"Professor?"

Professor Oak opened his eyes and tried to focus on the face of the worried teenage boy hovering over him.

"Are you okay, Professor?" Tracey asked.

"What…what happened?" Professor Oak groaned as his head began to throb painfully.

"Cubone got you with Bonemerang," Tracey said as he helped his boss into a sitting position and pointed to the Pokémon that was standing next to him. "You turned around and got whacked in the head."

Now he remembered. He and Tracey were watching Cubone practice its Bonemerang attack when Delia rode by on her bicycle. He had turned around just for a moment to catch a glimpse of those pretty long legs of hers when…

"Man, you've got a huge lump on the back of your head," Tracey remarked. "Now I know why you always told me never to turn your back on a Bonemerang attack."

Professor Oak moaned again and clutched his head.

From a nearby patch of shrubbery, Team Rocket was watching the scene with interest.

"Man, the old geezer got clobbered good," said Meowth as he peered through the binoculars. "I got brained once by a Marowak and didn't wake up for nearly four days."

"So that's your excuse for your brainless ideas?" Jessie said, snatching the binoculars away from her partner.

"Jessie," said James, "I thought you said we came here to steal Pokémon. Why are we busy watching the old man and the twerp play with Cubone?"

"Because, James, you nitwit, the old man is our key to stealing all the Pokémon. If we can get him out of the picture, then we can get in that lab and steal all those rare and valuable Pokémon."

"But how are we going to do that, Jessie? Won't the twerp figure out that something's up?" James asked.

"Not if we make him think that nothing's wrong," Jessie smiled craftily.

"I'm not following you, Jessie," said Meowth.

"Oh, for crying out loud! I can't believe how brainless the two of you are," Jessie said, exasperated. "What I mean is…

"Excuse me."

Startled, Team Rocket shrieked and jumped straight in the air. When the trio landed with a loud thump in a heap on a ground, they found themselves looking up at a pretty, auburn-haired woman atop a bicycle.

"I'm sorry," the woman apologized. "I didn't mean to startle you. I was wondering what you were doing looking at Professor Oak's house."

"Uh…we were…" James stammered, trying desperately to think of an excuse.

"We lost one of our Pokémon," Meowth explained, snatching the binoculars back from Jessie. "And we was looking for it."

"Oh. Well, if you've lost a Pokémon, then Professor Oak is the best person to ask," the pretty woman said with a smile.

"Excuse me, but do you know Professor Oak?" asked James.

"Oh, I know him very well. We've been good friends for a long time. My name's Delia Ketchum, by the way."

"Isn't that the twerp's mom?" Meowth whispered to Jessie. Jessie nodded.

"If you need help finding your lost Pokémon," Delia said, "just ask Professor Oak and he'll help you out. He's always so helpful whenever I have a problem. And he's so sweet, too. He's always saying such nice things like how my eyes remind him of a Vulpix's or that I have a nice pair of…" Delia began blushing. "Uh…I mean, just go over to the lab and tell him that I sent you. He'll be more than happy to help you out. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get over to the Xanadu Greenhouse to get some plant food for my roses. Nice meeting you."

Jessie, James, and Meowth watched as Delia disappeared down the bike path.

"I don't believe it," said James. "The old professor and the twerp's mom are hot for each other."

Meowth peered at Delia through the binoculars. "Well, she does have a pretty nice pair of…"

Jessie snatched the binoculars away from Meowth. "Shut up and stop gawking, so I can share my brilliant scheme with you. I have a plan for getting us inside the old man's lab."

To be continued…