Welcome to chapter 27 of Pocket Monsters: Shattered Souls! Thank you for reading the story up to this point and I hope you enjoy the chapter! I want to say I am truly sorry for taking so long to finish this chapter. A lot of things had happened these past couple of months and life really took a turn. Working ten hours a day also doesn't help. Again, I'm really sorry for taking this long, I hate missing deadlines, and I hope things in my life will get back on track soon. Until then, please enjoy the chapter and view the message at the end. Thank you.

CHAPTER 27

Nami stared at Poliwrath's backside. She had hoped she wouldn't have to bring him out, but knew she didn't have much of a choice. Right now, he was the only one powerful enough to take on Mashira's Pangoro.

She trembled. All she could think about was what happened last time, and feared the same would happen again.

Ayden stared at Nami and noticed her hesitation. He walked over to her and placed his hand on her shoulder. The moment he touched her; she slapped his hand away.

She took in shallow breaths and gritted her teeth. She wasn't in the mood for him right now. She didn't want to listen to his little wisdom speeches. "What do you want now?"

Ayden sighed. He could tell there wouldn't be any point in trying to talk to her. They were just going to have to wing it. "Nothing."

Mashira took a final swig from his flask before chucking it to the floor. He stared at Poliwrath with utmost anticipation. This one looked like a fighter that could give him quite the show. "This your last pokémon, little girl? I hope it's more durable than those pieces of shit you threw out before."

Nami clenched her fists as her face reddened in anger. Despite her increase in anger, she kept a low tone and control of her voice. "You wanna say that again? Didn't quite catch it."

Mashira grinned. He took another flask off his belt and opened it. "Sure. I'm asking if that Poliwrath is any good, or is it just as shitty as the others?"

Nami's eyes widened and her blood boiled. That did it. There was no way she would let him off with saying that about the pokémon she put in so much work to train. He was going to pay.

Ayden called out to her and hoped it'd be enough to get her attention. "Nami! Calm down! He's just trying to get under your skin!"

Nami continued to stare at Mashira and thought about all the ways she could knock him out. She finally noticed Ayden trying to talk to her and she rolled her eyes. "Oh, for the love of God! Would you shut up already? Geez! I've had it up to here with your crap! Just leave me alone! I've got more important things to take care of!"

Ayden threw his head back in disbelief. Why did he even bother? This was going nowhere. He knew talking to her wouldn't work, but he just had to try anyway. "You know what? Fine. Do what you want. If you want to get your ass handed to you again, then be my guest."

Nami groaned. "You're really an arrogant piece of shit! You know that? The genius Ayden and his perfect words of wisdom! You think everybody should just praise your words and follow your example, right? Well, count me out! I fight my own way, and I don't need you to win this!"

Even though she said that, she still felt skeptical about the situation. Having Poliwrath on her team helped, but it didn't do her any good if he didn't listen to her. She just had to hope she improved enough as a trainer for him to. They had to win. Not only did she have to stop Team Chaos, but now her pride as a trainer rode on the outcome of the match.

Ayden shook his head. He knew they didn't have much of a chance if they didn't work together. All he could do at the moment was fight the way he knew how. "Whatever. You do your thing and I'll do mine."

Nami smiled. "Good. Just stay the hell out of my way! Poliwrath! Let's go!"

Poliwrath looked around the hallway and wondered what was going on. Why was he there? He should be back at the gym. He turned toward the direction of Nami's voice and gazed at her. She seemed familiar, but he couldn't place her. He eventually gave up and pegged her as nobody important.

He looked at his opponent and felt a strong fighting spirit emanate from him. So strong he became interested to the point an excitement welled up inside him. Fighting against the trainers at the gym all the time became boring, and he'd been longing for a challenge. He hadn't felt like this in eight years. The anticipation of fighting someone powerful, testing your strength against someone else, and proving your prowess. He felt himself regaining those lost eight years.

Mashira continued chugging his flask, waiting for them to stop arguing. He wiped his mouth his hand and gazed at his opponents. "Oh, finally done? About time. Was wondering if you'd ever shut up."

Nami growled. Every word Mashira said upped her anger to the point all she could think about was beating him down. She just had to transfer her anger into the battle. "You should've taken that time and gotten the hell outta here! Poliwrath, go! Dynamic Punch!"

Poliwrath ignored Nami's orders and charged at Pangoro with his hands up like a boxer. This looked to be the challenge he'd been hoping for. It had been too long since he'd fought a tough-looking opponent.

Poliwrath moved in with a regular punch, but Pangoro blocked with his arms. Poliwrath struggled to push him back, but Pangoro held his ground. Poliwrath attempted a Low Sweep, but Pangoro jumped and kicked him back.

Nami clenched her fists in frustration. She knew this was the likely outcome, but had hoped she grew strong enough to tame him. "Poliwrath! The hell are you doing? I told you to use Dynamic Punch!"

Poliwrath continued to ignore her and proceeded to fight Pangoro his own way. He back flipped away from Pangoro and then used Bubblebeam.

Pangoro dodged the bubbles and ran straight for Poliwrath. The two then engaged in close-quarter combat. Each impact of their attacks sent shockwaves throughout the hallway, nearly knocking Ayden and Nami off their feet.

Ayden kneeled as the toll from earlier caught up with him again. He took deep breaths hoping to recover quickly enough to assist in the fight.

Nami crossed her arms in front of her face as the shockwaves drove her backward. She held her ground and skidded to a stop. Although happy Poliwrath fought evenly with Pangoro, the fact he still didn't obey her troubled her. She had to get him to obey her and prove how good a trainer she was.

Mashira calmly chugged his flask as the fighting escalated. The shockwaves didn't bother him as he barely moved from his spot. He smiled as he actually enjoyed watching his Pangoro fight Poliwrath. The intensity of their moves and the power of their impacts reminded him of his old fighting days. He soon frowned as his memories brought back the one fighter who ruined everything for him. He suddenly didn't feel like dragging the fight on any further.

He put the cap back on his flask and placed it on his belt. "Okay, Pangoro! You've had a good warm up. Now, let's get this over with! Use Slash!"

Pangoro raised his arm into the air, and his claws glowed and extended.

Nami's eyes widened in fear. "Poliwrath! Dodge it!"

Poliwrath ignored her and crossed his arms to defend himself. He couldn't pass up the opportunity to test himself against this powerhouse. He wanted to see how tough Pangoro was, and the only way to do that was to take his attack head on.

Pangoro swiped at Poliwrath and broke his defense. Pangoro sent Poliwrath into the air and then slashed at him again, knocking him backward and sending him crashing to the floor.

Nami's anger grew with each passing second. If this kept up, not only were they going to lose the match, but she would lose her chance to prove she was a great trainer. She had to win this. "Poliwrath, damn it, get it together! Get up! Come on! You won't be able to win like this! You have to listen to me!"

"Pangoro, Body Slam!"

Nami watched Pangoro charge at Poliwrath with widened eyes. If that attack connected, Poliwrath would be taken out. She had to do something, but soon realized there wasn't anything she could do. She closed her eyes, unable to watch Pangoro win.

"Heracross, Counter!"

Heracross nodded, rushed over toward Poliwrath, and wrapped himself in a red aura. Pangoro slammed into Heracross, but Heracross repelled his attack and sent him flying backward.

Pangoro grinned and twisted his body until he landed perfectly in front of Mashira.

Heracross dropped to his knees and gasped for air. The attack hit him harder than he thought it would. Even using Counter, he still took a lot of damage.

Ayden could barely believe how well Pangoro recovered from that. To be sent flying at twice the power and still land as if he didn't take any damage was impressive. He sighed and cracked his neck. "Well, no one said this would be easy."

Nami ran over to Poliwrath and checked his condition. From what she could tell, he wasn't seriously hurt, which eased her mind a little. "Poliwrath! Can you hear me? You have to wake up!"

Poliwrath opened his eyes and Nami breathed a sigh of relief. That was too close for comfort for her. She didn't know what she'd do if Poliwrath had gotten knocked out. When she finally acknowledged he was okay, she turned her attention to Ayden, and her attitude switched from concerned to angry. "And what the hell do you think you're doing? I told you to stay out of my way!"

Ayden barely turned his head toward her. He didn't have the time or the energy to argue with her. "I did, and you got beat again. I'm not sure if you've noticed, but this is a do-or-die fight, and we have to win. You need to stop kidding yourself and face it… you're useless in this fight! Your last pokémon won't even obey you! The only one who's in the way is you!"

Nami froze. She would usually get angry and snap back at him, but for the first time, she didn't have anything to say.

Poliwrath got up, but she tried to stop him. There wouldn't have been any point in continuing. Pangoro had him outmatched. She held his arm and pleaded with him. "Poliwrath, I said stop! You can't win this the way you've been fighting! You have to listen to me!"

Poliwrath ignored her. He had no idea who this girl was or why she was on him. He brushed her aside with one motion of his arm, knocking her into a wall. After all these years, a good challenge had presented itself to him, and he wasn't about to let this go.

He looked down and saw Heracross standing in front of him. He moved him aside as well and continued to walk toward Pangoro. He didn't need any help to defeat him. He had all he needed right in his fighting abilities. Besides, there wasn't going to be anyone who'd understand him like Kiyo did. In honor of his memory, he'd have to win this battle and prove he was still champion.

Pangoro glared at Poliwrath and wore a huge grin. He wanted to go another round, even after getting beat the first time. It didn't matter to Pangoro, he just loved the feeling of beating his opponents to the ground. The more they got back up, then more fun it was.

Nami gritted her teeth as she watched Poliwrath stare Pangoro down. She had to think of something before Poliwrath got hurt again, but nothing seemed to work.

Mashira smiled. This was getting to be too easy. "Pangoro, let's make this quick. Use Thunder Punch!"

Pangoro balled his paws and electricity crackled as sparks surged around its fist. He felt the power reach its max and reared back for the attack.

Nami's eyes widened. She knew Poliwrath wouldn't be able to take that attack. "Poliwrath! What are you doing? Move it!"

Poliwrath ignored her. He wasn't going to chicken out from this challenge. He could take any attack Pangoro threw at him. He formed a knife hand and attacked Pangoro with a series of Brick Break attacks. He knew all he needed was one good hit in and the match would be over.

Pangoro dodged each strike with ease and waited for an opportunity to strike back. In the corner of his eye, he caught Heracross coming in for an attack.

Mashira snickered. He couldn't believe how naïve these two were.

Pangoro dodged Poliwrath's attack, then shifted and caught Heracross by the horn. With his free hand, Pangoro formed a fist and punched Heracross. Heracross' eyes bugged out as Pangoro's fist dug into his abdomen. Pangoro lifted Heracross by the horn and threw him at Poliwrath.

Poliwrath dodged Heracross and made another attempt at Pangoro with Brick Break. The situation resulted the same as before as Pangoro dodged all of Poliwrath's attacks.

Ayden ran over to Heracross and lifted him up. Bruises littered his body and his eyes were barely open. He knew this would be a difficult fight, but didn't think things would end up this badly. "Hey, you did great. Wanna take a break?"

Heracross took several deep breaths and then shook his head, much to Ayden's surprise. He staggered back onto his feet and readied himself for another round. He couldn't give up now. If he did, he'd go back to being the same timid pokémon he was before. He had to get stronger, and continuing this fight was the next step forward.

Ayden lightly smiled as he understood Heracross' feelings. "Okay, we'll keep going, but don't overdo it, okay? Let's get in there and win this."

Heracross nodded and turned his attention to Poliwrath as he attempted to hit Pangoro with no luck.

Ayden turned to Nami who remained on the floor, staring blankly at the fight. He walked up to her and grabbed her by the shoulders. "Hey! Get up! We have a fight to win! You can't just sit around like this!"

Nami averted her eyes. She slapped his hands off her shoulders. "Just shut up. What difference would it make? I'm no good in this fight, remember? I can't even get Poliwrath to obey me. But I bet you enjoyed watching that, huh? Seeing me fail like that? To see me look so pathetic? You were waiting for something like that to happen, right? Just so you could rub it in my face?"

Ayden felt his anger soar. He picked her up by her hoodie and slammed her against the wall.

The impact caused Nami's anger to rise as well. She formed a fist and prepared to strike. "Ayden, you son of a-,"

"Just shut the hell up for once in your damn life! I've had it up to here with you! Moping and freezing up in the middle of a battle, all because your opponent is a little stronger than you thought they were? And you're supposed to be the daughter of a world champion fighter? What would your dad say if he saw you looking like this?"

Nami averted her eyes again at the mention of her dad. Another thing to make her feel worse. Having the enemy see how pathetic she looked was bad enough, now her thoughts were filled with what her dad would think. "Yeah, bet he'd think I was an idiot for trying to win this with Poliwrath. This is exactly what happened eight years ago. I couldn't control him then and I can't do it now. Damn, what was I thinking?"

Ayden shook his head. "I don't believe that's what he'd think at all. I bet you anything he'd say he was proud. Proud to have someone like you as a daughter. You're a great trainer, Nami, and an amazing martial artist. There's no doubt about that. But you can't just charge at your opponent without sizing them up first. You can't power your way through everything."

His words triggered a memory of Nami when she was a kid at the martial arts tournament. She had been declared the winner and she waved and smiled at the cheering crowd. She was so happy she won the whole tournament. With her trophy in hand, she ran up to her dad and showed him her prize. "Look, dad, look! Look at my trophy! Isn't it cool?"

He kept silent. He had his arms crossed as he looked down on her. She expected him to praise her, but his response wasn't what she expected. "You charge in recklessly without first sizing up your opponent. You can't power your way through everything. That kind of behavior will lead to your downfall one day."

Nami lowered her shoulder as she felt tears welling up. She then felt him pull her in for a hug.

"However, I'm very proud of you. You fought a tough tournament and made it all the way through to win. I'm really lucky to have such a strong daughter like you. Just try to be more careful next time."

Nami's smile returned and she hugged him back. She hadn't felt this happy before. She wanted to believe she was the lucky one to have a dad like him.

Her memory ended, and despite how she felt before, she managed a smile. She chuckled at the thought that Ayden of all people managed to help her sort her thoughts out. "Okay, you can let go of me now." When Ayden released her, she straightened out her hoodie. "You know, you're a really annoying bastard, Ayden."

Ayden placed his hands in his pockets. "And you're an insufferable idiot."

They looked at each other and Nami could feel for the first time they had probably formed the most twisted bond of friendship anyone had ever seen.

Ayden cracked his knuckles. "So, you ready to end this thing?"

Nami looked over at Poliwrath and saw him struggle against Pangoro. She nodded. "Yeah, I'm ready."

Poliwrath continued to attack Pangoro, but failed to deliver an actual hit. He had to admit, this Pangoro was a tough opponent, but one hit was all he needed to win. He tried to attack again, but he fell to his knees in exhaustion. He gasped for air as he realized he'd been so focused on trying to hit Pangoro, he failed to see his strength weaken.

Mashira finished another flask and threw it on the floor. "Okay, Pangoro, let's wrap this up. Thunder Punch."

Pangoro's fist plunged deep into his gut, and he screamed as the electricity traveled around his body. When the attack subsided, Poliwrath fell backward. He didn't understand. Why was this opponent so strong? He was so powerful when he fought beside Kiyo. What happened in these eight years?

His eyes widened as the realization hit him. He'd gotten old. Eight years is a long time, and he hadn't entered any competitions or even practiced. Since Kiyo's passing, he'd lost the passion to fight.

He lay on the floor, gazing at the ceiling. He wondered if he had the energy to get back up. He heard Mashira order another Thunder Punch, and Pangoro readied the attack.

Poliwrath looked the other way, not wanting to see the face of the opponent who beat him. He had disgraced himself and allowed some unknown to win. There was nothing he could do at this point. His opponent had bested him. So much for being champion.

As Pangoro approached to deliver the final blow, Poliwrath sat up in shock as Nami ran in between them and took the attack herself. Her screams echoed throughout the hallway and rang through Poliwrath's ears.

The electricity surged through her body, as Pangoro's fist was planted firmly in her gut. The power of the punch alone knocked the wind out of her, and she could barely catch her breath as the electricity ran through her. But she couldn't let Poliwrath get hurt anymore.

The attack subsided and Nami fell backward onto Poliwrath, bouncing on his belly like a water bed.

Seeing her sleeping reminded him of a little girl from when Kiyo was still alive. The little girl would curl up on him and use his belly like a mattress. His eyes widened in shock as he realized she was the little girl from back then.

Nami stirred and turned toward Poliwrath. "Hey, you doing okay? Damn, just look at you. You look like hell."

She grinned and he recalled the same grin she made as a little girl. It made him smile that her grin hadn't changed in eight years.

She eased off Poliwrath and helped him up. "Hey, Poliwrath, look, I know I'm not my dad, and I've got a long way to go before I reach his level, but I could really use your help in this fight. I know we can beat this guy. So, what do you say, wanna work together on this?"

Poliwrath stared at her and for a moment, he saw Kiyo in her. The atmosphere around her felt nostalgic and comforting. He wanted to keep experiencing this feeling. He wanted to regain the eight years he'd lost. He nodded and got back on his feet.

Nami punched her palm and stood up. "Oh, hell yeah! Now, we're talking! Let's kick his ass!"

Mari and Dai were joined by journalists from other news networks as they crowded the Silph building; each news network wanting to be the first to get the latest on the situation.

The crowd surrounding building grew larger by the minute. Off in the distance, a figure clothed in a black jacket and sunglasses made their way through the crowd, constantly looking up at the top floor of the building.

Mendy and Jin sat in the room and watched the unconscious psychics lie on the floor. The area had been littered with shrapnel and debris due to the shaking the building had endured.

Nathan grunted and strained as he sawed his bindings with a piece of shrapnel. "Come on! Dammit! Hurry up and cut!"

Mendy kept her focus on the psychics. "Do… do you think they're okay?"

Jin sat still in fear of them getting back up. His shallowed breathing accentuated his trembling. He didn't know what caused them to fall, but was thankful it happened. Otherwise, they would've been sent to wherever they had planned. "Honestly, I have no freaking clue if they are or not. All I know is if they get back up, I'm screaming. That… that was really terrifying."

Mendy had to agree with him. She tried to calm herself down, but found it a more difficult task than she thought. The more she thought about what might've happened, the more fear she felt. The only other time she felt like this was back at Pokémon Tower. To be powerless to stop Team Chaos from taking them away left a pain in her chest. She didn't want anything like that to happen again.

She switched her gaze from the psychics to her feet. "I… I don't know how much more I can deal with this. I hate this. We couldn't do anything to stop them."

Jin looked at her and lowered his shoulders as her words sank in. For the first time, he didn't have anything to say to make her feel better. He had to admit, she had a point. They were powerless to stop them. Another second or so, and they would've been teleported away. The more he thought about it, the more frustrated he became.

"Then we'll just have to get stronger."

Mendy and Jin looked over at Nathan as he continued to saw away at his bindings. He could feel the shrapnel cut into the rope. He just had to keep at it. He knew it would give way soon enough. "If you two are that scared about what happened, then the answer's obvious. Get stronger. You think I'm satisfied about not being able to do anything? To almost be taken away while Nami continues to fight trying to beat these guys? I freaking hate it! How can I protect the person I care about, if I can't even protect myself? That's why I just need to keep training, and become so strong, no one would be able to mess with me!"

With one final cut, the ropes around his wrists snapped. He jumped onto his feet and massaged his wrists. "Hot damn, finally. Okay, hang on while I get our pokémon back."

He went over to the psychics and rummaged through their belongings, leaving Mendy and Jin looking at each other and contemplating his words.

Jin hadn't really thought about it that much. As a pokémon watcher, he didn't think too much about battling. However, Nathan's words made him realize what he'd been lacking. He often felt he'd held the group back, and felt guilty about it. Ayden had always been the group's heavy hitter, and it seemed he left all the battling to him. But now, Nathan's words caused something to burn inside him to the point he smiled. He had to get stronger and be able to fight with Ayden instead of just watching him.

Mendy thought about Nathan's words and realized he was right. She always had gone on about wanting to be a gym leader, but wondered if she took it as seriously as she made herself out to be. Nami and Ayden were stronger than she was. Leaving the fighting to them made her complacent and she hadn't realized it. She'd gotten better at battling, but that wasn't good enough to be a gym leader. It wasn't enough to get herself out of trouble, and it wasn't enough to surpass Nami or Ayden. She had to get stronger. Stronger than both of them and anybody else.

"All right! Got 'em!"

Mendy and Jin turned their attention to Nathan as he activated a pokéball. "Go, Lucario! Break them out of those ropes!"

Lucario emerged and with his bone club, he cut Mendy and Jin out of their bindings with a slash.

They stood up and massaged their wrists before reclaiming their pokémon.

Nathan smiled and petted Lucario on the head. "Great job, Lucario. So, you guys ready?"

They both gave a nod and they all made their way up the stairs with Nathan leading the way. Now that he had gotten past the road block, he could finally get back to what he set out to do in the first place, protect Nami. He had to make sure she was okay.

He thought about what Mendy had been saying about Nami's relationship with Ayden. He wondered if she was right about it. "So, Mendy, about Nami and Ayden-,"

Mendy rolled her eyes. She couldn't believe he was still on this subject when there were far more pressing matters to deal with. "Seriously? This again? How many times do I have to tell you? Nami doesn't like Ayden! She can barely stand to be in the same room with him."

The conversation piqued Jin's interest and he burst into laughter. "Wait! You think Nami likes Ayden? Oh, man! That's the funniest thing I've heard all day!"

He continued laughing as they ascended to the next floor.

Nathan sneered at Jin. "What's so funny about it? It's a possibility!"

Jin shook his head as he held back his laughter to the best of his abilities. "Nah, bruh. No, it isn't."

Nathan took their answers and thought hard about them. He managed to convince himself they may have been right. Perhaps she didn't have feelings for Ayden. As difficult as it was for him to shake off the evidence he witnessed, maybe he was wrong.

He sighed. "Thanks, guys! You're right! Maybe she doesn't have feelings for him! Which means I still have a chance! Hang on, Nami! I'm on my way!"

Mendy rolled her eyes with a smile.

Ayden and Nami stared at Mashira as they readied themselves for the next round. Nami took several deep breaths and calmed her mind the best she could. This was it. All she had to do was remember everything her dad taught her. With Poliwrath fighting with her, she had nothing to worry about.

Mashira placed his flask on his belt, and gave Ayden and Nami his attention. Something changed to the point he couldn't afford to have his attention divided. He chuckled. He may actually have to get serious for this one.

He turned to Nami. "So, looks like you finally straightened everything out with that Poliwrath of yours. Not that it'll make a difference."

Nami grinned. "I'd be more worried about yourself. You should've taken us out when you had the chance, and we're gonna make you pay for it. Let's go, Poliwrath!"

Poliwrath stepped forward and glared at Pangoro. He wasn't going to let some upstart get the better of him anymore.

Ayden nodded. "Heracross, you ready?"

Heracross nodded and got into a fighting stance.

Nami turned to Ayden and saw him wipe away sweat. She took notice of his heavy breathing, and realized he had reached his limit. "Hey, you're not getting tired, are ya? Maybe you should take a break, you big jerk."

Ayden saw her smirk and lightly smiled. He cracked his neck and stretched. "I don't know what you're talking about. I can do this all day. You should worry more about yourself, you obstinate ignoramus."

Nami chuckled. "Good. Then let's end this already."

Ayden nodded. "Couldn't agree more."

Mashira looked at the two with an upturned eyebrow. He'd never seen teammates with such an abnormal relationship like this. He almost didn't know how to react to it. He shook off his thoughts and focused on the battle. "Well, kiddies, let's see what you've got. Pangoro, Body Slam on Heracross!"

Pangoro ran up to the Heracross and jumped. His large body descended on Heracross, causing the bug pokémon to freeze in terror. Pangoro was nearly twice his size. He didn't know what to think or what to do.

Ayden felt he didn't have to do anything. Pangoro had set itself up to be a position for a counter attack.

As if she read his mind, Nami stepped forward and knew what needed to be done. "Poliwrath, use Hydro Pump!"

Poliwrath leaned back and squeezed his stomach to the point a huge pressure of water shot out. The water landed a direct hit on Pangoro before he landed on Heracross. The water struck him and launched him to the other side of the hallway where Mashira stood. Pangoro recovered from the attack and landed perfectly in front of him.

Mashira smirked. Now that the battle has turned into a two against one fight, he may actually have to pay attention now. "Not bad. Not bad at all. Let's see if you can keep it up. Pangoro, use Slash!"

Pangoro raised its claws in the air and charged at Heracross and Poliwrath.

Ayden waited for Pangoro to get in closer. He needed the right moment. "Heracross, counter it with Brick Break!"

Heracross' claw glowed and he charged at Pangoro. The two attacks canceled each other out and both pokémon were blown backward.

Ayden knew he wouldn't be able to overpower Pangoro's attack, but he'd hoped Pangoro took a little damage from it.

Nami kept her eyes on Pangoro and waited for an opportunity. Now seemed like as good a time as any. "Poliwrath, use-,"

Before she finished the command, Ayden held up a hand to stop her. "Wait, don't call an attack just yet."

Nami turned to him, a bit annoyed he made her miss her window. "Why not? That was a good shot!"

Ayden shook his head. "Both of our pokémon have taken a lot of damage. It'd be better if we waited for him to come to us first and wait for our chance. If we launch an attack first, he could counter us and finish us off."

Nami grunted. She hated it when he had a point, but she was also a little glad he stopped her. She'd gotten too impatient. She just had to remain calm and look for the moment to strike. They couldn't afford to lose this battle.

Mashira snarled in annoyance. "Pangoro should've overpowered Heracross easily, but he canceled out the attack. What the hell's going on here?"

Heracross and Poliwrath regrouped in front of Ayden and Nami, while Pangoro eyed the both of them. The hallway fell silent as the two teams stared each other down. The flooring had been turned up, transforming the once smooth tiles into mountain-like structures. The walls and ceiling had been damaged, showing deep vein-patterned cracks. Several light structures dangled from the ceiling and sparked as they flickered on and off.

Nami shot a quick glance over at Ayden. "So, Mr. Genius, got any plans yet?"

Ayden continued to look over Pangoro and their surrounding area. He looked for any openings and areas they could exploit, but very few came up. He had to admit, Pangoro was very well trained. "Working on it. We don't have many options where we come out on top though."

Nami sighed. She was afraid he'd say that. "Well, doesn't matter as long as we win this, right?"

Ayden nodded. "Yeah. But it's going to be a rough battle. You ready?"

Nami grinned. "I am, you just try to keep up."

Mashira stared at them as they communicated with each other. He had to admit, they lasted longer than he anticipated. He concluded it was due to the Carrier. His brain and tactics have been keeping them in the game. He had to take him out as soon as possible.

He balled his hands. "Okay, Pangoro, let's hit 'em with a Fire Punch!"

Pangoro balled his paws, and they became enveloped in flames. With his attack ready, he charged at Heracross and attacked him with a succession of punches.

Heracross backed away and dodged the punches to the best of his abilities.

As Heracross backed away, he tripped over a loose floor tile and fell on his back. Pangoro jumped into the air and prepared to strike.

"Poliwrath! Help Heracross with Mega Punch!"

Poliwrath jumped into the fray and balled his fists. They soon became enveloped in a white aura. When he was in range, Poliwrath struck Pangoro in the face, knocking him backward. Pangoro landed on his side and staggered back on his feet.

Heracross rolled back onto his feet and prepared for another attack. As soon as all three pokémon recovered, they charged at each other.

Nami called Poliwrath to use Dynamic Punch, while Ayden had Heracross use Brick Break.

Pangoro jumped off the walls and landed behind both of them, shaking the floor. He used Low Sweep to knock Heracross off balance and then kicked him down the hallway. He turned and blocked Poliwrath's Dynamic Punch before flipping him over his shoulder.

Poliwrath landed on his back, denting the floor.

Heracross slid on his back before flipping back onto his feet. He spread his wings and zoomed at Pangoro with an Aerial Ace.

Pangoro's claws glowed and he attacked Heracross with Slash.

Heracross dodged the attack and struck Pangoro with Aerial Ace, launching him into the wall.

Poliwrath jumped up and grabbed Pangoro. While Pangoro was in his grip, he used Submission.

Pangoro forced himself out of Poliwrath's grip before they landed and grabbed Poliwrath instead. Using the momentum from Poliwrath's dive, Pangoro swung Poliwrath and tossed him with Vital Throw.

Poliwrath crashed onto the floor in front of Nami. Before she could call out to him, he staggered back onto his feet.

Nami gritted her teeth as she watched Pangoro recover in front of Mashira. She felt a twinge of annoyance to how versatile Pangoro was. "Damn. We're not getting anywhere like this!" She turned toward Ayden as he studied the situation. "Well? Come up with anything yet?"

Mashira clicked his tongue in annoyance. No matter what he tried, they just covered for the other. He had to knock both pokémon out with a single move. He smiled as he knew which one would do the trick. "Pangoro! End this!"

Pangoro formed an 'x' with his arms and gathered every ounce of energy he had. Golden light surrounded and entered his body, and the absorption shook the floor.

Ayden gritted his teeth as he knew what was coming. He didn't think they'd have to go for broke so soon. "Damn. Okay, we need to hit him with our best move. You know Poliwrath's best attack?"

Nami nodded. "Yeah, you gonna be okay?"

Ayden nodded. "Don't worry. We just need to focus on stopping him. Let's go!"

Nami turned to Poliwrath. "Poliwrath! Let's get ready to end this!"

Poliwrath turned to her, and for a moment, he saw Kiyo. It felt just like the old days when they fought together. For a while, he thought he'd lost that feeling. He formed an 'x' with his arms and charged up his energy. His body absorbed golden rays of light just like Pangoro.

Ayden turned to Heracross. "Get ready! We only have one shot at this! Reversal!" Heracross focused all the damaged he'd received and channeled it to his fists.

Mashira and Nami called their attack at the same time. "Use Giga Impact!"

When they finished charging up, all three pokémon launched their attacks.

Poliwrath and Heracross sped toward Pangoro, and Pangoro charged toward them as well. All three pokémon strained and grunted as they pushed against each other. The only thing on their minds was winning the match for their respective trainer. The collision of their attacks caused an explosion that blew the ceiling off the hallway and annihilated the walls. Ayden and Nami covered themselves before being blown backward. Mashira took several steps back before regaining his footing.

The hallway filled with smoke, and all three trainers focused their attention on the battle to see which side emerged victorious.

The smoke cleared enough that they saw one of the pokémon lying on the ground. Ayden's eyes widened when he saw Heracross unconscious.

Pangoro and Poliwrath still stood their ground as they glared at each other.

Nami cracked a smile when she saw Poliwrath still in the game. "Yeah! That's what I'm talking about, Poliwrath! Keep it up! You're doing great!"

Mashira furrowed his brow. "Don't you dare go down, Pangoro! You better win!"

Both pokémon continued to stare at each other without moving an inch. Pangoro swayed, causing Nami to smile. Her smile soon faded and she watched in horror as Poliwrath fell over on his side.

She rushed over and lifted him up. "Poliwrath! Poliwrath! Hey! Come on! Get up! You can't go down now! Poliwrath!"

Mashira laughed. "Oh, so close! I'll admit, you were close! But close doesn't-,"

He trailed off when he saw Pangoro fall forward and hit the floor.

Ayden breathed a sigh of relief when Pangoro fainted. They lucked out on that one. He ran toward Heracross and lifted him up. "Hey, buddy. You did great. You deserve a nice long rest."

With that, he recalled Heracross back to his ball.

Mashira stared at Pangoro's unconscious body. He reached for his pokéball and recalled him. When Pangoro was back inside, Mashira stared at the ball. He wondered how Nami and Ayden were able to counter him so well. He also needed to figure out how to get the Carrier and the Pikachu at the same time.

Ayden placed Heracross' pokéball on his belt and then turned to Nami. "How's Poliwrath doing?"

Nami sighed and gave a slight nod. "He'll be okay. Just needs to get some rest." She reached for his pokéball and recalled him. "Thank you, Poliwrath. You fought like a champ."

As soon as Poliwrath disappeared inside his ball, Mashira appeared before Ayden with his fist already closing in on Ayden's stomach.

Nami could barely comprehend what happened as all she felt was a rush of wind blowing past her.

Ayden's eyes widened in shock as Mashira appeared in front of him. He never saw him move. To think he could be that fast.

Nami turned in time to see him swing his arm at Ayden.

In one fell swoop, Mashira punched Ayden in the side of his stomach, before he had a chance to defend. The impact knocked the air out of him, and he soared into the back wall.

Nami ran over to him. "Oh, shit! Ayden! Ayden! You okay?"

Mashira turned toward her and unleashed a series of kicks and punches at her.

Nami dodged and blocked his attacks the best she could, but couldn't predict where he'd strike next. She thought he was just some drunk, but realized he was a master martial artist.

She back flipped until she stood a safe distance away from him. She checked herself and the pain in her arms from blocking his attacks were nothing like she'd ever experienced. It was as if she was hit by a steel beam.

Ayden sat against the wall. The side of his stomach bled, dirt and rubble covered his body, and the branding on his back glowed. He opened his eyes and they changed to their gold and blue combination.

He winced as he reached for the wound on his side. "Wow. Talk about a close one, right Ayden? Glad I stepped in when I did. Otherwise, you wouldn't have gotten off with just a few cracked ribs. But I have to say, humans sure have gotten stronger over the centuries."

"Hey! You okay? Say something!"

He turned and smiled as he watched Nami run over to him. "I'm glad you've found yourself good friends, Ayden. I shouldn't stay in control any longer than this. It's gonna hurt, so try to endure it." The branding on his back stopped glowing and his eyes went back to normal.

The pain in Ayden's side worsened, and he fell over screaming.

Nami looked him over and saw him clutching his side. She tried to help him, but backed off when the slightest touch put him in even more pain. She clenched her teeth as she saw him cough up blood.

Nami stood up and turned toward Mashira. "You bastard! You're gonna pay for that!"

Mashira laughed. "That's cute! And how exactly do you plan on stopping me?"

Nami smiled and took a fighting stance. "We'll see just how 'cute' it'll be when I kick your ass up and down this hallway!"

Mashira stared at Nami as she held her stance. He noticed she started tapping the floor with the heel of her lead foot. There was something about it. Something familiar. His eyes widened when he realized it. "That weird-ass habit. That's the same thing Kiyo used to do!"

Nami's eyes widened. At the mention of his name, her mind shifted to other concerns. "How do you know my dad's fighting style?"

Mashira squinted his eyes. "Your dad? You're that bastard's daughter?" His eyes widened and he laughed again. "I can't believe it! This is even better than I'd hoped!"

Nami furrowed her brow as she grew more annoyed by the minute. "What're you talking about?"

Mashira stopped laughing and looked at her. "I fought your dad back in the day. Final round of the World Championship tournament. I'll never forget that match, no matter how hard I want to."

Nami stared at him unable to determine how to process it all. None of it made any sense. "So, let me guess. You're out for revenge because my dad beat you in the final round? Is that it?"

Mashira shook his head. "He didn't just beat me… he ruined my entire life."

***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.

***When writing this chapter, I realized that the page count would enter 20-30+ pages. There's a lot I want to include to wrap up this arc, so I found a spot I could end the chapter on, and hopefully, finish off the arc in chapter 28. I wanted to give you all something after two months of waiting.

***Chapter 28 will be posted soon! I don't know when it will be exactly. I'm hoping for the end of the month at the latest. It all depends on how things go with certain aspects of my life. Things are just so crazy right now. So, look forward to the next chapter and I'll see you all next time!