The Sevii Islands, being small and isolated from most of the larger world, has always had its own traditions surrounding Pokemon. There weren't many Pokemon that were unique to the region, exactly, or any rare types that showed up there often, but there was one special aspect the islands called their own.

They knew her by many names, as variant as the islands themselves, but all of them had something in common: trickster. A joke-player, trouble-maker, always just out of sight. Many had claimed to see her over the years, few could even begin to prove it. Still, they all believed it.

The Sevii Islands were home to a legendary creature.

Sometimes, this rumor would draw the attention of Pokemon trainers, or tourists, looking for a sighting of the rare Pokemon. Most left empty-handed. Those who claimed they had caught a glimpse of her with awed eyes were hardly to be believed.

There were some who did believe them. Some who took the constant string of whispers and wondered at the possible truth behind it. Who thought it worthwhile to investigate, just in case there was some worth to those claims.

But that was a long time ago, and Giovanni had more important things to deal with at the moment.

Why such memories were coming to him now of all times baffled the man. Deep down, he knew why; as soon as he realized why that face grimacing at him with such passionate anger looked so familiar. When he'd seen that glistening gem and known exactly where it had come from.

Damn it, man, focus! Glowering, Giovanni took to the stairs two at a time, cocking his gun as he did. He had it raised in front of him, eying the staircase below with cool trepidation. He could hear Ariana's men below, gunfire ringing out. Either his own men, or Silph's. It hardly mattered.

A part of him was burning with indignation, with the desire to turn round right there and burst back up the stairs and finish the job. He was here for a reason! But then… the whole purpose of this venture… in the end, its goal was the same as his now, standing in the stairwell between his daughter and Ariana's men.

It had always been about power.

Twenty Two Years Ago

"Our coordinates?"

A grunt rattled them off obediently from his place at the front of the ship. Giovanni mentally translated the numbers to their location a few miles off of Boon Island. He smirked. "Good." Hands behind his back, he approached the ship captain. The man turned to him.

"We're making good time, sir." He assured Giovanni. The man was sweating. Looking around the room made it clear that everyone on the ship was a bit nervous. Earlier, one grunt had even turned bright red and stuttered in response to being asked the way to the nearest restroom. The consequences of being Milady's heir, it seemed.

He gave a quiet sigh under his breath, and nodded. "Keep me informed. I shall be in my quarters." He turned then to go, but stopped when a crewman spoke suddenly, voice tense and concerned.

"Captain! There's a malfunction in the equipment – I've stopped receiving any signals."

"What?" The man crossed the room, stopping at the man's console, only to hear similar complaints elsewhere.

"Sir, communications are down, I've lost contact –"

"Radar is malfunctioning, I'm not sure what's –"

Frowning, Giovanni's eyes darted about the room, before slowly being drawn to the port window. He sauntered over to it, narrowed gaze darkening at what he saw.

Storm clouds, black as pitch, rolling in over the horizon.

The stairwell would not be an opportune place for a fight; so, Giovanni moved ahead. Better to face the enemy head on than be trapped in a corner. On the third floor, he exited the staircase, glancing round the corner with his gun held ahead of him. From the sounds of it, they were still fighting their way from the front stairwell, towards the back. He had time.

He darted out into the open, ducking down between offices, keeping his gaze forward and alert to the enemy.

Which was why he never saw the person coming at his back. But he heard them, their heavy, clumsy footwork indications of their lack of training. The man spun round, gun raised and at the ready, to come face to face with his daughter.

She froze, stock still, inches from the gun. In an instant he lowered it back down, but the fear didn't fade from her eyes. Was it fear? Or nervousness, uncertainty, which her eyes reflected whenever she looked at him?

"What are you doing? I gave you an order!"

"I'm not one of your men!" The girl insisted furiously, fists clenched at your side. "How can you just drop that kind of bomb and run off like it's nothing!

"If you haven't noticed, we are in a bit of a situation."

"I did notice. I noticed all the bodies coming in." Her voice dropped in pitch, eyes hardened, and Giovanni merely frowned.

"Your body may yet join them if you do not leave."

"I'm not leaving you here!"

"And why not?" He smirked, turning ahead again, scouting out his path. "You made your opinion of me quite clear the last time we met."

"I…" Voice tremulous and uncertain, the girl hesitated before following him. "Yeah, okay, you're an asshole, clearly, but you're also my dad and you're currently protecting me, so. Truce. Or something. We'll figure this out when we're not being shot at!"

"Very well." So stubborn. Just like her mother…

It was supposed to be been an easy assignment. A test run for Milady's heir, to see how he fared in the field. Chasing after a ghost. It was incredibly unlikely that any legendary Pokemon lived down here, in the backwaters of nowhere on these tiny islands. But any chance was a chance, and Milady demanded they investigate.

It was supposed to be easy. Instead, the entire ship began to malfunction just as a storm hit, and the whole thing went under. Giovanni broke the surface gasping for breath, heart hammering in his chest, barely audible in his ears over the sound of thunder shaking the air. His vision came and went in sharp blasts as lightning lit up the sky, then darkness took him, and all he knew was the ocean enveloping him, the violent swelling of the sea, the weakness in his limbs as he fought to survive for what felt like hours…

Voices… voices on the air, a light in the distance… perhaps a ship, a rescue… Milady would not be happy… Team Rocket could not be… could not be… discovered…

"Hey, are you okay? Hey! Stay with me!"

Consciousness came slowly, and with it, a pounding headache. Giovanni gave a groan and tried to sit up, only to be stopped by a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Take it easy, big guy. You've had a rough night."

That voice; the same one from his dream… was it a dream? Grimacing in pain as the light hit his eyes, still he managed to open them, and take a look. Slowly, sight returned, blurring vision clearing until he could see someone just before him, bathed in the sunlight pouring through the open window.

It was a woman, tall and broad, with long limbs and long, full hair. Her dark ebony skin was tinged orange by the morning sun, and her hair waved in the wind. She smelled of the ocean. A bright smile lit her face as he awoke.

"He lives!" Her voice was warm and vibrant. "I was worried there for a while."

"Worried?" He frowned, forcing himself to sit up though it hurt. He had to ascertain his location, what happened to his men, whether the law had become aware of their presence.

"Yeah, worried!" She scoffed, pushing him back down. He tried to resist, but found he had absolutely no energy to do so with. "You swallowed about half the ocean while you were out there. I'm shocked you're awake already."

Her tone was so strangely friendly. He cocked an eyebrow. "Do we know one another?"

The woman chortled. "Course not. Now, you just lay back and rest, I'll get you something to eat. Maybe some eggs, to go easy on your stomach." And with that, she stood and disappeared out of the room without so much as a backwards glance.

Who was this one? A member of a rival organization? One of his mother's spies? Or perhaps a police officer, hoping to get on his good side in order to get information? Fuming, Giovanni threw the bedcovers aside and stormed out of the room, despite how much pain it caused him. Bent over and clutching his side, he stumbled into the hall, down the steps, and to the main floor. It was one large space, living room and kitchen, divided by an island countertop.

When he arrived at the bottom of the stairs, his movement drew her attention. Her eyes went wide. "What are you doing out of bed?"

"Who are you?" He seethed, stumbling forward. "One of Andrea's men? Or the International Police?"

"What are you on about?" The woman frowned, before crossing the room and pressing a hand to his forehead. "Maybe you're worse off than I thought…"

Quickly he shoved her away, before reaching for his side arm… only to find it wasn't there! Desperately he grasped for his side, before realizing he wasn't in his uniform, but a pair of baggy pajamas. The woman, noticing his shocked look, misunderstood his surprise. "Your clothes were drenched in the storm, I had to get you out of them. Sorry." She flushed, before a determined look returned to her face. "Now, you really need to get back in bed!"

Giovanni took a moment to survey the room. Pushing past the stranger, he darted about as quick as he could, looking for cameras, microphones, any signs of falsehood. What he found were family photographs, stacks of old books, dishes piled up in the sink, half dead plants by the back door.

It looked, for all intents and purposes, like someone's house. No sign of tampering, nothing. Stunned, Giovanni glanced at the woman, who had crossed her arms and was staring at him intently.

"Ready to go back to bed now?" He didn't say a word, but let her silently guide him back into his room, before vowing to return with breakfast.

This… couldn't be. If she wasn't a rival, or a policewoman, what could she want from him? What could she be after? She had to have an angle, a goal in mind…

Didn't she?

"You will do as I say." Giovanni instructed as they darted down one hallway. The fighting was drawing nearer. "Whether or not we agree, I am the more experienced in combat."

"Fine. What's the plan?"

"Do you have a Flying Pokemon?"

"Uhh… no."

"Then you'll have to escape by foot. There's a teleport pad on this floor which will take you to the eighth floor. From there you can take the service elevator to the basement, and escape through the sewers."

"What about you?"

He chuckled at that. "They are no threat to me. They may defy my orders but they will not threaten me."

They came to a halt at another corner. When Giovanni glanced round, he caught sight of sharp red hair. Ariana. "Why are they after me, anyway?" His daughter asked.

Giovanni fought the urge to roll his eyes. "I told you –"

"I know that part, but why? You're their boss. Why would they kill me?"

For a moment, the man hesitated. "You are my child – but not my heir." He finally said.

When he glanced at her, the girl had her hands on her hips and a frown on her face. The look was so reminiscent of her mother that for a moment he could barely breathe. "That's not much to go on."

Sighing, he frowned. "Team Rocket, by whatever name it has been known, has always been a family run organization. It passes from parent to child. In some cases, certain children are… favored. The others are wiped out."

Disgust crossed her face, followed quickly by shock. "Wait… that means…"

"You have a brother."

He could see the realization slowly sinking in, the girl's eyes going wide as she mouthed the words silently. He turned away; beyond them, he could see the layout of the office. Twelve Silph guards, at least two dozen of Ariana's men, firing upon one another. The teleport pad was in a far corner office across the floor. To get there, they'd have to make their way through the whole fire fight.

"Okay, then." Seeming to have taken it in, the girl nodded. "So these people favor my – brother, as heir, and think of me as a threat?"

"Their leader does."

"Who's that?"

Giovanni's scowl deepened. "Your grandmother."

A week passed and Giovanni remained in the house.

There was little else he could do. For one, his injuries were grievous. For another, the authorities had descended upon the island in a swarm, sweeping up the remnants of their operation and its agents. As much as he hated to allow it to happen, there was nothing he could do to stop them. His only option was to remain out of sight, keeping a low profile in the woman's house, lest he get caught with the others.

Eventually, it would all die down, and he could slip away unseen. Until then, it seemed he was stuck.

"Knock, knock," Came the stranger's voice as the door to the room open. Giovanni fought a grimace. It wasn't so much that his caretaker was a horrible person to be around, she was just so… strange. So open and hard to read. It set him on edge, made him uneasy. "Hungry?"

He hesitated for a moment before nodding. "I suppose."

"I suppose," The woman mocked him in a high, nasaly voice that he supposed was meant to be his. It took him off guard. What was her purpose? Did she not ask him if he wanted to eat? What was he meant to say? Perhaps his expression gave away his confusion, because next she laughed. "Sorry, it's just… you have such a hoighty-toighty way of speaking."

Hoighty-toighty? That… did not help.

"It is fine." He said as she set the tray on his lap. He avoided her eyes, unsettled by the warmth of them. "Thank you."

The woman took a seat at his bedside. "Once your down I thought we could try a little exercise, see how you're healing up."

He nodded, and between bites, replied. "That would be amendable." After a few more bites, he felt eyes on him, and looked up. The woman was staring incredulously.

"Amendable, he says." Then she snorted, shaking her head. "You must be from really, really far inland, huh?"

He wasn't sure what she meant by that. "Not so far. I was born in Viridian City." As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he cursed himself in his mind and scowled. The first rule of the business was to keep secrets, share nothing! The truth could be tracked, and he could be discovered. What had prompted him to tell her the truth?

"Viridian." She chuckled, leaning forward, elbows on her knees. "No wonder you sound so high and mighty all the time. You must be rich as hell, huh?"

Her frankness once again made him uncomfortable. He'd never been in such conversations, never been taught to relate in such a manner. But she was right. Viridian City was the heart of the Kanto region, sitting at the base of the Indigo Plateau, and the entryway to the Johto Region to the west. It was by all rights the capital, and the city was the home to some of the most famous and wealthy people around… his family being among them.

"I suppose."

"Gods above, are you always this uptight?"

A flash of ire flooded through him, and before he could get control of it, he glanced up and sneered. "Are you always this annoying and rude?" Suddenly, he realized what he'd said, and froze, horrified. How could he have let his guard down, how could he have been so foolish? He currently relied upon this woman for safety and supplies, he was dependent upon her, and he had risked his station for a foolish emotional outburst?

The woman stared for a moment – then threw her head back and laughed. Giovanni gawked, dumbstruck.

"Finally!" She said. "A real reaction. We might just be friends yet!"

The woman's name was Hannah, and she was the most confusing human being Giovanni had ever met.

The longer he stayed with her, the more he was sure there was some deeply, truly wrong with her. He had spent his whole life memorizing human behavioral patterns, mastering manipulation and interaction in order to control any situation he was part of… and she was completely outside the lines. He may as well have tossed out the playbook.

In the beginning, Giovanni spent his time recuperating, and trying to decipher Hannah's motives. She had to have some plan, some reason for helping him. He just couldn't pinpoint it. But the longer he spent time with her, the more it seemed that trying to do so was useless. She was just – motiveless. She seemed to act for the purpose of acting, with no deeper thought behind her decisions besides impulsiveness and desire.

And she was very impulsive.

"I do not like this plan."

"You don't have to like it, just do it!" Hannah insisted with a huff. "Come on, would I put you in danger after all the trouble I've gone through helping you?" At that, she had a point. That much made sense to him. It was that consideration that made the man sigh and finally give in.

"Fine. But I do not see the point."

"It'll help you get your strength up and your balance back. Don't worry, you won't fall in." Hannah nodded to the side of him. "Darla's got your back."

Darla was the woman's Dragonair, a truly splendid creature that would make a great tribute to Milady. Unfortunately, he was in no position to take it… and to be honest, he didn't want to. He wasn't quite sure why.

With one last huff, he glanced down at the water, and the stone path laid before him. They were out behind Hannah's house, which was built in the wilderness of Boon Island. A rather large pond stretched out before them, with smooth stones creating a path over it. It was these stones Hannah wanted him to practice walking on, to continue improving his strength.

After his last time in the ocean, he wasn't sure he wanted to risk getting wet.

Still, he tentatively stretched his leg out, the burn of it irritating him. He hated being so weak, so dependent on others. The idea truly chafed. The flare of feeling had him acting a bit faster than he should have, taking the steps too quickly, and he lost his footing. Darla was at his side in an instant, just as Hannah had said, her long lithe body supporting his side.

Looking up at the creature, he nodded. "Thank you."

"Take it easy!" Hannah, from the other side of the pond, called to him. "Take it one step at a time!"

"I'm not a child."

"I know – but even grown ups can give in to our feelings sometime."

Not him, not Giovanni. Feelings were a luxury the Rockets could not afford. Feelings were weakness. They were things to be manipulated, to be abused, to be used on others, but not something he could keep for himself. If Milady ever found out about his foolish behavior out here…

Expression stiffening, Giovanni stood up tall, took the steps smoothly and calmly, and in a moment, was at Hannah's side across the pond.

"Good job!" She beamed, honestly enthused. "With results like that, you'll be out of here in no time!"

Somehow, he found the idea didn't please him as it should.

"What's the plan?"

Giovanni glanced across the room – the fight was a massacre, coming to an end. As he watched, the last of the Silph Co. guards fell, and Giovanni knew that was their chance.

"Get to the platform," He muttered to her, taking firm hold of her arm and walking forward, still crouching down. Quickly, he shoved her to the side behind an office wall, straightening up just as Ariana and her men noticed him. "Ariana. What a pleasant surprise."

The woman's eyes met his, and for a moment, he saw what was hidden within, the feelings they always had to suppress – the guilt, sorrow, her reluctance to do this. Her eyes hardened in an instant.

"Boss," She gave a slight bow, turning towards him. "I apologize for arriving unannounced, but I have… higher orders."

"I'm certain you do." His eyes narrowed. "I am afraid I cannot allow you to carry them out."

"You have no choice." The woman insisted, arms crossed. They stood face to face, a few yards away from one another, Ariana surrounded by her soldiers, Giovanni standing alone. And yet, the atmosphere was as if both were on an even playing field. "No one, not even you, can deny Milady what she wants."

"I am, as always, a humble servant of Milady's will," He gave a reverent bow, long practiced. "But in this, I cannot step aside. Tell your men to stand down."

"Give us the girl."

A quick, sudden sharp fear pierced his heart, at the mention of her. He – he could lose her. He could lose her again – "She is my daughter."

"And what about our son?"

"Silver is and always will be my heir." The boy had the talent for it, if not the will. In time, the Rockets would wear that part of him down, too. He'd be like Giovanni was once, young, angry, and trapped in an order that was part of his very blood. "My daughter has nothing to do with this."

"She is the elder. She could contest. Milady will not stand a threat to the family." Ariana's eyes narrowed. "And I will not stand a threat to my son."

"Yet you think you can threaten my daughter?"

"You cannot stop this, Gio." The woman said, her voice dropping low, and solemn. Then she lifted her gun and cocked it. "Please, step aside."

"NO!" The girl burst into the room, running in front of him. Eyes widening in horror, Giovanni watched as his daughter stood in front of him, arms thrown wide. "Please! Don't hurt him!"

Ariana's eyes went wide too, before she smiled, hollow and empty. "Well, at least she made my job easy."

"Amy!" Terrified, Giovanni raced into action, moving to push her out of the way, but it was too late. "Ariana, don't - !"

The gun fired.

"Where did you come from?"

Giovanni glanced to the side. Hannah was sitting beside him on the swing on her front porch. It was quite the view from there. The house was at the highest point of the island, overlooking the long hilly decline to the sea, a waterfall running along the side of it. In the distance, the sunset painted the ocean an orange-red hue, warm and comforting.

The man glanced to his hands, fidgeting. "My life before all this, … it was not pleasant." What an understatement. Before Hannah, he wasn't sure he'd even been alive.

In the two months they'd lived together, Giovanni felt like he'd been reinvented, shown a new way to live. He'd never known life like this. Without the Rockets, without Milady – his mother controlling his every word and action, he felt… free, like he'd never felt before.

It wasn't a feeling he wanted to lose.

"I'm sorry," Hannah frowned, eyes darting about. "Do you… want to talk about it?"

He chuckled dryly. "No, I do not." Then he sighed. "… I fear if I did, you would never speak to me again."

A gentle hand touched his chin, and lifted his head until their eyes met. Her gaze was warm and comforting, like the sunset. "Nothing you could say to me would turn me away, I promise. Whatever's past, is past. Whenever you're ready to talk, I'm ready to listen, okay?"

After a moment, he nodded, ignoring the heat flushing his cheeks. "Okay."

At his use of the more colloquial word, she smiled, and the sight made something warm and soft blossom in his heart.

He watched the bullet fly towards his eldest child and something in Giovanni snapped, his reserve crumbling and sheer terror flooding his heart. But the bullet never hit its target. It simply stopped midair, hovering and enveloped in light, as all in the room stared in shock.

It was then that Mewtwo teleported into the room.