Disclaimer: Pokemon belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics. This non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfiction belongs to me under international copyright laws and taking it is plagiarism. Thank you. *Phantomness bows*

Notes: <> for telepathy, ** for thoughts, italics if a pokemon talks

Chapter 4

 

            Giovanni surveyed his video equipment as he tapped his pen thoughtfully. The Rocket executive at his side raised a questioning eyebrow.

            “I don’t see that there’s anything wrong sir, except with the fact that your new recruits can’t keep their hands off each other.” She said dryly.

            “It certainly does not seem to be interfering in their assignments.” Giovanni said thoughtfully. “But it almost seems to me as though Red is the one initiating everything.”

            Jocelyn shrugged. “It could be that way, sir. Perhaps he likes it.”

            Giovanni nodded. He’d given Lance and Red a test – sent them to Seafoam with Koga’s group to collect information on Articuno, and they had not done badly.

            Coming home with a bagged Articuno was not bad at all.

            He briefly wondered how they had pulled it off. After all, he had taken all of Lance’s dragon pokémon, and so the boy had only a Seadra and a Cloyster with him. And Red only had Charizard and that Raichu – well, those were all elements that an ice and flying type would be weak to, but even so…

            Luring the Articuno out into the open with a Charizard, and then having a Raichu hidden in a Cloyster combine its attacks and pin it down through its wings? Impressive.

            Koga was a bit miffed, but that was only to be expected.

 

            “We did well,” Lance whispered. Red sighed as he lay on the bed and felt Lance’s slender fingers work the knots out of his back.

            “Ow… I think I’ve spent too much time hunched over books and papers studying and not enough time out in the field.”

            “Careful, or you’ll turn into a Researcher.” Lance teased. Red groaned as Lance massaged one particularly sore sport.

            “You know, you should probably soak in the hot tub for a while after.” He continued on, tone cold.

            “Care to join me?” Red grinned.

            Lance raised an eyebrow and Red saw the hint of amusement glittering in his golden eyes. “If you wish.” He said.

            Red idly wondered that if what they were doing was wrong, it had no right to feel so good. He lay still for a few more minutes until Lance stopped working, before he shrugged off his uniform. “Well, come on!”

            “Insatiable child.” Lance murmured, following Red inside.

 

            How could he escape if that pretty child occupied his every waking moment? Lance watched Red sleep with a fond expression, before his eyes hardened and he began pulling on his uniform. Giovanni was sending him out solo.

            Something dangerous.

            Of course, it made perfect sense. He was still not trustworthy enough, and Giovanni still had his dragons, but it would be all right, because Giovanni would be a fool to damage such powerful pokémon, and if he had

            Lance smiled, a long slow smile that did not touch his eyes.

            If Giovanni had hurt his dragons, he would know and feel it, and his precious darlings would have torn the man’s throat out and eaten his heart.

           

            “You called for me, sir?” He asked, perfectly polite, and perfectly contained, his uniform a pristine black and white.

            Giovanni smirked. Lance was doing well, and soon, Red would be ready enough. It was nice to have an emotional hold over his subordinates.

            The little child was in love with his rapist. How amusing!

           

            “Yes, Lance… there was something you could do for me, actually. I saw in your resume that you were originally from Johto?”

            Yellow eyes lowered as Lance nodded. “Yes, sir.”

            “Fascinating. Then you are more familiar with the pokémon there than almost all of my subordinates, is that correct?”

            Lance frowned. “To some extent, yes, sir.”

            “I have decided that it may be necessary to expand into Johto. Houen is off limits for now – I would not like to mess with Archie or Maxie at this time, but perhaps later. Well, it is not important. I need you to go there.”

            “For what, sir?”

            “Collecting.” Giovanni handed over a black boxy structure on a belt – Lance recognized it as a transfer device – and a file.

            Ahh…. Sometimes, though not always, Team Rocket would go out of it’s way to actually catch and not steal pokémon, especially rare ones. Lance inclined his head in a bow. “I understand, sir.”

            “Good. Take Red with you. He seems to be tired of doing deskwork.”

            “Yes, sir.”

 

            Odd. Lance thought, as he walked back to their quarters, his boots tap-tapping on the slick tile. In all honesty, he did not mind the uniform much. It was much like what he wore, minus the jacket and cape. He found Red awake, and studying the Team Rocket manual with a forced politeness that he guessed was the result of boredom and not interest in the doctrine.

            “Red.”

            Red nodded. “Yes, Lance?”

            “We’re going to Johto.” He said.

 

            Excitement flared in Red’s eyes, but he had gotten better at emotional control, except of course, when he’s busy seducing the older boy and Giovanni laughs, and so all he does is nod his head. “Yes, Lance. Should I start packing now?”

            Lance hid a smirk. “Certainly, it would help…”

            “I’ll go see the Quartermaster then, shall I?”

            “Yes, that would be excellent… I need to go down to the lab, but we must be ready to leave in an hour.”

            “I understand.”

 

            The Quartermaster was a nice enough man, and he was more than happy to provide the camping gear and equipment and rations they would need for two weeks out in the wilds of Johto. Two weeks was not long, but if they did well, Giovanni would give them more time…

            The man handed over six tubes of poke balls.

            “Here. Twenty balls each in these tubes. I doubt you’ll need this many, but it never hurts to be prepared. Email me if you need more supplies.”

            “Thank you, sir!”

            “Giovanni must trust you a lot, to send you out so far.” He continued. “In any case, here’s your water purifier – please note that it won’t get rid of organisms, simply kill them, so I would still suggest boiling the water first, and straining it through a filter, not just the carbon filter it has…”

            Red scribbled that tidbit of information down with a nod.

            “Matches… flashlight and batteries…” The man continued to pack items as Red noted down what they needed. “Oh yes, I almost forgot. You’ll need to wear disguises – can’t just walk around in your uniforms you know.”

            “Of course!”

            “Then I’ll give you the standard disguise kit – it comes with additional extras if you like to customize things to your size, stuff like that, but there’s no time – you said you’re leaving at three?”

            Red finally got all their supplies with five minutes to spare, and ran to find Lance, who was waiting for him right outside the Celadon base.

            “Ready?”

            “Ready!”

            They climbed onto Charizard’s back and flew off.

 

End Chapter

Completed 6/25/06

How cheerful Red is… and Lance is so… yes. ^^