Hey readers - here we are with another new chapter : )
Now as a fair warning, this chapter is going to be a little... 'filler-ish'. There was just some stuff I felt warranted being covered and I figured getting it out of the way with in this chapter would be best, so that in the following chapter I can get things moving along nicely. After all, I'm very keen to get to some Nolan/Fang bonding as, you know it, I LOVE Growlithe/Arcanine and am so hyped to be adding him to the story : D
Anyway, I don't have much else to say here so let's jump right on in to the latest voting topic. I am delighted to announce that the first returning Pokemon from the previous Nuzlockes will be... Lickitung! I have to admit, I was pleasantly surprised by this one because I thought people might want Gastly since I haven't actually used him yet. I'm certainly not complaining though because Lickitung is actually one of my favourite Gen 1 Pokemon! I've loved it ever since Jessie got one in the anime and so I'm thrilled to be getting to use him once again in my latest Nuzlocke : )
Finally, I just want to say an ENORMOUS thank you to everyone that has reviewed, favourited, and followed this story. The support that has been shown to the story is amazing, and it means so much to me, so thank you : )
Please remember that Pokemon is not mine, only my OC's are : )
I hope you enjoy this chapter : )
Day Care Dilemmas - Part 2
The travelling quartet and their Pokemon, along with Miss Reeni and Fang were several minutes into their journey through the streets of Orange Town before Nolan noticed something of high significance about the route that they were taking. The golden haired boy hadn't been able to help himself, and had been studying the leaflet that he had picked up at the town line upon arrival in Orange Town, unable to sate his curiosity with what he had seen of the charming little settlement so far. And since the leaflet content a detailed map of the town and the noteworthy spots that tourists and passing trainers might like to visit, Nolan now had a fair understanding of the layout of the town. Enough to know that the Pokemon Centre was in a completely opposite direction to the one they were currently taking. Looking up from his leaflet with a frown on his face, Nolan turned towards their guide with an air of concern.
"Err... excuse me Miss Reeni, but aren't we going the wrong way?" the golden haired boy asked cautiously, not wanting to insinuate that he knew better than his elder but concerned all the same, "According to this map, the Pokemon Centre is back the way we came".
Miss Reeni turned her attention towards Nolan, a look of amusement twinkling in her gentle eyes.
"Oh we're not headed for the Pokemon Centre, Nolan" the elderly woman chuckled good-naturedly. Nolan and all three of his friends exchanged a look heavy with confusion.
"We're not?" Ash looked at Miss Reeni with a perplexed expression, "But you told us that you're a Pokemon Nurse? I assumed that meant you worked at the Pokemon Centre?"
"Good heavens no!" Miss Reeni laughed that pleasant laugh of hers again, "Oh dear, this is embarrassing. I'm sorry children, it appears I've accidentally misled all of you. Looking back, perhaps I wasn't very clear when I explained before".
The four young Pokemon trainers all exchanged bewildered glances, wondering what the elderly lady was alluding to.
"Forgive me, and please allow me a chance to explain myself. You see, whilst it's true that I am a Pokemon Nurse and that qualification has played a vital part in both my career and my current job role, I've never actually worked in a recognised Pokemon Centre" Miss Reeni explained, much to the shock of the four youngsters accompanying her. Before any of them had an opportunity to ask any questions however, the elderly lady continued explaining whilst Nolan and his friends all listened with rapt attention, "Rather than that, I actually run Orange Town's very own Pokemon day care, alongside my husband of course. It's a service we've ran together now for... oh, coming on thirty years now".
The declaration was almost enough to stop the four young Pokemon trainers in their tracks.
"You run a Pokemon day care?!" Brock's whole face was suddenly alight with excitement, and the aspiring Pokemon breeder in him had to show a great amount of self-restraint in order avoiding bombarding poor Miss Reeni with a million different questions all at once. He just couldn't help it though. Running a Daycare Centre was practically every Pokemon breeder's dream, so to meet someone so accomplished in that field was very exciting to the young teenager.
"And you've done it for almost thirty years?!" Misty openly gaped, astonished by the sheer scope of the dedication such an incredible feat must take.
Nolan let out a low whistle, obviously very impressed as well. Miss Reeni's words were also enough to lay any concerns about her checking over his team to bed. If anything, the woman seemed positively overqualified for such a menial task.
There was only one member of their party who didn't seem blown away by the information that had just been shared with them.
"Err... not to sound underwhelmed or anything since everyone is obviously impressed by what you just said..." Ash chimed back into the conversation, confusion, his cheeks turning a delicate shade of red from obvious embarrassment in regards to what he was about to say, "But what exactly is a Pokemon day care?"
There was a moment of stunned silence. Then...
"Urgh!" Nolan, Misty and Brock all literally had to stop their bodies from falling down anime-style out of sheer exasperation.
"Ash, come on!" Misty could help but giggle as she fondly shook her head, being the first to recover after the raven haired boy had practically just dumbfounded all of them, "The clue's right there in the name!"
The faint blush on Ash's cheeks only intensified at his female friend's light teasing.
"You know, Ash, sometimes even the simplest things can be a mystery to you" Brock chuckled good-naturedly, but his words only added to poor Ash's sense of embarrassment.
Trying to hold back laughter himself by this point, Nolan quickly intervened, knowing his best friend well enough to know that the raven haired boy was quickly losing patience with all the mockery that was being lobbed in his general direction.
"Well, to be fair, it's not like we've ever been to one before" the golden haired boy put in fairly, but there was no denying the amused twinkle in his eye.
"Exactly!" Ash exclaimed in a tone that was somehow both defensive and grateful to Nolan at the same time, his russet coloured eyes glaring heatedly at Misty and Brock, "I just wanted to make sure I understood properly!"
Slightly ahead of them, Miss Reeni couldn't help but chuckle to herself, amused by the group of youngsters' light-hearted banter.
"Ohh!" Misty dragged the word out, her tone practically oozing with playful sarcasm, "You're just... clarifying".
"Hey!" Ash whined in protest at the continued teasing.
"Now, now, let's not make a big deal out of this. Don't forget, we have company" Nolan chimed in again, a little more firmly this time as he tried to defuse the tension between his friends, "And to answer your question Ash, I guess you could say a day care centre for Pokemon is like a... temporary Pokemon home?"
The golden haired boy looked towards their guide for approval of that description. Miss Reeni smiled and nodded warmly.
"That's not a bad way of putting it" the kind elderly lady acknowledged Nolan's words, before turning back to the group as a whole and adding as an afterthought, "But there's a little more too it than that".
"Could you maybe explain Miss Reeni?" Ash politely requested of the little old lady that was currently guiding them through the orange-tinted streets, "I'm still a little confused".
Miss Reeni gave the raven haired boy a reassuring smile.
"Of course, dear boy. It's always better to ask for clarity than pretend to understand something and make a mistake later because of it" she replied kindly, before she adopted a tone that was remarkably similar to what Ash, Misty and Brock affectionately dubbed Nolan's teaching voice, "Think of it this way. Like a human day care, where parents leave their children for a few hours while they go to work, a Pokemon Daycare Centre is a place for trainers to leave their Pokemon to be looked after while they're out on their journeys".
Ash slowly nodded as he digested this information.
"I see" the raven haired boy replied, but there were still some questions he wanted answers to, "But why would trainers capture Pokemon if they don't have time to take care of them themselves?"
This time the answer was provided by Ash's best friend, before Miss Reeni had a chance to speak in fact.
"Well, remember the six Pokemon limit, Ash?" Nolan added to the conversation with a bright grin, "Travelling trainers can only carry a team of six with them, unless they apply for a permit to carry extra. But by leaving some in day care, those Pokemon can also get stronger while you're training the ones you're carrying".
"Wow!" Ash breathed in awe, his eyes widening, "That's actually pretty smart!"
Miss Reeni looked impressed as well, but obviously for a different reason.
"Nolan, you surprised me with that answer!" the kind elderly lady remarked, looking down at the golden haired boy approvingly, "You've obviously read up on this subject. But it's true! A Pokemon day care can indeed help your Pokemon grow stronger, even when you can't train them directly. But it's not just about training! We also offer grooming services and dietary adjustments, both of which are the fields I personally specialise in as well as Pokemon nursing, along with a couple of other services that trainers might find useful for their beloved Pokemon as well!"
"It sounds amazing!" Ash beamed, growing more and more excited to be visiting a place so dedicated to caring for the amazing creatures they all adored. It wasn't long however before the raven haired boy had yet another question, "But Miss Reeni, there's something I still don't quite understand. I get why being a Pokémon nurse is important for a day care, but I don't understand why you need to know their diet and how to groom them properly. I mean, why does that stuff matter so much?"
Miss Reeni opened her mouth to explain that importance of both of those topics, but before she could utter so much as a single syllable, she was interrupted again, this time by Brock.
"It's actually quite simple Ash" the aspiring Pokemon breeder stated with a grin, clearly in his element with this topic of conversation, "It's all about keeping your Pokemon healthy and happy!"
"But how does knowing what they eat make a difference?" the raven haired boy wanted to know.
"Well, just like us, Pokemon need the right amount of vitamins and minerals to grow strong and healthy" Brock explained, before he gestured towards the small Electric Type Pokemon perched on Ash's shoulder, "Take Pikachu for example. If you allow him to eat too much, he could become overweight, just like a human! And if he doesn't get enough nutrients, he could become weak and sluggish".
Ash's russet orbs grew incredibly wide at his friend's declaration.
"You mean..." the raven haired boy exclaimed in surprise, his arms flailing in shock, "Pikachu could get fat?!"
"Pi?!" Pikachu gasped, although whether it was from shock at the idea or offense at the insinuation was unclear. Either way, the small yellow creature began poking at his belly with a tiny paw, a quizzical expression clouding his little furry face.
"Well, maybe not fat exactly, but he could definitely get out of shape" Brock replied, reaching out to stroke the little Electric Type Pokemon in an attempt to sooth him, "Think of it like this, Ash, a healthy diet fuels a Pokemon's strength and helps them train better".
"I never thought about it like that before..." Ash murmured to himself, clearly starting to understand better now.
"And as for the grooming aspect of caring for Pokemon, well, it isn't just about appearances" the aspiring Pokemon breeder continued with his impromptu lecture whilst Ash, Misty and Nolan all listened with rapt attention, finding the information useful. Even Miss Reeni was listening intently as they walked along, clearly interested to see if the youngster knew his stuff, "Pay close attention to Pikachu's fur. If it's not kept clean, it could get matted and cause all sorts of problems".
"Really?" Ash wondered as he gently ran his fingers through, "You mean like... it could get itchy?"
The aspiring Pokemon breeder shook his head.
"It's more serious than that" Brock said seriously, his tone and expression both revealing just how important this was for all trainers to know, "Matted fur can cause reduced circulation, bacteria build-up, even infections and inflamed skin. It could end up becoming quite painful for Pikachu".
"I never knew!" Ash gasped, now studying Pikachu's yellow fur more intently, concern for his beloved partner growing.
Nolan and Misty both raised their eyebrows, finding all of this very interesting as well.
"And that's not all" Brock continued before any of the others had a chance to comment, "If you don't bathe Pikachu regularly, it can lead to a build-up of dirt, bacteria, and even fungi. This could cause skin sores, parasites, and even infections".
"Wow, I really didn't realize how important grooming was" the raven haired boy shook his head.
"I didn't either" Misty admitted, feeling a little ashamed that she had left that aspect of being a gym leader to her older sisters back when she had helped to run the Cerulean City gym.
"All the textbooks I read said how important grooming is for a Pokemon's wellbeing" Nolan echoed them with, a thoughtful expression tugging at his lips, "But they didn't go into quite so much detail. I had no idea matted fur could cause so many issues!"
"It's a big part of keeping your Pokemon healthy" Brock agreed with his friend's sentiments, before he continued in a somewhat ominous tone, "And if you don't take care of those things, your Pokemon can even make you sick!"
"WHAT?!" Ash, Misty and Nolan all yelped in horror, stunned by the dark revelation.
"Oh yes" Brock nodded seriously, his face set in a grim mockery of a smile, "You see when a Pokemon with matted fur sheds, all that dirt and bacteria gets released into the air. If you breathe it in, you can then get sick too".
By the time that Brock was finished speaking, all of his friends were gaping at him in astonishment.
"I can't believe I've been a Pokemon trainer for over a month now and didn't know any of this!" Ash was the one to find his voice first, "Thanks, Brock! I feel like I've really learnt a lot already today!"
Brock let out a good-natured chuckle.
"Anytime, buddy" the aspiring Pokemon breeder smiled, always happy to share knowledge with thus with Pokemon in their care, "Keeping your Pokemon healthy is a big responsibility!"
Miss Reeni beamed at the teenage boy, obviously deeply impressed by everything he had just covered.
"Well said, Brock" the kind elderly lady said, "You certainly know your Pokemon care!"
Brock blushed and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.
"Caring for Pokemon and tending to their needs is something of a passion of mine" the former gym leader admitted. Miss Reeni nodded her understanding and approval.
The group soon came to another junction, and after checking that the road was clear of any traffic, the travelling quartet, Miss Reeni, and their Pokemon companions all crossed the road and turned a corner into another street. As they did so, the conversation quickly began flowing again, and this time it was Misty that asked a question of their guide.
"Miss Reeni? I think we all understand a little better what you do at the day care after that explanation" the orange haired Water Type Pokemon Specialist piped up, drawing the older woman's attention over to her, "But I was just wondering what it is that your husband does at the day care centre? Didn't you say that the two of you run it together?"
Miss Reeni beamed, her eyes lighting up with love at the mention of the man she'd been married to for the past three decades.
"That's right dear. My husband and I run the day care centre together" the elderly lady nodded with a gentle smile that practically radiated warmth, "And as I said before, I handle the medical side of things, the grooming, and even the food. My husband on the other hand, he takes care of the training aspects. Teaching the Pokemon battle techniques, helping them learn new moves... even helping them evolve if they're left with him long enough!"
This time all four of the travelling trainers looked interested in hearing about that. Pokemon evolving was always a special moment in a trainer's life after all.
"Wow, he sounds amazing!" Ash exclaimed, his voice sounding deeply awestruck.
"Is he a really good trainer?" an equally impressed Nolan asked curiously.
Miss Reeni's bright smile somehow, if it was at all possible, managed to become even brighter. It was clear that the elderly lady was immensely proud of her husband and all of his remarkable achievements.
"You could say that Nolan" Miss Reeni grinned warmly at the golden haired boy in question, "My husband was a very talented trainer back in our youth. Why, he even won the Indigo League at one point you know!"
Upon hearing those words, two jaws simultaneously dropped why open in absolute astonishment.
"No way!" Ash gasped out, being the first of the two boys to recover.
"That's incredible!" Nolan breathed in awe. The golden haired boy felt a surge of excitement course through him at the prospect of meeting an actual winner of the Indigo League, a dream that he himself was currently working towards making a reality.
Clearly enjoying their reactions, Miss Reeni decided to hit them with another revelation.
"He was so good, in fact, that he was even offered a spot on the Kanto Elite Four!" the elderly woman revealed to the group of children, and there was no denying the strong sense of pride in her tone, "But he turned it down".
Ash and Nolan's faces fell at that last little titbit.
"Why would he do that?" the raven haired boy asked with a perplexed expression on his face, unable to comprehend why anybody would walk away from such a fantastic opportunity, "To be invited into the Elite Four is a huge honour!"
Miss Reeni merely shrugged her shoulders at him.
"He said that helping younger trainers like yourselves raise their Pokemon meant more to him than any kind of notoriety" was the only explanation that the kind elderly lady had to offer.
Whilst Ash, Nolan and even Misty to a certain degree all gaped at Miss Reeni in incredulous disbelief, Brock on the other hand simply nodded his head in a knowing manner.
"I can see that" the teenage boy admitted softly. Miss Reeni glanced over at him in surprise.
"You can?" the kind elderly lady sounded curious, obviously hoping for some elaboration. Brock graciously decided to gift her with it.
"Up until very recently, I was the gym leader at the Pewter City Gym" the teenager explained, and Miss Reeni looked impressed to hear that, most likely due to Brock's young age, "But becoming a strong Pokemon trainer has never been my dream, which is why I ultimately handed the position over to a member of my family. My real dream in life... well, it's to become the world's greatest Pokemon breeder! I'd love to run my own day care and breeding centre someday".
By the time he had finished his little impassioned speech, Brock was positively glowing.
"That's definitely a worthy goal Brock!" Miss Reeni told him kindly, and genuinely interested by this point, she couldn't help but ask curiously, "Which field are you most interested in?"
"Right now, I'm mostly experimenting with Pokemon food" Brock admitted, a delicate blush starting to form across his cheeks. He knew that he was in the presence of an expert in this field after all, which would naturally make any youngster feel a little inadequate, "I prepare all the meals for everyone here, human and Pokemon alike".
He gestured towards all of his friends, all of whom were nodding their heads vigorously in agreement.
"Brock's a really good cook!" Ash complimented the aspiring Pokemon breeder with a genuine smile.
"His food is the best!" Nolan agreed, further backing up Brock's skills in the kitchen.
"And all of our Pokemon are definitely fans of Brock's meals too!" Misty added with a playful giggle, enjoying how Brock was starting to blush at all of the attention he was getting.
Upon hearing Misty's comment, Miss Reeni couldn't help but arch an inquisitive eyebrow, and turned her attention to Pikachu, who was still perched upon Ash's shoulder, and Meadow, who was currently tucked into Nolan's arms, enjoying herself as the golden haired boy carried her along.
"Is that so?" the kind elderly lady asked the two small creatures, "What do you think of Brock's cooking, you two? Do you both like it?"
"Pika!" Pikachu nodded enthusiastically.
"Bulba! Bulbasaur!" Meadow's wide smile showed just how much she liked Brock's food as well. Satisfied by the responses, Miss Reeni turned her attention back to the boy in question.
"You must be quite talented, Brock!" Miss Reeni beamed, and Brock started blushing again, "But there are a few things you only learn with the benefit of age and experience. I'd be happy to give you a few tips if you'd like".
Upon hearing those words pass by an actual day care worker's lips, Brock looked positively ready to explode with excitement.
"That would be amazing, Miss Reeni!" the aspiring Pokemon breeder with practically shivering at the thought, almost tripping over his own feet as he felt a wave of giddiness rush over him, "Thank you so much!"
Miss Reeni let out a gentle laugh, a very warm and pleasant sound, before she breezily waved away his words of thanks.
"It would be a pleasure dear. It's always so wonderful to see youngsters like yourselves interested in the proper care of Pokemon, rather than just using them as tools for battle" Miss Reeni commended all four of the young trainers, before an idea struck her and she smiled warmly at each of them, "Actually, why don't I give you all a tour of the day care? You can see all the different areas and activities we have, plus I really do want to make up for Fang's earlier shenanigans".
"Growlithe!" the Fire Type Pokemon in question barked happily as he excitedly ran in circles around Miss Reeni's feet.
"It really is fine Miss Reeni. Fang didn't mean any harm, did you boy?" Nolan glanced down at the adorable Puppy Pokemon in question.
"Growl! Growlithe!" Fang happily trotted over to Nolan and began nuzzling his furry cheek against the ankle of Nolan's jeans. The golden haired boy laughed at Fang's playful and affectionate demeanour, before turning his attention back to Miss Reeni.
"And you've already kindly agreed to give all of our Pokemon the once over, so there's really nothing to make up for" Nolan said kindly, and the elderly lady looked relieved, "Having said that though, a tour of a real day care sounds wonderful, and I'm sure that we'd all learn a lot. What do you think guys?"
He turned to his friends expectantly.
"It sounds like a lot of fun, and if it helps us to become better Pokemon trainers then I'm definitely in!" Ash was the first to enthusiastically agree with his best friend.
"Yes, please!" Brock echoed with, his voice nought but a breathy whisper, as though the boy was scarcely able to believe his good luck, "A tour would be amazing! It would be such a great learning experience!"
Out of the four youngsters, only Misty didn't appear overly enthused by the prospect of a tour of the day care centre, and it didn't exactly take a genius to work out why. Swallowing hard at the notion that this exciting opportunity might be snatched away from them by Misty's response, Nolan nervously turned his attention over towards the orange haired girl in question, and adopted a very cautious tone when he began speaking to her.
"Uh... Misty, is it cool if we extend our detour a little?" the golden haired boy asked his friend hesitantly, knowing that he might be pushing his luck now, "I know you want to get to Vermillion City quickly, but..."
The boy trailed off hopelessly, adopting a puppy dog expression that was almost as convincing as that belonging to the Growlithe currently sniffing the ground around his feet. Brock and Ash both schooled their features into similar pleading expressions as well, the desire to go on the tour Miss Reeni had kindly offered them practically written all over them. In the end, Misty couldn't help but roll her eyes in a fond yet thoroughly exasperated manner.
"I… I guess" the orange haired girl seemed reluctant to relent, and there was no denying the undertone of irritation in her tone and expression, "But… we were supposed to be continuing on our way to Vermillion City after we'd run our errands here!"
"You're really eager to get there, aren't you?" Nolan sighed sadly, starting to feel bad that he had put this decision on one of his closest friends.
Misty looked conflicted, before she eventually nodded her head wearily.
"Yeah, it's just… I've been looking forward to it for a while" the orange haired girl admitted.
The girl really didn't want to seem heartless or selfish, but she felt that she had been more than patient with her three male friends, and was beginning to feel that they weren't taking the promise that they had made to her very seriously. It was then that Brock took a step towards her, his facial expression and body posture both practically desperate.
"Misty, please?" the aspiring Pokemon breeder all-but begged, knowing that if he allowed such a golden opportunity to slip by he would regret it for the rest of his life, "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It's about learning, you know, about how to care for Pokemon, about breeding…"
The almost pathetic quality to his pleading was enough to do Misty in, and she sighed deeply as she felt her heart soften.
"Oh, fine, fine!" the orange haired girl eventually relented, rolling her eyes for good measure, "But just a small detour! Then we get going on our way to Vermillion City again! You guys did promise after all!"
Nolan, Ash and especially Brock all beamed at her.
"YYYEEESSS!" Ash and Nolan's hands both met each other in a celebratory high five. It was clear that the two boys were both very excited to be meeting a former winner of the Pokemon Indigo League tournament.
"Misty, you are seriously the best!" Brock looked so grateful towards his female friend that it honestly would have shocked none of them if he had actually kissed her.
From her spot on the pavement slightly ahead of them, Miss Reeni smiled at the touching display of friendship.
"That was very kind of you, Misty" she praised the younger female, who preened under the kind words, "It's very commendable that you put your friends' desires ahead of your own like that".
Misty smiled and shrugged her shoulders.
"Well, it's just… I know how much Brock wants to become a Pokemon breeder, and this would be a really good experience for him" the orange haired girl ducked her head modestly.
"That's a wonderful attitude, Misty!" Miss Reeni beamed kindly, but sensing that the girl was starting to feel a little uncomfortable with the praise, she quickly move the topic along, "But don't worry dear. My little day care centre might not be as grand as Vermillion City, but I'm sure there'll be something there for you to enjoy as well".
A look of renewed interest flashed across Misty's pretty features as a thought suddenly occurred to her.
"Well... actually, Miss Reeni, do you have any Water Type Pokemon at the day care?" Misty asked the kind elderly lady with an air of hope, "I'd really love to see them".
Miss Reeni couldn't help with look rather intrigued by the impromptu and unexpected question.
"Water Type Pokemon, you say?" the elderly lady repeated, her eyebrows raised in curiosity, "Why specifically Water Types dear?"!
"They're my favourite" Misty simply beamed in response, adopting that rather dreamy expression she always had on her face whenever she thought about the beautiful water-dwelling creatures that had captured her heart, "And I specialise in training them!"
"Well, you're certainly in for a treat then!" Miss Reeni chuckled warmly, clearly picking up on Misty's passion, "We have quite a few in our care at the moment. Come on, let's go!"
None of the children needed telling twice.
With all of them now looking forward to the unexpected but more-than-welcome tour of a day care centre, Nolan and his friends both human and Pokemon alike picked up the pace as they continued to follow Miss Reeni through the winding streets of Orange Town. The small group of trainers was so abuzz with excitement that if they had taken just a moment to contemplate their surroundings, they might have noticed that across the street, sitting outside of a small café, three sets of eyes were studying them with an almost unhealthy amount of interest...
When Jessie had suggested that the three members of the infamous trio of Team Rocket take seats at a table at an outdoor café patio, it had simply been for the sake of taking a short break and maybe ordering some lunch. She had not expected for even a single moment that the twerps would suddenly come walking down the street, crossing right by where she and her friends and co-workers were seated. Not wanting a confrontation at this time, the magenta haired woman had hastily erected a newspaper in front of herself, James and Meowth, hiding all three of their faces from view. It was only when the quartet of travelling trainers and the elderly lady that they were in the company of had rounded a corner did Jessie feel comfortable enough to put down the newspaper she had used to make them all look inconspicuous. The magenta haired woman then turned to James and Meowth, her lips curling into a haughty sneer.
"It was those meddling twerps!" she hissed to her friends, both of whom were spotting similar expressions of distain, "What are they up to now? Did either of you hear what they were talking about?"
The cyan haired man sitting across from her looked rather excited.
"I'm pretty sure that they were talking about they're going to a Pokemon day care centre" James informed his female counterpart. In the final seat at the table, Meowth grinned and rubbed his paws together gleefully.
"And it sounded like dat old crone is gonna give dem a private tour" the Scratch Cat Pokemon added, being the only member of the group to have picked up on that little titbit thanks to his superior feline hearing. Meowth's face split into a wide, slightly menacing grin, "Why don't we invite ourselves along?"
His words were met by two identical looks of confusion.
"Invite ourselves along?" Jessie repeated blankly, tilting her head to one side in an obviously perplexed manner "Why would we do that?"
"I fail to see what learning about grooming and making Pokemon food can bring to the Team Rocket table Meowth" James echoed with, sounding just as bewildered.
Meowth smirked and shook his head in fond exasperation, before he quickly decided to clue his two favourite humans in.
"What, my dear friends, are we in da business of, exactly?" the Scratch Cat Pokemon made it sound like a rhetorical question, but the leader of the Team Rocket trio still felt obligated to answer it.
"Stealing Pokemon of course!" the magenta haired woman threw back her head and laughed as she played along with Meowth's playful banter.
Meowth's smile widened even further as he continued this manner of leading his friends towards the answer.
"And where are dose twerps going?" the Scratch Cat Pokemon continued in a faux-casual tone of voice.
"A Pokemon day care centre!" James was the one who provided the answer to Meowth's question this time.
Realisation suddenly struck.
Jessie and James both looked thoroughly thunderstruck for a split second as the potential of the Scratch Cat Pokemon's idea settled in their minds. Once it had however, they both burst into maniacally laughter. Laughter that Meowth was quick to join in on.
"Meowth, you furry little genius!" Jessie give some rare praise as she clapped her hands together in delight, scarcely able to believe that her teammate had actually managed to come up with something quite so brilliant, "Stealing all the Pokemon from the day care is the perfect way to get back in the Boss' good books! We've been on a losing streak lately, and this is our chance to turn things around!"
The two male members of the infamous Team Rocket trio couldn't agree more.
"And if we manage to get our hands on Pikachu at the same time..." James trailed off for a moment, a gleam of pure malice appearing in the cyan haired man's eyes at just the thought, "It'll be the ultimate revenge for all the humiliation that those rotten little twerps have inflicted on us!"
Meowth hummed and rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he slowly nodded his furry head in agreement with James' words.
"Yeah...dis humiliating streak has been going on for way too long. Dat Pokemon Tech Academy debacle was nothing short of embarrassing! Meowth!"
All three members of the evil gang of criminals lowered their heads in shame at the reminder of their most recent defeat. The memories stung almost as much as being pelted with pokeballs did, and even if the twerps hadn't been directly involved in that incident, Team Rocket still wanted someone to pay for it, and the twerps were the ideal targets. Jessie, James and Meowth were all more than happy to settle the score with Ash, Nolan, Misty and Brock, and if it got them back in the boss' good graces at the same time, well... that was just killing two Spearow with one stone.
"We need a plan, a flawless plan!" Meowth announced gleefully, his tail wagging happily at the prospect of the twerps finally getting their comeuppance.
"Agreed! We can't afford to fumble this one guys!" Jessie nodded her head in agreement, clenching a fist and pulling it down in front of her face in an extremely determined fashion, "This time, we're going to make it perfect!"
"The twerps won't know what hit them" James swore darkly, a menacing chuckle slipping his lips.
Feeling positively invigorated by the potential pay-out at stake from this latest idea, the trio all leaned in across the table, their faces illuminated by a mischievous glow as they began plotting their newes5 diabolical scheme. Only time would tell if Team Rocket would actually be successful in their endeavours on this occasion.
Time that was coming far too soon for Nolan and his friends...
And that's another chapter done and dusted : )
Like I said at the beginning, quite 'filler-ish', I know, but to me it just made sense. How can I possibly do an episode themed around a Pokemon day care and not use it as an means of showing off Brock's breeder skills, which to be perfectly honest, often got overlooked in canon. I don't want that happening here in my story, but if I did this stuff whilst at the actual day care, I feel like it might have detracted from the plot. I figured the best thing to do was get it all out of the way with here, and get to more of the plot in the coming chapters. Hopefully this still made for an enjoyable, if a little slow, chapter though ; )
Anyway, let's move on to this week's voting topic, and I have to say, I'm rather excited about this one. It's time for an encounter vote, and not only with this be the first one of my third Nuzlocke, but it's also the first one to include Pokemon from outside of the Kanto region! Personally I've been looking forward to this for a while now, so I can't wait to see which of these potential options you guys decide upon : )
Pokemon Options: -
Route 29: - Sentret - Male - Bashful Nature - Keen Eye Ability
Route 30: - Caterpie - Male - Hardy Nature - Shield Dust Ability
Route 31: - Spinarak - Male - Impish Nature - Insomnia Ability
Sprout Tower: - Rattata - Female - Serious Nature - Run Away Ability
Route 32: - Hoppip - Female - Lonely Nature - Leaf Guard Ability
Some interesting choices this time around. There are two in particular that I'm hoping for, but of course it doesn't matter what I want. It's all down to you guys, so please go and leave your view in a review : )
And I think hat's just about everything from me for this time. Thank you so much for reading this chapter and my story in general. I hope you are enjoying it all so far, and please consider leaving a review because I'd love to hear your comments and feedback : )
Until the next time, keep on reading : )