Chapter 40: Days With Team Rocket
"You did good Sneasel. You did good. Here you go." Jessie tossed the confectionary to him.
Blade caught it and examined it. It was a single piece of some sort of purple food, barely a mouthful. "Oh thanks," He grunted sarcastically.
"Hey! Why don't I get no stinkin' Poké-block?" said Meowth resentfully, folding his arms.
"Because you didn't battle," Jessie replied to him sharply.
"Neither did Wobbuffet." Meowth pointed at the Pokémon which resembled a blue blob, holding a sack full of the strange food, multi-coloured cubes of concentrated berries, shoving them happily into his mouth.
He happily saluted and let out a cry of "Wobbuffet," grinning stupidly.
Jessie folded her arms and looked down at Meowth. "Yes, but it's my Poké-block, made from my berries, and I chose to give it to Wobbuffet."
Blade tuned them out and enjoyed what little he could get. Their petty squabbles were like that of parents and children. More functional than his own.
Realising he wasn't going to win this argument, Meowth sighed and glanced around jealously at Blade, Arbok, Serviper, and James' Noibat all holding or munching on Poké-block.
Blade couldn't resist, he had taken to tormenting the cat pokemon as inconveniently as he could. He shot Meowth a smug grin before throwing the purple cube into the air and catching it in his teeth. It wasn't bad. Fruity and sweet. There just wasn't much of it. Not much of a reward for winning all the battles for his trainer.
Meowth glared at him and clenched his paws into fists. "Nya. Why you stuck up little!"
The grin on Blade's muzzle widened as he watched Meowth's face contorted with rage. There was little he could do but insult and mutter at Blade. He wasn't tough or stupid enough to fight him…Again!
Tormenting him was one of the few things he could enjoy about being forced to fight for these humans. Otherwise he would have found the experience completely intolerable. He swallowed the food and closed an eye and stuck his tongue out a Meowth.
Meowth's face went a deep shade of vermilion. "Nya. I'll show ya!"
The cat suddenly lunged at Blade, taking a swipe at him with his claws. Blade side stepped him and formed a small blue orb in his claw, before firing it into the cat's back, encasing Meowth from neck to foot in a block of ice.
"Nya. No fair. Lemme go."
"Well it serves you right for attacking him like that," said Jessie.
"But but he was," Meowth started to protest before Jessie interjected.
"You need to cool down."
Meowth's face flushed hot. Blade covered his mouth in an attempt to stifle a laugh.
Suddenly there was a loud bang from behind them, and a nasty burnt smell filled the air.
Jessie spun around to see an ashen faced James staring over a smoking machine of sorts.
"James. WHAT DID YOU DO!"
"I-I didn't do anything," James sputtered, cowering under Jessie's glare.
"You broke my Poké-block maker. YOU CLUMSY…"
Blade strolled away before Jessie and James could really start their psychotic argument. He knew he couldn't get far. Certainly not with the collar, but he could get away from their screaming.
There was a lighthouse that stood on a hill nearby, one of few landmarks. He slid down the side of the hill and onto the beach. He sighed and stared out at the waves. "Fuck my life," He muttered to himself under his breath. 'How did I get here? How did everything go so wrong?' he thought 'A trained pokemon. I'm a trained pokemon, forced to serve Team Rocket of all humans. A trained pokemon, despite all my time avoiding it. So I never end up like my first pack….' His thoughts continued without interruption 'How had I managed to lose…everything? My family… Pyre and Raiee my friends. Even Shadow…The Darkrai I loved so much…And thought loved me hadn't lifted a paw to help me….'
Of course, Blade knew how it had all gone wrong. It was all thanks to a kid. A fucked up little kid Blade had been too stupid but to trust.
"If I ever see that fucking kid again." He slammed his claws together in a threatening motion. He sighed and walked out along the beach, far enough to allow the waves to wash over his foot paws. Even with the distance he could still hear their arguing. Poké-block this, sold bottle cap collection that, all pointless, all meaningless to Blade.
For a second, Blade seriously considered just walking out into the sea. Considered letting the sea claim him. To let his body be torn asunder by the waves, or by the cruel vicious pokemon of the sea. To let his pain wash away with the footprints in the sand.
*The Next Day*
For one shining moment Blade had though he might be beginning to understand why some Pokémon like being trained Pokémon…The crowd was cheering for him…And for Jessie too, of course…but really cheering for him.
He was standing on the podium beside Jessie. As she was presented with the set of Pokémon dolls by an announcer of some description, giving some speech about who knew what. Blade wasn't listening and didn't really care. He just raised his claws in victory and enjoyed the sound of their applause.
He felt a glow of pride in his chest. Not a feeling he had experienced all too often in his life. The only other person to make him feel like this was Shadow. And all he'd had to do was beat some stupid Psyduck.
But all that evaporated once they'd left the arena…
"Okay. Here you are Sneasel," Jessie said as she dumped the box containing her prize dolls on his head. "I need you to help me carry this back to camp. Oh, and be careful with them, they're delicate."
"I have a name," Blade muttered under his breath. Suddenly feeling all the joy drain out of him. "Care to use it. Human!"
Jessie either didn't notice or chose to ignore him.
In truth the box wasn't a huge imposition. After years of tough training Blade was definitely strong enough to carry it with ease. But it was kind of awkward given the box was larger than he was, and he had to walk hunched over carrying it on his upper back and shoulders.
James and Meowth were waiting for them by the edge of the forest just outside of town. The two humans embraced each other the moment they met, with James giving his friend a hearty congratulations.
"Well done Jessie. You won."
"No need to act so surprised James," Jessie replied smugly. "Of course, I did. You forget. I used to be one of the top coordinators in the Sinnoh region."
"You mean I won," Blade spat through gritted teeth. The back of his neck was starting to hurt from being pushed against the box. "I beat all those Pokémon. I got you all this crap. It's not like you even trained me."
He had intended it as a whispered, but Jessie had clearly heard him.
"Oh, what's your problem," she said folding her arms and glowering at him. "Come on we've still got to get those dolls back to camp. And I'm warning you if you let any damage to come to a single one of those, I'll shove Meowth up your…" she broke off.
Blade felt a flush of anger rise inside him. He wanted to throw the box against the nearest tree, shattering every last doll inside, though he knew that wouldn't do him a bit of good. If he angered them it would just make his life that much more irritating. "When my boyfriend comes for you," He muttered.
But the comforting comment stabbed at his heart. He hadn't heard from Shadow in a long time. And a dark fear had begun to prey on his mind. What if he had truly been abandoned?
"You okay dare pal," Meowth asked him, noticing how red Blade had gone in the face.
"Do I fucking look okay," Blade snapped back and Meowth backed off. As much as he loved to torment the cat, his concern didn't go unnoticed.
"Okay okay," he said, holding up his paws. "Keep ya feather in."
The trek to the camp site took about 20 minutes. And Blade, built for the cold, was breathing heavily, his fur matted with sweat in the warmth of the evening, by the time they arrived.
He set down the box only to have Jessie snap at him, "no it needs to be put in the balloon." She jabbed her thumb at an insufferable Meowth head balloon.
He groaned when he noticed how high the sides of the basket were. It was at least a head taller than he was. "Fuck. Really." 'You have got to be fucking kidding me' it took a bit of doing, but Blade managed to fulfil the task, not without working up a worse sweat and irritation.
The rest of the evening passed uneventfully. Blade was given a meal along with the other Pokémon. It was little more than a handful of dry kibble, though still he wolfed it down. He'd learned long ago not to be picky when it came to food. The downside of having a cruel and neglectful alpha, and a mother who worked herself half to death to get him what little she could.
Then it was time for bed. There was a long tent shaped like a Serviper and inside of which were two sleeping bags and a small basket for Meowth.
But when he tried to follow the scratch cat inside, Jessie halted him at the entrance and held out his Pokémon. "Oh no. I don't want a smelly Sneasel in the bedroom. You sleep in your Pokéball."
"But but. You let…"
"You can sleep in your Pokéball or outside, but you aren't coming in here."
"Wobbuffet." The annoying blue blob of a Pokémon appeared from behind Jessie's shoulder, grinning at him with that stupid grin.
He sighed and turned away. 'Why did I get my hopes up?' he thought.
"Suit yourself," said Jessie, before zipping the serviper tent closed.
Blade sat down against the trunk of a large tree and sighed. Again, he asked himself the question…
"How the fuck did my life come to this…"
'Was this really how he was to live out the rest of his days? As a pet, to these humans? These immature, self-absorbed, idiotic, incompetent humans?' Blade let his mind wander.
Battling to win pointless trophies, or else carry out some dark human deed, not getting fed proper meals, made to carry boxes…
"Shadow will rescue me," He tried to tell himself. "He's never let me down before."
Only once again, a dark evil voice in his head replied, 'But he hasn't come yet has he. He hasn't lifted a paw to help you so far. He even told you he wasn't himself.' His claws moved to the thick leather collar around his neck. His mind was plagued by that voice.
"He will come. He just…Needs to find a way not to get affected by this thing."
'You just keep telling yourself that idiot.' That voice, the voice of his tormentor.
"Shadow wouldn't leave me like this. He loves me…"
'Of course, he does.' He kept hearing Cleave in his head, tormenting him mercilessly.
"He does…"
'You're almost cute in a tragic, pathetic sort of way. Letting the humans push you around while you wait for your heroic boyfriend to spring from the Shadows and sweep you off your foot paws. Dumbass…'
"Fuck you."
He closed his eyes to try to get some sleep. But his dreams were no better than being awake. He was running through a shadowy forest chasing a dark red eye. But no matter how fast he ran it always stayed ahead of him.
"No…NO wait for me!" He was in a panic as he chased after it.
Finally, he tripped and fell flat on his face. He watched as the eye disappeared down the path, out of reach, leaving him all alone in this dark, desolate place.
"Wait. Please don't leave me. DON'T LEAVE MEEEEE."
"Ahh!" He awoke in a panic. At first, he thought it was the dream that had woken him. Then he felt the wetness on his fur and realized it was starting to rain.
"Brilliant," he muttered to himself. "Just brilliant." His luck would be that bad.
He got to his paws, shivering and looking around for somewhere to take shelter. He could climb a tree, but the branches were so thin and the leaves sparse that the canopy would offer little protection.
And then he spotted the balloon… A dark, terrible idea invaded his mind! 'How high could that thing go? High enough that if I were to jump the fall would kill me? Or at least break a few bones? Maybe his spine? How useful would a paralyzed Sneasel be to Team Rocket? Useless enough to convince them to leave him there to die? They were definitely the type to, weren't they?'
Such a death wouldn't be pleasant. Or quick.
"Well it can't be any more painful than most of life's been already," he reasoned with himself. "And without Shadow what do I really have to live for?"
He walked over to the Balloon, placed his claws on the top of the basket and began to pull himself up and over the side. He just managed to get a leg on the edge when he heard a nasal voice from behind.
"Hey. What ya doin'?"
He dropped back to the ground and spun around to find himself face to face with Meowth. The cat was standing just outside the seviper tent, holding a small parasol so as to keep dry.
"Nothing?" He lied, looking away.
How easy it would be to kill Meowth. One slash of his claw to the throat would end the cat.
"Tryin' ta escape?" The cat asked, a broad grin forming across his face. When Blade didn't reply, Meowth continued, "Cause you ain't gonna get very far without the actual balloon."
"Huh?"
And that's when Blade noticed. The actual balloon part of the Meowth-head balloon, wasn't attached to the basket. And of course, without that the balloon, well just the basket now, wasn't going anywhere.
He felt like an idiot. Then he slumped down against the side of the basked and buried his face in his claws. 'What was I thinking? I don't really want to die…do I?'
"You okay dare," Meowth asked. "You don't seem very happy."
Blade squeezed his eyes shut to hold back tears. He did not want to cry in front of Meowth. "Fuck off," he spat. "I don't want to talk to you."
There was a brief moment of silence. Then to his horror he felt Meowth's paw pet him on the top of his head.
"Rough day huh?"
"I thought I told you to fuck off," Blade mumbled, but it wasn't very threatening. His voice was breaking every second.
Meowth ignored him and continued to rub his head. "Listen 'here bud. Ya can't let Jessie get to ya. She can be a real b…. Let's just say mean sometimes'. An' she's like dat to all of so don't take it personally. Da rest of us are real happy you're 'ere."
"If she's such an umm," asked Blade. "then why do you put up with her. You're not a trained Pokémon. You've got no Pokéball. Why not run? Be free?"
"Cause, for all dare faults, Jessie an' James are my friends," Meowth replied cheerily.
For all their faults they're my friends…Finally something Blade could relate to. It wasn't exactly like his relationship with Shadow, but close enough.
"I love 'em. It ain't always easy but I wouldn't wanna be anywhere else."
A single tear managed to burst through the closed right eyelid. To his horror he felt Meowth wipe it with his paw.
"Hey." He scrambled to his feet and opened his eyes. His face grew warm as he noticed the cat grinning.
"Come on," Meowth said, patting him on the back. "I'll take ya somewhere."
Blade followed behind tentatively. Meowth was…nice, Blade was sort of regretting causing him so much trouble. Even so, the warm blush on his face wasn't going away.
*Later*
Blade had found himself in what looked like the pokemon equivalent of a bar. And it was run by a pokemon called Oranguru.
"Oran Oranguru…"
Oranguru placed two bucket sized cups in front of Meowth and Blade.
Meowth picked his up and raised it to Blade. "Cheers buddy," he said before taking a large swing.
Blade was more cautious and only took a sip of its contents through a straw. It was sweet but there was something…else about it. Drinking it gave him a warm sensation in his mouth and down his throat and made his head feel fuzzy. It was weird, but not bad.
"That's good," he said slowly. The feeling in his face was starting to go, feeling more like static across his face. "What is it?"
"Fermented Pinap juice," replied with a grin.
Blade took another gulp experiencing that same pleasant warm feeling. Each sip making him more and more relaxed. Each time he felt less like he was in his own body. It reminded him of the few times Shadow took control of his body, but without the cold detached feeling. And after a few big gulps he decided to toss the straw from the cup and begin guzzling it down with a near unquenchable thirst.
He set the cup down and let out a hiccup before he simply asked "Can I get another?"
Oranguru refilled the cup and handed it back to the Sneasel. Blade took another large gulp from the cup his entire body feeling warm and fuzzy, his mind blocked off and inhibited. Blade looked at Meowth. "Hey …hey…hey…you" he gave a few light hiccups "you are a good friend!" He put his claw on meowth's shoulder. "I really appreciate you! Buddy!" In his drunken stupor Blade leans in and gives Meowth a light kiss on the cheek before slumping down into his arms.
"Easy dare, I got yas" Meowth hadn't even noticed, or if he had he didn't bother saying anything. "Let's get back now."
They both drunkenly stumble out and back to camp.