Author's Note:

Hello all my wonderful Poliwags! We're back with another chapter of Bonnie's adventure, and it's finally time for her battle against Wattson! Let's see how she does!

Chapter 31: A Shocking Challenge

Butch and Smeargle darted quickly behind the corner of the Pokemon Centre as they noticed their targets emerging from it. The brat girl appeared quite excited, leading the way down the street with the boy and the gym leader from Rustboro trailing behind her. They were heading in the same direction they had gone the day before, but Butch was fairly sure it was for a different purpose this time.

"Suppose the girl has one of those gym battles," Smeargle murmured, glancing up at Butch. "Wonder if she'll win. Looked bloody strong yesterday at the Food Court."

Butch shrugged, watching the group continue down the street until they were small specks in the distance. "Doesn't much matter to us, does it? Just supposed to keep an eye on her right now."

"Getting a tad boring, is it not?" Smeargle sighed out, holding his tail and studying the end of it. "With Zinnia off on whatever mission she's doing, it seems we've been left in purgatory."

It was hard for Butch to disagree. Things had been looking up when they were hooked up with Zinnia in Island Cave, but after the mission in Granite Cave, they'd been given very little to do. The attack on Drake's ship had been nothing but embarrassing. No fossil from the boy, and a thorough trouncing by the girl.

"Let's get back to Cassidy," Butch whispered. "The girl will be busy with her gym battle, and maybe we can get an update from Lyanna on where we stand."

"Seems like a plan," Smeargle agreed. "Although does Lyanna want us contacting her again? Most of her messages are coming through from Zinnia's bloody codes these days."

"We're in one of the biggest cities in Hoenn. Maybe she'd like us to do something," Butch said. "At least we can find out if Zinnia is ever going to use us for something again."

With no better plan for what to do, the two of them made their way through the streets of Mauville City, back to the outskirts and into a small grouping of trees where they had made their temporary base. Cassidy was waiting, going through one of Zinnia's coded messages and clearly finding no further meaning to it than what they'd found in it earlier. Raticate's exhausted appearance suggested that Cassidy's mood had not been too good during her studying.

"Anything interesting?" she asked as Butch and Smeargle stopped behind her, the latter peering over her shoulder to see the notes she'd laid across the ground. The tone of her voice suggested she knew there wouldn't be much of interest.

"Just that the girl is heading to her match with the Mauville Gym Leader," Butch said. "No signs of Team Archaic. Didn't even hear any news reports or anything from the Pokemon Centre."

"Laying low right now, I suppose," Cassidy said, turning around to face them. Bitterness filled her voice. "Plotting their next move with no intention of using us. Same with Zinnia."

"Butch thinks we should call Lyanna," Smeargle said, sitting down and fiddling with his tail. "Not that it'll bloody mean much, but I reckon it's worth a try. If Zinnia's truly one of us, I say we deserve to know what she's up to."

Cassidy seemed to think it was a pointless idea, shrugging dismissively, but she nodded to Raticate nonetheless, and the Mouse Pokemon hopped into the hot air balloon carrier and grabbed their transceiver for messaging headquarters. "I guess there's nothing better to do. What's the worst that happens? We get kicked off the mission?"

"The boss would never do that!" Butch said confidently. "We're much too valuable."

"That's what those three idiots tell themselves," Cassidy mumbled, although she held up the transceiver once Raticate brought it to her, and began to put the call into headquarters.

The call was answered surprisingly quickly, and a moment later, Lyanna's face appeared before them, her glasses reflecting the light of her screen. She seemed to be in a different place from where she usually was when they called her. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion as she looked at them, clearly not pleased by their call.

"I'm expecting another call, so this had better be important," she snapped, her words snapping Butch and his companions to attention. They'd gotten used to her being the softest of their superiors with both Team Archaic and Team Rocket. Not that she was exactly soft, as her gaze demonstrated currently.

"Um...we..." Cassidy was at a loss for words, which Butch might've found amusing if Lyanna's gaze wasn't piercing him as much as his longtime partner.

"We're calling," Smeargle said, pushing his way in front, "because we feel as though we've been left out of the loop here. We're tracking that girl that's so bloody important for some reason, but we've been hearing nothing about Team Archaic plans from either Viktor or Zinnia. Perhaps it's out of line to call someone so esteemed as yourself for such a matter, but given the fact we're here to do the important task of infiltrating and undermining Team Archaic, it seems as though-"

"All right, enough!" Lyanna snapped.

Her sharp retort silenced Smeargle immediately, although Butch couldn't help but be impressed by their newest companion's nerve. None of what he'd said was wrong. In fact, it was exactly how their group had been feeling. They were supposedly here to do important work. Perhaps some of that did involve tracking this girl, but they also needed to stay on Team Archaic's trail. That was not happening at the moment.

Lyanna sighed, rubbing her temples and adjusting her glasses before looking at their group again. "You're right...you're right. You're to be involved in something in the coming weeks, but there appears to be a lot of secrecy around the project. Zinnia's been gathering intel, so that is why she hasn't had time to run operations with you. I'll tell her to update you shortly with what she's discovered."

"Oh...th-thank you," Smeargle coughed out. "Very kind of you, Miss Lyanna."

"Just call me Lyanna." She sighed again, glancing behind her at something that they couldn't see, although Butch was sure he caught the sound of wind rustling some trees or bushes, so she was likely outside somewhere.

"Do you have any idea what the upcoming mission may be about?" Cassidy asked hesitantly.

"That's been Zinnia's job to find out," Lyanna said, although there was a hint of a smirk on her face as she continued. "I have another source that believes Mt. Chimney is the target for some kind of operation, however. It's believed Darwin may be more involved in whatever it is."

Butch's eyes widened. If that was the case, perhaps Darwin was going to be making a large play in whatever his larger plan was to gain power. "Does that mean...we'll need to reveal ourselves?"

"Not necessarily, although it is possible." Lyanna hesitated, and then continued. "What's the girl's status?"

"The girl?" Cassidy asked, surprised. "Having a gym battle in Mauville City. Why?"

Lyanna nodded, appearing thoughtful. "Your Team Archaic orders are to track her. Her next battle would likely be in Lavaridge Town if she wins. I expect she'll be close enough to Mt. Chimney during Darwin's operation that you'll be able to participate without suspicion. I'll be in touch with Zinnia, and then she'll update you on next steps, but despite your frustrations, keep an eye on her."

Butch, Cassidy and Smeargle exchanged a glance. Their orders were essentially the same, but something about Lyanna's tone impressed upon them the importance of what they were doing. They didn't quite understand, but they felt needed. They turned back to the Special Agent and nodded.

"We're on it!"

Roxanne stayed a little bit back of Bonnie and Clyde as they neared the Mauville Gym. She gazed up towards it as it came into view, admiring how different it was from her own, highlighting the preference for electric Pokemon. Seeing the different styles of the other gyms was an unexpected pleasure she'd discovered on this journey, and it almost made her want to spice up her own when she eventually returned home.

The building was quite large and even appeared to have multiple floors unlike her own gym, or even Brawly's in Dewford Town. The exterior was mostly gold, with a pokeball symbol over the doors that appeared to be shooting out electrical sparks up towards the upper windows. There was no sign declaring it as the Mauville City Gym, but Roxanne could see the small Pokemon League symbol on the wall next to the doors that signified it was a League certified gym.

"I can't wait!" Bonnie said, stopping in front of the doors and looking up. "My third badge! We're really making progress, Dedenne!"

Roxanne shook her head in amusement at the statement. Or rather, partial amusement. She was trying to suppress the voice in her head that urged caution, though. She had promised Bonnie to support her in this battle. If her young companion felt she was ready, then perhaps she was. After all, Roxanne had come on this journey to better understand the challenges her students faced out on their own travels. Maybe she'd been stuck in a classroom too long and didn't realize the value in jumping into these things. Still, she felt she needed to remind Bonnie of one thing.

"You haven't won yet, Bonnie. Don't count your badges till you have them."

"I know, I know," she muttered, taking a deep breath before stepping forward. "Let's rumble!"

The young trainer opened the door, Clyde quickly following after her with Rotom floating in just behind. Roxanne went last, curious as to what they would find once inside. With the multiple floors seen from outside, she wondered where the battlefield might be. It didn't seem likely it would be visible from the entrance as with her own gym.

Bonnie and Clyde had not gone far once Roxanne was inside, and she could see that they were both confused by something. She understood why a moment later, glancing around and realizing they were actually in a fairly small room, with no doors but the ones they'd entered through. The only way out appeared to be through a tunnel, a small track leading into it.

"What's this?" Bonnie asked, looking completely perplexed by the situation. "My brother has a weird electric gym, too, but nothing like this."

"I thought you said your brother used to shock trainers and fire them through a chute if they didn't have enough badges," Clyde said, glancing at her in astonishment.

Bonnie waved her hand dismissively. "That wasn't him. That was Clembot."

"The robot that took over his gym?"

"Yeah."

"And that's not weirder than this?"

"No."

Roxanne decided to step forward, realizing little was going to happen until they figured out how to advance through the tunnel. Considering there was a track, she assumed they would need some kind of minecart. Looking around, she wondered if there was some way to signal for one to come to them. She was sure Wattson wouldn't expect people to bring their own.

Bonnie seemed to guess this as well, kneeling down and looking at the track for a moment before glancing up at Dedenne. "Maybe we should shock it?" she suggested.

"Are you crazy?" Clyde asked. "What would that do?"

"She might be right," Roxanne said. "It's an electric gym after all. Maybe we need to power the track or something."

"Well, let's give it a try!" Bonnie said excitedly. "Dedenne, use Thunder Shock!"

"Nene!" Dedenne nodded quickly, narrowing his eyes towards the track from Bonnie's shoulder. He then hopped into the air and unleashed a quick jolt towards it, lighting it up briefly before it died down. Bonnie caught Dedenne as they watched for some sign that the attack had done something.

For a moment, it seemed as though it hadn't, but then Rotom began to dart around in excitement. "Zzt! Something is coming!"

Sure enough, there was a noise from within the tunnel, and a moment later, a cart appeared through the tunnel and stopped just in front of them. Bonnie was quick to hop in, and Clyde went in after her. There wasn't really much room, but Roxanne managed to squeeze in behind them both while Rotom floated behind her and clung onto her back, clearly expecting a bumpy ride.

Another shock from Dedenne sent the cart moving forward, and their group was suddenly in darkness. Fortunately, that didn't last too long as they picked up speed, but it turned out that Rotom was right to expect a less than gentle ride. The first room they entered was much larger than the first, and it involved turning left and right and almost going in circles as various robotic Pokemon darted in and out from the walls or floor.

Bonnie was delighted by the whole thing, cheering as the cart sped along, jerking left and right, and even seeming to jump up and down a few times. Even Clyde seemed to enjoy some of it, especially as they entered a room and witnessed a staged robotic battle between a Magneton and a Cradily. Roxanne was feeling sick after about the fourth room, however, and for some reason, Rotom didn't appear to enjoy the ride either, continuously shouting, "Zzt! Error!" as he clung to her back.

Eventually, though, the cart did begin to slow down and entered a long tunnel that seemed to be leading towards a large doorway up ahead. Roxanne could see Bonnie leaning forward excitedly, clearly expecting this to be the battlefield. It seemed like a safe bet, and as they neared the doors, they began to open as a robotic Raikou leaped over their cart, roaring and sending a jolt of electricity towards two lights on the other side. They shone on the cart as it entered the final room and a loud voice greeted them.

"Welcome to today's challenger! We hope your ride was electrifying!"

Roxanne, groaning and holding her head, glanced up once the cart had stopped, seeing a man a few years older than her approaching them. He had glasses and brown hair, and an Ampharos was at his side, adding some additional light to the room. He seemed to sense that Roxanne wasn't feeling too good, and gave her an apologetic look, although Bonnie quickly brought his attention to her.

"That was fun!" she exclaimed, hopping out of the cart. "I need to tell my brother all about this for his gym!"

"Ah, yes, Wattson did mention you had a brother that was a gym leader." The man grinned, bowing slightly alongside his Ampharos. "Apologies. My name is Watt. I'm Wattson's assistant here at the gym."

"Nice to meet you," Clyde said first. He was closest to Watt and shook his hand, introducing himself before glancing around. "So is this your idea?"

Watt shook his head. "Oh no, Wattson is a big fan of his animatronics. It was a little more...interactive a few years ago. An incident inspired us to change it up to simply be a ride to see some of the joys of electric Pokemon."

"Well...it was certainly interesting," Roxanne murmured, finally starting to feel a bit better. "My name is Roxanne. I'm the leader of the Rustboro Gym...a much simpler one by the looks of things here."

Watt gave a sheepish laugh at that. "I suppose so. Yes, sorry about that. Wattson has fun with these things." He glanced to Bonnie once more. "Well, I already know who you are of course, Bonnie. Wattson is very excited to battle you today. Shall I lead you to the battlefield then?"

"Sure, we're looking forward to it, too, right Dedenne?" the young trainer responded, grinning up at her partner Pokemon.

"Nene!"

Watt nodded in approval at that, and then gestured for his Ampharos to lead the way. A moment later, they all followed as the Light Pokemon led them towards a final set of doors, these ones a little simpler than the ones that had opened to this room. The lightning bolt symbols over them signalled what the doors led to, however, and Roxanne could see Bonnie shaking in excitement as Watt knocked and then opened them.

As they entered, Roxanne immediately noticed her hair becoming slightly frizzy. The electrical energy was felt in the very air. It seemed to perk up Dedenne quite a bit, the Antenna Pokemon immediately scurrying up to the top of Bonnie's head and sparking his cheeks. The lighting was also a little more unique, with long glass tubes around the room showing the electricity shooting through them in a never ending loop. The battlefield below appeared a little simpler, though, merely being a dirt field, but from his position at the leader's end of it, Wattson looked no less imposing than he'd been in battle the day before.

"Welcome to the Mauville Gym!" the man called out, smiling and waving as everyone looked in his direction. "I've been looking forward to your challenge since watching you battle yesterday, Bonnie, and I expect a good battle!"

"You'll get it!" Bonnie promised, pumping her fists in excitement. "We need to catch up to Max, so we're not going easy on you! We'll be on our way to Lavaridge Town by the end of the day!"

Wattson's smile faltered a bit at her statement, but he recovered quickly and nodded. "I hope our battle is as good as the one I had with young Max. He was quite fierce!"

"I suppose we might as well take our positions," Watt said, gesturing to the balcony seats towards the side of the battlefield. "You two can sit there if you want," he suggested to Roxanne and Clyde. "I'll be refereeing the match, so Bonnie, you can follow me down to the battlefield."

Roxanne and Clyde quickly wished Bonnie good luck before the two pairs split up. Clyde led the way, sitting down in the front row towards the centre, and once Roxanne joined him, she could see Bonnie already taking her position opposite Wattson, Rotom and Dedenne at her sides. A moment later, Watt was standing in the referee's spot, and before she knew it, Roxanne was leaning forward in anticipation, sensing the match was about to begin.

"Think Bonnie can do it?" Clyde asked, he and Treecko leaning forward as well.

"Honestly, it's hard to say," Roxanne murmured. "She's improved a great deal, but that loss to Max seems to have gotten to her. And not just in terms of her wanting to catch up to him. I think Beautifly leaving hurts her more than she's let on, and it's left a noticeable impact on her team."

Clyde frowned. "You mean with Torchic? But Beautifly never met Torchic?"

"It's a little more complicated than that," Roxanne said. "I don't know...maybe I'm seeing things that aren't there." She took a deep breath. "We promised to support Bonnie, so let's cheer her on."

Clyde nodded at that, quickly cupping his hands over his mouth. "Go get 'em, Bonnie! You can win this!"

Bonnie looked up, grinning and flashing a thumbs up before Watt raised his arm and began to recite the rules of the battle. "The Mauville Gym battle will now begin! Each trainer will use three Pokemon. The battle will end when all three of one trainer's Pokemon are unable to continue. Only the challenger is permitted to substitute during the battle. Please select your first Pokemon!"

Wattson raised an arm first, pokeball in hand. "I used to reveal all my Pokemon before the match, back when I was a little too confident in my skills. I've since learned to have a greater respect for my challengers. You may know one of my Pokemon already, of course, but we'll start with one you don't know. Magnemite, let's go!"

He threw the pokeball forward, and a moment later a flash of light revealed the floating electric and steel type, its eyeball immediately locking on to Bonnie across from it. Roxanne could see Bonnie wasn't deterred, watching Magnemite a moment before reaching for her own pokeball. Roxanne had a feeling who she would be choosing, and given her choices, it was a good bet despite the issues she'd had.

"Torchic, let's rumble!"

"Torrr!" the Chick Pokemon cried out as it emerged, hopping up and down excitedly before stopping and staring down her opponent.

"This is your first gym battle, Torchic," Bonnie said excitedly, "so let's do our best, okay?"

"Torchic tor!" Torchic answered, eyes shining at Bonnie's words.

"Torchic, eh?" Wattson said, grinning as he looked across at the fire type. "This should be good!"

Watt then looked to both trainers. "Are both trainers ready to begin?" they nodded, and he waved his arm, his Armpharos shooting a spark of electricity into the air at the signal. "Then let the battle begin!"

"Torchic, start with Ember!" Bonnie shouted, just as eager as her Chick Pokemon to make the first move. Wattson was ready, though, quickly ordering his counter.

"Counter with Swift!" he shouted, the Magnet Pokemon already moving back as Torchic built up her attack.

The attacks shot forth at the same moment, Torchic's small fireballs impacting with Magnemite's golden stars at the centre of the battlefield. Smoke shot up upon impact, and Wattson took advantage of the lack of visibility immediately. Roxanne could see Magnemite floating upwards as soon as the attacks collided, and it was in perfect position as Wattson gave his next order.

"Magnemite, use Thunder Wave!" he shouted, Magnemite glowing yellow at the order, before unleashing the stream of electricity.

"Torchic, get out of the way!" Bonnie called out quickly, although neither she nor Torchic had seen Magnemite float up above the smoke. The Thunder Wave shot down, striking Torchic a moment later as she aimlessly tried to hop away from the smoke.

"Tor!" the Chick Pokemon cried out in pain, stumbling as sparks shot up around her body. "Torchic tor!"

Wattson grinned across at Bonnie, the smoke now dissipating between them. Roxanne could already see the tension in her young friend. Clearly she hadn't expected to be put in such a difficult position so early, especially with the type matchup in her favour.

"Magnemite may be small, but sometimes that's its greatest attribute," Wattson explained, his Magnet Pokemon floating lower to the ground. "And having the aerial advantage, it knows just how to draw in its opponents in order to strike."

Bonnie clenched her fists in response, glaring at the Pokemon across from her. "It doesn't matter. Torchic is strong enough to win even if paralyzed." Torchic voiced her agreement, struggling to her feet as Bonnie called her next order. "Get in close before that paralysis kicks in, and use Peck!"

"Tor!" The feisty fire type took off with everything she had, her eagerness to do well for her trainer finally being put to good use. She surprised both Wattson and Magnemite as she charged in, leaping up and striking the Magnet Pokemon hard.

"Mag! Magnemite!" it cried out in pain, staggering backwards through the air.

"Quick, follow it up with Ember!" Bonnie shouted, Torchic aiming her beak ahead in an instant, still airborne. She unleashed the fireballs with perfect precision, hitting Magnemite with everything she had, causing it to crash hard into the ground.

"Yes! Great job, Bonnie!" Clyde cheered next to Roxanne, high fiving Treecko, who despite his frustration with Torchic the day before, appeared equally pleased with the successful attack.

Roxanne couldn't help but smile as well. So far, despite the Thunder Wave, Torchic and Bonnie were fighting together. If they could keep this up, they could quite possibly do away with Magnemite fairly quickly, considering the type matchup.

Wattson wasn't going to back down, however, quickly calling another attack of his own. "Magnemite, fight back with a good old fashioned Thunder Shock!"

"Dodge it, and get in there with Scratch!" Bonnie ordered, grinning as the pace of the battle kicked up a notch.

Fortunately for her, the paralysis didn't hinder Torchic as she ducked to the side, just barely managing to slide under the jet of electricity. And, with Magnemite focused on unleashing the attack, Torchic was able to charge at it before it could react. She jumped to eye level with it and swiped hard with her feet, scratching it fiercely and sending it staggering back once more, leaving it open once again for a perfectly placed Ember.

"Magnemiiite!" the Magnet Pokemon cried out again, crashing hard to the ground, its body smoking on impact. Roxanne could see that it was wearing down quickly. If Bonnie and Torchic could avoid the effects of paralysis a little longer, this match would likely be theirs.

"Now, Peck once-"

"Tor!"

Roxanne winced. It seemed as though Torchic could see the end as well, landing deftly from her two attacks and locking her gaze on Magnemite. She took off immediately, her beak shining with the glow of her specialized Burning Peck attack. Despite the issue with the unordered move, Roxanne was sure that Magnemite was done for.

But that was when the paralysis struck.

"Tor!" the Chick Pokemon cried out, falling as the glow in her beak died out, smoke emerging from it as she fell. It seemed to have backfired somewhat, the small fire type coughing and wincing as the sparks danced along her body.

"Magnemite, strike with Sonic Boom!" Wattson then yelled, taking full advantage of Torchic's state.

"Mag magnemite!" his Magnet Pokemon cried out in response, floating up awkwardly and aiming for Torchic. Its magnets glowed in a blue light, before the sound waves were sent forth, striking Torchic hard and sending her flying into the air.

It seemed that Bonnie had noticed something as Torchic cried out, however, smiling and pointing ahead as the Chick Pokemon hit the ground, rolling a moment but stopping fairly quickly. "Finish it, Torchic! Ember!"

"Tor!" Torchic shouted in response, beak already open, the glow of Ember within it. Clearly the effects of paralysis had stopped once more, and now Magnemite was vulnerable. The fireballs exploded outwards, striking it hard, the poor Magnet Pokemon already having been tired out. And, as the smoke from the explosion settled, the result was clear.

"Magnemite is unable to battle!" Watt called out. "Torchic is the winner!"

"Hooray!" Bonnie shouted in glee, Torchic hopping up and down in front of her. "Great job, Torchic! I knew you could do it!"

Roxanne frowned, seeing Dedenne looking up at his trainer, looking happy with the result, but also a little worried. She understood why. Bonnie was making no mention of Torchic's attempt to finish the match on her own. Once again, it hadn't mattered. Once again, her raw strength had overcome the issue.

"Not bad...not bad," Wattson said, observing Torchic a moment as he recalled his Magnemite. "My Magnemite is a pretty trusty little fighter, but it seems like you've got one of your own in Torchic."

"Torchic's awesome!" Bonnie said in response. "We haven't been together too long, but she fights with real fire in her heart!"

Wattson smiled, although Roxanne felt it was a slightly sad smile. "I can see she cares a great deal about you. She's willing to do much to gain your love." He paused, pulling out his next pokeball. "I have a partner who is very similar. He does...everything I ask of him. Let's see how Torchic fares against my good friend...Manectric!"

With that, he threw out his next pokeball, the flash of light revealing the mighty electric type that had fought alongside him the day before. Roxanne felt uneasy as she watched Wattson and Manectric lock eyes. There was a message in this choice. She just hoped Bonnie could receive it, and receive it soon.

Of course, so far, she seemed rather excited, clapping her hands together as she looked at Manectric. "Oh boy! I was really hoping I'd get to battle Manectric! He's so cute!"

"Manec?" The Discharge Pokemon tilted its head in confusion, surprised by Bonnie's outburst.

"Zzt! You can't call your opponent's best Pokemon cute!" Rotom snapped. "You need to beat it!"

"I know that," Bonnie said quickly, although she seemed to be shaking her head and regathering herself. "Let's get this going!"

"Very well!" Wattson said, nodding to Watt who gave the signal. "Manectric, use Quick Attack!"

"Torchic, fight back with Scratch!" Bonnie countered, looking tense as she watched Manectric take off.

Roxanne winced before the attack was even completed. Torchic wasn't fully taken down by the paralysis, but it certainly slowed her down as some sparks could be seen shooting across her body. Even if she hadn't been paralyzed, Manectric's speed would've been hard to match. The Discharge Pokemon reached her in an instant, slamming hard into the Chick Pokemon's chest as she attempted to raise her leg up to use Scratch. She coughed as she was hit, before being sent flying hard across the field, right past Bonnie and into the wall behind her.

"Torchic!" Bonnie called out in worry, Watt watching closely from his post to see if he needed to make a call.

The small fire type still seemed to be in the fight, but Roxanne could see that Bonnie was going to need much more strength than they'd shown against Magnemite to even have a chance. Wattson's decision to use Manectric at this stage was going to test everything she had. Roxanne couldn't help but wonder if Wattson felt it would reveal to her that she didn't have enough.

"We can still do this, Torchic," Bonnie told her Chick Pokemon. "Fight back with an Ember!"

"Tor!" Torchic cried out in answer, hopping forward and unleashing the fire attack towards Manectric. Wattson was ready, however, quickly ordering his counterattack.

"Rain Dance!"

Roxanne widened her eyes in surprise, this being the last move she would've expected. She couldn't deny the effectiveness, however, watching as the storm clouds immediately sprang up overtop of the field, a heavy rain falling from them and limiting Torchic's Ember to a few measly sparks. Manectric didn't even flinch.

"Why would Manectric have a move like that?" Clyde asked. "I mean...I guess it stopped Ember, but it still seems weird."

"I think you're about to see..." Roxanne said, biting her lip nervously. Bonnie seemed to sense the danger as well.

"Torchic, we have to be quick!" she called out. "Use-"

Torchic only heard the first part, taking off as soon as she heard the urgency in Bonnie's voice. Her beak began to glow with the Ember she held within herself, and as she ran, steam shot up around her, the rain hissing as it hit her heated body. The determination in the Chick Pokemon didn't faze Wattson and Manectric, however, each watching intently as Torchic ran.

She reached Manectric a moment later, leaping at him with everything she had, striking him hard in the chest. Despite the lack of concern over her charge at him, Manectric was certainly surprised by the power of the blow Torchic landed, falling back hard and slipping on the dampened field. He shook his head, quickly getting to his feet, wincing slightly as he glanced at his singed fur on his chest.

"Well...there's certainly a lot of power in that one," Wattson acknowledged, smiling across at Torchic, before moving his gaze to Bonnie.

Roxanne was both glad and a little worried to see the uneasiness in the young trainer's eyes. At least she seemed to understand what Torchic had done, but it didn't make it any easier to see her worried about what would happen next. It was only worsened by the fact that the paralysis struck in that moment, making Torchic easy prey for Manectric, who was now right in front of her.

"That power must be guided, Bonnie," Wattson warned. "Otherwise, the fire within will overrun what you can build together." He paused, watching as Manectric's body began to spark. "Thunder!"

"Maneeec!" the Discharge Pokemon roared, the electricity shooting off of him and into the rain clouds above. For a moment, Bonnie looked relieved, apparently thinking the attack had missed. But then, a moment later, a massive lightning bolt shot down, striking the immobilized Torchic with full force.

"Torrr!" the Chick Pokemon cried out, her body engulfed in electricity. The attack only lasted a couple of seconds, but it was enough to lift her off her feet before dropping her unceremoniously to the ground.

"Torchic is unable to battle!" Watt called out, raising his arm to Wattson. "Manectric is the winner!"

"Ouch...that had to hurt," Clyde murmured, rubbing his arms as though he'd felt the electrical blast himself. "Poor Bonnie. Torchic might be new, but she seems almost as strong as Dedenne and Wingull already. And Wingull won't be a good choice for this battle. Dedenne might not be, either."

Roxanne nodded, watching Bonnie quickly rushing over to check on Torchic before recalling her to her pokeball. "It's not going to be easy, that's for sure. Ideally, Bonnie would've ensured Zigzagoon was a little more prepared in the event of a situation like this. Not to mention dealing with Torchic's...enthusiasm."

"She landed a good hit on Manectric, though," Clyde pointed out, the two of them watching as the Discharge Pokemon glanced at his chest again, as though still surprised by the force behind Torchic's attack.

"It also put Torchic in a position to be defeated," Roxanne explained. "Of course, Ember was rendered fairly ineffective by Rain Dance, but Bonnie has shown herself to be resourceful enough to find ways to land close range attacks safely. That means little if Torchic runs off on her own."

"Well...what should she do now?" Clyde said, nodding as he listened to Roxanne's explanation. "Like you said, Zigzagoon should probably have been more prepared for this considering that battle with Max, but..."

"It's too dangerous to use Wingull, and Dedenne is her last resort." Roxanne sighed. "She'll just have to hope Zigzagoon can handle it."

And with that, Bonnie confirmed their suspicions of her next choice, throwing out her next pokeball. "Zigzagoon, let's rumble!"

"Zagoon!" the Tiny Raccoon Pokemon cried out, emerging in a flash of light. He glanced up at the storm clouds, looking at them almost fondly before realizing what was across from him. "Zig?"

"You can do this, Zigzagoon!" Bonnie called out encouragingly. "Use your speed and quick thinking, and we'll win!"

Roxanne nodded, agreeing with Bonnie's points about Zigzagoon's best attributes. That speed had been on full display when they'd first run into the Tiny Raccoon Pokemon. Manectric was likely faster, but at least it would help.

Zigzagoon unfortunately didn't look too confident, but to his credit, he took a deep breath and faced down his opponent. A moment later, the call came to resume the battle. Bonnie was quick to make the first order, clearly thinking she needed to get out ahead in this match.

"Zigzagoon, get in there with Headbutt!" she shouted, pointing ahead with the order.

"Zagoon!" Zigzagoon responded, taking off as fast as he could. Unfortunately, Manectric was faster.

"Quick Attack!" Wattson shouted, Manectric taking off like lightning. He easily slipped past Zigzagoon, the Tiny Raccoon Pokemon skidding to a stop, and then spun around and rammed into him with full speed.

Roxanne winced, watching as Zigzagoon went flying through the air, crashing face first into the dirt a few feet away. The poor normal type was shaking as he got to his feet, casting a nervous glance back at Bonnie. He knew he wasn't at Manectric's level, and it scared him. Wattson could see it, too.

"Bonnie, it may not be wise to continue with Zigzagoon," he advised. "Sometimes these battles can have lasting effects."

Roxanne hoped Bonnie would consider his words, and for a moment, she seemed to. But a moment later, Roxanne was sure she could see Bonnie murmur something to herself, and she shook her head. She's thinking of Max! Roxanne realized, shaking her head as Bonnie clenched her fists and called another order.

"You're strong, Zigzagoon!" she said. "Use Baby Doll Eyes!"

Fortunately, this seemed to perk up Zigzagoon a bit. He'd used Baby Doll Eyes to great effect against Max. He immediately sat back on his hind legs, tilting his head and widening his eyes as he looked across at Manectric, who seemed to hesitate a moment. Wattson had a counter, however.

"Manectric, close your eyes and use Charge!" the Mauville Gym Leader shouted, the Discharge Pokemon immediately doing so as his body sparked with increased electricity.

"He's drawing Bonnie into a trap..." Roxanne whispered, Clyde glancing at her nervously.

"Zigzagoon, now's your chance!" Bonnie shouted. "Use Headbutt!"

"Zig zigzagoon!" her newest fighter cried out, dropping his Baby Doll Eyes stance and taking off. He closed the distance between him and Manectric quickly, but unfortunately, as he neared the electric type, the sparks on its body began to shoot towards the rain clouds up above.

"Thunder!" Wattson ordered, a much larger burst of electricity shooting upwards as Manectric opened his eyes. Zigzagoon had no chance as Manectric gazed at him, the Tiny Raccoon Pokemon slowing his charge in fear.

"Manec!" the Discharge Pokemon roared once more, the bolt firing down from the clouds and striking Zigzagoon with full force.

"Zagoooon!" the poor normal type cried out, his body convulsing as the electricity surged through him. He hit the ground hard, his body smoking. Roxanne could see his wide-eyed stare. She suspected he may very well have been able to get up, but he didn't budge, and Watt stepped forward.

"Zigzagoon is unable to battle!" he shouted. "Manectric is the winner!"

Bonnie stared open-mouthed at Zigzagoon. He wasn't facing her, so the giveaway that he may have been able to rise wasn't quite visible to her, but Roxanne was pretty sure the young trainer suspected he wasn't totally cooperating. With a deep breath and a frustrated sigh, Bonnie recalled Zigzagoon to his pokeball, and then looked to Dedenne.

Dedenne didn't look particularly pleased by the events of the battle so far, but as he looked into Bonnie's eyes, he nodded. Roxanne couldn't help but smile at Bonnie's grateful look. She must've known that this battle had not been her best so far, but she wanted to finish it the best way she could. Dedenne would be by her side the entire time in order to do so.

"Dedenne, let's rumble!"

"Nene!"

Wattson looked shocked as he watched the pair, but slowly a smile of his own came to his face. "There's nothing quite like a Pokemon as loyal as your Dedenne, is there?"

"Dedenne's the best," Bonnie said with a somewhat shaky voice. "He never lets me down."

"Then let's make this a match worthy of both our partners," Wattson said, as Watt signalled the match to resume. "Quick Attack!"

"Play Rough!"

If Torchic and Zigzagoon had fought alongside Bonnie the way Dedenne did, Roxanne felt her young friend would've been in an excellent position to win. Manectric was faster, his Quick Attack allowing him to reach Dedenne a bit faster, but as he slammed his head into the Antenna Pokemon's chest, Bonnie's partner managed to hit back immediately with a glowing pink fist. Both Pokemon grunted from the impacts of the other's attack, Manectric staggering back and Dedenne landing hard on the ground. Both smiled, though, knowing they were in for a good fight.

"Now that's what I like to see!" Wattson shouted in glee. "Manectric, bring Rain Dance back to full strength, and let's see how Dedenne handles you at your strongest!"

Roxanne blinked, seeing the rain clouds having begun to disperse. Unfortunately, they were coming right back thanks to Manectric. Bonnie, however, was going to take full advantage of the Discharge Pokemon's distraction, quickly pointing ahead for Dedenne's next attack.

"Dedenne, hit Manectric with Thunder Shock!"

"Nene!" the Antenna Pokemon responded, cheeks immediately sparking. A moment later, electricity surrounded him, and with another yell, he send the bolt straight for Manectric, just as the rain clouds regained their full strength.

Wattson and Manectric remained calm, though, and Roxanne realized why just before the attack reached Manectric. Everyone watched in silence as the electricity hit the Discharge Pokemon's spiked mane, appearing to simply be absorbed. As the attack ended, Dedenne stared at Manectric with wide eyes, the opposing electric type standing a little taller.

"Zzt! Manectric's ability is Lightning Rod!" Rotom cried out, sounding quite distraught. "Error! I should have informed Pokemon Trainer Bonnie of this!"

Wattson merely chuckled at that remark, shaking his head. "Lightning Rod isn't the ability of every Manectric. Many others have the ability known as Static. We're just a little luckier. At least for situations such as this."

"What does Lightning Rod do?" Clyde asked Roxanne. "I guess it stops electric attacks, but does it do anything else?"

Roxanne nodded, seeing Bonnie looking stuck on what to do next, watching Wattson and Manectric cautiously. "It increases the Pokemon's strength by absorbing the electrical energy. Now Manectric's Thunder will be even stronger. And with Rain Dance in effect..."

"It won't miss." Clyde murmured, having realized the usefulness of the attack after his earlier question about its purpose. He took a deep breath. "How do they beat that?"

Roxanne wasn't sure herself, but she could see that Bonnie was going to give it everything she had, quickly pointing ahead for her next order. "If we can't use electrical attacks, we'll just have to fight with raw strength. Get in there with a Tackle, Dedenne!"

"Dene!" the Antenna Pokemon cried out in response, taking off at full speed. Apparently Wattson wasn't going to counter it right away, instead exchanging a small nod with Manectric.

"Hang in there and take it, Manectric," he ordered. "Then use Charge!"

"He's planning to end this with one more strike!" Roxanne said in alarm. "Charge on top of Lightning Rod absorbing Dedenne's Thunder Shock will do an incredible amount of damage."

Whether Bonnie and Dedenne expected this or not, they weren't going to go down without a fight. Dedenne put everything into his Tackle attack, ignoring the glow of electricity around Manectric as he used Charge. He struck the Discharge Pokemon hard in the side, sending it stumbling to the side and wincing. Unfortunately, it just wasn't going to be enough to stop him increasing his power, the electricity gathering and further strengthening him.

"Keep it up, Dedenne!" Bonnie shouted. "One more!"

Once again, the Antenna Pokemon ran at Manectric, hitting him hard enough to cause him to grunt, and even stumble. He was clearly feeling the electrical boost, however, and widened his eyes as he seemed to reach his desired level for the next stage of Wattson's plan. The Mauville Gym Leader smiled confidently as he called what he clearly believed would be the finisher.

"Now, use Thunder! Unleash everything you have!" he shouted, Manectric crying out in response as the electricity fired off of him and up into the air, quickly absorbed by the rain clouds, which seemed to shake and rumble with the bolt that hit them.

"Quick, Dedenne!" Bonnie called urgently. "Play Rough before it hits!"

"Denene!" the Antenna Pokemon cried out in answer, nodding in determination and leaping right at a surprised Manectric. With a ferocious swing, Dedenne sent a glowing pink fist right into the opposing electric type's jaw, causing his eyes to bulge with the impact. That wasn't all, though, with Dedenne spinning around in midair and kicking upwards with a glowing pink foot as well, striking Manectric in the chest as well, sending the Discharge Pokemon back on his hind legs a moment before he could right himself.

Unfortunately, while Dedenne was in midair, the bolt from Thunder emerged from the rain clouds, and he was completely at its mercy as it blasted down upon him. Roxanne clenched her fists in worry as electricity engulfed the poor Antenna Pokemon. He cried out in pain, the sheer power of it clearly being beyond anything he'd experienced in his previous battles, including Roxanne's Nosepass using Zap Cannon.

When the attack finally ended, Dedenne dropped to the ground, landing with a small thud, his body smoking. He lay still, his body even sparking a few times from the remnants of the blast. It seemed as though this was it. Watt took a step forward, peering at Dedenne to make his judgment.

"Play Rough, now!" Bonnie shouted.

"Nene!"

Roxanne's eyes widened, watching as Dedenne got to his feet, clearly using every ounce of strength remaining in his little body. Bonnie's faith in him was justified, though, and he took off once more with everything he had in him. He reached Manectric in an instant, the Discharge Pokemon starting to move to dodge, but not expecting Dedenne to slide underneath him and jump out from behind him, quickly grabbing onto his back.

"Manec?" he cried out, spinning around as the Antenna Pokemon clung on.

"Go!" Bonnie called out, pumping her fist excitedly as Dedenne did as commanded.

"Nene!" Holding on tight with one little fist, Dedenne took his other and slammed it hard into Manectric's back, a pink dust seeming to shoot off from the punch as he did so. He threw another quick couple of punches, Manectric grunting in response from each one as he desperately continued to try to shake Dedenne off. Then, just as Dedenne was losing his grip, he jumped up and then landed two swift kicks, his feet both glowing pink as he lashed out, sending Manectric falling to the ground.

"Hang in there, Manectric!" Wattson called out, sounding surprised by Dedenne's ferocious counter. "Fire off one more Thunder and let's end this!"

"Manec!" Manectric answered, body engulfed in electricity a moment later, before a bolt fired off into the rain clouds.

"Keep it up, Dedenne!" Bonnie called urgently. "Tackle!"

But Roxanne could see it was too late. While this Thunder didn't have the boost from Charge to further power it up, that also allowed it to be launched a little quicker. Just as Dedenne was closing the distance, the bolt came down upon him. He had no chance as he was lifted into the air once again, the electricity throwing him back towards Bonnie, where he crashed hard into the ground. This time, he didn't get up.

"Dedenne is unable to battle! Manectric is the winner!" Watt called out. "This means, the challenger has lost all three of her Pokemon. Thus, the winner of this battle is Gym Leader Wattson!"

As Bonnie rushed forward to check on Dedenne, Roxanne turned to Clyde, seeing the disappointment in his eyes at the result. "We should go down. Bonnie will need us."

It took them a few moments to make their way across the balcony and to the steps leading down to the battlefield. Fortunately, they managed to reach Bonnie just as she was standing up after checking on Dedenne, the Antenna Pokemon in her arms. She looked crushed, and Roxanne could see it in her eyes that Bonnie knew why she had lost. It had little to do with the final bout, and much more to do with the fact the previous two hadn't been up to the standard she'd shown in the end.

"Go on..." she whispered, her eyes meeting Roxanne's. "You can tell me...you knew this would happen."

"Bonnie..." Roxanne sighed, giving her friend a sympathetic smile.

"Now now, Bonnie," came Wattson's voice, before either of them could say anymore. "I wouldn't be too down about your effort." He was making his way over alongside Manectric, the Discharge Pokemon leaning on his trainer somewhat. "You have great talent."

Bonnie frowned, eyes going down to Dedenne in her arms. "You beat all three of my Pokemon with just Manectric."

Wattson nodded, patting his loyal electric type next to him. "Yes, that may be true, but I suspect you realize that we didn't defeat all three at their best, or with you at your best in command of them."

Bonnie looked up at him, and Roxanne could see the uneasiness in the girl. She clearly felt embarrassed. "I thought...I didn't..." Her lip quivered, and she looked away.

"Hey, it happens," Watt then spoke up, making his way over alongside his Ampharos, who was holding an Oran Berry out to Bonnie. She gratefully took it, giving it to Dedenne. "Even Wattson here has had some tough battles. He's lost himself a little even while being the leader here."

Wattson laughed, nodding at some memory playing before his eyes. "Oh yes, it's true. In fact, that's how I met Manectric here. One such time was back when I battled your friend, Ash! That little ride to enter the gym resulted in a mishap with his Pikachu, and we had quite the day after that."

"It's all right to screw up a little, Bonnie," Roxanne said, stepping forward and placing a hand on the girl's shoulder. "Just try to learn from it. There are a few things you should be able to take from this battle that can make you a better trainer that can help your Pokemon. Next time, you'll be much stronger."

"I completely agree!" Wattson said enthusiastically. "That Dedenne of yours is as loyal a Pokemon as I've seen. You clearly know each other very well." He paused, watching the Antenna Pokemon as he began to perk up a bit from his Oran Berry. "But Dedenne can't be the only Pokemon you have such a strong bond with. Your Torchic and Zigzagoon...they haven't been with you long, have they?"

"No..." Bonnie said slowly, casting an uneasy glance at Roxanne. "I...I wanted them to get experience by having a gym battle...especially after losing to Max."

Wattson nodded, understanding in his eyes. "I know the feeling of wanting to rush into things to keep up with another. I feel it when I have challengers surpass me! But a little extra time to bond with your Pokemon does wonders, Bonnie. Never forget that."

"You know, a great place to train with your Pokemon might be the routes up towards Mt. Chimney," Watt then suggested, getting everyone's attention as he pulled out a map, pointing to where he was talking about. He was pointing to the area just north of Mauville City. "Lots of Pokemon are up there, and lots of places to explore. A good place for a workout and to spend some quality time together."

"I've heard the routes around Mt. Chimney are awesome places to go!" Clyde said enthusiastically. "I think it's a good idea!"

"Zzt! I believe it would be good as well!" Rotom joined in. "You may also find a ground type Pokemon on Route 111. They are known to enjoy the sandy areas around there. That could be useful for your rematch here!"

Wattson chuckled lightly at that. "Indeed many ground type Pokemon reside there. I have many challengers who try to find a little help over there. But just a warning...those Pokemon can be very tricky! And even if you do catch one, I'm always prepared for the challenge!"

Roxanne glanced at Bonnie, seeing her thinking about the suggestion. Her eyes went to Dedenne's who seemed to gaze back with a determined stare. "Maybe it's worth a try," she said.

"It's never a bad idea to explore with your Pokemon," Roxanne said, nodding enthusiastically at Bonnie's answer. "Who knows what we may discover?"

Bonnie clenched her fist, holding it up as she turned back to Wattson. "We'll discover just what makes us a team! Then we'll come back to beat you for that third badge!"

Wattson grinned, holding up his own fist in challenge. "I'm looking forward to it. Come back with everything you've got!"

Author's Note:

And so...Bonnie has fallen to Wattson in her first attempt at her third badge. But boy did Dedenne ever give it his best shot to even things up at the end. Ultimately, the rest of the team just wasn't ready, though, and Bonnie herself wasn't ready to guide them. She may realize that now, but it'll still be difficult as she tries to get Torchic and Zigzagoon on track. And who knows...Wingull may want a part to play, too. As for Butch and Cassidy, they're clearly feeling a little forgotten, but something is in the works with Team Archaic. I wonder what may be in store...

On another note, I'd like to put out a little reminder that the anniversary of my first fanfic, Gotta Catch That One, is coming up next month on March 8th. I'm excited to announce that a GCTO three-shot is in the works to come out on that day in celebration. And...it will be a crossover with Lumiose University! Ash and Serena fall into a mirror world and shenanigans ensue. Hopefully it'll be fun.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter, and see you next time.