Author's Note: Hey everyone! Sorry for the slow update! I get so busy…
Well, first, I'd like to thank everyone for their reviews. I usually reply to them here, but apparently, that's frowned upon, so I used the nifty little 'reply' command. Except for our stray anonymous viewer who I will respond to now.
Ghost: Thank you so much for your kind review! I appreciate it so much! And I did like your idea. I didn't take it exactly, but something similar will happen this chapter… you'll see.
Well, back to my rambling… I hate writing chapters after I get reviews. Everyone's like 'that was funny!' and stuff like that, then I feel all this pressure to make the next chapter funny… But what if it's not? What if they think it's stupid? Will I disappoint my fans? And then I start freaking out about it, when in reality, most people only even skim your story at best! And author's notes… does anybody read them at all? I think I'm the only one.
Well, if you are reading, the general consensus of my reviews was to make my story more realistic. And in ways, I intend to do that. But if you're going to be appalled if a character is slightly out of synch with their in show counter part, I don't know how much you'll enjoy this story. I try to keep my characters as close to reality… well, pokémon reality… as possible, but it doesn't always work. So please, be patient with me. I know what I'm doing.
Well, I've wasted enough of your life. Onward with the story!
Chapter 2: Reunions
Misty and Tracy stood outside Cerulean Gym, waiting patiently. They knew it would only be a few moments until their reunion with their friends. Misty tapped her foot nervously. It had been quite a while since she had last seen Ash.
Sure enough, only a few moments passed before the two could see the silhouettes of their friends approaching in the distance.
A flood of excitement reached Misty as her two best friends came near.
"Brock!" she squealed, rushing forward and throwing her arms around him.
"Hey!" snapped Tracy, in a very official voice, "No one hugs on this show!"
May shrugged. "I guess they do now," she said with a laugh.
"Uh… hi, Misty," said Brock hugging her back.
Misty pulled away. "Ash!" she exclaimed, embracing him as well.
Halfway through the hug, Misty froze, feeling awkward. "How are you?" Misty asked, quickly pulling away from him.
"Oh, uh… good," replied Ash, a little taken aback.
"Hi Pikachu," Misty said, as the little pokémon jumped into her arms.
"Oh, hi May!" said Misty turning to the other new arrivals, "Hi Max!"
"Hey," said May, "It's good to see you again."
"Yeah," agreed Max, "But it's been a long walk over… do you have anything to eat?"
"Max!" snapped May, hitting him on the back of the head, "Be polite!"
Misty laughed. "It's okay! We have plenty to eat. You like hamburgers?"
"Don't go there," said May, shaking her head.
Misty shrugged. "I'll cook something up…"
Brock laughed.
"What?" said Misty.
"You can't cook," said Brock, shaking his head.
"Yes I can!" exclaimed Misty, defiantly.
"No, you can't," repeated Brock.
Misty stared at him. "No, you're right - I can't. Would you do the honors?"
"Just point me to the kitchen."
"That way," said Misty, pointing towards her house, "There's a nice pink apron waiting for you."
"Alright!" said Brock, going towards the house, "Now we're talking…"
"He's a strange man…" Misty said to her friends as they watched Brock go in.
The others nodded.
Later that Evening…All the twerps were seated around the dinner table, vigorously eating Brock's cooking. That Brock can do amazing things in the kitchen. Who knows? Maybe Brock could be the next Emeril…
Anyway, all our main characters were seated around the table, eating the piece of art that is Brock's food. As they ate, the friends recounted different aspects of their travels.
"So, May," said Misty, filling the temporary lull in conversation, "Ash never told me… how did you guys end up traveling together?"
"Oh, yeah…" said Brock, turning to May, "I never heard that story, either."
"Oh," said May, thinking back, "Well, I had just started my pokémon journey… We were in the woods, and Pikachu had been hooked up to some machine that Team Rocket made…" she paused, trying to recall the details. "Oh, right. Pikachu started letting off all these thunderbolts… one of them hit my bike and destroyed it---" Clank! Misty's fork fell to the ground."---so Ash said I could travel with him." She finished her story and looked up, surprised to see Misty nearly gaping at her, a look of contempt apparent on her face.
"Hey," said Brock, with a laugh, "That's why you started traveling with him, too, Misty!"
"I know that, Brock!" snapped Misty, angrily.
"What's the matter, Misty?" asked Ash, looking at her.
Misty stared at him. "You!" she said finally, looking back at him, anger rising in her voice. "Is that a habit of yours? Every time you want to pick up a girl, you just smash up their bike?"
"No!" said Ash, taken aback, "It's not like that! I just---"
"You just what?" Misty snapped, rising to her feet. "Did you just think--- 'Hey! Misty's back in Cerulean… and that girl-in-the-ugly-red-bandana--- ("Hey!" said May, annoyed) ---she's kinda cute! Why don't I have my Pikachu thunderbolt her bike, then she'll have to travel with me! I don't want to travel alone, cuz, ya know, I'm just a stupid little kid! ("Wha?" said Ash, utterly confused) ---And then maybe we'll fall in love and live happily… ever… after!" she finished, bitterly.
Everyone stared at her.
"Uh…" said Ash, at a loss of words. "I, uh… I…"
Misty glanced around the table, quickly realizing that everyone was staring at her like she should be put up in an asylum. "Uh… wow…" she said, blushing and shaking her head, "I-I don't know where that came from. Must be, the… uh… new allergy medication…"
"What are you allergic to?" asked Max.
"Uh… air," said Misty, "Anyway… I'm starting to feel a little dizzy… I better go lay down." Without another word, she picked up her plate, turned around, and left the room.
Everyone was silent for several moments.
"I like her," said Max, approvingly. No one bothered to answer.
Tracy, however, was not surprised at this little outburst. It was just as he had suspected. A glance at May told him that she had realized the same thing. Ash was clueless. Nothing new there, right?
"Yeah," said Ash, nodding, "Good food, Brock."
Team Rocket HeadquartersJessie, James, and Meowth had all been tied, bound, gagged, and obviously, blindfolded. After an absolutely horrible night that had them tossed every which way, our trio felt themselves being thrown to the ground. Slowly, they felt the rope being taken from their wrists, and, after what seemed like forever, their blindfolds being removed.
Still on the ground, Team Rocket looked around, their eyes adjusting to the new presence of light.
"You!" shouted Jessie, staring disgustedly at her captors. (Her hair had made a full recovery, by the way) Jessie and her companions cringed as the faces of Team Rocket members Butch and Cassidy swam into view.
Cassidy smirked. "That's right."
"What are you doing here?" asked James with contempt.
"We work here," croaked Butch.
"Work here?" repeated Meowth.
The group looked around at their surroundings and recognized them immediately. The same room that they saw constantly in Meowth's day dreams… The boss' office.
"What are we doing here?" asked Jessie, shocked at her new environment.
Cassidy laughed. "We brought you here." She took a seat at the edge of the boss' desk and pulled a nail file out of nowhere. "Only too easily, I must say…" she added, beginning to do her nails.
"But why?" squawked James, feeling as confused as Jessie looked, "Why did you bring us here?"
"The boss wants a word with you," Butch said, importantly.
"And you had to kidnap us for that?" asked Meowth.
Cassidy nodded. Team Rocket our Team Rocket, that is stared at her.
Cassidy sighed. "Well, he didn't expect you to come if he asked you…"
"Why not?" asked James.
"He knew you'd be scared of 'im!" said Butch.
"Well, we're not," said Jessie, defiantly.
"You should be," Cassidy said with a trace of laughter in her voice, "He's not very happy with you three… After all, in the last three years you've been with the Team Rocket organization, you haven't made a single contribution to this corporation… it's kind of sad."
"Dat's not our fault!" said Meowth, quickly, "Dose lousy twoips stop us ev'ry time…"
"Right…" said Cassidy, slowly, "And remind me, Jessie, how old this boy is?"
Jessie hesitated. "Ages are fuzzy..."
"Let's see if I can clear your memory…" Cassidy replied with a smile that made Jessie want to kill her, "Thirteen?"
"H-H-He's tall for a thirteen year old," Jessie replied.
"Please!" Cassidy exclaimed, "I have dolls taller than him."
"You play with dolls?" Jessie snickered. "That just says it all…"
"You know what?" Cassidy began angrily, "I've had just about---"
She was cut off by the sound of five sets of doors opening in a very Get-Smart-like manner. In a few seconds time, Giovanni himself appeared in the doorway, wearing a bright orange suit and a look to kill.
Cassidy quickly hopped off his desk and she approached him timidly with her partner by her side.
"You did good," he said, approvingly, seeing Jessie, James, and Meowth cowering in the corner. "Now, get out. I need to have a word with several of my 'employees'…"
"Yes, sir," Butch and Cassidy replied in unison. With a last look at their trembling coworkers, they gave a small bow to their boss and left the room.
The doors snapped shut behind them. Not a good sign…
Giovanni took a seat behind his desk. "Sit," he commanded, as three chairs rose from the ground, taking their places in front of his desk.
The group quickly did as they told, and waited apprehensively for the boss to give further instructions.
Giovanni sighed. "I'm not happy with you three…" he said, shaking his head, "Not happy at all…"
The three stared at him.
"Cookie?" the boss said maliciously, pulling a tray of chocolate chip cookies out of his desk and offering them to his guests.
"Um… no thank you," Jessie said, her voice quivering.
"Eat – the cookie," he repeated, a slight gleam in his eye.
"Really," said Meowth, "We're not hungry---"
"Eat the cookie, dammit!" Giovanni yelled, thrusting the tray into Jessie's hands.
"Okay!" said James, as each of them took one before returning the tray to their boss' desk.
"Is it--- poison?" Jessie asked certainly.
"I don't know what the hell the chefs put it in the cookies!" the man shouted, "Just eat them!"
The three glanced at each other, shrugged, and took a bite of their cookies.
Several moments passed in silence, as the trio chewed on their food, half expecting to keel over and die.
"Good?" Giovanni questioned.
"Yes," they all replied, quickly.
"I'd like the recipe!" said James.
They all stared at him.
"Or not…"
Giovanni sighed. "I've given you all cookies," he said solemnly, "which is more than I've gotten from you since you began your employment here… Something must be done."
"We could… give the cookies back?" Jessie suggested hopefully.
"No," said Giovanni, shaking his head, "You three have caused nothing but trouble for this corporation… I have to terminate your employment."
"Your firing us?" Jessie exclaimed, in shock.
"No," replied Giovanni.
Jessie let out a sigh of relief.
"You know too much…" he continued. "I'm afraid I have to kill you."
"WHAT!"
"You can't do that!" Meowth exclaimed.
"I have kids!" added Jessie.
"No you don't…" James responded, stupidly.
"Unless…" Giovanni said, absentmindedly.
"What?" said Jessie, quickly, "We'll do anything!"
Giovanni examined the trio. "There's a certain item I need to retrieve," he explained, "For the good of Team Rocket. All I need is for someone to get it for me…"
"Done!" said James, hurriedly, "Consider it done."
Giovanni smiled. "Excellent. It's in… Cerulean."
To Be Continued…
Author's Note: Well, thanks for reading! I hope you liked it. I had so much fun writing Giovanni's part…
Now do me a favor! Review! Questions, comments, praises, insults, anything! Please, let me know your thoughts.
Next chapter, coming soon!