route_1065 | (no subject)

A seviper slithers around Crocker's legs with a menacing look. Apparently a certain trainer has heard something that he's not too happy about. The trainer does not yet make an appearance. Despite the number of Rocket members that have one of the two snake breed pokèmon, the one most likely to have his pokèmon out and wandering is definitely Snake.

The seviper drops back down to the floor and begins to try to lead Crocker away to meet with Snake in a more private area of the base.

Denzel feels the a slither on his legs and jumps, flips out of the chair, crashes as well as the chair, "OW!.." For a moment Crocker has to think about who's Pokemon that is before it dawns on him. By golly it's been awhile since they've seen the other. Crocker watches the papers scatter in the room everywhere, he can get back to that he feels almost as if what Seviper has to say is important, so he follows the Pokemon, with Growlithe behind him.

"...Snake?"

Snake is in the training room, practicing as much for the circus as for things Team Rocket would like for him to do, and as always he is putting his full effort into the training. He takes a minute to finish the exercise he was working on before walking over to Crocker, arms folded.

With his three snakes flanking, his appearance became surprisingly intimidating for the normally shy trainer. He stares at Crocker knowingly. He knows what Crocker did, and knows that Crocker knows what he did wrong.

Sure Snake didn't know Jimmy, but he knew Jimmy knew Crocker from his own world, and that Jimmy is just a kid. He would keep staring until Crocker cracked about what he did.

"Hello, long time no see." Growlithe gives a chipper bark towards Snake, and is the first to figure out something is wrong and whines a bit.

Crocker replies pleased to his friend, "Been off at the Ruins trying to understand - POKEMON more and lost track of time."

Denzel gives Snake some time to reply and after that time is up, Crocker eyes around, ok - ay. Well then.

"Awkward silence."

The man rubs his other arm rather awkwardly and feels that intimidating look stare into him. Denzel's eyes grow wide and wary, "What? What is it?!"

As his eyes dart around, after all he's not guilty.

"I didn't do anything. I don't know why you're staring at me for!"
Stating as he backs himself into the wall and his arms spread across the wall, "ALRIGHT! ALRIGHT! I CONFESS! I did steal that child's Pokemon.

So?"

There's a pause, "I don't see what the big deal is." Quite frankly he didn't after all he's always trying to steal Turner's fairies.

"Expect Joker did say 'play nice' with Jimmy but I couldn't stand him any longer with just the two of us! He's such a goody- two shoes!"

Snake might as well have used Mean Look the way he is staring down Crocker right now. He lets another moment pass before taking a deep breath and hissing, "You can steal anyone's pokèmon, but you choose to steal the pokèmon of an ally? A friend. You're supposed to be a part of the circus. You do not do that to the people in the circus. They're your family. You might as well have given Geraldine to Team Rocket. Joker might give you a second chance, but my trust isn't so easily earned back, says Ruskin."

Crocker jolts his head back and dare say stands up straight for a moment when Snake hisses.

"An ally? Jimmy isn't an -" So, that's what is going on huh? Crocker feels like he just felt his stubbornness bite him back in the butt, "A child isn't family. And I didn't give his Pokemon to the Team, I still have it."

At least he hadn't just yet, Snake managed to catch Crocker before he could.

Denzel's eyes fall into devastation, "No. NO! I would never steal from you or anyone else from the circus for that matter."

Come on Snake, you where his first friend here of anyone's trust to lose!

"You stole from the troupe. You stole from me, you stole from Joker, you stole from Doll, you stole from everyone, says Ruskin." The Seviper turns her head from Denzel as John works his way around and behind Crocker wit a slight rattle of his tail.

"Does Joker know it was you? Do our bosses know you have stolen a pokèmon and have not yet handed it over? You just betrayed every group you are a part of. It must have hurt Joker as much as it hurt us, and just imagine how angry the boss will be, says John." Snake didn't move, letting his pokèmon surround Crocker. The snake charmer keeps glaring, his eyes now fine slits.

Edited 2014-06-24 03:15 (UTC)

"I didn't steal from - all of you.. Is that what a 'family' is? One thing affects everyone? Not just that one person?"

Crocker suddenly feels like something lower than dirt, "No. No. NO! I'm not NORM!"

As his heart begins to race in his chest and his head swarms in circles.
What did he do??

The man's stubbornness and hatred of children did Crocker in the end and his lack of understanding the definition of family.

The man shakes his head furiously and eyes the rattling, meanwhile Growlithe... Thinks someone had this coming but she will not let the other Pokemon harm him either and gets on her guard as Snake's Pokemon begin to surround Crocker.

"I - don't know if Joker knows or not. I was going to give it to the team!"

But only because Crocker is suppose to give the Pokemon to the Team.

Denzel finds himself on his knees, "WAIT!... ^{What can I do to make it up to the troupe?}"

To be quite honest Crocker did want away from Team Rocket, there was just too much pressure between them and the troupe and given the choice, he'd pick the troupe.

Edited 2014-06-24 04:31 (UTC)

Snake can agree with that last sentiment. Team Rocket asked for a lot, and the troupe took a lot of work as well. He felt like he has been tossed around a bit, but the circus meant enough to him that he didn't care. But he did care very much that Denzel stole the pokèmon.

Denzel had been his first real friend here that he made and could relate with. If he hadn't begun to trust Denzel so much then he would not be this angry. He probably would have just stolen the pokèmon back and stopped speaking with Denzel. But he did care about the man, so he stands his ground. His pokèmon don't look to be getting ready to strike, but they are keeping Denzel from trying to run off. Gaskell even gives the growlithe some encouragement that they aren't going to attack.

Snake gives another moment of silence after Crocker finishes before answering, "You admit what you did, give back Jimmy's pokèmon, and apologize deeply. Even if we might not trust you right away, being a part of the troupe means that we will forgive, and we'll help if Team Rocket gets angry. You're family too, says Ruskin." It isn't a "get out of jail free" card, but Snake knows that everyone makes mistakes, and while Denzel's is severe, it is still a mistake that has the chance to be forgiven.

If Snake looks deep into Crocker's eyes, it's quite obvious that he is regretful for hearing he stole from Snake, Joker and Doll and there's a bitter taste in his mouth that he usually enjoys but this time around the misery of other is quite dissatisfying, he also doesn't blame Snake if the other doesn't trust Crocker right away, heck if Norm ever came back again Denzel himself would think twice about asking help from that genie.

Growlithe in the meanwhile relaxes, lying down and making herself comfortable.

"You where my first friend, Snake..." At least since his break- up with Geraldine and if Norm the genie counts? Either way, it's been awhile, "I didn't mean to hurt your trust. Or Joker's or Doll's. I only wanted that child," Crocker still remarking child with distaste, "To stop being happy for no reason at all and give him a dose of reality."

Crocker's lips twist slightly in the thought of apologizing to Jimmy before nodding, "Can you at least explain what 'family' is?"

As Denzel is still trying to grasp that concept, they all keep saying that word but the man doesn't understand the meaning behind that word.

Snake's expression shifts into a slight surprise at that question of what is family. Everyone at Noah's Arc had become family so easily that he now knows that they are his family, but how could he explain to his younger self what family is? It seems such a foreign concept that he wasn't sure if he could really say what it is.

Thankfully for him his pokèmon were more than willing to try to articulate the idea. "Family you can love and hate and still want to protect them, they take care of you and you take care of them, and you're together for the best and the worst of times, says Ruskin.

"You love them even when you hate them, says John.

"Family means that no matter what you have each other's backs. You always protect them, and they will always protect you, but neither side takes that for granted, neither side tries to use each other, and if it does happen you can be angry and tell them that they are wrong, but that never means that you want them to leave, because they are your family, says Gaskell."

No, no, ignore that hint of a tear in Snake's eyes. Snakes can't cry, can they? He manages to keep his voice level, adding the passion of his pokèmon's explanation to the words he spoke. A quick silent message to his pokèmon lets them know that he is going to have a snuggle pile with them when they got back to their room.

Meanwhile, Crocker listens intently, after all with the lack of a family growing up he never understood, outside of there should be a mom and dad and they should care and play with their son.

"You can hate them and still want to protect them?.. You mean... Like you're doing to me right now? You know some of this sounds what that 'friendship' is like."

Don't mind Crocker he's just going to bust into tears between how lovely that sounds and how much he realizes that is what he wants.

"I never knew family could be so beautiful."

Snake nods. He doesn't add anything more, but he looks to Crocker with expectation. Snake just hopes that Crocker can forgive him for being so harsh.

When Crocker begins to cry, he steps forward and places a hand on the man's shoulder, allowing him to seek more comfort than a gentle hand if he wants it. He knows too well what that feeling was, and he was so glad to have found a family. As long as at least some of his family is here he could so easily call this 'home'.

Denzel shakes when Snake places a hand on his shoulder as he wonders if he deserves the other man's friendship at all. Something he has very little of and something he cherishes largely. As Crocker looks for friendship in Norm the Genie and Negachin but they - only didn't want that, it was only their mutual hate of Turner that brought them together and Crocker in the end was brutality cast aside. The man wasn't use to being given sympathy.

Growlithe meanwhile goes by his feet and licks her owner's hands.

Now... Now he has to apologize to a child. There's a sicking-twisting knot in stomach and he almost looks like he's going to throw up but he doesn't have any choice really. If he doesn't he'll lose what's important to him, something he's always wanted and he may even have a family with them. Even if it's non -traditional.

Crocker gives Snake a weak smile before,

"Suppose... we should go find him?.."

Snake nods and puts his hand out to Crocker, the same way Joker had given him his hand.

A hint of a smile lights up his eyes as one of the Sevipers bumps her head against Crocker's leg. "Famlies usually include children too, says Ruskin," says Snake as he begins leading him out to go find Jimmy.

Denzel heists for a moment when Snake offers the hand but after some dramatic tension decides to finally take that and jumps a tad at the bump on the leg as he looks down to see what was that, since he could it wasn't Growlithe,

"Yes, but I can't say I've very fond of them."

"But you were once a child... says Elizabeth." Snake says before he begins to move to head out. He's insistent on getting Denzel to apologize now.

"Yes," Crocker remarks bitterly as he recalls his own childhood, "And I learned quickly how cruel the world can be."

If the Pokemon or Snake look into Crocker's eyes they will see that broken little boy.

"So why don't you try to make it even just a little bit better? says Ruskin." Snake says while giving Crocker a stern look. He might as well have outright told Croker that he had grown up to be just as cruel as the rest of the world.

Denzel trembles in place and shutters, "I - well- because I enjoy the crying and moaning of unhappiness? And envy the fact that he can be like that and - and -"

Denzel points his face downwards at the floor,

Crocker has some flash backs of Vic the babysitter who was guillotining his teddy bear and afterwards, laughed and went looking for Denzel, who was hiding in fear.

"Don't know how."

The man speaks and slowly looks up.

"Apparently, says Gaskell."

"We'll make sure you learn, as long as you're willing, says Ruskin."

Meanwhile John rolls his eyes, "All you need to do is wonder if you would want someone else to do that with you. Even someone with no morals can go by that guideline, says John."

Denzel continues to think about Jimmy's smiling face and glares over at nothing and now as he's standing here confronting the other that why he enjoys popping others balloons of happiness... Maybe because it was how his own was popped back in 1982?

"Can you give me a reason why I should have him believe the world is full of rainbows and sunshine?"

Before awkwardly fingering his fingers together, "Well I don't have much of a choice to not learn now do I?"

After all he doesn't want to be tossed aside again and wants to regain Snake's trust that Crocker indirectly destroyed.

Before nodding his head at what John said and eyes back and forth, "Am I free to move now?"

As he still rather literally finds himself up against the wall.

Snake starts walking out the door, expecting Denzel to follow him. "Because the world isn't full of rainbows and sunshine. 'We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars,' says Gaskell." Snake turned his head to look at Crocker as he keeps walking.

Snake takes in a deep breath and adds softly, "'Life is never fair, and perhaps it is a good thing for most of us that it is not.'" No mention of any of his snakes are added to that quote. Had he been at home it may well have been Wilde that quoted his namesake, but here? Here he decided to try to get out of his shell more. He liked to hide from people, but Joker was always pushing him to be more friendly with the newer performers in the circus. And Denzel had already earned the young man's friendship, just making his connection to Denzel that much more precious.

Denzel continues to stand there as he's now gluing himself up against the wall and eyeing down. Growlithe makes a noise to get his attention and the man looks over,
"...To the stars..."

Crocker signals with his fingers if he should follow and slowly goes after Snake. As Denzel walks he fumbles a bit, side to side. He's not looking forward to what he has to do but he also feels guilty with what happened. Crocker looks at Snake worn down and in almost a whisper,"I appreciate that you're still here."

Even if right now their friendship feels burden. Snake is still there.

Snake is surprised at first, but then blushes and lowers his head. "It was hard the first time I found a friend too." And now the man is speeding up and silent. It will be hard to get anything out of Snake for a while now. Even his pokèmon take a moment to look at each other in amazement.

After Crocker vanished with his Shroomish, Jimmy immediately set his team out searching, trying to find his scent so they could follow. Lucius stayed by Jimmy's side, both wanting to track Crocker and hunt him down personally for what he'd done to his trainer. Of course- regardless of what had happened- Jimmy wasn't going to allow that.

After a few hours had passed, he ended up calling them back for a rest, sitting down heavily beneath a tree on the edge of a route just outside of Ecruteak. Leader and Lucius lay in the grass next to him with Inferno lying on Lucius' back, the two dogs panting from the exertion of searching for so long. Jimmy grimaced and rubbed his face with his hands before leaning back against the tree's trunk, staring up into the branches above.

"What am I gonna do now..."

He suddenly felt something nose against his hand, prompting him to look down. Lucky sat there on his haunches, looking up at Jimmy with a forlorn expression. He'd been told to fight, and for once...for once he was upset that he hadn't been able to perform as his trainer wanted.

Jimmy sighed and shook his head, running a hand down Lucky's back.

"Aw....no, it's okay. It's not your fault. I...I didn't know this was gonna happen."

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Jimmy= Timmy, right? Totally >_>

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