That evening Saikobi was granted permission to go downstairs to Sakaki’s office. She tried to walk with a proud carriage, but that was a bit hard to do when you were attracting the guards’ attention. She exhaled silently and passed through two very ominous looking Gothic doors and into an equally ominous looking office. She sat unsteadily in a chair in front of a massive black desk. What it was made out of, she couldn’t be sure.
“So, you requested a special audience with me?”
Saikobi shuddered at what the tone of his voice was implying. If she was going to get out of here, she had to be strong. She drew up her courage.
“Yes, sir. I have something very important to tell you,” she said, making her voice dead serious.
The chair behind the desk swiveled around to face her. He appeared very expectant. The dim lighting suggested his evilness. Again she shivered.
“And what is it that my dear would wish to tell me?”
Saikobi nervously fidgeted with her fingers.
“I-uh want to tell you that um---”
His burning gaze impaled her and her spirit.
“I want to---to join Team Rocket,” she finished hurriedly, her face flushing. She lowered her eyes, and waited.
One eyebrow raised questioningly on his face and there was an expression of utter disbelief present. He steepled his fingers as he reclined in his chair.
“What?” Sakaki chuckled. “You can’t be serious darling.”
She met his gaze. “I am serious. I want to join Team Rocket.”
What you could suppose was a smile appeared on his snake-like face.
“All right. Despite the fact that you’re an enchantress, you make poor decisions.”
She smiled for the first time in smug satisfaction. Perfect. If she was sent away on some mission for Team Rocket, she could use that opportunity to escape. Sakaki, upon seeing her smile, grew hopeful. However, before he could do anything, she rose, bowed, said thanks, and almost danced out of the office. Her inner glow seemed to shine through and penetrate the darkness of the heart of Team Rocket.

That night, a feral storm raged at the headquarters as Saikobi slept. Purple lightning flickered outside her window and thunder rose to a tumultuous crash. Soft chanting floated on the air, taking form, surrounding the sleeping princess. White mist encircled her and the chanting grew louder and stronger.
Garuda had arrived.
Lighting exploded through the window and the sallow mist morphed into the strange man-bird. It shrieked in all of its power and glory and sent a message in Saikobi’s mind.
I am here.
Saikobi winced in her sleep.
Who are you?
I am Garuda, a Boddhavista sent by a dear friend of yours.
She gasped and tears seeped through her eyelashes.
Sachiko?
Yes.
Oh how I miss her! And mother and father! Have you come to take me home?
I have come to help you on a journey you must make.
Why must I go on a journey?
To develop your power.
What power?
The power you were given at birth, Saikobi. The power to bring destruction to evil. That is the real reason Sakaki wanted you. For that power to destroy your family and to subvert the nations. You must take this journey to develop that and destroy Sakaki if you want to save our world. Tomorrow you will be given a choice. Choose wisely and use your gift responsibly. Do not use it when your life is not truly in danger. The real danger is yet to come. I am here to protect and guide you. Sleep now. The rest will follow in time.
Saikobi stopped crying and fell deeper into her dreams.

The next morning, Saikobi was summoned down to the head office. It was time to choose her team. She enjoyed being able to leave her confines, even if it meant facing Sakaki. She was radiant when she came in, confidant that she would be earning her freedom shortly.
“Good morning, my precious. You look well.”
She nodded in respect, like she had any, but she wanted to make him believe that she was proud of his organization.
“Well, I suppose it’s time to get on,” he said, rising from his huge chair. “Choose. Team Rocket has many levels. The highest wears black, but I don’t suspect that’s what you want. The intermediate members wear grey, and the lowest wear white because of their tendency to be more pure. Now, which level?”
Saikobi pretend to ponder over the question. “Hmmm. I choose the lowest level.” She beamed, as though that were something to be proud of.
A flash of disapproval came across Sakaki’s face. He didn’t like the idea of her joining such a rough gang, mainly the lowest level of it. But, if it made her happy, then she might change regarding her feelings toward him.
“As you wish,” he said curtly. “ On the white level there are the teams of Clay and Allison, Takeo and Etsuko, Musashi and Kojiro,” he emphasized his displeasure on those names, and continued on down a list of many others.
Saikobi had no idea, of course, who any of them were so naturally she went with the only ones she knew.
“I choose Musashi and Kojiro,” she said brightly.
He didn’t flinch. He simply stared at her and pressed a button on his phone.
“Sir?”
“Send in,” he sighed heavily. “Musashi and Kojiro immediately.”
“Yes sir.”
Saikobi smiled slyly, in that churlish Wednesday Addams style. She would get her freedom and her family’s freedom. No one kept her. The duo entered with an irritatingly apologetic air about them. Their eyes were lowered and their heads bowed. They might have well have just crawled on all fours to prove their humility.
“Musashi and Kojiro, please look to your left,” Sakaki commanded wearily, age suddenly creeping its way into his face. From appearance of things, it seemed they had given him more than enough trouble over time.
They did as told, noticing the princess but not understanding. Sakaki gave no clue to help them.
“What about her sir?” asked Kojiro. They just stood there, baffled.
Saikobi stood, careful of the enormous slits in her “skirt” or whatever it could it be called. She lifted her face as Sakaki’s sank.
“Call me your new partner,” she replied.
Dead silence followed for about 15 seconds as glances were exchanged and reality repeatedly checked.
“Oh gawd,” came the tiny, barely audible exclamation from Musashi.

Before she could absorb it all, Saikobi’s fine things that had been reserved for her “honored” status had been quickly cleared away and pawned on the black market. What? You think this team is charitable? She refused to wear a uniform simply because she refused to look or feel like a prostitute again. She now sat bewildered in a small box of a room learning the basics of what she now had become and what was expected of her, and certain taboos and restrictions that came with it. Frankly she didn’t approve of stealing, but in order to get away with anything she had planned, she’d have to pretend to like it. As for her new partners, they were just as bewildered if not more so by her behavior. Not to mention Sakaki himself. Saikobi cocked her head in puzzlement as she fingered a sleeping bag that Musashi held out to her. As a princess, she’d never seen one or had use of one. The whole thing left her questionable about her decision making skills. Then again, had she ever needed to make any before?
“This is what I sleep in?” she asked uncertainly.
“Look, you’re not a princess anymore. You’re out of the palace and in the real world so you’re going to have to do what we “commoners” do,” retorted Musashi. “It’s hard. So get used to the idea of not eating for days at a time and sleeping outside.”
A faint chill of fear slithered through her, but then she thought of her family under house arrest still and probably just as deprived of a normal life as she was.
“All right,” she said quietly. Two people of domineering personalities such as they were going to run into a bit of a problem. “You probably don’t think I can do this, but I can and I am.”
Musashi and Kojiro, having had terrible childhoods, couldn’t quite grasp Saikobi’s concept of homesickness. Meowth tried, but he couldn’t relate. The three of them had come here to escape those unpleasant things, and here was a girl who wanted to leave because of her love for her family.
“Well what am I supposed to do now?” she asked, playing with a strand of her hair. She’d begun to develop a lot of nervous habits lately.
“We’ve been trying to capture a certain Pokemon,” explained Kojiro. “But a certain brat keeps ruining our brilliant plans!”
“Who?”
Musashi whipped out a picture from seemingly out of nowhere.
“Ever seen this kid? His name is Satoshi and he’s a real pain in the a**. He has a Pikachu we want.”
“He looks like a nerd,” commented Saikobi, looking at the picture of a rather arrogant little boy.
“You don’t know da hell we’ve been through with dat kid,” lamented Meowth. “I can’t count the number of injuries I’ve suffered because of him.”
Saikobi pondered this. “Hmmm. What’s so special about this Pikachu thing? And how could a little boy cause so much trouble?”
“He always wins by sheer dumb luck and his Pikachu exceeds it’s evolutionary limit,” said Musashi. “ And his annoying friends are always tagging along with him. That would be these kids.”
She haned out two more pictures of a sprightly looking girl of about twelve with bright orange hair pulled into a dorky little ponytail on the side, and a boy of about fourteen or fifteen with no eyes, just slits.
Saikobi smiled. “Hmmm...well they certainly look, um, different. Especially the boy with no eyes.” She glanced up at them. “This should be interesting.”
Meowth chuckled and two very mischievous smiles spread on Kojiro’s and Musashi’s faces.

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

The sun glistened brilliantly in the sky as three people and a Pikachu walked down the dirt path. Satoshi grinned idiotically. He had eight badges but felt like going on for more. Whatever. His Pikachu, quite an adorable little thing, looked worn out. Perhaps if Satoshi used a little variety in his battle, it wouldn’t be so exhausted.
“So, what’s the plan for today?” asked Kasumi, the little spitfire redhead.
“Well, I’m going to check out some more gyms further out in the country,” replied Satoshi.
Kasumi sighed to herself. She was getting rather tired of his obessions with Pokemon and battling. He never used anything different and never planned a strategy. Well, a good strategy.
“Sounds great,” she said dryly, clutching a curiously cute little egg to her chest.
“Hey did you guys hear about the emperor’s daughter?” asked Takeshi. “She got married.” He went into a dreamlike trance as he always did when the subject of girls came up.
“Married? At fifteen?” Kasumi’s face screwed up in disapproval. “People just don’t do that anymore.”
> “I don’t care,” sighed Takeshi. “I wish I’d have been the groom.”
Kasumi slapped him out of his reverie. “Oh brother! Satoshi, remind me to buy a stun gun when we get to then next town.”
Satoshi rolled his eyes. Takeshi was just one big pile of testosterone.
“Don’t you guys even know who she got married to ?” he asked. “Sakaki.”
“The Sakaki of Team Rocket? How awful! I bet she didn’t have a say in it!” exclaimed Kasumi. She shuddered at the thought. “Yuck. He’s three times older than her!”
“Well, we’ve got more important things to worry about, right Pikachu?” said Satoshi to his yellow Pokemon.
Pikachu gazed blearily back. “Pika...chu”, it sighed tiredly.
“Satoshi! Pikachu’s worn out,” scolded Kasumi. “ Let it rest awhile.”
Satoshi’s bottom lip quivered. It looked as though he were about to cry.
“But...but...” he stammered.
“No buts, Satoshi,” chimed in Takeshi. “Let’s stop a little bit.”
Pikachu smiled gratefully before passing out.
“Pika..”
*Plop!*

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

Somewhere in the bushes nearby and by some miracle of locating Satoshi and Co, or the use of expensive tracking devices, Musashi, Kojiro, Meowth, and an uncertain Saikobi watched.
“That’s them?” Saikobi whispered in astonishment. “That’s who you’re worried about? They look so harmless.”
“Looks can be decieving,” said Kojiro philisophically. “Watch out for that Pikachu.”
“Lucky for us, it looks tired,” said Musashi evilly. “Ready?”
“For what?” piped Saikobi, tensing. She missed something here.
“As ever,” replied Kojiro.
“For what?” she repeated.
The only reply was a grin from Meowth as they jumped from their cover. Saikobi, stunned, followed. Meowth pulled out a radio from again out of nowhere. * I guess they have that touch* He slipped in a tape and pushed play. Muffled music came blaring out of the speakers. It caught the attention of Satoshi and company who turned to face them, and not at all surprised. In fact, they appeared bored and apathetic. Only Togepi clapped excitedly and trilled.
“Not you again,” grumbled the boy they called Satoshi.
Musashi and Kojiro laughed and recited that poetic motto of theirs. Saikobi shook her head in confusion. What the heck was happening?
“And intoducing,” announced Meowth, “Our newest addition,”
Musashi and Kojiro grabbed her arms and thrust her forward.
“Her Royal Highness, Princess Saikobi!” he concluded.
“All hail the princess!” they shouted in unsion, and bowed in that theatrical way as only they could do.
Saikobi looked around her uncomfortably.
Takeshi, upon seeing her, turned a unique shade of red and made a strange face.
“Hi! I’m Takeshi! Your beauty surpasses all others! PLEASE go out with me!”
Saikobi sneered and pushed him toward Musashi, who promptly shoved him aside back to Kasumi.
“Hit on someone else,” she said.
“So,” she continued a bit more playfully, “You’re the infamous Satoshi, Kasumi, and Takeshi.” She gasped when she saw the yellow ball of fur at Satoshi’s feet. “And this must be your Pikachu! Aww, how cute!”
“Yeah well, you can’t pet it ‘cause he only likes me!” declared Satoshi with childish arrogance, sticking his nose in the air.
Saikobi’s smile disappeared. She glanced back at her team, who seemed to be approving of this.
“Is that so?” she asked listlessly. She reached out to pet Pikachu, who delighted in having extra attention.
“Chu!” it squealed.
Musashi and Kojiro’s eyes lit up ravenously. Maybe Saikobi could charm them into giving up Pikachu.
“I think she’s got somethin’ dere,” said a shocked Meowth.
“Well Satoshi, it seems to like me just fine,” she said with a smirk as she stood up. “Unfortunately, the feeling isn’t mutual between us. I don’t like people who are conceited.”
“Well you’re in Team Rocket! How much more conceited do you get?” shot back a fiesty Kasumi. She restrained a still lovesick Takeshi.
“Woah! Where’d she get that voice?” whispered Saikobi to Musashi and Kojiro.
“Enough talk! Give us that Pikachu!” commandeered Musashi.
“Yeah right. Like I’d give you anything,” retorted Satoshi. “You guys couldn’t beat me then and you can’t beat me now! I’m gonna be a great--”
“Pokemon master,” finished off everbody else.
Satoshi was genuinely perplexed. “How’d you know?”
Everyone but him did the traditional anime fall over at his incompetence.
“Oh brother,” sighed Saikobi, covering her face in one hand out of embarrassment for the poor kid.
Musashi growled. “Arbok, go!”
A purple cobra of imposing size appeared from a small metal Pokeball. Satoshi looked rather alarmed. He knew if he wasn’t so lucky that he’d have been beaten long ago.
“Um..Pikachu...thundershock....augh!”
The rodent summoned all the energy it had left and shocked Satoshi. Saikobi stepped back and observed. Perhaps Pikachu wasn’t as loveable as we were lead to believe. She found herself enjoying this.
“Pikachu! Why’d you do that?” demanded a hurt Satoshi. “You’re suppossed to attack the enemy not me!”
Togepi cheered in aproval.
“Toge ppppp rriiiiii!”
Pikachu’s big black eyes narrowed and it ranted something in its tongue.
“Wow. That was vulgar,” said Meowth. “I dunno if you wanna even know what it said.”
Satoshi was confused----again. “But I do!”
Meowth sighed, having to serve as the translator had it’s boring moments and this was one of them.
“Ommitting a few harsh words, you’re Pikachu just said dat it’s tired of de way you’ve been lettin’ it get exhausted and never being able to use your other Pokemon. It said it’s fed up fightin’ for ya.”
Satoshi and Co. where aghast. The darling Pikachu who had always been there for them was now bored with them? *author snickers*
Kojiro and Musashi laughed triumphantly.
“I knew this day would come! My how the tables have turned!” shouted an arrogant Musashi. “I guess there’s no need to even battle. Arbok,” she said sweetly in that voice we all use for our beloved pets, “return!”
Pikachu attempted to weigh out its options, but it fainted.
Saikobi was enchanted with the little rodent when she first saw it and hated to see it suffer.
“How terrible!” she exclaimed, stepping in again. “This is equivalent to abuse!”
She scooped up Pikachu from Satoshi, who was thouroughly humiliated.
“Um..what’s equivalent mean?” he asked. Kasumi and Takeshi clobbered him over the head with paper fans.
“Well it looks like Pikachu is coming with us,” mocked Kojiro. “Say ta ta!”
“No! He’s not going anywhere! Squirtle, water g---!”
“Satoshi, you’ve lost! There’s no point in going on!” Kasumi interrupted tartly. “Let’s just head on to the next city so we can call your mom to tell her you’re coming home.”
Satoshi’s bottom lip quivered and his eyes became big, wet, and wobbly. It looked like he was going to cry again. And he did. Waterfalls and waterfalls of tears flooded out of him.
“Waaaaaaa!” he wailed as his friends dragged him away. “I don’t wanna go home! I want my Pikachu! Mommy! It’s mine! Mine! Waaaaaaaaa!”
“Ah shut up,” muttered Kasumi. It only provoked a louder wail.
“WAAAAAAAA!!!”
Saikobi stared in shock after them. They were the first people she’d ever met outside of court arrangements. Their manners were weird but it was humuorous to see a boy cry. Especially one so egotistical. She turned around, cradling Pikachu and smiled. Musashi and Kojiro, on the other hand, were shaking from utter disbelief. It was over. It was that simple. Pikachu was theirs ! They erupted into hysterical fits of laughter, hugging each other to steady themselves. It failed and soon they were on the ground, still latched onto each other.
Saikobi laughed a bit at that. “Oh my! What are you doing?”
“My question exactly,” said Meowth.
They stopped, realizing what it looked like and immediately stood up, seperated and blushing.
“What’s that I’m seeing?” Saikobi teased. “Awww, how cute! You’re blushing!”
“All right! All right!” interrupted Meowth. “I’m enjoyin’ success as much as you all are, but we should get this Pikachu back to da Boss as soon as we can!”
Saikobi’s smile vanished. She clutched Pikachu tighter to her chest, as though it were her safe-guard. She didn’t want to go back. Not so soon. Not ever.
“Do we have to?” she asked timidly.
They stared back.
“It’s part of da rules,” said Meowth.
She sighed heavily. *that happens a lot around here.*  “Do I have to......” she cringed, “see him again?”
Musashi and Kojiro could feel her fear and her anger about going back.
“You know, we could wait a while,” started Kojiro. “It’s not like the Boss ever expects anything from us.”
Musashi thought about it. “No. I want to see the look on his face when we bring him Pikachu!”
Kojiro pointed over at the sulking girl.
“Please give in just this once,” he begged in whisper. “Look at her. She’s obviously been through hell.”
Musashi looked and saw a disspirited girl with her pale skin making her appear very dead and at the same time ghostly and innocent. Indeed it did seem she’d been absused in some way.
“Fine fine fine,” she mumbled. “ Don’t ever tell anybody we did this.”
“Deal.”
They shook on it.
“Er..we decide to delay going back,” spoke up Kojiro.
“But only for a little while,” added Musashi. “What time is it?”
“2:00,” answered Meowth.
“Well that gives us....a lot of time.”

Author: Will Ash get over it and rescue Pikachu? Will Saikobi ever lead a normal life? And will Pikachu want to deal with humans ever again after this? Stay tuned to the next episode................*play ending credits*