Part of a Team
Nicole
In my sailing boat I followed the two Rocket
members back to Cinnabar Island. After returning the boats, we hired three
Pidgeots and took to the air.
Again with a twinge of guilt I remembered
Jessica. She'd always been scared of heights, and I could remember looking
down on her among the trees while riding high in the air on Fearsome. Fearsome
was a Fearow.
I missed that Fearow. Fearsome had belonged
to our real family, not our foster one. But he'd been killed in the car
accident too. Have I mentioned the car accident? I don't think I have.
When Jessica and I were seven, our family
had been coming back from a holiday at Port Avista, a place near Vermillion
City. We were in the car, and our mother was driving. Usually our Mother
had been a good driver, but she had been in a strange mood that day. She
and I had been fighting about something; I forgot what it was. Nothing
important. Anyway, after one of our fights she'd always be in a strange
mood. Sometimes I look back and wonder that if we hadn't argued that she'd
still be alive. Not that it really worries me. I'd never really liked my
family that much.
Anyway, she wasn't concentrating, and
swerved off the road. The car burst into flames. Our parents were killed
instantly, but Jessica and I didn't even have a scratch. The funerals were
held the next week. I never cried. Not even once. To tell you the truth,
I was almost happy when I found out about the foster family. I hoped it
would be better than my last one. Perhaps you think I'm heartless, but
I'm not, really. I do care about things; I just haven't found anything
worth caring for yet.
Anyway, I put the memories out of my mind
and looked ahead eagerly. Cassidy had told me we were heading to Celadon
City. I'd never been there before, but I'd heard it was as big as Saffron
City, my hometown. I like big cities. Wilderness is just too quiet. I could
see buildings in the distance. Excited, I beckoned my Pidgeot to go faster.
Ten minutes later we landed near the Pokemon
center and left the Pidgeots there. After a moment's hesitation, I decided
to leave my Ekans there too. I can't have my Pokemon out of shape.
Butch and Cassidy wasted no time, heading
straight for a large building that appeared to be a casino. When we arrived
at the front Butch stopped me and tied a blindfold across my face and tied
my wrists together.
"Hey!" I protested. "What's this for?"
"Until you are truly a member, we cannot
let you to see the way into the Head Quarters." Cassidy explained.
"What if I decide not to be a member?"
I inquired. I could swear I saw them smile, even though I was blindfolded.
"Oh, you will be a member. You can count
on that," Butch muttered. With that they poked me in the back, and I was
led into the Head Quarters, stumbling on stairs and accidentally bumping
into walls.
After what felt like an eternity we stopped
and my blindfold was lifted. I observed my surroundings silently. I was
in a large, rather plain room, with brick walls and scrappy grey carpet.
In one end of the room there was a very large chair with its back towards
us. A Persian sat next to it, purring. I suspected there was a person sitting
in the chair. My suspicions we confirmed when a hand reached out and petted
the Persian. A voice rang out into the room.
"Good work, Butch and Cassidy. Now leave
us. I wish to speak to the girl alone." A man's voice rang out.
"Thankyou, Boss. Right away, Boss," Cassidy
said. She and Butch obeyed quickly. I watched them leave. They seemed scared.
A hand beckoned me from the chair to come
forward.
"Have a seat," The gruff voice instructed.
I stepped forward and sat down in a nearby seat. I felt rather awkward,
as my arms were still bound behind my back.
"I am told that you wished to be a member
of my organisation."
"That's right." I replied, perhaps just
a bit too quickly. The man turned around and glared at me menacingly. That
was the first and last time I got a clear view of him. He had short-cropped
black hair, with hard brown eyes. Down one side of his face there was a
twisting scar.
A moment later, he backed into the shadows,
but the face of this man was burned permanently into my mind. Later I learned
his name was Giovanni, but everyone called him Boss. He studied me a few
more moments before speaking again.
"Do you wish this by your own free will?"
He asked.
"Yes," I replied slowly, feeling intimidated
by this man, yet curious at the same time.
"Interesting. Very interesting," He mused
to himself. I waited silently for him to go on.
"There are some things that you must understand
if you are to be one of us, rules if you like. You must always wear your
uniform, unless you're in a disguise. You must obey all orders from your
superiors and me quickly, efficiently and without answering back. If you
please me you will be promoted, if you displease me, you're fired...or
worse. Are you up to these rules, child?" He informed me. I considered
for a moment. I knew that this was my last chance to back out. Once I turned
to the life of a criminal, I could never go back. But I didn't need to
think much.
"Yes, Sir." I answered.
"Very well, then. But you are to call
me Boss, not sir. Remember that."
"Yes, Boss." I comment. A thin smile twisted
onto his half-hidden lips.
"A quick learner. That is good." He said
to me, then raised his voice.
"Ralph!" He shouted loudly. A door opened
and a large man bumbled through, nearly tripping on the ratty carpet. I
watched him curiously, with a slight feeling of disgust. His uniform looked
a size too small for him, for he was very, very fat. I could see that the
sides of his T-shirt had burst open. His thick black hair appeared
very greasy, as though he hadn't washed it for the last three months. Despite
his massive size, he appeared quite young. He couldn't have been older
than seventeen. Giovanni appeared disgusted by his appearance too.
"Ralph! Take this one to get a uniform,
and untie her wrists. She is to be teamed with Jessie and James. Oh, and
one more thing: What is your name, girl?"
"Nicole Raloni, Boss." I replied. Again
he smiled a thin, evil smile on his lips.
"I'm sure I will remember that. Go now!"
Giovanni ordered. Ralph led me out of the room into another one. We were
in what seemed to be a locker room. Each of the lockers had a pair of initials
on the front. I was taken to a blank one.
Ralph finally untied my wrists. As I stretched
them out painfully, he opened the locker for me, then handed me the key
to it. Inside there was a white uniform, with a large red "R" on the front.
"You can get changed in there," Ralph
said, pointing to a door. I noticed he had a strong lisp. I followed his
finger and entered the room. A few minutes later I came out in the uniform.
I knew I looked great in it, like I'd thought I would.
"Come with me to meet up with your Team."
Ralph said, and promptly turned and walked off into the corridor. I hurried
to keep up with him. He may have been a bit fat, but he sure was fast.
He opened another door, which appeared to lead into a dining room. Inside
on two of the seats sat two people, a guy with short blue hair and a girl
with long pinkish hair. They looked at me curiously, the girl looking slightly
annoyed. She had a tiny Meowth sitting on her lap. It was obviously very
young. It didn't even have its charm yet. Another Meowth was sleeping
on the table.
"Jessie, James, this is the new person.
She will be teamed with you. Give her the Pokemon Giovanni designated to
the new one. I must go now." Ralph lisped, then turned around and left
the room.
We all just stared at each other. I had
a feeling that the girl, who was named Jessie, already didn't like me.
Again I wondered what my sister was doing. I wished I just could forget
about her. I couldn't start feeling guilty now. Finally, Jessie spoke.
"Here, this Meowth is yours." She snapped,
holding out the kitten to me. I took it, looking at the small creature.
"Meowth," It mewed, staring up at me.
"It's cute, but I don't think it would
be very dangerous." I told them, reaching to pat it's head. It bit my fingers
viciously. I jumped, more out of surprise than pain. The guy laughed.
"It did that to Jessie too!" He said,
giggling. Jessie hit him with a frying pan. I smiled at them.
"I'm Nicole. Your Jessie and James, right?"
I asked, offering my hand. James shook it.
"That's right," James replied. Suddenly,
the Meowth on the table woke up. Then, to my surprise, it started talking!
"Hey, who woke Meowth up? I was having
a good dream. I swear, I'll scratch the eyes out of-" The Meowth stopped
talking when he noticed me. He got up on two feet.
"Hey, who are you? Don't tell me they've
stuck the new kid with us again." He moaned.
"I'm afraid so, Meowth." Jessie grumbled.
"Have you always been able to talk?" I
asked the Meowth curiously.
"That's for Meowth to know and for you
to find out." He snarled.
"We'd better get going if we want to get
to Fuscia City before dark." James comments, looking out of a window.
"Why don't we just get Pidgeots?" I asked.
They all stared at me as though I were crazy.
"No. We walk." That was all I could get
out of them. Shrugging, I followed them outside. We walked for a very long
time. When we did get to Fuscia City the sun was setting. Jessie and James
set up a camp in the nearby scrub lands. We cooked our food over a campfire.
They didn't talk much, and I didn't ask that many questions. I could tell
they didn't want me along, not that I cared. I fed my new Meowth some Pokemon
food. It bit my fingers again while I was feeding it. I hadn't really wanted
a Meowth, but I had a feeling I could get to like this one. I'd have to
think of a name for it.
When I was trying to get to sleep that
night, my thoughts drifted again to Jessica. She wasn't that bad really.
Perhaps I could get her to join Team Rocket too. With that thought, I slept
soundly.
