I'm back again! Thanks for the reviews, so here's the next chapter, it's based similarly to the episode 'The Bicker The Better'! I don't own Pokemon except my characters! Enjoy!

Chapter 38: Better Bickers In Days

The next morning after leaving the Pokemon Center, Angelina and her companions went through downtown Petalburg City. Not having the time yesterday, Jeremy showed Angelina and Christina what he considered to be the best places to eat and a few of the shops, but ended up dragging the girls away from most of the shops though.

After walking around town for a while, they stopped for lunch and got a slice of pizza each at a small pizzaria. Angelina ordered a small slice for Wonka as well, but Wonka didn't like it so she gave it some berries she picked up in Petalburg Woods instead.

"So where to next?" Angelina asked, taking another bite of her pizza.

"Well, obviously you've been to the gym already..." Jeremy stated, looking out the window to the streets of Petalburg. He had already finished his pizza while Christina finished hers and Angelina was dealing with Wonka.

"Guessing you wouldn't be interested if we returned for Ash's battle," Angelina glared at Jeremy, too busy eating to voice her response. Jeremy looked at her, expecting a response, but got the message when he saw the look she was giving him.

"Thought you had said before that wouldn't interest you..." Jeremy said, grinning sheepishly. "So I guess since we've seen just about everything else anyway, how about we travel back to Littleroot Town and catch the ferry for Fortree City?"

Angelina and Christina nodded in agreement.

"All right, Littleroot Town it is..." Jeremy sat back in his chair and waited for the girls to finish eating their pizza. While he was waiting, he felt something nudging his leg. When he looked under the table, he saw Angelina's Wynaut staring back at him. "Well what do you want? Huh?" he said to it, reaching under to pat it on the head.

Wonka batted Jeremy's hand away with a swipe of one of its arms as he reached under, though. Jeremy quickly withdrawed his hand.

"Sheesh.… I was just trying to be friendly." Jeremy said to it. He sat back in his chair and folded his arms over his chest. Angelina and Christina giggled when they realized what happened, and Jeremy stuck his tongue out at them.

Wonka wasn't quite finished, however. It ran up to Jeremy's legs and started hitting him with its arms. It wasn't really hitting Jeremy very hard, but it was somewhat annoying.

"Angel, could you please call off your Wynaut?" Jeremy muttered.

"Wonka, behave yourself." Angelina said to it. Wonka immediately stopped hitting Jeremy and sat down by Angelina under the table. When the girls finally finished their pizza, the three of them left the pizzeria with Angelina once again carrying Wonka in her arms.

Pokemon!

Every trainer has a choice,
to listen to that voice inside.
I know the battle may be long,
winners may have come and gone.
I will carry on, Yeah!

This dream will last forever,
this dream will never die,
we will rise to meet the challenge every time.
Yeah, this dream keeps us together,
just know that you and I,
will be the best that the world's ever seen,
because we always will follow this dream.

Pokemon!

After taking a ferry from Littleroot Town, they now travel through the forest toward Fortree City and Angelina's next gym battle. They hoped to find a place to rest, but little did they know, they'd have some difficulty before the night would end.

"So we're staying at the Pokemon Center as usual then?" Jeremy asked as they walked through the forest.

"Yeah, don't see why not..." Angelina replied. "Though I think we should just share a room for a change. I know its free, but it's better than getting separate rooms all the time."

"Angelina, you're a girl, I'm a guy, that's why we get separate rooms." Jeremy said flatly.

"So we can't share a room, but its perfectly fine for us to sleep on the ground next to each other?" Angelina shot back. "At least in a room I wouldn't have to worry about you spying on me when I'm taking a shower or getting a bath."

"What?!" Jeremy said in shock. "When have I ever tried spying on you?!"

"That time when we were camping outside Verdanturf." Angelina said to him, stopping where she was and glaring at him while Christina glanced between the two curiously.

"I was worried about you!" Jeremy said, glaring back at her. "I heard you scream and wanted to make sure you were all right!"

"Hmph! That was just an excuse and you know it!"

"What makes you think I'd even WANT to see you taking a bath?"

"From all the times you've seen me in a swimsuit, you know I'm beautiful AND not just the daughter of a gym leader but also Pokemon Master." Angelina ran her fingers through her hair. "Its only natural for a guy to want a girl that is so far out of his league..."

"You're completely delusional..." Jeremy said dryly.

"WHAT WAS THAT?!" Angelina yelled.

"You heard me..." Jeremy muttered.

"You jerk! You're lucky I'm even willing to travel with someone like you!" Angelina snapped, shaking her fist as if threatening to punch Jeremy.

"Lucky?" Jeremy snorted. "I'd say there was something that made me join you, but all you do is hold me back, yell at me, and complain. I'd be better off without you."

"Well if that's how you feel then why don't you just go your own way then?!"

"Maybe I will!"

"Fine!"

"FINE!" Angelina and Jeremy turned their backs to each other and crossed their arms over their chest with a 'hmph'. The two of them then started walking in separate directions to get away from each other, Christina was confused upon whom to follow, but sighed and walked with her sister. Wonka watched Jeremy walk away from them with a puzzled expression on its face, wondering why its 'mother' and someone it thought she was good friends with suddenly started fighting.

"Delusional.… hmph... I look great!" Angelina said, looking at her reflection in her compact mirror. "Right, Wonka? Christina?" she first glanced at Christina, whom looked up with a half-smile and half-frown. Then looked over her shoulder at the baby Pokemon in her backpack. It didn't seem to be paying attention to her, though, and gave no response. ".… Anyway! Its not like we need Jeremy with us. We can get along just fine without Mr. Know-it-all." Angelina and Christina continued down the road towards the Pokemon Center, which was now straight in front of them.

After spending the night at the Pokemon Center and healing their Pokemon, Angelina and Christina continued traveling through the forest toward Fortree City and suddenly were encountered by a young couple dressed in royal-looking outfits; a blonde woman wearing a pink gown, and a turquoise-haired man wearing a soldier suit.

"Hello, young ladies," greeted the man. "The names' Oscar and this is my partner, Andy. May we interest you in a Pokemon tag battle?"

"What's a tag battle?" Christina asked.

"It's when each trainer uses one Pokemon with no substitutes. They must rely on their partner and work together, and which ever team renders each others' opponents Pokemon unable to battle wins," Angelina explained, then looked to the couple. "My names'

Angelina, and this is my little sister Christina. She's a pre-beginner Pokemon trainer, so will a one-on-one battle be okay instead?"

"Of course, and I'll accept your challenge," Andy smiled, taking out a Pokeball and threw it. "Go, dear Nidoqueen!" the female counterpart of Nidoking appeared and let out a roar.

"I choose you, Charcoal!" Angelina yelled as the dragon-like Pokemon appeared from its Pokeball in a burst of bright light; spreading it's wings and let out a blast of flame from its mouth.

"Nidoqueen, use Body Slam," Andy said.

"You know what to do, Charcoal," Angelina said calmly. Charcoal nodded and braced itself.

Nidoqueen leaped in the air and prepared to slam into Charcoal with her thickly armored belly. Charcoal in turn grabbed Nidoqueen at arm's length, digging his feet into the ground but still being pushed back several feet by the force of the blow. Then with a mighty push forward and a few flaps of his wings both Pokemon were in the air. Charizard flew several hundred feet into the sky clutching the disoriented Nidoqueen to his chest with his strong arms.

"Seismic Toss!" Angelina yelled into the sky.

High above Charizard spun about, grabbed, and threw Nidoqueen down with all his might. Andy watched helplessly as her Pokemon slammed into the ground, creating a small crater.

When the dust settled, it showed Nidoqueen lying on the ground unconscious. Charizard landed and let out a mighty roar of victory as Angelina ran up and hugged the creature. Charizard smiled and hugged back, enveloping Angelina in his wings.

"My goodness, you are strong," Andy praised.

"Just like the previous trainer," Oscar agreed. "His powerful Shellgon took out my Nidoking."

"Okay," Angelina said, then thought, 'I wonder if that was Jeremy?'

"C'mon Angel, we gotta go," Christina pulled her sister away from the couple.

The two sisters continued their journey and were now walking along a river; a Pokemon battle took place ahead of them, and to their surprise, Ash's Corphish, May's Skitty, Jessie's Dustox and Seviper, and James' Cacnea were launching attacks at each other.

"What the heck is going on?" Angelina stared in shock.

"A tag battle outta control," a familiar voice responded; the girls turned and saw Jeremy beside them.

"I call it! Battle over!" Brock ordered. "The rules clearly state that in any battle. I declare Jessie and May are therefore disqualified!"

"Wooo-buffet!" Jessie's Pokemon mimicked Brock's moves.

"Disqualify this! Dustox, Whirlwind!" Jessie yelled; her bug-Pokemon flapped its wings heavily and swiftly, blowing Brock and Wobbuffet into the ground.

Angelina gasped, "Oh no, Brock!"

"Well ya can't expect a Rocket to play fare in any battle," Jeremy enlightened.

Black smoke suddenly fills the area, everyone starts coughing and James yells out, "Now Meowth!"

"Pikachu!" Ash cried, just as the smoke clears and Team Rocket runs off with their Pokemon and Pikachu in a net. "You're asking for trouble!" he said angrily, just as the Rockets stopped running and turned around.

"Prepare for trouble, we're reuniting!"

"Make it double, we're through with fighting!"

"To protect the world from devastation!"

"To unite all peoples within our nation!"

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

"Jessie!"

"With James!"

"Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now or prepare to fight, fight, fight!"

"Meowth! Dat's right!"

"Now you see us," Jessie smirked, then runs off with James and their Pokemon. "Now you don't!"

"I don't think so!" Ash growled. "Pikachu, use Thunder!"

Pikachu unleashed a blast of electricity, but the attack did nothing to the net.

"Please, don't you know by now that we're electricity proof?" James laughed.

"Come back!" Ash yelled.

"Skitty, use Assist!" May ordered.

Skitty jumps into the air and fires out Beautifly's String Shot that stops Team Rocket in their tracks.

"Wow! Thanks a lot, May," Ash smiled.

"Sure, anytime."

"Seviper! Poison Tail now!" Jessie commanded.

"Corphish, use Bubblebeam now!" Ash countered.

Seviper prepares to strike Skitty with its attack, but it was knocked back by a beam of bubbles.

"That's showin' em, Corphish!" Ash cheered.

"Hey Ash, thank you!" May said.

"You got it, May!" Ash grinned. "Are you ready to go?"

"You bet!"

"Cacnea, Pin Missile!" James commanded.

"Quick, Corphish! Use Harden to protect Skitty!" Ash shouted.

Corphish jumps forward and protects Skitty with its Harden attack from Cacnea's Pin Missile.

"Skitty, Double Slap Attack! Go!" May ordered; her Pokemon jumps up and hits Team Rocket with its tail multiple times.

"Awesome! Now that's showing some teamwork!" Max said excitedly.

"Looks like the battle between the sexes is over!" Brock noted.

"Yeah, and speaking of battles," Angelina turned to Jeremy. "Sorry I called you a jerk."

"Well I shouldn't have said those things to you before," Jeremy replied. "And I honestly didn't mean what I said either…. Sorry, still friends?" he held out his hand to her.

"Of course we're still friends…." Angelina said, smiling and shaking his hand.

The two of them held hands for several moments before Christina interrupted them. "I hate to break up this heartwarming moment, but Team Rocket's gone!"

Angelina and Jeremy looked over towards Christina standing with Brock and Max. The two of them then looked at each other and quickly withdrew their hands when they realized what they were doing, their faces red with embarrassment.

"Max just told me that Ash and May were fighting over a tag-battle they lost earlier to Andy and Oscar," Christina informed. "So you guys weren't the only ones."

"And look, they're making up now!" Max announced, pointing toward May and Ash smiling and complimenting each other.

The bonds of friendship and trust between Ash and May have strengthened, and while it also has between Jeremy and Angelina, they've gained experience of tag battling; another important step on their continued journey.

§To Be Continued§

The first time I watched the episode, it was interesting how tag-battling was introduced, especially with the added characters Andy and Oscar, but hilarious with the arguments. So along with that in this chapter, I fitted in my own ideas to make it slightly more interesting. Thanks for reading, I will return! Please comment!