Chapter 4

Giovanni's POV

My son has been with us for a year and he has already proven himself to being the best recruit we had ever had. When he was sent to the academy he was given his first three Pokémon from the team. He spent about a day choosing. He refused to take any of the ones offered to him. He instead eventually decided to take three from the pile of rejects. He took a Cubone which would not do any fighting. It was too scared. He took a Ratata that was considered too weak. As his third he took a Zubat which would not do anything anybody told it. It attacked anyone on sight, and he took a Drowzee who could only sleep.

The rockets laughed at him. He had taken the four most useless Pokémon in the academy's possession. In physical training he excelled. He seemed to have an unlimited amount of willpower and stamina. The instructors could never find a fault in what he did. In combat training he was stronger, faster and fitter than the other rockets. He destroyed everyone that he fought. He never gave up and quickly became feared to the extent that he had to fight his Riolu or infernape to spar.

As he said he would in his spare time he trained his Pokémon. He was famous through the academy for never sleeping. When the inter-academy completion arrived he was put forward without a word, he destroyed all competition in combat and entered the Pokémon round with only four Pokémon. His Hypno, Marowak and Raticate led him to a flawless victory. His Crobat, who was considered the strongest of the four, was never used. It was there that I revealed him to being my son. Now a week on he was on his first mission for team rocket.

Ash's POV

I was landed on the ground and called back Crobat. I had come with only my weakest Pokémon. The mission was to steal the team Magma Pokémon reserves. I glanced left and saw James creeping up behind me. It seems that my father put them on a special training program as he deemed them the only Rockets that I might trust. They had improved in their skills, only a little though. When I thought back over the last year I was amazed at what had happened. I had gone from being alone with no purpose to a relatively hardened grunt in a criminal organisation that spent their time taking out other criminals.

The building in front of us was familiar. I had made sure to study each and every team in my spare time. I turned to the trio. "You three draw away the guards." They nodded in understanding, "Do not follow me in, I shall be fine." They nodded in recognition of what I had said. They had been put under my command for the remainder of the mission. I watched, interested as they ran forward drawing the guards into the woods. I brought out Hypno and Gengar. I slowly crept over to the remaining guards. Two hypnosis later, they were sleeping like children. I returned the two Pokémon and put a hand on another.

It took about an hour more to infiltrate the base. I had got to the end of a corridor. There were two doors. I was about to enter into the storage room when I heard voices from the other room.

"For a champion you are remarkably easy to catch off guard." A voice I recognised as Maxie said.

"It does not matter. My friend has sent his own team to take you down." The Champion replied.

"What, your friend Giovanni. I am very sure that his precious team rocket are not going to enter the base. We have already chased off three of them." Maxie gloated.

That was enough information for me. I kicked down the door and drew two pokéballs. "Go, Raticate and Marowak." I shouted.

Both headed turned to me. Maxie was standing over Lance who was tied to a table. "Ash?" Lance said shocked.

Maxie sent out his Houndoom and Mightyena. Instead of speaking to Lance I said. "Raticate use super fang, Marowak bone club." The two Pokémon shot forward and the two canines hit the floor knocked out.

Maxie stared at me in shock. I then walked up to him and punched him in the face. He hit the ground with a shocked expression on his face.

"Why are you here Ash?" Lance said as I started to undo his bounds.

"I am here on a mission from my father."

"You are wearing a team rocket uniform, Why?" he asked.

"I am in team rocket." Lance looked at me and then blinked rapidly.

"Okay, so this means that you are the son of Giovanni."

"Yes."

"Okay. I have no problem with that. I helped found the team after all."

It was my turn to look shocked. "Why did you do that?" I asked while helping him up.

"I realised that I was doing damage to the teams yes, but not enough. I realised that someone needed to get down to their level. That is where your father came in. He was willing to do that." He scratched his head while thinking. "I have been supporting team rocket for years, I have to keep it away from the press for obvious reasons though."

"I need to get going, thank you Ash." He bent down to grab his bag, straightened and turned to walk out. As he was just about to leave the room he turned, "Actually I have a gift." He put his hand into his bag. He pulled out a Pokémon egg. "This egg is refusing to hatch. It had been living in Blackthorn for years and did not hatch. An elder told me to give it to a young trainer with a troubled past. I believe that is you." He then gave me the egg and hurried out.

I stood there staring at the egg for a few minutes when I remembered, the Pokémon. I recalled Raticate and Marowak and walked to the storage room. as I left with my bag full of pokéballs an alarm went off. I smiled, that must have been Lance. I calmly strode out the way I came.