Team Rocket VS. Team Plasma: Best Wishes From the Past

***Team Rocket VS. Team Plasma: Best Wishes From the Past*** is a two-part story arc comprising chapters 23 and 24 of *The Angel of Reckoning*. It depicts the events of Team Rocket and Polaris's first clash in the Unova region via the former's battle against Polaris division Team Plasma. These events are told as flashbacks during a conversation between Matt Chiaki, Anabel Mistbloom and Trevor Hastings as they meet with Mitsumi Crowe, Silva Shaw and Zinzolin.

## Plot summary

### Part 1

While shopping at the Olivine City Thrifty Megamart, Matt Chiaki recalls the events of a few hours earlier: after Olivia Mistbloom suffered a seizure at the end of her battle with Olivine Gym Leader Helena, Nekou Lalume called her allies in Team Rocket to get her care, in the process revealing her membership in the organization to the rest of the group. In response, Bunny Spruce decided to go off on her own, while Anabel Mistbloom and Amanda Chiaki remained wary.

After purchasing Sonata Coffee on Nekou's request and a Mimikyu doll he believed she would like, Matt is confronted by International Police agents Mitsumi Crowe and Silva Shaw, who demand he arrange a meeting with a representative of Team Rocket. Trevor Hastings volunteers to participate, while Anabel decides to join them at their planned dinner at Olivine's Sushi High Roller while Amanda keeps an eye on Olivia in Professor Rosalie's care. Mitsumi and Silva bring their prisoner Zinzolin along to the meeting, and demand a full explanation of how Team Rocket and Polaris came to oppose each other.

Decades earlier, Trevor worked at a bar in Virbank City, Unova to support his acting career, alongside aspiring actresses Anthea and Concordia. Ghetsis Harmonia earned their trust before abducting Anthea and Concordia; Trevor rescued the former's children and fled to Kanto, while the latter soon gave birth to Ghetsis's son, N, at the Harmonia Estate. Ghetsis and Zinzolin fostered a hatred of humanity in the boy, who had inherited his mother's Transcendence ability, so that he would crusade for Pokémon liberation. However, when they eventually tried to summon Zekrom at the Dragonspiral Tower, N's resolve wavered and Zekrom disappeared.

At the same time, Stacia sent the Razor Claw Squad to Unova with the mission to investigate the Meteonite. Nekou obtained intelligence on it, but also discovered Team Plasma's presence, leading Giovanni to send more agents to the region. They then infiltrated the Antimony Research Lab, where Nekou encountered Colress Antimony for the first time. Jessie, James, Meowth, Pierce and Dr. Zager soon found the large Meteonite in the Desert Resort, and summoned Giovanni to Unova.

Meanwhile, in the present, Jessie, James and Meowth use Woobat drones to map Polaris's Adenosine Base.

### Part 2

Mitsumi, overwhelmed by the meeting, steps out for a break. At the abandoned hotel Team Rocket is using as a base, Olivia has a dream where she envisions her father walking in the Polaris Temple. The sight shocks her awake, and she calls Anabel to connect with her. When Mitsumi returns, the interview continues.

When Giovanni arrived in Unova, he met with the entire assembled Team Rocket force in the Desert Resort, unaware that they were being watched by Team Plasma. They entered the Relic Castle, which the members of Team Rocket had excavated following Dr. Zager's discovery, and found the Meteonite. Several hours later, they departed with it for Castelia City with both Team Plasma and Looker trailing them. Team Rocket invaded a masquerade party being held for Unova's elite at the Join Avenue Corporation building, where Giovanni announced his intention to use the Meteonite's energy to control the weather, threatening to extort money and power over the region from the partygoers.

Team Plasma suddenly hijacked Giovanni's speech, with Ghetsis appearing via video to deliver a warning before his henchmen attacked and stole the Meteonite. Giovanni, Pierce and Dr. Zager then retreated from Unova with the Razor Claw Squad, leaving Jessie, James and Meowth to battle Team Plasma's Strike Force Epsilon in the Desert Resort and try to get the Meteonite back. In the Desert Resort, Strike Force Epsilon's commander Hubert had the Meteonite put in the sky, intending for its energy to influence Pokémon into abandoning their trainers in N's name. Jessie, James and Meowth appeared and fought them, only for Ash Ketchum, Iris and Cilan to arrive with Looker and Professor Juniper soon after. Ash's Pikachu, supercharged by the Meteonite, was able to strike it and destroy it. Both Team Rocket and Team Plasma withdrew from the area in the wake of the Meteonite's destruction.

Mitsumi decides to arrange interviews with the Aether Foundation and Dr. Zager to continue looking into leads from the story, demanding Trevor's help in making the latter happen. Meanwhile, at the Polaris Temple, Rich walks to Father's office in exactly the way Olivia foresaw in her dream. When he goes to speak with Father, he transforms into Gabriella Bouchard, revealing that she was using her Transcendence to disguise herself as him.

## Characters

* Matt Chiaki
* Nekou Lalume
* Olivia Mistbloom
* Anabel Mistbloom
* Amanda Chiaki
* Bunny Spruce
* Looker
* Mitsumi Crowe
* Silva Shaw
* Giovanni
* Dr. Zager
* Stacia
* Pierce
* Ariana Lalume
* Proton
* Petrel
* Trevor Hastings
* Ada
* Professor Rosalie
* Jessie
* James
* Meowth
* Team Rocket Grunts
* Father
* Finansielle
* Excan
* Getriebe
* Athleta
* Dr. Yung
* Mercury
* Colress Antimony
* Ghetsis Harmonia
* Anthea and Concordia
* N
* Hubert
* Zinzolin
* Seven Sages
* Aldith
* Barret
* Team Plasma Grunts
* Faba Antimony
* Wicke Antimony
* Lenora
* Hawes
* Ash Ketchum
* Iris
* Cilan
* Professor Juniper
* Officer Jenny
* Join Avenue Corporation President
* Party guests
* Amelia and Ophelia Mistbloom
* Rich Mistbloom

## Trivia

* These two chapters reconstruct and expand upon the banned episodes 23 and 24 of *Pokémon the Series: Black and White*, which depicted Team Rocket battling Team Plasma over the Meteonite. Other episodes that aired prior to that point, which featured Team Rocket's operation searching for the Meteonite, are also adapted.
* *Solar Blades*, one of the films mentioned during Matt, Anabel and Trevor's conversation, is a parody of and reference to the 1986 film *Solarbabies*. The concept of characters roller skating in the desert is specifically referenced.

## External links

* Part 1 on Archive Of Our Own
* Part 2 on Archive Of Our Own