"It's so strange… could it be that the two worlds just evolved differently?"
Silver frowned, deep in thought. He couldn't bring himself to accept it. He hated evil organizations—ever since his childhood, he had despised them.
Even after learning the truth about the Masked Man from Leaf, his hatred toward that group—and all evil organizations—hadn't lessened in the slightest.
If it hadn't been for the Masked Man abducting him, he could have had a happy childhood. His father wouldn't have spent so many years searching for his lost son.
And though he rarely showed it, Silver actually admired his father deeply—almost to the point of worship.
His father was a Gym Leader respected by all, the head of the Indigo Elite Four, stronger even than many Champions from other regions.
But now… someone with the exact same face as his father had shown up, invading another world—an evil scumbag who called himself the boss of Team Rainbow Rocket!
What the hell was that supposed to be?!
Silver didn't doubt that his father had the ability to be the head of Team Rocket—but how could that possibly be true? To him, Rainbow Giovanni's existence was nothing less than an insult to his father's righteous name!
"Maybe you're right," Giovanni said, pretending to think it over. "After all, they're not the same world. Judging by that man's words, their world might not even have Dylan."
Giovanni's heart gave a faint jolt, though his expression stayed calm and thoughtful—his acting skills were impeccable.
I'm sorry, Silver, he thought. I'm not lying to hurt you, but some truths… you're not ready to know.
But you can rest assured—I've left Team Rocket behind. I have, and I always will.
A small pang of guilt tugged at his chest. He was still deceiving his only son, after all.
"That's right! My father would never be that kind of villain! There's no way you'd ever join an evil group like Team Rocket, right, Father?" Silver said firmly.
Giovanni sighed inwardly, but still managed a gentle smile.
"Of course not."
He reached out to fondly ruffle Silver's red hair.
"As a trainer under the League, we stand opposed to Team Rocket. In fact, I even participated in the raid that wiped them out in Saffron City!"
Technically, Giovanni wasn't lying—he had been part of the Saffron operation.
…Granted, the "enemy" side, against Lance and the others.
Still, he had arranged for Lambda to impersonate him and fight on the League's side. The operation had even been considered a major success!
"Really? You never told me about that, Father!" Silver's eyes lit up.
"Of course it's true. If you don't believe me, ask Dylan—he knows."
Giovanni smiled faintly.
"As people who live beneath the clear blue sky, we must never forgive evil. Especially villains like Team Rocket. I'd never have anything to do with them."
"You're amazing, Father!"
Silver's eyes shone with admiration—his father truly was a man of justice!
Giovanni kept his calm smile, though his mind was racing at lightning speed.
Sabrina, Surge, Koga—no worries there. They'd joined the League too; there was no way they'd betray him now.
Apollo and the others were still rotting in prison… Giovanni figured he should probably visit them at some point, maybe convince them to turn over a new leaf.
The real issue was Johto's branch of Team Rocket…
Giovanni's eyes narrowed slightly. The Beasts Trio—those three were the biggest risk. Even though Lance and Lorelei's raid had supposedly destroyed the Johto Rocket remnants, Giovanni doubted the trio was really gone.
If they were ever captured and decided to talk…
They knew his true identity.
He'd have to make a trip to Johto soon—to make sure they stayed quiet.
While Giovanni was plotting his next move, the battle between Dark Mewtwo and Hoopa Unbound had already begun.
Dark Mewtwo's violet eyes flared, and it shot forward like a cannonball, black energy crackling around its right hand.
As it closed in, the dark pulse burst outward.
"Useless, useless, useless!"
Hoopa Unbound grinned savagely, its grin wide enough to make a child cry.
A golden ring silently appeared in front of it—swallowing the Dark Pulse whole.
Again? Did that ring really just absorb its attack without limit?
Dark Mewtwo's thoughts flickered.
"Hell Stinger," Dylan commanded calmly.
He wasn't even sure of Dark Mewtwo's typing yet, but since it kept using Dark Pulse, it clearly liked Dark-type attacks. Probably a Psychic/Dark dual type, then.
Which made this a mirror match—Hoopa Unbound was Psychic/Dark too.
"Heyaaah!"
Hoopa Unbound hurled one of its massive, severed arms like a spear, tearing through the air as it lunged toward Dark Mewtwo.
"Block it," Rainbow Giovanni ordered coolly.
Dark Mewtwo crossed its arms, a translucent barrier flashing into place just in time—
BOOM!
Hoopa's Hell Stinger slammed into the shield, sending Dark Mewtwo flying backward.
"Well?"
"The power is immense. In this state, I can't defeat it," Dark Mewtwo said as it straightened up. "And those rings… they can even absorb my energy attacks."
"Heh… to think I'd meet such a foe the moment I arrived in this world. Interesting." Dark Mewtwo's voice warped with glee, its tone disturbingly manic.
"Then go all out," Rainbow Giovanni said with a faint smile.
"I don't need you to tell me that."
Dark Mewtwo's eyes narrowed, its aura flaring.
More golden rings materialized around it. Across the field, Hoopa Unbound smirked wickedly.
"Hyperspace Fury!"
From six directions—front, back, above, below, left, and right—massive ghostly arms burst from the rings, fists glowing with eerie black light as they pounded toward Dark Mewtwo.
The explosion shook the field.
When the smoke cleared, Dark Mewtwo was sent tumbling through the air, forced to kneel mid-flight before stabilizing. Its barrier had shattered under the impact.
That blow had actually hurt.
But instead of anger, its purple flames burned brighter—almost ecstatic.
"So this is all you've got? Or maybe," Dylan said lazily, "your Mewtwo just isn't that strong."
"Oh?" Rainbow Giovanni chuckled softly. "You hear that? He's not impressed."
"Shut up."
Dark Mewtwo raised its arm as a black light began to envelop its body.
"Mega Evolution?" Dylan blinked. He wasn't surprised it could Mega Evolve—just that the light was black. Even Rayquaza's evolution gave off a rainbow sheen.
The glow faded, revealing the smaller, more agile form of Dark Mewtwo Y.
"Raaaah!!"
It let out a piercing cry, unleashing a shockwave of tangible black energy that rippled across the field.
The pressure was suffocating—Hoopa Unbound's grin faltered slightly.
"Dylan."
"What's wrong? Think you can't win?" Dylan teased.
Hoopa huffed. "Hoopa's not scared! Its aura just feels… weird."
"Weird?"
"Yeah. I don't know how to describe it. Just… wrong."
"Great observation," Dylan said dryly. Still, if Hoopa could feel it, then there probably was something off about Dark Mewtwo Y.
And sure enough, its evolution didn't seem normal.
"You absorbed my Dark Pulse earlier, didn't you?"
The psychic voice echoed directly into their minds.
"Then try absorbing this!"
Dark Mewtwo Y rose higher, raising its hand as black-purple energy swirled in its palm.
The wind stilled.
In seconds, a massive sphere of compressed darkness formed.
"Dark Nova!"
Dylan's eyes widened slightly—he recognized the move.
It was Dark Nova, Dark Mewtwo's ultimate attack from Pokkén Tournament, where it annihilated entire planets from space.
"You done shouting yet?"
Hoopa Unbound sneered. A golden ring opened wide—the Dark Nova vanished into it without a sound.
Dark Mewtwo Y's eyes froze mid-flame.
It had been swallowed whole. Effortlessly.
"So what was that supposed to be?" Hoopa taunted. "You really think evolving made you special?"
Dark Mewtwo Y's face twisted with rage.
For the first time, Rainbow Giovanni frowned. Even Dark Nova had been nullified—what kind of monster was this Hoopa?
Something wasn't right.
A flicker of unease crept up Giovanni's spine.
Still, he discreetly opened a Poké Ball behind his back, thinking no one noticed.
But Giovanni did notice.
Because no one understood "Giovanni" better than Giovanni himself.
"Stronger, sure," Dylan said lightly, "but that's all?"
He was already losing interest. Dark Mewtwo Y was powerful—but nowhere near Ultra Necrozma or Kyurem in its Dragon God form.
"I'll give you a chance. Hand over all your Poké Balls and come quietly. What do you say?"
"That's not funny," Rainbow Giovanni replied coldly, still composed.
"Oh well," Dylan chuckled. "Don't say I didn't warn you."
"Ha… foolish child," Rainbow Giovanni sneered. "You think I'd ever regret my actions? I, Giovanni, have never known regret!"
He straightened proudly. "Besides, who says I've lost yet?"
"Come on out, then," Dylan said calmly, flicking six Poké Balls into the air.
The world seemed to explode with light and sound as six colossal roars shook the battlefield.
Rainbow Giovanni's words died in his throat—his pupils constricted violently.
Even Dark Mewtwo Y's psychic flames dimmed in disbelief.
Two radiant dragons—Dialga and Palkia—rose into the sky, their godlike forms radiating divine authority. Beside them hovered the gleaming Ultra Necrozma, its light searing.
On the ground, Primal Groudon glared upward, magma dripping from its claws as heat shimmered around it.
This…
Rainbow Giovanni was stunned. He'd seen a lot in his lifetime, but nothing like this.
Even Hoopa Unbound, technically on Dylan's side, couldn't help but flinch at the overwhelming power filling the air.
Dylan's team was… absurd.
Then his eyes fell on Groudon. Hoopa's expression twisted oddly.
Was he seriously showing that one off just to look cool?
Rainbow Giovanni forced himself to stay composed, though his arm trembled slightly.
He looked up at his last hope.
"Mewtwo… can you win?"
"???"
Dark Mewtwo Y turned and gave him a death glare.
(End of Chapter)