"Damian," Giovanni said slowly, rubbing his brow, "didn't you tell me you wouldn't make things too serious?"
His voice wasn't angry.
It was… tired.
The kind of tired that comes from realizing you're about to spend the next week cleaning up a mess someone else created.
How long had Damian even been in Alola?
Not even two months.
And now?
He'd already managed to provoke the Kahunas—and somehow, inexplicably, he'd even dragged the Sinnoh Champion into it.
Giovanni genuinely couldn't understand that part. Sinnoh and Alola were practically on opposite ends of the world. How had Damian even gotten into a confrontation with her?
"I haven't," Damian replied instantly, as if Giovanni had accused him of something unfair. "Honestly, I'm giving them face. If I wasn't, I'd have them tied up and tossed into a mine. They're the ones who came looking for trouble."
Damian spoke as if he were the victim here, his tone righteous, almost offended.
Giovanni exhaled through his nose.
"Fine. I'll handle the Kanto League." He paused, then asked the real question. "Damian, are you sure you want to go through with this?"
Damian had mentioned the plan days ago, but Giovanni still didn't like it. The boy's personality—abrasive, flamboyant—was exactly the type to invite unnecessary attention.
"Even if your identity gets exposed, it won't matter," Giovanni added, keeping his voice calm. "We still have Sabrina and the others in place."
If it came down to it, losing his position as Viridian Gym Leader would be a pity—but Giovanni could make that cut without hesitation. Compared to a League title, he cared far more about Team Rocket.
"Sabrina?"
Caitlin's eyes flickered at the name.
If she remembered correctly, Sabrina was the Gym Leader of Saffron City.
An official Gym Leader.
And she was Team Rocket too?
For the first time in a while, Caitlin felt a genuine jolt of shock.
The Saffron Gym and the Viridian Gym were both official gyms in Kanto.
Official.
And both had been infiltrated?
No wonder Team Rocket could grow right under the League's nose. The organization's roots were deeper than she'd imagined.
"Dad, there's no point in your identity being exposed," Damian said, cutting in. He sounded almost dismissive, like the idea itself was inefficient. "It's not worth it."
"Then what about yours?" Giovanni replied, a faint amusement touching his voice as he rubbed his brow again. "If you didn't expose yourself, we'd have far more options. I told you to use a disguise."
"How is that the same?" Damian shot back, as if Giovanni had said something ridiculous. "Hiding your head and covering your tracks—is that how a great man acts?"
Damian sat up straighter, his tone swelling into something grandiose.
"I don't care about flashy little tricks. I want to tell the world plainly that this era belongs to me."
He grinned.
"To Damian."
"And to Team Rocket."
"As long as someone stands in my way, I'll crush them with absolute power."
The speech was bold.
Heroic.
Domineering.
And delivered at full volume, like Damian was addressing a stadium.
Caitlin's eyes practically sparkled.
As expected of Damian.
Giovanni's eyelid twitched.
He let out a low chuckle that didn't sound amused so much as resigned.
If he had to summarize Damian's entire speech in one sentence, it would be simple.
The kid just loves showing off.
"Anyway," Damian continued, completely unfazed, "Dad, just focus on the League side from now on. Aim for Champion. Or Chairman."
He patted his chest with absolute confidence.
"Don't worry. I'll take good care of Team Rocket for you."
"…"
Giovanni fell silent.
Something felt off.
Why did this sound like an heir forcing an old king off his throne?
"Forget it," Giovanni said at last. "You've got your own ideas."
His voice flattened slightly.
"I'm hanging up. The League people are already here."
The call ended.
Giovanni's work phone rang almost immediately.
"Gym Leader Giovanni," Chief Jenny's voice came through, crisp and official. "Are you currently at the gym?"
"Of course," Giovanni replied in his usual mature, magnetic tone. "Is something the matter, Chief Jenny?"
"Yes. There are matters we'd like to discuss with you. Please come to the Indigo Plateau."
"Now?"
"Yes. It's of great importance."
Giovanni's eyes narrowed a fraction.
"Alright. I'll be there right away."
The League moved fast.
He hung up, stood, and walked out of the office as if nothing had happened.
Outside, Matori had already rushed over after hearing the commotion.
"Matori," Giovanni said calmly, "if anyone from the League comes to inspect the gym, act according to the situation. Don't block them excessively."
He'd never left obvious traces behind.
Yes, the Viridian Gym had its hidden rooms—but hidden rooms weren't illegal. Plenty of gyms had sealed training chambers, storage vaults, private labs.
And Giovanni had personally checked every computer and every device.
There would be no evidence.
He was certain the moment he left for Indigo Plateau, the League would send people to search the gym.
It was inevitable.
"Yes," Matori replied, nodding respectfully.
Giovanni left the gym, got into his car, and drove toward Indigo Plateau.
Viridian City wasn't far. In fact, it was the closest city to the Plateau.
Half an hour later, he arrived.
He stepped out, straightened his suit, and walked into the League building with one hand in his pocket.
A staff member was already waiting.
He was escorted directly to a conference room.
"Gym Leader Giovanni."
"Chairman Goodshow," Giovanni said with a faint smile. "It's been a long time."
At the head of the table sat a short, elderly man with a white beard—Charles Goodshow, Chairman of the Kanto League and President of the Pokémon League.
The League had only existed a little over a hundred years, and yet it had become a global authority.
Goodshow's influence was a large part of why.
"Sit, sit." Goodshow smiled warmly, gesturing. "It was rather abrupt to call you in so suddenly."
To Goodshow's left sat a middle-aged woman with a solemn expression—Chief Jenny, commander-in-chief of the Kanto Jenny forces.
To his right sat an old woman in a dress.
Agatha.
The lineup alone said enough.
"The Chairman is too polite," Giovanni said smoothly. "There weren't many challengers at my gym today anyway. I was planning to head out for some training."
He sat without hurry, nodded to each of them, and kept his expression calm.
"I'd expect nothing less from you, Giovanni," Goodshow said, smiling. "If all Kanto Gym Leaders were like you, this old man would sleep much easier."
Then his smile softened into something more formal.
"Actually, the reason we invited you today is to talk about Damian."
Goodshow sounded almost nostalgic.
"Giovanni, that child of yours is truly remarkable. He swept through the Indigo Conference in his first year on the road."
Giovanni's faint smile deepened, pride slipping through despite his control.
"You overpraise him. The boy still has a long way to go."
"Heh… heh… heh…"
Agatha's low laugh slid across the room like sandpaper.
"Gym Leader Giovanni is being far too modest."
Her cloudy eyes fixed on Giovanni without blinking.
"Your Damian is currently leading Team Rocket in Alola."
"And he even captured Tapu Fini—the guardian deity of Poni Island."
"What?" Giovanni's brow snapped downward. For a moment, his expression looked genuinely blank.
Chief Jenny didn't give him time to recover.
"Gym Leader Giovanni," she said firmly, "your son Damian has joined Team Rocket as an executive. He is also the overall head of Team Rocket's Alola operation."
"This…"
Giovanni went instinctively silent.
His eyes moved between the three of them.
His expression shifted—shock, confusion, irritation, and a faint trace of disbelief.
Then he tightened his jaw and forced himself into the role he had mastered long ago.
"Chief Jenny," he said, voice measured, "are you certain there's no mistake? Damian isn't that kind of child."
He looked at them as if they were speaking nonsense.
"He has been well-behaved and sensible since he was young. I taught him League principles personally. How could he join an evil organization like Team Rocket?"
Giovanni's voice sharpened at the end.
He didn't raise it.
He didn't need to.
"That's impossible."
He leaned forward slightly, gaze steady and unwavering.
"Absolutely impossible."
It was as if he were saying—
How could a child raised by Giovanni become a wicked member of Team Rocket?