Looking To Integrate || Giovanni + Proton
After years of absence, evading the police, and training his Pokémon, Giovanni had expected to return to Johto and find his organization gone completely. He'd been away too long, and while his executives were a capable bunch he feared that in not answering their broadcast call he had allowed Team Rocket to fall again. It was an unfortunate thing, but Giovanni was prepared for it. He still had his fortune sequestered in offshore accounts that remained undiscovered; certainly it would be enough to jumpstart the Team back into life, and once he had some grunts and a base they would be up and running again. He thought perhaps he could even locate his former executives, and recruit them once more.
Imagine his surprise upon returning to the region and learning that not only did Team Rocket still exist, it also was doing remarkably well for an organization that had gone through so much hardship, if local news reports were anything to go by. He was pleased, to think of all the trouble it saved him, and impressed by the enduring dedication of those whom he had hand picked for positions of authority within the Team.
But there was more to his feelings on the matter, a black spot of negative emotion that made it difficult to simply be happy with the situation. His executives seemed to be doing well without him—too well. If they no longer required his leadership what reason would they have to stand down and allow him to step back in? Certainly simply returning to headquarters and pronouncing himself leader once more would be asking for trouble. If they didn't want him back he would be on his own, while they had one another and the combined forces of all the grunts. No, he would have to handle this carefully. One at a time.
It had taken a bit of work to track Proton's apartment down, but Giovanni was reasonably sure this was the place. The sun was setting outside, and Giovanni was unsure if he would be knocking on the door to find the place currently occupied. He wasn't sure which situation would be preferable, though that was decided for him upon knocking and receiving no answer or sign that anyone was home. Giovanni had done a fair bit of breaking and entering in the past few years, and the door opened after only a few minutes of fiddling with the lock. He shut it behind him once he'd entered, but didn't bother securing it again.
As a rule, Giovanni hadn't cared much for the goings-on in his executives' personal lives. Unless they were involving themselves in activities potentially threatening to Team Rocket, they were free to do as they pleased during off hours. So of course, being in one of their homes was rather strange. He considered snooping for a brief moment, but deemed himself above such a petty offense. Either he could trust Proton to be loyal to him once more, or he couldn't. No information he might glean here would change that.
Flicking on the light, Giovanni took a seat at the table in the kitchen area and promptly reached into his coat for Persian's Poké Ball. The cat Pokémon stared at her surroundings after being released, and then turned to Giovanni with a questioning glance.
"We're waiting on Proton's arrival," he explained, and Persian began to purr upon hearing the name, reminding Giovanni of his pet's fondness for the executive. He supposed it made some sense; they both had the same affinity for knives (claws, in Persian's case). Giovanni hummed, perhaps a bit envious of the way Persian seemed to have no reservations about their impending encounter. He began to scratch her behind the ears and wondered exactly how long it would take before he grew tired of waiting and came up with another plan entirely.