Luna Tiger
Cheers to the Freeze
- Joined
- Aug 19, 2003
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An insert to a 'fic I'd like to write one day. Takes place six years before R/B/Y and nine before G/S/C. Features an OC (Regulus) and Madam Boss.
----
Viridian City. The Gym was a majestic centerpiece to the fair sea of buildings, pristine and upheld in grandeur. It was -thee- place to hang out around, or the main source of entertainment when trainers abound to challenge the always well-chosen Leader. It was run by a powerful, town-exclusive shipping corporation, and always in the best of hands with each president elected.
What the town was ignorantly unaware of was the mob-like syndicate that had taken root in the town, long time posing as an honest, trust-worthy business; in fact, there had never been a time when the head family Joukan mafia did not have control over the Gym. Keeping honest work and shadowy operations separate from each other was a marvel, and anyone who have ever found a connection between the two was swiftly and silently taken care of.
However, up until recently it had a Leader to hold this front. And they found a replacement in an outted man from their delicate, neighboring land. Regulus Kusahara, thirty-eight years old, was currently positioned in the office foyer, propped against a plaster pillar, with a cellphone growing from his ear, and a smile of longing running across his lips.
"Yes sweetheart, Daddy made it here safely. .... No, I'm still waiting to see the superintendent, it won't be much longer. Catch anything recently? .... A Snubbull? Great! It's not better than Star, right? .... Aw, sweetheart, but I spent so much time breeding your Cleffa just for you! .... I'm teasing you, honey. I really hope you're enjoying your time out there.-- Oh, sweetheart, I have go now, 'kay? They're calling me in. Take care, alright? .... Yes, I love you too. I'll call you back later."
The uniformed man stalking toward him through the short hallway sneered lightly. "Girlfriend?"
Regulus glared frostily in retaliation, as he stuffed his cell into his backpocket, his voice hardened to a fine edge so unlike how he spoke prior. "Daughter. Does she want to see me now?"
The man nodded and beckoned him to follow. So he did.
The trip was a short one, bringing Regulus to a pair of intimidating, wooden doors. Intimidating to anyone else, that was. Regulus opened them simultaneously like they were his to use, unafraid and fearless. The center of attention.
The woman smiled coyly at him, from behind the large desk in front of the city-capturing window view. "Agent Castor. I'm pleased you could make it."
"I would hardly think of brushing aside your summons so thoughtlessly, Madam." Regulus took a seat without being asked to; it wouldn't be his nature if he couldn't show the Boss his straightforward intentions. "I am at your disposal, always."
"Of course you are." Tara Giovanni appeared as though she'd just gotten the cream and the canary, purring every word with sadistic delight. "My son, Tito, has not yet shown enough skill to replace me, in the Gym or as the head of Team Rocket. Until a time when I approve his promotion, you will be running the Gym as his stand-in. Clear?"
"Crystal, Madam Boss," Regulus drawled. "I'm assuming I won't be running as many raids as I did back in Johto, being so close to homebase and all."
"Are you undermining your skills as useless outside Johto?" She may have been smiling, but her voice wasn't kind. The woman was baiting him.
"Of course not. I'm a Silver, there isn't anyone better than me on the whole continent."
"Arrogance." Madam Giovanni frowned suddenly, her words dripping venom laced in honey and sugar. "This is your second, and last, chance, Castor. I was not happy losing your hold in the League like that, but it's only because I have no gripe about you that you weren't demoted to garbage detail, or executed. If you fail me at any moment in the future, I will rub you out of existence."
A threat. Regulus clenched his jaw to keep from snarling. But he had to keep his face free of negativity, because this part was important to him. "Do as you please to me; I don't fail. Just keep in mind, you've sworn not to extend this to my family; I joined Team Rocket because of my desire to create chaos in the natural order. As I said before, I'm at your disposal. But my daughter is not under Rocket protection; she is under /my/ protection. If something happens to me, she is exempt from your cause, your recruitment, your target list. Is this still apart of my contract?"
She gave a suggestive, one-shoulder shrug. "There's no reason for it not to be." And that was it. The head of Team Rocket cast Regulus one final, impressionable gaze before spinning her chair around to face the city in her clutches. The meeting was over.
Regulus wasted no time in leaving. Out of the office, out of the wing, out of the building, and plopping down on the stone stairs outside the entrance. A cigarette was in his mouth before he realized it, and dragged back on the smoke leisurely, as he went back over the conversation word for word. The slightest loop-hole put him in jeopardy, and worst off, his daughter would be too, terms of contract or not.
When he couldn't find any readily visible, he exhaled in relief, and fished out his phone once more. He really wanted to share the good news, to the sunshine in his meadow, the blissfully ignorant little girl who had no right to know of his high rank in the most radical group of criminals in two regions.
And he smiled longingly. "Whitney, guess what? I'm the new Viridian Gym Leader!"
----
Viridian City. The Gym was a majestic centerpiece to the fair sea of buildings, pristine and upheld in grandeur. It was -thee- place to hang out around, or the main source of entertainment when trainers abound to challenge the always well-chosen Leader. It was run by a powerful, town-exclusive shipping corporation, and always in the best of hands with each president elected.
What the town was ignorantly unaware of was the mob-like syndicate that had taken root in the town, long time posing as an honest, trust-worthy business; in fact, there had never been a time when the head family Joukan mafia did not have control over the Gym. Keeping honest work and shadowy operations separate from each other was a marvel, and anyone who have ever found a connection between the two was swiftly and silently taken care of.
However, up until recently it had a Leader to hold this front. And they found a replacement in an outted man from their delicate, neighboring land. Regulus Kusahara, thirty-eight years old, was currently positioned in the office foyer, propped against a plaster pillar, with a cellphone growing from his ear, and a smile of longing running across his lips.
"Yes sweetheart, Daddy made it here safely. .... No, I'm still waiting to see the superintendent, it won't be much longer. Catch anything recently? .... A Snubbull? Great! It's not better than Star, right? .... Aw, sweetheart, but I spent so much time breeding your Cleffa just for you! .... I'm teasing you, honey. I really hope you're enjoying your time out there.-- Oh, sweetheart, I have go now, 'kay? They're calling me in. Take care, alright? .... Yes, I love you too. I'll call you back later."
The uniformed man stalking toward him through the short hallway sneered lightly. "Girlfriend?"
Regulus glared frostily in retaliation, as he stuffed his cell into his backpocket, his voice hardened to a fine edge so unlike how he spoke prior. "Daughter. Does she want to see me now?"
The man nodded and beckoned him to follow. So he did.
The trip was a short one, bringing Regulus to a pair of intimidating, wooden doors. Intimidating to anyone else, that was. Regulus opened them simultaneously like they were his to use, unafraid and fearless. The center of attention.
The woman smiled coyly at him, from behind the large desk in front of the city-capturing window view. "Agent Castor. I'm pleased you could make it."
"I would hardly think of brushing aside your summons so thoughtlessly, Madam." Regulus took a seat without being asked to; it wouldn't be his nature if he couldn't show the Boss his straightforward intentions. "I am at your disposal, always."
"Of course you are." Tara Giovanni appeared as though she'd just gotten the cream and the canary, purring every word with sadistic delight. "My son, Tito, has not yet shown enough skill to replace me, in the Gym or as the head of Team Rocket. Until a time when I approve his promotion, you will be running the Gym as his stand-in. Clear?"
"Crystal, Madam Boss," Regulus drawled. "I'm assuming I won't be running as many raids as I did back in Johto, being so close to homebase and all."
"Are you undermining your skills as useless outside Johto?" She may have been smiling, but her voice wasn't kind. The woman was baiting him.
"Of course not. I'm a Silver, there isn't anyone better than me on the whole continent."
"Arrogance." Madam Giovanni frowned suddenly, her words dripping venom laced in honey and sugar. "This is your second, and last, chance, Castor. I was not happy losing your hold in the League like that, but it's only because I have no gripe about you that you weren't demoted to garbage detail, or executed. If you fail me at any moment in the future, I will rub you out of existence."
A threat. Regulus clenched his jaw to keep from snarling. But he had to keep his face free of negativity, because this part was important to him. "Do as you please to me; I don't fail. Just keep in mind, you've sworn not to extend this to my family; I joined Team Rocket because of my desire to create chaos in the natural order. As I said before, I'm at your disposal. But my daughter is not under Rocket protection; she is under /my/ protection. If something happens to me, she is exempt from your cause, your recruitment, your target list. Is this still apart of my contract?"
She gave a suggestive, one-shoulder shrug. "There's no reason for it not to be." And that was it. The head of Team Rocket cast Regulus one final, impressionable gaze before spinning her chair around to face the city in her clutches. The meeting was over.
Regulus wasted no time in leaving. Out of the office, out of the wing, out of the building, and plopping down on the stone stairs outside the entrance. A cigarette was in his mouth before he realized it, and dragged back on the smoke leisurely, as he went back over the conversation word for word. The slightest loop-hole put him in jeopardy, and worst off, his daughter would be too, terms of contract or not.
When he couldn't find any readily visible, he exhaled in relief, and fished out his phone once more. He really wanted to share the good news, to the sunshine in his meadow, the blissfully ignorant little girl who had no right to know of his high rank in the most radical group of criminals in two regions.
And he smiled longingly. "Whitney, guess what? I'm the new Viridian Gym Leader!"
