Destiny

Disclaimer: I don't legally own Monster Rancher apart from the characters I
create and I don't legally own One Heart from the Pokemon 2000 soundtrack, I
also apologize for any similarities 
between my story and anyone else's (but if there is, they are 
just coincidences)

* * * * * 

Would you make a sacrifice if you knew that it was right, 
well, the answer's there if you look inside.
Will you run and hide or will you fight the fight, coz there's 
a power inside you and there's a battle to be won and every 
victory has a beginning, the way it always has begun
One day you'll realize it, that one hope is all you need, one 
dream that we can all share, one dream we all believe and 
we'll make that sacrifice just because we know it's right and 
we'll face the answers that's there inside, we won't run and 
hide, we're going to fight the fight

* * * * *  

Myst ran across the plain as behind her, Moo burst from the 
mountain, finally reunited with his body, then she saw Hare, 
Tiger, Moochi and Suezo standing in front of her, beckoning 
her, somehow Myst didn't feel complete without them
As she reached them and they stood together, a fiery light 
burst from the five monsters, formed a bird-like shape and 
flew towards Moo

* * * * * 

The young female Mint's eyes flew open, she sat up under 
her blanket with a gasp, sweating, then she saw Genki was 
awake 
"Wake up, everyone" he yelled, running round the clearing
"What?" Suezo moaned
"Tigress's gone into labor" 
"Push" Holly said
Tigress gritted her teeth and strained as Tiger paced up and 
down the clearing, clearly agitated
"I see one" Genki leant over the girl's shoulder
The tiny furless form started whimpering, Holly gently pushed 
it up to a teat on its mother's belly and it started suckling
"There are three more, I feel them" Tigress gasped
"Right" Holly nodded solemnly, positioning herself again 
"Aahhh" Tigress's scream rang through the clearing
Three hours later, Holly busily scrubbed her face and arms in 
the nearby river.
Tiger looked at the four cubs, who were all feeding like there 
was no tomorrow, then he and Tigress smiled at each other
"What now?" Suezo asked
"Yeah, can we travel with four babies?" Genki piped up
"No" Holly sighed, walking up, drying her hands
"Don't worry, I know the place where I wish to raise them, 
Holly, will you please bring them?" Tigress replied
Holly nodded, wrapped the four newborn cubs in a blanket and 
followed the lilac wolf, the others trailing after them
"Here"
The place Tigress had selected was a small wooded hill with a 
river down at the bottom, she walked up the hill and pulled a 
curtain of moss to one side, revealing a cave
"I found this place yesterday" the lilac she-wolf said
Holly gently lay the blanket on the ground, then Tigress carried 
the cubs into the cave, when the last was safely in, she looked 
at Tiger 
"The cubs can't travel, but I won't force you to stay" she said
Tiger stepped back in shock, he had made a promise, but he had 
a family now.
Closing his eyes for a minute, when he opened them again, tears 
were misting in them
"Tiger, aren't you coming?" Genki asked
The blue wolf turned to look at the boy before replying "I, I can't, 
I have other responsibilities now"
Genki spun round and stormed down the hillside, Holly sighed, as 
the others surrounded Tiger and Tigress, saying their goodbyes, 
but Tiger's eyes were fixed on the retreating boy as one by one, 
the rebels turned to leave, Hare was the last to go
Um, uh, take care" he mumbled nervously
"Just go" Tiger snorted
The rabbit nodded, turned and raced after the others
"Hey, wait up" 
Genki gritted his teeth and forced back his tears as he heard the others running
after him
"He has a family now" Holly said
"You're right, it's just that"
Something made Genki stop short and turn round, behind them, standing on a hill
and outlined by the setting sun was a familiar-
looking blue wolf, it threw its head back and howled a farewell 
before disappearing behind the hill again
"Goodbye, Tiger" Genki whispered

* * * * * 

The next morning, Genki sat with Moochi, both eating breakfast, 
while Myst sat meditating, Coal and Suezo were arguing, the Evil 
Hare had even drawn his sword and was waving it at the eyeball, 
who looked a little nervous
"Break it up, you two" Holly stepped behind them
Blue was playing his lute, Minette sitting at his feet, listening and 
then a pair of angry voices could heard from the direction of the 
river near the camp
"Looks like you're all wet"
"That wasn't funny"
Hare and Nancy walked into the campsite, Hare was wringing out 
his ears
"Life isn't all fun and games, you need to get more serious" the 
male rabbit actually sounded really angry
"Why?"
"Because, because you're an uncontrollable waste of time" 
A wet towel hit Hare in the face, then Nancy stormed off
"Women" the male rabbit snorted
"Oh, Hare" Holly was looking at him, sadly
"What?"
"Stupid male, telling me to get more serious" Nancy muttered, 
crashing through the forest, hitting the undergrowth with a stick 
she'd picked up
She didn't notice the dinosaur-shaped shadows creeping after her

* * * * *

"Something's coming" Coal stood at the edge of the camp
A large black oblong shape emerged from the forest
"Hey, it's Monol" Genki smiled
"What do you want?" Suezo demanded
"I have been searching for you, I've something to tell you"
"So tell us" Holly said
They waited, but there was no reply as a bubble emerged 
"WAKE UP!" Suezo screamed
"Sorry, where is the Golem?"
"He's gone" Holly said, sadly
"And the Tiger"
"He left, he's got a family now" Genki replied
"So what's so important?" Holly asked
"In order to defeat Moo, you must know this, the little pink one, 
the Suezo, the purebred Hare and the Tiger hold the Phoenix's 
soul inside them" Monol said
"You mean we" Hare and Suezo chorused together, sounding 
shocked as Moochi drew closer to Genki
Monol looked round the camp, then he floated over to Myst, 
who was deep in meditation
"You are the new fifth one" he said
Ice blue eyes flickered open as Myst nodded solemnly
"I must leave you now" and with that, the black oblong monster 
turned and floated back into the forest
"Nancy's been gone a long time, it normally takes her one minute 
to calm down" Blue piped up
"We should look for her, then" Holly replied
"Yeah, I guess" Hare said

* * * * * 

"NANCY" Genki yelled
"Nancy-chi" Moochi echoed
Then Myst and Minette both flew down from their aerial search
"There's no sign of her" the Mint reported
"Ok, now I'm really worried" Blue muttered
Looking over at Hare, Suezo opened his mouth, but Holly was 
instantly besides the eyeball
"Don't you dare" she gently warned
"Shush" Coal fell to his knees
Suezo was about to say something rude when Genki and Holly 
covered his mouth.
The Evil Hare lay on the ground, one ear pressed up against the 
earth
"Voices, coming from… that way" Coal pointed to a large plain 
beyond the forest's boundaries
Genki and the others moved towards the edge of the treeline.
A group of green speckled dinosaurs were standing right outside 
the forest, familiar collars and emblems round their necks
"Moo's Zuum troops" Holly whispered
The captain of the evil monsters was addressing his troops "No 
doubt about it, soldiers, Moo will reward us for this, the capture 
of one of the infamous rebels, bring the prisoner"
The rebels gasped as two of the Zuums brought Nancy forward, 
her paws bound in front of her and this dirty-looking gag in her 
mouth
"No" Hare breathed
Genki gritted his teeth "Charge" he yelled 
Suezo remained with Holly and Minette under the trees while the 
other rebels burst from the forest
"They're coming out the woodwork" one Zuum said
Nancy started to run towards them, but Captain Zuum grabbed 
her arm
"No, you don't" he hissed, falling back behind the other Zuums
"Take that, pest" sent flying by a Zuum's tail, Moochi hit a rock 
and collapsed
Genki looked round as he hit one in the jaw, Blue was down, a 
Zuum standing over him while Coal stood, his back to a rock, his 
sword moving to and fro.
Hare desperately tried to break through the dinosaurs to their 
captain, as Myst, in flight, was grabbed by an ankle and pulled 
down into the waiting clutches of the Zuums
"Genki, look out" Holly cried
A green streak sped towards him, then Genki felt something hit 
his head and he blacked out, but as he did so, a blue and white 
streak flew past him and into the Zuums
"Not him, retreat" Captain Zuum yelled
Then the darkness claimed the boy

* * * * * 

The boy opened his eyes, his head felt like it was on fire and a 
familiar blue shape was bending over him
"Tiger"
"What are you doing back?"
"Something inside told me to find you"
"What about Tigress and the cubs"
"She, she understands"
"Is everyone ok?" Genki said, looking round
"Genki, they took Myst" Holly emerged from the forest, Minette 
and Suezo following her
"I'm going after them, you with me" the boy said, his jaw set
"Yeah" everyone else chorused
As the rebels marched after the Zuums, Hare trailed after them, dragging his
feet, Holly fell back to join him
"This is all my fault, if I hadn't argued with Nancy, she and Myst wouldn't be"
Hare trailed off
The girl rested her hand on the rabbit's shoulder, trying to think 
of something comforting to say

* * * * * 

"Keep moving, prisoners" Captain Zuum ordered, giving Myst a 
push with his tail, she dropped to her knees, then
"Yahh" Myst suddenly spread her wings and flew low and fast 
along the plain, but a Zuum tail lashed out and caught her on 
the side of the head.
The Mint just collapsed, blood trickling from the area where she 
had been stuck
"Humph, damn, oh well, let's keep moving"
"What about the Mint, Captain?"
"She's dead, leave her" the leader of the Zuums gently rolled 
Myst over with his tail, she wasn't breathing
As soon as the Zuums had gone, Myst's eyes flicked open and 
she gasped for air, then started tearing at her bonds with her 
teeth

* * * * * 

"Let's go" Genki cried, starting to race across the plain
"Look" Holly pointed
A figure was flying towards them
"Myst"
The Mint swooped down, landing in front of the others
"You escaped" Genki cried
"Where's?" Hare started
"They left me behind because they thought I was dead, I'm 
sorry" Myst turned to him 
Hare bit his knuckle and slumped to the ground
"Hey, we can't rescue her if you just sit there, Hare" Genki 
said
"Right" he looked at the boy and got back up
"Oh, wait, the Zuums, they mentioned about Moo reunited with something"
The rebels stopped at Myst's words, the awful truth beginning 
to dawn
"We're gotta stop him" Genki cried
"They were heading for those mountains"
They raced across the plain and when the rebels reached the 
mountain range, they ducked behind a small hill
"Whoa" Genki breathed
An army of monsters loyal to Moo surrounded the central peak
"Now what?" Holly whispered
"It's risky, but I think if we keep our heads low and rush through 
those guys, we stand a fighting chance of getting past them" 
Hare replied
"Right" Genki skated down the slope, Moochi on his back.
Holly, riding on Tiger was right beside him, Minette and Myst flew overhead,
carrying Suezo, while the three Hares ran after them.
The rebels barreled through the evil monsters and reached the mountain, though
the baddies stared at the Searchers, not one 
moved towards the group
"I guess Moo told them to stay put" Hare whispered to Holly
"So we meet again" Captain Zuum stepped out from behind a 
natural pillar of ice, the rebels all saw the familiar brown figure 
behind him
"You want to deal with me" Tiger smiled and stepped forward
"No, no, arggh" Captain Zuum bolted down the ramp, disappearing 
into the mass of monsters
"The knots are too tight" Hare was trying to untie Nancy's bonds
"Here" Holly drew her dagger, slid the blade under the ropes and 
sliced them apart
"Why are you bothering with me, I thought I was a waste of time" Nancy said,
pulling the gag off, 
"Ouch" Suezo muttered
"I'm sorry" Hare whispered
Holly smiled as the two rabbits embraced each other, Genki peered through the 
ice, it wasn't too clear, but he could see this giant in golden armor advancing
on 
a huge creature
"We have to get in there" he cried
"Allow me" Minette stepped forward
Placing her hands on the ice, she called out "Flame Wall"
Nearly the others followed her as the young pixie slowly moved forward, her 
fire attack cutting a tunnel into the mountain, Hare and Nancy watched them, 
then the male rabbit slowly stood up
"Well, I guess this is goodbye" 
"What, what are you talking about?"
"Me, Tiger, Moochi, Suezo and Myst, we hold the Phoenix's soul, 
I have to do this, Nancy"
"But"
"Please don't forget what we had" Hare whispered, untying his bandanna and
gently placing it in Nancy's hand and leant forward for one last 
lingering kiss, then turned and raced into the mountain, leaving 
her behind as she sunk to her knees, clutching Hare's bandanna 
against her chest as tears filled Nancy's eyes
"Never" she whispered 

* * * * * 

"The rebels" Moo hissed, looking up as a small orange light burned through the
ice
The Searchers emerged from the ice wall
"Get ready" Myst called
The five monsters stood in a circle, Moochi stretched his hand out, then Suezo
placed his tongue on top of the little monster's hand as Tiger stood on his hind
legs and put his paw on top of the tongue.
Hare and Myst gently rested their hands on top of everyone else's
"No" Moo raised his hand, pointing it at the circle of monsters
Genki skated forward, he had to distract the golden-armored giant
"Hey, Moo, try and catch me" he yelled
Hare glanced at Tiger "Any regrets?"
"I just wish I could have seen my family one last time, you"
"Just one" Hare smiled sadly, picturing Nancy's face, a cheeky light burning in
her eyes
The five monsters started to slowly spin around, then as they spun faster and
faster
"Wha…?" Holly stared as the magic stone pulled at her neck, then 
the cord snapped and the stone flew over to Hare, Moochi, Suezo, Tiger and Myst.
It hovered above their joined hands, then an orange glow shot out 
of the stone and engulfed the monsters, Holly watched as within 
the light, her friends seemed to disintegrate in the light and then a 
bird made entirely of flames sprung forth
"Take this, boy" a black beam of light shot out from Moo's hand, heading 
straight for Genki
The Phoenix cried once, then a rainbow beam shot from its mouth, racing ahead of
Moo's, it hit the boy full on and he disappeared as rainbow sparks slowly fell
to the ground where he'd been standing
"Genki" Holly screamed
Then the firebird turned its attention to Moo
Blue grabbed Holly by the shoulders "We've got to get out of here" 
he cried
The girl just nodded dumbly and allowed herself to be led from the mountain
chamber.
Outside, the monsters were all looking at each other, muttering in confusion and
slowly drifted off, then with a roar, the mountain collapsed in on itself.
Holly frowned as a firebird soared from the peak, this was what 
she had quested for, but now the Phoenix had been found, why 
didn’t she feel like she had won, in her heart, she knew
"Suezo, Genki, gone, I'm alone" Holly slowly sunk to her knees, 
burying her face in her hands
"You're not" Blue knelt besides her
Holly smiled at the Blue Hare, Coal stood behind them, Minette 
landed in front of the trio, then she saw Nancy walking towards 
them.
Holly had been thinking of who she had lost, she had forgotten 
she still had some good friends
"Come on, let's go" she smiled through her tears

* * * * * * * * * *

"Huh" Genki looked around, he was in a familiar-looking city street 
"I'm, I'm home" he sunk to his knees
"Hey, kid, you ok" a man was standing nearby, staring at Genki
"I never got to say goodbye" tears were streaming down the boy's 
face
"Kids" the man snorted and walked off
Genki looked up, across the street, a little girl with a red bandanna round her
neck and her brown hair up in a ponytail walked along, a 
blue wolf teddy under her arm.
As pink blossoms fell round the boy, he closed his eyes, he could almost hear
Blue playing his lute, then Genki opened them again
"No matter how long it takes, I will find a way back" and new determination
filled the boy's face

* * * * * 

Epilogue
One month later
A lone lilac wolf sat on a wooded hillside watching the silver male heading
towards her though the night
"You are Tigress of the Wind" he said on reaching her
"Yes, and you are"
"My name is Gray Wolf"
Tigress nodded, then called "Tiger, Lilac, Indigo, Silver, come meet 
your uncle" 
The cubs crept from the den and a tear trickled down Grey Wolf's cheek, the
males looked like his lost brother and himself.
As for the two females, one looked like Tigress and the other had indigo-colored
fur, suddenly the cub called Tiger walked forwards, sniffed at the gray male and
his tail started wagging, no-one saw 
the ghostly blue wolf watching them from the shadows, it smiled 
and faded into the darkness
Far away in a small town, a female Hare, a red bandanna around 
her neck stood out on a balcony, watching the stars and swaying gently to the
music of a lute coming from the room behind her, not seeing the ghostly male
rabbit standing right behind her, his arms wrapped tenderly around her body,
gently holding her arms as he 
slowly swayed to the music with her
While in another world, a brown-haired youth skated down a street, 
then he stopped and stared up at the stars, which were shining as brightly as
the two tears which slid down his face 
"Holly" he whispered