Chapter 8: Kings To Be

Author's Note: I would like to start off this installment by saying thank you to everyone who has written a review/critique. Your compliments mean a lot to me, and I've received some constructive criticism to help make this story better for you. This is for you, guys! Enjoy!

Archie sat at his desk in the office suite Giovanni had given to him to make his administrative contributions in. Scattered in front of him were reports from his grunts, maps, schematics of machines, and other clutter. Things were going smoothly, or so he'd heard. He supposed that his partners and himself were all to be grateful, but they had their faults as well.

He started with himself. He was the head of Team Aqua, and was acting on a great plan he'd devised with the others. When he first came to Viridian, he only knew that they'd be on to something big. Before that, though, he'd had a heck of a time rallying his loyal grunts and administrators together. Things weren't well after Kyogre and Groudon faced off in a battle of cataclysmic proportions. It was during that time he was possessed by the red orb and had Kyogre in his control for a brief time before losing the orb and Kyogre in one single blow. He'd be defeated that day, but he wanted to get back to his original objective soon. Preferably after all the dust from his current mission was settled.

The next person was Maxie. His longtime rival, and head of Team Magma. Like Archie, he'd lost much after the great battle, though no doubt he also wished to resume his duties soon. He didn't care much for Maxie, and the only reason he was working with him now was because of the profit in his current venture. After that, their feud would be alive and well again. Alas, some things never will truly change.

Then there was Cyrus. He was the boss of Team Galactic, and he looked to be a very wise and powerful man. However, he preferred the company of his computers more than anybody else, so he was around only if the situation required it. Otherwise, he was locked up in his own office, doing his own thing. Not much else to see about him.

Finally, Giovanni. It was Giovanni who got the idea of a global takeover in the first place, and it was he who summoned them all to Viridian several days ago to formulate a plan. The only problem Archie had with Giovanni was that Giovanni always seemed to be hiding something from the group. What the matter was, he could not tell. He hoped it was nothing major. Still, every time the Team Rocket boss talked, he looked like he was troubled by something.

All that was trivial at the moment. The future lay ahead, and from the sound of things, it would soon be the time to begin the next phase of the plan.

The plan was comprised of several phases. Each plotted by a person who would oversee it. Giovanni's portion was first. He distributed their forces throughout the lands, taking control of the cities and towns, as well as taking travelers into their custody. So far, that was a huge success.

Now, it was his turn. Taking more troops into his command, he was to locate the legendary Pokémon Mespirit, Azelf, and Uxie. This, along with Maxie's duties, would make Cyrus's phase possible. Though he was unsure what those two were doing exactly.

Archie leaned back and sighed. Now that he thought of it, he knew he'd have guests coming. Two of Cyrus's men found a lone traveler outside of Rustboro City in the Hoenn region, and likewise, several of Maxie's followers captured a flamboyant man in Goldenrod City in the Johto region. Perhaps these individuals would be helpful to the cause once they arrived here, which would be within the next day or two. There might be more of them, too.

Sitting back up, Archie immediately went back to work. Soon, he thought, everything shall be ours.

"C'mon, you three, keep up!" Butch barked.

"Well, maybe if we had some time ta rest, we wouldn't be so slow!" Meowth retorted.

"Tough. We don't rest until nightfall." Cassidy said in a matter-of-factly voice.

The five Rockets were heading through Pewter City. Over the course of just two days, they'd all headed south through Sinnoh and crossed the mountains that served as the border between Sinnoh and Kanto. They were heading to Viridian City to get their next orders from the boss. One more day of traveling was ahead of them before that. In order to maintain their current pace, they slept only six hours at night and marched from shortly before sunrise until dusk. Butch and Cassidy were used to this regimen, although it was apparent that the same was not true for the others. No wonder they screwed up so badly – they were lazy!

James looked up and saw that the sun was setting on the horizon. That filled him with hope – nighttime was the only time he didn't have to listen to the horrible duo run their mouths mercilessly.

Currently, they'd just passed through town. They marched a few miles more before Butch picked out a spot to spend the night.

"Okay you two, hurry up and get us set up while we go find something to eat." Cassidy ordered.

As they walked off, James reached into the pack on his back and pulled out a canvass, several tent poles, and some rope. Jessie got their sleeping bags out of her pack. Meowth had nothing else to do, so he assisted his longtime companions in setting up the tent.

They'd just finished setting up the tent when Butch and Cassidy returned with a few small sacks of berries and mushrooms. They would eat first – they reasoned that they should get first dibs on food, as they were the ones who found the bounty. Then they assigned James to set up inside the tent and Jessie and Meowth to collect kindling and start a fire.

"Now listen here, we've done everything you've asked us since two days ago! Why don't you get the wood and start the fire?" Jessie demanded.

"Because we told you to. Now do it!" Cassidy shot back.

"Oh, you're horrid," Jessie muttered.

Cassidy stood up. "What was that? How dare you insult me like that!" She slapped Jessie's face. Jessie recoiled for a moment, gasped, and bitch-slapped back. Soon, the two women were on the ground, biting each other's arms and pulling the other woman's hair.

James watched the catfight with interest. Butch, however, was looking at James with disdain.

"Hey, I thought you were setting up in the tent?"

"Sorry. Didn't realize what my priorities were, bitch."

"The name…is BUTCH!"

"Oh, Butch, right. Not a big deal."

"'Not a big deal'? You've gotten it wrong the last fifty times! What is wrong with you?"

Meowth had set down the kindling and stepped in to intervene.

"KNOCK IT OFF, ALL OF YOUS!" he screamed.

Jessie and Cassidy got off the ground, dusted themselves off, and checked their wounds. James gave Butch a harsh glare (which was quickly returned) before entering the tent. He was joined by Jessie and Meowth. They set up their gear on one side of the tent with great care. As for Butch and Cassidy's stuff, they just took it out of their cases and threw them onto the ground without much regard to visual appeal. Outside, Butch had gotten a fire going, and would be out with Cassidy for a while.

Meowth quickly fell asleep in his own sleeping bag, near the center of the tent. Behind him, Jessie and James lay next to each other. They were still wide awake. Jessie's wounds were hurting, and James was still angry at Butch. Jessie turned her head to face James.

"James? Where did we go wrong? What happened that we got stuck with those horrible people?"

"I don't know, Jess. But I do know that we're better off without them. Maybe after we get to Viridian tomorrow, we can ditch them."

"I do hope so, James. But I can't keep living like this. I just can't." Tears started forming in Jessie's eyes.

Jame's hazel eyes met her azure eyes. "I promise you, we'll be rid of them soon. And then, we won't have to hear anything from Cassidy and Mitch…er…Hutch…augh, whatever!"

Jessie giggled. "You still aren't getting it right. But I don't care about that. We're all here in one piece."

"Yes. At least we still have each other, Jess."

Jessie then shivered. "James, will you hold me?"

"Of course, Jessie." James wrapped an arm around Jessie, who promptly stopped her shivering. With James to comfort her, she began feeling drowsy.

"Good night, James."

"Good night, Jess."

Soon, the three Team Rocket members were snoring away in the one place they could escape the harshness of reality. In their dreams, they were happy and successful. They were also very well respected and famed. Nothing stood between them. And then came a violent shaking.

"Wake up, you. We have to get going."

Butch exited the tent. What felt like mere minutes was actually a few hours. James knew this because as he looked out a window in the tent, he could see the sun beginning to rise. He sighed and proceeded to rouse Jessie and Meowth. It was just another day. One that would be made unnecessarily long and harsh by the ilk of Butch and Cassidy.