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-- Attached file included as plaintext by Listar --
-- File: Ocarina5.txt

	Matrix Dragon Presents.....

	A NERV Production.....

	Ocarina's Love
	Part Five

	(This Disclaimer will not work, due to the Y2K bug)

	[Times, Dates and Locations]
	"Talking in Japanese"
	"*Talking in Pokemon*"
	"{Talking in English}"
	<Thinking>

***

	[7:30am, August 2, 1999]

	[Nerima]

	Ranoka watched as her brother climbed out of the pond. "Looks
like you lose." Then she suddenly found herself in the pond as well.
Coughing up water, she glared at Hitmonchan. "Jerk!"

	"Chan." Too late Hitmonchan realised that he had left himself
open, and Link took full advantage of it, kicking the pokemon into
the wall. At the same time, he directed Dratini.

	"Thunder Wave! Fall back, now slam. Good work, now wrap!"
Dratini wrapped itself around Wartortle, who strained his muscles,
trying to break free. After a few seconds, it fought the dragon off,
then both of them fell back.

	This was the way things had become since the battle with
Ryouga. Ranma would fight Link or Hitmonchan, and also Ranoka now
that she had come, while Akane would spar with Kaji, who sometimes
controlled Hitmonchan, sometimes not. Now that Link was a pokemon
trainer, Kaji was gaining lots of practise in multiple command and
combat. "Wartortle, Water Gun! Woah!" Akane's foot barely missed his
face.

	At the same time, Ranma was teaching Akane. "No, don't leave
yourself so open, use your arms to deflect attacks more often," he
called out, taking Hitmonchan with a roundhouse kick. Ranoka used the
opening to fire a small Mouko Takabisha, which Ranma barely dodged.
It would have hit Link, had the elf not used a Devine Protection to
block the blast. While he did that, Mono brought a practise sword in
a downward arc towards Link's head. Link blocked it with a practise
sword of his own, then fell to his knees and punched Mono in the
stomach. He backflipped away, holding his wrist.

	<Stupid, stupid, stupid! Punching a dragon! There's a good way
to break your wrist.> "Dratini, wrap Wartortle, then crush the breath
out of him."

	Mono would have advanced on Link, but Nodoka advanced on him, a
grin on her face. "{I haven't had the chance to play with thee for
some time, hatchmate,}" she laughed.

	"Yeah, because you can't win," Mono replied, striking out at
high speed. His gut was still sore from the punch. <Does he always
have to wear those gauntlets?>

	A few minutes later, they stopped fighting as Kasumi said
breakfast was ready. "Save some for us Kasumi," Ranma yelled out,
"Akane and I haven't finished yet."

	"All right." <Looks like Ranma is taking the role of training
Akane seriously.>

***

	Ranoka came down the stairs, wearing a school uniform. A girls
school uniform. She had also undone her pigtail, and her hair
spilled over her shoulders. "You're going to look like an idiot in
that," Link said. <But she doesn't now,> he mentally added.

	"What's that meant to mean?" Ranoka demanded. "Are you saying I
don't look good like this?"

	"No! You look quite nice now! But when you get splashed with
hot water..."

	"Oh. Don't worry about that. It seems that when Ranma and I
transform, combine or recombine, our clothes change to what we want."

	Link shrugged. A few minutes later, Ranma and Akane finished
eating, and they headed for the door. Mono grabbed Link's shoulder.
"Can I talk to you a moment Link?" he asked.

	"Sure thing Katsuhito." Link called out to the others that he
would catch up. Navi was too busy talking to Ranoka to notice.
"What's wrong?"

	"You know how a lot of Ultima Dragons have learnt
shapeshifting magic?"

	"Yeah."

	"We think the twins have those abilities."

	"What, you mean the thing with their clothes?" Mono nodded.
"But Nodoka said their abilities wouldn't emerge for a few more
years."

	"It seems she was wrong."

***

	"My pig-tailed - no, fire haired goddess! How wonderful it is
to see that you are attending school in your natural form! Surely it
is proof that Hylia's dark magic.... is..... fad..." Kuno trailed off
as he saw both twins. Ranma moved to send him into orbit, but Ranoka
stopped him. She walked up to him, and tapped him on the forehead
with a finger. The young swordsman collapsed to the ground.

	"Why didn't you let me hit him?" Ranma complained.

	"I was curious to see what would happen. You can hit him
later. Now come on, or we'll be late! I don't want to be late for my
first day."

	"But it's not your first day," Kaji said as he ran to keep up.

	"It is as Ranoka Saotome."

	"How are you going to go all day as two separate people?" Akane
asked.

	"One of us, probably Ranma, will fade out at lunch time, give
us time to get our breath back."

	"How come I've gotta do it?"

	"Because I'll be making new friends. And don't you dare fade
out so you can perve into the girls showers!"

	Akane growled. She hadn't thought of that. "Ranma you pervert!"

	"I haven't done that yet!"

	"So you're going to do it?"

	"I ain't gonna do nothin! Man, I can't win."

***

	"Class, this is Ranoka Saotome." Ranoka bowed to the class,
then sat in the seat next to Link. "Mr Hylia, while I can accept you
bringing your pokemon to school, they must remain in their pokeballs
in class!"

	"Huh?" Link looked at the floor.

	"Dratini."

	"Dratini, what are you doing out?"

	"A Dratini? Oh, it's so cute," a girl said.

	"How'd you get a Dratini?" someone else asked.

	"Can I hold it?"

	"You lucky boy, I've always wanted a Dratini."

	Dratini's eyes widened as a group of girls grabbed it in a hug.
"Tini!" It slipped out of their grip and fled towards Link.

	"Dratini, return." The girls sighed as the pokemon disappeared.
"Sorry sir. He'll stay in his ball from now on."

***

	[9:30am]

	[Viridian Forest]

	"{I hate my life,}" Ash-chan said.

	"{But you look so cute,}" Jessie said. Ash-chan managed to stop
herself from snapping at the former member of Team Rocket. A few days
ago, she had made a bet with Pikachu that she wouldn't be able to
stand being human for an entire day. That was a bet that Pikachu had
won. As a result, Ash also had to spend an entire day as a girl.

	Clothes and all.

	Irritably she yanked at the tight blouse collar.  Stupid
dress. Stupid shoes. Worst of all---- The mouse would pay for this.
She would pay if it took her a hundred years. There wasn't any reason
she couldn't have worn her boxers under the skirt.

	"*Personally, I don't understand what all the fuss was about.
Humans never make sense to me, even though I am one sometimes,*"
Pikachu said.

	"{If Ranma and Sabrina are right,}" Ash-chan replied, "{then
sooner or later you'll understand.}" <And that's what scares the hell
out of me,> she thought to herself. Ranma and Ranoka had survived the
experience, but Sabrina said that may have been because of the Neko-
ken. Ash did not want to become a girl mentally. That would really
screw up his life.

	A scream in the bushes caught her attention. "{That sounded
human! C'mon!}" She ran deeper into Viridian Forest. Then her dress
caught on a branch, and she went head over heels. "{Ouch.}"

***

	The man ran through the forest, not noticing the bushes he
tripped over, or the branches that struck his body. The only thing he
paid any attention to was the voice in his head, telling him to run
faster.

	Suddenly a vine shot out from a bush, wrapping around his leg
and pulling him up into the air. The man screamed.

	"{Idiot fell right into my trap,}" a voice said. It was another
man, sitting on a Rhyhorn. He smirked. "{Now we'll have a pokemon
battle.}"

	"{But I don't have any pokemon,}" the man pleaded.

	"{Ain't that a shame. You'll have to fight my pokemon by
yourself then. Ivysaur, drop him.}" He got off the Rhyhorn.
"{Rhyhorn, stomp him into paste!}" The Rhyhorn charged...

	...only to stop in surprise as an Ice Beam flew between him and
his victim. The blast continued on, until it hit a tree, freezing off
a branch. The man stared. "{Who the hell did that?}"

	"{We did,}" a female voice said. Both men turned to see three
young women, a Pikachu and a Blastoise standing there.

	"{Bug off you bitches,}" the pokemon trainer said. "{We're just
having a little fun.}"

	"{And you call yourself a pokemon trainer,}" one of the girls
said. The man frowned at that. Not only was he insulted, but
something in the girls voice sounded... off.

	"{You don't like it? Well then, I challenge you to a pokemon
battle! If you win, I'll leave. If I win, you leave.}"

***

	"{Ash, we can't agree to those terms,}" Misty whispered.

	"{No choice, if we tried to stop him another way, he might hurt
that guy,}" Ash-chan replied.

	"{Who'll fight him?}" Jessie asked. "{I don't have any
pokemon.}"

	"{I'll do it,}" Ash-chan said. "{He's got different types of
Pokemon. I'm the only all-rounder we've got.}" The other two nodded.
"{Okay mister, I accept!}"

	"{What's your name girl?}"

	"{Ashley Jenkins,}" Ash-chan said, remembering the fake ID she
had.

	"{Jacob Riley.}" The man looked at his Rhyhorn. "{Rhyhorn,
Tackle Attack!}"

	"{Blastoise, Ice wall!}" Blastoise's shoulder cannons fired
twin beams of ice, creating a solid wall that the rock pokemon
slammed into. "{Mega Punch!}" As the Rhyhorn pulled it's head out, it
was greeted with a fist to it's face, knocking it out cold.

	"{Rhyhorn, return. Ivysaur, go!}"

	"{Blastoise, return. Charizard, have fun!}" Charizard, as
annoying to Ash as Psyduck is to Misty, decided that Ash was right.
So he started pounding Ivysaur.

	Ember. Scratch. Bite. Headbutt. Flame-thrower. Ankle twist.
Slam it into a tree a couple of times. Bite the Vine Whip. <YUK!>
Spit out the Vine Whip. Scratch. Ember. Ember. Elbow Smash. Bite.
Headbutt.

	"{Isn't that Ivysaur knocked out yet?}" Jessie said.

	"{That's the way Charizard is. I let him relax at home and at
Indigo Tower, if he fights in battles like this. That's the only way
he's reliable.}"

	"{It took us three years to work that out,}" Misty said.

	"{Arrrgh! Damn it! Pincer, Golem, Taros, go!}"

	"{Charizard, do you want to handle this?}" Charizard simply
yawned. "{Guess not. Go for it Pikachu!}"

	"Pi!" Ash-chan threw Pikachu high into the air. "PikaCHU!"
Everyone was thrown back by the sheer power of the Thunder attack.
When the dust cleared, the three pokemon were out to the world.

	"{No!}" Jacob yelled. "{I can't lose to some little girl!}"

	"{Freeze!}" a familar voice yelled. Jacob turned to see Officer
Jenny and her Growlithe standing there. "{Jacob Riley, you're under
arrest for pokemon assaults on a non-trainer.}"

***

	[12:30pm]

	[Nerima]

	"Saotome! I will smite thee!"

	"What's your problem this time?" Ranma asked, easily avoiding
the bokken.

	"You have taken the fire-haired goddess by an unholy marriage,
molesting her in an attempt to steal her soul!"

	Ranma's jaw dropped. Ranoka's jaw dropped. Hell, the jaws of
every single person in the damn school dropped. "You really are an
idiot, ain't you?"

	"Silence fiend!" Ranma caught the bokken, and crushed it in his
grip.

	"Look moron. I'll put this in terms you'll understand. Ranoka
is my sister, got it?"

	Link made a bet with Kaji.

	"Liar! My fire-haired goddess could never be related to a demon
like you!"

	Kaji paid up.

	"You claim she is your sister so that your lackey, the dark elf
Hylia may take her for his own!"

	Link fumed. One, he hated being called a lackey. Two, he was
not a Dark Elf. He knew what they were like, and his usual response
to them was a lot of combat spells. Three, Link would never dream of
taking Ranoka for his own in the way Kuno claimed he would.

	In all fairness, his response was understandable.

	"Flam Hur!" Kuno's smoking body fell to the ground.

***

	[4:45pm]

	"He's a jerk," Ranoka said as she walked next to the fence,
later that day. "I really doubt that anything we do will convince him
to leave us alone."

	"When will we meet his sister?" Link asked.

	"Hopefully, never." Ranoka shuddered. "That girl gives us the
creeps." She stopped walking in order to watch two trainers battling.
They both looked like beginners. "She's obsessed with Ranma, for some
reason I can't figure out."

	<Maybe it's my good looks,> Ranma said.

	<What good looks?>

	"What are you doing?" Ranoka looked up to see Genma standing
there, a scowl on his face.

	<What's he doing here?> she thought.

	<Making our lives hell. As usual,> Ranma replied.

	"What do you want father?" she asked.

	"For a start, you'll get out of those girls clothes. Then you
and I are going on a training trip."

	In Ranoka's mind, the twins held a long discussion on Genma and
what he was up to. Since it took place at the speed of thought, the
discussion was over in seconds.

	They had weighed the evidence, looked over their memories and
come to one conclusion.

	Genma needed a scapegoat.

	"Go away. I'm not going with you," she snapped. He would just
use her again, try to destroy her. What would he do to try and 'cure'
the Neko-ken? Would he believe her when she said she was cured?

	"Show some respect boy," Genma growled, but he froze at the
sight of Link's gun.

	"Did you forget me fuzzball?" Link said, his battle aura in the
visible spectrum. "Ranoka said she wasn't going with you."

	"Ranoka? You've made my son think he's a girl!" Genma still
didn't move however, Link's aura and gun scaring the crap out of him.

	Ranma appeared next to his sister. "I'm a guy. She's the girl."

	"What? How? Who?" Genma had frozen in shock.

	"Meet Ranoka, Ranma's female side," Kaji explained.

	Genma began to moan pitifully. "Oh the shame! My son is not a
true man!" A bucket of water hit him in the face, and a panda was
suddenly standing there.

	"Everyone has a male and female side father," Ranoka said. Link
activated his lightsword.

	"Maybe I should make your female side stand out," Link said, a
feral grin on his face.

	Genma-panda turned to run, and slammed straight into Mono.
"Remember me, brother-in-law?" the dragon said. Genma ran in another
direction. Mono turned to the others. "Anyone in for a game of 'Hurt
that Panda?'" he asked. When everyone else shook their heads he said
"suit yourself," and ran in the direction Genma had fled.

	Ranoka leant against the fence, shaking heavily. "What's wrong
Ranoka?" Link asked.

	Ranoka hugged herself. "I've never been so scared in my life.
Not even the Neko-ken. If you hadn't stopped him, he would have
thought I was some kind of demon controlling Ranma. I don't know what
he would have done to me."

	Link helped her stand up. "He wouldn't have done anything to
you, because you or Ranma are more then a match for him. And even if
he managed to beat you, he'd still have to get through all of us. And
we're not willing to lose you."

	"Link's right sis. Don't worry 'bout pop. We're safe from him."

	In the distance, a pandas screams could be heard.

***

	[Pewter City]

	The explosion destroyed the wall, knocking the people in the
street to the ground. From the dust cloud came several figures. One
of them was familiar to the people of Pokemon Island. James, the
crossdressing member of Team Rocket.

	"{It's just not the same without Jessie,}" he said, picking up
a ten-year old girl. Suddenly, a burst of fire hit James' pokemon,
slamming it into the ground. James looked up to see a young man with
short brown hair standing there, a vulpix next to him. "{Brock. I
thought I'd run into you.}"

	"{Of course you would,}" Brock replied, "{it's my city.}" He
pulled out another pokeball. "{Let the girl go. Now.}"

	"{No-one talks to me that way!}" James yelled. "{Besides, it's
the girl we want!}"

	"{You've finally lost it,}" Brock said. "{Why would you want a
kid?}"

	"{Our science boys need some test subjects,}" James said, a
feral grin on his face.

	"{You bastard!}" Brock reared back to throw his pokeball, but
James held out his hand.

	"{Throw that ball, and the girl dies. We can always find other
subjects.}" Behind him, a helicopter landed. "{Till next time boy!}"
The helicopter took off, with Brock standing there helplessly.

***

	[5:25pm]

	[Nerima]

	Link and Kaji sat on the couch, idly flicking through the
different channels. "Let's see now... Sailor Moon, Macross, some
weird show... What the hell is Power Rangers?"

	"You don't want to know," Kaji replied.

	"Hmm... you're right, I don't. Fishing, Golf, Sumo Wrestling.
Let's just watch Macross."

	"Link!" Ranoka ran in, grabbed Link by the collar, and ran out
with him in tow. "Come on!"

	"What?"

	"You need some clothes. I'm not letting you borrow mine any
more."

	Alarm bells went off in Link's head. The last time someone had
mentioned clothes in that tone of voice, Gwenno had dragged him and
the Avatar into that tailors shop for hours. <I hate when this
happens.>

	"Rest in peace buddy," Kaji said, before turning back to the
tv.

***

	[5: 46pm]

	Link found himself pulled through shop after shop, being made
to try on all sorts of clothes. Ranoka may have been a guy a few days
ago, but she was a woman now, and Link always had trouble saying no
to girls. <Hell, that's what got me in trouble in the first place,
saying yes to Princess Zelda.>

	"These ones are a bit more expensive," Ranoka said, looking
at a pair of pants. "No wonder, they're brand name."

	"Yeah, on the seventh day God said 'Thou shalt place fancy
labels on thy garments, and make them expensive."

	Ranoka giggled. "He probably did. Nice god voice."

	"Thanks. Can we go with the non-brand names? I'm short of
cash."

	"Where'd you get all your money from in the first place?"
Ranoka asked, looking through some clothes for herself. "Don't tell
me Britannia uses yen."

	"Nah, I was lucky enough to find somewhere to exchange my
coins. Of course, before I left Britannia, I was unlucky enough to
pay Dupre's bar tab before I left." He stopped talking as his
pokegear began beeping. He answered it. "Link here."

	"Link, it's Ash. Could you come to Indigo Tower?"

	"Sure thing. Just give me a minute to finish here." He slapped
some money on the counter.

	"I'm coming with you," Ranoka said. "Maybe I could help."

	"Sure thing," Link said. "Make that two Ash." A second later,
they vanished with the familiar thunderclap.

***

	Ranma's eyes widened all of a sudden. One of the abilities he
had gained when he and Ranoka had first split was the ability to
sense where she was. One moment she had been one place, the next
somewhere else a long way away. A thunderclap came from inside, and
he put the pieces together. He held up his hand. "Stop."

	Akane froze in mid-punch. "What's wrong?"

	"I'm gonna try something." He wrapped his arms around her.

	"Hey, let go of me you pervert!" Ranma's aura flashed into
appearance for a second, and the pair popped out of reality.

***

	[Indigo Plateau]

	Ranoka, Link and Kaji appeared first, and were shocked when
Ranma and Akane flashed into existence. Link recovered first. "Is
there anything you can't do?"

	"Nope. I'm the best there is!" Ranma smirked.

	"Here we go again," Ranoka said. "If he starts singing, hit
him."

	"Why are all of you here?" Ash-chan asked. "We only contacted
Link and Kaji."

	"We figured something was up," Ranma said, "and we want to
help."

	Sabrina suddenly appeared near the group. "It would be a good
idea to accept their help Ash."

	"A foretelling?" Ash-chan said.

	"More like a feeling," the Saffron Psychic replied.

	"Well.... if Kaji trusts you, I guess it's all right," Ash-chan
said. "But the others have to approve."

	"It's already done," Sabrina said. "Ranoka Saotome, Ranma
Saotome, Link Hylia and Akane Tendo all have Avenger-level security
access."

	"You knew they were going to come, weren't you?" Kaji asked.

	"Who, me?" Sabrina said, making one of those 'innocent little
girl' poses.

***

	[6:10pm]

	"{Now that everyone's here,}" Ash said, now back in male form,
and making sure no cold water came anywhere near him, "{maybe Brock
will tell us why he called us all here.}"

	"{You bet I will Ash.}" Brock's hands had clenched into fists.
"{Team Rocket attacked Pewter City less then an hour ago. They
weren't after pokemon. They kidnapped people. James said something
about their science people needing test subjects.}" The room was
filled with the voices of people talking over each other.

	"They what!?"

	"{Team Rocket always goes after pokemon-}"

	"{Not anymore.}"

	"What are they trying to do?"

	"{I don't know-}"

	"QUIET!" Everyone looked at Link. "{We're not going to get
anywhere if you all talk on top of each other like that.}"

	"{He's right,}" Ash said. "{We need a plan. Mike, rattle every
chain you've got. Find out whatever you can about this new state of
affairs. What the test subjects are for, where they're being held,
everything. Surge, call all your men in. The first chance we have at
getting those people out, I want to take it. Sabrina, Brock, I want
you to work with the PCPD. Find out who the Rockets took. Try and
find them on the Astral Plane. Bill, see if you can improve your
teleporter. Try to make it so it can take at least twenty people at
once. I'll be in Australia for the next week, but I want a constant
update. Understood?}" Everyone nodded. "{Good. Dismissed.}"

***

	[Nerima]

	Shampoo spun her bike around the corner, startling several
people who were splashed as her bike went through a puddle. One of
them turned into a pidgey, but Shampoo ignored it.

	She had known for ages that this day would come. She could no
longer marry Ranma. For what reason, Shampoo didn't know, but she had
a few good ideas that could be likely.

	<It's the new one, Ranoka. It has to be. She is Ranma, but
she's a girl. So does that mean I have to kill her? Or because
there's a girl Ranma, do I have to kill both?>

	Despite what it had looked like when she had first arrived,
Shampoo had no desire to kill anyone. She figured, chase the girl
around for a while, beat her up a bit, make sure no one from the
village was still following her then go home and say she had killed
the girl. Then Ranma had beaten her in male form, and things had
gotten weird from there.

	Shampoo shook her head as she found the address she was to
deliver to. "Shampoo wonder what normal life like."

***

	[6:30pm]

	Colonge picked up the phone. "Nekohanten. May we help you?"

	"Hello grandmother," a familiar voice said.

	"Kal. Have you found anything?"

	"Someone killed a demoness in New York. The crime rate has gone
way up, and at night.... well, let's just say things get strange.
I've killed two vampires, a werewolf, and some sort of pus demon
since I got here less then ten hours ago!"

	Colonge closed her eyes. Things were getting worse, with no
sign that there would be any turn for the better. "What of the
shadows?"

	"It's the party of the century and everyone's invited. The
Shadownet is having a hard time coping with all the data, the UN's
set up a large number of bounties on some meta-humans that have shown
up in the area, and Omega Sector is sending in a Battle Chapter."
Colonge's eyes widened at that.

	Omega Sector had been created by the UN in the early 1950's, to
deal with all the events that would not be understood by the public.
This includes magic, advanced technology, time travel, demonic
invasion, and a lot of other things. Although their existence had
become public knowledge in the late 80's, very little was known of it
outside the shadows. Omega Sector had never sent more then a single
company into a battlezone at any one time. A battle chapter was ten
times larger.

	"Grandmother," Kal's voice said, "is this as bad as it will
get?"

	"No," Colonge said. "It will get much worse."

***

	[7:00pm]

	The Nerimans returned to the Tendo household with an already
familiar thunderclap. Inside, Genma and Soun were playing some sort
of card game. Kaji noticed it was the pokemon card game.

	"What's he doing here?" Link said. "The fuzzball didn't learn
his lesson last time?"

	"I dragged him here," Mono replied, "so that Nodoka could
explain Ranoka to him. I'm not sure if he got it."

	Genma turned towards the group, giving Soun time to pull a
Hitmonchan card out of his pocket. "So, Nodoka was telling the
truth," Genma said.

	"And why wouldn't she?" Ranma answered. "The only one
around here that doesn't tell the truth is you."

	"Well, no matter. Come on boy. I've found a cure. All we've got
to do is reach it."

	"No."

	Genma stopped. "What did you say?" Behind him, Mono took his
place in the card game.

	"I'm not going after a cure for Jusenkyo," Ranma said. "Why
would I need one?"

	"You're cursed, that's why!" Genma said. "Now you think you're
a girl in mind as well when you're in cursed form."

	"That ain't me, it's Ranoka!"

	"I told you he didn't get it," Mono muttered, hitting Soun's
Hitmonchan with Machamps Seismic Toss.

	"She's not real! She's nothing but the curse!" Genma yelled.
"She's a figment of your imagination!"

	"What?" Ranoka whispered, Genma's words hitting her with more
force then Akane's mallet.

	"You're not even alive," Genma hissed. For several weeks now,
he had been of the receiving end of things. Now he had a chance to
make someone else suffer, instead of himself. "You're nothing but but
a fake, the curse. Nothing."

	Ranoka fell to her knees. After she first came into existence,
she had tried to avoid that thought. Spending time with her family
had helped. But those words, coming from the person who had raised
her, tore into the young girls mind, bringing her fears forward.

	"You think the same way, don't you Ranma?" Genma said.

	"Shut up, fuzzball," Link growled. Genma didn't hear him,
didn't notice Soun rising to his feet.

	"You do feel that way," Genma said, moving forward. "I know you
boy. You're a man, and no part of you could ever be some weak little
girl!"

	"I'm sorry, Ranma," Ranoka said, tears beginning to run down
her face. "I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry-"

	"Ranoka," Ranma whispered.

	Ranoka ran out of the house. "-If that's what you truly feel, I
wish I'd never been born!"

	"Ranoka, wait!" Ranma yelled. He ran after her into the street,
but Link was ahead of him, moving with incredible speed. Link stood
in the middle of the street, looking in every direction.

	"I lost sight of her. Can you track her?" the elf said.

	Ranma shook his head. "She's blocking me somehow. She could be
anywhere."

	"What about when one of you fades out?"

	"She'll hold out for as long as she can. She's blocking me
there as well." Ranmas hands were clenched so hard, blood was
beginning to trickle out of his fists. "For now the most we can do is
make Genma suffer."

***

	Link, Ranma, Nodoka, Kaji, Mono, Soun, Nabiki and Akane
all wanted a piece of Genma. But to their surprise, someone beat them
to it.

	*CLANG*

	Genma staggered back from the force of the blow. Everyone
stared in shock at Kasumi. The pot in her hands had a Genma-imprint
on it. Her face, usually so peaceful and kind, was contorted with a
rage that seemed out of place there. "You monster!" she yelled.

	Genma's body shook with anger. "You disrespectful little
bitch!" he growled, walking towards her. Suddenly, he found others in
the way. Link, Ranma, Kaji, Akane, Nabiki, Soun, Mono and Nodoka
stood in front of him. Kaji and Link's pokemon had come out of their
pokeballs.

	"Get out of my house," Soun said, his voice tight with anger.

	"What? You mean you believe that fake is real?" Genma was
suprised. Soun had never stood against him before.

	"Her name is Ranoka," Link said.

	"She's my sister pops," Ranma said. "She has all of my
memories, just from a female perspective."

	"You just effectively disowned her," Kaji said.

	"If anything happens to her, you'd better start running," Link
stated. While his voice sounded calm, his aura was completely in the
visible spectrum. Genma recoiled at the sight of it. He had never
seen such hatred directed at any one person before. All of it was at
him. He backed up.

	Soun walked towards him. "Saotome Genma. I, Tendo Soun,
Grandmaster of the Tendo School of Anything Goes Martial Arts,
hereby banish you from these grounds.  Never again darken our home
with your honorless presence."

	Genma fled. His best friend had betrayed him. He couldn't
understand it. All he ever did was try to make his son the best. Was
that so wrong?

***

	[7:10]

	[Pallet Forest]

	In the depths of the forest between Pallet Town and Viridian
City, there was a building. Above the ground, it was rather small,
most of it being underground. It was one of the major bases of Team
Rocket. Here, members of the criminal organisation were trained,
equipped, and given their orders. Further down, where very few
travelled, another side of Team Rocket could be seen.

	Here, the test subjects for the stolen DNA combiner/separator
were held until they were needed. And also down here, the lord and
master of Team Rocket, Giovanni, spoke to his masters.

	Giovanni removed his helmet, and knelt in front of the black
pillar. "My Lord."

	"You have followed your orders well, Giovanni," a voice said.
"The League now believes your troops are hidden somewhere near
Cinnabar Island. Now you have new orders."

	"I live to serve, my lord."

	"Your people in Japan are ready, I presume?" Although it was
put to him as a question, Giovanni had no doubt that his master
already knew the answer. He had so many times in the past.

	"Of course, my lord. They will begin their mission in two days
time, as planned."

	"That is to change. Begin the mission now."

	"My Lord?"

	"You may not be told the reasons now, Giovanni, but you shall
learn soon."

	"Yes, my lord. What of the traitor?"

***

	James and Butch stood to attention as Giovanni exited the room.
He set off down the corridor, the pair following him. As they reached
his office, he turned to Butch. "{Remain here. I must speak with
James privately.}"

	"{Yes sir.}"

	Once in the office, Giovanni removed his helmet again, and made
himself comfortable in his chair. "{I have read the report of the
mission to Pewter City. Good work James. You've improved.}"

	James felt a rush of pride. "{Thank you sir.}"

	"{What do you have on the traitor?}" Giovanni hated traitors.
The only good traitor was a dead traitor, in his opinion. His people
were wise not to mention Jessie's name around him.

	"{She is travelling with the water master, Misty. It is not
known for certain, but it is suspected she is suffering from
amnesia.}"

	Giovanni considered that. "{If it is true, then it is to our
advantage. However, with time she may regain those memories. If that
happens, she may reveal information to the League. You and Meowth
will kill her.}"

	James nodded. "{Yes sir.}"

	"{Dismissed. You may take the rest of the day off.}"

	"{Thank you sir.}"

***

	Several floors below, a massive explosion ripped down the
hallway, killing several rocket members instantly. A lone figure
emerged from the flames. It was a young woman, clad in only a pair of
shorts and a T-shirt. She was the heir to the Cinnibar Island Gym.
Her name was Lara Larame. "{Ah owe ya Rockets,}" she said in the
unmistakable accent. A pokemon guard, a Ivysaur, sent it's vine
whips towards her. "{Now there's a mistake sugar,}" Lara said, a
fireball erupting from her hands. The blast tore through the shocked
Ivysaur's defences, slamming into it's head. It fell against the
wall, out cold.

	Lara looked at the roof. <Looks easy enough,> she thought,
flames springing up from her body. With a scream of hatred, the
flames shot straight up into the roof, melting through it in seconds.

	Then, like the Human Torch, she flew up into the evening sky, a
trail of fire behind her.

	Giovanni looked at the trail of flame, then stood up. "{I told
those morons to make sure she couldn't escape.}" He connected his
Lascannon to his arm, and left the room.

***

	[7:45pm]

	[Nerima]

	Ranoka leapt from building to building, not caring where she
was going. In the past few minutes, every single one of her fears had
come to life.

	Ranma thought she was nothing but a fake. She was sure of it.
Why shouldn't he? The only reason she existed was because of
Jusenkyo, because of the curse he hated so much.

	The sound of an explosion nearby grabbed her attention. <Maybe
that will get my mind off some of my problems,> she thought to
herself.

	She's a kid, don't forget. She can't help it if she's naturally
curious. She wants to see what's happening.

	The sights go hand in hand with the sounds.

	Almost two dozen men and women in Team Rocket uniform swarmed
over the Pokemon Island Embassy, their pokemon attacking the pokemon
inside. Ranoka had seen all the pokemon before. Machops, Charmeleons,
Rattatas, Polywrath's.... Then she saw one she hadn't seen before.

	It stood almost six feet tall, covered from shoulder to toe in
plate mail. It wore a billowing green cloak, and would have
looked human if not for it's head, which resembled a wolf. In it's
hands it held a gleaming sword. Ranoka pulled out her Pokedex.

	"Swordsman. The Blade Pokemon. This fighting pokemon is a
skilled swordfighter, and can use elemental attacks with it's blade.
It's sword is said to slice through diamond with ease."

	"This is going to be tough," Ranoka said to herself. "But I can
take it."

	One of the Rockets laughed as Swordsman's Vacuum Blade ripped
through a Ghastly. "Alright people, enough fun. Take the pokemon,
destroy the building, and take a few prisoners."

	"You're not doing anything of the sort." The Rocket turned to
see Ranoka there. "Surrender now, or suffer."

	"Yeah right kid. You don't even have a pokemon. Machoke, Mega
Punch the brat!" Machoke's fist shot forward. "Consider this a lesson
to mind your own business! Huh?" Ranoka moved her head to the side,
Machoke missing by milimetres.

	"My turn." Her fist struck Machoke in the jaw, throwing him
back several dozen metres, colliding with two Rockets on the way
past. "Gee, I bet that hurt a lot!" Her clothes flashed, shifting
into another form. "Consider that a lesson-" The clothes finished
shifting, and Ranoka realised that they were not her usual Chinese
clothes, but a outfit like Link's, but with a more feminine
style. <Why'd that happen? Figure it out later girl.> "-Never mess
with Ranoka Saotome!"

	"You wanna play big league girly, you best be pepared for a few
whacks!" The Rocket yelled. "Charmeleon, Flame-thrower!" Ranoka leapt
over the flames, and hit the fire pokemon with a amaguriken. "You
missed the kid!"

	"What, you really think I'm going to sit still, and let myself
get clobbered? You really are as dumb as all the stories say," Ranoka
said, elbowing another Rocket in the face.

	"You talk a good fight, pip-squeak," a female rocket said. "But
there's only one of you!"

	"Saotome!" Ranoka's head jerked up.

	"Mousse?"

	The blind Amazon leapt towards her. "You have insulted Shampoo
for the last time!"

	Ranoka moved dodging the chains, maces and grilled cheese
sandwich that flew from her foes sleeves. Moving away from Mousse,
she prepared a Mouko Takabisha, only to be hit by a Geodude. She
impacted with the ground hard, kicking up a storm of dust. <Not good,
not good, not good... Happened so fast, so much dust in the air,
can't see my opponents. Damn Mousse!>

	"Now you die, Ranma Saotome," Mousse said, walking towards the
dust cloud.

	"Time out people!" Kaji yelled, as he rode Gyarados into the
battle. Mousse turned towards them, only to get his clock cleaned as
Ranma and Link double teamed him. "I'm sure you don't mind if we even
up the odds a little? Hitmonchan, Wartortle, Voltorb, Pidgeotto, go!"

	"I'll help. Dratini, go!" Dratini leapt towards Swordsman.
"Dratini, Thunder Wave!" Dratini let loose with the electric attack,
knocking Swordsman back a few feet.

	"Hah! Swordsman, Ice Slash!" Swordsman swung his sword down,
and thousands of ice darts flew off the sword, barely missing
Dratini. Dratini ducked behind a piece of rubble, waiting for it's
chance.

	Link moved, bringing his blaster up, his mental bond with Navi
allowing him to track the Rockets. He squeezed the trigger once,
twice, three times, with every shot hitting it's target.

	Mono and Nodoka hit the Rock and Fire pokemon hard and fast. By
the time the two Ultima Dragons were finished, there was a large pile
of pokemon in front of them. Mono made a show of dusting his hands.
"Never dance with a dragon," he said.

	Gyarados twisted to the side to avoid Gloom's Solar Beam,
throwing Kaji off it's back. Kaji then slammed into a wall. "Ah
crap!" he said a few seconds before the twenty foot long pokemon
slammed into him.

	"Looks like that brat's dead," a Rocket said. Gyarados shifted
to the side to reveal Kaji pulling himself out of the wall.
"Impossible! Nothing could survive that!" the Rocket exclaimed.

	"Guess all the endurance training Bruno and Surge put me
through finally paid off," Kaji said. "Gyarados, bite that Gloom!"
Gyarados shot forward, catching the plant pokemon in it's mouth.
Then, the mouth snapped shut, it's fangs tearing into the weed. Kaji
then punched the Rocket trainer in the nose.

	Akane was all over a group of Rockets and Pokemon before they
knew it. While her skill in one-on-one fights was not as good as
Ranma or Shampoo, when it came to fighting a whole mob, Akane was one
of the best. She had done it every morning for several months,
remember. She ducked under a Charmander's Ember attack, letting it
hit a Tangela. At the same time, her foot connected with a Rockets
stomach. <Use their numbers to your advantage,> she told herself,
smirking as the burnt Tangela attacked the Charmander. <Make them hit
each other, and end up with them helping you more then themselves.>

	As her foot connected with the face of the last fighter, a
Machop, all of the others walked over. "All the Rockets are down,"
Kaji said.

	"Yeah," Mono said, "but where's Link?"

***

	Link ducked and weaved, his lightsword leaving a trail of
energy behind it. His attack was blocked by Swordsman's own sword, so
Link twisted, bringing his weapon under the opponents. The Blade
Pokemon leapt back. "Swordsman, Quick Attack!" Swordsman's sword
seemed to blur into invisibility, and Link brought the Hylian Shield
up just in time as millions of sparks flew off it's surface.

	Swordsman pulled back, giving Link time to execute a Jump
Attack. Swordsman managed to deflect the blow, and it ended up
glancing off the pokemon's shoulder pad. "Swordsman, Fire Blade
attack!" Swordsman pointed his sword at Link, and fire ran along the
blade, before launching itself at the Elf. Link jumped to the side,
barely avoiding the flames.

	<Nayru's Heart, this thing's good!> "Navi, move faster, I need
that info now!" He ran forward, and stabbed at his foe, and Swordsman
twisted to the side. Link slammed the shield into him, pushing him
back.

	"I've got it!" Navi cried. Instantly, information flowed into
Link's mind. He could feel Swordsman moving, the sword in it's hand
glowing with power. He ignored the trainer in the background. All
that mattered was the foe in front of him.

	Ice came off Swordsman's blade. Link sent the lightsword and
shield back into nowhere, and shot a fire arrow. The explosion sent a
blast of heat across his face, but nothing more. This time, Link
fired an ice arrow. Swordsman met it with a fire attack of his own.
The diversion had allowed him time to get in close again, and Link
took full advantage, trading his bow with his quarter staff, and
swinging it at near amaguriken speed, managing to hit more times then
not.

	Suddenly, Swordsman was turned into red energy, and returned to
it's pokeball. Link and Navi looked up in surprise to see Nabiki
standing over the Rocket, who was out cold on the ground in front of
her. The belt holding his pokeballs was in one hand, and Swordsman's
pokeball in the other. "How much will this cost me?" Link asked.

	"Nothing." Link narrowed his eyes. "The tapes of the fight will
make a large enough profit."

	"Figures."

***
	[9:00pm]

	[Nerima]

	"You really are an idiot, aren't you?" Colonge said to Mousse.
The others had tied him up in his own chains, and dumped him at the
entrance to the Nekohanten.

	"He has insulted my Shampoo for the last time," Mousse growled.

	"Listen to me you fool!" Colonge snapped. "You're walking on
thin ice. Sooner or later you'll slip up, make some sort of mistake,
and when you do, I'll be there. You'll pay for their deaths."

	"I didn't kill anyone," Mousse said. "The Eldars said it was an
accident."

	Colonge slammed her staff into his head. She glared at his
unconscious body. "Just be thankful I don't kill in cold blood, or
you would have been dead a long time ago."

***

	Link jumped from car to car, ignoring the shouts of drivers.
<Damn it, where is she?> Ranoka had fled after the battle, not giving
any of them a chance to talk to her. "What was she thinking?" he
muttered.

	"The way she sees it, her father thinks she's nothing but a
fraud. And she was scared enough to think that Ranma feels the same
way," Navi replied.

	"But he doesn't," Link said, longshooting up to a windowsill.
"I don't."

	"You like her, don't you?" Navi said.

	Link started in surprise. This was not good, since he was in
midjump. He missed the flag pole, and fell towards the ground. At the
last possible moment, he longshot to safety. "Don't surprise me like
that!"

	"Sorry," Navi said. "But you do like her, don't you?"

	Link thought it over. "As a friend, certainly."

	"What about something more?"

	"...I don't know Navi. And I'm not eager to find out. I'll
leave sooner or later, and that'll only hurt her. Us."

	"What makes you say that?" Navi demanded. "What makes you think
that we'll always leave?"

	"Navi, I-" He was cut off as Navi flew up close to his eyes.

	"Listen to me Link! This is the first place in seven years that
I've ever really felt at home. Maybe it's time we settle down."

	"But Hyrule-"

	"-Can get along fine without us! Gannon's trapped in the Sacred
Realm and won't be breaking free any time soon, Zelda is more then
capable of rebuilding the country, and the monsters can be dealt
with. Why do we need to go back?"

	Link sighed. "Because even after all my travels, all the
friends and allies we've made, that's the one thing that's kept me
going is the fact that we could find Hyrule. That's my home Navi.
And I'll do almost anything to get back to it."

***

	Ranoka ducked into a side alley. <That was too close. What's
Link doing here?>

	<Trying to find you,> Ranma's mental voice said.

	<When did you show up?!> the young girl demanded.

	<Just now,> Ranma replied. <What were you thinking, running off
like that?>

	<Well I don't belong there!> Ranoka snapped. <I am nothing but
your curse after all. Why would you want anything to do with me?>

	Ranma was silent for a second. <.... You know, you just proved
you're a Saotome.>

	<Huh?>

	<You did something incredibly stupid. Like listen to Pop. What
were you thinking?>

	<You mean...>

	<... That Pop was going on about nothing? Of course I did!
Ranoka, you're my sister. I don't care what anyone says, or thinks
about it, you're as real as I am. Well, as real as I am when I'm not
this voice in the back of your head.>

	Ranoka couldn't help but giggle at that one. <So, it doesn't
worry you?>

	<Give me one good reason why it should. After all, I spent over
a year turning into a girl. Getting a twin sister out of it sounds
like a good deal.>

	<Thanks Ranma,> Ranoka said, wiping away at the tears that had
started to run down her face. <I guess we should head back
home?>

	"Yeah, sounds like a good idea to me," Ranma said as he left
Ranoka's body, appearing next to her.

***

	[9:30pm]

	Ranma and Ranoka returned to the Dojo, causing a large number
of hugs and tears. When everyone was finished saying how happy they
were to see her, Akane pulled out a pokeball. "One of the people at
the embassy told me to give it to you." Ranoka took the pokeball and
opened it.

	"Horsea!" The small pokemon said as it appeared on the table.

	"Oh, how cute!" Ranoka said, picking it up. "I never thought
I'd become a pokemon trainer."

	"A dragon pokemon," Link whispered to Nodoka and Mono.
"Ironic."

	"Your point being?" Nodoka replied.

	"You'll have to tell them sooner or later."

	"What'd you say Link?" Navi said.

	"Don't worry 'bout it Navi."

	Ranoka put Horsea into the Koi pond. "I think I'll have a
bath," she said.

	As she headed towards the bathroom, Kaji noticed that Link had
three more pokeballs on his belt. "Where'd you get those?" he asked.

	"Officer Jenny gave me two of the Rocket Pokemon, and I caught
one while I was looking for Ranoka."

	"What've you got?"

	"Swordsman and Growlithe from Jenny, and I caught a Caterpie."

	Kaji raised an eyebrow. "A Caterpie? You don't usually see them
in a city."

	"Really? Guess I was lucky."

	"We all were today," Mono said. "We won."

	"Yeah," Ranma said. "We won."

***

	[10:30pm]

	[Sydney]

	Ash sat in the bar of the Pokemon Island Embassy in Australia,
drinking a coke and watching a battle on the screen. The last few
hours had been anything but easy. First he had been meeting with
SOCOG to aid them in organising the pokemon events for the Olympics,
then he had to deal with the aftermath of the Rockets attack on the
Embassy.

	He started as a finger tapped him on the shoulder. He turned to
look at the owner of the hand. His eyes widened in surprise.
"{Gary?!}"

	Gary Oak, former League Champ and one of the worlds best
Pokemon trainers, smiled. "{Hey Ash, long time no see.}"

	"{I'll say. It's been what... four years since I've seen you!
Where've you been?}"

	"{Here and there. So, what's been happening with you?}"

	Ash laughed. "{Take a seat. I've got a long story to tell.}"

***

	[Somewhere]

	Elsewhere, in a realm outside of the world as we know it, a
woman knelt in the middle of the room. In front of her was an
intricate tapestry, incorporating the lives of billions of people. It
was known as the Pattern of Time, or the Lace of Ages, or a million
other names. Once, long ago, the Goddesses and Lord of Darkness used
this to maintain the delicate balance between good and evil.

	That was over ten thousand Earth years ago. The disaster that
struck then, known to some as the Breaking, or to others as the Fall,
led them to find new methods of maintaining balance. Many of those
methods had evolved into common parts of life for mortals. They had
led to the creation of the Shadows, where the creatures of magic and
mystery often lurked. It created Christianity, Buddhism, and many
other religions.

	Despite all this, there were times when balance was lost. The
constant wars that plagued not only Earth, but many other parts of
the universe, were a prime example of this.

	However, today the woman was not here for balance, but to find
an answer to a question that was as old as the Breaking. And perhaps
this would help keep the balance.

	Farore traced her hand along one thread. This one was the life
of a young martial artist who had done what no other mortal had ever
done. Defeat Jusenkyo. It was the thread of Ranma Saotome. She
followed it as one thread became two, each reaching in different
directions. She noted that the weavings around the pair became much
more focused on them. They were vital to the pattern at the moment,
as was another that was near them. Her eyes widened. This thread was
one she could never forget. "He's back," she whispered to herself,
the Prophecy of the Triforce rising forth into her mind. She saw
another thread, a thread of pure darkness, twisting around the first
thread, attempting to destroy it.

	"Darkness battles Light," she intoned. "The Hero of Time must
accept his past, his present, and his future, or they will consume
him."

***

	[7:00am, August 3, 1999]

	[Sydney]

	Sunrise. Naturally, it shone into the face of a sleeping
trainer. Ash rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. "{Thank god Pokemon
Island and Australia are in the same time zones,}" he muttered.
Tossing on a shirt, he fumbled around for the remote. Finally finding
it under his bed, he turned on the morning news. Once again, it was
about the attack on the embassy in Japan last night. His eyes widened
as a picture of Link appeared on the screen.

	"{According to our sources, this boy, Link Hylia, has been
granted Avenger-level access to Indigo Tower, despite the fact he is
virtually unknown,}" the reporter was saying. "{He has mad a name for
himself already over the past few days, proving himself a master
swordsman when he took on Giovanni, long known as one of the worlds
best swordsman, and was seemingly winning.}" The image on the screen
changed to that of Link and Giovanni during the battle at Indigo
Tower. Ash figured that it must have been shot before he arrived. The
pair were moving as if in a dance, the metal and energy swords moving
as if part of their bodies.

	"{Oh crap,}" Pikachu said as she dried off her hair, "{that
footage was never released!}"

	"{What?!}" Ash yelled, spinning around to look at the Pokemon-
in-a-woman's-body. "{Are you sure?}"

	"{Yes, I'm sure,}" Pikachu replied. "{I checked all the
information we gave the press, and that wasn't part of it.}"

	"{Damn.}" Ash turned back to the screen, just in time to see
Ranma, Ranoka and Link hit Giovanni with three Mouko Takabisha's.
"{Oh oh.}"

	"{How exactly did these three perform an energy attack? Experts
say that it was not a Psychic attack, and the energy was apparently
similar to a number of pokemon attacks,}" the reporter continued.

	"{This is bad,}" Ash said. Someone began to thump on the door.
"{Who's there?}"

	"{It's me, Gary,}" a voice answered. Ash opened the door.
"{Ash, I take it you've seen the news?}" Ash nodded. "{Who in the
world is this Link guy?}" Then he noticed Pikachu. "{And who are
you?}"

	"{Well... you see...}" Pikachu suddenly found the floor very
interesting. Ash remembered that he hadn't mentioned Jusenkyo or the
Nerimans last night. "{I guess the best way would be to show you.}"
She filled up a glass of hot water. "{Watch closely.}" She tipped the
water over her head. "Pika pi!" she said as she struggled out of the
bathrobe.

	Ash looked at Gary. As expected, the young man had passed out
from shock. "{I hate when they do that.}"

	"Pikachu."

***

	A few thousand miles away, Ash's friends and team-mates were
woken up in a variety of different ways. For Brock, almost every
single one of his little brothers and sisters dogpiled him. Misty
woke herself up with a nice relaxing swim, before gulping down toast
while looking over the Gym's accounts. Lara Laramie, believed to have
been killed a month before in an explosion, had only had a few hours
of fitful sleep under a bush, before setting off for the nearest
town, and what she hoped was safety.

	In Nerima, everyone in the Tendo Dojo started off their morning
the usual way. The only difference this morning was that Mono sparred
with Swordsman, and lost.

***

	[8:45am]

	[Nerima]

	"Chicken."

	"Shut up Link," Ranma growled.

	"Definitely a chicken," Kaji added.

	"You want to die painfully?" Ranma said.

	"When are you going to tell her?" Link said. "You told Ukyou
you love Akane, but you won't tell Akane herself?"

	"But what if she doesn't feel the same way back?" Ranma said.

	"She does Ranchan," Ukyou said, sitting down beside them. The
former fiancee had started school here today, and true to form was
wearing a boys uniform. "Trust me, I know how a girl thinks."

	"That does make sense considering that you are a girl," Link
pointed out. "Look, Ukyou and Ranoka both agree Akane loves you. We
all know you love her. If you don't say something soon you could lose
her. I've seen it happen before."

	"And what do you suggest I do Romeo?"

	"Just a few ideas I want to bounce off all of you..."

***

	[9:15am]

	[Sydney]

	Gary kept on looking at Pikachu out of the corner of his eyes.
"{Would you please stop doing that?}" she asked.

	"{Sorry,}" he replied. "{It's just so...}"

	"...Strange?}" Pikachu smiled. "{You don't know the half of
it.}"

	Ash walked in. "{I just checked with Indigo Tower. Those clips
are being shown all over the world. Good thing they still don't know
who Ranma and Ranoka are. And the fact the League's files on trainers
are restricted is slowing them down on Link.}"

	"{That won't last,}" Gary said. "{Sooner or later they'll find
them.}"

	"{There could be trouble if they realise Link doesn't legally
exist,}" Pikachu pointed out. "{Or Ranoka for that matter.}"

	"{Toss in the Japanese government and their distrust of the
Pokemon League, and you've got the perfect recipe for chaos,}" Ash
finished.

***

	[12:45pm]

	A few hours later, Gary, Pikachu and Ash walked into the
stadium, enjoying the atmosphere. "{Whenever I go on League
functions, I always have to sit in one of those superboxes,}" Ash
said. "{At least this time I get to enjoy the crowd,}" Ash said,
rubbing his hands in glee. Well, until someone collided with him,
sending their drink straight into HER face.

	"{Oh, I'm sorry miss!}" the man said, as Ash-chan wiped the
liquid off her face. "{I'm afraid I wasn't watching where I was
going.}" Ash-chan stormed off, leaving the man standing there in
surprise. "{I guess she took that badly.}"

	"{She's got a thing about cold water,}" Pikachu said, before
she and Gary ran to catch up. She grabbed her trainer by the
collar."{You better not be heading for the toilets,}" she said.
"{Remember last time?}"

	"{All right, all right,}" Ash-chan grumbled.

***

	The trio sat down in their seats, waiting for the game to
begin. "{These State of Origin matches are always good, especially
when it's New South Wales and Victoria,}" Gary said.

	"{You've been to some of these before?}" Pikachu said.

	"{Yeah, whenever I'm in Australia I try to make it.}" Gary
looked at the scoreboard. "{Laura Wood vs Brendan Lawson. I've heard
of them, they're good trainers. Didn't know Laura was already
battling at this level.}"

	The respective trainers entered the arena. Brendan Lawson,
battling for NSW, was 16. According to his stats he had 13 badges and
was a Jack-of-all-trades trainer.

	Laura Wood, battling for Victoria, was 12, had 9 badges, and
was a water trainer.

	"{This should be good,}" Ash-chan said.

***

	Laura nodded at Brendan. "{It figures that I'd fight you
first.}"

	"{Yeah, guess it's just bad luck for you.}"

	"{Kat was right, that ego is as big as ever,}" Laura taunted.
"{Wartortle, I choose you!}" The turtle pokemon appeared in the
arena.

	"{Hah! Machoke, go!}" The fighting pokemon appeared in the
arena, and moved into a fighting stance.

	Laura made the first move. "{Wartortle, Tackle attack!}"

	"{Machoke, Counter!}" Machoke's hands shot forward, grabbing
Wartortle's claws. Both Pokemon strained their muscles, trying to
push the other back. Wartortle gritted it's teeth, but Machoke's
Power Regulator held enough of it's strength back to give Wartortle a
chance.

	Laura nodded. "{Wartortle, Water Gun!}" Before Brendan had time
to give an order, Machoke was thrown back by a blast of water to the
face. It slammed into the ground hard, but it pulled itself to it's
feet.

	"{Machoke, Karate Chop!}"

	"{Wartortle, Withdraw!}" Wartortle's head, arms and legs
retreated into it's shell. A second later, a clawed hand pulled it's
tail in. Just in time too, as Machoke brought both hands down in
a blow that would knock most pokemon unconscious. In Wartortle's
case, the attack simply bounced of it's shell. "{I really don't think
you'll do much damage that way Brendan!}"

	"{Damn! Machoke, Mega Kick!}" Unknown to him, Laura smiled. He
had fallen for it. Machoke picked up Wartortle and sent it flying
with a drop punt.

	"{Wartortle, let's show Machoke how you play pinball!}"

	"Waaarr!" The turtle pokemon bounced off one wall, then
another, picking up speed as it did so. Machoke watched in confusion
as it passed by for a tenth time. It turned to Brendan, who simply
shrugged, then gaped as Wartortle collided with the side of Machoke's
head.

	"{All right Wartortle, now finish it off with a surf attack!}"

	"Wartort." Wartortle's limbs popped out of their respective
holes, and he landed perfectly. "War.... tor.... TLE!" Two columns of
water shot out of the ground, hitting Machoke with the force of a
speeding mallet. Machoke hit the ground with X's for eyes.

	The umpire looked at the pokemon. "{Point goes to Victorian
Trainer.}"

	"{No way!}" Brendan said. "{Machoke, return!}" He replaced the
ball on his belt and unhooked another one. "{I choose you Raichu!}"
The evolved form of Pikachu appeared in the arena. "{Weren't
expecting that, were you?}"

	"{Where did you get a Raichu from?}" Laura asked.

	"{I evolved my Pikachu yesterday,}" Brendan said. "{Now, are
you ready?}"

	"{Always,}" the water trainer replied. "{Wartortle, be
careful.}"

	"Tor."

	"{Raichu, finish that turtle off fast. Thunder!}"

	"RAICHU!!" Wartortle leapt to the side, barely avoiding the
lightning bolt as it struck the ground. It wasn't quick enough to
avoid the next attack however, and it hit the ground stunned.

	"{Raichu, quick attack!}" Raichu raced forward, ready to pound
on Wartortle again.

	"{Wartortle, Skull Bash!}" Wartortle leapt to it's feet, before
slamming it's head into Raichu's stomach. The two pokemon fell back
and circled each other, waiting for the order to attack. Laura knew
she had to attack fast, or Raichu could easily win this fight. She
had fought Brendan's Raichu back before it evolved, and each of those
battles were close fights. "{Wartortle, Hydro Pump the mouse.}"

	"War." Wartortle placed it's palms on the ground, and Raichu
leapt to the side to avoid the blast of water that shot out of the
ground. It was too slow however, and the water hit it side on,
throwing it into the air.

	"{Raichu, Tail Whip!}" Raichu flipped, bringing it's tail down
in an arc towards Wartortles head.

	"{Wartortle, Bite!}" Wartortle caught the tail in it's teeth.
The two pokemon stared at each other, until Wartortle bit down hard.
Raichu screamed in pain as the field was consumed in light. Everyone,
even those watching at home, had to cover their eyes.

	As the smoke cleared, everyone gasped. Wartortle and Raichu
were both out cold, lying at the bottom of a twenty foot crater.

	"{How did that happen?}" Gary asked.

	"{Raichu wasn't grounded,}" Pikachu said. "{He lost control of
the energy and boom!}" She shrugged. "{Happened to me once.}"

	Both trainers recalled their pokemon. The umpire had awarded
both of them a point, so Laura only had to win one more fight. She
looked at the two pokeballs in her hand. <Which one would be more
effective?> Coming to a decision, she threw a pokeball. "{Lapras, I
choose you!}"

	Brendan nodded. "{Then I chose... Venusaur!}" The pokemon
appeared in front of Lapras. "{Venusaur, Razor Leaf!}" Lapras
screamed as the leaves dug into her body. She rolled to the side, and
with a command from Laura, launched a water gun attack. Venusaur
replied with a Solar Beam, cutting through the water and impacting
with Lapras. She hit the ground hard, but managed to pick herself up.
"{Okay Venusaur, let's finish this off. Vine Whip!}" Ten vines shot
out of the plant on it's back, grabbing the water pokemon and
slamming it into the ground, where it stopped moving.

	"{Lapras, return!}" Laura pulled out her last pokeball.
"{Seadra, go!}" The dragon leapt forward, ready to attack. "{Seadra,
Smokescreen!}" Seadra fired off a burst of smog that completely
engulfed Venusaur. "{Good shot, now Ice Beam!}"

	"{Oh crap,}" Brendan said as Venusaur slammed into a wall and
stuck to it.

	"{Victory goes to Laura Wood!}" The umpire said.

***

	[3:15pm]

	Ash finally managed to find some hot water just as they were
leaving the stadium. "{Those were some good fights,}" Pikachu said.
"{I can see why you like going to them so much.}"

	"{Yeah, I guessed that I should take advantage of the fact that
conference was postponed until tomorrow.}"

	"{I better head off,}" Gary said.

	"{Huh? How come?}"

	"{I haven't been home to Pallet for a while.}"

	"{If you ever need any help...}"

	"{...I'll let you know.}" The pair shook hands. "{Maybe we'll
get the chance for that rematch one day. But I think you can stay
League Champ. From what you've told me about the job, it's not as
good as it seems.}"

	"{Maybe so, but I enjoy it most of the time. Bye!}" Ash and
Pikachu walked back towards their hotel, while Gary went in another
direction. "{It's strange, isn't it Pikachu?}"

	"{What's strange?}"

	"{Back when we first became trainers, Gary and I wouldn't even
give each other the time of day. Now though, we consider each other
friends.}"

	"{It's fate I guess.}" Pikachu looked at a flock of Pidgey's
sitting on a statue. A small bolt of electricity leapt from her
fingers, startling them off.

	"{How do you cope with your curse?}" Ash asked. "{You've been
spending a lot of time in your cursed form lately.}"

	"{What choice do I have? After all, we don't know of any cure,
save whatever it is that Ranma and Ranoka did, and I'll come to
consider myself human when I'm like this sooner or later, so I might
as well get used to it.}"

	"{I wish it was that easy for me,}" Ash muttered.

	"{It's about Misty, right?}"

	"{Partly. How could she love a girl? Not to mention a girl
loving her like that.}" Pikachu had no answer for that. "{That's not
the only problem. I'm a guy Pikachu. I don't want to be some girl
that may not be anything like me.}" He shook his head sadly. "{Life
just isn't fair sometimes.}"

***

	[4:23pm]

	[Nerima]

	Nabiki looked over the documents in front of her. They were
photocopies of official documents. Ranoka had paid her to set up a
fake identity for her. <I still can't understand why she doesn't get
someone in the Pokemon League to do it for her,> she thought. But
that wasn't what she was interested in.

	In order to make the identity, Nabiki had gotten her hands on a
large number of files on the Takahashi and Saotome families. The
Saotome family seemed normal enough, but the Takahashi family... That
was a different story.

	Nodoka's file seemed to be comprehensive enough, but it said
she was an only child. There was no files at all on her parents, or
on who she said was her brother.

	"Who are you?" Nabiki said, looking at the photo of Nodoka.

***

	Link, Navi, Kaji, Ukyou and Ranoka wandered down the street.
"So let me get this straight," Ranoka said. "Ranma insults Akane. She
chases him with the mallet, and he leads her somewhere private?
There's a good chance she'll just kill him!"

	"It's the only way to get the pair alone. Otherwise, someone
watches them. No-one bothers to follow them when she's in that mood,
and there's no chance of Ryouga turning up now." As soon as the words
left his mouth, Link considered just how it was possible he could put
so much of his foot in his mouth.

	"Yeah, he won't be bothering anyone again, will he?" Ranoka
said quietly. "Can we change the subject please?"

	"Of course!" an unfamiliar voice called out. Next thing they
knew, a young man had seemingly appeared out of nowhere and attached
himself to Ranoka's chest. Ranoka screamed and pushed him off. He
smiled. "Is that anyway to treat your master Ranma-chan?" he said.

	Ranoka's eyes widened. The face and voice were things she
didn't recognise, but those eyes.... "Oh Kami-sama, Happosai!"

***

	Ranma found himself starting to run out of air. <I don't
believe this,> he thought to himself. Just a minute ago, he had
finally told Akane that he loved her. The next thing he knew, she was
kissing him passionately. <Well, this is rather nice,> he couldn't
help but think, returning the kiss with equal strength.

	At last Akane broke it off. "You have no idea how long I've
wanted you to say those words."

	"About as long as I've wanted to say them, I'll bet," Ranma
replied. "Akane, I don't really think I can explain why I love you.
We almost always fight and argue, but when we're not... you can be
kind, friendly, someone I can trust. As for my most common insult,
you're not cute, you're beautiful!"

	"How many times did you practise those lines?" Akane joked.

	"That's the amazing thing, it just came into my head a second
ago," Ranma admitted.

	Akane kissed him again. "I guess that proves you can be
romantic after all," she said. <Well, sort of.>

	"I guess." He was cut off by a massive explosion several
kilometres away.

	"What was that?" Akane said.

	"One of Happosai's bombs," Ranma said. "And a big one at that."
His eyes narrowed. "Ranoka and the others are there."

	"Well then, what are me waiting for?" Akane said.

***

	Link spun, his lightsword slicing through a power pole as
Happosai dodged. "Not very good boy!" Happosai taunted, grabbing Link
with his pipe and tossing him into the air. He then dodged
Hitmonchan's Fire Punch, only to be tagged by Kaji. He landed on his
feet, a look of disbelief on his face. "How could a weak fighter like
you hit me?" he said.

	"It was like this!" Link yelled, hitting Happosai with the
Longshot and pulling him in. Grabbing onto the pervert, he kicked him
into the distance, only the see him bounce off a building and fly
back towards him. Just before Happosai reached him, Link pulled his
gun out of nowhere and let off a shot. At such close range, Happosai
never had time to dodge, and was sent flying in the opposite
direction, before slamming into Ukyou's spatula. Hard.

	Ranma and Akane teleported in without any fanfare. "Looks like
you've improved that technique. Stealthy," Link commented.

	"Yeah, but either me or Ranoka has to be here first," Ranma
replied. He looked at Happosai. "What the hell?"

	Happosai looked at Ranma and Ranoka. "I could say the same
boy."

	"He drank the Spring of Drowned Man water remember?" Ranoka
said. "I figure this is the result."

	"Yep," Happosai said. "There's a difference to the normal
curse. I don't change back! I get to be a handsome young man
forever!"

	"I say we force feed him Spring of Drowned Girl water," Kaji
growled. "I know this guy. He showed up in Lavender Town a few months
back."

	Happousai's eyes narrowed. "So you were the trainer that
destroyed my secret horde. You'll pay!" Screaming in rage, he charged
towards Kaji, only to be intercepted by Ranma and Swordsman. Kaji
reached for the rest of his pokeballs, while Link had Navi lock on.

	Ranma and Swordsman were sent flying back by one of Happosai's
bombs. "You're a fool Ranma. You could barely beat me when I was an
old man. Now you have no hope!"

	"That's before you take on one of my most powerful attacks
Happosai," Link said, his voice easily heard over the battlefield.

	Happosai moved into a ready stance. "And what would that be
boy?" He could sense an incredible power emanating from this young
man. Any attack he would use could be very powerful.

	"It's an attack that is thousands of years old. It's called-"
He pulled his gun out of nowhere. "-Blow 'em up REAL GOOD!" With a
recoil that nearly took the Elf's shoulder off, the gun unleashed the
fury of it's Death Blossom mode at Happosai. Happosai dodged about
1000 of the 10000 blasts. The rest hit him head on, imbedding him
deep in the ground. "Gets 'em every time."

	"So why didn't you use that against Ryouga?" Ukyou asked.

	"The gun takes a week to recharge after that, and I doubt he
would have felt it. Remember the size of the ki-blast Ranma hit him
with." He looked at the ground sadly. "I could sense a decent person
inside Ryouga. But if there is any good inside Happosai, it's under
layers and layers of pure evil and filth."

	"Thank you!" Happosai yelled, latching onto Ukyou. The girl
screamed as her ki was drained, and she passed out.

	"Bastard!" Link yelled. "Mouko Takabisha!" The ki-blast trailed
under Happosai, as the pervert leapt over his back. Link was ready
however, and threw his boomerang behind him, hitting Happosai in the
face.

	Unnoticed by Link, the Triforce of Courage began to glow.

***

	Nodoka dropped her tea in shock. "What in Britannia was that?"
she said.

	"I know what it is," Mono said, pulling a sword out of nowhere.
"It's the Triforce! That means Link!" The pair bolted out the door,
taking to the rooftops.

***

	Happosai couldn't understand it. He was much more powerful then
Link, but just over a minute ago, the elf's aura had started to glow,
and now the boy wasn't missing with any off his punches or kicks.
Happosai was just glad that Link hadn't started using his lightsword
again.

	Everyone else, including Link's pokemon, simply watched as Link
tore into the perverted martial artist. "That's gotta hurt," Ranma
said as Link slammed his knee into Happosai's head.

	"*My trainer sure knows what he's doing,*" Swordsman commented.

	"*This is nothing,*" Dratini replied. "*You should have seen
him pound Giovanni.*"

	"Look at his hand," Ranoka said.

	Akane nodded. "That's the Triforce symbol."

	Nodoka and Mono leapt down from a nearby rooftop. "Who is
that?" Mono asked.

	"Happosai," Kaji replied.

	"But Happosai's-"

	Akane cut Nodoka off. "He drunk the Drowned Man water at the
wedding attempt. This is what happened."

	Happosai was stunned for a second due to a rather hard blow
from the Megaton Hammer, which had popped out of nowhere as usual. As
he shook away the dizziness, he felt a stirring deep within him. One
that had influenced him for a large part of his life, but one he had
only sensed a few times before. He screamed for a second, before
being thrown back by a blast of dark energy.

	Link stepped back, Lightsword appearing in hand. Everyone else
prepared themselves for whatever this attack was.

	As the darkness faded, a new figure was revealed. It was over
three meters in height, with skin the colour of blood. It's arms
ended in clawed hands, nails almost ten inches long. Large canines
stuck out of his lipless mouth. Huge bat-like wings stretched outward
from his back.

	"Demon," Link said.

	"But not the one that has been attacking you recently, Hero of
Time," the demon replied. "I am Vax'yan."

	Happosai pulled himself to his feet slowly. "He's a Greater
Demon of Lust," he croaked. "He can suck the souls out of women. I
managed to capture him and seal him inside myself two hundred years
ago."

	"Ranoka, Akane, Nodoka, Navi, get out of here. Take Ukyou with
you." The men began to advance, along with the pokemon. "We'll deal
with ugly." Nodoka nodded and the women retreated, pulling along a
protesting Akane and Navi.

	"So then Vax'yan, you seem to know who I am," Link said,
positioning himself slightly to the side.

	"I know of the Prophecies of the Triforce, hero. I know that it
has begun. And I intend to be the one that kills you!" With this, he
charged forward. Link brought the Lightsword up in a deadly arc, and
Vax'yan was forced to dodge away. Growlithe opened up with a
Flame-thrower attack, knocking the demon back. Ranma and Mono dropped
from above, their feet impacting with the blood-red chest. Mono
pulled his sword out of the sheath, revealing a blade with a magical
blue flame running down it's length. At the same time, Swordsman
performed a Fire Slash attack, diverting the demons attention.

	Happosai simply watched as the team worked together perfectly.
One fighter complimented another, defending each others weak spots
and creating openings in their opponents defence for all of them to
exploit. <Maybe they can do it.>

	Link fired a Light Arrow into Vax'yan's face, the powerful
attack, which was designed to hurt demons, burning off a large
portion of flesh. He jumped back, giving Mono room to swing his
sword. "So, what are these Prophecies?" he asked.

	"You'll find out soon enough," the demon muttered. Dark ki
gathered around his left fist, and Link and Dratini threw themselves
to the side to avoid the beam of dark energy. While Vax'yan was
distracted, Kaji and Hitmonchan hit him in the back of the head.

	"Dratini, Blizzard!"

	"Hitmonchan, Ice Punch!"

	The two pokemon performed their moves with flawless ease,
Dratini sending chunks of ice and snow into the demon, Hitmonchan's
fists gaining a icy cold aura around them, a few seconds before
slamming into the demon. The ice from each attack spread across
Vax'yan, until only his face was left uncovered. Link stared at him.
"So, are you going to talk or not?"

	"Go fuck yourself," the demon snapped.

	"Suit yourself." In one smooth move, Link took off the demons
head. Instantly the body crumbled into ash that was simply blown away
on the wind.

	"I don't believe it," Happosai gaped. "That thing terrorised
the world for over a century before I captured it."

	"I think it was weakened," Link said. "Possibly from trying to
break free of how you contained it." He looked at Happosai for a
moment. "How did you contain him anyway?"

	"Inside me," Happosai answered. Link nodded in understanding.

***

	[5:15pm]

	Half an hour later, everyone involved in the battle, plus
Nabiki, Kasumi, Soun, Shampoo and Cologne, were in the Tendo Dojo,
listening to Happosai explain Vax'yan. "Back in the late 1700's and
early 1800's, I was a demon hunter. I travelled the entire world,
from ancient Rome to the Pokemon Island colonies. I took on all sorts
of wild beasts. I defeated Kuh Lon in combat, and married her."

	Cologne smiled slightly. "And then you turned against our
village."

	"No Kuh Lon. I had heard rumours from contacts in England that
an old foe of mine had been seen. Vax'yan, a lust demon. I travelled
there to finish him off once and for all. I found that the only way
to defeat him was to trap him inside my body." He sighed. "The
result... was the perverted sicko that you all know and hate."

	"Maybe so, but he's dead now," Link said. "You're free. Make
the best of the chance you've been given."

	"Now for the next order of business," Nabiki said. Everyone
turned to her in suprise. "Katsuhito, would you be so nice as to
explain why it is that officially, you don't exist?" Everyone's eyes
widened, with the exception of Link and Cologne.

	"If you don't tell them, I will," the Elf told his old friend.

	Mono sighed. "For starters, my name is really Monomolecular
Dragon." Navi fainted, and Link caught her small body before it hit
the floor. "Nodoka and I both come from Brittania."

	Ranoka gasped. "That world Link visited? But how?"

	Nodoka smiled sadly. "I found a device that allows me to travel
between worlds. When I came to Earth, I fell in love with Genma for
some reason. Just over a year later, you were born. There's one other
thing. It would be better if we were outside for this."

	Everyone followed the pair outside. Suddenly, their bodies
shone with a golden glow. When it faded, two dragons stood there.
They looked like the bulky dragons from English myths. Their golden
scales shone in the evening light. Suddenly, they glowed again,
returning to their human forms.

	"Mum? You're a...." Ranma couldn't finish.

	"The correct term is dragon," Nodoka said.

	"So we're dragons?" Ranoka said.

	"Half-dragons actually," Mono said.

	"Oh, like Herb," Ranma said.

	"Makes sense to me," Ranoka replied.

	"Who's Herb?" Link asked.

	"Long story."

	"Well then," Soun said calmly, "since Ranma is not completly
human..." he burst into tears. "THE SCHOOLS CAN NEVER BE JOINED! HOW
COULD THIS HAPPEN TO ME?"

	Kaji blinked. "Y'know, I think I'm starting to get used to
this. His behaviour isn't very surprising at all."

	"What do you mean dad? Whay can't the schools be joined?" Akane
demanded.

	"I COULD NEVER FORCE MY LITTLE BABY TO MARRY A HALF-HUMAN
FREAK!"

	The assembled dragons began glowing with anger at that comment.

	"What did you call us?" Ranoka yelled, a stainless steel mallet
appearing in her hands.

	"Freaks are we?" Mono growled, a sphere of lightning appearing
above his outstretched palm.

	"Dra....." Dratini muttered, electricity crackling around it's
body.

	Akane on the other hand, used a Tendo family technique. Glowing
with rage, her head swelled to several times it's normal size.
"YOU'RE TRYING TO TELL ME I CAN'T MARRY RANMA!? AND WHAT MAKES YOU
THINK I'LL GO ALONG WITH THAT?"

	The adults all turned to Akane in surprise. Ranma smiled and
gave Akane a quick peck on the cheek.

	"We've discused a few things over the past few hours," Ranma
said.

	"Oh, in that case..." Soun began crying again. "THE SCHOOLS
WILL FINALLY BE JOINED! OH HAPPY DAYS!"

	Everyone else simply groaned.

***

	[8:30pm]

	Ranma sat on the roof, looking at the stars. Akane lay next to
him, simply happy to be with him. "You seem to be taking the news
pretty well," she said.

	"Yeah. Well, I never could be considered 'normal' could I?"
Ranma said. "Over the past year and a half, I've been cursed to turn
into a girl, engaged to several women, fought a phoenix, another half
dragon, had my girl side become my sister, and a few things I'm
probably missing. This is nothing new really." He looked at Akane.
"What's more amazing is how well you're taking it."

	"When I think about it, it's pretty simple. You're Ranma. It
doesn't matter to me if you're a guy, a cat, a girl, or a dragon.
You're still the one I love."

***

	[10:30pm]

	Kuno Tatewaki knelt in front of the family shrine. "Forgive me,
my most honourable ancestors. Time and time again, I have seeked to
defeat the evil Saotome, but have been defeated by the power of his
black magics. I seek thy aid once more, so that I may find a way to
defeat him and his minions, and free the Goddess Ranoka and the
Tigress Akane."

	Kuno's ancestors were not listening. They had given up a long
time ago with this boy.

	Something else was listening however. The air around the shrine
began to glow with a white light. "You wish to destroy the one known
as Saotome. To do so, you must destroy his servants. I can show you
how."

***

	Mousse walked down the streets of Nerima. "Damn Saotome! He has
insulted my love for the last time! To refuse her affections like
that... is evil! He shall pay for this!"

	That's the funny thing about Mousse. No matter what happens
between Shampoo and Ranma, he vows Ranma will suffer for it. If
Shampoo offers him food and he accepts, he takes it as if Ranma is
stealing his girlfriend. If Ranma refuses it (Unlikely yes, but this
is just an example!), he takes it as Ranma spurning Shampoo's love.

	"So, you want to defeat Saotome." Mousse turned to see a man
standing there. "I can show you how."

***

	"So you wish to defeat Saotome." Gosunkugi nodded. "I can show
you how."

***

	[August 5, 1999]

	Link ducked under the fireball, and leapt up, lightsword
carving through the Magmar with ease. Nearby, Mono and Ash ripped
through a group of Rockets, Mono with his Fire Sword, and Ash with a
strange sword, with what seemed to be a gun for a hilt.

	Ranma and Ranoka ripped through a group of Stalfos, shattering
the monsters into thousands of bone shards. Fighting alongside them
was a man in a long green trenchcoat, with a sword in one hand, and a
gun in the other. He parried the clumsy sword thrust of a Stalfos,
then fired the gun, the resulting laser blast tearing off the beasts
face.

	Happosai leapt over a spring, catching a Rhydon by surprise and
tossing it into Giovanni's bodyguard. The Lord of Team Rocket picked
himself up. "IT ENDS NOW!!!" he roared, his cry heard by all.

	"You got that right!" Ranoka yelled as she charged him. Before
she had time to react, Giovanni's arm smashed through her chest,
finding her heart and crushing it.

	"Ranoka! No!" Link charged Giovanni. Darkness covered his
vision, followed by pain.

	He found himself floating in the darkness. "Where am I? What is
this?"

	"You must prepare for the future, Hero of Time," Ranoka's voice
said. "You must choose love or life."

***

	[6:00am]

	[Nerima]

	Link opened his eyes. Morning. Ranoka lay asleep on her futon
nearby. He sat up, looking at her. "It was a dream," he said quietly.
He remembered the look of fear on Ranoka's face as she died in the
dream world. He could never have imagined that look, he was sure of
it. "Love or life. What did she mean by that?"

***

	[7:30am]

	"Monchan."

	"No."

	"MON!"

	"Look, there's a good chance she's not in Lavender today, and
besides, I need you this afternoon. I have to have you for the sign-
in at the Tokyo Pokemon Series."

	"Monchan!"

	"All right! I'll use Scyther instead!" Kaji recalled Hitmonchan
to his pokeball, and transferred it back to Lavender Town.

	"What's that all about?" Link said.

	"Hitmonchan has a girlfriend. She's a main pokemon for another
Lavender Trainer. It seems they decided to meet today. Mind you, he
didn't tell me until the last minute."

***

	[8:30am]

	Happosai hefted his backpack. "I'm off."

	"You're leaving?" Soun asked.

	"I'm only getting in the way here. Things have changed too much
for me. I need some time to work things out." He walked out of the
Tendo Household, many of the people inside sorry to see him leave.

	But not all of them.

	"Oh this is a wonderful day! The master has finally left us!"
Soun was in tears once again.

	"I don't see what's so wonderful about it," Ranoka said. "Once
we got rid of the demon, he was quite nice."

***

	[8:30am]

	Kaji and Link simply stared at the rebuilt Furinkan High. "No
way can they rebuild a building so fast," Link said.

	"They've had to repair every part of the school at some time or
another," Ranoka said, "so doing it on a slightly larger scale would
be pretty easy."

	"Well, if Furinkan's rebuilt, we can expect a problem in 3...
2... 1... ... Hey, where's Kuno?"

	"I don't know, and I don't care."

***

	"Ahola, students! De Big Kahuna is happy to welcome back all
his students!" The principal stood on the stage, in his usual
Hawaiian themed clothing, looking like something out a a nightmare
Kaji had a few nights back.

	"Of course, all de students should be in de proper uniform-"

	"Only if I get to burn down your palm tree, coconuts for
brains," Link yelled out.

	"Um. Yes." Principal Kuno was an idiot, but he wasn't dumb
enough to mess with Link. For now at least, but the boy would have a
haircut soon. "All de classes will be on the same timetable as
before, but those taught by de Hinako lady will have a new teacher."
He glared at Ranma. "This one will keep you in line."

***

	[10:00am]

	Major Wessex stood at the front of the classroom. "All right
you little runts, listen up and listen good. I don't care how smart
you think you are, or how fit you are, or any of that crap! All that
matters to me is that you obey my orders when I say them! DO YOU
UNDERSTAND!"

	Wessex blinked. Usually that speech had everyone scared of him,
but this time a good portion of the class was ignoring him. "Just
what do you think you are doing?" he demanded.

	"Waiting for you to finish this nonsense so we can get down to
learning," Kaji said.

	"You little pip-squeak! Have you no respect for a superior
officer?"

	Kaji raised an eyebrow. "You're ex-military Wessex. I'm Pokemon
League, Avenger-level clearance. I work with people like Surge and
Lance on a regular basis. You don't scare me."

	Wessex fainted.

***

	[11:14am]

	[Cerulean City]

	Jessie sat on a chair near the pool. While Misty was teaching
swimming classes, she was unable to enter the water because of her
curse. Being a bird was fun, but it had some down sides.

	She blinked as a young girl sat next to her. "{How come you're
not swimming?}" the girl asked.

	"{Just don't feel like it,}" Jessie replied. There was
something familiar about this girl. She couldn't quite put her finger
on it though...

	"{And who might you be?}" a male voice said. Jessie turned to
see a man a few years younger then her standing there.

	"{I'm Jessie,}" she said. She looked at the girl again. Then
suddenly, a name popped into her head. "{James?}"

	James-chan swore, and pulled a small pistol out of nowhere.
Jessie stumbled back in shock. Then her body reacted on it's
instincts. Her foot collided with the pistol, knocking it out of
James' hand. The man -<Meowth>, her mind said- reached for her.

	"{Seadra, Smokescreen!}" A blast of oil hit James in the face,
and they turned to see Misty standing there. "{I see you got cursed
too.}"

	"{That's right,}" James-chan said. "{Wheezing, go!}" The poison
pokemon emerged from it's pokeball.

	Misty tossed Jessie two pokeballs. "{Use those if you have
to.}" she pulled out several of her own. "Dewgong, Go!"

	"{Now Meowth!}" Meowth-kun pulled out a small pistol, and fired
an electrical charge at Dewgong, who fell to the ground unconscious.
Misty hit a button on her watch.

	"{Arbok, I choose you!}" Jessie yelled. <How did I know it was
an Arbok?> she thought to herself.

	"{Oh no, we only had weapons for water pokemon,}" James-chan
said. "{Wheezing, smog attack!}"

	"{Arbok, Wrap that Wheezing!}" Arbok caught Wheezing before it
had a chance to attack, crushing it between it's coils. A few seconds
later it fell to the ground, out to the world.

***

	[11:21am]

	[Sydney]

	Pikachu gave Ash a small electric shock. He gave his pokemon a
pat on the head. <These meetings are always so boring,> he thought to
himself. <This is the third time in two months we've had to rearrange
the set-up for the pokemon events. Can't they leave it alone if it
works?>

	A beep from his watch got his attention. "{Excuse me a
moment,}" he said to the men and women around the table. "{This is
Ash. Go ahead.}"

	"{Ash, this is Brock. Cerulean Gym is under attack. James and
Meowth are attacking Jessie.}"

	"{Damn! Get your gear together and teleport there. I'll be
right behind you.}" He looked up at everyone. "{I apologise ladies
and gentlemen, but I'm needed elsewhere.}" He picked up his briefcase
and left the room. "{Bill, is the item I requested finished yet?}"

	"{It's done.}" Ash shuddered as he heard Bill's emotionless
voice. "{Professor Oak said that Pidgeot was with him when he heard.
We're now reading a sonic boom near Mt Moon.}"

	"{Teleport me onto him as soon as you can. Give me my weapon on
route.}"

***

	[Cerulean City]

	Brock appeared with the familiar thunderclap. He was wearing
a pair of gold bracers on his arms. They crackled with energy as he
fired off a lightning bolt from the Thunder Stones inside. "{Okay
Meowth, let's party!}"

	"{You'll die today!}" Meowth, still in his cursed form, yelled
out. In his hands was a large pump-action shotgun. He fired off
several shells, only to see them deflected off Brock's force field.
"{What the heck?}"

	"{A little something Bill cooked up. These Power Bracers have
Thunder and Fire stones in them. They may be one of a kind and
impossible to recreate, but I've got the power to take you down.}"

	"{We'll see about that!}" Meowth yelled, jumping into the
helicopter as it swooped down. The huge laser cannons on the side
opened fire, and Brock fell back to protect the bystanders.

	"{When did that show up?}" He yelled as he used a series of
mental commands to increase the power to the shields.

	"{During the fight,}" Misty yelled back as she loaded a pistol
Indigo Tower had teleported in. <I never thought I might have to kill
someone with one of these,> she thought. "{Where's our backup?}"

	"{Ash, myself and possibly a few others,}" Brock replied,
sending a fireball at the helicopter. "{All of the Strike Teams are
on missions.}"

	Screaming a warcry of his race, Pidgeot flew into the
battlezone, Ash on his back. In his hands, Ash held a blade unlike
any other. After a suggestion from the League Champ, Bill had managed
to create a Gunblade. It's appearance was exactly like the one used
by Squall in FFVIII. And now he was going to test it out in the real
world.

	"{Hey James!}" he yelled, his voice carrying across the
battlefield easily. "{Enjoying your curse?}"

	James, who had somehow gotten some hot water and a Team Rocket
uniform, swung his newest pokemon, a Fearow around, drawing a sword
from it's sheath on his back. "{You gave it to me, and now you'll die
for it!}"

	The two bird pokemon flew past each other, trading attacks
while their riders did the same. They did it again and again, the
sound of metal striking metal being heard time after time. At last
Ash got the upper hand, and James was knocked off his pokemon,
somehow disappearing before he hit the ground.

	"{What the hell was that?}" Ash demanded.

	Vulpix and Brock opened fire on the helicopter, the fireballs
lighting up the morning sky. With a skill reserved for the very best,
the pilot ducked and weaved around them. <Damn this guy's good,>
Brock though to himself. <I can't devote more power to this attack.
If I do, those guns could break through my shields.>

	Ash fired several rounds from his Gunblade, only to see them
bounce off the helicopters armour. "{Pidgeot, quick attack as close
as you can to the helicopter.}"

	Pidgeot once again performed the attack that physics claimed
was impossible. As the bird passed underneath the copter, Ash held
the Gunblade above him. Since the Gunblade was made of the strongest
materials known to man or pokemon, it easily cut through the
underarmour. A second later, a small sonic boom tore through the
craft, ripping it to shreds. The pilot and gunner were sent flying
into the distance, while Meowth fell towards the ground, only to
vanish in a style similar to the way James disappeared.

	Ash leapt off of Pidgeot, landing easily. Thanking Bruno for
all his training, Ash turned to his friends. "{Is everyone all right?
Misty?}"

	Misty smiled. "{We're all right Ash. Thank you.}"

	"{What, for coming to help? There's no way I'd ignore you if
you need help," he said, kissing her lightly. "Besides, it got me out
of that meeting.}"

	"{You really are hopeless Ash Ketchum,}" she scolded. Then she
smiled again. "{Just the way I like you.}"

***

	[Somewhere]

	James and Meowth looked around. "{Where are we?}" James said.

	"{A realm of darkness,}" a voice said. "{I wish to speak with
you on matters of the greatest importance.}"

***

	[11:34am]

	[Nerima]

	Kuno brought the Black Sword down. The energy blade struck the
rock, and instantly cut through it without slowing down in the
slightest.

	"Soon Saotome," he said quietly. "Your minion Hylia defiles the
light with his sword. I shall mock the darkness, using it to bring
holy light and justice to you."

***

	[12:45pm]

	[Pallet Town]

	Professor Oak grabbed a bowl of M&M's as Pidgeot landed near
the door. "{You sure got there and back fast,}" he noted as the bird
grabbed some of the chocolate in it's beak. "{By the way, I've done a
check on the data Ash, Brock and Misty sent me. The Fearow James was
riding is the one that vanished from the forest a few weeks back.}"

	"*I thought he looked familiar.*"

	"{Hello? Is anyone home?}"

	Oak's and Pidgeot's heads shot up in suprise. "{No way....
Lara?}"

	"{Michael? Is that you?}" Lara stumbled through the open door,
and both Professor and Pokemon gasped in shock. She had numerous cuts
and scratches all over her body, and her clothes... well, more like
lack of clothes, to be honest. What little was left was badly burnt.
"{Ah'm in Pallet?}"

	"{Yes. Where have you been? We thought you were killed in that
explosion.}"

	"{Team Rocket found me. Bill's DNA combiner/separator that they
stole... They worked out how ta use the damn thing.}"

	"{Lara, what did they do to you?}" At this Lara burst into
tears, collapsing into Professor Oak's arms. He held her close to him
as she cried.

***

	[1:30am]

	[Nerima]

	Kaji was bored. This lesson was boring. <History depends on who
writes it,> he thought, remembering what he had learned about this
particular time period. He idly considered hitting Wessex with
another statement that would knock him out (Something along the lines
of "Why are you wearing a military uniform if you've quit the
military?") when his watch beeped.

	"Mr Ryouji! Give me the offending item at once!"

	"Bite me pal, this is private property!" He looked at the E-
mail message on the screen. "Come to my lab right away. Professor
Oak. Wonder what he wants?"

	"It's just for you," Link said, checking his own watch.

	"Right." Quickly he placed a call to Indigo Tower. "Mike, could
transport me to Oak's lab, and please don't land me in the electric
reserve."

	"No problem, the clean-up crews are still at Cerulean Gym, and
shouldn't be finished for a few more hours."

	"What happened there?" Link asked, sending a call to Mike, and
connecting to Kaji's line so he would get through instantly.

	"Ash can tell Kaji. Hmm...You guys have clearance, so I'll
bring you over so I can explain in detail. Besides, you might have
some ideas about a few mysteries involved."

	"Okay."

	"Sure, this class is boring," Ranma said.

	"Worth checking out."

	A second later they all vanished.

***
	[1:40pm]

	[Indigo Tower]

	Ranma propped his feet up on the table. "There's something
funny about all of this."

	"What's that?" Link asked, wondering when Mike would turn up.

	"How is it that the Pokemon League trusts a group of people
from Japan - which I should mention has one hell of a grudge
against the League - that includes two half-dragons and a elf from
another world so much that they give us one of the highest security
clearances they have?"

	"Probably this little sucker," Link said, willing the Triforce
to appear on his wrist. "Not to mention the fact that Sabrina, the
girl with the ability to see the future, said it would be a good
idea."

	"Not everyone believes in farseeing," Mike said as he entered.
"You may not realise it, but your security clearances have caused a
lot of uproar from some groups."

	"This is all very interesting," Ranoka said, "but maybe you
could explain what happened at Cerulean?"

	"Oh, right. I forgot."

***

	[Pallet Town]

	Kaji appeared next to Brock, Ash, Misty and Bill. "{What going
on Professor?}"

	"{This had better be good,}" Bill said.

	A pair of arms wrapped around him from behind. "{Ah'd say it is
love,}" Lara said. Bill turned around slowly.

	"{Lara? You're alive?}" He hugged her tightly. "{Don't you ever
leave me like that again, do you hear me?}"

	Returning the hug, Lara smiled. "{Never again, ah promise you
that.}"

	The others simply watched the exchange. "{How can she be
alive?}" Kaji asked.

	"{That's what I called you four here for,}" Oak replied. He led
them into another room, leaving Bill and Lara alone. In this
room, the blueprints for the DNA combiner/separator were pinned up on
the wall. "{She says Team Rocket captured her. She also says that
they figured out how to use this damn thing.}"

	"{They used it on her.}" Ash's words were more of a statement
then a question.

	"{After the tests I performed on her, I'm certain of it. I
found traces of fire pokemon DNA. The real problem is that there are
several different types of fire pokemon DNA. Magmar, Rapidash,
Charizard, Arcanine. At the moment, all it seems to be doing is
giving her control over fire.}"

	"{At the moment?}" Brock said.

	"{I have no idea about the long term effects. Her psychical and
genetic structure may begin to mutate.}" Oak's face is grim. "{The
stress of the changes may well kill her.}"

	"{Can't we do anything?}" Misty said.

	"{Our best bet is to build a new DNA combiner/separator. Bill
has one under construction, but that could take several months at
least. I'm not sure how long we have.}"

	"{There's another problem,}" Brock said. "{There are other
people that the Rockets have kidnapped. We've got to find them, and
fast.}"

***

	[1:56pm]

	[Indigo Tower]

	"Hey, pause it there."

	Mike hit the pause button, and the tape froze on the image of
James disappearing. "What, you think you know what happened here?"
When Link nodded, Mike grinned. "Great, because no one's been able to
figure out how the Rockets did that. As far as we know, the League is
the only group with such advanced teleportation technology."

	"And you probably are." Link's voice was stone cold.
"Teleportation by use of technology is fairly new, but I've seen the
common effect of it. And I assume you can normally track it?"

	Mike nodded. "We can track all teleports with pinpoint
accuracy. We should have been able to track it, but we couldn't for
some reason."

	"I think I know what Link's getting at," Ranoka said. "The
reason you couldn't track it is because it's not technology-based."

	"I don't get it," Ranma said.

	"Proof I got the brains."

	"Hey!"

	"Save it you two," Link said. "Mike, I'll need to check out the
Gym to be sure of how it was done."

***

	[2:15pm]

	[Cerulean City]

	Ranma adjusted his jacket to keep out the cold. Mike, Ranoka
and Link were standing nearby, looking at a patch of air in front of
them. A flash of Ranoka's emotions came through the link between
them. <How did _that_ happen?> he thought to himself. Storing that
thought away for later, he examined the emotion. <No way... sis has a
thing for Link? Will wonders never cease?>

	"Take a look at this Ranma," Link said. Ranma looked at where
Link was pointing. He couldn't see anything, and said as much. Link
grinned. "Look again."

	Ranma looked, and blinked in surprise. Where a few seconds ago
there had been nothing but empty air, there was now threads of
energy, seeming to pulse to an unknown heartbeat. "What is this?"

	"I'm flowing some ether through you, adjusting it to allow you
to see the void. In layman's terms, you can see magic."

	"Is this what it's like for you?" Ranoka said.

	"Sort of. With me, it's a combination of both normal and
magical sight. We're getting off track here. Take a look at the point
where James is supposed to vanish."

	"It looks kind of jumbled. All the threads are knotted
together. And they look really thin. Thinner then all the rest of
this, at least."

	"It's a telportation spell all right," Link said. "And a pretty
crude one at that. What this type of spell does is take a piece of
reality, and rip it out, then stick it in elsewhere. Easy to do if
you got the power, but it's risky, and a worry."

	"Why's that?" Mike asked.

	"When I was in Brittania, I heard a story about a mage that
used this kind of spell. He had enough power for it, but it ended up
creating a backlash that destroyed an entire island." Link stopped
the flow of ether to the others, and the threads faded out of sight.
"Whoever cast the spell was a long distance away, and was willing to
accept the risks. A mage with that much recklessness and that much
power... I don't like it one bit."

***

	[3:26pm]

	[Pallet Forest]

	"So... what is it you wanted to speak to me of, stranger?"
Giovanni said, looking at the cloaked figure.

	"It is quite simple, Giovanni. I know of your masters, the ones
known as SEELE. I know how you hate their control over the
organisation you worked so hard to create. I can offer you the means
to break their control."

	Giovanni was quiet. This being had the power to simply spirit
James and Meowth to safety, right under the Leagues nose. There was
only one group he knew that could do that. "They say never to look a
gift horse in the mouth. I've always hated that saying. What would
you gain from this?"

	"SEELE will use Team Rocket to interfere with my own plans,
which are at a critical point at the current time. I assure you, my
plans should not interfere with your own. Your domain is that of
Pokemon, mine of magic. SEELE seeks control over all. I have waited
far too long to be denied what is mine now."

	"You are asking me to risk everything, do you realise that? For
thirty long years I have built up my empire, only to see much of it
destroyed by Ash Katchum. If I do a deal with one devil to escape
another, am I truly free?"

	"I have no desire to damage your empire in any way. If not to
keep SEELE's nose out of my business, you would not even know of my
existence. Plus, I can offer you more."

	"More?"

	"If we work together for a brief time, Ash Katchum will be
yours, and the three that defeated you at Indigo Tower dead."

	Giovanni smiled. "So be it."

***

	[4:23pm]

	[Nerima]

	Link was lost in thought as the group of friends walked down
the street towards Ucchan's. There was one thing that he had noticed
at the gym that he had not mentioned. <Whoever cast that spell had
energy from the Triforce in them. Who would be capable of that? Me
certainly, but no-one else in this world. As far as Colonge knows,
there is no need for the Avatars of the Triforce at the moment.> He
stopped at the entrance to Ucchan's. "You guys go in. There's
something I need to talk to Colonge about."

	Ranoka watched him walk off. "What was that all about?" she
asked.

	"Who knows? Now c'mon, are you gonna get some food or not?"
Ranma said.

	Link entered the Nekohanten, which was almost empty with the
exception of Hiroshi and Daisuke. "What're you guys doing here?" he
asked.

	"They're here to look at Shampoo," Cologne replied.

	"We are not!" Hiroshi protested.

	"Yeah! We're here to enjoy this lovely ramen," Daisuke added.

	"Really?" Link said. "How come you haven't eaten anything yet?"

	"They're waiting for her to get back from deliveries," Cologne
said. "I assume this is important Link?"

	"It may be. I'm not really sure myself," Link replied.

	"Perhaps you might want to come into the kitchen. We can talk
privately in there."

	Link and Cologne sat around the table. "So, what is the problem
Link?" Colonge asked.

	"I was at the Cerulean Gym today on League business. Someone
used a teleportation spell, a spell that used Triforce energy. I
thought I was the only one with a Triforce fragment."

	"When you arrived in this world, perhaps you were," Colonge
said, "but not anymore."

	"What's that mean?" Link said.

	"Link... the time has come for me to be honest with you."

	"Why do I get the feeling I'm not going to like this?" Navi
said.

	"I had my suspicsions since I read the Prophecies of the
Triforce, but my suspicions were confirmed after you told me of some
of your adventures. There's no easy way to say this. Hyrule, and
everyone you knew there has been gone for ten thousand years."

	Link's face went white. "No, it's not possible. It can't be."

	"Time passes differently in different worlds. These Prophecies
say that you will return when an old foe of yours returns to the
world. It will be the same one that destroyed the kingdom of Hyrule."

	"G-Gannon?" Link said, the tremor in his voice easy to hear.

	"No. The Prophecies say that this being is a shadow of it's
creator."

	"I see." Link stood up. "I need to think about this." He left
the room. Navi followed him.

***

	"Hey! leave my food alone!" Ranoka yelled as Ranma made an
attack on her plate.

	"Sorry, old habits die hard," he said, turning his attention to
his own. Akane helped herself to a bite of his. "Hey!"

	"What's the matter lover? Still can't share?" she teased.

	Ukyou smiled as she listened to the group play. Inside however,
she was hurting. She had admitted to herself that Ranma loved Akane,
not her, but it was still hard to let go.

	"Hey, what's wrong with you?" Ranma said as Link walked inside.
All of them could sense the depression coming from him

	"It's a long story," Link said, taking a seat. "Give me
anything you feel like Ukyou."

	In less then a minute she had his meal cooked up and on a plate
in front of the elf. "So, what's wrong sugar?"

	"Everything. In the past five minutes, I've learnt that I've
travelled the multiverse for nothing."

	"What's that supposed to mean?" Ranoka said.

	"Hyrule is Earth. Earth is Hyrule. Everyone I knew has been
dead for ten thousand years."

	Everyone was quiet as they absorbed the information. They all
knew that the one thing that kept Link going for seven years was the
dream that he'd someday manage to return home. Now he'd lost that
dream.

	Ranoka spoke first. "We're still here Link." He looked at her
in surprise. "You are our friend Link."

	Link smiled, the depression beginning to lift with those few
words. Hyrule may be gone, but he could find a new home. "Thanks
Ranoka."

***

	[5:43pm]

	Kaji walked towards the dojo, a smile on his face. The judges
had nearly fainted when they saw his credentials. While he wouldn't
be able to use Hitmonchan, he wasn't really angry at the pokemon.
Besides, he had faith in the six pokemon he would use.

	He noticed Soun standing out the front of the dojo. "What's up
Mr Tendo?"

	Soun looked at the sign. "This is my best idea yet!" he said, a
smile on his face and not a tear in his eye.

	Kaji looked at the sign also. "Tendo Dojo and Pokemon Gym?
Who's the Gym Leaders?"

	"Why, Link and Ranoka of course."

	"Ah, Mr Tendo, you're forgetting one little problem."

	"What's that?"

	"Link may not be staying for much longer, and Ranoka only has
one pokemon."

	"Oh-oh."

***

	[6:15pm]

	Kaji explained the problem at dinner, Soun too busy crying
about the Gym's honor being doomed. "What this means is that Ranoka
has to get more pokemon and train them. I've spoken with Lance and
Ash, and they say you can have all different types of pokemon, like
Viridian Gym used to, if you can catch them."

	"Actually, I'll be staying for a lot longer then I was planning
to," Link said. "After all, I've got nowhere else to go, right?" Kaji
heard the biterness in his words. He had only heard that tone from
one other person. Bill. After Lara had been apparantly killed, all
life had left him. He had hated watching that happen to a friend. He
swore that it would never happen again. And he knew how to do it.
Give them something to live for.

	"Well then, I have an idea. Why don't you four," he said,
pointing at Link, Akane and the twins, "go on a training trip for a
week or so. Catch a few pokemon, train them up, that sort of thing.
Not only that, but you can also practise your martial arts. I can run
the Gym while you're gone, and Soun can take any martial arts
challenges. That's if he can stop crying long enough." He glared at
Soun, who was now crying about how his little girl was leaving him.
He sobered up immediatly.

	"I resent that remark! I don't cry all of the time."

	"Only 99.99%" Nabiki said.

***

	[10:56am, August 7, 1999]

	Link grabbed the spare pokeballs, sending them into his pocket
dimension. Akane noticed him doing it. "Is there any chance you could
teach us that trick?" she asked.

	"My pocket dimension trick? Easily. You already do it with that
mallet of yours, as Ranma can testify."

	Akane blushed as she was reminded of that. "Well, I don't hit
him anymore," she said. "Besides, I don't seem to have any concious
control over it," she said.

	"Anger block," Link said. "I've seen it before. I'll help you
learn how to use it properly on two conditions."

	"What are they?"

	"One, you don't mallet me when you get mad. Two..." he held up
his schoolbooks. "Think you could help me with this stuff? Science
and history are really starting to annoy me."

***

	[11:12am]

	[Cerulean City]

	Link, Ranma, Akane and Ranoka appeared near the gates of
Cerulean City. Link looked at his Pokedex, examining the nesting
places of pokemon. "I say we try north first. There's supposed to be
a lot of grass pokemon up there, not to mention Abra's. After that,
we make our way back here, then east towards the rock tunnel."

	Ranoka's eyes lit up. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's
go!"

	About ten minutes later, a Venonat wandered out of a bush.
Looking at them in surprise, it considered it's options. Deciding it
couldn't get away before it was attacked, it attacked first. Link
ducked as it leapt at it's head. "What is that?" he said, bringing
his pokedex up.

	"Venonat. An insect pokemon. Its large eyes act as radars. In a
dark place, you can see that they are clusters of tiny eyes."

	"I've got this one," Ranoka said. "Horsea, I choose you!"

	Venonat spun around to face the dragon pokemon. "Horsea, Bubble
attack!" A stream of bubbles shot out of it's mouth, knocking the bug
pokemon back. It let out an ear-splitting scream that forced the
trainers to cover their ears. Horsea simply ignored the scream and
waited for the next attack.

	"Horsea, Bubble attack!" This time, the bubbles slammed Venonat
into a tree trunk, where it simply lay still. "Pokeball go!" When the
ball struck Venonat, the pokemon went through the usual process, and
the ball rocked several times before letting out a ping. Ranoka
picked up the pokeball. "Alright! I got Venonat!"

	"What level is Horsea anyway?" Link asked. Ranoka pulled out
her pokedex and scanned her first pokemon.

	"Level twenty-five," she said surprised. She checked Venonat.
"Level twenty. I'll use him against some grass pokemon. He'll be more
effective against those."

***

	[11:34am]

	[Nerima]

	Kaji looked at the man standing at the other end of the dojo.
<Figures we'd get a challenger for this gym's badge only an hour
after the others left,> he thought to himself. "Do you wish to choose
the number of pokemon?" he said.

	"I do," the man replied. His name was Gravier. When he had
heard there was a new gym in Tokyo, he had quickly come to prove his
greatness. "One pokemon each."

	Kaji raised an eyebrow. "As you wish." This boy either had a
lot of skill, or a lot of ego. By being the one that chose the number
of pokemon, he also had to send out his pokemon first. And this gym
used a varity of Pokemon types.

	Gravier threw a pokeball. "Venusaur, go!" The giant plant
pokemon emerged from it's ball.

	Kaji smiled. "Scyther, I choose you!" Gravier's smirk was wiped
off his face as he looked at the Mantis. "Are you ready Gravier?"

	"I am. Venusaur, Leach Seed!" Over a dozen seeds shot out of
the tree on Venusaur's back.

	"Scyther, Quick Attack!" With a sense of grace similar to that
of Ranma or Ranoka, Kaji's pokemon sliced each and every seed in half
before they had a chance to sprout. "Good work, now Cut that Venusaur
down to size!"

	"Scyther!" Scyther leapt high into the air, before bringing
it's scythe-like forearms downward, leaving a gash along one of
Venusaur's forelegs and the floor.

	"Venusaur, tackle attack!" Venusaur slammed it's bulk into the
bug, knocking it into the air. Scyther flipped and landed on it's
feet. "Venusaur, Solar Beam!"

	"Crap! Scyther, Double Team!" Scyther split into three
different images. Venusaur looked at the three identical pokemon,
unsure of which one was real. Picking the middle one, the plant
pokemon unleashed a devestating beam of solar energy....

	....which simply went through the image, and through the door
which Nabiki had thoughtfully opened. Scyther took full advantage of
the distraction, with two images colliding with Venusaur, leaving
more cuts along it's body.

	"Damn it!" Gravier yelled. "Venusaur, Razor Leaf the left one!"
Once again, the Scyther proved to be nothing more then an illusion,
and the real one followed Kaji's orders, unleashing a Slash attack.
Venusaur stepped back, several dozen cuts along the tree trunk on
it's back.

	"Scyther, Double team!" Venusaur hit one of the images with a
Vine Whip. "Double Team!" Now there were six Scythers. "Focus
Energy!"

	"Solar Beam!" Once again, Venusaur began to draw in sunlight.

	"Quick attack!" As one, the six Scyther flew forward. Four were
incinerated by the Solar Beam, but an image and the real Scyther got
through, unleashing hundreds of blows to Venusaurs undefended body.
Unable to keep up with the onslaught, the plant pokemon passed out.

	"No!" Gravier yelled. "How could I lose?" He glared at Kaji.
"I'll have my revenge, do you hear me? I'll make this Gym suffer!"
Recalling Venusaur, he stormed out of the dojo.

	"What was that all about?" Kaji said.

	"Don't mind him," Nabiki replied. "Just another moron in this
city. He's harmless."

***

	[1:30pm]

	[Route 25]

	Swordsman blocked the Geodudes attack with it's sword, before
launching an Ice Blade attack. Geodude fell to the ground and lay
still.

	The Geodudes trainer, a man wearing the clothes worn by so many
hikers, shrugged his shoulders. "{Oh well, can't win 'em all.}" He
payed Link the amount they had wagered and walked off down the track.

	Ranoka grinned as Link congratulated Swordsman. "How does
Swordsman have so many different types of Elemental attacks?" she
asked. "He's got all these attacks that I've never seen from any
other pokemon before."

	"Good question," Link said, pulling out his pokedex.

	"Swordsman's attacks are similar to techniques used by other
fighting pokemon. The attacks are simply renamed to suit Swordsmans
fighting style," the pokedex said.

	"Abra." They turned see an Abra sitting there, watching them.

	"This one's mine," Link said, reaching for an empty Pokeball.
"Dratini, Wrap!" Dratini wrapped itself around Abra. Or it tried to,
as Abra simply teleported on top of Swordsman's head. When Dratini
tried again, it ended up wrapped around the fighting pokemon's head.

	"Tini." Unwrapping itself, it glared at Akane and Ranoka, who
were giggling uncontrolably.

	"Sorry," Akane said, "it's just that you looked so funny like
that."

	Satisfied, Dratini looked around for the Abra. <When I get my
hands on you...>

	<I thought Dratini's didn't have hands?> a playful mental voice
chided.

	"DRA!" Dratini looked around. <What in the name of the creators
was that?!>

	"What's wrong Dratini?" Link said, kneeling next to the small
dragon.

	<Haven't you heard of telepathy before?> Abra's mental voice
said. This time they all heard it.

	"Damn!" Link said, tripping over in shock. "Where are you?"

	<Just playing around. You seem like a honorable soul.>

	"Yeah, so?"

	<So nothing. Let's play a game. It's called, 'Catch me if you
can!> Abra reappeared in front of Ranma, who grabbed him, only to see
him teleport away. This time, he appeared on a tree. Link nocked an
Ice Arrow, but the pokemon was gone before he had a chance to shoot.

	Dratini fired a Blizzard the next time it appeared, but once
again, Abra avoided it. This continued on, falling into a pattern,
one that Link spotted. Waiting until the last possible moment, he
threw a pokeball. Abra was sucked inside, but managed to break free
after a few seconds. Before it had time to react anther pokeball hit
it. This time, Abra didn't break out.

	"Hey, he was mine!" Link protested as Ranoka picked up the
pokeball.

	"Well, you weren't having much luck, so I thought I'd try." She
scanned it with her pokedex. "One more level and it evolves! Great!"

	"Damn it." Link sulked while Ranoka celebrated. She let Abra
out.

	"So, what moves do you have?" she asked.

	<Teleport.>

	"What else?"

	<That's it.>

	"How do you fight with only that move?"

	<I teleport above them, then land on their head.>

	"Ouch," Ranma commented.

***

	[7:15am, August 8, 1999]

	[Route 9]

	Link walked along the beach, checking the lines he had cast out
the night before. One had a small Krabby on it, to which he simply
dropped a pokeball on it. He turned to Growlithe. "Guess there's
nothing for you to fight," he said.

	"Growlithe," the puppy pokemon barked as it noticed one of
Link's other lines. Link pulled it in and was suprised to see a
rather large Magikarp on the end. He dropped a pokeball on it, only
to see it break out.

	"Must be close to evolving," he said. "Okay then. Growlithe,
Ember attack!" Growlithe breathed out a large burst of flame,
stunning the Magikarp. "Pokeball go!" This time the pokemon didn't
break out.

	"Not bad," Ranma said. Link turned to see the pig-tailed
martial artist walking towards him. "Link, can I ask you a favor?"

	"What do you want?"

	Ranma pulled a small box out of his pocket. "I want to make my
engagement to Akane real."

	"You mean you want to propose to her?" Link said. "That's a
great idea. But why do you need me?"

	"Well, I wanted to take her on a date next Wednesday, and
propose to her there. But, I think I'll need some moral support."

	Link raised an eyebrow. "And you want me for what?"

	"Well, I was thinking of a double date. Me and Akane, you and
Ranoka."

	Link facefaulted. "Are you for real?" When Ranma nodded another
thought popped into his head. "Does Ranoka know about this?"

	"Yeah, she said she'd go along with it if you would."

	Link considered it. "Sure, why not." <I mean, it's not like
we're going out for real,> he thought to himself.

	<But you wish it was, don't you?> a little voice in the back of
his mind whispered. Scowling as he considered it, he pulled in
another line, revealing a Staryu. "This should be good. Growllithe,
go- huh?"

	Swordsman leapt at the Staryu, sword crackling with
electricity. Staryu dodged to the side, before firing off a water
gun. Swordsman dodged, only to be hit in the chest by a tackle
attack. His body made a long trench in the soft sand of the beach.

	"What's going on?" Ranma said, as the two pokemon began to
trade blows once more.

	"Staryu and Swordsman, along with their evolved forms, are
mortal foes," Link's pokedex said. "While they have vowed not to kill
each other if they are under the command of the same trainer, or in a
trainer vs trainer battle, if the battle has a wild pokemon involved,
only one of them shall walk away alive."

	"You're kidding," Link said.

	"I knew some types of Pokemon didn't get along, but to that
degree..." Ranma shook his head. "It seems like some sort of blood
feud."

	Swordsmans sword took off one of Staryu's arms, and the water
pokemon replied with another tackle, before beginning a recover move.

	It was a move that Staryu would not complete. Swordsman leapt
forward and slammed it's sword into the core. Staryu collapsed on the
blade. Swordsman made sure it was dead by releasing a thunder blade
attack, several thousand volts shattering the gem into thousands of
pieces.

	Link, Ranma and Growlithe simply stood there. "Remind me never
to bring Swordsman with me when I go fishing," Link said.

***

	[9:30am]

	Link lit one of his fire arrows, lighting up the cave. "Empty."

	"Damn, I'm sure that Nidorina went this way," Ranoka said,
kicking a nearby bush. "I'd say it was at least level twenty-eight."

	Akane looked at the map in her hands. "Okay, if we go east for
another ten kilometers or so, we should find the pokecenter near the
entrance to the Rock Tunnel. We should find plenty of pokemon there."
She concentrated for a second, and the map vanished. "Hey, I did it!"

	"That's great Akane. That's the first time you've been able to
do it with anything other then your mallet. Try and call it back."

	Akane concentrated, holding her hand in front of her. She did
what Link had told her to. Imagine the map in her hand. It's there.
She imagined the map there. She closed her eyes. <Appear, damn it!>

	And then she realised. She was forcing it to appear. She was
getting angry again. Making it appear now was pointless, as she was
trying to break the link between her emotions and her pocket
dimension. She relaxed, pushing the anger away, and imagined seeing
the map in her hand.

	"Good job Akane!" Akane opened her eyes to see the map in her
hand.

	"It worked!" Not only that, but she knew how to do it. With
only a tiny application of her will, she stored the map away and
pulled out her mallet, before putting that away too.

	"Yes, it worked. Now you need to try to do it during combat,"
Link said.

	"So how do I do that?" Akane said. Link pulled out a Hylian
shield and tossed it to her.

	"Store that in your pocket dimension, then pull it out to
deflect my ki-blasts. Only my ki-blasts, not my punches or kicks."

	Akane nodded. <I can do this!>

***

	An hour later....

	Akane collasped on the ground. "Just kill me please," she
moaned.

	"Where would the fun be in that?" Ranoka replied, a large grin
on her face.

	Akane considered glaring at her, but decided it would be too
exhausting to move that much. "You don't have to rub it in."

	"It's not my fault I have a natural advantage," the pokemon
trainer replied. "Link thinks that there's some connection between
the pocket dimensions and the ability Ranma and I have."

	Akane smirked as she knew how to fight back in this verbal
battle. "And what Link thinks is really important to you, isn't it?"

	Ranoka jerked up, her cheeks reddening. "What's that supposed
to mean?"

	"You can't hide it from me girl. I've seen the way you look at
him."

	"Well, he is kinda handsome," Ranoka said, looking at her
hands. "But he's just a friend," she said.

	<Oh really? Then how come you're going on a date with him?> a
voice in the back of her head said.

	<Shut up! That's just to help my brother,> she shot back.

	The voice snickered.

***

	Link releashed the arrow. Once again it hit excatly where he
aimed it.

	"Two hundred yards," Ranma said. "That's impressive." He looked
at Link's pokeballs. "Do you really think you can train them well
enough to become a gym leader?" he asked.

	"I don't know," Link replied. "I've never trained pokemon
before. Before we left, I was talking to Kaji about it. He suggested
that I borrow some of his more experienced pokemon for a while." He
shrugged. "But the gym isn't my major worry."

	"Whoever's after you?"

	Link nodded. "He wiped out Hyrule ten thousand years ago. He's
had a long time to prepare for my return." Link fired off a small ki-
blast. The target shattered into thousands of tiny pieces. "But I'll
be ready for him."

***

	[12:12pm]

	[Indigo Tower]

	Ash looked at the scrolls. "{Someone from Link's past?}"
Placing the scroll to one side, he picked up another one. Like all
the others, it was yellow with age. He looked down the adventures
told of on the ancient parchment. Each of the temples was described
in painstaking detail, from the shape of the rooms, to what could be
found within, how to defeat whatever traps were there, and what
creatures could be found within. "{Whoever wrote the originals must
have kept a close eye on Link,}" Ash said to himself.

	He considered the security tape Mike had shown him. Two of the Nerimans 
were half-dragons. He wasn't sure how that was possible,
except by magic. <Omega Sector deals with magic. Our area is
Pokemon,> he thought to himself.

	"{Are you still in here child?}" a familar old voice said.

	"{Hi Agatha.}" Ash didn't look up from the scrolls. "{I'm still
trying to figure out who Link's enemy is.}"

	"{Why bother? After all, the Prophecies say that we'll find out
soon enough.}"

	"{Maybe so, but he's gotten involved with Team Rocket. It's
safer to know who we're dealing with sooner rather then later.}"

	Suddenly the doors were thrown open, and Lance ran into the
room. "{We just got a distress signal from the Rock Tunnel Pokemon
Center. A Rocket Assault Squad has attacked it.}"

	"{Get the rest of the Elite Four ready to move out.}" Ash
grabbed the Gunblade. "{Contact any trainers in the area, see if they
can help out.}"

***

	[12:20pm}

	[Rock Tunnel Pokemon Center]

	Link wasted no time, leaping into the battle with Lightsword in
one hand, pokeballs in the other. The other three weren't much
slower.

	A Kingler saw him coming and fired a Hyper Beam. Link used his
lightsword to deflect the attack, before replying with a Mouko
Takabisha. Kingler was knocked back several feet, but apart from that
was unharmed. <Swordsman's the only pokemon I have that's strong
against water type pokemon. Where's he?> Sure enough, Swordsman had
found the Machamp Team Rocket had brought along, and was currently
going one-on-one there. "We'll just have to wear this guy down.
Growlithe, Ember attack!" Growlithe released a ball of fire from it's
mouth, which Kingler managed to shrug off. "Swordsman, finish Machamp
off as fast as you can. Quick Attack!"

	"Machamp! Karate Chop!" a scratchy voice yelled out.Machamp's
four arms were able to block the lightning fast sword attacks. Link
looked up to see a man in the normal black uniform of Team Rocket.
"You may be able to match the boss in a sword fight, but I'm willing
to bet that you're not a very good trainer. Kingler, Hyper Beam!"

	Link brought the Mirror Shield up, absorbing the energy attack.
"Dratini, wrap around Kingler's larger claw!" Before Kingler had
another chance to attack, it found that the small dragon had managed
to force it's claw shut. "You seem to know who I am pal, how about
extending me the same courtesy?"

	"I am known as Butch," the man said. "I am known across the
world as one of the greatest pokemon trainers in existance. You can
not defeat me in a pokemon battle."

	"Maybe my pokemon can't defeat you on their own, but I simply
don't work that way. I fight alongside my pokemon. They make their
own decisions as much as I command them." Link threw his boomerang at
Butch, who was too suprised to dodge. It hit right in the middle of
his head, knocking him out. "Now let's see if yours can do the same.
Navi, target Kingler. I've only got one chance at this." Navi managed
to target the pokemon easily, as it was too busy looking at Butch.
This also had the useful effect of leaving it open to an ember attack
by Growlithe, and a Thunder Wave from Dratini, who still hadn't let
go of the claw.

	"Thanks Navi. Growlithe, Dratini, FIRE IN THE HOLE!" Growlithe
leapt to the side, while Abra teleported Dratini out. "Here goes
nothing! HYPER BEAM RETURN!"

	The mirror shield glowed for a second, before releasing the
Hyper Beam back in Kinglers direction. The orange ki impacted with a
small explosion and a dust cloud. When it cleared, Link saw Kingler
lying there, out to the world.

	"That's one down. Who's next?"

***

	Akane summonded her mallet, and brought it down on a poor,
unlucky Sandslash. It whimpered and collapsed. Akane turned to face
the three Rocket trainers. "{So, who's next?}"

	Quickly, the Rockets grabbed pokeballs.

	"{Onix, go!}"

	"{Jolteon, I choose you!}"

	"{Exeggutor, you're up!}"

	Akane jumped over the Onix's first lunge, jumping ten feet
without even noticing. Landing on Exeggutor's head, she punched the
middle head, before jumping away to avoid Jolteon's Pin Missiles.

	It was at this point that Lance entered the battle, in his
usual style of making a dramatic entrance. This time, it was on the
back of his twelve foot tall, five hundred pound Dragonite, which in
turn landed on the back of the Onix that had attacked Akane a few
seconds before.

	While the three Rockets simply gawked at the sight of an Onix
being pounded into the dirt in seconds, Akane used a pressure point
Ranma had taught her to put them to sleep. She then pulled her Hylian
shield out of nowhere to block another pin missile attack by Jolteon.
She then decided that the pokemon was within range of her attacks,
and pulled out the mallet. One quick blow later, and Jolteon slammed
into the side of a hill.

	That left Exeggutor. The plant pokemon was still trying to
shake off Akane's blow to one of it's heads, and so didn't put up a
fight.

***

	"{Pikachu, Thundershock!}"

	"Pikachu!" A large bolt of lightning shot off from Pikachu's
electric aura, striking the Seadra in the face. As one water Pokemon
sank to the pottom of the large river near the Pokecenter, another
one rose up. A Tentacruel. It fired a stream of acid at the League
Champ and his pokemon, barely missing them.

	Ash looked at where they had been standing seconds before. The
grass had simply melted away, and a small sapling that had been
behind them was gone. "{Damn! There must be water trainers below the
surface! It's the only way there could be so many. Pikachu, Thunder
the river!}"

	"Pika pika CHU!" A HUGE bolt of lightning came off Pikachu's
aura, and took out every single pokemon in the water, as well as
their trainers.

	"{Who's next?}" Ash said, turning to face more opponents. He
spotted a Rhydon trying to knock down on of the pokecenter walls. Two
shots from the Gunblade got it's attention, a Hydro Pump from
Blastoise took it out of the fight.

	"{Arbok, Poison Sting attack!}" Ash spun around in time to see
twenty poison-filled darts slam into his chest.

	"Pika pi!"

	Ash shrugged, then smiled at the shocked Rocket and Arbok.
"{You'd be amazed how handy an amoured vest can be.}"

	"{Damn! Arbok, Take Down attack!}"

	"Arrrrbokkk!" Ash leapt to the side, the snake barely missing
him. As the snake twisted around to face him again, Ash managed to
bring his Gunblade down the length of Arboks side, firing off a
bullet when it was in deepest.

	"{Aw, did that hurt? Bulbasaur, wrap him up!}" As Bulbasaur's
vines came down on the snake, Ash looked up to see that Ranma had
taken care of the Rocket. "What are you doing here?"

	"Travelling the countryside, training, watching my
friend and sister catch pokemon-" He kicked a Voltorb, and it landed
in the last group of Rockets before detonating, "-and getting in
fights." He grinned. "I've got it good."

***

	[1:30am, August 9, 1999]

	[Cerulean City]

	Link finished typing up his report. He looked at the clock next
to Misty's computer. "1 am! I don't believe this!"

	Misty handed him a cup of hot chocolate. "{If you're staying
around this world, you'll have to get used to it. It's the way things
are these days. There's paperwork for everything.}" She hit the print
button. "{I'll drop that off at Indigo Tower tomorrow morning. Ash
says you won't need to be at the meeting. There's a spare bedroom
three doors down. The others are all ready asleep.}"

	"{Thanks Misty.}" Link drank the chocolate as Misty walked off
to bed, followed by that small walking egg. "Paperwork. I thought I
left all that behind when I quit the Britannian Special Forces."

	"The bane of any military," Navi quipped.

	"Don't I know it."

***

	[9:35am]

	[Route 11]

	Giovanni watched in awe as the plane landed. "{How did you get
this?}" he asked the stranger.

	"{I managed to aquire it from Omega Sector in England
yesterday,}" the figure replied. "{All tracking devices have been
removed, and there is no way for them to regain control. This
Thunderhawk Gunship is now yours. Consider it a symbol of our
partnership.}"

	Giovanni merely nodded as he looked over the most top-secret
fightercraft in the world. His eyes ran over it's Boltguns next to
the cockpit, the huge Autocannon near the tail, the Laser Cannons
on the wings. The engines, capable of reaching Mach 4 in an
atmosphere, and which are rumored to be capable of allowing the
Thunderhawk to fly in space as well as on Earth. The hull, which was
not the slightest bit aerodynamic, but had been known to stop even
the heaviest weaponry commonly known to man. And now it was his.

***

	[7:30am, August 10, 1999]

	[Cerulean City]

	The group had decided to stay in Cerulean for a while. Misty
had offered them a few of the extra rooms at the Gym. There was no
way they could refuse, although with Ash there as well, breakfast
became even weirder then it had in Nerima.

	"Damn it Blastoise, if you Ice Beam my cereal again..."

	"{Kadabra, pass the salt could you?}"

	<Of course.>

	"Why is the salt shaker flying?"

	"I don't think I wanna know."

	"Hey, has anyone seen Misty?"

	"Maybe she's still asleep. Honestly, she could sleep through
the end of the world."

	"I'm not waking her."

	"Why not Pikachu?"

	"Last time I did, she threw a pillow at me. I threw it back
with a small charge."

	"So that's why you landed in the swimming pool."

	"Hey, what's that safe for?"

	"That's where we store any elemental stones."

	"So why is it open?"

	"Oh-oh."

	"Growl-"

	"That can't be good."

	"Arcanine!"

	"Well, at least I've got a more powerful pokemon. Who the hell
was dumb enough to leave it open?"

	"Blastoise!"

	"Hey, I said, don't Ice Beam the cereal!"

***

	[10:30am]

	Ranma and Ranoka went through a simple kata, several of the
pokemon (Those that had arms and legs) copying them. The two machops
they had caught near the entrance to the Rock Tunnel were learning
fast. Ranoka's Kadabra was a different story.

	Trying to do a simple kick, the Psyhcic pokemon fell flat on
it's ass. When the two Machops started laughing, it gave them the
finger. <I could still beat both of you in a battle,> it said.

	"But what about if you took on something that was immune to
your mental attacks?" Akane pointed out.

	<That is true,> Kadabra said. With that it picked itself up and
tried again.

	A few blocks away from the Gym, Ash was showing Link around the
city. And they were both trying to figure out where Ranma and Link
could take the girls for a date.

	"If you're staying in Cerulean, you should try one of the
resturants around here. Some of them are very good quality. I go
there all the time."

	"How are we gonna afford it? We don't have the same huge supply
of money you do."

	"Don't worry, most of these places are cheap, which is
surprising considering how good they are. Speaking of money, does
Ranma have the ring yet?"

	"Yeah. It's a pretty classy one too."

***

	[1:45pm]

	"Damn!" Ranma said, tossing his cards away in disgust.

	"Well put brother," Ranoka said. Everyone except Misty and
Akane were sitting around a table discussing tomorrows date. And
playing poker. Misty had lured Akane away by offering to teach her
how to swim.

	A large splash was heard from outside, followed by Misty giving
Starmie a command. Link looked out to see Akane being lifted out of
the deep end of the pool. "I knew she'd get in over her head."

	"She's gotta learn to start things at the beginning," Ranoka
said. "That'll be your job, dear brother."

	"Oh jeez, that's gonna be fun."

***

	[5:34pm]

	[Seafoam Islands]

	The waves crashed against the coast of the Seafoam Islands, a
fine spray of water flying high into the air. As water droplets
landed on the face of Pantyhose Tarou, one that knew him would expect
him to transform into the huge monster that everyone in Nerima knew
and hated. But he didn't. He stayed excatly as he was. Seemingly
human.

	It was the same for another that stood there. Mousse was not
turning into a duck. What was just as suprising was the fact that
Mousse's eyes were now perfect. He could see clearly even in the
darkest shadows.

	"Why are we here?" Gosunkugi said, tightening his jacket.

	"Indeed. We must have our vengence on Saotome. We will not gain
it by standing here." Kuno stood nearby. He had replaced his usual
outfit for a suit of armor and a black cloak. The armor was as light
as a feather and as dark as the night. A sword hilt, identical to
Link's Lightsword, hung from his belt.

	"We are waiting for another part of the power," Tarou said.
"It is coming." He held out a small vial of water, the one he had
taken from Jusenkyo several weeks ago. "Return to me my power.
Become part of me again, and prepare for your revenge."

	In front of Tarou, a black mist began to appear. Tendrils of
darkness reached out to embrace the vial.

	"One fragment shall be found at the Pools of Sorrow. Another
shall be the Trainer's Bane. When brought before the Hero of Time,
the Darkness shall be given life!"

***

	[6:45pm, August 11, 1999]

	[Cerulean City]

	Link and Ranma stood downstairs, waiting for Akane and Ranoka.
Brock, Ash and Pikachu sat nearby. "Do they have to take so long?"
Ranma said.

	"That's the way women are," Ash said. "I've never been able to
figure it out." He turned on his watch radio. "Did you know Professor
Oak's trying to install a pokedex in one of these things?"

	"You're kidding," Ranma said. "Could you even fit all the
pokedex circuts..... in..... there...." Ranma's voice faded off as he
looked at Akane and Ranoka.

	At that point, Ranma once again decided that cute was not a
good way of describing Akane. "You look wonderful Akane."

	"Really?" she said.

	"Of course." And she did. A stunning blue evening dress, just
the right amount of makeup, combined with her natural beauty... It
was all Ranma could do to keep from drooling.

	Brock on the other hand, had no such problems. Ash grabbed him
by the shirt, holding him back, and whispered something about his
girlfriend to him. Brock calmed down instantly.

	Ranoka was just as beautiful as Akane. She had untied her
pigtail for starters and was dressed in a long, tight Chinese dress
with two thigh-high slits up each side. The dress was a lavender
color, making her red hair stand out.

	"You look as beautiful as ever Ranoka," Link said, taking her
hand. "Your limo is waiting."

	Sure enough, there was a limo parked out the front of the Gym.
As they drove off to the resturant, Misty looked at Ash. "{Isn't that
the League limo that you use whenever you're in Cerulean?}"

	"{Well, I'm not using it now, so why put it to waste?}" Ash
replied.

	"{You never cease to amaze me Ash Ketchum.}"

	"Pika pika chu."

	"{Well, I'm gonna have a bath,}" Ash said, heading upstairs.

***

	Ash stripped off his shirt, tossing it aside. <One thing I've
always liked about Misty's Gym,> he thought, <is that is has Japanese
baths.> He picked up the bucket. <Or I used to, before Jusenkyo.>

	After dumping the water over her head, Ash-chan looked in the
mirror. Her face looked a lot different, softer angles and slightly
paler skin. Her eyelashes were longer, and her hair was a shade
lighter and a little less spikey. Almost curly in fact.

	She didn't look lower. Soaping her body, she grit her teeth
from the strange sensations that came through. "Damn it," she
muttered, "What did I do to deserve this? What did any of us do?"

***

	[7:00pm]

	The waiter led the group to their table. As they sat down,
Ranoka took a look at the resturant. It was very impressive, the type
of place she had thought she would never be able to afford to dine
in. Link had managed to get a good deal somehow.

	She turned her attention back to her friends, who were already
looking at the menus. As expected, Ranma ordered a large meal, as did
she, but to the surprise of Link and Akane, actually showed some
manners.

	As they ate, they talked about many different things, from what
had been happening at school, to what some of their other friends had
been up to. They began to speak of all sorts of things from before
the day that Link first came to Nerima.

	At last the conversation, without meaning to, came to the
subject of Hyrule. Link talked about the village he grew up in, the
Lost Woods, what he saw on his adventures. Some of the things the
group had heard before, but others were completly new.

	"The sunrise from the top of Death Mountain... I've seen a lot
of wonderful things over the years, but that is undoubtably one of
the most beautiful things I have ever seen." He smiled sadly. "Maybe
I'll find wher it is now, just to see the view again."

	Ranoka placed her hand over his. "How are you managing to cope
with it?"

	"Cope with losing my dream?" He smiled again. "By taking it one
day at a time, and by remembering that I have a new home now."

	"Saotome! So this is where you spirited Akane Tendo and your
sister to!" The group looked up to see Kuno and Mousse standing
there. Kuno was completly hidden by a black cloak, and Mousse's robes
were totally black.

	"How'd you get here?" Link said, holding one hand out of sight.
His gun, now fully recharged, appeared in it.

	"I was brought here by one who was willing to aid me in
destroying you," Kuno replied. He and Mousse stepped aside to reveal
a man wearing the armor of the ancient Gerudo thieves. At that moment
Link knew that this man, despite the unfamilar face, was the ancient
enemy. Not only that, but he knew who it was.

	"Tarou," Ranma spat. "What are you doing here?"

	"Not Tarou," Link said.

	"Very perceptive Link," 'Tarou' replied. "Your friends here may
have told you of Tarou, but they do not realise the truth. I am
Gannon."

	"The Evil King?!" Ranoka exclaimed. Her clothes, as well as
Ranma's, changed to their usual battle clothes.

	"No, he's not," Link said. "Phantom Gannon. The guardian of the
Forest Temple. After I defeated him, his master -the real Gannondorf-
banished him between worlds." His clothes changed to his usual. A
simple spell, not even requiring words or reagents, did the same to
Akane.

	"And when your successor killed Gannondorf, I was free." He
laughed, a cold, heartless laugh. "Did you know that they belived the
war to be over then?" he said. "They belived that it would be a
simple matter to get rid of the last of Gannon's minons. The new
Avatar of Courage -his name was Link, believe it or not- went on a
big mighty quest, bringing all the parts of the Triforce together
again. And less then a year later, I crushed Hyrule like an overipe
fruit."

	Link watched as people cleared out of the space between them.
<Can't strike yet, there's too big a risk a bystanders getting hurt.>
"And yet your body was destroyed in the process."

	"I found another. When that one was of no use, I found another.
Did you know that the Hyrule palace stood where Jusenkyo now is? My
death is what created that place. As such, the weaker-willed victims
of that place are my servants."

	"Ryouga," Ranoka growled.

	"Yes. For years he had let the darkness control him. Although
he had regained control, he was still easy to command."

	"You bastard!" Ranoka screamed, leaping over the table and
charged him, ki spheres appearing in her hands.

	"Ranoka wait!" Link yelled as he saw the mystic shield slam
into place.

	Ranoka had no intention of waiting however. Someone she had
considered a friend and ally, dead at her own hand, and the person
responsible for it was right in front of her. There was no way she
was going to wait in killing this demon!

	The mystic shield disagreed, and Ranoka stumbled back as if she
had collided with a titanium wall.

	Gosunkugi stepped out of the shadows, glowing with what Link
mentally summed up as more magical energy them he had seen in one
place at any one time. "Akane will be mine!"

	"We'll meet again soon," Gannon said as he faded out of sight.
Mouse leapt forward, weapons shooting out of his robes. Gosunkugi
summoned a mob of Stalchilds. Kuno brought out his Blacksword.

	Ranoka leapt forward again, eager for a rematch with Mousse.
Dodging a chain, she hit him with a jump kick that sent him flying
out the window. As she jumped out, she threw her pokeballs, releasing
her pokemon.

	Ranma and Akane attacked the horde of Stalchilds. They knew
that these were soulless beasts. They had no aura at all. These
things were a mockery of life, and the pair would be more then happy
to destroy them.

	Link traded gun for Lightsword, and brought it up to meet
Kuno's attack. The pair circled each other, trading blow after blow,
parrying each others attacks.

	"They have spirit," Gosunkugi noted.

	<Indeed my student. But win or lose, it will make no
difference. Our plans have begun.>

***

	Misty looked at the news report in horror. "{Ash, get in here
NOW!}" she screamed.

	"{What is it?}" Ash yelled, still fumbling with his shirt.
Misty pointed at the tv, and the pokmeon masters jaw dropped.

	On the screen, the Big Ben clock tower was going up in flames.
The image changed to a London street, where police and army forces
were firing at strange and monsterous beasts.

	"{It is not known what these beasts are,}" the reporter was
saying. "{It is certain that they are not pokemon. Whatever they are,
they're all over London! The palace has been destroyed... these
things are shrugging off bullets... Police can't stop yeeaarrhh!}"
The reporter screamed as some sort of lizard like creature jumped
over the makeshift barricade. Ash and the others could only watch in
horror as the creature tore the poor man's throat out.

	The image shot back to a studio, where a very pale man was
sitting in front of a desk. "{So i-it would seem, that whatever these
creatures are, they have torn the heart out of the British Empire.}"

	"{The first blow shall cripple an Empire,}" Ash said.

	"{What?}" Brock said.

	"{A line from the Prophecies. It meant the British Empire!
Shit, this proves those scrolls are true! Thousands of years before
England even became a country, and they knew!}"

	The Videophone chose this moment to beep, and Ash hit the
answer button. Mike appeared on the screen. "{Yeah, I know about
London Mike.}"

	Mike nodded. "{That's not all. Team Rocket's attacked Saffron
City. Somehow they got their hands on a Thunderhawk Gunship.}"

	"{WHAT?!}"

	"{Not only that, but something big is going on in New York.
Our hackers are reporting all sorts of chaos on the shadownet.}"

	"{Contact Kaji, tell him to assemble all the Neriman fighters,
League or not. Then teleport us all to the co-ordinates I'm sending
you. We'll need all our weapons.}"

	"{Why there? I don't get it.}"

	"{All this has to do with Link's enemy. I'll bet he's attacking
Link. That's where the real battle is, and that's where I have to
be!}"

***

	[Saffron City]

	Andrew ducked into the room, barly dodging the bullets that
slammed into the space he had been ocupying seconds before. The
two Rockets chased after him.

	Andrew ducked into a closet. As they ran past, he grabbed one,
snapped his neck, then fired the mans gun on the other.

	Moving quickly, he searched the bodies. "{Assault rifle, ammo
for that, pistol, ammo for that, pokeballs...}" He tore open the bag
that one of them had been carrying, and grinned when he saw the sword
inside. "{I'm taking that for sure.}"

	Now ready to fight, Andrew Martin, Britannia's Avatar of
Virtue, was ready to do what he does best.

***

	[Cerulean City]

	Gosunkugi summoned more minons, this time more powerful. It
wasn't slowing the heroes down by much though, thanks to the timely
arrival of the rest of the Nerimans, along with Ash and his friends.

	Link parried, striked, dodged, blocked. He brought his sword in
a downward arc. Kuno stepped aside, and Link twisted to follow.

	<Damn he's improved,> Link thought. <I can't seem to hit him.
Thank Farore he can't hit me either.> As he increased the speed of
the attacks, he noticed that Kuno was keeping up, but not going
faster. He guessed what had happened. The sword was matching his
skills. It wasn't Kuno at all!

	Link put his Lightsword away, and tried unarmed fighting. Kuno
was simply too slow now. <That energy sword of his is made to match
mine, but it can't match other attacks.> He decided to try out one of
his new attacks that he had been practising. He focused a small
amount of ki in and around his fist. "Megaton Panchi!" The power
behind the blow smashed through Kuno's armor, throwing him back
twenty metres into a wall and knocking him out cold. Link grinned.

	Nearby, Ash danced a deadly duet with a Stalfos. Ash did know
how to use a sword, but his skills were not up to the level of a
master swordfighter yet. However, the Stalfos was simply swinging
it's sword around, not even using it's shield. Ash flicked his
wrists, and the Stalfos's sword flew out of it's bony hands. "Yooou
shalll paaay ffoooor thattt mmmoortal."

	"{I'm impressed,}" Ash said. "{You can make threats without a
voicebox. Let's see if you can do it without a head!}" He brought the
Gunblade up and sliced the Stalfos's head in two.

	Now all the monsters were dead, and everyone focused their
attacks on Mousse and Gosunkugi. Or rather, Mono, Nodoka, Link and
Kadabra attacked Gosunkugi with magical and Psyhcic attacks, and
everyone else ganged up on Mousse.

	"{I'm going to make you suffer!}" Shampoo yelled, ducking under
a chain, only to be hit by one of Ryouga's umbrellas that Mousse had
swiped.

	"{Soon we shall be together my love!}" Mousse yelled. "{As soon
as I destroy those who dared to keep us apart!}"

	"{And what does that have to do with us?}" Akane said as she
used her mallet to deflect the projectiles.

	"{You are working with the old hag, conspiring to keep
Shampoo from me!}"

	"{You know,}" Ranma said, running along one of the chains,
"{the fact Shampoo continues to hit you may be because of the fact
she can't stand you.}" He jumped over a training potty. "{Just a
thought mind you.}"

	"{Saotome,}" Mousse growled. "{For over a year now you have
tried to destroy the secret love Shampoo holds for me. Not only that,
but you lead along two other women! You sicken me!}" The barrage of
weapons increased.

	Ranoka blasted a chain out of existance with a ki-blast, giving
Ranma a clear shot with one of his own ki-blasts. "{You really are an
idiot,}" he yelled as Mousse stumbled back. "{Ucchan and I sorted
that mess out, the Amazon Law on Dragons mean I don't have to marry
Shampoo, and I was going to propose to Akane before you messed things
up!}"

	Akane's eyes widened. <Well, this is an interesting way to be
proposed to,> she thought, knocking more weapons out of the air. <I
have got to learn a ki-attack. I'm useless like this!>

	"{Liar!}" Mousse screamed. "{You were constantly after her,
then pretending to spurn her affections! Now you shall be YEOW!!}"
One of Ukyou's spatulas made it through Mousse's defenses, and
imbedded itself in his ear. Mousse was too busy trying to get it out
that he missed Cologne's staff on a collision course with his head.

	The staff tore through Mousse's head, tearing it off the neck
completely.

	"{It's over Shampoo,}" Colonge said. "{My Grandaughter has been
avenged.}"

***

	Link fired off a fireball, examaning how Gosunkugi's shields
dealt with it. <From what I can see, he's expecting brute force
attacks,> he thought.

	<We'll keep him busy on that front,> Kadabra said through their
telepathic link. <You find a hole in his defence.>

	Link extended his senses, probing along the shields. <This is
too easy!> he 'pathed to the the others. <Hit it with brute force,
and the attack'll get dispersed. But we can send threads through the
whole shield and tear it down!>

	<If you think that'll work. You're the mage, not me,> Kadabra
replied, firing off another Confusion.

	The Elf and two Dragons sent dozens of threads of magic through
the shield. Then they pulled on the threads, and the shield came
crashing down.

	"No, that isn't possible!" Gosunkugi yelled, now defenceless.

	"You've got a lot more power then us, but we've got the
experience," Link said, ending the battle by shooting the would-be
mage in the face. He fell to the ground, dead.

***

	[8:00pm]

	Link picked up the note on the ground. It was lying exactly
where Gannon had vanished. "Play a song of water to find me hero." He
laughed. "I thought you were supposed to be mysterious," he said.

	"What are you doing?" Ranoka asked, walking up beside him.

	"I'm going to deal with Gannon," the Elf replied. "Alone. That
includes you Navi."

	"What? You're going off to die Link Hylia!" Ranoka snapped.

	"No I'm not."

	"Just because Hyrule is gone is no reason for you to kill
yourself."

	"I'll make it back alive." He called out all his pokemon, and
handed the balls to her. "Look after her." He stepped back from them,
and pulled out the Fairy Ocarina. Placing it to his lips, he played
the Serenade of Water.

	Ranoka watched as he vanished in a sparkle of aqua colored
energy. "Damn you Link Hylia," she muttered. <How can he make me feel
this way? I haven't even known him for a month. Hell, I haven't even
alive for a month!>

***

	Akane stood in front of Ranma. "Did you mean what you said
during the fight?" she said.

	"About how I was going to propose to you?" He nodded, and
pulled the ring out of his pocket. He knelt in front of her. "Akane
Tendo, would you be my wife?"

	Akane kissed hime long and hard, then took the ring. "Of
course I'll marry you Ranma."

***

	[8:10pm]

	Ukyou picked up her large spatula. "I'm ready sugar."

	Ash nodded. "Then all that's left is Link. Where's he gone?"

	"To face Gannon."

	"Alone?!"

	"It's his choice," Ranoka said.

	"I guess," Ash replied. "Well, I hope he knows what he's doing.
{Indigo Tower, we're ready.}"

	A second later, they all teleported out of Cerulean City, and
into another warzone.

***

	Link entered the cave. He knew where he was. Ash had pointed
this place out a few days ago. In this cave were some of the most
powerful pokemon known to man. And now he was going into it alone.

	The first Pokemon to attack, a Graveller, was kicked away
before it blew up. More came, most likely being controled by Gannon.
Link ducked around, knocking them out, throwing pokeballs, bombs,
ki-blasts... slowly but surely, he was making his way through them.

	The strange thing was, the fighting wasn't tiring him. In fact,
he was feeling stronger then ever. Then he noticed his left hand, and
the Triforce glowing on it, and understood. "So you're helping me
again? Thanks."

	A few seconds later, he was surrounded by nothing but grass
pokemon. "Really Gannon, I thought you knew about this attack. DIN'S
FIRE!!!" A huge wall of flames rushed down the cave, incinerating the
creatures. Link continued to make his way downward, deeper into the
Earth, deeper into what had once been the water temple.

***

	[8:25pm]

	[Saffron City]

	Andrew ducked behind the car, letting the Razor Leaves imbed
themselves in that rather then him. "{How did I get in this mess?}"
he asked Officer Jenny.

	"{I don't know,}" she replied. "{I don't know how any of us got
in this mess. Growlithe, Flamethrower attack!}"

	The Puppy Pokemon fired off the attack, only to see it hit a
Rocket Dewgong, doing next to no damage.

	"{I don't suppose you're a pokemon trainer?}" Jenny asked.

	"{Sorry, but I'm not. I'm only on holiday.}"

	"Mouko Takabisha!"

	"ORT GRAV!"

	"{Thundershock!}"

	"{Ember!}"

	Andrew blinked as two lighting bolts, some sort of energy
attack and a fireball flew over his head and into the Rockets. "{I
know that voice,}" he said, turning around.

	Sure enough, there was a familar looking dragon in human form.
"{Mono! What in the name of Lord British are you doing here?}"

	Mono grinned. "{Visiting a few relitives that call this world
home. Meet my sister Nodoka, and her kids Ranma and Ranoka.}" He
looked over the barricade.

	"{You're the ones mentioned on the news a week or two ago,
right?}" When they nodded Andrew grinned. "{Runs in the family.
Where's Link? I heard he was with you.}"

	"{He's fighting the main bad guy,}" Mono said, cupping his
hands and throwing another Lightning Spell. "{He's on his own.}"

	"{Mono, get out of my way,}" a blue haired women said. Andrew
stepped back when he realised that flames were beginning to run along
her body.

	"{What's wrong Lara?}" Ranoka said, also stepping back.

	"{Ah never forget a face. And Ah know one of those Rockets.
DARIO!}"

	"{Well well, if it isn't the little fire bitch!}" Dario said,
stepping out from behind his cover. "{Ah see ya found ya way home.
That's a mighty shame, considering all the trouble ah went to,
stageing ya death and all!}"

	"{Why you bastard,}" Lara growled. A battle aura had appeared
around her body, one made of pure flame. "{Ya'll pay.}"

	"{And how, pray tell, are ya gonna do that?}"

	"{FIRE SPIN!!}"

	"{What the-}" was all Dario had to say before he and his
teammates were engulfed in the firey whirlwind that sprang out from
under his feet.

	Lara simply watched.

***

	[8:45pm]

	[Water Temple]

	Link looked at the mist in front of him. While he couldn't be
sure, it seemed to give off ki. "What is that?" he asked his pokedex.

	"Missingno, the Trainers Bane. The only known Shadow Pokemon.
Any trainer that has captured this pokemon has been totally
destroyed."

	"Shadow Pokemon? What's that mean?"

	"There are two theory elements, Shadow and Light. The Shadow is
a simple way of referring to an evil pokemon. There are energies that
seem to have no similarities to any other pokemon."

	Link stepped back from a tendril of mist. "Any known weakness?"

	"It is belived that a Light pokemon, if one does exist, would
be strong against Shadow. However, it is feared that-" Link hit the
silence button.

	"Light huh? Let's see how it handles this!" He fired off a
Light Arrow. Sure enough, the mist backed away from the light. Link
was right behind the arrow, the glowing Triforce helping to keep it
away. He leapt out the other side of the mist, and kept on running.

***

	[8:50pm]

	[Saffron City]

	The Thunderhawk Gunship ducked and weaved, its bulky form
managing to avoid the large amount of attacks that were being aimed
at it.

	"{Say, Mono, you still have that blink spell?}"

	"{Yeah, but what good would that... oh, I see, very clever
Andrew.}" Mono pulled out his spellbook and a few reagents. "In Por!"
Mono and Andrew vanished from one part of reality, and appeared in
another. Namely, inside the Thunderhawk.

	Andrew had gutted one of the crew members before anyone worked
out what was happening, and was busy on his second as they brought
their guns up. Mono simply bent the gun barrels out of shape, then
backhanded the men into the sides of the craft.

	Andrew placed a pistol against the back of the pilots head.
"{Land this thing. Now. Or you'll be joining your friends in the
afterlife.}"

	"{O-okay.}"

***

	[Water Temple]

	Link dodged the puddles, and tried to move faster. Behind him,
Missingno reached out for him again, only to get a Mouko Takabisha
slam into it. It screamed and fell back. Link grinned and ran
forward, only to find a river blocking his path.

	"Have to use the Iron Boots and Zora's tunic," he said to
himself, pulling the tunic out of nowhere and putting it on. As he
slipped it over his shoulders, a Gyarados leapt out of the river.
Link leapt to the side, noticing that there was something wrong with
the beast. Instead of its armored hide being a shiny blue color, they
were a dull black, and a strange venom dripped from it's fangs.
"Pokedex, analyse."

	"This Gyarados is emitting energy similar to that of
Missingno."

	"Are you saying it's a shadow pokemon?" Link said, dodging
another attack. He punched in the side of the head, but it simply
ignored it and lunged at him again. And collided with Link's
Lightsword. It couldn't ignore the unique weapon tearing through the
middle of its face.

	Link contined deeper into the caves.

***

	[9:10pm]

	[Saffron City]

	Surge made himself comfortable in the pilots seat. "{Raichu,
can you work the guns?}"

	"Rai!" The electric pokemon rubbed it's hands together in glee.
This was going to be fun!

	"{Lets go then!}" Surge yelled.

	Outside, everyone else watched a the Thunderhawk took to the
air. "{Is it safe to let him fly it?}" Brock asked.

	"{Probably not,}" Bruno replied. "{Now let's get moving. Hey,
where's Ash?}"

***

	Ash knelt next to the two bodies. He knew both of them. One was
the Gym Leader Blaine, the other the Magmar that he had trained for
almost twenty years. The Magmar's head had been crushed, and Blaine's
chest had a smoking hole in it. Ash recognised the style. Giovanni's
Lascannon. The man had managed to get it off the shadow market three
years ago. Since then, it had caused nothing but trouble for the
League. "{Pikachu, can you track the energy emissions from the
Lascannon?}"

	Pikachu's eyes glowed with power for a moment, then she nodded.
"{This way,}" she said, pointing down a back street. She pulled her
hair out of the way of her face. "{Persian took down Magmar. He's
mine.}"

***

	[9:25pm]

	[Water Temple]

	Link stepped into the cavern. Despite the damage done to it by
time and nature, he knew excatly where he was.

	"Brings back memories, doesn't it?" Link turned to see
Missingno, hanging back near the door. The mist seemed to shrink in
on itself, taking on the form of a human being. Soon Link saw the
creatures face. It was Gannon, a smirk on the face he stole from
Tarou. "This was where you fought the Guardian of the water temple,
all those years ago."

	"I remember," Link said. "He put up more of a fight then you
did." He pulled out his Lightsword. "Now, are we going to talk, or
are we going to fight?"

	Gannon summonded his staff into existance with a blast of black
flame. The pair circled each other, waiting for the other to make the
first move. Link darted forward with a quick thrust. Gannon parried
it and swung at Link's head.

	The Elf rolled to the side, then attacked. Gannon replied with
attacks of his own. Sparks flew across the room as their weapons
struck each other. Link twisted, deflecting attack with sword and
shield. They broke appart, neither having managed to hit the other.
Gannon fired off half a dozen spheres made of pure darkness. Link
flipped over them, and attacked with a slice at Gannon's knees. The
demon jumped over it, and hit Link on the side of the head. The
spheres collided with a wall, detonating in an explosion that sent
both of them to his knees.

	Link shook his head, then came forward again, but this time,
the Lightsword vanished, and with a cry of "Megaton Panchi!" he hit
Gannon with a blow that would have broken all his ribs if he had been
mortal. He then grabbed the demons staff and flipped him over onto
his back. He brought the Lightsword back, and threw it at Gannon.
Gannon dodged, but left himself wide open to a flying kick. Growling
with rage, he hit Link with one of his darkness spheres. It detonated
with amazing force, and Link was sent flying across the cavern and
into a wall. He followed up with another blast, embedding Link in the
wall.

	Link picked up his Lightsword, and circled again, before Gannon
made the next move. Gannon struck at Link's head, which the Elf
blocked, followed by an attack at his knees. Link blocked again, but
found himself on the defensive. He was able to stop the attacks from
reaching him, but couldn't fight back. Annoyed, he released a Din's
Fire, the expanding flame sphere throwing Gannon back. Link followed
up with a Mouko Takabisha, the blast hitting Gannon head on.

	"Impressive, Avatar of Courage," the demon said, rising to his
feet. "You modified the ki-blast, using Courage instead of
confidence." He smirked, and the Triforce of Power appeared on his
fist. "Let's see how your Courage blast does against my Power Blast!"
Without futher ado, he released a beam of pure darkness from his
hands. The air around it burned.

	Link prepared a ki-blast in his hands, altering it for what he
knew would come. "MOUKO TAKABISHA!!" he screamed, as a beam of golden
energy as bright as the sun, tore up the gap between Link and the
Darkness.

	The two beams collided, and energy began to spark off, flying
in every direction. Slowly the Darkness pushed the Light back, the
power simply too much to stand.

	<Damn it, he's winning!> Link thought. <I can't let him win!
Too much depends on this!>

	<Link... a word of advice,> a female voice said in his head.

	<Who are you?> Link thought.

	<Just a friend. Remember, one must have the courage to use the
power properly. If you do not have the strength of will, the power
will corupt you, taint you, and destroy you. You must know when to
contain it, and when to release it.>

	Link smiled. For so long, he had held back the power he could
sense from the Triforce, from inside him. Now he knew what to do. He
reached deep inside himself, found the power he was looking for, and
released it, letting the power of the Triforce aid him.

	After all, his version of the Mouko Takabisha gained it's power
from courage. And the Triforce of Courage provided the real thing.
Not the type of Courage you had when showing off to impress your
friends, but the Courage to make your own destiny, the Courage to
decide who you were.

	Gannon didn't even have time to scream as his current body was
destroyed.

	Link looked at the Triforce of Courage, glowing more brightly
then ever. "Is it over?"

	<No. But you have started on the path of your destiny. A
destiny that you will create.>

	Link could sense the magical energies pouring out of the
Triforce, but he ignored them. "But what of the Prophecies? What good
are they if they do not speak of the future?"

	<They speak of what will happen, and what might happen. Some
things you can not escape. Others will be created through your doing.
The future can never be certain, it changes with every passing
moment. You must be ready for everything.>

	Link rubbed his eyes. The light from the Triforce was making it
hard to see. "Who are you?"

	<An old friend.>

***

	[Worldwide]

	The death of Gannon took place at the same moment as the
destruction of the Avatar of Wisdom in New York. The Triforce of
Power had somewhere to go, the Triforce of Wisdom did not.

	Magical energies not felt for over ten thousand years flowed
across the Earth, awakening other magics, and bringing forward the
abilities which had been hidden in humanity by the last mages of the
Elven kingdoms.

	And the Triforce of Wisdom? It searched across the world,
seeking out the one who would wield it next. It knew that it's next
Avatar would be for the Light. Like the Triforce of Power, the
Triforce of Wisdom could be used for good and evil. And it knew who
it was searching for now. After all, it had known that face for ten
thousand years.

***

	[Saffron City]

	All of the Gym Leaders, Elite Four, Kaji and Lara fell to their
knees screaming.

	Ranoka knelt next to Misty. "What's wrong?" she asked, placing
a hand on her friends shoulder, and gasped when her hand went _into_
it. Quickly she pulled it out, and stared at it. Drops of water fell
from her hand to the ground below.

	"{Arrgh! Make it stop!}" Brock yelled. Ranoka turned to see
what appeared to be a statue of Brock. Then it moved, and she
realised it really was Brock. His body had become pure stone!

	"Arc!" Ranoka turned to see Arcanine backing away from a living
ice stautue.

	<Lorelei,> she guessed. She looked at the other trainers. Each
and everyone of them was going through a different type of pain. She
pulled out her pokedex, and wasn't surprised to see that all of the
people on the ground were giving off pokemon energies.

	"They're gaining traits of their elements," Navi said.

	At last, the group began to pick themselves up. They all looked
completly human again. Ranoka poked Mistys arm. "You're solid again,"
she said quietly.

	"Mind telling us what the hell just happened?" Ranma demanded.

	"{I really don't know,}" Misty replied, "{but I...}" she
pointed her hand out in front of her, and a blast of water shot out
of her hand.

	Lorelei created an ice sword in her hand. "{We've all got
powers related to our element.}"

	"{This is nuts,}" Lance said. "{What could cause this?}"

	"{The death of two Avatars of the Triforce at once,}" Sabrina
said.

	"{L-Link?}" Ranoka whispered, her voice catching in her throat.

	"{Do not worry little dragoness,}" the woman replied, "{he is
alive and well. Gannon's current body has been destroyed, and the
Avatar of Wisdom is dead. Link is already on his way.}"

	"{POKEMON LEAGUE!! HEAR ME!!}" Giovanni yelled, his voice
amplified several hundred times or so. He was standing on top of the
tallest building in Saffron, almost a kilometre away, but they heard
him as if he was right next to them yelling in their ear.

	"{Kinda hard not to,}" Lara joked.

	"{NOW I HAVE THE INSTRUMENT OF YOUR DESTRUCTION!! A GIFT FROM
THE AVATAR OF POWER! BEHOLD, VOLVAGIA!!}"

	The ground began to rumble. The group were trying to regain
their footing when the road a kilometre away exploded. Molten lava
spilled from the crack. Across a five-hundred metre area, more cracks
appeared, lava flowing out of them and across the ground. Then, at
the very center of the area, a large head tore out of the ground. It
was twenty metres long, with skin the color of flames. The head was
followed by a long, slim body, like those chinese dragons of legend.
Weighing in at almost five hundred tons, this was the Guardian of the
Fire Temple, reborn in fire and blood.

	Mono and Nodoka and Nodoka changed forms as quickly as
possible. They were moving almost before they finished changing. The
others sighed, and moved to attack. As they moved, Brock sent a
message to Indigo Tower: Send everyone you can, and then some.

	High above, Giovanni watched with badly-conceled amusement as
the dragon destroyed Saffron City. Idly, he wondered what the strange
pain he had felt a few seconds ago was.

	"{You always were one for dramatics, weren't you Giovanni?}"
Giovanni turned to see Ash standing there, he pokemon flanking him.
Next to him stood a young woman.

	"{Ash. And I guess that girl is Pikachu. She's quite the looker
you know.}"

	"{Let's get on with this.}"

	"{Indeed. Pokemon go!}" Giovanni's six pokemon appeared in
front of him.

	"{Okay guys, pick a dance partner,}" Ash ordered. The pokemon
matched up with their usual opponents. Ash pulled the Gunblade out of
the sheath on his back. "{Pokemon, sanjo!}"

	"{You've been watching way two much anime,}" Pikachu said,
leaping at Persian with a Thunder Punch.

	Ash leapt to the side, dodging a shot from Giovanni's
Lascannon. He ducked behind a wall, then moved into the shadows.

	Giovanni looked around. "{Puny brat,}" he growled, "{you lack
even File's courage.}"

***

	Below the two leaders, the battle with Volvagia was just
heating up. The League had teleported in everyone they could get
their hands on, blowing several circuts in the system. Duplica and
Ditto in the form of a Dragonnite fired a constant stream of Hyper
Beams and Dragon Rages. Their attacks didn't seem to even be getting
his attention, something they were thankful of. Those that Volvagia
paid attention to didn't last long.

	Underneath, Ranma and Ranoka threw Mouko Takabisha's by the
dozen, Andrew, Mono and Nodoka fired off a very large number of magic
attacks, and the pokemon and trainers added their own special taste
of carnage.

	Arcanine knocked Ranoka aside, as one of the monsters claws
crushed where they had been a second ago. "Damn that was close!" An
idea popped into her head. "Ranma! Cologne! Make vortexes! It's
giving off enough heat for it!"

	The trio ran around the huge claw, feeling the air currents
shift. Soon they were in position. As one, they performed the final
stage of the attack, and with a cry of "HIRYUU SHOTEN HA!!" a ki-
hurricane slammed into the beasts torso, flipping it head over heels
into a building.

	"{I hope no one was in there,}" Ranoka said.

	"{Most of the area's been evacuated,}" Brock yelled, sending an
Earthquake attack towards the creature. To his personal disgust
however, it took to the air, the attack missing it completly.

***

	Giovanni stepped into the shadows. "{Come out Ash, we all must
die sometime.}"

	"{Not today!}" Ash yelled, opening fire with his Gunblade. The
first shot smashed the Lascannon, damaging vital parts. Giovanni
brought his sword around, blocking Ash's thrust. They circled each
other, attacking high and low, with very few attacks getting through.

	"{You've improved boy}," Giovanni said. He feinted, then
stabbed at the opening Ash left. The League Champ leapt back, barely
avoiding a gash along his arm. He attacked with a move Surge had
taught. Slice at head, stab at head, kick in chest, head and
shoulder. Giovanni stumbled back.

	Ash attacked again, the speed and strength of the blows
knocking the Rocket off balance. At last, Ash attacked with an upward
strike, sending Giovanni's sword flying from his hands. Ash placed
the tip of his blade at his oppenents armored throat. "{It's over,}"
he said. "{Call off your monster.}"

	"{Even if I could, I wouldn't,}" Giovanni sneered. "{Everything
rides on this battle League Champ. Besides, it isn't over by a long
shot.}" A single gunshot was heard, and Ash staggered back, clutching
at his stomach in disbelief. Giovanni stepped forward, revealing a
previously hidden pistol. "{You're as good as dead hero. That bullet
did too much damage.}"

	Ash grinned. "{Not quite Giovanni.}" He pulled his hand away
from the bullet 'wound' revealing not even a scratch.

	"{What?!}" Giovanni emptied the entire clip at Ash's chest,
only to see the bullets bounce of the League Champ. He tossed the
pistol aside in disgust.

	"{The vest is made of Spider Silk,}" Ash smirked. He aimed the
Gunblade at Giovanni.

	"{You won't pull the trigger Ash. You're too honorable to kill
an unarmed man. Which is why we'll end this in a man to man fight.}"

***

	Arcanine dropped to the ground exhausted. Nearby, the Machops
did the same. Akane, Ranma and Ranoka dragged them behind a building.

	"Damn," Ranma said, examining the dog, "he's drained himself
dry."

	"Jackie and Bruce look trashed as well," Ranoka said, looking
at the Machops. She recalled them into their pokeballs. "The Trainers
look tired as well."

	Mono slammed into the wall beside them. To their horror, the
once mighty dragon was in terrible condition. Both his wings were
torn and broken, there were large gashes along his body, and blood
poured out of his left eye.

	"Uncle! Are you alright?"

	"I've... been better," Mono said. He tried to get to his feet,
but couldn't handle the weight and colapsed again.

	"Stay still Uncle," Ranoka said. "Ranma, try and find Andrew or
Mother. They're the only ones with healing magic theat could affect a
dragon."

	"I'm on it!" Ranma ran down the street dodging the rubble.
Akane followed him.

	"Ranoka..."

	"Yes Uncle?"

	"Take this." He stretched out a claw. In his palm was a small
black orb. "It is an Orb of the Moons. Nodoka will show you how to
use it."

	"Why do I need this?" She asked, looking into the dragons eyes.

	"You will understand one day. Good luck..." His voice trailed
off, the fire in his eyes vanished and his head fell to the ground.

	"Uncle? No..." she slumped against the body, letting the tears
come.

***

	Pikachu grabbed Persian, then leapt high into the air. "{Let's
finish this,}" she yelled. "{Seismic Toss!}" Flipping around, she and
the cat pokemon smashed into the rooftop. It shattered, and the pair
continued on their way through several more floors.

	At last, they came to a very abrupt stop. Pikachu pulled
herself off the cat. "{That's that. What's next?}"

***

	Ash's eyes seemed to glow for a second. When they returned to
normal, he growled. "{Show mercy? To you? The bastard that redefined
the term asshole? I don't think so!}" The Gunblade began to glow with
blue ki. Before Giovanni had time to react, the young man had charged
forward, bringing his sword down at Giovanni's head. The criminal
tried to dodge, but wasn't quite quick enough, and the blade dug into
his shoulder. As it ripped through flesh and bone with ease, Ash
squeezed the trigger, an explosive bullet shattering the man's
shoulder completely.

	Ash spun, bringing the Gunblade across Giovanni's torso, firing
off another bullet that left a spiderweb of cracks across the chest
plate. He then finished off the attack with slashs to both of the
crime lords legs, placing a bullet in both of them. Ash leapt back,
and examined his opponent.

	Giovanni wasn't in good condition. Blood poured out of his left
shoulder and right leg. The chest plate was close to falling apart,
and the remains of the bullet were sticking out of the cracks. "{It's
over Giovanni,}" Ash said.

	"{Never!}"

	Ash held the Gunblade in front of him. Ki flames began to run
along it again. He ran towards Giovanni. The man threw a clumsy punch
at him, but Ash dodged it, then leapt straight up. The Gunblade tore
along Giovanni's chest plate, helmet and face. Ash continued to rise,
and at just above twenty feet above the ground, he yelled out "DEVINE
ACENSION!!"

	The Triforce of Wisdom glowed on Ash's hand, magical energy
flowing out of it and into the Gunblade. With an enormous explosion,
a pillar of ki and ether tore through the platform underneath
Giovanni, colliding with his injured form and sending him flying high
into the distance.

	Ash landed on the rooftop, completly unharmed, and reached for
his pokedex. "{Dexter, locate currently active pokemon.}" He took
note of their positions, then pulled out five pokeballs. "{Charizard,
Blastoise, Bulbasaur, Primeape, Pidgeot, return!}" As the pokemon
returned to their balls, he leapt off the roof, landing on the large
dragons back. He looked to his left to see Link teleport in. "Welcome
to the party. Charge up your biggest ki-attack and focus it through
the Triforce!"

	Link began forming a Mouko Takabisha. To the Elfs surprise, Ash
did the same. On the Champs hand was the Triforce of Wisdom.

	"Damn," he muttered, "When'd he get that?" Louder he said,
"Where do I point this thing anyway?"

	"Right at your feet!" Ash yelled. "{HYPER BEAM!!}"

	Link aimed downward. "MOUKO TAKABISHA!"

	These attacks were similar to the ones that had been fired at
Volvagia without any effect. These were different for one simple
reason. What one Triforce can create, another can destroy. Two
Triforces was simply overkill.

	The two attacks tore through the armor-like skin, tearing apart
organs and bones, until at last, deep inside the dragon, they
detonated.

	Volvagia screamed, shattering whatever windows were left in the
ruined city. Explosions appeared all along it's body, creating large
gashes in its skin. Flames began to pour out of its body, along with
energies taken from the Triforce of Power.

	On the ground below, Andrew knelt next to Mono's body. "{I
don't have long to do this. Cover me.}" Ranma and Ranoka took up
defensive positions, watching for anything that might attack, and
blasting any rubble that looked as if it would land on the Avatar or
Dragon.

	"IN...." Energies swirled around him, the reagents beginning to
burn up in his hand. "MANI..." Mono's aura began to reappear
slightly. "CORP!!" With a surge of magical power, Monomolecular
Dragon returned to the land of the living.

	"{Andrew, what's going on?}"

	"{No time to answer that now,}" Brock yelled as he ran up to
them. "{We've got to get out of here!}"

	The group ran along a street, away from the beast. Pikachu
looked behind her... and stopped in shock. "{Look!}"

	Everyone stopped to watch as Ash and Link leapt out of the
explosions, coming to a stop near them. "{Pokemon League,}" Ash said,
grinning as Surge landed the Thunderhawk nearby, "{Climb aboard and
prepare to move out! Sabrina, how many people are left in the city?}"

	"{No-one except the Rockets and League forces,}" she replied.
"{Indigo and Omega Sector have been teleporting people out by the
dozens! Both sides are retreating!}"

	"Is it always like this for you lot?" Ukyou asked as she
climbed aboard. Mono and Nodoka were right behind her, already back
in human form.

	"Welcome to the big league," Misty said.

	"{All League forces have left the city limits!}" Sabrina
yelled. "{We're the last ones left!}"

	"{Surge! Get us out of here now!}" Ash yelled.

	"{Yes sir!}" Surge yelled, powering up the turbines. With a
large sonic boom, the Thunderhawk fled the ruins of Saffron.

	"{Hey, you need a real pilot up there?}" Kaji quipped.

	"{Touch one control Ryouji, and you won't live to see
sunrise,}" Surge growled. "{I've seen your so-called 'flying.'}" Now
far enough away from the city, he brought the Thunderhawk back under
the sound barrier.

	Without warning, a shockwave of energy hit the Gunship, sending
it spinning through the air.

	"{What in the name of the Triforce was that?}" Link yelled.

	"{EMP,}" Surge replied, fighting the now almost unresponsive
controls. Some of the systems had more shielding against the blast,
but they weren't helping much.

	"{What's EMP?}" Link asked Andrew.

	"{An energy wave, short-circuts any electrical system,}" the
Avatar replied. "{Most systems on a plane like this are electrical,}"
he added when Link's face remained blank.

	"{How badly will this affect us?}" the Elf asked as he began to
understand.

	"{Flying will be fine,}" Surge said. "{Landing will be a
bitch!}" He pulled on the controls, pulling the nose of the plane up.
"{Brace for impact!}"

	The Gunship slammed into the soft dirt, tearing a large tench
in it. Still moving despite having inpacted with something solid and
unwilling to move, the craft pushed on for another two hundred
metres, knocking down everything in its path. Everyone inside was
thrown around, until it came to a stop at last.

	Brock pulled himself to his feet. "{Is everyone alright?}" He
looked at the people lying on the floor. "{Anybody?}" He was greeted
with silence.

	Then a piece of metal fell off the roof onto Ranma's back. The
youth pulled himself to his feet. "{Remind me to give the autopilot a
raise,}" he muttered.

	As if Ranma's voice had broken the spell, everyone else began
to get up. Koga and Surge got to work on the radio, trying to restart
it, contact Indigo Tower, and find out the extent of the damage to
Saffron City, New York and London.

***

	[6:55am, August 12, 1999]

	[Indigo Tower]

	Link sat in the chair, looking out across the observation area.
In the distance, the sun was beginning to rise, sending golden rays
of light across the mountain range known as Victory Road.

	The news was not good. No-one, not even the media, had any idea
what had happened in New York. Saffron City was in ruins, with the
city centre destroyed by Volvagias attack and firey demise, hundreds
of League trainers and Pokemon League soldiers dead, and the cilvian
death toll in the thousands. And by sunrise this morning, all contact
with the entire country of England had been lost.

	He barly heard the footsteps behind him. "It's beautiful, isn't
it?" Ranoka said.

	He nodded. "I remember being woken up by the sun every morning.
Well, except for when some monster wandered up during the night,
looking for a snack."

	Ranoka sat next to him. "What do you think happened to Gannon?"

	"He survived. His kind always does. And even if he didn't, his
troops are all over England." He willed the Triforce of Courage into
sight. "The battle isn't anywhere near finished, let alone the war."

***

	[7:30am]

	[Route 12]

	Giovanni limped into his room, covered in bandages. "{How could
I have been so stupid as to trust Gannon?!}" he yelled, smashing his
good fist into the table. "{Six hundred men lost, the Thunderhawk in
League posession, and SEELE will certainly destroy me. All because I
made a deal with another devil. And to finish it off, the League
located the Pallet Forest base and rescued all the test subjects.}"

	Giovanni thought back, to the early days of Team Rocket. Back
then, they had just been another group that was taking advantage of
the new pokeball technology. But he had been smarter then the other
groups, taking control of them through many different means,
including selling them out to the police and recruiting the
survivors, or stealing all their assets, or teaming up with them,
then eventually overpowering them. The list grew on.

	But he wasn't dumb enough to place all his assets in one
corner, like those groups. He had invested in shares, brought
property and transport. By the start of the 1990's, he was one of the
worlds richest men, and controled the entire Pokemon Island criminal
network. The Viridian Gym gave him acess to the Pokemon League, and
the research labs around the world gave him more powerful pokemon.

	Then, in a few short years, it all fell apart. Team Rockets
connection to the Viridian Gym was discovered, then less then a week
later, Mewtwo, one of his greatest creations, turned against him,
destroying an entire base. Soon after Ash Ketchum became League
Champion, his role as leader of Team Rocket was revealed.

	In every city across Pokemon Island, the police forces, backed
by the military might of the Pokemon League and even units from Omega
Sector attacked his city bases. He was captured in Celedon City, by
Ash Ketchum and Ragnar Blackmane, one of Omega Sectors commanders.

	He was sentenced to death, but managed to escape, with the aid
of a group of mercenaries hired by SEELE. They offered to aid him in
rebuilding Team Rocket. Given the circumstances at the time, he had
no choice but to accept.

	They had rebuilt Team Rocket, and allowed him to strike at the
League. But he had become nothing more then a figurehead, even if
those below him didn't know the truth. Many of them now considered
him a living god....

	He was shaken out of his thoughts by a sound behind him. He
spun around... only to see a black mist cover him.

	The last thing he heard was "Ingnoooo..."

***

	[8:00am]

	[Indigo Tower]

	Link and Kaji entered Ash's office. As the elf had expected, it
was fairly modest, the League Champ not really caring about all the
fancy details that people born to his position cared for. "You wanted
to see us Ash?"

	"Yes." The Triforce of Wisdom appeared on his hand. "I'm
willing to bet that you've been wondering how I got this."

	Link smiled. "You know me too well."

	"You don't know the half of it," Ash replied. "You see, there
is a spirit connected to the Triforce of Wisdom. The Triforce will
only bond with this soul. When they bond, the memories of all their
lives are awakened."

	Link's eyes narrowed. "Prove it."

	Ash grinned. "I remember you sneaking into the palace gardens,
surprising me as I watched Gannondorf gain father's trust. I remember
seeing you seven years later, with the body you now have." A wistful
smile passed over his lips. "And I remember you saving me from
Gannon's Tower, and banishing Gannon in the Sacred Realm."

	Links jaw dropped in surprise. "Zelda?"

	Ash laughed. "You got it Link!"

	"But.. you're a-"

	"Guy?" When the elf nodded, Ash shook his head ruefully. "I've
lived thousands of lives Link. I've been a man, woman, pokemon and
many other things. I've seen beyond this planet, beyond this
dimension. And this isn't the first time I've seen you in another
life other then the Zelda you knew."

	"When?"

	"You'll find out soon enough Link. All I can say is that your
travels are not yet over. You will travel to the stars, through time
and dimensions. I don't know what comes ahead. The events of the past
few days have changed everything."

	"What do you mean by that?" Link asked.

	"We'll find out in a few hours. Someone is on their way from
New York. We all need to find out what happened there. My last life
ended there last night."

	"If your former body died last night, then how can you have
been around as Ash for sixteen years?"

	"I'll explain it to everyone soon enough. There's a few
other things I needed to talk to you about."

	"What's that?" Kaji asked.

	"The Nerimans. The twins and Akane, I think we can trust, but I
don't really know any of the others. You two are the best opinions on
the subject."

	"Most of the Nerimans are still in shock from last night," Link
said, "but they are trustworthy. The Weyr has an extensive military
force, which Mono is a part of. I believe you can trust both of them,
but time will tell."

	"The Amazons are the biggest problem," Kaji said. "Colonge will
act depending on what she belives is best for the villiage." Kaji,
like many of the trainers under the Elite Four's training, had
experince in security and intelligence. Although he may be young, he
had skills that no one would suspect.

	"Not to mention that she knows more about the Prophecies of the
Triforce then all of us put together," Link said. "She may have let
you see some of the scrolls, but in that area she still has the
advantage."

	"We don't need to worry about the Amazons," Ash said, "I was
there when the Prophecies were first spoken. I know the original
version, not the ones corrupted by thousands of years of rewriting.
Besides, we hold a few extra cards there."

***

	[9:00am]

	[Route 12]

	Giovanni stood in front of the pillar. "It would seem that you
are upset SEELE," he said.

	"Silence Giovanni," a voice said. "Your actions in the last few
days have been unforgivable."

	"What shall you do, destroy Team Rocket? Let me tell you
something you fools. You can not destroy me. I have lived for ten
thousand years. I have watched you plan everything, planning to take
humanity to the next stage of evolution." The voices were silent. "I
will not allow you do to do this. I will bend humanity to my will
before that."

	"Who are you?" the voices demanded.

	"I am Gannon. You all know of me. Hear this! I was the one that
destroyed the Hibiki bloodline. I was the one that brought Ranma
Saotome to the brink." He grinned. "I could have pushed him over the
edge. Then you would have lost everything. You need one with the soul
of a human and a dragon to awaken Adam. I could easily destroy that
for you. Herb is unsuitable for your needs, due to the weakening of
his human half by the Musk's actions over the past fifteen hundred
years. All it would take to overturn your plans completly.... is to
kill Ranma Saotome." He left the room, leaving behind a group of very
worried people.

***

	[9:10am]

	[Indigo Tower]

	Akane's fist shattered the brick, reducing it to nothing more
then powder. She wiped the sweat off her forehead, and placed some
more bricks there.

	"Impressive. And I can sense that you're 100% human." Akane
turned to see Brock standing there.

	"What do you mean by that?"

	"Haven't you sensed that some things about the trainers seem...
different since last night?" Brock asked. Akane nodded. "It's because
whatever gave the Gym Leaders and Elite Four pokemon abilities counts
for almost all of us. Ranoka seems to be an exception, probably
because she's half dragon, as does Link."

	"I've been meaning to find out just how you all were affected
by that."

	"All differently. Take me for example. Watch this!" He closed
his eyes, and his skin began to take on a grayish tone. Akane stepped
back in surprise as the fact Brock had turned into stone! He grinned,
showing light grey teeth. "It's pretty impressive, isn't it?"

	Akane nodded. "What kind of abilities do you have?"

	"A varity of Normal, Ground, Rock and Fighting techniques. And
I'm willing to bet I could learn more with time."

***

	[9:30am]

	The meeting room was filled to breaking point. Most of the
Nerimans, Amazons, Gym Leaders and Elite Four tried to squeeze around
a table. Andrew, Link and Cologne stood by the wall.

	Ash explained how he became the Avatar of Wisdom, speaking of
how he had all the memories and experiences of the other Avatars.
Needless to say, they were all stunned.

	"(So, it only happened last night while you were fighting
Giovanni?)" Misty said.

	"(Yeah. It's the only reason I'm still alive. I may be decent
with a sword, but I'd be no match for Giovanni with only the
experience from this lifetime. I guess I got some skills from Steve
early.)"

	"(Steve?)" Brock said.

	"(The last Avatar. He died in New York last night.)"

	"(Hang on a second,) Bruno said. (If you've been bonded with
the Triforce since birth, how can the last Avatar have died last
night?)"

	Ash gave a wry grin. "(The Triforce has the ability to reach
through time. Hell, one Avatar of Wisdom was born in the far future
then came back here. The Triforce had to reach into the future, to
the moment his soul entered his body.)"

	"(That is freaky,)" Sabrina said. Then her eyes narrowed.
"(Someone's coming!)"

	Link swore. "(I can feel it too. Damn he's powerful!)"

	Everyone in the room, except for Ash, turned to face the door.
By now, they could all sense the energy coming from the person
outside the room. Ranma and Ranoka were the most worried. They had
met beings more powerful before, but no-one, not even Cologne or
Happosai could focus it as well as this person.

	Cologne and Shampoo were simply surprised. They knew who the
person was, but hadn't expected to see him here.

	Ash remained calm. "(Open the door.)" Everyone turned to him in
surprise. "(It's all right. I know him.)"

	Cologne kept the surprise off her face. <This is interesting
indeed. How are these two connected?>

	The door opened to reaveal the figure of a man in his mid-
thirties. He was around six and a half feet tall, with long brown and
blond hair tied back in a pony-tail. His clothes were slightly
outlandish. A dark green trench-coat, bulky knee-high black boots,
and a number of different items around his belt, including two pistol
holsters. His stance told the fighters he was wearing some sort of
armour under the coat.

	"(May I present Kal Jerico,)" Ash said.

	Kal gave a cocky smile that seemed identical to the one Ranma
often have. "(Pleased to make your-)"

	"(DADDY!)" Kal was hit by a fast moving amazon. Everyone looked
at Shampoo as she hugged the bounty hunter.

	"(Uh, old ghoul?)" Ranma said.

	"(Yes Ranma, that man would have been your father-in-law,)" she
replied.

	Kal looked at his daughter. "(Xian Pu, what're you doing
here?)"

	"(Is that any way to greet your favorite daughter?)" Shampoo
said. The Nerimans noticed she could at least speak English properly.

	"(You're my only daughter,)" Kal said.

	"(So?)"

	"(Good point. Could you get off me now?)"

	"(Okay.)"

	Ash waited until Kal was standing up. "(Daughter? Kal, what
else have you been up to? I know you left Omega Sector for a while,
but you never mentioned this.)"

	"(I felt it was safer to leave her existance a secret. You know
how many ugly's have a grudge against me.)"

	"(Grandson, are you saying you're a member of Omega Sector?)"
Cologne asked, her voice slightly shakey now.

	"(I was there when it was first created,)" Kal said. "(Up until
now, I've had to keep it a secret.)"

	"(Omega Sector?)" Link asked Andrew.

	"(An international task force dedicated to protecting the
public from things such as magic, aliens, time travel, demons. You
know, the really freaky stuff,)" he replied.

	"(Why are we going to go totally public?)" Ash said.

	"(Saffron, we could write off as a Team Rocket attack, with
some sort of genetically engineered pokemon. We had a cover story for
New York. But England is a totally different story. Ragnar has
decided it's time.)"

	"(Question?)" Mike said. "(What happened in New York?)"

	"(I guess I could help to answer that one best,)" a new voice
said. Everyone looked behind Kaji at the speaker.

	He was around the same hight as Kal, with long black hair tied
in a ponytail. He was wearing simple body armour, but nobody paid any
attention to that. It was his face everyone was staring at.

	Except for the 15-year age difference, it was identical to
Kaji's.

	"(Who are you?)" Link said.

	"(I,)" the man said, "(am Kaji Ryouji, from the year 2014.)"

	"(Oh great, another time traveller,)" Shampoo said. "(I'm
really getting sick of this.)" For some reason, her father smiled.

	"(Well, it's nice to know I grow up to be quite handsome,)" the
younger Kaji said.

	"(Sheesh, you can really suck up when you want to Kaji,)" Misty
said.

	"(He's only inflating his own ego,)" Akane said.

	"(Well I don't see anything wrong with that,)" Adult-Kaji
replied. "(Look at Ranma and Ash. They've got huge egos, and they
turned out alright.)"

	"(HEY!)" the pair yelled.

	"(You know, maybe the two of you could explain just what
happened to New York, not to mention how Kaji got here?)" Ukyou said,
eager to get back to her resturant.

	"(Well, it starts a long long time ago, in a galaxy far
away...)" Adult-Kaji said.

	"(Don't make me hurt you,)" Sabrina growled.

	"(All right, all right! For me, it starts in the year 2000.
Kal, I'm not sure about. My story takes me through to the year 2014,
and a young girl known as Rei Ayanami....)"

***

	End Part Five.

***

	Author's Notes:

	FINALLY!! I've finally got this thing pulled together. And
sooner or later I'm probably gonna go over this and redo half of it.
DAMN!! What've I gotten myself into?

	Anyway, some secrets have been revealed, and I've created half
a dozen more holes in the plot for sure. Thanks to everyone that sent
me comments for the first four parts. They've really helped me to
write on this part. It's funny, but nine months ago, when I first
started writing this, I had planned to have it as nothing more then
Link showing up in Nerima, and changing the status quo.

	Now, it's become a war for humanity. On one side, the Pokemon
League, consisting of all the Trainers on Earth, Omega Sector, whose
origins and strength shall be shown in part six, a few dragons, a few
martial artists, a fairy, and an elf trying to find a place to call
home. On the other side, a demon that has been preparing for this war
for over 14,000 years, and has wiped out civilisation at least once.
I guess I just let it get away from me.

	There's a very good reason why the romance is pretty poor. I'm
simply no good at that sort of thing. My love life is practically
non-existant.

	Part Six is in two parts really. The first part tells of just
what the hell happened in New York, and where the hell the future
Kaji came from. Thrills, spills, and death.

	The second part concerns another Prince coming to the Tendo
Dojo. And he's kidnapped.... RANOKA!! Kal Jerico and the Neriman
Wrecking Crew join forces to deal with a slightly different
kidnapping attempt. Plus, Nabiki goes ghost hunting, and Kuno gets
the help he needs.

	Till Next Time!

	Matrix Dragon
	"Pokemon Snap. Why, oh why didn't they include a sniper rifle?"




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