Red walked into the TV studio the place of his new employment; he was a part-time backstage manager.
"And who was that you were just battling with? I saw you throw in the towel to that little boy?" The lady at the desk teased.
"Little Boy? More like child prodigy… besides I really don't want to talk about it, okay?" Red stated glumly as he gloomily stammered up the stairs to his room. He then plopped himself down on his bed and picked up his most treasured possession, a framed photograph, that he always kept on his bedside to remind him why he lived in this dump, it was the same picture that Delia had been looking at a few days back. Red gazed at the photo as his eyes became foggy.
Red began pondering to himself about his wife and son." They don't understand, I can't let them understand, ever."
Meanwhile…
Pikachu licked Ash's cheek compassionately, trying to cheer up its depressed trainer.
"Ash, are you okay?" Misty asked concernedly.
"It's not fair." Ash simply stated.
"I know it isn't fair, dear but, that's the way life is. What he did to me now, that's one thing I could get over that but, what he did to you, Ash, I don't know it I'd ever be able to come over that. Even today is an example, he tore you apart just like he did years ago…" Delia ranted.
"I wish… I just wish he'd come home!" Ash said sniffling.
"So do I, Ash, so do I…" Delia agreed miserably.
"Oh, Mom!" Ash cried, overwhelmed, as he ran over to his mother in embrace.
"Ash." Misty muttered, hurting her, herself, seeing someone so strong, that she cared about deeply, be broken down so easily, his father's departure had an enormous, negative, impact on Ash's life.
"Shhh, it's okay, shhh, come on now, it'll be okay. Let's go home and try to forget about it, okay, sweetie? Shhh Come on now, it'll be alright, I promise… Oh, Ash." Delia said comfortingly as she held Ash in her arms while stroking his thick black hair while he cried.
"He's right, y'know, you must hate me for leaving, just like him!" Ash cried.
"Oh, Ash!" Delia exclaimed, shocked by Ash's confession of guilt.
"Poor, Ash, Mr. Ketchum's such a jerk." Misty mumbled to Pikachu as it nodded to show consent.
"Ash, how could you ever think such a think! Ash, I don't hate you, silly, I love you, you're my son. How could I ever hate my little pumpkin? Ash, why else would I have come here in the first place, for you. Ash, I know that your dream is very important to you, when I was your age I left on a Pokemon journey too, y'know to pursue my dream of being a Pokemon researcher, it's just what kids do in this world, I could never be angry at you for pursing your dream, I'm proud of you." Delia explained.
"Really?" Ash asked beginning to calm down.
"Of course I am!" Delia exclaimed. "Now, why don't we head home?" Delia suggested.
"Yeah, Ash he's not worth your time anyhow." Misty said.
"Thanks, Misty, Mom and you too Pikachu, for such a great battle, you did awesome, would've won it too." Ash said appreciatively. Then a shady looking character walked towards them he had a crooked smile, hair black as soot, with a handlebar mustache, a goatee, a thick uni-brawl, in a white cloak, with a black cape, and big black military boots and initialed on his coat was the letters TS.
"Pardon me, I don't mean to interrupt but, you wouldn't happen to know the whereabouts of Red Ketchum, world renowned Pokemon Master, ring a bell." The mysterious man said in emphasis.
"He went into that TV Studio but, good luck trying to talk to him, Lord, knows we've tried talking to him…" Ash grumbled, tears still wet on his face.
"Thank you, that's all the information I needed…" He retorted with a sinister smile as the stranger walked away maniacally giggling to himself like a psychopath.
"That was just plain weird, that guy was scary." Misty commented little to the knowledge of Ash, Misty and Delia that absurd, freakish man was a top executive of Team Snagem and the head ally of Team Rocket's boss, Giovanni.
Jessie, James, and Meowth trudged across Pyrite Town's dirty boulevard of broken dreams.
"We ain't never gonna get that Pikachu, guys!" Meowth complained.
"Shut your Meowth, we got the promotion now didn't we? So stop your whining, with our new position will catch that precious, power-packed Pikachu lickedy-split!" Jessie exclaimed optimistically.
"Yeah, and when we do the boss will fill our empty stomachs!" James exclaimed.
"You, you three, right there." Said the Team Rocket executive who came across the trio, ironically all of them after one of the Ketchums.
"You three part of Team Rocket? I'm Sergeant Booth, leader of Team Snagem I took over after Mirror B. vanished." Booth said introducing himself to the trio.
"Oh, Team Snagem we've heard of you! Our boss, Giovanni said you were our top alliance back in the golden days." James said in recognition.
"Correct, now I have a proposition for you, it involves making some money…" Booth began.
"We're listening…" Jessie replied.
"My partner, Wilkes and I require your assistance in a project we established years ago." Booth continued.
"What project you talkin' 'bout, buddy?" Meowth questioned.
"You're all aware of Team Snagem's mission to possess the souls of Pokemon to make the exceedingly powerful to acquire ultimate conquer over the entire planet, am I correct?" Booth interrogated.
"Yes, I believe we know of it." James affirmed.
"We are not capable of proceeding with this conspiracy with a certain Pokemon Master's interference. This is where you come in to accommodate this procedure." Booth went on into further detail.
"So what do you want us to do?" Jessie asked.
"The Pokemon trainer meddling with our plans resides in the ONBS TV studio, north of here. I have Team Snagem grunts stationed in helicopters above and we need someone with enough moxy to blow the total facility into smithereens. We'll take it from there obviously we'll pay you, just name the price." Booth explained the treacherous plan.
"One moment please my associates and I must discuss this opportunity, hold on." Jessie said as the group huddled together.
"Why of course." Booth replied.
"I say we do it we could insist a ton of cash!" Jessie said.
"I don't know, Jess, it seems kind of dark, people could get hurt…" James added his opinion.
"Who cares, what're you that kid? Let's ask for thirty grand and get this show on the road!" Meowth stated, agreeing with Jesse.
"Are you in or what, James? Don't be a traitor." Jessie snapped.
"Fine." James said reluctantly.
"We've come to a decision! We've unanimously decided to help with you for the small cost of $30.000!" Jessie said.
"A meager wage for such a bold task not many others would do it for such a small fee, buster!" Meowth persuaded.
"Thirty-thousand dollars! You've gotta be kidding, you're pulling my leg. Ugh, whatever, it'll be well worth it, deal, sign here." Booth arranged shoving the contract in their faces and there and then the Team Snagem: Mission Obliterate Pokemon Masters conspiracy began brewing.