Chapter 8: Camp

The vehicle drove in the underground tunnels under the city, coming up on the energized barrier in front of them. "Well, time for your first time outside the barrier," Melody said, with them passing outside the barrier. "Here is where we see if you are really Team Rocket material."

"This barrier that encases this city in an orb which protects the city in two ways: one is by sending out a signal that keeps the Poke'mon away but if they are able to get close enough to it, its energy is designed to repel any attack thrown at it," she said.

"But why don't we just expand the barrier?" Max asked.

"Because the barrier takes a lot of energy to use; Team Rocket Scientist are able to expand it ever few years but if it was to shut down from an overload Poke'mon all over would sense it and attack the city."

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Then after a while of traveling, the vehicles stopped. "Alright everyone, let's get set up," Melody ordered.

The group walked out with the rest to see the deserted area right next to the opening of a forest. "Alright team, let's get the portable barrier set up and then the tents, and even though this is just to get you five used to the outside world I don't want to see any of you slacking off. Am I clear?" Melody asked.

They saluted. "Yes, Captain."

Then one of the vehicles moved into the middle with the rest surrounding the area. A large antenna appeared out of the top of the vehicles and formed the barrier around the camp site. "Now each of you needs to set up your own tent before nightfall, out here I don't care if you were the child of Giovanni you are the same as the person next to you."

The team saluted. "Yes, Captain."

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As the five was setting up their single person tents, Melody walked by to inspect them. "About face!" she ordered, causing the five to stand by the entrance to their tents and salute.

Melody walked by Brock's tent. "Great job, soldier; keep up this work."

"Thank you, Captain," he replied.

"I also heard you flirt with a lot of girl's, just know that if you do that with me I will have you spend the night outside the barrier without a rifle."

Brock swallowed hard. "Understood, Captain."

She examined Misty's tent. "Your tent is sagging in the back, tighten the strings."

"Understood, Captain." Misty said.

Melody then came up on Max's tent. "Excellent work, Max. It seemed it was a good idea to accept you into this Organization at such a young age."

"Thank you, Captain," Max replied with joy.

Then Melody looked over at May's. "Get some lessons from your, brother," she instructed.

"Yes, Captain," she replied in a bit of a dark tone with Max chuckling.

Last she walked over to Ash's; even being friends with Ash the group thought that he would be overlooked for being friends with Melody. But after Melody looked at Ash's tent she kicked the side of it and it fell to the ground. "Do it over," she ordered in a cold tone, shocking the five.

"Did I stutter?" she asked Ash," I said, do it over!"

"Yes, Captain," he replied.

Also, no one is allowed to help him set up his tent or I will make them redo their's as well, am I clear?" she asked.

"Yes, Captain," they replied, with her walking off.

"Wow, that was cold," Max commented.

"Yeah, I didn't think she would treat you like that," Brock added.

"Well, I better get my tent back up," Ash replied, working on his tent with Melody watching from a distance.

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But every time Ash would get his tent up, Melody would tear it down and instruct him to rebuild it, his team could only watch from a distance while she would keep lecturing him the right way of doing it.

But right as they sun was setting; she walked over to Ash who just finished setting up his tent for the twentieth time. He saluted. "Ready for inspection, Captain Melody."

She circled the tent, gently kicking the pegs in the ground and pushing the poles to make sure they stay in place. She smiled at him. "Well, it's about time you got it right."

"Thank you, Captain," he replied.

Her smiled became more sinister. "Now that you are finally done here and since you are the last one to finish you will be helping me with my tent."

Ash looked really exhausted after hearing that. "Captain, I don't think I will be able to help."

"That was an order, Ash. Now come with me to the vehicle so you can move the equipment into my tent."

He exhaled. "Yes, Captain."

The two walked off to the vehicle. "She is really pushing him around," Max said.

Brock had heart shaped eyes. "She could push me around all she wants."

"But why is she pushing him so hard?" May asked as they watched Ash lift a heavy box out of the back of the vehicle and move it into the large Captain tent.

"Well, come on," Misty said. "He is going to be busy for a while so let's go sit at the campfire with the rest of our new teammates."

They nodded and walked off.

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Within Melody's tent, she watched Ash set up her computer on the desk in the corner of the tent. "I will be right back," Melody said, "I need to get changed, so don't peek."

Ash's face turned red. "I would never do a thing like that, Captain."

She winked. "I'm just having some fun."

She walked past Ash and unzipped the wall to the other room. She pulled down the zipper and turned on the light to where Ash could only see her shadow on the thin wall.

He tried to concentrate on setting up her computer but his attention would sometimes be diverted by seeing her remove her clothes. But then when it came to the bra, Ash suddenly got a nose bleed and focused right back onto working on the computer.

Then after a few more minutes went by, Melody said. "Ash, can you come in here for a minute?"

Ash swallowed hard. "Are you sure, Captain?"

"Don't worry, I won't use my power of authority in that way," she replied with a giggled. "I just need your help with something small."

Ash swallowed hard once again and walked over to the zipper; he hesitated and moved up the zipper to see her in a black night gown and her hand moving up her long hair from her back. "Can you just help with the zipper in the back, I can't quite get it?"

His face was completely red. "Um, a-are y-you sure?"

"Come on, just pull it up. You could do this as a favor for me and not as an order if you'd like."

He extended his arm out and stayed a distance away from her. Then after his index finger and thumb clamped onto the zipper he slowly pulled up till it reached the top then he backed away.

She dropped her hair, without the pins in her hair it rested down to her thighs. She then turned around to see Ash with a redden face. She smiled at him. "See, that wasn't so bad."

He swallowed hard. "Well, everything has been moved and your computer is set up, is there anything else you need me for, Captain?"

She shook her head. "No, that is all, Ash. You need your rest for tomorrow since we are heading out into the forest for a scouting mission so you and your friends can learn a few things you can't learn in the classroom."

He saluted. "Yes, Captain."

But before he could walk out, Melody said. "Ash, wait!"

Ash stopped and turned to face her. "What is it, Captain?"

She shook her head. "You don't need to call me Captain right now, just call me Melody. And please sit down."

Ash nodded, looking around he couldn't find a chair so he sat on the ground as she sat on her knees across from him, rubbing one barefoot over the other. "You know that when I am a Captain of the Beta Unit I can't have my emotions overcome my judgment even though I really like you, Ash."

Ash turned a bit red from what she said. "But I still don't get why you had me work harder than the rest of the agents."

She moved a little closer to Ash. "Because, I know you have the potential to become a great agent of Team Rocket and also because I, I really like you. So I wanted to make sure you didn't try to use our friendship or your father's status as a way to get out of work, but you never complained once and I found that quite impressive. So I was wondering, when we aren't trying to take out the Poke'mon menace if you would like to go out sometime," she asked with their faces turning redder the closer she moved her face to his, "on a date?"

Her hand rested on his chest to keep her balance while their faces moved closer and closer together, but before their lips met. Some of the agents called out in panic outside the tent.

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The two ran out to see what all the commotion was to see three Gravelers pounding away at the barrier. "There hasn't been a Rock-type Poke'mon within miles of this place in years," Melody commented. "This shield isn't strong enough to prevent Rock-types. Troops, get the Ice Rifles and get ready to bring down the barrier on my command, we can't risk it overloading on us."

"Yes, Captain," the troops replied, opening the weaponry trunk and passing down the rifles.

"But Mel... Captain, the Ice rifles don't apply that much damage to a rock," Ash replied.

"But it does a lot more than the Wind and Fire rifles we brought along. So grab a rifle and protect this campsite," she ordered.

To Be Continued.

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