I feel like crying and laughing at the same time or doing something equally insane. I'm just so glad to be back! I must have a really dumb grin on my face . . . in fact I know I do because Shigeru is giving me 'I don't know why I let a lunatic like you become my friend,' looks. Then again that might be to do with the fact that his grandfather saw him in the dress . . . it wasn't my fault that he decided to visit my mum the same time we did! Ah well . . . at least he didn't have to return to the clan's stronghold like that. One of the girls went over to the fortress to inform Mei that there would be guests-several- for tea and she brought back some of his clothes.

"You are not to tell anyone of this incident, understand?" he said.

I grin and let him panic as I pretend to ponder it. "Weeelllll . . . "

"Sato-chan!"

"Aw, you know I won't. Oh look! There's the gates! And there's the Ponyta!"

"Sato-chan, the Ponyta have always been there."

"I know . . . but I just haven't seen them awhile. Oh, look! There's the laundry!"

"Hai . . . Sato-chan, you do realise I live here right?"

"Oh . . . sorry," I smile. Am I imagining it or does Shigeru sound the tiniest bit sarcastic . . .

"What's bothering you, Geru-chan?"

"Nothing. I just have to make my report to the clan-elders . . . I don't know if they'll like it."

"What's not to like?" I ask him. "You not only brought Pikachu back safely but you defended it against the poison-clan too."

"Pikachu!" Pikachu assures him. He showed up with Meowth and Onix shortly after Kasumi and Hiroshi arrived. Although they'd set out earlier than us, we'd overtaken them . . . partly due to the fact that neither of us could wait to see our respective families again.

"It's not as easy as that. There's all this inter-clan politics . . . believe me, someone will find something wrong with what I've done . . . I'm also afraid I'll stuff things up for you."

"For me?" I repeat, astonished.

"Hai . . . I wasn't kidding about asking my grandfather to adopt you. I want to ask him tonight."

Tonight . . . I could get my home back and my dream come true! "Geru-chan . . . "

"Don't get excited yet . . ." he warns.

"Shigeru!" His grandfather calls him. "Come, the council is waiting for us."

"Of course Grandfather," Shigeru calls back. "Satoshi, why don't you have a look round the hold, catch up with everyone. Show Kasumi and that round too while you're at it."

"Hai . . . " I smile and squeeze his hand. "You're the best friend I'll ever have," I tell him before going to join the others.

"How's Takeshi?" I ask.

"Feeling a little better . . . " the rock trainer is sitting up unsteadily in the back of the wagon. He gives me a light smile. "It's nice to see you again, Ash."

"Nice to see you," I laugh. "Hey there, Arcanine. Best get you to the healer, right?"

Arcanine barks agreement.

Takeshi asks about Akeiko . . . for some reason I'm reluctant to let him know he was tricked. He's not put off by the vague answers Hiroshi, Kasumi and I give him . . . but he is distracted as Healer Joi takes charge of his wounds.

"We'll see you later, Takeshi!" I say, as I grab Kasumi and Hiroshi's hands and pull them along behind me. "What do you want to see first?"

Kasumi laughs. "You're the one who hasn't been home for years. Why don't you take us wherever you want to go."

"Okay," I grin. Our first stop are the Pokémon, our second the kitchen. Shigeru's Ponyta is now a Rapidash . . . which still doesn't prevent him from trying to eat my hair. The little Charmander we used to play with is now a Charmeleon, and Katsura's Magmar is still as sullen as ever . . . "How is Katsura-san?" I ask the Pokémon attendants.

"The same," is the response. "You remember of course that Ookido-san made him second in command after Shigeru's father died?"

I sighed. "Hai . . . " only too well if the truth was known . . . Katsura's duties included instructing Shigeru and myself in the clan-history and politics. I always got the feeling he hated me. Or maybe it was just the fact that I couldn't follow his extremely detailed lessons without yawning that annoyed him . . . Oh well.

Hiroshi, Kasumi, Pikachu and I sat on the kitchen steps eating the food the cooks--delighted at seeing me, their greatest fan, again--had given us. We smile as we watch Meowth and the Squirtle finally tucking into their promised meal. They make my table-manners look good . . .

"Happy to be home?" Hiroshi asks me.

"Hai . . . so much," I tell him. "This has been such a great day." I sigh and Pikachu climbs into my lap and chirps softly. "If only . . ." I hugged her tightly. Perhaps at this moment the council would be discussing whether or not Pikachu would be permitted to stay with me. I knew Shigeru would argue for me . . . but would he be able to convince the rest of the councilors that a nobody like me should be allowed to keep a Pokémon so valuable?

"Sato-chan . . ."

Pikachu yelps as I stand so quickly I almost loose her. "Mei! How good to see you!"

"How good to see you. I sometimes didn't think we would again, you know."

Shigeru's sister is practically my sister too. She hugs me. "This place has been lonely without you."

"You missed me?"

"I think everyone did. Hello, Kasumi-san, Hiroshi-san . . . I'd invite you to dinner but I can see Satoshi's already taken care of that." She laughs. "I'd have come earlier but I was serving the councilors."

For some reason I'm unable to ask what I so desperately want to know.

There's a hand placed gently on my shoulder. "Excuse me, Mei-san. You wouldn't be able to tell us what's been discussed? What is going to happen to the Pikachu?"

I don't know how Hiroshi knew but I'm glad he did.

"Oh . . ." she sighed. "There's all sorts of different opinions. I think most favour keeping it here although a few think we should give it to the Poison-clan. They fear another inter-clan war . . ."

"Pika-CHu," Pikachu states clearly his intention of never returning to the Poison-clan.

"Don't worry," I tell him. "I'm not about to let that happen either."

Mei looks at us sympathetically. "I have duties," she murmurs apologetically.

I sigh, holding Pikachu tight as she leaves. I don't want to think I might have to let go . . .

"You know, I've always heard the defence walls of the fire-clan stronghold were very good. Would you mind taking me over them?" Hiroshi asks. He's trying to distract me. Well I could do with a bit of that.

"Okay. Kasumi, you want to come?"

"Of course."

"Well then . . . "

"You certainly have a splendid view from up here," Hiroshi comments.

"It's amazing! Look at that sunset . . . so . . . " Kasumi just sighs happily.

"Yeah . . . "

I lean back against the wall to watch them. I've got an odd tight feeling in my throat as I realise that they will be leaving soon. After all, they were sent just to bring Pikachu back here . . . now that's done . . .

"Satoshi!"

Shigeru? He almost never calls me Satoshi --"Hai?"

"Come down here!"

He sounds angry. Gulping I jump down the ladder that leads to the battlements quickly. What can be wrong? Oh no --not the talks!

"Hai Geru-chan?"

"Why didn't you tell me!"

He's mad . . . at me? "T-tell you what?"

"Come on Satoshi--you know what I'm talking about! How--how could you not tell me? You called me your friend--"

"Geru-chan, please . . . "

"Well maybe friend doesn't mean anything to you anymore . . . "

"Geru-chan! Tell me what you're talking about!" I wail. Hiroshi and Kasumi are watching from the wall, shocked into silence. Ookido-san and the councilors have gathered behind Shigeru quietly. Oh hell . . . what is going on?

"Maybe this will make it clear," Shigeru holds up a scroll. "Now do you understand?"

"No."

"How can you not? Satoshi, I found this in the obi of the kimono you lent me!"

I stare at it. Now I remember . . . "I found it in the tunnels of the poison-clan lair, you know when Pikachu and I were getting out? I don't understand . . . is there something wrong with it?"

"Wrong with it?" Shigeru just stares at me. There are tears on his cheeks. Startled I move to try and brush them away but he shoves me back, hard. "Don't try that! You know --you must know --"

"Excuse me, Shigeru," Ookdio-daimyo comes and stands right in front of me. "Look at me, Satoshi."

He used to do this when we were little and had done something stupid. I'm reminded of the time I accidentally left the latch on the gate of the Ponyta's enclosure up . . . I tried to convince everyone that maybe the Ponyta could have twisted the latch themselves but one look from Ookido-san and I gave it up completely. I know lying to him would be impossible . . . "Hai, Ookido-daimyo."

"Tell me, have you looked at this paper?"

"No. I mean, I looked at it when I picked it up . . . something to do with the storm clan, isn't it?"

"Hai. Satoshi, you really have no idea what it says?"

I just shook my head.

"Oh gods . . . " Ookido-daimyo is . . . laughing? "Oh gods, that is just so you Satoshi- to carry around a piece of paper of this import and not read it."

"Pikachu." Pikachu seems to know I need comforting and hops into my arms. "Pika-pi."

I look at Shigeru and he just stares back at me. There's a lot of distance in his eyes. I'm not sure I really want to know this but . . . "Ookido-daimyo? Why . . . what's in the paper?"

"Satoshi. . . " Ookdio-daimyo goes grave. "Perhaps it would be best if we didn't . . . "

"What?"

He sighs and takes my hand. "Satoshi . . . " but in the end he's not the one who tells me.

"The paper is your true identity, Satoshi."

Ookido-san gasps. I hear Kasumi squeal and various surprised noises from the rest of the people watching . . . apparently none of us noticed Matisse-san's arrival. The heavily built samurai laughs as he jumps down from the battlements. He gives Ookido-daimyo an ironic bow.

"Greetings fire-leader."

"Matisse." Ookido-daimyo frowns. "You were the samurai who was hanging around Satoshi all those years ago? I didn't recognise you."

"I'd fallen on hard times," Matisse-san laughs without humour. "I was also in no hurry to be recognised. I was afraid you might guess why I wanted Satoshi."

"I see."

"I don't," I said plaintively.

"Who is this ronin?" Shigeru interrupted. "What has he got to do with this?"

"Matisse was once a trusted aide of the former Storm-clan leader," Ookido-daimyo says.

Matisse- of the storm-clan? "But . . . weren't the storm-clan killed?"

"Oh Sasaki-san did his best," Matisse laughed. "But he missed a few. Look at your Pikachu, boy-you didn't think it just appeared out of nowhere?"

Well I'd never wondered where Pikachu had come from . . . I'd been more concerned with keeping him. "I guess not . . ."

"Pika-pi!" Pikachu says affectionately. That gives me the courage to ask, "But what has the paper got to do with me? How can it be my identity?"

"It's written by the hand of the former Storm-Lord himself, identifying you Satoshi Toraeru as a member of his house."

Kasumi and Hiroshi gasp behind me.

Toraeru? "His house?" I say weakly.

Takeshi --when did he get here? --says "I knew it!" and grins. I can only stare at grave Ookido-daimyo and unsmiling Matisse-san and wonder how this can be.

"Hai . . . Your father was the Lord's third son. He fell in love with your mother. Although he couldn't marry her, the Lord permitted him to adopt you as his heir. That must have been among the last living acts the Lord did . . . the next day the poison-clan attacked, leaving you the only surviving member of the Storm-clan nobility." Matisse-san clapped one of his big heavy hands on my shoulder. "I found the paper snooping round the poison clan fortress for the stuff they'd taken from our stronghold, trying to figure out what had happened. That was my hiding place you took it out of, kid. I only hoped Sasaki-san hadn't realised he's missed you. I had a heck of a time finding you . . . your mother changing her name didn't make it any easier I can tell you ."

"I'm . . . nobility?"

"Nobility? You're a clan-leader!" Matisse looks like he'd like to shake me.

"Oh."

"Pika-pi?"

I try to fasten on the one good thing in all of this. "This means I get to keep Pikachu, right?"

"I'd like to see anyone try and stop you," Matisse-san declares.

"You have the rank and the right to keep Pikachu if that is your wish, Satoshi-san," Ookido-daimyo says more calmly.

I just stare at him. "San?" I . . . . he . . .

"But Daimyo! Surely you don't wish to give up the Pikachu! It's too important."

The courtiers start to babble again.

"Enough!" Matisse-san has both a very loud voice and little patience. "Come on Satoshi. It's time you knew about your family."

"I . . ." he expects me to follow him. But . . . I'm so confused.

"You want to be a samurai? Don't you? You can. Just come with me. Forget them . . ."

Forget Shigeru and Ookido-daimyo and Kasumi and Hiroshi and Charizard and everybody? I don't know if I can. "I need to think . . . " I murmur, hugging Pikachu.

"Of course," Ookido-daimyo shoos everyone away. "Why not take the battlements . . . take as long as you want. I'll see you're not disturbed."

"Thank-you."

"Matisse-san, would you care to join us . . ."

"I care nothing for fire-clan hospitality, Ookido. Satoshi, when you decide to come with me I'll be waiting by the city gates." I watch Matisse leave then climb the ladder to the battlements.

"Sato-chan . . ." It's Shigeru.

"I don't want to talk to you," I say, pulling the ladder up after me.

"But Satoshi!"

I turn my back on him and take off down the battlements. There's this old cracked tower that's not used for guard duty anymore and I used to have a hiding place in it's stones, where I went whenever Shigeru and I had fought . . .

"Pika-pi, Pikachu, PiKAchu. . ." Pikachu murmurs curling up against me. "Pikachu."

Even Pikachu can't distract me from how lost I feel . . . I only just got back and found Shigeru and then he was mad at me and everything is wrong . . .

"Bulba?"

"Bulbsaur?" I sniffle. "And Caterpie?"

"We was worried," Meowth says. "Well when I mean we, I mean dey were. You okay?"

"Squirtle, squirt."

"So everybody knows now?" I wipe my face on the back of my hand. "I guess I'm okay. I just don't know what to do."

"No?" Meowth sits down. "I've never understood humans. You'd tink if you found out you was nobility dat'd be pretty hot."

"You don't understand. See . . . the storm-clan and the fire-clan have hated each other for years. If I become a storm-clan member then . . . Shigeru and Ookido-daimyo and everybody would hate me!"

"Now kid . . . I'm sure you're over-reacting."

There is a slight noise outside. "Satoshi?"

Oh great . . . Katsura. "H-hai?" I try to sound as if I haven't been crying.

"Come on out. I have a message for you from Ookido-daimyo."

I sigh and wriggle out of my hiding place. "What is it?"

He laughs. "Die."

I glance up at that and see a silvery blur heading towards me. I just manage to get to one side. There is an immediate pain all along my upper left-arm and I cry out.

"You're not going to make this easy, are you?" Katsura smiles.

"I . . .you . . . what are you doing?" I gasp, scrambling to my feet and backing away as he approaches again.

"Making sure the storm-clan never challenges the authority of the fire-clan again. Ookido-daimyo will thank me for it . . ."

"Ookido-daimyo will . . . " I can't believe him. I don't want to believe him . . .

"Magmar! Flame thrower!"

Oh gods . . . his Magmar was behind me all along . . . I don't have a chance of dodging . . .

"Pikachu!" Pikachu jumps forward to defend me.

"No! Don't!" I cry out. "Pikachu, you don't have a chance against Magmar . . . "

"Squirtle! Waterguns! Now!"

"Why you . . . " I just have time to draw my hatana blade before Katsura is on me. I don't have time to think, I just have to react, bringing my blade up to block his as Matisse taught me . . . I think I surprise him, he didn't expect me to be able to defend myself. I'm glad of that at least though I don't think I can do this much longer. My arm is hurting and I feel dizzy . . . I trip against something and fall.

"You shouldn't have bothered," Katsura smiles as he moves into finish me off. "All you've done is delay the inevitable--Waaarrgh!"

"CHUUUUUUU!!"

I gasp as he falls to reveal a smirking Pikachu. "Pikachu . . . I--thank-you!"

"We ain't exactly been inactive either!" Meowth smirks. I turn to see Charizard throw an unconscious Magmar aside contemptuously. "Here kid . . . you're hurt!" he says as I try to stand and fail, sliding back helplessly against the stone of the battlements. "Stay here . . . we're going to get help!" Meowth rushes off, the Squirtle and Bulbasaur going with him.

I sniff. I don't want to see Ookido-daimyo, anyone to do with the fire-clan . . . I don't truly believe Ookido-daimyo would send someone to kill me but he might be sorry that such an attempt failed . . .

"Pika-pi?"

"No, I'll be fine . . . I've just got to get to Matisse-san!" I try to stand up again and it doesn't work.

"Char."

Charizard walks over to me and bends down.

"You want me . . . on your back?" My arm twinges again and I decide not to argue. I climb on rather awkwardly, Pikachu jumping at once into my lap. "Thank-you. Take us to the City gates."

"Preee!" Caterpie wails.

"Tell Meowth to tell the others," I call as we take off. Oh gods . . . I hurt . . . and it's not just my arm. Shigeru . . . and my mother . . . she could have told me. She should have . . .

"I knew you'd come," Matisse says as I approach, then gasps as he sees I can't walk without swaying. "You're hurt. What happened?" He doesn't wait for an answer but seizes my arm and pulls away the sleeve. I look away as he inspects the wound.

"Pika-pi . . ." Pikachu murmurs from Charizard's back.

"Who did this?" Matisse demands.

"Katsura . . ."

He picks me up. "We'll get this fixed at once. Katusra, eh? He'll pay for this. Well what are you waiting for? Shoo! Back to the flame-heads!"

"Pikachu! Pika-pika!"

"Unh . . . Matisse-san? Pikachu says Charizard wants to come with me." I couldn't believe it myself . . .

"Is that so?" Matisse stares at the fire-lizard who stares back just as hard, then chuckles. "I'd like to see old Ookido's face when he realises you've just walked off with the clan's prize lizard."

I'd have liked to protest that I wasn't walking off with anything --literally-- but everything went fuzzy and I didn't.

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