As soon as I recognized the uniforms, I backed away from the door. Conner noticed the blazing orange uniform as well, and started slowly stepping back as the dust settled.

The person who had broken into the Gym was wearing a familiar, bright orange outfit with similar colored sunglasses. Standing proudly next to him was a Houndour.

Noticing Conner and I retreating, Chespin asked, "Do you recognize him?"

"Maybe, maybe not," I replied, never taking my eyes off the man.

"Gym Leader!" the man shouted, "I am from the all- powerful Team Flare! I order you to hand your Pokemon to me!"

"Make me!" Viola replied.

"That shouldn't be too terrible hard," the Team Flare member stated, "After all, as of the current situation, both your Pokemon and your opponent's Pokemon are too weak to battle."

Nick stepped in front of the grunt. "There are four people here," he replied, "Not all of us battled Viola. Right, Fennekin?"

Fennekin leapt to Nick's side. "No evil person is ever going to take me!" she yelled, "Not even one with horrible fashion sense!"

At that comment, the Houndour growled, "Did someone mock Team Flare?"

I raced up to stand next to Fennekin. "You bet she did," I shouted, "And you won't get me either! You're just a little puppy!"

The Houndour growled in anger as Conner walked up to stand with me. "Are you going to insult me as well?" he demanded.

"No," Conner answered, "I think that these two did a really good job of it already."

"CRAZY FIRE DOG!" Chespin yelled, coming to stand next to Conner, "YOU CAN NEVER BEAT CHESPIN THE GREAT!"

I rolled my eyes. That Pokemon had too big of an ego.

"Oh, no. You're not battling, Chespin," Morgan stated, picking Chespin up, "You just went through a big battle."

"But I wanna fight!" Chespin wailed, "I wanna give that over sized mutt a piece of my mind!"

"Gladly," the Houndour growled, stepping forward.

"If this is going to be a triple battle," the Team Flare grunt noted, "I'm sending out my other two Pokemon as well." He took two Pokeballs out of his pocket and tossed them into the air, releasing a Gulpin and a Croagunk.

"Fennekin, use Ember on Gulpin!" Nick ordered.

"Conner, use Ember on Croagunk, and Amanda, use Thunder Shock on Houndour!" Genevieve shouted.

"Glupin, counter with Poison Gas!" the Team Flare grant commanded.

Fennekin and Conner aimed small fireballs at Gulpin and Croagunk, and I readied a Thunder Shock. However, before any of us could launch our attacks, Gulpin opened its mouth, releasing a plum of gas that obsured our view and slowly spread towards us.

"Aim into the fog and try to disperse it!" Genevieve called. Conner and I shot our attacks into the smog, clearing small areas in the fog momentarily. Fennekin did the same.

"Croagunk, get in the smog and use Mud- Slap on the Fennekin, Gulpin, use Sludge on the Charmander, and Houndour, use Ember on the Pikachu!" the grunt ordered.

"Dodge!" Nick and Genevieve shouted at the same time.

When two balls of mud flew of of the gas, Fennekin nimbly danced out of the way. A stream of sludge headed for Conner, but he jumped to the side and avioded it. A fireball headed in my direction, and I chose to go against what Genevieve had ordered, countering it with a Thunder Shock, causing an miniature explosion that blew away the Poison Gas.

Nick glanced at Genevieve. "Does your Pikachu typically disobey your orders?" he questioned.

Genevieve shrugged. "Only when she sees a need to. Like just now, she saw that if she countered the Ember instead of simply dodging, the resulting explosion would blow away the smog hiding the Houndour, Gulpin, and Croagunk."

"That is a rather impressive Pikachu," the grunt noted, "I can't wait until it belongs to Team Flare."

"In your nightmares!" I shouted. To prove it, I Thunder Shocked the Houndour, catching him by surprise.

"She also has a bit of a temper," Genevieve added.

"Houndour, use Smog on Pikachu! Gulpin, use Poison Gas! Croagunk, use Poison Sting on the Fennekin and Charmander!"

"Fennekin, dodge it!" Nick ordered.

"Conner, dodge the attack and shoot an Ember into the air! Amanda, hit the Ember with a Thunder Shock!"

Fennekin leapt to the side and avoided the Poison Sting from Croagunk. Conner also invaded the Poison Sting and shot and Ember across the field. I waited for it to align with the Smog attack from Houndour before striking it with a Thunder Shock. The explosion blew away the Smog and Poison Gas.

The Team Flare grunt was now quite agitated. "Houndour, use Bite on the Pikachu! Gulpin, use Pound on the Fennekin! Croagunk, use Astonish on the Charmander!"

"Amanda, Thunder Shock! Conner, Ember!" Genevieve shouted.

"Fennekin, counter with Scratch!" Nick shouted.

Gulpin lunged at Fennekin and attempted to hit her with a pound attack, but she countered with Scratch. Croagunk headed towards Conner, and Conner readied and Ember. However, before Conner could shoot it, Croagunk appeared infront of him and made a scary face. Conner halted his Ember and flinched. Houndour raced at me, a dark aura encasing his fangs. I waited for him to get a bit closer, then used Thunder Shock, following it up with a Quick Attack.

"Gulpin, use Posion Gas! Houndour, hold the Pikachu down with Bite! Croagunk, use Mub Slap on the Charmander!"

Houndour used Bite while I was inclose rang using Quick Attack and pinned me to the ground. Croagunk threw two balls of mud at Conner, which splattered across his eyes. Gulpin used Poison Gas. Fennekin was to close to dodge and was immediately poisoned. She collapsed on the ground.

I called out as the smog moved closer to me, and started struggling in Houndour's grip. "Amanda, use Thunder Shock! Conner, Ember!" Genevieve shouted.

Conner wiped the mud out of his eyes and used Ember, but it missed and sailed across the field. I aimed a Thunder Shock at it and the explosion blew away the gas. I then used Thunder Shock on Houndour, causing him to release his grip on me.

Fennekin struggled to her feet and turned to face Gulpin, growling. Nick took a Pokeball off his belt and aimed it at Fennkin. Fennekin looked at him and barked. "I'm staying to fight! I'm not going to loose to a pile of sludge!"

I had only just met her, but I admired Fennekin for her determination. Let's just hope it wasn't her down fall. Nick, getting Fennekin's message, reluctantly put away her Pokeball.

"Houndour, use Smog on Pikachu!" the grunt called.

The Houndour complied, opening his youth and releasing a thick cloud of black smog. I was too close to react, and took the hit full on, whimpering as I was poisoned.

"Not to tough now, Pikachu?" the HOundour sneered.

I glared at him, struggling to my feet. "I'm still at least three times stronger than you," I growled.

"You sure talk big for someone who's poisoned," the Houndour noted.

"So what? What are you going to do?" I challenged, slamming him with a close- rang Quick Attack, before staggering back as the poison took effect.

The Houndour snorted, "You're one weird mouse."

Nick leaned over and whispered something into Genevieve's ear. Genevieve nodded and called, " Conner, use Smoke Screen! Amanda! Come over here!"

"Fennekin, here!" Nick shouted.

Conner exhaled a large black cloud, obscuring the field from the grunt's view. Fennekin and I raced over to our trainers, flinching on occasion when the poison sapped more of our health. Nick pulled out two yellow bottles and handed one to Genevieve before bending over and spraying the contents of the can over Fennekin. Genevieve did the same. I instantly felt better as the Antidote cleared the poison out of my system.

"Thanks!" I told Genevieve before rushing back out to battle.

Conner's Smoke Screen had worn off, and he was barely managing to keep all three of the Team Flare Pokemon in check. Letting out a cry, I jumped back into battle beside him, hitting Houndour with a Thunder Shock, following it up with a Quick Attack.

"Houndour, retaliate with Payback!" the grunt ordered.

A ring of energy appeared around Houndour and he howled as the ring flew at me with incredible force, throwing me across the field. I yelped as I slammed the ground. Payback does twice as much damage when the opponent strikes first. Lucky me.

I glanced over at Fennekin, who was attacking the Gulpin. Fennekin was panting from the prolonged battle. Conner looked the same way. However, when I examined our opponets, I noticed the same thing. I had to end this battle quickly.

I glanced a Genevieve, and I saw that she noticed the same thing. "Amanda, Conner, Ember Shock on Gulpin!" she exclaimed.

Both the Team Flare Grunt and Nick looked at Genevieve like she was insane, but Conner and I knew what she was talking about. I raced over to Conner as he used Ember and combined my Thunder Shock with it. The combined attack was too powerful for Gulpin, and he fainted after taking the hit. The grunt mummbled something under his breath before returning the fainted Pokemon.

"Conner, use Ember on Croagunk!" Genevieve shouted.

"Combine your Ember with his, Fennekin!" Nick commanded.

Both Conner and Fennekin shot fireballs at Croagunk, which combined to form an even larger fireball.

"Dodge the attack!" the grunt ordered.

The Croagunk moved out of the path of the giant fireball, but I slammed him with a Quick Attack, knocking him into the fireball. Croagunk fainted, and the grunt returned him, looking increasingly frustrated. I turned my attention to the last Pokemon, Houndour.

"You can always give up!" Genevieve yelled to the grunt.

"I haven't lost yet!" the grunt replied.

"Amanda, Thunder Shock! Conner, Scratch!" Genevieve shouted.

"Fennekin, Em-" Nick started, but Genevieve interrupted him.

"Don't use that move!" she stated. When Nick glanced at her in confusion, she explained, "Houndour can have the ability Flash Fire, which raises the power of their Fire- type moves when hit by one. Right, Amanda?" I nodded my head in agreement.

"Okay, then... use Scratch!" Nick called.

I Thunder Shocked Houndour, and Conner and Fennekin raced forward and Scratched him.

The grunted waited for a moment, then ordered, "Payback!"

Payback threw all three of us off Houndour, doing double damage in the process.

Genevieve thought for a moment, then commanded, "Amanda! Attract!"

I struck a cute pose and winked at Houndour. Hearts incircled him, and when they vanished, Houndour looked at me with a big, goofy smile. Typical.

"Fennekin, Scratch!" Nick shouted.

"Conner, use Scratch as well! Amanda, Thunder Shock, then Quick Attack!" Genevieve yelled.

I Thunder Shocked Houndour while Conner and Fennekin raced forward and used Scratched him. I followed up their attacks with a Quick Attack.

Houndour fell and didn't get back up. I looked over at Conner, Fennekin, Nick, and Genevieve. We had won.

The Team Flare Grunt glared at us as he returned Houndour. "This isn't over," he threatened, "I'll get your Pokemon, one way or another." With that, he pulled a small, purple orb out of his pocket. It was a Smoke Ball. He smashed it on the ground, creating a screen of smoke. When it disapated, the grunt had vanished.

Viola raced out the doors, hoping to catch the Team Flare Grunt. Genevieve turned to Morgan. "What did you think of that battle?" she questioned.

"Nice! Thanks for protecting my Pokemon," Morgan replied, setting Chespin on the ground.

"Well, had we not, that weird guy would have take our Pokemon as well, most likely." Nick noted.

Leaving them to their conversation, Chespin raced over to where Fennekin, Conner, and I had sat down, still worn out from the battle.

"That was an awesome battle," Chespin told us, "But not as awesome as mine."

"Oh yah? And who defeated three Pokemon? Us. Not you," Fennekin snorted.

"Why are you so mean?" Chespin pouted.

"Why are you so stuck- up?" Fennekin countered.

"Am not!" Chespin growled.

"Are to," Fennekin insisted.

"Are not."

"Are to."

"Are not."

"Are to."

"Are not."

"Are to."

"Are not."

"Are to."

"Are not."

"Are to."

"Are not."

"Are to."

"Are not."

"Are to."

"Are not."

"Are to."

"Are not."

"Are to."

"Be quite, both of you," I growled, "This was no laughing matter."

Both Fennekin and Chespin quited for a second, looking at me. "What do you mean?" Fennekin inquired.

I sighed and glanced at Conner. He nodded, and I stated, "I know the the grunt. Well, sort of. I know what he is, at least."

"A thief?" Chespin guessed.

I shook my head. "More than that. He was part of Team Flare, a group of bad people."

"Is everyone in that group badly dressed?" Fennekin asked, "'Cause I'm not sure I can handle seeing many more people dressed like that. Ick! Talk about last year's fashion!"

"How do you know this?" Chespin questioned.

I shrugged. "Seeing him must have jogged my memories or something," I replied, avoiding telling them the truth.

Fennekin was about to say something, but she stopped and turned her attention to something behind me. I turned around and spotted Viola coming in, clearly dissapointed. She must not have found the Team Flare Grunt that wreaked her Gym.

She walked over to where Genevieve, Morgan, and Nick were conversing. Conner, Chespin, Fennekin, and I moved closer to hear what she had to say.

"Thank you for defending my Gym," she told Genevieve and Nick. "However, due to the damage that theif caused, I'm afraid that the Gym will have to be closed for a while. That means that you won't beable to challenge it, Nick."

"That's fine," Nick sighed, "I'll come back and challenge it a little later."

"I'm going to go observe the damage. The Pokemon League is going to want a full report. The Pokemon Center will take care of your Pokemon." Viola stated, walking towards the back of the Gym.

Genevieve, Morgan, and NIck whispered a few things to eachother, before walking towards the exit with Chespin, Conner, Fennekin and I following.

--

~Author's Note

Another chapter done! What do you think? Team Flare has finially shown up.

I would have gotten it out earlier, but we have three weeks of school left, and between the exams, homework, and concerts, I haven't had as much time to write on Wattpad as I would like. So updates will be a little slow.

I feel like I was the only person who didn't know what Vocaloids were until a few weeks ago. Now I've listened to their songs for over seven hours straight now. I'm not obsessed.... hehe........

Oh, also, ZAPPED HAS REACHED 500 READS! I'M SO HAPPY! It's nice to think that people are reading this and actully liking it who aren't my parents.

So... THANK YOU! HAVE SOME COOKIES!

Also, what do you think of the new cover? I made it myself! I got the pictures used in it on Google, so they belong to their owners.

Please comment, vote, and keep reading!