Chapter Three: Misty’s New Life


Giovanni beamed proudly at his daughter. Here she was already with that Pikachu that Jessie and James had been trying to get for nearly a year. He could hardly believe it had been just a short week since he had met her face-to-face for the first time. Of course, he knew all about her from the letters from her mother and from the fact that he had had Team Rocket agents (albeit competent ones) maintaining a close surveillance on her for her whole life.

He had watched her grow, occasionally in the shadow of her other sisters (sensational, indeed! How could they hold a candle to his own child?), and watched her skills as a trainer develop, especially in the area of water Pokemon. He knew all about the way she had been a gym leader, the way she raised her Starmie and Staryu to be strong fighters. He had been informed when a young trainer from Pallet wrecked her bike and she had chosen to follow him on his Pokemon journey, and was all too aware that it was this trainer who possessed that Pikachu those two numbskulls Jessie and James were always carrying on about.

But despite knowing all this, he also felt that he couldn’t meet her face to face until he knew that her mother, Hyacinth, was gone. He had hopes and plans for his daughter, and he knew her skills would be an asset to his organization. When he received the letter from Cerulean City, he knew what he had to do: He left two agents in charge of the gym (not Jessie and James of course.... Butch and Cassidy were so much more efficient) and traveled to Cerulean City in the hopes that her sisters might know of her whereabouts.

Posing as simply a visiting gym leader who admired her skills, he was able to find out that the sisters were expecting Misty within a couple of days. How clearly he remembered those few days.....

"Of course, we can tell you whatever you want to know about the gym." Daisy chimed in.

"Oh, sure." Lily continued. "We’ve been running it for so long since she took off on her Pokemon journey."

"Mmm-hmm" Violet agreed, twirling a lock of her hair.

Annoyed with the so-called Sensational Sisters but not wanting to show it, Giovanni simply smiled and said that he really was quite tired from his trip. He went to a hotel in the city and stayed there, periodically making contact with the gym and various agents via his cell phone, and eagerly awaited the arrival of Misty.

Two days later, he finally got his chance. Misty had arrived in town along with that trainer Ash from Pallet and that breeder Brock. He knew she was good friends with these two, and he wondered if he could get her to see his way, but he was banking that he could....

Secretly, he had watched Violet give her sister the letter. Misty was alone when she had read it, and he could tell by the expression on her face that she had never suspected a thing. He watched her run out of the gym, telling Ash and Brock that she’d be back later. He then followed her to a local cafe, where she sat on the patio nursing a lemonade and staring sadly at the letter.

Giovanni entered the cafe, and walked to her table. "Misty?" he asked her quietly. She looked up.

"Ye- Yes?" she asked, startled.

"Allow me to introduce myself, Misty. My name is Giovanni." he extended his hand to her. Misty had looked at him with a mixture of hate, apprehension, and utter disbelief. Her eyes welled with tears as she began to spoke.

"You’re my- my-" She began.

"Your father. Yes." He said, sitting down in the seat across from her.

Misty looked at him, utterly unsure of what to say. "Why didn’t you ever contact me?" She asked.

Giovanni looked at her closely. The truth was that he had never been quite sure how to handle her, how to deal with this daughter he had been unprepared to know about. That was why he had sent out agents to watch her at all times. It was much easier than dealing with her himself, after all. Besides, he was a busy man- Most gym leaders only have to worry about their gym, not an army of Pokemon thieves. Of course, he couldn’t tell her that. "Well, I made a promise to Hyacinth- your mother- not to do that because of the way it could have affected your family" he lied.

Misty mulled this over for a moment and then looked back up at Giovanni. "How much do you know about me, anyway? I’m your daughter, and what do you know?"

Giovanni told her what he knew about her, her training, her friendship with Ash and Brock, her bike, her journey, and even her frustrations over her Psyduck. Misty was amazed. "How can you know all that and still have never met me?"

Giovanni hesitated for a minute, and then said simply, "Er- I have my ways." He took Misty’s hands in his and looked into her eyes, as if probing for her inner self. He knew he would have to choose his next words carefully. "Your father died when you were a baby, didn’t he? I mean- the father you grew up knowing about."

Again, tears filled the corners of Misty’s eyes. "Yes." she replied, dabbing at her eyes.

"It must have been hard growing up without him." Giovanni said, taking on his best concerned expression.

"Well, I still had mom, and Violet, and Daisy, and Lily.... but it was hard at times...." Misty said, recalling how often she’d hear other little girls talk about their daddies and what they would do with their daddies that weekend. The voices still echoed in her mind, voices of other little girls, happy little girls.... "My Daddy’s getting me a Butterfree.... it’ll be so beautiful", "My Daddy’s going to get me a set of Pokemon Princess dolls...", "My Daddy’s going to let me watch his next match, I just know he’ll win...." Giovanni’s voice brought her back to the present.

"That’s why I’m here, Misty. To make sure you never have to go through that again. To make sure you have a father figure you can love, come to for guidance, and trust..... Isn’t that what you want, Misty?" he looked at her, and knew he had his foot in the door.

Misty looked at her father. She knew something didn’t feel right, but she also knew that Giovanni was offering her what she had always wanted her whole life. More than anything, she had wanted a daddy. "Yes.... yes it is." She said, smiling at him. "It is what I want... Father."

Giovanni smiled and stretched out his arms, offering her a hug. This was completely against Giovanni’s grain, but he knew what had to be done to secure this. Misty ran to his side of the table and hugged him with big open arms. She smiled so much as she hugged him. Part of her life was there again. Giovanni smiled too, a smile that would have chilled a skeleton.

When she sat down again, Giovanni looked at her and said, "Darling, I have to get back to my gym by tomorrow. I would be so happy if you could accompany me back there.... and join me at the gym."

"Help you run the gym?" She said in amazement.

"Well, sort of...." Giovanni said. "I have an area of the gym where your knowledge of Pokemon and your persistent personality would be quite the asset."

"What do you mean?" Misty asked.

Giovanni searched for the way to tell her the truth. "I run an elite organization which procures Pokemon for the gym... and for me to train."

A sick feeling began in Misty’s stomach. An elite organization that procures Pokemon? That almost sounds like.... She thought to herself. "What- What is it called?" she asked hesitantly.

"You already know the name." Giovanni replied. "In fact, you know two members."

Misty’s sick feeling gave way to a feeling of apprehension coupled with outrage. "Who?" she asked, sure she already knew the answers.

"Their names are Jessie and James." Giovanni said softly.

Misty’s eyes went wide. "Team Rocket? My father is in charge of Team Rocket?" For a second, all Misty could do was stare blankly at her father. "How could that be true? How could that possibly be true?"

Giovanni looked back at her. This would be the really tricky part. "I know we might not appear to be completely reputable, but-" he began.

"Reputable?!?!?!" Misty replied. "You steal Pokemon from their trainers- trainers who love and care about their Pokemon- and use them for God knows what!"

"Misty, I assure you no Pokemon are ever mistreated by Team Rocket" Giovanni lied. "We care about our Pokemon- even if our methods of procuring them might go against tradition a bit."

Misty stared at him. She couldn’t believe her ears. She knew something about this wasn’t right at all, but Giovanni seemed to be so convincing, so open.... No, she couldn’t let her thinking get clouded. Not now.

"What I want to know, Misty.... my daughter.... " Giovanni continued, "is will you join me?"

"Join you?" Misty asked incredulously.

"At the gym and in Team Rocket. It’s a wonderful life. All the Pokemon you ever dreamed of, all loyal to you and you alone." Misty looked at Giovanni with confused, clouded eyes. Giovanni knew it was time to pull the ace from his sleeve. "And the father figure you missed from your life for so long.... I’m ready to love you in full and in person, Misty.... My sweet little girl." Giovanni sat back and waited with baited breath. He knew that if anything would pull her in, this would be it. he tried his best to keep his expression soft and caring, resisting the urge to break into his typical, cunning sneer.

Misty looked down at her lemonade, and then back up at Giovanni. "I’m sorry, Dad-" She hesitated. "I mean, Fath-" Again, hesitation. "Giovanni." She said finally. "I just can’t do it. Team Rocket goes against everything I believe in."

Giovanni had been expecting this response. His face took on a sad, hurt expression. "I understand." He replied softly, as he started to stand up to leave. He sighed and continued, "It would have been wonderful.... you and I... father and daughter.... but I guess.... Well, you have to do what you feel is right. I won’t bother you about it again." With that, Giovanni turned to leave.

Misty looked at his back as a million emotions chugged through her like a runaway bullet train. "Wait... " she called.

Giovanni stopped and smiled his most evil smile. Hiding it as best he could, he turned to face her. "Yes?" he asked quietly.

"You swear that the Pokemon are not hurt?" she asked carefully, studying Giovanni’s face.

"Of course, my dear." Giovanni said in a silky voice.

Misty wasn’t sure what to do. Here was her father- her real father- and he was the head of the organization she had fought against on so many occasions! But if they really didn’t hurt the Pokemon... Oh, Jessie and James could be rough at times, but maybe that really was just to obtain the Pokemon.... and how could she pass up the chance to finally have a daddy- her real daddy- and one she wouldn’t have to share with Violet, Lily, or Daisy?

Misty’s emotions finally settled as she came to her decision. She looked up at Giovanni’s dark deep eyes. "I’ll do it, Fath- Daddy." she said as a single tear of happiness ran down her cheek.

Giovanni smiled warmly as he opened his arms to her. She ran to him and hugged him tightly, burying her face in his Italian suit. When they sat down again, Giovanni said to her, "I was hoping you’d make this decision. I have a little present for you..." He reached down to the ground by his chair, where he had set a small shopping bag. He lifted the bag to the table and passed it to Misty. She reached inside and pulled out a neatly folded white piece of cloth. When she unfolded it, she realized what it was: a white sleeveless halter top with a bright red "R" stitched onto the front. The uniform of Team Rocket. She had seen it so many times on Jessie and James, but had never pictured wearing it herself. Strangely, it was more of a comfort than not, as she held it and looked at Giovanni. She smiled widely.

"Thank you." she said finally, thanking him for everything from hope to acceptance. "So should I just come back to Viridian City with you, then?" she asked.

"Well.... actually, there is a little matter that I would rather like your help in taking care of." Giovanni said.

"What is it?"

"It concerns that friend of yours... Ash Ketchum, I believe his name is?"

"Yes?" Misty asked uneasily.

"Well, Jessie and James have told me so much about that little Pikachu he has... quite the special fighter, isn’t it?" he said, trying to select his words carefully.

"Yes, he certainly is." Misty replied.

"I’d love to have it join the gym." Giovanni stated. "But Jessie and James never seem to be able to obtain it" or any other useful Pokemon, he thought to himself.

Misty looked at her father, wide eyed. "Well, I don’t know if it’s such a good idea to keep trying for it." She said. "Ash loves that Pikachu so much, it’d kill him to lose it."

Again, Giovanni took her hands in his. "Oh, Misty, I know he must be attached to it, but it’d be so much better off with us... We can train it to be the best Pikachu it could be." Misty still looked at Giovanni with uncertainty in her eyes. "Besides, there’s another reason...." Giovanni began.

"What?" Misty asked.

"Well, Jessie, James, and Meowth have been ordered by me to never harm you. They don’t know why not, but they hold back a lot because of that. If you were gone, they could conceivably get a lot nastier with Ash and your other friend... Brock, right?"

"Ye- Yes." Misty said. Suddenly, she had a horrible vision of Ash and Brock dying in a deserted forest after battling Team Rocket and losing because of them not holding back. Unable to deal with such a thought, she quickly forced it from her mind and knew what she had to do. "All right." she said finally. "I’ll help you get Pikachu." Misty only hoped she could live with herself for betraying Ash, and wondered if even this new life would be worth it. Giovanni smiled at her again, and Misty smiled back, hiding the whirlwind of doubt flying through her mind.

That had been a week ago. Now, Giovanni’s daughter had returned home with Jessie and James, and had brought him the lightning mouse that had eluded capture for so very long. Jessie and James had broke into the office bursting with pride and excitement, probably not so much at the capture of Pikachu as the fact that they had actually done something right. Of course, the star of this act was Misty. Without her, such a victory would never have been possible.

Misty now stood before her father, decked out in a full Team Rocket uniform that matched Jessie’s: the thigh-high black boots, the short white skirt, the tight black shirt underneath the white top emblazoned with a big red "R", and of course the long black gloves that reached up above her elbows. He looked at her with pride. Finally, he had someone to carry on his legacy. At the moment, he was going on about how well she had done. Misty stood with her hands behind her back, listening with a smile on her face.

"Such a good job. I can hardly believe that it all went so smoothly. You are a genius, Misty."

Misty blushed. "Really, Daddy, it wasn’t much." She said with a smile. She had been watching Pikachu’s treatment since she had arrived, and so far he really was yet to be harmed. Perhaps Giovanni and Team Rocket really weren’t so bad, after all. All things considered, she felt a lot better about herself knowing that it was true and that she finally had her life with a daddy. Giovanni continued on, praising her, and she continued to beam, feeling like star child she had always wanted to be. Slowly, though, thoughts entered her mind... thoughts of that trainer from Pallet and that breeder from Pewter City. Slowly, her eyes began to water slightly, and Giovanni’s voice faded from her ears. She thought back on the times they had experienced together.... Ash and Pikachu meeting her for the first time when she rescued them with a fishing pole, the first Pokemon she had seen Ash catch, the time they had met Brock, the way they had journeyed together, laughed together, argued together... been there for each other. Giovanni noticed the look in her eyes, and stopped abruptly.

"Is something wrong, Honey?" he asked, playing the doting father part to the hilt.

"Oh, I was just- no, it’s nothing." she said

Giovanni knew she wasn’t being honest. "Come on, Misty, it’s OK... What’s wrong?"

"Well, I was just thinking about my friends... I kind of miss them."

Giovanni looked at her. He was afraid of this. He sighed. "Oh, Misty.... I know you must miss them. But you have new friends now, a new life... aren’t you happy here?" Misty looked at him and did her best to smile. "Oh, Daddy, of course I am." She hugged him. As she did, the intercom on Giovanni’s desk buzzed. He let go of Misty and pressed the button.

"Yes?"

"Sir, Jessie and James are here to see you." came the voice from outside. Giovanni rolled his eyes.

"All right. I’ll be with them in a minute." He turned his attention back to Misty. "Now, Sweetie, daddy has some business to take care of. Why don’t you run along and check out the rest of the gym?"

Misty smiled broadly and turned to leave. "I love you, Daddy." she said as she reached the door.

"I love you too, Honey." came Giovanni’s reply. Misty stepped out, and Jessie and James came in happily. As soon as the door was closed, the smile faded from his face. "I swear, all this affection is going to make me sick." he said to himself. "Now what do you two lab rats want?" he snarled at Jessie and James.

James looked a little confused, but replied to his boss, "Well, boss, you see, the thing is, uh-"

Jessie broke in, "What James is trying to say, sir, is that with Pikachu captured, we’re a little- well, bored. We’re not sure what to do with ourselves anymore."

Giovanni looked at them angrily. "Figure it out for yourselves. You’re Team Rocket agents. What do Team Rocket agents do?"

"Steal rare and valuable Pokemon" they replied in unison.

"Exactly." Giovanni answered. "So what should you do now?"

Jessie and James looked at their boss stupidly. "Ummmm...." James said.

"Err..........." Jessie said.

"YOU FIND SOME POKEMON TO STEAL, YOU MORONS!" Giovanni thundered. "Pikachu isn’t the only valuable Pokemon in the world. Honestly, if you two were any thicker, I could use you for bullet proof armor!"

Jessie and James looked hurt and upset. "Well, yeah, but...we were kind of hoping that... uhm..." Jessie began.

"That what?" Giovanni said, annoyed.

"Well, that we could get promoted for catching Pikachu?" Jessie continued humbly.

"You never would have caught Pikachu without Misty’s help!" Giovanni replied angrily.

"umm... I know, but..."

"I don’t have time for this." Giovanni said, dismissing them both with a wave of his hand. "Now get going."

Jessie and James stood there for a second, and then turned to leave without a word. Once they were gone, Giovanni picked up his phone and called down to the lower levels of the gym, where Team Rocket agents were working on the captured Pokemon. His chief scientist answered the phone. "Evans."

"Evans, this is Giovanni. Has my daughter been down there to check on that Pikachu lately?"

"No, sir, it seems like she’s satisfied that he’s being treated well." Evans replied.

"Good." Giovanni smiled. "Then we can begin. Start probing it’s mind for what we need."

"Yes, sir." Evans replied. he hung up the phone and turned to the habitat that had been set up for the Pikachu. He put thick rubber gloves on, and reached in to scoop up Pikachu. "All right, my little friend," Evans began coldly, "You’re first class accommodations have expired. Time to move to somewhere else..." He carried Pikachu over towards a large metal and glass machine. Sensing something wrong, Pikachu started to get nervous.

"Pika... Pika Pika..." He started to squeal. Sparks were just starting to fly from his cheeks as Evans dropped him into a glass chamber and flipped a switch marked "Seal/Insulate". The thundershock shot forth from Pikachu and blasted harmlessly against the glass. "Pika!" he screamed.

"That’s it, you little rodent" said Evans darkly. "Tire yourself out. It’ll only make my job all the easier...." he turned to walk away and leave Pikachu on his own to continue to throw out thunder shocks, knowing that the machine wouldn’t be affected in the least by the blasts.

Loyalties Chapter Four: The Battle for Pikachu