Poke-genetics: defeated
Giovanni hit his desk with his fist. The brat, Marco, gave his speech an hour ago and he still couldn't let it go. He had the nerves to order civilians to crush him. What did Marco think Team Rocket was? A charity organization? He'd brush off those desperate attempts with the back of his hand and he'd marsh on Team Blast. He'd show them.
«That little… Who does he think he is? Does he really think a bunch of civilian is enough to overthrow my organization! »
«Sir, civilians are showing at the gates! There's a massive number of them! »
«Disperse them! » he ordered without a second thought.
«Sir, there are too many of them! Most of them brought their pokemon with them. They already defeated the guards! »
«What? »
«It's only a matter of time before they destroy the gates and trash this place. »
Giovanni just realized the strength of the threat Marco Blaze made. He underestimated him and those stupid civilians. Cornered rattatas would easily attack persians… and win.
«Sir, we must flee! »
He ran with his subordinate to the top of his mansion. When he opened the door, he saw his helicopter waiting for him.
«That damn Marco… I should have gotten rid of him when I had the chance. »
The helicopter rose in the sky slowly. Giovanni eyed his magnificent residence with anger as he saw the mob invade it.
«He's going to pay! » he muttered under his breath.
The leader of Team Rocket didn't have the time to say anything else.
The helicopter shook violently and Giovanni almost fell to the ground.
«What are you doing? » he yelled to the pilot.
«We got hit by something. »
It was then that Giovanni saw the three Pidgeot flying toward him. On one of their back, there was a man in his forties. As the bird pokemon collided the helicopter, he shouted.
«I'm not going to let my daughter get turned into a pokemon! »
The three bird pokemon crushed the propellers. Giovanni didn't believe his eyes as the copter crashed.
«Am I really going to lose everything to that damn kid! »
«This is bad! Ash, Pikachu, if Team Blast's rival disappears, there truly won't be a limit to the power they could gain! »
«But we can't stop parents from trying to save their children! And even if we could, I wouldn't want to! » answered Ash.
«Ash, if Team Blast gets even more powerful than they already are, we're just doomed. »
«Will you stop being desperate all the time? »
«I'm not desperate, I'm being realistic. Look, the police of Viridian City went against them and got beaten up senselessly. Heck, WE got beaten up like babies against Janes. »
«We were ambushed! » countered Ash.
«She talked to us before attacking. » replied Genno flatly.
«That's… » began Ash.
He didn't find anything to say and the pikachu looked away.
«Then, what should we do? » asked Pikachu.
They were certain he would answer: «I don't know. » and they'd think of a solution together. He surprised them.
«I'm not sure… there's something we could try… »
«Are you sure of yourself, Misty? »
«Yes, this is the city it's in. »
«In that case, let's go. Team Blast is going overboard. »
That was certainly true. Misty couldn't do anything but agree with her companion. As they entered Lavender Town, she thought about Team Blast's mischiefs. That poor kid, what would happen to him? And the others? Would they be turned into pokemon too? Until recently, she thought only Lily had the power to do that.
She had been wrong. Systematically, her thoughts were returning to Ashchu. Why did it remind her of Ash so much? Ash was next to her when she saw Aschu… but she couldn't help but think of it as Ash transformed. Was she acting that way because Ash didn't let her confessed? Was she trying to find an excuse? No, he didn't reject her. He asked her to wait. To wait for what? She couldn't help but wonder what was so important that he'd ask here to wait. Was it Team Blast? They were getting out of control…
Somehow she wasn't sure. Ash was not really acting like himself since he was back. He was a bit more… distant. Like he wasn't sure how to act next to her.
Why did her mind always come back to that pikachu? It was ridiculous; Ash had been with her the entire time!
Still…
«This could work… » Ash reluctantly admitted.
«You really do everything you can to encourage me, don't you? » sarcastically remarked Genno.
«Hey, I'm honest here! I said it COULD work, it just sounds… unusual. »
«Think outside the box, Ash. »
«You really like to say that. »
«Just when it makes sense to. »
Ash rolled his eyes. Oh really? He doubted that.
«Let's say we follow your plan. What should we do first? » Pikachu asked.
Genno looked around to make sure nobody was listening. They were in a pokemon center, but the last treason happened in a town hall, so he wasn't too paranoid.
«We'll just disappear for now. »
«What do you mean: «disappear»? »
«What I said. We're going to disappear from Team Blast's radar. Janes knows us and I doubt she'd keep it to herself. We'll have to make sure there's no sighting of us anywhere a member of Team Blast could go. Pikachu won't have to do anything, plenty of trainers' could have a pokemon like him and while it may not extraordinary to have two, your appearance is a giveaway, Ash. »
«Where are you going with that? » said pokemon questioned… hesitantly.
«We have to change your look. »
«Oh great! You'll ask Nurse Joy to shave me, won't you? » he whined.
«That could be fun… » both Pikachu and Genno thought as their eyes sparkled wickedly.
«Tempting, but no. What I'm going to do is quite simple. »
Ash closed his eyes as his friend bent over him and he felt Genno's hands on his head.
In two moves, he had taken out his hat and the collar.
«There you go. That should do the trick for now. »
«That's all? »
«Without those, you just look like a pikachu with a bad morning hair. »
«Haha… » he laughed without conviction.
«Let's go. I'll find someone to change into on the way. »
«Wait! » Pikachu shouted.
Genno and Ash turned to see what he was looking at. It was another news flash.
«What now? » Ash complained.
«We've received news of attacks on Team Rocket's district over every single place affiliated to them during the past hour. This is unbelievable! With the fate of their children on the line, the populations of the different cities of Kanto moved massively. Well, considering what is in the hands of Marco Blaze, this should be hardly surprising. Though there is one thing that probably no one should expect: Giovanni, the leader of Tem Rocket has been captured. »
«No way! » Shouted Ash in disbelief.
«In the space of an hour… » whispered Genno, pensive.
In his office, Marco was smiling in triumph as Janes couldn't keep her surprise to herself.
«Wow… parental love sure is powerful. »
«More than you can imagine, Janes. »
She chuckled.
«Of course, I can't imagine what love feels like no matter what kind it is. » the woman bragged.
«I think that in a matter of days, the remnants of Team Rocket will be gone. »
«I love how your plans unfold perfectly. » she commented.
«And I thought you couldn't feel any kind of love. » he replied.
«Well… I'm a pretty big liar. »
Marco turned and thought that she was indeed a liar, a dangerous one.
«Maybe we'll delay the disappearance for after we pay them a visit. »
«Genno, this time, if you sneak in, someone will know it's you. »
«What do you suggest? »
«First, that we get there before whoever captured Giovanni. »
«Why? » wondered Pikachu.
«I have a feeling that Marco will ask that he is brought somewhere in Cerulean's forest. »
«Hum… do you think the security will be lowered because of it? »
«No, if it changes, it'll be even harder to break in. »
«Then why should we go precisely when it will be the hardest? »
«Because that's the one time we'll have a chance to understand Team Blast's motives the most.»
Genno and Pikachu looked at each other with round eyes. Since when was Ash that perceptive?
Then they also realized that their knowledge of Team Blast's motives was indeed insignificant. Was there a bigger goal than just ruling Kanto? They hoped there wasn't.
Giovanni finally woke up. The first thing he noticed was that he had been tied up. The second was that he had a killer headache. The third was that he was flying on a Pidgeot's back.
«Release me! » he ordered.
A second Pidgeot approached the first and the man who attacked his helicopter looked at him.
«I won't do that, Giovanni. »
«Do you have any idea of who you're talking to? I'm a Giovanni, the leader of Team Rocket! »
«So what, Team Blast overthrew you and your organization. »
«THAT BRAT IS NOTHING COMPARED TO ME! »
«Really? I didn't see you succeed in taking over Kanto in less than a year. I must have been looking somewhere else at the time. »
«Shut up! »
«Listen, Giovanni. It doesn't matter who you are, was or will be. I'm bringing you to Marco Blaze's place and that's final. I'm not letting anything happen to my daughter. »
«Ah, if it was me, that stupid daughter of yours would already be in a better place. »
The man turned silent and the wind was the only sound that Giovanni could hear for a minute. Then, the father turned toward him and Giovanni felt that he shouldn't have said that last part. When the man spoke, his voice was filled with hatred.
«Never say anything like that again… » he said with a threatening tone. «If you do, I'll have to tell Marco that you had an unfortunate accident while riding to his place. »
Giovanni was shocked. It had been so long since he heard a threat like that directed toward him, even longer for a threat that he knew he should actually fear genuinely.
So the mafia boss kept his mouth shut for the rest of the trip. He was trying to think of a way to get out of this mess. It would soon be time for him to play his joker.