THE SHIFTER DRAGON Catze stood on the cliff next to the black castle. It belonged to her, thanks to Tigra. "Catze, you have failed to many times." came her master's voice. "I won't fail again. I have a plan." Catze answered without looking. "For your sake, you'd better not." Tigra said and disappeared in black smoke. Catze looked up at the sea. It crashed agasined the cliff and rocks splashed into it's black waters. Her jet black hair blew in the sea wind. She stuck her middle and index finger in the air above her. She then began to make circles slowly with her fingers. Black fire surround her fingers and shot into the air. It engulfed Catze and her power grew. The black fire formed a dragon. It's body and wings black as night. It's eye's red and solid. Catze power raised with the dragon. It roared and shook everything around. It's eyes glowed and fire burst from its mouth. A black, crescent moon appeared on her forehead as her power grew still. "We'll see who as the last laugh, Ash." she growled under her breath. The black dragon roared again and disappeared. He went to find his prey. * * * "I see a bird sitting opn her nest but nothing really." Gato told the group from the top of her perch on the tree. "How interesting." Ash said sarcastically. "Hey, I don't see you up here sitting and watching nothing. This bird has yummy looking babies." Gato said and licked her lips. "Don't you even try it!" Misty yelled. Gato jumped from the tree and landed on her two feet. "I was just gonna look." she said. Misty rolled her eyes. "Yeah right." she replied. "The sea turns. Something will happen." warned Sea Breeze. "Yeah, well down with the sea." Gato snorted. "I feel a force. An evil one. Catze's power is growing." came May's voice. Her green scarf blew in the wind began to pick up speed fast. Her grass green hair was blown about and Ash couldn't help but think she looked pretty. "I also saw dark clouds." Gato added. "Now you tell us." Brock grumbled. "I see a cave not far. Let's go!" Saraya said and they followed her. In a tree, she watched. Her staff held tightly and her nave blue skirt flapped in the wind. She watched them disappear in a cave. She nodded her head. Rain began to pour. "We made it just in time." Brock observed. Lightning flashed and Saraya stood at the mouth of the cave. "We need the rain anyway." she said. "Mind you this rain isn't at our home." May reminded her. "Oh yeah!" Luna, meanwhile, was in deep thought at the corner of the dark cave. Catze will attack us soon. That means I have to face her. After all these years.... "Luna, is something wrong?" Saraya's voice interrupted her thoughts. Luna looked up, startled at her. "No, no. Nothing is wrong. I was just thinking to myself." Luna told her. Luna saw they all had a fire and sat around it. Tiger was also in his own thoughts. Why did he do such a horrible thing? He hurt Ash badly and what would happen now? He lay still and quiet next to the fire. Soon, everyone was asleep. All except Luna who sat outside under the full moon and stared into the night sky. The storm had stopped and everything was wet and full of life. She sighed to herself. "I must tell them." she said outloud. "You must." came a voice of reply. It was a scratch voice but she knew it right away. He was here. She turned and saw a white Moon Kitty, his crescent moon also shined like her's in the moonlight. "Artimas! Your alive! How can that be!" she gasped and was up. "I'm back Luna. That's all that matters." Artimas answered. She ran to him and rubbed her black head agasined his shoulder. "I've missed you! I thought you were dead! Gone forever!" Luna said and tears streamed down her black face. She pulled away and saw he was crying too. "Your still a cat? I though Catze turned you back?" Artimas said. "She betrayed me and has joined Tigra. But that doesn't matter. We have a group that is willing to find Echo! That means we can be together again. A family. You, me and Diana." Luna said while in tears. "Yes. I look forward to that day when we are together. Meanwhile our world is falling to pieces." he answered sadly. "What?" Luna gasped. He looked at her in the eyes. His blue eye's also watered with sadness. "Our Moon Kitties are slowly disappearing. Soon, they will be gone. You and your friends must destroy Tigra in order to bring back the ones lost and turn us all back to the way we were." he told her. "Artimas...." Luna whispered. "I trust you, my love. I'm sorry I can't join you on your journey. I must take care of Diana and the others. We all count on you, Luna. Take care and be safe. Soon, we will be human's again. I promise." Artimas said and turned, tears flew and sparked in the moonlight. He then disappeared into the night. Luna's tears also sparkled in the moonlight. "Be safe, my love. I promise I will find Echo. For you and my daughter." she whispered. Then, turned into the cave with a swish of her black tail and went in. Ash watched in the shadow's of the cave. "Luna has some secret." he whispered and followed her back in. She also watched Luna above in a tree. Her staff wasn't there right now. It then suddenly appeared in her hand. Her short, dirty blond hair ruffled from a light blow of wind. She held onto her staff with both hands in an attack from. She stood up fully instead of in her crouched position. Suddenly, a roar shook the land. She turned and saw a black shape coming to them. "A Shifter Dragon." she whispered. She leaped from her tree branch and in front of the cave. She used all her strength and hit the cave hard. It shook and rocks fell, waking everyone up. May looked up and saw a shadow leap away. "Amara." was all she said, but not one herd. Another roar shook the land. "I take it that's a Volcano Dragon." Gato sighed as they all ran outside. "Nope. It's a Shifter Dragon." Violet corrected. "But they died out years ago!" Sea Breeze cried. "They can only be made by evil and dark magic. That means," May begun. "Catze!" Tiger finished. The dragon roared and slammed on the ground. It shook and everyone fell over. Tiger was up. "Torpedo!!" He shot his attack. The Shifter Dragon suddenly glowed black. He then turned into a piece of rubber. The electricity was bounced away. He was unharmed. He glowed black again and turned in Tiger. The difference was his eye's were red. Tiger stepped back. "Weird." he said. "It's like a double image." Gato agreed. May's gold staff with the golden rose on top appeared in her hand. She raised it in the air and it let off green light. "Grass Poke'mon Power!" she shouted. The green light engulfed her and soon became leaves. They spun around her and made her battle clothes. Her grass green skirt appeared with her bow in the middle and short hand gloves. Her boots and choker appeared as well as her bow in the back. She grabbed her staff and was ready for battle. Saraya tore off the heart locket on her chest and opened it. A pink jewel was in the middle. She raised it into the air and pink light began to appeared, but sputtered. "Princess Poke'mon Power!" she yelled. The pink light engulfed her and made her battle clothes as well. Her pink skirt, her white outfit, her pink bow in the front and back, her choker with a yellow star, her berets in her hair, her long, white gloves and her long, pink boots. Her heart locket found it's place in the middle of her chest on her bow. She was ready for battle. "Let's get him! The all for one attack!" May yelled and held her staff up. It disappeared. Tiger stepped forward. "Torpedo!!" he yelled and shot his lightning attack. "Pi-ka CCHHHUUUU!!" Pikachu shot his lightning bolts as well. "Moon Power Beam!!" Luna cried and fired her yellow beam. "Water Arrow!!" Sea Breeze added to the yells and pounded the ground to send her arrow flying. "Ray!!" Gato screamed and shot her attack as well. "Gust of Wind!!" Violet came in and a gust of wind and sand was blown up. "Leaf Dance!!" May shouted and leaves circled around her. She pointed at Shifter Dragon and the razor shape leaves spun at him. "Poke'mon Pink Beam!!" Saraya finished and shot her pink beam from her two fingers. All the attacks went for Shifter Dragon. He growled and turned from Tiger to Catze, but her eye's were red. He held his hand and the attacks bounced away. "What is it going to take to beat this thing?" asked Gato as she backed away with the others. Ash was thinking fast but wasn't coming up with anything. The dragon shot a black beam from Catze's hand. Suddenly, "Power Beam!!" A huge yellow beam came flying down and struck Shifter Dragon. He cried in pain and turned back into his dragon from. A shadowy figure jumped from the trees and landed on the ground with ease. She held her staff tightly in both hands and pointed it at Shifter Dragon. He roared at her in anger. "Amara!" May gasped out loud. Amara saw her but did nothing. She keep her eye's fixed on Shifter Dragon. Shifter Dragon roared and charged. Amara stood still and her staff suddenly disappeared. She raised her right hand in the air and a yellow light was collected in her palm. She closed her hand around it and light came though her fingers. "Poke'mon World Shaking!!" she cried in her deep voice. She threw the yellow light down and it crashed to the ground. The ground rumbled and shook. Everyone backed away. "I'm hoping this is one of her attacks." Misty said as she backed away. The ground split and split right under Shifter Dragon. He roared as he was shaken from the attack. He fell into the crack and was shaken again by orange and yellow light. He then was normal and so was the ground, like it had never been touched. He roared and cried. Black light shot out from his body and he exploded in black smoke. Catze cried out in pain and almost fell. Black fire surrounded her and gave her more power. Shifter Dragon was part of her. The waves crashed higher on the cliffs. "They've destroyed Shifter Dragon, I see. Forget that. I've barely begun my attacks." she growled. Her black moon glowed brighter and brighter with darkness. She was becoming more powerful. Everyone stood to face this stranger known as Amara. May stepped forward. "You saved us. You must care." she said and held out her hands. "Come back to our side, Amara. You could be the true Fighting Queen again." Amara looked at May. Her staff appeared and she pointed it at May. May stepped back. "Why won't you join them if your not with Mewthree?" Ash yelled at her. Amara shot him an ice cold look. She raised her staff away from May and came to Ash. She them shot her staff forward like she was going to stab him. Pikachu scampered back behind Misty as well as Gato did. Everyone jumped back. Ash didn't move or step back. To there surprise, neither did Rachel. She stood beside him. Amara looked at him with her icy stare,her staff pointed. "I have my reason's." she said in her deep voice. "That's no reason why you don't join them." Ash answered. Amara stared at him with disgust. "I must protect my friend. You have no idea what its like to have to protect someone." Amara said and lowered her staff to rest on the ground. "That's not true! I have to protect a friend! He may be my Poke'mon, but he use to be a bad one and many want him dead! I protect him from that, even if he doesn't see or know that!" Ash told her in a loud voice. Tiger stared at him and blinked. Ash ment him. It was true. He did protect Tiger and he didn't really notice, till now. He stared at Ash, his red eye's watering. Amara watched him. She turned her back to him. "You are brave, but I still have more reason's not to join." Amara said. "But we miss you! Even my mom!" Saraya shouted, tears in her blue eye's. Amara closed her eye's tight. Tear's were in them. How she missed them too. She opened her watery eye's, though none saw this. "In the future, my friends. In the future." she said and leaped into the shadow's of the trees. May watched her leave and saw Amara's tears sparkle as she jumped away. Her own tears sparkled as the wind blew past. The tears were brought forward. Saraya was also in tears. Rachel looked at Ash. He turned and looked at everyone. "I know Amara will join us soon." Ash told the group. He looked at Luna. "That and every dream will come true soon as well." he said. Luna looked at him and gasped. She then looked away. They went back into the cave and slept the night. Amara watched with a smile. Her friend next to her. She had returned. "So, you saved them?" she asked. Amara nodded. "Why?" she asked her friend. "They may be enemies, but inside there friends." she said while watching May. She nodded and they both leaped away though the forest. The next morning, everyone was up and they walked down the path. A lot of problems were going on, some couldn't be fixed. Other's would be, in a bad way. To be continued.... Next Time: -Two new members to the group. -Catze's last warning. -A horrible shock to Ash on why his Heart Crystal is wanted by Catze.