Twitching with indecision, Ash finally was unable to take it anymore, and practically stormed over to the man who claimed to be his father. "Why?"
The simple word held many emotions. Pain. Sadness. Accusation. It was ambivalence at its peak.
Expressionless, Giovanni turned his head minutely towards Ash. Softly, but in an almost-harsh manner, he asked, "What?"
"Why are you doing this? What do you stand to gain?" Ash Ketchum's chin was jutted out, and his eyes flashed as he held Giovanni's with his own.
"What more can a man want than world domination? Having the Legendary Pokémon would help me achieve that goal," Giovanni replied, turning his eyes back to the battle.
"What about family?!" Ash countered. "You used to have one, you know!"
Giovanni raised an eyebrow, eyes still glued on the fighting. "Oh, so now you're feeling more accepting?"
Ash didn't answer that, instead asking quietly, "Why did you leave?"
Straightening imperceptibly, and lifting his chin, the Team Rocket leader sighed. "I had to face my destiny..." But Ash somehow sensed he wasn't done, and remained quiet, waiting for him to speak again.
"My father was a criminal before I was...He was the former head of Team Rocket. I was expected to follow in his footsteps, but being a reckless young fool, I decided it wasn't the path for me at the time. Your mother and I were high school and college sweethearts, and so I finally eloped with her. My father was very angry, but I didn't care. I was married to your mom for a few years before he finally got over it and tried to coax me into joining his organization. Since I'd had my fair share of rebellion, I secretly did so, my father teaching me a lot of what I know now."
Giovanni took a breath, "Your mother noticed the change, and didn't know what to do about it. When I realized she was getting suspicious, I tried to adjust my personality when I was with her...Then you came along."
The Team Rocket leader actually smiled at the memory. "My bouncing baby boy. Instantly, I decided to name you after my father. Eager to please me, your mother agreed."
"You loved Pokémon from the start, playing for hours with the weak Pokémon I would go out and quickly catch for you to play with for a while."
A memory sparked.
A little Pidgey, chirruping at him from his tall father's arms. Giggling, he reached out for it, and his father set it down on the floor.
He hugged it tightly, and it returned the hug in kind, nibbling at his dark hair. He introduced it to his new, colorful beach ball, and the two started to play, scooting it around playfully.
"But a few days after what I believe was your fourth birthday, terrible news reached me...My father had died. I was torn, unable to choose between staying with my family, or taking over my father's position. Your mother and I had a fight about it, and I decided that I would leave. But she had a sudden change of heart, and begged me not to go."
Again, a flash-back, this one bringing back disturbing memories.
Ash's mother was sobbing, and pleading desperately, "Don't go! I'm sorry! Don't leave us alone!"
Ash was confused. He didn't know what was happening, but he didn't like it. Mommy was crying, and she never cried. She had also been angry at Daddy earlier, but he didn't know why. Maybe she did something wrong, and was sorry for it?
And yet, he didn't think that was it. He could practically feel the sorrow emanating off of her in waves. Something was going to happen. Was Daddy leaving forever?
His father was stuffing things into a suitcase, an annoyed look on his face. But his facial expression couldn't mask the regret and pain in his eyes.
Whimpering in fear of what was gonna happen, sadness for his Mommy, and worry for his Daddy, he held his stubby hands out, ignoring the Rattatta beside him, "Stay, Daddy! I wuv you!"
Ash's father set down the suitcase, and bent beside the young boy, looking into his dark eyes. "I have to go away, Ash."
"Why?" Ash's eyes watered up, and he sniffled.
"There's just something I have to do," he answered ambiguously. "But I promise I'll see you again someday." He lowered his voice, "I want you to take care of your mother, okay?"
Ash nodded, and his father continued, "And I want you to take care of all of your Pokémon, and one day you can be a Pokémon Master, and join your father. Would you like that?"
He gave an enthusiastic nod that was accompanied by a hiccup. With wide, moist eyes, he inquired, "Yeah. When'll I see you?"
His father didn't answer, he just got to his feet and started packing again, ignoring the pleas that Ash's mother was uttering frantically.
"It broke my heart, but I had to do it. We were drifting apart...The next day, after she'd calmed down a bit, I called her, and we worked out the agreement I told you about earlier." Giovanni sighed, as if a great load was lifted off his shoulders...And maybe it had been.
"But don't you understand? You don't have to continue following in your father's footsteps," Ash insisted, "--just like I don't, and won't, follow the path that you are going down!"
"We shall see. Maybe after this battle you will change your mind." Giovanni no longer looked at him, the battle the only thing on his mind.
Ash sighed. He had to think of a way to get his father to change his mind...There was still good in him, he knew it.
Now, if only he could find it...
There was good in Devon, Cat knew it. But how could she find it?
Sighing, she sent a particularly powerful attack at Mewtwo, who shrugged it off as if it were a fly. Cat narrowed her eyes, and tried attacking him more.
But it was no use. Devon and Mewtwo showed no signs of tiring, whereas the other Mews could feel the battle taking its toll.
It was almost like all of Giovanni's Pokémon were Super-creatures, with nearly unlimited strength and invulnerability. Was it because of the thought of punishment that they worked so hard? Was it his motivation? Or was he just an incredibly skilled trainer that pushed his Pokémon to the limit?
Whatever it was, Cat didn't know. But she didn't like it.
Pikachu didn't know anything about the story Giovanni told Ash. If he had, maybe things would have turned out differently.
But then again, maybe they wouldn't have.
But, regardless of what could've happened, what happened, happened.
Pikachu's sharp little Pika-mind knew that Giovanni was the cause of the whole mess. So, to stop the mess, he figured that something had to be done about the Team Rocket Leader.
And since he figured a good electric shock wouldn't do the trick, he would have to get Mewtwo to do something.
Poor Pikachu was to regret it all later, but he scampered up to Mewtwo and hit him with a light Thundershock to gain his attention.
The Psychic Pokémon's eyes were instantly upon him, communicating to him to either state his purpose quickly or die.
Wanting very much to live to a ripe old age, Pikachu swiftly spoke. [Giovanni's using you!]
And I am using him, Mewtwo replied. It was not new knowledge that Giovanni cared nothing for him.
[No, you don't understand!] Ignoring the feelings in his round belly that told him to shut his big fat mouth, Pikachu fibbed, [He's going to kill you after he catches the Legendaries. He thinks you're too dangerous, and he's going to clone another Psychic-Type like you that will follow him better!]
He won't be able to kill me.
[That's right, he couldn't kill you by himself, but,] Pikachu quickly added, [--if he sent all his Pokémon after you, you'd have a tough chance surviving that encounter...Not that you aren't up to it, of course! It's just tough...And if you taught him a lesson now, then maybe all of his Pokémon would follow you. And with an army like that, world domination would come even sooner!]
While he proceeded to shoot several attacks at his opponents, Mewtwo mulled it over. Yes, the electric rat was right. The sooner he got rid of Giovanni, the better.
He broke away from the battle, stunning the four Mews, who weren't sure what to think, and floated over to Giovanni, who was currently watching his Hitmonlee kick Brock's Onix repeatedly, and standing next to Ash Ketchum, whose wide eyes were currently on Mewtwo, who was coming ever-closer.
Drawing upon more strength than he had even used in the battle, Mewtwo formed a huge, glowing kinetic ball of energy. He aimed it at Giovanni, who looked up in surprise, a look of horror etched across his face.
Mewtwo let the ball of energy go, with an evil grin--
--Giovanni gasped, instinctively placing his hands in front of his face protectively--
--and with a cry of "No!," Ash Ketchum leapt in front of his father, and took the blow for him.
"Ash!" Giovanni, Misty, and Brock shouted.
"Pika!" Pikachu cried out.
And more Pokémon cries came forth, and even Mewtwo had something to say, Foolish child.
Author's Note: I thought about Giovanni getting a few Pokémon with Master Balls, but decided against it. Too much work for my little fingers.
I just dreamed Giovanni's story up, though I'm sure there's some episode that proves me wrong, just because that's my luck. Just smile and nod and accept what I put...Please? (Forget the fact that Giovanni looks so much older than Ash's mom and give me a break!)
As for what's happened...I figure some things shouldn't change.