Pokémon: Road to Indigo Glory

Blasting off with Trouble

"Hello." Humans 

"Pika-chu." Pokémon addressing humans

"Hello." Pokémon addressing Pokémon

As the sun set upon the day, Ash, Lillie, Issac, and Gary were hard at work in the Professor's lab. For Ash and Gary, it was routine. Feeding Pokémon, rounding them up for bed, making sure everyone is groomed. The kind of thing the two did on autopilot. For Issac and Lillie, however, while they weren't strangers to a lot of work like this, it was on a scale that simply boggled the mind. And a certain yellow rodent wasn't exactly pulling his weight.

"Pikachu. Can you stop lying around and actually do something?" Pidgeotto grumbled as he moved a toolbox across the room.

"I am doing something. I'm supervising." Pikachu replied, laying back and relaxing with a clipboard in hand.

"On whose authority, you supercharged rat?" Ruffian squawked as he carried some empty feed bags to the trash dumpster.

"On seniority, ya' grumpy throw pillow. I've been here longer than any of you." Pikachu sassed before looking at the checklist.

"I've been with Isaac longer than you have been with Ash." Blaze sternly said, putting down a pot for a plant and putting her hands on her lizard thighs.

"But I've been here at the lab the longest. Therefore, I have seniority over all of you." Pikachu pointed out with a smirk before.

"So, we are counting when you were stuck in a fancy ball that no one wanted then. Got it." Gary's Squirtle chuckled as he stood at his trainer's side.

Pikachu glared at Squirtle at that. "So, you actually want to know what a hundred thousand volts of electricity feels like going through your body, huh Shell Head?" he replied, sparks of electricity dancing off his cheek pouches.

"Gentlemen, please don't fight. Besides, I should apologize for my lack of contributions…" Metapod said sorrowfully, trying his best to keep the peace.

"At least you have an excuse, Metapod. You have no arms and legs." Isaac pointed out as he checked on some wiring.

This stunned Ash's and Gary's Pokémon, who stopped and looked at Isaac. They then looked at Blaze and Ruffian. "How can he-" Pikachu started to ask, only to be interrupted by Blaze.

"It's complicated." she replied, getting back to potting plants.

"Hey, Pikachu! Go check to see if we got more batteries for the flashlight!" Ash called out as he was waist deep inside a piece of equipment, holding a failing flashlight.

"Why don't you have him use his electricity to recharge the battery?" Isaac pointed out.

"We tried that once… it didn't work out so well." Ash replied, flinching a bit at the memory.

"Besides, those aren't rechargeable." Gary chipped in, carrying a hay bale through the throughway to get to the Ponyta paddock.

"You guys should really start investing in rechargeable batteries around here." Isaac pointed out as he found a faulty wire. "There we go…"

"Those kinds of batteries aren't designed to be charged by something like a Pikachu, Isaac." Lillie explained as she handed Ash a wrench.

"This stupid bolt's coming off one way or another! Lillie, start looking for the cutting torch." Ash said gruffly, putting his weight down onto the stubborn piece of metal.

"I'm on it, Ash. I'll take that clipboard, Pikachu." Lillie replied before turning to the electric mouse.

Pikachu sighed and handed her the clipboard before waddling off. She soon looks at it, and to her shock, there actually was a checklist of things on it with the things they'd gotten done checked off. She then got a small smile before calling out to Pikachu.

"Good job on supervising, Pikachu! Keep up the good work!" Lillie called out chipperly, which caught the yellow mouse off guard.

Pikachu gave a small smile as the other Pokémon looked at him in shock that he'd actually been telling the truth.

"So, how you two holding up?" Gary asked Isaac and Lillie.

"Pretty good. I found a faulty wire in the wall. We're gonna need to shut off the power when Pikachu gets back with those batteries so I can fix it." Isaac said, motioning Gary over to take a look.

"If we haven't got any, then we can shut the power off once we get the Pokémon to bed. Regardless, the Professor is going to want that fixed. Let's hope we can get it done before he gets back from that conference." Ash said as Lillie came to him with the cutting torch.

"Do you know where the faulty wire goes, Isaac?" Lillie asked in concern.

"I… think it goes out to the biome for the Electric types. That's not good…" Isaac replied, looking to where he tracked the wire to.

"FIIIIIRRREEEE!!!" Ash roared maniacally as he lit the cutting torch.

Meanwhile: Outside the Lab

As the night began to settle in, the eerie calm that struck dread into the hearts of men began to kick in. A slow breeze nipped and tugged at the forests branches as three individuals snuck their way towards the back of the lab. Undeterred or concerned that the lights were still on. In fact, one may say they were gleeful at that prospect.

"Now remember, you two… this place is a Pokémon Professor's lab, so it's likely heavily guarded and secure…" a stern female voice quietly said to her two cohorts.

"Guarded by children. Not really all that secure, is it? I mean, my bottle caps are more secure than this place." A flamboyant male voice responded.

"Shut it, James. We have no idea what could be guarding this place outside of those brats. We need to stay on our toes." the female voice snapped quietly to the man, now identified as James.

"Yeah, the boss is waitin'!" a thick accent chastised from below his companions, causing them both to glance down at him in irritation.

"We know the boss is waiting, Meowth. We're trying to figure out a plan." the woman's voice irritably told the thick-accented voice before a bonk noise was heard.

"Yow!" Meowth cried in pain. "You want some a' me, Toots?! I got nine lives, I ain't afraid of nothin'!" Meowth growled as they heard a lock click.

"Um… we're in. I mean, we are on a deadline, you two bozos." James said, gesturing to the now open door.

"Ya' got lucky, Red!" Meowth grumbled as they entered the building.

"The only lucky one is you, Furball!" the woman's voice growled out.

"Easy now, Jessie. Let's focus." James whispered, trying to keep the peace and hoping that she didn't take her anger out on him… again.

"Fine…!" Jessie quietly snapped back as they began making their way inside.

"Good on ya', Jimmy!" Meowth whispered as they quietly made their way along slowly and quietly.

The three slowly crept their way in, leaving the back door open for a quick getaway. The simple halls cluttered with various things from the workday made it a minefield of getting caught. However, the trio slunk along like pros. They soon passed the way to the dumpster, where Pidgeotto and Ruffian were dropping off the trash. Just as Jessie crossed, Pidgeotto turned around to see James and Meowth crossing the hall.

"Intruder alert! Get them!"  Pidgeotto screeched, causing Ruffian to wheel around really quick.

"Divebomb!" Ruffian called out before diving in, then started to fly around the two and beginning to Peck them.

"Not the face, not the face!" James cried out.

"Argh! Scram, Bird Brain!" Meowth cried, swiping the air ineffectively. 

Offended, Ruffian pecked especially hard at Meowth for that comment. As the two swatted at their flying assailants and grabbed items to shield themselves, they were washed in the blue glow. As a large purple snake Pokémon with a rattle at the end of its tail appeared.

"Ekannnnssss." the snake hissed.

"Ekans, use Bite on those annoying birds!" Jessie's voice called to her serpentine partner.

"Ekannnssss!!" it cried out, before leaping into the air at them, mouth agape. 

Caught off guard, Ruffian and Pidgeotto were barely able to dodge the attempted Bite attack. However, this left them open to follow up.

"Now hit them with Acid! Meowth, get the net gun!" Jessie called out, first to her Pokémon partner then to her Poké-partner in crime.

"Oh, I've been waitin' to use this!" Meowth cried in joy pulling out the aforementioned "Net Gun" from James's bag. With a grin, he took aim and waited for his cue to fire.

"Watch the bottle caps, flea bag!" James chastised the cat.

"Ekannnsssss!" Ekans called out before firing a gout of acidic liquid from its mouth.

The Acid attack nailed Ruffian as he pushed Pidgeotto out of the way of the attack. The Spearow cried out in pain as he fell to the ground, the acid burning his feathers. Glaring, Pidgeotto dive bombed at Ekans with a Quick Attack in an attempt to avenge his compatriot.

"Ekans, burrow underground!" Jessie called out, motioning downwards.

"Ekannnnssss!" Ekans called out before diving down, burrowing deep into the earth.

Stopping, Pidgeotto looked around in confusion. Unsure of where his foe would pop up. However, before he could react, the ground exploded behind him as Ekans' purple, scaly form popped back up.

"Now use Bite!" Jessie called out to her Pokémon partner.

Opening its mouth, Ekans bit down on Pidgeotto from behind, taking him to the ground and downing him as he struggled to get loose. Eventually, Pidgeotto stopped scrambling to move and passed out from the Bite attack next to Ruffian. Releasing his hold, Ekans slithered back to his trainer as Meowth saw his opening.

"Gotcha'!"  Meowth cried in victory as the gun fired and quickly ensnared the downed Pokémon.

"Good job, Ekans." Jessie said with a smile, patting her serpentine partner on the head.

"Ekannnssss." it replied simply, before slithering alongside her.

"My dear Koffing would have been done in half the time." James snidely remarked, moving hair out of his face flippantly.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, James." Jessie replied sarcastically.

With the birds netted up, the crooks made their way deeper into the lab. Soon arriving at the door to the main lab, they briefly looked inside. There they saw four kids hard at work for the professor. Furthermore, they saw a Squirtle, a Metapod, and a Charmander huddled around each other nearby. Putting aside why a professor would just let four kids run around his lab, the three got to work. Jamies let out his Koffing as Meowth reloaded the net gun.

At the count of three, Jessie swung the door open. Meowth then fired the net, trapping the three Pokémon in its iron hard cables. Then Koffing, from its many pore holes, spewed thick, black smoke into the room, causing the four to cough and cover their eyes.

"What's going on!? Who's there!?" Ash coughed out roughly.

"Don't be frightened, little boy!" Jessie called out.

"Allow us to introduce ourselves!" James added.

"To protect the world from devastation…" Jessie said proudly.

"To unite all peoples within our nation…" James continued.

"To denounce the evils of truth and love…" Jessie added as the smoke began slowly clearing.

"To extend our reach to the stars above!" James kept it going as they began to come into view.

"Jessie!" Jessie introduced herself as the smoke cleared.

"James!" James also introduced himself as the smoke cleared completely.

"Team Rocket, blast off at the speed of light!" Jessie declared.

"Surrender now or prepare to fight!" James declared alongside his partner-in-crime.

"Meowth! That's right!" the feline Pokémon chipped in.

"Team Rocket? That sounds like a cover band." Ash said in confusion.

"Wait, do you not know who we are?" James asked in shock.

"Ash, you idiot! It's that criminal group that steals Pokémon Gramps was telling us about!" Gary yelled in frustration.

"Oh yeah… I was thinking of the Red Rockets band." Ash said in bemusement.

"Those are the 'Crimson Rockets,' ya schmuck!" Meowth growled in irritation.

"We're here to steal every Pokémon here, twerps! Show 'em, James!" Jessie snapped out, gesturing to her partner-in-crime as he hefted up the net with the defeated Ruffian and Pidgeotto inside.

"Ruffian!" Isaac called out in concern.

"Pidgeotto!" Ash yelled out. "You let them go!"

"Also, how can that Meowth talk?" Lillie asked in both confusion and concern.

"Hard work and determination, Girlie!" Meowth said with a satisfied smirk.

"I said give them back!" Ash yelled as he charged at them, only to be knocked onto his back by Koffing.

"If you want them back, come and get them, kid! If you think you can!" Jessie sneered out.

"You let them go! Blaze, use Metal Claw to rip through that net!" Isaac called out to his partner.

Blaze's claws shone with metal before swinging them at the net. To the shock of the trainers and their captured Pokémon, it didn't budge. Swing after swing, her claws simply slide off without causing any damage. This got a great hearty chuckle out of the Team Rocket crew, with even Ekans and Koffing chortling along with their trainers.

"Of course, you crooks would play dirty like that!" Gary growled at them.

"Of course we would, brat! We're the bad guys!" Jessie laughed haughtily.

However soon one of the doors swung open, causing everyone to look over. Pikachu soon waddled back in with a frustrated look on his face, having been unable to find any batteries. Before him was a truly bizarre scene, with white clad humans and their Pokémon with Ash and company's Pokémon caught up in nets. Immediately realizing the situation, he stood his ground as sparks began to fly from his cheeks.

"Pika Pika." he growled, glaring daggers at the lot of them.

"Ya' kiss ya' mother with that mouth, rat!?" Meowth asked, flinching at the other Pokémon's words.

"What did it say, Meowth?" James asked in confusion.

"C'mon, Jimmy! We got kids here!" Meowth rolled his eyes.

"We're robbing the kids, Meowth!" Jessie reminded him.

"But we're professionals, Jessie. Professionals have standards." Meowth said, glaring at the taller woman.

"Right, right. Be polite, be efficient, and have a plan to kill everyone you meet." Jessie replied, nodding as she remembered.

"That wasn't in the Team Rocket handbook!" James cried out.

"Now's our chance to get them. Ash, get Pikachu to blast them." Gary whispered.

"Right. Pikachu! Hit them with Thunder Shock!!" Ash cried out, reaching his hand out as he did it.

"Thunder what now-" the trio said before they were interrupted.

Soon massive sparks began to fly from Pikachu's cheeks. Leaping up into the air, he curled himself up as he launched a massive bolt of electric energy at them.

"Pikachuuuuu!!" he screamed as the trio and their Pokémon were instantly shocked.

The five cried out in pain as they were electrocuted, causing them to drop the nets. Soon, the electricity overloaded the net gun, causing it to violently explode. The force of the explosion blew them up through the roof as the nets hit the floor. As their screams of pain and panic soon became distant echoes, it left the group staring up into the hole in the ceiling with a single burning question.

"Great… now we have to patch that roof…" Isaac groaned in frustration.

"... Why did they explode?" Lillie asked in disbelief.

"Pika Pika chu chu Pika." Pikachu sternly said up into the sky.

"Whoa! Where'd you learn that language, Pikachu!? We're gonna have to wash your mouth out with soap, at this rate…" Isaac noted.

"What did he say exactly?" Gary asked in confusion.

"He vulgarly insulted their mothers for the three of them trying to Pokénapp his friends." Isaac explained.

"Pika pi." Pikachu answered Gary.

"He says Ash taught him." Isaac replied simply as he went to check on Ruffian and Blaze.

"I did not!" Ash yelled out as he checked on Metapod and Pidgeotto. "You lie again, young man, and you lose your ketchup privileges for a week!"

Pikachu gave a glare at his trainer. "Pika pika…" he growled out.

Lillie then walked up to the yellow rodent. "Pikachu." she sternly yet, somehow, sweetly said.

"Pika pi…" Pikachu said apologetically.

"Good. Alright. I'll go call the police. You boys start cleaning up around here." Lillie said to them as she pulled out her Rotom phone.

"How do you do that…?" Ash asked in disbelief.

"You just need to know how to talk to him, Ash." Lillie sweetly replied.