EPISODE 11: Scheme*

At the corner of Saffron City lies a dark and dismal alley. Hollow and thin, this alley is, filled with filth, vandalism, and defacement. The trash bins surrounding the area gave an unpleasant aroma of trouble. Haze from air conditioners, and chimneys gave the alley a specter presence.

"Look what I've found!" A malicious voice echoes as a grunt of Team Rocket walks flawlessly to the other grunt on the edge of the alley.

"Man, the boss is gonna kick me. Not a single rare Pokemon has been caught." The other grunt utters with a worried tone while sitting on top of a worn-out bench. Sweat drenches down his face, as his fingers spins one of his Pokeballs. Fear could be seen from his eye, a fear which he wouldn't want to encounter again.

"Pfft! You want to please the boss, then look at this." The grunt says with conviction and confidence. His eyes are filled with certainty and excitement, as if another evil deed is being plotted again.

"Well look what we have here. Thank Arceus for a second chance! This time, I'll surely get that Ralts!" The grunt sitting on the worn-out bench stands up as his worried looks turn into solace. He laughs sarcastically while reading the poster his friend gave him.

"It's time to put our charlatan skills to the test! Watch out Saffron Orphanage!" The grunt growl viciously, tearing my mother's poster into pieces. They are about to leave when suddenly, one of their rotom-phones rings disturbingly.

"Ah! Seriously?! It's the bossy secretary." The grunt complains with frustration.

"Answer it, you don't want to get fired don't you? Even if Matori seems bossy, she's still Giovanni's secretary."

"Yeah! I know, but I'm tired of her voice. This call better be important and not some random conference again!" The grunt infuriates with his fingers pressing the accept button harshly. By the looks of his face, you could see how frustrated he is towards Matori, the secretary of Boss Giovanni.

Matori, a woman with an age of twenty or so. Crimson eyes, violet bob-cut hair, and a very authoritarian and almighty characteristic. She is also said to be one of Team Rocket's elite operatives. She takes her job seriously as a secretary by contacting agents and operatives throughout the globe.

"Ms. Secretary, it's a pleasure to see you again." The frustrated gunt speaks sarcastically. He tries as much as possible to hide his frustration and anger from the secretary.

"Pfft! Stop acting sarcastic. Anyways, the boss has a mission for the both of you. From here on out you'll be participating in operation: R. The goal of the operation is to recruit new agents into our vast organization.

From teenagers to young adults, the boss wants you to hire new members for Team Rocket to replace fools like you." Matori explains with an authoritarian tone. The frustrated grunt tries his best to hold his anger and frustration. Gradually, his anger piles up like a Gulpin using Stockpile.

"Are you listening to me?! Do not fail this mission, or I will decrease your rank as Rocket operatives." Matori warns while giving her eyeglasses a little twitch. Her arrogance could be seen by the way she approaches the two grunts.

"I can't believe that call is finally over." The frustrated grunt exhales with relief after Matori finally declines the call. He releases all his anger on the secretary by clenching his phone tightly. Perhaps even tighter than a Dratini using Wrap.

"New recruits? Eh, where are we going to find that?"

"Nah! Who cares about that operation. The Boss will surely be more happy and proud of us if we catch him a shiny Ralts. Imagine using a Gardevoir on his schemes to capture the strongest Pokemon in the world.

Team Rocket will surely be unbeatable!" The frustrated grunt laughs with certainty and rejects the operation. They're surely up for trouble once Matori figures out their ignorance.

"You know what? You sound just like the secretary. Your bossy as well. No way am I getting fired from Team Rocket! I have a family to feed for Arceus's sake!"

"Listen here, do you think new recruits will bring pleasure to the boss?! Pokemons! He wants Pokemons, rare and shiny Pokemons! Do you understand?!" The frustrated grunt grabs his friend's attire and lifts him to the sky. He then shouts viciously, just like how Matori speaks.

"You know what? Fine, I concur... Your plan sounds way better, please put me down." He begs with a hoarse throat. His legs struggle and his brain fills in with worry and repentance.

"Hehe! That's the grunt I know. Anyways, the orphanage isn't far from here. Do you still have your fake mustache?" His rage calms just like a stormy sea turning into gentle waters. Gently, he places his friend back to the ground.

"Therein my pocket. If you really want to do this instead of the other operation, don't blame me when we get kicked out. I left my wife in the hospital together with our newly born son just to earn money. If I get fired, think about my family's future!

I wasn't even able to take a simple glimpse of my newly born son. I only transfer the money to my wife's atm account." The other grunt utters with somnolence with a mind passing through his memories.

"Look! I have problems too, you're not the only one with problems here man! We can't do anything about it, we chose this path, and there's no way of straying from the paths we choose in life. There's nothing we can do but to strive and survive, that is how we feed our families!

Now, are you still with me or not?" The grunt encourages with somewhat an inspiring and pursuing tone.

"Fine, if it's for the sake of my family then I'll do it. Hopefully, the money I earn from my salary will be able to calm my wife's rage over me..."

"Your wife will be proud, knowing that you've been secretly feeding them. Come on, we only have limited time! We still have to go to Mount Moon remember?"

After enough persuasion, his friend decides to join his evil scheme unplanned by the boss nor the secretary. Some people really have to sacrifice their reputation just to strive and feed their families. No wonder why his wife always wondered why the money in her atm account keeps on increasing. If only the wife knew about his husband's sacrifice, who knows?