Faaaaaanservice! Trust me, the fanservice is only gonna get more frequent from here, folks. Now enjoy this chapter and get ready for the plot to thicken with the next chapter!

Chapter 2: Can You Smell What The Brock Is Cooking?

"... You know," said James, "I can't think of the last time we've taken off our Rocket uniforms. Even if we're wearing another costume on top of this, we usually have them on underneath, at least... It's going to be hard finding a new 'style.' But we have to if we don't want to be like the rest of poor Team Rocket."

Team Rocket was in a clothes store in Viridian City, with Steven and Munchlax patiently awaiting them to pick out new clothes so they could go and stop Team Cosmo's dastardly plans.

Meowth came out of the dressing room in a swanky suit and tie. "Well, I ain't gotta worry about dat, but I do like dese clothes! Can I get dese?"

"No," replied Team Rocket in a deadpan tone.

"I was just askin', sheesh..."

Suddenly, a familiar character entered the store. It was none other than Pewter City's own gym leader Brock, who was looking more and more like his father Flint every day. He instantaneously recognized Team Rocket. "YOU!" he cried out, pointing his finger at them. Team Rocket frantically waved their hands around in protest.

"Waitwaitwaitwait, hear us out!" cried James.

"We're not doing anything criminal anymore!"

Meowth jumped in. "Yeah! We're just getting' clothes here to protect our identities from Team Cosmo, who shot up Team Rocket headquarters!"

Brock gasped softly looked down solemnly. "The same ones who shot up the lab in Pallet Town..."

"Wow, bad news really does travel fast," said Meowth.

Steven stood up. "And I'm gonna stop this Team Cosmo!"

Brock looked at Munchlax sitting on the bench. "Is that your only Pokemon?"

"Y-yeah..."

"Good luck stopping a criminal syndicate with just a Munchlax."

Munchlax stood up defiantly. "Munchlax!"

"I don't wanna force my Pokemon to fight..." said Steven.

"With an organization like Team Cosmo, you may have no choice but to fight, and if it ever came down to that, your Pokemon are far from ready... Unless you think you can take me in a gym battle?"

Steven stuttered. "Uhh, w-well, but-but I-"

"I'll see you at my gym," said Brock firmly, and left.

"Wait, why'd he come in here if he wasn't going to get anything?" asked Jessie.

"I-I can't fight..." said Steven, falling to his knees. "Do I have to fight?..."

Meowth put his paw on Steven's shoulder. "Don't worry, I'll fight wit' ya!"

"Isn't it illegal to fight a gym battle with somebody else's Pokemon?"

"Heck if I know. But even if it is, you DO realize dat yer talking to former members of Team Rocket, right? Like we care what's legal or illegal!"

"The twerp does have a point, though," said Jessie as she tried on a Japanese schoolgirl outfit, "if you do plan on stopping Team Cosmo, there's probably not much you can do besides fight. And the only way your Pokemon are going to become stronger is if they, well... fight."

"Well, yeah, but-" Steven sighed. "Guess I have no choice..."

"You plenty got a choice," said Meowth, "one's just bettah than the otha."

Steven got up. "I'll go."

"Ya want me to come with and help ya fight?" asked Meowth. "I gots a little trick up my sleeve..." He bare his claws and they shined brightly in the light.

"Just to be safe, yes, but I think I should use you as a last resort. Munchlax and me should really try and win this together."

"Undastandable. Let's go!" said Meowth. He looked at Jessie and James. "We'll be back for ya in a bit." Steven, Meowth, and Munchlax left the clothes store to arrive at Pewter City Gym, which remained largely unchanged from Ash Ketchum's day, aside from a large dome hovering over the central battlefield, which was most likely there to prevent any more "sprinkler incidents." Brock stood at the back, waiting with his arms crossed.

"Good to see you come," he commented, and stepped forward. "Two Pokemon each sound good?"

Steven cracked his neck and knuckles and whatever other bones he could crack, then pointed at the battlefield. "Sounds good to me! Munchlax, I-"

Brock interrupted him. "Golem, go!" He threw his Pokeball into the dome, and out popped Golem, whose footsteps shook the gym.

"Humina humina humina humina humina..." Steven's finger quivered at the sight of the monstrosity Golem. "M-m-m-munchlax, I-I-I ch-ch-choose y-y-y-ou..."

Meowth smiled nervously as he sweated. "Y-y-yeh, good luck out dere, buddy!"

Munchlax pointed at himself. "Munch?"

Brock cleared his throat impatiently. "I'm waiting."

"Well, ya see, Mr. Brock, sir," replied Steven, twiddling his thumbs, "this, uh, this is my first official Pokemon battle, so I was just wondering... Is there, uh, any way you could take it easy on me?... Please?..."

"I have had first-time battlers completely decimate me," said Brock, "you never know what you and your Pokemon are capable of until you both try. But, if you think the battle is getting too out of hand for your Pokemon, just say the word, and I'll stop the match. Just try." Steven was still hesitant. "Come on, you're not gonna puss out like this when you're facing Team Cosmo, are you? When the fate of the entire world is on the line?

"N-NO!" cried Steven," I just... I just..." He took a few deep breaths. "Come on, Munchlax, get out there and kick some ass!"

Munchlax pounded its fists together. "Munch Munch!" He marched onto the battlefield and glared Golem in the eye.

"Kid's got guts, I'll give 'im dat," said Meowth.

"Golem, Rollout!" Golem withdrew his arms and legs and charged at Munchlax like a runaway boulder.

"Gah! Munchlax, duck out of the way!" Munchlax narrowly avoided a head-on attack from Golem, but stumbled and fell on his bottom in the process.

"Golem, loop back around!" Golem did, and Munchlax stood there, terrified and unsure of what to do.

"Munchlax... MEGA PUNCH!" Munchlax's fist glowed, and he charged up a powerful hit that sent Golem flying into the dome, cracking it. Brock gasped as Golem hit the ground in a cloud of smoke.

"Yeah!" cheered Steven.

"I wouldn't celebrate just yet..." said Meowth, not wanting Steven to get his hopes up and let his guard down. Sure enough, when the smoke cleared, Golem stubbornly got up, worn and battered, but still up for a fight.

"Dammit all!" cried Steven.

"I better take him out quick... That Mega Punch could prove fatal..." Brock muttered to himself. "Golem, Explosion!"

Golem lit up with rays of light coming out of it.

"Munchlax, get out of the way!" Steven was nervous for his Pokemon friend. His fear rose higher as he couldn't see what happened to Munchlax in the fiery explosion that soon followed. The dome shook and cracked more; the section of the dome that Golem hit flew off and crashed against the wall. But smoke was still inside the dome. Steven gulped. What if Munchlax isn't okay? Can Meowth get the job done? Please, please, please be all right, Munchlax... Finally, the smoke cleared up, and Munchlax was bruised up, but still all right, tucked behind some stalactites on the field.

"YEAH! Munchlax, you made it!"

"Damn!" uttered Brock, "I wasted Golem! No matter... My next Pokemon will make it up for Golem... Golem, return! Steelix, I choose you!" Golem was recalled into his ball, and out came the monstrous steel snake Pokemon, Steelix. Meowth and Steven stood outside the dome with their mouths agape. "Steelix, Slam Attack!" Steelix growled, and crushed poor Munchlax under its weight. Steven winced and looked away and Meowth covered his eyes, but still peeked. Steelix got up, and Munchlax had X's in its eyes. Brock crossed his arms and smiled in a victorious manner.

Steven sighed. "Munchlax, return..." He took out Munchlax's Pokeball, and recalled it. "Looks like it's up to you, Meowth. Got any strategies?"

Meowth put his hand on his chin and looked at the hole in the dome caused by Golem's explosion. "I t'ink I do..." He grinned, and jumped onto the field. "All right, ya overgrown lizard, come and get me!"

Steelix's eyes grew cross and lowered its face to Meowth's level. Meowth turned around and spanked himself. "Ya want some of dis?"

Steven put his head in his hand. "Ohhhhh, crap..."

Steelix only grew more cross and looked at its master as if to say, "Please, can I just take this guy out, already?"

"Steelix, use Iron Tail!" Steelix gladly obliged, whipping its tail down into the ground, but Meowth was quick to dodge it, zipping to the side, bouncing off another stalactite, and jumping into the air towards the hole in the dome. He barely latched on, and jumped onto the outside of the dome. He ran to the center and stared down mockingly at Steelix.

"What is that Meowth doing?..." asked Brock to himself.

"What is that Meowth doing?..." asked Steven to himself.

Steelix growled, which one could only assume roughly translated to "What is that Meowth doing?"

Meowth chuckled and made faces at Steelix from outside the dome, not the least of them being the "bii-da" face. Steelix finally had it with Meowth's tomfoolery and charged straight at him, not seeming to realize that Meowth was on the dome. Steelix's iron head broke through the top of the dome, and Meowth latched onto Steelix's nose for dear life. "Hehehe, hi dere!" Steelix roared, and threw Meowth off of his nose, which sent him flying onto the catwalk hanging above the gym. Upon landing, Meowth got back up, a bit battered, but still ready to pick a fight. "Is dat da best ya got?" Steelix could take no more, and charged at Meowth again. Then, Steelix's head hit the sprinkler system, and water was being sprayed all over, including on Steelix, who let out a cry of pain.

"It's just like what Ash did 10 years ago!" gasped Brock. "And-and-and my DOME!" He looked at Steven. "You seem to walk the same thin line between skill and luck that Ash Ketchum did. No matter; you won the Boulder Badge."

"Badges?" asked Steven, "Badges? We don't need no stinkin' badges!"

"Not even as proof that you defeated a gym leader?"

"Well... I guess I could, in that case." Steven took the badge from Brock's hand and pinned it to his shirt, stabbing himself ever so slightly in the process. "Ow," he whimpered.

"Congratulations," said Brock. "You should have no trouble defeating Team Cosmo at the rate you're going. Keep at it, champ." He gave Steven a wholehearted thumbs-up, and Steven gave one back. Meowth had finally crawled back down from the catwalk. "All right! Let's get outta here!"

"Yeah, we still gotta go to the research lab and show them the three rocks," replied Steven.

"I'm sure Jessie and James are sure finding new outfits, too." And with that, Steven and Meowth left the gym. They went back to the clothes store and saw Jessie and James donning their new outfits.

Jessie was in a traditional white blouse and plaid skirt while James had on a dark blue suit similar to the one he had in his youth.

"You guys good to go?" Meowth asked.

"I think so... Do we look all right?" asked James.

Steven nodded. "Yeah, I think so! Now let's get to the Pewter City lab and figure out what's up with these rocks." And so, Steven and Team Rocket were on their way.