Disclaimer: I do not own any Pokémon characters or any Pokémon anything. If I did, Tracey would come back, Brock would have eyes and Jessie and James would never cross-dress again. So, I give almost all rights to the characters and other miscelaneous words that mention stuff in this story to Nintendo™, Game Freak, CREATURES, 4Kids Entertainment Inc., B.U.M. Equipment™, McDonalds and it's Egg McMuffins, James Cameron's Titanic (the movie), The Baha Men's 'Who Let The Dogs Out?', Pattie Labelle's 'Lady Marmalade' , 'Candy' by Mandy Moore, 'Strawberry Wine' by Deanna Carter, Parker Bros. Scrabble, Port-O-Potties, Grape Nuts Cereal, Kleenex Tissues Inc., and many more. Except for Nina, Sunny, Frank, Leona and Tallitale'd. Their mine, all mine!!!!!!!!!!

The Legend of the Jigglypuff Maiden

(well that name royaly sucks since we abandoned the whole idea of a maiden in the third chapter!)

By Tanya & Tasha Bennet (typed by Tasha, but who cares.....)

*Warning-I love Tracey and this story isn't Rocketshippy. Although thanks to all these wonderful sites dedicated to the love two certian villians share for each other, Tanya and I have undergone a transformation. We're rocketshippers now! Yay! -Tanya*

Prologue

"There is an old legend from Seedless Island about the ancient time when all pokémon and people lived in tribes in the jungles. The pokémon and humans were both savage yet civilized, in that they both lived in hut- like homes, made tools for hunting and foraging, planted crops, and erected temples to their gods. On this particular island, there were no known humans. It was the balloon-fairy type pokémon that reigned supreme, mainly Igglybuffs, Jigglypuffs, and Wigglytuffs. All of these pokémon lived in a highly advanced civilization in the center of the island, said to be made completely from stone. They were a seemingly peaceful tribe, until the people started arriving on the island.

Humans came from the nearby Melono island, landing on the shores in hollowed out trees resembling canoes. They tried to start a colony on the shore, because they were afraid of the Jigglypuff civilization in the center of the floating paradise. And in their fear, they would kill any balloon pokémon they came across. The Jigglypuff wouldn't have stood for this had they known the humans were there.

Then one day, a woman carrying her small baby girl was walking through the forest, searching for a spring to let her Miltank/Tauros herd stop to drink at. She hadn't realized how far she had went when she heard a hissing from behind her. She quickly turned to see a large Tree Arbok slither down from a tree. Before she could run, the Arbok lunged. Just before it could strike, one of the Tauros stomped the snake to the ground. As the two pokémon began to fight, the woman took her baby and ran for their lives. She began to stumble over the thick foliage, till finally she tripped and fell. Not able to run any more, she laid her baby in a nearby tree stump, hidden from view. As she did, she glanced back to see what she had tripped over. To her horror she beheld a stone statue of a Jigglypuff. She realized that she was in the Jigglypuff territory and that she could not rest here, they would find and kill her and her daughter. She grabbed the babe and tried to get up, but the pain in her leg sent her sprawling. It was shattered. So, she began to crawl, pulling the baby by its blanket through a soft ditch were it was camouflaged. Then she heard the hissing again. The Arbok was back, covered with blood from his battle, apparently from which he had risen as the victor. She tried to escape, but it was futile. Luckily, the Arbok didn't discover the infant in the dense ditch.

Inside of the nearby branch of the Jigglypuff village, a Wigglytuff had been wandering by when it heard screams and a struggle in the jungle. It decided to go see what the commotion had been about. When it arrived at the site of fatal attack, all that appeared to be left was blood, broken branches, and--a small, crying pokémon in the bushes. As it got closer to the creature, it realized it had never witnessed such a thing. It picked up the small bundle, and took it back to the village. So begins her legend."

Chapter One: Nina Garcia

"Wow, that was interesting," Ash said with a grim look on his face.

"You mean scary!" Misty corrected him as she closed the book she had been reading. She, Ash, and Tracey were sitting outside of the Pokémon Center near the large fountain in the center plaza of Melonatti, the only city on Melono Island. They had arrived on the island late the night before, and had decided to stay the day and leave fresh and rested the following morning. It was still early, about 10:00 am, and they had just came from the library across the street. Misty had checked out "Legends of the Orange Islands" and had been reading to them "The Legend of the Jigglypuff Maiden" because it seemed like it would be a pleasant way to start the day. It didn't work.

"Still, its got that kind of spooky ghost-story appeal," Tracey said with a grin, "makes you want to set up a tent and roast marshmallows." They all laughed and agreed, thankful at a way to break the tension.

"Read some more!" Ash proposed, but just as he did they heard yelling on the opposite side of the fountain.

"Get away from me you disgusting little rat!" Ash heard a young woman yell. Then he heard a small pokémon squeal in pain. He knew that voice!

"PIKACHU!" Ash yelled as he got up and ran to the other side of the fountain. A tall girl about 16 with silver hair down to her mini-skirt and in a sprinkler-like array on the top of her head was kicking Pikachu with her long high-heels. Kicking HIS PIKACHU!

"STOP IT! STOP IT RIGHT NOW!" Ash could feel these word hot in his throat, but when he heard them out loud, they weren't coming from him. A girl about the same age as Pikachu's attacker had beaten him to them. She had shoulder-length green hair and wore baggy blue jean bibs, with a tight blue and green long-sleeved shirt underneath with 00 on the front and the initials B. U. M. on the back (a brand that doesn't exist in the world of pokémon, so Ash had never seen it before). She grabbed the girl by the arm and demanded for her to stop again.

"Nina!? What do you want?" The first girl said hotly.

"Leave that Pikachu alone!" Nina repeated with a hint of a latin accent. "It didn't do anything to you!"

"Well if this filthy city wasn't infested with dirty rats-"

"He's not a dirty rat, he's my pokémon and you've got no right to kick him!" Ash told them as he gently lifted Pikachu.

"Your Pokémon! Well, the next time that thing comes near me I'm pressing charges! It won't be of much use to you in pokémon battles when I have it put to sleep!"

"You press charges! Pikachu would never do anything to hurt anyone, and you attacked HIM!"

"Who cares about pressing charges Ash!" Misty interrupted.

"Yeah, Ash, you need to get Pikachu to that Pokémon Center, NOW!" Tracey added.

Ash turned to run to the Pokémon Center, leaving the two girls standing in the plaza, arguing with each other. He muttered under his breath, "I'll be back."

Chapter 2: A Soggy Meeting

"Oh dear! What happened to this Pikachu!" Nurse Joy exclaimed as Ash gently sat his Pikachu on the table, "Was it a Hitmonlee? He looks like something kicked the stuffing out of him."

"No, it wasn't even a pokémon. Could you please help him out?" Ash replied in an angry worried tone.

"Of course, he'll be fit as a fiddle in five minutes." Nurse Joy hurried out from behind the counter and carefully laid Pikachu on a stretcher. She then wheeled him from the lobby to the back room.

"All right Ash, now let's go find that witch and let her know just how it is!" Misty exclaimed, heading for the doors.

"Right!" Ash agreed. He and Tracey followed Misty to the doors, all of them stomping mad. Misty was still holding her Togepi. All of the yelling and anger was making Togepi very uncomfortable, and she was getting fussy.

"It's ok, Toggy, we have to go and get the meanie who hurt Pika." Misty said, trying to be nice, but she still sounded a little angry. Togepi whined and stuck its head back in its shell.

As Tracey opened the large glass doors for them, he could hear the two girls still arguing. Then, he heard a splash, and evil sounding laughter. "You needed a bath anyway," he heard the first girl say. He looked towards the center of the plaza and saw that the first girl with silver hair had pushed the other into the shallow pool of the fountain. They all began to run to her aid.

"Oh man, are you ok?" Tracey asked as he extended his hand to help her up.

"Yeah, I'm alright," She answered as she grabbed his hand with one of hers, and pushed her hair out of her eyes with the other. At that moment their eyes met, and for a split second all either could do was stare. Suddenly Tracey lost his grip on her wet hand, and she fell once more into the fountain. But Misty and Ash weren't as interested in the girl in the fountain as Tracey, they were out to find the other one.

"You come over here and apolog-" Misty said as she turned to confront her, but she was no where in sight.

"What the-" Ash started.

The girl in the fountain began to laugh. "Don't bother. She's long gone by now." Tracey finally helped her out of the fountain.

"What's your name?" Ash asked her.

"I'm Nina, and we can talk more later as soon as I can get to that Center and dry off." She picked up the old faded jean back pack that lay on the ground, and walked back toward the Pokémon Center. Once inside she hurried to the restrooms, as Ash and the gang sat in the lobby. By the time she got out Pikachu was back and fully recovered. He was sitting on of the recliners playing with Togepi. Nina walked over and sat on a sofa next to Misty, and across from Tracey and Ash. When Pikachu saw her, he immediately darted over to meet the girl who had taken up for him outside.

"Pika-Pikachu" he chirped to her. Then he held out his paw to shake her hand.

"Haha. It's nice to meet you, too!" Nina exclaimed as she shook Pikachu's paw. He then jumped on her lap, so she could pet him. She began to pat his head and stomach. She looked at Ash. "So, he must be yours, uh-"

"Ash Ketchum," Ash said.

"And I'm Misty,"

"Tracey," he said, extending his hand like Pikachu.

"Aww, do you want to be petted to?" Misty said. They all laughed, and Tracey blushed. "Yeah, but still," he thought, "It wouldn't be bad to have those hands...Hey, get your mind out of the gutter!" He looked around, and felt like they all had heard that.

"Hey," Ash said to Misty, "Where's your book?"

"Oh, geeze, I left it outside," Misty said. She got up and went to go get it. While she was gone, Tracey took out his pencil and notebook, and began to draw Nina and Pikachu, like he does everything else (no offense). Pikachu was really contented, so he looked pretty good in the picture, but there was something wrong with Nina. He thought for a minute, and finally found the answer. "No one could ever capture that kind of beauty in a simple sketch like this."

"What are you drawing?" Nina asked.

"Just Pikachu," Tracey said modestly as he handed her the notepad.

"Wow. This is really good. Are you an artist?"

"No, just a simple Pokémon Watcher," he said, once again blushing.

"And I'm a trainer," Ash chimed in, "What about you?"

"I'm a trainer from Valencia island," Nina replied.

"Really, I'm from Vale too!" Tracey exclaimed.

"Cool, I wonder why I've never met you." She said.

"I'm from Pallet Town way up in Kanto," Ash said, trying to get attention.

"Well I'm a water-pokémon trainer from Cerulean City and I'm bored," Misty said as she walked back in. She sat back down and put the book on the table in front of her.

"Legends of the Orange Islands, huh? I read that in oh, about 5th grade," Nina said. "The Jigglypuff Maiden one is good. I liked the part where Leona-"

"Shhhh! We aren't to that part!" Ash stopped her. "Read it to us Misty."

Misty propped the book up on her knees and searched for her place. "Oh, I'm being rude. You don't have anything to do, do you Nina?" she asked.

"Nope! I've got all the time in the world."

"Oh, Nina!" Nurse Joy said coming out from the back room. "I didn't realize you were back! Your Farfetch'd is healed and wants to see you." Nurse Joy opened the little door under the counter, and a large Farfetch'd darted straight over to Nina.

"How ya feeling, Fetchy?" Nina said to the bird, but he had already started up a conversation with Pikachu. "Alright, I see you made a friend in the ER, huh?" The two pokémon ran off and started playing noisily.

"Anyway, where did I leave off?" Misty said to what must have been the book. "Ah, here we are, And so begins her legend....."

Chapter Three: A New Companion

"When the Wigglytuff returned to her part of the village, she took the baby to her mate. He had never seen anything of the sort, and suggested she take it to the chef of their village (at this point Tracey corrects Misty, saying its not chef, its chief). When they reached his hut he was not there, and a nearby Igglybuff informed them that he was at a meeting with the other chiefs of the city, along with the Elder of the village, and that they did not wish to be disturbed. Deciding that this was important enough to interrupt, they walked to the inner most temple of the Jigglypuff civilization, said to be made of rare green jade. When they reached the temple, they informed the guards of their reason for needing to interrupt. They were permitted to enter, and approached the chiefs and the exalted Elder. When the Wigglytuff showed them the baby girl, all agreed that they had never witnessed any pokémon resembling it. The Wigglytuff commiserated the poor baby, ("What's that mean?" Ash asks, and when no one knows, goes and finds a dictionary. "It means, 'To feel pity for'" he tells everyone, and Misty goes on) because of what had obviously happened to its parents. She requested permission to adopt the baby, since it is not uncommon for pokémon to do such things. Once she had presented her case, the chiefs and Elder retired to a private room to deliberate the issue. When they returned, they granted the Wigglytuff couple full custody of the child, as long as no harm ever came to the Jigglypuff in the village, or the village itself at her hands. The Wigglytuff thanked the chiefs and the exalted Elder and returned home. Later that night, as the Wigglytuff were putting their four Igglypuff children to bed, they decided that the baby's name should be Leona, which translates in Jigglypuff tongue to Ly-jig.("How would they know?", "Its just a story Ash!")

From that day forth the Wigglytuff raised Leona as their own child. Soon after that faithful day, everyone in the village knew and recognized her, seeing as she stood out from the other Igglypuff she played with. As she grew and matured, she began to realize that she was different. By about the age of 8, her parents began teaching her how to use Sing, an attack used by Jigglypuff and other fairy-like pokémon to make other non- fairy-pokémon fall into a deep sleep. Leona learned quickly, and soon she could make passing Caterpie and other small harmless pokémon yawn by singing a quick note for them. And when she wanted to, sing them to sleep. But Leona's beautiful voice had an extra added power. She could make fairy-pokémon fall asleep as well! Also, she was resistant to their voices. This power was something at first she didn't share with anyone, but once it got out, it spread like wildfire through her peers. They were afraid of her, and soon she lost what few friends she had. By 13, she was beginning to realize that something was missing from her life--others like her. Because no one had yet learned of the human colony on the coast, no one could tell her just why she was different. She knew that she had been adopted, but she had never, ever seen ANY pokémon at all that resembled her. The closest she could find were the Aipom in the trees, but still they were a far cry from her tail-less self. She began to spend most of her time near a small pond in the jungle, away from the now Jigglypuff peers that had abandoned her. The only people she knew of that still loved her were her parents. Her brothers and sisters were grown Jigglypuff with families of their own, but what did she have? What would she ever have? She could never have a family of her own, not in this village.....

She began to travel away from the village, more and more each day, until the day she reached to coast. She wasn't within sight of the human village, so she didn't know that her real people were so very near to her. She had nothing with her, just the dress she had made from her baby blanket and a traditional Jigglypuff necklace made from colored stones. She fell into a deep sleep, and was awakened by a tapping on her shoulder. When she opened her eyes, she gasped in amazement."

Misty stopped reading, and looked up at the clock. "Oh! It's almost noon!"

"So?" Ash asked angrily. He wanted to hear the rest of the story.

"The librarian told me that the library would close for the weekend at noon! It's already 11:45! I gotta get this book back!" Everyone followed Misty outside, except for Farfetch'd, Pikachu and Togepi, who Nurse Joy volunteered to keep an eye on until they got back. (why couldn't she just slid it in the slot near the front doors that every library has? Well, TV characters hardly ever think of the obvious solutions to their problems, do they?) Once at the library's front desk, Misty rang the small bell on the desk. A short, chubby woman in thick framed glasses with a sea-shell chain on them walked up to the desk, saying, "Oh, back so soon?"

"Yes, I need to return this book. We're leaving tomorrow and need to return it before you close," Misty told her.

"Are you pokémon trainers?" she asked kindly.

"Uh-huh" they all replied in unison.

"Well then, if you like you can return this book to the next "Official Orange Island Library" that you come to if you would like to keep it for the remainder of your check-out period."

"Really?" Misty said gratefully, "I never knew you could do that. Thanks for the tip!"

"Just make sure you return it to that library on time," the librarian said, and hurried off to finish putting some books back on their shelves.

Once outside, Nina asked what she had been dieing to ask for over an hour. "So, where are you guys going next?"

There was a pause, because they all knew what she wanted. "We were planning on going to Seedless Island. I'm trying to win all the Orange League badges, so we're just working our way through the Orange Islands." Ash explained. There was another pause, and smiles crept across the trio's faces as they saw Pikachu and Farfetch'd run out of the Pokémon Center straight to Nina. Togepi toddling slowly behind. Misty met the little egg half-way as Nina bent down to scratch Pikachu's and Farfetch'd's heads.

"Well you know, that's exactly what we were trying to do, too, weren't we, Farfetch'd?" Farfetch'd agreed by cawing, "Far-farfetched"

"Pika, pikachu pi chu pi pi," Pikachu squeaked, tugging at Nina's pant leg. Then he look straight up at Ash and said, "Pika Pi, pikachu pi chu pi pi?"

"Well I think that Pikachu has taken a liking to you," Misty said.

"Yeah, I guess so," Nina agreed.

Ash looked around at all of them, then said with a wide smile, "Nina, how would you like to come with all of us when we leave tomorrow?"

Nina thought for a second, then said, "Well as for me, I'd love to. What do you think Farfetch'd?"

"Fetch'd far far fetch'd fe-fetch'd" he replied, pointing with his leak (we think its a scallion, but hey, whatcha gonna do?) towards Nina's backpack.

"Good idea," Nina said. She took off her backpack and took out five pokéballs. From them she released a Blastoise, a Flaafy, a Ninetales, a Tangela and a Xatu. "You guys," she said, "This is Ash, Misty and Tracey. They want us to go with them when we leave to go to the next island. What do you think?"

"Toise blast blast?" The Blastoise growled.

"Of course their nice people, you'll like them once you get to know them," Nina informed them. The pokémon talked it over, then gave their answer to Nina.

"What'd they say?" Tracey asked. You could tell he really wanted her to go with them.

"They said 'The more the merrier'" Nina laughed.

"Hah, then welcome aboard!" Ash said, smiling uncontrollably.

"Yeah, welcome to the new Twerp Quartet," Misty said sarcastically, but happily.

"It'll be great to have you along. At least now I can stop associating with these children and talk to a real adult," Tracey said.,P> "What?! Take that back!" Misty and Ash yelled as Tracey and Nina laughed at them.

"So what should we do now?" Nina asked.

"Let's spend the day with our pokémon getting acquainted," Tracey suggested. (date date date date date)

"Alright," Ash and Misty agreed, still a little angry.

"But first, let's get some lunch!" Nina exclaimed.

"But it's only 11:55!" Misty said.

"Yeah, but when we get to a restaurant, it'll be lunch-time," Nina stated.

"I like the way this girl thinks!" Ash said as he broke out his pokéballs. (Did that sound painful to you?)

So all the rest of the day Ash, Misty, Tracey and Nina spent time getting to know each other with their fleet of nineteen pokémon: Pikachu, Squirtle, Bulbasaur, Snorlax, Charizard, Lapras, Starmie, Staryu, Goldeen, Togepi, Marill, Venonat, Scyther, Farfetch'd, Blastoise, Flaafy, Ninetales, Tangela, and Xatu. (Phew! I'm outta breath!) It was late when they got back to the Pokémon Center, so late that they all decided to go straight to bed. They never got back to reading Misty's spell binding book.

Chapter Four: Off To Seedless Island!

That night, as they prepared to go to bed, they made their plans for the next day.

"I need to stop at the PokéMart to pick up some supplies," Tracey said.

"Me too," Misty agreed.

"Then we can all go out to breakfast!" Ash exclaimed.

"Is that all you ever think about, FOOD?" Misty asked in her normal nagging voice. The voice she used a lot with Ash.

"What's wrong with that?" Nina said with a grin. "Well, I gotta get a shower." Nina picked up her backpack and walk to the girls bathroom across the hall.

"And I have to go brush my hair," Misty said as she followed Nina out.

As the boys changed into their sleeping clothes Ash noticed that Tracey had his sketch of Nina and Pikachu, some coloring pencils, a pastel poach and a big fat eraser all out on the bottom bunk of their bunk beds.

"Geeze Tracey, I've never seen you put so much effort into one drawing," Ash teased.

"Pi pi pikachu pi. Pi pi pikachu pi." Pikachu sang to what sounded like the tune of, "Tracey's gotta girlfriend!"

"Be quiet!" Tracey told the two who were both singing now, "It was a good pose and I wanted it to look nice."

"Whatever!" Ash exclaimed as he climbed up on to the top bunk. "I just hope you don't pull a Jack Dawson on us with a big blue necklace and a red sofa. 'I want you to draw my portrait, wearing this, only this'" Ash tried to imitate Rose from Titanic, but he sounded more like he had a Politoed down his throat. He and Pikachu thought it was hilarious anyway, and laughed so hard they almost fell off the bed. So Tracey picked up his pillow and hurled it at them, starting a pillow fight, something they usually had when they stayed at Pokémon Centers anyway.

Across the hall in the bathroom, Misty was combing her short strawberry blonde hair when she heard someone pushing on the bathroom door.

"Toge togepriiiii!" the little baby cooed from outside.

"Aww, are you ready for your bath?" Misty asked gently as she opened the door and picked the baby up off the floor. She walked over to the sink and ran some luke-warm water in it. She tried to add some hand soap for bubbles but didn't get very good results.

"Oh well," Misty said and placed Togepi into the sink where it started to splash and play around. Misty then turned around to continue brushing her hair, but as she did she accidentally knocked over the bottle of soap, a roll of paper towels and her's and Nina's backpacks all onto the floor (come on, you've been that clumsy before, too!).

"What was that?" she heard Nina say from the shower stall, her voice muffled from the water.

"Nothing! Just a bottle of soap!" Misty said quickly, embarrassed at her recklessness. She bent over to pick up the stuff when she realized that something had fallen out of Nina's backpack. She picked it up and saw that it was a white shirt, the same kind as Nina's B. U. M. shirt. Except for the one detail that made Misty forget everything around her and gasp in amazement. There was a big red R on the front of it. She was so unaware of her surroundings that she didn't hear the shower shut off, and see Nina's hand searching for the robe Nurse Joy had let her use. What dragged her away from her thoughts was Nina saying, "What are you doing with that?"

Misty jumped and stared at Nina, then at the mess on the floor, then back up at the shirt. "Uh, this fell out of your, your, that thing, the backpack thing," Misty stuttered, scared stiff for no reason. "Come on Misty," she thought,"you've dealt with Team Rocket a bajillion times by now, you know their a bunch of losers." Then she remembered that Blastoise, and knew that this wasn't just some idiot like Jessie or James.

"Well, that's OK," Nina said politely to Misty total astonishment. "It's just my old cheerleader shirt anyway."

"What!?" Misty exclaimed. She looked back down at the shirt. They DO look like cheerleader shirts, don't they?

"Yeah, we were the Valencia Island Redmen," Nina said as she took the shirt from Misty, picked up the mess and took out a nightgown, a toothbrush and a hairbrush from her backpack. Misty quickly finished with her hair, dried off Togepi and hurried back to their room.

When she walked in she saw that Tracey and Ash had abandoned the pillows and were having a full-fledged wrestling match on the floor. Tracey was winning, seeing as he was four years older than Ash. Misty rolled her eyes and walked past them, then sat Togepi on their bed. Traveling with Ash, Brock and now Tracey had changed her perspective on boys drastically. She had been born to a family of three sisters, and didn't have too much experience with guys. But ever since she had met Ash it seemed like she had had to put up with a big and little brother her whole life, and she was learning how to handle herself in that situation very well. But when Ash started yelling about Tracey's headlock she finally got annoyed enough to get up and start to try and break them up--with a few punches and kicks. Of course they still weren't totally like brothers, if they were hanging on the edge of a cliff, she WOULD save them. And there was that feeling she would get sometimes when Ash sat close to her and stuff like that....but she ignored the feeling and held it down deep inside so no one would know until she was ready to tell him. And she could wait as long as she wanted to. After all, it was nobody's business but hers and Ash's. SO QUIT ASKING!

After a while Misty stopped trying, and thought, "I wanna see how fast Tracey gets off the floor when NINA walks in!" Sure enough, as soon as she walked in with her hair down and short pink night gown on Tracey zoomed back to his bunk, acting as if it never happened. Ash, however, was left sprawling on the floor, holding his neck and acting like Tracey killed him. He finally got up and climbed back up to his bunk, kicking at Tracey along the way. Nina just went straight to her bottom bunk, and asked, "Where's Farfetch'd?"

At that moment Pikachu and Farfetch'd flew into the room, apparently having a race. "You shouldn't get yourself so hyper before just before bed-time," Nina informed them. She picked up Farfetch'd and sat him on their pillow, much to his objection. Pikachu hopped up the ladder on the boy's bunk right into Ash's arms without a moments hesitation.

About that time Nurse Joy came in and said, "I was just watching the weather and its going to be a lovely day tomorrow, and only about 85ş."

"Thanks a lot Nurse Joy," Ash said. With that Nurse Joy turned off the light and closed the door.

That night Tracey lie awake, just looking at Nina. He couldn't help it. He knew it was weird of him, but he could take his eyes off her. Plus her Farfetch'd had an obvious nasal problem, and was sawing logs like a lumberjack. Sometimes Tracey wished he had a pokémon he could keep out of its pokéball like Pikachu and Togepi, except when it came time to share a bed with them. Then he was just fine.

"ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ, HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" He didn't see how she could sleep with Farfetch'd snoring like that, how she could just lay there and breath in and out, in, out, in-

"Would'ja stop it already, your actin' like a psychopath!" his brain kept telling him.

"No he's not, I think it's sweet!" his heart would tell his brain.

"Psychopathic,"

"Sweet,"

"Psychopathic,"

"Sweet,"

"Psychopathic!"

"Sweet!"

"Shut up the both a yas, and go to sleep!" said another part of him. Maybe his liver or something. He finally took that organs advice and rolled over so he couldn't see her and fell asleep. Misty wasn't so lucky.

"Geeze, I acted like an idiot in there! I practically accused her of being in Team Rocket. Now she'll probably never speak to me again." She then heard Ash muttering in his sleep, "Mewtwo go, blow that thing away....." across the room.

"And that would be really bad. I need another girl to talk to every once in a while." She tried to fall asleep, but her mind kept going back to that shirt with a big red R on it.

"You know, if she was in Team Rocket that'd be exactly what she would say. Cheerleader, ha! I bet Team Rocket's boss decided to finally get rid of Jessie and James and hire an secret agent. That way the first time she's alone with Pikachu, WHAM! She grabs him and they're both halfway to headquarters in a Viridian City minute." This is what Misty was really thinking. Even though Nina had seemed like a pretty nice girl she couldn't help being just a little suspicious. Then for some reason, Misty thought of the look on Nina's face when she first saw Misty with her shirt. And of Nina's big brown eyes. They had seemed to stare straight into her soul. There was something about those eyes, something strange and familair. And almost evil.....

The next morning they quickly got dressed and made a fast stop at the Pokémart for pokéfood, potions and the like. Then they stopped at McDonald's at Ash's request. They sent him in and he came back with about 20 Egg McMuffins ("I thought the pokémon might be hungry too!"). After that they were finally ready to set sail, even though Ash's Lapras doesn't have a sail. When they arrived at the dock, Ash sent out his living boat.

"O. K. Lapras, ready to go?" he asked it.

"Pra-ee!" it answered happily. They all began to pile onto the ferry-pokémon, but it didn't take long to realize that it was a little crowded.

"That's ok, me and Blastoise can just float along side you guys," Nina suggested as she let her Blastoise out of its pokéball. She and Farfetch'd transferred to it's back, followed by Pikachu, who was still having a load of fun with his two new friends. After that was settled, they waved goodbye to Nurse Joy who had come to see them off, and headed off into the horizon in the direction of Seedless Island. And if it makes you Twerp- Trashers feel better, Tracey got bitten by a Gyrados, Misty fell over board and Ash almost choked to death on a moldy old riceball he had been saving since before Brock left.

After six long hours spent playing Pokémon cards and listening to Misty and Nina sing "Who Let the Growlithe Out?" (I'm pathetic) about a hundred times along to the radio, they came within about a thousand yards of Seedless Island's shore (is that close or far? I don't know, I'm not a boat person. Not much of a math person either). Tracey was the first to spot the colorful decorations and crowds of people in the town.

"It looks like a festival is going on," he said, having a sudden feeling of de-cha-vu. (I know, spelling error)

"Uh-oh," Misty said laughing, "You remember what happened the last time we landed on an island in the middle of a festival."

"Don't remind me, Ash's head was three times its normal size for a month!" Tracey said, and he literally sounded like he meant.

"It's not my fault I'm a hero!" Ash said proudly. Misty moaned loudly.

"Yeah, I guess you could say we had better prepare for trouble!" Tracey said.

"AND I SUGGEST YOU MAKE IT DOUBLE!" came a voice from behind them.

Everyone whirled around, knowing what to expect. Everyone except Nina. Her face turned stark white as she whispered to Farfetch'd through her completely dry mouth, "Oh no!"

Chapter Five: Will The Real Team Rocket Please Stand Up?

"To protect the world from devastation!"

"To unite all people within our nation!"

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the stars above"

"Jessie,"

"NINA!?"

Jessie turned quickly on the hood of their Magikarp sub to face James. "What did you say that for? You messed up the motto!"

"But Jesse look! It is Nina!" he stammered, half unable to believe what he was seeing.

Jessie squinted, and scanned the Lapras back. "You idiot! There's nothing but a bunch of twer-" She stop short as she spotted a mass of green hair, trying to duck behind Lapras long blue neck. But she didn't need to wait long to see who it was, because the Blastoise it was riding on was happily swimming towards their sub, having recognized them. In a few seconds Nina's cover was totally blown.

"I don't believe it. It is you! Wha- Wha-, Where have you been?!" Jessie exclaimed, eager to talk to her old friend.

"I don't know what your talking about, you must mean some other Nina!" She was trying to pretend like she didn't recognize the two, while also trying not to let anyone see her face going from white to beet red.

"What's going on?" Tracey demanded to Team Rocket, ready to defend Nina at all costs.

"Yeah Nina, what are they talking about?" Ash said, very confused at it all.

"Shut up twerp! This is none of your business! Speaking of twerps, what are you doing with these three stooges anyway?" Jessie asked, strangely kinder than usual, but of course still really meanly.

"Listen, you've got the wrong Nina!" Nina was growing desperate. If there was ever a time she wished her Xatu knew teleport, it was now, because she would be outta there.

Team Rocket was losing patients with their former collogue. "Cut the act Nina!" came a voice from behind her. It was Meowth. He had apparently been below deck, but now was out and ready to join the action.

"Just what are you trying to pull?" James added, "You're acting like your ashamed of us or something. It's these uniforms, isn't it? You never did liked them, did you? Do you still have yours?"

"Yes as a matter of SHE DOES!" Misty proclaimed, holding up Nina's back pack. She retch in it and drew out Nina's uniform top. "Cheerleader for the Valencia High Redmen, huh?"

Tracey and Ash gaped at Misty's hand. But Misty wasn't through yet. "So Tracey, when you went to Valencia Island High School, what was your mascot?"

Tracey nervously looked at Nina. Her head had been in her hands since Misty revealed her tale-tell shirt. As much as he hated to hurt her, he had to answer. "The Valencia Victreebels."

"So a cheerleader uniform from your school probably wouldn't have a big red R on it, would it?"

"No," he said flatly.

Misty turned her gaze to Nina. "Look at me!" She demanded. Nina obeyed. "This isn't a cheerleader outfit, is it?"

Everyone tensed as Nina drew a deep breath, then let it out. "No, no, ok?! It's not. I admit it. I was in Team Rocket. But that was a long time ago and I'm not-"

"Well then if you FOUR don't have anything to try and steal today we need to be going. C'mon Ash!" Misty said as she tossed Nina's backpack at the poor broken girl. Ash directed his Lapras to the shore and they all turned away from Team Rocket.

"C'mon Pikachu!" Ash called, not bothering to look at them. Pikachu had been sitting only three feet away from where Jessie and James were standing, easy grabbing distance, next to Farfetch'd on Blastoise. He said one quick, "Pika!" to his feathered friend and bounded aboard the Lapras.

Jessie looked down at Nina, who was now on the verge of tears. "It's ok, Nina, you'll be better off without those twerps."

"Yeah," Meowth agreed, "Now you's can tell us where ya been at for so long"

James extended his hand to her. "Come on up and we can go inside and sit down."

Nina bent over to pick up her Farfetch'd and backpack, then climbed onto the sub. She recalled her Blastoise, and slowly followed Jessie, James and Meowth below deck. She was still a little dazed from the dramatic scene that had just went down, and very heartbroken. Her mind suddenly wheeled back to the look she had seen on Tracey face through her hands, how sympathetic he had seemed. That's when the tears finally came flooding out.

Chapter Six: Good Memories, Bad Mistakes

A little while later, Ash, Misty and Tracey walked through the decorated town, not bothering to par-take in any of the festivities. They seemed almost in a trance. They all felt betrayed and wronged, even if they had only known Nina for a day, if you could say they knew her at all. To Misty, it all made almost perfect sense when she thought about it. "Team Rocket's boss had finally gotten tired of Team Rocket's losing streak and had decided to attempt something new. Instead of a whole team of losers, bound to mess each other up, he would put one person out on the hunt. And why not try an undercover agent while your at it? That was why she had stopped that girl from hurting Pikachu in the first place, so she could nab it. If Pikachu was dead, he wouldn't be of much use to anyone, especially Boss Rocket. It made perfect since. But if Team Rocket's Boss had gotten a new person to steal Pikachu, why had Jessie, James and Meowth showed up? He must not have told them, yeah that's it. That's why Nina didn't want them to see her and blow her cover. Yeah, perfect-"

"HEY KID, LOOK OUT!"

Misty jumped aside just before a car ran her over. In her deep trail of thought, she had walked off the sidewalk, and into the road. Togepi began to cry from all the commotion, and Ash had to drag Misty out of the street, she was so confused.

"Wake up Misty! That kind of stunt could really have gotten Togepi hurt!" He had to pry the baby pokémon from her arms. Now normally Misty would have hit Ash over the head with a mallet or something for yelling at her like that, but this time he was right, and she really didn't have time to think about it. She found herself walking without even thinking into a small diner that she had seen Tracey walk into. He had pretended like he didn't even notice Misty's near death experience, and it's quite possible he hadn't.

A short time before that, in Team Rocket's sub, Nina was feeling like she had already been run over. She couldn't really blame Jessie and James, they hadn't known. They were just happy to see a long lost friend who had run away without even saying good-bye...

"Here, take it. It's hot coco." James said as he handed her a mug of steaming chocolate. She thanked him and took the mug. It was black, with a big red R on the side.

Is that what people thought her heart looked like? What all their hearts looked like? DID they look like that, carrying the Team Rocket emblem for the rest of their lives, no matter how hard she could try to disguise it, how far she could run from it? (and that concludes, Deep Thoughts) She tried to take her mind off of the subject. But she didn't have to try very hard.

"So, Nina, what's been going on these past four years?" Jessie said casually, as if she were simply discussing the weather.

Nina always knew that one day she would have to explain herself to someone, so she decided now was the time (Plus, this story is getting longer than I thought it would and I need to hurry up, DBZ is on. Come to think of it, you probably have something better to do too. How about I just tell you how this ends right now and we can both go on with our lives. No? SIGH, fine, I'll finish it out).

"I just didn't want to be in Team Rocket anymore so I ran away."

Jessie and James looked at each other, knowing there had to be more. If she thought anyone would just except that answer, she was dumber than THEY were!

"Dontcha dink ya owe us a betta explanation dan DAT?" Meowth asked (sorry if you can't read that).

"Really!" Jessie cut in. "I mean two years after we all join Team Rocket and are finally making it somewhere, you just up and disappear without a trace, just a post-it note saying 'you had to get away from there.' What were you thinking! We were worried sick about you! What with kidnappers and rapist everywhere-"

Nina and James both snickered at this last remark.

"What's so funny?!" Jessie demanded. She was being totally serious and didn't like to be made fun of. If she only had a big wooden mallet.....

"Nothing Jess, it's just, aren't you overreacting just a bit?" James said through stifled laughter.

"Yeah, why don't we hear Nina's side uh da story? But dis time, tell da truth." Meowth advised with a pointy claw.

"All right," Nina agreed, this time feeling a little more open. They all sat in a four-way circle like little kids at story time at Grandpa's house. James offered Jessie some potato chips, and she told him to shut up.

"Geeze, I don't know where to start. It was right after the six of us joined Team Rocket. Your right, everything was going right. The boss liked us and all, the pay was good, and hanging out with you guys was great, but, it just didn't feel right. All the illegal stuff we did before was fine with me, I had a pretty clear conscious when it came to that stuff, but the whole idea of taking people's pokémon just didn't sit well with me. I always wanted to be a pokémon master, just like the people we were stealing from. I thought about how I would feel if some one stole Farfetch'd, and I just couldn't do it anymore. I went to the boss and told him I wanted to quit, but he told me that no one can ever leave Team Rocket, that they would have to die first, or he would kill them. That's why I couldn't tell you guys I was leaving. If the boss found out you knew what had happened to me, who knows what he would have done to you guys!"

"Probably torture or something," James said matter of factly between chips. Jessie rolled her eyes.

"Well, that's exactly why you guys have to promise never to tell a living soul you've seen me!" Nina retorted.

"But what about Frank and Sunny? (I'm pushing it with the cowboy names, aren't I) Don't you owe them an excuse too? They were just as worried as us!" James informed her.

Nina thought back to the other two members of the party of six she mentioned earlier. She hadn't seen Frank or Sunny in the same amount of time that she hadn't seen Jessie, James, and Meowth. Still, talking to them was just a big of risk as talking to Jessie and James, maybe a bigger one, depending on how close they were to Boss Rocket. "I don't know, I mean where are they now? Could they tell Giovanni about me from there?"

"Frank and Sunny would never do that! They're our best friends." Jessie reminded her. "The twerps would tell Giovanni before they would." at that Nina gasped, fearing that just maybe word would get to Giovanni from Tracey and his friends. But they wouldn't do that, would they?

"Ah, dey wouldn't waste deir time. Don't sweat it!" Meowth assured her. "Jessie, you call Frank and Sunny, deir stationed back at Head Quardas. Just make sure dat dey're alone befoe ya give da phone ta Nina."

"Good idea Meowth," James said.

"For once," Jessie grumbled as she dug into her purse for her cell phone (yes she has a purse and yes she has a cell phone, at least in my story she does!). She dialed the number to Head Quarters, then Meowth gave her some extensions for the Field Worker's Services branch of Team Rocket, then for Heavy Machinery, then for Repairs. Sunny was a secretary in that department, and Meowth had completely forgotten what Frank did anyway.

*************************

Somewhere in Viridian City, at Team Rocket HQ in a crowded office room, a young secretary with a long poofy blue ponytail high on her head and parted bangs resembling saber-toothed tiger fangs that lined her face was painting her nails. Suddenly her phone rang, so she put down her nail polish and said in a very routine voice, "Hello, Team Rocket Field Worker's Services Heavy Machinery Repairs Office, how may I help you?"

James was already struggling to reach the phone, demanding to talk to Sunny, but Jessie easily punched him in the stomach and said, "Hey girl, what are you doing?"

"Jessie?" Sunny asked, perking up a bit. "Wow it's been a while! Is James there?"

James pounced at the sound of his name, but Jessie brushed him off with a hard blow to the chest. Nina and Meowth were finding this very amusing. "Yeah he's here, but he's busy at the moment." Jessie lied. Believe me, if I didn't need him to stick around for later in the story (and sequels to come, hint hint), James probably wouldn't have lived through this phone call.

"Oh," Sunny said, sounding disappointed. "Anyway, what do you need, your sub break down or something?"

"Actually, we need to talk to you and Frank in private, if that's at all possible."

"Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing's wrong, you two just really need to hear this."

Sunny covered the receiver of the phone with her hand. "Genie, I'm gonna have to take my break. Cover for me, will ya?" she yelled across the packed out office room. She put the phone back up to her face. "Jess, let me call you back on my phone."

"Ok," Jessie agreed. There was a click, and then a dial tone.

"SHE HUNG UP?! YOU LET HER HANG UP?!" James yelled, steaming. This time Jessie had a mallet ready. *WHAM!* "Shut up you idiot, she's gonna call back!"

Nina was feeling a wide variety of emotions stirring inside her. She was excited about getting to talk to her old friends again, yet scared of what would happen to them all if Giovanni found out what was going on. And she still was upset over losing Tracey, Ash and Misty. She glanced at Farfetch'd, conversing with Meowth. She could tell he was feeling the same way. She decide that as soon as possible, she would go to find Tracey and his friends, to at least try and explain herself, no matter what the risks.

"He'll understand," she said under her breath.

Chapter Seven: Reunited at Long Last

"What about you red cap?" the waitress asked.

"Cheeseburger deluxe with no lettuce, tomato or onions, a large order of fries and a medium orange soda," Ash replied in one breath.

"Son, if you take off the lettuce tomato and onions you got a regular cheeseburger. Save yourself 75˘ (Ł Ą $ § ¤ or whatever kind of currency you use) and order it that way," she suggested.

"Sure," Ash said half heartedly. Misty stared at him. She had never seen him not excited right before he was about to eat. It was scary. She wanted to cheer him up, but she was feeling the same way. They were all upset. Pikachu's ears were droopy, and Togepi still hadn't come out of her shell. Yet none of them looked half as bad as Tracey. The girlfriend jokes were funny at first, but this was serious. Sure, Nina had turned out to be as bad as the girl she had saved Pikachu from, but Tracey had really liked her. And Nina had never showed any signs that she didn't feel the same way. Misty tried to remember the last thing Nina had said to them. Something like, '.....that was a long time ago and I'm not.....', if only Misty hadn't interrupted, they could of heard some important evidence in Nina's favor. Maybe, if they ever saw Nina again, they could give her a second chance, for Tracey's sake.

*************************

"Hey Jess, wazzup?" came a smooth voice from the other end of the phone line. James and Meowth both made vomiting poses, and Nina had to laugh. Sunny and Frank had called back on their own phone, so there was no danger of anyone else hearing. Nina could only imagine what they looked like now, the last time she had seen them they were 11 (Sunny) and 14 (Frank). She and James had been 12 and Jessie was 13. Now they were 15 and, Geeze, 18! She pulled a small photo album out of her back pack to refresh her memory. She turned to the last picture they had all taken together, ironically the day before she left. Jessie and James had barely changed, only they were taller and more mature (physically, not mentally, believe me). She wondered if Sunny still had the big ponytail, and Frank the messy light blond hair. And that's all she could do, wonder.

"Nothing Frankie, how are you?" Jessie said in an equally sexy voice. ; O # "What do you mean, nothing? Sunny told me something important was going on." Frank asked in a normal voice, if anyone in Team Rocket has one.

"That can wait!" Jessie said hatefully, "Let's talk about you. What are you wearing?" ( ; O # )

"Give me that!" James said and stole the phone before she could knock him senseless. "Frank, are you sure your alone?"

"Yeah, James, it's just me and Sunny here (stop it! you can talk to him later), why?"

"Well," he said and glanced around, like anyone was hiding in their sub, then said quietly, "we found Nina."

"WHAT!" they both screamed on the other side.

"SHHH, no one can here you! Now listen, if anyone finds out that she's here with us Giovanni will have all our necks! I'm going to put her on, just make sure you don't say her name out loud or anything that would give someone the idea that your talking to her."

"Ok," they agreed.

"Here she is," James handed the phone to Nina. She didn't say anything for a second, then put the phone up to her face and said, "Hello?"

"Ni- oops! Hey there! Oh my goodness, it's been like, four years! What happened to you?" Sunny asked excitedly, a hint of a sob in her voice.

Nina began to explain her story again for them, exactly the way she had for Jessie and James, only adding the whole Tracey and his friends episode. At the end, Frank said, "Wow, that's some story. I never knew you wanted to be a pokémon trainer. Is that what your doing now?"

"Yeah. I just hope you guys can forgive me for what I did" Nina said.

"It's ok, Nina, I don't see any way we couldn't forgive you. I just wish we could talk face to face. Hey! Maybe we could talk the boss into sending us down there to help out Jessie and James! Oh, and we'll leave you out of it," Sunny proposed.

"Yeah, if you took one of the new XL 123 Super Dooper Rocket Choppers you could be here in half an hour!" James exclaimed. They were on the speaker phone now. (in case your wondering, I made up the helicopter thing. No plane known to man could go that fast without breaking the sound barrier)

"Cool, we'll be there soon!" and with that they hung up. Nina didn't know what to think. If Frank and Sunny came down there to see her, it could lead to serious trouble. And just so you know, I will make sure it does. Why? Because I can, for behold, I AM THE AUTHOR! HAHAHAHAHA!

Back in town, at the diner, Tracey and crew were still waiting for their food. They were just about the only people in the place, and were beginning to see why. But none of them were in a hurry, or felt like complaining. Ash had his head set on, (yes, he has a CD player), and Misty seemed to be watching the parade going on outside, though you couldn't see much past the crowded sidewalk. The mood was so happy and pleasant, that it made them more depressed. Tracey had nothing better to do than look around the diner. It was relatively small, with about five booths. There was a jukebox on one wall, even though music could be heard playing from speakers in the ceiling. It was kind of neat, they would only play music that had to do with food, like 'Lady Marmalade,' 'Candy,' 'Strawberry Wine' and songs like that. No matter how hard he tried to occupy his mind, it always went back to Nina. How she had looked a him when he helped her out of the fountain; the way she blushed when she saw his sketch; how she had said, "Do you where your mind on your sleeve, or just your heart?" when he couldn't find the Ice Heal in the Pokémart even though it was right in front of his nose; how she could hit perfect high notes while singing with Misty. It was all so vivid in his head. She never once seemed the least bit Team Rocket-ish. He couldn't help but wonder, was she feeling the same way as him?

She was.

It had only been ten minutes since Frank and Sunny had hung up, yet Nina could barely wait another second. She was angry at herself for not wanting to spend time with her friends, but she felt like every second she spent waiting here for them was another mile Tracey, Ash and Misty got away from her. It seemed to her that it would be almost impossible to find them if she sat here too much longer. Suddenly there was a small *thud* from outside the sub. Jessie and James had been pedaling them towards shore, and apparently they had landed. James opened the hatch to let some cool air in, then they all sat back down.

"So whatta yous guys suggest weeze do now?" Meowth said (like you didn't know it was him).

"Farfetch'd far far fetch'd far" Farfetch'd answered.

"What did he say?" Jessie asked.

"'Let's play a board game'. Do we even gots one?"

"We have Scrabble," James said. It only took another ten minutes to realize that a cat and a duck were beating them at a freaking word game, so they gave it up and went outside to sit on the beach. For the next ten minutes they spent talking about stuff, nothing important, just whether the other had seen a basketball game, or heard about a famous singer's new boyfriend/girlfriend, teen stuff, because face it, they are teenagers.

Jessie spotted it first. A helicopter on the horizon. Within a minute it was landing. Nina almost didn't have time to run back inside to hide. So, when Sunny and Frank emerged from the hold, she wasn't there to greet them. The chopper rose back into the air almost as soon as it landed, barely giving them time to get off.

Frank and Sunny were dressed in uniforms like Jessie and James. Frank had slightly baggier jeans and a shirt that came down past his belt, and a black scarf around his neck with small red R's on it. Sunny had boots that only came up to her knee (oooo, so low!) that came to a point at the top like cowboy boots, and shorts instead of a mini-skirt. Her gloves were shorter and kind of got wider at the end so they didn't hug her arm and her shirt was sleeveless. It also wasn't split so you couldn't see her bra (like Jessie, but I won't go into that). There was lots of hugging and kissing, the latter mostly on Frank and Jessie's part, and exclaims of "Look at you!" and "Oh my god, it's been so long!", and finally they went inside. When they all got in the sub, Nina's anxiety faded away and she became just as excited as the rest of them. After about five minutes, they realized that this called for a celebration. One of them suggested going into town for dinner and the festival, since Frank had run a scan and no one in Team Rocket besides them was stationed on Seedless Island. Nina immediately agreed, praying Tracey and company were somewhere at the festival. So, they all got dressed in normal attire (believe it or not, there was no cross-dressing) and walked up the beach to the city.

Chapter Eight: Dinner Theater at Granny's Buffet

Tracey, Ash and Misty's food had finally arrived, but none of them cared. Not even Ash had seemed interested.

"What's the matter with you kids, there's a fair outside and your acting like its a funeral procession!" the waitress said as she sat down their food. After the only answer she got was a lonesome sigh, she left them alone. That's when Tracey heard them. Someone outside the door.

"What about this place? 'Granny's Buffet'. Huh."

"Sound's lame."

"Yeah, but it sounds cheap too. Let's eat here."

Tracey didn't recognize the last two voices, but the first was distinct. It was James from Team Rocket. Tracey whirled around, knowing Nina was with them. But Ash and Misty pulled him back down, saying, "SHHH! Let's see what their up too!" After a struggle, Tracey finally crouched down with them behind the fortunately high back of the seat, and waited. As what looked like Team Rocket (it was hard to tell without uniforms) walked in, Ash and Misty exchanged glances full of questions: What are they doing here? Are they looking for us? Maybe it's just a coincidence? Who are the new guys?

The same waitress who had attended to Ash and the gang sat the five of them plus Meowth at the booth right behind Ash and Misty (Tracey sat opposite of them, with Pikachu and Togepi). Then, to there misfortune, she said, "Don't bother talking to them, their not much for conversation." James, Sunny and Nina turned around to look, and Jessie, Frank and Meowth leaned forward, and all gasped. This is when the Theater part comes in. I'm going to change to script mode now, so you can understand the conversation. Try to understand, Nina and Tracey are having a totally separate conversation.

Jessie, James, Ash, Misty: YOU!!!!!

Nina: Tracey!!!!!

Tracey: NINA!!!!!

Ash: What are you (counts under breath) six doing here?

Jessie: Eating, stupid! What's it look like!

(About this time, the waitress leaves)

Nina: Oh, Tracey, I'm so sorry! I should have told you sooner.

Misty: Yeah right, what are you up to this time?!

James: Nothing!

Tracey: I should be the one who's sorry, I should have listened to you! I knew you were trying to tell us something important.

Ash (sarcastically): Oh, so there's no big plan to steal Pikachu?!

Jessie, James, Sunny, Frank: NO!!!!!

Sunny: We just came here to eat, like you did. So until you leave, just leave us alone!

Nina: I was trying to tell you that I'm not in Team Rocket anymore!

Ash, Misty, Tracey, looking at Nina: WHAT?

Nina: It's true. I was in Team Rocket, but I ran away because I wanted to be a Pokemon Trainer. Trust me, I'm never going back. You see, (tells whole story, up to when they walk in diner) And after they leave to go home tomorrow I would really, really like to come back on the road with you guys, Ash, please!

(pause) Ash: So, you swear your not in Team Rocket?

Tracey: You heard what she said, Ash, she just a trainer now, so it's time to forget and forgive and go on with our lives! (looks at Nina, and grabs her hand) We'd be glad to have you back!

Ash: I don't know, what do you think Misty? Pikachu?

Misty: Well, we didn't really give her time to explain before, maybe we should give her a second chance.

Pikachu: Pika Pika chu Pika chu!

Meowth: Thunder Rat here says he'll take her back too.

Misty: Tracey, do you want her to come back too?

Tracey (dreamily staring into Nina's eyes): I do!

Jessie: HUMPH! Well then I know pronounce you back with the twerps.

Ash: We're leaving tomorrow at eight o'clock. Be at the docks on the east side by then, ok?

Nina (mainly to Tracey): I'll be there, count on it.

Sunny: Well now that that's settled, can we order, please?

Frank: Yo, Waiter!
*Back to story mode*

The waiter from before came back and took Team Rocket (and Nina's) orders. After that the two groups didn't talk very much to each other, excluding Nina and Tracey. They never did turn back around and sit down. Through their conversation Ash and Misty learned a great deal more about Nina, including how her Dad had immigrated from Ecuador; how she and James were in the same grade and how he introduced her to Jessie and Meowth, who introduced her to Frank, who introduced them all to his cousin Sunny; how she had found Farfetch'd after he had robbed a Pokémon Center someone had dumped him off in; and other stuff, not to mention some interesting tips on pick-pocketing.

"You direct the persons attention away from their pockets by bumping into them, or if you good enough a simple handshake. Then in that instant you go for where you think their wallet is. Easy huh?"

The only thing the real Team Rocket said to Ash and Co. happened right after the waitress left. Suddenly there was a loud rumbling sound from Ash booth.

"EEEWW!" Sunny exclaimed and pulled her shirt collar over her nose, as did everyone but Ash. He began to blush.

"Hehe, I guess I didn't realize how hungry I really was!" he said, very embarassed

After Ash, Misty and Tracey finished, paid the bill and laid a tip on the table, they got up to leave for the festival. Tracey lingered behind, still holding Nina's hand. "Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow" he said shyly.

"Yeah," she answered disappointingly. Then, she looked straight in his face, and slowly brought hers closer to his. Just as they were about to kiss--

"Hurry up loverboy! I wanna get there before the ticket lines get to long!" Ash yelled from the door. Misty looked like she was ready to die. People from outside and inside the diner looked up at them. Nina backed away, and said, "You'd better go."

Without another word Tracey got up and followed Ash and Misty outside. Once they were safely out of the diner, Tracey knock Ash right up-side the head as hard as he could without killing the boy.

Nina looked up from the plate she was poking at. "You guys were going to the fair after this, weren't you?"

"Well, DUH!" said Meowth. Nina gave him a dirty look. She seemed to think for a moment, then threw napkin in her plate. "Let me out," she told Sunny and James. They got out of the booth. Farfetch'd slid under the table and came out on the other side.

"Where are you going?" Jessie asked.

"Look, if I don't see you at the fair, I'll meet you at the sub at 10:00, kay?"

"But Nina!-" Sunny started, but she was already out the door. Team Rocket looked at each other.

"I'm not paying for her!" they all shouted at once, all but James, a little slow on the up-bringing. He sighed. "How much was her order?"

*************************

Nina ran down the street with Farfetch'd, and finally spotted them.

"Hey, wait up you guys!" she yelled at them. Ash, Misty and Tracey turned around. When Nina caught up to them, she was out of breath. "Listen, I thought maybe we could spend the evening together, you know, reconciling 'n' stuff?"

"That's a great idea!" Tracey said, as expected.

"That sounds good, cause I gotta a lot of questions to ask you," Ash said, suspicious yet kind. As they walked off, Misty sided by Nina.

"Hey, I just wanted to say, I'm sorry about back there in the water," Misty said.

"That's alright. Let's just forget about it." Nina replied. Misty thought about what it would be like if someone with connections to Team Rocket was on their side. That could lead to big possibilities. Team Rocket may never bother them again! (oh was she ever wrong)

And so they walked off in the direction of the fairgrounds, Ash's mouth going a mile a minute. It was beginning to grow dark, but that just made the fair look more active. After they bought tickets, they split up, Ash, Misty and Pikachu in one direction, Nina, Tracey and Farfetch'd in another.

*************************

After Team Rocket finished, paid the bill (hey, didn't I already type this?) and purposely forgot to put a tip on the table, they walked outside in the direction of the fair. On the way, Jessie suddenly said, "Oh my God! Sunny, don't move, there's something on your scrunchie!"

She instantly froze. "What is it?! What is it?! What is it?!" she said quickly.

"Now I don't want to scare you, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE A HUMONGOUS BUG! Jessie screamed.

"AAAAAHHHHH!!!!! GET IT OUT! GET IT OUT! GET IT OUT!" Sunny screamed at the top of her lungs and started hitting herself in the head, in a futile attempt to get whatever it was out of her hair. At first James and Frank just laughed, but then they had to help. Frank tried to hold the eccentric girl still while James pulled the thing out of her hair. When he got it out, his eyes went wide and he motioned for everyone to come closer and look at it.

"What is it?" Sunny said, not going near it.

James held it up for the rest of them. "It's not a bug, but I think you've been bugged!"

"You mean....." Jessie started, growing pale.

"Someone planted a microphone in your hair, Sunny!" James told her

"Oh, thank goodness, it wasn't a bug," she said relieved.

"Don't you realize what this means?!" Frank asked her. Her face was totally blank. "It means that someone has been listened to everything we've said. They know we have Nina with us!"

"Who could it be?" Sunny asked, finally worried.

"We'll, who have you been around after we called you?" James answered with a better question.

"Just each other and those kids, but it wasn't them, what do they care?" Frank said

. "Wait a minute. There was the pilots of the helicopter. I remember when I was getting on it someone pulled my hair a little. One of them apologized so I just forgot about it." Sunny said.

"Uh huh," Meowth said, like he already had it all figured out. "So whos was your alls pilots?" asked Meowth.

"I don't know, just a girl and a guy about our ages. But, the girl did had.....long......blonde.......hair." Sunny answered. They looked at each other with horrified faces, and ran as fast as they could towards the fair, tossing the microphone in a trash can as they went.

*************************

In a dark room, somewhere in Viridian City, a guy and his girl partner stood before a large screen. On it was a man with a face that looked chiseled from stone, it was so cold. He was sitting in a large arm chair and had on a dark red suit. He was petting a white, beautiful Persian. ".....Long blonde hair." came a voice across the recording machine on the counter in front of them.

"Turn it off, we don't need to hear any more," the man instructed coldly. The girl followed his orders immediately.

"So what do we do now, Boss? It appears they've discovered us," the guy asked the screen.

"Yes, the bumbling fools. A bug indeed," said his partner.

"We continue with the plan as quickly as possible," the man said. "Assemble four other soldiers and board them on our fastest air vehicles immediately. Direct the pilots to fly them to our base in the Orange Island Republic. From their you will be sent undercover to find them and drag their sorry carcases back to this very room. Then I will deal with them personally. And don't leave any witnesses. If any one of those twitty children goes or those unreliable idiots goes to the cops we are all ruined!" The man's Persian purred contently under his hand. His stony face contorted into an evil smile. "I know you won't fail me like those fools. In these past six years you've proven yourselves very worthy soldiers. Now, get to it!" With that, the screen went blank.

So, Butch and Cassidy assembled the soldiers, equipped them with pokémon, nets and guns, then boarded them onto Team Rocket's fastest chopper. And the sole reason for all this was to capture Nina, Jessie, James, Sunny, Frank and Meowth and bring them back to HQ for treason to Team Rocket, where they would be most likely eliminated. Butch and Cassidy, their worst enemies, were ecstatic.

Chapter Nine: Night at the Fair

"Hey pretty lady, pretty lady, see if your boyfriend can win you a teddy bear!"

Ash and Misty walked by, disgusted and totally embarrased. They had already stopped five times to explain that they weren't going out, and had just decided to ignore it. They were looking for the bathrooms, since Ash hadn't went at the diner.

"I don't know how you can even go in the NASTY toilets at these things! There totally-, totally-, NASTY!" Misty said for the millionth time.

"What's the big deal, we have to use bushes on the road!" Ash reminded her a little too loud.

"Well at least no one else had used those bushes!" Misty shot back, just as they found the Port-O-Potties. The line was suprisingly short, so Ash didn't take long. After that he bought a large soda, so he had to go again five minutes later. As you can guess, Misty wasn't having a very good time. On the other hand, Tracey and Nina were having the time of their lives.

"Hey big guy, win your baby a Pichu doll!" came shouts from carnies as they past by. Nina had had to make him stop winning her stuff a while ago, she already had three Teddyursa plush pokémon, five Clefairy balloons, a stuffed Pikachu, a stuffed Politoed, and one very big Totodile. Needless to say a pokémon trainer has no room for them, anywhere. She had just laughed it off saying she would donate them to an orphanage or something. They had rode almost every ride there--except the Tunnel of Love where it looked like sewer lines had been dumped in the water--and were now looking for the Ferris Wheel, which everyone knows can be the most romantic of all. Tracey had resisted riding it the first time she had asked. He had cold feet for two reasons--he had gotten really embarrased at just the thought of riding it with Nina, and plus it was called the "Spinning Torpedo, The Fastest Legal Roller Coaster On Earth," which had really turned him off of it. But now there was no way of getting out of it, and Nina forced him into the line.

************************

"We're gonna have to split up," Frank said to them all. They had been searching for half an hour now, and hadn't seen a trace of them.

"All right, Sunny and I will go towards the center and you three keep searching the midway," James suggested.

"No way!" Jessie objected, "Your taking the furball!" She kicked Meowth towards them. He clawed at her boot and said something I'm not gonna repeat.

"Whatever! Let's just get going!" Sunny said. She picked up Meowth and she and James started running towards the rides, while Frank and Jessie took off up the midway. Minutes later, Jessie heard a squeal beneath her boot, and felt a jolt of electricity surge through her body. As she started to scream, Frank desparatly grabbed at what she had stepped on. It was a Pikachu. Frank pulled the pokémon out from under her foot, getting shocked in the process.

"Hey Jess, isn't this that Pikachu your trying to steal? The one that belonged to the twerp back at the diner?" he asked. Jessie slowly turned her almost paralyzed neck to face him. "Yeah Frank! IT IS!" she said angrily.

"Hey, let go of him!" the twerp--I mean Ash shouted. He was back from the Port-O-Potties for the third time. Pikachu flew from Frank's hands over to him.

"Geeze, I never thought I'd be glad to see you twerps!" Jessie exclaimed, now fully recovered (as they so often and mysteriously are on this show). "Have you seen Nina here?"

"She's with Tracey, why?" Misty asked skeptically. Jessie explained about the microphone, and about how much danger they could all be in, even Ash, Misty and Tracey, since Nina had told them her story right in front of Sunny's ponytail. Scared out of their witts at the thought of the mysterious Boss trying to kill them, Ash and Misty agreed to go with them to look for Nina, but Ash held on to Pikachu extra close.

"Were they at the carousel?" Sunny asked James and Meowth.

"No," they said, breathing heavily from running.

"What about the Kiddie Koaster?"

"Why would they be there?"

"The Scrambler?!"

"Sunny, if Nina and Farfetch'd had been at any of the places we had looked, we would have brought them back!" James reminded her.

"Well, sorry! *sniff* I'm just so worried!" she said as she started to cry. "We're all gonna die!" she sobbed as tears flooded down her cheeks.

"We're not going to die!" James said, trying to comfort her, though he wasn't quite sure if they would live or not himself. He put his arms around her and said, "We're going to find Nina and figure a way out of this mess."

Sunny rested her head on James shoulder. "Oh James, your such an angel." (once agian, ; O # )

There was a faint hacking sound coming from below them. They glanced down as Meowth coughed a giant hairball at their feet, getting some on their shoes. "You made me!" was all he would say. Suddenly, they heard a ride start up and people screaming louder than any of the rides going. They looked in its direction and saw the Ferries Wheel.

"You did check the Ferris Wheel, didn't you?" Sunny asked.

"I thought you did!" James answered. They exchanged a double take between the Spinning Torpedo and each other, than ran like bats out of, uh, heck towards it. When they were getting close they saw Nina, Farfetch'd, Tracey and a truck load of toys loading a car on the wheel. But before they could reach it, they were all already rising away from them.

"Quick, you have to stop the ride!" Sunny pleaded to the carnie who resembled a Cueball (if you know your Pokémon).

"Not a chance, little lady!" he said roughly.

"This is an emergency!" James informed him.

"Look, Grape Nuts (hehehe, purple hair joke), I aint stoppin this thing for nobody! Now get in line or get outta da way!"

They had no choice. James, Sunny and Meowth walked away, but stayed close enough to be there when Nina got off. They were about to die from the anticipation, among other things. Maybe out of spite, or pure irony, the carnie controlling the Spinning Torpedo stopped Tracey and Nina at the top, which was the highest point at the fair.

"Wow, look at the veiw!" Nina said. It seemed like they could see the whole island, and the waters off the coast. Outside of town, the forest seemed so peaceful. The moonlight shown down on the treetops, and gave them a magical blue look. "See if you can find Jessie and James!"

Tracey gave an annoyed sigh. "Or Ash and Misty!" Nina said hastely. She sighed as well. "Look Tracey, I'm not going to jeopardize my friendship with Jessie and James, even if you guys don't like them. But, if it'll make you happy, I'll try not to talk about them much." She glanced away, looking at nothing.

Tracey looked at her sympotheticly. "I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings, I'm not trying to make you chose them over us. Hey, how 'bout we forget about Jessie and James and Ash and Misty," he said as he slowly placed his arm around her waist. Without a word, they slowly leaned towards each other to finish what they started in the diner.....

All of a sudden the Spinning Torpedo showed its true colors, and they fell backwards so fast they both screamed, laughed and clung to each other at the same time. Farfetch'd let out a blood curdling, "FAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRFFFFFFEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEETCH'D!" and banged his scallion against the saftey bar, definitely wanting off.

Meanwhile, back on not so romantic Earth; Jessie, Frank, Misty and Ash were running franticly towards James and Sunny, whom they had just spotted.

"What are you doing?! We don't have time to ride rides!" Jessie demanded, raising her arm to back hand James. Sunny grabbed her wrist just in time. "Whoa Jess, we're not in line. Nina and that guy-"

"Tracey," Ash butt in.

"Whatever!" Sunny yelled at him, "They're on the Ferris Wheel."

She barely had the words out of her mouth before Tracey, Nina, and Farfetch'd came screaming past them. "Don't bother talking to him," James said nodding at the carnie, "Just wait them out."

Nina's side hurt from laughing so hard. She hadn't had so much fun in forever, and never wanted it to end. "Hey, isn't that Ash? Hey, the rest of them are with him!" she said, pointing in the groups direction.

"I thought we agreed not to talk about them," Tracey said, pulling her arm back inside, which convenently put his arms around her.

"No, I just tried to kiss you. Never did that either." This time they didn't waste any time. They kissed without thinking and ended quickly. After it was over, they didn't say anything, just kissed again, this time a lot longer, so long, the ride ended before they did. They wrapped it up and got off. Farfetch'd, who was dizzy beyond walking capabilities, had to be carried.

"Woo! Hey guys! What brought you together?" Nina asked as she and Tracey walked out the gate towards them, hand in hand. The group of their friends met them halfway, all of them explaining the situation at once.

"Whoa, whoa, hold it, time out!" Tracey cut in. "One at a time!"

Sunny went first. "Wethoughtwefoundabuginmyhair,butitwasreallyamicrophone,cuzButchandCassidyhidit there,sotheycouldfindoutwhatweweredoing,andtheyheardyourvoiceandyourstoryandAshandMistyand Tracey,andnowtheirprobablyontheirwaytogetusandtakeusbacktoheadquarterstokillusall,eventhetwerps!"

After no one understood her because she was talking so fast, Jessie translated. "We thought we found a bug in Sunny's hair, but it was really a small microphone. We think Butch and Cassidy hid it there, so the Boss could find out why Sunny and Frank were coming down here. They could here Nina's voice and all of the twerps too, and Nina telling about how she ran away. So now they know where you are, where we are and who is involved with you. So they will most likely try to capture us all, take us back to Head Quarters and either enslave us or kill us all, even these three."

*THUD!*

Nina fainted hitting the ground backwards.

"Tracey, why didn't you catch her?!" Misty demanded. She looked over at him. "Tracey?"

He was stark white, even his hair, and clutching Nina giant stuffed Totodile, muttering babyishly to himself. Just try to imagine. He definatly didn't feel like catching fainting girls.

Chapter Ten: The Danger At Hand

Ash, Misty, Jessie, James, Sunny, Frank, Meowth, Pikachu, Farfetch'd, Togepi Tracey and Nina (the last two who finally snapped out of it), hurried out of the fairgrounds in the direction of the Pokemon Center to get the twerp trios pokémon. They quickly explained to Nurse Joy that they had to leave, and ran down the beach to Team Rocket's sub, where Jessie and James had volunteered to take them all away from Seedless Island. They were so scared they all forgot their hatred in an attempt to save their lives. After five minutes they pushed the sub into the water, and boarded. Once inside, Meowth asked a very good question.

"Now where's do we go?"

No one had a clue.

"We could try for Pallet Town," Ash suggested.

"How about Cinnibar Island, it's closer?" Sunny suggested.

"Either way, that's a lot of paddling," Nina pointed out. "Maybe if we all take turns, we could make it in-"

"Two weeks," Tracey said, holding a calculator. It was almost like hearing the nails being hammered into your coffin.

"Well we have to try, we have no choice!" Frank said.

"Wait," Jessie said, "What if we got all the pokémon to pull us. That would at least cut the time in half!"

"Yes, but we should paddle tonight at least. That way we can stay under without having to come up for air, and no one can see us. We'll take shifts of three while the rest sleep." James said.

"Sounds good," Sunny said.

"Wait a minute!" Misty cut in. "How do we know this isn't some kind of stupid sceme that you guys cooked up to get Pikachu?"

Jessie glared at her. Even though she was a liar, she hated being called one when she was telling the truth. "Look! I barely believe this is happening either, but you know what Misty? IT IS! Now if you want to go the door's always open!" she yelled at her.

Misty looked at Ash and Tracey. They believed it whole heartedly. So she shut up, and had a little more faith in the danger at hand herself. Plus, Team Rocket had had a hundred chances to get Pikachu by now. But still, wasn't going with the people Team Rocket's Boss wanted dead more dangerous than running away on their own? But again, maybe they stood a better chance together. She didn't know, so she sat down next to Ash and hugged her Togepi. She really wished that someone would hug her, too.

James, Frank and Tracey took the first shift, while everyone else wished they could sleep. Ash sat totally bewildered, thinking to himself while Misty listened in on Jessie, Sunny and Nina's conversation. They, on the other hand, sat in a small circular triangle, discussing their situation profusly.

"It all happened so quickly, we all just jumped up an ran," Sunny said through muffled sobs. It already had become clear to Misty that this girl was far more sensitive than Jessie; her eyes shot out more liquid than a fireman's water hose. Misty had expected Jessie to smack her and demand for her to snap out of it, but much to her suprise, she was acting much more sympothetic herself. She was dabbing the smeared mascara around Sunny's light blue eyes--now clashing with puffy redness--with a Kleenex, softly shushing her and begging for her not to cry.

"We should have thought it over, maybe then we wouldn't have to run away and leave Team Rocket and live in exile for the rest of our miserable lives!" Sunny continued. She then commenced to sob so loud she sound like she was being tortured into imitating Lucy Ricardo's wild wail she did after being told no when saying, "Ricky, I wanna be in the show!" (think hard, you'll get it)

"We are not going to live in exile, Sunny," Nina stated, sounding very sure of herself. Her eyes glanced back towards Ash and Misty, then towards the four pokémon in the corner, having a conversation themselves (strangely enough, Meowth was speaking in his native tongue, Poké-nese or whatever you would call it, consisting of meow-meow, meowth-wow, meow-wow, meowth, meow, and weow). Her eyes then lingered on Tracey and the other two, huffing and puffing already. "We are going straight to the police."

"Oh what, you think Giovanni and his butt-kissing worshippers Butch and Cassidy are just gonna follow us in the station to be arrested?" Jessie said, back to her irritable self. "What do you think some short-skirted Officer Jenny would think of five not-so-ex-cons walking into her office and saying that they were being hunted down on charges of treason to Team Rocket?"

"Your skirts not so concealing either, ya know!" Misty scowled at her. She had been needing to let off some steam since Ash's third escapade to the Port-O-Potties back at the fair.

"Shut up, at least I have something to show off, pidgey legs!" Jessie shot back.

*I'm not gonna type the comments that followed that remark. All I'll say is that James, Frank and Tracey had to stop pedalling to break them up. Luckily, their little fiasco didn't spawn any more fights with the others.*

After the fight was extinguished, with Jessie and Misty having retreated to opposite ends of the sub, Nina and Sunny restarted their conversation, of which Ash had joined, growing bored despite his fear of the unknown.

"Jessie does have a point though," Sunny said, "I don't think any cops are gonna believe us. In fact, we don't know what we are up against too much anyway. For all we really know Gi-" she looked cautiously at Ash. "the boss could beg for you to come back or something."

"That's doubtful. You remember what happened to Stewart, don't you?" Nina said, barely above a whisper.

Sunny gasped so loudly and suddenly it made Ash jump.

"Who's Stewart?" Ash asked, wanting to know why Sunny was getting upset again.

"Stewart was one of the instructors at Team Rocket boot camp. He taught the new recruits what was expected of us and stuff like that. Anyway, halfway through our training, some rumors got started about him giving the cops some hints on where Team Rocket's next big next big heist was gonna go down." Nina began.

"So, the boss had his phone tapped." Sunny continued for her. "Sure enough, he was leaking secrets to the cops. So, the heist was cancelled, and when the cops showed up to bust 'em all and no one was there, they went searching for Stewart. The boss tricked him into believing that he would protect him, when he really set it up so the cops could catch him."

The two girls' faces suddenly darkened, and Sunny sniffed a little.

"That's not all he did, is it?" Ash asked them, knowing there was more.

"No, it's not," Nina said. She watched as Sunny pulled her knees up to her chest and buried her hands in her arms. Ash could tell whatever had happened to Stewart, Sunny was afraid would happen to her.

"You see, the boss has a lot of people working for him inside prisons all over the world," she stopped to correct herself, "Well you know, most are this country, but there are a few in like England, Mexico, Canada, Hong Kong, Australia and some other places. They're mainly people who got some short time for pokémon theft, and are waiting to get out so they can go right back to it again. (inhales deeply) Anyway," Nina paused and her faced darkened more than it already was. Sunny, sitting beside her, hugged her knees more tightly, rocking back and forth. Her sobs were becoming more like gasps; she was so upset over what was to come she seemed to be choking. Ash got the feeling he really didn't want to here any more. He glanced sideways and saw that Jessie and Misty were both now sitting close to them on opposite sides, both listening attentively.

"Anyway," Nina repeated, "at the place Stewart got put in, there was this guy named Cross-bow," Ash really hoped she didn't say why how he got his name. Luckily, she didn't. "He got life for, (pulls hair out of eyes that are beginning to water.) for stealing from a center and, well, he, uh," Nina glanced at Tracey and the other two pedalers, who were definatly listening, just not looking at her. Tracey glanced quicky and mouthed, "Go on, their old enough."

"For raping and killing a Nurse Joy." Nina looked like saying the words made her want to vomit. Sunny's gasps had been replaced by what sounded like "Please God not us, please God no....."

"And even though he would never get out of jail, he was still loyal to Team Rocket! I mean it wasn't like he would ever be rewarded for it or anything! The guy had to have been crazy." Nina said. She was shaking now. Ash was coming to the conclusion that double-crossing Team Rocket was one of the biggest mistakes you could make. There was no doubt in his mind that his life would hang in the boss's hands if he ever found him. He was all for running now, no questions about it. Nina tried to compose herself but she was starting to feel as frightened as Sunny.

Jessie wasn't as shook up. "Let me tell it-"

"No!" Nina protested, "I can do it. Stewart and Cross-bow had to share a cell together. Then one day the boss called Crossbow and told him that he wanted him to make Stewart pay for what he did. Nobody really knows what the boss told him to do, but like I said, this guy was crazy or something. So one night, Crossbow managed to sneak a fork out of the mess hall. I still don't know how, but he managed to-" Nina was crying now too. This was getting gorey. She inhaled a few times, swallowed the lump in her throut, and continued. "He-, he stabbed Stewart in the neck so many times he was decapetaded! Then he ripped out his intestanal track and flushed it down the toil-" (if you'd like, delete the last sentence, starting after he-, and stop at the apostrophies.)

Suddenly there was a small metalic *BANG* and the sound of Tracey howling. Frank's foot had slipped off the pedal and had kicked Tracey in the shinn.

"I think its someone else's turn now," James said, glancing at his watch.

Chapter Eleven: Land Ho!

Two small tears trickled down Nina's face as she stood up to take her place at the, um, thing that Jessie and James pedal on. She sat in the seat in the front and waited for Jessie and Sunny to fall in behind her. They didn't. She turned around to find out what the hold up was (you can't keep these sub things still for long.....) and realized that maybe, thanks to her little story, Nina had put Sunny out of rowing commission. She was still bawling as Jessie, James and Frank tried to make her see reason, though she had a good enough one to cry already. Finally, Misty rose to the occasion.

"I'll take Sunny's place this time around," she said. Jessie opened her mouth to argue but James held up a hand to her face.

"That's sweet of you Misty," he said. Then he began to scream so Sunny could hear him. "YOU SEE, SHE'S DOING YOU A FAVOR! YOU NEED TO THANK HER LATER!"

Misty walked over to the pedal-thing. As she sat down, she caught Jessie's eye. Maybe it was her imagination playing tricks on her, but it looked like Jessie had flashed her a quick gratitude-filled smile.

Just as the girls began to pedal, there was another bang from the side of the sub. Meowth, Pikachu and Farfetch'd had been pulling on what seemed to be a loose panel in the side of the sub, and had succeded in removing it. The four square feet of sheet metal lay on the floor. In its place, was a T. V. scrren.

"You guys have a T. V. on this thing?" Ash said, amazed and angry they hadn't turned it on before.

"Hmm, guess we forgot," Jessie said.

"500 channels," James said proudly.

"Well, TURN IT ON!" Misty yelled at him. Meowth grabbed the remote off the top of the T. V. before James could, turned it on, and began to channel surf.

Wild Discovery.....

CNBC.....

Disney Channel CRAP!.....

The Andy Griffith Show (TV LAND).....

An Interview on MTV with some has-been band.....

Sponge Bob Square Pants (Nickelodeon).....

"LEAVE IT!" Ash screamed. Meowth ignored him and continued.

The Playboy Channel (James: I didn't know we had that! YES!).....

Home Shopping Network.....

Midnight Run.....

"LEAVE IT!" a giant shout erupted from every mouth in the sub. "No dip Sherlocks," Meowth said as he sat down the remote and sat down in front of the T. V.

The room grew more silenter than it had been all night as the Toonami theme song (if you can call it a song) for Dragonball Z began to play. Then; "Last time on Dragonball Z! Vegeta and Andoid 18 began the fight of the century. It started off to Vegeta's advantage, but he soon relized that this blonde beauty was more than just a pretty face....." (by the way I'm refuring to a real epi, but I made that up.)

No one stirred, except the peddlers. Spellbound by their own compition, the Pokémon cast was pretty much hypnotised. James was awake enough though to walk over to the fridge and opened the freezer (its a very small fridge, like in a camper or a hotel). He pulled out a pack ove frozen burritos and stuck two in the microwave.

"I want one," Ash, Tracey and Frank droned, not moving their eyes from the screen. Its amazing how fear can be disguised so well. So James made the whole bag and sat back down, passing the burritos out to the other guys. Hey, everybody loves burritos.

While the inside of the sub would have been totally boring to someone who wasn't a DBZ addict (like us), outside the sub was another world filled with wonder.

*************************

In the stillness of the black night, the gentle ebbing waves blended with the stars and moon, creating a horizon of endless sky. Beneath the waves, in the inky, chilly waters, a large stream of spiraling, jet like water sped at break-neck speed in a graceful curving line. At it's head was a large, bird like beast, eyes glowing a blue that seemed so intelligent, as if it was reading minds, which it was. It was on a mission to help a friend in peril, using its amazing mind to track him down. Somewhere, very close and under the waves, Ash was in trouble, and he needed Lugia.

Oh, and there was a bunch of Goldeens and Dratinis and Mantines and stuff, too.

*************************

As the last credit rolled past, the guitar riff ended and DBZ went off, everyone felt a little better. Almost enought to sleep. Since they all had sleeping bags, they turned the lights a little low and tried to get some sleep. The girls had a couple hours to go, and with nothing else to do, chatted.

"So, how many people do you think Giovanni will send after us, I mean, how bad do you think he wants us?" Misty asked for example.

"I really don't know, but he'd do anything to keep us from spreading secrets to the cops and stuff." Nina answered.

"Well what I would like to know is once we're on Cinnabar Island, what will we do there?" Jessie said, very disgruntedly.

"We could always (*BOOM!!!CRASH!!!*) HOLY $#!+, WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT!" Nina screamed. As she had begun to answer Jessie's question, something had slammed the sub from the bottom. The sub had rose up very quickly, then serged forward so quickly and so hard that everyone flew backward. The people on the floor hit the back wall hard, and Jessie, Misty and Nina all fell backward in a pile behind the peddle (for lack of a better word,) thingy.

*************************

Lugia had finally reached the place he had been searching for, where Ash was. He was in this vessle. He had read his mind and knew what he wanted--to be in Pallet Town as quickly as possible. That, Lugia could do. He glided under the sub, and set it on his back. Then, he zoomed off as fast as he could, heading north by north east. At his top speed, he would reach the small harbor in minutes.

*************************

Slowly, everyone picked themselves off the floor and stood up. The lights had went out completely for a split second, then returned to their dim luster. Everyone clung on to someone else, trying to wake up, gain their sea legs, and work out charlie-horses at the same time. Togepi was screaming, along with Farfetch'd who made a well aimed leap into Nina's arms. Pikachu hugged Ash while Meowth sauntered around almost drunkenly; he apparently had hit his head. Next to Nina's little outburst, Ash was the first one to respond.

"What was that?" he asked.

"Ugh, if we knew, we probably would have told you by now, wouldn't we?!" Jessie snapped.

"Maybe we should check it out," james said, walking over to the long telescope thingy (note to self: find right word). He looked through it, turning it this way and that. "Hmm," he said, "I don't see anything."

"Maybe you should TURN THE HEADLIGHTS ON, YOU BRAINDEAD MORON!" Meowth yelled.

James did as he was told and flipped the lights up to bright. "Well, it's still clear. We must have bumped into a fish, that's all."

"More like a nauticle Snorlax..." Sunny mumbled.

"Oh! If it was a fish, I hope it's ok!" Misty proclaimed, pushing James aside to get to the something-a-scope.

"Well we aren't in a situation to worry about a little bump like that," Tracey said.

"Little!?" Frank exclaimed, rubbing his tush (*giggle*).

Nina sighed. "Let's just get back to work, okay?" She sat down at her place at the front of the wheel-a-majig peddle thingy. Misty fell back in behind her. Jessie was a little more reluctant.

"Oh no, I've peddled enough tonight! It's twerp-o's turn!" she said, making a jesture towards Ash. Ash groaned and sat down. Sunny tapped Misty on the shoulder and quickly replaced her.

"I'll take two shifts," Nina offered, and soon they were off again. But, almost as soon as everyone else had sat down, There was yet another slight bump, and the sound of waves on a shore.

"What now?!" Jessie groaned. She and Frank had just snuggled up nice and close.....

Nina peered through the something-a-scope, and gasped. "You guys are never gonna believe this," she said, "but we're in Pallet Town!"

Chapter 12: Visitors in the Night

I don't believe it, I don't understand it, and I don't really want to,"Frank said.

They all now stood on the muddy banks of Pallet Town's tiny shore line. A few fishing boats and a floating restaurant were strewn about it, tied to the many makeshift wooden docks that were nothing more than planks nailed to plastic barrels and old tires; they themselves were tied to posts on the shore. They all stood on in the shallow mud, gaping at the tall arch which a sign that read, "WELCOME TO PALLET TOWN." was posted. All this was only viewable in the early morning blackness because of the Magikarp sub's highbeams. Acording to Ash's watch (and a trainer's watch is never wrong) it was 2:19 am.

"Ok, I think we've escaped Team Rocket," Misty said. "but what do we do now?"

"We have to choices," Ash said. 'My mom, and Professor Oak."

"OOO! OOO! Pick professor Oak!" Tracey said.

"I think we'd be better off going with my mom," Ash explained. "We can be be sure she'll let us in."

"Uh, Ash....." James said, standing in a row with Jessie, Meowth, Frank and Sunny.

"Oh, I'll just tell her your some new friends I made along the way," Ash suggested, thankful Team Rocket was wearing street clothes.

"Five teenagers?" Misty said, questioning Ash's solution as they all walked back to the sub to collect their bags and things.

"Shut up Misty, it's our only chance," Jessie said. That was most likely the first time she had said the girl's name. They grapped the keys and locked up, then tied the sub to a dock. No one even thought about how incriminating that evidence could be.

They trudged through the town for five minutes before reachng Ash's house. He suggested they leave their shoes outside. His mother hated mud. He knocked on the door instead of ringing the bell, because he would rather wake up Mimie than his Mom who slept upstairs. Almost emmidiatly, like an oversized jack-in-the- box, Mimie swung open the door, and greeted the throng with a yawn and a sleepy, "Mime, mime, mime." The pokémon showed them in, and, like he had been a bus boy at the Holiday Inn, directed each of them to a room. Ash, Tracey, Frank and James slept in Ash's room; Misty, Sunny, Jessie and Nina in the living room. They were all to tired to worry any longer. All of them were conked out in ten minutes.

Now, as most of you know, Ash's mom is a very light sleeper (ok, so no one knew that because I made it up). So, Delia was awakened as soon as she heard the first foot steps on the stairs. She lay in bed for fifteen minutes before she got the courage to get up and check. She got out of bed, and peeked around her doorway. All clear. She walked to the edge of the stairs, where she saw the front door wide open, and Mimie standing on the sidewalk, appearing to be washing the mud off of a pair of shoes with a wet rag.

She tiptoed down the stairs and to the door, and then out to Mimie.

"What's going on?" she asked him. "Why are you out here?"

"Mime, mi mime!" he answered, holding up the shoe. Delia instantly recognized it as her son's.

"Oh, my! Ash's come home! And in the middle of the night, too. Are Misty and Tracey with him?" Delia knew of Tracey from Ash's collect phone calls home.

"Mime mime!" her maid-like pokémon answered, nodding. "Mime, mi mi mime mime mime!" he added, pointing to the pile of shoes on the front steps. Delia gasped. There were a ton of them!

"Oh dear, how many friends has Ash made?!" she asked herself, but Mimie answered. He held up seven fingers, though Delia didn't see him. She walked back to the doorway to count for herself. Counting the shoes in Mimie's hands, there were eight pairs.

She walked inside to the living room, and to her great suprise, anger and motherly instinct, was taken aback by the the sight of three pretty, teenage girls sharing the fold-out-bed couch, with Misty in a sleeping bag on the floor. She hurried upstairs to Ash's room. Three teenage guys and her son lay across the bed in sleeping bags, the aftermath of what must have been a fight for the bed. She was still fuming. Her baby, hanging out with HIGHSCHOOLERS! Maybe one like Brock or Tracey was okay, a nice boy to keep an eye on her precious baby, but a whole GANG of them? Of course, if they were all pokémon trainers, they could all be responsible enough to.....

All this flooded through her head as she scooted back to her bedroom. She would wake up early, and decide if they were fit to accompany her one and only child on his journey. "It's what I've been fearing," she thought, "he's to trusting. He'll end up just like his father."

She tried to push this thought from her mind as she walked back to her room to try and sleep, though she would soon see it was impossible.

Downstairs and out the door, Mimie continued to clean Ash's special hiking sneakers.

Chapter Thirteen: The Morning After Deal

To be continued....