Welcome to chapter 24 of Pocket Monsters: Shattered Souls! Thank you for reading the story up to this point and I hope you enjoy the chapter! Please view the message at the end of the chapter! Thank you!


CHAPTER 24

The attention of every citizen in Saffron City was drawn to the explosion at the Silph building. Traffic came to a standstill as crowds quickly gathered to get the details on the situation.

Officer Jenny and her squads exited their vehicles and approached the building and found a team of trainers wearing Team Chaos uniforms.

Jenny furrowed her brow. Team Chaos? She'd heard about them from her sister in Viridian. No doubt that explosion came from them, but what were they doing here? What was their goal? She had to get to the bottom of this, but first, she needed to prioritize the safety of the citizens.

She turned to her squads. "I want a perimeter around this area! Do not let anyone near here!"

One of Jenny's subordinates handed her a bullhorn.

She turned it on and faced the members of Team Chaos. "This is the SCPD! Surrender peacefully and let us through, or we'll be forced to attack! This is your one and only warning, Team Chaos!"

The psychics guarding the building merely smiled and chuckled to themselves. They all raised their arms as their eyes glowed and sent a shockwave knocking back the police and the crowd of onlookers.

Jenny staggered as she sat up and gazed at the devastation before her. She couldn't believe the psychics of the Saffron Gym were working for Team Chaos.

One of the psychics stepped forward. "This building and everything in it are now the property of Team Chaos! And if anyone decides to stand in our way…!"

He used his powers to lift Jenny off the ground and pull her toward him. She struggled against it, but it ultimately proved useless.

When she was close enough, he held her in place and clenched his fists. He watched her scream in pain as his powers tightened around her. "We'll eliminate them."

He threw her and watched as she flew into the windshield of her squad car.

The crowds ran away in horror as the psychic trainers raised their arms and activated their powers again.

The police watched helplessly as the psychics threw anything they could find at the bystanders.

One of the policemen held Jenny up as she stirred. "Ma'am! Are you all right?"

Jenny opened her eyes and stared at her subordinate. "Yes, I'm all right. The real question is, what are we going to do about this?"


Mashira stood in his office staring out his window. Today was the day and everything was going according to plan. Sabrina was working for them, they've infiltrated the Silph building, and all that remained was securing the Red Chain fragment.

The door to his office opened and Amanda walked in. "Sir, we have confirmation that Sabrina's platoon has taken over the Silph Corporation and they have the president as well as his entire staff hostage. The whereabouts of the Red Chain fragment are still unknown."

Mashira smiled. "Not to worry. We'll extract that information out of him eventually. Actually, I'm glad we don't know where it is yet. I want him to tell me personally."

Amanda nodded. "Yes, sir. Shall we depart for the Silph building then?"

Mashira took a swig from his flask. "Yes. Everything is in place. Let's get going."

With that, Mashira placed his hand on Amanda's shoulder and they teleported from the base in Hoenn to the Silph President's office.

Mashira gazed at the sight of Sabrina and her squad holding the president down. He popped his neck and walked to him. "So, you must be President Shirufu, huh? I'm Mashira, captain of this operation. You've already met my second-in-command, Captain Sabrina."

Shirufu looked up at him. "What is the meaning of all this? Why is the Saffron gym leader working for you?"

Sabrina furrowed her brow. Saffron gym leader? What did he mean by that?

She held her head as a sharp jolt struck her. She saw visions of a man, who looked to be a martial artist, and his Poliwrath. Who was he? Why was he battling her? Why did it seem like she knew him?

Her eyes opened when Mashira placed his hand on her shoulder. She looked up and saw his concerned expression. "Captain Mashira?"

Mashira placed his hand in his pocket. "Hey, you doing okay?"

Sabrina shook off the pain and nodded. "Yes, sir, everything's fine."

Mashira nodded. "Good. Now then. I think it's time someone gave up some intel. Tell us where the Red Chain fragment is."

Shirufu shook his head. "I don't know what you're talking about! What is a Red Chain fragment? Why do you want it so much?"

Mashira took a swig from his flask and sighed. "I see. So, you're not going to tell us, huh? That's cool. We didn't have to do things the hard way, but if you wanna go and be a stubborn-ass fool about it, then you leave us no choice. You either tell us where the fragment is, or we're gonna start getting rough with ya."

Shirufu's eyes widened in fear. "Y-You wouldn't!"

Mashira smiled. "Oh, but I would. Take him to another room! Let the fun times begin."

The squad saluted and carried Shirufu out of the room, leaving Sabrina and Mashira alone.

When she was certain they were out of earshot, Sabrina turned to Mashira. "Sir, I have a question."

Mashira turned to her. "Yeah, what?"

Sabrina quickly glanced at the floor then back up to him. "Shirufu said something about the Saffron gym leader working for you. Also, I've been having these sharp headaches where I see visions of myself interacting with people I don't know. I'm not sure what it's all about. The weird thing is… I feel like I've met these people I see in my visions. What's going on, sir?"

Mashira furrowed his brow. This wasn't good. Since the drug wasn't complete, it didn't properly erase her memories. Fragments of her memories remained and they're resurfacing whenever something triggered them. If she pieced her memories back together, it'd be a real problem for this entire operation.

Mashira sighed and looked at her. "It's okay, Sabrina. He's just messing with your head. He knows what he did to you and was just trying to lie his way out of it. He'll say anything to keep you from doing your job. That's all and nothing more. Those images you're seeing, they're just fake memories he implanted in you in case his plans ever went south."

Sabrina placed her fingers to her chin and thought for a moment. "Yes, I see. That would make sense."

Mashira placed his hands on her shoulders. "Don't worry. Everything's going to be fine. You're back with us, and we're not going to let him or anyone else mess with you anymore."

Sabrina nodded. "Thank you, sir."

Mashira grinned. "Now then. We have a mission to complete. Let's go get that fragment already."


Nathan sat in the middle of the training room with his eyes closed and his legs crossed. Deep in meditation, he'd been working to clear his mind. He'd been at it for hours, but all he could think about was Nami. Whenever he thought he had finally begun emptying his thoughts, she'd pop up. Along with her, Ayden appeared. Then the memory of her pulling him in and whisper 'win it for me' popped up.

His heartrate soared as he clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. How could she fall for someone like him? What was so special about him?

He opened his eyes and then slammed his fists onto the floor. "Dammit! Why? Why can't I get that image out of my head?"

He looked up when he heard footsteps. The door opened and Tsuyoshi entered.

Nathan jumped into attention and bowed. "Sensei! Good morning!"

Tsuyoshi smiled. "Something troubles you, young Nathan. You seem to be having a difficult time concentrating."

Nathan averted his gaze. "N-No, it's… I mean I'm… I'm fine. Nothing's wrong, sensei."

Tsuyoshi laughed and sat on the floor. "I sense this has something to do with your feelings for the young master."

Nathan's eyes widened and he turned to Tsuyoshi. "W-What? What do y-? How did y-? W-What are you talking about?"

Tsuyoshi laughed harder. "Young Nathan, it's been obvious ever since you were kids you've had feelings for her. You'd practice every day just to get her to notice you."

Nathan blushed and sat down. "Okay, fine, you win. I do like her… a lot. But she has feelings for someone else… this Ayden character. I just need to show her he's not worthy of her. I mean… he's not even a martial artist. He doesn't even know how great a man her father was. He doesn't know anything about her either."

Tsuyoshi smiled. "Sometimes things aren't always what they appear to be, young Nathan."

Nathan looked at him. "What do you mean?"

Tsuyoshi chuckled. "I'm sure the answer will come clear to you soon enough. For now, keep up your spirits, mind your training, and strengthen your heart. You have the makings of a fine champion someday, young Nathan. You just need to keep your mind clear and your soul strong."

Nathan looked at Tsuyoshi and finally realized what had been bothering him. He'd been so focused on getting Nami to notice him, he'd forgotten the real reason he became a martial artist in the first place. If he'd ever hoped to gain her approval, he first needed to master himself.

Nathan smiled and nodded. "Yes, sensei. Thank you."

Tsuyoshi smiled and nodded back.

Their attention turned to the pandemonium outside.

Nathan stood up. "What's going on?"

Tsuyoshi scratched his beard. "It would appear an event is happening now. Sounds like the whole city's in an uproar."

Nathan ran to the door. "I'll go check it out, sensei!"

Tsuyoshi watched him leave and then stood up. "I think it is time."


Nathan opened the door and found the entire city in turmoil. People screamed and ran as fast as they could down the streets. One person tripped and fell in front of Nathan. He was an average-looking man with square-framed glasses.

Nathan rushed over and helped him up. "Hey, you okay? What's going on? Why's everyone running?"

The man looked up at Nathan. "It's terrible! A group named Team Chaos has taken over the Silph building and are holding it hostage! They completely defeated the police force and are attacking anyone who comes anywhere near the building!"

Nathan watched as the man ran down the street. Team Chaos? They've taken over the Silph Company? Why? What exactly was going on?

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Nami and the others running toward the Silph building. He waved his hands and called out to her. "Hey! Nami! Over here!"

Nami skidded to a stop and looked over at Nathan. "Nathan? Hey! Do you know what's going on?"

Nathan ran over. "From what someone told me, a group named Team Chaos has taken over the Silph building."

Nami's eyes widened. "Team Chaos?"

Ayden furrowed his brow. Not them again? How many times were they going to run into these people? They don't seem to be targeting him as of late. Almost like they were looking for something. But what?

Piik growled and her fur stood up. She could never forgive Team Chaos for what they did to her, and of course, for what they kept trying to do to Ayden. If any of them so much as touched him one more time, she'd gladly let Zekrom take over.

Ayden petted her down. "Easy there, Piik. It's okay."

Nathan looked at her. "So, you've heard of them?"

Ayden nodded. "Yeah, they're an evil organization who terrorize trainers and use pokémon for sick purposes."

Nathan shot Ayden a death glare. "I was talking to Nami, Ayden."

Jin leaned over and whispered into his ear. "Is he giving you the death glare, man?"

Ayden whispered back. "Yeah, I think he is."

Nami stepped in between Ayden and Nathan. "Okay, Nathan, calm down. Look, whatever Team Chaos is up to, we can't let them get away with it. We're on our way to stop them."

Nathan straightened up. "In that case, I'll come, too."

Nami sighed. "That's really brave of you, Nathan, but these people are dangerous and will do anything to anyone. You could get hurt if you're not careful."

Nathan clenched his fists. "That's not a problem. What do you think I've been doing all these years? I'm a completely different person than when you were last at home, Nami. I'm much stronger than I was back then. I'll prove to you that I can protect you. Way more than some other people can."

He shot Ayden a glare to which Ayden returned with a look of indifference.

"Let Nathan accompany you, young master."

Everyone turned to see Tsuyoshi walk up to them.

Nami pleaded. "But, Sensei?"

Tsuyoshi nodded. "Nathan has improved tremendously over the years. If this Team Chaos is in fact as dangerous as you claim, you'll need all the help you can use. A wise fighter should never turn down assistance from an ally."

Mendy placed her hand on Nami's shoulder. "Hey, he's got a point. We should get as much help as we can for this. Who knows what Team Chaos has up their sleeve this time?"

Jin nodded. "Yeah, our chances for victory can only increase with more people on our side."

Nami sighed as she knew she was outvoted. "Okay. You win. But you gotta be careful, okay? No running off doing your own thing. You hear me?"

Nathan saluted. "Don't worry! I'll be right by your side the whole way!"

Nami nodded. "Yeah. Sure. If it'll make you feel better. All right! Let's go!"

"Hang on."

Nami looked back at Tsuyoshi as he walked up to her. "What's up, sensei? We gotta get going."

Tsuyoshi nodded. "Yes, I know. But before you do, take this."

Nami held out her hand and her eyes widened. "Wait… sensei! This is-,"

Tsuyoshi nodded. "I have a feeling you'll need this on your venture."

Nami clenched her fists. "I… I don't know."

Tsuyoshi held her hand. "Please take it. When the time is right, I know you'll know what to do."

Nami stared at him, took a deep breath, and nodded. "Thank you, sensei."

With that, they continued toward the Silph building.

Tsuyoshi watched as they ran down the street until they were out of sight. He looked up at the sky and took a deep breath. "Master Kiyo, please watch over the young master."


Ayden and the others ran through the streets of Saffron, dodging oncoming panicked civilians. As they rounded the corner, Ayden stopped and held the others back from proceeding.

Jin adjusted his glasses. "Hey, man, what's wrong? Why'd you stop?"

Ayden and the others peeked around the corner and saw four members of Team Chaos guarding the entrance to the Silph building. In front of them, Officer Jenny and her squad were tied up on their knees.

Jin nodded. "Ah, that's why."

Nathan looked back and squinted his eyes as he stared at the Chaos member at the front. "I can't believe it. I know that guy. He's from Sabrina's gym."

The rest of the group turned to him.

Mendy moved a bit of her hair behind her ear. "Wait. Are you sure?"

Nathan nodded. "Yeah. I'm positive."

Jin thought for a moment. "This doesn't make sense. Why would Sabrina's gym ally themselves with Team Chaos?"

Nathan scoffed. "Isn't it obvious? Sabrina has been in cahoots with them this entire time. Why else would her underlings be working for Team Chaos?"

Mendy gasped. "What? No way. That can't be true. Not after all she did for us back at Pokémon Tower. Something doesn't add up."

Nathan turned to Nami. "You think I'm right. Don't you, Nami?"

Nami turned to him and then averted her gaze to the ground. A part of her, a big part of her, wanted to believe it to be true. However, there was something telling her there was more to it. She hated that feeling. She wanted nothing more than to have some dirt she could hold over Sabrina.

Ayden sighed. "I don't think Sabrina and her gym are affiliated with Team Chaos, regardless of what they may be doing here."

Nathan turned to Ayden with a scowl. "Oh, really? Then what do you propose is going on here?"

Ayden shook his head. "I don't have all the details, but I'm certain there's more to it than that. Sabrina didn't strike me as the kind of person who'd ally herself with a group like Team Chaos. For now, we need to focus on getting inside the building."

Jin nodded. "Yeah, you're right. We need to figure out how to get past them. Anyone have any ideas?"

They all turned to each other and shook their heads.

Jin sighed. "Of course not."

They all heard a pokéball opening, and in a flash of light, Haunter appeared before them, wearing a large grin and laughing.

Nami gazed at the gaping hole of a mouth Haunter had. His entire appearance sent shivers down her spine. She shuddered and screamed.

Mendy quickly slapped her hand over her mouth and whispered to her. "Nami! Keep your voice down! They'll hear us!"

With tears in her eyes, Nami nodded and calmed down. She couldn't believe Haunter just let himself out of the pokéball like that. Of all the pokémon for this guy to catch, why did it have to be a ghost type?

Haunter laughed as he flew around the group. This was it. Now was the time for him to shine. He could sense they were all feeling tense. This was the perfect opportunity for him to cheer them up with his comedy.

Ayden lightly grinned. "Haunter. Excellent timing. I have a job for you."

Haunter beamed. He knew this was it. This was the moment he'd been waiting for.


The four psychics in front of the Silph building kept scanning the area, keeping a sharp eye out for anyone trying to approach.

One of them, a girl with brown hair tied in a ponytail, turned to one of the boys. "Looks like we've managed to scare away most of the citizens."

A boy with short black hair nodded. "Yeah, and let's keep it that way. We don't want anyone to interfere with Captain Mashira's plans."

He looked up and saw Haunter floating inches from his face. They stared at each other for a bit before Haunter shot his head back in laughter.

The boy jumped back and readied his powers. "What is this? When did this Haunter get here?"

The girl shook her head. "I don't know! It just appeared!"

The boy clenched his teeth. "Whatever! Just get rid of it! We can't let anything get inside this building!"

They all used their powers on Haunter who laughed and vanished. Soon, multiple Haunter appeared before them, each one laughed and circled around them in a playful manner.

They psychics ducked and waved their arms around, trying to swat them all away. They tried using their powers on them, but every time, more Haunter appeared.

The boy turned to the group. "What's going on? Where are they all coming from?"

They all screamed as the army of Haunter continued to circle them.

Behind the psychics, Haunter kept a safe distance and waved his hands around. His hands emitted a light purple wave that struck the psychics.

Mendy peered behind the corner and then turned to the group. "Looks like Haunter's Hypnosis worked."

Jin peeked around the corner and watched as the psychics waved their arms around at invincible targets. "I don't get something. If they're all from Sabrina's gym, why is Hypnosis working on them? Sabrina was telling us it doesn't work on her."

Ayden nodded. "You need to have very powerful mental strength in order to overcome something like Hypnosis. For Sabrina, she's the most powerful psychic in Kanto. She's trained her mind for years to develop that kind of strength. I'm willing to bet her students don't have that same mental level she does."

Jin nodded. "That's true. Really wish she was with us right now."

Nami furrowed her brow. "Yeah, well, she's not. Let's just get to it already!"

She jumped out from behind the corner and rushed the psychics, knocking each of them out with a karate chop to their necks. When the last one hit the ground, she waved to the group to come out.

Mendy and Nathan helped the officers out of their handcuffs while Ayden and Jin applied them to the psychics.

Each officer sat motionless as Mendy tried to wake them. Their eyes were wide open and had been blanketed with a purple hue. Unable to receive a response from them, Mendy simply laid each of them down on the ground.

She stood up and turned to the group. "Looks like they were all hit with a powerful hypnosis. Don't think there's much any of us can do for them at this point."

Ayden nodded. "That's okay. They'll be fine here. If we take care of Team Chaos, we'll be able to help them out. How about we get things rolling?"

The rest of the group nodded and followed Ayden inside. They walked in and were introduced to a large lobby with a water fountain in the center. The receptionist desk stood in the corner, and potted plants stood around the room. An elevator and a flight of stairs were on the far end of the room.

Their footsteps echoed throughout the lobby as the group realized no one else was there.

Jin looked around and took a deep breath. "Guess everyone else is on the upper levels. So, which should we take? The elevator, or the stairs?"

Nathan pushed the button for the elevator several times, but nothing happened. "Looks like we're taking the stairs. Elevator's busted."

Ayden turned to the others. "All right. Keep calm and on your guard, guys. Things are only going to get rougher from here."

Nathan ran in front of Ayden and stared him in the eyes. "Hey! Who died and made you leader, huh? I don't take orders from you."

Ayden stared back at him. "I wasn't giving out orders, only advice. If you wish not to follow them, then we'll just have to rescue you along with all the employees of Silph."

Nathan clenched his fists in frustration. How? How could Nami like someone like him? It didn't make any sense.

Nami placed her hand on Nathan's shoulder. "Come on, Nathan. That's enough. We don't have time for all this. We have a job to do."

Nathan looked at her. "But, Nami…,"

Nami turned to Ayden. "Come on, let's go."

Ayden nodded and went up the stairs followed by the rest of the group.

Nathan stared at the group as they walked up the stairs. "I'll prove to you I'm more worthy of you than he is."

They reached the second floor and found it to be almost as deserted as the first. Before they could discuss how to go about it, a Chaos grunt walked by them. He had shoulder-length brown hair and green eyes.

He reached for a pokéball and held it in his hand. "All right, kids, what the hell do you think you're doing here?"

Nathan jumped to the front of the group and readied his pokéball. "We're here to save this place from the likes of you. So, unless you want to feel a world of hurt, I'd suggest you give up quietly!"

The grunt smirked. "A world of hurt? Kid, the only one who's going to be in a world of hurt, is you. Go, Raticate!"

He tossed his pokéball and Raticate appeared.

Nathan chuckled. "Don't go underestimating me. You'll soon regret it. Go, Lucario!"

He tossed his pokéball and Lucario emerged. As soon as he landed, he struck a fighting stance the same as Nathan.

Nami crossed her arms. She had to admit it was quite impressive how he and Lucario were in perfect sync. Then again, it also didn't come as a surprise. He'd been training Lucario ever since it was a Riolu.

Nathan glared at the grunt. This was it. His big chance. He'd finish off this guy quickly and show Nami just how much stronger he's gotten.

The grunt grinned. "I don't know how you all got in here, but once I'm done with you, you'll wish you hadn't. Raticate, use Super Fang!"

Raticate flashed its fangs, zipped across the floor, and launched itself at Lucario.

Nathan grinned. "Lucario, stop it, and then use Force Palm!"

Before Raticate's attack connected, Lucario stopped Raticate's advancement with one paw. With the other, Lucario struck Raticate in its center. A shockwave traveled through Raticate and exploded out its backside.

Raticate's eyes blanked as its body hung limp in Lucario's grip.

When Raticate was no longer responsive, Lucario dropped the motionless rat to the floor and moved back into the same fighting position as Nathan.

The grunt clenched his fists and recalled Raticate. He reached for another pokéball and held it up. "Fine! Let's see you handle this! Go, Golbat!"

Golbat emerged and flew around Lucario, all the while keeping its small, slit-pupiled eyes locked on him.

The grunt grinned. "As long as we keep our distance, we'll be fine. Golbat, use Supersonic!"

Golbat opened its mouth and launched a series of sound waves at Lucario.

Nathan switched to a different fighting position. "Lucario, dodge and use Metal Claw!"

Lucario evaded the Supersonic and jumped into the air. He extended his paws and large metal protrusions emerged. When he was within range, Lucario slash Golbat to the ground and then pinned its wing to the flooring with his claw.

Nathan clenched his fists. "Now, use Aura Sphere!"

With his free paw, Lucario charged up a swirling blue ball of energy and fired it at Golbat. When the attack subsided, Golbat lay motionless on the floor.

Lucario jumped back and struck the same fighting position as Nathan.

Nathan turned to the grunt. "So, care to go again, or are you gonna give yourself up quietly?"

The grunt clenched his teeth and recalled Golbat. He gazed at the group and realized how outnumbered he was. He then spotted Ayden and his eyes widened. Silver hair and has a blue-cheeked Pikachu with him. He found the Carrier. The Carrier was in the building. He had to report this as soon as possible. With that, he ran down the hallway.

Nathan clicked his tongue. "Hey! Stop! Come on, Lucario! After 'em!" Nathan and Lucario sprinted after the grunt.

Nami scowled. "Wait, you idiot! I told you not to go off on your own!"

She and the rest of the group chased after them.

Nathan and Lucario saw the grunt turn a corner. Once they made the same turn, they discovered it led to a dead end and the grunt had disappeared. They looked around the area and kept their guard up for anything suspicious.

Nathan dropped his stance and scratched his head. "This doesn't make any sense. Where did he go?"

"Nathan!"

Nathan turned to see Nami and the rest run up to him.

Nami grabbed him by the collar of his gi and jerked him forward. "What the hell were you thinking? Didn't I tell you not to go running off on your own? These people are dangerous, you idiot! You could get yourself killed if you're not careful!"

Nathan felt his heart sink. How could he let her get this mad at him? "I-I'm sorry, Nami! I didn't mean anything by it! I was just-,"

Nami pulled him closer. "I don't wanna hear it! Rushing in by yourself was stupid regardless of your reason!"

She released his collar and he dropped to the floor. He sat frozen in place, contemplating what he'd done. He didn't mean to make her mad. He just wanted to show her what he could do.

Jin grinned and leaned into Ayden's ear. "I know she's making a good point, but isn't rushing in basically her style?"

Ayden nodded in agreement, and Piik snickered.

Mendy got in between Nami and Nathan and managed to pull Nami away. "Okay, Nami, I'm sure Nathan's sorry for what he did. Can't you forgive him already? We still have a job to do."

Nami turned her head the other way. "Whatever! Let's just go!"

Mendy watched her walk away and then helped Nathan back on his feet. "Come on, let's go."

The two walked toward the others when Nathan stepped on a floor tile. The tile blinked, freezing him, along with Mendy and Lucario, in place.

Nami turned around and saw they weren't moving. "Hey! What's going on?"

Mendy tried lifting her leg. "I don't know! It's like our feet are glued to the floor or something!"

Their bodies began to glow white. This sensation felt familiar to Mendy. It was like when Sabrina teleported them around, but this time, it didn't feel comfortable or reassuring. She felt every fiber of being was forced apart at the same time.

She looked to Nami, Ayden and Jin as they ran toward them. "Guys! Help!"

Nami ran as fast as she could with her arm outstretched. "Mendy! Hang on! I'm coming!"

Before she could reach them, Mendy, Nathan, and Lucario vanished. She shook as she tried to process what just happened.

She looked around frantically. "Where is she? Where did she go?"

Jin looked around and then at the floor tile. "Looks like this is what caused them to vanish. It's like some teleportation device."

Nami fell to her knees and banged on the floor tile. "Come on! Open! Open up! Dammit! Why won't this damn thing work?"

Jin placed his hand on her shoulder. "Nami. It's going to be okay. We'll find them. Don't worry."

Nami sat on her knees thinking about how she was just a few seconds away from her. And just like that, she was gone. It was the same thing back on St. Anne and in the Pokémon Tower. She swore she'd never let anything like this happen again.

"… again."

Jin looked at her. "Nami? You say something?"

Nami stood up mumbling to herself. "Not again. Not again. Not again. Not again. Not again. Not again. Not again. Not again! I was so close! So close to her! How could I let her disappear like that? I have to find her! I have to find her now!"

As she ran toward the hallway, Ayden grabbed her by the wrist. "Nami! Hang on! Try to calm down!"

She turned to him and tried to jerk her arm out of his grip. "What do you think you're doing? Let me go! I have to find Nami!"

Ayden held on to her. "Didn't you just say a moment ago that we need to be careful going through here? That we could get ourselves killed if we're not careful? This is just what Team Chaos wants! If we let them get to us, we're as good as dead already! Don't give them that opportunity! We can't afford to give them that!"

Nami's eyes widened. What was she doing? She became just as impulsive as Nathan was a moment ago.

Ayden released her wrist. "Everything will be fine. At the very least, she isn't alone. Nathan's with her, and they're both terrific trainers. They'll be able to handle things on their own."

Jin walked toward them. "Yeah, Nami, don't worry. If we stay together and be careful about where we go, we'll be just f-," he looked down as the tile he stepped on blinked. He took a deep breath and heaved a sigh. "You know what? Forget I said anything."

He vanished, leaving Nami and Ayden frozen in place.

Nami clenched her fists and gritted her teeth. "This is getting freaking ridiculous! Team Chaos! Show yourselves! You damn cowards!"

Ayden turned to her. "Nami! Calm down. They're just trying to get a rise out of you."

Nami turned to him. "How can I calm down? Our friends just vanished, we don't know where they are, and we're in the heart of enemy territory! How can you remain so calm? Oh, that's right! I forgot! You have no emotions! I bet you couldn't care less what happens to our friends, huh?"

Piik charged up her cheeks, but Ayden petted her down. "Easy, Piik. She's just upset. She didn't mean it. Look, I'm just as upset as you are, but I can't let my emotions get the better of me right now. We need to keep a level head. Otherwise, we're going to be playing into Team Chaos' hands. Come on. The only way we'll be able to get through this is if we work together."

Nami stared at his extended hand. She supposed he had a point. She hated it when he was right. Getting upset wasn't going to get Mendy back. It would only lead to her own downfall. Something her father always taught her. She had to remain calm and focused. There was a lot on the line here.

She reached out and shook his hand. "Yeah, yeah, I hear ya. I suppose having an emotionless teammate comes in handy every once in a while. Thanks for calming me down."

Ayden nodded. "Any time. Come on. Let's try to navigate our way out of here."


Mendy and Nathan reappeared in an empty room. Nathan stood up and helped Mendy back on her feet.

She looked around, unable to control her shaking. "W-W-What just happened? Where are we?"

Nathan shook his head. "I don't know. Seems like we teleported to another room."

Mendy looked at him. "Teleported? Oh, great! Right off the bat, we're separated from the rest of the group. Now we have to navigate through this maze of a building to try and find them."

Nathan stood frozen. Separated? From Nami? Even after he said he'd protect her and be by her side? This was unacceptable.

He clenched his fists in frustration. "Well, we can't just stand around doing nothing. We have to hurry and find Nami as soon as possible."

Before he dashed out of the room, Mendy pulled him back by the arm. "Hold on, Nathan. Look, I know you're worried; I am, too, but we can't just go blindly running through this place. Team Chaos is just waiting for us to make a mistake like that."

Nathan thought for a moment and realized she was right. He sighed. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I mean, I'm the main reason we're in this fix in the first place."

Mendy placed her hand on his shoulder. "Hey, don't feel bad. And think of it this way. Nami isn't alone. Ayden and Jin are with her too."

At the mention of his name, Nathan's eyes widened in horror. Nami was alone with Ayden. He repeated that phrase over in his head. This was even worse than he thought.

He turned to Mendy and grabbed her by the shoulders. "Nami's alone with Ayden right now?"

Mendy looked at him in a combination of confusion and fear. "Uh… yeah, but she's also with-,"

Nathan released her shoulders and held his head in agony. "How could I be so stupid and let this happen? At this rate, she'll fall for him even more!"

Mendy upturned an eyebrow. "Wait? What?"

Their attention was drawn to the sound of footsteps, and they watched as a Chaos grunt walked into the room.

He gazed upon the two as they stood frozen in place. He grinned. "I knew I heard voices in here. Okay, I don't know how you two got in here, but you're coming with me."

Mendy took out a pokéball and held it up. "We're not going anywhere with you, pal!"

The grunt laughed. "Oh, so you wanna battle, huh? Fine then. I'll oblige."


Jin reappeared in the middle of a hallway. He stood up, adjusted his glasses, and looked around. He realized he was out in the open and could be seen by anyone. He heard a noise and dove into the first open room he found. He peered around the corner and heaved a sigh of relief when he realized no one followed him.

He leaned against the wall. "This is really weird. What in the world kind of building is this anyway? Who puts teleport tiles in their work center? This is just poor building planning. That's all it is. Anyway, I need to find some way to get back to Ayden and Nami, and find Mendy and Nathan. I also need to make sure I'm not spotted." He dropped his shoulders and sighed. "All I wanted to do today was watch Ayden battle for his badge."

He eased out of the room and moved along the edge of the wall. He looked around another corner, and when it was clear, he moved to the next wall.

He moved along the walls until he heard footsteps. Out of panic, he dove into an open room and waited for the grunts to walk past.

He leaned against the wall and heaved a sigh of relief. "Man, this is getting nerve-racking. I think I need to take a quick breather."

He looked around the room, and his eyes widened in horror when he found a body lying on the floor. The body belonged to a man of around mid-thirties. He had green hair, glasses, and wore a lab coat. He moaned as he held the side of his stomach.

Jin ran up to him. "Sir, are you okay? What happened? Can you move?"

The man looked up at Jin. "Who're you?"

Jin smiled. "The name's Jin. And don't worry, everything will be fine. My friends and I are here to help kick Team Chaos out of Silph."

The man looked at him in astonishment. "Really?"

Jin nodded. "Yep! But first, you need some help. Hang on while I get something from my bag."

Jin walked to the entrance of the room and checked for anyone coming. He then reached into his bag and pulled out the first aid kit.

He walked back over to the man. "Here you go. This should help."

As he set the kit down, he heard the door to the room close. He ran back and tried to open, but it wouldn't budge.

Jin clicked his tongue. "Dang it! How did this happen?"

"I believe I had something to do with it."

Jin turned to see the man up on his feet with a remote in his hand. His eyes widened. "Wait… don't tell me… you're with…,"

The man laughed. "You finally figured it out. Yes, I'm one of the lead scientists for Team Chaos. Call me Dr. Jerry, and you're not going anywhere for a long while, young man."

Jin took a deep breath, dropped his shoulders, and heaved a sigh. "Aw, crap."


Shirufu screamed as his body stretched from the force of Sabrina's psychic powers. He'd been repeatedly asked about the location of the fragment, but he kept giving them the same answer.

Mashira walked up to him. "You're a stubborn old fool, aren't ya? Why not just tell us where it is already?"

Shirufu gasped for air. "I… keep telling you… I don't know what a Red Chain fragment is. Please let my staff go free. I beg of you."

Mashira clicked his tongue. "This is getting us nowhere. Sabrina!"

Sabrina dropped Shirufu to the floor and turned to Mashira. "Yes, sir?"

Mashira took a swig from his flask. "If he won't tell us the location of the fragment, maybe we can probe his mind and find out ourselves. Read his thoughts and find the fragment."

Sabrina nodded. "As you wish, Captain."

As Sabrina placed her hand on Shirufu's head, the door to their room burst open. The grunt that battled Nathan ran into the center of the room panting. "Captain… Mashira… Captain… Sabrina… urgent… message!"

Sabrina took her hand off Shirufu and turned to the grunt. "What is it?"

The grunt looked up at her. "Ma'am! The Carrier is in the building as we speak! He and his friends are looking to try and rescue all the Silph employees!"

Sabrina perked up. Carrier? That's who they were talking about in their strategy meeting. Who was it though? Why are they so concerned about him?

Mashira's eyes widened. "Are you certain it was the Carrier?"

The grunt nodded. "Yes, sir! I saw he had silver hair and a blue-cheeked Pikachu with him! It was definitely him, sir!"

Mashira bit his lip. He didn't know what to make of the situation. On the one hand, having the Carrier here wasn't part of the plan. They just need to focus on getting the fragment and getting out. On the other hand, however, he could take the Carrier down now and get a huge promotion out of it. And with Sabrina on their side, she could easily subdue him for as long as they need until they complete the chain.

Mashira smiled. "All right. New plan! Go intercept the Carrier's friends. Make sure they don't achieve their goal."

The grunt saluted and left the room.

Mashira turned to Sabrina. "As for us, we're gonna pay the Carrier a little visit." He turned to Amanda. "I'm placing you in charge of keeping Shirufu in line. Don't let him get away."

Amanda nodded. "Understood, sir."

Mashira nodded. "Good. Now then, Sabrina, let's go meet up with the Carrier."

Sabrina nodded. "Yes, sir."

As they left, a sharp jolt hit Sabrina's head. She held her head and fell to her knees as the pain intensified. Mashira and Amanda rushed to her side, but she couldn't focus on them through the intense pain.

She saw a vision of the boy with silver hair. His eyes glowed in two distinct colors and his body emitted an unearthly aura. Again, why was she seeing this? And why did it seem like she'd met him before? She'd never seen him in her life.

The visions ended and she could finally hear Mashira's voice. She turned toward him and saw his worried face.

"Did you have another headache?"

Sabrina nodded. "Yes, it was about the silver-haired boy you were discussing earlier. He had an incredible aura about him, and his eyes were glowing. Is he the Carrier you were talking about? If so, then why does it feel like I've met him before?"

Mashira furrowed his eyebrows. Her memories were reforming faster than he expected. He had to complete this mission before that happened and give her another dose of the drug.

He stood up and told Sabrina all the info about Ayden. "And that's why we need the fragments to recreate the Red Chain, so we can take that energy out of him and harness its vast powers for ourselves. And we'll need your help to do it, Sabrina. Pay no attention to those visions you've been having. We just need you to focus on the mission."

He extended his hand to her and helped her back on her feet. "Are you ready?"

Sabrina thought about her vision. Why was she questioning it? Captain Mashira told her the Carrier would disrupt their operations if given the chance. So, why did the aura seem warm and comforting to her? Something didn't add up. She had one option. She had to meet the Carrier for herself.

She turned to him and nodded. "Yes, sir. Let's go capture the Carrier."


***I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Thank you again for taking the time to read my story and I hope you've been enjoying it up to this point! As usual, let me know your thoughts and any constructive criticisms you may have. I'm trying to write my own original story and would like to hear your thoughts on my current writing style and what ways I can improve upon it.

***Chapter 25 will be posted around the same time at the end of April! So, look forward to the next chapter and I'll see you all next time!