6-9

Thad stood outside the Pokemon Center, a breeze tickling his bare chest and a twinkle in his eye as he looked up the road for his quarry. He and Chad had made sure to get in their morning routine finished before Jasmine would arrive: one hundred push-ups, one hundred squats, fifty squat jumps, thirty burpees, two hundred straight punches, one hundred flutter kicks, one hundred jumping jacks, using Dwyane as a kettlebell for curls, and finally a ten-minute plank.

It was a light day, but Thad felt upbeat Chad chirped along with great enthusiasm. The two of them felt warmed up for the trials of the road, and as the diminutive gym leader strolled down the empty street, the corners of Thad's eyes curled upward.

"Ain't she something, eh?" Thad said to Chad, who nodded along. "Such a tiny woman, but with such huge critters in her pocket. Strange don't you think?" Thad rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Think maybe she's compensating with that metal snake thing?"

"Chop?" Chad replied, looking up to his boss with confusion scrawled upon his face.

Thad gave a dismissive wave. "No worries little dude, just thinking out loud is all. It's just you can usually tell a lot about people by the way they carry themselves and what they use to advertise, ya feel?"

Chad gave a shrug. "Macho mach."

"It's all about perception, my dude." Thad tapped the side of his head. "It's all about what you choose to flex."

"Ahh, there you two are," Jasmine announced. Her hair was done up much like the day before with two beady hairpins, splintering it into two caramel ponytails. She wore a form-fitting silver sundress with a large backpack that was nearly as large as her.

"Ready for your first day of grade school?" Thad teased, pointing toward the backpack. "I'm surprised you can lug that around with such tiny legs."

Jasmine's face blanched and her voice rose up a pitch. "T-they are just fine! If we are to travel, then I need to be prepared, especially with someone as… inexperienced as yourself."

"How old are you?" Thad asked in a genuine tone.

"I recently turned twenty, why?"

Thad hummed and ran a hand through his shaven head. "...No reason."

"I'm sure there was, otherwise you wouldn't have asked, no?" Jasmine inquired. Her voice was strong and steady, though her twiddling fingers gave away that Thad had struck a nerve. "So?"

"Look, I'm sorry," Thad put his hands up defensively, "I was, uh, well you just look a bit younger than I figured, and it's curious you're so well regarded among the gym bros. Plus, it's a bit weird hearing such detailed words coming from such a, uh, youthful lady."

Jasmine made a guttural sound from deep within her throat and clicked her tongue. She chewed on her cheek, searching for the right words to say. "No need to be some musclebound ruffian about my appearance!"

Thad looked over to Chad. "Hey, I thought I was being polite, right?"

Chad nodded along. "Macho!"

"See, he gets it," Thad pointed toward the Machop. "I wasn't the only one thinking it."

"Can we just go already and talk on the way?" Jasmine pleaded, clasping her hands together. "I'm sure we can discuss something else on our travels than how I look."

"You'd be surprised," Thad said, giving Jasmine a wink as he strolled by her. "But don't worry girlie, you're in good hands now. I'll introduce your new lord and saviors known as protein and creatine, and you won't ever have to worry about those wobbly legs again! Haha!"

"They are not wobbly!" Jasmine tried to dash after Thad, but felt a tug on her sundress. She looked down to see Chad holding out his arms, pointing to the backpack. Begrudgingly, Jasmine unlatched herself from her bag and handed it over to the sturdy Machop. "Okay, maybe they wobbled a little bit."

Thad led the team to the edge of town, with Jasmine walking briskly aside him. Chad carried her belongings with no qualms the reached the northern end of Olivine City. The smell of the salty beach air gave way to an endless throng of trees that dotted the landscape, and a small sign near the dirt path that read 'Route 39'.

"We can travel north up until MooMoo Farm, which should take us a few hours," Jasmine suggested. She cupped her hands over her brow to shield vision from the sun. "Route 39 has primarily bug and normal types, and a few trainers. Shouldn't be too dangerous."

"Which reminds me," Thad reached into his travel sack, pulling out the journal Chuck had given him, "the ole' bossman gave me this, but it doesn't make a lot of sense."

"Well, let's see…" Jasmine took the journal from Thad and began skimming its contents. "It looks like Chuck tried to draft you up an introductory primer to how Pokemon interact and about the natural fauna. What's so confusing about this? He may be a bit rough, but his message is fairly straightforward."

Thad rubbed the back of his neck and grimaced. "It's just, you know how we eat food?"

"Yes?"

"Which Pokemon do we actually eat?" Thad asked. As if on cue, his stomach grumbled. "Cause I tried that vegetarian thing, but it ain't sustainable for keeping up the bod, ya know?"

"Oh! Well, usually it's dictated by region on what Pokemon are ranked for consumption, like Magikarp and Tauros are typically on the list, while others are left off due to their biological compositions or rarity."

"So nobody is going to try and eat Chad?"

Chad looked up between the trainers. "Chop?"

Jasmine gave the Machop a head pat and smiled. "Absolutely not. Besides, with our abundance of grass pokemon, our normal trees and berries are always in surplus due to pollination. Vegetarian options are quite popular."

Thad took the journal back, casting a wary gaze at Jasmine. "And you're a vegetarian."

"Yes, how'd you know?"

"Because ya don't got meat, honey," Thad casually announced. Jasmine's face turned a shade of red as Thad shook his head. "No wonder ya need dudes like Chad. Y'all are eating berries and twigs, lookin' like 'em and stuff. You are what you eat?"

"Is that so?" Jasmine retorted, though her voice lacked any malice. "What are you then?"

Thad smirked. "An absolute beefcake."

Jasmine groaned, avoiding eye contact with the shirtless hunk. They continued northward on the path, going up a slight incline into a sparsely populated forest. Thad's attention quickly shifted to the odd sounds around them, from buzzing to chirps to some sounds resembling a person finishing their last deadlift set. Thad caught Jasmine watching his attentiveness with a sly smile, but she remained quiet as they treaded uphill.

As they crested to the top of the hill, a rumble came from the bushes, and a large bovine creature dashed out toward the group. Thad immediately hurdled the charging beast with swan-like grace as Chad yanked Jasmine aside to dodge the creature rolling out toward them.

"Damn that's one fast round cow," Thad remarked, his stance wide and aggressive as the cow-like creature had stopped its momentum and faced the musclebound trainer. "So, it's a fight?"

"Must be an escaped Miltank from the farm," Jasmine noted with curiosity. "Odd that it would attack us. We should tame it and return it to the owners."

"Moooo!" The Miltank roared, its hooves kicking at the dirt.

Thad looked over to Chad, and the Machop had already dropped Jasmine's gear and saddled up near his trainer. Thad gave his partner a fist bump and reached for Dwayne's Pokeball.

"Just use your Machop!" Jasmine shouted. She distanced herself from the brewing storm and drew a confused look from Thad.

"Why not? We can totally outnumber and tag team this cow."

"Try fighting it one on one! Strengthening your bond with Chad will be better this way!" Jasmine replied. She dug into her shallow dress pocket and released a Pokeball of her own, revealing a triad magnet creature like Thad had seen at the gym previously. "I'll be protected, but show me what you can do!"

"Alright, Chad," Thad bellowed, locking eyes with the enraged Miltank, "give him the ole' bossman special!"

Chad began to charge forward, but the Milktank rolled up into a ball and blitzed by Chad, with the Machop barely sidestepping in time as the Miltank started to come back around for another charge.

"Does your Machop know Dual Chop?" Jasmine shouted from the trees. "Since the Miltank is faster than you, having a multi-attack move might help you!"

"Slap chop?" Thad replied. "Girl, that's a blender. Not some karate move. Get your facts right, homie.

Jasmine buried her face in her hands. "I said Dual Chop! Not slap chop you meathead!"

Thad shrugged. "So it's a different brand? I don't see how that helps Chad fight this round cow."

"It's a Miltank!"

Thad snapped his fingers. "Riiight, like the chowder!" Jasmine threw her hands up in the air and said something under her breath. Thad turned back to Chad who awaited instruction. "It's just lactose, bro. Slap the milk outta 'em."

Chad's stance widened as the Miltank rushed back for another rolling barrage, and the brave Machop when for an overhand slap. He missed the timing slightly and promptly got run over by the Miltank. Thad winced as the Machop laid on his back, completely flattened on the ground, but still moving a bit.

"Quickly!"

"You think I don't know that?" Thad shouted back. "Ey, yo Chad! Get your butt up, it's coming again! This time, use that low leg kick thing!"

"You mean Low Kick?"

Thad waved Jasmine off. 'Yeah, yeah, that's the one. Give it to 'em good big guy!"

The Miltank rounded again at Chad, but this time the Machop braced for impact, holding its right leg back. With a careful sidestep, the Machop used its leg like a golf driver at the Milktank, though it swerved ever so slightly poor Chad that they traded blows.

Chad fell over to the ground unconscious, his eyes blearily looking up at the sunny sky. The Miltank slammed into a tree but appeared to be still lucid and angry.

"That is one sturdy cow," Thad whistled, recalling Chad back into his Pokeball. He looked back to Jasmine. "So now I can use Dwayne?"

"Absolutely. It looks like the Milktank is getting tired. One more good hit should subdue it so we can return it," Jasmine replied. Her floating magnet Pokemon buzzed alongside her, in only what Thad could assume was an encouragement.

Thad snatched Dwayne's Pokeball and threw it up high in the air. Red light poured down, and the rock with arms materialized in front of Thad.

"Alright, here's the scoop," Thad rattled off, "we've got a mad cow that needs a slappin'. You dig it?"

"Geo!" Dwayne immediately scooped out handfuls of dirt and burrowed underneath the ground.

Thad pursed his lips and tilted his head. I mean, I'll take that as a yes. He took a few steps back to avoid the rolling Miltank, which completely missed the submerged Geodude. Thad's eyes lit up. Wait, I'm a genius!

"Thad, tell your—"

"I'm already two and a half steps ahead of you, Jazzy," Thad replied. He kept a close eye on the Miltank as it took another large swath to turn around, and Thad looked down into the hole. "Come up when I give you the word. You'll know it when I saw it."

A small voice echoed out of the hole. "Geo geo!"

We'll need perfect timing, but we'll knock that lactose for a loop so hard it'll curdle under our might!

"Hold there rock steady, Dwayne," Thad instructed, his eyes fixed on the rapidly approaching Miltank. "Right...about...now!"

The Milktank let out a high-pitched yelp. Dwayne shot out of the ground like a bullet, his rocky fists bludgeoning the cow's rear end and popping it up into the air like a fly ball. The Geodude followed the Miltank into the air and for Thad, it's like time slowed.

The Miltank looked thoroughly shocked as its powerful, yet stubby hooved feet flailed about. Dwayne shouted something in his own langauge; a battle cry of triumph no doubt. Thad stole a glance at Jasmine, and he felt confident that she and the strange magnet creature's attention was fully fixated on the airborne skirmish.

"Give 'em the slap-down!"

"It's Smackdown!" Jasmine hastily corrected.

"Right, that one Dwayne!" Thad ordered.

The Geodude happily obliged by balling its fists together and promptly spiking the Miltank into the soft soil. The Milktank moaned and rolled around momentarily before settling, letting out a great wheeze, and passing out. Seeing his imminent victory, Thad immediately gave a side frame flexing pose to which Dwayne joined in with his own bicep flex.

Thad turned his head toward the sound of soft applause from Jasmine. Even the triad magnet beside her buzzed happily alongside her, matching her rhythm.

"Quite the maneuver!" Jasmine said, walking up toward the Miltank. She bent over the dazed beast and began investigating it for any injuries. "Let's see here...aha!"

Jasmine removed a small blue spiked ball from behind the Miltank's ear. No larger than a tennis ball, she held the prickly object with her fingernails. Thad walked up and looked at the object with curiosity, rubbing his chin.

"That the problem?" Thad asked.

Jasmine nodded. "I think so. Poor Miltank must've gotten attached to this sticky barb, and that's why they were acting out. Ever have an itch that you couldn't scratch? This is ten times worse."

"Bruh, I know exactly that feeling," Thad replied in earnest. "Plus, poor milky dude ain't got thumbs," he cast a pitiful glance toward the Miltank, "that's rough buddy."

"Still, it's quite good to see you think quick on your feet." Jasmine pocketed the sticky barb and fully faced Thad, looking up at the towering beefcake. "I think Chuck may have been onto something. What you lack for in...uh, never mind. You're adaptable and take direction much better than I would have guessed."

Thad flexed his pecs and then posed, giving Jasmine a grin that oozed machismo and confidence. "I ain't above listening to people who know their stuff. When I started my regiment, I was taught to listen closely to my betters. The only pie I indulge in from time to time is a little humble pie, if you catch my drift."

"That's good!" Jasmine said, hopping a bit with excitement. Her face flushed a slight shade of red, realizing her giddiness. She quickly quelled her outburst by clearing her voice and looked down the road. "We should get going and return the Miltank. I have a revive, so if you and your Machop could—"

Thad patted Jasmine on the shoulder and chuckled. He walked past her and before the Miltank, observing its structure briefly, and then gripped its forelegs and hindlegs each in one of his hands. Without a grunt or breaking a sweat, Thad snatched the Miltank and hefted the beast onto his shoulders in a makeshift fireman's carry. The Miltank let out a weak 'moo' as it settled onto Thad's bulging trapezius muscles.

"This little guy is like the perfect weight for squats," Thad laughed, doing a few squats to test out his theory. "Huh. Not too shabby."

Jasmine blinked and her jaw dropped. "D-did you just lift a Miltank?"

"Uh, yeah?" Thad quirked a brow. "Figured it'd be easier than dragging the poor dude, plus Chad could use a break." Thad quickly freed a hand and returned Dwayne to his Pokeball. "Alright got that squared away. Now, go get your backpack. I'll carry that too."

"O-okay," Jasmine meekly replied. She retrieved the bag from the treeline and with great effort tossed it to Thad. "You sure?"

Thad threaded his arms through the backpack so it was on his chest. "Yeah, as long as ole' protein shake don't start bucking."

"Well...okay then. Let's go. It shouldn't be too far," Jasmine said. "And you'll let me know if you get tired? We can take a break."

"Nah, fam, this is just the kinda burn I needed," Thad said, walking forward. He did a few lunges to even prove his point. "This little trip just got better."

Jasmine simply shook her head and led the way down Route 39. They passed a few trainers, most of which gawked at the man who carried the Miltank like it was nothing. He basked in the attention, sending the younger kids toothy grins and some of the female ace trainers some suggestive winks.

By the time they arrived at the farm, the owner graciously rewarded the two, though Jasmine made it evident it was Thad's muscles and tactical prowess that made the difference. Even so, they were both rewarded with a bottle of MooMoo Milk; a local delicacy. Thad, naturally, asked the farmer for the nutritional details and protein content, to which he was supplied with and extremely pumped about.

With permission from the farm, they prepared to make camp for the night in the fields underneath the starry sky. With Chad and Dwayne revived thanks to Jasmine's cavalcade of healing supplies, Thad divvied out the protein bar rations that had been given to him by Chuck. They were a bit chewy, but they consumed them happily nonetheless.

"So this is what it's like, eh?" Thad was seated on a thin blanket, leaning back on his elbows with both his Pokemon at his side. "Camping under the clear skies and trying to survive nature?"

Jasmine sat in a foldout chair; one of the many supplies stuffed inside her large backpack. "It is. People co-existing with nature and all that dwell within it. It's a harmony we strive for, and people camping is quite common."

"Fair enough," Thad replied, looking at the stars. "Still, I gotta wonder...why I'm here, ya know?"

"Why you're here?" Jasmine mimicked back in curiosity. "What do you mean by that? Chuck's letter said you were some shipwrecked foreigner." Her voice softened and she leaned forward in her chair. "Do you miss home?"

Thad looked to Chad; the wily Machop was currently bantering with Dwayne about something. The two Pokemon chirped happily and flexed at each other, drawing forth a smile from Thad.

"I'm not sure," Thad said, a thoughtful sparkle in his brown eyes. "This place is dope, ya know, but there's still something that's getting at me." He looked towards his Pokemon, a small chuckle slipping out through his lips as they began to arm wrestle. "But, maybe I've found something better. Always thought this kiddie stuff was nonsense. Hell, having a goldfish was the most of a pet I've ever had. I just know how to deal with gym bros, so that's how I treat 'em."

"Well, it seems to be working. They like you," Jasmine said, pointing at the shenanigans. "You've left quite the impression. That's important when it comes to forging bonds with your Pokemon. Something I've been told since I was a child, and something I try to share with others when given the chance. Why I became a gym leader like my grandpa."

"Okay, just to be clear," Thad sat up, raising a finger, "that gyms aren't specifically for working out, but some kind of arena thing, right? Because I ain't gonna lie. Not seeing a bench or squat rack in your building was a bit disheartening."

"It's as you said, more like a training arena," Jasmine answered. "Each one is different depending on the leader. I chose something minimalist for my steel-type gym since Rusty destroys things so easily."

"The metal snake guy?"

There's a compensating joke somewhere in there, Thad pondered. He shook his head, dispelling the juvenile thought.

"Yes, though it's called a Steelix." Jasmine sighed. "I'll do my best to get you up to speed on Pokemon, types, and learned sets."

"Alright, as long as I help you with getting on a workout routine and naming your dudes," Thad offered with a hint of sarcasm. "Seriously, 'Rusty' for a big metal snake? C'mon."

"I was young!"

"So was I, but I've always had a knack for names. Named more workouts than I can count with equally epic names." Thad scratched at his stubble and rolled his eyes. "I'll get you on the right path. With my workout plan, you'll be actually worthy of being a steel gym leader. Abs harder than iron and a booty that won't quit." He pointed at Jasmine, wagging his finger. "We gonna bulk you up, Jazzy. Luckily, you're talking to an expert. As long as you fill me in on what edible stuff we've got around, I'll craft a meal plan and routine that'll make the fitness gods blush."

Jasmine shrunk back into her chair. "I'm overjoyed." Her voice was fragile and quiet as she avoided eye contact with Thad. She cleared her voice and frowned. "Sorry, that wasn't honest. I'm just, uh, not used to someone being so passionate about something other than Pokemon."

Pre-workout jitters, Thad thought. Normal stuff. For someone who likes the rocky type dudes, to not touch a weight...It's a good thing I'm here now.

"It's normal to have doubts about things you ain't good at. I mean, look at me," Thad gestured to himself, "I'm buff, tall, gorgeous, and I keep chomping at the bit. But!" He tapped the side of his head and smirked. "But, I always keep going forward. For example, I'm not the best at academics, but I never let that slow me down. Asking for help ain't weakness, it's about attitude on how we do things. Negativity ain't the way, honey."

"That was really thoughtful...where'd you learn that?"

"I minored in therapeutic athletics, majored in economics," Thad rattled off. "I know like two things; how to motivate people through flexing and some money stuff. Everything else is whatever."

"I see." Jasmine stretched her arms out and yawned. "I think it's time I retired to my tent. Ecruteak shouldn't be more than half a day away."

"Rest well. We've got a big day ahead of us. Tomorrow starts you're routine!"

Jasmine let out a low groan, and Thad chuckled. He stood up and hopped over to Jasmine, catching her by the arm, and spun her around. She froze as he locked eyes with her and raised a closed fist.

"Teamwork makes the dream work, baby." Thad let go of her arm and paused for a moment. "Uh, ya bump it girlie."

"Oh, okay?" Jasmine softly bumped her knuckles against Thad's much larger fist. He pulled it back quickly and pumped his arms in the air and let out a shout. "Did I do it right?"

"It's a start, which is all anyone needs," Thad replied. He gave her a thumbs up and flashed a toothy grin. "Now get some sleep. I gotta do my evenin' stretches with the rest of my crew."

And with that, Jasmine slipped inside her tent. Thad turned back to his Pokemon, still locked in an arm-wrestling match.

"Alright bros, it's time to get some late-night stretch in before we hit the hay!"

Bro, Do You Even Lift? Chapter 7: Man of Culture, a pokémon fanfic

"So, you're telling me there's a difference between Rock and Ground-type Pokedudes?"

"Please stop calling them that," Jasmine said in a faint, ragged voice.

Jasmine, Thad, and Chad had just reached the forested outskirts of Ecruteak City after a day jaunt from MooMoo farms. The training had not slowed for either of the trainers, with Jasmine's legs still wobbling like al dente pasta from Thad's morning or how Thad was trying to scribble notes in his journal about Pokemon.

Thad rubbed his head using the end of his small gold-style pencil. "Right...so why are they different? Why not call them earth types?" Thad gave Chad a knowing look. "I'm making sense, right, my dude?"

The Machop tilted its head; its grey lips forming an uneven line. "Chop?"

Jasmine suppressed a groan. "Because, Pokemon scientists have deduced a difference in their genetic makeup."

"But you said Dwayne is both types?" Thad asked, thoughtfully. "So can I call him an earth type?" He scribbled down a note and then sighed. "Also you said something about Steel types. I think that works well with my earth-type theory."

"It can't be a theory because we already proved these variances!" Jasmine lightly faced palmed, dragging her hand down her face. "Please...can we change the subject? Anything else. For the love of Arceus."

"They like your Jesus or something?" Thad asked.

Jasmine stopped in her tracks. "My what?"

"Nevermind," Thad said, shaking his head. "Let's just get into Ecruteak. I see a check-in building up ahead. We still got some daylight to explore a bit if we hurry."

Jasmine picked up her feet and tenderly trotted after Chad and Thad. After a quick flash of their trainer ID cards to the waypoint attendant, they cleared the checkpoint and entered Ecruteak City.

The city was surrounded by a swath of verdant trees, though the skies were dominated by large towers that loomed nearby. The architecture reminded Thad of his visits to Chinatown in Los Angeles, but with a more homey feel. It wasn't the bustle of Olivine City, but the air was warm and wind chimes hanging from minka-styled buildings lazily rang out.

Chirps and coles from distant bird Pokemon saturated the air as no noise of industry or bustle of civilians swallowed up the streets. Thad felt tranquil as he followed Jasmine toward the center of town, and Chad too looked on with a dreamy look upon his face.

This place is quiet, like a meditation chamber. Thad looked northward, to the charred half of a tower looming at the edge of town. Maybe not always peaceful though.

"The Pokemon Center is right down that street," Jasmine pointed south, "but we can still check out the gym, Burned Tower, or the dance school. I think the Bell Tower is closed at this hour."

Thad's ears twitched as he turned toward the short brunette. His lips drew into a faint, crescent smile. "Dance school?"

"Yes, the Ecruteak Dance Theater is well renowned for its kimono dancers," Jasmine explained. She cocked her head to the side and narrowed her eyes on the hunk. "Why are you making that face?"

"What face?" Thad asked, puzzled. "I'm just excited to experience other cultures."

"You didn't strike me as the artistic type."

Thad placed a hand over his mouth, hiding a smile. "Oh, I'm a big fan of culture. I'd be rude to ignore the customs, right?" He cast a wary glance over his shoulder; the breeze tickling his jacked back muscles. "So...these dancers. Where can we see them?"

"This way," Jasmine said, walking further down the street. "They might have an evening performance going on. I haven't seen one since I was a child."

Thad trotted ahead of Jasmine, a giddiness in his step. Chad followed behind his trainer, though in truth, more excited because his trainer was excited. Jasmine groaned as she picked up her pace; her thighs reminding her of the terrible overexertion of the morning. Mercy wasn't a component of Thad's regiment.

The bamboo double doors to the dance theater were slightly ajar. Thad pushed open the door and strutted inside with a swaggering gait. His eyes immediately zeroed in on the performance stage where he spotted three men in dark grey shirts and caps talking to a young black-haired woman in an orange and red kimono adorned with patterns of flames.

"Just take the money and do it already," one of the men growled, waving a Pokeball. "We've got plenty of cash, so get to it or else!"

The woman's smile was strained and her eyes immediately flickered toward Thad for a moment. She broke contact as one of the pudgier men shouted at her, causing her to jump slightly.

Thad paused and held up a hand as Jasmine entered the building. He looked over his shoulder and put a finger to his lips. "Think something's going down that ain't on the program."

"Then we should intervene and talk-"

Thad placed a hand in front of Jasmine, stopping her. He puffed out his chest and winked. "Keep an eye on Chad. I'mma go see what the problem is. Wait," Thad lowered his voice, "are guns a thing here?"

"No?"

"Perfect. Now, let me work my magic and keep an eye on the lil' bro."

Begrudgingly, Jasmine nodded and helped usher Chad over to the side of the entrance. Thad rolled his shoulders and neck, managing to get a few cracks, and then marched toward the stage.

"Hey my dudes," Thad announced; his voice in a low and booming tone. The three men's heads whirled around, all craning upward slightly to look the bronze adonis in the eyes. "We got a problem here?"

The lead man, a gangly fellow with a red 'R' on his chest like his two slightly overweight accomplices, gave Thad a scathing look. "Not any of your business, meathead." He turned back toward the kimono dancer. "Now, I said I'd pay—hey!"

Thad had snatched the man's Pokeball from his hand, holding it high and out of reach like one might do to an unruly child abusing a toy. He clicked his tongue and shook his head. "Now, now, I can take an insult. My feelings are as hard as my abs, but is that any way to talk to a lady?"

"Don't talk down to us," One of the chubby grunts barked. "Don't you know who we are? Move along!"

Another one of the grunts pulled a Pokeball from his belt. "Unless you want things to get ugly."

The lead grunt chuckled. "See? You may be big, but you're a tad outnumbered. Know your place. I'll ask you once to give me that Pokemon back before things get ugly."

"Outnumbered?" Thad pulled the Pokeball down, observing the cool blue texture with two red bevels. "Sure, I'll agree with you there." He pocketed the Pokeball, much to the goons' dismay, and smirked. "But not outmatched, bro. Maybe apologize and we can try again."

The lead grunt's face flared red with fury. He pointed a finger toward Thad's face and screamed, "teach this punk a lesson!"

"Can't fight me without your backup dancers, eh brah?" Thad outstretched his arms in a beckoning manner. "As they say in my country: come get some."

The kimono dancer gasped and retreated from the stage as the 'R' grunts rushed toward Thad. The gangly one was the first to step before Thad, throwing a hurried punch. The fist collided with Thad's flexed abs, and a faint crack followed by a howl of pain rang out. The other two grunts immediately followed up with punches of their own, but Thad didn't wait for their strikes. With his greater reach, Thad reeled back and delivered a sharp jab to one and then used his momentum to execute a quick roundhouse kick, introducing his foot to their skull.

"Agh," the leader of the group hissed, holding his crumpled hand. His face formed into a feral snarl. "Damnit, get your Pokemon out!"

"Not man enough to fight me three on one?" Thad taunted. He dropped into a low stance, knees bent and hands raised. "Now, we gonna do this in here?"

"Screw this!" The leader of the gang howled, throwing his hands up in the air. He motioned for his friends to follow and ran past a grinning Thad. He stopped at the entrance, turning around to point at Thad. "We'll remember this! Next time we'll grind you into paste with our Pokemon!"

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Thad said, waving them off. "Against me or my Pokemon, I'll spank you so hard you'll be calling me daddy by the end of the match."

With one last exasperated groan, the grunts disappeared into the night. Thad brushed off his chest, observing his abs where he got struck. Little dude hardly made a scratch, Thad pondered as he felt the spot. That round cow had more of a punch than that boy band member.

"Thad!" Jasmine walked from the entrance, her eyes narrowed and her fists clenched. "That was…"

"Awesome? Amazing?" Thad raised his arms and postured his calf, flexing and posing while he waggled his eyebrows. "Incredible?"

"Risky and dangerous is what I was going to say," Jasmine said, and Thad's shoulders slumped slightly. "I gave the authorities a call on my PokeNav while you had them distracted. They should be combing the area for them. Where there's a few, there's usually more."

"The boy band that I just flattened?"

Jasmine shook her head. "No. They're Team Rocket members. A criminal organization. Quite the nasty bunch, but usually they aren't in public areas harassing people." Jasmine looked toward Thad's gi pocket. "You stole their Pokemon?"

"More like holding onto it until they behave."

Jasmine hummed. "We can check it in the registry at the Pokemon center tomorrow. They can see if it's been stolen from another trainer or anybody else that's been wronged."

"And if it's not been stolen? Just some jerk's Pokemon?"

Jasmine shrugged. "I'd say let the Pokemon decide. Team Rocket is notorious for abuse. We can let them out in a non-threatening environment tomorrow."

"Sounds good, Jazzy." Thad gave Jasmine a cheeky thumbs up. "Speaking of safety," he turned toward the stage, spotting the woman in the red kimono, "ey, dancer chick, you doing alright?"

The woman hurried down from the stage, taking careful movements to not let her kimono drag on the ground or get twisted. Her eyes lit up as she looked at Jasmine. "Oh, you two had great timing! Those terrible men stayed after our last performance, and began to ask quite rude things of me."

"Why were you out here alone?" Jasmine asked in a soft, gentle tone. "Where are your sisters?"

"It was my turn to clean up, so they had gone out to dinner and were going to bring me back a meal." She gave a formal bow. "It warms my heart to know that a gym leader and their bodyguard managed to swoop in for a rescue. I'm Koume by the way."

A sexy and exotic name for quite the cutie. Thad furrowed his brow and rubbed his chin. Or is it just a normal name because I'm the exotic one? Hmmmm. She's still cute though so it doesn't matter.

"It's good to see you ain't rattled by some creeps. I'm Thad and this here is Jasmine," Thad pointed to himself then the shorter girl. He then pointed toward the entrance. "And back there is my main man, Chad, holding Jazzy's gear like an absolute unit."

"Macho!" Chad shouted back, raising his arms triumphantly.

"Exactly," Thad replied, giving his Pokemon a toothy grin. He returned his attention to the women before him and cleared his throat. "So, uh, no more performances tonight?"

Koume tilted her head to the side in a thoughtful manner, gently tapping his lips with her index finger. "Well… perhaps we can do a private showing for you two. We are technically closed, and I think I could persuade my sisters upon their return."

"A private dance you say?" Thad purred. "How could we say no?"

"Good." Koume's eyes were squinted and a hint of blush upon her cheeks as she looked Thad up and down. "I think we can arrange something amenable to both of you. If you'd excuse me."

Koume walked away toward a door near the stage, leaving Thad and Jasmine in the seated cushion area. Thad's gaze lingered on Koume's departing form, watching the sway of her hips as the door closed behind her. He perked up as he heard Jasmine clear her throat.

"Perhaps we shouldn't take advantage of their hospitality," Jasmine crossed her arms over her chest. "They're just probably trying to be polite. We don't need some kind of reward."

"I'd hate to be rude and turn down an offer," Thad countered. "Besides, isn't it good to learn about other cultures?"

"Well, yes, but," Jasmine huffed, and pinched the bridge of her nose. "We could just as easily do that in a library. Or better yet, we could visit Morty at the gym!"

Thad nodded along, though a coy smile remained on his chiseled face. "I'm more of a… visual learner, Jazzy."

Before Jasmine could respond, the doors backstage opened and three kimono dancers filed out. Chad rushed up to Thad; excited chirps emanating from the superpower Pokemon. Thad gave the Machop a back pat and watched the women spread out across the stage.

The dancers wore matching kimonos, though with a variance in the color as Thad identified Koume in the center of the group garbed in red and orange, while two similar-looking women wore their own outfits; one a blue mix and the other a yellow and gold. All their hair was done up in a tight bun, and the hem of their kimonos revealed no shoes on any of their feet.

"Hello there, patrons," Koume's silky voice filled the room, "we've something quite unique to show you tonight. It's a dance that dates back to the people who would hail Lugia to bring them rain across Johto, and this is what it looks like." She gave a nod to her fellow dancers, and they began to move.

Thad and Chad took up seats in the second row, watching with rapt attention. The dancers twisted and turned, and plucked large paper fans from their brightly colored obi. They began to twirl the fans around in their hands, the water-colored pictures and shapes changing as they opened and closed.

Jasmine stood beside Thad, her posture rigid and tight. She really needs to lighten up. We did a good thing! Thad patted a seated cushion beside him, nodding for her to saddle up next to him.

"I'm fine, thank y-ah!" Jasmine yelped as Thad poked her in the thigh, causing her to tumble onto the cushion. Faint giggles could be heard from the dancers, though they didn't slow in their performance. Jasmine hastily propped herself up, brushing her hair out of her face. "Really? You know I'm sore."

"Exactly. So pop a squat next to me, give those noodly legs of yours a break, and enjoy the show!"

Jasmine rolled her tongue around in her mouth as if trying to find the strength to frown, but couldn't. "Alright. You win."

Thad pulled Chad and Jasmine toward him in a big side hug. "That's better! And after this, we can go check out the gym. Probably enter tomorrow when they're open."

"Actually, they should be open," Jasmine said. "Morty runs a late shift."

"A twenty-four-hour fitness?" Thad's eyes widened. "I'm really starting to like this town."

"Well, actually-"

"Shhh," Thad whispered, putting a finger to his lips. "Let's just watch the show. I'd hate to miss a hip movement that could, uh, lessen my understanding of the local culture."

Jasmine's lips became a thin line, and she leaned against Thad's warm and exposed torso. She dared not call it comfortable, though she smiled anyway. "Very well," she whispered. "Just answer this though. How do you feel about ghosts?"

Thad chuckled and rolled his eyes. "Pssh, ghosts aren't real."

8

Thad stretched his arms out, exhaling loudly as he strutted down the main street of Ecruteak City. The cool evening air brushed against his bare chest, and Jasmine trailed behind him with a rejuvenated glow about her, despite the slight frown upon her face.

"That...was some dance school, eh Jazzy?"

"I can't believe you had them give us foot and back massages," Jasmine murmured, crossing her arms. "It's not becoming of a Gym Leader to prey upon others' generosity. You should think the same. They'd already performed for us that wonderful dance."

Thad chuckled and turned back, giving Jasmine a lopsided grin. "But, they offered to do it! I figured it would be rude to decline."

"I think they were just trying to be friendly," Jasmine rebutted. She lowered her voice and turned her head. "That, or they were too busy drooling…"

"What?"

"Nothing!" Jasmine hastily replied. "Uh, the gym is right up ahead. You thinking about challenging a trainer before the night is over?"

"Yup. The bossman himself."

"That's...not how it usually works," Jasmine timidly said. "You generally have to test yourself against the gym's trainers before the Leader accepts your challenge."

Thad shook his head and waved Jasmine off. "I'm not gonna waste my time with his lackeys. I want the whole enchilada, ya know?"

"No, I don't know." Jasmine clenched her jaw as Thad swung open the gym door, posturing in the doorway with his hands triumphantly placed on his hips. "Will you at least consider it? I know how you like practice!"

"That's cute, as I know what you're doing," Thad said, tapping the side of his head. "Nah, we just gonna swagger up into this place like we own the joint."

Thad ducked through the threshold and Jasmine followed, nearly falling over as he stood in the door frame, humming in a low tone. She staggered back, trying to peek past his shoulder blades at the rest of the gym. Jasmine squeezed past the muscled hunk and the doorframe, popping out beside him. His eyes were in a focused squint at the large swath of black that covered most of the dimly lit gym.

"Jasmine."

"Yes, Thad?"

Thad pointed at the three folks standing in the void-like area. "You didn't tell me this gym had an ice rink." He turned toward Jasmine with a grin. "You should have told me sooner. I shred on the ice."

"Actually, I believe Morty described it as a tether of spiritual energy to create a challenge for trainers and to test his own trainers," Jasmine added. She tapped her lip with a finger and tilted her head. "Granted, it's been a while since I've visited and I don't remember the path. With some trial and error, I think we can reach Morty at the end while getting some practice battles in."

"Or," Thad rolled his shoulders and spread his legs apart slightly, forming a solid base. He scooped up Jasmine in his arms and placed her on his shoulder in a fireman's carry. "I was all-state in the triple jump. We don't need to know where the platforms are."

"Thad, please put me down," Jasmine's voice was high-pitched and panicked as she struggled against his ironclad grip. "You can't make a jump that far!"

"Nah, but those dudes out there are on something solid. Just gotta jump from dude to dude."

Jasmine wriggled more to no effect in Thad's grasp. "Please, please don't—"

"YEET!"

He dashed toward the large swath of darkness with the grace of an antelope. His body coiled like a snake as he reached the edge, and then burst out with a tremendous leap. Jasmine's wails and Thad's boisterous laughter mixed into a cacophony of garbled noise as he bounced from platform to platform, nearly flattening each of the trainers standing in the ominous field. The last monk observing the soaring jock had the foresight to step aside and let Thad finish his feat of athletic prowess.

Thad landed firmly on the other edge, locking eyes with the bewildered, dark-haired Gym Leader. He let Jasmine fall to the floor, inhaling sharply from the sudden change in velocity. Her arms and legs shook as she clung to the solid surface, while Thad merely set into a lunge.

"See, Jazzy? When you combine brains and brawn like mine, it's just not even fair. Haha!" Thad triumphantly placed his hands on his hips and locked eyes with the scarfed Gym Leader who stood across the platform with a pensive look upon his face. "Yo, bro, sweet obstacle course!"

"That's Morty, he's the Gym Leader here," Jasmine wheezed out. "Just… give me a moment."

Thad patted Jasmine on the shoulder, accidentally knocking her back down to her stomach from her hands and knees. "It ain't no thing, Jasmine. I've got this." Thad tilted his chin upward and looked at the opposing Gym Leader up and down. "Ey! We gonna do this thing or what?"

"Excuse me?" Morty replied. His voice was soft and quiet, and his eyes instantly gravitated toward Jasmine. "Are you alright, Jasmine? It's been a first that someone has completed my little gym puzzle with such… interesting tactics."

"I'm fine," Jasmine said, her voice more clear and controlled. She scrambled to her feet and straightened her summer dress, then extended a hand to shake Morty's own. "It's good to see you again."

The Ecruteak Gym Leader wore a black long-sleeve shirt with a purple scarf and headband, both with etchings of red highlights. Thad's eyes squinted at the white squiggly pin he had attached to his scarf, but Morty paid Thad little mind. The backdrop of his area was a small tennis court-sized arena filled with dirt and wood chips, though the lack of equipment did dampen Thad's spirits.

"So, bossman of the totally-not-an-ice-rink gym," Thad said, stepping forward offering his hand for a handshake. Morty took it, though winced as Thad snatched it up in his vice-grip, gave it two solid shakes, and then released. "Good to meet you, bro. So… what kind of gym is this?"

Morty raised an eyebrow and looked over to Jasmine. "You didn't tell your…—"

"Friend," Jasmine interjected. "I've been showing him the ropes on Pokemon care and battling as a favor to Chuck."

A ghost of a smile graced Morty's lips. "Not to mention getting to leave Olivine City for a bit."

Jasmine's gaze drifted toward the floor. "Well, that may have been a small part of it." She then quickly coughed into her fist and gestured to Thad. "This is Thad, my shirtless, uh, friend who's quite enthusiastic but pretty new to Pokemon. He heard there was a gym in town and was excited to see that you were still open. So, now that we've seen it we can—"

"I thought these were for battling, right?" Thad said, grabbing Chad's Pokeball from his belt. "Then if it's okay with the leader man, I'd like to burn off some steam and get a workout for my dudes in."

"We can do that," Morty said, shrugging. "It's pretty slow, and an exhibition would be pleasant." A faint gleam flared in the solemn Gym Leader's eyes. "Unless you're going for badges?"

Jasmine smiled and waved her hands. "Oh, that's awfully kind but I don't think—"

"Hell yeah, bro! Let's make it spicy!" Thad pumped his fist in the air and trotted off toward the battlefield, hooting, and hollering. "Let's go!"

Morty chuckled as he watched Thad get set up with his Machop, and pose with the fighting-type Pokemon. He leaned toward Jasmine and whispered, "so, does he know?"

"We left off on the difference between Ground and Rock types, so he's got no idea," Jasmine relented. "Honestly, he's picked it up fast but gets sidetracked very easily. Mostly by anything he can do a pull-up on."

"Should I go easy on him?" Morty asked.

Jasmine paused, steepling her fingers underneath her chin. "No. Go ahead and give him a challenge. Something tells me he would figure it out if you went easy, and I think he could use a good loss."

"Not so confident in your friend, are we?"

"Let's just say it's mild payback for making me do more squat thrusts than I could count. Or he could count for that matter."

Morty gave a brief salute and jogged off toward the opposite end of the field. Thad had Dwayne and Chad out of their Pokeballs, hyped up and chattering like a sports team going through their pregame preamble. Morty unlatched one Pokeball from his belt and rolled it around in his palm.

Jasmine walked up to the sidelines and sat down immediately, plopping her butt against the hardwood floor. It stung a little, but the momentary pain was well worth giving her legs a break.

"Thad, are you ready for a gym challenge?" Morty shouted, though his soft voice tempered the loudness down. "First I must ask, how many badges do you have?"

"Uh, one I think? One tic," Thad threw off his travel bag and dug through it for a moment, pulling out a small journal. "Yeah, looks like Chuck gave me his. So I got one."

"Wait, you beat Chuck in a Pokemon battle?" Jasmine's eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. "When were you going to tell me?"

"Well, you see," Thad laughed and nervously rubbed the back of his head, "I didn't really beat him in a Pokemon battle. More like I just wrestled him and his Poliwrath at once, and won. Plus, since I rep his gym he gave me the badge. So I earned it, but not by the way you go on about. Still works, right?"

"It's always up to a Gym Leader's discretion to how they give out the badge," Morty clarified, much to Jasmine's relief. "I've done it for aiding in natural disasters to trainers as much as defeating me."

"Well, there we go. Now, we gonna get this on?" Thad said; a toothy grin on his face. "My boys are hungry for a scrap."

Morty held up his Pokeball and nodded. "Of course. Send out your chosen participant and we can begin in earnest. Jasmine," Morty turned to the steel type leader, "care to referee?"

Jasmine nodded and gave a thumbs up to Morty. Thad gave his Machop a fist bump, and then Chad ran out near the center of the field. The spunky Machop raised its fist and sunk into a karate stance with its knees bent shoulder-width apart.

"Come on out, Gastly!" Morty shouted, tossing the ball into the air. A red stream erupted from it as it reached the peak of the toss, and a purple ball of gas with large eyes and a mouth with two canine fangs formed in the air as the Pokeball returned to Morty. "My specialty is Ghost types, Thad. Prepare yourself."

Thad squinted at the floating Pokemon and then back down to Chad. Then back up again. Jasmine tried her best not to giggle as she watched the gears in Thad's head go into overdrive.

"That's...a fart with eyeballs, bro," Thad pointed at the Gastly. "Uh, you said ghost dudes?"

"Yes, that is roughly what I said," Morty confirmed. "Though, I'd appreciate it if you didn't make derogatory comments toward my Gastly. They're a little self-conscious about their body image."

"Bet." Thad gave a curt nod and then refocused on Chad, who also appeared mesmerized by the floating Pokemon. "Well, uh, go ahead and give 'em the ole slap, I guess?"

"Chop!" Chad shouted back and charged at the Gastly. Morty gave no instructions as the Machop closed the distance, raising an open palm over its head. The Gastly looked unphased as well, almost confident as the Machop came within striking distance.

Then, as Chad swung his hand down, a faint pop boomed from the field as the Gastly was hurled backward from the Machop's strike; a small clear tag dropping from its trail of purple smoke.

Morty hummed in approval. "Dark-type moves on a Machop? Quite clever. I must admit that I didn't see that coming."

Thad turned to Jasmine, loudly whispering, "Psst. What's a Dark-type move?"

Morty gave Thad a blank stare while Jasmine buried her face in her hands. So either that was the wrong question...or I'm just way better than they thought, Thad quickly surmised. He smirked and pointed at Gastly. "Alright, do it again Chad! Take that floaty dude down!"

"Alright, Gastly. Use Hypnosis," Morty commanded. A faint blue aura surrounded the Gastly, and then the air rippled a bit as the Machop closed in, but he dramatically slowed and then fell on his face, sound asleep.

Thad's jaw dropped. "What. They can do that?" He turned to Jasmine. "Is that like a foul or something?"

"Yes. Status afflictions are a legal move type and sound strategy," Jasmine replied. "Sorry for not explaining that earlier, but you got hung up on that theory—"

"Gastly, use Dream Eater," Morty softly commanded. A swirl of purple energy engulfed the Machop, and then ripped away from the snoozing Pokemon and filled into the Gastly. "Psychic-type moves are a staple against Fighting-types, though they are a niche pick against my gym at times, especially considering trainers coming from Goldenrod."

"I didn't need the history lesson, bro," Thad replied in an irritated tone. "I literally didn't know that putting dudes to sleep was a legal fight move. Seems kinda wack if you ask me." He looked at the snoozing Machop, his chest rising and falling very shallowly along with some twitching, and grumbled under his breath. Thad took out Chad's Pokeball and recalled him. "Fine then. I'll have Dwayne give it a swing."

The Geodude hopped into the field, locking eyes with the Gastly. The two Pokemon exchanged little quips as Thad analyzed the field of play and the relaxed-looking trainer.

"Alright, throw some stones, my dude!"

"Gastly, dodge, and then go Hypnosis!"

"Dwayne, close your eyes and throw more turf!"

The Geodude quickly began to uproot the dirt floor of the gym, quickly balling up the matter into dense stones and hurling them across the arena at the Gastly. The ghost type used its full mobility to weave in between the buckshot of rocks. Once the hail of rocks cleared, the Gastly paused and looked around fervently for the now missing Geodude.

"Gastly, on guard! The Geodude is—"

Thad smirked as the Geodude erupted from the ground below Gastly. "Right on time, bro!"

Unfortunately, the fanfare was short-lived as the Gastly merely drifted upward out of the Geodude's range, avoiding the ground attack altogether. Thad pinched the bridge of his nose as the Gastly and Morty took advantage of the opening with the Hypnosis/Dream Eater combo, managing to lull the Geodude into a soft slumber.

"Geodude is unable to battle!" Jasmine shouted, and then extended her arm gesture toward Morty. "The victor is Morty and his Gastly!"

"Well, that was something," Thad grumbled, recalling Dwayne to its Pokeball. "But...I gotta be a good sport. And find a damn rulebook," he whispered under his breath as he walked to the center of the slightly disheveled arena to meet Morty.

Morty extended his hand out again for a handshake, offering a sheepish smile. "You gave an honest effort, and I can respect that. I just think you need more time acclimating to how Pokemon battles really work, as well as type and ability knowledge. You have talent in this."

Thad gripped the hand of the Gym Leader, giving him a tight squeeze. "Aye, I get it. I thought you were cheatin' for a hot second. I guess I do have more to learn…"

"Please return whenever you're ready for another challenge," Morty insisted, smiling. "Again, I do believe with more practice, you could be quite formidable."

"Gotcha, bro." Thad nodded. His voice had lost the fire from earlier and his eyes appeared dulled as he walked toward Jasmine, helping her up. "Let's get some sleep, eh? I think it's been a long day."

"We're not going to do that evening routine that you—"

"Not tonight, Jazzy. Just some meditation," Thad said in a tired tone. "I let my bros down, and that's on me. Gotta do some reflecting. That's all."

"Oh, okay. Then to the Pokemon Center?" Jasmine asked in a cheery tone. She smiled up at the buff trainer, though his face was neutral, his eyes were wandering and his mind clearly elsewhere.

As the duo made their exit from the Ecruteak gym, Thad coughed and lowered his voice. "Hey, Jasmine?"

"Yes?" She immediately replied, excited to hear him talk rather than him merely stew in his own thoughts. "What's on your mind?"

"If ghosts are real, what else have you been holding out on me?" Thad whispered.

"Excuse me?"

They stepped into the street, only the lanterns from nearby houses illuminating the night. "Like, are dragons a thing? And other fantasy stuff?"

"Yes, dragon-type is another type we haven't gotten to yet, but—"

Thad placed a finger on Jasmine's lips, silencing her. He leaned in; a quizzical look upon his face. "So you were waiting on telling me about all the cool Pokemans? Instead, ya had to talk to me for hours about why some corn has legs and others don't?" He reeled back as if he'd been struck in the gut. "Bruh."

"I...think this is a tomorrow conversation, yeah?" Jasmine offered; her haggard voice matching her exhausted movement. "Is that good with you?"

Thad let out a puff of air, observing the frosty breath for a moment. "Yeah, that's fair. Let's hit the hay and come up swinging tomorrow."

Jasmine groggily came to the sounds of Pokemon chatter and Thad's booming voice in the far corner of the room. Her eyes were blurry as she turned her head, trying to look at what the jock had gotten a jump start on. Her hand settled on her PokeNav she left on the bedside table, and after a few blinks, she read the time.

5:48.

"Why is he up," Jasmine groaned, pulling the covers over her head. "Why."

Another round of chatter and high fives erupted from Thad's posse, and Jasmine tossed the covers off. There would be no rest when Thad had a plan it seemed.

"Ey, look everyone, Jasmine's awake!" Thad said, waving to her.

His outfit had changed slightly since they had gone to bed: he now wore a red and white headband along with his generic white gi pants. Chad and Dwayne also had matching headbands.

On the far wall of their rental room, he had placed up a large butcher paper covered in indescribable markings with various colors. Jasmine's morning daze quickly evaporated as she squinted her eyes at the large makeshift poster.

"Okay...what did you do? Also, it's not even 6," Jasmine stated, swinging her legs to the side of the bed. She'd slept in her clothes from the other day much like Thad had; Pokemon Centers were a treasure trove of resources for passing by trainers from rooms, to showers, and other Pokemon accommodations, considering one was registered within the region.

Thad's eyes lit up and he clapped his hands together. "Nice to see you up. You looked tired, so I let you sleep in, which is when I decided that—"

"You let me sleep in?" Jasmine's voice dripped with an incredulous lilt. "You can't be serious."

"Oh, yes actually, and you're welcome by the way," Thad said matter-of-factly. "Did you know the PokeMart sells big paper? And charts? Cause I didn't until about an hour ago."

Jasmine squinted her eyes and nodded along. "So you made...a chart on Pokemon types and advantages, if I can read your handwriting correctly."

"Exactly!" Thad pointed at Jasmine as if to exemplify his motif. "You see, any sport is two-fold: execution and planning. I got the goods to execute but I didn't have a plan, cause I didn't have all the information! But it gets better," Thad rushed over to the large butcher paper and flipped it over with the help of Chad. The other side of the paper was completely covered in diagrams and silly figurines. "You see Jazzy, I wasn't a student of the game. And if Madden taught me anything, it's that my head needs to be in it."

"So you're feeling better?"

"Oh yeah. Like after any loss, I woke up in the middle of the night, gave myself one walk in the moonlight to reflect upon my failures," Thad made a popping sound with his mouth, "and then it's back to the grind, baby."

"Wow. You are resilient, I'll give you that," Jasmine said, now fully awake. She looked closely at the headbands he and his pokemon were wearing. "You said you went to the Pokemart. Did you get anything else?"

"Oh!" Thad snapped his fingers and rushed over to his travel bag. He began digging through the bag until he pulled out a small spritzer-type object, and tossed it to Jasmine. "You gotta try that spray body oil. My skin feels smooth as silk. The dude at the market said it works great on healing Pokemon too! "

Jasmine narrowed her eyes on the pinkish canister. A swear nearly slipped past her lips as she looked up at the excited jock. "You used… a hyper potion as body oil?!"

"Sick branding, right?" Thad chuckled, giving Chad a fist bump. "My crew and I are looking mighty slick. You should try some."

Jasmine dropped the depleted potion and leaned back against her bed. She looked to Thad's bed; already cleaned up and perfectly folded like nobody had slept there. She wondered if he had even slept, let alone if this was how he coped.

"Are you okay?" Jasmine asked. She began to twiddle her thumbs and looked toward the ground. "I know we don't know each other that well yet, but I want to make sure that I didn't cause you too much stress. I know I could have warned you better, but tell me if—eeep!"

Thad had slid up to Jasmine, down on one knee, and a finger to her lips. His smile was like a sunrise as it warmed her heart and his sparkling eyes bore into the depths of her soul.

"Jazzy," his smooth, sultry voice filled her eardrums, "I know not everyone can handle me all the time. I got a lot of energy. I like to show off. But can I be real with you?" Jasmine nodded, feeling locked in place but not panicked. She could smell the mix of floral hyper potion mixed with oaken aftershave as stared up at her. He rested a hand on her thigh and sighed. "I'm just a dude that's got no clue what is going on like most of the time, and I can flex like a straight-up champ. I know shit was wack last night with that fight and then the gym battle, but lemme know when I need to tone it down for you, alright? We gonna be on this road for a bit, and I wanna make sure it's rocking for the both of us. Ya know?"

"I...think that sounds good," Jasmine softly replied. "So what are—"

Thad yanked Jasmine up into a great big bear hug. "Alright, bring it in!" Thad's head looked over to his Pokemon, and he gave them a side nod. "Bring it in my dudes, it's a group hug!"

"No that's really not—"

Jasmine groaned as she felt the Geodude and Machop dogpile onto the hug, squeezing the already airtight hug. She felt her ribs momentarily whine for release, and then her wish was granted as Thad and his crew gave her some space to breathe.

"Alright my dudes, we got a five-minute water break and then we going out in the field to practice some of our moves! Especially the one."

Chad and Dwayne hopped up onto Thad's bed and sprawled out; at least the Machop did and the Geodude rolled onto his back. Thad gave his two Pokemon a thumbs up and looked back to Jasmine.

"So, are you going to be ready in a bit? Was going to crack that mystery ball I snagged last night. Talked to the nurse downstairs earlier, and she said it wasn't registered."

"I can be ready." Jasmine instinctively ran her hands through her bedraggled bed head. "Just let me change and then I can be right there with you. Pokemon from Team Rocket can be volatile to change."

Thad flashed her a toothy grin. "Nice! Also, I took the liberty of getting us a bunch of calcium, protein, zinc, and iron. Gotta have those supplements!" Thad double-take toward his Pokemon, and then leaned toward Jasmine's ear. "Also, there's this stuff called HP Up and PP up. Is that like, legal? Also, does it work? Asking for a friend."

"It's primarily for Pokemon, like extending their memory for move usage and bolstering their health," Jasmine confirmed. "What did you think it was?"

"Nothing," Thad replied a bit too quickly, earning a small glare from the short brunette. "Anyways, see you changed in five?"

Jasmine grabbed her travel bag and skipped toward the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. She looked in the mirror; dark circles dominated underneath her eyes and a thin line of sweat had collected on the collar of her grey summer dress.

"Can't believe I look like such a mess. He's gotten me running ragged," Jasmine mumbled to herself. Despite how her muscles felt depleted and her mind was exhausted, a small smile had fought its way onto her face. She looked up at the mirror and smiled at the tired girl who looked back at her. "But this is an adventure. My adventure. I finally got one after all this time being cooped up in the gym. I'm going to get him to Bruno. We're going to prevail."

A small crash echoed out from the rental room.

Jasmine whirled away from the mirror and shouted, "Everything okay?"

"Fine! Just trying to do curls with Dwayne!" Thad replied, his voice tense. "Just a few more...reps!"

Jasmine giggled and rolled her eyes. "And it looks like I'll never be bored with him around either."

9

Thad stood in the middle of a clearing on Route 37: a forested path dotted with Apricorn trees, large swathes of grass, and a few several colorful flowers that hugged the treeline. The midmorning air was crisp and faintly sweet, filling Thad's nostrils and reminding him of the sugar he'd swore off long ago to achieve peak form.

"So, is this clear enough?" Thad asked, holding up the mystery Pokeball. "We just let 'em loose, right?"

"Not yet!" Jasmine yelped, putting her hands up as Thad reeled back like a pitcher. He paused and gave an innocent look toward the Gym Leader. "Allow me to assist. We have no idea what will come out of there."

Jasmine reached into the bag being carried by Chad, the dutiful Machop who had taken to doing lunges and squats when they'd pause on their journey. Thad's infectious energy was working its magic on the Superpower Pokemon, whose dreams mirrored his trainers: big muscles and notoriety. Jasmine quickly retrieved one of her Pokeballs and opened it up, releasing one of her prized Pokemon.

Thad relaxed his stance as he watched the magnet triad Pokemon take form before him. It buzzed and bobbed in the air, nudging toward Jasmine. In the center of its spherical body, he noticed little black dots dart around like eyeballs watching.

"This is my Magneton, Sparks," Jasmine said, gesturing to her partner that buzzed in kind. "They've been with me for quite a few years, and I trust them to help if things get messy with the Pokemon in that ball."

"What about the giant metal snake thing?" Thad asked, pointing at the bag. "Wouldn't that be helpful too?"

"Well, yes but no."Jasmine sighed and pressed her lips together, considering her next words carefully. "It comes down to licensing levels with handling certain Pokemon. While I may be a Gym Leader and authorized to capture and hold many restricted Pokemon, it's still not the wisest thing. There's a reason why I don't let my Steelix or Metagross out often."

"Ahuh. Still, if there's some chonky boy inside this lil' ball," Thad held up the Great Ball for emphasis, "I'd rather not be cooked, ya know?"

"Very well." Jasmine retrieved another Pokeball from her pack and released another creature: a bird with a slick silver coat with red-colored wings that neatly folded upon each other. "Meet, Ceris, my Skarmory. She'll be able to watch overhead if the Pokemon bolts."

Thad eyed the metallic bird as it soared into the sky after giving Jasmine a small squawk of compliance. "Ahuh...you didn't tell me you had a bird made of literal knives. That's metal as hell, Jazzy."

"Well, it's just the metallic coat, but a Skarmory's feathers aren't serrated," Jasmine clarified, her voice proud and steady. Thad nodded and took a seat on the ground, biting the side of his mouth. "A misconception about many Steel-types is their rough exterior, but that simply isn't true in every case. While you might have to scrub with extra tough bristles, you really can't go wrong with—are you listening, Thad?"

Thad rubbed his hands over the dirt, wiping away the design he'd been crafting with his finger. "Huh? Totally. Knife bird cuts like butter. Or something like that." Thad hopped up to his feet and brushed the dirt off his gi pants. "Sorry, when you go full teacher mode, I'm kinda hardwired to zone out. If it ain't gains, it's hard for me to focus."

Jasmine blinked and huffed. "Alright, well you can use its discarded metallic feathers to make hooks for climbing due to their lightweight composition, strength, and—" Thad's head perked up at the tidbit of information as Magneton buzzed and nudged into Jasmine. "Right. Thanks, Sparks. Thad, it looks like Ceris is in position now. Go ahead and open up the Great Ball."

"Now you're speaking my language. I'm all about that action, so let's go!" Thad tossed up the Great Ball, and then took a step back and assumed a wide stance with his hands up as a beam struck down before him and began to take form. His grin widened as the form seemed to hardly come up to his ribs. "Ahh, it looks to be a little dude. Easy."

"Wait, Thad. That's a—"

A horrible screech rang through the air, forcing Jasmine and Thad to cover their ears. As the sound dissipated, Thad watched a black blur zip past him. He sidestepped as quickly as possible, but something sharp had clipped the back of his legs, narrowly missing his thighs but creating a clean slice across his pants.

The quick Pokemon had raced up into a nearby apricot tree; little claw indentations from how it scampered up into the lush tree. High-pitched hisses emanated from the shrouded branches of the tree.

Thad ripped off the tattered bits of his gi pants. "Quick little dude, right Jazzy? Straight up gave me booty shorts! Haha!"

"Focus!" Jasmine called out, pointing at the tree. "I think they're scared and freaked out. You need to appear non-threatening."

"Right. Non-threatening. Got it." Thad unslung his travel bag and dug out a blue-colored poffin. He crept up to the tree where he saw small, red beady eyes glare down upon him, and he lifted up the fluffy protein-packed treat. "You want some protein?"

"Sneee!"

Jasmine winced as the Pokemon screeched once more, but Thad didn't even flinch despite being at point-blank range. Instead, his chest swelled as he inhaled sharply.

"Thaaaaad!" Thad screeched back at the Pokemon, his booming voice rustling some of the leaves.

Jasmine's jaw dropped. She'd told him to be non-threatening to the scared Pokemon, not scream back at it! Dumbfounded, she licked her lips and tried to formulate a backup plan quickly for Thad's rash decision-making. Yet, the clawed Pokemon scampered down the tree and snatched the poffin from Thad's hands, and began gobbling it down.

Now in the sunshine, the Pokemon was barely three feet tall, dark blue skin, a small bunch of feathers jutting out from its behind, and a small red feather on the left side of its head. It held the little poffin in its long, white claws and munched with voracity and reckless abandon. Once it quickly gulped down the last bits, a few blue smudges on its cheeks, it held out its claws and made a small squeaking sound.

"How...did that work," Jasmine muttered. She began to approach Thad, but he held his hand up, warning her to not approach yet.

Thad pulled out another poffin and held it in between his thumb and middle finger in front of the creature. He had the creature's full attention and crouched down to eye level. "I'm the boss, you hear? You're fast as hell, lil' dude. And you like protein, so I can respect it."

Thad tossed the poffin to the small Pokemon once it nodded, and it began eating immediately, paying Thad no attention as it now had the poffin. Thad reached over and gave the Pokemon a rough head scratch, managing to get a chitter of excitement from the critter.

"Alright, I think it's good now," Thad said, looking over his shoulder. He gave a thumbs up and waved Jasmine over. "Little dude was just hungry and scared."

"But the shout?!"

"Oh. Yeah, well I had to prove that I'm the alpha, you know?" Thad looked to Chad for confirmation, and the Machop gave a nod and shrug. "See? He gets it."

Jasmine put two fingers in her mouth and let out a sharp whistle. Ceris, the Skarmory, came soaring down from the sky after a moment, and Jasmine recalled her companion into its Pokeball. She kept her Magneton out as she tentatively approached alongside Chad, the unofficial bag caddy.

"So, you're going to keep the Sneasel?" Jasmine asked, raising an eyebrow. "They're known to be quite mischievous and a handful, plus we don't know how much she has been through."

"She?" Thad mimicked in confusion. He glanced back at the Sneasel and narrowed his eyes as he looked at the Pokemon's smooth body. "Uh, Jazzy, I'm no biology expert and I've been meaning to ask… but they've got no cajones."

"What?"

Thad held out his palm as if he were holding a ball. "Ya know, cajones. Jimmies. Nuts and bolts. The works. Peashooter. Dingle dong." He quickly glanced at the preoccupied Pokemon. "Ya know. The mating goods."

Jasmine's lips formed a thin line and her face became ghost white. "Ah, that. Well, Pokemon all lay eggs. They generally keep their genitals...uh, receded almost all the time around anyone."

"So we can eat eggs?" Thad glanced at the Sneasel who was nearly done nibbling on the poffin. "Is that allowed? Cause that would be a rad amount of protein."

"Well...it depends on the Pokemon?" Jasmine replied, her eyes wandering around the field. Thad gave her a blank stare and made a rolling gesture with his hand. "It depends on the Pokemon, okay? I'm a pescatarian, so I don't really eat Pokemon eggs. Mostly fruits and vegetables, and Magikarp and Feebas fillets."

"Fish is practically a vegetable, Jazzy. We need to get you some red meat to help you build that core strength," Thad said, shaking his head. "Do people eat those round cows?"

"Miltanks? O-occasionally, why?" Thad smiled and Jasmine immediately frowned, knowing what the meathead was pondering. "No, we're not going back to the farm to eat a Miltank."

"Fine, fine." Thad rested his thumb under his chin and looked at the Sneasel. It had finished its second poffin and was now watching Thad and Jasmine with rapt attention, its eyes slightly squinted. "Alright lil dude, you want to join Team Beefcake? More protein and daily workouts if ya do. I'm sure you'll like my cardio routine." He held out his fist. "Bump it and we seal the deal, bro-er, girl."

The Sneasel tilted its head. "Sneesh?" It glanced at its long talon-like claws, retracted them in a bit, and then gave Thad a gentle fist bump. "Snee?"

"Two things left," Thad stood up to his full height from the crouching position, "you need a name, and I need new pants."

"We can go back to Ecruteak and—"

"No," Thad said with finality. "I only want to return when I can challenge Morty again and show him the true potential of my Pokemon's muscles. What're our other options?"

Jasmine lightly tapped a foot on the ground and her Magneton buzzed excitedly near her. "Well, there's Goldenrod City to the South. The biggest city in all of Johto, where the department store would certainly have clothes," her face flushed a tint of red as she inspected Thad, "and I think it's time we got you a shirt."

"Sneahaha!" the Sneasel cackled, pointing at the torn-up pants with their sharp talons. "Snee!"

"Aren't you just a bundle of trouble—" Thad snapped his fingers. "I've got it. I'm a genius. Your name is Trouble. Can you dig it?"

Trouble jumped up in the air, grinning and swinging its claws around haphazardly. Thad pulled out the Great Ball and immediately recalled the Sneasel into its ball, to which it receded without any additional effort or shaking.

"Well, that's handled. Though, Trouble is going to be a terror to anybody that wears pants in the future." Thad rubbed the back of his neck and looked over to Chad. "You show 'em the ropes when we make camp, got it?"

Chad flexed his biceps and gave a salute. "Chop!"

"Thanks, bro. So," Thad turned to Jasmine, and gestured to the tall grass to the South. "Show us the way?"

Jasmine recalled her Magneton and deposited the Pokeball into her bag on Chad's back. She smiled and waved Thad to follow. "We can make it in a few hours if we hurry. Maybe in time for dinner."

"And...two-hundred."

"Geo!"

"Time for the other arm," Thad tossed Dwayne over to his left arm and began slowly doing bicep curls. "Damn, My veins be poppin'! How are you doing there rock man, lettin' it all hang?"

"Dude!" Dwayne barked out, a goofy smile carved upon his face.

Thad nodded thoughtfully to the inspired response, giving his tensed right arm an appraising look. "Couldn't have said it better myself."

Thad continued on the forested path trailing behind Jasmine's lithe figure. Her flowy steel grey summer dress flapped in the wind. Her pace was quick and deliberate, as Thad's constant encouragement for 'marching speed' had been drilled into her since they left. Despite the burn in Jasmine's legs, it was preferable over another 'pep talk' from Thad.

After rounding the bend of thick trees chocked full of birds and other chittering pests, Thad raised an eyebrow as he noticed Jasmine had come to a stop up ahead. The path appeared to be blocked by a large brown tree.

"Problem, Jazzy?" Thad called out, cupping his free hand over his mouth. He didn't dare lose out on his Geodude infused bicep curls. It was a good workout for him and helped cultivate a strong grip for the Rock-type Pokemon.

Jasmine placed her hands on her hips and hummed in a low tone. "It's strange. There shouldn't be a tree here…"

Thad cocked an eyebrow and strutted forward. He deposited Dwayne into Jasmine's unexpecting arms, nearly knocking her over as she clutched the Geodude who gave her a polite 'geo' greeting. The muscular man in shredded booty shorts rolled his neck and cracked his knuckles as he approached the tree.

"Not the thickest trunk, and got some twiggy branches." Thad thumbed under his chin and tilted his head, observing the barrier. "Don't worry, I'll have this taken care of before you can say 'what, but how?'."

Thad clasped his hands around the tree, interlocking his fingers. He pressed his chiseled chest against the cool bark and squatted down, and with a mighty grunt, he heaved the tree from the earth and suplexed the tree, hurling it over his head with a bit more force than intended as the tree sailed into the depth of the forest behind him.

"Sudo!" the tree cried out. Its panicked voice disappeared into a faint whisper as Jasmine, Chad, and Dyawne watched the assumed Pokemon disappear until it was a speck in the sky.

Jasmine blinked, her jaw wide open on the verge of collecting dust. "You... just uprooted a Sudowoodo… "

"I think you're looking for the words 'what, but how?'" Thad replied, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"What, but—"

"Cause of these, baby!" Thad quickly settled into a front double bicep pose, pulsing his pecs to bounce a bit. "Don't worry, because ain't nobody gonna keep us from our shopping spree. I'll suplex anyone or anything!"

"Macho!" Chad hollered, bouncing up and down. He clapped his hands together over his head with a great big grin on his face. Dwayne also rocked back and forth while in Jasmine's arms, celebrating his trainer's display of pure athleticism.

Jasmine looked back toward where the Sudowoodo would have landed in the distance. "Do you think the Pokemon is alright?"

Thad scratched the back of his head, stealing a glance at his Pokemon. They both gave him the equivalent of a shrug. "I mean...probably. The fake tree man felt pretty solid to me."

"It's a Sudowoo—never mind. They're rock types, so I'm sure the poor thing will be alright, but next time, give us some time to analyze the situation? This is a popular road, after all." Jasmine walked to Thad, handing Dwayne back to him. "Not everything can be solved with brute force, you know."

"I find that answer unconvincing." Thad's lips spread into a broad smile. Dwayne clambered onto his left forearm, and Thad once again began his curl set. "But, I get your point. Kinda. How about I ask before I toss something into orbit?"

It was Jasmine's turn to flash a coy smile. "So a 'Seismic Toss Clause' for our travels? I can agree with that. Just don't make me remind you, or else this'll be for naught."

Thad nodded sagely. "My mind is like a steel trap, girlie. What goes in doesn't come out." He paused, rubbing his chin. "Yeah...that sounds about right. So, to Goldenrod?"

A mischievous glint flitted across Jasmine's eyes as she stole a glance at Thad's sorry excuse for shorts. She covered her mouth, stifling a giggle. "Yes. I think the quicker we get some reasonable clothes for you, the less strange looks you'll draw. Plus, there's plenty to do in Goldenrod like visiting the radio tower, the gym, and the game corner. We'd even have the option to take the train to Kanto."

"Jazzy, people always will be admiring the bod," Thad gestured to his torso with his free hand, "but I could do some sick athletic wear. And more of the protein and calcium stuff that the Pokemart sells in jars."

"Wait, you went through all of that," Jasmine said in a raised voice. She began counting on her fingers and muttering under her breath. "But...that's—"

"Expensive. Look, I know, but if I'm going to make the best protein shakes around to keep me and my crew looking swole, then I need the best ingredients," Thad reasoned. "So, we gotta make some cash." He leaned in and whispered, "Is there like some kind of way Pokemon trainers make money or something? Even if it's a bit skeezy?"

"Oh, you mean like normal trainer bets? Sure, that's common practice," Jasmine said. "You just agree with the opposing trainer on the amount before the battle. Not everyone does it, of course, but it goes off the honor system in most cases, though sometimes people like witnesses."

"So we should battle everyone we come across for money?" Thad inhaled sharply through his nose, his eyes looking off into the distance as the gears in his mind churned. "Hmmm. Alright. I've got a plan. We're going to be swimming in protein by the time I get this rolling."

The corner of Jasmine's lips twitched. "Oh? Do share."

"Well, you said there is a Radio Tower right? And you're a Gym Leader, right?"

"Correct," Jasmine slowly said. "I still don't follow."

Thad blinked and then chuckled. "Is this what being smart feels like? Damn, I can feel my brain flexin' like—"

Jasmine coughed into her fist. "Get on with it, Thad."

"Right, right. So we do a little PR work and have the big spenders come to us!" Thad set Dwayne down, having reached two hundred reps. He rotated his shoulder, stretching out the joint a bit. "Was thinking of something fun, like 'Thad wrestles your Pokemon' or something sweet. Get a crowd and make some bank. Done deal."

"We probably couldn't do that in the street," Jasmine reasoned, her tone sounding mildly disapproving. "The only place I could think that could house an event like that would be the gym, and it would have to be taken up with Whitney. Do you really want to wrestle mystery Pokemon for money?"

"Hey, you saw me throw that tree dude. While my dudes might need more training, I like to lead by example, ya know?" Thad struck a pose, flexing his quads and abs. "This is the only bread I am interested in, and I gotta represent Chuck well for setting me on the path. Plus! We might get information on Bruno! I see this as an absolute win."

Jasmine sighed. "Okay, I can talk to the Radio Tower for a meeting. There's no guarantee, but they tend to favor Gym Leaders." Jasmine crossed her arms over her chest. "But while I'm doing that, you'll have to convince Whitney."

Thad hefted up Dwayne, holding the kettlebell with arms behind his head for tricep rows. "Easy. Consider it done."

"You don't even know Whitney. You're going in blind," Jasmine said, the lilt of her voice peaking upward. "But someone might know them well."

Thad closed his eyes and clicked his tongue. He began lifting the Geodude up and down, his triceps bulging. "Ah, you think I'm going in blind, but I actually have the element of surprise. You see, she's never met me." Thad gave Jasmine a toothy grin. "We've got a plan, Jazzy, let's not ruin it with details. I work better off script."

"If you insist." Jasmine winced and looked to Chad, who just seemed enthralled to be near the conversation. "You're going to keep an eye on him right? Make sure he doesn't make a fool of himself?"

"Chop chop!" Chad chirped, giving Jasmine a thumbs up. She returned a soft smile to the jovial Pokemon and sighed. Thad had turned his attention to Dwayne, focusing on his reps.

"Chop?"

"You're right," Jasmine replied. "It's a good plan. There's just a reason I never visit the Radio Tower or Goldenrod in general." She shivered for a moment. "Well, if Thad's confident, then I can be too. Right, Chad?"

Chad tapped his chest twice with a closed fist and gave Jasmine a slight nod, the Pokemon's eyes were ablaze with passion. She chewed on her lower lip for a moment, but swallowed hard and recomposed herself, and brought the Machop into a quick side hug.

"Thanks. I needed that."