"Okay, guys, so here's how this is going to work," Ash said.

He held up a frisbee. "We're going to play with this!"

"Sounds good so far," Pikachu said. "Is this a game or training?"

Ash shrugged. "Kind of both?"

He tossed it into the air, then caught it. "Pikachu, Charmander, you're both going to be using Iron Tail to knock it to whoever's getting it next. That means you need to make sure you're aiming it the right direction, and Charmander, it'll let you practice Iron Tail. It's okay if you just end up hitting it with your tail though."

"And me?" Zapdos asked.

"Yours is slightly different," Ash agreed. "You're going to be trying to hit it with Thundershocks while it's going between us – it's made of plastic so a simple Thundershock shouldn't damage it, but it'll be good at getting you aiming at moving targets."

The Electric-type considered that. "Not something that's coming towards me?"

"Well, that's kind of easier, isn't it?" Ash asked, glancing at Brock for reassurance. "I mean, if it's coming towards you, you can just point in the same direction and it'll hit even if you get the timing wrong. But if it's going across then you need to change your aim the fastest."

"I think that makes sense," Charmander said loyally, and Ash chuckled.

"Great!" he said, winding up. "Okay, here we go – you first, Charmander!"

Zapdos took off, zapping the frisbee as it flew, and Charmander spun and hit it with his tail. He only managed a tail strike, without making it a proper Iron Tail, but it went straight at Pikachu so Ash gave him a thumbs-up. "Good aim, Charmander!"

"I do sort of wonder how this is going to help Ash with the Celadon gym," Misty said. "Isn't that one Grass-type?"

"Well, Ash isn't really working on Iron Tail today, not really," Brock replied. "He's working on aim, and that's useful for all of them."

He rummaged in his bag. "How does curry sound today? I think I've got some paste somewhere…"

Bulbasaur lifted it out of the bag, and Brock took it with a smile. "Thanks, Bulbasaur."

The Grass-type gave him a nod.

"So, explain that again," Giovanni requested.

"We tried going after the Butterfree again, now that it was away from the rest of his Pokémon," James said. "You know, that Butterfree we mentioned that can do crazy numbers of weird Pokémon moves?"

There was a pause, then Jessie took up the thread. "And there were lots of other Butterfree in the swarm, but we thought it'd be easy to pick out which one it was."

"Only problem is, turns out it taught all'a them Flamethrower," Meowth finished. "So, uh, we need some money for a new giant robot, 'cause the Pidgeot-bot caught fire. It was made of aluminium, but it still caught fire."

There were several awkward seconds of silence, then Giovanni ended the call.

"Back to goin' after that kid, then," Meowth decided.

"Still, at least he doesn't have that Butterfree," James added.

"Whoa!" Ash said, jumping up to catch the latest frisbee, and stumbled back from the impact so he nearly hit a tree. "That's really good, Pikachu!"

Then he frowned, and felt the top of his head.

His hat was missing.

"Hey, where'd my cap go?" he asked, turning around.

"I think there's a Pokémon in the tree!" Zapdos said. "I can't see from here, but you had your hat when you went under the canopy."

Ash looked up, shading his eyes, and met the gaze of a Mankey.

Which was wearing his hat.

It stuck its tongue out at him, then jumped from that branch to another, and Ash pointed.

"Stop that Mankey!" he called.

Pikachu ran over to hit it with a Thundershock, or maybe a Thunder Wave, but the Mankey tossed the cap aside. It went flying straight at Charmander, and both Charmander and Zapdos managed to demonstrate an impressive understanding of the purpose of their training by not hitting Ash's cap with an attack of some sort.

"Come on, then!" Mankey asked, holding its fists up. "I'll punch you!"

Ash took out his Pokédex. "Let's see… I guess it's a Mankey, so what are Mankey like?"

His Pokédex device let out a sad bleep. No data.

"Didn't you get that fixed yet?" Pikachu asked, cheeks fizzing as he faced Mankey.

"I thought I asked Professor Oak, and he said it was working fine," Ash replied. "Okay, here goes! Maybe I'll get another Pokémon!"

"So… I guess I can't tell what you can do just from the Pokédex," Ash said, some minutes later, as Mankey ate some curry. "What moves can you do?"

"I punch things," Mankey answered.

"Oh, right, I've heard of those," Pikachu volunteered. "Kangaskhan learn a lot of them, like… Fire Punch, and Ice Punch, and Thunder Punch?"

"No, just punch," Mankey corrected. "Punch is good. Sometimes I kick as well."

Ash thought about that.

"Well, I guess that just means it's really important to punch in the right places, and make sure you don't get hit," he decided. "Hopefully you can pick up a move like Fire Punch before the Grass gym."

"Oh, you mean the one where you bring the fire-type to the surface, let it surge over your fist, and deliver a stunning blow at the moment when the flame crests so you deliver the maximum impact?" Mankey checked.

He shrugged. "Never works for me. I just punch."

Ash was about to say something in reply, but then he caught sight of something in the distance.

Majestically, with rainbow light trailing from his tail, Ho-Oh passed overhead. Sparks fell over the clearing, and the smell of saffron and rosewood suffused the air.

Partly because Ho-Oh was only fifty feet above the ground.

As the Rainbow Pokémon passed out of sight, Misty came running over.

"Ash, did you see that?" she asked. "That was incredible!"

"Yeah, he does that sometimes," Ash replied. "I think that one was a bit lower than normal though."

"Hmm hmm," Brock said, running a comb through Eevee's fur. "Let's see… oh, there's a bit of a tangle there, hold still."

Eevee purred, arching into the comb despite Brock's caution. "Mmm… that's nice…"

She twitched her ears. "Oh, I was talking to that new Pokémon earlier, Mankey, and he was telling me how to use all kinds of moves so I could get an idea about how I might want to evolve! So he's taught me Flamethrower, and Water Pulse, and he says he's going to be moving on to Moonblast next!"

"There we go," Brock said. "Now, let me see if there's any other tangles in your fur before we wash it."

Eevee whined. "Please tell me we're using the new shampoo…"

"The shampoo, huh?" Brock asked. "Don't worry, I know you don't like the Razz shampoo. It's going to be the Cheri and Leppa one."

"That's good," Eevee said, and jumped down from his lap. "Come on! The sooner we're done, the sooner it'll be dinner time!"

"Okay, Squirtle, ready?" Misty said. "We're trying out that new trick!"

"I know!" Squirtle agreed, giving her a claws-up. "This time it's sure to work!"

"Don't bet on it," Ash replied. "Okay, Charmander, you ready for this?"

Charmander nodded, tail flicking steadily from side to side as he shifted his weight.

"Squirtle, jump!" Misty instructed. "Now, Skull Bash!"

Squirtle did a spin in the air, deflecting Charmander's Ember attack against his shell, and shot down towards the ground. He hit with a slam, going several inches into the ground, and Misty pointed. "Water Pulse, as hard as you can!"

"Yaaa!" Squirtle agreed, and there was a pause for a second or two before he went blasting back out of the ground like a cork. The blast sent some water and earth flying, as well, and left a pool about two feet deep and three feet wide that was full of slightly muddy water.

Misty jumped up and caught Squirtle as he came down again, then set him down, and the Water-type sent a Water Gun up into the air to wash himself off.

"That's definitely a lot better than last time," Ash agreed. "I think it's big enough for Goldeen, though I guess it might be a bit cramped."

He looked down at Charmander. "What do you say? Think we should see how Goldeen can do?"

"Sure!" Charmander agreed, and Misty frowned for a moment before deciding it was probably a yes.

She sent Goldeen out, and the fishy Water-type dropped into the pool. Then shot back out again, using Agility for maximum speed, and Charmander spun with his tail flaring silver. "Iron Tail!"

Goldeen clanged off, spinning in the air, and used a jet of Water Gun to steer itself back into the pool.

"Now that's more like it!" Misty said. "Come on, Goldeen, let's show them what we can do!"

Pikachu sat on Zapdos' back, watching as Charmander fought against Goldeen.

Zapdos raised a skewer to her beak, delicately removing one of the little balls of mochi, and Pikachu smiled – then frowned, as the sight jogged a memory of something.

"So I had a bit of a weird thought, earlier," he said.

"Hm?" Zapdos asked, turning her head so one eye could see Pikachu. "Is it the one that says we should find out what the heck is up with how you can electrocute Ground types? I kind of want to find that one out…"

"Well… that does sound like a good idea, but it's not the one I had," Pikachu replied.

He flicked his tail over towards Mankey – currently involved in an earnest discussion with Bulbasaur.

"I was thinking about Butterfree," he said. "And I wondered about whether one of the moves Butterfree knows is Transformation."

Zapdos tilted her head. "I… hang on, that can't be right, right?"

She shifted on her feet. "I know that Mankey gave me tips just earlier today on Wing Attack, and I'd never quite realized before that part of it is having a swirling wind pattern on your wings when they make contact…"

"Right," Pikachu agreed. "And I wouldn't put it past Butterfree to do this kind of thing as a prank."

"But that's not what I mean," Zapdos countered. "Mankey can't be Butterfree, because Ash never released Butterfree. Remember the bit with Charmander? That Pokéball he used to catch Mankey wouldn't have worked."

"Huh, yeah," Pikachu realized. "So much for that theory."

He shook his head, then jumped down. "Any idea what the difference is between Wing Attack and Air Slash? Because if they're different enough, I might be able to throw an Air Slash with my tail, and if they're not, then you could probably pick it up from there."

After a bit of a problem involving Team Rocket, a local Vulpix, and a giant robot that was surprisingly resistant to being electrocuted but surprisingly vulnerable to being punched in the joints, Ash got his chance at the Rainbowbadge.

"So, uh, are there any special rules for challenging this gym?" he asked. "I know who I want to use, at least, but if there are rules about it I might have to change that."

"It's good of you to ask," Erika replied. "But the only rules are that it is a three Pokémon battle, and at least one of those Pokémon must not be fully evolved."

Ash nodded, thinking about that. "Right… so… I guess that that one's about making sure you're not just relying on evolving your Pokémon too fast. I kind of think maybe Lt. Surge needs to do that one."

Erika chuckled lightly. "I couldn't possibly say."

"Well, I already fill that, but I guess it's you or Charmander who's going out as well," Ash added, turning to Pikachu. "What do you think?"

"I haven't worked out if I can do Air Slash yet," Pikachu said. "Let Charmander have it."

"Right," Ash said. "Okay, Mankey, you first!"

Mankey landed with his feet spread wide and his arms loose, in a ready stance, and Erika's Tangela hit the ground almost at the same moment.

"Hmm…" the Fighting-type said. "This is going to be a challenge! I'm not sure which bit to punch. Any ideas?"

"I guess…" Ash began, frowning. "Maybe-"

"Vine Whip," Erika interrupted.

Tangela sent two vines whipping out, and Mankey promptly punched them both. The impact cancelled out the momentum of both flying vines, and Mankey slid to the side before punching again.

"Oh, I get it!" Mankey announced, and ran straight in.

"Stun Spore," Erika ordered.

"Jump back!" Ash called. "Don't get paralyzed!"

Mankey duly jumped back, then grabbed one of the vines Tangela hadn't yet retracted and began twirling his arms around in a circle. They acted like a spool, reeling in the vine, and once the slack had been taken up Tangela was pulled towards Mankey.

"I see what you're doing!" Ash said. "Pull your right arm – now!"

"Constrict!" Erika ordered.

Mankey pulled his right arm out of the spool just as Tangela arrived, putting the whole of the mass of the vine Pokémon onto his left arm. Tangela took advantage by wrapping its vines around Mankey, and Ash pointed.

"Now, punch!"

His Fighting-type ran towards a nearby tree, pulling his arm back, then punched. With Tangela wrapped around his fist, that meant that all the impact went on Tangela itself, and Mankey volleyed in a half-dozen more punches which made random powders spray out of Tangela before tugging the now-limp Grass-type off and throwing it into the air.

"Hah!" he announced, punching Tangela as it landed.

Then sneezed. "Oops," he added. "I think I'm paralyzed."

"Want to come back?" Ash asked.

"No, I'm good," Mankey insisted, as Erika withdrew the no-longer-fit-to-battle Tangela.

Then fell over, stiff as a board.

"...I'd overrule him, but that's just me talking," Pikachu suggested.

"Pikachu's right," Ash decided, recalling Mankey. "Maybe if we can teach him a good ranged move, that'd be better… okay, time for my second Pokémon!"

"That Mankey of yours was quite strong, but unruly," Erika told him. "And not well suited for his opponent. I hope your next Pokémon is better."

Ash sent out Zapdos.

Erika blinked, then turned her attention to Brock and Misty. "Did he use that Pokémon against either of you?"

"Well, he used Zapdos against Misty, if that helps," Brock said.

"Traitor," Misty grumbled.

"But I've been travelling with him," Brock added. "So I guess it's my fault too. Honestly I kind of forget to mention stuff like this."

Zapdos coughed politely. "Not to be too rude, but I was promised tea after this."

Erika sent out her Weepinbell. "You know what to do."

"Stay back for now," Ash instructed. "I think… yeah, that Pokemon's using a powder move! It might be Sleep Powder!"

He pointed. "Blow it away!"

Zapdos raised her wings, and swept them down to produce a powerful windstorm. The powder swirled away, but just before the attack hit Weepinbell fired out a cloud of Razor Leaves that cut the grass into thousands of tiny pieces.

As grass swirled in the air, Ash squinted and leaned forward a bit to try and see what Weepinbell was doing. "Uh…"

Something inside the cloud was glowing.

"Thunderbolt into there!" he decided. "Stop Weepinbell doing whatever it's doing!"

"Right!" Zapdos agreed, and blitzed the area with Thunderbolts. Her aim with them was good enough to make sure she hit the whole area, guaranteeing at least one hit on Weepinbell… then the swirling wind faded, revealing Weepinbell was glowing bright green.

"Seed Bomb!" Erika instructed, and Weepinbell fired a brilliantly glowing brown seed that exploded with enough force to physically knock Zapdos sideways.

It might have been a Grass-type attack, but the sheer strength of the blast was enough to move her anyway, and Weepinbell kept firing – not doing much damage to the Legendary Pokémon, but flinging her back and forth across the gym.

"Block those seeds and use Drill Peck!" Ash called, and Zapdos twisted herself around. She swirled into an attack, beak-first, and hit Weepinbell with enough of an impact to send the Grass-type flying into a tree.

Then she coughed.

"I think I just got poisoned," she said, as Erika withdrew Weepinbell and switched out for her Gloom.

"That's-" Ash began, then his eyes widened and he pinched his nose shut. "Dat's okay," he resumed. "It means you can't be put to sleep! Wing attack!"

"Oops," Erika said, clearly, just before Zapdos used Wing Attack.

Gloom did not enjoy the experience.

"That's four badges!" Ash said, that evening, lying back against a log. "But I kind of think there's still something missing in how I'm training you guys."

"Like what?" Pikachu asked.

"Well, like what happened with Zapdos there," Ash explained. "I… kind of think Zapdos wouldn't have had to deal with any situation like that before because she'd just have been able to fly away. Ground-types couldn't reach her and Grass-types couldn't get her with powder moves, that kind of thing. But now…"

He waved his hand. "I know they're weird situations, but I need to start thinking of those weird situations before we run into them. Like… we could go to the Saffron gym or the Fuchsia gym next, and the Fuchsia one is poison…"

"I think I understand," Zapdos decided. "Like you say, you want to be able to think of these situations so we're already ready for them – and someone can't just win by putting us in a weird situation."

"Yeah, that's just it," Ash agreed. "I bet they'll still have an advantage if they've been training for that weird situation more than we have, but that's not as big a deal. And, uh, 'a Grass type' is kind of a common one but I just thought your Flying-type would let you deal with it."

He looked down at another Pokéball. "And we really need to work out how to get Mankey to use an elemental move or two for himself. If he'd had Ice Punch or Fire Punch he could have dealt with Erika himself, probably…"

"So I had this idea," Brock said, sitting down. "How much do you know about friction, Ash?"

Ash frowned. "Uh… it's the opposite of fract?"

"No, no, that's fact and fiction," Brock laughed. "I was thinking about how Mankey could learn Fire Punch."

Mankey emerged from his Pokéball, and looked vaguely interested.

"So Mankey is very good at punching, we've seen that in your training missions so far," Brock went on. "I really wasn't expecting him to punch Zapdos hard enough to make her do a backflip. But what I thought about was if Mankey could punch really fast."

He got out a piece of paper, and began drawing. "So when a bike's brakes work, assuming that bike hasn't been blown up by a Pikachu-"

Ash tried to complain while laughing and ended up making a sort of snort noise.

"-then the breaks kind of turn the movement into heat, through friction. And if Mankey punches fast enough, the friction with the air would turn it into a kind of Fire Punch."

"Oh, I get it," Ash said. "Do you get it, Mankey?"

"So I just need to punch hard enough?" Mankey checked. "And it'll catch fire?"

"There isn't anything more to it than that?" Ash relayed.

"If you punch really fast," Brock agreed. "I'm not sure if it's fast enough to throw out a blast of air, though."

"Well, I'll just have to give it a try!" Mankey decided. "I like the idea of punching something hard enough it catches fire."

"Then let's give it a go!" Ash decided. "Come on, Mankey!"

Brock waited until they'd left, then chuckled. "Of course, most of it's actually squeezing the air, but that's even harder to explain…"

As it turned out a few days later, at the P1 Grand Prix, Mankey had in fact found out how fast you had to punch to do that.

It turned out to also be fast enough that you could send a Machamp flying out of the arena, which would presumably be useful at some point.

AN:

And that's halfway through the Kanto gym challenge!

Yes, I'm doing them in a different order to anime canon.