Pokémon TCG: Sword and Shield—Brilliant Stars

The Awakening -- Chapter 14 -- History

bullados

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Hey, guys. I've pretty much rewritten this story entirely since I last posted it here, and there's a LOT of stuff that I added between chapters. It was simply easier to start a new topic than to go through and re-edit everything in the old topic. I'll try and get a new chapter up once a week, but that plan may go awry at the beginning of the school year. Anyhoo, here it goes!

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Chapter 1: A New Beginning

Peace and tranquility. The area had always been like this. Nobody drove, nobody fought. Everything simply … existed … as though nothing had ever been built, as if the nature had not been violated in any way by human ideas, thoughts, movements, or buildings. The people enjoyed their lives as inhabitants of a type of paradise, rather than dominating the area like so many human civilizations had done over so many centuries.

Of course, this did not mean that the inhabitants were living in anything less than modern dwellings. The area was well built up. Everybody enjoyed all the trappings of modern living without the need for want, or the selfish tendencies of humanity.

None of this mattered to the young boy who had only recently entered the Saffron City Gym. To him, the only thing that mattered was his research; both on himself, and on the Pokemon that he cared so deeply for. He completely ignored the amazing force of nature and humanity living within nature that surrounded him. The City was largely a collection of middle class houses built around the Pokemon Gym located in the center of the city. Right next to the Gym, the largest Pokemon Center in the region was anchored by one of the greatest schools of Pokemon learning in the entire world. This particular institution went above and beyond the limitations of every other school. The enterance exam was beyond anything that the boy had ever encountered in his distinguished schooling career. It tested his knowledge of math, science, several languages including both English and Japanese, and general Pokemon knowledge. Also, there was an additional test, but the boy could not figure out exactly what the test was for. It consisted largely of memorization and pattern recognition techniques, but those could have been tested amongst the other tests that the boy had to undergo.

In the end, he really did not know exactly how or why he managed to get in here, only that he was very eager to continue his research to its inevitable conclusion. Scratch that. He had at least a mild idea of what had gotten him here, but he couldn’t completely comprehend it, nor could he control it. It simply existed, within him, like a vat of radiation in an unstable environment. He had the distinct impression that this place would help him contain this radiation, but he could only speculate at this point.

He eyed the picked-sized device that he held in his hand. This device held all of the research that he had collected for most of his life, with his most important breakthroughs coming in the last couple of years. His research focused mostly on Pokemon strategies, and Pokemon-human relationships and their effect on the strength of Pokemon in battle. For the most part, his research had supported the longstanding thought that treating Pokemon with respect and care helps in making them much more powerful. However, there was a portion of his research that made absolutely no sense when combined with the rest.

He was hoping that he could gain some new insight as to the nature of Pokemon through his studies at this academy, as its database was much more extensive than anything that the boy had ever had access to before. He could only hope that he would have enough time in between his school work, which he thought would be far more intensive than what he had been exposed to before.

All of this was far from his mind as he walked through the massive two-story double doors that marked the main entrance to the Saffron City Institute for Pokemon and Human Relationships. As he entered the doors, he found a woman waiting for him. She was a little shorter than 6 feet tall, slim, and somewhat attractive. She was wearing a skintight red and pink leotard with a short, deep red skirt. Her hair was straight and long, pointed back behind her head, ending in a slight curl. She wore a red headband, apparently to keep her dazzling hair out of her face. Her eyes, however, were her most revealing physical feature. They were a deep shade of green, and contained an intensity that the boy had never seen before. A fire burned behind them, but she managed to keep it hidden from most people she came across.

Before he could analyze her any more, she began to introduce herself. Flatly, without any emotion, she stated simply, “Welcome to the Saffron City Institute for Psychic Development. I apologize for deceiving you about the name of this school. However, it is imperative that the world does not know who or what we are. We are funded in part by the Pokemon League and Public Funds. Many people have negative impressions of Psychic users. Thus, we must maintain our secrecy from the world. My name is Sabrina. I am the Pokemon Gym Leader of Saffron City.” Her brow furrowed slightly. The boy’s face had not changed since she started speaking. “I see this does not surprise you. Care to explain why?”

The boy smiled. “You really need to take better care of your computer information. It was quite easy to break your security codes. The use of various misnomers of people with telekinetic abilities as passwords was the dead giveaway. Your encryption techniques are really quite ancient. It only took me a couple of hours to break your code. I was quite surprised at some of the information that you had almost in the public domain.” He crossed his arms. “In fact, it was far too easy. Why would you store a list of all of your students, alumni, and staff in such a public location?”

Sabrina smiled, the first indication that she had some human tendancies after all. “It was a test. I wanted to make sure that you were the right candidate. Your credentials were quite high. I needed a way of checking your abilities. Do you remember the person who administered the entrance exams to you?”

“More than vaguely, why?” The boy cocked his head slightly, unsure of how that person fit in to the current conversation.

Sabrina took a step towards the boy. “He was there for two reasons. First, he was the proctor of the exam to your particular school. However, his second job was far more important.” She crossed her arms, the boy knowing that she had much more to explain to him. “He was supposed to project a psychic image across the classroom, one powerful enough so that only people strongly attuned to psychic brainwaves would be able to understand it. The memory and pattern recognition tests were a test of your psychic abilities. The first and second pictures that you were shown were exactly the same. However, the proctor was sending out minor mindscrambling brainwaves that have the effect of making attuned people see what we want them to see. When you correctly outlined the differences in the same pictures, I knew that you were an excellent candidate.”

She turned her back on him. “What I didn’t know, however, was how powerful your untrained psychic abilities were, so I had the proctor imprint a series of passwords into your brain. That was the reason our computer networks ere so easy for you to infiltrate.” She turned to find the boy gazing out a window, all but ignoring her speech. “I see that this holds no interest to you.” She put a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “Come, we shall go to your room. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.”

The boy turned towards Sabrina. “Actually, I’m more interested in your databases. From everything that I’ve seen, it will help my research to the point where it might finally be completed sufficiently enough for my first submission to the Pokemon League. I’m very anxious to continue my research.”

As he turned, he heard a voice in his head. If you wish. However, there are still many things that you must learn before you can effectively use our systems. The boy turned, a look of shock on his face. Sabrina bowed slightly, obviously slightly impressed with herself. “That is only the tip of the iceberg. Our computer systems run on psychic thought. If you wish full access to our systems in order to complete your research, you are going to need more psychic training than you currently have.” She extended her hand towards one of the many hallways surrounding her. “Now, then. Shall I escort you to your room, Recruit Bull Doshi of Blackthorn?”
 
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Chapter 2 – “Meeting”

Bull followed Sabrina into the oversized elevator at the end of the Pokemon Center hallway. He was thinking mostly about his research, his mind trained at being one tracked. About thirty seconds into the elevator trip, he noticed that something was missing. “Where is my luggage? I had a lot of important equipment in there.”

Sabrina looked somewhat taken aback, like that wasn’t the question she was thinking he would ask. “Your luggage… One of the staff members took it up to your room. You’ll find, however, that there’s very little in there that you will need in this Academy. As far as your clothing goes, we have a fairly strict dress code within the institution. It helps in focusing the mind if the body is not distracted by clothing.” The elevator stopped. “Ahh, this is your floor. 13, just like you requested. I’m afraid the room that you requested was already taken, but we got close in…”

“It’s fine,” Bull interrupted, waving it off and following Sabrina down the hallway. “Only the floor number matters. One of my side projects into the nature of superstition and luck. Don’t worry, my Pokemon strength research is still my top priority. The superstition and luck thing is just a minor hobby to keep my mind focused.”

Sabrina looked mildly surprised. “I’m impressed. Your ability to think on multiple levels is quite impressive. Still…” She motioned towards the wall behind her. “You will find that the abilities that you have come to rely upon are wholly useless within these walls. You’d best be prepared, both your mind and your body.” The door opened without a sound, and without Sabrina touching anything on the door.

Bull raised an eyebrow. “Your psychic talents, I take it? Impressive demonstration. Not quite as impactful as the mindspeaking you did earlier, but good enough to snap me back into myself.”

Bull walked into the room only to come face to face with something he had never envisioned he would be living with, not at this stage of his life at least. A young woman about Bull’s age of thirteen sat at one of the two desks in the room. She was a little bit taller than him, with streaming red hair that stretched well below her waist. Her face was fair, but innocent, as if she refused to show any part of her age. Her body, on the other hand, belied that image completely. Her body was the envy of girls three to five years her senior. She was wearing a very modest white one-piece dress that didn’t reveal much of her skin or body, but it shone through nonetheless. Just looking at her made Bull blush.

He stopped short, and whispered to Sabrina, “Are you sure this is my room? I thought that the living floors had been segregated by gender by law. Are you sure that we are at the right place?”

Sabrina looked at him serenely. “Yes. However, we run just outside the realm of League laws because of our secretive status.” She turned her head towards the room, looking at the girl inside. “We find here that sexuality is a major distraction to our students. In order to remove that distraction, we find that it is best to have them confront it during their personal time as well as during class time. Every single dormitory room in this institution contains pairs that we have concluded will be distracting to both people involved. Every class is made so that students will have to confront their desires during class time as well, especially in our psychic training classes.” Sabrina crossed her arms. “It’s a school policy, and one that I’ve agreed with ever since we began.”

Bull nodded, putting a hand to his forehead. “Makes sense. Doesn’t mean I agree with it, but it makes sense.” Bull walked forward into the room, where the young woman had not yet moved. Bull started to talk to her, but she didn’t so much as acknowledge his presence. Bull tried again, same response. What’s going on here? Why doesn’t she say anything?

The girl looked up and glanced around the room once before her eyes rested on Bull’s face. She smiled, something that no girl had ever done to Bull, and he could feel his face burning. I’ve been waiting … see who … be my roommate. It’s nice to … that I got paired … somebody who has that … of talent as a psychic. The transmission wasn’t quite as strong as Sabrina’s, nor did it come completely, but Bull got most of it.

Bull flinched a little bit, and looked behind him for Sabrina. But she had already left the room, apparently to do something much more important at that point. He looked back to the girl with surprise written all over his face. “I transferred that? How? I’ve never been able to do something like that before!” Bull sat down on the bottom bunk of the beds in the room, which he noticed had been made in a light shade of pink.

I … idea. … guess … talent …

Bull shook his head. “Please, speak it. I’ve never had any training as a psychic before. It’s difficult for me to take psychic contact for very long.”

The girl bowed her head. “OK. I guess that not everybody is on the same level with all of our abilities when we first enter this place. Oh well.” She sat back in her chair at her desk and crossed her legs. “I have no idea why I could hear you so clearly. I think that it might be that you are simply a very talented psychic with a lot of potential. You just need to learn how to control your transmissions.” She crossed her arms.

Bull sat down on the lower of the two bunk beds and looked down, his head in his hands, elbows on his knees. He began mumbling to himself. “Interesting. I never thought that was psychic talent. I’ve always been focused on my research. Strange…” Bull continued to look at his feet, thinking deeply for several minutes on the subject. When he looked up again, he saw the smiling face of the girl very near to his own face. Bull flinched, jumped backwards on the bed, and blushed again.

The girl stood up from her crouched position in front of Bull and smiled. “Heh, I was wondering when you’d snap out of that.” Bull’s face reddened. The girl turned her back on him, her hair flowing out from behind her, twisting as her body twisted. “I don’t believe that we have been properly introduced.” She turned her head to face Bull, keeping her back to him. “My name is Cassidy Sparrow, and you’re sitting on my bed.”

Bull was frozen in the bed, barely able to move from his thoughts. He stammered a reply as he slowly crept back towards the end of the bed, “Umm … uh … Bull … Bull Doshi …” He was surprised he managed that much of a response. He shook his head, his face now reaching a temperature usually reserved for volcanoes.

Cassidy frowned slightly, turning her head away from Bull. “Bull, is it?” She turned, hair flaring again, and put her hands on her hips. “OK. I want to know a little bit about you, and I’m certain you want to know a little bit about me as well. Do you want to go first?” She sat down on the bed next to Bull and took his hand.

Bull looked into her eyes, and was immediately comforted. “OK. I don’t know where I was born, but I’ve spent the last few years at the Pokemon School in Blackthron City…”

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Meh, one of the shorter chapters in this thing. Sry for not updating this week, I got really busy at a very bad time. Also, could somebody plz comment on this? I wanna know how badly I'm goofing on this guy.
 
Chapter 3 -- Unpacking

The pair sat there for almost an hour talking about themselves and each other. Bull spent a lot of time listening, as he normally did in almost any situation, and Cassidy seemed to be content with driving the conversation. Bull learned a lot about her during this hour. She grew up in a suburb of Saffron, but never knew about the academy until earlier in the year. Like Bull, she was a first year student at the Institute, something that surprised Bull slightly when talking to her. Though she tended to ramble about her own interests, her mind was much more organized than other people of their age. Her topic shifts weren’t abrupt; she seemed to ease through her speech as though she had practiced it many times before.

The entire time, they were showing off their latent telekinetic abilities. Cassidy would ease in and out of vocal speech with little regard for the amount of effort Bull had to exert in order to understand her psychic projections. Bull, meanwhile, spent most of the conversation shooting various objects across the room. Small stuff mostly, pens and notepads. His PDA quivered a couple of times, but never actually took off. Bull was slightly annoyed at this, but let it slide as simply inexperience. He was surprised that he could even manage object movement, so he wasn’t going to push it any further.

After talking about her old school (Greenbury Junior High) and some of her friends from that school, she started talking about the Saffron City, mentioning her rides on the Magnet Train and her many visits to the massive Silph Company building with her father. Apparently, he was a fairly powerful person within the Company, though Cassidy didn’t explain what exactly he did. She then moved on to the two Gyms in the city, the Fighting Dojo and Sabrina’s Gym. She went into great detail about how she had taken on the Dojo several times, but had never gotten as far as Kyo, the Karate Master of the gym. This was one of the few times that Bull actually spoke during the hour, mentioning some strategies that Cassidy might want to use during her next challenge of the Dojo. He also spoke at length about Sabrina, whom he had researched extensively before entering the Institute. He told Cassidy all about her emotional reservations and the doll that was ultimately defeated by a relatively unimportant and unimpressive young Trainer.

Cassidy laughed at this particular statement. Why is he …? Beating … is amazing! “There are only a couple people I know who could even challenge her, much less beat her.” Once again, she was slipping in and out of telekinesis, as if it were second nature to her.

Bull raised an eyebrow. “I looked into that Trainer’s history. He only actually earned three of his Kanto badges, the ones from Fuschia City, Cinnabar Island, and Vermillion City.” He could tell from Cassidy’s expression that this was a surprise to her. “Also, could you please speak it?”

Cassidy’s eyes widened. “He didn’t beat Sabrina?” How’d he … Marsh Badge then? She pulled her knees up to her chest and turned to face Bull, plainly ignoring his request.

Bull could feel his cheeks burning and looked towards the ground. “From what I remember, he made her laugh with a Haunter, and she couldn’t physically finish the battle. She gave him the Badge because he brought her out of her trance.” He turned back to Cassidy. “He got the Rainbow and Cascade badges by saving a couple of Pokemon. The Boulder badge came because he conceded from a winning position. He stole the Earth badge when he exposed Giovanni as the leader of Team Rocket.”

“But, those are still important, right?” asked Cassidy, concern showing on her face.

Bull responded curtly. “Yes, but the Gym system is there to prove who the best battlers are, not who the best people are. If you can’t win your battles, you don’t deserve the badge. This Trainer lost to every one of the Gym Leaders except for Misty, where the battle never finished, and Giovanni, who he never challenged.” He closed his eyes. “At least four of his badges were given because of pity, not because of skill, and I cannot respect that.” He stared at the wall for a minute, waiting for Cassidy’s response. Apparently, she didn’t know exactly how to follow up from that.

Thankfully, a sound like a deep church bell reverberated through the room. “Attention students,” came a voice from a speaker Bull could not see. “Dinner will be served in the main dining hall in five minutes. Please join us for some announcements about the upcoming school year. Thank you.”

Cassidy took Bull’s hand. “Come on! I know how to get down there. I had lunch in there earlier today, before you came in.” She stood up and started to drag Bull towards the door.

Bull shook his hand free of Cassidy’s grip, looking anxiously at his case and his shoulder bag, still sitting on the floor. “Sorry. I only just arrived. I need to unpack and double check a few things.” A corner of his mouth turned upwards as various feet were thundering down the hallway outside their room. He hid the twitch as a half smile. “I’ll meet you downstairs, if I can find you.”

He opened the door for her, and she sighed slightly. “Oh well. If you miss anything, just let me know.” She swept out of the room, and Bull closed the door behind her, locking it so that nobody would be able to enter unless he wanted them to.

He sat down again on Cassidy’s bed, the closest one to the floor, and simply allowed himself to drift for a moment, let the tension building in his shoulders drip away. He wondered for a moment why he was tense, but waved it off as simply new school jitters.

He opened his case and took out a variety of objects that most people in the outside world would have given pretty much anything to get. First, his half completed battle simulator. Shaped like a disk, it would store every Pokemon’s data inside its impressive memory when finished. When in use, it would spin on the ground, creating a holographic image above the disk of whatever Pokemon Bull wanted to train against. The best part of this machine, however, was that the holographic images were completely harmless to pretty much anything that wasn’t a Pokemon in battle. Any attacks not done to a Pokemon in battle would simply disappear, as the entire simulation was made up of light particles. Of course, this machine was only half completed. Bull still needed to work out the artificial intelligence, finish the final touches on the projection system (for some reason, a Feraligatr seemed to look like it was melting), and complete his Pokemon database to be loaded into the system’s memory. He called the device the Battle Disk, and he was the only person who knew of its existence. He buried this device in the back of his closet until he could find a better hiding spot for it later.

The second device didn’t look special by any means. It was a Pokedex, very much like the one that Professor Elm used to give to new students. However, upon closer inspection, it was quite evident that this particular device had been modified extensively. The device could display virtually any information that a Trainer could possibly want about a particular Pokemon when seen. It also appeared to have a greatly expanded memory slot. Bull was using this device to record information about every Pokemon that he had seen, and he was using his PDA, still lying on the otherwise empty desk, to organize and catalog the information so that it could be used outside of battle. This device he slipped into his pants pocket, where it bumped into another, much slimmer, device.

Upon hearing the two devices clank together, Bull took out the second object. Long and slim like a pocketknife and made primarily of plastic, it had two metallic prongs that stuck out about an inch from one end. A single switch was present near Bull’s thumb, and he slid it into the first position. Immediately, a slim wire of light connected the two metallic prongs. Bull placed this light against a corner of the room. After a few seconds, some of the paint had been stripped off the otherwise solid brick wall. “Hmmm,” Bull murmured to himself. “Running low on power, and no batteries…” Bull reached back into his case and pulled out another object exactly like the one in his hand. He flipped the switch, held it against the wall, and watched with satisfaction as the paint chipped away from the wall instantly. “Good.” Bull found a small pouch in his case and stuck the first object inside. He then placed the second inside his pants pocket, where it clanked against his Pokedex. He then pulled out several more of the same object, and placed them next to his Battle Disk in a back corner of his closet, along with the pouch.

He then went about the process of unpacking the rest of his belongings, mostly clothes. He was careful to place the clothes he used the least around his stash of electronics, hiding them from casual view. His clothes were all used, but he made sure he kept them in as pristine condition as was possible. Hand washing was the best way, he had found, to keep the clothes from fraying with time. Everything was folded into a single drawer underneath the bunk beds or hung on plastic hangers in his closet. It took him less than fifteen minutes to unpack, fold, and store all of his clothes. He then pulled out a large laptop and scowled. This particular device, like virtually all of his possessions, was second hand. Almost ten years old, it had long outlived its usefulness as an everyday computer. Its main purpose was as a word processor and a device to connect to the internet. His printer, too, was old and beaten. Instead of ink cartridges or a laser engraver, it used a color strip as its ink source. It had been broken too many times for Bull to remember, and he had repaired it himself every time.

He pulled out a set of very battered sheets and frowned again. This particular set was the first thing that he had ever bought with his own money, and even in their current condition, he was still unable to throw them away. The fitted sheet no longer had any elastic and didn’t quite stay put when he made his bed. The over sheet had a couple of holes where a couple boys from his old school had pulled a prank a couple years before. They had said it was in fun, but Bull hadn’t found it funny in the least. He spent a moment and wondered what exactly had happened to those boys. He couldn’t remember exactly where they had gone to. Bull figured that was for the best. Most of what he could remember, he really wanted to forget.

He then pulled out a great series of wires from his case. All of these had to do with connecting his printer to his computer, his computer to an outlet, and his computer to the internet. He then spent the next half hour or so making sure that everything was working. Of course, his computer refused to connect to the internet, even with all his cables and modifications to the ancient machine. He then remembered what Sabrina had told him as he walked in to the Institute, and just decided to drop the entire idea until he could ask a technician how the connection was supposed to work.

Bull stretched and looked outside. It was dark. How long had he been unpacking? He looked at his watch, which read 3:17 pm. Of course, that wasn’t the right time, and his computer wasn’t much better of a gauge of time. If he would have to venture a guess, he would say that it was at least 8:00 pm, and that dinner was probably nearly over. He felt a twinge in his stomach. He hadn’t had anything to eat since the morning. Not that he wasn’t used to the feeling. He hadn’t been starved in grade school, but he hadn’t exactly been well nourished either.

Stretching once more, and hearing his back crack a couple of times in response, he got up and unlocked the door so that he could head down to dinner. Halfway down the corridor, he realized something. A Key! How was he supposed to lock his door? He went back and looked over the door a couple of times. Tentatively, he touched the lock on the other side with his mind. To his surprise, the bolt clicked, and the room was bolted shut. Bull stared at the door for a minute, then reached out with his senses again. The lock clicked, and he could open the door. Smirking slightly, he locked the door again, and went back to the elevators he came up on.

At his request, a door opened. He noticed for the first time that there were no buttons on the elevator. How was he supposed to get to dinner? Again, reaching with his mind, he requested the dining hall. The elevator didn’t respond. With no small amount of apprehension, he said softly, “Dining hall.” The elevator began to move, and in only a few moments, he was walking into the most beautiful banquet halls he had ever seen.
 
Here's chapter 4. Is anybody actually reading this? I'd kinda like to hear what you guys think about this thing. I'll admit to being slightly (very) longwinded in some of my explanations, but that's simply my style of writing. More detail = good writing, in my thoughts at least.

BTW, this is probably one of my favorite chapters written so far. See if you can guess why...

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Chapter 4 -- Teachers

Six massive chandeliers hung from the ceiling, each emitting a dull yellow light. These were the only source of light for the entire hall. Even though there didn’t appear to be very much actual light coming from them, the entire hall appeared to be bathed in light, and he could see very clearly. The tables appeared to be made of glass with solid gold stands, and each had a cloth tablecloth draped over. No two tables were exactly alike, either. Round, square, long, short, wide, slim, every way that Bull could think of to make a table seemed to be represented in this hall. And most of the seats were full.

Students, lots of them, were devouring a spread that could end all spreads. Everything that Bull could have asked for seemed to be present on every table in proportions that would feed that particular table. Chicken, beef, eggs, vegetables, fruits, condiments of all varieties. Everything was represented.

Bull chose a seat close to the door, at an oblong table that was mostly deserted. One other person was seated there, and he seemed to be thoroughly uninterested in Bull, or in anybody else for that matter. That was to Bull’s liking. He enjoyed being in the middle of a crowd, but not at the center of one. Invisibility was his greatest friend, and he used it as often as he possibly could. He had just finished piling food onto his plate, just as a small army of waiters came from nowhere and started collecting all of the serving plates. Bull couldn’t care. He was enjoying himself far too much to really take any notice of them. His plate piled high with everything that he could fit, he ate everything.

About midway through his lonely meal, he noticed that the hall had gone silent. He looked up, and noticed everybody was standing up and looking in the same direction. He followed suit, and saw for the first time a long rectangular table that seated exactly seven people. This table was elevated from the rest of the hall. Bull assumed that the teachers ate at this table, and he stood still, watching and waiting for the announcements.

The person in the middle stood up. To Bull’s surprise, it was not Sabrina who stood, but instead was a man dressed in an oddly formal maroon suit with a black shirt. His hair extended down to his shoulders, bangs included, and was a sleek and wavy purple. He wore an oval set of sunglasses, which struck Bull as odd considering that the lights had inexplicably dimmed everywhere except around this table. He raised his hands and motioned for the floor to be seated. One of the hands was carrying a handkerchief, which was placed delicately in his front coat pocket.

He then threw his head back slightly, presumably to remove the hair from in front of his eyes, and began to speak to the assembled crowd. “Welcome, all. A new school year begins, and I’m delighted to welcome you to the Saffron Institute for Psychic Development.” His voice was deep and soothing, and carried a touch of a British accent, though it wasn’t as thick as Bull had heard in the past. This man had obviously been raised outside of the country, but had lived here for a long enough time that his accent had begun to decay. “I am the Principal of this Institute, the Leader of the Sinnoh Pokemon League’s Elite Four, and the Professor of Pokemon History, Lucian Goyo.” There was polite applause at his introduction, but the hall quieted relatively quickly. “I understand that many of you have been here for some time. However, we also have a large group of new students this year, so please permit me the indulgence of introducing the rest of the staff to all of you.”

A low, cracked voice chuckled near Bull. It took a moment to realize it was the rather flaky student he had dismissed earlier. The student was still staring at the ceiling, as he was when Bull had sat down, but he seemed much more interested in his surroundings than before.

Principal Goyo spoke again. “First, to my far left,” he made a motion like a game show host, and his tone of voice seemed to imitate that of a seasoned showman, “I am pleased to introduce the Ecrutek Gym Leader and our Professor of Pokemon Care and Breeding, Morty Matsuba!” The person on the far left stood and inclined his head to the polite applause. Bull was slightly surprised at his appearance, especially given the more formal nature of this particular meal. He was dressed in a sky blue, long sleeved T-shirt that featured dull yellow sleeves. He had short brown-red hair that was held back by a blue sweatband. Sitting almost immediately after his introduction, he reclined slightly and placed his arms behind his head.

“Laid back, isn’t he?” Bull started, and looked at the boy sitting next to him, who was still staring at the ceiling. He continued almost in an undertone. “He is by far the most relaxed person on staff, with the possible exception of Goyo himself. He’s generally much more interested in his next visit to a hot spring than he is in the present. Not a bad teacher, though. He knows his stuff, and he knows how to present it. He’s also the only Teacher who does not predominately use Psychic Pokemon, but he’s still a relatively strong Psychic. Clairvoyancy is his specialty.” For the first time, he looked away from the roof and directly at Bull. “Name’s Andy Marsh. I’m a second year here.”

“Bull Doshi, first year,” replied Bull, extending his hand. Andy didn’t take it, though. After a moment, Bull gave up and went back to watching the procession.

Goyo had begun to speak again, continuing his showy display from before. “To his right, she is the Head of the Battle Frontier, the Brain of the Battle Tower, and our own Professor of Pokemon Telepathy, Salon Maiden Anabel Lilla!” The young woman who stood could not have been much older than twenty. She appeared very nervous about her position, nearly falling over herself as she stood, and continuously holding her right arm with her left hand. Opposed to this nervousness, however, was her clothing. She wore a very flashy outfit of purple and gold stripes on a white casual suit. Her dyed purple hair curled around the back of her head. She bowed quickly, then sat back down. Only then did Bull notice that she was receiving a loud ovation, with more than a couple of catcalls coming from some of the older male students.

“Anabel, the Salon Maiden.” Murmuring came once again off Bull’s shoulder. “She is an expert at commanding Psychic types in battle. Able to issue her Pokemon battle commands with a single thought, she is amongst the toughest Trainers to battle against. Or with, for that matter. She wears a flashy outfit to compensate for her more reserved attitude, though. She lets very few people into her world, and those that are in don’t tell anybody about her. For whatever reason, many young men are very attracted to her, and even they don’t seem to know why.” He was back to staring at the ceiling.

Bull raised his right eyebrow. “How do you know all of this?”

Andy simply pointed back to the table, where Goyo appeared ready to introduce more of the staff with his signature thematic flair. “To my immediate left, I am proud to introduce a member of the Johto Elite Four and our school’s Professor of Psychic Defense, Will Itsuki!” This man stood stiffly, wearing a very formal black suit that included a purple tie and a white undershirt. Strangely, he wore a black mask that simply outlined his features, rather than disguise them. His short, spiky purple hair draped over his left eye slightly. He bowed curtly to very little applause, then sat quickly. He looked to his right, one of his fists clenched, towards Goyo, then back out to the crowd.

“Jealous little wasp, isn’t he?” Bull assumed that the question was rhetorical. “He and the Principal are first cousins. Will definitely believes that he is both a stronger Psychic and a stronger Trainer than his older cousin, Goyo. Of course, he’s never been able to prove it. He’s incredibly jealous of Goyo’s position; he believes that the position was rightfully his. Because of this, the relationship between the two is strained. Also, as you could quite plainly tell, few students like him. His classes are tough, and his grading policy is even tougher. He gives no breaks, and expects perfection.” He looked down from the ceiling again. “And I know this because I listen. I’m one of the very few here who listen, who know. Knowledge is power, and power translates into respect very quickly.”

Goyo was speaking again, very dramatically. “And to my immediate right, my most trusted advisor. She is the Gym Leader for Saffron City here in Kanto and our own Professor of Psychic Object Manipulation. She is also the Vice Principal of this school, Sabrina Natsume!” Bull recognized Sabrina at once. Her hair stretched long down her back, appearing to end in a curl midway down her back. She had given up her deep purple leotard from the entrance hall in favor of a long, violet dress that accentuated her hips quite nicely. The dress came all the way up to her neck, though there were a couple of neat tears in the fabric at her shoulders.

“Don’t bother telling me about her,” murmured Bull as Sabrina curtseyed deeply to the students to a deep, appreciative applause. “I did my homework on her. And I agree with your statement on knowledge.” Andy stared at him, eyes wide. “However, you should really be a little bit more careful how you dispense your knowledge. Remember that the power in knowledge comes from knowing what other people don’t.” Bull crossed his arms in front of his chest and reclined, giving a sideways glance towards Andy.

Andy closed his eyes and tapped his forehead. “I already know that. This information is really free to anybody who wants to look it up. You seem like you needed somebody to talk to you, though. I’m more than willing to fill that need.”

Bull began to respond, but was interrupted by Principal Goyo, who had begun announcing the final members of the teaching staff. “And finally, to my extreme right. I am proud to welcome the newest members of our staff here at the institute. These two are the co-Gym Leaders for Mossdeep City, and take over the role of Professor of Human Telekinetics from the retiring Agatha Kikuko, I introduce to you the twins Tate and Liza Fooran!” The pair at the far end of the table stood quickly, as if trying to race to the standing position.

They looked almost exactly the same. Both wore similar styled martial arts uniforms, sky blue with a red Pokeball symbol over their right chest. Bull noticed instantly that they were easily the youngest members of the staff. The only feature that seemed to differentiate them was that one had prominent sideburns, or simply allowed his or her hair to grow over his or her ears. Almost immediately, this one spoke in a somewhat high voice. “Please, Principal. I am the elder of us two.” The other scowled in the light.

“My apologies, Liza,” said the Principal, holding one hand to his forehead. “I assure you it will never happen again.”

“Thank you,” and the pair sat, Tate most definitely fuming over the distinction over their age. They received a joyous round of applause. The students appeared to enjoy having teachers that were relatively of the same age as them.

Bull looked at Andy, who shrugged. “I don’t know anything about them. Doesn’t look like they get along well, does it?” Tate had just elbowed Liza fairly hard, and she winced.

Bull smiled and closed his eyes. “They’re siblings. Siblings fight. It’s a truth of the universe, and it will never stop happening.” His arms still crossed, he propped his legs up on top of the table, apparently impressed with his statement.

“No, Duh”

Bull’s feet fell, and his eyes opened wide. Andy was looking at him with a slight smirk. “Everybody knows that. You’re not a genius for rambling something like that.”

Bull smiled weakly. “You’re right. I apologize.” He locked his arms behind his head and looked back towards the Staff table.

Principal Goyo began speaking again. “Before we send you off to your rooms for the night, I have a few announcements to make. First, as a reminder to all returning students, only third year and older students will be allowed to leave the school unsupervised. First and second years will have scheduled trips out of the school, and will be accompanied by a member of the Staff at this table.”

Makes sense, thought Bull. Freshman and Sophmores don’t have the same level of control as their elder brethren.

“Another reminder, especially to the newer students. Please try and keep your thoughts and psychic projections to yourself. We have more problems with that than anything else.” Principal Goyo had dropped his showman tone and was very businesslike with these announcements. Also, the lights in the Hall seemed to have brightened a little outside of the Staff table. “And finally. The twentieth story of this building on the far left side is off limits to everybody except for staff and those who have been given exact permission to be there. This is for your own safety, please adhere to this rule in particular.”

Immediately, speculation began to spread like wildfire as to what exactly was going on in that particular section of the Institute. Bull, however, was completely uninterested. He was still hungry, and very nearly dove into his heaping plate of now cold, but still delicious, food he had prepared earlier.

By the time he had finished, the Hall had emptied, leaving him as the only person still sitting. Andy had long since left, Bull wondering if he would be able to find him again in the massiveness that was the Institute. One of the waiters was standing over him, clearly waiting for Bull to be finished so that he could finish and head home for the night. “Thank you, and sorry,” murmured Bull as he stood from the table and entered one of the elevators.

When he got to his room, Cassidy was waiting outside, clearly confused. She sensed his approach, and said simply, “I can’t open the door.”

Bull couldn’t help but smile. It had taken him all of five minutes to figure out the locking mechanism for the room, while Cassidy was still standing bewildered outside the door. “Try touching the lock with your mind. That’s all it should take.” Cassidy closed her eyes and concentrated. After about a minute, Bull could see that she was really straining. She had her fingertips on the side of her forehead, and her eyes were closed very tight.

Realizing that she was trying far too hard, Bull grabbed one of her hands. “Here, allow me.” He touched the door with his free hand and closed his eyes. A moment later, he heard the satisfying click of the door unlocking itself. He smiled and opened his eyes to a very bewildered young woman. He chuckled. “I’m not sure how difficult that is, really. I just sorta fiddled with it for a couple of minutes, and it clicked.” Bull scratched his head. “I wonder. Try locking it now. See what happens.”

Cassidy raised her eyebrow and yawned very loudly. “I’m tired, Bull. Classes start tomorrow, and I really don’t want to be out for them. I’m just going to sleep.” She opened the door and walked into the room, taking her arm out of Bull’s hand. “Good night.”

Bull was a little flustered, and answered with a vague “Night”. He watched as she climbed into her lower bunk and pulled a curtain across the bed. Bull assumed that she was changing, and he held little interest in disturbing her. He immediately climbed into his own top bunk and slept as soundly as he had in many years.
 
Hmmmm. Seems like Hogwarts. The old teacher, the proffesors, the sense of 'magic', the off-limits room, the large dining table, yada yada. Looks good, though. People are reading it.

EDIT: Never mind, seems like Meditite said that while I was reading. Oh, well.
 
Yeah. I kinda got into an HP reading phase in the middle of writing this. Influence much? Meh, it works I guess.

Does Goyo really come off as being that old? Christ, he's maybe 30 in the games!!!
 
Well, with all of the HP references, I immediately pictured him as old, and assumed that you had said that he was old somewhere. Whoops.
 
Chapter 5 – Examination

Bull woke the next morning to the sound of the wind blowing some trees against his window. Keeping his eyes closed, he tried to remember his dream. He could only remember some vague sounds. Loud, piercing sounds. He was certain he had had the dream many times before. However, like every other time, he couldn’t remember anything about the dream, and eventually, the noises from his memory faded, and he was left with his eyes closed.

Sitting up, he vaguely realized that he had fallen asleep fully clothed. Not that it mattered much. All of his clothes looked exactly the same, and were all fairly old. He took a quick look around the room, and noticed, to his amusement, that his bag was still wide open in the middle of the room. Clamoring down from his bunk, he cleaned up whatever was left from the bag, and quietly chastised himself for leaving such a mess around his new room.

Some time in the middle of cleaning and organizing his room, he noticed that the curtain across Cassidy’s bed was open, and she wasn’t there. This was only vaguely recognized in the back of his mind, and he continued his task relentlessly, until the thought had stewed and boiled over to the front of his mind. He stood up straight very quickly, and let loose a quick, loud expletive. He ran out of his room, barely taking the time to properly lock the room. The elevator at the end of the hall opened seconds before he reached them, and (luckily?) they were empty. He threw himself into the car, screaming “Dining hall” as he passed through the door.

He then collapsed along the back of the car, holding himself on his knees, panting, his heart racing. The car seemed to notice his angst, and was rocketing through the tower, arriving at the dining hall almost instantly. The hall was empty, save for the two janitors who were sweeping up the mess left by breakfast. Bull took a moment to look around to confirm that nobody was there.

“Good morning, Mr. Doshi.” A familiar voice came from his left, and as Bull turned, Sabrina and her Alakazam appeared out of nowhere. “Late to rise, I see. Today is your first day of class, and my assumption from reading your entrance exam was that you’d be the first person in class at all times.” She held out a sheet of paper which she wasn’t holding a moment before. “A shame, you being late for your first two school functions.”

Bull took the paper from Sabrina and read it over. “I suggest you get moving, Mr. Doshi. Your first class is with Professor Itsuki, and he is not as forgiving as I am about matters such as tardiness.” She placed a hand on her Alakazam, who was waiting patiently. “Take the elevators. You will not need any books for this first day of class.” She Teleported away, Bull assumed, to her first class of the day.

Bull backed back into the elevator, and took a look at his schedule. Seems pretty tough, for a first day. He had Professor Itsuki’s Psychic Defense class in the morning, followed immediately by Sabrina’s Psychic Object Manipulation. After lunch, he would see the Salon Maiden for a double period of Pokemon Telepathy, and that would finish up his day. Bull spoke the floor of Professor Itsuki’s classroom, and the elevator started towards its destination.

Upon reaching the class, he took a deep breath, and walked in. The classroom was decorated in harsh shades of deep violet, magenta, and crimson, the borders between these all placed in odd angles and outlined with a thick black stripe. Bull felt that it rather matched the Professor’s manner of dress, with all of the purples and the black mask outlines. Truth be told, it was quite the formidable sight, and Bull could feel at least some of his self confidence drain as he entered the room.

“Bull Doshi.” A loud, high pitched squeal came from Bull’s right. “You’re late for class. Don’t bother giving an excuse. Put your body in a chair behind a desk, and I’ll continue with the announcements.”

Bull sat down in the first desk that he could find, right in the middle of the classroom. He could feel the eyes of all the other students watching him as he sunk into the chair.

Itsuki continued. “Now that everybody is settled, I’ll say again that this is the second year of Psychic Defense.” Bull flinched, certain that he heard wrong. “You all know the drill by now. I will start by testing each one of you on the manners of defense which we studied last year. You will divide yourselves up into pairs and perform the same exercises as we performed for last year’s exam.” Professor Itsuki paused for a moment. “Well, what are you waiting for!?!” The class began to divide itself up, and soon there were random yelps of pain and students slouched over their desks either in defeat or triumph. Bull remained stationary.

Second year? There must be some mistake, Bull thought to himself as Professor Itsuki started making his rounds of the class. I’ve never had any sort of psychic defense training before, aren’t they supposed to be teaching this to us? Bull was just about to put his hand up when one of the other students, a short, skinny boy with flaming red hair, came up to him.

“I-I-I think that w-w-we’re the l-l-last two people,” this student stammered. His voice was shaking, and he was fidgeting with a pen he held in his right hand. He seemed quite nervous, and Bull suspected that he was quite possibly the weakest Defense Psychic in this class.

Bull paused for a moment, unsure about what he should do. “Actually, I’m a new student here, and I’m not completely sure why I was placed in this class. I’ve never had any formal defense training, so I have no idea what I’m doing.”

As Bull began to raise his hand, the other student cut him short. “That’s great! I barely scraped through last year, so I might actually be able to stop somebody from entering my mind this time! Last year, I barely lasted two seconds against any of my other classmates, so I’m just hoping I can last longer this year.” He sat down next to Bull, his nervousness completely gone. “By the way, my name’s Flame.”

Bull raised his left eyebrow. “Flame? No last name?”

“Well, it’s just my nickname. By far and away I work best with fire and heat telekinesis.” He smiled and blushed. “What’s your name?”

“Bull Doshi,” replied Bull. “Would you mind going first? I’ve never done this before.”

“Sure.” Flame sat across from Bull, and took his hands in his own. “Now, just close your eyes and concentrate. I’ll try the technique the Professor taught us last year.”

Bull bowed his head, picturing the last time he had performed a similar physical motion. He could feel something in his head, and he closed off the rest of his senses to the best of his ability. Suddenly, he opened his eyes, and realized that he wasn’t in the classroom anymore. It felt like he was floating.

Bull tested his limbs. Well, everything’s still working, he thought. Now, let’s get moving… He floated away, taking in his surroundings. It only took a moment for him to recognize a human brain below him, shining a brilliant sky blue. He stretched his senses towards the brain, and realized it was his own mind. Well, that’s what I’m supposed to defend. Now, what do I defend it against?

Bull felt, rather than saw, the attack upon the brain. He had a sudden pain in the front left side of his head, and immediately zoomed towards that portion of the brain. Something was there, pecking away at the thin shell that was protecting the brain. Bull couldn’t completely make out what it was doing so close to the brain, but its attacks didn’t even seem to be piercing the membrane. Let’s get that thing away from there. Before he knew what he had done, he was right next to the anomaly, and began taking shots from it instead of his brain. OK, I’ve diverted its attention. Now, let’s see if I can’t get this thing to…GO AWAY

He grabbed one of the appendages with his hands, and twisted it faster than he could recognize what he was doing. The attacker screamed, or it seemed to, as Bull couldn’t sense any sound in this state. Bull aimed a kick at the intruder’s head area. As he did this, he could feel some energy building in his hands. Let’s see what this does. He followed the momentum of his kick and performed a backward summersault. As his opposition came into view again, Bull brought both of his hands forward in a double punch towards the intruder’s chest area. Bull barely had time to register that the attacker had not yet recovered from the kick that Bull had given him earlier before it was sent flying in the opposite direction, far away from the brain Bull had been protecting.

Bull’s head snapped up, and he was back in the classroom. Taking a moment to regain his bearings, he saw that Flame was now on the floor about five feet away from him, lying on top of a broken desk, shaking his head. “Sweet mother of… I’ve never seen that kind of speed or power before!” He sat up, still on the floor. “You say you’ve never had any defense training before? Man, that was impressive! I barely even had time to start my attack!” To Bull’s surprise, Flame was smiling. He looked around, and the entire class had abandoned their practice to look at the two. All of them had a similar expression as Flame.

:”What’s going on here!” The screech had returned. Professor Itsuki came towards the pair, fuming. “Ahhh, our little newbie. Now’s probably as good a time as any to test your abilities and see that you’re not ready for this class.” A grim sneer crossed Professor Itsuki’s face as he took Flame’s former position across the table, and firmly grasped Bull’s hand.

Immediately, Bull could feel a pressure inside his head, far greater and pervasive than what Flame had provided earlier. “Ahh, yes,” Itsuki mumbled. “I see. Blackthorn City, heh? Orphanage.” Bull bowed his head, his anger rising. “Some people, stretchers?”

You’re not going any deeper than that, Professor. Bull returned to the area surrounding his brain. This time, it was being attacked by a far larger foe, though Bull still couldn’t make out this foe’s features. It wasn’t exactly attacking the brain below Bull. Rather, it seemed to be siphoning something off it. Bull didn’t completely understand its intentions, but he knew that he had to stop it. Time to see what I can do in here. With speed that surprised even him, Bull raced towards the figure, aiming another kick somewhere on its body. The kick hit, and the intruder was momentarily stunned.

Bull could feel the energy in his hands again, much stronger this time, more controllable, more able to defend, to attack. The kick took Bull far beyond the attacker, but he didn’t really care. In an instant, he was back beside the attacker, right alongside its face. He didn’t notice it before, but the intruder’s head was almost the same size as Bull’s entire body. Bull brought both of his hands together. Get out of my MIND! The punch was fast, deadly, and the intruder was flung far away from the brain, but recovered quickly.

Well, you can fight off that attack. The figure now approached the brain again, but this time didn’t seem to want to attack it. Let’s see how you can handle being attacked yourself! Something resembling lightning came from nowhere, surrounding, penetrating Bull, the defender. He screamed, though no sound came out, and closed his eyes.

Wait, Bull thought after just a moment. This doesn’t hurt, well, not much at least. It’s just flashy. Bull curled up quickly, and then screamed again, unleashing his body, and the lightning abruptly stopped. The attacker flinched slightly, rearing back. Sorry, buddy. You’re done. Bull again gathered energy in his hands, drawing the power from the area surrounding him, the brain below him that he was defending. Again with blinding speed, Bull shot forward and kicked the attacker in the head this time. The power in Bull’s hands increased and spread down his arms. Never come in here AGAIN! Bull again punched his opponent with two fists in the chest, but this time, his attack didn’t connect.

His opponent simply disappeared, and Bull couldn’t pick him up on any of his senses. The next thing he felt was considerable pain throughout his entire head, like a migraine, but far worse than any migraine he had ever experienced before. Then, as suddenly as it started, the pain stopped.

Bull took a moment to regain his composure, and then took a look around. The brain below him looked undamaged, though it was now glowing a nasty shade of red as opposed to the cool blue it was shining earlier. He crossed the area several times, but he could not find his opponent anywhere. Oh well, must have gone away, I guess.

Bull closed his eyes again, and woke up in a drenching cold sweat, his head soaking the table it was resting on. Taking a moment to acquaint himself with his surroundings, he sat up straight in his chair. The room was silent, a shoe squeaked on the cold tile floor. The class was all staring at him with expressions of shock and awe. Bull looked across the table, where Professor Itsuki had been sitting at the beginning of his examination.

The Professor wasn’t there.

Nobody was.

There was a three foot corridor in front of Bull where not a person could be seen all the way to the wall.

Bull stood up, and saw Professor Itsuki flat on his back some five feet away from the desk, unconscious. One of the students was kneeling next to him. “Find Principal Goyo! Tell him there’s been an accident!” Several of the students, no doubt eager to get out of the classroom, rushed out the door and towards the elevator.

Flame simply sat where he had fallen earlier, looking from Bull to Itsuki and back again, mouthing incomprehensibly. Finally, he looked straight at Bull again, as did all of the students in the class. Wide eyed, astonished, he barely managed to force out the words, “What … did you do … ?”

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Yes, something actually *happened* in this chapter! I'm as amazed as you are, to be quite honest. I was expecting to spend at least 10 chapters introducing the physical characters, but chapter 4 did most of that quite nicely, I think. Anyhoo, I kinda needed to show Will being an overconfident scoundrel (use your imagination), and I needed to showcase Bull's unintentional mastery over his abilities. This will be further reinforced in the next chapter.

LMK if something just doesn't feel right. Praise is also VERY welcome in this format especially.
 
Hehe, this is just leaving me... confused. Still reminds me of Harry Potter. The entire "My brain is right there, and I'm attacking this villain thing" is kind of weird. Very weird. So is the sudden burst of amazingness.
 
I'm kinda purposefully leaving certain things in the dark here. At least one of them will be cleared up in the next chapter...
 
OK, I've kinda got a little bit of a question going on here. I've written a few chapters not in this posting yet. However, some of them are FAR beyond this particular point chronologically. I've got a painful choice to make here, and I'd like some advice on how to make it.

1. Continue chronologically. This means that a few things that I wanted to keep secret get revealed far before I'd like them to come out. There's sort of this slow descent that I'd like to use, but kinda didn't happen in the chronological version of events.

2. Go Suzumiya Haruhi and post things kinda out of order. This really screws up the timeline, but adds a LOT of depth to at least two of the characters (and probably more, when I think about it). Plus, it allows me to slow down the pacing a little bit and add some more mystery to what's been going on here. Problem is that there are MASSIVE time shifts, and I'm not sure if they'd work out well in literary form.

Thx for your help!
 
IMO, you should post chapters in the order you wrote them to be posted. JMO, it's your fic.

You might want to tone down the Harry Potter similarities a bit.
 
Here's the thing. I wrote two versions of the story, but they both are absolutely integral to the story itself. The sections I'm referring to were written almost two years ago, but happen about three months in the future. The chronological stuff happens right after this, but it was written in the last 3 months on the advice that certain things were happening too quickly, and that I needed to slow it down a LOT. Problem is that, in trying to slow down one aspect of the story, I unintentionally put another aspect into hyperdrive, and that's the last thing I want to have happen...
 
I think I've figured out how I want this to work. Water is SUCH an amazing means of determining an answer to a puzzle. Things will really get hectic after this chapter, I get the feeling that a LOT of things will have to be changed in order for certain aspects of the new story to work as I believe they will...

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Chapter 6 – The Ultimate Defense

It took less than ten minutes for the Principal to arrive in the classroom. Surveying the scene, he looked straight at Bull and asked, “What happened here?”

Before Bull could think of an answer, half of the class began speaking as loudly as they could, apparently desperate to get heard by Principal Goyo. Bull had never seen such admiration of a single person in his entire life. It was as if Goyo was some sort of deity, and all of the students were merely his disciples. All of the students were essentially saying the same thing, but they were also trying to embellish as much as possible so that the Principal would believe their story the most.

Goyo turned away from Bull and raised his hands, and the onslaught of explanations immediately stopped. “I was asking Mr. Doshi, man.” Unlike when he spoke at the feast the night before, this time he spoke with a far more casual tone, sounding almost like a hippie. He then turned back to Bull and walked a few steps closer, a smile on his face. “Please, Doshi, tell me what happened,” he said as he dropped to one knee and placed a hand on Bull’s shoulder.

Bull couldn’t help trusting Principal Goyo. There was something about his eyes and the way that he smiled, Bull wasn’t completely sure the reason. He just knew that the information was going into trusted hands.

Sweating, panting, generally unable to correctly express himself, he began his explanation. “Professor Itsuki was giving us some sort of test on defense. I think it was something very basic. I practiced with Flame over there,” he motioned to the student still sitting at the desk across from Bull, “when the Professor butted in and tested me. I think I held my own for a couple seconds, then I lost sight of him. Next thing I knew, my head was in pain, inside my own mind. It was gone faster than it arrived. There was nobody in my mind after that. I brought myself back, and I found the Professor on the floor.” He paused, knowing that he could give no more information in front of the rest of the class. Principal Goyo seemed to understand this, and let his account stand.

Not a moment too soon, Sabrina rushed into the room. Principal Goyo took one look at her, and said calmly, “My cousin has taken a nasty spill due to our young friend here.” He motioned towards Bull, still sitting at the desk. “We’ll bring him to my office, along with young Doshi here. We need to know exactly what went down.”

He took a look at the rest of the class. “The rest of you, well, you don’t really have anybody to teach you. Get outta here!” The cheering could be heard all the way down the hall. “Enjoy the rest of the hour, and get to your next class on time.” Goyo turned towards Bull. “Mr. Doshi, please stick around a minute.”

Sabrina’s Alakazam was already out of its Pokeball, and a blue aura was forming around its twin spoons. Sabrina dragged the unconscious body of Professor Itsuki towards her powerful telekinetic Pokemon, and placed her hand on its head. Principal Goyo extended his hand towards Bull, who understood immediately and grasped it. Goyo nodded to Sabrina, and Alakazam’s eyes began to glow.

For a fleeting moment, Bull felt the sensation of flying. Not the weightlessness that he felt while deflecting Itsuki’s attacks. More like he was suspended, able to move about at will, but still able to feel the force of the earth upon his body. He shut his eyes, and it felt instead like he was being dragged down into some sort of pit. Finally, he looked around, and he was in a room he had never seen before.

The room was surprisingly bare, only a single, large, perfectly circular table in the middle. The room mirrored the dimensions of the table, only on a larger scale. Immediately, Bull was reminded of the legends of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. However, that illusion was immediately stifled when he took a second look around. The walls were painted a light purple, with pure white posts at even intervals. There didn’t appear to be any doors anywhere, and only a single, large window to look outside.

While Bull was taking in Principal Goyo’s office, both he and Sabrina had crouched over the unconscious Professor Itsuki. Each had placed a hand on Itsuki’s forehead, and Goyo had grasped Itsuki’s right hand. They both had their eyes closed, and seemed to be concentrating fully.

Bull crouched on one knee beside Sabrina. “What’s wrong with him?” he asked curiously, his need for knowledge overpowering his sense of morality.

Sabrina was slow to answer, and her voice was strained, as though she was carrying a large bag of sand a great distance. “He was … unprepared for … your great strength of mind.” Her voice became heavier as she spoke, though there was some amusement in her tone of voice. “He’s … always been … overconfident … in his … abilities. … He … neglected … our warnings …” At this, her voice stopped, and she concentrated fully upon bringing Professor Itsuki out of his trance.

Several minutes passed in silence while Principal Goyo and Sabrina worked on Professor Itsuki. Bull spent the time going over what exactly happened in his mind. I definitely remember attacking him, and being attacked. My first attack connected, knocked him back. He countered with some sort of lightning, that didn’t really hurt at all. My second attack didn’t connect, and then he was gone, then pain. Bull rocked back and forth on his heels. What manner of…

The teachers suddenly stood up. “That’s not possible,” said Principal Goyo severely. “He’s not in there!” He looked towards Bull.

Sabrina brought her hand to her mouth, shocked. “Principal, I think I know what might have happened, but I’ve never seen it before.” She narrowed her eyes and looked at Bull as well.

Goyo’s eyes shifted, but his face never turned. “I’ve got the same idea. Strange, though. Nobody’s ever managed to pull that off before.” He dropped to one knee and put a hand on Bull’s shoulder. “Bull, do you remember anything else, anything that you didn’t want the others to hear?”

Again, the answer just came out of Bull’s mouth, as if it were being pulled, rather than being spoken. “During that incident at the mall last year, I fought against a part of myself. Didn’t really know what I was doing, and he was so darn strong. I knew that I couldn’t beat him with pure power. So, I trapped him instead.” Both Goyo and Sabrina recoiled. “I have no idea how I did it, and I doubt I can do it again, but he’s still locked up in there, and I’m not letting him out until I know I can control him.” Bull looked at the floor, unable to express his exact feelings in words. “I goofed, didn’t I?”

Principal Goyo smiled. “No, you didn’t exactly goof. You just did something that even me and Sabrina have never been able to perfect.” He stood up and walked towards the window, where he stood, looking out at nothing, his hands clasped behind his back. “From your description earlier, seems like you performed the Conscientia Kykloun on yourself.”

Sabrina flinched and dropped to one knee, clutching her shoulders. It was the first time Bull had seen any sort of visible weakness coming from the usually levelheaded Gym Leader. “I’ve only heard about it before. It’s a technique where you create a barrier that both sucks telekinetic attacks in, and prevents them from ever being released.” She shivered again. “The way that you seem to have used it, it’s very dangerous even to you.”

Goyo continued with the explanation. “You see, it sucks in anybody and anything that touches it, and then never allows it to escape. I think that you added a nuance that even I had never dreamed was possible. You added some kinda power gauge to your Kykloun. The stronger the Psychic that attacks your mind, the more powerful your Kykloun appears to become. That’s probably why your buddy Flame didn’t get sucked in. This does have a pretty nasty side effect. As you learn more here, you’ll get stronger, and you could end up trapping yourself in your own mind.” He turned and smiled slightly. “We don’t want that happening now, do we?”

“No, sir!” Sabrina and Bull replied in unison.

“Good!” Goyo smiled slyly and walked away from the window and sat at the desk in the center of the room. “We’re going on a rescue mission. Willy’s trapped inside Mr. Doshi’s mind. We need to get him back. Him and me are probably the only two in this school who could match Mr. Doshi here in a one-on-one psychic fight when that particular personality has been released.”

Chairs materialized seemingly out of nowhere across the table from the Principal. Sabrina took the one on the left, regaining a measure of her composure from hearing Goyo begin making his plan. She motioned for Bull to take the other chair. Principal Goyo reached out one of his hands, and the unconscious body of Professor Itsuki floated towards his desk. With Itsuki resting on the deck, Goyo rested his head in his hands, his shoulder length, purple hair streaming in front of his face. Bull was reminded again of a hippie in this pose, for some strange reason. “All three of us are going to have to enter your mindscape, Bull. I’m not asking you to hit him directly. I just need you to weaken the barrier surroundin’ yer mind. Do ya think you can do that?” Goyo stared through his purple sunglasses with an intensity matched only by a single moment that Bull could remember.

Bull sunk back into his chair. “I have no idea, Sir. I don’t know how I managed to create that barrier. I wish I knew how to weaken it even slightly. And I fear Him beyond anything in this world or in this galaxy.” He turned away from Goyo’s intense stare. “I don’t know if I could keep him at bay for those quick moments that the barrier’s down. I don’t ever want to have to face him again, which is why I tried the strongest method that I could to keep him down.” He looked back at the Principal, his eyes shining in the sourceless light. “Please don’t make me fight him again. Not yet. I came here so that I could fight him on an equal level. So that I can finally defeat him, rather than simply holding him down. I know the strain on my mind right now. It’s my own burden to bear. I just can’t give him any opportunities to release himself.”

Goyo leaned back in his chair. “I understan completely, kid. He really messed things up last time he was out.” He again leaned forward, resting his head on his hands again. “But this time, you won’t be facing him alone. Both me and Riney here will be there to help you. With Willy still in there, fighting like only he can fight, you’ve got probably three of the strongest Psychics in the world on your side in this.” He extended his right hand towards Bull. “We won’t let anything happen to you. We simply got to get Willy out of there. You feelin’ me?”

Bull smiled slightly. The Principal’s informal speech and casual manner just made Bull feel far more comfortable. “I’m feelin’ ya,” Bull paused for a moment before adding “sir” to the end of his sentence. Goyo smiled as Bull grasped his hand, and Sabrina mimicked the action.

“Good. Let’s get this show on the road!” The Principal closed his eyes, and both Bull and Sabrina followed suit. Bull could feel himself spiraling once again, back into the mindscape he dreaded entering for over a year…

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Conscientia Kykloun = Consciousness Cyclone
 
Hmmm.Something happened a year ago, causing Bull to lock part of himself away? Is this why you had to mess up the Time continuum? So that we don't know what exactly happened?
 
Don't worry, there should be a greater focus on the Pokemon in the next few chapters. Still focused on the character building aspect of writing right now.

And now, for a COMPLETE departure from what's already happned...

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Chapter 7 – What’s My Name Again?

A story is comprised of many different parts. This first part has served its purpose, though it has not yet concluded. The first players are in place, and they await the others. For now, we shift to a new point in time, and a new part of the story. Who are the other players, and why have they been chosen? Where will they meet? The pendulum swings, and we move forward…

* * *

Books are rather hard and heavy objects. When moving at high velocity, they hurt. A lot.

Bull awoke with a start. “Owww, Professor, why’d you throw that at me!” He was clearly agitated, rubbing the back of his head with his hand. For a moment, he tried to remember his dream. Only flashes came back to him, though. A black cloak. White lightning. His own face. Cassidy. It was all rather muddled, so he let it drop.

Professor Morty Matsuba stood behind Bull, smiling as usual. “Bull, that’s the third time this week you’ve fallen asleep in my class. Now, I know that this stuff is boring, but you’re the only person I’ve ever seen fall asleep so much in here.” He picked up the book and turned to the rest of the class. Bull continued to rub the back of his head. To his right, Cassidy giggled a little, and Bull couldn’t help but smiling sheepishly just a little bit as his cheeks warmed.

“As I was saying before becoming Bull’s alarm clock,” Morty smirked, “Your Pokemon are an extension of yourself. Your personality will help to shape your Pokemon’s, even if that Pokemon was older when you caught it. I’m not saying that it’s entirely on you to shape your Pokemon’s character, but they will follow your example in many areas of their lives.” Morty walked to the front of the class, where the drawings on the backboard began to move of their own volition.

At this point, Bull was far too used to this to really care that much. All of the teachers were very powerful psychics, and Morty was especially good with implanting visual cues. His classes were, to start off, some of the most interesting Bull had taken simply because he was intrigued by Morty’s technique. When it became clear that Morty wasn’t going to be teaching them how to perform that particular trick, Bull became thoroughly uninterested in his class. He already knew pretty much all of the material anyway.

Morty pointed to the drawing on the left, though Bull knew that he wasn’t actually pointing, nor was the drawing actually there. “Unfortunately, I can’t show you how the different Pokemon react to different types of humans. That would take an eternity, and we only have a few years together to learn how to take care of these guys. Properly.” Morty’s calm smile was infectious, and his classes were the calmest that Bull had taken. Even though there was the usual amount of talking going on in the background, there wasn’t the vicious gossiping in which most teenagers engaged. Rather, it was quiet conversation about the subjects or the school in general. Bull found this class to be the most relaxing, and it showed in his performance and in his attitude in this classroom only.

Still pointing to the drawing, Morty explained. “I’ve seen plenty of Pokemon who completely changed their personality types based on their Trainers. Not even what their Trainers did to them. Just how they acted in general. A calm and collected Trainer will generally have Pokemon that respond to that calm. They will tend to take a little more time with their actions, be a little bit more deliberate. Their attacks will usually find their marks, and those attacks will be powerful, though not vicious.

“On the other hand, if you’re a rash and impulsive Trainer, your Pokemon will tend to respond in kind. Your Pokemon will tend to act before they think, even at times before given a command. Their attacks are performed quickly and mercilessly, though they might not be as accurate or damaging.” Morty walked to the middle of the class, and the bell rang. “Really? We’re out of time already? Oh well. On Monday, I want you guys to write me a page on how your Pokemon respond to your personality. And,” Morty’s smile widened, “have a good weekend.” The class cheered and packed up their stuff to leave.

Morty walked up behind Bull and whispered to him, still managing to smile the entire time. “Bull, I’d like to speak with you after the entire class has left.” Bull’s heart sank. He was picturing everything from detentions to expulsions. It wasn’t the first time Bull had fallen asleep in Morty’s class. The class was simply so calm that Bull couldn’t help but feel at ease in these classes above all others.

Next to him, Cassidy raised an eyebrow. “You’re not in trouble again, are you?”

Bull shrugged. “Hope not. But I can’t read people very well, so I don’t know,” he said, showing a calm and bravado that he clearly wasn’t feeling.

Cassidy packed her notes into her bag. “You’re not serious! Geez, Bull! That’s the third time this week! (‘forth’ mumbled Bull) If you’re not careful, you’re going to get sent to Vice-Principal Natsume again!”

Bull waved her off. “She’s cool. We’ve got no problems. I’ve been to her a few times this semester, lest you forget.” Cassidy opened her mouth again, but Bull cut her short. “Listen, I’m not in trouble. I think I know what this is about, so don’t worry about it. Go have fun with the guys, I’ll talk to you later.”

Cassidy’s eyes shone just for a second, then she went back to her bag, swinging it over her shoulder. “Alright. I’ll see you tonight, then.” She turned and walked away, her long, brown hair flowing behind her. Not for the first time, Bull stole a second glance as she left the room, then returned to his bag.

Bull packed up his notes and walked up to Morty’s desk. Morty reclined in his desk chair and clasped his hands behind his head. “Bull, you’re a cool kid. You’ve never missed an assignment, and you’ve got the top grades in the class right now. Yet you’re always asleep in my class. Why is that?” His calm was overwhelming, and Bull’s mental images evaporated immediately.

Bull shrugged. “Dunno. Probably my research. You remember the database that I’ve been compiling on Pokemon attacks and statistics? Well, in compiling that, I’ve been observing and participating in many more battles than most people of my age. Yes, even more than some Trainers. Also, this is the only room in this building where I feel completely comfortable and at ease. It’s the only place where I’ve been relaxed since I came here, so it’s only natural that I find myself sleeping here more than anywhere else.”

Morty’s smile continued, and he readjusted his headband. “Be that as it may, I can’t have you falling asleep and still being one of the top kids here. Nobody else will pay attention, and they simply can’t stop taking this class.”

He leaned forward and took his hands out from behind his head. He rested one arm along the table, and leaned his head against the other. “Actually, the real reason that I called you over is for something completely different. Sabrina needed to see you about something. I have no idea what it’s about, but I can take a VERY good guess.” He winked at Bull. “I’d think you’d better check it out. Might be helpful.”

Bull nodded and bowed slightly. “Thank you, Professor. I’ll go straight to her office.” He turned to leave the class.

As he reached the door, Morty called out. “And, Bull? Really, have a good weekend, kid.” His smile, if anything widened.

Bull forced a small grin as he left. It wasn’t a secret around the school that he didn’t smile or laugh very often, even when he was clearly enjoying himself. It was as if there was something always on his mind, something that he was always guarding himself against. It annoyed most students, so they generally stayed away from him. Which Bull didn’t mind in the least. People tended to annoy him, so he liked to stay by himself most of the time.

Bull reached the elevators and called out Sabrina’s office. When he walked out, the receptionist, a Junior Saffron Gym Leader whose name Bull could never remember, nodded knowingly. “Ahhh, Mr. Doshi. Yes, yes. Professor Natsume will be with you shortly. Please have a seat.”

“Thank you.”

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Yes, this was done completely on purpose. I understand exactly where I want this story to end up. There might be a little bit of Agatha Christie being thrown around in here, but it should end up where I want it to end up.
 
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