Chapter 12: Moments of Peace
"This is your room. Your ID card will open it. If you need anything, I'm in room 6001."
The grunt led Giovanni to his door and gave him a few final instructions.
Giovanni nodded his thanks. "Alright. Thank you for your trouble."
The grunt shook his head. "It's my duty— a task assigned by the organization. I even get mission points for completing it." He gestured towards the door. "That's all from me. You must be exhausted. Get settled and rest up."
"Goodbye," Giovanni said, waving as the grunt turned and walked away.
He swiped his card, and the door slid open. The accommodations were far beyond anything he could have imagined. Although Team Rocket was still in its early days, the benefits for its members were excellent.
It was a small apartment, complete with a kitchen, a bathroom, a bedroom, and a living room, all fully furnished. On the large bed, several sets of fresh Team Rocket uniforms were neatly folded.
To have this, all he had to do was survive. No wonder so many were desperate to join. The entry fee was blood, but at least he was still alive— and he wasn't alone. He had his first partner.
"Come out, Weedle."
Giovanni took the Poké Ball from his belt and pressed the button. In a flash of white light, Weedle appeared. It quickly crawled to his feet, affectionately rubbing against his calf.
He slowly knelt and stroked its smooth body, careful to avoid the venomous horn on its head. He had no desire to die so foolishly. The simple touch was enough for Weedle, who squinted its eyes in delight, letting out a series of happy "Wee..." sounds.
"Hungry?" Giovanni asked, pulling out the food he had received from Hera. "You just hatched and haven't eaten a thing. Let's fix that."
He emptied the contents into two bowls—one for each of them. It was often said that Bug-types were weak, but they were also the easiest to raise. A newborn of another species might have been picky, demanding Moomoo milk or specialized formulas. Giovanni had no way of getting those things.
Fortunately, Weedle wasn't picky. When Giovanni mixed the pebble-like Poison-type food with a pile of nutrient-rich leaves, it crawled over and ate with relish. In this world, Pokémon still followed the laws of nature.
While the League had criminalized the widespread hunting of Pokémon for food, a few select species and their regenerating parts were still considered delicacies—the leeks from a Farfetch'd, a Slowpoke's tail, a Kingler's claws. But for an ordinary person, such foods were an impossible luxury.
While Weedle ate, Giovanni started on his own meal. He hadn't eaten a single bite since waking up in the infirmary. If not for the IV drip, he would have collapsed from hunger long ago.
Man and Pokémon ate with their heads down, quickly finishing everything. For the first time in a long time, Giovanni's stomach was full. He felt a deep sense of satisfaction. It seemed his days of struggle were finally over.
After the meal, he took a quick shower, thoroughly washing away the dried blood and grime. Watching the red-tinged water and tiny flecks of gore swirl down the drain was a stark reminder that everything he had experienced was real.
Bang!
He slammed his fist against the tiled wall, his knuckles cracking. He took a deep, shuddering breath, and the wild look in his eyes slowly hardened into a cold, firm resolve.
After changing into a clean uniform, he tossed the bloodstained one into the washing machine. The water would wash out the stains, but he knew that some things could never truly be made clean again.
When he came out, Weedle immediately crawled over to him, its clingy demeanor like that of a child greeting its parent.
Giovanni wasn't in a hurry to start training, even though time was short. He had fourteen days of peace, but after that, there was the third stage of the selection. And there was Musashi.
He had only survived their last encounter because Weedle had hatched at the last second. The next time, Musashi and his gang would have their own Pokémon. Two fists were no match for four.
If he were ambushed again, he and Weedle would be in serious danger. These fourteen days of peace were a double-edged sword. It gave him time to grow stronger, but it also gave his enemies the same opportunity—a major tactical blunder he was being forced to make. If he could, he would hunt Musashi down right now.
But for now, he would focus on what he could control. With a full stomach and renewed energy, he placed his hand on Weedle's body. The power of Viridian flared to life, a faint green light blooming from his palm. The energy flowed into Weedle's body, mending the damage from its premature hatching. The tiny Pokémon let out a comfortable sigh and drifted off to sleep.
After a few minutes, Giovanni felt a wave of dizziness and stopped. He looked at the sleeping Weedle and could already feel that its internal energy was stronger, its presence more solid. A look of joy spread across his face.
He was right. The power of Viridian could not only heal his partner, but it could strengthen its very potential. This was a god-tier ability. It could elevate all his future Pokémon to a level where they could rival legends. He looked at the sleeping Bug-type and could almost see the future: a mighty, mega-evolved war machine, capable of felling a legendary beast.
The only problem was, he didn't know how to improve his own power. An ability like this, similar to psychic power, had to be trainable. He needed to get stronger himself, so his own growth wouldn't fall behind his Pokémon's. A strong physique was a good start, but he needed a real training method.
The answer was clear. He needed to make a trip to Saffron City. Their famous psychics would have the knowledge he needed.
Sabrina, the future Gym Leader, hadn't been born yet, but her family was there. And if they wouldn't share their secrets willingly... well, he was in Team Rocket now. He could just take them.
Life was becoming more and more promising.