Chapter 5-
Friendship renewed
Shortly after his argument with Robin, Giovanni ran out of the room, trying to locate where Esther was. After questioning several different Rockets, he figured that she was probably in her room by now. He hurried to her room, with Persian rushing after him, trying to keep up with his trainer's pace (which is quite fast, mind you.).
He arrived at her room and knocked on it softly. "Who is it?" Esther's voice was accompanied by one or two sobs. "It's me, Esther, your Boss." Giovanni said, figuring she wouldn't want to talk to him. To his surprise, Esther actually responded. "Come in." She said softly.
Giovanni opened the door, finding Esther on her bed, sobbing. "You okay, Es?" He asked, putting his hand on her shoulder. "No, not really." She sobbed. Persia was on the bed, lying next to Esther, trying in vain to comfort her. "What happened in there?" Giovanni asked, gently messaging her shoulders. "I-I guess I was still feeling bad from yesterday, plus Robin worked me so hard today, that, even though I looked like I had a lot of energy left, my nerves were really shot, except for one, which was hanging on like a thread. Then, when Robin ridiculed me again, it just severed that last nerve like a hot knife through butter. That's what caused my emo. Breakdown." Esther told him. "Emo. Breakdown?" Giovanni questioned. "Emotional breakdown." She explained, her sobbing stopped. "If I did anything to add to your stress, I'm sorry." Giovanni said quietly. Esther smiled through her tears at him.
Robin walked in several minutes later, not surprised to see Giovanni still messaging Esther's shoulders gently and speaking to her softly. After noticing Robin, Giovanni reluctantly stopped the massage. He kissed Esther's hand softly, and then left. Robin smiled as she whistled the wedding march once again, but Giovanni's encouraging and calm words had repaired Esther's nerves, or at least most of them, so she wasn't too miffed at Robin after her (Robin's) ranting. Soon after, as Esther lay down to go to sleep, she felt someone's hands on her back, rubbing it sensitively and soothingly. Giovanni had, at some point, re-entered the room. Esther was scared at first, but as his gentle voice entered her ears, she felt comforted. As he continued to caress her, she felt herself drift off to his gentle touch and quiet voice.
The rest of the week passed by quickly. Esther did incredibly well the rest of it. Robin, as usual, picked on her, but Esther had learned to ignore the blonde's ranting. Giovanni stopped by every now and then and checked on her. He seemed to be impressed with her so far. Friday night, Esther drove home in her Porsche. She was excited to see her son & brother again and told them everything, including what had happened Monday night. Link frowned as she told him about it. "Sounds like this guy's dangerous. Please, be careful, sis." "I will, bro." Esther said lovingly.
Saturday was a busy day. Esther went to get a new dress for her "date." After a day of planning, she got ready for her get-together with her "secret admirer." She put on the new outfit, which consisted of a sky blue blouse and black knee-length skirt, along with a blue scarf. When she had gotten ready, she came out of her room. Link, who had been watching Josh, gaped when he saw Esther in her ensemble. "Mommy Pretty." Little Josh cooed. "She sure is, Josh." Link said, smiling. "Es, you look fantastic! That outfit suits you perfectly!" "Thanks, Link!" Esther beamed, blushing a bit. "Wow! Who are you trying to impress?" A voice behind her said. Esther spun around to see Zelda, Link's girlfriend, who helped Link watch Josh. "I'm just meeting someone, Z." Esther said, checking her watch. "Oh my gosh! I'm going to be late!" Esther exclaimed, realizing what time it was. "Bye Link, Josh, Zelda!" She yelled, running out the door.
After climbing into her car, Esther drove to the café as quickly as she could without going over the speed limit. "Okay...the café on Elm and 33rd... this must be it." She said to herself, looking up at the building. After parking the car and locking it, she hopped out and straightened her skirt. She walked towards the restaurant slowly, looking for John.
As she walked on the concrete pathways, she heard a familiar voice. "I'm glad you came, Hadassah." Esther about faced to see John behind her, his face and clothes hidden in the shadows. "You." She said angrily. "How dare you show your face after what you did to me Monday night?! Do you realize what I went through the next day?!" "Yes, I do. I was there through it all, even though you didn't know it." John explained (He's still using the voice changer at this point.). "What?! What are you talking about, John?" Esther exclaimed, backing away from him slowly. "Who are you; what do you want from me?" "I am an old friend of yours. I wanted to get with you before your boss gave you a mission." He answered, pulling her closer to him. "Like I asked, who are you?" Esther repeated, freeing herself from his grasp. "You know me already." He said, turning off his voice changer beforehand. "Wait a minute! Why's your voice lower all of the sudden?!" She asked, fear in her voice. "This is why." He responded, tossing the voice changer at her. She nimbly caught it and looked at it closely. When she looked up, her eyes registered worry and fear at the same time. "Please, tell me who you really are." Her voice trembled.
Giovanni smiled. "I was hoping you would ask (yet again), Essie. I am leader of the Viridian City Gym, and an old friend of yours who has never forgotten our friendship over the years. I am also your Boss. I am Giovanni John Rocket." He answered as he stepped out of the darkness. Esther gasped as he did so. "Bo-Boss?? Wait-a-minute! Giovanni John Rocket?! No way!" She exclaimed, fear in her voice. "I think I can prove that otherwise." He answered, pulling out the photo of them together 5 years before and his ID out of his jacket. Esther looked at them, astonished. "Oh my gosh..." Were the only words she could muster out of disbelief. As she looked up at him, their eyes met once again. Almost involuntarily, she cautiously touched his cheek. "Gio?" She asked, using the nickname she had given him so long ago. "Yes, it's me, Essie." He said happily, holding her hand against his face. "Giovanni!" She cried, tears streaming down her cheeks. The two embraced warmly. "I-I thought I'd never see you again!" Esther sputtered. "Likewise, Hadassah. I knew there was something very familiar about you." Giovanni responded, kissing her cheek.
"How'd you figure out my full name? I only went by Hadassah when we were young." Esther asked, looking deep into his eyes. "Well, it was in your file, and also...I had Robin grab something for me." He said, reaching into his jacket and pulling out her floppy disk. "So that's where it went!" Esther exclaimed, reaching for it. Giovanni held it playfully out of her reach. "Let's eat first, catch up on several things, and then you can have it." "Giovanni!" She exclaimed, hitting him on the arm. "Ow...you're getting some muscles in your arms." He said, rubbing the sore spot, smiling. "Sorry." Esther giggled, almost flirtingly. Giovanni, though, caught her flirtatious glance. "Enough flirting, Essie." Esther blushed a bright rose at his comment and rapidly covered her cheeks with her hands. "Don't do that, Essie." Giovanni said quietly, removing her hands from her face. "You look so much more beautiful when you blush a nice shade of red, or even a light tone of pink."
"Hey, um...are we ever going to eat, Giovanni? I'm kind of hungry..." Esther asked, her stomach growling. "Huh? Oh, of course." Giovanni said. He then took her hand in his and together, they walked into the café. Unknownst to them, however, they were being watched by a disgruntled ex-Team Rocket member who wanted Giovanni gone, for good.
2 1/2 hours later...
"Wow, I can't believe that we had to catch up on so much. I guess four years is a long time to go without seeing your best friend." Esther said happily as the walked out of the eatery. "I know, Es. But when you think about it, nothing's really changed much for these long four years, except for one thing." Giovanni replied. "And what is that 'thing'?" She asked, eyeing him. "Oh...this." He said quietly. The next thing she knew, his lips were pressed against hers and his arms were around her. Esther squeaked, her voice muffled by the kiss. Deep down, she knew she liked it, but she also knew she didn't need to fall for him too hard. Otherwise, she knew there was a chance of getting burned.
After a couple of seconds, she managed to free herself from his grasp, much to his dismay. "What...was that...about?" She said, catching her breath in-between words. "My way of saying how beautiful you've become in four years." He said, smiling as he too caught his breath. "Not that you weren't pretty four years ago, but..." "Well...please, don't do that again. Not without my permission, anyway." She answered back, frowning. Just then, using her highly sensitive ears, she heard something that sounded like a gun click. She turned to where the sound had come from and saw a man point the gun at Giovanni, then he pulled the trigger. She quickly tackled Giovanni. They landed on the ground just as the bullet dug into the tree they had just been standing in front of.
"You okay, Giovanni?" Esther asked, once the couple was on the other side of the building.. "Yeah, I think so. Are you okay, Hadassah?" Giovanni asked her. "Yeah. Maybe a bit of dirt here and there, but otherwise, I'm okay." Esther said, smiling. "What was that?!" Giovanni asked. "Obviously, it was a bullet. Someone just tried to kill you, Giovanni." She said calmly. "Who would want to kill me, Es?" He asked, a note of nervousness in his voice. "I'm not sure. Some really miffed employee of yours is my only guess." Esther replied, hugging him tightly.
"I'm glad your safe, though. Let's get out of here." "Lets." He agreed, as the two walked to their cars. Esther looked to where the would-be assassin had been, but was greeted by the fact he wasn't there anymore. Seeing this, Esther immediately used her Nayru's Love* ability to protect Giovanni for about 48 hours. They said goodbye and left.
*Note: Nayru's Love is a spell from LoZ (Legend of Zelda): Ocarina of Time. It does not last very long, and certainly not 48 hours. Esther, though, has mastered it and can make it last longer if she wants.
Friendship renewed
Shortly after his argument with Robin, Giovanni ran out of the room, trying to locate where Esther was. After questioning several different Rockets, he figured that she was probably in her room by now. He hurried to her room, with Persian rushing after him, trying to keep up with his trainer's pace (which is quite fast, mind you.).
He arrived at her room and knocked on it softly. "Who is it?" Esther's voice was accompanied by one or two sobs. "It's me, Esther, your Boss." Giovanni said, figuring she wouldn't want to talk to him. To his surprise, Esther actually responded. "Come in." She said softly.
Giovanni opened the door, finding Esther on her bed, sobbing. "You okay, Es?" He asked, putting his hand on her shoulder. "No, not really." She sobbed. Persia was on the bed, lying next to Esther, trying in vain to comfort her. "What happened in there?" Giovanni asked, gently messaging her shoulders. "I-I guess I was still feeling bad from yesterday, plus Robin worked me so hard today, that, even though I looked like I had a lot of energy left, my nerves were really shot, except for one, which was hanging on like a thread. Then, when Robin ridiculed me again, it just severed that last nerve like a hot knife through butter. That's what caused my emo. Breakdown." Esther told him. "Emo. Breakdown?" Giovanni questioned. "Emotional breakdown." She explained, her sobbing stopped. "If I did anything to add to your stress, I'm sorry." Giovanni said quietly. Esther smiled through her tears at him.
Robin walked in several minutes later, not surprised to see Giovanni still messaging Esther's shoulders gently and speaking to her softly. After noticing Robin, Giovanni reluctantly stopped the massage. He kissed Esther's hand softly, and then left. Robin smiled as she whistled the wedding march once again, but Giovanni's encouraging and calm words had repaired Esther's nerves, or at least most of them, so she wasn't too miffed at Robin after her (Robin's) ranting. Soon after, as Esther lay down to go to sleep, she felt someone's hands on her back, rubbing it sensitively and soothingly. Giovanni had, at some point, re-entered the room. Esther was scared at first, but as his gentle voice entered her ears, she felt comforted. As he continued to caress her, she felt herself drift off to his gentle touch and quiet voice.
The rest of the week passed by quickly. Esther did incredibly well the rest of it. Robin, as usual, picked on her, but Esther had learned to ignore the blonde's ranting. Giovanni stopped by every now and then and checked on her. He seemed to be impressed with her so far. Friday night, Esther drove home in her Porsche. She was excited to see her son & brother again and told them everything, including what had happened Monday night. Link frowned as she told him about it. "Sounds like this guy's dangerous. Please, be careful, sis." "I will, bro." Esther said lovingly.
Saturday was a busy day. Esther went to get a new dress for her "date." After a day of planning, she got ready for her get-together with her "secret admirer." She put on the new outfit, which consisted of a sky blue blouse and black knee-length skirt, along with a blue scarf. When she had gotten ready, she came out of her room. Link, who had been watching Josh, gaped when he saw Esther in her ensemble. "Mommy Pretty." Little Josh cooed. "She sure is, Josh." Link said, smiling. "Es, you look fantastic! That outfit suits you perfectly!" "Thanks, Link!" Esther beamed, blushing a bit. "Wow! Who are you trying to impress?" A voice behind her said. Esther spun around to see Zelda, Link's girlfriend, who helped Link watch Josh. "I'm just meeting someone, Z." Esther said, checking her watch. "Oh my gosh! I'm going to be late!" Esther exclaimed, realizing what time it was. "Bye Link, Josh, Zelda!" She yelled, running out the door.
After climbing into her car, Esther drove to the café as quickly as she could without going over the speed limit. "Okay...the café on Elm and 33rd... this must be it." She said to herself, looking up at the building. After parking the car and locking it, she hopped out and straightened her skirt. She walked towards the restaurant slowly, looking for John.
As she walked on the concrete pathways, she heard a familiar voice. "I'm glad you came, Hadassah." Esther about faced to see John behind her, his face and clothes hidden in the shadows. "You." She said angrily. "How dare you show your face after what you did to me Monday night?! Do you realize what I went through the next day?!" "Yes, I do. I was there through it all, even though you didn't know it." John explained (He's still using the voice changer at this point.). "What?! What are you talking about, John?" Esther exclaimed, backing away from him slowly. "Who are you; what do you want from me?" "I am an old friend of yours. I wanted to get with you before your boss gave you a mission." He answered, pulling her closer to him. "Like I asked, who are you?" Esther repeated, freeing herself from his grasp. "You know me already." He said, turning off his voice changer beforehand. "Wait a minute! Why's your voice lower all of the sudden?!" She asked, fear in her voice. "This is why." He responded, tossing the voice changer at her. She nimbly caught it and looked at it closely. When she looked up, her eyes registered worry and fear at the same time. "Please, tell me who you really are." Her voice trembled.
Giovanni smiled. "I was hoping you would ask (yet again), Essie. I am leader of the Viridian City Gym, and an old friend of yours who has never forgotten our friendship over the years. I am also your Boss. I am Giovanni John Rocket." He answered as he stepped out of the darkness. Esther gasped as he did so. "Bo-Boss?? Wait-a-minute! Giovanni John Rocket?! No way!" She exclaimed, fear in her voice. "I think I can prove that otherwise." He answered, pulling out the photo of them together 5 years before and his ID out of his jacket. Esther looked at them, astonished. "Oh my gosh..." Were the only words she could muster out of disbelief. As she looked up at him, their eyes met once again. Almost involuntarily, she cautiously touched his cheek. "Gio?" She asked, using the nickname she had given him so long ago. "Yes, it's me, Essie." He said happily, holding her hand against his face. "Giovanni!" She cried, tears streaming down her cheeks. The two embraced warmly. "I-I thought I'd never see you again!" Esther sputtered. "Likewise, Hadassah. I knew there was something very familiar about you." Giovanni responded, kissing her cheek.
"How'd you figure out my full name? I only went by Hadassah when we were young." Esther asked, looking deep into his eyes. "Well, it was in your file, and also...I had Robin grab something for me." He said, reaching into his jacket and pulling out her floppy disk. "So that's where it went!" Esther exclaimed, reaching for it. Giovanni held it playfully out of her reach. "Let's eat first, catch up on several things, and then you can have it." "Giovanni!" She exclaimed, hitting him on the arm. "Ow...you're getting some muscles in your arms." He said, rubbing the sore spot, smiling. "Sorry." Esther giggled, almost flirtingly. Giovanni, though, caught her flirtatious glance. "Enough flirting, Essie." Esther blushed a bright rose at his comment and rapidly covered her cheeks with her hands. "Don't do that, Essie." Giovanni said quietly, removing her hands from her face. "You look so much more beautiful when you blush a nice shade of red, or even a light tone of pink."
"Hey, um...are we ever going to eat, Giovanni? I'm kind of hungry..." Esther asked, her stomach growling. "Huh? Oh, of course." Giovanni said. He then took her hand in his and together, they walked into the café. Unknownst to them, however, they were being watched by a disgruntled ex-Team Rocket member who wanted Giovanni gone, for good.
2 1/2 hours later...
"Wow, I can't believe that we had to catch up on so much. I guess four years is a long time to go without seeing your best friend." Esther said happily as the walked out of the eatery. "I know, Es. But when you think about it, nothing's really changed much for these long four years, except for one thing." Giovanni replied. "And what is that 'thing'?" She asked, eyeing him. "Oh...this." He said quietly. The next thing she knew, his lips were pressed against hers and his arms were around her. Esther squeaked, her voice muffled by the kiss. Deep down, she knew she liked it, but she also knew she didn't need to fall for him too hard. Otherwise, she knew there was a chance of getting burned.
After a couple of seconds, she managed to free herself from his grasp, much to his dismay. "What...was that...about?" She said, catching her breath in-between words. "My way of saying how beautiful you've become in four years." He said, smiling as he too caught his breath. "Not that you weren't pretty four years ago, but..." "Well...please, don't do that again. Not without my permission, anyway." She answered back, frowning. Just then, using her highly sensitive ears, she heard something that sounded like a gun click. She turned to where the sound had come from and saw a man point the gun at Giovanni, then he pulled the trigger. She quickly tackled Giovanni. They landed on the ground just as the bullet dug into the tree they had just been standing in front of.
"You okay, Giovanni?" Esther asked, once the couple was on the other side of the building.. "Yeah, I think so. Are you okay, Hadassah?" Giovanni asked her. "Yeah. Maybe a bit of dirt here and there, but otherwise, I'm okay." Esther said, smiling. "What was that?!" Giovanni asked. "Obviously, it was a bullet. Someone just tried to kill you, Giovanni." She said calmly. "Who would want to kill me, Es?" He asked, a note of nervousness in his voice. "I'm not sure. Some really miffed employee of yours is my only guess." Esther replied, hugging him tightly.
"I'm glad your safe, though. Let's get out of here." "Lets." He agreed, as the two walked to their cars. Esther looked to where the would-be assassin had been, but was greeted by the fact he wasn't there anymore. Seeing this, Esther immediately used her Nayru's Love* ability to protect Giovanni for about 48 hours. They said goodbye and left.
*Note: Nayru's Love is a spell from LoZ (Legend of Zelda): Ocarina of Time. It does not last very long, and certainly not 48 hours. Esther, though, has mastered it and can make it last longer if she wants.