Fatal Childhood

1. Lost

Silver stared into the dark sky. His eyes were red and puffy; dry of tears. He gulped in despair, feeling the saliva hurting his sore throat. Months have passed since the traumatizing incident. He had lost everything. He was ruined.

"They're gone, Silver. They will never come back."

A single tear trickled down his cheek. "Mama…"


2. Vicious

He stared in awe as the grunts did their training. An Ekans was sparring with a Weezing. Silver knew one of the grunts. The owner of the Weezing was none other than Petrel, one of his father's right hand men.

With a snap of Petrel's finger, Weezing launched his deadly attack: Selfdestruct.

The whole room echoed with a loud bang. Silver covered his ears, flinching at the piercing sound. As he opened his eyes, he was surprised to see the Ekans had fallen.

Or rather – shredded into tiny pieces.

The little child could only gawk as Petrel laughed in victory.

"That's how a Pokémon battle is…" The small redhead silently mused.


3. Strong

"Papa, I wish to be strong."

Giovanni looked at his son. The child's eyes were gleaming in pure determination, assuring his words. The man chuckled dryly. "And how do you attempt to do that?"

Silver scoffed bitterly. It was as if the old man was challenging him. "I will be strong. Just you watch. I want to train with Archer and the others. I want to prove I can be strong." He clenched his fists, feeling the rage burning inside him.

The Rocket boss chuckled again. He stared at his only son. Silver was always striving to be strong; to be like him. And deep inside, it made Giovanni proud.

A soft pat was bestowed on the boy's head. Silver – quite surprised by his father's act – looked at him. Smiling with pride, Giovanni said, "And you will be strong, my son."


4. Weak

"Remember Silver, love is weak. The people who crave for love are weaklings. All of them." Giovanni snarled acidly, eyes on his young son. "If you love something or someone, in the end, you will lose it. And when you lose it, it will make you weak. Do you understand that, Silver?"

The redhead nodded tenaciously. Even though his heart was shattered a little by the words of his own father, another sense of emotion – hate – blinded his heartbreak.

"Love is weak. It will make people weak. Weak Pokémon are useless. They don't deserve to live in this world." He stared deeply into the kid's silver eyes. "Do you want to be weak?!"

Silver quickly shook his head. "No papa!"

A grim smile curved on Giovanni's lips. "That's my boy."


5. Threat

Silver watched from outside as Giovanni stomped left and right. He could see distress and tension in the old man's eyes. Even when the room was soundproof, Silver knew his father was saying some bad words again.

"This isn't good…" Archer mumbled wistfully.

The little 14 year old stared at the bluenette. "What isn't good?"

Without giving a glance, Archer said, "There's been some disturbance in our mission. Some punk keeps messing with our boss's plans."

"Punk?" Silver asked out of curiosity. His eyebrow raised, itching to know more about this 'punk'.

But sadly, the young man shrugged. "It's nothing really. All will be solved soon. Team Rocket will surely prevail in getting what we want. No kid can stop us."

The child pursed his lips, pondering on Archer's words. He's right. Team Rocket is strong. No one can beat them. No one can beat us. He looked inside the room. Giovanni had calmed down, but was resting his head on the table. No one can beat papa, right?


6. Reflex

"Papa! Just give me a Pokémon!"

The Rocket boss stared upfront, seeing his son fuming in front of him. With an emotionless face, he said, "No."

Silver was getting agitated. "Come on! Obviously this kid is messing up our plans! All the grunts you've sent are just plain weak and useless!" He inched closer, voice even louder. "For Arceus sake! Just give me a Pokémon so I can bash this kid myself!"

A bitter chuckle escaped from the old man's mouth. "And what makes you think you can defeat this kid?"

Silver froze. The doubt in his father's tone was like fuel to his fiery rage. The boy clenched his teeth. Giovanni stared at his documents, refusing to meet his son's gaze.

Out of complete spite, Silver yelled, "You say I'm weak, but you have been losing to some kid!"

And just like that, in a split second, Silver felt a sharp pang on his right cheek.

The teenager gawked dumbfoundedly. He started in front, seeing Giovanni standing up, eyes wide in anger. He could feel the swell on his cheek. Blood quickly rushed to his face. Trembles began to seem vivid in his body.

"I-" Giovanni snarled acidly, almost like a growl. "-am not weak!"

He could see hate. He could see rage. He could see all the negativity in his father's eyes. And what's worse, he couldn't see the one true thing Silver secretly wished from a father: Love.

Biting the insides of his cheeks deeply, Silver spun and ran out of the room.


7. Betrayed

"You told me… you were the number one in the world! Are you gonna quit? What are you going to do now?"

Giovanni stayed motionless, his back facing the redhead. In a calm, serene voice, the man said, "One must acknowledge one's defeat before he can move on… I will go solo… for now."

An acid, mocking laugh burst from Silver's mouth. "Are you fucking kidding me? What aspect of you was number one?" He stomped a few feet forward, eyes never leaving him. "Gathering so many only to be defeated by a mere child?" Truly he was disappointed. All his life, Silver thought Team Rocket was invincible; that they were prone to any sort of defeat.

But tonight, he was proven horribly wrong.

"Putting together the potential of many is how you produce a huge power…That's what an organization is… That's the strength of an organization!"

Each word. Each syllable. They were all acid to the young one's ears. Silver clenched his fists madly, feeling his nails digging deeply into his skin. "You fucker…" he growled viciously. The night sky was moonless tonight, almost like it knew there was going to be a bitter scene.

"I failed… to make the best use of my subordinates' potential!" Giovanni stared at the rocky ground. Before Silver could say a word, Giovanni shouted, "But you shall witness one day the revival of me and my Team Rocket!"

Team Rocket. That name was like a curse to Silver. Never will he want to hear that word ever again. The organization that he once thought was mighty and powerful – was actually weak. "I don't understand you! You don't make any fucking sense!" His vocal chords were breaking from the shrieking, but Silver could care less. The reality in front of him was much too painful compared to a single tear of skin.

"One day you will understand." And just like that, Giovanni walked away.

For a child, he had never felt so furious in his life. "I don't want to understand you!" he shrieked again. Everyone is weak! Team Rocket is weak! The old bastard is fucking weak! Everyone is weak!!! Shutting his ears with his hands, Silver screamed, "I will never become someone like you! A coward when you're alone and acting like a tyrant when you're in front of other cowards! I will become strong! I will become a stronger man all by myself!"

Blinded by rage, Silver dug his nails into his neck, and let the sharp tip rip the bare skin. Everyone is weak! Everyone is weak! Love is weak! Everyone is fucking weak!!! "ALL BY MYSELF!!!"

"Stop! Don't do that!"

Silver stopped immediately, froze to hear a woman's voice. He quickly snapped his body around, even more stunned to see a stranger staring at him with such worry.

What the…?

END.