The Rosa City's Midsummer Carnival was in full swing. The smell of cotton candy and popcorn floated through the air up to where Team Rocket was perched up on a Ferris wheel. Jessie and Seleca sat in one of the chairs, with James and Meowth in the next. The boys were eating cotton candy, and their tongues were as blue as James' hair.
"There they are," Jessie said. She was peering through her binoculars across the stretch of carnival. She handed the binoculars to Seleca. "Over by the dunking booth."
Seleca looked through the eyepieces and found the booth Jessie was referring to. "Which ones are they?"
"There's a boy wearing a green vest, a girl with a yellow shirt, and a boy with a hat on."
"With the Pikachu?"
Jessie nodded. "That's the one."
"Good. They look dumb enough."
Jessie held onto the seat as it began to descend. "Trust me, they are." Seleca looked at her doubtfully. "We just have to be more careful. Now, what's your plan…"
"Togepi, briiii!" Togepi trilled , spinning around. It was trying to get popcorn from Pikachu.
"Chu!"
"But, why?" Ash asked. "It's not even dinner time yet."
"We're out of money," Brock sighed. The trio sighed.
"Let's go then. Maybe we can find something to do later," Ash said.
"Pikapi, Pikachu," Pikachu sighed. It hopped up into Ash's arms.
Laughing, they went back toward the Rosa City's Pokecenter. On the way they passed an Officer Jenny, who watched them quietly as they passed.
Officer Jenny found the source of the cries within a minute. The girl was holding a pokeball.
"Oh, officer! You have to help me!"
"Now calm down. What's your name? Tell me what happened." She held the girl by the arm.
The girl sniffed. "Rose. Oh, officer these three kids stole my Pokemon!"
"That's terrible," Jenny cried.
"There was a girl, and she distracted me with this cute little baby Pokemon. Then the two boys came at me. One grabbed my Pikachu and the other pushed me down." 'Rose' gave a little sob. "By the time I got to my feet, they were gone!"
"How awful," Jenny shook her head. She looked thoughtful. "Tell me what they looked like." The girl did so. Jenny blinked. "Those kids! They passed me just a few minutes ago!"
"Oh, officer, you have to get my dear Pikachu back!" 'Rose' said.
"I'll do just that," Jenny promised. "Now, stay here." 'Rose' nodded. The officer disappeared quickly into the crowd.
Three sets of eyes peered from within a darkened tent.
"And some pizza," Brock added.
"I want some Mexican food," Misty said.
"Cheeseburgers."
"Mexican!"
"Cheeseburgers!"
"Mexican!"
"Cheeseburgers!" Ash shouted. He clenched his fists.
"Pika! Pika!" Pikachu said loudly, flailing in Ash's arms.
"Mex-"
"Hold it right there!" a voice shouted from behind them. The three stopped and turned.
"Officer Jenny?" Brock said. Jenny had two other officers with her.
"Arrest these three," she said.
"What?!" Ash cried. "There has to be a mistake!"
"The only mistake is the one you made when you stole that Pikachu!" Jenny said.
"Aaaah! We did not!" Ash protested as Jenny pulled Pikachu from his hands. The Pokemon was confused by the presence of a usually welcome person. A Jenny ha dbeen so nice to them recently…
"Cha!" Pikachu said, looking up at Jenny brightly.
"Pikachu!" Ash wailed as he, Misty and Brock were hauled away by the other officers.
"Pika?"
Jenny patted Pikachu on the head soothingly. "Everything is going to be okay now," she said. Pikachu cooed as Jenny scratched it between the ears.
"Cha!"
"Rose! Excellent news!" she heard Officer Jenny call. "I've got your Pikachu back!"
"Oh!" she looked up and smiled. "Pikachu! I was so worried!"
"Pika?" Pikachu said slowly. It looked at the blonde girl, who looked sincerely happy to see it.
"They weren't too hard to find," Jenny said. She sanded Pikachu to 'Rose'. The girl hugged Pikachu tightly.
"Thank you so much."
"You're very welcome," Jenny smiled. "And you won't have to worry about those pesky kids anymore. They're being held at the station."
"You're so kind, Officer."
"Just doing my job, Miss Rose. Now you take care of your self and your Pikachu and have a good time at the carnival.
"I will," 'Rose' said, watching Officer Jenny make her way off into the crowd again.
Pikachu had relaxed in 'Rose's arms, ignoring the rubber gloves. Its ears perked up suddenly as two people approached from behind.
"You really did it," James said softly. He and Jessie looked over Seleca 'Rose's shoulder.
"Pika!" Pikachu cried in sudden distress. It flailed wildly and jumped from Seleca's arms. Jessie, James, and Meowth cried out in dismayed alarm.
"Not again!"
"Ah ah ah," Seleca shook her head and activated the pokeball. "Pokeball, Go!" Seleca hurled the ball. It bumped Pikachu lightly on the back of the head. With a squeal Pikachu tried to resist the pull of the now open ball. It struggled, but eventually lost the fight and disappeared in a red and blue flash of light. The pokeball snapped shut, wobbled for a moment, and then fell still with a loud click.
"We got you, Pikachu," Jessie said softly.
Seleca grinned and picked up the monster ball. Meowth danced around her feet.
"Odd," James said, "that brat Ash could never get Pikachu into a pokeball."
Seleca smirked. "He never used an Ultra Ball either." Jessie read the small silver letting on the side of the ball.
"This Ultra Pokeball was manufactured by Silph Co. Guaranteed to catch almost any Pokemon."
"The Boss'll be thrilled to find out that we finally did something right again!" James cried. He swung Jessie around by the waist. They both gave an evil laugh.
"The Boss will be proud of ya!" Meowth said to Seleca.
"Us too!" James said.
"Yeah… maybe."
Seleca took the ball back. "I don't see what was so hard about that."
"I guess we just never came up with the right plan!" James laughed, still hugging Jessie.
"You two aren't going to kiss, are you?" Seleca said as she clipped the ball to her belt next to Chansey's.
"Shut up!" they wailed, tripping over Meowth's tail and tumbling down.
"Come on, guys," Seleca said, pulling Jessie up, "I think this deserves a little celebration."
"Yeah!" James said brightly as he got to his feet. "It's not everyday we find someone who can do something right."
"I'm going to take that as a compliment," Seleca said. They started back out to their Jeep.
"I felt naked running around like that," she commented.
"Well, the plan wouldn't have worked if Officer Jenny had seen the big red R on your uniform," Jessie said, drumming her fingers on the steering wheel.
"Big red R is a no-no," Meowth said. Seleca pulled her hair from the ponytails and shook it loose.
"I thought no-no's were our business," she said.
"Well, technical no-no's are bad," Meowth said. Seleca laughed and scratched him between the ears. Meowth curled up and purred happily.
"I like her…" he said drowsily.
"Where's the barbecue sauce?" Meowth asked.
"All over your face," Jessie snickered.
"It's hard to eat chicken with paws," he said.
"James isn't doing much better with fingers," Seleca said.
"Oh, James, you slob!" Jessie swatted him with a stack of napkins. She licked barbecue sauce off her fingers carefully.
"At least I remembered to take my gloves off this time," he said sheepishly.
"No explosions or Digletts to interrupt lunch today," Jessie said.
"Just Pidgeys," Meowth said.
"Huh?"
"Over there," the cat pointed. "It's been watching us eat for the last half hour." They looked at the Pidgey, who sat patiently on a tree stump a few yards from their picnic cloth.
"Maybe it wants a drumstick," James said. Jessie gave him a whack over the head.
"It's a bird, James!"
"Oh… yeah."
The Pidgey cooed and then flew up in the air, now that it was being noticed. Team Rocket watched as it came back down and knocked Meowth on the head. The feline started coughing.
"I think it wants to fight," Jessie said. Meowth waved his arms.
"Oh, Meowth's choking!" Seleca cried. She gave Meowth a smack on the back, and he coughed up a chicken bone.
"I forgot that cats shouldn't have chicken bones," he said, looking sheepish.
"Be more careful."
"That Pidgey attacked me!" Meowth cried.
"It wants to fight," Jessie said again as the bird hopped up and down, kicking up dirt.
"Fight or play?" Seleca said, watching the Pokemon. She got to her feet, brushing crumbs off of her uniform. She pulled a pokeball from her belt. "Go, Pikachu!"
Pikachu appeared, looking around nervously. The Pidgey called loudly, flapping its wings. It kicked up a dust cloud, but Pikachu held its ground.
"Pikachu, thundershock!"
"Pikachu!" the Pokemon said after hesitating for a moment. It finally knew it had to accept a new master, and jumped forward. The Pidgey dodged the attack.
"Agility now, Pikachu!"
"Pika!" Pikachu leapt up as the Pidgey dodged away again, judged the distance, and gave another electric shock.
"Pidgey! Pidgeoh!" it toppled down and hit the ground. The Pidgey rolled over, thumping its wings on the ground for a minute, and then stopping.
"Just wanted to play," Seleca said. She rested a hand on her hip. "Pidgey, you're mine!"
"Pidge!" it said, looking up at her with a somewhat happy gaze.
"Pikachu, return!" Seleca called. Once Pikachu was back in its ball she pulled another from her belt. "Pokeball, go!"
The pokeball shot forward, catching the downed Pidgey on the forehead. Pidgey was pulled in, and the ball returned to Seleca once it was captured.
"Nice shot," Jessie said.
"Two in one day," James wailed. "We can't even do that in a week."
"Well you can have Pikachu to give to the Boss," Seleca said. She looked down at the Pidgey's ball. "Pidgey's mine."
"What's with your sudden bird obsession?" Meowth asked.
"It isn't sudden," Seleca said, throwing the ball. Pidgey came back out, looking a bit ruffled. It hopped up into Seleca's arms.
"Pidgey, Pidgey," it cooed sweetly.
"Aw, how cute," James said. Seleca smoothed Pidgey's feathers.
"Someday, if I train you well, you'll evolve into a Pidgeotto, and then a Pidgeot," Seleca said to the bird.
"Pidgey!"
"My father had a Pidgeot when I was a little girl," Seleca said to the others, still petting Pidgey. "It was his pride a joy, the most beautiful Pokemon I can remember ever seeing."
"What happened to it?" Jessie asked.
"It died," Seleca said quietly. "During a match." She sat back down, still holding the bird Pokemon. Seleca gave it some of a roll. "Dad had it up against a Raticate, and it was doing good. But then his opponent called the Raticate back a called out an Onix." Seleca shook her head. "Of all the things to call."
"We're sorry, Seleca," James said.
"It's okay," she said, resting her chin on Pidgey's head. "The Onix knocked Pidgeot out of the air, and then used bind. Broke its wings before either trainer knew what had happened. The Onix was just too strong… by the time Dad got Pidgeot to the Pokecenter it was too late."
"That's terrible!" Meowth sniffed loudly.
"Pidgeeooh," Pidgey cooed. Seleca laughed.
"You'll help me honor my father, won't you?" Pidgey nodded happily.
"An odd way to honor your father, being one of the bad guys," Jessie said thoughtfully.
Seleca smiled. "We all have our own ways." She gave Pidgey the rest of the roll.
"We should teach you our motto," Jessie said.
"Oh, yes!" James nodded in agreement. He took a swallow of soda.
"You guys have a motto?"
"Yeah!"
"It helps us get pumped," James said.
"Pumped to lose, lately," Meowth sighed. Jessie knocked him over. She and James stood, straining their uniforms. "Cue the music!"
"Prepare for trouble," Jessie said.
"And make it double."
"Pidgeoh," Pidgey said, quickly quieted by Seleca.
"To protect the world from devastation!"
"To unite all people's within our nation!"
"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"
"To extend our reach to the stars above!"
"Jesse!"
"James!"
"Team Rocket, blast off at the speed of light!"
"Surrender now, or prepare to fight!"
"Meowth, dat's right!" the feline called from his seat. Seleca clapped.
"Very nice. And motivating too."
"It sure is," Jessie said as they sat down.
"Maybe we could rework it for while Seleca's with us," James said to Jessie.
"Hmm… maybe."
"Well, unless there's some conflict going on, it usually is pretty empty here," Jessie said. They went inside. Veronica was again at the front desk, as she had been several days before.
"This is Seleca," Jessie said. "Our trainee."
"I see the uniform fits," Veronica smiled. "Jax will be glad to know that we ordered the right sizes."
"Is the Boss in?"
"Yes," Veronica said. "He's been expecting you."
"Wonderful," James said lightly, turning away as he rolled his eyes.
"You can go ahead on in," Veronica said after talking on the phone for a moment. "Just check in your stuff."
"Yeah, we know," Jessie sighed. She handed Veronica her mallet, pan, and gun. Seleca looked mildly surprised as James pulled his gun out and handed it to Veronica.
"Are those things loaded?" she asked.
"Of course," Jessie said.
"And you haven't shot your feet off yet?"
"I once shot myself in the foot," Veronica said. "When I was training."
"I've only shot myself in the hair," James said slowly, giving a little blush as he glanced at Jessie. Veronica cleared her throat.
"Anyhow, you can go now."
They started back through the waiting room. Jessie leaned over to Seleca.
"I'll explain about the hair thing later," she whispered. Seleca nodded.
"Taking a bath," James said evenly. The Boss looked at Seleca.
"How have things been progressing?"
"Well, sir," Jessie said. She elbowed Seleca, who stepped forward.
"I assume you have something to show me," the Boss said.
"No, sir," Seleca said, "we have something to give you." She turned to James, who handed her the Ultra ball holding Pikachu. Seleca turned back to the desk, and carefully set the ball on its smooth surface. "For you, sir."
The Boss's surprise was visible even in the shadows. "You three… caught a Pokemon?"
"Yes, we did," Seleca said.
"It's not just any Pokemon," James said.
"It's the Pikachu," Jessie said.
"The Pikachu?" the Boss echoed. "You mean the one that you've spent the last eight months trying to catch?"
"That's the one, sir," James said happily. The Boss snorted.
"I'd say I'm impressed, but that wouldn't be tottaly true."
"Sir?"
"I have a mission for you three. If you complete it properly, then I'll have Seleca assigned to a partner."
"And our butts will be saved for now," Jessie said softly.
"For now."
End Chapter Two
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