Viridian Gym.
"Father, who do you plan to challenge next?"
In the office, Silver sat beside Giovanni, looking at the World Championship rankings displayed on the computer screen.
As Giovanni's son, Silver cared a lot about his father's standing. His question came out both nervous and curious.
"There's no rush to climb the ranks," Giovanni said with a faint smile. "That can be taken slowly."
For him, raising his ranking wasn't difficult at all.
Even without using his ace Beedrill, Giovanni's strength spoke for itself. And after careful training, his Kangaskhan's power had risen rapidly. With Mega Evolution added to the mix, its strength was formidable.
By Giovanni's own estimate, it might not quite rival Lance's level—but it wasn't far off either.
"Silver, you're setting out tomorrow. Have you made up your mind?"
Giovanni's expression softened as he looked at his son.
"Of course! I already spoke with Professor Oak. He's agreed to give me a Totodile as my 'starter.' I'm really grateful to him!"
Compared to the Kanto starters, Silver preferred Totodile from Johto.
Maybe it was because of his childhood memories—he had spent those years in Johto, and that past wasn't something he could ever forget.
So he asked Oak for help, and Oak reached out to Professor Elm in Johto to arrange for a Totodile to be sent over.
"Then you'd better thank Professor Oak properly," Giovanni said with a chuckle, ruffling Silver's red hair. "And make sure to train hard, so you don't disappoint him."
"I'll be here at the Viridian Gym waiting for you—to challenge me when you're ready."
"Father, you're so sneaky. You're an Elite Four member, but you still keep your Gym Leader position just like my teacher!" Silver rolled his eyes.
You could tell—since regaining his father's love, Silver's personality had changed quite a bit.
"Heh, life should have its surprises," Giovanni smiled. "I'll make a special exception and let you take Viridian Gym as your final stop on your Kanto journey. Let me see how far you've come."
"I'll definitely beat you, Father! And then I'll challenge my teacher next!"
"Good. Go train for now. Get some rest tonight—you'll head out to Pallet Town in the morning."
"Okay!"
As Silver left the office, Giovanni's smile slowly faded, his expression turning cold.
The room fell silent.
"Still not coming out, little rat?"
Giovanni's tone was calm as he discreetly opened a Poké Ball. His Beedrill shot out in a blur, its twin stingers stabbing toward the left side of the wine cabinet.
That wall looked perfectly ordinary—decorated with framed photos—but Beedrill's stingers struck something solid, as if blocked by an invisible barrier.
Giovanni stood, eyes narrowing. Though nothing was visible to the naked eye, faint ripples shimmered in the air.
Clap—clap—clap—
Someone was applauding.
Light refracted, and a half-transparent, dark-shaded barrier appeared—inside it stood a man in a black suit, his hair cropped short.
Giovanni froze for a moment.
Even Beedrill paused in shock, glancing back at its Trainer.
Giovanni's brow furrowed as his gaze dropped to the colorful "R" emblazoned on the man's chest.
That was Team Rocket's emblem—but ever since he'd disbanded the organization, Giovanni hadn't seen that symbol in a long time.
No—what mattered most was that the man looked almost exactly like him.
"Impressive Beedrill," the stranger said. "It nearly pierced Mewtwo's barrier."
Rainbow Giovanni smiled approvingly. It might have been a casual psychic barrier, but still—few Pokémon could even touch it.
And that Beedrill hadn't even been going all out.
Beedrill retracted its stingers and silently returned to stand before Giovanni, guarding him.
Rainbow Giovanni turned his gaze directly onto Giovanni.
"As expected of me. Tell me—how did you notice? Mewtwo's psychic cloak should've hidden my presence completely."
"Just instinct," Giovanni replied evenly.
In truth, he'd noticed the intruder the moment he returned to the Gym. The security footage had shown someone strolling casually through the halls—arrogant enough not to bother avoiding the cameras.
And while he'd been talking with Silver, that sense of wrongness had grown stronger. Viridian's power had told him exactly where it came from.
So he'd sent Beedrill to test the air—and, sure enough, someone was there.
But Giovanni hadn't expected this—a man who looked just like him, and… Mewtwo?
"Who are you?" Giovanni asked coldly.
"Who am I? That's an interesting question."
Rainbow Giovanni tilted his head slightly, a wicked smile tugging at his lips. The surge of malice rolling off him made even Giovanni's brow crease.
"I'm Giovanni, of course. Haven't you already figured that out?"
He turned toward the wall of photos—pictures of Giovanni with Silver.
"I came here specifically to find you. No one knows me better than myself, after all. This world's version of Giovanni must be something special."
His tone was unnervingly natural, as though the logic was perfectly sound.
But after a bit of investigation, Rainbow Giovanni had been shocked.
This world's Giovanni had made the same choice he once had—lying low under the guise of the Viridian Gym Leader.
But after that, their paths had diverged completely.
This Giovanni had become the head of Kanto's Elite Four—and had even reunited with his long-lost son.
Wait. Giovanni had a son?!
And worse—the Kanto Team Rocket had been wiped out in the Saffron City conflict?
"Your Team Rocket was that pathetic?" Rainbow Giovanni's voice was somewhere between mockery and disbelief.
He was arrogant—utterly evil, but with reason to be. He had conquered his own world and built something greater: Team Rainbow Rocket, spanning and dominating parallel worlds.
"…"
Giovanni fell silent at the question.
The world really was strange, wasn't it?
"There were… many reasons," he finally said.
He'd never imagined that one day he'd be interrogated by himself from another world—and have no real rebuttal.
"So you just accepted defeat," Rainbow Giovanni sneered, "joined the League, and now play house with your son. You've abandoned your legacy and your ambition."
"You don't understand," Giovanni said quietly. "Your world isn't the same as mine."
Of course it wasn't.
"I don't intend to understand the mindset of a failure," Rainbow Giovanni said coldly.
"I wasn't planning to recruit losers, but since you are me, I'll give you a chance."
He sighed softly.
"I appreciate strength. Why not join Team Rainbow Rocket?"
Giovanni chuckled.
"If you truly are me, then you should know—Giovanni kneels to no one."
Serving under someone else? That wasn't in his nature.
"But you already have, haven't you?" Rainbow Giovanni said with a teasing smirk.
Though this world's Giovanni had joined the Kanto League, Rainbow Giovanni could still sense the pride buried in his bones.
Even if his Team Rocket was gone, he shouldn't have stooped so low.
Why become one of the Elite Four—and not the Champion?
"That man…" Giovanni thought of Dylan and suddenly didn't know how to explain it.
Normally, he'd never accept being beneath anyone. To be looked down on, outclassed—Giovanni could never tolerate that.
But if it was Dylan… somehow, it didn't feel humiliating at all.
"A variable, then? No matter," Rainbow Giovanni said disinterestedly.
It didn't matter—because he was the strongest Giovanni of all.
"Join us. Our ambition stretches far beyond a single world. Giovanni, has your fire gone out?"
Rainbow Giovanni extended his hand again, eyes gleaming.
He was confident—men named "Giovanni" never lost their ambition.
Even with a son.
Even as an Elite Four member.
All it took was the right spark, and that old fire would blaze again.
"Is that so?"
Giovanni eyed the outstretched hand. Deep inside, something stirred—an echo of that long-dormant ambition.
But then he sighed, shaking his head slightly.
"You're a bit late."
He turned toward the sofa to his right, where a man sat sipping coffee.
"Dylan."
Giovanni smiled faintly, feeling oddly reassured.
Yes—he'd called Dylan for backup the instant Rainbow Giovanni appeared.
It wasn't himself he was worried about—but Silver.
This Rainbow Giovanni radiated something dark and terrible, so malicious it made his skin crawl.
Damn it, Giovanni thought. Of course my parallel self had to be a power-hungry villain. And now he's shown up at my doorstep.
"Don't mind me, Mr. Giovanni," Dylan said cheerfully, waving a hand. "Go on—pretend I'm not here."
Beside him, Punishment Hoopa yawned adorably.
"So you're the one who changed him," Rainbow Giovanni said, turning his sharp gaze on Dylan. His shadowed face grew darker still, dripping menace.
"That voice…" Dylan raised an eyebrow. "You make it sound like I'm the bad guy."
"I'm simply stating facts," Rainbow Giovanni said coldly. "If removing you reignites Giovanni's ambition, then so be it."
Ah, so that was his logic. Eliminate Dylan, and this world's Giovanni would return to form.
"Ha! Six out of ten!" Giovanni said approvingly.
As expected of his parallel self—bold and ruthless.
(End of Chapter)