Abandoned.
That's how the place looked.
How they felt.
An agonizing wail broke through the eerie silence of what once was Team Rocket's HQ.
Who was once considered the goddess of the organization laid now down, broken, her body a rabid frenzy of hiccups, as she cried out Giovanni's name once more.
"It can't be! IT CAN'T BE! What did happen to Team Rocket? WHAT DID HAPPEN TO HIM?!"
A hand placed itself firmly yet gently on the woman's shoulder, but she didn't even seem to notice. Archer looked down at what remained of the stoic and prideful Ariana, his attitude composed but his eyes full of desperation just as hers.
"You should have expected it. You heard too what the kid said back at Sevii Islands, and got a taste of his power. It probably was no lie."
At his words, Ariana's seemed to find her former power for a second, and it was more than enough for her to turn around and slap Archer right on his face, with all the bottled up rage she had in her breakdown.
The man barely flinched, his pride not letting show the pain.
"IT MUST HAVE BEEN A LIE, YOU TRAITOR! GIOVANNI COULD NEVER LOSE, LET ALONE TO A KID! TEAM ROCKET WILL –NEVER- DIE!" she seemed to have breathed out all her anger, and the redhead sunk back to the ground into a pitiful mess of tears: "I won't…I won't let that happen…ever! I-I'll find him…I have to…"
Archer simply stared, seemingly emotionless, as the woman's Arbok supported her as to not let its mistress fall down on the filthy pavement.
Team Rocket was all their life.
"Team Rocket isn't dead. I'll call all the grunts I can find. We'll get back on our feet, as we always did. We'll eventually find Giovanni, I am sure of it; 'til then, as Giovanni's second in command, I shall guide this organization to its former greatness."
Ariana looked up and burst out in an empty, cold laugh. "You? You'll pretend to be our leader?" her tone changed, and she seemed to spat out poison just like the Arbok next to her: "You'll never be Giovanni."
Memories he thought were repressed flooded back, memories of him, of Ariana, of what could have been. Of what once had been.
Giovanni was all her life.
It was too late now.
"I know."
*A/N: did this as a little thing to challenge myself. I usually write way longer stories/chapters and so I imposed myself to make a oneshot in less than 500 words. I think I succeeded, and I hope I transmitted what I tried to convey in this work. ^^
My main pairing for Ariana/Athena would be Silverspawnshipping/Yakuzashipping (Ariana x Giovanni), as in my headcanon she definetely is Silver's mother. However, I quite enjoy the idea of Clonegeuseshipping (Ariana x Archer), and think it's totally possible the two could have been together before or during their early time at team Rocket, or even after the GSC/HGSS events when they understand it's all over for Team Rocket. I'd actually like to write a longer fanfiction for the first scenario, but who knows. For now, I hope you enjoy this ^^
PS. Yes, I'm finally straying away from the VP fandom. Impressive, huh? xD Be prepared for more Pokémon works!
PPS. English is not my language (waves at italian people) so feel free to correct my grammar or anything!