Whaaa, so sorry that took forever. Kitty just moved into her dorm and started her classes and made me start this new Danny Phantom thing she's working on. I'm starting in Japanese club at my school and have papers to write and charcoal things to draw for my classes. Eveything's been really hectic for both of us.

But thank you for coming back to chapter ten! It means a lot to us--This is so fun to write. This chapter will include cuddwy widdle Mondo again. Yey, Mondo! (Can you tell I like him? XD) So enjoy!

Disclaimer: Does anybody who would sue us actually read this? If they did, would they actually tell anyone? Chapter title lyrics are by the Goo Goo Dolls from their song, "Here is Gone."

Of All The Past That's Here Between Us

by Pedal and Kitty

The booth wasn't big, but it was cozy. The four rockets were used to far worse, and anything like this was somewhat of a treat compared to their usual surroundings. The restaurant had counter service and take-out, but a small full-service area as well. Their booth was just near the door and front counter.

"Okay thank--hujjah wha?" Jesse pulled Mondo back by his ear just before he fell out of the booth. The cute waitress winked and strolled back to the kitchen, but not before tapping the boy's chin with her pen. It was all quite amusing, but wasn't the young rocket supposed to like Jesse? Obviously, it was completely unacceptable.

But she had her ways of keeping things consistent. "James, you have an eyelash right there..." She reached out and touched his cheek gently, hoping to get both of the boys' much needed attention.

This was why she loved traveling with them.

In spite of the fact that she'd been doing it for years, James still blushed. It didn't matter if it was all a ploy, he'd never grow out of his shyness about such things. Though he'd never admit it, he kept a mental tally whenever Mondo was around, to reassure himself he was getting teased a justly proportionate amount.

Of course, the entire proceeding bored Meowth to tears, but he didn't complain because he was getting fed. And only getting fed if he didn't speak.

Mondo looked back to his senpais and before picking up on what Jesse was doing, cutely noted, "Your hair looks really good like that. You should wear it like that more often!" He beamed at her messy bun, and she pulled her hand back from James' face with a grin.

"You're such a sweetheart, Mondo-chan!" she said sweetly and pinched his cheek.

Inwardly, James was sulking now, but he tried valiantly not to show it. "So, how long will it be?" he asked.

Meowth nodded vigorously, wondering the same. He wasn't very good at keeping quiet.

"How should I know?" Jesse said simply, going back to her low, catty voice and brushing a piece of hair back.

Just then, the door behind Mondo and Jesse opened with the ring of a small bell. Mondo, ever curious, turned to look at the new customers. Jesse instinctively looked as well, gasping and slapping Mondo's arm to turn back before doing so herself. "Twerps!" she whispered sharply, "What are they doing here?"

James was about to look as well, but Meowth clawed him in the thigh. After swatting the creature to get even, he leaned forward and hissed "They won't notice us if we don't do anything. Can we please not try to rob them today?"

"You know them? Oh, cool!" Mondo said quite loudly. Panicking, Jesse covered his mouth.

"Are you kidding?" she asked James with wild eyes. "We haven't even tried in months!"

Mondo eventually pried her hand off his face with a deep blush. "Wait, I thought you guys were done with the Pikachu thing. That's the kid, right?"

Ignoring Mondo's question, James continued his rant. "It always ends in disaster. I tell you, the thing isn't meant to be caught. Even the twerp himself can't get it into a pokéball!"

Meowth stifled a giggled with his paw, pretending to groom it.

Jesse sighed and leaned back in her chair. "All right, you brat."

Mondo could hear a voice behind him ordering and turned to inspect them again. Jesse didn't consider the boy looking as a threat since he was unknown to the twerps anyway. A tall boy with dark skin and spiked hair was speaking. The other was shorter with swept forward black hair and a rough face. A fairly large pikachu was with him. This was the little mouse that had given Jesse and James trouble for so many years? He blinked in awe.

"So are we just going to leave tomorrow or something?" queried the taller boy after ordering.

The other one shrugged, shaking the Pikachu on his shoulder a bit. It draped itself over his head. "I don't think so. I mean, we should wait until we find Tracey's Marill. I think it was his first pokémon. I can't imagine losing Pikachu like that."

"For once it's a good thing Pikachu never goes in a pokéball," chuckled the dark boy, reaching up and petting the pokémon lightly. "Tracey must feel like it's his fault, though. That's got to be awful."

Mondo suddenly felt like he would cry. Team Rocket members weren't supposed to feel guilty, so why? Jesse and James would be ashamed of him if they found out.

But he kept listening. Where were they talking about, anyway? Jesse even turned her head halfway to better listen. Meowth hopped onto the table and James leaned in. The group was silent.

"If Marill was his first pokémon," continued the tall boy, "Then it's probably the strongest out of all of his, and I wouldn't be surprised if there were tons of rock and ground pokémon in the dungeon."

Dungeon? Jesse and James exchanged a wide-eyed look.

The other boy frowned. "Yeah. But I mean. Well, if it were me, I'd want my best friend with me no matter how useful they'd be. The Unknown Dungeon might be dangerous, but I bet we could learn a lot from it! That's part of the reason I wanted to go so bad. I can't believe it's actually going to happen." His excitement was almost palpable. When Mondo heard Jesse whispering something about this dungeon, the excitement snagged him too. Where they all going to follow the kids?

Jesse pulled Mondo back to reality and the table by his ear. It was sore by now, but he didn't mind. "What are you guys talking about?"

"The Unknown Dungeon! Only members of the Kanto Pokémon League can get in. If we follow the twerps in, we can have access to all those rare pokémon!" gushed Jesse. Mondo felt his skin prickle all over.

"Really? That sounds so cool! I can't wait! I... get to go too, right?"

A grim look came from James, but just as he opened his mouth, Jesse held a finger to his lips. "Of course! We'd probably get killed or starve without you, Mondo-chan!" she sang, pinching his already red cheeks.

The young rocket saluted. "At your service, Madam!"

Her focus was already back to James, though. "My god, I can't believe your hair's still wet," she said offhandedly, reaching out brush a damp lock to the side. Mondo frowned and looked down at the table quietly.

Meowth bristled at the sight of Pikachu. Their greatest chance of discovery was it smelling familiar pokémon. And because it was smarter than it's owners, it was much more likely to notice the rockets anyway.

James blushed again and touched his hair. "Mouse spit..."

Jesse giggled but quickly stopped and thwapped Meowth upon noticing his behavior. "Cut that out! You need to behave!" she scolded like an actual trainer would.

Feeling a pair of eyes on him, the dark-skinned boy paused and turned to see a very curious Mondo peeking at him. "Hi!" squeaked the rocket before turning back around. He heard the dark skinned boy quietly ask the other, "What was that?"

"Don't encourage them," James moaned, grinding his face into his palm. "They'll start talking to us..."

"What's wrong with that? Are they gonna recognize you?" Mondo asked, quite bubbly.

Jesse placed her face neatly in her cupped hands with her elbows on the table. "With our luck, yes." The cute waitress chose that moment to bring their orders, along with a complimentary slab of uncooked meat for Meowth.

"Here you go, sweetie. Is there anything else I can get for you four?" She scratched Meowth gently under his chin.

For once, Meowth played his part to the letter, purring dopily and sticking his tongue out at her.

James broke into a fit of very laugh-like coughing.

"No, I don't think so. Thanks," Jesse said coldly, effectively scaring the waitress away. She took one look at James and began laughing herself. Mondo cocked his head.

"Lay it on thick enough, Meowth?" James finally managed. The cat gave him a sarcastic look that spoke volumes of death, then did a face-plant into the meat.

Jesse in turn only giggled harder. "That was priceless!"

Suddenly, the tall, dark-skinned boy was at their table. "Hello, Miss. My name's Brock and I couldn't help but notice your beautiful laugh." Suddenly his hands had taken hers and Mondo's eyes flashed with anger. He looked to James helplessly.

"Do you mind?" James growled thickly, keeping in bass tones as much to hide his identity as to frighten the intruder, "You're leaning over our food."

Brock, of course, completely ignored this. Jesse grimaced a moment before seizing his hands in her own and effectively crushing them in a vice grip. "I don't think so, Junior," she spat. And poor Mondo sat and panicked.

At this point, Ash must have realized that with no other twerps around it was up to him to restrain Brock. He sidled up to his friend and tapped him on the shoulder. "Come on, Romeo, leave the nice people to their food."

Meowth looked up from his meal and bared bloody fangs. "Nyowrr."

"Before they nicely kill us."

Brock visibly winced, and for the moment seemed short-circuited and unable to move. Finally, he managed speech; "Ow..."

Mondo waved a hand in front of Brock's unmoving face. "Is your friend going to be okay?"

Jesse took her hands away and began quietly eating. Brock remained perfectly stilled, worrying Mondo.

Ash shrugged apologetically and tried to pull Brock away. "He doesn't take rejection very well..."

Meowth returned to his steak with a slurp.

James covered his mouth with his hand and turned to the plate in front of him.

Eventually Brock allowed himself to be removed. "Why do I fail at life..."

"No worries," Mondo answered with a nervous chuckle and short wave. Ash waved back enthusiastically as he dragged Brock away.

"Nyeeidiot," Meowth quipped. James choked on an ice cube.

"I still don't understand what they're doing here..." Jesse said under her breath. "The dungeon's entrance must be around here..."

She went ignored as Mondo leaned forward frantically. "Are you okay, James-Senpai?" Jesse simply rolled her eyes and went back to eating.

"It's a restaurant. They're probably just getting food. Or are you asking why they're in the area?" James childishly arranged his condiments as he spoke.

Then he noticed Meowth clawing his leg again. He made a motion to smack the cat, but stopped when he saw a furry yellow face level with his own. Pikachu was sitting on the back of the booth seat, sniffing his damp hair.

Mondo's eyes widened as he reached out to shoo the rodent away. Jesse pulled the boy back by his shoulder to prevent him from provoking the mouse.

James sat paralyzed as the mouse looked him over. It wrinkled its nose and hopped onto the floor, where it made its way to Mondo. It began to sniff the leg of Mondo's pants. Meowth's claws dug into the seat, but he did nothing.

Mondo grinned at the cute pokémon. "Hey, there!" he said cheerfully, reaching down to pet it. If he was friendly, it wouldn't attack, right? Jesse whimpered covered her eyes with both hands.

Pikachu stopped and stared blankly at Mondo.

James gasped audibly, and Meowth shut his eyes.

Tentatively, the mouse rubbed its face against the outstretched hand.

With a light laugh, Mondo scratched first Pikachu's cheek then behind its ear. "You sure are cute. What a nice coat!"

Brock smiled, rejection forgotten as he easily slipped his hands into his pockets. "Looks like Pikachu made a new friend, Ash."

In an attempt to look halfway normal, Jesse forced out a giggle and smiled as well. "Isn't that sweet!" she said, wanting to tear her voice box out for using such shallow tones.

The irony that Mondo could so easily pet a creature the rest of them couldn't risk looking sideways at was not lost on James. In fact, it completely burned him. He had to try very hard not to say anything. Meowth face-planted into the table.

Recalling the rather unpleasant exchange he'd had with the same table moments ago, Ash decided it would be best not to prolong the exchange.

"Pikachu! Come on over here!" He called to it.

Before he pulled his hand away to let the creature go, Mondo skritched it one last time just under the chin.

Jesse let out a breath she didn't know she was holding when Mondo finally did pull back.

Motioning to the mouse by jerking his head towards Ash, Brock told it, "Yeah, let's get our food and get going, huh?" The girl at the front counter waited patiently with a tall paper bag in front of her.

Pikachu remained where it was, staring up at the nervous group of Rockets. Its ears flattened against its head. "Piika."

Meowth leaned toward James and hissed something out of the corner of his mouth, to which James responded simply, "Crudmuffins."

"What?" Brock said sharply, turning fully back towards the table.

Jesse sat up straight, trying to hide herself as much behind Mondo as possible while he smiled uneasily, still looking quite innocent. "Huh?"

Pikachu chose to address Meowth with its demands.

"Pika, pikachu, chu-pika."

The cat seemed to wilt.

Having a fairly decent idea of what that meant, James stared at Jesse helplessly.

"What did it say?" Mondo blurted before thinking at all. He suddenly yelped and covered his own mouth.

Brock raised an eyebrow and grimaced.

Ash came closer, frowning. "Did he just..?"

Sparks began to gather on Pikachu's fur.

For lack of a better solution, James buried his face in his hands. "I really liked this shirt..."

Mondo shrieked when he felt a hand force itself into his pants. Well, his pocket, but still. Just as he pivoted at Jesse, she had pulled out a pokéball. His hands flew back to his face just in time to keep the blood from his nose from spraying her.

"Here!" cried Jesse, slamming the pokéball to the table. The dishes rattled, and it opened from the force.

Marill came out covering her face with her paws, but she looked up soon enough and leapt into Ash's arms the second she saw him. "Maaarill!"

"Darndit," said Mondo through his hands and about ten napkins.

Completely not expecting a projectile mouse, Ash fell on his butt. Pikachu scampered over to him to see if Marill was at all hurt, completely losing interest in Team Rocket now that she was free. From his perch on James' head, Meowth remarked sullenly, "Dis is woy we neva eat out, isn' it?"

"Get out of here, now," Brock growled in a low voice, not wanting to start a huge fight.

Mondo's eyebrows knitted and he sank in his seat. Seeing this, Jesse frowned and snapped at Brock, "Leave us alone! We already gave back the artist twerp's Marill!"

He stomped down his foot, even angrier at Jesse for fooling him into liking her. "Just don't start up any more trob--" Bad choice of words, he noted. "Control yourselves, will you?" He then proceeded to yank Ash off the floor by his arm. "Let's get out of here."

Marill hopped down the floor and threw herself at Pikachu with tearing eyes. "Mare, marill. Marill-ill maaare!"

Pikachu comforted his friend, patting her back with his paw. "Chuu chuu..."

"Ow!" Ash yelped, also not expecting his arm to be nearly wrenched out of its socket.

With great care, James began to remove Meowth's claws from his flesh one by one. "I just want you all to know that I despise you," he said flatly.

"The feeling is mutual," answered Brock, snatching up Marill's pokéball and leading Ash away. "Pikachu, Marill, come on."

"Tell your fred I'b sorry," muttered Mondo pathetically. Jesse placed a hand warmly on the boy's shoulder and glowered fiercely after the twerps.

Pikachu made a sad face at Mondo before turning to leave with Marill.

Now safely in his seat again, Meowth stared after the twerps. "Deys nuttin but trubble."

"Trouble?" questioned Jesse, not expecting an answer. She sighed. "You okay, Mondo-chan?" He avoided nodding and let Jesse lean his head back to staunch the flow of blood. Part of him was glad this Tracey guy would get his pokémon back.

James crossed his arms. "That was a delightful little scene. What do we do now?"

Only Meowth seemed undaunted. "Dey prattically handed us da plans. We gotta follow 'em like Jesse said!"

"Of course we do! Think of all the powerful pokémon we'll get!" said Jesse excitedly. Looking back to poor Mondo, she did her best to smile encouragingly. Eventually, she just stuck out her lips exaggeratedly. "I'm so sorry, Mondo-chan."

Tha napkins rammed up against his nose reddened considerably as she spoke, leaning into the boy. "Don'd worry aboud id, Sendpai. You didn'd beand do."

Jesse pretended to understand him and ruffled his hair sweetly.

Trying to avoid looking at them without them realizing he was avoiding looking, James asked forlornly, "Can we please eat first?"

Meowth stole a pawful of his French fries.

"Of course! We were here first!" Jesse said purposefully loudly. Hearing her, Brock slammed the door behind him, Ash, and the two little pokémon. Mondo jumped. "Now," Jesse began decisively, grinning brilliantly, "Let's hurry and eat so we can plan our trip!"

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Didja like it? Didja? I'm so sorry for the crappy ending. It won't happen again unless we're on crack or something. I hate cheesiness like that without more purpose. Good thing Mondo was bleeding in the face to even the score.

Next chapter in about a week, I'm guessing. They'll be more spread out since Kitty started school and all that. Thanks again for your patience! Tell us what you think of the fic! We live off your reviews.