The red glow of the camera slightly illuminated a small, dark room. Leaning on the walls were various mops, brooms, and vacuums. A narrow shelf ran across the top of the front wall, with bottles of cleaning supplies precariously balanced on it. Just below the shelf, Chase and Elaine sat, using a turned-over trash can as an impromptu table.

Elaine waved nervously at the camera. "Um, hello everyone, and welcome to the Morning Show with Chase and Elaine. As you can see, I'm back to normal - no thanks to our cameraman."

Trace frowned. "That's not a very nice thing to say, Elaine."

"Can we skip the part where you two have a big argument, and actually tell the people of Kanto what they need to hear?" Chase said, glaring at Trace.

Elaine sighed. "Fine. People of Kanto, you are probably wondering why we're broadcasting from a janitor's closet. You see, Saffron City has been -"

The sound of footsteps rang out from outside. Elaine snapped her mouth shut, and she and Chase pressed themselves against the wall. The footsteps grew quieter until they faded into the background. Elaine's shoulders sagged in relief.

"Well, as you can see, Saffron City has been invaded by Team Rocket," Chase whispered. "There's always been a lot of Rockets around these parts, but now they want something from Silph Co. - you might have heard of it, it's the monopoly that controls the entire Poke Ball industry, along with who knows what else - and the Rockets are apparently set on occupying each and every part of Silph Co. here in Saffron City until they get what they want."

"Which means that every single building with some tie to Silph Co. is under Rocket occupation right now," Elaine continued. "Which is a big chunk of the city. So in order to keep their criminal activity concealed from the rest of the region, Team Rocket has infiltrated the gate staff, and isn't letting anyone enter or leave the city. They also blocked the doors of the gym with dark-type Pokemon so that Sabrina can't get out, and they're clogging up the sky with Magnemite that mess with the radio waves, so nobody can call or text or even broadcast stuff on TV or the radio."

"Except us!" Trace whisper-shouted jubilantly.

Chase nodded. "Yep, we're the only ones who've found a way to broadcast out of Saffron City. Basically, since Team Rocket needs to call the Rockets outside of Saffron City, they've cleared all the Magnemite from a space around the Silph Co. headquarters, the area that is the most heavily occupied. So we snuck into the building, hid in here, and started recording."

Trace stepped in front of the camera, smiling broadly. "We couldn't have possibly made it in here if that Go-Rock Squad guy hadn't distracted the Rockets at the door while we snuck in. Apparently, Team Rocket and the Go-Rock Squad have this unfriendly rivalry, because their names are so similar that they've both accused each other of copyright infringement. In any case, all he asked for was an endorsement - so here goes! This extra-special episode could not have been possible without the super amazing Go-Rock Squad - very friendly strangers of danger who mess with rangers and have great taste in music!"

"Okay, can we just give them the news already?" Chase snapped.

Elaine rolled her eyes. "Actually, we've already given them the news. Do either of you know anything else about the Rocket invasion?"

"...No," the two boys said, looking at their feet.

A smile suddenly appeared on Elaine's face. "I've got it! We can attach a camera to one of our Pokemon and then send it out to spy on Team Rocket!"

"That's literally the stupidest idea I've ever heard," Chase muttered. "It's like asking to get our Pokemon stolen. And then to get caught."

Trace cleared his throat. "Um… Not to be unfriendly or anything, but… Well…"

"Spit it out!" Chase exclaimed. Elaine shushed him.

"Well… Do either of you know how we're going to get out of here?" Trace asked.

Chase and Elaine flinched, looking at each other, then their feet, then the roof, and finally at Trace.

"Umm…" Elaine finally said, "We don't exactly have a plan. But we can just wait for someone to take down Team Rocket. After all, Team Rocket is only a criminal gang...that rules Kanto's underworld...and has supporters in the government and the Pokemon League…"

"We're all going to die here, aren't we?" Chase said. "We have no food and no water. And we're surrounded by criminals. This day just keeps on getting better and better, doesn't it?"

Elaine walked forward and leaned into the camera until she bumped it with her nose. "Please, TV watcher people! Save us! I don't want to starve to death!"

Chase looked over at Elaine's Eevee with a hungry expression. "We don't necessarily have to starve to death, you know…"

"We aren't eating Eevee, you doofus!" Elaine snapped, grabbing Eevee's Poke Ball, returning her Pokemon to it, unzipping her bag, and putting the Poke Ball inside. "Maybe we should eat your Pikachu instead!"

Chase smirked. "I wasn't stupid enough to bring Pikachu with me."

"So you think I'm stupid, huh? I'll show you who's the stupid one! Take that!" Elaine whacked Chase with her still-unzipped bag, causing several objects to fall out. Luckily, Eevee's Poke Ball wasn't among them.

Chase looked down in shock at the objects that littered the floor beneath him - a notebook labeled FanFiction, a map of Kanto, and a water bottle.

A water bottle.

"Huh," Trace mused. "She actually showed both of us exactly who the stupid one is."

Elaine quickly grabbed the water bottle and held it to her chest, but it was too late. Chase had seen it.

"Elaine, are you hoarding water?" Chase growled, taking a step towards her.

Trace narrowed his eyes ever so slightly. "It would be unfriendly not to share some with us."

"Only half of the bottle is left!" Elaine cried. "If we split it three ways, none of us will get the amount of water we need in order to survive, and we'll all die of thirst! This way, at least one of us gets to survive."

"Who says it has to be you?" Trace asked. Suddenly, his face brightened. "I know! I'll rock-paper-scissors you for it!"

Trace and Elaine faced each other, each holding out a fist. "Rock-paper-scissors-shoot!" They yelled at the same time. Trace extended two of his fingers in a v, symbolizing scissors, while Elaine had two fingers outstretched but pressed together, giving her hand the shape of a gun.

Trace stared at Elaine's hand in horror. "You can't do that."

"You bet I can," Elaine said, smiling. "We said rock-paper-scissors-shoot, right? Well, here's my shot. Gun beats scissors."

"Golly gosh darn it!" Trace swore, throwing his hands up into the air.

"See?" Elaine declared. "Survival of the fittest. And I'm clearly the fittest."

"Oh, really?" Chase held the notebook from Elaine's bag open to a certain page. "Here's an idea - either you give me the water, or I read your fanfiction out loud to all our viewers."

Elaine cringed, but shook her head, still clinging to the water bottle.

"Suit yourself," Chase said, grinning deviously. He cleared his throat and began to read. "The Dragon Tamer and the Princess. Chapter One - The Sparks that Ignite the Flame in my Heart. The sun rose over the ebony mountains, shining its brilliant light onto the balcony where the beautiful Princess Ellen Nakamura of Palletia stood. Ellen stroked her caramel brown hair with one dainty hand and shaded her gorgeous hazel eyes. Hmm, I wonder who this Ellen girl is based on?"

"Shut up!" Elaine cried.

"It's a simple trade, sweetheart. The water for the notebook." Seeing Elaine shake her head again, Chase resumed reading. "Suddenly, a Dragonite crashed into the balcony, with an unconscious rider barely balanced on it! Luckily, Ellen managed to jump out of the way with her lightning-fast reflexes. She turned to the Dragonite, hoping to speak to it with her natural ability to understand Pokemon speech, but it was already knocked out. However, the rider on its back was beginning to stir. He was tall and handsome, with spiky carmine hair, sharp cheekbones, and blazing umber eyes. Most noticeably, he wore a long black cape that billowed over his muscular body. Ellen's eyes widened - she knew this man! It was Lance of the Elite Four! As she gazed at him, she could feel something stirring in her chest, like an ember that would soon become an inferno of boiling hot passion. Lance stared back into her eyes, and in that moment she knew he felt the same way. But Ellen was a princess, and it had been decided years before she was born that she would marry Prince Blodborne of Quixiali, no matter how dull and dim-witted he was. No matter what her feelings for Lance were, Ellen would have to put them aside for the good of her kingdom. But deep inside her, her heart began to rebel." Chase turned to face the camera. "Oooh, somebody has a crush! Lance, I hope you're watching - you just got yet another fangirl!"

"SHUT UP!" Elaine screamed lunging at Chase - then doubling back with wide eyes, having realized that she had just alerted Team Rocket to her presence.

For a moment, the three kids stood around in absolute silence. Then voices rang out from behind the door.

"What was that?"

"Sounds like a little girl!"

"Whatever. Whoever it was, I'll show them what's what."

Elaine turned to Chase, her hands shaking. "Listen, is that a voice I hear?"

Chase nodded, trembling. "It's speaking to me loud and clear!"

"On the wind!" Elaine wailed.

"Past the stars!" Chase whimpered.

"In our ears!" Trace said, joining in.

Elaine shivered. "Bringing chaos at a breakneck pace."

"Dashing hope, putting fear in its place," Chase agreed.

"A team by any other name is much more sweet."

"When everything's worse, their work is complete."

The door was flung open, and three silhouettes stood out against the bright light.

Elaine pointed at one. "Jessie!"

"And it's James!" Chase exclaimed, pointing at another.

Trace pointed at the third, which was much smaller than the other two. "And Meowth, now that's a name!"

"Here to put us do-gooders in our place…" Elaine began.

"...they're Team Rocket…" Chase continued.

"...in our faces!" all three kids yelled at once.

"You little copycat twerps!" Jessie screeched. "We'll sue you for copyright infringement! Go, Arbok!" In a flash of light, her Pokemon appeared, hissing as it loomed over the children.

James nodded. "Go, Weezing!" There was a second flash of light, and another Pokemon appeared next to Arbok, wheezing noises emanating from its mouth.

"Let's go, Pikachu!" Chase yelled, throwing his Poke Ball and releasing Pikachu - evidently, he had just been bluffing about not bringing his Pokemon.

"Let's go, Eevee!" Elaine cried, releasing her Eevee.

Trace held a Poke Ball in his hand, considering. "Let's go…or not. Best to leave my secret weapon a secret." He stuffed the Poke Ball back into his bag before anyone caught sight of it.

Meanwhile, Chase, Elaine, and the Team Rocket trio had shifted into fighting stances, but had yet to call out attacks. Chase opened his mouth to change this. "Pikachu, use, um...use, um...Thunderbolt?"

Pikachu glared back at her trainer. "Pika pi!" (Which roughly translated to, "Really, Shorts Boy? What do I look like, a power plant? I haven't learned that yet, stupid!")

"Vee!" Eevee barked. (Which meant, "I know, right? It's like the average IQ of the human race gets lower every generation. And the quality of their television programming is going down, too - first The Bachelor, now this!")

"Will you two stop talking amongst yourselves and help us!" Elaine snapped.

Simultaneously, Eevee and Pikachu rolled their eyes and said something that translated to, "No."

Chase pushed past his Pokemon. "Fine, then!" He held up a pencil like a sword and Elaine's notebook like a shield. "Come at me, Rockets!" First Elaine joined him, holding her water bottle like a club, then Trace, who had strapped his bag to the camera's tripod legs, creating a makeshift flail.

But before any awesome fighting could take place, a Thunderbolt came out of nowhere, shocking the Rockets and their Pokemon both literally and mentally. For a moment, they stood in place, jiggling with electricity, and then they all fell over, unconscious.

Elaine looked at Chase. "Was that your Pikachu?"

Chase shook his head. "Not mine."

This was indeed true, because from behind the fallen Rockets, a figure rose. It was a familiar eleven-year-old boy with a Pikachu on his shoulder.

"Red!" Elaine exclaimed, throwing her arms around him. "You saved us!"

Red blushed. "..."

Seeing Red's embarrassment, Elaine let go of him and stepped back. She glanced at the camera, as if she had just realized that it was still filming. "So, Red, you got into a Rocket-infested building completely unscathed. How did you do it?"

Red shrugged, shoving his hands into his pockets. "..."

"Oh," Elaine mumbled. "Right."

Chase waved at the camera. "Well, that's it for today. We'll see you tomorrow on the next episode of the Morning Show with Chase and Elaine! But right now, we're getting outta here!"

And with that, the three kids took off running out of the closet and down the hallway.

Halfway out the door, Trace facepalmed and ran back to the closet. He leaned in towards the still-recording camera. "Since I'm all alone, I might as well say something that's been on my mind for a while. This might not be the most friendly thing to say, but dishonesty isn't very friendly, either. Blue, if you're watching this, I'd like you to know that I think that unfriendly rivals like you are total -"

But before Trace could finish his very unfriendly sentence, the camera ran out of battery and shut down.

You may be wondering why I haven't posted anything lately. This is because I've been super busy - busy with lots of schoolwork, standardized testing coming up, and a musical production on top of that. I most likely won't be able to update The Morning Show With Chase And Elaine until the end of the school year (for me, this occurs sometime in May). I still have a special one-shot planned for April 1st (wink wink), but other than that I won't be updating until summer break. See ya then!