Disclaimer: I still own nothing. All I own is Vincent Gaines and the plot, everything else is not mine. Again, all I own is Vincent Gaines and the plot, nothing else is mine.

Author's note: Heh, I know all you people want my other stories updated but I just want to get this one done. Fortunately, this one has only a few more chapters to go and after I get this one done, I can continue working on my others. Does anyone read this? I have no idea and I don't particularly care if anyone reads this but if you do read it and like it, come and tell me! If you don't, remain silent. I mostly wrote this story for a friend anyway and I really want to get it done.

Chapter 17: Final Battle Approaches

Weeks flew by. Time passed and everything was calm and peaceful on the surface although there was a storm coming that would sweep over soon….

Kane, Jacob, and Susan trained with the others although Kane and Jacob made sure she avoided most of the fighting. They were VERY overprotective of her. If she even got so much as a splinter, they would run over to make sure she was okay. It was beginning to be really annoying and grating on her nerves and she was very tempted to start yelling if they came over one more time. It was their fault that she couldn't help anyways. The only thing that they let her do was watch so she secretly practiced when no one was watching. She will show them what she's made of…if it's the last thing she does. She hoped it wasn't going to be though.

Syd was amazingly good at the Katana surprisingly for some hippie peace-loving guy. It was a shock to see him thrash people and then just go calmly back to writing and practicing songs with his Pokemon. It was a very drastic difference in personality but people didn't bother to ask. They had learned not too when Syd gave them a beating with his sword every single time a person asked. He grew very weirdly agitated and thumped them over with his Katana, making sure to use the flat edge so he didn't accidentally cut people with it. Lady Bat said Syd always had been good at the Katana; Syd was a natural at it. Jacob Blackstorm (now called Wolftrot) and Eddie Cullivan had some weird hate/love relationship going on where they tease, rib, and also compete with each other; and then hang out, laugh, and do things together. It was a very startling contrast in the fact that they were polar opposites in everything but their love of music, girls, and Pokemon. Vince did a lot of reading and worked on his telepathic mind powers with his Pokemon. As far as anyone knew, he was not able to read minds yet so thank goodness for that. It's disturbing having your mind completely open and able to be read at any moment. Lady Bat did….something. No one was quite sure what but it had to do with dancing and a hypnotic voice….or something. He just probably like dancing and singing girly.

Eventually the time came when a messenger came running up to their base, pursued by a couple of Houndoom. He had gotten vital information on Railen Silhoutes and his plans. Mostly there was the obvious 'their training too' but there was something actually important. Railen had just finished a missile launcher and had fleets of hypersonic jets that could launch off at any moments. The missile launcher was especially different as it shot round ball things that when landing on the ground, opened up and formed preset lines and markings into some pentagram thing. The lines do not disappear and are almost completely immune to any attempt to remove them. No one had any idea what they were for. But it had to be for something…

The most important part was when Railen would lead his armies to invade the world in just a couple of day's time! They have gotten the last bit of weaponry and supplies they had needed and were waiting on the signal which will come in a few days. Andrew was shocked and ordered everybody to get ready and prepare. There was a hustle and bustle as everybody did so, grabbing food packets, weapons, Pokemon, supplies, everything they might need. All those who had a flying Pokemon rode on those and everyone who didn't either got on the jet planes or borrowed one (on a first come first serve basis) from Andrew. They quickly took off, heading to Railen's new headquarters on Mt. Coronet. They had a long flight ahead as it will take them the better part of 16 hours. But then someone brought up the key question that everybody had forgotten about.

"If we're on an island, and our agent infiltrated Railen's base and then came here and was followed by those Houndoom, how did the Houndoom get here?" Everybody turned to stare at the speaker. It had been the newly-named Wolftrot. They swiveled around in horror as they turned around and saw their fortress go up in flames as Pack members and other Pokemon ripped apart their base.

"Idiots" Andrew said smacking himself. "Why did I not think of that? But anyways…we have to stop them from destroying us!" They landed just as a huge ball whistled through the air over them, dropping into the center of the building, spreading this gooey stuff that quickly became unknown lines and markings that formed the shape of a star which quickly expanded to cover the whole island. The troops of Railen didn't look as they continued destroying the headquarters, using their Pokemon to make earthquakes to sink it into the ground just like their old one was. It wouldn't be much longer before it sank completely, parts where already collapsing into the ground. They landed and quickly jumped into battle…facing an overwhelming force that outnumbered them at least 2:1 if not more!

"Well, this sucks," murmured Wolftrot and Birdwin (Jacob Cross), and Eddie Cullivan nodded in agreement. "Well gents, it looks like we're going to die here today so let's take as many as we can with us and it has been a pleasure working with you all" continued Jacob in a neutral tone. They nodded and turned to face the first few of their foes and began to fight….

Elsewhere, it was much the same with similar things being said as the people of Andrew Faulkner fought desperately against the overwhelming force and numbers of Railen's army. It wasn't going to be a pleasant battle, no matter who won.

Kane easily dispatched all who chose to tango with him. He was enraged and he bowled through all the people and Pokemon who tried to stop him easily. He was unstoppable, implacable, and completely merciless. All who stood before him were chopped down like a scythe clearing grain. He had seen his target and he wasn't going to let Ari get away. He was going to make Ari pay for what he did to all of them. Ari was going to pay…

Jumping over the last hurdle, Kane landed right in front of a surprised Ari. Ari had been whirling a metal quarter-staff that buzzed with thousands of bolts of electricity whenever he hit something with it. The safety-catch stopped him from being buzzed himself as it controls the flow of electricity so it only shocked when the button was pushed. It had become a favorite weapon of Ari's and he enjoyed watching people getting shocked. It caused extreme pain and they were severely vulnerable when they got shocked by a couple thousand volts of electricity. Ari had prepared to finish someone off when Kane jumped on top of him and pulled the staff out of his hands. Wielding the buzzing staff, he turned and faced Ari who stared in surprise.

"So, you are here. How nice of you to come. I always wanted the chance to finish you off and now, I have it you stupid hybrid. You can't even do one thing right and you never were one of us. You're nothing so allow me to end your pointless life!" Screaming that, Ari tensed and leapt, his claws and teeth slicing where Kane's head had been. Ari turned and grinned, a wide smile revealing pointed sharp fangs.

"Well, this will be fun won't it? It's been a while since I had a fight that lasts for more than a couple seconds. I hope you last long because that will make it even more fun and pleasurable when I finally kill you. I will win in the end though, I don't lose. But perhaps you can last a while. Let's find out shall we?" Ari leaped again and Kane barely dodged the whirling claws and teeth. Kane was worried. If this fight went on for long, Ari would win. As it was, it has only been a few seconds and he was already losing badly. He had to step it up a notch or Ari would kill him. He searched for a weakness. The only glaring one that he could see is that Ari loved to gloat and taunt. That wouldn't help much at all…could it? It might, but it carried a risk he full well knew which was making Ari too mad. He hoped he wouldn't have to do that but after a couple more rounds of slashing teeth and claws barely missing him he decided to try it. If it kept on going like this, he would eventually get tired and then Ari could easily kill him.

"Hey Ari, you are a big, overgrown, stupid dog who doesn't know how to read or even intelligently talk." Ari stopped and stared at him, his mouth dropped open in surprise. How dare Kane talk to him like that! Kane was nothing, nothing.

"See? You're so stupid you just stand there with your mouth hanging open and drooling. You're a flabbergasted idiot who doesn't deserve title of leader. In fact, you don't even deserve the title of Pack Member as you're too stupid and unpredictable to control your temper." Ari growled angrily, warning him to stop. Kane continued with his insults, grinning impishly.

"You can't even hit me and you're the 'best fighter' in the Pack. Wow, you all must suck at fighting and I am so much better than you." Ari finally had it and red clouded his vision. He was going berserk.

"You could have gotten an easy death, an honorable one. Now, it's personal and I shall rip you to pieces. Prepare to die." Ari jumped and sprang at Kane who dodges by rolling under Ari. Unfortunately, he wasn't fast enough and Ari's claws raked his back, slicing his shirt and piercing the skin. Ari grinned and lunged forward again and again, not even holding back this time. He just kept coming forward backing Kane into a corner. Ari roared in triumph and lunged for the final blow, his claws reaching forward to strangle the life out of Kane…