After the Machoke and Nidorino briefly showed off, earning a round of applause from Red, Giovanni smiled and said to the two boys, "Both of you have good talent. I believe you'll reach this level of strength very soon, and then you'll be able to go on your journey."
"Yes!" Red said, as enthusiastic as ever. "We'll work hard!"
Blue, who understood the rules of hospitality, invited Giovanni, "Big Brother Giovanni, you've gone to so much trouble for us. How about I treat you to a al at my house?"
"That's right!" Red chid in. "You can co to my house too! My mom makes the best food."
"No," Giovanni shook his head, politely declining. "Thank you for the invitation, but we're in a hurry. Maybe another ti, if fate allows."
"Alright then," Red said, clearly a bit disappointed.
"It's alright," Blue said, patting his shoulder. "One day we will et Big Brother Giovanni again."
Giovanni smiled and ruffled Red's hair. "Yes, we'll et again." In just this short ti, the naive boy already considered him a friend.
"Big Brother Giovanni," Red said, "do you know where the pier is? Do you need to take you there?"
Giovanni glanced at the Charizard. "No need," he instructed the two of them. "It's getting late. Even with Charizard protecting you, you should go back early and avoid running into bad people."
The Charizard, hearing this, nodded contentedly. It was quite tired from following these two children all this ti.
"Okay," Red and Blue nodded.
"Then goodbye, Red, Blue," Giovanni said with a chuckle. "I hope next ti we et, you'll have beco strong trainers."
"Definitely!" Red nodded vigorously.
Giovanni nodded to the Charizard, then led Archer and Mars slowly towards the pier.
Blue watched their figures, one in front of the other, and couldn't help but murmur, "I always feel like your identity isn't that simple, Big Brother Giovanni."
"What is it?" Red's head suddenly popped out. "Blue, what are you muttering about?"
"Didn't you notice?" Blue explained, sowhat exasperated. "Those two have been staying behind him the whole ti, and they haven't said a word. They're clearly subordinates."
"Now that you ntion it, that's true," Red said, startled. Then he slapped his head. "I know! Big Brother Giovanni must be like you, Blue, a young master from a rich family! His family made him bring two bodyguards. Just like Gramps has Charizard follow you! They're afraid he'll get lost."
Upon hearing this, Blue's face imdiately flushed. "Red, do you want to die?!" With Red's interruption, he threw everything else to the back of his mind and ran off, bickering with his rival.
— — —
After walking for a while, Archer finally dared to speak. "Boss? That kid, and that Charizard... are they really the Champion's grandson and Pokémon?"
"Yes," Giovanni nodded. "That Charizard is undoubtedly Champion-level."
Archer was startled. He subtly glanced around. "Then around here... there won't be any other League people, will there?"
"Do you think with a Champion-level Pokémon present, others are still needed to guard this place?" Giovanni said calmly. He raised his head, a hint of longing and a stronger sense of dominance in his eyes. "Professor Oak. That na defines this era. No one dares to provoke him."
"But," he stated decisively, "the next era, and beyond, will be my era." He quickened his pace, disappearing into the gradually setting sun.
— — —
The azure sea and sky t. A Water-type Pokémon leaped from the sea, its scales shimring. Near the beach was a pier made of simple houses. Various fishing boats and cruise ships were docked there, with busy sailors on board.
The salty sea breeze brushed against Giovanni's face, seemingly blowing away his fatigue. He had changed into beach shorts and a loose top, making it seem as if he were on vacation.
"If I get old," he murmured contentedly, "retiring by the sea would be nice."
"Boss," Archer said, ever the subordinate, "let's go inquire if there are any boats going to Vermilion City."
"Alright, go ahead," Giovanni waved his hand. "I'll walk around here."
Archer and Mars nodded and left. Not far away, a thin, yellow-haired teenager watched them, wanting to approach but sowhat hesitant. Giovanni felt soone watching him.
When he turned his head, the teenager hurriedly turned away and started drawing circles on the ground with his foot. Giovanni didn't sense any malice, so he ignored him and continued walking along the coastline.
There was an anti-Pokémon net along the coast, so the shallow water was safe for swimming. On the beach, people were sunbathing. Giovanni walked for a while and saw an empty beach chair. Just as he was about to sit down, several teenagers ran over. The one in the lead grinned at him.
"Excuse ," he said. "The beach chair costs two hundred Pokédollars."
Giovanni looked at the teenager and frowned. He had money; with the resources from his rank and the spoils from Tyson's squad, he now had at least several million Pokédollars— but he still had the mindset of soone who had been poor.
Two hundred Pokédollars for a beach chair?
"I didn't see any sign saying there's a fee," Giovanni said. "So why should I give you money?"
The teenager seed to be used to this. He imdiately had the others pull out a sign. "It's right here," he said, pointing to the words. "I put it away earlier, but just rembered it. See? I wasn't lying, was I?"
He looked as if he was certain he had Giovanni cornered.
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