Giovanni is on his lowest point in life. Of course he is! Who won't be after loosing their spouse and child in a car crash? Giovanni may be a criminal - self proclaimed - master mind, but he isn't heartless. At least not that heartless.

Not to mention...

"What now?", asked Ariana as she walked into his office. She is his late wife's sister and the aunt of his son Silver. To the disbelief of many newbies in the team, she did not get the position of an executioner because he married her older sister. If anything, Giovanni married her sister because Ariana introduced them to each other.

"What now what?", replied Giovanni. Was he lost in his thoughts again? "Did Archer find anything?"

"Silver and Alina weren't murdered. It was just an unfortunate accident. But this is not why I am here, Giovanni.", answered Ariana. "You need an heir, someone to continue the team. Let's face it, you're old, Giovanni."

"I'm just forty five, not that old.", countered Giovanni insulted. "So, you say I should get another kid? I assume dating someone?"

"Or adopt, but I am not sure how obsessed you are to have a kid to share your DNA.", said Ariana. She walked closer to his desk. "If that is the case, you better find a lady fast, preferably younger than you are. Maybe someone in her thirties?"

"So, you?", asked Giovanni.

"What? No! Besides that going after a sibling's spouse is just low, especially one who just died, you know very well I do not want kids.", said Ariana offended. "Not to mention I only like guys younger than me. All I am saying is that you should date someone and have a kid or two. Unless you are okay with adoption?"

"Yes... but I am unsure I am allowed to adopt. Unless you meant 'surprise adoption'-"

"Don't you dare kidnapping someone! This won't work.", said Ariana. "Hm, a fast way, considering Kanto's adoption laws, you could date a single mom and adopt her children."

"But what about the biological father?", asked Giovanni.

"Don't worry, so many of them are deadbeats, you will find a lady with kids to adopt faster than Jessie and James get bested by this Ash Ketchum.", said Ariana. "The question is, would you be okay with a teen. Teen mothers and mothers with infants are the most desperate."

"What would be the pro and cons?"

"Infants; you will be expected by the mom to take care of the kid, including diapers. I remember well that you weren't even doing that for Silver. The pro is, they are easier to mold into a perfect heir. But with your age and rivalry with the other teams, that would be lost time.", argued Ariana. "A teen; besides being moody and potentially rebellious and not very accepting, they may not agree to being a heir, maybe they dox you even. Or use you as an ATM. A teen would be a time saver."

"Hm, what should I do?"

"Decide for yourself, Giovanni.", said Ariana. "Find a lady, move on from Alina and see what kid her age is - if the lady you land with has one - and improvise."

And with that, Giovanni jumped into the dating pool. Luckily due to his more private lifestyle, his gym leader colleagues didn't comment on him moving on so fast, so he could just focus on meeting women. He did walk into Erika at a bar in Saffron, which was hella embarrassing.

"Giovanni? Aren't you married?", she asked him, suspicion in her voice. She sat at the bar. "I didn't take you to be someone to cheat?"

"I am not! My wife just died a while ago, car crash.", admitted Giovanni. He knows she'll tell the others, but that is better than framing him to be a cheater.

"Oh! I didn't knew. I am sorry for assuming.", she replied. "What about your son? Or did he..."

"Yeah..." He sat down besides her.

Erika was unsure what to answer, so she changed the topic. "If you want to move on, I know someone who is looking for a new relationship."

"Really?"

"Yes. I met her coincidentally while she was dating Professor Oak-" So one on the older side. "-but that didn't work out due to her son and Oak's grandson."

"May I ask how old that acquaintance of yours is?", asked Giovanni. If she has a kid around Gary Oak's age, she can't be that old.

"She's around thirty five, I think?", answered Erika. "We women normally don't talk about age."

Thirty five is quite young to have a child around Gary Oak's age.
"Now, who are we talking about?"

"Delia Ketchum. Ash Ketchum's mother. You probably have heard of him?"

He heard many complains about that fifteen year old devil. At least he is a devil according to Jessie, James, the other team leaders. "Of course I have." Not to mention, he is the champion of Alola. It is a bit difficult not to hear about the kid.

Pursuing him as a heir would be an irony. The same if he made his sibling his heir. But Ash himself, this would pretty much skip the whole procedure to infiltrate Alola. And it would scare off the other teams if their destroyer would even just join Team Rocket, let alone lead one day. And Delia herself, she is considered good looking. She was a model for a while after all.

"Would you introduce me to Delia?"


Giovanni may hadn't been dating in years, but he knew not to rush things. Even if it meant he couldn't ask about Ash's father. But when Delia invited him to her house for the first time, he saw nothing to indicate his presence. He knew they were at least separated, considering her relationship with the Professor. Apropos lacking presence.

"Delia, dear, where is your son?"

"He's in Alola, champion stuff.", she replied. "I won't introduce you two just yet, I don't want to overwhelm Ash. I think he is still bothered by that dumpster fire that was my relationship to Professor Oak."

This will slow things down.

"So, I assume we will have a lot of time alone?", asked Giovanni. "I assume some of this time Ash will spend time with his father?"

"No. Farron, he does not care for Ash, he doesn't even pay child support. Just enough that I can't sue him.", explained Delia. "Honestly, I am just waiting for him to terminate his parental rights... but now that Ash is champion, maybe he doesn't."

"Can't the court force him to? He seems to b a deadbeat for years?"

"Theoretically yes, but I need the money.", admitted Delia.

"When are you planning to introduce me to Ash?", asked Giovanni.

"I don't know."

Ah, that complicates things. But at least he doesn't have to worry about that Farron guy... albeit he could make even more sure of that with that assassin he just hired.

"Wait, does Ash even know you're dating?"

"No..."

"isn't that like important to know for him? Or are you planning to tell him when we're getting married, if we ever reach that stage."

"I won't wait that long! I just worry he would assume he thinks I'll want to make a do-over family like Farron.", explained Delia.

"Why are you worrying that?"

"I unknowingly enabled some of Gary Oak's bullying while I was with Oak.", admitted Delia ashamed. "I was so focused on keeping the peace, I..."

Ariana warned him of that. One of the famous reasons why step children may want him gone.

"Is that why Ash spends so much time, well, not here?" It is no secret that Ash spends barely time in Pallet Town. Some tabloid magazines spinning theories and accusations based on that. Giovanni assumed Ash was just so bored by Pallet that he was too busy to return here for longer times and simply forgot the little town.

"I think so.", said Delia. "I sometimes wonder if I failed Ash."

Single mothers are so easy to open up. Ariana was right, they are desperate.


A few months passed and he isn't happy with where this relationship is going and the speed of the progression.

First of all, he and Delia had sex. Which isn't weird or bad. This is a good milestone. Yet Delia still didn't even tell Ash that she is dating. What if he would have gotten her pregnant? Won't that overwhelm Ash like she worries so much?

On the other hand, turns out Delia got a bis-alp after she got Ash. Giovanni isn't surprised Ash is rarely here, Delia acts as if she regrets Ash, as if she faults him for failing her relationships. Maybe he should look for a different lady.

If he stays with Delia, he has to adopt, either Ash or an orphan. Delia doesn't seem to want the later, he got the feeling. Before Giovanni jumps ship, he tried to force progress, to see if this endevour is lost or not.

Again, Ash was in Alola for something, so Giovanni and Delia were together. This time at Giovanni's place. At their first meeting there, Giovanni put down all clues of Alina's and Silver's existence. Well, mainly Alina's. After he explained Silver, he put some pictures of Alina back up. Delia seems to not be bothered by the pictures of another woman.

He and Delia were in his living room. She was cuddling his Persian, who was just enjoying the attention.
"Considering you're a gym leader, I am sure you and Ash will get along.", she said.

"I hope so, but for that to happen, you need to introduce us.", said Giovanni, "I understand your worries, but your constant stalling could make it worse. Let's imagine you hadn't gotten that bis-alp and would have gotten pregnant by now, don't you think it would have been very overwhelming for Ash to learn of our relationship and a sibling all at once?"

"I... maybe you are right."

"You know, I am surprised Ash can spend so much time in Alola specifically."

"It is because of the professors. Mainly Kukui. He kinda took over Farron's role.", said Delia.

"Not that this bar was high.", replied Giovanni. "Did Oak ever fulfill it?"

"He thought he did, but he doesn't.", said Delia, rolling her eyes at her ex. "Hm..."

"Delia?"

"I think Professor Burnet fulfills my role.", said Delia.

"I doubt that.", lied Giovanni. Considering she let Gary bully Ash to pleasure Oak, he would be more surprised if the Alolan professor didn't. But he can't exactly tell Delia that. "But seriously, we should tell your son. I am very famous, you are famous by proxy due to Ash."

"What has this to do with us telling him?"

"Do you want Ash to learn of our relationship though some magazine?", asked Giovanni, giving her a tabloid with one of their theories of why Ash is barely in Pallet. She read it and was shocked. People assume that of her? "Imagine these tabloids find anything about your relationship to Oak. Or the enabling of Gary."

"You're right. Ash will return from Alola in a week, should we tell him then?"

"Give him a few days to get used to Pallet again."

"But he leaves to a champion meeting a week later."

Don't say it, Giovanni, even if you think it. "When does he return from that meeting?"

"Giovanni, what makes you think that I know when it ends?"

After a while, they found a date to tell Ash.


A month later, Delia waited nervously for her son to return. A few days before, she asked him to stay a bit longer than he normally does. Ash seemed a bit annoyed by this, though he was more confused if anything. As soon as he stepped into the house entrance, he asked, "Why do you want me to stay for longer, mom?"

"Ash, I started dating someone, for nearly a year, in fact. I want to introduce you to my boyfriend.", explained Delia. "He'll visit us next week. I'm sure you get along with him, he is a Pokemon trainer like you."

"Does that mean you finally moved on from Professor Oak? Good.", replied Ash. "Does this new guy have any kids on his own?"

"Why do you want to know?", asked Delia.'

"I just want to know if this is another Gary situation.", said Ash. "Now does he?"

"He had a son, but he died with his ex in a car crash.", said Delia. "Try not to mention it. This won't be another Gary situation."

"Mom, if she died, I don't think it is an ex.", said Ash, rolling his eyes. "Anyway, I better start unpacking."


A week later it was time to meet Delia's new partner. Delia said he was a trainer like him. Maybe Ash could challenge him for a battle to break the ice. His mother told him she wants that he puts effort into his relationship with him. If that relationship hadn't lasted for nearly a year, according to Delia, he would have said if effort on his part would have been worth it.

The week in Pallet was a bit boring, it is Pallet after all. Here is nothing to do. He could chill at the lab with his Pokemon, but his mom's relationship with the professor made doing that very awkward.

The closer the meeting was coming, the more psyched up was Delia. Ash just wanted to get over with this and go back to Alola.

The hour before he arrived, Delia was pacing around in front of the entrance. Pikachu jumped into Delia's arms in an attempt to distract her, but instead of cuddling him, she just carried him around. Mr. Mime was somewhat annoyed by his master's mother's behavior.

Delia dropped Pikachu, who walked back to Ash annoyed, when the bell rang. Delia snapped out of it and opened, the door, greeting her boyfriend.

While Ash would normally grimace at kisses, he was more curious who Delia dates. To his surprise and utter shock, it was the leader of Team Rocket, but Delia didn't knew that.

He would love to dox the man, but he can't prove it. Giovanni instated many fail saves to protect his identity. All in all, no one would believe him. Ash doesn't want to ruin his reputation, so he just doesn't. He is worried why Giovanni is with his mother. Is this a scheme to get close to him? If so, why not make a grunt of his play pretend?

"So, this is your son Ash?", asked Giovanni, one hand around Delia's waist.

"Yes! Wait, haven't you met him? Didn't he challenge your gym?", she replied.

"I was unavailable when he did.", explained Giovanni. "He battled one of my gym trainers, so we didn't met." Smooth lie.

"Oh, well. I prepare the dinner then.", announced Delia, "Why don't you two talk a bit?" Delia then left to the kitchen.

Pikachu started to spark, he tried to threaten Giovanni. Giovanni didn't look impressed and ignored Pikachu.
"You may have your doubts, but I am not here to harm you.", said Giovanni, "Because I date your mother now, I offer you a peace offering in fact."

"Wait, really?"

"Yes. You probably have noted that your mother is a lovely lady, well liked by men. Like the professor.", said Giovanni. "I want to be in a relationship with her, so I would like to make peace with you. Unlike Delia's old partners, I won't demand that you stay away."

"What then?", asked Ash.

"Simple. First of all, Jessie and James will leave you alone. Secondly, if you want, you can choose a punishment for them.", said Giovanni. Ash was surprised by the option to piss off these two wannabe thieves. "I... just rip the band-aid off, I want to progress my relationship with your mother to marriage. That would grant you some access to my wealth. I would let you store your Pokemon with me, opposed to Oak."

"I am very skeptical about the last part.", said Ash. "And honestly-" His phone rang. "Huh?" He accepted the call. Giovanni saw that his mimic was instantly annoyed. "Why are you calling?" Ash walked up the stairs into his room.

Delia came back and asked, "Where is Ash?"

"Someone called him and he walked into his room.", explained Giovanni. "He looked annoyed."

"Oh, well, dinner's done.", she replied, "Would you mind getting him down when he's done phoning?"

"Not at all, dear." Giovanni walked up the stairs and looked for Ash's room.

Walking to his hopefully soon step son, Giovanni heard some snippets of the conversation.

"I know why you're calling now.", followed by, "If you think you can thread me with a court order without any basis, you're wrong."

Giovanni stopped in his tracks. Someone is threatening Ash? He said court order, apparently a threat though the legal ways. Probably now that Ash is a champion... maybe he can use this to make Ash like him? If he can fix this situation, Ash would see he means no harm.

He knocked on Ash's door, "Ash, your mom wants us to get down, food's ready!" He learned from raising Silver not to just bark in.

"I'm coming!", replied Ash though the door.

Both walked down and Delia served the food.

"Huh, what is this?", asked Ash when he saw what Delia made. It was some unknown dish made with rice.

"This is Risotto, a dish Giovanni introduced me to.", explained Delia, "Try it, it is delicious."

Ash took a bite. "That is really good!"

"Good! It was complicated to cook, so that is the least you could say.", replied Delia.

Giovanni refrained from telling his girlfriend she overcooked the rice. He needs to make the good version when Delia and Ash visit him. Which reminds him, "Delia, I'm going onto a vacation in two weeks, do you and Ash want to accompany me?"

"Of course!", agreed Delia.

Ash wanted to reject, but he couldn't tell Delia why. If there is one thing he learned from her past relationships is that Delia has a hard time to believe her men do something bad. So doxxing Giovanni as the leader of Team Rocket won't work.
"How long would that be? I have a meeting in Alola in three weeks.", he said instead.

"That is no problem, we'll be on my private yacht anyway, we just stop at Alola until you're done.", said Giovanni. "I could catch up with my cousin while you're at the meeting... wait, no. Nanu is a kahuna, I forgot."

"Nanu is your cousin?", asked Ash surprised.

"Actually he is my half brother, but because he was raised by our uncle, he won't acknowledge that.", explained Giovanni.

After the Risotto was done, Ash left to his room. Giovanni told Delia he wants to talk to Ash, to break the ice. Delia agreed to that, before washing the dishes.

Taking the stairs, Giovanni saw that Ash's door was open. Why knocking when the door is open?

"You know, Delia overcooked the rice.", said Giovanni. "Anyway..."

"Anyway what?", asked Ash, "What do you want from me?"

"I heard you talking to someone on the phone, something about threats?", explained Giovanni. "Are you in trouble?"

"Not your business!", said Ash, "And it sounds like you hadn't heard much."

"Ash, I want to help you."

"I don't want your help.", argued Ash, "I do not need your help."

"Still, if you need help, ask me."


Giovanni was considering to tell Delia about what he heard, but not only would she consider him as someone who disregards her son's privacy, he got a hunch she would make it worse. Whoever threatened Ash may go after her for leverage. So instead he asked Petrel and Archer to keep an eye on Ash.

Proton was too crazy to be allowed close to Ash and Ariana was too busy to say, "Aw, you care for Ash!"

Right now she was helping him to plan the vacation.

"But seriously, are you starting to care for Ash?", she asked again.

"Well..." Giovanni was thinking. Did he? "To be fair, the point in being with Delia was getting a heir, and as Delia has a bis-alp - something she could have told me earlier - taking my step kid as the heir was intended. So yes, I would say."

"The irony of making Ash your heir.", she said, "The other leaders will be so pissed."

"Yeah, yeah, Lysandre's reaction will be great..."

"Giovanni? Is something wrong?"

Giovanni sighed, "After we told Ash, I've overheard him talking to someone on the phone, someone who threatened Ash."

"Do you want me to look into it?"

"Yes." , he told her, "And inform me of everything you find out."

"Of course, boss."


For as much Alola is a paradise, Giovanni did not enjoy his stay on it. Not only was Ariana not figuring out who is threatening Ash, it feels as if the region - or at least it's professors - are trying to foil his plan of corrupting Ash. Before and after the meeting, it was clear to even a blind person how close Ash is to the Professors Kukui and Burnet.

He seemed to be even closer to them than he is to Delia. After all Giovanni heard from and about Delia, her parenting, her love life and the fact that Ash is barely at home, he isn't even surprised by this. Doesn't change the fact that it is ruining his plans to bond with Ash, so that the kid changes his stance on Team Rocket. He probably would make his relationship to Ash worse if he is complaining about their closeness or actively do something against it.

He could life with it if Ash wouldn't stay with the professors while they were an Alola, if Ash would stay with him and Delia at their hotel. Delia, of course, is not bothered. She enjoyed the privacy, to have some private time together. Giovanni was sitting on the couch in their room, Delia all over him and kissing his neck, while he was thinking, 'Maybe it would be easier to just dox her to the CPS and adopt Ash. Risky, but Delia starts to annoy me.'


Their stay at Alola came slowly but surely to an end. Giovanni was already planning how to build a bond with Ash and how to discreetly weaken his bond to Professor Kukui. He has nothing for the later one, but as they leave Alola in two days, this isn't too bad.

Delia was asleep on their bed very drunkenly. Giovanni may or may not have tricked her into drinking herself out to have a peaceful night for himself. While drunk, she may have hooked up with someone but that barely bothers Giovanni. As long as she stays with him and he has access to Ash, he couldn't care less about Delia. He just needs to convince her to sign a prenup.

While in thought, her phone rang. He just wanted to put it out when he saw that Ash was the one calling. So he accepted the call.

"Ash?", he asked.

"G-Giovanni? Why are you answering?", countered Ash with a question of his own.

"Your mother is asleep.", he answered. "Are you crying? What is the matter?" Did something come up the professors can't handle or is it something about the professors?

"I-I, could you pick me up? Something came up that the professors can't help with. I tell mom when she's awake." Knew it, the professors can't help.

"Can't I help you?"

"Maybe, but I don't want you to help. I doubt you would want to help me with this."

"Oh, I disagree with that part.", said Giovanni. "Get ready, I pick you up."


Giovanni knocked on the door and Kukui opened. "Oh, Giovanni! Good that you're here.", said the professor. "Ash got a call, he won't tell us from who or about what, then he started to cry."

"I see. I hope he'll tell Delia and me what is the matter with that call.", answered Giovanni.

"I told you I explain when mom wakes up.", chimed Ash, carrying his luggage. "Only mom, that is." Giovanni just sighed. That Ash lets him pick him up is already a big deal, considering, well, everything just barely related to Team Rocket.


In the hotel room, Delia was still asleep. She wasn't dead, she was softly snoring. Ash sat on the couch, cuddling with Pikachu, who was still slightly growling at Giovanni. That was until his trainer said, "Pikachu, stop it. He's okay enough not to spark at him threateningly."

Giovanni sat down besides Ash. "Are you sure you don't want my help?", he asked.

"Mm, I am sure.", replied Ash, "Why are you so fixated on helping me?"

"Besides that I want a better bond with you, especially when I propose to your mother we should get along well, I...", he said, then took a breath. "I may or may not have overheard a call of yours, I assume by the person. I definitively heard the word 'threat'. Ash, who is threatening you? Is it someone from Team Flare?"

"No.", answered Ash, "I mean, I do get threatened by someone, but not from Team Flare."

"Team Galactic?"

"No, wait, they still exist?"

"All teams to in one form or another... okay, Galactic not to really if I think about it.", explained Giovanni. "Is it Team Plasma?"

"No!"

"Team Magma? Team Aqua?"

"It is none of the teams!", said Ash loudly. He looked to his mom who was still asleep, not bothered by his raised voice. "My... my biological father contacted me after I became champion. I instantly knew he just wants me for clout by proxy. He won't leave me alone and threatens to take me and mom to court to get custody forcefully. He knows about mom's, well, lackluster parenting."

"Wait you..."

"Why do you think am I barely in Pallet? If mom has no boy-toy to motivate her to ignore me, she does it on her own anyway.", said Ash. "According to my sperm doner, because I am barely home, he'll have an easy time getting custody of me."

"Mm, I see..." He looked to Delia. "Mm... like I said, I plan to propose to Delia."'

"What has this to do with anything?", asked Ash.

"Simple. While Kanto has that law that allows your sperm doner - good nickname by the way - to take you based on Delia's parental performance, Kanto also has a law to allow a step parent easy adoption if the other parent is a dead beat. Which Farron so far was.", explained Giovanni. "I... could use some 'connections' to stall out your father's attempts until Delia and I get married to then adopt you. If you want, that is."

"Mm, I don't know. After all, you're the leader of Team Rocket.", said Ash, "But you're only been nice to me since you started dating mom, unlike her old partners. And you picked up on her, well, everything. You're a good partner for her. Albeit..."

"Albeit what?", asked Giovanni.

"Considering mom's track record, and her relationship with Professor Oak, I worry she's just gold digging. You're like the richest person she ever dated."

"I won't worry about that.", said Giovanni. He took another look at his girlfriend. "I doubt your mom is waking up tonight, so you better get comfortable on the couch. And me too, I haven't drunken any coffee today."

"Mm, okay.", agreed Ash. "Good night, Giovanni."

"Good night, Ash."


When Delia woke up the next day, she had on heck of a headache. She needed to double check when she saw Ash on the couch.

"Mm, Delia, you're already awake?", asked her boyfriend.

"Yeah, why is Ash here? Weren't he with the Professors?", she asked.

"Ah, that." He yawned and left the bed, then scratched his body. "Something happened. Ash will explain when he wakes up, and is fully awake.", he explained, "Don't worry too much, I already have a potential solution to that. Well, if Ash agrees with the method."

A while later, Ash woke up. After they called room service for a breakfast, they sat on the couches and talk about it.

"Mom, shortly after I became the Alolan champion, Farron started to contact me. He didn't exactly try to hide that he just does it to have some proxy fame by being a champion's father.", explained Ash. "He had been threatening me to take us to court. Apparently there is a law he could take advantage of."

"I think I know which law you mean.", she said regretfully. "I... I didn't make our house exactly homey, didn't I?"

"Your partners were more the problem.", replied Ash.

"Mm, you're right. I am so sorry, Farron really messed me up.", she admitted. "I'll try to do better, I have to. Wait, Giovanni, you said you may have a solution?"

"Yes! If this drama is based on a stupid law, why not fix it with a different law?", he said to Delia. He then took out a big diamond ring out of his jacket. "If we marry, and if Ash agrees that I adopt him before Farron takes action, well, Farron won't be able to do anything and you'll have your partner curse broken. Only if you want to marry me, that is."

"Oh my Arceus! Yes, Giovanni! Yes, I want to marry you!", she said before hugging Giovanni. When she let go of him, he put the ring on her ring finger. "I assume you wanted to propose even without my ex being a pain?"

"Yes. I actually also wanted to adopt Ash without Farron being, well, himself.", he admitted. Ash was quite surprised with that, but it would explain why he was so nice to Ash the last few weeks. And why Jessie and James hadn't been bothering him. Their boss told them to keep away.


Back in Kanto, albeit Giovanni's home, Delia was calling anyone she could think of to announce her engagement. Giovanni the while was making a few calls with his executioner board.

"Ariana? You're a lawyer, could you legally make Farron a few obstacles?"

"I could be his lawyer and sabotage him, that would cost extra for you, though."

"Sounds good. Domino, you'll track him down and spy. Tell me everything you find, not just dirt." While she isn't an executioner, yet, she is a prime spy. And an assassin, but that skill set isn't needed right now.

"I doubt I'll find anything but dirt, but I can try!"

"Good."

"I can bring him under the dirt, boss."

"Petrel, no. At least not while it can ruin my chances to convince Ash.", said Giovanni. "Apropos, if you excuse me, I need to check something regarding Ash. Archer, Proton, the no killing also counts for you two."'

Ending the video conference, he leaves his office. He saw Delia chatting with the mothers of some of Ash's friends, he's sure one of them was Lusamine Aether, "Delia, love, have you seen Ash?"

Delia just pointed to a different couch. There he was, Ash laid on the couch and his Persian was on Ash, loudly purring and nuzzling. "Is he always this cuddly?"

"Sometimes? Only with me, my late wife and my late son.", said Giovanni. He hadn't thought about them in a long while. "Ash, would you follow me? You too, Persian."

Both followed Giovanni into his office. Persian placed himself on a bed, more like big pillow.

"Ash, now that Delia and I are getting married, and due to Farron, do you want me to adopt you?", he asked.

"Mm, depends. What were these 'connections' you were talking about?", countered Ash. "I'm still skeptical considering you're the leader of Team Rocket."

"Fair." Albeit annoying. "Some of these connections are just the team pressuring some people, some officials just owe me favors. A custody lawyer I am close with is my late wife's sister. I asked her to sabotage Farron."

"Doesn't your team have assassins?", asked Ash. "Jessie spilled something about assassins once. Mm, please don;t punish her for that slip up."

He cares about Jessie to some extent? Interesting. "I won't. While I do have assassins, I won't kill Farron. Unless you want me to.", he said. "I rarely use the assassins, they are just a pressure advice. Overuse would just make me look like a mad man who can't be done business with. I am first and foremost a business man after all."

"Oh?" Ash was surprised to learn that.

"You see, while my mother founded Team Rocket just to get rich-er, I use it for scientific research that may not be done legally.", he said, "I'm not just a criminal, Ash."

"Mm, I... I want that you adopt me. While I am still skeptical about the whole Team Rocket thing - in fact I have the feeling you try to make me join to some extend - I want that Farron leaves me alone more than I hate Team Rocket."

"Good!", he said, "Now, Delia and I decided to marry as soon as possible. When are you not planning to leave Kanto?"

Ash smiled, "I actually plan to stay more in Kanto." Oh, that will make things easier.


While the wedding is still a bit away - while Giovanni wants to get it done fast, he still has standards - they decided that Delia and Ash move in with him. Professor Oak was very surprised when he saw that the Ketchum house gets emptied by movers.

"You're moving, Delia?", asked Professor Oak in disbelief. "I assume Alola, due to Ash's champion status?"

"Mm, no. Look.", Delia showed him her ring. He turned pale. "I'm moving in with my fiance. In Viridian, not far away."

Gary stood besides his gramps and asked sarcastically, "Does that mean Ash will stay full time in Alola?"

"Oh, shut up, Gary. Ash actually plans to be more in Kanto. My fiance is planning to adopt Ash.", explained Delia to her ex, "And yes, Ash agreed."

"Oh... why didn't he agree to me adopting him?", asked Oak.

"Besides that you as a father would be embarrassing at best?", chimed Gary in.

"You know why, Samuel.", said Delia.


The wedding came. As the venue, they choose Giovanni's ancestral home, an old villa. Due to his position as the Viridian Gym leader, all the other kantonian gym leaders were invited. Pretty much all of them, especially Brock and Misty (and Erika considering she is why he landed Delia to begin with), congratulated Ash for gaining a new dad. This prompted Lt. Surge to ask, "Oi, Giovanni, are you adopting Ash? Considering how fast your relationship with Delia progressed..."

"Actually yes.", revealed Giovanni. "Ash already calls me dad, even."

"Oh, I guess that is good?", replied Surge.

After the wedding came the honeymoon. When they arrived, Ash cuddled with both of them a night. Weeks after that, Giovanni officially adopted Ash.


Archer said, "Your plan worked first try, now we only need to convince Ash."

"I doubt that will be too difficult.", said Giovanni. He'll refrain from mentioning that Ash may reform Team Rocket into a more heroic organization.

Since Giovanni told him the other Teams, well, some remains, still exist, his heroic tendencies kicked in. Giovanni may had planted the idea that Ash could use the team to smite these remains. Well, if he changes Team Rocket's purpose from his mothers original vision, why can't his son?