Eru878: I'm going to warn you right now. While I suspect that I can get out a few (FEW) more chapters on time, I'm falling behind. Sorry... but after the next two chapters, I doubt I'll be updating for awhile. I've got a lot of work to catch up on.

Fjord Cannon: No comment. :)

ShadoWalker: Actually, there might be a respect... but take Mathrara for example. Kani's threatening to castrate him. That's not exactly respect, that's hate. But he caused it anyway.

!Warning! This chapter doesn't involve Chris at all, though four (or six, pendant on whether you read Frozen Wind) characters should be familiar. I broke my vow to keep it to OCs only. Not like I ever take what I promise to myself seriously.


Chapter Thirty-Eight: Two stories, one shattering.
Luin stood before Ho-oh. Most trainers would be panicked at this point, either bowing down in worship, or trying to capture the great bird.

He was here for a different reason. "You're joking. You CAN'T revive Her? Why not? Aren't you the great Ho-oh, the one pokemon in the world that has the power to defy death?"


This exchange lasted for awhile. Eventually… Ho-oh flew off, her face a mask of guilt, and suppressed pain.

Luin and Suicune stood where she had left them, both speechless. Eventually, Suicune hesitantly asked (using her gift of wind control to speak human) Luin?

"Luin's dead. He died with her, and he just lost his last chance to come back. The name's Icewind, and I'm going to get my revenge for my fallen beloved."

Suicune shuddered. She'd known that it would come to this, if Ho-oh could not bring her back. Luin would literally disappear… his personality, though minor, had a dark side that popped out whenever things became really bad. She'd sensed it in him since day one. That one called itself Icewind.

She sighed, and eventually nodded. She wanted revenge too. She too was tied to Her… tied in a different way than Luin had been (they might be only 18, but they were literally soul-mates)… she had been tied to her in a different way, but it left deep scars as well.

Scars that vengeance would sooth. Then we will destroy those who destroyed Her. The Rockets will die. And their leader will not be able to hide in the shadows anymore.

Luin (now Icewind) smiled grimly, and climbed onto Suicune's back. She noticed just before he got out of her sight that his eyes were becoming a very cold blue.

Strange, before they had been an amber.


Ash said in shock "what?"

Professor Oak looked just as surprised as the trainer did. "I am quite serious, Ash. The legendary Mew entered my laboratory, and told me that I'd supposed to ask you to go to Fuchsia."

Ash managed to stutter "but why?"

Professor Oak shook his head, looking incredibly frustrated. His hair was rumpled, he'd obviously asked Ash's question himself a dozen times or more. "I couldn't make any sense of it. Something about some 'test', and 'gifted one'. Ash, you had better go to Fuchsia."

Ash groaned "But I'm already a chosen one!"

Oak wasn't amused. His eyes were burning, but there also was a bit of worry in them too. "Ash, this has nothing to do with the Legendary Birds of Ice, Lightning, and Fire. Kanto is becoming a VERY… problem filled place. Team Rocket has grown unchallenged here, they're everywhere. The trainers that you know are gone… now all we have is trainers who abuse their pokemon. Gary has already come back, and he's doing his best to help clear up the problem, so Ash…"

Ash grimly nodded. "I'm going. Can't let Gary get all the credit."

"Ash, Brock has expressed an interest in joining you, so he'll meet you there as well."

Misty looked in on Ash, and saw him looking worried. "Ash? What's wrong?"

Ash turned off the video-phone, and gave Misty a depressed look. "I'm going back to Kanto."

Misty shuddered. "Ash, we left because Kanto was getting so bad. Why are you going back?"

Ash looked glum. Pikachu jumped onto his shoulder, and tried to cheer him up. It partially worked, but not a lot. "Mew showed up, and told the professor to tell me to go to Fuchsia. Something about a 'test', and 'gifted one'."

Misty blinked, then acquired a worried look, her freely hanging red hair (she left it down now) blowing in the air currents of the room. She touched his face with her right hand (they'd gotten FAR past the blushing stage for physical contact), and said "Ash, does this have to do with the Elemental Islands? Like the last time?"

"I don't think so."

"Pika Pika Pikachu…"

Ash wrapped Misty in a hug. She sadly returned the gesture. They both really didn't want to go back there.

Ash's mother had died recently, and Misty's sisters… well, Misty and her sisters had a bad falling out. She'd left the gym in Crystal's hands, and she'd never wanted to return.


If only Ash could understand. Pikachu had a good idea what was going on – Ash was being tested for gifted one, or he was going to be involved in another's test. He'd puzzled that much out from what Professor Oak had said. Ash was a bit of a dunderhead sometimes (still), but Pikachu had known him for a long time, he'd gotten a lot better.

But gifted one tests were usually bad. Very bad. But why Fuchsia… and was it Ash, or someone else who was being tested? "Pikachu…"