VulpixTrainer: Okay, I'm doing a time jump, mainly because I've spent too much time at Vulpix Village already, and that is why I'm skipping Christmas.

Matt: As always, this story belongs to VulpixTrainer, but the concept of Pokemon belongs to the companies of Nintendo and Game Freak, Inc.

A Different Kind of Training

Matt was getting nervous. After all, he was soon going to battle in a show that happened at the end of every school year, which was going to be in a few days. Right now, however, he was more worried about something else entirely.

Matt was standing behind a table in a room that looked like a science room in a school except for one thing: on metal selves that were positioned over the counters, each of which had about three sinks and little nozzles that could pipe in some sort of gas, were different types of Pokeballs containing all different types of Pokemon. They were used in classes to study behavior of different Pokemon and how they got along with other types of Pokemon. Matt lay on the table, on his stomach with his muzzle on his paws, looking very bored. Sitting on her haunches nearby was Firestorm, but instead of looking bored she had a smug look on her muzzled face. Roaming the room was Flare, sniffing all the students' hands and areas that interested him, while at the same time accepting small gifts of food from some of the more bold students.

"Class, will you stop feeding Flare your snacks or lunches, he ate right before we came over. Now I came to tell you about some of the things that I have done….Uh….On the other hand, since I really didn't get far, I'll just ask you a question." At this almost the entire class moaned. Well, except for Ethan and Kyle, who were both listening, though for different reasons of interest.

"Okay, can anyone tell me what not to do when battling a Vulpix?" Matt asked as he stood in front of the nine year old class, teaching them about some of the things he had learned over the course of his short time as a trainer from last year.

About ten hands shot up into the air, including Ethan's hand, but Matt ignored him because he knew that Ethan knew what not to do. "Yes… Sara, what should you not do in a battle against a Vulpix?"

The girl known as Sara was wearing a light pink shirt with a picture of Mew on the front. She was also wearing blue jeans along with a bright red bow on each of her pigtails. She was also the one that thought that all pre-evolved Pokemon were cute.

"Well, who would attack such a cute little thing? But is it a Grass Pokemon?" Sara asked with the voice of an innocent child.

"Well… yes, you don't send out a Grass Pokemon to battle a Fire Pokemon, especially a level forty-two one. But I'm looking for another answer… anyone else?" At this about half the hands fell to leave only three students who thought they might know what to do.

"Kyle, what is it that you would never do in a battle against a Fire Pokemon?" Matt was a little intrigued; after all, this was something they had just gone over yesterday, or at least that was what the teacher told him.

Kyle was a kid that always forgot his homework and really never offered anything unless it was some sarcastic remark. But Matt didn't know this so he made the mistake of calling upon Kyle.

"Why should we care, we would just send out a water type to faint the Vulpix in a one hit K.O. anyway. What is you battle plan for next week?" Kyle then just leaned back, looking smug and hoping that Matt would go off on a tangent and lose track of his first question.

"Yes, Kyle, that is something that you would do or send out. But I'm looking for what you should not do, unless you feel that you can handle the outcome. One last hint: you also don't want to do this to a Flareon. As for my strategy, that is not part of the question," Matt answered in a way that did not require any more words from Kyle, thus ending the tangent before it could start. I should have been warned about him. Oh well, can't be well-versed in all things. Matt, finally giving up and seeing and that now only Ethan's hand was up, sighs, "Okay, Ethan…What do you not do when battling against a Vulpix, Ninetales, or Flareon?"

"You should never use a fire attack because of their special ability. This allows them to absorb the flame attack and power their own fire sacks up." Ethan said this all with the air of someone reading from a textbook in a monotonous voice that, if it went on for about twenty minutes, could put to sleep some of the more bored students.

"Thank you, Ethan. Now, if all of you don't mind, I would like to show you what happens if a fire attack is used on a Vulpix…Firestorm, will you use a light Flamethrower on Matt?" Matt asked as he pointed at Matt on the table.

"Vulpix, Vul pix ix" (Okay, one moment) She then pointed her muzzle at Matt (the one on the table) and let out a light Flamethrower. All that happened was that Matt, who was beginning to get a little restless, got up and started to run around to table, yelling at Firestorm.

"Vul Vulpix ix pix lix vulix. Vulpix, vulpix lix pix ix"" (Why'd you do that? Now I have to run this reserve off or use an attack)

"Now class, we have a slight problem. You see, Matt now has a built up flames in his firebox. This gives him more energy and a higher damaging capability while using his fire attacks. So right now he is in at a higher level of alertness and so he has a little bit more of a temper.

"VULPIX? Vul Vulpix lix pix ix pulpix." (TEMPER? I'll show you a Temper, you Ninetales) With this comment, Matt sent a very high-powered Flamethrower, made even more powerful by the Flamethrower that Firestorm gave him, at his trainer. Matt, though, ducked underneath the table just in time and avoided being caught up in the fire's path. It did, however, melt through one of the windows in the room and then shoot out for another few feet before dissipating. The Flamethrower lasted for a minute like this before Matt finally got control of himself and stopped the Flamethrower. This attracted the school principle and Mrs. Vixen, who is the school nurse for both humans and Pokemon.

"Well, I think we all just learned a good lesson. Never tick off a Fire Pokemon that is using the Flash Fire ability." Matt then noticed the Principal and his mom. "Uh, sorry about that, Dr. Strickland. You see, I was showing them what happens when you use a fire attack on a Fire Pokemon that has the Flash Fire ability, and, well, I just learned that they can have a slight temper…" Matt then chuckled nervously, the reason being that he didn't want to serve detention.

"Well, if no one was hurt, I think that everything can be fixed," Dr. Strickland said as he turned to go. But then he turned back around. "Also, I want to know why you have your team out of their Pokeballs, after all the school has a very strict policy of no Pokemon outside of their Pokeballs unless you're in the Gym Battle Class or Club. If you want to let your Pokemon out, remember that you have free access after school to the battle field. So, if you will be so kind, please return them to their Pokeballs. Otherwise, your visit will be cut short." He then acted as if he was done but then continued, "Also, I would like to remind you that, for today, you are considered a teacher here, so stick to the lesson plan." He then left, walking with a very purposeful stride, taking with him the tense atmosphere that had started to build up in the room.

"Okay, now that that is done..." But at that moment the bell rang and the clock read three. Within three minutes the entire room was empty except for Matt, Ethan, Mrs. Vixen, Matt, Firestorm, and finally Flare, who at the moment was nosing around a spill that turned out the be some cola, which was soon gone because of her.

"Flare, I don't think that is healthy for you," Matt commented as he put away the notebook he was using to teach the student body about Flash Fire. He then turned to Ethan as he put his hand into the key items pouch of his new sky blue Pokemon backpack, which he got at Christmas, and said, "Ethan, today is your birthday, and I have a present for you." He took out a black box, which was shallow and could hold medium-sized items with ease.

"What is it?" Ethan asked rhetorically as he opened the box and just gaped at its contents. "It's an Everstone! Matt, why did you give me this?" Ethan asked in a fake confused voice.

"Well, I never want you to evolve and I would like you to always stay the same," Matt said with a smile and in his eyes there was laughter. "All joking aside, you said that Eve doesn't want to evolve, and, well, here is an Everstone for her." Ethan and Matt then just laughed at the joke that had gone on for a very long time. You see, every single birthday, they would get the other some sort of Pokemon item that would work only with Pokemon and not humans. This had been an inside joke between these two and only these two. "Also, Ethan, I hope you are going to be in the stands in week as Beck and I battle for, hopefully, one of two times this year." With that all of the Vixen household that was in that classroom left, laughing and joking, looking forward to the battle that would happen in a week's time.

VulpixTrainer: And thus ends Chapter 22. I hope you all had a great time reading this.

Kyle: We all will see you next chapter everyone.