What it takes By: Hitmonchan Prologue: Many people think that members of Team Rocket are complete idiots. That's not so. In fact, Jesse and James themselves aren't idiots. Here's a little story that tells people what it takes to become a member of Team Rocket, and also what it takes for Ash to see that Team Rocket isn't full of idiots, not to mention what it takes to put up with Jesse. Hence the title. Chapter one A small girl sits on the ground of a cabin. Her face is wet with tears, and she seems to be hurt. A blue-headed boy comes in quietly and strokes her head. She jumps at his touch, but looks up. "James...I'm glad it's only you." "Training hard today?" She nodded. "Lily covered for me while I came in here to rest." The boy we now know is James pulled her up. "Come on then. Team Rocket doesn't want crybabies." "James, don't be so mean!" "I'm not. But you know that He'll do something terrible if you don't shape up. Now come on. Just harden your muscles. It'll get easier." They went back out to the training fields. A rather large woman bent down to look at the little girl. "Jesse, are you gonna be okay?" "I'm fine." She sniffled a bit more, but then wiped her face and stood with the other girls. They were all older than her. "James, get back over to the boys side of camp." She laughed involuntary at calling this camp. Add the word boot on and maybe..... "Okay ladies! Line up! On your mark, get set, GO!" Jesse took off running at full speed. She slowed down in order to keep her pace. Okay, the first obstacle on The Course. A brick wall. Jesse leaped up and grabbed onto the side of it. Other girls were doing the same as her, but only a few were making it. Jesse began to slip, but she gritted her teeth and dug her feet into the side. She gathered all her energy into her feet and sprung up towards the top. She managed to grab onto the top. Jesse breathed a sigh of relief. She pulled herself all the way up and then jumped down on the other side. Only half of the girls that had started out were there, and she ran faster to try and keep up. The Course went on. Jesse wasn't really that bad. Jump, duck, slide. She thought mentally as she performed each. Run, run, run....Ow!!! She was hit by the same thing that had hit her before. She was at the end of The Course, where they threw rocks and you had to dodge them. She gritted her teeth to ignore the throbbing pain in her leg. She ran faster. The rocks kept coming. She dodged them, thinking only of survival the whole time. She was hit in the stomach, she clutched her stomach, all the while falling, but she got back up and was promptly hit again in the arm. This time she kept her balance and began to run again. She dodged some more, and just when she saw the finish line, a rock hit her square in her temple. She fell. When Jesse awoke, she was sitting in her bed in the cabin. Lily jumped to her feet when she saw her eyes open. Jesse took the wet cloth off her head, but at Lily's insistence, put it back on. "Jesse! You were great! You were the only girl to get that close to the end! I only got to the barbed wire." Jesse saw the many bandages on her face, not to mention all the scratches on her legs, so she knew that much was true. "Ouch." "How many rocks hit you?" "6." "And you didn't die! Wow!" Jesse murmured something, then proceeded to fall back asleep. Meanwhile, James is standing in a big ring with a much older boy. He was barehanded, and he wore a karate-like outfit. He seemed to be dancing about the ring, and finally the older boy pounced. James jumped into the air and over the boy. Edward, (For that was his name) came falling down as he clearly missed James. James turned and started to attack when Edward turned round and held his arms up. He brought them crashing down onto James. Or so he thought, as did everyone who was watching. All the sudden, the people who had their eyes closed opened them to see Edward leaned over, and James under him. Edward did not move, and nobody could figure out why not. Finally James walked back and jumped out of Edward's way, for just then, Edward fell forward. They rolled him over and everyone realized that James had punched him in the gut while he was trying to attack. James was declared the winner, and he changed into his regular clothes. Then he went to Jesse's cabin. Lily stood when she heard him, but he merely went over to Jesse and looked at her, smiling. Then he left. * * * * "JAAAAAMMMMMEEEEESSSSSS! Help me! I need you to help me!!!!"cried a small voice. "But I don't know where you are! Or who you are!" James saw before him suddenly an image of Jesse running The Course. But he didn't know what it was at the time. He couldn't remember. Suddenly, there were people throwing rocks at Jesse, and she fell, not knowing what had hit her. James ran to her, but a young boy with black hair stopped him from going any further. She suddenly fell into a black hole. "NNNNOOOOOOO!!!!!" James woke in a cold sweat. He jumped out of his sleeping bag and went over across the damp floor of the cave to look at the sleeping figure of Jesse. He sighed. She was okay, and Ash was nowhere around them. He shivered in the cold mist that surrounded the cave. "Bad dream?" asked an annoying voice. "Ahh!!! Meowth, be quiet! Don't wake up Jesse!" But it was too late. "You two idiots! What are you doing! It's not even light out yet! I'm trying to get my beauty sleep and you two are up and about, being noisy and trying to wake me up, no doubt!!!!" "Jesse! Please just go back to sleep! It wasn't my fault! Meowth scared me and I screamed, a-a-a-and......" Jesse pulled out her mallet and hit Meowth with it. Then she slapped James silly and rolled over and went to sleep. James got a small tear in his eye, but he wiped it away. After all, he was a member of Team Rocket. He pulled himself together. Hmmp. I don't know why I worry about her like I do. He went back to his sleeping bag and slept also. * * * * "James? Is that you?" A smaller Jesse cried out. She couldn't figure out why she was so small. It was as if she were a child again. She finally saw the figure of James, and she smile in spite of herself. "Oh, James, I've been looking all over for you, and......" James frowned at her. He was his usual self, physically, anyway. He continued to frown, as Jesse began to get scared. Then she was angry at him, for not caring about her. "James! What do you think you're doing, acting like that?" "Acting like what?" "Like.....like you're mad at me for everything!" "Like you?" "Like...me? What do you mean like me????" At each word her voice grew angrier. "Like that. There, you see? You always get mad at me, even when I've done nothing!" He yelled the last sentence. "You're the most stuck- up, conceited, barbarian woman that I've ever seen. Think back. It's not always been like that, has it? We used to be friends." Jesse had many times imagined what it would be like if James were more of a man. Somehow, this was exactly the way she imagined it. Each word he said reminded her of so many times when she had wondered why he didn't say them. "Do you remember our beginnings? CAN you remember? By the way you act, it would seem as though you had forgotten. Not that it would surprise me. You didn't say anything about my birthday two weeks ago." "But, James, I did remember! I just didn't bother getting you anything." "I didn't care if you bought me anything! All I wanted was for you to say something to show that you recognized that I'm a person, not your slave." She began to argue back, but the dream was over. She awoke, trembling all over. She snuck a glance at James, who seemed to be having his own nightmare. She didn't get up though. She just turned over and went back to sleep. She was still mad at him for waking her up earlier. * * * * Oy....Jesse woke with a creak in her back. Her head throbbed violently, though she couldn't remember why. She put her hand to her temple, and felt the bandage there. Then she painfully remembered. Just then the trumpet was sounded, and she and her fellow 'campers' had to get up and get dressed. It was going to be another full day at TRTC. Team Rocket Training Center. She dressed and was at breakfast in less than five minutes. She sat down with James and they were served their meal. "Jesse, how's your head?" "It's doing better." "What are your activities today?" "Um.....self defense, shooting, and robbery. Yours?" "Oh wow, you actually get to start working today? I've got all physical training. Again." "Well, we were gonna have to do The Course again, but Freda talked Them out of it on my account." "Freda your counselor?" "I guess. I don't know what else to call her." "Oh. I won at sparring yesterday when you were knocked out." "James! That's great!" He blushed a little. "Well, maybe, but Edward says he's gonna kill me." Jesse's eyes widened. "You beat Big Ed????" He blushed even more. "Yeah." He turned away and ate some more eggs. A voice cam out over the loudspeaker. "Attention all Rocket Trainees. You have ten minutes to finish breakfast and get to your activities." Jesse and James ate quickly, said their good-byes, and ran off. Jesse went to self defense and sat through a boring lecture about luring people who want to take advantage of you into a false sense of security, and then knifing them and taking all their money. The day passed as usual, when a new voice came over the loudspeaker. "Attention all campers and counselors. Evacuate immediately." Everyone knew what that meant. The police found this place again. Jesse and Lily ran back to their cabins, grabbed all their stuff and met with Freda and they hopped in the TRTC bus, and sped away. That's why everyone was ordered to keep all their stuff inside their backpacks, except for what they needed. They were on their way to the northern headquarters to see if it had been taken. If it had not, they stayed there until it was safe to travel to the next camp. Chapter two Ash sat down on the cold, damp ground and stated the obvious. They were lost. What a surprise. They were on their way to Cinnabar, and the were lost in the Seafoam Islands. They heard whispering, and they leaned in to hear what was going on. "Look, we're not supposed to argue with the boss. He said to take all the people in here alive, and they just happened to be here!" "But Jesse, then we'll never get to try and take the Pikachu again!" "Quiet. We don't go against da boss's orders!" Team Rocket suddenly appeared and said, not surprisingly, "Prepare for trouble!" "Make that double!" "To protect the world from devastation!" "To unite all peoples within our nation!" "To denounce the evils of truth and love!" "To extend our reach to the stars above!" "Jesse!" "James!" "Team Rocker blast off at the speed of light!" "Surrender now, or prepare to fight!" "Meowth! Dat's right!" "Okay, okay, I know! Where are Weezing and Arbok?" "Foolish boy! We aren't here for a pokémon battle. We're here to get all the pokémon trainers out of this cave!" "Why?" "Because Team Rocket is going in there to get Articuno! That's why!" "You'll never steal that bird! Pikachu and I will defend it to the death!" "No you won't. We're supposed to take you alive!" "Come and get me! Pikachu, Thundershock!" James pulled out an odd looking pokéball. It was normal, only it was bigger and painted green and red, and it had an 'M' on the button. James carelessly threw it at Pikachu, and it was caught. Ash and co. stared in disbelief. "A Masterball. We've got millions of them." he explained shortly. Then he and Jesse put them in a very large net and stole all their pokéballs, simply by dipping the net in the water and all pokéballs come out under water. They had Arbok get in the water and retrieve them all. Psyduck escaped, of course, but Jesse and James merely put it in a Masterball, and thought nothing more of it.Then they threw the net into a cage and locked it up good and tight, then they carried it off back to Team Rocket Headquarters. James sighed, "I'm gonna miss trying to capture Pikachu." Meowth agreed, and Jesse yelled at them for not being more professional. Inside the cage, Ash, Brock and Misty are having a discussion. "What I don't understand, " began Ash, "is why this is actually working. Maybe it's just a dream! And even if it's not, we'll get out of this somehow. We always do! After all, this is Team Rocket we're talking about here! They always mess up somehow!" "Don't you get it Ash?!?!" yelled Misty, "They didn't make mistakes this time! They must've gotten brains or something!" "You're wrong too, Misty." announced Brock, "They've been capable of this the whole time. They just haven't shown it to catch us off guard." They continued to argue. * * * * "Jesse, James, Meowth, the Boss wishes to speak with you now." They stood and walked in. "Very well done. You've taken all the travelers without a trace. I've already gotten a rumor started that there is a phantom pokémon on the loose in the cave. That rumor should buy us enough time to get Articuno and get out. You are dismissed." He stood and walked over to Meowth. He bent down and picked him up, and, surprisingly, not to Meowth's surprise, he stroked his fur. "How's Meowth been?" "Just fine, chief!" The Boss laughed and Meowth did too. He set Meowth on the floor and turned to the humans. "Here, you earned this." He tossed a wad of money at them. They took it and walked out. Jesse walked off on her own as soon as they left the office. Meowth said he had some business to take care of. So, once again, James was on his own. He thought back to being a child, and how great it was to spend every day with his best friend Jesse. But her heart had turned. He wondered if he was still in love with her or not. It had been a long time since he had last longed to touch her hair, or to hold her. As he thought of the idea now, it disgusted him. He needed to get away. James went downtown to look around. He was rather thirsty, but didn't feel like going all the way back to the vending machines by the grocery store. He heard a noise that sounded like a gun being cocked. He ducked into an alley and put his hand on his own gun. He looked out to see who was there. Only a hold up. A local jewelry store. He thought there was no point in looking into it further, so he left the center street and walked off, as he had no taste for being thought to be the crime commiter. He hated being blamed for crimes he didn't commit. He walked down the street whistling, when suddenly he bumped into someone. "Dreadfully sorry ma'am." He tipped his hat in a fashion that made people mistake him for a gentleman. It was Officer Jenny. She didn't recognize him though, as the hat tip also secluded his eyes from unwanted people. She ran off, and he figured she was on her way to the crime scene. He was quite right, although he didn't particularly care. He walked further until he got into a rather bad neighborhood. He breathed deep the sweet smells of the slums. He turned and saw a local bar, so naturally, he went in. He still had his half of the big wad of money in his pocket. He bought a small beer, and he drank it peacefully. A drunk came up to him and asked him where he was from. He ignored him. "Hey pretty boy! I asked you a question!" Still, James ignored him. The man, in a drunken rage, threw a punch. James swiftly dodged it without looking up. The man attacked him again, and finally, James stood. The drunk clumsily punch at him, but James just dodged. It was quite boring actually. He paid for his beer, all the while dodging the blows. Then he left. When he did, the man turned to his gang and said, "Well, I sure showed him!" James found a nicer looking place to spend the night, and he was given a nice room on the ninth floor. He didn't unpack anything, he just laid on the bed without pulling down the covers, and slept in quick cat-naps all night long. Being in Team Rocket gave you a certain feel as if everything was out to get you. He was always kept on his toes. Around five o'clock in the morning, someone burst down his door. A man with a gun entered, and a woman who was behind him said, "There he is, that horrid man from Team Rocket that checked in last night!" About that time was when they realized that James wasn't there anymore. Had they looked out the window, James might have been in trouble, but they didn't. Meanwhile, James was hanging on a windowsill on the building next to the hotel. He scrambled up the side, coolly as a cat, and then continued to jump from roof to roof until he found a good sturdy drain pipe to climb down on. Of course, you'd think that anyone who would leap roof to roof wouldn't be scared of an unsteady drain pipe, but James knew how to jump. He always took precautions. Being in Team Rocket kept one on their toes after all. Nevertheless, the pipe did break, but James was prepared. He took his landing stance and landed with only a small thud. In order to keep from drawing attraction to himself, he climbed over a wall to safety. * * * * We go back to training camp. It is the same training camp as before, only it is one year later. Jesse, James, and their fellow campers, are all sitting in a large room, waiting for something, or so it seems. A large man enters the room, and he is introduced as Giovanni, the boss of Team Rocket. "Hello, future members of Team Rocket. This has been one of our best years, as we have found several new members to add to our growing family. Now then, it is at this time that you must decide if this is really what you want. If you change your mind now, your memory of this whole year will be erased, and you will be returned to your family. After right now, nobody is allowed to turn back. I will call you up here in twos, with the person who will be your partner for your entire Team Rocket career. When I call you up, you will receive 1 pokémon, unless you already have one. When you get up here, you and your partner will recite your motto that you made in 'Bad Mottos 101' Remember, if you don't like your partner, it is your own fault, as you picked them yourself. And further more, whoever's motto I like the most will win the grand prize."He began calling people up. He finally got to Jesse and James, for they had, of course, picked each other. They walked up to the stage and James displayed his Koffing, and Jesse displayed her Ekans. Then they each took a deep breath. James turned on his tape player. They cried out in unison, "Allow us to introduce ourselves!" "To protect the world from devastation!" "To unite all peoples within our nation!" "To denounce the evils of truth and love!" "To extend out reach to the stars above!" "Jesse!" "James!" "Team Rocket blast off at the speed of light!" "Surrender now, or prepare to fight!" They looked at each other dramatically. "And we'll convince you, Team Rocket is right." They spoke together. Everyone clapped. It was Lily and Leslie's turn now. They listened. "We're Team Rocket, no one can beat in a fight!" "We're the best, there ever was, no one can top our cause!" They continued their motto, er...their cheer. Jesse and James both sweatdropped. The ceremonies finally ended, and it was the time to announce the winners. "And the winners are......Jesse and James!" They grinned all over, and they went up to receive their prize. "What's our prize? What's our prize???" They shouted. "First or all, you each get to wear special Team Rocket uniforms! The first ever that are not black. Secondly, you get......." "ME!" yelled a gangster's voice from over head. A small cat pokémon landed on their heads. "Yes. This is Meowth. The first ever TALKING pokémon. But be warned. You don't own this pokémon. He is a companion. I do not mean for him to be in any battles, unless it is absolutely necessary. Otherwise, he is as smart as an average human....." "Which isn't very smart!" "Not to mention as witty. I'm sure you three will be the stars of Team Rocket!" Everyone cheered them on, and Jesse and James stared at the Meowth for a long time. Soon the ceremonies were over, and everyone was given their first assignment. Of course, the kids weren't given anything hard at first. Jesse and James's assignment was to capture some kid's Nidoqueen. It wouldn't be too hard, it wasn't really that rare, and they could probably get one without stealing, but you have to ease into the pokémon thief business. "Okay you two. Here's da plan. Look, dere's da kid, and dere's her backpack. She isn't wearing a pokéball belt, so her pokéballs are probably in her backpack." Meowth announced "The way I see it, we should steal all her pokémon, because we don't know which one is the Nidoqueen." put in James. "James is right, Meowth. We don't know. Besides, the boss will be happier if we do it this way. After all, she might have other good pokémon." "Hmm....I suppose I should be just letting you two figure things out anyway. After all, this is only a tutorial mission. But, yes, I suppose you ARE right, James. Come on." All this time they had been sitting on the roof of a store. "Wait, first we need a plan." said James, "Okay, Meowth, you get down there and distract her, by um, being cute, I guess. But, since I can see Officer Jenny down there, Jesse can do something to distract the cops while I steal her pokémon!" "Why do I distract the cops?" "Because you can run faster than me! And once everything is done, then we all meet back at head quarters. Jesse, lead her on a wild goose chase for about four blocks. Can you do that?" "Yeah. Okay. I'm ready." Jesse and James shook hands. Meowth jumped off the side and pretended to hurt himself, and finally go the girl's attention. She put down her backpack and got out a small bandage. Jesse went running and grabbed a lady's purse, but she had already covered her face with a mask. Officer Jenny went running after her. James hopped down quietly, and stole the bag, then he ducked into an alley and climber over a wall. After the girl was done with Meowth, she bent to get her bag, but it wasn't there! She turned back to the cat, but he was gone as well. Her face got all red, and she went after Officer Jenny. Meanwhile, Jesse was running as fast as she could. Jenny was way behind her. She was getting tired so she ducked into an alley, and proceeded to climb a wall. She let Jenny see her climb over it, then she climbed up one side of a building that was behind the wall, and climbed through an open window. She waited until Jenny was long gone, and then she hopped back out in the alley, and made her way back to headquarters. Chapter three Ash and co. were sitting in a dark room. It seemed almost like a dungeon. "Pikachu." cried Ash. "And all the others." Misty cried softly. Ash awkwardly put his arms around her. Brock tactfully said nothing. Misty moved toward him, and sniffled, "Togepi!" she sobbed. There was a noise, and they all stood, and followed it. They arrived at the iron gates of the jail cell they were in. "Here's you supper." said a gruff voice. Three plates full of who knows what was put in front of them. They picked out some things that were eatable, and all and all it wasn't a bad supper. Then they laid down and went to sleep. A familiar face showed up at the cell. "Hmm...it seems so weird to have them locked up down here." said James to himself. It almost warmed his heart to look at Ash and Misty snuggled up together. It didn't surprise him. They fought so much that he knew they truly loved each other. He smiled in spite of himself. Why they fought almost as much as he and J......He stopped himself from thinking that. He frowned and walked off. He went upstairs to look for Jesse. She was in her room, asleep. He looked at her sleeping figure from the doorway, when he suddenly saw her jump up with a start. "NO! GO AWAY! DON'T HURT ME ANYMORE! PLEASE! JAMES, HELP ME!!!!!" she screamed. He ran to her side and, fearing her wrath, he timidly pulled her to him. "Jess, Jess, calm yourself. Don't worry. Calm down." he tried to sound reassuring. "It was just a dream." Her face got all red, and James cringed. Here it came. The temper tantrum. "J-James?" He nodded. "Oh James. I'm glad it's you." She trailed off, and she buried her head in his chest. "That must have been some dream." "It wasn't a dream! It was too real! It happened just like it happened before!" "What happened?" Jesse managed to compose herself and told him the whole dream, but I won't tell it the way she did, because it would take too long, what with all the crying and anger, and James's questions. She finally choked the whole story out to him, and here it is. Jesse was standing in the middle of some kind of fog. She groped around for something familiar, but she found nothing. All of a sudden, she heard police sirens, and she started running. Contrary to all her other run-ins with the police, she was horribly afraid, and Jesse said that that was the worst part of the dream. She was horribly afraid of everything. The cops were shooting at her, and she was hit several times. But it never killed her, not even when it hit her heart. Instead of just killing her, it just sent searing pain all through her body that never went away. Each time she was hit, it hurt worse. Eventually, they ran out of bullets, but the pain was still there. She figured it was gonna be okay, and she ran to headquarters, and called to be taken to the hospital. She was hysterical by the time she was attended to. But then she wasn't taken to the hospital at all. They took her into Giovanni's office. She lay there on the floor while Giovanni laughed at her. Finally, he spoke. "Jesse, " he began with a flame in his eye, "I've noticed that you haven't been working very hard lately. After all, you just were caught by the cops! You led them to our hideout Jesse! It's all your fault! We had to kill all the police! And it's all your fault! You've killed innocent people in the past for me! It's your fault that those people are dead! It's your fault that family members are still weeping for that little boy who nosed his way into too much of Team Rocket's stuff! Yes, it was you, wasn't it? You were the one who killed little Timmy, just because he saw you making a getaway. Just because he saw the license plate that you forgot to take off. His mother still cries for him! You are the cause of all the world's problems!" With that, he took out a stamper and stamped Jesse's head with the word, 'scapegoat'. Then he began to shout out orders. "Get over here and whip her 50 times!" A man with a dark mask on came over to her with a whip. He pulled up her shirt and whipped her, all the while people came and blamed her for everything. She kept yelling out, 'I'm sorry', but nobody would listen to her. Finally, the beating was over, but people were still yelling at her. Then the man with the mask spun her around and said, "It's your fault I'm insecure. It's your fault I got killed. You caused all my pain! You could have ended my suffering, but you didn't. You only think of yourself, Jesse! You saying one nice thing to me could have prevented this! But now, there is no hope!" When Jesse could bring herself to look at him, she felt as though she wanted to poke out her eyes. She realized that the man who had whipped her had been James. But what terrified her was that now he was dangling over a cliff. She tried to save, him, and although she had tried her hardest, she felt as though she could have done more. There was something she could have done to prevent him from falling, she knew it. Then, before she could shed any tears, Giovanni was over her again, and now he was slicing her arms and blaming her, and laughing. "NO! GO AWAY! DON'T HURT ME ANYMORE! PLEASE! JAMES, HELP ME!!!!!" she cried. But then the image of James falling was before her again. "I could have if you had let me, Jesse! But I'm dead now!" he cried. Then she woke up. "Oh James. It was so frightening!" she pulled him ever tighter. "Maybe it means something Jess." "WELL OF COURSE IT DOES!" James winced at her sudden anger. "But what?" she asked in a smaller voice. Then she became furious again. "But why am I telling you? It's none of your business! What were you doing in my room, anyway? Nevermind, I just want to go back to sleep." With that she pushed him off the side of the bed and went back to sleep. James's face got red, and he just about lashed out at her, but then he just sighed. He knew that she would never changed, no matter how horrible her dreams were. He left her room and went to his own. He couldn't begin to think about sleeping. For the past three night he'd had horrible nightmares. Finally though, as there was nothing else to do, he slept. But only in small amounts of time. He thought a lot about Jesse's dream in the period of time when he was awake. He wondered if it had any connection with his own. What if he were in trouble, but to save him, Jesse had to risk her own life. That would make sense, he supposed. Finally he drifted into a deep sleep, and he didn't wake up until morning came. * * * * Jesse, James and Meowth are standing outside the boss's office. A secretary sits talking to someone on the phone. Jesse and James, seeing as they are only 10, fidget while they wait for her to be done. Meowth tries to get them to sit still, but he is trying in vain. Finally the secretary notices them and presses a button. "Giovanni, two kids and a Meowth to see you." There was a voice that came softly after, but the kids couldn't hear it. "You can go in now." They nodded and the huge door opened to Giovanni's office. They barely dared to breathe. "Ah! There you are! How'd the mission go? Oh, forgive me, have a seat! Would you like a soda?" Author's note: The boss is not a bad person to the new recruits. As long as they don't mess up too many times. Jesse and James both took a soda eagerly. Then the Boss gave Meowth a kitty treat. The Boss was the only person who ever gave Meowth kitty treats. "Well sir, we got Nidoqueen, as well as all the girl's other pokémon." James handed him the backpack. He pulled out the pokéballs, and threw them out on the ground to have a look at them. "And, when I was distracting the cops, I stole a lady's purse. She had a pokéball in there, as well as fifty dollars! "Hmm....Nidoqueen, Bellsprout, and....Abra. I wasn't aware she had Abra." Then he looked at the pokéball and the money that Jesse held out. "My, my, my! You have done your day's work!" He threw out the last pokéball. "Hmm...a Growlithe! Great!" James looked at the Growlithe with tears in his eyes, but luckily, Giovanni didn't notice. "Well done! I knew you three would make a good team. From now on, you guys are my right-hand men. Er, kids. And pokémon." From that point on, Jesse, James and Meowth ran all the hardest missions for Giovanni. But where did Jesse and James's friendship go wrong? Well, it began about three years after the scene you've just witnessed. Today is Jesse's birthday and James is busy in his room wrapping her present. He just knew that she would love what he got her. It was a pair of jade earrings. Jesse had gotten her ears pierced last year, and he had been wanting to get her earrings for a while now. He was so pleased with himself. He was almost giddy. He kept imagining the look on her face as she received his gift. Then maybe, just maybe she might give him a kiss on the cheek and....He tried to snap himself out of it, but he couldn't. Giovanni had given them the whole day off, just because of her birthday, and he couldn't wait to spend it with his best friend. James put the finishing touches on the gift, and began making his way to Jesse's room. He whistled as he went down the hallway. Meanwhile, Jesse was humming 'Happy birthday to me' as she got ready. She figured that James would be by any minute now, and he might even give her a gift. And he'd give her a kiss as he gave it to her. She shook her head, and tried to act more like a member of Team Rocket, but she couldn't. She heard a knock at the door. "James!" she raced to the door and opened it, "Why hello Ja....oh, hi Meowth." "Yeah, I love you too. Here's your present!" "Oh Meowth, you didn't have to get me anything!" She opened the present. "Oh, Meowth, it's beautiful!" She held up the silver bracelet. It sparkled in the sunlight. There was another knock. "Come in!" she sang. "Happy birthday Jess!" called James from the doorway. He handed her a small gift. She opened it and looked inside. "Oh! Earrings! James they're adorable!" She fasted them in and looked in the mirror. They looked beautiful on her. James smiled broadly. They both seemed to be waiting for something. Then, James broke the ice. "Well, where do you want to go for lunch?" "I don't care. You pick!" "How about.....La Mason Rouge?" "Oh James, you know we could go to McDonald's and I'd be happy." Then he flashed two reserved tickets for the fancy restaurant. "Oh James! This is gonna be the best birthday ever!" "But it won't be the last we share together." That day could have been a turning point for their relationship, if not for what happened later. They were eating a wonderful lunch together, when all the sudden they heard the voice of their waiter. "Yes, the red-haired girl with the blue-haired boy. I know they're from Team Rocket, I just know it!" he spoke in a whisper, but Jesse and James were experts on eavesdropping. They quietly got up and began to excuse themselves from the restaurant. Then the police came into the room. They had the whole place surrounded. Rough hands caught Jesse and James around the wrists. as they were being carried off, James finally got his courage up and did a back kick on the officer where the sun don't shine. James got away from the officer, and James pulled out his friend who made three profound statements, and although three people had died, he missed the man who held Jesse, but there was no going back now. After all, in Team Rocket you were taught to look out for yourself. So James merely watched Jesse be taken away to jail from his rooftop perch. He cried, but only for a short while. Then he went back to headquarters to report the happenings to the boss. "Well James. I am sorry. You and Meowth will continue on your own until our little 'problem' has been solved. I can't tell you how long it'll take. I don't really know. We'll just have to wait it out. You are dismissed." Jesse spent three years in the slammer for her crimes. She was blamed for more crimes then she had actually committed, for she paid for all of Team Rocket's crimes. When she was released, she was a hardened criminal. She continued on with James, but everyone could tell that she sort of blamed James for it. She took it out on him by always beating on him. Now you know the whole story behind Jesse's meanness. That brings us up to the day that she and James went after Pikachu for the first time. And now we'll go back to after Jesse's horrible nightmare. Chapter four Jesse awoke the next morning without having anymore bad dreams. She showered and dressed as usual, and she snapped at James during breakfast. Nothing out of the ordinary. Then the boss called them into his office in order to give them a new assignment. "Now then, Jesse, James, this assignment is very important to Team Rocket. You cannot screw up. Here's the basic idea. In Saffron City, we need you to take over the Silph co. building. "Why?" asked James. "Well, they are manufacturing something that we want. A new kind of pokémon. It is supposed to be top secret, but we have our ways of finding things out. "Right boss." "Now then, here is a backpack with all the things you will need. Your journey begins now. GO!" They left the office and went to the upper level of the secret underground base. From there, they emerged into an alley in Saffron. Because, as every good Team Rocket member knew, the base led to every known city in the pokémon world. They made sure that they were in Saffron, and they were, so they found a place to sleep for the day, for they had to go during the night, of course. Jesse closed the blinds, and they laid in opposite beds. Meowth had slept all day before they had arrived, so he stayed up to wake them when it was time. James didn't want to go to sleep, but he knew he must if he didn't want to fall asleep on the job. So he finally slept. He was falling. He knew that if he fell any longer he would die. "Jesse! Help me!" she was standing there, not knowing what to do. Then she finally saved him. But as soon as she did, she was in danger. Then there was that freaky black haired kid. "No, Ash! Leave her alone!" but Jesse was already gone. Then James awoke. He looked at Jesse. She was tossing and turning in her sleep. She suddenly sat straight up. "Have another bad dream?" James asked her. She nodded. And without saying a word, she got up to splash her face with water. Then she went back to sleep, as did James. Meowth woke them around 11:00. "Okay guys, we may very well all be killed, but we gotta do it. You guys need to have some caffeine or something before we leave. Changing the way you sleep can affect you, and you need to stay awake." They both had a cup of coffee, and took showers to wake them up. By the time they were ready, it was midnight. "Okay, put on your black suits." Meowth called into the bathroom as James was changing. Jesse was already dressed in black from head to toe. Finally, they were ready. They hopped out the window and climbed down to the alley. "Okay you'se guys, we're here." Meowth announced, all the while grimacing. Jesse and James pulled out grappling hooks. "No, no! We're goin' in at the bottom and workin' our way up because we don't know which lab the pokémon is in!" "Yeah, but we can't just go in through the front door!" "Yes we can! But foist I'm goin' in a disabling the alarm system. Wait right dere." He ran off and about five minutes later, he came running back out. "Okay, dere's only one guard at the entrance, and the alarm system just died. Come on!" * * * * A pretty girl is walking around on the street by the Silph co. building. She looks a bit lost. "What are you doing out this late little missy?" asked the guard standing there. "I'm.....looking for a good time. Is it possible to find one around here, big boy?" "Sorry sweetheart, but I've got to work." the girl leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his waist. "You....sure?" she said sexily. "Well I......." Then she punched him really hard in the stomach and then hit him over the head with her fan, knocking him out. "Okay guys, come on!" she yelled in a distinctively male voice. "Good woik James!" said Meowth. James quickly changed back into his black clothes, and then they all waltzed into the building. Jesse inspected the alarm system just to make sure they were safe. Then they proceeded downstairs to the basement. All of the known labs were marked on the map they had, and Jesse pointed out that there was one below them. They went down to inspect it. They split up and looked around. James went over to the eastern corner to look. He moved his hands up and down the walls looking for a secret passage. After all, they wouldn't leave a new pokémon in the middle of the room. He kept going until his had went straight through the wall. "Jesse, come quick!" She ad Meowth ran over to see what was wrong. "Look!" he demonstrated. "Come on!" Jesse pulled them all into the mystery wall. "Whoa.....look at this place." James gaped. Jesse looked around in awe. "Look, over here!" called Meowth. He was standing next to a big cage of some sort. Inside was a little ball. "Is that the pokémon?" "Inside the ball, or the ball itself?" asked James. "I dunno. But I hope it isn't a relative of Voltorb!" said Jesse. James agreed. Meowth picked up the thing, and pointed out the little button on it. "I don't think it's a pokémon." he announced. "But it might be a pokéball." "You're right about that." said a voice behind them. "It is a pokéball. With a very special pokémon inside. But you shall never see it. Get them boys." James drew his gun. "Meowth! Get the pokémon out of here!" James shrieked, "Jesse, you get out too!" he added, remembering his dreams. "Oh, I'm afraid none of you are getting out." the mystery man announced. Several people dressed in black uniforms surrounded them. They all held guns. Meowth tried to make a run for it, but was stopped by the mystery man. He stepped out into the light. It was Ash. "Hello, Team Rocket. So you finally captured my Pikachu. Took you long enough. I guess it was one of your little secrets that you are actually competent. Welcome to my little secret. Yes, I'm the leader of a gang. We call ourselves, The Pokémon Gang." "Real original name Ash, but I don't see what all this has to do with...." "Silph co. hired our Team to protect this new pokémon from Team Rocket, and we did. We also stole it for ourselves. We are an underground agency. By the way, if you should make it back to Headquarters, it will be no use, because we've already taken over." He laughed. "Well, I got my Pikachu back." The electric rodent climbed onto his shoulder. All the while, James had his gun pointed at Ash's head. "I'd put the gun down if I were you, James. Or your girlfriend gets it." He pointed to a huge man who held Jesse with her arms behind her. James lowered his gun. "Put her down. Or I'll kill you!" "I'm not sure that you're in the position to make threats James." Ash said with fire in his eyes. "You're just plain evil! You take away the good name of pokémon thieves. Or bad name, I guess." "Too bad Team Rocket wasn't competent enough to even know about my whole operation. Oh well, looks like Team Rocket is blasting off for the last time." He laughed evilly. Finally, James took action. He shot the leg of the man who held Jesse, and he started forward, almost letting her go. But not quite. James leaped forward to grab Jesse, but the man got her again, and James shot him in the arm this time, barely missing Jesse. He dropped her, and he grabbed her and ran. He tried not to think about leaving Meowth behind, but then it hit him. "Jesse, keep going! I'm going back for Meowth and the pokémon!" He set her down and ran back into the fury. "There he is! Grab him!" yelled Ash. James shot as many henchmen as he saw. He was only shot once in the arm. There was the man with Meowth. James ran to the furry pokémon and punched the burly man. Then he shot him dead. "Come on Meowth!" "Wait a sec!" He ran back and retrieved the pokéball. Then they ran at full speed to the exit. "Not so fast." said Ash, as he blocked the door to the exit. Ash shot James in the arm, and James fell. He tried to get back up, but they were already tying him up. Meowth had gotten away though. That was the only good part about the whole thing. And the pokémon was safe too. James sighed and awaited his death. "How're we gonna kill him boss?" "We're just going to leave him for now. I think we'll take him back to our new headquarters." They took James back to what used to be Team Rocket headquarters, and they put him in the same dungeon that Ash Misty and Brock were in. Misty and Brock were still in there. "What, didn't Ash let you out yet?" James asked them when they threw him in there. "No. We refused to cooperate with him." Brock answered. Misty could only sob. "What do you mean, cooperate?" "He wanted us to join him, but we realized that he was as bad as Team Rocket. Sorry." "It's okay. I kinda wish now that I had never gotten involved with Team Rocket. But then I'd be unhappily married to Jessebelle." he sighed. "No, Team Rocket was the only way for me." Brock nodded, but didn't say anything. "Just when I thought I loved him...." a small voice whimpered. James said nothing. "And.....I think he loved me too." Brock and James stayed silent. Misty went back to crying softly. James went to sleep. * * * * Jesse and Meowth had found each other, and had escaped. Now they didn't know what to do. "Well Jesse, they captured Headquarters. There's no reason to go back now!" "Yes there is." Jesse said. "What? No! Let's just live off of this magical pokémon! Whatever it is! There is no reason to go back!" Jesse nodded, and said, "Yes there is." "Why?" "James." She wanted to cry, but no tears would come. "If you're not coming, then I'm going without you." "No, no....I'll go. After all, we can just use this pokémon to get him out." "Right." They went back to Headquarters, and hid for the rest of the night. When the morning came, they made plans, and the next night at midnight, they prepared to strike. "Okay, Meowth, it's now or never." "I'm voting for never, how about you?" "MEOWTH!" "Alright already, let's go." Jesse patted her gun in her pocket, and they went in. The guards at the door wer quickly taken care of by Jesse's gun, and they went inside. They knew this place like the back of their hands/paws, and they quietly made their way down to the cellar, where the prisoners were kept. Jesse, of course, had to assume that James was still alive, and she just kept hoping. The had made it as far down as the cellar, when they saw three guards coming toward them. Jesse knew she shouldn't shoot for fear of making too much sound, so she knocked them all out with her sleep powder, from James's Victrebell. They continued down a long hall and finally came to James's cell. Two of the brats were in there with him. "James! James! Wake up!" He stirred, and awoke. "Jesse, what are you doing here? It's dangerous!" Get out of here!" "No. Meowth, where are you?" "Right here! I stole the key from the guard. Here." Jesse opened the door, and James woke Misty and Brock. "James, what are you doing?" "Believe me, we might need their help." "All right, I trust you." They all got out, and just when they were about to escape, "Well, well, well. I'm surprised! I didn't actually think that Jesse had a big enough heart to come to James's rescue." Ash laughed. "Well now, if you just hand over the pokémon, then I'll let Brock Misty and Meowth go. unfortunely, I can't just let you two off the hook. So Meowth, hand it over, and you'll be spared." "Never. Dese guys are my friends." "How positively touching. I've got tears in my eyes. Pikachu, go get the pokéball. Pikachu, looking tired walked out of the shadows. "Pikachu! Use Agility to steal the pokéball quickly!" "Pikachu, don't! Please." Misty begged the electric rodent. "Pikachu?" it questioned. Pikachu suddenly turned to Ash. "Pi- pikachu?" (Are you really gonna do this?) "Yes Pikachu, we've been over this!" "Pika." (Then I'm leaving.) Pikachu ran into Misty's arms. "Oh Pikachu, I knew you wouldn't do it!" "That's okay, after all, Pikachu was too weak anyway. Charizard, go!" The huge lizard came out. "Pokéball, go!" Meowth finally took action. He threw out the mystery pokémon. A huge white thing came out. James stared at it until his eyes hurt. It took shape. It was a huge bird, only it had two arms plus wings, and its feathers were all white. "What...is it?" asked Ash. "Don't you know?" asked Meowth. "No, I was too scared to open it!" The huge white shimmering thing opened its mouth to speak. "Yu-Yuno Yudono." a glittery voice called out. "Yuno-yuno-yu." It sounded as though it were singing. "Meowth, what'd it say?" asked Jesse. "I-I-It said.....My name is Yudono. Where is my Master?" Then he shook his head. "Yudono, I am your Master, me, Meowth!" "Yu-do-Yo-yo-do-no." "It says, you are the one that brought me out here, but you are not my Master. An honest mistake." "Then, who is your Master, Yudono?" asked James bravely. "Yudo! No-nodu!" "It says dat James is its master!" "But how.....am I......your Master?" "Yuno, yudo, yu-yu!" "It says dat it does not know itself, it only knows that it is you." "If I'm your Master, should I command you?" "Yuno....yundo...yudono." "It said, you are my Master, so you should decide." "In that case....fight that lizard!" "Yuno?" "With what?" "I don't know your attacks!" The huge bird flew at Charizard and attacked with an attack somewhat like Wing Attack, only it attack with both wings, and then scratched with its talons. Charizard fainted on the spot. "Charizard, return! Go, Bulbasaur!" Yudono easily defeated all of Ash's pokémon. Then he yelled out, "Kill that bird!" "Yudono! Freeze them!" James yelled, not even sure how he knew it could. It froze all the henchmen, and all that was left was Ash. Misty went over to him. "Ash....why?" "Misty......I.....don't know......I love you, Misty." "Fine time to tell me Ash. You abandoned everybody you loved for power. Pikachu, Brock, me......." Her eyes turned downwards. Then she did the thing she had always wanted to do. She leaned forward and kissed him straight on the mouth. He kissed her back. Then she pulled away. "I'm sorry, Ash. But........you have to be stopped." "I understand. I hope someday I'll be okay again." "James?" "Hmm?" "Are you thinking, what I'm thinking?" "I....think so." And without finding out what she was thinking, he leaned in and kissed her. She didn't pull back as he had feared. They kissed longer and longer. In the background, Yudono went back into its pokéball. Meowth gagged. And the music swirls as this scene is captured forever in Jesse and James's minds. Epilogue Jesse sat in a chair in front of a desk. James sits at a desk next to Jesse's. "Well James. We did it." "Yeah. We cleared Team Rocket's name." A young boy enters. "I'm here to challenge to leader of Viridian City gym!" Jesse looked at James, and then down on her very obviously eight month pregnant stomach. "You'd better take this on James." "Right." He stood, and went to battle. -The End- Author's note: I had no idea where I was going with this story, but now that it's over, I think it was pretty good. Originally, it was just going to be about Team Rocket going into training, but it turned out even better, in my own humble opinion. Anyway, I'm glad I'm done writing it, but it was a lot of fun, so to all of those reading this, I hope you enjoyed my first Team Rocket Fanfic. C-ya, Hitmonchan Disclaimer-I don't own any of the characters in this story. They are all members of the TV series, Pokémon, which I watch and enjoy. Any similarities of this fanfic to another is purely coincidental. _____________________________________________________ Sent by Jahoopa Free Email! Find us on the web at http://www.jahoopa.com Join today!