The next morning Jessee went into town. She had decided to sell her rapidash to a good home. I knew it killed her, but I could understand her decision. Rapidash and ponyta eat a lot—generally up to 10 or 20 lb. of food a day. Though that amount does get cut down if they spend a lot of time in their pokeball. When in the pokeball, the pokemon is put into a hibernation-like stasis, so while it still needs to be let out to eat and drink, it needs to do so much less often. But even spending most of its time in a pokeball rapidash and ponyta still need to eat about 20 lb. a week. And without any money for proper grains or our own pastures to turn them out in, I could understand Jessee being willing to sell hers. Truthfully, I was starting to think about doing the same with mine: selling her to a good home, letting her live out the rest of her days not having to worry about food, but I couldn't get myself to do that…not yet…she was my first pokemon and I loved her…I couldn't let her go just yet…

While Jessee was busy with that, I was wandering around town as well. However I was looking for a job, even a small one day job. Anything that could earn even just a little bit of money that could be saved for when the three days was up.

So far, I wasn't having much luck. We had started out around 10:00 am, and now it was about 1:00. I was tired and hungry…I wanted to give up. Plus, I was lonely. I had left Pikachu and Rapidash at the pokemon center for a quick checkup while I was out job hunting, so I was all alone. I stopped on a street corner and sat on the curb next to a lamppost. Just a short rest—ten minutes or so…then get back to it. There had to be somebody looking for some help…I leaned my shoulder against the post and let my head fall against it. The thunk of the metal hurt, but I didn't care. The sun was hot and I was starting to sweat…why couldn't a job just flutter into my lap…?

Suddenly I felt something hit my leg and fall off onto the street. I opened my eyes and picked it up. It was a poster. It must have been hanging on the lamppost and been knocked loose somehow. Curious, I looked a little closer at it. Maybe it was a missing pokemon ad that had a reward attached to it.

The poster was white and had two black silhouetted characters on it. In the background it had a watermark of a bold red R. In large font it said,

Calling All Pokemon Trainers!

Think you have what it takes to be the best?

We're looking for strong, willing individuals to join our team.

We offer competitive salary as well as a unique opportunity to travel the world, see and capture the most powerful pokemon in existence, and the chance to work with the most elite trainers on the planet!

Unlock the secret of pokemon and join our team today!

( 18+ only please.)

Please take one:

Below this, the poster had a number of cut slips of paper, all with the words "Team Rocket: 1-888-795-1775." A couple had already been ripped off. I followed suit and immediately ripped one off for myself. I tried to contain my excitement. This was perfect! It was even better than I had hoped for! Getting paid to catch pokemon! And travel the world! I would be able to find James! I jumped up from the curb and ran all the way back to the pokemon center, the phone number held tightly in my hand. Just wait till Jessee found out! Our luck was all about to change!

When I got back to the Pokemon Center, I went straight toward the videophones and sat in the one in the far corner. I dialed the number, now afraid that maybe it was a hoax or they weren't hiring anymore. I mean, this was all too good to be true. But when it finally connected the woman on the other end picked up and said, "Team Rocket headquarters, how may I help you today?"

I bit my lip a little and nervously responded, "Hi…um…I found one of your posters on a lamppost today, and I was wondering…are you guys still hiring pokemon trainers?"

"Oh, we're always hiring, miss." The woman responded with a smile. "That poster was just a part of our recruitment campaign, but yes, we are always looking for more trainers."

I breathed a sigh of relief. "Good. Well, my sister and I are both interested."

"Great!" The woman smiled happily as she typed away at the computer. "Could I have your names please?"

"Jessica Hacker Newken. N. And my sister is Jessica Nora Newken."

"Any preferred names?"

"Yes, most people call me Jess, and her Jessee: to aid with the confusion."

"Ok, and ages?"

I'm 19, and she is 18."

"Ok, and do you have much experience with pokemon?"

"We lived on a ranch for most of our lives, so yes."

"Alright. We have an orientation next week. I'm going to fax over the information to your location right now." I heard the fax machine boot up and she continued. "Please look over the information I'm sending over and be at the training center for orientation at 9:00am sharp."

"Understood. Thank you so much."

"Thank you, and have a good rest of your day." She smiled and disconnected. The screen went back to black. I got up and went over to the fax machine where I could hear the paper pouring out of it. About twenty sheets later, it finally finished and I picked up the mini book and tapped it straight. The same R that was on the poster was on the top of the pamphlet of information too. That must just be their logo.

I took the bundle of papers to the front desk where I requested my pokemon back. Nurse Joy gave them back saying they were both in perfect health. I thanked her as Pikachu jumped happily onto my shoulders and I clipped Rapidash's pokeball back onto my hip. I carried them back to my room, my excitement hardly containable. Pikachu could tell my mood was much improved and he kept chattering away and tapping my head to try to get me to tell him what had happened. But when we got to the room I told him to wait, because I wanted to tell Jessee and him all together.

Jessee came into the door a few hours later, her face sad, but seeming satisfied.

"How'd it go?" I asked gently, worried that she might break into tears again.

"Alright." Jessee replied, handing me a fistful of bills. "I know I probably could have gotten more for her, but I know she's in good hands."

I counted up the money. "Only $150?"

"Yes. I sold her to a young girl—couldn't have been older than 10 years old. You should have seen her face." She chuckled. "Kind of reminded me of myself when I was that age."

"Well, that's good then. And 150 isn't bad. We can work with that." I folded the money and tucked it safely away in a pocket. "I have some good news as well?"

"Oh? Pray tell?" Jessee asked and Pikachu picked his head up.

"I got us a job."

Jessee's eyes widened. "What?! How! Where?!"

I handed her the orientation booklet. "I found a poster looking for experienced pokemon trainers. I called the number and they got us in."

"Team Rocket….Never heard of them." Jessee replied a little skeptically, skimming through the booklet.

"Apparently they're an organization that catches rare and powerful pokemon, some of which they study for scientific purposes: how and why they evolve, what the difference is between skill and stone based evolution, the bond between pokemon and trainer, things like that." I explained. "From what I was reading, apparently its mostly their findings that get put into the textbooks, and almost all the pokemon professors have had dealings with them at one point or another."

"Sounds illustrious." Jessee replied, a little skeptical, but clearly impressed. "So what do we have to do?" She handed the booklet back to me.

"Well, we've got orientation next Wednesday. The lady I talked to said to be there by 9:00 am sharp. I already looked the address up." I pulled out a map I'd gotten from the pokemon center counter. I pointed to the red dot I'd marked and traced my finger to another red circle about a foot away on the map. "It's a trek, but I think we could do it if we leave tomorrow morning. If we stuff our faces, take some extra food to pack away, and we can use that money you got for Rapidash to buy more if we need it, we can make it there by Wednesday morning, maybe Tuesday if we're lucky."

I saw Jessee's shoulders drop. "Wow…that's a long way…I wish I hadn't sold my Rapidash now…"

I folded the map. "Don't worry. My Rapidash can carry both of us."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. She'll need some breaks every so often, but I'm sure she can do it. Especially if we go bare-back." I pulled out the pamphlet again and flipped through it. "It says that they'll provide uniforms and food when we get there so we can pack super lightly, just pack a few necessities."

"You want to leave even more than we already have?!" Jessee exclaimed, starting to like the sound of this job less and less.

"We have about 50 miles to ride on one pokemon. My saddlebags can only carry so much. And besides, they said we'd have everything we need once we get there!" I flipped the pamphlet closed. "Jessee…It's going to be fine. I promise you that. Things are turning around for us."

"I hope you're right, Jess…" She replied with a small shake of her head. "I hope you're right…"