Okay here's the next chapter. In this the battle continues and now it's Brock and Neb's turn.

The Battle Continues

Last time Ash and his group met up with Ash's childhood pal, Aaron Hall, his girlfriend Ariel Masters and his partner Zartan. Shortly when they were ready to leave for the next town they were intercepted by the Invincible Moron Brothers and their Dark Spirits and were challenged to a battle. Aaron and Zartan battled Kail and Saber and emerged victorious. Now Brock and Neb square off against Kai and Crash. Let's watch and see how this plays out.

"Hitmontop, I choose you!" Kai and Crash both called out.

"Figures he's still using that one." Brock said. "Crobat, let's go!" The Bat Pokémon appeared before his master.

"Fortress, I choose you!" Neb called as the Bagworm Pokémon appeared in front of him. The group was a little surprised with his choice.

"Why is he using that?" Ariel wondered. "Aren't steel and bug types like Fortress weak against fighting types?"

"They are. But he just sends it out like that?" Zartan said, incredulously.

"Maybe he has some strategy behind it." Jake reasoned.

"Let's hope cause if they lose this battle Neb's gone." Ash said worriedly.

"Hitmontop, Rolling Kick!" Kai and Crash called as their Hitmontops started spinning towards Fortress, but Neb seemed ready.

"Fortress use Spikes!" He called as Fortress spun around and spikes appeared around the field and made it difficult for the Hitmontop to finish their attack as they started getting hurt from the spikes. "Now use Zap Cannon!" Fortress launched an electric blast at the two Fighting types which hit and caused some serious paralysis.

"Oh no!" Kai and Crash shouted.

"Oh yes!" Neb said. "This ends now! All yours Brock." He told his partner.

"Thank you. Crobat use Aerial Ace!" Crobat performed it and just like that both Hitmontop were finished.

"All right Brock and Neb!" The group cheered.

"All right Ash it looks like you're last." Aaron told his best friend. Ash nodded then turned to Jake.

"Ready, Jake?"

Jake nodded. "Always." The two entered the arena and faced down Kim and Axel.

"Hope you are ready to lose both this battle and your friend, Ketchum." Kim taunted as he and Axel each released a Hitmonchan.

"Sorry but you aren't winning this battle and you're not taking Jake from me either." Ash said and Jake looked at his partner and friend as he processed the words he said.

"He doesn't want to lose me?" Jake thought "I wish I could tell him how that might happen."

"Torterra, I choose you!" Ash called out as the Continent Pokémon appeared in front of him.

"Venusaur, go!" Jake called out as the Seed Pokémon appeared beside Torterra.

"Hitmonchan use Fire Punch on Venusaur!" Both Punching Pokémon aimed at Venusaur and nailed it right on the face but it didn't seem affected which surprised everyone, with the exception of Ash and Jake. "But how?"

"During all of my training sessions before and after I met Jake I've been finding ways to boost my Pokémon's power and defenses that way we'll be ready for anything." Ash said. "Torterra use Earthquake!" The Continent Pokémon smashed down on the ground and caused the two fighting types to get shook up.

"Venusaur use Bullet Seed!" Jake called out and Venusaur fired many rapid fire seeds from its mouth and aimed them straight at the two Fighting types.

"Use Protect!" Kim and Axel called and the protective barrier appeared around them deflecting the seeds away from them.

"Well their goes that strategy." Kim taunted.

"It was a good try but that combo was a complete fail." Axel taunted them as well.

"Combo move I don't recall…hey Jake was that our strategy?" Ash asked as if playing dumb.

"No I don't recall that being part of our plan." Jake said as he looked like he was thinking.

"Wait so that Earthquake and Bullet Seed combo wasn't you're plan?" Kim asked.

"Nope that was a distraction to divert your attention from our really plan." Ash said as he pointed upwards. Everyone looked up and noticed the sun seemed brighter than usual and most of them knew what that implied.

"Sunny Day." Aaron figured it out.

"Exactly." Jake said. "Before the battle started Ash and I were formulating a strategy to win against you and so we had Venusaur cast Sunny Day before the battle started so we could launch a very strong double attack."

"Solar Beam, now!" Both Grass types charged up the energy from the sun and soon got ready to fire it. "Fire now!" Ash and Jake shouted. Both of them launched their respective Solar Beam attacks that then mixed together and not only nailed both Hitmonchan but also knocked Kim and Axel off their side of the field. When the smoke cleared it was clear that Ash and Jake had won.

"We did it!" The two cheered as they high fived each other. Over on the other side Axel was slowly getting up when he noticed something. He was…fading!

"No no this can't be happening!" The two groups looked over at him and noticed how he was freaking out. His brothers rushed over to him.

"Axel!" Crash cried out.

"Don't leave us, brother!" Saber shouted.

"What's happening to him?" Ariel asked.

"His Spirit Stone must have been destroyed and if that happens then we spirits are gone forever." Jake said. Ash looked at the scene than at his own stone.

"So if I lost this then it would be good by Jake." He thought as the image of his friend being gone forever entered his mind. Axel disappeared and all that could be heard were the last of his screams. Saber and Crash crumpled to their knees. Their little brother was gone and it was all HIS fault!

They looked at Jake and Ash angrily. "It's your fault! Out brother is dead because of you!"

"Forget the master's orders, Saber. We shall destroy him no matter what!" The two charged up different dark energy attacks and launched them at Jake and Ash.

"Aura Sphere!" Jake shouted as he launched an Aura Sphere at the oncoming attacks and then he banished them both. "Before I banish you I have one question. Who is your master?"

"He knows you quite well." Crash said.

"Yes all he said was he wants revenge on his dear brother." Saber said. Jake's eyes widened when he heard that part. Then the portal closed and the three Pokémon brothers fainted.

"It can't be!" Jake said as he still had that nervous look in his eyes. Ash looked at his partner.

"Jake what did he mean by that?"

"The one causing this is my brother Rygor." Jake answered. "And like I told you it was my fault it all happened. I originally did not want to place a human in a dangerous situation like this and now I see I should have listened to myself."

"Hey hold on a second." Ash said as Jake looked at him. "I agreed to help you in the first place so any problem you have I'll be there to help you with. We're friends Jake and we always will be." Jake looked grateful.

He chuckled. "I guess I can't get rid of you that easy, huh? Well you're right we're in this together forever." He said. "I wish it could be forever though."

The group had decided to stay at the Pokémon center for the night and then leave in the morning. Ash was currently writing something in his notebook.

"During my battle against Kim and Axel today I have learned quite a few things today. One is that the name of the mastermind behind it all, Rygor, Jake's brother. The second thing is another fact about the Spirit Stones, not only are they a Spirit's key into this world and a radar for locating other spirits, it is also the spirits mean of staying in this realm. I must learn to keep it with me at all times so I never lose Jake. Even though I've only known him for about a week now I cannot imagine my life without him there." Ash then placed his notebook back in his bag and then went to sleep. After he went to sleep, Jake pulled out his notebook and read what he wrote. What he read made him tear up a bit.

"I'm afraid at some point you may have to figure that out, Ash, cause I won't be around forever." The young strategist thought and then slowly drifted off to sleep.

Okay that ends this chapter. The Invincible Dweeb Brothers are beaten and Jake apparently has something on his mind he's not telling Ash. Next chapter the group runs into Jake's brother and his partner. Next time: Enter New Rivals, Ash and Jake versus Jason and Rygor.