"Are we wanted for anything around here, besides this?" whispered James.
"Well, we did burn down the Viridian Pokemon Center..." said Jesse.
"If we get caught, we've had it. Professor Oak might even find away to blame some of his little experiments on us." James was looking at Pikachu as he said this.
Pikachu nodded slightly. As the Jennys came around the corner he ran up and thundershocked them into unconsciousness.
Jesse started to laugh. "We blasted the Jennys off again, ohmigosh." She continued laughing and James joined her. Pikachu looked sadly at the two figures on the floor. James went up to him.
"Hey, I'm sorry, I know you're on their side usually, but, I mean, that was so cool."
Pikachu made a shrug-like movement and went into the room where the other Pikachu sat in cages. He began speaking to them in Pikachu language and opening the cages.
He turned to Jesse and James. "Pika."
"This is good-bye, huh?" said James.
"Think Ash will ever understand any of this?" asked Jesse.
Pikachu shrugged again.
James made a little saluting motion and Pikachu disappeared out the door with the others.
Jesse and James turned to the Meowths. Their Meowth looked barely conscious. Meo was grooming Meowth's fur with her paws and looking concerned. She herself looked pretty ragged. The two humans decided to take both of them back to the woods and take care of them there. James picked up Meowth and Jesse picked up Meo.
The next day and night were spent recovering. They all slept most of the day and ate what little food they had. Meowth talked to Meo a lot in human and Pokemon language and they slept back-to-back.
The next morning they were all more alert and James went into town to steal a newspaper. Evidently some people passing the lab had called the police when they saw the back door open with the building dark. As they predicted, the Jennys had not seen Team Rocket and for once they had not been blamed. But the big story was that the experiments in the lab had been revealed and Professor Oak and several of his assistants were in police custody.
"It says here that even his own grandson has spoken against him now," said Jesse. "Well, good for him!"
"I wonder if Ash will ever forgive Misty for lending you Pikachu," murmured Meowth. "When I first saw it, I thought you stole it, and then I thought maybe I died and went to heaven!" Meowth laughed.
"I don't know," said James. "It's hard to be rational about someone turning your favorite Pokemon over to your enemies."
After a while Meowth went over to talk to Meo. As they watched, Meo left the clearing and Meowth stared after her sadly.
Jesse and James walked over to Meowth. "What's going on with Meo?" asked James.
"She's gone," said Meowth. "I think she's going to go to the Viridian Pokemon Center. Maybe even look for a trainer, on purpose. Go figure."
"I thought she liked you, Meowth," said Jesse.
"Look, I told her to go. What do I have to offer her? A life as the second Meowth in the Team Rocket failures?"
Jesse and James looked serious for a moment.
"I guess we are pretty pathetic. We're the ones who really caught Professor Oak, and we'll never get the credit," said James.
Jesse laughed. "Well, I'll never forget the thrill of standing over two unconscious Jennys."
James giggled. "I just wish I could have said 'Pikachu, thundershock!'"
Meowth laughed too. "Maybe someday I can go look for Meo."
"Maybe we'll have to do some more 'independent jobs', and get less pathetic lives," said James.
Jesse tapped James on the head with her fan. But it didn't even hurt, and he smiled at her. "Cheer up!" Jesse said. "We're still Team Rocket! And now, who's going to steal breakfast?"
The End