Ah yes, Team Rocket finally captured Pikachu, but this isn't over yet…. it's only the beginning (smiles evilly)! I don't own Pokemon except for my character and plot, enjoy!

Chapter 3: Camp Rest

It was a long walk back to Team Rocket Head Quarters as a certain feline made off with the balloon. The Rockets trudged for about ten miles before setting up camp.

Angelina sat near a tree so she had a clear view of the Rockets from their set ups; her sleeping bag was out and she was sitting cross-legged and soothed the bag holding Pikachu. The Pokemon seemed to be calming down and stopped moving because of Angelina's consoling and reassuring words of no danger. Once it stopped moving completely, Angelina placed it near her backpack and relaxed on her sleeping bag. She turned her head to Jessie and James eating rice-balls….

"Scardy cat," Jessie said with an air of contempt, probably wondering where Meowth had got to.

That comment prompted no reaction from James because he was eating, which occupied his whole concentration, and therefore prohibited any communication that was not vital.

Jessie looked over at Butch and Cassidy, who were sitting about thirty yards away. She couldn't hear what they were saying because they were talking in hushed, conspiratorial tones. Butch was drawing a diagram in the soil with a stick. They never fought, they never hit each other. Butch never whined that he was hungry; Cassidy didn't seem to eat at all.

"Do you think she's attractive?" Jessie asked James.

"Who?"

"Cassidy!"

James saw the danger in Jessie's eyes and quickly answered. "NO!"

"Bah- she's always been thinner than me!" Jessie sat back.

"So?"

"What do you mean 'so'? It's a girl's dream to be that thin."

"Why? She doesn't have a chest." James smiled to himself triumphantly, having snatched the last rice-ball off the plate.

"Yeah, that's true. Ha- she's just a big man." Jessie smiled in knowledge that she wasn't fat, just femininely voluptuous." And I really think she could do with a makeover, I mean her hair is all split ends and- HEY!" Jessie noticed the missing food.

"You didn't want it anyway…. You're on a diet!" James laughed before stuffing it in his mouth.

Jessie was about to hit him when she glanced over at Butch and Cassidy again, and observing their mature and co-operative approach to partnership, she bit her lip and forced herself to sit back down. "You're…. right James…. It's fine that you ate it."

James peeked out from between his fingers, as he'd put his arms over his face to protect himself. "It is?"

"Yes."

"Are you feeling all right, Jess?"

"Why do you say that?"

"Usually when I do that, you hit me very hard with a mallet and then stand on my throat."

"Ha, ha, ha! You really are funny, James!"

James stared at her in amazement. "Uh, okay…. I'm going to sleep now. Night, Jess."

Jessie watched him walk away and her frozen grin of benevolence slip.

"Are you going to bed, too?"

Jessie turned quickly to see Angelina staring up at her. "I will after I find out what we're doing from Butch and Cassidy."

"Let me do that," Angelina insisted as she got up and walked toward her. "I hardly do anything."

Jessie nodded, she knew Angelina hardly helped anyways and she could find out more information from Butch and Cassidy. She walked off where having her stuff set up while Angelina stalked over to where Butch and Cassidy were.

"What time are we leaving tomorrow?" Angelina demanded.

"At seven." Butch answered, smiling in what Angelina supposed was a friendly manner, but the expression seemed incongruous to his face. "Here- celebrate with us." He poured her a glass of Sake (Japanese alcoholic beverage made from fermented rice).

Angelina wondered if this were some kind of evil, diabolical plan they'd been working on, but saw the anger and outrage in Cassidy's expression, so sat down cross-legged and accepted the offer. Cassidy got up and walked away without another word.

"You know, I was impressed by the way you've trained your Pokemon. That Raichu is in very good condition." Butch raised an eyebrow.

Angelina melted, she couldn't help bragging about her Raichu. "Oh, I've had her along time…."

"Have you had it since it was a Pichu?"

"Yes."

"You must be very skilled then. It takes a lot of battling experience to make a Pichu evolve."

"Well, it was no match for Gengar." Angelina took a nervous sip of sake and grimaced.

Butch smiled. "An electric type doesn't do completely well against a ghost type."

"I don't really have much of a choice- neither of my other Pokemon are really suited to battling a ghost Pokemon."

"Jessie's Lickitung did well; it kept Gengar occupied for Raichu and Victreebel."

"Five against one wasn't really fair though." Angelina smiled at her own trivial skills compared to Butch; she had to admit he could train. Well, he was one of the founders of Giovanni's breeding centers, he knew a lot about Pokemon. She was beginning to be flattered by this attention; it obviously pissed Cassidy off, which was reason enough to entertain it.

"It's a pity you're stuck in a team with people who hold you back. You could be a great poacher, you know."

"Leave Jessie and James alone, they're as good as I am." Angelina snapped.

"Well, it's apparent that the three of you get along well, but James just doesn't have the brutality."

Angelina remained silent and took another drink.

"You've had some bad luck, too." Butch added.

"Don't make excuses for us. Jessie and James got a lot to learn, but they'll be great one day."

Butch stretched out on the grass and smiled at Angelina. "Maybe, but I think you need a partner."

"What- like you?" Angelina laughed incredulously.

"Well, I've got Cassidy…."

"Lucky you." Angelina drained the last part of her sake and Butch poured her another.

"Cassidy…. Is a good partner-"

"I think she likes you." Angelina teased.

"She does, but it's never going to happen."

"You don't think she's attractive?" Angelina couldn't help herself.

"She's just not my type, I don't know, I've never liked blondes. Besides, when you've spend so much time with someone, as undoubtedly you probably do with James, it's difficult to be interested in them."

"But you just said that she likes you…."

"Maybe it's different for girls."

"It's not."

"So there's nothing between you and James that Jessie doesn't know?"

"No! James and I are friends, nothing more. Why would there be….?"

"If you were Jessie, you wouldn't fight the way she does if there weren't some feelings."

"Don't be stupid. They fight because they get on each others' nerves. Maybe I'd fight with Cassidy, but it won't mean that I'd fancy her!"

"Don't try to convince me, try to convince yourself." Butch smiled.

Angelina kicked him in the shin playfully. "Leave me alone!" she was starting to feel a little tipsy, not even old enough to be drinking alcohol and unused to it.

"Though I'm entirely sure James is opposite sex orientated."

"Leave James alone. He's a little feminine…. But he does like girls."

"And how would you know?"

"I'm not the only girl on the planet you know, he's shown interest in a few. True, one was a ghost, but female never-the-less."

"And you Angel, I don't suppose you have time for a boyfriend?" Butch sat up, facing Angelina.

Angelina giggled girlishly. "Well, not with the traveling, I don't get time to socialize."

"That's a pity; I'd like to dance with you."

"You're flirting with me, stop it." Angelina laughed again, waving her hand dismissively.

"Why? Worried that James will be jealous?" Butch raised an eyebrow suggestively.

"I just…." Angelina stopped mid-sentence, Butch was leaning toward her. She wanted to move back, but couldn't because she was sitting against a tree. She felt Butch's lips brush against hers and then his hands were on her hips, he kissed her more deeply. Her hands remained on the ground; she wasn't sure what to do.

This was the man who had been partly responsible for her friend's Pokemon attacking them just a few months ago. What did he want with her anyway? Was he just trying to hurt Cassidy by showing her attention? Was Angelina just convenient because they were sharing a campsite?

He was a good kisser though, so Angelina reciprocated a little uncertainly and put her hands on his shoulders. Butch responded to this by moving one of his hands up her shirt, and she reacted by kneeing him in the stomach. Butch fell backwards onto the ground and Angelina took the opportunity to flee, as she did so, she heard him laughing.

"Are you all right, Angelina?" James shifted on his side in his sleeping bag. He heard Angelina approach her sleeping bag not far from his and Jessie's, her back turned. He could hear her muffled sobs.

"What's wrong?" James sat up with an expression of concern.

"I don't want to talk about it." Angelina heard James approach her sleeping bag and felt his hand on her shoulder. She sat up and let him hug her, burying her face in his shoulder. "I hate men."

"What he do to you?" James knew fine well, because he'd been watching through binoculars with a feeling somewhat akin to jealousy.

Angelina shook her head, too humiliated to describe the incident. "So stupid." was all she said, referring to herself, she hugged James again.

"Face it Angel, they're just more evil than Jessie and I."

Angelina sat back and rubbed her eyes. "Yes, if I were a proper villainess, I'd have been out there seducing him…. Why didn't I think of it?" she laughed at herself hollowly.

"Because you're not attracted to him?" offered James hopefully.

"No…. I mean, to be honest, I'd never even thought about it. I don't like the color of his hair and his voice creeps me out. But…. Well, a girl can't help being interested in bad boys."

"That's obviously why I haven't got a girlfriend- I'm too nice."

Angelina rolled her eyes. "Yes James, live your dream and not your reality."

"Well, what's wrong with me then- why can't I get a girl?"

"You almost did! True, she wasn't quite in the land of the living."

"But then Jessie pulled me back." James smiled.

Angelina elbowed him in the side. "Well…. There was Jessibelle! Think James, you could be sitting in that big mansion, rolling in the dough…."

"Leave me alone!" James huffed again.

"Ooh, touchy these days aren't we?" Angelina was trying to smile, but then she shuddered and said, "I feel sick. I think I'll go wash in the stream."

James handed her a torch. "Shall I make some tea?" he offered.

§To Be Continued§

Well like I've said, this story isn't over yet! Chapter 4 will be posted soon; all comments and suggestions welcomed! Thanks and have a great New Years!