Disclaimer: Pokémon does not belong to me.

Chapter Three

Jesse, James and Meowth trudged through the forest. They were soaked to the bone and getting wetter by the minute. James carried a broken umbrella in his hand. Jesse held a dripping newspaper over her head and Meowth wore old, ripped galoshes.

"Pikachu is so not worth this," Jesse complained, tossing her newspaper into a bush. "Look what the rain has done to me! I'm a mess."
"Yeah, I know." James said drearily. "It's totally messing up my do."

"Your do?" Meowth spat at him. "I look like a drowned rat! I hate water."

"We're in desperate need of a makeover," Jesse commented. "Hey, look at that building."
James took out his binoculars and peered through them. "O'Hair Beauty Salon," he read.

"James, do you realize what this means?" she squealed, instantly perking up.

"We can get out of this rain?" he suggested.

"No! We can get our hair done," she replied, fetching her newspaper so she could hit him with it. "Oh, I can just see it now," she said dreamily. She imagined herself with her hair in a bun with a jeweled crown in it and wearing a fancy dress. "Mirror, Mirror, on the wall, who's the fairest one of all? Why, Jesse, you are of course," she replied in a deep voice.

James and Meowth stared at her. "Yeah, right. It'd take a miracle to do that," said Meowth. Jesse turned her newspaper on him. He retaliated with his claws.

Meanwhile, James was drifting off into his own fantasy. All his hair was sticking up, like Pikachu had just shocked him. He strummed an air guitar. "Team Rocket blast off at the speed of light. Surrender now, or prepare to fight…" he crooned.

Meowth took his nail and burst his bubble. "I know what I'd like." He pictured himself on someone's lap, being brushed while he purred loudly.

"Let's do it," Jesse said excitedly.

"But what about mon-" James began.

"Oh, we'll think about that later," she snapped. She grabbed him by the sleeve and dragged him into the open. Meowth trailed behind, tripping over his boots, which were too big for him. They crept up to the window and saw a very familiar yellow tail inside.

"Look, it's Pikachu!" James exclaimed.

"Shh!" Jesse and Meowth smacked him.

"I don't see the twerp," Meowth observed. "But he must be there too."

"JAMES, THIS IS THE PERFECT OPORTUNITY!!!!!" Jesse shouted.

James looked at her; his face with a red handprint on one cheek and scratch marks on the other. "Don't tell me 'Shh,' when you're just as loud…"

"Oh, be quiet!" She pushed him to the ground. "If we steal Pikachu, we can give him to the boss. He'll give us a nice big bonus, and we can get the haircuts of our dreams!"

"All right!" they cheered. They stared for the door.

"Wait a second! We have to come up with a plan first." Meowth said.

"Oh, right." They huddled together, whispering loudly.

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