At Team Rocket HQ now are Ash and Ritchie, but so is Professor Sebastion who is studying the red Gyarados in a special laboratory. Ash and Ritchie both have to ask if this time the Gyarados is sedated, as they don't need a repeat of what happened before. Sebastion tells them, "Rest assured gentlemen. The red Gyarados is heavily sedated and we have continegencies to make sure that the Gyarados can never escape here." They find that very comforting and so then Ash and Ritchie are told to report to Giovanni, as he wishes to speak to them. The two young agents already have a feeling about what he wants to talk about, so without trying to stall, both Ash and Ritchie simply go into his office. There is Giovanni with his Persion, whom Giovanni admires very much.
He speaks first, "You know why I called you two in yes? It's because my laboratory was destroyed and Project R was leaked to the world. More importantly you let a Johto officer get the upper hand and had you two blasted out of the sky. You two are some of my best agents and you let a common cop stop you. However it is not a total loss, as we managed to retrieve all data on Project R and the red Gyarados is ours. I will give you time to reflect and have you dismissed of all missions for the next week. Now go." Ash and Ritchie bow to Giovanni and leave his office with both of them enraged. Ash bangs his fist on the wall and agrees with Giovanni 100%. They shouldn't have let a common cop stop them from succeeding in their mission. Ritchie doesn't want Ash to beat himself up, so Ritchie decides that they need a vacation away from here. Ash says that he'd like that, but their faces are all over the wanted posters of the Kanto and Johto Regions.
Ritchie knows that, however he is suggesting that they go to Hoenn, as their faces won't be known and there may be some rare Pokémon that they can capture while they're there. Ash likes the sound of that, so then they change out of their Team Rocket uniforms and get into civillian style clothing. In order to keep themselves undercover, both Ash and Ritchie decide to head to Hoenn by boat. On the boat now, both Ritchie and Ash sit in their bathing suits and soak up some yellow rays from the sun. It's been a long while since they've had a vacation and they don't want to waste a second of it. Ash says, "You were right Ritchie. A vacation is just what the doctor ordered. I don't even remember a time that I was this relaxed." Ritchie can't resist in agreeing with Ash, as their voyage has been a very restful one and so now they have a sip of their orange drink. The captain of the ship tells them that they are going to arrive very soon and that they'll be stopping in Oldale Town.
Ash and Ritchie thank the captain for the news and will get their things together and prepare to exit the boat. Both of them are excited to begin their vacation in Hoenn and don't intend to do any Team Rocket business while they are here. The boat has finally arrived at the dock and both Ritchie and Ash are ready to get their vacation started. As the promised there is to be no Team Rocket business while they are here in Hoenn. The duo of young criminals walk through the woods of Hoenn and there are several Pokémon. Ritchie has to state that while they aren't hear on Team Rocket business, that shouldn't stop them from collecting Pokémon for themselves, which Ash agrees. Ash although left his Raichu at Team Rocket headquarters to help shield his identity. In fact Ritchie did the same with all of his Pokémon and Ash did with his. However they did bring one Pokémon each; a Pokémon that no one has seen them use. Ash brought himself an Ariados and Ritchie brought himself a Magmar, which are some fairly recent additions to their teams of corrupt Pokémon.
Although first Ash wants to head to the nearest Pokémon Center, so they can get something to eat and a place to stay since they intend to be here in Hoenn for a week. Ritchie sees that as a good idea, so for now they decide not to capture any new Pokémon right now. As the young Team Rocket crew make their way to the Pokémon Center, they soon come across some old ruins. Both Ash and Ritchie seem to be quite taken with them and wish to investigate them further. However they are soon approached by an arheologist who is studying they ruins. His name is Professor Alden and he's been researching these ruins for some time now. Both Ash and Ritchie are indeed fascinated by these ruins, however they need to find a Pokémon Center. It's getting dark and they need a place to stay for the night and both of them are very hungry. He points them to the Pokémon Center and it's just over the hill that they were crossing. They are thankful and so then they race to the Pokémon Center at once.
They have finally made it to the Pokémon Center and they couldn't be more relieved. Ritchie intends to speak with Nurse Joy about getting a room for the night and Ash is going to find them some food to eat. Unknown to them however, there are some rather suspicious looking characters outside the center. They seem to have their eye on Professor Alden, who has come to the Pokémon Center and met back up with Ash and Ritchie. He takes them to a room where he talks to Ritchie and Ash about the ruins some more. There is an entrance to the ruins that can only be unlocked by four what he calls treasures. However so far he has been unable to find them, but soon there is a power outage. Soon the three of them are greeted by those mysterious people that were seen outside the Pokémon Center. They are wearing these strange uniforms that are colored red, with hoods that have what seem to be grey ears sticking out of them, and this symbol on their chests that looks like a volcano.
They demand that Professor Alden come with them to the ruins, but he refuses to do so. However Nurse Joy shows up when the power went out and a few of those hooded grunts take her hostage. So then Professor Alden complies with their demands and he is taken by them to the ruins. Ash, Ritchie, and Nurse Joy are locked in a stoarge closet, but she says that they need to get out. She has to switch over to emergency power at once or all the Pokémon will be in trouble. Ritchie sees an air shaft that they can use to escape and get the power back on, so then Ash and Ritchie begin crawling through. They soon come to a fork in the shaft and can't decide on which way to go. So then Ash summons his Ariados to help them find their way out and it obeys its master. It leads them down the right corridor and soon through another and they find another vent. Ash and Ritchie get out and he finds the master key to the building, while Ritchie switched on reserve power.
That is good, so then Ash tells Ritchie to let Nurse Joy out, but he has to ask Ash why he should. Ash tells him, "Because we're under cover remember? Play the good guy car for now. That was your idea wasn't it? Besides I'm going after them. We need to learn more about them and see if they have anything that can benefit Team Rocket. Once Nurse Joy is free then come after me. Got it?" He does indeed and so Ritchie goes to let out Nurse Joy, while Ash exits the Pokémon Center. The ruins aren't too far so Ash races there strait away so he can learn more about those mysterious hooded intruders.
At the ruins again is Professor Alden, but also his captors who demand that they open the entrance to the ruins. He tells them that there is no way for it to happen unless they have these four special treasures to open it. One of the crooks snaps his fingers and someone else brings the professor the four treasures needed. He has to ask where those came from and one of the grunts has to explain that they have friends in very high places. He refuses to help them any further, but the lead grunt explains that if Professor Alden does not help them, then they will make the people at the Pokémon Center pay for Alden's mistake. He also fully means it, so then Alden complies again and puts the four treasures into four little holes in the door. Each treasure is put in the right spot, which makes the huge door slide backwards and soon a chamber is discovered. There are pictures and markings all over the walls, so then these hoods get to work in collecting any and all data.
So far there is nothing that could benefit them, so they decide to leave and abandon Professor Alden. However Ash finally did arrive before they could leave and Ash has no intention of letting them go without a fight. He summons forth again his Ariados and commands it to use its swift attack against the hoods. They shield themselves from the attack, but then they command their two Houndoom to attack with their flamethrower attack. Ariados uses its double team attack to escape the blaze and confuse its enemies, which then Ash commands it to use string shot on the Houndoom. The two Houndoom have been taken care of, but soon the grunts intend to summon more of their Pokémon, but they are stopped when Ritchie finally arrives. He commands his Magmar to use its flamethrower attack against those grunts. They soon then demand to know who these two kids are and they fully intend to explain. They remove their civillian clothes to show their Team Rocket uniforms and soon say:
Ash: Ready Ritchie?
Ritchie: You know it.
Ash: Fine then you all better prepare for trouble.
Ritchie: You better be sure to make it double.
Ash: To infect the world with devestation!
Ritchie: To conquer every single nation!
Ash: To cover the world with our storm!
Ritchie: Soon to make our evil the norm!
Ash: Ash!
Ritchie: The name's Ritchie!
Ash: Team Rocket soaring the galaxy day and night!
Ritchie: So you better surrender now, or prepare to lose this fight!
Ash: That's right!
Ash then further commands that any and all data be turned over to them at once, but also Ash and Ritchie want those treasures. The grunts have no intention of doing so, so they throw a smoke bomb at Ritchie and Ash, which then allows them to get away with all the data collected. That angers Ash and Ritchie that they failed again, but they soon realize that there may be something else that can benefit them, Ash asks the professor, "Okay professor, so why don't you tell us what you were researching won't you? We don't want to have to hurt you too much." Alden refuses to do such a thing, but soon the sun comes up and the four treasures are lit up by the sun and soon the whole chamber is as well. The sun made the door move slightly further back to reveal an underground chasm. Professor Alden can't help but go down and see what is down there and so does Ash and Ritchie. There is a huge underground spring, but inside it are ancient Pokémon called Relicanth.
This is what Professor Alden was researching and he can't wait to tell the world about his discovery. However Ash and Ritchie don't intend to let him because Ash orders Ariados to use its string shot to pin him to the cave walls. Ash the says, "Sorry for the deception professor, but it's kind of what we do. Our boss would love to have one of these Relicanth and he would like some information on those people we just fought. So adieu, ciao, so long, adios, and goodbye." Ash uses a very special Team Rocket Poké Ball to capture one of the Relicanth and it is a success. They leave Alden here and assure him that Ariados' webbing will soon disolve in an hour or so. Ash and Ritchie now leave the chasm after recalling their Pokémon and intend to tell Giovanni about their discovery right away.
They find a video phone on the corner of the road and phone into Team Rocket HQ at once. They speak to Giovanni about their findings here in Hoenn and learned that there is a team quite similar to Team Rocket that operates here. He explains, "Yes I know. Of the uniforms you described, they must have been part of Team Magma. There is another team there who calls themselves Team Aqua as well. I told you to not undergo any Team Rocket duties, however I am impressed by what you have learned. The Relicanth you captured can benefit Team Rocket and it might give us insight to both team's plans. This string of successes is enough to over look your earlier failures. Rreturn to base at once. It's time to start anew and wipe the slate clean. I have plans for the Hoenn Region now and you two are going to be put in charge of all Hoenn operations. Over and out."
This is indeed good news for them both as Giovanni over looked their recent failures and there's new information regarding these two other teams here in Hoenn. Ash is thrilled, but also Ritchie has to tell Ash something. He puts his two hands on Ash's shoulders and tells him, "Listen Ash I need to tell you something. We've been partners for a long time and you're like a brother to me. Now it's time for us to step up to the plate. I have plans for us and us alone. If we play our cards right then Giovanni can be overthrown and Team Rocket can belong to us. We can rule every single region and capture every single last Pokémon and we can be kings. Will you join me?" Ash has to ponder that notion for a brief moment, but he tells Ritchie that he is all in. The two then shake hands and then plan for the future.
TO BE CONTINUED...