Two years went by since Ash and some of his old companions were 'convinced' to join Team Rocket. In the meantime all of the Pokémon that were at Oak's laboratory has received the Team Rocket brainwashing making them nothing more but pawns. Most of them still at the lab they were waiting for the time that Team Rocket would invade the place and take them to where they belong.
Ash had grown considerably in height since the day he enlisted. His lean muscles evidence he spend a lot of time in the gym working out gave him a body more suited for the missions he's supposed to undertake. His attitude became cold and demanding, taking personal enjoyment in dominating an opponent he showed no restraint to anyone opposing him in battle. A far cry from the naïve person he was before he made the best decision in his life. His thieving specialty became lying still easily pretending to be the same boy that left Pallet Town while it couldn't be farther from the truth.
Serena trained her body to move in tight spaces for breaking and entering she was incredibly agile. Her Performer training being put on the back foot she sometimes did it to keep herself sharp but her priorities lay in getting the most out of her unorthodox strategies in battle to throw opponents off balance thinking that Team Rocket members are nothing more but brutes in battle. She learned to embrace the feeling of doing criminal activities. Taking something from someone else without their permission was a joy and she especially became a fan in the art of pick pocketing.
Both of them gaining a bunch of knowledge on Team Rocket hardware over the years they knew the gadgets that were at their disposal and how to use them accordingly. They weren't that interested in robotics since every one they ever came across blew up in their faces but gained a small amount of repair skills just in case. The brainwashing Team Rocket gave them in their classes only strengthened their ambition of becoming top tier Rocket agents. They seemed to be working together properly solving tasks and executing commands to the letter.
They both felt ready to be assigned missions but as taught respected the Team Rocket hierarchy until their instructor assigned them a new rank.
"Ash, Serena!" Hearing their name being spoken they knew who it came from. It was Boa who demanded their attention.
"Yes sir!"
"With me now!"
Them following the instructor through the training grounds to his office he entered it with them. He took a seat at his desk and eyed them both standing straight ready to receive orders they wondered why he called them here.
"The boss has a job for you. Don't disappoint him."
A screen lowered down from the ceiling and it switched on. Showing the face of Giovanni Ash and Serena let their training take over for them. Going down to one knee in appreciation of the boss it was the first time in years they saw him. They were even more glad to see him again wanting to prove themselves that their time in the academy wasn't a waste and he was right to bet the future of Team Rocket on them.
Giovanni himself was looking forward to this moment too. Seeing one of the sources of his misery subjecting himself freely to him he took an honest pleasure out of it. Ever since he schemed up this idea of his he counted down the days he'd get to order the twerp around and that there's nothing anyone can do to stop it.
"Since Boa here is satisfied with your grades I'm putting you two up for the test. Instead of graduating here this mission will be your exam."
"Affirmative boss." Hearing that this will be their final test the two were excited but didn't show it still looking down. Finally they get to start doing the things they were groomed to do. Quite frankly they couldn't wait but kept themselves in control not showing anything else but discipline to the man who selected them.
"Your mission." Hanging on his every word Giovanni gave them their first real solo mission.
"On these islands there's a biker gang that's interfering with our operations. They're raiding some of our warehouses where we have stashed a few important and valuable items. Your assignment is to infiltrate their HQ and confirm the goods taken from us. You will plant GPS trackers in our shipments so other agents can intercept them while on the move. Further questions?"
It sounded easy enough. Infiltration, confirmation and extraction.
"Another evil organization sir?" Ash asked him to gather more intel about their mission the two were wanting to know as much as possible before engaging. If it were something like Team Flare they might require back up.
"No. Just hoodlums who don't know what to do with their time."
"Will we gain access to our full roster of Pokémon for this mission?" Serena wondered since the deal was the better their grades the more choice they'd have on selecting their teams and not be stuck with a Koffing like the rest of the grunts.
"You will. Pick your selection carefully and see to it that the job is done. Further questions?"
"No sir. That will be all." Trying to be as dependent as possible they saluted Giovanni. The boss had one last thing for them.
"Boa, their uniforms." Switching off the screen Boa gave them a box with a stack of clothes. Telling the two to retreat to their rooms and change into it to prepare for their mission he stopped them just before they left.
"Perform well and you get to keep them. Fail and it's black and white stripes for you."
After they changed out of their academy uniforms in their rooms Ash's clothes now were long black pants with a black shirt displaying the symbol of the organization he belonged too. His gloves and boots were short and silver finishing it up with a new silver belt for his Pokeballs. Serena had received a black skirt that stopped at the middle of her thighs. Long silver gloves that reached her upper arms and silver boots extending just above her knees.
"These are not grunt class uniforms." Serena said about her own while falling in love with it all the same. Black really is her color after all.
"You're right. We're missing the hats and your gloves should be short like mine." Ash agreed thanks to the ranking system that was drilled into his head could identify any member by rank just from their uniform.
"B Class agents wear white. Grunts wear black but with hats and short gloves. And the elite wear white gloves and boots with a red stripes. Yet ours are in between them."
"What those uniforms mean is going to explained after your mission so don't fret. Get a move on you two!"
Boa warning them not to let the boss and him down they took note of it. Like they were planning to fail after all this time in the academy. They pulled on their normal clothes over their uniform hiding their true allegiance. It functioning as a disguise no one on the civilian ferry to Two Island realized the amount of trouble the two teens were going to create.
Getting on the ferry that would take them to their destination Serena worked on her tan while Ash just stared over the ocean thinking of things to come. Maybe he could spot a stray Lugia since he had a habit of encountering exceedingly rare Pokémon without doing any effort on his part. He hoped that luck was still there and can be put to actual use for the benefit of Team Rocket's goals.
Night fell and Ash and Serena walked over the street pretending to enjoy the local night life. Eventually splitting off into a forest they got rid of their disguises showing their black uniforms blending in better with the dark they were in. Sneaking through the woods they came across an old building which looked a bar.
Next to the building was a giant one which looked like a large storage unit. Seeing a bunch motorcycles outside of the building Ash released a Pokémon that would help him create a distraction. He choose Dark/Ground type Krookodile for a very special trait it has.
"Use Dig and weaken the ground under the bikes without it collapsing." The Pokémon didn't even nod to him knowing the punishment for hesitation and disobedience. The Pokémon dug a hole and disappeared into it.
With the Dark type gone now the two snuck their way to the metal fence around the area. Serena grabbed a Pokeball from her new belt and opened it up. Serena's Braixen evolved into its final stage during their time in the academy. Gaining the Psychic type on evolution the Team Rocket prospect knew perfectly on how to abuse it.
"Delphox, Psychic."
The fence glowed blue and Delphox ripped open the steel with its mind alone. Both of them stepping through Delphox bended the steel back in place. Returning the Fire type from the other side of the fence they quickly went to the supposed storage room.
Their belts equipped with a silent grappling hook they launched it at the edge of the roof. The hook locking in place and secured they pressed a button on their belts. Silently lifting them upwards on top of the roof they peeked over the edge of it to check if there were no further security measures up there.
"All secured." Serena asked her partner if the coast was clear.
The two climbed up on the roof and with the lightest of steps not cause any noise made their way over a glass pane window on the roof. Looking down the window they saw a large amount of wooden crates but they couldn't read the description even with the help of the binoculars they were equipped with.
Figuring out they had to enter stealthily they grabbed some tools from their backpacks. Ash held on to a suction cup and secured it to the window while Serena pulled out a glass cutter. With the sharp end of it she cut into the window in a circular motion creating a hole large enough for her frame to fit through. Ash lifting out the glass pane put it aside carefully not to break it.
"Prepared to descend?"
Ash asked his partner and Serena nodded yes. Hooking the grapple hooks on their belts together they checked their equipment to see if it was properly attached. Serena gave him the all clear and carefully let her self fall through the hole. Her weight suddenly latching on Ash he took his strenght and easily handled her weight while she rappelled down using him as a base.
The descend went smoothly and she touched on the floor. The security measures here were extremely lacking compared to what she went through in the academy. No laser grids, pressure plates, noise detectors. There wasn't even a basic security camera giving her all the time in the world to check out the crates stacked here.
Coming over to a bunch of them the cargo bills were already printed on them. Even if the mission was to place trackers she took a small spy camera and pictured the bills to see what their destination is. Perhaps they can ambush them when shipping one.
"These are our belongings."
And even if it wasn't it would be theirs soon anyway. With confirmation that this was what they need Serena started to plant tracking devices in some of the crates. With her portion of the job done she went back to the line she rappelled down on and secured the hook on her belt. Ash lifted her upwards again and he grabbed her hand to help her up. Untucking their belts it was time to make their escape.
Ash took a small bomb from his belt and threw it to the standing motorcycles. The ground so much weaker thanks to the Dig Krookodile used the ground caved in making every bike fall into a hole in the ground. The clashing of bikes tumbling down lured out almost everyone in the bar.
"Staraptor, go."
"Altaria, go."
With all the bikers distracted from their motorcycles falling into a deep hole Ash and Serena flew their way over the fence riding their bird Pokémon. The gang cursing and shouting at each other blaming each other for it the two escaped leaving them all unaware of their presence.
Landing close to a point in the forest Krookodile was waiting for them. Ash and Serena returned their Flying types and the male stared at the Ground type.
"Did you dug multiple exits?" The Dark type nodded yes but Ash wasn't so confident. If this ruse failed he'd blame his Pokémon since every thing he and Serena did went according to plan.
"You better."
Returning Krookodile without a word the two snuck their way back to the local hotel that was booked after retrieving their clothes from the alley they changed in earlier. Going into their room they rented for the night they grabbed a communicator. A holographic image of the boss showed up and Ash and Serena were already on one knee facing down to the ground.
"Report."
"The trackers are placed and no trail has been left behind for them to follow." Serena spoke up with her head pointing down to the ground in submission.
"Are you certain no one saw you?" The holographic image of the boss showed no emotion not taking their words as truth until the signal of the trackers came back in. They were still rookies after all despite the education they received.
"Positive sir. We left no trace except for the trackers which are correctly concealed as requested."
Ash in the same position as his partner confirmed her report. He had a long way to go if the boss would ever forgive him for what happened in Unova and now lived to gain recognition from the man he'd swore his allegiance too.
"Good. We'll send others to retrieve the containers. As for you two I have further instructions. You are aware of the packages I have delivered to your room?"
"Affirmative sir. We found them on our beds." Ash confirming they were delivered properly.
"They contain fake awards and ribbons. Visit your relatives, make up a story about what you've been doing before we found you till the time now and report personally to me at Team Rocket HQ. Those are your orders. Dismissed."
"Understood sir."
The boss shut off the call and the two got up and prepared to go to sleep. Ash figured Serena would be much more relieved to complete the mission. Instead she looked a bit down while getting dressed in her pajamas.
"What's wrong? The mission was a success." Speaking softly so that nobody heard them she revealed the reason for her mood.
"I'm disappointed we didn't do our motto." Ever the showgirl Serena hoped to at least perform the motto they came up with together.
"This was a stealth mission. We'll have plenty of opportunity to do that in the future."
Ash telling his partner that he as well wanted to deploy their motto in the field. He thought at first that motto's were a waste of precious time and only function as a delay for finishing tasks. He eventually realized that a motto you created was a reminder for who and why they do it, what they are doing and function as motivation to see their desires through to the end.
Or rather those from their boss.
Decided to just keep postinh old stuff here.
Maybe with a new crowd I get new inspiration from time to time.
Later.