'Superheroes'

Jesse, James, and Meowth had just begun making their way back toward Cherrygrove City. It was late afternoon, and the sun was beginning its trek towards the west. They had not yet donned their official Team Rocket uniforms; James was in a black T-shirt and a pair of jeans, while Jesse wore a green tank top and a green skirt. The packs they were carrying grew heavier with each step. Sweat was dripping from their brows, and from their unkempt appearance, it was easy to tell that they had traveled a long way.

"What I wouldn't give for a nice can of tuna right about now," Meowth complained.

"I'd settle for a cold soda," James whined.

"Will you two stop thinking with your stomachs for once!" Jesse snapped. "We have a job to do!"<./p>

"Yeah, and just who does he think he is sending us around in circles like this? 'Go this way, no go that way, no go back this way.' My feet hurt!" James whimpered. "Giovanni would never do that to us!"

Jesse had had it with them. "GIOVANNI BARELY EVEN SPOKE TO US! Now if you don't stuff it, I'm going to feed you to your Victreebel!" James cringed at that thought. His victreebel had tried to digest him on many occasions, and it wasn't a very pleasant experience. "If we succeed, we could be famous! We could even be promoted!"

"We could have more tuna than we ever dreamed!" Meowth spoke up. Jesse growled at his comment.

"There's Cherrygrove City!" James shouted as a welcome sign appeared over the horizon.

"FOOD!" Meowth cried.

Meowth picked up his pace, and the others were running to keep up. Their path finally carried them past the sign and into the city.

"Where's the nearest diner?" Meowth asked, rabid from hunger.

"Remember, dear Meowth, we're here for the twerp, not to fill your stomach!" Jesse was losing her patience.

"Well, what are we supposed to do when we find him? The boss just wants us to follow him around!" James said indignantly. "Can't we at least get something to eat?"

Jesse rolled her eyes, giving in at last. "Fine! You can eat. Then, we find the egg."

"Eggs?" James said. "Sunny side up, please..."

"Don't push it..." Jesse growled.

The trio began their descent into Cherrygrove, in search of a restaurant. Their search soon came to an end, as their nostrils carried them to an establishment bearing the name 'Honey's All You Can Eat' in bold blue lettering above their heads.

"All you can eat?" Meowth and James said in sync.

"Do you think they can handle us?" Meowth said, a small spec of drool beginning to form in the corner of his mouth.

"Let's find out!" James and Meowth started to run, but Jesse had hold of James' hair and Meowth's tail.

"Just one second! How do you expect us to pay for and all you can eat buffet with no money?!?!" she shouted. They stared at their feet. "That's what I thought. Now why don't you leave this to a pro?" Jesse let go of them and headed through the front door of the restaurant.

James and Meowth followed her inside, where she was already causing a scene. "I want to speak to a manager! Right now!"

"Oh, no..." Meowth siged and brought a paw over his eyes.

"I'm Honey. Can I help you?" The manager came from behind the counter. She was dressed in a blue apron over a black shirt and had her curly golden locks tied up in back.

"Why, yes, Honey, you can help me." Jesse began, flipping her long red hair behind her. "You see, my ailing old grandmother was in here earlier this week to have lunch. The poor thing, she hardly gets out anymore. Arthiritis, you see. It hurts her to move. Anyway, she had her lunch here and she said that halfway through her mashed potatoes, she found a fly! Can you imagine? A fly in her potatoes! The sweet thing said she didn't want to make a ruckus about it, so she skipped her meal to avoid bringing any embarrassment to your fine eatery. I, however, think that it is outrageous that you would serve a sickly old woman a bug in her FOOD! I demand something be done about this!"

James and Meowth were slackjawed. They had seen Jesse in action before, but never anything like this. They were truly impressed.

"Oh, my!" The poor Honey was flabbergasted. "I'm so sorry, Miss! I don't know how this could have happened! Why don't you stay for dinner on me and you can see that we will not allow this to happen again!"

"I don't know, dear. I'm not sure if I would want to take the chance." James and Meowth nearly fell onto the ground.

"Please, I insist!" Honey said. "Are they with you?" She gestured to her partners in crime.

"Of course!" She pursed her lips.

"Please! All of you stay for dinner! On the house!" Honey was trying to make ammends for her imaginary offense.

"Well, as long as you insist, I suppose we could give you another chance. James? Meowth?"

"Let's eat...er...Meowth!" The pokemon was miserably trying to disguise the fact that it could talk, but Honey was so flustered, she didn't notice.

The manager led the three through a maze of buffet tables to a booth by the window, where the silverware was already laid out for them. "Okay, here's your table." She tried to force a smile. "Just grab a plate and get what you want. Let me know if there are any problems!"

"Rest assured, I will." Jesse said, closing the deal, and Honey hurried off, happy to be away from the disgruntled customers.

Jesse turned to her cohorts. "Beat that," she said arrogantly as she walked to the buffet tables.

"She's good," James said to Meowth before getting a plate of his own.

The meal was a quiet one, as the trio had their mouths stuffed so full that they would choke if they tried to speak. Honey steered clear of their table, because the obscene hoggish sounds they made while they were eating nearly made her sick. By the end of their feast, there was no one in the restaurant that wasn't staring at them. Amazed and appalled sets of eyes followed them as they stood up and approached the exit.

"Oh, Honey, dear!" Jesse yelled to the manager as they left. "Wonderful food!" She wiped some mashed potatoes from her cheek. "Keep up the good work!"

Once they had vacated the buffet, Jesse's ears were again met with moans and groans. "Oh, now what?!"

James and Meowth were holding their stomachs. "I think I ate too much!" James complained.

"Well, you need to get over it!" Jesse barked. "We have an egg to get back."

"Huh?" Meowth said. "But the boss said that were are supposed to just follow the brat. He said to forget about the egg."

"He probably just doesn't think we can do it." Jesse said. "Well, we have to show him that we can or otherwise, we won't be able to take our place in the new Team Rocket."

"New Team Rocket...." James repeated.

"How's your Sentret?" Kaya asked Binx when he and Renna returned from Cherrygrove City's PokeCenter. She was standing at her stove with her back facing the children, stirring something which was releasing a delicious aroma.

"Huh....er...Oh, it's doing pretty good now. Nurse Joy said it just needs a good meal." Binx answered. I don't suppose I could ever get used to that, he thought.

"You two come on over here and have a seat at this table while I'm fixing dinner." Kaya said as she retrieved a spice of some sort from a cabinet to her left. They dropped their luggage by the front door and took a seat at the kitchen table. "How are you two getting along?"

Binx and Renna just stared at each other.

"That well?"

Renna sunk down in her chair.

Kaya laughed while she spooned their dinner onto three separate plates. "Well, you best be getting used to each other."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Renna asked.

"Don't you worry about that now, baby," Kaya said, setting their plates on the table. "It's time to eat. We've got mashed potatoes and gravy, chicken-fried steak, and green beans." She turned back to the stove and began spooning more of the food into three bowls. "Your Pokemon will need a well balanced meal too. They can eat in here with us." Kaya sat the bowls in the corner of the kitchen.

Binx called out his Vulpix and Sentret while Renna retrieved her Houndour, and all but Sentret began demolishing their food immediately.

"This is really good food, Mrs. Rowley," Binx said as he let the potatoes melt in his mouth.

"Thanks, sweetie, but unfortuneatly I don't think your poor Sentret thinks so." Kaya pointed to the corner of the room, where Vulpix and Houndour were busy greedily consuming Kaya's tasty meal.

Binx turned to look. She was right; Sentret just sat curled up in a ball, uninterested in what Kaya had to offer. The food was good, but Sentret just didn't want to give it a try.

"In the wild, Sentret eat berries and nuts and new plant-life," Renna started. "Maybe it just needs some time to get used to the change."

"No, I don't think so." Binx dropped the fork he was holding and walked over to Sentret. "It's had a big day today. I think its just afraid." He kneeled down next to it. "It's okay, Sentret, you need to eat something." He put his hand on its fur, but it retreated back. "C'mon, Sentret, I'm not gonna hurt you."

Renna and her aunt sat quietly, watching Binx trying to help his Pokemon.

"Why don't you come over here and you can eat with me?" Binx coaxed.

"Sen-tret?" The little brown ball of fur looked up at Binx with big black eyes.

"Yeah, you can come over here and eat up at the table." Binx extended his arms. Sentret hesitated. "Come on, it's okay."

Sentret sniffed a bit at Binx's hands. It backed off a little, but then it jumped and climbed up Binx's shirt and perched itself on his shoulder. "Sen-tret!"

"There we go!" Binx snatched up its bowl of food and sat back down at the table. He pushed his own plate to the side and place Sentret's bowl in front of him. At once, Sentret scurried down the boy's shirt onto the table and started eating.

"Well..." Kaya was impressed. "And you thought you didn't have it in you...."

After Sentret decided to join in on the feast, everyone ate until they were stuffed. Vulpix and Houndour had fallen asleep next to their empty dishes, one on top of the other, while a plump Sentret curled up in Binx's lap, with Binx stroking its fur. Kaya began washing the dishes, as her niece sat quietly, staring out the kitchen window at a newly-darkened sky.

"I suppose you two will be wanting get ready for bed before too long," Kaya said. "Binx, you'll probably be wanting to get an early start."

"I'll show you where your room is," Renna got up, followed by Binx. "This way." After they grabbed their packs, she led him out of the kitchen and up the stairs from the living room. "Your room is second on the left. Mine is the first and Aunt Kaya's is at the other end of the hall. The bathroom is over on the right. There are fresh towels in the cabinet under the sink, and the shampoo is already in the shower."

"You trying to tell me something?" Binx said jokingly after they reached the top of the stairs.

"Huh? Uh...no, I was just....I just meant that..." Renna obviously didn't get the playful manner in which Binx intended his comment.

"Hey, wait....I wasn't serious..." Binx said. "Are you okay? You've been really quiet."

"Oh, so you're saying that I'm normally loud and obnoxious?" Renna said. "You don't even know me! I am FINE. I told you where the stupid bathroom is and where your stupid room is, so why don't you just go to stupid bed!"

Renna fled to her room and slammed the door, leaving a bewildered Binx slack-jawed at the top of the stairs.

He just stood there for a moment, until Kaya's voice broke the silence. "She'll be okay, baby. Don't you worry. You just go ahead and take your shower. I'll let your pokemon into your room as soon as I finish down here."

"Uh....okay Mrs. Rowley." Binx called down to her. He turned and walked to the second door on the left and turned the knob. The door opened to reveal a decently sized bedroom dressed in tan and brown. The full size bed was directly in front of him, while there was a large dresser with a mirror off to the left. To the right, there was an open closet with a few empty hangers, and tucked back into the corner was a large window that stretched nearly from floor to ceiling.

After shutting the door, Binx shed his backpack onto the bed. He unzipped it and rifled through his belongings until he found an old pair of shorts Mr. Pokemon had given him and set them aside. As he was stripping off his shirt, he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror.

His shoulders had been rubbed raw by the straps of his pack. He put his right hand on his left shoulder and traced the lines with his fingers. All of his muscles ached. His tired eyes were accented by the purple tinted skin just below them - a sure sign of stress.

Two days and I'm already falling apart, he thought as he sat on the bed and peeled his socks off.

Binx took his shorts from the bed and grabbed another t-shirt from his pack. With his clean clothes in hand, he headed to the bathroom across the hall. Once inside, he did his best to divert his eyes away from the mirror that hung over the sink. A clean towel was already layed out, so he opened the shower door and adjusted the water temperature until it was as hot as he could handle.

His muscles protested a bit when the water hit his chest, but he refused to turn the heat down. The steam quickly filled the room until he could barely see in front of him. He closed his eyes and hoped that when he reopened them, he would be back home in bed where he belonged, but no such thing would happen this night. He hoped that if the water got hot enough, it would wake him from this nightmare he seemed to be having, but he was already awake, so he would once again be disappointed. Binx was finally pushed to the edge of his frustration when something inside him snapped. He thought maybe he had just lost touch with reality. He simply stopped feeling at all for the moment. He realized that he couldn't change what had happened in the previous days and for once, he was okay with that. He didn't want to change it. He finally felt like he was right where he was supposed to be. And he was terrified.

He slid down the shower wall and sat staring off into the clouds of steam that had filled the room.

Binx didn't know how much time had passed when he heard the knocking at the door. The water had begun to grow cooler, and he still hadn't washed himself.

Kaya's words were jumbled at first.

"What?" Binx finally replied.

"I said are you okay in there sweetie?"

"Oh...yeah, I'm almost done."

"Okay, well I'm off to bed. Goodnight, Binx."

Binx pushed himself off the shower floor. "Night Mrs. Rowley." He hurriedly washed himself. By the time he shut the shower off, the water had turned ice cold. Once he had dried himself off, he got dressed and headed back to his room. All of the lights were out except his own, and the house was dead.

Kaya had led Vulpix and Sentret into his room, and they were now back to sleep; Sentret curled up on one of the bed pillows, and Vulpix on the floor by his shoes. He tossed his dirty clothes on the floor and slid into bed next to Sentret. "Night you two," he whispered and closed his eyes.

Falling asleep had never been harder for Binx than it was on this night. He would doze off, only to be startled awake by some noise or another. He couldn't get comfortable, and his tossing and turning had finally forced poor Sentret to seek refuge under the bed. Binx glanced at the digital clock beside the bed at half past two in the morning and dragged himself out of bed.

Maybe if I get some fresh air, I'll be okay, he thought as he slipped into his shoes, careful not to wake the sleeping Vulpix.

The boy tip-toed past the bathroom and down the stairs untill he reached the back door, which was just behind the steps, before the kitchen entryway. He turned the knob and pulled the door open, jumping when it squeaked.

The cool air surrounded him quickly as he closed the door behind him. The moon had already made its journey halfway through the sky, and the stars glimmered brightly around it. He stood quietly on the porch taking in the view.

"Well, I guess even superheroes have trouble sleeping..." Renna's sarcasm jolted Binx from his gaze and nearly knocked him off his feet.

"I wish you'd stop that!" Binx chided the shadows where Renna was sitting.

"Oh, sorry, far be it for me to annoy the boy wonder..." Binx finally regained his composure enough to see that Renna was sitting on the edge of the porch off to his left, with her back to him.

"Will you just tell me what your problem is?" Binx was irritated. "I didn't do anything wrong. Why are you so mad at me?"

Renna turned her face to him. "Why?" she said in disbelief. She slowly rose from her seat and ever so gracefully strode toward the boy until their faces were nearly touching. "I'll tell you why." Her voice had become raspy and quiet, yet still retained a dangerously livid edge. "For six months..." she began slowly, "...my Aunt has spoken of a great protector and defender that would be sent to save all pokemon from an evil that would try to pollute the entire world with its wickedness. For six months, she has been plagued with these dreams, these visions, not all of which were very pleasant, as she says. For six long months I waited until the time which she said I would meet this crusader on his quest. And we get you. You, who have no skill, no knowledge of pokemon, no nothing. You, who have never trained a pokemon before in your life. Just you..." she turned away. "You don't even know just how important you are. I don't even know. All I know is what my Aunt tells me, and that isn't much. But that little voice inside my head just keeps going 'Why not me?' And why couldn't I have been the one sent to protect what's right? You're no better than I am. Why wasn't I the right choice for whoever is in charge of these things?" She collapsed on the porch ledge directly in front of Binx.

"Hey," he started, "...I didn't ask for any of this. You think I wanted to leave my mom and my home and all for some stupid egg that happened to be in my front yard?"

"You know, it doesn't help when you talk like that..."

"Who ever said anything about helping? You've treated me like dirt all day! Now listen. I've thought long and hard about it for the past two days and you know what I found out? Nothing! There is nothing I can do or say that will change anything that's happened!" Binx sighed and took a seat right next to Renna. "There's nothing you can do either." His voice took a softer tone. "It's just the way it is. Believe me, you don't want this."

"I know." The edge had left Renna's voice. "I just don't understand. I mean, I know I'm not the best trainer in the world, but you..." She stopped herself from insulting Binx again. "Look, I'm sorry for saying all of those mean things about you. I guess I can be a little dramatic...."

"Do you wanna come with me?"

"What?" Binx blind sided her with his question.

"...uh...or not...I mean, I don't really want to be alone the whole time.....you dont have to...." He suddenly got nervous.

Renna thought for a moment. "Yeah."

"Huh?"

"Yeah, I'll go." She paused. "But I can't face my Aunt. She'll try to make me stay if she knows. She's seen everything..."

"You're not going to run away, are you?" Binx wanted her company, but he didn't want her to have to run away from her Aunt.

"No, no. I'll write her a note. We'll have to leave early, though, like in a few hours. And I'll call her once we get to Violet....we are going to Violet, right?"

"I guess. That's where the closest gym is, right?"

Renna smiled. "It sure is. I'll leave a note and call her when we get to Violet City."

They both got up and headed toward the door. "So are we superheroes, then?" Binx asked as Renna turned the knob.

"Well, I guess we are."

"See you at five?"

"That sounds good." she said, and they quietly made their way back to bed.

Footsteps echoed throughout an empty hallway within Team Rocket's new headquarters. The lighting here was much brighter than anywhere else in the HQ. The floor was white marble and the walls were white as well, and both were immaculately clean.

Dr. Z's steps grew louder and louder until he rounded the corner. His features were much more distinguishable in this environment. He was much younger than one would expect the leader of such an organization would be; maybe twenty-five. His deep green eyes looked as if they could penetrate the thickest walls, yet his expression remained emotionless. His long, dark hair was slicked back and tied in a ponytail at the base of his neck, while shorter hairs of the same color sparsly populated his chin.

His choice of garb was in vast contrast to his surroundings - he was completely adorned in black. From his leather boots to his pants, his shirt to the leather trenchcoat he never shed, his attire completely reflected his personality - dark and mysterious.

The board of directors awaited Dr. Z behind the door which was now at his immediate left. He hesitated a moment to compose himself before continuing on to his meeting.

The door opened into a dimly lit room which was exceptionally similar in size and set up to a lecture hall. Dr. Z began down the steps before him, which were covered in grey carpeting, passing rows of seats on either side. There were about twelve other people in there with him, and he could feel at least twenty-four sets of eyes following him down to the center of the room, around which the strings of seating were curved.

There was a desk, somewhat like a teacher's, and a chair under something of a spotlight waiting on the doctor once he reached the bottom step. This began to feel like more of an interrogation than a meeting, and it was an uncomfortable feeling for Dr. Z.

"I hope you'll make it a point not to be late to another of our meetings, Dr." a coarse, female voice chided him as he took his seat.

Although the glare from the light above prevented him from being able to tell just who was present, this was a familiar voice. "My apologies, Amelia." Dr. Z owed them no explanation for his tardiness. "Is there a particular reason for this meeting?"

Amelia's blood was running so hot, Dr. Z was sure he saw steam rising from the skin of the person he thought to be her. Once she stood to speak, his doubts were erased. "Yes, there certainly is!" she yelled.

"Calm down now, Amelia. I'm sure we can work this out in a proffessional manner. No need for yelling." Dr. Z smiled at her reaction. He enjoyed toying with this specific director. "Now, what seems to be the problem?"

"You know darn well what the problem is." She reclaimed her seat.

"Dr. Z," a new, male voice took the floor. "...our funding is depleting, as is our patience with you. These experiments you're heading are very expensive to say the least, and we've yet to see any results. We are not here to fund your personal endeavors!"

"You want results?" Dr. Z was expressly aggravated. "You will see results. Given the proper timing..."

"You have been given time, Dr. Z, but time is money, and with every hour you take, we are losing more." the man said.

"Well, maybe Amelia should give up those pricey facials she loves so much," Dr. Z taunted.

"Do you think this is funny, doctor? Do you think we haven't heard this same song and dance before?" Amelia could contain herself no longer. "We are growing weary of this charade!"

"As am I!" Dr. Z growled and flew to his feet. "Need I remind any of you who is in charge? You will see results, but these things take time. You cannot simply rush genetic experimentation whenever it suits you!"`

"Is that the real reason for the delay?" Amelia smiled. "You see, it's rumoured that you seem to have lost one of your experiments. Is this true?"

Dr. Z glared at the woman. "The experiment I believe you are speaking of is in the care of two of our agents."

"Ah, yes, Jesse and James is it?" Amelia chuckled. "And where are they now?"

"The last time it was reported to me, they were in Cherrygrove City."

"That's right. You have agents spying on agents. More money coming out of our pockets."

"I am ensuring that nothing goes wrong with this experiment. If that means putting a few more agents on it, then so be it." Dr. Z stormed up the stairs he had previously entered down. "This meeting is over." He paused at the door. "Just one more thing, Amelia." He turned to face her. "Don't think that I don't take little trips to the accounting department myself once in a while."

Dr. Z was immediately on the phone after leaving the meeting.

"Jesse here." came a tired voice.

"Where are you?"

"Oh! Dr. Z! Uh....We're in Cherrygrove Garden right now..."

"Good. Change into your uniforms. Find the boy."

Kaya sat straight up in her bed. The sun had just recently risen over the horizon, and it blinded her through her window until she brought her hand up to sheild her eyes. She was lost in a blur of people and images and voices for a moment, but it all began to come back to her, as it always did. The bright hallway...the meeting...the board of directors...find the boy...

Quickly, she came off her bed, snatching her robe from the bedpost in the process, and flew down the hall to the guest bedroom, mindlessly passing Renna's along the way. To her surprise, the door was already open, and a freshly made bed was all she found. As everything was beginning to dawn on her, she slowly made her way back to her niece's room, though she already knew what she would find.

She would find another bed made, along with a room picked clean of any important belongings of Renna's. She would find empty dresser drawers, a couple bare walls, and a scantily filled closet. But, and perhaps most importantly, she would find a letter addressed to her from her niece:

After reading this letter, Kaya wasn't in shock or surprised, as most other parents would be. As a matter of fact, she had known for quite some time that Renna would be leaving with Binx. She had seen them together on countless occasions in her dreams. She had done the best she could to prepare herself for this moment, but none of it helped. Tears began forming in the corners of her eyes.

"Baby, I dream about you all the time," was all she could say.

Renna and Binx had already made it to the edge of town, Vulpix and Houndour close behind. Neither of them said anything because at this point, there wasn't really much for them to say. Renna had changed out of the dress she was in the day before, and had donned a pair of khaki shorts to travel in, while Binx had chosen another pair of jeans and yet another T-shirt courtesy of Mr. Pokemon.

Renna couldn't stop worrying about her poor, heartbroken aunt reading the letter she had left. She knew she couldn't turn back now, not that she really wanted to, but she felt so guilty for leaving her aunt alone.

Binx, on the other hand, was consumed with anxiety about journeying to the next city and battling his first gym leader. His stomach was already filled with butterflies and they hadn't even gotten out of Cherrygrove.

They were both preoccupied with their problems, and this must have been why they didn't hear the footsteps close on their heels.

All they heard was...

"Prepare for trouble..."