Heroes of the Multiverse

by Ari Rockefeller

 

 

Usual disclaimers apply.  These characters do no belong to me.

 

 

 

 

            Darien’s hands clutched his seat as the car spiraled into nothingness.  Faster and faster they went; the sounds of the car moving at warp speed, his screams, and Goku’s screams assailing his senses.  He suddenly became mentally detached from this “world” he was stuck in, or the “worlds” he was stuck between, and it actually did feel like he was flying through space, for a moment.  That disconnection lasted but a few seconds as the wave of motion sickness brought on by the car spinning much more quickly brought him back to reality.

 

            Whatever “reality” passed for when stuck between universes, at least.

 

            It was all he could do to keep from spewing this morning’s breakfast all over this nice (and expensive looking) car.  Swallowing the massive lump in his throat, he held on tightly and shut his eyes tight, blinded by a sudden flash of brilliant, white light.

 

 

* * * * *

 

 

            The light had died down, but its presence could still be sensed, like it was just ordinary daylight out.  Surprisingly, though, they were still going at relatively the same speed.  Darien opened his eyes cautiously and took in his surroundings.  The two gentlemen materialized in the middle of a city, right in the middle of a crowded street.  As previously mentioned, the car was still doing close to 90 miles an hour.

 

            Another wave of motion sickness came over Darien, but not from adjusting from shifting from one universe to another.  It was because Goku was furiously turning the wheel to and fro, bobbing and weaving in and out of midday traffic.

 

            “What the hell are you doing?!” Darien shouted, fearing for his life as their car kept racking up near miss after near miss.

 

            “Trying not to get ourselves killed; what the hell does it look like I’m doing?!” Goku bellowed in response, making a sharp turn at an intersection while not losing a lick of speed.

 

            “Damn it, you’re gonna get us killed!  Hit the brakes!”

 

            “I am hitting the god-damned brakes!”  Goku stomped on the brake pedal several times to prove his point, only to have the pedal flop back and forth with no resistance to the pressure Goku was putting on it.  Somewhere between entering the Gates of the Multiverse to being ejected into whatever this new world is had somehow made his car malfunction…in particular, the brakes.  Darien shivered in fright; with every beat of his heart, it seemed, Goku was coming within inches of hitting something or killing someone.  People were diving out of the way of the speeding vehicle, and on more than one occasion had several sideswipes and collisions with small, collapsible objects (such as trash cans and newspaper bins).

 

            “Red light, red light, red light, red light!” Darien shouted, gradually getting louder with each repetition.

 

            “We can’t stop, remember?!” Goku shouted, taking his eyes off the road and glaring at his friend.

 

            “Look at the road ahead of us!” Darien retaliated, pointing forward.  Goku did so, and both screamed as he saw there were a number of cars in two lanes stopped at the red light.  He jerked the wheel to the right sharply, and ended up driving on the sidewalk, barreling through the red light.  A few cars skidded to a halt barely a few feet from the offending vehicle, causing a several-car pileup in Goku and Darien’s wake.  After plowing through the light, the car was mostly up on the sidewalk, destroying everything in its path.  Parking meters were knocked off in rapid succession spewing coins into the wind, as well as an entire outdoor bistro.  As if the lack of brakes and reckless speed weren’t enough, the large umbrella draped over the windshield hindered Goku’s vision, making him even more of a hazard.

 

            The wind picked up around the car, and picked the umbrella off of the windshield.  But for them, it was too late.  There was nothing they could do (other than scream in shock) as their car flew into an alley – still doing about 80 – and slammed hard into a brick wall.  There was an eerie calm in that alley, as the only sounds that could be heard were the engine hissing steam and going cla-cla-clunk, cla-cla-clunk a few times before it shut down completely.

 

 

* * * * *

 

 

            “Unnnnngh…”

 

            Slowly, Darien opened his eyes, the shock from the crash knocking the wind out of him, but doing no real damage.  He put his hand to his head; he felt a bit dizzy, like someone had stuffed him into a dryer and let him tumble around for about an hour.  The passenger side airbag was triggered as they collided, as evidenced by the now deflated bag spilling loosely out of the compartment it was contained in.  He felt generally sore, but could tell nothing was broken or bruised.  Most of the damage was done to the car – such as the shattered windshield and door windows, not to mention the front end of the car crumpled up like an accordion – which was fine with him.  Cars can be replaced.  It takes just a little longer to replace a human life.

 

            Wait, wait a minute…that’s not fine with him!  The car was a wreck!  How where they supposed to get out of this dimension?  Darien wasn’t entirely sure that there were mechanics in this world capable of fixing up a busted dimension-hopping vehicle.  It couldn’t hurt to see what’s available, at least.

 

            Darien shook his head, clearing up the muddle he was in.  “Hey Goku, are you alrAAAAAAAHH!”

 

            The Earth Soldier’s eyes were the size of dinner plates as he surveyed the scene before him.  The windshield was destroyed mostly due to the large hole put in it on the driver’s side.  Goku was laid out on the hood of the car, face down.  He didn’t appear to be breathing, much less conscious.  Darien was even more surprised to see the wall was just as badly damaged, the network of cracks looking like they would be on broken glass than a brick wall.

 

            “Holy shit,” he muttered, rushing around to the other side of the car.  He cautiously approached Goku’s body, not completely sure of what to make of it.  Had the crash killed him, or just knocked him unconscious for a while?  Darien was worried for his friend; not too many people could survive a head-on collision doing 80…not too many he knew, anyway.  Gradually, his expression changed from an anxious one to a solemn one.  “Well, this has certainly gotten off to a grand start,” he said.  He was talking to Goku’s body as though Goku could hear him in his current predicament.  “The car’s a wreck, you’re a wreck…that certainly looked pretty painful, too.”

 

            “Not as bad as you’d think,” came the reply.

 

            “I’m not sure if you realized this, but—gyAAAAAH!”  Darien’s words were lodged in his throat as he realized that Goku had responded to his thinking aloud.  As his friend stagger back in shock, Goku pushed himself up with his hands, shook out his head, and sat on the hood of the car with his legs dangling over the side.  He was smiling, which disturbed Darien even further.  “A…a…are…are you alright?”

 

            “Sure, I’m fine,” Goku scoffed, passing off the appall that was plainly visible on Darien’s face.

 

            It was here that Darien let go, his tone growing loud while still maintaining the shock he felt.  “You were just in a head-on collision with a brick wall!”

 

            “You don’t say,” Goku retorted, looking at the wreckage all about him.

 

            “You were thrown out of the car and head-slammed a brick wall!”  Darien felt obligated to repeat the part about Goku hitting the wall, because apparently it wasn’t sinking in.

 

            Goku looked at the wall, wide-eyed, like a child.  “Wow,” he murmured, “I did all that?  Man!” He chuckled, looking back at Darien.  “Now if I had hit that with my fist, there wouldn’t be anything left of that wall.”  He leaned his head forward, pulling his hair aside in his hands.  “Hey, I’m not bleeding anywhere, am I?”

 

            “No, you’re fine.”  Darien answered flatly, putting the subject to rest.  “Just how thick is that head of yours?  We were doing about eighty when we hit the wall, you know!  Your head should’ve caved in under such force!”

 

            “Oh, please.”  The look on Goku’s face grew more intense.  “I can fly faster that fast easily, and I’ve taken harder bumps at faster speeds.”  He hopped off the car and walked away from it.  “You’d be surprised what I’ve been through in my lifetime.  I’ll have to tell you later.  Right now…” he looked back at the car, “…we need to figure out how to fix…this.”

 

            The two men surveyed the wreck before them.  It was not a pretty site, but wasn’t as bad as it looked, in the end.  From what Goku estimated, the bulk of the internal damage was in the engine and the brakes…the non-existent brakes, actually.  The front end of the car was severely damaged, the impact crumpling up the front body like a piece of paper.   The windshield and the front seat windows were gone; they would have to be replaced.  Those seemed like the least of the problems.

 

            Goku leaned in the window and looked around the front seat, looking for any major damage.  Of all the gadgets and equipment in some way connected to the dashboard, nothing seemed out of place or damaged.  That was good.  If they were ever going to depart from this world, everything would have to be in working order.  Even a newbie to the world of dimension hopping could understand that so much as a misplaced decimal point when calculating dimensional coordinates could send you off to the other end of existence in no time.

 

            “So what’s the damage?” Darien asked.

 

            “Well, thankfully, none of the equipment is damaged,” Goku said, pulling himself out of the wreck.  “Which is good; I doubt anyone in this world could fix any of it if it was.  Only…”

 

             “‘Only…’ what?” Darien pleaded.

 

            “The power cells for the Capacitor were cracked when we hit.  The power’s spent, but it’s nothing too serious.  I figured we give it a day or two and it’ll be have enough power to shift out of this world.”

 

            He walked over to the left back tire, grabbing the car and looking over his shoulder at Darien.  “Here, help me get this away from the wall.”

 

            Following Goku’s lead, Darien went around to the other side of the car, and with a grunt, pushed the wreck forward, bringing it about ten feet away from the equally damaged wall.  After getting done this task, they looked over the car, still in disbelief at the ordeal they experienced entering this dimension, and how they cheated death so many times they lost count.  And as if that wasn’t unbelievable enough, Goku, ever the intrepid hero, was launched from the car as they hit a wall, turning into a human javelin going 80-90 miles an hour.  That part would never sit right with Darien.  He’d never be able to wrap his mind around it.  How was he able to survive, let alone walk away from the accident without so much as a scratch?  If that were he, they would’ve had to squeegee Darien’s brain off the wall!

 

            “I wouldn’t suppose you know if there’s a body shop around here, would you?” Goku asked.

 

            “Damn!” a handful of shocked voices called.  Goku and Darien turned around, looking at a handful of young men, presumably in their mid to late 20s.  All were dressed in hip-hop designer clothing, and all but one or two had dark red do-rags on their heads.  They were all talking at once.

 

            “Man, look at that car!” A tall, lanky white kid said.

 

            “That’s fucked up, yo,” commented a Hispanic kid of average height.

 

            “Shouldn’t y’all be dead by now?” asked an Asian kid with a welding masked raised over his head, “how are you two standing after that?”

 

            “Shit looked like it had to hurt, too,” said a black guy with a towel hanging out of his back jean pocket.

 

            “How did you dent the wall?” a mountain of a man asked.

 

            “Is that your car, bro?” the first guy asked.

 

            “Uh, yeah it is,” Goku asked, rubbing the back of his head nervously.  “Say, you don’t happen to know of a good mechanic around here, do you?”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHAPTER I

THE YOUNG AND THE RECKLESS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

            It turns out the would-be heroes were in quite a bit of luck.  The handful of young men who first arrived on the scene of the crash turned out to be mechanics themselves.  Their crew worked on street racers full time, so Goku’s car wasn’t all that out of the ordinary for them.  It just so happened that their garage was a stone’s throw away from the crash site.  They agreed to fix up the car (especially the brakes, Goku noted, citing them as the reason for their untimely crash), and, per their instructions, no to touch the inside of the car unless it was absolutely necessary.  They didn’t get a chance to ask how much these repairs would cost, because they quickly waved off any…fees.  Hell, they weren’t stupid.  They weren’t going to force a guy who just flew headfirst into a brick wall at 80, got up and casually dusted himself off to do anything he didn’t have to (or couldn’t) do.  If he wasn’t in the mood to pay, that’s just fine with them.  It would be on the house this time.

 

            “So, “ Darien started, “we know we’re going to be stuck here for at least a day…”

 

            “Yes,” Goku answered.  They had since left the garage and headed out into the streets, trying to blend in with the crowd.  The sidewalks were populated, but not too crowded.  Both gentlemen were worried that their little escapade through the streets would draw attention to themselves, but such wasn’t the case.  “The repairs would take about a few hours at most, but we’ll need to wait for the battery cells to recharge.”  The multiple improvements on the Flux Capacitor had gradually done away with the need to use Plutonium as a fuel source.  Early improvements would allow a dimension-hopper to use very high-octane gasoline, at first.  Then came the hybrids of gas and electricity, with an electric-only model produced later.  Later models were powered by the same thing ordinary cars in the Multiverse were powered by—hydrogen.  Goku’s car is a hydrogen-electricity hybrid that uses the electricity for day-to-day usage and the hydrogen for multidimensional travel.  But since their latest shift all but exhausted the hydrogen reserves, they would have to wait for the electric cells to recharge.

 

            “I’m sure this town has plenty to keep up occupied until that time,” Darien added, not noticing that Goku suddenly stopped at a newsstand.  Darien continued for a few steps, then, after realizing he was by himself, looked around.  “Goku?” he called, “Goku!”  He rushed back to the stand to find Goku looking through a magazine, his eyes wide as he turned the pages.  “What’s up?”

 

            Slowly, Goku looked at Darien.  “I know exactly where we are,” he said in a serious tone.

 

            “You do?” Darien answered.  Finally!  Maybe now their collective nerves can be settled, and they can work on getting out of here as soon as possible.  “Where are we?”

            Goku folded back the magazine he was reading and showed it to Darien.  The page he was reading was an article on an “aspiring young trainer”, who in the picture was clad in blue jeans, a black shirt with a blue and white jacket over top, green, fingerless gloves, and a red ball cap with a white front panel, and what looked like a green “L” embossed on the white section.  “We’re in the Pokémon world.”

 

            “Well, what other world would you two be in, strangers?” asked the guy behind the newsstand counter.

 

            “Uh…” they both muttered, casting nervous glances at the clerk, then one another.

 

 

* * * * *

 

 

            “Whew!  Civilization!”

 

            On the north side of the city, three weary travelers were coming in off a dirt road that was fed into a main, paved road.  They were three – two boys and one girl – one of the three was exactly as described in the aforementioned magazine article.  A yellow mouse with long ears and a lightning bolt-shaped tail was riding on his shoulder…a Pikachu, to be precise.  The other boy was older, taller, with coarse brown hair and eyes so narrow it’s too difficult to tell if they are opened or closed.  He was clad in brown corduroys and an orange t-shirt under a green, multi-pocketed vest.  His skin was a peculiar shade as well (but not as odd as his eyes), considering he looked too dark-skinned to be “white” and too light-skinned to really be called “black”.  Never once did any of his traveling companions ask just what his nationality was; it probably wouldn’t have mattered to them anyway.  His skills as a Pokémon breeder were more noteworthy than the color of his skin.  The  girl in the group always seemed to dress in the least, which bothered two people in this world—neither of which were anywhere near her on her travels.  She was wearing a yellow midriff and blue short shorts held up with a set of red suspenders.  Her red hair was tied into a short ponytail that stuck out on one side of her head.  In her arms she carried a small Pokémon still in the shell it hatched from, apparently.  The shell was white with strange red and blue designs covering it, while the creature inside was a light tan color.  Known as a Togepi, the little creature was content to trill happily every now and then as “mommy” carried him in her arms everywhere she went.

 

            “Finally,” Misty groaned, glaring at the two boys she was traveling with.  “We would’ve gotten here sooner if it weren’t for someone getting us lost again!”

 

            “Hey, hey, now…” Brock pleaded, waving his hands in front of him in defense.  “just a minute here, we weren’t really lost out in the woods…” his voice became lower, “…no more than usual, anyway…”

 

            “Oh really?  Then if we weren’t really lost, what would you call it, then?”

 

            “Um…taking the scenic route?” Brock looked at Ash for help.  “That seems about right, don’t you think, Ash?”

 

            “Pika pikachu!” {“Yeah, just keep telling yourself that,”} Pikachu chirped from atop Ash’s shoulder.

 

            “Who are you trying to convince, me or yourself?” Ash answered.

 

            “Forget it,” Misty interjected, “let’s just be glad we’re not out in the forest anymore, because if I had to spend another minute in there I don’t know what I would do!”

 

            “Sure, sure, now let’s find ourselves the nearest Pokémon center and hit the town Pallet style!” Ash proclaimed, a spring in his step and his fists clenched.

 

            “‘Pallet style’?”  Brock asked, his head tilted to the side.

 

            “Just what in the hell does that mean?” Misty asked, her hands on her hips.

 

            Ash froze in place, his leg bent as he was stopped in mid-step.  He stammered over his words, knowing that whatever explanation he gave his friends they weren’t going to buy it in the least.  Instead, he snapped around quickly to tackle the topic at hand.  “Never you mind what that means!” he bellowed.

 

            Misty and Brock facevaulted.  Ash hung his head, a large sweatdrop appearing on the back of his head.

 

 

* * * * *

 

 

            “Alright, so what’s our plan of action?” Darien asked of Goku.  They had spent the past hour aimlessly roaming this unknown city, doing nothing more than enjoying the sites.  As they passed a city park at one point, they witnessed what others watching referred to as a “Pokémon battle”.  Both gentlemen were awe-struck when they saw how huge, powerful creatures could be contained and stored in these red and white “Pokéballs” no bigger than a baseball (though Goku noted that it reminded him an awful lot of Capsule Corp’s technology; on a regular basis they create personal airplanes, helicopters and even war machines that could contract into little…capsules).

 

            “Well, for one,” Goku started, “we left the Multiverse in search of those who are interested in our cause.”  He flashed the magazine he had from earlier at Darien, noting the same article they were talking about.  “We can start by tracking down this kid right here.”

 

            Darien took the magazine from Goku and committed the kid’s name to memory—Ash Ketchum.  “I’m not sure, Goku,” he started, “you really want a kid doing this kind of stuff?  We can get into some really dangerous situations, plus, the kid’s no more than twelve years old.”

 

            “Noted.  But my son is about his age and he’s a great fighter.  Hell, it’s hard to tell who’s stronger—him or me.  Plus, your daughter’s no older herself, and you said she’s helped save the world – well, your world – more than once.”

 

            “So then why isn’t Gohan signing on?” Darien retorted.  He smirked, waiting for whatever answer Goku could concoct.

 

            “Because Chichi doesn’t want him doing anything with his life that doesn’t involve studying.”  His smile dropped off.  “Sad, isn’t it?”

 

            Darien hummed in agreement.  “What’s the point of this, anyway?”

 

            “It’s like this—whenever any form of ‘superhero’ outfit has a youngster in the group, the rest of the team is usually twice their age, about.  I figured if they’re strong enough to hang with and surpass their older counterparts, by the time they grow up and are as old as their teammates are now, their strength will have grown exponentially.”

 

            “I see.”  Darien briefly thought of his own daughter, and how she has the potential to be the strongest of the Sailor Soldiers when she grows older.  “Well that’s all well and good, but if this world is anything like mine or yours, we’re going to have to comb the entire planet looking for this kid.  What are the odds of him being in this very city?”

 

 

* * * * *

 

 

            “UGH!  Dude, that’s gross!”  Ash balked, the image in the manga he was reading starting to register with him.  Once they got settled at the Pokémon Center downtown, Ash, Brock and Misty decided to hit the town.  They decided to hit the mall, and once they got it, Misty roamed the boutiques, while Ash and Brock hit the nearest video game store.  Ash picked up the newest issue of Shonen Jump and had thumbed through until he found the Yu-Gi-Oh! section.

 

            “What’s so gr—oh God…”  Brock couldn’t look at the image for more than a second before turning away in disgust.  The site of a baby just after it had taken a shit in a man’s lap (not to mention the smug look of superiority on the brat’s face) was more than he could bear.  And this was supposed to be appropriate for children?  It hurt his head.  “You’re not actually getting that, are you?”

 

            “Well, yeah,” Ash answered, putting the manga up on the counter.  “It’s got some good stuff in there…that one scene notwithstanding…”  He paid for his purchase, then slung the little plastic bag the book was placed in over his shoulder.  Brock followed him as he left the store.

 

            “Man, I swear, Ash,” Brock started as they wandered back out into the mall, “you have the weirdest tastes.  You gotta start reading real comics, bro.”

 

            “And what’s your definition of ‘real’ comics?”

 

            “You know!  Not…foreign stuff.  Like Justice League or X-Men.  Hell, even Clerks.  You’d like Clerks.”

 

            “What makes you say that?”

 

            “Trust me, you would.”

 

 

* * * * *

 

 

            Later that night, Ash and his friends had retired to their rooms at the Pokémon Center.  The center that night was decently crowded—though a bit below average for a city of this particular size, it was packed by most standards.  Ash, Brock and Misty sent their Pokémon to be treated by the Nurse Joy working that evening, and in predictable fashion, said nurse was hit on by Brock only to be forcefully dragged off by Misty.  It was another typical night for the three intrepid Pokémon trainers.

 

            A little too typical.

 

            One would think that, after being attacked by members of Team Rocket on a daily basis that they would be able to predict their attacks.  They could theoretically get the drop on Team Rocket and smash their plans and ruin their day for once, as opposed to the other way around.  Now would be a good start, too, considering two elite (given their white uniforms, as opposed to the black uniforms worn by the grunts) members of Team Rocket – the same two who have haunted Ash since the first day of his journey – were preparing another one of their cockamamie schemes to steal as many Pokémon as possible, complete with an equally cockamamie device to assist in this plan.

 

            “…so you see, this ingenious little number is capable of stealing every Pokéball in site, without being susceptible to ripping and tearing like other net launchers,” explained James von Malice, the blue-haired male of the duo.  He was explaining the newest Pokémon-stealing weapon to his other two teammates—a girl about his age with long red hair that arched from the back of her head to her butt, and a small, tan cat with a gold coin set in the middle of his forehead.

 

            “That’s all you could get?” Jessie Wesley asked.  “This is what you’re boasting about?”

 

            “What happened to our budget?” Meowth asked.  “We should be able to afford something a lot more technical than that!”

 

            “Theoretically, yes, but with our waning budget and the boss refusing to reimburse us any further, this…” he flashed the net launcher mini-cannon at his accomplices, “is all we could afford!  Besides, I needed to pick up some plastic explosives if we were to blast our way into the Pokémon Center.  Hell, it’s just a smash-and-grab job, right, Jessie?”

 

            “Well, it’s a little more complicated than that,” Jessie said, leaning against a tree with her arms folded.  “Think of it as a smash-grab-and slash job: we smash into the center, grab every last Pokémon that isn’t nailed down and/or on fire—”

 

            “What about fire-types, Jess?” Meowth asked.

 

            That comment warranted a fist to the top of the head from Jessie.  “Will you pay attention, Meowth?!”  She regained her composure and continued.  “…and as long as you don’t make any more ridiculous comments, you slash to pieces anyone who stands in our way!”

 

            “Meowth!” the cat Pokémon shouted, snapping to his feet and flashing his front claws.  “I like this plan!”

 

            “I thought you would.”  She turned to her human partner.  “Now then, let’s go steal us up some Pokémon!”  There wasn’t another word exchanged between the trio as they crept up to the back end of the Pokémon center.  Using the shadows of buildings and hiding behind trees and such, they arrived at their destination unseen.  James applied the block of explosives to the back wall with some duct tape, and stuck two wires into the block once it was set.  The wires were a good ten feet long, making sure the users were out of range when it went off.  James paused for a second, then touched the exposed opposite ends of the wires together.  The second they touched, the explosives triggered, creating chaos, confusion, and a hole in the wall big enough to drive an 18-wheeler through.

 

 

* * * * *

 

 

            “Whoa!” Goku shouted, his ultra-sensitive ears picking up the sudden explosion.  “Did you feel that?”

 

            “I felt it too,” Darien said.  Everyone could feel the shockwaves of the blast, but it wasn’t until they saw a column of smoke billowing upward into the sky that people began to take notice.  “Could be trouble.”  A panicky passer-by nearly bowled him over as he ran from the disturbance that was taking place a few blocks away.  “Hey, you, what’s going on?”

 

            “Oh, man!” the guy said, breathing heavily, “There…the Pokémon Center down on Main Street is under attack!”

 

            “Where?”  But no response came.  The man had already departed.  He saw Goku suddenly disappear, and then reappear high above the city.  People were in too much of a panic to notice the muscular man floating high above the city, so Goku wouldn’t be giving away any secrets about himself.  Just as quickly as he ascended, he descended, right next to Darien.  “What’s the story?” Darien asked.

 

            “It’s a few blocks away, but that’s about all we know.  If we move quickly, we can put a stop to this.”

 

            “Right.”  Darien quickly transformed into Tuxedo Mask, and began to run in the direction of the Pokémon Center.  He got about one step before he felt Goku’s hand clamp down on his shoulder.

 

            “Don’t bother,” he said, putting two fingers on his other hand against his forehead.  “This way is much quicker.”  In an instant, they both disappeared.

 

 

* * * * *

 

 

            Ash was running as fast as his legs could take him through the Pokémon Center, following the large net flying out through the hole in the back wall.  The net was stuffed full of Pokéballs, as well as a few Pokémon that weren’t contained in their balls—such as Ash’s Pikachu.  Which was primarily the reason he was running so hard.  While his other Pokémon were in the stash somewhere, the site of his helpless Pikachu being dragged off is not something that sits well with the Pallet Town kid.

 

            He, Misty and Brock met outside, amongst a small pile of rubble and a few yards away from a Meowth-shaped hot air balloon.  They counted on it being Team Rocket’s work, and the presence of the balloon and the two Team Rocket members confirmed it.

            “Great, not you three again!” Brock shouted, his fist clutched.

 

            Team Rocket laughed gleefully, striking what they believed to be gallant poses.

 

            “Prepare for trouble, little rover!” Jessie said, beginning the Team Rocket motto.

 

            “And make it double, cuz we’re blowing up all over!” James added.

 

            “To protect the world from devastation…”

 

            “To unite all people within our nation…”

 

            “To denounce the evils of truth and love…”

 

            “To extend our reach to the stars above…”

 

            Jessie struck a pose and thrust her clenched fist into the air.  “Jessie!”

 

            James tossed his hair and produced a red rose, holding it up to his nose.  “James…!”

 

            “Team Rocket, blasting off at the speed of light!”

 

            “Surrender now, or prepare to fight, fight, fight!”

 

            Meowth jumped into the air, turned several flips, and landed with his claws out in between Jessie and James.  “Meowth!  That’s right!”

 

            A Pokéball suddenly opened, and out popped a tall, round, blue Pokémon, right underneath Meowth.  Meowth would up sitting atop the creature.  “Wobbuffet!” {“Shut up, bitch!”} it shouted.

 

            “Team Rocket again?” Ash asked.

 

            “That’s right, twerp!” Jessie answered.  “Oh, but don’t bother getting up.  We were just leaving…”

 

            “…with enough Pokémon in our clutches to last us the rest of our lives!” James added, punctuating their sentence with a laugh.  They moved like a blur into the balloon, wasting no time in taking off.  “Nice seeing you again!”

 

            Jessie, James and Meowth cackled as their balloon gained more height, dragging and then lifting the net full of stolen Pokémon and balls into the air.  Anger burned in Ash’s heart as he watched the criminals make their getaway.

 

            He didn’t care that he was outnumbered.  He didn’t care that he was unarmed.  He didn’t care that he had very little physical strength to do much about the situation.  All Ash Ketchum was concerned about was the welfare of the Pokémon.  “You’re not getting away with this!” he shouted, sprinting towards the balloon.  Putting all his energy forward, he jumped with his arms extended, his hands just barely catching the net.

 

            “Ash!” Misty shouted.

 

“Ash!  Don’t do anything stupid!” Brock added.  As the balloon drifted away, Brock and Misty gave chase, worried for the Pokémon and for Ash’s sake.  Misty was a bit angry about Ash’s recklessness, but that disappeared as she witnessed Ash’s plight and nigh-helplessness. 

 

            Up in the basket, James felt the balloon suddenly stop its ascent, then start up again.  “Huh?” he asked.  “Jess, did you feel that?”

 

            Jessie looked out over the side of the basket, and saw Ash struggling to climb up the net holding the Pokémon.  “Ugh!  That stubborn little twerp!” she grumbled.

 

            “Doesn’t that kid know any better?” Meowth asked, hopping up on the edge.  “Hey, twerp!” he shouted at Ash.  “Can’t ya see you’ve lost?!  Hang it up kid, or we’ll hang you out to dry!  Ya hear us?!  It’s over!”

 

            Meowth’s words only served to temper Ash’s resolve.  Grunting loudly, Ash pressed forward, now about halfway up the net.  His arms ached and the growing altitude was starting to give him a bit of vertigo.  No!  These Pokémon need me! he screamed in his mind.  I’ve got to protect them from Team Rocket!

 

            “James, he hasn’t dropped off!” Jessie shouted, grabbing his arm and shaking him violently.  “Do something about it!”

 

            James saw Ash gain on them, and took Jessie’s words to heart.  “With pleasure,” he said with a smirk.  He reached around behind his back, into his belt, and pulled out a strange object.  Ash didn’t get to see what it was until James’ hand flicked out rapidly several times, generating loud whiffs, like a blade moving at high speed.  And then Ash saw it—a five-inch switchblade in James hand.  James leaned over the edge of the basket, intent on climbing down and cutting Ash’s hands free of the net…literally if need be.

 

            James drew the knife back.  Ash sucked in a gasp.  Then, there was a sound like gunfire.

 

            One second he was watching his reflection in a knife, the next Ash was clinging to a net full of Pokémon and Pokéballs as it fell to the ground.  James was shocked to see the net had broken; he inspected the area and found something peculiar.  A long-stemmed red rose was sticking out of the underside of the basket.  His curiosity piqued – the lost goods notwithstanding – James extracted the object and pulled himself in the basket.

 

            “James, you idiot!” Jessie shouted, immediately breaking into an irritated tirade.   “You’re letting that twerp get away with those—where did you get that?” Jessie’s attentions were turned to the strange rose, but she was still angry.

 

            “I heart a shot,” he explained, “and found it sticking out of the basket.  And no, it’s not one of mine!”

 

            Jessie ran her finger over the stem, and despite her gloves, the rose sliced through the material and some of her skin, drawing blood.  “Ow!  That’s sharp!  Where did that come from?”

 

            “From me!”  The members of Team Rocket looked around, looking for the source of the new voice.  They looked out over the side to find – aside from the twerp and the cargo plummeting to the ground – a man in a very sharp, black tuxedo, complete with mask, cape, cane and top hat.  “I cannot allow any harm to come to these innocent creatures!”

 

            “Ha!” Meowth scoffed.  “You talk as well as you dress, but what else can you do, Mr. Fancy pants?”  Another rose was flung their way, clipping the ends of Meowth’s left whiskers.  He wailed in pain as he covered his left cheek.

 

            Tuxedo Mask jumped into the air, flying towards the boy and the stolen goods.  Sometime after the rose disconnected the net from the balloon, Ash lost his grip and was falling away from the net.  He screamed loudly, believing in the back of his mind that this was the end...that he was going to die like this.  Instead of falling into the arms death, he fell into the arms of a guy in a tuxedo who was flying.  Well, not so much the arms, but over one shoulder thereof.  This didn’t fully sink in until he landed, and saw his savior catch the net in his free hand.  He grunted loudly, the cargo weighing more than expected.  He caught the loose rope about halfway up, only to have it slide until he had just barely enough to hang on to.  Once the two were safely in his grasp, he floated to the ground, setting Ash on his feet and quickly slicing the net apart with a few strokes of his cane.

 

            Up in the balloon, Team Rocket was in a dire situation.  They figured that after the twerp was safe and the Pokémon were back in the hands of their owners, that guy in the tuxedo would surely come after them.

 

            “Flap faster, you idiots!” Jessie shouted.  They were all waving their arms as though they were swimming, trying to add just a little bit of speed in their frantic getaway.

 

            “I think it’s working, Jess!” James said, trying to put a little hope into the situation, “we’re getting away!  That guy’s not following us, is he?”

 

            “He doesn’t have to.  This is as far as you go!”

 

            Jessie, James and Meowth stopped their struggling to see…another man floating in the sky, this time, standing at their level, his arms folded across his chest.  He was huge!  Muscles bulged in his arms, and everywhere else – it could be assumed – under his orange and blue karate gi.  He had black hair going in all directions, and a hard look on his face as he stared down the Team Rocket balloon.

 

            “The only place you’re going is to jail!” Goku shouted.  He extended one arm, his hand fixed like he was palming a basketball.  “Any last words before I shoot you down?”

 

            The members of Team Rocket were speechless.  Their eyes were wide, their jaws on the ground below, not a sound coming out of them.  One of Jessie’s Pokéballs opened, and out popped the large blue blob of a Pokémon known as a Wobbuffet.  “Wobb-uh-wobb!” {“Bitch! Where’s my bacon?!”} it shouted.

 

            Goku would not be satisfied with such a response.  “Wrong answer!” he shouted.  A ball of his ki the size of a baseball was shot out of his extended hand, aimed right at the balloon’s engine.  What Goku wasn’t counting on was the titanic explosion that triggered when he shot it.  He managed to shield himself from the blast, nonetheless.

 

            “This is like something out of a bad dream…” Jessie whined.

 

            “Or out of a bad movie…” James groaned.

 

            “Or out of a really bad fanfiction!” Meowth added.

 

            “Looks like Team Rocket’s blasting off again!” Team Rocket shouted as they careened over the horizon.

 

            Goku watched as the three took off like a meteor out of sight and out of mind.  Surely, Goku thought, if they survive the impact, it’ll give them plenty to think about.  He drifted down to the ground, where Tuxedo Mask was waiting.  All the Pokémon had been returned, and the two trainers that were Ash’s friends were joyously celebrating their reunion.  “That’s the end of them,” Goku said.  “Now then…” he looked at the several children hanging around still, noting the shocked looks on their faces.  They could tell that this world isn’t familiar with people who could magically transform into superheroes and/or shoot energy blasts out of their hands and fly like birds.  Two of the kids – the girl and the dark-skinned boy – were staring in disbelief, while the third – Ash, by process of elimination – was taking the site not nearly as well.  His skin was pale, and his jaw was hanging open, his mouth drying.  Goku and Darien could understand his appall.  To the people of this world, they were no more than cartoons, or characters from a book they read.

 

            Ash’s heart stopped for a sharp second as the large, muscled man in the orange karate uniform and the guy in the tuxedo looked right at him.  “You must be Ash Ketchum, correct?” Goku asked.

 

            “We’ve been looking for you,” Tuxedo Mask added, tipping his hat to the lad.  “It’s a pleasure to meet the so-called ‘world’s greatest Pokémon Master’.”  The two men waited a few moments for the boy to give some sort of response…anything would do.  Unfortunately, the only response they got was some stammering, a few nervous glances, all ending with Ash Ketchum collapsing to the ground, having fainted.

 

            Goku, Tuxedo Mask, Brock, Misty and Pikachu surrounded the unconscious Ash.  He looked peaceful given his predicament.  However, he wouldn’t be much use to anyone if he were unconscious.

 

            “Well he’s no fun,” Goku said, scratching the back of his head.  “He fainted.”

 

            “The shock of seeing us like this has clearly gotten to him.”

 

            Brock and Misty conferred, but Tuxedo Mask didn’t notice.  His attention was suddenly drawn to his missing Tuxedo Cane, which he could swear was in his hand just a second ago.  When he looked around, he saw Goku poking the unconscious lad with it.  “Give me that!” he shouted, snatching the cane out of his hand.

 

 

* * * * *

 

 

            Ash’s vision was blurry as he regained consciousness.  He could hear voices, but they were muffled and sounded like they were speaking to him while they were both underwater.  His eyes opened, slowly, his vision clearing just as slowly.

 

            “Is he awake?” one voice asked.

 

            “I think he’s coming to,” said another one.

 

            “I know how we can wake him!  Totodile, would you be a dear and wake Ash up?”

 

            Ash’s small, alligator-like Pokémon was up to the task, and without a second thought, blasted his master in the face with his Water Gun attack.  The sudden shock of cold water quickly snapped him out of his stupor, and he sat bolt upright, flailing his arms rapidly and shouting nonsense.

 

            “Damn it, Misty!” Ash shouted, looking at his smiling girlfriend.  “Don’t do that!  I hate it when you make my Pokémon do that kind of stuff to me!”  Amongst the chuckling, Ash sensed two voices that were unfamiliar to him.  He looked around, and saw the two men who saved him, the Pokémon and chased off Team Rocket.  Granted, he was still shocked, but not enough to faint.  “Wh-wh-who…a…are you two?” he asked.

 

            “I was waiting for you to ask that,” Goku started.  “My name’s Goku, and I am a Saiyan warrior.  And this guy here…” he motioned to Tuxedo Mask.

 

            “I am the guardian of the planet Earth, Tuxedo Mask.  But…” he willed his transformation sequence, and his tuxedo and accessories melted away in a column of light magic, “other than that, I’m just an ordinary guy named Darien.”

 

            “Whoa…this…” Ash stammered, pulling himself to his feet, “this can’t be real…I mean, you guys can’t be real…you…” Ash kneeled down and started rummaging through his book bag, eventually pulling out the Shonen Jump he bought earlier this day.  “You guys are just comic book characters!”  He brandished the comic book at the two.  Incidentally, Goku was on the cover.  Goku took the book from the boy and looked it over, his head cocked to the side.

 

            “How can you say that?” Goku asked, deciding to screw with the kids a little.  “This doesn’t look anything like me!”

 

            Catching the obvious joke, Darien went along with the gag.  “I know, right?” he said, “I mean, look at this guy!  This little scribble looks ten times better than you ever could!”  He chuckled nervously as Goku glared at him.  He handed the book back to Goku.  “I mean, they don’t get the hair even remotely right, ne?”

 

            “Anyway…” Goku stated, flinging the book away in the process, “We need to talk to you, Ash.  We have a deal to make with you.”  They looked around, not finding the brisk night among piles of rubble the best place to conduct business.  “Though we should adjourn to something a little more…homely.”

 

            “I agree,” Darien said, “this place is starting to worry even me.”

 

            “But how do we know you’re the real ‘Goku’?” Misty asked, the skepticism apparent in her voice as well.

 

            Goku’s calm, typically happy demeanor faded, and his face became stern.  He gave the children the same look he gave Team Rocket before doing away with them.  “Fine.  You want proof?  You got it!”  Goku pivoted, and got into a deep fighting stance, his hands drawn back at his side.  “Ka…me…ha…me…” Bluish-white energy flared in his hands, manifesting in a bright flash, “…HA!” and into a bright beam of pure energy.  Goku knew it wasn’t near his strongest, and would only cause minimal damage to any landscape it hits.  It was still pretty tough for just a demo. Ash, Brock and Misty spoke simultaneously.

 

            “I believe you,” Brock said quickly.

 

            “Yep, they’re legit,” Ash added.

 

            “He had me at ‘proof’,” Misty said.

 

 

* * * * *

 

 

            Out on the other side of the horizon, Team Rocket was hanging from a dead, twisted tree limb sticking out of a rock slope.  What was left of the balloon kept Jessie, James, Meowth and Wobbuffet strung up like marionette puppets.

 

            “I’m still not convinced,” James moaned, “that had to be a dream!  A simulation, a bad science experiment, anything!” He hung his head in shame.  “Just don’t tell me we got blasted by two superhero knockoffs…”

 

            “I don’t know what ta tell ya then, Jimmy,” Meowth said.

 

            “There has to be some sort of deeper meaning to this,” Jessie said.  “I mean, if those two are real, then how did they come to life?  And what would they be doing in our world?”  She sighed, no longer struggling against the wreckage that left her arms and legs contorted in odd, uncomfortable angles.  “I’m going to get to the bottom of this.”

 

            “Just as soon as we get out of this mess, right?” James asked.

 

            “Right.”  Jessie’s eyes grew wide, as she saw something streak across the sky.  Something that appeared to be getting bigger.  “What’s that?”

 

            “Huh?” James said, picking up his head.  “It looks like a shooting star.”

 

            “Or a meteor,” Meowth corrected.  “If it were a shootin’ star, it wouldn’t be drawing closer to us like it is now.”

 

            It suddenly dawned on the Team Rocket members.  They had little time to panic.  “Uh-oh…”

 

            Goku’s stray Kamehameha wave struck the cliff’s side just a few yards from where they were strung up.  However, the explosion caused by the attack was enough to send the three catapulting into the sky.

 

            “Fuck!” Jessie shouted.  “This is the second time in one night!”

 

            “It’s the second time within two hours,” James whined.

 

            “It’s the second time and it’s only the first chapter!” Meowth added.

 

            “Looks like Team Rocket’s blasting off yet again!”

 

 

* * * * *

 

 

            Once the introductions were settled and everyone was over the shock that the apparent “cartoon characters” were live and in the flesh before them, they settled down to some dinner.  They arrived outside of a diner a few blocks away from what was left of the Pokémon Center, traveling by way of Goku’s Instant Transmission.  There were only a few people around to notice them appear so suddenly out of nowhere, and even if they recounted their experience later, few would believe them.  The group simply went in, ordered, and as they were waiting, listened to Goku and Darien’s explanation.

 

            The two gentlemen explained to the children why they were in the flesh before them, as well as a brief lesson in how all this worked.  Understanding that they were just children, they used as simple as terms as possible so they would get it.  Darien helped by equating existence to a beam of white light—when white light passes through a prism, it splinters into the colors of the visible spectrum.  The colored lights are the parallel dimensions, and the white light is the Multiverse.  The prism itself was the Gates of the Multiverse, but there would be to explain that later.

 

            “So you’re saying that every game, every comic book series, every cartoon, every whatever,” Brock asked, “is its own universe?”

 

            “Precisely,” Darien said.  “And, as far as I know, they’ve been in existence longer than you can imagine.”

 

            “But if these universes are real,” Misty asked, “then why do they exist in our world as cartoons and such?”

 

            “Some of the more creative, or…eccentric people of any given universe are more in tune with some parallel universes, at least on a subconscious level.  It also helps that these people have a certain level of skill with a pen—writers, artists, cartoonists…those types.”

 

            “Interactions with beings from different universes are commonplace,” Goku explained, “but the better majority of them take place within the Multiverse itself.”

 

            “You can understand that when people learn of parallel dimensions, they’re don’t readily accept the fact and integrate it into their being,” said Darien, “but based on what Goku’s been telling me today, your reaction, Ash, was quite mild when compared to how others acted.”

 

            “How have others reacted?” Misty asked.

 

            Darien looked at Goku, who got his little nonverbal cue and answered the question.  “Disbelief – that’s pretty common throughout – screaming, fleeing, and occasionally, driven to insanity.”  Silence fell over the table for a few moments, and the talking didn’t pick up until their food arrived.

 

            “The Multiverse?” Ash asked curiously.  “What’s that place like?”

 

            “Well,” Goku continued, “it’s just like any other peaceful, civilized world, just on a much larger scale.  Some of the people live in Multiverse City – the biggest city in the universe, obviously – but not all of them.  You’ve got small town folk, nomads, wanderers, city slickers, everything.”

 

            “Hmm…how big is the city?”

 

            “From last I heard…a hundred million people.  And growing quickly.”

 

            Ash nearly choked on the double cheeseburger he had taken a big bite out of.  “A hundred million people in one city?!” he asked, trying to wrap his mind around that concept.  “Whole countries aren’t that populated!”

 

            “Like he said,” Darien added, “a much large scale.”

 

            “So anyway, I guess we should get down to the point,” Goku stated in a tone that was all business.  “The two of us are on a mission.  Our objective is to assemble a group of heroes to form a peacekeeping organization the likes of which the Multiverse has never seen before.”

 

            “Like a superhero group?” Ash asked.

 

            “If you want to use those terms, go right ahead.”

            “You do know that Ash doesn’t have any superpowers?, right?” Brock interjected.

 

            “Neither does Batman,” answered Ash.  Darien, Goku and Misty all looked at Brock to confirm what Ash said.  Brock simply put up his hands in defeat, knowing that he couldn’t possibly win this argument.”

 

            “Does Ash not having any ‘gifts’ mean he isn’t hero material?” Darien asked.  “Heroism is not limited to a select few, and is not restricted to those who do not possess the ‘gifts’ that a hero may possess.  Heroes aren’t defined by their traits or origins, but rather, their actions.”  Goku heartily agreed with him.

 

            “We’ve done some research on you, Ash Ketchum.  You’d be surprised how quickly word of someone’s exploits travel, be they good or bad.  You’ve been a bigger help to a lot more people than you realize.  I can’t speak for Darien, but I’m certain that you calling yourself the ‘world’s greatest Pokémon master’ are more than justified.”

 

            Ash was silent, his food forgotten, his gaze shifting from Goku to Darien and vice versa more times than he can remember.  He felt more than a little modest, but a bit apprehensive and saddened at the same time.  Here they were, two foreigners—nay, two aliens praising him on his talents, while people of his home dimension (it seemed moot to use home world, now that his eyes were slowly opening to a new way of looking at the universe) wouldn’t even give him time of day.  Then again, why did these two guys come to his world, looking for him specifically?  Slowly, the pieces came together.

 

            “Are…” Ash stammered, “are you two suggesting I should join your superhero group?”

 

            “Indeed we are,” Darien answered.  “We feel you and your Pokémon training abilities will make a fine addition to the cause.”

 

            “What cause?” asked Misty.

 

            “Why, the eradication of evil throughout the universes, and the Multiverse,” Goku explained.  “I’ll bet you anything that there are forces of evil who want to rule and take out do-gooders like ourselves, and they’re just as devoted to their cause as we are.

 

            “Aside from the good vs. evil stuff, there’s no end to the wonders of the Multiverse, Ash.  I can’t explain what they’re all like; we’ll be here all night.  But I will say this…it’ll be far greater an experience than you could ever imagine.  That you can count on.”

 

            “Of course,” Darien added, “joining us doesn’t mean you won’t see your home world anymore, heavens no.  Once we teach you how, you’ll be able to travel from the Multiverse to your dimension at will.”

 

            Somehow, Ash didn’t find those words as comforting as they were intended.  “Um…do you guys need an answer now?” Ash asked, twiddling with his fork, “because this is a lot to take in.  I’m gonna need some time to think this over, you know.”

 

            “Understandable,” Goku said.  The check came by now, and Darien opted to pay for it using a credit card.  It didn’t dawn on him that credit cards in his world and credit cards in this world may be drastically different.  However, by some miracle, the check was paid for with the alien credit card.  “We’ll give you until tomorrow to give us answer.”  Goku and Darien left, followed by the kids.  “We’ll stop by the Pokémon Center at 9:00 AM tomorrow.  We’ll be waiting for you.”

 

            As they exited, Darien transformed into Tuxedo Mask, and floated above the ground alongside Goku.  Ash bolted out of the diner, trying not to miss them.  “Wait a second!” he shouted.  They turned around and lowered themselves to the ground, waiting on Ash’s question.  “Do…do you guys think I can do it?” he asked.

 

            The answer came without hesitation.  “It’s not a question of whether or not we think you can do it…” Tuxedo Mask answered.

 

            “…it’s a question of whether or not you think you can do it!” Goku finished.  With that, their energies flared, and they took off, flying off into the night.

 

            “Whether…or not…?” Ash muttered to himself as he watched the two take off.  His head tilted to the side as he stared at the night sky, their words echoing through his head.  He sighed, and looked down, his Pikachu looking back up at him.  “Oh, man…”

 

            “What are you going to do, Ash?” Misty asked him.  She and Brock were hot on his heels as they left, trying to keep up with their friend.  When the arrived, the two strangers had already left, leaving Ash by himself, alone with his thoughts.  “Ash?”

 

            “I…don’t know,” he said eventually.  “What do you guys think?”

 

            “Don’t look at me,” Brock said with a shrug, “they didn’t ask us.”

 

            “Well, this does sound like a big opportunity,” Misty added, “and I would hate to see you blow it off.  However…”

 

            “I wouldn’t get to see you anymore,” Ash said, hanging his head.  “At least not for a while.”

 

            “Ash…” Misty’s voice was a low whisper, just loud enough for him to hear.  “You’ve always followed your heart, haven’t you?  And look where it’s gotten you.”  She moved closer to him.  “Follow it now.  We’re with you, no matter what you decide.  Okay?”

 

            “You…you’ll wait for me, Misty?” Ash’s voice was a bit apprehensive, as though the answer could mean the difference between life and death.  On one hand, he had the chance to help rid not just his world, but countless strange worlds of evil.  On the other hand…Ash wasn’t sure if he wanted to be away from Misty for that long.  She had grown on him, and he on her.  But if she said she would wait for him…

 

            “Of course,” she answered, snapping him out of his thoughts.  “I’ll wait for you, Ash.”  She leaned over and kissed him, their lips parting just slightly, their tongues gently caressing one another.

 

            Ash broke off the kiss and smiled at her.  “Thanks, Misty.  That…that means a lot to me.”

 

            “I say we head back to the Pokémon Center and get some sleep,” Brock interrupted.  “It’s been a long day for all of us.”

 

            Ash and Misty agreed, and within ten minutes, they were in their room, killing time before going to bed.  Misty and Brock soon fell asleep, as did Pikachu, which left Ash awake and alone.  He had a feeling he wouldn’t get any sleep that night, so when he climbed into bed, he didn’t try to force sleep upon himself.  He never did, because whenever he did, he would find himself losing more sleep that night.  Sometime during the night, he drifted to sleep, many unanswered questions still running around in his mind.

 

 

* * * * *

 

 

            With only about an hour of sleep under his belt, Ash awoke the next day at about 8:30.  He showered, dressed, got some breakfast, and he, Misty and Brock went out to the lobby.  The clock struck 9 just as they entered.

 

            Waiting at the door were Goku and Tuxedo Mask, each leaning back against opposite sides of the doorframe, making idle chitchat and not paying attention to the other patrons in the Pokémon Center.  They caught site of the boy, but didn’t pay attention until he approached them.  They stood straight up as Ash approached, Brock and Misty a step behind, and Pikachu on his shoulder.

 

            “So…” Goku said gently, trying to remain calm for the boy’s sake.  He figured if he acted too enthusiastic or too tough, it would screw up his judgment and alter his decision.  “Have you made your decision?”

 

            Ash took a deep breath, and looked them in the eyes.  “Yes, I have,” he said, firmly.  “I…I’m in.  I want to join your group.  I want to run with heroes like yourselves.”

 

            Goku and Darien smiled, then Goku extended his hand to the boy.  “I knew you’d make the right choice,” he said, shaking his hand.  Ash returned the gesture with Darien moments later.

 

            “So, where do we go from here?  Are we going to the Multiverse now?”

 

            “Not right away,” Darien started.  “We have to stop back at my world, first.  There are some things I have to take care of.”

 

            Goku gave Darien a strange look.  He wasn’t aware of this sudden change of plans and had to bring it into question.  “We are?”

 

            “Yes.  I have to touch base with my family and her friends.  Remember, I was imprisoned in the Dark Kingdom for quite some time before I found the Multiverse.  I haven’t been home in a long time now.”  Goku nodded in acknowledgment.  He beckoned for Ash to follow him, and they and Goku walked out of the center, Brock and Misty following close behind.  Outside was Goku’s dimension traveling car, fully repaired and looking as good as new.

            “Wow,” Ash said, “is this your car?”

 

            “Yep,” Goku said, “this is how we’ll be going from the Multiverse to the various universes and back.”  Darien pressed a button on the keychain (Darien decided he would drive since they’d be going to his universe, Goku’s driving abilities notwithstanding), and three of the four doors opened—the two front, and the right back door.  “Best technology that’s ever existed is in this thing!”  Goku beamed with pride over his newly restored car, looking forward to somewhat “normal” driving as opposed to the joyride downtown he experienced yesterday (as normal as things get when going from one reality to another).  The engine was raised on two rear jacks, quickly building up acceleration.  All it would take was for the driver to hit a button and they would take off down the road at speeds high enough to trigger the Flux Capacitor and catapult them out of the Pokémon world.

 

            “So…I guess…this is it, then?” Misty squeaked, desperately trying to fight off the tears in her eyes.  She didn’t want to see Ash go, but if this was really what Ash wanted, she wouldn’t fight with him over it.  Besides, she promised she would wait for him, and Ash told her earlier that he’d come back for her someday.

 

            “For now, anyway,” Ash said.  “Like I said, I’ll be back someday!” He embraced her, and whispered into her ear.  “We’ll be in touch.  Trust me.”  He said his goodbyes to Brock and Misty, then got into the back seat of the car.  Pikachu sat in his lap, ready to go, just like his trainer.

 

            “Ready, Pikachu?” he said, “We’re going to explore more worlds that you can comprehend!  Isn’t that great?”

 

            “Pi ka pi ka!” {“Yeah!  I can’t wait!”} Pikachu answered.

 

            Goku’s fingers moved as fast as lightning as they punched in the dimensional coordinates for Darien’s home universe on the computer.  Once they were confirmed, Darien hit the release and the car took off like a rocket.  “Hang on tight back there, Ash,” he said, “we’re blowing this popsicle stand!  We are outta here!!!”

 

            With a loud series of whoops and hollers, the car sped off down the street, and before they came to the first red light, disappeared in a bright flash and a cloud of smoke.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TO BE CONTINUED…………………