Getting the old man Giovanni to step down so he could take over as Team Rocket's boss wasn't some random whim of Damian's.
It was a decision he'd made a long time ago.
Compared to having his own identity exposed, it was obviously better for Giovanni to keep lying low as a Gym Leader inside the Pokémon League.
And it wasn't even that hard to arrange. All they had to do was have Giovanni publicly "cut ties" with Damian, which would actually help Giovanni's future prospects within the Indigo League.
To uphold justice and fairness, he would "sever ties with his own son for the greater good." Slap that label on Giovanni, and his reputation in Kanto would only soar.
Damian's status as a Team Rocket executive "leaking" would inevitably make the Indigo League suspicious of Giovanni, but Giovanni would "know nothing" and, under League investigation, have no suspicious points at all.
Then they'd stage a father–son falling-out, and Giovanni could completely and securely regain his footing within the Indigo League.
And for the sake of capturing his wayward son, Giovanni would "resolve" to personally bring him in to the League. So a man who'd never shown much interest in high office within the League suddenly challenging the Kanto Elite Four and climbing step by step upward… sounded pretty reasonable, didn't it?
Damian had already written the entire script in his head. It was going to be fun.
Especially with Giovanni's strength—he might even become the Kanto Champion.
Just picturing that scene was enough to make Damian lose it.
"Heh-heh-heh~ Hahahahahahahaha—"
Watching their young master laugh like that, Proton and Domino fell completely silent.
"Right, Proton, Domino—from today on, call me 'my lord.'"
Damian gestured for the two of them to change how they addressed him. Otherwise, "young master" made it way too easy for outsiders to connect the dots about who he really was.
"Yes, Lord Damian."
...
Two more days passed. Somewhere out in the wilds of Melemele Island—
"Lady Caitlin, it's just ahead."
"Mm. Good work, everyone."
Caitlin stepped forward unhurriedly.
Today she was dressed in a fitted black lace undershirt, slim black pencil pants, and a tailored black overcoat. It was a completely different style from her usual.
But that refined elegance that seemed etched into her very bones still made people catch their breath.
"Spread the word—we're moving. Let's wipe out the last stain on this island."
A blue glow flickered in Caitlin's eyes. Her tone was calm and unhurried, full of quiet composure.
A Poké Ball floated out and popped open. A Gallade with razor-sharp presence appeared in front of her.
"Yes!"
The nearby Team Rocket member immediately pulled out a communicator and relayed the order.
Several grunts sent out their Pokémon—Raticate, Alolan Raticate, Alolan Muk, and others—and launched an all-out attack on the marked position up ahead.
With a series of violent explosions, the targeted spot was blasted apart, and a gaping hole appeared before them.
Moments later, a few people came scrambling out, covering their mouths.
But the instant they saw the surrounding Team Rocket grunts, their faces went from pale to downright ugly.
"Team Rocket! You again, you damn woman!!"
The middle-aged man in the lead twisted his face in hatred, glaring at Caitlin.
He remembered her. This delicate, beautiful-looking woman had been hunting them nonstop.
"Damn it! We haven't even messed with you people! Do you really have to take this so far?!"
The Pokémon hunter roared, completely hysterical, his expression savage, his eyes bloodshot.
He hadn't had a single peaceful day lately. It was bad enough running and hiding every day, but they'd barely settled into this new hideout for a single night before Team Rocket hit them again.
He was on the verge of a breakdown.
"I'm truly sorry, but there's no room for even a single Pokémon hunter on Team Rocket territory."
Caitlin's soft, exquisite smile and perfectly even tone only made the hunter's expression even darker.
"We'll leave Melemele Island. That should be fine, right?" the middle-aged hunter ground out.
Bitter humiliation and fury churned inside him, but he knew the truth—Caitlin was way too strong for them.
"Sorry. No can do." Caitlin replied with the same polite smile.
"Team Rocket recently discovered a new vein of ore. Hiring workers would be a bit pricey, so we're actually in need of you all. Would you mind surrendering quietly?"
Caitlin smiled as she addressed the hunters, even phrasing it like a request—she was literally asking for their opinion.
Lady Caitlin is so gentle! So beautiful and so gentle!
A few of the female Team Rocket members behind her looked at Caitlin's back and went full fangirl.
"Fuck you! You damn woman, you seriously want us to go be your miners?!" The middle-aged hunter snapped.
"How dare you talk to Lady Caitlin like that!"
"Fuck you!"
"Lady Caitlin asking you to mine means she actually thinks you're worth something, and you don't even appreciate it!"
Caitlin hadn't said another word yet, but the surrounding Team Rocket grunts were already furious. They sicced their Pokémon on the hunters, ready to give them a proper beating.
Caitlin smiled faintly at the sight. Honestly… this sort of thing had happened more than a few times already.
Her subordinates were adorable and incredibly loyal. She really did like them.
In no time at all, the hunters had been righteously mobbed, beaten down, and dragged off.
"Lady Caitlin! Bad news!"
The communicator crackled to life, and a subordinate spoke in a rush.
"Island Kahuna Hala is on his way here with people."
Island Kahuna Hala, the highest authority on Melemele Island and, on paper, the island's strongest Trainer.
"Stay calm. I'm heading over now. You pull our people back."
Caitlin's voice stayed level as she reassured the panicked grunt.
Yeah, most of the subordinates she brought along were former Team Skull members. They were fine in normal situations, but facing someone on Hala's level and not panicking? That just wasn't realistic.
Elsewhere—
"So it really is Team Rocket."
Hala stared at the six or seven men and women in black uniforms ahead, expression grim. And then…
He turned his gaze to the blonde girl in black walking toward them from the side, his graying brows knitting tighter.
"Lady Caitlin!"
The grunts immediately brightened at the sight of her. Only they knew how nervous they'd been with Hala bearing down on them.
Caitlin gave them a small nod, then turned her attention to Hala.
"Island Kahuna Hala. It's an honor to meet you."
Even as a member of Team Rocket, Caitlin still kept her manners and elegance.
She might be in sleek all-black today, but that heiress aura around her was impossible to miss.
At the very least, Hala could tell at a glance this girl had to come from a very good family.
"You're the Admin of Team Rocket?" Hala asked gravely.
"Team Rocket executive. Caitlin." She introduced herself, taking out a silver Team Rocket badge and giving it a little shake.
Executive? Hala's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Forgive my rudeness, but I'm going to have to ask you to come with me." Hala drew two Poké Balls, his expression solemn and heavy.
A Team Rocket executive was not someone he could let walk away.
"Is that so? Then that'll depend on your strength." Caitlin met him with the same elegant smile.
Fighting the Alolan Island Kahuna as enemies on opposite sides—Caitlin had never imagined something like that, not even in her dreams.
And yet here it was, happening for real. And…
A psychic-blue light flickered in her eyes, her heart pounding in her chest.
Kind of exciting, isn't it~?
If I can capture this girl, I'll definitely be able to drag a lot of information about Team Rocket out of her.
That was Hala's thought. A Team Rocket executive ranked just below the organization's leader himself.
As for whether he might not be able to defeat this pretty girl? That idea never even crossed his mind.
He was Island Kahuna Hala. And her? Was this girl even eighteen yet?
Of course he was going to win.