"Champion Wallace, we have received the replies."
Officer Jenny walked into Wallace's office. She saw Wallace and Steven. They immediately moved away from each other like they were hiding something.
Officer Jenny tilted her head. She was confused. She saw that Wallace was acting calm, but he was embarrassed. She also saw a strange look on Steven's face.
"Champion Wallace, Mr. Steven, did something happen?" Officer Jenny asked.
"Ahem, it's nothing. Officer Jenny, please continue," Wallace said.
He coughed and hid the internet page on his computer. He tried to keep his face calm.
"Sinnoh, Galar, and Paldea have all sent their answers. Champion Cynthia will come here herself. Champion Leon is training in the wild right now and we cannot reach him. When we can talk to him, Champion Leon is also willing to help," Officer Jenny said. She looked very serious.
"For Paldea, Chairwoman Geeta cannot leave. But she told Champion Nemona. Champion Nemona is willing to come and help."
"About Kalos, Champion Diantha cannot come now. In Kanto, the Kanto Elite Four have their own work. However, Chairman Goodshow said he could send a Gym Leader to help us."
Officer Jenny waited for a moment.
"A Gym Leader?" Wallace was surprised.
He thought they needed people as strong as a Champion. If the person was not that strong, they could not help. Wallace used to be a Gym Leader, but he was a special case.
He wondered if other areas had Gym Leaders who were as strong as a Champion.
"Yes, it is Mr. Giovanni. He is the Gym Leader of Viridian Gym. Chairman Goodshow says that Gym Leader Giovanni is as strong as a Champion."
"..."
Wallace thought deeply. Giovanni? He felt he knew that name.
"Gym Leader Giovanni is Damian's father, right?" Steven looked very strange.
"Oh, right!" Wallace realized. He remembered why the name sounded familiar.
"Giovanni is Damian's father! He is the one who gave birth to that naturally evil Damian!" Wallace was using his personal feelings.
He thought that if Giovanni did not exist, Damian would not exist either.
"Champion Wallace, please watch your words," Officer Jenny said. she looked very tired.
"Gym Leader Giovanni is an excellent and responsible Gym Leader. Before this, Gym Leader Giovanni knew nothing about Damian's actions."
Officer Jenny explained. This was what the Kanto League told her. Officer Jenny believed the Kanto League.
"Is that so?" Wallace was not sure.
He still thought it was suspicious to raise someone as bad as Damian.
"Yes, the records say that Damian joined Team Rocket because Gym Leader Giovanni was too strict. Gym Leader Giovanni did not want this. He has always wanted to help Damian become good again."
Officer Jenny could only say this. she had never met Giovanni or Damian. She was repeating what her relative in Kanto told her.
"A classic case of failed education," Steven sighed.
He thought it was no wonder Damian was strange and bad. Normal people do not force men to wear women's clothes for photos.
He thought Damian's personality was ruined by Giovanni's strict rules.
But Damian was not completely a bad person. Steven wondered if they could still save him.
Steven did not hate Damian. Damian had a mean sense of humor, but he kept his promises. He released them twice.
Damian did not act without rules. He did not hurt them. That was proof.
Damian could have locked them up. If he did, the Hoenn League would be much weaker. It would be impossible to stop Team Rocket.
So, was it all because of his father's bad education? A young man with a good future became a member of an evil group.
Steven was sad in his heart.
"If Gym Leader Giovanni is willing to help, that is for the best," Steven said.
He felt they should not refuse Giovanni because he was strong and he was the father.
"Exactly. I think so too. If Gym Leader Giovanni can talk to Damian, that would be the best situation," Officer Jenny agreed. She thought the father should fix the problem.
"Now we have three strong fighters joining us. Have you talked to Mr. Brandon?"
"We have. Mr. Brandon also caught Registeel successfully," Officer Jenny said and smiled.
"As expected of Mr. Brandon," Wallace said.
"This way, we have a total of six Champion-level fighters on our side! I want to see how Team Rocket can fight against us now!"
Wallace felt they would win.
They had six Champions. If Champion Leon came, they would have seven Champions.
That was a very strong team.
Team Rocket was strong, but they could not fight so many Champions at once.
Wallace thought Damian would not be so proud this time.
He thought that when he caught Damian, he would make Damian wear cat ears and a maid dress. He would take many photos of him.
Wallace chuckled.
"Then I will go reply to Chairman Goodshow," Officer Jenny said.
Officer Jenny left. Wallace went back to the internet. He and Steven were looking at a new post from Damian.
The title said: "SHOCKING! The True Relationship Between Two Hoenn Champions!"
It was a tricky title. Wallace thought Damian deserved to be caught.
The post showed the photos of him and Steven as a couple.
But Wallace was more calm now. He was ready for it. This was the second time. He felt his heart was strong.
He even looked at the quality of the photos.
Wallace looked at the photos. Steven sat on a chair and watched with him.
"This might not be appropriate to say, but Wallace, you really look too beautiful in women's clothes."
Steven was honest. Damian's photos were amazing. The angles and lighting were perfect.
Steven was handsome. Wallace looked very good with makeup. The photo of both was very beautiful.
"Well, it is me, after all."
Wallace had read many comments. He was thinking about the battle they would win. Steven's words felt small. Wallace felt proud.
"I have such beauty and nobility. I wonder which girl will be brave enough to be with me in the future?"
Wallace reached the bottom of the post and sighed. He thought he was too good-looking.
He thought girls would feel bad about themselves because he was prettier than them.
Steven looked at Wallace strangely. He wondered if Wallace now liked wearing women's clothes.
Wallace said before that he would never wear them again.
Beep beep beep.
Wallace's phone rang.
Wallace looked at it. He was not proud anymore. He looked unsure.
"Are you not going to answer?" Steven smiled.
Winona was calling. She was the Gym Leader of Fortree Gym.
Wallace and Winona were a couple before. But Winona felt Wallace was too perfect. It made her feel bad. So she broke up with him.
Wallace respected her choice. They had not talked since then.
Wallace looked at Steven and then answered the phone.
"Winona..."
"Wallace..."
Winona's voice was not sure.
"Between a man and a man... there is no future."
"?" Wallace was very confused.
"You two will never have a child. I hope you can be normal again."
"???"
Wallace was extremely shocked.
Lilycove City
"Lord Maxie, have you finished thinking about it?"
Damian looked at Maxie. Maxie was in bed with many casts on his body. Damian sounded funny.
"Give up. I have no interest in joining your Team Rocket."
Maxie spoke weakly. He was calm.
"I am not a simple man like Archie. I have a dream."
Archie had hurt Maxie a lot. But Maxie still thought he was better than Archie.
"Oh? Even if you have a chance to get revenge on Archie, you don't want it?" Damian said and smiled.
"..." Maxie was quiet.
"Maxie, you are smarter than Archie."
Damian's voice was slow and calm.
"You are alone now. Your Team Magma is part of Team Rocket now. I like your intelligence. If you agree, I will make you a high leader."
"This is your chance. If you work hard, you can become stronger than Archie. Then you can get revenge for your injuries."
"About your dream... haha~"
Damian sounded like he was mocking Maxie.
"I do not care about land or sea. I will not laugh at you. But Groudon will not help you make more land."
"You and Archie are the same. You do not understand. Do you think the orbs let you control Groudon and Kyogre?"
"That is a stupid idea. Groudon and Kyogre are much stronger than you think. If you wake them up, you will only feel regret. You would be the villains of Hoenn."
Damian laughed. Maxie's face moved. He started thinking.
"Maxie, Damian is telling the truth. I hope you join Team Rocket and use your brain."
Courtney stood behind Damian. She spoke to Maxie.
Maxie wanted to touch his glasses, but his arm could not move. He stopped.
He looked at Courtney. She was his subordinate before. He thought the other members were already in Team Rocket.
Maxie sighed.
"I will join Team Rocket. I can prove that I am better than Archie."
Maxie said in a serious voice.
His dream was gone. Now he only wanted to be better than Archie.
"Of course. You are welcome." Damian smiled.
"When you are better, I will give you a good job. It will be perfect for you."
Damian left the room. His phone rang.
"I understand."
Damian hung up. He looked strange.
"Damian, what is it?" Caitlin asked. She was curious. Damian rarely looked like that.
"The Hoenn League borrowed Champions from other areas to fight us."
Damian thought it was funny.
"Oh? How many Champions?" Caitlin was surprised.
"There are three now. But... one of them is my father."
Damian almost laughed. The League called Giovanni to fight him.
Caitlin's face looked very strange.
She thought this would be interesting.
Damian wondered if he should act very powerful in front of his father and the Champions.
He wondered if he should say that he was better than Giovanni.
Damian was thinking about this very seriously.