Checking the wound on his ankle, Jared noticed it was blackened and was spreading visibly.

Removing the backpack off his back, he grabbed the antidote, then spritzed the affected area, the blackening doesn't appear to slow, so he twists off the top and chugs half of it.

The taste was stale with an acidic aftertaste, but it did the trick. As if by magic the blackening was completely gone in a few moments.

During this time the weedle seemed to have recovered and was now glaring at Jared with mistrust,

...Interesting, I've never heard of an antidote from earth working this fast! Is the antidote less of an antidote and more of a poison element negator?

Jared attempted to make amends by feeding weedle some of the C grade bug type food, but whether it worked or not, he wasn't a hundred percent sure one way or the other, the weedles face was somewhat difficult to read at times.

Getting to his feet, Jared found he was alright, the prick from the weedles stinger was no longer too painful, and just oozed a little blood.

Some time passes. By now everyone had fought once, and it was the semifinals. A zubat just defeated a koffing and now it was the match before the finale.

Kai & Ekans

Vs

Jared and Weedle

At the current time and place, Jared's purpose was money and taking care of Kai. He didn't know what a grunt was supposed to do let alone an agent, so if they could take care of Kai, then he thought that would solve one of his goals. If Kai could receive some training and care by the Rocket Gang, then staying as a grunt for a while wasn't a big deal in his opinion.

His next opponent after Kai would be a zubat. His weedle had almost no mobility and would be a sitting duck to the zubats ranged attack in leech life. With nothing to shoot up besides string shot, he felt his weedles chances of victory would be next to nothing, even though he would have a good shot at defeating the ekans.

With that said, his forfeiture against Kai was refused by Micheal, saying that he needs to fight regardless.

Intercepting Kai before he could enter the arena, Jared spoke to Kai about it with a whisper, " Ah, Kai, I think it would be best if you won. Weedles matchup against the zubat is too poor, and with Gastly I'm already plenty strong enough to rise through the ranks, so there's no need for me to take your opportunity away. Just tussle with the weedle for a little bit and I'll return him to his ball, but try not to let your ekans get impaled like the last one."

Standing in the arena, both Kai and Jared didn't move to pursue, they just stood there with complicated expressions.

The weedle noticed the ekans from far away and glared, he seemed to have a hatred for snakes.

As if on Q, both trainers and their pokemon began walking towards each other, however, the weedle stayed put, so Jared just waited for Kai and Severus to approach.

Jared was the first to speak as Kai moved closer, "Be careful, the weedle doesn't understand a thing I say."

Nodding, Kai gives a command, "Severus, don't attack the weedle head-on, just probe him out!"

Jared scratched his chin in thought, Can that ekans really understand complicated orders like that? How come my weedle can't? Maybe Kai lucked out and found one that has been around humans and learned a bit of the language?

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Ekans began slithering around the weedle, but he kept a healthy distance.

Weedle on the other hand used very little energy and just simply turned his head and stinger to face the ekans to intercept any sneak attacks.

Severus began to close in and took a few probing swipes with his tail to test the weedle, and soon discovered the weedle had very little mobility, and could only passively counter attack his feints.

Severus' eyes glowed purple, and suddenly the weedle became more sluggish.

Severus suddenly sped past and struck the slower weedle on his right side using his tail. Weedle was flipped over, but when Severus went in for a bite, the weedle had his stinger ready, so he gave up for the moment, and went back to circling the weedle to look for another opening.

This continued a few more times, but the weedle never left himself open, at least not long enough for Severus to abuse.

Feeling this was long enough, and intending to avoid unnecessary injury Jared returned the weedle to his ball with a flash of red light.

Later on, and sitting in the spacious stands, Jared watched the final match between Kai and Rikard. Rikard seemed to have recovered somewhat from his brother's death, or at the very least he wasn't choking back sobs.

With viciousness, Rikard glared at Kai and his Ekans from the other end of the arena as if Kai was the enemy that caused his misery.

Kai & Ekans

VS

Rikard & Zubat

"Zubat, fly high above the Ekans and shoot him with leech life!"

In response to Rikard's orders, the blue bat-like pokemon furiously flapped its wings and after a few breaths of time was directly above the Ekans.

Kai shouted, " Severus dodge the leech life!"

This proved pointless as the leech life dissipated half a meter before impacting Severus.

Rikard curses inwardly, but soon corrected his mistake, "Zubat you are too far away, get closer for another leech life, but don't get hit!"

Zubat flew closer for another leech life, but the moment he stood still to fire, he felt his wings stiffen, nearly grounding him. Severus had hit him with a glare!

Flying stiffly, Zubat finally retaliates with a leech life and it impacts Severus on his snake body. A few green bubbles escape Severus's body and float towards the Zubat, but the stiffness from the glare still persists.

"Zubat! fly high, and shake off the glare, the effect won't last for long!"

Holding a speakerphone, Micheal announced to Rikard that he's only allowed to do this once, the next time he will forfeit.

Fully recovered from the glare, the Zubat felt his body was no longer stiff, so he went down for another leech life, but this time he was more cautious of the Ekans.

Paying close attention to the elemental fluctuations from the Ekans using echolocation, the zubat tried to find time to get off another leech life, but the ekans always seemed prepared.

Changing his tactic to one of his own, he flew up high before emitting a screech. The longer range supersonic impacts Severus, and now he was seeing double.

Not letting his enemy recover, the zubat flew down and fired off a leech life, while at the same time Ekans gave the zubat a glare, which accurately hit. Zubat hoped the double vision would make the Ekans miss, but he was unlucky.

Severus flicked his tongue then gave zubat a glare. The invisible attack struck Zubat's wing. Zubat stiffened and tried to fly away, but Rikard commanded him to turn and fight, he didn't want to forfeit.

Flying above, the zubat fired off a supersonic and went for another leech life, but, despite seeing double from the confusion, the Ekan's still accurately hit the zubat with yet another glare.

Losing altitude, the zubat flew around erratically before impacting the ground with a clap.

Feeling victory was at hand, Severus went in for a bite, but Rikard hastily returned his pokemon, which forfeited the match.

Clapping excitedly and a bit teary-eyed, Micheal declared Kai the winner.

Rikard and the others were a bit gloomy, but there could only be one winner, and they lost fair and square.

As Kai exited the arena, Jared gave him a bear hug, "Congratulations on your promotion Kai!"

Not used to the intimate contact Kai doesn't return the embrace and just smiles, "Thank you for everything, really..."

On their way out a few grunts commended Kai, and even Shane was no exception.

Jared laughed inwardly, ...You grunts are cozying up to someone of a higher rank already huh?

Micheal led the new grunt recruits and the newly promoted agent back down the elevator, the three grunt overseers accompanied them as well.

They were now back in the podium room.

After being asked to line up, Micheal informed them that they were to be sent off for assignment, and Kai was to remain here for training.

Clapping his hands, a Kadabra suddenly appeared next to Micheal, startling the newly promoted grunts.

"No need to be scared, come, come up one by one, you'll be swearing an oath then sent off!"

Jared observed the Kadabras eyes glow blackish-purple, then after the first grunt in line recited the oath he vanished without a trace.

With glowing eyes of his own, Jared comments inwardly, ...Teleportation seems too useful, I need to get me a pokemon with teleport when I can... wonder what the potential of this kadabra is.

Thinking the word potential in his mind, the Kadabra began to glow a deep bronze,

...bronze huh...

Jared was fourth in line, so now it was his turn. Waving to Kai, Jared spoke, "Good luck Kai, you have a bright future, keep your head up okay!" "I will"

Turning back, Micheal speaks, repeat after me, " I will never betray the Rocket Gang or I will curse myself to die"

After repeating the words, Jared felt a weird chill, but it soon dissipated.

Giving one more look back to Kai, he looked the Kadabra in his glowing eyes. Jared felt the room twist and turn, and a moment later he vanished.