SailorStar9: Three chapters up and no review. You guys don't love me anymore. (Pouts). Anyway, this is Chapter 22. Read and review.

Disclaimers: See previous chapter.

Chapter 22: Broken-Winged Angel

"Cool." Komba remarked. "So this is the new Bakugan Park. Wellington's pretty sweet."

"If you ask me, Komba." Harpus commented. "It's just another boring city on your planet."

"If you don't like it here," Shun landed on a pipe. "Then leave. But if you stay, then be ready for anything."

"I don't believe it!" Komba gushed. "After all these years, I'm going to fight alongside the one and only Shun? I'm so not worthy!"

"And I get stuck battling beside grandma." Harpus added.

"Nice to see you too, Harpus." Skyress was too dignified to let the insult get to her.

"I don't know if you realize this, Skyress." Shun noted. "But if we defeat Naga, this might be our last battle together."

"Let's no worry about that now, Shun." Skyress reminded. "We have other things to think about. But I would like to say thank you, for everything you and your friends have done for us, Bakugan."

"No sweat." Shun blinked. "I guess."

"The sky is freezing! The sky is freezing!" Harpus squealed as a wave of icy water froze the buildings' roofs.

"What in the world's happening?" Komba asked.

"Ah yes!" Hairadee grinned as he manifested. "Isn't it magnificent?"

"Hairadee!" Skyress exclaimed.

"There's nothing like a big entrance, I always say." Hairadee remarked. "Now that, let's get down to the business of annihilating you."

"If it isn't the charming Skyress." he mocked as the two Ventus Bakugan appeared. "I believe it's always good to stay in touch, don't you, especially enemies!"

"I didn't think you survived our last battle, Hairadee." Skyress growled. "I was certain you were finished back in Vestroia."

"You flattered yourself." Hairadee scoffed. "Naga ordered me to take a dive and like an obedient soldier, I followed through. But now, I only have one order to follow out, and that's the destroy you and all enemies of Naga! Once you're gone, the Infinity Core and the Purity Gem will ours, just watch."

"Hey you!" Harpus snapped. "Will you stop the bickering so we can get this party started?"

"Please!" Hairadee mocked, blocking the whirlwind Harpus threw at him with a hand. "Don't waste your energy. You can't hurt me."

"Shadow Aggressor!" he used his ability and vanished.

"Oh no!" Harpus exclaimed.

"He's gone!" Komba added.

"Hey, come back here, you coward!" Harpus retorted. "We've just started."

"Crystal Missile!" Hairadee appeared behind the two Ventus Bakugan.

"How was it, that some fun?" he snorted after Skyress dodged the shards.

"Crystal Missile!" he sent his attack at Harpus. "Catch up, kiddo!"

"Harpus!" Komba exclaimed as Hairadee concentrated his attack on the Ventus harpie.

"What happened?" Harpus blinked as Skyress blocked the attack.

"Harpus, are you alright?" Skyress asked.

"Now, you're mine." Hairadee smirked, tossing a powered up ice ball at Skyress. "Crystal Chain."

Skyress looked up to find herself trapped in an ice cage.

"Skyress!" Shun called.

"I'm trapped!" Skyress noted, as she tried to use her wing to break the ice to no avail.

"Ability activate!" Shun tossed in an Ability Card. "Destruction Meteor Storm!"

"You can't use that Ability Card." Komba noted when the card landed on the ground.

"He's right." Hairadee smirked. "There ain't any of your abilities that will work in my barrier field. And don't even think about trying to ganging up on me either."

"We're powerless against him!" Skyress realized.

"That's right!" Hairadee scoffed. "My fine-feathered friend."

"Don't worry, I'll get you out of there, Skyress!" Harpus dived in.

"Harpus!" Komba exclaimed when his partner was knocked to the ground by Hairadee's wind as Shun leapt up to his partner.

"You annoy me!" Hairadee sent a gust of wind at the ninja, sending both humans crashing into the building.

"So, where are we anyway?" Komba asked.

"Some dumb castle." Shun replied, grabbing a cloak off the rack.

"What's wrong?" Komba asked.

"I've got to go back and help Skyress out." Shun replied. "There's too much at stack to just stay put and let Hairadee destroyed my only Bakugan.

"But, what are you going to fight with, Shun?" Komba inquired. "Come on, not even you can take on a Bakugan in battle with your bare hands."

"Don't worry about me, Komba." Shun told him. "I'll find a way to get the job done."

"So cool..." Komba muttered as Shun headed out.

Hang in there, Skyress. Shun pleaded as he took off. You've always been there for me when I've needed you. Now it's my turn to pay you back and I'll do whatever it takes to set you free. Trust me. There's one thing a Brawler never does, and that's leave his Bakugan behind.

Leaping up the stairs, he avoided the shards thrown at him, before blinking when he saw the numerous Hairadee copies before him.

"Time to get busy." Shun prepared to fight.

Meanwhile...

"Grandpa, hey!" Alice called out "It's me! I've been looking for you everywhere. Don't you recognize me, grandpa?"

"Hal-g!" Hal-G smirked as he turned around. "The name is Hal-G, loyal servant of the great Naga, Master of the Universe!"

"What are you doing to me, Micheal?" he demanded, the two split personalities struggling for control.

"Leave my body, Hal-G." Micheal demanded. "Leave it now!"

"No, you leave me alone!" Hal-G snapped, before Micheal managed to suppress him.

"Grandpa, grandpa, it is you!" Alice hurried to his side. "What's happening?"

"Alice." Micheal looked at her.

"Are you okay?" Alice asked. "Grandpa?"

"Stay back, please." Micheal requested. "I'm sorry, Alice. I've lost control. Hal-G can return at any second. I could be dangerous."

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Alice asked.

"This all started when I was exposed to the negative energy of the Silent Core." Micheal admitted. "The only thing that can save me now is being exposed to the Radiant energy of the Messiah before it's too late for me."

That's it! Alice realized. Somehow I've got to bring grandpa and Eva together. But how do I do that?

Meanwhile...

Skyress was being bombarded by Hairadee's relentless attack.

"Oh, I'm loving this!" the hybrid grinned. "That's it, Skyress! Call out for your human master all you want!"

"Feather Storm!" Harpus released her attack.

"I'll get out of there, Skyress." the Ventus harpie told the trapped Skyress once Hairadee was distracted.

"Harpus, save yourself!" Skyress warned.

"That's not going to happen." Harpus replied, slamming her clawed foot at one of the ice pillars. "There's no way I ever leave you behind! We're in the together until the bitter end."

"Thank you, Harpus." Skyress remarked.

"Crystal Missile!" Hairadee fired his attack on Harpus' back

"Harpus!" Skyress gasped as the harpie was thrown against the pillar she was ramming at.

"Too bad you didn't realize earlier that you're dealing with the greatest Bakugan warrior that ever lived." Hairadee mocked. "But, you made the choice to side with the humans. Granted, a very foolish choice. Oh, if by chance if you were hoping your little human friends will be here to save your pathetic hides, not going to happen! They're history. That leaves me to finish my job."

"Stop!" Skyress barked, before Hairadee's hand closed over Harpus' neck.

"So," Hairadee turned to the trapped Bakugan. "What makes you think you're in charge now? But I'll give you bonus points for backbone."

"Hold on Harpus." Skyress told the harpie. "I'll find us a way out of this, somehow."

"Don't flatter yourself." Hairadee scoffed.

"We will never lose to you." Skyress informed. "You are the scrounge of the universe."

"You can't defeat me with mere words, Skyress." Hairadee shrugged. "I use my power."

"Get down!" Harpus shouted.

"Shun!" Skyress trailed as Hairadee's attack hit home.

Meanwhile, in the castle...

Shun was taking out the Hairadee spawns single-handedly.

"Hey freaks." he remarked, after confusing the Hairadee clones with a substitution spell, before circling the clones with his inhuman speed.

"Over here!" he taunted, tossing a card at each of the puzzled Hairadee clones.

A couple of ice shards shredded his cloak and Shun tossed the cloth off, only to find himself surrounded by even more clones.

"What do you think, Shun?" Komba beamed, after one of his bombs blew the Hairadee clones away. "Did I nail them or what?"

"Komba!" Shun chided.

"You thought I'd stay behind and let you have all the fun?" Komba joked, keeping the bombs he had. "And besides, I didn't have anything better to do."

"Good timing, buddy." Shun chuckled. "Good timing."

"You ready, Komba?" he asked, when the two faced off with another group of Hairadee clones at the stairway.

"Oh yeah!" Komba grinned and the pair charged.

"Oh right!" he beamed when the Hairadee clones were taken care off.

"Hey Skyress!" Shun shouted once he burst out of the door.

"You see any sign of Harpus?" Komba asked. "Or Skyress?"

"I'm sorry, Skyress." Harpus choked, lying gravely wounded on the top of the ice cage. "I'm sorry."

"Too bad boys." Hairadee mocked. "But you're a little late. I would have waited. However, I'm on a bit of a tight schedule and they were starting to annoy me. And if you think you can save your precious Skyress, you're sadly mistaken."

"What are you doin'?" Komba exclaimed when Shun was prepared to jump off the ledge.

"I wasn't expecting you to show your face." Hairadee snorted as Shun shot past him.

"Man, I've got to help out Shun." Komba remarked as the ninja continued attacking Hairadee.

"Impossible!" Hairadee exclaimed, falling to the ground when Shun's last attack hit its mark. "He is just a mere mortal!" (SailorStar9: Well, a mere mortal who happens to be Eva's Soul Twin! *Rolls eyes*)

"Ability activate!" Komba pulled out an Ability Card.

"Feather Storm!" Harpus released her attack.

"Way to show them, Harpus!" Komba cheered.

"With you backing me, Komba," Harpus added. "We can't be beat!"

"We make one awesome team, don't we?" Komba agreed.

Shun then tossed his rope claw at one of the ice bars and swung his way to Skyress' side.

"Skyress!" he knelt by his wounded partner. "Are you alright? Speak to me! Please, open your eyes! Do something! Give me a sign! Something! Anything!"

"What's going on?" Harpus exclaimed as the ice cage started glowing. "Shun, please tell me how Skyress is!"

"Woah, that light!" Komba gaped.

"Wait a second!" he looked over that the snapping ice bars.

"So, what do you think?" Julio asked as Tentaclear appeared. "My Tentaclear's 'Gamma Ray' nullifies Hairadee's ability. I thought it might help."

"Way to go, Julio." Komba looked at the Haos Battler.

"Shun..." Skyress peered open her eyes. "I just knew you would come back for me."

"Hey, Skyress." Shun let out a small smile.

"I've got a job to do." Skyress got back to her feet.

"Alright!" Shun agreed.

"Argh, I shoulda got the number of that truck." Hairadee muttered as he got up. "Well, if it's a fight they want, it's a fight they'll get."

"Isn't this sweet." he mocked as the three Bakugan readied for battle. "My little playpals wanna have some fun."

"Bring it!" Shun snapped, attacking Hairadee head-on.

"Watch this!" Hairadee dodged the attack. "Shadow Aggressor!"

"He disappeared again!" Komba noted.

"Hey Shun, whatcha' doin'?" he asked as the ninja took off.

"Hey, isn't anyone going after him?" Harpus inquired.

"It amazes me how you fools think you can defeat me." Hairadee mocked.

"Man, that dude irritates me." Julio growled. "I've had all I can take from the freakaziod."

"Ability activate!" he tossed an Ability Card. "Gamma Ray!"

"What's going on?" Hairadee demanded when his invisible cloak was nullified. My 'Shadow Aggressor' is failing me."

"Not to mention it's not working." Julio added

"Go for it, Harpus!" Komba instructed.

"Don't worry, I'm on it." Harpus replied. "Feather Storm!"

"You're pathetic, Hairadee!" Shun retorted as Hairadee landed on the ground. "Gate Card, open!"

"What?" Hairadee muttered.

"Hyper Merge!" Shun released the Gate Card. "My 'Hyper Merge' increases our power level by 100 times the number of Bakugan on our side, while at the same time, decreasing our opponent's power by the same number."

"Why you little..." Hairadee growled. "Force Wind Roll!"

"Ability counter!" Julio's Tentaclear deflected the whirlwind.

"We're not leaving without a fight, bucko." Julio grinned.

"It's showtime, Skyress." Shun turned to his partner.

"Let's do it!" Skyress agreed.

"Ability activate!" Shun pulled out an Ability Card. "Valiant Fang Soar Green Destruction!"

"What a waste of time." Hairadee dodged the energy beam. "I should have destroyed them all when they were down for the count."

"Dive Mirage!" he disappeared under the ground.

"He ducked out." Julio remarked.

"No, he'll be back." Shun corrected. "Bet on it. He just got away to recharge himself and then he'll be back to finish this."

"You sure?" Komba asked, to which Shun nodded.

"Keep your eyes peeled, guys." Shun frowned.

"He's back!" Komba exclaimed as Hairadee burst out of the ground.

"I'm done wasting my time." Hairadee retorted. "Haos Silenter!"

"This guy means business!" Julio remarked as Hairadee whirled into a whirlwind.

"And I've only just begun!" Hairadee snapped.

"Make it stop!" Harpus squealed as Hairadee's ice shards started flying out of the tornado. "Skyress!"

"Oh no! he's got his sight set on Skyress." Komba noted as the attack focused on the Ventus bird.

"I've got to shut Hairadee down!" Harpus decided.

"Oh man!" Julio complained as Harpus was blown away by the wind. "That creep just blew her off like a bad date."

"Harpus, try attacking the tornado from below!" Shun suggested.

"I'll give it a whirl." Harpus replied.

"That's it!" Julio realized what Shun was planning. "Get into the eye of the storm and shut it down."

"The weakest point of the tornado is at its core." Shun added.

"I can see him." Harpus grinned.

"Good job, Harpus." Shun remarked. "He's all yours now."

"Feather Edge!" Harpus released her attack.

"Skyress, your turn!" Shun shouted after Hairadee's hurricane was dispelled.

"What is she doing?" Hairadee demanded as Skyress took her place. "She can't be that big of a fool to think she can defeat the great Hairadee. Okay, this is it. I've had enough fun and games."

"The fun and games are only starting, buddy." Julio retorted. "Ability activate! Flare Blinder!"

"Ability, activate!" Shun pulled out an Ability Card. "Destruction Meteor Storm!"

"Goodbye Hairadee." Skyress shot through the hybrid like a green light arrow. "You are a worthy opponent, but I have chosen to protect the people of Earth and I must carry out that promise. That makes you, my enemy. You made your choice to fight for Naga on the dark side. Now, you must pay for that decision. And pay you will, Hairadee."

"This can't be!" Hairadee exclaimed as he imploded.

"Man, was that ever close." Julio remarked after the battle. "And just lucky for you guys, I showed up in the nick of time."

"We did it, Shun!" Komba ran towards the ninja. "We really did it!"

"I hate to brag, but with my power and skill and my quick wit, there isn't a Bakugan alive that can stand a chance." Julio boasted.

"Hey!" he protested when he realized he was being ignored.

"Oh man, you were so totally awesome, Shun." Komba nuzzled the older teen.

"Can you believe it?" Harpus flew over to Skyress and hugged her. "I'm so proud of you, Skyress."

"It was nothing, Harpus. Really." Skyress replied.

"Hey, what about me?" Julio whined. "Didn't anyone see how brilliant I was? If it wasn't for me back there, we'll all toast."

"We appreciate the help, but can you cut it?" Harpus snapped.

"Yeah, but.." Julio started. "It's all because of me that you won! Tentaclear, come on! Back me up on this!"

"Hey, Skyress." Shun turned to his partner.

"What is it, Shun?" Skyress asked.

"It looks like we survived another one, huh?" Shun remarked.

"You're right." Skyress agreed. "But if you haven't come back when you did, it could have been much different."

"And I'll do it again." Shun added. "Anywhere, anytime. We're a team, Skyress."

"Come on, put me down!" Julio complained as Harpus lifted him up. "Put me down!"

"Hey, if you don't quit squirming, I'm going to drop you." Harpus joked.

SailorStar9: Shun's fight is done! Next,the final showdown. Now that's done, read and review.