"Oh, wait, Ms. Erika!" Theodore blurted out, holding up a paw. "I know this is my first gym, but I did a lot of training with my brothers! My team can handle something kinda stronger!"

Simon wanted to facepalm then and there. Leave it to Theodore to throw away an advantage… "Very sportsmanlike, Theo…" He mumbled under his breath. And what was with this gym? He didn't have a referee in either of his gym battles, nor a pokemon limit... technically. Brock had done it himself, after all.

However, Theodore's comment just caused Erika to let out a little laugh. "I admire your honesty and confidence. Very well, I'll give you a good challenge. I'll still be using three pokemon, however." She spoke, keeping a sleepy tone in her voice as her hand disappeared in her sleeve. She produced a pokeball from within, tossing it out.

Her first pokemon was a Tangela, that mass of vines writhing about as it took its stance. Theodore took a good look at it, reaching in his pocket for a pokeball. He gave it a tight squeeze, then threw the ball forward. "Teddy, let's go!"

The Teddiursa popped out of the ball, landing on the grassy field already in his little battle pose. He growled and flashed his little claws, eyeing down the Tangela.

"You got this Teddy, just like we practiced!" Theodore cheered, flashing a thumbs up to the bear.

"Tangela, use Sleep Powder." Erika ordered. Tangela let out a grunt, eyes closing as it shook itself around, vines waving around and parting as it released that bluish green powder from its body, sending it off towards Teddy.

Teddy tensed up, watching the approaching cloud get closer before he got down on all fours, scampering off to the side. "Get in and use Fury Swipes!" Theodore's command rang over the field, and Teddy answered immediately, his claws growing out and glowing with a bright white energy as he pounced towards the Tangela. The attack connected, and Teddy was able to get off four good scratches to the writhing mass of vines before he jumped away.

"Fury Swipes again, keep up the pressure!"

"Tangela, Ancient Power!"

As Teddy pounced forward once more, Tangela stopped its foot down, its body taking on a silvery glow as its vines dug into the ground. Then, with a lurch forward, it released the energy as a ball, striking Teddy right in the belly and making the bear fall back.

On the sideline, Simon gasped, covering his mouth as he looked to Theodore. But, unlike he expected, Theodore only reacted by telling Teddy to get back up. He reached for his pokedex and opened it up, typing in a quick message to Alvin. "Theo's battling a gym leader." He sent it off, focusing on the battle again. Everything in his being wanted to tell Theodore to switch to an advantage, but he bit his tongue.

"You're alright Teddy, go in and use Feint Attack!" Theodore called. Teddy nodded, tensing up one of his paws as a dark shroud cover up his body, leaving him invisible as he crept towards the Tangela.

"Mmm… Not a bad move at all." Erika commented. Theodore smiled, resting his paws behind his head. "We got it for the Ghosts, but I thought it would do good here too." He boasted.

That put a little grin on Erika's face. "Tangela, counter with Giga Drain." She ordered. Right as she did, Tangela's vines started to glow with a bright green energy, whipping around and unraveling a little before they burst outwards from its body. Most of them just fell to the ground, but a bunch of them stopped right behind Tangela, snaring around Teddy's invisible body. As soon as they made contact, Teddy let out a shout of pain as the vines sapped at his energy, the glow getting brighter as it did.

With the attack done, Tangela released the little bear, letting him fall to his knees, trembling. Theodore reached for Teddy's pokeball, but he hesitated. "Teddy… get up and use Return!"

The Teddiursa groaned, slowly rising up on shaky feet. Tangela waved its vines around tauntingly, still glowing a little with stolen energy. Teddy let out a low growl, both paws balled into fists as he suddenly pounced forward, paws taking on a light pink tint to them. "UrrrrSA!" he growled out, swinging both fists forward. They made contact with Tangela's body, the impact giving off a gleam of three hearts that launched the grass type away, sending it sprawling across the field.

"Good job Teddy, let's keep it up! Use Return again!"

Teddy growled, rushing down the Tangela once more, paws up at the ready. Right as he was about to make the hit, Erika's next order was heard and executed.

"Sleep Powder!"

This time, the powdery haze hit and surround Teddy's whole body. The little bear was passed out within seconds, flopping onto his back in the grass.

"Ah, Teddy! Wake up!" Theodore squeaked out, eyes going wide. Teddy handled other statuses well, but sleep? That's a different story. Despite his plea, the bear just snoozed away, curling up in the grass.

"Your pokemon is strong, but I'm afraid even the best of us succumb to tiredness…" Erika hummed, letting out a yawn herself. "Tangela, Wring Out."

The order was given, and Tangela followed suit, vines reaching out and constricting around Teddy's body. The little bear was lifted up in the air, and Theodore could only watch as they tightened down and twisted, opening only to let Teddy fall to the grass once more, more unconscious now than before.

The referee held up the red flag, pointing it towards Erika. "Teddiursa is unable to battle! Point for Erika!" She said.

Theodore was silent as he held up his pokeball, returning the Teddiursa.

"Poor guy…" Simon mumbled under his breath. "You did good Theodore! Don't give up!" Simon called. His pokedex buzzed; the answer from Alvin must have come in. He checked, and sure enough it was a picture of Alvin holding his Kabuto on his head. "Just beat Janine, how's Theo doing?" it read.

Simon let out a little sigh as he responded. "Rocky start, but Teddy held his own. I want to help him, but I can't."

Back on the field, Theo put the ball away, fishing out a great ball next. "Ooookay… C'mon Jack Frost!" Theo called out, throwing it up in the air. From the light came his Rotom, the fridge body crashing down in the grass before being taken over by the usual purple aura, eyes opening up. "We're not gonna hold back anymore, Ms. Erika. Get ready!"

Erika just nodded her head. "Then I won't either. Tangela, use Ancient Power again!"

"Jack Frost, move away and use Thunder Wave!"

Rotom just barely avoided getting hit by the ball, sparks leaping off of its body as it released it. "Ro! Tototom!" Several rings of electricity fired out, striking Tangela right on its core. All vines stopped moving, and Tangela was struggling to move.

Theodore grinned, putting his hands on his hips with a grin. "Take it out with Blizzard next!" He commanded.

Tangela visibly trembled as the Rotom floated ever so closer, a daunting figure that cast a shadow over its body, that is until the doors opened up, showing the pale blue light inside. The grass type couldn't do anything as Jack Frost released the Blizzard attack point blank, freezing it solid and coating the ground around it in a slick layer of ice.

Needless to say, the grass type had fainted upon impact. The referee trainer blinked in surprise, but nonetheless held up the blue flag, pointing it towards Theodore. "Tangela is unable to battle! Point for the challenger!"

Erika returned Tangela to its ball and tucked it in her sleeve. "Wise to use a pokemon with a clear advantage… but we aren't bowing out just yet." Erika said as she produced another ball. "Weepinbell, let's go!"

The grass/poison pokemon came out and settled on the ground, leaves swaying and mouth hanging agape. Honestly, Theodore had to hold back a little laugh when he saw it. Pictures of a Weepinbell was enough to get him laughing, but seeing one?

"Weepinbell, use Sunny Day." The odd plant followed orders, its whole body taking on a soft yellow glow for a few seconds before it leapt off the ground, turning itself upwards and spitting out a round, bright ball of yellow energy that soared up into the air and just hung there. As it did, its shine got brighter and brighter, sending a strong warmth throughout the whole gym. The ice from before melted into the grass, and Theodore even had to bring a hand up to shield his eyes.

"Don't let it trick you, Jack! Use Blizzard again!" Theodore orders, squinting through the artificial sunlight.

Rotom's doors opened once more, gathering up the cold as it aimed down on the grass type. "Weepinbell dodge it and use Razor Leaf!" Erika commanded. And, with a surprising speed, Weepinbell had maneuvered away from the blast zone, dashing off to the side and spinning around itself, launching a barrage of sharp leaves right at the Rotom, each one striking its body without fail.

In his seat, Simon had leaned forward, both paws on his forehead to block the light from his eyes. He was somewhat entranced by the battle now, watching the pokemon deal blow after blow to each other. A miss here, a hit there, even being used to battles Simon couldn't quite look away. Theodore seemed to be adjusting to the change, but not fast enough. Everything in his being wanted to tell him what to do, even now. But the other half was making him stay reserved, biting his lip to silence himself. Alvin had been sending message after message about the battle, but he couldn't turn his attention away.

'Come on Theodore, focus!'

"Pin! Bell!"

Theo winced as Jack took another Razor Leaf. The Rotom seemed to be wavering, and he had used up all the Blizzard he could.

"Okay… that didn't work…" Theodore mumbled. "Jack Frost, try and hit it with a Shock Wave!"

The Rotom let out a low growl as it stared down its target. The purple plasma that made its "arms" merged back into its body, building in front of it as a ball before it fired off a jagged beam of electricity.

Weepinbell bounced about on the grass, trying to dodge away from the attack. No matter where it went, the electricity followed, crackling cruelly right before it inevitably crashed right into the Weepinbell's body, delivering a strong shock that made it land down in the grass, trembling.

"Hehe, good shot! Hit it again with Shock Wave!"

Erika held out a lazy hand. "Weepinbell, stop it with Grass Knot!"

While the Rotom built up the attack, Weepinbell just glared at it. Its eyes had turned a light green color, and in a flash the grass below Jack Frost reached up, snaring around its body countless times before yanking it straight down to the ground.

It met the ground with a crash and a groan, electricity sparking all over its body as it tried to escape the binds. "Ah! Oh no!" Theodore squeaked.

"Weepinbell, Razor Leaf again!" This time, the Rotom couldn't move out of the way. When the swarm of leaves crashed into it, all it could do was scream in pain. By the time the grass released it, Jack Frost was barely holding on, only hovering slightly from the ground.

"Think you can keep going?" Theodore called.

Jack Frost growled, sparking up once more as it gave a "nod". "Heh… Alright! One more Shock Wave, and make it a good one!" Theodore commanded. The Rotom floated up higher this time as it charged up, aiming down right at the Weepinbell.

"Stop it with a Leaf Storm!" Weepinbell's whole body was glowing again, this time a light green color as it began to spin around. Faster and faster, it kept going, covering its whole form until it suddenly stopped, letting out a "Bell!" shout when it released its attack. First was the sudden gust, and soon after that was a swirl of glowing leaves, all launching at high speed and spinning like crazy through the air.

The Rotom couldn't even dodge the attack, caught up in the wind first and spiraling around, only to be bombarded by the leaves striking it. When the attack was done, Jack Frost crashed down to the floor, knocked out cold.

Biting his lip and wincing from the referee's call, Theodore pulled out Jack Frost's ball. "Return!" He said, the red beam flying out and striking the Rotom, returning him to the great ball. 'Gosh darn it, things were going so well... ' Theodore thought, 'at least it's starting to look tired…' Then, with pokeball in hand, Theodore threw out his next pokemon.

From the light, Matchstick rose from the grass. The fire type looked up at the glowing ball, a smile stretching over his face while the flame on his tail flared with life, growing twice as large as it was before.

"I had a feeling Jack wouldn't cut it all the way… Blizzard doesn't always hit when it needs to." Theodore said, looking over at Erika. "But I remembered Sunny Day makes fire types stronger! If we can't be faster, we'll just be stronger!" He smiled, putting his hands on his hips. "Matchstick, use Smokescreen!"

"Chaaarmander!" Matchstick dropped to all fours, breathing out that thick, black smoke until a heavy cloud of it had surrounded the battlefield. The "sun" above even had to fight to shine through the smog.

"Follow it up with Dragon Rage!" Theodore ordered. While Matchstick prepared his attack, glaring down his target, Erika gave her order.

"Blow it away with Leaf Storm!"

After the same build up from last time, Weepinbell released the Leaf Storm wherever it happened to be facing, some of the leaves just barely scraping Matchstick in the smoke. Theodore even had to hop aside just to not get hit himself.

Sure enough, some of the smokescreen had been blown away. But from the part that wasn't, Matchstick released the Dragon Rage, the spiraling blue fire hitting Weepinbell with enough force to send it tumbling around in the grass. "Don't let it recover Match! Finish it with a Fire Fang!"

Matchstick let out a growl, dropping to all fours once more before breaking out in a run through the smoke. Closer and closer, he closed the distance with the Weepinbell, mouth open wide to show off his fangs right before they burst into roaring orange flames. With a pounce, he pinned the grass type down, having it squirm about as he dropped down his head, delivering the attack then and there.

The moment Matchstick's fangs made contact, orange sparks and dark smoke exploded around them, surrounding both pokemon in it. Within the smoke, a bright white light started to shine on through. Theodore's eyes widened in shock as it grew in size, standing up and walking out of the smoke.

Instead of a Charmander, the light faded away to show a Charmeleon instead, his tail swishing side to side as he flashed his claws, letting out a prideful roar that echoed in the room a little. Both Theodore and Simon audibly cheered at the sight.

"Amazing! Not only has Weepinbell fainted, but the challenger's pokemon has evolved! Point for the challenger!"

"Way to go Matchstick!" Theodore cheered, "Just one more and we're good!" He said.

Turning to his trainer, Matchstick flashed a cheeky grin, holding up a thumb before turning his attention back to the battle.

Erika sent out her third and final pokemon, a Jumpluff. Compared to Matchstick's new form, it looked about as dangerous as a newborn Pidgey. The blue cotton puff of a pokemon just floated about in the air, sometimes landing on the ground.

"What a battle… I'm afraid we're nearing the end. Don't go easy on me. Give me everything you've got!" She insisted. There was a smile on the woman's face, the tired demeanor she had kept for the rest of the battle had melted away. "Jumpluff, use Leech Seed now!"

With a surprising speed, Jumpluff dashed across the grass on those little feet, leaping up in the air as it soared right at Matchstick. "Plululuff!" It cried, spitting out several seeds before making a quick turn away.

Growling, Matchstick tried to bat at the seeds, struggling against them as they released their vines to cover his body. "You're gonna have to work through it Match!" Theodore said. "Worry about it later, use Dragon Rage!" That got his attention, at least. Matchstick stopped fussing with the seeds, opting instead to take aim at the fluttering cottonball and fire off another column of blue fire. Luckily, it was a direct hit, causing the Jumpluff to careen down to the ground, waving about its stalks.

"Wow, that's a bit harsh!" Erika commented. "Jumpluff, get in close with U-Turn!"

Matchstick was going to avoid it, but the seeds sapped at him then and there, making him drop down to his knees. Meanwhile, Jumpluff had gotten back in the air just to start barreling down again, exuding a green energy from its body as it got closer and closer, finally crashing right into Matchstick's chest to knock him over. The Cottonweed pokemon gave a little laugh as it settled down at Erika's feet, slowly bouncing back to the battle field.

Theodore bit his lip. The attacks didn't seem to hurt Matchstick too much, but even before evolving he had taken a hit or two. The fire on Match's tail was crackling bright still, maybe a bit more than he thought.

"Jumpluff, use your Giga Drain while its down!" Erika commanded.

The mention of the attack sent a shiver down Theo's spine. As if the seeds weren't enough…

"Try to dodge it Matchstick!" He blurted out. It was the first thing to pop in his head to say. Matchstick let out a grunt, whipping his tail around as he leapt aside, right as several tendrils of green energy speared the ground where he once was, drawing themselves back into Jumpluff's body.

"Now get up close and use Scary Face!"

While Jumpluff was turning to face him, Matchstick leapt up in the air, grabbing it at the sides before executing the attack.

To everyone else in the room, Matchstick's eyes just turned red. But to Jumpluff, it was much worse. Gone was the normal Charmeleon that was staring it down. Replacing it was a giant black dragon with a mouthful of sharp teeth and blue fire, roaring at it and staring it down with piercing red eyes. When Matchstick let go, the Jumpluff was moving much slower than before, trembling all over as it stared at him.

Even with more energy being sapped away from Matchstick, the cotton puff couldn't get itself moving as fast. When the health left the Charmeleon, Jumpluff noticed a slight darkening of that tail flame.

"Shake it off Jumpluff, what you saw wasn't real!" Erika called, staring up at the grass type.

"Sorry Ms. Erika! Matchstick, send em home! Use Fire Fang!"

Matchstick's flames burned a deep orange as it approached the Jumpluff, tail swishing side to side as he pounced forward. In one quick chomp, with the flourish of smoke and fire, Matchstick delivered the final blow right on Jumpluff's upper stem. Matchstick was quick to whip his tail around, doing his best to dispel the smoke he caused just as fast as it came. At his feet, the unconscious Jumpluff.

"And Jumpluff is unable to battle, the winner is the challenger!"

Erika let out a little sigh as she returned Jumpluff to its pokeball, nodding her head slowly as she smiled. "Oh! I concede defeat... You are remarkably strong... I shall give you the Rainbow Badge..." She said.

Across from her, Theodore was busy hugging Matchstick tight, bouncing around with the fire type. "We did it! We actually did it!" He cheered.

Simon stood up from his seat, clapping. He couldn't help but wear a pretty wide smile, watching his younger brother celebrate. Maybe his worries weren't warranted after all.

"Theodore! Congratulations for your first badge." Simon said as Theodore and Matchstick emerged from the gym.

Theodore seemed to have lagged behind, so Simon used the time to visit the department store to pick up a few things. Though judging by all he got, just to find Theo leaving now, it had him curious.

The pudgy munk had his new badge pinned on his sweater, gleaming a little in the city's nighttime lights.

What Simon hadn't expected was the pokemon dangling in Theodore's arm. It was an Eevee through and through, though the lower half seemed to be speckled with darker spots in the soft brown fur.

When did he get that? Did he go to the game corner too? Simon pushed the thought aside for now.

"Heh… thanks Si. I couldn't have done it if Matchstick didn't evolve like that!" Theodore said with a smile. "It was awesome! You were right when you said not having him evolve was gonna get him good moves!" He said, gently moving the Eevee to one arm so he could pat Matchstick's head. "Oh… and Ms. Erika gave me this thing too." Theodore held up a small green box, marked on each side with a 19. "I dunno how to use it, but it looks neat! She said it was Giga Drain!"

Simon chuckled, putting a hand on Theo's shoulder. "Don't worry, I'll show you. You're on your way Theodore. I'm proud of you." He says. "Let's go into the store huh? I think that's a great place to go after a gym."

"Hmm… That'd be nice." Theodore said, sticking close to Simon's side as he let him lead the way back to the store