Summary: The Ketchums and The Oaks go to Giovanni's party. Team Rocket and the other gym leaders are there

Giovanni rolled his eyes as guests entered the gym. He didn't want to have this party, but Lance and the league were on his ass.

Ariana said he should have a party; Jessie and James suggested he cut a ribbon on a Walmart or something.

He should have chosen Walmart.

Giovanni just wanted to disappear, and he was honestly thinking about grabbing Jessie and James and hitting a strip club. He sulked away from the entrance before more guests could see him.

'Ooh, lookie here, Ashie,' Delia gasped as she pointed to a table of masks, 'it's a masquerade party.' Ash watched his mother hand him a simple black mask. 'It matches your tuxedo.'

'A masquerade?' Ash repeated as his mother put the mask on him. 'What's a masquerade party?'

'It's a party when everyone wears a mask, and at midnight, they take them off.'

'That sounds dumb.'

'It's mysterious, romantic.'

'Romantic.' Ash groaned. He noticed his mother's eyes got shiny at the word romantic.

Did she want to be romantic with someone tonight?

Is that why she wanted to come?

'What's wrong, hun?'

Ash shook his head. 'I like your hair curly.'

His mother spent hours at the beauty parlor getting her hair put up in curls; she looked like a queen.

'Thank you, honey, and you look pretty handsome with neat hair yourself.'

Ash felt his face heat up as his mother picked up two masks, a white and a dark reddish brown. 'Which should I pick?'

'The red one goes with your dress.'

She wore a satin v-neck dress with spaghetti straps and a slit. It was red, but she and the other ladies called it cabernet.

She put the red mask on; it had black feathers on one side but none on the other.

'Ash, I know you want to battle with the gym leader but don't be overzealous; he just got over a spell.'

'I know, I read about it in the paper.'

'Be on your best behavior.'

'Yes, ma'am.'

Jessie and James were technically off, but they stood in the back, masks on, partly because of the party but mostly because they encountered most gym leaders and didn't want to get arrested.

Giovanni looked as bored as them, but at least he could talk to people.

'I'm bored.' Jessie yawned.

'Me, too.' James sighed.

'You wanna steal a bottle of champagne?'

'Ya'll know I can hear y'all, right?' Giovanni muttered.

'Then don't be a rat.'

'Me, a rat?'

'Rattata.' Jessie hissed.

Giovanni groaned but waved dismissively, 'Go on then. Go have the fun I can't.'

'Cool beans.'

'I'm bored.' Ash groaned to Gary.

His suit was dark blue with a black shirt.

'Me, too.' Gary sighed.

'Pikachu.' Pikachu sighed in agreement.

'Evvie.' Gary's Eevee echoed as it scratched its head.

'Gary? Ash, is that you?'

They turned to see Brock and Misty approaching them; Brock's suit was black, while Misty wore a powder blue dress just below her knees, and her hair hung in waves.

'Brock! Misty!' Ash rushed to them and hugged them. 'It didn't know you guys were coming!'

'Gym leaders were required to come.' Misty sighed.

'What are you guys doing here?' Asked Brock.

'They were passing out flyers in front of the gym the other day.'

'Ash's mom told us we were going.'

'Are you drooling, Misty?'

Misty turned red and pulled away from Ash. 'No, I'm not!' She turned back to them, red-faced. 'You guys clean up pretty good for rednecks, that's all.'

'Rednecks.' Ash said as he and Gary exchanged a smirk.

Gary had always been a ladies' man, and Ash himself had gotten plenty of stares and invitations from girls because he was a redneck.

'I've got many offers for being just a redneck.' Ash shrugged. 'And I didn't even have to clean up for them.'

'What exactly happened to the gym leader?' Asked Gary as Brock laughed, and Misty scowled.

'I heard he got covid.' Ash added.

'No, it's not...' Brock stopped and looked around. 'Let's go somewhere quiet.'

Delia Ketchum grimaced at yet another lewd comment from a man; this time, it was someone called Surge.

Why did a little skin turn even the most civilized men into pigs?

She made some excuse to hurry to the ladies' room; too much champagne or bad shellfish.

A part of her wished she'd never come here; she should just have stayed home.

'This party is dead.' Giggled a familiar voice.

She crept to the door and peeked out; she saw them.

Jessie and James!

They were passing a champagne bottle between them, giggling.

They were here, why?

Ash?

Or him?

She grabbed her clutch and rushed after them.

Ariana watched Giovanni flirt with another woman, and she was tired of it.

Was he incapable of keeping it in his pants?

Sometimes, Ariana wanted to strangle that man.

She rolled her eyes and excused herself to the ladies' room.

She saw Jessie and James and rolled her eyes again; Ariana blamed them for whatever Giovanni was going through.

Those idiots were corrupting him.

A woman burst out of the room, startling Ariana and making her jump.

'Excuse you!'

Rude bitch.

She watched the woman grab Jessie and James by the necks and throw them into the men's room.

Ariana stood in place for a bit, then crept to the men's room; there was yelling before the woman said in an authoritarian tone, 'You better mind for your business gets jammed down your throat!'

'There's two of us-'

'And I have proven that I can hand you both your asses to you at the same time, James!' She countered. 'Would you like me to prove it in heels?'

'We're not scared of you!'

'Are you sure, Jessica?'

'What do you want?'

This woman intimidated them; Ariana wondered who she was.

'6 months ago, there was a man dropped off in front of Pokémon Center in Viridian-'

'What?!'

'You're insane.'

'He was a part of Team Rocket-'

'Who told you that?!'

'I just want to know if he survived.'

'What business is it of yourself?'

Smack!

'James, are you alright?'

'Your turn, Jessie.'

'We're not in good standing with higher-ups; I believe you know why.'

'I most certainly do.' The woman had pride in her voice when she said that.

'But, we didn't hear anything about anyone from Team Rocket dying.'

'Are there other Team Rocket members here?'

'No, it's just us. James and I thought we deserved a vacation.'

'Harassing kids is tiring work.'

'You're the one harassing us.'

'And I'll harass you some more, James!'

'We don't have to take this-'

'Then get outta my sight!'

Ariana stepped back into the shadows as Jessie and James stumbled out of the restroom and away from the woman as she exited gracefully.

Ariana intended to grab the woman and demand who she was, but that idiot Lt. Surge approached her.

'Oh,' the woman said in a saccharine voice, 'Mr. Surge.'

'I thought you got away from me.'

'I'm not that lucky.'

Something in her voice told Ariana that she was not kidding.

'What do say, we-'

'Let's get back, we can dance-'

'Let's dance here.'

'Let's not.'

'Oh, come on, baby.' He grabbed her by the waist and jerked her closer. 'Let's get to know each other.'

'I have to get back to my date.'

'That old man?!'

'Yes.'

'Oh, come on!'

'I would like to get back to my date now-'

'I said-'

'And said no!'

She shoved him away and stormed away, and Surge scoffed as Sabrina and Koga approached him.

That woman was a force to be reckoned with.

'What are you doing here?' Demanded Sabrina.

'We're supposed to be watching Giovanni's back.' Koga said.

'Just trying to have some fun,' Surge turned to them, 'you do remember what fun is, right?'

'We're not here to play, Surge.'

'Speaking of playing,' Koga said slyly, 'who was that woman I saw you with?'

'Nobody, just some stuck-up little bitch.'

'I know what that means.' Sabrina said with a chuckle.

'Shut up and let's go.'

'Okay,' Ash said as he and Gary followed Brock and Misty into the gym's battlefield, 'we're alone.'

'Spill.' Gary said with folded arms.

'Ok,' Misty said quietly, 'the gym leader wasn't sick; he was shot.'

'SHOT?!' Ash and Gary exclaimed.

'Shhh!'

'What happened?!' Gary hissed.

'They say it was a mugging gone wrong-'

'You kids shouldn't be in here!' A sharp voice cut through the air.

They jumped and turned to see a man standing before the entrance. He was tall, maybe 6ft tall; he had short, black, sleek hair, olive complexion, and piercing dark eyes. He wore a black suit, a red shirt, and a black mask.

'Sorry.' Misty apologized.

'We're just-' Brock began.

'I was looking for my mom.' Ash chimed in. 'We were fixin' to go, but I begged my friends to let me stay and look around.'

'We'll leave-'

'Aren't you the professor's grandson?' He turned to Gary.

'Yes, sir.' He nodded.

'We battled once before, right?'

Ash noticed Gary's face paled as he nodded. 'Yeah.'

Ash glanced at Brock and Misty; they had their eyes down, then turned back to Gary and saw he did the same.

Gary always looked grown-ups in the face, and he heard him cuss at a few...

But he wasn't looking at him, this man...

Ash looked at the man and fought to maintain eye contact.

His eyes cut through you, Ash thought.

'Brock and Misty, leaders of Pewter and Cerulean City, I presume.' He said while keeping eye contact with Ash.

'Yes, sir.' They said simultaneously.

He walked over to them. 'And you?'

'What about me?'

'Who are you?'

'Nobody. I'm nobody.'

'Does nobody have a name?'

Ash recoiled at the question and fought the urge to hide his eyes.

'Ash, my name is Ash.'

'Ash.' He said. 'Feels familiar.'

Feels familiar?

Did he know this man?

'I've won a lot of awards and stuff.'

'Did you ever battle here?'

'Twice.'

'You lost?'

'No.' Said defiantly. 'I fought temporary replacements.'

'So we have never fought?'

So he's the gym leader, Ash thought.

'Hey, Giovanni,' a man with green hair, 'Lance is looking for you.'

Giovanni rolled his eyes and turned to the green-haired man. 'I'll be right there.' He turned back to Ash. 'We should battle one day.'

Delia stood against the wall, sipping champagne and watching happy people dance.

Why did she decide to torture herself like this?

Parties like ,this were the worst; she missed her husband.

She watched the professor dance with several women, and even Ash danced with Misty.

One day, he'll be a man dancing at his wedding...

One day, he will leave home and never return, and she will be alone forever.

'Oops.' Someone bumped her shoulder, making her spill champagne on her dress.

She turned to see Surge behind her, grinning like the cat who had just eaten the canary.

'Sorry.'

There goes my deposit. Delia thought bitterly. Bastard.

Delia edged away from him and continued to watch the partygoers.

It was almost midnight, thank goodness.

Surge bumped her again, and she turned around, tempted to knock him all the way out.

'Is there an issue?' She turned to him.

'No. No issue.'

'Ok then.'

Delia walked to the other side of the room and watched her son.

'I don't believe I've seen you around before.' A voice whispered in her ear.

Delia turned to see a man. He was tall, maybe 6ft tall; he had short, black, sleek back, olive complexion, and piercing dark eyes. He wore a black suit, a red shirt, and a black mask.

'I'm not much of a partygoer.'

'That's OK, neither am I.'

'Oh, were you roped into coming as well?'

'And then some.'

'My son wanted to meet the gym leader.'

'Has he?'

'Knowing him, he's probably battling him right now.'

'Hmm, maybe.'

Delia glanced at him and thought he looked familiar.

'Like what you see?'

Delia felt her face heat up, and she turned away. 'I just-'

'I don't mind.' She felt his gaze. 'It's nice having a pretty woman stare at me.'

My husband used to say the same thing. Delia thought.

'It's nice to get attention from a good-looking man.'

'You don't find Surge good looking?'

'It's nice to get attention from a good-looking man with manners.'

'There you go.'

Delia turned to face him and found him staring. 'Do you like what you see?' She teased.

'Yes.'

'Oh.'

That was an unexpected response.

'Let's go out onto the dance floor.'

'I don't think I've heard this one before.'

'Just hold onto me; I'll never let you go.' He held out his arm for her to take. 'Trust me.'

Delia hesitantly took his arm and followed him out on the floor; he jerked her closer, causing her to gasp as their bodies collided.

'Forceful, aren't you?'

'Only when I see something I want.'

'What does your wife think?'

'Single, never married.'

'Oh.'

'Where's your husband?'

'You assume I'm married.'

'There's no way in hell a gorgeous dame like you has no one to go home to.'

Well, he wasn't wrong.

'I feel like I know you.' He said they swayed to music. 'Are you an actress?'

'You flatter me.'

'You flatter me.'

'How so?'

'You haven't really talked or danced with anyone else, but you're talking and dancing with me.'

'You've been watching me?'

'It's pretty hard not to.'

'The song stopped.'

'They'll play another. Stay with me until midnight; I want to see who I'm talking to.'

'Oh.'

'What's the matter?'

'This song, I never heard this rendition of it before. It's so dramatic now.'

'Violins will do that. You know this song?'

'It's one of my favorites.'

'It's been stuck in my head for months.'

'I'm sorry, we're supposed to be talking, and I'm humming.'

'No, keep humming, it's soothing.'

Delia felt his hand on her back, pressing them closer.

'You remind me of someone.'

'What's her name?'

'I don't know, I haven't officially met her. How did you know it was a woman?'

''Lucky guess. Is the one that got away?'

'She won't get away.'

'You don't even know who she is.'

'I like a challenge.'

He stared so strangely; it made her afraid and oddly attracted to him.

'You smell like peacha berries.'

'Thank you.'

'What's your name?'

'Mrs. Kay.

'Mrs. Kay...'

'And you?'

'Gio.'

'It's almost midnight.'

'It's almost time.'

'So it.'

He caressed her jawline with his index finger; something between a gasp and a moan escaped from her lips.

'You have soft, fair skin.'

'Thank you.' Delia couldn't hear her voice over her pounding heart.

'I bet your husband has fun bruising it.'

'What?!'

'Hickies, Mrs. Kay.'

'I don't know, I've never asked him.'

'Ask him, then let me know what he says.'

'I'm- I have to go.'

'Take it off.'

'What?!'

'Your mask, Mrs. Kay, it is midnight.'

'Right, of course.'

Everyone took off their masks except them. 'Scared?'

'No, are you?'

'Never scared.'

'I'll take yours, and you can take mine.'

He smirked. 'Alright.'

They slowly removed the other's mask and gasped, 'It's you!'

Him, it was the man...

"I need to—'

He grabbed her arm. "You will return—'

"I need to leave—'

"Tomorrow, right after you tuck your kid in, preferably.'

"Preferably?'

'Come alone.'

'No.'

"Find me, or I'll come find you.'

Delia paused, then looked around and saw Ash was nowhere in sight.

"I have to find my son.'

'I'm serious. Tomorrow at midnight.'