Welcome to chapter 30 of Pocket Monsters: Shattered Souls! Thank you for reading the story up to this point and I hope you enjoy the chapter! Again, I'd like to apologize for the lack of content these past months. Things are still crazy, and I wish I had more time to work on these chapters. Luckily, I may have found a small window of time to work on them. So, hopefully, I'll be able to get these out in more timely manner than I have been recently. With that said, please enjoy the chapter and view the message at the end. Thank you.

CHAPTER 30

The sun shined brightly as a young girl ran down the sidewalk. She had shoulder-length pink hair and wore a sailor-style school uniform. She wore a huge smile on her face as she'd been waiting for this day to come for a long while. In her hands, she carried a folded piece of paper. All she had to do was show her parents.

She climbed the steps of the porch to the one-story house. She opened the door and quickly slammed it shut behind her. "Mama! I'm home! I've got something to show you!"

Her mother entered the room wearing a yellow shirt and jeans underneath an apron. The young girl held the paper up to her mother's face. "Look! Our grades came in! I got all A's, too! Isn't that great?"

Her mother hesitantly took the paper from her and scanned the contents. Indeed, she had all A's. "Um… uh… yeah. That's wonderful, sweetie. You did a great job."

The girl beamed. "So… does that mean we can go to Pokémon Land like you promised? I had to get all A's, right?"

The mother shook, but forced a smile. "Um… yeah. That is what I said, isn't it? Let me just talk it over with papa and we'll decide when to go, okay?"

The girl nodded her head and took off toward her room. She threw her backpack on the floor and petted her Meowth as it slept on the floor.

"Guess what, Meowth! We're going to Pokémon Land! Isn't that great?"

Meowth remained uninterested and continued to sleep.

The girl jumped onto her bed and pulled out a flyer for the Pokémon Land amusement park from under her pillow. She'd dreamed of going there for the longest time. She smiled as her dream would soon come true.

Rose sat in her chair in her office asleep with her hand resting on her head. She opened her eyes and gazed around her room. She didn't know when she nodded off, or even how long she'd been asleep, all she knew was the bad feeling in her stomach. Why did I have that dream? Better yet, why am I so jittery?

She shook her head and tried to forget it all. She turned on the TV and listened to the news. The reporter, an early-thirties man with a clean-shaven square face and blue suit, cleared his throat and looked into the camera. "I'm here in Celadon City where the local gym has shut their doors to the public. One of the trainers was the victim of a string of kidnappings that have been happening as of late. No word on the girl's whereabouts, and no ransoms have been made from her kidnappers. The only clue local authorities have is that these events are reminiscent of the kidnappings that took place eight years ago."

Rose's eyes widened in shock. She lowered her shoulders and shook as her mind became infested with images of her childhood and the sound of the word 'Myouou' being called out. Her name rang through her mind until she jumped out of her chair and screamed.

She leaned on her desk gasping for air when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She jumped away and gazed at the frightened expression of her subordinate. She was an average-height girl with curly blonde hair.

The girl tightened her grip on her clipboard. "Captain Rose, are you okay? You were screaming."

Rose regained her composure and glared at her. "What do you want?"

The girl squealed before handing her the clipboard. "I-I have the report on locations for the Red Chain fragments as well as-,"

Rose walked past her and headed for the door. "Leave it on my desk. I'm heading out for a while. Hold all my calls."

The girl watched as Rose walked down the hallway. "Wait! Captain Rose! Where're you going?"

Rose ignored her and headed for the base's exit. I don't know why I had that dream, but I'm going to figure it out.

Mendy gasped and Nami's eyes widened in shock. She couldn't believe what they had just said.

Smith, one of the men in a black business suit, walked up. "As we've mentioned, we understand this is sudden, but it's very urgent. A gym under the League needs a leader running it at all times."

Nami felt dizzy as she tried to compute all that was said. "W-Wait a minute. You're saying you want to make me Saffron's official gym leader? But why?"

Turner adjusted his sunglasses. "We're aware that several years ago, your father once applied to be the gym leader. We felt it fitting that his daughter took up the position after reviewing your heroics during the attack on the Silph Building. You courageously fought through Team Chaos' trainers and defended the civilians of Saffron. Your fighting prowess is exemplary."

Nami didn't know where to begin. Everything was happening faster than she could handle.

Nathan looked at her in concern. "Nami, you okay?"

She didn't answer him. Her mind was too busy trying to process everything. This is my chance. It's what I've been waiting for. A chance to vindicate my dad and restore the honor of our gym. So, why am I hesitating?

Tsuyoshi walked up to the Turner and Smith. "Gentlemen. I know it's an urgent matter, but this is clearly a lot for her to take in, especially as she's still recovering. Perhaps you can come back later and we can discuss it then?"

Smith nodded. "Of course. However, we can't wait too long. Saffron needs a gym leader. We would like an answer by tomorrow."

With that, both men left the room. Tsuyoshi turned to Nami. "How're you feeling, young Master?"

Nami shook her head. "I… I don't know."

Nathan looked her in the eyes. "What do you mean? This is what you've wanted, right? The right to be Saffron's official gym is yours. You can finish what your dad started."

Nami remained silent. She had thought about it. She'd love to finish her dad's legacy. There was something off about it all to her.

Tsuyoshi placed his hand on Nathan's shoulders. "Just hold there, Nathan. This is a big decision. It's something she has to work out for herself. Come on, let's get back to the gym."

Nathan struggled as Tsuyoshi dragged him out of the room, leaving Nami and Mendy alone. Mendy looked at Nami, but didn't know what to say.

They remained silent for several minutes before Mendy spoke. "So… gym leader, huh? Sounds pretty awesome. This calls for a celebration. Who wants a burger?"

Nami remained silent as she simply stared at her bedsheets.

Mendy waved a burger in her face. "Hey… it's your favorite. A triple cheeseburger with ketchup and jalapeño sauce." She was shocked to see she didn't react. "Nami… seriously, are you okay? Say something."

Nami sighed. "Sorry, but I'm not in the mood for a burger right now. I think I'm just gonna go to sleep."

Mendy was astonished. She never thought she'd see the day Nami turned down a burger. She packed up the burger and headed for the door. "Well, okay. You sure you don't need anything?"

Nami nodded. "Yeah, thanks. I'm good."

With that, Mendy left the room. Nami laid back down and stared at the ceiling before closing her eyes.

The next morning, Nami laid in her bed wide awake. She could barely sleep as she kept thinking about becoming a gym leader. It was her dad's dream, and she could restore their reputation, but she didn't want to have to leave Mendy or make her feel bad. It's actually her dream to be a gym leader. How would it make her feel if she became one?

She gripped her head in frustration. "Ah, dammit! Why does everything have to be so friggin' complicated?"

The door to her room opened and she immediately looked in its direction. Her face lit up when the thought of Mendy coming in crossed her mind.

Jin peeked in and smiled. "Hey! How're ya doing?"

Nami dropped her shoulders and giggled nervously. "Hey, Jin. What's up?"

Jin pulled up a chair and sat down. "Just checking up on you. Mendy's over in Ayden's room since she was here yesterday. So, we decided to switch."

Nami's eye twitched. "Oh, that right? Well, guess that makes sense."

Jin could barely contain his excitement. He had to start the conversation. "So, Mendy told me yesterday you're being scouted to be the next gym leader! That's so awesome!"

Nami weakly smiled. "Yeah, it's pretty cool."

Jin dropped his shoulders. "What gives? I thought you'd be more excited about it."

Nami looked at her bedsheets. "I'm excited. Who wouldn't be?"

That's what she told herself. Becoming Saffron's official gym was everything she wanted for a long time. This was her opportunity. However, there was something bugging her, and the only person she could talk to about it was him.

She flung off her bedsheets and rolled out of bed.

At that, Jin jumped from his seat. "Hey! What're you doing? You shouldn't be out of bed!"

Nami gripped the bed to maintain her balance. "I need to talk to Ayden. I'm going to his room."

Jin placed his hands on her shoulders. "Come on, Nami, let's get you back to bed. You can't-,"

Nami glared at him. "I'm going to Ayden's room!"

Jin dropped his shoulders. "O-Okay."

Nami could barely keep her balance as she reached the end of the bed. She felt Jin place her arm around his shoulder. "The hell are you-?"

Jin smiled. "I won't stop you from going, but I can at least act as your crutch. You can lean on me for anything, you know."

Nami lowered her shoulders and smiled. "Thanks, Jin."

Mendy walked around Ayden's bed and placed some flowers on his desk. She looked over and smiled as she watched him pet Piik while she slept curled up on his lap. "She really missed you. You were out for a while."

Ayden sighed. "Yeah, that seems to be the case nowadays."

Mendy sighed. "Good grief. I wish you'd be more careful. I really worry about you, you know?"

Ayden shook his head. "The pokémon took way harder hits than me. You shouldn't waste your time worrying about-,"

He turned to see her glaring at him. She climbed on the bed and got in his face. "What did I say about saying that?"

He lightly smiled. "Sorry, almost forgot."

Realizing how close she had gotten to his face, she blushed and sat on the edge of the bed. She cleared her throat and straightened up. "It doesn't matter who took more damage, we're all going to be worried about each other no matter what."

"Thank you… for worrying about me."

Her blush reddened and she stuttered with her words. "O-Of course. W-We're friends, right?"

Ayden nodded. "Yeah. We are, aren't we? I'm glad you and Jin didn't get seriously hurt."

Mendy froze at that. "Uh… yeah. Guess we got lucky."

He looked over at her and his eyes widened when he noticed the bruising around her neck. "Mendy… how did you get that?"

Mendy covered her neck with her hand. "Oh, this? It's nothing. Mashira grabbed me when we came to help you and Nami."

Ayden's eyes fell from her neck to his bed. He clenched his fists in anger. First Jin, and now Mendy. What the hell happened after I got hit?

Mendy's pokéball popped open and Wartortle emerged on the bed. He looked around the room frantically until he found his target. He knew she'd be there. He'd been waiting a long time to see her again. Still as beautiful as the day they met. He approached Piik as she stirred from her sleep.

She looked up at his smiling face and immediately felt sick. Last she saw him, he was just a puny Squirtle, now he's evolved and looked way more irritating.

Wartortle got on one knee and held his hand out to Piik.

She gazed at his hand and then turned her head away. Wartortle walked to her other side, but she turned her head the other direction. They kept up the pattern until Piik couldn't take it anymore. She jumped up and ran off the bed. Wartortle soon jumped off and chased her around the room.

Mendy rolled her eyes. "For the love of-, Wartortle, stop that! Get back here now!"

She chased the two all around the room, hoping they wouldn't knock anything over. She grabbed her pokéball and tried recalling Wartortle.

The door to the room opened, and Nami and Jin stood in the doorway, watching Mendy, Wartortle, and Piik run around the room.

When Mendy finally caught Wartortle, she stood up and sighed. "Good grief. We're in a hospital, Wartortle, show some restraint."

She put his pokéball away and finally noticed Nami and Jin. "Hey, what're you doing? You're supposed to be-,"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, resting in bed. Spare me. Look, I need to talk to you guys, especially you, Ayden."

"Me? What do you need to talk to me ab-?" He stopped when he noticed her arm. This was the first time he'd seen her since their fight with Mashira. He wasn't aware how badly she was hurt. "Nami… what happened to your arm?"

"What? Oh, just from my fight with Mashira. He was okay, but in the end, my superior fighting skills came out on top."

Ayden lowered his shoulders in disbelief. He clenched his fists as the thought ran through his mind. They all got hurt… because of me. How could I let this happen? If I were stronger, I could've prevented all this from happening.

"Hey!"

Ayden snapped out of his thoughts and looked up at Nami.

"If you don't mind, I'd like to get this conversation started."

After a bit, the group settled in Ayden's room. Ayden sat in his bed, Mendy leaned against the wall rubbing her neck, Nami sat in a chair holding her broken arm, and Jin stood with his arms crossed. They all remained silent, knowing what the others had on their minds.

Jin looked at the others and broke the silence. "You know what I've noticed about our group? We get hurt a lot." The room fell back into silence. Jin smiled and headed for the door. "I'm gonna get a soda. Anybody want anything?"

Ayden and Nami shook their heads, but Mendy headed for the door as well. "Yeah, I'll go with you."

When they both left, the room fell back into uncomfortable silence.

Nami leaned her head back in the chair. She guessed now was as good a time as any. "Hey."

Ayden took a deep breath and stared at the ceiling. He knew this conversation was coming sooner or later. "Yeah?"

"Our battle against Mashira."

"Yeah."

They both replied in unison. "We lost."

Nami smiled. "It sucks, you know. Two against one, and we still couldn't beat him. I even had Poliwrath, my dad's prized pokémon, and still couldn't win."

Ayden lightly smiled. "Well, to be fair, Poliwrath didn't listen to you at the start. We're still too inexperienced. Our pokémon are great, but we need to learn to bring out the best in them. That's our responsibility as trainers. If our pokémon don't listen to us, that just means we've got a long way to go."

Nami's eyes widened. The answer was so simple, she felt stupid not seeing it herself.

She shook her head and chuckled. "Amazing. It's really irritating that I found the answer to my problem by talking to you of all people, you know-it-all jerk."

Ayden chuckled. "Well, glad I could be of help to you, you muscle-headed reprobate."

They looked at each other and chuckled.

Nami sighed. "So, um… hey… thanks."

Ayden looked at her in surprise. "For what?"

Nami blushed, feeling embarrassed to say it. "Wow. Some genius you are. Don't even know why I'm thanking you. Look… you really helped me out in that battle. If you hadn't, Poliwrath and I wouldn't've lasted as long as we did. Also, you really helped me clear up some things I've been trying to figure out. So, thanks."

Ayden lightly smiled. "Any time."

Nami smiled. "Oh, and one more thing."

"The bike?"

"Yep."

Jin and Mendy stood in front of the vending machine as Jin punched in his selections. When the machine produced two sodas, Jin grabbed both and then handed one to Mendy. "Here you go."

Mendy took it and leaned against the wall. "Thanks."

They stood in silence, both knowing what the other was thinking.

Jin took a few sips. "So, about our last fight."

Mendy tightened her grip on her soda. "Yeah. I… was so… useless. I couldn't even help them fight Mashira. I thought I'd help Nami, but she wound up saving me instead."

Jin adjusted his glasses. "Yeah. I feel the same. Ayden was right there, but I couldn't help him. Tossed aside like I was nothing."

Mendy took a deep breath and calmed down. She knew how these kinds of conversations went. They'd go back and forth talking about how they messed up and feel sorry for each other. Then realize they have potential and just need to work hard and catch up with the rest of the group. "So… get stronger?"

Jin smiled, happy she decided to cut to the chase. "I'm ready to put the work in if you are."

They looked at each other and nodded.

"I want to be perfectly clear, whatever decision she makes is hers and final. Are we understanding each other?"

"Yes, it is still her decision, but it would benefit Saffron greatly if she said yes."

Jin and Mendy looked down the hallway and saw Tsuyoshi walking with Agents Turner and Smith. In front of them was a short bald man with bushy eyebrows and mustache.

Mendy waved to them. "Mr. Tsuyoshi!"

Tsuyoshi turned to her. "Ah, young Mendy and young Jin. How're you two today? You come to visit the Young Master as well?" Both Mendy and Jin nodded, and Tsuyoshi laughed. "That's good. She's very fortunate to have such wonderful friends like you two."

Jin looked at the two agents and then gasped when he saw their badges. "No way! The Pokémon Inspection Agency! You're going to recruit Nami as an official gym leader, aren't you?"

Turner nodded. "That's correct, young man."

Tsuyoshi continued leading them down the hallway. "We're heading toward her room if you'd like to join us."

Mendy pointed toward Ayden's room. "Actually, she's in this one. We were visiting Ayden before you came by."

The short man's face lit up. "Ah, so that's Ayden's room, is it not?"

Jin looked at him. "Uh, yeah. And who are you, sir?"

Smith interjected. "This is the president of the Silph Company, President Shirufu. He's come by to visit Ayden. Says he has something very important to talk to him about."

Jin and Mendy gasped as they watched them walk toward Ayden's room.

When they all entered, Mendy waved nervously to Ayden and Nami. "Hey, guys, guess who decided to pay a little visit?"

Nami looked up and nearly jumped out of her seat when she saw them. "Sensei! Turner, Smith, and… some old guy I don't know!"

Mendy rushed over to her and whispered in her ear. "Nami! That's Mr. Shirufu, president of the Silph Company. He's the guy we helped save."

Nami thought for a second and nodded. "Right, gotcha. Hey, where's Nathan?"

Tsuyoshi sighed. "He's back at the gym. I swear, that boy needs to learn proper meditation techniques. I know if he were here, he'd cause nothing but a ruckus. That's why I told him to stay home." He looked over at Ayden. "Ah, young Ayden. Thank you for helping the Young Master overcome her obstacles. I'm very appreciative."

Ayden nodded. "It was no problem. She didn't need much help, to be honest."

Turner and Smith both approached Ayden. "You're Ayden, correct? We're from the PIA, and we've heard what you have done helping the Silph Co. building. In light of your actions, President Shirufu wanted to thank you and offer you a reward for your services."

Shirufu walked up to Ayden. "Hello, Ayden. I'm Shirufu. It's such a pleasure to meet you."

Ayden nodded. "Likewise, sir. I'm glad you're doing well."

Shirufu laughed. "I'm as fit as a fiddle, thanks to you and your friends. I wanted to say thank you for what you kids have done, and on behalf of the entire Shirufu Company, I'd like to present you with a small token of my appreciation." Smith pulled out a box from his suit and handed it to Shirufu. "This box contains a very valuable item my company has been working on for years. It contains our latest product and I hope it'll help you in your journey. We've only had time to make one, so please keep this safe."

Shirufu handed Ayden the box and then turned toward Nami. Ayden opened the box and spotted a pokéball inside, but of a different coloring. The top was purple instead of red and it had a small 'M' on the front.

Shirufu approached Nami. "Ms. Nami. I believe you've already been scouted for the position of gym leader, yes?"

Nami nodded. "Yes, sir."

Shirufu smiled. "Splendid. I've asked League representatives to go ahead and make it official."

Jin furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "Wait. How're you connected with League officials?"

"My company makes tons of products trainers use on a daily basis. We also sponsor the Pokémon League tournaments and fund various activities for the League. Nami, your father once applied to the gym leader position, yes? I believe this is fate at work. Understand you'll have my full support in developing your gym the way you want. I believe you'll be a much better fit for the job than Sabrina. I still can't believe she was with that Team Chaos bunch this entire time. Truly sad."

Tsuyoshi cleared his throat. "Mr. Shirufu, I thank you for holding the Young Master in such high regard, but she still hasn't officially given her answer."

Shirufu nodded. "Ah, yes, of course. You're absolutely right, Tsuyoshi. Well, Ms. Nami, will you accept our offer? I know it's a lot to take in, but Saffron desperately needs a gym leader now. And I know the makings of one when I see them. You'd definitely make a fantastic gym leader. One that'll make Saffron proud."

The room fell silent as all eyes turned to her, waiting for her answer.

The afternoon sun steadily set beyond the horizon as the prison guards ushered everyone back into their cells.

Sabrina lay quietly on her bed staring up at the ceiling. She wondered about her students, and the gym. She sighed. Since I'm no longer the leader, they'll have to pick someone else. I see they chose Nami. Makes sense. She's wanted nothing more than to regain her family's honor. I'm sure she'll make a great gym leader.

Her attention shifted to the hallway as she heard footsteps approach. She looked up and saw the two PIA agents from before walking with the prison guard.

After the guard unlocked the door, one of the agents stepped inside. "Sabrina, we need you to come with us."

That night, Ayden lay fast asleep in his hospital bed. As he slept, the branding on his back glowed. The more it shined, the more restless Ayden became. Sweat fell down his brow as the branding burned further into his skin.

You're weak. Your friends got hurt because you weren't strong enough to protect them. They got hurt because of you. If you continue to be with them, you'll end up hurting them again, or even killing them. They'll die because of you at this rate. They'll die. They'll die. They'll die!

He woke up and found himself surrounded by white. Soon, the area filled with silhouettes of many people lined up in two separate rows. The silhouettes stopped when they came to him. He looked over and saw the silhouettes stopped at a young girl around his age. She was clad in an elegant white dress and her golden hair cascaded down past her feet.

She kept her back to him and didn't say a word. Ayden looked around and stood up. What's going on? Who're all these people, and why is she the only one I can see? "Hey, do you-,"

"Sorry, but I can't reveal to you who I am yet. You'll have to first accept the contract. Only then will all your questions be answered. As I'm sure you've been asking yourself quite a lot of them just now."

Ayden's eyes widened. Did she just read my mind? Who the hell is she?

She smiled. "If you really want to know. Accept the contract and come find me. Our world depends on us working together. It is our destiny to save the world together.

Ayden, stunned by everything going on, felt a sharp pain in his back. He fell to his knees and screamed as the pain intensified. The branding on his back glowed and burned deeper into his skin. His eyes changed to blue and gold, but the transition felt as if boiling water had been poured into eyes. He rolled on the floor and did everything he could to quell the pain, but to no avail.

The girl sighed. She wanted to help him, but knew she couldn't at this point. "It's your branding, isn't it? The longer you wait to make the contract, the worse it'll be."

Ayden gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. "What contract? How do you know about the branding? What the hell's going on here? Answer me! Answer me, dammit!"

She shook her head. "I wish I could. I really do. I honestly can't stand to see you in pain like this. But until you make the contract, there's nothing I can do. Please, you have to trust me on this. You'll get through this. I know you will."

Ayden watched as she and every silhouette faded into the shadows. The pain prevented him from getting up. When everything disappeared, he slammed his fist on the floor and screamed.

Ayden woke up in the hospital, breathing heavily. His eyes returned to their hazelnut color, but his face had been covered in tear stains and beads of sweat. The branding on his back stopped glowing, and the burning died down to a slight tingling sensation. He quickly reached for the locket around his neck and gripped it. After several deep breaths, he'd calmed down and stared at the ceiling. What's happening to me? Who was that girl? What did she mean by a contract?

Piik stirred and saw Ayden slightly shaking as he held his locket. She walked over and sat on his lap.

Ayden smiled. "Sorry, Piik. Did I wake you?" Piik shook her head. "You can go back to sleep. There's nothing to worry about. Just a weird dream is all."

He balled his hand and sighed. At least, I hope it was just a dream.

A couple days had passed since Nami spoke with the PIA and president Shirufu. There hadn't been any official word from them in that time frame, but the group constantly checked the news for any updates. As the citizens readied themselves, news anchors around the city hastily geared up to report the latest news to hit Saffron.

A news anchor with short brown hair and glasses, straightened her stack of papers and smiled at the camera. "Good morning, Saffron City. The past couple of days following the attack on the Silph Company have been busy as representatives for the League revoked and then restored the title of gym leader to Sabrina.

"Sabrina had been reported aiding Team Chaos in the attack, leading to her arrest and initial revocation of her title. League reps have then gone on to offer the position to local resident and daughter of the late martial artist world champion Kiyo, Nami.

"Many may remember Nami as a promising upcoming martial artist; winning junior tournaments at the age of four and becoming the youngest to receive her black belt at the age of five. Nami, along with her friends, were seen diving bravely into danger, successfully rescuing President Shirufu, his entire staff; and defeating Team Chaos along with their leader, Mashira. Since the rescue, everyone involved has been recovering in the local hospital.

"Due to her bravery, the PIA had offered her the position of gym leader of Saffron City, however, she refused the offer. Instead, she wished for the League to restore the title back to Sabrina and to pardon her and her trainers. She, along with her friend Ayden, have both testified they were being used by Team Chaos and were not in control of their actions. Investigators have backed up their claims. Thanks to their heartfelt pleas, the police and the PIA have reversed the revocation of Sabrina and her gym trainers as well as dropped all charges."

Mendy held up the remote and turned the television off. Wow, the PIA's no joke. They handled this whole thing in such a short amount of time. She turned to Nami and grinned. "So, heartfelt pleas, huh? Does this mean you forgive Sabrina?"

Nami scoffed as she did one-armed push-ups on the floor. "What're you; two-hundred and ninety-eight; talking about? Two-hundred and ninety-nine. There's nothing to forgive. I blamed the wrong person. Call it an apology, or whatever. Three hundred!" She jumped off the floor and grabbed the towel hanging over her bed.

Mendy thought for a second. "So, I guess this means you'll have to see if Sabrina forgives you after all this time, right?"

Nami sat on the other side of the bed. She had thought about it and knew she wouldn't feel right until she made it up to Sabrina somehow. After all these years of hating her, now she had to get her forgiveness. She groaned at the irritation.

Mendy giggled, causing Nami to turn back to her. "What's so funny?"

Mendy shook her head. "Oh, nothing. Just how thoughtful you are in trying to help Sabrina and all. Trying your best to make it up to her after all this time, huh?"

Nami blushed. She wondered how she came up with all that so easily. She didn't think she was that easy to read.

Mendy laughed. "Aah, you look so cute when you're all embarrassed like that."

Nami's face reddened and she turned her head away. "Oh, shut up."

At that, the door to the room opened and Nathan walked in with Tsuyoshi.

Nami grinned. "Nathan, Sensei! What's up?"

Nathan eyed Nami and blushed when he saw her glistening from the sweat and her strained tank top. Nathan cleared his throat. "Nami, you sure you should be exercising like that? I thought you had to rest."

Nami waved it away. "Please, I'm fine. My arm's still a little busted, but the docs said I'll be discharged today. Plus, I've been cooped up in this hospital for the past week. I needed to move around. I was about to go crazy."

Nathan smiled. "Well, I'm glad you're all right. I was really worried about you. Do you need anything?"

Nami shook her head. "Nope, I'm good."

Nathan went up to her and got on his knees, taking her hand in his. "Are you sure? Need anything at all? Another pillow? Something from the vending machine? A burger? Just say it, and I'll get it for you."

Nami found his determined service off-putting to the point it creeped her out. "I already said I'm good. Why're you so fixated on doing things for me?"

Nathan lowered his head and clenched his fists. "It's because… I couldn't do anything to help you. It's frustrating… to want to protect someone you care about, but realize how weak you are."

Nami's eyes widened. His words struck a chord in her. All this time, she didn't think they had any more in common than martial arts. "Yeah… I get that. I've felt the same kind of frustration, too."

"But you turned that frustration into your strength, and finally awakened the power of aura. I was beginning to wonder if you'd ever be able to do it."

Everyone turned to Tsuyoshi as he made his way toward Nami's bed.

Nami blinked in confusion. "Aura? You mean when I fought that Chaos guy? I mean… I remember feeling like my senses were dialed to eleven, but was that really aura?"

Tsuyoshi nodded. "It was. Your desire to protect someone dear to you was the key to unlocking it. You've managed to utilize two of its components already; projection, for self-defense; and spiritual sensory, for detecting the aura of those around you. You may have found it easier to dodge your opponent's attacks, didn't you?"

Nami thought back and nodded. "Yeah, his attacks did seem slower than before."

Tsuyoshi calmly shook his head. "His attacks weren't slower; you were sensing them. You read his movements and acted accordingly. The power of aura is magnificent, especially when one has mastered it like your father did. Now, you have it."

Nami beamed in delight. "I can use aura like dad? That means I'm just as powerful as he was!"

Before she could celebrate, Tsuyoshi bopped her on the head with his cane. "From what I sensed, you're a far cry from mastery. While impressive you called upon the power, you still have a long way to go in utilizing it to its full potential."

Nami grumbled as she rubbed her head, while Mendy and Nathan laughed.

Nathan settled down and pulled up a chair. "But are you sure you're okay with this? Giving up being Saffron's gym leader. It was your dad's dream, right?"

Nami nodded. "Yeah, it was my dad's dream, not mine. I have something else I'm working toward. I'm gonna be the greatest martial artist pokémon trainer the world has ever seen! There are a ton of trainers like my dad still out there, just waiting for me to kick their asses! I'm gonna work harder than ever before and become even stronger than my dad!"

Tsuyoshi smiled and gazed at Nami as she talked about her new dream. Can you see her now, Kiyo? Your daughter has certainly grown up to be quite the young warrior. She's a lot like you when you were her age. There's a long and tough road ahead of her, but I know she'll be just fine. So, continue watching over her, my student. She'll need all your guidance.

Tsuyoshi reached into his pocket and pulled out a pokéball. "Nami, if you're going to be the greatest, then please take Poliwrath."

Nami stared at the pokéball and then at Tsuyoshi. "Really? You mean it?"

Tsuyoshi nodded. "I know he'll be much happier with you than being stuck here with no one to challenge him. I'm sure battling beside you has shown him there is a new generation of fighters, and he must face them in order to remain the best. Nami, I know working together you two will overcome any difficulties ahead."

Nami wiped away a tear and took the pokéball. "I'll get Poliwrath back up to his champion form in no time. We'll continue where dad left off."

Tsuyoshi smiled. "I look forward to seeing what you two accomplish."

After Nami cleaned up; she, Mendy, Nathan and Tsuyoshi made their way to Ayden's room and found him putting his jacket back on.

Jin waved with a smile as they walked in. "Hey, guys. Good timing. We were just about to head your way."

Mendy smiled. "So, you're doing better now?"

Ayden nodded. "Yeah. Still not one-hundred percent, but enough to get out of here."

"That's good to hear, because we've got a surprise for the two of you."

Nami perked up. "Really? What is it?"

Tsuyoshi laughed. "As anxious as ever. You'll have to wait a little bit longer, Young Master. Come on then. Let's get you kids out of here."

As they made their way out of the hospital, Nami kept inquiring about the surprise. She pleaded with Mendy, but she wouldn't budge. She then begged Nathan, but grumbled when Tsuyoshi pulled him away before he could say anything.

The moment they left the hospital, they were surrounded by the media and bombarded with questions and camera flashes.

"Nami! A word!"

"Could you give us a statement?"

"How does it feel to be the city hero?"

"Why did you turn down the offer to be gym leader?"

"Is there any ill will you have against Sabrina?"

"Was this whole thing staged so you can promote your gym?"

Nathan growled and stepped forward. "None of what happened was staged! Nami fought and protected the Silph Co. building with all the knowledge she learned from her dad!"

Nami held her hand out to stop him. "That's enough, Nathan."

Nathan lowered his shoulders, shocked that she wouldn't let him continue. "But… Nami…,"

Nami looked at Tsuyoshi who gave her a nod. She turned back to the reporters. "What happened between me and Sabrina was nothing but a bad misunderstanding on my part. I let my rage and hate cloud my judgement; and I've made some bad calls over the years. I would've made more, if it wasn't for a certain know-it-all bast-… uh… I mean… irritating acquaint… no… I mean… um… a… good… friend; God that was painful to say; who helped keep my head on straight. If it wasn't for him backing me up through that fight, I wouldn't be standing in front of you all right now."

"Who was this 'good friend' of yours?"

Nami smiled and pointed toward Ayden. "He's right here. The reason I decided not to be Saffron's gym leader is because he made me realize I had a lot to learn. Don't get me wrong, he's still an annoying pain in the ass, but he's got some good advice."

"Is there something between you two? Are you dating?"

Nathan's eyes widened with shock and curiosity while Nami's reddened in anger. "Are you friggin' kidding me? Like hell we are! How could you even ask such a stupid question like that? That's it! I'm outta here!"

She and the rest of the group walked past the reporters and down the street.

As the reporters turned toward them trying to get a few more questions in, a man in a white coat with a stethoscope around his neck walked into the hospital. In his hands, he carried a large briefcase. As he proceeded down the hallways, all the nurses, doctors, and patients said hi to him with a smile and he returned in kind.

He made his way to the elevator and up to the floor where Mashira was being treated. He approached the guards at the door and showed them his badge. "Here you guys go. I'll be taking over his treatment from today onward."

After verifying the badge, they allowed him in. Once inside, he closed the door, and made his way toward Mashira, who was bandaged from head to foot, his prosthetic leg missing, and his upper body in a cast.

"Hello, Mashira, how're you feeling today?"

Mashira stirred in his sleep and looked over at the doctor. As soon as he recognized him, he grinned. "Well, took your sweet time getting here, doc. Hurry up and get me outta here. I need to get my revenge on that brat. I'll make her pay for doing this to me."

The doctor washed his hands, put on gloves, and opened up his briefcase. "Well, good to know your mouth's still working. Other than that, you look like hell. She whooped the shit outta you. Tell me, how menacing was she? She was what half your size and a third your build?"

Mashira growled in anger as the doctor laughed. "Just shut up and get me outta this! Next time I see that little bitch, I'm gonna show her what real hell looks like! I'll have her begging for me to kill her!"

The doctor readied a syringe. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm sure you will. Now, hold still." The doctor applied the syringe to Mashira's arm. "There. Now, just let that sink in and we should be good to go."

Mashira smiled. "Thanks, doc. How long does this usually take? I'm ready to get back on the field."

The doctor closed his briefcase and thought for a second. "Let's see. Ordinarily, the poison should kick in within a minute."

Mashira's eyes widened. "Wait! Did you say 'poison'?"

The doctor nodded. "Yep. After that, body parts start going numb one by one until the poison circulates through you. But don't worry. You'll fall into a deep sleep and you won't feel any pain as you die."

Mashira growled. "The hell you doing to me? I'm a Chaos captain! I've a reputation as a ruthless warrior! I've completed dozens of missions for Lord Schröder! I'm… I… I…,"

The doctor chuckled. "Well, looks like your mouth's gone numb. Thank God. You were getting annoying. Here's the deal. This execution came from Lord Schröder himself. You defied the orders he put in place. He told you to not engage with the Carrier, but you just had to try anyway. There's no room in Team Chaos for those who can't follow simple instructions."

Mashira tried to speak, but his whole body had become numb. All he could do was watch him walk out the door and close it. He gazed up at the ceiling as his eyelids closed.

Ayden and Nami followed the group back to the gym where they were stunned to find the interior decorated with streamers and balloons. A wide variety of food had been prepared at the dinner table, and a large banner with "Welcome Back, Heroes!" hung over it.

Nami gazed at all the decorations before turning to Mendy. "Hey, what's all this for?"

Mendy giggled. "The surprise we were talking about. This is for you and Ayden. You two really saved the day."

Tsuyoshi stepped forward. "She's right, Young Master. If not for you two, who knows what those weird people would've done. You not only stopped their plans, but you also cleared an innocent victim's name and resolved a misdirected hatred that had cursed this gym for nearly a decade. You two deserve this. Now, go and have fun."

Ayden and Nami looked at each other and smiled. They soon joined everybody in the festivities.

The party had gone on for hours. Eventually, Nami stepped outside with a drink in her hand. She sat down on a bench and stared at the sunset.

"Great party, huh?"

Nami turned to see Nathan standing over her. "Yeah, that was friggin' amazing. Thanks for doing all that."

Nathan smiled. "It was my pleasure. I felt like I could at least do this for you. After how shamefully I fought against Mashira."

Nami rolled her eyes. "You weren't that bad. Sure, your technique was a little off, but-,"

Nathan shook his head. "No, that's not good enough. It can't be. Not when it comes to you."

Nami looked at him and her eyes widened. Oh, crap! I forgot about all this! I didn't give him an answer the last time! What am I supposed to do? Crap! Crap! Crap! Crap!

"Nami, I like you a lot. I'd do anything for you and I know I can be a martial artist worthy of standing by your side. Will you… go out with me?"

Nami continued to stare at him. And there it is, the question. How the hell am I supposed to answer this dumb question? Taking down Mashira seemed a lot easier than dealing with this.

Her eyes shifted to Mendy as she talked with Jin and Ayden. Watching her laugh and smile made her forget all her worries. She felt at peace.

"Nami? Nami? Everything okay?"

She turned back to him and sighed. "I… uh… look, I've never been asked this question before, so I don't know how to really respond, but here it is. I think you're a great guy, Nathan, but I can't go out with you."

Nathan lowered his shoulders. "Yeah, I see. Can you at least tell me why? Am I not good enough, or is there someone else?"

Nami thought for a second and didn't know the answer to that. "Um… I don't know really."

He sighed. "Is it Ayden?"

She glared at his, grabbed him by his shirt, and pinned him against a tree. "Okay, let me make one thing perfectly clear! I've never had, or never will have any kind of romantic feelings for Ayden! He's a good friend at best! And believe me, that's a stretch! So, no, it's not Ayden for the last damn time!"

He nodded. "Okay, okay, I get it. It's not Ayden, but there is someone else, right?"

She heaved a sigh and released his shirt. "Look, I've got a lot to do. My dad was a master at using aura and a world champion fighter. I plan on following his path and become even stronger than he was. So, I've got no time for dating right now."

He grinned. "Okay, but I'll be training myself. So, the next time you get back here, I'll be so strong, you won't even believe it."

She smiled and extended her hand out to him. "All right. I'll hold you to it. Let's see how much you improve by the time I get back."

He smiled and shook her hand. "I can't wait to show you."

From the window, Tsuyoshi smiled and chuckled. As I said before, Nathan, sometimes things aren't always what they appear to be. He turned toward Mendy as she laughed and spoke with Jin and the others. And there are even certain things about ourselves we don't know about. I'm sure you'll come to realize that soon, Nami.

That night, after the party had finished and everyone fell asleep, Ayden quietly got out of bed and walked outside. He called out Heracross and walked up to him. Heracross took a step back. He knew it was coming sooner or later. He failed to win his last battle and now Ayden was going to release him back into the wild and look for a stronger pokémon.

Ayden placed his hand on Heracross' head. "You fought well against Pangoro. What we need to focus on is building up your strength. So, let's get to work."

As he walked away, Heracross sighed in relief. He wasn't getting replaced. He was just going to train.

As they began their training, they heard a pokéball pop open and turned to see Nami walk toward them with Poliwrath beside her.

Ayden placed his hands in his pockets. "Did we wake you?"

Nami shook her head. "Nah, I was just thinking Heracross could use a sparring partner and a few pointers from a world champion. What do you think, Poliwrath?"

Poliwrath flexed his muscles and nodded. This was the perfect way for him to get back in shape. He'd gone soft over the years. That battle with Pangoro opened his eyes and made him feel young again. He wasn't going to let it go to waste.

Ayden shrugged. "I'm fine with it. We could use all the help we can get. Let's do it."

Before they began their training, they heard the sounds of more pokéballs popping open. They both turned to see Mendy and Jin walking toward them.

Mendy ran ahead with Showers by her feet. "So, you guys were just going to train together and leave us out of it?"

Jin adjusted his glasses. "Yeah, not cool, guys. Not cool. We want in on this training session."

Ayden and Nami looked at each other and nodded.

Nami smiled. "All right. Sounds fun. Let's get this started."

Ayden nodded. "But just so we're clear, I don't hold back when it comes to training. It's going to be up to you guys to keep up."

Jin and Mendy nodded. "Got it."

When they each acknowledged they were ready, they launched their attacks at each other and began their group training.

The next day, the group stood outside the gym with Tsuyoshi, Nathan, and the other gym trainees there to bid them farewell.

Nami bowed. "Tsuyoshi sensei, thank you for all that you've done for us."

Tsuyoshi nodded. "And thank you for doing what you know is right. You've grown into such a wonderful young adult, Young Master. I know your father would be very proud of you."

Nami smiled. "Yeah, I know he is."

They hugged and a tear fell down Nami's cheek. "Thank you for everything. I'll see you guys soon."

Tsuyoshi smiled. "See you soon, my child."

They all waved goodbye to each other as they made their way down the road. In the middle of the road, they spotted Sabrina.

Sabrina looked up at them and smiled. "I'm glad I was able to meet you all out here. Ayden, Nami, thank you both for what you did. I'm eternally grateful."

Ayden nodded and Nami shrugged. "Eh, it was the least we could do after all we've been through."

Sabrina looked at her. "Nami, I'm glad you were able to find peace with what happened to your father. I wanted to tell you for a long time, but all my predictions kept telling me you wouldn't believe me. I'm sorry."

Nami shook her head. "Don't apologize. I'm the one who should. I've blamed you for years. So… I'm sorry for everything. I hope you can forgive me."

Sabrina nodded. "Of course."

Jin adjusted his glasses. "So, now that you're a gym leader again, shall we have that battle between you and Ayden now?"

Sabrina shook her head. "No. I'm afraid I can't have my match with you just yet, Ayden. The PIA still isn't quite comfortable letting me resume my role. They've placed several restrictions on me to make certain that what happened before doesn't get repeated. Also, I believe I'm not worthy of battling you just yet, Ayden. It was only thanks to you I was able to get my memories back and stop my students. Your power is clearly greater than my own, and I feel I need to train myself to be a more worthy opponent for you. So, I hope you can understand."

Ayden nodded. "Yeah, I need to go through some training myself. I look forward to our battle."

Sabrina smiled. "As do I. I need to be getting back now. Thank you all again for what you've done. Take care."

She teleported away, leaving the group to continue down the road.

Mendy placed her hands on her hips. "So, with Ayden's match against Sabrina postponed, what do we do in the meantime?"

Jin pulled out his GPS. "Well, Celadon isn't too far from here. We can go there for Ayden's rainbow badge and do a little sightseeing."

Mendy beamed. "That sounds great! Let's go!"

With that, they headed down the road to Celadon City.

In the Celadon City Pokémon Center, the television overlooking the cafeteria, played the news. The anchor on screen, a middle-aged man with hair in a striped patterned like a skunk and wearing a blue suit, looked into the camera. "The leader behind the attack on the Silph Co. building has been found dead in his hospital room. He was unresponsive as many nurses attempted to wake him up. Many are considering he'd succumbed to his injuries while local authorities are asking around for any information on the doctor that visited him last. We'll have more details as the story develops.

"In other news, the kidnappings around the city continue as young girls are disappearing. Police are encouraging residents to keep on alert and to act with caution when going out."

Sitting alone in the cafeteria, a girl sat listening to the news. She looked at her watch and got out of her seat. She returned to the lobby where Nurse Joy held a tray full of pokéballs for her.

"Here you go. All your pokémon are fully healed and ready. I must ask though. They did seem rather exhausted. I know you must train hard, but please go little easier on them, would you?"

The girl placed them on her belt. "Thanks. I'll try to keep that in mind."

Joy nodded. "Thank you. Have a good one. Take care of yourself, Raye."

Raye headed for the door without a word; with her blood-colored hair billowing behind her like a cape.

***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 31 will be posted at the end of a month, but I don't know if it'll be this month. I'm going to try my best to post it by the end of June, but we'll have to see what happens. So, look forward to the next chapter and I'll see you all next time!