54: Team Rocket vs. Giovanni
"Hey, you two!" Jessie, James, and Meowth looked up as a random grunty-looking agent none of them knew came out and accosted them. "What do you think you're doing out here?" he said, glaring down at them as if he were the superior one.
Since the temperature was pleasant that day and they'd had nothing else to do, they were sitting outside Viridian Gym, reading magazines in-between playing word games or chatting about other topics. "You think you can order us?" Jessie challenged. "Go talk to the boss if you think we should be doing something else. We're his top agents."
"Hmph." The man sneered, but didn't argue. "You're his liability, sitting out here. More and more challengers are coming to sign up. We don't want our 'counterfeits' lounging out here like they belong!"
The false imposters exchanged glances before they all stood up. "Fine, we're going," Jessie said. They still took their time, going down the marble steps and out into the city. "It was getting stuffy around there, anyway," Jessie muttered.
"There hasn't been much to do these days, huh," Meowth said, frowning.
"Maybe we should talk to the boss," Jessie suggested as they walked on the street across from the pokemon center, not getting too close to a site of yet another of their failures.
"He's busy! He's off at that gym leader thing! He has to go to Saffron for it now that those other gym leaders back stabbed him," Meowth informed.
"Oh, right," Jessie recalled the various rumors she'd heard regarding the last conference he'd been to. It seemed those other gym leaders were becoming more obnoxious. "That's why he didn't ask me to run his gym again, right?"
"Probably," Meowth said.
"So now there's nothing for us," James lamented.
"That was just a brief stint to make his life easier, anyway," Jessie said.
"Right. There has to be more for us to do." James picked his head up.
"Well, we already know he wants more pokemon, like always." Jessie bit her lip, furrowing her brow. "Maybe there's a way to get some without showing our faces, since he said not to have the 'counterfeits' make a scene right now," she mused.
"Is this it?" James fretted, putting his head between his hands as he fell to the ground. "We're just a liability? One to be locked away? And here I thought we were some of Team Rocket's finest assets!"
"We are!" Meowth insisted, batting at James's back. "And don't you ever doubt it!"
"Then why can't we do anything?" James asked, scowling through his complaint. "It's just been grunt work at base or in the gym and assisting those scientists with their boring work for so long now," he whined, grabbing his legs.
"Because we're a special kind of agent that he doesn't want out on the board right now," Jessie said, nudging James with her foot.
"Yeah, we're the recognizable so-called fakes he can put at the scene of crimes," Meowth pointed out. "Except he's been avoiding anything they call a crime, hasn't he," it soon realized.
"He has gotten less bold," Jessie realized, tossing her hair before reaching out her hand to James. "Stand up. We won't get anywhere sitting around feeling sorry for ourselves."
James stood, though he didn't look much happier as they continued into the park. "That's not good. Team Rocket's existence itself should be bold, we should feel emboldened with our every action! We don't need to hide at all."
"I can't say I don't agree," Jessie said. "I don't mind being the face of criminality. I've been treated as a pariah most of my life, anyway. May as well be the star if I'm going to be in a criminal group. But it's been too long since we took any action."
"Far too long. I thought since we were the public counterfeits, we'd at least never get left out," James mused.
Jessie blinked, glancing toward him. "Maybe you regret smearing your own public image, James?"
"No," James said firmly. He took a deep breath, tilting up his chin as he smiled. "I have no public front I wish to maintain either. I also admire our ability to be absolutely audacious as a team." After that declaration, he suddenly frowned. "That just hasn't been what's been going on as of late, has it?"
"Not at all," Jessie agreed.
"What are you two belly aching about?" Meowth demanded. "All jobs have their lulls!"
"I suppose so," James said with a shrug. He suddenly stopped, eyes widening as he looked toward the pokemon in the battle arena in front of them. "Pikachu," he said.
"Who cares about-" Meowth paused, then jumped up upon seeing the competitors as well. "It's our buddy!" it exclaimed. Pikachu stood next to Ash as Squirtle used skull bash on the kakuna in front of it.
"It's really been a while," Jessie commented.
"Out of sight, you two!" Meowth said, pushing at the humans before they were noticed. As they stood behind a tree, it seemed Ash was still completely involved in the battle, and hadn't seen them at all. It breathed a sigh of relief, then jumped up on James's shoulder. "Come on! Time to finally complete this task and steal this twerp's pokemon."
Jessie groaned, turning her head. "It was frustrating to fail, but is that the best idea right now?" she asked.
"Perhaps not, considering everything," James said.
"What are you two saying?" Meowth said. It hopped back down, waving a claw as it paced back and forth in front of them. "You were just talking all about how you wanted back in the action! Now an opportunity presents right in front of you, and you're acting like you just want to laze around some more!"
"That's not what I want," Jessie said, narrowing her eyes toward the familiar trainer and pokemon.
"But the boss did say not to catch the public eye for now," James said.
"Right." Jessie took a step back.
"The boss didn't say that for you to use as an excuse when you saw such prizes in front of you!" Meowth insisted, hopping up in aggravated excitement. "He wouldn't be happy if he knew you turned around and let opportunity slip through our fingers! He'd tell you both off for ignoring it! Now get over yourselves and get ready to battle and nab some pokemon for the team!"
Jessie and James both took out a pokeball, observing the situation. Seeing Ash shaking hands with his defeated opponent, Meowth snuck out. As Ash waved good-bye to the opponent, it tip-toed closer. "Ha ha!" it happily exclaimed as it put a netted bag over Pikachu's head.
"Pika?" Pikachu exclaimed in surprise. Before it could think about things too much, Jessie came out and grabbed the bag, picking it off the ground, completely contained in a human's hands. "Pikachu!" Pikachu expressed its discontent to be trapped, though it wasn't about to escape by harming the human with its electric shocks.
"Team Rocket!" Ash exclaimed.
"We've got your pokemon," Jessie bragged.
"Now time to give up the rest," James said.
Ash tensed up, shaking his head. "No way. You'd better let Pikachu go!" Ash threw out his pokeball. "Go, Charizard!"
Charizard roared as it came out of its pokeball. Its eyes then focused on its captured teammate, and it called out its discontent.
"Ha, you're about to join it! Jessie, James, go! Send out your pokemon!" Meowth said, pointing a claw forward.
"Don't be obnoxious, Meowth!" Jessie said, though she threw out her prepared pokeball anyway. "Go, Ekans!"
"We're not your trained humans..." James muttered, then threw out his own pokeball. "Go, Weepinbell! Let's team up, Jessie! Weepinbell, vine whip!"
"Ekans, poison sting!"
"Charizard, flamethrower!" The large fire type partially blocked Ekans's attack with its tail, not flinching as it and Weepinbell's vine whip attack hit. Instead, it spat the flamethrower attack toward both pokemon, hitting Ekans head on while just grazing Weepinbell. The fire type attack was enough to knock out both pokemon, and they lay limply once the flames dissipated.
"Weepinbell! I'm sorry!" James cried, returning his pokemon. "Were you singed? I'll take care of you soon," he promised to the pokeball.
Jessie swore as she also returned her pokemon. "You think you're so far ahead of us?" she said.
"Yeah, kinda. Are you ready to give back my pokemon?" Ash said. Charizard stomped the ground as it called out again in a roar.
"All pokemon belong to Team Rocket," Jessie declared. She sweated as she noted the imposing Charizard only a few feet away, then nodded to James. "But maybe we'll settle for just this one for today."
James nodded before quickly throwing out his next pokeball. "Go, Koffing! Smoke screen!" he ordered the moment it appeared. With the view of them obscured, the rockets ran off. They heard Ash shouting the names of his other pokemon, then found themselves surrounded by those pokemon before too long. James shouted an order to Koffing while Jessie quickly released Lickitung and ordered it to attack as well. Both pokemon were very quickly defeated.
Ash jumped between Bulbasaur and Butterfree, snatching the bag away from Jessie and quickly releasing Pikachu. "Pikachu." Pikachu scurried away to a short distance, turning its back to the rockets to snub them. "Pika," it called adamantly, eyes closed and nose up.
"Come on, Pikachu! It was for your own good!" Meowth exclaimed.
Ash ignored the exchange and started shouting. "You're all still stealing pokemon? Why? I thought you stopped! Do you think it's good? You're all bad! You're evil!"
"That's just what it means to be the villain," James said calmly, clutching his pokeballs close before he nodded at Jessie.
"We're only taking what's ours!" Jessie declared, running toward Pikachu with another net.
Ash got in her way, pushing her as she tried. "Stay back. I'm not gonna keep just letting you get away with doing whatever you want," he warned.
"Pft." Jessie scowled as she caught her balance. The brat was getting almost as tall as her, so she couldn't just fight him off, especially with no pokemon. "Let's just go."
"And you'd better not try and steal anything else!" Ash shouted after them as they left.
"It was a long shot anyway," Jessie said once they were far enough away, slowing down their retreat.
"As much as I hate to say so, Pikachu's trainer really is at an entirely different level than us now," James said.
"We should be able to do better than this!" Jessie shouted in frustration, stomping her foot as they reached the front of Viridian Gym.
"That's right! Should we always retreat and give up? Isn't Team Rocket a fearsome force with the resources to make our enemies tremble?" James mused.
"We haven't been, but that's a good point. There's plenty we can, and should be accomplishing. Maybe we really should talk to the boss," Jessie suggested.
"That's a good idea," James said.
"He can't be in Saffron for too long, can he?" Jessie walked up the stairs of the gym, James closely following.
"Wait up, you two," Meowth said tentatively, trying its best to keep up with the humans' increased pace. "What are you even planning to say?"
Giovanni arrived to the semester's conference with some time to spare. Being too early might be too much of a bore, but too late and some information may be missed. Not attending at all might be the best option, but he couldn't just let things go on without even being there to see what this group might be up to that might affect his operations, and not just as a gym leader. They also had the potential to get in the way of Team Rocket's plans. Though they weren't law enforcement, they were a connected group with powerful pokemon, netted throughout Kanto.
Therefore, they couldn't be ignored. Just being in charge had been ideal as far as controlling them went, but now their leadership was beyond Team Rocket's oversight. Sabrina seemed the impatient type to mind her own business, but she was just the host. The new chairman Blaine often rambled or otherwise got off track, but was sharper than he put on. The Cinnabar gym leader had nosed into Team Rocket's scientific endeavors before. Erika also seemed to be a leader in some ways, often smoothing things over or redirecting conversation to maintain a pleasant conversation or just the peace in general. Of course, she could hardly be counted on for Team Rocket's purposes.
Giovanni took off his hat as he entered the building, blinking as his eyes adjusted to the dim lighting after being in the sunny day. Before they had completely, he felt someone tugging his sleeve. "Welcome! Would you like a reading?" a young boy asked. They reached a table, and the boy held out his hand, inviting Giovanni to sit across from him.
The rocket boss stood. "I'm here for the conference," he said.
"Yeah," the boy said. "That's what my intuition told me. But I need to practice, so I'll do a reading for you." The boy started to shuffle the cards in front of him.
"If you could just show me the location," Giovanni said.
"Yeah, after this," the boy promised as he flipped over the top card. "Oh! The High Priestess! You'll be meeting with our leader, the master of all intuitive skills. That's lucky." He flipped over the next card. "Oh... The Tower. Looks like it won't end well." The boy pouted as he looked up at his guest.
"Pft." Giovanni walked away, going down the hall unaccompanied. He was close enough to the start time that he ought to see others nearby. At the end of the hall was an open door. Walking in, he could see the familiar faces of the other gym leaders. Rather than the circle of tables from the Viridian Gym meetings, they were seated in rows in front of a stage with a podium. A few greeted him upon entry, and he did the same before he sat in the front row, to the side.
Eventually, Blaine came to the podium. He then paced away from the stage, going to tell another fire type gym leader a long story about a time interacting with fire types in the wilderness as a boy. The start was again delayed as he discussed the early development of pokeballs, followed by one of the current experiments he was helping conduct to improve their usage. It was a good twenty minutes past the start time when he finally made his way to the podium and indicated they'd be starting the meeting.
Attendance, which Giovanni had been able to do just by looking out at the crowd, took over an hour. Blaine called out everyone's name, taking time to tell stories about those he remembered and then asking questions of those he didn't yet know. The Fuchsia Gym group again appeared from their stealth location upon being called, which Blaine delighted at, asking them to take the stage and share more of their ninja techniques. The older man hardly knew how to move things along.
Finally, he moved on to discussing the win ratios, praising the performance of everyone one-by-one. The bottom two were again a different set, and he suggested no action, then began a long discussion on who might observe and help them. They also discussed the new gym leader in this section, everyone who'd observed him invited to take the stage and share their thoughts in detail. Then they moved on to budgeting. Blaine went through everything item-by-item, discussing in detail why it had stayed the same or made whatever minimal change.
"And now, we have complaints... Mr. Lt. Surge of Vermilion Gym, I'm afraid there's been two about you," Blaine said. "Some trainers took issue with your decorum. Maybe you could reconsider how you react to certain types?"
"Eh, I'm trying," Surge replied from the audience, shaking his head. "Keep hearing about how good I am at your language, but still more to learn when it comes to the finer stuff, you know? Besides, people from my home city are known for being rude even with our own countrymen."
"I volunteer to visit him and observe," Erika said. "Though you've lived here in Kanto a while, I know there's a lot you might not realize. I hope I can provide suggestions so that you no longer get these complaints."
"Sure, I'd appreciate it," Surge said.
Blaine then read another complaint about the safety of a particular gym's entrance before turning to the next paper, picking up his sunglasses and looking over to Giovanni before he spoke. "And last, as far as complaints go, there's been three related to Viridian Gym." Blaine smiled widely as if there was nothing wrong with these accusations. "Nothing about former chairman Giovanni specifically of course, it just seems there's some unsavory types that have been spotted near his gym."
"That's concerning... Do you know anything about this?" Erika asked, raising her eyebrow as she also looked toward Giovanni.
"I wouldn't even know what they were referring to," Giovanni said.
"Yes, it all does seem rather vague." Blaine flipped through several papers, seeming to consider each one. "Maybe these complaints are referring to people that have nothing to do with the gym. Sorry about this." Blaine again smiled, but just as Giovanni thought the current chairman might drop the topic, the other man spoke again. "Maybe some of us could observe, like we're doing with our bottom two, and over in Vermilion. We'll figure out if we need to dismiss these complaints as unrelated, or if maybe there's something our former chairman overlooked. I propose we drop the matter pending further investigation."
With that, they moved on to other business, discussing a variety of trifling matters Giovanni would have rejected being allowed as discussion. Then they had another two applicants, discussed in detail before they were rejected. It was followed by more discussion about changes they might make before reapplying. At the end, the meeting had taken almost five hours. If that wasn't enough, Giovanni was kept after, discussing who and when would come and observe the goings on at his gym.
Giovanni left as soon as he finished that conversation, maneuvering past Sabrina's eccentric 'psychic' students to avoid any further ridiculousness before he went out the door. This group really was sticking their noses where they didn't belong, all while trying to placate him. Their intentions were still easy enough to see through, though Giovanni wasn't yet sure how to approach this developing threat. On the train ride back, he considered things before arriving at his own gym much later than he would have liked.
Entering Viridian Gym, there were more agents than usual in the lobby. Instead of going about their business, they stared his way as he entered. Meowth sat on a small table nearby the entrance. "What's this about?" he asked of the pokemon, also glaring toward the agents it had been assigned to work with.
"I dunno, boss. Everybody's just been talking," Meowth said tentatively, scratching its head before it looked away.
"If you all have something to say, then say it quickly. I'm too busy to deal with any more incompetence again," Giovanni barked at the whole group as he stepped further into the lobby.
Some of the agents backed away, one even headed around the corner as if he had never been there, but Jessie approached him unflinchingly. "I'm sure you're very busy, sir, especially with that backstabbing group. The problem is that we haven't been busy."
"We're here to support Team Rocket in every way, until we finally rule the world," James continued.
"Right," Jessie agreed. "So why don't you give some mission to that effect?"
"You think I need direction from any of you? The master plan is well underway and supported. You two can keep doing what I've tasked you with," Giovanni said.
"We haven't been doing anything as of late," Jessie pointed out.
"Then that's what's necessary for you at this time!" Giovanni shouted now.
"Of course, sir. If you say," James said with a nod, though he looked away, some hesitance still in his voice.
"We're loyal enough to follow any order, even if it's to do nothing," Jessie said, raising an eyebrow.
"As you should be," Giovanni said firmly. "There's nothing about our current trajectory that would require any of you to question it." Giovanni glared around the room, asserting that he wasn't just talking to Jessie and James. "Everything is running as it should!"
"What about acquiring pokemon?"
Giovanni glared at the random agent that had spoken up, one that had been working for him two short years. "I provided you with a pokemon as promised. You have no room to complain."
"Just one. And it's not even evolved." The agent scowled. "Weren't we going to be a battalion of trainers, each with our own team?"
"I don't even have one yet!" another grunt in the back spoke up.
"Right. Didn't you give back all the league pokemon we stole, too?" yet another, this one standing right nearby, felt so emboldened as to speak like this.
"You all haven't proven yourselves worthy of anything other than what you've been given," Giovanni asserted.
"What about us?"
Previously unnoticed, Cassidy stepped in the middle of the other agents, holding out a single pokeball. "My partner and I did the research and legwork that led to the three legendary birds being captured. Was that not enough?" she asked.
"You were rewarded," Giovanni pointed out.
"Your bonus was generous, but you didn't give us any other pokemon. I'm sure you would have if there were more, of course. I'd say we're very lacking in pokemon right now." After Cassidy spoke, the room grew silent.
Meowth hopped forward. "Lay off the boss! He's looked out for every single one of you! Don't be ungrateful!"
Jessie leaned down, patting the pokemon's head. "Don't be like that, Meowth. I'm not trying to be ungrateful. I want to see some action, and support the boss more myself," she said.
"Yes. It may also be helpful to better understand the big picture," James added. "I have a deep, unwavering appreciation for everything the boss has done. And not just for me, but for everyone. I believe in Team Rocket. We must be on the right path. I'd just like to better see it."
"Fine," Giovanni said. He walked through the crowd of his unhappy agents unflinchingly. "All of you, come with me." He walked over to the gym's battle arena area, everyone following. Giovanni stepped on the platform, his employees surrounding him in a circular pattern. As they were all in place, silently waiting for his words, he spoke. "Perhaps I have been too hesitant since our efforts in the pokemon league failed," he admitted.
"Boss?" Meowth said, its eyes going wide.
"Come here, Meowth." Giovanni invited Meowth on the podium next to him. Meowth hopped up, grinning as the rocket boss petted it. Giovanni then dropped his hand and continued. "Make no mistake that I do have a clear plan that's been moving forward. However, the pillar of that lies in the field of pokemon science. But perhaps I haven't been using all my resources here. My resources being all of you." Giovanni paused. He noted some of his agents relax their shoulders, soften their expressions. "More pokemon for our group? I'd like them. It's just not worth the trouble of acquiring them from any talentless trainers."
"Yeah!" Meowth declared next to him. "I've been all around Kanto seeing all kinds of pokemon, and we may as well get some wild ones rather than steal from any stupid kid."
"That will be possible soon as well." Giovanni grinned. "Our own brand of pokeball is still being developed. It may eventually be even better than the ones people like Oak hoard for their own sponsored trainers. Then I'll distribute them for talented agents to catch their own, but these things take time. Until then, the risk to reward isn't worth it for taking pokemon haphazardly. We're being watched closely, and should only take what's worth the risk."
"Like the league pokemon!" Meowth said.
"Yes, as we planned, though that fell apart," Giovanni admitted. "After being confronted and recorded like that, it was best to abandon them and lay low. But now those gym leaders and various law enforcement are still swarming around us like flies, almost a year later." Giovanni slammed his fist on the podium, causing Meowth to jump and a few of the agents to step back. He snickered and stepped back. "So it's a good thing you're all here. We're stepping things back up as of today. Are you ready?"
"Yes, sir!" Jessie and James cheered in unison from the front. Other voices soon followed, some of the agents completely losing their discontent and impatience as they seemed to become excited by Giovanni's declaration.
"More pokemon will be acquired, from talented trainers," Giovanni declared. "I'll be assigning you to investigate before any plans to do so are finalized. You, draft something up for me later on that." He nodded to Cassidy.
"Yes, boss," Cassidy agreed.
"And I don't want to hear those of you with pokemon complaining about their unevolved status ever again," Giovanni boomed.
"Yeah!" Meowth cheered on the podium. "Your pokemon can still be powerful without being evolved."
"You should train your pokemon as proper trainers do instead of relying on powerful ones to be handed to you!" Giovanni declared. "Work with the scientists near headquarters, there's one group trying to develop devices to evolve pokemon faster. And don't ever complain about my favors to you ever again! Complaints will never accomplish our goal."
The man that had originally complained about his one unevolved pokemon looked properly ashamed. As a group, they all appeared emboldened and ready to move forward. Giovanni smiled at the progress. That day was turning about to be productive even with all the time that meeting had wasted. "And as for this gym," Giovanni continued. "We'll be abandoning this pointless venture. Get ready."
"I don't want to try it!" Meowth said, kicking the device that the scientist held out for it to try and wear.
"Come on now, Meowth," James said as he carefully fit one of them around his round pokemon. "I'll still like you if you evolve."
"Well, maybe I won't," Meowth said, turning its head away.
"Suit yourself," Jessie said. She and James started battling, putting Ekans and Koffing against each other while using the devices.
"Looks like it doesn't work, anyway," Meowth muttered after a few battles.
"It's still experimental, right? Well, it's good practice, anyway," Jessie said as she finished spraying her pokemon for the next battle. "Ekans, go! Use wrap!"
"Ekans!" Ekans called as it launched itself into the air, now able to wrap itself around a levitating pokemon with ease.
"Good! Keep going!" Jessie ordered.
"Oh no, Koffing is trapped again," James clenched his jaw and bit his nails before he made a fist. "Koffing, hang in there! Use poison gas attack!"
Koffing had difficulty opening its mouth to do so. "Alright, Ekans! Let's finish this, bite!" Jessie ordered.
As Ekans bit down, Koffing managed to open its mouth enough that some of the gas from its technique escaped. Ekans released its wrap, and then James's pokemon started to glow. "Koffing!" James exclaimed, a wide grin on his face. "Are you..." James shouted again in his excitement as he realized his pokemon was really evolving. The device fell off it as the process completed. James ran over, yelling out his excitement. "It worked! It really did!" he said as he hugged his pokemon, the newly evolved Weezing.
"Or is this a coincidence, the result of experience?"
Jessie turned to her side. "How long have you been there?" she asked Cassidy, the one that had piped in with the annoying question.
"I thought I'd wait until your battle was done before I gave you this," their rival said, handing a paper to Jessie. "Apparently the boss has faith in you. He wanted me to bring this specific assignment to you, personally."
"Of course he does," Jessie said, snatching the paper from Cassidy's hands.
"Yeah, you and like a half-dozen others here alone," Butch said from next to her with a smirk, waving additional papers around.
Jessie was about to respond to the stupid guy before Cassidy interrupted, storming toward James and the lab assistant, who were equipping Weepinbell with the experimental device. "What are you two doing with that?" she demanded.
James stood up in a start. "Is something wrong?" he asked.
Cassidy turned away and sighed. She walked to a scientist nearby, then handed James the object, facing away. "Here," she said. "Weepinbell evolves only with leaf stone."
"Oh, I'd heard of that," James said.
"It could also evolve with pure will, I bet," Jessie said.
"I don't think that's true," Cassidy said with a frown.
At the same time, Ekans started to glow. Jessie and James shouted in delight as it evolved into Arbok. "See? See? Pure willpower!" Jessie declared, Cassidy cringing from the close proximity of the loud voice.
"I meant for pokemon that need an evolution stone," Cassidy clarified.
"Come on. Your breath is wasted on them," Butch goaded, trying to step away while his partner lagged.
"Thanks for this." James held up the evolution stone. "How have things been?" he asked.
"They'll be even more difficult for us now, with the boss shutting down operations in Viridian, leaving me out of the way over here more often," Cassidy said.
"I see. But of course, if the boss decided it, it'll be the best for us all as part of Team Rocket." James grinned. "We're on our way to accomplishing our goals! Thanks to this and our new orders, we'll be busy."
"Are you really so useless you couldn't think of ways to be busy otherwise?" Butch challenged.
"As if we ever have time to listen to you two pretending to be superior." Jessie grabbed James's arm. "Let's evolve your other pokemon now!"
"Yes, let's!" James said. As they went and did so, their rivals wandered off.
Next chapter: Team Rocket vs. The Gym Leader Conference