I am Giovanni

Chapter 99: The S.S. Anne's Lieutenant

Giovanni and his group still needed to wait for Mars to return. The yellow-haired young man then asked, "May I know how to address you, as well as these gentlemen?"

"I am Giovanni," he replied. "This is Archer, and that one is Mars. By the way, I haven't asked for your name yet."

The young man mumbled their names twice, then replied, "Surge! My name is Surge!"

Upon hearing this, Giovanni carefully observed him. He was a bit thin, with yellow hair, from Vermilion City, and worked on a ship. Didn't it all match up? Giovanni's expression was a bit strange. First, the Iron-Masked Marauder without a mask and now it was Lt. Surge who wasn't yet a lieutenant.

Who would be next?

Though surprised, Giovanni didn't show it. He simply said, "Surge. I'll remember that."

Surge smiled shyly. "Alright."

Soon after, Mars returned. For a trainer, getting a deposit back was an easy task.

"It's all refunded, Boss," Mars said.

"Let's go," Giovanni instructed Surge.

"This way, Giovanni." Surge then walked ahead, leading them. The ship he mentioned was docked somewhat remotely, not at the main pier, but behind an uninhabited forest. It made sense.

This was not Vermilion City— an external vessel would definitely be targeted by the locals.

However, upon entering the forest, the group of thugs from earlier reappeared, this time accompanied by a sailor with a Poké Ball hanging from his waist.

"Is it them?" the sailor asked arrogantly, pointing at Giovanni's group.

"Yes, it's them," the thugs all nodded, glaring fiercely.

The sailor took off his Poké Ball and released a Farfetch'd. Its strength was only around level ten. "You guys bullied my little brothers, right?" he yelled. "Tell me, how do you want to resolve this? This isn't the pier. Even if I kill you all, no one will know."

"Our Big Brother is a trainer on the S.S. Anne!" one of the thugs said, hands on his hips. "You've messed with the wrong people!" Another whispered something in the sailor's ear, mentioning that Giovanni was very rich.

The sailor's eyes darted around. "Pay 5,000 Pokédollars now," he said to Giovanni, "and my Farfetch'd will let you go! Otherwise... hmph hmph!"

"I'm sorry." Surge said, taking two steps back in fear. "I've implicated you all. They were actually waiting here."

"It's alright," Giovanni waved his hand dismissively. "It's just a small matter."

Seeing Giovanni say this, Surge felt even worse. He gritted his teeth and stood in front, shouting at the sailor, "Our ship is just ahead! When the captain comes, you'll be in big trouble!"

Though there was some apprehension in the sailor's eyes, there was more arrogance.

"The captain? I'm standing right here. Do you think he dares to make a move? Your little broken-down ship, from out of town... you must not want to make a living. Even when he gets to Vermilion City, he'll have to tuck his tail between his legs! A good-for-nothing discharged from the army is a good-for-nothing wherever he goes."

"Shut up!" Surge shouted angrily. "You're not allowed to talk about Captain Matisse like that!" He charged forward recklessly.

"Commendable," Giovanni said from behind, shaking his head, "but lacking in prudence." He raised his hand and waved it gently. Mars immediately stepped out.

"Knock him flying, Farfetch'd!" the sailor snorted. His Pokémon immediately charged towards Lt. Surge. At that moment, the boy remembered the huge difference in their strength— but it was too late. He closed his eyes, his body trembling with terror.

However, the expected pain never came. He tentatively opened his eyes and found that the aggressive Farfetch'd was being held down firmly by a Raticate. As for the sailor and his gang, they were now surrounded by five Pokémon, their faces filled with fear.

And Mars, who was clearly the lowest-ranking of Giovanni's group, stood in front of him, holding a handful of empty Poké Balls. If he's a trainer, Surge thought, then what about Giovanni and Archer? He turned his head in confusion.

Giovanni had already walked over and gently patted his shoulder. "Let's go. Mars will handle this here."

"Yes... yes, Giovanni," Surge nodded fearfully.

As Giovanni walked past Mars, he stroked his chin. "I've heard that Farfetch'd, with its leek, makes a good roasted duck. It seems very delicious."

The Farfetch'd held down by the Raticate immediately shivered. Its leek no longer seemed as fragrant.

"Yes, Young Master," Mars nodded, his eyes cold as he pointed to a Grimer under his command. The Grimer squirmed, its eyes glowing with a bloody red light.

"Wait! We were wrong!" the sailor and his thugs pleaded. "I am willing to apologize!"

Giovanni paused, turned back, and smiled at them. "Don't worry. I accept your apology." He then said something inexplicable. "I remember you just said that if you killed us here, no one would know. What if it were you?"

After saying this, he left without looking back, leaving only the terrified men behind.

"I was just joking!" the sailor screamed after him. "I was trying to scare you!"

After passing through the forest, Surge dared to tentatively ask, "Giovanni, what you just said... was it..." He was uneasy.

"It was fake," Giovanni said, comforting him. "I was just scaring them. Don't worry."

Surge hastily patted his chest. "That's good, that's good." He did not, however, notice the slight, cold upturn of Giovanni's lips.

Back in the forest, Mars stood coldly beside several corpses as a Grimer diligently devoured them.