Shadow alley, to put it simply was not the most attractive place in all of Kanto. In fact, very few people even want to visit there. For starters it was one of the most poorest and dirtiest part of the region, the air was heavy and it felt as if the entire world was crashing down upon you even if you stood in the middle of the street naked. The streets was filled with overflowing dumpsters, old washing machines, mountains of cardboard boxes and the occasional old couch that contained at least 50 diseases, half of them are unknown to man.
The buildings were ugly as well, as if it was designed by someone who reads stocks for laughs, and was painted by someone who bought all the grey paint in the world. The buildings were mostly dingy apartment buildings, but there was a handful of convenience stores that sold cheap food that is guaranteed to give one diabetes, a laundromat here and there where single parents sat with their kids in rags as sat watching all of their clothes in the washer, and a run down arcade that had machines that belonged in a museum.
Happy Noodles however was one of the most popular restaurants in the area. It sat wedged in a corner, no bigger than a small hotel room, it was filled with cheap wooden tables, plastic chairs that would break at any moment, and the television was stuck on a news channel or a movie channel that showed 1-star movies that anyone can find in a dollar store. However, the food was perfect, that just a handful of pennies, one can get a bowl of noodles that tasted as if it was made for Arceus himself. It was popular among the poor residents of Kanto, with people even eating on the streets as it was so full of people and the chef made a fortune almost every day with his noodles.
Little did anyone know there was a secret room right below Happy Noodles. It was so secret that only two people in the world knew it existed. The room was tiny, no bigger than an elevator in a cheap hotel. However it was decorated handsomely, there was a red carpet on the floor, a tiny chandelier on the ceiling, a bunch of flower in a vase that cost over 10 digits long was on top of a table, that was carved out of wood and had over 1,000 Pokémon engraved on it, the chair was golden, almost like a throne and an priceless oil painting hung on the wall. There were only three things in the room that stood out. The first was the door that led into the room, as it looked so plain and dull that nothing more can be said about it, a metallic dumbwaiter delivered the food to the man who used the room, and there was a second chair, a plastic one as if it somehow fell from the cheapness upstairs into the luxury downstairs.
Giovanni was sitting on his chair slurping on the bowl of noodles in front of him. His face was completely devoid of emotion, as if he didn't know how to feel. He was dressed casually, he wasn't wearing pyjamas, but clothes one would think twice about wearing when going outside. He was eating slowly as possible, eating one noodle at a time as he stopped every 30 seconds to look at his watch.
"It's been a long time, G. How have you been?"
The voice hit Giovanni like a truck, even if it was spoken calmly and smoothly.
Giovanni looked up to see a figure in a large cloak that covered up almost all of his body, and wore a comedically giant hat that action movie stars wear that covered up most of his face, but Giovanni knew who it was immediately.
"Fine enough, T." Giovanni said in a tone that sounded as if he didn't know to be happy, angry or sad.
"I see you still like your Spicy Magikarp Noodles as always" The figure said pointing at Giovanni's fish noodles. "and your egg rolls and soda"
Giovanni made a small grunting noise as the figure sat down "now did you order me…"
As if on cue the dumb waiter dinged delivering a bowl of ultra-spicy vegetarian noodles along with a large soda and spicy tofu.
"You know me as good as ever G" The figure said almost laughing, as they took their food over to the table. "I see that you haven't forgotten your roots."
"What do you want?" Giovanni said under his breath as if afraid on what's about to happen.
The figure looked up at Giovanni in the middle of slurping their noodles, but Giovanni felt daggers fire from the figure's eyes. "You and I both know why I am here, Gio." The figure didn't raise their voice but Giovanni felt his bones turn to jelly as the figure continued.
"I am here because of Jet. And you and I both know what happened the last time that happened do we?"
Giovanni nodded slowly. He was more interested in the swirling of the oil in his noodles than anything else.
"How's…" Giovanni said but the figure interrupted him.
"Alex?" The figure said "Oh, Alex is fine, I was with her a few hours ago. She isn't happy with you, you know. After everything you did."
Giovanni briefly thought if he could drown himself in his bowl of noodles, but again he said nothing. His brain had crashed. He didn't want to speak.
"I, have been busy, preparing for this day." The figure continued as they flashed their wrist and Giovanni saw that the figure had a large assortment of bracelets. "Mega evolution, Z Moves, Gigantamax, terrestalisation" the figure said pointing at their bracelets. "I was in Paldea when I got the news and I came back home at once"
Giovanni eyed the figure almost annoyed. "So, what do you want with me?" Giovanni said.
"Oh, you and I both know the answer to that" The figure said as they shoved vegetables down their mouth "Where. Are. They?"
Giovanni let out all the air in his lungs as he looked up at the figure, almost upset "I don't know."
"Well that's just great." The figure said as they slammed their chopsticks to the table, the figure didn't raise their voice, but Giovanni wanted them to have shouted. "The one thing that is capable of beating that thing, and the best trainer in the world was in your radar, and you lost them both. Be grateful I know the location of the third and fourth part that can get us out of this mess".
"I thought that champion from Sinnoh is the best" Giovanni said as if the though popped out of his head
"Well let's just say that she's unavailable right now." The figure said calmly. The figure sighed. "Be grateful, that I also made many friends who can help us. I have trainers from Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova, Kalos, Alola, Galar and Paldea who owe me a favor."
The figure stood up, they had finished eating and had taken the bottle to drink.
"You know where to find me G." The figure said calmly. "But there is one thing I want to say. I trusted you. You betrayed Alex, you betrayed Zoey, you betrayed the prof and you betrayed me."
The figure walked up to the door and without looking back said "You're a horrible godfather G. You know that right." And with that the man stepped out of the door and vanished.
Had the figure and Giovanni searched the room they would have found a tiny electrical device under the table that recorded every word that has been said. Looker the detective ate his noodles quietly in the overflowing and deafening restaurant, but he heard enough. He raised his hand and asked for the bill and a takeout box, and tipped generously. It was time to pay some friends a visit.