(Chapter I: Guess What A Little Pidgey Told Me…)
New Team Rocket Head Quarters was a beautiful
building. It was really such a shame that an evil and disliked organization
like Team Rocket owned such a wonderful, proud HQ. It shone brightly when
even the weakest ray of light reflected off of it. The floors inside were
tiled and sparkling. It was just a vision.
But that was 6 years ago.
Now no one even likes to glance at that wreck of a building. It was
falling apart in some places and there were stains on the walls. The gate
surrounding it was rusting and leaning dangerously on one side. The floors
inside it were streaked and dirty.
But on this lazy autumn day, in the deep purple eyes of Cassidy Sundance,
it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.
She walked proudly through the hallways of
HQ, smiling a great, wicked smile. A few people she passed shot her questioning
glances, but she ignored them and continued walking until she reached the
room of her partner, Butch Kidd. After several knocks, he opened the door
looking out at her through sleepy and very annoyed eyes.
"This better be good, Cassidy," he grumbled,
moving back as she pushed him aside and strode into his room.
After he had closed the door, she turned to face him, a victorious
expression her pretty face.
"Butch, this is it. I've found the perfect
way to finally get that bothersome pair, Jessie and James, out of out hair."
Butch groaned. The last time Cassidy had the perfect way to get rid
of the two of them…well, he didn't want to think about it. But it took
forever to wash that disgusting Tentacruel slime out of his hair. (A/N:
No, this has nothing to do with any TV episode, so don't even ask.)
"Cass, we've gone through quite a few of these
'perfect plans' and they've all come out far from perfect."
She shook her head, smirking.
"Not this time, Butch. This time it will most
definitely work. Now think, Butch. What do you think Jessie and James have
that keeps them so persistent, determined, and infinitely annoying?"
Butch's eyes closed as he thought a moment.
"Hmm…a large assortment of radical and elaborate
costumes and disguises?"
Cassidy faltered for a moment as she noticed how much sense that made.
She frowned and tugged at her partner's teal hair.
"No. They can stay that for so long because
they have each other," she explained.
"Oh. So what? You're suggesting we try some way
to split them up?"
She smiled at him, implying that was just what she was thinking.
"But Cassidy, that's going to be impossible!
You know them; they're always together! I mean, hell, they may even be…"
he paused and made a disgusted noise, "in love with each other."
"Precisely, Butch. You know the boss' rules.
It's forbidden for two partners to be in love. And do you know what the
punishment is for breaking that law?"
She knew very well that he did, so before he could answer she whipped
out a few photos from her pocket and held them out to him. Jessie and James…in
a park on this very same autumn day…embraced and in full liplock. His eyes
widened.
"When was this?"
"Earlier today," Cassidy replied. "I wouldn't
have noticed it at all, but Jessie made quite a loud declaration of love
for him that I couldn't help but hear. Needless to say, it caught my attention
very quickly."
She smirked.
"Good thing I had my camera with me, huh?"
she asked, winking.
Butch's expression slowly grew as mischievous as his partner's as he
met her eyes.
"So what do you think of my idea now, Butch?"
"It's perfect," he said, grinning.
There are never many moments when Giovanni
Ranielli, boss of Team Rocket, is rendered absolutely speechless. He is
very proud of his reputation to never be really surprised or stunned at
anything his members do or say. After all the Ranielli family was always
doing unpredictable and shocking things. However, seeing photos of his
daughter, the beautiful and tough and dangerous girl that he had dreams
of one day taking over his evil empire, with her arms around her partner
and…and kissing him…that certainly silenced him for quite some time.
It wasn't that Giovanni had never planned
for his daughter to be in a relationship. In fact, the Ranielli family
back in Italy had many young Italian boys lined up to be molded into the
perfect mate. Giovanni wanted Jessie to marry a tall, dark, strong, malicious,
powerful, and influential man. James E. Morgan hardly fit those requirements!
"This cannot be," he muttered to his Persian.
" This simply cannot be. Persian, how could this happen?"
Persian licked his paw and stretched, purring as Giovanni stroked him
thoughtfully.
"I can't let this happen. It will ruin everything
I have planned for her…"
He closed his eyes and tried to imagine how Team Rocket would be in
ten years if Jessie married James and they ruled the organization. He saw
Headquarters destroyed, all the rare pokémon they had captured over
the years running free, all of his members throwing off their Rocket jackets
and quitting, his whole dynasty going up in flames…
"No!" he exclaimed. "I will not allow it to
come to that! I will not allow this relationship to go on any longer!"
Persian yowled as Giovanni's fingers clenched at his fur. He scrambled
out from his grasp and Giovanni stood up angrily. He picked up his phone
and dialed Cassidy's room number.
"Agent Sundance! If what you showed me is
true, we must take action immediately! I want those two separated at any
means necessary! You and your partner get to it at once!"
He slammed the phone down on the receiver.
On the other end, Cassidy grinned evilly and looked over her shoulder
at Butch. He saw the way she was looking and a matching grin spread across
his face.
"Butch?"
"Yeah, Cassidy?"
"We've finally done it."
End of chapter one