Blasting Off! (Pokemon)(Team Rocket OC)

"I can't believe it! Real live Pokemon Fossils! This is great!"

Jamie's jubilant cries fill the cavern, even as Jessie just stands there with her arms crossed and smirks.

"But of course. I did say we were going to find some, didn't I?"

Outwardly, she's projecting a façade of calm, smug, haughty authority. After all, it wouldn't do for Jamie to think she wasn't confident in their chances. She always knew they would succeed, or at least that's the sort of vibe she's trying to give off here.

Inwardly though, even Jessie has to admit to being rather amazed as she looks down at the two Pokemon Fossils. These definitely aren't Moon Stones, that's for sure!

"Ahem. Let's not go forgetting who did most of the finding here, alright?"

Jessie hides the narrowing of her eyes at that, as the Super Nerd who they'd been tasked with helping by Admin Petrel pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose somewhat self-importantly. It's unfortunate that he's too important for her to… hmph, intimidate into submission. He's not a Grunt like her and Jamie, so she can't just bully him out of his find like she might have wanted to.

Still, this was just as good, right? She and Jamie just had to cozy up to this Super Nerd and get on his good side. Then, once they had him right where they wanted him, she'd leave Jamie here to protect the fossils, while SHE went and got Petrel. All the glory would go to her and Jamie for being the only two Rocket Grunts to actually manage and do something with this whole mission. It was-

"Cam! Hey Cam, over here! We found the Super Nerd guy! And HE found some actual Pokemon Fossils!"

As Jamie's voice once more rings out through the cavern, Jessie has to hold in a groan, as well as the urge to facepalm. There that guy was again. The 'Cam' Grunt. She didn't like him, no matter what Jamie said. It didn't MATTER that they had the same hair color, that didn't automatically make them buddies or something like that!

"Easy now."

As Cam walks up, the Super Nerd pushes his glasses up his nose yet again, before glancing down at the two Pokemon Fossils at his feet.

"I've only been able to find these two fossils here, and they're hardly anything to brag about. Frankly, this whole fossil frenzy has been COMPLETELY blown out of proportion at this point."

… Still, Cam's presence did present a new opportunity, didn't it? Clapping her hands together to draw everyone's attention to her, Jessie puts on her biggest, brightest smile.

"Well, either way, Petrel will want to hear about this post-haste! Jamie and I will go ahead and report this spectacular finding to the Admin right away. You, Cam, should remain behind and guard the fossils with our… collaborator here."

Jamie lets out a whoop at that.

"Man, I can't wait to see the faces of all of those other Grunts who are hiding out at the Pokemon Center when they see how we salvaged this mission! I can't believe how scared they were of some little kid!"

Ah, that was a good point. Jessie still wasn't sure she believed the story of that spiky-haired brat with a cocky attitude, who had apparently come through the cave and defeated every Rocket Grunt in his path. Honestly, it sounded like the sort of made up story that a bunch of weakling wimps would create in order to get out of any hard work.

Neither she nor Jamie had seen a lick of this brat, so really, he was probably made up and-

"Huh, funny you should mention a little kid. One of those types came through here just a little while ago, walking around with his Wartortle outside of its Pokeball like some big show-off. He didn't seem interested in the Pokemon Fossils though, so I just kept my head down and he went on his way. Pretty sure he's gone now."

… Jessie doesn't want to call the Super Nerd a liar, but seriously? A Wartortle?! Her and Jamie exchange a wide-eyed glance for a moment before ultimately, she decides they've lingered long enough.

"W-Well, that's all fine then. If he's gone, he's gone. We'll go and get Petrel now, you two stay here and hold down the fort!"

The Super Nerd barely pays her any mind, already returning to studying his finds. Cam though nods slowly in acknowledgment of her orders. At least he's useful, if nothing else…

"You got this Cam! Be back soon!"

With Jamie's parting words, the pair of female Rocket Grunts head off. As Jessie leads the way, she shakes her head. Some kid with a Wartortle? Yeah no, ridiculous… honestly, best to focus on what was right in front of her. This was it! They just had to go get Petrel, and show off their find, and she and Jamie would be well on their way to being the next big thing in Team Rocket!

-x-X-x-

Her name… her name was… Red. Her purpose was… Pokemon. Moving forward with single-minded focus, the young woman pushes ever deeper into Mt. Moon's cave system. She's here for one reason and one reason only… to get to the other side, where Cerulean City awaits. That's where the next Pokemon Gym is, after all. And she needs to get the second badge if she wants to continue with the Professor's task.

To be the very best. Like no one ever was. To catch them all. To train them to her standards. Every challenge, conquered. Every day, a battle. All of it… all of it to claim her rightful place.

The Professor knew best. Her purpose was to grow stronger. To create a team of Pokemon that would have no better. To ascend the ranks of Pokemon Trainers, beating all comers across the entirety of the Kanto Region. Only once she had all eight badges, would she be able to challenge the Elite Four. Only once her team was ready would she be ready to take her rightful place… as Pokemon Champion.

The Pewter City Gym had not been particularly hard, but her first pair of Pokemon, the Charmander given to her by the Professor, and the Pikachu she'd caught, were not quite up to the task. In fact, none of her Pokemon were particularly strong against Ground and Rock Types. But that didn't matter. She wasn't made to be weak. She wasn't made to fail.

She'd trained and trained until Brock, the Gym Leader in Pewter City, was finally forced to acknowledge her strength and hand over the Boulder Badge. And once she'd defeated him, she'd come here, to make her way to Cerulean City and challenge their Gym for the next badge.

… But there was an odd number of strangers in Mt. Moon today. All of them wearing uniforms, with large red Rs on them. She'd wondered if it was meant to be a test by the Professor. After all, they all challenged her the moment they saw her, and her name WAS Red. Their weird little get-ups seemed almost tailor-made for her.

But no… they were all so weak. Pathetically weak, in fact. There was no way the Professor would put a challenge like this here, because it hadn't actually BEEN a challenge, nor a test. She'd defeated them all, with ease.

And now here she was, facing down another one. The two of them look at one another for a long moment. He's blocking the only path out. Red needs to get through. She needs to be the very best. He's in her way.

When he pulls a Pokeball off his belt, she's almost relieved. When a Dratini pops out, she's honestly surprised. Even as she brings out her Charmeleon, she's a little impressed. That Dratini is beyond a shadow of a doubt the most powerful Pokemon she's faced yet.

"Charmeleon, use Metal Claw."

"Dratini, use Twister!"

It still goes down in one hit, though. While they both call out their moves at the same time, her Charmeleon is far faster than his Dratini. Shining, shimmering metal claws rent through the Dragon Type Pokemon's flesh, causing him to faint immediately.

The Trainer's other three Pokemon, far weaker than the first, fare no better. She doesn't have to use any of her other five Pokemon. All she needs for this is her Charmeleon, and she shreds through not just his Dratini, but also his Rattata, Spearow, and Abra in a few moves.

"Charmeleon, come back!"

It's… odd. Because beyond being a little stronger than the other weird R people she's fought so far in this cave, he doesn't seem that special. And yet, as he slumps against the wall and Red steps past him, she can't help but spare him one final curious glance. His head is down though, his cap covering his eyes. And so, she continues on her way, having been distracted long enough.

Of course, immediately after, she encounters something far more interesting. Pokemon Fossils.

"H-Hey, stop! I found these fossils! They're both mine!"

The Professor's advice rings through Red's head. Prehistoric Pokemon could be incredibly powerful, if restored with newfound technology at the Pewter City Museum. In fact, the Pokemon Champion, Lance himself, had an Aerodactyl, a Prehistoric Pokemon of considerable power. And Red needed all the power she could get, if she was going to be the very best.

"I won't let you just take them!"

And so, she finds herself in another Pokemon Battle. Not that she minds. The young woman is perfectly at ease with such a thing, and in the end, the Super Nerd falls even faster than the last Trainer with the pink hair.

"O-Okay! We'll share! Sound good? We'll each take a fossil! No being greedy!"

… She should take both. But the word 'share'… it resonates with Red in an odd way. And so, she only takes one Pokemon Fossil, and leaves the other for the man with the glasses. And then she carries on her way, without another look back.

The Pokemon League wasn't going to conquer itself, after all.

-x-X-x-

"Right this way, sir! The fossils are straight through here!"

"Good. And keep an eye out. The reports of that kid with a Wartortle were bad enough. But apparently, the woman with a Charmeleon is far more merciless, and far less likely to hold back."

"R-Right! I'm sure… I'm sure it's nothing!"

Jamie can tell Jessie is putting on a brave face right now. Truth be told, Jamie wishes she could do the same, but she's a little nervous at this point. Hearing those tales about the kid with the Wartortle were bad enough, but Jessie had been sure they were just fibs. However, the Super Nerd had made it clear he saw the same kid… and now, apparently, there was a woman running around with a monstrously powerful Charmeleon of all things! It was mind-boggling!

Turning the corner, she and Jessie lead Petrel right up the slope to where they left Cam with the Super Nerd and the Pokemon Fossils… but while Cam and the Super Nerd are still there, the fossils are nowhere to be seen!

"What?! No! Don't tell me, you two lost the fossils!"

Jessie's outburst is to be expected, but Jamie still winces all the same, even as Petrel crosses his arms over his chest. The Super Nerd immediately leaps in to explain.

"Well, listen here now! We both tried to fend her off, but she was too strong! She ran right through us like we were nothing, and then ran off with both fossils! There was nothing to be done, I swear!"

Even as Jessie and Petrel listen to the explanation, Jamie can't help but look to Cam, feeling concerned. He's so quiet… quieter than usual, to be clear. He looks shellshocked, his eyes a little wider than normal, his Pokeballs cradled to his chest. He's taking this loss of his really, really hard.

"Both fossils, did you say?"

"E-Er, yes sir, that's correct!"

Stepping forward finally, Petrel frowns most severely.

"Well then."

Stepping past them all, he looks away for a moment, muttering something under his breath that Jamie can't quite make out from where she is. Then, he turns back to the Super Nerd.

"The woman. I suppose you got a good look at her? Did you see what kind of Pokemon she used, what sort of clothes she was wearing, that sort of thing?"

"A-Ah, well, that is… only just barely. It all happened so fast. She had me on the ground in no time at all, and then she just ran off!"

Jamie has to hold in a snicker at the unintended innuendo. Now really isn't the time for it, she can tell.

"But, uh, this pink-haired Grunt here fought him too though! I don't know if maybe he fared any better…"

Gesturing to Cam, the Super Nerd happily throws him under the bus. Before Jamie can step in and come to her fellow Grunt's defense however, Jessie grabs her by the arm and holds her back. Petrel, meanwhile, swings around to face Cam.

"You. What's your name, Grunt? Wait no, I remember now. Cam. You fought this woman with a Charmeleon just now, did you? And you remember what she looked like; what Pokemon she used?"

For a long moment, there's silence. Cam still seems to be in a state of shock. Until…

SMACK!

Petrel backhands him across the face with a sneer.

"Snap out of it, Grunt! Get it the fuck together! Can you identify the bitch or not?! Answer me!"

Maybe it's the angle of Cam's hat or something, but Jamie is pretty sure she's the only one who sees it. For the first time since she's met him, Jamie sees real, raw emotion in Cam's eyes. There's anger there… rage, even. But she's pretty sure Petrel can't see it from where he's towering over her fellow Grunt, or he likely would have had something to say. As it is, Cam doesn't give him reason to hit him again, at least.

"… Yes."

"Good! At least one of you new recruits might prove to be of some use today. We'll have to investigate this matter further. We can't have random women running around beating the crap out of an entire squad of us, only to make off with OUR fossils. Just think of the blow to our reputation… tch."

Looking to Cam in particular, Petrel nods.

"I imagine Boss will want a word with you, back at HQ. Make your way to Celadon on the double, Grunt. As for the mission itself… nothing more to be done here. You're all dismissed."

Jamie is just about to let out a sigh of relief when Jessie steps forward. This is one of those times where Jamie could have told the other woman that they needed to keep their mouths shut. But Jessie was the Alpha of their little partnership… for better and for worse.

"What about us, sir? We found the fossils for you, didn't we?"

Petrel scoffs openly at that.

"Yes, and a fat lot of good it did us too, huh? I don't want to hear any more whining from you, Grunt. Do as you're told and get back to HQ to await further orders."

Jessie grits her teeth, holding back a snarl as Petrel walks away, having gotten the last word. Almost shaking, Jamie's friend clenches her hands together into fists before glaring at Cam.

"Damn it all… this is all YOUR fault; I hope you know. Useless idiot…"

Jamie grimaces, as Jessie moves to stomp off as well. Mouthing a sorry in Cam's direction, she follows after her friend.

Mt. Moon was supposed to be their big break… but all it'd turned out to be was one big disappointment…

-x-X-x-

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