Chapter Two
Defiance

Val's wake up call was her Houndoom barking loudly at the door. She told Ren to be quiet. She listened and heard someone gently knocking on the door. She stretched lazily, not wanting to get out from underneath the blanket. None of the other Poke'mon stirred except for Ren, who was still staring at the door intently, and Varric who yawned and sat up.
The knocking wouldn't cease so she stood up, a bit irritated, and opened the door. Ned greeted her smugly and handed her a flimsy square package. It was somewhat thin, covered in a brown paper and secured with twine. He also handed over a pair of knee high, plain black boots. She looked at him questionably.
"When you finish getting changed, Giovanni wants to see you," Ned said deftly and walked away.
She closed the door and turned around, Varric looking back at her.
"A uniform, I'm guessing?"
"I guess," she said and walked in the bathroom to change.
Varric waited and looked at her when she finally came out. The uniform was mainly white with black sleeves and the black boots. The top was semi-short with a high neck and a black half tank top underneath it. She kept the collar on, slipping it over the neck of the white shirt. A big red R was clearly visible on the front. But most surprisingly, she had let her hair down from the pigtails that she usually had up. It fit her nicely. She coughed lightly, feeling a little uncomfortable in the new attire.
"Well, do you want to go with me to see Giovanni?"
Varric nodded and jumped out of bed. She patted Ren's head and praised him before leaving the room. They walked to the office door and knocked twice. Giovanni told them to come in. As Val entered her looked at her for a few seconds, admiring the way she wore the outfit. He snapped out of it quickly and finally spoke, "Glad to see it fits. There weren't many of those so I had to guess the size. Anyway, take a seat. We never got to discuss what Team Rocket is about."
She sat down, Varric beside her. That was true; she agreed to join without asking the most important questions. The food and her hunger overpowered the logical side of her. Giovanni leaned back in his chair, his hands folded in his lap.

"First though, did you enjoy the food?"
She nodded, "It was very delicious."
"Good, good. And is your room to your liking?"
"Very much so," Val said. She had to admire his apparent politeness.
Ned walked through a door from the right side of the office, leading a Persian in. The cat-like poke'mon gracefully walked to Giovanni and sat next to his side. Ned stood somewhat near Giovanni and Val, than brushed some jet-black hair away from his steel-gray eyes. Varric's fur bristled as he looked from Ned back to Giovanni; there was just something her didn't like about the situation.
"Well, now for the matter at hand," Giovanni said, his voice crisp, clear and demanding attention, "Team Rocket is based largely on Poke'mon. The exploitation of them. Capturing and selling strong and rare poke'mon."
Val already wished she never came here. Just what he said already she disagreed with. The new outfit she wore, she was already disgusted with it. Even the tone of his voice at the present time made her flinch. It was laced with a cruel, sadistic sound. Varric was now glaring at Giovanni, using all the restraint he had not to jump up and attack him. The Persian started purring and he put a hand on it's head as he continued, "We also conduct experimental research on them as well. Our oath, as posted on posters all over our bases is, ' Steal Poke'mon for profit. Exploit Poke'mon for profit. All Poke'mon exist for the glory of Team Rocket.' But our ultimate goal is to take over the world using Poke'mon. And you Val. You are going to be the greatest tool in helping us reach that goal. You and your strong Poke'mon will be the ones to clear the path to success!"
He laughed manically, drunk on the idea of money and complete power. She clenched her hands into fists and gritted her teeth. The constant saying that she was just a tool, it was clear to her that he didn't just not care about the feeling of Poke'mon, he also had no care about people's feelings. It was obvious that he didn't care about who or what he hurt, or to what extent. He didn't care as long as it didn't get in the way of his ultimate goal. Val stared at the ground, angry at his complete disregard for feelings; Poke'mon and human alike.

He finally stopped laughing and looked at her. His eyes sparkled with joy over the thought of total world domination. The power, wealth and the glory that would surely come with it made him as giddy (and ignorant) as a love-struck school girl.
"What do you say, sounds incredible, doesn't it," he said rather than questioned.
"No," Val said plainly.
Giovanni leaned forward in his chair. That spark in his eyes quickly died as irritation took it's place, "What was that?"
She looked at him directly in his eyes, "I said no. I won't be a part of it. It's sick. And it's cruel and heartless."
He stood up from his seat, a vain in his forehead popping out. He was getting angrier by each passing second. Varric jumped off the couch and was going to defend Val, when the Persian came rushing at him. It stopped short of being nose-to-nose with him, staring each other down. Both were ready to attack at the given command.
"You dare defy me?" Giovanni said loudly, nearly shouting.
He nodded at Ned and with that, Ned had Val's arms behind her back. She struggled a little, but knew he overpowered her by a long shot. Giovanni opened the office door and made a hand motion. Ned started pushing her forward to the open door, keeping her hands securely behind her. The Persian started advancing towards Varric, causing him to walk backwards. He dared not turn his back or take his eyes off the poke'mon. As soon as they were all in the hallway, Giovanni opened up Val's room door. The Persian herded Varric in the room and Ned released Val's hands and shoved her in the room. The forcefulness of his push caused her to stumble forwards and fall; her hands just barely broke her fall. She sat up and looked at the doorway. Giovanni was glaring at her as he spoke, "When you learn some obedience, you can come out."
He slammed the door as Val stood up and shouted, "You'll find I'm not as easy as most Poke'mon to control!"
She heard the door lock and the office door being slammed shut shortly after. Val flopped down on the bed and laid on the her stomach, burying her head in the pillow. The blanket she loved so much when she first arrived, she suddenly didn't want to lay on anymore. It was the same shade of red as the R that was on her outfit. She hated the place, the room and Team Rocket. But mostly she just hated Giovanni.
Val turned over on her back and looked around the room. Her Poke'mon were crowded around the bed, trying to figure out what was wrong. Varric was sitting on the bed, looking down at her.
"I'm sorry that I got you all into this mess," she said very apologetically.
"None of us blame you for anything. Your intentions are good. It's not your fault that his are not," Varric said and all the Poke'mon sounded in agreement.
Val sighed and continued to stare at the ceiling. That night, no food was brought to any of them.
That next morning, the door was still locked. There wasn't a whole lot any of them could do except lay around all day. She thought about a lot of things that day. Like if this was what it was like inside of a poke'ball and what it would have been like had her parent's not have passed away like they did. But Varric's constant presence reminded her of their strong-founded friendship. And she was thankful for that. And for her other poke'mon that she had. At least she wasn't left alone.
Some time during the course of the afternoon, she overheard a Rocket Grunt had found her campsite and brought the stuff to Giovanni. He said to just throw it in a corner and that she could have it when she cooperates better. She continued staring at the walls and the ceiling most of the afternoon and evening, listening to Giovanni bark out mindless orders to his minions left and right. She summed it up to him trying to regain the feeling of control over people again.
Late that night, Giovanni unlocked and opened the door. She rolled over and looked at him. Some guy that looked at timid as a Rattatta out in the open, was standing behind him.
"There's food," Giovanni started, "For the Poke'mon in the hallway if they want it."
Eva, Nexis and Gazette ran to get some almost immediately. Ren and Varric lingered however.
"Go on. Go eat you guys. Keep up your strength," Val encouraged.
Varric was going to debate, but from the look she gave him, he knew she wasn't going to let up this time. So begrudgingly, the two walked out.
After about ten minutes, they were all ushered back in. Before closing the door, Giovanni looked at her. She was looking slightly paler than before.
"Are you ready to comply yet?" he asked.
Val rolled over and stayed silent. She heard him sigh and lock the door again.
By the third day, Varric and the others had had become nervous. Val's rapidly deteriorating health was concerning them. She slept all day and all night, waking only a few times during the day, but not for more than a few minutes at a time. She tried to stay awake, but she was feeling a little weak. Plus, the sound of Giovanni's pacing in the office didn't help in keeping her up. His footsteps were rhythmic and heavy, much like the ticking of a clock. She just couldn't bring herself to stay awake.

By the afternoon of the fourth day, fear gripped Varric. Val hadn't woken up at all during the night or the morning. He needed to get Giovanni's attention. Anyone's really, just as long as they would help. He reared up on his back legs and started scratching at the door. Soon the others were at it, except Gazette the Noctowl, who perched on the dresser keeping a close eye on Val.
Giovanni heard the scratching in is office. After it wouldn't stop, he got up and opened the office door and told them to quit. Their persistence wouldn't stop. He was quite irritated by now as he unlocked the door. He was about to yell, but when he looked at Varric, he didn't. He might not have been a very emotional man, but he knew the look Varric had in his eyes. Fear.
"Val didn't wake up at all last night. She hasn't woke up at all today. We're beginning to get worried," Varric tried to say as calmly as possible.
At that moment Val did wake up. She tried to get out of bed, oblivious to the fact that all eyes were on her. She managed to stand up, but had to support herself with her hand on the wall. But that was as far as she went. Giovanni stared at what stood ahead of him. Val was looking at the floor, almost in a dazed or confused like state. Her skin was paler than normal and she was trembling. Her breathing was shallow; even her hair had lost its natural luster. He called out her name and soon she managed to lift her head to look at him, he regretted it. Her once lively eyes were now dull and lifeless. There was a slight silence and than she blacked out, hitting the ground with a light thud.
Poke'mon and Giovanni alike rushed over to her. For that moment in time they were all they were all the same. They were all equally worried. And in that same moment, Giovanni felt something that he hadn't felt in years. The same thing that he seen when he looked in Varric's eyes. The fear.