Scene 19: Al

It had been a couple months now and Kari was doing well for herself. Now that everyone had settled down with her being The Boss' daughter, things were getting back to normal. Well, as "normal" as you can get at such an institution.

Kari learned quickly that the Team Rocket Academy wasn't your average curriculum. They learned things like, Pokémon Battling Techniques and ParCore, as well as having examinations on breaking & entering into top secret facilities. No joke. Their final was to break into a fake security vault and steal something… Now, is that normal?

But Kari didn't really bother to question things- she was having way too much fun. Everyone around her was much older than she was, and many were even seasoned Trainers. She just loved listening to their many stories of traveling and training. Others doted on her- since she was the youngest (and The Boss' daughter) a lot of the students figured she needed special treatment. She was constantly fighting off people who tried to carry her books, or bring her food from the cafeteria so she wouldn't have to. It was only kind of cool at first, but it all got really old really fast. Good thing something "new" eventually came along…

It was another test day in class and everyone was cramming their material in before the teacher came in. The door opened, but instead of Mr. Viper there was a young boy. He looked about 10years old, wore plain glasses, had short red hair and was wearing the same red trainee uniform everyone else had on. Walking in behind the boy was Mr. Viper. They both stopped at the front.

"Listen up! We got a new student. His name is Al. Everyone behave to him, or you'll have to hear from me!" Mr. Viper pointed to Kari, then to the open chair in the row in front of her. Before he went to sit down, he caught Kari's eye. She tried to smile, wanting him to feel welcome, but after a moment, he just went to sit down. Ok, that wasn't strange…

Apparently, hazing new students is a sport for teenage delinquents, because as soon as he sat down everyone started whispering plot after plot on how they could best mess with him. Everyone except Kari. She had been on the receiving end of it all, so no thanks.

Mr. Viper passed out the exam. Al got one as well, which Kari thought was strange since he was new. The test was on item enhancers- anything you could use on a Pokémon to increase their stats and/ or levels- not her best subject matter, but still easy. 30minutes passed and Kari was just about to finish up, only a few more questions now and she would be the 1st person done. Again. Except, that she wasn't. A movement in front of her made her look up- Al was already turing in his test. What!? How could he be the first one finished?

Al made his way back to his chair and just stared off into space. Kari was too distracted to focus on her exam, which meant she spent an extra 10minutes that she didn't need to. When she went to turn in her exam paper (at least she was the 2nd one) she saw Al's sitting atop Mr. Viper's desk, already graded. A perfect score. Although she knew she had done well, there was no way she would have gotten a perfect score. She turned and glared daggers at the new kid, of course he didn't notice, he was too busy staring off into space. Kari stomped her way back to her seat, where she continued to give him the Evil Eye. Suddenly, she felt very keen in joining the others in their hazing plans…

And the day continued as such. When they met in the lab for their science class- they were supposed to be mixing Potions today- Al's looked perfect while Kari's took on the same texture as jello. While sitting the same Pokémon Classification Study Session- a kind of "jeopardy" style game- Al was always a second quicker to his buzzer than she was. Even in gym class, although he was like Kari- at a disadvantage due to his age and small stature- at least he actually won his side a point! Kari only ever fumbled the ball… By the end of the day, Amy and the others had caught onto Kari's bad mood, and they all knew why.

Georgie leaned in, "Look, all I'm saying is that if we just take his clothes and- "

"No." They all looked at Kari. Amy put on her best pouty face, "But, Kari, you don't like him either! It's not like we're going to hurt him or anything, just wanna scare him a bit, that's all!" Kari stopped walking. She turned to the others, "Please don't haze him. Yes, I don't like that know-it-all, but that doesn't mean I'm going to bully him! And you know, you guys are all awesome people, so you should know better…!" They had reached the building exit. Kari turned back to her friends, "And I mean it. If I hear anymore about you hazing Al, you'll get it from me." And they all knew Kari meant what she said.

Without another word on the subject, they all said their goodbyes. Kari was one of the few students who lived nearby in Veridian City. Most of them were from other towns and cities and were, for the time being, living in the Team Rocket Trainee Housing. Kari often wondered whether they were anything like the PokéCollege Dormitories she often saw on television. Today Kari and Eevee would be walking home by themselves. Her father had some business to take care of and he said that it would run late.

On their way past the Pokémart, Kari decided to stop in for dinner supplies. While roaming the shelves and reading the labels, she accidentally rammed into another shopper, "Oh, I'm sor-" When she looked up, she recognized the boy. It was Al! Instead of his Trainee Uniform, he was wearing a pair of dirty jeans and an old, wrinkly shirt that looked like it was too big for him.

"Excuse me." It was the first time Kari had heard him speak. He had a quiet voice, as if he wasn't used to using it. And without another word, he bowed out and walked on… Did he not know who she was? Kari stalked him around the aisles- he only grabbed bread, sliced meat, and cheese… Was that supposed to be his dinner? After paying for her shopping, Kari followed Al down the street. When he stopped she stopped. He turned to face her, "Can I help you?" For someone so awful, he sure was polite.

"You don't remember who I am, do you?" He looked at her for a moment then shook his head. She sighed, "We're in the same class, you dummy! You sit in the row in front of me. Geeze, you'd think you'd remember the people you meet on your 1st day of school." Al just stared, he seemed to be trying to place her. He stared so long Kari decided to just look away.

"Kari." She looked at him. He was actually smiling. He seemed to be proud that he knew her name. And he continued, "You're the number one ranked student. And… You're not very good at sports." The way he spoke sounded like he was a humanized computer. Kari started laughing, "Well, you didn't have to add in the sports thing, but whatever." She walked past him and continued down the street. She turned so that she was walking backwards now, "How'd you know that stuff? I didn't think you spoke to anyone." Al, who had also continued walking, replied in that same dead, robotic tone. "Dana. Team Rocket Headquarters Main Branch Head Secretary. Head Secretary to Giovanni- Veridian City Gym Leader. Leader of the Secret Organization, Team Rocket. Father to Kari- Number One Ranked Student." Kari had stopped walking. She didn't think the joke was funny anymore.

"Uhm, are you ok?" She'd never heard someone talk in that way- he really did sound like a computer. Al didn't respond. Before Kari could say another word, Eevee leapt onto her shoulder. This caught Al's attention. He walked closer to her and gently patted Eevee on the head.

"Eevee. Normal Type. Species: Evolution. 'Thanks to its unstable genetic makeup, this- ' " Kari covered his mouth, "Stop it! You're scaring me!" Al looked confused, "Scared? Al scare Kari?" Kari looked into his face. He wasn't joking, this was who he was and truly how he talked. "Yes. Yes, 'Al scare Kari.' Why are you talking like that?"

"Because that is how he was programmed to talk." Giovanni had just come up from behind Al. He put his arm around Al's shoulder, "Come, I will explain when we get inside." Kari and Eevee followed them inside.

Giovanni poured them all some tea, Al sat at the table, and Kari went to putting the supplies away. Once everyone had gathered at the table, Giovanni let out a wonderful sigh, "So, what do you want to know?" He looked directly at Kari, speaking as if Al wasn't even there. She glanced in Al's direction, "What did you mean by 'programmed'? He's not-" Giovanni chuckled, "No, Al is very much alive and very much human. He was, however, brought up in an institution. In this place, children were treated as if they were computers- humanoid databanks to store any and all your information. While you and other children were learning their ABC's, Al was learning to recite the dictionary word for word. He had no contact with people, other than his teachers. He's a genius with an iambic memory- he remembers everything he reads and almost everything he hears. That's why I brought him to Team Rocket, I figured he could be of use. But, I'm going to need your help, Kari." She looked up at her father.

Her face was lined with tears, she didn't understand why she was crying for this boy, if you could even call him that. She just felt so sad for him, "Me? What can I do to help?"

"I want you to help him. Help him understand. Reteach him. Help him to be a child like you. A child like he ought to be." Kari watched Al. He had been looking back and forth between the two of them, listening intently, but still without a clue of what was going on. At that moment, he noticed the tears on Kari's face. He leaned over and wiped a tear away. Al looked at her, trying to understand, "Why is water falling from your face?" He said it in his same voice, and with all the seriousness. And that's what made it even more sad. Kari nodded her head, "I'll do what I can to help him."