"Hey, hey, hey, this isn't going according to plan!"
Seeing Stufful pinning down and beating the Claydol that should have had the type advantage, Petrel swallowed hard and took a mont to process what was happening. According to Giovanni's plan, they were supposed to suppress the Aether Foundation and wait for the boss to co and take over.
But now, why was it that they were the ones being suppressed instead?
Suddenly, Petrel felt a chill rise from beneath his feet. He looked down and saw that, at so point, a layer of ice had firmly frozen him to the ground from the soles of his feet to his knees.
"Don't move. If you do, your legs are done for."
Hearing the cold voice behind him, Petrel instinctively turned his head. There, he saw a chubby kid standing right behind him without him even noticing.
"Hey! Pro—"
Panicked, Petrel tried to call out to his colleague for help.
Bang!
But the mont he turned his head to signal Proton, he saw a high heel ruthlessly kicking Proton in the backside. It was that little girl with the sunglasses!
"You're too weak to be a villain!"
Standing on Proton's back, who had faceplanted on the ground, Karen seed childish in both her stature and voice. But in that mont, she exuded a commanding presence befitting a queen.
Proton tried to struggle, but Karen's Houndoom had already approached, lowering its head and staring into his soul with its intense red eyes, growling nacingly from its throat.
Drip.
A drop of saliva fell from Houndoom's bared teeth and landed on Proton's face.
A high-ranking Rocket Executive, infamous for his cruelty towards enemies, chose to obediently shut up.
"So... strong..."
Wicke muttered in disbelief.
Lusamine had a similar expression of astonishnt. She had assud that among the three kids, only Stephen possessed an extraordinary talent for science far beyond ordinary logic. But now, it was clear that as a Pokémon Trainer, he was also exceptional.
What Lusamine hadn't expected was that his two companions were just as formidable.
However, what concerned Lusamine the most at the mont was...
"Fa... Ba!"
Lusamine called out her subordinate—or rather, her forr subordinate's na—one syllable at a ti. Her voice was as cold as Kyurem's frozen world.
Just as the greatest crisis the Straw Hat Pirates faced wasn't a powerful enemy, but Robin's betrayal in Water 7, the thing that angers a boss the most isn't the failure of their plans, but the betrayal of a subordinate.
"Pre—President, I—I can explain..."
Falling to the ground in fear, Faba stamred, his face pale.
Damn it, this isn't what I signed up for!
Who were these Rocket mbers? How could they be so easily overwheld by a bunch of kids!?
Watching Lusamine approach, her face dark as a storm, Faba was on the verge of wetting himself.
To the public, Lusamine was the image of a perfect woman.
But as soone who had worked with her since the earliest days, even collaborating with her now-missing husband, Faba knew very well the real side of this boss.
Ever since her husband Mohn disappeared years ago, Lusamine had beco increasingly closed off. While she hadn't completely blackened to the exaggerated extent seen in the original ga, her thods had grown colder and more ruthless over ti, often involving shady dealings.
If Lusamine caught him now... Faba didn't even dare imagine what would happen next.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
At that mont, three heavy thuds echoed in succession.
In an instant, Stephen's Stufful, Karen's Houndoom, and Will's Slowbro were sent flying.
It was... a Beedrill!
Lusamine's face turned pale, and her steps faltered.
"Please calm down, President Lusamine."
A man dressed in a high-collared black coat that covered the lower half of his face, paired with a low-brimd felt hat that shadowed the upper half, leaving only his nose visible, casually strolled toward them.
"They were rely following my orders."
The Beedrill buzzed its wings noisily, emitting a high-pitched hum as it flew back to its master's side.
"BOSS!"
Petrel, Proton, and the other Team Rocket grunts present greeted the man with the utmost respect.
"The Boss of Team Rocket!?"
Lusamine, Wicke, and the other mbers of the Aether Foundation were visibly shocked.
That was an extraordinarily mysterious figure, soone even the Pokémon League had failed to uncover!
"Even the Boss has personally shown up?"
Karen furrowed her brows deeply.
"What just happened...? Was it that Beedrill?"
Will helped his Slowbro up, his gaze fixed intently on the Beedrill.
"We plan to establish a regional branch in Alola, and the Aether Paradise just happens to be a perfect operational base. I hope President Lusamine can make a sacrifice."
The man—Giovanni—spoke in a tone as warm as a benevolent elder, yet his words carried an undeniable weight of authority.
"Of course, this plan is intended to remain a secret. Naturally, those who know this secret cannot leave here, so the entire Aether Foundation must also co under Team Rocket's command."
Lusamine was so furious she almost laughed.
All these years of effort, painstakingly growing the Aether Foundation to where it is today—and now Team Rocket shows up and wants to reap the benefits without lifting a finger?!
"Milotic!"
Without hesitation, Lusamine released her Pokémon, Milotic, often hailed as the most beautiful Pokémon.
With a graceful flick of her finger, Milotic turned and unleashed a Hydro Pump straight at Giovanni.
However, the Beedrill swatted it aside as casually as one might shoo a fly. Its sharp stinger effortlessly split the Hydro Pump in two.
"W-What!?"
Lusamine's face turned ashen.
Stephen, on the other hand, remained calm—this was exactly what he had expected.
Among the bosses of various regional criminal organizations, Lusamine was already considered the weakest. At best, she might be able to handle the troublemakers from Paldea.
But against the likes of Maxie, Archie, or Cyrus? Not a chance.
Not to ntion Giovanni.
"Hmm?"
At that mont, Stephen noticed Giovanni subtly giving him a sidelong glance from beneath the brim of his hat.
"What's he doing now...?"
Stephen was puzzled.
To be honest, he couldn't quite figure out what Giovanni was planning.
But that glance... it seed to be signaling him to take action.
"Isn't it a bit ungentlemanly for the great Boss of Team Rocket to bully a woman?"
Stephen stepped forward.
"I did try to make ands but I didn't expect President Lusamine to be so uncooperative. What else can I do?"
Giovanni's tone was that of soone playing the victim.
Lusamine's chest heaved with anger.
Her current mood mirrored the ti when Karen's Houndoom had been pumled so badly by Aldus that it soiled itself.
You barged into my ho and tried to take over my territory, and now you're blaming for this?
I've never t soone so shaless!
"Young man, are you planning to ddle in this?"
Giovanni pretended not to recognize Stephen.
"I don't like ddling, but I do have business to discuss with President Lusamine. Could I trouble you to leave?"
Stephen feigned ignorance as well.
"That won't do. The Aether Foundation is mine today. Not even Goodshow could save them, I assure you."
Giovanni's words caused the atmosphere to grow unbearably tense.
Little did the others know, the two sly foxes were putting on a show together.
"Stufful! Use Brick Break!"
"Aggron! Iron Head!"
In the next mont, the two foxes simultaneously issued orders to their respective Pokémon.
In his heart, Giovanni thought to himself: "Wingman plan, initiated!"
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