Chapter Text
Some inmates liked to cover their walls with posters, but Gold had lined his with books. They were the only thing that made the place feel even close to a home. On a small table rested an old typewriter. A sign of trust from the warden. It had quickly become his greatest treasure and lifeline. In solitary confinement you had to spit out all the bad thoughts before you choked on them. When there was no one to talk to writing them down was the best you could do.
Or you could mutter to yourself. Muttering to yourself was always the first step out of solitary and into the nuthouse.
Gold was laying on the floor and doing and endless set of sit-ups, squats and push-ups. He had finally reached that blessed place where he was too tired to think about anything. The only time he was truly free. You didn’t truly appreciate those moments until they were…
A guard knocked on the door and Gold was back in his cell.
“You have a visitor.” The guard said.
There was a nasty pull in the gut that Gold covered with a grin. Moment of truth. Time to see if the past five years of ball busting work had been worth it. Or if his life was over after five years of waiting.
The guard allowed Gold take a much-needed shower. After he had washed the sweat off Gold took a critical look mirror. He was pale like only a man who hadn’t seen natural light for months could be. He was barely twenty, but the hollows under his eyes and sunken cheeks made him look older. Nothing a bit of freedom wouldn’t fix. Gold smiled at his reflection like a champion and brushed a black forelock over his eye.
“Lead the way, my dear.” Gold said to the guard.
The guard rolled his eyes, but didn’t say anything. Not until the hallway anyway.
“You really think that they are going to let a Rocket out?” The guard said.
“My dear, if I was wrong don’t ya think I’d know it?” Gold said.
“If it was up to me, we’d lockup all of you and throw away the key.”
“Then thank Arceus it ain’t up to you.” Gold said.
“A lot of people agree with me.”
Gold's grin widened enough to hide his fear.
“Than I guess I have no other choice, but to put on that Gold charm.”
The rest of the walk was silent, and it quickly became the longest march in Gold’s life. He was more scared than the first time the cell door had snapped shut behind him. At least back then hope hadn’t been dangled in front of him.
The man waiting for him in the warden’s office was an even bigger surprise than the fact that the warden wasn’t present. In prison Gold had quickly learned to hate surprises. The biggest fight of his life would have to be fought with out any allies.
The man was wearing an ill-fitting suit and a size too large raincoat. The kind that only civil servants could afford. He looked just the kind of guy who’d say: “Just one more thing,” before leaving a room. Gold couldn’t explain it, but he hated the man immediately. Something… everything about him rubbed Gold the wrong way.
How could anyone be so calm without a single Poke ball on his belt? The guy was an idiot or the most dangerous man in a prison full of violent basket-cases. The guard actually bowed his head before leaving. The man sat in the warden’s chair which Gold assumed meant he was allowed to rest his feet as well. The man waited until Gold was sitting before they got to the business at hand.
“So, you are…” The man said.
“People call me Gold.”
The man raised an eyebrow.
“And why is that?”
“What can I say? I’m precious.” Gold said.
The man smiled. It was thin smile that didn't reach his eyes and meant nothing.
“I see. Well, Mr. Gold, everyone calls me Looker.”
Gold raised an eyebrow.
“And why is that, Mr. Looker?”
“The International Police loves their code-names.”
There was a fear that even prison showers couldn’t prepare you for and turned your insides into liquid shit. It explained the instant hate as well. A copper, but not just any copper. An Arceus damned International Man of Mystery.
“Well than Mr. Gold, shall we?”
“… if we must, Mr. Looker.”
“I’d like to start by clarifying a few things. Feel free to stop me if I’m wrong. Five years ago, you were a member of Team Rocket. A grunt to be precise. When the Champion Lance crushed your organization, the judge punished you more harshly than your associates despite being only fifteen. Why is that?”
“I was a very good grunt. Worth ratting out, but… I also wasn’t very cooperative with the authorities.” Gold said.
“To put it mildly. You gave no names or locations. Literally nothing. For the first two years you didn’t utter a word.”
“Didn’t have anything to say. Not a lot of intelligent company in juvies or prison. Just a bunch of knuckle dragging brutes and that’s just the guards. Don’t even get me started on the inmates.”
He had hoped that Looker would laugh. He didn’t and just gave another meaningless smile.
“I see. The other caught Rockets told that you were friends with Silvio Giovanni.”
No point in denying it. He might as well say that the sky was green and tasted of Oran berries.
“I called him Silver. Together we were worth a fortune.” Gold said.
“I see. Have you been in contact with him in the past five years?”
So, Silver was still at large. Some good news at least.
“Nah. Been a bit busy. Fighting off rapists in the prison shower is a full-time job.”
“I see.”
And I see why they call you Looker, Gold thought.
“The judge gave you a… long sentence.”
“To put it mildly. I told my dickless wonder of an attorney to get an appeal. He never called me back.”
“I see. When you turned eighteen you were transferred from juvie to here. You have been in solitary confinement since then.”
“People don’t like Rockets. We tend to blow up or we turn out to be duds and get shanked. Usually in the shower.”
“I see. After two years of silent treatment you applied for a program to give young offenders a new chance as Pokemon Professor aides. Your only chance at an early parole.” Looker said.
“… yup.”
Looker looked at an extensive list of Pokemon Professors who told him they weren’t interested.
“Professor Kukui said no. He already has an aide. Some girl called Lillie, so he doesn’t need another. Sycamore…"
“I learned French for him.” Gold said.
“Too bad cause he said no. Both Junipers also said no. Rowan picked someone else. Birch said no and Oak… was extremely not interested."
Golds stomach had turned into a bottomless pit. It had all been for nothing. He was…
“Luckily for you there was one more Professor. Elm said yes. I guess congratulations are in order. You are leaving here tomorrow.”
Gold didn’t hear the rest of the conversation and he returned to his cell in a trance. He was leaving here tomorrow. He would be… free. Free! Free to sleep as long as he wanted. Free to go anywhere he wanted. Free to do anything he wanted. Free to get revenge on Lance. All he had to do was wait. He was free.