Author's note:
Ash and Miranda sat down in the waiting room of the Pokémon Centre. The room was empty aside for them, as they had arrived earlier than most other trainers. Ash's Pokémon had been taken away by Nurse Joy for a health check.
Bored, Ash was flipping through an edition of Pokémon League Magazine Weekly. Miranda was sitting close to him, reading a girl's magazine of some description that Ash was really not interested in finding out about. He turned to the page in his magazine where it listed the trainers competing in the League.
He smiled as he saw a picture of himself staring back up at him, looking silly as ever with the red cap and blue top he always wore. Then he scrolled through the other competitors, and a name stood out among the others. Giovanni.
He looked at the picture and saw the same sinister face he had seen earlier. Then he looked at the paragraph about the man.
'Giovanni – A recluse from Viridian City, Giovanni does not wish for his full name to be revealed. We of course respect these wishes. None of his details are permitted to be printed here'.
Ash shook his head. Miranda looked at him.
"What's wrong, Ash?"
"Oh nothing. Just looking at this magazine".
She nodded, "Oh, right".
They were silent for a few moments more. Ash was becoming uncomfortable sitting there. There was something in the air he could pick up on. Something was not right.
"Ash?" Miranda said slowly next to him.
"Hmm?"
"Will you go out with me?"
Ash started, "What?"
"Will you be my boyfriend?"
Completely ignorant as usual, Ash blinked, "I…um…I don't know".
Miranda looked hurt, "What's the matter? Don't you like me?"
"Uh…no. I think you're nice. I just…"
The door opened behind them and Nurse Joy entered. Ash, glad of a distraction, leapt to his feet and walked over.
"Nurse Joy! Please miss, are my Pokémon alright?"
Joy's pleasant face smiled, "They will be alright, Ash. Charizard, Snorlax and Bulbasaur are very worn out, but after a short rest they should be fine".
The main entrance to the Centre suddenly opened, and two figures walked in, wearing long coats that covered them and hats pulled down over their eyes.
"Excuse me, nurse, but are our Pokémon ready yet? We placed them in here this morning", the lead figure asked.
That voice sounds familiar, Ash thought. I wonder who it is?
"Oh, yes sir. I'll go fetch them now", Nurse Joy smiled, and headed into the operating theatre.
The lead person turned to the other, "We have to go see the boss shortly, and it doesn't sound like…huh? Over there!"
"What is it James? Huh? Oh…it's the twerp!" the other yelled, pointing at Ash.
"I should have known!" Ash yelled, "You two!"
"Incorrect", a muffled voice called from inside the coat of the secondary figure, "Us THREE!"
As Ash expected, they flung aside the coats and hats, revealing Jessie and James, not to mention Meowth, in all their glory. They laughed and looked at Ash.
"Who are they?" Miranda gasped.
"Oh, how rude, let us introduce ourselves", Jessie grinned, "To protect the world from… ow! Meowth!"
Meowth, who had just smacked her across the head, looked up at her and said in his wily voice, "You want everyone to know we're here or what?"
"He has a point, Jessie", James mused, looking deep in thought, "Maybe we can do the motto some other time…"
"What are you three doing here?" Ash demanded to know.
"What it looks like, kid. Having our Pokémon checked up on", Meowth retorted.
"Ash, you know these three?" Miranda was tugging on his sleeve.
Despite having answered her question earlier, Team Rocket seemed to really notice her for the first time, "Hey, who's she?" James wondered.
"Yeah, and where are the other two who usually hangs around with you?"
"That's none of your business!" Ash clenched his fist defiantly.
Jessie arched one eyebrow, then smiled wryly, "I think we may have just stumbled in on two charming little love birds here".
Meowth burst out laughing, while James looked confused, "I thought he was with that Missy girl?"
"Her name", Ash growled through gritted teeth, "Is Misty. And no, I'm not with her! Don't be gross".
"But it's what we do best", Meowth pointed our eagerly, "Well, Romeo, looks like you got two birds fighting for you. Aren't you lucky?"
Team Rocket laughed again, their words making Ash blush. Miranda looked on, slightly puzzled, but having decided to let Ash and his strange friends sort it out alone, she said nothing.
"Well, now we've got you exactly where we want you!" James pointed at Ash triumphantly.
At that moment, Nurse Joy rentered the room followed by Arbok, Weezing, Lickitung and Victreebell. Upon seeing James, Victreebell screeched, leapt into the air and engulfed him from the head down to his waist in its maw. James ran around the room frantically, with his Pokémon still trying to swallow him.
"Um, you're Pokémon are fine", Nurse Joy said uncertainly, "Although I must say your Victreebell could use a little discipline".
James mumbled something incomprehensible from within Victreebell, and staggered out of the Centre. Jessie looked at Nurse Joy.
"Eheh…I'm sure he meant to say thank you", she pointed at Ash, "You haven't seen the last of us, twerp!"
With that, Jessie, Meowth, Arbok, Weezing and Lickitung dashed out of the Centre, heading after the panicked James.
Miranda and Joy stared after them in amazement, while Ash rolled his eyes.
In the streets, James was running around in mad circles, much to the amusement of everyone who saw him. Jessie and Meowth were trying to catch up with him to dislodge Victreebell. Suddenly, Jessie felt a hand on her shoulder.
"Well, well. Jessie. Long time no see. Get you and your simpleton friends off the streets now, and follow me".
Jessie turned, alarmed, to see a girl dressed in black with red hair, "Cassidy!"
"The very same. Get moving. Now. You've been summoned, the boss wants to see you personally".
Feeling sweat pouring down her forehead, Jessie managed a nod. She stormed over to James, ripped a Pokéball from his best and recalled Victreebell.
"Follow me, I think we're in trouble", she whispered to James and Meowth.
Jessie and James recalled all of their Pokémon, and then they followed the smirking Cassidy down an alley, ignoring the laughing pedestrians. They headed down the deserted and desolate alley, and down a set of stairs into what looked like a hidden underground bunker.
When they entered, they gasped. Dozens of black uniformed Team Rocket agents were inside, conversing, planning, or training Pokémon in a small arena.
"This place is huge!" Meowth gawped.
"How come we never knew about it?" James looked around, slightly in awe.
"Because you three morons weren't considered important enough to be told about or League Usurping Operation", another voice said.
The grim face of Butch was glaring at them, with a cruel smile. He folded his arms across his chest.
"But now the boss wants a word", Cassidy declared, "Go down to the tenth level. His office is there. The elevator's by there", she pointed over her shoulder.
Nervously, the trio went on and entered the elevator, selected the tenth level and descended at a fast pace.
"How on earth did the boss manage to construct this in League City?" Jessie muttered.
"He must have bribed half of the officials in the League by now", Meowth pointed out.
The elevator door opened and they found themselves in a decorated red corridor. They edged forward, constantly gesturing to each other for the other to go first.
"I don't have all day!" a voice boomed through a loudspeaker.
Practically whimpering in terror, they opened the office door before them. The room was poorly lit, and as they shut the door behind them they struggled to find the seats to sit on. James collapsed on the floor.
"Get up, you fool", the voice growled in the darkness.
"Yes, boss", James murmured, and climbed up and sat down on the chair with some difficulty.
In the black in front of them, they could just about make out the figure of a man sitting in a chair. In his lap was a beautiful Persian that he stroked with his right hand. After nearly a minute of staring at them, he leaned forward and switched on a small lamp. The three friends blinked, surprised by the sudden light.
Giovanni smiled, "Come, why so tense? I have good news for you".
"You…you do?" Jessie mumbled.
"Yes, my friends. I'm going to let you in on Team Rocket's League Usurping Operation".
"Oh? Oh!" James exclaimed, relaxing a little, "That's good".
"I had words with your friend Ash Ketchum today".
"Oh, him", Meowth said casually.
The Persian hissed at him, while Giovanni leaned back in his chair, "I take it you know that I am in the Pokémon League?"
Jessie blinked, "You are?"
"Yes, I am. The name Giovanni is known to few indeed. And a few little bribes here and there ensured that they ignored the fact that I'm a gym leader. Now I will make my move".
"What move would that be?"
"When the quarter-finals begin, they host an event where the trainers who have made it through so far parade the arena with their Pokémon. When I get their, Team Rocket will strike and capture dozens of rare and powerful Pokémon".
"But how do you know you'll get that far in the League?" James wondered.
Giovannis' face darkened, and the three recoiled, fearful of his wrath. However, after a while he merely looked away and shook his head, as if the question was not worth answering.
"So…what do you need us for?" Meowth quailed.
"I want you three to keep an eye on Ash Ketchum and his friends. Find out what they're up to, and if they leave for even a day, where they are going. I am most interested in his Pokémon".
Jessie, James and Meowth brightened, "Sure, we can do that!"
"Good. And if you do keep track of them successfully, consider your outstanding debts dropped".
They gaped in disbelief, "Do you really mean that?" James gasped.
"I don't joke. Ever".
Enthusiastically, they leapt to their feet, "Well, leave it with us, boss! Those twerps won't leave our sights in the immediate future!" Jessie grinned.
"If they do, it will be a shame, because an immediate future will be the only kind of future you have".
Snapped back to reality, Jessie gulped, "Um…yes sir. You're the boss".
"Yes, I am. Now get out of my sight, all of you".
They scrambled for the exit, pushing past each other hurriedly.
He watched them go and leaned back in his chair, "You're just the players in my master plan".
