Author: Angela Rating: PG
Generation K Part-2
Over the next four years, Kyle won a total of sixteen badges; competing in the Indigo League as well as the Johto League. He captured and evolved more pokemon so that he became a fine trainer.
I taught Mareep a few more attacks and it even evolved into Flaaffy! I also managed to catch a Butterfree. Lunia captured a Teddiursa to add to her collection of Dark type pokemon.
My red hair grew long enough that I had to put it up in a ponytail everyday. Lunia, on the other hand, cut her straight brown locks short, just above her shoulders. Kyle kept his the same basic style; only it grew looser as time progressed. I also kept pretty much a similar taste in cloths. A dark, jean skirt and a small shirt became my usual outfit.
Anyhow, it wasn't until about a week after Lunia's sixteenth birthday (she was the youngest of us three; by this time we were all sixteen years of age) that my life went haywire.
The day started out moderately normal. I was battling a young boy we had met in the forest as we were passing through. It was my Butterfree against his Wooper. It was a long battle, but finally I knew how to end it.
"Butterfree!" I commanded, "Use sleep powder!"
The substance sprinkled on the opponent's tired pokemon. Their Wooper fell asleep. It's trainer called it back and ran off into the woods.
"Alright!" I cheered, "I did it! I actually won!" Even with Flaafy and Butterfree trained up, I always seemed to run into some one better. But now, for once, I was on top.
Lunia smiled and said, "Good job Kat! Now for a real challenge. How about it Kyle?"
"Me?" He asked.
"Sure! You haven't battled me since you lost at my gym so long ago. Let's see who triumphs this time!"
"Okay! I accept!"
I sat in the grass off to the side while they started the match between his Ninetails and her Murkrow. I knew this would be a good one. Each participant was an exceptional trainer with an excellently trained pokemon.
Even though I was watching with great interest, something in the bushes a ways behind Kyle caught my eye. The was something moving... If it was a pokemon, I wanted to catch it while my friends were distracted! Quietly, I stood up and slowly walked over for a closer look.
The tip of some sort of metal was just barely sticking out of the top of the bushes. It reflected the sun into my eyes. Shading them, I bent down until my face was almost level with it.
That's when I realized that I was staring into the barrel of a pistol.
Reflexes sunk in before fear. I dropped and rolled to the side as a bullet whizzed past me accompanied by a loud, ringing bang. (I may have been a total klutz, but I did learn a thing or two in those Team Rocket training camps I was sent to every summer.)
Kyle and Lunia's battle stopped short and they both stared at me in shock as I rose to my feet.
A young man and woman of the age of nineteen emerged from the bushes.
She wore a short, black dress that had three-quarter-length sleeves. Her collar, sleeves, and black gloves were trimmed with a red color that matched the brilliant "R" on the front of the tight dress. Two pistols were strapped just above her crimson, black lined boots. At the bottom of each sleeve was a red "A".
The young man's uniform was practically the same only with a three-quarter-length shirt, black belt, and long black pants. He too had red boots (but unlike hers his were short).
I knew these two brown-eyed blondes.
They were the take-no-mercy, twin daughter and son of Butch and Cassidy. Their names were Virginia and Li. They were obviously the Team Rocket assassins. Of course! How could I have been so stupid?! I left the team; naturally they're going to send some one to kill me! But why would the assassins wait so long?
"Katastrophie," Li taunted, "how good it is to see you again. You certainly aren't the pathetic little brat you once were."
"I'll give you that much," Virginia agreed, giving me her most evil smile.
I was in for it now. Butch and Cassidy always hated my parents. And so it was for both families of children.
"So... Y-You guys are the assassins?" I tried not to let my voice shake too much.
"We were promoted," She said casually, as though they were not about to kill me.
Li help up his gun. "I've been wanting to do this for a long time. Your parents finally ran out of money to give the boss."
"What do you mean?" I asked, afraid.
"They've been paying him to not send the us after you for four years! They're just about in debt to him! Ha! It's a rumor that that loser brother of yours has had to share his salary with them."
I felt awful! Here I was going about my merry way while my parents suffered to keep me alive with every last penny they owned. I deserved to be shot.
"Enough stalling," Virginia interrupted. "We came here to do a job, now let's do it."
My heart raced in terror.
"Wait! Wait... I-I know we've never exactly been friends, but..." I saw him pull the trigger and knew that that was my queue to get out of there.
I made a very narrow escape by turning to my left. I didn't know what to do after that so I just started running. The assassins followed.
My two friends, who were both very confused, recalled their pokemon and took off after them.
Virginia and Li each fired at me more than once. But a moving target is hard to hit; especially a moving target that's only specialty in Team Rocket training camps was the art of escape.
(I never had the opportunity to use this while on the team however. I never stole anything in the first place so what was the point of escaping?)
As I grew weary, I must have gotten sloppy. Either that or my killers got more accurate. The gun fired a steaming piece of very deadly metal past me and scraped my right shoulder. But I was thankful it was my shoulder that was now bleeding instead of having the bullet hit me full force.
My running escapade was brought to a sudden halt when I unexpectedly came to a gigantic waterfall. I hadn't even noticed we were running next to a river! It must have been hidden by the plant life.
"This is not good..." I muttered frantically. I looked back at my approaching attackers.
They were coming too fast for me to run another way. I saw the evil smile Virginia gave me as she at me shot one last time.
Luckily, the sun was in her eyes and she scarcely missed. Then a plan came to me. I hunched over and screamed as though I was in great pain. Maybe if they thought I was dead, they'd leave me be. It wasn't likely, but it was the best I could do at the moment.
As I sank to the ground, I completely lost my balance and rolled over the edge!
The only thing I can remember is falling down and through the pounding waterfall. I splashed into the massive pool at the bottom. I most likely would have been fine except for one thing: I can't swim.
I furled my arms and legs wildly, but the surface seemed to have vanished. My lungs squeezed together as though they were ready to explode. I must have lost consciousness after that, because everything turned faint and unclear as if I were a ghost.
The next thing I was aware of was coughing up water.
"Kitty Kat? Can you hear me? Are you alright?"
Kyle...?
I tried to open my eyes but was met with blinding sunlight. I quickly shut them again.
"Where are you?" The hoarse sound of my voice astonished me.
"It's okay. We're right here."
"I'm here too," I heard Lunia say. Each of their voices was filled with concern. I perceived that they were on either side of me. It felt like I was lying down on something soft yet prickly...the grass? Once more I tried to open my eyes. This time the sun did not bother me. Kyle, sitting on the ground next to me, leaned forward and intentionally cast a shadow over my face. It took me a minute to make out his smiling face.
"Welcome back," he said softly. Then I realized that my head was on his lap. I was soaking wet and strangely enough, so was he. Why was that?
"What happened?" I asked wearily, "How am I still alive?"
Lunia explained, "We saw you go over the waterfall, but we had to hide until those two people were gone. Naturally, both of us were worried, but Kyle got a little excited. He just dove straight in after you!" His cheeks turned pink. She continued, "I held on to Murkrow's feet and had it aim a whirlwind attack at the ground. I landed on the bank just as Kyle found you and dragged you ashore. You weren't breathing so he-"
"That's enough Chaos!" he shouted.
"What?! I'm just telling her what happened..." He quickly changed the subject. "But one thing Kat. I saw you get shot. Just before you fell. But you're not even bleeding!"
"I was faking..." I replied, "I hoped they would buy it."
"You had me scared... I-I mean you had US scared. Right Lunia?"
She smiled and raised an eyebrow at him. "Yes, of course." Then she looked back down at me. "So do you know these jerks? I mean why were they calling you Katastrophie? Is that some kind of mean nickname?"
I sighed. "Yeah, I know them. And no... That's my real name unfortunately. Kat is just a shortened version."
"You never even told us your name?? Alright Kat, I don't blame you for not wanting to pour your soul out to us about your past; but when two people dressed in black start chasing you with guns, I think we need to know a few things!"
Kyle helped me sit up as I started to give my explanation. "You're right. I guess I should have told you a long time ago. I suppose I'll start at the beginning. My parents are Jesse and James of Team Rocket."
My male friend's eyes widened. "Jesse and James?!? My mom and dad have told me countless stories about them!"
"Yeah I know..."
"I think my father may have run into them a few times himself," Lunia said. "They have that talking Meowth right?"
I nodded. "Mm-hm. I've known who each of you were from day one. But I never let you know me. I'm sorry."
I told them everything. I shared stories about my brother Michael and why I ran away; about how my family had tried to warn me not to but I didn't listen; about the assassins... who they were, why they hated my family, and why they had to kill me. I explained about the positions in Team Rocket and how the only people above the assassins (except Giovanni) were the red rockets.
They were practically second in command. I told them about my summers in the training camps where they tried to teach me fancy moves and fighting techniques but all I could ever get through my head was escape patterns. I described how that didn't help much because I never managed to steal anything so that I needed to escape the scene of the crime. Kyle and Lunia listened intently.
"I was just afraid that if you knew all this, you'd despise me too, " I concluded. "Team Rocket never exactly liked either of your families."
"We wouldn't have resented you," Kyle said, "This is all just such a shock! I never imagined you as an escape artist and having a criminal background."
"So I'm Chaos and you're Katastrophie!" Lunia mused, laughing.
Kyle added sarcastically, "What a pair to have around.." I laughed too. "Prepare for trouble and make it double alright... But they'll be back you know."
"Who?"
"Virginia and Li. They're not dumb. They're bound to know I'm still alive. Even if they do think I'm dead, I know they will want to find the body to be sure."
"They won't even come near you if I can help it." Kyle seemed very determined. Lunia agreed with equal aggression.
"Same here. Those two will wish they never messed with Katastrophie Rocket!"
* * *
We camped that night in the thickest part of the forest we could find (this obviously providing a temporary hiding place). There was no possible way I could sleep. I was anxious and scared. Virginia and Li might appear at any given time.
We couldn't put a pokemon on watch duty. The assassins would be very quick to shoot it and/or steal it. I got out of my sleeping bag and sat next to what was once a burning campfire.
The dying embers and gray ashes that were left reminded me of my dying, gray hope. I was only endangering Kyle and Lunia by staying with them. No doubt the twins would kill anyone who got in their way if necessary... even though technically they weren't supposed to.
I was having serious thoughts of leaving quietly that night and turning myself in to them.
Hugging my knees to my chest I let out a heavy, troubled sigh and closed my eyes so tears would not come out.
"Hey Kat, you okay?" I looked up. Kyle was standing next to me.
"Yeah," I answered, "I'm fine. I was just... thinking. You know, everything would be a lot easier if I just surrendered. Then you and Lunia would-"
"Don't you talk like that!" he interrupted as he sat down on the ground next to me. "Kat, when I first met you, you were a wreck! No offense, I mean your self-esteem was low, you had little confidence in anything, and you kept trying to run from all your troubles. You looked like a withered rose inside.
But as time has progressed, it's bloomed into a full, gorgeous flower. Now you're letting it die again. You can't do that. The rose needs hope for water, courage for sunlight, and faith for air to breath. You used to care for it everyday. Don't stop now. Over four years you've grown into the type of person that I..." he trailed off.
"That you what?"
"Nothing. You know... I feel like this whole thing is my fault."
"Your fault?? Why?"
He grinned. "What can I say? You girls grew on me. Being the only guy in the group, I feel kind of responsible. When you went over the waterfall... it was like I hadn't been doing my job. I was terrified that we'd lost you."
"Yeah?"
"Of course." He put his arm around my shoulders. "Just relax, alright? We'll think of something." I knew attempting to relax was a fruitless effort, but I replied, "I'll try."
"Alright, don't forget to water your rose."
I laughed a little. "Okay, I won't."
"Get some sleep Katastrophie. You deserve it."
"Right. Goodnight."
"Good night." He stood up and walked back over to his sleeping bag.
I couldn't help but to smile as I thought, "Man... if he only knew my family and roses." After that I was able to fall into a restless sleep.
* * *
We all slept relatively late the next morning. A single ray of sunlight shining through the tall trees awakened me. I moaned and rolled over to find a bullet flying past my ear. If I hadn't have moved, I wouldn't have lived. Kyle and Lunia jumped awake as I leapt to my feet.
Virginia and Li stood from their hiding place and approached me. It was pointless to run this time. I'm sure they had been working on their aim since the last time we met.
"This is going to be fun," Virginia remarked mockingly. Kyle and Lunia were hurrying to help me but she stopped them by holding up two pistols. Li was about a foot away from me as he pointed his own weapon at my heart (which was pounding wildly). I looked at Kyle with an expression of horror. He returned it. I knew I was about to die and that he would feel like it was his fault. To let him know that it wasn't, I said,
"I love you." Then shifted my eyes to Lunia and added, "Both of you." They were my best friends. Nothing would change that. I closed my eyes as I heard the click of a gun preparing to fire. There was a very loud, crisp shot. But strangely enough...
I felt nothing! Everyone else gasped. Cautiously, I opened my eyes to see all of them looking to my left. I turned my head. Leaning next to a tree and holding a revolver with smoke coming from it, was my brother Michael!! As he casually blew away the smoke I shockingly realized that he had fired at the same time Li had. Not at me however. He shot straight forward and in the process hit Li's bullet out of the way with his own! No...that was impossible, wasn't it? Yet on an oak tree to my far right there was a large mark. Perceivably from a shot larger than a little hand pistol could make. My mouth hung open. Michael emerged from the shadows and stood over Li, not saying anything. He gave him that gaze though, the piercing look I described earlier. Extremely forcefully, he whispered,
"Leave my sister alone." The assassin dropped his firearm. Virginia frowned and turned back to Lunia and Kyle. Just then, out of nowhere Constance leapt from hiding and ran into her. The blonde fell on her stomach. Michael's partner jumped up, her feet then landing on Virginia's wrists. She cried in pain as she too dropped the guns.
"Michael..." I breathed, still shocked out of my mind. Now you've got to understand that I haven't seen this guy since I was 10 and he was 17 years of age. Now that I was 16, he must have been 23. He looked basically the same I guess. Same sapphire eyes, same light red hair that had a tiny bit of a blue tint. But physically he was much more mature. Taller, buffer, etc. His facial features were similar to my dad's. While observing these traits, I realized what uniform he and Constance wore.
"You guys are red rockets?!!" Michael smiled.
"You expected less?" His voice was deeper too.
"Hey Katastrophie," Constance greeted me. Li helped Virginia stand. My brother held up his revolver at them and said, "I know you had orders, but I'm going to give you a new one. BACK OFF!!"
"Yes sir.." they both mumbled.
"You don't come near Katastrophie again, do you understand?!"
"Yes sir."
"I said DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!!"
"Yes sir!" They stood at attention.
"Now leave. I don't want to see you within ten miles of my sister or me for that matter." They sharply turned and hurried away, mumbling as they went. Michael returned his weapon to its holster around his leg. I noticed that Constance had these as well. There was an awkward silence before I finally managed to say,
"You came to help me?"
"Sure," my sibling answered, "I couldn't very well let them kill you, could I? If Mom and Dad paid the boss any more money, they'd starve. I'm starting to run out myself. Not only did your fee come out of my monthly salary, but I had to help them with everyday expenses like food and bills too. They don't get much of an income anymore you know."
"I know... I heard about that. But...what can I do?"
"'What can you do'?? You can come back to the team that's what you can do! Just let Giovanni know that you're rejoining by getting him a rare pokemon."
"I'm not going back to Team Rocket!" I shouted repulsively. "There's another way. There's gotta be."
"Look. I can't share my pay with three grown people. I can hardly take care of myself anymore! The only reason I'm doing alright is because Constance has helped me out with her own money. Besides that, if you stay here, you won't be safe for long. Li and Virginia might come back even if they're not supposed to. You know how they are. And I won't always be there to protect you. You're endangering your..." he stopped and glanced at Kyle and Lunia, "...friends by being with them. They most likely will be assassinated next time, just like you! Is that what you really want Katastrophie? Do you really want you and everyone you care about to suffer because of you?" Michael was always excellent at getting me to do what he wanted, and this time was no exception. He was one hundred percent right. That's what I had been doing for the last four years. I wasn't about to let it continue. Kyle stepped forward.
"She's not going anywhere." I held out my arm to stop him just like he did for me that night so long ago when we rescued Lunia. I looked up at Michael with profound, distressed eyes. He smiled gently.
"I knew you'd understand." Constance went back and dug a sack out of the shrubbery. Then she handed it to me. "We brought this for you." I took out the Team Rocket uniform inside. It was a black, just like the one I used to wear only larger. As I stared at it, hundreds of thoughts went through my mind. I was able to say,
"You and Michael go on. I'll meet you near the next town."
"You sure?" Michael asked. I nodded and they left. Now my mind felt blank when seconds ago it was overflowing. I turned and started off to change. Kyle caught my arm.
"Don't listen to him! We'll take care of you! You don't have to leave!"
"Yes I do. And you know it Kyle. It's the best thing right now."
"You deserve better than that life."
"No. I was born into it. It's where I belong. Now please, stop making this harder than it already is!"
"You belong with us! I can't let you go." I was getting annoyed with him. Why couldn't he see that I was only doing this to help him and Lunia and my family?
"This is for your own good." I swiftly bent down and swung my leg under his feet, thus causing him to lose his stability and fall on his back. (I did pick a couple of offensive moves up in the camp, but not many.) He got the wind knocked out of him and gasped for air as I ran into the woods. When I had changed into my uniform, I returned to my friends. It seemed to hurt Lunia just to see me dressed like that. She approached me.
"This isn't right Kat. You shouldn't have go."
"I shouldn't have to, no. But I do." She looked so distressed I wanted to cry. In fact, I could already feel my eyes watering. Lunia was almost like a sister to me. We embraced one another in a bond of friendship. When we broke, I glanced at Kyle who was sitting on a tree stump with his back to me. I didn't know what to do, so I simply said,
"Good-bye Kyle." Because he did not respond, I bid Lunia farewell one more time and set off on my short walking journey.
"Wait Kat." I heard his voice and turned back around. Once he was standing before me, he reached into his pocket and produced a five-dollar bill. No longer being able to control my tears, I took it. Kyle pulled me close to him and softly said,
"I'll be here when you come home." Before pulling away and running, I gave him a kiss on the cheek. Then I made a break for it. It was too hard to say good-bye to him. Lunia was tough enough. It would be easier this way. I didn't stop running until I reached the town and found Michael and Constance waiting for me.
"Are you ready?" Constance asked.
"No." I replied trying to hide that I had been crying, "but I'll go." Michael gave me a pokeball containing the Politoed he had recently caught. He said that the boss wanted one of those and that it should do the trick to get me back in. Sure enough, it did. I handed him the pokeball when we reached the HQ. I got a lecture and the punishment of working for only half price as of the next couple of months. But he was too pleased with the new pokemon and too distracted by gym matters to care much about me.
After that I lived with Mom and Dad. There really was no way to thank them for all they had done. I didn't have nearly enough money to pay back all that they had given to Giovanni. Even if I did they wouldn't have accepted it.
It was on my 17th birthday months later that I was about to obtain a partner and start my own team. A rather adorable boy named Ryan. I was supposed to get a call telling me where to meet him. So when the phone rang my parents smiled proudly. Meowth climbed up to the video screen as I answered the ringing machine. To my astonishment, my brother appeared on the panel.
"Katastrophie," he said, "I have a birthday present for you. Mom and Dad told me how you're always moping about the house and don't talk much anymore. It's a bit obvious what's going on here." I blushed.
"Oh c'mon. Who do you think you're fooling? I saw it the minute I looked at that boy you were with. You must miss him." Meowth looked at me.
"What boy? I didn't know yous was travelin' with somebody!" Michael went on,
"So here's the deal. The boss is looking into grass pokemon lately. If you got him an evolved plant type, I bet I could talk him into letting you off the hook for good."
"You mean I could go?!" I cried happily, "And they wouldn't kill me?" Smiling, he nodded. "That's great! But-where would I get an evolved grass pokemon'?"
"I have one," I heard my dad say. Startled, I turned around. I hadn't been aware of my parents standing behind me. My father took a pokeball from his belt. "You can have my Victreebell." I gasped.
"Oh no Dad, you and Mom have done enough! I couldn't take the pokemon you've had for years!"
"I can't stand seeing you like this! You're always miserable. Maybe it'll listen to the boss better than it listens to me anyway." I looked into the green eyes I inherited before tearing up and throwing my arms around him.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you Daddy!" My mother grinned, obviously very pleased.
"You're free."
* * *
Kyle glanced at his watch. He was waiting for Lunia to finish a trainer battle with a kid they had run into in Cerulean City. Some how I had a hunch they'd be in his hometown. Not quite sure how to approach them, I stood at a distance hidden by shadows. Finally Lunia won the battle and recalled her Teddiursa.
"Alright, alright," Kyle urged, "let's get to the gym. I want you to meet my family."
"Okay-. Gee-. I wish they could meet Kat too." His eyes fell immediately to his shoes.
"Oops. Sorry Kyle." Did it really hurt him that much that I was gone? What a sweetheart. They slowly began to walk away. That was my queue. I stepped out behind them.
"Hey Kyle! Lunia!" I called. They both turned back and gasped once they saw me. "I owe you something Kyle." I walked right up to him and handed him the same five-dollar bill he had given me. He was beaming like a fool as he took it and me straight into his arms. He offered me a kiss (which I gladly returned) before opening one arm and inviting Lunia into the circle. I found myself both laughing and crying in our group hug. At long last I knew where I belonged. I was finally home!
The End
Author's note: It took me months to complete both parts one and two! I hope you like it though. Please let me know what you think!!
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