FanFiction.Net - unleash your imagination|
Author of 29 Stories |
Chapter Three: Promotion
Cassidy’s stomach lurched as she staggered back to the room that they shared. She barely made it to the bathroom before doubling over and vomiting her disgust and regret into the open toilet. Gasping at the tears that stung at her eyes, she slumped down onto the tiled floor after her illness had subsided, but her stomach muscles still contracted violently and a choked sob escaped her as her mind was continuously replaying her words to Giovanni over and over again.
“It was Butch’s fault, sir. He’s the one who messed up this mission.”
She had betrayed him… she had betrayed her own partner. She felt sick just thinking about it, that and the look of hurt on Butch’s face. Of course he had masked this well when Giovanni’s eyes were upon him once again. To show any emotion would be a sign of weakness and thus Cassidy had left the office whilst keeping her calm composure until she was sure that she was alone.
What she had done was terrible. At training camp the importance of your partner was empathized as being integral to becoming a successful agent. There was a reason why Team Rocket was called Team Rocket, and so she had been told. There was no room for flying solo, or so her instructor had said. So why was Giovanni encouraging it now? Cassidy didn’t understand.
“Mistakes are costly and I need to ensure that such errors do not occur again so I would like to know which one of you was responsible for this particular mission failing.”
Butch had kept quiet. Butch had not said a word, despite the fact that he had been offered the chance to blame her first he hadn’t. He had remained loyal and expected no less of his partner and she had let him down.
But it was his fault, Cassidy argued with herself. He had failed to see the backup system and had allowed those brats to regain their Pokémon. That excuse sounded thin and feeble to her ears, despite it being the truth. Messing up a mission just didn’t compare with what she had done. Whatever way she looked at this, she had betrayed him.
Fool… he is just another member of Team Rocket. He is just someone you were partnered with. No wonder you don’t get promotions if you withhold that kind of attitude.
She repeated this over and over until her illness had completely passed and Cassidy felt able to stand. Butch had always been holding her back, she tried to tell herself. It was good fortune and Giovanni’s graciousness that had kept her from his wrath for this long. It was just as well that she had the chance to turn Butch in when she did. The worst he would get was a demotion anyway and she would be partnered with someone more competent.
Flushing the toilet, Cassidy shakily walked back out into the bedroom. Giovanni had requested that she report first thing in the morning so she decided that the only thing she could do now was get some sleep.
She could also avoid Butch that way; a nagging voice in the back of her mind whispered but Cassidy ignored this. She did what she had to do, she told herself constantly as she got ready for bed and then, slipping under the covers, Cassidy once again found herself alone with her thoughts and what she had done.
Unsure and slightly taken aback by these events, she pulled on her uniform and hurried to the Boss’s room. It was still first thing and few Rockets were about but the ones who were had evidently heard of her betrayal and cast wary glances in her direction and some were even talking about her. Cassidy heard snatches of the conversation as she walked.
“I can’t say I’m surprised really. Cassidy’s such a glory hound.”
“… just like her mother. She betrayed her partner, too.”
“Can you believe the nerve? Turned him in right in front of the Boss, too.”
“… back-stabber…”
Cassidy stoically tried to tune them out, knowing deep down that she deserved everything she got and thus she was relieved when she finally reached Giovanni’s office. She knocked and then, after a couple of seconds pause, she entered.
Giovanni was sitting calmly behind his desk shuffling some papers in his hands. The Persian was in its cat-bed and didn’t give her so much as a glance before letting out a bored yawn and padding over to its Master. Giovanni set his papers down and pulled the Pokémon up onto his lap, giving it a gentle scratch behind the ears before turning his attention to the female Rocket in front of him.
“Cassidy” he almost smiled at her, as his next words were completely unexpected, “Sit down” he nodded to the chair on her side of the desk.
“Sir?” Cassidy frowned, partly unsure and partly elated for Giovanni never requested that his agents sat when speaking with him.
Giovanni gestured to it encouragingly, “Sit down” he said, but his undertone clearly said that it would be unwise for her to make him repeat himself again.
Cassidy sat and looked at him expectantly. Giovanni, however, kept her waiting another full minute before continuing.
“I must admit I am impressed at yesterday’s behaviour” he started off by reminding her of why she was here to start with and Cassidy inwardly flinched despite herself, “I gave you an opportunity and you took it.”
So, she thought to herself, he had intended this after all.
“I always knew that you were destined for great things.”
“Thank you, sir” Cassidy did her best to appear humble but she could hardly deny how elated she felt at his words.
Giovanni smiled but, as always, his smile never quite reached his eyes, as he continued with, “As you know, you will no longer be working with Butch. From now on I will be assigning you to tasks more worthy of your status within Team Rocket. That is why I am taking you out of the field completely.”
This genuinely stunned Cassidy. She had imagined being assigned a new partner as part of her promotion and now she struggled to keep herself from enquiring to know exactly what was more important than working in the field and stealing rare Pokémon.
Giovanni sensed her confusion and chose to elaborate, “As you are aware, Team Rocket is coming into its most critical era. We are at a turning point in its history. We have many competent teams bringing me rare Pokémon at a steady rate and surely you must wonder what it is all for.”
Cassidy had wondered this, but she had been taught never to question Giovanni or his motives.
“Pokémon, even trained ones, are weak. Even so called ‘Masters’ Pokémon will be felled in the end should they encounter a stronger opponent. Trainers, even myself, waste so many precious years training and building up their Pokémon and for what? A few years of glory? For badges and trophies. Trainers see Pokémon as their allies, friends even, but we know better. Pokémon are tools to serve our higher purposes but these tools are weak. I, however, have been looking at ways to make them stronger for years. Millions of Yen has been spent on such projects and I have never been at such a critical stage in my research as I am now.”
“Research, sir?” Cassidy asked, whilst wondering in the back of her mind what exactly Giovanni’s higher purpose was but she knew better than to ask this.
He nodded, “For years my scientists have been researching ways to make Pokémon stronger, more deadly. They have worked in the background, testing their theories on Pokémon brought to me by teams such as yourself and Butch were. All have failed until now. There is an alley unexplored that we wish to go down but to do so we need someone with a certain expertise in the field, someone who can be trusted to follow my scientist’s orders without question. You.”
“Me?” Cassidy repeated. She had hoping to be in line for a promotion, not assigned to lab work. All this about powerful Pokémon, it wasn’t anything new. For years Giovanni had been trying, and failing, to create the ultimate Pokémon. As things stood, from Cassidy’s point of view, Team Rocket profited more than adequately from the rare Pokémon heists and, if she were leader, it was this that she would concentrate on and not research that cost them a small fortune and led nowhere. Of course, she was not foolish enough to question Giovanni and she would accept his promotion graciously, no matter how disappointed she was.
“You will be assigned the labs for ten weeks and, by that time, I hope to have made substantial progress. As I said, you will follow my scientist’s orders but you will also report to me each week with all the information that I request.”
Cassidy was not surprised at this. Although Giovanni made great gestures in trusting his teams, at the end of the day, he would not have retained his hold on Team Rocket by trusting people. There were plenty out in the field who would be more than happy to take his place. In Cassidy’s opinion, only a fool would contest Giovanni’s leadership. Of course, it didn’t mean that she hadn’t pondered over the question that was in the back of every Rocket’s mind. Who would be his successor? After all, leadership had been passed down through the family and Giovanni had no children.
Perhaps if I play my cards right…Cassidy knew that she was getting ahead of herself but she was allowed to dream wasn’t she?
“I am sure that I do not need to explain that this mission is of the highest confidentiality. If there is any breach of this – and I will know of it immediately – responsibility will fall on your shoulders. You will also be in charge of the few Rocket Grunts that I have assigned to be at my Scientist’s disposal. They will follow your orders directly and your orders will come from him.”
Such hierarchy was not necessary, Cassidy knew, and was only designed to make her feel more important and emphasise the promotion, a promotion that she was rapidly thinking did not live up to her previous expectations.
“You will report to the lab immediately” Giovanni continued, “Where you shall receive your first orders. These will be carried out without question. I am placing a great deal of responsibility on your shoulders, Cassidy so if you feel unable to carry out my orders, then I will expect you to say so now, understand?”
“Yes Sir” he really takes me for a fool, Cassidy mused to herself. This promotion was nothing and they both knew it. She was just becoming a glorified aide. Again, Cassidy found herself deeply regretting her actions yesterday.
I betrayed Butch for… for this?Disheartened, Cassidy was only too pleased to be dismissed but back out in the corridors, she had to face the accusing eyes and voices of her fellow Rockets.
Traitor…Their words were true but Cassidy forced herself to hold her head up high as she walked passed them, their hatred of her diminishing her disappointment and strengthening her resolve to try her hardest, no matter how demeaning her ‘promotion’ might be. If she could gain Giovanni’s trust above all others then maybe this could lead to better things for her.
To focus all her energies on discontentments would only lead her back to her guilt at what she had done. Cassidy couldn’t change things and she wasn’t about to lose it over some slight nagging remorse in the back of her mind.
Squaring her shoulders and keeping her head up high, Cassidy reached the labs and, without knocking, roughly twisted the door handle and walked into the main room.
The door banged loudly shut behind her as she then stared in shock as Giovanni’s Scientist turned around to greet her.
“Professor Nanba?”
Thinking of Jessie gave James cause to smile. He had been sure, two months ago when he finally worked up the courage to tell Jessie how he felt about her, that she would reject him and that this would affect the team. At first Jessie had been angry, but it had only been because she was afraid. Boys had hurt Jessie in the past and, coupled with the death of her mother, she had always stated that she would never let anyone get too close because they would only leave her in the end.
James wouldn’t leave, and so he had reassured her. They had been there for each other for years and nothing would change that, not ever. Jessie was still hesitant but they had got through that. James’s only regret was that they couldn’t tell anyone, not even Meowth, for fear that Giovanni might hear of it. They didn’t exactly have many friends in Team Rocket and any one of the other Rockets wouldn’t hesitate to report their relationship back to the Boss and earn themselves some points in the meantime.
Meowth wasn’t like that, but Jessie wanted things kept private and James didn’t want to do anything to upset her, although he knew that the cat Pokémon would be happy for them.
Sitting up, James absently leaned forward to pet Meowth behind the ears as his gaze strayed to Jessie asleep on the other bed, her back facing him as she slept. Meowth often slept at the end of his bed, even when they had just sleeping bags, not that James minded at all. The cat Pokémon just liked having the comfort of having his friends near him, even if he would never admit to it.
Looking round the small room that they shared when they returned to the HQ from the field, James wondered if their luck was about to change. Giovanni, as explained in their meeting with him yesterday, had decided that Team Rocket should concentrate its efforts in Kanto. All team business travel to Johto and/or the Orange Islands was forbidden. With Team Twerp still looking for the next Johto Gym it could mean that, at last, they could do something right and prove to Giovanni that they could work together and contribute to Team Rocket properly.
Careful not to dislodge Meowth, James got up and went into the small connecting bathroom to get dressed. He wasn’t sure what Giovanni expected and the Boss hadn’t been exactly clear. In fact he had seemed distracted and Jessie was sure that it had something to do with Butch and Cassidy’s exit moments before. As soon as they had entered the office, James had noted the scattered shards of glass on the floor, which had been missed by Giovanni’s secretary, and that the glass statue of a Zapdos from beside Giovanni’s desk was gone.
She must have made the Boss really mad for him to smash the statue up, Jessie had commented of Cassidy after the event and, James noted with some dismay, that his partner had taken more than a little delight in her rival’s lack of favour. James himself did not particularly like Butch and Cassidy but she had been hurt, hurt by Giovanni. Of course, James wasn’t going to express any mild concern in front of Jessie and Cassidy could look after herself but he couldn’t help but wonder what exactly had caused Giovanni to lose his temper so dramatically. Also, James wondered what he could do if, one day, Jessie happened to be on the receiving end of such violence. Naturally, James would want to protect her but he had always been frightened of the Boss and relied on Jessie to protect him. He knew, deep down, that the only reason that he was kept on the team was because of Jessie, or rather Jessie’s mother.
James had never met Miyamoto but she was supposed to have been the most successful Rocket in Team Rocket’s history. Her death had been a major blow to the team and had affected Madame Boss badly for, after a few months, she, too, was dead.
As he finished getting ready, James heard movement from the bedroom and, when he rejoined his friends, he found that both Jessie and Meowth were awake and talking quietly.
“Morning” James started cheerfully but it was clear from the furrowed frown on Jessie’s face that, despite the fact that they had a roof over their heads for once, she was very worried about something.
“Jimmy, we were just talking” Meowth began, not even bothering with pleasantries, “And we were just wondered what it was that the Boss wanted us to do. His orders weren’t exactly clear.”
James shrugged. He didn’t honestly know either. Giovanni had talked about the team as a whole when he said that he wanted them to concentrate on Kanto. Yet, he felt he had to say something, especially when Jessie was looking at him.
“I think we should stay in the HQ” James began, a little uncomfortably. Even though he and Jessie were a couple, it didn’t stop her hitting him or yelling at him if he said something stupid, “But carry on trying to catch rare Pokémon. I’m sure the Boss didn’t mean that we were to take leave of our duties.”
“Or we could ask him to clarify?” Meowth suggested, thinking out loud, “We don’t want to get on the wrong side of him.”
“Were we ever on the right side of him?” James wondered, dismissing Meowth’s idea, “If we ask him then it might make him angry.”
“James is right” Jessie surprised them both by agreeing, “He did seem a little cranky yesterday. We should go out and catch him a rare Pokémon to prove to him that we aren’t as incompetent as he makes us out to be.”
James nodded and blushed when his stomach chose its moment to remind him that he hadn’t eaten since the night before, “That’s a great idea, Jess, but do you think we could get a snack from the vending machines in the Gym’s lobby before we go?”
“Priorities, James” Jessie frowned and the purple haired man flinched, expecting an assault with a paper fan any moment.
“Yeah, Jimmy” Meowth grinned, “We’re at the HQ which means that breakfast is all paid for.”
“Exactly” Jessie said sweetly, “We’ll go as soon as I’m ready.”
‘As soon as I’m ready’ was half an hour later but James didn’t mind as he was already focusing on the prospect of breakfast and, as soon as Jessie deemed herself presentable, they ventured out of their room and down to the cafeteria.
The atmosphere was unusually subdued, especially among the black squad who kept murmuring to each other and then falling silent again. The two groups usually kept to themselves and seeing as Jessie and James weren’t favourites among either parties, they separated themselves from the rest of the teams.
“What’s up with them?” Meowth wondered out loud.
“Who cares?” Jessie shrugged it off, although she had noticed it, too. “Let’s eat.”
The thought of food was enough to distract all three of them from the uncomfortable atmosphere around them.
Cassidy was unable to conceal her surprise as the Professor turned around to meet her gaze, his eyes narrowing disapprovingly as he recognised her.
“So you’re the gopher that Giovanni sent to keep an eye on me” he mumbled irritably, “I might have guessed. Of all the Rockets he could send, he chose to send me the most incompetent ones of them all” he sighed and shook his head, “You’d better tell your partner to come in as well then, but don’t touch anything, understand?”
“Butch… Butch isn’t here, Professor” Cassidy was quick to correct him whilst disguising the loathing that she had for the man. She had sworn that she would never work with Nanba again. Just what was Giovanni thinking?
“Fine, fine” he seemed more concerned with concealing the paperwork that he had been looking through than talking to her. Moving away, Nanba walked swiftly to a small safe located in his office and set the file inside before locking it. Cassidy noted that it had a combination lock as well as a heavy-weighted padlock. A little over the top, she thought to herself, but Nanba had always been a little eccentric.
Millions of Yen has been spent on such projects and I have never been at such a critical stage in my research as I am now
Recalling Giovanni’s words, Cassidy suddenly wasn’t surprised by all the caution. Giovanni had stressed that this work was important after all. If anything went wrong then it was Nanba’s neck on the block as well as her own. Strangely this thought wasn’t as comforting as Cassidy knew it should be.
“Now that you’re here, I might as well show you round,” Nanba said as he came back into the main room. “Your office is over there” he gestured to a small room located at the back of the lab. “You’ll be responsible for the five Grunts that often carry out errands for me. You’ll also, as Giovanni ordered, be reporting to him weekly on our progress and also making sure that the lab maintains a healthy stock of Pokémon to experiment its findings on.”
Cassidy nodded, glancing around at the numerous cages that housed different species of Pokémon. She had always been vaguely aware that Team Rocket experimented on some of the Pokémon that it acquired but to have this confirmed wrong-footed her for a moment or two.
“I trust there isn’t a problem?” Nanba asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Not at all” Cassidy answered him; “The Boss said that you were researching some kind of potion to make Pokémon stronger, more effective in battle?”
In truth, Cassidy didn’t understand what exactly was going on down here or what was required of her. She didn’t wish to appear a fool but she had to gain some knowledge if she didn’t want to meet with Giovanni next week with no substantial report at all and she added that she needed more information for the said report when Nanba glared critically at her.
He had always been a secretive man when it came to his work and this was why Giovanni wanted someone to keep an eye on him she supposed.
“Do not concern yourself with the exact nature of my work” Nanba dismissed her, “I will let you know what you and Giovanni need to know for your report.”
“With due respect, the Boss requires to know just what kind of operation you are running down here, Professor” Cassidy shot back quickly, “And if I don’t like what I see, or don’t see, then he isn’t going to like my first report is he?” she smiled sweetly and awaited Nanba’s response.
The Professor was not angry as Cassidy suspected he would be. In fact the approving smile that formed on his lips was even more disturbing. “Good. You know where our loyalties lie then.”
Cassidy paused, a little confused. Had his speech been a little test to see how thoroughly she intended to do her job? She was unsure. She never had been able to tell with Nanba and there was something in his mannerisms that just didn’t sit right. Logically, Cassidy knew that it was her dislike for Nanba clouding her judgement but she had always been taught to go with her instincts and she resolved to keep an open mind when it came to the Professor, just in case.
“Now then” he continued, brushing off the tension between them, “I’ll give you a quick tour and then I will explain the nature of my work and my progress so far.”
:
:
:
:
