Parents' Confession

When Paul heard his father say, "Team Rocket", he felt his heart drop. He knew that Team Rocket is considered the world's most famous and biggest crime group. Now, hearing that his parents were able to meet people from the crime group, despite his suspicions, Paul still felt nervous for his parents even knowing that it already happened in the past.

After the shock of hearing Team Rocket faded, Paul heard his father continue, "It was really unlucky for us to meet the gangsters, who seemingly looked like grunts of Team Rocket albeit without the uniform. Until now I still remembered what happened, there were three of them, all males. They looked around the age of 30, and they seemed a bit drunk. The three of them threatened your mom and I to give up our Pokemons, as they saw us carrying pokeballs on our belts."

"Of course, we didn't give up without a fight. It finally ended up in a three-versus-two Pokemon Battle. Luckily for us, your mom's Butterfree was very proficient with the different powder moves thus was able to accumulate their status conditions. As my Pidgey and Mary's Butterfree was nearly defeating the three pokemons of the grunts, namely an Ekans, Koffing, and Zubat; we didn't notice a grunt carefully approaching us from behind. Due to the battle, we were both distracted on commanding our own pokemon that we didn't notice the threat behind us. The moment we noticed it; it was already too late. That particular grunt held your mom as hostage with a pocketknife. His arm was circling your mom's neck as his other arm was pointing the pocketknife at her. He threatened us to give up and give the Pokemons or someone would be hurt, or worse, dead." Joseph became quiet as he finished the last sentence.

Hearing her husband's seemingly silence, Mary resumed, "As he was threatening me, I wasn't able to do anything. I even thought that your father might just go and ran away, but he stayed, and eventually made the hardest decision for the both of us. Pidgey and Butterfree understood the situation but was very sad when Joseph retrieved them into the pokeball. Until now, I can still remember their sorrowful cries and tears as they said goodbye. Getting what they wanted, the grunts finally left after giving us a few kicks here and there. In an instant, the hope that we finally found was turned into despair. We went home to the orphanage, crying and angry, but we weren't able to do anything. We tried to report to the police station and to the local Officer Jenny, but she wasn't able to do anything as there were a lot of reports like ours already. So, when another chance came to us during the last month of the ten-year deadline in the orphanage; we immediately grab it. Even though it meant going to a road with no return. The other orphan who told us about it guided us to an empty part of the Viridian Forest." Mary paused to look at her son and asked, "Did you know where we were going?"

Despite knowing the answer, Paul wasn't able to reply.

Hearing her son's silence, Mary carried on with their story. "We went to an empty part of the Viridian Forest to take part on a recruitment test of Team Rocket."

Finally hearing the answer made Paul's breath hitch. He looked at his parents, but they weren't able to look back at him. Paul could see that guilt and shame at present on his parents' faces. He could understand from their point of view, how desperate they were, and how they grab unto the last hope that was held by Team Rocket. Seeing their current expressions, he could imagine how much remorse and dishonor they felt at joining the organization.

How could Paul know? He was with them for two years, and he could feel their innate goodness; they were not only kind towards him and their Pokemons, but to all Pokemons they have encountered. Additionally, they were also nice to strangers and his tutor. While not being 100% sure, Paul knows how to judge a person's character. How could he be a successful entrepreneur if he didn't?

Imagining it from his parent's perspective, it was horrible for them to tell their own son their involvement with Team Rocket. Taking the initiative, Paul dropped Eevee unto the sofa gently and then held his parents' hand while asking softly, "So you joined Team Rocket?"

Both of them were very nervous, and the couple were surprised to feel their son's hand holding theirs. They looked up and could see their son's prying eyes; and did not witness the anger and disappointment they were expecting. Paul looked at them without any judgement, and even though they weren't finished telling the whole story yet; the couple felt their shoulders relax a little, albeit insignificantly.

"You aren't mad?" His father answered his question with another.

"It's not that I'm mad; but I don't think I have the right to be mad either. It was a whole different circumstance for the both of you, and I can't judge as I haven't experienced what both of you did. But don't think I don't care either; to be exact, I understand but I do not condone on joining Team Rocket. I know you both were desperate but there were a whole lot of things you haven't been able to try yet. For now, I just want to know the whole story before I react. Just know that whatever you did will not change the fact that you both are my parents, and I would always love you guys no matter what. Can we carry on now?" Paul finished in one breath.

Joseph kissed his son's knuckles while Mary kissed her son's forehead. They felt exhilarated on Paul's statement, despite it not being entirely positive; it was a whole lot better than what they expected. "I know, I know." Joseph started, "We're just thankful that you could understand us to a certain extent, and not hating us instantly for being part of a criminal organization." He was able to finish over stammers.

"To imagine you're just two years old, you're really unique Paul" Mary flatteringly said after calming down her tears.

Paul raised his brows as he gave his parents a stare. "Don't change the topic, now why won't you continue your story?" He deadpanned.

Joseph and Mary were able to continue their story after they calmed down from their son's reaction. The couple stayed with their son until midnight, sharing their past experiences and hardships.