Callie and Nick were dealing with some serious issues in their relationship. But they were able to talk. And they resolved things as best as they could. Now, hopefully, they'll decide to stick together. In spite of Callie's desperation to sever the bond between them, it seems pretty clear that she really needs Nick in her life. He's the only one who can help her heal from these issues, considering he likes her regardless of her scars, and she'd be a fool to break up with him! Remember to review!

KedharS: It really is an emotional chapter. Which makes sense, as Callie's dealing with a lot of overflowing emotions that she's not well-equipped to handle.

Hyphenman: Yep. Callie's been in a tough situation. But hopefully with Nick's love she can dig herself out of it and really start to shine. She deserves to be happy. And yes, Callie Callison Crawford is her full name. Always has been. It's certainly not me periodically forgetting what her surname actually is or anything.

Pokemon Academy: Beginning of Beginnings

Chapter 1288

"…So… you guys didn't break up?" Reiner clarified. It was the morning of the next day, and everyone was getting breakfast before the Pokeathlon Competition could begin. And yet the group was significantly smaller than usual, even though Callie was back; Blake, Cynthia, and Sango were all nowhere to be seen for some reason.

Callie glanced down sheepishly. "We decided it would be better to stick together," she said, overflowing with embarrassment from the previous night.

Reiner stared appraisingly at them, not sure what to make of that. Nick and Callie hadn't shared all the details about their spat the previous night, of course, they were both way smarter than that. But they'd made the important parts clear.

Because Reiner was missing a bunch of pieces to this puzzle, he was trying to figure out more. But he wasn't getting anywhere since the tumultuous couple was being unusually tight-lipped.

"Well, whatever the reason, I'm happy!" Kitty grinned. "You two care about each other way too much, I'm glad you didn't break up!"

"Thanks, Kitty," Callie said, beaming at her fellow shorty.

"Yeah, you got that right," Julia nodded, grinning. "You two sticking together is definitely a good thing. Considering what happened between Blake and Ayame, if you two had broken up, that would mean Reiner and Nikita were the only couple left in our group. Can you imagine THOSE two being the only couple to actually make it? No thanks.

"Hey!" Nikita exclaimed, glaring at her. She couldn't believe Julia would say something like that- okay, yeah, she could. She never missed a chance to take a cheap shot at Reiner, not when she had the opportunity.

Reiner, on the other hand, didn't seem bothered by it. "…As much as I hate to say it, she raises a valid point," he nodded.

Nikita's jaw dropped and she swatted him in the chest. "Reiner!"

"What? She does!" He protested. "Who would buy that out of the three couples in our friend group, you and I would be the last one to make it?"

"I would!" Nikita exclaimed indignantly. She got up out of her seat and stormed off in a huff.

"Nikita, come on! I was joking!" Reiner ran after her, leaving Julia and Kitty behind with the other couple. Everyone just looked at each other awkwardly.

"Well, knowing those two, they'll be fine," Nick sighed.

"So what were you guys up to while I was away?" Callie said. "Did I miss anything important?"

Julia and Kitty looked at each other. Where to start?

"You're not going to tell me anything?!" Blake exclaimed, glaring at his brother. They were having tea in Alcea's garden, under the Rose Queen's personal invitation.

"That's right," Kanone nodded, taking a sip from his cup. "But don't get me wrong. I acknowledge that you've earned the right to hear everything. So I will tell you. It just won't be right now, that's all," he explained.

Blake glared at him. That sounded like an excuse to get out of telling him at all. "You're really going to tell me, though, right? About everything that went on in Orre with Gwen?" He knew how much his brother wanted to keep this information secret, so he really doubted his words.

"I promise," Kanone insisted, staring directly into Blake's eyes.

Blake really wished he could believe his older brother, he really did. But he was too suspicious of him at the moment.

Still, it wasn't like he could just force him to talk, either.

"Fine," he muttered through gritted teeth. "If that's the way you want it, then fine."

"It's for your own good," Kanone said gently. "You're entering the Pokeathlon Competition today, right?"

"Yeah, so what?" Blake asked, not sure what his brother was getting at.

"Well, my issue is, if I tell you about what happened in the Orre Region… I fear it would be a significant distraction for you," Kanone explained. "And given how important you said this competition was, I wouldn't want to burden you unnecessarily before it. If you somehow couldn't perform properly due to being distracted by what I have to say, and you end up messing things up… I wouldn't be able to forgive myself. Please believe me," he pleaded.

Blake scowled, glaring at his brother. It all sounded very convenient to his ears.

"He is not wrong, is it?" There was Alcea adding to the conversation for the first time. She'd been sitting off on the sidelines drinking tea, but had decided to give her two cents. She lowered her teacup and looked Blake directly in the eyes.

"The issues that occurred in the Orre Region were serious," she stated, her voice leaving no room for discussion. "Believe me when I say that they will change a significant amount of things for you, Blake. If you hear it… I have no doubt it would weaken your resolve and shatter your concentration."

The look in her eyes seemed to bore into Blake's heart. He winced, feeling an unusual amount of pressure coming from the other girl. It was like she could see right through him. He hadn't felt this presence from Alcea since his battle against her.

"Well… if you say so, Alcea," he mumbled.

"So Alcea, I hear you're not joining the Pokeathlon?" Kanone asked, artfully changing the conversation now that a new player had arrived.

"Oui," Alcea nodded. "While it is always good to keep in shape, I see no benefit in joining such a laborious physical endeavor. So I decided it would be for the best if I were to remain on the sidelines, cheering on those who competed."

"Like me!" And there was the fourth voice at the table. Kate held her head up high, grinning smugly. She gleamed with an unusual level of confidence.

"You're entering?" Blake asked, more than a little surprised.

Kate scowled. "Yeah, of course I'm entering!" She glared at him. "Why wouldn't I be entering? It seems like fun."

Blake wasn't quite sure how to answer that question. He shrugged. "I don't know, I just didn't think it would be your sort of event, that's all."

"Well, I could say the same about you," Kate sniffed. She'd heard about what had happened between Blake and Ayame, which put her in an uncomfortable position. Because, like it or not, her feelings for Blake had not diminished as much as she would have wanted them to. She still had the occasional wistful thought after him, imagining what they could have been together.

And Ayame having lost her memories and deciding to break up with him put her in a strange position. Maybe this could be my chance… she briefly wondered.

She'd dismissed that idea in about four seconds. Blake had already turned her down, and that was BEFORE he'd realized how he felt about Ayame. To try and make a move on him after that would be the pinnacle of foolishness.

But those four seconds of possibility still ached in her heart. Try as she might, she couldn't shake the image of the two of them in love.

"You know, Blake, if this plot is unsuccessful and you're unable to restore Ayame's memories, perhaps there is another method you might consider," Alcea said, causally taking a long sip of her cup, draining it dry before setting it down in front of her. "You could always ask Kate to cook something for her. She shock might be so powerful it would bring back her memories like that," she finished by snapping her fingers.

Kate turned red. "M-My cooking isn't THAT bad-"

"Oh, now that's a funny joke. I knew it was worth it to wake up so early and come for a walk in the garden," a voice tittered from outside the gazebo.

Kate flinched. She recognized that voice all too well. Three heads turned to see who it was, while Alcea fixed herself up another cup of tea.

Standing at the entrance of the gazebo, down the small flight of stairs, was a girl that looked familiar to Blake, but he couldn't quite put his finger on where he'd seen her before. She had straight black hair that shined like silk, tied up in a bun. The luxurious quality of her locks were quite a feature, but they weren't what caught his attention. No, that was the silk kimono she wore, colored a shade of midnight with pink sakura branches stitched into it. She held her hand over her mouth to suppress a smirk, her green eyes shining up at them.

"Hello there," Kanone greeted the girl as she walked up to join them. "Nice to meet you. Did you need anything?"

"Not at all," the elegant girl purred. "I just came by to say hello. It's not often that we entertain guests, after all. May I join you?"

Kate held her tongue. Blake glanced at her, and seeing her startled reaction, he finally figured out where he remembered her.

Naya Nadeshiko. She'd been in the Fall Festival Tournament. She'd gotten decently far, in fact, defeating Nick in the first round of the finals before being smashed like a grape by Elaina. He'd completely forgotten about her since she was such a nonentity in his life.

"By all means, please join us," Alcea said, beckoning to an empty seat. Naya took the offer with a dignified smile, extending her gratitude.

"Thank you, milady, you are quite generous," she smiled, sitting down in the empty seat between Blake and Kate. A calculated move, no doubt. She was smiling, but there was something about her that unnerved Blake. And no wonder, given what he remembered about her battle with Nick.

Behind that beatific grin was a slimy Ekans who would threaten and torment her opponents out of sick enjoyment. The kind of woman he really didn't want anything to do with. He shivered and looked down at his tea cup.

"Will you be joining the Pokeathlon, milady?" Naya asked, turning to Alcea. Alcea shook her head. She'd already answered that question once today. Naya didn't push it. "I see. What a pity. I suppose I'll have to make a good showing, then. The reputation of the Gardening Club is on the line, and as the only member entering, I must do my best."

Kate's eye twitched. She'd done that on purpose, damn it!

"I'm entering too, you know," she growled, glaring at Naya. The flower girl looked genuinely perplexed by that.

"Really?" She asked, surprised. "I had thought that with your scrawny figure, you would have a difficult time even working up to a jog."

Kate's eye twitched, and both girls glared at each other with their green eyes. Apparently as everyone at the table knew Naya's general nature, she saw no need to conceal her true intentions from any of them anymore.

"Naya, behave yourself," Alcea gently chastised her, leading Kate to smirk in triumph. "Kate, you behave yourself as well."

"But milady!" She protested.

"We're all members of the same club," Alcea said, narrowing her eyes. "It won't do to make light of one another."

"…Well, fine," Kate scowled. "I'll show you anyway. I've got some new pokemon that'll totally knock your socks off!" She promised.

"I'm looking forward to it," Naya smirked. Kate continued to glare.

Blake sighed. Today was looking like quite a mess already. He couldn't be the only one finding himself trapped in a situation he didn't know how to resolve, right?

While Will's issues were not as severe as Blake's, he still had something that he was struggling to deal with.

Giving Misato her gift. He'd been putting it off to allow her time to be repaired, and now that she was fully repaired, he no longer had an excuse not to go check in on her.

When he walked into the lab, he had to do a double take. Misato was seated at one of the work benches, which was already unusual. As a Mechadoll, she didn't get tired, so there was no reason she would need to sit down. Given the fact that she stood up and turned his way when he entered the room, he suspected that the entire motivation behind it was to simulate a happy return.

But she wasn't smiling. Or if she was, he wasn't able to tell. Because he wasn't looking at her face at the moment, he was staring at the sunflower tucked into her hair.

"H-Hey," Will greeted awkwardly. "What's with the flower?"

Misato stared at him with her hollow eyes. "Sylvia put it in my hair," she said matter-of-factly. "She stated that it would be a resonant accessory for our meeting today, and that it would improve the bond between the two of us. I have observed a slight rise in your heart rate. Factoring in that shift in your physiological state, would it be accurate to describe the experiment as a success?"

Will scowled. This wasn't supposed to be an experiment.

"It's fine," he said. "It looks nice on you."

No sense in making a big deal out of something that didn't really matter.

Misato stared at him without blinking. "Understood. Thank you."

"You don't have to do it again, though," he quickly clarified. "Don't go getting dressed up fancy on my account, please."

"Understood," Misato responded. Somehow Will got the feeling that his request was a futile one.

"So, uh… the reason I came here today…"

"You have come to deliver my welcome home present, correct?" Misato asked. Will scowled. The clinical, emotionless way she asked for it made him disinclined to give it to her. But then, he couldn't do that. He'd gotten it for her, after all, or rather, Oscar had.

So seeing no reason not to complete the delivery, he fished the flash drive out of his pocket and handed it over. She accepted it without issue.

"This is a Silph Corporation Advanced Memory Stick," Misato noted. Again, there wasn't a trace of emotion in her voice, much to Will's frustration.

"I spent a lot of time thinking about what to give you," Will said. "And I thought that this would be the best choice."

Or rather, Oscar did…

"Thank you," Misato said, and to Will's shock her face shifted into the best approximation of a smile he'd ever seen from her. "This is perfect. I'll be able to back up a significant amount of data with this. I am very grateful."

Will didn't know what to say. He'd expected Misato's reaction to be the same detached, emotionless response she always gave, so seeing her with a beaming smile was unusual. He wasn't sure what to say to her.

"Um… I'm glad you like it?" He mumbled. Finally his curiosity became too much for him. "What's with the smile?" He asked. She didn't usually smile.

Misato stared at him. The smile left her face. "Sylvia explained to me that it is courteous to smile when receiving a gift. The relationship of the gift giver and the desirability of the gift itself determine the size of the smile, and the amount of emotion put into it. Hypothetically, of course. I do not possess any emotions to convey with a smile."

Will frowned. He was happy to hear that she liked it, but he wasn't sure how he felt about Sylvia's little game. It was just the latest in a long line of inconveniences and problems and it was starting to get on his nerves.

"Is there anything else you would like to discuss?" Misato asked.

Will stared at her. The way she'd said that… no, he was just imagining things. But to his ears, he emotionless voice sounded almost hopeful, like she didn't want them to go their separate ways just yet. It reminded him of the way Cynthia hung off of Blake so often during their trip to the Hoenn Region, incredibly clingy and desperate for attention.

But it was too bad. He had something else to do today.

"Sorry, I can't," he apologized. "I'm entering the Pokeathlon Competition today, and I don't want to be late."

"Undestood," Misato nodded. "You are free to go. But before you leave I would once again like to express my gratitude for this gift."

Before Will could respond, Misato closed the short distance between the two of them and pressed her lips against his cheek. They were as soft as synthesized skin, but lacked any emotion. It was a very bizarre feeling.

"Um… yeah, you're welcome," Will mumbled, fleeing the room before he was forced to deal with the strange feelings welling up inside him.

That girl… Mechadoll… whatever the hell she is… this is just too difficult to handle, he told himself as he exited the Sandbox.

Will liked Misato, he really did. More than he liked most people, anyway. Because as annoying as she was, she was still rather obedient. He didn't have to worry about her messing things up or bothering him when he didn't want to be bothered.

But that didn't explain these bizarre feelings in his chest.

She's still a Mechadoll, he reminded herself. Just because she looks human and chooses to express her gratitude with a kiss, that doesn't change anything. She only did that because Sylvia is corrupting her with weird thoughts.

And yet, he couldn't deny that he'd liked the kiss. As someone whose prospects for romance were nonexistence, the fact that a girl expressed an interest in him, even an artificial one, still made him feel nice.

But he didn't have time to think about stuff like that.

The Pokeathlon Competition was starting in less than half an hour. And while the event wasn't the sort of thing that Will would usually be interested in given his disinterest in anything athletic, the situation had changed. He wanted to actually try his hand at something for once. Not because he expected to win, but because he thought it would be fun.

What's the matter with me? He wondered as he approached the arena where the games would begin in force. First going to the Hoenn Region with those guys, then buying a present for Misato, and now this? Why am I doing so many things I wouldn't normally do?

He didn't want to admit it, but there was a possibility that Misato's presence in his life was changing more about him than he thought.

Well, things are getting spicy! We've got a few more competitors joining the competition, so Blake's going to have some real trouble on his hands! Kate, Naya, even Will, at least Misato isn't joining! That wouldn't even be fair! But in the end, it doesn't matter. The only contestant who really matters to Blake in these games is Ayame. Will he be able to reach her?