napkin.

"Aya's phone number."

Ayame snatched the napkin out of Blake's hands and grabbed Celia by the collar, dragging her back.

"What are you doing?" She demanded.

"He said he'd come with us in exchange for your phone number, right? Wouldn't the Empress desire this outcome?"

"Well, yeah, but…"

"It's cool, I was joking," Blake called out. "I'm not interested in going with you guys. Like, at all."

"Oh, I should have expected that. I wouldn't expect a guy to actually want the number of a rude girl like you."

"Yes they would," Ayame hissed, Celia shrugging in response.

"Fine, fine," Ayame sighed. "The Empress didn't want me to say this if I didn't have to, but I guess I have to."

She walked over to Blake and tilted her head down, bringing her lips up to Blake's ear. Sango bit her lip, tapping her foot more and more in impatience the longer the handsome girl stayed so close to him. She gave a slight sigh of relief as the two separated.

"Ooh, that's a great bedroom voice you got there," Blake said, smiling. Ayame gave him a smirk in return, her eyes quite clearly saying "go fuck yourself."

He turned to Cynthia, his expression solemn.

"Sorry, Cynthia. I hate to do this, but…"

"Seriously?!" Cynthia exclaimed. "What'd she say? She threatened you, didn't she?"

"No, nothing like that," Blake said, shaking his head. "But this Empress… she knows something. Something important. And she wants to talk to me about it. It won't take long, I promise. I'll be back as soon as possible."

Cynthia looked sourly at him, biting her lip.

"Fine. Go. I don't care," she snapped.

"Thanks. Sorry again."

"Blake," Sango said, Blake turning back to her. "Do you really need to go?"

Blake nodded, the reluctance on Sango's face stinging slightly. But some things were more important than others. He said his goodbyes and apologies to the others, then turned to Ayame.

"Let's hurry, then," he said, frowning.

"It's not that far. I'll lead the way," Ayame said, turning around.

"Wait, wait," Blake said, Ayame glancing back at him.

"What now?" Ayame asked.

"Can you try and stay about ten feet ahead?"

Ayame glared daggers at him, storming off, Blake shrugging. Celia patted him on the shoulder.

Ayame led them out of the food court of the mall into the boutique district, a place Blake didn't really spend a lot of time in. They were square in the territory where members of the Appeals course would frequent; there were clothing shops for both people and pokemon, makeup stores, and specialty stores for designer apparel from various regions and countries, not to mention salons of all different kinds. Celia and Blake were walking shoulder-to-shoulder, Ayame walking ahead of them both.

"Hey, Ribbons-"

"Don't call me that," Ayame snapped. "I have a name."

"Right. So, Aya, I was wondering-"

"Actually, how about you just don't talk to me?"

"If there's something you have to ask, I can answer," Celia said.

"Where are we going? Why are we checking out the boutiques?"

"The Empress is in her favorite salon, getting her hair done," Celia explained. "This was the only time in her schedule she could meet with you, we do apologize. Are there any other questions you might want to ask?"

"About what?"

"Anything, really," Celia shrugged. "You must be curious about all this."

"Well there is one thing that's been bothering me," Blake said, frowning.

"Yeah?"

"Is Ayame seeing anybody?" He asked, intentionally speaking loud enough for Ayame to hear.

"I don't think so, no," Celia said, shaking her head.

"And it's none of your business," Ayame said, whirling on her heel in a huff.

"Any prospects?"

"…" Ayame hissed at him, frowning.

"This is why no prospects," Celia piped up.

"I don't care about that crap," Ayame said. "I'm busy with clubs. I don't have any time for stuff like that."

"…So she says." Celia said, nodding.

"Another thing, you guys are both subordinates to this Empress, right?"

"Of course," Ayame said, Blake noticing the back of her head bob up to indicate a nod.

"But you're in the Caretaker Course," Blake noted. "And she's in the Battle Course. I had heard that the Empress controls the Appeals Course and most of the students in that section are under her thumb, so what about you two? And for that matter, what does she want with me?"

"We have our reasons," Celia said. "Mostly, the same as you. We might be in different courses… but there are certain… 'talents' we have that make us appealing connections for her. That's all."

Blake nodded, having a sinking suspicion as to what exactly she was referring to when it came to his "talent".

"All things considered, you seem to be taking this very well," Celia noted.

"This isn't exactly the first time some upperclasswomen came and abducted me to have them meet their self-proclaimed 'queen'," Blake said, rolling his eyes.

"Hey, if Ribbons doesn't work, Ayame, can I call you 'Kate the Second'?" Ayame flipped him the bird from behind in response, Blake chuckling.

"Man, she's kind of irritable, isn't she?"

Celia shrugged.

"She's under a lot of stress," she quietly responded, her voice low enough for Ayame not to hear. "But she's really a good girl deep down."

"Oh, but there is one thing that you might want to know," Celia continued. "What Ayame told you about your mother… that wasn't just a ploy to get you to come here, you know."

Blake frowned.

"You seem to be quite well-informed."

"I'm not a very talkative person," Celia said, looking downwards, before raising her head to glance at Blake and giving him a small smile. "But I'm always happy to help."

"Hey, we're here, the both of you," Ayame's gruff voice interrupted them. Turning back to the two, she stood in front of a large salon, the only store in this section of the mall with its lights still on.

"Go on in," Ayame said, opening the door to the salon, jamming a thumb inside. "She's waiting for you."

So, in the next chapter we'll finally get our first look at one of the Four Daevas! I wonder what information she has in store for us! What could she possibly want from Blake? Such secrets and more, revealed next chapter, so keep a close lookout for it!