A/N: Happy Halloween, everybody! Hope you enjoy this little chapter about our favorite incompetent trio Team Rocket.

Chapter 20: A Ghost of a Chance

(Malie Marina, Midnight)

In a secluded part of the marina, Team Rocket's submarine slowly emerged from the depths, stopping at the disused dock. The terrible trio emerged, having returned from collecting Z Crystals. They were cross, because while they now had 10 Z Crystals, they had no way to use them. All of their efforts to steal Ash's Z Ring had ended in vain.

"Grrr, that stupid twerp! No matter if we're trying to steal his Pikachu or his Z Ring, we always come up short!"

"Come on, we better get back to base. Da boss is expecting a progress report in the morning. At least we have something to show for our efforts."

Dejected, the trio returned to their base.

The trio returned to their run-down base. Once a popular supermarket, an unusual series of events forced the management to abandon the site, fearing it was haunted by spirits from the cemetery they built it on. Now all that remained were rows and rows of empty shelves, where the trio had lay down their sleeping bags. But unbeknownst to the trio as they got ready for bed, they were being watched by a shadowy figure. Suddenly, Meowth heard a noise.

"Hey, you guys hear that?"

"Hear what, Meowth? I didn't hear anything."

"Meowth, if you're trying to scare us you need to do better than that."

The noise came again. All three turned to see a shadowy figure dash off into the darkness.

"Hey! Get your own secret base, ya creep!"

"Come on, we need to catch them. If they blab to the police about us, our whole operation is kaput!"

Rejuvenated and cross, the trio gave chase, unaware of many pairs of eyes watching their every move.

The trio slumped over, out of breath and empty handed.

"Just great! First we can't steal a simple bracelet, and now our whole operation is in jeopardy."

"We better move our base. Come on Jessie, lets go pack up everything important."

The trio turned around, not looking forward to a sleepless night…

Only to come face to face with a Haunter, its bizarre and inhuman face sending chills down their spines.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

The trio took off running, only to run into more ghastly houseguests. A Gengar tripped them by emerging from the floor, sending them running in the opposite direction. Then a Ghastly telekinetically juggling left-over Pokémon dolls while laughing at them. No matter where they turned, a new ghost was there waiting to scare them silly. At last they found themselves in a back room, out of breath and out of options.

"Alright, no more running! I say we show our tormentors that they can't push us around anymore!"

"Right!"

"Kyu."

The three turned to see a little Pokemon covered in a fabric modeled after a Pikachu glaring up at them.

"Well, look at this. A puny little Pikachu ripoff wants to scare us."

"Go back to wherever you came from, not-a-chu."

The three shared a good laugh while the Mimikyu growled in anger. Suddenly, it leapt up, hitting James with a Shadow Claw, sending him flying into a wall and knocking him out. This made Jesse furious.

"Nobody beats up James except me! Go, Seviper!"

Jesse's snake Pokemon emerged with a tremendous roar, but Mimikyu was not scared.

"Slam him, Seviper!"

Before Mimikyu could react, the serpent slammed right onto him, bouncing off as the ghost stood up. To Jesse's surprise and anger, Mimikyu was no worse for wear, although its head sagged to one side.

"You think you're so tough, don't you? Poison Tail, Seviper!"

Seviper roared and charged at its foe with a purple glowing tail, only for it to disappear into the shadows. Before Jesse could issue another command, it emerged once more…from Seviper's shadow.

"Behind you, Seviper!"

Luckily, Seviper managed to react in time and hit it with its tail, sending the Ghost flying into a wall. It slowly rose up, bruised but not out.

"Finish him off with another Poison Tail, Seviper!"

Seviper lunged once more, ready to go for the kill. Mimikyu recovered and countered with a Shadow Claw, their attacks meeting in the middle with a ferocious clash. Although they remained even at first, Seviper's weight and power won out, slamming Mimikyu into a wall once more and knocking it out. Jesse's chance had come.

"You won't be tormenting us anymore. Go, Pokeball!"

Jesse's Pokeball swallowed Mimikyu in a bright flash of light. After several seconds, a ding confirmed the capture.

"Ha! Try and break out of that, Not-a-chu!"

As if hearing her challenge, the Pokeball began to shake once more as if Mimikyu was trying to escape. Not wanting to deal with it again, Jesse grabbed it and clamped it shut until it stopped. It was then Jesse noticed two objects lying on the ground. One was a Ghostinium Z Crystal, while the other was…

"I don't believe it! A Z Ring!"

"After all this time, we finally have one!"

At that, a loud banging was heard from outside the door, the ghost Pokémon trying to get in. This freaked out Jesse and Meowth.

"Uh Meowth, I think its best we find another base of operations."

"Good idea."

Jesse slung James over her shoulder and they made their escape, hoping to finally get some sleep in a safer place.