Jessie, James and Meowth walked down the hallway of the Team Rocket secondary headquarters in the Johto region. The hall was dimly lit and they were the only people there. "What if the boss is going to fire us," James whined as he trailed Jessie and Meowth, looking back and forth nervously.

"Don't be stupid James," Jessie snapped, "the boss knows how important we are to Team Rocket. Why would he want to fire us?"

"Well, we haven't stolen a powerful Pokemon or got dat twerp's Pikachu yet," Meowth said, folding his arms in the back of his head.

"Shut your Meowth," Jessie growled as she kicked the cat pokemon in the butt.

Meowth cried out and jumped in the air. He spun around with his claw out. "Dat's it!" Meowth lunged and Fury Swiped Jessie across the face.

"Why you," Jessie screamed, ready to attack the scratch cat Pokemon.

"You're late." Jessie, James and Meowth looked down the hallway to see Domino standing in the centre with her arms crossed. "May I remind you that the boss hates it when anybody keeps him waiting," she said with a hint of annoyance in her voice.

The trio gulped. "It was James's fault. He screwed up the directions. Trust a man with directions right," Jessie laughed nervously.

"Whatever, come on," Domino said rolling her eyes and walking toward the boss' office. They followed Domino into a small waiting room that adjoined the boss' office. The room was dark and the only light came from a lamp perched on the desk in the centre of the room. Domino pressed a call button on the desk and said, "They're here sir."

"Send them in."

Domino crossed the room and opened the door. Jessie, James and Meowth hesitantly walked into the room. The door closed behind them and they stood in front of Giovanni's desk at attention. Giovanni swirled around in his chair and faced them. He was dressed in his usual orange suit and had his pet Persian by his side. "You kept me waiting," he said in a cold, intimidating voice, as he scratched Persian on the head. Persian meowed happily, giving Meowth a smug sneer.

"Sorry sir it's just that-" Jessie began.

"Shut up! I don't want to hear your stupid excuses. I have an assignment for you three. As you may have heard, I am searching for the Rainbow Pokemon, Ho-oh. With its abilities, I will be able to control the world. As you know, Ho-oh is a particularly hard pokemon to find. It rarely is seen, if not seen at all. I need you three to bring me the Ecruteak Gym Leader."

"A Gym Leadah? Why do ya want da Gym Leadah," Meowth asked.

"The Ecruteak Leader has an unusual ability that will make tracking down Ho-oh much simpler. I don't care how you get him, but I want him alive."

"You can count on us boss," James said.

"Oh and by the way. You three had better not fail this mission," Giovanni said, "I needn't remind you of how many times you have failed. This is your last chance. If you do not succeed, you will be dismissed from Team Rocket. Understood?"

"D-dismissed… as in fired," Jessie asked, colour draining from her face.

"Yes," Giovanni said nonchalantly, "now go. I want him back here by tomorrow. If he is not here by twelve, don't bother returning."

The trio gulped and said, "Yes sir."

"Now get out of my office," Giovanni snapped. Jessie, James and Meowth ran out of Giovanni's office, slamming the door behind them. "I don't know why I put up with those simpletons," Giovanni said and then pressed the call button on his desk. "Domino, come in my office."

"Yes sir," came the reply and then his office door opened. Domino walked inside and closed the door behind her. "You wanted to see me sir?"

"If those three buffoons screw up, I want you to take charge of the mission."

"Yes sir."

"Dismissed," Giovanni said as he turned in his chair and looked out the window.

Night was falling in Ecruteak City. A mild breeze blew through the trees, making them sway. Morty walked toward the gym, wind blowing through his blond hair. He looked around as the street lamps began to flicker on. "Hey Morty."

Morty stopped and turned around. "Hey Eric. What's up," Morty asked as one of the gym trainers ran up to him.

"Umm, I was wondering if I could stay at the gym tonight. My big brother had to go somewhere and my mom's not back from Pewter City yet."

"Sure," Morty said, "there's some spare rooms. As long as you're not afraid of Gengar."

"No way! I love Gengar," Eric smiled.

Suddenly Gengar materialized next to Morty. "Gengar," the ghost Pokemon smiled.

"Hi Gengar," Eric smiled.

"Come on, it's getting late," Morty said as he led the way up the gym steps and unlocked the front door. He pulled the door open and they walked inside. Morty switched on the lights, and they flickered on. He led Eric down the hall to the right of the stadium and stopped at the first door. He unlocked the door and said, "Here you go. If your hungry I could make something."

"No thanks, I ate before my brother left."

"Okay. If you need anything, just call. I'll be in the stadium."

"Okay. Thanks again, Morty," Eric said and walked into the room and closed the door.

Morty walked back down the hallway and into the stadium. He crossed the battlefield and headed for a small closet next to the bleachers. He opened the closet and got out a mop, wheelie bucket and floor cleaner. He grabbed another bucket and filled it with water in the closet sink. He poured the water into the yellow, wheelie bucket and mixed in some floor cleaner. He wheeled the bucket to the far end of the gym and began to mop the floor. "Gengar, Gen," Gengar said watching Morty mop the floor.

"No, you can't slide on the floor."

"Gen..gar," Gengar sighed, but then secretly smiled. It then headed for the closet.

"I know what you're thinking, Gengar, don't even try it," Morty said, turning to the ghost Pokemon. Gengar hung its head and grumbled. It then disappeared into the floor and Morty laughed. "That Gengar of mine," Morty smiled and shook his head.

He finished half of the gym, and then heard running footsteps. "Morty! Come quick," Eric shouted, stopping by the white lines of the battlefield.

Morty looked up, dropped the mop and ran toward Eric. "What's the matter," Morty asked as he joined the distraught-looking boy.

"There's a hurt Meowth outside!"

"Where?"

"I saw it from my window! It's lying on the ground a couple feet from the gym!"

"I'll go check it out. Stay here," Morty said then looked to the left. "Gengar!"

Gengar popped up through the floor. "Stay with Eric. I'll be right back."

"Gengar," the Pokemon nodded and floated over by Eric.

Eric watched as Morty grabbed a flashlight and exited the gym. He then ran back to his room and looked out the window, while Gengar went to go slide on the wet floor. Eric looked out the window and saw Morty kneeling next to the Pokemon. Suddenly, two people came out of the shadows behind Morty. Eric hit the window trying to get Morty's attention. "Morty! Look out!" Morty looked up just as the first person, a woman with red hair, put a rag over his mouth while the second person, a man with bluish hair, held him fast. Morty struggled, and then soon slumped. Eric hit the window with his hand and shouted, "Leave him alone!"

The Meowth got up and snapped, "Shut up kid! Come on guys. We got da Gym Leadah! Let's go!"

Eric watched helplessly as they dragged Morty into the woods. He ran out of the room and out of the gym. He ran down the street until he found the police station. "Officer Jenny! Help," Eric cried out of breath as he ran up to the front desk.

"What is it," Officer Jenny asked as she got up from her chair.

"It's Leader Morty! Two people grabbed him! He's gone!"

Morty stirred and opened his eyes slowly. He looked around and realized he was tied up in the back of a van. He picked his head up and it began to pound. He tried to roll over and then the van hit a bump in the road. Morty felt himself lift slightly off the ground and hit the floor again. He rolled over and saw a man in the driver's seat, a woman in the passenger seat, and sitting on the centre consol was a Meowth. 'Is that the same Meowth that was hurt by the gym,' Morty wondered. He turned his head and looked toward the back of the van. 'If I could just reach the handle, I could get out of here,' Morty thought and began to wriggle toward the back doors.

"I tink we'll get a promotion for dis one. Den I'll be da boss' favourite instead of dat Persian!"

"Who cares about a Persian, Meowth. We'll be rich," the woman answered.

"And we can buy a lot a chow," Meowth exclaimed, grinning.

Morty reached the back doors and stopped to listen. "Just think! We'll be able to go on vacation! Eeee," the man exclaimed.

Morty pushed himself into a sitting position and leaned against the wall. Using the wall, he slowly stood up, careful not to fall over because of the bumps. He slowly made his way to the back door. "Vacation? Who needs a vacation, James when I can be the boss!"

"You da boss Jessie? Oh brothah," Meowth sighed.

"Who asked you," Jessie snapped and smacked Meowth.

Meowth flew off the consol into the back of the van. Meowth got up and saw Morty trying to lift the back door handle. "Guys! Da gym leadah's tryin' to get away!"

Jessie looked back and said, "Slam on it James!" Morty tried to brace himself, but felt himself fly forward as James hit the breaks. Morty slammed his body into the front seat, and fell to the ground, hitting his head. He looked up at the ceiling dazed. His vision started to blur and everything sounded like an echo. Morty could hear his captors arguing but it seemed faint.

Meowth looked down at him and said, "I tink dat musta hurt."

"Is he dead," Jessie asked looking down at Morty fearfully, "if we killed him, the boss'll fire us and it'll be all your fault James!"

"My fault! You told me to hit the breaks," James whined.

"He's okay, he's just stunned," Meowth said waving his paw in Morty's face.

"You can talk," Morty questioned, his voice a whisper, before darkness consumed him.