The commotion in the Aero Town settled down by noon. Everything seemed to return to normal, and fortunately, both the Pokemon that were in critical state made it. They were out of the intensive care now. 

Aizen and Misty helped out Anira and Nurse Joy in the Pokemon Center, and Leaf spent her time at the Aero Gym, spectating all the battles that were taking place there. 

At 1 pm, all of them gathered for their lunch inside their suite. The girls didn't want to dine in the lounge that was filled with Trainers, and Aizen was totally fine with eating in their suite. 

"How were the battles in the Gym?" Aizen asked while they ate. 

"They were fun!" Leaf smiled at him. "Not intense, since most of the Challengers only possessed two or three badges. But there was one girl that had 5 and she had to work for it." She informed them. "Glenn only battles 2v2 with anyone that has less than 3 badges. So, we will have to only use two of our Pokemon." 

"That makes it easier." Aizen smirked at her. 

"Yup! I will use Pidgeotto and Exeggutor." She nodded. "Oh, I forgot to tell you that Ash wants to fight against your Mega Metagross. He says he wants to see how strong Megas are." 

"Oh..." Aizen did not know what to say. 

"Where do all such ideas come from in his mind. If he just wants to see how strong Megas are, there are several videos available online. He could simply watch Steven Stone and his Mega Metagross in those videos." Misty did not seem pleased at hearing Ash's intentions. "And let's just be honest here, his Pokemon are not strong enough yet, and it would be an insult to a Mega Pokemon to have it prove itself to them." 

"Woah... That's harsh." Leaf said but soon burst out in giggles. "But I agree with you. I told him that Dexter has used a lot of his Psychic Reserves today and needs some rest. So, you are safe for the day." 

"Thank you." Aizen smiled at her. 

"You're welcome!" She smiled back at him. "But you will still have to battle against him." 

He sighed at that and just continued eating his lunch. 

The watch on his left wrist suddenly buzzed. 

"Excuse me." He smiled at the girls and left for his room.

He opened his laptop and looked through all the information his Grandma sent him. And he was quite surprised at what he found. 

James was going to be really easy to manipulate, but Jessie was going to be a tough task. Only blackmail would not work, and some small incentives would go to waste as well. He had to come up with a strong approach and something lucrative that the Team Rocket duo won't be able to refuse. 

He let the thoughts rest for now, and returned to the lounge where the girls were waiting for him. 

Anira looked him in the eyes, and he could see the question on her mind. 

"Grandma just sent me something that I need to work on." He truthfully said. 

The Orayen Princess nodded to his words and got back to her lunch. She was just glad that it was not something from the Action Team. When Grandma had informed her about it on a call, she was quiet upset that Aizen did not tell her anything about it. And it took him a lot of apologising to get her to let go of her anger. In the end, he had to concede and let her sleep in his bed for a week. 

After finishing their lunch, all of them left for the Aero Gym, and arrived right on time for Leaf's gym battle. 

The Aero Town Gym Leader, Glenn, was a man in his late forties. He looked fit for his age, and had a natural aura of a fighter exuding from him. And just like his son, AJ, he had the green hair and brown eyes. 

An assistant led them to the stands, whist Leaf was asked to appear on the Battle Arena. 

"This is an Official Gym Match between the Challenger Leaf Green, representing Blanc Island, and the Aero Town Gym Leader, Glenn Jackson." The referee took his position and announced to the spectators. "The Battle will be 2v2 with standard rules. The only exception is the substitution rule for the Gym Leader, where he is not allowed to switch his Pokemon." He then turned to look at Leaf. "Does the Challenger have any questions about the Rules?" 

"No." Leaf shook her head. "I am ready." 

"Gym Leader, please select your first Pokemon." The Referee looked at Glenn and said. 

"Go, Hitmonlee!" 

"Challenger, please select your Pokemon." 

Leaf took a deep breath and threw the Pokeball in her hand up in the air. 

"Go, Pidgeotto!" 

"Hitmonlee vs Pidgeotto." The Ref raised his hand. "Let the battle begin!"

"Hitmonlee, Jump Kick!" 

The Fighting Pokémon jumped in the air, lunging at the flying Pidgeotto, ready to deliver a devastating blow. 

"Double-Team!" Leaf called out. 

The kick went right through an after-image. 

"Now send out an Air Slash!" 

"Preee!" 

Pidgeotto executed the move and sent out an Air Slash just as asked. 

"Eliminate it with a Rolling Kick." Glenn calmly ordered. 

Hitmonlee perfectly executed the move despite being in the air and eliminated the Air Slash headed its way. It received some damage but it was negligible. 

"Agility." Leaf commanded. "And harass hitmonlee with Double-Team." She waited for her Pokémon to do as she said before giving the next command. "Aerial Ace!" 

"Wow. She's using your battle style." Misty giggled and teased Aizen. 

They watched as Pidgeotto mercilessly attacked Hitmonlee, who seemed a little helpless in the situation. 

"Endure." Glenn called out. "Wait for an opening and engage in Close Combat." 

Hitmonlee took some more damage before it finally found an opening, and then it returned the courtesy to Pidgeotto by giving it a good beat up. 

"Gust!" 

"Rolling Kick, and keep performing it as fast as you can." 

Hitmonlee eliminated the torrents of wind that were headed its way, but it gave enough time to Pidgeotto to ready itself for the next attack.

"Feather Dance!" Leaf ordered. 

Pidgeotto spread its wings in the air and slowly flapped them. It resulted in a shower of small feathers that dropped on Hitmonlee, who had just stopped performing a series of Rolling Kicks. 

As soon as the feathers touched it, it felt the gravity rise around it. And its speed drastically decreased. 

"Good Job!" Leaf smiled. "Hurricane!" 

"Preee!" 

"Try to high jump away and gain some distance!" Glenn called out. 

Pidgeotto summoned a powerful storm that engulfed the poor Fighting Pokemon, who had nearly managed to gain some distance. And now, there was nothing that could be done. 

Its painful groaing continued for several seconds before it dropped unconscious on the ground. 

"Hitmonlee is unable to battle. Pidgeotto wins! The first round goes to the Challenger." Referee announced. "Gym Leader, please select your next Pokemon." 

"Go, Medicham!" 

"Medicham vs Pidgeotto." The Ref raised his hand. "Let the battle begin!"

"High-Jump Kick!" Glenn immediately called out. 

"Double-Team!" 

"Hidden Power!" Glenn smiled. 

As soon as the Double-Team took effect, a Telekinetic attack hit all of the images of Pidgeotto, eliminating them. 

"Jump up and deliver it a Thunder Punch!" 

"Medi..." 

The Psychic clown did as told and delivered a powerful Thunder Punch to the pigeon Pokemon.

"Pidgeotto, endure it..." Leaf called out, but her Pokemon fell from the air and dropped unconscious on the ground. 

"Pidgeotto is unable to battle. Medicham wins! Second round belongs to the Gym Leader." 

"Return." Leaf took a deep breath and smiled. "You did well." She stored away the Pokeball. 

"Go, Exeggutor!" 

The multi-headed Pokemon appeard on the field and stared at the Psychic clown.

"Medicham vs Exeggutor. Let the battle begin!" 

"Use Extrasensory!" Leaf called out straightforwardly. 

"Endure." Glenn called out. 

The Telekinetic attack hit it, and sent it up in the air, but it managed to avoid most of the damange. 

"Again!" 

"Endure.." Glenn could only give the same command. Medicham had no advantage against a Pokemon such as Exeggutor. 

The Psychic clown was hit and sent higher in the air where it had no footing and balance. 

"Leaf Storm!" Leaf called out. 

The attack engulfed the helpless pokemon, rattling it, and damaging it, but somehow it survived. 

"High-Jump Kick!" Glenn wasted no time, and Medicham lunged at the Psychic-Grass Pokemon that had just performed a powerful move and needed some time to collect itself. 

The Kick landed on its head powerfully, and Exeggutor was pushed down on its knee. Its eyes glowed earily in a pink glow that scared Medicham. 

"Sleep Powder!" 

Leaf smiled and called out. 

Medicham got no chance to get away and the sleep power entered its system. It stumbled as it tried to stay awake, but failed and fell down, falling asleep from all the exhaustion.

"Medicham is unable to battle. Exeggutor Wins! The Winner of the Match is the Challenger, Leaf Green!" 

"Yay!"

The hazel-eyed girl happily pumped her fist in the air and rushed to her Pokemon to give it a hug. 

"You did great!" She smiled at it before recalling it inside the Pokeball.

"I made it!" 

Aizen, Misty, and Anira turned and saw Ash coming to the Arena. 

"Oh, it seems we missed Leaf's match." He said disappointedly as Leaf received her Might Badge form Glenn.

"Pika pi." His Pikachu nodded to his words and then both of them headed to the stands where Aizen and the girls were sitting.

"Sorry for being late. Got caught up in a Battle Challenge." He smiled at them. 

"No worries." Aizen smiled and got up to go down in the Battle Arena. 

"Goodluck!" Ash called out. 

"Thanks!" 

Aizen winked at Leaf who was approaching him, smiling brightly. 

"Your turn." She said. 

"Yup." He affectionately patted her head before walking to the Challenger's square and taking his position.