Chapter Four
"Meowth."
Yo.
"I want to hear about your past with Giovanni. Nothing else. I want to hear it now. Not arguments. Got it?
Yep.
"Good."
My earliest memories are from da early 2020's. I don't know when I was born. I never knew my parents. Its likely dat I was born in Viridian City, because my earliest memories are of dat place. It's what my I.D. card says. It's what I tell people. My parents were no where. Even at such a young age dat instinct for survival kicks in. I'm living proof of dat. Otherwise I would'a died on those streets. I started learning to fend for my self. Dare was no one to teach me. Friendship must be earned. So I learnt by my mistakes. Learnt how to beg, steal, grift. Of course you can't grift well when you're a Meowth surrounded by humans, and back then I couldn't talk. Not your language anyway. Just da one I learnt from da other Pokemon on da streets. In a way we mostly share da same language. Its not da words dat matter, which is why we got so few of dam. It's da rhythm, tone, pitch and context. Anyways, da upshot was I always needed a partner for grifting, and dat meant splitting whatever food we made off with. No one did it for friendship. Except da Pokemon dat were already being trained, and day had no need for the food I could snatch. Their trainers fed them. Oh, they had "Morals" too. They're easy ta have when ya got nothing else to worry about. Day were always looking down their noses at us. No one would help me out of loyalty. Everyone was too busy concentrating on his own attempts to survive. Dare's no organised crime amongst Pokemon. I guess humans invented dat. It's probably because we always have to battle with other Pokemon. Wild and trained, dare's no difference in dat. Being in da ring, one versus one. I'm sure you've got da official version of my early years on file, so I'll just give you a grief summary. I had two homes then, if you can call dam dat. Two, in case I had to run from someone. It was more convenient. Day were both under seats in public places of entertainment. A cinema and a baseball field. I had to sneak between seats to avoid being seen. I remember da light shafting down, revealing da particles a' dust in front of me. Dare was litter down dare too, but dat was da least of my worries. I remember watching da games and movies from my hiding place. I still love both of dam. I saw people who I could be one day if I played my cards right. One day I saw a movie dat turned my life around. I bet a lot of people who say dat are exaggerating. I'm not. Temptation was a fire inside me back then. A volcano constantly erupting. I had da monopoly on lust and desire. I saw a film called "That Darn Meowth". Apart from it's bad attitude to my species, which I disagree with, it might as well have been based on my own life. It was about a Meowth who grew up on da streets. He was tough, like me and cool, like I hoped I was. He was sneaky, but it got him stuff. He joined a gang, moved up da ladder, became their leader. Den, he got all he wanted. Power, wealth, and, best of all in my opinion, food. Ok, so he suffered at da end, but dat just meant I knew how to avoid his fate. I knew how to act now. Dat film was my mentor. I knew where I had to go. Hollywood. I knew how to act dare in order to win.
So I tried it. Hitched a lift dare. Several of dam in fact. Got to see a lot of new territory. All potentially mine someday, or so I thought. I got to Hollywood, but things took time. In fact time didn't seem to be moving at all. I don't know what I expected. To know what to do when I got dare I guess, but I knew nothing except what I'd know before. I knew how to be a petty thief with no friends, so dat's how I started out. With no one to teach me, I never made progress beyond dat level. I was about ta give up. It was an even bigger disappointment than my life in Viridian City had been. I wanted so much, I just expected it to happen, but it didn't. Life had screwed me again. I went to pieces. Started taking bigger than bigger risks for smaller and smaller rewards. Not being careful. I started making mistakes. Annoying da police just for da sake of it, instead of for a real purpose. I practically invited trouble. Big trouble.
"I have to say, occasionally your comments do deviate from the history I've got written here. Sorry, did I say 'Occasionally', because I meant constantly."
I'm a Meowth. We exaggerate sometimes. It's just what we do. Trust me, da majority of what you hear is true. Ok, so I was in a gang for a while, but it didn't work out. I abandoned dem one day. I'm not proud of it, which is why I didn't mention it. Though, to be fair, I never got a decent share with dem. Anyway, I was not doing too good. Den, when I was on da street one day, sneaking up behind some guy to steal his wallet, I spotted Meowsy. I just stopped right dare, in da middle of a job and da street, risking getting caught. I was just staring at her. Was it instant love, or just instant lust? I don't know. I'd never really experience either before. Not very often since either. I just knew dat right then I wanted her even more than any amount of food. Food was very high on my list of priorities in those days. I taught my self to walk like a human for her. I taught my self to speak full English sentences. She liked humans, so I thought dat's what she wanted. In exchange she rejected me. Called me a freak. You don't mind me just skimming over dis bit a little do you?
"Oh, would it hurt you to dwell on it for too long? A Meowth in love. How cute. Perhaps I should write a poem about it."
Dat's not funny!
"Don't raise your voice to me."
Your not my father ok? I'm sick to death of you telling me to shut up, stick to da subject, not shout. I'm sick of being insulted by you. Cut da attitude or I'm not saying another word, and where will you be then hu? I'm da only one who knows about Giovanni's real past.
"A subject upon which you have so far refused to elaborate. Presuming he did have any secret past. I'm still not convinced that you didn't just make that up to save your own skin. Our aim here isn't to find out what he's done. We already know that. It's how to catch him."
Den what are we doing here? Why are we talking?
"Trust me, I have no idea.'
Well somebody does, or I'd be doing time right now. You seemed pretty interested earlier.
"Ok. Whatever. Just get on with it."
Starting to lose your power now hu? You can't just shout at a guy till he does what you say. You do it too often, and he realizes you don't have da balls to do anything else.
"Tell us it. Don't make me say please."
Ok. I'll tell you, but remember: you may be able to intimidate Ben, but not me. I've dealt with experts. I am an expert. I know all about intimidation. So, I did everything, but it felt like da entire world rejected me. I was about to give up. Den, I was walking home one night, in freezing wind. Middle of winter. My breath streaming out in front of me like cigarette smoke. I look up, and I see dis sign. It said "GIOVANNI KETCHUM'S TALENT AGENCY".
"Did you say Ketchum? As in the famous Pokemon Trainer from Pallet Town?"
We'll get to dat. Be patient. I looked up to it, and it was da third great revelation of my life. Like seeing dat movie, and later Meowsy. I realize then what it would take to get what I wanted. I had a talent. I was a Pokemon who could speak English. Even da Meowth in da film couldn't do dat. Day used subtitles for da Pokemon's dialogue. I could star in one of those movies. I could shoot straight up to da top with what I've got. So, like an idiot, I got suckered in by hope again. Thank God I did. Dare was some stuff I had to do first. I'd looked up at enough cinema scenes to know dat only half was talent. Da rest was making a good first impression. I knew what stars like George Clooney and Tom Cruise had. Style. Day looked good, day had charisma and day were men of action. Da first I could buy, and da third I already had. All I needed was da second, but I figured I could learn it as I went on. So, first I went to one of those Pokemon beauty parlours dat humans used to make their Pokemon look good. I had, as you can imagine, picked up some cash on da streets during my career thus far. Most of it I had used to buy food, but I kept some just in case it would ever be needed. Understand, I'm not greedy. Do I look fat to ya? It's just dat food is what you need first at da bottom of da poverty ladder. Ya don't got food, ya starve. Even shelter ya can live without. Anyway, a little money went a long way in getting me a good haircut, despite not being with a Trainer. Since I couldn't wear clothes, I figured I was just about set in da looks department. So, I gathered all my self confidence together and went back to dat talent agency. If you went into da agency, after seeing da top floor of da Team Rocket HQ, presuming da agency's still dare, you'd see dat Giovanni's taste in reception rooms never changes. Da sunny but bland look is in with him. Look good instead 'a doing good. It was a bit shabbier of course, but, apart from dat, they could have been created by da same decorator. I was met by da receptionist, Delia Ketchum. Before you say anything, trust me, I'm getting to dat. She probably looked about da same as she does in your files. Brown hair, slim, short, not dat good looking in my opinion. She's got a kinda sunny disposition though. She feels warm. Dat's da best way I can think of describing it. So dat sort of emanates from her in an appearance-changing manner. She looks like a summer day. She was a little surprised to find out dat I could talk. I get really sick of dat sometimes. It must be how a real film star feels. Everyone is taken back da instant they meet me, but I just think of my self as a Pokemon like any other. What did I do ta deserve all dis attention? After we got da facts about my abilities out of da way, I asked her what she could do for me. She said she could take me to Giovanni's office. It turned out his imagination in regard ta interior decoration is very limited. It was a little gloomier and untidier than his office in da HQ, but again, apart from dat, it was practically a clone. I tell ya, da boss was different back then though. He was slimmer, faster acting, more willing to take risks. He had a hands-on approach back then. Basically, he was younger. He hadn't been hit by life yet in da way I had. He was less sleek looking, but it wasn't because he just picked himself up from da gutter. It was 'cause he wasn't earning as much as he wanted others to believe back then. He couldn't afford da personal attention and business suits he gets now.
"We don't often get Meowth's in here. Can I assume you didn't sneaked in some how? That you're here because you need an agent?" he asked. I was shocked. He wasn't surprised to see me dare. Right from da bat he wasn't treating me like an outsider. It was a professional relationship from day 1. He roped me in right from da start. Dat moment is very significant in our story. It did more to form our friendship than anything else in da next 40 years, and it happened as soon as I set eyes on him.
"Yep. Dis is a talent agency. Clearly your not up front about my talent, though I don't mind 'cause you're not trying to avoid da topic either. So I might as well be upfront about it. I can speak English. About as well as Sylvester Stallone, but I can get better. I've been watching movies for as long as I can remember. I love them. I've run out 'a options. I've got no where else to go. No other way ta make money. I wanna be in da movies."
"You want to act?"
"Got it in one."
"This is not an easy business to get into with no experience or training whatsoever, using the services of only a small agency like mine. What do you want me to say? "You've got talent kid, and a dream, and sometimes that's enough?" I'm not a poster for one of those films you love."
I didn't think he said it ta hurt me. He does come off as harsh in front of some people. He doesn't worry if he'll be hurting a spade's feelings by calling it a spade. He…look, I'm sure you've had enough of dis from Ben. He loves dis "Psychoanalyzing" as he calls it. I may have done it my self a few times whilst I've been telling you dis. Basically, strange as it sounds, Giovanni was trying ta protect me. He had heard a brief description of what I'd been through. Probably saw my hunger. Be it for food, as well as just having some way of lifting my self out of dis pit I'd seem to have been born in. Dat I still hadn't figured out how to get out of. He didn't even really know me then, although I prefer to think he recognised something in me dat drew us together somehow. We did seem to become close to each other very quickly. Da point is he probably saw beings, human beings but still creatures dat are similar to me, in da same position as I was, every day. If I had to do dat job I think I'd start to loose hope for anyone who walked in da door da moment I heard those hinges creaking. It would get so I couldn't stand to watch them torture themselves based on my advice just to discover dat it was pointless. Dat their careers hadn't just stopped, but had never started in da first place. I think dat's what had happened to him by then. I can buy dat. Ok, so dat means he was trying to save himself from disappointment too. It was a partially selfish motive, but he was trying to help me too. As for my thoughts about it, I just didn't care how badly da odds were stocked against me. I had nothing to loose. As for not wanting to see him looking devastated dat I'd failed, either he didn't know how hard I was willing to try or he could handle it.
"I'm gonna do dis. You can help me, or you can risk losing someone who might do better than you think. Da choice is yours" I said. He was silent and serious for a moment. Considering it.
"Sit down. Can I get you some coffee?" he asked. Ya see he was different in dat way too back den. He didn't leave da little details up to da lower ranks.
"Sure" I said, after hesitating slightly. I hoped he wasn't about to give me a long version of da "You'll never make it in Hollywood" speech he gave me 30 seconds earlier. I had plenty of time to wonder. He left da room. I correctly figured dare was a kitchen somewhere in da building. I'd seen a couple of doors in da reception leading ta unknown destinations. I quickly decided not to dwell on dat though, as something interesting on his desk caught my eye. Amongst da phone, official looking papers, diary, address book etcetera, was one personal item. A photograph of a young women. Nice dress. Fashion conscious in her choice of hair style and makeup too. Classy. Like my Meowsy. She was holding a baby with black hair and blue eyes. It could have come free with a wallet bought from Woolworths. Except Giovanni was in it. It was his family. I heard him return and quickly looked away from it. He surprised me again immediately after re-entering da room with 2 steaming coffee mugs.
"You quickly looked at me the second I entered the room. I didn't see what you were busy studying while I was out, but, since it's the only thing in this room that stands out, I assume it was the photograph on my desk."
He'd taken on da role of headmaster in front of a kid who just disobeyed da rules. I felt like saying "Yes sir." I guess I've kept dat image of him for a long time now. I confirmed Giovanni's guess.
"I sometimes let my secretary take care of him. Often actually. My wife died a few weeks after that picture was taken. Don't ask. Don't be sympathetic. I'm telling you this to pre-empt you. Otherwise I wouldn't talk about it. Got it?"
"I'm think beginning to understand."
It's a miracle.
"Should I bother being insulted?"
I wouldn't.
"His son is Ash Ketchum right? This is huge. The newspapers…I just don't know what everyone's going to say. The Elite Four…will they still accept him? I…"
You're shocked. I never imagined I'd see dat. Just let the story unfold ok?
"Of course that is presuming you're not just telling me what you think I want to hear. 'Exaggerating' as you might call it"
Either I am or I ain't. It don't affect how quickly I tell ya all dis, which ya said ya wanted to hear. What does is whether or not ya keep interrupting me. Everything will be revealed in time. I promise. If you don't wanna believe me once it's done, dat's your choice. First I gotta do it or ya won't have anything to believe or disbelieve.
"Fair enough. I'm starting to get intrigued now. Which means either you're clever and a good liar. Or their really is a lot of new, real events for me learn. That have been kept secret for too long. You do have a point though."
Thanks, at last!
"I can still send you to jail, and I will. No shouting I swear, but I'm still in charge even if I'm polite, because I do have the power here."
Fine by me. Anyway, we were sitting, facing each other. He started talking:
"I can find you work in film. Well, adverts and bit parts in TV at first, but, hopefully, film eventually. That's hopefully mind you. I'm not making any promises except for the fact that I'll try as hard as you do. If you don't work, no one will hire you. You'll soon get a reputation for laziness. If you don't work, neither of us gets paid, so I won't waste my time on you. If you work hard on the other hand, and if I think you've got a chance, which I do, or I wouldn't be telling you this, then I'll do my best as well. Our resources are limited, but you are a talking Pokemon, and that is a big resource. You said it was ok to address that point right? Anyway, I'll do my best with my contacts. They're our other resource. However, I want you to do something for me too. You might not want to because it might make you think that I'm just asking you to do what I'm guessing you did before. Guessing it by the way you talk. By the state you were in when you first came in here, and the way you seem to be constantly looking out for an escape or an opportunity, with those eyes of yours that are always shifting around. I would guess you've done a few…morally questionably acts before."
"He has a point about the eyes. Guess it isn't just a stereotype. Or an insult."
Shut up and listen will ya? Dis is important. Anyway, he kept talking:
"Don't deny it. There's no point. It's not my job to arrest people. I've done those same things my self, as you're about to hear, so I certainly won't judge you. I know your kind because I've seen them before. This won't be instead of you working as an actor though. It will be an addition to the auditions. You'll see. I just want you to have a backup. To help me and to help your self."
I must admit I was starting ta get a bit suspicious 'cause 'a dis speech, but I knew I wasn't gonna get any further unless I let him finish. Besides, I was starting to get drawn in. I guess I am always looking out for an opportunity like you and he said.
"What do ya want me ta do?" I asked.
"I have a few…extra curricular activities I want you to perform, with the help of some of my other clients. Sometimes Pokemon that I feel are meant to be transported to me end up getting to the wrong people some how. That type of thing. I'm sure you understand. I think you'd be perfect for it. You don't have to agree. You don't 'have' to do anything. However, I think you want to have a career in both areas. You can possibly become good at acting, and I'll help you with that, and you'll always be able to make money from that once you succeed. However, you can also become good at the other things some of my clients, I call them 'Team Rocket', do. You've never had help from other people I suspect, or the resources those people provide. Again, I can see it in you. Trust me on that. I can just tell by looking at you. That's not an insult. Just an observation. With help, you can succeed where once you failed. Finally, I don't think you can give up the life you're used to. I couldn't."
Dare really isn't any such thing as a free lunch. Dat final sentence hinted at so much. I was intrigued from then on. Plus I didn't think he'd work as hard for me as I wanted him to if I didn't obey him. Finally, maybe he was right about not wanting to stop doing jobs. I've never given it up either. I could'a done just then, but I chose not to walk away. In a way I choose to be where I am today all dat time ago. So I said yes, and I thought "Yes" joyfully in my mind. At last I was getting close.
"Makes my heart melt, but you still keep leaving me with more questions than answers. I'm getting tired of it."
All I'm asking for is a little trust and patience. Think about it. I've hinted at Ash Ketchum's real origin, I've told you what my early life was really like, and I've already described what da boss did before he became da boss. You want me.
"I want more now."
Look, just give me a few minutes to gather my thoughts.
"Your lies you mean?"
My thoughts. These memories are from a long time ago. I need to sort them out in my mind. Put them into some kind 'a order. Please.
"I suppose I could talk to Ben for a while."
Ok. Then, when you get back, I promise I'll disable da myths about Madame Boss, and tell you how Team Rocket really got started.