Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon or Team Rocket.

Author's Note: Yes, I'm still alive. Writer's block has been viciously harassing me for the past few weeks. Finally, I forced myself to sit down and write...and this came out. This is just a quick piece I did from the POV of some random, female Rocket. Maybe she's just a grunt, perhaps she's an elite. I'll leave that up to your imaginations. Enjoy, and PLEASE review.

Friendly Converstation

It's not like I wanted this, you know.

Oh, no, don't bother looking away. I already saw it...that look in your eyes as you stared at the big, crimson R on the front of my jacket? You're wondering how I could make such a pitiful choice, aren't you? You can't understand why I would throw my life away. Am I right, kiddo?

Don't apologize...I get this all the time. What are you looking so nervous about? Afraid of the Rocket? Ha...relax, no weapons. It's not like I'm stupid enough to shoot you in the middle of a crowded park, anways.

No, I'm not up to anything. Can't a girl just go somewhere to think nowadays?

Think about what, you want to know?

Team Rocket, that's what. It controls my life...it's all I can think about. It's all I'm allowed to think about...the Team and my own social life, which consists only of other Team members. Well, techincally, you count right now since I'm telling you all this.

It's like I said a few minutes ago. It's not like I wanted this life. Some people were just born into it...then some just run with no place to go and wind up in the Boss's office.

My parents? Rocket agents? Don't make me laugh...that would have been so much easier than all the running I did. Hell, my life would have almost seemed fair.

Oh, lighten up, pal. If you were in my position, you'd learn that a sense of humour is all you have somedays to keep you going...to make you want to see tomorrow. Good job...now you've got me thinking depressed. I suppose I should just get on with my story, anyways. I'm sure you have places to be.

Anyways...let's just make a long story short and say my father had an affair with the drink. It killed him...he died a drunkard. I had never seen him sober. My mother is supposedly still alive, but I know not where she is. Nor do I care...she abandoned me when I was just a little girl, so why should I worry about her?

That's right, bud. Abandoned.

Did Team Rocket take care of me or something? Nah...they didn't come into my life quite that soon. I was actually left at the Viridian City pokemon center. Nurse Joy took care of me for a while...until I was about six or seven. Then I ran away.

It's not that Joy didn't treat me right. She was great...I'll be in her debt for what she did until the day I die. It's just that....I was dumped off on her. I wasn't there because she wanted me there, she took care of me because she had to, and I couldn't stand that feeling. When I thought I was old enough to take care of myself, I left.

Where did I go? No where, really. Just wandered around here, good old Viridian City...I was a street kid. I pretty much raised myself during that pre-adolescent period. I learned how to steal, I learned how to fight...I had to. When I was about...fourteen, I think it was...I found myself a job at the tavern a couple blocks down from the gym. You know the one I'm talking about? With the blue roof? Yeah.

Oh, yes, they hired a fourteen year old girl. Don't be so shocked....go ahead, ask about the sexual harrassment, I can see it in your eyes. It was there. Constant groping...you think they cared how old I was? Nah. I hated it. I ran before they could...well...you get the picture.

You guessed it. That's when I found out about Team Rocket. And old man with a Delibird, he was a recruiter for Team Rocket, told me all about it....asked me if I had ever met his sister, who was a recruiter out in the Johto region. Of course, I hadn't, or I would have probably already been a member. I'd never even been to Johto...he told me that if I joined Team Rocket, I'd get to go to the Johto region and anywhere else my heart desired. All my wildest dreams fulfilled, you've heard it before.

Hey, I was fourteen. Sounded good to me. I joined Team Rocket, and now here I am, five years later, talking to some civilian on a park bench.

That's sad, you say? Yeah, well...every Rocket has their story, most worse than mine. Only a few of us are lucky enough to find someone like you who'll listen for just a minute.

What happened next? That's pretty much it, kiddo. I gotta be getting back to headquarters, anyways...nice talking to ya.

See me again sometime? I dunno. It's really against the rules for me to strike up friendly conversations with civilians...but...that hasn't stopped me so far, has it? Maybe we'll bump into each other again. I'll be around here somewhere, that's for sure...I never got that trip to Johto.

See ya, kiddo.

END

Author's REMINDER to all of you: ....hey...you...the one who just read my story?....(pokes you) Yeah. You......review!! Please....(bambi eyes)