The miles melted beneath them as Ki rocketed towards the outskirts of Saffron City. She was starting to grow weary, but her powers and grip stubbornly held firm to her precious cargo. She could not stop, and she would not give up.
She was determined to save him, or she would die trying.
Lost in her thoughts, she noted almost too late the oncoming flock of Spearow. At the rate of speed she was going versus theirs, she barely had time to veer out of their path. Shielding the Psychic Pokemon with her body as much as possible, she narrowly missed plowing into the birds, but her left shoulder clipped one of its razor sharp beaks.
It tore into her sleeve and raked along her skin, leaving behind a nasty gash. She faltered somewhat as the wound began to burn with excruciating pain. Blood quickly soaked through what remained of the ripped cloth, trickling down her arm.
In her arms, Mewtwo briefly stirred at the commotion, partially opening his eyes. The strong, coppery scent assaulted his nostrils. He did not have to see to know it was hers.
Stardust... he tried to speak, his voice coming in a hoarse whisper.
I will be all right, she murmured, soothingly, It's just a scratch.
He suspected she was not being completely honest with him, but he did not have the energy to say anything more. Instead, he gave a resigned sigh and rested his head on her chest again. He was not happy in the least, but there was nothing he could do.
In the distance ahead, she finally spotted the familiar blue and white barn below them. The sight of it greeting her caused a flood of relief as she choked back tears. They were home.
Upon approach, she circled once as a precaution before she eased them to the ground at the entrance. Her eyes glowed faintly purple and one of the huge doors creaked open just enough to allow the two to slip through. It then silently shut closed behind them.
The smell of old hay and oak filled her nostrils in the dimly lit building, and she breathed in deep. It brought memories of the countless days, and sometimes nights, she had spent here. She had missed this place so much over the last few months. It was her haven of safety and comfort.
Hearing a soft groan then reminded her it would not just be hers anymore. It was to be Mewtwo's now as well. The barn would give him the complete isolation and time to heal he so desperately needed.
Despite the heat, he started to shudder in her arms as his body became chilled from the fever. Ki knew she had to get him warmed up as quickly as possible. She should not have been idle even if for a few moments. She was losing precious time.
Furious with herself at the delay, she carried him towards the back corner close to the stalls. Here, there was a pile of the dried, wheat-colored grass and a futon with a blanket neatly folded at the foot of it. She carefully laid him on the low bed, spreading the thick fleece over him.
It soon became apparent it was not enough. He continued to shiver violently, and she had no other blankets to give him. She had to find another source of heat, and fast.
She began to move away from the bedside, but all of a sudden, she felt lightheaded and wavered unsteadily on her feet. The overextended use of her powers had drained her, and the exhaustion was now hitting her in full force. She nearly doubled over as her entire arm flared into one solid mass of pain. The gash in her shoulder throbbed mercilessly, but she was too weak to heal herself.
She was so fatigued, in fact, she wondered how she was still standing. At this point, she was running on little more than sheer, stubborn willpower. She desperately wanted to lie down and rest, but she didn't dare. She must keep going for his sake...
And what will you do if you collapse before then?
The thought slammed into her brain as it awakened to a harsh reality. There would be no one else to help him. If she pushed herself any further, she could end up sabotaging her own efforts and may cost him his life regardless. She would never let that happen. He was depending on her, he needed her, but...
"I... I have to... I can't..." she whispered, aloud, "He'll..."
She sank to the floor as the last of her strength finally gave out, leaning back against the bed's frame. Her heart began to fill with grief and despair, but she was simply too worn out to cry. She felt something brushing faintly across her cheek then, and a stifled sob escaped her throat. She lifted her eyes above her to meet his hazy, pain-filled amethyst ones.
Although clouded with fever, Mewtwo could still sense her distress. He felt her sorrow and desolation as if it were his own. What bothered him most was the guilt festering in her soul. Why did she perceive all of her sacrifices made to save his life a failure? There were no words in which to express the amount of love and gratitude he felt for her.
He could bear his agony, but hers threatened to shatter his heart.
I... will... not... he managed.
She began to shake her head as if she couldn't believe what he was saying. She was not certain if he was even able to fully comprehend the gravity of the situation. The chances of his survival would continue to diminish the longer she was prevented in administering him an effective treatment. Yet, no matter how much she willed herself to stand, her body refused to cooperate. She lacked the energy to move, remaining firmly planted on the ground.
That... that's not something you can promise, she sursurrated, her voice barely audible, It's a risk I won't take.
She reached for his hand, hanging limp now over the side of the bed, and entwined her fingers in his as she clutched it gingerly to her chest. It was the closest she could be to him at the moment. She would have given anything to have him in her arms instead.
He sighed then, a sound which resembled a dry leaf rustling in the autumn breeze. Why must she be so stubborn?
Ki... listen... please... he faltered, his tone pleading, Stay... rest. I... I... need... you.
She struggled to maintain her composure as hearing him actually speak those words struck her to her very core. She needed him too. She was so afraid she would lose him, but leaving him here alone would not be a wise decision, especially given both their current states.
All right, she conceded, trembling softly, I will stay.
She caught the slightest hint of a smile cross his lips. A faint one appeared on her own lips in response. He applied a feeble, but insistent, pressure to her fingers suddenly. He gazed at her pointedly for a moment before lowering his eyes to the empty space beside him.
It wasn't hard to figure out what he was communicating to her, but she wondered if it was such a good idea. The bed was barely large enough to accommodate him. It would be a tight squeeze for her to join him, and she worried she could cause him more discomfort. However, it occurred to her she could use the heat of her body to keep him warm. This vital necessity overruled any reservation she had left.
Ignoring the screams of protests in her muscles, she proceeded to slowly twist her body around until she was on her knees. She gripped the side of the mattress in both hands for support and managed to pull herself up high enough to crawl over the top. She inhaled sharply, unable to suppress a hiss of pain escaping her lips, as she half fell, half rolled onto the futon.
The sudden jarring sent what felt like a blade through her shoulder. Her breathing started to come in soft, heavy pants with the exertion and agony. Reflexively, she curled into a fetal position and screwed her eyes shut against the relentless burning. A nauseating, coppery stench filled her nose a few moments later as fresh blood began to seep from the gaping wound and run in a warm, wet trickle down her arm.
From nearly the instant he heard her stifled cry, all regard Mewtwo may have had for his own well-being ceased to exist. He was now solely concerned for her. His earlier suspicions were also confirmed correct. That was no mere "scratch".
He was uncertain whether to react with anger or sadness. He was greatly dismayed she would choose to withhold the truth. He was sick of being manipulated and lied to. Giovanni had dealt a serious blow to his trust in humanity, and he was left struggling now to hold on to what shreds remained of it for her sake.
Yet, as logical reason entered his mind, he suddenly began to feel nauseous he would even consider condemning Ki in the same way he could the Team Rocket leader. She had not done so in malevolence, but with intentions borne of love and compassion for him. While she may have had a lapse in judgment, he could not fault her as there were mistakes he too had made in lack of perception.
I... I can't begin to tell you how sorry I am, her quiet voice, breaking, interjected his thoughts then, I-I didn't... I didn't mean...
She abruptly trailed off. Opening her eyes, she met his gaze and felt her heart being crushed at the despair in the hazy, purple depths. No words were needed to know how deeply she had hurt him. Not only could she see it in his eyes, but she could also sense his emotional anguish.
She would not blame him if he did not easily forgive her. There were insurmountable consequences for her actions. Even though she only tried to keep him from worrying over her, what she had done was inexcusable. She drew in a shuddering breath, and braced for the inevitable she already anticipated would be coming.
She appeared so resigned to whatever fate would befall her, it caught Mewtwo completely off guard. In that moment, he decided they had both suffered through enough. He was by no means cruel. He loved her with an indescribable fervency, and doubted there was anything which could separate them.
The rebuttal she was expecting never materialized. Instead, she watched him as he fought against the persisting paralysis in his body to wrap his arms around her as best as he could with his limited mobility. He then touched his nose to her temple, giving her a weak nuzzle.
After the initial moment of shock at his response faded, she became almost giddy as a powerful wave of relief washed over her. Her eyes then began to flood with tears and she buried her face in his neck, trying desperately to hold them at bay. She clung to him like she would a life preserver as tightly as she dared, remaining mindful of both of their injuries.
She felt she didn't deserve his forgiveness, but was grateful he had. She wouldn't have readily known what to do if he hadn't, except... She couldn't imagine going through life now without him, especially if he should die and the animosity had remained between them.
I love you so much, she uttered in a choking whisper.
I... love... you... too... Stardust... he rasped.
He wished there was more he could do to assure her, but he had already spent what little remaining energy he had. He simply desired to rest now in the knowledge they were safe and no longer in any danger. He was further comforted by the feel of her warm body tucked in close to his. He closed his eyes, feeling consciousness rapidly slip away. A languid smile tugged on his lips as her fingertips brushed softly across his cheek.
She was the other half of his soul. His light in the darkness... His calm in the chaos... His shelter from the storm...
She gave him hope when he had none, and inspired to motivate himself further than he ever thought possible. Though he was still unclear of what his purpose was, the one thing he was certain of was his future with her. She was all in this world he would fight to his very last breath to live for.
Ki lifted her head and placed a gentle kiss between the sleeping Pokemon's eyes. The fever was still present, but she was relieved he was no longer trembling. However, as she listened to his eractic breathing, her worry grew immensely.
Mewtwo desperately needed medicine. Without it, it was probable he wouldn't survive the night. It was imperative for her to travel to Cianwood as soon as possible. The island city was located in Johto off the region's farthest coast. Its thousands year old pharmacy was the only place she would be able to acquire a potion powerful enough to cure his ailments.
Yet, such a journey would be long and arduous, and she was still too weak to even attempt it. Her body felt leaden with exhaustion and pain, but she was determined not to fall asleep. She had to keep a careful vigil over him.
For the first time, she was able to assess his injuries more closely. Only the electrical burns on his chest and face were visible as most of his body was hidden under the blanket. The pale lavender skin was red and blistered, suggesting borderline second degree. Her heart ached at the sight, feeling sick with grief, but also rage.
Giovanni was a despicable man, but she never would have imagined he could be this evil or nefarious. It wasn't enough to physically torture Mewtwo, but he had subjected him to psychological abuse as well. That torment was evident where she could feel a little more of the darkness in him than there was before. It explained why suddenly he had seemed to regress in those brief, tense moments between them. It was a frustrating step backwards what all she had accomplished with him in the last few months.
More concerning, was it posed a dangerous threat to their relationship. Already, the strength of their bond had been tested to its limits of breaking, but their love had endured. She was not certain what the Team Rocket leader had spoke of for him to take to heart like this, but she would not allow such lies to destroy him, or them.
She gave a weary sigh then and laid her head next to his, their foreheads gently meeting. A bittersweet smile formed on her lips as she gazed attentively upon the Pokemon. Despite the trepidation, her heart was filled with adoring affection. He had turned her life literally upside down since day one, but she did not regret a single moment.
What had she done for destiny to decide she deserved a gift as rare and precious as him? This magnificent, wonderful, and remarkable being, who had become not only her best friend, but the love of her life as well. She would never fully realize how blessed she was to have him. He was truly her soulmate.
She would do everything at her disposal to continue to protect him. Even though the chances of Giovanni surviving such a blast was next to impossible, neither of them could afford to let their guard down. With it being so secluded, the barn provided an ideal location where Mewtwo, and her, would remain well hidden. They could stay here, and maybe begin to build a life of their own.
She glanced contemplatively upward then to the weathered wood rafters of the ceiling. Of course, it would need some remodeling to accommodate a better living space. However, she was sure they could make it work. Mew would be so happy she was... home...
Abruptly, her train of thought derailed. Until now, the tiny, pink Psychic cat had been far from her mind, or, for that matter, Sabrina. Although Ki missed them dearly, she didn't feel she was quite ready to see them yet. She certainly hadn't given any consideration to introducing him to them.
All of her energy and focus was primarily on his recovery. Even after, there was a good chance his mental state would still be compromised. He would need an indefinite period of time to heal from those wounds. It was best he was not put through unnecessary stress for the foreseeable future.
Perhaps an opportunity would arise later to arrange such a meeting, but at present, it was prudent to remain low and out of sight. In the meantime, she hoped she could at least let them know somehow she was alive. Who knows what they may have already heard.
She found herself snuggling closer to Mewtwo, and then yawned suddenly, long and deep. She felt her eyelids begin to droop, but almost immediately snapped them back open. No, it was crucial she remain awake. She couldn't take her eyes off him for a second.
She... she wouldn't... wouldn't... let him... let... him...
Unable to fight it any longer, and against her will, her eyes shut closed completely this time. She lost awareness then as her exhausted, pain-riddled body finally succumbed to the sweet bliss of sleep.
Jessie, James, and Meowth slowly plodded along the trail through the forest leading to Team Rocket headquarters. All three were covered in various cuts, bruises, and abrasions, testimony of the suffering in their plight. Once again, their efforts had ended in the sickening stench of defeat and humiliation.
Their procession felt like a funeral march. It may as well have been with the prospect of facing their punishment. The expression on each one's face was glum and resigned.
"What do you suppose the boss will do to us?" Jessie finally broke the grim silence, her voice lackluster.
"Maybe he'll do something drastic," James fretted, sounding distraught, "Like cut our salary, or..."
He was interrupted as the ground suddenly began to vibrate beneath them. The shaking rapidly intensified. The trio stopped in their tracks, moaning nervously.
"W-what's goin' on, an earthquake?" Meowth uttered, frantically.
Moments later, the sound of a terrible explosion filled their ears, rocking the once tranquil valley. A massive, dark mushroom cloud rose above the tree line, and its smoky haze saturated the atmosphere. The blast appeared to have originated in the direction of a distant clearing ahead, exactly where the base would have been located. Overcome by terror and shock, all they could do was stand there watching the disaster unfold before them.
They were so enthralled, they almost failed to notice a curious, bright purple streak suddenly blaze across the azure sky. The flying object which emitted the contrail was too far away to determine its precise nature. However, they were able to identify the unmistakable silhouette of a Pokemon of some kind. There was also a vague outline of something, or perhaps someone, accompanying it. It then veered sharply to the north, picking up speed before it disappeared into the horizon.
"Do you think...?" James began to muse, tentatively, before trailing off.
"Argh, it doesn't matter right now," Jessie growled, "We've got to go help the boss."
"But... but Jessie, we don't even know..." the scratch cat Pokemon stuttered.
"He's alive," she asserted, cutting him off, "Come on, we're wasting time."
She didn't bother to wait for her comrades as she started down the path again at a brisk run. James and Meowth exchanged a solemn look between them. Neither were as confident the Team Rocket leader had survived, but they would assist their friend nevertheless. They hastily followed after her.
The two managed to catch up with her, and together they raced to the top of the hill. At the edge of the forest, the three abruptly paused as the trees gave way to a lush green vale. What lay beyond was a sight nothing could have ever prepared them for. The sheer magnitude of destruction was simply incomprehensible.
The compound, which once stood imposingly against the backdrop of the majestic mountains, was now mostly reduced to little more than demolished cement walls and crooked steel beams. The remains were engulfed in a monstrous fire, the flames towering at incredible heights. If left to burn out of control, it would threaten to devour the entire valley, and the forest.
As if in a daze, Jessie stared at the ruins of a place she had spent her formidable years at. There were so many memories made here. She had devoted her life to Team Rocket, like her mother before her, and to think of a future without it... What would she do with herself?
"This... this can't be the end," she whispered.
"Jessie?" James questioned, surprisingly gentle, concerned.
The outcome was as bleak as he feared. While they all mourned the loss, she seemed to be the one taking it the hardest. He wanted to offer assurance, but he was never very good at expressing his emotions to her. She always left him tongue-tied for some reason.
"The poor boss," Meowth spoke then, tearfully, "He's really gone, ain't he?"
The red head appeared to snap out of her stupor the moment the Pokemon's words reached her ears. She whipped around to face him, her blue eyes flashing with defiance.
"No, there's still a chance," she refuted.
Irritated by their dawdling, she then bolted unexpectedly towards the wreckage. She didn't need them. She would save Giovanni herself. However, she completely ignored the fact she was putting her own life in jeopardy.
Vaguely, she could hear teammates' despairing cries as they started a frantic pursuit behind her.
"Jessie, wait!" the scratch cat called, "It's too dangerous!"
"Jess, no!" the young man echoed.
Upon reaching the perimeter, Jessie discovered an impenetrable wall of fire prevented any further progression. Desperately, she began to search for an opening. The sun was blocked by billows of thick, black smoke, reducing visibility to zero. It was impossible to navigate through, and she soon became disoriented.
Her eyes were burning and she started to cough as the air was choked out of her lungs. As it grew increasingly difficult to breathe, she was forced to make a critical decision to retreat. She hated to admit defeat, but if she were to remain much longer, the noxious fumes would overwhelm her and it would be too late.
At that moment, she felt a pair of strong arms grab around her shoulders and quickly proceed to pull her a safe distance away. The warmth of sunlight hit her face, and fresh mountain air began to filter into her nostrils. She gasped and gulped the life giving oxygen in greedily.
Carefully, she was set on the ground amongst the tall grass. Feeling humiliated, the woman remained motionless with her head bowed as she gradually recovered. At long last, she lifted her eyes to look into worried green ones.
"Are you okay, Jessie?" the blue haired man queried.
"Yeah, I suppose," she answered, begrudgingly, "Um, thanks."
His reprimand died on his tongue as she glanced past him then to peer sullenly at the relentless and unyielding blaze. What had she been thinking? She could have gotten killed, and for a man who, at best, treated the trio as if they were scum beneath his shoes. Perhaps Giovanni meeting his untimely demise was instead a chance to start anew and make something better of herself.
"I guess... I guess you and Meowth were right," she added, her voice slightly wavering.
"I'm sorry," James expressed, morosely.
"At least we still have each other," the Pokemon pointed out, trying to sound optimistic.
She forced a wan smile. How naive of him to believe she would consider staying now that Team Rocket no longer existed. Those two would only drag her down like a ton of useless, dead weight.
Abruptly, the wind shifted direction and began to blow more fierce. The strong gusts were driving the smoke away towards the mountains instead. Within the thinning veil of haze, a sudden, shadowy movement caught Jessie's eye.
The dark blob soon formed an identifiable shape as it emerged into the clearing. Immediately, she called attention to the others as she recognized the Pokemon heading their way. It was none other than the boss's Persian.
It was in a rough state, with patches of soot clinging to its slightly singed fur. As the feline approached the trio, they noticed a Pokeball was clamped firmly in its mouth. Persian dropped it at James' feet and then sank down wearily on its haunches.
"Per meow mrrow," it spoke in an urging tone.
"Persian says to hurry and use the Pokemon inside to douse the fire to save the master," Meowth translated.
The news was met with exchanges of gleeful exclamations. Giovanni was alive after all. However, if they didn't act quickly, he would soon perish. This was no time for celebrating.
"Alright, then," the young man declared, retrieving the ball, "Go, I choose you!"
He tossed it into the air and a moment later, a Blastoise materialized from the white light before them. The blue, giant, bipedal turtle-like shellfish Pokemon gave a loud bellow and faced the burning compound. Its ears erect and brown eyes alert, it waited for instructions.
"Blastoise, Hydro Pump!" James ordered.
"Toise," the turtle obeyed.
Suddenly, the two huge, gleaming, silver cannons near the top of its brown and white shell at each shoulder extended out further. Then, hundreds of gallons of water began to spew in a concentrated spray onto the flames. Slowly, they receded as the fire was beaten down by the continuous stream of liquid the Pokemon blasted.
After several long, fretful minutes, the blaze was extinguished to where only smolders remained. James recalled Blastoise into its ball, and the trio, with Persian in tow, headed for the glowing embers of the charred wreckage. Treading carefully around hot spots, they followed the Classy Cat Pokemon as it led them through the ruins to the master's position.
Giovanni gave a low groan as he struggled up onto his knees. His head was pounding, and his body throbbed mercilessly with pain. To his knowledge, he had no broken bones or other major injuries, but there was a slight tingling in his extremities. It was a sign the temporary paralysis from the electrical shock he had received was wearing off.
He turned his attention then to the blond female laying motionless a few feet away. The skin on Domino's neck was bruised a dark purple, and marred with the imprint of a not quite human hand. He touched the artery at the side, searching for a pulse. He felt something akin to relief when he detected steady beating beneath his fingertips.
By some stroke of luck or fate, the both of them had survived, but at what cost? He had suffered immeasurable losses. It would take months, if not years, to rebuild. Suddenly, rage began to fill him.
He couldn't believe Mewtwo was gone. The most powerful Pokemon on the planet had escaped his grasp. The result of decades worth of planning, research, and resources masterfully stolen by that little minx. Had it not been for the fact the Team Rocket leader was now aware of the powers and abilities Kikara possessed of her own, he would have her executed immediately once he could track them down. Instead, she would become a valuable asset to him rather than a nuisance.
More so, if his assumptions on her identity turned out to be indeed correct.
Facing imminent death gives one time to reflect on their life, and a memory long buried in the back of his mind had resurfaced. The Mew Project had actually been started by his mother, Madame Boss, twenty years earlier. Within a year, he found himself overseeing it as he ascended to head of Team Rocket after her unexpected passing.
He recalled one scientist in particular who had stood out to him. A quiet, mousey sort of young man, but brilliantly gifted in his field. He worked with a passion and enthusiam unmatched by his collagues. In fact, it almost seemed as if he had intimate knowledge on the subject.
From that point on, Giovanni decided it was worth watching him more closely. Over the next year, he observed the researcher and attempted to delve further into his background. Unfortunately, he proved to be tight-lipped on his outside personal affairs. He gave no hint he was married, or even had a child, until one morning he had shown up to the lab suddenly with a tiny infant girl of around eighteen months old.
He profusely apologized for the toddler's presence as he was aware she was not permitted, but was unable to arrange a babysitter and her mother was ill. Giovanni, having grown favored of the scientist, allowed the child to stay. While he warned him not to make it a habit, he learned more that day from the little girl than he had her father in nearly two years.
The young researcher had only called her "Stardust", which was obviously a fond nickname. The little girl was the spitting image of him, and equally as timid. However, the moment she spied the lab Pokemon, her eyes had genuinely sparkled, and it was easy to guess how she acquired her name. The shyness disappeared and she became surprisingly intrepid. She was eager to get closer.
Strangely, the Pokemon themselves had seemed to perk up with her arrival. Intrigued in exploring this behavior further, Giovanni consented the little girl to interact with them. The subsequent results astonished both he and the scientists. She would talk to the creatures, and even in her simple, baby vocabulary, they could understand! She seemed to be able to interpret their language as well.
They were also more cooperative during her visit. The Team Rocket leader was immensely pleased with these developments, as the project had stalled in recent months. Recognizing a beneficial opportunity, he behested the child's father to bring her along to the lab every day to spend as much time with the Pokemon as she desired.
It was clear what Giovanni asked of was not a formal request, and the young man was forced to comply with the order despite his reluctance. From then on, his daughter began to accompany him to the lab on a daily basis. The little girl would at first hover near her father, and only engaged the Pokemon at his urging. Eventually, she settled into the routine and grew comfortable with her surroundings. She then instigated on her own to amuse herself with the creatures.
Upon the toddler's emerging confidence, peculiar oddities soon began to manifest. Pencils would unexpectedy roll off desks like they had minds of their own. Beakers and glasses were pushed around slightly as if by an unseen force across tables' surfaces. At times, even papers were mysteriously blown to the floor.
The number of occurences had continued to increase each day until it caught the attention of more than just the other scientists. Word had traveled to Giovanni, and he paid a special visit to address the concerns. The lab was thrown into chaos by then, some of the more paranoid researchers wondering if they were being haunted by ghosts for their questionable, and often unethical, methods.
He had been swift to quash such nonsense, reprimanding on how their intelligient minds could be easily swayed into superstition. There was a very logical explanation for the so-called paranormal activity. Given the fact they were studying Mew, a Psychic Pokemon, it should have been obvious as all the hallmarks were reminiscent of the psychic move telekenisis. The Team Rocket leader had suspicions from the beginning as to who the culprit was.
It appeared now was the time to find out if his hypothesis was true.
The burly man plucked an apple out of one researcher's lunch box, and carried it with him as he made his way to the back of the room. The toddler had retreated there to huddle in a corner after becoming frightened by the pandemonium. He approached her with measured caution as he sought to avoid further aggravating her fear, or she would otherwise be uncooperative. In the corner of his eye, he noticed her father try to move forward to intervene, but a warning glance froze him in his place.
Frustrated he was unable to help his baby girl, all the young researcher could do was watch nervously.
"It's all right, my dear," Giovanni spoke to the child, assuringly, "There's nothing to be afraid of. These men are just spooked over silly things."
For a moment, she gazed up at him with big, wary green eyes before slowly starting to unfurl herself. He smiled as she relaxed. Good. They were making progress. He then proceeded to phase two and presented the apple in front of her.
"Are you hungry?" he asked.
There was a small nod of her head, bouncing two short, dark brown curled pigtails softly, and she reached to take the coveted piece of fruit. She was startled when he withdrew it slightly out of her range. She searched him with confusion for an explanation.
"You may have it, but on one condition," he disclosed, "You cannot use your hand to remove it from mine."
"This is absurd," the young man immediately protested, interrupting, "Giovanni..."
"You will remain silent," the Team Rocket leader snapped, cutting him off, "If you wish for me to keep supporting your little family."
Sufficiently cowed, the researcher did not utter another word, pressing his mouth into a thin line. The little girl's face began to scrunch up as if she were going to cry. Her bottom lip quivered, staring earnestly at the apple in Giovanni's outstretched palm. All of a sudden, it began to rise shakily off his hand and float through the air.
The piece of fruit remained suspended only for a few moments before it hit the ground with a dull thud. It sat motionless for a brief period, and then began to rock forward, rolling now as it continued on its journey over to the toddler. She grabbed the apple in her tiny hands and bit a sizable chunk out of its juicy flesh. She smiled triumphantly up at the man as she enjoyed her snack, unaware she had performed to perfection in his plan.
Satisfied, Giovanni appeared smug as he turned to his captive audience. The scientists were enthralled at such a rare discovery. Although there was documentation to suggest psychic human beings existed in the world, few had actually been encountered, and none quite so young as the little girl before them. There was a chance she could, in fact, hold the key in answering significant questions in their research.
At that point, the young man had had enough of the spectacle. Ignoring the possible ramifications, he rushed over to the infant and scooped her in his arms protectively. She sensed the hostile change in the atmosphere, along with his apprehension, and her mood quickly dissolved into terror. The half eaten apple was forgotten, falling from her hands to the floor as she tearfully buried her face in her father's chest.
He maintained a safe distance between Giovanni and his colleagues as they appeared they would descend on her like a pack of hungry Houndours.
"My daughter is not a lab rat," he declared, angrily.
"And she will not be as treated as one," the Team Rocket leader assured, "However, even you should be able to recognize she would serve to fulfill a great purpose in the Mew Project."
Where there should have been heard a prompt rejection, there was instead only silence. The researcher was surprised at his own failure to respond in a timely manner to condemn such a proposal. Why was he hesitating? Surely he couldn't have yet lost all sense of his moral compass in the name of science.
The internal conflict was clearly visible on his face, and Giovanni seized upon the chance of his wavering resolve to further persuade him. He was disinclined to once again resort to threats, but he was determined to have this child, one way or another.
"I will give you time to consider," he added, offering latency, "You may take the rest of the day off, and in the morning, you will return with what I expect to be a wise decision."
Unbeknownst to the Team Rocket leader, however, it would be the last time he saw the little girl. The next day, the scientist arrived not with his daughter as usual, but a rather small and petite young woman. Giovanni presumed her to be his wife.
Unlike her husband, she was bold and assertive, with a firecracker personality. Despite being half the burly man's size, she wasn't intimidated in the least, and didn't mince words to voice her displeasure to him for using her baby as an experiment. Even though these unforeseen turn of events left him more than mildly irritated, he had to admit she made quite an impression on him.
That day, they were testing a new piece of equipment for the first time. Unexpectedly, it malfunctioned and the young lady became caught in the crossfire, which resulted in a bizzare accident with stunning revelations. Then what could only be best described as total bedlam erupted.
Thwarted in his endeavors to aid her, the young scientist was helpless but to watch, before, in the confusion, he finally slipped away. Regretfully, there was nothing he could do for his "wife", and a more urgent matter was on his mind. He knew he would need to act quickly.
When hours later he was discovered missing, Giovanni ordered a search of the area and his home. By then, however, both the young man and his daughter had vanished seemingly without a trace. Unfortunately, weather conditions at the time were too treacherous to send the Houndooms to sniff them out as a blizzard was bearing down on the region.
To this day, the Team Rocket leader had been unable to locate either one. He had assumed both of them had perished long ago, that is, until now. It was uncanny how he didn't notice before she bore such a striking resemblance, but at this point, he was all but certain Kikara was the same little girl. It was precisely why he was furious as he had lost her yet again.
Suddenly, he heard a faint sound of rubble crunching beneath boots as they trudged through the burned out building. The footsteps continued to clomp nearer to his position, and he lifted his head in their direction. The sight of his loyal and faithful companion lumbering towards him greeted him first. He had sent Persian, along with his Blastoise, to find help, and, judging his surroundings, it appeared to have been successful.
The Pokemon rubbed its head up against Giovanni's arm, purring happily. He stroked it briefly, but his smile disappeared a moment later when three all too familiar faces came into view. He honestly wasn't sure who to expect, but they were by far the least ones he would have imagined.
The red headed female tentatively began to approach him, but stopped short upon noting his expression.
"Um, are you okay, boss?" Jessie inquired, nervously.
As she voiced the query, the Team Rocket leader fixed a scathing glare on the woman. The question to him was preposterous, and made him wonder if she was completely oblivious to the situation. He'd nearly been killed, his main headquarters was in ruins, his elite officer lay half dead, and the two powerful beings responsible were no longer in his possession. It was a safe assumption to say that no, he was not fine.
"That... that bastard," he spat, vehemently, "And his conniving, deceitful, whoreish little bitch."
She froze at his words. As often as her and her teammates drew his ire, never before had she heard him resort to such brutal and crude language in all her years with Team Rocket. She was left speechless for a few moments before she eventually found her tongue again.
"S-sir?" she stuttered, staring dumbfounded.
The sudden whir of helicopter blades overhead interrupted them, announcing the solid black aircraft's arrival. It began to make its descent into the valley and landed a few yards away on a clear patch of ground. Gradually, the speed of the rotors diminished as it was reduced to idling, and then the co-pilot disembarked.
Clenching his jaw with the effort, Giovanni managed to struggle to his feet on his own to meet the man, who was mostly concealed in flight gear. The words he exchanged with him were inaudible to the trio, but the co-pilot proceeded to carefully gather the unconscious teenager into his arms. He promptly carried the girl towards the waiting aircraft.
Walking with a slight limp, the Team Rocket leader started to follow. However, he gave a short pause a moment later and turned irritably at the sound of Jessie's voice calling out to him.
"Sir, is there anything we can do to help?" she offered.
"You three can 'help' by just doing your job," he snapped.
The sharp rebuke startled the woman, and involuntarily sent her to scurry behind James as if seeking his protection. Meowth, having maintained silence for the entire duration, clung fearfully to his leg. The blue haired young man was equally subdued, but he swallowed his fear to formulate a response.
"Aye, sir," he heeded.
Wasting no further interactions, Giovanni resumed his way to the helicopter at a much quicker pace. He was in no mood to deal with their bungling right now. They had shown him time and time again their incompetence knew no bounds.
For this reason, the odd human pair and his former pet Pokemon Meowth were ranked among the lowest of his members. Yet, they had the potential to be adept, and why he presumed for all his threats he never actually bothered to fire them. So he continued to keep throwing them a crumb or two of missions in hopes it would pay off. If they could only stop expending all their energy to chase around, and constantly fail to capture, one kid's damn Pikachu...
Reaching the aircraft at last, he climbed inside and settled into his usual chair directly behind the pilot. The cool, cushioned leather felt like an oasis to his bruised and battered body. At the rear, Domino was spread out on the bench seat. Though the slight rise and fall of her chest indicated she was still breathing, the almost ashy pallor to her skin gave her the ghastly appearance of death.
Soon, the helicopter was en-route to his private hospital, where she would receive emergency care. He supposed he should have himself evaluated as well. It would be reckless and irresponsible to allow his pride to override sound judgement. He could not afford to sideline his operations any longer than necessary.
Already precious time was being lost in the amount it would take to recuperate and reorganize. However, he fully intended to begin a rigorous search for Mewtwo and Kikara as soon as resources became available. Even if he had to travel to the ends of the Earth, he vowed not to rest until they were found. Once he had reclaimed them, he would make certain they could never leave again.