Chapter 3: Team Rocket?
Three days later. Team Rocket's underground base in Viridian City.
At this time, Team Rocket was still in its nascent stages. It had not yet become the reckless criminal empire of the future—an organization that would one day capture Pokémon indiscriminately, snatch them from trainers on the street, and openly attack League officials.
For now, all of Team Rocket's activities were conducted in secret, shrouded from the League's watchful eyes.
However, under the leadership of the formidable Madame Boss, the organization was already involved in every illicit scheme that could earn Pokédollars. They had accumulated vast wealth, making the construction of several hidden bases a trivial matter.
In one such base's infirmary, Giovanni's eyes snapped open. He was dressed in a clean hospital gown, an IV line taped to his arm.
The bright lights of the room forced him to squint. After a moment, he opened his parched mouth. "Is this... heaven? Am I dead?"
No, he thought, his mind clearing. If I died in this world, I'd go to the Ghost World, or maybe even the Distortion World. This doesn't look like either.
Giovanni pushed himself into a sitting position, taking in the sterile beds and medical equipment around him. He'd been rescued. He raised a hand, touching his face, then his head. Someone had shaved his long, matted hair into a practical buzz cut.
It wasn't a dream.
A wave of confusion followed the relief. "Where am I?"
The infirmary door creaked open, and a doctor followed by several nurses walked in. A quick glance confirmed they weren't related to Nurse Joy. It made sense; the League wouldn't provide free medical care for a stray orphan from the slums.
The doctor stopped short upon seeing Giovanni sitting up. He turned to one of the nurses. "He's awake already? Go notify Miyamoto."
As the nurse hurried out, the doctor approached, brandishing various instruments. Ignoring Giovanni's protests, he began a thorough examination. He glanced at the completely empty IV bag, a look of wonder on his face.
"Your physiology is astonishing," the doctor marveled. "You've metabolized a nutrient solution that would take the average Pokémon a week to process.
When you were brought here, your organs were on the verge of total failure. Now, you're not only healed, but you're physically stronger than before."
He looked at Giovanni like a prospector who had just struck gold, his eyes burning with a disturbing fervor.
"Young man," the doctor said, leaning closer, "My name is Dr. Ryoki. Your body is a scientific miracle. Have you ever considered contributing to a greater cause? To science? If my research on you is successful, you could change the world."
Giovanni felt a shiver of disgust and fought the urge to punch him. He scoffed internally. If they wanted to study a real freak of nature, they should try to find Ash Ketchum who could easily lift a Cosmoem (2204.4 lb).
Still, he knew something was different. He could feel a strange power flowing within him, a result of that green light in the forest. This new strength could be a blessing or a curse.
Having survived the slums for this long, Giovanni knew better than to trust anyone.
In any world, the only person you could rely on was yourself. He was all too aware of the ugliness of human nature; tales of researchers performing secret, inhuman experiments were common. He had no intention of becoming a lab rat.
Fortunately, before Giovanni had to refuse, his savior arrived.
Miyamoto strode in, her massive Houndoom at her side. She shot the doctor a withering glare. "He has no time to be your pet project, Ryoki. Madame Boss has plans for him."
Dr. Ryoki looked annoyed. "That plan... Madame Boss is truly ambitious." He reluctantly patted Giovanni's shoulder. "Well, kid, I hope you survive. If you do, we can still cooperate. Good luck."
"It's you!" The memories from before he collapsed came flooding back to Giovanni as he looked at Miyamoto. Her, the Houndoom, and the imposing woman in red who had... adopted him?
And the "R" symbol on their uniforms. Team Rocket.
What a twisted fate. He had been saved by the very organization he knew would become the scourge of Kanto. A new confusion arose. Miyamoto had called the woman "Boss."
Team Rocket could only have one boss. If she was the boss, then where was Giovanni?[1]
As far as Giovanni knew, the infamous boss of Team Rocket was a man. The timeline was still early—the League was young, and Professor Oak wasn't yet a Champion—but the leader was definitely supposed to be a man.
Giovanni was drowning in questions, but Miyamoto paid him no mind. She took a Team Rocket uniform from the nurse who had followed her in and tossed it onto the bed.
"You finally remember," she said, a hint of impatience in her voice. "Hurry up and change. Everyone is waiting."
With so many people present, Giovanni hesitated, but a low growl from the Houndoom was all the motivation he needed. He dove under the covers and quickly changed.
This Houndoom was no Rattata; a fight between them wouldn't even be a contest—it would be a slaughter.
The uniform was made of a higher quality material than anything he had ever worn. He swung his legs off the bed. Though he was still lean, the stark black uniform gave him an unexpected, almost domineering presence.
Miyamoto smirked. "Don't be so modest. No one here is interested in looking at a scrawny kid like you."
The nearby nurses covered their mouths and chuckled. When you're in someone else's house, you play by their rules. Giovanni didn't argue.
"Thank you," he said simply. "For saving me. If I get the chance, I'll repay you." Then he asked, "Where are we going?"
Miyamoto gave him a long, appraising look before patting her Houndoom's head. "You'll see. Follow me."
Utterly bewildered, Giovanni could only obey. On his way out, he gave a short nod of thanks to Dr. Ryoki and the nurses.
The corridors of the base were a stark contrast to the dilapidated slums he called home. They were clean, modern, and filled with busy Team Rocket members who all stopped to salute Miyamoto respectfully as she passed. She was clearly a high-ranking executive.
After walking in silence for a few minutes, Giovanni couldn't hold back his question any longer. "That other person... the one in the red suit..."
Miyamoto stopped before a set of large, imposing double doors. She turned her head, a cold smile on her lips. "You mean Madame Boss? She didn't lie to you."
She pushed open the doors, revealing a vast, dark chamber beyond.
"She is your mother now. And it's time to meet your new brothers and sisters."
[1] yes, MC thinks that he is just someone who coincidentally has the same name as Giovanni.