It was a typical evening in Viridian City for most. This, however, did not include a certain Pokemon. Gray, the scarred Machop, has just heard some terrific news! Thanks to a heist Team Rocket was going to attempt on a Silph Corporation package later, there was a great chance to get some resources for him and his friends. The problem was, they were all asleep! It had been a busy day though, so he could take on this job by himself. Besides, just how consequential could it be?

The next morning…

At this moment, Gray was in a back alley of the city talking with a group of Pokemon, his trusted friends. The results of last night's work were beyond anything he had expected. The Machop had a plan on how to capitalize on this and he knew they would listen. Somehow he had become a "leader" of sorts to them; it would have been kind of a laughable concept to control free Pokemon, but Gray appreciated the sentiment and trust that this implied, so he allowed it. In any case, he was excited to share the details of what he was thinking with them.

"My friends, look at us. We live on the streets, surviving off scraps, while the humans live in fancy houses and can get whatever meals they want. Today, we take the first step in our journey towards gaining what we desire. Behold!" The Machop then pulled a curtain off of a nearby object, revealing what seemed to be some kind of humanoid robot. Male in appearance and the size of a typical teenager, it almost looked like an actual person. Black hair, blue eyes, and what could be mistaken for white skin could be seen on the "naked person." Nonetheless, the lack of any anatomical features revealed that this was not, in fact, a real person. A Silph Corporation logo on the stomach revealed the origin of this robot as well.

"You…you stole their stuff!" one Pokemon exclaimed in disbelief. After a moment, they added "so what, we're selling this or something?"

The Machop shook his head. "Nonono, you're thinking too small. We're not selling this thing, we're gonna use it. We're gonna enter the Pokemon League! Think about it; these humans pay each other to have us fight for them. Why not get paid instead?" The Pokemon's excitement rose as he continued his pitch. "We can train each other better than some random person ever could! Put some baggy clothes on the bot and it'll look like any other guy, one that listens to us instead of the other way around. We go on an adventure, save some money, and live the rest of our lives in luxury!

What do you guys say, are you in?"

Faye sat in the alley, and watched the humans pass by. Most of the Pokemon she had known were terrified of them, but she was fascinated by them. The Pokémon they had with them seemed happy, and they got to travel and see the world. Unlike her, who up untill recently had been stuck in Mt. Moon. She loved Mt. Moon, but she would have liked to be able to see other places too.

That was when her friend Gray the Machop came in, and pitched his big plan. Faye’s eyes lit up when he said the word adventure. An adventure was what she had been wanting for as long as she could remember.

“I’m in. I would love to go on an adventure! The world is a big place and I want to see and explore it all!” The fairy type gushed. “I just have one question… Um… what’s money?”

As Gray presented his plan to his friends in the back alley, Star was already in the midst of helping out in the nearby slums. She had spent most of her life there, surviving day to day with other Pokemon who had been forgotten by society. Despite the harsh conditions, Star had a kind heart and always tried to lend a paw to those in need.

As she made her way towards the group of Pokemon, she overheard Gray's proposal. Star had never been one to trust easily, especially when it came to risking others like this. But the thought of being able to help her friends and potentially change their lives for the better was too enticing to ignore.

Gray finished his pitch, and Star watched with a mixture of curiosity and caution. The idea of stealing from Team Rocket made her uneasy, but she knew that if they were successful, the rewards could be great. She believed that the ends justified the means in this case, and she was willing to take the chance if it meant a brighter future for her and her friends.

Faye asked a pointed question about money, causing Star to pause for a moment and she chuckled before responding, "Money is just something that humans use to value things. We don't need it to be happy, but it can help us survive and make our lives easier. If we can take some from Team Rocket, who only care about themselves, and use it for those in need, then it's worth it!"

After a moment of silence, Star's voice rang out. "I'm in," she said, her voice steady and resolute. "I'll do whatever it takes to help those who are struggling. If that means fighting for them, then I won't hesitate!" Star knew that this was a risky venture, but she believed in Gray's leadership.

While it seemed like a long shot, Star couldn't shake the feeling that if she went along with them, she might find something about her mother's whereabouts. Although it was a dangerous gamble, it was a risk that Star was willing to take.

Overhearing Gray's proposal from the shadows, Vixen took the time to think this whole thing over. On the one paw, Team Rocket was a giant corporation, with all sorts of lackeys and other companies wanting to do their bidding. With that in mind, the plan could go very badly if they got caught. On the other paw, as Gray had said, doing the plan and mostly following it to the letter could lead to them getting lots of money(which they could all use for better shelter and food) and fans(which they could manipulate in order to stay out of trouble and avoid suspicion).

Besides, if the group ever got into trouble, Vixen would try her damnest to get them all out of it, even if she got into even deeper trouble herself. It wasn't like she was or would be essential to the team, anyway, so she was perfectly okay with that.

"Sounds good," She said, stepping out of the shadows and facing the rest of the group out in the open. "We might have to figure out how to make the robot act convincingly to more suspicious humans, but otherwise, I don't see many problems with this."

Craven hid in the higher shadows of the building, his dark gaseous form rendering him almost invisible if not for his glowing eyes. Though most never bother to look higher than eye level. Even so, he was listening in to the small speech, Gray had begun giving the others of the alley. He couldn't quite take his eyes off of the strange cloth covered object he had brought with him, at least until he removed the covering.

"You...you stole their stuff!" He exclaimed, unable to not voice his shock. It was insane, one does not just steal from Sylph, let alone Team Rocket. So it wasn't strange that the cowardly ghastly immediately thought to be rid of the thing and asked if they were going to sell it. His form flickered slightly at the excited response from Gray, even more so by the confirmations from Faye and Star. Though it was Vixen who really swayed his decision.

"D-don't leave without m-me!" He said nervously, scared at the notion of being separated from the ones who accepted him despite his atypical nature. "S-someone's gotta watch you guys' back. though I'm not sure how useful I'll be." He added, muttering the last part with lowered eyes.

Gray paid attention as his friends all spoke in response to his plan. First was Faye, who was enthusiastic as always. He could always count on her to cheer things up on a bad day, and couldn't help chuckling a bit when she asked about money. The Machop wasn't laughing at her, he knew her background; he was just amused, and nodded as Star explained the concept of paper that humans placed value in. Sometimes the people's paper money had pictures of other humans on it too, as if they needed more ways to stroke their egos.

Of course, the Eevee saw this as a way to help others. She was very kind that way. And Vixen supported the plan also, making a good point about the robot. She was a guarded sort, but Gray knew he could count on her to help the team. Craven was the most nervous about things, but that was typical for him. The Machop knew the Gastly was quite capable, even if the latter didn't believe it himself.

"Of course!" Gray declared to his ethereal friend. "We couldn't succeed without you!" At this, he gave Craven a confident thumbs up. "Any of you, really. Anyway, Vixen does make a good point, but I have prepared for that." Saying this, he pulled out a bag of clothes from behind a box, starting to dress the robot as he talked more. "We give the thing a quiet personality; that'll help it blend into the crowd." The process of giving the machine clothing was an awkward process at times, since the machine was taller than him, but Gray was making progress. The ensemble the Machop chose for the robot included a thick tan sweatshirt with the hood up, a black pair of sunglasses with a matching scarf wrapped around the machine's face, and a pair of blue jeans. "Also, I spent the night reading this thing's instructions. I'll be able to control it myself!"

"It's pretty advanced stuff, honestly." That line came from the mouth of the robot with a voice almost exactly the same as the Machop's, even while the Pokemon didn't appear to be doing anything. Someone would have to pay extremely close attention to notice it sounded artificial at all. After that cool demonstration, it was time for the part Gray dreaded. With a sigh, the Machop resumed speaking. "Unfortunately, I will have to have the robot 'catch' you all. I'm not going to hold you captive like some human, but we can't fight gym battles and stuff unless you're caught. I'll just let you all out of the Pokeballs once it's done. I did this myself earlier, so I know it'll work. At least this way we can be healed at Pokemon Centers." Saying this, the Machop set down a Pokeball in front of each of his friends. "Just touch it and you'll be inside."

Star watched as Gray struggled to fit the machine with clothes, she could not help but have a cheerful grin on her face. It was amusing to her how determined the Machop was to make the machine look like a human. As Gray continued to work on the machine, Star couldn't help but be impressed by how advanced it was. Its movements and the way it spoke were so realistic that she was left in awe while her eyes widened in surprise. "Gray, this is incredible! That thing can even talk like a human!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with enthusiasm.

After the Machop had finished his speech, Star couldn't help but feel hesitant about the idea of being trapped in a Pokeball. She loved her freedom and the thought of being locked inside a tiny ball made her anxious. However, she trusted Gray and knew he would never put her in harm's way. Taking a deep breath, Star approached the Pokeball in front of her and touched it with her paw. A bright light surrounded her, and she felt herself being pulled inside. She closed her eyes, feeling a little uneasy, but the inside wasn't as scary as she had imagined. Instead, it felt warm and comforting.

Star found herself alone inside the Pokeball. It was a strange feeling, being in a space made only for her. She couldn't help but feel a little lonely and anxious. She tried to stay calm, reminding herself that her friends were outside and that this was just a temporary situation. But the longer she stayed in there, the more she started to feel bad. She missed her friends and the outside world, and she couldn't wait to get out.