"For me, let's call it Rainbow Corp.."
Stephen felt that the name SS Corp. wasn't great, so he simply helped Giovanni come up with another one. Since Giovanni was destined to establish Team Rainbow Rocket in Alola in the future, why not just call it Rainbow Corp. now?
"Hmm… I'll think about it."
Surprisingly, Giovanni didn't immediately agree to Stephen's suggestion. He still thought SS Corp. sounded better.
"Alright, let's head back."
"You're not covering your face anymore, uncle?" Stephen noticed that Giovanni wasn't wearing a hat to cover his face and curiously asked.
"Now that you've joined Team Rocket, your two companions naturally can't be left behind either."
Giovanni smiled. After all, he had long since noticed that Will had great potential. Based on his earlier performance, reaching the level of an Elite Four member in the future was practically guaranteed. And as for Karen, the daughter of President Ritsuki, her potential was even greater—she had a real chance to become a Champion.
Giovanni felt it was necessary to take this opportunity to recruit the two of them into Team Rocket as well. Revealing his true face to them was also a way of showing sincerity.
Giovanni wasn't worried about Karen or Will exposing this secret. Leaving aside the fact that Stephen was with them, they themselves were still fugitives. Even though they were wearing masks…
Just as Stephen predicted, when Giovanni returned with his true appearance, the entire room was stunned. Among them, Will jumped back in shock, landing on his backside and pointing at Giovanni while stammering:
"Uncle Giovanni!? You! You!"
Giovanni smiled and said, "No need to be so surprised, Will-ken. The reason I invested in both Stephen-kun and you back then was for this very moment."
"To be honest, I'm a bit surprised myself. I originally planned to wait until after this operation in Alola to go to Johto and reveal my identity to you. I was going to bring you two to Kanto as well. But meeting here works just as well, doesn't it? From now on, you and this young lady will continue to follow Stephen-kun and contribute to Team Rocket."
The shock on Karen's face was no less than Will's. She had heard from Will that Stephen's research funding, as well as the three of their living expenses and activity funds, were all provided by Giovanni. Will even suspected that Stephen might be Giovani's illegitimate child.
Karen wasn't as gossipy as Will, though. She simply thought that Giovanni must appreciate Stephen's abilities and had decided to sponsor him. However, she never expected that the Viridian Gym Leader, renowned as the strongest in the League, would turn out to be the leader of Team Rocket.
"Did you use Stephen?!" Karen shouted coldly.
"Don't use such harsh words, Miss Karen." Giovanni chuckled. "Without me, where would Stephen-kun have gotten the funding? How could he have created so many groundbreaking inventions? You should be thanking me for discovering his talent."
"But you just tried to kill him!" Karen pointed at Giovanni's Nidoqueen, still furious.
"Karen, that's enough," Stephen said as he grabbed Karen's hand.
"He's right. Without his funding, I wouldn't have been able to create those things, nor would I have been able to take you out of there."
Karen, who had been burning with anger, felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over her. Her eyes turned a little red, and she pretended to scold in frustration:
"You can't be so soft-hearted! Otherwise, you'll suffer big losses, understand?!"
Hearing this, not just the others, but even Will and Giovanni couldn't help but be taken aback. Since they'd known Stephen, while he hadn't done anything truly heinous, the word soft-hearted had never been associated with him.
Giovanni then announced in front of everyone:
"From this moment on, Stephen is the head of Team Rocket's Alola branch, as well as the president of the Aether Foundation. Understood?"
"Yes, sir!"
All the Team Rocket members, including Petrel and Proton, responded in unison.
As team leaders, Petrel and Proton were naturally dissatisfied with a newcomer like Stephen being granted such high authority so quickly. However, even someone like Petrel, who came from a delinquent background and struggled academically, knew the significance of TM. There was no way he could ever achieve such a monumental contribution to Team Rocket in his lifetime. So what could they do? Keep their mouths shut.
"Wait… Sir Giovanni, this… this isn't what we agreed on!" Faba was dumbfounded.
Wasn't the deal that after Team Rocket took over the Aether Foundation, he would become the president? What would he be now? Still just the Admin?
"Hmm?"
Sakaki glanced sideways at Faba. "Did any of you promise him something?"
Proton quickly stepped forward and said, "Apologies, Boss. I promised him that if he helped us take over the Aether Foundation, he could manage it."
Giovanni's expression darkened. "Why haven't I heard of this arrangement?"
Proton lowered his head and admitted his mistake. "My apologies, Boss! I am willing to accept punishment."
"You're demoted to an ordinary team member. Start from the bottom!"
Stephen, silently watching this scene unfold, felt as though it reminded him of his past life, one filled with toil and servitude. Proton, in this situation, was clearly just being made to take the fall for the boss.
Of course, barring any surprises, it wouldn't be long before he reclaimed his position as captain. This public reprimand was nothing more than Giovanni finding a way to save face.
As for Faba, being the seasoned corporate veteran that he was, he naturally understood this. At this moment, all he could do was swallow his frustration, lest he risk losing even his current position.
"Mr. Giovanni, there's something I'd like to see. I hope the fly—oh no, I mean Faba—can show me the way," Stephen suddenly spoke up.
"Haha, Stephen-kun, don't be angry. I didn't mean to keep it from you. Just call me Uncle, alright?"
"Mr. Faba, kindly lead the way."
Under Giovanni's orders, Faba reluctantly walked up to Stephen. "What are your orders, President?"
When he said the word President, you could hear the gritted teeth in Faba's voice.
Damn it! That position should have been mine!
"Type: Null."
Stephen couldn't be bothered to waste words and got straight to the point.
Faba's face darkened immediately. How does this brat know about Type: Null!?
"Hurry up!" Stephen pressed, seeing Faba frozen in place.
Faba glanced at Lusamine, who had been restrained, and thought to himself that she likely wouldn't survive the day anyway. If this matter got exposed, it wouldn't make much difference. With that thought, he felt a bit more at ease, gestured for Stephen to follow, and led the way to the research department on Basement Level 2.
Karen and Will joined Stephen in the elevator.
"Um… Stephen, what are we going to do from now on?" Will asked, his baby-fat cheeks scrunching up in worry.
"What will we do? We'll do what we have to do," Stephen replied with a question of his own. "Weren't we already fugitives to begin with?"
Faba nearly stumbled at those words. F-fugitives? What does he mean by that!?
"Don't worry," Stephen reassured his two anxious companions. "All we have to do is keep getting stronger."
Although the Pokémon world and the One Piece world were vastly different, they had one thing in common: the strong were respected above all.
The prime examples of this were Lance and Pryce from the manga. Despite all the trouble they caused, the League still brought them back as champions and gym leaders. Why? Simply because they were too strong for their past actions to matter.
The elevator reached Basement Level 2, and the four of them walked toward a confinement room.
"Relax. We're companions. I won't let anyone hurt my comrades," Stephen said as he turned to the other two before entering the room.
Will scratched his head. "Hehe~ Hearing you say something so cheesy feels kinda weird."
Karen crossed her arms and turned her face to the side. "Don't talk big too soon. Who knows? Maybe I'll end up protecting you instead…"
Swah!
At that moment, the doors to the confinement room opened, and a Pokémon being held inside immediately straightened up, glaring at the intruders with eyes full of hostility.
It was none other than the Type: Null.