[Zekrom seems to be afraid of you.]
As soon as he left the amusement park, Reshiram's voice came from his pocket.
Aiden could tell that its tone held a bit of schadenfreude.
[When it heard you declare yourself the 'Hero of Truth,' I could feel it preparing to transform at any moment.]
[But then it suddenly went quiet after hearing what came next.]
[So much for the so-called Dragon of Ideals.]
"Heh..."
Aiden suppressed a laugh, not bothering to acknowledge the white dragon's boastful words.
After all, talking to himself on the street felt a bit crazy.
Recalling his first meeting with Reshiram yesterday, Aiden felt it was laughing at fifty steps while being a hundred steps behind itself.
To think its way of thinking could change so quickly.
You, the Dragon of Truth, are certainly true to your name!
The so-called clash of ideals and truth, in his eyes now, felt like two children arguing and then giving each other the silent treatment—
And this silent treatment had lasted for over a thousand years.
I guess for them, that amount of time might not really be that long?
Aiden rubbed the Light Stone that Reshiram had become in his pocket. He felt that without its usual arrogance, it was actually quite cute.
However, compared to the two dragons, he was actually more interested in N, the boy with the special identity.
So he turned to look at Mewtwo, who was accompanying him.
"What do you think of that boy?"
Mewtwo and N actually had some common ground.
Aiden hadn't thought about it deeply at first, but on the Ferris wheel, he noticed that N seemed to have vaguely sensed Mewtwo's special nature, and it finally clicked.
A similarly "isolated" childhood, almost the same unique bloodline, plus facing the same kind of choice.
Aren't I right? N is just a more human-like Mewtwo!
After realizing this, Aiden even wondered if he should try a Poké Ball; maybe he could actually catch N—
But if he really tried, it felt like it would open a door to something terrible!
"Hmph—"
In response to Aiden's question, Mewtwo just snorted disdainfully and turned its head away.
"Just a brat who hasn't grown up yet. If he can't see this world for what it is, he'll forever be someone else's tool."
"..."
As intelligent as Mewtwo was, it could of course understand what Aiden was thinking.
In fact, although it was very unwilling to admit it, N's mentality was indeed very similar to its own past self.
Being kept in a world like an ivory tower, it was inevitable to feel lost upon first contact with a completely unknown world.
But this didn't stop Mewtwo from finding N annoying.
After all, whether human or Pokémon, it's difficult to empathize with one's past self.
It would only think that N was too weak, and his overly idealistic ideas were simply not worthy of the title "Hero."
And besides—
Mewtwo surreptitiously glanced at Aiden beside it.
I have Aiden. Does he?
Although, so far, it was still very difficult for it to feel goodwill towards other humans, at least under Aiden's influence, its animosity towards them had lessened considerably.
A bunch of trash who couldn't even beat it as trainers weren't worthy of its concern!
Mewtwo crossed its arms, full of confidence.
Until Aiden suddenly turned his head, looking at it in confusion as its mood suddenly improved.
"Were you just peeking at me?"
"No!"
Things developed much more smoothly than Aiden had imagined.
With the afternoon free, he decided to take a good stroll around Nimbasa City, the City of Entertainment.
Because of a war between humans and Pokémon that had happened thousands of years ago, this past event had always served as a warning to the descendants of Unova.
So along the way, Aiden could see many people walking alongside their Pokémon.
A noblewoman holding a Furfrou, a child chasing and running with a Snivy, and Emolga plushies could be seen everywhere.
Although Pikachu was undoubtedly the most popular electric mouse in the Pokémon world, and even Paldea had many Pikachu plushies, Nimbasa City's "leader," Elesa, just happened to be a fan of Emolga.
Aiden quickly blended into the local atmosphere, taking interesting photos with his Pokémon at various attractions.
The first one was, of course, with Mewtwo, at an ice cream shop outside the amusement park.
While Mewtwo wasn't paying attention, Aiden snapped a photo of its slightly cute expression with a bit of chocolate cream on its face.
In the instant the shutter clicked, Mewtwo's body jolted, and its eyes were dazed.
Next was a photo at the Big Stadium, where Aiden and Lucario were watching a local football match.
He didn't really understand the rules of football; he only knew that people with large builds and great strength had an advantage.
But Lucario watched with great interest, as if it could learn something from it.
So, Aiden took a picture of Lucario in its focused mode.
As for Ogerpon, it was curiously watching the cheerleaders outside the sports track, its eyes shining brightly, which Aiden found a bit strange.
So Ogerpon likes cute young ladies too?
In that case, let's watch with it for a little longer!
And so, there was a third photo.
After that, there was a picture of Sylveon snuggling with a Skitty, a picture of Miraidon cosplaying as a gatekeeper in front of the Battle Subway and looking so handsome it made a passing kid stare, and a picture of a Salamence stomping its feet happily.
He had originally wanted to take Indeedee to the Musical Theater, thinking it might learn deeper hypnosis techniques.
But seeing that it was getting late, Aiden figured he probably couldn't get a ticket anymore, so he had to give up for now.
He could go to the musical tomorrow. For now, it was better to find a place and get some sleep.
The next few days would be classes for the Blueberry Academy teachers. He didn't plan on returning to the academy today, so he might as well take his Pokémon out for a proper, long-overdue stroll, treating it as a vacation.
After walking for a short while, Aiden stopped in front of a very grand skyscraper, looking up with a complicated expression.
These two R's stacked together as a logo, plus the pure black coating—
It always gave him a sense of déjà vu for Team Rocket.
And the plaque hanging at the entrance that read "Rainbow Group" further confirmed his suspicion.
It really was Team Rocket's handiwork.
But since when did they expand their organization to the Unova region?
Although he was curious, Aiden still walked inside.
As soon as he entered, he noticed the receptionist looked a little familiar—
Purple, straight short hair, simple black-framed glasses, and a slightly surprised look in her eyes when she saw him.
It really was Giovanni's secretary, Matori, wasn't it?
As Aiden curiously sized her up, a storm was already raging in Matori's heart—the "Consultant," whose authority within the Rainbow Group was second only to Giovanni's, why was he here?
Surely the BOSS hadn't told him about the "Tempest Plan," so how did he still—
But seeing the complex look in Aiden's eyes, Matori knew that if she didn't speak up soon, a very unnecessary misunderstanding would likely arise.
So she quickly nodded politely at Aiden and then took the initiative to speak. "Consultant—no, Mr. Aiden, welcome to the Rainbow Group's branch in the Unova region."
Consultant?
Aiden blinked.
Probably the identity Giovanni had arranged for him, to make it easier for him to help pave the way for Silver in the future?
Does this mean I can freeload off Team Rocket?
No, wait, now that the skies have cleared, I should call them the Rainbow Group.
"It's fine, I'm just looking around."
Aiden explained casually, then after a moment's thought, quickly added another question.
"When did your Rainbow Group expand to the Unova region?"
He was genuinely curious. After all, in the anime, Team Rocket did cause trouble in Unova. It was called something—
The Tempest Plan?
Basically, it was the story of Giovanni wanting to capture the Forces of Nature, only to have his scheme thwarted by Ash in the end.
Having Team Plasma to deal with was already a headache. If Giovanni decided to get involved too, it would be even more troublesome.
At least the Unova region probably couldn't handle two villainous organizations causing chaos at the same time.
But his casually asked question had another meaning in Matori's eyes.
The Consultant—he really knows!
So is he here to hold them accountable?
And his authority is higher than mine, a secretary. I'm afraid only the BOSS himself can resolve this misunderstanding—
Just as a conflicted expression appeared on Matori's face, the Rotom Phone in Aiden's pocket suddenly vibrated a few times.
When he took it out, the caller ID clearly read "Giovanni."
Aiden raised an eyebrow, not too surprised.
With a high-ranking secretary like Matori here, it meant Giovanni was probably in the Unova region too.
He had likely known the moment Aiden stepped through the door.
"Aiden, it's good that you're here."
It had to be said, as the former boss of a villainous organization, Giovanni's counter-surveillance awareness was still quite sharp.
Even when calling him on the Rotom Phone, he didn't use the now-commonplace holographic video technology; only his voice could be heard.
Then again, maybe it was simply because Giovanni didn't like turning on the lights, so it was too dark to see?
"I was just about to find a time to discuss with you the mission arrangements for the Rainbow—Team Rocket in the Unova region this time."
"But I didn't expect that you seem to have found out in advance."
Aiden: ?
What do I know?
Although he wasn't sure what he supposedly knew, Aiden quickly cleared his throat and put on a serious, solemn expression.
"I have a general idea, but you should still tell me about it."
After giving Matori a look, she quickly led him to a secluded room.
Then, Giovanni finally got to the point: "Previously, you mentioned that for Team Rocket to be completely reborn, it must atone for everything and completely cut ties with its past mistakes."
"So, after the roundup operations in Kanto and Johto concluded and all of Team Rocket's high-ranking members were captured, Team Rocket was finished, existing in name only."
"And driven by the few remaining members of Team Rocket who had a change of heart, the Rainbow Group was re-established to gather the remaining resources."
"These past few months, the Rainbow Group has also gradually found its footing in Kanto and Johto, changing many people's opinions of our existence."
"However, I feel that this alone is not enough."
Giovanni paused mid-sentence, and when he spoke again, his tone was clearly laced with mockery.
"You should already know about this, Aiden."
"The famous Pokémon protection organization in Unova, Team Plasma, is actually hiding an unknown conspiracy behind the scenes."
"They even once purchased a batch of Dark Balls from Team Rocket to forcibly capture Pokémon."
"How ironic. It seems like villains these days all like to put up a facade, as if that makes it easier for them to do bad deeds with a clear conscience."
Hearing this, Aiden raised an eyebrow.
He was starting to get it.
"So, your purpose is—"
"That's right!"
Perhaps sensing that Aiden understood his thinking, Giovanni's voice on the other end of the line became more forceful.
"Precisely because I have done so many evil things, I know better—"
"That to prove you're a good person, doing countless meaningless good deeds is futile."
"All you need to do is step on Team Plasma's head to rise to the top, and you can immediately let the whole world know the Rainbow Group's stance."
"At the same time, it's also a chance to promote our brand to the entire world!"
"And this is the plan that will allow the Rainbow Group to be completely reborn—"
"The 'Tempest' Plan!"
"..."
"..."
Aiden breathed a sigh of relief.
Luckily, it seemed to be the complete opposite of what he'd imagined.
If the Rainbow Group wasn't an enemy but an ally that could provide assistance, then he had backup in the Unova region.
He might not need it, but it was better to have it.
And with Team Rocket's black technology—maybe it could really be of great use when the time came.
"If that's the case, then I'm relieved."
Aiden nodded quickly, approving of Giovanni's philosophy.
After all, if the Rainbow Group were still a villainous organization, having the title of "Consultant" would make him feel a bit implicated.
What if his cute students found out and misunderstood, thinking Teacher Azure was actually a psychologically dark, trouble-making bad guy?
Now that the misunderstanding was cleared up, he didn't have to overthink it anymore~
"Cough—"
But just as Aiden was about to hang up, Giovanni on the other end suddenly coughed lightly and continued, "Actually, the Tempest Plan has another objective."
"I've heard that there are three Legendary Pokémon in the Unova region called Landorus, Tornadus, and Thundurus."
"Two of them have caused a lot of trouble and brought significant problems to the Unova region?"
"If possible, the Rainbow Group wouldn't mind taking care of them for the people of Unova."
"..."
Aiden sighed inwardly.
In the end, it still came back to the Forces of Nature.
But then again, Landorus has the Ground-type so its compatibility with Giovanni seemed quite good.
But—"I can't make that decision. Besides, the three Forces of Nature have a huge impact on the world's climate."
"If capturing them would cause climate change, it's probably best not to."
Even though Aiden was a Unova local, he didn't have the right to make decisions for everyone.
Let alone the fact that he wasn't one.
"That's true."
Giovanni's side gave an affirmative reply.
"So rest assured, I'm not that foolish. I won't deliberately provoke a deity who can control the forces of nature head-on."
"I will use a gentler method and have a good talk with them."
"In the group's terms—cooperation?"
"If we have a deity's endorsement, the Rainbow Group can gain a significant first-mover advantage in many niche areas."
"Compared to the money earned by the international conglomerates that can hold up the sky with one hand, the money our past evil forces made is insignificant, and I no longer care to do those shady things."
"Even if it's to leave a clean, substantial inheritance for Silver to last his entire life, it's the same."
Giovanni's words were sincere, even touching Aiden's heart.
It wasn't that he was moved, but rather—Good grief, is he tired of the slow money from the mafia and decided to become a capitalist instead?
Boss Giovanni, you're going to get strung up on a lamppost like this!
But this way, at least the Rainbow Rocket Team could be above board and no longer have to do illegal and criminal things.
"In that case, then I have no objections."
Aiden nodded, already having a new perspective on the Rainbow Group.
Since his name was attached, did that mean future dividends would also—
If he could make money while lying down, then being a consultant was fine!
As if listening to the beautiful sound of Meowth using Pay Day, Aiden suddenly felt much better. Although he wasn't short of money, who would ever complain about having too much?
If the Sunshine Gym's scale needed to expand further in the future, it was always good to have a bigger nest egg!
Since all his doubts had been cleared, Aiden was about to hang up the phone.
However, at that moment, Giovanni spoke up again: "There's one more thing."
"Since you already know about this, Aiden, and there's a possibility you might participate—"
"Then, before the Tempest Plan officially begins, I'm putting partial command of this operation in your and Matori's hands."
"???"
Aiden was stunned for a moment, then he realized.
Damn you, Giovanni, you're really cut out to be a boss.
No wonder this felt so familiar, it was the exact same feeling as when Chairwoman Geeta gave out a mission—
He had come to Unova this time to vacation and enjoy life. Since someone else was going to be the hero, all he had to do was focus on slacking off!
But, Reshiram had already chosen him. If he just let things go now, wouldn't that be a little too true to his name?
Aiden was torn.
And as if seeing through Aiden's thoughts, Giovanni quickly smiled and made a compromise decision for him.
"If you don't have time, three elite members from the old Team Rocket will soon head to the Unova region. I'll have them contact you and follow your and Matori's command."
"It won't require you, Aiden, to take the field personally. You just need to make a brief appearance at a critical moment to let the world know the name Rainbow Group."
"—Alright."
Since it was put that way, it seemed he was basically still acting as a slacker boss.
Of course, Aiden had no reason to refuse.
But—
"Elite members of Team Rocket? Are they executives?"
Aiden had a bad premonition, so he asked another question.
Whether it was the four executives or the three Beast Warriors in Team Rocket, most of them had their own agendas. Perhaps only Giovanni could control them, and they might cause a big incident in Unova.
But compared to another "legendary" group, they were nothing.
"No, they are the true elites of Team Rocket in their respective fields, and also the core members of the current Rainbow Group."
Speaking of them, Giovanni's voice softened noticeably.
"One is a nobleman with yakuza-like ambitions; his R&D abilities were highly praised even by the doctors of his time."
"Another is the daughter of an old acquaintance. Team Rocket owes her family a great deal."
"But her personal abilities are unquestionable. She once completed numerous solo infiltration missions without a single mistake."
"As for the last one—he's a bit special. He's a Meowth who has mastered human language. He can communicate and translate with many Pokémon without barriers."
"Their abilities are crucial for this operation."
"..."
"..."
After listening to Giovanni's introduction, Aiden couldn't help but facepalm.
It was really them.
Jessie, James, and Meowth.
If you were to talk about the most popular characters in the Pokémon series besides the protagonist Ash, the Team Rocket trio would be an eternal mainstay.
It seems this world doesn't have an Ash, and the timeline differs from the anime, so the Team Rocket trio hasn't officially gathered yet?
This team of three living treasures perfectly embodies the saying: together, they're a pile of crap; apart, they shine.
Each of them is a genius in their own right, but when combined, they become an incredibly classic comedic duo, almost never succeeding in a single evil deed since, which is quite outrageous.
But, at least they don't know each other well yet, so they probably haven't assimilated into being buffoons—
Probably?
This time, Giovanni didn't come up with another "one more thing."
The call ended quickly. Under Matori's guidance, Aiden soon arrived at the luxurious suite the Rainbow Group had prepared for him.
---
Kanto Region, Viridian City.
After hanging up the phone, Giovanni, sitting in a pitch-black room, fell silent.
The "Tempest Plan" launched in the Unova region this time was crucial for the Rainbow Group. They had to have a spectacular start to make the group's name resound throughout the world.
As long as a good reputation could cover up Team Rocket's dirty past, history would naturally be forgotten by the world soon enough.
It was quite ironic. When he single-mindedly built his empire, busy for half his life without even caring for his wife and son, Team Rocket was just a shady evil organization with influence over two regions.
But now that his life's work was almost exhausted, the reborn Rainbow Group's development speed far exceeded his imagination.
His gaze had shifted from simply controlling Kanto to a much higher level.
If building Team Rocket was for making money, then if he could make even more money under the rules established by the Pokémon League, why wouldn't he?
Making money only in small places like Kanto and Johto was simply too petty compared to going international and having a market that covered the entire world.
So—"After the tempest, comes the new rainbow?"
Giovanni narrowed his eyes, satisfied with the name Aiden had suggested back then.
"This way, Silver should also—"
"No, as a father, I can't have such weak thoughts."
"Grow up well, Silver. Keep growing until you can defeat me, and then—"
"Proudly inherit everything I leave you."
Giovanni narrowed his eyes, and for an instant, he seemed to revert to the arrogant, suit-wearing thug who never even put gods in his sights.
"With Aiden here, the Tempest Plan will surely proceed smoothly."
"And with Jessie and the others—it will be foolproof."
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