Tales of Giovanni's Son

Good morning. I'm glad to open this sub-forum with my fanfic. This fanfic will be based on the anime from Kanto to Sinnoh, but with some differences and a darker tone. My protagonist and narrator will be my version of THIS GUY, based both on that version and the Pokemon Special version. I hope you'll enjoy.
by lord Martiya
P.S.: If you are wondering when Ash will appear, I'll answer you now: he'll enter in the cast at his childest in the 9th chapter.
P.P.S.: I created a poll for the final destiny of Butch. You know, I'm not a fan of his, but I'm not sure about what doing to him...






So, you want to know about my history as a trainer? Very well, but I have to warn you, my tales are not very educative, I was a Team Rocket member, and before become sane I did many things that I regret. So?
...
...
Whatever, it's your choice.
I was eight years old when it all began. That day Giovanni, my not-exactly beloved father, bringed me with him at the Indigo Plateau to see the so-called First Saffron Gym Challenge.
_ So, who will win? _ he asked me.
_ Kiyo is a Fighting-type Pokemon trainer, so Adam(1)'s Psychic Pokemons have a type advantage. _ I responded. _ But if Kiyo's Pokemons are strong enough he could beat that gym leader: you regularly beat Grass and Water-type Pokemon with disadvantaged Ground-type Pokemons, and even Flying-type Pokemon aren't usually a match, so...
_ Good response, my son. Oh, the judge is here. Let's see the match.
The judge was that Mister Lance who at that time was the Master Champion of our entire league... BTW, can you tell me how our league managed to become such thing? No other league is similar... Hey, you are a very big one in the league, this is why you're supposed to know... Nevermind, it's no important. As I said, the judge was Mister Lance, who announced the match. As you know, despite the enemy advantage Kiyo won the match, beating Adam's Mr. Mime, Hypno, Espeon, Xatu, Slowbro and Alakazam with loss for his Tyrogue, Hitmonlee and Hitmontop and without even use his Machamp.
We had some funnie, like when the Cinnabar Island gym leader, Blaine, yanked Brock, son of the then-Pewter City gym leader Flint Harrison and himself a future gym leader, from Gardenia Town gym leader (all the gym leaders contemporary to Brock and the majority of their relatives took this habit, even me) during the party for Kiyo's victory (he didn't know that he had to pay until a Joy and a Jenny presented him the bill), but for the rest the day was boring after the match.
The day after we were about to return to Viridian when we saw a Meowth and a Sneasel running away with something stolen from the three then Cerulean gym leaders. No, I don't know what, my father refused to say and now I have no will to investigate it, while I'm able to suppose from the fury of the three girls (for years I supposed that they stolen Cascadebagdes. I was SO wrong...) and their volenterous protectors Brock, Surge and Hercule (yes, he was already a gym leader). My father decided to help the three girls and tripped up the thieves.
_ Hey, you, do you want trouble?! _ asked the Meowth.
Yes, a talking Meowth, the infamous talking Meowth from Hollywood who worked for Team Rocket and was fixated in being my father's 'top cat'. Everybody exclamed "A talking Meowth?!", everybody but me, who was young and with little experience, and my father, who deduced that a Meowth has to be really intelligent to learn human language (he had no possibility to deduce the great insanity of that Meowth) and asked him: _ And you? Why do you stolen badges from gym leaders?
The Meowth looked at the Waterflower sisters and then said: _ Hey, we didn't know that they were gym leaders, only that they were famous for their aquatic ballets, and we stolen... _ he then looked at me and said: _ I cannot tell what we stolen...
_ You stolen something to sell to their fanbase. _ my father said, and the Meowth nodded.
Suddendly the Sneasel interrupted them, and the Meowth responded: _ You're right, Snyer! Run! Run!
The two Pokemon tried to run away, but my father trowed the Safari Ball of his Nidoking, stopping them with a Pokemon of his main team, and then attacking Sneasel with a Trash attack. Sneasel dodged the first strike, but not the second, and then my father recalled his Pokemon and, seeing that Snyer (as the talking Meowth called him) was harmed but still standing, trowed an Ultra Ball to catch the Sneasel. And nothing happened. After a laugh, Meowth stated: _ Snyer's trainer is death but he's yet a captured Pokemon from Cianwood City, he cannot be captured in this way!
My father simply trowed an Ultra-level Snag Ball(2), catching Snyer in face of his being a tecnically captured Pokemon. Then he turned on the Meowth, who said: _ You're strong! Who are you?!
_ I'm Giovanni P...
_ Viridian City Gym Leader?!
_ Y-yes...
_ I was looking for you! Please, take me as your Top Cat! I'll do whatever you want! Pleease!
The Meowth purred, and my father, seeing the strange situation and all the present (his Nidoking and me comprised) were trying to not laugh at him, accepted. Returned at the gym the Meowth confessed that he was looking for my father because he managed to know his role as Team Rocket leader. Before going to think about how use that annoying and overtalking Meowth (he ended up using him as servant and secretary, before aquiring a Persian causing a loss of his performances), my father gave me the Ultra Ball with Snyer and said: _ This is your challenge: make him obey you.
_ What?! _ I exclaimed.
_ Do you want to be strong?
_ Yes...
_ So, you'll have to win this challenge.
At that time my father was the most important person in the world in my opinion, so I maked no other question, while I had a really difficult challenge: make a notoriously vicious Pokemon to obey me, while I wasn't his original trainer.
Obviously, the first days weren't easy: the first day he tried to organize a revolt between the gym's Pokemon; the second day he sacked all the Pokemon food of the gym and tried to sale it to passing trainers (thankfully I was able to stop him while organizing the deal with Meowth); the third day he managed to sale a Magikarp to a passing trainer. Then, I understood how make him obey me: I had to demonstrating me a better 'businessman', as he was more happy of the sales than other things. I'll return later on how I sensed it, just listen for now.
After the demonstration, Snyer become a loyal buddy, and no, I won't reveal particulars on that demonstration. Why? Well, the rare times I revelead that business the people believe that I'm joking or risk to choke for the laughing.
That day I went to the gym's arena to show my victory to my father, but he was about to fight a challenger. I decided to see the battle: Viridian's Gym battles were always interesting, even if their end was every time the same. You know, at the time Giovanni didn't lose a Gym Battle, because the rare and strong trainers who managed to beat two of the initial Pokemon (one if they were really strong) had then to face one or two of the powerful Ground Pokemon of Giovanni's main party, six Master-level Pokemon strong as the ones of a Battle Frontier's Frontier Brain or even an Elite Four. So, I was really surprised when the gates of the main party's Pokemon(3) opened at the beginning, and even more surprised when my father's Dugtrio exited from the gates: not only that Dugtrio was the fastest and the third strongest Pokemon of my father, but he used him in Gym Battles only when he really needed his speed and his evading skills, because his galleries were a nightmare for upkeep. Then I saw the opponent's Pokemon: a simple CHIKORITA. OK, he had the type advantage, but one time I saw a Meganium being beated by the initial impact of a simple Sand Tomb of my father's Sandslash, the weakest Pokemon of his main party, and you know that in the initial impact a Sand Tomb is not very powerful... What the heck was happening?!
My father beginning unleashing a Sandstorm, and then a Slash. A powerful combo, you know: Sandstorm dealed damages to the Chikorita while covering Dugtrio, and Slash is very damaging. And the Chikorita retailated with a Wine Whip, managing to strike Dugtrio a split-second before he went underground. I knew exactly what was about to happen. And, immediatly, the Chikorita experienced in succession a powerful Earthquake, a Mud Slap and another Slash, and then, after the placing of some Spikes(4), was fainted by another Slash.
I was expecting other victories. Then the challenger sent out a Dragonite, who skipped the Spikes in flying and, in the exact beginning of the round, fainted Dugtrio with a Bubblebeam before he could go underground. In a single move, the challenger defeated that Dugtrio and reversed the Spike's trap. My father was in trouble, and he sent out the Nidoking and immediatly attacked with Blizzard, an attack used even by the challenger's Dragonite, disperding the Spikes. After the confront, concluded in a draw, Nidoking used Hyper Beam, hitting Dragonite, who retailated with an Ice Beam, freezing Nidoking during the recharge, and then with a Blizzard, fainting him.
Dragonite, damaged at the wings from the Hyper Beam, was forced to land, while my father sent out his Nidoqueen, who immediatly used Fissure. Yes, Fissure. And no, Viridian Gym never had an open arena. Simply the Gym was builded for Ground-type Pokemons, so has some feature that permitted it to deal with the powerful attack with no damage.
Normally a trainer don't use Fissure in a closed space to not collapsing it, so both the challenger and the Dragonite were surprised like you just a minute ago, and the poor Dragon, caught on ground with harmed wings, was hit by the one-hit KO move and fainted, making the challenger laughing.
_ It was a lot from the last time someone stand up against me, do you know this? _ he said. _ Now it's time to win. Go, Salamence!
In the instant the round began, Salamence used Dragonbreath, managing to paralize Nidoqueen, and then striked with Dragon Claw, fainting Nidoqueen and winning the match and the Earthbadge.
I couldn't believe it: in my mind, my father was the strongest trainer of all, and not only that man managed to defeat him, but he even managed to faint his Nidoqueen, his strongest Pokemon, with only two attacks. How was happened?! The answer was simple, and my father said it to me: _ He was strong, too strong even to me.
_ But you're the strongest in the world! _ I exclaimed.
_ I'm really strong, and I'm also the major Ground Pokemon in the world, but I'm not the strongest. There's EVER someone strongest.
_ But...
_ And you can become strong, much stronger than me.
_ What?!
_ It's true. Do you want to be the very best, like no one ever was?
I was shocked. Being stronger than my father? Being the strongest of all? I accepted. The day after I went to Mahogany Town, to the local Team Rocket base and training academy.



footnotes
(1)Name that I gived to an unnamed character appeared in the anime, I'll reveal (or, more probably, confirm) who in future. This name come from his voice actress, Adam Blaustein (also known as Maddie Blaustein).
(2)A type of Pokè Ball from the games Pokemon Colosseum and Pokemon XD: The Gale of Darkness used to catch captured Pokemon (snagging), is a normal Pokè Ball modified by a Snag Machine to snag a Pokemon. In the anime, the Pokè Ball used by Jessie in the episode Bad to the Bone in the attempted thieft of Otoshi's Doduo is probably a Snag Ball converted from a normal Pokeball, and probably even the strange Pokè Balls used by Mewtwo in Mewtwo Strikes Back were a type of dedicated Snag Ball developed from Team Rocket.
(3)The gates that Mewtwo used to enter in the gym's Arena in The Battle for the Badge.
(4)For who don't know: Spikes is a Ground-type move that lays a trap of spikes that damages switched Pokemon, like the Rock-type Stealth Rock used by Roark's Onix in the anime. It has no effect on Flying Pokemon.

Second chapter. And the debut of some old friend from the anime.
by lord Martiya
P.S.: Please, can you comment?



When I arrived in Mahogany Town, I immediatly encountered the principal of the academy, a woman with a mean appearance.
_ So, you're the Boss' son? _ she asked. _ Good. If you think to be treated like a king, you're wrong: I only value the personal ability, not the family.
I smiled relieved: I found very annoying the adoration reserved to me in Viridian City bec... I was just saying it: I want be treated for what I am, not for what my father is! What did you think, that I was one of these annoying and snobbish people who believe to be gods only because their relatives are important?! Returning to the principal, she then said: _ You'll have a test, now.
_ What kind of test? _ I asked.
_ Uh uh... The most terrible of all imaginable test.
I thinked about things like feed a rampaging Gyarados or wet the flame of a baby Charmander with his Charizard mother looking at me, but I was wrong, the test was worse, for most people: it was a WRITTEN TEST. Yes, a written test, to verify my basic knowledge about all types of Pokemon.
Sadly, even I'm one of the ten or twenty people in the world who love written tests I have to admit that the test was nightmarish: who the hell in the world cares about the weight of Magikarp's eggs and similar things, apart Pokemon Breeders?! And, to make the thing worse, the principal eliminated all questions about Ground-type: because I'm Giovanni's son the principal deduced that I was really prepared on Ground-type Pokemon (I even know the medium weight of every Ground Pokemon's egg), so she eliminated all the relative questions.
After I completed the test, she corrected it immediatly, and stated: _ Better than I tough. Normally people fail 80% of questions, you failed only the silly questions about Pokemon's eggs weight and similar... Male Nidoran egg's weight, now!
I responded right, and she commented: _ The boss is an hars teacher, right? Well, you have the second best scores of ever, and you're qualified for the pratical test. Viper(1)!
A man entered in the room, and the principal tell him: _ He's the fourth. Ah, he has a Pokemon.
Viper guided me to an helicopter, where I found a girl with a Jigglypuff, a girl with her face covered by a book and a bully-like boy. The boy was the one who talked me first: _ So, another one made it. Greetings, I'm Andreas, the geek is Domino(2) and the trainer of the Jigglypuff is Rose. And you?
_ I'm Enrico. _ I responded, coldly.
_ Oh, my... Another applicant for the Peevish of the Year Contest... Are you and Rose relate...
_ ATTENTION, PLEASE! _ Viper shouted. When all of us looked at him, he said: _ You four passed the test with adequate scores for A Rank Agent training. But Team Rocket pretends not only theorical abilities but also pratical ones. So, you now will be transported in Kanto, to our special reserve near Route 22 and Route 23. Wild Pokemons in that reserve are fairly strong and know every possible move for their species, thanks to the efforts of a selected breeding team. Your pratical test will be capture one of those Pokemon in 24 hours. For this task, you'll use only one Pokemon. Roberts, Harvey, you have no Pokemon, so you'll borrow one each for the task. Come here and chose.
While Andreas and Domino chose their Pokemon (respectively a Nidorino and a Diglett), Rose recalled her Jigglypuff in the Pokeball and glared at me, and then smiled.
During the trip, Andreas said: _ That girl is apparently mad at anyone. I wonder why...
_ Hey, do you have a problem with it? _ she said angrily.
_ Oh, it's your problem...
_ Exactly, so don't go in my own business.
_ Spoiled girl... _ I commented.
She angrily glared at me, then picked up a journal and read it.
When we arrived in place, Viper sent us out. I quickly found, frozen and caught a Male Nidoran with the Poison Point ability who I nicknamed Federico(3). Then I heard clapping: Rose was behind me and was cheering at me.
_ You was amazing! _ she said. _ You beated that Pokemon with such skills...
_ Weren't you supposed to caught a Pokemon? _ I replied.
_ Just done.
She took out a Pokeball and showed me her prey, a Female Nidoran.
_ See? A Nidoran... _ she said, but then stopped and, after some second, exclaimed: _ Incredible! We caught Nidorans! This is a sign of the destiny! Oh, I was so mean on the helicopter...
I was shocked for the change of attitude: on the helicopter she was mean and mad at everything, but now she was cheerful and happy. And even really cute. This saved me from being fooled: at the elementary school I was almost scammed by a cute girl (that time I was saved by my big sister), and I learned the lesson (and even the cute girl: she has still nightmares about Rhyhorns). So I replied: _ And now you're about to get worse, aren't you?
She grinned, and then said: _ Rollout!
Snyer and I narrowly avoided her Jigglypuff's attack.
_ Good, you're not a simple study-nerd, you're really a bit smart and fast. _ she commented. _ We really could be a good couple... What a pity that you insulted me in that way.
_ What insult? _ I asked.
_ Spoiled girl. Goodbye, cutie!
Rose bowed her head, and a boulder flyed over me. Luckily, Snyer reacted with an Ice Beam, freezing the boulder, and a Cut, with obvious results. Rose and her damned Jigglypuff, who used Strengt to launch the boulder, were a bit disappointed.
_ Ice Beam, now. _ I ordered.
The Jigglypuff was hit and frozen, but managed to freed himself from the ice. Too late: Snyer managed to deliver him a Dynamic Punch. Then, Snyer kneeled in pain: before being sent flying, that Jigglypuff managed to hit with Mega Kick where human and Pokemon males don't want to be hit, and Snyer is male. While Rose went to retrieve her Jigglypuff, I recalled Snyer in my Pokeball and returned to the helicopter to heal him.
When Rose returned, Viper said: _ You both returned before your companions, as expected from the two best grades ever. I'll leave you alone, probably you will be paired.
_ So, you were the one with superior grades. _ I said.
_ Yeah, yeah... _ she replied. _ But what was he saying?
_ Strange, I assumed that you knew it: Team Rocket's field agents work in duos and are trained to work in duos.
_ WHAT?!
_ Duos from the training are used as first assignment of the agents and endure until one of the members is somehow incapacitated to work for long periods.
She cryed for desperation.
_ Ehi, I also hate the idea, but I'm not crying... _ I said.
_ SHUT UP, YOU! _ she replied, angrily. Then she calmed and said: _ OK, maybe we will really end up as couple, so let's make a deal: I will not attack you anymore and you will not insult me anymore with 'spoiled' and similar words. OK, brat?
_ OK. But why are you so mad at that word?
_ It's not of your business, and you can't understand. Nobody can't.
I didn't try again. Some hour after, Domino returned with a Mankey, who she nicknamed Tulip, and we finally managed to see her without a book covering her face. What a pity that she wore an ice-look alike mask... Why? Oh, well, she's a bit crazy, and loved a certain novel from the moment she learned how to read. Yes, the novel is The Mask of Ice, of the Heroes Saga(4). Returning to Andreas, he was the last to return with a Sandshrew, who he nicknamed Gaara. Some time after he revealed that he wanted a Sandshrew, and chosed Nidorino to have no advantage on him. After Andreas' return, we all were declared A-class trainees and returned to Mahogany Town.
Then the training began under the direction of the principal herself: an incredible torture, with physical training based on evading her Weavile's Cut attacks while wearing human-sized Macho Braches, lift bouders, fight against Fighting-type Pokemons and similar things. How did we managed to survive? Oh, simple: Karen, Viper and the others were training us, not trying to kill us, so they attacked us with power and speed adequate to stress us but not to really kill us if we used all our abilities, even if in the first months we were too busy in escaping to note it.
After this time, during wich I and Rose argued in every occasion and Domino had the silly idea of her infamous 'black tulips' from the title of the novel The Black Tulip(5), our training shifted to stealth abilities under the responsability of Viper and alongside the aspiring B-. For this we got green uniforms similar to the blue and dark red of the other trainees and passed various time with the others. It was at that time that I met Jesse, James, Cassidy and that idiot for the first time. Who's the idiot? Butch, obviously. Yes, I'm one of the few people in the world who can tell its name right, but I refuse to call it right in its presence. In the period James managed to impress me and Rose being the only one able to stop our fights without risking a beating from Fairy, Rose's Jigglypuff. And this characteristic caused a trouble.
That day in the spare time I caught a Murkrow that I nicknamed Aureliano(3), and in the mess Rose heavy criticized the nickname calling it dumb, specially in comparison to the nickname of the Ditto she caught in her spare time, Ditty.
_ I have imagination, a thing you clearly lack. _ I responded.
_ Imagination and horrible taste are different things! _ she replied.
_ Hey, guys, am I invited to your marriage? _ James asked, shutting us up for the surprise. _ You know, you are like a married couple...
The only one who didn't laugh were Rose, me and the damned idiot Butch. I and Rose said, at the same time: _ Tell me a reason to marry this idiot! AND DON'T COPY ME!!!
_ Oh, well, you have various characteristic in common, like a similar reason to be always in bad mood... _ he said, being then interrupted by Butch.
That idiot was from Viridian City, and shouted: _ Are you dumb or only ignorant?! How could the boss's son have something in common with her?!
Domino then commented upon the thing with three words: _ Biff, you idiot.
_ THE NAME IS BUTCH!!! BUTCH!!! BUTCH!!!
_ Whatever you are named, you're still idiot.



footnotes
(1)The Team Rocket Academy instructor and Drill Sergeant from Training Daze. He's guilty to have paired Butch and Cassidy at Team Rocket Academy, but then redeemed himself pairing Jesse & James. It's not known what's happened to him after Jesse, James, Cassidy and Butch graduated.
(2)Yes, this Domino is the same Domino from the Mewtwo Returns special. Her surname here come from Domino Harvey, a female bounty hunter died in 2005. Apart this, there's no relation between my Domino and Domino Harvey.
(3)Apart for Snyer, there is a common theme in Silver's Pokemons nicknames. If you can find it you can ask a spoiler and I will answer without horrible jokes like Togepi is the lord of darkness and want to conquer all dimensions (yes, I know Pokemopolis).
(4)Novels existing in this fanfiction, they're very old adventure books very well-knowed and readed but ignored in schools. If you want to know the plot of the Hero Saga, read Pokémon Adventures: the novels of the Heroes Saga are basically a novelized version of the various chapters of the manga. The novels, who took their names from the respective foes, are: The Earth Master (Red&Green&Blue Saga, namesaker Giovanni), The Dragon Tamer (Yellow Saga, namesaker Lance), The Mask of Ice (Gold&Silver&Crystal Saga until the battle at the Lake of Rage, namesaker Pryce/Mask of Ice), The Chosen Children (Gold&Silver&Crystal Saga from the Lake of Rage to the end, namesakers Will, Karen and Team Rocket Executives), The Landscape Changers (Ruby-Sapphire Saga, namesakers Archie and Maxie), The Searching Man (FireRed&LeafGreen Saga, namesaker Giovanni again), The Insane Waterlover (the ongoing Emerald Saga, namesaker Archie/Guile Hideout) and The Conqueror of Space and Time (the ongoing Diamond&Pearl Saga, namesaker Cyrus). Obviously all the characters have their name changed (don't ask me how, I don't know even I), with the exception of Silver, who's always called in this manner until The Searching Man.
(5)This is a real world novel by Alexandre Dumas, père.

Third chapter, now. This time Domino will show part of her crazyness with her Pokemons and the scariest anime character will debut. Good reading. And, please, comment.
by lord Martiya






I don't remember what happened in the immediate aftermath of the revelation, I was totally blinded by the anger. According to Rose I literally neutralized him with kicks and broke his face before being knocked out by Domino's black tulip and placed in my bed in the green dormitory.
I woke up some hour after, screaming because my then-recurrent nightmare and seeing Rose looking at me.
_ What are you doing here? _ I rudely asked.
_ Hey, nice to meet you too. _ she replied. _ Let's talk a bit, Enrico. I can call you by name, can I?
_ What sort of scam are you trying?
_ I'm only trying to be gentle with someone who hates the people even more than me.
_ You hate the people? Why?
_ I'm from a little town and my mother runs the only restaurant, so everyone knows me and my father, one of the best trainers in Kanto: in all my life I met only four people outside my family who knew about my father and didn't judged me before know me. Well, five, if that James really know about my family. I suppose that being the son of the owner of the entire city in wich you live is a bit similar to this...
_ How can I believe to the greatest liar of the Team Rocket history?
_ Greatest liar in T.R. history... Very funny. See this, maybe you know the face, you're from Viridian...
She showed me a photo of her family. The photo showed her with her mother, her little brother and sister and her father. The trainer who managed to beat my father in that gym battle.
_ H-have you learned something from him? _ I asked.
_ My father is a good trainer but a pathetic teacher. _ she replied after closing her eyes for a while. _ I relied only on my own abilities and some trick from my mother and one of our neighbour to... Hey, what are you looking at?
_ You want to be the very best, like no one ever was.
_ Do you have some trouble whit it?
_ No. But this make us rivals, Rose. Now let me sleep and call me by name, OK?
I then had again my recurrent nightmare. Twice in a night, and the second time I didn't managed to wake up, so I had to listen the damned voice, I'll return on it, who, after thanking for the good food, that time even teased me about supposedly being a ladies' boy. One of the worst night of my life.
The day after I searched James, but I found Domino looking him and Jesse shouting to each other.
_ What's happening? _ I asked.
_ Times ago they were friends, but now Jesse don't want to be his friend. _ Domino answered. _ Good, they're about to finish.
Jesse kicked James' leg and went in the gym. Then I approached James and I asked: _ How did you knew about me and Rose?
_ Oh, well, I saw Rose on a journal with her father. And for you... _ James said. Then he closed his eyes, smiled and said: _ Well, that's a secret(1).
_ Is it linked to your relatives? _ Domino asked, totally scaring James.
_ H-how do you know?
_ I read a lot. Not only books, but even journals, magazines and the Pokemon Technical archive.
_ Hu-ho...
_ I suppose that you and Jesse met for the first time when the both of you got the lowest scores of anybody in Pokemon Tech history and failed to enter, didn't you?
_ Yes... _ James answered, his smile completely melted by Domino.
_ So, what did the both of you did after that total failure?
_ Well, we went to Sunny Town and formed a bike gang with some guy of the place. I was Trainer Jim, she was Chainer Jesse... Good times, ah, go...
_ So you needed training wheels while old enough for the Pokemon Tech? _ I asked.
_ Yes... Well, that was the most wonderful period of my life. But then she found a boyfriend, who treated her badly and then dumped her after... How old are you?
_ Nine years and six months.
_ I'm twelve. _ Domino said.
_ Well, return when you'll be 18 or older, OK? But that thing happened nine times in nine months!!! Damned them! And I even failed to protect her from them! Oh, and when the gang went after those f... after them, Jesse abandoned us! Now that I found her, I want to stay with her and...
At that point James began ranting for a lot of time, and I and Domino went to our lessons.
From that day we of the Green Team became a very united group. Each of us never had a friend before, so when somehow we lowered the walls of ice around our hearts we unknowly... Well, I don't know what exactly happened, but we become friends.
What? Why we never had friends before? Well, you know about Rose and me. About Domino, she was declared the weirdo of her class for her loving of books, and after some failed approach when she was five she decided to stand out of the people and began to act in some weird manner. About Andreas, he punched a bully in his very first day of school, and from that time the bullies of his school declared that if wanted to be his friend he would be beated, and you can imagine the rest.
The time passed, we perfected, captured Pokemon and laughed about the harsh treatment the people reserved to Butch on my comments (Rose's idea), and then we were ready for the final exam, supervised by the newest addition to the school staff.
_ Greetings, I'm Will. _ he said while holding a box. _ As you probably know, I used to be in the Elite Four. Now I'm your examiner. Show me your Pokemon, now, and then pick a ball from the ticket. In alphabetical order of your name, please.
Andreas went first and showed him Gaara, his Sneasel, called Temari, and his Schyter, Zabusa. Will commented that their training was an adequate work for his standards (the standards of an ex-Elite Four. For an ordinary trainer, it was an outstanding work) and let him pick the ball, the yellow one. Then went Domino, who showed her Riolu, Aaron (an homage to the famous sir Aaron: she is from Rota in the old Cameron Kingdom(2), and sometimes he used to pretend to be related to Sir Aaron), her Jigglypuff, Rose (named after Rose: she nicknamed all her Pokemon after people who had them as starters), her Sandshrew, Andreas (yes, she nicknamed him after Andreas), her Sneasel Enrico (named after me), her just evolved Primeape Tulip (sometimes I wonder if she named her after herself...) and her Nidoqueen Giovanna (named after my father(3). I refuse to comment on this). Will commented that her training was more than adequate, and she picked the green ball. Then I showed my Murkrow Aureliano, my Ursaring Eugenio, Federico, who just evolved in Nidoking, my Seadra Ambrosio and Snyer, and Will commented that I was doing a more than adequate work in general and a good work on Federico. I picked the red ball. Rose was the last, with her soon-to-be infamous Ditty, her Clefairy Clefy, her Nidoqueen Nidory (for a long time she was one of two her only fully-evolved Pokemon), her Snubbull Bully and Fairy. She picked up the blue ball, and Will commented that she did a good work.
Then Will asked us: _ Now, tell me the colors of your balls. No, I can't see colors, I'm almost blind, but I can read your superficial thoughts with my psychic powers. Now, Domino, you're the luckiest: the green ball assigned you the mission of capture ten rare Pokemons of different species, in ten days and in the Kanto Safari Zone without being caught by the guardian. Beware, Kaisa has guns and can use them very well(4). You, Andreas James, are less lucky: you will capture a Pokemon belonging to Tyranitar evolutionary line in the Mount Silver Pokemon Preserve without be caught. Your enemies will be the Pokemons of the Preserve, the various Jennies, if I recall right there're two or three, the local Pokemon Ranger and the Pokemon G-Men, if you're unlucky enough. Now, Rose, this is your doom: go to Goldenrod City and took the badge of the Gym Leader. I hope your Pokemons know some Fighting-type move, because Norman(5) Ruby is a Normal-type specialist and very strong, perhaps the strongest of Jotho alongside Pryce. We chose him because Pryce is a bit paranoid and really mercyless, if you're caught by Pryce you're an high-quality crushed ice drink. Now you, Enrico Paolucci, lord of the worst luck of all times, there's your mission: you'll go to the Lake of Rage, pass the Gyaradoses' pack and defeat the leader of the pack. You'll recognize him from his red scales and the scars. If you retire now or during the mission, you'll be a mere B-rank agent but you'll be alive. If you'll die in the battle, you'll be awarded with a postume promotion. But if you have the favor of Arceus, Mew and some other Legendary and somehow manage to beat the leader and return alive, you'll be not only an A-rank, but if you'll manage to capture the Pokemon he'll be your and you will can chose your first partner between the unassigned A-rank agents. So? Are you crazy enough? Well, I advice you, prepare your last will. You have a week to prepare yourself and your party.
After that Will departed, Rose asked me: _ Do you really want to attack that Gyarados?
_ Why not? _ I replied.
Rose dragged me in the arena and then said: _ Show me what your strongest Pokemon can do.
I sent out Federico, she sent out Ditty. My plan was waiting for the Transformation and strike with Dynamic Punch during it. But I was forgetting a thing: the foe was Rose, not an ordinary trainer.
_ Wrap. _ she ordered.
Ditty attacked Federico exactly with a Wrap. Exactly, Wrap: the amorphous Pokemon assumed a serpentine form and immediatly wrapped himself on Federico and then began to crush my Nidoking. Rose then laughed, saying: _ If you can't deal with this, how can you face a Gyarados in his element? Quit now, at least you'll survive!
I didn't listened to her, and instead ordered a Thunder. The electric attack forced Ditty to retire, but before Federico and I can pursue it Transformed. And then Rose ordered: _ Let's try with the signature attack of Viridian Gym! Fissure!
Federico managed to avoid the attack, but Ditty pursued with Surf. Rose was sure to win, but then we surprised her with Rock Climb, launching Ditty in its own Surf. Both Pokemon were caught in the water attack, but Federico somehow managed to not be fainted, and Ditty... Well, Ditty emerged from Federico's left ear in its normal form.
_ It's enough. _ Rose said, recalling her Pokemon. _ Your Pokemon are thougher than I thought, I have to admit it, but are they though enough to go toe on toe with an high level Gyarados in his element?
_ We can do it. _ I answered. _ Right, boys?
Federico confirmed, and Snyer popped out from his Ultraball to say his opinion.
_ Er... Can somebody translate? _ Rose asked. _ I can't speak Sneasel's language...
_ Snyer said that a simple Gyarados will be easier to beat than your overaggressive Ditto, Meowth! _ Meowth translated while popping out from nowhere.
_ KYAAAAAA!!! A TALKING MEOWTH!!! _ Rose screamed. For a moment I thought that she was scared. Then she said: _ What incredible money-bringer!!! Organizing him a talk show I'll make millions! Wait... I can sell him for billions, on the black market... Or...
_ Hey! Meowth is not a nugget! I'm here as Will's assistent on order of the Boss, Meowth!
_ Damn...
_ By the way, what Gyarados were you talking about?
Snyer explained him the case, and Meowth exclaimed: _ Don't worry, Meowth has the solution!
_ What solution? _ I asked.
_ I'm also a move tutor, Meowth! Let me being with your Dragon for two hours and no Gyarados will be a problem. Obviously, you have to pay: the Boss didn't ordered me to help you, and some cash is always helpful...
_ I have no Dragon Pokemon.
_ For now. _ Rose said. _ If I and your Seadra will be alone for a minute, you'll have a Kingdra. Obviosly, you have to pay. One hundred thousand, in cash, anticipated.
_ Who do you think I am, a millionaire?!
_ No, only the close-fisted son of one of the richest and most prodigal people in the world. Don't try to scam me, I know that you father give you ten thousand dollars weekly and that you never spent it.
What? Yes, my father gived me so much money, plus extra money on some occasion. And I rarely spend money, while my sister become a real pothole everytime she see new fashioned clothing. At that time, I had accumulated a wealth of three billion dollars, partly thanks to Snyer who invested it in shares with unmatched talent (my father never understood who was the misterious businessman who never failed at the stock exchange). No, I wasn't yet one of the big share holders of Silph Co. Lucky enough, at the time they didn't know about this, so I payed much less than I would if they knew: to quote my sister, ignorance never pay.
After the event I trained for the remaining week, then I went to the Lake, preparing for the attack on the Gyarados. Just before embark on the motorboat (I wanted my Pokemon be fresh for the fight), a nearby girl asked: _ Is it worthy?
I looked at the girl. While she was training an Eevee and was really cute, she was also immensly cold and scaring. I was about to ask her what she meant, but she said: _ I have psychic power, and I'm much more powerful than that Will. Normally I don't read in the mind of the people without permission, but your Aura(6) is interesting. For the Aura, you can read some book, and for what I meant, you're looking for approvation from your father, not only for having a name for yourself. Yes, you can talk for yourself, I only wanted to speed up our conversation reading in your mind and talking with telepathy.
Ignoring her manners, I said: _ Even if you're right on my reasons, the answer is yes.
_ If your recurrent nightmare is a memory, you're wrong. _ she replied, this time with her voice and using psycokynesis to prevent me from reply. _ But it's your life the one in danger, not mine. At least try to survive, your death would be an horrible waste. I was forgetting to present me: the name is Sabrina Blaustein(7), and I'm the future gym leader of Saffron City.
Sabrina recalled her Eevee in the Pokeball and teleported herself away. Then, asking what she meant about my recurrent nightmare, I went to my battle.

VS Ditto footnotes (the chapter is in the previous post, I had to separate it from the notes to post)
(1)A little homage to the character of Xelloss Metallium, from Slayers, and his catchphrase. While their characters are totally different, Xelloss and James have almost identical appearances (Xelloss hair is violet and his feline eyes are of the same color, but for the rest they're identical) and are both villains who sometimes help the good characters for their own sake (while Xelloss is far more successful), and in the Italian dub they share the same voice actor, Simone D'Andrea.
(2)The location of the 8th Pokemon movie, Lucario and the Mistery of Mew. Sir Aaron is a character of the movie who had a Lucario and a Pidgeot, and he's regarded as an hero in Cameron Kingdom.
(3)In Italian Giovanna is the female version of the name Giovanni, like Joanna and John in English.
(4)As seen in Miniryu Densetsu (translation: The Legend of Dratini), banned outside Japan because the guns being a plotpoint. This is also the episode in wich Ash caught his 30 Tauroses, catching the first as entered in the Safari Zone and then catching the other 29 when they ran in front of the Safari Balls throwed to Rhyhorns, Rhydons, Nidorinos, Nidorinas and other Pokemons.
(5)Yes, Norman, the father of May and Max. For now, he's Goldenrod Gym Leader, because in Ruby and Sapphire he's stated to be from Jotho. Whitney for now is a mere Gym trainer.
(6)In the Pokemon franchise Aura is a form of spiritual energy possessed by all living creatures first clearly introduced in the game Pokemon Colusseum. Manipulating someone else's Aura is possible to alter the ability and the mind of the manipulated (as seen in the games Pokemon Colusseum and Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness and in the movie Pokemon 4ever), and manipulating its own Aura a Pokemon can use various powerful moves like Aura Sphere, Focus Blast, Dragon Pulse and Dark Pulse, and it's implied (while not explictly stated) that Detect is based on. Amongst the Pokemon, Lucario is THE Aura sensitive, able to learn all Aura-based moves. Using Aura it's also possible to see normally invisible things and seal Pokemon (in the eighth movie a Lucario was sealed in a staff by the Aura Guardian sir Aaron, and in both the games and the anime a Spiritomb was sealed in the Odd Keystone). In the anime, Ash is the only living human known to be sensitive to the Aura (in the past lived various Aura Guardians, but the only two known died centuries before the anime and apparently the Aura Guardians are extinct), and thanks to this he and Lucario were able to save the Tree of Beginning in Lucario and the Mistery of Mew and then Ash was able to reseal a Spiritomb, and this may also be the cause Ash was able to activate the power of the treasure balls in The Power of One.
(7)Yes, the Adam from the first chapter was Sabrina's father, and now his cold daughter appeared. She's not yet split enough to materialize the other self, but the child-like Sabrina will appear in the future.