Angelina tugged on her trainer’s sleeve, trying desperately to pull her out of her dazed stupor. It didn’t seem to be working, though – Evangeline kept staring out at the destruction before her, her body trembling violently. She thought she was ready for any stupid trick they pulled next; the Rockets were a powerful force, but she never even began to imagine they’d ever move up from petty theft and needless cruelty to Pokemon. But the flames and rubble stood as a monument against that, as a cruel reminder that the Rockets were dangerous, and they were everywhere. Huh…
“Where… Have I heard that before?” She whispered under her breath.
Evangeline lay on the edge of the bed, staring at the door as she sobbed quietly. She thought she would get used to it, that she’d eventually accept that being with a man she didn’t love was a necessity for her a this point. But while she had stopped bawling and wailing, her crying certainly wasn’t quiet. With a quivering voice she whispered, “I-I don’t want to do t-this anymore…” Across from her, some shaded figure reclined into his armchair, his havana slowly broiling away at the tip as he held it loosely in one hand, and batted its smoke away with the other.
"Cry as much as you'd like, sweetheart," he encouraged, before taking a long, indulgent drag of his cigar.
"There isn't a pokémon on this green Earth I haven't heard cry harder." Evangeline breathed out shakily, still sniffling and sobbing.
“I-I’ll… I’ll r-run away,” She murmured, “I-I’ll tell the police about this. I’ll t-tell them about everything, you’ll have the Jennies on you b-before you can finish that cigar.” He paused for a long, quiet moment.
Then he exhaled, and watched as an expansive, hoary cloud rushed forth from his lungs, and spread slowly throughout the whole room, leaving nothing untouched, uncorrupted.
Then, he lowered his coffin nail, and reached for the brass-embellished rotary at his chair's side.
Brrnnng... brnnng... brnnng...
Thrice, he twirled his finger through the dial, each time striking the number '9'.
Then, he extended it to her, as an offering.
"Feel very free," he offered, simply, "See if you're thinking a little clearer afterwards." Evangeline looked up at what he was offering her. Carefully she reached for the receiver, as if wary that there was some kind of trap in place. She looked at the phone, and then back at him.
“What… What have you got planned?” She breathed distrustfully.
"Everything." Evangeline warily put the phone to her ear and asked for the police. After describing the specifics – All the while cautiously looking up at him – She waited for a moment.
“… Oh, my name? Um, E-Evangeline Monique la Devereaux Avery.” Upon the mention of her name, Evangeline was quickly transferred to another line- which was highlighted by a gentle 'clicking'- before she was greeted by a soft spoken, mirthful tone, "Hello, Evangeline! I'm sorry to hear you're having problems with Giovanni... but, once you've gone to bed with The Devil..."
“G-Gone to… What are you talking about?” Evangeline murmured, “Come on… Send the police, he’s in charge of Team Rocket!” She begged, her tone getting more and more desperate.
"In charge of Team Rocket, huh? Fancy that!", the other half of the call responded, with a delighted chuckle, "I guess that means he's paying both of my wages!" Evangeline went deathly silent, her hands shaking.
“W… What?”
"What a generous guy, huh?"
“I… I’m hanging up!” Evangeline threw the receiver in shock, cradling her head in her hands, “What… W-What on earth is the meaning of this…?” Giovanni smiled faintly from the shadows, lowering his panatela into a nearby ashtray.
"How rude: It's customary to say goodbye, first."
“T-The police… They’re all just Rockets, aren’t they?” Evangeline murmured, not even bothering to respond to his wry comments.
"Not all of them," he admitted, "Some are upstanding, hard working men... but I'm in the process of trying to fix that."
“But either way they’re powerless…” Evangeline breathed, more to herself than anyone else. She shook her head, “This… This doesn’t change anything. I’ll run away, I’ll get the police from some other city!”
"And then... what?", Giovanni asked, almost with a genuine curiosity, "They'll... suddenly have jurisdiction here? As if my election wasn't nice and legal?" Evangeline creased her brow – He had a point. Evangeline swallowed hard, trying hard to think.
“I-I’ll… I’ll…” After a moment, she hung her head, defeated. It was just as she suspected – She couldn’t do anything, “You’re… Right.” Turning the back of his seat to her, he let out a brief but nonetheless cruel chuckle, "Of course I am. Now dry your eyes, or I might just have to call the Jennies myself." Evangeline nodded, quickly wiping her eyes on the sleeve of her shirt.
“O-Of course, sorry…” She mumbled morosely.
"Att'a girl."
“Mawile! Ma-wile!” Evangeline was snapped out of her daze by Angelina’s voice. Looking down at her Mawile for a moment, she saw a look of concern and urgency in those small eyes. Evangeline gave her a reassuring, if slightly weak, smile before pulling a pokeball from her belt.
“Right, come on… Let’s help out. Isabella, come on out!” Thrusting her hand forward, the ball opened and in a display of lights, a Froslass hovered in front of the pair. Isabella gave her trainer a a vague look backwards. “Isabella, I need you to stop these flames. Use hail!” With a dismissive nod, Isabella waved her arms dramatically as the air turned cold and small white crystals began to fall from the sky – It had begun to hail.