Chapter Six: Fate

That night, Evans wired a report back to Madam Boss. As her order had specified, the execution had been made to look like an accident by all accounts, even by the report back. Of course, this was standard Team Rocket procedure in such situations… It provided Team Rocket with a wonderful shield of plausible deniability in case of any investigations. Evans’ report back to the Boss told her of the "tragic happening" which had "regrettably" buried Agent Randwhyte in the shaft permanently. Evans had gone on to claim that a rescue attempt had been made, but that it had been concluded that a rescue would have been quite impossible given the depth that Miyamoto had been buried at. Evans was pleased with himself. By all accounts, the execution really did look like an accident, and the only way to contradict this would be to find the actual spent rocket shells that Raven had fired, a task that would be nearly impossible given the thick layer of snow that now concealed them. Satisfied with the final wording/version of the events, Evans transmitted the report to Madam Boss in Viridian City.

It was about 9:00 at night when the phone rang in Madam Boss’ suite. She hurried to pick it up, as she had just laid Giovanni down for the night. Of course, Giovanni knew from the past that his mother hated to be disturbed after retiring from the office for the day, and had left standing orders many times strictly forbidding it unless there was a very important reason for the disturbance. Giovanni laid back and listened to his mother’s end of the conversation, wondering if the call was the one he thought it was.

"Yes?" A pause. "What about Agent Randwhyte?" Another pause. Giovanni held his breath. "Buried alive?" Now Madam Boss’ voice held a sadness and regret that was rather uncharacteristic of her. "Very well. Thank you." Now, the cold efficiency of her typical manner was back. Giovanni heard the phone click back on it hook and heard his mother emit a deep sigh. Through half-closed eyes, he watched his mother walk back to his bedside and stand there over him. Giovanni became nervous. Did she somehow know that he was responsible for Miyamoto’s death? Giovanni began to breathe a bit quicker, scared that his mother had somehow figured him out, detected his guilt somehow, when his mother suddenly leaned forward with a small tear in the corner of her eye, and kissed her son softly on the forehead. With that, Giovanni heard his mother walk across the suite to her dresser, sweep up her office keys as he had done that night, and turned to leave. When the door had closed, Giovanni smiled an evil smile as his eyes narrowed in the dark. He had pulled it off…. He had ordered an execution and covered it up… Truly, his mother was a part of him. Some day, some sweet day, he would take over where his mother would leave off, and would lead Team Rocket to greatness and power, the greatness and power it deserved. Giovanni drifted off to sleep dreaming of leading an army of Pokemon thieves, his crack agents perfectly carrying out their orders with absolute precision.

Meanwhile, Madam Boss was two floors below her suite, knocking on the door of Agent 157 – Black Rocket Bridget Sutton. "Just a minute." Came Bridget’s voice from behind the closed door. The door opened to reveal Bridget wearing a light blue bathrobe with matching slippers on her feet. Bridget was surprised to see Madam Boss at this late hour, and her face showed her surprise. Bridget snapped to attention as Madam Boss walked into her quarters. "Good evening, Madam." Bridget said nervously.

"At ease, Agent Sutton." Madam Boss said. Bridget relaxed slightly, but still stood rigidly in place, waiting for Madam Boss to speak. Something was wrong, even if Bridget couldn’t tell what it was.

"Bridget, you’re taking care of Musashi while Miyamoto is away in the Andes, aren’t you?" She asked in a heavy tone of voice.

"Yes, Madam." Bridget replied, wondering what was going on.

Madam Boss’ face clouded. "Miyamoto won’t be returning, Agent Sutton. There was…. an accident."

Bridget’s eyes began to water slightly. Miyamoto had been a good friend, and more importantly, was little Musashi’s whole world… and now she wasn’t coming back? "An accident?" Bridget repeated.

"An avalanche. It buried her in the shaft she was exploring."

Bridget covered her mouth with her hands. "Oh, no…" Bridget’s voice shook as she asked, "What about Musashi?"

Madam Boss lowered her head. "I don’t know." She said simply.

Bridget’s eyes opened wide. "The letter." She said simply.

"What?" Madam Boss asked, confused.

Bridget ran to her desk and began to shuffle though the items she had tossed there; make up, old orders, papers, gloves, correspondence… "When Miyamoto left, she gave me a letter and just said that I would know if I had to open it." She explained, tossing a paper fan over her shoulder as she searched. Finally, she found the still- sealed envelope, hidden under her scrap book that she had been looking at with Musashi a few hours earlier. Bridget picked up the envelope and slowly tore it open. From inside, she pulled out a sheet of paper and read the letter out loud:

Dear Bridget,

If you are reading this letter, then surely you knew the time was right to open it. I can assume that I am either missing or dead somehow, and that I won’t be returning to Viridian City. The thought that this could happen, and the thought that my beautiful Musashi may have to grow up without me, is almost too much for me to face, but I have an overwhelming feeling that it must be dealt with.

As you know, upon my return Musashi and I were to leave together for Fuchsia City , where a legit job arranged by Madam Boss and my sister await us for a new life together.

Now, it seems, that life is not to be. Accordingly, Bridget, I must ask you to take Musashi in my place. Go to my sister, tell her of what has happened, and give Musashi to her to raise as her own. Musashi needs a mother, even if she is poor, and I know that my sister will be able to raise and love her as I would.

These are my last wishes. Please carry them out. Thank you, Bridget. You have always been a good friend, a confidante, a comrade in arms, and I will never forget you.

Love,

Miya

Bridget lowered the letter slowly, "No wonder she said I’d know when to open it." She said softly.

Madam Boss looked at Bridget. "Where is Musashi now?" she asked.

"Asleep in her bassinet." Bridget replied.

Madam Boss’ heart, usually impenetrable, was being broken by all that was happening. "Very well." She said. "Let her sleep and dream. Tomorrow, you and an agent will take her to live with Miyamoto’s sister." Madam Boss lowered her head sadly and sighed. "I can’t believe it’s come to this." She said.

"I know." Bridget replied. "I know."

Trying her best to regain her normal stony composure, Madam Boss cleared her throat. "Anyway, do that tomorrow, Sutton. After all, we can’t have the little rugrat getting in our way, now can we?"

Bridget nodded, knowing that her Boss’ tough front wasn’t real at all. "Of course, Madam. I’ll take care of it tomorrow."

"Good." Madam Boss replied. Agent Tom Carter will accompany you."

Carter was a Black Rocket who had not known Bridget or Miyamoto very well, even though he had been present at Musashi’s birth. Madam Boss knew that he was an agent who would not become choked with emotion during the drop off, as Bridget probably would. Bridget agreed with this choice, and Madam Boss left to return to her suite. Not a single agent saw the tears streaming down her face as she hurried back.

In her quarters, Bridget walked to the side of Musashi’s bassinet, Where Miyamoto’s baby slept peacefully wrapped up in Miyamoto’s own oversized pink blanket with a serene smile on her face. That was when the tears cam for Bridget. "I’m so sorry, little one… Your mother and I love you very much… as will your new mother." Bridget fell asleep right there in the floor by the base of the bassinet, weeping softly into the carpeting.

The next morning, Bridget and Carter checked out a vehicle, a brand new hot air balloon with a balloon shaped like a giant Meowth’s head, and drifted over the cities and trees on their way to Fuchsia City to bring Musashi to Miyamoto’s sister. In Fuchsia City, it was a tearful time for every one but Carter. Miyamoto’s sister was overjoyed to have a child at last, and at the same time saddened by the loss, both to her and to Jessie (she had opted to use the alternate name Miyamoto had chosen for Musashi – it simply came more naturally for her), of Miyamoto.

Carter and Bridget visited for about 4 ½ hours before it was time to leave. Bridget left Jessie with a kiss and a pledge of love for as long as she lived. The two agents then returned to Viridian City in the balloon, back to the life with Team Rocket, the life they had known before that ray of sunshine known as Musashi.

Epilogue