It's alright and you must move on, though the damage has been done.
Cherish the life and the ones you hold.
Can you change? Can you go on?
Alter Bridge-Shed My Skin
"So, what's up with the R?" Kirra asked innocently as they walked through the woods.
The fog had slowly dissapated as Max, Kirra, and Sora walked towards Cree Town. Pidgeys and Sparrows flew in the bright sky.
Max spoke slowly, "It's kind of a long story."
"Well, we have time. Cree's about seven miles away," The trainer replied, curiosity showing on her face.
"Alright," Max sighed. "I'll tell you. Seven years ago, when I was ten, I got my first Pokemon, Flare."
Kirra nodded, "Oh, so you got a fire-type to start with?"
The older boy smiled as he kicked a rock out of his way, "No, it was a Squirtle." Max hid a grin at the confusion that now resided on Kirra's face, "For some reason, he was red."
"A red Squirtle?"
"Sure was. Anyways, I had been living in River Town when I was approached by another trainer, probably fifteen. He told me about how I could get more rare Pokemon just like my red Squirtle. This, of course, got my interest," Max said as the memories flooded back to him. "I was young then, didn't realize who he was or what Team Rocket did."
Kirra gasped, "So you were a Rocket?"
Max nodded in sadness, "Yeah, for five years I stole Pokemon for the Boss. They had taught me that it was my right to do so. I was so stupid back then." A look of absolute pure regret crossed the trainer's face before he continued, "Anyways, when I turned thirteen they told me that they could take my Flare and make him stronger. He had evolved into a Wartortle at this point and they had always seemed interested in him. I thought it was for the best, and turned over my best friend."
Kirra just watched Max numbly as the birds flew over head.
"I later caught little Sora here and a year later, they wanted her too."
The female trainer turned to Max, "I was going to ask you about that. She seems..."
"Differant," The former Rocket finished her sentance as he looked down at the little Pokemon, "They liked her for her darker color. I think that they thought differantly colored Pokemon were stronger, more valuable. That's not the only thing differant about her though. She seems extremely human."
Kirra nodded in agreement as the dim, red Vulpix walked alongside her.
"Well, I still hadn't seen Flare in a year and whenever I asked they always said the same thing, 'We're working on it.' That's when I started to suspect. That's when I began to doubt. I refused to give them Sora. It didn't stop them from asking but at this point I was one of Boss's favorites. I always caught the 'Rare Ones' he was looking for. No one ever ordered me around," Max continued, "Four months later, I left. It was after a battle with some trainer who had this Pikachu. I had fought with him, a true battle under League rules. He thought I was like all the others until I offered to take him on in a true battle. He jumped at the chance. It was one-on-one, my Sora against his Pikachu. We had fought 'till a stand still, me against him and his friends. Then, his Pikachu, worn out from our battle, attempted a last ditch Thunder. Sora was knocked out instantly. That's when I ran up to her, held her close and that's when I saw it. The look of confusion in the other trainers' eyes. They came over to me, said they wanted to talk. I didn't believe them at first until an older looking boy said that he'd had a Vulpix once and knew how to care for them. I saw genuine concern on all of their faces so I let him take her and bandage her. I talked to the one I had battled and a female trainer that was part of their little group. They kept talking about how I seemed... differant than other Rockets. How they had never seen one show compassion for their Pokemon. After the one finished with Sora, I got ready to leave. The one with the Pikachu stopped me and looked me straight in the eyes and said something that I'll never forget, 'Never forget that Pokemon are people to.' I left after that. I left everything behind, my Rocket clothing, my old borrowed Pokemon, the only thing I kept was my Flare's Pokeball and Sora. I started over and swore to get revenge on the Rockets. For their crimes, for their twisted teachings, and for what they did to me. They will pay." He looked at Kirra, rage burning in his eyes, "They will pay for what they did to me and everyone else."
Kirra watched at the trainer, a look of horror, pity, admiration, and every other emotion flashing across her brown eyes, "I'm sorry."
"You shouldn't be," The fire in his own eyes put out by his tears, "I should."
Chapter 3