JMJ

CHAPTER THIRTEEN:

Weaned on Rocket Fuel

The grunt from the break room had told her that the executives had been eating their lunch in this room, but whether they still lingered there now at quarter to two proved doubtful. Then again, they might have had a late lunch.

With fingers twiddling at her sides, Musashi hesitated, now unsure whether she really wanted to talk with Athena or not. She closed her eyes and exhaled deeply.

Standing here isn't going to solve anything, she thought angrily.

Thus tightening her fist and biting her lip, she wrapped against the door.

A pause.

Then after a moment, someone asked, "Who is it?"

It had to be Apollo.

"Musashi," said Musashi a little awkwardly.

Another pause, longer this time.

"I wanna talk to Athena," Musashi explained. "Is she … there?"

"Yes, I'm here, come in," said a deep but very feminine voice.

Unable to stand anymore suspense, Musashi threw open the door and stepped boldly inside.

Bringing a mug of coffee to her lips, Athena with one leg crossed over the other and eyes serenely closed, sat under the light of the window leading into an enclosed garden, the same garden which the Boss overlooked from his office window. From this view one could only see barely past a statue relating to Team Rocket domination of the world and a few hedges. In the shadow a ways, at Athena's table, sat Apollo, looking complacently from his chair with nothing in front of him. He merely stared lightly at Musashi as if he were looking idly at a pidgey that had landed in the garden.

After setting her cup onto the table, Athena's eyes opened to reveal a pair of very deep, penetrating orbs nearly pure red in the sunlight that reflected off the mahogany table into her usual roan brown eyes.

"I have work to attend to," said Apollo slowly turning to Athena. "The Boss has summoned me for two thirty."

Something in his tone sounded like he spoke some sort of code not meant for Musashi to understand, but as she stood quite still and calm with hands thrown behind her back, she managed patience for the male executive to take his leave. He did not even wait before Athena nodded in understanding before Apollo stood up from his chair. After a last careless glance to Musashi, he slipped past her, and Musashi followed him with her gaze out of the corner of her eye.

Apollo paused, but not for Musashi. He glanced behind at Athena, who staring knowingly in return, seemed to say something telepathically to her partner. The door then closed and the footsteps echoed away.

"Musashi …"

Musashi turned with a start back to the commanding woman. Her eyes looked even redder than before, and perhaps the sunlight reflected off of her rich roan hair rather than the table. A glint about those eyes made Musashi feel a tad uncomfortable, but Musashi remained outwardly pleasant enough, grinning goofily a moment and then fumbling for a chair across from Athena.

Athena quickly shook her head, stopping Musashi in mid motion as she began to sit herself down. Bolting upright again, Musashi nodded like a fearful child unsure of the reason for being sent to the principal's office as she again wrapped her arms around her back and straightened herself.

"Let's walk out into the garden." A queer smile crossed Athena's face, and she uncurled her fingers with a fluidly majestic motion toward the window.

"Uh …" Musashi began. "Isn't that the Boss' private garden?"

"Technically," said Athena, her smile becoming somewhat wicked, not that Musashi did not know wicked, but the power this woman possessed was stronger than Musashi remembered it to be, "but the executives had free range of this side of the garden if we do not go past the stone wall."

Like one in a trance, Musashi followed the long ruby nails pointed to the low, vine-covered wall and the trees growing on the other side of it.

Then Athena walked further into the room which revealed a small, but quite solid door, which when pushed even caused a slight suction sound.

Musashi with a shrug followed Athena outside.

The brightness of the sun blinded Musashi a moment after the atmospheric darkness of the building, but her eyes soon adjusted onto the early summer surroundings, quite as much a contrast from the scene behind the door she had just exited as the amount of light between the garden and that dark room.

"So Musashi," said Athena, beginning to walk. She did not even motion for Musashi to follow, but Musashi quickly took the liberty nonetheless. "It's been some time since you've been to Headquarters."

"Yes, I know," Musashi grumbled. "Everyone thinks I'm dead, I know."

"Well, no, not everyone since your partner returned."

Musashi's heart leapt.

"Kojiro!" Musashi gasped. "You know where he is?"

"Well, somewhat," Athena replied lightly.

"Onegai shimasu, Athena-san, please tell me!"

Closing her eyes, Athena said nothing for a moment or two as Musashi nearly pulled the hair out of her head in her exasperation.

"He said you did not want to be a member anymore," said Athena. "Non-members don't have access to any information concerning Team Rocket or its agents."

"Oh, no you don't!" snapped Musashi. "Don't you play that game with me too! Who cares what Kojiro said! He's … he's … Well! He's Kojiro!"

"True," said Athena. "But as far as games go, what about your games?"

"My games?" Musashi demanded.

"All you and your partner do is play your silly games, chasing after phantoms and wild geese alike." She looked up at a tree for a moment, but when Musashi followed her gaze, she only saw the leaves shuffling in the breeze. She then turned back to Athena as the older woman went on, "And sneaking into Team Rocket business in which you are not invited when you would be forced to go on only the best missions had you kept up your potential and not allowed pride to get you trapped in a plight with a stupid, insignificant pikachu."

Musashi glowered. "He was a pretty strong pika—

"We'd looked to you with such promise," said Athena, now turning to Musashi and looking her in the face with compassion of an aunt but the intensity of a viper. "When I helped you and your little friend join Team Rocket, I had expected so much more from you, Musashi."

Although a bit taller than Athena, Musashi felt the size of a caterpie in comparison to this woman, anger rising further inside Musashi or not.

"The daughter of Miyamoto, the finest agent under Madam Boss, when the Rockets were run under that strong but graceful feminine hand. She had finished lifting Team Rocket out of its rut that her husband had been in the process of doing, fixing a mess that his grandfather had created and his father had done little to fix. It was Madam Boss who thought that partners should be the best of male and female combinations. Everyone was forced to go male and female when she was in charge. Whatever the male misses the female makes up for, like a marriage. She even called it a marriage on occasion. A marriage for the glory of Team Rocket like a Christian marriage is for the glory of God or a worldly marriage is for the better of society. Sometimes I think that Team Rocket would be better off in female hands again, don't you agree, Musashi?"

"Uh …" Musashi felt a sickening feeling begin to fester in her stomach, but she grinned as she spoke again. "That's not for me to say, is it?"

Athena closed her eyes a moment, and when she opened them, she brushed a loose strange of hair that had escaped Musashi's usually quite tight hair, but in her excitement lately, she really had not had all the time she usually had to make her hair up nicely.

"You're right," said Athena. "That's good of you. Loyal. Not that loyalty has counted for much lately. Not like under Madam Boss, but you're right." She smiled warmly now, almost kindly upon Musashi. "You're mother and I …" she shook her head. "Only Miyamoto had no partner. Her partner abandoned her out of terror. He was a coward. She never had a new partner until she had a one night partner to have you."

Suddenly Musashi realized how hard she was grinding her teeth, and immediately she placed her tongue in between them and closed her lips in front of them. Her eyes still blazed angrily though, and her mind still opened up doors to a past she would rather not think about the more Athena spoke.

"Be brave, Musashi," said a voice from long ago heard with the ears of a child so small and ignorant. "Be brave."

Tears swam in the eyes of the little girl as she stared up at her beautiful mother so tall and strong and proud, though tears now touched the corners of her eyes as well before she turned to leave.

She remembered what her mother had said. Mother had a job to do. Mother also could not afford to keep her when she tried to raise her on her own. They had lived in a shack, had hardly anything to eat. Her mother had resorted to putting soy sauce on snow that last winter. No. Musashi would be safer in the hands of these people, and Team Rocket was not as wealthy as it would be under Giovanni. Her mother could not be paid enough to live long with her daughter.

But Musashi did not care. She would rather spend the rest of her life starving with her mother than living well with strangers.

"Okaasan …" Musashi whispered, but the door closed behind the woman.

The strangers came to comfort her, and Musashi buried her head into those arms, pretending they were the arms of her mother …

Holding a little baby of her own, she kissed her tiny head, and the baby made a little sound of joy as she smiled back at her.

Musashi could not help but laugh, but a sudden moment of seriousness came over her as she whispered over the child's head, "My baby will never have to experience—"

A fish-gaping mouth clamped tightly back up into a cringe, and Musashi squeezed her eyes shut. She would not let that last thought finish.

"Athena!" she cried, nearly jumping the on the woman.

In a half-crazed crazed, she grabbed the scruff of Athena's dress.

"Musashi," returned Athena.

Musashi let the material drop. She even neatened it back into place and smoothed out the wrinkles, but Athena brushed her hands aside before she could do too much.

"I need to find Kojiro," said Musashi more seriously than she thought she had ever spoken anything else in the whole world.

"I don't know where he is," said Athena.

"You're lying!" Musashi growled.

"Hai! It's a lie to some extent," snapped Athena in return, "but you give me no reason to be honest with you. It would be better for you if you left now and forgot about it. Believe me. It would be better for you, but if it makes you feel any better, I'll do all in my power to prevent Kojiro from being banished for your sake."

"No! It doesn't!" snapped Musashi. "How do I know Kojiro isn't already banished!? Or already dead! I hate you! All of you! Every last one of you!"

It was only after she said this that Musashi realized that Kosaburo had said that almost exact same thing before releasing his pokémon to attack her. Her anger froze a moment. Thought of saying something close to Kosaburo's words made her shudder. She felt that it meant something, but she could not for the life of her know what that could be.

With eyes still wide from the realization, she stared at Athena as tears began to form. Musashi tried to keep them from coming but the lump in her throat already choked her.

"I'm warning you, Musashi," said Athena. "This is a favor I won't give twice. Who is that girl you brought with you?"

"I …" Musashi's voice faltered, and all tears vanished. She gulped and stepped back fearfully.

"Exactly," said Athena. "Now get out, and take her with you, and if you are ever seen at Headquarters again—"

#

The battle was near over now, but it was tighter than Haruka ever encountered with a Team Rocket agent. He fought well and had knocked out Fennikin rather easily with his koffing using the attack known simply as return. It proved strangely strong for usually the attack only worked well when a pokémon and its trainer were especially in tune. One would have thought a Team Rocket agent would not have such a bond, especially one as highly positioned as this man seemed to be.

Haruka sent out Raichu next, a pokémon she was rather proud of recently for having raised him from a pichu all the way up to his highest form which he had gained only a few weeks ago. She had beaten the koffing with her Raichu. The koffing, the opponent then replaced with a golbat. In a fierce battle of wits, Raichu, after much struggle, beat the golbat.

This was like a gym battle or fighting portion of a contest! Only what she would win would mean far more than a mere badge or ribbon.

The agent then sent out another koffing, female this time. Her sludge attack proved quite deadly, and Raichu became severely poisoned as a result. It was the venochock, however that truly sent him back to the pokéball.

Now Haruka had only one pokémon left in this three pokémon battle, which was to be fought fairly and with true battle rules, all of which the agent had abided by. He seemed to be enjoying himself, and that still kept Haruka on edge. Maybe he wanted that. She had to think about this now. She thought first of sending out Glaceon, but as strong as she was, Haruka thought of a better plan.

Nearly as strong as Glaceon, she had her venasaur, which being part poison would not be nearly as affected by Koffing's attacks, but half poison meant half of Venasaur's attacks would do little to Koffing. Haruka might have a chance with using Venasuar's bulk.

"Venasaur!" she cried, throwing the ball out onto the arena.

If she lost this, then she would not only lose the chance to find out where her father was she would lose everything else.

The grin on the agent's face proved now uncanny. Haruka did not know a grin could stretch so wide and so wily as his could, especially on such a long, gaunt face as his. She immediately called for a body slam, which the koffing quickly dodged. She could use solar beam. Aside from this and body slam her other two attacks were poison related and would thus be insufficient to beat the koffing.

"Solar beam!" cried Haruka.

"Protect!" was the combated reply.

The solar beam proved strong, but with the protection up, Koffing was not nearly as damaged as she would have been by the attack. Haruka would try body slam again.

This went on, for some time. Koffing mostly using protect, and only once tried a sludge attack, which although did some damage, it did not poison the other pokémon. That was when it occurred to She knew this koffing had sludge attack and venoshock (not terribly strong normally if the opponent is not already poisoned). These two normally were used against opponents with this pokémon, no doubt. Therefore after having protect, the other attack would probably be either not very strong or something poison that would not work in this battle. It had to be because the koffing was looking pretty worn out now, and she knew that any attack Venasaur actually hit Koffing with now would probably knock her out. Even on as high a level as she was, Venasuar would have had a one hit knock out with body slam or solar beam if she did not have the protect. Koffing were not known for having strong defense without a special attack like that.

If she just waited patiently, eventually Koffing would be unable to dodge, and somehow Haruka had a feeling that the agent knew this too despite his wild grin.

She was right. One final body slam at the right moment and Koffing collapsed before the agent could call for protect, and the koffing returned to her pokéball.

"Yatta!" cried Haruka unable to contain her joy.

Venasaur gave a cry of agreement even if she did not understand the true significance of this battle, but the pleasure of her master was well worth the tedious battle as the girl hugged the pokémon's head tightly and kissed her.

"Oh, good job, Venasaur! You did so well!"

Venasaur nudged her little master affectionately, and Haruka rewarded her with a treat before she kissed her again. Then lifting her head, she saw standing across the arena the agent.

"And I'm a coordinator, not a trainer," said Haruka, feeling that she deserved to say this, but her feeling of victory proved short lived.

A surge of suspicion went through her.

What would he do now?

Would he keep his promise?

Was this all a trap?

The agent looked rather pleased despite his loss. Once having neatly returned the pokéball to his belt, he returned his gaze to Haruka and smiled with a gentlemanly nod.

"Well played, coordinator!" cried the agent as he walked across the arena toward her. "You win. You're free to go."

"And the information?" Haruka pressed as she returned her venasaur.

"Naturally!" exclaimed the agent. "Not gunna guarantee anything I give you will be all too useful though. That's just a warning."

"I understand," said Haruka with a nod, and she paused before saying, "I'm looking for a … for two people."

"Yes," said the agent.

"First I'm looking for the gym leader named Senri," said Haruka as sternly as she could.

The agent looked thoughtful a moment, placing a finger to his temple.

"Don't you know what I'm talking about?" asked Haruka.

"Oh, I know," said the man simply, strangely quite honest and candid in his demeanor now. It was as if he had become humble as being the loser of the match. He shrugged then. "I was just trying to decide whether telling you was against more moral standing and whether or not the information would really do you any good. He was kidnapped."

"Yes, I know that," said Haruka, crossing her arms impatiently. "But tell me what you know! If you know anything it would help me! Even a hint!"

The agent laughed, a little sadly, Haruka thought.

"He was sent to the Orre Region," he said.

"The Orre Region!" gasped Haruka. "But why?"

The agent shrugged rather apologetically. "I had nothing to do with his capture. I was away at the time, but I may have been what caused his suspicion in the first place. I was acting a little careless in Hoenn."

A flame of anger ignited in Haruka's heart. She had almost forgotten that this man worked for Team Rocket, he was being so polite and courtly. She scolded herself for forgetting that Team Rocket was as evil as she knew it to be at the core. Suspicion flared to full height as she stepped back and shuddered.

"What does that mean?" asked Haruka. "What did my — eh, Senri know? Something about the Shadow Project?"

"Told you it might not be all too useful, but there's your answer," said the agent again looking most apologetic. "The age of the Shadow Agent will spawn in Orre." He smiled again as he saw almost brightly, "And the second person?"

"What?" asked Haruka, and then she remembered Musashi and her partner. "Uh … the agent. Kojiro."

The agent smiled. "Kojiro?" he exclaimed, lifting a knowing finger. "Okay! That would explain Musashi's presence."

"Well?"

"I liked Kojiro," said the agent as if this conversation was a pleasant garden party, and they had all the time in the world. "He amused me so much I gave him one of my koffing to use as his first pokémon. Only his partner had one at first." He shrugged. "I get sentimental, I guess. Maybe that's why they cut me from the pre agent program thing — ah, the little ones weaned on Rocket fuel … I taught sometimes there about disguises and acting well. He wasn't the top student or anything, but I loved his energy and quirk. I think he reminded me of me in a way."

"Yeah, that's … nice," said Haruka without knowing what else to say. She blinked stupidly for a few seconds and then shook her head. "But where is he?"

"Gone."

"What do you mean?" Haruka asked.

But before the agent could explain, a piercing sound struck the air. Loud rhythmic whines echoed from seemingly the walls themselves.

"Agh! The siren went off," grumbled the agent, leaning his back against the side of a nearby bleacher.

"It wasn't me, was it?" demanded Haruka.

"Nah, someone else. Maybe Musashi or something," said the agent.

"Well, no one else came with us," said Haruka, squinting from the noise.

"You might wanna go," said the agent with a shrug. "Sorry I wasn't more helpful."

"But—!"

"If you wanna find your dad, you're gunna have to be quick," said the agent quite dangerously so that even if the words themselves were not enough to send chills down Haruka's spine, the voice would have caused a shudder either way. "Kojiro can take care of himself. He's an agent. Musashi will find him. Just get out of here!"

Haruka gulped. She darted for the door, but she did not exit before she heard the agent on his communicator and the voice that replied, "The intruder has just sabotaged one of our smaller labs, Lambda-san. A trainer about ten-ish, blue-black hair, glasses …"

Oh, no, it couldn't be!

Haruka slapped her forehead, and groaned.

No.

"Someone you know?" asked the agent lightly.

Her answer before she darted down the hall was too soft for the agent to hear, and it was more a question to herself than an answer to anyone around her.

"Masato?"