The day after the trial, everyone gathered in court to hear the judge announce the sentences. They held their breaths as the main judge stepped forward.
"Yesterday the Viridian City Assembly of Judges found all allegations against Team Firestar to be true. We sentence all the accused to serve one life sentence for every victim affected. The Morgan and Winchester estates are to be confiscated by the state and all additional assets given to Team Rocket", he announced.
Everyone in the courtroom cheered as the pink-haired woman, her underlings, James' parents, and the Winchesters were taken away. Jessie and James embraced one another. Out in the hallway, shared the good new to James' grandparents, who were holding Annastasia.
James' parents were able to him before they were formally arrested. They got him alone.
"James, you've made a huge mistake", his mother warned.
"You are going to regret this", his father added.
"I am not afraid of you", James told them. "And you cannot touch us".
James' parents glared at Annastasia. Jessie stepped in front of her, blocking the baby from their view. The just gave her a dirt look before being escorted out by the police. James watched miserably as his parents, former fiancé, and almost-parents-in-law were taken away.
"Aren't you happy, James senpai?" asked Mondo as he saw James' distraught face.
"They were my family", he whispered sadly. "Families are supposed to stand together".
"Not all families work like that", said Jessie. "And since when do you care about them at all?"
"I just....wished that they could be there for me. I wish that they could....actually care about me. That they could love instead of just treating me like.....nothing more than an ungrateful heir", he said quietly.
Jessie looked at James with pity, which is something that had only happened once before, when she had looked the gunshot scar she had caused. At least her mother never hated her. And her father....she assumed her father had abandoned her family, but she didn't have any proof.
"There are a lot of other people in your life who care about you", she told him.
"Jessie senpai is right", said Mondo. "You have Jessie, and Annastasia, and Meowth, Lucy, and all your Pokémon".
"And Delia, your grandparents, even the twerps are on our side now. And the boss no longer hates us, at least I don't think he would do all this for us if he didn't like us just a little bit", Jessie added.
"Yeah, so stop yere cryin'", said Meowth.
"I'm not crying", James said defensively as he wiped his eyes.
"Let's have a picnic today", said Jessie. "We can bring sake, bento, and rice balls with us. Its very warm out".
"Well, I don't think we should bring Anna-chan outside yet", said James.
"Then we can hang out in our old room. I'm sure we can think of something fun to do in there", she said as she gave him a wink.
"Ok", he said nonchalantly.
Everyone scattered and went into Viridian City to shop, play games at the arcade, or to hit the theaters. Later that night, they all gathered at the Team Rocket HQ to celebrate their victory. Jessie and James returned to their room, which had been untouched since they had left Team Rocket. The had taken some food from the buffet area and had decided to spend the rest of the evening alone.
"What do you think is going to happen to your estate?" Jessie asked James as she placed Annastasia in her bassinet.
James put his food down.
"Technically it belongs to Team Rocket now. Their contract stated that if they could not pay Team Rocket their weekly allowance, then they would start liquidating their assets and taking those", James explained.
"So Team Rocket is going to sell the mansion?" Jessie asked.
"I guess will really won't know what will happen for a while. It will take months to settle this out. If it wasn't for the fact that we wasted so much money during our time in Team Rocket, most of that money would be coming straight to us".
"It wasn't our fault, it was that brat! Giovanni should look the other way and give the money to us. He's knows his son is lethal", Jessie complained.
"You make a fair point, but none of that matters now", said James. "I just hope they don't do anything sneaky. For all we know, they could be hiding something".
"Like what?" asked Jessie.
"I don't know. I guess I am just suspicious of us actually winning something for once", said James.
"Don't be so suspicious. We are finally out of the woods. Let's just enjoy it", Jessie replied. "This isn't because of what they said to you is it?"
"No", James lied. "I just...I...am not used to being so lucky".
Jessie wrapped her body around James and rubbed his shoulders. He pulled her into a kiss when there were a series of knocks on the door.
"Come on yous two! Dere playin' music and everyone's dancin', even de boss", they heard Meowth say.
"Yeah so come down!" said Lucy.
"What do you think?" James asked Jessie.
"I think it would be crazy for us not to go", she answered.
"We will be there. We just need a few minutes to get ready", James called to Meowth.
"Ok. We'll see you dere", he answered back.
Jessie and James quickly started to get dressed. Jessie put on the dress and heels that James recently bought here, along with her locket and the charm bracelet that they both wore most of the time. James put on a black suit. He helped Jessie comb her long hair and he styled it into a classy-looking bun. When they were finished they grabbed and baby monitor and kissed Annastasia goodnight. Then they linked arms and hurried to the Team Rocket ballroom.
Xxxxxxxxxxx
Ash and friends had gone up to their rooms and gotten changed into nicer clothing after Delia and Giovanni announced that there would be a celebration dance. Now they all joined together in the elegant and spacious room. Dozens of couples danced as a live band played music.
"I guess my mom wasn't kidding when she said that we needed to look nice", Ash said to Misty.
"Would you like to dance with me?" Misty asked Ash.
"Um...ah..uh", he stuttered.
"Just say yes", whispered Cilan, who playfully pushed him towards her.
"Ok", he replied.
Misty's face lit up and she took him by the hand. She led him out onto the floor, and they slowly but awkwardly tried to blend in with the other dancing couples in the crowd. May and Drew, Gary and Dawn, Clement and Serena, and Sakura and Ritchie joined them.
"Looks like we are the odd ones out", Brock said to Cilan and Max.
Bonnie and Iris came up to them.
"You wanna dance?" Iris asked Cilan.
"I'd love to!" he replied enthusiastically.
Cilan and Iris grabbed each other's hand and joined the other couples.
"How about you, Max?" Bonnie asked.
"I don't think so", he said matter-of-factly.
"Please?" she begged. "It will be fun. I don't know how to dance".
"Neither do I", Max replied.
"That's perfect. We can learn together", she said happily.
Before he could respond, Bonnie took him by the hand and dragged him out onto the floor.
"I guess I'm the odd one out", Brock said to himself.
He looked around at all the other people dancing. Jessie and James, Mondo and Duplica, Harley and Zoey, Bianca and Barry, Giovanni and Delia, May and Dawn's parents. Even the Pokémon were dancing. Meowth was with Lucy, Pikachu with Misty's Azuril, May and Ash's Squirtles, May and Ash's Bulbasaurs, Jessie and James' two Eevee, along with many others. His little brother was dancing with Domino, even though he was several years younger than her.
"Even him!" Brock exclaimed in disbelief. "I taught him everything he knows!"
"Excuse me", a voice said from behind him.
Brock turned around and was faced with a tall, brunette, woman who looked about his age or younger. He faced turned red and he quickly turned away. After moment he looked back at her, and then smiled as a special memory came flooding back.
"Autumn, is that you?" Brock asked.
"You remember me!" she said excitedly. "For a moment there I thought you forgot".
"No way, I could never forget you!" he replied. "You were my first ever student in the art of Pokémon bonding. But what are you doing here?"
"Its actually kind of a long story. Do you want to dance and talk about it?" she asked hopefully.
"Of course", said Brock.
They took each other by the hand and started dancing.
"So what brings you to Team Rocket Headquarters?" asked Brock. "Wow it felt weird saying that".
"Yeah, no kidding", she replied.
She stumbled a bit but Brock caught here before she plowed into Wobbufet and a Miltank.
"I'm still kind of clumsy", she confessed.
"Don't worry about it. Was that your Miltank?" he asked.
"Yep. Good ol' Ilta. Thanks to you we are closer than ever", Autumn responded.
"I'm glad to hear that", said Brock.
"So the reason I am here is because one day I was traveling from Sinnoh to Hoen with my Pokémon when I came across two people on the trail. It was Norman and Caroline. They are really famous, even in Sinnoh, so I recognized them immediately. We got to talking, and they told me that they were going to Kanto. I mentioned how I had never been to Kanto and I only had ever met two people from there. I mentioned you and Ash, and right away they told me about the Team Firestar and the trials. I asked if I could come, since I was really in no rush and was looking forward to seeing you both again", Autumn explained.
"Wow. So it must have been fate that brought us here", said Brock.
"I guess so", she giggled nervously.
Misty and Ash swept past them.
"Looks like Brock finally got a girl to dance with him", Misty observed.
"Mmhm", Ash mumbled.
He didn't bother to look. Instead he was focused on Misty's eyes. He never realized how cool they were. Bluish-green, just like the ocean.
"Ash are you even listening to me?" she asked in a slightly irritated voice.
"No! I mean Yes!" he replied. "I was just distracted. I'm sorry".
"Is everything all right? We can stop if you want", said Misty.
"I don't want to stop. I was just distracted by your eyes. What did you say before?" he asked.
Misty smiled at his almost-compliment.
"It's not important", she replied.
"Check out the twerp two-some", said Jessie as she caught eye of Misty and Ash dancing.
"Oh, Kanto addition", James added as he observed the two teens.
"Looks like Lucy and Meowth are having a good time too", said James as the two Pokémon danced passed them.
"I guess this means that they're a thing", Jessie observed.
"I hope so", he responded. He didn't want to admit it, but he was really embarrassed every time Lucy flirted with him and he would much rather have her infatuated with Meowth.
People started to leave the dance floor one by one until it was almost midnight.
"Looks like we're the only ones left", said James to Jessie.
"Even the band left", Jessie added.
"Want to go to sleep?" he asked.
"I'll go to bed, but not to sleep", she replied.
It took James a few seconds to get the hint.
"Oh. I see what you did there", he responded cheerfully.
Meanwhile, Lucy and Meowth were sitting on the roof of the tall Team Rocket Tower.
"Dis is one of my favorite places", he informed her. "When I first came to Team Rocket, I didn't fit in nowhere. I took de boss about a month to decide who to pair me up with. Dat's how I met Jessie and James. Before dat I used to come up here every night. I love watching de moon. I would bring my guitar with me and play to de moon".
"When you firs told me that you could play guitar, I have to admit that I was impressed. How did you learn?"Lucy asked.
"I daught myselt", he answered.
"That's impressive. You can make money performing and teaching lessons, you know", said Lucy.
"I guess so but I really just like playing by myself. It helps me when I'm dinkin' about dings", he replied.
"What kind of things?" Lucy asked.
"Like where I belong, and who I belong with. I always thought dat I was alone. After all, I didn't have no friends until I met Jessie and James. But after a while Jessie and James got even closer and den I gots worried dat de wouldn't want me around no mores" he confessed.
"I don't think that will ever happen. You three have something special. You don't know how lucky you are", the Purrloin said sadly.
"Did yous ever have a family?" Meowth asked.
"I wish!" she exclaimed. "I was born in a lab. The moment I hatched out of my egg I was injected with all sorts of weird liquids and then left alone for hours at a time. It was freezing and I had to sit in this little metal cage. It took me a while to escape".
"But yous made it. You must be really strong if yous were able to escape a lab", Meowth commented.
"I know I am strong, I would be alive if I wasn't", she replied.
"So why'd ya learn to speak human?" Meowth asked.
"Once I got out of that place I became obsessed with improving myself. I spent hours learning every attack I could get information on. I wanted to speak humans because I wanted power", she added.
"'Cuz yous gots a strong personality", said Meowth. "What about dat baby yous said dat you helped to raise?"
"I've confessed enough for one night. Now its your turn", she told him.
"What do yous need to know?" he asked.
"Why did you learn human?" she asked.
Meowth recounted his story about Meowzie.
"What a bitch!" said Lucy. "I wouldn't have done that to you".
"Dat's because you speak human language too", said Meowth. "Yous know how hard it is".
"Maybe, but more because I really like you", she replied. "There aren't many Pokémon that would have done what you chose to do".
"You...like me?" he asked incredulously.
"Obviously. Why else would I have stuck around through this never-ending soap drama you three call life?" she retorted.
Meowth smiled, knowing that she was referring to his two human companions.
"De two of dem used to be real dorks. Now de still dorks, but not as much. I been with dem through dick and din. I'm glad dat you like our little family. We don't gots a lot, but it don't matter. We manage just the way weeze are. Does dis mean you wanna stay with us?" Meowth asked.
"Yes, as long as you don't mind", she responded.
"Den welcome to de club", he said happily.
"One condition...", she started.
"What is it?" he asked.
"When you get your guitar back, will you teach me how to play?" Lucy asked.
"Definitely", he responded. "I even gots one stashed somewhere 'round here. I can go find it tommorra. Right now I'm exhausted".
"Thanks. Do you want to sleep up here tonight?" she asked.
"Sure", said Meowth.
The two Pokémon curled up together under the starry sky. Meowth watched the moonbeams bounce of the Purrloin's dark fur until he fell into a peaceful sleep. Lucy dreamt of her past, which contained memories that she would had never expected to arise.