A/N: This chapter is a very very belated birthday present to a very special friend I made on the Bulbagarden forums. Happy super late birthday, System Error! Hope you enjoy it!
Chapter 42: Harriet's Confession, Part Two
Continuing where she left off, Harriet told Officers Jenny and Madison the rest of what happened. Hours after she witnessed Danny be beaten near to death, she resolved to finally leave Team Rocket today. It had to be today. If she stayed, she was sure to regret it, both for herself and for Danny. But she had to leave during a time when absolutely no one would see her. If someone were to see her leave Everglade, they would likely report her to the higher ups and see that she be punished for her actions. But escaping in and of itself was a big risk. Whether she stayed or left, Team Rocket would still be after her. This time, Harriet wasn't going to stand around and lose the humanity she had left.
At about 11:00 PM, Harriet packed a small bag of necessities-clothes, hygiene products, her diaries, phone, money, and the rest of her PokeBalls-anything she'd need in case she was out on the road. She thanked her lucky stars that she still had some normal looking clothes with her. No way was she going to wear that awful Team Rocket uniform for a minute longer. Just wearing it made her...well, not herself, to put it bluntly. She put on a long sleeved purple shirt, a long white skirt, her favorite beige loafers, dirty and worn with age and lots of usage, and a white sunhat with a purple ribbon wrapped around it. This was more like it. Wearing her regular clothes made her feel normal. Like herself. But this was no time to linger.
She walked out the back porch, keeping an eye out for anyone who would be up and about. It was dark, and normally, nobody would be out at this time of night. But for Harriet, anyone could be lurking, just waiting to find someone doing something they shouldn't and snitching on them. Streetlights lit the premises, preventing Everglade from being pitch black, and the moon shone brightly in the night sky, like always. With her bag in hand, Harriet made a beeline out the door, her feet carrying her away from the house she lived in for so long. With every step she ran, she could feel her body relaxing. Chains and shackles fell from her soul. Finally, she was away from Team Rocket! Away from that awful neighborhood!
Since Everglade was behind a small mountain, it would take a while before Harriet would be able to reach another neighborhood. Good thing she remembered to bring a flashlight. She walked through the caves, awake and alert, taking care not to wake any of the Pokemon inside. Eventually, she got out and came within the vicinity of the Safari Zone building. Since it was night time, the facility was closed at the moment. But the Pokemon Center was aglow with light, a beacon in the pitch black night. As much as she wanted to go inside and check in, however, she wanted to find a police station first. There just had to be one somewhere. Considering this is the Safari Zone, the facility could need one in case anyone tried to hurt the Pokemon. Harriet kept looking left and right, like a lost Growlithe. Where was the police station? Thankfully, after some more walking, one came within view. A rather small building with a big yellow star on top. Like the Pokemon Center, it was lit up from the inside. She watched as a police officer walked right in. It was open!
Harriet poked her head into the station for a bit before pulling out. Then she pulled two PokeBalls out of her bag.
"Corsola! Sunflora! Come on out!" White lights spilled forth from the spheres. One of them materialized into a round, pink and white Pokemon with coral branches sprouting from its head. The other Pokemon was a living sunflower, with a green body, big leaves for arms, and a big yellow sunflower for a head.
"Corsola corsola corsola!" Corsola hopped up and down.
"Suuuunflora!" Sunflora waved its leafy arms in a cheerful manner.
"I'm sorry to disturb your sleep," Harriet kneeled to their level. "But I have to run inside and do something. Would you mind keeping an eye out for any Team Rocket grunts?"
"Corsola!" "Sun!" Both Pokemon nodded in agreement.
"Thanks, you guys," She reached out to stroke their heads gently, happy she had such loyal Pokemon by her side. "I'll probably be a while, so don't worry if I'm in there for too long."
"Corsola!" "Flooora!" Both Pokemon turned around, their eyes peeled wide open, scanning the premises for any Team Rocket members.
Harriet smiled before stepping into the police station. A female officer was sitting at the counter, writing on some documents when she heard footsteps. She looked up, meeting Harriet's bespectacled eyes. "Oh. Hello there. Do you need some help?" She asked.
"Actually, I'm here to file a report," Harriet pulled her phone out. "One of my neighbors, a little boy named Danny Kimerer, is being abused by his father. I have video evidence."
"Come this way," The officer led Harriet into a smaller room. It was cozy and empty, perfect for the two women to talk in private.
Once inside, Harriet told the officer everything, from Danny being pulled out of public school to witnessing the terrible beating a few hours beforehand. She even showed the officer the video she took of the incident. It was apparent from the wide-eyed, alarmed expression on the officer's face that the footage she recorded was too terrible to look at. Harriet thought only those with hearts of stone could watch that video without cringing or being completely shocked at the sheer brutality the child was subjected to. Once finished viewing the video, Harriet was quick to give the officer Richard's home address and speak of his intentions.
"I see. It's very brave of you to come here and tell me all of this," The officer told her, putting her phone in a plastic bag. "If you don't mind, I'd like to keep this as evidence for the time being. My boss would certainly want to examine it for legitimacy before pursuing this case. But I assure you, we'll save little Danny. You just gave us probable cause for doing so."
A relieved smile bloomed on her worried face. "Thank goodness!" Harriet clasped her hands together, overjoyed. Danny was going to be saved! She only hoped that it wasn't too late to do so. But she thanked her stars that she recorded the video after all. She had seen enough cop shows and crime documentaries to know that stone hard evidence was imperative to solving cases like this. "You have no idea how much I appreciate you doing this."
"Not a problem," The officer told her. "Is there anything else?" She could tell by the serious look on the green haired woman's face that there was more.
Without hesitation, Harriet told the officer about Team Rocket's plans to take over the Goldenrod Radio Tower. She didn't miss a single detail, and all throughout the telling of the tale, the officer wrote down Harriet's testimony in a notepad. It took exactly 30 minutes for Harriet to finish talking.
"This is quite serious," The officer said, scratching her head with the end of her pen, perplexed. "But exactly how do you know all of this?"
Harriet rolled up her sleeve, revealing the red R tattoo on her wrist. The officer's eyes shrunk in alarm. Harriet expected that. But it didn't wound her heart any less. "Just to be clear, I was forced to join against my will. I only just now escaped, and I want nothing more to do with them. Ever," Even Harriet was surprised by the unexpected conviction in her voice just now. She hadn't sounded so serious in years. Now she sounded in control. She was in control. In control of her own fate.
"I understand. I'll report all of this to my boss right away," The officer told her. "If you want, we can arrange for you to stay here so none of the other TR grunts can get to you," Harriet's heart warmed at the officer's generosity. She didn't see one hint of fear or scorn in the woman's eyes, and her voice was kind, too. "Some of my coworkers are still here, and they're working the night shift with me, so they can probably keep an eye on you throughout the night and protect you."
For the first time in a long while, Harriet flashed a satisfied, hopeful grin. Finally, she was getting somewhere! Her efforts were finally going to bear fruit! "That would be wonderful. Thank you!" It was here she remembered Corsola and Sunflora. They were still outside! "But there is one other thing."
After getting permission from the female officer, Harriet trotted out to the entrance to see if her Pokemon were still there. To her relief, they were. Nothing had happened yet, so Harriet found it safe to put Sunflora and Corsola back in their PokeBalls for the time being. It didn't take long for the officer to return, escorting Harriet to what would be her sleeping quarters. It was mostly a dim, grey room full of plain looking bunk beds, probably for officers who had to be on call for sudden emergencies or who couldn't return home for whatever reason. She was told that some officers would guard the room throughout the night and keep an eye out so nobody could try to come after her.
It wasn't much. But to Harriet, a place like this was a luxury. She actually felt safe, no longer confined by the knowledge that she was in a place where Team Rocket ruled. She could actually breathe freely. She sat down on a bed in the farthest corner of the room. Corners always felt safest to her. The bed was actually rather hard and springy, not like the comfortable bed she had in the house she shared with Margeaux. At this point, she'd take this over Everglade anyday. She pulled two PokeBalls out.
"Cookie. Delibird. Come out, please," Harriet released Cookie and another Pokemon from their confinement. Delibird was a red and white, penguin-like Pokemon with small wings, a yellow beak, a face and chest covered in snow white feathers, and yellow two-toed feet. It also had a long tail that, when Delibird took it in its arms, looked like a bag.
"Kuukii."
"Deli deli!" Delibird squawked, waving its one wing up and down in greeting.
"Would you guys keep me...company for the night?" Harriet's voice trembled as she asked the favor. "I'd feel safer if you two were out of your balls and with me."
She barely got to finish her sentence before Cookie laid down next to the bed and Delibird snuggled right up to her. Stray tears trickled down her cheeks, one of them melting into Delibird's head of fur. How blessed she was to have such wonderful Pokemon by her side! With her heart brimming with gratitude for having her friends with her, it was easy for Harriet to fall right asleep. This time, she wasn't afraid of the unknown. As long as her Pokemon were with her, she was fine as far as she was concerned.
The night passed quickly. When morning arrived, Harriet heard the most heavenly news from the female officer from last night.
"Harriet. My team broke into Richard's house last night," The officer told Harriet right as she woke up. She didn't even give Harriet time to rub her eyes. "They saved Danny. He's alive and in good hands."
Danny was saved? Danny? Saved? Just hearing those wonderful words was enough to completely blast any sleep and weariness she had to smithereens. Springing upward, Harriet sat up, eyes awake and wide with surprise.
"You saved him?! Is he alright?!" Harriet shouted, her voice instantly going from quiet to near hysterical the second she heard the news. But...she knew Danny's injuries were likely to be very severe. She saw him bleeding from an intense head wound. Richard had kicked him, punched him, and beat him with a belt. A man like Richard was likely to either have killed him or left permanent scars or injuries.
The officer's answer confirmed it. "He has several broken bones that are going to take a lot of time to heal, and his other wounds were quite intensive. But rest assured, he's alive. Last I heard, the doctors got him out of surgery earlier this morning."
Danny was alive. Stable and in good hands. Survived surgery. To say Harriet was relieved would be the understatement of the millennium. It was as though the chains that trapped Harriet finally broke, freeing her from confinement. The floodgates opened. Harriet threw herself on the female officer, squeezing her tight and crying into her chest. This was just so wonderful! Danny was saved! He was taken away from Richard! He could live a normal life! Never before had Harriet felt so grateful for anything in her life.
"Thank you…" Her gratitude came out in choked sobs. But neither woman cared. "Thank you...thank you so much…"
"We saved other kids as well," The policewoman told her reassuringly. "Your information was correct. We found them in all the other places you told us about."
Even more reason to celebrate. Harriet let herself go, sobbing into the woman's shirt, leaving stains of happy tears all over it. Good thing neither woman cared much. At this point, they were just too jubilant about their victory to notice anything else, Harriet especially. Finally, her efforts bore fruit! Danny was no longer in danger! At least, she hoped he wasn't. Not just Danny, but other kids were safe as well! Gradually, her jovial sobs quieted down, and she wiped her tears as she released the policewoman from her grasp.
"I'm so happy right now...I can't describe it…" No fancy words could possibly convey Harriet's complete and utter joy at the news. Even the police woman could see that Harriet was beyond happy to hear this news.
"If you don't mind me asking, do you have family we can contact?"
Her family? Harriet's smile immediately faded. She hadn't thought about her family in a while. She had sent them a letter about two weeks ago, but that was it. "I do. But I haven't seen them in months. Team Rocket cuts off their members from their real families, if they have any. Plus…" A dark look pushed away the jovial expression she had before. She looked down at the officer's shoes. "I don't know what they'd do or say if they found out...I was in Team Rocket. I'll be honest, I've done some bad things while I was there. I never wanted to, but it doesn't change the fact that I too have committed crimes in the name of TR."
It had weighed heavy on her heart ever since her first mission. For so long, all Harriet dreamed of was leaving Team Rocket and returning home to her family. The family she knew she loved and cherished with all her heart. By Arceus, did she yearn to be with her mother, father, and many siblings! Smell her mother's fresh rotisserie chicken, watch bad horror movies with her father, chase her younger brothers around the yard, and teach her little sisters how to take good care of Pokemon, since they wanted to be trainers just like her. But...could Harriet even face them and tell them the truth? For all she knew, if they found out she was in Team Rocket, they might be angry at her, whether they believed that she was dragged into the organization against her will or not. Would they even go so far as to disown her? Harriet shook her head. No, they wouldn't do that. They were her family. Sure, Harriet knew she had done bad things, but that didn't make her a bad person. It wasn't as though she wanted to do everything TR told her to do.
Saving Danny and telling the police about TR's plans for Goldenrod was proof of that. Right?
Harriet told the officer that she herself would call them when she felt she was ready. But the officer did tell the girl that she wasn't to leave the police station yet. For all they knew, Team Rocket might have reported the raid to their superiors and were on the hunt for Harriet. They didn't want to risk Harriet getting captured, to which the latter agreed. Besides, Harriet was in no rush to get back home as of right now. She was just happy to be away from Team Rocket.
Too bad her freedom would be short lived.
The room Harriet had slept in was still empty, but only now did the heat suddenly strike her like a mighty blow. Unlike the cold autumn day outside, the inside of the room was stiflingly warm. Breathing it made Harriet feel as though dust as tickling her throat. She could tell that the radiator at the other end of the room was the cause of it, probably to keep whoever slept here warm during the fall and winter. However, the level of heat in the room was a bit too suffocating for Harriet.
"Goodness," Harriet walked over to the nearest window. "They have the radiator on full blast in here!" She exclaimed, pushing the window up to feel the cool air outside. Her cheeks stung a little at the frigid, frosty air, but it still felt somewhat nice. Immediately, the heat went out the window, making the room feel much less like a humid early summer day. She rested her elbows on the windowsill, her hands on her cheek, looking up at the grey sky above. Her mind wandered, losing itself to thoughts of her family.
"I wonder if Andy and Ryan are behaving themselves?" Andy and Ryan were two of her younger brothers. Come to think of it, wasn't Ryan's 10th birthday about a few weeks ago? Regret and guilt tugged at her heart. She had missed her siblings' birthdays. Ryan was old enough to become a Pokemon trainer if he applied for a trainer's license. That had been all he talked about for years.
A low giggle bubbled out. "For all I know, they're probably still teasing poor Dakota and Kelly," Dakota and Kelly were her younger sisters. She could picture it clearly in her mind. Two boys of about eight and ten, playing silly pranks on two girls of about twelve and fourteen, like playfully attacking them with toy swords and Nerf guns.
Suddenly, her nose caught a strange scent. "Huh?" It was strong and stingy, like oranges. Then, without warning, a sparkling gold cloud blocked her vision. "Wha?!" Harriet immediately waved her hands to blow it away, but it was futile. Immediately, her body began to lose energy, turning limp. She fell to her knees, her legs giving out from underneath her. Her eyes grew heavy, unable to keep them open.
"What's...happening…" The last thing she saw was a black silhouette on the other side of the window. A human shape. Who was that? Before long, Harriet lost herself, falling to the floor, unconscious.
The first thing she heard were voices. Low voices. Murmurs echoing among a crowd.
Then she noticed she couldn't move. She was stuck. Rope fibers dug into her skin. She couldn't get up. This was enough to make Harriet wake up at least. Titanium walls surrounded her. People in Team Rocket uniforms circled around her. Black uniforms. White uniforms. Gray uniforms. Harriet looked down and sucked in a terrified breath. She was tied to a titanium chair with a rope. She wasn't at the police station anymore. Did one of the grunts render her unconscious somehow and take her back? Considering she was surrounded by TR grunts, that seemed to be the most plausible explanation.
One thing she knew for absolute certain was this: all eyes were on her.
Angry, narrowed eyes brimming with nothing but scorn.
A set of doors pulled back, allowing someone to enter the room. Harriet looked up in alarm. It was Yannick, frowning at her, holding his favorite whip in hand. A Venonat hopped next to him. Yannick stood before Harriet, his emotionless, cold expression unchanging.
"Ya-Yannick…" The recitation of his name came out as nothing more than a timid squeak.
"Thought you could spoil our grand plans, didn't you, Harriet Latham?" Yannick's voice was absolutely dripping with venom and ice. "You're lucky Venonat's Sleep Powder was most effective on a little runt like you. I suppose the message at the meeting wasn't drilled into your small brain enough. Loose lips and treason absolutely will not be tolerated."
The punishments Ariana had talked about. Now Harriet was living one of them. This wasn't going to end well. She could feel it in her whole body. Even more so when Yannick kept his cold eyes on her. Cold, heartless, ruthless eyes that were known to strike fear into anyone. Harriet could feel a lump in her throat. Swallowing didn't help a bit.
"I'm sure you're well aware of your crimes, so I don't feel the need to repeat them to you," Yannick hissed before giving a glance at everyone in the room.
Crimes? Harriet knew what he was talking about. Saving Danny from being abused by Richard and being forced to become a member of Team Rocket. Telling the police about their practices and getting Richard arrested. Letting them know about Team Rocket's plan to raid the Goldenrod Radio Tower and use it to broadcast their evolution inducement wave all over Johto, putting everyone, human and Pokemon, in mortal danger. Those were considered crimes to him? If Harriet wasn't tied up and potentially fearing for her life, she would be laughing at the completely warped irony. But more than that, she could tell the people here had a very warped view of what constituted being considered a crime. The fact that nobody dared to question Yannick told her all she needed to know about how far gone they were.
"Well, Harriet," Yannick tapped his whip on his gloved palm twice. "As punishment for your reprehensible actions, you will be subject to a session. I'm sure you'll enjoy it very much," The grin on his face as he said that stretched farther than normal, and he bared his teeth like a vicious Houndoom ready to attack its prey and maul it alive. More than that, his normally icy eyes suddenly burned excitedly.
More like he was the one to enjoy it.
"Alright, you low-lifes!" Yannick commanded. "Show this little runt what happens to those who oppose Team Rocket!"
With one crack of a whip, everything began.
Voices rose into all-out yelling. Grunts pointed their fingers at Harriet, with some waving their fingers at her like parents scolding a naughty child. Their eyes blazed with unrestrained anger. Vile insults, profanities, and obscenities poured out from their mouths, things Harriet didn't dare repeat. All of it directed toward her and no one else.
"How could you do this to us?! Our plans are gonna be ruined because of you!"
"You're a fat slob! Your hair looks like puke with it all green! Your Pokemon are useless weaklings!"
"Someone should shove a flaming lit torch down your throat so you don't run your mouth to anyone else!"
"Why did you even join Team Rocket?! Are you deliberately trying to expose us?!"
"How dare you! You don't care about anyone but yourself! Why couldn't you just do what they said?!"
"Idiot! Moron! Fat-butt! Poop-eater! Coward! Betrayer!"
"You're ugly and stupid and you look like a rotting skeleton!"
"You're lucky Petrel isn't here to have his way with you! We know he'd teach you a lesson like no other!"
"We're all ashamed of you, Harriet! We trusted you!"
"You're a failed abortion whose birth certificate is an apology to the poor woman who gave birth to you!"
"Piece of sentient human trash! Someone should have murdered you and left you to die and reduced you to roadkill for the Houndoom and Mandibuzz to eat!"
"Parasite! Fat pig! Fat cow! Skank! Slut! Bottom-feeding, scum-sucking Snorlax feces!"
"I'll bet no man in this universe would ever want to marry a two-faced liar like you!"
"You heartless witch! Richard wouldn't be in jail if you hadn't been so stupid and ran your mouth! What else are you gonna tell the cops?!"
Every word that fired out from the grunts struck Harriet in the heart, each one hitting harder than the last, each one twisting further to make blood come out faster. Here was Harriet, tied to a chair, unable to move, unable to escape, and having insults and vile things thrown at her in every direction. There was nothing she could do. She was absolutely helpless. The rope kept her locked in place. People circled around her, trapping her in one spot, not intent on letting her escape anytime soon. All Harriet could do was close her eyes, hold her head down, and try to block everything out. Let her mind take her somewhere else. But not even that worked. Everything was too loud. Never before had she ever been subjected to something like this.
"Ugh!" Something hit her chest. Something soft and wet. Harriet opened her eyes and looked down. The remains of a rotting tomato splattered all over her blouse, coating it a sickening orange red color. The tomato then fell on her lap, staining her skirt. Of course, the Team Rocket grunts did nothing but laugh.
"Now that's a way better look on you!" One male grunt bellowed before chucking another rotten tomato at her. This time, the rotting vegetable hit Harriet square in the face, falling to the floor, staining her from the nose down to her chin. More laughter followed. Harriet could only lower her head in shame. Everything hurt. It hurt so much.
Right after that, balls of saliva were suddenly pelted at her. Some of the grunts spat at her, with others laughing at the ghastly display. One glob of saliva hit Harriet's eyebrow, cascading into her left eye. Another landed right on her cheek, and another on her blouse. Harriet had never been and felt so humiliated in all her life. Nobody had ever done this to her before. Worst of all...Harriet could do nothing.
Why was this happening? Why were they doing this to her? Why was she going through all this? Harriet felt small and weak, powerless to do anything against these grunts. She could see Yannick smirking in one corner of the room, clearly enjoying himself. Harriet had never felt so hopeless in all her life. With every insult, profanity, and ball of saliva thrown at her, a piece of Harriet's heart was pulled right off and ground into dust. It seemed to go on forever. What time was it? How long had she been here? Harriet didn't know, and had no way of knowing.
"Ahhh!" All of a sudden, a sharp pain whipped across her legs. She looked down, seeing some fresh red welts. Yannick stood before her, whip still in hand. Then, he raised it up before dropping it down once more. The tip slashed across Harriet's torso, then her face, and he took another whip at her feet.
"See what you made me do, Harriet?" Once again, Yannick's voice had no warmth or sympathy. Only ice and venom. "This is what those who defy Team Rocket have to face," Then, strangely, he untied the ropes around Harriet, releasing her from the confinement. But Harriet knew that he wasn't going to just let her go. Then, he used his free hand to lift Harriet to her feet by her shirt.
"Stop! Please!" Harriet begged, squirming in what she knew was a futile attempt to break free of his grasp. Obviously, it didn't work. Yannick's iron grip wasn't going to release her that easily.
"Know that this is only the beginning of your punishment," Yannick hissed.
Harriet clutched Yannick's wrist with both hands in a futile attempt to remove him from her shirt. Of course, since he was stronger and bigger than she, that was impossible. All Harriet wanted was to get out of here. Get away from Team Rocket and this "session." Was this ever going to end?
"STOP!"
A scream made everything stand still, like time itself had stopped. Everyone in the room turned to the entrance, even Yannick and Harriet. It was Margeaux, gasping for breath, holding what appeared to be a lime green wig in one hand and a pair of glasses in the other.
"Margeaux? What are you-?" Harriet's mind was all over the place. Her mouth hung open in alarm. Was Margeaux here to participate in the session?
"Stop! Please, stop this right now!" Margeaux shouted, eyes wide with sorrow.
Everyone raised their eyebrows. Harriet especially. For a moment, she was sure her ears were playing tricks on her. Margeaux? Standing up for her? Telling them to stop? 'That can't be true. Margeaux is just like the others,' Harriet thought. Margeaux had no empathy for Danny being abused by Richard. She brushed it off like it was just a bug in the room. Surely this had to be a trick. A facade Margeaux was displaying to the public eye.
But it wasn't. "Harriet's innocent! She didn't do it! I did!" Margeaux yelled, slamming a hand onto her chest.
The crowd was silent, save for a few low murmurs. Again, Harriet's mouth fell open.
"What is the meaning of this, Margeaux?" Yannick shot an angry glare in his partner's direction. "We're in the middle of an important session!" He barked.
Margeaux stomped straight over to Yannick and held the lime green wig to his face. "I was the one who reported Richard to the police and had him get arrested! I disguised myself as Harriet and left Everglade in the dark to throw off suspicion!"
The whispers rose in volume. "Seriously? Is this a joke?"
"That can't be right. No way."
"Margeaux's too cool for this."
"Come on. It isn't true, right?"
"Everyone knows Harriet did it."
Oddly enough, Yannick kept his gaze locked onto Margeaux. He still kept Harriet in his grip, not intent on letting her go anytime soon. Still, Harriet could see something in his eyes change. "...Is what you say true?"
Margeaux gave a solemn nod.
"Then who was it that Pietro saw leaving your house?"
"That was me in disguise. Harriet was sound asleep when I left. She woke up and saw me come back in," Margeaux turned to the green haired damsel. "Right, Harriet? You saw me dressed just like you."
Tension filled the air around them, so thick a Scyther could cut it to ribbons. There was no denying it: Harriet knew Margeaux was lying about all of this. Margeaux was clearly covering for her. The wig and glasses she held in her hands were brand new, without a single stain or spot on them, unlike Harriet's unkempt hair and barely chipped glasses. Again, questions ran through her confused mind. Why was Margeaux doing this? Why was she getting involved? More than that...what was Margeaux planning on getting out of this? Was it out of genuine concern for Harriet's safety, or was it something more? Maybe one of the executives told her to do it and are using her to open the way for Harriet to receive worse punishment.
On the other hand...an opportunity rose. This was Harriet's chance to be free from this awful nightmare. Here was Margeaux, taking the blame for her without hesitation, offering herself to them, and all Harriet had to do was say yes or no, sealing both of their fates. This was the only chance she had. Everyone around her stared at the trio of grunts, waiting. The anticipation was killing them, Harriet especially. She could see the session's end coming near. She needed to seize this moment, or else she would probably be stuck in this nightmare forever. Or worse.
"Well, Harriet?" Yannick hissed, shaking her like she was a rattle, hoping that would force the answer out of her. "Speak up, girl! Is what Margeaux says true or not?!"
"Y-Y-Ye-Ye-Yes…" Harriet finally stammered, unable to take it anymore. She wanted to get out of here, and NOW.
Gasps echoed all around the room. Grunts' eyes shrunk in alarm. Others held their hands to their faces. Harriet could feel herself going limp from exhaustion.
"There you have it," Margeaux told him. "If you want to punish someone, let it be me. Harriet doesn't deserve this."
Yannick stared Margeaux down, narrowing his cold eyes at her. For a moment, nothing was said until Yannick threw Harriet to the ground in a brusque manner. Harriet yelped in pain as the shock of falling on the floor sent a jolt up her lower back. Yannick then glanced over at a blonde grunt. "Dallas! Take Harriet to the underground jails! She is to stay there for three days! I'll deal with her later!"
"Yes, sir!" The blonde haired grunt, Dallas, took Harriet up by the shoulder and escorted her out of the session room.
The last thing Harriet saw as she was dragged out of the room was Margeaux shooting a look at her as another grunt sat her down and tied her hands back. Sad, apologetic eyes and a relieved smile. An arrow of regret shot through Harriet's heart. Margeaux willingly took her place! She voluntarily saved Harriet and put herself on the line for her, and Harriet never even considered her a friend.
Now Margeaux was going to endure the same torture, or even worse.
Guilt overcame her. But more than that, it was remorse. Remorse for ever having doubted her intentions earlier.
The underground jails were where various Team Rocket members who broke the rules were often sent to for confinement. Sentences often vary from three days to months on end depending on the gravity of the crime and punishment. The lights were often dim, never too bright, making the place look very dull and eerie. Harriet was unceremoniously thrown into one cell that only had a tattered blanket on the floor, and a rusted, dirty bucket in the corner. That was all. The tiny room was a mere six feet wide in all directions, leaving her with very little space to walk around.
Harriet had to wonder if this was what it was like to be in an actual jail. But she knew an actual jail wouldn't look so desolate. At least jails had real beds and bathrooms, and were clean under good management. She wondered if Team Rocket made them like this on purpose. Surprisingly enough, Harriet discovered that she still had her PokeBalls with her, Pokemon included. How did the others miss them? Usually, when grunts were to be punished, their Pokemon are immediately confiscated. Harriet looked down at her long skirt. Her PokeBalls were in one of her pockets, a pocket so obscure and easily hidden that not even the executives could have seen it from a single glance. One of the lace borders of her skirt covered the top of the pocket in question, and her PokeBalls were small enough that they didn't make any noticeable bulges.
"Wow...lucky break, huh?" Harriet held Cookie's PokeBall in her hand, happy to know that she wasn't alone.
Unfortunately, as much as her Pokemon tried, none of them could break the walls and bars that confined her. They were too strong. Not even a Machamp could break them. The three days she spent in that tiny cell were long and monotonous, and all of Harriet's meals were delivered to her...if one could call them meals. She only received a cursory plate of bread and water a day, no more than that. It did nothing to satiate her hunger. But she did manage to give most of her bread to her Pokemon, figuring they needed food more than she. Good thing nobody else was here to guard the jails or her cell. The bars were strong enough that no one could possibly hope to escape, and the entrance to the jails were guarded on the outside. If someone were to confiscate her Pokemon...Harriet didn't know what she'd do.
"Margeaux…" The memory of Margeaux's kind act from before still lingered in her mind, all throughout those three days of confinement. "I don't understand. Why? Why did you do that for me?" It didn't make sense. Margeaux turned a blind eye to Richard's abuse of Danny, but willingly stepped in to save her? It wasn't like her. Maybe...something Harriet said finally got through to her?
The tinkling of metal keys pulled Harriet out of her thoughts. She stood up in alarm, watching as Yannick unlocked the door, walked inside, grabbed Harriet by the arm, and pulled her out.
"You're coming with me."
That was all he said. He was silent as he dragged Harriet through various halls and corridors. "Where are you taking me?" Harriet asked. No answer.
She had no idea what was going on. All she knew was that wherever Yannick was taking her, it wouldn't be good. Nothing good could come of being around Yannick, one of the cruelest, most merciless, highest ranking grunts in all of Team Rocket, probably more so than Proton and Petrel, if the rumors she heard were to be believed. Harriet didn't know where she was. Eventually, they stopped in front of a giant titanium door. Yannick entered a code and watched as a red button glowed green, allowing entrance.
"Aagh!" Again, Harriet was thrown into the room like she was nothing more than trash to be thrown out.
"Look around, Harriet," Yannick hissed. "This is where you will meet your end."
Nothing could prepare Harriet for what she saw.
Her eyes shrunk when she sat up and got a look at everything. The titanium room had no windows and was full of strange contraptions and objects she didn't recognize. On the far right of the room was a rope and a pulley, with the end of the rope tied into a large noose, big enough for Harriet to put her head in if she wanted to. Various restraints, chains, and padlocks, made of varying materials like steel or leather, were attached to nearly every single wall, some big, some small. Some of them were wooden and looked more medieval in nature. Stocks and a single pillory. In one end of the room there were two chairs, one regular one with restraints, and another one with small spikes all over it. Large, oval shaped stones sat in one corner of the room, with the tips bearing chains and padlocks. Were those supposed to be weights? Other objects were hung about the walls. Knives, machetes, whips, paddles, hooks, and other metallic items she couldn't put a name to.
But it was the drying blood on the walls that left Harriet breathless. Red stained the walls, ranging from small, barely visible lines to huge splatters of blood bigger than her head. Her nose caught the fresh scent lingering in the air. She also noticed some yellow and brown spots on the floor. The noisome aromas assailed her nose. She didn't dare try to put names to those yellow and brown stains, even though she knew what they were. It was nothing like she had ever seen. Something was horribly, horribly wrong.
"Wha...what is this?!" Harriet shouted, fear consuming her very being. "What is this?!"
"Your final resting place, of course," Yannick readied his whip, grinning like he was going to have the time of his life.
"No!" The realization dawned on her right then and there. This was Yannick's personal torture chamber. She had heard rumors about it, but she thought they were fake. Not once did she ever think it was real. But here she was, right inside it. She could feel it, smell it, see it, everything. Harriet knew what might happen. This was not how her life was going to end. "No no no NO!" She made a break for the door, but Yannick used his free hand to pull her back.
"I have decided that you shall receive the highest punishment for your little stunt," Yannick growled, his voice lowering to a point where it sounded almost inhuman. "Welcome to my little playhouse."
Playhouse? This was a straight up torture chamber! Then the blood on the walls...was it from other grunts? Were people killed here? Gradually, the pieces came together. Harriet shot an angry glare at the man towering over her.
"Why am I here?!" Harriet barked. "Margeaux was the one who told the police about Richard, not me!"
A heinous laugh escaped Yannick's lips. "Oh, I knew that stupid girl Margeaux was lying the entire time," She shot a scornful glare at Harriet. "I already dealt with her here yesterday."
Dealt with her? Harriet looked around the chamber once again. She could see blood on several of the contraptions, namely the spiky chair. One detail in particular stood out. Lying by the stocks was the tattered remains of a Team Rocket uniform. The sleeves had been ripped off, and the red R had a big slash through the torso. She could make out a set of initials on one of the R's legs written in bright green. MS.
MS. Margeaux Smith.
Only Margeaux's uniform was embroidered in bright green. Putting different colored initials on one's uniform differentiated them from other grunts.
No. It couldn't be. He couldn't have tortured her to death...could he?
Harriet whipped her head around in utter shock, the unbelievable fear that had always sat in her soul rising to the surface once and for all. "...You killed Margeaux?! You knew she was lying yet you killed her anyway?!" The crippling fear suddenly began to morph into rage. It coursed through her so quickly that her fists began to tremble.
His whip cracked, frightening Harriet into silence. The twisted smile on his face didn't go away. Not even once. "So what? She had always been a liability to Team Rocket. I had great fun sending her to her grave," Yannick cackled, stroking his whip like it was his baby. Harriet could see the pure glee and enjoyment all over his face. "You should have heard that girl scream during those last moments of her life! It was music to my ears!"
She gasped in a breath of air, any tears she tried so hard to hold back threatening to finally fall. Yannick's true nature had finally come out. All of the rumors about him being cruel, merciless, and sadistic were true! The fact that he owned, and possibly constructed, his own personal torture chamber just for torturing and killing anyone who dared to defy Team Rocket spoke volumes about him. His complete lack of empathy and remorse for what he admitted to doing to Margeaux...that sealed the deal. The sight of Yannick alone made Harriet's chest hammer in a painful rhythm.
"The moment one loses all hope…" The grin creeped further into his cheeks, and a strange, crazed, excited look appeared in his eyes. One burning with a twisted, unrestrained eagerness and desire for Harriet to die slowly and painfully before him. "...is the moment I enjoy watching the most...and since I already dealt with Margeaux, you're next!"
Before Harriet could react, Yannick dropped his whip and wrapped both hands around his victim's arm, twisting it so hard, she could hear and feel it crack deep inside her. The girl threw her head back and screamed from the surging pain in her arm. Even as she kicked his shins with her skinny legs and howled like a dying Houndoom, Yannick's grip on her didn't loosen. No. She wasn't going to die here. Not here, not now! She wasn't going to be yet another one of his victims! Then, like before, Yannick threw her to the floor, pulling out his whip and striking her all over. He swiped at her with such speed that she didn't have time to move or defend herself. The pain in her arm immobilizing her didn't help matters. All she could do in that moment was scream and screech as the whip tore at her whole body, from her legs all the way to her face, drawing blood and ripping the seams in her clothes.
"Oh, whaaaat?" Yannick mocked her viciously in a scarily high pitched, teasingly sing-song voice. "Is the sad little girl gonna cry?" He chuckled eagerly, not at all unlike that of a hyena as his whip struck Harriet's sleeve, ripping right through it.
Suddenly, something rose inside Harriet. Something she couldn't possibly describe. But it completely consumed her. "No...No! No! NOOOOOO!" With a great heave, Harriet threw herself, ramming into Yannick like an out of control Tauros. He stumbled backward, losing his balance and falling right on his rear, the whip slipping out of his hand.
'This is my chance!' Harriet made a beeline for the door. It was still open, probably so other grunts who were outside could hear his victims scream. But before she could escape, a hand gripped her ankle.
"You're not getting away!" Yannick pulled her so hard, she fell flat on her face. Seeing the hunger in his eyes, Harriet tried to kick him once again, but to no avail.
That was when it happened. A huge burst of white light suddenly popped out from one of her PokeBalls, ramming right into Yannick and sending him flying to the farthest wall of the chamber. The white light circled around, landing on Harriet's back, materializing into a Krabby.
"Cookie!"
"Kuu!" Opening his pincer, Cookie shot a barrage of bubbles right at the floor, propelling himself and Harriet right into the air. They flew through the corridor, Harriet feeling as though she had a jetpack strapped to her.
Before long, Harriet stumbled to her feet, Cookie's bubbles unable to continue firing any longer. She sprinted right out the entrance, with Cookie firing huge blasts of water at any grunts who chased after them. Some of the blasts managed to knock several grunts to the ground. Others readied their guns, rifles, or whatever weapons they had and gave chase. Harriet knew. This was the time to escape. No turning back now. She ran like the wind. The moment her bare feet touched solid dirt, she made a break for the forest, with Cookie on her shoulders, continuing to fire Water Gun.
"Get her!" Yannick roared from the back entrance of their hideout. "Don't let her get away! I want her dead or alive!"
Hordes of Houndoom and Ariados followed the many grunts that spread throughout the forest. Harriet didn't think. She didn't stop running. She didn't even look back to see if anyone was following her. Run. That was all her mind, body, and soul told her to do. Run. Run away. Get as far away from that horrid place as she could. Twigs stabbed at her bare feet, digging into her skin, and the dirt and mud that went into her wounds as she ran didn't help matters. Other times, she would run into thick mounds of shrubs and trees, with her hair getting caught in the branches. Good thing Cookie was good with that sort of thing. Using his pincers, he would break the branches and gently untangle it from Harriet's hair.
Breathless, with adrenaline coursing through her veins, Harriet had no idea where she was going. But at this point, she didn't care. She needed to get out, and she needed to get away NOW.
"Agh!" A piercing bang echoed among the trees. But to Harriet, it was close by. Grunts hiding in the bushes held their pistols out, firing rounds at the girl. Harriet could feel something sharp graze one of her arms, going right through her sleeve and skin. She didn't dare stop to see how badly she was hurt. That would mean signing her own death warrant. More shots rang out in the forest. One cut through a piece of her hair as she literally dodged yet another bullet. One missed her ankle by at least a centimeter. Any closer and Harriet would have been rendered unable to run.
"Kuukii!" As soon as more grunts fired a flurry of shots, Cookie circled his pincers and generated a flat, ovular shield. Sparks flew as the bullets made contact with the oval shaped light.
"Protect...Cookie...keep up...Protect…" Harriet gasped in between words, still running with all the energy she had. Cookie kept the Protect shield up, using it as a barrier against the bullets.
"Gaaaar!" Suddenly, three Houndoom appeared before the girl shortly afterward. One of them leaped towards Harriet in one bound, biting onto Harriet's arm, digging its teeth into her. Screaming, Harriet used her legs to kick at the dark Pokemon. As scrawny as she was, and weak as her injured feet were, she somehow managed to kick the Houndoom so hard, the strength from the blow pushed the Houndoom right off. Too bad the other two were already charging for her.
"Kuukiiiiiii!" This time, Cookie took the initiative, shooting a barrage of bubbles that completely overwhelmed the trio of Houndoom. Cookie kept on shooting, even as Harriet managed to get back on her feet and continue running.
But Harriet knew that Cookie couldn't keep this up forever. There was only so much he could do on his own, and he was just a tiny Krabby. He wasn't as strong as most of Team Rocket's arsenal of Pokemon. As she ran, she managed to pull out one PokeBall, releasing Corsola from her confinement.
"Corsola!" Sensing the danger, Corsola hopped by Harriet's side.
"Corsola...use...BubbleBeam!"
Both Harriet and Corsola could hear the Houndoom chasing after them. Once Cookie couldn't use BubbleBeam anymore, Corsola took over, overwhelming the trio of dark Pokemon instantly. This time, the Houndoom were no longer in pursuit, disappearing into the woods as Harriet continued to run.
"Aria!"
Harriet didn't stop, even as she felt needles sting her from her upper back to her thighs. "Ugh!" This time, she fell to the ground, her clothes caked in mud. Four, gigantic spider-like Pokemon surrounded her, each one sitting on a different tree. Both Cookie and Corsola kept to Harriet's side, eyeing the Ariados quartet, anticipating an attack. Soon, the Ariados quartet spat white webs of silk, probably on orders to confine her if they saw her go down. Corsola fired glowing white spikes from the horns on her head, whereas Cookie fired blasts of water from his pincers, blowing the silk webs away.
Since the Ariados were distracted, Harriet used the chance to get back up and keep running. Her lungs burned. Her legs burned. Her feet felt like bricks. But this wasn't the time to stop and rest. For all she knew, Yannick and the others were still after her. It didn't matter how long she had to run. She needed to run or die trying.
Suddenly, sharp pains shot through her body. Something like knife points seemed to dig into nearly all areas of her skin. Unable to continue running, once again she fell onto the ground. The pain was too much. She looked at her left arm. Several needles glowed white, digging into her skin. She could feel them on her legs and back as well. It didn't take long for more Ariados to circle around her, all hissing and itching to eat her right up.
"Ariaaaaaa…" The group of Ariados surrounded her, readying their mouths for spitting their silk around her, probably to subdue her. Harriet tried to get back up, but the second she put her foot on the ground, a burning pain shot through her, leaving her unable to move.
Then, a bright light shot out from her PokeBall holster. Out came Delibird, and in no time at all, the bird Pokemon plowed right through the Ariados group, its wings shining, blinding them into submission. "Deliiiii!" Right after that, Delibird blew a fresh breath of freezing air. The second it touched the Ariados, they recoiled, backing away. It was as though they had entered minus ten degree weather just from feeling the breath alone.
It didn't take long for Cookie and Corsola to catch up, helping Harriet get back on her feet. As soon as she stood up, Harriet ran once again. The needles on her body had disappeared, but she could feel blood dripping all over her. She didn't try to rest or look back. Running was all she thought about. She did manage to put Corsola and Delibird back in their PokeBalls as soon as she felt the coast was clear.
She didn't know how long she ran, nor how far. By the time she was out of breath, she could see the ocean stretching far into the horizon. But her eyes were itchy and blurring, her legs could no longer carry her, and she was dying for air.
"Finally...I...I made it…" Every word she choked out was broken up by gasps of air. Even Cookie could tell she was tired. Suddenly, she could feel herself going down on the sand. The last thing she saw was Cookie being engulfed in white light, glowing.
"...And that's everything," With that, Harriet's story was finished.
Madison and Jenny could only sit and stare, their eyes wide with shock and awe. They blinked several times, hoping the whole story would make sense the second time around. It did, and it pieced everything together. Harriet really did go through hell and back not only to save a little boy's life, but warn someone about Team Rocket's plans for Goldenrod Radio Tower. It was a miracle she had survived not one, but several Pokemon attacks, hunger, dehydration, violent beatings, and being verbally abused and degraded by possibly hundreds of people. Madison stood up and left the room. Harriet and Jenny could hear her talking into her walkie talkie.
"Thank you for telling us everything," Jenny told her. "We'll make sure Team Rocket doesn't go through with their plans and put them to justice," Once again, she slid a hand into Harriet's. "We'll also do everything in our power to keep your safe as well."
The frown on Harriet's face didn't turn, and her eyes still trembled. "No. Actually…" Harriet raised her hands, curling them into closed fists. One of her sleeves rolled down a bit, revealing the R tattoo. "Please. Arrest me as well. I may not have wanted to partake in Team Rocket's schemes, but the fact that I still did it, whether against my will or not, doesn't excuse or absolve me of my actions. I'm tired of running away. I need to take responsibility for my crimes.
She had thought about it for a long time, even as she told Jenny and Madison everything that had happened to her. Turning herself in seemed like the best thing to do. It didn't matter to her if everything she did was against her will. She still committed crimes, or was an accessory to them. In her mind, Jenny had every right to arrest Harriet. What else could she do at this point? Besides, she'd rather be in jail than go anywhere near Team Rocket again.
On the other hand...Jenny didn't know what to say. All she could do was stare as Harriet raised her fists, waiting to be handcuffed. After a few moments, she simply smiled and pushed Harriet's hands down with her own. Harriet locked eyes with her, confused.
"We can discuss this another time," Jenny told her calmly. "You just rest and try to recover. We'll handle the rest."
Seeing that Jenny wasn't going to arrest her, Harriet simply nodded. With that, the officers left Harriet alone. Cookie looked up at her with concern in his eyes. Harriet rummaged through her pockets and pulled her PokeBalls out. Her hands trembled. She had lived all because her Pokemon protected her to the very end. Cookie even managed to evolve while she was unconscious. She held the PokeBalls close to her chest, and warm tears trickled down her face, with some falling onto the balls.
"Corsola. Sunflora. Delibird…" She turned to her bedside. "Cookie…"
"Kuuu," Without hesitation, Cookie gingerly extended his pincer out. Harriet laid her head against it, allowing herself to finally relax. The tears flowed faster this time.
"Thank you...thank you...it's because of all of you that I'm alive…" Harriet whimpered, wondering why someone like her even deserved such wonderful Pokemon. Especially Cookie, who saved her from Yannick first.
As a girl who hailed from Olivine City, Krabby were a common sight. Nobody really paid much attention to them. It was a ten-year-old Harriet who saw one small Krabby blowing big, beautiful bubbles out onto the sea during the sunset one day. She was so entranced by the sight that she sat down and watched the little Krabby the entire time. The Krabby seemed to notice her presence, but didn't run away. Krabby were used to people being on the beach. At one point, young Harriet had a molasses cookie on her, and thought maybe the little crab Pokemon would like it, so she gave it to him. Much to her surprise, the Krabby ate it. Right afterward, the Krabby followed her home and even slept in her bedroom. It took some convincing, but after about a couple days, her parents allowed her to keep the Krabby, since they couldn't get it to leave her side. Since then, the two were joined at the hip. She had named him Cookie since he loved cookies so much that one time, she caught him sitting on the kitchen floor with one of his pincers stuck in the cookie jar. Every single cookie was gone. He had eaten them all. The entire Latham family found the sight to be simply hilarious.
Now that cookie-obsessed Krabby was now a strong, fully evolved Kingler, who willingly put his life on the line for her and saved her life, along with her other Pokemon. Harriet didn't feel she deserved any of this, or any of them. They deserved better than a weak girl who was tricked into joining Team Rocket. But she couldn't imagine her life without them. She wrapped one of her arms around Cookie's pincer. It was cool to the touch.
"Cookie...forgive me for being so weak…"
"Kuuuuu," Cookie warbled, shaking his head as if he was telling her that she wasn't weak. She was strong.
All Harriet could do now was rest and hope that Team Rocket's plans would be stopped.
The Goldenrod Radio Tower was abuzz with activity. Eduardo Innocenti could only watch as employees dispersed to their positions, ready to begin the show. He stood inside a radio booth, accompanied by Eusine and a red-haired woman with glasses, both of whom sat at a table close by. A Meowth sat on another chair right next to the woman, curled up in a ball and sleeping peacefully. Everyone had headphones on, and microphones were positioned in front of Eusine and the woman. Eduardo glanced over at the station next door, eyeing the producers and other staff through the big window. The producers stood before the mixing board, making the final preparations. One of them flashed a thumb's up in Eduardo's direction.
"Everything's set to go, Mary," Eduardo told the red haired woman.
"Great! Now we can get started!" Mary tapped some papers on the table before adjusting her microphone.
Eusine glanced in his direction. "Now this ought to be interesting. Don't you think, Mr. Innocenti?"
The older man straightened out his mustache just a bit. "I certainly hope so."
"Alright!" Mary could hear one of the producers through her headphones. Eduardo saw he was holding his fingers out. "We go live in five, four, three, two…" Once the countdown was finished, the producer pointed at Mary, giving her the signal.
"Hello, listeners all over Johto!" Mary exclaimed, eyes gleaming and smiling brightly. "And welcome to another installment of the Pokemon History Serial! I'm your host, DJ Mary Talbot, and today, we have managed to bring on a very special guest!" Her voice was clear and enthusiastic. Hearing it made everyone smile, even the producers. "Please welcome the famous historian, researcher, and legendary Pokemon aficionado, Mr. Eusine Eisenhower! We're very glad to have you here today, Eusine!"
That was his cue. "I'm very pleased to be here as well, Mary. It's not every day that I get called in for an interview," Eusine made sure to keep his tone polite and voice calm. He was still as suave as ever. "I'm quite a fan of the Pokemon History Serial, so I'm also very grateful to be on the show."
"So Eusine," Mary began. "You've been studying legendary Pokemon for many years now. What made you decide to pursue that line of work?"
It was here that Eduardo looked out into the window. Two of the staff members were whispering to each other. Eduardo scratched his head. What was that about? Was there something wrong? A technical difficulty, maybe? He hadn't heard anything of the sort. Then, one of them walked out the door. Maybe they needed to go to the bathroom or something, he reasoned. Eduardo returned his gaze onto Mary and Eusine, happy that the show was going well so far.
"I've always been fascinated by old legends and legendary Pokemon ever since I was a child," Eusine explained cooly. Mary and Eduardo watched in awe as Eusine elaborated on his history in greater detail. "One time, when I was nine years old, I wanted to go inside the Burned Tower. I was a rather adventurous little boy and barely ever listened to my parents. When I was in there, I happened to catch sight of Suicune, the North Wind Pokemon. Imagine my surprise, seeing an actual legendary Pokemon with my own eyes," Everyone could see the enthusiastic gleam in his eyes, and from the way he moved his hands and how high his voice got...it was easy to see that just the thought of Suicune made him light up like a Flash attack. "I've wanted to see Suicune again ever since. But so far, I haven't had much luck. Anyway, I studied all I could about the two towers and their impact on the relationship between people and Pokemon, all the way until I graduated from the University of Ecruteak."
Mary chuckled just a bit. "It's funny you mentioned the two towers, because those are actually today's featured subject!" She pulled a paper out in front of her. "Since you study famous events in Johtoan history, what can you tell the viewers about the Burned Tower?"
Yet again, Eduardo looked at the window where the staff were. Again, two of the staff kept whispering and nodding to each other. This time, a woman walked out the door without a word. Eduardo could feel something in the air, but couldn't put a name to it. Was something going on? Whatever it was, he silently hoped it wasn't anything dangerous, or something that would put the show at risk.
At this time, Eusine was telling Mary and the listeners about the history of the two towers, the Tin Tower and Brass Tower. Over 700 years ago, early Johtoans built both the Tin and Brass Towers as a means to foster friendship between humans and Pokemon. Morty was descended from one of the families that helped to build the two towers, so he happened to give Eusine the information he needed in his studies. However, 150 years ago, during a time of great wars and endless fighting, a lightning bolt struck the Brass Tower out of nowhere. The tower caught fire, and since the early Johtoans didn't have the firefighting technologies of today, they were unable to put out the blaze. Only during a terrible rainstorm was the fire put out. The fire burned for three days straight, and despite the peoples' best efforts, the tower could not be saved.
One detail stuck out to everyone in the room, even as Eusine told the story. Ancient records Eusine had found some years ago stated that three nameless Pokemon were trapped in the Brass Tower as it burned, unable to escape, dying in the blaze. Then, as the storm passed, a rainbow-colored bird Pokemon descended from the skies, shining a light onto Ecruteak City with its shining wings. It was Ho-Oh, the rainbow Pokemon. Ho-Oh shined her light onto the tower, and before long, three new Pokemon emerged from the ashes, reborn as Suicune, Raikou, and Entei, as they were later named. Unfortunately, as Ho-Oh returned to the skies, the three Pokemon were not given a warm and happy welcome. The people feared the Pokemon that defied the laws of life and death, thinking them to be products of black magic, sorcery, or bad omens. People naturally fear what they cannot understand. They shunned the three Pokemon, intent to suppress them with violence. Suicune, Raikou, and Entei left Ecruteak City of their own accord, and since then, they have only made few appearances throughout the centuries.
"My, that's quite the interesting tale!" Mary exclaimed, curious to hear more. Even her Meowth, who was previously sleeping, woke up when Eusine told the tale, and poked his head up over the table. His whiskers twitched, and large eyes fixated on Eusine, also from a desire to learn more. "Right, Meowth?"
"Meooooow."
"Did anyone ever find out who Suicune, Raikou, and Entei used to be?" Mary asked. "Before they were transformed by Ho-Oh, I mean," She added rather hastily.
Eusine couldn't help but chuckle. "Oh, everyone I've met who's even remotely interested in these myths always ask that question. I've even met people who say the three used to be a Vaporeon, Jolteon, and Flareon," He told her. "Unfortunately, I feel it's time to debunk that rumor. No one really knows what the Pokemon trapped in the tower during the fire looked like. Eevee wasn't confirmed to be able to evolve into five different Pokemon until fifty years after that."
Of course, Eusine did know that nowadays, Eevee can evolve into eight different Pokemon. At the time of Brass Tower's fall, Eevee hadn't been discovered, and only five Eevee evolutions were discovered fifty years after its discovery. The other three evolutions weren't discovered until far later. Mary got a good laugh out of that, not because she thought Eusine's answer was funny, but the fact that people could make up such silly assumptions about historical events so easily. Even Eduardo couldn't help but stifle a giggle before regaining his composure.
The joyful, serene atmosphere was cut brutally short. A loud crash just outside the room made everyone suddenly fall silent. Eusine stood up from his seat in alarm. Mary couldn't bring herself to move. Shouting and screaming could be heard just outside.
"Off the air! Off the air!" One of the producers shouted. Another staff member pressed a button on the mixer, abruptly ending today's Pokemon History Serial.
Eduardo ran out from the booth and into the mixer room. "What's going on out there?!"
"I don't know!" One of the staff shouted back. A young woman yelled into the intercom by the door leading into the hallway. No response. Another man pulled out his cell phone, ready to call the police.
It was then that they heard the sound of rapid firing outside the door. Gunfire. The woman who tried the intercom dove underneath the mixer table. Then, before anyone could react, the door burst wide open, making everyone recoil. Five people, including the two staff members Eduardo saw shuffling around before, barged right into the room, rifles in hand, pointed right at them. Three of them were dressed in all black uniforms with red Rs on their shirts. One of them already stormed into the booth, a rifle pointed right at both Eusine and Mary.
"Who are you people?!" Eduardo cried.
"Team Rocket!" Eusine exclaimed, PokeBall in hand.
Meowth watched as a shaking Mary pushed her hand under the table, pressing a large red button. There was no sound. Nobody else saw her do this.
"Nobody move!" One red haired Team Rocket grunt shouted. "Move and you're all dead!"
Eduardo gasped in horror when he saw someone just outside the door sprawled out on the floor. He could only make out some high heeled shoes. Was that one of the guards?
"Relax. She's just knocked out," A blonde haired grunt told him unsympathetically. Even as he saw the horror on everyone's faces, his face showed no remorse or sympathy. "Now, you're all going to do as we tell you. Defy us, and you'll die right here."
"How did you crooks get in here?!" Eduardo barked, pushing his fear to the side for a moment. "You couldn't have gotten past all of our guards!"
"Your guards?" A woman's voice asked. Into the room came Ariana, with a pleased smirk on her face. "The correct term would be our guards," Ariana clarified. "We had disguised some of our Team Rocket members into your employees for months now, just waiting for the perfect chance to strike. If you're wondering about your other guards...well," She simply shrugged and smiled like she heard a boring lecture. "They're done for. It's their own fault for getting in our way."
Nobody could believe it. Ariana was basically confessing to killing some of their guards, perhaps other people, and here she was acting like it was no big deal. This was really bad. They could all feel it. This was all very, very wrong. Eusine clung to his PokeBall. By Arceus, did he want to call out his Alakazam and drive them all away right this instant! But he wasn't so naive as to think sending out his Pokemon would solve the whole problem. If anything, it might make things worse. Team Rocket was a large crime organization, and they had likely planned this for months. It wasn't worth the risk.
Ariana stepped into the booth, stepping right past Eduardo. She shot a sharp glare at Eusine. The Pokemon trainer could tell that she was silently telling him that they would pay dearly if he tried anything. Then, she grabbed Mary by the arm, pulled her out of her seat and threw her to the ground. Mary let out a pained yelp as she fell to the floor. Meowth was quick to rush to her aid, as was Eusine.
"Mary! Are you alright?"
"Yes. I think...what's going on?"
"I think we'll find out soon enough."
"I...pressed the silent alarm," Mary whispered, keeping her voice low so Ariana wouldn't hear. "The police should have heard it by now."
At this time, Ariana took the microphone in her hands. One of the grunts pressed the tip of his rifle against one staff member's head. "On the air. Now," He hissed, his tone leaving no room for nonsense.
As ordered, the man pressed a button, making the broadcast go live.
"Listen up, people of Johto! We are Team Rocket!" Ariana announced in the loudest, most authoritative voice she had, and she was known for being very good at sounding authoritative. That was part of being a Team Rocket Executive. "After years of working underground, we have finally come forth, and you will witness the rise of a new age! Your Pokemon are now ours for the taking, and we shall rule!"
A/N: Alrighty! The Goldenrod Radio Tower arc has FINALLY started after so long! Well, at least this update didn't take another year unlike the last one. Here's hoping things will be smooth sailing, especially now that my new job is letting me have more free time to myself. Plus, with MarJour and my Tales of Zestiria fic being almost done, I'm starting to feel like I have my writing mojo back, especially now that I've come to enjoy writing fan fics again!
So...I've been doing some thinking, and here's my decision: After I finish MarJour, I probably won't work on the sequel until much later, one reason being that I have some Harvest Moon fan fics I really want to write and get out of my system. Seriously, the Harvest Moon fandom (or, specifically, the small part of it that I'm in) has been so unspeakably kind to me ever since I got into the series, and it's been a joy not only playing all the games, but meeting so many nice, intelligent, mature, rational people who have given me so much support and kindness compared to other fandoms I've been in. (*coughcoughprettycurecoughcough*) I also have a crap ton of Harvest Moon fan fic ideas that are just dying to pop right out of my brain and onto paper! I kind of want to write those out before getting back into Pokemon fics. The second reason is that I haven't seen much of Pokemon Advanced and the later seasons in the Hoenn era for quite a few years. I want to try rewatching that season before writing MarJour's sequel, that way I'll have a better idea of how I want it to go and immerse myself in Hoenn before writing it out. I hope everyone understands!
And man, I really need to give Eusine a bigger role in this. I don't think I've done him much justice. Here's hoping I can rectify that in the next chapter. Look forward to it!