Giovanni, the renowned Viridian Gym leader, sat in the luxurious first-class cabin of the plane, returning to Kanto after a vacation in Unova.
His sharp eyes scrutinized the rest of the passengers boarding the aircraft with irritation and disdain. Suppressing his laughter at seeing a dark-haired teen stumbling and falling on her face, he shifted his gaze to the stunning view outside the window.
The Team Rocket Unova branch was a complete failure, and he was tempted to dismiss all of them.
The PL was breathing down his neck about his perceived neglect of his duties as a gym leader, and Lance was pushing the officials to replace him.
The mounting stress was causing a severe migraine, and he could feel his blood pressure rising. He needed to release his pent-up frustrations on the weak gym challengers.
All he needed to do was close his eyes; if only those two girls in the next aisle would shut the hell up!
He cleared his throat loudly, hoping to silence them. Though he heard a quiet apology, their incessant giggling persisted, further fueling his irritation. He turned to face them, noticing one girl with wildly curly dark hair who seemed to be the giggler; he examined the giggler and realized he knew her...
It was Jessica Stanley, age 16.
Her mother, Jenna Stanley, was a teller at the Viridian City
Bank, the bank he owned.
The Stanley women were garden variety, and both talked far too much. Both had wildly curly dark hair, clear skin, and blue eyes. Giovanni wasn't that close to the Stanleys; the only reason why he knew Jessica was Silver.
Silver was his 17-year-old son, and he was utterly infatuated with her.
Giovanni turned to the other girl facing him; he didn't recognize her.
She had striking features - very fair skin, long dark brown hair, and large, widely spaced chocolate-brown eyes that hinted at mischief.
Her heart-shaped face had prominent cheekbones, a thin nose, a narrow jaw with a pointed chin, and lips too full for her slim jawline.
She was wearing a long purple long-sleeve shirt.
Giovanni and the girl made eye contact briefly before she turned away, her face flushed red.
She buried her nose in the book she was holding - Wuthering Heights.
Something in her gaze made him feel...
What was compelling you to act this way, Gio?
Was it nervousness?
No, it was irritation, but perhaps there was a hint of something else, a spark of defiance?
Giovanni couldn't tell; he glanced at Jessica Stanley and saw her head down with her hands in her lap. She appeared visibly anxious, her demeanor now subdued, while the other girl subtly peered over her book.
There was something about her deep brown eyes that stirred anger within him.
As the aircraft descended and touched down at Pallet Town Airport, the sun was casting a warm glow, signaling the end of the 16-hour journey.
From his vantage point on the plane, he observed Jessica Stanley and the enigmatic young woman disembark. Jessica gestured toward a cluster of teenagers, and the mysterious girl responded with a wave and a shake of her head.
As they went their separate ways, Giovanni wrestled with the impulse to pursue the girl and demand answers about her identity.
What was compelling you to act this way, Gio?