IC Contact

[rocketman]

✆ Crystal | Messenger Bird | In Person

Comments

[broceanic]

How... many have you seen...? I'm almost afraid to ask.

[rocketman]

Hmm, let's see...

[He starts counting on his fingers.]

I've seen Mewtwo, a Mew messed with Meowth, I've seen a Latias and a Latios, rode on the ankle of a Lugia, almost got blown up by a Palkia and a Dialga, got lost in Giratina's spooky dimension, captured a Meloetta for a bit, bopped around time with a Celebi, saw someone talk to Arceus... Er...I've also seen Jirachi, Diancie, Darkrai, Magearna, Suicune, Entei, Raikou, Moltres, Zapdos and Articuno, Tornadus, Thundurus, Landorus, Reshiram, Solgaleo...

I must be missing a few...

[He looks at Archie.]

Is Zygarde a legendary?

[broceanic]

I don't know what half those are, but--

[something cuts him off. he knows they're from a strange level of different worlds, but--]

J--Jirachi?! You saw it? [he's looking at james very intensely suddenly.] Was it...


Was it alright? Was it happy?

[rocketman]

[His eyes cloud slightly...]

Well...

[Archie may feel something akin to guilt radiate through the crystals.]

[broceanic]

What?

[he focuses on james, eyes narrowing. he has no reason to think james was part of the cause, but he's clearly concerned.]

What was it?

[rocketman]

Oh, nothing...

[He does not want the other man to know about all this. Some things are best kept a secret.

The crystal shares the memory without his consent as he focuses on it, and sends the image to the person he is very intent on not sharing it with...

The crystals ping and show Archie a vision of James, Jessie and Meowth with Jirachi trapped in a glass container, clearly distressed and weeping.]

[broceanic]

[he blinks in confusion as he receives the memory, then... frowns. the frown only deepens when the memory clears up and...

well. jirachi has a very special meaning to archie, beyond him hating that level of abuse for any pokémon. he closes his eyes, sighs through his nose. puts his hand on james's shoulder, gripping far too tightly.]

James...

[abruptly, archie yanks him forward and to the side so he can get a good grip on the rocket before shoving him forward into the lake with all the strength he can muster.]

What the hell DID YOU DO?!

[at least archie's anger makes the water a little warmer than it was...?]

[rocketman]

[James barely has time to process that his memory was shared and gets up, dripping wet. His own anger combined with Archie's causes steam to rise.]

I did my job.

[With a snarl he wrenches his crystal from around his neck, turns and tosses out into the lake.]

BLAST THIS THING!

[He collapses to his knees in the shallows and Mareanie wanders out into the water to retrieve the small crystalline rose.]

[broceanic]

[fortunately, archie doesn't do more other than kick some water at him impotently. sharpedo casts a worried glance between the two and floats off to join mareanie to look for the rose.]

How could you tell me you thought that you-- that you put the good in being a monster, knowing you'd done that?! I believed you, because I've seen all the good you do with your own team, but--

[he rubs a hand over his face, pacing on the grass, making some blades catch fire and smoke lightly.]

I don't know why I bothered to think you weren't like the other Rocket lowlifes. I can't believe I thought you were better than them!

[rocketman]

You're one to talk!

[He doesn't get up, he keeps his back turned to Archie.]

I...am not like the other Rockets. My chums and I know who we are, we just....

[broceanic]

I know I'm not! I'm the last possible person that can talk!

[archie groans and kicks a rock, then wades into the water to stand just behind james.]

Hurting Jirachi like that. Did you enjoy it?

[rocketman]

My word, don't we jump to conclusions?

[Finally, he twists around to look up at Archie.]

Who said I hurt it?

[broceanic]

It looked miserable. You don't need to physically harm something to hurt it.

[he sighs a little-- he knows he only said that because he thinks he hurt kyogre.]

[rocketman]

[He groans.]

...Well, old sot, if it makes you feel any better it blew up our balloon and sent us crashing down into a canyon.

[broceanic]

No. Not really.

[he sighs and sits in the water, not really caring about getting soaked.]

Why did you really do it?

[rocketman]

Because, Arch, I work for Team Rocket.

[He gestures vaguely.]

We're paid to purloin powerful Pokémon.

[broceanic]

Do you at least realise there's no point to it here?

[not at least because all the trainers here are quite powerful.]

I don't understand. How can you care so much but so little?

[rocketman]

[James stares a moment.]

...I'm not sure I understand the question.

[broceanic]

You put Jirachi through that. You put all the Pokémon you capture through something terrible. What do you think Giovanni does with them? Send them off to a happy pasture?

[he gestures at inkay and mareanie.]

But you don't treat them like that. Would you kick Mareanie if it meant a promotion? Shut Inkay away in a box?

[rocketman]

Of course not!

[Well, maybe once upon a time, but not anymore.

He snarls at the fact that Archie would even ask.]

They're my buddies!

Part of the team!

All for one and one for all!

[broceanic]

Then why are the ones you capture any different? They're only a couple degrees of separation away from being part of your team, surely?

[rocketman]

We capture them for the Boss.

Headquarters decides what to do with them.

[broceanic]

Those things are never good! That's my point! All Team Rocket does is abuse Pokémon!

[he groans, dunking his own head in the water for a moment.]

That's what I mean! If Inkay went back and Giovanni decided he wanted to sell it as sushi, you'd have no qualms?

[is team rocket brainwashing really this bad...?]

[rocketman]

[James goes pale and shrieks.]

HE WOULDN'T DO THAT!

[broceanic]

[he just gets the flattest look in response.]