Notes: New fic is here. This one is based on the original series through Johto. Nothing after, including Chronicles and the TR pre-series story in that one, will apply here. Just takes what we have based on the OS-Johto and runs with it.
"M" rating definitely applies for sex and other mature themes, but again, not right away/every chapter. All of what this story is may not be immediately apparent. Hope you enjoy as everything unfolds.
Part I - Butch
one: some kind of joke
Approaching Team Rocket Headquarters felt strange. Even though they absolutely belonged there, it had been quite a while since they'd stepped foot in the place. Reaching the door, they saw movement and heard a sound. Meowth put its paws up while Jessie and James jumped back, each grabbing the other's hand. Realizing it was just likely recently installed automatic doors, the group relaxed, stepping across the threshold and into the place that was the center of operations for the organization they'd dedicated themselves to.
"Hey!" Jessie shouted as soon as they entered. Different uniformed people glanced at them, going back to their business in the semi-crowded lobby.
"Maybe we should just go try and find the boss ourselves," Meowth suggested in a low voice.
Jessie stared forward, still on alert for who might help that. "No need for that. We've been summoned personally for an important mission. Of course someone's going to roll out the red carpet for us to talk to him."
"You think so?" James asked tentatively, stepping out of the way for a group of uniformed agents just passing through.
"Of course. Let's go get his attention." Jessie stormed forward, ready to catch the eye of anyone who might help them get an audience with the boss. Maybe they could just go upstairs to his office, but the layout had obviously changed during the time they'd been gone, and besides, the boss himself could be busy. "You there!" Jessie said, pointing forward at a woman at a desk who leafed through some papers. As the addressed party glanced up, Jessie continued. "Help us out, would you? The boss called us here personally."
The other woman looked at them humorlessly, not speaking. James finally spoke to her. "Wendy, right? We received the message for the secret assignment. Top priority."
Wendy closed the folder in front of her, sighing. "I don't think there was any message for any agents given a top priority assignment," she said.
"Well, go look, because there was," Jessie insisted.
Wendy slid the folders to one side of the desk, then picked up another. "Maybe in a bit," she said as she opened it.
"Don't you know what top priority means?!" Meowth demanded, jumping on the desk and extending its claws. "Get moving!"
Wendy glared intently at the pokemon on top of her work. "If you stay out of my way, maybe I can! Go sit and wait!"
Grudgingly, the trio did so, sitting off to the side. After they stayed a while in silence, others seeming to stare at their idleness, Jessie eventually stood. "I'll go let her know exactly why this is so important."
"Jessie, wait, maybe we should be patient," James said, grabbing her sleeve.
"We've been patient enough," Jessie snapped.
"Looks like someone else is dealing with her," Meowth said.
"Hm?" Jessie observed the area she'd been headed, where a somewhat familiar man was addressing the person who didn't seem to be taking them seriously. "It's Cassidy's plus one," Jessie noted.
"I wonder what he's getting up to," Meowth muttered as the three of them subtly shifted themselves closer, trying to listen in.
"Listen up, stop stalling. You should know we need, so just give us the authorization we need," the man insisted.
Wendy's expression remained steady. "Maybe you aren't needed at all for any other tasks," she said.
"Look at the work you do. You can't know that," the man said, not noticing as Jessie and the others crept even closer to listen in.
"I know authorization for you to have any sort of access to certain areas or supplies has been revoked," Wendy said, again flipping through papers, mostly ignoring the person addressing her.
"No, no, no!" The man clenched his fists now, anger and upset both present in his voice. "You can't... That's not even up to you."
Wendy smirked his way. "It came from above me of course," she said with a pleased tone. "Oh!" Wendy stood up as Jessie and James approached, her eyes widening as if she'd just noticed them. "If it isn't James. And Jessie too. You two have been summoned by the boss personally, haven't you?"
"Well, yes," James said hesitantly, miffed at her reaction since they'd mentioned that before, of course.
"Of course. The boss will be so happy you arrived so promptly. You'll be our saviors, making up for the failures of Butch and his partner," Wendy said.
"Who?" Jessie said. James poked her shoulder and motioned toward the other man present, and Jessie glanced at him before she nodded. "Yes, of course. We'll make up for any sort of blunder Cassidy and her dumb partner may have burdened us with."
Butch picked his head up, his expression changing from anger to pure disbelief. "No way. This can't be real. There's no way anyone's gonna think it's a good idea to replace us with you jokers!"
Jessie folded her arms, turning back to Butch with a scowl. "We're no joke."
"Yeah, you heard that lady," Meowth said, extending a paw toward Wendy after it hopped back on the counter. "We're the saviors after you messed up." Meowth nodded with a self-satisfied expression.
"I thought they fired you already! You're the worst Team Rocket has to offer!" Butch slammed his hand on the counter.
In the face of their rival's shouting, Jessie, James, and Meowth's expressions turned cold. "We're part of the elites," Jessie asserted.
"Even if we were one of the worst, what would that make you as one beneath us?" James said before he and Jessie laughed together.
"I wonder what," Wendy said, giggling along with them. "Let's see what I have for James and Jessie..."
Butch just shook his head. "Even if Wendy's not just making all of this up, it's some kind of blunder. A misunderstanding. You two can't even tie your shoes, let alone complete some of the missions we've been through."
"We don't have shoelaces," James said, glancing down at his boots.
"Exactly! And you can't handle yourself in a pokemon battle either," Butch shouted, stepping closer to block them from approaching Wendy. "What are you going to do if somebody challenges you during a complicated mission?"
"Battle and win of course," Jessie replied, stepping closer as she pushed her face close to her rival's partner. "Are you saying you're better? Should we beat you again, like last time?"
"Last time?" Butch's voice raised again as he recalled the event, throwing up his hands with exasperation. "There was no conclusion last time! You jokes just damaged the equipment and ruined the mission!"
Jessie laughed, smiling as she took out a pokeball. "Then you admit you can't beat us."
"Then I- I never said that," Butch said, reaching for his own. "You jesters want to fight?"
"Maybe that's necessary, to demonstrate our superiority to you," James said, smirking as he got in position to release his pokemon.
"Take it outside," Wendy said sharply, head down as she flipped through some papers. "I've got too much going on here to be bothered with all of this." The feuding group exchanged glances before going toward the automated doors and exiting. As they left, Wendy closed all folders, stacking them up before she sat back. Laughing to herself, she stared out the window.
"Once I beat you, will you leave?" Butch asked as they made their way to one of the practice battle arenas outside. He gripped tightly to his pokeball, also gritting his teeth as he spoke.
"No way," Meowth insisted. "I'm not gonna let the boss down when we got a personal message from him!"
"No need to worry, Meowth. James and I will certainly win," Jessie declared.
"Yeah! With both of you, he doesn't stand a chance." Meowth nodded.
"Go, Primeape!" Butch threw out his pokeball, glaring at them as his pokemon appeared. "You two would need to try to team up to even have a chance, wouldn't you? And even then, you always lose. What a joke."
"Primeape!" The released pokemon jumped in the air before sitting on the ground, glaring toward the opponents.
"You keep saying that, but when have we ever been a joke?" Jessie demanded, scowling.
"When have you ever not been? How about when you broke into our breeding center operation. And then teamed up with our opponents during our plot in the Orange Islands. And then James dressed as a moltres and came 'flying' in. How is that not a joke?"
Jessie's expression became serious as she stared ahead. "So you're blaming us for all your failures?" she said.
"Yes!" Butch confirmed. "Especially the last one! What reason is there to fight your teammates once they capture a freaking lugia?!" Primeape shouted out with just as much fury as its trainer, waving its arms around for emphasis as Butch spoke.
"And how did you do that, huh?" Jessie challenged. "Didn't the boss just tell you to do what the scientists said after you kept failing over and over again? All you and Cassidy can do is follow directions and press buttons on devices other people create. You're no better than automatons! You wouldn't understand what it's like to be on our level."
"Your level? Oh, fine. Show me your level," Butch challenged again, now standing completely across them in the battle arena, waving his hand out to invite their own pokemon to challenge.
"Primeape!" Primeape jumped up again before pounding its fists on the ground.
"Let's go. Get ready, Jessie," James said, raising his hand to throw his pokeball yet again.
"No need, James," Jessie assured. "Let's make it one against one. I don't want him using us outnumbering him as an excuse when we win."
"I see," James said, furrowing his brow as he observed their rival. "Which one of us, then?"
"I think-"
"Good idea," Butch interrupted Jessie. "Just the one of you then. Don't let the princess break a nail."
Jessie giggled again, taking a step ahead of James. "Don't worry about me. Just because I'm a princess doesn't mean I can't battle as well." Jessie walked toward her space as the challenger.
"Oh, did you think I meant you?" Butch said with a smirk. "I was talking about James, of course. Yeah, let's go, Jessie. Don't let the princess even start to sweat. The rough guy better be the one to handle the battling."
"What's that?" Jessie asked, pausing from throwing out her first pokeball.
"That's right." Meowth nodded with a self-satisfied grin. "My guy's rough and tough enough to knock you out anytime." It spread its paws toward Jessie, shaking them to cheer her on.
"Enough!" Jessie shouted as she finally tossed out her pokeball. "Go, Arbok! Wrap!"
"Primeape, thrash attack!"
Arbok immediately took action after hearing Jessie's order, lunging forward to wrap itself around its opponent. On Butch's quick command, Primeape began punching and kicking its opponent rapidly, causing Arbok's attack to fail. "Go, Primeape, dynamic punch!" Butch ordered.
"Primeape!" Primeape called loudly before jumping forward.
"Arbok, acid attack! Quick!" Jessie shouted as Primeape bounced near to her pokemon again. Both pokemon's attack hit at once, Arbok spitting the purple acid toward Primeape as Primeape's fist made contact with the snake-like pokemon's face. Primeape shook off the remnants of Arbok's attack as it completed its own. Arbok's head moved backward before it fell completely limp, calling out quietly as Jessie recalled it to its pokeball. "Arbok!" she shouted in dismay as she did.
Butch laughed as his pokemon leapt up in victory. "Nice one, Primeape. What's wrong, Jessie? Want to say your stupid motto with James? You think that'll help you win at all? Oh, right, you two idiots lose every time even when you do go through with that ridiculous show."
Jessie sharply inhaled as she got out her next pokeball. "As if you and Cassidy don't have your own knock-off motto you say all the time."
"Hmph." Butch calmed somewhat, folding his arms as he smirked. "Can't say no to her. Besides, even if it's kooky, at least we know when's a good time and place. Well, you done?"
"Hardly!" Jessie said as she threw our her pokeball. "Go, Wobbuffet!"
"Oh." Butch's smirk fell as he noted his new opponent pokemon. "Primeape, leer!"
"Wobbuffet, counter!" Jessie ordered.
Primeape stomped closer to its opponent, trying to glare it down. "Wobbuffet," Wobbuffet called quietly, perhaps frowning, though its expression seemed painted on, hard to read. Jessie's pokemon just stared forward, unmoving.
"Primeape, focus punch that punching bag!" Butch followed.
"Primeape!" Primeape shouted loudly and ran forward on the command, swinging its fist.
"Wobbuffet." Wobbuffet glowed right before Primeape's attack hit. After being punched, a mass of glowing energy shot forward, knocking backward a shouting Primeape, who quickly went still. Jessie, James, and Meowth shouted happily in victory together.
"I knew you could do it!" Meowth encouraged.
"Keep showing this guy our superiority, Wobbuffet," Jessie said.
Butch swallowed, his expression wavering though he still stared forward. "Yeah, fine, right. You wanted a fair match, didn't you? Here's my second to your second! Let's see if your slug can take another hit. Go, Hitmontop!" Butch pointed forward as his pokemon appeared in the arena. "Rolling kick!"
"Wobbuffet, get ready to counter!" Jessie warned.
Wobbuffet remained in the same area, staring forward as Hitmontop approached, spinning on its head with its legs out, ready to attack. "Top top top!" Hitmontop called as it kicked Wobbuffet in succession. Wobbuffet bounced slightly, the glow becoming brighter each time Hitmontop hit.
"Wobbuffet!" Wobbuffet called as it let loose with its built up attack. As the mass of energy hit Butch's pokemon, Hitmontop wobbled and fell over as if an actual top that could no longer spin. Its eyes were closed, making the reality it was knocked out obvious.
Jessie, James, and Meowth again cheered at the victory in unison. Jessie strutted across the field, laughing heartily as she saw the unconscious pokemon. Butch walked closer to them himself, observing his hitmontop a moment in silence before raising the pokeball and pressing the button to bring it back inside. As Hitmontop disappeared, he fell to his knees. "Good job, Wobbuffet," Jessie began. "Of course, such a magnificent victory is expected from elite agents like ourselves. Especially when going against this kind of dreck." Jessie gleefully laughed louder as she insulted their defeated opponent.
"They can talk, but this is how it is when push comes to shove," James added.
"There's no more pre-made little gadgets for an idiot like you to press a button and hope for a win, huh?" Meowth grinned widely, continuing the mocking. All three of them laughed together once they'd all gotten in a shot at the currently defeated rival.
"Hm..." Jessie glared at the back of the head of the man who stayed motionless on his knees, now keeled over. "What is it?" she demanded loudly. "You had oh so much to say about us before."
James took a step closer, Butch not moving even when they were in close proximity. "Maybe he's in shock, now that it's undeniable how lacking he is compared to us in reality," James suggested.
"That could be true, James. Maybe he wanted to remain deluded before, but he can't deny his inferiority after being completely clobbered by Wobbuffet's counter." Jessie said, running a hand through her hair.
"Wobbuffet!" Wobbuffet agreed.
"He must be sad to realize he's been reduced to rubbish on Team Rocket's lawn." Jessie shrugged, frowning as their rival still didn't respond.
"If you put it that way, I've gotta feel sorry for the guy," Meowth said.
"Well, I don't," Jessie said firmly. "Hey!" she shouted, pushing against his back with her foot. "Get up and clean yourself up! Or do we have to tell Cassidy to come and collect her trash?"
"Uh..." Butch seemed to come back to reality at Jessie's question, blinking purposefully and pulling himself to his feet. "No need to call her or anything," he muttered.
"I'd agree with that," Jessie said with a groan.
"Don't worry," James assured. "We won't tell her about your blunder."
Jessie shook her head. "Speak for yourself, James. I for one can't wait to tell Cassidy about how deficient the partner she's always bragging about turned out to be."
"You don't have to go that far," Butch began nervously. "No need to be petty, right?"
"Huh?" Jessie's eyes went wide. You're calling us petty? When you two had us sent to jail with those brats when we ran into your stupid breeding center operation?"
Butch chortled, a grin coming to his face as the memory momentarily cheered him up. "Oh yeah. That was pretty funny."
"And you're telling us not to be petty?" Jessie raised her voice further.
"I think you paid us back for that tenfold at least by now!" Butch shouted back. He turned back to the building, clenching his fists as his expression turned grave again. "Yeah, forget it. Say whatever you want. Nothing you say can make things worse. I've failed so badly, there's nothing I can do to make it better... I really am a terrible loser, even losing to you..."
Observing their rival, the trio went silent, exchanging glances. "Hey," Jessie finally spoke, her voice calmer. "It was just one loss. A gloriously fantastic win for me, but no need for you to act so pathetic."
"I can't say we don't know what it's like to be so down on our luck," James said.
"Yeah. We're on the up and up now, but there've been a lot of trying times," Meowth admitted.
"How terrible it must be to realize you're a charlatan, shattering your illusions of superiority and success," James added.
Jessie groaned, walking past her defeated opponent toward the door. "You really are pathetic, you know?" she said. "Pick yourself up. Let's go have lunch."
"Good idea, Jessie!" James said with enthusiasm. "There's plenty of food here, right? A good meal always cheers me up. Come on, let's go." James pushed the other man forward.
Butch shuddered in surprise as he felt his shoulder tapped, and found himself being ushered forward by James and Meowth back to the main building. The group went into the lobby. Wendy tried to get their attention, but Jessie waved her hand to dismiss her. "We'll be back later. You can wait for our arrival," Jessie said before turning away, seeming oblivious to Wendy's annoyance, as they made their way to the Cafeteria. Once inside, Butch found himself sitting down with them as if he belonged with this group of all people.
"It's been so long since we've had a good meal," James said as they piled various food on the table.
"Wonder why. None of you can cook?" Butch asked.
"It's one of my many talents," Jessie said. "We've just had other priorities."
Other priorities than the basics? Considering this, Butch didn't even speak as he saw the group eat from their selection of what seemed an obscene quantity of food.
Jessie eventually paused in the lull, pushing some toward him. "Come on! We've been so generous as to get all this for you. Eat up!"
Butch did start to eat, at least pecking at his food. The group slowed down, their talking pokemon eventually looking at him. "What's got you so down, anyway? Just that you lost that lugia?" it asked.
"That we-" Butch paused, slowing himself down before blaming them for the disaster. It was certainly their fault, but he'd already let off steam just before battling Jessie, and getting angry hadn't helped him feel better about the past or the present. "What's it to you? You're all certainly on your way up, so why do you need to waste time listening to someone on their way down?"
There had been hints of sarcasm in his voice, but Meowth just laughed in glee at Butch's statement. "That's right! This guy knows what's up!" it said before taking another big bite of its sandwich.
"He's noticed how we're speeding toward our sure success, while they burn up in the atmosphere," James said, giggling to himself.
Jessie was the only one that seemed displeased, frowning as she glared at him. "That's not what he was saying before," she noted.
James paused his meal, tapping Jessie's hand. "But Jessie, you know about projection, don't you?"
"Of course," Jessie said, sitting up and folding her arms as she looked away. "It's what we can use to make our motto even cooler. Using our projector to imitate the stars, shining bright to illuminate us."
James shook his head. "It's not just that. Sometimes incompetent people describe others by what's lacking in themselves to distract. They project it onto others. So you see, that means everything he said about us was actually what he knew to be true about himself."
"Really? So everyone here thinks of you two as jokes and failures now?" Meowth asked. Jessie raised her eyebrows.
James nodded with exaggeration in response. "That must be the case! Of course now, his projection failed. Jessie's phenomenal performance in that battle acted as a mirror, projecting all his inadequacies back at him all while blinding him with our own blazing aura. Now that he's seen the light of the sun, he won't be able to say those things about us anymore."
"Oh." Jessie appeared to consider the idea. "I guess failing so badly was expected, given who you're working with. It's really gotten that bad for you?"
"Just forget it," Butch muttered, clenching his jaw. Had he been projecting? No, Jessie and James really were terrible losers that hadn't successfully completed a mission in so long. Currently they messed things up for Team Rocket in general, along with Butch and his partner personally. Then again, maybe he and Cassidy hadn't been doing that much better lately, and he had just shouted and insulted them to 'distract', as James had put it. "What's going so great for you two, anyway?" Butch asked.
"W-Well." Jessie appeared somewhat tentative. "We're back from surveying Johto for prizes for Team Rocket."
"Yeah, we 'surveyed' a whole bunch," Meowth agreed.
"It was quite the trip, spanning much of the region," James added.
"What did you end up picking up? Anything I'm gonna hear about?" Butch asked. The question had been out of a serious curiosity, but from how the group fidgeted and looked away, seemed like the inquiry may as well have been a joke. "Hmph." Butch smirked. "A lot of nothing, huh?"
"Well, what have you lot got us lately?" Jessie challenged.
"From what you might not have heard of, we had a haul a while ago. Nothing lately," Butch admitted. "After we got thrown in jail... More than once... After that, all we've had to worry about is being lackeys to these scientists and doing what they want rather than going out and getting anything ourselves."
"Oh. That sounds boring," James said.
"It's how they get their little push button devices," Meowth said.
"We can make our own, right? I agree with James. I don't like the idea of just getting in line for them either," Jessie said.
"Yeah, we're more likely to be successful with our own schemes," Meowth added.
The group looked at each other and laughed as if they had any success to be happy about lately. But there wasn't much for Butch to lord over them, was there? Jessie and James may have failed themselves, but now were apparently there to pick up from the lackluster assignment he and Cassidy left off.
For their sake, hopefully that would be all that was asked for.
"If you're really the ones called in to replace us, good luck," Butch said as he stood up.
He'd said it as a sort of warning, but their faces lit up at the seeming well wishes. "Hey, thanks!" the meowth said.
"You see we're the best for the job, don't you?" Jessie said, closing her eyes with satisfaction.
"We'll be sure not to disappoint Team Rocket," James assured.
"Yeah." Though he could mock what they'd said, as the recent past hadn't proven this group competent, Butch decided to respond with just that. He looked toward the door. He could leave and talk to Wendy more, but she'd certainly not want to help him, and then he'd just feel worse. He could also go talk to Cassidy about the situation, but of course, there was nothing they could do at the moment. He had to address it eventually, but did he really have to go back to that right away?
Instead of doing so, he sat down with the cheerful group again. "Huh? You're not leaving?" Jessie asked in surprise.
"Didn't finish my meal." Butch took his own plate, starting to choose from their various offerings. As he did, he commented about who was a better cook here at base, and what shifts they had. They had conversations about the food, including typical menu items not available that day. "You're all talking like you're sticking around," Butch said once they started to make plans to try it all.
"If that's what the boss wants!" Meowth said.
"You're worried about us as competition?" Jessie said. "After all, I just beat you easily."
"You won once! I knew you had that thing, I just wasn't ready for it this time. As if my fighting types can't beat a punching bag!" Butch insisted.
"Right! The punching bag beat back the punchers!" Meowth said with glee.
The referred-to pokemon soon appeared as if released, apparently having let itself out of its pokeball. "Wobbuffet!" it agreed, putting its odd appendage to its head.
"Sure. Just try me again," Butch dared.
Jessie just shrugged. "If there's time, I'll gladly beat you again," she promised.
With that, they continued speaking on other mundane topics. Even knowing maybe he shouldn't get so cozy around them, Butch couldn't help but think they'd been a lot nicer to him than anyone else lately. Even putting up with their ribbing, being around them was pleasant, a reprieve from everything else that had been happening. Eventually though, Jessie and her group decided maybe they did want to talk to Wendy and see what she had to say, and left the area.
With them leaving, he couldn't stay and continue to avoid things either. Remaining in place where the meal had been enjoyed with his rivals, a coldness soon overtook the previous warm atmosphere. Maybe others that passed even started to glare his way, judging him for being there. Of course, the meal was already long completed, so he had no business being there anyway. After cleaning up as much as might be expected, he left.
Heading back toward the lab where they'd been working, she found Cassidy seated on the chair outside, arms folded. "Hey," he said to greet her before awkwardly looking away. He'd failed, and not just this time, and not just in the context of the simple task she'd just asked him to do. What else could he say?
"That took a long time for what it was. You must have taken a detour," Cassidy said as she stood, facing away from him and the door to the room they'd been assigned to do most of their work in for a while now.
That he hadn't just completed the task and gotten back to work had been obvious, but Cassidy also seemed to have missed that he'd come back empty-handed. Telling her the truth was the first step. "Wendy wasn't handing anything over to me," he admitted. "Maybe you should have gone instead."
Cassidy shrugged. "Turns out they replaced us after all. We have a new assignment. I've just been wasting time here waiting for you before getting to it, that's all."
"Huh. Wasn't sure if she was lying about that. You know how she is." Wendy often was mean just for the sake of it. She couldn't let go of a grudge over stupid things, and had long just seemed to dislike him just for the sake of it. Butch knew better than to respond to her, even though he often did.
Cassidy began down the hall as she spoke, and he followed. "They were talking about it, you knew that," she said.
"Yeah, but replacing us with Jessie and James-"
Cassidy stopped, glaring back at him with disbelief. She eventually clenched her eyes shut, looking away. "I did hear it was a group brought in from the field, but I thought it was someone who was actually active." She shook her head, forcefully sighing as she went on her way. "Well, who cares. Let them be the caretakers of that junk pile instead of us."
"Our next thing isn't that one experiment, is it?" Butch asked, unable to meet her eyes with the question.
"No. It doesn't seem like they'll move forward with that."
He couldn't help but feel relieved at Cassidy's words. The idea they'd been throwing around was particularly bad, even for Team Rocket. The scientists, someone ranking higher up, maybe multiple sources - someone had to have decided it wasn't something they should be doing. Of course, there had been very detailed talk about how they should be involved, but that was just banter. The idea had been thrown around as frustration with their various failures. It had never been serious at all. What actually would happen might be bad enough though. "So where to now?" Butch inquired.
"Looks like they're loading us down with grunt work," Cassidy spoke with irritation. "Deliveries across town, caring for and training the pokemon in storage... I guess it's a punishment. They'll probably be asking for us right back once Jessie and her dumb partner make a blunder. That shouldn't take long."
"Guess you're right about that," Butch said, thinking of their rivals' history.
"I'm almost glad you didn't show up right away," Cassidy added as they walked along, eventually reaching the lobby. "What took so long, anyway? You know better than to sit and argue with her for that long."
"Might have talked to Jessie and James for a little while," Butch admitted.
Cassidy side-eyed him warily before she shrugged, seeming to blow off her previous thought. "Find out anything interesting?" she asked.
"Just that they didn't bring anything back since they've been gone."
"Of course," Cassidy asserted. "Unlike us, they've been absolutely useless bottom feeders."
For various reasons, Butch didn't feel like agreeing with her as he usually might, and just silently walked along. He had just listened to the two clowns, along with the talking pokemon, talking themselves up and Cassidy and himself down. He normally wouldn't have put up with it, but he normally would have had Cassidy right by his side, her taking the lead in responding to their insults. Speaking down to them from a place up high had been fun. Now that didn't at all feel like the case, but it wasn't just that which had him hesitating.
After following her directions to complete various tasks, they reached the end of the day. "Do you want me to..." Butch suddenly stopped himself. Didn't seem like she wanted much else of anything after they'd completed all this. They were done with all the assigned tasks, and there was nothing left after that, was there?
"Look, it's Cassidy!" Jessie's loud voice rang across the room. "You didn't get fired?"
Cassidy scowled, turning her head and leaving without another word, so no further questions could be asked of her. Not unless he followed, that was. "Hey Botch... Butch!" James surprisingly enough corrected himself as Butch turned to face them. A wide smile was on James's face. "Do you really think you can defeat this princess in a pokemon battle?" he asked.
Butch's face flushed, remembering how he'd definitely referred to James as such, and how silly that seemed now, especially with both of them seeming amused by it. He could just blow them off. That's how they acted around each other before, collectively. Then he looked at their jovial anticipatory faces, and made the decision to completely forget what had happened before. "I bet I can," Butch said. "Give me a second if you really want to embarrass yourself like that."
He hadn't taken care of his pokemon since the battle with Jessie. Going to the care area on base, he let them out of their pokeballs. Primeape seemed as energetic as ever. It obeyed the order to stay in place with just a gesture. Hitmontop seemed to have taken the worse hit, but even it was sitting up, ready to be cared for before it tried to spin itself on its head again. Deciding they were fine, Butch was surprised to see his rival duo, or trio maybe, waiting by the door for him.
They ushered him outside, Jessie and Meowth chatting happily about how the battle would go. The two of them shouted various cheers and jeers throughout two battles. Primeape made quick work of James's weezing, but before Butch could get too cocky or even brag about it too much, Hitmontop lost against James's victreebel in a second one on one match. It got over the loss quicker this time, sitting up as it was cared for.
"Wanna get in some practice with the punching bag?" Meowth offered, holding out an inviting paw toward Wobbuffet as Butch approached with Hitmontop.
Hitmontop carefully approached the pokemon that had defeated it earlier in the day. "Wobbuffet," Wobbuffet called as it started to glow.
"Oh, no you don't." Butch stood between them. "Hitmontop's had enough for the day!"
Jessie raised her pokeball, bringing her large pokemon back in before she smirked. "Oh? Your pokemon really can't handle it without those 'push button' things Meowth talked about, can it?"
Of course, a previous occasion Hitmontop had battled against them, it had used Professor Namba's weird device to enhance its anger, and according to Namba at least, its power. "It'll be strong without it. That's why it's practicing," Butch assured. "Even if those things are useful, Hitmontop needs to increase its own base power first. There's nothing any scientist gives you that can ensure success without effort."
"Hmph." Jessie raised her eyebrows, appearing to accept his words. "You must be deciding to put in more effort, then."
"Already have been," Butch asserted. As he spoke, he couldn't help but observe Jessie now that they were so close. She really was attractive, and maybe her saying something to him that wasn't totally negative had him thinking some other thoughts, even if he knew better.
"Do you think their devices are useful?" James broke in, stepping in-between the short distance between Butch and Jessie.
Butch cleared his throat, trying to clear his head as well. Jessie, and James too, they had been kind enough to speak to him like this, even after he'd shouted at them that day, not to mention all that had gone on in the past. There was no need for him to go there. Considering the recent past, maybe he didn't want to have any of those kinds of thoughts in general again. "Yeah," Butch replied to James's question instead. "They can be, I mean. Then again, maybe not. That's what it means to be experimental, you know."
"Experimental means it's still being developed!" Meowth added, speaking loudly enough that Butch backed away. "It can get better. It can also mess up bad!"
"Ugh." Jessie groaned. "Some of those things looked cool, but now I'm not so sure this is the elite mission for us."
"It's what we've got until reassigned, right?" James pointed out. "Besides, it's not that bad, is it?" His eyes widened hopefully as he tried to convince himself.
"It's great! But we're on our way to even better and better things! Until then, we'll be the best experimenters you ever saw!" Meowth said.
"I've been curious about doing some experimenting myself," James said.
Butch could have laughed, but instead mostly remained quiet as they talked about the battles they'd just had, others throughout the day, and the various experimental devices they'd seen. He occasionally chimed in, and they seemed interested in what he had to say. As they spoke, the sun set into twilight, and then night. They all had work to do the next day, and stood up to leave. Butch turned to Jessie seriously as they did. "You all be careful, huh?" he said.
"Why? Are you worried?" Jessie asked. Butch just shrugged in response, dismissing the idea as if he had no reason to be concerned at all.
But maybe he was.