❀. — It took a bit to actually pry the thief’s gaze from the dragon. He blinked a bit, ❝ Mm? Ah. Assume it’s like jumpin’ off a tall building. That rush of you could die, but the confidence in knowin’ you can save yourself. But ya know, we’re goin’ up not down. ❞
❝ Lucky for you, I lost nothin’. I had nothin’ to begin with. I was only here because I had nowhere to go. ❞
He still wasn’t happy about this. Ash was making this sound better than it actually was. He heard a lot of things about Team Rocket in the past. Pretty words aren’t going to suddenly sway his views. Lilac seemed very disinterested in what Ash lost. One, being the man didn’t want to talk about it and two, he wasn’t ready to hear it and humanize him yet.
Surprisingly, he did take Ash’s hand up. He wasn’t confident enough to get up on a Pokemon he didn’t know or has ever been on. Once seated, his partner hopped between them, and his arm went around him. Sneasels didn’t have the grip Pikachu had. They were all claws and Lilac didn’t want to deal with his shoulder being torn up. In another surprising move he looped his other free arm around Ash. Though it was clear it was simply because he didn’t trust him enough to not let him fall and if he fell he was taking Ash out too.
❝ I won’t be a grunt. ❞ He bluntly commented, ❝ I didn’t go through time, energy, and work for my status as a thief just to be demoted like that. ❞ Like hell. He wasn’t even considered a grunt to Skull. He did nothing for them. ❝ I refuse a partner that will slow us down. ❞ Us being his current Pokemon partners. ❝ Either they sit tight, shut up, and just look pretty or you give me someone worth while. ❞ He didn’t agree to anyone working with him. He didn’t agree to anything about this. If his demands weren’t met, he’ll make this even more difficult on those around him.
❝ Sucks to be you. I don’t keep phones. Too easy to track. I use throw-aways at best. You want a check in so bad, you get to cover them~ ❞ A semi cocky smirk lifted on his lips. Was he going to milk this for all its worth? Yes. He was going to gain something from this. ❝ Never been arrested and I don’t plan too now. Careful with everything I do, and even if I did happen too, there’s not a cage around that can keep me contained for long. ❞ He was completely confident in that. ❝ As previously stated, I’m only doing this for my Pokemon. I’m not afraid to die otherwise. That threat means nothing to me. ❞
❝ Great because I was going to anyway~ ❞ He didn’t need permission. ❝ I have prior loyalties that I won’t give up. There’s an elite group of thieves out there, and I refuse to give up my status. I’ll do your shitty missions, just know I have other obligations too. I know how to keep my mouth shut and keep secrets. ❞
❝ I was also going to do that anyway. I would have just takin’ a punishment. I’m owed my revenge for the damage that has been done. I will never be the same after what they did. ❞ He didn’t care if there was a reason or not.
Ash slightly jumped at the arm around his waist from the thief. He was under no impression it was anything but for balance, but Ash wasn’t the most used to uninitiated touches that weren’t fighting from anyone but Silver. It slightly startled him. But he wouldn’t complain about the thief taking extra precautions. Before continuing the conversation Ash carefully gripped onto Charizard and gave the Pokemon the go-ahead through Aura to go. With a sudden lurch and a large flap of the dragon’s wings, they were suddenly gaining air rapidly.
“Well if you lost nothing than you have everything to gain. Again, a win-win. I won’t leash you overly much, Lilac. It’s mostly just getting you accustomed to our base and having you on call. Quite frankly your skills are great, but your use is... niche. Not bad per se, but while I’m sure you could gather Pokemon if you needed to, that would be a waste of your talents. Missions probably won’t be rare, but it shouldn’t keep you from other duties you have. And with that in mind, you would need either a competent partner or simply one that, as you put it, would be out of the way. There for back-up, if needed, but not much else. Of course, a good Pokemon battler may be best. I don’t doubt you can battle with your Pokemon well or they are not strong, but as you’ve stated yourself, you don’t like them to fight. Better to have someone there who could handle that if needed.” At this point, Ash was just thinking this over out loud.
Ash then gave a small shrug at that, nothing that would throw off his balance on the now soaring Charizard. “That can be accommodated. Be it a card to use the phones at Pokemon Centers, not the best, but a good way to check-in in code if needed, or simply to purchase burner phones as needed. Check-ins aren’t quite as frequent as I may have made it sound either. I simply expect one for breakthroughs in your mission, or every month or so.” Rocket wasn’t hard on money if the thief thought that this would be a problem, he was wrong. “And that is reassuring, but sometimes things happen you don't expect. Nonetheless, I also have full confidence you're right that you could escape even if someone did catch you.” Ash then chuckled a bit “It was not necessarily a threat, just informing you of our business practices in Rocket. A threat, in my opinion, would be detailing how said assassination or punishment would play out.”
Ash adjusted balance as Charizard made a turn to avoid a flock of bird Pokemon flying by, making sure to keep steady enough that Lilac would also be able to keep himself and Sneasel up. Pikachu gripped on slightly tighter, Ash feeling the slight prickles in his shoulder from his claws. He wasn’t concerned though, Pikachu would have to be a lot more purposeful to maim his shoulder. He’d have suggested the mouse Pokemon to sit much like Sneasel, but he knew his long time partner would deny it and felt safer on Ash’s shoulder, even if it looked more dangerous.
“Of course you are. Revenge is something I will not fault anyone for attempting.” That did not mean he wouldn’t fight back and make the person suffer if that revenge was directed at him. “I’d almost say it’s human nature, just an aspect of it some like to ignore or suppress.” After all, Ash had his own experiences getting his revenge. Kicking his father out of his position with his sibling was a wonderful form of revenge. The old man did not expect a coup, that’s for sure.