Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon.

Chapter 9

At that moment, one of the few people who knew that Mew was still around was not thinking about it. Mordred was instead focusing his thoughts on the man who would soon appear on his telescreen. Giovanni, the leader of Team Rocket, had responded rather briefly to Mordred's request for a meeting.

"Well, this certainly is a surprise. I propose we have a talk, but not a personal meeting. You will find that I am not as trusting as your terrain- and water-loving friends from the Hoenn region. I will contact you tomorrow night. Have a secure line ready, and do not try to play me false; believe me, I will know."

Mordred checked the clock absently. He had an idea that Giovanni was right, in spite of his high-mannered, almost careless reply. He would be much harder to recruit than Maxie or Archie. Just then, the telescreen beeped. Mordred sat up pressed a button on his desk. On the screen appeared a figure in a dark room. Half his face was obscured by the darkness.

Mordred took on the conversational tone he had used with Maxie and Archie. "Giovanni. Thank you for agreeing to talk. I hope you are w - "

Giovanni cut in. "Sorry to interrupt, I know you must have been looking forward to exchanging pleasantries, but I have other matters to attend to. So let's talk business."

Mordred continued without batting an eyelid. "As you may or may not know, Team Mordred has grown from being a tiny underground gang of robbers to a mighty crime syndicate and military force. We've always prided ourselves in our missions, our objectives, our targets, as you can imagine, I'm sure." He paused here, ever so slightly. In that brief pause he noted that Giovanni made no move to interrupt, even though Mordred was obviously stalling. Mordred noted that, having moved to the topic of the mission, he had Giovanni's attention. So whatever Giovanni had learned through Team Rocket's intelligence from the meeting with Team Magma and Team Aqua, he had not learned what had sealed the deal between the three crime organizations.

"These days," Mordred continued, "we no longer have need to steal ordinary Pokémon, or even uncommonly strong ones. We already have plenty of those. Instead we focus our energy on catching those mysterious Legendary Pokémon... one in particular." Mordred knew that pausing here for effect would likely get the better of Giovanni's temper, so he elaborated immediately. "Mew."

Though Giovanni did not stir, Mordred could tell he had surprised the confident Team Rocket boss. He took a moment before responding. "Mew? Are you aware that Mew is one of the rarest Pokémon on earth?"

"Yes. And also one of the most powerful, which would make capturing it extremely beneficial."

"Do you think you can find one?" Mordred sensed a smirk on Giovanni's obscured face.

"As a matter of fact, I already have found one."

This time Giovanni showed his surprise. He breathed deeply for a moment. Then: "Well, that is an accomplishment. Where? Ah, but... I should have guessed. You won't tell me unless I sign some sort of agreement, is that it?"

Mordred had to work hard to keep the smile off his face. "I require no signature from you, Giovanni, since it would mean nothing to you or me."

Giovanni chuckled softly. "You are more like me than I thought, Mordred." He spoke the name with special emphasis, as if talking to a young one or a subordinate. "Very well. I will send some of my best agents to you to work out the details. Good day." The screen went blank.

Mordred sat back in his chair slowly. His muscles relaxed, but the smile which had been working for so long to reach his surface had faded, to be replaced by a scowl. Why am I angry? I just convinced a worthy rival to join my alliance. But Mordred knew perfectly well why he was angry: Giovanni. The no-time-for-manners leader of Team Rocket had bugged him, and not with his rudeness, but with the way he had talked to him. He gave off a sense of superiority, jeering, and cruelty. Mordred shuddered. Giovanni reminded him of... those people...

Cruel... jeering...

"Hey kid, keep running, unless you want to end up like them..."

Mordred shook himself. It was unlike him to lose control of his thoughts like that. He attached his mind to the recent diplomatic victory he had achieved in order to distract himself.

/

Ash and his friends, meanwhile, were distracting themselves by watching their Pokémon play at the play pool.

The wild Golduck loved its new friends. It organized a race between the Water Pokémon around the pool in laps. The competition took place in pairs, with Corsola versus Horsea being the opening event. Horsea streaked far ahead of Corsola, but its energy soon ran out and Corsola pulled ahead towards the end. Next, Staryu dueled Starmie in a race so closely contested that a Gloom who had been watching at the finish line had to be coaxed into telling everyone what it saw (Starmie won, but just barely). Everyone was surprised when Psyduck expressed interest in racing, but Golduck wasted no time in challenging it in a friendly manner. Needless to say, Golduck won, but Psyduck paddled away in its inner tube, laughing its bill off.

Misty was laughing as hard as Psyduck. "Wow, hehe," she giggled to Ash without turning, "I've never seen Psyduck like this, it looks so happy and care-free!"

Ash had noticed, but all he could say at the moment was, "Uh-huh."

Justin and his Bulbasaur had just returned from eating lunch, and he was watching the happy Pokémon delightedly. Justin was about to call out the rest of his Pokémon when he noticed Ash's expression. "Hey Brock, why is Ash looking at Misty like that?"

Brock had noticed, too. "They sometimes do that. It's best not to interrupt them." He grinned at Justin, who chuckled.

A few minutes later, Nurse Joy showed up with two Poké Balls. "Here you go, Ash, good as new! Though I wouldn't battle with them for a while, just to be safe."

Ash leapt up, tearing his eyes away from Misty, to meet Joy. "All right! Thanks a bunch, Nurse Joy!"

Joy smiled. "Don't mention it. It's my job to treat patients with loving care!" She was about to return to the nurse's office when Brock stopped her.

"Nurse Joy, I'm sick... sick at heart! Won't you please treat me with loving care?"

Joy seemed to know what Brock was getting at. "Sorry, I only treat sick Pokémon."

Brock sigh almost made him seem old. "I could see that coming... Hey wait, why am I not being pulled by the ear?"

Misty had been paying too much attention to the Pokémon playing to drag Brock from Joy. Psyduck was approaching the finish line, with the other Pokémon calling encouragement. When it finally crossed, they lifted it up (inner tube and all) and tossed it in the air several times. This frightened Psyduck slightly, but it still had enough exhilaration in it to keep it from wailing.

Now that Ash had Totodile and Cyndaquil back, he decided to let his full party out to play. "Come on out, guys! Time to have some fun!"

Bayleef, Bulbasaur, and Heracross headed for the pool, but Ash stopped Cyndaquil and Totodile. "Look, guys, it was really wrong of me to push you like that when Team Rocket had you in that cage. I'm really sorry." Ash had tears in his eyes. He didn't think he would ever forget Totodile's look of doubt or Cyndaquil's tears. "I... I hope I can make it up to you."

To his immense relief his two loyal Pokémon seemed to have forgiven him. They both tackled him in a hug, which he returned joyfully.

Misty sat watching them, smiling. That Ash. He could be dense and annoying, but he always put his friends first, and cared more about his Pokémon than any other trainer she had met.

So Ash and his friends spent the next few hours relaxing. Professors Katt and Chu, along with Katt's Tangela, were busy in the lab with research on Mew, and Sahil had gone with Vidyut on a walk in the nearby forest. Ash's, Brock's, and Misty's Pokémon got along well with Justin's. Justin had introduced his Wingull (nicknamed "Seagull"), Scyther, and Mudkip.

Ash's Pokédex was certainly getting a workout that day, informing Ash about the Hoenn region Pokémon. "Wingull, the Seagull Pokémon. Wingull will fly through the sky as though surfing waves. It normally carries food and other valuable items, then hides them here and there." "Mudkip, the Mud Fish Pokémon. Mudkip uses the sensitive fin on its head to take radar readings off its surroundings."

The two Bulbasaur, Ash's Bayleef and Heracross, and Justin's Scyther took naps in the foliage. All the Water Pokémon swam lazily in the pool. Ash's Cyndaquil and Justin's Charizard were napping on the rocks, while Brock's Pokémon were playing catch with Ash's Pikachu and Seagull (Justin's Wingull). Meanwhile, Ash, Misty, Brock, and Justin sat talking about Guyana. All was well.