Notes: Thanks to Exe for the Magikarp trick idea. I had to alter it a bit to fit it in the story but it's in alright.


Part 2

"Oh, Maxie! Courtney shook her head. "I can't believe you agreed to THAT!"

"Relax Courtney, it's alright", said Maxie.

"Alright? "How can you say that? If the vase gets broken, you've got to..." Courtney shuddered at the thought and M25 pretended to be sick.

"It won't get broken", Maxie insisted. "Archie underestimates our mature grunts. All we have to do is...OI!" M5 and M6 were running round and round the table, causing the vase to wobble alarmingly.

"I'm a cute little Eevee. Help, save me from the Team Rocket guy, he's gonna capture me!" M5 yelled.

Maxie grabbed M5 and held him away from the vase. M6 skidded to a halt, clipping the end of the table. The vase teetered and Courtney quickly steadied it.

"Thanks Boss", said M5.

Courtney rolled her eyes. "Mature grunts, hm?"

"Shush", said Maxie. "M5, aren't you and M6 meant to be working?"

"Ohhh, yeah. Um, what work can we do?"

"Go and train your Pokemon...outside", said Maxie.

"Alright then", said M5. "Come on, M6. See you guys later!" The two grunts raced off; M6 catching the edge of the table again. Courtney held the vase still and Maxie gulped.

"It WILL be safe", he said in a steadying tone. "All we have to do is set designated guards to watch over it for the next 24 hours".

"That's a good idea", said Courtney, releasing the vase cautiously again.

"OH! Pick me, please pick me!" M25 cried. "I'll guard the vase, Boss! I'll protect your honour from Archie". She flapped her hands and accidentally smacked the vase over.

"Oh Arceus!" said Maxie, covering his eyes. Courtney grabbed the vase again and the other grunts and Tabitha laughed.

"Oops", said M25, putting her hands over her mouth.

"Right, everyone out of here", said Courtney in a commanding tone. "If we're all away from the vase, it can't break".

The grunts scrambled up out of their chairs, talking and giggling. Maxie took off his glasses and wiped them, as he had smudged them when he covered his eyes.

"Come on, we'll go into the corridor and decide there who's going to guard the vase", Courtney said. "M25, no dear, don't pet it again. Maxie, put your glasses back on before you move or you'll walk into the table".

Soon, Team Magma were crowded in the corridor outside the Main Chamber. After a long discussion, which involved many over excitable grunts, it was agreed that Courtney would take first guard duty.

"Awww but I wanted to watch it first", M25 protested.

"You can come and help me watch it later", said Courtney, patting M25 on the head. "For now, go and find something important to do, which will increase the glory of Team Magma".

"Yes, Courtney's right", said Maxie. He gave the other grunts various tasks to do because the further away from the vase they were, the better. Off went the grunts (and Tabitha) and Maxie looked relieved once they had all dissipated.

"Good, let's hope that keeps them out of trouble", he said to Courtney. "OK, I will go and wash my car now; it needs cleaning after the long drive today".

M25 somehow found herself back in the Main Chamber. "Oh Boss, should I help you with that?" she asked.

"Uhh"...said Maxie.

"I think that would be a splendid idea", said Courtney.

"Yay!" said M25 and she grabbed Maxie's arm and went off with him. Maxie looked over his shoulder to give Courtney a dirty look and Courtney beamed at him.


Courtney found watching the vase very boring. It just sat there on the table, not doing anything to capture her interest at all. After a while, she switched on her iPad and began playing on her Nintendo Colour TV Game emulator.

Courtney was just about to win at table tennis when a commotion heading up the main corridor distracted her. Pausing the game, she looked up and saw M5 come racing in the Chamber. An orange haired grunt came flying in after him, looking very cross about something.

"M5, I'll get you for that you arsehole!" he yelled.

"M62, don't swear like the in front of Maxie's vase!" Courtney exclaimed.

"Hahahahah!" M5 laughed. "Courtney, I told him to catch a Magikarp and use splash in a battle against my Slugma cos fire's weak against water. He believed me!"

"M5, that wasn't very kind" said Courtney sternly. "M62 is new! You should help the new grunts, not tease them".

"Hahah, it's not my fault he's so dumb...oooof!" M62 dived on M5 and the two of them began fighting. Courtney gasped in horror as they crashed into the table, knocking it right over. She grabbed the vase and scurried out of the way.

"NO! BAD GRUNTS!" she scolded. Putting the vase down in a safe (?) place, she pulled the scrapping grunts apart. Then Courtney put M62 on her lap and smacked his bottom hard. He howled and M5 stood there, open mouthed.

"There, that will teach you not to fight", Courtney said, standing M62 up again.

"Oh, I was fighting too!" M5 exclaimed. "I fought much more and I did tease M62 as well. I was awful to him, I deserve to be punished too, Courtney".

"You shall be, said Courtney. "You've got washing up duty for the next two weeks, M5".

"W-what?" M5 spluttered. "But that's not fair!" He glared at M62. "Huh, FAVOURITISM!" he cried, before storming off out of the chamber.

M62 picked up his glasses from the floor, as M5 had knocked them off. "Uh, do I have washing up duty too?" he asked Courtney.

"No, you're alright", said Courtney. "Now run along and oh!" Hearing more footsteps, she turned round and saw that M25 had returned. The grunt wasn't looking where she was going and she almost kicked the vase. Courtney grabbed it again and set it on the table, which M62 had just helpfully picked up.

"Oops, butterfeet", said M25. "Hi, Courtney! Do you need help?"

"Uh, no sweetie, I can manage fine here", said Courtney hastily. "Have you finished washing Maxie's car already?"

"No, he took it to the carwash", M25 said. Then she caught site of M62 and stared at him with interest.

"Don't tease him, he's new", Courtney warned.

"He looks like the Boss", said M25.

"Uh, hello", said M62.

"Hi, M62", said M25, smiling in a disarming way at the new grunt. "Would you like to go out with me?"

M62 blinked and looked at Courtney helplessly.

"Yes, I think that's a very good idea", said Courtney at once.

M25 grinned and grabbed the male grunt's hand.

"B-but..." M62 protested.

"M62, M25 will teach you all about Pokemon moves and how to improve that Magikarp that M5 tricked you into catching", said Courtney.

"Yep", said M25, nodding her head. "Did you know it's evolves into Gyrados?"

"Really?" said M62 in surprise.

"Yep, of course". Courtney watched as the two grunts left, holding hands. She glanced at the vase and sighed in relief.

"Vase, one - Archie, nil!" she said.