Rematch

Jet sat in a chair waiting for Lt Surge's wife to finish the paperwork for his bet. He twiddled his thumbs impatiently; anxious to just get this damn match over with already. He could not sleep the previous night, nor could he think of anything else save the battle at hand. He had to win this one. He needed this victory to prove to himself that all of his hard work was not in vein.

The last time he fought Surge he was ill prepared. His mind was not in the right place and he made the novice mistake of thinking that type, and type alone, could be the deciding factor of a match. Not this time! You won't get me out of here that easily!

Mrs. Surgio broke the silence, "Ok, honey, you are all done! My husband gave you twelve to one odds, so if you win this match then you will pretty much bankrupt us." She said almost sourly, "Honestly, why that man gambles that much money over a match, I haven't the foggiest."

Jet frowned, "Twelve to one? He certainly is sure of himself."

She smiled at Jet and said, "Well no offense, kid, but last time you were here you weren't exactly a contender. Are you sure you want to bet this much money on the match? Five grand for a kid your age-"

"Thank you for your concern ma'am, but I can more than cover it." Jet said dismissively.

"Ok," she responded in a 'I-can't-wait-to-say-I-told-you-so' tone, "But you trainers are pretty careless with money if you ask me."

Jet let out a little laugh, "Can't argue with you there. So, do I just go out to the main floor and wait?"

She nodded, "Mhm. Knowing George, he'll probably start the match early anyway."

Jet thanked her and grabbed his paper work. He was nervous as hell walking onto the drill floor. If he won this match, that would mean a sixty thousand dollar pay day. If the nothing else was motivation to win the match, that certainly was. The bleachers were filled with people, many of them booing when he walked onto the floor. Lt Surge walked up to him and chuckled, "They remember that last ass whipping! Hopefully you'll put on a better show today! Not that it will matter."

Jet found his heart beating faster than ever as the crowd booed him. Then he noticed the cameras, "Is this being televised?!"

Surge looked over at the camera and said, "Oh yeah, I forgot they were here." He looked at the horrified look on Jet's face and laughed, "It's not going to be live, kid! They're probably just going to show the highlights on the evening news. Happens all the time. Here, come with me outside for a moment."

Jet followed Lt Surge as the crowd continued to boo him. He felt himself humiliated, Had he really been that bad during his last match? When they got outside the Gym, Surge pulled out a pack of cigarettes and offered one to Jet, "You smoke Junior?"

Jet shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair, "If they're all so sure that this match is going to end up like the last one, then why show up and bother watching?"

Surge chuckled again, "You kidding me, guy? This is the best sports entertainment these people get! You watch sports kid?"

"No."

Surge shrugged and said, "I figured not." He then blew out some smoke and continued, "Well, if you did watch sports then you'd know that every team this city has fucking sucks. It pains me to say it but it's true."

Surge took another puff and pointed at his Gym, "This Gym, my battles, are the only sports events these people got to be proud of. People come from all over the region to challenge my Gym! There's Koga, Sabrina, Blain, and then there's me. Of all the so called Gyms in this region, we are the only Gym leaders worth watching on the tube after your local weather.

"Those chicks at Cerulean, that kid in Pewter, they're jokes. Bring any of them in here, they wouldn't last two seconds. I bring the crowds, kid. But you know what?" He smiled and pointed at Jet, "You've been busy, haven't you? I heard you've been making a killing down at that two bit battle club, Faust."

Jet raised his eyebrows, "Needed the money."

Surge laughed, "Yeah, my trainers have been talking about you. Fighting in cage matches, winning," he raised his eyebrows as he added, "and that thing with the cruise ship?"

Jet looked up at Surge and said, "My memory of that is still a little hazy."

Surge took another puff and smiled, "Yeah, well, I don't know the details. But I do know that by fighting Team Rocket with the champ, you're making a bit of a name for yourself. A lot of people are showing up today to see if the rumors are true. To see if you're some kind of fucking prodigy.

"Personally, I don't give a flying fuck how good you or anyone else think you are, I know what they don't; you got no experience! You can't win. Not against me. And it ain't necessarily because you're bad or because your Pokémon are bad. It's because you're green as grass." Surge put out his cigarette. Jet laughed. Surge smirked and asked, "The fuck is so funny, kid?"

Jet grinned and said, "I don't know why I was so worried about what all those people thought. I just now realized; I don't give to shits about what any of you think about me either!"

Surge's smile faded, "That a fact?"

"Oh yeah," Jet smirked, "That's a fact. But you know what? I'm through talking. I could build myself up all day, but I'd rather just show you. Let's get this shit started, shall we?"

Surge smirked and said, "You got some stones, kid. But I agree. Enough of this chit chat. Come on inside and we'll start the match."

Five minutes later, the editor begun his announcement, "Ladies and Gentlemen, the match between Lt Surge and challenger Brown is about to begin. This will be an all-out six on six match in which both trainers may switch out their Pokémon at any time during the match. However, both trainers will only be able to switch a total of three times. After these three switches are used up, then recalling a Pokémon will count as a forfeit for that round.

"Both trainers may call for a time out at any time. When all six Pokémon on one side are either unable or unwilling to battle, then the other side will be declared victor. Do both parties agree to these terms?"

Surge yelled to the editor, "Yeah, I agree."

Jet simply nodded and called, "Ready when you are, Lt."

The editor nodded and said, "Then may the challenger send out his first Pokémon!"

Jet took a deep breath and sent out Boulder. Surge smirked when he saw Jet's Graveler. "So you evolved that Geodude of yours, huh? I think it's time for a little reunion! Go Raichu!"

Both Pokémon were now on the field. Graveler looked at his opponent apprehensively as the electric Pokémon whipped its tail against the ground in a threatening manner. Graveler remembered what happened last time, and hoped that Jet knew what he was doing this time. His trainer had done a good job in making Graveler more powerful, but if this match ended anything like the last one then their bond would never be the same. I'm trusting you. Graveler thought.

"Aaand, BEGIN!"

"Raichu, finish him quickly with Iron Tail!"

Raichu pounced at its opponent, tail emitting a metallic glow. At what seemed like the very last second, Jet yelled, "Counter!"

Graveler rolled out the way of the attack, but just enough for the tail to miss. He then rolled on top of Raichu's tail and pulled the enemy in using all four of his arms.

"Raichu, throw him off you!"

Raichu attempted to buck Graver off, but he had already gotten a hold. Graveler used his small arms to keep Raichu's tail pinned to his body. He then used his long arms to put Raichu in a powerful rear-naked-choke while using his legs to hook into Raichu's thighs, securing his position. Raichu tried to buck but fell to the ground. The he could no longer move due to the force of the choke.

"Raichu, tuck your chin into the pocket of Graveler's arm! Hang in there and try to get out of the choke!"

Raichu tucked his chin as instructed, which protected him from being choked out. He could not, however, escape as Graveler squeezed even harder. Raichu tried shocking his opponent, but to no avail. It was only a matter of time before he would be knocked out.

"Keep squeezing!" Jet called, "Take that little fucker out!"

Graveler roared and squeezed with all of his might. Lt Surge quickly recalled his Raichu, using up one of his three switches.

Jet laughed as the crowd whispered excitedly. He had Graveler practice that move on his Pikachu when he was still a Geodude. The rolling counter he used to pin the tail was drilled into until he was sick of the attack. Still, one could not argue with the results; Graveler could now completely nullify Raichu's Iron Tail.

"Using a rear-naked-choke in a Pokémon battle huh? That's new." Lt Surge was not smiling. "Nice trick kid, I'll give you that, but it won't help much here. Go, Beartic!"

Surge sent out a very intimidating polar bear looking Pokémon. Jet was not expecting a strong ice type, but he wasn't about to recall Graveler just yet. "Boulder, use Magnitude!"

"Jump and use Icicle Crash!"

Beartic jumped Graveler's seismic attack and struck down with an ice-blade that she materialized. Graveler however, rolled out the way just in time.

"Use Ember!"

"Hit him with Brick Break!"

Beartic charged in for the attack, but was engulfed in a torrent of flames that interrupted her attack. Jet took advantage and yelled, "Ok, now hit it with Rollout Boulder!"

Graveler got to work on using his favorite move. Soon he was gaining momentum as he struck his opponent once, then twice, then three times. Beartic was trying to interrupt Graveler's attack using Powder Snow, but Graveler was gaining too much speed to be hit by the slow attack.

"Keep it up, Bloulder, You're doing great, boy!"

Surge yelled to Beartic, "Strike him down with Ice Beam!"

Ice Beam, which was much quicker than Powder Snow, did just what Surge intended, Not only did it knock him back, but it stopped his rollout attack in its tracks.

"Repeat Fire!"

Beartic shot a second Ice Beam at Graveler, but Jet recalled his Pokémon before the attack could hit. Jet smiled to himself; he would have preferred it if Boulder had finished Beartic, but it wasn't as if he didn't have someone better for the job. "Go Thorn!"

Surge did not look happy, but the crowd was eating this match up. It was obviously a lot better than they thought it'd be. Surge wasted no time at all, "Use Dig, Beartic!"

She roared and went underground. Jet laughed and said, "Thorn, Dig."

Thorn shot beneath the ground after Beartic. It did not take long for them to meet beneath the ground; the Gym itself began to shake as the ground cracked and Beartic released a mighty roar. There was another violent shake, and Beartic burst from the ground in an attempt to escape her opponent. Her attempt did not work, however, as she was being pulled back beneath the earth. Jet laughed as Beartic cried out in fear and clawed the ground in an attempt to escape. But Thorn must have persisted, because she was soon dragged below.

Lt Surge yelled in panic, "Quickly, use Surf to flood the tunnel!"

All of a sudden, there was a loud BANG as blue flames shot out of one of the holes in the ground. There was a loud roar and another bang. Then, all was silent. Thorn burst forth from the tunnel and shot a roar of blue flames from his maul. Jet asked Thorn, "Where's Beartic?"

Lt Surge yelled Beartic's name but received no answer. Thorn jumped back down the hole and emerged seconds later pulling the ice Pokémon by the nape of its neck. It did not move when placed on the ground.

"Beartic is unable to battle, Charmeleon is the winner!"

The crowd cheered for Thorn; all animosity for Jet for his past performance forgotten. Thorn shot more flames into the air for his victory. Jet grinned and called to his Charmeleon, "Showoff!"

Lt Surge let out a cry of disgust when he realized his Pokémon could not be returned. This almost certainly meant that it was dead. The editor announced as Surge ran to his fallen Pokémon, "Ladies and Gentleman, the match will be put on hold for now until we can assess the state of Beartic!"

Medics that were on standby for the match ran to the field to check up on Beartic. Jet went to join them, but Thorn held out his arm and shook his head. Jet asked Thorn, "Did you mean to kill Beartic?"

Thorn tapped his head with one of his claws. Jet nodded and bent down. He placed his hands on either side of Thorn's head and tried to make mental contact with him. His head instantly began to ache, but Thorn gave Jet his memory of the battle.

After going underground to meet Beartic, he quickly found her and used Ember to burn her face. She used Rock Slide to cave in the tunnel, so Thorn quickly charged her to avoid the attack and stay on the offensive. From there, Thorn used multiple Fire Fangs which caused Beartic to try and escape.

Thorn wanted to keep the match below the ground, however, because it gave him an advantage due to their size difference. He used Fire Fang to grab her leg and pull her back down the tunnel, ripping the flesh from her leg. After Surge ordered his Pokémon to flood the tunnel, Thorn shot his opponent with multiple Flame Bursts and used Fire Fang on her neck in the heat of the moment. He ripped her throat out, though unintentionally.

Thorn did not regret this, however, and Jet could sense that Thorn now wanted to eat his fallen opponent. Apparently, she tasted good. A little surprised by his Pokémon's hunger, Jet told Thorn, "I'll take you hunting soon after this. For now though, I think it's best if I recall you."

Thorn nodded and waited as Jet recalled his Pokémon. Soon after, Lt Surge's Beartic was pronounced dead. Surge angrily yelled to Jet, "You fucking prick! I'll kill you for this!"

One of the medics tried to hold Surge back and the editor asked, "Sir, the match! If you attack the challenger you will be disqualified!"

Surge calmed down and said, tearfully, "There is no match! To continue to battle when I can still save my Beartic would be unethical! Grab some bandages and supplies! Get me the defibulator! And get that fucking kid out of my Gym! "

Author's Notes:

Had to rewrite this whole chapter. It is shorter than the original, but I like this one better.

Jet's Team:

Charmeleon/Thorn – Lvl. 36 Male

Gyarados/Hydra – Lvl.33 Female

Pikachu/Spark – Lvl. 32 Male

Kadabra/Neo – Lvl. 32 Male

Graveler/Boulder – Lvl. 30 Male

Scyther/Mantis – Lvl. 30 Female

Lt Surge's Team:

Raichu – Lvl.43 Male

Beartic – Lvl.37 Female (Deceased)

Magnezone – Lvl.44

Heatmor – Lvl.39 Female

Steelix – Lvl. 50 Male

Toxicroak – Lvl.41 Male