Double Trouble 1: Okina Kyodai

(A/N: First attempt at a Pokémon story, so hopefully I do it justice. Tips on improvement welcome. Primary characters are Jessie, James, Meowth, Butch, Cassidy, Tyson, Domino, Annie, Oakley, Attila, and Hun. If this story goes over well, future stories will come.)

James

James stood, the evening's autumn breeze lightly blowing at his Maxi-Coat and the disappearing rays of the sun reflecting off his sunglasses. He breathed on his palms and rubbed them together quickly, giving them some warmth. He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a pair of black leather gloves, slipping them on over his hands. He looked up at the sky, darkening with both the night's ascent and the looming rainclouds of a coming storm. He shivered in the cold breeze and pulled his coat around himself tightly.

Meowth leapt up onto a rock nearby and gazed out over the area. "Pretty bare here," he remarked.

"Mmm hmm," James absently agreed.

Meowth looked curiously up at him. "Somethin' wrong, Jimmy?" Meowth questioned.

James was silent, thinking. It had been months since Attila and Hun had gone missing during a mission. There had been no word from them since a week into their assignment. Naturally, Giovanni was… concerned… In his concern, he had put a hold on all other missions and duties until he knew what had become of his missing agents. Currently every single Rocket-dan Team was on the job. They was no exception.

"They've been gone for too long," James murmured.

"So what? You and Jess hardly knew 'em," Meowth replied, scratching his ears and stretching. "If dey don't come back it's just one step closer to da boss's right-hand troop for us."

"Perhaps," James murmured. Still, it was sobering. If Attila and Hun could so easily vanish, what was to be said of them? When it came to prowess, only Annie and Oakley—not technically even Rocket Agents, though they had come to be exclusive to the organization—could compare; and even then only on a semi-regular basis. He and Jessie's skill varied considerably at best, depending on the situation and circumstances. Butch and Cassidy were just as sporadic in their talents.

He looked down. Attila and Hun had been the standard against which many a Team Rocket trainee had measured themselves. He had been amongst those, as had Jessie. The two were hardly many years older than they, and had hardly joined many years prior, but the reputation they had amassed in such a short span of time… It had been awe inspiring. He remembered when he had first met the two. Well, perhaps to say it had been the first time was something of a lie, for the first time he had met one half of the duo was a great many years ago. Years he didn't care to look back on. He shook his head. He hadn't remembered, at the time, that he'd met one of them before, so to be fair he'd thought it was the first time he'd met them… And after leaning the truth, he was left to wonder how he could have ever forgotten...

Past

He and Jessie had just returned from their test, the mission to steal the Red Snorlax which had, to their chagrin, in fact been a farce. However, it meant he and Jessie were now agents. Unfortunately, it also meant Butch and Cassidy were only a step behind them, having been named 'Agents in Training'. Regardless, they were all four beaming over their victory. Butch and Cassidy had gone to celebrate in their quarters. They could hardly go anywhere covered in bandages. He and Jessie took something of a sick satisfaction in knowing how much pain their rivals must have been in. It was slightly sadistic and slightly concerning, but they were too giddy to care.

He and Jessie had been chatting animatedly, grinning at each other proudly, when suddenly they had been there. They had been there, standing on a porch and gazing at them. Attila was leaning on the railing watching intently. Hun, with arms folded, was regarding them with a cool interest. "Jessie," James hissed quickly.

Jessie paused and followed his gaze. Her eyes widened and she caught her breath. "Is that Attila and Hun?" she asked in disbelief. It couldn't be. Why would one of Team Rocket's most legendary teams be paying them any heed?

"It is!" Meowth excitedly exclaimed. "Oh boy, if dem's guys—or is Hun a female? I could never really tell—is interested in us, we're in the front door!"

"Perhaps James and I, Meowth, but not you. I've heard Hun's views on Pokémon are quite… set. All Pokémon exist solely for the glory of Team Rocket and whatnot," Jessie said, warning Meowth down.

"What? Dat ain't fair!" Meowth sulked, brandishing his claws. "Why I oughta…"

"Careful, Meowth. While Hun may view Pokémon as servants, he is fully aware of the extent of their intelligence," James warned. "At least that's what's rumored around the grapevine these days."

"How do you know Hun is male? She could very well be a female," Jessie bit sharply.

"You're kidding," James dubiously said, looking doubtfully at Jessie.

She frowned at him. "What? Do you think no woman could reach that position?"

"I didn't say that!" James immediately defended, blushing and looking flustered.

"Who cares what that agent is or isn't? Guys, dey're headed dis way!" Meowth exclaimed with wide eyes, pointing. The two gasped, swiftly turning.

"What do we do?" James asked in alarm, eyes fearful.

"Keep calm, James, and let me do the talking," Jessie insisted, covering his mouth. James nodded nervously.

PKMN

"So, you passed the test," Attila said to them.

"Aced it," Jessie replied, winking and fluffing her hair.

"If you had aced it, you would've been able to get the Snorlax out before time ran out," Hun stated in a voice that sounded feminine, but at the same time held masculine undertones. It was being disguised, James determined quickly. It was being disguised very, very well. Either that or Hun was a she for certain.

Jessie started, offended. "Well excuse us!" she said.

"It was hardly a remark meant to offend you," Hun calmly answered.

"Right. You four were the closest anyone's come since us," Attila said.

James found himself unable to keep his mouth shut in the presence of the duo. He looked very much up to Attila and Hun, you see. Many a Rocket Member did. "How far did you get?" he asked, eyes wide.

"We succeeded," Hun said.

"Huh?" Jessie, James, and Meowth said together, mouths dropping in shock.

"We succeeded," Hun simply repeated.

"With Annie and Oakley," Attila corrected.

"Yes, with Annie and Oakley," Hun agreed. "Though really it was more a mercy on our parts. They beat us there, but they were clueless as to what to do from that point. We overtook them. They knew they would lose, but regardless they fought for their position so that they very nearly conquered us, but ultimately we defeated them. Nonetheless, we were impressed. We offered to bring them with us. You know the rest."

"Hey Hun, you male or female?" Meowth questioned suddenly and directly, trying to puzzle it out.

"Meowth!" Jessie and James exclaimed in horror.

Hun cast the Scratch-Cat an icy look. "Does it matter whether I'm male of female? All that you need look at is my skill. What gender I am means little," Hun replied. Meowth started.

Hun and Attila turned to Jessie and James. "You two work pretty well together," Attila remarked. "Your team was impressive, Jessie. So was Cassidy's. We'll catch you around."

"Uh, y-y-yes, thank you," Jessie said, flustered and blushing and grinning. Attila and Hun nodded and walked passed.

Present

James heard footsteps behind him and turned his head ever so slightly. Really only enough to show he acknowledged the other's presence. The figure came up next to him, also wearing sunglasses and a maxi-coat, and looked out over the horizon. "Botch," James simply said, nodding at his rival.

"You know my name. Say it," Butch bit coldly, glaring at James. James simply shrugged, saying no such thing. Butch let it go this time. "Tyson and Domino are in position. We just gotta wait for the signals from Jessie, Cassidy, Annie, and Oakley," Butch said, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it up. He took a drag and blew out a smoke stream absently.

James was quiet a long moment. Finally he asked, "Do you believe they're alive in there?"

Butch was quiet as they looked down at Team Plasma's base. After a long moment he replied, "Surprisingly yes… Huh, just shocked myself." He took another drag on the cigarette and the two waited patiently for the signal. There was silence. "What are we even doing here, James?" Butch questioned.

"How do you mean? James questioned.

"It's ain't like we're buddy, buddy with those two," Butch said, shrugging. "Least not Hun."

"We're a team. Teams stick together," James answered.

"Might be a good enough reason, sure, but there's more to your motive. We both know it," Butch said.

"Are you implying what I think you are?" James icily questioned, glaring at Butch.

"Nope," Butch answered. Catching James's surprised look, he smirked. "Surprised? You should be. Normally I don't let an opportunity like this slide, but come on. Give me some credit for observation. Know your enemy and all that there stuff. We both know what camp you're in. Straight as a stick in the mud. Course Hun could be female too, so I might be wrong. Maybe Hun is the one you want." James smiled and chuckled. Butch offered him the cigarette. He put his hand up, flat out rejecting it. As if he would pollute his body with that. Bodies, temples, and the like. Butch shrugged and took another draw. "Damn it's cold out here."

"Enjoy it. It could be the last time you feel it," James warned.

"Could be," Butch agreed. "So, you gonna answer my question?" Butch asked.

"What question?" James asked, playing dumb.

"Don't play stupid," Butch replied.

James was quiet. "Perhaps there is more to it," he finally admitted, more to himself than to Butch. Butch caught the distant look in James's eyes and for once let it go. If James wanted to open up he would. If not, he wouldn't bother pressing. Not like he cared what was going on in his rival's head. But he was curious as to the sudden behavior James was displaying. He'd been a lot more… solemn… since this whole thing started. Yes, solemn was the word. Honestly, it was sort of creeping Butch out. James's eyes fixed on Team Plasma's base as he remembered. Gods… so many years ago…

Past

It had been only days since he'd run away. In the dead of winter... In retrospect that had, perhaps, been the stupidest mistake he had ever made. There would probably be no other to rival it in future either. He was half frozen, sluggishly making his way through the bitterly cold streets of the region in which he'd arrived. He had come farther than one would have ever imagined a child of his only seven or eight years could. That was, in part, thanks to his Growlithe Growlie, whom he'd brought along. Luck, though, had run out.

James coughed violently and sneezed, shivering. Growlie whimpered, sensing his owner's despair and misery, sensing his cold. The Growlithe rubbed up close to him. James smiled tiredly, weakly, and petted his faithful Pokémon affectionately. "Not this time, Growlie. This time there's nothing you can do for me," James weakly said, voice raspy and hoarse from his coughing. He knew it was bad that he was getting tired. It was a sign of something. He wished he remembered what his tutors had called it. Hippo-something-or-other. It hardly mattered. The next moment his strength gave up and he collapsed with a sigh. Growlie yelped and began frantically barking and nuzzling him.

He hardly remembered what he said afterwards; some sort of goodbye, he realized. He saw that he was in front of a church too. The last soft words he murmured to his pet were something along the lines of, 'The angels have come for me'. Seconds later he was unconscious and slowly but surely freezing to death.

James lay still on the ground as Growlie howled and howled. He could sense the boy dying. Every second that passed was another second his master didn't have. He tried to warm him. He should be able to warm him! He was a fire Pokémon! …But he couldn't… Soon James would be drawing his last breath. Footsteps crunched towards them in the snow and the dark. Growlie quickly looked up. Approaching was the figure of a child perhaps only three, maybe four or so, years older than his master. The Pokémon couldn't tell if the child was male or female. The stranger paused, gazing down at James. Growlie whimpered and lay over his master's body, trying to warm him. Worriedly he licked master's face. James didn't even stir. The white haired—or silver haired, either worked—stranger drew out a Pokeball. The Growlithe growled warningly. This stranger intended to capture him, he realized immediately, but he wouldn't be an easy target. After a moment, though, the stranger tucked the Pokeball away and knelt next to James.

The stranger summarized James's predicament with a wary eye and felt the unconscious boy's face. It was cold and his lips were blue. Stranger felt for a pulse and found it still beating at a steady pace, though growing weak. The silver-haired stranger took off a coat and put it over James, then got James's arm over their shoulders and staggered up, supporting him. Stranger was likely only around twelve and so wasn't strong enough to carry master, but stranger wasn't deterred, carefully dragging master along.

PKMN

James's eyes flickered weakly open. He groaned softly and cringed in pain. He shivered. Was he dead? He sat carefully up and whimpered. "Move slowly," a voice said from nearby. James gasped in alarm and turned quickly. Sitting not far off was a person he'd never seen before.

"W-who are you?" James uncertainly asked.

"Nobody. Just the one who saved your life," the stranger replied.

"What's your name?" James persisted curiously.

The other glanced over. "Hun."

"Oh… I'm James," James greeted awkwardly. "Um, thank you?" Just then Growlie burst through the door happily barking. "Growlie!" James cheered, welcoming his friend with open arms as the dog leapt up onto his bed. Hun hardly paid attention say for to raise an incredulous eyebrow at James and the affection he was showering on a Pokémon. "Um, can I ask you something?" James asked.

"Go on," Hun replied.

"I… don't mean to sound rude, but are you a girl or a boy?" James asked, unable to determine his rescuer's gender.

His savior frowned dubiously then sighed. "Does it matter?" Hun asked.

"Well, no, except should you be a girl I would kiss your hand. Mommy says… said… that that's proper etiquette. If you are a boy I would shake your hand," James replied.

"Hmm, a rich boy then," Hun deduced.

James blushed in embarrassment. "Don't remind me," he groaned.

After a moment of summing James up, the other child rose from the desk and approached. Handing James some food and a juice box, Hun said, "Here. Eat something. Arceus knows how long you've gone without food." Eagerly and hungrily James devoured it, sharing some with Growlie too despite his ravenous hunger, Hun watching incredulously.

Present

Eventually, in fact not long after being rescued, he'd learned Hun's gender. In time all of Alpha Team had learned it, and some executives and Pierce.

"Has your question been answered?" little Hun asked when finally James had been given a sign as to the other's gender.

"Yes," little James said, grinning.

Nevertheless, those who knew always played it gender neutral. It was a game—or possibly test, it wasn't clear—the agent had set up long ago that had persisted to this day. Perhaps trying to make a point. After all, what Hun had said long ago and repeated often was correct. At the end of the day, what did it matter? "Hun raised me more than my parents did," James murmured.

"Excuse me?" Butch asked.

James inwardly cursed. He'd said that out loud. "Nothing," James replied. Butch raised a dubious eyebrow but let it go, continuing to smoke. James thought back to that time. Hun had nursed him back to health, he remembered. Oh how well he remembered… Hun would bring him food three times a day from goodness knew where, Hun would keep the hovel they'd bunkered down in warm and clean, Hun would bring him clothes, heck Hun had been the definition of provider and care-giver… And when all was said and done, Hun had even taken him under a wing.

Back then James had thought it admirable, how well Hun seemed to know how to fend for themselves and for others… Now he saw how truly disturbing it was that the other had… No child Hun's age should ever have been able to know how to take care of themselves and others so well. So much like an adult... To this day he wondered as to Hun's past. Hun had never spoken of it, James had never asked. Likewise, James had never spoken to his own past and Hun had never asked. Alluded to, yes, and on occasion pried a little, but never directly questioned it.

"I credit part of the man I am today to Hun," James murmured to Butch. It wouldn't hurt, after all, to open up just a little bit. Perhaps one day Butch would do the same. His rival's own roots were much a mystery. Many of Team Rocket's members' stories were a mystery. Plus he didn't need to elaborate on his statement. Butch wouldn't press. Perhaps his rival had already guessed. Butch was far more clever than he ever let on. Almost genius in fact, in some areas.

"Go figure," Butch replied, not bothering to look over. James shot him an annoyed glare but let it go. To most Butch's tone would seem disinterested. Unfortunately, James had the pleasure—rather displeasure—of 'knowing his enemy', so to speak. Butch was very much listening, and he was very much interested. James looked ahead again.

Hun had pressed him to be so much more than he ever thought he could be…

Past

James and Hun raced from a store in a mad dash, the shopkeeper following them with face purple in rage. He brandished a very sharp looking meat cleaver too, so little James was terrified out of his head. Little Hun seemed unmoved and as calm as ever. James was much smaller than his companion. Hun seemed to move so much faster! This scared James even more. Hun was starting to leave him behind, and his friend wasn't even turning around to check if he was still close!

"Hun! Okina kyodai*, wait for me, please!" James pled, hurrying to try and keep up to the older child.

"If I slow down for you, otouto*, how will you ever get better?!" Hun called back at the younger. James, looking nervous, swallowed then tried to steel himself, eyes narrowing in determination and jaw setting. After all, he needed to win the approval of his kyodai. James sped up and managed to come alongside Hun. Hun nodded at him approvingly and sped up more. James looked after Hun in dismay. Didn't his kyodai see he couldn't keep up?! There was only so much his eight year old body could do compared to Hun's ten to twelve year old body.

The next thing James knew, Hun had vanished and he was running blindly with no idea as to where to go or why or how. "Hun! Okina kyodai! Okina kyodai!" he screamed desperately, hoping Hun would come back. He turned a corner and slid to a stop, gasping. It was a dead end, and the wall he had to get over to escape was too high for him to reach or jump!

"There you are!" the man with the cleaver angrily shouted. James spun in terror, eyes wide and skin pale. Terrified, he backed against the wall as the person approached. Tears of frustration, anger, sadness, and fear burned in his eyes. He shrivelled down. The man was going to chop him into little pieces! At least that's what his then young and wild imagination told him. The man had no intentions of doing any such thing, of course, but given the brandished cleaver, the purple face, and the sheer rage… Needless to say, James's childhood imaginings could only perceive death.

"I'm sorry!" James screamed desperately.

"You're coming with me!" the man yelled, enraged. He lunged, cleaver still in hand, and James screamed, shielding his face with his arms. He wanted to collapse into tears, but Hun wouldn't do that. Hun would be strong and brave. He wanted to be like his kyodai, but he just couldn't! Hun… Hun had left him alone… Hun had forgotten him just like his parents forgot him and everyone else!

All at once James felt something seize the back of his shirt and lift him up. The man with the cleaver gave an exclamation of surprise and James gasped. Suddenly he was safe. He looked quickly up. Hun was there! "Hun-sama!" James exclaimed, launching himself into Hun's arms shivering.

"James-chan, after all this time you still think I would so easily leave you?" Hun seriously chastised, frowning at the younger child.

James bowed his head slightly ashamedly. He should have known better. "I'm sorry, I was just so scared," he said.

"You think I wasn't? Everyone feels fear, James; the trick is not to let it rule you," Hun said.

"But I can't help it! Not everyone handles fear in the same ways!" James insisted.

"Perhaps not, but in the darkest and direst of situations, I know you'll come through," Hun assured. "Trust yourself and understand that I'll always be nearby to catch you should you fall." James nodded understandingly. Hun nodded back. Quickly the two disappeared, vanishing from the eyes of their pursuers.

Present

"Cass and Jess are in position," Butch said, having just received their signal.

James snapped out of his thoughts and looked over. "We still need Annie and Oakley," he pointed out.

"They'd better hurry it up. It's gettin' cold," Butch said, rubbing his arms as he shivered in the cool night air. Didn't help that it was damp out too. Just then the signal beeped. "Right on time," Butch said, smirking. "Annie and Oakley are ready… You know, some of us might not make it out. You prepared for death?"

"No," James admitted openly. "But for the good of Team Rocket!"

"Yeah, yeah, sure; the good of Team Rocket," Butch less enthusiastically said. Honestly, he was doing this because he'd been directly ordered. It wasn't in any way voluntary on his part… Okay, maybe part of it was, but ultimately that part was only a sense of duty, he told himself. "Let's go," Butch said, starting forward.

"Right," James agreed, following.

* Okina Kyodai - Big Sibling

* Otouto - Little Brother