Rich Craig, Poor Craig

"Eight Magnemite, six Voltorb, five Pikachu, two Magneton, and one Electabuzz…"

The twenty-two poké balls had been turned over to the soldiers and placed in the vault. Craig had spent weeks capturing the electric Pokémon under the orders of Warrick. The rest of the federation's branch had been doing the same, though Craig was aware that more than a few of his cohort were stealing the Pokémon instead of capturing them. Warrick's beard had yet to return to its previous length before he had gone on his trip and the lack of facial hair only made him more unnerving. Craig had learned to be as cautious as possible when he was in the boss's office as to not upset him.

"Twenty-two?" Warrick noted, slightly leaning forward over his desk. Craig flinched, expecting a fist that never came. "That's almost twice as many as Mona and she had the second most with twelve. Most of the soldiers only got three or four. How did you pull it off?"

"Most of the soldiers were trying to steal the electric types from their trainers," Craig explained. "Trained Pokémon are stronger than wild ones and going after Pokémon owned by trainers just causes more attention. I thought it would be easier and more effective to make the effort to go out and capture them myself."

"And you were right," Warrick said.

"I was?" Craig questioned.

"Listen, Craig," Warrick continued. "I've been hard on you, I know that. But that's only because I see the same potential in you that Boss Giovanni saw in me back when I was in Team Rocket all those years ago. Guys like Holt Wullinger and Gino Dunlap are good to keep around as dumb muscle, but that's about it and Mona is so blinded by her own issues that she can get sloppy at the worst time. You, on the other hand, are going to rise far if you follow my lead."

"Um, thanks, Boss," Craig replied and hesitated before speaking again. "Boss, if…if I can ask…"

"Why am I having you all get as many electric types as possible?" Warrick read his mind. "It's too early to tell you too much, but I promise you that you'll have all the answers soon. Just keep doing a good job."

With that, he was dismissed, and Craig quickly made his way out of the office. He had learned not to press the boss when he refused to answer a question. The last thing he wanted to do was give him a reason to be upset with him. In the last three months, Craig had gone from Warrick's punching bag to one of his favorites, but he did not know if that was necessarily an improvement. His eighteenth birthday had come and gone, and he knew that if he was caught dealing with the federation by the authorities, there would be no leniency this time.

"Hey, wait up!"

Craig had nearly made it to his car when Mona stopped him. He did not know why he had been avoiding her lately. She was the antithesis of Felicity Cole, everything that Craig claimed that he wanted in a woman, but when he saw her, it was like looking in a mirror. At the same time, as much as he tried to fight it, there was also just a part of Craig that saw himself as above the likes of Mona Barlowe, something he attributed to the years he spent hanging out with rich kids. The two conflicting thoughts made him just want to avoid her entirely.

"Hey, Mona…" Craig greeted as cordially as possible. "Heard you turned in quite a few electric types."

"Nowhere near as many as you," she congratulated him. "Good job. C'mon, let's celebrate. There's this café I like to go to after a mission that I think you'll like."

"Okay, sure," Craig reluctantly accepted the invitation. "Just for a bit…"

Raticate happily finished the berry that his trainer had given him. Craig gave his companion a pat on the head as he inspected the café. It was small and secluded, tucked in at the end of a dead-end street. The food was decent, and the atmosphere was not seedy like the restaurants around the underground tunnel, nor did it make Craig feel out of place like the restaurants he visited with his former friends.

"Raticate, huh?" Mona started as she took a bite of a breadstick. "No offense, but that's not a Pokémon that most people would picture you having."

"Most people are idiots," Craig replied. "I found him as Rattata rummaging through a dumpster back when I was a kid. It was the same day I finally realized my dad was not coming back. Me and Rattata were just two things thrown in a dumpster and I guess that's why we clicked. Raticate isn't the strongest Pokémon on paper, but there's always a way around that."

"I get it," Mona said. "My brothers gave me my first Pokémon."

"Did they steal it?" Craig blurted out.

"Make your jokes," Mona frowned. "Like you've never stolen anything, right? Growing up with a bunch of rich kids must've given you the strange idea that you have any reason to look down on me. Last time I checked, you were a high school dropout with a criminal record. You're in the same boat as me."

"Chill," Craig told her. "I was just joking."

"Yeah?" Mona snapped as she slid out of the booth. "Well, call me when you get tired of the jokes and get a reality check."

She stormed out of the café and Craig let out an irritated sigh. Mona Barlowe was a psychotic arsonist and yet she could not take a simple joke. However, the longer he sat alone with Raticate in that booth, the more Craig thought that there was more to his words. He figured that a possible reason that he kept viewing Mona and the other federation soldiers as beneath him was because he was trying to hold on to his old life.

"Raticate, let's go!" Craig suddenly got up from his seat and reached for Raticate's poké ball.

Hurrying into his car, he sped off from the café and was essentially on autopilot as he drove north. The further north he went, the more the condemned and dilapidated buildings disappeared. They were soon replaced by fancy shops and homes, familiar sights that Craig had seen so often back when he was a student. He continued northward until he reached the mansions of North Saffron Hills.

"Maybe if I talk to her…"

Craig's thoughts were racing as he parked across the street from the gate of the luxury home that he had spent so much time in during his younger years. He knew that he should just turn around and leave and that this was most likely a waste of time. While he was briefly compelled to stay, he could not gather the courage to get out of the car. Craig started the car and prepared to leave only to hit an immediate stop when a luxury car pulled up next to the gate.

"What the…?"

The owner of the luxury car stepped out and Craig could not do anything but scratch his head in sheer confusion as he entered the gate. The young man's pale, gold-brown hair had grown out more, showing more waviness than the last time Craig had saw him. He was still tall, but more well-built than before and there was something different about his walk that Craig just could not fully decipher.

"I don't get it, why is he here?"

Craig felt his thoughts racing even more until his question was finally answered. The young man and the stunning blonde were linked arm and arm as they exited the gate and made their way towards the luxury car. Craig's eyes widened and his mouth dropped as he witnessed Tyler West and Felicity Cole embrace each other in a kiss. In that moment, any fear that he felt evaporated and was replaced by a rage he had not felt since being defeated by Mike Snowe.

"What the fuck?!" Craig shouted as he leaped out of his car and marched towards the couple.

"Craig?!" Felicity gasped.

He walked closer and closer to Tyler, Craig's fists clenched and ready to cave in the rich boy's face. Tyler appeared to be surprised by the sudden interruption but was otherwise unafraid as Craig moved towards him. He did not even flinch when they were mere inches from one another.

"Go ahead," was all Tyler said. "They'll send you right back to jail."

Craig growled and reluctantly lowered his fists. He knew that swinging on a rich kid in a rich neighborhood with cameras likely everywhere would land him in hot water.

"Craig, what are you doing here?!" Felicity was irate.

"No!" Craig shouted. "What is he doing here?! With you?! I thought you were in love with Amelie McKinley?! What the hell is this?! First you steal my best friend, then get me kicked out of school, and now, you've stolen my girl too?!"

"First, I'm not your girl," Felicity stated clearly. "Second, you need mind your own business. Now, leave before I call the police!"

"Not until I get some answers!" Craig snapped.

"Answers for what?" Tyler started. "Answers about Johnny? The same best friend that you left to bleed out after he was stabbed thanks to you. Or how about a few months later, when you sided with the guy who stabbed him and attacked all of Johnny's other friends? Or did you want answers about Felicity? The same girl you cheated on dozens of times? I don't owe you a damn thing, least of all an explanation."

"You better watch your mouth, West," Craig threatened him. "I'll kick your ass again, jail or no jail. And this time, I won't hold back."

"I'm not afraid of you anymore," Tyler seethed. "After what you did last year, I finally see you for the loser you really are."

"Why are you even here, Craig?" Felicity demanded. "Did you find out Mike Snowe was back and finally decided to come out of whatever filthy hole you've been hiding it?"

"Mike Snowe is back?!" Craig said in disbelief.

Craig was conflicted once more. Harming Tyler now would end any chance he had of getting payback on Mike. He could not decide who he hated more and worse of all, the fact that Tyler was not intimidated only served to infuriate him more. He wondered how much Felicity's influence on him was playing a role. Forcing himself to calm down, Craig decided that it would be best to retreat.

"You've ruined our night," Felicity continued. "Can you just leave?"

"You should've stuck with Amelie," Craig told Tyler. "She's better in every conceivable way, inside and out. And she has a nicer ass."

Felicity's face twisted in anger and Craig turned towards his car with a smirk, satisfied that he had gotten under her skin in the end.

"Craig!" Felicity called out once he finally made it to the car.

He turned around just in time to see Felicity pull Tyler into a deep kiss. She was openly mocking him, and Craig cursed himself for letting the rich kids get one over on him again. He reluctantly sped off instead of engaging further. There was still another stop he had to make.

"You weren't going to tell me about any of it?"

Craig was in the Sunglow neighborhood, standing outside the home of his former best friend, Johnny Hawkins. His curly hair was so long now that it nearly shielded his eyes, but Craig could still see that he was holding back a considerable amount of anger.

"The fact that you even have the nerve to show your face around me is one of the stupidest things you've ever done," Johnny gritted. "And that's a long list."

"Mike Snowe is back?!" Craig snapped. "Felicity's with Tyler West?! What kind of shit is this?"

"It's the kind that happens when you betray your friends," Johnny answered. "They tend to stop keeping you up to date on current events."

"I'm not joking," Craig said darkly.

"Neither am I…" Johnny replied. "Why would I tell you anything after the shit you pulled? Nat, Xander, and Laila were at that party! Jennifer was at that party! You could've gotten them all killed. Worse of all, you were fighting on the same side as the guy who almost killed me. As far as you and me being best friends, you can go fuck yourself!"

The friends-turned-enemies scowled at one another, each daring the other one to make a move. Craig was almost certain that they were about to start fighting when he heard Lyndon Tower's voice coming from inside the house.

"Hey, Johnny! Hurry up! We need to get to the next level before I have to go pick up Anika from the library!"

"Wow," Craig taunted. "The great Johnny Hawkins reduced to playing video games with Lyndon Tower. I've seen Drake Hicks on T.V. leading the school to victory in the battle team. That used to be you. You were the captain of the team and had one of the hottest girls in school. Must be sad to basically be a nobody now, a seventeen-year-old has-been."

"Rather be that than a criminal with no friends and no future," Johnny shot back. "Stay away from Tyler, stay away from Felicity, and stay away from Mike."

"Yeah?" Craig scoffed and then glared directly into Johnny's eyes. "You know what, you better watch your back too…"

"Listen, Mona, you were right. Everything you said earlier was true. Just because I grew up around rich snobs doesn't mean that I was ever really one of them. I just want you to know that I'm done with them for good. Call me back when you get the chance."

Craig ended the voice mail and continued driving into Moonlit Heights. It was a decent neighborhood all things considered. It was not as wealthy as Starview, Sunglow, or North Saffron Hills. It was not as decrepit as the West Quasar district either which meant that it did not draw as much attention. Craig recalled that some of the students at Saffron's Trainer School lived in Moonlit Heights, but he did not remember or care who they were specifically. The area was so underwhelming in Craig's opinion with nothing to stand out, positive or negative, in comparison to the other neighborhoods. Even Sid Moriarty's house at the end of the cul-de-sac was dull and plain.

"Welcome to my humble abode," Sid remarked as he led Craig inside.

"Humble is right," Craig replied. "With all the dirt you do, I know you can afford a mansion. This looks like the home of every nuclear family you see on T.V. shows."

"Which is exactly why I like it," Sid said. "If you're flashy, your light will go out much quicker. Remember that."

"Whatever, man," Craig sighed. "Look, I've had a rough day, so whatever you called me for, it better be good."

"See for yourself…"

They walked into the den and Craig spotted his cousin, Geoff, finishing a beer. His face was fuller, and he had grown a beard, but he still gave off a relaxed and lackadaisical demeanor. He spotted Craig and waved at him like they had seen each other last week.

"What are you doing here?" Craig questioned.

"I'll give you two some privacy," Sid said before heading upstairs.

"How have you been?" Geoff answered his question with a question of his own.

"I'm going to let you figure that out," Craig told him bitterly. "I see the job in Vermilion and that girl you decided to shack up with is feeding you nicely because you're getting fat."

"I came back a few months ago to check on you because I managed to rent an apartment," Geoff explained. "But I found out you weren't here because you were in jail. Then I find out you let Sid get you involved with the federation? What were you thinking?!"

"I was thinking that I was homeless and had no choice!" Craig snapped. "You ditched me for a better life! You said it would only be for a few months, but you must've forgotten that I have to eat, drink, and sleep somewhere every night. Sid looked out for me by getting me in the federation."

"Look," Geoff continued. "When we lived together, I thought I was treating you like a brother by letting you do whatever you wanted. I was really just treating you like a roommate and now I realize that you didn't need a roommate or a brother. You needed a parent, and I wasn't up to task. It wasn't what I signed up for."

"Glad you gained some knowledge," Craig said. "It's too late for me, but maybe the next guy you take in can benefit from it. So, if that's all you have to say…"

Geoff reached into his pocket and pulled out an envelope.

"This was forwarded to my new address," he explained. "It's a letter for you…from your dad…"

A/N: A shorter chapter than usual, but when you have only one main character, in it, it'll turn out that way from time to time. Next two chapters will be longer and one might be split into two parts depending on how editing goes. Anyway, I always have fun writing an antagonistic character and hopefully Craig will get better before it gets too late. And of course, the cliffhanger is there.

The P.O.V. character for this chapter was Craig Kelton.

As always, feel free to PM me or chat on the forum if you want to talk.

Until next time!