Chapter Text
“ Hmm. Imagine - accepting an award for doing something good.” Jessie says scornfully as the crowd below them chatters.
“ Yes… but it would be nice to get congratulations for doing something right for a change… ” James pouts.
“ Wrong is where we belong! ” Jessie retorts, “ We have a job to do, and it happens to be a bad one! ” She points dramatically from the edge of the rooftop.
“ Someday we’ll capture dat Pikachu, just you wait and see! ” Meowth copies her pose.
“ Yo ho! ” James rallies.
I barely resist adding a “Meowth, that’s right!”
Instead, I interject with a very abrupt “Can I join your team?”
The trio falters in their (un)heroic posing, and a shudder goes down their spines.
“ Jessie? Did you hear that? ” James asks, frozen.
“ If you heard a ghost, you’re hearing what I’m hearing. ” Jessie replies, frozen as well.
There’s a pause.
Meowth finally whips around.
“ It’s dat Gastly da cop had! ” He exclaims, eyeing me nervously like I’m about to turn him in or something.
“Yep. Same one.” I respond.
Jessie and James turn around as well.
“ What’s it saying, Meowth? ” Jessie asks, frowning.
“ Um… it says it’s the same one, yeah, and dat…” Meowth pauses.
“I want to join your team.” I supply.
Meowth blinks. “ Eh? ”
“ What?! What’d it say?! ” James prods anxiously.
“ Dat don’t make sense! ” The scratch cat Pokemon blurts. “ You already got a trainer - and a cop too! Why do you want to join us losers?! ”
“ Hey! ” Jessie and James exclaim simultaneously. “ We’re not losers! ”
Meowth and I both ignore them.
“ So? ” I say.
“ ”So”?! ” Meowth seems dumbfounded. “ Dats your trainer! Not us! ”
“Cops cramp my style -“ I explain. “You guys on the other hand, I can tell you have tons of style! I want in.” I wink playfully.
“ You want in? ” Meowth parrots.
“ It wants what?” Jessie and James finally clue in.
“ But doesn’t it already have a trainer? ” James questions.
“ It says it don’t like cops, but it likes our style! ” Meowth says, looking torn between pride and disbelief.
Jessie and James blink, then turn to stare at each other.
“Our style?” They say in unison.
“ We have style? ” James wonders aloud.
“ Of course we do, you nitwit! ” Jessie cuffs him. “ I’m here, after all! ”
I barely manage to refrain from snickering at their antics.
Still, I grin widely as I float up to Jessie, who falters in her confidence.
“I like you!” I comment cheerily.
Meowth blinks “ It says it likes ya, Jessie! ”
“She.” I correct his pronoun choice. “After all, we gals have to stick together!” I giggle girlishly.
Meowth sweatdrops. “Look - Miss Gastly - how do we even know you’re not a plant, huh?!”
Jessie and James jolt, the idea startling them.
“I’m not!” I cry, slightly offended. “I just think you guys are cool!”
When Meowth translates this, the trio begin debating whether or not I’m genuine in Kantonese too fast for me to follow. James seems the most receptive, but Jessie and Meowth look apprehensive.
“Look -“ I call out as I back away. “Gimme a sec, I can prove it!” I duck behind another building.
The argument lulls.
When I return, I have my pokeball in my mouth.
“Bleh!” I stick my tongue out, the red and white sphere clutched in it. “Thee? Thwhat plant thwould thoo thith?”
I bite down on my pokeball, shattering it to pieces.
Team Rocket watches in shock as I spit out pieces of my former home.
“So! Jessie - do you have any pokeballs on you?” I ask, circling the redhead.
Meowth barely manages to ask the same - still in shock.
Jessie slowly pulls out a plain pokeball, extending it hesitantly to me, a wary look on her face.
Said look turns to surprise and is the last thing I see when I nudge the pokeball.
Darkness.
Pressure.
No resistance.
Click!
I giggle to myself in the dark, imagining the looks on their faces.
———
It’s a relatively short time later, as far as I can tell, when my new trainer lets me out.
I can immediately tell we’re not on the rooftop overlooking the police station anymore - we’re inside a building, looks like a small hotel room.
Jessie, James, and Meowth are staring at me, looking more composed than before.
I stare back, tilting my head.
There’s an awkward silence, before Jessie steps forward. “ Gastly - if you’re going to join Team Rocket, you need to know how we work. ”
James nods. “ Team Rocket is a criminal organization - our goal is to steal all the world’s rare Pokemon. ”
“ Think ya can handle dat? ” Meowth smirks, crossing his arms.
I puff up. “Yes, yes I can!”
“ Even if it means lying? ” Meowth asks.
“ And cheating? ” Jessie continues.
“ And getting your butt kicked? ” James finishes.
“Yes, yes, and yes!” I exclaim. No way am I missing out on this show! - Even if it does mean I have to do some undesirable things!
The trio stare at me still.
“ Alright then, ” Jessie finally says. “ Let’s introduce you to the rest of the team. ”
She opens the door, and motions for me to follow.
I obey, floating behind her.
The four of us exit the room, funneling into the hallway.
We walk (in my case, float) through it silently, but I can’t help but give a small gasp when we turn around the corner.
The hallway has opened up, revealing the shining sun, blue skies, and mirrored ocean.
We’re on a boat!
I didn’t notice it before, because I’m floating, but the floor rocks with the waves.
Wind puffs against my face, bringing with it the scent of the sea.
“Ooh! How far out are we?” I absentmindedly ask Meowth. “I’ve never been on a boat before!” I admire the sight of the ocean.
The cat Pokemon glances my way as Jessie leads us to a clearing on the deck. “ But ya lived on an island? ”
“Well, I’m actually pretty young… haven’t gone out to see the world - which is part of the reason why I’m with you guys!” I say.
Meowth turns more fully to me, about to say something, but Jessie interrupts.
“ Go Arbok! Go Lickitung! ” She calls out, extending a pokeball in each hand.
“ Go Weezing, Victreebel! ” James does the same for his own two Pokemon.
With a flash of light, four Pokemon materialize.
“James!” Two of the Pokemon gleefully chorus, and almost before they’re done forming, Weezing and Victreebel tackle their trainer.
Arbok, Meowth, Jessie, and I watch with exasperation as James dramatically wails in pain.
Jessie is distracted from that however by her Lickitung. “Food?” They ask, tugging on her hand.
“ Lickitung -“ Jessie jumps, turning to her Pokemon. “ Ugh, yes, you’ll get food! But later! Right now, I need to introduce you to our new team member. ”
“Huh? Alright… I’ll hold you to it.” Lickitung says.
“Mistress? We have a new team member?” Arbok asks, his attention drawn away from the pile of Pokemon nuzzling James.
His keen eyes hone in on mine.
“Hey - aren’t you that - ?” He tilts his head.
“ She’s Jessie’s new Pokemon! ” Meowth says.
“I thought you were that officer’s Pokemon.” Arbok comments.
“Yeah, I was, but I decided not to be.” I explain simply.
Arbok eyes me. He glances to his trainer for confirmation, and receives a nod.
“Alright.” He sighs, closing his eyes.
He opens them again. “I’m Arbok - listen to the Mistress and we’ll get along fine, I suppose.”
I nod in response.
“Wait, there’s a newbie? Victreebel, spit James out - we need to greet someone!” Weezing says, lifting his weight off of his master.
Despite his noises of pain, James is wearing a smile when Victreebel spits him out. He happily pats the Grass type, which leans into it, before turning its attention towards me.
“Hello! I’m Victreebel! You’re with Jessie, right?” He inquires.
“Yep! And seems like Arbok is ok with it - what about you guys?” I ask in return.
“Oh, as long as you don’t hate James, we’re cool!” Weezing easily responds. His faces are relaxed.
“Nah, James is cool. Honestly, I almost asked him to be my new trainer, but gals have to stick together!” I say with a laugh.
Weezing and Victreebel smile at me, pleased to see I like James.
It’s a friendlier response than Arbok.
“ What about you, Lickitung? ” Meowth asks the pink Pokemon.
“She’s ok.” Lickitung says. “Now can we get food?”
Meowth sweatdrops. “ Dat’s all ya think about, ain’t it… ”
Lickitung shrugs in response.
———
After “ getting some grub ”, as Meowth puts it, Jessie and James recall their Pokemon, as the boat isn’t all that big, and they aren’t exactly small species.
Jessie attempts to do the same for me, but I point out that I’m a ghost - if I want, I can go intangible and take up no space at all. I do just so to avoid the beam of red light.
Jessie gets frustrated, repeatedly zapping the spot where I disappeared, much to my amusement.
I wait invisibly behind her, letting her tire herself out.
I reappear and follow her back to the room when she gives up.
———
Team Rocket quickly learns that me and my new trainer share similar stubborn streaks, and our tempers begin to grind and clash in the enclosed space of the boat.
Thankfully, the fact that I can phase through walls and turn invisible allows me to disappear for long enough to let us both cool down.
Still, tensions are rather high, leading us to practically kiss the ground when we make landfall.
Sunburst Island! I don’t recognize it - having not watched very much of the anime. I was always more of a Kirby Right Back At Ya fan at that age. That, and Sonic X.
But anyways, Jessie, James, and Meowth are quick to tell me what it’s known for - expensive, sparkling, beautifully crafted glass! I have to admit, as someone with an appreciation for the arts, this does interest me.
Invisible, I peek through the windows, gazing at the craftsman's forges. It’s rather awe inspiring - the way they so skillfully build the shapes I see, forming dazzling figures sitting in the shops. It’s almost romantic too, with the clear love most of these glass blowers put into their work.
As I’m thinking this, I turn, going back to Team Rocket. I enter the shop I left them in.
Just in time to hear Meowth yell, and for me to watch Jessie and James fumble and drop several dishes.
“Nooooooo! The artistry!” I mourn, reappearing over the pile of glass shards.
“ Hey! We got a rule around here - you break it, you bought it! ” The shop owner interrupts.
The trio pale several shades, looking like they just saw a ghost.
That’s my job!
“I, uh… thing about dat…” Meowth nervously stammers when he recovers somewhat. “We ain’t got no cash! All we got is chump change!”
The shopkeeper looks somewhat startled to hear a talking Pokemon, but quickly looks more angry than shocked.
“ Then what were you doing in my shop? ” The man says, quickly growing very irritated.
“ W-we was just admiring your wares! Dat’s all! ” Meowth excuses, unwilling to admit that he was probably going to steal them later.
“ Admired them to pieces… ” a vein tics on the shopkeeper's forehead. He grabs Jessie and James by their collars, causing them to yelp. “ Ya still have to pay me back somehow - but looks like we’ll be doing this the hard way. ”
“ The hard way? ” We all gulp.
———
“The hard way” turns out to be manual labor.
It’s certainly difficult for me… I still haven’t progressed beyond lifting an apple or two at most, and I don’t have hands, so when the shopkeeper orders us to chop wood, all I can do is drag logs over. One at a time, across the ground, and glacially slow.
I didn’t even break anything, why do I have to do this!?! Everyone complains (very vocally) if I don’t help out, though.
I’m so busy lugging a log across the grass, I almost don’t notice when the others stop their work.
“Hey! What gives? Makin’ me work, then not doing any yourself?” I complain.
“ We ain’t gonna need ta work no more if things go right! ” Meowth exclaims to me.
“ An Onix made of glass - dat’ll make all our money problems go away! ” He continues.
An Onix made of glass? I… think I remember that! I never saw that episode, but I remember hearing about the crystal Onix! What a rarity - even more so than a shiny Pokemon!
“ We gotta get outa dis dump and start searching! ” Meowth says as I abandon my log to join them.
“ Yeah! ” Jessie and James cheer.
My eyes sparkle right alongside the others as I envision what the Onix looks like.
———
Searching is tiresome work - whether you’re on a motorbike or on foot. Or… float, in my case. Hey, floating may be easy but it takes SOME energy, you know?
But seeing as Team Rocket is flat out broke, they don’t even have cookie crumbs for me to nibble on.
Actually, since I’m a ghost, I’m not really THAT hungry, especially since I ate on the boat - I can go a few days without eating, and floating around isn’t that strenuous.
But I want a cookie…
Anyways, we continue searching. Team Rocket is even quicker to complain than I am, but they march on. Determination - I admire that!
Past the forest, at the edge of the island, we discover another island nearby! It’s much smaller, but even from the shore, we’re able to make out a cave entrance.
“ That looks like a place for rare Pokemon to hide! ” Jessie exclaims, staring out across the sea between the islands.
“ But how do we get across? ” James asks, eyeing the shore.
“ Hey! ” Meowth says suddenly. “ Look at da sea floor right there! ” He points at a section of sand.
We all gaze intently at it. There’s a strip of sand that is piled higher than the sea floor around it.
“ I bet at low tide, dat sand strip becomes a path! ” Meowth finishes theorizing.
He’s right! That’s a sandbar!
“ So all we have to do is wait for low tide… ” Jessie smirks.
“ And while we wait, we can set a trap so no one follows! ” James laughs.
So, Team Rocket digs a hole. It’s long, dirty work that makes me glad I can’t dig.
When the hole is dug deep enough, I finally pitch in, helping tug a tarp across it. They then cover it with sand.
Then, all of us hide in the bushes (or in my case, turn invisible), waiting for low tide to approach.
I should have expected it, but Ash and Co™️ are the ones to turn up.
They too wonder how they will get across, and as if by magic (or anime protagonist luck), that’s the moment it becomes low tide.
The sandbar reveals itself, causing gasps all around. It is kinda neat… but not what we’re looking for!
As if sensing this thought, Ash and his friends bolt for the sandbar, eager to find the crystal Onix.
Only to fall in our pitfall trap!
Ash, Misty, and three humans I don’t know all cry out in shock.
Team Rocket and I go over to the hole. I’m still invisible as I peer down.
“ What should we do? ” Someone asks from inside the hole.
“ You should prepare for trouble! ” Jessie says, sensing an opportunity.
“ While you’re down there, make it double! ” James chimes in.
“ To protect the world from devastation! ”
“ To unite all evils within our nation! ”
“ To denounce the evils of truth and love! ” Jessie takes on a weird pose.
“ To extend our reach to the stars above! ” James takes on an even weirder pose as he holds her up.
“ Jessie! ” She dismounts, holding a weird… kung fu-like pose, looking somewhat like an airplane.
“ James! ” James holds a similar pose, looking like a crane.
“ Surrender now, or prepare to fight! ” Jessie mounts James again, in an EVEN WEIRDER pose.
“Meowth, dat’s right! ” Said Pokemon finally makes his debut, landing on Jessie’s back.
The sudden weight is too much for James, causing them all to collapse in a pile.
I watch in utter glee. I REALLY wish I had hands so I could clap for them!
“ Team Rocket! ” Ash rudely interrupts the show.
“ Why don’t you just leave us alone, huh?! ” Misty shouts up at them.
“ Not a chance! ” James chuckles.
“ We know what you kids are looking for! ” Jessie grins meanly.
“ We figured you’d show up looking for dat crystal Onix sooner or later… ” Meowth looks like he got the cream.
“ So we set up a trap - just for you! ” Jessie coos.
“ Now we’ll grab that crystal Onix! ” James says.
“ Bye, bye losers! ” Meowth laughs, waving mockingly as Team Rocket walks away.
I barely refrain from giggling again as I follow them.