1 Giovanni Dethroned
The morning air was slowly warming as the day began. Not a single cloud was in the sky and the sun shone brightly as it crept up over the mountains, melting what was left of the winter snow from the ground. It was going to be a beautiful day. Through the bedroom window of his private residence, the leader of Team Rocket noticed this with pleasure.
Smiling maliciously at the thought of the day's business, Giovanni buttoned up his brown suit, straitened his tie and tied the laces on his neatly polished shoes. Looking at the mirror, he slicked back his hair, which was still wet from his morning shower. With a last check to make sure everything was in order, he turned to the door and left the room.
Outside, two uniformed guards waited. The moment the door opened, they straightened up and stood at attention. Giovanni stepped out of the bedroom and the two guards saluted him. He nodded to them and they returned to attention.
"Sir!" one said, "Today's newspaper is on your desk, as well as the weekly stock reports and the business agenda for today."
"You're breakfast is being prepared as we speak," said the other. "It will be ready and on your desk in minutes."
"Excellent," Giovanni replied. "Come, Persian."
Giovanni's cat pokemon climbed from its bed, lazily stretched and yawned and trotted over to its master. With a strict and confident stride, Giovanni marched down the halls of his private residence, his bodyguards marching exactly two steps behind him. When they reached his home office, from where Giovanni controlled every operation of his diabolical organization, the two guards stepped past him and stood on either side of the door, one of them opening it for their leader. The door closed behind him as he entered the office.
On the desk next to his computer, sat a silver tray with a plate of ham and eggs, toast, and a steaming cup of coffee. Next the tray was the newspaper and several files. Giovanni's butler bowed as his boss took his seat.
"One lump and just a little creme," Giovanni ordered.
While the servant prepared the coffee, Giovanni buttered the toast and ate it. When the butler set the coffee down, Giovanni had begun on the eggs and ham. While he ate, the butler placed a bowl of food before Persian and petted its head. Giovanni quietly finished his meal, pushed the tray aside and unfolded the newspaper. The butler cleaned the tray and removed it from the desk.
"That will be all for now," Giovanni said. "You are dismissed."
"Sir!" the butler replied, then left the room.
Giovanni skimmed through the various articles in the paper, nonchalantly sipping his coffee. He read the stock reports, pleased to see everything going in his favor. As he was reading, the phone rang. He picked up the receiver and the image of a dark-haired woman in her early twenties appeared on the video monitor.
"Ah, Wendy," he said, "what business do you have?"
"Hello, boss," Wendy replied, "I'm happy to report that three of SilphCo.'s competitors filed for bankruptcy just last night. It seems that their deliveries kept mysteriously disappearing. The new equipment has already been installed."
"Excellent," Giovanni remarked. "With those companies run into the ground, the value of our stocks should skyrocket any day now. I love a successful business endeavor."
"And we love manipulating the market," Wendy laughed. "But I'm afraid I also have some bad news."
Giovanni cocked his eyebrow, upset. "What is it?"
"It's about Jessie and James, sir."
Giovanni scowled at the sound of the two names. "What did they do now?" he demanded angrily.
"They used Team Rocket's funds to purchase six thousand dollars worth of equipment, which was promptly destroyed in their attempt to, believe it or not, capture a Pikachu."
"Are they still trying to steal that same pokemon?" Giovanni growled, pounding his fist on the desk. "Blast those incompetent fools. Can't they do anything right? Did we make up the loss with our other operations?"
"Yes," Wendy said uncomfortably, "but there's no reason why we should have to. I think that it would be best to drop those two from our group."
Giovanni sat silently in thought for a moment. He was sorely disappointed by the duo's recent rate of failure. Letting them go might be a good move for Team Rocket. Not only that, but the constant complaints about them from other members would stop.
As he was about to answer, the door opened and another person entered the room; a man he'd never seen before. Persian hissed angrily at the intruder.
"I'll have to get back to you on this matter," he told her. "It seems that I have a guest."
"A guest?" Wendy started. "But. . ."
Giovanni hung the receiver, cutting her off mid-sentence. Sliding back in his chair and rising to his feet, he addressed the newcomer.
"How did you find this place?" He demanded calmly. "And how did you get in here?"
"With the right connections, nothing can be kept a secret," the man replied, speaking with a heavy Russian accent. "And your bodyguards, they are not very good."
'Who is this man?' Giovanni wondered as he examined him. He had short, dark-brown hair and sky-blue eyes, which were magnified under exceptionally thick, black-rimmed glasses. Over his black suit, he wore a black, double-layered greatcoat. Judging by the thickness of the second layer, Giovanni concluded that it was bulletproof. He stood a little over six feet tall and it was obvious that he was stronger than Giovanni. It appeared that the man knew it, for he stared at Giovanni with an unflinching smile of supremacy.
"Who are you?" Giovanni queried.
"My name is Ivan Zokas," the man replied. "I am a trainer. One of the best, in fact."
"I see," Giovanni said, still suspicious. "Well, if you wish to join our organization, I'm afraid that you've come to the wrong place. I just run the company, I don't handle new member registration."
Ivan chuckled mockingly. "I'm not here to join your group," he explained. "I'm here to take it over."
Giovanni snorted. "Corporate takeover?" he scoffed. "Who do you think you are? Guards, in here immediately!"
No reply came. Giovanni called for them again, but only silence was returned. Ivan chuckled again.
"Like I said, your bodyguards are not very good."
Perspiration formed on the back of Giovanni's neck and his cheeks. He felt a sense of helplessness as he stared at this man who stood threateningly before him. Nervously, he reached for the handgun in his desk drawer.
"That isn't really necessary," Ivan said, guessing his intent. "We don't need to resort to violence to solve this. I have every intention of legally assuming control of Team Rocket."
Giovanni's eyebrow twitched. "I have no intention of selling my company to you."
"I didn't expect that you would," Ivan replied. "I challenge you to a battle."
"A battle?" Giovanni was confused. "Why would I risk everything that I have on a battle with you? What could possibly be worth such a chance?"
"How about six hundred thousand dollars?" Ivan offered.
Giovanni's jaw dropped. Unsure whether or not he had heard correctly, he hesitated. He sat back down in his chair and scrutinized the man who stood before him. He couldn't believe that someone could have that much money, and yet he wouldn't have heard of him before.
"That is a lot of money," he said at last. "But I don't know."
"You're hesitant," Ivan stated. "How about this then? I bet that one of my pokemon could defeat six of yours and I'll increase the sum to eight hundred thousand."
"Can you pay that much?" Giovanni asked.
"Pocket change," Ivan replied. "A drop in the bucket compared to everything that I have."
Still suspecting some sort of foul play, Giovanni remained quiet for a moment.
"You know something I don't," he said.
"Possibly. Ask anything you like, I will answer any question honestly."
"What kind of battle did you have in mind? What are the rules?"
"I will place no restrictions. Fight as you see fit."
"What kind of pokemon can participate?"
"It does not matter. If you have any legendary pokemon at your disposal, feel free to use them. All at once, if you wish."
Giovanni smiled. The man was a fool. "I can have any six that I choose and there are no rules to the battle?"
Ivan nodded. "And I will only use one."
Giovanni chuckled. "Even I can't resist a bet where the odds are so heavily stacked in my favor. This will be the easiest match I'll ever fight. You have a wager."
A broad grin slowly stretched across Ivan's face.
Giovanni took his place in the balcony seat above the stadium floor, while his Persian sat beside him. Ivan stood quietly on the floor across the room from him, the same defiant smile on his face.
"We'll do this one-on-one," Giovanni said.
"Whatever you wish," Ivan replied.
Ivan reached into his greatcoat and retrieved a small gold-colored object. Giovanni strained to see it. It was a strange metal band with some kind of electrical plug on the inside of it. Ivan brushed aside the hair around the base of his spine, exposing a sort of power socket, which Giovanni couldn't see. He inserted the plug into it, then clamped the band around his head.
"I'm ready when you are," Ivan stated.
Giovanni hesitated, then reached over to the control panel at his side and pressed one of the buttons. A pokeball rose up out of the panel. Giovanni took the ball and opened it. In a flash of light, a Rydon appeared. Ivan smiled, reached into his coat, drew out a pokeball and threw it into the air. A Charizard appeared.
"Ha!" Giovanni sneered. "Your pokemon will have a disadvantage in attacking."
"Whatever you say," Ivan replied, his voice cold and emotionless as he adjusted his glasses.
Giovanni looked over Ivan's Charizard and noticed that it was wearing a gold band around its head, just like its owner. Distress nagged at the corner of his mind, but he dismissed it and gave the first order to attack.
"Rydon, horn drill!"
With a fierce growl, the Rydon charged, pointing its horn at the Charizard's chest.
'Fly,' Ivan thought.
The Charizard spread its wings and leapt into air, allowing the Rydon to pass harmlessly beneath it. It growled with rage as its opponent hovered above it. With a second mental command, Ivan ordered his Charizard to attack. It swooped down, grabbed the Rydon and lifted it into the air. Rydon struggled fruitlessly to escape Charizard's hold. Giovanni's eyes widened in shock as the Charizard curled back its wings and plummeted like a meteor, slamming its victim into the ground and knocking it out in one blow.
Angrily, he recalled it and pressed a different button. This time he released a Blastois.
"Beat this!" he dared. "Hydro pump!"
The Blastois opened the water guns inside its shell and released a forceful blast of water.
'Fire blast,' Ivan thought.
With a roar that shook the building, the Charizard opened its mouth and spewed a stream of flame. Steam exploded into the air as the two attacks met. Giovanni leaned over the guardrail to watch the pokemon struggle to overpower each other. To his surprise, Blastois' strength gave out and Charizard's fiery breath hit it in the chest, pushing it back until it slammed into the wall, cracking the cement. With a broken groan, it collapsed to the ground.
"How can a fire pokemon defeat a water pokemon in one blow?" he wondered aloud.
"Two out," Ivan said, "four to go."
Furiously, Giovanni slammed his hand against the control panel, releasing three pokeballs. Kangaskhan, Machamp and Nidoking stood before Ivan's Charizard.
"So much for one-on-one," Ivan laughed. "But I did say no restrictions." 'Finish them quickly.'
"Attack!" Giovanni ordered. "Nidoking use poison sting. Kangaskhan, take-down. Machamp, double team it."
Giovanni's three pokemon charged. Nidoking lowered its head to jab Charizard with its poisonous horn. The Charizard sidestepped, wrapping its tail around Nidoking's leg and tripping it. Then it leapt into the air, slapping Kangaskhan in the face with its flaming tail and causing it to stumble backward. Diving, Charizard smashed Machamp into the ground, turned and pummeled the Kangaskhan with its fiery breath. Kangaskhan howled in pain as it dropped.
As the Nidoking struggled to its feet, Charizard casually walked over to it, grabbed it by the horn and shoulder and slammed its face into the ground. Nidoking labored to stand, but collapsed, unable to continue.
Now the worry that he had ignored at the beginning of the match returned. Ivan had beaten five of his strongest pokemon and his Charizard hadn't received a single blow. He was one pokemon away from losing everything he had worked for. His mind raced desperately for some hope of salvation from the juggernaut he was up against. Sensing its master's desperation, Persian hissed and leapt from the balcony.
"No!" Giovanni shouted.
But it was already too late. Persian lunged at the Charizard, slashing it across the chest before it could attack. Charizard growled and swung its claws at its new opponent. Persian ducked under the attack and struck again, drawing three bleeding cuts across Charizard's face. Being in the air put Persian off balance, however, and Charizard brought its foot up and caught Persian in the gut, sending it sprawling onto its back. Charizard pinned it under its foot and snapped its mouth over its neck. It held the cat pokemon gently for a moment, as though it enjoyed watching its opponent flail about helplessly. As it struggled, Persian slashed Charizard in the face again. Angered, the Charizard jerked its head sharply to the side.
Giovanni gasped in shock when he heard the loud snap and saw his Persian's body go rigid momentarily, heard its anguished yowl. He gave a cry of rage as the Charizard released Persian, which fell limply to the ground, its head lolling lifelessly from side to side. He rushed down the stairs, ran to his fallen pet and kneeled beside it. Desperately, he pressed his hand against its mouth. He gasped when he realized that it wasn't breathing. Charizard had broken its neck. He backed away from it in disbelief.
"You!" he cried, pointing to Ivan. "You killed it."
Ivan was silent, his expression cold and hard as steel.
"But I've never seen a pokemon kill," he whispered.
"My pokemon will kill if I order them too," Ivan said. "I've trained them that way. Now, you must turn control of Team Rocket over to me."
Giovanni's fists clenched, his lower lip twitched in furry. "I'll never give Team Rocket to you!"
"You don't have a choice," Ivan said, the sharpness of his voice cutting Giovanni like a dagger. "You bet your organization on this battle and I won."
"You cheated!" Giovanni screamed. "I know you cheated somehow." He pointed at Ivan's forehead. "That headband of yours has something to do with it."
"I said no restrictions and you agreed," Ivan reminded him. "I couldn't have cheated if I tried. The fact of the matter is that my pokemon are able to push themselves harder than yours ever could. You must turn over your company to me now. With it, I will go further than you could ever dream."
"You'll never get it!" Giovanni yelled. "Not as long as I live."
Ivan smiled. He looked out the window at the sky. "Beautiful weather, no? It would be a good day to die."
"Is that so?"
Giovanni stepped back. With a quick motion, he drew a pistol from his suit and aimed for Ivan. In the same instant, Ivan snatched a whip from his coat and swung it out. The end of it wrapped around the pistol and, with a twist of his hand, Ivan jerked the gun away. "If you won't give me your company, then I have no choice." Turning to his pokemon, he commanded, "Charizard, kill him!"
Gasping in horror, Giovanni backed away throwing out his hands defenselessly. Charizard growled as it stepped toward him.
"No!" Giovanni cried. "You can't!"
Despair filled his thoughts. How could he, the leader of Team Rocket, be killed like this? It was impossible. In fear he tried to run, but stumbled and fell to the floor. Charizard pounced, pinning him on his back. It growled at him, its steaming hot breath condensing on his face.
"No!" he begged. "Please don't! You can't do this! PLEASE!"
Ivan chuckled at the sight of the great criminal mastermind in tears, blubbering pathetically. "Do svidaniya, Giovanni," he said with a sadistic chuckle.
Giovanni's final scream echoed throughout the building for a few moments and the last thing he would ever remember was the sight of Charizard's huge jaws closing tightly around his head.
As Ivan watched Giovanni die, he casually opened the upper right pocket of his greatcoat and withdrew a package of cigarettes and put one into his mouth. He put the pack away, lit it on Charizard's tail and inhaled deeply, allowing the nicotine to flow into his blood, then sighed contentedly.
"And now," Ivan concluded, a foul, gray haze swirling about his face, "my command over all the resources of Team Rocket is supreme."
Ivan laughed triumphantly as Charizard raised its head to roar, filling the air with searing flames.
The morning air was slowly warming as the day began. Not a single cloud was in the sky and the sun shone brightly as it crept up over the mountains, melting what was left of the winter snow from the ground. It was going to be a beautiful day. Through the bedroom window of his private residence, the leader of Team Rocket noticed this with pleasure.
Smiling maliciously at the thought of the day's business, Giovanni buttoned up his brown suit, straitened his tie and tied the laces on his neatly polished shoes. Looking at the mirror, he slicked back his hair, which was still wet from his morning shower. With a last check to make sure everything was in order, he turned to the door and left the room.
Outside, two uniformed guards waited. The moment the door opened, they straightened up and stood at attention. Giovanni stepped out of the bedroom and the two guards saluted him. He nodded to them and they returned to attention.
"Sir!" one said, "Today's newspaper is on your desk, as well as the weekly stock reports and the business agenda for today."
"You're breakfast is being prepared as we speak," said the other. "It will be ready and on your desk in minutes."
"Excellent," Giovanni replied. "Come, Persian."
Giovanni's cat pokemon climbed from its bed, lazily stretched and yawned and trotted over to its master. With a strict and confident stride, Giovanni marched down the halls of his private residence, his bodyguards marching exactly two steps behind him. When they reached his home office, from where Giovanni controlled every operation of his diabolical organization, the two guards stepped past him and stood on either side of the door, one of them opening it for their leader. The door closed behind him as he entered the office.
On the desk next to his computer, sat a silver tray with a plate of ham and eggs, toast, and a steaming cup of coffee. Next the tray was the newspaper and several files. Giovanni's butler bowed as his boss took his seat.
"One lump and just a little creme," Giovanni ordered.
While the servant prepared the coffee, Giovanni buttered the toast and ate it. When the butler set the coffee down, Giovanni had begun on the eggs and ham. While he ate, the butler placed a bowl of food before Persian and petted its head. Giovanni quietly finished his meal, pushed the tray aside and unfolded the newspaper. The butler cleaned the tray and removed it from the desk.
"That will be all for now," Giovanni said. "You are dismissed."
"Sir!" the butler replied, then left the room.
Giovanni skimmed through the various articles in the paper, nonchalantly sipping his coffee. He read the stock reports, pleased to see everything going in his favor. As he was reading, the phone rang. He picked up the receiver and the image of a dark-haired woman in her early twenties appeared on the video monitor.
"Ah, Wendy," he said, "what business do you have?"
"Hello, boss," Wendy replied, "I'm happy to report that three of SilphCo.'s competitors filed for bankruptcy just last night. It seems that their deliveries kept mysteriously disappearing. The new equipment has already been installed."
"Excellent," Giovanni remarked. "With those companies run into the ground, the value of our stocks should skyrocket any day now. I love a successful business endeavor."
"And we love manipulating the market," Wendy laughed. "But I'm afraid I also have some bad news."
Giovanni cocked his eyebrow, upset. "What is it?"
"It's about Jessie and James, sir."
Giovanni scowled at the sound of the two names. "What did they do now?" he demanded angrily.
"They used Team Rocket's funds to purchase six thousand dollars worth of equipment, which was promptly destroyed in their attempt to, believe it or not, capture a Pikachu."
"Are they still trying to steal that same pokemon?" Giovanni growled, pounding his fist on the desk. "Blast those incompetent fools. Can't they do anything right? Did we make up the loss with our other operations?"
"Yes," Wendy said uncomfortably, "but there's no reason why we should have to. I think that it would be best to drop those two from our group."
Giovanni sat silently in thought for a moment. He was sorely disappointed by the duo's recent rate of failure. Letting them go might be a good move for Team Rocket. Not only that, but the constant complaints about them from other members would stop.
As he was about to answer, the door opened and another person entered the room; a man he'd never seen before. Persian hissed angrily at the intruder.
"I'll have to get back to you on this matter," he told her. "It seems that I have a guest."
"A guest?" Wendy started. "But. . ."
Giovanni hung the receiver, cutting her off mid-sentence. Sliding back in his chair and rising to his feet, he addressed the newcomer.
"How did you find this place?" He demanded calmly. "And how did you get in here?"
"With the right connections, nothing can be kept a secret," the man replied, speaking with a heavy Russian accent. "And your bodyguards, they are not very good."
'Who is this man?' Giovanni wondered as he examined him. He had short, dark-brown hair and sky-blue eyes, which were magnified under exceptionally thick, black-rimmed glasses. Over his black suit, he wore a black, double-layered greatcoat. Judging by the thickness of the second layer, Giovanni concluded that it was bulletproof. He stood a little over six feet tall and it was obvious that he was stronger than Giovanni. It appeared that the man knew it, for he stared at Giovanni with an unflinching smile of supremacy.
"Who are you?" Giovanni queried.
"My name is Ivan Zokas," the man replied. "I am a trainer. One of the best, in fact."
"I see," Giovanni said, still suspicious. "Well, if you wish to join our organization, I'm afraid that you've come to the wrong place. I just run the company, I don't handle new member registration."
Ivan chuckled mockingly. "I'm not here to join your group," he explained. "I'm here to take it over."
Giovanni snorted. "Corporate takeover?" he scoffed. "Who do you think you are? Guards, in here immediately!"
No reply came. Giovanni called for them again, but only silence was returned. Ivan chuckled again.
"Like I said, your bodyguards are not very good."
Perspiration formed on the back of Giovanni's neck and his cheeks. He felt a sense of helplessness as he stared at this man who stood threateningly before him. Nervously, he reached for the handgun in his desk drawer.
"That isn't really necessary," Ivan said, guessing his intent. "We don't need to resort to violence to solve this. I have every intention of legally assuming control of Team Rocket."
Giovanni's eyebrow twitched. "I have no intention of selling my company to you."
"I didn't expect that you would," Ivan replied. "I challenge you to a battle."
"A battle?" Giovanni was confused. "Why would I risk everything that I have on a battle with you? What could possibly be worth such a chance?"
"How about six hundred thousand dollars?" Ivan offered.
Giovanni's jaw dropped. Unsure whether or not he had heard correctly, he hesitated. He sat back down in his chair and scrutinized the man who stood before him. He couldn't believe that someone could have that much money, and yet he wouldn't have heard of him before.
"That is a lot of money," he said at last. "But I don't know."
"You're hesitant," Ivan stated. "How about this then? I bet that one of my pokemon could defeat six of yours and I'll increase the sum to eight hundred thousand."
"Can you pay that much?" Giovanni asked.
"Pocket change," Ivan replied. "A drop in the bucket compared to everything that I have."
Still suspecting some sort of foul play, Giovanni remained quiet for a moment.
"You know something I don't," he said.
"Possibly. Ask anything you like, I will answer any question honestly."
"What kind of battle did you have in mind? What are the rules?"
"I will place no restrictions. Fight as you see fit."
"What kind of pokemon can participate?"
"It does not matter. If you have any legendary pokemon at your disposal, feel free to use them. All at once, if you wish."
Giovanni smiled. The man was a fool. "I can have any six that I choose and there are no rules to the battle?"
Ivan nodded. "And I will only use one."
Giovanni chuckled. "Even I can't resist a bet where the odds are so heavily stacked in my favor. This will be the easiest match I'll ever fight. You have a wager."
A broad grin slowly stretched across Ivan's face.
Giovanni took his place in the balcony seat above the stadium floor, while his Persian sat beside him. Ivan stood quietly on the floor across the room from him, the same defiant smile on his face.
"We'll do this one-on-one," Giovanni said.
"Whatever you wish," Ivan replied.
Ivan reached into his greatcoat and retrieved a small gold-colored object. Giovanni strained to see it. It was a strange metal band with some kind of electrical plug on the inside of it. Ivan brushed aside the hair around the base of his spine, exposing a sort of power socket, which Giovanni couldn't see. He inserted the plug into it, then clamped the band around his head.
"I'm ready when you are," Ivan stated.
Giovanni hesitated, then reached over to the control panel at his side and pressed one of the buttons. A pokeball rose up out of the panel. Giovanni took the ball and opened it. In a flash of light, a Rydon appeared. Ivan smiled, reached into his coat, drew out a pokeball and threw it into the air. A Charizard appeared.
"Ha!" Giovanni sneered. "Your pokemon will have a disadvantage in attacking."
"Whatever you say," Ivan replied, his voice cold and emotionless as he adjusted his glasses.
Giovanni looked over Ivan's Charizard and noticed that it was wearing a gold band around its head, just like its owner. Distress nagged at the corner of his mind, but he dismissed it and gave the first order to attack.
"Rydon, horn drill!"
With a fierce growl, the Rydon charged, pointing its horn at the Charizard's chest.
'Fly,' Ivan thought.
The Charizard spread its wings and leapt into air, allowing the Rydon to pass harmlessly beneath it. It growled with rage as its opponent hovered above it. With a second mental command, Ivan ordered his Charizard to attack. It swooped down, grabbed the Rydon and lifted it into the air. Rydon struggled fruitlessly to escape Charizard's hold. Giovanni's eyes widened in shock as the Charizard curled back its wings and plummeted like a meteor, slamming its victim into the ground and knocking it out in one blow.
Angrily, he recalled it and pressed a different button. This time he released a Blastois.
"Beat this!" he dared. "Hydro pump!"
The Blastois opened the water guns inside its shell and released a forceful blast of water.
'Fire blast,' Ivan thought.
With a roar that shook the building, the Charizard opened its mouth and spewed a stream of flame. Steam exploded into the air as the two attacks met. Giovanni leaned over the guardrail to watch the pokemon struggle to overpower each other. To his surprise, Blastois' strength gave out and Charizard's fiery breath hit it in the chest, pushing it back until it slammed into the wall, cracking the cement. With a broken groan, it collapsed to the ground.
"How can a fire pokemon defeat a water pokemon in one blow?" he wondered aloud.
"Two out," Ivan said, "four to go."
Furiously, Giovanni slammed his hand against the control panel, releasing three pokeballs. Kangaskhan, Machamp and Nidoking stood before Ivan's Charizard.
"So much for one-on-one," Ivan laughed. "But I did say no restrictions." 'Finish them quickly.'
"Attack!" Giovanni ordered. "Nidoking use poison sting. Kangaskhan, take-down. Machamp, double team it."
Giovanni's three pokemon charged. Nidoking lowered its head to jab Charizard with its poisonous horn. The Charizard sidestepped, wrapping its tail around Nidoking's leg and tripping it. Then it leapt into the air, slapping Kangaskhan in the face with its flaming tail and causing it to stumble backward. Diving, Charizard smashed Machamp into the ground, turned and pummeled the Kangaskhan with its fiery breath. Kangaskhan howled in pain as it dropped.
As the Nidoking struggled to its feet, Charizard casually walked over to it, grabbed it by the horn and shoulder and slammed its face into the ground. Nidoking labored to stand, but collapsed, unable to continue.
Now the worry that he had ignored at the beginning of the match returned. Ivan had beaten five of his strongest pokemon and his Charizard hadn't received a single blow. He was one pokemon away from losing everything he had worked for. His mind raced desperately for some hope of salvation from the juggernaut he was up against. Sensing its master's desperation, Persian hissed and leapt from the balcony.
"No!" Giovanni shouted.
But it was already too late. Persian lunged at the Charizard, slashing it across the chest before it could attack. Charizard growled and swung its claws at its new opponent. Persian ducked under the attack and struck again, drawing three bleeding cuts across Charizard's face. Being in the air put Persian off balance, however, and Charizard brought its foot up and caught Persian in the gut, sending it sprawling onto its back. Charizard pinned it under its foot and snapped its mouth over its neck. It held the cat pokemon gently for a moment, as though it enjoyed watching its opponent flail about helplessly. As it struggled, Persian slashed Charizard in the face again. Angered, the Charizard jerked its head sharply to the side.
Giovanni gasped in shock when he heard the loud snap and saw his Persian's body go rigid momentarily, heard its anguished yowl. He gave a cry of rage as the Charizard released Persian, which fell limply to the ground, its head lolling lifelessly from side to side. He rushed down the stairs, ran to his fallen pet and kneeled beside it. Desperately, he pressed his hand against its mouth. He gasped when he realized that it wasn't breathing. Charizard had broken its neck. He backed away from it in disbelief.
"You!" he cried, pointing to Ivan. "You killed it."
Ivan was silent, his expression cold and hard as steel.
"But I've never seen a pokemon kill," he whispered.
"My pokemon will kill if I order them too," Ivan said. "I've trained them that way. Now, you must turn control of Team Rocket over to me."
Giovanni's fists clenched, his lower lip twitched in furry. "I'll never give Team Rocket to you!"
"You don't have a choice," Ivan said, the sharpness of his voice cutting Giovanni like a dagger. "You bet your organization on this battle and I won."
"You cheated!" Giovanni screamed. "I know you cheated somehow." He pointed at Ivan's forehead. "That headband of yours has something to do with it."
"I said no restrictions and you agreed," Ivan reminded him. "I couldn't have cheated if I tried. The fact of the matter is that my pokemon are able to push themselves harder than yours ever could. You must turn over your company to me now. With it, I will go further than you could ever dream."
"You'll never get it!" Giovanni yelled. "Not as long as I live."
Ivan smiled. He looked out the window at the sky. "Beautiful weather, no? It would be a good day to die."
"Is that so?"
Giovanni stepped back. With a quick motion, he drew a pistol from his suit and aimed for Ivan. In the same instant, Ivan snatched a whip from his coat and swung it out. The end of it wrapped around the pistol and, with a twist of his hand, Ivan jerked the gun away. "If you won't give me your company, then I have no choice." Turning to his pokemon, he commanded, "Charizard, kill him!"
Gasping in horror, Giovanni backed away throwing out his hands defenselessly. Charizard growled as it stepped toward him.
"No!" Giovanni cried. "You can't!"
Despair filled his thoughts. How could he, the leader of Team Rocket, be killed like this? It was impossible. In fear he tried to run, but stumbled and fell to the floor. Charizard pounced, pinning him on his back. It growled at him, its steaming hot breath condensing on his face.
"No!" he begged. "Please don't! You can't do this! PLEASE!"
Ivan chuckled at the sight of the great criminal mastermind in tears, blubbering pathetically. "Do svidaniya, Giovanni," he said with a sadistic chuckle.
Giovanni's final scream echoed throughout the building for a few moments and the last thing he would ever remember was the sight of Charizard's huge jaws closing tightly around his head.
As Ivan watched Giovanni die, he casually opened the upper right pocket of his greatcoat and withdrew a package of cigarettes and put one into his mouth. He put the pack away, lit it on Charizard's tail and inhaled deeply, allowing the nicotine to flow into his blood, then sighed contentedly.
"And now," Ivan concluded, a foul, gray haze swirling about his face, "my command over all the resources of Team Rocket is supreme."
Ivan laughed triumphantly as Charizard raised its head to roar, filling the air with searing flames.