Treating the Tsuchihara Family differently was entirely Ash's decision.
He wasn't running a faction, nor did he need to worry about maintaining appearances. Even though the Tsuchihara Family ranked as a notable power in Kanto, they had blatantly intercepted his profits and stepped on his interests—so Ash returned the favor without hesitation by cutting them out of cooperation altogether.
If you love selling Magikarp so much, Ash thought coldly, then sell Magikarp forever.
If not for concerns over his mother's safety, Ash wouldn't even spare a glance at an organization as vicious as Team Rocket, let alone a mere Tsuchihara Family.
Of course, he had anticipated their reaction after imposing this economic exclusion. In his mind, the Tsuchihara Family would be furious—seething, raging, powerless.
And for the most part, he was right.
What he hadn't expected, however, was that after being harshly reprimanded by the current head of the Tsuchihara Family, the clan members would quickly grasp the bigger picture. Instead of continuing to resent Ash, they began preparing an extravagant gift—one meant to repair relations and curry favor.
A gift that, for a Pokémon Trainer like Ash, would be almost impossible to refuse.
Naturally, Ash had no idea about any of this yet. In his view, the Tsuchihara Family was probably still grinding their teeth in helpless fury.
…
Team Rocket
"Damn that brat! He dared to torture my Drowzee like this—if I ever get another chance, I'll make him pay for crossing me!"
Deep beneath the Viridian Gym, inside Team Rocket's base, Cassidy roared in fury as she stared at the battered Drowzee that had just been sent back.
"Cassidy, calm down, nya!" Meowth hurriedly tried to placate her.
"That kid has already completed all three Magikarp orders. Half the big Kanto families have signed contracts with him, and the League has increased security around Pallet Town. We don't have an opening anymore, nya!"
"And didn't you hear what Drowzee said? Aside from the League's protection around Pallet Town, that brat already has three Pokémon strong enough to fight Drowzee head-on!"
"Not to mention Professor Oak left a Champion-level Charizard as his personal bodyguard! Champion-level, nya! Forget us—even the four Rocket executives wouldn't last a round against that thing!"
"And the way that kid treated Drowzee… cold, ruthless. If we go after him again, he might just have that Charizard kill us outright, nya! This mission is already beyond our capabilities. As long as we report honestly, Boss won't punish us!"
Recalling Drowzee's hollow, terrified eyes when it returned—its body emaciated, spirit broken—and listening to its account of the week-long ordeal under Ash, Meowth shivered uncontrollably.
Especially when Drowzee said that Ash's gaze and presence reminded it of Boss Giovanni himself.
"I'm not stupid," Cassidy said, her voice trembling despite herself.
"I don't want anything to do with a monster like that kid. I just hope the Boss believes us and doesn't punish us…"
-----
Pallet Town
With his mother and Miho (Gary's mother) preparing to open their flower shop in Viridian City—and renovations already underway—Ash began laying the groundwork for direct contact with Team Rocket.
By noon, negotiations with Kanto's major families were complete. Though contracts weren't officially signed yet, the outcome was already set.
Between the Champion-level Charizard guarding him, the leverage he held through his business ties, and the secrets he knew about Team Rocket…
Ash now possessed enough capital to approach Team Rocket directly—without fearing for his safety.
And to finally uncover their true objective and remove the thorn lodged in his mind, he decided to make contact this very afternoon.
Preparations
He borrowed a map of the Southern Kanto Islands from Professor Oak's archives.
He borrowed a LEGO rocket model from Gary.
He borrowed a Mew plush toy from Green next door.
Back home, Ash pinned the island map to the wall—carefully positioning it so the webcam would capture it clearly. On the map, he planted a bright red flag squarely on New Island, near Old Shore Wharf.
The LEGO rocket model was placed where the camera could see it clearly.
The Mew plush was hugged in his arms.
Finally, he released the Charizard Professor Oak had left with him.
"Charizard, I'm about to make a video call," Ash said calmly.
"Stand behind me where the camera can see you. No need to move."
"…Got it," Charizard rumbled. "Want me to look scary?"
"Yes," Ash nodded. "As scary as possible. Cold. Killing intent included."
"Hoho… that's my specialty."
Satisfied with the setup, Ash instructed Rotom to retrieve the phone number Team Rocket had used a week earlier—when Meowth had impersonated a dairy company.
He dialed.
-----
Viridian City · Team Rocket Headquarters
In a dimly lit, spacious office, a middle-aged man in a dark suit sat silently on a luxurious high-backed sofa, fingers tapping rhythmically on the armrest.
Beside him stood a woman with short purple hair, expression cold, glasses perched on her nose. Holding a tablet, she reported calmly:
"Boss, the boy completed his three trial orders this morning. By noon, he had reached cooperation agreements with nearly every major Kanto family and consortium."
"Takahashi, Matsudaira, Fujiwara, Tokugawa, Toyotomi… with the sole exception of the Tsuchihara Family, all prominent Kanto powers now have shared-interest bindings with him."
"This afternoon, every faction cooperating with him contacted us to issue warnings—ordering Team Rocket not to touch him."
She hesitated, disbelief flickering across her face.
"Setting aside the fact that he's only six years old… his actions show a deep understanding of power balances between major factions. His methods are mature, calculating—like an old fox."
"I find it hard to believe a child from a common family could make such decisions without someone manipulating him from behind the scenes."
The man finally smiled faintly.
"Never underestimate children from the bottom of society, Matori," he said softly.
"They often possess survival instincts that noble heirs never will."
"Strictly speaking… I'm a commoner too, am I not?"
She fell silent.
"Enough. Regardless of whether this was intentional or accidental, the result is the same," Giovanni continued coldly.
"The League has wrapped him in ironclad protection, and Kanto's elites are now tied to him by shared-interest."
"For the foreseeable future, we will not move against this boy."
"Now—any progress on Dr. Fuji's Gene Stabilization Serum?"
"No," Matori replied, shaking her head. "None at all. He's under immense pressure."
"He should be," Giovanni sneered.
"If he wants his daughter back, then he'll overcome the problem himself."
"Summon Jessie, James, Meowth, Cassidy, Butch, and Drowzee. I want a full report."
"Yes, Boss."
-----
Elsewhere, in Pallet Town—
Ash stared at the ringing screen, calm and composed.
The shadows… were finally about to answer.
--------------
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