Ash Ketchum strode towards the end of Nugget Bridge with Pikachu happily by his side. He had easily beaten all five trainers without needing to return to the Pokémon Centre to heal Pikachu. The grand prize of Nugget Bridge was his for the taking.

"Congratulations you beat our five contest trainers!" The trainer standing at the end of the bridge said, handing over a small gold nugget. "You just earned a fabulous prize."

Ash gratefully accepted the nugget and surveyed it for a second before he shoved it into a pocket.

"By the way, would you like to join Team Rocket? We're a group dedicated to evil using Pokémon. Want to join?"

Ash shook his head vehemently and looked down to share an incredulous look with Pikachu.

"Are you sure? Come on, join us. I'm telling you to join. OK, you need convincing. I'll make you an offer you can't refuse." The trainer backed up twenty metres and then pulled a PokéBall out of a pocket. "Ekans, I choose you!" He held out a PokéBall and Ekans popped out into their small battleground. It hissed in Ash's general direction.

"Pikachu, I choose you," Ash called, thrusting an arm forward. "Use Thundershock."

"Pika!" Pikachu said, running off the end of the bridge into the battle. "Pikachu!"

Pikachu launched himself into the air and hammered the opposing Ekans with a powerful Thundershock. It withstood the attack with minor damage, slithering towards Pikachu.

"Ekans, use Wrap."

Pikachu was not going to allow himself to get caught. He easily dodged Ekans's attempts to encircle him, hopping around energetically.

"Pikachu, finish them off with another Thundershock," Ash commanded.

This time as Pikachu unleashed its electricity Ekans stood no chance of survival. It fainted almost immediately, rolling over unable to battle.

"Bah!" Ash's opponent cried, withdrawing Ekans to its PokéBall. "Go, Zubat!"

Zubat came out of its PokéBall, flapping wildly and staying well clear of Pikachu on the ground.

Ash laughed and pointed an arm out at Zubat. "Pikachu, you know what to do. Thundershock."

"Pika!" Pikachu chirruped happily, crouching down and building up electricity in his cheeks.

"Quick, Zubat, use Confuse Ray."

Pikachu leapt off of the ground as waves of confusion zoomed towards him. Whilst in mid air he hammered a powerful bolt of lightning into Zubat. The two Pokémon hit the ground at the same time, Pikachu entirely unharmed and Zubat unconscious.

"Argh, you are good," The Team Rocket member said aggressively, withdrawing his injured Pokémon. He walked forward and stood, staring down at Ash from only a metre away. "With your ability you could become a top leader in Team Rocket."

"Oh, um, I'm ten-years-old," Ash said apologetically. "I don't think I should be joining a group dedicated to doing evil."

"Nonsense. You're perfect for our organisation. We need young trainers like you to develop into leaders. What do you say? Just come with me and we'll get you started."

"No, I really can't. Sorry." He went to step around the Team Rocket trainer, but he put an arm out and held him in place.

"Listen, kid," he growled. "This is the opportunity of a lifetime. You can't possibly say no."

"I can't possibly say yes," Ash quipped. "I'm on a journey to become the World's greatest trainer. I'm gonna catch 'em all. What you want me to do doesn't make sense to me."

"You'll regret this, kid," the Team Rocket trainer said and threw something at the ground. A cloud of smoke blossomed engulfing them and causing Ash to cover his mouth and eyes with both hands. He struggled not to break down coughing as he could hear Pikachu crying out in pain.

"Hold on, Pikachu," Ash mumbled through his hands, trying not to inhale anymore of the smoke.

After almost a full minute, Ash risked peering through clenched eyes and discovered that the majority of the smoke had dissipated. The Team Rocket trainer was somehow completely gone even though there was nowhere close by that he could have gone to hide.

Pikachu was at Ash's feet, wrapped into a tight ball murmuring, "Pika, Pika."

Ash scooped him up and held him to his chest. "Pikachu. Let's get you to the Pokémon Centre so Nurse Joy can have a look at you."

Pikachu cried and buried his face into Ash's shirt.

Ash ran the length of Nugget Bridge and leapt over the small ledge to get into Cerulean City between the Pokémon Centre and Gym. Without slowing a beat he ran into the Pokémon Centre and laid Pikachu on the counter.

"Nurse Joy," Ash said, slightly out of breath. "Please check if Pikachu is okay."

"What happened?" Nurse Joy asked, stepping over from the healing station where another trainer's Pokémon were being healed inside of their PokéBalls.

Ash had already visited before heading to Nugget Bridge so Nurse Joy was aware that he couldn't possibly put Pikachu into a PokéBall for healing.

"Someone set off a smoke bomb right at my feet. Pikachu took the brunt of the smoke."

Nurse Joy gently reached out with a cloth and wiped Pikachu's face, especially around his eyes. As she tilted his head around carefully and pried his eyes open he cried softly. She patted him consolingly as she very carefully conducted an examination.

"He's okay," she reported after an anxious minute. "The smoke has dried out his eyes a bit so I'll give you some eye drops and you should avoid any battles until he feels comfortable again."

Ash rubbed his own eyes and Nurse Joy offered him a towel.

"Are you okay, Ash?" she asked comfortingly. "Your eyes are all red and puffy too."

"I'm fine," he said, coughing to clear his throat. He really was fine, but his main concern was now Team Rocket. The trainer had made an interesting claim that he could become a leader within their organisation. Did he not listen when Ash had told him that he was only ten? Surely they didn't actually want a team made up of children. If he ever got the chance he would ask exactly what they were after.

"Officer Jenny passed through here moments ago talking about Team Rocket," Nurse Joy said worriedly. "Is that who attacked you?"

Ash scooped Pikachu up off of the counter and cradled him in his arms as he pocketed the offered vial of eye drops. "No, it was someone else," he lied and made his way to the exit. He stopped in the doorway and glanced over his shoulder. "Thank you, Nurse Joy."

As Ash stepped out into the bright sun and shaded his eyes he almost ran straight into someone. He stepped back apologetically and looked them up and down before his eyes landed on their face. "You!"

"Me," the Team Rocket trainer said. "Sorry about before, I needed to do a wardrobe change to show you what you are potentially missing out on."

Ash once again looked over his mostly black outfit, accompanied by white boots and gloves and a bright red 'R' emblazoned on his chest. He wore a silly looking driver's cap and he looked more like a chauffeur than an ominous figure of evil.

"What if I said yes to joining Team Rocket?" Ash posed. "What am I expected to do?"

The Team Rocket man's eyes lit up. "You would train to become one of our grunts. Sowing disquiet and panic around Kanto."

"Why?"

"To help our syndicate one day take over the World. We will do whatever is necessary to capture and obtain Pokémon to help us achieve this goal."

"So I could still focus on my goals? Trying to catch Pokémon and become the World's greatest trainer?"

"Of course, that aligns with our mission as well."

Ash juggled Pikachu into the crook of his left arm and reached out with his right hand. "You've got a deal." His views didn't align with what Team Rocket were trying to achieve, but he saw this as a fantastic opportunity to achieve his own goals. What could be the harm in playing along?

"Really?" He was completely flabbergasted as he reached out to shake Ash's hand with both of his gloved hands. "You won't regret this. Come with me and we'll get you kitted out."

The Team Rocket trainer turned Ash around and started leading him away.

"Wait," Ash said, second guessing his extremely rash decision. What was the point of joining Team Rocket in order to achieve his goals when he had been doing extremely well on his own so far? "I don't think that this is the right decision for me. I'm sorry." He turned to walk back around to Nugget Bridge. There was still more of Route 24 to explore and hopefully the Cerulean City Gym Leader was up there somewhere.

"Kid. Stop toying with me. Are you going to join, or not?"

"No. Yes. No." Ash threw his hands up and grumbled. "I am just a kid. I can't decide. What's the benefit in joining Team Rocket anyway?"

"If you're not with us, you're against us. We will stop at nothing to achieve world domination. What else is there to consider?"

"Good versus evil," Ash said. "A boy should be good and do everything possible to stop the bad guys. My mom would be disappointed in me if I joined you. I couldn't do this to her."

"Fine!" The Team Rocket trainer barked and turned to walk away. "But you'll regret this."

Ash watched him storm off in a huff. Why was this decision so hard to make? Surely everyone he knew expected him to do everything to fight Team Rocket not join them. And yet for some reason it was so enticing. Was it the power he could wield if he became a great leader? Or was he just inherently bad?

"Stop," Ash called. "I've decided and this time it's final. I'm going with you."

The Team Rocket man had a mischievous grin on his face as he turned to face Ash. Ash considered if he had been manipulated. But no, all of the decision making had been his alone.

"You won't regret it," the Team Rocket trainer said, coming back to slap Ash on the arm. "Welcome to Team Rocket, kid."

Ash shared his own devious smile. This felt right. "Ash. My name is Ash Ketchum."

"Well, Ash Ketchum, let's go and change the world."

"Brock," Ash said suddenly, slapping his head in disbelief.

"Pardon me?"

"I left my companion just outside of Mt Moon studying the various cave Pokémon. I should go and tell him what I've decided before I go anywhere with you. Can you wait a while?"

"Hmm, can't you just leave without telling them? Joining Team Rocket isn't really something you should broadcast to everyone otherwise they might fight to stop you."

"Oh, well I suppose he could fend for himself. He might just think that I've gone on without him."

"Good, let's go. We have a ways to go to get to headquarters before nightfall."

"Pika," Pikachu interrupted, and Ash saw that he was smiling and alert so he placed him on the ground.

"And where is that?" Ash asked, jogging to keep up with his new companion's long strides as they headed through town.

"Oh, no," the Team Rocket trainer blurted, running to hide behind the closest building.

Ash was confused for a moment before he spotted a police officer walking across where they had been heading. "Ah, I see," he said, walking casually over to also hide around the corner so the policewoman didn't spot his suspicious behaviour.

"Hurry up and get down," his companion whispered under his breath. "Don't let Officer Jenny stop you."

"Hey! You, young trainer," Officer Jenny called out and Ash froze halfway to safety. "This is official police business. Come here."

Ash intentionally looked anywhere but his companion's hiding spot as he turned and walked over to the aqua haired officer. "How can I help you, officer?" he asked, croaking nervously.

"Have you seen anyone suspicious lurking around town?" she asked, wielding a notepad and pen. "There have been reports that Team Rocket were around here, and a family's Pokémon was stolen earlier."

"Team Rocket?" Ash said uncertainly. "I haven't heard of them."

"Men and women wearing all black with a bright red 'R' on their chest? Are you sure? You would know them if you'd seen them."

"I'm sorry, but no. I haven't been here long enough to see anyone like that." Ash was finding it far too easy to lie. His troublemaker side was loving this opportunity to cause mischief. Perhaps he had made the right decision to join Team Rocket after all. "Are they bad guys?"

"The baddest." Officer Jenny put away her notepad and looked around and Ash followed her gaze around town. He noticed his companion's head appear for a second around the corner of the building before rapidly retreating.

"Can I go now?" Ash asked, looking in entirely the opposite direction.

"Of course…"

"Ash. Ash Ketchum." Idiot! Why had he told the police his real name? What a great start to his life of crime.

"Thank you, Ash. Be sure to alert us if you see or hear anything on your journey."

"I will, Officer," Ash said and walked around his companion's hiding place in the opposite direction, glancing over his shoulder to make sure Officer Jenny walked away.

"What happened?" his companion asked when they were together and making their way out of town once again.

"The police are looking for you. Well us now I guess. And they know what to look out for."

"That was bound to happen. What did you tell her?"

Ash swallowed nervously and decided to lie about accidentally revealing his name. "I said that I hadn't heard of Team Rocket. I guess she believed me and let me go."

"Good job, kid. Let's get out of here before she sees us fleeing."

They ran south with Pikachu hot on Ash's heels, jumping over a hedge that marked the edge of town and the start of Route 5.

As soon as Ash was out of town he realised that he was going off alone with a random adult he knew nothing about. Adventuring with Brock was one thing as he had a good reputation as a gym leader, but this was stupid. Professor Oak and especially his mum would be so disappointed in him. Not to mention the fact that he was walking away from Cerulean City without earning his second gym badge. How would he become the Pokémon Champion if he joined Team Rocket? What was he thinking? He was abandoning his dreams, not making them easier to achieve.

"This is wrong," Ash said, halting in his tracks. "I can't do this. I lied to the police and I'm sure that's the least of the crimes that you'll expect me to commit."

"Don't do this, kid," his companion said loudly. "Team Rocket can be your future. We can take good care of you."

"Why are you trying so hard to force me to join? What do you get out of this?"

"Listen, Ash. I'm not going to try the hard sell anymore. Just know that if you don't come with me today then you're making yourself an enemy of Team Rocket for life. We will constantly stand in the way of your goals. Want to catch all of the Pokémon? Wrong, we'll be there taking them first. Want to beat the gym challenge and become Pokémon champion? Too bad, we've taken over all of the gyms and stopped handing out badges. Team Rocket is an unstoppable juggernaut and oh boy do we know how to hold a grudge."

"Okay," Ash said, dismissively. "I get that, but still why me?"

"You beat the five trainers on Nugget Bridge without your Pikachu breaking a sweat. You showed real guts and skill. We want that in our ranks."

"Was that supposed to be hard?"

"Very funny, kid. You showed some real promise. That's why I pestered you to join. Just stop second guessing and come with me to headquarters. Once you see what we're all about you won't be able to walk away."

Ash dropped his head and stared down at Pikachu. He wouldn't want to fight on the side of evil. Why would Ash? Without a word he walked back towards Cerulean City.

"You'll regret this," the Team Rocket man grumbled. "We know who you are now, Ash Ketchum."

Ash ignored his comment, climbing up the ledge into town and leaving any ridiculous thoughts of joining Team Rocket behind him. What a relief to have come to his senses.

"Ash," a familiar voice called and Ash looked up to see Brock running towards him. "Where have you been? The police are swarming all over town and I wasn't sure if you were okay."

"I'm fine," Ash said, deciding in the moment to conceal the fact that he had almost been coerced into joining Team Rocket. "Just looking for the gym leader."

"Misty is back in the gym. Officer Jenny located her with all of the trouble going on."

"Awesome! I wonder if she'll let me challenge her? I can't wait to have Pikachu take on her water team."

"I think with everything going on around here she will want to wait. But, we should go and find out. She should have some swimsuit girls around."

"Gross," Ash sighed, walking towards the Pokémon gym. Maybe a Pokémon battle would help him forget about Team Rocket and his indecision to join them.

To Ash's great disappointment, but as no shock at all, the doors to the gym were firmly locked and there was no-one in sight. Even the man who had been guarding the doors when Ash first arrived in town was gone.

"Damn," Brock cried, his dismay at not being able to gawk at any girls in bikinis very obvious. "I followed Misty here just before. I wonder where she's gone."

"She probably locked herself inside until this whole thing with Team Rocket blows over. Let's head up Route 24 while we wait."

"I heard that there's someone really cool up that way at the end of Route 25," Brock said excitedly. "You think that Professor Oak is cool just wait until you see this."

That put a bit of pep into Ash's step. Who could possibly excite Brock so much? Hopefully it wasn't just another girl. He had seen Brock fawn over both Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny too much in their short time together already. He was such a perv. He didn't understand why Brock was so excited by girls when there were so many cool Pokémon in the world. Teenagers! One day he would try and understand them.

They set off for Route 24, crossing Nugget Bridge where the five trainers Ash had beaten earlier in the day avoided his gaze. They were not up for a rematch and easily allowed them passage. They went past where the Team Rocket trainer had been stationed and Ash wondered what might have been. Why was the idea of joining Team Rocket so exciting? It was so wrong. And yet he still wanted to do it.

No! He had to stop thinking that. He would never ever join Team Rocket.