Pokémon appeared from their thrown Pokéballs with flashes of light on both sides of the field. Misty and Corsola glared hard at James and Victreebel, who seemed to have finally gotten over her traumatic past; for Victreebel wasn't trying to bite James. Wobbuffet offered a respectful salute, but Jessie sneered at Ash and Pikachu across the way. Jessie added, "Haven't you tamed that Pikachu yet? I'd never let my Pokémon run around loose from its Pokéball all day like that."

Ash ignored the comment, refusing to be baited. Instead he responded, "Let's get this out of the way fast, Pikachu. Use Thunder!" Pikachu nodded before sending an enthusiastic cry of, "Pika-CHUUU!" accompanied by a huge bolt of lightning.

"Quick, Wobbuffet! Use Mirror Coat!" Jessie commanded. "Wobbuffet!" the Pokémon saluted, a red halo of power forming around the Psychic-Type as she did so. The Mirror Coat absorbed the Thunder; but not harmlessly. Wobbuffet moaned deep in her throat as she struggled to contain the power.

Meanwhile, James was beaming at the thought of an easy victory, thanks to the big Pokémon elemental type advantage he had at the moment. His bright red rose became a floral baton choreographing his performance as James ordered, "Razor Leaf, Victreebel!" With an incoherent but ear-splitting screech, Victreebel launched a flurry of leaves from beneath her petals across the field.

"Fire right back down her throat, Corsola! Ice Beam!" Misty commanded. Corsola bent over. The movement made the Nevermelt Ice item strapped onto her round form sparkle in the gym's lighting. James realized the fight might not be as easy as he thought when Corsola's Ice Beam, enhanced by the item she was wearing, sprayed from the foremost of the three coral-like projections on the Rock- and Water-Type's back. The blast froze the incoming leaves in midair, making Victreebel's assault fall harmlessly to the floor in a glittering display of snowflakes. The Ice Beam continued on, chilling Victreebel down to her roots. James gasped; but Victreebel shrugged off the icy assault to stand tall.

At her husband's side, Jessie judged Wobbuffet had fully charged up for her next maneuver. "Let Pikachu have it, Wobbuffet!" Jessie grinned. For his part, Ash countered, "Dodge it, Pikachu! Agility!"

A blazing red beam of power - a reverse Thunder with twice its original power level - poured from Wobbuffet's body. Pikachu scampered around the battlefield with his Agility move; the Mirror Coat blast nipping at his heels. Close, but no cigar for Wobbuffet.

Ash cheered, "Wobbuffet can't take another Thunder, Pikachu! Go for it!"

As a second yellow bolt raced toward her Pokémon, Jessie quickly snapped, "Wobbuffet, Destiny Bond, now!"

For a split second before the Thunder crashed onto Wobbuffet, the bizarre blue Pokémon's glowing aura changed color to the darkest shade of black. And a similar halo glowed around Pikachu as well, but it was too late for either the Electric-Type or his trainer to recall their attack. Wobbuffet crumpled as the Thunder hit home, her energy exhausted. But so did Pikachu; his own strength completely and automatically drained by the Destiny Bond temporarily linking the Pokémon together.

From his podium, Meowth waved his green flag at both sides. "Wobbuffet and Pikachu are down! Da Destiny Bond move is legal, both Trainers switch Pokémon now!"

Ash grit his teeth. Meowth was correct; it wasn't a illegal move since Wobbuffet wasn't Jessie's final Pokémon. But while not technically a foul, he still considered it a dirty trick, personally. Of course the fact that it had worked and taken out his favorite Pokémon had nothing to do with it… He waved and called for Meowth's attention as he stepped onto the field, "Time out!"

With a little bit of muttering under his breath, Meowth raised the red flag nonetheless. All Pokémon and trainers alike stopped and waited while Ash crossed to his unconscious friend. Jessie, of course, had already returned Wobbuffet to the depths of her Pokéball. The leggy redhead yawned theatrically, "Yes, yes, go ahead. Never use Pikachu's Pokéball to get him off the field. We've got all day, why not?"

Ash ignored her again to gently scoop Pikachu up in his arms. He carried Pikachu to the gym's nurse on the sidelines, who set to work reviving the electric mouse tenderly. Quickly satisfied that Pikachu was in good hands, Ash returned to his spot and nodded to Meowth. Joining in with Jessie, Meowth ran a paw across his brow to brush away imaginary sweat. "Hey, Jess, Jimmy; does I look older to either o' youse? Okay, everybody, let's go!"

Hoping to catch James unaware, Misty spoke quickly, "Go, Corsola! Ice Beam, and hit 'em where it hurts!"

Her opponent responded with, "Dodge it, Victreebel! Counter with Giga Drain!"

Victreebel flattened out her bendable bell-like shape, causing Corsola's attack to pass over her head. Fortunately for the audience, the wild shot was absorbed by the arena's forcefield mechanism. Unfortunately for Corsola, Victreebel's long, vinelike tentacles ensnared her in a grip of iron. Long barbs in the tentacles unsheathed themselves and drilled through Corsola's thick skin to the tender flesh beneath. The Giga Drain completely replaced the strength Victreebel had lost to both Ice Beam attacks even as Corsola passed out.

While Meowth called out a victory for Victreebel, Misty calmly recalled Corsola. Then, to the evident surprise of all trainers on both ends of the field, she waved Togetic off her shoulder and into the fray. Across from her, James looked rather uncomfortable to boot. "That's a dirty trick," he accused, "trying to make me feel sorry for such a cute, sweet, innocent little Pokémon that I won't want to battle correctly!"

Misty smiled grimly back, "Don't hold back on our account. It's time you find out what it's like when I open a can o' whuppin' with my cute, sweet, innocent little Pokémon. Right, Togetic?" The Flying- and Normal-Type chirped back gravely.

"If you insist, my dear!" James returned, all reluctance abandoned, "Victreebel, Sludge Bomb!"

"Togetic, Aerial Ace!" Misty responded.

Victreebel's large mouth bulged, then spat a huge, disgusting wad of vile purple bile across the battlefield. Togetic easily dodged on nimble little wings, closing the distance to slash across Victreebel twice in a x-shaped pattern. Victreebel tumbled backwards, quivered once, and laid still.

While Meowth bid James to recall his defeated Grass-Type, Misty shared a quick high-five with Togetic. The sight made James snort, "It's not over yet! Weezing, I choose you!"

Meanwhile, Ash and Jessie sent out Arbok and Typhlosion, respectively. Spoiling for some quick revenge for Pikachu, Ash commanded, "Typhlosion, Fire Blast, now!"

"Arbok, use Rain Dance!" Jessie ordered.

While the flame jets running along Typhlosion's back and shoulders spewed excess flame (a side effect of powering up Fire Blast), the opposing snake did a quick little slithery jig on his coils. A small rain cloud appeared at Arbok's summons, fixing itself squarely over the battlefield. Within seconds a highly localized but rather strong barrage of rain fell upon all the combatants.

Prepared for just such an eventuality, Jessie, James, and Meowth whipped out their umbrellas. Weezing, freed from James' belt, did his best to ignore the pelting rain. Arbok followed suit, paying attention to Typhlosion's incoming Fire Blast. The Poison-Type tried to dodge it, but the gout of flame struck home. It was, however, literally watered down greatly by the pouring rain. The snake, barely singed, reared back and spread his hood with a menacing hiss of, "Arbok!"

For their part, Ash, Misty, Typhlosion, and Togetic were soaked to the bone in seconds. "Hey!" Ash protested through the falling water, "Our Pokémon are one thing, but what about us?" Misty seconded his complaint with, "Yeah! You're supposed to provide the challenging trainers with protection from weather-changing attacks!"

Jessie gave them both a nasty little grin. "Oops," she said in a tone that held very little repentance and a lot of sarcasm, "I guess we just forgot."

Her husband piped up, "Oh, just show some backbone! You can weather this little sprinkle, can't you? Unless you're both-washed up!" After a quick chuckle over his own wit (and ignoring the groans of everyone within earshot, including his wife), James sobered up enough to command, "Weezing, let's give them a taste of their own medicine for once, shall we? Thunder Attack!"

With a bark of, "Weez-ing!", from each mouth adoring his faces, the Pokémon that looked like two purple beachballs fused together sent a furious Thunder towards Togetic.

"Oh no! Dodge it, Togetic, and come back with Psychic!" Misty commanded.

Under normal circumstances, Togetic probably would've avoided the inaccurate attack at such a long range. But in the rain Arbok had triggered, the bolt of lightning easily completed the connection of charged free-floating ions between Weezing and Togetic with a sharp crack. Togetic fell from the sky with a sickening thud.

Neither Misty nor James seemed to believe it at first when Meowth announced, "With both her Pokémon defeated, challenga Misty is outta da battle! Challenga Ash now faces two opponents at da same time! Heh, good luck dere, kiddo!"

Sounding rather like Ash, James admitted into Jessie's borrowed microphone, "I couldn't have done it without my Pokémon! Wonderful job, Weezing; Victreebel!" James then threw wide-open arms to his returning Pokémon, clutching Weezing in a bear hug. Which, unfortunately, Weezing lacked any limbs to reciprocate with. The Pokémon had to settle for rubbing two pairs of cheeks against his master's neck and shoulder affectionately.

Crestfallen and silent, Misty cuddled her fallen Togetic to her chest before taking him to the nurse also. She kept her upper lip as stiff as she could, but truth to tell, it wasn't just rainwater tracing its way down her cheeks. But then again, it wasn't entirely sorrow either; some of her tears were a byproduct of her pure red rage. At herself for losing so handily or at James for finally becoming a decent Pokémon trainer, she wasn't quite sure.

But for all the fury Misty could be well-known for, it paled for the moment compared to her friends left in her wake. Both Ash and Typhlosion seemed to be turning the rain around them into steam as they smoldered. "You asked for it!" Ash barked, "Typhlosion, use Earthquake, now!"

The flame shrew leapt into the air, slamming his full weight back down in a way carefully calculated to shake things up a little. This time, all the battling trainers as well as the audience were saved from the shakes by the shock absorbers built into the stadium for just such a purpose. Ash entertained the passing wish that Clair's Pokémon Gym in Blackthorn City had been equipped with all these latest, greatest high-tech safety features. It would've saved him a lot of trouble. Too bad the rough-and-tumble Clair doubtless disdained such things as being for hopeless wimps.

Weezing floated up higher into the micro-rainstorm as he was told, well out of Typhlosion's reach. Arbok, vision obscured by the rain, wasn't so lucky. He mistimed his leap over the shockwaves and ended up caught in one. The snake flew high into the air, arced somewhat gracefully, and came crashing back to earth in a heap.

"Oh, no!" Jessie cried, "Arbok, hang in there! Don't let me down now!" Shaking mightily, Arbok struggled back up to continue the battle. Jessie and James chorused to their Pokémon, "Sludge Bomb, now!"

Twin blobs of pure poisonous matter flew this time; although only one struck the scampering target's face. Typhlosion reeled under the putrid assault, sputtering, spitting, and trying to wipe his eyes clean with paws no fresher than his face. "Don't back down, Typhlosion!" Ash cheered his friend on, "You've got Arbok on the ropes! Use Dig this time!"

"Eeek! Hurry, Weezing, use Sludge Bomb!" James yelped.

He was too slow. Typhlosion burrowed furiously down through the gym's floor, breaking a hole in the bendable floorboards after all, and dodging the next spitball completely. James looked flustered, but Jessie played her last ace in the hole with a confidently evil smirk. "Earthquake, Arbok, now!" she thundered.

With the last of his strength, Arbok gathered his coils beneath him like a wound spring. A short leap and another round of shockwaves rattled the gym's battlefield. The rolling earth caught Typhlosion trying to pass through it, chewed him up a little, and spit him out onto the field. The already-unconscious Fire-Type impacted against the safety forcefield too, sliding down to where Ash and his Pokéball waited for him.

Meowth's sharp-fanged jaw was hanging down past his knees. "I don't believe it," he muttered into his mic, "uh-I mean, dat's all, folks! Challenga Ash is outta Pokémon and da Pallet Town Gym Leaders, Jessie and James Morgan, claim victory!"

As the rain finally broke, Jessie stood there stock-still. Then such ecstasy overtook her that she simply dropped her umbrella and started jumping up and down. "I did it!" she cheered herself with each leap, "I did it, I did it! I finally beat you, Ash Ketchum! No Gym Badge for you-ooo! Too-ooo ba-ad!" And then the responsible, mature Gym Leader and mother of two made an awful "nyah-nyah" face to go with it.

Ash had long ago found another use for his cap besides looking good; he pulled it down and lowered his head so nobody could see his eyes. As he turned his back to the battlefield, Ash didn't need to see his opponents to know James and Meowth had flown to Jessie's side. He certainly didn't need to listen hard for their voices booming over the loudspeakers around him, since Meowth forgot to turn his mic off.

"Dat's real respect'ble of ya, Jess," Meowth advised, "Way to improve our gym's reputation. Show a little professionalism for da cameras, would ya?"

Her eyes became cross for a second as she reminded, "It's not your gym, Meowth. And turn that microphone off!" As Meowth did so, Jessie felt her joy return along with her privacy. Giggling like a schoolgirl, she turned to her husband with, "Oh, I couldn't resist rubbing it in! Oh, James, I won, I won!"

"We won," he corrected her as he took Jessie into his arms, "It was a Double Battle, my dear. Unless you'd care to take Ash and Misty on by yourself-?"

She laughed. For once, it was a happy sound, devoid of sarcasm or evil thoughts. James beamed at her, "See? Didn't I tell you all our training would pay off? Just like in the old days! Remember how every time we really had something to fight for, something we believed in, we'd do so well?"

Jessie, still smiling, confessed, "I never thought I'd say this, James, but you were finally right. The straight and narrow path; it's good for us!"

Meowth, however, looked a little wistful. "Mebbe," he observed quietly, "But it's not nearly as much fun."

Just then a pack of newshounds eager for an interview appeared, leading the crowd rushing to congratulate them. James arched his eyebrows at his wife. "Would you mind fielding this, my dear? I must take care of something straight away." Never one to resist a chance in the spotlight, Jessie nodded. Then, suspecting what he had in mind, she waved a couple reporters after him anyway to ensure the good public relations for her gym were caught on film.

Unaware of those on his heels, James worked his way through the crowd as quickly as he could. Alternately denying interviews for the moment from intercepting reporters and accepting handshakes from well-wishers, he soon reached his goal.

The gym nurse was just handing back Togetic and Pikachu to their respective owners. James coughed politely behind the couple's backs for their attention. Ash and Misty swung hard gazes toward him; both still quite soaked. But when they saw neither the big-mouthed Meowth nor the even bigger-mouthed Jessie with him, the future Ketchums softened. Ash even offered a quiet, "Hey. What do you need?"

James stuck out his hand firmly. "Congratulations on a good match, my friends. You are truly worthy opponents."

The older man received a firmly acknowledging handshake back from Ash. Which, Ash hoped, would give his betrothed a moment to gather her wits. Misty's mouth was opening and closing like a beached Wailord gasping for breath. His gamble paid off; by the time James proffered a friendly grip to her, Misty took it.

As per the gentlemanly ways he effected when he felt like it, James instead kissed the back of Misty's hand. "No hard feelings, I trust?" he added.

With her best nonchalant face on, Misty replied, "No, not at all. Congratulations on your victory." Satisfied, James bid them both farewell with a nod, turning to let his nurse work on Victreebel. Instantly the reporters encircled him. However, Connie Chun-Li followed Ash and Misty as they stepped away. A polite wave of her hand caught their attention; now she smiled politely. "Masters Ketchum, may I please have a word with either of you-?"

Neither of her potential interviewees was a stranger to defeat, of course. Which didn't mean it didn't hurt badly every single time. Still, they'd learned to endure the walk of shame as well as the bright lights of fame…most of the time.

But all the stress of the last eight weeks combined to make Ash snap, "You want to know how I feel about losing the match, huh? Well, I didn't like it very much! How's that?"

The reporter backed off at his vehemence, which Ash was already regretting. "Wait, wait," he called with outstretched hands, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it. I'm just so worked up about my mom, that's all…"

Connie was careful to keep her voice neutral but couldn't prevent her eyes from lighting up when she said, "That's perfect natural, Master Ketchum. I'm sure your mother's condition must be very upsetting…"

Misty, realizing the reporter was fishing for information, took Ash's arm in her own firmly. So firmly, in fact, she put her sharp elbow inbetween his ribs. The hint broke through the fatigued fog covering Ash's mind and he turned quiet. Misty told Connie brightly, "We concede the match to our skilled opponents, but hope they will accept our challenge to a rematch someday. For now, we're both kind of tired, so if you don't mind?" Actually, Misty pulled Ash away so quickly, it didn't matter if Connie minded right then or not. Pikachu and Togetic struggled to keep up in the pressing crowd.

Despite being slowed down by others eager to talk to them, it didn't take long to cross the parking lot. Misty, notably cheered up by the bright noonday sun and clear weather, waited until they were all safely in Delia's station wagon before commenting, "I wish you hadn't said that, Ash. Nobody was supposed to know about Delia. Now we'll never keep it out of the news."

Trying to watch where he was driving, Ash refrained from sighing right along with her. Instead he admitted, "I know, I know. I shot my mouth off again." His fist hammered against the side of the steering wheel in his frustration, making Togetic jump in his perch on Misty's headrest. Pikachu, still recovering, ignored the outburst as he sat between the couple.

His self-deprecating anger fading as quickly as it had appeared, Ash slumped against his seat cushions. His still-sopping clothing made a deep squish noise when he did so. "Why do I do stuff like that? Every time I think I'm growing up, I blow it somehow."

With a gentle smile, Misty half-reminded, half-teased, "Gee, Ash, maybe that means the mighty Elite Four Trainer is just another mere mortal after all. Making mistakes and all."

Her ploy worked. Maybe a little too well. Ash gave a bright grin back, "Yeah. Guess you're right. But I can do better than that. After all, even you kept your cool better today. I must be awful!"

"Hey!" Misty returned, taking a playful swat at Ash's shoulder. Togetic's loud chirps of laughter sounded behind her noggin. She turned on her Flying-Type with a good-natured admonition of, "Laugh it up, Featherball!"

Both humans joined Togetic's continued laughter. Pikachu, unnoticed, slumped even deeper into his seat. The little Pokémon's eyes stared moodily at the floorboard instead of out the windshield at the scenery. Beside him, Ash hoped to continue the good mood by pointing out, "You didn't even bite James' head off when he came over to us. I am definitely impressed, Misty."

Misty's face pinched up in genuine indignance this time. "I should've. How dare he call us his friends," she accused with angrily folded arms, "He refused to come with me to Blackthorn City Gym when I asked him to. If he had, then maybe…"

Realizing it was her turn to have said too much, Misty bit her lip. Which didn't magically retract her words, of course. In a very quiet tone, Ash completed her thought aloud, "…maybe Mom wouldn't have been kidnapped, 'cause he could've helped both of you." Somehow, Ash sagged even further into his seat than he had before, finishing, "I didn't know that. I should've guessed it, though. I left for Blackthorn from their gym; Jessie and James must've helped you guys figure out where I was going."

Misty's waning self-control was evident in how tears threatened to spring into her eyes. She beat them back fiercely, instead confessing to Ash, "I'm so sorry. I know you've worked hard to become true friends with James for years now. I didn't want to make you feel worse."

Even as she spoke, Ash was already straightening up a bit as he pushed through his own conflicting emotions. He pointed out, just as much to himself as to her, "But like you said, we're supposed to be all grown up here, aren't we? They have their kids to look after; Kevin and Krystal are barely two months old. I guess…I guess I can't blame 'em. Brock and Duplica did the same thing; who wouldn't stay for their kids' sake?"

Starting to truly believe his own words himself, Ash continued, "And Clair back at Blackthorn City Gym. She helped get us to safety and said we could call on her if we need her, but she's back home, isn't she? No sense in her tagging along after us all the time either."

Misty could see how much it hurt Ash to say that, belying the truth of his words. Impressed, she leaned over to snuggle against his shoulder despite her seat belt. The couple ignored the sounds of their wet clothing squashing together to take great comfort in each others' body heat for a moment. Gently squished between them, Pikachu was finally roused enough to pull free of their soggy embrace and jump over them into the backseat.

Up front, Misty observed warmly, "You'll make a pretty darn good father yourself someday, Ash."

Ash blushed and hopped a curb on his turn, sideswiping somebody's trash cans into their driveway. "Not yet, right?" he quizzed with just a pinch of panic as the car returned to cruising down the street.

"No, not yet," Misty confirmed as she straightened up to allow him ease of driving, "I checked again this morning."

"Good," Ash returned, but immediately added sheepishly, "Uh, you know what I mean, it's just so much stuff piling up lately, I don't want one more big thing on my plate right now…!"

With a warm smile and a pat on his knee, she reassured, "I know. I feel the same way." Then she yawned so widely that Togetic feared falling into her gaping maw. Misty admitted when she finished, "I am so beat. Let's just clean up and get some sleep, okay?"

"Just sleep?" Ash found the strength to wiggle his eyebrows at her, "I mean, I do want to keep trying, here."

"Just sleep, loverboy," she confirmed firmly.

Barely a block from the Pallet Town Gym, the victory party at the Moltres Bar & Grill was in full swing, never mind the early hour. Cheers and toasts filled the air as friends of the Morgan family ringed around their little table in the center. Friends, yes…but no family, James thought. Neither of the young married couple had anybody save their nearly-newborn children to celebrate with. And they, of course, were at home with the sitter.

Jessie, catching the shadows springing up on James' face, raised an inquiring eyebrow along with her beer stein. "What's getting you down all of a sudden?" she added.

Briefly, James considered lying. He didn't want to remind his wife of her past and spoil her moment. The fear that she would see through the deception and make an even bigger mess out of it spurred James to admit, "Oh, just wishing my parents were here. They could've at least sent a congratulatory e-mail."

To James' relief, Jessie wasn't shaken by the thought in the slightest. Instead she pointed out softly, "Honey, just forget about them. When they said we were disowned, they meant it. They're not changing their minds."

James took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Putting a brave face on it, he said, "Yes. Yes, I suppose you're right."

Seeing James rally bravely at her words cheered Jessie back up herself. She finished chasing the morose thoughts away by clinking her stein of beer to her husband's matching drink and beaming, "To victory!" James seconded her, and both tipped their mugs back with relish. Perched on his stool across the table from the couple (as if he was their child instead), Meowth slurped his milkshake up its straw as well.

A waitress appeared, breaking in politely. "I'm sorry, sir and lady, but our establishment has a firm No Pokémon Admittance Policy. I'm afraid your Meowth will have to either wait outside or in its Pokéball."

Jessie's ire flared immediately. "Hey, we paid for this private party fair and square! And we can invite anyone we want to stay for it, too!"

In a much more reconciliatory manner, James smiled warmly at the girl. "I can see where your boss must be coming from," he assured the waitress, "I wouldn't want a rowdy Charizard or big Snorlax making a mess of my place, either. But this is just our cute little Meowth. Won't you please make an exception for him? I assure you, he'll be no trouble."

Catching the hint, Meowth turned big eyes up to the girl, leaning his head gently against her hip too.

She folded like a house of cards; even reaching out to scratch Meowth between the ears. His enthusiastic purrs nearly drowned out the waitress' voice as she said, "Oh, okay. Guess I didn't see any Pokémon come in here after all. Sorry to bother you; I'll be right back to take your order."

Meowth looked vastly disappointed when she moved away and stopped petting him. "Now, dat goil knows how ta treat a Meowth!" he claimed, "You're gonna give her a big tip, ain't cha, Jimmy?"

James laughed a little into his drink's foamy head. "Why, Meowth, you seem absolutely smitten, kitten. Perhaps you should just cut to the chase and get her a wedding ring instead, hmm?"

Her momentary anger forgotten, Jessie agreed with a teasing sparkle, "It's the only honorable thing to do, Meowth. The first human-Pokémon marriage! But if you try to be some deadbeat husband, we'll put you in your Pokéball after all."

Meowth stuck his long, supple tongue out in the most impressive raspberry gesture she'd ever seen. "Ya ain't scaring me, sista!" Meowth challenged, "Neither o' youse two ever had my Pokéball ta start with! Even I ain't seen it in years n' years!"

James raised his mug to his friends again, initiating another toast with, "Let's not forget why we're here! What a happy occasion! We finally beat Ash Ketchum!" One of Jessie's Pokéballs popped open; the revived Wobbuffet joined the crowd in the cheer even if she lacked beer. Jessie, fearing the return of the waitress, recalled Wobbuffet immediately. The toast still brought a wide grin to Jessie's face. "You know," she added, "Nothing in the whole wide world of Pokémon could make me unhappy today! Nothing!"

The crowd joined in Jessie and James' resultant cheer.

Just then the waitress reappeared after all, bearing a small gift-wrapped package in her hand. "Excuse me, ma'am," she addressed Jessie humbly, "This was just delivered for you. I hope I'm not interrupting-?"

Jessie took the gift, choosing to overlook being addressed as "ma'am" when she was clearly still a hot young babe (if she did say so herself) in deference to the girl's earlier exception for Meowth. Instead she offered a polite thank-you and the waitress was back on her way.

Seeing the package was addressed solely to her and not the couple, Jessie chirped, "Oh! For me? Well, well, let's just see what we've got here!" She tore through the wrapping and opened the box as eagerly as if she was still a child on Christmas morning. And to her wondering eyes did appear…a Pokéball.

"Would you look at that! A brand-new Pokémon! Just for me!" she cheered for herself. Jessie snatched it up, but her mouth twisted a little with distaste at what she felt on the Pokéball's surface. She added, "Hey, what's this?"

Her family crowded close. James peered at the ball, indicating the small rust spots adorning it with one finger, "Not exactly a brand-new Pokémon, I'm afraid. Still, it does seem to be for free, so we can't complain."

Actually, Meowth could, as always. "Hey, don't keep us in suspense dere, Jess! Open it up n' lets sees what's in dere, awready!"

James snatched the spherical capture device from her before she could do so. "No, wait!" he reminded, "We don't have any idea how large of a Pokémon could be in there! We wouldn't want to wreck the bar after all, now would we?"

"True," Jessie agreed with a hint of regret, "Let's finish our drinks first, then go outside for a minute and check it out." Nodding agreement, James set the ball down on the table.

Meowth, however, was falling prey to any feline's greatest weakness; curiosity. His sharp eyes scanned the back of the device, perking up suddenly. "Hey, guys! Guys!" At his human friends' look, Meowth pointed to the Pokéball with claws extended. "I know dat Trainer ID number like da back of my paw! Dis came from Da Boss!"

James gasped, but Jessie wondered if James hadn't spiked Meowth's milkshake with alcohol for a laugh again. She said, "You've got to be mistaken, Meowth. Giovanni never liked either of you, and since you two were always getting me in trouble with him, I doubt he'd just give me any of his Pokémon."

Eyebrows raised, James protested snidely, "We were always getting you in trouble?"

Neither of his companions deigned to answer his complaint. "I dunno why, den," Meowth confessed, his eyes never leaving the delivered device, "But I'm tellin' ya, dat's from him!" Meowth was starting to wiggle violently in his seat as his conflicting impulses wrestled each other. Finally, he yelped, "I can't stand waitin'! Let's open it now!"

Paw trembling, Meowth reached around the Pokéball to tap its release catch with his claw. His friends yelled, "NO!" simultaneously. But it was too late. Jessie and James automatically leapt from their chairs, fleeing the opening Pokéball before the burst of familiar light that…

Never came.

The Pokéball was empty. Of any Pokémon, at least. Instead it held a couple of small, slightly crumpled pieces of paper.

Jessie immediately became cross. Fists on hips, she demanded of nobody in particular, "Is this Giovanni's idea of a joke or something? How dare he try to ruin my big day!" Relieved at not being crushed by a giant Pokémon, James merely picked up one of the papers to read as he retook his seat. Seconds later, he lit up. "Why, Meowth," James offered in amazement, "It seems this is your Pokéball! And we're free to take it!"

"Really?" Meowth grabbed and shook his Pokéball gingerly. The second paper fell out and Jessie, still standing, caught it in mid-air. As she unfurled it and began reading, Meowth had to smile at the Pokéball in his furry grip. "Well, whaddya know. Long time no see," he admitted as he began trying to polish the rust off with a napkin.

"Hmm," James began with a definite twinkle in his eye, "Perhaps we should make absolutely sure it's your Pokéball before we go any further." Snatching the device up, he pointed it and added, "Return, Meowth."

"Hey! Don't point dat ting-!" Meowth countered, but his voice and his body alike were snatched away into the depths of his Pokéball by the recall beam.

James couldn't resist giggling, "Oh, I've always wanted to do that. Just once! Ah, blessed silence!" He turned toward his wife and offered the Pokéball to her, "Would you like to let him out before he gets even angrier, dear?"

He finally realized that Jessie hadn't moved since she'd looked at her paper. The offending article of parchment was now crumpled in her trembling fist. Jessie's lips and eyebrows were twitching too; in an all-too-familiar expression of enraged indignance. "How dare he?" she snarled in a way that indicated she was dreaming of gripping somebody's neck instead of just a piece of paper.

"Jessie?" her husband queried softly, "What is it? What's wrong?"

She shoved the paper at him and started angrily toward the door. Her violently swinging hips sent her chair skidding across the floor on one side and bashed their table on the other. The physical pain shot angry tears into her eyes, but Jessie slowed not one whit in sweeping from the room. The party ground to a immediate, screeching halt as Jessie stalked out of the restaurant.

All eyes turned to the remaining guest of honor as he straightened out the crumpled message to read it. Meowth reappeared onto the table, using the internal safety catch to exit his Pokéball. Also stunned into silence, the scratch cat peered over James' elbow at the unfolded message too. It wasn't a message; it was a printout of a photograph. One that James was shocked to recognize. Although the original this printout had been made out of wasn't as well-kept as the pristine print that Jessie owned, even before she'd wadded it up.

Forever frozen in time, Jane Miyamoto stood at attention, wearing her Team Rocket uniform with pride and poise. A rare smile of joy lit up her beautiful face. A mysterious hand, another woman's judging by the long, painted fingernails, extended into the pic from off-camera to pin a large, stylized letter 'R' badge onto Jane's chest. James had a similar pic of his own field agent certification day too, although the uniform's cut had been subtly changed by his time. This picture was one of the few personal mementos the highly secretive (and long disbanded) Team Rocket organization had allowed its members about their work, to boost their morale.

Other partygoers were trying to peek over his shoulders, but James clasped the photo tightly to his chest. They were friends, yes; some even former Team Rocket members as Jessie and James were. But not one of them knew that Jessie was the daughter of this legendary agent who'd died chasing an equally legendary Pokémon long ago. Jessie liked her heartaches kept private and had found at least one use for being adopted at an early age. She'd used her stepmother's last name instead of her birth name, keeping her true identity secret.

James, of course, knew the truth. What he didn't know was whether to get angry or cry himself at the sight of the photograph. He settled for wondering aloud, "How could anyone be so cruel as to send such a thing?"

Meowth was studying the back of the pic through James' splayed fingers. He pointed out, figuratively and literally, "Hey, I tink dere's more to it dan dat, Jimmy. Check it out!"

"Hmm?" his human friend responded, flipping the pic and reading the hand-written info added there. Soon James added, "My goodness! I do believe these are Pokénav coordinates! Hurry, Meowth! We must catch Jessie before she does something rather rash!"

"Right behind ya, Jimmy!" Meowth assured, "We'll git to da bottom o' dis mystery real quick!" He paused at a sudden thought despite his words, promptly falling behind as James rushed away. Meowth turned a narrow gaze onto his Pokéball. A swift, well-aimed toss, and the offending ball swished into a wastebasket as neatly as if he was Meowth Jordan. "Good riddance!" he added as he finally scampered after his friends.