After everything that happened, all the drama and horror with Samarra, it's finally time to see the aftermath of what has happened. Agate Village was terrorized, and all the students are in pretty bad shape. But will they be okay? What's going to happen from here? Hopefully, everyone will be alright, but we've got a lot of stuff that definitely needs clearing up.

KedharS: If Dakota's willing to back off then the headmaster must have something serious going down.

Arbiter8991: I wouldn't have thought anything would be able to get Dakota to back off, but whatever that was, it must have been good.

Hyphenman: Still, I think that with all the shit that went down in Agate Village, Dakota would have wanted to report on it regardless.

Pokemon Academy: Beginning of Beginnings

Chapter 1243

"I'm telling you, I'm fine!" Callie groaned. The nurse had just finished checking her stitches. Thanks to Yellow's healing hands, her wounds had closed up nicely. But she would probably always have that scar, the doctor noted.

"Don't be like that," Rafe said, peeking his head into the room. "It's important that we make sure you're healing properly, little sister."

Callie sighed. Of all the times that her big brother stopped being the absentminded guy she knew him as and actually started behaving responsibly, it had to be now.

Well, I suppose I deserve it, she admitted to herself. I did push myself a lot harder than I should have… and that's why my wounds reopened…

Callie wasn't going to slack off on her recovery this time. She was going to get better. She swore that to herself.

"So what's going to happen?" She asked, trying to remain chipper. "With the trip, I mean."

Now it was Alcea's turn to step in. She'd been waiting outside with Rafe. She stepped in with a sigh and sat beside Callie's bed.

From the look on her face, it was clear that she didn't have good news.

"It's like we anticipated," she said. "We're going home. The groups are organizing right now to head back to the airport and take flights back to the Pokemon Academy."

"…Yeah, I kinda figured," Callie sighed. This trip had been a disaster. They'd been attacked by terrorists not once, but twice. It was shocking that the trip had been allowed to continue after the first attack, considering what had happened to her!

"That's not all," Alcea said, frowning. "We are… not permitted to discuss the specifics of what happened, is it?"

Callie was taken aback.

"H-Huh?! What do you mean?!" She demanded. "Not 'allowed'?!"

"The headmaster called and spoke to me personally," Alcea said. "He was concerned about the situation at hand. And he said… he had been informed about… Samarra."

Callie winced.

"I spoke with Kanone about it as well," Alcea continued. "And he would like this matter to be kept private as well."

"But we can't!" She blurted out, shaking her head. "That woman… she managed to get away! She's DANGEROUS!"

"Oui, that cannot be denied," Alcea nodded. "But… it is not our concern, is it?"

"Not… not our concern?!" Callie's eyes bulged out of her skull.

"Kanone said that he would take over the search for Samarra himself, devoting all of his family's resources towards that goal," Alcea explained. "But if we were to involve the authorities, that could… complicate matters."

"But that's…" Callie didn't know what to say. Alcea was always so cool and courageous, and now she was coming down on the side of keeping all this secret?!

"Think about what might happen," Alcea urged Callie, her voice harsher than she'd intended. "If the police tracked her down, without knowing what she was capable of."

Callie pictured it. A group of police officers, or worse, Pokemon Rangers, completely fallen under Samarra's sway.

She went pale.

"B-But… we could just tell them what happened, and-"

"Come on," Rafe laughed, patting his sister on the shoulder. She winced at the awkwardness of the gesture and at how casual he was about it. "You really think the police are going to believe there's a woman who can brainwash people with just a touch?"

Okay, well, when he put it like THAT…

Callie hung her head and sighed. "So there's really nothing we can do?"

"We'll have to trust Kanone to handle this," Alcea said. "At the very least… he's immune to her abilities, is it?"

She clearly wasn't any more comfortable with that than Callie was. Samarra's powers were dangerous, they were terrifying, and now she was loose on the world.

"There are still some other issues, though," Rafe said. "Even if we do keep what happened here secret… I think there might be someone who's less inclined to do that."

Alcea sighed, standing up and heading for the door. "…Oui," she agreed. "I'll see what I can do about that."

Agate Village's Pokemon Center couldn't take the place of an actual hospital. There were doctors there to treat people, of course, there had to be. After all, the village's population was very elderly, meaning they were vulnerable to all manner of illness and injury.

But that didn't mean they were equipped to handle a situation like this. It was fortunate that Callie's wounds weren't more severe. Gerard had made a complete recovery as well, it seemed, and hadn't said anything since he regained consciousness.

Alcea was reminded of an abandoned pokemon when she looked at the vacant expression on his face. It made her feel even more uncomfortable than she usually felt when she was around him. But while Gerard's injuries had been severe, there were more pressing matters.

"How is she?" Alcea asked as she arrived at the phones.

Olivia's expression darkened. She shook her head. "Still no sign of waking up, I'm afraid."

Ayame Toujou had been asleep for several days. Kanone had spared no expense getting her the best treatment possible. "She's family," had been all he'd had to say, and that was that. The doctors that had worked with his mother had flown out on the first opportunity, and had taken a look at Ayame's condition using all manner of machinery.

Ayame had been airlifted to a hospital in Phenac City that was better equipped to handle a condition like hers. Hiromi had gone with her, leaving the others in the custody of Rui and Wes. The school might get upset with her for abandoning the students under her care in a situation like this, but…

Hiromi was upset with them right back.

Olivia had been on the phone with the other woman all day.

"The doctors say that she's fine," she sighed, slumping back against the wall. Alcea was actually taken aback by what she saw as she stared at the blonde. There were bags under Olivia's eyes from having stayed awake for so long. That wasn't impressive in and of itself, because Alcea figured that she looked rather the same.

No, what was shocking was the fact that Olivia hadn't done a thing in response. No concealer, not even foundation. She was so worried about her friend's condition that taking care of her appearance hadn't even occurred to her.

A twinge of jealousy made Alcea frown.

"What does that mean?" Alcea pressed. "'Fine.' Tell me."

Olivia sighed again.

"Her… her brain isn't damaged, at least… not in any way their machines can find. Total brain activity, and her body doesn't have any serious injuries either.

"I see, well… that is good, is it?" Alcea asked. When Ayame hadn't awoken from her coma, everyone feared the worst. The violent way her mind had been snapped from Samarra and Samarra's breakdown that followed made them fear that Ayame could have serious brain damage as a result. But it didn't seem to have shaken out that way, thankfully.

"They say it's like she's just sleeping. She could come out of it any time," Olivia muttered, shaking her head. "And we don't have to worry because there are no signs of permanent damage…"

She clearly didn't sound convinced. Alcea couldn't blame her. They weren't dealing with usual medical injuries, the situation was a little more… supernatural in origin. And in a situation like that, it was hard to know for sure if Ayame really would wake up alright.

"I hate hospitals," Olivia said, clenching the hem of her skirt. Tears started to well up in her eyes. "The horrible smell… sanitation and medicine, it's all too clean. It's covering up what's really going on here. They… they reek of death."

Alcea reached out and placed a comforting hand on Olivia's shoulder, and the Empress melted against her.

"I don't want to lose anyone else," Olivia sniffled, clinging to Alcea like the redhead would disappear if she let go. "I need Aya back…"

Alcea didn't know what to say, so she just held her. Then the door to the Pokemon Center opened and she glanced up, and who she saw enter froze her blood with shocking rage.

While Alcea was comforting Olivia, there was someone else who could use some comfort herself. If you asked her, anyway.

"Oh, Ian, that was so brave of you," Donoma cooed, practically hanging off of Ian's arm. "The way you fought to keep all of us safe… you a hero!"

"It-It's nothing, really," Ian politely replied, trying very hard to keep his composure while Donoma pressed her chest against him.

Chloe sat off to the side, grateful her face was as covered as always so no one could see her seething at the two of them.

They were in the waiting room of the Pokemon Center! Didn't Donoma have any shame?!

"Don't let it get to you," Lukas sighed, slumping down into the chair next to Chloe. "This is what she does. She'll move on eventually…"

After she gets him into bed, he silently added. Chloe didn't need to hear that part.

"I-I'm not bothered," Chloe said, shaking her head. "It's none of my business what the two of them do! It's just… this is a public place! A hospital! They should show a little more awareness!"

"Mhm, right," Lukas nodded. He didn't need to be a genius to tell that this girl was also pining for Ian. You've got some stiff competition though… He gave her some mental pity. He couldn't imagine Donoma losing out to a girl who didn't even show her face.

That girl really knows how to work a situation to her advantage… he thought, remembering what happened after Samarra had disappeared, and the civilian evacuation group reunited with the group that was focusing on battling.

"Lukas!" Donoma wailed, throwing herself into his arms and nearly knocking him over. "I was so scared! So worried! But you're okay!" She was blubbering into his shirt and he had no idea what to make of the situation.

"What are you doing?!" He hissed. She flinched, and then started crying even harder.

Immediately he felt bad. That was an incredibly tense situation they'd been in, of course Donoma was upset and afraid. He reached around and awkwardly hugged her as she cried in his arms. Then she glanced up and he saw a familiar gleam in his eye.

"Well? Is he looking?"

"Wh-What?"

"Ian!" She hissed. "Is he looking at me? Is he jealous?"

Unbelievable. This fucking bitch.

Lukas fought the urge to curse her out and glanced up to see Ian staring worriedly at the two of them. It certainly wasn't jealousy on his face, though, it looked more like he was just concerned that Donoma was so scared.

"Uh… yeah. He's looking."

Lukas, on the other hand, was not. He couldn't stan the sight of her right now. But he didn't have to look to know she was smirking to herself, feeling very good about what had just transpired.

Bitch.

So of course, Donoma had worked that to her advantage, and been acting the scared little loving damsel nicely. And if Ian knew it was all a ruse, then Lukas would have to give him credit, because he certainly didn't look like he thought anything was amiss.

But if Donoma was totally relaxed and making the most out of this situation, there was someone else who was stressed out like crazy.

"God. I'm in so much trouble… this is the worst, the absolute worst!" Kiana paced back and forth through the lobby, mumbling to herself. Everyone had given her plenty of room to ruminate about how shitty her situation was.

She had let that psycho out. While she still didn't remember much about her time under Samarra's control, or the events that led up to it, she couldn't deny that it had happened under her watch. It was her fault, all of this was her fault. And if the school found out, or worse yet, the parents…

Lawsuits. Jail time. She was going to be in SO MUCH TROUBLE!

And if all that wasn't bad enough, she'd lost a student. Two of them. No one had seen Valon or Misato since Samarra's release. Had they been swayed?! Were they still controlled by her, even now, and had fled to parts unknown? Or had they gotten attacked by wild pokemon?! What if they were dead somewhere on the mountain?! Oh, their parents would string her up by her toes!

Lana watched her sister freak out, not sure what she was supposed to say. There were other issues they had to deal with though, issues that required their chaperone to actually have a good head on her shoulders.

Those issues involved Keahi.

Wes had accepted taking Keahi to the Pokemon Center. In fact, he'd had the trainer's pokemon healed up personally, and even found a private room for him.

But Keahi wasn't a guest. He was a prisoner.

"I told you already," Keahi glowered at him. "I have NOTHING to say to you. Give me back my pokeballs, now."

"Not a chance," Wes glared down at the boy. Rui stood at the door with a stern expression on her face as well. "Not until you tell me where the hell some punk like you got his hands on Shadow Pokemon. Once I've purified them, maybe then you can get them back."

"You can't do that!" Keahi snarled. "Those are MY pokemon! You can't just take them away!"

"I don't think you realize who the hell you're dealing with!" Wes snapped. He didn't give a damn that he was dealing with a child. He was younger than Keahi was now when he'd taken down Cipher, he wasn't about to abide another trainer using Shadow Pokemon. "One word from me and I will throw you in jail, do you understand?"

Keahi baulked a little. But he remained firm. Those were HIS pokemon. And it didn't matter if they were Shadow Pokemon or whatever the hell they were, he wasn't about to let someone take them from him. He'd fight his way out if he had to.

"Please, just tell us," Rui said softly. "Your pokemon… they're suffering like this. We just want to help them. I'm sure you don't want them to have to go through this either, right?"

Keahi couldn't believe what he was hearing. Was this lady really that naïve?

"He doesn't care," Wes said, narrowing his eyes. "I know the kind of person you are, punk. You don't give a damn about the condition of your pokemon, do you? They're just tools to make you stronger, isn't that right?"

Keahi didn't reply. He just glared.

"Listen, if you think you're going to get away with this because your school is insisting that nobody say a word about Samarra, think again," Wes said. "That doesn't cover your Shadow Pokemon. If I have to, I'm going to smear that academy any way I can, letting the public know just what their students are doing. You think they'll have your back then? Not a chance. You're DONE. Your Shadow Pokemon? They're mine now. And once you tell me how the HELL you did it, who you're working with, maybe then you can have them back, but until that happens-"

"Well now, I think that's enough. I think he's told you just about everything he has to say, wouldn't you agree?"

Rui flinched at the sound of that voice and Wes tensed, clenching his fist. He turned to the newcomer in the room with murder in his eyes.

"You…" Wes glared at Valon, who stood at the doorway with Misato beside him, wearing a calm smile on his face.

"Hello again, Wesley," Valon strolled into the room, staring down his old foe. Rui couldn't believe what she was seeing.

"What… how?" Her eyes shot to Wes. He didn't seem all that surprised to see that Ein was still alive. Apparently her husband hadn't been as forthcoming with her as she would have liked.

"It's a pleasure to see you again, young lady," Valon greeted Rui. An odd way to speak to a woman who looked more than twice his age, but they both knew better. Rui bit her lip, looking warily at Wes for a cue on what to do.

"You've got a lot of nerve coming here," Wes snarled.

"Oh? Coming from the man who stole the pokemon of a child? I'd say you're the one with a lot of nerve," Valon said, raising his eyebrow. "Falling back into old habits are we, Wesley?"

Wes shook his head, wearing an incredulous smirk. "So you're the source. You're the one who gave him those Shadow Pokemon."

"About that," Valon said. "I think we should have a long discussion about what we should do moving forward, don't you agree, Wesley?"

Wes didn't have anything to say to him. But somehow he doubted that would make a difference.

Meanwhile, across the region in Phenac City, Hiromi was in the waiting room of the hospital, using their telephone.

"You think I care?!" She demanded. "My daughter was attacked! She was being controlled by that woman for who knows how long!"

She listened to the other end of the line, her eyes widening with shock.

"MY responsibility?! MY responsibility?! You're seriously talking about responsibility at a time like this?!" She exclaimed. "TWICE! That makes TWICE now that my daughter has had to end a school trip in the hospital! And you want to talk to me about responsibility?!"

The voice on the other end of the line said some more things, and Hiromi's eyes bulged in disbelief.

"Well we'll just see about that!" She exclaimed, slapping the phone down in a huff. She ignored the stink-eye the receptionist gave her, storming down the hall back to her daughter's room.

She muttered all manner of obscenities that had no business being spoken in a hospital, or by a mother. But she couldn't help herself. She was infuriated by the school representative that she'd been speaking to. She couldn't BELIEVE they were planning to cover up what had happened to her baby!

Then she entered the room and all that faded from her mind entirely.

"Mom…"

Ayame was sitting up in her bed, looking healthy as a horse. She seemed a little confused, but Hiromi didn't have time to think about that. Tears welled up in her eyes and she ran across the room, throwing her arms around her daughter.

"Oh, Aya! You're okay! You woke up!" Hiromi blubbered.

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine, what's going on? Why am I here?" Ayame asked, confused.

"You… it's complicated," Hiromi said, wiping her eyes. "You were attacked, sweetheart. You were being… I guess, it's like mind control?"

"Mind control?!" Ayame's eyes widened in disbelief. "Mom, what the fuck?"

"Don't you use that language with me!" Hiromi snapped. "And anyway, it's the truth. It's like you were someone else, Aya! You were being controlled, and you'll never believe by whom! It's was Blake's sister!"

Ayame blinked, still confused. "Blake's sister?" She asked. "What are you talking about?"

"Yes, apparently Blake's sister has this strange mind control ability," Hiromi explained. "But it's okay. Because his brother Kanone showed up, and he helped save you! And it looks like you're alright now! Your father and sister are going to be so thrilled, and Olivia too, of course," she laughed. "And don't forget Blake. We should call them right now to let them all know you're okay!"

"MOM! I don't understand," Ayame exclaimed, shaking her head. "Who the fuck is Blake?"

Well, it seems like the trip to the Orre Region has quite a bit of collateral damage in the aftermath. Things seem to be sorting out okay for the most part, but as expected it seems like the school is trying to keep it all under wraps. Definitely the person to be concerned about right now is Ian! Donoma's working hard to get her hooks into him! Everybody else seems to be doing okay, though. Will everything turn out okay in the end?