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"Dammit!"
Jessie kicked her jeep, her face filled with rage. She glared at the offending automobile, which was billowing black smoke from underneath its hood, stoutly ignoring every curse she threw at it to try to get it moving. James sat cross-legged on the side of the road, watching her.
"Why the hell doesn't this peace of crap ever work?" she yelled in frustration, giving it another swift kick. James cringed at Jessie's display.
"I really don't think beating it is going to make it work again, Jessie," he said gently. She ignored him and kicked it again before walking over and flopping down on the ground next to him.
"Maybe not, but it makes me feel better." Jessie sighed and leaned against her partner. "It is too much to ask for a nice, pleasant, uninterrupted road trip?"
"Apparently," James muttered, picking at the blades of grass at his feet.
"Hey! Youse two! Look sharp!"
Jessie and James leaped to their feet as Meowth came stalking out of the nearby woods. The cat pokémon looked excited, if not a little mischievous. James gulped. When Meowth looked happy, it usually meant bad news for him. He and Jessie exchanged a worried glance. Meowth grinned evilly once he got to them. James gulped again.
"I think I just found our ticket outta here," said the cat, still grinning, jerking his thumb in the direction he had come.
"Surrender now, or prepare to fight!"
"Meowth! That's right!"
"Not you three, again!" Ash tapped the brim of his hat before he jumped in front of his electric rodent. "You can't have my pikachu!"
Jessie laughed. "You should just hand it over, little boy," she said mildly. "I think it would be easier for everyone around."
"Yeah," James agreed. "Don't make us fight you."
"You won't like the consequences," Meowth finished, extending his claws.
Brock and Misty looked over at Ash. Clutching her little 'brri-ing' Togepi, Misty turned to the pokémon trainer wannabe. "Just take care of them, Ash," she said with a bored expression on her face. "We need to get going if we're going to reach Miso Town by nightfall."
"Yeah, Ash. Let's finish this up," Brock agreed. Ash nodded. In the background, Jessie and James and been waiting patiently for the three of them to prepare their 'battle by committee.'
"Here it comes," whispered James to his partner, bracing himself. He saw Jessie nod out of the corner of his eye, resting her hand on Meowth's head. Ash tapped the brim of his hat again.
"Pikachu! Thunder shock!"
Watching the lightening shoot out of that mouse never ceased to amaze James. He watched the golden bolts arc towards him and felt a strange ringing in his ears, the whole world seeming to move in slow motion. Finally, the bolt hit him and before he knew it, he felt himself airborne.
"Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again," he yelled, more out of habit than anything else. He watched with mild fascination as the trees on the ground got smaller and smaller as he was thrown higher into the sky. He looked over at Jessie who was holding Meowth. She had a smile on her face that mirrored his own. Meowth grinned at both of them.
"Air Pikachu," the cat pokémon laughed. "No better way to fly!"
All of them laughed in agreement. Suddenly, Jessie pointed down. "Say, isn't that the cabin down there?"
James squinted, following her line of sight. "Yep, that's it," he confirmed. In a fluid motion, both the human members of Team Rocket gracefully twisted their bodies, adjusting their aim for the Team Rocket hideaway. They continued to let themselves free-fall until they were no less than six feet off the ground. Jessie and James' aura's flickered to life and they casually stepped out of the air to land safely on the ground. Meowth jumped out of Jessie's arm and stretched.
"That was fun," he said. "Youse two are getting real good at blocking 'dat pikachu's electric shock. Meowth barely felt anything. Just a ringing in Meowth's ears." Meowth walked towards the cabin. Jessie and James linked arms and followed him, glad they had found at least one practical use for their powers.