Pokemon Fan Fiction ❯ Corruptions Way ❯ Chapter 6 ( Chapter 6 )

 

Chapter 6:

 

Disclaimer: I make no money off this. Don't sue, you won't win, and you'll waste everybody's time.

 

The next day, Ash bought a newspaper, and on the cover was a picture of Giovanni under the headline “Police Arrest Suspect in the Slash Killings!” He read down, shocked at what he was reading. “Last night,” he read allowed, “Giovanni Vorenzio, the Patriarch of Team Rocket, Gym leader of Viridian City, as well as several other things, was found at 3:30 in the morning near the home of Captain Jim Boran, the millionaire head of the Cinnabar Police Department. Jim Boran was found with the same slash wounds across the chest, near the ruins of the once proud Cinnabar Mansion. Jim Boran (53) was pronounced dead at 4:15 in the morning, forty-five minutes after the arrest. Jim was famous for cracking the Team Rocket counterfeiting ring in Cinnabar just last year, and was about to go to court against Giovanni, just another reason why Giovanni is the prime suspect.” Ash couldn't read on, he just threw the paper away in disgust.

 

He had trusted Giovanni, and now he was responsible for as many as thirteen deaths. He even had a Persian. The evidence against him was staggeringly high. But he was interrupted in his thinking by Koga. “Giovanni would like to see you.” He said, grabbing Ash and pointing towards a car. “Let's go.” Ash pulled away.

 

“Giovanni was arrested for serial murder, and even if he were here I wouldn't want to see him!” He snapped, but Koga merely sighed.

 

“What difference does arrest make? He's rich, and any case involving him he can get bail on by asking one of his friends in the judiciary system. He came here, and he wants to talk to you. Let's go.” And he again pulled Ash towards the car.

 

“No! I can't trust him! He was in Saffron, and his enemies there end up dead. Now he goes to Cinnabar, and his enemies there end up dead. I'm starting to lose my faith in coincidences.” But Koga wasn't listening. He very subtly drew a gun, and pointed it at Ash's forehead.

 

“I said let's go. If I have to repeat myself again, then you're brain will be on the ground. Let's go.” He pushed Ash into the car, and they drove off to an apartment building. They headed to the top floor, and entered the penthouse apartment. Giovanni sat there, another drink in hand.

 

“Ash, welcome. You may leave this Koga.” He moved to Ash smiling, but Ash back away.

 

“You bastard. How could you kill those people?” He asked.

 

“I didn't. I was accused of killing them.”

 

Ash was still angry. “You can't even admit it! There were Slash marks, and you even keep a Persian with you at all times! Not to mention he happened to be your enemy while he was alive! Oh yeah, and you were found in a burned down mansion by his house! Too many coincidences!” Ash yelled, his voice filled with growing loathing.

 

“There are many people who own Pokémon with claws. You're own Charizard for example. Jim Boran was the enemy of every criminal in Cinnabar Island for the last fifteen years, and I just so happened to be visiting the mansion for my own reasons.” Giovanni said calmly.

 

“So what if I own a Charizard? And he was the enemy of those criminals yes, but they didn't have enemies in Saffron did they? Enemies that died when you were there?” Ash asked. “And who visits an abandon mansion for their own reasons?” He wanted to spit, but Giovanni still remained calm.

 

“So not only my Persian is capable of hurting someone. And did it ever occur to you that all of Team Rocket is angry with Team Rocket's enemies? Be them in Cinnabar or Saffron or anywhere. And the Cinnabar Mansion just so happened to be the mansion that belonged to my mother. I spent most of my childhood in it before it burned down at the hands of both the enemies of me and my mother. I was 21 when it did. It appears you jump to conclusions and let the stress of work effect your temper. I'll file for a replacement champion.” And Giovanni moved away.

 

“Wait,” Ash began, “I'm sorry Giovanni, I'm just surprised and shocked. The coincidences were so linked together.”

 

“But they were only coincidences.”

 

“Giovanni?”

 

“Yes?”

 

“Was the mansion really yours?” And Giovanni smiled, and began to explain another chapter of the family history with Ash.

 

“About 65 years ago, fifteen years before I was born, my mother had made money off of Mew, and her other large expeditions, including the Celadon casino, the first Casino that was so large, and she found something in Cinnabar…” And Giovanni trailed on and on, spending nearly two hours explaining.

 

The following week, Giovanni went to trial, was found “Not Guilty.”, and went back to the Indigo Headquarters, where he and Ash grew closer. When Giovanni left, Ash was crushed and couldn't work as well, and a feeling of happiness came to him whenever Giovanni returned. He was like a father to Ash, and that was the greatest joy of all.

 

Life seemed prosperous for everybody during the next few months. Not only was Giovanni his father like figure, but Pryce like a grandfather. He took Ash on excursions, toured him around the world, teaching him about the habitats of Pokémon and their structure. At the same time, he and Misty had grown closer too, and he visited Cerulean almost every week. Brock on the other hand, had drifted away, but achieving his own dream of becoming a Master Breeder, becoming an important doctor.

 

After another month or so, Pryce spoke to him in private. “Ash,” he said, “we have a problem.”

 

“What is it?” Ash asked in a worried expression. This time he knew Pryce wouldn't joke like he did when they first met by the red Buick.

 

“There are a group of terrorists located in the mountains of Blackthorn City. There are about 800 of them, and they call themselves the `Army of the New Team Rocket Order', or `Neo Team Rocket'. Recently they planted a bomb inside an office building near Blackthorn, and another one on a train going to Saffron. So far, ninety-one people have died, and their leader, the Mask of Ice as he calls himself, has done this in search of the legendary Pokémon Celebi, who he believes can control time. You need to help us, because Giovanni has been accused of being Mask of Ice, and if you can testify in court that he wouldn't be like that, and that he's reformed, if would really help. Koga and I have already testified, and Lance is going to as well, but the Pokémon League Champion! That would mean everything!” Ash nodded, he understood.

 

“Of course I'll testify for Giovanni.”

 

“Excellent.” Pryce said smiling a strange smile that Ash had never seen before. “That's just perfect.”

 

Two days later, Ash came to the court, and Giovanni's lawyer came up to him after he was sworn in.

 

“Sir please state your name.” He asked him, not unkindly.

 

“Ash Ketchum.”

“And what do you know about Giovanni?”

 

“That he was once the leader of Team Rocket, but reformed and changed his lifestyle, and is now a generous and kind person who has helped me throughout my career.”

 

“And do you think that he would be the leader of this Neo Team Rocket?”

 

“No.”

 

“Why not?”

 

“Because I know him. I've seen him help people, I've seen him protect people, and I've seen him help and protect me.”

 

“But he goes out of town a lot doesn't he?”

 

“Yes he does, but he's working in either Saffron City with Silph Co., or with his casinos in Celadon.”

 

“And how do you know this?”

 

“Once, six months ago, I followed him to Celadon, and saw him.”

 

“No further questions your honor.” The jury murmured. It wasn't so that the questions proved Giovanni's innocence, but the fact that Ash Ketchum testified did. The prosecution skipped out on questioning Ash.

 

Two weeks later, Giovanni was found not guilty, and Giovanni attributed it to Ash's testimony. A newspaper article was published, “Giovanni,” the headline started, “friend of champions.”

 

Life was good, and everything went well for the relations between Ash and everyone, with Giovanni and Pryce spending more and more time with him. Everything went well until that fateful occasion the next week.

 

 

Join me next chapter, when everything goes topsy turvy!