Matt rolled out of the way as his were-self lunged at him. He desperately attempted to dodge the attacks. But despite his efforts, the werewolf landed a mean swipe on him and he was thrown back against a tree. Matt knew he was in trouble.
He's far stronger then me... he thought. But I HAVE to beat him! I need to help the others!
Matt composed himself and engaged his enemy. The two engaged in a heavy bout of slashes and parries. They whirled around the clearing, a dance of blades and claws. They battled for what seemed like hours. Equally matched, it was the fiercest battle Matt had ever been in. Weaving between attacks, dodging bites, slashes and swipes. The two couldn't land a blow on each other. That is for a while...
Matt began to tire, while his opponent didn't even slow down. It seemed that his were-self had limitless stamina. He knew he couldn't continue for much longer...
Matt slipped. The beast got a heavy blow on him that knocked him on his back. The werewolf pounced on him and pinned him. Matt struggled to escape the hold, but it was no use.
His were-self let loose a howl.
"This is the end of the line for you..." it muttered, shining insanity reflecting in its eyes.
NO! thought Matt. Millions of thoughts raced through his mind. What would happen to his new-found friends? And the city of fourside with a monster wreaking carnage for it? And could the evil presence be stopped?
"I..have..to..suceed!" stammered Matt. He summoned up all his strength and launched the monster of of him. He clambered onto his feat and prepared for his final attack.
I haven't needed to use this attack for a long time... thought Matt. He struggled to concentrate, knowing it was his onyl chance.
Matt formed his hands into a triangle on his forehead. He closed his eyes and concentrated.
"Starless Night..." he whispered.
It's really quite difficult to explain what happened after this. It was all blur in Matt's mind and confusing for him to follow. At first it seemed as if a Starstorm was being cast, but as if there were no stars. Yet there were, but they were not doing the damage. It's as if the darkness itself was striking his foe.
The last thing Matt remebered before forever leaving the realm of his mind was the unearthly howl of his vanquished foe. The world collapsed behind him, and Matt was placed back in control of his corporal body; with no clue where he was or what he was doing...

Siris, Luna, and Skulryk watched from a distance as Cyan and Harsemhin clashed.
Skulryk spoke. "I gotta get closer. Something's happened to Cyan! Do you want to come?
Siris shook his head. "Look at that!" He pointed to where Harsemhin and Cyan were fighting. The sugemo and stellar energies clashed, and each fighter seemed evenly matched. However, no matter who won, the outcome would not be good. "If we go over there, they'll vaporize us. I'm staying back here. However..." Siris peered closer at the two combatants. "I know the other man! He's Harsemhin! He was in the cafe!"
Luna looked between Siris, Skulryk, and the ongoing battle. "I... I don't know..." Luna said. She looked at the ground. "I think I'll stay back here for now."
Skulryk shook his head, and ran closer, his heavy camera case swinging by his side. He gathered near Dan. He flipped his camera case on the ground and set up his camera and tripod. Only once it had been set up did he notice Monotoli.
"M... Mr. Monotoli?" Skulryk said in suprise.
Monotoli stared at Skulryk blankly for a moment, then recognition swept over his face. "Aah, Skulryk! I remember. You look different from the last time I saw you."
Dan, who was both watching the battle and the two of him, said to Skulryk, "You know him?"
Skulryk turned his camera on, catching the action, but muted his personal microphone. As he looked through the camera and followed Cyan and Harsemhin, he said, "After Monotoli's status fell, he became a reporter. He's gone through a couple jobs, a real-estate salesman and president of the biggest business in fourside for a couple. We went to classes together."
Monotoli watched him. "Are you still working for the Eagleland News Network? I didn't think their cameramen were so... unorganized."
Skulryk made a face at the mention of the Eagleland News Network, and turned away from his camera for a moment. "I don't work for those people anymore. They're freaks on organization. Why, if everyone were like that, we wouldn't have any breaking news! No, the action comes from guys like me!" Skulryk stood up, and said proudly, "I'm Skulryk, freelance reporter!"
Monotoli simply stared at this spectacle, unimpressed. "So, in other words, you got fired." Even though Dan was watching the battle, he let out a laugh.
Skulryk turned back to the camera rather grudgingly. "I prefer to say I became a freelance reporter." He picked up his microphone and unmuted it, and began to watch the battle. He heard Cyan scream "Black Noose!", and he lifted up the other combatant in the air, floating away.
"Crap!" Skulryk said. He took the camera from his tripod and raced under them, but Cyan took note of Skulryk and sent a wall of ice to block his path using his Ice Shards technique. Skulryk cursed as he hit the wall and fell down, but got back on his feet. Looking back, Skulryk noticed they had gone past the buildings, and were out of sight. He ran down a nearby alley in an attempt to catch up with him.
Siris had begun to approach the battle at this moment, and watched Skulryk run down the alley. "Skul, wait!" he shouted. It was too late. Skulryk had turned a corner, and who knew where he was now. Siris sighed as he walked with Luna towards the others.

"Where did Skulryk go?" Luna asked.
"I don't know," Siris responded. "But it's my opinion that we should find him. I also want to keep an eye on Cyan to make sure he doesn't kill anybody or anything. Are you guys with me?"
The others nodded. Siris closed his eyes in search of Skulryk's aura. He concentrated for a second, then opened his eyes and sighed.
"Darn," he muttered. "I can't find him."
"Why not?" Dan asked.
"It could be anything," Siris replied. "Maybe he's too far away, maybe I'm not familiar enough with his aura, I don't know. I guess I'll try to find Cyan, then. I still think we need to follow him."
Siris concentrated once again. "His energy is strong. I can sense him from here." Siris lifted himself into the air, and pointed in a certain direction. "That way, let's go." As hey began to fly in the appropriate direction, he noticed something was amiss.
"Oh yeah," Siris sweatdropped. "I don't suppose you can fly...?"
"No...... we can't...." said Luna clearly. Siris chuckled nervously. Siris righted himself, and fiddled with his fingers. "Okay... well, I've got an idea of what to do. Let me just try this flight spell.... it won't last too long, but it should last long enough to find Cyan." He chanted quietly under his breath, and Luna felt herself be affected by some force. Afterwards, she found that she could will herself as she pleased in the air.
"We'd better hurry," said Siris. They began to sail off to the signal that Siris was getting.
Below them, they heard a shout. "Not so fast!" cried a boy's voice angrily. "We need to talk to you!"
Siris looked down. "Huh? ..... wait, that's TsuramiSea! And a guy from the café - AND A WEREWOLF! What are they doing here?!"
"Give up! The great one will not have you interfering with his plans!" shouted TsuramiSea in a harsh voice.
Meanwhile, Kyle was following behind Matt, who had begun to stumble. Matt... what's happening to him?
The fur on Matt's body seemed to be shrinking away, his snout shriveling. "Whe..... where am.... I..." he croaked drowsily.
"Matt?" said Kyle quietly as he dashed over to Matt's side.
"Ky..le..... where are we?"
"We're still in Fourside. You went dark on us, and turned into a werewolf. I think that the dark presence must have taken you over. After attacking us a little, you made TsuramiSea go dark by channeling its energy. He's still like that. Cyan also went dark too, so I assume it got him. Right now we're following the other people who were with Cyan."
Both turned to face the scene in front of them. Three figures were floating in the sky, staring down at them. TsuramiSea was close by, leering upwards. Dan was standing next to Cirra, who had sunken to the ground.
"Harsemhin...." she choked.
"Don't worry, we'll see him again, I'm sure," said Dan, trying to comfort her.
Cirra turned on Dan with fiery eyes. "How do you know?! For all we know, Cyan's going to hurt Harsemhin now...."
"Rita, relax," said Dan calmly. "I know things look bad, but we have to keep hope. You're not going to give up on him, are you?" Cirra sniffed, but thought about this. Dan grinned warmly. "Maybe I just play too many video games and the plots are starting to get to me, but I don't think that we should give up just yet."
Cirra swallowed. "You're right. I'm sorry.... those others seem to be following him.... so maybe we should follow them?"
"Good idea. With any luck, we'll find out what's going on here." Just then, TsuramiSea stepped up about five yards away from them.
"Hold it! You've been interfering!" he growled.
"Huh? Who are you?" said Dan.
"Who this used to be is no matter. I control the boy's body now."
Cirra remembered similar words from the other boy she had seen in the mall that attacked her. "You again! Why do you want me dead? And why do you have to steal the bodies of others to do it, you coward?!"
"I wouldn't call me a coward," hissed Tsurami. "You're the one who needs to be afraid. I will get rid of you eventually."
"TsuramiSea! Stop it! Fight him!" Tsurami whirled to face Kyle and Matt, who was almost completely human again. His eyes widened in disbelief.
"No... how was master's control broken?!" He looked at all of the people around him. "I'll just have to kill you all using this boy's powers!"
Dan pulled out his Zapper and waved it in warning. "You do realize that you're outnumbered?"
'TsuramiSea' may have retorted that he didn't care what happened to the body, but he couldn't, as he had already begun to chant an attack spell for multiple targets.

"Mmmm..." Siris groaned. "Ack!"
Siris's ears perked up when he heard the first few arcane words from TsuramiSea's mouth. It wasn't enough that he couldn't find Cyan, oh no, of course not. It wasn't enough that Cyan had been overcome by darkness, and had carried away Harsemhin. Siris reeled in frustration and confusion. Too much was going on at once; he couldn't stand it. He tried to focus on the most immediate threat: Tsurami's arcane chant. Siris chanted a spell of his own.
Siris muttered a few words, followed by one word in the English language: "Denial!" As Tsurami finished chanting his spell, a ray of bluish-white energy surged forth to negate any magical power from Tsurami. The Denial spell was a bit too late, however, and Siris found himself knocked back by the residual blast. Siris fell to the pavement, and kneeled heavily on his right knee.
Too much... too much was happening. Cyan's disappearance, Harsemhin's kidnapping, the arrival of several people Siris didn't recognize... All of the frustration and confusion gathered in Siris's mind, and suddenly he realized what was about to happen.
"N... no!" he shouted. "No!" Siris gasped for air, trying desperately to control himself. "Luna... keep her away..." This was his attempt to warn his friends to stay away from him.
"NOO!!!" Siris gave a final shout, and sprung up lightly. His hair rose and stood on end, turning to a bright green color. His aura flared and became visible, a dark, flashing green. His eyes turned green as well.
Siris stood on the pavement. His frustration and confusion had forced the transformation to his unique Super-Sapien form.

Mike's look-alike cleared his throat to re-establish his presence and to point out that he was ready to talk. After waiting for about a minute, Mike spoke up.
"Yes? What are you going to say?"
"Well, as I already told you, this isn't the reality that you originally come from. In fact, we exist in an entirely different type of reality. I am, essentially, a projection of my true self from another universe."
"What?" Mike furrowed his brow in thought.
"I mean exactly what I say." RG was puzzled, and so was Mike. "Now, that's not even the most shocking thing that I've told you. I am, in fact, you. Just in a different dimension."
Mike's face lost all color. "Naw. That can't be true."
"But it is. I know everything that you know. We are thinking alike, even."
"I see... then what am I thinki-"
"Fishsticks."
Mike blinked. RG looked at Mike quizically. "Hey Mike, is that what you were thinking about?"
"Yeah. But I bet that that's just a coincidence." Mike secretly began to think about something else.
"I know what you're thinking. Of course, I won't tell you because this is a rather deep thought. I don't want to embarass you in front of your friends or anything." Mike's look-alike took a deep breath. "Anyways, I'm here to tell you that the leaders of the various cities are using their power and contacts to aid a great evil."
"Okay. What does this have to do with me, or with RG, or with anybody?"
"Well, you are the one that is going to expose it to the world."
"I see. What do we do if we were to do that?"
"Well, you can utilize other people to essentially defeat this greater evil."
"Hmm..."
"Look, that is all that I'm going to tell you. For now, at least. Goodbye." The look-alike moved his hand and RG and Mike reappeared in Fourside. They were standing near the bakery.
Mike cleared his throat. "Well, that was interesting. Perhaps we should go look for a news agent of some sort to tell our story. ... But I'm sure that they won't believe us, unless... Skulryk..." His statement was left unfinished, as if he were thinking. RG looked up and stared intently at the sky.
"Do you hear that?" RG was looking around. As he checked the area, he drew his gun. "It sounds like fighting."
Mike listened closely. "Why, I think you're right."
RG ran off. "I'm goin' to the fight," he yelled back.
Mike stood near the wall to the bakery, thinking over his next move. He took a deep breath and started after RG. Mike, having no intention to fight somebody, figured that he could at least see for himself why there was fighting occuring.

"Will you let me go?" Harsemhin whined.
"No," Cyan curtly said, and returned to searching for Ness.

Ness pounded on the walls of Mani Mani's old base.
"Come back, you chicken!" he cried.
Ness attacked with his Legendary Bat, and the wall shattered.
"Finally!" he exclaimed. "Free! Free to find Mani Mani and avenge my friends' deaths!"
He replaced his bat in his backpack and hurried out of the base.

Mani Mani crumpled slightly.
"That fool, Ness," he concluded, "must have defeated my illusion by attacking it. But my goals will not be defeated. I will reach the Zenith of my power, and I will create a perfect world. A perfect world... of illusion!"
Mani Mani began to laugh maniacally, the volume of his voice rising with each new laugh.

Ness' ears perked up.
"That laugh!" he exclaimed. "The voice! It's so similar... but whose is it?"
He listened intently for a while longer.
"Of course!" Ness snapped his fingers. "Mani Mani!"

Cyan espied the scene intently, searching for Ness.
"Let me go!" Harsemhin pleaded.
"Please be quiet," Cyan hissed, "or my sword and your neck might become very close friends."
"I'll be quiet," Harsemhin squeaked.
What could I use to escape him? He doesn't seem right in the head now, Harsemhin thought, but he's clearly capable enough to hurt me severely...
"WHERE IS HE?" Cyan angrily cried. "Tell me, Harsemhin! Where's Ness?"
Cyan began to hover idly.
He turned around, picked Harsemhin up by the scruff of his robe and stared Harsemhin in the eyes.
"Tell me now. Harsemhin. Where is NESS?"
"I... don't know..."
"No! You know, don't you? You're pretending you don't know where he is, but you do!"

Ness peered timidly from the side of a wall.
"Where was that voice coming from?" he asked himself out loud. "I know it's Mani Mani... but where's he now?"

Skulryk raced around the alleys of fourside, his camera held up high, but he had lost all sight of Harsemhin and Cyan. Still, he blindly ran through the streets of Fourside.
"Smeg..." he said to himself. "That's it... They're gone. No way I'll find them now..."
Although he had lost hope, he made one last desperate attempt. Using the highest zoom setting on his camera, he looked upward as he ran, trying to catch a glimpse of something.
"Ooh, I think that's... no, that's just a bird... Oh man..."

As he ran through the streets staring at the sky through his camera, he did not realize he had come right back to the bakery. He also did not realize there was a person there... until he ran straight into him.
Mike, already in a state of caution, almost shot Skulryk's head right off. However, he quickly managed to regain his composure as he recognized the young reporter who was sprawled on the ground. Mike stared at him, and said "Skulryk?"
Skulryk grumbled for a moment, checking his camera to make sure that everything was in place; the tape had been jostled around a little, but no damage had been done. When he saw who he had run into, he recoiled a little. "Uh... Mike?"
Mike laughed nervously. "Well, what a strange coincidence I run into you now... I hope you haven't overwritten your footage of us earlier, because I have a use for it now."
Skulryk stared at Mike for a second, then slowly nodded his head. "Um... Ok."
Mike crouched down. "There's a fight somewhere nearby. Your friend RG ran off to check it out, I chose to stay back. You might want to stay along this wall and not go running blindly through fourside anymore."
Skulryk carefully got up. He wasn't sure where his camera case and tripod were anymore; by now theives had taken it. However, he still had his most important piece of equipment with him; his camera. He hung it around his neck. "So, what's going on?"
Mike looked around for a moment. "It's a really long story. First of all, we got sucked into some alternate reality... I wasn't too sure about what was going on, but there was a person exactly like me there. He told us about how he existed in a different universe."
Skulryk was attentive, and recollected back to what he head heard in the cafe. "I remember... Cyan said something about coming from another universe..."
Mike was in thought for a moment. "Cyan? Hmm... I don't believe I've met him. Anyways, we need to get our story out, but there's no news agent cracked enough to believe us... Except for you."
Skulryk laughed. "I'll take that as a compliment. However, I'm just a freelance reporter... I get footage and I sell it to the news networks... I'm sure you don't want your story to be the top news for Hard Copy. However, I believe your story... I actually have one of my own."
Skulryk told Mike about what happened in the Water Temple. He showed him the dagger that he had found inside the temple also.
After Skulryk had finished, Mike pondered what he had said. "Hmm... maybe there are serveral people tied in a special way to these alternate universes, as in they always are there, they always have something connected to them, and they always do something. I don't know... I'd assume that I myself am one of them. There could be others... maybe you're one of the others. I don't know though, it's only a theory..."
Skulryk scratched his head. "I don't know... Anyways, I guess since I have permission now, i should do a report on your story. However, I don't know if any of the networks will buy it." Skulryk sighed. "I'll see what I can do."

"HOLD UP!" cried RG.
He jogged backwards to where Mike and Skulryk were standing.
"Well if it isn't my old friend Skulz. What's happening? Did you think I would really wander away without you Mike? If course not. But now that we have a reporter..."
Mike and Skulrylk were already starting to film.
"Hello? Let me at least finish my sentence guys! GUYS?"
Skulryk was already filming.
"Hello everyone, this is your freelance reporter Skulryk here. These two men named Mike and RG have some very urgent news I would like to address..."

Siris glared down at TsuramiSea. "Leave here now!" he snarled.
'TsuramiSea' laughed. "Ha ha! Do you think I care what happens to this body? It's pretty weak, but I'll get the most use out of it possible."
He leaped high up into the air, his physical abilities pushed to deranged levels by the evil power filling him. He pulled out his mallet and tried to strike Siris, but he shifted out of the way. Tsurami landed smartly on the ground, and tried again.
The others could only watch helplessly as the two clashed. Siris released some energy projectiles at TsuramiSea, and one of them grazed him, but he kept going with great stamina.

I can't let this evil consciousness take over me.... groaned TsuramiSea's true consciousness. I must push away all darkness.
TsuramiSea concentrated on all of the things he liked about life. He thought about the visions Mani Mani had shown him earlier, and discredited them. Even if others criticize me, that's just because they have their own opinions. My family still loves me, no matter what. And I just have to go on with my own opinions, because there are people out their who will listen to what I have to say.
The evil consciousness turned part of its attention inward, and shrieked angrily. Don't get your hopes up! What about all these? TsuramiSea was bombarded with thoughts of despair, frustration, anger, and sadness that he had experienced.
TsuramiSea struggled to stay positive. One consciousness can't remain supreme. There must be balance in my soul, but you're restraining that!
You're not balanced. You go through very uneven periods of emotion! I'm helping you.
It's balanced in the end! cried Tsurami in the reaches of his psyche. But his will still wasn't strong enough. Then he had a wonderful idea. Tricks! They're based on the spirit, and the body isn't necessary for using them! I bet I could.... Tsurami broke off and gathered a wonderful melody around him.
In the plane where he was trapped now, a warm light of gentle hue filled the aether. FalsettoProjection! The melody rang loud and clear, and the evil will stumbled.
Your little 'Tricks' may be under your control, but not even they can break Master Mani Mani's will! And even now, your worthless body is being attacked brutally by someone in the physical plane. It will probably be dead before you can return to it!
It can't be! He probably got me into this... thought a horrified Tsurami. I have to expel him before he gets me killed!

"TsuramiSea!" shouted Kyle. "Don't let him control you! Whatever he said to control you is wrong! Please break away from him!"
Luna, meanwhile, was trying to bring the other combatant back to his senses. "Siris, please stop! Why are you doing this?"
TsuramiSea was back on the ground, chanting his most powerful wind spell to attack Siris. Siris himself was charging up a powerful blast of inner energy, fueled by his overwhelming emotions. One thing was certain, even if the attacks didn't hit head on, one of them was certain to take damage nonetheless.

Kyle didn't know who he should help! He knew that Tsurami was fighting for the evil side (although unintentionally) but he didn't want Siris to hurt him!
Then Kyle closed his eyes to search... He felt Siris's strong emotions that were getting the best of him... He felt Tsurami's battle with the evil in some dark area of his mind... He saw the various thoughts of the spectators of the battle...

"Whoa! I'm reading minds!" he said out loud.
"What?" asked Matt.

Kyle lost his concentration and forgot what he was doing. Then an answer came!
Tsurami was about to attack Siris, but then Kyle used, "PSI Psychic Shield Alpha!"
Siris was protected with a psychic shield.
Then Kyle tried to concentrate again. He went back to TsuramiSea's mind. He 'heard' Tsurami arguing with some other 'voice'.
"Fight it!" Kyle said telepathically to TsuramiSea's mind. "It's going to continue to try and trick you! Resist it! You need to come back, like, really fast! You're going to get killed out here!"
"I know!" said Tsurami. "I'm trying! Hold on!"
"Stop interferring!" said the other 'voice'. "You're not wanted here!"
Then Kyle was expelled from Tsurami's mind and he snapped back top reality, losing his telepathic abilities as fast as he gained them.
Then Kyle could only watch and hope the the two fighters would come back to their senses before one of them died...
"Siris, snap out of it!" Luna yelled, to no avail. She looked over at Tsurami, and yelled something similar. It was hopeless. Two people she had JUST met were trying to kill each other. She bit her lip, and chewed on it for about a second, before bringing her hands together in fron of her.
"I didn't want to hurt anyone..." she said softly, creating a massive ammount of white-gold energy, the size of a largish beachball, in her hands. "but at least this way, no one will die." She split the energy mass, but they continued to grow. She pointed each of the glowing spheres at the two different combatants.
"SOL BURST!" she yelled, and the two identical energy spheres hurtled towards their targets.
Neither fighter knew what hit them. Each was lying on the ground, including Siris, who was blinking slightly. He had released the massive energy he was creating... into a building, thankfully abandoned.
Luna smiled. "Hee, better than I ever practiced it!" she laughed, and in the middle of laughing, collapsed onto the ground.

While pondering whether to introduce his blade to Harsemhin's neck, Cyan noticed someone running down the street below them.
"Ah! There he is!" shouted Cyan as he lost interest in killing Harsemhin for the moment.
"Where?" wondered Harsemhin as he looked around, spotting the boy on the ground.
"Oh, by the way," Cyan started to tell Harsemhin, "please don't scream too much on the way down. You'll spoil my approach."
"What?" asked Harsemhin before Cyan dropped him from the air. He didn't have time to scream before the Dark Noose caught on a street light and held tight. Strangely he didn't feel the impact, almost as if the Dark Noose negated his inertia.

As Ness was running, trying to find Mani Mani, he was suddenly clobbered from behind as Cyan executed a bodycheck while floating. Cyan did a quick maneuver and did a fancy looking midair flip and came to the ground on his feet.
Ness got back to his feet. "Who are you? And why are you attacking me?"
"Oh you know why I'm attacking you!" said Cyan as he drew his sword.
"I've never even met you before! I don't want to fight you anyway. Mani Mani is the one I want!"
"Tough luck, you fight me anyway." Cyan paused for a second before charging Ness with his blade ready - barely giving Ness enough time to pull out his bat.
The two met blade to bat and Cyan's sword dug deeply into the wood, but didn't go through.
Being somewhat more used to dueling, Cyan spun to the side and elbowed Ness as he yanked his sword from the bat. Ness countered with a spinning swing that Cyan barely managed to dodge.
Lacking sufficient time to concentrate for PSI Rockin Omega, Ness instead fired off the Beta level. Cyan was knocked back somewhat but not much affected otherwise.
"Ooof. Nice shot. My turn! Fire Fist!" Cyan called as he punched the air, releasing a ball of fire. "Ice Bolt!" he added, firing off the weaker version of Ice Shards (which itself was not in his arsenal, it had been replaced). Both attacks streaked towards Ness, doing some damage, but not much. "This is much more interesting than the last time I fought you!"
"You've never fought me before!" shouted Ness as they exchanged several more blows.

Back at the lamp post, Harsemhin wasn't able to see the battle, but he could hear it.
"What could be happening?" he wondered.
The Black Noose was holding him tightly enough that he'd already given up trying to escape.