Author's Notes:

I'd like to say thank you to all the people who put this story under their favorites and those who did comment. Good to know people are reading what you write.

School of Hard Knocks

Jet and Brian received their healed Pokémon from the attendant at the Pokémon center. "Thanks," Brian said, "Oh by the way, Jet, we got to stop by the shopping center so I can cash my check. I've been running low on cash from my battles on Route 22."

Jet shrugged, "Yeah, sure. I got to get some repel anyway."

And so they headed to the east wing of the Pokémon center to the shopping center. When they reached the doors, a familiar face walked out carrying a bag of dried Pokémon food.

"Oh Jethro, is this your boyfriend?" Natalie said with a smirk. Brian looked confused so Jet introduced him.

"Brian this is Natalie; Natalie this is my best friend Brian."

Natalie's smirk grew bigger, "So you're Brian huh? You're cuter than I thought you'd be."

Brian blushed and Jet felt a twinge of jealousy that he didn't know how to explain. Brian said, "Yeah, umm… sorry but Jet never told me about you."

Natalie raised her eyebrows, "Really Jethro?" Natalie teased, "What, still embarrassed about what I did to you? That's fine; I'm quite fond of telling this story actually. Hold Eevee's food."

Natalie passed Jet the Pokémon food and they all entered the shopping center together. Natalie told Brian the whole story about how they met, Jet blushing all the while. Brian laughed, "Dude, how could you not tell me this story! You ended up at the Pokémon center naked? Seriously?"

Natalie put her arm around Jet, "You know, our boy here does look great in the nude. So no need to blush there."

"I'm not blushing!" Jet snapped. But even as he said it, he felt his cheeks grow hotter. Natalie giggled and Brian laughed. They did their shopping headed to the lobby.

"I got to go, but look me up on Facebook sometime, boys."

Jet grabbed Natalie's hand as she turned to walk away. She raised her eyebrows and asked, "Yes, Jethro?"

Jet didn't know what prompted him to do this, but he just knew he wanted to see Natalie again before he left Viridian. "Come out with me tomorrow, we'll get some food or something."

Brian stood off to the side and snickered. Natalie, however, asked, "Are you asking me out on a date?"

Jet shot Brian a dirty look when he snickered louder. "Yeah, I suppose I am."

Natalie said, "You suppose or you are?"

Jet's heart started pounding, did he overstep his boundaries? Deciding it was too late to back out, Jet said, "I am. Would you like to go on a date with me tomorrow?"

Natalie looked serious for a moment, and then smiled and said, "Give me your phone."

Jet, feeling his face burning again, handed Natalie his phone. She played around with it for a few seconds and then handed it back to Jet. "I put my number in it. Call me tomorrow around 1:30, k?"

Jet smiled and said, "Yeah, I got you."

Natalie smiled again and said, "I was wondering if you'd work up the courage to ask me out. And in front of your best friend too? Props!"

She then turned, and walked away. Jet watched her ass as she switched it back and forth all the way to the door. She stopped before exiting, looked back at Jet and rolled her eyes, "Perv!" she said with a smile.

Brian giggled when she left, "Man oh man, I got to give you props too, dude. That girl has fine written all over her. I would do things to her that are illegal in certain parts of Unova."

Jet laughed and said, "Let's head to my room."

"No seriously," Brian said as they boarded the elevator, "I would drink her bathwater."

Jet couldn't remember ever laughing so hard in his life. He literally fell down and couldn't breathe. Brian said, "It wasn't really that funny." Jet pulled himself up and said, "Stop now, please." He was still laughing.

Brian asked, "How did she look naked?"

Jet shrugged, "I really only saw her back. And her ass was in the water. She's got dimples on her lower back though, and a tattoo on her ribs."

They got off the elevator and Brian said, "Damn that's a bad bitch! She can sit on my face any day! Ok, stopping now." Jet gave Brian a look before opening the door to his room.

"You can sleep on the floor, I got plenty of blankets."

Brian shrugged, "I'll just use my sleeping bag."

XXX

The Viridian City Trainer's School had its own little Pokémon Gym. There was no actual Gym leader or league badges there, but it had equipment used for strength training as well as an area for battle. Brian and Jet were told about this place by Professor Oak before they left.

Jet had absolutely no intention in going to the trainer's school for classes; he had enough of those already. From what he was told, the school gym was open to all trainers, but there was a fee to get in if you weren't a student.

And so it was that Jet and Brian set out first thing in the morning to the trainer's school. When they arrived, they found that the fee to get in was thirty dollars apiece for a one month trial membership. Jet didn't feel like spending a month in Viridian City, but he got the trial membership anyway to get his foot in the door.

Their work out room wasn't near as big as the one the research center had. They also didn't have near the amount of equipment. Outside the gym was an area where Pokémon could practice their attacks. This area was about as big as a little league baseball field.

What Jet was really looking forward to, however, was the battle room. The room was about as big as a basketball court. It was heavily padded with mats, and had drains on the ground for water attacks to go to. When Jet and Brian entered, there were already several small battles going on. Each one had groups of spectators standing around, waiting for their turn to enter the fray.

One of the referees walked up to Brian and Jet and asked, "Can I see your passes."

Both boys flashed their passes and the ref whistled, "We don't get a lot of Class A trainers round here. You boys just passing through?"

Brian answered, "We used to work for the Pokémon Research center in Pallet Town. We were told we should check this place out while we're in Viridian."

The ref shook his head, "Mostly local and student trainers here, I'm afraid. None of them really have any particularly strong Pokémon."

Jet smiled, "That's fine, and we actually just started our journey last week. None of our Pokémon are particularly strong either."

The ref nodded, "Have fun, in that case."

The boys both went over to watch a battle between two Rattata. It wasn't very interesting, but the trainers around them were cheering all the same. A young girl with glasses turned to Brian and asked, "You new around here?"

Brian nodded and said, "Me and my friend Jet just wanted to battle some local trainers."

A boy next to the girl with glasses said, "If you want to battle we could head over there. I've been waiting my turn forever."

So Brian, Jet, and the two students they just met found an area big enough for a Pokémon battle. The girl said, "One of the referee's or on break. We have to wait for them before we can begin."

Brian said, "How about a double battle? Winning trainer gets three hundred?"

Brian sure likes those double battles, thought Jet. The male student said, "Ok, but how about you and your friend vs. me and my girlfriend instead of a one on one double battle? I'll put up this TM I have for Hidden Power if you can put up one thousand."

Brian shook his head, "I don't have that kind of money to bet."

Jet, however, said, "Deal. You win, I'll put up the grand. I win, I get that TM."

Brian looked at Jet incredulously. Jet however, wanted that TM. Just about any Pokémon could learn Hidden Power, which made it worth the risk in Jet's opinion. Even if the type and intensity of the attack varied depending on the one using it.

The girl went over to get a ref when two of them came back from their break. She brought the one that met Jet and Brian when they first entered the room over to be the editor of the match. They explain the terms of their match and the ref blew his whistle to get the room's attention.

"Everyone listen up." Jet had no idea why the ref was trying to make this battle a public spectacle, but felt all the more nervous as the students gathered round.

"We have a special demonstration here today. Two Class A trainers have volunteered to face two of our students in a Double Pokémon Battle!"

The students all seemed impressed that Jet and Brian had their Class A's. Jet was beginning to feel even more nervous than before. "Each trainer will use only one Pokémon apiece for this battle. The Pokémon will fight until they are unable, or unwilling to battle. Do the trainers find these terms agreeable?"

All four trainers agreed, "Then send out your Pokémon."

The student couple sent out two Abra. Jet looked at Brian, smiled, and then pulled the ultraball from his belt. "Go Thorn!"

A light emerged from the ball and took the form of Jet's Charmander. The crowd ohh'd and ahh'd. One girl said, "Look at its color! That's so cool!"

Brian grinned and sent out Squirtle. The editor of the match said, "Begin."

"Squirtle, use Tackle!"

"Thorn, use Leer!"

Squirtle tried to Tackle but the Abra he was targeting teleported behind him and used Hidden Power. Squirtle was knocked forward. The other Abra, however, simply shuddered as Thorn's Leer took effect.

The male student said, "Both Abra, teleport to the Squirtle and use Hidden Power!"

"Squirtle, no!" Brian said.

Jet thought to himself that Brian could be really retarded when it came to his Squirtle. But then, he just didn't know how to use him like Jet did. When both Abra appeared on either side of Squirtle and began to glow, Jet said, "Squirtle, jump!"

Squirtle jumped just as the Abra used Hidden Power. The result was both Pokémon getting hit with their own attacks. Jet took advantage of their mistake by saying, "Thorn, Squirtle, get back to back!"

Both Pokémon did as they were told. As Jet was Squirtle's original trainer, it had no quarrels with following his lead. Once the Pokémon were back to back, Jet said, "Save Ember and Bubble for when they start glowing! Keep them on the offensive and show them how we fight!"

Both Pokémon nodded affirmative. The male student got mad and said, "You guys, stop standing there like twiddle dee and twiddle dum and get in there!"

Jet could tell by the way both Pokémon listened to this kid that he was probably both of their OT just like Jet was to Squirtle and Thorn. This was quickly becoming a battle between just them two. Brian seemed to notice this because he said, "Remember to stick and move Squirtle! Don't be afraid to use your pound attack either!"

While Abra's ability to Teleport certainly gave it an advantage against one Pokémon, both Thorn and Jet back to back forced it to attack head-on. In this, Brian and Jet's team was at an advantage. Jet could hear one of the ref's saying, "Watch students, how the Charmander and Squirtle were both expertly trained to deal with close quarters combat.

"They both scratch and bite with the same style of fighting, all the while dipping and dodging their opponent's attacks? See how they remain back to back like that? It completely neutralizes Abra's Teleport. And when they try to use their Hidden Power, like right there! See? See how Charmander took advantage of Abra's hesitation to deliver that powerful Ember attack? Learn from this match. This is obviously expert Pokémon Training at work."

Things were not going good for the Abra. They were knocked down and back so many times they stopped advancing on Thorn and Squirtle. They both stood far enough away from the duo to where no one could attack as long as they were back to back.

"That's it Abra, make them come to you and then take them out!"

Jet thought it was a little rich of this kid to be so sure of victory when his Pokémon were clearly on the verge of giving up from the beating they just took. They were bloody, swollen, (from Bubble), and burned, (from Ember).

Brian looked at Jet with a look that said clearly, now what?

Jet thought for only a second before saying, "Squirtle, on all fours! Thorn, on Squirtle's back!" When they did this, Jet continued, "Thorn use Leer, Squirtle use Tackle! Take the fight to them, one at a time!"

Both Pokémon did as they were told, with excellent results. Thorn used leer to put one of the Abra into a trance while Squirtle tackled the shit out of it. Both Pokémon then commenced to beat the Abra senseless.

Their trainer said, "Don't just stand there, help them out!" while his girlfriend simply watched in horror at the spectacle. When the other Abra entered the fray with Teleport, Jet said, "Now Thorn, kill!"

Thorn immediately grabbed the other Abra by the neck with its fangs, drawing blood and a painful squeal as he did so. Jet told his opponents, "Submit now, or you're Pokémon will die!"

The boy across from him gritted his teeth and said, "Abra, use Hidden Power!"

But it was no good, and its life was ebbing away very quickly as Squirtle beat its kin into a pulp. Jet called to them again, "Part of being a Pokémon Trainer is showing compassion for you Pokémon and knowing when to quit, now submit!"

The boy said, "Shut up, I'm not quitting! This TM is too valuable! Abra, stop fucking around and fight!"

Jet couldn't believe that this kid was willing to risk his Pokémon's lives for a fucking TM. Jet turned to his own Pokémon and said, "That's enough, both of you."

They immediately ceased their attacks and backed away from their opponents, both who were now unable to battle. Sure enough, the editor called out, "Both Abra are unable to battle, Charmander and Squirtle are the winners. And I will be reporting you, John, for allowing the battle to go this far. You should have ended it the first time this trainer gave you an out. This is a clear case of abuse."

John protested but the other ref's all ganged up on to tell him off. They then ripped up his membership card. "Pay them what you owe and wait here; we will be calling the authorities shortly."

John took the TM from his bag and threw it in Jet's direction. Squirtle caught it and brought it over to Jet, who said, "Thank you. I want you to know, I will never allow what happened to those Abra happen to you guys. Ever, you have my word."

After the messy business at the trainer's school, Jet and Brian headed back to their room at the Center. When on the Bus, Jet put his new TM in his TM case. A TM is a technical machine. It is a disk made from a special crystal and encrypted with the knowledge of how an attack is done from the memory of a Pokémon that mastered the attack. When it comes in contact with a Pokémon for long enough, the crystal will react with the Pokémon's natural energy and imprint the knowledge it holds on the Pokémon's own memory.

Basically it gives any Pokémon the knowledge of how an attack is done, but only if they have the capability. By law, trainers could use TM's in Pokémon Battle bets along with cash and Pokémon themselves. Jet had never used a TM but always wanted to.

When they got to the room, it was twelve thirty in the afternoon. Neither Jet nor Brian needed to heal their Pokémon, as neither of their Pokémon were really hurt from that last battle.

Brian stretched out in the chair he was sitting in, "You going to your date with Natalie?"

Jet dropped on the bed, "I'm about to call her in a bit, why?"

Brian just shrugged, "I was thinking about taking a nap. The way you battled with Squirtle today, you two still have the bond."

Jet nodded, "I'm sure you two will develop a bond just like that in time."

Brian thought about it, "You're a great trainer Jet. When those Abra started disappearing all over the place, I was lost. But you knew just what to do. I've got to get my shit straight; I can't let my Pokémon down. I need to be as good as you, better in fact."

Jet laughed, "Well good luck with that, I'm going to keep improving too. I have to, if I'm going to become Regional Champion."

Brian raised his eyebrows, "Then we both are going after the same thing, just like when we were little. I can't wait man, when it's you and me on that battlefield. Both with our teams at full strength. It'll be great."

"Yeah," said Jet getting up, "but for right now, I got a date to go to."