B Boi: Actually, I'm unsure about what you're talking about. If it's the American version, sure, they just pass out. But I'm wondering if the Japanese version has the pokemon die or not. I read that somewhere that they do - but I'll admit that my memory's foggy.
Either way, it's a minor point for this story.
Fjord Cannon: The suspense will build for awhile, especially when Ash gets involved.
Twisted Alyx: First off, thanks for pointing that out. You see, my spelling went south a LONG time ago, I only can write thanks to spellchecker. I'll correct the chapter spelling sometime later.
Secondly, Kani does get a better personality (including a love interest) later. But her speech probably will remain the same, I'm getting a headache trying to generate unique personalities for every character that gets involved. It might eventually change due to Chris, but very slowly.
Third, about that end comment, that's just me being witty. And hyperactive, since I didn't know how this story would turn out. Mental note: stay away from sugar from now on when writing. Especially the first few chapters.
About that Chris thanking Kani - he kinda owes her his life. True, he shielded her, but she was the one that got him out of there alive. And it also was sort of a reassurance / guilt reliever. She had survivor's guilt, remember - she was guilty over how she couldn't save the family of guardians, despite the fact that there was nothing she could do at the time.
And finally, though I've said it before, the dialog problem of mine is a rather horrible habit. If anyone here does a lot of text-based RPing, you get the idea. Gaia-Online corrupted me, to a degree. Like I've said, I'm trying to work at it, and I'm slowly improving. I doubt I'll have the energy to rewrite the whole story to fix that problem (I've bitten off more than I can chew right now), but the chapters SHOULD improve as time goes on, I can promise you that much. And that's also where the character discriptions come from. Besides... I'm actually not very good at INSERTING them into the story. If they're outside, it makes complete sense, since it's all in one place... inside, I scatter it among five chapters (I actually do that, read Frozen Wind (FF-X story, but the main char is a familiar pokemon expert) if you're doubting me). People can't really build a mental image when the imagery is sent to the winds like that. Well, at least I can't do it very well.
And now, without further ranting and raving by the insane author who's had a bit too much time on his hands at one in the morning, the next chapter. Don't correct me on my spelling on the A/N, I frankly won't care enough to do anything about it besides shrug and shake my head. I'll clarify if something doesn't make sense, though.
Chapter Thirty-Five: Sleep
"Please reconsider, Sanja! It is your DESTINY to become a medium of great power!"
Chris sighed, and held his head in his hands. "Destiny smestiny. Let her chose her path. No way my destiny was charted out."
The collected mediums glared at Chris, and he just returned the look with a nasty look of his own. He held it for a moment, then turned to Sanja, who was looking more pissed off with every utterance the mediums made. "Should we go?"
Sanja nodded shortly, and walked out. Chris grinned to himself, and followed her. Anekiro, Mathrara, and Teskara followed him.
A Gengar tried to use Hypnosis on all of them, but they all just shut their eyes, and Mathrara used Faint Attack to knock it out. Kani helped by blasting it with a Psybeam, though.
Kani slowed, and turned back to the mediums. She gave them a look of disgust, and muttered "don't use destiny. We forge our own paths, you humans never seem to understand that." She sighed (they couldn't understand her), and ran to catch up with the others.
Chris looked back at the tower, then at the sun. It was starting to get dark, there wasn't a reason to go stumbling in the dark. "We'll stay at the center, assuming they have one here."
Sanja nodded, still looking pissed. Occasionally, people would shoot Chris glares of hate, but he ignored them… or shot them back even nastier looks of his own.
Kani sighed, as everyone stood in front of the boarded-up center. Sanja asked, "Closed due to lack of funding?"
Chris snorted softly. "More like closed due to local populace's hatred of pokemon trainers. I don't blame them, but jeez."
Sanja gave Chris a strange look. "You don't?"
Chris smiled weakly. "Right now, there's more gangs of pokemon trainers than there are GOOD trainers. I had to fight at least two gangs in Saffron to GET to the gym. Not to mention the inquisitor. Frankly, the world's going to hell. I've just been lucky, and not had to face major gangs yet. Well, besides the Rockets, and the home-grown gangs. But they left me alone, I can hold my own in a fistfight."
Kani nodded, agreeing with him. (You've been sheltered, Sanja. The mediums DID guard you when you headed to the academy. They lost two of their own trying to protect you… strange though, they hate psychics, why did they guard you? They muttered some nonsense…)
Sanja looked at Kani in shock. "They… what?"
(Lost two of their own. I checked their memory concerning you. Trust me, they've been trying to protect you. You do have great power in the medium arts… and psychic arts, you also have power.)
She looked vaguely sad for a moment, then her look hardened. "And I'm a psychic. Period. No way am I listening to some stupid prophesy."
Chris arched an eyebrow. "Prophesy?"
She shook her head, and leaned on the boards blocking entry into the center. "Some stupid thing. They said that I'd travel with someone who can… oh shit."
"What?"
"Someone who can understand the words of every creature… and unlock their hidden powers with a gift of their own. I'm supposed to stay with whoever it is… and become a great guardian… supposed to… Shit! Chris… this isn't you, is it? I know the first part is true…"
Chris looked at Kani. She shrugged, then looked away. (I don't know.)
Anekiro sighed. (Probably. Fate seems to like assigning you difficult tasks. Gifted one, psychic… being in some prophesy would suit your luck.)
(Yea. And you're always so damned noble. At least use your powers to get laid!)
(Fox, I'm going to castrate you.)
Chris held his head in his hands, and gave Kani a look that said 'stop it, please.' "I don't need this now. Kani, can you… 'walk us into the center? We'll rest up inside, and forget the stupid sign."
(Well, sure. But what's… oh. Well, that's an interesting idea. Could be…)
(Would you two stop talking in riddles?)
Kani turned to Mathrara, a gleam in her eye. Chris slowly grinned, despite himself. (Oh little fox… now to fix that masculine problem of yours… I'd almost forgotten that I promised myself I'd do that.)
(Yipe!) Mathrara used Faint Attack to disappear.
Chris burst out laughing, and Kani 'walked everyone inside the center.
Sanja went off into a private room, and Chris walked towards another one. The floor sprayed dust with every step, but that wasn't a surprise. This place probably had been closed for months, if not years. "Kani… what's up with that unlocking the hidden power thing?"
(That's me. When she said that… I realized something. With meditation… I can unlock attacks for myself, or anyone else who trusts me. Even the attacks that we technically need to grow stronger to use… or TM moves. Let me test it out tonight… and we'll see in the morning.)
Chris shouldered open the door, then turned to the three pokemon (Mathrara was still gone). "Feel free, Kani. Teskara, Anekiro, take it easy tonight. If what Kani says is true, you want to try it?"
Anekiro nodded. Teskara looked off to the side. (I…)
"Take it at your own pace. I understand, Jake wasn't the nicest of guys."
The Bayleef gave Chris a small smile. Chris returned it, and then went over to the bed. He fell asleep quickly.
Teskara looked at the sleeping human, then his (or was he?) Dragonair. "Does he always fall asleep so fast? I don't remember him doing that."
The Dragonair turned to the motionless Kani (Teskara kept on forgetting the Dragonair's name, she thought it was Kiro something), and then smiled softly. "Not usually. Only when he's exhausted. He used a lot of psychic energy in the tower."
Teskara shook her head. She didn't know about that. "Why does Kani keep on threatening Math… what's his name?"
"Mathrara. They're always like that. He's been trying to hit on her for awhile, and she's not interested. Since he doesn't seem to get it, she's been threatening that for awhile now. Hopefully, when he learns all his moves, he'll evolve… and grow up a bit."
Teskara nodded slowly. "You hope Kani can do that?"
"Sure. I'd like to know some more powerful attacks… Safeguard and Outrage, Hyper Beam, Surf… I'd like to be able to know some of the most powerful attacks my kind can learn. Don't you? You could defend yourself better…"
Teskara nodded. "True. All I know is Razor Leaf for a grass attack… and I know that there are stronger grass attack I can learn. Solarbeam, for one."
"Not to mention Giga Drain. Can you use Synthesis?"
Teskara nodded. "Yes, but barely."
"Well, I'm going to need a nap. If you see Anekiro pop into existence, wake me, would you? Kani would kill him if I wasn't there to stop her."
"Isn't she unaware of the world right now?"
"Not really. I think she'd detect him if he came within five yards of her. And then blast him with whatever her strongest attack is. Repeatedly."
Teskara nodded, and started to sleep.
Anekiro sighed. She hadn't grown up properly, surrounded by other pokemon that understood what you went through. Kani had helped him out when he had evolved… she didn't have anyone to lean on for help. He was trying his best, but she didn't seem to trust males as much as females.
To be honest, he wondered about her taste in sexuality. Not that he cared – either it was that… or she'd had a lot of bad experiences with men.
Sanja shuddered, safe in her room. That… was weird. Why was it every time she looked at Chris, her heart rushed? She wasn't attracted to him… he was just a guy. Wasn't he?
She swore softly, and added in a forced tone, "Damn prophesy. I am NOT FALLING IN LOVE!"
