Chapter V: An Unintentional Betrayal
Note: Someone might claim that Meowth is way too emotional in this chapter and the following one, especially being a Team Rocket. Thing is, I see Pokémon as very emotional beings, being more guided by their instincts and emotions then their reason. Meowth, in my humble opinion, is no exception.
While walking through the forest Meowth was quiet. Gatomon noticed that something was troubling her newfound friend, bet didn't ask since she knew how important privacy could be.
Meowth was having a major dilemma. He had decided that he did not want to turn Gatomon in, but he had nowhere to go but back to Team Rocket. He wasn't all that sure that Jessie and James would listen to him if he tried to explain why he didn't want to give the Digimon, the only one in the world, to Giovanni, thereby totally redeeming their reputation in the organisation and cementing it in place. Deep within he nursed a fear that Jessie and James would throw him off the team if he did, even though his reason told him that they had already been through enough for him to know better.
Finally he came to the conclusion that there was only one way out, and that was telling Gatomon the truth, that he was a thief and wanted criminal, and that he had been planning to turn her over to a vast criminal organisation. Chances were great that she wouldn't trust her after that, but he knew that it was the right thing to do.
"Look, Gatomon," he began. "Dere's dis thing I'd like to tell ya."
"Shh," Gatomon said and stopped. "I thought a heard something."
Suddenly a cloud of smoke appeared in front of them. Two familiar figures emerged.
"Prepare for trouble!"
"Make it double!"
"Oh no!" Meowth sighed.
"What the…" Gatomon said as the smoke cleared and exposed the figures as Jessie and James.
"To protect the world from devastation."
"To unite all people within out nation."
"To denounce the evils of truth and love."
"To extend our reaches for the sky above."
"Jessie!"
"James!"
"Team Rocket blasts at the speed of light!"
"Surrender now or prepare to fight?"
Gatomon stared at them. "Huh?"
"Meowth! We've been looking all over for you!" Jessie said. "We've been worried sick!"
"And I see that you've managed to find that unidentified Pokémon for us!" James said and smiled hugely. "Perfect! The boss will be so happy!"
"Funny ting ya should mention dat," Meowth said nervously. "Meowth was just about to…"
"Wait a minute, these are those friends you told me about?" Gatomon asked.
"That's right!" Jessie said. "We're Team Rocket, Pokémon thieves and you now belong to us!"
"But…" Gatomon said. "But Meowth…"
Something snapped in her mind as she realised the truth. She turned to Meowth with her eyes burning of rage. "You! I can't believe I trusted you!"
"Look, yous got it all wrong!" Meowth tried to explain.
"Enough of this!" Jessie said. "Arbok, go!"
"Weezing, go!" James said.
The two Pokémon appeared in front of Gatomon, who had torn her eyes away from Meowth to face the new threat. Without waiting for them to strike she attacked, screaming.
"Arbok, Glare!" Jessie hurried to say.
"Charrrbok!" Arbok responded. His eyes suddenly started glowing and they met with Gatomon's. The Digimon immediately realised what he was up to, and instinctually struck back. "Cat's Eye Hypnosis!"
For a moment they just stood there looking into each other's eyes, locked in the combined attacks. As long as they maintained eye contact, both were affected. The Glare attack and the Cat's Eye Hypnosis cancelled each other out.
"Weezing, here's your chance!" James commanded. "Tackle her!"
"Weezing!" the poisonous Pokémon flew through the air and collided with Gatomon, breaching the contact between her and Arbok. The snake Pokémon shook his head, trying to clear it.
Gatomon got up quicker then Weezing had anticipated, and slashed him over the face. Weezing winced in pain and fell back from her. Gatomon were more powerful then her opponents, but she seemed to have lost her fighting spirit, and could not concentrate on the battle. Meowth saw tears in her eyes.
"Stop!" he said, weakly. "Listen to me…"
"Weezing, use Smoke Screen!" James said without even hearing Meowth's request. Weezing started flying in circles around Gatomon, a black smoke billowed out of the craters of his two spherical "heads". The smoke blinded Gatomon, making her cough and choke.
"Arbok, Wrap!" Jessie said. Arbok lounged forward into the smoke. Only Gatomon's reflexes saved her from the Pokémon's attack. Instead she jumped out of the way and managed to grab Arbok's tail. She picked it up, using all of her strength and started swinging him around and around. Jessie and James stared. Gatomon was using Arbok to disperse the smoke.
"Chaaaaaaaaaaar!" Arbok screamed in panic. He was not used to be treated as a fan.
"Arbok!" Jessie shouted. "James, do something!"
"Weezing, do something!" James cried to his Pokémon.
"Weezing!" Weezing said and darted straight towards Gatomon, who was wielding Arbok as a gigantic flail. Suddenly she let go of his tail, and Weezing suddenly found himself hit by 65 Kg Arbok. They both crashed to the ground. Gatomon used the time he had bought to again turn towards Meowth, who was standing there as if paralysed.
"I trusted you!" she said. "I thought you were me friend." She took a step closer and raised her claws towards him.
"Hey, let Meowth explain!" Meowth said, backing.
"No need, I understand perfectly!" Gatomon spat.
"Weezing, Sludge!" they heard James call out. Gatomon turned her head only to be hit over the eyes by a load of foul, black goo.
"My eyes!" she cried. "I'm blinded!"
"Arbok, Poison Sting!" Jessie shouted.
"Charrr!" Arbok growled and from his mouth hundreds of small, poisonous needle-sized projectiles flew. The attack hit Gatomon like a machine gun, and she fell to the ground.
"Well," Jessie said and took a Pokéball out of her belt. "Time to end this."
Gatomon struggled to get up. She had to keep fighting.
Why? Why keep fighting? What is the point? Weakened by Arbok's poison and blinded by Weezing's sludge, Gatomon's world was nothing but pain and darkness. A wave of loneliness and despair hit her harder then any enemy attack ever did. When the Pokéball hit her, turned her body into energy and captured her, she didn't even fight it. She felt herself drift away in a blessed, dreamless sleep.
"We did it!" Jessie shouted. "Team Rocket finally succeeded!"
"I can't believe this is happening!" James said and almost cried out of joy. "We are finally going get everything we dreamed about!"
Meowth was shocked and had no idea on how to react. What was he supposed to do? Jessie and James came over to him and picked him up. "Meowth, we did it!" they both cried and hugged him hard. "And it's all thanks to you!"
"Eh, sure," Meowth said and sweatdropped. He had no clue on what to do. He did not have the heart to tell then to let Gatomon out again. After all of their failures trying to capture Pikachu they needed this success, Meowth knew that.
"Come on, let's get back!" Jessie said. "I can't wait to give this to the boss!"
The whole way back Jessie and James never stopped talking about how pleased the boss would be. Meowth felt like he was going to be sick. But there was nothing more to do. What's done is done, and he had to try to forget about Gatomon. But God only knew how he was supposed to do it.