The Year of Rocket's Revenge
Session: November, Part 4 (11.28.05 / 03.01.07)
More than two years ago, shortly after Ash won his Earth Badge and was preparing to enter the Pokémon League, a late summer's eve in Pallet Town ended with Misty declaring her love for him, followed by their first ever kiss. The next morning, Misty left to begin her own badge journey.
Though they've spent some significant time apart over those two years, they treasured the time they did have together. Even if all of their moments weren't exactly the most favorable to their relationship. But they've stuck to it the whole way.
Their relationship took an upswing during the gang's reunion in the Orange Islands this past summer, which included a makeover for Misty that really wowed Ash over. Now, only if he could learn how to express that in words, as she didn't take kindly to his seeming disinterest in her change.
Despite that, Ash and Misty still consider themselves to be in love, though their time apart has hampered their ability to make more out of it. The fact that Misty is stuck at home at the Cerulean City gym while Ash is out traveling alone has got one person believing that it's time to get the gears of love churning again...
For better or worse...
Thursday, November 22nd, Cerulean City Gym
It was a typical afternoon at the Pokémon gym in Cerulean City. Okay... typical for a gym leader. Which was not what the three elder Sensational Waterflower Sisters were used to. Violet and Lily were in the main battle arena, which also doubled as their performance arena, partaking in a rare day off by offering a battle clinic for new trainers.
"The idea of having a water-type is to use the surroundings to, like, your advantage!" Violet told the group.
In front of her, sitting on a floating platform in the pool, was a Dewgong, which was spending his time looking around.
"Like, the key is to jump out when and where your opponent least expects it!"
"Seaking!" Lily called out from the other side of the pool. "Use Horn Drill from underneath!"
Without warning, a Seaking leaped out of the pool, the horn on her head spinning as she aimed straight for Dewgong.
"Dodge, then counter with Headbutt!"
Dewgong followed Violet's instructions, leaping over Seaking and then headbutting the fish Pokémon in the back. That attack sent it crashing hard back into the water.
"Like, Violet, that's not how we rehearsed it!"
"Remember to always expect the unexpected!" Violet told the kids, ignoring her sister's cries of foul play.
"You're the best, Violet!" the kids screamed with joy.
"STOP BEING SUCH A GLORY HOG!"
Meanwhile, over in the main office, Daisy was busy balancing the gym's books as she fielded phone calls from prospective gym challengers and questions regarding tickets for Sensational Sister synchronized swimming shows.
"Hello?" Daisy answered one phone. "No, I'm afraid our traditional synchronized shows are on hiatus for the time being! Tickets for next season don't go on sale 'til the second week in January. But thanks for your inquiry!"
As she was about to hang up, another line started ringing.
"Cerulean City Gym, home of the Sensational Sisters! Uh huh... we don't take appointments for gym challenges. The gym is open to challengers weekdays from 8:30 to 12 noon and 1:30 to 5:30. All challengers must complete a pre-screening process, which includes a battle with either myself or one of my sisters, before being allowed to face the gym leader herself..."
Speaking of the official Cerulean gym leader, Misty was actually sitting at the front reception desk, going over some forms for prospective challengers for tomorrow. To her right was a sign that read 'No Afternoon Challengers Today - New Trainer Clinic in Progress.' And on her desk sat Togepi, who was content with rocking back and forth and chirping her name over and over again.
"Toge-prriiiii!"
Misty sighed. "I'M SO BORED! Ugh... I'm the gym leader here. Why aren't I in there talking to those new trainers?"
She then leaned forward and buried her face in the stack of papers before her. She proceeded to scream, though the forms served as a heavy muffler of it. Once she finished having her mini-tantrum, she sat back up and took a deep breath or two to calm her nerves.
"Well, at least I know I'll be able to see Ash and Brock again real soon. They promised to spend the holidays with us! Well... at least they said they would..."
Over in Johto, Brock was ecstatic as he arrived at the Olivine City International Airport, where the city's gym leader, Jasmine, was there to greet him.
"Brock's going on that month-long Gym Leader Retreat in Olivine City, and knowing him, he might be too busy ogling the female gym leaders to remember!"
Sure enough, Brock went right to work professing his love to Jasmine. She seemed to be a little frightened of him, though.
Meanwhile, Ash had worked his way back to Dewford Island, where he was in the midst of a battle with the gym leader there, Brawly.
"And Ash apparently has become so fascinated with Hoenn that he's planning to stay there to try and get into the Hoenn League! I bet he's barely got enough money to buy food and supplies, much less find a way to fly back home!"
Ash cheered his Heracross on as it butted heads with Brawly's Makuhita.
"Darn it... those two are out there seeing the sights and being free, while I'm stuck here, forced to keep my sisters from driving us into debt!"
"Oh, come on!" Daisy whined as she walked up to Misty. "We're not that bad! And it's not like we're keeping you here!"
"Maybe so... but without me keeping this gym's reputation intact, we would've lost the property to some schmoe who'd probably bulldoze the place and put a new shopping mall or something."
Daisy gagged. "Don't even joke about THAT!"
"Well, if one of you would actually buckle down and take charge like a gym leader's supposed to, maybe I could go and join Ash on the road again."
Daisy crossed her arms over her chest. "I still say it was wrong of him not to invite you. What kind of boyfriend is he, anyway? He should be taking every opportunity to be alone with you. You know, to snuggle up and let him have his way with you... hee hee..."
"We're not like that!" Misty blushed. "Besides, you're one to talk since you've never..."
Daisy reached over and covered Misty's mouth with her hand.
"Quiet! You're gonna ruin my image!"
"I'm not sure that's an image any girl would want at 21."
"Anyway, the point is," steered Daisy, as she moved away from her youngest sister, "since he's not around and you guys aren't exactly committed, maybe it's time to take a peek back into the pack. You know, see if there are any better options..."
"Are you suggesting I cheat on Ash?"
"It's not cheating! It's a tactic I call 'making your boy jealous.'"
"Why would I wanna do that?"
"Think about it! He's out in some foreign land, and as pathetic as he can be at times, you can bet some pretty little thing will try to take advantage of him, given the opportunity..."
"What? Ash would never..."
"Maybe he wouldn't, but the girl might! You see, every second the two of you spend apart is another second someone can steal your man's heart away! Before you know it, BAM, he's asking to break up with you!"
"So... you're telling me I need to cheat on him before he cheats on me?"
"I told you, Misty, it's not cheating! When girls do it, they want to get their guy's attention. 'I kinda like what Dreamy Guy A brings to the table... can you do better than that?' But when guys do it, it's because they've found something better. 'Gasp... she's got bigger ones than the one I've got! So long, old girlfriend!'"
"Ash isn't like that," Misty kept trying to reassure Daisy. "Besides, have you looked at me lately? Given what I've got now, I'm sure even Giselle of all people would be jealous of me!"
"But you're still only 14! Technically, you still qualify as jailbait! Even though... wow, I wished I looked that good at 14!"
"Daisy!"
"Besides," Daisy countered, showing off her figure. "No one's hotter than me! I'm single, legal, available, and I have to beat guys off me with a Snorlax! I'm grade-A, bonafied wo-MAN!"
"You always flatter yourself around me, don't you?"
"But that's the point! There are thousands of women out there my age who do the exact same thing! And I can't believe I'm saying this... they're even more bangin' than me!"
Misty sweatdropped. "Please don't say bangin'. That puts an unpleasant image in my mind."
"Well, if you don't want to see unpleasant images of Ash and some other floozy, then you need to go out there and show him you're worth it! Dangle yourself over some other guy so he realizes that you're losing interested! Then he'll do everything he can to keep you!"
"If you think it's the right thing to do..."
"Trust me, it is! And don't worry about looking for potential targets... I've already got one all gift-wrapped and ready for ya!"
"Are you serious?"
Daisy nodded. "You'll meet the guy tomorrow."
With that, Daisy started to walk away.
"Hey! What's that supposed to mean? I don't even know the guy... you're setting me up on a blind date?"
"Well... that's not what I'd call it exactly. But yeah, let's go with that!"
"But... but..." Misty started to freak out. "What do I wear?"
"I don't know... what about that ensemble Duplica bought you on the Orange Islands? You know... the one that accentuates your figure?"
"You better not be setting me up with some 18-year old with dirty thoughts!"
Daisy laughed. "You'd like that, wouldn't you? Sorry... but I'll have to keep you in suspense until tomorrow night!"
"It's not one of your hand-me-downs, is it?" Misty asked as she picked up Togepi and ran after her sister. "I don't need to get that close to your fan club! Are you even listening to me?"
The next night, Daisy was speedily driving Misty through the streets of Cerulean, as they were rushing to pick up some last-minute items.
"Tell me again why we're buying gifts for him when it should be the other way around?" Misty asked.
"Well, this guy actually loves it when people buy him gifts," Daisy replied.
"And tell me why are you driving us all over the city to do it?"
"You wanna be all huffy and sweaty by the time we get there?"
"One last question... WHY ARE YOU DRESSED LIKE THAT?"
Misty pointed out that her form-fitting orange top, which showed off some cleavage and her belly button, and her knee-length jeans were being outdone by Daisy's red bikini-like top and barely thigh-length aquamarine skirt.
"You're not the only one with a date tonight, Misty dear."
"With that outfit, you'll not only steal my date, but the heart of every single guy in Cerulean!"
A few minutes later, Daisy and Misty had arrived at their first stop, the florist. Once Daisy had put the car in park, Misty immediately hopped out of her side, grabbed her orange buttonless jacket, and ran across to the driver's side before her sister could open her door.
"What the..."
Misty motioned for Daisy to take her jacket. "Take that and wrap it around your waist."
Daisy rolled her eyes, then did as she was told. "Fine."
"I swear," Misty said as she walked towards the shop entrance. "I feel like the mother of this family sometimes..."
Shortly thereafter, Daisy and Misty made their way to their other stops. Soon, Misty had cradled in her arms a corsage, a small box of chocolates, and a Teddiursa plush doll.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're setting me up for a prom. Or Valentine's Day. Or both! And in November!"
Daisy smiled. "It'll all make sense soon. We're almost there."
It wasn't long until Daisy skidded her way into a parking spot at the Cerulean Hills Shopping Plaza. After fixing Misty's hair, Daisy went to work on checking her own. Followed by a round of applying an additional layer of lipstick. As she did, Misty got out of the car and started walking forward towards Rhoda & Rhonda's, an American restaurant.
"You got enough money for a 3500 Poké meal?" Daisy shouted without looking away from the car mirror. "Try again, sis!"
Misty then glanced to her left, where a line was forming to get into the Cat's Meowth Club. Daisy shook her head.
"You know better, Mist!"
"But... that only leaves..."
Misty turned back to the right, past Rhoda & Rhonda's and towards the end of the plaza. It was there that she spotted...
"Oh no! You don't mean..."
"...Pika A Pi-sies!" Misty groaned as Daisy pushed her inside.
Inside the kids' restaurant, there were young children running all over the place, playing games, watching the live animatronic puppet show, or indulging in a slice of deep dish pepperoni pizza.
"Where a child can be a child!" Daisy shouted the restaurant's motto. "Hmmm... you know, that's not all that catchy, now that I think about it!"
"Daisy! I look out of place in here! Heck, you look out of place even more! Gimme back my jacket!"
Misty put her gifts down on a nearby table, then quickly snatched her jacket from Daisy's waist and was about to slide it back on when she noticed once again how short Daisy's skirt was. In fact, if she didn't know any better, it looked like it had gotten even shorter!
"Then again..." Misty said as she got behind Daisy, to her surprise, and retied the jacket back around her sister's waist.
"There you are!"
Daisy squealed with delight, while Misty gawked as she saw the blue-haired Rainier walk up.
"You mean... one of the Battling Eevee Brothers is my date?"
Daisy giggled. "You got it!"
"Damn, look who became a woman since the last time I saw her!" Rainier whistled. "If it weren't for the gorgeous Daisy here, I'd swear you were my date for tonight!"
"Like, you so know how to butter a girl up!" Daisy complimented.
"Wait... you mean... then I..."
"Oh come on, Misty," Daisy chided her little sister. "Rainier's way out of your league. And, coincidentally, so are Pyro and Sparky."
Misty gasped. "You mean... they're here too?"
"Well, actually, they're waiting for us at the club next door! I'm spending the night with all three of them!"
"You mean you brought me all the way here just to watch you try to get lucky?"
Rainier smiled. "Well, Daisy, if that's all you wanted, there is my car..."
Daisy stuck her hand in his face and pushed him away. "Ahem... kids around! And Misty, remember, there's still one Battling Eevee Brother that's unaccounted for!"
Misty gasped. "You don't mean..."
"Big brother!" yelled the fourth brother, running over with some tickets in hand. "Look how many tickets I got off of one game of skeeball!"
"Good for you, Mikey!" Rainier said as he squatted down to pat Mikey on the head.
Misty froze up and instinctively covered her chest up with her arms.
"I'm dating Mikey!" she thought to herself. "What's he now, like, only ten? More importantly... I can't let him see me dressed like THIS! I've got to sneak out of here before he sees me. But... why... can't... I... move..."
"Hey, Mikey, you remember Daisy, right?" Rainier asked, pointing out the blonde wrapped around his arm.
"Great to see you again, little one! And it looks like you've grown since I last saw you!"
Mikey nodded. "Yep! A whole two inches!"
"Good boy!"
"And I know you remember Misty."
Rainier was about to point out Misty, but she was no longer standing where she had been a second ago. At first, he glanced towards the exit, but on the way, his eyes spotted Misty had taken another course of action.
She was hiding behind Daisy.
"Wha... wha... what kind of sick joke is this, Daisy?"
Daisy laughed nervously as she scratched her left cheek. "Well... it's not a blind date. Or a date date, for that matter. You see, I set you up on a play date with Mikey."
"Play date?"
"You didn't tell her?" Rainier asked Daisy, who shook her head. "Sigh... well, Misty, the thing is, we needed someone to watch Mikey while we got our groove on. Daisy suggested you, knowing your great history together, so we picked you to be his babysitter! Oh, wait, 'cuse me, I mean, play date."
"C'mon, Misty!" Mikey ran over, tugging Misty out of her hiding place.
"But... but..."
"Wow!" Mikey gasped in amazement. "You've grown up too, Misty! And I like it!"
"Heh heh..." Misty laughed hesitantly.
"Are you any good at skeeball?" he asked as he started pulling her towards the gaming area. "I bet you can't beat my high score!"
Misty took one look at Mikey's giggling, innocent face, and quickly forgot about her outfit. She pulled herself out of Mikey's grip and then started walking on her own.
"I bet you a slice of pizza I can!" Misty shouted with a smile.
With that, the two disappeared into the depths of the restaurant, leaving their elder siblings behind.
"Isn't that sweet?" Daisy cooed.
Rainer nodded, then started to lead Daisy towards the exit.
"You know... she's gonna kill you after this."
Daisy shrugged her shoulders. "She'll be too busy gabbing about the great night she had."
She then added, in a seductive voice.
"As will I..."
Monday, November 26th, Team Rocket Headquarters
Deep within the bowels of Team Rocket HQ, failure permeated throughout the research laboratory department, where scores of dead Pokémon were in the process of being removed from their cages. Many were common test subjects like Pidgey, Spearow, Caterpie, and other small Pokémon. There were a few larger ones, like Graveler and Jynx, that had to be disposed of as well.
But what was most unsettling were the dead yet successful subjects of Project CB. Those that Team Rocket's scientists had managed to combine into a Pokémon which normally couldn't be achieved through traditional breeding, but whose development and life span were tragically short. Among the rest of the Pokémon lied one which had the head of a Horsea but the body and tail of a Poliwag, another which was half Sandshrew and half Cubone, and a third was a Voltorb with Jigglypuff's facial features and ears.
All of the dead Pokémon were being wheeled out in a cart to be disposed of. As they were, Giovanni shook his head in disgust as one of his researchers relayed the facts to him.
"In the 22 months since work on Project CB began, we've have succeeded in creating 15 cross-bred Pokémon. Unfortunately, the average life of said subjects is about five days. We've had one that only lasted three minutes past the experiment's completion. We've also had one that survived 17 days, though most of the latter half was fighting off severe illness."
"And what's even more degrading is the fact one has actually made it into my hands for use in a real battle!" exclaimed Giovanni.
"That was our first subject, Speartrio. Man... he didn't last long."
"22 months! 22 MONTHS! Give me one good reason why I shouldn't have the whole research team taken to the FIRING SQUAD!"
The researcher reached into his pocket and pulled out a green PokИball, which he held out for Giovanni to take and examine with his own eyes.
"What... is this?"
"That, sir, is Number 16. And the first to officially make it through all of the field tests. It's been alive for 14 days, and all of its vitals are in good shape."
"So... which two Pokémon did you use for Number 16?"
"Uh... about that, sir... there's something I have to show you..."
He led Giovanni to one of the indoor practice arenas, where Number 16 was engaged in a battle with an Onix. But the dim lights in the room made it very hard to see what Pokémon made up 16, even though the two onlookers were observing from a skybox.
Giovanni then gasped in surprise when he saw 16...
"What in the abomination..."
Down on the field, the Pokémon's two 'trainers' continued on without being aware of their newest audience member.
"Onix, use Rock Throw!"
"Grroooaaarrr!" Onix roared as he charged for his opponent.
"Take Down," the opposing trainer calmly stated.
Number 16 leaped forward and shoulder rushed Onix with a huge amount on force. So much, in fact, that it was enough to send Onix flying clear across the room. His 'trainer' had to leap out of the way to avoid being crushed as Onix sailed to the wall. The impact knocked Onix out and left a huge indentation of his body in the wall.
It also left an impact on Giovanni, as he peered on from above.
"Well well..."
"So... you're impressed?"
Giovanni smirked evilly. "It looks like we're ready to begin our grand operation at long last..."
End Session: November
Storyline to be continued in Session: December!
Author's Notes for 'Session: November':
Werner Geissler, the professor Erika and Maria go looking for, are named after two famous German inventors. Werner von Siemens was the inventor of the first electric-powered elevator, while Heinrich Geissler was the creator of the geissler tube, which, when filled with gas, would light up when an electric charge is applied to it.
I should note that the Nurse Joy the duo meets in Düsseldorf, Germany, has the primary job of assisting Japanese visitors, rather than the typical Joy profession of caretaking for Pokémon.
Pancakes are actually an often enjoyed breakfast food in Germany. But to give it a 'home Japanese' feel, Maria has wrapped them in seaweed. And as you know, a certain Japanese delicacy is also wrapped in seaweed. It's called a rice ball... perhaps you've heard of it?
When I was writing this part, I was fresh off finishing "R.O.D. the TV," and the condition of Professor Geissler's house is an obvious reference to one of the show's characters, Yomiko Readman. Who, if you didn't know, is such a lover of books that she cares about them more than anything... including herself! And she usually buries herself in them!
I hope you paid attention to the portraits pinned to the professor's wall... could the fifth be among them?
And just in case you can't remember certain characters... Shingo is the guy who fought battles analyzing his opponent using a laptop computer (as seen in the Johto episode "Wired for Battle"), and Kelly is the Grumpig-owning, Pokéblock maker May befriends in Hoenn (as shown in "Pokéblock, Stock, and Berry!"). Obviously, as the first mention of them in this fic, they haven't appeared here before.
If you think Ash's battle with Wattson sounds familiar, it is. It's pretty much the same battle he had in the anime in "Watt's with Wattson?" The aftermath differs slightly, though, to fit in more with the current storyline of this fanfic.
And as much as I hate to admit it, I kinda copped out and had Cassie try to read Ash's mind rather than him actually telling her and Arius about Marco's, and consequently, his secret powers.
As some of you may or may not know, the team Casey has so much love for, the Electabuzz, are based off the Hanshin Tigers, one of the twelve teams in Japan's professional league, known as the NPB (Nippon Professional Baseball). The league is split into two six-team leagues, the Central and the Pacific. The Tigers are part of the Central League, and the record recited by Gary was the actual finishing record for the Tigers in 2001. Sad, huh?
Also, though they have extra innings (they play a normal nine to start, just like here in the U.S.), a game is recorded as a tie for both teams if the score is tied after the twelfth inning.
Yellow and black are the colors of the Tigers, thus, why Casey wears those colors and, why in the anime series, she especially adores Pokémon that have only those colors as well.
To play off the rivalry factor, the team that Amber is trying to make the cheer squad for is based upon the neighboring Orix Blue Wave. They play in the Pacific League, and finished 70-66-4, good enough for fourth place there. Their colors are blue and yellow, and the closest Pokémon I could come up with to match that was Seadra. (Starmie would have been better, but that's already taken, as seen in the 'Pokémon Chronicles' episode, "A Date with Delcatty," by Cerulean City.) The Orix Blue Wave merged with the Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes in 2004 to become the Orix Buffaloes.
In case you couldn't guess, Stephanie was mistaking baseball for, respectively, football (soccer in America), sumo wrestling, and go.
For reference, at this point in time Misty is 14, Lily is 19, Violet 20, and Daisy, the eldest, is 21. The reason I point that out, especially for Daisy, is the fact that the only stuff that was cut from this entire session involves dialogue exchanges between her and Misty regarding... more adult matters. It's only suggestive, nowhere near enough to endanger the fic's PG-13 rating... but just to be safe... if you want to see those missing scenes, go check out the uncut version at my website!
Rhoda & Rhonda's is named after the two sisters from the restaurant in the episode "Hail to the Chef," which takes place in the early stages of the anime's Battle Frontier saga. It should be easy to guess what real-life restaurant Pika A-Pisies is named after, right?
Those of you who had read the "Adventures Series" might remember Mikey traveled with Misty for awhile in the latter half of the first season of that series. So their bond, originally established back in the Eevee Brothers' one and only appearance in the Pokémon TV series, has strengthened since then.
That ends the notes. The 'December Session' preview is next!
'Session: December' Trailer:
The holiday season is notorious for bringing family and friends together. Some you may not have seen in a long time, while others are always waiting for you upon your return home. But be careful... it only takes a little bit to turn best friends into worst enemies. Then again, how much does it take to make an enemy into a bigger enemy? We're going to find out...
'Session: December' is coming, and the year will end with a bang!
