Standing before the tall mirror in her room, Ariana adjusted her uniform, making sure all the creases were perfect, all the seams were in place, and all the labeling and overall sheen was pristine. Today she would be inducted as a Non-commissioned officer for Team Rocket, and she needed to look her absolute best for this. It wouldn't do to be standing in front of the entire organization and have even one flaw about her being. Everyone would be there, even Mr. Giovanni, whom she had only seen at her graduation ceremony when she initially joined Team Rocket.
A non-comissioned officer was the first stage of rank above a grunt, and, like the grunt ranks, had several sub categories. Once she reached the top of that, she would receive special training before moving up into the "officer" ranks. While it wasn't much authority, she was glad she would no longer be considered a grunt.
She smoothed her hair down, before giving a final tug to her black skirt. Ariana was a rather well-endowed woman, her oversized breasts and wide hips quite the envy of the other female grunts. Ariana had grown used to it, though, even if she was commonly mistaken as a young adult, rather than an older teen because of her mature figure. She strode from her room, all her belongings already packed up into duffel bags. After the ceremony, she'd be moving out of the grunt barracks, and into the NCO rooms. She had been told to be ready to go as soon as the induction ceremony was complete. Not that she had much to pack, aside from uniforms she could no longer use, her meager jewelry collection, and a bit of makeup.
As she reached the auditorium, she was greeted by some of the current Non-commissioned officers, and was directed to the back side of the stage. They had rehearsed the ceremony the previous day, so she knew what was expected of her for this, but she still couldn't help but feel butterflies in her stomach. At the age of 16, this was the most monumental event to happen to her. And while she did feel the pang of anxiety, she set her jaw in place, centering her concentration on the task at hand. She would do this, and she would do it perfectly.
Her thoughts helped keep her distracted until the ceremony began. Her supervisor led the way as they marched her to the center of the stage. As she turned to face away from the audience, she took note of the three officers that were positioned behind herself. Initially she had been briefed that the person to pin her new rank would be her section's commanding officer, but instead, she was surprised to see Boss Giovanni himself march onto stage. Seeing him in front of her made her suddenly aware of all the flaws she had forgot to fix. That, and how short the skirts on these uniforms were – and her wide hips didn't make it any longer. She had the sudden urge to pull at her skirt, but the need to maintain formation stilled her.
Whether it was the stage lights bearing down on her face, or the surprise of seeing the leader of the entire organization speaking to the audience about her work ethic and what a valuable grunt she was, Ariana felt her cheeks begin to heat up, and her forehead began beading with sweat. In spite of her panic, though, the ceremony went smoothly. At one point she stepped forward, and Giovanni wrapped an arm around her shoulders, only illiciting her face to heat up further, as he handed her her certificate as proof of her new rank, posing for a picture to be taken. It would have been one thing, had the boss been a shriveled, old man wrapping an arm around her, but seeing he wasn't too much older than herself, and attractive at that, Ariana couldn't stop her face from blushing even further. How horrible these pictures would look! She was fairly certain her face was nearly the same shade as her hair.
After that, the rest of the ceremony faded out. She felt as if she was in some sort of a daze; so many formalities, and socializing. They even made her a sheet cake for her promotion. It was quite the occasion, really. The whole organization came together just for her. She couldn't help but feel all the eyes on her, even in a less formal environment. Ariana didn't really have friends among the grunts; she didn't really have friends in general. She always focused on her work, and doing her best. Creating relationships with the people around her was always her last thought. First she would complete the task, then there was time for play. But play for her was usually training her pokemon. Grunts were known for having weak teams, and she didn't want to be seen like that. She wanted to be a strong trainer. She wanted to be more than a grunt. And with this promotion, she would be. But that didn't stop the eyes of everyone in the room from watching her. It seemed as if most of them were noticing her for the first time. She was now someone important. Someone they should get to know, or at the very least recognize.
Eventually she grew bored of the social chatter. If she was going to be doing something with her time, it would be better spent moving her belongings to her new living quarters, so she sidled over to her former Squad Leader. The lad was to be in charge of helping her move her stuff one last time before Ariana was appointed her own squad to oversee. "Do you think it would be alright if we left to move my stuff?" she quietly asked, trying not to show how overwhelmed she was becoming from all the commotion around them.
She watched as he opened his mouth to respond, but then closed it, his eyes flickering over her shoulder at something. Before she could turn to see what he was looking at, a hand settled onto her shoulder from behind. Hesitantly, she directed her own gaze to see who would have enough nerve to invade her personal privacy without invitation.
Her heart skipped a beat as she realized who it was. Not a grunt, not another NCO, not anyone she would have expected in any reality. The hand on her shoulder belonged to Mr. Giovanni himself. He gripped her firmly, but gently, smiling quite amiably. "Leaving so soon?" he asked, removing his hand from her shoulder. "I do hope the festivities were to your liking."
His kind words slowed her racing heart, even if him overhearing her desire to leave unsettled her just a bit. "Yes," her forced smile coming much more easily than she had anticipated, "The party is lovely. The cake was very good."
He chuckled at her remark. "I'm glad." He tucked his hands into his pockets, moving to stand more directly in Ariana's line of sight.
She glanced to her Squad Leader, who was slack-jawed that Mr. Giovanni would even be speaking to her so casually. Maybe she was special. She did seem to work a bit harder than the other people she interacted with, but did that truly warrant some special attention? Not that she minded.
"Now," he said, cocking an eyebrow, "you said you wanted to leave?"
The question could very well have been a set up, but the hint of amusement in the boss's eyes told Ariana that wasn't the case. Nonetheless, she couldn't help but gulp down a lump of panic before answering, trying not to drop her own smile. "Yes, Sir. There's really not much more for me to do here, and I'd like to move my belongings to my new quarters."
He was silent a moment, taking the chance to look around the room. "Yes, I suppose it has become rather droll in here." Slowly he pulled a hand out of his pocket, offering it palm up to her. "Please, allow me to escort you out. I can have some grunts move your things for you." He cast a sidelong glance at the Squad Leader, who only released a strangled gurgle of shock. Surely he was seeing things! THE boss escorting the newest NCO out of her own party? What kind of madness had incurred this turn of events?
Her arm was just a bit shaky as she hesitantly took the offered hand, feeling her face heating up once again. "You're sure that'll be alright?" she asked. From the Squad Leader's shocked reaction, she wasn't sure if this was an offer she should graciously decline, or jump all over the opportunity.
"Of course it will," he cast another glance to the shocked leader, "won't it?"
The lad nodded his head vigorously, eyes wide.
"See?" Giovanni turned back to Ariana, his smile widening. "Everything's taken care of." He gave her hand a gentle squeeze to reassure any lingering doubts.
Ariana gulped down another lump in her throat, trying to force her smile to not be crooked. "If you say so, Sir." She wrapped her hand tighter around his, trying to prove she was confident and strong.
"Wonderful," he gently tugged on her hand, leading her away. His smile seemed so genuine, Ariana wasn't sure how to react, or what was proper. Maybe she had grown accustomed to everyone in Team Rocket being emotionless prudes. Seeing the boss was so friendly and respectful was a pleasant surprise.
Since the whole team was in the room with the cake, there was no one to cast questioning glances at themas they walked through the hallways, not that anyone would intervene with the boss. Sure it would be a little strange, and maybe arouse some questions directed at Ariana at a later time, but none of that would ever be allowed to reach the boss's ears.
Not much was exchanged between the two as they walked out of the building. Ariana was much too nervous to try and start a conversation, besides, what would she even say that wouldn't make her sound like a gold-digging moron? Entering the courtyard, however, something struck Ariana as strange, and she did manage to speak up. "Um...Mr. Giovanni? My new quarters are back that way," she pointed, "In the South Wing."
Giovanni's smile never faltered as he glanced over at her. "Of course they are. I'd just like to show you something, first. A little bit of Team Rocket's history that all aspiring Rockets should know." Ariana could only nod in acknowledgment. It wasn't that she didn't want to be more informed, but something about this was beginning to sit in her stomach as strange.
The walk wasn't too tiring, as it was mostly across flat surfaces and gentle inclines, with only a couple small staircases here and there. Ariana was eventually lead to a part of the headquarters that she had never been in, and everything around her seemed new and interesting. She tried to absorb as much as she could, and was so distracted, that she almost walked right into Mr. Giovanni when he stopped in front of a large, mahogany set of doors. He jingled in his pocket for a moment before pulling out a ring of keys, unlocking the doors, and releasing her hand to open the door for her. She silently walked in, trying her best to keep a proper smile, although she could feel her cheeks beginning to heat up, once more.
Gazing around the room, she quickly took note that it was a large office. There was a desk with simple office accessories such as pens and paperclips, but surprisingly clean of any papers. Two large bookcases were filled, one on the wall behind the desk, the other on a wall next to a side door. The chairs in the room were elegant, the one behind the desk leather, but two in front of the desk were a maroon velvet.
Giovanni silently closed the door behind Ariana, gently taking her elbow and guiding her over to one of the velvet chairs, "Please, take a seat," he said walking to a small mini fridge that was hiding under a table that held a stone pokemon statue. "Would you like something to drink?"
"Sure," her voice was a little shaky, but she was slowly gaining control. Being able to sit down was helping, as she didn't have to worry about her knees giving out, or any such complications from her body.
After a moment, he walked over to her, handing her a short, fat glass of ice filled with a dark, yellowish liquid. A quick sniff burned what little nose hairs she had. This illicited a small chuckle from the boss. "It's double-malt whiskey," he explained, "My cousin runs a brewery in Hoenn, so I get it specially made. It's quite good if you, take a drink."
Whiskey? Was he kidding? While she had avoided consuming alcohol up until this point in her life, Ariana couldn't just say no to the boss's whiskey. She took a tentative sip, not sure what to expect. She nearly choked, not expecting it to burn her throat in quite a manner. However, once the initial burning went away, she was able to taste the fine, malt undertones. It was certainly an exquisite drink. She met Giovanni's smiling gaze before taking another sip, now prepared for what such a sip would entail. This one went down a lot easier than the first. "It's very good," she said, giving the glass a small swirl. The ice cubes were melting at a surprising rate.
"I'm glad you like it," Giovanni said, plucking a portrait from a small side table, then taking a seat in the other velvet chair, next to Ariana. He passed the portrait over to Ariana before taking a sip from his own glass of whiskey. "I'm sure you'll recognize this person."
Ariana took the frame, surprised to see an iconic woman in a red power-suit. "Madame Boss?" she questioned, raising an eyebrow at Giovanni.
He nodded solemnly, "Yes. Or informally, she was known as my mother. She went missing, two years ago, on a mission, leaving me in charge of Team Rocket. Not that I mind." His smile seemed to have faded a bit, looking much more thoughtful and bittersweet. "I didn't much agree with where she was taking the company, so I've actually enjoyed taking the opportunity to move us in a new direction. It feels better this way, wouldn't you agree?"
Ariana blinked. Why was he opening up to her like this? Was it just because she now had rank? It seemed a bit out of place, but she maintained her smile, nodding, "Yes." She had joined shortly after the Madame had gone missing, so she was familiar with the tale. Hearing his words, she wondered if Team Rocket had always been so supportive of its members, throwing parties and lavishing people when they made rank. At least it encouraged her to aspire to be more.
Giovanni plucked the picture from her hands, placing it face down on his desk. "Sometimes to grow, we must trim the stray branches; that's what happened with my mother." His eyes flickered to Ariana, a more dangerous look in them. "I like to keep a close eye on my officers, Ariana, and while you're still non-commissioned, I see great potential in you. Your work shows you're dedicated, and determined." He took another sip, "That's something I like to see. I'm still having trouble pruning the stray branches my mother left behind. It's taking some work, but the more people like you that I can get in power, the better off this organization will be." He finished off his glass of whiskey, his benevolent smile returning. He set the glass on the desk, scooting his chair closer to Ariana. "Tell me," he lowered his voice, the words flowing from his mouth like velvet. "What do you wish to see in Team Rocket?"
Ariana wasn't sure if it was the whiskey, or just the shortness in distance between her and Giovanni, but she felt her cheeks begin warming up at his question. "Well uh..." she swirled her now almost empty glass of whiskey in her hand, "I'd like to see more people take more responsibility. I don't know, it seems like a lot of the grunts think it's ok to get away with ridiculous things because they don't have anything to lose. Perhaps more repercussions to motivate people to be the best they can for their duty?" she really had no idea what she was saying at this point. She took another drink of her whiskey, finishing it off to try and ignore an awkward moment.
Giovanni's gaze followed her empty glass. "Would you like some more?" he asked, almost eagerly, as he rose to his feet, taking her glass before she could respond.
"S-sure," she said. She really didn't want more, but she felt like saying no would be a mistake.
Giovanni walked back to the mini fridge with both glasses in hand, shortly returning with them brimming with whiskey. "Your initiative is admirable," he said, handing her a glass before downing half of his in one gulp. "But do you really think that harsher punishments will motivate people to stay, or make them more apt to quit?"
She quickly sipped the top of whiskey so it wouldn't spill, noticing how he still hadn't taken his seat again. She rose an eyebrow, feeling her previous hesitations slowly slipping away. "It would be similar to your 'pruning.' Sure, more people might quit, but if they can't handle when things get tough as a grunt, how will they be able to survive as a leader? I think preparing people, so they aren't set up for failure is a better plan of action than training a bunch of slacking free-loaders who are just here for an easy pay check."
A hearty chuckle escaped Giovanni, as he leaned back, resting his rump on the desk. "I can see what you're saying." He downed the rest of his glass of whiskey. "I value your feedback. You're a lot more blunt than some of my other NCOs. Not that that's a bad thing, of course. You think practically, and look at things as a whole, instead of only what's immediately before you. I like that." He set his empty glass on the table before leaning forward, resting his hands on the arms of her chair. His voice lowered, his breath reeking of whiskey, "I see a lot of potential in you."
This time, Ariana knew exactly why her cheeks were blushing, but she refused to shrink away. It was a power tactic. He was trying to overwhelm her with a show of dominance. She took another drink of her whiskey, much more lengthy than her previous ones. She tried not to wince at it, but she just couldn't stop her body's reaction. Giovanni chuckled at her, wrapping his hand around her own over the glass. "Perhaps you should slow down," he held her hand in place, firmly, but not overly so. "You're a hard worker, but that seems to be all you do. Do you ever take time for yourself, Ariana? Do you ever just take a moment to relax?"
She was quiet a moment, thinking. She was always on the go, always focused on work, never really taking a break but to eat and sleep. She couldn't even remember the last time she had really allowed herself to relax or take time to enjoy something. "I..." her gaze dropped away from his, "No, I guess I don't."
He was silent a moment, taking in what she had said. When he spoke again, his words were gentle, concerned almost, "You're bound to get burned out working that way. You need to learn to relax..." his hand that wasn't on her glass found itself brushing her hair away from her face before cupping her cheek. "And you're much too lovely to burn out in such a manner."
Was he...flirting with her? It was hard for her to comprehend, as no one had ever taken the time to do such a thing toward her, at least not that she had noticed. She wasn't sure how to react, so there was a large space of silence before she responded. "Thank you." The strong demeanor she had been trying to hold was crumbled. After another moment in silence, she turned her gaze up to meet his. "Do you...have any suggestions of how to relax? It's been so long...I don't know if I really remember how."
This brought a smile back to Giovanni's face. "Of course I do," he leaned in further, pressing a kiss to her brow, then her cheek bone, then her jaw, and finally her lips. Ariana didn't resist or pull away. While she hadn't been expecting such behaviour from him, she couldn't say that she didn't like it. No one had ever given her any sort of romantic attention, and while her heart was beating wildly, and she was sure her face was a solid shade of red, an overwhelming part of her wanted this to happen and continue. She returned his kiss, her free hand traveling to rest on the lapel of his jacket.
Giovanni pulled the glass away from her hand, setting it on the desk behind him. He continued to trail gentle kisses along her jawline, tugging down on her collar to plant kisses across her neck. A small gasp escaped her, and he paused, lifting his head up. "Is something wrong?" he questioned. "Those turtle necks are a bit snug, aren't they?"
"No, it's not that," Ariana was a bit embarrassed to simply say she was enjoying his touch. Was there even an eloquent way she could word that without sounding like a little girl?
"Ah, it's the chair, then," Giovanni concluded. Before she could respond, he pulled away, rising to his feet. "Give me your hands," he smiled. As she did so, he pulled her to her feet. She noticed his demeanor had slightly changed. While it wasn't too noticeable, his smile seemed a bit more boyish and slightly less charming. "Please come this way, if you would," he took a hold of her elbow leading her around the chair and through the side door next to the second bookcase.
Behind the door was an expansive bedroom. If she thought the office was classy and fancy, this bedroom trumped it by quite a long shot. Giovanni closed the door behind them, leading Ariana to the massive bed. Each step made Ariana's heart beat faster, and she was beginning to have difficulty breathing; she wasn't sure if this was from excitement or uncertainty. Finally, as they reached the bed, Giovanni paused to take off his jacket, hanging it on one of the bed posts. His white turtle neck underneath was beginning to collect sweat under his arms. He then took a seat on the bed, tugging Ariana to sit next to him. "This is much more comfortable, isn't it?" he smiled.
She had to admit, it was a very nice bed, and the mattress felt better than anything she ever remembered sleeping on. "Y-yes. It's much more comfy," she smiled, glad he couldn't feel her fluttering heart.
"Wonderful," he purred, placing an arm around her waist before pulling her into a deep kiss. Once again, she found her hands resting upon his collar bone, where his lapel would have been. She didn't know why she chose that spot, but it just felt right. He pressed several more kisses against her lips, barely giving her time to take a breath in between. Finally, in mid kiss, he used his tongue to part Ariana's lips, entering her mouth as he pressed his tongue against hers. A small moan escaped her, and she felt his other arm wrap around her lower torso, his hands gripping her strongly, pressing her body tight against his. She found him now on top of her, and he pulled away just long enough to drag her further onto the bed, so that neither of their legs dangled off the edge.
"Much better," he smiled, pressing a quick kiss to her cheek before pushing her onto her back. He slowly pulled one leg over her hips, straddling her as he leaned over to plant more kisses under her jaw and along her neck. He used his face to move her collar around, careful not to pull on it too much and choke her. Gently his tongue worked its way out of his mouth, exploring the curve of her neck, his kisses slowly turning into sucking. More soft moans escaped her, and her hands tightened around his shirt, grabbing fist fulls as she pulled him closer.
As he continued to suckle at her neck, Giovanni's hands undid her belt, casting it aside before trailing his fingers under her shirt. While his hands moved with urgency, they weren't painful or rough. Finally he found her breasts, his hands cupping around the bottoms and tentatively squeezing. This illicited an exceptionally loud moan to escape her, her body squirming slightly. A small chuckle flowed from Giovanni upon hearing her, and he gave her breasts some more, firm squeezes. It felt grand, almost like a massage, and she felt herself begin to relax. That was, until he gently ran his teeth over her neck. Her body jerked up in surprise. Again, his teeth raked across her neck, followed by a quick kiss as he pulled away, his hands abandoning their groping to take hold of the edge of her shirt and pull it up and over her head, yanking her gloves off with it. He tossed it off somewhere in the same direction he had tossed her belt.
He paused a moment, staring down at her in appraisal, still straddling her hips. His cheeks were flushed, which she found oddly attractive. He then proceeded to take off his sweat-soaked turtle neck, revealing a surprisingly chiseled figure of his own. Any qualms she might have had about her appearance quickly slipped out of mind as he leaned over, planting a sloppy kiss on her cheek. "You seem to be enjoying yourself," he mumbled into her ear.
She giggled, "You just know how to treat a woman right."
He released a soft chuckle, nuzzling his face into the curve of her neck, one hand pushing a bra strap down before sliding under the cup. The contact on her sensitive skin caused her to jump ever so slightly. It was a strange, new sensation. No one had ever touched her like this, before, and while it wasn't unpleasant, it took some initial getting used to.
Once he felt her body begin to relax and adjust to the sensation, he changed tactics. His finger trailed out, gently circling her aureola, then her nipple itself. Ariana took in a sharp breath, her body jerking in shock. She could feel his mouth against her neck, widen in a smile as he continued the motion. Her back arched against him, unsure of whether she was trying to get away from the foreign sensation, or if she wanted more. He shifted himself, planting kisses along her neck, then moving down to her collar bone. His hand that wasn't fiddling with her breast pushed her other bra strap down, and his face continued its descent of kisses until his lips found her other nipple. After giving it a single kiss, he ran his warm tongue across the skin. This caused a choked gasp to escape her. He continued to run his tongue across the nipple, up and down, side to side, circular motions, all the while moans of defeat and arousal flowed from Ariana as she squirmed underneath him, one hand coming up to rest helplessly on the back of Giovanni's head.
Finally he pulled away, a pleased smile on his face. "I have to say, you figure is quite exquisite." He reached behind her, unhooking her bra and casting it aside. He then proceeded to slide her boots off before nuzzling his nose against her cheek affectionately. "I must say, I'd love to explore it a bit more in depth." His hand trailed up her inner thigh and under her ridiculously short skirt. While she still had a pair of panties on, that didn't stop Giovanni from rubbing a finger across her lady bits. Ariana wiggled her hips a bit, squirming from this new feeling. Her breathing was already labored, but this action was making her breathing even more heavy.
Finally she couldn't take it anymore, and unbidden her hand shot down, grabbing his and pulling it away. "Enough play," she said, trying to look serious. But how could she in such a situation?
Instead of anger or disappointment, Giovanni looked amused my Ariana's action. "Of course," he purred, "Today's all about you, isn't it? We'll do things your way, just this once." She could tell through his smile that he was a bit irritated, but she just wasn't able to stop herself.
With great difficulty, Giovanni managed to slide Ariana's skirt and panties over her wide hips, tossing them to the floor before doing the same with his pants and boxers. Ariana's eyes widened upon seeing his already hardened penis. Was that really supposed to fit inside of her? It looked so big how was that going to even work? She didn't know if it just seemed so large because she had never seen a penis in real life, or if his was exceptionally large. Either way, she was beginning to have second thoughts, and began looking around for some means to escape the situation.
Giovanni seemed to notice her hesitation. "What's the matter? Is this your first time?" It was as if he read her thoughts. But instead of being derisive or rude, he seemed concerned. "Don't worry," he smiled, pressing a kiss against her lips, "I'll be gentle."
It wasn't much consolation to her, as she was still unsure about fitting his cock inside of her, but she allowed him to sidle between her legs anyway. It was too late to back out. Giovanni planted more soft kisses against her lips as he gently rubbed her opening with the tip of his penis. She was actually really glad that he was being so patient with her. His gentle mannerisms really helped her feel comfortable with the idea. Finally, he gave her an exceptionally passionate kiss and asked, "Are you ready?"
Just the question made her begin to have second thoughts, but she meekly nodded her head, anyway. Giovanni smiled and gave her another kiss of reassurance before shoving his whole cock in. No amount of mental preparation could have prepared Ariana for such a sensation. A cry of pain escaped her lips, as it felt like part of her ripped upon entry. Was this how it was supposed to feel? Painful and...oh... As Giovanni began to slowly thrust, the pain began to ebb away and turn to delight.
She realized she had squeezed her eyes shut, and slowly opened them. Giovanni was watching her face, making sure she wasn't in too much pain. With each thrust a soft moan flowed from her lips, and as he noticed she was enjoying it more, his thrusts began to speed up. As she arched her back against him, Giovanni took a hold of her hips, his thrusts going deeper, getting harder and more rough. But it felt good. It felt so good, and she had no idea what to do, so she simply grabbed handfuls of the blanket beneath her, her legs squeezing against his hips tighter as she tried her best not to writhe beneath him.
As he continued pounding on, soft grunts began to escape Giovanni. And the grunts only turned Ariana on even further. Her moans escalated, turning into cries for more. She never imagined she'd be losing her virginity in such a manner, but reflecting on things, she was very pleased with how this played out, and wondered if this would be able to happen again. She hoped it would, because she really could not see herself doing this with any other man around Team Rocket.
His speed continued rising, faster and faster, until finally, with one momentous thrust and an exceptionally laboured grunt, Giovanni came to a halt. Ariana could see sweat glistening across Giovanni's skin as he towered over her, catching his breath. She didn't mind, as she enjoyed watching him, trying to embed this moment in her mind. Finally he pulled away, rolling to lay right next to her. After he pulled out, she felt a warm liquid pour out from between her legs. Did he not use protection? Oh. Well, she should be alright from just one time.
Giovanni planted a kiss on Ariana's collarbone before turning to crawl under the sheets. "Come here," he beckoned, pulling the blankets back to make room for her. She slowly crawled over to him, her legs wobbly, and her thighs burning and threatening to go out on her. When she finally made it under the covers next to him, she all but collapsed. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into an embrace. He trailed fingers longingly down her back, planting a kiss on the top of her nose before mumbling, "Are you relaxed now, my dear?"
When Ariana awoke the next morning, Giovanni was already up and dressed. Her clothes were folded and laid out on a chair next to the bed. "I pulled up your records while you were asleep," his voice sounded cold, almost angry. He stood at the foot of the bed, his features impossible to read. "You never said you were 16." His voice rung sharp, perhaps he was angry at himself. Did he think he had taken advantage of her? She remembered vividly everything that had happened but...she had wanted it just as much as he had, she thought.
"I uh...thought you knew?" He had known all of her work ethics and accomplishments, why wouldn't he have known her age? It seemed a little strange to her that he would overlook such a detail and be so huffy about it. "Why? Does it matter?"
Giovanni shook his head, "If word gets out that I was with a minor...head of Team Rocket or not, that's a bad situation to be in." He turned on his heel and walked toward the door to the office, glancing over his shoulder at her. "Last night was a mistake." That remark alone made Ariana's gut drop. "I overstepped my bounds, and it won't happen again." He turned his head away from her, whether from guilt or something else, he couldn't bear to look at her anymore. "I expect you to keep silent about this ordeal." Besides, who would even believe her? A 16 year old, newly promoted non-commissioned officer sleeping with the boss? Yeah right. With that he strode from the room, leaving Ariana to herself.
She was dumbfounded. How would he not have known? Why was it that big of a deal? The age of consent was 16, so why was he acting this way? Was this what he always did with newly promoted ladies? Had she just been played? It took all her strength not to break down and cry as she got dressed. Walking was a bit difficult, as her legs were still a bit wobbly, and her hips were sore, but somehow she managed to get dressed and back to her new quarters before she broke down.
A month passed. Ariana had a new squad that she was in charge of. The grunts all respected her, and no one had even an inkling anything had happened between her and the boss. She continued on with daily work as if nothing had happened. She did treat her squad a bit more strict than she always intended to, and a part of her wondered if she was acting that way out of anger toward Giovanni. Aside from that, nothing appeared to be amiss. That was, up until she threw up in the middle of formation. She had been feeling nauseous for the past couple days, but she had managed to hide any sign of illness. She had been sucking down vitamin c supplements and pepto bismol in an attempt to right whatever was wrong in her system. But as she marched her squad to the flagpole, her stomach began to churn uneasily. As she watched her grunts pulling the rope, and the flag ascended into the sky, she was forced to turn to the side as she emptied her stomach on the ground. She could have stayed facing forward, but she didn't want to bathe the poor grunts in front of her with that mess. After that, she was forced to go see the medical wing about it.
The nurse ran her vitals, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. The only thing odd about her was her last menstrual cycle, however, her body had the tendency to skip months every now and then, so she hadn't become too concerned by missing a month this time. Regardless, they made her pee on a little stick just to make sure. The doctor left her alone while she waited for the test to finish. She hadn't been nervous before, but with the way the doctor was acting, her stomach began to drop again. Previously she could have said there was no way this would even be a possibility, but a flashback to her promotion night began to make her heart race in anticipation. She tried to push those thoughts out of her mind. That couldn't be it, surely there was something else wrong with her...
The doctor was still gone by the stick decided to show it's results. Ariana could only stare in horror at what was displayed. No. There had to be a mistake. Her stomach dropped even further, almost causing her to throw up once more. No, no, no, no, no, no, no! This was a fate much worse than being sick! It had to be wrong! Maybe they could do another test! Surely there was a mistake!
But instead of scream or kick, or cry, Ariana was frozen in fear. She couldn't move, even as she tried to force herself to. All she could do was stare at that stupid stick and the little plus sign that had appeared.