Paraded Through the Forest

"Meowth, what's that up ahead?" James suddenly asked, pointing into the darkness.

"Meow? Let me see." Meowth narrowed his eyes, then stumbled back in fright. "Careful, Jessie, James! I think it's moving, meow."

"Uh, forget it, Jessie, Meowth. Let's go around."

James glanced at the pitch-black forest and started backing away.

Smack!

Jessie struck him. "What if it's a rare Pokémon? We catch it first and ask questions later!"

"A rare Pokémon!"

James perked up instantly. "A promotion? A raise?!"

"Meow!"

Meowth's eyes gleamed. He could already see himself pushing that blasted Persian aside and reclaiming his place as Team Rocket's top cat.

The two of them and Meowth exchanged glances, then crept toward the shadow.

"What's that?"

James ducked behind a tree and peered out. A blood-red figure lay twitching ahead. "A Raticate??"

Its distinctive front teeth told him it was a Raticate, though the poor creature looked too pitiful to bear seeing.

"A Raticate?! What's so special about that?"

Jessie stepped out from behind James. "But its color is different. Could it be?!"

Her excitement surged. "Could it be an incredibly rare Raticate no one's ever seen before?"

"No, meow."

Meowth dipped a claw into the red liquid covering Raticate. He sniffed it, licked it, then spat it out. "It's Cheri Berry juice, meow."

He hurriedly wiped his claw. "So spicy, meow... Poor thing. That's vicious."

"Cheri Berry?"

"Cheri Berry!"

Jessie and James looked at each other and shuddered. They had often been injured trying to catch Pikachu, and sometimes even sent flying. Once, they had crashed straight into a Cheri Berry tree.

When the juice touched their wounds, the pain had been unforgettable.

And this Raticate was covered almost head to toe in Cheri Berry juice. How horrifying.

"Jessie, Meowth, let's get out of here."

James glanced