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Chapter 11: Giovanni's Idea

Viridian Gym - Underground,

Team Rocket's Secret Base,

"Matori, do you have anything to report?"

Giovanni leaned back on the large, luxurious sofa, idly stroking Persian's head. His piercing gaze rested on the short-haired woman with glasses who had just entered the room.

The woman, Matori, was Giovanni's trusted secretary. She adjusted her glasses before speaking.

"Boss, Jessie, James, and Meowth's mission has failed," she reported calmly.

Giovanni's hand paused mid-stroke. "The reason?"

Though Jessie, James, and Meowth were undeniably incompetent, the trainers at the Viridian City Pokémon Center were far below average in his eyes. A failure in such a simple mission was unexpected.

"They encountered a powerful trainer during the mission," Matori said, emphasizing the word powerful.

"Powerful?" Giovanni's brow furrowed slightly.

Matori nodded. "Yes, the trainer used a Metagross—a pseudo-legendary Pokémon from the Hoenn region."

Giovanni's frown deepened. "A Metagross? Have you investigated their identity?"

The mention of Metagross immediately brought to mind the Stone family. The Stones controlled a significant number of Beldum, Metang, and Metagross in Hoenn, and their most notable representative was Steven Stone, the Hoenn Champion.

"Could it be that the Stone family or Devon Corporation is looking to expand into Kanto?" Giovanni speculated, his sharp mind considering all possibilities.

The ability to read between the lines was a vital trait for any leader, and Giovanni was no exception.

Matori continued, "The trainer's name is Marcellion Maxwell. He's a former League trainee enforcer who was penalized for a failed mission. After being punished, he voluntarily resigned and began traveling as a new trainer this year. There's no connection to the Stone family."

"A former League enforcer, resignation, and now a new trainer…" Giovanni muttered, rubbing Persian's head thoughtfully.

The story didn't add up. A trainer with a Metagross would have had to earn its loyalty through extraordinary effort. How could such a skilled trainer have failed so badly that it warranted punishment? And since when could someone with a Metagross be relegated to the position of a mere trainee enforcer?

"What else did you find?" Giovanni asked.

Matori hesitated. "It seems the trainer had a conflict with a prominent family within the League, which led to his penalty and subsequent resignation."

Her tone carried some uncertainty, as the source of this information was not entirely reliable.

Giovanni leaned back, thinking. "Retrieve Jessie, James, and Meowth from the police station," he ordered after a moment.

No matter what, they couldn't leave those three in custody. While they might seem useless, the identities of Jessie and James made them valuable assets to Team Rocket.

"As for this Marcel… send someone to test him," Giovanni instructed.

A former League enforcer with a Metagross didn't simply resign and become a new trainer. Giovanni suspected it might be a ploy by the League to infiltrate Team Rocket. After all, the League had used undercover agents in the past—disguising them as disillusioned trainers to gather intelligence.

"Yes, Boss Giovanni," Matori responded, bowing slightly before leaving.

---

Later that evening,

While the Boss of Team Rocket planned for something in the dark, Marcel was finishing the matter of handling over the troublesome trio . By the time he left the police station, dusk had already settled over Viridian City.

In just two days, he'd visited the station twice. Was this fate? Was he somehow destined to cross paths with Officer Jenny repeatedly?

As Marcel mulled over the thought, he suddenly felt a pair of eyes watching him.

He stopped and glanced over his shoulder, but the street behind him was empty.

"Hmm?"

Marcel frowned. His instincts were rarely wrong.

Continuing forward, the unsettling sensation returned. He abruptly turned again, only to find the street just as desolate as before.

"No, something's definitely off," Marcel murmured.

Someone was tailing him.

Keeping his composure, Marcel casually turned into a maze of narrow streets and alleys, weaving through the dimly lit pathways until he reached a secluded spot. He stopped abruptly.

"No need to hide. Come out," Marcel called, his voice firm.

There was no immediate response, only the sound of the wind brushing through the alley.

Marcel's expression remained calm as he added, "Team Rocket, do you really need an invitation?"

As if on cue, a slow clap echoed through the alley. The air shimmered, revealing a figure at the other end.

The newcomer was a woman with short hair, sharp features, and a confident smirk. She wore a modified Team Rocket uniform—complete with a gray pencil skirt, an "R" emblem on her chest, and a pair of earrings that glinted faintly in the dim light.

Accompanying her was a Sableye, its mischievous grin visible even in the dark. It had clearly used its abilities to cloak them both until now.

"You noticed me? Impressive," the woman said, her tone laced with condescension. "It seems like the Boss was right—you're no ordinary trainer."

Marcel raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Your boss? What did he guess? And why am I targeted?"

Unbeknownst to Marcel, Giovanni had painted him as part of an elaborate League conspiracy. His confusion was understandable, but the situation was about to escalate.

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Marcel's Pokémon:

1. Bulbasaur

[Seed Pokémon.]

[Grass and Poison Type.]

[Bulbasaur can be seen napping in bright sunlight. There is a seed on its back. By soaking up the sun's rays, the seed grows progressively larger.]

[{Bulbasaur} → Ivysaur → Venusaur]

2. Metagross

[Iron Leg Pokémon.]

[Steel and Psychic Type.]

[Metagross has four brains in total. Combined, the four brains can breeze through difficult calculations faster than a supercomputer. This Pokémon can float in the air by tucking in its four legs.]

[Beldum → Metang → {Metagross}]

3. Eevee

[Evolution Pokémon.]

[Normal Type.]

[Eevee has an unstable genetic makeup that suddenly mutates due to the environment in which it lives. Radiation from various stones or causes this Pokémon to evolve.]

[{Eevee} → ???]

Marcel's Skills and Abilities:

1. Pokémon Breeding Knowledge (Elementary)

Marcel's Items:

1. Metal Coat

[An item that allows specific Pokémon to evolve.]

[When held by a Steel-type Pokémon, will increase the power of its Steel-type Moves.]

[Held by: Metagross]