Ep 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon. There. Done. All over.

The sunlight glistened on the white marble and lacquer Shirasagi Palace and flashed on the giant golden phoenixes that mounted it. The cherry blossom trees fluttered in the warm breeze and a young woman in a dazzling array of kimonos sat in the Imperial Garden. She was the emperor’s daughter and as such revered as a goddess herself. She appreciated the respect but did not enjoy the stupefied expressions on the people’s faces when she or her family were in public. She absentmindedly fidgeted with her silk sash and stared at the carp in the pond. Why did she have to get married? And now at fifteen? This was the modern day. Cities had skyscrapers and people no longer depended on an emperor for much of anything. Why should it matter if she were married now or later? She rose and took small steps to her chambers. Her toes felt pinched in the traditional thong sandals. The ceremony was just two hours away and she wasn’t even halfway finished dressing. Her chambermaid, Sachiko saw the crestfallen expression on her face. She put an reassuring hand on the princess’s arm.
“Wait until we get you all done. Then you will sparkle like the little jewel you are,” Sachiko piped merrily. “Oh what’s this? Sad? Saikobi, honestly, this is your wedding day!”
“I’m getting married as a peace offering, not because anyone really cares,” the princess replied collapsing at her dressing table. “And to a man who’s three times my age. What could he possibly want with me?”
Saikobi dutifully allowed Sachiko to sweep up her hair and fasten it with lapis lazuli clips and rouge her face with white powder.
“I care very much about you. And you parents care. That man wanted to destroy you father’s dynasty. We give you to him as a symbol of peace but we also want to make you happy.”
“You can make me happy by calling off the wedding!” retorted Saikobi. “That man is evil! Pure evil! He doesn’t want me! He wants everything my father owns! He wants to use my father as an asset to take over the world!”
“Saikobi I forbid you to act this way! With you on his side he won’t be able to do anything! Calm, dear. Be calm. Suppress you anger for just a few hours. Please make us proud,” Sachiko pleaded, her eyes filling with tears.  Saikobi’s hot expression vanished. Her eyes softened and she embraced her nurse.
“I’m sorry for yelling at you. You’ve taken care of me all my life and now my life is in the hands of a man I don’t even know.” It was all true. This man she had been arguing about had demanded her to marry him. If she refused, he father would die and the world would be under his control. Saikobi didn’t want that. She loved her father too dearly so when he explained the dire situation to her she complied. She didn’t make it easy though. She screamed and cried; tore her coverlet to bits and had lunged herself at a statue of Buddha, begging him to kill her. The emperor had to restrain her physically to get her under control. He had hugged her fiercely, and pain was evident in his eyes, but they both knew there was really no way out. When the evil man had come to meet his bride-to-be at a tea ceremony, Saikobi had pretended to be interested in him. She couldn’t help but shiver under his gazes and feel the need to retch. When she made her rounds pouring tea, she “accidentally” spilled some on him. Saikobi had acted sorry, offering him napkins and a change of clothes, for the tea had been boiling hot and so had the man’s temper.
“If she is to be my wife, she had better learn to be respectful in a man’s presence!” he had screamed, pointing a damning finger at her. He then stormed out of the palace and hadn’t returned to make any more arrangements. Saikobi had expected a harsh scolding but none came. Her mother remarked that what she had done was very impolite but that was all. Saikobi looked at her reflection in the mirror. They must have understood how I felt, she thought. That’s why they didn’t punish me.
“There, you’re ready,” Sachiko said gently. She aided Saikobi in rising from her stool and walking to the door, for the layers of silk were very heavy. The two strode slowly through the massive hallways down to the grand entrance where the emperor’s litter was waiting.
“Be happy and have a prosperous life,” Sachiko said as the princess joined her family. Tears slid down the old woman’s cheeks as she waved goodbye, not helping Saikobi feel any better. She sat behind her parents and was glad for it. She didn’t want to let them see how depressed she was, but then again, they weren’t exactly bursting with joy either. Her mother turned around gracefully like all well-bred Asian women and forced a smile.
“We will come and visit you as often as possible,” said the empress. “We won’t leave you alone.” That sparked a little warmth within Saikobi but she still wasn’t happy. The servants lifted up the litter and made their way to the parade halls of the temple complex. Saikobi sighed. Those servants didn’t have to do that. They could have just driven there in their limousine, but tradition outruled everything. It wasn’t that she hated tradition or that she was a princess, but Saikobi felt that some things of royal life weren’t needed anymore. She didn’t need maids to clean her chambers. She didn’t need to be privately tutored. She didn’t need to be getting married at fifteen and carried on a litter.
“Come here, Saikobi,” said her father. She edged closer to him and he placed an arm around her shoulders.
“I know this will be difficult and unpleasant for you. But we must uphold the family honor and the country’s pride. Just remember that we love you.” She could feel the tears coming but she choked them back. “Thank you for trying to understand.”

Meanwhile.......................

“Hey, Musashi, did you know that the boss is getting married?”
“Married? To who? And how come we never heard about it?” Meowth jumped up on the couch with a sly look on his face.
“You mean you never wondered why he hasn’t been punishing you lately? He’s getting married to,” he grinned wider, “the emperor’s daughter!”
Musashi and Kojiro’s eyes grew saucer sized.
“To her? She’s just fifteen! What does the boss want with her?” asked Musashi.
Meowth grew serious, which was very unusual and indicated that something extremely important was going on.
“The boss wants to use the emperor’s position as a god in the eyes of the people to control the world. He had his eye on the little princess and said he wanted.....ya know........anyway...he said that if the emperor didn’t sacrifice his daughter that he would kill him, the empress, and the princess. I guess you can figure out the rest.”
“All that for a little girl?” Musashi wondered.
“Actually I fell kinda sorry for her. I mean she’s only fifteen and she’s being forced to get married. I can identify,” replied Kojiro. “Hey! Let’s abduct her and hold her for ransom so we can get rich!”
WHACK!!!!
“Moron! Do you know what will happen to us if we did that?” screamed Musashi. “We’d get fired. Literally!”
“Ugh.” Kojiro lay on the floor twitching.
Meowth thought for a moment. “Ya know. Havin’ a princess around wouldn’t be dat bad. She’d give a us a more attractive image.”
“True,” replied Musashi. “Is anybody invited to the wedding?”
“All of the trusted members of Team Rocket. That excludes you,” answered Meowth, examining his claws for some reason.
“Awww! I wanna see the princess!” whined Kojiro.
“You saw one already. Me at the Princess Festival. So quit whining!”
“But you’re not the real thing!” he continued. He promptly received a blow to the head. Poor guy.
“We can always sneak in,” she said. “We’ll prove how important we really are! We’ll have the princess join us and then not only will we be more attractive, we’ll be sure to get a rare Pokemon! That will show the boss that we’re not stupid and he’ll promote us back to our old positions!”
Kojiro’s eyes lit up. “Yay! I get to see the princess!”
Meowth, upon hearing this pathetic plan, started beating his head against the cement floor.
“Get the balloon ready!”

*Oh please! Don’t give me that look! You knew I was going to write something about Pokemon sooner or later!*

The parade hall was lined with Kodo drummers on either side and filled with the excited people of Nyoko making quite a noise. Saikobi grew more and more nervous by the minute. The cheering crowds were driving her crazy. She felt like screaming and breaking something valuable. Her hands twitched and her body shook. She latched onto her mother, who did not chide her because no one could see this unroyal behavior behind the curtained litter.
“Mother, I’m scared!” she whispered. “Don’t leave me!”
The empress hugged her. “We won’t Saikobi. Just try to behave when we enter the temple.” Easy for you to say, you’re not being sacrificed, Saikobi thought bitterly. The booming Kodo drums gave her a headache and she squeezed her eyes shut. Stop it, stop it, stop it! her mind howled. Stop everything! Make it go away! I don’t want to do this! She knew she couldn’t cry because that would be improper in public, her thick makeup would be smeared, and her parent’s image shattered. No one ever saw a royal figure, a god/goddess cry. It would seem too human. Saikobi sniffed and swallowed the lump in her throat. The whole country was eagerly awaiting her marriage but she was the only one who didn’t want it. She knew her people loved her, but she also knew that they didn’t understand. The litter finally stopped at the base of the golden staircase that rose high into the temple. The drums stopped thankfully, but two male servants parted the curtains. It was time. Her parents rose first and began to ascend the stairs. The crowd hushed with awe and waited for the person whom they came to see. Saikobi drew up her courage and prayed silently. She rose unsteadily but gained her balance as she climbed upwards for what seemed to her thousands of miles up to her death at the summit of a mountain. She was acutely aware of everyone gazing at her, but she was used to this. It was the black clothed figures that were the evil man’s servants that bothered her the most. She glanced subtly at each of them. Some seemed bored, others intrigued. The Imperial Family made their way elegantly down the aisle and stopped in front of a high priest. He blessed the two monarchs and nodded in Saikobi’s direction. Her parents bowed and parted to reveal him. The hideous man she was to marry. He was dressed in a black Western style suit and had an approving look on his face. Saikobi looked gently at the priest and then threw a murderous glance at the man. Her parents didn’t see, but the man’s servants did. They tensed. The man himself seemed unaffected by her hatred. The two kneeled on the floor and followed through the ceremony, replying when replies were needed. Saikobi couldn’t take it anymore. A single tear rolled down her cheek. The crowd gasped. An offspring of a god was crying! More tears came. And more. And more. Her powder smeared and ran down onto her silken kimonos. She began to wail and buried her face in her hands. The priest was taken aback as well as everyone else.
“I won’t marry you!” Saikobi screamed at the man, who was now glaring viscously at her. “Go ahead and kill me! Do it! I’ll never marry an evil man! Never!” She lunged herself at her parents.
“He’s wicked! Don’t make me do this!” She clawed desperately at them,
“She’s insane! Restrain her!” yelled the high priest.
Saikobi was in hysterics by this time. Her whole body was quivering and she tore the fine golden and precious ornaments from her hair, making her look disheveled. The empress held her back, whispering to her softly and stroking her hair. The emperor simply stood still, as though waiting for something. Saikobi jerked her head up, a wild, primitive gleam in her eyes. She let out a piercing scream and fainted.

Musashi and Kojiro watched intently at the opulent litter from the high beams in the temple. Meowth made himself comfortable in the arms of a Buddha statue.
“You don’t wanna do dis,” he hissed.
“Yes we do! This is an opportunity we can’t pass up,” snarled Musashi. “So shut your Meowth!”
Meowth wasn’t insulted. Instead, he started examining his claws again.
“Whatever death wish you want,” he muttered.
They grew silent as the drumming stopped and the damask curtains opened to reveal the emperor and the empress, dressed in all their godly splendor. They ascended the temple stairs and drew gazes of awe and wonder. Even in the modern world, the people of Nyoko were intensely spiritual and traditional. Pride in their emperor was world known.
Then emerged the princess. Kojiro’s and Meowth’s eyes widened and their mouths dropped despite themselves. Saikobi had been named appropriately for the beauty that she was. It was no wonder their boss wanted to marry her. Her eyes, however, held a disconcerting anger and determination.
“Wow,” whispered Kojiro. “What a princess!”
“Shut up!” muttered Musashi. “We have a job to do.”
“I know.”
They watched until the moment Saikobi snapped into her tempestuous rage. They watched as she struck out at everything, insulting the boss horribly and tearing off her jewelry. They watched as she screamed and then fainted in her mother’s arms. They felt pity. Musashi wouldn’t openly admit it of course, but Kojiro shook his head disapprovingly.
“Even I would do that if I were her,” he proclaimed.
“Now’s the chance! Give me that rope,” she demanded.
“You moron’s! Da boss is gonna get her anyway no madder what ya do!”
“We know. We just want to help...”
“And get a promotion!”
WHACK!!
“Give me that rope!” Musashi said harshly, almost too loudly.
Kojiro complied and they tied themselves to the beam. They planned to help if the princess gave the boss any trouble, which she did, or rather, help themselves up the corporate ladder.
The Empress cradled her daughter in her arms. “ We can’t continue with her in this condition. We must delay the ceremony until she is better prepared.”
“I’ll have your daughter no matter what condition she’s in,” hissed Sakaki threateningly. He turned his snake-like glare to the Emperor. “Remember our deal?”
The monarch stiffened and squeezed his eyes shut. If he didn’t give Saikobi to Sakaki, he’d die, his wife would die, and Saikobi would die. Sakaki had used his cleverness and cunning to get what he wanted, and he’d have it at the cost of the dynasty.
“Give me Saikobi now and we can end this matter peacefully. If not,” he smiled darkly and snickered,” Well, we could turn this into a sacrifice.”
The Empress began to cry and knelt on the floor. The crowd meanwhile, had no idea what was really going on. Whispers floated around the people. First the princess, and now the empress had submitted to this man. But Sakaki was no ordinary man. He was the powerful leader of a criminal organization and was next in the hierarchical line to the emperor. No one dare mess with him. Not even the police.
“Are we going to make a decision soon or do I have to call out my men?” asked Sakaki, sounding rather annoyed. His men *of course, there were women too*, had drawn closer to the Imperial Family, they’re loaded guns ready. The priest was now their captive. The Emperor sighed and looked down at his wife. She returned his look with a heartbreaking sadness. In order to save their daughter, they had to sacrifice her. He nodded to Sakaki, who smiled and nodded back.
“I knew you’d see things my way.” He was about to take Saikobi from her mother’s arms when they were interrupted by a tape recorder playing obnoxious music.
“Prepare for trouble!”
“Yes, and make it double!”
Sakaki jerked around, flames burning in his eyes, but once he realized who the intruders were he sighed heavily and buried his head in his hands.
“To protect the world from devastation!”
“To unite all peoples within our nation!”
The Emperor and the Empress exchanged confused stares.
“To denounce the evils of truth and love!”
“To extend our reach to the stars above!”
“Musashi!” She jumped down from the beam, attempting to make a grand entrance. She instead, like on most occasions, made a fool out of herself. The rope cut into her stomach as she neared the ground.
“Ugh!”
“Kojiro!” He followed in suit, and, as always, followed in suit in making himself look like an idiot.
“Ugh!”
“Team Rocket blasts of at the speed of light,” choked Musashi.
“Surrender now....surrender now or prepare to fight. Ugh, I can’t breathe!”
A pause. Everyone was staring at them, wide eyed, confused, or if you were a member of Team Rocket, immensely embarrassed.
“Where’s Meowth?” asked Kojiro through his teeth.
“How should I know?”
“Surrender now or prepare to fight!” yelled Kojiro.
Meowth gazed down on his hopelessly inept partners and grinned. So he let them dangle a bit, but he decided to play along.
“Meowth, that’s right!” he proclaimed, landing gracefully on his feet.
“Cut us down please,” said Musashi.
“I knew you’d forget about da rope, and I also knew dis would happen” he muttered as he used his claws to free them.
“IMBECILES!” roared Sakaki. “Didn’t I tell you to stay back at the headquarters? Did I not tell you that I had important business to take care of and that I didn’t need you three screwing it up?! Didn’t I?!”
They cowered before him and nodded weakly. Sakaki’s face was bright red and anger veins were popping out on his forehead an neck.
“Y-yes sir, but, we only wanted to-to...” stuttered Musashi. “to help you with the princess.” She squeaked on the last word.
“I don’t need your help! Get back to the headquarters immediately! I’ll deal with you later! And now,” he said a bit more calmly, turning to the family. “Your daughter, if you please.”
He snapped his fingers and his men formed two teams; one to hold back a defeated, guilty emperor and his wailing wife, and the other to carry the unconscious Saikobi.
“You there!” called Sakaki to one of his hitmen. “Take care of this crowd. They’re bothering me.”
The hitman aimed his gun to the sky and a shot rang out through the parade hall, causing the ocean of people to scream wildly and run for cover.
“Make sure you keep the Emperor and Empress under house arrest for a few days until I can settle this business properly,” he announced to all the team members, with the exception of Musashi and Kojiro of course.
“You cannot do this! Don’t take away my only child!” pleaded the Empress. “Kill us, but let her live, please!”
Sakaki sneered and ignored her. It was time to go back to the headquarters.

Saikobi awakened in a strange room that was lavishly decorated in a Middle Eastern harem style. She shook her head, trying to clear it. What had happened to her? Then she began to have horrible flashbacks. The wedding. Her savage rampage. That man..... She shuddered and gasped when she saw what she was wearing, or barely wearing for that matter. She was clad in a tightly fitting white skirt with two huge slits up to her thighs on either side and a white midriff that was too revealing for her taste and modesty. Gold encircled her ankles, wrists and upper arms. Black body paint had been used to apply intricate designs on her arms and legs. He’s dressed me like a concubine, she thought as she sat up. Saikobi studied her surroundings. Her parents were gone and it was very possible that she’d never see them again. A pool of rage boiled in her. The next time she saw him she’d.....Her dark thoughts were interrupted by the door opening. Saikobi wasn’t surprised to glimpse Sakaki standing there. It was as though thinking about him had brought him there. His eyes gleamed with lust as he entered the room. She could feel him looking her up and down and did not appreciate his violation.
“What do you want?” she hissed.
“Only a look at my exquisite bride. What a beauty you are, Saikobi,” he replied with an almost inhuman tone. He strode over to a small marble table and poured some wine into a goblet. He offered it to her.
Without thinking, Saikobi batted the goblet from his hand, splashing wine on the fine Persian rug, hatred sparkling on her face. She breathed heavily, poised like a tiger ready to kill.
Sakaki wasn’t bothered by this act of denouncement. Instead he shrugged and got a new goblet and poured some more wine.
“We must learn to obey sooner or later,” he whispered chillingly, offering it to her again. She repeated the same action, this time splashing wine onto Sakaki.
Anger flashed briefly on his face, but then he seated himself next to her on the bed. Saikobi recoiled and moved away, but he only advanced.
“Come my dear, we are wed, we must consummate this union.”
That did it. She lunged at him, clawing at any bare skin, kicking and screaming obscenities.
“I hate you! I hate you! Stay away from me! Don’t ever touch me again!” she shrieked as he tried to restrain her.
She was like a feral animal, her strength superhuman. She shoved Sakaki against a wall and came dangerously close to gouging out an eye. Sakaki managed to overcome her and threw her to the floor.
“You miserable little *****!” he shouted furiously. “How dare you try to abuse the leader of Team Rocket, the most powerful being on earth, and your husband no less!”
“You’re not my husband! You’re nothing to me! My father did this only to save my life! I wish he’d let me die instead!”
“So do I!”
He stormed out of the room and slammed the door. Tears welled in the princess’s eyes. She collapsed on the floor and wept hysterically until she feel asleep. Saikobi wasn’t even safe in the dream realm. Nightmares persued her.

“Jessie! James!”
The command was laced with fury and the trio, (counting Meowth,) approached Sakaki’s desk in a sickeningly humble way.
“Yes, sir?”
“I have a special assignment arranged for you,” Sakaki replied darkly. “ I want you to keep an eye on my princess. Make sure she doesn’t attempt to escape. Don’t disappoint me--again.”
Jessie and James exchanged uncertain glances. They’d heard about how viscous Saikobi had been to Sakaki and they were afraid to go anywhere near her. Nevertheless, they bowed respectfully, as he was the boss, and walked out.
“Does that mean we’re her bodyguards or something?” asked Jessie.
James beamed. “I get to see the princess again!”
WHACK!
“Come on, let’s get going!”
“To where?”
Jessie sighed heavily and tried to suppress her her anger.
“To her highness’s chamber.”

Thunder rolled ominously through the sky, penetrating all with a foreshadow of something greater to come. The Emperor, the Empress and Sachiko knelt with their heads bowed in the family temple, praying silently for the safety and well-being of the princess, hoping against all hope the Buddha would send spirits to turn the tables. Sachiko pulled out an amulet inscribed with a prayer to one of her favorite and most trusted spirits. With guards at every corner, she had to be subtle about everything she did or said. If they were to curse Sakaki or his organization, death was the alternative. If they did not obey orders and did not follow through on their now rigid and closely watched schedule, death was the alternative.
“Siddhanta of the Bhakti Vedantas, Garuda I implore your help to save my master’s daughter.” She raised her head and saw through a window air currents and lightning taking shape into an eagle like form with a human’s arms and legs. It screeched fearsomely and focused it’s bright crimson pupiless eyes on Sachiko. She nodded reverently in reply. The Emperor and the Empress were unaware of this manifestation because they did not have the gift to see the incorporeal. Saikobi might though. It was all Sachiko to do to help under house arrest.
“Go Garuda. Help my friend.”
The man-bird vanished in the next flicker of lightening.
“Sachichan, are you all right?” asked the Empress.
She smiled in return. “I’ll be fine.”

Ever since the day she’d been brought here, Saikobi spent much of her time sleeping and refusing Sakaki’s advances. She remembered one instance in particular when Sakaki had come to her room and a violent fight broke out. What resulted was a thourough lynching by two black clad Rocket members. The whip had cut deeply into her bare back. Her wounds were still fresh and it was hard to lie down without screaming in pain. What else was there for a captive to do? She couldn’t even go outside. To her the furnishings of her prison reminded her of home which made her ache with longing and plunge her deeper into depression. Why did this have to happen to her? She’d never done anything to deserve this punishment. She tossed in a fitful slumber. She was never able to actually sleep to where she felt rested. She only felt more anxious. The door to her chamber creaked open slowly as Musashi, Kojiro, and Meowth creeped in.
“I think she’s sleeping,” whispered Kojiro. He and Musashi tiptoed as quietly as they could up to the bed.
“Meowth, go look,” ordered Musashi.
He shook his head but did what he told, or commanded rather. He jumped up onto the bed as any ordinary cat would do and checked.
“She’s asleep,” he confirmed. “What do we do now?”
“I dunno. What exactly do bodyguards do?” asked Kojiro.
Musashi shrugged. They decided to stay and wait. Hours passed and nothing happened. They were just about to give up on the job when Saikobi stirred.
“She’s wakin’ up!” said Meowth in a frantic.
Musashi and Kojiro leaned in closely out of pure fascination. They’d never been this close to one of their boss’s captives.
Saikobi’s eyelids fluttered. She could barely make out who was in her room when Meowth got in her face and said, “Hello sunshine!”
She screamed and struggled to rise, but her legs became tangled in the covers and she fell to the floor.
“Oof!”
“Are you okay, your Highness?” Kojiro asked.
“Uuugghh,” she muttered into the rug. Saikobi pushed herself up on her elbows. “What do you think you’re doing in my room?”
“We’re supposed to be here,” replied Musashi.
She gave them a look. “Supposed to? Who sent you?”
“The boss,” they answered in unison.
Rage flashed in her eyes. Musashi, Kojiro, and Meowth backed away.
“I’ve had enough of being treated like a kept woman!” she wailed. “And what are you to him? Slaves?”
“No, we are the members of Team Rocket,” proclaimed Musashi in her famous haughtiness.
Saikobi was confused. “Team Rocket? What on earth are you talking about?”
“Team Rocket is world known for stealing the most rare and unusual Pokemon,” Meowth explained with his usual patriotism.
She looked even more perplexed. “ You can’t speak! You just a Pokemon! I must be hallucinating!” “Lucky ? You’re calling me lucky ? For what?” she demanded.
“Well it’s an honor to be in the presence of one of us,” said the now uppity Musashi.
“Who are you people?”
“Allow us to introduce ourselves,” said Kojiro.
“Oh no,” sighed Meowth, rubbing his forehead.
They rambled through the motto, *we all know it* with Meowth tentatively tagging along at the end. Musashi and Kojiro expected this girl who was Rocket-ignorant to be impressed or awed at their might. What came was a shock.
A smile tugged at the corners of Saikobi’s mouth. She was surprised to feel one coming at all. She reached up to touch her face and then collapsed into a fit of laughter. Tears rolled down her face and color reappeared on her cheeks and lips.
“Oh gawd!” she gasped weakly. “That was the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard!”
Team Rocket exchanged puzzled glances of their own.
“How dare you insult us like that!” Musashi screamed.
Saikobi shook her head. “I wasn’t insulting you. That was the first time I laughed in a month! I should thank you.”
“You mean the boss has been keeping you up here all this time?” asked Kojiro.
She grew serious. “Yes, and I would have gotten away but there are invisible fences surrounding the walls. I can’t even go outside. I’ve never been able to see any of his rare Pokemon he keeps bragging about.”
Meowth drew himself up. “None of ‘em could compare with me, a Pokemon that has the ability to speak!”
She smiled again. “You’re adorable!” She scratched him behind his ear, and like all cats, he purred.
“Meowth,” he said contentedly.
“It’s so nice to have someone else to talk to,” Saikobi said to herself.
Suddenly, something sparked in her mind. She jumped up off the floor and raced to her bedroom door, slammed it shut, and locked it. She grabbed a baffled Musashi and Kojiro each by the arm and drug them over to the bed.

Continued...