After picking up on Mawile's former trainer's trail, we began to pursue him. We had just witnessed Mawile's trainer release it simply from losing, but we helped it get back on its feet. Now, we were going after the trainer for a rematch.
"Is he really that far away?" I ask. It felt like it's been a while since we started tailing him.
"You gotta learn some patience," Wesley says. "Not everything happens instantaneously."
"Yeah, I know that... but it just feels that way, you know?"
"Well, looks like we won't have to wait any longer," Victor says. He was right— I could see the trainer up ahead. He wasn't aware of our presence, though, so Ash quickly got his attention by calling out to him.
"Huh? Oh, great," He sighed. "I told you not to let me see you again, Mawile."
"Why'd you release Mawile?" Ash says immediately. "Just because it lost to you, doesn't mean it shouldn't be your Pokemon anymore!"
"So... you saw everything. Fine then, I'll tell you the whole thing. I'll get to the point. Mawile and I kept losing battles. And I was pretty sure Mawile was just weak. So I challenged it a few times, and I beat it every single time. That's when I realized— I didn't want a Pokemon that made me lose over and over. But I was willing to give it one last chance."
"One last chance?" Hop repeats.
"Yeah. I temporarily released it into the wild. I told it had a week to get stronger on its own. After those seven days passed, I came back to challenge Mawile again. We promised if Mawile won, it could stay with me. But if it lost, then we'd go our separate ways. Then you know the rest."
"What kind of mentality is that?!" Ash yelled. "If a Pokemon's weak, a trainer should give their best effort to make it stronger!"
"Tch. You're wrong. Winning is all that matters."
"I've met more people like you than I would've liked. And all of them were wrong. I proved it to them."
"If you wanna prove it to me, then why not beat I, Jacob, in a battle? Surely you've seen Mawile try to beat my Lairon. It has to be between them."
"I accept."
Jacob sent out his Lairon, and Mawile stepped up to the plate. If I know Ash, I know he'll win this! There's no way he can lose to some jerk like him!
"You can do it, Ash!" I cheer.
"Give it your all, Mawile!" Robert hollers.
"Thanks, guys," Ash says.
"Doesn't matter how much support you're getting from your stupid friends," Jacob mocks us. "You're still gonna lose. Lairon, use Mud-Slap."
Lairon fires balls of mud at Mawile. The move is normally weak, but since Mawile is weak to Ground-type moves, it does a little more. Although I think Jacob was trying to do something else... Since Mud-Slap reduces accuracy, it might be a problem.
"How dare you insult my friends! Mawile, use Bite!"
Despite Mawile's slightly-reduced accuracy, Mawile manages to go in and land the attack. Ash commands Mawile to use Sucker Punch, and it's able to attack again before Lairon can even react. Lairon counters with Rock Tomb, which hits and reduces Mawile's agility.
"Use Sucker Punch again!"
"Don't let him. Use Protect."
Mawile quickly goes in to attack, but Lairon summons a barrier that negates the move! According to Rotom, Protect nullifies damage from every attack. This... could be a problem. If he kept on using Protect, Mawile wouldn't be able to get a hit in...
"You're just as weak as ever, Mawile. So let's wrap this up quickly."
Jacob flashes something on his Ultigauntlet, which I hadn't caught before. A Z-Crystal?! With it, he strikes a series of poses.
"Use Tectonic Rage."
Lairon stomps on the ground, causing a fissure to open up beneath Mawile, who falls in. I can't see anything after that...! Is Mawile gonna be alright?! Ash, you gotta think of something...!
"Run away, Mawile! Jump using the falling rocks!"
I can't tell what's going on, but I'm on the edge of my seat. Suddenly, I hear the sound of something hitting something else, and Mawile goes flying out of the fissure. Lairon follows, and lands in front of Jacob. Mawile is still tumbling in the air, and is helpless, just like how it kept on rendering itself vulnerable by jumping.
"Don't take any chances. Use Rock Tomb."
Lairon fires more of those rocks at the helpless Mawile, which manage to hit. Mawile tumbles to the floor yet again. It doesn't seem to be moving. Is...? Is that it...?
"Hmph. Should have known Mawile would've lost like the weakling it is."
"Mawile, are you alright?! Get up, please!"
Mawile doesn't move. But after a while, it forces itself to stand on its feet again! That Mawile doesn't give up, does it? Awesome!
"Huh. Maybe I shouldn't have underestimated it..."
"Alright, Mawile! Now use—" Mawile gestures to Ash not to call out a move yet. "Huh? What's up?" Mawile flashes the Mawilite it's wearing at Ash. "You... wanna do it?" It nods. "Then here we go. This is my first time ever Mega Evolving a Pokemon, but I'll do it! MEGA EVOLVE!"
Touching the orb embedded within his Ultigauntlet, Ash releases orange light from within the orb. The Mawilite releases purple light that flows into the orange light, and finally lights up the area with a blinding light. When the light subsides, Mawile emerges, taken on a whole new form!
"Mawile," Rotom says. "The deceiver Pokemon. Mega Evolved form. A Steel- and Fairy-type. It has an extremely vicious disposition. It grips prey in its two sets of jaws and tears them apart with raw power."
"So... you're finally using Mega Evolution against me?" Jacob asked. "Doesn't matter. You'll still lose."
"Don't count us out yet!" Ash yelled. "Mawile, use Bite!"
Mawile runs at Lairon and crushes it with its two sets of jaws. It deals much more damage than a normal Bite would! Rotom explained that upon Mega Evolving, Mawile's Ability changes to Huge Power, which doubles its physical attack power.
"Ngh...! Come on, Lairon! We can't let this weakling beat us! Use Rock Tomb!"
"Destroy those incoming rocks by using Bite!"
Lairon fires more of those rocks at Mawile, but due to Mega Evolving and its new Ability, Mawile crushes those rocks with its jaws easily. Mawile uses Sucker Punch, which connects and sends Lairon flying. Lairon faints upon hitting the floor.
"YES!" Ash cheers.
"You won, Ash!" I congratulate him. "Awesome job!"
Mawile looks thrilled to bits. Turning to Ash, it returned to its normal form, smiling from ear to ear. Jacob, stunned at the loss, stood there, mouth hanging open.
"So, Jacob? Now do you see? Even the weakest Pokemon can become incredibly strong!"
"*sigh* Fine... I suppose you were right. Lairon, you fought well. Return." Jacob returns Lairon to its Poke Ball, then looks Mawile in the eye. "Mawile... I think I was wrong about you too. Do you... wanna rejoin my team?"
Mawile turned back to Jacob, who pulled out another Poke Ball, obviously not the one he destroyed earlier. Mawile appeared to be thinking for a moment. Finally, it turns its back on Jacob, and walks towards Ash, coming to a stop beside him.
"Mawile..." Ash gasps. "Are you saying...?"
"I see... I suppose you'd think that way, considering how I treated you. Well then... You never told me your name, did you?"
"I'm Ash."
"Okay, Ash. Take care of Mawile for me, okay? Guess I'll see ya around. Bye."
And with that, Jacob turns on his toes and leaves. Ash looks at Mawile, and Mawile looks back.
"Mawile, do you really wanna...?"
"Maw!" Mawile says. "Mawile-maw!"
"It's saying it thinks you're reliable," Rotom translates. "I think it wants to come with you!"
"You do?! AWESOME! It'd be great to have you on the team, Mawile!" Ash gets a Poke Ball from his pocket. "Alright, then! Go, Poke Ball!"
Ash throws the Poke Ball at Mawile, who goes inside. It begins to shake... and the button flashes green. That's Ash's third Pokemon!
"Yeah! I just caught a Mawile!"
"Awesome job, dude!" I say.
"Your team's growing stronger!" Liana adds. "There's no way you're gonna lose to the Floji Gym Leader now!"
"Haha, thank you. All of you. But standing around won't do us any good. Let's get to Floji!"
"Yeah!" All of us cheer.
The one in which Ash defeats Mawile's former trainer in a battle, and catches it!
The next chapter will begin the Floji arc. But I'm going to take a 2-week break, meaning I will begin working on the next chapter on April 20.
