Just outside Saffron City, on a grassy hillside—
Zinnia sat in the field while Karen leaned lazily against a nearby tree.
"Roooar~"
The cry of a dragon echoed through the sky as Mega Rayquaza descended. Aizen and Giovanni stepped off its back.
"That's the end of it, then."
Giovanni turned his gaze toward the distant silhouette of Saffron City, his heart filled with complex emotions.
Team Rocket in Kanto… had been buried in the region's most prosperous city.
"You've all done well."
Giovanni shook off his thoughts, glancing at Aizen and the others with a faint smile.
Without their help, the Saffron battle would never have come this far—not with his strength alone.
"It was fun," Karen said, brushing her wavy hair back with a grin. "And I was paid, after all."
She wasn't one to sit around quietly. A battle this intense against the Kanto League? Yeah—she lived for that kind of excitement.
"Since you guys made it out in one piece, I'll take off. If you need help with something crazy, call me."
She gave a playful wave to Aizen and Giovanni.
"Of course, I expect to be compensated. Bye-bye, bosses~"
Even though things hadn't exactly gone smoothly—and her partner Will ended up in jail—it wasn't a total loss.
Karen glanced down at the shimmering feather in her hand.
Rainbow Wing.
With this, her mentor wouldn't be too hard on her.
"What are you going to do next?" Aizen asked, watching Karen disappear from view.
"I still have things I need to finish," Giovanni replied, his gaze somber. "Thank you, Aizen, for your help."
"No need to thank me. Honestly, it was your guts that got me interested—declaring war on the League? Ballsy move. And hey, Leaf didn't lie. I had a blast."
Aizen smiled faintly, his voice as smooth and soothing as ever.
Giovanni nodded thoughtfully. Something about Aizen and Dylan… they were oddly similar. Their personalities, their calm intensity—uncanny.
"Aizen, about your Mewtwo—"
"A lucky encounter. But I must admit, I am quite intrigued by yours."
Aizen glanced toward Giovanni's Mewtwo, eyes glinting with curiosity.
Mewtwo's eyes glowed blue with psychic energy. Giovanni hesitated, then asked:
"How did yours Mega Evolve?"
"A Mega Stone. I found one and gave it to it to use on its own."
"Just as I thought," Giovanni murmured. Mega Evolution required a stone—of course it did.
"Well, if that's that, I'll be on my way."
Aizen checked the time. They'd been at this for hours. The Saffron battle was wild—definitely worth it.
"If you ever need help again, feel free to contact me. You too, Miss Zinnia."
Giovanni smiled. If he was still alive by then. At that thought, his expression darkened slightly.
He was running out of time.
"I have to get new medicine…"
Once they were gone, Giovanni pulled out a bottle of pills, downing two. His breath hitched—this wasn't sustainable.
There was an old pharmacy in Cianwood City, Johto. Maybe they could help slow things down. He'd have to go.
And then…
Find Silver.
That was Giovanni's last remaining obsession. No matter what, he had to find his son—his only family.
"Mewtwo, I owe you one too."
"I told you I'd help. No need to thank me," Mewtwo replied coldly.
"You should go find Aizen. His Mewtwo… it's your kin, isn't it?"
Giovanni smiled softly.
Mewtwo said nothing.
…
The battle for Saffron may have ended, but the aftermath had only just begun.
The damage—especially around Silph Co.—was enormous. The place was in ruins and would need a full rebuild.
Yes, the Kanto League had won. Team Rocket's forces had been almost completely annihilated. But Agatha and the others knew the truth.
They won… but not completely.
Lance had already left. The fight had shaken him deeply. He'd stared the Rocket boss in the face—and couldn't defeat him.
Worse yet, he was overpowered in their one-on-one.
That humiliation burned inside him.
He would get his own Legendary. He swore it.
"Is Lance going to be okay?" Lorelei asked, concerned.
She knew him well. That battle had hurt him, badly. She didn't even know where he'd gone.
"He'll figure it out," Agatha said, her voice raspy and dark. "He's not lacking in talent. Just a Legendary."
Lorelei adjusted her glasses and nodded. That was it. Lance wasn't worse than Giovanni—he just lacked the same kind of monster on his team.
"If he had one, he wouldn't have lost."
"You've all worked hard. Chairman Goodshow has arranged a celebration at Indigo Plateau."
Agatha turned to the champions with a smile. The result wasn't ideal—but there was nothing else to be done.
"We barely helped at all. Honestly, it's embarrassing," Steven sighed, laughing bitterly.
They got wrecked by Aizen, no sugarcoating it.
"It's not your fault. If anything, I should take the blame. I miscalculated. Badly."
Agatha shook her head.
If she hadn't insisted on holding off Aizen and sent Dylan to handle Giovanni alone… this never would've happened.
If the roles had been reversed, they could've won. Even Giovanni wouldn't have been able to take on that many champions at once.
But they'd learned the hard way—Legendary Pokémon from ancient myths were on a whole different level.
"Aizen's a total freak. And a twisted one, too!"
Blue shuddered just thinking about it. That guy's messed up in the head.
Rayquaza and Mega Mewtwo Y… could anyone raise a Pokémon strong enough to face them?
Blue doubted it. He'd always believed in his own genius, but even he couldn't imagine how he'd train something to match that.
"If only I'd found Aizen sooner…" Dylan sighed. Yeah… he'd finally switched back with Leaf during that "bathroom break."
"Let's not dwell on it. Come on, everyone—let's head back to Indigo Plateau."
The Saffron battle was finally over.
The Kanto League quickly issued a public statement. The commotion had been far too massive to hide.
Team Rocket was gone—completely. And the people of Kanto cheered.
After more than ten years of domination, Team Rocket—the greatest cancer on the region—had been purged.
No wonder the people rejoiced.
At Indigo Plateau, Chairman Goodshow personally welcomed Cynthia and the others. After all, they had come to help Kanto in its time of need.
The food was lavish—but the mood was subdued.
After dinner, most of the champions went off to rest. The battle had been exhausting.
Dylan took Lillie to a fruit shop… and then somewhere special.
"Royal flush. All of you owe me laundry duty for a month."
The smug voice floated down the hall.
"No way! Another royal flush?! You're so cheating, Will!"
"This is rigged! No one's that lucky!"
"I must agree. Deeply suspicious."
"What's your problem? Can't handle losing?"
Dylan reached the holding cell and looked inside—Will, Archer, Petrel, and Koga were playing cards.
And from the looks of it… not going well for three of them.
"Hey~ everyone. Looks like you're enjoying yourselves in here, huh?"
Dylan smiled brightly.
The whole room went quiet.
"It's been a while. Miss me?"
He glanced over at Proton in the corner writing in his journal, and Ariana shadowboxing nearby.
Ariana, especially—she was ripped now. What was that about?
"Dylan?! What do you want?" Proton dropped his pen and frowned.
"Just visiting. Brought you a little something."
Dylan raised the fruit basket with a grin.
"You being generous?" Archer scoffed. "Not buying it."
"What a thing to say. Proton, Archer—I've always considered you dear friends."
Dylan shrugged innocently.
"You son of—!"
Seeing the others' expressions, Archer's face darkened.
"You mean 'dear friends' you arrested? Dylan, how many times have you thrown me in here?"
"I just couldn't bear to watch my friends walk the wrong path forever. You needed some… cleansing time. This way, you can turn over a new leaf."
Dylan let out a deep, 'compassionate' sigh.
"Just say what you came to say," Proton groaned, already tired of his nonsense.
"Today in Saffron City, the League crushed Team Rocket. Kanto Rocket… is finished."
Their expressions changed instantly—except Will, who just shrugged.
"That's impossible!" Proton snapped.
"Nothing impossible about it. The Four Elites plus multiple champion-class Trainers—Rocket didn't stand a chance."
Dylan smiled. "Though… I do have some good news for you. Giovanni got away."
As expected, that got a visible sigh of relief from Proton and the others.
"I suggest you let the past go. Start over—you still have a chance."
No one answered.
"I'll drop by again sometime."
"Dylan, when are you arresting Charr?" Ariana suddenly asked.
She'd been training for months—waiting to beat that little guy up.
The others lit up at the name. They couldn't stand him either.
"I haven't been to Johto yet. But there's always a chance."
Dylan raised an eyebrow. If Charr did get tossed in here… would Ariana kill him?
Eh. They were all high-ranking Rockets. They'd manage.
Elsewhere—
"The Indigo Conference is about to start. Time for me to show the world what I'm made of!"
Blue stood proudly, gazing at the stadium.
Red: "…"
"Red, I'm gonna beat you this time. Win the whole thing. Become Kanto Champion! Then challenge Dylan and win my second badge!"
Blue's tone burned with determination.
Red: "…"
He said all that right in front of him. What a troll.
Red rolled his eyes. Blue had been just as smug when Dylan gave him a badge for free.
He turned to leave—only for his phone to buzz.
It was a message from an unknown number. A bunch of image files.
Red opened them—and froze.
"Blue."
"? What?"
Blue turned—and saw Red looking at him with an expression that was… strange. Grim. Almost traumatized.
"You owe me new eyes…"
Red felt dirty. He could never look at Blue the same way again.
But… if he looked closely…
Blue's crossdressing… was actually kind of cute?
"What the hell are you babbling about?" Blue frowned.
"Your dress. Kinda suits you."
Red, ever honest, said it plainly.
Blue: "???"
Riiing~
Blue's phone rang.
"Hello? Grandpa?"
"Blue…"
Professor Oak's voice was soft. Hesitant.
"I know you young people have your own preferences… and I'm not a narrow-minded man, but…"
"Never mind. If you really want to become a girl, I suppose I can accept a granddaughter."
Blue blinked.
"WHAT?!"
[Chapter End]