Chapter 12: Mind Games
When Butch came to he found himself being dragged through a forest. Terror struck him as he realised that he had no idea where he was! His captors saw that he was awake and stopped to let him walk on his own but yet when Butch tried to walk his legs almost gave way beneath him and his captors had to steady him with a firm grip on both his arms. Then Butch was walking along again with them. Butch vaguely recalled Meowth being with him in the van but that could have been a dream or Meowth would be here now wouldn't he? They walked in silence for a few minutes save for the occasional 'walk faster' from one or both of the men who held him. When they finally stopped Butch recognised the small hut like building as being the shrine in the Ilex Forest. Knowing where he was brought gave him a small amount of comfort. Butch was forced ahead of one of the men as they entered the shrine. He was forced to walk down some steps that led from a trap door. The steps led down into a corridor that was lit with oil lamps. The men had their grips on his arms again. "Where are you taking me?" Butch asked but they didn't reply. They walked on and as the corridor grew wider Butch saw several doors leading off from the corridor. The men paused at one and used a card to get into the room. There were two people in there that looked up as they entered. One was obviously a scientist of some sort as he wore a white lab coat and was holding a fresh syringe in his hand. The other woman was beautiful. She had hair the colour of fire and deep coal black eyes. Yet looks were deceiving. When Butch stared at her he knew that she was evil. "Ah Butch" the woman spoke moving towards him. Her voice was smooth but he could detect the evil again in every word that she said. "My men didn't scare you I hope?" Butch shook his head as she led him over to where the scientist was standing. "Good" she said. "My name is Amber. I am the Darkness's second in command if you like. I didn't want to scare you or the other one. This is just the Darkness's way of doing things. We are named for the dark that is stealthily and we vanish into the blackness and no one knows we were even there". Amber got a far off look in her eyes when she said this. Butch and the others waited until she snapped out of her little fantasy. "This is our lab" Amber said next waving a hand across the room. Butch looked around it was smaller than the Team Rocket lab but that didn't make it less threatening. Over in one corner was a table with a sheet on it. The sheet was stained with blood in places. Butch shuddered he could only imagine what they did to people and Pokemon in here. "Now Butch" Amber said. "We have been looking for two Team Rocket agents for a while now" So they have James, Butch thought but why the hell do they want me? "We have already got one of the ones that we seek and we have reason to believe that you are the second one"
"Me?" Butch took a step back but instantly the men were there holding him still.
"Yes" Amber said. "This is Garret" she gestured to the scientist that had come closer holding the syringe up. "A simple blood test will determine whether or not you are the one. It would be so much easier if you let us do this" Amber said coldly. Butch debated what to do. If he tried to refuse then they would probably just do it anyway. Better to go along with it. "Ok" Butch agreed rolling up the sleeve of his shirt. Garret took the blood sample and all the while Butch just stood there. This surprised Amber. Maybe it was possible that he didn't know? Garret had taken the sample to the back of the lab now. Butch turned to Amber "What if I am not the one?" he asked.
"We kill you" she replied. "And believe me Butch we've killed many before". Butch gulped and the men tensed up but he knew it would be foolish to try and escape. Garret came back a few seconds later. "Well?" Amber snatched the results from his hands. She smiled and turned to the men who had brought Butch here. "Leave us," she instructed and they left. "Well congratulations" she said to Butch. "You passed with flying colours"
"Passed what?" Butch asked.
"You really don't know do you?"
"Know what?" Amber motioned for Butch to follow her to a room that connected with the lab. In there were three small chairs with a table in front of them. There was a coffee table in one corner. Amber told Butch to sit down and she took the chair next to him. "I trust you know what Future Sight is?"
"A Pokemon attack?" Butch offered not wanting to mention James.
Amber smiled "Butch you know it is more than that. Now from what my information tells me you had been in Team Rocket since you were 14. You and you're partner Cassidy were a little too young to be sent to the training camp as the age that you go is 15. So Giovanni trained you as assistants instead for a year. You helped out around the HQ and with various teams on easy missions. Then one day Giovanni assigned you to different HQ's. Now before he had kept you together and you were surprised by this weren't you?"
"Yeah" Butch admitted. "Giovanni always told me that me and Cass worked better as a team. She was sent to the HQ in Johto"
"And you were to stay in Viridian City and help out with the scientist Jill Andrews and her research" Amber finished. "Do you remember what you did in the labs?"
"I swept the floor, made sure all the different chemicals were labelled correctly, took notes for Jill" he replied wondering where Amber was heading with all of this.
"That's what they made you believe Butch. You were working there for a month weren't you?" Butch nodded still not understand what Amber was talking about.
"Let me refresh your memory a little about Future Sight" Amber continued. "It is a psychic Pokemon attack that foresees an attack in the future and hits when you least suspect it. But the Team Rocket scientist Marlene wanted to make TM's a lot more than that. She developed a TM in a liquid state that could be given to a human being. Of course Giovanni had no use for a TM that could allow humans to use Pokemon attacks. Marlene had made a TM that could allow the human with future sight to see any point into the future. Giovanni had Marlene killed when she realised what could happen if the TM fell into the wrong hands. Giovanni needed someone to test his TM out on and he picked a boy called James Morgan for it. That was when you were in the Team Rocket training camp but the TM's had been around a long time before that. Giovanni had not been interested in science until he saw all of the TM's and there were four originally. They were Future Sight, Teleport, Acid armour and agility. You think you were in that lab helping out? Well that's what Giovanni made you think after he nearly killed you by giving you three of those TM's Butch. Giovanni assumed that they didn't work because of the amount that was used and that you were only 14. Jill Andrews suggested wait a year and try again. Giovanni lied to James Morgan when he said that he was the first. He was not the first Butch, you were"
"No" Butch said jumping up and looking angrily at her. This was a lie it had to be! Giovanni had respected him and Cassidy! The only reason he used James in his twisted experiments was because James was pathetic and would allow himself to be used like that. Giovanni valued Butch and Cassidy. He would never have done that too him! "You are lying!" Butch shouted. "I would remember!"
"He replaced your memories like he did with James" Amber snapped. "Sit down Butch" Butch didn't want to but there was something about Amber. He just couldn't say no. He sat down and kept his angry gaze fixed firmly on the floor so she wouldn't see the tears that had formed in his brown eyes. "Have you had any headaches lately? Or has things happened to you that you can't explain?" Butch nodded and told Amber all the times that he had been in one place and then been in another and how he was in a room and no one knew he was there. There were also the headaches that came on and off. "The headaches are a result of the TM's showing themselves. Your headaches have been worse because you were given three of the four TM's. You go to one place to another because of the TM teleport. This one has not been changed as much in its liquid form. Neither has the TM agility that as of yet has not surfaced. Only acid armour has been changed. Now I think you know that acid armour allows a Vaporeon to melt into water. Well when it was changed it allowed you person with it to vanish and be able to walk from place to place and be invisible to human eyes. Giovanni wanted to create the master thief using those three TM's on someone. He must have picked you because of your talent"
"NO!" Butch shouted. "This isn't true! It can't be"
"It is" Amber said. "James can tell you that"
"James knew?"
"Of course" Amber lied. "Giovanni would have told him. That was probably why Giovanni tried to kill you that day too. He wanted to get rid of you."
"James would have told me," Butch said uncertainly. But who knew what James would have told him? Even after things had calmed down they were still not friends.
"James knows all kinds of things," Amber added.
"Leave me alone" Butch growled as she put an arm out to comfort him.
"You need time to calm down," Amber said kindly. "I want to help you Butch I know your powers are not under control yet and that will come with time. Come with me" Butch was led to a room away from the lab and Amber ushered him inside before shutting the door and locking it.
Amber smiled and headed back towards her room. To achieve her goals she needed them both to remain separate for the time being. Amber hadn't seen James since the day before and hoped that he had decided he'd be better off helping them. The guilt trip would work for James but Butch would need to be handled differently. Right now Butch was despairing and Amber wanted him to feel, as through she and the Darkness were the only ones who could help him. That meant turning him against James. Make Butch feel alone and Amber knew she could get him to do exactly what she wanted. This was also why she needed to keep the two males separate. If they realised that they were both being used then they might try to double cross her. Amber knew that would be her undoing.
The minutes after Amber left were the worst ones of James' life. All he could think of was getting rid of the TM inside him. If it were gone then Jesse would love him again. But Future Sight killed people. If he wanted it gone then he would have to help The Darkness and the last thing James wanted to do was hurt more people. "Why does this always happen?" he cried bitterly. "Why did he pick me for this? What had I ever done to deserve it? I don't want this anymore!" What don't I want? James asked himself. Everything had been going fine until the anniversary thing came up. James had felt happier than he had done in a long time. Or was it a delusion? When Jesse found out that he had lied to her about Future Sight she had got angry. Maybe she hated him for having it because it meant that he was different? James knew that Jesse hadn't had many friends when she was younger and when their friendship formed it meant more to her than anything in the world. Future Sight nearly destroyed that friendship and now it had destroyed their relationship. Jesse might not want a boyfriend with this ability. James couldn't blame her if she wanted to end it. Look what had happened? It was only a year and yet again another criminal gang had sought him out in hopes of using him. James hung his head he was so pathetic. Maybe he should give in and do what Amber said. What was the point in fighting it? That would be best. When she came back he would agree to her demands. As James decided this he felt as if the weight of the world had been lifted off his shoulders. The relief was so immense that James actually smiled. It was like he had been waiting all his life just to give in. What was the point in fighting? Maybe it was meant to be. James lay back down. He knew his decision was the wrong one but he was past caring. As James lay there just looking up at the ceiling he started to feel weird. Well weird wasn't the word to describe it more like restless. James shifted his position on the bed and rolled over onto his side hoping the feeling world pass. It didn't and got worse. James recognised this feeling. Someone was upset and they were near him. "No not this again" James whispered. He ran to the door and tried to prize it open. The person must be close maybe in the opposite room? James knew he had to get out of here. He couldn't block the emotions and memories if he didn't know who it was that was upset. The door refused to budge. James was about to call out but at that minute an image flashed across his vision. "The HQ?" he whispered stumbling back into the bed. There must be another rocket in the building and very close to him. James hated to admit it but part of him was curious. Sure Team Rocket had been bad but whose memories could be that bad that they were the most terrible they had? I can't watch them James told himself. It would be wrong. He sat back down trying to fight them off. I hate this he cried to himself bitterly as they came on stronger and refused to go away. I hate it, I hate it, I hate it.
When James next became aware of what was going on he found that he was no longer in the room but walking down the corridor in the Team Rocket HQ. There was a younger version of Cassidy walking beside him. James looked down at himself, or rather tried. Unlike with a viewing when he could move about freely he was trapped repeating the memory of whoever it was. James tried one last time to get out of the memory but it was no good. "Hey Butch" Cassidy said. James started at this. This was Butch's memory? It shocked him a little as Butch and Cassidy liked Team Rocket at the beginning. Surely there was nothing to frighten or hurt Butch about Team Rocket? And if it was Butch's memory was Butch here now? He had to be. "Will you miss me?" Cassidy was asking.
"Nope" James found himself joking. He was speaking in Butch's voice and this was frightening him even more. Why was this so different from the others? James had feelings of Jesse and Meowth's memories yes but this was too vivid. James just didn't know what to do. He found himself speaking again now. "Of course I will Cassie you know that but it's just for a month right?"
"Yeah at least I get the interesting job. You have to spend the month with that nutty scientist"
James shrugged "You never know I might actually learn something" Cassidy laughed now. "Butch you know you were the worst in school at science"
"Seriously Cassidy you take care"
"I will" Cassidy said putting her arms round James and hugging him. James returned the hug wondering why he had never seen this side of Butch and Cassidy before. This could very easily be him and Jesse saying goodbye. Cassidy hurried down the corridor and towards the two rockets that were waiting for her. After she had gone James turned and walked towards the lab entrance. Jill Andrews was waiting for him a clipboard in one hand. This struck fear into James' heart. Why was she here? "Your late" she said accusingly. James looked at his own watch. Just a by few seconds what the hell was with this woman? "Its no matter" Jill said next. She showed James inside. The lab was small and untidy with a bed in one corner as with the HQ infirmary where Lillian worked. There were lots of cabinets with glasses on them. There were different coloured liquids in these glasses. He wanted to get a closer look but Jill stopped him. "Ok" she said handing him a pencil and a sheet of paper. "Anyone who works down here with me has to fill out this standard medical form. Its just stuff like your blood type, are you taking any medication, when were you last unwell etc. Nothing too hard I don't think. When you're done with that wait here. I have to go to the room out the back for a bit" James nodded and proceeded to fill in the form. It was standard like Jill had said and James had finished it in no time. He set it down on an empty space by some needles and waited for Jill to return. James was feeling all Butch's emotions and thoughts but at the same time he was thinking his own. James also knew that something terrible must have taken place in this lab and he didn't want to find out what it was. A few minutes later Jill collected the form, then without another word to him she went back into the backroom. James sighed impatiently. He could hear voices coming from the room. He was getting sick of waiting for Jill and decided to go and see where she had gone. He went over to the door and pushed it open slightly. James saw that Jill was talking quietly to Giovanni. What is he doing here? James wondered as his fear grew. Jill was also pouring a blue liquid into a glass tub of some sort that was standing beside a bed. There were wires coming out from the tub and James assumed that the liquid came out that way. "How long will it take?" Giovanni was asking.
"A few days at the most. Then after allowing a day for his body to absorb the chemical changes we can begin phase two and then after that phase three"
"And I will have my ultimate thief?"
"After a month is my guess" Jill replied.
"Excellent" Giovanni smiled showing off a set of pearl white teeth. The Persian sitting at his feet sniggered softly and purred as his master reached down to pet him. "Now are you sure they are the right ones?"
"Agility, Acid Armour and Teleport" Jill said listing the attacks. "The last one is Future Sight"
"How considerate of Marlene to do all the work for us" Giovanni chuckled. "Go and get the boy". No James realised what was going to happen he commanded himself/Butch silently to run but of course this was all done and James could not change the past just view the future. James pulled back from the door and moved back into the main lab area. What were they talking about? And what did they want him for? It was well known that Giovanni rarely bothered coming down to the labs. It was Madame Boss that held an interest in science not her son. Why would Giovanni suddenly show an interest now? These were Butch's thoughts again; James knew the answer to all of these however. Jill opened the door making James jump slightly. "You can come through now," she said before turning her back on him once again. James shuddered slightly as a sense of dread washed over him. Every inch of his body was telling him not to go in there but he was just the assistant back then and had to do what they said. Slowly and with more fear that James had ever experienced he followed Jill into the back room. Giovanni was still there when he entered. "Ah Butch" Giovanni said. "How are you?" The hatred James felt for that man was as fresh as anything and James wished he could do something. There was nothing through anyone could do. James decided to resign himself to watching this memory. Maybe he would learn something from it. "Fine thank you sir" James replied keeping his gaze fixed on the ground as he spoke so Giovanni couldn't see the fear in his eyes. "Now Butch" Jill was speaking again now. "Can you take off your gloves and sit up on the bed for me?" James wanted to say no but Giovanni's presence was enough to make him do as the scientist said. "What is going on?" James managed to choke out when Jill inserted a line into the vein in his wrist. The line was hooked up to the machine with the blue liquid inside. "Your going to help me out with my little experiment Butch" Giovanni said.
"What is going to happen?" James asked again.
"You're going to become my top agent that's what" Giovanni was looking a little annoyed now. "That is all you need to know"
"You have to tell me" James insisted his fear taking hold and making him want to resist whatever it was Giovanni wanted to do to him. The Boss sighed and then backhanded him across the face knocking him onto the floor. Jill had to grab hold of her machine to stop it being knocked down as the line from James' wrist to it snapped. James whimpered as he felt another pain as the line came loose. Jill was by his side helping him up and fixing a new line in. He sniffed fighting back tears as the stinging across his cheek refused to go away. Giovanni always made him feel small and useless. James/Butch had never felt like that before. He had always been strong physically and emotionally. It took a lot to reduce him to tears. "Its alright" Jill was whispering softly as she took him in her arms rocking him gently. James was grateful for this comfort and started to sob but of course he had not seen the syringe in Jill's other hand. He just felt a little sting in his arm before the world went black.
When James woke he was lying in the bed and pain was tearing through his body. His senses slowly came back to him and he wished they hadn't. He could hardly breath and had to gasp for the breaths he did take. His eyes hurt so much that James had to keep them shut as the light only hurt them more. James could barely hear anything and as he moved he found that he could hardly feel the bed on which he lay. What the hell have they done to me? He wondered anger gripping him as well as pain. James with renewed determination forced his eyes open. Everything was blood red to start with and then after a few minutes the lab started to form out of the red. He was lying on his side and he could see the door from where he was. James knew that he/Butch was very sick and he did have the strength to reason out that it must be the stuff in the machine making him sick of course James knew that it was more than just 'stuff'. It was something evil. James also knew that he had to get Jill to stop this but Jill wasn't even here. He refocused his aching eyes so he could see whom it was sitting patiently beside him. "You" he croaked hoarsely when he recognised his Boss. Giovanni just smiled cruelly. "What have you done?" James demanded but it came out as a whisper.
Before Giovanni could speak Jill came back in. "Your awake!" she cried when she saw him. James scowled and tried to roll over but Jill grabbed him and pinned him down.
"Get off of me!" James screamed pulling away. Jill continued to hold on until Giovanni told her to let him go. Jill seemed reluctant but did as her Boss said. James rolled onto his back and almost instantly he began choking. His eyes widened in terror and he fought for air thrashing about and gasping until Giovanni gave the order and Jill positioned him back on his side so he could breath again. "It is wise to do what you are told Butch" Giovanni said a hint of amusement in his voice. "See what happens when you do not listen to me?"
"You're a monster," James hissed glad that Butch had the courage to speak against his Boss, courage that James had lacked a year later but the exhaustion of his struggle for air had weakened him further.
"No not a monster" Giovanni said. "I am a dreamer. I have visions and you are merely a tool to help me obtain those dreams"
"Will you tell me now?" James asked but his heart was not in it. He could feel his breathing slowing down and every breath he took was too small and his lungs cried out for more.
"Jill what's happening?" Giovanni shouted as James' eyes started to close and his breathing started to slow further.
"I warned you!" Jill shouted back. "Feeding him three TM's one after the other in a space of a week was a bad idea. This technology has never been used before. I told you to give me two weeks so his body could adjust to the changes!" Three TM's! James thought fuzzily but Butch was slipping away and of course since he was Butch, well a part of Butch, James wasn't really sure but he was slipping away with the other male. "I know all that!" Giovanni snapped. "But what is happening now?"
"He is dying" Jill yelled struggling to rip the last line from his wrist as she spoke.
"Leave that in!" Giovanni commanded when he saw what his scientist was doing.
"It will be wasted sir! He already has over a quarter of TM Agility in him. If we stop now then we can try it on another subject. He will die sir. Just look at him!"
"I said leave it in!" Giovanni roared and with one quick movement he struck Jill hard knocking her down. Then the enraged Boss turned his attention back to Butch/James. Jill got to her feet slowly as she watched Butch take his last few breaths. James knew Butch was dying and felt that Butch was glad he at least got to find out why. He inhaled slowly and painfully as his vision clouded over again.
"Jill do something!" he heard Giovanni shouting. "He cannot die he just can't!"
"His body is shutting down" Jill replied numbly "I warned you sir" No! James was surprised by this thought from the other as he suddenly realised that he couldn't die. He was not going to die in this lab. What of Cassidy? James could see her in his minds eye as Butch pictured her without him. It would destroy her to loose him. They had been together practically all their lives! He couldn't do that to her. James forced his eyes open and he drew a sharp breath. His body was indeed shutting down but he wouldn't let that happen. James turned over and his breathing became more laboured again but he was determined to do this. He pushed himself up into a sitting position much to the astonishment of Giovanni and Jill. He squeezed his eyes shut and then opened them to get the focus back as gradually his breathing became easier again. "This is impossible!" Jill was saying. "Butch are you feeling ok? I was sure you weren't going to make it" Butch/James smiled weakly and uttered one word before letting sleep overcome him "Cassidy"
Jill passed nervously back and forth in front of James. "Are you sure you can't do it?" she asked her eyes showing a great fear in them. James nodded he hated to see Jill so upset but it had become obvious over the last couple of weeks that the TM experiment had failed as Future Sight would seem to have failed. James knew now that the experiment on Butch would not have failed but take longer for the TM's come out as there were three of them. James/Butch could not use any of the Pokemon attacks that had been given to him. Jill had told Giovanni of this a week ago and the Boss had beaten her so badly that she had been forced to stay in bed for a few days letting James take care of her. James felt hatred towards Jill but still pitied her. Giovanni was crazy with the idea of power and James knew he would hate to be on the wrong side of a mad man like that. But he had tried his hardest and still the TM's did not work. "That's ok" Jill said at last. "Maybe giving you three of them counteracted each other? Or maybe this technology is just not meant to be" Giovanni then came back. Jill explained to him as quietly and calmly as possible what must have happened. Giovanni did seem to want to get mad but held his terrible temper in check. "How much time will you need to perfect the TM future sight?" "I don't believe it was the TM's that were the problem sir. I believe that we administrated them wrong. The TM's produce great chemical changes in the human body and have to be studied further. I can do this using the data we gathered when we gave Butch them"
"Good Jill." Giovanni smiled, "You will have a year to do this. By then my new recruits for Team Rocket will be starting training. I will pick a new subject out from them and we will wait until they had almost finished the training before we use them. That way I can see what sort of person they are"
"Is that important?"
"Very. I had feared I had made a mistake with Butch. He is a free spirit and would probably rebel against my orders. I need to find a boy who will not do that". James wanted to cry knowing that Giovanni meant him. Was he really such a weak person? He must be if Giovanni picked him out of the hundreds of boys at the training camp. Knowing this made James feel ten times worse. Butch/James hated being talked about as if he wasn't there but he was glad that Giovanni would not hurt Jill anymore. "What of Butch now?"
"This can never get out" Giovanni drew a gun from his jacket and pointed it in James' direction. "I don't really want to do this as you have so much promise but this must be kept a secret" James cried out and flinched expecting to feel pain but Jill was in front of him now.
"Sir don't kill him," she said obviously remembering that he had looked after her when she was recovering from Giovanni's beating. "I have a better idea," she added with a sly smile. James' hopes were crushed at this. Jill didn't give a damn about him either and had never cared about him a year later either. All she cared about were her science experiments. "What then?" Giovanni asked putting his gun away and getting a grip on James' arm to stop him trying to escape.
"You remember a while back I had a break through with my memory loss elixir? Well we could give it to him. That way he would forget everything that has happened these last weeks"
"Won't that give him amnesia?" Giovanni inquired.
"No sir. This elixir is given in doses depending on how far back you want the subject to forget from. A millimetre is for one day two for two days etc. Then whilst the subject is a trance like state between sleeping and waking we can give him new memories." They will make be forget! Butch/James thought in panic. He had to remember if he didn't then some poor trainee a year from now might suffer a similar fate! James was glad that Butch at least had wanted to resist them to warn him. "I don't want to forget" James cried trying to pull away "Please I won't say a word I promise just no more experiments please. I'm begging you!" At least they told him James thought. I just woke up and knew nothing of what happened until Giovanni gave me the serum to counter the elixir. James did managed to pull away from Giovanni and as the rocket leader raised his fist to strike him again Jill darted between them and pulled the youngster off to one side. "Butch he will kill you" she hissed "And I don't want that. You are so young. Let me do this. I promise I will not let any harm come to you"
"No" James sniffed. "I can't take this"
"You will never know you even went through all this" Jill said hugging him again and this time the compassion was sincere. James knew he had no choice. If he refused and Giovanni killed him then there had been no point in him struggling to live those weeks ago. He would have failed Cassidy but even worse he had failed himself. "Ok" James agreed, "What do I have to do?"
"Hey Butch!" Cassidy cried excitedly rushing up to her friend and hugging him tightly. "I've missed you so much! How was it?" Unlike Butch, James knew what happened but the other did not and so would never speak of it to Cassidy. "Boring" James, said returning the hug. "She made me sweep the floor about 100 times and then I had to clean the glasses and syringes. You were right Cassie. You did have the better job"
"Yeah right" Cassidy complained. "Those agents were so horrible to me. They couldn't even get my name right! They kept calling me Candy and bossing me around"
"Don't worry" James said as the two friends began to walk back towards their quarters in the HQ "It'll get better soon. And next year we'll be in the training camp and then we'll be agents." Cassidy brightened at this. "I can't wait and we'll be the best right Butch?"
"The best" James echoed.
The memory ended there. James opened his eyes and found that he was crying again. This had started long before him and now two people paid the price for Giovanni's damn science experiments. But even more frightening than the memory that wasn't even his was the fact that James had learned that Butch and Cassidy were the same as he and Jesse really. They were best friends maybe even more the same as he and Jesse were. Giovanni had, had little respect for anyone in Team Rocket even his best agents. James hated the dead leader even more than ever now knowing what he did. Butch had just been a tool to Giovanni as well. He used them both and now the Darkness planned on using them. James realised how foolish he had been to want to give in and accept Amber's offer. These people would stop at nothing to get what they wanted too! James knew that nothing could bring back those gym leaders that had died because of Future Sight but he didn't have to be the cause of anyone else dying. James knew he had to think of a plan.
Authors Note: To write the part about Butch I had to do it from James' point of view and add Butch's own thoughts and feelings in as well. I really hope that was not too confusing and that it explained a lot of things. Chapter 13 up soon! ^_^
When Butch came to he found himself being dragged through a forest. Terror struck him as he realised that he had no idea where he was! His captors saw that he was awake and stopped to let him walk on his own but yet when Butch tried to walk his legs almost gave way beneath him and his captors had to steady him with a firm grip on both his arms. Then Butch was walking along again with them. Butch vaguely recalled Meowth being with him in the van but that could have been a dream or Meowth would be here now wouldn't he? They walked in silence for a few minutes save for the occasional 'walk faster' from one or both of the men who held him. When they finally stopped Butch recognised the small hut like building as being the shrine in the Ilex Forest. Knowing where he was brought gave him a small amount of comfort. Butch was forced ahead of one of the men as they entered the shrine. He was forced to walk down some steps that led from a trap door. The steps led down into a corridor that was lit with oil lamps. The men had their grips on his arms again. "Where are you taking me?" Butch asked but they didn't reply. They walked on and as the corridor grew wider Butch saw several doors leading off from the corridor. The men paused at one and used a card to get into the room. There were two people in there that looked up as they entered. One was obviously a scientist of some sort as he wore a white lab coat and was holding a fresh syringe in his hand. The other woman was beautiful. She had hair the colour of fire and deep coal black eyes. Yet looks were deceiving. When Butch stared at her he knew that she was evil. "Ah Butch" the woman spoke moving towards him. Her voice was smooth but he could detect the evil again in every word that she said. "My men didn't scare you I hope?" Butch shook his head as she led him over to where the scientist was standing. "Good" she said. "My name is Amber. I am the Darkness's second in command if you like. I didn't want to scare you or the other one. This is just the Darkness's way of doing things. We are named for the dark that is stealthily and we vanish into the blackness and no one knows we were even there". Amber got a far off look in her eyes when she said this. Butch and the others waited until she snapped out of her little fantasy. "This is our lab" Amber said next waving a hand across the room. Butch looked around it was smaller than the Team Rocket lab but that didn't make it less threatening. Over in one corner was a table with a sheet on it. The sheet was stained with blood in places. Butch shuddered he could only imagine what they did to people and Pokemon in here. "Now Butch" Amber said. "We have been looking for two Team Rocket agents for a while now" So they have James, Butch thought but why the hell do they want me? "We have already got one of the ones that we seek and we have reason to believe that you are the second one"
"Me?" Butch took a step back but instantly the men were there holding him still.
"Yes" Amber said. "This is Garret" she gestured to the scientist that had come closer holding the syringe up. "A simple blood test will determine whether or not you are the one. It would be so much easier if you let us do this" Amber said coldly. Butch debated what to do. If he tried to refuse then they would probably just do it anyway. Better to go along with it. "Ok" Butch agreed rolling up the sleeve of his shirt. Garret took the blood sample and all the while Butch just stood there. This surprised Amber. Maybe it was possible that he didn't know? Garret had taken the sample to the back of the lab now. Butch turned to Amber "What if I am not the one?" he asked.
"We kill you" she replied. "And believe me Butch we've killed many before". Butch gulped and the men tensed up but he knew it would be foolish to try and escape. Garret came back a few seconds later. "Well?" Amber snatched the results from his hands. She smiled and turned to the men who had brought Butch here. "Leave us," she instructed and they left. "Well congratulations" she said to Butch. "You passed with flying colours"
"Passed what?" Butch asked.
"You really don't know do you?"
"Know what?" Amber motioned for Butch to follow her to a room that connected with the lab. In there were three small chairs with a table in front of them. There was a coffee table in one corner. Amber told Butch to sit down and she took the chair next to him. "I trust you know what Future Sight is?"
"A Pokemon attack?" Butch offered not wanting to mention James.
Amber smiled "Butch you know it is more than that. Now from what my information tells me you had been in Team Rocket since you were 14. You and you're partner Cassidy were a little too young to be sent to the training camp as the age that you go is 15. So Giovanni trained you as assistants instead for a year. You helped out around the HQ and with various teams on easy missions. Then one day Giovanni assigned you to different HQ's. Now before he had kept you together and you were surprised by this weren't you?"
"Yeah" Butch admitted. "Giovanni always told me that me and Cass worked better as a team. She was sent to the HQ in Johto"
"And you were to stay in Viridian City and help out with the scientist Jill Andrews and her research" Amber finished. "Do you remember what you did in the labs?"
"I swept the floor, made sure all the different chemicals were labelled correctly, took notes for Jill" he replied wondering where Amber was heading with all of this.
"That's what they made you believe Butch. You were working there for a month weren't you?" Butch nodded still not understand what Amber was talking about.
"Let me refresh your memory a little about Future Sight" Amber continued. "It is a psychic Pokemon attack that foresees an attack in the future and hits when you least suspect it. But the Team Rocket scientist Marlene wanted to make TM's a lot more than that. She developed a TM in a liquid state that could be given to a human being. Of course Giovanni had no use for a TM that could allow humans to use Pokemon attacks. Marlene had made a TM that could allow the human with future sight to see any point into the future. Giovanni had Marlene killed when she realised what could happen if the TM fell into the wrong hands. Giovanni needed someone to test his TM out on and he picked a boy called James Morgan for it. That was when you were in the Team Rocket training camp but the TM's had been around a long time before that. Giovanni had not been interested in science until he saw all of the TM's and there were four originally. They were Future Sight, Teleport, Acid armour and agility. You think you were in that lab helping out? Well that's what Giovanni made you think after he nearly killed you by giving you three of those TM's Butch. Giovanni assumed that they didn't work because of the amount that was used and that you were only 14. Jill Andrews suggested wait a year and try again. Giovanni lied to James Morgan when he said that he was the first. He was not the first Butch, you were"
"No" Butch said jumping up and looking angrily at her. This was a lie it had to be! Giovanni had respected him and Cassidy! The only reason he used James in his twisted experiments was because James was pathetic and would allow himself to be used like that. Giovanni valued Butch and Cassidy. He would never have done that too him! "You are lying!" Butch shouted. "I would remember!"
"He replaced your memories like he did with James" Amber snapped. "Sit down Butch" Butch didn't want to but there was something about Amber. He just couldn't say no. He sat down and kept his angry gaze fixed firmly on the floor so she wouldn't see the tears that had formed in his brown eyes. "Have you had any headaches lately? Or has things happened to you that you can't explain?" Butch nodded and told Amber all the times that he had been in one place and then been in another and how he was in a room and no one knew he was there. There were also the headaches that came on and off. "The headaches are a result of the TM's showing themselves. Your headaches have been worse because you were given three of the four TM's. You go to one place to another because of the TM teleport. This one has not been changed as much in its liquid form. Neither has the TM agility that as of yet has not surfaced. Only acid armour has been changed. Now I think you know that acid armour allows a Vaporeon to melt into water. Well when it was changed it allowed you person with it to vanish and be able to walk from place to place and be invisible to human eyes. Giovanni wanted to create the master thief using those three TM's on someone. He must have picked you because of your talent"
"NO!" Butch shouted. "This isn't true! It can't be"
"It is" Amber said. "James can tell you that"
"James knew?"
"Of course" Amber lied. "Giovanni would have told him. That was probably why Giovanni tried to kill you that day too. He wanted to get rid of you."
"James would have told me," Butch said uncertainly. But who knew what James would have told him? Even after things had calmed down they were still not friends.
"James knows all kinds of things," Amber added.
"Leave me alone" Butch growled as she put an arm out to comfort him.
"You need time to calm down," Amber said kindly. "I want to help you Butch I know your powers are not under control yet and that will come with time. Come with me" Butch was led to a room away from the lab and Amber ushered him inside before shutting the door and locking it.
Amber smiled and headed back towards her room. To achieve her goals she needed them both to remain separate for the time being. Amber hadn't seen James since the day before and hoped that he had decided he'd be better off helping them. The guilt trip would work for James but Butch would need to be handled differently. Right now Butch was despairing and Amber wanted him to feel, as through she and the Darkness were the only ones who could help him. That meant turning him against James. Make Butch feel alone and Amber knew she could get him to do exactly what she wanted. This was also why she needed to keep the two males separate. If they realised that they were both being used then they might try to double cross her. Amber knew that would be her undoing.
The minutes after Amber left were the worst ones of James' life. All he could think of was getting rid of the TM inside him. If it were gone then Jesse would love him again. But Future Sight killed people. If he wanted it gone then he would have to help The Darkness and the last thing James wanted to do was hurt more people. "Why does this always happen?" he cried bitterly. "Why did he pick me for this? What had I ever done to deserve it? I don't want this anymore!" What don't I want? James asked himself. Everything had been going fine until the anniversary thing came up. James had felt happier than he had done in a long time. Or was it a delusion? When Jesse found out that he had lied to her about Future Sight she had got angry. Maybe she hated him for having it because it meant that he was different? James knew that Jesse hadn't had many friends when she was younger and when their friendship formed it meant more to her than anything in the world. Future Sight nearly destroyed that friendship and now it had destroyed their relationship. Jesse might not want a boyfriend with this ability. James couldn't blame her if she wanted to end it. Look what had happened? It was only a year and yet again another criminal gang had sought him out in hopes of using him. James hung his head he was so pathetic. Maybe he should give in and do what Amber said. What was the point in fighting it? That would be best. When she came back he would agree to her demands. As James decided this he felt as if the weight of the world had been lifted off his shoulders. The relief was so immense that James actually smiled. It was like he had been waiting all his life just to give in. What was the point in fighting? Maybe it was meant to be. James lay back down. He knew his decision was the wrong one but he was past caring. As James lay there just looking up at the ceiling he started to feel weird. Well weird wasn't the word to describe it more like restless. James shifted his position on the bed and rolled over onto his side hoping the feeling world pass. It didn't and got worse. James recognised this feeling. Someone was upset and they were near him. "No not this again" James whispered. He ran to the door and tried to prize it open. The person must be close maybe in the opposite room? James knew he had to get out of here. He couldn't block the emotions and memories if he didn't know who it was that was upset. The door refused to budge. James was about to call out but at that minute an image flashed across his vision. "The HQ?" he whispered stumbling back into the bed. There must be another rocket in the building and very close to him. James hated to admit it but part of him was curious. Sure Team Rocket had been bad but whose memories could be that bad that they were the most terrible they had? I can't watch them James told himself. It would be wrong. He sat back down trying to fight them off. I hate this he cried to himself bitterly as they came on stronger and refused to go away. I hate it, I hate it, I hate it.
When James next became aware of what was going on he found that he was no longer in the room but walking down the corridor in the Team Rocket HQ. There was a younger version of Cassidy walking beside him. James looked down at himself, or rather tried. Unlike with a viewing when he could move about freely he was trapped repeating the memory of whoever it was. James tried one last time to get out of the memory but it was no good. "Hey Butch" Cassidy said. James started at this. This was Butch's memory? It shocked him a little as Butch and Cassidy liked Team Rocket at the beginning. Surely there was nothing to frighten or hurt Butch about Team Rocket? And if it was Butch's memory was Butch here now? He had to be. "Will you miss me?" Cassidy was asking.
"Nope" James found himself joking. He was speaking in Butch's voice and this was frightening him even more. Why was this so different from the others? James had feelings of Jesse and Meowth's memories yes but this was too vivid. James just didn't know what to do. He found himself speaking again now. "Of course I will Cassie you know that but it's just for a month right?"
"Yeah at least I get the interesting job. You have to spend the month with that nutty scientist"
James shrugged "You never know I might actually learn something" Cassidy laughed now. "Butch you know you were the worst in school at science"
"Seriously Cassidy you take care"
"I will" Cassidy said putting her arms round James and hugging him. James returned the hug wondering why he had never seen this side of Butch and Cassidy before. This could very easily be him and Jesse saying goodbye. Cassidy hurried down the corridor and towards the two rockets that were waiting for her. After she had gone James turned and walked towards the lab entrance. Jill Andrews was waiting for him a clipboard in one hand. This struck fear into James' heart. Why was she here? "Your late" she said accusingly. James looked at his own watch. Just a by few seconds what the hell was with this woman? "Its no matter" Jill said next. She showed James inside. The lab was small and untidy with a bed in one corner as with the HQ infirmary where Lillian worked. There were lots of cabinets with glasses on them. There were different coloured liquids in these glasses. He wanted to get a closer look but Jill stopped him. "Ok" she said handing him a pencil and a sheet of paper. "Anyone who works down here with me has to fill out this standard medical form. Its just stuff like your blood type, are you taking any medication, when were you last unwell etc. Nothing too hard I don't think. When you're done with that wait here. I have to go to the room out the back for a bit" James nodded and proceeded to fill in the form. It was standard like Jill had said and James had finished it in no time. He set it down on an empty space by some needles and waited for Jill to return. James was feeling all Butch's emotions and thoughts but at the same time he was thinking his own. James also knew that something terrible must have taken place in this lab and he didn't want to find out what it was. A few minutes later Jill collected the form, then without another word to him she went back into the backroom. James sighed impatiently. He could hear voices coming from the room. He was getting sick of waiting for Jill and decided to go and see where she had gone. He went over to the door and pushed it open slightly. James saw that Jill was talking quietly to Giovanni. What is he doing here? James wondered as his fear grew. Jill was also pouring a blue liquid into a glass tub of some sort that was standing beside a bed. There were wires coming out from the tub and James assumed that the liquid came out that way. "How long will it take?" Giovanni was asking.
"A few days at the most. Then after allowing a day for his body to absorb the chemical changes we can begin phase two and then after that phase three"
"And I will have my ultimate thief?"
"After a month is my guess" Jill replied.
"Excellent" Giovanni smiled showing off a set of pearl white teeth. The Persian sitting at his feet sniggered softly and purred as his master reached down to pet him. "Now are you sure they are the right ones?"
"Agility, Acid Armour and Teleport" Jill said listing the attacks. "The last one is Future Sight"
"How considerate of Marlene to do all the work for us" Giovanni chuckled. "Go and get the boy". No James realised what was going to happen he commanded himself/Butch silently to run but of course this was all done and James could not change the past just view the future. James pulled back from the door and moved back into the main lab area. What were they talking about? And what did they want him for? It was well known that Giovanni rarely bothered coming down to the labs. It was Madame Boss that held an interest in science not her son. Why would Giovanni suddenly show an interest now? These were Butch's thoughts again; James knew the answer to all of these however. Jill opened the door making James jump slightly. "You can come through now," she said before turning her back on him once again. James shuddered slightly as a sense of dread washed over him. Every inch of his body was telling him not to go in there but he was just the assistant back then and had to do what they said. Slowly and with more fear that James had ever experienced he followed Jill into the back room. Giovanni was still there when he entered. "Ah Butch" Giovanni said. "How are you?" The hatred James felt for that man was as fresh as anything and James wished he could do something. There was nothing through anyone could do. James decided to resign himself to watching this memory. Maybe he would learn something from it. "Fine thank you sir" James replied keeping his gaze fixed on the ground as he spoke so Giovanni couldn't see the fear in his eyes. "Now Butch" Jill was speaking again now. "Can you take off your gloves and sit up on the bed for me?" James wanted to say no but Giovanni's presence was enough to make him do as the scientist said. "What is going on?" James managed to choke out when Jill inserted a line into the vein in his wrist. The line was hooked up to the machine with the blue liquid inside. "Your going to help me out with my little experiment Butch" Giovanni said.
"What is going to happen?" James asked again.
"You're going to become my top agent that's what" Giovanni was looking a little annoyed now. "That is all you need to know"
"You have to tell me" James insisted his fear taking hold and making him want to resist whatever it was Giovanni wanted to do to him. The Boss sighed and then backhanded him across the face knocking him onto the floor. Jill had to grab hold of her machine to stop it being knocked down as the line from James' wrist to it snapped. James whimpered as he felt another pain as the line came loose. Jill was by his side helping him up and fixing a new line in. He sniffed fighting back tears as the stinging across his cheek refused to go away. Giovanni always made him feel small and useless. James/Butch had never felt like that before. He had always been strong physically and emotionally. It took a lot to reduce him to tears. "Its alright" Jill was whispering softly as she took him in her arms rocking him gently. James was grateful for this comfort and started to sob but of course he had not seen the syringe in Jill's other hand. He just felt a little sting in his arm before the world went black.
When James woke he was lying in the bed and pain was tearing through his body. His senses slowly came back to him and he wished they hadn't. He could hardly breath and had to gasp for the breaths he did take. His eyes hurt so much that James had to keep them shut as the light only hurt them more. James could barely hear anything and as he moved he found that he could hardly feel the bed on which he lay. What the hell have they done to me? He wondered anger gripping him as well as pain. James with renewed determination forced his eyes open. Everything was blood red to start with and then after a few minutes the lab started to form out of the red. He was lying on his side and he could see the door from where he was. James knew that he/Butch was very sick and he did have the strength to reason out that it must be the stuff in the machine making him sick of course James knew that it was more than just 'stuff'. It was something evil. James also knew that he had to get Jill to stop this but Jill wasn't even here. He refocused his aching eyes so he could see whom it was sitting patiently beside him. "You" he croaked hoarsely when he recognised his Boss. Giovanni just smiled cruelly. "What have you done?" James demanded but it came out as a whisper.
Before Giovanni could speak Jill came back in. "Your awake!" she cried when she saw him. James scowled and tried to roll over but Jill grabbed him and pinned him down.
"Get off of me!" James screamed pulling away. Jill continued to hold on until Giovanni told her to let him go. Jill seemed reluctant but did as her Boss said. James rolled onto his back and almost instantly he began choking. His eyes widened in terror and he fought for air thrashing about and gasping until Giovanni gave the order and Jill positioned him back on his side so he could breath again. "It is wise to do what you are told Butch" Giovanni said a hint of amusement in his voice. "See what happens when you do not listen to me?"
"You're a monster," James hissed glad that Butch had the courage to speak against his Boss, courage that James had lacked a year later but the exhaustion of his struggle for air had weakened him further.
"No not a monster" Giovanni said. "I am a dreamer. I have visions and you are merely a tool to help me obtain those dreams"
"Will you tell me now?" James asked but his heart was not in it. He could feel his breathing slowing down and every breath he took was too small and his lungs cried out for more.
"Jill what's happening?" Giovanni shouted as James' eyes started to close and his breathing started to slow further.
"I warned you!" Jill shouted back. "Feeding him three TM's one after the other in a space of a week was a bad idea. This technology has never been used before. I told you to give me two weeks so his body could adjust to the changes!" Three TM's! James thought fuzzily but Butch was slipping away and of course since he was Butch, well a part of Butch, James wasn't really sure but he was slipping away with the other male. "I know all that!" Giovanni snapped. "But what is happening now?"
"He is dying" Jill yelled struggling to rip the last line from his wrist as she spoke.
"Leave that in!" Giovanni commanded when he saw what his scientist was doing.
"It will be wasted sir! He already has over a quarter of TM Agility in him. If we stop now then we can try it on another subject. He will die sir. Just look at him!"
"I said leave it in!" Giovanni roared and with one quick movement he struck Jill hard knocking her down. Then the enraged Boss turned his attention back to Butch/James. Jill got to her feet slowly as she watched Butch take his last few breaths. James knew Butch was dying and felt that Butch was glad he at least got to find out why. He inhaled slowly and painfully as his vision clouded over again.
"Jill do something!" he heard Giovanni shouting. "He cannot die he just can't!"
"His body is shutting down" Jill replied numbly "I warned you sir" No! James was surprised by this thought from the other as he suddenly realised that he couldn't die. He was not going to die in this lab. What of Cassidy? James could see her in his minds eye as Butch pictured her without him. It would destroy her to loose him. They had been together practically all their lives! He couldn't do that to her. James forced his eyes open and he drew a sharp breath. His body was indeed shutting down but he wouldn't let that happen. James turned over and his breathing became more laboured again but he was determined to do this. He pushed himself up into a sitting position much to the astonishment of Giovanni and Jill. He squeezed his eyes shut and then opened them to get the focus back as gradually his breathing became easier again. "This is impossible!" Jill was saying. "Butch are you feeling ok? I was sure you weren't going to make it" Butch/James smiled weakly and uttered one word before letting sleep overcome him "Cassidy"
Jill passed nervously back and forth in front of James. "Are you sure you can't do it?" she asked her eyes showing a great fear in them. James nodded he hated to see Jill so upset but it had become obvious over the last couple of weeks that the TM experiment had failed as Future Sight would seem to have failed. James knew now that the experiment on Butch would not have failed but take longer for the TM's come out as there were three of them. James/Butch could not use any of the Pokemon attacks that had been given to him. Jill had told Giovanni of this a week ago and the Boss had beaten her so badly that she had been forced to stay in bed for a few days letting James take care of her. James felt hatred towards Jill but still pitied her. Giovanni was crazy with the idea of power and James knew he would hate to be on the wrong side of a mad man like that. But he had tried his hardest and still the TM's did not work. "That's ok" Jill said at last. "Maybe giving you three of them counteracted each other? Or maybe this technology is just not meant to be" Giovanni then came back. Jill explained to him as quietly and calmly as possible what must have happened. Giovanni did seem to want to get mad but held his terrible temper in check. "How much time will you need to perfect the TM future sight?" "I don't believe it was the TM's that were the problem sir. I believe that we administrated them wrong. The TM's produce great chemical changes in the human body and have to be studied further. I can do this using the data we gathered when we gave Butch them"
"Good Jill." Giovanni smiled, "You will have a year to do this. By then my new recruits for Team Rocket will be starting training. I will pick a new subject out from them and we will wait until they had almost finished the training before we use them. That way I can see what sort of person they are"
"Is that important?"
"Very. I had feared I had made a mistake with Butch. He is a free spirit and would probably rebel against my orders. I need to find a boy who will not do that". James wanted to cry knowing that Giovanni meant him. Was he really such a weak person? He must be if Giovanni picked him out of the hundreds of boys at the training camp. Knowing this made James feel ten times worse. Butch/James hated being talked about as if he wasn't there but he was glad that Giovanni would not hurt Jill anymore. "What of Butch now?"
"This can never get out" Giovanni drew a gun from his jacket and pointed it in James' direction. "I don't really want to do this as you have so much promise but this must be kept a secret" James cried out and flinched expecting to feel pain but Jill was in front of him now.
"Sir don't kill him," she said obviously remembering that he had looked after her when she was recovering from Giovanni's beating. "I have a better idea," she added with a sly smile. James' hopes were crushed at this. Jill didn't give a damn about him either and had never cared about him a year later either. All she cared about were her science experiments. "What then?" Giovanni asked putting his gun away and getting a grip on James' arm to stop him trying to escape.
"You remember a while back I had a break through with my memory loss elixir? Well we could give it to him. That way he would forget everything that has happened these last weeks"
"Won't that give him amnesia?" Giovanni inquired.
"No sir. This elixir is given in doses depending on how far back you want the subject to forget from. A millimetre is for one day two for two days etc. Then whilst the subject is a trance like state between sleeping and waking we can give him new memories." They will make be forget! Butch/James thought in panic. He had to remember if he didn't then some poor trainee a year from now might suffer a similar fate! James was glad that Butch at least had wanted to resist them to warn him. "I don't want to forget" James cried trying to pull away "Please I won't say a word I promise just no more experiments please. I'm begging you!" At least they told him James thought. I just woke up and knew nothing of what happened until Giovanni gave me the serum to counter the elixir. James did managed to pull away from Giovanni and as the rocket leader raised his fist to strike him again Jill darted between them and pulled the youngster off to one side. "Butch he will kill you" she hissed "And I don't want that. You are so young. Let me do this. I promise I will not let any harm come to you"
"No" James sniffed. "I can't take this"
"You will never know you even went through all this" Jill said hugging him again and this time the compassion was sincere. James knew he had no choice. If he refused and Giovanni killed him then there had been no point in him struggling to live those weeks ago. He would have failed Cassidy but even worse he had failed himself. "Ok" James agreed, "What do I have to do?"
"Hey Butch!" Cassidy cried excitedly rushing up to her friend and hugging him tightly. "I've missed you so much! How was it?" Unlike Butch, James knew what happened but the other did not and so would never speak of it to Cassidy. "Boring" James, said returning the hug. "She made me sweep the floor about 100 times and then I had to clean the glasses and syringes. You were right Cassie. You did have the better job"
"Yeah right" Cassidy complained. "Those agents were so horrible to me. They couldn't even get my name right! They kept calling me Candy and bossing me around"
"Don't worry" James said as the two friends began to walk back towards their quarters in the HQ "It'll get better soon. And next year we'll be in the training camp and then we'll be agents." Cassidy brightened at this. "I can't wait and we'll be the best right Butch?"
"The best" James echoed.
The memory ended there. James opened his eyes and found that he was crying again. This had started long before him and now two people paid the price for Giovanni's damn science experiments. But even more frightening than the memory that wasn't even his was the fact that James had learned that Butch and Cassidy were the same as he and Jesse really. They were best friends maybe even more the same as he and Jesse were. Giovanni had, had little respect for anyone in Team Rocket even his best agents. James hated the dead leader even more than ever now knowing what he did. Butch had just been a tool to Giovanni as well. He used them both and now the Darkness planned on using them. James realised how foolish he had been to want to give in and accept Amber's offer. These people would stop at nothing to get what they wanted too! James knew that nothing could bring back those gym leaders that had died because of Future Sight but he didn't have to be the cause of anyone else dying. James knew he had to think of a plan.
Authors Note: To write the part about Butch I had to do it from James' point of view and add Butch's own thoughts and feelings in as well. I really hope that was not too confusing and that it explained a lot of things. Chapter 13 up soon! ^_^