****

"Now that's better," Jesse said, smoothing out her white skirt and pulled her black thigh high boots up a little higher. James was beaming as he fixed his gloves.

Misty was in the balloons basket searching for clues. Brock was fanning Ash and Ash was - well - Ash was on the ground trying to catch his breath. He had run all the way back to the dorms and had gotten Jesse and James' old Team Rocket uniforms, which had been patched up nicely.

James turned to Jesse with pleading eyes and was about to say something when she clamped her hand over his mouth.

"Iie," was all she said.

"Kudasai? Ai shiteru zutto," James whined through her hand. Jesse sighed and dropped it from his mouth. James jumped for joy.

"Ready when you are," James cooed. Jesse stared at him for a minute, then she slapped him a couple times.

"Now I feel better," she said, clenching her fist.

"Ready?" she asked, looking at James. He nodded his head repeatedly.

"Iku zo!"

****

"Are we there yet?" Cassidy whined in Butch's ear for what seemed like the billionth time.

"We've gotta be somewhere close by now," he grunted back at her and almost tripped over a rock.

"OI! Watch where you're going!"

"Do you want to walk back to the balloon yourself?"

- prepare for trouble -

"Did you hear something?"

"No, I didn't Cassi-"

- and make it double -

"There it is again!"

"I think the pain killers have gotten to your brain - brain killers, heh heh, that's cute..."

-to protect the world from devastation -

"What was that," Butch asked, dropping Cassidy on the ground.

- to unite all people within our nation -

"Those are the voices I was talking about," Cassidy said, wobbling a bit as she stood and rubbed her sore tush. "I don't know who they belong to, but they sound vaguely familiar."

- to denounce the evils of truth and love -

"It's coming from over there," Butch said, pointing toward a big tree well hidden by monstrous bushes. "Come on, be careful."

- to extend our reach to the stars above -

"Over here, schhh, be quiet," Butch whispered. "Behind these bushes is a clearing and that's where the voices are coming from."

"How do you know this?"

"Look."

- Jesse -

"Oh my...," Cassidy said, letting go of the branch she was holding and it smacked Butch in the face.

- James -

"What are they doing here?"

"Keep your voice down."

- Team Rocket Blasts off at the speed of light -

"HA! They're no longer a part of Team Rocket," Cassidy sneered, hatred gleamed in her eyes.

- surrender now or prepare to fight -

- Jess, it just doesn't feel right without Meowth -

- stop whining -

Butch felt sorry for them. He never really hated them, he was following orders from Cassidy. He thought Cassidy was the love of his life, but when the great battle was over he learned the truth: Boss had put some sort of chip in her brain. It gave her the power to control other people's minds and make them her slaves. Unfortunately, Cassidy absorbed some of Boss's power during the operation, and she now thought she was the kat's meow. His power possessed all that was evil and claimed Cassidy as it's slave of darkness.

That *and* he loved with Jesse. He was happy for James, and wished that maybe someday Cassidy would change and become the girl he was in love with in the beginning, before any of the operations took place.

"Come on," he whispered. "Let's go around through the brush to the back of the balloon." He picked up Cassidy and headed off toward the balloon. Sorrow filled him from head to toe as he thought of what she would make him do to Jesse and James. He was completely helpless every time she took over his mind.

****

"Let's go find whoever came in this balloon," Misty said, walking toward the woods.

Ash was *still* on the ground doing nothing.

Brock was just standing there contemplating how to tell Misty that he loved her.

Jesse was comforting a crying James as he murmured something about it not being fair and Meowth.

Misty stopped, turned around and ran to the balloon. She hopped inside the basket and started throwing things out. Brock was the only one who seemed to notice.

"What are you doing?" he asked, leaning over the edge of the basket.

"Help me search," Misty said, continuing to throw things out of her way. Brock shrugged and jumped in. Before he could ask what they were searching for, Misty found it. She threw something small and black at him.

"What's this," he asked examining it.

"Just put it on," she said and took off her shirt. Her shorts soon followed. Brock sat there and watched her change. His eyes grew *even* bigger when she said she couldn't wear a bra with the top.
Needless to say, when she asked for help - he helped her. The finished picture was beautiful.

It looked like a new version of Team Rockets uniform. The whole uniform was black. She wore a black halter-top with a plunging neckline that was cropped a little below her chest. She wore tight black boy cut shorts that barely covered her bum. She also had black boots that went a little above the knee and laced all the way up. The uniform came with a little masquerade mask.

To add a finishing touch there was a little red "R" on her top above her right breast.

"Hurry up and get dressed," Misty said as she bent over to fix her boots.

"All right," he choked. As he put on his uniform Misty's expression changed much like Brock's did. He was wearing a tight, black shirt that had cropped sleeves with a mandarin type of collar that split open down his chest. He had black boots and black cords on. His uniform also came with a black eye mask. His little red "R" was below his right shoulder, the same place as Misty's.

Both uniforms came with a set of black gloves, although Brock's only went to the elbow.

They both stood in the basket looking at each other. Longing to reach out and touch the other and not care about the bad guys. Longing to tell each other how deep their love truly was. To whisper sweet nothings into each other's ears.

Misty closed her eyes and imagined the scene.

"We better round up the others and go," she sighed, not wanting to ruin the moment but having no other choice.

"Yeah," he breathed and got out of the basket. He turned back and helped her out. He went over and got Jesse and James pumped again.
Misty went and kicked Ash's feet a couple times before he finally said he was ready and got up.

"Here's the plan," Misty said, but before she had a chance to explain - another smoke bomb went off.

****

tbc...