Writing The Rematch (Part 3)

[PMJ]

Author's Note: This is a sequel to a short story I wrote in 2009. It's a short read at roughly 4,000 words, and though reading it is not a prerequisite to enjoy this story, it is still recommended. (Funnily enough, this part is also about 4,000 words.

This sequel is planned to be presented in three four parts. The first part is below. When parts two and three and four are completed, links to them will be presented at the bottom of this post.

Thank you, and please don't hesitate to offer comments or criticism - lord knows I could use both.

The Rematch (Part 1)
by PMJ​

It was early morning in Littleroot Town. The sun was barely peeking out over the horizon, but Ash Ketchum was already awake and ready to run.

He liked to run. He had taken it up four years ago, after he had lost everything... to them. Before that happened, Team Rocket was virtually unheard of in Hoenn, who had their own problems to worry about with Team Aqua and Team Magma fighting each other. But when one of the greatest Pokemon trainers of all time is robbed of his entire collection of Pokemon--more than a hundred different creatures spanning four years--it tends to make international headlines. Ash tightened his shoelaces, stepped into the cold autumn air, and shivered from the wind on his skin. He wouldn't let it bother him, though. He'd run fast and get his blood pumping, and push Team Rocket out of his mind.

Ash began with a hard sprint towards Professor Birch's lab, determined to get his mind off his past, but with no one else around and most of the wild Pokemon sleeping, his thoughts quickly drifted... He still couldn't believe it - they had the audacity to rob him, taunt him, and challenge him to a duel. He didn't think anything of it--they had never been anything more than a nuisance--and so he grabbed his team and set out to thwart the thieves.

But when he got there and challenged them, they had crushed him in every sense of the word. They effortlessly picked apart his team, countering every strike and taunting him when he time and again played right into their plans. Even he had to admit his last attempt at claiming victory was rather...pathetic. He'd let his anger get the best of him, definitely. He came out of that battle with some bruised ribs and the loss of every one of his Pokemon. Even Pikachu, his first Pokemon and best friend, had been unceremoniously scooped up and taken from the field of battle as a trophy after it had been beaten to within an inch of its life.

"Damn them," he muttered to himself as he leaped up one of the ledges on Route 101, not breaking stride at all. The wild Pokemon that lived in this area had gotten used to seeing Ash run in the mornings, so they didn't bother him. Not that he was completely helpless if they did; in the time since what he referred to as The Incident, he had trained a new group of Pokemon who he had come to trust with his life. Team Rocket may have been able to take his Pokemon, but they couldn't take his skill; in just a few short years, he had proved to the world that Ash Ketchum may have been down, but by no means was he out. Not only that, but people said he was better than he ever was before it happened; they saw in him a focus and determination that was unlike anything anyone had ever seen before.

That was exactly the point, Ash thought, spotting the edges of Oldale Town in the distance. Never again would he be so reckless with his teammates' lives. He burst into a sprint as he approached the tiny village, imagining he was chasing Team Rocket. In fact, for the first few weeks after Team Rocket escaped with his Pokemon, that's exactly what he did, but they were seemingly one step ahead of him. Silph Corporation, based in Saffron City, had long been suspected as a front for Team Rocket's activities. When the place was searched, however, there was nothing out of the ordinary to be found. The sudden resignation of the company's CEO and alleged Rocket leader, Giovanni Romano, due to medical reasons, was also considered to be highly suspect, but he had been nothing but forthcoming when questioned by police. Despite a seemingly worldwide search for the two responsible, nothing ever came of it. Team Rocket was, for all intents and purposes, gone.

And as for Jessie and James, they'd made good on their promise to leave him alone, and perhaps that was the most frustrating thing of all. What "bigger and better" things did they have plans for that they needed to spend the better part of a decade chasing him and Pikachu? They had wasted so much time and money on those huge, inefficient machines, mechas that Pikachu almost always made short work of. What happened that made them wise up and get so obnoxiously good at battling that they could wipe him out so easily? He wanted answers to these questions and more, but most of all, he worried about the safety of his Pokemon. Pikachu had been Team Rocket's only goal; his other creatures were just icing on the electric cake.

Having reached the small town, he took a short break as he always did. He walked into the Pokemon Center, sweaty and a little winded, but otherwise feeling great for six A.M. The attendant behind the counter smiled at him. "Hello, and welcome to the - oh, good morning, Ash," she greeted him as she took out a cold water bottle from a cooler behind the counter. After seeing him come in so many times in the morning, she started preparing him one herself just for him. He never stayed long, but he was always friendly and brightened up what was otherwise a boring night.

"Morning, Jenny," he waved. "How was your shift? Anything exciting happen?"

"Oh, you know nothing ever happens around here during the night," she said as she handed him the bottle. "But we're here just in case anything does... You know, you're the only person I know who travels here from Littleroot Town on foot. Don't you have a vehicle?"

Ash nodded as he drank nearly half the bottle's contents in one go. "Yeah. Got my license about a year ago, but I don't like cars. I stole my friend's bike when I was a kid, but then I wrecked it and that was the end of that. I guess I've gotten so used to walking everywhere or using my Pokemon that using a motor vehicle just seems foreign to me. I also did a lot of running from Team Rocket, so I guess you could say it comes naturally to me."

Jenny nodded. "They must have been really tough if they could beat Hoenn's Hero - oh, sorry," she apologized after seeing Ash roll his eyes at the title the Champion gave him after Ash eradicated both Team Aqua and Team Magma from the region. "But it's a well-deserved title. You should embrace it."

Ash polished off the rest of the bottle and handed it back to Jenny for her to fill up for the next visit. "Yeah, yeah. See you around, Jenny."

She waved back to him and smiled as he turned and left. "We hope to see you again!"

Ash took a deep breath and started his run home. May would be waking up soon, and he wanted to be home before she did. He picked up his pace as he thought of his angel. After The Incident, support and kind words poured in from the world over, but she had taken it upon herself to travel to Kanto to be by his side. She used her clout in Hoenn to put the word out about Team Rocket, and even though none of the leads that came from it panned out, Ash was touched by the gesture. She pulled him out of his depression and helped him get back on his feet competitively; in turn, he taught her everything he knew, transforming her from a simple Coordinator to one of the most powerful trainers in Hoenn. They traveled the world together, honing themselves and their Pokemon into something incredible. And as their skills blossomed, so too did their relationship; after returning to Hoenn, they were married, and Ash chose to make his new home in Hoenn.

He was all smiles as he saw his home come into view. And as he drew closer, he saw her standing in front of their house, which spurred him to make one final push. She held a bottle of water in one hand, a tray of cookies in the other (as if he needed any more incentives to run faster), and nearly was run over by the speeding young man before he stopped himself just a few feet in front of her. She handed him the bottle. "Back already? That might be a new record," she said as she opened the door to let him into their house.

"You say that every time," Ash said between gulps as May removed another tray from the oven. He finished off the bottle and helped himself to a cookie. "Not that I mind," he said, biting into it and wishing he still had water to drink. "Wow, these are really sweet. What are they?"

"They're just sugar cookies," May explained as she set the second tray aside to cool. "The sprinkles are made from crushed Custap Berries. Took forever to get them like that. I suppose topping sugar cookies with them wasn't the best idea, huh?"

Ash took another bottle of water from their fridge, sat down, and took a sip. "Probably not. But they're still pretty good," he said, eating the rest of the cookie to emphasize his point. He picked up another one, examined it, then placed it back on the tray.

May crossed her arms and pouted. "You see? I told you it wasn't a good idea."

"No, it's not that," Ash corrected. "I've just been thinking again."

"About Team Rocket?" she asked, moving closer to him. "You'll find them someday, and then you'll be able to ask them everything you want to know."

Ash took his wife's hands into his own and gave them a gentle squeeze. He knew he talked about it way too much, but she never got upset about it. In fact, she had told him, she liked it when he opened up about it. He didn't talk about his past in much detail back in the day, but ever since The Incident, he hardly mentioned it at all. It was like he stopped existing before that day. "Not really. Well, I mean yeah, but that's not all. Jenny just felt like reminding me what a great hero I am to these people, that's all."

May sat herself in her husband's lap and wrapped her arms around him. "You are a hero, honey."

Ash shook his head. "I'm no hero. I just can't sit by and let villains have their way. I'm sure anyone else in my position would have done the same thing. Besides, heroes don't let themselves get--"

But May would have none of that. She shushed him with a finger. "Now that's enough. You can't keep beating yourself up for that. Do you think no one in Hoenn knows what happened? That doesn't make you any less of a hero in their eyes. They love you. And so do I," she added, leaning down and kissing him on the cheek. "One bad incident doesn't mean you're a bad trainer. You know that just as well as I do. Even if the only one who can whip you soundly is me." She kissed him again and went to clean up after her baking.

Ash remained in his chair, arms crossed. He knew she was right, but that didn't make her words any easier to swallow. Sure, he'd lost lots of matches before. He remembered the spankings he got from Brandon the Pyramid King - took him three tries to win, and even he had to admit he'd gotten lucky in their last match. But this was failure of a higher order, and the fact that Team Rocket had been the ones to trounce him made his stomach turn. Those two were villains through and through, and he wanted nothing more than to bring them to justice. He rose from the table as if he was going to go out and do just that. He had confidence in his team, and his skill, but he felt the same way in his first encounter...just before he was destroyed.

May looked back from the sink, where she was busy scrubbing away at a pan. "Something wrong?"

"I'm going to get them back," Ash declared. "I'm going to hunt Team Rocket down and get my Pokemon back." He approached his wife. "But I want you to help me. Last time, I couldn't think straight. I made a bunch of rookie mistakes and I lost everything as a result. I need you with me to keep me focused...and because having one of the only people in the world who can regularly beat me as my partner can only be good," he added with a smile.

May smiled back. She'd had a feeling this day was going to come, so she had made it a point to train just as hard as he did for when that day finally did. If he hadn't invited her, she would have invited herself, and good luck to him if he tried stopping her. "Of course you know I'll help you, but how are you going to draw them out? No one has seen hide nor hair of them since it happened."

Ash nodded. "Yeah, I know. The whole reason they chased me around in the first place is because they thought Pikachu was special. If I can get my hands on a legendary Pokemon, I mean something really strong, I bet I could lure those rats out of hiding."

"Sounds good on paper," May said, drying her hands on a towel. "But what are you going to do? It's not like you can just summon legendary Pokemon to your beck and call... right?" she added when Ash still looked dead serious.

"Well," he began. "No. Not even close. I haven't seen him in years, but you might say I scratched his back a long time ago. I'm hoping that he'll agree to scratch mine."

May just stared in disbelief. She thought she had known everything about her husband's past, but even she didn't know he was this close to a legendary Pokemon. "Which one are you talking about?"

Ash looked out the window, towards the horizon. He really didn't want to bring him into this, but it was high stakes, and he had to bet big if he wanted to win big. He went to get his belt as he continued explaining his plan. "Mewtwo. He and I go way back. I first met him when I was just a kid. To say he was a huge jerk to me and my friends is... a pretty big understatement."

May finished putting away the dishes and quickly went to join her husband in getting ready. "What happened?"

"I first met him about...six years ago, I think. Long story short, Team Rocket happened, he was on the verge of death and I saved his life. He's been living in secret ever since."

May looked at Ash, puzzled. "You know where he is? Where?"

"I can't tell you. Seriously, I can't," he added when May started to object. "I made a promise to both him and myself that I would keep the location of his home a secret, for his sake and for the sake of all the Pokemon living there in peace. And I'm not about to draw the ire of a Pokemon strong enough to keep blocks on the minds of hundreds of Rockets and Giovanni himself. He truly is the strongest Pokemon in the world, and if I can make a huge deal about catching him, Team Rocket is sure to come running, salivating at the thought of stealing it from me."

May raised an eyebrow. "You really think Mewtwo's going to let you capture him?"

"No," he answered, deadly serious. "He would literally rather die than be captured. 'Either these machines will be destroyed, or I will be.' Those were his words, and I watched him back every one of them up as he pushed himself beyond his limits in order to gain his freedom. If it wasn't for Misty, Brock, and their Pokemon, I never would have been able to get him out of there and to safety. No, I'm not going to try to capture him. I'm just going to explain the situation and hope he's willing to play along. He hates Team Rocket--a lot more than I do--so I'm feeling pretty good about asking him."

I am sure our hatred of Team Rocket is close to the same level, a voice said that both humans heard. Appearing in a dull purple light, just outside the window, was Mewtwo. He looked in at Ash and May. We meet again, Ash, he spoke directly into their minds.

"Mewtwo, how have you been? It's good to see you again," he said as he went to open the door for his friend, but Mewtwo simply teleported inside. "Right. How long were you listening to us?"

Not long, spoke Mewtwo, who noticed May simply staring at him in awe. Ignoring her for the moment, he sat himself at the table. And to answer your question, I and the other Pokemon have been well. I see you have taken a wife, he said, finally looking directly at her. Greetings, young lady. I am Mewtwo. Your husband has grown into a fine man. Teleporting in front of her, he extended one of his hands to her, which she quickly took and shook, without trying to seem too nervous. May could feel the tremendous power he exuded just from shaking his hand... she looked over at Ash, who seemed completely unaffected by his presence. Are you afraid? Let me try something... With May's hand still in his, Mewtwo closed his eyes and focused for a moment. In an instant, his power seemed to deplete altogether. May could no longer sense the overwhelming strength that Mewtwo exhibited just moments before, and she didn't know if she should be afraid that he could hide his true power so easily. She decided not to let it bother her since he was obviously trying to be friendly, and the last thing she wanted to do was insult the world's most poweful Pokemon. Is that better?

"Y-Yes, thank you," May answered, hating how weak she sounded when she said it. In the terrible silence that followed, May tried to put on a better front and show this Pokemon she wasn't a meek and timid housewife like he probably thought she was. "So, you and Ash are friends?"

Mewtwo smiled. Yes, we are friends. As Ash said, he saved my life, and kept his promise to me besides. I am forever in his debt. And though I am thankful, he said, turning to Ash, I am certainly curious why you think my capture is necessary.

And so Ash explained his plan. May sat and watched as the two chatted like old friends, and as the topic changed from Team Rocket to Ash's adventures since The Incident to his courtship with May, she began to feel more at ease around him. When Mewtwo laughed long and hard after Ash had finished a particularly amusing story, May found herself laughing with him, surprised more with how quickly she relaxed than a god-Pokemon having casual conversation with her husband.

And she listened intently as Mewtwo detailed his past with Ash. Everything, from his kidnapping of Nurse Joy to the creation of the clones to his battle with Mew. And though he felt slightly guilty, he did not omit the part where Ash was turned to stone, and it was the tears of Pikachu and all the other Pokemon that brought him back to life.

"I...I think I can remember that," Ash said, searching his mind for the memories that Mewtwo said were there. "It's still kinda hazy, though."

Your full memory will return in time, Mewtwo said, rising to his feet. The block I placed on your mind is an old one, and so it will take time to erode completely.

"Mewtwo, I know you had your reasons for making us forget all that, but hearing that Pikachu saved my life only makes me want to save his even more. You don't have to let me capture you. Just accompany me and let me make a press release or something saying I did, and Team Rocket will surely come running."

Mewtwo said nothing to this at first. He held out his hand and focused, and in a few seconds, a Poke Ball appeared in it. I have been thinking about this ever since you lost to Team Rocket, he said. I imagined that this day would come, and so I have taken the necessary steps to ensure it will go smoothly.

Ash went to slap the ball out of Mewtwo's hand, but the psychic Pokemon was too quick - he simply levitated the ball away every time Ash went to take it. "Mewtwo, don't be ridiculous. You don't have to sacrifice your freedom for me. My plan will work!"

Showing up with me may fool some, but it will not fool Giovanni. If you truly want to convince him you have brought me under your command, you must use this Poke Ball and capture me. The effects of this are twofold; first, it will prove to the world that you have legitimately captured me. Second, it will infuriate Giovanni to see that you, a trainer he has grown to despise, have succeeded where he has failed. He does not remember our second encounter, but he still harbors a lot of old resentment from when I first escaped and killed his top researchers. If you claim to now be the world's most powerful trainer, Team Rocket will most assuredly be sent after you.

Ash thought this over. He looked at the Poke Ball in Mewtwo's hand and when he went to reach for it, Mewtwo did not move it away. "Yeah. I guess you're right, but... God, Mewtwo, I can't do it. I can't in good conscience put you in a Poke Ball when I know how much you hate it. In a way, Pikachu is just like you, you know. There was one time a long time ago, we were stuck on a mountain and it was really cold. I put all of my Pokemon into their Poke Balls, but Pikachu refused to go. He decided that if I was going to freeze, he was, too. In fact, ever since I got him, the only time he's ever been in a Poke Ball is when you put him in one. So... forgive me, but I just can't do it. I'm sorry." He turned the ball over in his hand and presented it to Mewtwo.

Mewtwo pondered for a moment before levitating the ball out of Ash's hand. Yes, you are right. I had a feeling you would say that. But I believe my plan is superior, and I also believe that you feel the same, as much as you care for my well-being. I trust you, Ash, and that is not something I give out lightly, to human or Pokemon. After this is all said and done, and you've gotten your Pokemon back, I trust you to release me, my debt to you considered repaid. And since you will not capture me... he said as he released his telepathic hold on the ball.

Ash realized what Mewtwo was doing just a second too late; he made to snatch the ball in midair, but it struck Mewtwo before he could reach it. Instantly, the Pokemon was sucked into the ball and the two humans watched in disbelief as the ball closed, shook, and slowly came to rest on the ground. Ash slowly picked up the ball and could feel Mewtwo's immense energy surging inside it. "He's struggling," Ash mused. "He's been confined before, but never quite like this. He's trying so hard to stay inside and at least look like he's under my control." Attaching the ball to his belt, he looked up at his startled wife, who had no idea her day would start quite like this. "Let's go. It's time to get my Pokemon back."

Part 2

 

[Chaos Jackal]

RE: The Rematch (Part 1)

Let's see... Last time I checked, the nurse was named Joey, not Jenny, but that could be me. Also, Ash doesn't deserve any girl
Well written. I like how you decided to add Mewtwo (funny, 'cos the same thing happens in the manga, and I like any writing that reminds me of the manga). However, using a legendary Pokemon in a fic is kinda dangerous sometimes. I'm curious to see what you'll do with it.

 

[PMJ]

RE: The Rematch (Part 1)

Not everyone who works in the Pokemon Center is named Joy. Did you think she ran things 24/7? Nurse Joy just works the front counter during the day.

I'm not familiar with the manga. Do you mean that Ash and Mewtwo are homies in the manga or something?

 

[Chaos Jackal]

RE: The Rematch (Part 1)

Funny that you used the Officer's name instead. I thought you might have confused them.
Red is the main character in the manga, not Ash. Red meets Mewtwo in the RBY volumes, and later on, in the FRLG volumes, they team up to challenge Giovanni, who has captured Deoxys. You may be unaware of the similarity, but I liked it quite a lot. Mewtwo is the kind of character who would seek revenge, and adds well with the story's concept, similar to how the manga unfolds.

 

[PMJ]

RE: The Rematch (Part 1)

Right, right, I meant Red. also I did forget but creative license says I am always right and Joy is a stupid name anyway

I'm fully aware of how uber Psychic-types are in anime-style battles, so don't worry about Ash saying "go Mewtwo" and then ruling the world with an iron fist.

TT Y U NO COMMENT AND JUST LIKE

 

[Chaos Jackal]

RE: The Rematch (Part 1)

TT Y U NO COMMENT AND JUST LIKE

'Cos people don't comment anymore. They think we're too perfect, so they just like instead.
Well, good to see Ash won't be ruling the world. I hate him too much, and this would be painful. As I said, I'm eager to see the rest of the story.

 

[PMJ]

RE: The Rematch (Part 1)

If my math is right, this should now be on page two of anyone using the archaic 10 posts per page layout.

So that gives me the right to throw it back on the top of the heap, even though no one else has commented.

Chapter two is coming along nicely. I don't work on it all that much, but it does have quite a bit of words in it. Still no ETA on it. Could be any day now.

 

[PMJ]

>any day now
>almost a year to the day later
>tfw I technically didn't lie

It's not exactly where I want it to be, but I'm posting what I have because maybe it'll spur me to actually keep this going, and hopefully it won't take a year to do. So four parts, yay!

The Rematch (Part 2)​

Ash wasted no time in making sure the world knew that he had captured the legendary Pokemon, Mewtwo. After the news broke on local Hoenn television, news of Ash's achievement spread like wildfire, being featured on major news channels the world over and all throughout social media. Though Ash had sent in photographs of him and Mewtwo together, Mewtwo's concern proved to be legitimate - many people called for proof that he had tamed such a monster, claiming that pictures weren't enough to prove he wasn't simply trying to get himself in the spotlight again.

And so Ash obliged their requests, scheduling the big reveal to be held in Saffron City, Kanto's shining, golden land of commerce, in front of Silph Corporation. On the big day, Ash and May stood on a large platform in front of the building, flanked by two armed guards. Surrounding the platform and spilling out for several city blocks was thousands upon thousands of people, watching on huge television screens, hoping to get a glimpse of Mewtwo. News reporters from all over the world had front-row seats to the event, and they were all busy with their camera crews reporting the situation as it unfolded.

Ash stepped forward to a microphone, and audibly cleared his breath into it. Within moments, all eyes were on him. The roar of the crowd fell to near silence. Yes, Ash thought. This was perfect. He had the whole world watching him - they had taken the bait perfectly. It was time to begin the plan proper. "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming. I have brought you here for two reasons. The first... is this," he said, holding Mewtwo's Poke Ball up for all to see. "Well, then," he said with a grin. "You wanted it, you got it." He raised the ball high into the air. "Mewtwo, I choose you!"

When Mewtwo emerged from the ball with a burst of energy, the people were stunned into silence. Ash could hear the reporters in the front row frantically whispering the event just witnessed. No one was doubting Ash now. To drive home his point, Ash held his hand in midair, reveling in the gasps of the crowd when Mewtwo returned the high five. Surely Ash was now the world's most powerful trainer with such an intensely powerful Pokemon at his disposal.

****

Far away from Saffron City, in a house on an island at the southern edge of Kanto, a young family watched the spectacle unfold on television. A woman, sitting in a rocking chair with a baby in one arm and a bottle in the other, commented on the sight. "What do you think he's up to, James?"

"I'm not sure, Jess," her husband replied. "But I've got a hunch. Let's keep watching." James sat closer to his wife and tended to his son as Ash revealed the true intentions of the press release: a rematch. A battle between Ash and May and Jessie and James. If they won, Team Rocket would return all of his Pokemon and submit to the authorities. If he lost, he would hand over all of his new Pokemon--including Mewtwo--and retire as a trainer forever. James nodded. "Yeah, I thought that might be it. He must be serious if he went as far as asking Mewtwo for help."

"Or he lacks confidence. You and I have both seen the extent of Mewtwo's power. If Ash asked Mewtwo to help him, it's probably because he doesn't think he can beat us on his own. He even asked his girl to help him."

James wasn't convinced, however. "I see your point, but think about it from his point of view. He knows we have the upper hand right now. He hasn't seen us since we last battled, so he knows that we're not going to show ourselves without a good reason to. Do you see it now, Jessie? I'd bet my Weezing that Mewtwo is that reason. Given Mewtwo's past with Team Rocket, I'm surprised that--" A phone rang nearby. "Right on time," James said, picking it up and turning it on. "Hello, this is James... yes, sir, it's been a while. Yes, sir, about two months ago. A boy, Edward... thank you, sir... Yes, we saw it. Mhm. No, sir, I don't believe so. He's not like that... yes, sir. I understand. We'll do our best... Yes, sir, understood, sir."

James hung the phone up as Jessie asked a question she already knew the answer to. "What did he want? Mewtwo," they both answered. "Of course. So much for maternity leave." She rose from the chair, baby in hand, and went to pack her things.

****

Back in Saffron, Ash and May spent the next hour fielding questions and essentially holding a meet-and-greet with Mewtwo. Suddenly, a voice was heard above the crowd: "The Champion approaches! Make way for the Champion!"

The crowd parted, and a man of about thirty made his way to the platform. He was tall and fit, with short brown hair, wearing a blue dress shirt and pants. His sleeves were rolled up, and he extended a hand towards the younger man. "Mr. Ketchum, hello," he said after the crowd had quieted down. A reporter quickly approached him and offered him a microphone so he could be heard. "My name is Tristan. I'm the current champion of the Kanto League. I've heard of your exploits and I was wondering if you would do me the great honor of having a battle with me."

Ash stepped down from the platform and shook Tristan's hand. "Nice to meet you, Tristan. Just Ash is fine, please. Normally, I'd love to have a match with you, but you caught me at a bad time. I didn't bring any Pokemon with me."

At this, Tristan just smiled. "What do you mean? You've got one right behind you. I've heard stories about how strong he is, and you won't find anyone in Kanto stronger than I. Well, except for maybe you and your wife, of course. What do you say, Ash? Up for a little one on one?"

The crowd went crazy at that idea, and Ash looked nervously at Mewtwo. What do you think? he silently asked. It might help sell the story. Mewtwo stared directly at Tristan, who was working the crowd while Ash thought it over. Mewtwo? Ash asked. He waved his arms up at Mewtwo when he didn't get a response. Hey, Mewtwo? What do you think?

Mewtwo turned to his temporary master. I accept. He levitated himself off the platform and took his place next to Ash.

"Ah, great! I'll take that as a yes." Tristan smiled hugely and rubbed his hands together. "Yes, this will certainly be a great learning experience for everyone, I'm sure. I'm looking forward to this!"

Ash tapped Mewtwo on the arm, concerned. Mewtwo, what about all these people? They're going to get in the way.

I've already handled it, Mewtwo said, watching Tristan take his place at the opposite end of the makeshift arena. To prove his point, he briefly made visible the large invisible walls he placed in front of the crowd, preventing anyone from getting in or out. I'll try to make this quick.

Hold on a second. You're supposed to be under my control, remember? It wouldn't be very convincing if you just started attacking on your own, Ash reasoned.

Mewtwo thought for a moment, then nodded. Truthfully, the thought of it made his stomach turn, but the entire plan hinged on getting Team Rocket to believe Ash had put him under his control. If this battle went well, Mewtwo thought, Giovanni would definitely hear about it. He looked across the field at Tristan, who held a Poke Ball in hand. Was he really...? Yes, it had to be. Mewtwo recognized the mental block he'd placed on that man's mind all those years ago. He'd tell Ash later, he decided. No sense in getting him riled up, and if he blew Tristan's cover, Giovanni might not take the bait.

He'd trounce the man, but he'd at least try to make it look like a fair fight. You're right. I won't be using my full power, but it'll be plenty for anything he decides to throw at me.

Tristan held his Poke Ball at arm's length, ready to do battle with a Pokemon, unknowingly for the second time. "Are you ready, Ash?"

Ash shot the Champion a thumbs up. "Ready as I'll ever be!"

The ball was thrown. "Venusaur, go!" It landed with a mighty crash on the ground, awaiting a command.

"Mewtwo, Psyc-" Ash stopped his order short. This was easy - almost too easy. Why would the Champion send out a Pokemon with such an obvious type disadvantage? He thought back to his battle against Jessie and James, where James had intentionally made bad plays to distract him so his other Pokemon could seal their victory. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. This wasn't Team Rocket. There was nothing at stake here. Just a friendly spar, and with the Champion to boot. He had his reasons, Ash thought, for making this play. All Ash could do now is find out what those reasons were. "Mewtwo, Psychic."

Mewtwo held a hand out and lifted the Pokemon up telekinetically, tossing him effortlessly towards the back wall. Tristan was quick in giving his order. "Spring off the wall, then counter with Body Slam!" Immediately, Venusaur shot out dozens of vines and used all of them to soak the impact of the throw. With a burst of energy, Venusaur flung himself off the psychic barrier and hit the ground in a run, dashing towards Mewtwo.

Ash, your command? Mewtwo asked, watching the plant Paokemon head straight for him. Ash said nothing at first, allowing Venusaur plenty of time to close in. Ash, what are you doing? Say something!

So he did. Seconds before Venusaur connected, Ash gave his order. "Teleport out of the way!" In an instant, Mewtwo was gone, and Venusaur crashed head first into the wall. Mewtwo blinked back in just as quickly, and this time Ash didn't hestitate. "Psychic again, while he's dazed!" Mewtwo lifted Venusaur up and was about to throw him when Ash gave another command. "Throw him straight into the floor!" Mewtwo nodded and did just that; with no way to use his vines to his advantage, Venusaur was slammed hard onto the concrete over and over again.

Mewtwo looked over at Tristan, whose expression was that of slight concern. "Venusaur, counter with Sleep Powder!" Mewtwo lifted Venusaur up one final time and dropped him down; as he crashed into the hard ground, the attack came out automatically, shaken from Venusaur's tree. Mewtwo had been afflicted without even knowing what was happened, and he fell over, fast asleep.

Ash looked on, but said nothing as the king of Pokemon was afflicted by the spores. Was that too much? Ash briefly thought, but decided not to dwell on it too much. As Mewtwo snored on, Tristan did his best to shift the battle in his favor. "Okay, Venusaur, Synthesis. Get your energy back." Venusaur nodded and focused, its leaves beginning to glow a bright white. Moments later, Venusaur was healthy again, and Tristan continued to take advantage of Mewtwo's sleeping state. "Finish it up with Frenzy Plant!" Venusaur's whole body started to glow green as he reared up on his hind legs. With a tremendous crash, he landed, and several long, thick roots came shooting up from either side of him. Venusaur directed them towards Mewtwo, using one of them to snatch the Pokemon off the ground. Without missing a beat, Venusaur slammed Mewtwo into the ground repeatedly the same way Mewtwo had done to him. With a flick of a root, Mewtwo was tossed in the air, and with a snap of a second whiplike root, Mewtwo was batted into the wall.

"All right, that's enough!" Tristan announced, signalling for Venusaur to stop the assault. Ash thought he caught just the slightest hint of disappointment in the man's face before he was all smiles. "But hey, that was still a pretty good match! You almost had me there," he said, recalling his Pokemon and moving to shake Ash's hand. "Try not to hold back so much next time! I'm champ for a reason, you know," he said, nudging Ash with an elbow.

Ash chuckled as the crowd continued to cheer at having watched two powerful trainers do battle. "Was it that obvious? I'm sorry. He's just so powerful. Maybe I'm not strong enough," he lied.

Tristan brushed it off. "Nonsense. I've heard about you - what you've done, what you've accomplished. I fought you with my Venusaur because he's my strongest Pokemon. We've been through a lot, a whole lot, and I'm a bit disappointed I couldn't show you his true strength," he said, looking down at a thick ring he wore, set with a shining jewel. "But as I said, I know all about you. You held back because you were worried that with such a huge type advantage and what you thought was a strength advantage, that you might end up hurting Venusaur. It's an admirable trait, but an unnecessary one. Both trainers know the risks, and I was the one who challenged you. You should have come at me with your full power." He smiled. "So promise me that next time we fight, you'll fight as if the world's fate hung in the balance!"

Tristan held out a hand to Ash, which Ash took. "You got it."

 

[PMJ]

>hopefully it wont take a year
>didn't say anything about more than a year
>tfw I technically still haven't lied

Welcome, everyone! If you're just tuning in, this is part 3 of this story. Check out the first post for the first installment, then click the link found at the bottom to read part 2. It's okay, I'll wait.


Now that you're all caught up, enjoy the third part! I'm not going to make any promises about when part four will arrive. Enjoy.

The Rematch (Part 3)​

"You are defeated," James said, stepping over to the bloodied and beaten Pikachu. "We claim this as our prize." He scooped the nearly dead Pokemon into his arms, and that sent Ash over the edge. He rushed at James, but was promptly stopped by Rhyperior's stony arm. "Rhyperior, knock him out," James said. "Be gentle, though. He's fragile."

A nod and a snap of the wrist, and Ash was out cold. He fell lifelessly to the ground, as unconscious as his first Pokemon. James searched Ash's bag for Pikachu's Poke Ball and, upon finding it, used it to return Pikachu and start the healing process. It wouldn't truthfully have any effect--it took weeks for a Pokemon to recuperate naturally inside a Poke Ball--but it would keep him alive until they could get back to the Pokemon Center back at HQ. He turned the ball over in his hand, noting the small lightning bolt seal on its front and how pristine the ball looked compared to all the others. It looked like it had never been used. Probably hasn't, James thought. Has he really kept Pikachu by his side all this time?

He stood up and looked at his partner, who looked at Ash, "We did it," Jessie said softly, to herself more than James. Even after all the training they'd done, all the research, it was still hard to believe that the legendary Ash Ketchum, conqueror of continents and Pokemon pro, lay unconscious before her, broken and undone. She took a moment to make sure that yes, this really was happening. "We did it," she said again, more audibly, to James. "We actually did it!" She threw her arms around him, kissed him, hugged him tightly. When she let him go, she saw he didn't look nearly as excited as she was. "What's wrong, babe?"

James hmmed, holding Jessie tight. "I'm just a little disappointed, I guess. You saw how he acted when he saw us. He was furious. Thinking we actually took his Pokemon, taunting him... we spent, what, two years? training for this battle. To show him that we were better than what he thought of us. But this..." he looked down at Ash's form sprawled on the sand. "It feels like we went too far. He's better than this, Jessie. He let his anger control him and it cost him everything. I don't know about you, but this victory feels hollow."

Jessie sulked in her boyfriend's arms. "Well, when you put it that way...yeah, I guess we did kinda egg him on. Gave him a bit of the old Team Rocket that he knows and loves to hate."

James chuckled as separated himself and unfolded a piece of paper from his jacket. He walked over to the crate to use it as a flat surface as he wrote a message on the paper. "Yeah, emphasis on old. Remember those days?"

Jessie closed her eyes. Oh yes, she remembered.

* * * *

It was two years ago. After a particularly painful blastoff at the hands of Ash, it had seemed that Jessie had finally lost it. She shrieked and raged about losing and ruining her clothes and being poor for a solid fifteen minutes after they'd landed, by Meowth's count; after it was over, she broke down and wept at how miserable and pathetic their lives had become. It would be so nice, she said, to just beat him once. To feel like a winner instead of a loser. It was a tempting proposal, James acknowledged, but it would take a lot of hard work to get anywhere near Ash's skill as a trainer. Nonstop training. No more twerp hunting. Put pinching Pikachu on hold. It would be hard, but the rewards were incredible. It was enough to get Jessie on board, and that day marked the end of the inept Team Rocket Ash had grown up hating.

When they had returned to Rocket HQ, they started researching the basics of Pokemon battling and were both embarrassed at just how little they knew about the subject. There were Pokemon and Pokemon types that they didn't even know existed. For the first three days, all they did was read. Jessie in particular was dumbfounded at how powerful Wobbuffet was. Maybe she had a defective one, she thought. She wouldn't trust the damn thing to fetch her mail, let alone fight her battles. James reminded her that if she could master Wobbuffet's battling style that she could win literally any battle - even against Ash. That got her confidence up, and she agreed to actually train Wobbuffet.

Jessie and James took their plan to Giovanni who, unsurprisingly, was less enthusiastic about their plan than they were. James asked for six months; Giovanni gave him one week. So he quit, effective immediately, and also offered Jessie's resignation before either she could protest or Giovanni could fire her. Furious, Jessie demanded James tell her what the big idea was, and James simply told her not to worry about it, and that he would handle everything. He made a couple phone calls and a few minutes later, withdrew a large sum of money from a nearby ATM. It was then that Jessie remembered that James's family was rich; she wondered why, then, they had spent so many nights camped out with barely anything to eat when James could afford to eat and sleep like a king. "My family's money--or should I say, my father's money--is not mine to do with what I please," he'd said. "Let's just say my father isn't exactly fond of the fact that I dropped out of Pokemon Tech and joined a gang, and then Team Rocket. And while my mother shares my father's disappointment to a degree, she said that if I ever needed anything, to ask, and she would deal with my father. I don't like doing it, but desperate times call for desperate measures. My family owns a villa on One Island. We use it as a vacation home, but it's vacant right now. I've arranged for us to stay there for the duration of our training. I know you're worried about being homeless again, but I won't let that happen. I'll take care of everything, okay?"

Jessie could say nothing; the gesture touched her in a way she didn't expect. She simply nodded, embracing her partner in a warm hug. She would have to do something nice for James sometime soon, she decided. She had always taken his presence and help for granted, ever since they first became partners. She would do some boneheaded thing and wind up getting hurt, but James was always right there to patch her up with barely a complaint. He knew more about medicine than she did, and Meowth couldn't use any healing moves, so James had de facto become the group doctor. He was important to her, in more ways than one, and she felt a pang of shame at not doing anything really noteworthy to show her appreciation to him. So she hugged him tighter. "Thanks, James," she said.

"You're very welcome," he said, breaking the embrace. "Hey, come on now, don't cry," he said, reaching into his jacket for a handkerchief.

Was she crying? Damn it, damn it, damn it, she thought. She quickly wiped her tears away the best she could, thankful she wasn't wearing any makeup. She looked at him again and he went right to work drying her face. "I-"

James put his finger over her mouth, silencing her dissent. "It's okay. I understand. You don't have to say anything. Now let's go pack. We have a plane to catch."

When they arrived at the villa (with Meowth - Giovanni was more than happy to let them keep that whiny, loud, good-for-nothing ingrate), it was getting rather late, so they unpacked, ate, and relaxed for the remainder of the day. The two humans went over their plan with Meowth, who was completely on board with the idea of not losing anymore. He even expressed an interest in battling and possibly--dare he say it--evolving! They would start with some sparring and work their way from there.

* * * *

After about a year, Team Rocket had decided it was time to test what they'd learned. The best way to do that, they figured, was to challenge a Pokemon Gym. The closest one was on Cinnabar Island, so they scheduled a battle with the Gym Leader. In a six-on-six battle, she narrowly defeated James 1-0, but Jessie dominated with a 5-0 victory. Thanks to Jessie's endurance training, Wobbuffet was able to take out three of the Gym Leader's Pokemon by himself; Arbok took two down, and Yanmega easily eliminated the last one despite being at a type disadvantage thanks to judicious use of Protect and Speed Boost.

No sooner was Jessie presented with the Volcano Badge did she turn to James and all but leap into his arms, causing him to lose his balance briefly. "Thank you!" she exclaimed.

James spun her around once before returning her to her feet. "You're welcome, hon," James said. "And to commemorate the victory..." he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. Jessie's heart skipped a beat before she realized it was far too big for what she had initially thought it might have been. James opened the box and pointed to one of the eight spots inside that was made to fit the badge she'd just earned. "It's a badge case. Figured you'd need somewhere to put your new badge, so I had Meowth go buy you one."

Jessie was confused. "But I just got my first one. How come you bought one before I even had a badge to put in it?"

"Simple. I knew you'd win," James said, handing Jessie the badge case. When Jessie continued to look confused, he explained himself as they left the Gym, making their way to the dock where their boat waited. "Well, okay, I didn't know for sure that you'd win, but I had faith in you. You got to watch Sapphire's team in action because I battled her first. Remember that trick she got me with? The one where her Heatmor used its White Smoke Ability to make the air so hot it became almost impossible for my Pokemon to breathe? You knew to save Yanmega until the end because you didn't have any other Pokemon that could clear away the smoke."

"Yep. And that stalling just let Speed Boost do its thing."

"You see?" James said, nudging her. "You've improved so much since we came here. I'm proud of you, Jess. I don't know if we're ready to take Ash on yet, but that badge is proof that your training is starting to bear fruit. We just need to keep this up and pretty soon we'll be able to take on the Champion if we wanted to!"

Jessie smiled at the thought of her unseating Steven. After all the losses she and James had suffered at Ash's hand, to defeat a Gym Leader made her feel wonderful. When she thought of the man walking with her--her partner, teacher, and closest and dearest friend--she smiled wider. Here was a man among men, who cared for her, been there for her, trained with her, been through hell with her, and had nothing but a smile and a kind word for her. It was then Jessie came to terms with her feelings - she was in love. She estimated it had been sometime after they had come to the Sevii Islands, but love was love, no matter how you slice it. Then she thought the inevitable next thought - did James love her? They'd known each other for almost a decade, she realized. Why hadn't he ever... of course. He wouldn't, would he? Jessie shook her head, promising to get to the bottom of things after they got home. The two trainers boarded their boat and set sail for One Island.

Later that night, Jessie knocked on James's bedroom door. He opened it, wearing a t-shirt and pajama pants. She looked past him, saw he was writing something by lamp light. "Are you busy?" She turned to exit. "Sorry, I'll ask tomor-"

"Wait!" James exclaimed, grabbing her shoulder, stopping her escape. Slowly, she turned back around, and he was all smiles. "It's fine, really. I was just going over some of my notes from my battle with Sapphire. I'm going to rematch her next week. Can't let you be the only one with a badge," he winked. "Come on in," he said, closing the door behind her. "What's up?"

Jessie answered him by grabbing him by the shirt, pushing him against the door, and pressing her lips to his. This was a long time coming, Jessie thought, feeling herself light up when James wrapped his arms around her. She was so dumb for not realizing it before, both his feelings for her and hers for him, but tonight, she would right that wrong. They eased into the kiss, enjoying one another, before Jessie reluctantly broke it off. She stepped back, remembered what she'd done. "Sorry I pushed you."

James waved a hand dismissively. "It's-"

"I love you," she blurted. James stood, hand mid-wave, stunned into silence. "I... I love you, James," she said again. She turned, walked to his bed, and sat on the edge. After a moment, he sat next to her. "And I'm sorry it took me this long to realize it. I want to thank you--seriously thank you--for everything that you've ever done for me. Let me finish!" she snapped when he went to interrupt her. "How long have we been partners? Almost ten years now? And you're the only one who's ever given a rat's ass about me. You're kind, and patient, good God you're patient. I've done some awful things to you over the years and still you stay by my side, even when I don't deserve it." A realization. "You've loved me since then, haven't you?"

James, realizing he was busted, nodded. There was no need to hide anymore. "Before then. Since the Festival of Flowers."

Jessie went wide-eyed, thinking of the annual Coordinator gathering. They had only gone one time, but that was... "Christ, James, that was years ago! How did you... all this time..." She felt herself tearing up. Had she really been blind to it for so long? She frantically searched her memories, trying to find signs or clues that he might have dropped, and feeling awful that she could not think of one instance that should have made his feelings clear.

James took her hands in his. "I didn't think you would have returned my feelings. I-"

She stopped him with another kiss. There would be no confusion now, or ever. She would give herself to him completely, and he to her, and nothing would stop her from making her feelings known.

* * * *

"Come on, Meowth, you can do it! Just focus on dodging!" James shouted. Six months after Jessie's victory at the Cinnabar Gym, James and Meowth were doing some training by the villa.

"Tryin' ta!" he said as another of Carnivine's vines shot at him. He dodged the first three whips, but the fourth caught him by the tail. It wrapped around Meowth's tail tight and started to pull him in. Remembering what he had practiced, Meowth delivered a Fury Swipes attack to the vine, severing it from Meowth's body and allowing him to escape while Carnivine retracted the vine.

"Great job, Meowth, that's just like we practiced! Carnivine, use Bullet Seed!"

Carnivine fired the machine gun attack, pelting Meowth with the hard seeds. "Ow! Uh, damn it, what was it? Right, I got it!" Meowth shielded himself and stood his ground, trying his hardest to maximize the Endure attack's efficiency. When Carnivine stopped the attack, Meowth pounced, landing right on top of Carnivine. He took a huge breath and shouted as loud as he could; the Hyper Voice was more than strong enough to knock Carnivine out. James recalled his Pokemon, and went to congratulate his friend. He rushed as Meowth fell to his knees, clutching his stomach as if he were in pain.

"Meowth! What's wrong?! Are you all right?" James knelt down to better check on Meowth, but Meowth pushed him back.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Meowth said, slowly getting to his feet. "Just didn't think I'd ever get that feeling, you know?"

"Feeling? What feeling?" James thought hard at what feeling Meowth could be describing. And then it hit him. "Meowth! Are you serious? It's happening?"

"Yep. I'm... evolving."

When they returned to the villa, James and Meowth explained what happened. "I'm not really surprised I'm evolving now," Meowth said. "I've done more battling in the past year than I ever have when we was chasin' da twerps, you know?" He visibly winced for a brief moment as he fought the part of him that demanded the evolution take place. When it subsided, he caught his breath, then continued. "For us Pokemon that evolve, there's a feeling we get when we know it's time, and we just let it happen. But when we ignore or try to suppress that feeling, it gets crazier and more insistent since we're stoppin' what's supposed ta be natural. It feels like my insides are being squeezed together and it hurts so bad there it is again!" Meowth fell to the ground and glowed white for a brief few moments before it faded. Evolution had not taken him yet.

"Does evolving hurt?" Jessie asked.

"I dunno," Meowth said, opting to sit on the floor. "Well, I mean that we ain't conscious for it. Our cellular structure is completely changing, so whatever power it is that makes us evolve just knocks our lights out right before it happens."

"Okay, so why don't you let it happen?" James followed up. "If resisting it hurts, why don't you evolve? Think of how much stronger you'll become!"

"Yeah, well, maybe that ain't everything, you know? Maybe I kinda like you idiots a little bit and I don't want things to change between us. I'm also scared of losing my ability to talk with you guys."

James sat on the floor across from his close friend and tried to massage him as he continued to fight the evolution. James could have sworn that he felt Meowth's bones threaten to shift underneath his skin. "Does it ever stop?"

"Yes... it does," Meowth said, clearly drained. "I just have to hold out... for a little bit more. The feeling... takes so much out of you... eventually you don't have the strength to resist it, and it gets you." He reached for a nearby glass of water and drank the contents in one go . "Whew. If I can just hold off for like a day or so, it should go away for a while."

Jessie took Meowth's glass and stood up to go refill it. "Well, I think you should evolve," Jessie said, scratching Meowth behind his ears before heading towards the kitchen. "You could probably wipe the floor with Giovanni's Persian if you did!"

Meowth hesitated. He never thought of it like that. He would like a shot at that smug jerk. Giovanni's favorite Pokemon. Always had been. Ooh, it would be so satisfying to beat him in a battle. That would teach him to run his mouth. Still, he was Giovanni's favorite Pokemon...how strong was he? Giovanni's Persian didn't battle much, but it was still strong enough to hold his own... suddenly evolution didn't seem like such a bad idea.

James noticed Meowth mulling over what Jessie had said. "You're considering it now."

Meowth nodded. "Yeah. She's got a point. That dumb Persian is the reason the boss hates me." He paused a moment as he felt his evolution coming on again, but it dissipated just as quickly as it came. "If I could beat him, maybe the boss might make me top cat."

"You don't sound too excited about that," James noted as Jessie returned. She set the glass of water where Meowth could reach it if he needed it, and took a seat next to James.

Just then, Wobbuffet burst from his Poke Ball. "Wobbuffet!"

Meowth turned to his fellow Pokemon. "You think so?"

"Wobbuffet! Wobbuffet?"

"Yeah, it would be nice, but-"

"Wobb." He held up an arm, then pointed it to James. "Wobbuffet." He pointed it at Jessie. "Wobbuffet. Wobbuffet!" He hugged her leg as he said it. Jessie petted Wobbuffet a little bit, and Meowth laughed a little. "Wobbuffet! Wobbuffet!"

"Okay, okay, you've made your point," Meowth said. Knowing that they were going to ask him to translate, he simply did it for them. "He said I should go ahead and evolve. He asked if strength was important to me, and I said it would be nice. There's a word Pokemon use to refer to their trainer when they get really close. It don't translate well into human language, but a rough translation would be 'special partner.' Anyway, he said that you were my special partner, James, and to an extent Jessie was too, although Jessie was his special partner and I shouldn't get any big ideas. He said that I was lucky to have the two of you and I should do anything I can to help protect you, the same as he would do."

Jessie and James looked at each other, then Wobbuffet. "He really said that?" Jessie said.

"Yeah," Meowth confirmed. "I'm surprised you guys never ask his opinion. He can be pretty insightful sometimes. Case in point... I think I'm gonna go through with it. Wobbuffet's right. You guys are more than just my trainers. You guys are my family, and I would hate for something to happen ta you guys and me be helpless ta do something. And it's not like my memories are going to get erased, ya know? And if I can't talk to you, I'll just have to re-learn it. Thanks, buddy," he said, extending a paw to Wobbuffet. Wobbuffet took his paw and shook it. He took a deep breath and let it out. "Jessie... James... it's been real. Here goes nothin'!"

He closed his eyes, calling back the evolution energy, and accepted his fate. His body glowed a bright white and the three other friends could see the slight outline of Meowth's new form. When the light faded, a new Pokemon sat in front of them. It was odd to see, considering Giovanni had one, but now they did too. "Well?" Jessie asked. "Can you still talk to us?"

Persian licked a paw and began to clean himself with it. "Persian," he said.

James frowned. "I guess not," he sighed dejectedly.

Persian couldn't hold it in any longer. He burst into laughter. "I'm kidding! I'm totally kidding! Yeah I can still talk, and guys. Guys. The power. It's incredible! I've never felt anything like this!" He coiled back and leaped from the floor clear over the couch to the other side, then back again. "No more struggling to get on furniture for this cat! Hot damn!" He extended his claws, admiring them, and presenting them to the humans for further admiration. "Check these bad boys out! No more-a them tiny toothpicks I thought were claws! Now these," he said, slashing at the air for effect, "are claws!" He stopped when he noticed Jessie wiping away tears. "Hey, whoa, Jessie, what's up?" He startled her when he put his front paws up on her lap. Something she'd have to get used to, she supposed.

Jessie scratched Persian behind his ears and smiled. "Look at you. So big and strong. I'm proud of you. We're proud of you," she said, putting her free arm around James. "Right, hon?"

"Damn right we are!" James said, petting Persian's creamy, smooth fur.

"I was just happy, that's all," Jessie explained. "Look at us. You've evolved. We've begun dating. We've all gotten so much stronger."

"Wobbuffet!"

"Another good point," Persian agreed. "He said it's all thanks to Ash. You can't really disagree with that."

Jessie and James thought about that. It wasn't fair to them to give Ash the credit for everything... could they? They started dating only after they came here to train, and they only came here because they wanted to beat Ash, so...maybe it really was all because of him. He was the catalyst that set everything in motion, at least. They decided that they would give him some credit, but not all. They would have to thank him... right after they beat him.

* * * *

A few months after Meowth's evolution, and after Jessie and James had finished earning badges from every Gym in Kanto, Jessie suggested they go back to Giovanni and show him just what they had learned. After all, she argued, maybe he'd be willing to give them their jobs back after seeing how much better they were. And it would be a perfect way to gauge their Pokemon's strength; if they could hold their own against the leader of Team Rocket, surely Ash wouldn't be much more difficult, right? The others agreed, and took a plane to Saffron City.

Giovanni nearly threw them out on the spot, but Jessie wasn't having it, and apparently, neither was Wobbuffet; when Giovanni's Persian stepped forward to push the former Rockets out, Wobbuffet burst from his Poke Ball and bashed him over the head with one arm. Persian leaped at him, claws and fangs bared, but Wobbuffet exploded in a blue aura and smacked Persian away the second he made contact. The cat flew into the wall, knocking a vase over and shattering it on the floor. Wobbuffet returned to Jessie and hugged her, glaring--such as it was--at Giovanni. James reiterated that they weren't looking to dethrone Giovanni as leader; they just wanted to test their strength against one of the strongest trainers in the world. When Giovanni asked why he should bother when he could just have them arrested, Jessie reminded him that they once were two of the highest-ranked officials in Team Rocket and they knew plenty of secrets that the authorities would surely have a field day with, and that was enough to give Giovanni pause. Finally, he relented, allowing them the battle they desired.

It was the worst loss they'd suffered since they left the organization. Giovanni throttled them without losing a single Pokemon. He constantly switched his Pokemon out, allowing them just enough rest so that they could handle whatever Jessie and James threw at them. Persian, while not being able to knock out any Pokemon, lasted the longest out of the six Pokemon they used, and Giovanni's jaw nearly hit the floor when they told him that it was the talking Meowth he threw out along with them. Giovanni conceded it was clear that they had gotten much, much stronger since leaving, and admitted that if they'd been able to use a couple more Pokemon that they might have been able to beat him as all six of his Pokemon were on the verge of fainting. Smart switching and being able to use the field to his advantage was what sealed the win for him.

Giovanni then offered Jessie and James their jobs back without even being asked first. James agreed, but on one condition: full autonomy. James reassured Giovanni that if he really wanted Pikachu, they would get it for him, but after that was done, they wanted the freedom to pursue their own interests as well as those of the company. Giovanni said he would agree to that, but had a condition of his own; surrender Persian to be at his side. He was, frankly, embarrassed at how his Persian was dismantled in a single hit. He hadn't given the order to attack, but did so anyway, which meant he needed to be punished. Additionally, the way their Persian conducted himself and battled was something to be proud of, and he was now worthy to sit with Giovanni. James said the decision ultimately rested with Persian. Persian asked if he would be able to join them if they needed him, and when Giovanni acquiesced in this request, James accepted Giovanni's terms. Jessie, James, and Wobbuffet shared a tearful goodbye, thanked Giovanni for his understanding, and left.

It would only be another few short months before their fateful battle with Ash...

* * * *

Jessie opened her eyes. They certainly had been through a lot. She knelt down at Ash, turned him over so he faced the sky. No, she decided, it wasn't all Ash's doing. He didn't make her bust her ass for two years to become the strongest she's ever been. He didn't force her to finally realize she was in love with her best friend and most trusted ally. He didn't force her to, for the first time in her life, reconsider life in Team Rocket. No, it wasn't all his doing... but he did deserve a little credit. "Thanks, twerp," she said, returning to her feet. She returned to James, who looked like he was finishing up. "What did you write?"

He handed her the note and let her read it herself. "Just something I wish we didn't have to. The boss was clear, though. He wanted everything." He took his phone out from his pocket, made a call. "Yes, it's James. We have the package. Do it... yes, all of them. Yes, I know how many there are... But nothing. Were my instructions not clear? ...Good. Get a move on; the cops will be here, and there, soon. James out." He stuck the note inside one of the crates and closed it. He thought he could make out police boats in the distance, and didn't feel like sticking around to find out if he was right. "Time to go," he said, removing a Poke Ball from his belt and releasing the Hypno inside. He hadn't planned on using it to battle, but none of their other Pokemon could get them out as fast as this Hypno could. "Take us home, and step on it."

There was a nod, a glow, and the two humans and Hypno were gone in a flash, leaving Ash alone and unconscious on the beach.