"Vii~ (≧▽≦)"
"Fun~! So fun~!"
"So, so high, Roto~"
Victini, Rotom, and Hoopa—these three little ones were bouncing up and down in the fields, rising and falling like they were being tossed like balls.
And that was indeed the case.
Ninetales lay lazily and comfortably on the soft grass, its three fluffy and agile tails rising and falling. Sometimes it would catch the falling Victini and toss it high, sometimes catch the falling Hoopa and throw it up high, and Rotom too, all playing with great enjoyment.
It had quite the rhythm of a circus clown juggling balls.
"Vii~"
Victini was thrown into mid-air, its entire body flipping upside down as it waved to Snivy sitting on the field ridge.
Come play together~
"Sni! (#皿)"
Snivy put its hands on its hips, baring its teeth.
Who wants to play with you all? So childish!
But watching their happy appearance, its eyes still couldn't help but show some... curiosity.
Ninetales smiled gently.
"Oowoo~"
Whoosh—
A snow-white, soft tail suddenly wrapped around gently.
While picking up Snivy, it also threw it high just like the other three little ones.
Feeling the sensation of weightlessness, experiencing that strange spinning feeling, Snivy's mouth corners unconsciously lifted, wanting to suppress it but unable to, its cheeks slightly flushed as it snorted softly.
"Sni!"
Well, I'll reluctantly play with you all for a bit!
So the four little ones took turns dancing through the air in the Valley of Creation's fields.
"Bangi..."
Nearby Tyranitar watched this scene with longing eyes, not hiding its desire at all as it looked toward Ninetales.
Noticing Tyranitar's gaze, Ninetales' smile stiffened slightly.
It extended a tail, pressed it against Tyranitar's head, making it turn to look at Johan instead of itself.
"Bangi..."
Tyranitar scratched its head.
Could Johan give it a toss too?
Its eyes showed expectation.
But Johan at this moment wasn't paying attention to Tyranitar's gaze at all, or even if he noticed... he'd probably pretend not to see.
Just kidding.
When it was Larvitar, there was still some possibility, but now with Tyranitar, even Ash couldn't toss it high, let alone that his own Tyranitar weighed at least twice as much as a normal Tyranitar.
During the Larvitar period, Johan could still toss it around no problem, but after evolving into Tyranitar... at most he could help support it, that was the limit.
Moreover, Johan currently had a more important matter.
"I didn't expect Boss Giovanni would actually come."
Looking at this middle-aged man wearing a crisp black suit with his hair combed meticulously, Johan couldn't help but be surprised.
Although Giovanni had said he'd come two days ago, he hadn't expected him to arrive so quickly.
"Cough cough."
Giovanni coughed twice with a normal expression, then smiled:
"Didn't you say it was a 'big project'? It's only natural that I come see if it's truly feasible."
Johan shrugged:
"I assume you've seen about enough?"
Flying here from above, he'd probably already gotten a general look at the environment around the Valley of Creation and even around Dahara City.
Hearing this, Giovanni said seriously:
"Indeed."
Giovanni, who held the title "Giovanni of the Earth," might not dare claim other things, but regarding earth and land, his understanding and knowledge could definitely rank in the top three in the Pokémon world!
What appeared to others as desert and wasteland wasn't without construction possibilities to Giovanni.
The "dangerous infrastructure" project indeed had certain feasibility.
However...
"My people will continue surveying here to get final data and provide a relatively feasible plan."
Team Rocket's main business definitely wasn't infrastructure, but if you asked what Team Rocket could do... that was quite a lot.
Not to boast about anything else.
Give the trio enough funding support—believe it or not, the three of them could cover Dahara City with infrastructure?
Already starting to plan solutions?
Watching Giovanni's confident expression, as if he'd already decided on this area, Johan was secretly amazed.
But it had to be said, Team Rocket's way of doing things... was just this swift and decisive.
"Cough cough..."
Giovanni couldn't help coughing again.
Seeing this, Johan frowned: "Boss Giovanni, you..."
"I'm fine." Giovanni adjusted his tie, his manner still calm and confident.
Johan once again thought of Giovanni's illness in the Special manga and couldn't help saying:
"Actually, I'm not only proficient in Pokémon psychology, but also know a bit about medicine..."
Giovanni looked at him with some surprise.
You seem to know a bit about everything?
But Giovanni smiled and shook his head: "No need. I'm very clear about my own condition. You're not the only one with special abilities."
As one favored by Viridian Forest, possessing the Power of Viridian, Giovanni was very clear about his current situation.
"So that rumor is true." Johan realized.
But Giovanni suddenly changed the subject:
"I've met that child."
Child?
Silver?
Then what?
Before Johan could ask, Giovanni continued:
"That child has very deep prejudices against fire—against me now."
Johan still didn't speak.
But Giovanni stared into his eyes and said gravely:
"Johan, I want to ask you for something."
Hearing this, Johan's expression changed slightly.
"Originally, I wanted to pass some of my 'things' to him, but... cough cough, I'll be direct—you know I'm Team Rocket's leader, right?"
Johan: "!!!"
Boss, your speaking rhythm is wrong!
What about our tacit understanding?
What about our unspoken agreement?
Why are you laying all your cards on the table directly?
And also...
What's with this posture of yours preparing for death and entrusting your heir?
Seeing surprise but not shock appear on Johan's face, Giovanni smiled slightly.
As expected.
The feeling of laying cards on the table was really nice...
Silence.
The two fell into a long period of silence.
After a while, Giovanni was the first to break the calm: "When did you know?"
Johan said quietly: "Very early..."
"How early?"
"When you added me the second time."
"That early?"
Giovanni was surprised.
Because his first friend request to Johan... hadn't been approved; only the second one went through.
That meant from that time, Johan already knew he was Team Rocket's leader?
Johan spread his hands: "Mewtwo's situation made me guess from the beginning that it belonged to artificial Pokémon, and at that time, those who could artificially create Pokémon..."
"I see." Giovanni nodded.
After pausing, he said again: "You don't seem... afraid?"
Johan rolled his eyes irritably: "Not afraid? I was scared to death at first."
"Then how..."
"But after contact, I found it wasn't beyond salvation. Within Team Rocket, there are also some innocent and lovely people. Moreover, if we could..."
Giovanni interrupted: "So you've been suggesting and even guiding me to reform Team Rocket? And provided quite a few plans and support for this."
"Boss Giovanni, can we go back to our previous way of communicating?" Johan rubbed his temples.
His head hurt.
Hearing the words "Boss," Giovanni laughed heartily.
Johan had indeed known very early that he was Team Rocket's leader, but unlike other League trainers who would either call for his capture or avoid him like the plague, Johan had even tried to make contact and provide guidance. This made Giovanni recognize how Johan differed from ordinary League trainers.
Johan: Right, definitely not for the so-called salary.
Giovanni said directly: "I originally planned to have Silver inherit Team Rocket, but he seems not only uninterested but quite disgusted with Team Rocket."
This was inevitable.
As Brother Dehua said, if I had a choice, I'd want to be a good person.
Of course, Giovanni had long anticipated this situation, which was why he was committed to transforming Team Rocket, but...
He quickly composed himself and said:
"From today forward, you're granted the highest authority in Team Rocket aside from myself, including but not limited to command, appointment, and personnel authority over everyone except certain top executives."
"Wait..."
As soon as Giovanni said this, Johan's eyes widened as he tried to speak, but Giovanni interrupted him again.
"You don't need to show yourself for anything. You can continue maintaining your 'Teacher Johan' identity. You can complete most commands through Matori."
Coughing again, he continued solemnly:
"Team Rocket's transformation must continue. Any opposing opinions and voices, whether from you or me, can be dealt with directly!"
"If Silver is willing to take over, you can give it to him. If Silver is unwilling..."
Speaking to this point, Giovanni stopped talking, just looking seriously at Johan.
And Johan was somewhat stunned at this moment.
Earlier it just felt like entrusting an heir, but now... you're really entrusting an heir!
Even talking about whether Silver is willing or not... why don't you just add "if he's unwilling, you take it yourself"?
Johan wanted to say something more, but Giovanni put away his previous attitude and returned to his incredibly confident appearance.
"Let's go. Since it's infrastructure, shouldn't we meet Dahara City's mayor?"
Seal Location.
A group of Team Flare members wearing orange suits and orange sunglasses arrived here in special helicopters.
"It should be here."
Team Flare Executive Xerosic held a small laptop computer in one hand and carried a black box in the other.
Soon.
In flashing red light, several Sandslash appeared on the rugged rocky cliffs.
The next moment, stones and debris began flying.
However, the seal location wasn't so easy to find. Even with a relatively accurate position, the mountain walls were full of complex passages everywhere.
But Team Flare possessed the world's most advanced imaging technology. Combined with this technology, images of this area inside and out were quickly displayed.
But still...
Nothing.
"Lord Xerosic, this area has unknown energy fluctuations!"
Technology could sometimes work wonders.
"Can't get close."
"This should be the seal." Xerosic said definitively, waving his hand: "Violent dismantling!"
"Yes!"
Boom!!
Deep, muffled sounds immediately came from the deep cave, and ripples appeared on the transparent seal barrier.
"Indeed a seal." Xerosic adjusted his sunglasses: "Continue the assault!"
Boom! Boom! Boom—
It had to be said, the seal left by Barza's great-grandfather was indeed very powerful—no wonder it could seal Hoopa. Team Flare attacked for quite a while but couldn't forcibly break the barrier.
But the violent shaking, especially the destruction of the surrounding environment, eventually caused some loosening in the seal behind the barrier.
At this time.
"Lord Xerosic! Someone is approaching us!" A subordinate immediately reported.
"Who? Just take them down." Xerosic waved dismissively.
"Can't, can't take them down..."
"Can't take them down?" Xerosic raised an eyebrow.
The Team Flare member was sweating profusely: "The opponents... are extremely skilled in unrestricted outdoor combat, and their fighting strength... is very strong!"
Xerosic frowned.
Were they guardians of the seal? Or...
He had come in a hurry this time and hadn't brought many people, considering his own safety.
Xerosic looked deeply at the cave behind him, then said quite decisively:
"Retreat!"
Since they couldn't break it in a short time, then whether it was seal guardians or others... they couldn't break it either.
Temporarily retreat!
"They ran really fast!"
With Team Flare's retreat, several Team Rocket elite combat personnel appeared here with their respective Pokémon, cursing.
They were "inspection personnel" who had come with Giovanni, surveying the valley's conditions. Hearing the commotion here, they rushed over.
"Those guys were Team Flare, right?"
"Who cares? They don't know who we are anyway."
"But... what were they messing around with here?"
"Captain Ken?"
Several team members suddenly noticed that their captain was now standing before a broken rock wall.
Crack—
An extremely subtle sound came from within the rock wall.
The next moment.
A strangely shaped bottle appeared before them. If Johan were here, he'd definitely recognize it as the Prison Bottle!
Moreover, on the bottle's body was an extremely fine crack, as if it had been chipped by some debris.
Snap!
The Team Rocket captain named "Ken" suddenly reached out and grabbed the "Prison Bottle." A strange red light emerged from the bottle, quickly converging and disappearing on his body.
At this moment.
This "Captain Ken" suddenly had a thought.
I want to go to Dahara City, I want to find Boss Giovanni, I want to find that damned Gengar!
"The seal was broken from the inside?"
Team Flare and Xerosic detected abnormal "desire" fluctuations and returned.
Xerosic looked toward Dahara City, his expression changing.
"Lord Xerosic..."
Whoosh—
Xerosic exhaled lightly and said gravely: "First collect the remaining 'desires' here. These things can help us control Z2. Then..."
He needed to immediately tell Representative Lysandre about this and have the representative make a decision!
"Achoo—"
Gengar sneezed uncontrollably. It rubbed its nose, looking confused.
A cold?
It had just taken little Hoopa around the Valley of Creation's forests last night. Although the mountain valley was cool at night, it shouldn't be...
For safety.
Gengar took out its set of small teapot and Revival Herb tea, leisurely brewing tea in the tea room.
"Ka-kaah!"
Oh right!
A light bulb appeared above Gengar's head.
It raised its hand, and a spatial rift suddenly appeared beside it. When it reached in, half of it disappeared.
Since "eating" that thing that floated out of the bottle, although it couldn't say it was completely digested, Gengar could clearly feel its spatial abilities seemed to have become stronger.
But honestly...
That thing tasted really bad. Not only was it unpalatable, but hard to digest too. If not for Gengar's strong stomach, other Pokémon would probably get diarrhea from eating it.
"Ka-kaah..."
Better eat more good stuff to suppress it!
Gengar searched for a while and finally brightened up, pulling out half a "Dark Stone" from the rift, crushing it and sprinkling it into the Revival Herb tea, then sipping it contentedly.
Whoosh—
"Ka-kaah~ (￣▽￣)"
So comfortable~
Suddenly.
Gengar seemed to sense something. Its two ears immediately perked up as it sat up, its eyes flashing with seriousness. Then, not caring about the heat, it drained the tea in one gulp and quickly flew toward Johan's direction.
At the same time.
"Haha, then it's happily decided!" Dahara City's mayor, a chubby middle-aged man, seemed to be in quite a good mood.
Because he had just finalized a comprehensive cooperation project with Teacher Johan and Mr. Giovanni.
It seemed Dahara City could become even more prosperous under his "leadership"!
"Ho-Hoopa!"
Little Hoopa, who was playing with Victini nearby, suddenly jolted as if sensing something extremely terrifying.
Hm?
Johan and Giovanni almost simultaneously shifted their gazes from the mayor, looking toward the sky.
Clear blue sky, bright sun, cloudless for miles, a black shadow with Crobat's help was rapidly approaching them from far away.
"Ken?" Giovanni was somewhat surprised.
"Ka-kaah!"
Gengar suddenly appeared in front of Johan.
"Is it that?" Johan's heart jumped as he asked.
"Ka-kaah!"
Gengar nodded.
Johan's expression immediately became extremely serious.
Although he didn't know what had happened to the previously intact seal, but now...
"Hoopa, come here quickly!" Johan shouted.
"Coming!"
Frightened Hoopa heard Johan's voice and immediately felt reassured, quickly coming to Johan's side with Victini.
Thud—
Team Rocket elite squad captain Ken landed on the clearing.
Before Giovanni could speak, Johan acted decisively.
"Gengar, Dark Void!"
"Ka-kaah!"
Gengar licked its tongue and grinned wickedly as it quickly condensed a black hole, enveloping Ken.
Bang—
Ken fell to the ground with almost no resistance.
But...
The "Prison Bottle" he had been holding was now floating in mid-air, wrapped in black-red mist.
"Teacher Johan, it's the 'Prison Bottle'!" Meray, who had been playing with Hoopa, cried out upon seeing the "Prison Bottle."
"Prison Bottle?" Giovanni looked confused.
"I can see..." Johan rubbed his forehead.
What was meant to come would come eventually?
Had something completely beyond his expectations happened in between?
Boom!!
A mass of black-red mist filled with thick evil aura suddenly surged out as the "Prison Bottle" shook.
That bone-chilling negative energy almost instantly filled the entire clearing.
"Hoopa—has returned!!"
A fierce roar filled with anger echoed across the clearing.
"Hoopa, Hoopa doesn't want to disappear..."
Little Hoopa looked terrified, curled up behind Johan.
However, what surprised little Hoopa was... the "Shadow" didn't rush toward it first, but instead...
"Hey! You there, Gengar, come and die!!"
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Powerstones?
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