Episode 63: Retro Rocket

Team Rocket is waiting behind a dumpster near the Versal City docks. Jessie complains, "Man…this stinks…"

Meowth asks snidely, "What? You or the dumpster?" This angers Jessie.

Before she can retort, James asserts, "Calm down, you two. I have valuable intel telling me that the twerps are going to arrive here at these docks any moment now. The moment they step off of that boat, we pounce and Pikachu will be ours once and for all."

Meowth points ahead. "Speak of the devil…"

James looks ahead to see Ash, Brock, and Brenda stepping off a boat that has just docked. He nods. "See? Just as I said. Now, on the count of three we jump. One…two…" Then off the boat and into sight comes Halley. James freezes up. "It can't be…"

Ash can be heard saying to Halley, "So we'll meet at your gym, right?"

Halley nods. "I'll meet you at the gym, and then we'll finally have that gym battle."

Jessie tries to get James attention by waving her hand in front of his face. "Hello? Earth to James, come in James. The twerps are leaving, we're going to miss our chance."

James completely ignores her. He asks in shock, "How is this possible…?" Suddenly from his pockets, he produces a deck of trading cards. He begins to look through them. The cards all seem to have pictures of various members of Team Rocket, including Butch, Cassidy, Dr. Namba, Attila, Hun, Annie, Oakley, Dr. Zegar, Pierce, and even Giovanni himself. He frantically looks for a specific card.

Jessie and Meowth lean over his shoulder and peek at his cards. Meowth comments, "Ooh, Official Team Rocket Trading Cards. Hey, you got any Meowth in there?"

Jessie adds, "Or how about a Jessie card? I bet it's printed only in Super Ultra Secret Holographic Rare edition."

James scoffs at the idea of those cards. "Jessie and Meowth cards!? No serious collector would ever be caught dead with those in their collection. They're the most common of the common." Jessie is just about to object, when James finds what he's looking for and cuts her off by exclaiming, "This is it!"

Jessie and Meowth lean in close to observe the card. Meowth asks, "Hey…isn't that…?"

The card is shown. The image on the card is that of a younger Halley. He's wearing a heavy jacket that's black in color with a big Team Rocket R on its front.

Jessie says, "That's that gym leader the twerps were with. What's a gym leader doing in your Team Rocket trading cards?"

James says morbidly, "Because he used to be a Team Rocket operative…he used to be the best…"

James is now running through the streets of Versal. Jessie and Meowth chase after him. Jessie shouts, "Hold up, James! Where are you going!?"

Meowth complains, "And do you have to go there in such a hurry?"

James answers back, "I'm getting answers. I need answers." He approaches the Versal Gym, climbs its stairs, and bursts through the doors. He shouts, "Stop everything!"

Inside the gym, Ash and Halley have each taken positions on either side of the field. It looks like they're just about to start their battle. Ash looks to James and demands, "Team Rocket!? What do you think you're doing!?"

Halley, whose back is to James, opens his eyes wide. "Team…Rocket…?" He slowly turns around to see James.

At this point, Jessie and Meowth catch up with James and begin to pant once they do. James asserts, "Yes, I am James, loyal member of Team Rocket, unlike some. Isn't that right…Frostbite?"

Halley sighs. "I haven't heard that name in a long time…"

Ash asks, "What is this? What's going on here?"

Meowth says, "Yeah, I'm with the Twerp. Could someone fill me in on what's going on here?"

James points accusingly at Halley. "I'll tell you what's going on here. It's him. Before he was a gym leader, he was known as Frostbite. He was one of the greatest Team Rocket operatives to ever live. He was known as the ultimate survivalist, and could take on any type of extreme weather, especially the cold. But then, one day, he disappeared into artic, never to be heard of again. Of course, there were rumors that he survived. After all, how could Team Rocket's number one cold weather expert fail a mission in his own element? But never did I imagine that you were a deserter! How could you!?"

Halley sighs, uncertain of how to respond. Ash asks, "Halley…is that true? Were you really part of Team Rocket?"

Halley slowly nods. "Yes, it is. I am not proud of my past, but I will not deny it." He looks up to James. "I don't expect you to understand my reasoning. I had to get out of Team Rocket, and the only choice I had was to fake my death and move far away from the Kanto Region. I had always thought that the Tenno Region would be safe from Team Rocket."

James shouts with anger, "Of course I don't understand! You were my hero when I was in the academy! I looked up to you and aspired to be like you! I was devastated when I heard the news of your demise! To see you here, alive and well, as a gym leader of all things, has shown me that everything I ever thought about you was a lie!" He clenches his fist. "You know what? If you want to pretend to be a gym leader, then I challenge you to a gym battle!"

Jessie, Meowth, Ash, Brock, and Brenda all give a collective gasp. Brenda asks in disbelief, "James is going to have a gym battle!?"

Meowth and Jessie both ask, "James is going to have a legitimate battle!?"

Halley nods. "I accept."

Ash suddenly objects, "Wait, but what about our battle?"

Halley turns back to Ash. "I'm sorry Ash, but our battle is going to need to wait. I hope you understand."

Ash nods. "Of course." He steps off to the side towards the bleachers and sits down next to Brock and Brenda. "Well…at least this should be interesting."

Brock nods. "That's for sure."

James steps up to his position on the battlefield. James and Meowth walk over to the bleachers as well and sit down. For a tense and awkward moment, the two groups stare at each other. Finally, Meowth offers, "Look twerps, we're just here to watch James mess- I mean we're here to support James. So why don't why all just sit back and watch this battle peacefully."

Ash nods dubiously. "Alright…I suppose…"

Halley looks to James and says, "Name your rules. We'll battle accordingly."

James nods. "In that case, we'll each use two Pokémon. If both are knocked out, you lose."

Halley nods. "I agree to those rules."

The referee then declares, "Alright then, if both sides have agreed on the rules, then this battle between the challenger, James of Team Rocket, and the gym leader, Halley, can get underway. Battle begin!"

Halley throws a Pokéball first. "Go, Frostcicle!" A Frostcicle appears.

Brenda exclaims, "Hey, Halley has a Frostcicle too!"

Jessie mocks, "Ooh, that gym leader has the same Pokémon you do, so exciting!"

Brenda scowls at her.

Now James throws his Pokéball. "Go, Ivine!" Ivine appears, and the moment it does, it turns around and leaps for James' face. However, before it can grab a hold and give James a hug, James extends a hand and blocks it. "No Ivine, this battle is serious. There's no time for messing around."

Ivine lands on the ground. It looks up to James and sees the serious look on his face. It nods in understanding. "Ivine."

James returns his attention to Halley and orders, "Ivine, use Ivy Whip!" Ivine extends tendrils from its body and lashes them at Frostcicle.

Halley quickly orders, "Use Acid Armor, Frostcicle!" Frostcicle suddenly melts into a mass of water. Ivine's vine moves straight through the water. Frostcicle then reforms, appearing completely unharmed.

James grunts in annoyance. He quickly orders, "Ivine, move in close for a Poison Jab!" Ivine leaps up at Frostcicle.

Halley is once again ready. "Use Blizzard." Frostcicle summons an intense storm of icy wind, which forces Ivine back before it can attack. Ivine struggles against the wind.

James shouts with the utmost determination, "Ivine, fight back with Mega Drain!" Ivine firmly plants its feet and begins to sap energy out of Frostcicle with green tendrils of energy.

Frostcicle cries out in pain, "Frost!"

Halley grimaces. "Frostcicle, stop its attack with Icicle Spear!" Frostcicle manages to reorient itself so that the points at its bottom are pointed at Ivine. It then begins to fire a barrage of icicles at Ivine.

James thinks fast and orders, "Block it with Ivy Whip!" Ivine immediately ceases its life-draining attack and lashes the incoming icicles with its vines. The icicles are knocked right out of the air before they can cause any damage. Both Pokémon are now left staring at each other. Likewise, the two battlers gaze intensely at one another.

Brenda comments, "Wow, James seems to be battling much better than he does when he fights us."

Jessie turns to her and fumes, "Is that supposed to be some sort of insult to us?"

Brenda holds up her hands in defense and shakes her head in denial. "Oh no, not at all. Not in the slightest. In fact, it was a compliment."

Jessie nods with satisfaction. "I see. If that's the case, then you may continue complimenting."

Brenda and Ash look to each other and exchange wordless expressions depicting how awkward they feel.

Halley breaks the silence when he says, "You battle well."

James asserts, "It's because I have all the elite training of a Team Rocket operative that I have."

Brenda begins to question, "Elite training?" with a chuckle, but stops when Jessie gives her an angry stare.

James continues, "And I have no doubt that your battling skill is also due to that same training."

Halley nods with some regret. "Yes, I do owe a large part of my skill as a gym leader to those days. But they are behind me. I do not pretend the past doesn't exist."

James accuses, "We both know that's not true! Ivine, use Wring Out!" Ivine leaps at Frostcicle and unravels several vines from its body. It wraps those vines around Frostcicle, ensnaring it completely. It begins to use its vines to crush down on Frostcicle.

Halley reacts quickly and orders, "Frostcicle, use Frost Breath!" Frostcicle exhales a breath of super-chilled air. This freezing air that gathers around Ivine causes it immense pain, forcing it to release Frostcicle from its grip. Once it does this, Halley quickly orders, "Blizzard!" Frostcicle once more summons up a massive snowstorm, bombarding Ivine with snow and hail. This, right after the Frost Breath, is too much for Ivine, and it falls to the ground.

The referee declares, "Ivine is unable to battle!"

James scowls as he recalls Ivine to its Pokéball.

Who's that Pokémon!?

They were discovered a hundred years ago in an earthquake fissure. Inside each one is an energy core.

Jessie sighs. "Of course James can't pull off a victory. Typical."

Wobbuffet appears and agrees, "Wobbuffet!"

Meowth suggests, "Hey, why don't you cut him some slack? He is fighting a gym leader after all. What's he supposed to do but lose?"

James asserts, "Don't count me out yet. I still have one more Pokémon." He pulls out his next Pokéball and takes good long stare at it. He says, "I know you can pull this off," before throwing the Pokéball and shouting, "Let's do this Haking!"

And his Haking appears, "Haking hak!"

Immediately getting into the battle, James orders, "Use Sludge Bomb, Haking!" Haking attacks with a globule of sludge sent at Frostcicle.

Reacting quickly, Halley orders, "Acid Armor, Frostcicle!" Frostcicle is just about melt into water when it suddenly cries out in pain. A faint purplish glow can be seen around it. The Sludge Bomb makes contact.

Jessie asks, "Hey, what was that?"

Brock begins to explain, "It seems like Frostcicle has been poisoned. It must have-"

Meowth interrupts, "Excuse me, but this is a question by a Team Rocket member about another Team Rocket member's battle. I'll answer the question, thank you very much."

Brock slowly nods. "Um…sure thing…"

Meowth then answers, "As Big Twerp said, Frostcicle has been poisoned. This was likely a result of Ivine's Poison Touch ability, which gives it the capability to poison an opposing Pokémon simply by touching it. That last Wring Out must have done the trick."

Taking advantage of his momentum, James then orders, "Alright Haking, go for a Tackle!" Haking rams itself into the still recovering Frostcicle, knocking it to the ground. Frostcicle attempts to get up, but fails.

The referee declares, "Frostcicle is unable to battle!"

Halley wordlessly returns Frostcicle to its Pokéball.

Ash muses, "Wow, this doesn't seem like the same James at all. He actually managed to defeat Frostcicle."

Jessie fumes, "Unfortunately, it seems he did." She then passes off what seems to be some money to Meowth.

Meowth happily takes the money and says smugly, "Thank you very much. That was a bet worth taking for sure."

Halley pulls out another Pokéball and throws it. Out of it emerges a curious Pokémon. Its main body is a small form of crystalline ice in a shape of a four-pointed star. Surrounding it is a glorious tail of fire.

Ash asks, "Woah, what's that Pokémon?" To answer the question, he pulls out his Pokédex.

It says, "Cosmet, the Comet Tail Pokémon and an Ice and Fire Combo-Type. This Pokémon's tail may burn at extremely high temperatures, but the ice that composes its main body is chilled to such low temperatures that it is impossible to melt. This unique trait allows it to survive the fall from space down to Earth. Does not evolve."

Ash marvels, "Wow, a Fire and Ice-Type at the same time? That's a new one."

James takes a good long look at the comet Pokémon. Then he nods. "It figures that you would use that Pokémon, it's the one that helped you on your rise to fame."

Halley nods. "Yes, this is the very same Cosmet that was my partner in Team Rocket, but just as I have cast aside my connections to Team Rocket, so too has Cosmet."

The Pokémon agrees, "Cosmet."

James asserts, "Once part of Team Rocket, always part of Team Rocket, stop denying your past!"

Halley hangs his head. "I don't deny my past. There's not a single day that I don't think back to those days and regret what I've done."

This comment angers James. "There's no reason you should regret your contributions to Team Rocket! They made you legendary!" In his anger, he orders, "Haking, use Sludge Bomb!"

Halley quickly counters, "Cosmet, use Flame Charge!" The flames surrounding Cosmet grow even stronger and burn brighter. It sends itself flying right at Haking. The heat of the attack causes the Sludge Bomb to sizzle away into nothing as Cosmet flies through it. It then rams right into Haking, causing it to cry out in pain.

James doesn't let this discourage him. "Haking, Poison Gas attack!" Haking lets a flow of poisonous gas out of its mouths.

Halley shouts, "Out of there quickly, Cosmet!" Cosmet manages to dash back out of the way of the attack before it has any effect.

James clenches his fists. "Haking, use Smokescreen!" Smoke begins to pour out of Haking's various holes and quickly covers the entire field in a vision-obscuring cloud of smoke. James grins confidently. "Now Haking, use Sludge Bomb!"

"Avoid it Cosmet!" Cosmet attempts to predict the direction from which the Sludge Bomb is coming, but due to the Smokescreen, it has no idea where it actually is. Suddenly the attack comes in from behind and Cosmet is unable to dodge it.

Off on the sidelines, Meowth asks anxiously, "What just happened? I can't see anything through this accursed smoke."

Jessie mocks, "Yeah, that's kind of the point of the Smokescreen attack, isn't it?"

Ash comments, "After being caught inside of that Smokescreen so many times, it's interesting to see it from the outside."

Riding off his victory, James orders, "Move around again and attack with another Sludge Bomb."

Not falling for the same trick twice, Halley orders, "Burn off that smoke with Flare Blitz!" Suddenly an intense light emanates from the center of the smoke. Then suddenly a massive explosion of fire emerges, burning away all the smoke, revealing Haking floating to its side. "Attack now, Cosmet!" Before Haking gets over the surprise of being spotted, Cosmet rams into it once more, this time with a massive cloak of white-hot fire surrounding it.

Haking is sent flying backwards. James asserts, "Use that Sludge Bomb anyways!" While still flying backwards, Haking unleashes its sludge-based attack.

Halley counters, "Use Ice Shard!" Cosmet generates crystals of ice in front of itself and launches them at Haking. The two attacks collide midfield and explode.

Immediately, both trainers order another attack. James orders, "Tackle!"

While Halley orders, "Flame Charge!" The two Pokémon fling themselves at each other and collide with massive force. Both Pokémon are knocked back to the ground. Halley encourages, "Get back up Cosmet."

James also encourages, "We're not done yet Haking, come on!" Both Pokémon begin to float up from the ground, but then, only a moment later, Haking falls back to the ground.

The referee raises a flag and declares, "Haking is unable to battle! That means the gym leader Halley is the winner!"

James hangs his head in shame.

Meowth says with surprise, "Wow…I was beginning to actually think he could win this…"

Ash says with disbelief, "I was even just starting to root for James…"

James recalls Haking. He clenches his fists in frustration.

Halley takes a deep breath and then says, "James…look, as I said before, I don't expect you to understand my reasons, but I do have them. Team Rocket just wasn't the path for me. I joined Team Rocket because they were looking for operatives for their artic base, and it was the only way I could find to get paid for my love cold weather. I embraced the job at first, but as time went on, I soon realized that it wasn't the life I was meant to lead. I may have inspired a generation of Team Rocket trainees, but that was never my intention. It certainly wasn't my intention to betray them. I am sorry I am not the man you looked up to. I realize how disconcerting it must be to meet a childhood hero, only to find that they are nothing like you expected. I do apologize for that, I really do."

James stands completely still, and completely silent. Then, with no warning, he turns around and runs out the door.

Seeing that he's done this, Jessie and Meowth quickly get up and run out after him, shouting, "Looks like Team Rocket's running off again!"

It's Roggenrola!

Sometime later, James is sitting alone on a sidewalk bench. He seems to be deep in contemplation. From his pocket, he pulls out a card. It's his Frostbite trading card. He rips it apart and lets the halves fly away in the breeze. Mime Jr. appears from its Pokéball and looks up to James. It questions, "Mime mime?"

James looks down to it and says solemnly, "Oh, Mime Jr., I didn't see you there." He takes a deep breath. "You don't need to worry about me. I'll be fine…I think…"

Mime Jr. frowns, and then sits down on the bench next to James.

Next to come in is Jessie and Meowth. Jessie offers, "Hey James, we're about to go and try to steal the Twerp's Pikachu, you want to come and help us out?"

Meowth adds, "I've got a doozey of plan this time."

James shakes his head. "No thank you. You two go on without me; I've got some thinking to do."

Meowth shrugs. "Alright, suit yourself." The two walk off. As they do, Meowth can be heard saying, "Cool, this means I get James' part in the motto."

Jessie laughs and says, "Then I better be prepared for trouble."

Meowth responds, "You should make that double." They walk out of earshot.

Then a voice says, "James."

James, starting to sound annoyed, asks, "Can't I just get some-" He looks up to see that Halley is standing before him. James then says with resentment, "Oh, it's you. What are you doing here?"

Halley takes a deep breath and then says, "There's something I want you to have. You ran off before I could give it to you." He pulls something out of his pocket and begins to hand it to James.

James puts a hand up to stop him. "Don't bother. I don't want anything you have to give me."

Halley sighs. "Look, just take it why don't you?" He forces it into James' hand.

James opens his hand and looks at what's in his palm. Mime Jr. leans in close to see what it is. Sitting in the palm of James' hand is a small metal symbol shaped like a comet. James looks up to Halley questioningly. "A gym badge? I didn't beat you."

Halley shakes his head. "No, you didn't, but that doesn't mean I can't give you a gym badge. As a gym leader, it is my job to assess the ability of trainers that come to me, and judge whether or not they are worthy of entering the Pokémon League. Normally that means seeing if they can beat me, but not always. Sometimes I see something in a trainer, even if they don't defeat me. I saw that something in you when we battled. I want you to take that gym badge, and I want you to think about why I'm giving it to you. Maybe, just maybe, you might come to understand my decision someday." With that, he turns around and walks away without another word.

James and Mime Jr. are left staring speechlessly at the gym badge.

James learned the hard way today that it's hard for our childhood heroes to live up to the pedestal we've placed them on, but maybe he's also learned another, even more valuable, lesson from his battle with Halley. What that lesson is, we'll just have to wait and see, as the journey continues.

To Be Continued…