The Unova Region
"Hilda! Hilda!"
"What is it? You keep calling my name. Is that all you know how to do?" Hilda said. She stepped out of the bathroom while drying her wet hair, sounding a little annoyed.
"I received a message from Team Rocket. Did you get one?" Rosa asked. She walked over holding her phone.
"What message? Let me see." Seeing Rosa's expression, Hilda picked up her phone and unlocked it. She opened the app. Sure enough, there was an official notice in the notifications.
"Meet in the Kanto region? Hmm..." Hilda tilted her head in confusion. "This is the first time I've received an official notice like this. And it's signed by Damian. It seems like something very important is happening."
"Hilda, do you think it might be... that?" Rosa blinked. She thought of a possibility because Damian had mentioned something to them before.
"Maybe it is. Let's book a flight and go tomorrow," Hilda said quietly. She continued to dry her hair. Regardless of what it was, since the message was from Damian, they definitely had to go.
"Great! Kanto! That's Damian's hometown. I've wanted to go there for a long time!" Rosa's large eyes sparkled. She was already eager to leave.
Similar scenes were happening all over the world.
The Next Day, World Tree Paradise
"Yo, Zamazenta. It looks like you're doing pretty well here." Damian greeted Zamazenta with a smile. The Pokémon was lying down next to the Tree of Life.
Zamazenta had a large bowl next to him filled with all kinds of fruit. In front of him was a specially made large tablet. A TV drama was playing on the screen. Zamazenta looked completely absorbed in the show. Occasionally, he raised his head, took a fruit, and chewed on it happily.
Zamazenta... seems to have been corrupted by Mew, Damian thought.
Standing next to Damian, Zacian looked at Zamazenta's relaxed lifestyle and gave him a strange look.
"Human, Sister... Hi. You're back." Zamazenta turned his head and saw Damian and Zacian. He raised his right paw and waved in a very human-like way. He gave them a proper greeting.
Noticing this movement, Zacian looked even more confused.
"At the start, Zamazenta didn't have much to do during the day. I tried letting him watch some TV and movies. He seems to like it very much," Erika said softly.
As the manager of World Tree Paradise, Erika often came to take care of the Pokémon there. Since Zamazenta was a priority, she naturally gave him special attention. Considering Zamazenta was a hero from myth and legend, and unlike Regigigas, who liked to just lie down and sleep, Erika let him try human entertainment. It turned out Zamazenta was indeed very interested.
Unlike Regigigas and others, Zamazenta's body size was not that huge. He could operate electronic devices with his paws. So, Erika simply ordered a custom large tablet and taught Zamazenta how to use the internet.
"That's right, that's right. This human girl is very good. Erika, when will that game console you mentioned arrive?" Zamazenta agreed completely and asked Erika a question.
"The manufacturer is still custom-making it. I'll check with them. It should be finished and delivered in the next few days."
"Good. Thank you, Erika." Zamazenta was actually very polite. Once the custom game console arrived, he could play games with Mew once in a while.
"Please, don't mention it. You helped me before as well," Erika replied with a smile. She truly felt that Zamazenta was very easy to get along with.
World Tree Paradise had taken in many new wild Pokémon recently. Conflicts often happened between them. Originally, Landorus would help out, but sometimes Landorus and Enamorus would hide in a corner to be romantic, and she couldn't find them.
But now, having Zamazenta, the new big boss, made things much easier. Zamazenta didn't care about dating. He basically spent his time lying by the Tree of Life. If there was real trouble, Erika just had to ask Zamazenta to go over and roar. Once he released his pressure, those noisy Pokémon became quiet instantly.
"Hi... those are just minor things. By the way, Erika, the Lansat Berries are all gone again." Zamazenta's tone seemed a bit embarrassed.
"...I have already sent people to buy more. Zamazenta, please try to save them. Lansat Berries are hard to grow. They are quite rare."
"Hi... I understand, I understand."
"You said that last time too!"
"Don't be angry. It's mostly because when I get lost in a show, I keep eating without noticing. Then they're gone in a few seconds."
Watching the way Zamazenta and Erika spoke so naturally, Zacian fell silent. She felt that Zamazenta's life was really comfortable.
After that, Damian walked around World Tree Paradise for a bit before returning to the castle.
"Damian!"
"Pika!"
As soon as he reached the door, he saw Ash running over with Pikachu on his shoulder.
"Yo, Ash. Misty and Brock, you're here too." Damian greeted them with a smile. He reached out and rubbed Pikachu's small head. "I watched your matches. You almost won the Indigo Plateau Conference."
"Ha... I was still not quite as good as Red yet." Ash rubbed his nose, feeling a bit embarrassed. After all, he had lost in the end.
"Getting second place is already great. The level of this year's Indigo Plateau Conference was much higher than the one I joined," Damian said. He patted Ash's shoulder and then invited the three of them inside. "Come on, don't stand at the door. Let's go inside."
He led the three into the castle.
"Wow! It's so big!"
"This is way too luxurious, isn't it?"
"Did Team Rocket build this themselves?"
Ash and the others looked at the castle lobby. The luxury and rich decorations made it hard for them to look away.
"Yes. This is Team Rocket's headquarters. If you have nothing to do, you can come here to relax. The castle has everything," Damian said with a smile.
"Amazing! By the way, Damian, why did you ask me to come here?" Ash asked.
"It's important. As for the details, we'll wait until everyone else arrives. I'll show you around the castle first." Damian was in no hurry. After all, it would take time for Platinum and the others to arrive.
"Sure!"
By afternoon, more and more people arrived at World Tree Castle. By 4:00 PM, almost everyone had arrived. Damian gathered everyone in the meeting room. Fortunately, the room was large enough; otherwise, they might not have all fit.
The lights in the meeting room were bright. Led by Barret and Helena, a team of servants entered with teacups. They poured a cup of tea for everyone.
Damian sat at the head of the table. Lillie stood behind him, acting as his secretary. Damian looked around at everyone present. He smiled.
These people are the future of Team Rocket!
Kanto Region: Karen, Ash, Will, the Three Executives, the Four Generals, the Three Beasts, Erika, Brock, Misty.
Hoenn Region: Zinnia, Archie, Maxie.
Sinnoh Region: Caitlin, Platinum, Paul.
Unova Region: N, Colress, Rosa, Hilda, Drayton, Kieran, Lacey, Elesa...
Kalos Region: Serena, AZ, Lysandre, who had been persuaded to join.
Alola Region: Selene, Gladion, Guzma, Plumeria.
Galar Region: Gloria, Peony, Marnie, Hop, Bede, Piers.
"Everyone, this is Team Rocket's first official assembly meeting. Welcome."
Damian spoke with a smile. Lusamine did not come. That was because her status was quite special; she couldn't join a war at this moment.
That's right. Strictly speaking, this was the first assembly meeting of the New Team Rocket. People in the room exchanged nods. Since they usually lived in different regions, this was their first time meeting formally.
"I'm sure you're all wondering why I called you here specifically today. The reason is simple," Damian said slowly. The meeting room was very quiet. No one spoke; they just listened silently.
"Next, a battle related to the future of Team Rocket is about to begin."
A battle?
Hearing this, people like Gloria were quite confused. Did Team Rocket have a battle they had to fight?
"Before I introduce this battle, let me talk about Team Rocket's philosophy." Damian tapped his finger gently on the table. "In my view, the world is never just black and white. Team Rocket is the same. I never think Team Rocket represents justice."
"Team Rocket exists in a gray area."
"My original goal in leading Team Rocket was to clean up the parts of the world the League can't reach. We can bring order to the corners the League cannot look after."
Damian's voice reached everyone's ears clearly.
"The League does many good things. This world needs the Pokémon League because it gives people hope and stability. It lets children grow up with hope. It lets boys and girls start their journeys with dreams to chase."
"Therefore, the world needs the Pokémon League. But in the same way, the world also needs Team Rocket." Damian paused. "The Pokémon League is too soft in some places. Because of that, many dark things grow beneath the surface of this bright world."
"The League cannot manage them. They cannot root them out. But Team Rocket can!"
"But because of this, conflict is unavoidable."
Hearing this, Gloria, Brock, and the others were stunned. They looked at Damian in shock. A guess had already surfaced in their hearts. No way, right?
"I'm sure everyone has already guessed it." Damian's face turned serious at some point. His gaze swept over everyone. "That's right. The opponent for this battle is the Pokémon League!"
The opponent is... the Pokémon League?
Damian's words threw the meeting room into an uproar.
"Fight the Pokémon League?"
"For real? Damian, you aren't joking, are you?"
"This..."
Ash, Gloria, and the others all shouted in shock. If they were fighting Team Flare or another enemy, they wouldn't hesitate at all. In fact, they would look forward to it. But fighting the Pokémon League?!
"This is not a joke," Damian shook his head. "Team Rocket is developing too well. Team Rocket can no longer be described as a normal group. President Goodshow actually talked to me long ago, but we didn't reach an agreement."
Damian spoke calmly.
"They just want to recruit Team Rocket and bring us under their control, don't they?" Maxie pushed up his glasses and spoke plainly.
"Indeed. Team Rocket's current scale is too massive. The League cannot just sit by and watch," Colress said, glancing at Ash and the others. "Even if we have no dark ambitions, even if we don't want trouble, the League can't ignore us."
"If we have to fight, then let's fight. Since they want to take us down, we'll just beat them back," Karen said with a smile. A battle between Team Rocket and the League, this was very interesting, wasn't it?
"That's right! Team Rocket isn't easy to bully! Let the League taste how strong we are," Archie said, sounding extremely excited.
"But fighting the Pokémon League... that kind of thing..." Ash frowned hard. He didn't have any bad feelings toward the League at all. On the contrary, wasn't it the League that maintained the order of the world?
Ash absolutely did not want to fight the League. Wouldn't that make him a rebel?
"I think... everyone should calm down first. Damian, is fighting necessary? I don't think it should develop this way," Gloria said to Damian after hesitating. She looked conflicted.
Her thoughts were the same as Ash's. She didn't want to oppose the League. She didn't join Team Rocket to end up on a Wanted poster. She still wanted to become the Galar Region Champion!
"Yeah, why go to war with the League? I can't do that," Hop said, his face also twisted in worry. This was different from the Team Rocket he had imagined.
"All of you, listen to me finish first," Damian said helplessly.
Selene, Rosa, and the others didn't say anything. They had known about this for a long time, and they were willing to stand by Damian's side. So, they didn't feel the need to speak.
As for Ash, Gloria, and Hop, Ash didn't think the League did bad things, and Gloria and Hop felt the same.
"This is not a fight to destroy the League. It is a battle to prove why Team Rocket needs to exist," Damian explained slowly.
Gloria and the others were stunned. What does that mean?
"The League wants Team Rocket to step back. But Team Rocket exists to fill the gap left in the underworld. As long as Team Rocket is here, there is no place for criminal groups or hunter groups to survive."
"But the League doesn't see it that way. They think Team Rocket's existence is not necessary. But is it really not necessary?"
Damian's question made even Ash fall into deep thought.
"Before Team Rocket unified the underworld, the underground of every region was abnormal. It was all a mess. Evil thinkers, collectors, Pokémon hunters, and dangerous groups were even more reckless."
"Even the Galar region had street gangs and hunter groups."
"That is why the new Team Rocket was born. That is why we are here."
"The League maintains order on the public side of the world. As for the hidden side of the world, Team Rocket is the force best suited to handle it!"
Damian leaned back in his chair. His gaze was calm and steady.
"But why can't we just communicate and coexist with the League?" Misty couldn't help but ask. She was asking what was in the hearts of Ash and Hop as well.
Brock's mouth twitched. When did Misty become so simple? Does such a question even need to be asked?
"If communication could solve the problem, no one would want to settle things by force," Damian replied directly.
"If we lose this battle, Team Rocket won't have the freedom we have now. But if we win, the League will leave the underworld to us. We will also have the right to judge and punish criminals in the underworld."
"So..." Gloria started to understand Damian's meaning. "This is actually a match between Team Rocket and the League in a way? And what we're fighting for is the right to manage the underworld and keep our independence?"
"You can understand it that way." Damian nodded.
"So that's how it is." Gloria breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn't a real war to the death. "Really, Damian. You made it sound so scary at first," Gloria complained.
She thought they were really going to start a war with the Pokémon League. If that were the case, she would not have helped Team Rocket. Staying neutral would have been her way of repaying Team Rocket's kindness.
But after understanding the reason, Gloria became interested. "Then, who will the League send to fight us?"
"Gloria, you should ask," Damian raised an eyebrow, "which of the League's strong Trainers won't come?"
"Because this time, we are facing the entire Pokémon League."