Hey guys, Danny here again. If you've come this far, thank you so much! I appreciate your loyalty to the story. My uploading schedule might be very infrequent from here on out. I've come to a block with the next chapter and it's gonna take some time before I decide what I want to do with it. Of course, I always want to provide enough substance per chapter, and don't want any updates going to waste, so please have patience. Of course, feedback is both appreciated and encouraged so I'd love to hear what you guys think! Until then, Au revoir!

- Danny

As Giovanni arrived at the edge of New Bark Town, and the narrow, dirt road gave way to a wide, pebbled street, he was overcome with a sense of purpose. He stopped suddenly at the edge of this convergence and began to remove his tattered jacket, which still bore a bright red "R" that remained completely intact.

*If I go into the town wearing that insignia, I won't be able to see the Professor.* Giovanni lamented briefly at the loss of his former identity, but felt relieved to be unburdened of it. This oppression of his former organization gave him the chance to start again. Everybody knew the face of that organization. Nobody, except those young men from the time before, knew the face of its leader. He left the suit jacket hanging from a tree and he made his way to the Professor's house.

The moment that Giovanni rapped his knuckles heavily against the oak wood, he began to fear the worst. He was surprised when the timid Professor peaked out his door, and beamed at the sight of his face.

"Hello, Giovanni. It's been entirely too long." Elm opened the door and beckoned Giovanni in with a welcoming wave.

Giovanni allowed a sigh of relief to escape him. "It's good to see you again, Jason."

Elm mused. "It really is. What brings you to these parts?" Elm walked across the laboratory and plopped down into his battered rolling chair. He motioned to the stool that stood at the very table Naomi, Danny, and Fletcher had chosen their Pokemon days before.

Giovanni sat on the stool properly, and place his hands on his knees. "Jason, I have to ask a favor of you."

Professor Elm, who began leafing through a folder on his desk looked up above his glasses at him. "Go on."

Giovanni cleared his throat. "Well… I suppose you heard about the recent news involving a certain organization…" He looked away, ashamed.

Elm hesitated. "Are you referring to the disbanding of Team Rocket?"

Giovanni nodded solemnly. "Yes, I am… If I were to tell you that I was involved with them, what would you say?"

Elm shook his head and sighed. He pushed his glasses up with his hand and rested his eyes in his palm as he often did when he was distressed. "After all of these years, you still underestimate how well I know you, Giovanni."

He was caught off guard by this. "What do you mean?"

Elm chuckled in disbelief, and removed his hand. "If you think that from the moment I heard about the mysterious leader of Team Rocket also being the gym leader of Viridian City, I knew that it had to be you. You're entirely too ambitious. That's something that you'll never grow out of, and never have."

Giovanni's laugh boomed quickly. "You've always been observant, Jason. It doesn't surprise me when I found out you followed your father's work."

"I'm not the only one who knows," Elm replied, not looking away from the folder, "he knew too."

Giovanni's eyes widened. "You're kidding…"

"Not in the slightest. I suppose he knew that you'd come to senses eventually."

Giovanni looked down, as if he was weighed down by guilt. "Or he's just trying to protect his friends…"

Elm smiled with assurance in his eyes. "Or maybe he knew that the old Giovanni was in there somewhere."

Giovanni nodded. "That's what I need to ask you, Jason… I need a boat."

Elm looked at him quizzically. "Why do you need a boat?"

"I have to go see that man…" Giovanni said with an one thousand year stare. "Maybe he knows something I don't."

"You can't possibly mean -" Elm started.

Giovanni shook his head. "No no, that one hasn't been heard of since that Champion battle. I need to go to Kanto and talk to their Champion." Giovanni looked at him firmly as his childhood friend's eyes widened. "Jason, I need to go talk to Blue."