Al Kristopher presents

The final movement in a three-part saga:

A story of friendship, struggles, power, and what is worth fighting for.

TWILIGHT

of

The Gods

Part One: Conquest

The sky was painted with the color of blood as a flaming-hot sun rose up from its bed in the horizon. All should have been quiet on that crimson morn, yet the distinct sounds of helicopters broke through what little silence there had been. From the same horizon where the sun emerged, a small convoy of choppers rose into the air, dominating the sky like mighty eagles. Their blades created a roar in the air, their speed sent anything around it shivering, and even heaven itself parted for the mechanical raptors as they scoured the globe for their prey.

It was more like watching a group of Valkyries swoop through the air than anything else. Like the mighty goddesses of ages past, the choppers soared through the air, choosing warriors for the final battle where all would be decided and destroyed. Yet it was not fallen heroes that these battle-lords and maidens sought, but Pokemon instead, the rarest and most powerful of all kinds. From the safety of the helicopters above, Pokeballs began raining down upon the ground, snatching anything that was within range into its impenetrable shell.

Normally, of course, all this would be an impossibility. For one, there was hardly anyone left in the world that knew the location of very many rare species. It would have been harder still to capture one via the air, unless one wanted a flying Pokemon, and nearly impossible by just lobbing balls randomly. But no, this was not the work of fools and novices; this was the doing of Team Rocket, and the one who had orchestrated such a campaign knew exactly what he was doing.

Giovanni, the brilliant and powerful leader of the organization, had four secret weapons in his possession. One of them was a Pokemon radar that gave the exact location of any known Pokemon in the world, with almost-perfect accuracy. This included even the rarest of all creatures, as well as strong ones and the more unusual species. Being able to find the best Pokemon already gave him an advantage, but Giovanni had three weapons to spare.

Inside his main computer banks was his next weapon, a massive treasure trove of information that had been downloaded from the banks of a city originating from the future (it was a long story to explain, so it would have been best just to brush it off as that). The information contained nearly everything there was to know about all kinds of Pokemon, including those yet undiscovered. This was advantageous to his scientists, and worked wonders if the radar failed.

A more impressive weapon was the blueprint to easily mass-produce Master Balls, the rarest and most powerful of all Pokeballs. With the ability to create an endless supply of them, Giovanni could easily monopolize the market within a month--and this was exactly what he did. However, the only way he accomplished such deeds was from the use of his fourth and perhaps most impressive weapon, two very special agents of Team Rocket.

Jessica Earp and James Wyatt had been terminated long ago, and the last Giovanni heard of them, they were killed in an inferno during a confrontation with his newest agents. So much the better, he figured; those two were worthless anyway (Meowth, on the other hand, mourned bitterly for the loss). Butch and Cassidy had their fine points and were effective, but they just didn't carry the lethal edge and the dominating presence that the newest members did.

Marion Jane Burke and Morrison Hicock Glidden were no ordinary agents, and even that was putting things gently. They used to be professional assassins until Giovanni hired them, one a sadistic and uncontrollable woman, the other a brutal and powerful man. They replaced Jessie and James and had since earned their place in Team Rocket's highest elite (they were in fact second-in-command next to Giovanni himself), although even they failed during their first mission, but it couldn't be helped. But from that cloudy day onward, they had excelled and blew away anything obstructing them.

As well as the interloping young kids that always foiled their predecessors' plans, or so they believed. Marion and Morrison had last left Ash, Brock, and Misty to die a terrible death by fire, in a bleak area of the city from the future, where they took the radar and blueprint that propelled Team Rocket into Pokemon global domination. They believed that Jessie and James perished with them, so there really were no more obstacles left to prevent Team Rocket from executing its greatest campaign ever.

And so, as the helicopters spread out across the world and began harvesting hundreds of Pokemon (whether tamed, bred, wild, or created; it didn't matter), the people began to know the true might of Team Rocket, and the devastating powers and minds behind it. They slowly began to lose hope, even the wish that a hero would step forth and be brave enough to cease all the madness…

---------------

Meanwhile, the citizens of Pallet Town had gathered together in the square to watch and listen to the grim news. Any outside observer would simulate the scene to a town suffering from war: the people were huddled together in fear, mothers holding their children close and fathers watching intently. Puddles of rain from a recent storm dotted the roads, and a sky filled with dark blood hung overhead as the sun emerged from its rest. Normally, Pallet would be bustling with activity, but all mouths were quiet and all bodies were still as the news was spat out.

"…Ladies and gentlemen, we have entered into a dark period of history. Never before has the lives of so many people and Pokemon been affected by a single organization. We have just received confirmation that the infamous Team Rocket is now officially responsible for the wave of terror that has overtaken this world. Their plans are plainly nothing short of the monopolization of all the world's Pokemon, and they will apparently go to great lengths to achieve this goal.

"Unfortunately, there is no way the authorities of the world can stop this madness, as the leader of Team Rocket has a perfectly legitimate license to capture Pokemon, as does any normal trainer. Police forces and judicial forces across the world are working diligently for a means to arrest this leader on some other counts, but no word has been made yet. The Pokemon authorities across the world have gathered together to issue a warning to all Pokemon owners, that they are not to engage in battle or else display their Pokemon publicly, else they be captured by Rocket.

"We advise all trainers to keep a low profile during this time, in order to preserve their own Pokemon. This is a dark time for everybody, but the patience and cooperation of the public is appreciated. Until such a time comes that order can be achieved again, please remain calm, keep a low profile, and take your Pokemon to a safe place where they'll be out of sight. This is all we can do for now. Reporting from GNN, this is Marlon Dash."

Professor Oak turned the television off, and seeing as the revered old man had something to say, all the other televisions and radios were deactivated as well. He cleared his throat and searched through his mind for a way to calm the nerves of his fellow Palletians, but in that dark hour of chaos and fear, even his words would do little to help. Before he could speak, though, there came a sigh and a moan from the crowd.

"It's all our fault… all of it. If we had only stopped them from taking those items with them, none of this would've happened…"

"Now now, James, nobody's blaming any of us," replied a voice directly next to him. The young man named James W. Wyatt frowned as his friend and partner, Jessica B. Earp, placed a supporting hand on his. "You know full well that there was no way we could have stopped them."

"But, Jessie…"

"She's right, you know," added a young man named Brock. He looked up, into the eyes of his friends, and did his best to comfort them. "Not even the five of us put together stood a chance. Those two people were way too skilled and powerful for any of us to handle. It's a miracle we've been able to escape them for this long!" Brock was of course referring to their last encounter with Team Rocket--the newest members of Team Rocket, and by far the deadliest.

Ash, Brock, James, Jessie, and Misty had underwent a task to stop Team Rocket from plundering priceless items from a city that came from the future. They all worked hard and fought bravely, but even their combined skills were (as Brock correctly put it) no match for the might of Rocket. The five friends had barely escaped from the city with their lives, after nearly getting killed twice by the duo. James' lament was understandable but nobody blamed him at all.

"I guess so," sighed poor James. "But still, I can't help but feel that way."

"It's all perfectly reasonable, but let's not sit around wallowing in our own pity for long." The gathered people of Pallet Town looked over to see that Professor Oak was finally ready to talk, and as he stood to rally the citizens, a faint glimmer of impossible hope sprang up in their hearts. "We obviously can't just sit here and watch as the world of Pokemon goes to ruin. We have to do something!"

"But Professor, you heard what that man on the TV was saying!" exclaimed Ash. "We're not supposed to fight! He said that it would just be a waste of time, or something…" Misty, who was sitting right next to him, growled in annoyance.

"Oh, so I suppose you want all those poor helpless Pokemon to be captured by Team Rocket?"

"Well no, but--"

"But nothing! Ash, the Professor is right! We've got to do something!"

"Saying we need to do something and actually doing it are two very different things." This voice came from Gary Oak, the Professor's grandson, who had came back to his hometown after hearing about the news. Now that he had attention drawn towards him, he spoke up again. "You want to stop Team Rocket, but how're you gonna do it? In case you haven't noticed, they're kinda a large company."

"Team Rocket is even more dangerous than you may realize," added James. "This comes from a person who knows. Jess and I were pretty awful while we were there, but I hate to admit that there may be agents even worse than us."

"Besides, they have the advantage of numbers, as well as resources and strength," added his partner. "Unless you want this entire town of civilians to launch a head-on assault against an army of well-trained agents, I'd suggest you start thinking of something quick."

"I don't think that would be a good idea anyway," noted the Professor as he crossed his arms. "Even if the people of Pallet Town were to volunteer, hitting Team Rocket's main base would be most unwise. Their defenses are too good, and with the addition of these newest tools, they'll practically be indestructible. The odds are too well-stacked against us for us to do anything really spectacular.

"But…" He ended his sentence there, leaving everyone in suspense for a time. "But… if we can slowly chip away at them, taking them out little by little, gaining allies from all over the world in our mission, we may yet stand a chance. This is going to be the most difficult thing any of us has ever done before, so I want everybody to contribute as much as they can."

"Huh? Do you have a plan, Professor?" Oak nodded his head, making Ash all the more curious. "Well, what is it?"

"…Let's call it… 'a last resort'. Yes, this will be an emergency maneuver, and one I don't feel too comfortable calling upon, but it has to be done! I may regret it, but desperate times call for desperate measures. In the meantime, Ash, I don't want you to worry about the people of Pallet Town. I'll be here guiding them as best as I can. We'll do our part here; it's you I want on the main offensive."

"HUH? ME?" Taken aback by his mentor's words, Ash (and Gary) could only gape in surprise, but Oak certainly wasn't joking.

"Aside from Jessie and James themselves, you're the only one in this whole town who has the most experience with Team Rocket. Besides, you've become a rather experienced Pokemon trainer over the years. Therefore, I want you to be on the offensive against Team Rocket. You're going to be the one who attacks them directly, hitting them hard and fast without getting caught yourself. I know it sounds like a lot--"

"It's more than a lot!!" shouted Ash in protest. "Professor, there's no way that I can--"

"But I believe that you have the ability to do this," stated Oak firmly, ignoring the interruption. "Or you will in the future. Ash… we all have a road in life which we must follow--a destiny, if you will, that each of us chooses on our own. Mine was to research Pokemon, and yours…"

"But Professor!!"

"Have a little more confidence in me, Ash," sighed Oak gently. "This will be your greatest test ever, the defining moment in which you shed off the skin of a boy and put on the new body of a man, so to speak. This will be a test of maturity and skill, a test to determine if you truly do have the stuff it takes to be a Pokemon Master."

Ash could only sit still and absorb what his mentor told him. It was true that he had his doubts, and with the recent goings-on in the world, he was beginning to feel just as hopeless as everybody else. He certainly didn't feel ready to face such a daunting task--stopping Team Rocket when they were at full, unstoppable power seemed impossible--and even though Oak said he believed in the young boy, Ash still…

"But you have little cause to worry. You will not be going into this battle alone." Ash snapped free from his thoughts and gazed at Oak again, then at Brock and Misty, who had been traveling with him for as long as he could remember. They both gave him warm smiles and scooted next to him.

"You didn't think we'd let you do this by yourself, now?" said the older boy. "There's no way that Misty and I would ever let you face such dangers by yourself."

"Yeah, we're your friends!" she agreed. "Through thick and thin, warmth and cold, ease and difficulty, we'll be there always!"

"…You guys…" Too moved to speak, Ash could only smile. Suddenly, Jessie and James got in with them, squishing the poor boy as they joined the trio.

"Hey, don't forget about us!" she squealed. "We're your friends, too! You've been nothing but kind and caring towards us, and it's the least we can do if we make sure you're safe!"

"Besides, we owe that lousy stinking Team Rocket for not appreciating us!" added James. "They deserve a good thrashing for putting us down all the time!" Ash smiled at his two newest friends, and as Pikachu emerged and counted himself in as well, things seemed a bit better.

"All right… I'm sorry for doubting you, Professor. But still, what do you think the five of us could do?"

"Five?" he parroted in confusion. "Ash, from what I can tell, your group's got six people in it!"

"Huh? Does Pikachu count?"

"No, no! I mean to say that my grandson Gary will be joining you as well!"

"What? GARY?!" Ash was barely able to choke out his disbelief before his archrival stepped up, smiled, and gave a cocky thumbs-up.

"Yeah, that's right! Me! What, you got a problem with that, Ash?"

"Of course I have a problem with that, Gary!" shouted the young boy. "Why in the world would I let you come with me? Aren't you on a Pokemon journey? This doesn't concern you!"

"I am happy to inform you that you are wrong, Ash Ketchum!" stated Gary firmly, sending Ash into a confusion. "Gramps asked me to come along with you so you could have some extra help, and considering you and your choice of friends, not to mention the current situation, I'd say you're gonna need as much help as you can get!"

"WHY YOU--!"

"Hold on, he's right!" stated Misty as she pulled Ash away from a potential fight. "Gary's right, Ash. As much as he may annoy you, he's also going to be a big help. One more person with experience with Pokemon could help us out a lot!"

"Besides," added the boy's grandfather, "Gary has at least the same amount of experience as you do, if not more. It would be like there's two of you going at it instead of just one! Besides, you two need to settle your differences, and what better way than by traveling together and working on the same side for once?" Ash growled in protest, not liking the idea of teaming up with his rival at all, but even he could swallow his pride and learn when to give in. Reluctantly, Ash let out a sigh and "allowed" Gary to come along with him and his friends.

"Oh, all right. I guess a little help's better than none at all…" Gary smiled and belted out a single laugh as he joined the five friends, making the group number six.

"Ha! I'm glad you see things my way, Ash! With me along, even you're bound to succeed!" Ash growled as Gary's ego continued to grow, but since he would need the help so badly, he just bore it all silently. Oak, on the other hand, seemed satisfied that things were going fairly well.

"Right, well, I'm glad that's settled. Now, as for an offensive…"

"Oh yeah, what kind of plan do you have for us, Professor?" asked Brock. Oak cupped his chin in thought before answering.

"Well, about that one option that I didn't want to use… I think we should use it. Gary, Ash, about twelve miles northeast of this town is a special airport that holds airplanes for hire. The manager of that airport is an old friend of mine named Rutherford. He knows Gary a little, so he'll let you in without any trouble."

"So this Rutherford guy can help us out?" wondered Jessie. Oak shrugged.

"To be perfectly honest, I'm not quite sure. I wouldn't stake a lot of hope on it, but it's a start. If he can't help, he'll know somebody who will--but he should be able to give you something. I have just one thing to warn you about, though."

"What's that, gramps?" Oak paused for suspense once again before answering.

"A man that goes by the name of Thatcher. He's a wild card, and I wouldn't trust him all that much, either. Rumor has it that he's called the 'Shark of the Skies'; a regular pirate if you ask me. Just keep an eye out for him and you'll be safe."

"Ahh, who's worried?!" boasted Gary proudly. "I'm sure that I can get on his good side if we ever run into each other. But anyway, twelve miles northeast, right?" The Professor nodded his head.

"Into an airport, talk to Rutherford, and avoid Thatcher. Got it?" Gary smiled and gave his grandfather a cool smile.

"Hey, this isn't rocket science--oh, whoops, sorry for the bad pun."

"It doesn't bother us," replied James with a smile. For some odd reason, he was beginning to like Gary. Narcissists just seemed to enjoy the company of each other better. "Anyway," he continued, changing the subject flawlessly, "we should go as soon as possible. Team Rocket's already done enough damage; let's hope they don't do any more." The other five members of the team agreed, and stood up out of the cold damp streets of the town to rise for their destiny, or something like that. They all began walking out of the town, but Ash's mother stopped him.

"Ash…?"

"Huh? Mom? What do you want?" Mrs. Ketchum paused for awhile as she gazed at her son, her eyes bleary and her body shivering. Wordlessly, she drew him in for a hug, perhaps her last ever, and squeezed him tight.

"Be careful, Ash!" she whispered. "I… I don't want you to do anything foolish! You're my only son, remember, so please… take care of yourself! Try… not to do anything that would make me worry or sad, okay? And… make sure to listen to any good advice your friends may give you!" She desperately kissed his face a few times, embarrassing him to no end.

"Aww! MOOOOMMM!!" His mother hugged him closer anyway, giving him a last kiss before letting him go. Her eyes were watery, and her cheek had tears trailing down it softly. Apparently, she was even more worried than her son.

"You look so handsome and grown-up already…" she whispered. Both Gary and Misty snorted, rolling their eyes as they disagreed.

"Hmph, that's a matter of opinion…" They stared at each other as they shared the same thought, shrugged, and bade the town farewell as they started their long hard journey.

Professor Oak had not been joking when he said all the stuff about this being Ash's most dangerous mission ever, and his rite of passage into adulthood. Even with five reliable allies with him, the journey to stop Team Rocket from total domination was going to be an impossible one. They had technology, strength, skill, and numbers on their side, not to mention the unstoppable duo of Marion and Morrison, as well as the vast new army of Pokemon they were taking for their own.

Their journey began, as all journeys began, with but a single step forward, northeast towards the only hope they had to hold onto, into the horizon where the sun climbed higher into a red sky…

To be continued…