Pokemon Fan Fiction ❯ Don't Give Me Diamonds ❯ Chapter 16

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Don't Give Me Diamonds

Diamond 58: Give me Resolve

The next day, Ash made his way through the Cerulean gym around ten in the morning. He was still sleepy, but he got up anyway. He didn't know why, it was as if something was about to happen. He didn't know if it concerned him or not. He found Misty feeding the pokemon. "Morning," the greeting was accentuated with a yawn.

"Good morning sleepy head," Misty teased as Ash gave her a kiss. He wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and rested his head sleepily on her shoulder.

"I think Goldeen will be happier here." Goldeen shyly observed the other pokemon. Another Goldeen and a pair of Seaking approached her curiously. Soon, she was swimming around with the other water pokemon. It was the Goldeen that was given to Ash at the Viridian tournament.

"It looks like she's already making friends," Misty smiled. "Your mom volunteered to make breakfast." The scent of pancakes from the kitchen confirmed that she must be almost done.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Ash cheered, he was feeling a little more awake at the thought of breakfast.

In the kitchen, they found Delia setting the table and greeted her with "good morning" and "pika pika." Pikachu jumped off Ash's shoulders and gave Delia the sweetest smile.

"Good morning," Delia replied, "and yes, Pikachu, you can have pancakes soon."

Misty sat down next to Ash. She tried to brush his hair with her hands; it was sticking out in every direction. "Did you sleep well?" She gave him a small kiss.

"After all the excitement I could hardly sleep," Ash admitted. "Wait a minute," he realized that someone was missing, "where's Giovanni? Is he still sleeping?"

"He had to leave," Delia gave Ash a weak smile, but forced her tone of voice to remain somewhat cheerful. She woke up before Ash and Misty did, by then Giovanni was already gone. "You two were sleeping, he asked me to say goodbye. Someone came to pick him up from Viridian City," it was a lie and Delia didn't feel good about it. She didn't know what else to say to avoid suspicion. She wondered what Giovanni could be doing. She knew it had to be related to Team Rocket and he didn't want to involve Delia.

"What about our battle?" Ash pouted. He had been looking forward to battling Giovanni. That wasn't the only situation in his mind, "what about my hat?"

"Ash, please be patient, everything will work out," though it wasn't her intention, Delia wondered if she was accidentally lying again.

xoxox xox xoxox

At the Viridian Rocket headquarters, Jessie rested her back against the cold metal underground tunnel and slid down to the floor. James repeated the motion next to her. Their exhausted pokemon were resting in their pokeballs, except Meowth. He snuck into Giovanni's office and was napping on his chair. "We did it, we've searched this place upside down and caught every traitor that was here. I heard they did some really tough searches in the other bases just in case too. The rest of them are hiding somewhere else." Jessie closed her eyes. The cold hard floor wasn't comfortable at all, but she was so tired she was about to fall asleep.

"We helped Team Rocket," James tilted his head towards Jessie and closed his eyes. He wondered what would happen to them after the boss heard what they did. Would they truly return to Team Rocket? Was it worth it? They were too tired to think about that at the moment.

"Hey you two, get up!" Ariana commanded, she crossed her arms and tapped her foot impatiently. "I give you points for being loyal despite your situation, but I can't blame Giovanni for thinking you're incompetent. Why are you sleeping here? That makes you look weak!"

Jessie and James jumped to their feet, "yes, ma'am!"

Ariana laughed, revealing that she was only pretending to be angry at them. "You've done well, but it's not up to me to allow you to return to Team Rocket or not. For now, you should go home so you're not in the path of Giovanni's rage when he returns. Unless you really want to stay for the rest of the battle," she challenged.

Jessie and James looked at Ariana's serious expression, at each other's confused faces, then back at Ariana. "It's not over?" Jessie finally voiced.

"Of course not, we just got the traitors and infiltrators. The rest of the enemy gang is still out there, who knows what they'll do. We need to be prepared to defend the base, just in case." Ariana wasn't expecting a confrontation to occur too soon, unless Giovanni provoked it to get things over with. If not, then the enemy would probably lay low for a while. It was an opportunity to be sneaky and put an end to their plans.

"We're staying," Jessie decided without giving it too much thought. Her determination was unbreakable.

"Yeah, we're Rockets. This is who we are and we're not going to run away!" James added with the same determination.

"Good, but you're not in any shape to battle right now, if it comes to that. Your pokemon are exhausted as well," Ariana reasoned, "go to the infirmary, the others are resting with their pokemon there. I suggest, no, I order you to do the same."

"Yes, ma'am!" Jessie and James eagerly saluted and did as they were told. The order to rest was very welcomed.

xoxox xox xoxox

At the Cerulean City gym, the atmosphere was full of uncertainty. "What are we going to do now?" Ash asked between big bites of food. He was devouring his pancakes almost as fast as Pikachu. The yellow electric pokemon could eat a lot when it came to pancakes. Though the humans found it odd, no one stopped Pikachu from putting ketchup on the pancakes.

"I don't know," Misty's words carried a deeper meaning than simply not having a plan for the day. "I'm going to call my sisters." She went to use the phone in the living room, which left Ash in the kitchen with Delia. Misty purposely went away in case they wanted a little mother-son moment.

"Are you going back to Pallet Town?" Ash inquired curiously.

"Yes," Delia didn't know what else she could possibly do. The question caught her off guard. She remembered that Ash's car was no more, its remains having been left behind the previous night. Replacing the engine would be more expensive than what the car was worth anyway. "I'll take a few buses until I get there, don't worry about me."

The memory of Ash's car invaded his mind at the mention of transportation. His expression turned grim. "I guess I'll be taking a few buses and walking in the near future too." He used to walk everywhere. After getting used to moving from one city to another in a matter of hours rather than days, he really missed his car. All her sisters had their own cars, but Misty never felt the necessity to get one despite having a license. She always traveled with Ash anyway.

"It's not so bad," Delia smiled trying to lighten the mood. The weight of uncertainty was still upon her. She wondered when and if Giovanni would contact her. He left without saying anything, she woke up and he was already gone. She understood Team Rocket's situation kept him busy, but that only worried her more.

"I suppose..." Ash let out a breath. He remembered why he had initially asked his mother if she was going back to Pallet Town. The question wasn't originally about transportation, "I thought you might go to Viridian City. I guess the less people are involved the better. Is it safe in Pallet Town?"

Delia didn't want Ash to worry about her. Yet there wasn't anything solid she could ascertain to provide reassurance. "I'm sure I'll be fine. They were after Giovanni more so than me. He'll lead them away and I'm sure he'll be okay too. He's a strong pokemon trainer. Everything will work out."

"I hope so," Ash still felt gloomy. He had no direct part in the Team Rocket situation and didn't fully understand it. It made him more uneasy to think about Tempest. He wanted to do something but didn't know what. To top it all up, he didn't have a hat. People would probably give him weird looks on the street due to his hair being nearly impossible to be kept in place. He brushed his hands against it helplessly, it wasn't cooperating.

Watching her son, Delia actually considered asking Giovanni about what he used to keep his hair in place without ending up with a built in helmet. That had happened to Ash once, due to excessive hair gel. Then she told herself to stop thinking of such little details. She couldn't run away from the big picture and the fact that she and Ash might not see Giovanni again any time soon if ever. He was supposed to take her to meet certain people, but Delia didn't know if she should believe him. She wondered if she should just stay away, but couldn't leave things as they were.

"What does that mean? Daisy! Don't hang up!" Misty's voice came from the living room sounding very upset. Ash and Delia left the kitchen and rushed to her.

They found Misty still sitting in front of the video phone. Her expression was distressed. She was trying to call Daisy again, but the call didn't go through. "What happened?" Ash asked.

"Daisy didn't explain it clearly. She said something about the mafia, but she wasn't making any sense. She told me not to worry if Ackbar Inc. was on the news. I don't know what's going on, but it looks bad. She sounded as if she didn't understand it either. Team Rocket, the mafia, Ackbar Inc., it's all connected somehow," Misty's worries grew by the second. "I'm calling Violet, maybe she can explain things. It seems they've all gone their separate ways for now."

Ash and Delia watched silently as Misty dialed the number of Violet's cell phone. It rang several times until finally Violet's voice was heard, "Lily?" She had not been paying attention to the name on the cell phone's screen.

"It's Misty," The device was set to voice only, though cell phones with video phone capabilities were no longer rare. Misty didn't like the way Violet sounded and she wished she could see her expression. "Do you know what's happening with Daisy?"

"Ask her yourself, I'm like not talking to her!" Violet yelled. The sound of screeching tires, a horn and angry words indicated that she was driving recklessly.

"Violet, are you driving? Pull over for a second and explain what's going on, please!" Misty nearly begged. As if the recent attack on Vermilion City wasn't enough, Daisy had started going on about the mafia. She was making no sense and on top of everything, something was clearly wrong with Violet.

"I don't have time for this. I'll have to like save Kenobi myself," the sound of police sirens was heard. Violet's reckless driving didn't go unnoticed. "I have to go, don't call me, I'll be busy."

The call was ended. With Violet's cell phone turned off, Misty could no longer reach her. "What in the world is going on?" The youngest Waterflower yelled out in frustration.

Ash hugged her supportively, "maybe Lily knows, let's try to call her."

Misty nodded and dialed the number. She waited holding her breath until Lily's face came on the screen. What little of the background that could be perceived indicated that she was in a fancy room with predominant sandy colors. Her eyes were red, she had been crying. "Misty?" She didn't expect her youngest sister to call.

"Lily, what's happening? Please tell me!" Misty insisted desperately.

Lily nodded; she could see Ash and Delia behind her sister. It was alright, they were trust worthy people. "Misty, I'm scared. I like didn't know what to do so I just tried not to think about it. This can't be happening." Tears flooded Lily's face as her denial gave out.

"Lily!" Misty wanted to jump into the screen and appear on the other side. The hardships that her sisters were enduring hurt her, even more so because the situation was in many ways unknown to her.

Lily shook her head and evened her breathing, "Lando is... No, Mr. Ackbar, his father, was like involved with the mafia, with Team Rocket. Years ago, when Lando was very young, he was like sick and his father was able to save him thanks to some business deals he made with Team Rocket. It was like the only way to get the money he needed for his son's surgery. Ackbar became a mafia clan, they like served the Roketto, Team Rocket."

Ash stared at the screen with his anger and frustration building up. Team Rocket's name kept coming up in bad situations lately. Even if that other gang, Tempest, was apparently worse, Team Rocket was still bad.

"You're saying that Team Rocket and this Roketto clan from the mafia are the same?" Misty watched as her sister nodded, giving it some time to sink in. "The Ackbar family is involved with them, in debt?" Misty's voice gave out. She pushed it to work again seconds later, "Lando, Daisy's fiance is involved with the mafia, with Team Rocket, because he's part of the Ackbar clan..."

"I don't know a lot, but they can't just like break away," Lily replied with hushed sobs. Delia bit her lip and remained silent. The connections Team Rocket had ran far and deep. She wasn't expecting another of their connections to come out so close. "Team Rocket betrayed Ackbar, they attacked."

"Wasn't that Tempest?" Misty's question confused Lily. "Team Rocket's rival has been causing trouble in Team Rocket's name to gain more enemies for them."

Lily's eyes widened as she considered the possibility of everything being a big misunderstanding or a setup. "Then Ackbar going to war with Team Rocket might be like a really big mistake."

"This just keeps getting more complicated," Misty was feeling helpless with the situation.

"Lily, you should tell Daisy and Lando about Tempest," Ash suggested, he didn't know what other course of action to take beyond clarifying things. "Team Rocket is bad, but fighting with them is probably what Tempest wants Ackbar to do. Tempest is worse than Team Rocket; we can't let them get their way."

The pieces fell into place perfectly when Misty thought about it, "Tempest is using Ackbar to weaken Team Rocket." In that situation Ackbar would become a sacrifice for Tempest's purpose. "You have to warn Daisy and Lando!"

"I'll tell them, right away!" Lily exclaimed.

"What about Violet?" Misty quickly asked before Lily hung up. "I called her and she was driving somewhere, recklessly by the sound of it."

Lily's expression darkened further, "Kenobi is missing, that's why he like didn't call Violet. She thought he was like helping his father, the Viridian mayor. The mayor called Violet asking if Kenobi was with her. No one knows what happened to him. Daisy and Violet argued because of the Antilles family being like suspected of supporting Team Rocket."

Delia had a bad feeling about Kenobi's disappearance. His father, Rune Antilles, was involved with Team Rocket and had a relatively important position. Kenobi might have been taken prisoner by the Rocket traitors or even by Tempest. "For now, you should tell Daisy to convince Lando not to challenge Team Rocket," Delia suggested. "Tempest is the main enemy. I'm sure information about Kenobi will turn up."

"Alright, I'll do that," Lily nodded; her expression was stressed and worried.

xoxox xox xoxox

In Saffron City, the sun was obstructed by tall buildings that created a shadowy darkness in the alley. The entrance to the secret battle arena was closed and would not open for business until noon. Regardless, Proton knocked on the door. His face was shrouded in additional darkness by the shade of his black hat. The red R on his chest was clearly visible. He made no attempt to hide the symbol of Team Rocket, carrying it with real pride.

"We're closed, come back later," a gruff voice replied from beyond the locked door.

Proton grinned and glanced at the rope that extended from the roof of the neighboring building. "I think not. You see, I have an urgent message from the boss of Team Rocket."

The shuffling of feet was heard from beyond the wooden door. Hushed voices echoed in the basement and a few clangs of metal were heard. The muffled words were angry but indistinguishable.

Proton held a small explosive; he retrieved a lighter from his pocket and lit the fuse attached to the black dynamite stick with a red R. Without a second to waste, he hurried to climb up the rope to the roof of the building and pulled the rope up.

A tall figure burst through the door with a crowbar in hand. The guard was immediately thrown back by the force of the explosion. He fell into his allies behind him, knocking them down like dominos.

A man and woman pushed past the dazed guards despite their warnings to stay back. "Up here," Proton threw a black enveloped down. The paper fell slowly; it swayed from side to side above the glare of the couple below. The woman outstretched her hand and caught the black envelope, noticing the red R on it.

The guards had recovered and intended to pursue the Rocket. The man raised his hand in a signal for them to stop. His female companion seemed to be glaring a hole through the black paper with shiny red ink. "It seems he wants a showdown." She looked up at Proton, "tell your boss that we accept his challenge!" They would get their revenge on Giovanni for putting them in jail years ago when they took over the Viridian gym.

Proton grinned and did a mock salute. He tossed down another small explosive and watched in amusement as the enemies scrambled inside. "They're like cowardly Diglett." With a low chuckle he dashed away and jumped to the roof of another building near by. Behind that building, he made it to the emergency stairs. The thin metal staircase screeched with each hasty step he took.

He made it down to a much wider alleyway that led towards the main road. An orange sports car was waiting for him there. Proton got in and the car sped away. "They accepted the challenge. I guess we can expect them to prepare an ambush in the meeting place."

"You know what to do," Giovanni was planning to end the problem with the same strategy as the enemy. They wanted to take over Team Rocket by getting rid of the leader, so it would be a battle between the leaders.

"I've got your back," Proton ascertained. "This plan is risky, I like it." Proton's voice didn't lack in confidence.

"It will work," Giovanni affirmed, "the others better do their job. Ackbar is being troublesome." He felt frustrated that he didn't act faster. The situation with Ackbar was most likely a misunderstanding. Giovanni assumed that Bane's son had taken over command of the company. Apparently, Lando didn't realize what was going on. He must have the wrong idea thinking that Team Rocket attacked for no reason. None the less, he would be punished for his troublesome mistaken conclusion.

Giovanni also received word that Kenobi was missing. That issue had to be solved before his battle to avoid a troublesome hostage situation. Kenobi had more loyalty to Team Rocket than Rune. It was true loyalty based on something more than fear. Perhaps Giovanni would push Rune to retire after the next office term ended. Then Kenobi could take his place as a more competent Viridian mayor.

xoxox xox xoxox

On that same morning, Comet reported to the mysterious Saffron City mayor. Her office was dimly lit, covered in red. The same Ninetales sat regally beside the lady. The unidentified lady carried an elegant royal air and looked menacing in the shadows. "The operation last night at the Cerulean City Pokemon Center was a terrible failure."

Comet shifted uncomfortably and fingered Gyarados' pokeball on his belt, all part of his act. "I apologize for that, ma'am," he gave her a remorseful look, keeping his head low.

"Not only did you fail to steal any pokemon, but most of the agents involved were arrested. I find it odd that you could escape," the lady had a mocking grin. "You didn't seem to be the cowardly type who runs away at the first sign of danger."

Comet tried to remain focus on his act, "the situation was... overwhelming." He made a few hurried nervous sounding excuses, as if he was truly regretful of how things went. "They called for help, some strong trainers arrived and-"

"The Viridian City gym leader," the lady interrupted. She leaned back on her large red leather chair. She sunk deeper into the shadows and her expression was nearly impossible to perceive. She was satisfied, "I have seen the news. That wasn't the only thing mentioned on the news though. The production of medical supplies in Kanto seems to have been paralyzed. The hospitals and clinics will be alright for a while, but by next week the difference will become noticeable."

Far from sounding concerned, the lady sounded proud, "Ackbar Inc. didn't control each and every medicine and medical tool on the market, but they control a piece of each so it's all the same. Even if another company tried to produce something, they cannot if one key material is missing. The medical industry is dependant on Ackbar. At the same time Ackbar is dependant on the transport of cargo handled by Antilles. The cargo company is run by a board of executives, but the mayor of Viridian City is the owner." More so Giovanni was the owner; Rune was only there to help hide the monopoly the Rocket leader administrated.

The lady chuckled fondly, "the take over was easy. The previous cargo company was left weakened after an incident that resulted in lawsuits and boycott. The event involved one of their ships being hijacked by terrorists. The S.S. Lapras, I believe that was the ship's name, if memory serves. Antilles' cargo company, Antilles Oceanus, is also the main source of imported food in Kanto. As for the local produce, I'm sure Team Rocket has ties to that area of business too. Team Rocket also holds many shares in the stock market and has vastly influential representatives in several boards of executives in many areas. Plus they have the big guns, but their weapons manufacturing is top secret," she grinned mischievously.

"You're well informed..." Comet commented suspiciously. He didn't expect the mysterious Saffron City mayor to reveal so much or to know it in the first place.

The lady laughed as if she had heard something very amusing. "Team Rocket is not trying to take over Kanto, they already have! The same goes for the Orange Islands and Johto. As for the other regions, their market control of food and medicines is at least eighty percent. Only a few products can be made without some Team Rocket involvement. Soon their control will reach the same level as Kanto. Until that control extends throughout the world, it must remain a secret. There will be minimal rebellions and resistance when the time comes."

"By the time they realize what is happening, they will be under Team Rocket's firm rule! Furthermore, if they try to fight back, they'll only hurt themselves. The world will depend on Team Rocket. Any hopes of ending their rule, will be suicide," the lady's laughter echoed. "I thought it was impossible to take over the whole world. If he plays his cards right, he might just do it!"

After more laughter, her expression turned serious. "Things like our current situation with Neo Rocket and Tempest will get in the way. Giovanni needs to pay attention to those details. He needs to learn, it's for his own good. Dear boy, you've done exactly what I wanted you to do. Now it's time for your final mission..."

xoxox xox xoxox

Diamond 59: Give me Devotion

After Comet left the Saffron city hall, Akira arrived. She had fallen asleep on the way and taken some time to rest. She didn't mean to, but no one wanted to disturb her. She was a fast healer and her leg had recovered enough for her to walk easily. Running would still hurt, but she didn't expect to need to run. She sent her fans away to get her a few things she claimed to want. A strawberry sundae, purple nail polish, a bottle of perfume of a certain brand, some new clothes from specific stores. It was all just to get rid of them. She needed to investigate on her own.

When the Vermilion attack occurred, the mysterious Saffron City mayor contacted her to assure her it was done by false Rockets. Akira didn't know if this unknown woman was trying to stop her from taking revenge on Team Rocket or aiding her in taking revenge on the real culprits.

Akira had not gone to meet her initially, even if the mayor had requested it. Instead she tried to go on with her plans to get revenge. She wondered if she should have gone to Saffron City from the start. She wondered if this woman had known Mirta and if she knew the secret Akira so badly craved to know. What was she? Why was she different?

As a child, Akira, then called Secura, had once heard Mirta talking to someone else. She closed her eyes and picture herself as a little girl walking through the cold empty halls of the orphanage one rainy night when she couldn't sleep. She saw light coming from Mirta's small office where she kept records and paper work for the orphanage. The door was mostly closed, parted from the frame a mere few inches. "Secura is the grim reaper; we can't let her curse run free," Mirta voiced.

"I know, I haven't told anyone about her," a second female voice replied. "I know I can entrust her to you. History can't repeat itself. I have big plans; I'll obtain what he couldn't. I have someone to help me get it. This will most likely be my last visit in a long time."

"You don't come often as it is," Mirta reminded. "I know I can't talk you out of doing what you want, just be careful."

Secura was frozen in the hallway as she listened. The grim reaper? That was only a myth, she was young, but she didn't believe in such things. What could be so terrible that could be compared to death? Was she dying? Did she have a horrible illness? She didn't feel sick. She didn't dare look into the office; she never knew who Mirta spoke to that night. The little girl retreated silently into her room. She told herself she had misheard. She never dared to ask for the truth. She wanted to know, but at the same time she feared to know. The memories of that night haunted her until eventually the need to know overcame the fear, but it was too late.

Taking a deep breath, Akira made her way to the Saffron mayor's office. No one tried to stop her, as if she was expected. She opened the door and saw a world of red and shadows.

"Sit, child," there was a lady sitting behind a desk with a Ninetales at her side. The woman was covered in shadows, her face hidden. Her hands were folded on the desk, fingers entwined, nails crimson.

Akira sat down across the desk. She couldn't hold her questions in any longer. "Who are you?" Her voice was desperate. "Who am I?"

"Who you are is up to you to decide," the lady spoke calmly. "As for what you are..." She paused observing Akira's intense gaze. "You are a traitor."

"What?" Akira gasped. "Is that why you called me, to stop me from causing trouble to Team Rocket?"

"You were in the news, you're quite a troublesome one indeed," the lady chuckled. "I'm afraid I'll have to imprison you indefinitely."

"No, I won't let you!" Akira stood up and reached for the two pokeballs on her belt. "You don't know; you don't know anything! You didn't know Mirta! You can't give me any answers!" She released the two pokemon from their pokeballs. Jigglypuff and Loudred appeared from the balls' red beams.

"Two against one? That's fine by me," The lady chuckled darkly. "Nien, flame thrower!"

Jigglypuff dove out of the way and hid under the desk. Loudred was left to fight on his own. "Hyper voice!" Akira commanded.

The lady glared, but refused to acknowledge her discomfort beyond that. Ninetales howled in annoyance. "Shut him up Nien, fire blast!"

The blast of fire made the difference in power between the two pokemon obvious. Loudred was knocked out and thrown back at Akira. She fell on the carpet and called back her unconscious pokemon off her. "Don't just hide there Jigglypuff, do something!"

Jigglypuff crawled out from under the desk and hopped on top of it, "Jiggly!" She picked up a red marker from the desk and held it like a microphone, "Jigglypuff-"

"No! Don't sing, fight!" Akira screamed in frustration. She wasn't a real pokemon trainer and didn't know how to use the song to her advantage.

Angered by the interruption, Jigglypuff pouted. Her body was filled with air and she grew slightly larger. She let out the air in a huff, with an annoyed, "puff!"

"The show's over, little girl," the mysterious lady grinned victoriously, "Nien, tackle!" She pointed towards Akira. The Ninetales jumped on her and pinned her to the floor.

Akira didn't stop struggling, "let me go!" Nien growled threateningly and bit her shoulder. Akira screamed in pain, with tears rolling down her cheeks. She was crying more so out of frustration than physical pain.

The lady pressed a button on a small intercom device on her desk, "I have a prisoner that needs to be escorted to her cell."

In a matter of seconds, two men in dark red tuxedoes entered the office to take Akira away. They made sure to take away her pokeballs as well. "Her pokemon, Madame," one of the men held out the pokeballs. One contained Loudred and the other was empty.

"Not interested, you two can battle to see who will keep that Loudred later," she dismissed the Loudred she viewed as weak.

"Thank you, Madame," the two men chorused while they held Akira tightly. She kicked and screamed but could not break free from their iron grip.

Nien sat proudly beside her trainer. She watched as they took the human away. She shared the mocking pride that her trainer displayed.

The two men dragged the complaining girl out and closed the office door. Madame Boss was aware that Akira didn't recognize her as Giovanni's mother. It didn't matter if she did or didn't. Madame looked back at the Jigglypuff on the desk. "It didn't look like you wanted to fight."

"Puff, puff!" Jigglypuff waived the marker around then held it like a microphone. "Jiggly!"

"You want to sing?" Madame laughed. "So that's why you became that girl's pokemon, because she was a singer. I have no use for a pokemon that isn't good at fighting. My business is in battle, not musical performances. Let yourself out little one." On a whim, she decided to spare the Jigglypuff as a reward for being amusing.

"Puff!" Angered that her song wasn't appreciated, Jigglypuff stomped away. She left the office and city hall without looking back. Such an ungrateful audience wasn't worth singing for anyway. She kept the red marker; it may come in handy later.

xoxox xox xoxox

The tension was heavy at the Cerulean gym. Misty was very worried about her sisters. "Let's call the Viridian mayor and let him know that Violet is on her way. She might need help," Delia suggested.

"Alright, the number is on the contact list," Misty scrolled through the numbers recorded in the video phone until she found it. "It's ringing..."

A picture of the Viridian mayor with a bright green leafy background appeared on the screen. "You have reached Rune Antilles, the mayor of Viridian City. I hope to count with your vote for the next elections! I am hard at work making Viridian City a better place and cannot reach the phone right now. Please leave a short message after the beep and I'll get back to you as soon as possible."

"Hi, this is Misty, Violet's sister. I'm not sure if you already know, Violet is on her way to Viridian City. She might be having some trouble on the road," Misty didn't know how to explain things without making her sister sound bad. It could be, and probably would be, interpreted in a negative way if she said Violet was being chased by the police.

Delia placed her hand on Misty's shoulder in a silent offering to take care of the message. Her instinct told her that Rune had to be keeping track of any incoming communications given the situation. "Rune, this is Delia. I was with you and Giovanni watching the tournament at the Viridian Stadium, remember?" Delia's sweet voice shifted to a very commanding, dangerous tone, "pick up the phone right now!"

Ash and Misty jumped at the sudden change in her voice. They attributed it to stress. Their attention focused on the screen again when the picture changed to a live video. Rune was in his office where shades of green were everywhere. The wallpaper was adorned with leaves. The wooden furniture was of a peculiar design with little branches and plastic leaves decorating it. Each piece simulated a very odd kind of fictional tree that happened to be shaped like furniture. "Yes, ma'am!" The Viridian mayor squeaked in the same tone he used for Giovanni when he was told to shut up.

"How did you know he would pick up?" Ash wondered in amazement.

"Intuition," Delia replied with an innocent smile. "Besides, if he didn't pick up, he would call us back immediately after hearing that message. We had to let him know it was very urgent."

"My apologies," Rune sighed, "it's just that Violet said she didn't want to get her sisters involved. When I saw the call came from the Cerulean gym..." Mayor Antilles trailed into silence in his usual submissive nature. He wasn't supposed to say that.

"Violet is there? She made it safely?" Misty was quick to inquire urgently.

"Oh yes," the mayor looked very stressed. "I'm afraid I cannot converse for long. There is much to be done in preparation to find my son. A friend has already sent someone to help." He looked meaningfully at Delia. Giovanni must already be aware that Kenobi was missing and sent someone to find him. "I deeply apologize, I must go. I have managed to talk Violet into waiting here. She had a bit of a run in with the police over her speed- Oh no, I'm sorry, please forget I ever mentioned it. I assure you her record is perfectly clean. I saw to it myself, I am the mayor after all," he sounded a little proud that he could at least do something. The legality of it was very questionable, but no one would dare to question it.

Misty breathed in relief, "thank you. Please keep Violet safe." The use and abuse of political pressure was a topic she chose not to address.

"Of course!" Rune exclaimed, "you don't need to worry about anything. I will protect her as my own daughter. After all, perhaps someday she will be."

After their talk with the mayor, Ash and Misty could at least be reassured about Violet's safety. Delia still had her worries, Violet was very close to the heart of Team Rocket. She didn't think Violet knew about the involvement of the Viridian mayor with Team Rocket. It made her wondered for how long it could be kept a secret. Violet was dating the mayor's son, so the truth might be revealed to her eventually.

"At least Violet is alright, but there's still no word from Lily and Daisy. Things are so complicated right now," Misty would have never guessed her family would get mixed up in such complex and dangerous situations.

"Maybe we should check the news, they might be saying something," Ash suggested. He turned on the TV and changed the channels looking for a news program. He didn't find anything playing at the time though.

Growing impatient, Misty thought of something, "we should try the Kanto News website. Let me go get my laptop." Misty went to get the device and returned, sitting on the couch. Delia and Ash were sitting left and right of Misty, watching the screen. The wallpaper showed a picture of Ash and Misty on a picnic. Ignoring the posted comments and advertisements, Misty clicked on the latest video featured on the site's main page.

The news anchor, Ameda, narrated while different images were shown on the screen. "To everyone's shock this morning, all of the facilities owned by Ackbar Inc. were closed. Neither employees nor clients are being allowed in." A video of confused and worried people gathered in front of closed gates was shown. "The young Mr. Ackbar recorded a short message and sent it to our station. Let's watch..."

The image on the screen changed to Lando. The background showed an aquarium he had at his mansion. He sat on a wooden chair, carved in detail as if the material could be melted and shaped. It had sand colored cushions to sit on and on the backrest. "As I'm sure many of you know, my father was tragically murdered recently. I will not allow this injustice to go unpunished. Until these matters are resolved, Ackbar Inc. will cease all operations. Until then, I must ask for my employees and clients' patience."

When Lando's message ended, the image returned to the news studio. Ameda continued, "Mr. Ackbar has not replied to our continued requests for an interview. Ackbar Inc. is the number one producer for human and pokemon medical supplies in Kanto. The future of the hospitals and Pokemon Centers in Kanto remains uncertain. Ackbar Inc. possesses exclusive right to distribute several vital human and pokemon medical products in Kanto. Our neighboring region of Johto has decided to respect the condition and refused to sell supplies in Kanto. The other regions have had similar reactions."

"This is bad," Misty's worry grew, "what's going to happen when the hospitals and Pokemon Centers run out of supplies?" She couldn't believe her sister's fiance would go so far to pressure for revenge. "The lives of many will be put in danger if something isn't done soon! What do Tempest or Team Rocket care if Kanto collapses? How could Daisy be okay with this?"

Delia sighed sadly, "she loves him," she voiced softly. "She sees what he's doing, but from his point of view. Sometimes, when something is done for the sake of your loved one, it's easy to forget the effect it may have on the world."

Misty grew silent and tried to put herself in her sister's shoes. If someone hurt Delia and Ash wanted justice, would she let him pursue it by any means? Would she stand by him if he hurt others to uncover the culprit? Perhaps she too would be blinded by sorrow anger and frustration. "I think I understand."

"How could you understand?" Ash didn't quite comprehend how Lando and Daisy could ignore the consequences of paralyzing the medical supply industry.

"Ash, if someone," Misty paused as she felt a cold chill run down her spine, "if someone hurt me or your mom. You would want to bring them to justice, right?"

"Of course I would! That's what I've been thinking all along. Tempest needs to be taught a lesson!" Ash jumped to his feet from the living room couch. "We should be out there hunting down Tempest. They attacked mom and Giovanni. They tried to steal from the Pokemon Center. They're the ones that started all of this when they attacked Vermilion!"

"Ash, that's not what I-" Misty tried to stop him, but Ash was determined. She didn't mean for him to react like that.

"You can't just barge in!" Delia insisted. "Tempest is dangerous, you could be killed! What matters right now is that we talk Lando into resuming Ackbar Inc.'s normal operations and not picking a fight with Team Rocket."

"Alright, I understand," Ash clenched his fists in frustration. It was clear that he was not okay with accepting the inaction. He wanted to take control of the situation.

"Let's call Lily again," Misty could feel the tension around Ash building up. She hoped that her sister had at least made some progress. She hoped that Lando was getting ready to give a new message at that very moment. She hoped for the safety of all those she cared for. The video phone showed a message indicating the unit was deactivated. "Lily has her phone off. I'll try calling Daisy." Misty gave it some time, but the ringing was endless and unanswered. "Daisy must have left her phone somewhere. Let's try Lando's number," the tension and uncertainty build up every time the phone rang.

"Ackbar residence," a woman with a marked accent answered the phone. She sounded as if that was not her first language. The device was set to voice only.

"Hi, it's Misty, Daisy and Lily's sister. I really need to speak to them right away," Misty waited in suspense. She had to talk to her sisters. If Daisy wanted to, she could convince Lando to rethink his actions.

"Ah no, apologies miss," the maid replied, "the master and the ladies are not here. I take a message, yes?"

"Where did they go?" The urgency was evident in Misty's voice.

"I do not know," the maid nervously replied. The entire Ackbar mansion staff was on edge with the current situation.

"This is important!" Ash insisted loudly. "We need to talk to them right now!" He demanded.

The maid let out a little frightened yelp, "apologies, apologies, I do not know."

Misty sighed in exasperation, "it's okay, it's not your fault. If they return or contact you, tell them to call my cell phone immediately."

"Yes, yes," the maid hurriedly agreed, "call Misty, yes? I will give the message."

"Thank you," Misty ended the call and got up. "I'm going to find them." She had made her choice; she couldn't sit still any longer.

"I'm with you!" Ash announced. He was tired of waiting around for things to improve.

"Wait you two, this is dangerous. I know you have to go since Misty's sisters are in the middle of everything, but please don't lose sight of the dangers," Delia reminded, her tone was worried, almost desperate.

"Don't worry mom, we'll be careful," Ash assured. "I'll call you later. Maybe you should stay here for now. We've been in difficult situations before, not like this but don't worry, everything will work out."

"That's what I thought," for a long time, but not anymore, "it's not always like that. Don't lower your guard." Delia was reminded of the day when Ash started his pokemon journey.

Ash had called her from the Viridian City Pokemon Center after his first day on the road. She mentioned that it had taken his father three days to get there. It was true, three days of speedy get aways with Saffron City as the starting point. She tried to offer him some encouragement, but Ash didn't seem to respond too well. Her comfort wasn't enough for once. Plus the ambiguous image of a man who didn't exist beyond stories of adventures didn't have much to offer.

She had encouraged him a little more and smiled sweetly. She seemed distracted, too cheery. Then she ended the call before he could see her mask fall. She stared at the blank monitor for a long time. "Please," she wished with all her heart as a tear rolled down her face, "be safe."

The stories about the many different people Ash met soon reached Delia when he called her. His encounters with Team Rocket held a prominent place in Ash's narrations. Even so, he sounded happy. He was truly enjoying his journey and he had made good friends. He knew nothing of her past connections with Team Rocket. Jessie and James, the Rockets trying to steal Pikachu, were also unaware of who Ash truly was. Delia thought that maybe her connection with Team Rocket had finally dissolved in time. It had been over a decade, yet the connection could never truly disappear.

Delia walked with Ash and Misty to the door and watched them take a taxi. She followed the yellow car with her eyes until it was out of sight. She didn't know what to do, she couldn't simply sit and wait.

"Delia?" A sudden voice caught her attention after Ash and Misty were gone.

A red haired woman Delia had not seen in a long time approached the Cerulean gym's front entrance, "Ariana?"

"It's good to see you again; do you have time to chat?" It was obvious that Ariana wasn't referring to a simple friendly chat.

"Yes, come in," Delia had many things to ask. They went to the gym's living room and sat down with suspense in the air. "What happened? Is Team Rocket planning to do anything about Ackbar? If only Lando can understand that the Vermilion attack was Tempest's fault everything can be solved. Then Ackbar Inc. can keep functioning normally. Kanto needs their medical supplies! Where's Giovanni? What is he planning?"

Ariana raised her hands for Delia to slow down, "calm down. Don't throw so many questions at me at once."

Delia took a deep breath, "I'm sorry, this is no way to greet you after such a long time. So many things are happening; I need to understand what's going on right now."

"Archer is taking care of things with Ackbar. He might still be video conferencing with Bane's son right now," Ariana explained. "Since Giovanni is away, Arch is running things while this mess is sorted out. Giovanni said he would end the Tempest problem himself. I wouldn't worry too much, he can be reckless when pushed, but not stupid. Besides, Proton is with him."

Delia nodded, she felt relieved knowing that negotiations were taking place. "Then there will be a peaceful resolution to the Ackbar situation?"

"It depends on how you define peaceful," Ariana chuckled knowingly, "no heads will roll if that's what you're asking. They will be punished for their doubts and disloyalty, but it will be more about business control and economical resources. Team Rocket will have more control over the company now, but things should run smoothly from the public's perspective. If it makes you feel any better, we can't afford to execute anyone right now. The enemies will be blamed for the disasters and sent to jail. It brings back memories, doesn't it?"

"Yes, if all goes well, history will repeat itself in a way," Delia paused, realizing what she was saying. "That might not be such a good thing, let's say things might work out better than before."

"You're still full of hope I see," Ariana smiled as if reminiscing of the past. They had not been as close as Delia became to Leah, Aayla, Luke and Binks, but Delia was friends with Ariana, Archer, Proton and Petrel years ago. "You really put him on edge you know."

"Giovanni?" Delia looked puzzled, "he sent you here, didn't he? He told you it was alright to talk to me."

"Yes, I guess he still trusts you in his own way, maybe without realizing it." Ariana mused. "Giovanni hasn't taken matters into his own hands so directly in years. Arch thinks something happened to overload him, so to speak. He wants to get this over with and it's not simply because of Kanto."

"Do you really think so?" Delia felt a little better hearing that, but at the same time worried. "He seemed relatively calm, too calm. I tried to be patient, but a bottled up reaction is still a reaction. If my news threw him over the edge and made him all reckless, I'm glad!" Ariana laughed and Delia corrected herself, "that didn't come out right. What I mean is that maybe giving him something to think about caused him to want to rush things along. I noticed that he was curious about Ash, but I wasn't sure if he would just let everything go after a while. Maybe everything did overwhelm him, I'm glad to know he's still human enough to be overwhelmed and do something rash." Delia shook her head, "that doesn't sound right either. I'm glad he can still trust me a little. I'm glad he's not indifferent towards us, you know what I'm trying to say."

"I think so," Ariana was both puzzled and curious. She leaned back on the couch and got comfortable for a long talk. Her mission was simple, 'stop Delia from doing something crazy' that was how Giovanni phrased it. "There is something I don't understand. Who is Ash? First I hear he's suspected to be with the enemy and then we're supposed to leave him out of this. Other than a past Indigo League champion, who is he?"

"Giovanni didn't tell you?" Delia paused, unsure of what to say.

"He didn't have time for a long talk," Ariana replied, "he just told us that Ash was not the enemy and that he was to be kept out of this."

Delia resolved that it would be alright to explain things, "he's our son."

xoxox xox xoxox

Diamond 60: Give me Insight

A dark blue limousine quickly made its way through the roads traveling from Vermilion to Viridian. Inside the vehicle, the wireless video conference system was communicating with the Viridian Team Rocket base. The screen showed Archer's image with a serious expression. "Is this offer appropriate, Mr. Ackbar?"

Daisy scooted closer to her fiance and Lily moved closer to her sister. Lando shifted uncomfortably as he tried to bravely speak. If the second in command was this intimidating on a screen, he certainly wished he never had to meet the boss in person. How did his father deal with this? "Sir, those terms are worse than the previous terms you offered."

"You seemed displeased with my previous offer and refused it," Archer reminded, his gaze was sharp and strong. "I offered new terms, are you rejecting them as well?"

"I would be powerless to have any control over the company by those terms," Lando stated, he wanted to refuse, but a worse offer might be made instead.

"Indeed, however, you would still be an ally of Team Rocket as far as the underworld goes," Archer emphasized the importance of that point with his tone. "This means that you would be able to live comfortably and safely. The dreadful happenings of Vermilion City will not be repeated without reason." You can't knock down someone who is already on the floor. Team Rocket would need to allow Ackbar to still have something, rather than nothing to lose.

Lando looked at Daisy. Her eyes were fixed on the screen, she couldn't look away. Lando didn't like that Daisy and Lily had insisted on being present during his conference with Archer. The Rocket executive had demanded that Lando went to Viridian City for the signing of a few documents immediately, with negotiations being conducted along the way. Such documents were not fully legal, but served as a way to keep clear records of agreements. Lando knew he had no choice and the Waterflowers refused to let him do this alone. "Very well, I will accept your terms," so much for war. In the end, he had to put safety first. If anything happened to Daisy and her family, he wouldn't be able to live with it.

"I knew you would see things my way," Archer looked confident, as if he had no doubts of how the situation would turn out. "I will await your arrival, use discretion." The screen went blank.

Lando, Daisy and Lily let out a collective breath. "Well, that like wasn't so bad," Daisy sighed.

"Not so bad? Daisy, dearest, I'm on my way to an unofficial early retirement," Lando frowned.

"I'm just glad they didn't like put a price on your head. Lily was right, we like got caught in the rush of the moment and acted in a dangerous way," Daisy admitted, the reality of what Lando had done finally sunk in.

"I'm so sorry to put you through all this, I'm not worthy," Lando dramatized tragically.

Daisy shook her head, "it's alright. It's over now. Don't look at it as forced retirement. You'll still be like the president in the eyes of the public. You'll still need to like take care of public relations and you'll still get a salary. The difference is that you'll have more free time!" The worse had passed and the situation was starting to stabilize as far as they knew. Daisy smiled, trying to encourage her fiance.

"Then I'll have more time to spend with you!" Lando cheered. "Maybe this really isn't so bad after all." The couple looked at each other lovingly, lost in their own little world.

Lily sighed bitterly. "It must be nice," she mused aloud. Her last break up had been very difficult, just when she thought she found the one. Daisy had found her prince charming and so had Violet and Misty. Upon thinking of Violet, Lily wondered how she was doing. "Do you think Violet is alright?"

Daisy gasped and returned to reality, "oh no, Violet. We need to like apologize; we both said some things we didn't mean." Daisy searched for her cell phone but couldn't find it. "I must have left my phone in Lando's house."

"I'm on it," Lily held up her little pink cell phone. She had it off before. She hit the speed dial for Violet and waited, but her phone was off. "She has her phone turned off. But we know she's in Viridian, she like should be there by now."

"You should find your sister while I take care of business. I don't think they'll allow you into the Rocket base anyway. It's already bad enough that you know they have an important base at Viridian," Lando looked at the Waterflowers seriously, especially at Daisy. "I don't want you to get involved more than needed.

"I don't want to like make anyone mad by being there, but I can't let you face this alone either," Daisy was full of determination. "Besides, we are like engaged to be married! Sooner or later I'll have to learn about the mafia, I'll be a part of it too."

"Daisy!" Lando gasped full of emotion. "How could I accept such a thing?" He looked into her eyes.

It was clear that she was full of determination, "don't you trust me?" Daisy's look intensified.

"I trust you," Lando firmly stated, with his face becoming serious. "I will not stop you from learning about the family business if that is your wish. I greatly appreciate your support." His serious expression shifted to moved, "oh Daisy, my darling, how I love you!"

"I love you too!" Daisy exclaimed. The couple shared a loving embrace.

Lily pouted and scooted away from her sister. "When is it going to be my turn?" She wondered.

"However," Lando continued, "this once I will handle things alone. When we get to Viridian City you must find your sister. Later, after all this chaos passes, we can think about your role in all of this. Eventually I will be able to meet with Lord Roketto in person for the first time. My father always handled such meetings in the past. I believe it is best to ask for formal permission before I tell you more. I am very sorry for keeping you waiting, but it is for your protection."

"It's alright," Daisy smiled in understanding. "Lily and I will leave as soon as we enter Viridian City. Then after the formalities are done, we can like talk about everything else. All of this will be kept in like total secrecy, so don't worry. We won't tell anyone, right?"

"Of course not!" Lily assured. "We're like great at keeping secrets."

xoxox xox xoxox

The Saffron mayor's office was just as dark and red as always. The leaders of Tempest entered the office and found Madame at her desk, shrouded in shadows as they had seen her before. Her Ninetales, was out of her pokeball. Instead of sitting regal and ferocious at her side, Nien sat with her head on Madame's lap. Madame petted the pokemon gently, as if soothing her. "What brings you here?" Her voice was authoritative, yet relaxed.

"I've heard that a certain person has been here," Bollux paused, observing Madame's unchanged face. "I am referring to the one known as Akira."

"Ah yes, quite the little troublemaker," Madame chuckled. "You need not worry about her."

Bollux cut to the chase, "we want her as our prisoner." Bollux was often seen as the Tempest leader. He was part of the original Tempest Gang. He had light green hair and matching eyes. The woman known as Poisona secretly acted as the leader, retreating into a position of second in command when she felt she was too obvious. Some said that Poisona was the true Tempest leader, but for some reason didn't want to appear as such. Perhaps it was to avoid being directly targeted by enemies.

Poisona was constantly at Bollux side, as if needing to supervise and approve his actions. It made her stand out, even if she didn't want to. There were rumors that she was the sister of the past leader, Venom. Her hair was a light tone of lavender and her complexion similar to that of Venom. Only a few still remembered the past leader, the few that still had energy to seek revenge after getting out of jail. The most notable similarity between Poisona and Venom were their stunning red eyes.

"For what purpose?" Madame inquired with perfectly faked curiosity. She assumed that their plans involved using Akira's fame against Team Rocket, since she was known to be an agent. They could be planning to keep pushing the police to take action.

"As a hostage and to use her reputation against Team Rocket," Bollux explained, while Poisona remained silent at his side. "The police seemed to back off when the entire Ackbar hiatus situation was announced. No other message has been issued from Ackbar since then. As far as we know, the medical supply industry will remain paralyzed indefinitely," Ackbar Inc. would soon resume its normal functions, but only a few directly involved people knew that at the time.

"I don't know," Madame sighed in disappointment. "All this time I sheltered you," she watched them and hindered their operations while pretending to help. "I tried to help you at the risk of my noble reputation as the mayor," she used them for her own benefit, while remaining as the secret mayor no one dared to challenge. "I even introduced you to some powerful allies who wished to betray Team Rocket." She turned the two groups into one so that it would be easier for Team Rocket to take them out at once. She knew they would be overpowered even together.

Madame didn't interfere too much; she still allowed some trouble to slip by. It would be no fun if she did everything. When things got out of hand, she sent a list to her hidden ace, Miyamoto's daughter. The list was collected by her spies inside Team Rocket. Far from causing trouble, they were loyal agents in every other aspect. Miyamoto had been a magnificent agent as well, one without equal in Madame's opinion. She shifted in her chair and continued petting Nien. "I'm starting to feel as if my efforts are wasted on you. Will you ever get revenge on that terrible man who stole so many things from me?" It was all a lie and Tempest believed it.

"We will give you Kenobi Antilles in exchange," Poisona finally spoke. Bollux looked at her in surprise and disapproval. A discrete glance from Poisona put him in his place and he tried to emulate her confidence.

Madame smiled, though her suspicions were strong. The deal was far too convenient and nothing in life came that easy. Even so, the opportunity was too good to pass up. "Very well," thus it was decided.

Poisona had come prepared; she looked at Bollux who took action. He contacted someone on a cell phone, "bring him in."

Madame pressed a button on the intercom, "bring Akira."

A silver haired man in a dark red tuxedo entered the office a couple of minutes later. He was carrying Akira who was unconscious.

Soon after, two other men arrived at the office. One had short dark green hair and bronze eyes. He was wearing a large trench coat with his hands suspiciously in his pockets fingering a hidden gun. The other looked much more like a man of high society; he was the son of Rune Antilles. Kenobi had dark hair and bright green eyes. He didn't know how important it may be to keep him alive, so he didn't take any chances disobeying his captors.

The hostages were exchanged without casualties. The Tempest members left with their new hostage. Even after they were gone, Kenobi shifted uncomfortably, not knowing were he stood in the situation.

"It's alright now, you are safe," Madame spoke.

Kenobi breathed in relief, "thank you! I will be sure to reward you for your kindness mayor..."

"You may call me Madame," she smiled in amusement watching as the young man tried to allow the notion of safety to sink in. "Now sit, I will call for some tea and cookies. Someone should be here to escort you home soon."

xoxox xox xoxox

At the Cerulean gym, Ariana couldn't hide her surprise, "your son, as in yours and Giovanni's?" She was overcome with a fit of shock induced laughter. "Let me guess? He took it relatively calm and collected, right? You know he's always like that. You used to get so annoyed because of it," when arguing about pokemon experimentation and stealing from good trainers.

"You heard us back then? Well I guess everyone did, but no one mentioned it." Delia couldn't help it but to laugh too as she remembered old times. The memories were bittersweet, but she held them dear. "That's why I said I was glad. Maybe Giovanni really does have too much to think about right now. I know I should be glad he took it calmly; it's just that it makes him so hard to read. Ash doesn't know who his father is. Things are too complicated right now, so we agreed to deal with that later," Delia revealed. "I don't know how that will be done though," her momentary cheer evaporated.

"If Ash was raised by a goody-goody outside of Team Rocket, I suppose finding out his father is the boss would be a shock," Ariana mused aloud. She honestly couldn't imagine it. "I have a son too," she revealed, he looks more like me than his father, but that was some time ago."

Delia's interest was instantly captured by curiosity, "Archer?" She gave a small smile, trying to stay somewhat hopeful despite the uncertainty in the air.

"Yeah, we're still together," Ariana smiled sincerely, but her expression soon turned sour, "our son is not around anymore."

Delia's face was invaded by sadness, "you mean he's," she dared not finish.

"Oh no," Ariana shook her head and chuckled, "I'm sure he's very much alive. He's just not in the team anymore. For some time Giovanni tried to train him to help him run Team Rocket. That boy didn't know what was good for him. He was too much of a rebel and ended up running off. He picked fights with random trainers and even with Rocket agents. He stole pokemon and other things. He was always getting into trouble. After some time passed he started to tone things down a little. I'm not sure what he's doing right now, but at least he's not picking a fight with Team Rocket anymore. I guess he eventually learned that he can't take on the world with just his pokemon. Giovanni was relatively lenient with the situation. I guess it's because Archer and I were doing good jobs."

Delia closed her eyes for a moment, taking in all the information and picturing it. Maybe Archer and Ariana's son didn't belong in Team Rocket. Perhaps it took all that conflict to make him realize what he wanted. Delia opened her eyes and breathed deeply. She had never met him, so she shouldn't be theorizing so much. "Do you miss him?"

"Sometimes," Ariana admitted, "but never mind that. It's been a long time, there's a lot of things we need to talk about," she tried to change the subject into something comfortable and casual.

"Is there something else you can tell me about where Giovanni went?" Delia brought up the question again. As much as she wanted to have a nice relaxing chat with Ariana, the time was not right.

"Something about a duel in the world's edge, but nothing to worry about," Ariana voiced calmly and Delia's eyes shone with interest. "I can't let you go anywhere," Ariana reminded.

"Shall we decide it in a battle?" Delia unexpectedly suggested. She was full of both determination and doubt. "If I can't win, then I doubt I would be able to do anything anyway."

xoxox xox xoxox

At the Tempest hideout in Saffron City, Comet was hard at work cleaning. He let out a breath and observed his work. 'Rockets are super clean compared to these slobs.' He was not well received after his apparent failed mission at the Cerulean City Pokemon Center and was punished for it. As for the mission, the mysterious Saffron City mayor gave him, it was quite simple: 'make sure they don't kill Giovanni.' She had sent him away after that, refusing to discuss the matter further. Comet had already reported everything to headquarters.

"Are you done cleaning the hide out, rookie?" The manager of the illegal pokemon battles roughly asked. "If not because the mayor recommended you, I would-"

"Yes sir, I apologize again for the failure at the Cerulean City Pokemon Center. Give me another chance, I won't disappoint you." Comet managed to look truly apologetic and resist the need to punch that guy in the face.

"You've got some nerve thinking you're off the hook already," his bright yellow hair fell over his gray eyes as he glared. The man scolding Comet was the same one who managed the illegal battles at Saffron City. He was the same who had been at city hall when Comet was first there. He was known as Solo, though no one knew anything about him beyond that. "I bet you were the one whose clumsiness caused the others to get arrested!" Solo was one of the favorite agents of the Tempest leader.

"I'm going to give you an easy mission that not even you can mess up," Solo growled, "watch the prisoner."

"Yes, sir!" Comet followed Solo down a dark corridor with many doors. Some were partially open and others were closed. The sounds of pokemon came from inside, those were storage rooms. It made Comet feel sorry for them. He liked battles, he even like the brutal battles of the secret illegal arena, granted that the pokemon fought willingly, like Purry. Hearing their cries outside of the rush of a fight didn't feel right.

"Here we are," Solo opened the last wooden door at the end of the hall with a key. The door was old and beaten, but it still held strong. A girl with cyan hair was tied to an old folding chair inside the dim room. There was only one flickering lamp directly above her. Her body was limp as if she would fall to the side if she wasn't tied to the rusted chair.

"Akira?" Comet recognized her right away. Her eyes were closed and she was motionless. She had to be alive; they wouldn't have her tied up like that if she wasn't. Ropes bounded her wrists behind her. Another rope around her waist kept her torso tied to the back of the chair. Her ankles were tied to the chair's legs.

"Yeah, the famous singer," Solo chuckled. "Surprising isn't it? I was shocked too." His expression changed back to a serious one. "Don't mess up, rookie. The boss seems to have plans for the girl. I think it was a stupid trade. I mean, she's famous, but that Antilles guy was rich too. Plus his father, the Viridian mayor, has more political power. This girl's just famous. At least she's good to look at, that's for sure."

"A trade? The Tempest boss traded the mayor's son for Akira?" Comet didn't understand the trade either. He would think having Kenobi would prove to be more beneficial. Akira was more famous, but Kenobi was a more prominent figure in terms of politics. With Kenobi they had mayor Antilles to threaten, but Akira didn't really have anyone in a high position that they could pressure. She was connected to Team Rocket, but so was Kenobi, surely they realized that. His exposure as part of Team Rocket would have been worse than her publicity if they played their cards right. "With who was the trade made?"

"With the Saffron City mayor," Solo revealed, "I don't know what she wants with Kenobi, or with us. She's one mysterious person. I'm pretty sure only the leader and his lady know more about her. They don't talk about it, but they must know something. Even they might not know too much though."

"I will guard the prisoner well, sir." For the time being, Comet would take Akira back into Team Rocket's custody. Then he would come up with a plan to find Kenobi. He was still unaware of the events that happened between Pewter and Cerulean, which resulted with Akira's injury and temporary arrest.

Solo laughed mockingly, "yeah this is about as much as you can handle, guarding an unconscious tied up girl." Solo left the dim room and disappeared when he turned at the end of the hallway.

'You keep thinking that,' Comet mused. He checked Akira's pulse. Her heart was beating regularly and her temperature seemed to be normal. She must have been given something to put her to sleep. They were in a basement so there were no windows. Tempest agents were all around so sneaking out was next to impossible. He would just have to come up with a distraction... that might be fun.

To be Continued

Disclaimer, I don't own Pokemon. The Goldeen Ash lets Misty keep at the Cerulean gym was given to him on Diamond 37. The story about the S.S. Lapras was elaborated on Diamond 32. Bollux, Poisona and Solo appeared in Diamond 53. Bollux is another Star Wars name and Poisona is a spell from Final Fantasy.