It takes a while to get to the train station. I walk inside after fighting through a thick crowd of happy families, meeting a loved one that has just arrived on the night train G14. I set my briefcase down at my feet as I gaze up at the bulletin board where all the posters are pinned up.
Hmmm, I think to myself. Which one should I choose? There aren't that many. I thought there would be more. I hoped. I see one for babysitting, but for four little boys. That would be too much, even for me. I'm only 15 for goodness sake. I give up, nothing of these bulletins will help me out.
I go and have a seat on one of the waiting benches by the ticket booth. I put my briefcase on my lap and sigh deeply. Why is my life going so wrong! I'm a good, nice, and talented person. But nobody seems to be noticing this. I feel so left out, so unwanted. I bet you would too if you were in my situation.
I've lost so many things so far. I've lost my father, so my mother had to take care of me by herself. I've lost love many times. More then I really should have, if you ask me. I've lost jobs that I've worked hard for. Nursing being my most current. I've always wanted to be a Pokemon Nurse, though. And all those stupid teachers had to treat me with such neglect just because I wasn't a Chansey. I hate them…I hate them!
"You really think she'll do?" I hear a raspy man's voice from behind me.
"She does have great potential, you can see it." Another says.
"How can you tell?" The first one counters.
"Just trust me on this one, Dirk." The second one cackles. "Plus, we have an odd number of new employees. We need as many ask possible that are willing. Otherwise, if we don't come back with a few more recruits, the boss will have our hides!"
"There's a good point." The first one sighs.
I suddenly feel a hand on my shoulder. I quickly turn around to see the two men. "What do you want?" I demand of them.
"Oh, I'm sorry." The second man's voice croaked. "We didn't mean to startle you at all, miss. We just have an opportunity we thought we'd offer."
"What do you want?" I ask again.
"Would you consider being a part of our Team?" The first one said.
"Team?" I question.
"We can't tell you too much." The second one says. "Would you be willing to join up with us?"
"Depends." I hesitate.
"Oh come on, Brad! She's not giving in!" The first man yells.
"Shut up, Dirk!" The second one bellows. "Come with us, missy, and maybe you will change you mind."
"No! I'm not going to go with you." I hug my briefcase as if it would act as a protective shield.
"Come on, girly! You're coming with us. You have no choice." The second man tries to grab my briefcase. The first man comes up to me from behind and picks me up by the waist.
"Let go of me!" I yell at them.
They don't listen and either of the people in the train station don't seem to either notice or care that I have been taken by these men. "Let's get her back to headquarters." The first man chuckles.
And that was that, I guess. The men dragged me out of the train station and into a jet black car that was sitting outside. The second man took the wheel and the first man was still holding onto me in the back seat. Where the heck where they taking me? A little, innocent girl! And what were they talking about? Some 'team' that I couldn't be told about in the first place. What was so great about it? I was about to find out, for after the black car turned down a deserted dirt road, we arrived at a tall, grayish-blue building. They trusted me out of the back door and walked up to the gate. A little surveillance camera twisted and turned to it was looking right at the two men and myself. The second man, Brad, pushed a red button next to the gate.
"Password?" Came a woman's voice from the other end of the intercom.
"Slowpoke Tail." Brad replies and the gates open.
They take me inside and up many flights of stairs. Turning right first, then left, another left, and right again. Over and over until we reached two big oak doors that had in golden writing, Private. The second man knocked on the door and a deep voice from inside told him that he may enter. The doors open and we walk into an oval office with a desk right in front. I see a Persian crawled up in front of a fire to my right and a man sitting in a high chair in back of the desk. The flames from the fire were flickering off of his face. Making him look very creepy.
"We have you a new member, sir!" Dirk said proudly.
"Oh, really?" The man behind the desk asked.
"Yes, sir, Boss, sir." Brad bowed. "We got her down at the train station."
The Boss turned to me. "What is your name."
"Jessie." I squeak out.
"Jessica, huh?" The Boss rubs his chin.
"Jessie, please." I butt in with my correction.
The Boss just grunts at me. "Well, we must give you a small test, and few simple rules. And then you will be a fulltime member of Team Rocket."
"Team Rocket?" I say confused.
"Yes. Now, be gone with you. You will be suited up with a partner tomorrow morning and be given your mission." The Boss said.
The two men holding onto one of my arms each carry me out of the room. I am then put in a room that looked like a laboratory. I walk backwards clumsily and run into a table. I turn around to see some papers on them as well as a pen.
"Sit." A girl's voice said from the shadows.
I sit and take the pen off the desk automatically.
"Fill out those forms and you will be ready to go." The girl tells me.
So I do. All they did was ask me what my name was, some of my past jobs and experiences. If I was a Pokemon Trainer or not, my address, and resent family members incase anything bad happened to me. But by the looks of this place, they didn't really give a crap what happened to you. As long as you did something good before you croaked. I play with my pigtail braids and bite the top of the pen at some of the personal questions. Finally, I finish them all and the girl comes to file them. When she comes back she takes a good look at me.
"Pathetic." She merely says. I feel my cheeks burn pink. "We must do something with that hair of yours, girl."
"Really? I like it…" I finger it gingerly.
"Shut up! I didn't ask your opinion on it." The girl spits.
She takes the rubber bands that hold my pigtails in and snaps them. She then unbraids my hair, brushes it and then smacks a whole bottle of gel in it. She molds and mixes and does all this stuff without asking anything of me. Like most people I have come to meet, she doesn't care. She puts up a mirror so I can see my new hair do. She hands me a bottle of mascara and some red lipstick.
"Pretty up." She demands. "You gotta look good for this job. Learn that, you will always look good doing your job. No matter what. Beauty comes first, before duty."
"Okay." I nod and put a layer of the red paint on my lips. I brush on the mascara and wipe off the extra. I looked so different.
"You will need a uniform, won't you?" The girl ponders. "Stay right there." She leaves and goes behind one of the many filing cabinets and clothes racks. She comes out with an outfit covered in a black trash bag. She throws it at me. "Here, this is your new uniform. You will always wear it. No buts."
"Okay." I nod again.
"No complaints either." The girl says.
"Yes." I reply.
The girl finally breaks a smile upon me. "Welcome to Team Rocket, Jessie. May you serve us well."
"Thanks." I say feebly.
"We're your family now. Your partner will be like a brother." She rests a hand on the shoulder of my dusty school uniform. "No turning back now. You've made this commitment, right?"
"I guess."
"Good girl." She gives me a pat on the back. "Now go to the dormitories and sleep well. Tomorrow you set out. A big day."
"Okay. Thanks. Good-bye." I leave the room and follow the signs to the girls dormitories.
When I get there, I take an isolated bed in the corner and take out my new Team Rocket uniform. It looked kinda slutty to me, but I guess I'll have to get used to it if I have to wear this all the time. A white belly-shirt with a big red R on it. A built in, black under-bra with it. A white mini-skirt and very, very high black, leather boots. Black leather gloves that reached up past my elbows. That was the new me. I set it out in a chair next to my bed and crawl under the covers to sleep. I didn't care if I was going to bed without supper. I don't even know if they serve you food here. I'll go to bed hungry, that's all. I've done it before. No biggy. Well, Good night Jessie of Team Rocket. May you serve well. Tomorrow you get your Partner as well as your Mission. Your Partner will be like your brother from now on. I wonder what he will be like…
I drift off into soundless slumber.