Natural Selection

"Do not let him beat you!"

It was the fourth day of the contest, and Butters and Hornet were once again hauling rocks. This time, however, they were racing Natalie's Spinarak. Not only was it larger than other Spinarak, but it was better than Jet's bug Pokémon in every field. It was faster, stronger, more agile, and a better all-around fighter.

Jet didn't let anyone know it, but he was glad that Natalie had found such a well-rounded Bug Pokémon. Now, both Butters and Hornet had a real rival. It also helped that Spinarak was very cocky about the fact that he outstripped the caterpillars in every field. It mocked them and made them try harder.

"You mean to tell me after all the training you two went through you couldn't beat the newbie? Take another five laps!"

As they were nearing the end of the contest in three days, Jet decided to work his two Bugs harder than ever. He put them against Natalie's Spinarak in competitions that were grueling. Carrying boulder's, creating complex web traps, sparing while dodging Psycho's Water-Gun.

Natalie was working her Pokémon just as hard, even going so far as to have her Spinarak spar with Thorn, (Spinarak needed about three hours recovery from his bruises). They started to run into other trainers as well.

These led to some gritty battles. All of which were won by either Natalie's Spinarak or Jet's bug's, but there were some close calls. By the end of the fourth day, all of the bug Pokémon were sporting bandages and eating themselves sick of Sitris berries.

"I thought you didn't battle for less than five hundred, yet you did five battles just today for less than four."

"Huh?" Jet asked, while sharpening Hornet's tail with a stone, "Oh, yeah. That was just something I said because I didn't feel like battling at the time. I just don't battle for less than a hundred."

Jet got finished with the tail and told Hornet, "Go rest with Butters, you two did good today."

Natalie yawned and sat down next to Jet, "You know, I'll be glad when this contest is over. Not that it wasn't fun and all, but I could really use a shower."

Jet smiled, "That's the best thing about sleeping outside every night. Once you do take a shower, it's the best feeling in the world."

Natalie leaned against Jet, who in turn put his arm around her. They leaned back against a tree and just looked at the sky. Jet said, "When I was real little, I use to always imagine what it would be like to go out and catch my own Pokémon. Go on my own journey, see the world, all that jazz."

Natalie smiled, "Why doesn't that surprise me?"

Jet continued, "Then I got older and I lost sight of all that. That is, until I got a job working with Pokémon. Now I'm doing all the things I use to dream of as a kid. I'm glad I took a chance and left home. I wouldn't get to meet any of my new Pokémon otherwise. I wouldn't be lying here, stargazing in the Viridian Forest without a care in the world. I wouldn't be holding you."

Jet looked down at Natalie, who smiled and gently kissed him on the lips. She placed her hand his cheek and said, "I'm glad you left home too."

They kissed again, but were interrupted when Thorn and Eevee started growling simultaneously. Jet sat up, expecting a wild Pokémon. Instead, Derek the Bug Catcher had stumbled into their campsite.

Derek stared at them angrily and said, "You two again?"

Jet stood up, but Natalie grabbed his hand. "Don't fight, Jethro. Just let him pass through."

Jet looked at Natalie and said to Derek, "Well don't let me stop you."

Derek smirked and said, "It's a free country! Besides, you two have a nice little set up here. Clear ground to camp on, right by a pond, with Sitris tree's everywhere? I think I'd like to stay."

Jet was getting irritated, He just wants to piss us off because Natalie spanked that ass!

Derek evidently saw the irritation in Jet's face, because he continued, "Tell you what. I sold that Dustox that your girlfriend injured so I've got money to blow right now. How about we battle for it? If I win, I get the campsite and five hundred dollars. If you win, you get the money and I'll leave."

Jet smiled, "Sounds fair."

Derek smirked again, "This time, we use bug Pokémon only. More specifically, the ones you caught in this forest for the contest!"

Jet shrugged, "Fine by me, but why not make it a double battle?"

Derek looked annoyed, "What you and her ganging up on me?"

Jet laughed, "Hornet! Butters! Post!"

Immediately, Jet's bug Pokémon ran over and stood on either side of him. Both poised for battle, despite their bandages. Derek looked at them and laughed.

"No seriously? Those are what you're entering in the contest? What happened to you having 'badass bug Pokémon?' Hahahaha!"

Jet, however, said, "If you're too scared to face them just say so."

Derek stopped laughing and said, "Ok, a double battle is fine. But let me show you what kind of Pokémon the judges are looking for!"

Derek sent out a Ledyba and a Spinarak. Derek grinned, "Both of these were level fifteen when I found them. I'll tell you, I had to search long and hard for these guys. This forest doesn't carry a lot of strong Pokémon, so when they announced the contest I did some recon. Found out the hot spots where the stronger bugs like to hide. I had to borrow some of my father's Pokémon to catch them, but they are unmatched by the likes of your weak little caterpillars!"

Derek pointed at Jet's Pokémon and said, "You really are an idiot! You can't win this contest by just going in and catching the first bug Pokémon you see! You have to go deep into the forest, where others don't think to look. You got to catch them strong, that's what a real trainer does. It's like natural selection, only the strongest will survive!"

Jet turned to Natalie and said, "Are you going to start the match? I really want to shut this asshole up."

Derek stopped smiling. All of Natalie and Jet's Pokémon lined up to watch the match. Natalie said, "This match will be two on two. Last team standing wins. Are both trainers ready?"

Jet nodded, and Derek grinned, "This will be over quickly!"

Natalie said, "Begin!"

Derek said, "Spinarak, use Nightshade! Ledyba, use Superson- what the?"

Jet's Pokémon had already reacted at the word 'begin'. Both had used Cobwebs to trap the opposing Pokémon. Jet said, "Hornet, use Poison Tail on Ledyba! Butters; in the trees."

Butters shot a web to a nearby branch and zip lined to the trees above. Hornet used Web-sling to close the distance with Ledyba and stabbed it with its tail.

Ledyba screamed, and Jet said, "Keep at it until it's out cold, Hornet!"

Hornet hissed and stabbed at Ledyba repeatedly. Derek yelled, "Get out of there!" His Spinarak used it's stinger to get out of the Cobweb. As soon as it was free, it went for Hornet.

Jet yelled, "Butters, now!"

A Stringshot came from above and grabbed Spinarak. Jet called, "Slam 'em and bag 'em, girl!"

Derek yelled, "No!" But it was too late. Spinarak was being swung all over the place. It was slammed into tree after tree, screeching all the while. Then Butters pulled the Spinarak up and tied it to the branch tightly using the web.

Butters dropped to the ground and stood next to Jet. Hornet was already next to Jet as well, having already gotten finished with the bloody heap that was Derek's Ledyba.

"You were right," Jet said to Derek, "The match was over quickly."

Derek gritted his teeth and said, "It isn't over yet! Spinarak is still able to fight. Spinarak, use Nightshade!"

Spinarak calmed down and Butters began to wince and grunt. Jet told Hornet, "Break his concentration with Poison sting."

Hornet shot a poison quill up at Spinarak, who squealed and relented its attack. Jet sighed and said, "You still want to play? Alright, let's play! Butters, grab Spinarak's back end with Stringshot! Hornet, do the same with its head!"

They reacted with amazing speed for their stature. Jet then said, "Now let's play some tug of war!"

Spinarak squealed more than ever as the two Pokémon began to pull on his body. Jet called to Derek, "You can stop this match right now and spare your Pokémon's life. Your choice."

Derek gritted his teeth and yelled, "Don't let them get the best of you, Spinarak, use Nightshade!"

Jet sighed, "Have it your way then. Butters, Hornet, kill!"

Instantaneously, both Pokémon pulled with all of their might and ripped Spinarak in half. Blood spurted all over the field. Natalie gasped, Derek let out a cry of shock. Butters and Hornet, however, started glowing.

"What?" Jet was completely caught by surprised, "Are they evolving?" And so they had. Jet no longer had a Caterpie or a Weedle; he was now the proud owner of a Metapod and a Kakuna.

Jet heard Natalie say, "No fucking way! Did you plan for that to happen?"

Jet looked at her and grinned, "Nope, that's like a fucking magic trick right there! Who would've thought they would both evolve at the same time?"

Jet went over to his Pokémon and picked them both up, "You guys are fucking amazing! I'm so proud of you!"

They both clicked appreciatively, and Jet put them with the other Pokémon, all of which swarmed them to congratulate them. Derek was furious, "What about my Pokémon? You broke the wing of one, so I had to sell it. And then you kill my other two? I want payment!"

Jet raised his eyebrows, "You want payment? Need I remind you that by law your Pokémon's safety isn't your opponent's responsibility! It's up to every individual trainer to know when their Pokémon's life is in danger and to stop the match to save them. I won, you loss. You pay me!"

Derek's face got red. He let out a yell and ran at Jet while cocking back one of his fist. He swung, but Jet easily side stepped the strike and tripped him.

Derek was about to get back up when Thorn stood in front of Jet. Jet calmly said, "Thorn, make sure he pays me what he owes."

Thorn growled and snorted flames. Derek suddenly lost any bravery he had just had. Taking out his wallet he handed Jet a small stack of hundreds and said, "Five hundred dollars. That's half of what I got for Dusty. I hope you're happy, because of you the only Pokémon I have left is my dad's Koffing."

Jet started counting his winnings and said, "Not my problem." After confirming it was all there, Jet looked at Derek and raised his eyebrows, "Why are you still here?"

Derek grunted, and then stood up and ran into the night. Natalie walked up to Jet and said, "I always pegged you as kind of a geek, but you're a fucking badass!"

Jet blushed and said, "Oh, nah it's my Pokémon. Without them, I'm just a regular guy."

Natalie looked at the dead Pokémon right next to their camp and said, "Let's move somewhere else; this place is about to start stinking."

Jet nodded, "Good idea."

Jet recalled all of his Pokémon, saying that they deserved a rest. Natalie did the same and they packed all of their things and began the search for a new spot. The only Pokémon left outside was Thorn, as they needed the light from his tail. They walked together in the night around the pond. Both trainers decided it was best to stay by a water source.

They were almost at the other side of the pond when they saw something small and yellow drinking water from it. Jet stopped dead and said, "Dibs!"

As soon as the word escaped his mouth, the baby Pichu looked up and started running. Thorn wasted no time in giving chase. Jet followed and said, "Don't hurt him, Thorn!"

Natalie who was left behind, got out her flashlight and decided to set up camp. She erected her tent, put her sleeping bag in it, and event got a little fire started. It was another ten minutes before Jet returned with a big smile on his face. "Little guy was quick, but there aren't many Pichu in the world that can out run Thorn!"

Thorn growled proudly. Natalie smiled, "So you caught it then?"

Jet held out an occupied Pokeball. "His name shall henceforth be Spark."

Natalie smiled, "You and your god damn nicknames."

Jet sat down and leaned back against a tree. "I didn't think I'd actually find and electric Pokémon out here. I mean, there are Pikachu in this forest but they are very rare. Today was a good day."

Natalie shrugged, "Aside from those Pokémon dying."

Jet's smile faded, "Yeah, that was unfortunate. But I think it's best not to dwell on things like that. Statistically it happens in one out of every twenty battles. Things just get intense sometimes. As long as my Pokémon are safe," Jet petted Thorn's head, "I'm not worried."

"Survival of the fittest, right?" Said Natalie, while cuddling next to Jet.

"Yeah," He said, while watching a Hoot-Hoot fly by and thinking of how his Pokémon evolved after the death of Derek's, "It's just natural selection taking place."

Author's Notes:

Yeah, Pokémon die in battles. It happens fairly often. It isn't illegal for a Pokémon to die in a battle, but if you can help it you're supposed to throw the match before it gets that far.

What other trainers await our heroes? What other challenges will they face in the Forest? And is it just me, or are these little bugs getting more and more vicious?

Stay tuned!