The son of a Gym Leader… and a Team Rocket executive?
Even Cynthia found that hard to swallow.
She narrowed her eyes and reread the short profile on Nanu's phone, line by line, as if staring at it long enough would make it change.
Last year, he'd left Viridian City and entered the Indigo Conference for the first time.
And then he'd simply bulldozed his way through.
Round after round, match after match—no setbacks, no suspense. All the way to the finals.
A clean sweep.
Cynthia's gaze slid to the attached photo.
Damian, holding the Indigo Conference trophy.
A champion's posture.
A champion's strength.
But his face… wasn't happy.
If anything, it looked flat. Detached. Like the trophy was just another object.
For a moment, the group didn't speak.
"If I remember right," Nanu drawled in his usual half-dead tone, "Giovanni's the strongest Gym Leader in Kanto."
He tapped the screen once, as if the fact itself was irritating.
"The world's getting weirder by the day."
Hala exhaled slowly, then looked to the others.
"We should ask around in Kanto."
Olivia's brows knit together.
"There's something more important than that."
Her voice was tight.
"If Damian is Giovanni's son…" she said, "then what about Giovanni?"
The implication landed, and the air went heavy again.
Giovanni was an official Gym Leader under the Kanto League.
If he was tied to Team Rocket…
That wasn't a scandal.
That was an earthquake.
"I doubt it," Kukui said, shaking his head. His tone was measured, but his eyes were sharp. "Damian isn't stupid. If he shows his face this openly, he'd be dragging Giovanni down with him. That doesn't add up."
It was the simplest logic.
Damian hadn't tried to hide his name at all.
If Giovanni were truly part of Team Rocket, the connection would be exposed immediately.
Unless—
Kukui stopped himself before that thought went any further.
"We should notify the Kanto League," Hala said quietly. Then he sighed. "And we need to figure out why Damian joined Team Rocket in the first place. He's too young… and too strong."
If they could find the reason, maybe—just maybe—they could pull Damian and Caitlin out.
That was the best outcome.
Because otherwise…
It would be a waste.
A brutal one.
They were both outstanding, but Damian especially—Champion level in his debut year.
A genius like that didn't come around often.
"And Tapu Fini is still in his hands," Hala added, worry deepening his voice.
Poni Island without Tapu Fini wasn't just a cultural loss.
It was a structural problem.
"I'll help you track them," Cynthia said.
She didn't sound heroic. She sounded tired.
When she finished, she glanced up at the sky.
Dark clouds had rolled in at some point, swallowing the sun and turning the light dull.
Her chest felt just as heavy.
On the other side, Damian and his people returned to the villa through several Teleports, moving like shadows between locations.
Damian didn't waste time.
"Caitlin, you can't stay at your villa anymore," he said. "Move your operations to Akala for now."
Today hadn't gone the way he intended. Cynthia's arrival had forced a pivot.
But that was fine.
Plans were meant to be adjusted.
"Understood," Caitlin said, nodding once.
She didn't need further explanation. Cynthia wouldn't let go now. Caitlin's residence had already been exposed, and even if it hadn't mattered before, it would matter now.
"Or," Damian added casually, "you can stay here with me."
He leaned back, completely relaxed.
"Kukui and the Kahunas won't move unless they're absolutely sure they can win."
Confidence wasn't something Damian tried to project.
It was something he had.
He was simply that strong.
Even if his location leaked, Kukui and the others would need time—time to prepare, time to stack the odds. Otherwise, they wouldn't just fail.
They'd cause collateral damage.
The surrounding environment would get wrecked, and civilians could get hurt.
Kukui would never accept that.
And even more importantly—if they paid that price and still couldn't take Damian down, they'd look like fools.
So even if they knew where he was, they'd hesitate.
Cynthia was strong, sure.
But Damian wasn't afraid of fighting Cynthia and Kukui together.
If it were Lance or Leon, he'd be more cautious.
And if Steven Stone joined the mix? Three Champions at once would finally be pressure.
But would Kukui really swallow his pride and ask for that kind of help?
Damian had his doubts.
"I'll go to Akala," Caitlin said, voice steady. Her eyes—were full of resolve. "Damian, I want to get stronger."
Cynthia's appearance had lit a fire under her.
"Leave the Akala side to me," Caitlin added.
"Fine." Damian held her gaze for a moment, then smiled—soft, certain. "Don't rush yourself. I'll help you. I've always believed in you. You won't be inferior to Cynthia."
Proton, standing to the side, nodded along.
After hearing Caitlin and Cynthia speak, he understood a lot more than before.
"The Boss is right," Proton said. "Caitlin, you're excellent. Second to none."
"Thank you," Caitlin said quietly.
Her eyes softened when they returned to Damian.
No matter what happened, Damian's support gave her a sense of safety she hadn't felt in a long time.
Cynthia… I'll catch up to you.
Damian took out his phone, thinking for a moment before speaking again.
"Later, Caitlin—come with me to Ultra Space."
Caitlin blinked. "Ultra Beasts?"
Proton answered before Damian could.
"They're unique to Alola—creatures that don't belong to our world. Extremely dangerous. The League once sent people to deal with them… and failed. Several people were killed."
His tone stayed controlled, but the content was grim.
"There's very little reliable data," Proton added. "Most of it is classified. Domino only managed to dig up this much."
Caitlin looked to Damian, silently asking if it was worth it.
"It is," Damian said, nodding. "Proton's right. But they're still a kind of Pokémon. Their base power is high. If you train the right one, it can become a pillar—maybe even your ace."
He paused, then added honestly, "The only downside is there aren't really Psychic-types among the common Ultra Beasts. Otherwise, it'd be perfect for you."
Damian's mind flicked ahead, already calculating routes and options.
When the chance came, he'd take Caitlin to Area Zero in Paldea.
Compared to Ultra Beasts, Paradox Pokémon like Iron Leaves, Iron Boulder, and Iron Crown were absurdly strong, and their base stats were no joke.
"Alright," Caitlin said. Her smile returned—calm, composed. "I'll follow your lead."
Her words didn't sound like a noble lady's.
But they were honest.
She trusted Damian. If he said it was worth seeing, then it was.
At that moment, Damian's video call connected.
Giovanni's face appeared on the screen—mature, controlled, wearing a faint smile.
"Hey, Dad."
"Damian." Giovanni sounded relaxed. "What is it?"
He looked to be in a good mood.
Damian had been in Alola for a while, and this was the first time in ages he'd called. Giovanni even found himself thinking—maybe he should visit the kid when he had time.
Then Damian spoke.
"It's like this, Dad. Today I had a brief clash with Professor Kukui and the Kahunas. Sinnoh Champion Cynthia was also there."
Giovanni's smile held—barely.
Damian continued, tone casual, almost conversational.
"You should get ready. The Kanto League will probably contact you soon to investigate. Don't let anything slip."
"???"
Giovanni's smile froze instantly.