Part 6

Jessie looked around at the beautiful metropolis they had just arrived in. Viridian City was a bustling little city close to the headquarters of the Indigo League that boasted its own Gym and Pokécenter. It also happened to be the place where Giovanni, the head of Team Rocket, made his home and office.

She grinned over at her partner, who was fidgeting impatiently beside her. James was in disguise as a male for once, in a nice T-shirt and shorts that complemented her tank top and miniskirt. The books they had…appropriated from the library were in a backpack slung carelessly on his shoulder. Behind them, Meowth was walking on all fours with a collar around his neck, pretending to be their pet.

"Much better then the last time we came here, right James?" she asked teasingly.

He nodded eagerly. "Much better! No more Team Twerp to deal with!"

"Yeah, they're off in the Lemon League or something," added Meowth.

Jessie grabbed him and clamped a hand over his mouth, looking around to make sure no one else had heard the cat. "Shut up, you stupid furball!" she snarled at him. "No one's supposed to know you can talk!"

Meowth glared at her furiously, no doubt because of the furball reference, and nodded. The Rocketeer put him down, where he promptly proceeded to walk about six feet away from them.

The young woman softened a bit. I was too hard on him, she thought. She was about to go over and apologize, but James grabbed her arm.

"We're here," he informed her, waving his arm at the Greco-Roman style Pokémon gym, newly rebuilt since the egg thing had blown it up.

Jessie nodded at him, trying to mask the mixture of excitement and nervousness in her mind. "Let's go."

* * *

Meowth followed the two human members of his team into the gym, shooting dirty looks at them. He still didn't really want his charm's wishes being used up. It gave him an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach. Plus, Jessie insisted on insulting him even though he had agreed to help them.

Oh, well, he sighed. What're you gonna do? Two men in centurion uniforms stepped up to them at that point, interrupting his train of thought. The guards quickly recognized the trio and moved to the side, allowing them access to Giovanni's office.

He was sitting there behind his desk as usual, the damnable Persian at his feet. The beautiful Pokémon got up and slinked over to Meowth, giving him a once-over.

"Meowth," she purred, in the language only Pokémon spoke. "Still as mangy as ever, I see."

"Well, you're still as bitchy as ever!" Meowth snarled back. Persian simply smirked at him and went over to Giovanni, rubbing against his leg. He bent over and picked her up and started to brush her fur. Persian meowed gently, watching her unevolved counterpart with an amused expression on her face.

"0800 hours on the dot," his master remarked. "Very good. Now, where are the books?"

"Here you go, sir!" James responded perkily, and swung the backpack off his shoulder. He dropped it on the desk and started to empty out the books.

Giovanni looked at him icily. "Leave them in the bag, you fool! I'm taking them with me," he ordered the bishounen coldly. James sweatdropped and began putting the books back. The leader of Team Rocket sighed.

"And to think that this is whom I'm leaving my precious organization to while I'm gone," he muttered. The two humans both stiffened at once, worried that Giovanni had had a change of heart. He gave them a disgusted look. "Oh, quit worrying. Seeing as I have no one else to leave matters to, you two will have to do for now." They both relaxed.

Meowth finally got up the courage to speak up. "What about me, boss?" he inquired.

"As I told you before, you will come with myself and Persian here." Persian let out a small snort, which Giovanni pretended not to hear. He turned to Jessie. "Where is Meowth's Pokéball?"

"Right here, sir!" she said smartly, handing him the wretched contraption that Meowth had been locked into only two nights before. Giovanni nodded and pulled a complementing ball from his belt.

"Meowth, Persian, return," he commanded. Meowth didn't fight the pull of the ball for once, trying to show off his obedience to his trainer. He was pleased to note that Persian was fighting like mad to avoid the beam, but that she too was sucked in, having only succeeded in making a fool out of herself. That was the last thing he thought before entering the emptiness that was his home.

* * *

James watched as Giovanni stood and placed the two balls on his belt, next to the ones that contained Rhydon, Kingler, and Machamp. He picked up the backpack and nodded gravely at Jessie and James, and then was gone.

Once he was gone, James turned to Jessie with a huge grin on his face. "Woohoo!" he cried. He picked her up and swung her around. "This is it, Jess! We hit the big time! Let's enjoy it while it last, neh?"

"You better believe it!" Jessie retorted. An evil smile lit up her face. "Oooh, if only that little slut Cassidy could see me now from her jail cell! She'd have an aneurysm!"

"Yeah! Serves her and that Botch guy right," James agreed. He held out his arm for Jessie to take. "Shall we go survey our operations, Jessica?"

She smiled and hooked her elbow into his. "But of course, James." The two walked out, unaware of just how soon their happiness would crumble.

To be continued…