Author's notes:

B Boi: Well, for lack of a better word I called them that. No one I asked could say for sure what the hell to call them.
And the last part was just me being evil. Inquisitor killing witch. Nothing new there, move along...

Eru878: Who said it was in Saffron? I never GAVE a setting. I had in mind a remote location, but I never discribed it. After all, there's always witnesses in the city, like it or not. Kinda my fault about that... just consiter the place to be some bland 'nowhere'.

Deadphoenix: Thanks for the compliment. But Umbreon is only a possibility. Umbreon, Sneasel, Houndoom / dour, Mightyena / Poochyena, Absol, they're all possibilities. Nothing else though, I ruined the chance of having a black Tyranitar because I put in 'fur'. It was tempting to put in a shiney, though.

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own, nor have any claims to own anything related to Psychic Academy, besides the fact that I own a copy of the series. I just happen to like it, so I'm inserting a reference. :P
And I confess, the witch-hunting is partially inspired by the Aura Hunters in the series as well. But there are always inquisitors seeking to kill witches. WHR, Charmed (I watched it a few years ago, to my current disgust), Psychic Academy, Inuyasha (halfbreed demons, witches, same same),get the picture?


Chapter Twenty-eight: Explanations, and acceptance.


Chris shook his head, and dug out his water canteen. "Mostly, that's it. What I'm not saying, I'm never going to say. You're a trainer; I don't want that info going out, regardless of your intentions. The dragons have enough to worry about as is." He took a huge swig of water (actually, he drained a LOT of it from the canteen), and stared off into space, lost in his memories.


April glared at him. "What're you looking at ME FOR?"

He didn't notice. Restraining the 'slap instinct', she realized his eyes were misted over, blurred. He wasn't paying attention to anything whatsoever.


Chris sighed, and shut his eyes. "I guess that nightmare warned me well enough. Marked twice-over for death. I wonder if I get a third attacker on my life, I'll just die, or something stupid like that. Maybe even 'evolve' to a chosen one, and have some legendary guarding me or something like that…" He smiled bitterly, then shook his head (eyes still closed, but it didn't matter). Like that was going to happen anytime soon. Legendary pokemon only were bonded with people in fantasy.

He was no mythical hero. Just a teenaged guy with gifts he was forced to hide, because they made him an even bigger target. This wasn't a fantasy, where magic could be easily covered up, and only the people who would help you would notice.


April froze. He'd never mentioned anything about a nightmare. Kani tilted her head, and April felt something soft touching her mind. It had a female 'feel' to it, yet it also had some male traits… (It's a dream he had recently. It warned him that he's going to be hunted by the inquisitors. After all, those tattoos are the witchcraft signs, so far as they're concerned.)

April blinked, and stared at Kani. She just swished her tail. (Surprised? Don't be. You don't have to be telepathic to understand human telepathy. All of you are 'wired' for that. Evolutionary heritage, from your past I suppose. Chris… he's just able to understand practically anything telepathic. So I'm using his abilities to communicate with you.)

"Chris?" Chris opened his eyes, and looked at April. She was kind of scared of him now – he was really different, sometimes. "What?"

"When you almost… died… what was it like?"

He sighed, and April had a sinking sensation. His eyes blurred again, and she could see a wetness in them. "I… wish I could remember. Parts of it, yes, I remember. I had to go through a test to come back to life. I know I had to fight my own darkness, my own private evil… though I don't know what in specific it was like. But the gates beyond death… I can't. I know someone from there told me I'd forget. I know I tried to force myself to always remember it, but I can't. I don't remember anything from there. I guess it's just as well."

April was confused. She knew her face gave that away. Why wouldn't someone WANT to remember what life after death looked like?

Chris shook his head, after a few moments. "It's simple, April. If I knew what death was like… if I knew what paradise looked like… I'd want to go back. I'd probably kill myself." He stared off into space again (though this time, not at her). "And frankly, that's no answer. It's the coward's way out of trouble. If I died…" His gaze drifted over to Kani, who was looking back at him with a expression April couldn't read.

He was acting sort of eerie, actually.


Chris mentally sighed. "Sorry about that. It's just… something I've been mulling over for a while now. Once you nearly die, it's something you don't forget."

(I think she's kinda creeped out.)

April shuddered, then walked away. Chris and Kani exchanged a significant look, and then Chris shrugged. (It was her choice. She wanted to know. Now she knows the nightmare that I can't wake from.)

(Well, that was poetic.)

(I guess. What's it matter? Either she'll just make herself forget, or just leave us alone now. She knows everything that she'll get out of us. Hopefully, she'll keep her trap shut about us.)

Anekiro shook his head. (It's usually not that simple, Chris. You know that.)

Chris nodded, looking a bit sad. "Yea, I do. Anyway, what are we doing after this?"

Kani tilted her head. (After the psychic thing? It could take years, to fully learn.)

"I'm not interested in that. I've mastered telepathy according to you, Kani. All I honestly need is to learn what else I can do. Couldn't you just tutor me on the rest?"

(Maybe. I don't know, honestly. Some humans have demonstrated pyrokinetic abilities that are comparable to some fire types, in terms of power. That, I couldn't teach you, though you could probably teach me, if you learned it. It's getting really strange, there.)

"Like Psychic Academy weird?"

(Hmm… I'd say you've got a point. I don't really know. We'll find out how strange the place is when we get there.)

(My thoughts exactly. You can't operate on reputation only. A declawed villain can still be feared, even though they are no threat. Reputation… it's a thing that doesn't operate on reality sometimes.)

"Thank you, mister introspective Dragonair"


April sighed. She really didn't know what to do. Now she COULD be killed, for what she knew.

A Vulpix pranced up to her, unafraid. "Vul!"

She smiled gently, and rubbed the little fox's head. "You're Mathrara, aren't you?"

The Vulpix nodded, saying something in his language. He seemed to expect a response, but April had no idea what he said.

She walked off. That Vulpix was brave enough to tag along with Chris, and risk his life. She… she wasn't.


Mathrara sighed, and followed the girl. In fact, he jumped into her arms, trying to relax her.

"Look… don't just ignore me! You're braver than you think, you know…" He almost purred (well, not really - he wasn't a cat) when she cracked, and began to gently scratch. "That's the spot…"


Chris looked up at a flash of light. An Alakazam was standing near Kani, and Sabrina was next to it. "You know you will be hunted, no matter where you run."

Chris nodded. "Yes. So? I've already got a continent spanning crime ring after me. What's a few religious nuts?"

A faint smile cracked the cool exterior of Sabrina, but it disappeared quickly. "Who are you?"

He restrained the instinct to bow semi-formally. "Chris Wolf, formerly of Celadon City. Right now, I'm a wanted man by the Rockets, and the religious nuts you know about, for psychic powers that I've demonstrated a few times."

She nodded. "I guessed that. Why do you believe we will shelter you?"

Chris shook his head. "Never asked for that. I just want to know what I can do besides telepathy. Maybe get some pointers to improve my skills. Kani's been teaching me, so I'm fairly good… but having another human's point of view might help."

(Quite the humble one, I see. And a gifted one, no less…)

Chris shrugged, looking at the Alakazam. "What's the point of pride? The respect is nice, but I prefer the lack of fear from the wild pokemon. They don't run in fear when they see me. In fact, some even ask me for help on this or that. I… like that. Being the wandering good-doer. Even if it sounds like a fantasy, it's been a dream that I've had for a while." He added softly to the Alakazam (and keep that quiet, even from Sabrina. If she needs to know, tell her… but otherwise, don't.)

Sabrina's eyebrows rose at the exchange. "Well, that's something new. Do you know pokemon language?"

"Kinda."

"Strange…"

Chris shrugged, looking at Anekiro. "It's just something… a gift, I guess. I can somehow translate whatever a pokemon is saying… no matter what type of pokemon they are. Well, except for dark types. But it's not because I've studied every pokemon's language. I just… mentally do the work. Kani said it has something to do with my telepathic powers, but she really can't explain it very well herself."

Sabrina looked him over again, then nodded slightly. "As the leader of the Academy, I accept you into the Academy, provided you pass the exam. However, you must remain silent about your past to anyone except myself. You also must take steps to guarantee that you are not discovered by outside agents."

Chris nodded grimly, his face showing intense distaste. "That, I expected. Do you have problems with the church too?"

She nodded. "Inquisitors sometimes attempt to hunt students of the academy. Usually they fail, but we do lose a student occasionally. We cannot do anything about them, they have too much pull with the government."

Chris's eyes hardened. "Well, I've got an idea, with your permission. Whenever you suspect one is going to show up, I play target. I've lived in the slums, and I know how to deal with them. After all, I was attacked by one before I arrived. I can make them disappear to somewhere across the continent. If they die in the wilderness, it's their own fault…"

Chris could tell she was thinking it over. Eventually, her eyes hardened. "Your offer is tempting… but are you sure you can handle inquisitors?"

Chris nodded. "They can draw all the guns they want, Kani'll just make 'em bounce off. If they inflict collateral damage trying to kill a 'witch', maybe people will start to see the truth. And I'm used to dealing with gangs, even if I wasn't in one."

She nodded. "I will consider your suggestion. If you pass the exam, it is a possibility. Present yourself at my gym tomorrow. I'll lead you to the academy." She looked over to her Alakazam, and they disappeared with another burst of light.

Chris blinked away the flash-blindness (the flash was BRIGHT), and turned to Kani. "Well, now we know for sure you don't teleport. I've never seen a flash when you teleport."

(I know. But WHAT AM I DOING?)

"Does it matter, honestly? So long as it works…"

(Until it fails, and one of us ends up dead.)

"Defeatist."

(Optimist.)

(Don't pitch insults at each other like that. You love each other, so get along already!)

Kani turned her head away, looking at the ground. Chris looked from Kani to Anekiro, then shook his head in confusion.


April sighed, and put down Mathrara. "I'm sorry… but it's too much! Tell him that." She ran off, then flew away with her Altaria. She wouldn't say a word, but she didn't want to get near him until she had sorted everything out.


Kani sighed. (Chris… I've got to do something, before I can let you go to the academy.)

Chris gave her a questioning look, one eyebrow arched. "What?"

The other two pokemon (Mathrara had come back, saying April ran off) looked at her like she was crazy. (What could you possibly…)

(I've got to give him… another 'gift'. Knowledge.)

Chris sighed, and looked down. "Will it hurt like last time?"

(No. I'll knock you out before I start. The sleeping mind accepts knowledge easier.)

Chris nodded, and looked directly at Kani. She lowered her head slightly, but nodded. (I have to. Call it a premonition. You'll need it.)

Chris nodded again, and then set himself on the ground. He dropped his mental shields, and then… nothing.


Kani shook her head softly, her work done. He'd need the knowledge she'd given him. It was basically… a master trainer's worth of information. He probably knew more about pokemon than some professors, and could correct the pokedex on some things.

Just as well. She'd been giving him information before (she'd slipped him a fair amount when he was in a coma, for example)… but now, he was ready for whatever.

She wasn't ready for a professional Rocket yet, nor was anyone else… but they were getting stronger. If Chris had the abilities she thought he had, they'd become strong enough soon… strong enough to start fighting back.

The Rockets had to be stopped.

"Aw, ain't that sweet?"

Kani slowly stalked up to Mathrara, then headbutted him about five feet back. She 'cheated' by using her psychic powers, but who cares?

"Fox… I'm running out of patience with you. Keep on pissing me off, I'm teleporting you five hundred miles away."

Mathrara slowly got up, and tilted his head. "And that's scary because…"

"I'll drop you in the middle of the ocean. I wonder how well Vulpix swim?"

"Yipe!"


A/N: Anyone here wondering what's with Kani's bizarre actions around Chris? Well, the reasons won't become clear for a while. If ever, it depends on how evil I feel. Feel free to guess, though.

Oh, and this is set AFTER Ash changed Sabrina. That's why she's not acting all split personality and evil.
I really don't know how to handle her, so she won't have a major role. Sorry Sabrina fans... well, not really. :)
But I'm debating whether or not to include Ash in a few chapters or not, despite my private vow to keep him out. Though Sanja would probably attack Misty if he did show up... hmm...
Well, if you want to vote on that, feel free to do so. I'll consiter it seriously. Also, I've got one free slot remaining. I took Spring Hawk'ssuggestion, and included a dark type, who you've already met once. Suggestions?