"Then become my partner."
Like performing a magic trick, Grey produced a Poké Ball seemingly out of thin air.
Facing the Heracross whose fighting spirit had just been reignited, he was willing to give it a platform to grow stronger.
In his dojo, everything depended on yourself.
All Grey could provide were some pointers and a place to train.
Whether it was Annihilape or Dratini, just how far they could go all came down to their own effort.
If they didn't work hard, even a system's help would be wasted.
Clap, clap, clap…
Thunderous applause rang out.
Grey still held the Poké Ball mid-gesture when, from the corner of his eye, he saw two figures strolling out of the shadows in the corridor.
Walking in front was a strikingly handsome man. After leisurely adjusting the brim of his naval cap, he clapped his leather-gloved hands together, each impact landing with a heavy thud.
Half a step behind him, the tips of Petrel's dress shoes tapped the floor in impatience, his gloomy gaze fixed on Grey.
"Magnificent. Absolutely magnificent! Gym Leader Grey, Team Rocket needs trainers like you!"
Proton stepped forward, reaching out as if to shake Grey's hand. "Someone like you—ruthless to your enemies, and kind to your own—why, you're a natural-born villain!"
"Mr. Proton, has no one ever told you that calling a Gym Leader a villain is extremely rude?"
Grey withdrew the Poké Ball and shifted, placing Heracross and the other Pokémon behind him.
"Ki-haaa!" (Team Rocket lapdogs! What are you doing here?!)
Annihilape's temper flared the instant it saw Proton and Petrel. It strode forward and slammed its fists together.
Eerie ghostly energy seeped from its forearms, the dim afterimages of its fists thickening with every breath.
Rage Fist was gathering. If Proton and Petrel failed to read the room, they were going to get a very personal demonstration.
"Gym Leader Grey, I'd like to speak to you in a personal capacity, not as one of the Four Rocket Executives. Would you be willing to give this humble 'man of the people' entrepreneur a small opportunity?"
Proton's smile held at a perfect angle—neither arrogant nor cold.
"Grey, what happened before was my fault. I'd like to apologize to you in person. My sincerity wasn't enough."
Even the always-arrogant Petrel lowered his noble head, forcing himself to speak humbly.
"Oh? And then?"
Grey walked past Proton and held a hand out toward Petrel, curling his fingers inward in a very obvious "gimme" motion.
Rage surged in Petrel's chest, and he blurted, "Grey, you son of—"
"Petrel. Mind your manners."
Seeing Petrel about to explode, Proton raised a hand and stopped the outburst cold.
"…What do you mean by this, sir?"
Petrel frowned, glancing at the small gesture Proton had made. After grinding his anger back down, he lowered his voice and asked.
"I mean exactly what you said earlier. You were going on about how your 'sincerity wasn't enough'—so isn't now the time to show a little sincerity?"
Grey shrugged. The casual pose almost made Petrel lose it on the spot.
But when he thought of how important Celadon Game Corner was, he forced his rage back into its cage and continued in a low voice, "You know I was only just rescued by the Boss. On me right now, I don't really have—"
"Alright, if you don't have it, you don't have it. Why waste so many words? You just want to say you've got nothing good on you and you'll 'make it up to me later,' right?"
Grey sighed softly. His outstretched hand slowly rotated into a thumbs-down.
"Mr. Petrel, when it comes to feeding people lies, you really are a pro. On behalf of the Kanto League, I officially look down on you."
At that, Petrel's face flushed the color of raw liver. His fingers clamped hard around the Team Rocket emblem on his chest.
He opened his mouth, but all that came out were strangled gasps, like a Magikarp flopping on dry land.
Grey's words were infuriatingly on point.
How could even his trash talk be this good?!
"I… you…!"
Petrel's other hand pressed over his heart as he struggled in vain to get a full sentence out.
Beside him, Proton quietly shuffled half a step away, his expression clearly saying, "I don't know this embarrassment of a man."
"Hera!"
Heracross had been listening from the side this whole time and now could hardly resist the urge to slap Petrel clear across the room.
"Shh, don't rush it. You'll get your shot at smacking him around later."
A laughing voice popped into Heracross's mind out of nowhere, freezing its raised arm mid-motion as it glanced around in surprise.
"Don't bother looking around—I'm right next to you. That little Riolu is me."
The little Riolu's voice flared in its head again, and Heracross jerked its gaze sideways in shock.
At some point, a small blue, dog-like Pokémon had appeared at its side, happily gnawing on a berry, juice dripping all over its paws.
"Mii-ou～" (This Sitrus Berry is actually pretty good. Want a bite?)
The little Riolu took a look around, its eyes finally landing on the berry still untouched in Heracross's hand. It finished its own Sitrus in a few quick bites, then stared at Heracross's berry, Adam's apple bobbing.
That's how it is—the things you can't have are always the most tempting.
"Hera." (Then you eat it. I don't mind.)
Heracross tossed the berry over to the little Riolu and kept its eyes fixed forward.
"Mii-ou!" (I hereby declare that from today on, you're officially my best little bro!)
So much generosity left the little Riolu absolutely dazzled. It threw the berry straight into its mouth, licked its paws clean, then patted Heracross on the back.
"Mii-ou～" (You might feel something weird in a second, but whatever you do, don't make a sound, okay～? It's for your own good.)
"Hera!" (What… wait, my head… what is—)
A rush of knowledge surged into Heracross's mind all at once, and even the injuries in its body were gradually swept away, returning it to full health.
"Hera?" (Who… exactly are you?)
"Mii-ou～" (Who I am isn't important. What matters is that from now on, you're my little bro. Come on, call me 'Boss' once and let me hear it. I'll make sure you eat well and live well.)
The little Riolu planted its paws on its hips, then rubbed its nose and stared ahead like a big shot.
"Hera." (I only recognize him as my boss.)
Heracross turned the offer down without hesitation.
In its whole life, it would acknowledge only one leader.
And right now, that leader was already set as Grey.
"Mii-ou～" (Mm, just as I thought. I really didn't misjudge this 'bug,' huh～. Good. That's exactly how you should be. If you ever need anything, come find me. If I can help, I will.)
The little Riolu nodded in deep satisfaction.
That was the kind of proud Pokémon it liked.
"Gym Leader Grey, I know you don't want to trust Team Rocket."
Proton drooped his shoulders with a helpless little shrug, letting his half-raised hand fall back.
"How about this— to show our sincerity, how would you feel about us giving you the location of a Legendary Pokémon?"
//Check out my P@tre0n for 20 extra chapters on all my fanfics //[email protected]/Razeil0810.