I TRIED TO TURN TEAM ROCKET INTO GOOD GUYS WITH MECHAS AND ALL I GOT WAS THIS LOUSY T-SHIRT

[feistytrader]

but hey at least I'm an evil team heir

it only cost me all my friends

Comments

[viridianhealer]

Hmm? Oh, Silver! Hi, I haven't seen you in ages!

[feistytrader]

Long time no see. [He's been a little you know. Busy. Very busy. But that comes later.

Weavile waves at her to say hello! ...But he doesn't approach her. She can read his mind and memories if she wants to. Besides, she's busy healing. He better hang back.]

[viridianhealer]

Hang on, hang on...

[She'll wrap up what she's doing for the little pidgey, before letting it fly off. She'll come closer! Not a single wobble or yawn - she's been practicing her healing a lot, apparently.]

What brings you all here?

[feistytrader]

[He takes in a big, deep breath. Any answer he has for her won't be the truth, but... Maybe he can give some answer that isn't entirely a lie, either.]

I wanted to see how the forest was doing. [That's not a lie at all.] It's nice and peaceful here. [...And neither is that. The Viridian Forest is just plain nice to be in. If he could spend more time in it, he would...]

[viridianhealer]

It's doing a little better, but the Pokémon are having a hard time. The trees are doing well... but there's still a lot of invading Pokémon that are making things difficult here.

[feistytrader]

[So they are still coming in. And they're strong too, aren't they?] Have you guys tried catching the invading Pokémon?

[viridianhealer]

A bit, but they're very strong and most of the trainers in Viridian aren't very good at it. Green helps, sometimes, but just one or two people trying to get them is really not effective...

[feistytrader]

You'd need some big group of people to clear them all out. Some group as big as Team Rocket.

[Easy, Silver. You're laying it on a little thick.]

[viridianhealer]

Err... well, yes, a group that big...

[feistytrader]

[...Just don't seem nervous. If she says no, it's no. He looks around the area briefly- it looks like he's just in thought, but in reality he's settling his nerves.

But then he looks over at Yellow very calmly and casually. Just play it cool. Just take it easy...]

That's doable. With your permission, of course.

[viridianhealer]

Huh? You know a group of people that big?

[feistytrader]

I lead a group of people that big.

[viridianhealer]

What? You do? Since when?

[feistytrader]

Since they almost destroyed the world. Someone's gotta make sure they don't do it again.

[viridianhealer]

Wait... what?

[feistytrader]

Didn't you hear? Team Rocket tried to take over some legendary Pokémon again. They almost managed to destroy the world in the process.

They're out of control, especially when they don't have a leader. We managed to stop them this time, but my father's hellbent on rebuilding them over and over, so I'm stopping them from the inside instead of out.

[viridianhealer]

Stopping them from the inside? You... you lead Team Rocket, now??

[feistytrader]

Mostly. My dad's in charge, but I have plenty of authority as the heir.

[Months ago, he'd seem a lot more upset about it. Now? Whatever. He can't spend the rest of his life thinking about what should have been.

Besides... Everything is going well in Johto.]

Enough authority to stop them from ever hurting a Pokémon again.

[viridianhealer]

I... ah...

[It makes sense. If the leader is someone that's a good person, then...]

Are you sure they aren't hurting others?

[feistytrader]

I'm making sure of it. [...Maybe a couple of people have gotten hurt, but it's no one to care about, and it's definitely better than how they were doing before.] I'm not gonna try and say Team Rocket has a spotless record, but they're not doing half of the terrible things they were before.

[viridianhealer]

...If... if you're leading them, then I trust you. But, Silver... are you going to be okay?

1/2

[feistytrader]

[...Is he going to be okay?]

[feistytrader]

[...Well, yeah. I mean, he still has his doubts sometimes, but he has Gold and Crys with him, and they're even doing something that everyone will be able to enjoy.

And he has his father.

And things... Things aren't that different from him. A little more stressful, a little more responsibility and leadership... But can he truly call that bad?

He doubts it sometimes, but... For the most part, things feel right.]

I'll be okay. [...] Let me get this place cleared out and stable again. Even you trust me, I want to prove that something good is coming out of this.

[viridianhealer]

If you can help save Viridian Forest... then I'll help. Team Rocket did this damage in the first place, I guess it's right they clean it up.

[feistytrader]

[...It's strange. He thought Yellow would put up a bigger fight. Guess his biggest challenge really will be Green and Red...

...She doesn't think less of him, either. That's... That's good.]

Yeah. I agree.