(A/N: Thank you too everyone who's reviewed so far!)
"You've got it all wrong. You just can't win"
"I'm gonna shut you down."
"Your chances are slim-"
"No more fooling around..."
We both had enough as we shouted the last few words together.
"Let the battle begin! You just can't win!"
I was at arms-length. But we didn't raise a hand to each other. I raised my head up to look him straight in the eyes. I was ready to tell him how I felt.
"I don't care." His face was once again impassive but I took that as I sign to carry on. "I don't care for you anymore..." There was something I couldn't decipher in his eyes.
"Stupid boy...YOU THINK THAT WO-"
"Don't call me that." He blinked; I continued. "You will call me by my true name." Something flashed in his eyes. "You left us. No, you separated us. You tore my family apart. So think of this as a favour, I'm the man of the house. I will always be there. Something you'll never do!"
"Boy-"
"Lemme speak!"
Giovanni's face had gone a ghostly, pale, white colour. My breathing became laboured.
"What did we do wrong?...What did I do wrong? Why did you separate us?" My voice was breaking again. "...Did you not want us?...Or was it simply the fact you didn't like Mom anymore?"
He waited.
"For so long when I was little I thought you would be an amazing man...I looked up-to you-I respected you...but...you just want to use me for Team Rocket...I will never accept that as my own."
His jaw straightened.
"Don't do anything for me anymore. It's not like I'm still five years old, sitting up every-night asking Mom when your going to come home! Who needs you? You weren't there to see me train Pikachu but I got pretty damn good at that."
I looked at Gary who was pulling the same pained face as I. "Didn't I?"
He nodded in agreement. I looked back to Giovanni.
"I got through my first battle without you. My first match without you - my first tournament. I learned how to fight without you. I had FOURTEEN great birthdays without him, you knew about me the whole time and you never even ONCE visited - TO HELL WITH YOU!"
I stepped backwards.
"I'm gonna finish my journey without you, become a Pokémon Master without you, marry a beautiful lady without you - have a whole bunch of kids and be the best dad ever because I sure as hell don't need you for that because the only thing he can't ever teach me is how to love my kids!"
I broke down in front of everybody. I didn't care who was watching; I let the tears flow.
"How come you didn't want me..."
(A/N: The reasons Giovanni was giving him odd looks after Just Can't Win was because Giovanni said the same thing to Delia in Chapter 9.)
I turned around and Misty, Brock and Gary surrounded me silently. I faintly heard him behind me rustle his hair and take something out of his suit jackets pocket.
None of us saw it.
"Fine...then I'll take the very last thing of yours..."
A gun.
He pulled the gun out of his jacket. It was a simple but deadly weapon. It seemed to shimmer, silver in the dim moonlight. A gun is a simple object that can turn it's loyalty to anyone. And I hated it. Giovanni's jet-black hair was damp with sweat just as my bloody, clawed shirt was sticking to my body.
He cocked one bullet in the pistol...A gun.
Aimed for the very girl I had just realised I love...
Her delicate eyes were filled with disbelief. She was too innocent to be put in this yet...she deserved to be happy, naive and... I had put her in this mess again. It was my fault that she was in danger.
I needed to do something...
"Mom?.."
(A/N: The next chapter will be the finale! Can you guys guess who will get shot in the finale? I'll give you a hint – It isn't Ash or Giovanni! Read and Review Please!)