I decided to take some risks.

Warning: This story will contain slightly adult, possibly triggering, (but not graphic) concepts. Also, there will be blueshipping, which is James and Meowth. Don't worry, it's consensual and Meowth is the top (cat). There will also be male pregnancy, but it will be explained and it will not be romanticized (for reasons that will become obvious in later chapters).

Sorry if that spoils the plot, but there needed to be a warning.

-O-o-O-o-O-

In the forest between Kanto and Johto, darkness was falling fast. So Team Rocket pitched a tent.

"We can catch up to those twerps in the morning," Jessie told James and Meowth.

"Why don't we take back the night and catch 'em in a little dance in the dark?" Meowth asked.

Jessie pointed to the sky, where dark clouds were rolling in. "There's probably going to be a storm soon, and I'd hate to be out in such weather."

James and Meowth watched the sky. The clouds were certainly dark, but they didn't look like the usual storm clouds. Then again, neither James nor Meowth was a meteorologist, or even experienced in reading weather charts.

"Anyway, I need my beauty sleep." With that, Jessie disappeared into the tent, leaving James and Meowth to sit and ponder their next move.

"Guess I won't be watching the moon tonight," Meowth said, squinting through the trees.

"Guess not," James murmured absently.

Meowth peered over at his teammate, debating whether or not he should move closer. He and James had only admitted their feelings for each other a few weeks ago and they hadn't really had much time alone together since then. Meowth wasn't sure if he could control himself if they touched right now; he might come on too strong.

"I hope she'll let us in the tent when the rain starts," James said. "I don't think I've fully recovered from that cold."

Meowth chuckled. "What, was my nursing you back to health not enough?"

James drew his knees up, smiling. "You were fine. It was a bad cold. You could've only done so much."

"If you'd let Jessie help, I coulda had you up in a day."

"Well, I didn't want her getting sick too. That strain of the virus didn't affect Pokémon." James brushed a stray lock of hair from his face. "Anyway, being in the rain doesn't cause colds."

Meowth looked up at the sky again. "I ain't so sure those are rain clouds."

James looked up too. "They're the wrong color. I've never seen blood red rain clouds before."

Meowth decided it was safe to rest his head against James. "What kinda cloud would be crimson, anyway?"

James moved his arm to accommodate Meowth's head. "Not crimson. Blood red. There's a difference."

Meowth rolled his eyes playfully. "You and your fashion." He readjusted his position as James leaned back against a tree. "So what's the difference?"

"Blood red is what you'll be seeing if you don't keep it down out there," Jessie called from the tent.

They glanced nervously at the tent and scampered away towards the bushes, hopefully out of earshot.

"Blood red is like Jessie's hair, only a bit darker," James said, as they made themselves comfortable again. "And crimson is slightly more towards the purple end of the spectrum."

"Fascinating," Meowth said. He wasn't much for fashion, but he didn't have anything else to talk about. "And what's the difference between purple and your hair color?"

James tittered. "My hair is really more lavender than purple. More toward the blue end, like your lovely eyes." James's abrupt silence and averted gaze told Meowth that those last four words weren't meant to be spoken aloud. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make it awkward." His voice grew uncharacteristically shy.

"No, it's okay. We've had, what, only a month to come to terms with this? I shoulda known you'd need more time," Meowth said quickly, trying to wave away any tension.

"It's not that I doubt my feelings for you. It's that…" James stared off into the distance worriedly. "I fear the consequences. How do I know this is right?"

"Whaddya mean 'right?' We're Team Rocket. When have we ever cared about what's right?"

James shook his head. "Not like that! I mean, I've never heard of anyone else having a relationship like this with a Pokémon. Am I crazy or is my brain wired incorrectly?" James pressed his forehead to his bended knee.

"You're no crazier than any other Team Rocket member. 'Course that'll change if you keep stressin' over stupid stuff."

James tilted his head to look at Meowth. "All I want is to be sure I'm not hurting you," he whispered.

Meowth looked into James's big green eyes and put a reassuring paw on his shoulder. "Jimmy, I've been blasted halfway across the country. Nothing you do is gonna hurt me."

James sighed. "After all you've been through with Meowzie, I'd never want you to suffer again if something happens to me."

Meowth cocked his head. "I thought you were talking about physical pain."

James's eyes widened. "I wouldn't hit you! I'm not like…" he glanced over at the tent. "Well, you know."

"I meant physical pain from doin' pleasurable things," Meowth clarified. He'd long since gotten used to James's ditzy moments.

James's brow furrowed slightly. "Like...vigorous aerobic exercise?"

Meowth sidled up to James. "Think more intimate."

James blinked. "Intense kissing?"

Meowth sighed exasperatedly. "No, more than that! I'm talkin' about jumpin' Cubones!"

James looked at him blankly.

"Jigglypuff pokery?" Meowth suggested. James cocked his head.

"Zigzagoonin'? Pumpin' fur? Playin' with the box? Blastin' off the meat rocket?" Meowth rattled off, arms flailing.

"I don't understand," James said.

"I'm talkin' about sex!" Meowth finally squawked, not caring if Jessie came out and whacked them both.

A blush rose in James's face. "Oh." His eyes darted, avoiding Meowth's gaze. "I'd never considered that." The shyness returned to his voice. "I don't know if that would be right."

"Do you wanna do it with me or not?" Meowth finally asked the question he'd been dying to ask.

"Yes," James answered wincingly. "But that'd probably hurt you. What if…what if I accidentally…" James's voice dropped in volume. "…crush your thing? Or what if you get stuck?"

"That's why we have lube." Meowth climbed into James's lap. "Haven't ya ever done this before, Jimmy?"

James smiled demurely. "No," he whispered. "I'm not very experienced." He stroked Meowth's paws with two fingers. "I've never even been with someone of my own species."

"Well, then." Meowth gently pushed James to the soft grass and caressed his lavender-not-quite-blue hair. "I got a lot to teach you."

Across the clearing, Jessie zipped up the tent's flap. She could very faintly hear a soft falsetto squeal and feline laughter. "If I'd known they were going to do that, I would've grabbed a second tent."

-O-o-O-

The rain Jessie had predicted never came. They would later wish it had.

The red clouds had parted just enough to reveal the full moon. Its light fell on the small clearing where James and Meowth lay, sleeping.

James's hair had fallen over his face, shielding his eyes from the bright light. Meowth, on the other hand, blinked his eyes against the glow. He wriggled out of James's arms and perched on a nearby rock to look at it.

He remembered when he used to look at the moon and think about Meowzie. Now he was looking at the moon after having found someone even better. That incident with the Shuckle had brought up feelings he thought he'd buried. He just hoped nothing happened to mess it all up again. He could probably come back from it, he was sure. He wasn't so sure it would be so easy for James.

Meowth tried to put any fears of failure out of his head. "Don't be a downer," he thought. "We can and will make this work, and if society doesn't like it, they can get bent."

He turned his mind to lighter things. The sex hadn't been half bad, for him having never been with a human and James having been a virgin. If they ever decided to do it again, they'd surely get better at it, unlike their constant chase of Pikachu. The gods of bad luck must've taken the night off. The sky had even cleared up a bit.

"I guess we ain't gettin' that shower after all," he thought, looking at his dry fur. He looked back at James still sleeping in the moonlight. His hair, as well as his white tank top and boxers (and scattered Team Rocket uniform) showed no signs of a downpour.

"If they're not storm clouds, then what are they?" Meowth wondered, looking back up at the sky.

Behind him, James stirred in his sleep. Before long, his hair fell back out of his face and he, too, was awakened by the light. "The light's on when the door's open," he muttered, still half-asleep. He saw Meowth on the rock. "What're you looking at?" he asked, yawning.

"James, does the moon seem brighter to you?" Meowth asked, craning his neck.

James looked up. "Maybe. Or it might only seem that way because of the clouds." He rubbed his eyes and did a double take. "Am I imagining things, or are those red clouds sinking?" He stood up to get a better look.

"No, you're not." Meowth jumped up. "They're headed straight for us!"

The clouds descended on them like a flock of Spearow. James ran for the bushes and Meowth ducked for cover behind the rock. A smoky tendril shot out of the cloud and swiped at James's ankles, knocking him to the dirt. He let out a pained shriek as his hip hit the ground.

"James, are you all right?" Meowth abandoned his hiding spot.

"Yes, but it's got me!" The tendril curled around James's legs, tying them together. He dug his fingers into the dirt as it began to drag him backwards, into the darkness.

"Hang on, Jimmy! I gotcha!" Meowth grabbed James's wrists. James clasped hands with Meowth. For good measure, Meowth wrapped his legs and tail around the rock behind him to anchor himself. "I won't let that thing take you!"

Jessie, minus her white overshirt and black gloves, ran into the clearing. "What is going on out here?" She saw the cloud tendril curling itself further up James's body. "What the hell is that?"

"Jessie, help us! I don't think I can hold on any longer!" James cried. He writhed in an attempt to dislodge the tendril, but it was no use.

Jessie dove to grab James from its clutches. "I don't know what you think you are, but you can't have him!" Another tendril shot out and knocked her across the clearing.

James's hands were slipping from Meowth's reach. "If it gets you, it'll have to take me too," Meowth growled, trying to pull James towards himself. Jessie once again tried to dodge the tendrils and get to either James or Meowth.

James glanced at her, then back at Meowth. "I can't let you guys get caught too." With that, he let go of Meowth's paw and the cloud dragged him off into the night.

"James, NO!" Jessie and Meowth screamed.

"I'm sorry!" James's voice was nearly lost among the trees as the clouds dissolved into darkness.

-O-o-O-

Across the forest, Ash rolled over and sat up in his sleeping bag.

"Did you hear that?" he asked sleepily to anyone who was awake.

"Pika…" Pikachu muttered in his sleep and pulled a pillow over his head.

"I heard Team Rocket." Ash yawned and peered into the woods.

"You're dreaming. Go back to sleep." Misty pulled the blanket over her head while Brock snored away.

"Eh, whatever." Ash shrugged and bundled himself up in his sleeping bag. "Gotta stop lighting up before bed."

-O-o-O-o-O-

Hopefully, I won't take ten years to write this one.