ii - That's What She Said

Second chapter, yays~ it may seem a bit out of order toward the end, 'cause there were some things that I felt didn't fit or was unbelievable. I couldn't think of a better chapter name, though. It shouldn't matter. :3 Also, I'm probably going to change the genre to general until I can figure out what direction I want to go in. I don't want to say that it's an adventure, and then have a lot of sob-scenes, depression, and bickering. That's a false statement, and I don't want to be rushed into something I might not want to do.

So again, please enjoy, and I'll go back to my evil thoughts. Fwhehe...xD

Team Rocket was acknowledged by many as the most powerful and unified organization in Kanto. Composed of all different backgrounds and personalities, its employees made sure to make the most profit possible without shedding too much blood. Murder was not an option. Drug trafficking was out of the question since the early 80's. Instead, the organization relied on a mix of illicit and legitimate business, ranging from stealing pokemon to busing tables at one of their restaurants. Even when other rival organizations began to form, Team Rocket managed to stand its ground. And it did. It had remained strong and standing through decades of iron-willed authority. The organization, like all others, had its ups and downs, and it even moved locations twice, but Team Rocket was like a family. A big, happy family.

" Get the hell out ! "

One of the doors swung open, and a man fled from the room, terrified. A glass followed his path, hitting him in the back. It shattered to several pieces, dropping to the floor beside his feet. He turned around, almost jumping at the sound of the impact. His friends had warned him about this happening ; as a typical newbie grunt he refused to listen. Believing that their tales were nothing more than exaggerations, he had ventured inside with the most confidence a stupid person could gather. Instead, he found that they were all right, and he had suffered the most dire consequence - crossing the boss's wrath.

Now he knew, and he stared at the broken glass for five seconds before regaining the use of his legs. Before something else was thrown at him, the grunt ran for his life. Maybe he'd listen to his friends more often. They were usually right.

Inside the room the silence was intense. Behind the desk a man buried his head in his hands in total frustration. This was the third shot glass he had destroyed in the past week. Usually he tried to keep his temper in check, knowing it was hard to control if given the least bit of leeway. Lately his boundaries failed him, though, and at least one person got the best of him every day. Everything bothered him, yet he couldn't fathom why. As the leader of Team Rocket, it was his job to do two things - lead and not go crazy. Needless to say, that plan was falling apart.

" Mr. Giovanni ? "

He lifted up his head and glanced at the intercom. The red light was flashing, indicating that one of his secretaries was on the other end. Groaning, he pressed the output button. " What is it now ? "

" You've got another appointment waiting. Shall I send him in ? "

" Appointment ? No...I'm supposed to be free for the rest of the day ! "

" Sir, you should know that your schedule does not have time for idleness, " the secretary reprimanded. " There's this appointment, then the appointment at three, then back-to-back meetings until seven. Oh, and I think there's one more appointment after tha- "

The intercom was turned off. Giovanni ran a hand through his hair. He allowed his Persian to hop onto his lap and knead the sharp claws into his pants. Despite being nothing more than a vicious furball, the cat provided him the only comfort amidst the overwhelming business. Team Rocket was probably in its best era ever, thriving in financial success. There were few arrests by the police, and the workers were kept in line.

Something had stirred up inside the boss, though. It began to swell up inside of him late at night, leading him to believe it was midnight indigestion. When it didn't go away, however, Giovanni began to believe it was more than a mere stomach problem. He had pondered over it during long nights at the office until earlier that morning, when he realized that it was the business itself that was the problem. Never taking an off day, the last time he had taken a vacation was three years ago, when he spent a few weeks at his summer home in Seafoam.

"Vacation" rang in his ears like a sweet melody. Giovanni bit his lip, fingering through his agenda to see if there was anything important in the nearby future. All of the plans that filled the pages could be easily canceled. Dropping the agenda back on the desk, he turned back on the intercom. The secretary was still yelling at him about his duties and role as leader. She would not get the best of him this time. " Cancel all my plans for the next couple of weeks. I'm going on vacation. "

" Wha ?..." The secretary's puzzlement was clearly heard over the speaker. He could've swore that the woman was having a spaz attack on the other end. " Sir, you can't just get up and decide to take time off willy-nilly ! There are certain procedures to follow through and being leader does not make you exempt from them ! "

" Yes, it does, " Giovanni growled. " Now listen to me and cancel everything ! "

Before she could protest, he turned the intercom back off and dumped it into one of his drawers. He scratched Persian's ears, and despite getting nipped, was satisfied with his decision. Expecting to get yelled at, Persian bared his fangs and glared at his owner. Instead, said owner patted his head, and the cat's glare disappeared when he saw the man smiling. " I'll get you back later, " he promised, " but today we go on vacation. "

Soon trainer and pokemon were free from the chains that bound them, and Giovanni sighed in relief as he walked the edge of Viridian. On this day he had left his car at home, instead opting for his chauffeur to drive him to work. Only now he had to walk from the outskirts of the city to the heart of it, which was five miles away, but he didn't mind. Over the years he grew to be over six feet, and along with making sure that proper exercise fit into his schedule, Giovanni could walk five miles without hurting himself. A great accomplishment for someone who was already forty.

When they reached their distance it was early afternoon. Vacation brought a wide range of possibilities on what to do and where to go. With a steady flow of cash, Giovanni could go anywhere in the world and still have money to spare within a day's notice. Viridian City was not one of those popular tourist sites, though. Lately the mayor was trying to keep it in its original family-oriented style. It was a joke of a proposal, Giovanni remembered thinking when he read the idea in the newspaper. Pure hypocrisy. There wasn't much room within the borders to create middle-class suburbs and preserve the Viridian Forest in its entirety. There were only two reasons why the businessman hadn't moved from there a long time ago. One was Team Rocket.

As he stepped into the park, he held back the urge to grin. Almost thirty years had passed since he had met his faithful Persian, and the park's beauty had stayed intact through many developments. If the mayor was nothing more than a dumb twig, at least he thought of the children's interests.

Hands shoved in his pockets, Giovanni sauntered around the park with Persian trotting alongside him. It wasn't the best day to walk outside - the skies were cloudy and there was a possibility of scattered thunderstorms - but the man preferred it when there was less of a crowd. A little rain soaking his head wouldn't kill him, and it would wash some of the dirt off of Persian. Nature could teach that furball a better lesson than him and Mr. Hose.

Something else bothered him, however, although his thought his imagination was absurd. His imagination made him think that something or someone was following him. Giovanni couldn't help but let that grin come into place. A little paranoia always came with the package of being leader of anything. There were few times he had actually felt this, and even fewer times when his paranoia was a good reaction. The last time he had felt this strange was when the Viridian Gym had exploded, and he wasn't even there at the time. Moronic underlings of his. Why would something bad happen to him within the middle of an abandoned park while it was about to rain ? It was foolish to think of it, bizarre, crazy, mad.

And then someone kicked him in the back, seemingly in mid-air.

He crashed into the cold, damp dirt. Persian cackled at him. Forget about nature ever helping him - everyone was definitely out to get him, and that could be proven from the blood dripping down his nose. Whoever air-kicked him wanted him to respond, as when he got on his knees and turned around he or she was standing over him. "She," he had decided, who was wearing a long gray coat and sunglasses. Giovanni's look of puzzlement turned into a glare of fury. He knew this woman all too well, perhaps more than he would've liked. " To what do I owe this pleasant kick in the back ? "

The woman grinned, offering a hand to help. Giovanni accepted, gripping his hand and standing up to his full height. Now he was the one who towered over her, but she made no move to budge, defying him and his height. She took off her sunglasses and sighed, shaking her hand. " Ill-tempered as usual. Why can't you lighten up and go on vacation or something ? "

" I am on vacation ! " Giovanni snapped. " Now why did you kick me ? "

She rolled her eyes. " You're needed at the Viridian Gym, and I couldn't think of a way to get your attention besides inflicting pain. Honestly, you never answer that phone of yours. "

" You know I'm not the gym leader anymore, Delia. I resigned a while ago, remember ? "

" I know. When it went boom. "

Giovanni's cheeks flushed, and for a brief moment his glare weakened. " It did not just go boom. There was an incident involved with the wiring and the pokemon attacks. "

" That's what she said. "

" Wha-who said ? "

Delia giggled, slapping her forehead. " It's a joke, silly. But if you wanna go for literal terms, Agatha put it that way. "

" That old hag ? You can't believe anything she says. "

He snorted, amused with the thought. His kicker shook her head again, suddenly turning serious. She grabbed his hand and pulled him forward. For being a lot tinier than him, she was strong. Delighted at having his long-time friend with them, Persian quickened his pace despite rain droplets falling on his ears. With her free hand, Delia acknowledged the cat, patting him on the head. Giovanni was puzzled again. He had not seen this woman in several years, and now he was just allowing her to drag him off to a place where he hadn't stepped foot in for some time. She hadn't changed much. Switched to wearing a ponytail and grew older, but that was pretty much it. The woman was still free-spirited and carefree, just how he had met her so long ago.

They took their time walking toward the gym. Giovanni was somewhat bothered that she wouldn't let go of his hand, but he learned to live with it. Delia ignored his grumbling, instead talking to Persian as if they were going to Candyland. It soon daunted on him that he was not bothered by the hand-holding but being ignored, and he furrowed his eyebrows again. " Why do you keep insisting that pokemon can make conversation with us ? " he demanded. She had always believed that human and pokemon were on the same level of intelligence, which never stopped angering him. " If God wanted to make us equal, don't you think I'd be feeding this mangy pest more than second-grade garbage ? "

Delia stopped, staring at him as if he was crazy. He cringed when she patted his own head. " Ohh, is the big, bad man cranky ? Y'know, Vanni, if you're that hungry we can stop for corn dogs. I'm sure no one will mind. "

" D- You're completely dodging the question ! "

" No, I'm not. I'm asking you if you want a bite to eat. "

" Woman, will you stop thinking about food ? I'm not a child anymore, I can take care of myself just fine, an- "

His stomach started to growl in protest. Giovanni cursed himself for not ordering lunch before storming out of his office. (Well, now that he thought about it, it was too early to order lunch then.) He refused to fuel her motherly intentions, knowing that it would only satisfy her and make him feel disgusted. Whatever happened, he could not succumb to mere hunger pains. He'd show her that his will was stronger than that.

She tapped his shoulder, and he almost jumped in his shoes. He sighed. " I want extra mustard on mine. "

With their stomachs filled, they entered the Viridian Gym. Giovanni noted all of the similarities between this building and the one he had funded as they passed the receptionist's desk. There wasn't nearly as much of a Roman influence as he had implemented, but it was still heavy. He smirked at the attempt. Nothing would ever come close to the grandeur of the last gym, especially if paid for by the taxpayers.

Delia pulled on his hand, jerking him forward. Despite his glaring she stood firm, never letting go of his hand. She turned around, placing her free hand on her hip, looking frustrated. It was a bad sign. " Stop looking down on other people ! It's the best that community funds can do ! " Her hand had crept up to his arm and replaced its grip there. The feelings of aggravation and unease started to emerge inside of him as she continued to pull. " Look, just try to behave, Vanni. It's not a promise, but if you be good, I think I have just enough change left over to buy us ice cream. "

Persian began another round of snickering. Deciding that it was better not to comment on her offer, Giovanni kept quiet, instead redirecting his glare at the cat. The three of them stepped inside the conference room, making sure not to trip over themselves while being guided by a single dim light. Arrogant thoughts once again popped into the man's mind, now challenging the idea of being more conservative with energy. Whoever was running the gym - if there was such a person - seemed to be striking the city's name into the dirt. And his pride, but that was a different manner.

More lights flickered on, and three of Kanto's gym leaders were revealed to be sitting around a table. An aura of despair began to smack Giovanni in the head like a couple of pinball flippers. It *had* to be these three, the trio of middle-aged glamour, the ones who would not hesitate to hurt him if he made one wrong move. Koga, who had been reading a pamphlet, looked up and furrowed his eyebrows at the three. He pointed a calloused hand at Delia. " You're late, " he snarled. " You were supposed to be here an hour ago. "

" I know, but it was hard to track down Vanni. I found out he's on vacation and we stopped for corn dogs on the way. "

Koga slammed the pamphlet against the table. " Vacation ? Dammit, he's an indisputable crime lord with no sense of justice or moral decency, but he's still a citizen of society ! He still has certain responsibilities, priorities...there are certain procedures that he has to follow ! "

" That's what she said, " Giovanni moaned.

The second gym leader, Lt. Surge, bursted out in a fit of laughter. He smacked Giovanni in the back, grinning. " This is no time for jokes, Gio. We can get some booze later, but right now we have some business to discuss. As the macho man we are, we have to act like them. And never mind Koga - he's flexible but still shows the promise of true manliness ! "

Both men scowled at the lieutenant, who flashed a meaty hand to ward off any unmanly comebacks. He was an obnoxious man, filled with the urge to fight anything at a moment's notice. Koga was the opposite of Surge but held the discipline of a skilled ninja and the crankiness of an elderly person. Giovanni couldn't help but wonder how those two remained friends for so long.

Not surprisingly, so did Koga. The pamphlet was flung out of his hands and at the lieutenant, who dodged it at the nick of time. As the thick piece of paper fell to the floor, the three men began to argue amongst themselves. Persian took a couple of steps backwards, wanting the protective barrier that Delia seemed to have. She was ignoring the squabble, though, instead glancing over at a blanket that was being crocheted, then at the person who was crocheting it. " You've gotta show me what tea you use to help the madness, Erika. "

" Hmmm ? " Erika looked up from her blanket with a small smile. " Oh, yes. Heavy herbal remedies always soothe the soul. Did you try that chicken soup recipe I sent you ? "

" Mm-hmm, worked wonders. Mind if I sit down ? "

" Sure. You're no stranger. "

They began to talk about the common household, sharing their tips, tricks, and recent news until the men ceased their bickering. When they did, Giovanni took the seat next to Delia and wiped his nose with a tissue. Somewhere amidst the battle there was a pushing match, and Lt. Surge was a bit rough on the pushing. He watched as the gym leader began to settle back into business. Erika exchanged her blanket and needles for a pencil and pad of paper. She handed the materials over to Koga, who had put on a pair of spectacles. Lt. Surge took out a piece of beef jerky and proceeded to chew on it. This was the true nature of gym leaders.

Several minutes later Koga cleared his throat, gaining everyone's attention. The others sat up straight and stared at him as he spoke. " All right. This unofficial gym leader's meeting has now come to order, " he began. " We have agreed that this will be unofficial since less than half of our gym leaders are currently present. Due to the fact that it is summer, we have excused their absence. Vacation calls to all of us at times, and- will you stop chewing that thing ? "

Lt. Surge made an annoyed look and swallowed his jerky. Koga shook his head as he continued. " Today we have two guests joining us, but as we know them there's no need for introductions. " He nodded at Delia and Giovanni. " The reason for this is that we believe they can help us with an ongoing problem. Note that we have to keep this conversation among us and whoever else we can later believe to trust. And due to these circumstances we absolutely cannot let the police interfere. Everyone except Erika has been on the wrong side of the law at one point, and all those Jennies are so damn scatterbrained. So, Erika, I'll let you take over. "

Erika nodded. Koga handed back the pencil and pad to her, almost with shaking hands. She smiled at him and he turned away, hiding his face with a hand. Giovanni could've swore that the great Koga, master of discipline and hardcore Japanese roots, was blushing. He refrained from remarking, though, letting Erika proceed with whatever business they wanted to discuss. Something that couldn't involve the cops appealed to his interests.

" All righty, then. Giovanni, we've all known you for a long time now. You've helped us out before, and likewise, we helped you. It's a bit unfair for me to mention this since these events happened before you began to run your...eh, organization, but it proves that you've had a shred a decency during your life. " She pursed her lips, looking down at the table for a second before squeezing her pad. They were all staring at her now, waiting for her to say more. " This is going to be a two-part deal. If you refuse to accept the first part, we will not be able to disclose further information to you. It's too risky. "

" What the hell do you want me to do ? " Giovanni inquired, raising an eyebrow.

The woman sighed. " We've made a decision, and the majority was in agreement of this...Giovanni, we want you to take back the position of being the Viridian gym leader. "

Silence consumed the group. Giovanni ran a hand through his hair. A gym leader ? The business was to make him a gym leader ? It was simply too absurd. His pokemon were no longer in the excellent shape they had been, and he had just gotten off of probation two weeks ago. People from the Pokemon League were still furious that he had regained his training license at all. Three odd gym leaders and a high-spirited homemaker wouldn't convince anyone, either, least of all him.

He lifted up his head and turned to Erika. " You take up my time for this ? " Waving a hand to emphasize, he chuckled. " It's true that there was a time where I would gladly accept this position, make extra cash...humiliate children. But you can't just dump this shit on me now. I have responsibilities to take care of, priorities, long-distance business. "

" You're on vacation, doofus, " Lt. Surge mumbled.

" And when I'm done with vacation I shall be a very busy man, " Giovanni added, furrowing his eyebrows again. " Even if it's a fairly easy job, I'd have to refuse. My pokemon are not in the greatest shape, and frankly I think they enjoy their relaxation time over some pointless battle. "

" You don't understand ! " Erika cried. " This could be important for Kanto's future ! "

" Well, why can't you tell me about the other part ? Maybe I'll reconsider. "

" Because- " Koga put a hand on Erika's shoulder, shaking his head. He pointed to Giovanni. " Because we'll stay out of your business for a year if you do. Let the scatterbrained police to try to foil your plans. "

Giovanni snorted. " Sure, if you're that desperate, I'll accept. I love taunting the force. You guys actually can't find a good replacement, though ? So you have to resort to bribing a criminal like myself ? "

The mood darkened again. Erika regained her composure, putting down her writing materials as she clasped her hands. " It's not that. There has been a murdering spree lately. It started right here in Viridian but progressed to Pewter, Cerulean, and Vermilion. About fifteen people have been killed so far. " She paused. " They've left us signs, almost like they want to be caught, and...and..."

" We believe that they're affiliated with or in Team Rocket, " Lt. Surge finished. " Sounds stupid, 'cause we know you thrive in secrecy, but it's obvious even to idiots like me. "

" Nonsense. "

" Gio, you gotta believe us. No one's out to get you. "

Lt. Surge blinked when the man let out a hoarse laugh, cold and disbelieving. Giovanni rubbed his forehead. " It's-It's ridiculous. Heh, I-I know better not to trust anybody. I try to go on vacation and everyone wants to set me up. It's such a thrill to be insulted just for kicks. "

Koga frowned. " No one's setting you up ! "

" Bullshit ! " He pounded his fists on the table, shaking it. If it was made of glass it would've broke, but no one seemed to care. All attention was now on Giovanni, who let out another round of angry laughter. " Why should I believe anything you say ? Why should I come to help you ? This doesn't concern me ; if a few people die I'm not involved. It's survival of the fittest, not the survival of the weakest. "

" How can you even say that ? People work hard, and some people just can't make it no matter how hard they try ! It's not fair to judge them and let their lives fade because of this ! "

" I've never seen you or your comrades to help in any way. "

" You keep out of our business ! You don't know anything about us because you never wanted to learn ! "

" Because I already know what you people think. " Giovanni banged on the table again. These people were really aggravating him just like the grunts at Headquarters. He thought he wouldn't have to deal with such immaturity, especially from Koga. The man was acting like he was the one who murdered all those people, and now everyone wanted to point the finger at him just because he lingered on the edge of the law. That, he would not tolerate. " My organization is one of decency. They would not go around and kill people at their own risk, because they know I wouldn't help them. It's not fair to judge us just because we're the ones on the other side of justice ! Those people respect me ! "

" They planned this ! "

He stopped. In the midst of the argument everyone had forgotten Delia. She was on the verge of tears, her face flushed like a cherry. Her body was shaking, but she crossed her arms to hold herself together as she continued her sudden outburst. " To just let their glorified boss up and leave without the slightest bit of worry, to not think of life and death - it's not respect. It's all a scheme ! "

" You don't know anything about- "

" Yes, I do ! " Delia snapped. " I've known enough to see who's being used as a pawn ! It's wicked to think yourself as the fine tuna when you don't trust your friends ! "

" Heh. These people are my friends ? "

Her hand struck him across the cheek, and he almost returned the favor, infuriated. She squeaked, refusing to stop. " You don't understand that Team Rocket's unfolding at your very eyes ! The newspaper knows it, we know it - everyone knows it except you ! The main theory that there's been a murdering spree is because someone wants to send you a message ! "

" You lie with the deepest feeling, Delia. "

" How do we know this ? Because the police have been making their rounds, scatterbrained as they are ! The only reason that's preventing them from a raid is the evidence. They can't prove that the culprits are in your organization, and even if they did it wouldn't be much help ! "

" You lie with not a bit of shame, " Giovanni snarled. " You want to believe in everything that the idiots wish to tell you. These people are not my friends. "

" No, don't do this. "

" These people have never been my friends. They were only people who wanted to pretend and gain my trust. I know better than that. I thought you did, too. "

" You-You- "

Nothing else could come out after that. Delia stood up and ran out of the room, tears falling behind her. The others lowered their heads and disapproval. Even Lt. Surge no longer looked cocky, and Persian had waddled out of the room, hoping to comfort his friend. Giovanni's glare softened after a couple of seconds, and then died. He stood up from his own seat, not wanting to look at anyone, and grabbed the door handle. " My apologies. "

He ran down the hallway, cheeks ripening with a rosy tint. Mixed emotions rattled inside of him. They kicked him and dragged him off from a relaxing stroll in the park just to insult most of his life's work. Yet it had been for a good reason, to warn him and possibly even protect him. His words had been a bit harsh as usual, letting his temper get the best of him. There was no need to act in such a horrible manner, such like a child with a tantrum, but nothing could be changed. And whether or not he wanted to believe, Team Rocket did sound like it was involved in the recent homicides, and as leader it was his responsibility to help, vacation or not.

Wild thoughts rushed his mind. First he had to reconcile with her, the one who had defended her friends and dared to stand up against him. He felt disgusted at even thinking of wanting to hit her. They had both done damage toward each other over the years, but it hadn't even come close to this in some time. He could feel his face heating up as he finally found her.

She was leaning against the wall, panting for any breath she could catch. Persian guarded her, twisting himself between her legs, wanting to hurt whoever dared to bother her. Giovanni ignored the cat's growling and hissing, placing a hand on the woman's shoulder. " Don't do this to yourself. You're better than this. "

Expecting to get smacked again, he winced, but no action was made. She moved away from her touch, turning around to glare at him. Her eyes were still filled with tears, yet also filled by a burning urge to keep him at bay. " How do you grow so heartless ? " Her eyes shut for a moment, stained with sadness. " How...do we lose the ones we care for so much ? I-it was wrong for me to interrupt. Whether you want to help with the case or not is not my business. Just don't get yourself hurt. "

" Delia- "

" I don't want to speak to you right now, Vanni. It's too painful. Right now I hate you. "

" Please, let me explain ! "

His words were choked but couldn't be heard even if he screamed them out. She ran away in the opposite direction with the cat just as something fell. Well, maybe not fall, but explode. He could feel something hitting his back just as the east entrance blew up in giant flames. The emergency sprinkler system failed to turn on, instead letting the ceiling lights to break and shatter. Down the hallway the others began to shout and worry of what the deafening noise could be. They were out of the room now and presumably outside, probably thinking that their friends (or at least Delia) had already vacated the building.

Which left Giovanni to fend for himself. He dashed away from the flames and smoke, not wanting to turn into a pile of fire and ashes like the door. The man wondered if this was what everyone felt when the previous gym blew up into pieces. Now that he thought about it, they must've felt at least a second of pure terror. It must've been pretty frightening to smell fire and hear "BOOM".

He stumbled out of the entrance just as another of those booms could be heard. Delia was outside with everyone else, collapsed onto the grass with Persian beside her. Erika and Lt. Surge ran over to her, checking her for any potential bruises or cuts. Meanwhile, Koga approached Giovanni, a furious expression on his face. " Looks like we can trust you after all. But right now I hate you, too, you know. "

" Yeah, that's what she said. "

End