"Nothing quite like a good ole' protein breakfast with a side of more protein." Thad pounded his chest, letting out a small burp. "Yeah. Eggs and bacon are delicious."

Jasmine sat across from Thad in the small diner, looking at her half-eaten lettuce wrap with Sitrus berries. Chad sat beside Thad, gobbling down a junior size meal of poffins and bacon strips. The two nudged each other and laughed as they gobbled down their respective breakfasts.

"Hey, Jazz," Thad gulped down a half glass of his protein shake and wiped his lips, "I gotta ask. Where do y'all get bacon? Do you have normal animals at all? I've been meaning to ask."

"Non-Pokemon Fauna?"

"Yeah, sure," Thad replied, readying his fork for another load of bacon. "So, do ya?"

"They're quite rare, but they do exist in certain parts of the world," Jasmine said. "But I believe this is Embroar bacon. Hence the spice and kick."

Thad nodded in approval. "Yeah, I was gonna say. This shit slaps."

Jasmine narrowed her eyes at the jock but refrained from commenting. She'd slowly learned to not question the odd phrases that leapt from his mouth, as often he would have more confusing answers. Thad was an enigma wrapped in a suitable amount of protein.

"Anyway, do you have a plan for Bugsy's gym?" Jasmine asked, leaning forward a bit. "Would you like some advice?"

"Oh I've got a plan," Thad chuckled, waggling a finger toward the roof. "We gonna get in there and slap hard and slap fast. Me and the boys are going to throw hands against whatever beetles and bugs they gots."

"And Trouble?" Jasmine inquired, letting her hand settle on the glass rim of her berry juice. "Do you have faith in using her in a battle? With full control?"

Thad stuck his hand out, holding it laterally and wobbling it a bit. "Eh, that stinker still needs to learn the value of sportsmanship. I've been trying to remember my Vince Lombardi speeches from back in the day."

"Ahuh," Jasmine mused, taking a sip from her drink. "And what of your new addition? Have you talked with your Quagsire, Keto yet, or introduced them?"

Chad put down a piece of bacon and looked up to his trainer. "Chop?"

"A new dude to the crew," Thad laughed, patting his companion on the back. "They're super chill. Maybe too chill…but! They're going to help Team Beefcake. They like protein, and that's a start."

"Right," Jasmine drawled. She pursed her lips and briefly looked for the waiter. "So Thad, review time," he straightened up immediately in his seat, "what are Bug-types weak to?"

Thad snapped his fingers and winked. "Fire, baby."

"And?" Jasmine rolled her hand, gesturing for him to continue.

"And, uh… birds?" Thad scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, I don't know this Pokemon type stuff all that well."

"Well, you understand the obvious weaknesses, but you don't have Flying-types or Fire-types at your disposal, but you do have a Pokemon that Bug-types are weak to."

"Ah, sweet!" Thad hollered, drawing a few glances from nearby tables. He high-fived Chad and ate another piece of bacon. "Bugs are weak to muscles! Perfect!"

"No," Jasmine quickly replied, shaking her head. "Try again."

"Uh, the slimy dude I caught?"

"Wrong again."

Thad scrunched his face into a thinking pose, rubbing his chin. "...whatever the heck Trouble is?"

"Sneasel is a Dark and Ice-type, but also not."

"This is harder than I thought," Thad mumbled, still stroking his chiseled jawline. He looked up and gave Jasmine a sheepish smile. "Is it Dwayne?"

"Yes," Jasmine replied, returning a warm and pleasant smile. "He's a Rock-type, and Bugs are vulnerable to that typing. Furthermore, Bug-types are resistant and weak against Fighting-types. So, while Chad won't deal much damage to Bugsy's choice of Pokemon, he's a rather safe switch in due to his natural resistances."

"Damn this is cool. It's like chess, ping pong, karate, and Battleship™ all wrapped up in one game," Thad gushed. He gobbled up his last piece of bacon and washed it down with the remainder of his protein drink. "Alright, let's go play exterminator."

"What?"

Thad blinked. "Ya know, like the people who get bugs from places? Cause we gonna dominate?" He looked to Chad for support. "Was I way off?"

Chad shrugged, holding a piece of bacon in each hand. "Chop?"

"Sorry, I'm just," Jasmine groaned and clenched her jaw, "just a bit on edge still with the whole Bugsy situation. Sorry, my mind is just not all there today."

"Ha, that's me every day!" Thad replied. Jasmine covered her mouth, hiding a smile, and Thad gave her a knowing look. He offered a hand and helped her out of her seat. "C'mon," he said in a comforting tone, "let's pay the bill and then show Azalea town there's a new power player around." He leaned down to Jasmine and whispered in her ear, "Uh, that's me if I wasn't clear."

"I know, you goof," Jasmine playfully shoved Thad away, grinning at the man. "I'm worried, but that doesn't mean I'm not lucid."

"Right, right," Thad nodded, following Jasmine on the way out. He passed by the waiter and quickly exchanged the Pokedollars, along with a reasonable twenty percent tip.

With Thad leading the way, the group strode through the doors and strutted down the main drag toward the gym. In the spirit of preparing for battle, Thad donned his headband and got Chad set up with his own.

It was time for a Pokemon battle.

The double doors to the Azalea town gym flew open, swinging wildly on the hinges. Thad, already having stripped off his shirt to let his chiseled body breathe, placed his hands on his hips and took in a large whiff of the fragrant air.

The dome-shaped gym was covered in a smattering of webbing and brambles. Little bug Pokemon from Spinarak and Weedle could be seen scrambling up the walls. On the platform beyond the small open lobby, Thad squinted his eyes to see the various spider-shaped platforms moving along thin bars that mimicked the appearance of silk threads. Even a few bug catchers seemed to be posted up on a few of the floating island platforms, mulling about on the PokeNavs or conversing with their beloved Bug-types.

"A challenger!" A curious and excited voice boomed. A middle-aged man to Thad's left scrambled out from behind a desk covered in succulents, brushing off his hands on his black dress pants. "You're here quite early in the morning, I do say! Thankfully, Gym Leader Bugsy is-"

"Bring me to your leader," Thad said, his face stony and tone leaving no room for argument. He loomed over the slightly pudgy referee with the grandeur of an Olympic god before a mortal. "I've got business to do, my man."

The doors creaked again, and Jasmine along with Chad burst through the threshold. Jasmine's face was beat red as she hunched over, resting her hands on her knees. Chad rubbed her back and smiled at the taxed Steel-type specialist.

"Did you... have to sprint here?" Jasmine coughed out. "Wow, I don't think I've ran that fast in a while."

"Of course!" Thad walked over and rested his hand on Jasmine's shoulder, shaking his head like a teacher to a misunderstood student. "I didn't wake up at five in the morning to let my pilates, deep meditative breathing, and ladder drills go to waste! Gotta get that pump on, Jazzy!"

"Wait, ladder drills?"

"Yeah, you know the one by the well?" Thad thumbed toward the direction of the Slowpoke Well. "It's a long-ass ladder and great climbing practice without using your legs." He let out a dreamy sigh. "Reminds me of when I was just a kid watching Ninja Warrior, wishing I could try out. But, here we are. Using ladders with Pokemon, crazy right?"

"Uhhh, Sir?" the gym referee tentatively piped up, immediately drawing Thad's attention. He cleared his throat and put on his bravest voice. "Sir, are you here for the gym challenge?"

Thad snapped his fingers and smirked. "Right. I almost got off track. Thanks for that, brother. Yeah, I'm totally here for that. Bring me to your leader."

"Well, about that," the attendant nervously rubbed the back of his head, "usually our contestants go through the gym maze first…"

"Bro," Thad gave the referee a knowing look, "look at me. I'm here with a gym leader as my Pokemon guru and I've already burned more calories than most people do in a week. I ain't here for no weak sauce battles. Me and my crew are ready to slap."

The attendant looked to Jasmine for support, but the gym leader merely shrugged. "He's just really excited. Would you be so kind and lead us to Bugsy?"

"Right away, miss." The referee bowed and hustled forward toward the first platform. He began to work the simple lever system on the spider platform. "I'll get you to Bugsy, just follow me along. I'm using my admin path."

Thad bumped his fist with Chad's and winked at Jasmine as they followed the frazzled referee. Jasmine's cheeks flushed a slight shade of pink as she brushed past Thad and his trusty companion. He patted the man on the back, managing to get a small jump from him. Thad placed his hands on his hips and chuckled, letting the man insert a small silver key into the control console and then input a sequence of numbers. The platform jerked for a moment, then began to hum and move across the stitchwork network of the web toward the squared-off battlefield at the end of the gym.

"So, do you want to go over your plan one last time?" Jasmine whispered, standing on her tippy toes to lean up toward Thad's ear. "I know you're confident, but do you want to quickly go over type advantages or—"

"I've got a plan, plus," Thad grinned and raised a finger, "I've got an extra saucy wager for Bugsy."

Jasmine's expression faltered and her lips became a thin line. "You aren't going to—"

"I risk it for the biscuit, Jazzy. You know how I be." Thad thumped a fist against his pec. "Don't your pretty little head."

"Oh, I think I will," Jasmine huffed, crossing her arms.

"Macho!" Chad shouted, causing the referee to jump a bit at the Pokemon's cheer. "Ma ma!"

"See, Jazzy? He gets it. Helped me think of it during ladder practice. Crafty little dude," Thad fist-bumped Chad; the two exchanging a goofy grin much to Jasmine's chagrin.

"Very well," Jasmine relented. She lowered her voice and turned away. "Not like I could dissuade you, anyway."

A clunky sound rang out from the platform as it switched to another track, circumventing several of the floral trainer islands crawling with bugs. It slowed to a stop as it reached their destination: a grand oak tree that loomed in the background of a traditional square and slightly grassy battlefield.

The team quickly spotted Bugsy leaning against the large tree, chatting with a large pinecone and some kind of larva that Thad didn't recognize. It had eyes, so he assumed it was some kind of Bug-type Pokemon. A pretty safe bet inside the Bug-type gym.

"Here we are," the referee's shaky voice announced. He gestured for the crew to depart, and hastily bowed once more. "I wish you luck in the gym challenge."

"Thank you very much," Jasmine nodded and hopped off the platform.

Thad gave a salute and crouched down, and then in a quick burst of power, he leapt forward into a frontflip. He landed on the ground in a superhero pose with one fist on the ground; splitting the earth slightly from his impact. He looked up with a confident smile, locking eyes with Bugsy who had taken notice of the dramatic entrance.

"Be back in a hot sec," Thad said, breaking into a jog.

He met Bugsy in the center of the arena, staring down the teenager who was roughly half his size. He loomed over him like a colossus, but the green-haired trainer didn't budge despite wincing as Thad's form blotted out the overhead lights.

"Alright little man, we've got some beef to settle," Thad firmly stated. "You. Me. Pokemon battle for that bling, you know?"

Bugsy frowned and squinted at the jock, trying to decipher his strange lingo. "Uh, sure? You're here for the gym battle, correct?"

"Yup, but let's make it extra spicy?" Thad lowered his form down to a squat where he met the gym leader eye to eye. He cast a glance over his shoulder toward Jasmine and lowered his voice. "Let's up the stakes beyond some extra cash and a badge."

"What did you have in mind? Nothing...unethical, I presume?" Bugsy said slowly, choosing his words carefully. His eyes wandered from Thad's penitent stare, looking toward the referee.

"Fo' show, my dude," Thad heartily replied. "Just figured that if I win, you keep the whole deforestation biz outta the news. Say it was a Pokemon accident. Since that's what it was, right? Just keep Jasmine's name outta it."

"Alright," Bugsy rubbed his chin, "but what would I get in return?"

Thad shrugged. "Then I'll help you replant all the trees and whatnot, free of charge." he stuck his hand out and raised an eyebrow. "Do we have a deal?"

Bugsy looked at the mammoth calloused hand, up to Thad's confident smile, and then back at the hand. He shook it with surprising firmness. "Deal. Labor would be quite expensive and having someone like you would speed things up tremendously. I can agree to anonymity for Jasmine since it's technically the truth. I'll offer you a fair battle depending on the number of badges you have."

"Sweetness my dude," Thad said, standing back to his full height. "I've got two badges so far, so let's get this show on the road, eh?"

"Uh, sure," Bugsy said, giving the jock a quizzical look. He pointed across the field. "You can get that side. Once the referee, Thomas, explains the rules, we'll begin."

Thad nodded and trotted towards the spot Bugsy mentioned. Chad and Jasmine raced over, though Jasmine's legs wobbled a bit as she tried to keep up with the spunky Machop.

"So?" Jasmine's breath was ragged and drained. "What did you agree to?"

"I told you not to worry, right?" Thad gave Chad a quick glance, and Machop dropped Jasmine's travel pack at the edge of the arena and began doing warm-up push-ups. "We about to knock this one outta the park with my strats. I've designed a game plan that will make you think I'm an Ice-type dude with how frosty I am on the sidelines."

Jasmine blinked. "Did you just—"

"Mixing up my lingo?" Thad interjected. "Hell yeah. Gotta adapt with the times, now," He gave Chad a thumbs up, "my boy Chad is first up."

"But Thad!" Jasmine bit her lower lip and cast a quick look toward Bugsy, who was talking with the referee. "I told you at the diner he's a better switch due to his typing and resistances! Were you even listening—"

Thad rested a hand on Jasmine's shoulder, silencing her. He gave her a smug look and whispered, "Girl, I've got this. I've brewed some super spicy stuff for this battle. Mostly because of what you told me the other day."

Jasmine cocked her head to the side. "The other day?"

"I thought I bought a bunch of CDs but it was the technical whatsitdoesits," Thad said. "So, I went through and read them. Apparently, they've got some hella neat tricks and moves."

"What did you get?" Jasmine asked, nearly bouncing on the tips of her toes. "Technical mechanics aren't exactly cheap."

"Well," Thad ran a hand through his short-cropped hair and laughed, "when you manage to flirt with the girl at the counter, a little discount usually comes up. Plus, I gave her some nutrition advice on top of it. It worked out. But I snagged all the punching ones, and a couple of others that sounded rad as hell."

Jasmine crossed her arms. Her jaw set, she upturned her nose and let out a heavy breath. "I see. Well...I trust you did it for your Pokemon."

"Totally, Jazzy," Thad said, giving her a thumbs up. "Now, it's time to dance."

Jasmine, with considerable effort, dragged her travel bag off to the side of the arena while Bugsy got situated at his end. Thad focused on the ref as they stepped out into the center, looking between both competitors.

"For a third gym challenge, the rules are this," Thomas said in his loudest, most clear voice. "Each trainer is permitted to use three Pokemon. No items are to be applied by the trainer mid-match, though held items are fine. I shall judge until the Pokemon are unable to continue. The first trainer to concede or have three Pokemon faint is the loser. When I return to the sideline and commence. If the maximum of twenty minutes is reached, the match will end in a draw regardless of knockouts."

The lights surrounding the arena began to dim slightly as a spotlight over the grassy turf became a bit stronger. Thad looked out toward the floating platforms; all eyes from the bug trainers and Pokemon were glued to the event about to unfold. He leaned down and gave Chad a bump on his shoulder to enter the arena, to which Chad smiled with glee and hopped into the fray.

"Begin!" Thomas shouted, waving his arms.

Bugsy pulled a Net Ball from his belt and tossed it into the air. A small, beige-colored pupae formed from the red light, shaking violently a bit as it settled on the ground.

Looks pretty immobile with no arms or legs, Thad pondered. He squinted at the creature and assessed the terrain, which he could see small silk threads dangling from the ceiling. He clicked his tongue in annoyance and raised his playbook sheet in front of his face. He'll probably use the terrain? They always did say home-field advantage is damn good. Too bad Chad hasn't figured out a lot of dodging stuff yet. Guns blazing time, baby.

"Kakuna, use String Shot and propel yourself into the web!" Bugsy ordered, pointing toward the spidery network of silks.

"Intercept him, Chad! Give 'em the Bossman Special!"

The two Pokemon wasted no efforts in their movement; the Kakuna unfurling a large wad of silky string from its mouth. It rocketed forward with impressive speed, managing to get a few 'oohs' and 'awes' from Bugsy's disciples.

Chad instead relied on his powered-up thighs: all that time lugging around Jasmine's heavy backpack and doing squats for fun now had come into fruition. He rocketed himself into the air, his fist held back to deliver a wild haymaker to the Kakuna.

Bugsy's eyes widened. "H-how? Such a leap from a small Pokemon!"

"Never underestimate leg day!" Thad shouted, pointing at his companion. "Now, give 'em the goods!"

"Trade with a Poison Sting!"

The two Pokemon collided mid-air with a thunderous clap. Chad's fist glowed a faint orange as it met Kakuna's face, crunching the carapace a bit underneath the empowered blow and snapping the String Shot grapple. Unfortunately for Chad, such a trajectory made dodging the retaliation strike impossible as purple needles shot forth and burrowed their way into the Machop's chest.

Both Pokemon plummeted toward the soft turf. A plume of dirt obscured the trainer's vision of the battlefield.

"I know you're still frisky, Chad!" Thad glanced at his playbook and smirked. "Give 'em the spicy one!"

"Chop!" boomed from the slowly clearing dust, and the Machop's silhouette could be seen dashing forward.

"Kakuna, use Poison Sting again!" Bugsy shouted, cupping his hands over his mouth. "We need to keep the damage up!"

The small ovaline silhouette of the Kakuna could start to be seen from the fading dust cloud, but Chad was already within striking distance. The crowd let out a gasp as Chad's fist became engulfed in flames, punching through the flurry of poison nettles erupting from the Kakuna's maw. A loud and rumbling 'oonah' came from the Kakuna as it tumbled backward from the strike; smoke billowing off its unmoving body. Bugsy quickly recalled his Pokemon and began to mull over his next option.

"Now that is a punch!" Thad said, jumping up and pumping his fist in the air. He looked at Jasmine and pointed at her. "See what I'm saying? Spicy punches."

"Look more closely at Chad!" Jasmine hastily replied, nudging her head toward the battlefield.

Thad squinted his eyes and immediately frowned as he noticed that odd black and purple streaks around Chad's chest were visible. "Ah, shit. What happened now?"

"Poison," Bugsy explained, holding a generic Pokeball in his hand. "I noticed that your Machop had excellent accuracy, yet failed to avoid getting hit. A good trainer knows what traits a Pokemon can possess, and I can confidently say your Machop lacks the 'guts' attribute, hence why I continued with poison."

"Ahuh, that makes sense." Thad rubbed his chin, nodding along. I've no clue what this dude is talking about. Chad's just more committed trading slaps. Damn, why's this coaching thing gotta be so complicated.

Bugsy tossed out his next Pokeball, unfurling a blue horned beetle from the brilliant shower of red light. It held its arms to the side and tilted its head back, letting out a shrill battle cry. Chad donned a square stance, holding his fists up like a professional boxer.

Jasmine cupped her hands around her mouth. "Careful, Thad, that's a Hercross and—"

"Yeah, yeah, Bug-type. I know Jazzy." Thad waved Jasmine off and focused on the situation at hand. "I think I'll stay in. Chad's not going to get healthier by the end of the battle. Blaze of glory here we come!"

Jasmine shook her head, nervously pacing back along the sideline. Her gaze was transfixed upon Bugsy's second Pokemon as it let out another roar.

"Get in there Chad!" Thad said, pointing toward the new challenger. "Give him the ole' special punch!"

Chad dashed forward, wincing in obvious pain from the spreading corruption of poison. The Heracross widened its stance and braced itself for the impending impact. Thad noticed Bugsy's lips twitch a bit as Chad nearly met the bulky beetle.

"Audible!" Thad shouted, leaning a bit over the lines of the arena and keeping his sheet of coded messages close to his face. "Seduce it!"

"Seduce it?" Jasmine blurted out.

"What?" Bugsy tilted his head and crossed his arms.

Even the fellow Bug-type trainers began to murmur amongst themselves about the implications of Thad's strategy. Coded words weren't uncommon in trainer battles, as having an edge over commands and being able to react was a prime advantage over another, but the simplicity of the command seemed...odd. The crowd began to whisper louder as the Machop skidded to a stop mere inches from the bracing Heracross and leaned onto its shoulder like a frat bro hitting on a babe at a bar, and sent a mischievous wink toward the beetle.

"Chop," Chad chirped, snapping his little grey fingers and pointing at the petrified Heracross. "Mach Macho!"

The Heracross blinked. Then it blinked again, its little black ovaline eyes fully dilated, searching Chad's face for something.

Thad couldn't hold back a smirk from worming its way onto his face. He glanced at Jasmine who seemed surprised, but relatively impressed with his audible. Bugsy on the other hand seemed confused, his mouth partway open, threatening to catch flies.

"Uh, Heracross, use Stone Edge!" Bugsy commanded, pointing at Chad. "Take 'em down while they're close!"

"Hera," the Pokemon mumbled out, clearly taken with Chad's continued to babble and sway a bit as Chad leaned on the beetle's shoulder, holding his right hand low to deliver a blow at his trainer's behest. Thad noticed how Chad's feet were a bit wobbly too; the poison was slowly working its way through his body.

"Alright, they're in love with you," Thad wrinkled his nose and chuckled, "can hardly blame 'em, but sometimes we gotta hurt those we love! Give 'em that spicy slap!"

Fire swirled around the Machop's fist. Bugsy frantically called for his Heracross to counter, but the Heracross gave no inclination to hearing their trainer's pleas.

The strike came, landing squarely in the Heracross' face. Smoke poured out and the faint smell of burning wood filled the air. Though, the victory was short-lived as the Heracross immediately reared its head back, horn glowing white, and smacked Chad right in the chest. The Machop was sent tumbling backward, bouncing on the ground like a rock being skipped across water.

"Damn, he still hit back even with the seduction technique," Thad murmured. He saw Chad was barely able to keep himself steady, and he looked to the ref who nodded back to him. "Alright, bro. I think you need a breather. I know you're not wiped out, but it's time for a substitution."

"Chaaa," the Machop wheezed out, giving his trainer a thumbs up as Thad recalled him back to the safety of the Pokeball.

Thad rubbed his chin and fished out another Pokeball from his belt. " Practically an even score right now, but I've got the momentum, and Chad for emergency use if the others can string it together. Let's see...now seems like a good time." He tossed the Pokeball in the air, and let his largest and newest member take center stage.

"Challenger Thad has chosen his second Pokemon…a very large Quagsire. Huh, you don't see that every day," Thomas remarked.

Standing on its hind legs at nearly Thad's own impressive height, well over six feet tall, the Quagsire blankly looked onward. Jasmine tilted her head to the side, chewing on her bottom lip as the Pokemon hardly seemed aware of the imminent danger it had been thrust into.

"Alright, Heracross," Bugsy pointed at the new foe, "Get in there for Close Combat! We have the type advantage!"

"Alright, Keto, that bug thing is comin' for ya!" Thad said. "Just open your mouth and breath, my dude!"

As the Heracross dashed forward, the Quagsire flopped onto its belly with a loud thud. It opened its toothless maw and exhaled a large puff of air, to which the Heracross breezed through and delivered a powerful blow on the Water-type's nose. The Quagsire let out a faint bleat, acknowledging the hit as it nearly skidded back into its trainer.

"Alright, stand back up, dude," Thad commanded, watching the Heracross with wide eyes as it began to chase down its quarry. "You gotta get up and fall on it."

"Siiiiire," the Quagsire protested, but it obeyed and clambered to its feet, albeit slowly. A large purple bruise had begun to appear on the Pokemon's rounded face.

"Another Close Combat! Quickly!" Bugsy ordered.

The Heracross began to slow down as it reached Keto, eventually slowing to a jog, then a walk, and then finally face planting before the behemoth. Panic began to rise as the trainers of the Azalea gym shouted for their Bug-type champion to get up, but the Heracross snored away without a care. Bugsy crossed his arms and shook his head as if knowing that he was trying to beat the clock on the well-timed sleep effect.

"Alright, now you can lay down," Thad said, and the Quagsire wasted no time in flopping its bulbous frame on top of the helpless Heracross. Thad winced a bit as the ground shook a bit from the impact as the Quagsire's mass buried the Heracross beneath it.

The Quagsire rolled off the squished Heracross; the Pokemon looked completely dazed and melded into the soft turf. Bugsy quickly recalled their companion and gave Thad an appraising look.

"Not bad, Thad. You managed to turn the table and use status effects to your advantage that time," Bugsy said, holding a new Pokeball. "But, let's see if you can take on my finisher."

"Gotta just adapt and play ball, kiddo," Thad replied, his hands on his hips. He lowered his voice and looked back at Keto. "Just play defensive. We've got the lead, and now we just need to tire out his last dude for our last guy."

"Quagggg!" Keto barked, surprising Thad as it rumbled forth.

Thad winced and rubbed the back of his head. "Or he can just take on the last one with everything he's got, I guess."

Bugsy released his Pokeball, to reveal a green, bidepal mantis creature with blade-like arms. It rubbed its arms together as if to sharpen them, and screeched into the air.

"Leader Bugsy's last Pokemon is Scyther!" Thomas announced, his face tense and slightly red. "Begin!"

"Scyther, use Leer!"

The Bug-type glared daggers at the Quagsire, who seemed unfazed by the menacing stare. Thad merely shrugged at the action. It wasn't doing damage, but clearly was doing something, but it wasn't raw damage or status effects from what he could tell.

"Alright, Keto, go in there and crush that thing underneath your weight!"

"Scyther, dodge and use Quick Attack!" Bugsy retorted, and the Scyther obeyed with a curt nod followed by blinding speed.

The Quagsire belly-flopped best it could onto the Scyther, but the nimble Pokemon sidestepped and landed a glancing blow on Keto's backside. Thad narrowed his eyes, clenching his fists as he noticed the vast difference in speed and reaction time.

Damn fast bug man! Keto won't be able to hit him head on...and I don't know enough of his moves or have them written down. Shit, Thad pondered as he scoured the battlefield for any possible terrain advantages. The ground is too soft too for him to chase that green bug thing. Only chance we have is to stall and maybe catch it off guard with an attack that's hard to dodge….I think I've got it.

"Keto, take a nap!" Thad shouted in a powerful tone. The Quagsire didn't hesitate in instantly falling asleep; not one to turn down a free rest at their new trainer's behest.

"Nice move Thad," Jasmine complimented, jumping up a little as her own excitement for battles was starting to bleed through her calm facade. "That should undo all of the damage from Heracross!"

Despite the compliment, Thad remained focused and wary of Bugsy's Pokemon. The gym leader's smile unsettled him. He smelt blood in the water and looked to capitalize.

"While they're down, keep attacking it with a Fury Cutter!"

The Scyther's arms glowed a faint green color as it dashed toward the soundly asleep Quagsire. It began to strike and pummel the Quagsire, adding new bruises in place of the ones that Keto had just miraculously recovered from its impromptu nap. Thad licked his lips and watched as the Scyther's strikes grew in ferocity and damage, restraining himself from jumping into the fray for his new friend.

Here goes the gamble, Thad thought. You were a god amongst those slow dudes, hope you hear my prayers.

"Keto! If you hear me, it's time to sleepwalk!"

The Quagsire shot ramrod up, taking one last furious strike from the Scyther. The Bug-type and its trainer stood in shock and awe as Keto loomed, its eyes closed but its body moving with surprising grace. A golden, holy hue began to wash over the battered and bruised Quagsire. Even the light from the overhead lights and sound became muted and dull in the wake of Keto's sleepwalking induced maneuver.

"He is a god…" Thad whispered in awe.

"Schaaaa!" The Scyther cried as it dove in for another attack, unable to hear its trainer's command. The excitement was brought to a halt as the Quagsire took the Fury Cutter to the abdomen, wobbling a bit in its golden glory.

And then in a sudden burst of magnificent speed and light, the room flashed as Keto brought his flipper down on the Scyther's head with nearly blinding speed. A thunderous crack shot through the room like a whip being snapped as the Scyther was knocked prone. The golden light faded from Quagsire as it fell backward, asleep and unconscious after the vicious strike.

"I can't believe it," Jasmine said softly. "It used Giga Impact…"

"Calling that one the 'God Slap'," Thad noted as he recalled Keto to its Pokeball. He patted the ball and smiled. "Damn good job, my dude, you weakened that green dude for our big finale."

"Thad, do you have a third Pokemon?" Thomas asked, nervously looking at the fragile Scyther. Still standing, but clearly affected by Keto's final strike.

"Oh, yeah. Going to go with my man, Dwayne!" Thad tossed a Pokeball in the air, the red light pouring down onto the battlefield to unveil the Geodude.

"Geo!" Dwayne shouted, pumping his arms and scanning the surrounding area. He locked onto the dizzied Scyther and furrowed his rocky brow.

"No time to showboat my dude, time to get shiny!"

Dwayne pumped his arms and his rocky exterior began to gleam like a jewel. The Scyther wasted no time moving in to deliver another Fury Cutter, though as it came upon the Geodude, the wily rock Pokemon slipped through its legs with a quick roll.

"Reposition, Scyther! It's faster now!" Bugsy cried out. "Use your own speed and chase it down!"

The Scyther beat its wings, creating a low hum as it lifted itself off the ground until its feet were just barely dragging across the dirt. It swerved and turned on a dime as it refaced the Geodude who had grabbed a clump of the earth and palmed it into a throwing stone.

"Nail him with a fastball! We only need one!" Thad shouted, throwing his playbook aside. He ran up the sidelines gesturing to Dwayne. "Hit him! Finish the job!"

Dwayne unleashed his Rock Throw, and the clump of hardened earth flew towards the barreling green blur. The quickened throw managed to meet the Scyther's arm blade, only to be sliced in twain as it continued upon the Geodude. Despite his increased speed, Geodude took three quickened slashes across his face until he rolled onto his back, unconscious.

"Nice try with the Rock Polish into Rock Throw," Bugsy complimented, smiling at his whirling green menace. "Even if you could land one more solid hit on Scyther, you won't be able to. He's used to dodging projectiles with his speed, not to mention his Fury Cutter has been maxed out. It's as strong as any move right now."

Thad held up a hand. "I've still got one more Pokemon, bug man." He withdrew Dwayne and held out Chad's Pokeball. "I know you've not got a lot in the tank, bro, but this is overtime. The final hour. Where the match is really won." he whispered to the Pokeball. "He's gonna come hard and fast, but you just need one punch. Step inside and remember our training with Chuck. That quick left jab you were born with."

"Challenger Thad, please release your final Pokemon, Machop," the referee instructed.

"I getcha," Thad tossed out the Pokeball, revealing an unsteady Machop that brought his arms up in a boxer position. "Alright, you know the game, it's sudden death, baby!

"Chop!" Chad dug his feet in, taking in labored breaths as the poison worked its way deeper into his system. The Scyther crouched forward and then dashed at the Machop with blistering speed, tearing up the loose dirt around them creating a large cloud in its wake.

Thad shielded his eyes from the turbulence of dirt getting kicked up, seeing Chad disappear into the cloud as the Scyther closed in. Both Pokemon let out roars as they clashed; a sharp snap booming through the arena followed by a thud. One had fallen.

All trainers and onlookers held their breath as the dust began to settle. Each person squinting, and Thomas the referee beginning to trot toward the last spot he saw the Pokemon to confirm the final knockout.

"We've got a winner!" Thomas shouted, waving the trainers over. "Victory goes to…"

"Macho!" A deep, rumbling growl emanated from the dust.

The last of the dust cleared and Thad's eyes lit up when he saw Chad, but this time standing nearly five feet tall, wearing a black speedo, and frozen in an uppercut pose. His right fist gleamed like a hunk of iron left out in the sun as he towered over the fallen mantis-like Pokemon.

"Hot damn!" Thad ran over to his swole partner. As the evolved Chad dropped down to one knee, Thad managed to support his companion by catching him under his armpit, as the evolved Chad dropped down to one knee.

"Choke," Chad wheezed out, clutching a hand over his chest where the poison had taken root. "Cho cho."

"The ole' sneaky-quick slap," Thad said in awe, wiping a tear from his eye. "You were born with that quick punch my dude, and it paid off." He pulled out his Pokeball and recalled Chad.

The faint pitter-patter of Jasmine's footsteps caught Thad's attention and he looked up to see the petite woman rushing over. She grinned from ear to ear, flashing a bit of teeth as she nearly ran into the jock.

"You never said your Machop knew Bullet Punch!"

Thad shrugged and let out a hearty laugh. "Yeah, I guess not, right? I double-checked Chuck's notebook he gave me this morning, and he mentioned it in there as Chad was born with quick hands. Figured it was time to double down on that little tidbit."

"Well fought," faint clapping came from Bugsy as he approached, holding Scyther's Pokeball in his left hand. He recalled his fallen friend and gave the ball a sad smile. "You're not too bad, Thad. Full of surprises. I thought you'd merely try to muscle your way through. Nearly did, actually."

"I may not be smart, but I know sports," Thad thumped his chest and smiled. "My crew ain't the most practiced or strategic, but we damn good at getting after that bread, ya know what I mean?"

"Not in the slightest," Bugsy sighed, "but you are victorious, nonetheless. Here." He reached into his trouser pocket and pulled out a yellowish piece of metal with black dots. "I proudly present to you the Hive Badge. If you continue along this path, I'm sure you'll be a force to be reckoned with." Bugsy pursed his lips, cast a quick glance toward Jasmine, and gave Thad a nod. "And...I haven't forgotten about what we agreed to."

"Dope, bro," Thad replied. He pulled Jasmine into a close side hug, squeezing her. "Me and Jazzy then are heading out after we hit the Pokemon center." He looked down to Jasmine, whose face was quickly becoming red. "Where's the next town?"

"My...lungs. Please."

"Mylungs?" Thad shook his head. "Nah, I think it was a color, Jazz. Magenta town? Purpleville?"

"Um," Bugsy interrupted, raising a finger. "I think she can't breathe."

Thad made an 'o' with his mouth and released Jasmine from his deadly hug. She sharply inhaled through her mouth and tenderly held her side. Thad winced a bit, knowing his excitement had gotten the better of him.

"Violet City," Jasmine gasped. "We're going to see Falkner in Violet City next."

A/N: That's a wrap on Azalea Town! Onward we go! It was quite fun writing out this whole Pokemon battle sequence, and hopefully, I did it justice as Thad properly continues along his Pokemon journey. Also, hopefully, I didn't stretch too much of the lore, as I've been scouring the wikis to make sure I'm relatively accurate or at the very least; plausible. Been a little easier to finish this chapter as extra writing projects have been tabled at the moment, leaving this to be one of my three ongoing projects, and the easiest of the bunch to write as this is my relaxation fic where I get to turn off my brain and just enjoy the ride haha.

Thanks once again for all the wonderful reviews: even if I'm not actively replying to them, I read them all and take into consideration all your thoughts. Speaking of which, there has been a certain flexing Pokemon brought up in a few different people's questions. In short: Do you really think I'd miss out on that? It's happening, but be patient with me. Might sooner than you think, but all good things in time as you know :)

For more quality fics from tons of other talented fanfiction authors, writing advice, memes, or if you want a place to chill and/or bug me, come stop by the Fanfiction Treehouse at discord . gg / 9XG3U7a

I'll see you all next time, where I plan to get another chapter done by the end of this month, so thanks for reading :D