I've never felt fear like this before.
I plunge downwards into the darkness, breath catching in my chest. Adrenaline and confusion mixing together with sheer fright.
Crack.
Water surrounds me, dragging me underneath. Terror courses through me as I fight to swim upwards.
Bubbles escape my mouth as I fight against the cold depths. I hadn't had a chance to hold my breath, lights were already popping behind my vision.
I break the surface with a gasp, the water is extremely fucking cold.
"Masaru!" I scream. My voice echoes off the walls of the pit we were dumped into.
Moments later he breaks the surface next to me, his blue hair is plastered against his head. I swim towards him, choking.
I see him fidget for a moment before sending Walrein out into the water. We both cling to his blubbery body.
"Arrow, go!" I hold out a Pokéball and summon the mighty beast. "Bring us up!" I point.
Masaru withdraws Walrein and we climb onto Arrow, who ascends to the top of the pit.
Trembling and sodden we collapse onto the floor, where I withdraw Arrow.
"What the fuck happened?" I pant.
"It was a trap," Masaru stands up and wrings out his shirt. He's shivering, pushing his hair out of his face. It bounces into wet, messy spikes.
I stand up, my teeth chattering. "Why though?"
"In case something like this ever happened. There was probably a kill switch but it's too late now." Masaru stares into the pit with an aggravated expression. "The bed is long gone."
I grimace and together we walk out of the room, shutting the door behind us.
"I'll deal with that later," I shake my head. "I'm soaked, freezing and pissed."
Masaru nods his head. His expression is comical and I grin. He looks like a soaked Shinx, with his blue hair.
"What's there to smile about? There's only one shower." Masaru is absolutely scowling at this point.
"Yeah and I'm using it first." I raise my middle finger into the air and walk towards it.
I try to shower quickly, for his sake. Waiting out there in sodden clothing is shitty.
I emerge in cotton shorts and a T-shirt. Masaru is pacing. He's removed his soaked shirt and I catch myself staring.
He's pretty fit. A tight outline is formed around his abs and his pecks are fairly defined. He notices me staring and I see a smile crack his lips.
"Is it my turn?" Is all that he says.
Silently I nod, swallowing the heat rising in me.
He goes to shower and I deflate into one of the armchairs. Idly I spin a ring that I'm wearing on my pinky.
I have a lot of work ahead of me. I let out a sigh. Tomorrow would really determine how well things would work out.
I hear the water stop and Masaru emerges. Still shirtless, this time glistening with droplets of water. I feel warmth creeping up my thighs and avert my gaze.
"That's better," he breathes as steam trickles from the open bathroom.
"I know," I say casually.
"I was definitely going to sleep there," Masaru seems annoyed. "Fuck staying in that cell of a room."
"You can still sleep here. I don't expect you to stay in that dingy room," I stand up and stretch.
I go into my room and put the sheets on my bed. Leaving the extra ones in a pile on the floor since the second bed was gone.
I lay down. Losing myself in the smell of fresh detergent. My mind felt cloudy and I drifted to sleep.
"Jun?" I open my eyes and blink Masaru's face into focus.
"What?" I sit up and look around nervously.
"It's morning. You passed the fuck out." He points at my clock, which glares 8:00am at me.
"Shit." I mutter and climb out of bed. My back is stiff from the way I slept and silently I curse.
Masaru leaves and closes my door behind him. I quickly change into a tight black dress. This one is made of lace but still sports the hideous red R. I pull on boots and march out of the room.
He's dressed and waiting. Drinking a glass of juice and sitting in one of the armchairs.
I walk past him and pour myself a glass of juice as well. Drinking it and eyeing him from my peripheral vision.
"Goro is supposed to bring the people you asked for around ten," Masaru's finger is tapping the side of his glass.
I take a drink to hide the small smile on my lips as I watch him.
The next hour passes quickly and the next thing I know a knock is sounding at the door.
"Ma'am, this is Dr. Namba." Goro bows his head and presents a stout man with orange hair. It's splayed out on the sides, a bald spot shining in the middle. He's also sporting a mighty, pointed mustache.
"Come in," I wave them both inside.
Goro is twirling his fingers nervously while Dr. Namba scowls at me.
"What do you want, girl?" His voice is almost as course as his face.
Masaru rises from his seat in an armchair and quickly makes his way towards us. I let me eyes wander from him back to Dr. Namba.
"Watch your fucking tongue," I snarl at him. "Or you can have a dungeon room. Just like Krent." I pull out a ball and release Ninetails.
She snarls, baring her fangs and letting flames lick from her open mouth. She lowers her body to the ground, dark eyes fixed on Namba.
Goro interjects, "I'll go collect the others for you ma'am." As quickly as he can, he exits the vicinity.
I look back at Namba, who seems taken aback.
"What can I do for you?" Clenching his teeth he forces himself into a bow.
"That's better." I say, cooly. "How many projects are you currently working on that require you to directly test on Pokémon?" I ask him.
His eyes look guarded.
"Don't fucking lie to me, either. I'll find out and you'll regret it." I pop open another ball and Nidoking comes out.
He bellows so loudly the china on my table starts to clatter and shake. Masaru has a smug expression on his face.
"Twelve," he answers after a long pause.
"I want proof. I want all of your research, all of it." I narrow my eyes at him. "Where are the Pokémon you're testing on?"
Another long pause. "They're all here," he confides at last.
"Stay here until I'm finished with the others. Then take me to them." I command sharply.
Namba doesn't move. Not even when another knock sounds at the door.
"Come in," I call.
Goro enters with four Grunts. They have different clothing than the average Grunts. They're dressed in white attire, instead of the standard black.
"One at a time tell me your name and what you're in charge of," I've seated myself at my desk now. Ninetails sits next to me and Nidoking prowls the room.
A woman speaks first, she's pretty with flowing red hair. I would guess she's in her early thirties. "My name is Frieda and I'm in charge of the Capture division." She bows to me and I see she's slightly trembling.
"Tell me more about the Capture division," I lean in knowing this information would be important.
"Basically I'm in charge of sending out teams to bring in wild Pokémon. Or to steal them from people. We rely namely on underhanded tactics…" she locks my gaze with fiery eyes.
I like this woman.
"Frieda, what if I asked you to do something else?" I place my hand on Ninetails head and she closes her eyes.
"Like what ma'am?" Excitement edges into her voice.
"I assume you have vans and other large vehicles to move Pokémon with?" I press.
"Yes ma'am," now a curious note enters her tone.
"I want you to relocate Pokémon. Species that have invaded others' territory. When cities call and have an infestation move them to a place they belong." I pull my hand from Ninetails to meet Frieda's gaze again.
"For what purpose?" I can tell she didn't mean to ask it, by the fear on her face.
"To help the Pokémon, of course." I let out a tinkle of laughter to break the tension.
She says nothing and I can't read her face this time. Her eyes are glittering though, it makes me lean forwards.
"What are you thinking? You can tell me." My voice softens.
Tears stream down her face and she wipes them away, quickly. "I would be honored," she bites her lip. I knew I liked this woman.
"Thank you. I'll hear from the next," I wave my hand. This is taking forever.
Another woman steps towards, she's glowering at me and doesn't bow. "I'm Raza, I'm in charge of training the elite Pokémon."
My interested is piqued. "Elite Pokémon?"
"You think the Boss trains his own Pokémon? No. Not here at this branch. Krent is a weak coward. Tell me, are your Pokémon raised with your own strength?"
A smile breaks over my face. "Yes, I've trained them all myself. Do you only train Pokémon for the Boss?"
"Yes. So I'm afraid I'm of no use to you now," Raza seems bitter.
"Can you help train the Grunts' Pokémon with them? The thought of wasting your talents on a lazy leader depresses me." I sit back in my chair.
Her yellow eyes light up and she puts a hand through her golden hair. "A task worthy of my greatness."
Next a young man steps towards. His hair is jet black aside from a streak of red running through one side. He has dark eyes and a dark complexion. He's strikingly handsome.
"My name is Axis," he bows to me. "I'm a recruiter. I find people and sometimes adolescents to join our ranks."
I can see why he has this position. He's attractive and well polished, giving off a very professional air.
"Does it entail anything iniquitous?" I inquire.
"No, we stopped kidnapping before I took over this position. I've only been doing this for about a year now."
"Continue your post, though your verbatim will be changing." I nod at him kindly and I see a glimmer of excitement in his eyes. I allow him to look me over before dismissing him.
Masaru is smoldering in his armchair. I shrug it off.
Another man steps forwards last. He's probably forty years old. "I'm Slad, I'm in charge of communications with other Rocket Bases." He rubs a hand over his bald head, he looks exhausted.
"Cut off communication for now," I say briskly. "You can take a break, but don't leave the facility." He actually looks relieved and nods.
That's everyone, then. Now all that's left is to go into the laboratory. Which I'm dreading.
"Everyone besides Namba is dismissed," I say.
I watch as the room vacates and Masaru stands from his place, stiffly. He averts my gaze and I roll my eyes.
"Take us to the lab," I retract Nidoking but keep Ninetails out. She won't hurt the elevator like Nidoking might.
We clamor into the elevator and it plunges us down, past the basement, to the next level. We walk out into the dingy hallway.
I scrunch my nose at the smell of mildew and dread creeps down my spine. Ninetails is bristling and small whines are escaping her.
This makes my heart jump and my blood turn cold, she never does this.
Masaru releases Houndoom, he lets out a small puff of flames and strides next to Ninetails. Houndoom is alert, ears plastered back against his head and hackles standing on end.
"What are we about to walk into?" I hiss inside the dim hallway.
"Ma'am, please know that these experiments were at the request of Krent. I had no say over this." Namba's breath is ragged with fear.
I know that we're about to witness something sinister.
We enter the first room of the Laboratory. My stomach turns over on itself and I find a trash can to retch into.
An Abra is suspended in a giant glass tube. It's been dismembered. Other pieces of it's body are floating in smaller, similar tubes.
Rage courses through me when I see that somehow the poor creature is still alive. Saturnine eyes blink at me from behind the glass.
I whirl around, my blood on fire. "What is the purpose of this?" My voice comes out in a boom and Ninetails and Houndoom are snarling.
"To see if Abra can teleport specific body parts, even if they're… detached." Namba is wringing his sweating hands.
My brain feels like it's literally shaking and I look at Masaru. "What can we do?" I beg him, tears brimming my eyes.
He casts his gaze downwards and takes a deep breath. "Can the limbs be surgically reattached?" He asks steadily.
"I would think so, Pokémon are fantastical creatures." Namba is panting ever so lightly.
"Then do it. Call your team and have them do it at once!" Masaru snaps, his face is flushed. "Take us to the rest of them."
One by one we enter the dreadful rooms. It's almost too much for me to handle.
A Ditto being blasted by some beam that made it scatter into globs of itself. It was letting out shrieks of pain until I shut it off.
In one room they had Pokémon who had been deprived of food battling to the death.
By the time we were halfway through my legs were shaking. Masaru had taken the lead and was issuing all of the commands. While I numbly took in the horrific scene around us.
A Slowpoke, who's tail they endlessly were cutting off. Carcasses of those who had passed away from stress lay scattered in the cage.
Electric Pokémon being used as literal batteries to constantly power some of these machines. My stomach was sick.
"Where is your research held?" I ask breathlessly.
Namba looks incredibly nervous.
"Tell me now, my patience is fucking thin." I hiss and Ninetails lets out a piece of flame.
"You can access it all here. Please, have mercy on me." He hands me a tablet and I snatch it from his trembling hands.
I open the first file, labeled Abra. It's a video recording of Namba.
"Now for the experiment that I've been the most excited about!" He booms over the video.
Masaru can't move fast enough to prevent what happens next.
I smash the tablet against the side of Namba's fucking head. He stumbles, eyes confused. I hit him again and Ninetails is next to me snarling.
He falls to the ground dazed and I put the heel of my boot between two of his ribs.
He lets out a wheeze.
"I told you, if you fucking lied to me you'd regret it." My voice is full of venom.
"Jun," Masaru puts a hand on my arm.
"Don't!" I snap at him, ripping my arm away. "Fucking interfere. Don't." Our eyes lock and I know he sees the crackling behind mine.
He backs away, pushing his hand through his hair. He seems to be at a loss for words.
A trickle of blood is sliding down Namba's face and I push down harder.
"Please," he gasps, tears are welling in his eyes.
"You deserve to fucking suffer," my breath is ragged with rage. I remember this is what happened with Giovanni.
My fists are clenched and the only sound I hear is my heart pounding in my ears.
"Take him to the fucking dungeon," I release his chest from my boot. He's trembling on the ground. "He can fucking rot in there."
Masaru drags the weeping man to his feet and shoves him down the hallway, out of my sight.
Ninetails pushes her head under my hand and I relax a little bit under her touch. It would feel good to tear down Team Rocket and rebuild it into something better.