Palletshipping and Rocketshipping, Together at Last
By Dave

INT.  - DAY ASH'S HOUSE

MISTY and BROCK pound on ASH's door.  They've been waiting for quite awhile.

MISTY
Honestly, Ash, I think that Pikachu has
gotten enough training for one day.

BROCK
Yeah, Ash, really.  It's almost noon.

MISTY
And I haven't even gotten a chance to beat Psyduck once today!

ASH
(GRUNTING)
Just a minute, you guys!  We're almost
done in here... it's just I really want Pikachu to be in good shape for the upcoming Pokemon Tourney... yeah.

MISTY
Okay Ash, whatever you say.

BROCK
(ASIDE)
Isn't it kinda weird how Ash doesn't do his training in a Pokemon gym or in the
field?  I mean, c'mon... it's his room.
Doesn't he worry that something will
get broken or messed up?

MISTY
Yeah, really.  I always make sure that
I'm in a big, wide open area before I
punt Psyduck around.  I broke a lamp
once when his big dumb head crashed
into it.
(YELLING)
Hey Ash, who are you training against
in there, anyway?

GARY busts down ASH's door.

GARY
Why, that would be me... Gary Oak,
Pokemon Master!  And may I add that
I've just totally dominated Ash once
more...

MISTY
Oh, hey Gary.  Are you doing something
new with your hair?  It looks
different...

BROCK
Yeah... going for the "mussed up" look?

ASH comes out of the door, carrying PIKACHU on his
shoulder.

ASH
(PANTING)
You may've gotten me this time, Gary,
but I'll come out on top next week!

GARY
We'll see about that, Ketchum!  Well,
Grandpa said that he's made something
new and incredible, so I'll smell you
all later.

GARY leaves.

MISTY
That kid sure has an ego...

ASH
Oh, yeah... I guess so.

MISTY
Hey Ash, where's your hat?

ASH
Uhm...

BROCK
And your jacket?

ASH
(FUMBLING FOR WORDS)
Uh... Pikachu, did you hide my jacket
again!?  You silly Pokemon... heh heh,
what will I do with you?

PIKACHU
(CONFUSED)
Pika pika?

ASH
Well, why don't you guys meet me
downstairs?  I'm going to... uhm... do
my hair.  And take a shower.

MISTY
Oh, come on Ash.  We've been here for a
half-hour, you said that we'd go South to Cinnibar today for a little
vacation!

PIKACHU
Chu!

PIKACHU jumps into MISTY's arms, next to TOGEPI.

MISTY
Jeez... well, we'll be waiting
downstairs.


INT.  - DAY ASH'S KITCHEN

BROCK
Well, he's certainly being weird today.

MISTY
He's probably just angry about getting
beat by Gary again.

BROCK
I guess.  Who did you have to battle,
Pikachu?

PIKACHU
(CONFUSED, THEN NON-
COMMITTAL)
Chu?  Pika pika?  Chuuu.....

BROCK
What do you mean nobody?  I thought
that you were training with Ash and
Gary.

PIKACHU
Pika pika!  Pikaaaaaaaa....
chuuuuuuuuuuuu!

MISTY
Uhm, whatever you say, Pikachu.  I
can't believe that we're still here,
Brock.  We shoulda just gotten on
Psyduck and surfed down to Cinnabar.
Just imagine, we could be drinking
margaritas and taking in the sun right
now, if it weren't for that stupid Ash.

BROCK
Aww, give him a chance, Misty.  At
least he was doing something good for
his Pokemon...

MISTY
Oh yeah!?  What are you implying, that
my Pokemon are sub-par!?  We'll see
about that, mister...

BROCK
Oh, will we!  Onix, I choose YOU!

MISTY
Psyduck, GO!

MISTY and BROCK are about to battle when ASH comes
downstairs.

ASH
Hey, you guys!  Come on, my mom just
got the kitchen repainted.  The last
thing we need is a Pokemon battle in my kitchen.  Besides, my mom has that strict no-Pokemon-battles rule.

MISTY
But weren't you just training in your
room?

ASH
Uh... well, that's different.

MISTY
How?

ASH
It just is.  So are we going to
Cinnibar?

BROCK AND MISTY
FINALLY!


EXT.  - DAY HOT AIR BALLOON OVER ASH'S HOUSE

JESSIE
(LOOKING THROUGH BINOCULARS)
A little vacation for our little
heroes?

JAMES
Maybe a little sunlight and water will help that silly little girl actually
grow some...

JESSIE
Oh, James, stop it!  You know how it
gets to me when you talk about that
little wench.

JAMES
(APOLOGETIC)
Sorry, darling.  She's just such an
easy target.

JESSIE
Oh... how can I stay mad at you?

JAMES
But how could I ever be so uncouth as to offend you?

JESSIE
Oh, James...

JAMES
Oh, Jessie...

MEOWTH
Oh, please!  We're never gonna catch
that blasted Pikachu if you two keep
fawning all over each other!

JESSIE
(STOMPING MEOWTH'S HEAD)
Quiet, you ungrateful furbag!  It's
just... professional conduct, that's
all.

JAMES
Right, respect is an important part of
any team.  And that goes for Team
Rocket, too!

JESSIE
Now let's catch that little yellow rat
and get this over with!


EXT.  - DAY CINNIBAR BEACH

BROCK
Wow, look at all the chicks out here!

MISTY
Yeah, the sea sure is beautiful.  I bet
it's just teeming with water Pokemon for
me to capture and beat into submission!
Whee!

BROCK
Hey, look over there!  Isn't that
Gary's cheerleaders?  If they're here,
then that must mean Gary is, too.  Uh,
well... I guess that you don't wanna
sun and swim out by your archenemy, huh
Ash?  We can move... Ash?

ASH
(DISTRACTED)
Huh?

BROCK
Jeez, you're really out of it today.  I
said we can move if you don't wanna sit
so close to Gary... and I can just move
over to where his cheerleaders are.

ASH
Oh, oh no!  This is fine.  I'll just...
uhm, go swim.

BROCK
Whatever you say...

ASH and MISTY run off towards the coast, BROCK lays out a
towel to sit on.


EXT.  - DAY GARY'S ENTOURAGE



JAMES
Are you sure these disguises will work?

JESSIE
Of course!  That Oak boy has so many
followers that he could never remember
what all his cheerleaders look like.

JAMES
I still feel silly...

JESSIE
Well, you know how much I like it when
you wear a dress...

MEOWTH
Now cut it out!  Remember, we've gotta
get that Pikachu, and Ash never can
refuse a Pokemon battle with Gary!  So
we just wait til he uses the little rat
and we can snap him up in... this!

MEOWTH reveals a small black ball.

JESSIE
What's that supposed to be?

MEOWTH
It's the rare new Rocket Ball!  One of
a kind, quite rare!  Giovanni had it
specially made just for me, you see?
I'm quite the cat around town.

JAMES
Really?  You actually talked to the
Boss?  And he... he gave you a Rocket
Ball!?

MEOWTH
Sure!  I told you, Meowths always get
what they want!

JAMES
Well then, that little boy doesn't
stand a chance against Team Rocket!

GARY
Excuse me, ladies!  I'm going to take a
swim now.

GARY'S ADORING CHEERLEADERS
Go Gary!  Take a swim!  Let's hear it
for Gary!

JAMES
Uhm... excuse us, Mr. Gary.  We just
couldn't help but notice that your
archenemy, Ash Ketchum, is out there in
the ocean!  Shouldn't you do battle, as
you always do?

GARY
Hey... are you sure you're a
cheerleader?

JESSIE
Why of course we're cheerleaders!
Uhm... let's hear it for Mr. Gary!
Hooray Gary!

JESSIE jumps about unrhythmically.

GARY
Whatever you say, you must've been the
new ones that grandpa was talking
about.

JAMES
Oh, yes!  That's us.

GARY
So I guess that all of you can swim,
now?

JESSIE
Oh yes, of course!  We can do anything.

GARY
Great!  Then we should all go out
there... it's time to show everyone the
old Oak style!

GARY'S ADORING CHEERLEADERS
Yay!  Gary!  Let's go fight!

GARY, JESSIE, JAMES, and the ADORING CHEERLEADERS all run
towards the tide.

GARY
Hey Ash!  Get ready, it's time for
                       another battle!

GARY'S ADORING CHEERLEADERS
Yay Gary!  Go!  Win that fight!

ASH
Huh?  You mean... now?  Here?  But
there's all these people...

GARY
(BLUSHING)
Err, no... you idiot.  I mean fight, a
Pokemon fight!

ASH
Oh!  Yeah... uh... of course!

BROCK
Hey, he brought the cheerleaders!

BROCK rushes up to hug one of the ADORING CHEERLEADERS.

GARY'S ADORING CHEERLEADERS
Error... water immersion... unable to
comply.  Incompatible environment.
Shutting down...

GARY'S ADORING CHEERLEADERS all explode, leaving only
JESSIE and JAMES.  BROCK flies backwards into the water.

GARY
Aw, jeez!  I thought you guys said that
the Cheerleaders were water-compatible
now!

MISTY
They're... robots?!

GARY
Well... a guy has to have his cheering
section somehow... and seeing how
grandpa is a famous scientist and
all...

MISTY
Now that's just cheap!

JESSIE
(THROWING OFF DISGUISE)
Oh, enough of this!  I think it's high
time that Team Rocket cuts the bull and
catches that Pikachu... and of
course... to protect the world from
devestation.

JAMES
To unite all people within our nation!

JESSIE
To denounce the evils of truth and
love.

JAMES
To extend our reach to the stars above.

JESSIE
Jessie!

JAMES
James!

JESSIE
Team Rocket, blasting off at the speed
of light.

JAMES
Surrender now, or prepare to fight!

MEOWTH
(BRANDISHING ROCKETBALL)
Meowth, dat's right!

JAMES
Now, Meowth!

ASH
Hey, what's that?!

PIKACHU
Chu...?

GARY
Hey, c'mon.  This is my battle...
right, Ash!?  Where'd you find these
goons?

JESSIE
GOONS!?!  How dare you!?

JAMES
Team Rocket are no mere goons... why,
we're the poets of battle!

JESSIE
The true heroes of the Pokemon world!

JAMES
Call us Goons and I'll personally make
you pay the consequences!

JESSIE pulls gun from her cleavage.

JESSIE
Prepare to die, you annoying little brat!

ASH
(THROWING HIMSELF IN FRONT OF JESSIE)
No!  Gary!  I can't lose you!  Not now,
not like this!

JESSIE fires anyway, not even noticing ASH.  The shot
hits him in the shoulder.

JESSIE
Serves you right, little brat.  Now
hand over that Pikachu!  Meowth, hurry
up with the Rocket Ball!

MEOWTH
I... I... I can't figure dis thing out!
It's not opening up.  I can't get it to
work!

JAMES
You incompetent feline!  Give it to me!

JAMES wrestles the ball out of MEOWTH's paws.  It
accidentally opens, sucking in MEOWTH.

MEOWTH (O.S.)
Now look what ya did!

JAMES
Quiet down, you lousy...!

JESSIE
James, darling... I think we have some
company.

GARY
Darn straight you do!  Go, Hitmonlee!

BROCK AND MISTY
Psyduck!  Graveler!

JAMES
Oh dear... this isn't a winning
situation.

JESSIE
I think its time to make one of our
famous Team Rocket exits!

JAMES
That's right!  Team Rocket, blasting
off once more.

JAMES and JESSIE jump onto a conveniently appearing hot
air balloon and sail off.

GARY
Oh, God!  ASH!!

MISTY
Hey, I thought you guys were supposed
to be archenemies.

BROCK
(ROLLING HIS EYES)
Oh, come on, Misty.

MISTY
What!?

PIKACHU
(CONDESCENDINGLY)
Pikaaaaa....

GARY
We have to get him to a Poke center.
Nurse Joy will know what to do!

MISTY
But Ash isn't a Pokemon!

BROCK
I know, but it's not like there's any
hospitals in any of these towns anyway.

MISTYGood point.

BROCK and GARY pick up ASH and begin to walk away.
PIKACHU jumps on MISTY's shoulder and they follow,
leaving MEOWTH trapped in the Rocket Ball.

MEOWTH
Jessie?  James?  Uhm... anybody?


EXT.  - NIGHT TEAM ROCKET HOT AIR BALLOON



JAMES
So we didn't get that blasted
Pikachu... again.

JESSIE
And we lost Meowth, too.

JAMES
What a shame.  Now who will be there
to... uhm... order us around.  And
think up horrible plans.  And tell us
to behave... wait, I think I see a
silver lining to this cloud.

JESSIE
(SMILING AND PUTTING ARM AROUND JAMES)
I think that we'll find some way to deal with it.


        EPISODE END.