AN- I hope you guys like long flashback chapters. This chapter will contain images of violence, as well as disturbing moments related to post traumatic experiences.

This chapter is dedicated to my bro, who has been reading this ahead time even though he wants nothing to do with this trash.

-Cyclone-

Four Years

Maxie was not present for the rest of the day, nor was he during the rest of the weekend.

Archie suffered in silence as he did everything he could to keep the peace in the tiny apartment. The Poochyena still wandered the place, and Archie made sure to give them the attention they needed. He'd wake up every morning and would see that Maxie left them some kibble. Archie would always made sure it never ran low, and that both Pokemon were given adequate time to walk and play outside of the apartment.

Monday arrived, and after a long weekend of Archie spending most of his time in his room, eyeing the crates and wondering if he might have to plan on moving out in the near future, he spotted Maxie. It was on campus. The two said nothing. Maxie was quick to return to the room he had exited, his face beet red as he shut the door before Archie could react.

There were quizzes on Wednesday and Thursday, and Archie decided to let those be his distraction and reason to remain at school until nightfall. He did his shift at the bookstore, let the complex number system freak him out instead of his missing roommate. He spent the the night in the library until it closed, and then slowly made his way off the campus grounds and back to the unkempt complex.

Each and every time he arrived his Zubats would be waiting, fluttering around the living room, both satiated with berries, a sign that Maxie had been around long enough to feed them in his place. He would walk by Maxie's room, at best catching the sounds of light music playing, but would never have the courage to knock and ask if he should be willing to pay next month's rent ahead of schedule.

And then it was Sunday, and Archie managed to spend an entire day at the mall, not his usual self, but was able to fake it so that no one would notice how distraught he had become over the matter.

He arrived home late. The Zigzagoon was at the door, wagging its tail and barking, pleading to the Poochyena inside for attention. He picked it up and provided some pets and scratches behind the ear before opened the door, wished it better luck than he, and then went inside.

There was a Zubat waiting for him, and a Poochyena already scratching his leg and begging for attention. Archie gave each a pet, noticed both had eaten and were content, so he went to his room, passing by Maxie's without making too much sound.

He let out his hammock and grabbed one of his textbooks. He was too distracted to pay attention to what he was reading, He highlighted whatever sounded interesting enough. Archie wished he could just barge into Maxie's room and comment on the decent grade he got on the chemistry quiz. He wanted to let Maxie know he was going to dissect a Tentacool next week, but he was sure the young man wouldn't have any of it.

It was late, well past two in the morning. Though Archie felt restless as ever he turned off the light to his room and grabbed a blanket from the floor.

His small Zubat had yet to return, and the fluffy, little Poochyena and made a nest of his workout clothes and spare pillow in the corner. Archie had no choice but to leave his door open just a smidge, in case Maxie decided to call his other Pokémon back, or if his Zubat changed its mind and wanted to return to his room.

He wrapped himself up and gently swung in the hammock, staring up at the ceiling and wondering if his roommate was just going to avoid him for the rest of the semester.

That would be about…ten days now? Archie wondered if he might be able to get himself a new place to stay before spring.

His mind wandered some more. He listened to the sound of Poochyena's snores. Archie covered his face with the blanket, wanting nothing more than to just fall asleep and be done with the rest of the day.

His mind kept returning to Team Rocket.

It was strange that he only felt so much resentment for the group. Everyone else in the region hated the organization. Maxie and his ex hated them.

He continued to stare up. The hammock was no longer swinging.

Team Rocket had helped him learn who he really was. Maybe not the in right way, but did anyone grow up with the perfect childhood?

Not to discredit Maxie's experience, but Archie couldn't pretend that he didn't have a lot of great times back in Johto. So many memories. Getting promoted, making friends, creating a family, and getting out of each mess he had made, learning to fall in love and getting his heart broken, his hopes and happiness lacerated, torn apart, and left with him to stare at the pieces, wondering where he had gone wrong…?

He blinked. He discovered that his lower lip had parted from his top, and it was so close to quivering from the discovery he had made during his final week in the organization. He brought his hand out of the blanket and let it run through his hair, made a comment when his upper arm felt the itchy prickle from his unkempt face, and then told himself to calm down.

The Poochyena sniffed. He made a few motions and let the hammock go back to a light swing, letting it calm his nerves.

Yer different Archie, he thought, closing his eyes and stuffing his face into his pillow. His face felt wonderful against the cool fabric as he slowed his breathing down, hoping it would ease him into a rest. Yer different. So is Maxie. Nothin' wrong with that.

You'll figure somethin' out.

Don't let it dwell on ya.

He fell asleep.

Tired of watching his father drink his life away, and longing for some kind of social interaction from anyone willing to provide, a thirteen year old Archie left home, and ended up in the arms of Team Rocket.

Their influence in Hoenn was temporary, lasting less than two years until the police force caught up and snipped any connections they had from the bud, but by that point Archie, as well as several other young adolescents, had already proven themselves worthy of the boat ride over to Johto. It was in that region where Archie found a place for himself.

Getting a uniform wasn't so easy. You had to work hard in order to gain any sort of rank. Archie had to start from the very bottom. Because he was so young, his value was placed in the fact that he could be disguised as a trainer and deliver packages across towns and cities without getting caught. Team Rocket would reward him with enough spare change and attention for him to develop a dependency on the group, not that Archie needed any pushing towards their favor. The criminal organization was more than willing to provide him something that he had lacked back at home, and he would continue to place himself at risk so long as he received the structure and recognition that he craved.

When he turned fourteen he received the infamous black uniform, a size small that appeared loose over his developing body. In less than a year he'd be wearing a medium, and he'd grow out of that one in a few following months.

One of the things the news reports never mentioned was how close knit Team Rocket could be. Was there discipline? Yes, but then there were times where Archie walked alongside of a river, late at night, and have a chat with the friends he had made during the long hours working in warehouses, organizing and storing captured Pokémon. The news never talked about the jokes, the stories, the video games or comic books.

During that time of constantly switching out uniforms Archie was given a series of Pokémon for temporary use, cycling them out by the end of a week. The boy had been incredibly excited. Pokémon were a dream to him. The tiny little home back in Lilycove wasn't the best habitat for Pokémon to grow up in, and his mother had made the promise that he'd get one only after he had gotten his trainer card, but that day never came.

Depending on what chores he had, Archie was sometimes provided a Pokémon. Most of the time he never had to send it out from its Poké Ball. In the few instances there was a battle, Archie would send out a Raticate or Koffing, and he'd make quick enough work of his enemy, but somehow would miss any opportunity to congratulate or bond with it. If they weren't needed, the Pokémon were placed in his assigned locker. At the end of the week, the Pokémon would be confiscated; Archie would maybe receive another group the following week, but often he'd end up with some kind of duty that didn't require him carrying a team.

His relationship with Pokémon continued as such. They were almost always overpowered enough to finish a battle without Archie actually having to worry, a good thing too since he was never given any kind of medicines. He supposed that was how Team Rocket preferred, and was ok with it since the Pokémon always held their own. After that, he would complete heavy-duty warehouse work, keep guard at night, and spend weekends doing delivery, going up the ranks and catching the eyes of executives and even a few higher-up administrators.

It didn't take long for him to attract the eyes of a few female Rocket members. Archie was fifteen and well liked by everyone, so maybe that was why he never noticed the way some girls smiled at him, giggled when he made lousy jokes, poked fun at his accent, or continued to place their small hands on his expanding shoulders. On night duty there would always be a female member chatting with him, trying to learn about his life, why he joined Team Rocket, or if he had any future plans outside of the gang in the foreseeable future, usually domestic.

It wasn't until some of the older members began to tease him did Archie consider that these girls might want more than a simple comradely with him. "You have a fair pick of the girls," one would say, while another laughed, "the poor boy hasn't even noticed the way they check him out," and for the first time in his life Archie considered that he ought to make a move, and why hadn't he before?

He had a close circle of friends his age, so it wasn't hard for him to select and ask one of them out. He chose Melissa, since they had been on several missions together, and he knew her well enough to know they shared a lot of similarities. She seemed a bit surprised by how casual he was about it, and doing it in front of everyone, but Melissa smiled and the two of them became a "thing."

Shortly after starting his first relationship, word got around that "Madame Boss" was allowing her son to take a bigger percentage of the power. Many changes occurred, and people were getting moved around, making way for a series of new bosses to take orders from, as well as new Rocket territory. Archie was barely at the stage of holding hands when the two grunt were separated, him sent across the country and over to Olivine city, while Melissa was sent to Goldenrod. This didn't stop him from undergoing the same awkward stages of a first time romance. Archie would find whatever free time he had talking through the telemonitor, smiling and waving and looking dumb as he tried his best to work out a long distance relationship.

"How's Goldenrod?" he'd ask.

"Wonderful. And Olivine?"

"Kinda borin' over here," Archie would say in order to make her feel special.

"I miss you," she always mentioned at the end of their conversations.

Archie would stare at the screen, at her round eyes and her bouncy, curly hair. He smiled and might expose some of the sadness that one often felt when missing a good friend. "I miss you too."

Life went on, and Archie continued to prove himself a worthy member of the criminal organization. He spent less time working with Pokémon and instead helped send out cargo that would be used to create some kind of underground basement somewhere in the east. He'd get his work done early and would be rewarded by older members. He went out at night and enjoyed being treated to drugs and alcohol. He continued to grow, until a size medium no longer fit him, and still made time to call Melissa and watch her smile across the screen.

He was sure he was falling for the girl. There were things about her he found absolutely amazing, radical, and downright awesome. When one of the executives at his branch asked for male volunteers to help organize a moving shipment over in Goldenrod, Archie was the first to sign up.

"Maybe you're just too young," Melissa had to him a few days after she ran up to greet him with a kiss on the mouth. Somehow Archie knew that was what she was referring to, and it almost stung him to think that a girl who was only a year older than him could think such a thing. But there was no denying that he had reacted to it rather poorly. Something about that form of affection seemed incredibly foreign to him, and when she did that thing to him, all Archie could feel was a sort of...meh? He wasn't grossed out, wasn't disappointed that he hadn't seen some magical light. There were no fluffy, warm feelings. But it was a nice kiss.

"We can still be friends," she would later say to him, just before he took the metro back to Olivine.

When he returned, an executive pulled him out of the ranks, took his pocketknife from him and replaced it with bomb-nets and several Poké Balls. "You're going to help us catch some nice Pokémon," was all he was told, and Archie was sent out on recon duty. Spending most of his time in warehouses set in the middle of the woods or forests, it didn't take long for him to lose contact with Melissa.

Until he was just over sixteen, Archie was back to being single. While it upset him that things hadn't worked out with Melissa, he found himself easily distracted with his new group of compatriots as they roamed the wild, nabbing and catching whatever strong looking Pokémon they could find. It didn't take long for Archie to forget his worries. He went back to having fun, making friends and developing those wonderful familial bonds once more.

And it didn't take long for another girl to try to find a way into his peculiar heart. She called herself Stevie, and almost everyone in the branch knew that the tiny Rocket girl had the biggest crush on Hoenn's finest. Even Archie, who seemed to still be struggling reading the minds of the opposite sex, knew that she was staring at him with eager, excited eyes. But she made the first move, asking him out before he could think of something clever to say to her.

Team Rocket was known for their cruelty to humans and Pokémon everywhere, but when news sprung up that the two were dating, it seemed like the entire branch was filled with cheers and congrats to the new couple. Archie, a very proud young man, decided to always be the first to make a move, and kissed Stevie on the cheek whenever he could, even if it gave him the wrong kind of butterflies. The hand-holding and hugs, along with her cheery laugh and smile (So what if she carried a whip? Archie never saw her use it on a soul!) always made up for it.

But Stevie was also subtle. Unlike Melissa, who would speak about her love for him in a vivid manner, Stevie would go about it silently. Archie had to learn to read the new language of a maturing love that took the form of soft stares, slightly parted lips, sweet fragrances, and hair playing. He wondered if all men struggled to learn this. He would feel just a little frustrated when he thought about it.

One day, after getting all his work done, Archie approached the girl and kissed her right on the lips for everyone to see. He wasn't sure why he had felt so compelled to do it, especially when that strange feeling awoke inside of him after. Somewhere deep inside, he knew it wasn't meant to be, but he kept the contact for a few seconds more than what he wanted, only so that he could try to convince himself otherwise. When he pulled away she stared at him, red-faced and a little annoyed by his provocative action, but produced a small smile after her girlfriends started to laugh. He stared back, mostly at her smile, and hoped it would make up for that sense of dread that was beginning to build up. He was sixteen and still didn't understand what he was supposed to do.

It was only a matter of time before she caught on. She started asking him, "Archie, are you alright?"

Their group was lost in the middle of the forest. He heard her voice right behind him, asking, "Are you sure you're ok?" and he would feel her hand squeezing his.

They traveled across landscape together. Grunts shot out nets that flew into the sky, spreading out and ensnaring wild Pokémon that Archie would never meet.

One day their group met with another at a beach and traded stories. While he knew he had a girlfriend to look after, Archie found himself standing by the water, staring out and remembering an old memory filled with wishes. Or was it a dream? He heard Stevie calling for him and then he made his return from the shore.

"We don't have to do this if you're not ready," he heard her whisper to him once, late at night after everyone was picked up, a crateful of captured Pokémon in balls being rolled into a giant transport copter. He pulled her into the nearest, unoccupied room.

"Archie, look me in the eyes and tell me you want this."

"Archie, are you sure you're not gay" was the last question she had asked him, and right after that she broke up with him, looking so disappointed at him for denying that he was.

Since they had sex, no amount of "we can still be friends" would suffice. Archie was already getting looks from Stevie's girlfriends, not angry ones, but looks of pity. To stop himself from getting angry, because such an accusation left him feeling nothing but, he went ahead and took advantage of his reputation and had himself transferred out of the wild.

Archie turned seventeen, and by this point he was finding himself growing increasingly frustrated. Having done every job manageable, and already being known as someone who was more than dependable, Archie found himself in a constant state of motion. He traveled across Johto under the wings of newly appointed executives.

"You have a lot of promise," a well-dressed executive said, sitting at a furnished table, looking through Archie's files. Archie nodded, paying more attention at the man's Arbok curled up on the floor.

Everybody knew which way Nigel swung. Nobody seemed to care.

"I might very well have to send word to the big man himself about you. Yes. You might be sitting at a table similar to mine in less than a year or so." He raised his head up and smiled briefly at Archie, analyzing him in a similar fashion the girls normally would. It made him anxious. "Consider shaving, perhaps a hair cut too, and we'll see about getting you some permanent partners."

Suddenly Archie was giving orders. He no longer had to carry large boxes across rooms, but instead had people doing it for him. Nigel provided Archie his own gun; glistening sliver with a little bright red "R" stamped across it. He taught Archie how to deal with numbers, graphs, and charts. A week later he would be given a whip.

Archie was transferred to the city where and learned that he, along with two other Rocket members, and the executive would be establishing a new base for the organization. He was told he would be sharing the power with the other two, and that this was an experiment to see if any of them were executive material.

"You might meet the boss one day," Nigel told him when other two had left. Archie stared at his whip and gun, feeling a rush of power that he never thought he would be in possession of. "No need to call me sir anymore, unless you feel otherwise." He felt the man's hand rest itself on his shoulder. Archie barely recognized the meaning. His legs shook at the thought of trying to understand not just women, but men as well.

There were no more dirty jobs for him, no more long nights getting chased, or chasing after someone who owed Team Rocket money. He didn't have to worry about how he might have to stab someone, or if he might end up bleeding out.

He thought the promise of a huge promotion would mean only good things. But then, just like before, people started staring at him. Everybody stared, and not with a look of excitement or pity, but with jealousy and confusion. Archie didn't understand where this was coming from. He was getting angry again, and this time he had a whip.

Four months before his eighteenth birthday he approached Nigel and confessed his growing anger, unsure if it was a sign that he should be sent somewhere far away, or if he was better off a busy grunt. The man stared with cupped hands, listening to his every complaint, allowing Archie to let out his rage before getting up from his seat, and walking over to Archie, pulling him into an embrace. Archie had many guy friends, but this kind of contact was different from what he was used to. Suddenly the looks of jealousy were starting to make sense. Looking back, he ought to have pushed the man away, but at that current point in time Archie was very upset, and Nigel had been so kind and patient with him.

"I'm going to contact headquarters and see if we can provide you some decent Pokémon. Maybe some dark types? Yes, with your facial structure, I think that would look nice."

Archie liked the idea of having Pokémon of his own. He told himself the strange weakness in his legs was just excitement at the idea, but in the back of his mind Stevie's question rang.

"I have some Zubats I confiscated the other day," Nigel said, smiling kindly at the young man. "Keep them at your side, have it look like you have some powerful Pokémon with you. You'll be leading battalions very soon, so appearance will be everything."

Archie had never been feared before.

Archie didn't know it yet, but in seven days he would leave Team Rocket.

One fine morning he woke up and peered over at the two Poké Balls that he had left on top of his dresser. For the first time in his life Archie had Pokémon in his possession. Gone were the days of shared rooms and bunk beds, of personal items that had to be kept inside lockers that would undergo weekly inspections. He had awoken and discovered the two balls resting there, right where he had left them, and couldn't help but feel the urge to take advantage of the early morning. He had Pokémon, and he was in a position of power that allowed him some free time to spend with them. And the more he thought about it, the more the seventeen year old felt like he was ten again.

He grabbed the balls and left the room, dressed in black, racing out the back of the Rocket hideout, and made his way through the dark, filthy alleyways of the city. He kept on going till he made it to the warehouse district where Rocket members were accepted as part of the scenery.

For a moment he stared at the coast, walking by the edge of the docks and staring solemnly at the murky water that Grimers' made a home of, wishing it weren't so for a few seconds before pulling out the Poké Balls and deciding to release the Zubats from their confines.

They were two Zubat, one larger than the other, the smaller of the two looking quite cute with its large ears and frantic flapping. Archie couldn't help but admire the noticeable differences in their appearance, grinning while getting down on the ground, removing his boots and pulling off his black sock. He rolled the cloth into itself, trying to make something of a ball. He put the boot back on and stared up at the two Zubats, which at this point were looking a little confused.

He raised the balled up sock at them. "You see-err, smell this?" he asked. The larger of the two slowly flapped closer to the sock before opening its mouth and inhaling.

"Ok," he said. Archie lightly tossed the sock, the action causing both to flap away, completely distressed by the unusual behavior. "Fetch," he demanded, grinning as he saw the sock fly a few feet before landing on the ground.

The two Zubat looked over, mouths open, trying to make sense of the strange series of events.

"Go on," Archie implored, gesturing a gloved hand over towards the balled sock. Their mouths remained opened, poised at him, detecting his movements while carefully putting the pieces together. Archie waited, hoping one of them would catch on. Finally, the larger of the two gave a sniff, turned around, and flapped its wings over to the sock resting on the ground. It perched itself on top of it, and then turned its head, ears perked up, waiting for the next command.

"Bring it back!" Archie yelled. The smaller Zubat hissed, shocked at the spectacle. The larger Zubat hummed, looking down at the black sock before biting on to it, flapping its wings and struggling to make its way back to Archie, who by now had the biggest, proudest looking grin on his face.

He extended his arm out, letting the confused Zubat perch itself on top, offering the sock to its master. Archie took it, smiling, staring at the undone sock, and then back to the Zubat.

"Good boy," he cooed, reaching with his hand and giving the Zubat a little pat on the head. The Pokémon twitched, and then opened its mouth nice and wide, looking up at Archie with some disbelief. The young man gave a nod. He turned and faced the smaller looking Zubat. "Now," he said, "les-see if I can–"

But then the larger Zubat appeared in front of him, humming while flying all around his face. Archie carefully pushed it away, only to have it fly in front of him again, this time hovering over the hand with the sock in it. Archie groaned, staring at the it and figuring the Zubat must have been confused, and threw the black article over, this time with more strength so that he'd have time to get his other sock and try teaching the smaller one the same trick. But just as Archie pulled off his boot he was greeted with his first Zubat, sock in the mouth, flapping in front of him before resting on top of his knee.

"Yer a quick learner," he muttered. He raised his hand above the Zubat, and this time the Zubat's mouth remained closed, head raised up and looking almost prepared for the gloved hand. Archie gave it a quick pat. The Zubat hummed. Archie watched its two tails rise upwards as he lifted his hand away. The second, smaller Zubat hovered down, flapping around the larger one, humming back. They both looked up at the Rocket member's hand, waiting for him to throw the sock.

Archie raised a brow. "Ya like this, don't cha?" he asked, smirking at the two excited Zubats.

He tossed the sock again, watching the larger one fly ahead, the smaller one following, giving Archie time to take off his other sock and stand back up. The two returned, the larger one with the rolled cloth in its mouth. Archie saw that the second had tried, so he gave them both a nice pet on the head, watching them react pleasantly under his touch.

Four years and he had never bonded with Pokémon this much. Archie kept on throwing the socks, putting a bit more strength into each throw, watching the larger one go the distance while the smaller would pick up the one closest, and each time he'd give them some kind of attention, and he'd watch them make faces and hum and rub their heads against the hand.

He hadn't noticed that the whip attached to his belt loosened with each throw. It dropped when he threw a sock several feet into the air. Archie didn't think twice about picking it up, but as he stood back up, with his larger Zubat flapping towards him, something had changed.

He heard a screech. Archie looked and saw one of the Zubats, mouth open, and sock back down on the floor, flapping erratically at him. Archie reached out, hoping to get it to simmer down, only to watch as it backed away, screeching louder, bringing the second Zubat to stop flying and drop helplessly to the floor, shivering madly.

"Wha–?"

He had never seen Pokémon act like this. Archie looked around the area, at the water, the little storages that surrounded him, until it dawned upon him that the only thing had changed was him holding on to his whip.

And did his best to roll it up, but hearing their noises made his movements too frantic, so he ended up letting it fall back down. He pulled out his Poké Balls and sent the Zubats back inside.

His heart beat rapidly as he stood alone, listening to the early morning winds rub icy trails across his face. It took forever for him to pick up the whip, and by that point he wasn't even sure he wanted to.

He had never seen Pokémon so afraid of him in his life.

Him.

Only him.

Five days before he would leave Archie saw a commercial directed to all under-aged members in Team Rocket flashing across the screen in Nigel's office. It was a recording and Archie, along with two other Rocket members, stood in a line, watching the familiar commercial in front of them. Their executive remained in his seat; his face looking so dark and sullen Archie barely recognized the man.

"This has been popular among some of the younger recruits," Nigel commented. "Normally we wouldn't worry about such propaganda. However, recently we've been having problems with certain trading routes and pick-up spots being watched and spied on. We had several trucks carrying precious cargo undergo sudden raids by the police force."

"So they're talking?" A female grunt named Margaret asked the executive.

"Yes," Nigel answered flatly. "And I understand the will of children can be weak, but–"

"You want us to keep an eye out," Archie muttered.

Nigel smiled. "Exactly. Make sure our younger, easier influenced recruits aren't getting frazzled by the media." He stood up from his chair, staring at the Rocket members he trusted most, at Archie, and smiled. "And if you have any concerns over a particular person, please let me know."

He dismissed them, and Archie thought he would try to use what free time he had left to continue bonding with the Zubats he had. Archie learned that feeding them things like chips and berries had a way of fixing up old problems. Both Zubats had been very forgiving to him after a few snacks, and were now flying up to him again, both in a demanding mood. He wondered if he could train them out of fearing his whip.

"Archie, stay and close the door."

He halted, just inches away from freedom. He did as he was told, assuming that the Rocket elite would only make an update as to whether or not he's be receiving a permanent team.

"Yes, sir?" Archie sarcastically asked, smirking at his executive.

Nigel feigned a disappointed look. "Oh, I wish you didn't call me that," he muttered, making his way around the desk. Archie was reminded of the last time the man had done that. He thought of what Stevie said to him before they broke up and wondered if his own smile might have held some other meaning. "I'm a year younger than Giovanni, and not even he's referred as "sir" yet." The executive cracked a small grin and lower his eyes away from Archie's. "Trust me, you'll see what I mean what you meet the guy."

"Oh! Ha! " Archie said, choosing to purposely dismiss that bashful response. "Y'know I'm just messin with you, Nigey." He focused heavily on each movement the older man made. He was seventeen and barely understood female body language.

And then his mind lingered on the aforementioned name. "Giovanni?" he asked, raising a brow at the executive.

Nigel chuckled again, crossing his arms and leaning against his table, gesturing the young man to come closer. "I'm not supposed to give too much detail," he said, trying to coax Archie closer, "but a few people on top will be passing through Johto, looking for potential recruits to take with them over to Kanto." He smirked. "Archie, you're going to get more than just a few Pokémon. You'll get to meet the man who's going to spread Rocket's influence all over the world."

"Holy shit." Archie took in a deep breath, feeling his smile spread, becoming more natural as he walked up to the man. He was back to being a kid again. The Zubats were out of mind. Girls and men were out of his mind. He cupped his hands over his mouth, tying to cover his growing excitement.

"Yes," Nigel continued. "There may even be a chance that they'll take you back to Kanto."

"Never been," Archie muttered in disbelief. He pulled his hands back down to his sides. He tried to appear his usual self. He wanted to look confident. Cocky. He wanted to laugh this off and pretend that he wasn't so giddy.

He felt a hand rest on his shoulder. Archie looked over to the older man, still so excited over the news that it took him a few seconds to make out the expression on his executive face.

"Boss?" he asked. His smile began to diminish when he saw that there was sadness mixed with the usual pride in the man's face. He heard Stevie's question ringing in the back of his mind. It made him nervous, uncomfortable, and he tried to inch himself away. The man's hand wouldn't budge and Archie wasn't sure what he was to make of this unusual scenario.

The question rang over and over, and now Archie was beginning to wonder himself. Because if he didn't get that wonderful feeling from girls, then certainly that meant his only other option would be men. Maybe she had been right all along, and he was just too dumb to have noticed?

…If Archie could have left the office the moment he realized he had been right, the the first thing he would have done was to run to the nearest phone and call Stevie, laughing and taunting her, telling her how wrong she had been. But by the time he finally got to creep out he was in no mood to talk to anyone. He felt funny, strange, maybe just a little tired.

There were other feelings. Worries. Questions.

He simply told himself he had been right all along.

Three days left and Archie was asked to monitor the corridors during a night shift.

He was grateful for the distraction. The struggle with getting the Zubats to not fear the weapons kept around his belt, dealing with a superior who wanted to give as much as he could before the two became equals and separated, and the eventual meeting with higher ranked Rocket members, was leaving young man feeling stressed out.

He heard a sound down the hall and lifted his flashlight to find one of the younger, lower ranked grunts nervously looking back at him.

Archie didn't find anything wrong with it, and he called the boy over.

"Hey, Denzel," he said, smiling and giving a small wave at the grunt, who couldn't be more than fifteen years old. "A little late to be out, don't cha think?"

The grunt shook and run. Archie called for the boy again, louder and with his voice quickly filling up to the brim with worry because he didn't want to have to think that someone was actually trying to desert Rocket. Not during his shift.

His first instinct was to send out his Zubats. But for the first time in his life Archie was faced with dealing with an opponent that was someone he knew, a fellow comrade. And in the same second he thought about the poor Zubats and how they still feared sudden actions, how they had been confiscated, and he wondered how that came to be, and figured he was better off just chasing the kid.

"Denzel!" Archie yelled, not realizing the mistake he had made. "Hey, come back, will ya! I just…Denzel!"

The chase didn't last too long, and Archie was able to jump and overpower the boy. But he had made a lot of noise. Other's taking the night shift were running over, some with two-way radios on hand, and the rest being way too loud.

The boy began to cry, begging Archie to not send him to the executive. At first he wanted to quell the boy's tears, forming a smile, and about to insist that nothing bad would come of it. There was no proof that Denzel had done wrong, other than break curfew. He watched the boy's face turn messy with red blotchy stains, his eyes bringing forth tears.

The group surrounding him and boy was getting bigger. Archie struggled to help Denzel up, trying to wipe his face clean while desperately shooing away confused and curious grunts.

Margaret appeared in her nightgown, kneeling down and congratulating Archie for a job well done.

"Will he be sent to Nigel's office?" he asked her.

She shook her head. "I got word to move him to the mess hall. We're all to meet Nigel there."

Archie frowned. "Why?"

The emergency buzzer went off. The hallways blinked red lights for a solid minute. Archie felt awful as he watched Denzel break into sobs. Oscar's voice echoed through the halls, informing that an emergency meeting was to be held immediately in the mess hall. Margaret grabbed the Denzel the arm, helping Archie guide the boy, along with the collected group of grunts that wouldn't stop asking questions.

They passed through opened double doors and spotted their boss and Oscar standing in the center of the room, tables pushed aside, and tired grunts standing at attention, many in pajamas. Archie kept a calm, but cautious demeanor as he and Margaret were approached by the two. Denzel whined as Nigel leaned forward, cold faced with a lidded stare, saying nothing as he released his Arbok from its Poké Ball.

"Who found him?" the man loudly demanded.

Archie swallowed. He stared at the gigantic reptilian Pokémon slithering around its master; its slit pupils preying on the frightened grunt.

"Archie nabbed him," Margaret answered.

Nigel smirked at the boy. "I hope you understand the distress you've created?" he taunted. He lifted his hand up, informing the Arbok to get closer. "And you better hope Archie hasn't retained any injury." The boy whimpered, letting out a loud whine for everyone to hear as the Arbok flicked its forked tongue across his cheek. Archie caught several of them looking over their shoulder, eyes wide in terror.

"I'm fine," Archie stuttered out, silently praying that it would be enough for everything to end. Nigel didn't seem to respond. Both Oscar and Margaret were getting uncomfortable.

"Bring him to the center, we'll make an example of him," the executive commanded. "Oscar; help Margaret with dragging the traitor."

Denzel broke out into louder sobs as the Rocket executive called everyone over to face the three of them, and then called everyone back to attention.

Archie followed behind him. He didn't want to. He disliked that he wanted nothing to do with the team that had helped him grow into a young man. He hated to think that he was starting to fear someone he had received some comfort from. He despised that there were so many eyes on him, all of them looking quite horrified.

"Denzel was attempting to abandon us," Nigel announced. Everyone gasped. Archie stood at attention by Nigel's side. Margaret and Oscar held on to the sobbing boy. Nigel extended his hand to the anxious audience as he continued, entertained by everyone's frightened expression. "He was going to go to the police, turn in his uniform and all the information he had on our warehouse, on us, his family, and for what? Temporary security? A new identity?"

"Nigel, yer freakin' them out," Archie said under his breath, just loud enough for the man to hear. He normally wouldn't have been so casual in front of someone who could inflict harsh punishment on him, but now he was desperate. And Archie knew the man saw something in him that he didn't, something that caused a stir. While Archie was prideful, he hoped that stir would distract the executive, and ease the suffering everyone in the room was enduring.

Nigel closed his eyes. "…Denzel will be punished, as a reminder that we are a entity that only functions properly when we work together. Denzel," the man said directly at the boy, "it hurts me most of all to think you'd try to leave us without at least consulting your doubts beforehand."

The boy sniffed. "Please, I'm so sorry." He whimpered, staring up at his merciless boss.

"Archie," Nigel called out, leering down at the boy. "What do you think would be the proper punishment for a traitor: a person who almost ruined everything we worked so hard to accomplish?"

Archie immediately looked over at the eager looking Arbok. The giant serpent slithered around the executive, just waiting for the right order to be given. Archie wondered if the Pokémon had been trained to be so cruel, or if it was merely obeying the orders of its master. Archie thought about the Zubats and all the other Pokémon he had used over the last four years, counting them off in his head and trying to imagine where they all were now, if they were anything like the Arbok that was poised and ready to bite. He wondered if there was anyone to blame.

"Use the whip," he answered.

Nigel raised a brow at him. "The whip?" he questioned. Archie could tell he was not expecting this as his answer. "Any particular reason?"

Archie knew the poison from an Arbok could kill a grown man if the anti-venom wasn't administered quickly enough. He also knew it had the strength to break human bones and cause permanent damage to the spine, should it decide to wrap itself around the poor boy.

And Archie was no longer confident that he could trust his executive to be gentle.

A whip was painful, but Archie was positive it wouldn't kill the boy.

He quickly thought up his excuse. "His betrayal directly affects you more than anyone else here," he replied, smiling coolly at Nigel. "Think about it, Nigey. Y'got those higher-ups comin' soon…what would they say if they knew ya let one slip by, hmm?"

The executive's mouth opened just a bit, with the lower lip falling first. But then he smiled. And then he grinned. And then came the laughter. In the giant mess hall everyone could make out his evil laugh echoing and bouncing off the walls.

"You're a smart man!" Nigel slapped a hand on Archie's back. "I was right when I selected you. I heard rumors, but you've really shown me that you're Rocket material." For a second Archie forgot what was going on and smiled back, almost waiting for his executive to comment on his lack of a cap, or unkempt face. But Nigel removed himself from the young man, grabbing and uncoiling his whip, while Oscar and Margaret readjusted themselves, moving as far as they could from Denzel while still holding on to his wrists.

Archie placed his arms behind his back, hands holding on to his wrists as he proudly stood at attention, listening to Nigel make a few more comments about loyalty before walking around the boy, pulling up his shirt high enough and covering the boy's head with it, exposing his smooth, gaunt back.

Nigel beckoned all three to remain calm, should any blood splatter.

All the surrounding grunts, clerks, and secretaries struggled to keep still as the whip was cracked and made a loud smack against the skin.

Archie didn't so much as flinch as he stared at the red gash that had suddenly appeared on the screaming boy's back. He was impressed. He didn't think such a wound was possible on the first try, especially coming from a man that had given him the impression of elegance and gentleness. Archie had hurt for a few seconds, but this was an act of torture destined to last several minutes, or until his executive grew tired of the sounds of screams.

He watched the arm and the whip being raised up high. Archie caught the glimpse of red dots already decorating the long, leathery weapon.

He broke out of attention, letting a hand rise up to cover his mouth as he felt nausea build up in his stomach, twisting and growing heavy with fear, the kind of fear he had never really known until now, after witnessing it with the two Zubats, coupled with a frightened child's screams and begs.

The whip came down.

And Archie was awoken with the sounds of a car sounding off a loud, long honk. There was the horrible screeching of the tires, which caused Archie to tremble in his hammock, eyes nice and wide, his body jerking and shaking as the sound stretched forever, until finally it was met with a just as wretched noise of something making contact with the vehicle. Archie's flinched, his stomach gathering up acid and discomfort, his entire body now drenched in a cold sweat when he heard a pathetic, rattled yelp echo in the night.

The Poochyena woke up and began to bark. He could hear the other in Maxie's room, giving off the same surprised reaction.

"…No." Archie couldn't think. "No, no, fuck!" He struggled in the tangled mess of his blanket, nearly falling when he finally stumbled out of his hammock. His mouth tasted sour, so he covered it up as he desperately made his way out of the room.

He made only a few steps into the hall before the shock began to sink in. His legs wouldn't stop shaking, so he grabbed on to the wall to slow his descent, letting himself slip down. His body ached, and he could already envision the graphic sight of that rambunctious little brown raccoon Pokémon in his mind, body limp and in the middle of the street.

The Poochyena ran up to him, still barking, bringing its paws up and rubbing them against his back, his legs, and trying to get him to stop from rocking in place.

"No, no, no!" Archie's eyes welled up with tears. His vision blurred. The dark world around him began to spin and he was getting lightheaded fast and his heart was racing and his stomach was contracting and his throat and his lungs and–

"Archie, raise your arms!" he heard a voice yell at him.

Archie raised his head up, the sound of Maxie's voice pulling him closer to reality. He heard words being spoken, being snapped out, and then felt two hands roughly grab his arms, forcibly coaxing him to lift them up.

Maxie was behind him. "Lift up your arms," he demanded, this time in a more calm tone. "Lift them up." The grip on his upper arms did not ease. Archie felt his body shake as he tried to lift them up, and even with Maxie guiding him he felt stiff and heavy.

"U-uhm." Archie closed his eyes tight, trying to focus on what was going on.

"Listen to me," Maxie said into his ear. "You're scaring your Zubat. Archie…"

He chocked. "T-there was…"

"Don't talk," Maxie ordered. "You need to calm down." He felt Maxie's hands let go of his heavy arms, one to his back, and the other in his shoulder.

"Relax and take deep breath," the redhead said. "No, no, don't exhale just yet…take a deep breath, it's ok to struggle a bit, now exhale–through your mouth, Archie, through the mouth, and not too quick, ok?"

Archie stared out into the dark hallway, watching the swirls in his eyesight began to dwindle and finally disappear. His hearing returned to normal, and suddenly he was aware of both Poochyena's barking madly at him. He felt his arms go cold and numb, but he was aware of them and their uncomfortable position.

Maxie's hand was rubbing his back. He could hear Maxie breathing behind him.

"Don't rock," he calmly muttered. "Don't rely on that for comfort."

Archie nodded his head, slowly coming to. He blinked again, lowering his arms, feeling his chest heave less and less as he continued the same breathing pattern assigned to him. Maxie stopped rubbing his back, moving the hand on his other shoulder, holding him in place and making sure Archie didn't break into a fit of shakes or rocks.

He heard a clicking sound. Archie turned his head and spotted his Zubat flying over to him. The small Pokémon had its mouth opened in an "O" shape that trembled around the edges. The Poochyena calmed down.

"How are you feeling?" he heard Maxie ask.

Archie broke away from his Zubat. "It's dead," he whimpered.

"These things happen," Maxie said, his sad voice hinting a sadder truth. "Going outside will only result in you having another attack."

"I o-only wanted…"

"To help it? Of course you did." His voice was becoming more consoling with every word he spoke. "But…it already happened."

Archie blinked, letting the few tears he had roll halfway down his face before wiping them away. He felt Zubat grab hold of his left arm, rubbing its face against his cool skin, making soft humming sounds.

He looked down at it. "I'm sorry." He reached with his other hand and let his fingers rub against the Pokémon's head.

"It's alright," he heard Maxie say.

He closed his eyes. "Shit," he groaned. He brought his hand back to his face. "Shit!" He rubbed his temple.

"It's difficult." He felt Maxie let go of his shoulder. "Just try to calm down."

"I am..." Archie heard the Poochyena move away, and he wondered to himself if it were possible for this day to get any worse. "I just..."

"You really cared about it," Maxie muttered.

"I should've saved some money and tried capturin' it." Archie shook his head. "And now it's dead."

His Zubat suddenly flew off of him. Archie removed his hand to see where the Pokémon had gone off to, but was greeted with trembling arms wrapping around his chest. Maxie's head pressed against his back and shoulder.

"I'm sorry," he heard Maxie say into his shoulder. "Sometime I forget what it feels like, to be helpless…I've gone past that point, so I forget and let my own personal opinions get the best of me."

Archie's raised his head up, staring out with a lidded eyes, feeling his heart continue to slow to a calm.

Maxie's arms stopped shaking. "You're not a bad person, and I was a fool to even bring myself to think otherwise, even for a moment."

"Thanks," Archie said, feeling a small smile beginning to form.

"What happened to you, all those years ago," Maxie proceeded, his voice retaining that dignified tone that impressed Archie so much, "that was another life. This is the one you're in now, and what you're doing, and who you are…" Maxie stopped himself from becoming too emotional.

Archie looked down and stared at the two arms wrapped around him. Even with Maxie's long sleeves, nothing could hide their frail, thin form, and Archie was almost astounded that the man could even reach around him.

"I'm not one to admit mistakes very well," Maxie said, "…but if you'd be willing to forgive my behavior the past week, I'd be so grateful…and I want you to know…"

"I forgive you," Archie interrupted, wiping his face once more. "And Maxie?"

"Yes, Archie?"

"I'm sorry," he said.

Maxie's face buried itself into Archie's back. "I don't think..." he started. Archie waited for Maxie to collect himself. "I don't believe you're the same as them. The rest of them. No." Considering how warm the man usually was, and how overdressed he tended to be, Archie was almost positive the extra burst of heat he was feeling was because the poor man was blushing. "You're a good person."

Archie blinked. "Thanks, Max." And now Archie's back felt like it was burning.

Maxie exhaled heavily into Archie's back. The man somehow found it in himself to laugh at it, even though he was so tired, and so worn out, and still sad over the fact that something wonderful was gone from this world.

The redhead finally lifted away from Archie, quickly bringing himself up. He fixed his clothes, bringing his sleeves down before offering his hand to Archie.

"That's what friends are for," he said, staring down at Archie with his usual demeanor, minus the red cheeks. "And…I wouldn't be surprised if we ended up helping each other more in the future, what with us recently coming across all these similarities."

Archie stared at the pale hand offering itself to him. The Zubat flew past him and landed itself right on Maxie's shoulder, looking comfortable, as though it were always meant to be. Archie felt a small paw tap his foot and he looked over and saw the fluffier Poochyena lowering its head and sniffing him, wagging its tail in the meantime.

He smiled at Maxie and took his hand.