Team Rocket Grunts, Shopkeeper Larry

A/N: The Poke Mart Heist in Viridian, and the return of a familiar face!

-x-X-x-

"It's fucking ridiculous!"

"Yeah, this is bull shit!"

"What, because we're criminals, suddenly our Pokedollars aren't good enough?!"

"This is discrimination!"

"We should do something about it!"

The group of Team Rocket Grunts standing to the right of the Viridian City Pokemon Center are up in arms for one reason and one reason only… the Poke Mart refuses to sell them anything, just because their bounties are past a certain point!

When that dumb special news report had first been announced, with Lance going on record to say he was cracking down on crime and Team Rocket in particular, most of them hadn't thought much of it, except to laugh. Like, honestly… everyone knew that the police in Kanto were some of the most corrupt motherfuckers that ever did exist.

They were the sort of two-faced crooks that honest, hard-working criminals such as themselves could only hope to aspire to be one day. Frankly, the corruption in the Kanto Police Departments was half of what had driven so many of them into the arms of Team Rocket in the first place.

Oh sure, Lance might have liked to say Kanto was doing better than ever before. That because Saphron City was doing so well, that the entire Region was doing great. Just because there was so much money in Silph Co. and everything it touched, didn't mean that money trickled down to the rest of them. Lance's efforts to make himself and Kanto look good to outside eyes didn't necessarily mean a higher standard of living for everyone.

So sure, they'd all turned to lives of crime. They'd all joined Team Rocket, the most feared and hardcore gangster organization in all of Kanto! With their uniforms on, they could do whatever they wanted! They could go wherever they wanted, and steal Pokemon from… well, not whoever they wanted. As Grunts, they could only steal Pokemon from little kids and old people. But who cared?! It was still a great life!

And then shit had gotten real. Not because of Lance and his Special Police, because frankly there wasn't a single real fang in the bunch. No, it got real… because somehow Lance got the Poke Marts on board. He hadn't made any headway with the Pokemon Centers, at least… but when it came to the Region's Poke Marts, which were usually the only shops in any town or city that they entered, suddenly Team Rocket's uniforms were banned! Suddenly, if they had too high of a bounty, they weren't allowed to buy anything anymore!

It wasn't fair… and this particular group of Grunts was ready to do something about it. They'd been turned away one too many times. They'd been rejected and sent packing far too often. Up until this point, they'd kept to bellyaching about it, just griping to one another and saying something needed to be done… and they might have continued to do so, all things considered. After all, they were just Grunts, and they were only in Viridian to help out Rocket Executive Ariana with getting the Gym ready in case it proved necessary.

They needed a trigger to really get them going, and if they hadn't found one, they probably would have spun their wheels a little while longer before ultimately getting back to work. But as it is, in the midst of their fervor, in the midst of building each other up into a frenzy, one of the Rocket Grunts notices a familiar figure down the road.

"Hold up… is that who I think it is?"

All of the other Rockets don't really pay him any mind… until he starts shouting. Not shouting at them like they've been practically shouting, but shouting down the road, trying to get someone else's attention.

"Hey! Sir! Over here, sir!"

Finally, the whole squad of Rockets turns to see who he's talking to. Blinking, they all watch as a pink-haired Rocket Admin turns to stare at them, before casually making his way over. It takes a moment for some of them to place him, but when they do, the reaction is mixed. After all, rumors abound about this guy. His name is Cam, and he's the youngest Rocket Admin in Team Rocket's history.

But is the position deserved? That's the real question. Because honestly, there are so many damn rumors about him. He's not even in the Bounty Leaderboard! And there's some who say that while his promotion did come from Giovanni himself, it was a favor for Ariana…

On the flipside, there were rumors about him kicking ass and taking names in both Vermilion City and Lavender Town. How he'd been entrusted with some super tough missions from the Boss himself, and then gone on to complete them with minimal help from Rocket Powerhouses like Proton and Archer. How true all that was, they didn't know… but one thing was for sure. He was technically their superior now, and so they didn't dare say shit.

"Hey! You're Cam, right? Welcome to Viridian City!"

With dead eyes, Cam stares at the Grunt who called him over for a moment before nodding.

"Thank you."

"Y-Yeah! Look, you're a tough son of a bitch, right?"

Before Cam can answer that, one of the other Grunts speaks up.

"Hang on, is this going where I think it's going? He's not even on the leaderboard…"

The first Rocket quickly waves off the other.

"Shush, shush! You know why Cam here isn't on the leaderboard?! It's because his bounty is so damn high that they don't even bother reporting it! I asked the chick who's in charge of keeping track of that stuff on our end, and every time I mentioned Cam here, she just blushed! Seriously, he's a BIG deal!"

There's some muttering among the Rocket Grunts at that. Those who believed the rumors that Cam was a badass were quick to believe this as well, nodding their heads confidently in easy agreement. This in turn made those who had heard the rumors about Cam sleeping his way into his promotion begin to doubt the veracity of such information. Perhaps they had him all wrong…

"Besides, look at him! He's a Rocket Admin, while we're all still grunts. You all know what that means… the Boss himself sees something in him! He's the perfect guy to help us out!"

Finally, Cam speaks up again, his sharp gaze swinging over them all.

"… What do you need?"

Hearing him ask that sends a jolt of electricity through the group. He's all but asked how he can help, something no Rocket superior has EVER asked them before. Now, there are wide smiles spreading across the faces of the assembled Grunts, while their spokesperson grins the widest of all.

"See, what'd I tell you guys?! Look, sir, it's like this… you've probably encountered it yourself by this point. All of our bounties are so high that the Poke Marts refuse to sell to us anymore! It's ridiculous! Just because we go out and knock over a playground stealing some Pokemon from the kiddies there, the damn shops are closed to us?! Completely and utterly unacceptable!"

"… Okay."

"Right! So, we thought… we need to send these fuckers a message. Teach them a lesson they'll never forget. The Pokemon Centers stay out of this shit, and the Poke Marts need to do the same! So… we thought maybe you'd help us out. Lead us, really, on a heist of the Poke Mart here in Viridian City. We go in, we ransack the place, put the fear of Team Rocket into the Shopkeeper, and get the fuck out before the cops even know we're there!"

There are excited murmurings and an undercurrent of excitement through the rest of the Grunts as their spokesperson lays out the plan to their one and only hope. After all, if the young Rocket Admin rejects their plan, they're basically screwed, aren't they? Can't disobey an order from a superior, that's Rocket Loyalty 101!

Thankfully, after a moment, Cam just nods.

"Alright."

He's on board! Just like that! The group of Grunts lets out a collective cheer, and then calm down as they huddle together with Cam in their center, getting down to business and finalizing the details of the plan. It was happening! It was actually happening!

-x-X-x-

Larry lets out a sigh, as he makes sure the glass on the case to his right is clean for the dozenth time that day. The former Bicycle Shop Owner runs a hand over his brow, wishing it hadn't come to this. Alas… it was better, these days.

After the incident at his Bike Shop, Larry hadn't been able to sleep. That Team Rocket goon had come in and take his best bike, and there had been NOTHING he could do about it. His Pokemon, who had been his companions even back during the War, had ultimately proven unable to challenge that bastard and his massive Dragonair.

Every day, he would go into his store to sell bikes. And every day, he would stare at the empty stand, where that black and red bike had once sat. Worst of all, every time the door to his bike shop opened, he would flinch, damn near having a panic attack. He was afraid that the bike thief would come back. Or worse, he would report to the rest of his little friends in Team Rocket how EASY it was to knock over Larry's shop and send a whole bunch of them at once to take all of his bikes!

Bicycles were a luxury good in the Kanto Region, and a VERY lucrative business. But that was what made it so much worse. Larry couldn't survive too many more thefts like that one. His business would have broken down. But more than that, Larry himself was damn near having a nervous breakdown every single day he went in to work!

In the end, a change had been in order. He'd… he'd sold his Bike Shop. He'd gotten a nice nest egg for his retirement from it and moved on. But of course, he was still too young to really retire. So, when he'd moved all the way to Viridian City to get away from Cerulean and the crime around the area, he'd taken a job at the local Poke Mart.

Everyone had heard about the Poke Mart's new initiative not to sell to any Rockets with big enough bounties on their heads. That sort of patriotism and adherence to Law and Order… it spoke to Larry like nothing else, especially after all he'd been through.

So, here he was behind the counter of a Poke Mart, instead of behind the counter of his Bike Shop. And… while it was maybe something of a downgrade, at least there were no Rockets around to ruin his-

"ALL RIGHT EVERYONE, LISTEN UP! THIS IS A ROBBERY!"

Larry's eyes damn near bulge out of his skull as the Poke Mart door shatters inward and two Rockets jump in, one of them shouting after the other.

"THAT'S RIGHT! DON'T MAKE ANY FUNNY MOVES AND WE WON'T HAVE TO HURT YA! WE'VE GOT BACK UP OUTSIDE TOO, SO DON'T MAKE US CALL THEM IN HERE!"

Indeed, Larry sees more black-clothed figures moving around outside of the Poke Mart. It's his worst nightmare realized! The Shopkeeper trembles behind his counter, even as the Rocket goons gather the Poke Mart's actual legitimate customers and herd them into the back.

They don't approach him and his counter, however. He doesn't quite understand why… until the crunch of a boot in glass draws his gaze back to the door. Larry's eyes go as wide as saucer plates as a familiar pink-haired kid in an unfamiliar Rocket uniform steps inside, sweeping his dead eyes back and forth… before ultimately landing them on Larry himself.

It's the same bastard from C-Cerulean, damn it! He's back again! How?! How had this happened?! Larry's mouth opens and closes, as the kid, who had apparently gotten a promotion no doubt due to his sheer evil, walks up to the counter in silence.

"Y-You… I can't believe this is happening! I moved halfway across the Region to get away from you!"

Cam narrows his eyes, and for a moment Larry thinks he sees recognition. Barely. Does the kid not even remember him?! Well… well, there was one thing that Larry had going for him!

"This won't go the same way it went last time; you know! The Mart is too crowded for you to pull out that Dragonair of yours again! If you do, your own goons will get in the way! That means… I have a chance! Go, Raichu!"

He hadn't been idle. He'd rested on his laurels long enough, and he hadn't JUST run away from his problems. His team was stronger than ever, and with this damn Rocket constrained to a limited amount of space if he didn't want to hit his comrades, Larry was sure he could-!

"Go, Vulpix."

Yes! The Shopkeeper's eyes light up, as the Rocket summons a cute little fire fox Pokemon instead of his Dragonair. This is it! This is a fair match! He can do this!

"Raichu-!"

"Vulpix, Quick Attack."

Faster than Larry can track, the small fox Pokemon slams into his Raichu so hard that the electric Pokemon hits the wall with a sickening thud behind him, forcing Larry to immediately call him back to his Pokeball.

"W-What?! You m-monster! Dugtrio, I choose you!"

"Vulpix, Flamethrower."

Surely Dugtrio's Ground Type advantage should give Larry a chance to counterattack, right? There's no way that this Vulpix is as strong as that Dragonair… no, given how he'd grown and evolved his Pokemon, stronger even! He would-! And like that, Dugtrio was down, the flames from Vulpix's maw burning so hot even the Ground Type couldn't handle them.

"C-Curses! Golbat, teach this-!"

"Vulpix, Quick Attack."

And like that, it's over. Three attacks and all three of Larry's Pokemon were once more defeated. He'd spent so much money on that Thunder Stone too, not to mention the amount of time he'd put into training up and evolving his Diglett and Zubat. And all of it… for nothing. The Rocket's Vulpix was just too strong…

As terrifyingly strong as his Dragonair had been, and not even evolved. But then, a Vulpix only evolved when exposed to a Fire Stone…

Clenching his hands into fists at his side, Larry shakes with impotent anger as he stares across the counter at the silent Rocket.

"Damn you, Rocket. I bet you heard that this Poke Mart had a shipment of premium goods recently delivered for any Trainers who were about to challenge Victory Road!"

"Whoa, premium goods?!"

That comes from one of the other Rockets in the back, but Larry pays them no mind. Their Raticate doesn't scare him. Not nearly as much as this bastard in front of him, and he's not cowering in front of HIM, now, is he?!

"You don't even have to say it! I know what you want from me, Rocket!"

Cursing under his breath, Larry stomps over to the box and grabs hold of it, lifting it off the ground and putting it on the counter. As he opens it up, he begins taking out the items he knows the Rocket is here for. After all, there's no point in trying to hide them, he MUST have known they were here!

"A Fire Stone for your Vulpix, of course. A set of Ultra Balls. A set of Full Restores. Tch, you're despicable, Rocket. Taking such high-end items from a hard working man like myself. Ruining this Poke Mart's reputation as a safe place to shop for years to come! But you don't care about any of that! All you care about is lining your pockets!"

As the pink-haired Rocket takes the Fire Stone, Ultra Balls, and Full Restores, one of the others calls out to him.

"H-Hey, um, C-Cam… we were thinking you would just have first dibs on uh, two of the things from the take. If that was okay?"

Larry blinks, as Cam slowly turns his head to look at the Rocket who had spoken. Did that Grunt have a death wish or something? Apparently not, because he rapidly changes his tune.

"B-But it's fine if you want three things! In fact, you can have my first share! All good! Totally fine!"

Slowly nodding, the Rocket, who Larry now knows is named Cam, turns back and finishes collecting what Larry has laid out for him. The rest of the premium goods, as well as the contents of the cash register, are swept up into the arms of the other two Rockets, as they follow Cam out of the turned over Poke Mart. Just before he leaves however, Larry can't resist one final parting shot.

"You won't last forever, you know! You might be able to bully little guys like me, but just you wait! Lance and his men will take you down! The Police will arrest all of you, eventually!"

He truly believes it too, as Cam barely pauses to listen before continuing on his way. One day, Team Rocket will finally be defeated. Larry believes that with all his heart.

Of course, when he receives news later that night that the Special Police Officer assigned to Viridian City by the Pokemon Champion himself had gotten a hefty beating from a Rocket punk with pink hair, Larry's conviction dies just a little bit. And he wonders if the world will ever be one of law and order, ever again…

-x-X-x-

A/N: So yeah, in the ROM Hack you have to have a bounty over 120k to participate in this side quest. Here though, Cam is so dark and mysterious that no one really knows what's up with him... so he must be cool enough for this job!

Also, Bike Shop Owner Larry back by popular demand! Poor Larry, can't catch a break. Currently considering whether he will show up again, possibly in a bonus chapter after the main story wraps up. Not sure what I would do with him if he did though.

As always, feedback is greatly appreciated! Comments and Likes sustain me!

And also, the next TEN chapters can be found on my P atreon for early access!