Vermilion City

There is no Gym leader yet.

Giovanni lived a quiet life with his brother in the Kanto region. His brother Ryu and his wife had two kids; Aaron and Crystal. Giovanni completely bonded with the two kids but more so with the little girl, Crystal. Her powers fascinated him, to control the element of fire.

But something completely tragic happened when the two kids were very young, when Crystal was 3 and her brother was 6 years of age; their mother suddenly passed away. Having grown up with his wife, Ryu was mortified, so struck by it, he ended up taking most of his and his wife's pokemon with him when he left the two kids.

Giovanni was stuck taking care of them when he left. Aaron was struck as unimportant to Giovanni so he sent him to live with their cousins; Delia and her son Ash. Aaron was sent to a household while Crystal was stuck with her uncle.

Giovanni noticed Crystal was almost exactly like her mother, whom he had a fondness for as well. She had her mothers dark brown eyes, one that would shimmer a bright hazel when Crystal was in certain moods. She had her mother's long soft jet black hair which would glow a soft bronze colour when it also made contact with the sun. Crystal had her mother's bright smile which she would pull out just because she wanted everyone around her to smile and be happy. She also had her mother`s stubbornness which all girls have when the don't get their way. Lastly, Crystal has her mother's ability to always fight for what is right, she had the courage to even take on the most menacing foes, given her age, and they weren't all that scary, but as she would grow up they would get fiercer. Crystal was almost exactly the same as her mother except for her occasional features that resembled her father, one of which Giovanni didn't care enough to recognize.

Giovanni also helped Crystal learn to control her powers more, of course with Aarons help. Aaron always had his mother by his side when it came to learning the proper way to handle his powers. She passed on the ability of Psychic to Aaron, something no body quite understood in this world, but not something they widely discussed either. Although Aaron didn't entirely like Giovanni, he always sensed something a little evil about him as well, but he didn't dare to say it once to anyone except Ash. With his dark as ever eyes that would make any little kid run for their life. Except Crystal who loves everyone and everything she meets. Her family calls her 'a symbol of innocence'.

Aaron and Ash were the same age which made it easier for them to become best friends fast. They always spent time with each other at school, at home and wherever else they went together. Treating one another like the brother they always wished for. Anyone could tell that they were best friends for life. They had their own little fishing spot where they would go to relax, or talk about serious matters.

Although Giovanni could be really strict at times with Ash and Aaron, he was never like that when it came to Crystal. To Aaron and everyone around, it seemed like he treated Crystal like his one and only long awaited child.

Giovanni would always take Crystal out to play at the park with all the wild Pokémon since that was her favourite thing to do. Giovanni would do anything to gain Crystal's trust and love.

A year has passed since Ryu left home. Of course, Crystal has been sad that her father hasn't come back home yet but she still has hope. No matter how many times Giovanni tells her, she cant just forget about her father. He missed her fourth birthday, he'd surely come for the next one. But Giovanni has been making her life better with his kindness. But it did shock her when she accidently stumbled upon him being mean to her brother and Ash.

Every morning Giovanni takes her to the park, while Ash and Aaron go to their secret fishing spot. No matter how much Crystal wants to join them, Giovanni always asks her to bond with the pokemon at the park.

"Here Inferno…" she said while placing a necklace she made out of cloth around his neck. On the cloth necklace she put a silver, shiny, metallic symbol of a Ho-oh dangling from it. She named it Inferno because he resembles an Inferno when he turns protective and mad. "It's a good luck charm Aaron gave me, but I want you to have it. My daddy is gonna come home soon and I'm not sure if I could see you then. But I want you to always remember me either way."

Growlithe's ears dropped at the statement, but Crystal matched it with her smile, something no Pokemon can be sad looking at.

Giovanni sat on the bench on the other end of the couch, looking at his laptop on his lap and he called out to her. "Hey, Crystal Come here for a second!" he sounded fiercer than usual

Inferno and his friends ran back into the forest after hearing the fierce sound of his voice but she didn't notice and simply walked up to him

"I have to tell you something" He looked down on her.

"Yeah?" she said as she balled her eyes up at him

"As a kid I have always been fascinated by the rumours and legends of gifted children and adults that have the incredible ability to control different elements. The ones I was truly interested were those who could control; Dark, Dragon, and especially Fire. I'm really lucky to have met someone like you. I know I have only actually known you for a year but over this period of time I have learned how extraordinary you are at using your powers even at such a young age as four. I also know you need to work on it a lot to completely master your powers. It may take many years to do and many sacrifices as well… So I have decided to train you so you can literally do whatever you want with your powers... you also have so many new discoveries about the element of fire itself to make, I'm sure you will find them if you come train with me."

"… Is Aaron gunna train with us..?" her voice cracked as she craned her head to look at him.

He put his laptop on the bench and knelt down to face her, "Now... Do you REALLY want him to come? I mean if he is there when you make all those discoveries about your powers, you will be at a disadvantage when you guys have a battle."

"Battle? You mean fight him…?" her voice cracking resulted in an eye beginning to water.

"You know those brawls he has with your sensei at the dojo."

"Ohhh! I've wanted to that forever! Hmph, why does sensei think I'm too weak…? But… Wait… WHY do YOU want to help ME get stronger? What do you get? It seems like it would bother you." she crossed her arms, stubbornly

"Here's the deal. I help you get stronger and … You help me…" He said with a smirk.

"Sure, but what do need help with?" she asked, eyes clear and open

"I need your help fulfilling my dreams and wishes…" He said with a deep and powerful voice.

"I don't know why you would need my help but sure, anything to help... I don't know what a little kid like me could do though…"

"So… You agree to help me?" he asked with precaution.

"Um… Okay… Sure I'll help …" she looked down, then into the forest where her friends ran into. "What's your wish?"

He smirked, "Since you already agreed, my wish is to rule the world." He said flatly. His seriousness at such an obviously silly notion make Crystal giggle as she agreed. "Let's get moving then…" He said as he grabbed her arm vigorously and held his laptop case with the other. They way he tugged at her arm seemed to result in Growlithe jumping in front of him and growling.

Crystal sensed the anger in Growlithe but before she could do anything Growlithe leapt onto Giovanni and started biting the arm he used to grab her. Giovanni pushed Crystal off with a thump and flung Growlithe in the air, gritting his teeth, letting out moans of pain. Crystal froze. But before she could realize it, Giovanni flung Growlithe into a tree, skidding on the ground before hitting it.

She swiftly turned her body back and looked at all of the small forest Pokémon surrounding the injured Growlithe. She furrowed her eyes, worryingly at the group, but as she braced herself to run she felt a big hand around her arm, making any thought of escape futile. She looked back at Growlithe but he had his ears lowered and began whimpering at her, hopeless.

She looked at the person holding her arm and saw and enraged version of the person she used to know. The stare sent shivers down her spine. She noticed something warm drop down her arm and traced it up to Giovannis dropping arm; where Inferno bit him.

He started mumbling words she didn't know as he dragged her with him, along with his laptop case out of the park and toward a big car. They always walked to the park, she didn't understand why they were going to a car. She was even more surprised when he remotely opened the doors for them.

He shoved her in the back seat, slamming the door shut. She couldn't blame him for his anger, the bite must have hurt, but the pain from him being so furious with her, hurt her.

"If you ask anyone for help… You will certainly regret it!" He said in the most forceful voice she have ever heard

…

Giovanni planned on running away with Crystal and raising her in such a way she'd forget she even had this life. He wanted to make sure those promises she made him would certainly come true with such a young prodigy learning how to use something so powerful at such a fast rate. With her help, he would certainly make it all the way, he would just need to research more about these powers he doesnt quite understand yet.

He needed someone with powers who he could brainwash into helping his evil desires become reality. He couldn't use Aaron because he is becoming more and more aware about his goals. He needed someone idealistic and Crystal was just the perfect candidate.