Chapter 4:
Ash watched as Mia left the stadium and was about to go over to follow her when his mother and his friends, as well as Lance, all came up from behind, his mother giving him a fierce hug. "You did it, honey!" she exclaimed. "You're now the Champion, just like your father when he went on his journey." Just then, Delia suddenly stopped and a confused look crossed her face. What had she said? Ash's father had abandoned them when he was young. He was no one to emulate. At least, that's what she thought she remembered. Suddenly, she was not so sure anymore. Ash did not want to say anything, but he was beginning to grow concerned. "What is it?" he asked.
She looked at her son and her expression returned to normal. "Don't worry, honey, it's nothing. You're a far better young man, and a far better Champion; that's all. I'm so proud of you!" She then hugged him again.
Ash blushed but then returned his mother's hug. Soon, Ash's friends arrived, with May exclaiming, "I can't believe it! You won!"
Dawn also beamed and told him, "You had us worried there for a bit, but you actually did it."
"Congratulations on your win, Ash," Tracey said.
"It was even tougher than my battle against Drake," Ash replied, thinking back on his battle against the leader of the Orange Crew.
"Don't forget, Ash, that we're all holding a celebration in Dragonite Hall at the Indigo Hotel for your thirteenth birthday," Professor Oak reminded him. "Several friends of mine, who are incredible chefs, are going to be cooking an incredible meal for the whole party."
"If you have any last minute invitations that you wish to give, now's the time," Lance told him. "The buffet will be ready not too long from now."
"Thanks, everyone," Ash said in reply. "But before I join you, I want to take Pikachu and the others to the Pokémon Center and have them looked at. If it's alright with you, can we hold off on the celebration until they're ready?"
"Sure thing sweetie," Delia answered for everyone. May and Dawn suppressed groans of hunger, but they could understand why Ash wanted to wait since it was not just a birthday party for him, but a celebration of his victory over the World Pokémon League Champion. His Pokémon were just as important in that win as Ash was, and likely even more so. Ash then gave one more smile and thanked everyone before he turned towards the exit and departed.
As he left, he looked up in the stands, towards the crowd, who had been thinned out greatly, with most of the others already having filed out of the stadium, and searched for that man who had hidden in the shadows. He managed to find what he thought was the man, but it turned out to merely be another spectator. He also saw another spectator that was fully covered with a black cloak, but he could see the man's eyes, which looked to be yellow in color. He also thought he managed to catch some traces of orange hair, likely from a beard or something. The spectator was tall and even though his face was obscured, he looked to be menacing. He soon noticed that the spectator was studying him intently. After a few seconds, the spectator turned away and followed the others out of the stadium. Ash then proceeded to the exit, hurrying as he carried Pikachu in his arms so that the mouse would not have to walk on his own.
Ash exited the main stadium and hurried over to the Pokémon Center. It was still the middle of the day and there were a large number of people at the vendors, buying Pokémon merchandise and other things. A few people tried to get Ash to have his picture taken with them but he quickly fled towards the Pokémon Center, saying that he had to have his Pokémon looked at. While that was true, he also wanted to be able to sit somewhere and think. So many things were going through his mind at the moment that he needed to be alone for a bit so he could make sense of it all. He had not even managed to speak all that coherently to his mother or the rest of his friends, many of who were like family to him. He carried Pikachu in his arms as he made his way to the center, looking down at Pikachu to make sure that he had not sustained any severe injuries since Pikachu had taken the worst of the hits during the battle. The electric mouse smiled weakly, affirming that he was not in any real danger.
It did not take Ash long to arrive at the Pokémon Center and, walking through the sliding door, he quickly made his way towards the front desk. A woman with pink hair tied into two tails that wrapped around to form "0's", blue eyes, and wearing a pink nurse's uniform with a white apron was standing at the desk along with a pink egg-shaped Pokémon known as Chansey. He instantly recognized the nurse as one of the many Nurse Joys that had taken the role of Pokémon nurses throughout all of the regions that he had visited. Out of the corner of his eye, he also found two technicians working on various things behind the desk, one male, the other, female. They were dressed in brown pants and gray shirts and had hats on, with the rims obscuring their faces so it was difficult to identify them. The man had short, lavender hair, most of which was hidden by the cap that he wore, and green eyes. The female technician had magenta hair, though the cap that she wore made it so Ash could not tell that whether or not her hair was short or long. She also had blue eyes. Both of the technicians were wearing glasses. The moment Ash entered, they took notice of him and stopped what they were doing, huddling close together and whispering something before retreating to the back room, likely to check up on the machines in the back. He noticed them retreat but did not think too much of it at the time.
He approached Nurse Joy at the desk and she greeted him, saying, "Welcome. How may I help you?"
"I need you to look after my Pokémon. They just had a difficult battle and need some rest and care," Ash answered.
"I saw the battle," Nurse Joy responded, smiling. "Congratulations on your win, by the way. I'll take care of your Pokémon immediately. You can wait at one of the tables while I look over your Pokémon."
"Thanks, Nurse Joy," Ash said as he placed his five Poké Balls into the slots on a metallic tray. She was preparing to take the tray when her eyes caught sight of another person. As if sensing the arrival of another, Ash turned to his left and found Mia standing at the counter, placing six Poké Balls on the counter.
"And how may I help you, Leaf?" the nurse asked.
"Could you take a look at these Pokémon?" Mia requested. "They were in a difficult battle and at the very least need some rest."
"Sure," Joy said, nodding. "I'll take them back along with yours, too, Ash," she added as Chansey brought out another tray for Mia's Poké Balls. Once her Poké Balls were placed on the tray, Joy and Chansey took them to the back room to check up on them, leaving Ash and Mia alone.
Ash quickly scanned the Pokémon Center and found that there was no one else inside. He then focused back on Mia, who went over to a wall near a table and leaned against it, placing one of her feet behind the other and crossing her arms in a typical pose often taken by teenagers who were impatiently waiting for something. The difference with Mia, though, was that Ash got the impression that she was in no hurry whatsoever and that she was simply relaxing. He slowly went over to the table close to her and waited. Her gaze followed him as he walked and he returned it as he took his seat at the table. After a few awkward moments, Ash eventually offered, "You're welcome to sit here while we wait for our Pokémon."
"Friends," Mia said quickly, seemingly as if she were adding to Ash's statement.
Ash merely raised his eyebrows. "Huh?"
"Our Pokémon friends," the girl clarified. "The Pokémon aren't ours. They belong to themselves, just as we do. They are living, sentient beings. They have all the rights and privileges that we do granted by the United Earth and Galactic Federation Bill of Rights."
Ash almost gave a sarcastic chuckle. "You sound like a member of Team Plasma."
"I'd be lying if I said that I hadn't considered joining them on more than one occasion once I heard of their existence," Mia admitted. "I almost did."
"What stopped you?"
"They were in the Unova Region of America, for starters," she answered. "The other reason was because there was something about the rest of the organization that wasn't quite right. N was fine, if a little naïve. The real issue was…"
"Ghetsis," Ash finished for her.
Mia nodded. "He was the true mastermind, and was merely using Team Plasma to separate Pokémon from humans so that he would be the only one with Pokémon, giving him an advantage for when he tried to take over the region. Despite the fact that he could only have a limited number of Pokémon on hand at any given time, he could still do an awful lot of damage to the region should he have attempted to conquer it. Don't let the 'tame' Pokémon battles we participate in fool you; a Pokémon truly unleashed is a frightening force to face, even if you have guns and other weapons at your disposal, especially if you're dealing with Legendaries. You should know that firsthand."
Ash nodded in agreement. "I do."
The two of them then remained silent as they looked over at the counter, waiting for the checkups and the healing of their Pokémon to be complete. Ash lost track of the time as he eventually looked over at her and heard in his mind, So, are you going to ask?
The sudden question appearing in his mind caught him off guard. He could hear the question echo throughout his mind in Mia's voice, but it was something that he was not accustomed to. It was something that was usually reserved for telepaths and psychics like Mewtwo. Though if he and Mia were twins, it could explain her ability to talk to him telepathically, for Ash had encountered twins in the form of Gym Leaders Tate and Liza of Mossdeep Gym in Mossdeep City in the Hoenn Region and it seemed as if they could communicate with each other telepathically. Eventually, Ash responded vocally, "Ask what?"
Ask whether or not we're siblings…specifically twins, she replied.
"Well, are we?"
Mia nodded. "If you don't believe me, you can take a DNA test. There's a scanner over on that wall," she told him, pointing to a console at the wall at the far end of the center.
"That won't be needed," Ash told her. He focused on her again and found certain memories coming to mind that he had never known before. A memory of a beach came to mind. He was six years old at the time. He remembered it being close to dusk and he was chasing Mia around a large sandcastle that they had spent the entire day building. He had been gaining on her when suddenly, he was swept up by a strong man that was six feet tall, had black hair and kind, blue, eyes. The man was wearing a dark blue bathing suit and a white t-shirt. He was young, in his mid twenties at the oldest. And that was pushing it. His smile was kind and the love he felt for the children was evident in his expression. Ash also made note of a golden ring on his ring finger. There was writing on the band but he could not make it out. "Sorry, Ash, but I can't let little monsters catch my family," he told him in a playful tone, his smile wide and comforting.
Mia's face was aglow as the man rescued her from the rampaging monster that Ash had been playing. Ash then saw a younger version of his mother come to them, a golden ring on her finger along with the same writing. She was clad in a green and white one-piece bathing suit. Ash did not need to see his mother to know that the man was his father. The two then embraced and moved their faces closer together, prompting both Ashes to look away in disgust. Mia quickly turned her head towards Ash and smiled mischievously, causing him to worry a bit. In the memory, he glanced back at his father as he stared into Delia's eyes. His father's appearance was far different from what he had imagined, for his mother had told him that his father left them when he was very young. It was then that he realized that the man he saw in his memory was the same, only a bit younger, as the figure that had been watching him from the stands. He had not gotten a clear view of the man in the stands, but he just knew that it was his father. His eyes went wide at the realization.
Eventually, he told Mia, "I think I saw Dad in the stands at our battle."
This got the girl's attention. "Dad? Are you sure it was him?"
"Not one hundred percent, but from what I remember, it was him," Ash answered.
"You remember Dad?" Mia asked, eying Ash; a hopeful expression on her face. Ash did not notice her expression, though.
"I remembered a beach scene from when we were six," Ash explained. "I was chasing you and Dad came and swept me up, saving you from the 'monster'." He spread out his arms in a way that made him look like a beast of some sort.
As he was explaining the memory, a smile came to Mia's face and she looked away, suppressing a giggle. After a little bit, her face became a little more downcast and she lowered her eyes. "Things were different then," she said wistfully. "We were younger, and we did not carry the responsibilities, or the burdens, that we do today, even though we are still kids."
Ash did not know what Mia was talking about, but his twin bond with her indicated that she was talking about more than the two of them becoming teenagers today. "What do you mean?" he asked.
She turned to face him and her expression darkened, becoming deadly serious. "Ash, you are now the World Pokémon League Champion," she told him. "That means that you are now the face of all of the Pokémon Leagues in the world. In a way, it's fortunate for the Pokémon League that you are the Champion, if I can't be, for I can now see that the bond you share with your Pokémon is second to none, which is essential for the Pokémon Leagues of the world. Now if only you would have shown that in our battle…" she chided.
"Why is it a good thing that I'm the Champion?"
"Because you care about Pokémon," she answered. "And you respect their wishes. Like me, most of your Pokémon joined your team completely voluntarily and, in essence, captured themselves," Mia explained. "That is a rarity among Pokémon Trainers, especially Pokémon Masters. You put a good face on the League, and that's essential given all of the negative press Pokémon Trainers got during the Galactic Federation Civil War."
"What negative press?" he asked, not understanding what she was talking about. "Pokémon Trainers were among the first to face off against Cyrus and the false Federation forces when they invaded Earth."
Mia gave a sigh and looked him in the eye. "During the war, many races in the Galactic Federation had bad opinions of humans, viewing us as hypocrites."
"Why?"
"Because while we say that we value freedom and rights of sentient beings as defined in the Bill of Rights, there are still Pokémon Trainers." came Mia's answer. "Pokémon Trainers own Pokémon. Yes there's a contract between humans and Pokémon in most regions where there is a Pokémon League that must be followed, but it's far from universal. In addition, you might not realize this, but Pokémon are fully sentient beings. This fact is no longer in dispute, if it ever could be, morally. Pokémon can choose between right and wrong, good and evil. They know the consequences of their actions. For examples, look no further than the Meowth of Team Rocket that you brutalize whenever TR tries to steal your Pokémon or someone else's. Even their own Pokémon have rejected orders that they thought went too far."
"I never thought of it like that," Ash said, his eyes showing his surprise. "I mean I know that there are sentient Pokémon. As you mentioned, Pikachu is one, with Meowth of Team Rocket being another." He conspicuously, and purposefully, left absent his knowledge of Mewtwo and other sentient Pokémon that he had encountered. "It's just that I never knew that scientists had declared them sentient."
"That's because you never studied the supplementary materials, or took the tests that all Pokémon Trainers who take a leave of absence from school are given so that they can be eligible for high school or college," Mia answered. "The fact of the matter is that most of the world, and the galaxy, for that matter, has a very negative view on Pokémon Trainers, even the more benevolent ones."
"Why?"
"Because Pokémon Trainers capture Pokémon and use their Poké Balls to imprison them," she answered. "Poké Balls have a special property that causes Pokémon to, in essence, be addicted to them. Should they stray too far away from their balls, an invisible force will draw them back. Should they stay away for too long, they'll begin to have symptoms similar to withdrawal. These issues, however, are ignored once a Pokémon is released and the link between Pokémon and Poké Ball is broken. That's why Team Plasma was going for releasing all of the Pokémon of Unova. With the Pokémon released, there would be no force drawing the Pokémon back to the ball. They would truly be free."
Ash remembered an incident where a Ninetales had been bound to a Poké Ball. "Yeah, I remember," he told her. "There was a Ninetales that was constantly drawn back to its owner's Poké Ball, despite the fact that the owner had died a long time ago. Once the Poké Ball was destroyed, Ninetales was free to explore the region."
Mia nodded. "In essence, this means that a Pokémon Trainer has a secret weapon that can be used to control his or her Pokémon. Yes, a Pokémon can refuse an order, but a Trainer can simply recall the Pokémon into its Poké Ball should the Pokémon get out of line, and keep it trapped inside the ball for a long time to 'teach it a lesson'. It's easy to see how that is seen as slavery."
Ash nodded. He had never thought about such things before. He had always viewed being a Pokémon Trainer as a noble profession and once in a lifetime chance. Almost all of the powerful and elite Trainers he had ever encountered were nice to their Pokémon and viewed them as equals and friends, not as servants. He had always thought that Pokémon Trainers, as a whole, were highly respected. If they were looked down upon so much by the rest of the world, the world was hiding it quite well. "So, what am I supposed to do as Champion?" Ash asked.
"Be yourself," Mia answered with a genuine smile. "And disable the seals on the Poké Balls that draws a Pokémon back to it, just as I did. That will show everyone that you and your Pokémon are team of equals, rather than master and servant."
"Okay," Ash replied with a nod.
The two then smiled and passed the time by looking around the Pokémon Center as they waited for their Pokémon to be ready. The Center was sparsely populated and only a couple of people had come in since Ash and Mia had arrived, but they looked to simply be using it as a rest stop and place to pick up a meal.
After about ten more minutes or so of waiting, Mia checked her watch while Ash looked at the clock. Mia's arms were still crossed, but her expression changed from one of simply waiting to one of impatience, and even some suspicion. Even with double the load, it should not have taken this long for them to hear back from Nurse Joy, especially since none of their Pokémon had sustained any serious injuries from the battle. She headed over to the desk so she could send a call to Joy, but as she arrived, the nurse came to the desk, followed by Chansey, who was pushing a tray holding two boxes that were full of Poké Balls. Sitting on top of one of the trays, though, was Pikachu. "Your Pokémon are fully rested and healthy," Nurse Joy told the two teens.
"Was there anything wrong with any of them?" asked Mia, who was concerned for her Pokémon since they had been kept in back for such a long time.
Joy shook her head. "No, everything checked out just fine," she answered. "Since I saw the battle, though, I just wanted to make sure that there were no residual effects for those who were afflicted with paralysis or poisoning."
"Okay. Thank you," Mia responded answered. Joy then handed Ash and Mia the trays and they each took their Poké Balls. Ash clipped his balls to his waist, with Pikachu jumping up onto his shoulder, while Mia let out each of her Pokémon, two at a time. The two then proceeded to leave the center, Mia's Pokémon following her, with Nurse Joy calling after them, "If your Pokémon have any problems, come back and see me." Both Ash and Mia turned and gave her a nod before walking through the sliding doors and exiting the center. As they left, the two technicians had come back to the front. The man with lavender hair flipped up the collar of his shirt and spoke into a small microphone, "It's time. Go," in a sinister tone.
Outside the Pokémon Center, Ash and Mia were about to head their separate ways when Ash turned to his sister and asked, "So Mia, what're your plans?"
"I'm going to stay here for the time being and continue doing some research around the plateau," she answered.
"What are you researching?"
"The origin of Pokémon," she replied. "There are things about the various Pokémon legends that we have been told about ancient civilizations that don't add up when put together."
"Whadaya mean?" Ash asked.
"It's all very complicated," she responded, thinking that Ash would not be able to understand the whole explanation. As such, she simplified it into, "It's just that certain evidence seems to go against there being very old civilizations based on Pokémon, possibly save for Mew, the Creation Trio, and possibly Arceus. Though certain recent events indicate that Arceus may not be what some legends claim."
"What do you mean?"
"On the eve of the Galactic Federation Civil War, just after Elric had died, Cyrus of Team Galactic had summoned Dark Arceus, an Arceus that was naturally of the Dark-type, but could use plates to switch to any type he wished, to this world," she explained. "Dark Arceus was also an evil counterpart to the normal Arceus that you encountered in Michina Town, and far more powerful, having the power of all of the plates. This one had powers closer to those spoken of in legends. He broke free of Cyrus's control almost immediately and was about to destroy the world when a Pokémon called Mewtwo appeared and fought him. After a long a difficult battle, Mewtwo defeated him, killing him in the process, and saved the universe."
"Wow, I never knew that," Ash replied.
"Few people do," Mia told him. "I only found out from a Mew who had saved me from being killed by Elric's Watchmen literally hours before the battle."
The two remained still for a few seconds before Ash looked over at her and asked, "So, Mia, do you wanna come over to my, or should I say, our birthday party?" His eyes were bright and his smile hopeful as he asked. "It's your party, too, especially since we're twins and our Pokémon battle ended in a draw. I only won when it came to the tiebreaker fight, a fight where you held back."
"No more than you," Mia retorted with a smile. "And likely less."
"So, are you gonna come?"
Mia thought about Ash's offer for a few seconds before deciding, "Sure, I'll come."
"Yes!" Ash cheered, jumping into the air. Pikachu, however, was less than enthusiastic about Mia accepting the offer, still remembering how she had restrained him while Tyranitar had blasted him with a Stone Edge attack, knocking him out. He cringed, for he still did not trust Mia, despite her relation to Ash. In addition, he was mistrustful of her Pokémon as well, particularly Tyranitar, who seemed to always be eager for a fight.
Ash went over to her and said, "C'mon, the others are waiting." He then rushed towards the hotel where they were going to celebrate. "Race you to it!" he called over to her in challenge.
Mia merely gave a smile, not taking the bait. She knew that he would call her a coward for not taking the challenge, but she wanted to let her Pokémon roam around outside of their Poké Balls. She did not know if all of them would be able to rush after the two of them. Besides, there were other issues that she was concerned about. She turned and looked up at one of the buildings behind her and saw the rippling of a cloak as a figure ducked behind a chimney. Before following Ash, she told Starmie and Chandelure, "Stay alert. I think we're being followed. Alert me if you sense anything suspicious."
Chandelure bobbed up and down, as did Starmie, affirming her warning and command. She and the others then followed Ash, who had slowed down once he realized that she was not going to race him, at a leisurely pace. She was still on edge, though, knowing that there were likely only two people who would be following her right now, and be able to stay out of sight. One was good, the other was an evil far more dangerous than Ash or anyone on Earth, save for someone like Mewtwo, could possibly imagine. With that sense of foreboding, she caught up with Ash and walked with him to the hotel.
Not too far away from the two teens, the two workers from the Pokémon Center emerged from around the corner of a building and watched as they raced towards the hotel. Standing in front of them was a Meowth, a bipedal tan furred cat-like Pokémon with a gold charm on the top of its head. The two humans standing behind the Meowth all had sinister looks on their faces as they followed the teens at a distance, being careful to stay as far behind as they could, for Mia was constantly looking over her shoulder at random intervals and seemed to be communicating with her Chandelure, something that put them ill at ease. Still, they were primarily interested not in the girl, but in Ash, for they had a long history with him.
"Looks like the twerp has a girlfriend," Jessie, the woman with long, magenta hair stated.
"And she seems to be very cautious," James, the young man with lavender hair responded. "Still, if we jump them now, we might be able to get Pikachu, or possibly one of the other Pokémon."
"If ya wanted Pikachu, you shoulda grabbed him while he was bein' looked at in the Pokeemon Center," Meowth blurted, drawing a look of scorn from Jessie. "If we go now, we'd just be in for a woild of hoit. The so-called former champ, Leaf's, no slouch."
"Still, we would at the very least equal them in numbers," Jessie noted.
"And we could set up a trap to separate them from their Pokémon," James added.
Meowth turned to them and glared. "Yeah, but da boss told us to merely spy on them and infiltrate their party. He has somethin' special planned for 'em. We don't wanna screw this up. Let's just stick to the plan and infiltrate this party. If da boss is right, then Team Rocket'll be able ta score a knockout blow ta the enemy with one strike."
The humans nodded as they continued to follow the teens as they headed to the hotel, being careful to stay as far back as possible, as well as keep their minds clear so that any evil intentions would not be picked up by any Psychic-type Pokémon that the teens, or anyone else at the party, may have had.
Meanwhile, over in a ruined building in small town not too far away from the Indigo Plateau, a mysterious figure wearing a cloak stood in the center of an empty room, the only furniture being a small table upon which a crystal ball was placed. The figure gazed into the crystal ball and looked at the scene of Ash and Mia walking towards the hotel. The image soon shifted towards a tall building in the same town as he sensed the arrival of two members of Team Rocket, and a Pokémon that was being kept in suspension. He grinned. It would not be long now, for while he had not had any particular interest in the teens or Team Rocket, yet, their actions were almost certain to draw the attention of his true interest. Looking back at the hotel, he saw another figure not too far away from the children. He was about to look more closely when he suddenly recognized the figure and peeled his gaze away.
"No way," he muttered quietly. "Of all the people to appear here now, why did it have to be him?"
He quickly diverted his gaze and focused back in on Team Rocket. The Elite Officer was now headed to Giovanni's office to make her report. He knew that the time would soon come for him to reveal himself to Team Rocket's boss. While he had hoped that Giovanni would be successful in his plans without needing his help, he knew that there was no way for his own desires to be fulfilled if Giovanni had won as he had expected. Giovanni had to be guided to his victory, or at least come close enough to draw his true target into the open. This plan had been in the process of being formulated since the end of the Galactic Federation Civil War. He had already taken several steps to ensure that Giovanni would achieve his goals, at least in the short term. In the long term, though, he had no wishes beyond the destruction of his target. However, if Earth found itself embroiled in a civil war and was devastated, he would not complain. After all, if the right targets were killed, then things would be all that much better for his own people. All he had to do now was wait and see what happened.
Not too far away from Ash and Mia, a man with green skin, orange hair and a beard watched from the top of one of the buildings. He looked down at the two teenagers as they raced towards the hotel and grinned evilly. For a scant moment, he felt the gaze of another upon him. He could feel that this individual was quite powerful, too. He considered tracing the scan back to it source, but he decided against it when the scan was abruptly halted. He grinned, figuring that whoever it was must have heard of him and decided not to risk a confrontation. He then refocused back on Ash and Mia. He soon sensed that Mia, or one of her Pokémon, must have sensed or spotted him and he backed off a bit, suppressing his power so that he would be harder to track. Just as he had done so, he sensed the arrival of another on the rooftop. Looking back, he saw a human male in his early thirties with black hair, blue eyes, wearing a red and white jacket over a black shirt, and jeans. Surprised by the new arrival, he asked, "What are you doing here?"
The man answered, "I was sent here by Master Hand to assist in acquiring new troops for the army. What are you doing here, Ganondorf?" the man asked the Gerudo King.
"The same thing as you, it seems," Ganondorf retorted.
"Then why are you focusing on two kids?" the human asked.
"Because those kids are Chosen Heroes, as is the boy's Pikachu," Ganondorf answered with a smirk. "If either of them can be turned, they would be great assets, especially if we get their Pokémon as well. That Pikachu would also make a great prize."
"I see," the man said.
Ganondorf merely smirked. "If you're here to secure new troops, then start securing them," Ganondorf suggested in a tone that made it sound more like an order than a suggestion.
"You're quite right," the man said. He then turned to depart. As he departed, he looked back at Ganondorf and said quietly, and inaudibly to the Gerudo King, "Leave my family out of this. They are no threat to you." With that, the man left and Ganondorf continued to spy on the two Trainers as they continued towards the hotel.
Meanwhile, back in Team Rocket Headquarters, Domino stood inside a large room with a single desk near a large, glass window. The window showed a wide expanse, as well as most of the Indigo Plateau. Domino went over to a tall man with short brown hair, black eyes dressed in a dark gray to nearly black suit with two sets of buttons coming down the left and right parts of his jacket, who was sitting at his desk, looking over a series of reports. Sitting next to him on the floor was a cat-like Pokémon with short, tan fur and a red jewel in the middle of its forehead called a Persian. It was purring as the leader of Team Rocket absently pet it on its head. Domino stopped at the entrance, knocked on the door, then waited. "Enter," came Giovanni's reply.
She stepped into the room and reported, "Giovanni, sir, you wished for me to see you upon my return."
"Yes," he said in a grave tone. "And…?"
"Our mission was a success. We recovered the Genesect and all of the data files that went with the research towards the Pokémon. Science Division is already studying the data. They should have a preliminary report shortly."
"Were you seen?"
"We encountered a single scientist, but I killed him. I also made it look like he was a victim of a mugging so no one would suspect that it was us."
"Good," Giovanni said with stern satisfaction. "With Genesect under our control, we'll have one of the ultimate Pokémon for use in our mission. And with the data for cloning it as well, we will be able to create more than one should the need arise."
Domino grinned as Giovanni's face split into a grin. She then waited to see if he needed anything else from her, which he did. He then spoke again, "I wish I could say that your work is finished, but this is only part of our plan. I have another task for you."
"What is it, sir?"
"Jessie, James, and Meowth are infiltrating a party that is said to be being held by the mother of Ash Ketchum, the new World Pokémon League Champion. Not only that, but sources indicate that Leaf will also be attending the party, too."
"Those three?" Domino blurted, unable to hide her shock. "Are you sure they're up for the task? They're incompetent morons! This mission is too important to risk them being on it and screwing it up." There was also something else. For a moment, she thought that she might have known the name, Ash Ketchum, from somewhere. She then shook off the thought and returned her attention to her boss.
"Perhaps," Giovanni said in response to her concern, not disagreeing with her assessment of their capabilities. "But they managed to not fail too badly in Unova. Even so, they are merely workers that will assist our forces in gaining entry to the hotel and the party."
"I understand, sir," Domino said. "Are there any other special orders or mission objectives?"
"No," came Giovanni's answer. "Your only goal is to eliminate as many of the Elite Trainers gathered there as possible, particularly Leaf, Ash, and Lance and Cynthia if they show up. Their demise is our primary concern. This Ash Ketchum has a number of friends among the Gym Leaders of the Kanto, Hoenn, Unova, and Kalos Regions. These Gym Leaders are also the most likely source of resistance to us for when we finally make our move. They must be dealt with, the sooner, the better."
"Understood, sir," Domino replied, bowing once more towards Giovanni. As she departed, she could not help but give a sinister smile. Finally, she would be getting some real action once more.
Once Domino had departed, Giovanni went over and sat in his chair. His Persian came over and sat close to him. He absently pet his Pokémon and said, "Soon, soon the time of Team Rocket will come, and our previous failures will be things of the past." He then sat back and relaxed in his chair.
