Chevalier Hiraga Saito de Des Ornieres swung the new blade experimentally. Its heft was comfortable and, with his Gundalfr runes, he'd be fighting any challenges that came his way like a pro- but there was one thing he needed to be certain of before he committed himself to it.

"Derf, how are you liking the new body?" Saito asked.

"It feels good, partner," the old sword spirit replied. "A lot like my old one, actually."

Saito smiled. "Good. I'll have to thank everyone later for pitching in to help."

"You don't need to wait," Guiche said from the other side of the courtyard. "We're all right here. Well, all except Louise, but she's in bed."

Julio nodded. "And you are welcome. It was the least we could do, after you saved all of Halkegenia."

Saito turned around, and looked out on all the friends he'd made since Louise summoned him here- Guiche, Tabitha, Kirche, Siesta, Julio, Queen Henrietta, and Tiffania- and was happy things had turned out they way they had. He was engaged to the most important woman in his life, and the wedding was waiting only on Louise to get over the bad cold she'd developed after beating the Dragon.

Naturally, this happiness was not to last long. An eerie green glow distorted the light in the wide courtyard at the Tristain Academy of Magic- it was almost as if Louise had opened the World Door.

"I'll take Konoka," Negi said.

Konoe Konoka stepped to Negi's side, a small smile on her face.

"Damn," Kagurazaka Asuna cursed, "I was going to pick her for my team. I guess I'm taking Nodoka, then."

The little bookworm stepped to Asuna's side, her Pactio card already in hand.

The Welsh ten-year-old had decided that, to speed up training, everyone would divide into 3-on-3 sparring matches and, considering her natural skills, Asuna would make for an ideal counter-captain. Of course, off to the side, Haruna had turned the whole thing into some variety into some sort of perverted contest, but that much was to be expected.

"Since you picked me, you're probably planning on picking Set-chan, too," Konoka guessed. "At this point, we're pretty much a package deal."

"Good point," Negi agreed. "Setsuna, you're on my team!"

While she made no outward display, Setsuna internally fist-pumped.

Asuna quickly began thinking hard. "Well, since you've got Setsuna, we need someone who can fly, too. I think I'll take Chachamaru."

The gynoid nodded, taking on a fighting stance in seconds.

Before the match could begin, however, Negi & five of his students vanished in a flash of green light.

"There's been some suspicious activity with the Underworld Army recently, Pit," Palutena said into her Captain's head.

"How? Hades is gone!" the angel replied in disbelief.

"I don't really know," Palutena admitted. "The only commander left would be Thanatos, and he has a few too many screws loose to organize an army this size. Lucky for you, you won't be doing this alone."

"You shouldn't send the Centurions, Lady Palutena!" Pit cried. "They'd only get themselves hurt!"

"I'm not sending anyone but you," the Goddess of Light replied mirthfully. "Viridi's sending Phosphora to help, and even Pittoo's decided to get himself involved!"

"I thought I told you to stop calling me that," Dark Pit grumbled, taking up a flight position not to far from Pit's.

"Pittoo, Pittoo, Pittoo, Pittoo," the Goddess of Lightning singsonged.

"Don't antagonize him," Viridi told her lieutenant. "He just gets all pouty."

"I DO NOT!" Dark Pit yelled.

"Monoeyes, every o' clock," Pit quipped, noting the footless footsoldiers of the Underworld Army coming from every imaginable direction.

As Pit drew his Palutena Bow and Dark Pit readied his self-named staff, however, they and Phosphora vanished in a flash of green light, leaving the Monoeyes to destroy each other with friendly fire.

}BRUSH UP yuuki kyou mo . . .{

Orimura Ichika seriously wondered how this happened so often.

Five IS pilots, literally running after him- his childhood friends Shinonono Houki and Huang Lingyin, as well as National Representative pilots Cecilia Alcott, Charlotte Dunois, and Laura Bodewig. This made even less sense than one would expect, considering that all five of them had the extremely fast machines at their disposal. Then again, Ichika really wasn't one to talk, considering that his Byakushiki wasn't deployed, either . . .

Then, in a flash of green light, they weren't. All five girls were . . . gone.

What.

Link removed his Goron Mask- it hadn't taken long to find out about the subtle racism expressed in Castle Town, and he'd rather not draw undue attention to himself. While Epona could potentially run faster, the Goron Roll was still quite possibly the most satisfying way to get anywhere.

In the five years since he'd foiled Ganondorf's attempt to take over Hyrule, the Hero of Time had begun to truly appreciate just how much he could store in his bag. Ten bottles (some containing fairies, some filled with Lon Lon Ranch's signature milk, some filled with Romani Ranch's intriguingly intoxicating variety), two swords taller than he was, two Mirror Shields, more rupees than he knew what to do with, more hearts than he'd ever need . . .

Once he had found a safer gateway between Hyrule and Termina than the six-story drop he'd been forced to endure the first time, Link had made repeated trips between the two worlds in his efforts to find Navi.

He had checked every nook and cranny he could think of, every possible hiding spot his little blue friend could have stored herself. He had even accessed the twisted might of the Fierce Deity more than once to access places he could not normally reach. He had checked every place he could reach.

Every place but one, that is.

In a way, it made sense. Where better to await a reunion than the place where their adventure had begun in earnest? Where better to wait for the Hero of Time than the Temple of Time?

Link re-solved the pathetically easy sliding block puzzle (how did anyone expect this to keep people out, again?) to access the pedestal of the Master Sword.

The weapon sat where Link had seen it last- vertically standing in a stone pedestal with the symbol of the Triforce engraved in it. The room was only really missing one thing.

Navi.

"Haaaaaaaaagh!" Link screamed, grabbing the sword in a desperate attempt to hit something, to take out this inarticulate rage at his repeated failure to find the one person he had ever really felt the need to seek out. It was then that he was engulfed in a green light.

Kirigaya "Kirito" Kazuto and Yuuki Asuna aimlessly flew about the world of ALfheim, enjoying themselves now that they had the time.

First the Death Game of SAO, then Asuna's imprisonment at the top of the World Tree in this very game, then the player-murderers in GGO- it was just too much for anyone to be expected to handle. Good thing their adopted daughter was a therapist.

"Mama, Papa, where are we going?" Yui, Cardinal's mental health AI, asked from her accustomed place in Kirito's jacket pocket.

"It's a surprise, Yui," Kirito said in a typical parenting tone.

"Meaning he doesn't know," Asuna teased.

"Oy, oy, it's not bad to just wander around as a family," Kirito defended.

The pair was struck by a careless player, and began to fall. "Watch where you're flying!" they yelled.

"You watch-" Kirito began, before being interrupted by inconveniently vanishing into a flash of green light alongside his wife.

Otonashi Yuzuru peeked his head past the infirmary's door. "Has she woken up yet?"

Tachibana Kanade shook her head. "Not yet. Who is left to move on?"

Otonashi smiled. "Just us and Naoi. He's checking every inch of the place for Shadows, making sure they haven't come back."

Kanade frowned. "I had thought you were going to help him."

Otonashi shrugged. "He just hasn't wanted to move on yet."

"You'd best take care not to move on without him," Kanade warned. "I think you might be part of his condition to go on."

At that precise moment, the infirmary was emptied in a blinding flash of green light.

"Maybe this was a bad idea," Leaf and Serena said in unison.

The Kalos Champion had put a call out to Red, and Leaf had accepted on his behalf- and dragging him off of Mt. Silver for the tenth time hadn't been easy!

Once the pair of 23-year-old trainers had landed in Kalos, however, they found that they had little to discuss with the 16-year-old and her friends.

For one thing, Red and Calem had simultaneously clammed up the moment they were out of their respective comfort zones. Then there was the hyperactive Shauna, making the boys even less comfortable and less inclined to speak. This left only Leaf and Serena actively contributing to the conversation, and they didn't have much to say to one another.

Leaf had had to stop Red from calling out his Snorlax as an excuse to leave more than once, and to be honest it seemed that (as always) his Pikachu was having more fun than he was- it had taken to balancing on its tail on a nearby handrail.

Luckily, the awkwardness was interrupted by a blinding green light.

Tsukune Aono had been away from Youkai Academy so long that he couldn't even remember what the place had looked like. He had accepted that he wouldn't be seeing anything interesting on the bus ride, so he looked behind him at the other passengers.

The girls who had changed his life so much- Moka, Kurumu, Yukari, Mizore, and Ruby- were all sound asleep in the rows behind him, having taken up positions to prevent one another from trying any funny business.

Apparently, the lot of them were worn out from everything that had happened with Fairy Tale, and Tsukune didn't blame them. He was tired himself, but he was too overjoyed to be seeing Youkai to even dream of falling asleep.

Just as Tsukune turned back around, green light came from behind him. When he checked, only Ruby remained, her face against the window.

"It's a . . . long . .. story," she mumbled sleepily.

The green glow faded. Of course, Saito was barely able to notice this with the pile of people on his back.

Within a few moments, everyone was situated.

Negi brushed himself off, checking that his five students were okay. As no one was seriously hurt, all was well for now. He'd have to make sure he spoke with whoever he'd fallen on and apologize to them.

Pit and Dark Pit tested their wings- Pit's still glowed blue with Palutena's power, and his dark doppelganger's held the purple aura of Pandora's recaptured soul. Phosphora had resumed her natural hover, if only because she wasn't really comfortable with standing on her own two legs.

The IS pilots did a quick head count- it seemed that everyone was none the worse for wear, if Ichika was admittedly absent. Their units were still operational, too- always a plus.

Link was getting seriously tired of falling. It took him a second to realize that the mystical Master Sword was sitting in his left hand, despite him not being 17, like last time. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that he'd spent 5 years constantly fighting instead of 7 years asleep?

Kirito felt the familiar shape of Elucidator in his hand, and it was all he could do to keep from screaming. From the expression on Asuna's face, he could tell she felt the exact same way. They were back to their Sword Art Online avatars, with the new distinction of odd hovering white bands around their wrists. Kirito's had three glowing circles on it, Asuna's had four, and even Yui had one with two.

Otonashi immediately had a pistol in his hands, and Kanade had activated Hand Sonic v2 and her wings, making an imposing presence in the grassy courtyard they were now standing in. What was most shocking, however, was that Yurippe had woken up and somehow gotten a sniper rifle, which she used to stable herself.

Red was ready with his Pikachu, and Leaf felt the familiar thrill of calling out her Absol. She looked over the trio of Kalos trainers approvingly, as their Pokemon- Greninja, Delphox, and Chesnaught, were all outside their balls and ready for battle.

Yukari got up first, groggily realizing hat she was in an unfamiliar place. Before "what else is new" could so much as cross her mind, she realized that Tsukune was nowhere in sight, and neither was Ruby. Moka groggily shook her head, tossing her recently re-pinked hair, accidentally smacking Kurumu and Mizore in their faces.

Kirche and Guiche had already drawn their wands, and Tabitha had not only her staff but a Gallian sword in her hands. Just behind them were their familiars- Flame, Verdandi, and Sylphid. Tiffania had come closer to this massive group in curiosity, and Julio and Agnes stepped in front of the Queen as a protective measure.

The first to break the standoff that had started was Kirito, whose eyes had fallen on Tiffania. "Sugu! Do you know what's happening?"

"Her name isn't Sugu, it's Tiffania!" Saito shot back.

"You can understand them?" Guiche asked in wonder.

"What did he just say?" Kagurazaka Asuna asked.

"He just asked him if he understood that other person in French, Asuna," Negi answered his student.

"Eh? Who said my name?" Yuuki Asuna asked, confused.

As if the situation could not possibly get more confusing, a black void opened up beneath the readied parties, swallowing them up. Queen Henrietta blinked. "What just happened?" she asked herself.

"Get up. All of you."

The group of people got up again, shaking off the pain of having fallen down- most of them for the second time today.

"I am Archael. I led you all here- some by more indirect methods than others, but I felt my collection wouldn't be complete without a large group."

"Oy, we're not stamps!" Houki yelled.

"None of the others in my collection would appreciate the term, but that is what they- you- are. a collection. I like having the most powerful entities possible at my disposal. It's a bit of a thrill. I got some I would rather not have, but they'll be sorted out after a few rounds."

"Rounds of what?" came the collective question from the group.

"A few gladiator fights. Nothing big. Oh, and if you're wondering how you can understand each other now, it's really a matter of me providing you with understanding. You're welcome."

"Send us back home!" came a cry from Saito.

"Hm. No. Or, on second thought . . . no. Perhaps on the third thought . . . only if you win twenty-seven matches in a row. None in my collection have done that. First matchup . . . Group vs. Skull Reaper!"

Kirito's and Yuuki Asuna's blood froze. That name . . .

A massive skeletal creature materialized in the middle of the room, with a body reminiscent of a millipede, large scythe-arms resembling a praying mantis, and a head filled with razor-sharp teeth. The 75th floor boss from the Castle Aincrad, which had nearly killed an entire raid party by itself.

It roared, and the battle began.

Author's Notes:

Hello, everyone, to a project as ambitious as it is to be long. A crossover between "Zero no Tsukaima", "Mahou Sensei Negima!", "Kid Icarus: Uprising", "Infinite Stratos", "The Legend of Zelda (Ocarina of Time / Majora's Mask)", "Sword Art Online", "Angel Beats!", "Pokemon", and "Rosario + Vampire".

Does my selection seem random?

There is actually a pattern- through various links in the chain, all of these are connected to each other by great fanfictions on this site- which I will draw minor inspiration from from time to time. 5 bonus points to people who can guess which ones I've read.

Now, there will be "boss chapters" (like the next one) which will focus on everyone fighting impossibly hard bosses, from as many different sources as I can think of. Then, there will be a series of "interlude chapters", which will focus on what happens between these characters, from the comedic to dramatic.

Now, this wouldn't be a Draconus project without audience interaction on some level, and I offer tons of it.

First, during certain boss battles, Pit and Dark Pit will gain new weapons from the other universes involved. Note that there are 9 weapon classes in "Kid Icarus: Uprising" and, not counting that universe, there are 8 involved universes. Ergo, each universe can potentially offer one weapon to Pit and one to Dark Pit, filling in the gaps in their respective arsenals (Pit only has a Bow, Dark Pit only has a Staff).

Second, Negi being Negi, he will want to be sure of everyone's capabilities. So, there will be a series of 1-on-1 battles between every pair of characters to determine everyone's relative ranks in a tier chart. If you can think of something you think I won't, you may submit it- it may mean the difference between victory and loss in a tier-ranking match.

Third, while I am academically capable of shipping, I'm not coming into this with pairings in mind. While I won't split up the canon couples KiritoxAsuna and KonokaxSetsuna, everyone else is fair game. If you can provide an intriguing enough reason, I may feature your pairing. Go bananas.

Fourth, while I have some subplots, I haven't planned for anywhere near enough of them to make this series anywhere near as long as it should be. If you can think of something, please submit it to me- if it looks interesting, I am not above throwing it in.

Various tidbits regarding this chapter:

I'm taking serious liberties with after-series.

Why, yes I did take Ichika's harem out of the end credits.

I'm taking serious liberties with in-between moments, too.

Why, yes, Kirche is carrying love potions, and Negi does have age up/down pills on him. Why ever do you ask?

This has been the Draconus, turning to you.