Disclaimer: Pokemon belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics. This is non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfic written by me and thus it belongs to me.

Chapter 4: Past creeping present

It had been about three weeks since Ash had received the puzzle. It still hung, hidden underneath his black jacket of his school uniform.

Ash was afraid that once people saw the literal hunk of gold around his neck, he would become a bully magnet again.

Of course, now at least he had some defenses.

Ash smiled softly to himself. Ah well, only two more months of survival, and then in the summer he could go out exploring again!

Ash grinned to himself.

“Mr. Ketchum! What is the answer to this problem?”
Ash looked up and smiled. “Well, to take the derivative of y = 2x squared plus e to the x power, you get y’ = 2 plus e to the x power.”

“Guess you weren’t sleeping.” Mrs. Bag remarked.

Ash nodded as she went on with the lesson.

Charlotte shot him a wink. < So, looks like getting your memories back helped. >

< You bet! Guess all that boring work back in the day wasn’t wasted. >

< Heh. >

Charlotte idly sketched a picture of herself in Egyptian garb as she waited for class to win. Then, she would have Biology before going home.

She liked Biology. They spent most of their time taking notes and doing lab experiments.

It was hard to fall asleep in that class.

Sure enough, summer welcomed them with balmy breezes and sunny days soon enough.

“Yippee! Freedom!” Ash cheered as he danced out the school doors.

Charlotte followed, after having tossed her dreaded physics notebooks into the roaring bonfire outside the area.

Seems like the teachers had used it to recycle waste paper, but now, the students were happily contributing, much to some of the principle’s horror as he recognized overdue library books heading for the blaze.

“Hey, cut that out!”

The two went home, tossed off their school uniforms and changed into comfortable summer clothes, before packing their pokemon equipment before they went on the road again.

After all, their mom would be glad to see them in Houen.

“Where to first, little brother?”

“You know, I want to visit Egypt again. Do you mind?”

Charlotte laughed. “It was our home three thousand years ago.”

“Yep!”

She frowned at the map and clicked on her cell phone. “I’ll see how much air fare roundtrip is…”

After fifteen and two-thirds minutes of yelling at the computer, Charlotte finally got a real live person on the other side of the line.

“Hello? I would like to order two tickets to Egypt, Round-trip, preferably leaving tomorrow.”

The girl on the other side sounded surprised. “Egypt? We don’t get much call there… hold on while I check our central database…”

Elevator music played for another twenty-eight minutes while Charlotte taught Ash how to braid hair.

Finally, the girl picked up again.

“Sorry for the delay. Yes, we have a flight leaving at six-thirty P.M. tomorrow, approximately four hours flight time, and its two hundred and thirty dollars each. The return trip is in three weeks.”

Charlotte looked at Ash. < Sounds good? >

Ash nodded and gave her a thumbs-up.

“We’ll take it!”

“Very well. Please state your credit card number…”

Charlotte told the girl she would order online. She did, and the next evening, they were heavily packed with a backpack and suitcase each, waiting at the airport.

Ash smiled. “It’s like going home, isn’t it?”

“Kind of. I sent mom an e-mail so she won’t have to worry about us.”

“Good thinking, sis.”

Charlotte laughed, brushing her hair out of her eyes. A few other passengers, who were native Egyptians, on the plane, quickly looked away.

Ash grinned. < Looks like maybe they still remember the legend of the pharaoh and his elected priests. >

< I’d count on it. >

< Who knows? This may not be bad. >

< I like Egypt. > Charlotte said firmly.

< I know. >

After the long plane ride, which included ridiculous transfers at airports out of the way instead of straight lines, they arrived in Cairo twelve hours later.

Both were frazzled from the long flights.

“Hotel?”

“No, I’m sleeping under the stars tonight.” Ash said, grinning. “Besides, we’ll be safe.”

Charlotte caught his eye and winked, nodding. They both slept well in the desert sands, protected by the shadow creatures.

After all, they were in their true homeland now.

Elsewhere, Gary shifted the millennium scales he held, frowning slightly.

“I sense danger… the holder of the Millennium Rod shall rise again.”

Erika, keeper of the Ankh, shot her lover a puzzled frown.

“Do not worry.”

“Are you sure?”

“If their hearts are still intact, they shall make it through this trial.”

“I only hope as much.” Gary said.

And in yet another location…

Lance’s eyes glowed golden as the Millennium Tauk flared.

“So… pharaoh has awakened also. I shall seek him out then.”

Somewhere dark and mysterious…

Bob laughed as he held the Millennium Rod upright. “I’ve finally found you again! And this time, we’ll defeat that pharaoh for good! The throne shall finally be mine!”

End Chapter.

Started 2/5/04, complete 2/10/04