SLACKERS
EPISODE XXIII
SINS OF THE FATHER
CHAPTER TEN - GIOVANNI AND AMANDA
Amanda Sakaki closed the front door to her home after stepping inside. She hung her hat on a nearby rack, took her shoes off, and set them on a shelf by the door. With only a small pair of socks on her feet, she walked over to the coat closet on the far corner of the living room. She hung her red trench coat inside and proceeded to her kitchen. It was a pretty standard routine she'd gotten used to for the last few decades, but she wouldn't have had it any other way. She loved her little countryside villa in the modest Kalosian town. She was close enough to the center of town to walk to the nearest grocery store, or to the closest cafe to relax and unwind with others. She was a mysterious one, revealing nothing about her past to anyone, but her kindness and infectious smile were enough for anyone to get along with her without asking questions.
She'd go back and forth between walking to the cafe and making her own drinks at home. This time, she was tired from the commute from the faraway New Donk City, so she opted to pour some water in her kettle and set it on a burning stove. A cup of hot tea would do her just right, especially since it was the spring and it wouldn't be long before hot drinks would be phased out for a while. She would probably sit on her big, comfortable chair in the living room, and watch a few episodes of a decades-old TV show: one of her favorite pastimes.
She didn't go out of her way to plan her routine, though. At this point, her brain was practically on autopilot. She'd done the same thing for so long, she didn't even think about it. That's why it was weird for her to completely halt her routine halfway through pouring her scalding water into her mug.
"You'll have to enlighten me soon. I was hoping to get the chance to see you..."
Gio's voice echoed in her head.
This hadn't happened in what felt like an eternity. She had felt as if 30 years of peace were becoming undone. It now felt like just yesterday when she last cried herself to sleep in bed, thinking about the deterioration of the man she once loved, and the son she had to give away for his own safety. Suddenly, Amanda felt 20 years old again, the low voice of her old flame clouding her mind.
"No," she said, without even realizing she was speaking out loud. "No, that was a long time ago. Everything's been set right..."
She continued pouring her tea, and her mind assaulted her once again.
"Just think, Amanda... soon, you will bring forth the heir who will continue the legacy of Team Rocket..."
She accidentally overpoured her drink, and it spilled out of the mug. She shrieked for the first time since she was younger and quickly set the kettle down on a safe surface. She sighed heavily and rubbed her eyes.
All these years later, and Amanda still found herself spilling hot drinks.
She went back for the coat closet, but this time for the top shelf. Covered in years of dust. Frantically looking among the old boxes and books she hadn't paid attention to in a very long time, she finally stumbled across an old brown, leather scrapbook. When was the last time she even looked at it? It felt like it belonged to a different person. She found she was having a harder time reaching it than she thought she would. The book eventually came down, but not before smacking her head on its way to the floor.
"Son of a bitch," she muttered, perhaps wondering if the old Sakaki temper was getting a fresh hold on her.
She almost felt like she was coming to her senses with that bonk to the head when she looked at the old, neglected scrapbook on the floor. She squatted where she'd been standing and rubbed her forehead.
"What am I doing..." she asked herself. "This is a bad idea..."
She stared at it for what felt like an eternity.
Then another memory invaded her mind. Not words this time, but an image. A happy one. One that she felt couldn't possibly have come from the monster her old flame would become.
She squeezed her eyes shut, grabbed the book, and made for her armchair in what felt like the opposite of an eternity. An instant.
When she opened her eyes, she realized she had opened the book to an old Polaroid she hadn't seen in all this time. She rested a hand on the photograph, protected by a plastic wrapping, and studied it.
It was a selfie of her and Gio, smiling in the Viridian City rain, on their first date.
35 years ago
"Ahh, quick! You gotta put it away!"
Amanda couldn't stop laughing as she shoved her camera back into her purse, suddenly not caring how the photo's development would turn out. Gio reaffirmed Amanda's grip on his umbrella as they quickly crossed at a stoplight in downtown Viridian City. They had just finished dinner at a local ramen shop, talking together and getting to know each other. A couple of drinks each had allowed them both to loosen up and really enjoy each other's company. Now they were running back to Club Rocket's... no, Team Rocket's warehouse. Amanda had finally been candid enough to tell him that the name needed a makeover to be taken more seriously.
That had been her biggest suggestion of the evening. Gio's was a little less professional. He was used to getting what he wanted, but taking Amanda out felt like a risk he hadn't been brave enough to attempt since he was a boy. Neither of them had thought to check the weather, though, because they had walked the entire way. The rain began letting up a little, but Amanda was still forced to walk closer than expected with Gio so they'd both keep dry under his umbrella.
"I'm really happy you decided to come with me," said Gio Sakaki.
Amanda Sakura looked up at her date, towering over her.
He somehow looked even more handsome in the rain.
"You're welcome!" she answered, enthusiastically. "I'm actually having a really nice time!"
A bolt of lightning struck about a mile away, and Amanda jumped, instinctively grabbing Gio's arm. He smirked, making no attempt to stop her. She looked a little embarrassed when she realized what she'd done, and she tried pulling away. She was surprised, and a little nervous, when Gio stiffened his arm, not allowing her to let go. She pulled back for about one second, although it felt like several to her, before she relented.
She found she liked being interlocked with him. And he obviously liked it, too. So where was the harm in staying put?
The rain began picking up, becoming louder than their voices.
"Oh shit!" exclaimed Gio.
Amanda still wasn't used to anyone swearing around her. No, her parents would definitely have washed her mouth or ears with soap, depending on who uttered the curse. But hearing it come from him was intoxicating.
"Yeah, shit!" she copied, sounding like a kid pretending to be a grown-up.
It made Gio that much more infatuated as they began sprinting in the torrential rainfall.
"Quick, over there!" he shouted, pointing to a nearby alley that was mercifully covered by an overarching rooftop.
They bolted to the dark alleyway, stopping a few feet away from where the rain was landing. Finally, they were dry, so Giovanni gently took his umbrella from Amanda's hands and set it aside. For the first time since leaving the restaurant, they felt safe from the raging monsoon around them.
Amanda shivered a little, rubbing her hands up and down her arms.
"Here," said Gio.
He took off his black trench coat and gracefully draped it over Amanda's shoulders. She looked up at him with giant, bright eyes.
He loved them.
"Thank you," she said with a smile. "Much better."
"Are you ready to go home?"
No way was she ready for this night to end. What started with an awkward office visit had turned into one of the most fun evenings she'd ever had in her life. To most, it would be a simple evening of dinner and walking, but being out at night in a storm, with a guy, no less, was more than she could ever ask for. However, she knew she couldn't reveal something that intense on a first date, and the rain miraculously gave her the alibi she needed.
"I don't think we can right now," she said. "Not while it's pouring like this."
"Well, either way, I'd be happy to escort you home whenever you're ready. Although I wish it wouldn't end," said Gio.
"You know..." Amanda said coyly, "I wouldn't mind staying out a bit longer. After all..."
She couldn't believe she was being this open. It was probably the liquor, but in that moment, she couldn't care less.
"... I'm sure my boss wouldn't mind."
Laughter of pure joy followed her comment. Amanda couldn't stop giggling, a little embarrassed, but quite surprised with herself. She didn't pay any attention, though. All her focus was on the deep chuckle coming from the man standing right in front of her.
That focus turned into a stare. She let herself look at him, without worrying about anything. She studied his face, adorned with only a few wrinkles so far. She felt like seeing Gio laugh was a rare occasion given his reputation, and she was going to enjoy every minute of it. All the teasing about her finding him attractive didn't matter anymore. She began telling herself it was all true. It felt like a drug or a guilty pleasure, but she finally admitted to herself, even screamed internally, that she really liked Gio.
She didn't break away her gaze, even when Giovanni returned it. He looked down at her, smiling himself, and soon, they were staring into each other's eyes. They were both completely entranced with each other. He knew right away that he absolutely needed to get to know the girl in front of him from the moment she bumped into him at the warehouse.
He didn't want to just look at her face anymore. He wanted to touch it.
So he did.
He slowly and gently put his hand on her cheek. She jumped, only a little, but she didn't take her eyes off his own. She loved the feeling of his thumb gently stroking her cheek as her face was caressed by his large, rough hands.
He began leaning in, and closed his eyes. She closed hers too.
Amanda's first kiss could have gone on forever. She didn't even realize she had wrapped her arms around his neck, the feeling of his lips against hers better than any sensation she'd experienced in her life.
She silently begged him to never stop. But, of course, eventually he would have to break away.
When he did, his hand was still on her cheek, and he felt a single tear fall onto it. He brushed his thumb lightly, wiping the tear from under her eye.
"I want to ask you something, Amanda."
"Anything, Gio."
He smiled longingly at her and asked, "Can we do this again sometime?"
She emphatically nodded her head, threw caution to the wind, and dove in for another kiss. Lightning clashed in the shining city, the intensity of the thunder adding to her wonderful atmosphere. Right now, Gio Sakaki was her whole world, and she wanted to stay in his arms forever.
Present day
Time hadn't made too drastic of a mark on Viridian City itself, but the years had added irritability, anger, and bitterness to one of its residents. Giovanni, still in command of Team Rocket, sat at his desk while two of his grunts stood opposite him. His frustration at his team's inability to find Mewtwo was presenting itself at full force.
"Goddammit, how is it this hard for a whole team with hundreds of grunts to find one single Pokemon?!" he roared.
"Sorry sir, we're trying!" said one of the defeated grunts.
"I don't want your excuses, I want results!"
"But boss, we've looked everywhere! What if he's dead?"
Giovanni slammed his fist on his desk.
"He's NOT dead! YOU'RE just incompetent fools who can't accomplish even the simplest tasks! Now get out and FIND MEWTWO!"
"Yessir!"
The grunts, thankful for an excuse to leave the office of their terrifying boss, bolted out the door and went right back to resuming their job. The door nearly slammed behind them in the hurry, leaving Giovanni to rub his temples in exasperation.
While he wasn't all-knowing, Giovanni certainly wasn't stupid. He had a strong feeling that Mewtwo had to be out there somewhere, and that he had some kind of connection to Mew, just as he did years ago. What frustrated him the most was how he couldn't utilize what was probably his strongest lead. He had hoped that he could get to Mew through Mihalis, and track down Mewtwo that way. He hadn't counted on his son rejecting his request for help, and he was now running out of options. The only reason he didn't force his will to achieve this was the last part of decency in him that didn't want to hurt his son.
Right now, Giovanni was wasting time and money on having his entire organization track down one Pokemon. It was wearing him out, and it was pissing him off. He didn't know how much longer he'd be able to keep this up, but if he was going to get Mewtwo back, the clone he spent millions of dollars on creating for him to only run away, he was going to have to think of something sooner rather than later.
He reached into his pocket for his cellphone and pulled up the contact for Mihalis.
He took a deep breath. He looked so tired, but he was going to try one more time.
"I'm sorry, son... but you've forced me to do this," he said to nothing in particular.
This was my first real attempt at trying something resembling romance. Hopefully it's not George Lucas level, but I know it's not stellar. Once I get this "serious story" bug out of my system, I'll go back to the stupid bullshit everyone is used to. In the meantime, I'll just make Mihalis go through that stupid bullshit in the next chapter...
