“I bet it’ll be worth a pretty penny.”
“Yeah, if we can get it. So stay focused.”
If the other two were around, overhearing this conversation would be grounds to start plotting to sabotage whatever heist these guys are about to do, to steal the bounty for themselves. As things are, James can’t really find the energy to care. He’s never had a problem with theft, and--
“Just be careful - I heard it’s psychic.”
Well, shoot. They’re not talking about stealing an inanimate object. And he’s even got a guess about what they are after. Admittedly, he’s soured a bit on Pokémon theft after learning Giovanni’s motives - and who knows where these thieves want to sell to.
When they mobilize, he follows them. Sure enough, their target isn’t far. And James does recognize it, unfortunately. The trappers hide on different sides of Mew, and it doesn’t seem to notice them, nor do they seem to notice James. He hits his own forehead with his fists, silently cursing himself for even being here, and especially for the absolutely twerpish thing he’s about to do.
“Carnivine!” He shouts, pulling out the Pokéball as he jumps out of hiding. Carnivine responds to its release predictably.
James tries to gesture in Mew’s vague direction, voice muffled from inside Carnivine’s maw. “You ought to leave!” he says, and then pries his partner’s jaws open and directs it towards one of the other humans’ hiding spots. “And you, this is no time to cuddle - use Bullet Seed!”