.

Mission: Trouble

Mondo gawked at the host in shock, frozen in place. Meowth was equally alarmed. Adrenaline flooding through him, Mondo snapped out of it and leapt to his feet. "Stay away from them!" he furiously ordered.

"Lord Mondo the Third, hmm? I assume it's safe to say that that was a large lie. That probably means your Meowth doesn't come from so noble a line after all. But seeing how well it speaks and walks, well, he'll fetch a high price on the market. Once I've disposed of you, of course," the host said. He snapped, and a group of guards came into sight behind him. "Grab the boy. We'll deal with him later."

"Meowth, can you go another round?" Mondo hopefully asked, though he could see plain enough that the pokémon couldn't. To his surprise, Meowth grimaced and tried to get onto the ground to try again. "Whoa, don't push yourself. There's no way you're fighting like this," Mondo said, stopping him.

"It's life or death, kid. We don't have a choice," Meowth answered.

"You can't Meowth!" Mondo insisted, holding him in place tightly.

"Den we're in big trouble," Meowth said. The host chuckled and motioned his muscle to move in on the duo. They gasped and clung to each other as the guards neared, Mondo with no clue of what to do and Meowth quickly thinking up a plan. "I know! Use de lycanroc now!" Meowth insisted.

"He'll maul us," Mondo argued.

"Not before he mauls dem!" Meowth replied.

"Lycanroc, I choose you!" Mondo exclaimed, throwing the ball down. Immediately the lycanroc leapt from it with a howl and charged the guards. He leapt onto them viciously and cries of pain echoed out.

"I'm goin' in ta help!" Meowth said, springing from Mondo's arms.

"Meowth, no, you can't!" Mondo protested. "Meowth!"

Meowth ignored Mondo and began slashing into the enemies with determined fury. Soon the path to escape was cleared! Mondo ran for it with Meowth, but suddenly the lycanroc turned on them. They slid to a stop with gasps. To their shock, however, it didn't attack. It looked passed them toward the female and the rockruff puppies, then bounded over to her, nudging her and begging her to stand.

"Don't worry about dem, guy! We'll get dem out!" Meowth promised. "Mondo, where's de bag of emergency items you brought?"

"I have them right…" Mondo began. All at once he cried out in pain as an electric jolt tore through him.

"Mondo!" Meowth exclaimed, spinning. Mondo collapsed with a groan, barely conscious. Weakly he looked up. Meowth gaped in disbelief. The midnight lycanroc spun, snarling viciously. The host was up, and so were the guards! The lycanroc went to attack, but all at once a shot rang out and it yelped, collapsing to the ground. Mondo's eyes widened in horror. They'd shot it! Meowth gasped and crouched protectively in front of Mondo, ready to fight until the end for the kid.

"Deal with them," the host ordered. Meowth meowed in pain as he was shocked by a taser. He collapsed to the ground as well. Quickly the guards bagged him up along with the two lycanroc and their pups. Roughly they pulled the still partially paralyzed Mondo up. He swallowed nervously. This couldn't end like this! "You should have stayed out of my business, boy," the host said, placing the gun to the teen's forehead.

"My brother will have you're heads! You're going to regret this! Do you know what I am?" Mondo yelled with all the strength he could muster.

"Enlighten us," the host replied.

"Gladly," a feminine voice said from behind. They all spun with gasps, startled. Their eyes widened on making out the figures of none other than the Duke and Duchess of Yore! "Prepare for trouble," the Duchess said.

"And make it double," the Duke stated.

"To protect the world from devastation," the woman said, slashing through the air with a fan.

"To unite all peoples within our nation," the man said, spinning her in a pirouette.

"To denounce the evils of truth and love," she sang, tossing her head back.

"To extend our reach to the stars above," he added, pulling her towards him with a flourishing twist and catching her in his arms.

"Jessie," Jessie sang out, whipping off her outfit and pulling out her pokeballs.

"James," James said, whipping off his own and withdrawing a rose.

"Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light," Jessie said, reaching towards the stars with one arm while the other stayed around James's waist.

"Surrender now or prepare to fight," James said, copying her pose

"Meowth, dat's right!" Meowth called in relief from the bag he was currently trapped in.

"All right!" Mondo cheered in relief.

PKMN

"Team Rocket?!" the host exclaimed in shock and horror, sharply looking back at the boy.

"You're going down!" Mondo defiantly declared.

"Hand over the lycanroc family, the boy, and the Meowth, and we won't have to hurt anyone," Jessie said in a dangerously, and falsely, sweet tone.

"Get them!" the host ordered.

"Ooh, wrong choice," James veritably purred.

"Mimikyu, show them what you hide!" Jessie ordered.

"Chimecho, wring them dry with wrap!" James demanded. Immediately the two Pokémon attacked with a vengeance, ripping into the guards. Mimikyu's attack broke open the bag holding Meowth and the bag holding the midday lycanroc and her rockruff pups. Immediately the scratch-cat leapt into the fray to help fight.

Mondo kicked the men holding him and tore free, racing to the midday lycanroc and her litter. "Lycanroc, I know it's going to hurt, but it's going to be way worse if we can't get you out of here. Use rock throw! Protect your mate and cubs!" Mondo pled. The female whined but nonetheless raised her head and released the attack, yelping painfully at the sensation. The battle was wrapped up in short order. When the dust settled, the host and all his guards were laid out on the floor dazed or unconscious, and Team Rocket stood victorious.

PKMN

"Are you alright, Mondo?" Jessie questioned as James was tying up the host and his guards.

"I'm fine, but she needs help! James, can't Chimecho do something?" Mondo begged.

"Chimecho, I need you!" James said, calling it over.

"Chime," it sang, wrapping around his eyes.

"Chimecho, now's not the time! Quickly, use Heal Bell on the midday lycanroc!" James ordered, pointing at it. Chimecho floated over and cast its move on the midday. In a blinding light, with a howl, the midday rose to her feet, her cry echoing through the shack. She could walk again! Now she could move after so long, and her babies were safe and they were all free. Wait. Her mate! She began barking for something.

"Who is she calling to?" Jessie wondered.

"Oh no, the midnight lycanroc!" Mondo exclaimed, suddenly remembering the male. He leapt to his feet and raced to the badly injured pokémon's side, uncovering it from the bag. He looked him over in concern. Its eyes weakly flickered open, falling on him. It whimpered softly. "It's okay, boy, you're safe now, you're safe," Mondo promised, voice cracking as tears shone in his eyes. The midnight lycanroc turned its head weakly to try and see its mate. She could walk again, he noted. She was free, as was his offspring. He whimpered softly, closing his eyes. That was all that mattered to him. "No, no, don't give up! You have to make it, you have to be there for them!" Mondo pled. The midnight lycanroc weakly opened its eyes and blinked up at the young human who had defeated him and ensnared him in a pokeball. After a moment, he licked the boy's hand.

The midday lycanroc was approaching. She whined, lying next to her mate. The pups followed, whimpering and barking piteously. She began licking her beloved's face gently, as did the cubs. "Poor guy…" Meowth sadly said.

"James, get Chimecho to use Heal Bell again!" Mondo begged.

"Chime can't cast that spell too many times over. It could exhaust it," James replied.

"Lycanroc could die!" Mondo argued.

James winced and looked at his chimecho nervously. Chimecho could die, a dark thought reminded him. "What say you, Chime? Do you think you're up to trying once more?" he uncertainly said, shoving away that dark voice. He knew what happened last time he'd exhausted his chimecho. He didn't want it to happen again ever. However, it was newly rested so maybe it was good to go for a while now? He hoped.

"Chime," Chime agreed determinedly. It floated over to the lycanroc male and began chiming its healing bell. Mondo watched hopefully as the wound began to close.

"See? You'll make it," Mondo said to him, eyes filled with hope. The male growled then suddenly shot up with a loud sound, knocking Mondo back. "You're okay!" Mondo cheered, grinning widely. The lycanroc cocked its head at him then sniffed the pokeball the boy had used to trap him. He looked back up at Mondo.

"Let's get dese guys and get back to de boss already," Meowth said.

Mondo hesitated, looking the family over. "No…" he finally said.

"Huh?" Meowth asked.

"No. They want to be free. They deserve to be free," Mondo stated firmly. "I-I won't take them away… I won't bring them to Giovanni just so he can have some bragging rights."

"Mondo, you realize you'll fail the mission if you don't," Jessie said, surprised.

"I know," Mondo answered gloomily. It would probably prevent him from going on anymore field missions for years to come as well, but he didn't care. The little family was okay…

PKMN

The lycanroc and rockruff were vanishing into the forest in a line. Mondo watched happily after them, Jessie and James each with a hand on one of his shoulders. Meowth was watching the bittersweet departure with a smile. He sniffed and blew his nose with a tissue Mondo offered him. "T'anks," he said.

The lycanroc parents paused before disappearing. Gently the male nuzzled the female and began speaking to her. Sadness came to her eyes, but also understanding. The male licked her, a silent promise that he would be back one day and that he would see her again, and with that she disappeared into the woods, nuzzling him lovingly once more.

"Huh? What's it doing?" Mondo wondered as the male started back.

The male approached and nudged the pokeball Mondo had used to capture it, out of the teen's pocket. They started. "I think he wants to come with you," Jessie realized in shock.

"What? N-no, you should go with your family, boy," Mondo insisted. The lycanroc shook his head and nudged the pokeball again without waiting. Immediately he was drawn inside. "But-but…" Mondo began.

"Looks like you've caught a pokémon," Jessie said with a smile.

"But it isn't right! He should be with his mate and his pups," Mondo argued.

"Giovanni will often let a first-time field agent keep whichever pokémon he's captured on a mission. He'll be yours to do with as you like," James said.

"Dat means you can take him ta visit his family or even release him, plus just tell de boss de litter was already sold off by de time we got dere and you also get de bonus of a good name wit' him for completin' your first mission at so young an age," Meowth said.

"Meowth is right. The youngest agent on record to ever complete a mission successfully on their first try was our very own Butch," Jessie said.

"You'll be known as the second youngest agent to ever complete something like this within their first year with minimal training, and when it's all said and done you can release Lycanroc back to his family if you so choose," James said.

Mondo looked down at the pokeball uncertainly. After a moment he smiled. "Thanks boy," he whispered to it, tears in his eyes. He tucked it away into a pocket and beamed up at Jessie and James.

"Let's go home," James said, smiling down at their young friend.

"Yeah, let's," Mondo agreed. Immediately they retreated to their hot air balloon.

PKMN

They were just starting to rise above the trees when it happened. Suddenly the sound of a gun firing echoed out and pierced the Meowth balloon! With cries of alarm they fell from the sky back onto the ground. Jessie and James dove to cushion Mondo and Meowth as they crashed. Groaning, they crawled out from under the mess. Boots appeared in front of them and they gasped, looking up quickly. They started, paling at what they saw. More of the host's guards, and the host himself!

"James, I thought you tied them up!" Jessie said angrily.

"I did!" James replied.

"Did you really think not one of my guards had a knife on them?" the host asked. Jessie and James winced. Oops… "Now, since it seems you freed my star breeders, I'll be taking that Meowth of yours as payment. And the boy. Principle, you understand. He stole what was mine, cut into my profits. So now he pays for it. He'll make up what he cost me one way or another." Mondo caught his breath in fear, paling a bit and the many ways in which that could be interpreted. None of them were good. The guards came over to the trapped Team Rocket group and seized Meowth and Mondo, dragging them out. Mondo let out a frightened cry.

"Wait!" Jessie exclaimed. "If it's profit you need to cover, then take me, not him! I'm worth much more than he would be, and you know it!"

"Tempting, but I can't afford to let the boy go with what he knows. In fact, I shouldn't risk letting any of you go. However, you're part of Team Rocket. I've heard of Giovanni. Rich, isn't he? I wonder… How valuable are his agents to him?"

"Not that valuable," James answered dryly.

"No? Then I suppose I don't need three of four alive after all," he said, aiming a gun at James.

"Wait! What is it you want from him?!" Jessie said, inwardly panicking. "Whatever it is I'm sure he'll pay it. He must!"

"Willing to stake life on it, hmm?" the man asked.

"Without question," Jessie replied. Inwardly she was questioning it big time, but if this was what it took to save her partner and keep them all alive, she'd stake anything.

"Hmm…" the man mused. "I'll tell you what I'll do. I'll let one of you go. Only one. You'll go back to your boss, you'll tell him what happened, and you'll inform him I'm willing to make a deal with him for one of his agents' release. Two, if he's willing to really pay up. If the one I send away tries to come back to save the others, or get help in doing so, someone suffers or dies. If the one I send off, in any way tries to double cross me, there'll be death without question or hesitation. Am I clear?"

They were quiet. "Yes sir," they finally said together.

"Good," the man said. "Now get up and put all your pokeballs into this bag." He gestured for a guard to step forward with a bag. He went up to them. Jessie and James glared darkly. Mondo subtly pushed Lycanroc's pokeball out of his pocket, letting it roll under the collapsed balloon and out of sight. The man assumed all the lycanroc had gone free, which meant he probably believed Mondo had released it. That mistake may very well end up being their saving grace.

Jessie, James, Meowth, and Mondo rose. Meowth was immediately grabbed and put into a separate bag. "Hey!" he cried out in protest, struggling a bit and trying to claw his way out before another guard came forward and stuck a needle into the bag. "Ouch!" Meowth exclaimed. "That… hurt…" Suddenly all movement stopped.

"Meowth!" James exclaimed.

"What did you do to him?!" Jessie demanded.

"Put him to sleep for a while, that's all," the host answered. He looked them over. "Now, which one will go free?"

"I'll stay," Jessie said. "So will James. Giovanni's more likely to listen to Mondo than either of us."

"Nice try. However, when you said you were worth more than the boy profit-wise, you weren't wrong. So you're coming too, as is the child," the man said.

"Wait, please, let Mondo go! Or Jessie at least. I'm bred of a rich family who'd be willing to pay out the nose for my safe return," James quickly said. In reality he doubted his parents would waste a cent on ransom, but then again he could be misjudging them… He hoped he was…

"Really? And who would these parents of yours be?" the man asked.

James opened his mouth to answer, then shut it again. If he told the man who his parents were… Given both were in attendance here, and this man seemed to have no qualms about kidnapping, there was a very real risk that once he learned, he would attempt to take one of them as well so the remaining parent would have double incentive to pay up. He wasn't on good terms with his parents, no, but their safety was something he wouldn't risk no matter what. He could fix this, right? He could-he could find a way to save Jessie and Mondo and Meowth! When Mondo didn't check in on the hour, Tyson would be alerted to something going wrong. Of course that could end very, very badly for him, but he didn't care. If it would save his partner and Mondo and Meowth, he'd weather Tyson's wrath.

"I lied," James finally said.

"You're a pathetic agent if a mere question breaks you," the man said. "I'm smart to let you go back. You'd be useless to your friends even if you tried to cross me. James was quiet. The man with the bag for the pokeballs came to them. James reluctantly gave them up, as did Jessie, looking less than impressed. The bag came to Mondo. "Check him to be safe, but odds are he has none. He released the midnight lycanroc to be with the midday one and their rockruff litter." Mondo was quickly patted down, and when they were sure there were no pokeballs on him, the grabbed him and dragged him away from Jessie and James, quickly tying him up. Mondo, fearful, looked desperately at them. Jessie was covering her mouth with her hands looking scared. She didn't know what to do. What was she supposed to do?! They came towards her. James looked like he was going to lunge.

"Wait!" Jessie exclaimed, thinking quickly. "I… need to check in with our, um, mission overseer! To avoid raising his suspicions. You see, we agreed to check in every hour and if we miss one of the calls, he'll send others out to look for us. If you want to avoid detection, let me speak to him before you take me. It has to be me doing the calling, because I'm the team leader." Nailed it, she inwardly praised herself. While hoping she was right. James, Meowth, and Mondo looked totally lost.

"Do it. Try anything, your partner dies, and you'll be the one returning to demand ransom from the big boss," the man said.

Jessie swallowed and nodded. She pulled out a cellular phone from her pocket and began searching the numbers. It wasn't Giovanni she was looking for, though. It was Lord Kojiro. Who knew when any rocket agents would come for them? It could be hours, it could be days of planning. But perhaps, just perhaps, two ex ones—assumedly—could still prove they weren't over the hill yet…

PKMN

Lord Kojiro frowned as his cellular phone buzzed during a ballet performance the guests were being treated to that had him bored to tears but was obviously enthralling to his wife. He frowned and pulled it out to check. "Deah, I though you was gonna leave that thing," his wife murmured quietly to him.

He frowned at her and rose, walking into the next room to answer it in private. The number was unknown. "Hello?" he said. "Victor, if this is you thank the stars. You saved me from the dullest ballet this side of the century. How's Puka?"

"Yes, Pierce, hello!" Jessie's voice replied.

"Jessie? You have the wrong number I'm afraid," Lord Kojiro answered in confusion.

"Yes, everything's going perfectly fine. Currently we're enjoying the party with Lord and Lady Kojiro. Absolutely nothing has gone wrong, we're not in any trouble," Jessie said.

Lord Kojiro stiffened up, eyes narrowing. "Jessie, what's happened? Where are you?" he asked.

"No, we haven't found and freed the lycanroc for fear the host will show up. The host is full of surprises, he probably is going to stash them somewhere, so it won't be easy. He'll likely play coy when questioned, but they won't be taken off the property, and that's a fact. There've been rumors about pokémon houses in the woods, and of rooms no one has seen where one could quite easily hide away something of value should the need arise," Jessie said.

Lord Kojiro was quiet. "Understood. Where's James?" he asked, voice low.

"James? Doing his job of course! The problem is the host finds James quite dull, and so my partner hasn't had much luck with striking up a deal for us, as was his role. He'll be returning to base sooner than Mondo, me, and Meowth. Much sooner. The host is more interested in us than in him," Jessie said.

"Are you alright?" Lord Kojiro asked.

"Oh, we're having quite a time," Jessie replied. "Really. I've never had so much fun. I'm quite a valued companion of the man's. As is Mondo and especially Meowth. He's taken a real shine to Meowth. Goodness knows what his plans for Mondo and I are as the night goes on, but I'm sure they'll be a hell of a thing."

"Hang in there. I'll think of something," Lord Kojiro said."

"I've got to go now. Do hurry and write up my report thus far," Jessie said. With that she hung up.

PKMN

Lord Kojiro took the phone away from his ear and stared at it darkly, eyes narrowed.

"Deah?" he heard his wife say as the door creaked open. He looked back at her. She could tell immediately that something was wrong. She'd always been quite empathetic and in tune to the emotions of others. When she chose to be, that is. It was where James got it from. Lady Kojiro frowned. "Johnathon, what's wrong?" she asked.

"Hmm…" he murmured. He folded his arms, bowing his head and closing his eyes with a smirk, all but emulating what James did at times. "Prepare for trouble," he said.

She started at this then frowned deeply. "Are we about t' make it double?" she asked.

"They were discovered, the host will have his revenge," he said.

"Then this will no doubt be a welcome challenge," she replied, smirking at him teasingly.

Lord Kojiro started, visibly amused that she was keeping up the motto format. Old time's sake, he supposed. "Jessie's in trouble, the boy and Meowth too," he said.

"And what of the child I conceived with you?" she asked.

Gods he loved it when she rhymed. The words seemed to just slip out of her mouth like it was the most natural thing in the world. She could speak in verse the rest of their days and he wouldn't tire of it. "James is safe, but their time is short."

"Sans notre aide, ils seront tous mort," she answered in French.

He took a second to translate her words. Without our help they'll all be dead, he believed. Something like that. My but she was quick on the draw when it came to rhyming. "Johnathon."

"Dinah," she said, smirking.

"What once was ours we'll have once more," he said.

"We'll revive our names in Team Rocket lore," she finished, grinning.

"And settle James's score," he put in teasingly. She giggled softly.

PKMN

James watched helplessly, held tightly between two guards, as Jessie, Meowth, and Mondo were bound and dragged away, Mondo calling for help, Meowth unconscious, and Jessie struggling like a mad woman and cursing them out. His teeth clenched, tears threatening his eyes, he cursed everything and everyone. He'd known it was a bad idea to come here! He just… hadn't realized his parents weren't going to be the reason why… He struggled valiantly to try and break free once again, but even if he did what could he do? They'd probably kill him, or one of the others, and cut their losses. It was pointless… But if he was quick to reach headquarters, they wouldn't be in the clutches of this man for very long. He'd see this whole place burned to the ground if they harmed his partner or Mondo or Meowth.

The men soon got the call to let James go. They threw him roughly down and surrounded him to make sure he left as he was supposed to. He glared around at them all, calculating his odds. They weren't ones he liked. He was unarmed and now short all his pokémon. He wouldn't have a hope in a hot place of taking them all out. Angrily, despising himself and his weakness and his failure to save any of his friends, he scoffed in disgust and turned to the Meowth balloon, repairing it and readying it for takeoff. He hated how long it would take. The longer they were in this man's clutches… He shuddered to think. Meowth was on a time limit. For all he knew Mondo and Jessie might be too. As quickly as he could, he repaired the balloon. He froze suddenly, spotting a pokeball on the ground. Wait, the lycanroc! Mondo hadn't had a pokeball on him when the men had collected his and Jessie's. The boy had slipped it out of his pocket and left it to be found then! James could have cheered him. Unfortunately, one lycanroc wasn't going to stand a chance against all these armed men. A bullet moved faster than almost any pokémon move did. He subtly slipped it into a pocket. He could, if nothing else, protect it until they were safe at headquarters. Safe, though, was an objective term now. The moment he landed on that roof short Mondo, Jessie, and Meowth… He inwardly shuddered. His life would be as good as forfeit, if Tyson had his way. But at least Jessie, Meowth, and Mondo would be saved, even if he wasn't. He grimaced to himself, realizing the irony of the one who'd been freed being in more life-threatening danger than the ones who'd been kidnapped.

Finishing up with the balloon, James climbed aboard and started it up, running though a million different scenarios and excuses and explanations he could offer that might spare him a whole world of trouble. Every scenario ended horribly. He let out a shuddering breath. It would be so easy just to run and never return… Maybe if it was anyone other than Jessie or Meowth or Mondo he'd even seriously consider it, but it wasn't, so he would do what needed to be done to save them. There would be no ransom paid by Giovanni. There would be blood. He watched the mansion fade out of sight, expression dark and cold. Turning attention to his route again, he made for Team Rocket headquarters as fast as the balloon would go.