The Usual Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon, nor do I own any of its characters. The story, however, is my own original work. Please note that this story may be posted on other websites under the pen name KFSevenSoviet, which is also mine, though I no longer use it.

Errare Est Humanum

By Khanayda

Chapter 1

It was a lovely spring day in Kanto as Ash, Brock and Misty were making their way to the next town in search of another badge and another adventure.

"Tra-la-la-la-laaah!"

Ash and Brock sang happily as they skipped down the path, arm in arm. Misty followed sullenly behind them, carrying Pikachu and all the luggage. Finally she couldn't stand it anymore.

"Oh for the love of god, will you two SHUT THE HELL UP?!"

Misty threw a rice ball at the duo. She missed, and this made her even angrier. She then threw Togepi at them, nailing Ash in the back of the head with the hard-shelled pokemon. Togepi fell to the dirt, whereupon it rolled around, squeaking happily. Ash and Brock stopped singing and skipping, and turned around. Ash rubbed the back of his head.

"Geez, Misty, lighten up. We're just trying to enjoy this beautiful day, you don't have to be such a bitch about it."

"Well maybe I would be in a better mood if I didn't have to carry all this stuff while you two fruitcakes are singing!!"

Brock leaned over to Ash. "Time of the month," he muttered in Ash's ear.

"I heard that!" Misty screamed. "And anyway, what are you thinking? I'm only twelve!"

"Oh, right…"

Ash looked quizzically up at Brock. "Hey Brock, what does 'time of the month' mean?"

Brock's face turned a deep scarlet. "Urm, uh…ask your mother."

Ash stared at Brock a while longer, then sighed and shrugged his shoulders. "Whatever. You older people sure are weird."

About a mile farther along the path, Jessie, James and Meowth sat amidst a clump of bushes eagerly plotting their next move.

"Ha ha, we've got them this time!" James said excitedly. "My new plan is absolutely foolproof!"

"Speaking of which," Meowth said, "Jessie, did you bring da net?"

"Of course I brought the net!" Jessie snapped. "How dumb do you think I am?" She reached inside her shirt and pulled out a large net. "Here's your precious net."

James and Meowth said nothing. Meowth just looked at her with a look on his face that fell somewhere between amusement and disgust. James couldn't stop giggling.

"You put it there?" Meowth asked skeptically. "How did you fit that entire net in your top?"

"Hey, Jessie," James choked out between fits of giggling, "What else do you keep in there?"

"Well, let's see…" Jessie began rummaging through her blouse. "Some yarn, a screwdriver, a flashlight, matches, a box of Cuban cigars, this cassette tape of Burt Bacharach's greatest hits, a change of socks, a small watermelon…"

After about five minutes Jessie removed the last trinket (an autographed copy of "1984") and put it on top of a pile of items large enough to fill a suitcase. James and Meowth stared in amazement.

"How did you fit all of dat in your top?" Meowth asked.

"Wouldn't you like to know," Jessie replied in her most seductive voice. Meowth continued to gawk in disbelief, and James deftly nodded his head and began to drool a little, his eyes still fixed on Jessie's cleavage. Meowth noticed this and brought James back to reality with a taste of his sharp claws.

"Ouch, Meowth, that hurt…"

"Quit yer whinin', ya wuss!"

"Shut up you two, here they come!" Jessie growled. James and Meowth immediately ended their argument and wriggled further into the cover of the bushes with Jessie.

"Me?! I'm not being insensitive, you are!"

"Oh yeah?"

"Keep arguing about it, guys, that's really helping…"

Ash, Brock and Misty were still arguing with one another as they approached Team Rocket's hiding spot. When the trio was about two meters from the bushes, Jessie, James and Meowth burst forth and planted themselves directly in the path of the arguing trainers.

"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 sta- …wait…"

Jessie and James stopped repeating their motto. Ash, Misty and Brock had apparently not noticed Team Rocket's arrival. They were too busy arguing.

"Well if you hadn't been so busy chasing after every Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny we run into-"

"Yeah, well, you're just jealous because you can't even pick up a pokemon…"

"You're both losers! Shut up and let me get a word in edgewise, will ya?"

"Misty, you've been talking this whole time! We can't get you to shut up!"

Jessie and James stood and watched as the three trainers continued to argue. James waved his arms and jumped up and down.

"Hellooo? Look over here, look at me!"

"You little brats, pay attention to us!"

"Hey you two, look what I got!" Meowth said happily. He was dragging a net behind him in which Pikachu sat pouting.

"Meowth, you did it!" Jessie exclaimed, hugging Meowth.

"Hey! Get off me!"

"We finally captured Pikachu, we finally captured Pikachu…" James sang, dancing around and clapping his hands.

"Hey, shut up, they'll hear ya!" Meowth whispered angrily.

"Not bloody likely," Jessie scoffed. "They haven't noticed us this whole time."

At that instant, Ash, Misty and Brock stopped arguing and looked up at Team Rocket.

"Hey, they've got my Pikachu!" Ash shouted.

"Let's get 'em!" Brock barked. The three trainers pulled out their pokeballs.

"Damn," Jessie muttered.

"Aww, poo," James said.

"You idiots!" Meowth yelled as he gave Jessie and James each a hard scratch on the shins. "Use yer pokemon or dey'll get deir Pikachu back!"

"Oh yeah! Pokemon!" Jessie and James each retrieved their own pokeballs and threw them.

"Arbok, Weezing, get those twerps!"

Arbok and Weezing started towards the twerp trio as they deployed their own pokemon.

"I'll handle this one!" Brock said confidently, tossing a pokeball. "Geodude! I choose you!"

The pokeball hit the ground and Geodude burst forth.

"Geodude, Explosion!" Brock shouted, pointing at Team Rocket. Geodude bounced over to Jessie, James and Meowth and blew up. Jessie and James were sent flying; they didn't even have time to remark on their "blasting off again." Meowth jumped in surprise and then took off running after Jessie and James. "Wait for Meowth!"

"Well, that takes care of that!" Ash stated triumphantly. "Come on guys, we're only a couple dozen miles away from the next gym!" He and Brock started off again, with Misty following behind them grumbling and dragging all the bags and the net that contained the disgruntled Pikachu.

That's it for chapter one! Hope you enjoyed, and as always, reviews are welcome.