Two new pieces of fanart based on this chapter are up on our another-rxad tumblr. Check them out; preferably after you guys finish, though! Wouldn't want to run into spoilers. Hope you enjoy!


Dawn let out a huff, trailing barely behind Ash as she attempted to keep up with the boy who'd so quickly decided he was in a rush. Had he been that uncomfortable…? Ash wasn't the type to go to such ends over social conventions.

Lost in her thoughts, though, Dawn had only just returned to reality, slowing in her steps as a familiar face came into view. Blue orbs widened, disbelief written on her features. "Hey, isn't that…?"

"Bertha!" Ash chimed, his smile wide as he came to a stop on one of Celadon's sidewalks. "You made it!" He let out a jovial chuckle, echoed by a cry of greeting from Pikachu.

"Ash!" The familiar voice greeted heartily, a friendly smile on her aging face. "And, Dawn, too! It's been far too long." Indeed, the eldest of Sinnoh's Elite Four - as much as she detested the title - had arrived in the flesh. She stood on the street's corner, arms folded behind her back in her usual posture. "Ah, and your Piplup's evolved! That's great to see." She noted, eyeing the Empoleon standing beside his trainer.

"He sure has!" Dawn affirmed, a proud smile forming that was mirrored in her starter. "I hope it's not rude to ask, but what're you doing here?" Her head tilted. Is this what Ash had been preoccupied with?

"Well, it just so happens I ran into Ash a little while back," Bertha started, looking to the growing boy. "I was impressed with his progress, so we promised to keep in touch."

"...And, I thought I'd call and catch up after we got to Celadon! I've been practicing a lot, after all." Ash finished, notably proud of himself.

"So, that's who you were talking to on the phone earlier," Dawn deduced.

"That observation would be correct," Bertha poked, calling back to her lessons on that very subject. "I'm hoping you've been working hard too, Dawn? It'd be disappointing if my lessons went to waste."

"I sure have! I just won my third Kanto ribbon earlier."

"Yup," Ash testified. "You should've seen her in the battle rounds! Read her opponent like a book." The trainer grinned, clearly proud of his companion.

"Well that's great news." Bertha peered around, having almost been blindsided by a rude bypasser. Almost. "Maybe we should move to somewhere more convenient? Kind of hard to carry a conversation in the middle of all this ruckus."

"Yeah… Probably a good idea!" Ash chuckled, rubbing the back of his head. "Hey, there's a battlefield over there!" The trainer pointed out, spotting an open space for casual battles down the block. There were even a few benches and tables on the side!

"Good eye," Bertha remarked. "That'll be our destination, then!"

"Let's get to it!" Dawn chimed.


Settled at one of the tables on the sidelines of the open fields, the trio casually talked amongst themselves. Pikachu and Empoleon lounged in the sunlight, soaking up the warmth while their trainers chattered.

"I hadn't realized he was ever the Pewter City Gym Leader," Bertha mused, a tinge of bitterness in her tone when referring to Brock.

Ash laughed a little. "Well, things haven't been easy there. The official title of gym leader, uh, gets handed through the family a lot," he confessed. He wasn't about to go telling all of Brock's family business, but he supposed Bertha might want some clarification on why she didn't know that.

"Hm, on that note, is the Cerulean Gym still run by three trainers?" she inquired. She remembered the kerfuffle at the annual multi-League meeting over that. It wasn't traditional at all to have that, but Unova had set a precedent by having numerous co-gym leaders, even for their premier gyms. Like Kanto, every other gym had lesser gyms that badges could be earned from but the premier gyms hosted the toughest and most well-regulated gym leaders. Those badges were most likely to be accepted for tournament entrance.

"Oh, no!" Ash corrected, shaking his head. "My friend Misty finally took over in full from her sisters. They haven't run the gym in, gosh, years I think."

"That would explain why it's been quiet this way. Though, there's some Jazz and Flash gym here that is still trying to get proper accreditation," Bertha trailed off.

Despite not being the academic type, Ash was pretty good at remembering how the parts of the Pokémon League worked, especially for his home region. "Kaz and Yas! I remember them. Though, I've never really heard for what it takes to get licensing to be a gym leader…"

Dawn tried to be polite, but now she was getting really bored. She understood most of what they were saying, but it meant a hill of beans to her. She wasn't a trainer, after all. Still, they were so engaged in this conversation that she felt it would be rude to try and change it. So, instead, she coughed into her hand, catching their attention. "Sorry! You two seem caught up in gym talk, so I'll let you catch up, alright? I wanna try out the game corner… Maybe I'll win something! I'll be at the Pokémon Center when you need me!"

"Oh," Ash bashfully said, suddenly feeling a little bad. She must have felt left out. "Alright, see you later!"

"See you, dear," Bertha bid.

The duo watched as Dawn collected Empoleon before the two walked off. As Pikachu hopped onto the table, Bertha let out a sigh of relief.

"Your friend is really polite. I didn't want to challenge you to a battle when she couldn't participate," Bertha explained. "I was a little afraid I was going to have to battle you both to not hurt her feelings. She seems prideful, like you. But, I want to see what you can do."

Ash was a little taken back. Bertha went through all that trouble to get a private battle with him and mind his friend's feelings? She really wanted to see how far he'd come, then. "If you're that eager, then I won't turn you down," he assured, grinning.

"Wonderful. I figured you'd be as bold as ever." A smirk formed on the old woman's lips, before a thought struck her. "...Oh! How's little Rosa doing? Riolu and Lucario tend to specialize in observation; maybe it'd be best if she saw this battle, too."

"Oh, right!" Ash fumbled for her Pokéball, grabbing it off his belt. "She's been great. We train now 'n then when we're not on the road… Alright. Rosa, come on out!"

The ball parted, spitting out a flash of light that took its tiny form.

A Riolu appeared, standing on top of the table. Spotting the familiar face, she tensed some.

"Hey, it's alright." Ash reassured, patting atop her head. "You've met her before, remember? Nothing to worry about."

The pup hesitated before letting out a yip of greeting. She seemed friendly enough, after all.

"Well, she didn't hide away like last time. Maybe you're rubbing off on her," the elite chuckled before standing up. "Right, then. Ash and I are going to have a battle. I want you to watch closely."

"You're gonna wanna catch this. She's one of the strongest trainers in Sinnoh!" Ash enthused… Though, noting her grimace, he relented. "...Anyway, it's gonna be fun! Keep your eyes peeled!"

"Rio!" The Pokémon yipped, sitting on the edge of the table. Battles were usually fun to watch!

"Now, let's make this a one-on-one," Bertha suggested. "I want you to focus on nothing but the match itself."

"Fine with me!" Ash agreed.

The two trainers, old and young, went their separate ways, taking their spots on each side of the battlefield. Bertha stood straight, stoic as ever, while Ash's heart raced.

'Now's my chance… Another shot at one of the Elite Four! I can't mess this one up.' Ash tensed, a fist closed rather tight. For all of his improvement, he still found the woman intimidating.

"Well? You can choose first. You're the challenger, after all."

Wait, hadn't she challenged him!? Ash's face fell a little. How confusing… That was fine with him, though! "Alright… For this battle, I guess I'll choose you… Glalie!"

Ash had lobbed a Pokéball forward, the sphere bursting open. The Face Pokémon appeared, looking just as intimidating as ever. Floating above the field, he awaited his opponent.

Unlike Ash, Bertha did not make any sudden decisions even when he chose. Had this been a real battle within the league's rules, she would've been forced to choose within ten seconds, or face penalty. Thankfully here, she had all the time in the world. What was the sense of rushing?

A wry smile bloomed on her lips as her professional experience seeped in; standing straight and hands no longer clasped behind her back. A certain fire flickered in earthen colored eyes as she scanned the battlefield; gaze drifting around. The field was small, but adequate to accommodate Pokémon of most, if not all sizes. The Pokémon Center was off limits and out of the battlefield area.

"Glalie? My, what an interesting choice. I hope you don't think you've won already, my dear. Let's see just how strong you've gotten –" she pulled a Pokéball free, tossing it forward. It opened, revealing..

"GOLEM!"

The Megaton Pokémon landed with surprising grace for its type; fangs briefly bared before it remained stoically silent. Already this battle was shaping up to be something interesting and unusual. Bertha clearly had a type disadvantage, and this was a Pokémon Ash only seen in action once – removing Team Rocket's hideous machinery.

Her smirk remained, almost taunting. Her Pokémon were well trained enough and bond so strong that she need not speak a single command for them to know what she wanted. It was a similar trick she pulled off in their last battle. Clearly, the lack of action shows she was letting Ash go first – perhaps a mistake? Or, perhaps a simple defensive tactic? Time would only tell.

"She's not doing anything," Ash noted, a brow raised. This was nerve-racking. The pressure was all on him to start the battle off. Then again… He thrived under that pressure. "...Alright, if you won't start, I will!" Ash declared, throwing a hand outward. "Glalie, Ice Beam, now!"

"Glalie!" The Pokémon roared, cyan light sparking between its demonic horns. Two currents of cold energy merged, taking the form of a bright ray of ice that shot across the field. The air around the move was chilled instantly, bits of frost emanating over the battlefield.

Glalie was no slouch.

Nor was Golem. Without any verbal command, the rock type retreated into its stony shell, spinning like a tire before taking off across the field. Ice Beam had clearly missed its mark.

"That's Rollout…" Ash grit his teeth. For such a heavy Pokémon, it was fast. "Ice Beam, again!"

Glalie fired a second ray from his horns, this time aimed at the location Golem was going to be, rather than aiming right for it.

Golem was heading right for the assault. Seemingly on a collision course… An Elite's Pokémon wasn't so predictable, however. Launching leaps and bounds above the field, Golem cleanly avoided the Ice Beam once more.

"What the…!" Ash gawked, jaw slack in disbelief. Was a Golem seriously flying over his head!?

"We've got it now. Ice Beam! Don't let up!"

"Gla!" The Pokémon grunted. A continuous stream of ice followed the rock type, persisting in the Pokémon's descent. No luck came to it, though, the Pokémon resuming to roll as it hit the ground.

"We're not gonna hit it like this," Ash resigned. If they couldn't hit it directly, though…

"Keep firing!"

The stream of sub-zero rays continued to trace Golem's path in a seemingly futile effort.

"That boy… What's he up to?" Bertha's eyes narrowed. He should know that he wouldn't be making any headway like this.

Of course, her talents came into play soon enough.

Ah! He was freezing the field over. In an attempt, she assumed, to limit Golem's mobility. Clever, she was tempted to praise. But perhaps not quite clever enough.

'There we go,' Ash thought, a smile slipping onto his lips. 'Now, there's no way it'll be able to move around the way it has! Glalie has the home field-'

"Hidden Power!" The Elite's voice bellowed, bringing Ash out of his thoughts immediately.

Golem's spinning stop, the Megaton Pokémon vaulting above the field before belching out a red orb of energy. It splashed over the icy field, bursts of flame flickering and eating at the frost from one end of the battlefield to the next.

By the time the attack had subsided, only steam trailed from the arena.

Ash swallowed. "That Hidden Power must be Fire Type… That could be trouble." Far be it from him, though, to give up at the first hint of trouble. "Let's kick it up a notch! Gyro Ball!"

Dual silver orbs lit on Glalie's horns, coating his body in a steely hide as he began to spin like a top. Rotating into what was barely more than a blur, the pokemon built momentum before launching at Golem. A glimmering ring of energy surrounded him, protecting his body.

"Rollout!" Bertha commanded.

The rock type tucked into a sphere once more, tearing through the battleground with remarkable power and speed. Only mere moments passed before it clashed with Glalie, sending a booming shockwave across the open field.

Ash held his hat down upon his head, swallowing as the sheer power the two were putting out made itself quite known. Golem was an unbelievable powerhouse… Nothing short of what an elite's Pokémon should be. Glalie, however, proved himself equally impressive, refusing to give in.

Neither seemed to budge an inch, one spinning vertical and one horizontal, each pummeling in the other in a test of will. Neither cowered, but the clash was beginning to take its toll. With each spinning in different directions, the two inevitably bounced off one another with a second burst of power, thrown spinning away from the other.

"They're dead even," Ash noted, eyes wide.

A small smirk picked up in the corner of the other trainer's mouth. "Rock Blast!"

Several silver rings started to circle the heavyweight's body, the orbs soon taking the form of numerous large stones that orbited their creator. With a roar, they were launched forward.

"That's dangerous… Dodge it, Glalie!"

As powerful as Golem's attacks were, the floating head was notably fast. Zipping and lacing between the large rocks, Glalie came mere inches from being struck each time, slowly closing the gap between itself and Golem.

"Great… Now, Gyro Ball!"

Already building momentum was poured into another spinning tackle, the metallic horned orb slamming into Golem. This time it was a clean hit, taking the rock type aback.

Bertha didn't falter an inch. "Hidden Power!"

Golem skidded to a halt, far from being slowed down. Another red orb was spat out.
"If that's a fire type move, then…" A smile picked up on Ash's lips, a hand thrown outward.

"Water Pulse!"

An orb of condensed liquid conjured in front of the icy Pokémon's mouth, giving the Pokémon a bit of recoil as he shot the blast forward.

The shot of water ate through the fiery projectile, dissolving it completely before crashing into Golem.

The rock type let out a pained cry, enduring the move. He stood his ground, letting out an irritated huff. Glalie was powerful, but its defenses were second to none.

"Oh, crap…" Ash cursed under his breath, baring witness to the Pokémon's durability. If they were going to win this one, they'd really have to kick their attacks up a notch.

Crossing his arms before throwing them out dramatically, Ash called out. "Blizzard!"

"Glalie!" The Face Pokémon grunted, firing a harsh, icy storm from his cold reserves. Within moments, the torn and burnt battlefield would surely be sheeted in ice. Bertha would probably count herself lucky that she dressed heavy.

...Or, so Ash assumed, that was.

Bertha tutted. So quick to assume he had the advantage. "Rock Blast, then Hidden Power!"

Golem let out a mighty roar, knowing just what its trainer had in mind. A multitude of orbiting trails wrapped around Golem, conjuring a great deal more stones in its wake. With a cry, they were launched, forming what was more or less a wall to take on the Blizzard.

They weren't done, however. Several bursts of fire were spit out, ensnaring the incoming boulders in flames. The burning projectiles met with Blizzard, quickly silencing the storm.

Ash swallowed heavily, sweat dripping down his forehead; whether it was his fear or the heat wasn't certain. Glalie, quite literally, had a wall of fire coming his way.

"This is bad… If that hits we're done for! Glalie, Blizzard Counter Shield!"

"Glalie!" The pokemon didn't have to be told twice. Once again spinning like a top, the pokemon built up speed as he unleashed a freezing flurry, firing Blizzard in what soon turned into a sub-zero tornado, completely encasing the ice type Pokémon.

Ash hugged his arms to his chest, hoping desperately that he'd avoid frostbite.

As potent as it was for Ash, it was far more dangerous to the assault flung Glalie's way. Bitter winds chipped and pounded at the brittling stones, blowing them away under the sheer force of the storm.

"Alright…. We did it!" Ash cheered, finally exhaling in relief. Now they were out of the frying pan, and into the…

"Glalie!" The Pokémon cried in pain. A very effective Rollout had nailed it head-on, sending the poor ice type reeling.

"...Into the Golem." Ash finished his thought aloud, his heart sinking. Stubborn as ever though, he didn't relent. "Hang in there, Glalie. Ice Beam, now!"

Like trainer, like Pokémon. The Face Pokémon halted his flight, releasing another wave of cold from between his horns. The energy homed in on the retreating Golem, landing a perfect hit.

"Alright!" Ash cheered, watching the Pokémon recoil from the temperature. If they could just keep Bertha from sustaining a distance between them, they just might pull this off! "Time to take the offensive… Glalie, get in close to Golem, now!"

Bertha eyed the Pokémon before her. The consecutive strikes, piled with Water Pulse's moisture making Ice Beam's influence even worse were taking their toll. She scrunched her nose, calling out. "Don't let it through, Golem! Rock Blast!"

"Golllem!" The stubborn Pokémon cried, firing off one large boulder after the next.

"Water Pulse!" Ash countered. "Keep firing, and fight your way through!"

Glalie barreled onward, charging an orb of water before letting it loose. The first boulder collided with the attack, blasting the assault to bits in a super-effective clash.

"Again!"

A second boulder came, and it was met by a second water pulse, cracks running through before it burst to rubble, much like the one before it.

This happened twice more, and Glalie was rapidly closing in.

"She's getting desperate," Ash noted to himself with glimmering orbs. "Now, finish it! Use-"

"Rock Tomb!"

Ash recoiled. "What!?"

Heavy feet slammed into the ground below, sending quakes threw it that resulted in mountainous stones jutting from the field, striking and encapsulating Glalie. Before the Pokémon knew it, he was trapped in a cage of solid rock.

"Ah… Glalie!" Shake your way out of there!" Ash stammered. He hadn't accounted for that at all!

"It's been fun," Bertha trailed off. "Rock Blast!"

Another earthly cry came from Golem, several orbiting stones forming before launching at the earthy prison.

A series of loud explosions, and copious amounts of dust followed, shrouding the field.

"Damn it," Ash muttered. Waiting for the debris to clear, he feared for the worst.

...And, indeed, the worst did come. Laying in a pile of rubble was Glalie, swirls in his eyes.

Golem stood tall, shaky as he was. He'd narrowly come out on top.

"Well, I suppose that settles that," Bertha concluded. "Very good, Golem." A red beam encapsulated the rock type, returning it to a Pokéball that the elder pocketed.

"Man… We came so close that time." Ash's shoulder slumped. "Awesome job, Glalie. You were great." He held out a Pokéball, ready to return it.

"Now, wait," Bertha interrupted, approaching the Face Pokémon. Kneeling before it, she reached for something out of her jacket, pulling out a Max Potion. "Here, try this." She advised gently, spraying the ice type.

Blue eyes tensed before opening, the pokemon revitalized. "Gla! Glalie!" The pokemon happily chattered, grateful, to say the least. Grinning, he began to charge coldness between his horns.

"Ahhh…! Wait!" Ash stammered, rushing to call his pokemon back in the nick of time.

"Sorry… He gets a lil' excited when he likes someone."

"Well, I can at least commend you for catching onto that in time." Bertha playfully noted, approaching the younger trainer. "I don't want to hear you chiding yourself for that. Self-improvement is vital, but you've shown that you've done plenty of that. That was quite an enjoyable match."

"Thanks, Bertha." Ash managed a smile, disappointed as he might have been. "It sure was! I couldn't rest for a second there… I was so sure I was about to win this time, too."

"Well, being perfectly honest, I know Golem, and he wasn't far from being maxed out." That was about as close to saying she came close to losing as willing to say.

"But," she interjected, "Observation works both ways. It can be used both to your advantage, and against you. I'm hoping my lesson hasn't been a wasted effort."

"Your lesson?" Ash's head tilted. His pride in nearly toppling an elite, even one on one, took a backseat to curiosity. "You mean about observation? What was different this time?"

"Last time, it was teaching you to observe your surroundings and using them to your advantage. This time, however, there was something else you had to learn. Deceit can be a great vehicle of using someone's good eye to their detriment. Time and again, I allowed you to grow sure of your victory in ways that seemed to paint the match as going your way. In those moments, you get careless…" The tail end of the match in particular came to mind. "That's something you should both be wary of, and be mindful to use to your advantage."

"Oh, wow… I see what you mean." Ash's eyes were wide. She certainly lived up to her title. "I get it, now! Thanks for the great rematch, Bertha!" He grinned, holding a hand outward.

A soft smile formed at his sportsmanship. Doing the same, she shook the taller boy's hand. "I'd like to thank you for the same. You're on a clear path to improvement, Ash."


After the excitement of the battle and the mental strain of trying to keep up with the tricky, skilled battle matron, Ash found himself very satisfied… And, judging by the rumbling of his stomach, very hungry.

"Hehe, sorry," he laughed. "Guess I'm a li'l hungry."

Bertha let out a soft, motherly chuckle at his situation. "Tell you what: why don't we grab some food, my treat?"

He needn't be told twice. "Lead the way!" he gratefully agreed.

After a short walk, the duo found themselves at a small outdoor bistro. With spring fully arrived, the afternoon was pleasantly warm with an invigorating nip from the wind. Distant clouds on the horizon promised rain by tomorrow. The sun was still out by it laid lazily in the western sky, waiting to clock off work for the day not unlike the humans below.

After ordering their meals and appetizers in one go - Ash was very hungry and knew exactly what all he wanted, while Bertha seemed so picky that once she found the (expensive) thing her heart desired, she had no hesitation - the two settled down comfortable with their drinks. Despite being outdoor furniture, the wicker chairs were fitted with plush cushions.

Even the Pokémon were given nice accommodations. Pikachu and Rosa lounged nearby on pillows, lazily eating out of bowls of Pokéchow and drinking sparkling water. Or, in Rosa's case, asking Pikachu if he could ask the Sandshrew serving as the Pokémon's waiter for regular water.

"So, what's it like traveling without your loudmouth friend?" Bertha inquired, more interested in Ash's personal life now.

"He's doing good, and so are we," Ash gently answered, aware Bertha was probably still stinging from the slight Brock had caused her with his blatantly proclamation of her title all those months ago. Given that she ignored Reggie's insistence to not call him Reginald, it seemed whenever she was vexed by someone, she didn't let it go. Ash preferred not being on her bad side for that reason.

"Mmhm," she agreed. "Dawn seems sweet. Cynthia even remembered her, and she usually doesn't pay much attention to coordinators. Fantina's probably the only other one she cares about, but Fantina's been a gym leader since before Cynthia's Garchomp was a Garchomp."

"Whoa, really? Does Cynthia remember me?" Ash inquired.

Bertha smirked. "Why do you think I got permission to leave Sinnoh? It's off season, but we try to stick around in case anything sketchy happens. However, for mentorship of good trainers or personal vacation time, we tend to get free time. She's hoping you return one day." The old woman's frown suddenly dropped. "Flint feels the same."

"What's with the face?" Ash asked as their appetizers were placed before them.

The ground type specialist shook her head. "Flint says whatever fool thing comes to that cotton lined head of his."

So, he'd probably somehow insulted her, too. Deciding to steer the conversation away from that, he grasped for new topics. "So, are you liking Kanto?"

"The sun's a little hazier here," Bertha noted. "Closer to the equator, more humid. Not good for my hair," she said with a laugh. "Speaking of hair, do you and your blue haired friend train together?"

"We try to! Even if we aren't battling, we offer each other advice. We really push each other." He shoveled croquettes into his pie hole while Bertha gently nibbled on one.

"Support brings the greatest growth," she agreed. "It's good that you're working together, then. Perhaps she'll be the Volkner to your Flint." She paused. "... Perhaps not that exact dynamic."

Soon, their meals were placed in front of them. The talking trailed off as Ash stuffed his face. Bertha ate slowly, minding her manners. It was all delicious and soon everyone was satisfied.

"Ah, that was good!" Ash noted with a delighted sigh as the check came. "Thanks, Bertha."

"You're welcome," she replied. "Well, it's getting dark out, so why don't we -"

Her thought broke off when Rosa dashed over, crawling up Ash's leg and standing in his lap to bury herself in his chest, bright red eyes darting around. She felt something familiar! That desperation and greed was disgusting and a little scary!

"Rosa, what's up?" Ash asked.

Pikachu came over as well, trying to comfort the frightened pup.

~Bad!~ she cried. ~Someone bad is nearby!~

Bertha looked to Ash, waiting on an answer as she wasn't aware of what Rosa was saying.

"Uh… She felt something," he explained. "I guess we should check it out."

Bertha nodded, putting down the payment and tip on the table. "Even if this isn't my region, as an Elite trainer it's my duty to make sure all is well. Lead the way, Ash."

The four quietly walked. Rosa pointed them in the right direction, soon leading them behind the restaurant and into a shady neighborhood. Eventually, among the red lights and neon signs, a startlingly bright vermillion series of shirts could be seen.

The residents of the neighborhood kept their eyes down as the Rocket grunts walked by. Bertha held her hand out, pressing Ash back against the alley as she herself pressed back against the grimy bricks. The herd of grunts walked past, not looking to the side at all. They watched only the one leading the group, mucky oil on the back alley street squelching under their steps.

Bertha paused. "... Put your jacket in your bag. I'm doing the same with mine. The material's too good, we're going to stand out."

As Bertha shed her nice coat, Ash obeyed. "We're gonna follow them, huh?"

"Mightyena in a group spells trouble for a Stantler, and Rocket grunts gathered means something's about to get stolen. Let's see who they're after."


The Celadon City Game corner was decadent. Ornate white columns supported a high roof decorated with some copycat artist's rendition of a truly famous piece while replicas of fine art pieces and local artist's attempts at classical art lined the walls. Music meant to feel classy but falling just short and diving straight into corny played over the speakers along with occasional calls for a patron to head to this station or that.

Tables for Electrode Flip were set up near the entrance while the crown jewel of the joint - Clefairy Slots - sat row upon row between the entrance and the exchange counters. Security officers dressed in sharp black outfits made infrequent rounds, flanked by Machoke and Hypno. Waiters and waitresses offering complimentary refreshments ventured from the snack bar to make sure their high stakes patrons wanted for nothing; Lopunny and Gardevoir were helping in this task as well.

On Row E's fifth Clefairy Slot machine sat Dawn. The bluenette felt a hot, heavy feeling stretching across her back and up her neck as she watched the screen spin. She'd already blown twenty dollars here. If she didn't make it this time, she had to quit. She picked up the latest sparkling gourmet cream soda the waitress who monitored her row gave her.

Empoleon breathed deeply, eyeing his trainer. He didn't like the look in her eye she got when she was playing this game. She looked a little obsessed, honestly. If she didn't leave at this loss, he was going to make her.

As the spinning stopped, both grew deathly quiet. The silence intensified as the first two slots landed on 7 each. Dawn felt her heart hammering in her chest as the final stopped.

"Yahoo!" she cried out, throwing her hands in the air as 777 displayed on her screen. "Hahaha, I knew I'd win this one for sure! I had to!"

Empoleon let out a sigh. "Empo…" Maybe she'd get her money or a prize and they could leave.

However, the revelry was short lived. The waitress returned to Dawn's side. "Oh my, what a lucky winner! I think you could get a couple of plushies with that, or even one of our nice Silk Scarf sets!" The waitress's voice dropped. "But… You know, if you double that, you could get a really nice prize: a Mystic Water necklace. Or, if you quadruple it, we do have Technical Machines."

Dawn's grin widened.

Empoleon frowned.

"That's true… Hey, can you get me another cream soda? I'm gonna go for that Mystic Water! It looks nice…"

Empoleon shot Dawn a look.

"It's fine! I'll set my limit at twenty again. If I can't make it off the first twenty of my winnings, we'll take the… Uh, how much is this win worth, miss?"

"Three hundred!"

"Yeah, that's still way over two hundred for us to take home! It's fine, Empoleon. Aren't you supposed to be a big boy? This is how the big kids play!" Dawn insisted.

The penguin snorted.

"Well, miss, if you're going to keep playing, I'll take your win ticket and get you some more tokens. Why don't you take a short break to our snack bar! We'll set you up with some cakes."

Dawn grinned. "Certainly. Thank you so much!"

Empoleon slapped a flipper to his face. Why was she taking so much joy in gambling?! They should just leave now. She already lost twenty-one dollars; she'd only made two hundred and seventy-nine by his math! If she didn't make good on her promise this time, he was definitely dragging her out of here!


Their patience paid off. One grunt, blinded by the contrast between the neon lights and the swiftly coming night, slipped and fell in the ichor on the streets. Sputtering, the poor disenfranchised youth looked up just in time to see where his peers had run off to and darted after them, staggering.

Bertha and Ash did not run, walking slowly into the alley that the grunt stood in, at a loss as to where his peers had gone. He was alone, having failed in the number one task of all Rocket grunts: do not get caught.

Upon spotting Bertha and Ash, he froze. The safety he had been afforded in numbers was gone. Now, he was just another Rattata in these back streets in the rough part of town.

Bertha walked forward, Ash flanking her. "Don't move. You're under arrest by InterPol - the International Police."

The grunt went sheet white. "No, c'mon dude, I haven't done anything. This is my first night. C'mon. Please. I don't wanna go got jail. I ain't done anything. Dude, c'mon."

"Stop sniveling," Bertha snapped. "Compliance to the law is always rewarded. Strip yourself of your uniform." She reached into her bag and tossed out what was probably her pajama dress at the grunt. "Here. In exchange for giving up your association with this criminal organization, I will dismiss your current association. Do you accept these terms?" she demanded, arms crossed.

The grunt couldn't start stripping himself of his uniform fast enough. "Yeah, man! C'mon, I don't wanna go to jail. I'm out of 'em! You can keep 'em! I'm gone!" Scurrying past the two dressed in Bertha's pajamas, the former grunt disappeared into the night.

As quickly as she'd become deathly serious, the old woman chippered up. "Very nice! He even left them on the crate. They aren't dirty. Now, Ash, you have a way to slip in among the group!"

Ash gulped, a little unnerved. How commanding could Bertha really be? "Got ya…" He slunk over, stripping and putting the uniform. It was a little snug in the shoulders and arms thanks to his abundant musculature. He was thankful that the uniform's top was a little long as the pants were a little too short, too. He had to sag them to cover up his ankles.

"You shouldn't stand out too much… Except for Pikachu. He's too iconic."

"Yeah, he's kind of wanted by them, too," Ash noted.

"Very well. I'll keep ahold of him. We both have our Xtransciever and cell numbers, so we'll keep in contact if we need it. I'd return your Riolu for now. I didn't see any other Pokémon out."

Ash nodded before returning the pup. With that, he looked around, spotting a ladder. That must be where the Rocket grunts went! Using his aura briefly, he confirmed that he could sense a group of people on the rooftops. "Well, I'm going," he said before departing.


"What kept you?" barked the leader of the pack as Ash reached the roof.

He looked down, seeing the oil mark from where the grunt had fallen. "I, uh, fell… But, I can still work!" he scrambled.

The leader sneered before rolling his eyes. "Alright. We're headed for the game corner. The other team should have already infiltrated; they did all the hard work of intel gathering. So, you recruit maggots will just be doing the puke jobs. Don't mess up too bad and it'll go good on your record when we get back to base."

Ash's eyes widened though he kept quiet. Wasn't Dawn going to the game corner?! Was she still there?! He couldn't worry about that, now. They were heading out.

The leader placed a wood plank between the two roofs, moving hastily. As Ash was the last across, he noted that it almost seemed to snap under his weight. This was getting dangerous. At this height, he probably would have broken a bone. Thankfully, they only had to do that ten more times before they stopped.

"We're here," the leader announced. "We're going to enter into the maintenance room on the third floor. Keep aware. Some of the afterhours workers are not our people. If anyone raises a fuss, handle them but don't get loud."

Sure enough, a Rocket grunt dressed up as a waitress stepped onto the roof from the exit door. "Just in time! The mission leaders were getting worried."

The recruit leader scoffed. "As if those mess ups need to talk…"

"Well, the redhead is persuasive and the short one is good at planning, so that's why they get to call the shots and you play nanny, isn't it?" the Rocket agent disguised as a waitress teased. "Alright kiddies, follow me before someone wonders why my smoke break is taking so long."

Soon, the entire group of recruits and Ash were in the building, leaving the maintenance supply room. Ash made sure to keep his pace slow, falling to the back of the group as they headed towards the balcony overlooking the actual game room. Ash breathed out a sigh of relief when he saw the room itself darkened except for the glow of the occasional machine some other grunts probably trying to break into. The place was closed. Dawn wasn't here.

With that, Ash held back when the rest of the recruits were led down a hall. Ash looked around, trying to spot an important looking room. There was a metal set of doors! Maybe whoever was in charge was in there!

However, when Ash made it over, the door opened with a ding. It was an elevator and inside of it was a white uniformed Rocket agent.

"... Recruit," she spat, "What are you doing away from your group? I just saw them down stairs."

Ash swallowed thickly. "I, uh, got lost. I fell earlier," he explained, continuing the same lie, "and my ankles a little bad. I was hoping to use the elevator to get down easier."

The agent snorted. "A bum ankle is useless. But, you'll make good bait if the cops come. So, do me a favor: either pick up the pace or stay by the entrance like a good decoit, hm?" With a cackle, she walked off.

"Yes, ma'am!" Ash agreed, pretending to be frightened. As he entered the elevator, his fake fear faded away. "Yeah, right. I ain't goin' to jail for you jerks."

The elevator opened again and Ash walked out. He released Rosa, ears straining. In the distance, he could hear footsteps, but none were close. "Rosa, help me keep an eye out for any other Rocket members."

~Okay!~ she agreed.

With that, the two made care not to go down any of the halls but to also stay out of sight of the balcony. He heard the occasional muffled scream and felt guilty. Somewhere, a poor janitorial worker was being bound and gagged for seeing something that wasn't their fault for being witness to. Ash had to get to the bottom of this for them, at least.

As Ash passed in front of a heavy looking wooden door, Rosa tapped his shoulder. He kept going for a few feet, eyes towards the ceiling until he spotted a security camera. Confident he was no longer within its view, he sat down.

~There's someone in there!~ Rosa warned. ~Three someones. … Papa, do we know them?~

Ash thought for a minute then frowned. "We better not," he whispered.

As they quieted down, faint voices could be heard from within the room.

"- It's what they get for stiffing the Boss on payment! We've been busting our butts to supply this over glorified arcade with the best Pokémon for years!" spat a harsh woman's voice.

"I know that, Jessie. I'm just trying to figure out what we're going to do with them. We can't just sell them. It's always raised brows for anyone who isn't a breeder to sell Pokémon, and there's no way we can get the licensing for it. It's too messy, logistically," a man corrected.

A scratchy, thick city voice chimed in. "Das why we're gonna set up our own game corner! W'the prizes adults like gone, these jerks'll lose mosta their business! We'll take back our Pokémon we delivered with interest! The Pokémon, the Technical Machines, and the good items! They can keep those cruddy plushies and become the kiddy corner for all we care!"

"Excellent point, Meowth!" Jessie purred. "These fools will be out of business in a week's time with only school kid's allowances lining their purses! Ahahaha! … What's wrong, James?"

"You think the recruits are okay? This is their first mission, and this place has really good security. If the cops come, they'll all be arrested…"

"Don't go soft on me, James. You and I took the same risk. Fair is fair. For the glory of Team Rocket, you must take risks. We only want good recruits, anyway."

Ash was gritting his teeth. "I don't wanna listen to anymore. We know what we need to, anyway. C'mon, Rosa. We need to find out what we can do to stop this. Some evidence in case we can't, so the cops can." With that, they started walking again.

Shortly, they came before an open door. They paused before peaking in, seeing a scientist asleep. He was surrounded by bottles and the room stank of a harsh odor. Whatever he was drinking wasn't soda. The screens flashed with the different monitors and various codes. Some of the screens lining the walls showed various Pokémon in cages and different rooms filled with stock. Ash could see grunts working to recapture the Pokémon and move the goods out of the rooms. It looked like it was in a basement.

"... That's what the B in the elevator stood for," he supposed. "Rosa, can you go in there? I see some files on his desk, but there's not enough foot room for me between the bottles near him."

The puppy hesitated before nodding. She crept in, speedily moving until she hit the sea of bottles where she slowed down. She even dropped down to all fours, creeping past the bottles. She paused as she reached the desk. It was too high for her to reach. She would have to jump. Swinging her arms back and forth, the Riolu leaped up, landing heavily on the desk.

She and Ash both winced, expecting the scientist to wake up. However, he only snored, mumbling something or other. Rosa picked up the documents and slipped back down, narrowly missing the bottles again.

Right then, the entire building was lit up with the alarm system going off.

"Augh!" Ash whined, clutching his ear. He looked to the screen, seeing a janitor clutching onto an alarm bell as grunts surrounded him. Ash couldn't blame the guy. But, he and Rosa had to get of here! They couldn't get caught in these uniforms!

Ash snatched up Rosa, scrambling to get his communication system out.

Just then, the white uniformed agent slid into the room. "Elmer! Shut off the system now, or -" She froze before blossoming into fury. "You! You're a double agent! I'll kill you!" She tossed out a Pokéball, a Grimer materializing. "Sludge!"

Ash braced himself before diving to the side. He grinned triumphantly as the screens began glitching; between the moisture and the acidic nature of the Sludge, he'd managed to trick the Rocket agent into messing up the computer system. Ash dashed out of the room as she was still processing what happened while Elmer was finally waking up.

"Catch him!" she screamed.

Ash flipped open the device, punching Bertha's number as he carried Rosa with one arm. The pup clung desperately to the documents. "Whoa, man, am I glad you showed me that tricky crap earlier! But, uh, hey, anyway I can get an evac?" he said, trying to keep the mood light as he headed for the elevator. He could see grunts trailing him, now.

He quickly pressed the button to open it, slipping inside but unfortunately allowing a single grunt to follow him in.

"I'm on my way, deary! Don't you worry! Meet me in the basement! There's a delivery port under the building I can get into!"

"Got ya!" Ash answered before being clocked by the grunt. Was this jerk not going to battle him?!

"Put up ya dukes!" the grunt called.

Ash rubbed his jaw before clicking his Xtransceiver off. Well, that hurt. It wasn't anything compared to Lucario's punches, no, but it was enough to piss Ash off. "Fine."

The grunt was lucky the elevator opened to the bottom floor right after Ash hit him. The guy went flying, landing on his back and knocked out.

Ash perked up. "Hey, the loading area! I can see an opening to the streets!" he enthused. It was a straight shot down the hallway to it!

Or, at least it was before all the grunts stepped out of the side hallways to it. Ash had momentarily forgotten this was where most of the goods were stored.

"There's the intruder," they growled to themselves. "If our operation gets busted, so does this guy! Let's get him!"

"... Rosa, you know how we're not really supposed to use our aura unless it's an emergency?"

~Yes.~

"This is an emergency." Ash shifted to the side, narrowly avoiding a nasty Bite from a Rattata. He felt bad about having to fight Pokémon, but he and Rosa had to get out of here. He admittedly felt a little less bad when an Ekans tried to Coil around him and he instead flung it back at its trainer.

Rosa, meanwhile, was doing her best, too. She seemed to pick up on the way Ash wanted to avoid an actual fight and was doing her best to just dodge everything. However, for every few steps they were making forward into the hallway, they got even thicker into the cluster of Rocket grunts.

The two were even being cornered into another one of the side halls.

"No! Get off us!" Ash snarled. Was he really going to have to use an Aura Sphere? Even worse, was he going to have to ask poor sweet Rosa to battle for her life and not for sport? She was just beginning to enjoy it all!

Thankfully, that didn't happen. As Ash and Rosa were tucked safely away in one of the side hallways, what seemed to be a massive boulder rolled by, burying the Rocket grunts and their Pokémon under it. The sheer might of the thing knocked them all out!

Ash looked out of the hallway and towards the elevator. Now that it was untucked, Ash could see that it was a Golem!

"That must mean..." he said hopefully. He ran over to the entrance, snatching up the documents Rosa had dropped when she had to start fighting. "Bertha's here!"

Dropping down with surprising nimbleness for a woman her age, Bertha twirled before lifting a hand in the air. Pikachu, who was perched on her shoulders, even left off a few sparks for emphasis.

"The one and only!" she agreed. "I think we make a pretty good clean-up crew! What do you say we get going? I want to greet our boys and girls in blue properly!" she cheered.

"Where do you think you're going?" Jessie called out as the lights dimmed. She and James along with Meowth revealed themselves, shutting off their only escape out to the street. With Golem having crushed the elevator, they were stuck unless they got past those three. "You'd better prepare for trouble."

"Since there's two of you, we can definitely make it double," James agreed.

"We meant to protect this place save for our own devastation!"

"To punish those who would not be grateful for Team Rocket's exploitation!"

"To denounce a partner who cannot pay!"

"To punish a twerp who's always in our way!"

"Team Rocket will send you blasting off at the speed of light!"

"Don't surrender now, it's time to fight!"

"Some things never change… Meowth, that's right!"

Bertha smirked as Ash ran to her side, Golem standing behind her. "Here's your clothes, my dear. It seems we've got a double battle on our hands."

"I don't wanna change right here," Ash whined. "But… Here's Glalie's Pokéball! So, I'm game if you are."

"Are ya sure it's a good idea to tango with one of da strongest trainers in da Sinnoh region?" Meowth hesitated, sweat dripping down his forehead. "I got a bad feelin' 'bout this."

"Oh, can it. Do you really expect to become Team Rocket's greatest with an attitude like that?" Jessie scoffed, dramatically tossing a Pokéball forward. "Nidoqueen, let's prove our worth!"

"Nidooo!" The matriarch cried, stomping her heavy feet into the basement floor.

"Meowth kind of has a point," James sulked. "...But, so do you, I suppose. You, too, Nidoking!"

A second roar followed, the purple giant eyeing the group he was set to fight. His tail racked the ground below, an eagerness to fight showing in the poison type.

"Alright, Glalie… Let's show 'em! I choose you!" Ash called, tossing his Pokéball forward.

The Face Pokémon appeared once more, hovering besides Bertha's Golem. With Team Rocket's presence, he knew the drill. There was no need to explain the situation, even.

"Now, I'm limited by our location," Bertha noted. Being in the basement, we can't quite shake up the ground. I'll be counting on you to make up for that." She flashed a smile at the boy.

Could she compensate for that herself? Most likely. But it was good for him to grow into his own.

"Let's go, Nidoqueen! Blizzard!" Jessie commanded, a grin on her lips.

A feral cry conjured yet another burst of cold; as if there hadn't been enough today already.

Glalie could probably handle this no problem. Mt. Silver would prove adequate endurance training. Golem on the other hand, wasn't quite so lucky…

Fortunately, its trainer had this accounted for. "Hidden Power," she ordered.

Intentions were understood without many words needed. A multitude of orbs were belched, forming a fiery wall that ate through the harsh storm before Golem.

Glalie held his own, faltering little in the midst of the cold.

"Nidoking, Double Kick!" James ordered.

Perhaps offense wasn't the storm's only purpose. A large, bulky leg kicked through the snow and winds, crashing painfully into Glalie. Before the Pokémon could recover, a second roundhouse kick followed, hitting its mark.

"Hang in there," Ash encouraged. "...And use Crunch!"

Still within range, Glalie rebounded, managing to clamp down upon Nidoking's tail with his powerful jaws.

The poison type let out a roar of pain, flailing to shake the ice type free.

"Hold on tight!" Ash ordered. The longer they kept that Pokémon out of commission, the better.

Sweat dripped down James forehead, his face falling. "Get rid of it, Nidoking!"

Flailing his tail with all of his might, the Nidoking found no relief in the effort to rid himself of the pesky pokemon. This was getting really irritating!

"Don't just stand there, Nidoqueen, Toxic! If that oversized snowcone won't let go, we'll make it!"

The large Pokémon parted her maw, toxic goo bubbling in her throat.

Bertha frowned. That would certainly spell bad news for both of them. "Golem, Rock Tomb!"

The large, heavy Pokémon punched the ground before it, sending a smaller quake through the ground; he'd heard Bertha's warning. The attack was only enough to raise a rocky barrier around Nidoqueen, trapping it, as well as stopping the toxic goo in its tracks.

"Hey, nice one! Thanks a lot," Ash remarked, letting out a sigh of relief.

A mischievous glimmer appeared in James' eye. "Hit it against that Rock Tomb!"

Nidoking let out a furious roar, brutally slamming his tail into the rocky enclosement, and pummeling Glalie with it. With that, the Face Pokémon was finally forced to let go.

"Now, Megahorn!" He called.

Nidoking ducked its head, the sharp horn atop his head obtaining a sickening glow. It was then jabbed into Glalie, sending the poor Pokémon reeling back towards his own side of the battlefield.

"Now, pummel them with Superpower!" Jessie ordered.

The weakening barrier crumbled under Nidoqueen's weight, the navy pokemon vaulting towards Golem, brandishing a glowing arm that slammed into the sturdy rock type.

Golem recoiled, sliding back before regaining his balance. Painful, but far from crippling.

"Now, follow it up with Toxic!" A smirk picked up on the villain's cherry red lips.

Nidoqueen belched out more corrosive acid, aiming to poison the Megaton Pokémon.

At such close range, the Pokémon could only brace itself.

"Crap," Ash panicked. "Glalie, protect it with Gyro Ball!"

Just now recovering from Megahorn, Glalie vaulted to the rescue. Spinning into a blur with its usual silver orbit, the ice type shielded Golem, sending the acidic substance to and fro, well out of Golem's way. Or anyone else's for that matter. Indeed, the metal sheen had done its duty of protecting Glalie, as well.

"Persistent, huh?" James frowned. This was getting annoying. "Nidoking, Flamethrower!"

Eager to punish Glalie for its earlier transgressions, Nidoking roared, mouth parting wide to fire a deadly spray of flames towards the particularly susceptible pokemon.

"Look out!" Ash warned.

Of course, he wasn't alone. "Golem, you know what to do."

Eager to return the favor, Golem affirmed, rolling under the floating head to take the blast head-on. His rocky outer shell heated, ignited by the powerful stream of fire. Sturdy as ever, though, his hide protected him from the worst of the damage. He scratched his hot shell, unperturbed.

"You really saved our butts there," Ash acknowledged. "Thanks a lot."

The Elite simply flashed a cheeky smile. "This is a double battle, is it not?"

"Right," Ash nodded, turning back towards their opponents. "If they keep moving around, this is gonna be trouble… Alright, Glalie, Ice Beam! Freeze all of their feet to the ground!"

The Pokémon was eager to comply. Turning as he fired, he unleashed a hellish ray of cold across the basement floor.

"Jump, Nidoqueen! You can dodge that!" Jessie ordered.

"You too, Nidoking!"

Both Pokémon proved agile, jumping far above the attack's attempted range. With two heavy thuds, they landed afterward, unaffected.

"Nice try, twerp, but you'll have to do better than that!" Jessie taunted.

"All that training, and you still can't touch us!" James flicked his lavender hair, a smug smile on his lips.

"Wanna bet?" Ash grinned, throwing a hand to the side. "Water Pulse!"

Glalie let out a grunt, firing a concentrated aquatic orb at the two Pokémon.

"Dodge it, both of you!" Jessie ordered.

The two readied themselves to make a quick escape, only to find themselves slipping and sliding. They couldn't keep their balance at all!

"What the!?" Jessie sweated, fists balled. "Pull yourselves together!"

"Uh, Jess?" Meowth tugged on her pants, his face gloomy. "We got a problem here."

Jessie and James looked over, only just now noticing their predicament. The ground below Nidoking and Nidoqueen had been frozen over. The two could barely move!

It was then that the Water Pulse hit its mark, a potent splash assaulting Nidoking and Nidoqueen.

"Good work," Bertha praised, turning towards the rockets with a smile on her lips. "Once again, this is the end of the line for you. Golem?"

"Golemmm!" The rocky beast cried, calling upon several massive stones before launching them.

Already worn, the duo could do nothing to stop the incoming onslaught. Rocks pummeled them, swarming the field in debris.

"Dis looks really bad," Meowth sulked. "I think it's time we pack up our bags and got da heck outta here."

Indeed, his instincts were right. Dust settled to reveal an unconscious Nidoking and Nidoqueen, each piled on top of the other. Soundly defeated.

The entire group paused as sirens could be heard in the distance.

Jessie let out a growl. "Ugh, I wanted to sell this, but we've got to get out of here! Nidoqueen, return! James, get your stupid Nidoking, too!" As soon as both Pokémon were returned, Jessie threw down the object she'd pined over. It was a Smoke Ball.

Bertha and Ash coughed as the trio made their escape.

"Ash, come on!" Bertha insisted. "We've got to get out of here!"

Remembering that he was still in his uniform, Ash obeyed. After calling back the elevator to the street that Team Rocket had used, Bertha and Ash were also free. The last thing they heard from the basement was an Officer Jenny breaking down the slammed in elevator doors.

In the grimy backstreet, Ash let out a sigh of relief. "Thanks, Bertha."

"It was a team effort," she assured. "Let's find somewhere for you to change real quick and then we'll head to the Pokémon Center. After all this battling, I think Golem could use a rest!" she chipperly noted.


It was good to be back in his own clothes. After stopping hastily in a public bathroom so that Ash could ditch the Rocket uniform, he and Bertha as well as Pikachu made it to the Celadon Pokemon Center.

However, as the center doors opened, they found themselves face to face with Dawn and Empoleon.

"There you are! There was a news report about some kind of hostage situation? You weren't answering my calls, so I was going to find you!"

"Sorry," Ash apologized. "We had to take care of some business before we came back."

Calming, Dawn let out a relieved sigh. "You guys probably need to heal up your Pokémon, huh? I'd hurry. Nurse Joy said they're about to reserve a few machines for the officers that might be coming in for their own Pokémon."

"Thank you, dear," Bertha said, accepting Dawn's advice. As she and Ash put their Pokémon on trays at the counter to be healed, it occurred to the Elite that they hadn't asked how Dawn was doing. "So, how was the game corner?"

"Oh! Uh, I made out with sixty dollars! Good, huh?"

"Poleon!" the water type snapped.

She flinched, frowning. "Fine… I played the slot machines. Sixty dollars is the net of what I earned. I don't wanna talk about it. Empoleon dragged me out of there. Apparently I was acting weird," she mumbled, thoroughly ashamed of herself.

Ash chuckled. "I'm glad you weren't caught up in any of that," he said.

"You, too," Dawn agreed.

A brief silence slipped over the group as Ash felt guilt. Should he tell Dawn…?

Bertha didn't allow him to mull it over. "Well, that was quick." Her tray was already back. Then again, she only had one Pokémon to heal. "It's been good to see you, children, and I'm so proud that there are plenty of good trainers in this generation who will take their training seriously. I think I'm going to let you enjoy yourselves, though."

"Oh! Where will you go?" he asked, silently making sure she wasn't going to try and take on Team Rocket by herself.

"I'm just going to relax. I hear there's a gentleman about my age near some lovely islands. You two will probably reach it long after I leave a few days from now, but it's always good to talk to other veterans." She winked at Ash. "Hopefully nothing that happens here will be worth any nagging back at the Sinnoh League! You two enjoy your journey." With that, she headed towards the exit.

Dawn blushed, wrongly assuming that by avoiding nagging Bertha meant whatever scandal she caused with that gentleman wouldn't make it back to Sinnoh. Ash, on the other hand, knew the truth: she didn't want Cynthia chewing her out for handling tonight's situation herself. Bertha was probably even going to cover for him, as well.

"Bye, Bertha, have a good time!" Ash called.

"E-Enjoy yourself," Dawn managed before looking to Ash. Did he realize what he was saying, she wondered. "So… Is your idea of a good time the same as Bertha's?"

"Hm?" he asked, not catching on at all to her implications or false assumption. "Yeah, probably."

Dawn mentally catalogued that away. If they would eventually go to those islands, if she didn't already, she would definitely confess there!

"... Speaking of a good time, my gym battle's tomorrow!" he realized.

Dawn grinned, forgetting just that quickly about her romantic woes. "That's right! It's against Erika, isn't it? I'm excited!"


Condensation beaded on the tumbler of whiskey. In the dimly lit office, the big boss himself reclined, his many gold rings gleaming from screens behind him. A rough estimate of every recruit lost flickered on one screen while the profiles of the grunts and agents arrested on the others. Giovanni picked up the glass, swishing it ever so slightly to clack the ice against the sides.

"Well, this was a net loss," he hissed. Just an hour ago, the extraction had been completed. "So much money wasted. That doesn't even begin to cover the human resources we lost. And, our reputation…!" He slammed the glass down, glaring at the trio of agents before him.

Jessie, James, and Meowth kept their heads down, taking the verbal beat down without retort.

"But, the Celadon Game Corner has been burned. They know they were involved with us. Even more, we did manage to recover a few assets. You three even managed to find their financial forms," he praised, voice sickly sweet and rumbling lowly like thunder on the horizon. "You probably feel proud of yourselves, don't you?"

"Well, honestly, a little bit, because -"

"You shouldn't!" Giovanni snapped, slamming a fist down. "We are a generationally large organization. In all of my years… We never have experienced so many seasons of barely breaking even! It's disgusting! If I wanted to struggle by, I'd get an office job. I bet they could get the paperwork right and stay out of trouble!" He calmed himself. "We are Team Rocket. We do not 'manage.' We succeed."

From where Persian lounged beside Giovanni's desk, it got up, circling the trio.

"You know, the bounty on your heads would help offset tonight's costs. What could you say now to convince me that I shouldn't render you speechless? I know there's an agent with a Hypno that would love to see how adept he is at messing with, ah, what's the technical term again? Something with long term memory," Giovanni trailed off.

The three flinched.

Meowth quickly spoke up. "Boss, we weren't plannin' on battlin' no Elite Four members! We didn't go in w' no heavy tanks or nothin'! Our Nidos coulda handled the Twerp, yeah, but they ain't no Elite busters!"

Giovanni paused. "Which one?" Was the League trying to raid them again? He'd had to shut down most of the Johto branch after last time! He wasn't going down that route again. If they were, he would, he would -!

Giovanni's rash formulations to firebomb League member's homes at random was forgotten with James's response.

"She's from Sinnoh," he replied.

"And, the boy went to Sinnoh, correct?" Giovanni checked.

"Right. That's where we just got back from. He built a lot of good connections there, so he might have dragged her along with him," Jessie supposed.

The boss breathed deeply. "Very well. I understand. You are dismissed. I apologize that we didn't have the foresight to keep track of him. Unfortunately, given your incompetence with him, I have no further use for you in taking care of this. I'll see to it that this is marked correctly on your records. You will continue with missions as always."

The trio hesitated.

"... Boss, what're you gonna do?" Meowth inquired.

"I said you were dismissed," he repeated.

Persian hissed, prompting the three to finally leave the room. With the underlings taken care of, Persian returned to Giovanni's side, resting its huge head in its trainer's lap.

"What was the boy's name again… Ah, yes. Database program: Ash Ketchum." Giovanni turned around to face the many monitors behind him.

The monitors obeyed, opening loosely connected case files. The boy's name was highlighted, passively showing his involvement with the team. Likewise, official documents from regional media all over the world showed his name as well.

The weathered business man couldn't help but laugh when he read one quote about the boy. "He likes a good challenge, huh? He'd better mind the League, because I'll give him a challenge to die for if he keeps up."