"Any problem with that?"
Damian shot Guzma a puzzled look.
"Being entertainment complex the boss and all… I've got no experience."
Guzma spoke with a grimace. He was just a delinquent—when had he ever done anything legit?
"And, uh, young master, aren't we an evil team?"
"Who told you evil teams don't do business?"
Damian frowned slightly, then sighed. Fair—Team Skull's standards were right there on display.
"Guzma, an organization needs money to run. Sure, money can't do everything in this world."
"But if you want to get things done, you can't do it without money. You get me?"
Damian explained, patient as a schoolteacher.
Guzma's blank look clearly told Damian he didn't get it.
"Forget it, I'll make it simple. Team Rocket's got a ton of people on payroll. Don't we need to pay them?"
"Uh…"
"'Uh' what? Don't tell me you've never paid your boys salaries?"
"…"
Guzma and Plumeria traded a glance, both awkward and silent.
"Also, uniforms, building bases, greasing the right palms, intel gathering, group ops—none of that happens without money."
"Especially greasing palms. No matter what, there's no dodging it. The Pokémon League is huge—if we don't spend to win over some folks inside the League, how's the organization supposed to grow?"
Damian laid it out point by point.
Right now, Alola didn't need much greasing—there wasn't even a League here yet. Just keep an eye on each island's Island Kahuna.
Guzma's eyes were starting to spin, while Plumeria listened closely.
"We're just getting started in the Alola Region, so we'll need a lot of upfront investment. But don't worry about the seed money—Kanto headquarters will fund it."
"But it's best to get self-sustaining fast, so the entertainment complex needs to open ASAP. It'll bring in a ton of revenue," Proton added.
"And Sir Guzma, you're pretty well-known in the Alola Region. News that you're opening an entertainment complex will draw plenty of attention—our complex will get popular faster," Caitlin added with a smile.
"But,… Brother Guzma's reputation isn't exactly positive…" Plumeria worried aloud.
Guzma's name was loud in Alola, sure—but for being a bully, not a saint.
"Doesn't matter. We can have the papers run a piece—'Guzma Turns Over a New Leaf' or 'Guzma's Past.' Two sappy puff articles will do," Damian said casually.
"We want clicks and attention. A bit of early hate toward Guzma won't matter."
Damian had plenty of faith in the entertainment complex. The crown jewel would be the arcade!
And he believed the arcade prizes would be irresistible!
Celadon City's Game Corner—the one that took Kanto by storm—was run by Team Rocket, and it raked in a fortune every year.
"Guzma, you don't even have to do much. Just show your face at the grand opening. Day-to-day management goes to deputies. They're pros."
"Oh, oh, oh—then no problem!"
Guzma nodded. That he could do. Running a company? Not his lane.
He still preferred punching problems.
"Next, Plumeria, once the clothing factories are squared away, take a team and recruit more hands. We need bodies."
"Yes."
"Alright, go brief your subordinates."
After a few quick instructions, Damian gestured for the two to handle things outside.
Guzma and Plumeria headed out.
"That pretty much settles Team Skull. Not too much hassle." Damian stretched, relaxed.
"With that, there's no real dark force in the Alola Region that can get in our way."
"Mm. In the next few days, we start clearing out the hunter outfits. I don't want to hear about those scumbags in the Alola Region."
Damian spoke evenly. So-called Pokémon hunters were "professionals" who took contracts and got paid upon completion.
Like Hunter J in the anime—she was one of them.
Damian had zero love for hunter groups. They were leeches skimming a share off the evil teams' business lines.
Anything the hunters did, evil teams could do too. Evil teams also took certain contracts—big spenders are always welcome.
But Damian hated hunter crews for one reason: they only cared about pay. If the money was right, they took any job.
As a transmigrator who genuinely cared about Pokémon, Damian despised treating Pokémon purely as tradable tools.
Because of that—and with Giovanni's tacit approval—Team Rocket had basically stopped gene experiments, and rarely snatched random Trainers' Pokémon anymore.
Damian didn't think he was a good guy—but he did have a few lines he wouldn't cross.
You can be bad, you can be cruel—but at least be a villain, not a mindless beast.
Still, you can't wipe hunter groups out. Where there's demand, there's a market. That's the world.
Even the top dog, the Pokémon League, can't eradicate evil teams or hunter outfits. That's why.
Humans are human because they brim with desire.
Even in this mostly bright, kind Pokémon World, it's the same.
"Caitlin, I'm putting you in charge of this one. How about it?"
Damian looked to Caitlin with a smile.
He had a soft spot for her—he saw the potential.
Team Rocket only had two Champion-tier Trainers right now: Giovanni and him. Caitlin had a shot at being the third!
"Of course. I'd be happy to." Caitlin nodded with a faint, elegant smile.
Cleaning up those notorious hunter groups? No burden at all.
"Mm. Caitlin, design yourself a uniform, too. In the shadier places, a dress that pretty's gonna get ruined."
Damian gave the glamorous noble lady a teasing once-over.
"The young master's right. Miss Caitlin should prepare a proper field uniform," Proton agreed with a laugh.
"Alright, I'll think on it when I'm back." Caitlin smiled. Her own Team Rocket uniform, huh?
She sank into thought. It was her official work outfit—she had to design it right.
"By the way, when you're not busy, you can also spar with Proton or Guzma," Damian suggested.
He'd always believed battle was the best special training.
"?"
Proton stiffened. The expectant look Caitlin shot him made his scalp prickle.
Not that he was unwilling—he just had no time!
Come on, young master, I've barely touched the ground these days. Where am I finding time to spar with Caitlin??
And the most idle one here is you, young master. You could spar with her.
You can't treat me like a pure workhorse, right?
Keep this up and I'm heading back to Kanto, you fiend!
Yeah… Proton kinda missed the leisurely days in Kanto—when he could even go out for little cakes every day.