[Cues Carpenter Brut – Division Ruine]

The Outsider's Insurrection

Indigo Iliad

Chapter 36: Go Topside, Young Meowth

Translated Pokémon Speech

Pokédex Entries/Computerized Voices/Flashbacks

Reference to an Accessory in the Games

-o-

(Sepia City | April 17th | 7:30p.m.)

[Cues: Domo – alone]

Jessie and Meowth sat on the edge of the road leading down both with a beer in hand from a nearby vending machine.

"Your hometown? You never talk about your past." Jessie said worriedly.

"That's because it's nothing but a tragedy." Meowth said before taking a swig. "The happy memories I have here are all tainted by it."

"How did it come to be?" She asked.

Meowth finished his can before throwing it away down into the city below. He hated to think back on the good times because it lead to the bad times.

"You remember the history of how this dump was founded?" Meowth asked as she nodded. "Yeah, well. The two drunks were twin brothers. The Konnos. Well, despite their alcoholism, they made it big down here. Ran organized crime and shit. Long story short, they're love of booze was matched by women. But because they were not exactly bright, they knocked up a lot of women. So did their Pokémon. I happen to be one of their descendants. Now with this, the descendants of the twins and their Pokémon warred for the city and their "litterys". Those drunks left the world with a whole bunch of families wanting to rule the city. Where do I fall into it…another beer and I'll spill it to ya."

[Cues: empea – Good Old Days]

Meowth came up to receive dinner at home after playing with his friends. Home was always warm, rightfully fitting as it was a bakery. His mother, Maddie, waited for him with bated breath. Her trainer, a hulking man, sit at the table with his little sister.

"There you are, little guy." Gretchen said taking him up into her arms. "You were almost late, but you wouldn't miss Hazel's stew for the world, wouldn't you?"

"You used to live in a bakery? What's so tragic about that?" Jessie asked interrupted.

"Nothing really, it was perfect…until she came into Hazel's life." Meowth said finishing off the beer. "The woman who obviously a devil, but my trainer was thinking with his heart. And so was I when she also brought her into my life."

Gretchen did not like the look of this woman, but she had her brother head over heels for her. The woman seemed nice but had an air to her that made Gretchen want to run. It did not help that she had a Meowth of her own, Meowzie. Meowth was head over heels for her wanting to spend plenty of time with her.

"Meowzie was a dear. She was smart, sly, and funny to boot. She became my world." Meowth remarked. "And she was the reason I would up learning to walk and talk like humans."

"I've always wanted to be a dancer. Madame comes here to learn from the best, but I always get left up in the attic while she has classes downstairs." Meowzie said with a pout.

"Well, we can see what they do down there. Why don't we try to copy it?" Meowth asked. "Doesn't hurt to try, if you'll take my hand."

"Dancing with her with the light of the nights I spent with her while her trainer and mine had classes downstairs. We were in that attic often and before long we were able to dance on hind legs with ease. Then Meowzie had the bright idea…"

"Learning human speak?" Meowth asked confusedly. "Why would you want us to learn how to do that?"

"Simple, if we know how. We can pull some fast ones on humans. Think of the things we can do. And I know the perfect place to learn." Meowzie said excitedly dragging Meowth along.

Jessie and Meowth were outside of a library that had a statue of an Abra.

"The PSI Library. This old place was where Meowzie and I snuck off to. We were trying to learn to read and speak. It had taken time…but we were able to do it. I remember my first word…rocket." Meowth said thinking back. "Meowzie's first words were "fuck me"."

"Pfft…" Jessie said with a snicker. "Well, did you?"

"Oh, shut up." Meowth snapped. "We were playing pranks on humans. Mostly food delivery places. However, all that time with Meowzie, and I was not realizing that her trainer was playing us all like a fiddle. No, Meowzie had me blinded. The good things came to an end…and I remember the day…it was raining."

"It rains down here?" Jessie asked.

"When there's downpour topside, it seeps down underground as groundwater." Meowth explained.

[Cues: Cowboy Bebop – Goodbye Julia]

Meowth was walking home with Meowzie after a night on the town holding hands only to for him to see a burning building in the distance. It wouldn't have bothered him had he not smelt the strong scent of cinnamon. SPLASH! He bolted through puddles and rivers coming to the horrific realization that it was his home burning. He came just to see smoldering remains. Maddie, Hazel, Gretchen…all gone. The lady was there sobbing her eyes out to the police, but Meowth could not see her. All he could see was his lost…Meowzie tried to comfort…but it wasn't enough.

"Let me guess, that devil was the one who set fire to the bakery." Jessie said as they were walking down the street.

"Yup. All for the life insurance money which she used to lift herself to baker's girlfriend to high roller. But I didn't know that yet. Y'see, she took me in. And I realized exactly how much a monster she was. Everything I knew about…what Hazel knew about her…was all lies." Meowth said darkly. "It explained why Meowzie was so sly."

If there was ever a moment like this, Meowth wished he had hindsight. Meowzie was pulling pranks to steal food because her trainer did not exactly feed her…or him. They both returned to their "home" only to see that the lady in the midst of an arugment.

"Meowzie, you're home. Good, I need you for something. I need you to test if this Arcanine is vicious enough. I just decided to try some of this new drug…Night Howler."

"Let me tell you something. Night Howler does make you strong, but it fucks with your mind. It makes a person become nothing more than a killing machine. That night, I saw so much blood come out of Meowzie. I got roasted. I realized that Cinder Fall was a complete sadist." Meowth said haunted by saying her name.

"Wait, the Cinder Fall? The head of the Burning Petals Gang?!" Jessie said shocked looking over at her symbol spray painted on a wall.

"Yes, her." Meowth said. "She's known as the Backstabbing Bitch."

"What happened to Meowzie?" Jessie asked weakly.

A tear rolled down his face.

[Cues: Cowboy Bebop OST – Green Bird]

Meowth was walking home a bit annoyed with the fact that Cinder lives in a high rise. So many stairs! SMASH! Meowth looked up to see a window had broken and something was thrown out of it. Blood dripped down on Meowth's face as he realized what was thrown.

"Meowzie!" He screamed as she sailed through the air.

She fell being gravity's ragdoll smacking against buildings and walls before falling on her back in a puddle of sewer water in a lonesome alley. Meowth stood there watching before running up to her pleading for her. Meowzie's eyes fluttered and she turned to him.

"Meowzie, I…I can get help!" Meowth said panicking.

[Cues: Cowboy Bebop OST – Goodbye Julia]

"No, my love. It's…it's…too late. I should have left with you…sooner. But my own loyalty to my mistress did me in." Meowzie said coughing a bit as it began to rain again.

"That bitch…I oughta…" Meowth said only for Meowzie to stroke her face.

"Don't. I don't want you to die…don't ruin the dream of your happiness for me. I need you to do something for me…please leave this place. Go topside and live your life." Meowzie pleaded. "You need to leave…this place is for the dead and gone…not for the living."

"Meowzie, I don't want to leave you." Meowth pleaded as tears poured down.

"But you must. Your family's gone and I'm about to join them…and if you don't leave, Cinder…Cinder will make sure you die t…" Meowzie said before her body gave out.

"Meowzie, on her dying breath, spilled that Cinder axed my family for the money." Meowth said as Jessie and him had stopped at that same alley. "I left Sepia City…ending up in Team Rocket. The rest you already know."

"I'm so sorry, I had no idea." Jessie said sympathetically.

"Don't be. We were all dealt a crap hand, but we're all together in this." Meowth said wistfully. "I'm walking among the living."

(A/N: Short, sweet, and bittersweet. I'm rather pleased with how I'm written Meowth's backstory. The purest of tragedy. This is a bit of shorter than I originally planned, but this streamlined version was a lot better in the long run. Death by Adaptation can be a useful trope if done right.)