Chapter 18

                                    

                                          
*Ash now has all the Legendaries from Kanto – Kalos except Mewtwo and Arceus*
                          
Four years ago when Ritchie was only thirteen he had an encounter with Kanto's most notorious group of villains known as Team Rocket. They were a group that was known for stealing Pokémon from trainers all over the Kanto and Johto Region and also set out to capture rare Pokémon.
                          
Ritchie met a group of three; a girl names Jesse, a boy named James and the most bizarre of all, a talking Meowth. They were after his Pokémon after seeing him battle in a local tournament. Ritchie swiftly defeated them all with his Raichu.
                          
For six months afterwards he had to deal with them over and over again almost on a daily basis. Ritchie was getting very ticked off at this repetitiveness as it was time consuming and cutting into his training. The next time he met them he had his Raichu use Zap Cannon to paralyze them long enough so he could call Officer Jenny.
                          
While he waited for them he learned more about them, after they finally stopped screaming at him that is. It turns out Jesse was orphaned at a young age and initially tried to become a nurse before joining Team Rocket, but was unable to so she tried to become a Pokémon Nurse, but it didn't work out in the end. After that she enrolled herself in Pokémon Tech, but promptly failed and dropped out along with James and joined a Bike Gang with him. After leaving they became a part of Team Rocket on bad terms until Meowth became their partner.
                          
James was originally from a wealthy family of Millionaires, but he did not belong in high society as he had no interest in it. Things only got worse when his parents made him get engaged to a girl named Jessabelle who was such a control freak that she drove him crazy. He finally couldn't take it and ran away from home where he eventually joined Team Rocket with Jesse.
                          
Then there was Meowth; his story was very sad. He was abandoned as a mere kitten and when trying to get food was hung up by his paws by a butcher where he saw a film that depicted a Meowth in Hollywood. Excited Meowth set out for Hollywood only to find out it was nothing like the movies said. He was treated just like another stray Pokémon and almost starved to death, but a group of Meowth's led by a Persian saved him and took care of him. He stayed with them for many years and stole lots of food and lived happily until he met a female Meowth cutely named 'Meowzie.' He tried to impress her, but she cruelly rejected him saying he was poor, had nothing to offer and that she preferred humans. After that Meowth went through a painstaking process of learning how to be human. He learned to speak the human language and walk like a human. It was hard as it hurt his vocal chords trying to talk and trying to run on two legs as opposed to four made him get caught so many times. Finally, after learning everything he approached Meowzie again only to be rejected once more when she called him a freak. Heartbroken Meowth remembered the first human word he understood – "Rocket" – and as such was inspired to join Team Rocket. After he did he became Giovanni's personal pet and servant and did his job for a while, but ended up failing and was sub-sequentially replaced by a Persian and assigned to Jesse and James.
                          
Now Ritchie wasn't an overly emotional person; he didn't wear them on his sleeve. However, hearing Meowth's story made Ritchie actually shed tears. Meowth was absolutely shocked that a human would shed tears for him.
                          
Ritchie then spoke "I can see why you're all like this. Bad upbringings lead to bad lives. I feel sympathetic to you guys, I really do. But the crimes you've committed can't be overlooked. Listen, I can't promise anything, but if you guys can pay your debt to society then I'll help you guys see a better life." He spoke this to Jesse and James. Turning to Meowth he spoke "Unfortunately the penalty for Pokémon who commit these crimes is not so easy. They won't let you go free Meowth; depending on your crimes they'll either lock you up in a Pokémon Shelter to be rehabilitated or... sentence you to euthanasia." Meowth gulped and went wide eyed at such a possibility, but Ritchie's next words made him freeze completely. "I can help you though; the Meowth with Team Rocket is only known to be walking on two legs, not speaking the human language. I can say you escaped when in reality you'll be with me. I can help you start a new life Meowth and... I'll make you stronger then you've ever been."
                          
Meowth stared up at Ritchie as he held his hand out. Meowth stared at it and back to his friends; the only friends he had ever known. Jesse and James stared back for a moment before James smiled and nodded. Meowth looked back and reached out before grabbing Ritchie's hand and ever since then Meowth led a new life.
                          
Jesse and James were sent to prison, but from the words of Ritchie their sentence was reduced quite a bit. Meowth trained with Ritchie and his Pokémon every day and true to Ritchie's words Meowth got very strong and on his own request Ritchie used an Everstone to stop Meowth from evolving as Meowth never wanted to be a Persian and just stay the way he was. It was long and arduous work, but in the end Meowth became very strong and travelled with Ritchie all across the world, but was kept a secret from the others as Meowth wasn't too comfortable around the others yet. For three years he was kept secret, but soon he would be revealed.
                          
Now, the week before they were to meet with Charles Goodshow did Meowth decide that he had to do something. He asked Ritchie to take him to Hollywood and Ritchie obliged. They flew to Hollywood where Ritchie followed Meowth down the streets until stopping at an alleyway.
                          
"Is this what I think it is" Ritchie asked.
                          
"Yeah" Meowth said softly. The two of them walked down the alleyway and it didn't take them long to be surrounded by five Meowth's. Ritchie and Meowth remained calm and watched as a Persian and another Meowth came out. Meowth was temporarily surprised "Meowzie... that you" Meowth asked.
                          
Indeed, it was Meowzie who looked surprised as well "Meow..." she said.
                          
The Persian faced Meowth and purred something that Ritchie couldn't understand although by the way the Persian's eyes turned to him he knew it was about him. "You don't have to worry about him Boss" Meowth said to the Persian. "He's my trainer; I'm just here to say something and then I'll be on my way." The Persian looked at Meowth and back to Ritchie before nodding and sat down. "First of all... I wanted to thank you, Boss."
                          
The Persian seemed surprised "Per" the Persian said in confusion.
                          
"You found me when I was all alone and starving and you took me in even though you didn't have to" Meowth said. "And for that I will be forever grateful to you and the rest of the guys for doing this for me. You guys were like my family. And that being said I also want to apologize for just getting up and leaving ten years ago. I've done some bad things with my life and made some crappy decisions, but that's all behind me now. This guy, Ritchie, gave me a new chance and saved me from going to a Pokémon Shelter, or even worse, death. Because of him I'm changing my life for the better. But still, I wouldn't have even made it this far in life if it wasn't for you guys and for that I thank you. I just wanted to come back and tell you guys that."
                          
Then Meowth's gaze turned to Meowzie and it narrowed a bit "And since you're here Meowzie I got something to say to you. You grew up in a high society class and just like all of them you looked down on everyone of lesser class than you. That's what I really hate about rich folks. When I met you, you said I had nothing to offer you and that I was poor, well now it looks like the roles are reversed now. I don't know how you came to be like this and quite frankly I don't give a Mankey's ass about it. I tried to become more human-like to impress you and you called me a freak for it. Fine, I'm a freak, but you know what I'm happy being who I am. Now I'm gonna go off and be a Pokémon of a member of the soon-to-be Kanto Elite Four and you'll be here in alleyway. You owe your life to Boss for what he's done for you because now you're no better than the poor people you used to look down on."
                          
Meowth sighed before looking once more at the group of shocked Meowth and one Persian. "That's all I wanted to say. Good luck to all of you." With that Meowth turned and walked away. Ritchie looked at the Meowth and Persian once more before following after Meowth.
                          
Persian stared after Meowth before looking down on the only female Meowth in the group. Small tears were falling from her eyes; the rest of the Meowth pretended not to notice. Persian never got to know the past of any of his gang members as the past was useless and they only looked forward to the future. He could only wonder what she was thinking. Meowzie herself was thinking back to when she first met Meowth and how he had tried so hard to impress her going through agony and she never knew and coldly pushed him aside. Now she was on the streets fighting to survive and Meowth was now going to become something big. She couldn't help, but shed tears in regret.