"Heyyy—if you ask me, we should just surrender! It still counts as turning ourselves in, and we might get a lighter sentence!"
Green tiptoed away to the other side as she said it.
"Yeah, same! I got tricked into this. Usually I'm just washing dishes in the Team Rocket building. Even if the League fines me, how bad could it be? At worst I'll sit a year or two."
The Rockets looked at one another, their mood swayed by Green's words.
In an instant, the surrender fever spiked…
"Me, me, me—I surrender first! Boss, I haven't done many bad things. Arrest me first!"
"Like hell you haven't. You even stole a Mankey's bananas. You're rotten to the core!"
"Officer Jenny, I was wrong. Please lock me up!"
They scrambled to surrender, terrified that if the police really stacked the charges, they'd lose their right to be Trainers for good.
"Heh-heh. Well? When I make a move, isn't it a clean sweep?"
Hunched over, Green came back, chest puffed out as she asked Grey for credit.
"True. Can your 'face-change' change your voice too? That's handy."
Grey nodded—her trick really had sped up the mass surrender.
"I practiced it myself."
Cuddling the Clefairy in her arms, Green blinked at Grey. "Grey, are you still heading for Nugget Bridge?"
"Of course. For all we know, the Nugget Bridge crew might not have shown up here."
Grey sounded sure.
No way all those nine-to-five types got shipped over with this batch, right?
"Gym Leader Grey, thank you for your planning—and for stepping in."
After tallying the numbers, Officer Jenny walked over, beaming. She delivered the good news straight: "Gym Leader Grey, you don't need to go to Nugget Bridge anymore. This sudden sweep even nabbed their people."
Grey: …
"Wow. Is Team Rocket really that dumb?"
Grey rubbed his chin. Something felt off.
Huh…
What exactly feels off?
Puzzled, he glanced at Jenny's excited face and reminded her, "Officer Jenny, there's still a group of Rockets in Mt. Moon. Don't forget to handle them."
"Oh—right, I almost forgot."
She nodded and had Grey and Green hop into the patrol car, heading straight for Mt. Moon.
The mountain road was rough, the ride bumpy.
Grey's face didn't look great.
"Grey… this is gonna cost extra…"
Green's voice juddered with every jolt, her whole body a blur. First thing on her mind was her promised reward.
"Green, sometimes you can't be too fixated on money."
Eyes on his phone, Grey said calmly, "As the ancients say, money is but an external thing. The devout need not set their eyes upon it."
"If you don't set your eyes on it, then you support me."
Green actually laughed in disbelief at the sermon.
Raising Pokémon, buying clothes, eating—life costs money at every turn.
No money, no moving an inch.
How did that supposedly warm mouth of yours spit out something so cold?
"I can. I'll support you—come be an apprentice at my Gym. Room, board, and everything covered."
Grey turned and took a long look at Green.
"You! Who wants to be your apprentice…"
Under his stare, Green turned away, refusing eye contact.
She'd been happy with the first half of that sentence—then it turned into an invite to be a Gym apprentice…
Whiplash much.
"Why not? Aren't you short on cash? Be my apprentice and I'll pay you a salary, plus room and board. That's not bad treatment."
Grey felt his apprentice package was already generous.
Some Gyms might offer parts of it.
But all of it together?
He even paid apprentices a salary. That adds up.
"Apprentice is a no. I'm done running errands for you. You keep dangling promises and never cash in."
Green pouted, crossing her arms under her chest and lifting that very round pair just a touch.
"Next time, for sure."
Grey gave a wry grin and looked out the window.
Mt. Moon drew closer.
The ridgelines grew thicker around them.
"Mio~"
The little "Riolu" perked up—then quickly slumped again.
"Little 'Riolu,' what's up?"
Grey lifted the "Riolu" in front of him, curious.
"Mio~" (This place is so boring~)
It sighed, propping its chin in both little hands, looking like it didn't want to move.
"Boring? What would be not-boring?"
Grey felt like he understood and tested the waters.
"Mio!" (Travel the whole world, obviously—and taste all the food!)
The little "Riolu" had a dream:
Travel the world someday.
Sure, not realistic right now.
But going overseas would be nice…
"I'm taking the S.S. Anne to the Galar region on Saturday. If you don't mind, want to come with me?"
Grey pinched its cheeks, and his next words broke its defenses completely: "I hear Galar's got a ton of great food. Curry's a fan favorite. The flavor's unbeatable…"
"Mio!" (I'm hungry just hearing that. I want to go!)
It nodded like a bobblehead.
Listening to Grey describe dish after dish, it could practically taste them—drool imminent.
"You're going on the S.S. Anne? That's a world-class luxury cruise. Where'd you get a ticket?!"
Green was stunned yet again.
Right now, buying one would run into the tens of millions at least.
Especially Kanto to Galar—the price only goes up.
"What, you want to go too?"
Grey chuckled.
"Of course I do. It's a world-class cruise! Don't tell me you're buying me a ticket?"
Green didn't believe this cheapskate would spend on her.
Not charging her would already be a blessing.
"No, I'm not 'buying you a ticket.'"
Grey raised a finger and wagged it.
"Knew it~"
Green shrugged, not fussed.
"Buuut…"
He flipped out a gleaming golden ticket. "This one lets me bring a family member~"
"VIP?! Where did you get that?!"
The ticket almost blinded her. Overwhelmed by the sheer luxury of it, she didn't press too hard.
Grey only made a hush gesture. "A friend. One question—are you in or not?"
"In, in, in! Boss Grey, you're the best!"
Green nodded furiously—then realized the catch:
"So… in what capacity do I travel with you?"
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