AN- Here's me trying my luck with a new fandom. This story will take place in the Alpha Sapphire universe. If you're not familiar with my stories, one thing I often bring up in my works are real modern issues related to gender and sexuality. While I don't want to give everything away, I will give a fair warning that this story will contain graphic content, and viewer discretion should be advised for later chapters.

Thanks, and enjoy.

-Cyclone-

Interview

Inside of the interrogation room Archie sat uncomfortably in his chair, nervously tugging at his fingers until the door behind him opened. The sudden, loud sounds caused young man to stiffen in his seat, hands clasping together as two officers came into his view, one lowering her shades, eyeing him with suspicion, the other with a look of disappointment. Archie sniffed, already used to being stared at.

The room was cold. He watched from his side of the table, wishing he had used some of his earnings to buy himself better civilian clothing, or at the very least a jacket. The thin shirt he had donned wasn't enough to keep goosebumps from developing.

The first officer took her seat, lowering her shades and staring at the boy with a less than approving look. Archie sighed through his nose, letting his nostrils flare for a second before letting some of that teenage angst show.

"Right," he heard her mutter. Her face was covered with several sheets of information; most of it provided by him just a few hours prior. Her eyes rested on him. "Archibald Aogiri?" He gave a quick nod, rubbing against the stubble on his chin as a thought sprang into his mind.

He wished he could look over his shoulder, past the thick walls of the building, and find his Pokémon, wherever they were.

"I need a reply," he heard her say.

He rolled his eyes. "Yes," he said.

"And you're from Hoenn?" she continued, this time looking up from the several sheets in her hands.

Archie nod his head again. She made a face. "You're a long way from home," she said, and he looked away. "Not too many kids from Hoenn. Johto and Kanto, but Hoenn? You must have really been pissed off at your parents."

"Can you tell us your age?" the second officer asked. Her voice was soothing, practically refreshing after getting talked down to by the other, not that the he would let it on. He knew better than to trust nice sounding things. He had heard about the good-bad cop routine, and wasn't about to give in to such pitfalls.

He answered plainly. "Seventeen."

"Just barely made it," the second commented, writing down his answer on the sheet. "And how long have you been with Team Rocket?"

Archie leaned back into his seat. He wondered if he ought to ask about the whereabouts of his Pokémon that had been confiscated since turning himself in. Maybe after he answered this question, so they'd understand how willing he was to please them.

"I was thirteen," he answered.

"Hmm."

"Hey, can I see my Zubats?" Archie asked, raising a hand towards the women interviewing him. "I haven't fed them yet, and they can get a bit nippy, y'know?"

"They're Rocket bred, correct?" the second asked.

Archie raised his gaze towards her and suddenly wished he had hidden his balls somewhere outside of the building, instead of handing them over during the search. He understood that Team Rocket had a habit of cycling through Pokémon, with lower level grunts usually getting a new batch every other week. But these Zubat were different. They were his. Archie stared at the tense looking officer and nod his head, licking his lips and discovering how dry they had become since he had given himself up.

"They've never really fought before," he commented. Of course, this was all one big assumption. "At least," Archie quickly added, "they've never won fights or anythin' big. They're new. I've only had them 'bout a week."

"I'm sure they're fine," the sitting officer said. He did not find her tone of voice to be reassuring. She let her pen tap against the few sheets of paper. "And based upon everything you've written, doesn't seem fair that we give them back to you."

Archie frowned. His hands slid over to the edge of the table and grabbed a hold of it. The officer wrinkled her nose, spotting his apparent anger, but keeping calm. Archie sneered. "The news report said…"

"All Rocket members under the age of eighteen will receive pardon for their involvement with the gang," the officer coolly replied. Her head was lifted enough for Archie to stare right into his own colored reflection. "You'll be able to return to school, but having Pokémon on your person?" She scribbled a number on the top right sheet of the paper. "You're going to be on probation for at least three years, and after that you'll be able to apply for a trainer card then."

The standing officer sighed, staring at Archie as though he were already a prisoner. It made him sick to think he wouldn't be able to take his Pokémon back home with him. After everything he had been through, the last thing he wanted was to lose his Zubat! The boy burned red with anger. He did his best to control it.

"You have to understand," he heard one of the women say, "This is a very delicate process. Team Rocket has been growing in number recently, and a lot of the Pokémon we've rescued ended up with some kind of problem, usually stress related."

Archie lowered his head, staring down at the hard table, feeling a dry sting rise up into his throat. Stress? Archie wanted to comment on it. He wanted to persuade them that the Zubat needed him as much as he needed them. For the stress. Or did these women only see him as a criminal, his Zubat the only potential victims?

And somehow he doubted that he'd simply be able to reapply for a trainer card.

"I never did anythin' bad to them," he grumbled.

The second officer pulled off her sunglasses, placing them carefully on top of her peaked cap. She stared at Archie with a look that didn't seem to carry any grievances, and yet the young man couldn't help but keep wearing the same frown.

"You've made a lot of mistakes the past few years," she said. "You may not have harmed your Zubats, but you certainly caused quite a bit of destruction, Archie."

He exhaled heavily. His face was feeling warm with shame, and it was almost impossible to keep himself from not looking away as he tried to think up some good enough excuse for his past actions. He crossed his arms, thinking of his Pokémon, the week he had them to himself, and how unfair it was that he couldn't have them any longer. But then he thought about everything else, and it was all just too much that the young man could only think of one, pathetic comeback.

"I was just followin' orders," he said.

"And you don't think you should accept some responsibility for what you've done?" she asked him. "Even if you were "just following orders"?"

He grew defensive. "I didn't know–!"

The officer cupped her hands together, remaining absolutely calm despite his sudden outburst. "Are you telling me you never once questioned any of the orders you were given, for four whole years?"

Archie kept his legs spread, his back leaning against the chair, and his arms crossed. But his eyes diverted away from hers, and it was enough to show that he understood that there was no way out of this. A week leading up to one epiphany could not make up four years of thievery, poaching, and torture. He looked over in the direction of the other officer, hoping to gain jut a little bit of sympathy. She stared back, her expression still softer than the one sitting across the table, but even he could tell that she had her doubts about him.

Archie sank into his seat. "This blows," he grumbled.

He was on his way home. Archie now sat in the back passenger seat of a cab, slouched and arms crossed as he stared out of the window. He was dressed rather casual. The Johto officers had been kind enough to offer him another outfit to wear. He spotted familiar avian Pokémon flying across the skies, and his stomach twisted as he tried to think of something to say to his father after his long absence. He scratched his head, feeling his fingers fight against thick, messy hair, and frowned. Without his black hat or weekend bandana on him, Archie couldn't help but feel a bit naked.

It took two weeks for him to be "fully pardoned" under the newly introduced act. In those two weeks Archie learned that things would not go exactly a he had planned. He had suspected a few negative things would pop up, but wasn't fully aware of how difficult life ahead of him would be until he had been sat down and explained the limitation of his rights for the next few years. Not only would he not be allowed to receive a trainer card, but the fact that he once was a member of Team Rocket would be following him for the rest of his life. Part of this was due to regional issues. Hoenn was strict with Rocket related activity, and Archie was to be made an example of. And since he was on probation, he'd also have the privilege of meeting up with counselors every other week in order to met certain quotas. "Personal achievements" was what he was told, but Archie knew better than to take those words at face value.

And even though he had given up all the information he had gathered the past four years, nobody trusted him enough to leave Lilycove city without first contacting a judge or probation officer ahead of time. If he wanted to go anywhere, he'd have to make his intentions known at least a full week in advance. There goes the social life, Archie. He stared at his faded reflection and made a face.

And the cherry on top: he couldn't keep any trained Pokémon at hand.

Archie tried to tell himself this was for the best, but after losing his Pokémon he was starting to have more doubts about leaving. Team Rocket had done more for him than what he had let on, and even though some Pokémon were getting hurt…

"I don't think it's fair, Jenny," the driver grumbled to the officer sitting in the front passenger seat. "It's pretty obvious this guy's pulling a "get out of jail free card" on all of us."

Archie did his best to ignore the conversation. He stared at the passing trees, letting his eyes wander further down the highway until it reached a sign that informed him that they were about to pass through Route 121. His stomach tied into a knot as he grimaced over the eventual reunion with his father.

"Archie here has been very helpful to the Johto Police force," he heard the woman reply. He wondered how genuine she was being. Not that he cared. No, in fact Archie went ahead and told himself she was only doing what she could to save his own face, since he was in no mood to do it himself. He heard her continue, "Thanks to him they were able to locate one of the many warehouses that Rocket has been establishing across the continent."

"He give away any names?" the man intrusively asked.

Several names came to mind, each one making the young man feel oddly regretful. Archie wanted to reply, but the officer spoke for him again, answering, "that's classified information."

"I personally would like to know whether or not I should worry about Team Rocket, seeing that they've already spread across two regions," the man said rather loudly. This time Archie found himself too irritated to ignore the man and sat himself up straight, letting his eyes rest on the rearview mirror.

"I assure you, Hoenn is safe from any sort of criminal organization springing up," officer Jenny replied. Archie caught her eyes staring at him through the mirror. She appeared very concerned. "And I don't think this conversation is appropriate. We don't want to worry him anymore than what he already is."

Archie's finger's dug into his sides as he broke contact with the mirror. He looked over to the small box resting on the other passenger seat, feeling himself grow more agitated as he spotted the black uniform that was folded inside, his mouth going dry when he caught a glimpse of red.

"Do you know what you plan on saying to him?" he heard officer Jenny ask.

Archie stared at the uniform resting inside the box. He was not looking forward to presenting it to his father. Out of all the punishments he had to undergo, this was perhaps the worst of them all.

"No," he said.

"Ah, he does speak after all," the driver remarked, giving a light chuckle while Archie continued to stare nervously at the uniform.

"Remember," he heard the officer calmly say, "He answered the phone."

Archie's stare became lidded as he sighed, nodding his head. "Yeah, I know," he muttered.

"He's going to be there, waiting for you at the station," she added.

Archie didn't want to have to think about it. What could he possibly say to that man after so many years?

"Mother couldn't bring herself to show?" the driver asked to the officer. Archie looked up into the mirror and sneered.

"No," he said. He let out a bitter chuckle. He couldn't even imagine how she might have reacted to his joining and leaving Team Rocket. "She won't be there," he said, smiling up into the mirror and watching the driver's eyes dart away, clearly finding his response uncomfortable to look at.

"Enough," Jenny said, turning over her shoulder and staring at Archie with a disapproving frown. "Archie, we're almost at Lilycove. You need to relax and think–"

"About what?" Archie snapped. She moved back, surprised by his provocative reply. Archie merely shook his head, bringing his attention back to the uniform. "Ya think I don't realize how bad I messed up? And now I gotta go back and face the crowd, and everyone's gonna know what I did. And they ain't gonna be so polite 'bout it either, not like you over here."

The driver shrunk in his seat and Archie couldn't help but notice the way the car had slowed. He huffed, sinking into his seat as he gave another long exhale, already wishing he hadn't said everything he had just said. He felt his skin prickle and could guess that blush was spreading across his dark skin.

"You're right," he heard her say. "Everyone's going to know why you're returning home, and if they don't I'm sure they'll figure it out eventually." She rested herself back into her seat, no longer looking directly at Archie, but through the mirror, and even though Archie refused to look back at her, he could feel her stare burn against his body. It was a stare of worry, of caring and hopefulness, and it was something that he couldn't really bear.

"But you're going to be an adult soon," he heard her say. "And whether you like it or not, you're going to have to learn to take responsibility for your actions."

Archie sighed, letting his eyelids flutter as the car passed by a flock of Wingull. "I know," he muttered.

His eyes rested on the cardboard flap that covered part of the gigantic red "R" insignia. That same doubt arose again, this time lingering on the fact that, up until he had received his Pokémon, there probably had been more good memories than bad. There was a lot Archie did not understand, mostly regarding himself, and while Team Rocket had not been the best surrogate to his upbringing, it had provided him so many instances of self discovery. And as cruel as some of the members were, Archie could not deny that so many of those same people had given him comfort.

Archie reached out and lifted the flap, letting his eyes rest on the large, red letter, and he smiled sadly, almost missing it.

His brief moment of happiness came quickly to and end. He caught the glimpse of another sign passing by, causing him to close the box and look out to see what it might have said. He stared at the back of the sign, feeling anxious as it hit him that they had arrived. And sure enough, when Archie turned his head, he could see the vast skyscrapers and buildings, the colorful roof of the gigantic shopping center set right in the middle of it all.

Archie sank right back into his seat, growing pale as he watched the images of trees grew sparser, replaced with space, then a few houses, then signs and buildings. The driver commented on the lovely condition of the city, laughing because he was either excited to take part in it, or to give Archie a migraine. Officer Jenny remained silent, looking out her window and smiling peacefully at everything they passed.

It was inevitable that Archie would look out of his own window. Naturally, he did so when they were in the more populated part of the city. He stared out into busy streets, a little surprised that not every single citizen was staring back at him. His paranoia eased as his memory began to pick at a few signs, landmarks and buildings, getting jittery only when they stopped at a busy intersection.

"We're almost at the police station," he heard the officer comment.

Archie continued to look out, his eyes darting around and looking for an ocean view. Of course they were nowhere near it, but it didn't stop him from trying to find that one bit of scenery that would ease his nerves the most. It mattered little that he would have plenty time to find the lighthouse, walk across the beaches, and to stare longingly at the ocean. It wasn't like he could just run away again.

The driver made a wide left turn, and Archie sighed through his nose, pulling his legs up and resting his arms around them, letting his head follow as he tried to calm himself down. His scruffy face prickled against his arms. There was hardly any room for his legs.

"Keep your feet off the seats!" the driver complained. Archie obliged, only because he didn't want to cause any trouble when he was so close to a police station.

The car slowed down as they went deeper into the city, and before Archie knew it, or was even mildly prepared for it, the car made a turn into the parking structure next to the station.

"We're here," the driver practically sang out. Archie withheld the urge to grab the man from behind and give him a few good smacks.

"Thank you so much," Jenny replied, "I know this must have been quite the drive. Be sure to go to speak with our head, and you'll be paid back for the miles driven." Archie watched her look over her should and at him. "Get your things, Archie."

He nod his head and grabbed the box that held his uniform and his only other pair of civilian clothing. Much like his Zubats, everything else was confiscated to be used as evidence for an ever-building case against the criminal organization. Other than a few nick-knacks, Archie had very few things left to his name. He dragged the box up to his arms, letting it rest on his lap for him to look into one more time before opening the car door and taking it out with him.

"Here, rest it on top of the trunk," the officer said.

Archie placed the box on the back of the car and stared down at officer Jenny. "What's it now?" he asked, crossing his arms. With the large building in front of them, keeping polite was proving difficult.

"Look," she said, resting her hands against her hips. "I know things seem really bad right now, and you're going to get a lot of bad rap once you get inside, and you will for quite some time."

Archie shrugged and looked away into the direction of the city. "Yeah, I know."

"Just try not to forget," she said, reaching out and placing a hand on his shoulder, "this is your chance to start over and make something of yourself." Archie looked at the tiny hand that rested on him. He nipped at the inner part of his lip as he let the officer continue; feeling slightly more relaxed to have her make some kind of human contact with him.

"Not too many people get a second chance," she said, smiling up at Archie. "You made some mistakes, but you were brave enough to admit them, and I know you're going to be brave and face whatever lies ahead. I just know it." She lifted her hand off and away from Archie. He stared at it, watching it go back and rest on her side.

"Make the most of this," she said. "I don't want to go back home and find out that you're up to no good again."

Archie gave a quick nod, sticking his hands into the pockets of his jeans, trying his best to not appear too emotional. "I will," he muttered.

She smiled and went to the box that was on the trunk of the car, pulling out the black and red uniform. Archie shivered, feeling his hands cling to the inside of his pockets, unwilling to take the dark clothes into his person. But then she offered the folded uniform to him, and he had no choice but to take it.

"I looked into your records," she added. "You applied for a trainer card when you were younger?"

"Well, yeah," Archie said, looking down at the bright red "R" staring up at him. "I never got it done…what with my mom dyin' an all."

"I understand the reason you quit was partially due to the treatment of Pokémon," she continued. Archie nod his head, but this time with more energy. It was nice to see that someone had bothered to read his statement.

Officer Jenny reached into her pocket. "I know it's a long shot, but you should try to reapply later, when you're allowed to," she said, lifting the shirt up and placing two small Poké Balls on top of the pants, then carefully placing the shirt on top.

Archie's jaw dropped. "R-really?" he asked. She smiled at him and he smiled back, so wide his face hurt. "I can actually keep 'em?"

"You're legally not allowed to train them or have them partake in any battles or trainer-related occasions," she said, her serious expression alerting Archie the limitations that he would have to adhere if he wanted to keep his Pokémon. "But as domestic, live-in pets…you should be fine."

He felt his arms begin to shake as he stared down at the dark uniform, feeling the round spheres lightly press against the palm of his hands. He had been so certain that he would never see them again, especially after receiving so many speeches about his Zubats being victims to Team Rocket's crimes.

"T-thank you," he stammered.

It was getting harder to keep his cool.

"You're welcome," he heard her say. "Now go inside and apologize to your father, and then I'll be on my way."

Archie almost forgot about that. He groaned, leaning forward, but not too far so that his Poké Balls would remain situated between the uniform. He followed the officer into the police station. This time people were staring. The young man did his best to remain straight faced, treading across the crowded station right behind Jenny as they made their way towards the back part of the department.

Jenny stopped, looking around the many-filled seat. "Do you see your father?" she asked.

Archie looked around the crowded area, unsure whether or not he wanted to spot the man. What condition would his father be in? And how would he react to seeing his only son, after a four-year absence, holding on to a Rocket uniform?

"Ah, shit," Archie said. Standing across the hall and staring right back at him with a look so fierce it might as well not have been human, but some kind of predatory Pokémon's, was his father.

Jenny stared at the tall, furious looking man. Other than the blue eyes, there was hardly anything that would have her thinking the two were related. "That's your father?" she asked.

"I take after my mom," Archie muttered, averting his gaze as the sounds of stomping grew louder and heavier. His teeth were pressed against each other, and he was close to shutting his eyes as he felt a hand roughly grab him by the shoulder, pulling him into a tight, almost painful embrace. Archie opened his eyes nice and wide, staring up at the ceiling as he felt the small Poké Balls press against his chest, shocked by the lack of strong, alcoholic musk that he once familiarized with his father.

"You stupid boy!" Archie winced, feeling a hand hit the back of his head. "You done fucked up, Archie!" Another hit, but this time far weaker. Archie still reacted though, letting the second be a good enough reason for him to shut his eyes. He heard his father sniff, shaking his head before letting out another swear.

"Damn it! Archie."

"Mr. Aogiri," he heard officer Jenny say. Incapable of saying a word without choking, Archie shook his head at the female officer.

His father pulled away, forcing Archie to look him in the eyes. The young man held the uniform against his chest, hiding the gigantic "R" from his father, hoping it would somehow make things a little less awful for the two of them. He almost didn't care how low the balls were. Both were practically threatening to drop from the uniform.

"Look at you," his father said. "Gone fer four years, playin' a thievin' pirate for that Team Rocket…"

By this point everyone in the room was now staring at the three of them.

Archie's face burned with shame. He wanted nothing more than to run away. He almost wished he were back in the warehouse, hauling stolen goods without having to think about his actions, where all the merchandise might be going, and to whom. Instead his father grabbed him by the face, forcing him to look directly at him, causing him to shake at stare with wonder at how sober his father had become since he had left, his drunkenness replaced with weariness.

"Have you anythin' to say fer yourself?" his father asked.

Archie let a hand drop to the bottom of the uniform, saving his Pokémon from a rough fall. The folded uniform became wrinkled from the embrace, and when his hand moved there was nothing stopping his father from spotting half of an upside-down "R" across his son's chest.

"I'm sorry," Archie answered. "I'm so, so sorry, Pa."

His father shook his head, and Archie was once again pulled into and embrace. It wasn't nearly as tight or rough as the first, but it didn't stop Archie from suffering a great deal of emotional pain as he listened to his father begin to break into sobs.

"I've got you back," the older man said through heavy breathing. "I've got my lil' scamp back. Anahita, we got our boy back."

Hearing his mother's name, Archie looked to his side, expecting to see officer Jenny smiling back at him, but only saw more onlookers staring at this emotional scene. He turned his head, spotting the box filled with his few personal items resting on top of a nearby desk. He continued looking around the crowded area, hoping to catch her form somewhere, anywhere in the department. But she was nowhere to be found, at least not in the crowds that he could make out, and Archie was trapped: his father and his two Poké Balls keeping him in place.

Thank you all for reading. Please let me know what you think!