Giovanni sat comfortably in his dimly lit office, the monitors before him displaying live footage of a private training room. His Rhydon stood firm, facing a small, determined Larvitar. The young Pokémon mimicked its mentor, stomping the ground with fierce intensity. A faint tremor rippled through the floor—its attempt at Bulldoze. The execution was raw, unrefined, but the potential was there. Giovanni allowed himself a smirk.
His mind drifted back to their first meeting.
Mt. Moon, weeks earlier.
Giovanni stood atop a rocky outcrop, Rhydon by his side. The tunnels beneath them stretched deep into the mountain, but Rhydon's seismic senses had already pinpointed their target. There, nestled within a secluded cavern, stood a Tyranitar—a proud and powerful specimen. Beside it, two Larvitar huddled close.
As he approached, the Tyranitar growled, its sharp gaze locking onto him with the wariness of a seasoned guardian. But Giovanni made no sudden moves. Instead, he spoke evenly.
"A fair deal. One of your offspring will be trained under my care. In return, I ensure its strength and legacy."
The Tyranitar rumbled, low and guttural. It turned to its young ones, seemingly communicating. After a moment, one of them stepped forward, eyes sharp with resolve. There was no hesitation—only a desire to grow stronger. Giovanni nodded in approval.
"Good choice."
Back to the present.
His attention returned to the monitors, watching as Rhydon gave the Larvitar a nod of approval. Growth was a process. And process required time.
But time was a luxury he had little of.
The war was shifting. Reports from his informants confirmed what he had suspected—Johto was withdrawing. Their offensives had failed in Cinnabar, Vermillion, and Viridian. Worse for them, Samuel Oak had dealt them a devastating blow, forcing them into a costly retreat.
Still, peace was a dangerous thing. It was not the end of the war that concerned Giovanni, but what would come after.
Samuel Oak would likely call for negotiations, and it was possible he would invite Giovanni as well—not as an ally, but as a strategist, a man who could recognize traps before they were set. But Oak was a scholar, not a politician. He might believe Kanto could negotiate in good faith, but Giovanni knew better. Johto would push for unity under a single Indigo League, erasing Kanto's independence under the guise of diplomacy. That could not be allowed.
He leaned back, fingers tapping idly on his desk. If the war truly ended, the Kanto Liberation Army would no longer have a place. Oak would demand its disbandment, unaware of its deeper connections to Team Rocket. He needed a plan.
A business, perhaps. Viridian's reconstruction would provide opportunities. Real estate. Pokémon technology. Poké Balls and battle items. A legitimate empire to replace the shadows.
And then there was strength.
Giovanni's team was formidable, but after this war, he needed to expand beyond his specialty. Tyranitar would set the foundation for a Sandstorm-based strategy, but what else? Excadrill? Gliscor? Garchomp? A Dragapult could provide much-needed versatility. Even a Persian—he smirked at the thought. His anime counterpart had one. And that talking Meowth...
Perhaps all three of them could be of use.
His musings were interrupted by a report from Archer.
Delia Ketchum. A woman of little renown in this world, yet her bloodline held weight. Archer's investigation confirmed something Giovanni had long suspected—she was likely a descendant of Sir Aaron, the legendary Aura Guardian who had once saved Mew. That would explain much. Ash's resemblance to Aaron. His ability to wield Aura.
Unlike Sabrina's raw psychic power, Aura abilities were rarer and more versatile. Delia's talent seemed to lie in healing, much like Archer's ability to evade detection. And Ash... his latent abilities remained unknown. Shielding? Bonding with Pokémon? The anime had never been clear.
But what was clear was his future.
A boy with boundless potential, destined to rise as Kanto's strongest Champion. A future leader. A legacy.
Giovanni exhaled slowly, closing his eyes for a brief moment. Delia Ketchum—his connection to Ash's future.
He would need to forge that connection carefully.
Marriage was not out of the question. While her own skills as a trainer were unimpressive, her business acumen was notable. In the anime, she had successfully managed her own shop. Combine that with her bloodline and her son's potential, and she became a prospect worth pursuing.
One step at a time.
For now, there were more pressing matters. The Johto League was fracturing. Discontent was growing against Pryce. Let them fight amongst themselves. A divided Johto was an advantage Kanto would not waste.
Giovanni opened his eyes, his smirk returning.
"The game is far from over."