Hi, enjoy this chapter! Thanks to those who leave their comments, they encourage me to continue writing!

The morning had started in Viridian city as it always used to with its streets packed with people and cars coming and going. It was the rush hour in the morning when people went to work or school. At the city police station, the detectives and policemen already had thousands of forms to fill out, people to imprison, cases to follow and also hot and strong coffee to drink, accompanied by their respective amount of sugar necessary to face the day, this one was coming in good shape of donuts.

"Hey Looker!", A uniformed man yelled from the hallway leading to the building's elevator.

"What's up O'hara?", He asked filling his coffee cup.

"They called from the gym and said the leader has agreed to speak to you if you arrive before twenty minutes"

Looker quickly emptied his coffee cup into a thermos, grabbing a glazed donut with one hand and the thermos with the other as he scooped a paper napkin into his mouth. And he hurried to the elevator. He had been trying to meet Giovanni, the gym leader for a week, but he had only gotten refusals from his secretary, who told him that he was busy. That he had business to attend to at Azulona, or that he was at Johto. Looker found that extremely interesting. Wasn't a leader supposed to wait for challengers in the gym? Although he also assumed later that being an important businessman he had to move a lot. He skillfully drove through the car-flooded streets and took a shortcut through a desolate and smelly alley. O'hara had told him that if he wanted to get there on time he should follow that route. When Looker pulled up to the curb in front of the gym he looked at his watch, he had just barely made it. He felt like a professional race racer and got out of the car with a confident stride. His first battle of the day was won by arriving on time. When he entered the gym he looked at the Roman-type moldings on the ceiling. He had found them very interesting since the first time he went there a week before. Giovanni's secretary, who was in fact an undercover agent for Team Rocket, was the one who greeted him with a polite smile.

"Detective, we were expecting you", He held out his hand to greet him. Looker rushed to greet the brown-haired boy in front of him.

"Can I finally see your boss?", He asked, arching one of his bushy eyebrows.

"Yes, the leader Giovanni has returned last night from Mahogany city, today he asked us to call you", They began to walk towards the stairs at the end of a long corridor of terracotta-colored walls. "He has not plenty of time today, he must attend a charity dinner tonight and fill out paperwork from the gym and from casino in Azulona"

"He's a very busy man", Looker said looking at a painting of Persian that was on the wall in front of the stairs. As he climbed these he wondered what it would be like to meet this leader in person. He would know soon he thought.

"Yes, he always has a lot of business to attend to", The young man stopped in front of the double wooden door. "This way please"

When the door opened and the secretary announced his arrival, Looker's gaze went to the huge window at the back that had a wide view of the city and especially the tall man who was looking through it, dressed in black pants and a white shirt, which he would later realize was not wearing a tie. The office was modern and elegant. But it seemed to him to be very impersonal, there was nothing he could look at to get an idea about the person who worked there.

"I'm glad we're finally meeting", Giovanni commented, turning to see his guest.

"I'm retiring sir", Agent Rocket said who worked as his secretary. Giovanni nodded.

"You have been very difficult to find", Looker extended his hand towards the gym leader. A quick handshake and then Giovanni pointed to the chair in front of his desk.

"Take a seat, detective..." He paused as if trying to remember his name.

"I'm Looker", the detective told him in a calm voice, sitting in the chair. Giovanni smiled slightly and also sat down.

"Tell me, Looker, how can I help you?", He said, leaning his back a little against the back of the chair.

"I have been sent here from the International Police", Giovanni made a quick gesture with his eyebrows that went up and down gently as if he wanted made noticing his little interest.

"What's that got to do with the gym?", The leader asked as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"With the gym nothing", he answered, glancing at the desk that was spotless. He had only one paperweight in the shape of a glass pyramid. A gray folder and a black Chinese pen with Giovanni's initial letter on the side of it. "I would like to know what does a man think of his power about Team Rocket?"

Giovanni looked at him carefully as if analyzing him. Then he leaned forward putting his elbows on the fine wood of his desk, his fingers intertwining below his chin.

"As long as they don't get in my way, I'm not interested," he replied with such coldness and apathy that he made Looker feel like he was facing a deep-staring demon. His dark eyes looked at him in a calm, yet strangely hostile way.

"Are you not interested in the people of your city then? Or the pokemon? Isn't a gym leader supposed to be faithful to the pokemon?" His voice had a hint of annoyance that it pleased the crime lord.

A small silence reigned for a moment. Giovanni smirked.

"Do you know why I'm a gym leader?", Looker shook his head. "You see when I was a child I didn't have anything of my own, everything around me didn't belong to me, at least not for my own merit. I set out to be a gym leader to making myself strong. Getting to this position was only the first step stone to the top of where I now conduct my business"

"What if Team Rocket interferes with your view from the top?"

"I'd get them out of the way, but I don't think they'll get in the way"

"Why are you so sure?", Looker asked curiously.

"In all these years nothing has happened", he replied calmly with a cunning smile.

"Well then sir, could you tell me about the casino in Azulona, who are your clients?"

"I don't think it's a question I should answer, detective. If you want a list, bring a warrant, Although I think it will be difficult considering the background of my business group"

Looker realized that talking to Giovanni and get out with something of relevance would be difficult. The leader was a firm and authoritative man. They had warned him that it was not easy to deal with. Looker stood up with a sigh of surrender.

"I guess, that I won't made you waste any more time then. Thanks for your time"

Giovanni got up too and gave the detective a haughty look. Looker thought that this man was definitely hiding a lot behind his impassive and greedy facade. Now he was more than interested in the gym leader and especially in those businesses that he was so proud of.

"It's been a pleasure detective, it's always good to help and cooperate with our police department", Looker felt that he was being teased and frowned. He nodded and headed for the door.

The visit to the gym had not been very productive but now he had a line that was too seductive for his case to follow, he thought as he jotted down Giovanni's name in his little notebook, then circled it with a quick movement of his pen against the paper. Looker took one last look at the front of the gym and started driving out of town to head for Route 7, where some of the Team Rocket soldiers had recently been spotted.

Delia was watering the plants in her front garden when she heard her son calling her from the house. A moment later he was with her. The little one was wearing a net and a wide boater hat.

"Mom, I'm going", Ash said excitedly.

"Ash, son, be careful", his mother told him, adjusting him hat with affection. "Remember not to go too far, do not go deep into the woods and be careful with wild pokemon"

"Sure Mom, don't worry, we'll be fine"

"Okay sweetie", Delia kissed her son's cheeks and watched him run off toward Gary Oak's house and his grandfather.

That day they would be playing as usual among the wide fields of Pueblo Paleta. Just as she and Sammy had done when they were kids. The happy memory of her childhood made her feel nostalgic. The sun was beginning to hit harder high in the sky. However, the weather was beginning to change, winter was just around the corner. A stream of icy air hit her skin and made her locks of brown hair dance. She finished putting water on her plants and went back inside the house. She made herself a cup of hot chocolate and sat down to read for a while, one of the old books that Giovanni had left on one of his visits. Those days she no longer felt uncomfortable, the initial discomforts of the pregnancy had passed. Her belly was still a bit flat, but Delia believed that soon she would begin to show. Her husband had sent a text message apologizing for cutting off her call, but he hadn't called her again. The gym leader's wife was beginning to worry. Giovanni had never behaved like that. He seemed like now he didn't want to go home and not be in touch with them either. She was beginning to doubt the actions of her husband. She put a hand to her belly and caressed it gently. She hoped that he would show up there soon.

After drinking her cup of chocolate and reading a good part of the book, he set about doing some chores around the house. As she searched for dirty clothes in her energetic son's room, she came across a drawing that Ash had made. Three figures could be seen, one of them with a dark suit and a serious face that she deduced was her husband, which made her smile with amusement. Another figure was small and tousled black hair with a big grin from ear to ear. This small figure was in the middle of the drawing and was held by the hands of the first drawing of a serious face and of a third pink and brown-haired figure that he quickly knew was her. That piece of art must be to displayed proudly on the refrigerator, so she folded it and put it in her pocket. When she was about to leave the boy's room she was surprised by the reflection of her coming from Ash's mirror. She looked at her face that despite the fatigue of those days looked radiant. She smiled thinking that pregnancy did magic sometimes. She studied her body in detail for a moment. She turned on her side trying to see if her belly was showing, but it didn't stand out much. She wondered what her husband would think of her when he saw her with a full belly. She imagined him with a cute face of the kind that only she had seen while he stroked a swollen belly. Shook her head shaking that idea and smiled like a schoolgirl in love. She left the boy's room with a basket of dirty clothes and started to go to the laundry room. Delia will take advantage then of the fact that Ash was out and will sleep a while, lately she was very sleepy at noon.

Giovanni watched as he stood in front of the huge glass window in his office, he was in one of the great buildings of Viridian city. It was there that he carried out his facet as a visionary entrepreneur of the region and not just the exceptional gym leader of the city. He was respected and also feared and he liked that.

The man watched through the glass as life took its normal course through the streets of Viridian. His hands rested behind his back, intertwining each other. Looker's visit that morning had gone well. At least that's what Giovanni thought. He did not strike her as a detective who stood out from the many others who previously handled the Team Rocket case. But he should give him credit for being the first to go looking for him. Giovanni hoped that him to stop sticking his nose in his path at least for a while while he dealt with Cipriani. But since it used to be his wary nature, he put an agent Rocket to follow the gray-eyed detective. Better to keep an eye on him and avoid an unexpected and unpleasant surprise later. After seeing Looker he had worked on the paperwork for the gym that it had accumulated these days and also for the casino. He telephoned the Mahogany City base and had a long conversation with Dr. Fuji, who was making good progress in his research on Mew, the Pokémon his mother had tried to get before. If all went well, he would soon begin the practical work of the investigation and would soon have in his possession an extremely powerful pokemon.

However, despite having a long day at work, his mind had remained immersed in an idea. That was the benefit dinner he was going to attend. He was never worried about these social events, but now he had great interest. He closed his eyes briefly, and took a slow breath in an attempt to calm heis anxiety. He had been feeling uneasy, but also excited by the idea of finally coming face to face tonight with the infuriating puppeteer Leo Cipriani was to him.

"Sir, the car is ready", One of his agents snapped him out of his thoughts, turned, and started walking toward the door. The time had finally come to confront this impetuous rival.

Kanto's annual charity party helding that night and would be attended by all the important personalities of the region from businessmen and celebrities, to gym leaders and bureaucrats. It was a good place to strengthen business and social relationships as well as to complete business. Giovanni seldom attended events of this nature and greatly avoided appearing in public, but this time a singular new businessman who had just arrived in the region would make his first public appearance and he was more than anyone interested in meeting him personally.

The drive from his downtown office to the building where the party was taking place had been quick and uneventful. As he glanced out of the car window he thought of his family. It had been a long time since he had looked at them and he hadn't been able to call Delia again. He was worried that his wife would start asking questions that he couldn't answer. He had to take care of Cipriani and the Black Knights soon if he wanted to go back to Pallet Town and redeem himself with Ash and Delia for all the time that had kept them relegated. When he got out of the car a cool breeze hit his face and then the bright flashes of the press cameras stunned him, but he did not stop nor did he show that it bothered him greatly. He walked with a confident stride followed by his bodyguard who trying to keep the cameras away from the their boss. But this was a really difficult task. Everyone wanted a photo of the blazing gym leader. Because it was the first time in a long time that he had been seen in public. Reporters wanted to quench their thirst for information, fill the headlines with the best photo of the most powerful man in town. That entrepreneur and gym leader enigmatic and reserved, and why was this man so rigid and cautious? What was hiding behind that mask of cold personality? Many had been the questions that revolved around the leader of the gym in the city, but few that had been answered. One of his main reasons was that no one should find out about his wife and son in Pallet Town. His private life was to be kept secret. He was careful about what he shared and also about his public appearances. His activities with Team Rocket was the other reason for him, no one would imagine that it was he who moved from the shadows the threads of that problematic and feared organization.

Giovanni's footsteps echoed down the corridor with its white walls and small chandeliers at the sides. He was well dressed in a black tuxedo and white shirt, a dark vest stood out from his jacket and a black bow tie added the finishing touch. Giovanni put his right hand in his trouser pocket and entered the party with an aura of self-sufficiency and power that he combined splendidly. Soon the eyes of those present were on him, all surprised that he will show up that night, there must be a very powerful reason for that. He was met by the head of the public affairs directorate of the city of Viridian, who upon seeing him approached him with a smile on his face.

"It's nice to see you around here Giovanni", He greeted in a familiar tone, he was a young man with short red hair, he had blue eyes and a kind face.

The Team Rocket leader readily recognized his childhood friend. A boy who grew up like him under the leadership of an authoritarian and distant parent. At the time when his mother's organization was run by herself, the father of the now director of public affairs had been an important pillar, being the executive closest to the woman and in whom he fully trusted. Eric Phillips, was the only person in the entire city who knew of the existence of Ash and Delia. When they grew up and got off their parents' radar, Giovanni set about landing the position of gym leader. He worked hard and he succeeded. Eric decided to leave Team Rocket behind even with the disapproval of his father, he went to college and pursued a career in local politics that until now continued to prosper. Giovanni always behaved in a reserved and cautious manner. He always had contingency plans for everything. So if something went wrong he had a backup. That had saved him much trouble and loss. He never lost contact with Eric and always kept him up to date on Team Rocket operations because, although Eric will not accept it, he would be a fundamental member of the organization forever. He had helped him from his local political position many times in the past. The crime lord knew very well that if one day everything failed and he needed someone to support his family, it would be Eric Phillips.

"Eric...", the crime lord replied kindly. "It's good to see you old friend", he genuinely smiled.

"What is the reason our great gym leader honored us with his presence today?", Eric asked in a charismatic tone, while patting down Giovanni's back, few were those who could afford that luxury.

"Maybe even I curious about our new friend in the region, don't you think?"

"Ah, so that's it", said the man raising an eyebrow. "They say he's an interesting man"

"It's what I've heard too. You know they say that he loves to venture into new businesses"

"Uhmm", Eric raised an eyebrow and leaned a little closer to Giovanni. "I'll be watching his movements too", he whispered, then quickly moved away with a sneaky smile. "Well, nice to see you, enjoy the night"

"Same Eric", Giovanni nodded and shook the public affairs director's hand and they parted between the crowd.

The Team Rocket leader mingled among the crowd. He walked calmly and quietly while carefully observing what was around him. He took care of the details, the sounds, the people who chatted, drank, and ate snacks. He drank a whiskey on the rocks while watching some people dance in the center of the floor. His strong gaze swept the place in an analysis, cautiously searching for Leo Cipriani in the crowd.

He suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder, turned his face a little and gave a look of annoyance. Immediately one of his escorts was taking the forearm of the man dressed in black who was holding the Rocket boss.

"You have the guts to approach like this," Giovanni said in a dismissive tone.

His dark, suffocating gaze settled on the man in front of him and Giovanni smiled, but in a sinic and hostile way that made his blood run cold and made the man recoil, who hesitantly looked into him eyes.

"Come with me please", he said quietly, "my boss wants to see you" The man lowered his gaze and began to walk.

Giovanni in other circumstances would have ignored the guy in front of him. However, he knew well who would end up being his boss, that was the man of the moment, Leo Cipriani. So he, followed by his security agent, followed the man to a balcony, who opened the door for him and stood at the entrance, making sure that no one was disturbing them.

The air was rushing with strength outside, it was a rainy night and the balcony was freezing. Giovanni felt a chill run down his spine, the security agent accompanying him was behind him and seemed to have reacted like him. The crime lord looked at the figure of a tall man looking out of the balcony towards the streets of Viridian city that were full of cars and people and that shone with the lights of a metropolis that he knew how to enjoy the nights very well. His back was to them and Giovanni took a few steps forward, gesturing with his hand to his agent to wait behind him.

"So we finally meet, Giovanni", said the man, turning and showing himself.

Clad in a navy blue tuxedo without a tie, Leo Cipriani smiled diplomatically at the gym leader. He was an older man in his fifties, with graying hair that must once have been black, but now he had a few streaks of gray on his sides. His eyes were cold and deep. Of a blue color like the sky that seemed under the light of the night the water in the middle of the ocean. He leaned against the balcony railing, crossing his arms in front of him. He had a well-trimmed beard and was somewhat heavyset.

Giovanni thought he recognized that voice. He couldn't quite remember from where. But there was a familiar touch on it, and this man's eyes flashed into his mind like a distant, fuzzy memory. He was confused for a moment, but his unflappable countenance didn't give him away.

"It is a very beautiful city", Leo Cipriani commented, turning his face a little to see the streets below. "I visited a restaurant a few nights ago, good food and wine", he said as he began to walk towards Giovanni. "There is nothing that likes me more than good wine and a business well done"

Giovanni listened to him attentively as he watched him carefully. The tension in the air was getting heavier.

"Business well done is my specialty", the crime lord declared quietly.

"I know", Cipriani replied with a haughty smile. "I also know that you're not what you say" His dry voice entered Giovanni's ears and red alarms went off in his head.

"So?", He raised an eyebrow and moved a few steps around Cipriani without taking his eyes off him. "And what am I according to you?"

Cipriani gave a sinic laugh that exasperated the gym leader.

"I was hoping you would tell me", he whispered, leaning toward Giovanni.

The black-haired's hands clenched into fists at his side. The report surely had existed and if it had reached Cipriani he thought with fear.

"You know, maybe you don't understand yet", Cipriani continued. "But I've been after you for a long time", That statement surprised the gym leader.

"Who the hell are you really? What do you want from me?", He asked in annoyance.

"You'll have to find out for yourself"

"Don't play with me", replied the crime lord of Kanto raising his voice and approached Cipriani furiously. "You don't understand where you're getting"

"The typical words of a child with an air of superiority", Cipriani said mockingly. "Look, I like children, but right now you have under your control what does not belong to you"

A bulging vein was marked on Giovanni's forehead who could not understand the words of the man in front of him. What the hell did he owe this guy and why?

"Right now you are interfering with my plans", Cipriani continued speaking with a dry and at the same time calm tone. "All Kanto will be mine, you can't stop me. You better back off boy before you get hurt, I won't be nice to you anymore"

"Is it a threat?", Asked the gym leader with hiss. "I am the lord and master of this region, what makes you think that I will just step aside leaving everything to you?"

Leo Cipriani shook his head as if refusing to hear more than Giovanni was saying. Suddenly the man walked a few steps towards the gym leader and took him by the lapels of his tuxedo making him very close to his face, Giovanni gestured with his arm to his agent not to intervene.

"Listen to me well, 'Giovanni', don't play with the devil because you will may regret it", he sentenced, giving him a look of pride, fury and contained threat.

The Team Rocket leader felt the blood rush through his veins with fury and when he was about to slap Cipriani's hands away, a fleeting memory of childhood made him suddenly feel intimidated by something he was not used to feeling. Those damn eyes made him feel familiarly scared. Leo Cipriani released him from his grasp and smiled with mock friendliness that he then framed threateningly. He fixed Giovanni's tuxedo jacket by gently smoothing the fabric.

"Watch your back, I won't be condescending with you as I have been before", He passed Giovanni's side, returning to the party.

Giovanni was stuck on the floor, he couldn't move, or he didn't want to.

"Sir", the voice of his security agent brought him out of his reverie, "Are you okay?", He asked a little scared.

"Of course", he turned, looking at the man. "We're leaving right now"

Delia looked at the sky from the window of her room, the night was particularly cold but she did not care, she liked to look at the stars at night while she imagined that in Viridian City her husband did the same. A stream of icy wind made her hold her hair. She looked up at the dark sky where twinkling stars shone.

She had a few nights without good sleep. A strange sensation had lodged in her chest, the feeling that something was wrong. She was past the initial discomforts of pregnancy and she was more comfortable with the idea of a second baby. Her son was fully recovered from his arm and he was the same fun and loving boy as ever. Which should make her feel calm. But, nevertheless, that feeling of anguish and despair continued to nest in her chest. It must have been because of Giovanni's estrangement. The one she hadn't been able to talk to, she thought. Fear of his reaction to the baby perhaps. She didn't know it, but she felt on constant alert as if waiting for something bad to happen.

She closed the window and went to her bed, she should rest at least a little. She sat on the edge of the bed and glanced at the photograph of Ash next to his father that she kept on the nightstand. A loving smile spread across her face. When she was about to stretch her arm to take the wooden frame that her son had made and adorned with macaroni, she heard the barking of a poochyena in the distance. Her mother used to say that this was not a good omen on a cold night like this. Delia refused to give much thought to the idea that maybe if something happened in Viridian city with her husband. She lay down on the bed and covered herself with some blankets that night it would be very cold. She wondered what was making her husband now, would he feel like her? Delia smiled thinking that she did know him well, she would be reading or writing in her diaries about earth type pokemon, that he was his favorite.