It didn't take the travelers long to get to Saffron City, but once they did Celeste insisted on going straight to the Pokécenter.

"They have TV's that play the news there, and I need to take a shower." She insisted as they walked through the doors of the center.

"Would you like me to get you some new clothes?" Rubis asked, "There's a Pokémart nearby."

Celeste nodded, "Thank you. Mewtwo, will you stay and watch the news, and let me know if there's anything we should be careful of?" She said over her shoulder as she walked up to the front counter.

Without replying, Mewtwo dropped himself on one of the plush red couches scattered around the pokémon center lobby. He rested an arm on the armrest and propped his head against his hand. "I won't be long," Rubis told him before she left as well. He waved a lazy goodbye before glancing over to Celeste. The front desk receptionist looked appalled at how dirty Celeste was, and without hesitation she handed her a towel and a small bag of toiletries as she pointed down a hallway.

Mewtwo turned his attention back to the TV just as a news update came on. "Last night a fire destroyed all of Route 8 and part of Lavender Town," A perky woman in a bright pink suit loudly proclaimed. He scoffed at her exaggeration, the fire didn't make it all the way to Lavender Town. "We suspect it was started by a Team Rocket affiliate," then a picture of Celeste flashed on the screen. Mewtwo noted that it wasn't a recent picture, she wasn't as skinny and she was dressed in an embellished Team Rocket Uniform. "She has a team of highly skilled pokémon and she is known to be a killer. If you see any sightings of her, please report it immediately." Her picture disappeared from the screen as the reporter moved on.

He sat up immediately, "Now, in other news, the Viridian City Gym is now open for trainers to challenge. It's leader Giovanni has returned from Johto and will be accepting challengers as of three pm today. This will be reliving news to many trainers, as the Viridian Gym is only open seasonally and is the final badge for many participating in the Gym Challenge." The thought of Giovanni made his blood boil, but he held his temper. He was deep in thought when a hand touched his shoulder.

"Hey, did you happen to see what the news said?" Nurse Joy asked. She looked at him warmly, "I couldn't hear it from my desk, did they say anything about the fire on Route 8?"

"No," he lied. "It was just an update on the Viridian Gym," he added slowly.

"Oh," she sounded disappointed, "Well thanks anyway, have a nice day." She finished before walking back to the desk. Mewtwo's gaze went back to the TV, but his mind was wandering.

"Giovanni has no right to call himself a Gym Leader." He thought. Memories of slaughtering innocent pokémon flashed in his mind. Trainers on their knees sobbing as their pokémon drew their last breath on the floor of the Viridian Gym. Giovanni laughing coldly as he wiped their blood off his orange suit, "Keep training then come back," Is all he would say before he would walk back through the steel doors leading to the private area of the Gym. "He must be stopped,"

And with that, Mewtwo finally thought of a plan. All he would have to do is convince Celeste to go along with it…

…

"Three weeks!" Giovanni roared, slamming his fist down onto his mahogany desk. "She's been gone three weeks! Every grunt we've sent after her has ended up dead or missing, "What have you been doing?" He rumbled.

Archer slunk down in his chair. "We've been doing everything we can. Her pokémon are powerful, and you know how crafty she is." He urged, "We'll find her sir, she was last seen in Lavender Town, she couldn't have gone far!"

"I don't care where she was seen, I want to see her in this office! She is valuable and carrying stolen property!" Giovanni paused, and calmed himself just as a maid walked into the room. "I need her back. As soon as possible." He hissed through his teeth. He eyed the maid as she poured him a drink, and watched her leave as he slowly took a sip from his drink.

"We will find her Giovanni; it's just taking a little more time than we expected. All of the Executives are leaving tonight to search for her. Maybe we can talk some sense into her. We still don't really know why she left in the first place." Arianna added from the doorway. She flipped her red hair over her shoulder and continued, "If you do find her, let me talk to her. We were close. If anyone can talk some sense into her it's gonna be me," She finished smugly.

"I'm tired of talking and what if's! Go find her, NOW!" Giovanni threw his glass at the wall and the Executives scattered at the assault. As they scrambled down the hallway he straightened his suit jacket and picked up the phone.

As it rang, he pulled out one of his own creations, the Rocket Ball, and rolled it around in his palm. "Celeste…I had such high hopes for you. I hope this is just a momentary lapse of judgment…"

"Hello, yes? I need a maid in here please. Someone has made a terrible mess."

…

"Thank you Mewtwo… really. You're risking more than I am in this. You have your freedom, and yet you're risking it to ensure mine and my pokémon's." Celeste touched his human hand as she spoke and she looked at him in a way that almost made his heart melt; but instead it sent a chill down his spine. Guilt radiated through him…

"Please, Celeste, do not look at me like that." He murmured. "Please… do not hate me for this… I beg you will understand."

He cupped her face in his hands, "Please forgive me."

After that, she screamed.

…

Mewtwo strode through Viridian City towing Celeste behind him. Her belt was tied around her wrists and her pokéballs were stuffed in Mewtwo's pockets. Celeste screamed and twisted trying to escape Mewtwo's grasp, but he kept a firm hand on her.

"Let me go!" She pleaded, "Who are you?" She wailed.

"Who I am is of little concern to you, now hush. We are almost there." Mewtwo threatened. He pushed her in front of her and shoved her roughly after she tried biting him. He pushed his guilt and reservations aside as he walked through the automatic doors of the Viridian Gym. The Gym was the same as the last time he was there; a dirt packed, rubble covered floor was the battle grounds, a red armchair where Giovanni would sit was across the entrance, and thick steel doors where Giovanni would swagger out of was shut tightly.

Mewtwo could picture him slinking through those doors. Giovanni's arrogant sneer was prevalent in his mind as he bellowed out, "Where is the Gym Leader?" One by one, the stadium lights clicked on, and with them, Celeste became more and more hysteric. His once ally appeared in the metal doorway just as anticipated. To anyone else, the silhouette of Kanto's final and most challenging Gym Leader was terrifying as best, but to Mewtwo he was nothing more than a con man and a disgusting human being.

"Please, no," Celeste begged, "Don't let him see me!"

"Are you here to challenge the Viridian Gym?" Giovanni asked. He remained in the doorway, but his cold eyes and his evil grin could be seen from where Mewtwo was standing across the room.

"No." Mewtwo paused. Giovanni began to chuckle – "I'm here to make a proposition to you."

Giovanni fell silent, then stepped into the room. His eyes flashed as he saw Celeste, "Ah… what do we have here?"

"I will trade you this woman for a place in your organization. I know of Team Rocket, and I know how desperately you have been looking for her." Mewtwo pulled the sobbing Celeste out off of the ground.

"Celeste… you have caused quite a commotion. But I am glad to have you back nonetheless… And how would you be of any use to me?" Giovanni asked. He crossed his arms and strode down the stairs towards Mewtwo.

Mewtwo raised an arm, and with it all of the rubble in the room levitated into the air, "I have many skills, psychic abilities being one of them." His eyes glowed, "I could be of great use to you."

Giovanni stood in front of them both, then raised Celeste's chin with a finger. "I have been looking all over the region with you… but all I had to do is wait for this young man to bring you to me… What is your name?" He asked Mewtwo.

Mewtwo momentarily stumbled, he had this all planned out but he never even considered a name. "Utsu," he blurted out, but Giovanni didn't notice his slip up. "My name is Utsu."

'Well, Utsu… Welcome to Team Rocket."

. . .

Giovanni practically dragged Celeste down the Rocket dorms, past the grunt quarters and into the executive wing. Here was Celeste's luxury apartment, and once Giovanni had unlocked the door he threw Celeste on her own floor.

"What were you thinking? Do you know how long I've looked for you!" He shouted at the cowering woman.

She picked herself up and sat on the floor, "I don't know, okay? I just couldn't be here any longer!"

"Stop acting like a rebellious teenager and start acting like the executive you are!" He commanded as he slammed the door shut. "We were worried about you!" Then, Giovanni had a moment of weakness: "I was worried." He finally admitted.

Celeste was shocked at his words. Her anger evaporated, instead, he was just confused. "Worried…" she trailed off and looked towards the floor.

"Yes, Celeste… Worried, I even went to Johto myself to look for you." He lowered himself to the floor to help pick her up off of it. "I have given you much more than many working here," he said, looking over the apartment he so graciously had given her. It was lavish, if anything. Her entire apartment was adorned in red, black, and gold. He brought in a decorator just for her apartment, just to make Celeste happy. "I have brought you to the position that you are in now, I have specially crafted you a team of pokémon that will terrify any of our enemies." He paused, "I did it all for you."

"Yeah…" she mumbled. She looked at the TV that was hanging on the wall and all of the expensive furniture decorating the apartment.

"And my generosity is not over yet. This is for you," he said, handing her the Rocket Ball he had been carrying around the past few weeks. "She is young, but she is yours."

In awe at Giovanni's behavior, she gratefully took the ball from him before straightening up, "I want the rest of my pokémon from that freaky psychic man." She growled.

"Ah yes, him, I wanted to ask you about him… Where did he find you?" He curiously asked.

He leaned on the doorframe as she began talking. "I can't really remember… I remember going into Lavender Town but after that it's a little fuzzy. I think he did some kind of psychic thing on me, I'm still feeling a little weird." She held her head as she spoke.

Giovanni put a hand on her shoulder, "Then rest. We will have a meeting tomorrow to discuss your, eh, punishment, shall we say?" Celeste paled and Giovanni's grip grew tighter, "And Celeste?"

"Yes?" She meekly replied.

"If a slip up like this happens again… I will not tell your pursuers to bring you back alive." He said coldly.

"Enjoy your new pokemon." He said as he left. Celeste locked the door behind him then sank to the floor, and cried.