Chapter Two: The Rematch
Two weeks passed since Jackson had challenged Valerie to another battle. He spent his time diligently training the newest member of his team when he wasn't at work. The first thing he did upon acquiring his new Pokemon was effort value train it via the super training method. The young man allowed the creature rest before they worked on leveling up, taking great care not to exhaust it.
As the final day of the second week elapsed, he made his way to the Gym, clutching the Premier Ball that contained his trained and rested Pokemon in his hand, as if he was in danger of losing it at any moment. He only held onto the Ball tighter as he went through the warp panels that activated a mild motion sickness. Teleporting from room to room, he had caught the smirks of furisode-cloaked girls he passed as he staggered dizzily towards the next panel. Judging by their expressions, he figured that they remembered him, and had prejudged the outcome of the upcoming rematch.
Upon entering the final room, he wavered on his feet and waited for the dizzy spell to dissipate.
"I… I'm here!"
A smile of recognition pulled at Valerie's lips upon the young man's arrival. She had wondered what was keeping him after the first few days, but figured he either had taken the time to train or something personal had come up. Dipping into a quick bow, she went into her standard introduction.
"If it isn't a young trainer. So, you've flown all the way through my Gym, fluttering down to me on a fortunate wind."
She didn't bother finishing, knowing he had heard her speech before.
"Eh… sorry it… took so long…" Jackson apologized as he stepped forth, the remnants of his lightheadedness fading. "I… was training… a new Pokemon… One that's NOT a… a dragon."
Tossing the Premier Ball up in the air, it cracked open and released a stream of red light that materialized into an Aron. The small Pokemon blinked up at his trainer and let out a happy cry, running up to him and taking the man's shoelace into his mouth playfully.
"A-Aron!" the man sputtered as embarrassment washed over him.
The woman giggled in delight at the small Pokemon's antics. She always loved watching Pokemon act so playful, whether it be with their trainer or other Pokemon.
"A Steel-type? You're not the only one who has tried that tactic."
"Aron! It's not time to play!" Jackson sighed, still reeling in the discomfiture, as Aron left his shoe alone and shifted his attention to Valerie. "Uh… I'm… sure I'm not… Let's… begin the battle, then."
"Are you sure this Pokemon is what you wish to battle with? He looks more ready to play than anything." She shook her head upon receiving a nod from the man and fished out one of her Poke' Balls. "Very well then. Come on out, Mawile!"
Hurling the Poke' Ball, the said Mawile was released.
"All right, Aron! Uh, let's do this! Iron Defense!" the young man commanded with belying currents of nervousness due to the presence of the Gym Leader.
Nodding in acknowledgement, the already highly defensive Pokemon's steel hide glowed with a metallic shine to sharply increase his defense.
"Go, Mawile. Light up the beautiful battlefield with Fire Fang!" Valerie instructed.
Mawile let out a cry, rushing to meet her opponent. Her wide jaws split open to attack, fangs engulfed in flames. Aron took the attack, his Rock typing canceling out the weakness to Fire. Due to his natural high defense and the increase from Iron Defense, he took little damage.
Jackson's shock from just learning the Mawile knew such an attack caused him to hesitate, and he was grateful he didn't choose a Steel type with a secondary typing that resisted Fire. Otherwise, he would've been in trouble.
"O-okay, Aron… Mud Slap!"
Yelling out his name, carrying it out on a lengthy note, Aron sent a wave of mud at Mawile. An expression of shock flickered over Valerie's visage, then quickly recalled Aron's secondary type. She mentally admonished herself for forgetting that it's other type was Rock, thinking that it was part Ground. But, it was part of the pressures that weighed down upon a trainer during battle.
As the Mud Slap not only did double damage, but partially obscured her Pokemon, and she called out to her.
"Go, precious! Use your Power-Up Punch!"
The Steel-and-Fairy type whirled around, her fist glowing as she swung it at Aron. Jackson clenched his fists as the attack delivered quadruple damage. Like a defensive champ, Aron hung on well and waited for directions.
"Aron, Iron Head!"
Releasing another cry, the small Pokemon charged ahead, crashing into his opponent's abdomen. Being Steel type herself, Mawile took the standard amount of damage, but tottered aback, stunned and her eyes spinning.
"All right!" Wide grin spawning upon his features, he threw his fist forward to order another attack. He wasn't going to give Mawile a chance to recover. "Hit her with another Mud Slap!"
Mawile cried out in protest as she received several globs of mud right in her eyes. At her trainer's command, she raised her arm to bring down a Brick Break, though she couldn't aim as she couldn't see. Lowering his rounded head, Aron charged forth, intending on using a second Iron Head.
Gasping lightly, Valerie waited until the Aron was in proximity before shouting out her next command.
"Mawile, to your left! Brick Break!"
Mawile shifted to the left, preparing to swing, but the Aron smashed into her and sent her flying into one of the walls with enough power to leave a sizable hole with spider web-like cracks spouting from the edges. Dropping to the floor and pulling herself up, she was subsequently struck with a Metal Claw, Aron's attack power rising one stage.
Valerie glowered, balling up her hands underneath her sleeves.
"Mawile, retaliate! Use your Iron Head, too!"
The Mawile dropped her true head, her large set of jaws gleaming and swinging out in a wide, wild, three-hundred sixty degree spin. Aron took it, their metal hides colliding with a loud CLANG. The built-up momentum sent the Steel-and-Rock type flying and rolling across the floor. Pushing himself up, he shook his head with a groan.
"Come on, Aron!" Jackson encouraged, his brows sinking as his amplified determination caused his nervousness to wilt. "One more Metal Claw!"
Emitting a high-pitched roar, Aron galloped towards Mawile and raked his paw across her chest, the other creature exhuming a pained cry-that last finger flick to the forehead being the straw that broke the Camerupt's back. Stumbling, Mawile collapsed on the floor in a defeated heap.
"Yeeeaaah! Good job, Aron!" Jackson praised his victorious Pokemon, then shot Valerie a smirk with newfound confidence now that her most physically defensive Pokemon was down.
Valerie stood there as she processed what just happened. Raising a covered hand to her chin, her befuddlement formed into a smile.
"My… That was… quite the exhilarating battle." Her smile faltered only the tiniest of degrees. "Hmm. Congratulations."
The young man's smile stretched wider.
"Th… thank you… Go ahead and… send out the next."
At this, Valerie's smile completely faltered, but her expression retained pleasantness.
"Oh. Well, I'm afraid that's not quite possible. You see, I assumed you still planned on using one Pokemon…"
Jackson paused, his own smile fading. True, he did plan on using one Pokemon, mostly to impress her, but now he got the feeling that wouldn't be happening.
"Y… yeah."
"I only prepared one Pokemon for battle," she informed.
"Uh… Ooooh. All right." The man's grin returned, his eyes twinkling. "So, we win!"
Releasing a euphoric cheer, he hefted up his one-hundred thirty-two pound Pokemon in his strong arms. Holding Aron in an embrace, he turned his gaze back to Valerie, his nervousness returning with full force.
"So, uh… about… that… date?"
Valerie giggled lightly, holding up Mawile's Poke' Ball to recall it.
"You didn't have to challenge me to ask me out, my young trainer."
Jackson set Aron back on the floor, the small Pokemon nuzzling the man's leg.
"Uh… yeah. You… did say that before… Will… you… go on a date?"
The woman nodded once. This man obviously worked hard for this win and he seemed nice enough. Therefore, she saw no reason not to allow him a date with her.
"Of course I will."
A wide berth plastered itself on Jackson's face, his eyes lighting up as he was filled to the brim with bliss.
"Awesome! How… does dinner sound?"
"Dinner sounds fine," she replied, internally amused by his obvious exhilaration. She was rewarded with another comical display of enthusiasm as she witnessed the man leap once.
"When do you get off?" he questioned, his anticipation palpable.
"The Gym remains open until six this evening. I'll be done taking challengers by then."
"A-all right, I'll… pick you up then!" He dropped his vision to Aron. "C'mon, Aron. You definitely deserve a reward for your effort!"
Receiving a pleased utterance from his Pokemon, Jackson took one last look at Valerie before turning to leave, promptly tripping thanks to the loose shoelace.