Blasting Off! Ch. 9 (Pokemon)(Team Rocket OC) (Patreon)

A/N: This chapter is a little longer and VERY dialogue heavy. Get ready.

2 of 2 chapter dump

-x-X-x-

“Thanks for letting us wait here for Cam, Jess! By Arceus, I still can’t believe we pulled it off!”

Jamie can’t help but gush, as she and Jessie loiter at the southern end of Nugget Bridge, hoping to catch Cam on his way back from his mission. Their mission was, of course, a complete and utter success. That was probably why Jessie was in such a good mood, and willing to entertain Jamie’s flight of fancy. Indeed, the magenta-haired Rocket is all smirks as she stands there with her arms crossed over her chest.

“Hmph, of course we pulled it off. We’re Team Rocket, aren’t we?”

“Damn straight! Oh, there he is now. Hey, Cam! We were just looking for you!”

As Cam walks up to them, Jamie can’t help but check him out. Is he happy? Is he sad? He… admittedly doesn’t look any different than before, at first glance. But on a second, deeper probe, Jamie has to wonder. Is that an ever so slight smirk on his otherwise blank face? Is he radiating a new sort of confidence and machismo that wasn’t there last time?

… Or is she just imagining things? She knows what Jessie would say, if she asked her. She’d say Jamie was imagining things. But maybe it was fine, having flights of fancy sometimes? Of course, Jessie just can’t help herself.

“Yes, we finished with OUR mission, of course. The burglary went superb, as to be expected. No doubt, this job will go down in history as one of Team Rocket’s cleanest, most effortless heists. That TM Collector has no clue what or who hit him, I’d say.”

Jamie holds in a groan, as she looks at Jessie imploringly. Nothing the other woman has said is inaccurate, necessarily… but did she really have to brag about how COOL their mission was to Cam?! He’d just got done with a lame-ass courier job, after all… it was apples to oranges, and Jamie had always preferred oranges over apples. She couldn’t imagine anyone who wouldn’t, truth be told.

“I’m sure your mission was just as exciting, Cam! And just as important for Team Rocket, too!”

Jamie didn’t believe that, of course, but for the sake of Cam’s feelings, she would try to make it seem like she did. Unfortunately, Jessie wasn’t helping.

“I don’t know about that. Not so sure delivering a simple parcel can in any way compare to the way we dug our way in through the back of the house and stole that Collector’s entire TM Collection right out from under him! My, you really should have been there Cam. Oh, but I’m sure Jamie was right… your mission probably WAS important, if not exciting.”

Jamie continues to hold in her groan but can’t help facepalming. Jessie could be… such a brat, sometimes! Of course, the purple-haired Rocket would never say that to her friend’s face. Jessie was the Alpha, after all. Still, she could try to steer things a bit better.

“H-Hey, we should probably head back to the hideout, right? The others are probably back there by now, seeing as we only stuck around to wait for Cam.”

“Sure, sounds good to me.”

Cam nods his head, a response that both surprises and pleases Jamie. He’s really loosening up, isn’t he?

Together, the three of them leave Nugget Bridge behind, heading back into Cerulean proper. Their walk takes them right past the house they robbed, in fact, but Jamie isn’t worried about that… until they find themselves parallel to the TM Collector’s front door and she glances over for just a second to see an actual POLICE OFFICER standing guard outside of it!

“H-Holy shit! It’s the fuzz, book it!”

The three of them sprint off, Jessie and Jamie leading the way as Cam falls in line a step behind them both. They race through town, not stopping for anything until they’re on the south side, just north of the Pokemon Daycare. Only once they’re safely obscured by Cerulean’s southern hedge of bushes do they stop for a moment, doubled over to catch their breath. Well, Jamie and Jessie are… when they both straighten up, it’s to find Cam standing there, looking no worse for wear.

“Hah, hah, f-fuck! The cops! How did they find us?!”

“J-Jamie, hah, calm down, ugh! They were… probably just checking out the c-crime scene or something! We did everything by the book, so there’s no way they know it was us!”

“Do… do you think they saw us at all?!”

“No way… we got away in time for sure…”

Jessie sounds… less confident than usual. Jamie, pale as can be, looks between her two pink-haired friends and for once, she’s the one taking the lead.

“Let’s… let’s get back to the hideout right away guys! This is serious!”

It really is serious, because Jessie just nods along with Cam, and all three of them head down to the Pokemon Daycare posthaste.

-x-X-x-

Jamie’s not sure what’s going on, but she knows that SOMEONE has to be told. And so, as soon as the three of them get back into the Hideout, where Archer and their fellow Grunts are all gathered around, Jamie speaks up.

“Y-You guys! You’re not gonna believe this! The cops are in town! They’re up by the old TM Collector’s House!”

When Archer’s sharp gaze immediately falls upon her at that, Jamie shrinks back in a cringe. Luckily, Jessie is recovered enough to take charge.

“Sir, we just barely got away… but we’re pretty sure they didn’t see our faces.”

To both Jamie AND Jessie’s surprise, it’s not Archer who responds… but one of their fellow Grunts.

“No kidding, ladies! What do you think we’re all talking about right now?”

Another pipes up, holding his head in his hands.

“Ugh, what are we going to do? You think they’re onto us?”

A third turns to the second.

“Be cool, man! No way they saw us, we were REAL stealth-like!”

“Yeah, they’ve got no reason to think it was us and not some other old burglar, right?!”

“B-But what if one of us slipped up and got spotted in town, huh?!”

That causes a jolt to run through Jamie, a sudden flash of fear up her spine. No… there was n-no way, right? It was… it was f-fine.

“Honestly, I’m sure it doesn’t take a genius of a bystander to see a crew of Rockets running around, a house getting robbed, and put two and two together!”

The Grunt in question is right. Jamie’s mouth is suddenly very, VERY dry. She-

“That’s enough.”

Archer finally speaks up, cutting off their panic in an instant. The Team Rocket Executive’s sharp gaze sweeps over all of them in an instant.

“Be quiet, all of you. There’s no reason for alarm. The police have arrived at the scene a lot quicker than they usually do, but that’s no reason for them to suspect us in particular just yet.”

Then, he smirks a sly smirk.

“Besides, even if they did, we have enough influence with the Kanto police department to ensure a case goes absolutely nowhere. All in all, this is far too low-impact of an episode for them to take any definitive action. Unless, of course-!”

“Hey guys! Check this out! It’s on the TV! Get over here quick!”

The interruption to what Archer was saying comes from a Scientist across the room, standing in front of the Hideout’s Television. Needless to say, everyone rushes over, quick as can be. On the television, a News Anchor speaks.

“And now, in alarming crime-related news: A renowned collector of Technical Machines was earlier today the victim of a vicious and heinous robbery. Police arrived at the scene shortly after the incident but were unable to catch the perpetrators in question. Our own Northern Kanto reporter, Ford Regular, reports from the scene.”

The scene suddenly shifts to the TM Collector’s ransacked home. Jamie’s eyes go wide as she sees not just the TM Collector… but a girl standing next to him. A VERY familiar-looking girl. No… no, no, no…

“I-I don’t know what happened! I was just up on my regular hike up on Mt. Moon, and I came back to THIS! All my hard-earned TMs, GONE!”

Ford Regular nods at the bereaved TM Collector, before looking directly at the camera.

“Truly an unnerving tale for this poor homeowner. Now, we understand that your daughter here was out playing in the vicinity when this incident occurred? And that she in fact was witness to one of the criminals responsible?”

No… nooooo…

“Now, Miss. Would you mind explaining to us exactly what you saw?”

Oh by Arceus, nooooo…

“W-Well, I don’t know for sure if it was the same people, but there was this creepy chick who tried to rob me earlier!”

Jamie flinches at the ‘creepy’ descriptor, looking left and right. But no one, not even Jessie, is looking her way. Everyone has their eyes glued to the TV.

“Oh my!”

“Yeah! She was real funny looking. She had purple hair, and these weird black pajamas. She challenged me to a Pokemon Battle, but when she won, she tried to steal one of my Pokemon! I refused, and she got this weird look on her face before telling me I was too old, or something and ran off!”

It wasn’t fair! Jamie had misjudged the girl’s age! She thought that it was a kid, but instead she was too old for Jamie to be allowed to steal from! Kids and old people only! Teenage girls were off-limits!

“I don’t know where she went, exactly, but I think I saw her with some other people wearing the same funky outfits later! It was really weird!”

NOW there were some people looking at her. Jessie in particular. All Jamie could do was avert her gaze. It wasn’t supposed to be like this…

On the TV screen, Ford looks to the Police Officer standing nearby.

“Now, Mr. Officer. I’m led to understand that, with the aid of this expert witness testimony, the Kanto Police Department has a rather good idea of just who these criminals are?”

“That’s correct. The variation in footprints, and the speed at which they carried out their crime, makes it clear this was a sizable group of burglars. We believe they, in turn, are part of a larger organization. Furthermore, the uniforms described by the witness leave little doubt. What we’re dealing with here… is Team Rocket.”

Gasps ring out from around the hideout. In fairness, the Police Officer was right. They HAD knocked over the TM Collector’s house. Still, for him to just come out and say it like that!

“You heard it here first, viewers! The Kanto PD believes this burglar was an act of organized crime by the notorious Team Rocket! Positively nerve-wracking to think that this group is out there on the streets right now Viewers are advised to secure their homes and Pokemon post-haste!”

The scene fades away again on the TV, but rather than reverting back to the News Anchor in the studio, it suddenly swaps to the front of the Pokemon League Building.

“In light of this and other reported crimes by this criminal organization, we reached out to Champion Lance for comment.”

Transitioning again, they’re suddenly watching the inside of the Champion’s Chamber, where Lance stands with his hands on his waist. There are some angry grumbles at seeing the Johto Bastard looking so confident and strong, but Jamie personally is just gaping. How… h-how big was her screw up? H-How did this go all the way to the top s-so fast?!

Bringing a microphone to his lips, Lance clears his throat aggressively.

“Ahem! It has come to my attention that the Kanto region has recently been the victim of several acts of organized crime at the hands of this so-called ‘Team Rocket’.”

Clasping his hands behind his back, Lance begins to walk back and forth.

“I am also informed that this organization has purportedly committed several lesser, yet no less brazen crimes around the Celadon area, but that the local police force has turned a blind eye to these misdemeanors.”

Coming to a stop, Lance points an INTENSE look right at the camera.

“With this burglary, as well as similar reports of criminal behavior at Mt. Moon and the Pokemon Tower, the Rockets have shown themselves to pose a genuine threat to regional security.”

Letting out a sigh, Lance shakes his head.

“All of this, of course, is completely unacceptable. I have therefore decided to initiate a new program to combat this criminal activity! We will bring the Rockets to justice!”

He pauses for half a beat, before explaining exactly how they were planning on doing that.

“We will be stationing federal police agents in every major city across the Kanto Region. These specially trained, morally impervious officers will actively combat larger criminal operations, and provide victims of crimes with a safe route by which to report their perpetrators.”

Looking left and right for a moment, as if to gauge the room, Lance continues onwards.

“Furthermore! As of today, each and every identified member of Team Rocket is a wanted criminal! For every Pokemon reported stolen by each member, the bounty on his or her head will increase!”

Jamie can scarcely believe this is happening. They’re… they’re cracking down on Team Rocket because… because of HER?! Oh no. Oh no, no, no…

“… Of course, we want to also encourage criminals who choose to renounce their past evildoings.”

Wait, what? What was he saying now? Jamie blinks, focusing back on the speech.

“That is why any Rocket who chooses to hand back in stolen Pokemon to one of our federal agents will have their bounty reduced in proportion to the strength of the returned Pokemon.”

That…

“Additionally, Police Officers will be empowered to hand out rewards to former criminals who manage to keep a clean record for a certain period of time.”

… What?

Head held high; Lance straightens his shoulders.

“With these measures, we move confidently in the direction of a crime-free Kanto! No lowly thugs should ever be allowed to threaten the security of our proud region!”

Our? Lance was Johto Native through and through and everyone knew it!

“… That is all.”

Jamie gapes, as the Pokemon Champion refuses to take questions, the emergency news report ending soon after. Oh no… it was over, now. And that meant… she was in trouble.

“Oh no! They’re onto us!”

“I knew those cops meant trouble! What are we going to do?!”

“I don’t want to go to jail! I’m too pretty for prison!”

And then, from the crowd of Grunts…

“Jamie! You worthless piece of crap! Now we’ve got the police and government on our heels, and it’s all your fault!”

Jamie cringes, but before she can defend herself, another of her peers speaks up.

“Yeah, you bitch! Why couldn’t you just stick to the mission like the rest of us, huh?!”

Hanging her head in shame, Jamie is forced to admit they’re right. Jessie, on the other hand.

“H-Hey now! She did what any one of us would have done! And besides, how was Jamie supposed to know that brat was the Collector’s daughter?! In fact, I’m betting most of you would have done the exact same thing, you-!”

“That’s enough, Grunt. Be quiet.”

Archer’s no-nonsense tone cuts right through Jessie’s building diatribe, silencing her on the spot. Jamie flinches, afraid that after being yelled at by her peers, now she’s going to be dressed down by her superior.

But instead, Archer steps up to her and Jessie… and then turns to regard the rest of the Grunts. He grits his teeth, anger visible in his eyes… but surprisingly NOT directed at her, as Jamie was expecting?

“Lance, that son of a Granbull…”

Scoffing, Archer shakes his head.

“Pretending like he hasn’t known about our operations for ages… where does he get off? It’s ridiculous.”

Archer narrows his eyes, and then raises his voice.

“Grunts! The day Lance gives a Rattata’s ass about Kanto’s safety and security will be the day I die. Still, he’s clearly decided that NOW is a good time to seem like a respectable leader for the press. What exactly this means for us, I’m going to have to discuss with the Boss.”

He pauses, and then his gaze grows ten times as icy, a veritable wave of intensity wafting off of him as he slides his eyes back and forth across them all.

“Let me make myself ABUNDANTLY clear. Should you decide to betray us, you and any family or friends you might lay claim to will be beaten to a bloody pulp… if you’re LUCKY. This should not be news to any of you. Besides that, I don’t really care what you all do with your free time. Rob or don’t rob when not on missions for Team Rocket as you see fit.”

With that threat and declaration out of the way, Archer smirks.

“I’ll also add that however ‘morally impervious’ Lance thinks his special cops are, there isn’t a warm-blooded human being alive who can’t be bribed for the right price.”

There’s some light titters at that, and even Jamie smiles slightly through her embarrassment and humiliation.

“The bottom line is this: Keep doing what you’re told, Grunts! You’re not in Team Rocket to think or worry, you’re in Team Rocket to follow orders and complete missions! Now then, I’ll have more orders for the rest of you soon enough. For now… you, Cam! Need a word with you specifically.”

Jamie can’t help but jolt in surprise as Archer points… not at her, but next to her. Her shoulders slump in relief as Cam steps past and walks away with the Rocket Executive. But then she flinches, when she sees all the dirty looks directed her way.

“Hey… don’t worry about them. C’mon.”

At least Jessie still has her back. And hey, Cam didn’t have a single bad word to say about her either. So… that was nice, she supposed.

Ugh, why did everything have to go so, so wrong for her?

-x-X-x-

A/N: Poor Jamie, she's trying her best, really she is.

Anyways, yeah, this all happens in the ROM Hack. Lance institutes what is basically a Pokemon Buyback Program and implements amnesty for Rockets that turn in Stolen Pokemon to his goons. It represents an interesting 'morality system' in the ROM Hack, giving you access to certain goodies on either end if you keep your Bounty at Zero for long enough, or get it as high as you possibly can.

We probably won't be interacting with the morality system much in this fic. Cam doesn't have time for that extraneous bullshit.

As always, feedback is greatly appreciated! Leave a Like or Comment if you could please!