Chapter Four: Conflicting Moralities

Roleplay night… So, this young man played some sort of roleplay? That certainly was unexpected, Valerie thought to herself as she focused an intrigued stare at Jackson.

"Roleplay night?" she ventured, a light smile playing at her lips.

Jackson chuckled nervously. He was sorely tempted to retreat behind the menu again, but he left it flat on the table.

"Some… friends and I… gather… at my place to… play some roleplay games."

The young woman crossed her arms in front of her and leaned in with augmented curiosity.

"Indeed? Tell me more."

Jackson's starch tension lessened, relieved she didn't react negatively or give any implication that she thought of him as a nerd. As far from it as he appeared.

"It's really fun… We drink, snack… joke around… It gets pretty crazy."

"What all do you roleplay? I've done some things like that, to an extent," she informed him. "I often pretend that I'm a Pokemon myself-I wish I could be a Pokemon."

At this response, Jackson was far more relaxed-to the extent to where it was noticeable by another person.

"Games. We're starting a new one this Saturday. Knights of Sinnoh." The man gave pause, his smile extending. "I… actually… sometimes have dreams where… I'm a Pokemon."

By the way Valerie's smile lightened, she appeared just as interested in this.

"Oooh? Which one, if I might ask? Or is there no specific Pokemon you dream of?"

"Different kinds. I've been a Tyranitar roaming mountains and caves, a little Caterpie crawling around grass and trees, a Pidgeot flying in the sky."

Valerie sat back, keeping her hands folded on the table.

"How lovely. It doesn't surprise me, really. You look like someone who'd be a Pokemon." She briefly gave a tilt of her head. "Though I can't think of any one in particular."

Jackson seemed to entertain the idea, wearing an amused smirk.

"Heh… I… do have some games where… you get to be a… Pokemon character."

Valerie nodded once, as an idea spawned in her head.

"This… roleplay night of yours. Is it invite only, or can anybody join?"

"Do… you want to join?" he queried with a surprised blink.

"I would… like to at least sit in on a game," she replied. "If you would have me."

It was then Jackson donned his widest smile yet. He never would have anticipated something like this. For a date that didn't start off that well, it was certainly turning out better.

"I'm sure the others would love to have you!"

He averted his attention to the drinks that were set down in front of them. He hadn't even noticed Jerry approaching. Straws dropping next to the glasses, he turned a smile to their waiter.

"What can I get you two to eat?" he asked, pressing the point of his pen on the notepad.

"Steak," Jackson instantly replied, his voice laced with eagerness for a slab of the tender, juicy meat. "Medium rare."

Valerie's smile dropped at the young man's choice, but she opened her mouth to voice her decision.

"I'll have the penne with a small salad, please."

"Right away, dears," Jerry trilled, slipping away his pen and spun around on his heel to get their orders in.

"S… so… um…" Jackson began as he turned his head to face Valerie. "Wanna come back to my place and… see those… costumes?"

The woman's smile drooped even further.

"I… suppose."

Latching onto the non-committal intonation in her voice, it became his turn for his smile to fade. What did he do this time?

"You know… if… you don't want to… it's okay."

Dratini lifted his gaze to Valerie, frowning at her intonation. Putting on a smile, he let out an encouraging cry. In response, she glanced down at him and reached down to stroke his head with a sigh. She couldn't be TOO angry with Jackson's deciding to eat meat. Most Pokemon were carnivores or omnivores, and she loved them just the same.

NOW Jackson was suspecting that he had done something to upset her.

"… Hey… what's wrong?"

"I… don't particularly care for people that eat meat."

Hit with this, Jackson mentally slapped himself for disconcerting her again. Just when it was beginning to go well. Why did wooing a woman have to be so complicated?

"O-oh… uh… Tell you what…" He had to choose his words carefully, he thought. "This'll be the… only time I eat meat in front of you."

Valerie forced a smile, running her fingers over Dratini's ear frill.

"It's fine. I just have to remember that there are Pokemon that need to eat it for a living. Most of them can't quite… reason like we do." She sighed. "I can't stomach the thought of eating something that was once alive."

Fraxure turned a soft glare to the woman, his expression exhibiting his mild offense. This did not fail to escape her notice.

"I take it your Fraxure doesn't believe me when I say I'm a vegetarian."

Jackson directed his attention to the mentioned Pokemon to read his face.

"I think… he has the idea… that… you think eating meat… is wrong."

Valerie tore her gaze away from Fraxure to lock eyes with the man across from her.

"And you mean to tell me that such a way of thinking isn't? People can survive just as well consuming plant life as they do animal life. Have you ever stopped to think about how the spirit of those passed on might feel about their body being consumed? How would YOU feel if you existed as… as mere FOOD? Wouldn't that be the ultimate disrespect?"

This Jackson had never thought about, considering Valerie was the first actual vegetarian he met. He had been raised by a family who loved to eat meat and saw no fault in consuming it. His father had always said that if they weren't meant to eat meat, then they wouldn't be able to properly digest it.

"I… um… I actually didn't… But… I wouldn't really care what happens to my body after I died. I would be feeding someone… Helping them continue to live. I wouldn't feel disrespected."

Valerie went quiet for a moment.

"I suppose you have a point." She exhaled on a sigh. "I always found the act of eating what used to be a creature repulsive. What was once… like us. It had thoughts, a mind, feelings, emotions. It's akin to eating another person, almost, to me."

Fraxure crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head in disagreement. Jackson, catching this out of the corner of his eye, brought his hand to his head to pat him.

"Come on, Fraxure… She can feel that way if she wants." Retracting his hand, he looked to Valerie. "You know… plants are living organisms, too."

"Well, yes, but they are not thinking, feeling creatures, are they…? Discounting the Pokemon, of course."

No, they weren't. Plants held no mind to possess such qualities of consciousness or emotions. However, who was to say they didn't have a soul. This thought reminded Jackson of an article he had read a couple of years ago.

"I read an article about some scientists discovering that plants might have souls."

Valerie arched a brow as inquisitiveness inscribed itself upon her features.

"I've never heard of such a thing."

Jackson nodded once.

"A strange light leaving dying plants was caught on camera several times."

"I've read something slightly similar," she said. "How cut grass leaves off a scent-that chemical is actually them crying out in distress."

"Plants don't have a nervous system though," he reminded. "Nature is… cruel… There's no way… to avoid creatures getting hurt, even… if there were no humans involved."

Valerie sighed again and compressed her lips.

"I don't like seeing people eat meat. Is that really so wrong?"

"No, it's not… I promise I won't eat meat in front of you after today," Just then, an even better alternative popped into his head. "Or… actually, I'll get something else. For you."

She shook her head and leaned in to reach across the table.

"No, you don't have to. I can't ask you to do that for my sake."

"I don't mind. Really, I don't," Jackson insisted, putting on a smile. "I can have my steak to go."

Valerie couldn't help but feel a bit… touched that he would do this for her. While she dreaded watching people eat meat, she didn't want to deny him a meal he was looking forward to. Biting her lower lip, she glanced off.

"If you insist. You don't have to do it, my young trainer."

Hearing the rattling of dishes, Jackson averted his gaze and spotted Jerry approaching them with their food. As the plates were set down, the young man politely thanked him.

"Thanks. Hey, Jerry? Can I get a box for this meal and have the egg sandwich, on sourdough?"

The older man appeared confused, knowing that Jackson always looked forward to consuming a steak dinner, but he didn't question it. Nodding with a smile, he left to do just that.

Valerie appeared grateful, though she still felt guilt, a smile tipping her lips as she rested her hand upon Jackson's.

"… Thank you. I'm sorry if I sounded selfish."

Jackson's face flushed, his stomach tripping in his abdomen at the physical contact.

"Uh… eh, d-don't… w-worry about it… It's… f-fine."

He didn't say anything else after that. He didn't know what to say. That simple touch to his hand left him speechless. Perhaps this date will turn out fine, after all.