Looker stopped at the edge of the road. As he got out of the car, the icy wind from the first winter days in the countryside shook his hair. He removed his sunglasses to look curiously at the house burned to the ground. It was a scene that was at odds with the image of tranquility of that place. He approached the front of the house taking a few long steps, he could notice some marks on the ground that he deduced were from pokemon and also from people. He noticed some patches of dirt as if someone had taken it upon themselves to carefully cover up the evidence of a terrible rock-type, ¿or perhaps ground-type pokemon attack?
He returned to his car to finish the path to where he was expected, at the top of the hill that looked like something out of an illustration from some children's story. With the vibrant colors of the field in it trees, the blue sky above it, the red tiles and the huge mill that turned slowly with the light wind that was now blowing.
When he reached the main gate of the house, he was awaited by a standing young man who he assumed was an employee. He took him to the house where he was invited to sit in the living room waiting for the owner of the house. Looker studied the white walls and the paintings hanging on them with a discreet gaze. He then took an oatmeal cookie the kind clerk offered him before disappearing down a long hallway. As he nibbled on the snack he told himself that the house seemed to be very quiet. He wondered where that fierce-eyed boy was who was on television announcing to the world that he would be the Kanto champion.
"Hello", said Professor Oak, appearing with a friendly smile.
"Hello, Professor Oak", Looker stood up to shake his hand. "I'm Detective Looker"
"Yes, from the international police, right?", He pointed to the chair for him to sit down again while he did the same.
"Yes sir, I appreciate you receiving me today"
"It was very surprising to receive a call from the international police, what do you need from me?"
"I'm working on the Team Rocket case, you know, that criminal organization that has the region with spiky hair"
Professor Oak nodded as he watched Looker pull out some folders from his briefcase. Suddenly the professor thought that the detective might be accusing him.
"You don't think I have something to do with those lunatics?", He asked in a high voice.
"No, well...", he paused. "I want you to look at these photos", Looker spread the photos of Ash, Delia and Gary on the nightstand.
The professor watched for a moment in complete silence and reached out his hand to take the pictures. After Delia and her family disappeared, many things crossed his mind, but he could not come up with a reasonable idea for what happened.
"This is my grandson Gary", he said, pointing to the boy's face in the photograph.
"Do you know the other boy?", Looker's gray eyes looked seriously at the professor.
Samuel Oak hesitated for a moment. He didn't know what was happening and he was worried about getting Delia in trouble, who was like his niece.
"Yes, I know him", he finally answered with a bit of caution. "It's Ash, he's a friend of my grandson, What do these children have to do with that, sir?", He asked, returning the photograph to the coffee table.
"That's what I want to know, you see, I found these photos while investigating a suspicious man sighting in a wooded area. He was not a member of Team Rocket, but a lackey of the Black Knights"
"The Black Knights?". Oak said doubtfully, now he understood less of the detective in front of him.
"It is a new group that is beginning to gain ground in Kanto. I think they are in a war with Team Rocket right now for territories in the region"
"Why would a man from this organization have these photographs with him?"
"I don't know, maybe they were interested in you, isn't that possible?", Looker watched the professor, expecting to see something on his face that would give away a clue to the case, but he found nothing but confusion.
"I've dedicated my entire life to investigation, detective, I'm not interested in turning things around and getting into things like this", The professor stood up annoyed by Looker's comment.
"I understand professor", said the detective in a calm voice. "What about the woman?"
"I..."
Oak didn't know whether to continue that talk or politely ask the gray-eyed man to back off. However, he didn't know about Delia or Ash either, and he was really worried about them. He wondered if they were involved in this case, but how?
"Professor", Looker said, pulling it out of his thoughts.
"I know her", he answered decisively, he wanted to know that was happen with his old friends so now he was willing to talk to the detective about Delia.
The professor sat down again and took the picture of the chocolate-eyed woman he had known since she was a child. He remembered Delia's smile as she accompanied his old friend Albert on the farm work. Her infectious laughter mixed with the Sammy's as they ran through the fields. The enthusiasm with which she showed up every morning after Sammy left to help him. Delia's mother's happy face when she was returning from Viridian with Giovanni. The love and affection with which she treated Gary. She was very important to both of us and he wanted her to be okay.
"Her name is Delia, she is Ash's mother. They lived in the house at the foot of the Hill"
Looker looked at him in surprise. He remembered the image of the little burned-out house and his skin prickled. Where were this woman and her child now? Would they be okay after that?
"What happened? Where are they now?"
"I don't know", The professor looked at the ground with concern. "Two days ago the house burned down when I went to see what was happening, there was no one there", He looked at Looker, not wanting to tell him what he saw after he arrived. About the mysterious men he found.
"Did they live alone?", Looker asked trying to make sense of all these events.
The professor stood up and walked a few steps to look out of the huge window in the living room. He gazed wistfully at the little house that could barely be seen down the road to Route 1. It was now rubble and ash.
"Delia is the wife of Giovanni, the Viridian City gym leader", the professor confessed without turning to look at the detective.
Looker scrambled to his feet. Giovanni. The name stuck in the middle of his thoughts. Looker's head began to move rapidly as if it were a fine precision machine. He had already spoken to Giovanni before. He clenched his fists tightly. Had he cheated on him? Was the gym leader more immersed in those black waters that were Team Rocket than he claimed?
"The gym leader", Looker repeated softly.
"That's right, they've always kept it a secret. Giovanni and Delia wanted Ash to have a happy and peaceful childhood"
"Professor, How well do you know Giovanni, the leader of Viridian?", Looker's question echoed through the scene and Oak scowled at him.
"He is a young man of few words. But he is respectable, he is a good father and husband"
That doesn't help at all, Looker thought. He didn't think they were talking about the same man, the one who told him in his office that if Team Rocket got in their way he would send them to hell. Coming to Pallet Town had been a good idea. He now he was more interested in knowing that happend with Kanto and the Viridian city gym leader.
"I think I'll go now. Talking with you has been a great help", Looker said, taking the pictures and putting them back in his briefcase.
"I hope you can solve your case, Detective", Oak escorted his guest to the door.
"Call me if you have anything else to tell me, professor", Looker offered him a contact card. The professor took it and put it in the pockets of his white lab coat.
"It's okay, Detective"
When Looker passed the burned house again he stopped again to take a look. He walked around the property and noticed that there were car tracks. As if someone had moved it after the fire. The ground at the back had no markings like the front. He theorized that this was an attack on Giovanni that turned out very badly from what he noticed on the ground. What he was now sure was due to the attack of the gym leader's ground-type pokemon.
Looker had already decided on his next goal and that was to find Giovanni. As he made his way down the dirt roads of Route 1, he thought of his talk with Professor Oak. Also in the words he crossed with the gym leader a while back. This case surprised him more and more.
In Vermilion City, Delia watched Ash play with Persian on the white sand of the beach. The salty air flooded her senses, it was a lovely place if only they had come there for other reasons. She tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear and glanced discreetly at the guards who were a few feet away watching them.
Ash was very excited to see the sea that morning and convinced her to go for a walk. When they went downstairs to leave Giovanni was waiting for them.
"Dad, we're going to the beach. Are you coming with us?", Ash took him by the hand playing.
"I have things to do now, son", Giovanni lifted him off the ground into his arms.
"Don't bother your father Ash, come on I'll take you", Delia said smiling at her son.
"I'll ask someone to accompany you, it's not safe for you to be out alone", Giovanni looked at her with his dark eyes and she nodded. "I'll see you for lunch later"
"Okay", Delia told him, looking away.
Giovanni approached her, circled her waist and kissed her cheek affectionately. Delia was not expecting that and she stayed still. Ash was in the arms of his father and gave a small, contagious laugh when he was caught between his parents.
"Be careful on the beach", Giovanni said as he pulled away from Delia and set Ash on the ground.
"Sure", Delia answered calmly taking her son's hand and walking away from her husband in a hurry.
Delia lightly ran her hand over her cheek remembering. Giovanni's lips were warm and soft. She remembered the times in their marriage where that familiar scene had been repeated. She watched Ash throw a ball at Persian who ran to catch it. Then the boy hugged the pokemon and they threw themselves belly up in the sand. She heard her son laugh, a smile was drew on Delia's face.
Those two days had been very difficult for her, she was angry with Giovanni and she thought that they could not return to their quiet country life. Her husband did not want to tell her what was happening claiming that it was better that she did not know details that put her and Ash at risk after. Everything changed in their lives so quickly that it was still difficult for her to think about it. She was worried about Professor Oak who was surely worried about them too. She thought she should call him to inform him that they were okay.
"Ash, honey, let's go back", she yelled at her son, standing up, lifting the blanket that she put on the floor when they arrived and then watching the little boy run towards her.
"Can we come again another day?", Ash took his mother's hand and Persian walked beside him.
"Maybe yes, did you have fun?"
"Yes mom much"
Giovanni looked at his executives standing in front of his desk. Proton and Ariana arrived the night before from Celadon.
"What did they come for?", The chief asked sternly.
"Sir, I informed they of the situation," Archer intervened, standing to one side of the desk and facing his companions.
Ariana looked calm as always and Proton seemed a bit nervous.
"It was my idea to come", Ariana said, looking with her fierce eyes at the boss. "It is better to plan our next actions while we are together"
Ariana was the most determined and fierce-tempered. She was a beautiful and intelligent woman. Over the years she accomplished various accomplishments for Team Rocket and remained steadfast in her goals. Giovanni thought she was a prime element in his ranks and appreciated her for it.
The boss nodded and waved for them to sit down. Archer also took a seat at the desk and handed everyone a black folder.
"It's a small report with the information we have collected. It also contains some pictures of where we think this Eric Phillips"
"I see", Proton said, checking the documents.
"Sir, Archer has informed us of his idea to go find to Phillips yourself, I disagree with that, we cannot endanger you", Athena's determined voice surprised Proton next to her, he knew that the redhead was interested at some point in the boss and that the news of his secret family had thrown her off balance for a moment.
Giovanni stared at the woman with his deep dark eyes in silence. Proton swallowed hard, feeling the pressure in the environment.
"I don't mind doing it, I've already decided", Giovanni declared, standing up.
The three executives watched him walk around the desk and go to the window.
"But sir…", Ariana objected, standing up as well.
"From this moment on, your priority is the safety of my family", The boss said looking at the sea that seemed bluer than other days.
"We will do what you ordered us sir", Archer said placing a hand on the shoulder of his companion and gave her a calm smile.
"Yes sir", the redhead said as she returned to her seat.
"I want them to send a reconnaissance squad to Pweter City", Giovanni looked at his executives seriously. "Proton and Ariana will go to Viridian, take back our territory in the city. Get the Cipriani's rats out of our business. That will help us get his attention"
"I'm almost ready to move your family to Hoenn, sir", Archer commented, noting what Giovanni said on his notepad.
"Call Petrel and tell him to be ready to move if necessary, you can withdraw"
"Yes sir", the three said in unison.
When they left the office Giovanni sat down behind his desk again while he wrote down a few words for Delia on a sheet of paper. He did not dare to tell her what was happening with Leo Cipriani because he did not want to worry her even more. Having to say goodbye to her and their son, would be the hardest thing of all.
The three executives commanded by Archer walked through one of the corridors of the huge mansion after talking with their boss.
"I don't think this is a good idea", Ariana said, falling behind on the road. Archer looked at her over his shoulder.
"This is not the time to contradict the boss", Proton said, scratching the back of his neck. "We all know that when something gets into his head, no one can make him change his mind"
"Proton is right for the first time", Archer commented, slapping his partner.
"Hey!", Proton claimed with a grimace on his face.
"This is very important to the boss, we must exercise caution and do the best we can. Eric Phillips is like his brother ... besides, the lady and the boy, have already heard it, they are our priority"
"But Archer, he should go first, if we lose the boss, it will all be over"
"Let's do everything on our part so that doesn't happen", Archer told her, starting to walk again.
Ariana did not reply anything more and only followed her companions. She and Proton would have to leave that same day for Viridian city. They should prepare and also their teams and pokemon.
When they came down the stairs they met Delia and Ash coming from the beach. Archer hastened to greet them very kindly.
"How was the beach?", He asked with a smile on his face.
"Very good", Ash hastened to reply, jumping up holding his mother's hand.
Delia looked at the three uniformed executives. She had already seen Archer but not the other two, the woman quickly caught her attention. She was very beautiful and she wondered if she was also very close to Giovanni as the attentive Archer.
"I'm glad, they are Proton and Ariana. They also serve the boss", Archer told her, introducing his companions.
"Hello ma'am and young man", Proton said waving a hand with a smile. It was the first time he had looked at the chief's little son and he was disappointed that the child didn't have a frown.
"Nice to meet you", Ariana said, lowering her head slightly.
"Nice to meet you, too" Delia hurried to say as she smiled.
"We are go, my lady, we have things to attend to, The boss is in his office"
Delia nodded and the three of them walked past her. She watched them go to the front door and then she continued on her way with Ash.
"Go to our room Ash, I have to go talk to your father"
The little boy nodded his head slightly in response and started to go in the opposite direction from where his mother was standing.
Delia stopped in front of the door of Giovanni's office, a day before she chatted with him there, and they ended up arguing because he did not want to talk to her about the matter that was happening and that caused their house to be destroyed.
She played softly the door, expecting to hear her husband's voice. When he responded to the other side, Delia poked her head out, she looked at him behind his desk writing something down.
"I can pass?"
"Sure", he replied, putting the note he had earlier in the top drawer of the desk. "How was it on the beach?"
"It was good", Delia sat in a wooden chair in front of the desk.
"I'm glad, Delia", Giovanni folded his hands on the wood of the desk and looked at her for a moment, smiling.
"I need to call Professor Oak", Her husband arched an eyebrow and leaned back in the executive chair.
"For what Delia?"
"He must be very worried about us", The woman's hands were on her lap, holding each other.
"What will you say to him, honey?, You can put us at risk"
She slightly lowered her face in annoyance. She thought it very hypocritical to hear him say that when her house was turned to ashes because of him.
"I wanthe to know that we are okay", Delia insisted with a louder voice. "You know how important Gary and the professor are to me, they are part of my family too"
Giovanni smiled and stood looking at her. She challenged him with her gaze and followed him movements as he came around the desk and stood in front of her. Giovanni was looking at her haughtily. He was much taller than her and seemed to him that her wife's cheeks were flushed. Maybe for the time they were in the sun on the beach. He hurriedly wrapped his arms around her and tilted his face a little, his lips brushing against Delia's.
His wife's chocolate eyes were staring at him. Giovanni then kissed her firmly and felt her hold on to him. She then gently pulled away and took a few steps away from him.
"I'll call the professor", she told him, taking the phone on Giovanni's wooden desk.
The gym leader sat down again and watched her dial the number. A while later Delia's eyes lit up as she heard the old friend of the family.
"Hello", Samuel Oak answered the phone as he sat on a high bench in his lab.
When the phone began to ring he was preparing an instant soup, with the phone between his ear and his shoulder he left the container with hot water on one of the tables in his laboratory, he only had to wait a few minutes for it to be ready.
"Hello professor", Delia tried to sound as normal as possible so as not to worry Oak.
"Delia!, It's good that you're calling, what happened?, How are they?"
Giovanni studied the gestures and slight movements of his wife. She tried to be calm but her emotions washed over her.
"We're fine, professor, all three of us", she said looking at her husband. "We'll take a vacation"
"How is that, Delia?, Your house burns down and you go on vacation?"
"Don't worry about it, everything is fine", she replied with a fake smile, although the professor couldn't see her.
"So why did a detective come looking for you?"
"What? When, Professor Oak?," Delia's tone of voice was laced with surprise.
Giovanni tried to listen to what the professor was saying on the other side and when he failed, he decided activate the loudspeaker, although his wife looked at him annoyed.
"He came today, he brought some pictures of you and the boys. He has said they were part of a Team Rocket case"
Delia's blood ran cold and Giovanni felt concerned. He watched his wife take her seat, her face pale, that news had left her very surprised.
"We'll talk to you again soon, professor", Giovanni intervened then with his diplomatic voice.
"Giovanni?", Oak hesitated on the other end of the line.
"Yes, professor. Ignore what the detective said. Delia and Ash are fine. It was only an incident in the kitchen that caused the fire. We will return to Pallet Town soon"
"But where are you?", The professor asked insistently.
"I can't answer that now. See you soon"
"Wait Giov….", The professor couldn't finish his sentence when he heard the dead line. He sighed wearily and lowered his shoulders.
The professor looked at the instant soup in front of him, hoping that really Delia and Ash were safe. That call had only left him confused. Was what they were saying really true? He could not know, Giovanni had always been very secretive and he never fully understood. But he was Delia's husband and Oak had to trust that him to keep her and Ash safe.
"Was that what you didn't want to tell me?", Delia asked suspiciously.
"No, but I knew it. I know who went to the Oak's house. You don't have to worry about him, I'll take care of it"
"Are you planning to kill that man?", She asked him scared with her hands on her chest.
"No, what are you saying Delia!" He rushed to tell her, as he leaned against the desk. "Look, I know him, you know, he went to see me at the gym a long time ago. I have a card from him, I'll call him and try to persuade him"
Delia nodded believing in the words of her husband. It was still hard to believe that her husband was the leader of a criminal organization. But thinking about the cruel acts he may have committed in those years made her dread.
"Okay, Giovanni", She stood up with her legs shaking.
Her husband noticed it and held out his hand. She hesitated for a moment and finally accepted it. She could get angry with him and come to feel hatred for his actions, but she, Delia, knew that she could not stop loving him so easily. Giovanni hugged her tightly and kissed her face lovingly.
"You must be calm, darling. Soon I will get you out of here and you can be with Ash spending the days calmly"
"What do you mean?", she asked, lifting her face to look into his eyes.
"I'm going to send you to a safe place I wanted to talk to you about it after lunch, but I'll do it right now"
Delia freed herself from the gym leader's arms and looked at him silently, waiting to hear his explanation.
"Where will we go?"
"They're going to Dewford Town, it's in Hoenn"
"That is far away. What will happen to you?"
"I must resolve this matter in Kanto", He ran a hand through his hair as he looked at the ground at his feet.
"So will you send us away from you?, Again…", she murmured.
"It's for you safety, if stay by my side you are in danger. I'll catch up with you later. I promise"
"And then what, Giovanni?", She asked him, approaching him. "Do you plan to continue with this life of a criminal?"
"Delia…" He said in a low voice.
Giovanni certainly hadn't considered that he would continue after that. He was the master and lord of Kanto. Everyone feared Team Rocket. His life was dedicated to organization, to the pursuit of power. He couldn't just throw it all away, he wondered if his mother was ever at that crossroads. Surely not, she was cold and calculating when it came to her adored Team Rocket. He looked at Delia, her eyes were crystal clear from the tears that threatened to overflow from her eyes. Giovanni reached out a hand and gently ran her thumb down the woman's cheek as a tear began to roll down her.
"When it's all over Delia, I'll go back to your side. Only that you should know"
"Then I hope the man who returns to my side will be the sweet and sincere boy that I fell in love with and married"
Delia started walking towards the door. Her husband watched her leave, he stared at the door for a moment, wrapped in the silence of his office. He didn't even know if he could keep that promise. Maybe Cipriani kill him sooner.
Giovanni walked around the desk and pulled out the letter he had put in the top drawer when his wife appeared. He took a fountain pen that was on some documents and wrote the name of his wife on top of the cream-colored envelope. He carefully placed the letter between some books in his bookshelf and then left the office.
He didn't know that he would hold the future for him. But he wanted to be sure that Delia knew how much he loved her and their child. The happiness she had brought into his life from the first day they met. The light and hope that illuminated his days with her by his side.
If what was happening was part of fate or maybe karma taking all his past actions he could accept it. But he would not make things so easy for it, he would face the demon himself if it were necessary to return to Delia's arms. He would fight to be in her future and that their children.