Today we find our heroes in the Nimbasa City Pokemon center, after Ash's recent gym battle victory, it seems some of them are more eager to go than the others.
"Come on guys, shouldn't we be going?" Rosa asked impatiently.
"Relax a bit Rosa, there's still something we want to do in the city." Ash said.
"B-but your debt to me! You still need to work that off and in order to do that you need to enter and win the Unova league, shouldn't we be heading to the next gym?" Rosa questioned.
"Doesn't matter, Driftveil Drawbridge is up, something about a cargo ship getting stuck sideways after drawing a phallic symbol with their path." Elliot said.
"Besides, this is something for you to enjoy." Ash said, "I scored us three front row tickets to…" Ash said before being interrupted by screams.
"OH MY GOD ITS THE LILLIPUPS!" A girl screamed as a tour bus pulled up outside.
"Oh no." Rosa said.
"Pup." Lillipup said, as three girls in matching outfits and hairstyles each with a Lillipup walked out.
"Rosa, which one is your sister?" Ash asked. "Rosa? Elliot did you see where she went?"
"Nope." Elliot admitted noticing their missing compatriot.
"Alright girls, just a quick rest to make sure your dancers are ready to perform and then back on the bus to the hall." A man with teal hair said, ushering the three girls inside.
"Hold it." One of the Lillipup Girls with Pink hair said.
"Now I don't think we have time to…" A woman with magenta hair began before being interrupted.
"I said hold it! You might be new, but you are replaceable!" The girl argued. "You, what's your name." The girl said pointing at Ash.
"Me? I, I'm Ash Ketchum." Ash said.
"I knew it! I knew you looked familiar, you're the star of the Riolu Kid films! How would you feel about being a part of our performance today, it would skyrocket all of our careers. Of course you'll say yes, I mean who are we kidding. By the way I'm and Yancy and very single." The girl said.
"Thanks, but actually my friend…". Ash said as Yancy rushed past him.
"ROSIE! I can't believe you're here. I mean what are the chances?!" Yancy said, hugging Rosa. "How did you even get here? I thought you were taking a break from the tour. No, I've got it you rushed here to rejoin the group!"
"Actually I." Rosa said before being interrupted.
"Don't worry, the main spotlight will still be yours, as long as you don't mind sharing now, obviously." Yancy said.
"Rosa, what's going on?" Ash asked.
"Excuse me! You might be cute and a movie star but this is a private conversation so butt out." Yancy said angrily.
"Yancy, this is Ash and Elliot I've been traveling with them." Rosa said.
"Oh, ohh, oh!" Yancy exclaimed. "You should have told me you were dating a movie star and he has a personal assistant too? In-cred-I-ble. Don't worry he won't have to be on stage, but I'll get him a backstage pass. Chop chop assistants!"
The man with teal hair came over to Ash, handing him a pass.
"Thanks, but what about Elliot?" Ash asked.
"Who?" Yancy asked.
"Elliot he's traveling with us too." Rosa said.
"Why do you care if he gets a backstage pass?" Yancy asked.
"Because he's my friend." Rosa said. "And I'm not going on stage unless you treat him fairly."
"Weird but whatever, get Elton a backstage pass as well I guess." Yancy said, snapping her fingers impatiently. "Come on I want to hear everything that's happened, spare no details." Yancy said, leading Rosa back onto the bus.
"You had no idea she was a Lillipup before, did you?" Elliot asked.
"Nope." Ash admitted.
"Her friend is a piece of work." Elliot remarked.
"Yep, reminds me a lot of Rosa back when I first met her." Ash replied. "Weird seeing them side by side."
"So should we still go to the concert?" Elliot asked.
"Yeah, but I'm going to sell my tickets back, we have the passes now." Ash said, walking into the center of the Pokemon Center. "WHO WANTS TO BUY THREE FRONT ROW TICKETS TO THE LILLIPUPS!"
Quickly a crowd swarmed Ash, offering far more than he paid for the tickets.
On the tour bus
"Wow, I forgot what it was like in here, but you know we could have walked, the Musical Theater is only a short walk." Rosa said.
"Walk, are you crazy, we'd be hounded by fans." A girl with blonde hair said. "Plus our outfits and Lillipups would get dirty."
"It's not as bad as you would think, I walked here." Rosa said causing the girls to gasp.
"You poor thing, you're dating a movie star and he's making you walk to his movies?" Yancy said in shock.
"I'm not, we're not dating, Ash is just a friend!" Rosa argued.
"So he is single?" Yancy asked curiously.
"But if you aren't dating, why even go with him and his agent?" The fourth girl asked. "Don't tell me you've started dating an agent?" The girl asked gagging slightly.
"Elliot's not his agent, we're friends, traveling together. Ash is heading to the Unova League, he's more of a battler than a movie star anyways." Rosa said.
"Well don't worry, we're here to rescue you now Rosie, no more walking or any of that nasty stuff." Yancy said.
"Alright girls, we're here. Get off and get ready for the show." The short bus driver said.
"You do not tell us what to do? Got that!" The girl with blonde hair said.
"Yes Ma'am, sorry won't happen again." The driver grumbled.
"Good, keep it that way." The girl said. "I swear these three are the most unprofessional professionals we've ever dealt with."
"Relax Katie, they're learning their place, below us where they belong." Yancy said smugly.
Rosa was shocked at how they were acting as they left the bus.
"Hey don't let what they say get to you, you're doing fine." Rosa said quietly.
"Yeah sure, twerpette." The driver mumbled the last part as Rosa left.
A bit later backstage
"Rosa, wow you and Lillipup look, different." Ash said after he and Elliot were finally let backstage.
"You aren't mad I didn't tell you the truth?" Rosa asked.
"Surprised yes, but we're sure you had reasons for not telling us." Elliot said.
"Good luck out there, we're cheering for you." Ash said with two thumbs up. As even Pikachu and Porygon2 seemed to be cheering them on.
"Thanks guys." Rosa said. "Come on Lillipup, we've got a show to do!"
After the show
"Alright girls, great show as always now right this way." The woman with long magenta hair said.
"Not that I'm complaining about not having to do a meet and greet, but we do at least have to show up for our fans." Yancy said.
"Yeah, and I need to meet back up with Ash and Elliot." Rosa said.
"Don't worry about that right now, our biggest concern is that there has been a kidnapping threat on you girls and your Lillipups and we need to get you out of here." The man with teal hair said.
"A kidnapping attempt, by who?!" Katie asked as the bus doors opened.
"By us." Meowth said, spraying the girls with a knockout gas.
Sometime later
"W-where are we?" Rosa groaned, waking up, she could tell she and the other girls were tied together on the ground. "Everyone wake up, we've been kidnapped!"
"What, whats going on?" Yancy questioned as she woke up. "Who are you three?"
"Whats that, a backup Twerpette I hear?" The woman with long maroon hair said, removing her disguise to reveal herself as Jessie.
"Across the skies and past the stars, we come to take Pokemon both near and far." The man with teal hair said, removing his costume to show he was James all along.
"It's Jessie." Jessie said.
"And James." James said suavely.
"Meowth, now thats a name." Meowth said, removing his driver costume.
"Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light." Jessie said.
"Surrender now or well never mind I guess they don't have that option." James said.
"Team Rocket!" Rosa exclaimed. "What do you want?"
"Isn't it obvious twerpette? We want you four and your precious Lillipups." Meowth remarked. "See once we're all set, we'll send yous Pokemon off to become a team of ferocious Stoutland, while you four will be the bosses personal cheer team."
"Do you have any idea who we are you can't do this to us!" Yancy shouted.
"Yancy shut up." Rosa said, trying to find the Lillipup.
"No I will not shut up! Have you forgotten who we are, we are top rated idols, and CANNOT be treated like this!" Yancy argued.
"I'd listen to the newest Twerpette if I were you." Jessie said.
"And listen to this hag! When we get out of here I will sue you and whatever company Team Rocket is for every penny they're worth! You'll owe so much your grandkids will be in debt!" Yancy argued.
"HAG!" Jessie exclaimed, before swatting at Yancy.
"Careful now Jess, we know they're worth more in good condition. So let's just set up the communication satélite so we can get them sent away back to Kanto." James said.
"Fine, but I want to break her Lillipup." Jessie said angrily.
"Yes, yes I'm sure we can arrange that." Meowth said, as he tapped the cage, the four Lillipup were in.
"Lillipup!" Rosa exclaimed.
"Bwarp!" Lillipup responded.
"Okay you need to break out of there, use Return!" Rosa called out.
Rosa's Lillipup launched at the cage's wall to no avail.
"Give it up, that cage is strong enough to hold even a Stoutland, they ain't getting out and neither are you." Meowth taunted.
"I refuse to give up! Ash and Elliot have taught me there's more than one way to win a fight! Lillipup use Work Up!" Rosa called out.
"Work Up, our Lillipup only know the moves needed for our shows, Return and Helping Hand." Katie said with a condescending tone.
"Seriously Rosie, what has happened to you?" Yancy asked.
"Just, shut up. Lillipup keep using Work Up!" Rosa called out as her Lillipup hopped up and down barking more and more.
"Do not tell us to shut up! You left and can't just come back acting like you're still in charge!" Yancy argued.
"No one needs to be in charge right now, but I'm the only one coming up with a plan so just listen to me." Rosa said. "Lillipup use Work Up again!"
"And why should we listen to your plan?" Katie asked.
"Work up raises Lillipup's attack stats, combine 6 of them with all three of your Lillipup using Helping Hand on her Return and it might just be enough." Rosa said. "Lillipup use Work Up!"
At this point Rosa's Lillipup was bouncing up and down like mad, barking up a storm.
"Will you shut up!" Meowth snapped. "Palpitoad, show them a real cry!"
James's now evolved Palpitoad let out a reverberating cry that caused the other Lillipup to cower in fear.
"Look at them, they're so scared." Katie said.
"Just follow my lead, and we'll all get out alive. Lillipup use Return!" Rosa called out.
"Lillipup use Helping Hand!" The other girls exclaimed, as Rosa's Lillipup slammed into the cage's wall, a light engulfing them as the wall slammed into Palpitoad, knocking the water type onto it's back.
"Herd!" The newly evolved Pokemon cried out.
"Uh oh! They've escaped!" Meowth said.
"Venipede stop them with Poison Sting!" Jessie called out.
"Palpitoad use Mud Shot!" James ordered.
"Herdier use Bite!" Rosa called out.
Herdier leapt at Meowth, grabbing him from behind and tossing him at Palpitoad as a cry was heard from above.
"BRA!" Braviary exclaimed, circling above them in the air.
"Oh what now?" Yancy said in anger.
"Backup." Rosa said. "Herdier use Return!"
Herdier leapt at Venipede, pinning the bug to the ground as it struggled getting back up.
"Palpitoad use Body Slam!" James called out.
James's Palpitoad flung themself at Herdier, knocking them off of Venipede with relative ease. Upon getting back up Herdier let our a howl, sending fear into all three Pokemon.
"That roar, it's frightening." Meowth said, cowering behind Palpitoad.
"Then you're not ready for this!" Ash said running over.
"Braviary use Slash!"
Braviary swooped down, freeing the four girls before joining beside Herdier.
"Ash!" Rosa exclaimed.
"Rosa, are you alright?" Ash asked.
"No! We're cold and dirty and it's terrible we should be pampered not captured!" Yancy complained.
"Mind if I take things from here, and get you girls back?" Ash asked.
"Gladly." Rosa said.
"Alright Pikachu, you hear her, use Thunderbolt!" Ash called out.
Pikachu leapt off of Ash's shoulder, unleashing a bolt of lightning, striking Team ROcket and their Pokemon.
"Looks like we're blasting off again!" They cried out.
"Finally, now where's the bus?!" Yancy complained.
"I can't drive a bus, and your bus driver was a villain, you'll need to walk back to Nimbasa." Ash said.
"Seriously?!" Yancy groaned.
What felt like several hours to Ash, once they were back in Nimbasa
"Well Rosie, it's great your Lillipup helped rescue us, but you will have to release them now, I mean we are The Lillipups after all." Yancy said with an attitude.
"You know what, we're not." Rosa said. "I stepped away because I wasn't sure I wanted to keep being Rosie, and after today, I know I don't."
"You used to be better than this, traveling with these weirdos made you like them." Yancy insulted.
"If being weird means that I have a level of self respect for myself, my friends and the people around me, I don't want to be normal anymore." Rosa said. "I'm happy with who I am now, and nothing you say or do will ever change that. And don't bother kicking me out of the group, I quit."
Yancy gasps at Rosa's declaration. "You've changed Rosie, good riddance, and I hope you regret not living in the spotlight."
"I won't." Rosa said, as the bus with her former 'friends' left.
"You know I miss when you used to act like that." Ash commented.
"Seriously?" Rosa asked.
"No, they're awful." Elliot answered. "We're glad you aren't like them anymore."
"Thanks guys, I'm glad I was able to find people like you to make me learn to be a better person." Rosa said. "Now come on we still have to head to Driftveil for Ash's next gym battle."
"Right, on the way to the Unova League!" Ash said with confidence.
"Oh yeah, I, I wanted to do one more thing Ash." Rosa said nervously.
"Please tell me you're not confessing your love to me." Ash said.
"Eww, no. I, I wanted to apologize, when we first met I had just quit the group and still had that mentality that the world owed me for my greatness, and when you crashed into my room, I demanded you pay me back. That's not how friends act, and that's not how I want to act anymore. In my eyes, your debt is cleared." Rosa said. "Fully paid off, because of you, I have something better than a new room, people who like me, for me." Rosa said with a smile.
Ash's Current Debt
0
Rosa's Current Team and their Moves
Herdier: Return - Work Up - Bite - Roar
Authors Note
To EVERYONE who was complaining about how bad Rosa was at the start, congrats, this has been planned the entire time, she came from a group of people who ARE ALL like that, and don't worry, that's probably the last we'll see of those girls. Maybe one or two cameos eventually but nothing more like this chapter.