Chapter 6
"Originally, we were going to take you in like all of the others who have made the same choice as you, but Hyltik, just before the attack, noted that you seemed to be in a state of confusion. You had no where to go, nothing to do, no appointments to keep. You were the perfect candidate. Without really informing you of what we wanted you to do we threw you into spy training. There are so few humans involved in our line of work that those that do come by we like to make sure they stay, and trust us, we will make it worth your while."
Mike interjected on the Vileplume "So what you are telling me is that you have been setting me up? What is this operation you've got here? What is with the secret underground bases? The super top secret pass codes? The portals that weld themselves shut? What is with this extra-dimensional, I'm assuming it's in some other dimension because it is supposed to be night and I haven't gone that far from home, world you got here that is full of pokémon who seem to have nothing better to do with their time then carry around clipboards, scribble things on them when I talk," At this the Bellosom stopped writing, "and shove people into spy training programs to spy on Team Rocket who is out to get you for some reason. To make a long story short...why am I being kept in the dark here!?"
A silence pervaded the group, all that could be heard was the slight whistle of the wind in the trees and a leaf falling to the ground. The Bellossom teetered edgily on its feet and the Vileplume's mouth was shut like a bear trap. Mike glowered at the two of them, yet saw no fear in their eyes, the Bellosom's face was covered with something that could be construed as shame while the Vileplume looked stern, and possibly angry.
He felt an arm on his shoulder, he looked to his right and saw the dark crimson hood of the girl's robe staring straight into him. "Let's take a walk." She coaxed, and they departed. Leaving the two grass types to themselves.
She removed her arm from his shoulder and hid it back in her robe before he ever got a look at it. "I thought I better tell you before someone else does. This place...it's not like normal places." She sighed, "You see, there is something about this place, an aura, a magical energy that causes a change in people, both a physical one, and in some cases, a mental one. This is where pokémon come from. All pokémon either come from here, or, the vast majority their parents, or grandparents, or some ancient ancestor came from here. This place literally makes pokémon out of people. It's not an immediate thing, it takes months. Long enough to not notice day to day, but week to week you can tell with a close look. In a way, it's long enough not to notice, but short enough not to forget. That's why they have so few humans helping them, they all eventually turn into pokémon, and that's why they will scurry to get you out of here as fast as you can go, if you decide to stay and join them, you will just fall into the rank and file, you will be forgotten.
"That's why Team Rocket wants this place, and why so there are so few human's helping. Pokémon are...powerful, you can't deny it. And everyone wants that power. Even if they end up as something as wimpy as a Lotad they are still happy, because they have more power then they ever did as a human. Everyone here is happy...except me. Originally, I wanted to join, I wanted to become a pokémon. That's disease that haunts everyone else, got me too, I wanted power.
"It was after about two months here that I realized that my dreams weren't being, and weren't going to be realized, not matter what kind of physical power I had, I was still just a part of a large group, I had no power, I had bosses to report to, I jobs that must be done, I had all sorts of obligations. That's not what I wanted, I didn't come here to be a part of some rank and file, I came to become something greater, if I wanted this I just would have joined the military, which is all this really is. It's a military with a smiley face. And truthfully, there's nothing wrong with that, I'm sure that if there wasn't the constant threat of Team Rocket trying to seize this place there could just be a hazy world were pokémon are free to do as they wish. But alas, those are just my dreams, everyone here is for these shenanigans against Team Rocket and it's plot. They love their petty war, they love the battles, they love using their power.
"Me, I just want out, I was in the act of leaving when the raid happened, and as soon as they open up another door, I'm out of here."
Mike considered this, "Where will you go? You wear that robe to conceal your appearance, it isn't that ghastly is it?"
She pulled down the hood and Mike gazed at her face with something between amazement and horror. Her nose was gone, replaced but a stumpy muzzle covered in brown fur from the nose up which ended at her hairline where two large brown ears shot straight back. She still retained many of her human features, like her sapphire blue eyes and her thin gangly arms, though they were now covered with tannish fur on the arm and brown fur on the hands. She was obviously turning into a Furret.
Mike took a step back, stunned. "I...I had no idea." Mike mumbled as he stared at his fee. "I had no idea, but now I know so, thank you for telling me."
She glowered, "So now that you know I look like some creature you can't stand to look me in the face? You showed a remarkable amount of indifference to my problems until I showed you. What did you expect? Is this how all the world will treat me when, and if I ever escape this place?"
"No no no, that's not what I mean," Mike still couldn't for the life of himself comprehend what made girls tick, or tick off in this case, "Yes, people may shun you outside, but no, I don't think less of you because of how you look, I...I...I just didn't know what to say. I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings."
She sighed and sat down on the grassy hill over looking the vast plains of charging Ponyta and Tauros. "I'm sorry, I guess I've just been on edge, it just suddenly hit me one day. I woke up, looked at my tail and asked myself "What the hell were you thinking?" and I just want out of this nightmare, I want to turn back the clock, I want to be a human again. But I know it isn't possible. You've got to make that choice though, do you really want to give up your humanity? Being a pokémon is something yes, and for some people it's just what they need, at least without the war it would be. But for me, either way, I need out."
Mike pondered this, was it really time to give up his humanity? He could gain so much, but he would lose something too, once he went in their was no coming out. Maybe, he thought, maybe, if it wasn't for that war. He wanted a peaceful life, he wanted one where there were no complexities other than finding your next meal. Really, what did these pokémon gain from changing their life-style to that of the human. They were basically people with special powers. They walked around with clip boards and formed armies. He didn't want any of that.
The soft red carpet was little comfort to the man who was trodding on it. His brown shoes plodded along to the flippity-flappity noise of his trenchcoat, underneath which their was a large black shirt with a giant red "R" emblazoned on the front. Virk brushed his long hair out of the way of his eyes and glanced over at his partner, a rather plump woman whose broad and infinite smile stretched from ear to ear underneath her ridiculously large sunglasses and large purple hat. Her hair was was rolled up into two buns on the back of her head where pig-tails usually go. Virk called them pig buns. She was somewhat shapely, but not in an attractive way. The noticeable bulge on her stomach and thighs was close to making her look fat and her puffy cheeks and thick, ham-like arms confirmed it.
Virk was far different in appearance, he was slim, slightly muscular, and had long black hair. His nose seemed small and pointed and he walked in a quick snap like gate. The two partners were like black and white, almost exact opposites of each other. Virk was dark gloomy and an overall depressing sort of person, his few redeeming qualities were his agility and his ability to take charge of hectic situations. On the other hand, his partner, Vera, was an exuberant and energetic person. She constantly wore a smile and true to Team Rocket tradition was a rather vile person. You never knew what she was scheming, that smile held more behind it than a tounge (which was quite active in its own right).
A door opened before them and they stepped into an office. A dark haired with a noticeable receding hairline addressed them from a large cushy leather chair. "Please, sit" his commanding and irritated voice cracked. The two took their seats as the man, clad in a red business suit stroked a persian by his side. For a few seconds their was only the bubbling of the fishtank in the corner in which two Remoraid and a Magikarp dwadled through the water. "Report" The man barked.
Vera was first to open her large mouth, "Sir, it didn't go completely as planned. We failed to capture the portal intact but I think the crew has learned some valuable lessons, and although it wasn't a total loss, we captured a total of eight powerful pokémon who should cough up some answers nicely."
The man's finger raised and this signal instantly brought a halt to Vera's recount of the events of yesterday. "You buffoon, do you actually think I would ask you questions that I don't already know the answer to?" He turned his chair around and looked out the window, "I know full well how yesterday went, true, you captured eight pokémon, but you lost twenty-six men doing it." Vera was about to open her mouth when, as if the red suited man had some psychic powers, the finger raised again. "This is getting out of hand, I call upon you to two to organize a raid on the pokémon base and you bungle it. What did we get? We got three Teddiursa cubs, a caterpie that was hiding in a potato sack, two sleeping birds and a Miltank that was knocked out when a light fixture fell on her head. You two make me sick. Twenty-six good men and women are dead because you decided to make an all out attack when security was at it highest, when they had a visitor. I'll give you just one more chance, and this time I will make the plans."
"Originally, we were going to take you in like all of the others who have made the same choice as you, but Hyltik, just before the attack, noted that you seemed to be in a state of confusion. You had no where to go, nothing to do, no appointments to keep. You were the perfect candidate. Without really informing you of what we wanted you to do we threw you into spy training. There are so few humans involved in our line of work that those that do come by we like to make sure they stay, and trust us, we will make it worth your while."
Mike interjected on the Vileplume "So what you are telling me is that you have been setting me up? What is this operation you've got here? What is with the secret underground bases? The super top secret pass codes? The portals that weld themselves shut? What is with this extra-dimensional, I'm assuming it's in some other dimension because it is supposed to be night and I haven't gone that far from home, world you got here that is full of pokémon who seem to have nothing better to do with their time then carry around clipboards, scribble things on them when I talk," At this the Bellosom stopped writing, "and shove people into spy training programs to spy on Team Rocket who is out to get you for some reason. To make a long story short...why am I being kept in the dark here!?"
A silence pervaded the group, all that could be heard was the slight whistle of the wind in the trees and a leaf falling to the ground. The Bellossom teetered edgily on its feet and the Vileplume's mouth was shut like a bear trap. Mike glowered at the two of them, yet saw no fear in their eyes, the Bellosom's face was covered with something that could be construed as shame while the Vileplume looked stern, and possibly angry.
He felt an arm on his shoulder, he looked to his right and saw the dark crimson hood of the girl's robe staring straight into him. "Let's take a walk." She coaxed, and they departed. Leaving the two grass types to themselves.
She removed her arm from his shoulder and hid it back in her robe before he ever got a look at it. "I thought I better tell you before someone else does. This place...it's not like normal places." She sighed, "You see, there is something about this place, an aura, a magical energy that causes a change in people, both a physical one, and in some cases, a mental one. This is where pokémon come from. All pokémon either come from here, or, the vast majority their parents, or grandparents, or some ancient ancestor came from here. This place literally makes pokémon out of people. It's not an immediate thing, it takes months. Long enough to not notice day to day, but week to week you can tell with a close look. In a way, it's long enough not to notice, but short enough not to forget. That's why they have so few humans helping them, they all eventually turn into pokémon, and that's why they will scurry to get you out of here as fast as you can go, if you decide to stay and join them, you will just fall into the rank and file, you will be forgotten.
"That's why Team Rocket wants this place, and why so there are so few human's helping. Pokémon are...powerful, you can't deny it. And everyone wants that power. Even if they end up as something as wimpy as a Lotad they are still happy, because they have more power then they ever did as a human. Everyone here is happy...except me. Originally, I wanted to join, I wanted to become a pokémon. That's disease that haunts everyone else, got me too, I wanted power.
"It was after about two months here that I realized that my dreams weren't being, and weren't going to be realized, not matter what kind of physical power I had, I was still just a part of a large group, I had no power, I had bosses to report to, I jobs that must be done, I had all sorts of obligations. That's not what I wanted, I didn't come here to be a part of some rank and file, I came to become something greater, if I wanted this I just would have joined the military, which is all this really is. It's a military with a smiley face. And truthfully, there's nothing wrong with that, I'm sure that if there wasn't the constant threat of Team Rocket trying to seize this place there could just be a hazy world were pokémon are free to do as they wish. But alas, those are just my dreams, everyone here is for these shenanigans against Team Rocket and it's plot. They love their petty war, they love the battles, they love using their power.
"Me, I just want out, I was in the act of leaving when the raid happened, and as soon as they open up another door, I'm out of here."
Mike considered this, "Where will you go? You wear that robe to conceal your appearance, it isn't that ghastly is it?"
She pulled down the hood and Mike gazed at her face with something between amazement and horror. Her nose was gone, replaced but a stumpy muzzle covered in brown fur from the nose up which ended at her hairline where two large brown ears shot straight back. She still retained many of her human features, like her sapphire blue eyes and her thin gangly arms, though they were now covered with tannish fur on the arm and brown fur on the hands. She was obviously turning into a Furret.
Mike took a step back, stunned. "I...I had no idea." Mike mumbled as he stared at his fee. "I had no idea, but now I know so, thank you for telling me."
She glowered, "So now that you know I look like some creature you can't stand to look me in the face? You showed a remarkable amount of indifference to my problems until I showed you. What did you expect? Is this how all the world will treat me when, and if I ever escape this place?"
"No no no, that's not what I mean," Mike still couldn't for the life of himself comprehend what made girls tick, or tick off in this case, "Yes, people may shun you outside, but no, I don't think less of you because of how you look, I...I...I just didn't know what to say. I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings."
She sighed and sat down on the grassy hill over looking the vast plains of charging Ponyta and Tauros. "I'm sorry, I guess I've just been on edge, it just suddenly hit me one day. I woke up, looked at my tail and asked myself "What the hell were you thinking?" and I just want out of this nightmare, I want to turn back the clock, I want to be a human again. But I know it isn't possible. You've got to make that choice though, do you really want to give up your humanity? Being a pokémon is something yes, and for some people it's just what they need, at least without the war it would be. But for me, either way, I need out."
Mike pondered this, was it really time to give up his humanity? He could gain so much, but he would lose something too, once he went in their was no coming out. Maybe, he thought, maybe, if it wasn't for that war. He wanted a peaceful life, he wanted one where there were no complexities other than finding your next meal. Really, what did these pokémon gain from changing their life-style to that of the human. They were basically people with special powers. They walked around with clip boards and formed armies. He didn't want any of that.
The soft red carpet was little comfort to the man who was trodding on it. His brown shoes plodded along to the flippity-flappity noise of his trenchcoat, underneath which their was a large black shirt with a giant red "R" emblazoned on the front. Virk brushed his long hair out of the way of his eyes and glanced over at his partner, a rather plump woman whose broad and infinite smile stretched from ear to ear underneath her ridiculously large sunglasses and large purple hat. Her hair was was rolled up into two buns on the back of her head where pig-tails usually go. Virk called them pig buns. She was somewhat shapely, but not in an attractive way. The noticeable bulge on her stomach and thighs was close to making her look fat and her puffy cheeks and thick, ham-like arms confirmed it.
Virk was far different in appearance, he was slim, slightly muscular, and had long black hair. His nose seemed small and pointed and he walked in a quick snap like gate. The two partners were like black and white, almost exact opposites of each other. Virk was dark gloomy and an overall depressing sort of person, his few redeeming qualities were his agility and his ability to take charge of hectic situations. On the other hand, his partner, Vera, was an exuberant and energetic person. She constantly wore a smile and true to Team Rocket tradition was a rather vile person. You never knew what she was scheming, that smile held more behind it than a tounge (which was quite active in its own right).
A door opened before them and they stepped into an office. A dark haired with a noticeable receding hairline addressed them from a large cushy leather chair. "Please, sit" his commanding and irritated voice cracked. The two took their seats as the man, clad in a red business suit stroked a persian by his side. For a few seconds their was only the bubbling of the fishtank in the corner in which two Remoraid and a Magikarp dwadled through the water. "Report" The man barked.
Vera was first to open her large mouth, "Sir, it didn't go completely as planned. We failed to capture the portal intact but I think the crew has learned some valuable lessons, and although it wasn't a total loss, we captured a total of eight powerful pokémon who should cough up some answers nicely."
The man's finger raised and this signal instantly brought a halt to Vera's recount of the events of yesterday. "You buffoon, do you actually think I would ask you questions that I don't already know the answer to?" He turned his chair around and looked out the window, "I know full well how yesterday went, true, you captured eight pokémon, but you lost twenty-six men doing it." Vera was about to open her mouth when, as if the red suited man had some psychic powers, the finger raised again. "This is getting out of hand, I call upon you to two to organize a raid on the pokémon base and you bungle it. What did we get? We got three Teddiursa cubs, a caterpie that was hiding in a potato sack, two sleeping birds and a Miltank that was knocked out when a light fixture fell on her head. You two make me sick. Twenty-six good men and women are dead because you decided to make an all out attack when security was at it highest, when they had a visitor. I'll give you just one more chance, and this time I will make the plans."