"Don't think just because you've got a Ditto plastered on your face I won't recognize you!"
Proton's voice suddenly echoed through the hall.
The instant Grey's palm slammed down on the hidden button, the low hum of machinery roared to life, tearing through the silence of the Game Corner.
Click—
Rumble, rumble, rumble…
In the corner, a section of the floor split and slid aside, revealing a pitch-black elevator shaft below.
Amid the grinding of interlocking gears, a metal platform began to rise slowly. On the wall, a solid-black monitor flicked on.
Proton's silhouette sharpened in the sickly green glow of the emergency lights. He was idly fiddling with his cuff button, watching Grey with lazy interest.
"Grey, how about we be friends?"
From the main control room, Proton knew exactly what Grey was worried about. He didn't say it out loud—choosing instead to open with the "let's be friends" approach.
"Mr. Proton is one of Team Rocket's four executives—an elite, high-ranking officer."
Grey let out a short, cold laugh at Proton's casual "let's be friends."
"And I'm just some ordinary Gym Leader from Kanto who couldn't even land the official Saffron Gym position. With things the way they are, Mr. Proton, you really shouldn't flatter me like that."
"So, Gym Leader Grey… are you saying you don't want to be friends with me?"
On the other side of the screen, Proton's eyes narrowed.
If the answer he got wasn't to his liking…
Then even if the Boss's son were standing right here, he'd still kill Grey on the spot.
"In the adult world, there's really no such thing as 'friends,' is there? A business elite like you should know that better than anyone, Mr. Proton."
Grey shook his head. Facing Proton's snake-like gaze, he only curled his lips into a playful smile and asked in return:
"I just want to ask you something, Mr. Proton—when you said those words just now, did you smile? Do you actually believe what you're saying?"
Proton's hand froze where it was toying with his cufflink. The metal caught the light with a chill gleam, reflecting the slight twitch at the corner of his mouth.
He opened his mouth, but the carefully prepared recruitment pitch caught in his throat and went nowhere…
Grey's words had been like a knife, driven straight into the mask Proton had so painstakingly maintained.
Friends?
No. There were no "friends" in Team Rocket.
Especially not for an executive like him, a man who could be doomed beyond redemption by a single misstep.
The word "friend" had been crossed out of his life the day he swore himself to Team Rocket.
His loyalty belonged to Giovanni alone. Everyone else was just a means to an end—a tool.
What he'd said to Grey just now had only been a throwaway opening line, something to give himself a graceful out in case of rejection.
"Fine. I admit that line was just pleasantries."
Proton shrugged and met Grey's eyes. "Let's call it a deal instead. On behalf of Team Rocket, I'd like to propose a collaboration."
"Huh???"
Silver stood off to the side, already getting confused.
Weren't they here to take down Team Rocket?
How had this turned into a negotiation between Grey and Proton—heading straight toward "cooperation," no less?!
The whole vibe felt wrong.
And the shift had been way too abrupt.
They were here to smash Team Rocket. Officer Jenny already had the place surrounded!
…Wait. Officer Jenny has the whole place surrounded?!
Something clicked in Silver's head, and his pupils shrank.
Right now, the Celadon Game Corner was Team Rocket's biggest base in the city. If it got out that Grey had been "talking cooperation" with Proton, people could spin that story however they wanted.
And Proton just kept talking, which could only mean one thing—he was trying to use this opportunity to widen the rift between Grey and the League.
A chill crawled up Silver's spine.
Proton might look like a dependable, upright businessman—but he was twisting every line of conversation into fodder he could use later for sowing discord!
Proton, you vicious bastard…
"Alright, enough. I'm hanging up. I've got a base to raid."
Grey was already losing patience. He grabbed the cable and ripped it out in one go.
The screen went dark instantly.
Standing on the elevator platform, Grey waited for it to descend.
"Then I'll wait up here, Gym Leader Grey!"
Silver knew he simply wasn't strong enough.
If he went down too, Grey would have to split his attention to protect him. Better to stay topside and help Officer Jenny stabilize the panicking crowd.
"Then stay put and don't cause trouble, okay?"
Grey thought for a moment, then stepped onto the elevator with Annihilape, Blaziken, and Poliwhirl as the platform began to sink into the shaft.
——
As the elevator descended, Grey took advantage of the last scraps of signal to shoot Lorelei a message.
[Grey: Lorelei, I've already made it into Team Rocket's base under Celadon City. Can you send some people over to handle cleanup topside?]
[Grey: "Location shared"]
[Lorelei: ???]
[Lorelei: Hold on—what is going on?!]
[Lorelei: Got it. I'll send people over. You be careful!]
Over at the League, Lorelei had just been thinking about treating herself to something sweet for the evening when Grey's message dropped into her inbox and completely derailed her mood.
Why did it feel like this guy's daily routine was either Gym battles or arresting Team Rocket?
His record was about to surpass Bruno's!
Grey was practically more of an Elite Four member than the actual Elite Four!
Maybe they should just give him the title instead…
Inside her head, Lorelei was mentally ranting, half-seriously thinking about suggesting to Damalanchi that Grey be allowed to sit in on the Kanto Elite Four.
After all, Bruno was about to be transferred to the Johto Elite Four. That would leave an open seat in Kanto—letting Grey take it for a spin didn't sound so crazy.
Click.
The office door swung open.
Lorelei looked up, her gaze tracing from the floor to the familiar shape of a cape.
The first among the Elite Four—Dragon Master Lance.
Of course, Lorelei and the other League officials usually just called him Lance.
And Lance himself preferred that to the full formal title.
"Why the gloomy face?"
He'd originally come in planning to hand Lorelei a task, but seeing her expression, he shelved that and focused on his colleague instead.
After the whole S.S. Anne and Lavender Town incidents, some League council members still weren't pleased with her.
"I was just thinking maybe we should let Bruno's seat go to—no, I mean, something's happened in Celadon."
Lorelei flicked her wrist, sending her phone sailing through the air, and Lance snagged it without missing a beat.
"Hm? Gym Leader Grey really is a workhorse. The Rock Tunnel incident wrapped up barely a few days ago, and he's already gone after Team Rocket again."
A sharp light flashed in Lance's eyes. He was impressed enough that he was tempted to give Grey an award right then and there.
"Kanto needs dedicated Trainers like Gym Leader Grey. I'll go myself this time—think of it as giving him some extra insurance."
"Uh…"
Hearing that Lance intended to go in person, Lorelei couldn't help but warn him, "Just… try not to level the Game Corner, okay? Grey's still down there."
"What, do I really look like the kind of Trainer who tells Dragonite to spam Hyper Beam the second I show up?"
Lance turned away, cape snapping behind him.
"…Aren't you exactly that kind of Trainer?"
//Check out my P@tre0n for 20 extra chapters on all my fanfics //[email protected]/Razeil0810.