Team Rocket's Second-in-Command!

Luo Yuan and Sabrina spent a pleasant week in Fuchsia City.

Sabrina had intended to stay longer, but word came from the Silph Company president, asking for assistance from the Saffron Gym to help defend against Team Rocket.

Upon hearing this, Luo Yuan and Sabrina exchanged a knowing look.

As Rocket executives, they could certainly ensure Team Rocket wouldn't trouble Silph Co., but...that wasn't exactly something they could tell the president.

And since Sabrina served as Luo Yuan's representative on Silph's board, she had no excuse to refuse their request. With a sigh, she made plans to return to Saffron City and oversee the Saffron Gym.

---

After seeing Sabrina off at the airport, Luo Yuan decided not to leave Fuchsia City immediately.

There was still plenty of time before the Quartz Conference, so there was no need to rush. Plus, he had just captured Porygon, Eevee, and Slowpoke, all of whom could use some training.

At a private training field he'd rented in Fuchsia, the Pokémon were hard at work.

Alongside the usual routine training of Dragonair, Gyarados, and Charmeleon, the newcomers, Porygon and Slowpoke, were getting a feel for sparring.

After a few stern encounters with Charmeleon and Gyarados and some heart-to-heart encouragement through Luo Yuan's Viridian powers, Porygon quickly straightened up, showing full dedication to his every command.

Slowpoke, on the other hand, didn't need much convincing.

Despite its dopey appearance, this Slowpoke was sharp. Through his telepathic connection, Luo Yuan had already sensed its clever and calculating nature.

For a Pokémon like this, Luo Yuan had his methods.

After their talk, Slowpoke decided to ditch its lazy habits and was now training diligently toward becoming a strong Slowpoke.

From the sidelines, Luo Yuan watched the five Pokémon with satisfaction.

He'd also begun looking for upgrade data through Team Rocket's channels to facilitate Porygon's evolution.

Gyarados had significantly strengthened, and Dragonair was also advancing rapidly, perhaps thanks to the power it absorbed during its evolution.

The one Luo Yuan was most pleased with, though, was Charmeleon.

With the Fire-Type Affinity boosting its potential, Charmeleon had made tremendous strides, and after a steady regimen of training and energy replenishment, the flames within it had reached their peak. Charmeleon was now on the brink of evolution.

"We just need to find the right opponent for Charmeleon's evolution."

He mulled it over, then turned his attention to the Eevee nestled in his arms.

"Eevee~!" Eevee cooed contentedly.

It was true—petting Eevee was addictive.

Especially its long, soft ears—absolute perfection.

Watching from the side, Ditto blinked its beady eyes, observing Eevee, then Luo Yuan.

After a brief moment of thought, and noticing that Luo Yuan hadn't forbidden it from transforming into Pokémon, Ditto's body wobbled and reshaped itself into an Eevee, hopping into Luo Yuan's arms as well.

Eevee was initially startled to see an identical copy of itself.

But it quickly shrugged it off.

Now, two Eevee curled up on Luo Yuan's lap, tails wagging as they snuggled into his hands.

Double the pets, double the joy.

---

After a dinner in the hotel's restaurant, Luo Yuan returned to his room and casually opened his communicator, planning to check in with Misty.

Suddenly, his device buzzed with an incoming call.

He glanced at the caller ID and raised an eyebrow. "Matori...has something happened?"

Could Lance be stirring up trouble again?

He took the call, a mix of curiosity and suspicion in his mind.

Matori's hologram flickered into view.

Contrary to what he'd expected, she didn't look particularly anxious.

"Luo Yuan, I need your help with two matters."

"Is Lance back at it again?" Luo Yuan asked with a teasing grin.

"...As if he has the time," Matori smirked. "I've made sure our Rocket-backed newspapers are constantly reminding the public of the Sevii Islands incident. He's got his hands full with damage control."

Luo Yuan chuckled, giving her a thumbs-up. "Smart move!"

He hadn't expected Matori to use the media to keep Lance preoccupied.

Not only was this approach subtle, as it made sense for the press to be closely covering the League's failure in the Sevii Islands, but it also didn't give Lance any grounds for complaint.

More importantly, it forced Lance to divert his energy to quelling public outrage.

"Now, what did you want to discuss?"

Knowing Matori, she wouldn't call him without good reason.

If it wasn't about Lance, then what?

"Tell me, how much do you know about Evolution Mountain and Stone Town?" Matori asked.

"I know of Evolution Mountain, and Stone Town...I have a vague impression."

Evolution Mountain was Kanto's biggest source of evolution stones, producing all kinds of stones at a higher yield than even Mt. Moon.

"Stone Town is located at the base of Evolution Mountain. The stones mined from the mountain are initially sorted and processed there, before being refined, cut, and packaged in Stone Town for sale."

"Team Rocket has had a partner in Stone Town for years. The Stone Brothers Mining Company has used our support to suppress competitors, securing a monopoly on Evolution Mountain's mining operations."

"We, in turn, take 35% of their monthly revenue as protection money, which they're supposed to pay us by the eighteenth of each month."

"However, they haven't paid us in three months."

"So I need you to investigate the situation."

Luo Yuan raised an eyebrow. "Are you saying these guys are trying to cut us out?"

It seemed that Giovanni's recent low-profile approach had led some people to believe that "Team Rocket's reign" was over.

Flash back to the Team Flare incident, and it was understandable why major corporations like Silph Co. would push boundaries—they had the resources, the backing of the League, and the means to fortify their defenses against Team Rocket's retaliation.

But the Stone Brothers Mining Company? They weren't exactly big players.

Matori shook her head at his question.

"First, check things out. After all, we're a reasonable organization. Who knows? Perhaps they've run into some...unforeseen circumstances. But if it turns out they're trying to cut us loose..."

She paused, her gaze turning steely. "Teach them a lesson."

---

T/N: WHJEN AM I HGETTING MY CHARIZARd

Oh, hey there, Trave-

Move aside, Venti—this bard's had enough of the spotlight! It's my turn now.

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