Disclaimer: My name's certainly not affiliated with Pokémon –not unless I want to be sued .
Story: A female Ash Ketchum is faced with being unable to fulfill her dreams with prejudices against her gender, and realizing that the world is a dark, ugly place.
Set as a genderbent AU, a realistic view of traveling the world as a young pokémon trainer.
Spoilers: For M4 "Voice of the Forest," and probably a few episodes. Mainly to do with canon events for characters (i.e. history/background).
Warnings: Dark themes, sexual situations, criminal activity, crime themes, human trafficking, etc...
Pairings: Eventual Giovanni, Archie, Maxie, Cyrus/Fem!Ash (BurntLedgerShipping with genderbent Ash twist, yeah I made that up ;P), but starts out slowly and separately with ShatterShipping (Gio/Ash), KyogreCrossingShipping (Archie/Ash), BurningAshesShipping (Maxie/Ash), and RedTreeShipping (Cyrus/Ash). Slight AmazedGeekageShipping (Colress/Ash) will be included.

Precious Doll in This Ugly World
Chapter Seventeen: Reunion

She was there.

She was there.

After all this time, Giovanni saw her. He almost couldn't believe his eyes, but no matter how much older she'd become, no matter how much she'd become a young lady, he could still recognize her.

Shock, disbelief, relief. He felt a lot of emotions run through him. But the moment she ran towards him, face full of tears, he had no other thought than to catch her and hold her. She felt real and solid in his arms, her small hands clutching onto him. Her soft crying made him actually choke up himself, especially after finally having found the one girl he'd ever chased in his life, even if it had been like this.

Ash Ketchum was safe and whole in his arms.

Burying his face into her head one last time, inhaling her scent and still unbelieving she was alive and well and with him finally, Giovanni reluctantly took a glance up to see his Executive Petrel and a few of his grunts staring in shock. Giving them a light glare, he gestured for them to leave the two of them alone, and soon he and Ash were the only ones left on that floor.

After a moment more, he even more reluctantly pulled away from her. As she took that time to rub at her face, he observed her more fully. She looked tired and obviously her face was slightly red from crying. She was also taller than he would have guessed, though still much shorter than him. Her eyes were the same shade of honey gold he remembered, if looking much older and wiser. She was also, something he hadn't thought too much of or focused on, physically older than the girl in the photo he cherished.

It was…strange for him. Seeing her now, as she was, made him understand and see that the time and experience she'd gone through had matured her in all the areas that counted, and that though he'd always cared and had even been a little too attached to her, seeing her now made him see her much more differently than he had and affected him just as differently.

She had grown from the girl who he'd affectionately gave the title of wife, to the young lady that he really could see be his wife.

It was such an extraordinary and odd thought, and yet it seemed right and something he should never have been surprised about. Truthfully, after all this time, it was more a long time coming and something that probably had been inevitable in the end.

"And here we are, 16 years later, huh?" he finally said, smiling gently at her.

She blinked before beaming happily at him through watery eyes, and it took a moment for him to remember to breathe.

In all that time away, she had really grown up and Giovanni couldn't help but notice.

"You were really looking for me?" she asked wondrously.

He nodded slightly. "I did. And I kept coming after you, only to just end up being a few steps behind every time. I wish I could've gotten to you sooner."

She hugged him tightly. "I'm just happy you came after me," she whispered.

Threading his hand through her hair, he squeezed her tightly before pulling back.

"I was here for Miranda and was glad that we'd finally caught her…but finding you here was so much more important and an even better find than her. I'll have you taken to Kanto straight away, while I'll have Petrel send that woman over to the main headquarters," Giovanni told her.

She was both excited at the prospect of finally getting home (and she had no doubt about it this time), but terrified of Miranda being anywhere near her. Giovanni noticed her reactions.

"Don't worry, dolcezza," he reassured her. "She won't be a worry for you anymore. I promise."

Though Ash believed him wholeheartedly and knew he'd keep his promise no matter what, she also couldn't help remembering all those times with Miranda and feeling that fear again. But she was with Giovanni now and he'd protect her.

"To home," he gave her a gentle smile. "And if you are up to it, why don't you tell me everything that's happened to you while you were away? If you can handle it, of course."

Ash gave him a small nod and smile.

It was an amazing thought, but she was actually finally going home.

Petrel eyed the woman in chains, taking one long inhale of his cigarette. While he wasn't a chain smoker, he was a pretty heavy smoker alright…

"Do you think I'd really beg?" her amused, though hoarse, voice made him frown.

She would've been pretty if she hadn't endured two days in a crate, before she'd been brought onto a ship controlled by Rockets and handcuffed to the bars in the brig (and where they saw fit to only give her water every three days and minimal food every two days). He remembered how she'd looked before she'd been captured though, right before he'd gotten his hands on her and kidnapped her from her transport (serves her right –how'd she like the turnaround?)

"No, not at all," he said in boredom, flicking his cigarette at her and some of his ashes landing on her face.

She moved her face away, sneering at him. He just grinned at her in amusement.

"I'm not interested in hearing you beg at all," he said truthfully. "Not my thing. And, well, hearing you beg means I have to offer you something or care to hear you out and maybe contemplate mercy. But the thing is…I'm not. I just want to focus on drawing it out, making you scream. I don't want to hear any words, there won't be any mercy –you don't like giving mercy to your victims, right? So no, you don't have to beg. I won't be listening, and wouldn't grant you any mercy if I were to. My only regret is that I have to expend my energy on the likes of you."

She spat at him, but she didn't have enough saliva gathering in her mouth to make much of a difference. Petrel laughed at her and grabbed her hair, yanking her head back and looking down at her furious eyes.

He placed his cigarette against her cheek and sneered back at her, hearing her scream finally.

"How does that feel? Is that something you liked asking your own victims?"

Petrel really felt honest hate for this woman. And he remembered that girl he'd just met, and it just made him all the more furious with this woman.

Little Miss Miranda would find the tables had turned on her.

After telling him what had happened to her all these years, Ash had fallen asleep on the flight back home. Giovanni had kept a close eye on her, but inwardly he stewed in a mixture of turmoil and mixed emotions.

When he'd finally face that Miranda, he would make her pay for all that she'd done to Ash. Just from what Ash told him, he knew that that woman had traumatized Ash very deeply and had taken a huge impact on Ash's self-image as well as her physical wounds. And this Tobias…

The glass in his hand cracked and he softly cursed under his breath. Looking over at Ash, he saw she was still asleep. He then took the time to clean up his mess, but he still wanted to find that man and murder him in cold blood.

When he'd heard of the man whose name changed frequently, and of whom had been told to him had an interest in Ash and wanted to 'train' her personally…he knew what kind of training and all the things that would have entailed in that training. But it was still just a thought and he'd pushed it out of mind as much as he could.

But now Ash told him what had happened with that man, and Giovanni found he couldn't calm himself down at all. He'd done his best to not react in front of Ash, but he had nearly flown into a rage right then and there. But he wouldn't, not in front of Ash and not so soon after everything for her.

He also couldn't believe how many close calls there had been for her, and that it wasn't fair she kept getting so close to being saved, only to find hope being ripped away from her. And then her having to recount all those times she'd been assaulted or near assaulted, and Giovanni felt like locking her away and never letting her leave his side again.

That was doubly so when he heard about the other bosses.

Jealousy mixed in with the rage then, and he thought that though his newfound, strong attraction to her was still something that caught him off guard, Giovanni had also always thought of Ash of his.

Colress had been a given, because he'd been able to see the other was clearly infatuated, but he also knew it had been one-sided. That was clear to see. But then there was Cyrus, who he sort of knew had something with Ash, but he had never allowed full thought towards it or thought on how far or mutually it went. But that they'd given the other their first time made him feel possessive and upset.

And then there was Archie and Maxie (and he was fully ignoring the likes of Howard), and Giovanni couldn't help thinking that he'd been first to meet her but last to have her.

"You're thinking really hard about things," Ash said hesitantly, having woken up. "Did I upset you? I'm sorry if I had said some things about my story that could have upset you."

Giovanni blinked and offered a reassuring smile to her. "No, I'm just thinking some selfish thoughts. I will be honest in saying that some of the stuff in what you'd told me had indeed bothered me, but it has nothing to do with you and more really to do with me and how I feel about things."

Seeing she was still unsure, he went to her side and grabbed her hand. "What it is, it's not as important as the fact I'm just glad you are safe and home at last."

She finally relaxed a bit at that, and Giovanni glanced outside to notice that they were descending and that they had finally arrived at the Team Rocket Headquarters in Kanto. He idly squeezed Ash's hand.

"I'll help you get settled here, alright? But I'll inform Professor Oak and your mother that I have you now, and that when you are up to it, I will have you brought over to them so you can reunite with them and decide what you would like to do from then on. Are you alright with that?" he looked to her questioningly.

"Yeah, I think that works," she gave him a tired smile. "I think I really would like to rest some more. I just feel…exhausted all of a sudden."

"You have been through a very traumatic experience for a long time," Giovanni said lightly. "Perhaps it is all just coming onto a pile on you, and you need to deal with it and how you feel first?"

"That…that sounds good," Ash took a deep breath. "Yes, I would like to rest some more first."

"Understood. I'll make arrangements to head to Pallet Town at a later time and inform them of the good news now, right after I make sure you are settled in okay here."

Ash once again gave him a small smile, and he tried his best to return it with one that would reassure her as he tucked her into his side. The plane landed then, and once it was securely on the ground, Giovanni led her to the plane's exit and led her out of it and towards the large Rocket Headquarters looming in the distance. He got her some clothes to wear, showed her the room she would stay in (one connected to the suite that held his own room), and then showed her the shower she could use. Then he bid her goodbye as he let her get ready, while he went to inform Oak that she was with him now.

He waited as his phone rang, listening impatiently until the other man finally answered.

"Hello?" Oak answered tiredly.

"Oak? It's me, Giovanni," he said unnecessarily. "I've news."

"…Yes?" Oak prodded hesitantly, not sure if he wanted to know and dreading the answer.

"I've found her," he told the other, breaking into a grin as he thought about it. "In fact, I have her with me now. She's taking a shower and going to rest, but I've got her and that's all that matters."

He heard Oak sharply inhale a breath.

"She's…she's okay?"

"As okay as she can be," Giovanni murmured. "I'll let you know more later, and hopefully when she feels ready to return there and see you and her mother again. But for now, she'd said she would prefer to rest first and process finally being home."

"Alright, I understand. I'll let Gary and Delia know. But…thank you, Giovanni. For everything."

"…You're welcome," Giovanni said quietly, hanging up after the other.

Oak hadn't been able to rest in peace since Ash had been taken. To know she was finally safe and unharmed with Giovanni made relief rush through him.

He couldn't have felt any better.

Which meant that he now had to tell his grandson and Delia about the news. His grandson had become more subdued and less arrogant since Ash's disappearance, and had taken to helping him around the lab more. Gary had even found he'd liked being a research assistant and was maturing faster about things.

Delia on the other hand…

Ash's mother had withdrawn into herself and hadn't left her house since Ash's disappearance. If Oak didn't check in on her every day, Delia would have withered away with the years passing.

"Hey, Gramps, I just fed the Rattata and –Gramps?"

Oak turned to Gary with a faint smile. "Ash was found. She's safe and okay with Giovanni. After she's rested up, we can see."

Gary smiled widely, true excitement lighting up in him for once. "She is? Shit, that's awesome!"

"Language, Gary," Oak lightly reprimanded, but wasn't up to really lecturing him. He was in too good of spirits to really do so. "Finish up your rounds, alright? Right now, I'm going to go inform Ash's mother about this."

"Uh, yeah, okay," Gary said uncomfortably and left him.

Oak sighed, but understood. Delia made many people uncomfortable.

Getting up from his desk, he took a look around and smiled. It would be nice to see Ash traipsing around there again…

He made his way out of his lab and through his house, before walking down the road to where the Ketchum's house was, frowning at the blinds being drawn. Walking up to the door, he knocked. When there was no answer, he tried the doorknob, only to find it was already opened. Sighing to himself, he went inside the dark house.

"Delia? It's me, Samuel. I've news for you. Good news!"

Still, it was quiet so Oak, like he had been these days, walked up the stairs and found Delia's room, seeing her burrowed into her bed as always. He'd have to persuade her to eat again, drink some water…Going towards Delia, he lightly shook her shoulder.

"Go away, Samuel," her voice was muffled.

"They found Ash," he said straight, hoping it would jolt her into herself for a few moments.

There was silence before Delia dragged herself up in bed and she stared at him, her cheeks hollow and her eyes in disbelief.

"What did you say?" she whispered.

Oak smiled at her. "Ash was found and she's okay. She's resting over in Viridian City right now, but when she's ready, Giovanni will bring her here so we can see her."

Delia let out a sob of relief and grabbed onto Oak, crying into his shoulder.

When Giovanni went to check on her later on, after helping her to bed and making sure she was set up okay earlier after he'd gotten off the phone with Oak, he frowned by the door as he watched. She was sweating profusely and twisting and turning in bed, a grimace on her face as she slept through what was probably a nightmare.

Going over to her, he did his best to wake her, only for her to wake up gasping and looking terrified. Looking at him, she blinked back some tears and gave him a feeble smile.

"Oh…I thought…I thought that my return was just a dream, and I was still stuck over there and…" she swallowed heavily and he made to sit on the bed next to her.

He rubbed her arms in comfort and gave her an earnest look.

"You're home, Ash. It wasn't a dream."

As Ash's breaths evened out and she calmed down, Giovanni observed her quietly. His hand reached out and cupped her face, and she looked questioningly at him.

"We were born sick," he told her solemnly. "Myself and the other bosses. There was no salvation for the likes of us until you came along."

Her breath hitched and she looked shyly up at him from under her long eyelashes. His thumb went to her lips, stroking it in thought.

"I have done a great deal of things that are horribly despicable, even long before it was in your name," he revealed, and she could imagine a bit because she still remembered hearing about him and his Team burning those traffickers alive, and she also knew now that it had been because of her.

"I have no regrets," he said firmly and then he knelt on the floor before her, clasping her hands in his on her lap. He brought them to his mouth and kissed them. "I should have worshipped you so, so much sooner, Ash."

She drew in a deep, long breath as she stared at him in wide-eyed fascination. He leaned up slightly and kissed her lips, pulling back to stare at her seriously.

"The only heaven I'll be allowed is when I am alone with you, mia dolcezza. So allow me to worship you in bed."

Ash could feel herself stop breathing, staring at this man who thought the world of her and had gone through such lengths to bring her back.

"Yes," she said simply.

He smiled grimly and surged upwards, capturing her lips with his. His hands grasped onto her waist, squeezing possessively as he carried her up and then laid her back onto the bed. Splayed out for him, his eyes darkened while she blushed under his stare.

"I love you," he said and it made her watch him in awe. He found the words had slipped out of his mouth, and yet felt nothing but the truth about them. "I love you," he repeated.

"I adore you," he murmured.

"I revere you."

"I love you," he said again. "And I am going to worship you."

"Giovanni," she breathed out reverently, but he didn't want her to. The only one who should be worshipping anyone would be him for her, because she deserved it so much. She was beautiful and infectious and she had been born this way.

Ash was perfect in his eyes.

He let his lips trace down a leg, going all the way down to her toes. His half-lidded eyes looked to her, seeing her watching him in wonder. He smiled at her tenderly and moved upwards and kissed her again, letting his tongue trace her lips and then enter her mouth with fervor. He coaxed her tongue to move with his, pushing back and forth against each other and around. As he continued to kiss her, he shifted up onto the bed, letting his hands wander all over her body, caressing her skin and squeezing her curves.

She breathed out contentedly and he smiled against her neck. Her own hands curiously ran all over his chest and his arms, and then they unwove his tie and slipped it off. She did it slowly, angling it away from the two of them, and he looked at her and watched her mischievous face. He could only laugh lightly and be happy that she was still able to be playful and full of life after everything.

"Can I have you?" she asked, surprising him by doing so.

"I was always yours," he found himself saying, because it was just almost like fate and he'd never let go of her like she never him.

Afterwards, he held onto her, his arms holding her up and keeping her from falling back bonelessly. He buried his face against her neck, inhaling and smelling peach blossoms. He gave a tiny lick, smirking as he heard her breath hitch.

"Marry me," he said suddenly, causing a small rush of energy to go through her as she jerked slightly to face him in shock. He brushed her hair out of her face and kissed her lips lightly. He reached over to the bedside table and reached in, pulling out a velvet jewelry box. He nimbly opened it with one hand, revealing an elegant diamond ring.

"Marry me, Ash."

"Yes," she choked out, grabbing his face and kissing him blissfully.

Because she did wait 16 years for this, and it seemed amazing that it was finally happening and coming true.

Ash hummed happily, lying on her back as she examined her ring. Still, despite being happy that she was home and that she was going to marry Giovanni, she couldn't forget those that had helped her while she'd been lost on her way, especially three men she'd fallen in love with as the days and her past kept haunting her in her wayward travels.

When she was about to drown, Archie had kept her up. When she was at her breaking point, Maxie wanted to be and was her glue from splitting at the seams. And when she wanted to float away and not care, Cyrus grounded her and made her care.

The world was a dark place and she knew that now, but she also knew she could weather it and stay strong enough to put herself back together.

A knock on the door drew her attention and she curiously went towards it, opening it to find a pleasant surprise. Serena threw herself at her and Ash happily caught her friend, who cried as she held her tightly.

"Oh, Ash! I'm so sorry," Serena sniffled. "If only I had –"

"Shh," Ash interrupted her fondly. "It wasn't your fault and I never blamed you. Please don't think that way."

Serena reluctantly pulled back and looked her up and down worriedly.

"You're really here," she said in wonder. She bit her lip. "You look okay too. But are you? Are you hurt anywhere, or internally? Should I help you to the doctor or –"

Ash cut her off again. "I'm fine," she swore. "Really."

Serena nodded, though she still watched the other girl warily. "Anyway, Giovanni told me you were here and he told me to bring you to Pallet Town if you were up to it? He had some things he needed to deal with, though he said to tell you that you'll be surprised by them."

Wondering what Giovanni was up to, Ash nodded absentmindedly, though she was ecstatic and yet scared to meet with her little family again after all these years. It's been so long and she wasn't sure what would happen.

And yet, the reality was that she shouldn't have even worried about it at all.

Serena drove her to Pallet, and all three of her loved ones stood in front of her house, watching her come out of the car with teary but happy eyes. She watched them in disbelieving happiness as well, before she let out and a sob and ran towards them. Gary, Sammy, and her mother ran towards her, and she was enveloped in a warm group embrace. She was only just aware enough to realized Pikachu, her beloved Pikachu, was there too and had wiggled himself into her arms, while Maximus (brave, strong, loyal, whole Maximus), stood nearby protectively.

She was cocooned in happiness and felt like everything she'd suffered through could be just a dream for then.

Though she was happy to be with them and had wanted to stay, Ash knew that she wasn't sure if she really wanted to stay there. She was safe and secure in the fortress Giovanni commanded over, and she was sure that she felt safer being near him.

So she'd gone back, promising she'd come back to visit frequently. She couldn't help how she felt and she was glad they had actually understood that. So she entered the Rocket Headquarters, heading towards her personal suite and hoping Giovanni wouldn't be busy and be back by then.

The moment she touched her doorknob, she intuitively felt that something was amiss, but it wasn't a bad thing. She turned the doorknob and pushed it open, and felt herself forget to breathe as she saw the three men waiting for her inside.

Maxie gave her a solemn smile, Archie a big dorky grin, and Cyrus a tender smile he reserved only for her.

"I…" she whispered.

In the end, she didn't know what else to say –but it turned out that words weren't needed after all as they all opened their arms and she ran towards them.

Just like with her family, the three of them held her tightly and she felt safe and warm. She found herself holding back tears, tired of crying, but she felt so stupidly happy and was afraid that her happiness was going to be stolen from right under her. Just like always.

A hand softly caressed her head, and she turned her head to see Giovanni giving her a soft smile.

"It's alright, little blackbird. Just be happy and let yourself be so."

She found herself laughing bright and loud, something she hadn't done since she'd left Pallet Town, and felt a little something like freedom embrace her.

The world wasn't weighing down on her so much anymore.

Still, the revelation that she realized made her continue to think. After she'd long left their hold, leaving them to talk business she knew she didn't want to be involved in just yet (maybe never), Ash found Serena again. Her friend looked cheerful at seeing her, but Ash bit her lip and the look on her face alarmed the other girl.

"Serena, you know what I realized?"

Serena shook her head hesitantly, waiting for Ash to continue. There was a part of her that felt she didn't want to let the other continue.

"Even after everything…and mostly because of those four wonderful men that saved me from myself…I think I can still brave this world. I'm not afraid. I won't be afraid. I'd think I'd like to go on a pokémon journey still."

Still, there was an undercurrent of warning that went through her, and she had the feeling that the world could still come undone for her.

But she refused to live with regrets either.

Started 10/4/15 – Completed 10/5/15

End Mad World arc – Begin Brave New World arc

A/n: Yay! First arc finished! But not to worry, there's still more! I hope everyone liked this chapter and enjoyed it. Please review and continue to support this!

Quick Points:

1. Giovanni's sex scene: Cut out as usual, and posted over at Ao3. I will say this proves Giovanni's my favorite boss XD I went all out on scene and made it more detailed and longer than the others, I realized afterwards, lol. Also, I've been dying to using Hozier's "Bring Me to Church" for a scene with Ash and Giovanni (though my original scene in my head took place in an apocalypse XD).

2. First arc: Again, this is not finished! On Wattpad, it'll say it's finished, but only because it'll continue as a second book, while here and on Ao3 the story will continue as is. So no worries it's over! But right now, since the first arc is done, I'll put a pause on this and focus on finishing the first arcs for my two other Pokémon fics.

3. Regions' Legends: Please check out my works on my collaboration! I'm especially anxious about "The Book of Eve" and "The Book of Mal" since they're my least popular fics overall, but "Kitty Claws" is something you guys would probably enjoy!

Anon Reviews:

1. Guest: Yep, finally reunited! Yay! Smiles for everyone for their happy day!

2. Guest2: Awesome! I wanted everyone to share my joy in that reunion XD I got all choked up about it too, so don't worry! You're not the only one.

3. jay: I totally understand. This is definitely a dark fic, and not one to be handled lightly. I'm happy that you managed to get back to it again and enjoy it this time! I have plenty of other stuff that isn't dark, so hopefully you can enjoy those as well :D