The Team Rocket Chronicles

By Red Dragonfly (aka Rebecca Lang)

. . .

Epilogue

Jaquie's Company

. . .

. . .

The C.E.O. of Team Rocket Incorporated still wrote to her mother on simple cream-colored stationary with her favorite blue pen. She wrote while in her office, sitting at her broad mahogany desk. She'd sent the desk off the moment she had bought it, and when it came back, thin strips along the sides had been carved to show small three-dimensional pictures of pokemon. Visitors perceptive enough to notice the carvings remarked how noble the Nidorino seemed, how spirited the Nidorina, how wise the Alakazam, and how great and sad the Kangaskhan. They asked who'd carved it, but Jaquie only smiled mysteriously and said it was a secret.

Most visitors didn't pry into the desk, but they did often ask Jaquie about her secret to her success. After all, here was the young woman who came out of the most scandalous trial of the year unscathed. Everyone knew Team Rocket was a criminal organization and Jaquie, as one of the highest-ranked members, must have a shady past. But proof disappeared, witnesses dropped charges, and Jaquie's lawyers twisted everything to her advantage. In the end only Giovanni and his closest hooligans went to jail. Jaquie was acquitted of all charges. Shortly afterward, she filled out the paperwork to make Team Rocket a legal corporation, bought fifty three percent of the company stock, and elected herself C.E.O.

No one expected the company to survive. Its reputation was tarnished, it was mired with legal problems, and it faced competition from the monstrous Silph Co. The first year was straight losses. But Jaquie had anticipated all these problems from the beginning and set off to solve them. She mopped away the last of the legal litigations, expanded their legal business, and developed superior products. Slowly, Team Rocket began making profits.

In some way—in many ways—revenge against Giovanni wasn't as satisfying as she'd anticipated. It was more like removing a cancer: a painful, but necessary operation. Now that Giovanni was gone, Team Rocket could slowly regain its health.

But she had to be careful. There was still one person who could twist Team Rocket back into the same criminal, authoritarian state it had been before. That one person was Jaquie herself. Giovanni was vicious, ruthless, and greedy for power—but so was she. He had brought those competitive traits out of her, fed them, perverted them, and drove them crazy. Now that he was gone, Jaquie had those instincts under control, but they were still there. If she didn't watch herself, she could become Giovanni and a lot worse.

Jaquie finished her letter, sent her secretary to mail it, and turned on the news. Jesse, in a brown blazer, and James, in a sharp blue jacket, stood in front of a long field, microphones in their hands.

"A housing project threatens to disrupt a pokemon paradise. Investigative reporter Meowth discusses the pokemon's reactions."

Jaquie smiled sadly. She and Jesse would never be close. Those days of ice cream sundaes and bedtime stories were gone. Still, watching her baby sister read the news with confidence and buoyancy, Jaquie couldn't help but feel a little proud. Jesse had succeeded in a legitimate job after all.

The story of the island ran after carefully editing. Jaquie made sure they showed only the pokemon and very little of Team Rocket. Although it was a popular television special, no trainers had entered the island so far, and Gadara had the privacy she wanted. Jaquie, however, did visit from time to time. The first time, she delivered the promised antidote to amnesia serum. The second time she brought Leah to see her old friends.

There had been many changes to Mountaintop City. Gadara lost her position as mayor. Nevertheless, she held onto her prestige and gave lectures at schools and universities all over the island. The movement for pokemon independence was growing. In some cases, it was so extreme that Jaquie distinctly felt she wasn't welcome. But Gadara was always warm and friendly.

"The pokemon are learning to think on their own," she told Jaquie. "The road to independence is long and bumpy, but we are progressing. We are learning how to trust ourselves and live without the interference of humans."

The secretary entered her office.

"Jaquie, you have a three o' clock appointment at the laboratories."

Jaquie switched off the television and walked downstairs.

The science department was an essential part of Team Rocket. Although Jaquie kept many trainers on her payroll to legally capture the pokemon sold in Rocket Casinos, most of her profits came from new inventions, once they were properly marketed and sold. Now, she sat in at a meeting in the labs, listening to the scientist's report.

"We've tested our new super potion and its twice as effective as Silph Co's," the head scientist said proudly. "And Jared is working on a radio device that will let trainers give orders to their pokemon without their opponent hearing."

Jared pushed his glasses up his nose. "It's really a project inspired by you. I notice when you battle, you never give your pokemon direct orders and that seems to increase your chances of winning. So I'm working on a way to help other trainers do the same. It will change the way battles are conducted."

"I'd like to see that," Jaquie said. "Just don't let it interfere with your school work."

Jared was working as an intern while he attended college. Jaquie had gone up to the admissions official and asked them to review Jared's transcripts again. "I'd look over it very carefully," said Jaquie quietly. "Because my lawyers will be." Jared had promptly been accepted to the university and Jaquie paid his full tuition on the condition that he intern at Team Rocket Incorporated.

"I like you Jared, but you can't blame me for trying to rope you into a job here," she'd told him.

Jaquie finished the meeting and strolled down to the Viridian Gym. Giovanni had originally run it. Now Jaquie took over the role as gym leader. She had yet to hand out a single badge. She knew one day someone would beat her, but for now she enjoyed her perfect record.

Almost perfect. She had one loss to Karen and Kris, but no one knew about that. Jaquie hadn't seen either of them since she left the island. Part of her hoped they'd found their own measure of success, outside their criminal lives. After all, they weren't evil, no more than she was.

Jaquie stepped into the arena. Leah and Nidorino were already hard at practice. They were great rivals and she was constantly amazed at how they pushed their physical and mental abilities each day. Leah was a good match for Nidorino, and she really thrived in this environment. More than once, she had won Jaquie a crucial match.

Suddenly, the gym doors burst open.

"Jaquie! You're Jaquie, aren't you?"

Jaquie held up a hand and the battle ceased. "Yes. Can I help you?"

A girl with brown eyes and brown hair timidly stepped into the room. "My name is Sunny, and I want to be the World's Greatest Pokemon Master. I challenge you to a battle for a badge."

"I accept your challenge," Jaquie said.

Leah nudged Nidorino with a smile.

The girl tossed out a pokeball and a Crabby came out. Not intimidating pokemon to look at—but then, neither was Jaquie's Nidorino. He hopped eagerly in the center of the arena. Jaquie gazed at the young girl. Maybe one day she really would be the World's Greatest Pokemon Master. Maybe her life would lead her in a different direction.

Once upon a time a little girl with red hair and blue eyes from a poor, broken family had also dreamed of being the World's Greatest Pokemon Master. Now the C.E.O. of Team Rocket Incorporated stood in the arena and ordered her favorite pokemon into battle.

. . .

THE END

. . .

. . .

If you're wondering who Sunny is, she's Misty's shy younger sister, who was away at school while Misty had her adventures with Ash. My own sister Jaime made her up and I included her as a cameo in tribute to her.

I want to thank FrittzyCrazy for your many, many loyal reviews. You encouraged me week to week to keep updating, and I really do appreciate it. This was a lot of work, but knowing I had even one excited reader made it all worth it. Thanks. :)