The Road to our Destiny

Chapter 49

Giovanni drums his fingers impatiently as he waits in his office. He recently gave Matori an order to gather every Team Rocket member in the area to the courtyard outside for a presentation. Dr. Zager and Agent Basker told him their machine is ready and so he decided to have every member available witness what it can do. The leader of the organization can barely keep his cool out of eagerness to get things underway even with Persian sitting next to him to keep him company.

Finally, a knock is heard from the door, and Matori lets herself in.

"Sir, all personnel is outside and awaiting your presence," she says.

"Good," Giovanni says. "Let's take a look."

Without another word, the man and his pet stand up and follow Matori out of the office. Giovanni keeps a stone-cold focused face as they enter an elevator and ride it down to the bottom level. When they exit the building, the courtyard is filled with two sets of Team Rocket members formed in lines like battalions of soldiers. Giovanni walks past them to the end of the courtyard, where the large machine is completely built. Standing in front of the large machine is Dr. Zager holding a portable device and Agent Basker.

Beside the machine is a large cage full of wild fire-type Pokemon. From Charmander, to Vulpix, to Ninetails, to Magmar, to Cyndaquil, to Houndoom, many fire Pokemon that can be found from the Kanto and Johto region that aren't the legendary Entei or Moltres have been beaten and locked inside the cage. Many of them are crying or howling out loud, wishing to be set free so that they can return to their homes in the wild. Some try to free themselves by scratching, biting, or using their various fire attacks. Try as they might, however, the cage is built to withstand any Pokemon move they can use. No one so much as glances at them to show any hint of remorse or wonder if they will be okay.

Giovanni stops walking in front of Dr. Zager and Agent Basker with Persian and Matori standing behind him. The two men salute their leader before Giovanni speaks.

"Gentleman, are you prepared for your test?" He asks.

"We are," Zager and Basker reply professionally.

Giovanni turns to Agent Basker directly and asks, "Are you recording this moment with your eye?"

Agent Basker lifts up his mechanical arm, presses a button, and his red mechanical eye lights up.

"I am now," he answers.

"Very well," Giovanni says before turning to Matori.

Matori gives her boss a simple nod before clearing her throat and turning to the hundreds of Team Rocket members.

"Members of Team Rocket, you have been ordered to come here to witness the testing of this machine," she shouts with a loud and firm voice. "For the very completion of this device that we have built marks the beginning of Team Rocket, completing its ultimate goal."

Many spectators turn to each other in confusion, clueless about what the machine they are looking at will do. Butch and Cassidy, who are standing in one of the front rows among the crowd, look at each other with devious smirks, excited to learn what is going to happen. Giovanni ignores the reactions, however, and simply turns to Dr. Zager and gives him a nod that the old man returns before turning to Agent Basker.

"Proceed," he says bluntly.

Agent Basker nods and turns to a cube-shaped object on the ground next to him covered by a cloth. He pulls the cloth away to reveal a frightened Vulpix trapped in a small, cramped cage. The tiny fox whimpers in fear as Agent Basker picks up the cage by the handle on top of it and walks to the center of the machine. Everyone watches him place the cage in the center of the large platform and walks back to join Dr. Zager, Giovanni, and Matori, leaving the Vulpix alone in the middle of the machine. The poor Pokemon's cries are sadly ignored as Dr. Zagar turns to the crowd.