Author disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon- fact. But I do own my characters Magne, Tora and Antero.
Chapter One: New Evil
Giovanni reclined in his chair, listening to his Persian's low purring as he stroked it's head. His office door clicked as it swung open, and the sound of shuffling feet could be heard. He paused mid-stroke and smiled to himself.
"Explain yourself." There was a series of unidentifiable murmurs and mumblings from the entrant, and Giovanni lost his patience. He spun around in his chair and slammed his fists onto his desk. "I said explain yourself!" He spat, eyes blazing. The short, pudgy man who stood before him quivered, sweat beading on his forehead.
"I-I-I-I'm sorry boss.." He stammered, wringing his hands together. Giovanni snarled.
"Sorry isn't good enough Antero. How many times have you been called in here because of your foolishness?" The Rocket member began to stutter another apology, but the boss cut him off. "Each time I have generously given you another chance, stupidly thinking that perhaps you might have some use after all, and how do you repay me? By getting yourself and your team mates into more trouble." He glared at the man, who tugged at his uniform nervously.
"W-W-We encountered some d-difficulties, sir.."
"SILENCE! I did not ask you to speak." Giovanni rose to his feet, making the agent flinch. It always gave him satisfaction terrorising those who failed him. He saw it as payback for his loss of Pokemon, and, more importantly, money. "It was a simple enough task. You were to break into that old man's house and steal his Pokemon..What is hard about that?" He strode to the window behind his desk and stared out, lapsing into silence. Antero timidly took a couple of steps forwards.
"B-Boss? If y-you'll allow me to explain.."
"No. I will not."
"Please boss..J-Just let me tell you what happened.."
"I am sick of hearing your excuses." Giovanni turned to face the terrified man before him. "You cost me time and money with your constant blundering. I have been too kind to you.."
"Yes boss..You have been most gracious.." The Rocket sank to his knees and crawled towards Giovanni. "If you give me another chance I.."
"I don't think so. You shall be severely punished for your mistakes." Antero let out a sob, and clung to his boss' jacket. Giovanni tugged it from his grasp, watching as the man crumpled to the floor wailing. He crossed to the desk once more and picked up the receiver on the video phone. The image of another black clad Rocket member flashed onto the screen. "Take Antero away." Giovanni barked, slamming the phone back onto the hook, cutting off the connection before his employee could reply. Moments later, Antero was dragged out of the office, his cries echoing down the hallway. Giovanni smirked and returned to his settled position in his chair. He didn't tolerate failure, and it must, naturally, be dealt with accordingly. He would have to send another team to clear up the mess that Antero had made. Giovanni tickled the Persian under the chin, quickly flicking through the suitable candidates in his mind. He grabbed the video phone handset once more. "Send Tora to my office at once."
Tora sat cross-legged on the floor of a deserted classroom enjoying the stillness that surrounded her. The trainee Rockets had vacated it earlier that afternoon, and it was the perfect place for her to formulate new plans that enabled her to get her hands on rare Pokemon. Butch and Cassidy had been highly praised by the boss the previous month for their successful obtaining of a bunch of Tauros from a ranch in Fuchsia City, whilst her pinching of a Scyther that very same day went almost unnoticed by their fellow criminals. It was all about those two- the dynamic duo. She could understand why Jessie and James didn't like them. She tried to clear her mind completely in order to begin a new plot when the door to the classroom opened, and a colleague stumbled inside. He bent double, trying to catch his breath whilst Tora regarded him from her position on the floor, a scowl on her face.
"Kai.. " she began.
"Yeah yeah.." he wheezed. "Don't interrupt you whilst you're thinking..I know. This is important. The boss wants to see you in his office now." He noticed her expression and shrugged. "I don't know. He just demanded that you see him. I wasn't about to ask questions." Tora swiftly got to her feet, flicked her dark hair over her shoulders and smoothed down her uniform. Kai was still panting, but was managing to stand upright. She grinned to herself, contemplating teasing him, but the thought of the boss made her decide that she would do it later when she had less pressing matters at hand. Tora slipped through the door and made her way up the corridor towards the lift that would take her to the top floor and the boss' office.
There was a knock at the door. Giovanni, who had been pouring over some maps of the Pokemon League building, looked up. "Come in!" He shouted, somewhat irritated that he had been disturbed from his scheming. He folded the maps up and put them to one side as the door opened and Tora stepped into the room.
"You wanted to see me boss?" She began, somewhat uncertainly. He nodded slowly, and indicated for her to come and stand in front of his desk. Tora did as he wanted, and stood before him, eyes fixed on the floor, so that she didn't meet his steely gaze. A minute or two passed before he addressed her.
"I expect you're wondering why I have called you here."
Without raising her eyes from the floor, she answered. "Yes boss." She paused for a moment, unsure of whether she should say anything else.
"Magne has found himself in a tight situation." Giovanni stated simply, eyes fixed upon her. Tora started, and for the first time since entering the room she looked directly at her leader.
"He has boss?" It seemed strange to think that Magne had got himself into trouble like this. He was well known for his subtlety when carrying out jobs. She remembered that he was due to be going on a mission with another agent that very day, but surely nothing could have gone wrong. She frowned. "Is this Antero's doing?" Now it was Giovanni's turn to look surprised. He sat in silence for a moment before replying.
"Well..As a matter of fact, it is." Giovanni reached down and stroked the Persian's soft fur. "How did you know?"
"I read minds?" Tora suggested. Her boss frowned, and she cursed herself for making stupid jokes. "I..Uh..Overheard some grunts talking about it this afternoon." Giovanni's stare continued to bore into her, and she wriggled uncomfortably. He cleared his throat and reclined in his chair.
"It would appear that the gossip is correct in this instance. I am currently having him bailed out of jail."
Tora blinked and blurted out. "But I thought that treatment was reserved for your favourites Butch and.." She stopped herself and hung her head. "I-I'm sorry boss." She could be such an idiot at times. She vowed to think before she opened her mouth in future. Giovanni gave a dry laugh.
"I also presume that this outburst was the subject of mindless gossip." Tora felt the heat rise in her cheeks. He regarded her until he was satisfied that he had made her feel uncomfortable enough. He cleared his throat once more. "Shall we resume what we came here to discuss?" Tora nodded mutely. "Excellent. As you seem to know already, Antero has made one mistake too many, and is being dealt with." Tora shuddered. She dreaded to think what was happening to him. "Thanks to his carelessness, I have a lot of tidying up to do, so to speak, and I want you to join Magne and make up for what Antero has cost me." Tora blinked.
"But why me boss?" She asked, before hastily adding, "What have I done to deserve being given such an important task?" Giovanni waved his hand impatiently.
"I want this doing as quickly and efficiently as possible. I could have got Butch and Cassidy to do this.." He watched her blush and shuffle her feet in embarrassment. "But their notoriety is too high. You two, on the other hand, can do this without raising unnecessary attention."
There was another knock at the door. "Yes?!" He snapped, drumming his fingers on the desk. The door was opened, and a tall man with longish purple hair was shown into the room by a Rocket guard. His Rocket uniform had been torn, and his violet locks were wilder than usual. He bowed his head.
"I'm sorry I'm not more presentable boss." He bowed as he offered his apology. "The Police Growlithe gave me a tough time." Magne glanced at the woman to his left, who was watching him with wide eyes.
"What happened?!" Magne scowled as he reflected upon the previous day's occurrences.
"That oaf Antero wasn't keeping watch properly, and fled the scene when the old man arrived home, leaving me to defend myself. He used his Ivysaur to keep me tied up until the Police arrived."
"Needless to say Antero has been punished." Giovanni said, lazily flicking a speck of dust off the arm of his chair. He rose to his feet. "Which is why I am assigning you a new partner. This is Tora, and she shall be assisting you from now on." Magne held out a hand, and Tora took it, shaking it firmly. Giovanni coughed, and once the agents had focused their attention back on him, he continued speaking. "I expect you to report to me tomorrow with a location of rare Pokemon and plan of how you will steal them. Don't let me down, or the consequences shall be severe. You may leave." Tora and Magne left the office, speechless. Magne broke the silence with a low whistle.
"Not too much pressure then?"
That is all for this time, as I must go and let my house mates feel my wrath for irritating me with such terrible music.
Don't forget to R&R, because it's always appreciated. :)