As a reminder, you can find MORE of this on my SubStar (dot adult slash KajaWilder), it's posted up past chapter 60 there... And if you guys haven't seen an update in at least a week, please let me know! I have a busy life, and I get distracted and forget things. This story (and PTaL) are supposed to be updated WEEKLY from now until they're both caught up with each other (like I was doing with FwB until this weekend).

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Chap. 33: A Taste of Tacos

Alex's legs were shaking when he and Elle stepped out of the elevator at the bottom of the great, apparently entirely artificial, tree that housed The Aerie. His left arm supported the girl under her shoulders, the tips of his fingers just brushing the side of her breast, entirely by accident. She was, and had been, feeling faint since her victory. He couldn't blame the petite blonde, he was a bit weak at the knees, too. Watching her fight one opponent after another, six in all before she could challenge the Gym Leader himself was, honestly, inspiring.

The first three platforms, Elle and her team had simply bulled through on strength alone, hitting hard and fast. The next two had taken some strategy, and the sixth and last one had taken both of those and some endurance as well.

The Sparrowhawk himself was, Elle had to admit, a highly skilled trainer despite being a bit of a showboat. He supposed it came with the territory, though. Nadine Minier had been a showoff for her own spectators, too. Maybe being a Gym Leader wasn't just about who was the strongest, but also who could play to the crowd, too.

Popularity and sex appeal- which Minier had in spades, despite her apparent crazy, and he suppose Rowe was a handsome enough man, too, even if he wasn't at all interested- were a kind of power all their own, it seemed.

Those thoughts flowed idly through his own tired brain as he supported his youngest, smaller companion. Like her, mostly he was just glad that as a reward for defeating the Gym, Elle (and he by association) were allowed to take the Gym Leader's personal elevator down, rather than hike to the base of the tree.

He doubted Elle would have made it, and didn't know if he could have, either. Even though he was sitting and watching most of her bouts, his own legs were burning and aching already. The girl had been standing and hiking since after lunch, with intense battles scattered throughout for hours.

"Hotel," Elle murmured.

"Yeah, we're headed to the tram now- maybe you can nap there."

"No," Elle shook her head against his ribs, "this hotel, up here. Too..."

He didn't hear what she was going to say, because as she trailed off, Alex spotted what she had. Two pairs of people, one each with a camera and one a microphone, were standing at the base of the ramp where the lift let out and the stairs upward began, just past the hotel and restaurant.

"Miss Berkman, Miss Berkman! You're the third challenger to defeat the Sparrowhawk today, and it's your first official Indigo League Badge! How are you feeling right now?"

The other was just as insistent, and asked an even more personal question, "Miss Berkman, our viewers at Indigo Earful want to know- is this handsome man next to you your lover? A husband? A boyfriend? Your brother? As the most attractive young woman to defeat a Gym Leader today, we-"

"Alright, alright!" Alex suddenly shouted, red-faced. Elle jumped against him, and he felt her face burning too as it nuzzled into his chest even further to hide. He pointed his finger first at the slightly less personal reporter, "She's tired. And happy. That's it. And you..."

The other reporter, probably for some sort of tabloid or worse, he guessed, actually recoiled half a step at the fury in Alex's barely-constrained voice, "You get nothing except this: Leave her alone. If you have questions, you ask me, and you ask politely. Now get out of our way, we'd like to get some dinner if you don't mind."

The last four words might have been said a little quieter, a littler slower. But even the pushy tabloid reporter could not miss the obvious threat. While, like many people, both the reporters and their cameramen held a few red and white balls on their belts, he doubted they would stand much of a threat against him if it came down to it. And if not, well... in three days they were due for a system reset. He could raise the problem with GameFreak, and see if they could tone down the pushiness of the reporters a bit.

At least they backed off, though the man and woman who had asked the questions for two different media sources (if you could call them that, he thought angrily) immediately started whispering to each other as they went by, exchanging notes and thoughts while the cameramen followed them. Alex could only be glad that there wasn't a waiting crowd, too, as their was in real-life paparazzi.

He'd only had to deal with a tiny bit of it as the heir of a relatively small semi-global shipping company, and even that was obnoxious. Elle, who was essentially a lower-class nobody until now, would be woefully unprepared.

Maybe when she was awake, and after some coaching, she'd be fine answering their questions. Maybe after a bit more coaching, and some practice, she'd be fine answering questions without giving away more than they wanted to. But he wasn't comfortable with that for himself, so Alex doubted it, even fi she was more socially adaptable.

"Never mind, I don't want to stay here," Elle murmured after the restaurant doors closed behind them, the two pushy cameramen safely outside for now. "I think I want to go back to the penthouse."

"Sounds good, we can definitely afford it now," Alex agreed. "Their security is probably better, too."

"Yeah."
They didn't talk much more until they were on the tram again. In the dark, with the lights of Pewter City twinkling like a lake full of stars below them and the distant glow of Cerulean City to the east and Viridian to the south on the horizon, neither really felt much need. After about five minutes of looking out into the dark, Elle leaned against him. He thought, by her regular breathing, she was already asleep, but as they were starting to get down to the height of the high-rise buildings in the city below, she asked quietly, "Did... Did really do it? Or am I just dreaming?"

"Did you win? Get your Badge? Is that what you mean?"

Elle nodded sleepily.

"Yeah, you did. You did great- I'm gonna have a hard time living up to people's expectations after that, I think."

"You can do it. You've got to."

Alex ran his hand through Elle's silky golden hair, which was more than a little disheveled after the various activities of the day. "Why? Just to keep up?"

"Because I want to be with you," she murmured quietly, "and I can't until you have a Badge, remember?"

He chuckled, then pulled her close, this time, closer to the ground, just daring to let his hand openly rest on her breast over her shirt. "I do... but it's not all about sex, remember?"

"I know. But I still do. Besides, if you're gonna go after the League, then you have to get Badges too. I can't be the only one to challenge them. And... well, I had a lot of fun sucking your cock this morning, but I don't only wanna do that."

"You really are a horny girl, you know that?"

"Horny for you. Stop complaining," she teased with a bit more energy than she'd shown lately.

"I'm not," Alex laughed, and gave her tit a soft squeeze. "It's just... well, hearing you talk like that..." He wasn't sure he wanted to say it, so Alex trailed off.

Elle was having none of it, though, not even though she was exhausted still, and he could see the lights of the train station where the tram docked ahead now. "What? Hearing me talk like that, what, Alex?"

He groaned, pulled her a little more tightly against himself. Then, despite knowing they were the only two in the six-seater tram car- even their Pokémon were in their 'balls for now- he hissed, "It makes me want to remind you of a certain rule we have. That if one of us ever wants it, we can just... take it, from the other one. After we've already crossed a threshold, at least."

She lifted her head to shoot one bleary, blue eye his way. "You want me to blow you again?"

"Always," he told her sincerely, but pulled her head back down against his chest, "But as much as I do, I'll wait. I know you're tired, and you probably should eat first. Food, I mean, you perv."

She had giggled. "Food's good."

"Maybe we can call ahead and have the hotel send up something. What sounds good?"

"Mm... I don't know if they have Mexican, but I could really go for some tacos right now."

"I'd love to eat a certain taco right now, too," Alex answered, making her laugh too. It was a bit awkward to make the call, as his Pokégear was on his left arm, the same that was wrapped around Elle, but once he remembered they responded to voice commands too, it was a lot easier.

The order was placed a few minutes later, with the rather vague instructions of 'send us up something good and local, anything from street tacos to a high-end place, and put it on our room tab'. The concierge at the desk, if they thought anything of it, didn't give Alex a hint of confusion or annoyance. Instead, he had only offered a gracious, "Of course, Mr. Ward. It should be there within the hour."

"Right. Uh, and can you arrange a cab or a rickshaw to get from the train station to the hotel? We'll be off the tram in about three minutes."

"Of course, Sir. Right away. Head for... lane C, our cab should be in the second stall there when you arrive, just out the front door."

"Thank you. Remind me to give you a very generous tip, too."
"I can arrange that as well for you, Sir. It's appreciated."

The line went dead after the helpful man asked if there was anything else and was turned down, so Alex was free to help Elle back to her feet and still gave her a steadying hand to lean on as they stepped down onto the tram's platform.

She seemed more invigorated by the short rest and walk, so by the time they reached the loading area in front of the train station, which was still flooded with people even though it was getting close to or past dinner time for most people, it took him a moment to even find the right lane. But as the concierge had said, a yellow-painted automobile, fully electric he saw, was waiting for them with a driver inside.

"To the hotel, sir?" the polite-sounding middle-aged woman asked as he slipped into his own seat after seeing Elle onto hers.

"Yes, please."

Then they were off, hands locked in each other's as the lights of Pewter City's downtown sped by.

If the driver noticed Alex getting a little handsy with his younger companion, she gave him no sign.

(O)(O)(O)

Morley Vaan smiled as he sat down at the conference table in a very secret room, hidden from the eyes of even the vast majority of workers in a very secret base, beneath a secret black-ops site that was, itself, hidden underneath a clandestine gambling hall concealed by a more legal arcade and low-stakes pachinko parlor-style gaming establishment.

If this was the Mega-City of Nippon on the Earth that Adisa, and his more recent targets, Alex Ward and Elle Berkman were from, he suspected the place above- the second and third layers of the establishment, and certainly the first- would have been run by the Yakuza gangs.

As it was, at least in Kanto, they were controlled ultimately by just one man, the mysterious leader of the organization that Morley worked for.

Beneath him were several trusted lieutenants, who might be considered heads of state, or Cabinet members to a sovereign, or board members for a more legitimate company. If they were a little more of a military organization, they could be equated to a four-star general or admiral.

He referred to them as Executives, like everyone else in Team Rocket who had a brain. They were the mysterious leader's eyes and ears, and often his voice, his hands... and his executioners. Each of the major bases, like the one he currently sat in, was run by one of the Kanto-branch executives. One did not cross them without risk, just as one didn't cross the leader of Team Rocket. One did not even speak ill of them in range of... well, just about anyone.

There were eyes and ears everywhere. Fortunately, Morley Vaan had been treated well by Team Rocket in the past, and he had no reason to speak ill of any of the current sitting Executives. Even if a few of them were what polite society (such as himself) might call dangerously unhinged, they were still powerful, intelligent, and highly useful to Team Rocket. Better, in the end, to play nice. It just would not do to bite the hand that had fed him so well, after all.

"Captain Vaan," the well-dressed, tall man in a very, very black suit that almost seemed to absorb the light around it greeted Morley as he sat. The man's hair was an unusual teal color, and swept both up and back into a set of almost dragon-like horns behind his head. While the man's suit was crisp and clean and striking in just how dark it was, it was almost nothing to his reputation. Morley didn't have any particular reason to fear, however, and greeted him in kind.

"Executive Proton, Sir."

The named man nodded, and gave Morley a chance to glance around the room, which was a new one for him. Every third or fourth seat was occupied, so it didn't take long even though the table could have set twenty or more people with chairs for another thirty around the side of the room for secretaries or stenographers, or perhaps more human-like Pokémon. There were none in the room now, at least outside of their balls, for which Morley was grateful.

Rocket Executive Proton's team was terrifying, and the less he saw them, the happier Morley would be. Proton himself was intimidating in his own right, tall and powerfully-built, toned like a fighter rather than a bodybuilder. Still, the man who Morley reported too seemed all business today, as usual. He wasted no time in gesturing quickly around the rest of the sparsely-attended table at several people in turn, starting from Morley's left, "This is Executive Petrel. Don't get used to the appearance: he's not actually a woman. You'll be working with him off and on for the next couple of operations, due to your success with me.

"The woman beyond him is Executive Ariana, and next to her is Ms. Matori. She reports directly to the Leader, so give her the respect she has earned- equal to that of any Executive, even if that is not her title."

"Yes, Sir," Morley nodded at his superior, giving each of the other Executives and the mysterious, purple-haired beauty at the end of the long table a nod as well as they were named.

"Opposite Ariana are Annie and Oakley, who used to work in the Resource and Finance division under Executive Ariana, but have since transferred over to work under Petrel in Information Control."

Morley nodded politely at the other two, one of whom he'd met once years earlier. If they worked in IC now, they were both definitely to be feared. Information Control was Rocket's polite way of saying 'information acquisition and removal'. They were, in short, spies, assassins, and thieves of the most sensitive of data or topics. The kind of thing that could make or break entire companies, or even nations. And he would not have guessed the buxom woman next to him was a man, so that alone led credence to Petrel's personal skill. Morley did not, after all, consider himself easy to fool. He made his entire living off of reading people, after all.

"Opposite you is agent Double-Oh-Nine. You'll refer to her only as Miss Nine, as per the Leader's personal directive. Then the Marauder- who will also go only by that name as far as you are concerned. To my left, Operative Sham, who also works under Petrel. Everyone, this is Operative Vaan. If you've been reading your reports, you already know he's the Operative who captured Zapdos at the power plant a few weeks ago, and has since taken the lead on keeping people from snooping around Mount Moon for us."

"Good bit of work, that," Ariana said with an impressed look on her pretty, though now slightly aging face, "Your team there is bringing in a pretty penny for us. Too bad not all operations are profitable."

"Thank you, Ma'am," Vaan gave a deep nod, almost a bow, at the red-headed madame. "I couldn't do it without my team there, but I'm glad to do my part."

"You're doing it well," Proton answered instead, clearly trying to take back control of the conversation. As he was at the head of the table, it was likely he'd called the meeting in the first place. "We should get started, however. First, I have a simple update for the other Executives on Recruitment and Training Division's progress. Our membership is up fifteen percent over last month, and thanks to the improved training regimen, our retention is up five to six percent, as well. In short, we're losing fewer members than we used to to failed operations and capture, injury, or death while at the same time gaining more new members than ever before. Most are barely qualified to be Grunts as of yet, but within a few months I expect we might actually have a decent fighting force capable of meeting, say, Lieutenant Surge's or Admiral Blaine's on the open field and coming out victorious. At least, holding them off."

A round of nods and even a polite clap from the two sisters down the table was accompanied by murmurs of congratulations.

Morley was a little surprised. He'd always heard the Executives were a rather cut-throat lot, always trying to cut each other down to increase funding for their own departments. Petrel was said, at least in scuttlebutt, to be a phenomenal actor (which fit the disguise, he supposed, because even knowing the person next to him was a man wasn't enough to make him want to stop catching a quick peek at the impressive cleavage on display). But Ariana was said to be rather cruel and heartless, but both of the other Executives seemed to not only respect Proton's accomplishments, but be genuinely happy about the brief synopsis.

"Primarily, as far as the Training program, we have Operative Vaan here to thank for that success. He both came up with the regimen, and helped administer it to the other Operatives who work in R and T. Even Operative Carol Blasinger, who desires Vaan's station, has recently admitted to me that he's done very well in the position. However... I believe it's time to change that position."

"S- Sir?" Morley asked, confused. Usually, when Proton- or any Executive- said that, it was time for an Operative, Agent, or Grunt- in descending order of importance- to disappear.

"I propose that Operative Vaan, who has a proven track record of success tracing back fifteen years and more, be nominated for promotion to Rocket Officer." Proton allowed a few seconds for surprised sounds to move around the table in a ripple. Only Petrel and Ariana, the other two Executives, didn't visibly react. Morley was a little embarrassed that he had shown the most shock in his gasp. "Per Rocket policy, I require another nomination from a Rocket member of at least Officer rank to go forward with the process."

Morley Vaan sat at the table, halfway down the left side from Executive Proton, stunned. He... he had expected an assignment when he had been called to the very secret, concealed, and doubly-secured conference room at the very heart of Proton's own base of operations. He had not expected to be promoted.

Beside him, Petrel humphed, but said nothing, only lifted one feminine, well-manicured hand to drum softly on the table.

Near the end, Ariana said nothing either, only raised one crimson eyebrow.

Matori did not react at all.

The sisters, Annie and Oakley, weren't of sufficient rank since they shared his own, along with Sham. "No one...?" Proton asked quietly.

Finally, the pretty, young blonde woman on the far side of the table shrugged, "I suppose his record's good enough I can stick my neck out a bit. I'd like to see him in action myself a bit, but if Operative Blasinger objects to him being promoted, that's good enough for me to see it done."

Morley was surprised still, but now confused. Carol was a bit of a workplace climber, ambitious, but weren't they all? She was competent enough, too, so he didn't begrudge her wanting his job. If he was being promoted, he probably couldn't find anyone better to take the lead as far as field recruiting anyway, short of Proton himself. But what did the young blonde woman have against her?

"Alright, thank you, Ms. Domino, I appreciate that- and the implication of support from the Leader, even if Ms. Matori didn't volunteer herself."

Morley's eyes flicked to the purple-haired beauty in the tight business suit, but she only smiled faintly, and continued saying nothing. The dark eyes behind her thin, wire-framed glasses told him even less than her soft expression that nonetheless seemed to hold a familiar sense of menace and great strength of will behind it. Ms. Matori, he suspected, might well be the leader's personal secretary... and his loyal left hand. Someone who gave orders even the Executives jumped to obey.

He supposed the politics made sense, though. He was only a middle manager in the end (at least, for now), so it was unlikely the Leader would care to show too much favoritism, track record or not, by having his secretary- or whoever this Matori woman was- give the go-ahead herself. But a lesser subordinate, like the equally mysterious Domino- who was shrouded in even darker rumors despite her young age and beauty- could do the job easily enough without it seeming so blatantly the Leader's call.

"At any rate, Operative Vaan, now that the nomination is out of the way, welcome to your first promotion test. I hope you're ready to answer a great many questions that we all have for you. First, I want you to tell me everything you can about how you met Ms. Adisa Chuke."

Morley Vaan felt a bead of sweat develop under his left armpit. This... well, he hadn't done anything wrong. He could, and would, pass this test just like he had every other time Rocket had tested him: Swimmingly.

But he had heard of this procedure before. The group here, his own rank and superior, would indeed grill him about every detail of his life and professional work. Everything. And every word, every sign, every bit of body language and tell he had, would be analyzed at length by the entire group after the questioning was done. Only then would they decide if he was worth a more practical test of his leadership abilities.

Because that's what a Rocket Officer did. Operatives might lead small missions like the Zapdos Retrieval, or to catch similarly powerful Pokémon... but an Officer could be seen running an entire base. Not one the size of Proton's, of course, but near to it on the upper end. It was, after all, the next step down from an Executive, so it only made sense.

Yes, there was a great deal of pressure. But he'd handled pressure before. For fifteen years, in fact. It was one of the first reasons he'd started fucking his better-looking recruits- to get a bit of relief from it. It helped ensure loyalty, too, of course, but it was really all for his own benefit.

Yes... he could do this. Rocket could use him in an Officer position. Carol would probably be ecstatic to get his old job, too. Maybe... just maybe, she'd end up working for him? Then he could have two dark-skinned beauties sucking his cock weekly. Wouldn't that be nice? Yes, a worthy goal among others. Morley took a deep breath, then started to speak. He didn't need preparation. All he needed was his training and natural skill.

"I first met Adisa Chuke on the north end of Viridian City, near..."

(O)(O)(O)

Despite ordering room service, Elle had changed her mind when they finally arrived at the penthouse. "Let's eat outside on the balcony," she told him as she quickly shucked off her t-shirt and jacket.

"Er... Alright," Alex agreed, and chuckled, then let out his battle team to roam the room or eat their own snacks. Elle's Pokémon were already being delivered, by the same cab, to the Pokémon Center a few miles away, the nearer one to The Steelworks for treatment. He lifted one of the serving tray lids to check that it was, indeed, their order to find the hotel had gone all out. Not only was there a fine red wine in a bucket- an elm bucket, he thought- full of ice, but six full trays of tacos of all variety. Fish, shrimp, chicken, steak, chorizo- he reasoned if there were a few Pig Pokémon, there was probably something like pork Mexican, too- and several more. Even a few vegetarian options, and that was just one the first large tray at the top of the fancy cart.

By the time Alex made it out to the small round cabana-style table on the balcony opposite the still-bubbling but covered hot tub, Elle was clad only in her socks and lingerie. He wasn't about to complain, despite the fact that anyone with a camera, phone, Pokégear, telescope, or binoculars could see her. The girl's exhibitionist streak was only growing stronger, and he, frankly, wanted to support her more than damp it down.

As long as people didn't get any ideas about whose girl she was, anyway. He might, one day, be willing to share... but not any time soon, he decided. No, he wanted her to himself a little too badly for that.

He sat several platters on the table along with the monogrammed napkins and serviettes the hotel had provided (for a nominal fee, of course- capitalism at its finest, here), and didn't bother with the plates and silverware that had come with it. Only the serving utensils would do for a taco night. Aside from pizza, it was, after all, the very best finger food available.

Maybe it was even better. He could certainly eat more tacos by volume than pizza in a given meal. Every meal, if he had his way.

Elle seemed to agree. Either that, or she was truly famished. Because Alex ate seven of the delicious, still-warm tacos himself, sampling the variety widely.

Elle put away ten, and none were small.

He felt stuffed, and had to undo the belt on his own hiking shorts that he'd worn for the day's Gym Challenge, but Elle's belly was positively distended. It almost looked like she was pregnant, and the thought of it- of her- being in that state caused another surge in Alex's libido, which had somehow withstood eating with Elle in a near-nude state.
It was becoming increasingly common for him to see her in just her underclothes, like now, with only the socks as a nod toward the cool night air- especially so high up. She didn't seem cold though, as she sipped at the wine. Somehow, she had restrained herself to a quarter of a glass, and he'd barely had an himself since he wasn't exactly a drinker to begin with. Still, it felt rude to leave the bottle unopened, especially since they'd paid for it, and probably handsomely.

"Fucking stuffed," Elle said, finishing the low, almost groaned statement with a loud belch. "Worth it."

"Heh, if one of us gets to do this after we finish a Gym and get a Badge, we should do it more often," Alex agreed, trying to push lusty thoughts away for the time being. Elle still looked wiped out, and the effort of waking up to eat so ravenously seemed to have taken the last bits of endurance she had.

"Sleepy..."

"I bet, after eating that much. Did you keep track?"

"No, too tired," Elle chuckled, "but I bet it was a disgusting number."

"Eh, only as disgusting as you... ten. I'm pretty impressed, actually. You really do love eating tacos."

Elle's blue eyes opened again and she grinned, "You have no idea. I mean, I don't either, 'cause I've never gone down on a girl, but if it's anything like the jokes say..."

Alex laughed and stood up slowly, groaning as his own belly hit the table, making it jump. "Come on, let's... get to bed."

"Too tired to... blow you. I want to, but... I'm full."

"I bet you are. Come on, I'm tired too. We can just sleep."

"Sleep naked?"

"If that's what you want- you earned it, Badge Girl."

"Mmm... Badge Girl... I like that. I'm not calling you Badge Guy when you get yours. Sounds stupid."

"It does, yes," Alex chuckled, then reached down to help Elle once more to her feet. He had to all-but carry her into the bedroom of the penthouse suite, but at least she unhooked her own bra and let it fall, then pushed her panties down while he undressed himself.

It was always a treat watching her, especially as she undressed (and after), but once again seeing her normally taut, even somewhat thin belly bulge like that caused his erection to start growing. Elle didn't even seem to notice, though. Instead, she climbed into the bed clumsily, and flopped onto her side before rolling on her back and waiting for him with sleepy eyes.

"Hurry, I wanna cu- cuddle," she said, interrupting herself with a quick yawn.

"Alright, your majesty of the skies, I'm coming," he smiled, then joined her.

Elle wasted no time in curling up next to him and closing her eyes with her head on his chest, one hand idly gripping his semi-hard cock. His own moved down to cup her ass and slide over the arm draped over him. With her Pokémon at the nearest PMC, and his out in the common area of the suite, it was all too easy to let Elle's soft breathing lull him to an equally quick, and very deep, slumber.