Echoes of Terror

As Giovanni opened his mouth to offer a feeble defense, the intensity of the Empress's glare halted his words mid-sentence. His attempt at justification faltered under the weight of her unyielding gaze, leaving him silenced and vulnerable before her imposing presence. Meanwhile, Bane continued his recitation, each item on the list serving as a damning indictment of Giovanni's failures.

Minutes stretched into eternity as Bane meticulously cataloged the losses incurred under Giovanni's command. With each new revelation, the disappointment etched on Bane's face mirrored the growing sense of dread gnawing at Giovanni's insides. He knew that the consequences of his actions were far greater than he had dared to imagine.

Then, with a voice as cold as ice, the Empress addressed him directly, her words cutting through the tense silence like a sharpened blade. The sheer force of her aura caused cracks to spiderweb across the surface of Giovanni's seat, a visual representation of the pressure bearing down upon him.

"In just a span of a month," the Empress intoned, her tone laced with palpable disappointment, "you managed to lose seven of our most esteemed Epic trainers. But what is even more egregious is that you have made enemies of every influential force within our organization's reach."

Giovanni felt a shiver run down his spine as the weight of his mother's words settled on him. Despite his own status as an Epic class trainer, he couldn't help but feel diminished in her presence. In that moment, he realized just how far he had strayed from the path his mother had envisioned for him, and the consequences of his recklessness loomed ominously before him.

"Seven?" Giovanni's voice trembled with nervousness as he dared to question the staggering revelation. As far as he knew, the recent updates he had received indicated that he had lost only two Epic level trainers during the mission to capture Moltres, and two others had disappeared during the chaos in Hoenn. Rumors suggested that the Aura Guardians were responsible for the latter losses.

But now, to hear that three more Epic level trainers had fallen under Team Rocket's banner was a gut-wrenching blow. Epic level trainers were the epitome of human prowess, and to lose more than half a dozen of such elite individuals was a devastating blow.

Bane, sensing Giovanni's confusion, offered a blunt explanation that cut through the air like a sharpened blade. "What did you expect? You were foolish enough to reach into the dragon's nest and snatch away one of its younglings. Did you honestly believe that the Blackthorns were to be trifled with? If I hadn't personally intervened and brought you back in haste, the Blackthorns would have likely flayed you alive," Bane remarked, his tone dripping with disdain.

He harbored no illusions about Giovanni's competence, his loyalty lying solely with the Empress. Giovanni was merely a tolerated inconvenience, spared solely due to the Empress's lingering attachment to her wayward offspring.

As Giovanni absorbed Bane's words, a sinking feeling settled in the pit of his stomach. The magnitude of his miscalculations loomed over him like a dark cloud. He had underestimated the Blackthorn family's power and resolve, and now the consequences were dire.

The Empress, her gaze unwavering, observed Giovanni's reaction with an icy detachment that sent shivers down his spine. Her presence alone was suffocating, her regal demeanor commanding obedience without question. Giovanni felt like a mere pawn in her grand game, insignificant in the face of her unyielding authority.

"Mother, I... I had no idea," Giovanni stammered, attempting to salvage what little dignity he had left. But his feeble protestations fell on deaf ears as the Empress continued to scrutinize him with an intensity that made him feel exposed, his weaknesses laid bare before her.

Bane's disdainful snort echoed through the throne room, a stark reminder of Giovanni's failures. "Ignorance is not an excuse, Giovanni. You were entrusted with the responsibility of leading Team Rocket, and yet you plunged us into chaos with your reckless actions," he remarked, his voice laced with contempt.

Giovanni swallowed hard, his throat dry with apprehension. He knew he had no defense against the Empress's unwavering judgment. All he could do now was brace himself for whatever punishment awaited him, knowing that his fate lay in her hands.

Giovanni's mind raced as he searched for a way to regain some semblance of control over the situation. But with the Empress's piercing gaze fixed upon him and Bane's scornful words ringing in his ears, he felt powerless, like a puppet on strings being manipulated by forces beyond his comprehension.

"I... I accept full responsibility for my actions," Giovanni finally managed to choke out, his voice barely audible above the hushed whispers that filled the throne room. "I am prepared to face whatever consequences you deem fit."

The Empress's expression softened imperceptibly, though her eyes remained cold and calculating. "You have disappointed me, Giovanni," she said, her voice as smooth as silk yet carrying an underlying edge that made Giovanni's blood run cold. "But perhaps there is still a chance for redemption."

Giovanni's heart skipped a beat at the mention of redemption, a flicker of hope igniting within him. "Anything, Mother," he replied, desperation creeping into his tone. "I will do whatever it takes to make amends."

The Empress regarded him thoughtfully for a moment before finally nodding in approval. "Very well," she said, her voice carrying the weight of finality. "You will be given one last chance to prove your loyalty to Team Rocket and to me. Fail me again, however, and there will be no mercy."

Giovanni bowed low, his forehead almost touching the cold marble floor beneath him. "Thank you, Mother," he whispered, his voice trembling with gratitude and relief. As he straightened up, determination burned brightly in his eyes, fueled by the knowledge that this was his chance for redemption, his opportunity to reclaim his honor and prove himself worthy of the Empress's trust once more.

"You will retreat from the face of this world. You will not surface until you step onto the legendary stage. I will personally have Bane guide you during this time. Although I have asked the Grandmaster to intervene on my behalf, I cannot have you fall into the Blackthorns' hands. The only way to keep you safe is for you to vanish. Forget about everything else and hand over the matters of Team Rocket to Argen."

As the Empress's words echoed through the throne room, Giovanni's heart sank even further. To retreat from the world, to vanish into obscurity until he reached the legendary stage—it was a fate worse than any punishment he could have imagined. And to be guided by Bane, a constant reminder of his failures, only added salt to the wound.

Yet, despite the weight of his impending exile, Giovanni couldn't help but feel a flicker of gratitude towards the Empress for sparing him from the clutches of the Blackthorn family. Their power and ruthlessness were legendary, and Giovanni knew that falling into their hands would mean certain doom.

But as the Empress spoke of her grandson, Argen, a rare smile graced her cold features, softening the icy facade she typically wore. Argen was everything Giovanni was not—talented, ambitious, and fiercely loyal to his grandmother. At just four centuries old, he was already a peak Epic class trainer, a force to be reckoned with in his own right.

Giovanni's mood soured at the mention of Silver, the name Argen went by outside of Team Rocket. Unlike his son, who showed no interest in their criminal activities, Argen had the potential to be the perfect heir to the Empress's legacy. But Giovanni knew all too well that his own failings as a parent had pushed Silver away from their world.

"I am not sure if Silver would agree to manage the affairs of Team Rocket. He has always hated what we do," Giovanni commented in a low tone, and the Empress's expression hardened again.

"And whose fault do you think that is? If you were a competent parent, my grandson would have been my perfect heir. Forget about Argen's matter. I am sure I can convince the child to do my bidding," the Empress commented.

Although she knew that her grandson disliked criminal organizations, his love for his grandmother triumphed over his hatred for such activities. So, if she personally made a request, then Argen would surely take over and handle the affairs of Team Rocket.

Giovanni flinched at the accusation, knowing deep down that she was right. He had failed Silver in more ways than one, driving a wedge between them that seemed impossible to mend. But as the Empress spoke of convincing Argen to take over Team Rocket, Giovanni couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope. If anyone could sway his son, it was her.

With a heavy heart, Giovanni bowed his head in resignation, knowing that his fate—and the fate of Team Rocket—now rested in the hands of his estranged son and the merciless Empress who ruled over them all.

*************************

"Wake up, you fucking brats! Do you think you're here on vacation, sleeping so soundly, letting your guard down?" A masked Team Rocket member bashed a child on the head next to my bunk bed.

It had been two weeks since I had hidden myself among Team Rocket's new recruits, and to my surprise, this wasn't a single facility; close to a dozen such facilities were spread across the island. Froslass had scouted ahead, finding all the important locations, and as I suspected, the overseer of the island was an Epic Level trainer, likely a seat holder of Team Rocket. I had yet to encounter any faces familiar from my previous life, with most Team Rocket members obscuring their faces behind masks.

In the past two weeks, the children have been subjected to inhumane torture. One of the main methods employed by the organization was the use of medications and various psychological treatments to brainwash the children. Even now, from my estimate, it should be around 2 a.m., and the exhausted kids have simply passed out.

Luckily for me, I had managed to maintain my sanity despite the tortures and treatments they subjected me to. I had already discreetly taken out two of the Team Rocket trainers with the help of Froslass. However, these incidents were attributed to accidents, and I had to tread carefully. If I were to eliminate another member, it wouldn't be seen as a coincidence anymore, and they would start extensively investigating the matter.

"Crack!!" The sound of bone splintering was clear as I, like the rest of the children, mechanically put on the uniform. The goon took pleasure in beating one of the kids who was a bit late to come to the line fully geared up. He completely disregarded the kid wailing on the floor, casually kicking him aside before turning to address the remaining children in the room.

"You bastards are in luck," he sneered, his voice dripping with malice. "The executives have finally graced us with their presence, and with them comes the latest batch of starter Pokémon. Today, you kids will get to choose your first Pokémon and embark on your journey as Team Rocket members."

As the goon's words echoed through the room, a tense anticipation gripped the children present. Despite the bruises and the pain, there was a flicker of excitement at the prospect of finally choosing our first Pokémon. For many of us, it was a glimmer of hope in an otherwise bleak existence.

Soon enough, all the children were ushered into the main central hall. I had familiarized myself with the layout of the Team Rocket base, but unfortunately for me, these people were too cautious. They avoided using any form of advanced computers to store details; instead, they relied on the old-school method of documenting everything in various folders by hand. The surveillance devices were the only ones using a fully automated system, but they were being protected by a Porygon.

I knew I could easily get rid of the Porygon, but doing so would immediately catch the attention of the Team Rocket members. It was a risk I couldn't afford to take, not when I was still trying to maintain my cover amidst their ranks.

As we gathered in the central hall, the atmosphere was charged with a sense of anticipation. The goons prowled the room, their eyes scanning the crowd for any signs of disobedience. But despite their watchful gaze, I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more going on beneath the surface.

I glanced around, searching for any familiar faces among the other recruits. But all I saw were blank expressions and hollow eyes, the weight of our circumstances bearing down on us all.

As the overseer took to the platform, a hush fell over the room.

The executive, a lean figure with her face obscured behind a silver mask, scanned through the children standing in neat order in front of her. From the aura she emitted, I estimated her to be a trainer who had recently stepped into the Master rank.

"How many children did you start with?" the overseer questioned the lady in charge of this particular site.

"Well, we started with close to twelve hundred children in this site," the woman answered respectfully. The executives were the core echelon of the Team Rocket organization; only the elusive seat holders and their leader held more authority in the organization than executives. To become an executive, one must, at a minimum, be a Champion-class trainer and must have made a significant contribution to the organization.

The overseer scanned the children once more, her tone turning much more stern. "So where are the rest?" she questioned. Currently, the hall had only close to eleven hundred children, and in just the past two weeks, more than a hundred children had succumbed to the inhumane torture of Team Rocket members.

Some of these Team Rocket members even preyed on these little boys and girls physically, despite their young ages. The two goons that I had taken out were two such individuals who targeted children for their sick pleasures.

"So you're telling me that in a span of two weeks, you managed to lose more than a hundred recruits who could have become the elites of our organization?" Her aura pressed down on all the Team Rocket members present in the hall.

"Do you think that the children here are like the street orphans that we normally collect for recruits? No. Every one of these children hails from decent backgrounds, and some even hail from legacy families," the executive commented as she stepped down from the podium. Two other officers with the highest authority in the site followed her as she scrutinized each and every child carefully.

"Did you guys screen the kids to see if there are any awakened?" the executive questioned, to which the other two froze without answering. Normally, they would only screen the kids after they successfully survived the first month. But those children, like their leader had stated, were mostly orphans or children from the lower rungs of society. These children were different, as they were backed by a decent pedigree.

Understanding the lack of answer from the two subordinates, the executive simply sneered at their incompetence, mentally making a note in her mind to punish them later. She then walked next to a little girl who seemed to be covered with multiple bruises and scar wounds.

The overseer knelt down in front of the girl, who was trying her best to keep her sobs in check. The overseer spoke in a soft tone, reminiscent of a flower petal, as if portraying her soft nature. But in my perception, I knew she was anything but kind; she was a poisonous viper right down to the bone.

The little girl felt comfort in the embrace of the Team Rocket executive and broke down in tears.

"It's alright, tell big sister here, who did this to you?" she questioned in a soft voice, as if promising retribution.

As the little girl clung to the Team Rocket executive, her tears flowed freely, soaking into the fabric of the woman's uniform. With each soothing word spoken by the overseer, the child's sobs began to lessen, replaced by a hesitant trust in the woman who promised safety and protection.

With repeated coaxing, the little girl finally relented, her trembling voice recounting the horrors she endured each night. She spoke of a certain Team Rocket goon who would come to torment her, forcing himself upon her and beating her if she dared to resist. The pain and fear in her voice echoed through the hall, a stark reminder of the cruelty that lurked within Team Rocket's ranks.

The overseer's face darkened with rage as she listened to the girl's story. Standing up abruptly, she scanned the room with a piercing gaze, her eyes ablaze with fury. "Do you remember the man's face?" she demanded, her voice cutting through the silence like a whip.

The little girl weakly nodded, her eyes wide with fear as she recalled the face of her tormentor. With a swift motion, the overseer gazed at the crowd of Team Rocket members, her voice dripping with venom. "Step forward, you Bastard!" she shouted, her anger boiling over.

"If I have to personally find you," she hissed, her voice low and dangerous, "I will torture you to death myself."

There was a tense silence as the members of Team Rocket exchanged uneasy glances. But then, a figure emerged from the crowd, his face pale with guilt and fear. He stepped forward hesitantly, unable to meet the overseer's gaze.

With a cold fury in her eyes, the overseer approached the trembling goon while she led the little girl by her side, her steps deliberate and menacing.

The room fell silent, the weight of the overseer's words hanging heavy in the air. And as the little girl looked up at the woman who had promised to protect her, she couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope amidst the darkness of Team Rocket's cruelty.

"Is he the one?" The overseer questioned the little girl who now stood next to her, sobbing. With a weak nod, she confirmed after looking at the man's face, who had now removed his mask.

"If you had such an irresistible itch, you should have stuck your prick into some other hole. I hate people who damage the things that belong to me," the executive spat out. Before anyone could react, the executive formed an aura blade and severed the arm of the Team Rocket member.

Blood splattered as it splashed over the little girl's face. "Next time, think twice before laying a hand on something that's mine," she declared, flicking the aura blade as the Team Rocket member rolled on the floor, screaming in agony.

Then, she turned around to address the entire hall, her aura blade still shimmering in her hand. "I hate it when people take what's mine, however, there is one thing I hate even more," she announced, her voice cutting through the stunned silence. With a sudden movement and one single stroke, she beheaded the little girl who stood next to her. The little girl's head slid off with disbelief and betrayal etched on her dying face.

"What I hate even more are whistleblowers!" she exclaimed with a cruel smirk, looking at the rest of the hall. Even those kids who held a modicum of hope completely lost all hope in the presence of their new overseer.