The next morning.
Armin was watching Mimikyu nibble on a high-quality Pokéblock when Ariana summoned him to her office.
Before he even reached the door, a hysterical roar echoed from inside.
"What else do you want from me?! I've done everything you asked! And what about your promise? Why is no one taking care of my daughter?!"
Ariana's voice, cool and controlled, cut through the outburst.
"Calm down, Doctor. We're short on personnel recently. The new recruits are still adjusting. Give it two more days and I'll—"
She caught sight of Armin approaching and smoothly changed her tone.
"Doctor, what do you think of this one?"
The man in the white lab coat turned around.
He was middle-aged, wearing round glasses. His expression was unhinged, his eyes brimming with suppressed anguish and instability.
For a split second, he looked like a madman.
Armin met his brown gaze.
The frenzy vanished.
Replaced by warmth.
As though nothing had happened.
The man smiled gently.
"What's your name?"
Armin didn't answer immediately. Instead, he glanced at Ariana.
But Ariana was clearly used to scenes like this. A rare trace of exhaustion showed on her face as she stepped forward.
"His name is Armin. A new member currently undergoing training. He's a gentle, kind young man. I think your daughter would like him."
Armin nearly choked.
He had to admit—
Ariana's improvisation skills were on par with his own.
"Armin…" the man murmured, as though testing the name.
Then he turned to Ariana decisively.
"He'll do. Make arrangements soon. I can't leave my daughter alone at home."
Without another word, he walked away.
Armin watched him disappear around the corner before turning back to Ariana, confusion written all over his face.
You just… sold me?
Ariana read the question instantly. She led him inside and collapsed into her chair, looking unusually tired.
She said nothing.
Just sat there.
Armin stood awkwardly for a moment.
Then, with remarkable shamelessness, he flopped down onto the black leather sofa.
He had stayed up reading until 2 a.m. His sleep debt was catching up to him.
Ariana stared at him.
…This did not feel like the behavior of a Kanto League investigator.
The League was full of rigid, upright individuals. There was no way they had trained someone this brazen.
Then she remembered yesterday's surveillance report.
"Is Nurse Joy pretty?" she asked suddenly.
Armin blinked.
?
He knew he had been monitored. Mimikyu was extremely sensitive to being watched and had detected the Rocket operative immediately.
But Ariana bringing it up so openly meant she didn't mind him knowing.
What was she planning?
Was this it?
The showdown?
Seeing his momentary distraction, Ariana smiled faintly.
"Don't overthink it. I'm not accusing you of anything."
She leaned back casually.
"I just want to ask you something, Armin."
"Can I trust you?"
There it was.
Armin's heart pounded.
He forced himself to stay calm and met her gaze.
"What do you mean?"
Ariana's eyes curved with amusement. Her bad mood from earlier seemed to evaporate.
Honestly, keeping a handsome man around did improve one's emotional stability.
At least looking at him was better than staring at certain less attractive subordinates.
She leaned forward slightly, crimson lips curling.
"After our battle, when I asked whether you knew Lance, your reaction told me you did. And not just in a superficial way."
"Micro-expressions don't lie."
"Tell me, Armin. Are you an undercover investigator sent by the Kanto League?"
Her eyes locked onto his.
There was no escape.
Armin exhaled softly.
"What if I am?"
Ariana relaxed visibly.
"I'm glad you didn't lie."
"So what now?" Armin asked bluntly. "Throw me into the ocean and feed me to Sharpedo?"
Ariana stared at him.
"How does your brain even work? Sometimes I want to cut it open just to understand the wiring."
She shook her head.
"I was more surprised that instead of contacting the League yesterday, you chose to flirt with Nurse Joy."
Armin didn't deny it.
Since they were being honest—
And judging by her tone, he wasn't about to be shark food.
"What if I had tried to contact them?" he asked curiously.
Ariana smiled.
"You wouldn't have had the chance. The operatives monitoring the four of you are specially trained. They would eliminate you before the call connected."
Armin: …
Of course.
Team Rocket wasn't stupid.
"So," Ariana continued softly, "what's your decision?"
"Choose Team Rocket. Whatever the League offers—money, influence, rare Pokémon—Team Rocket can offer the same. Perhaps even better."
She paused, then added lightly—
"Women."
Armin shook his head immediately.
"I'll pass. Women aren't even half as attractive as a Gardevoir."
At that exact moment, a system prompt appeared before him.
…
[Do you accept Ariana's offer? Accepting will automatically change your Main Quest.]
…
Accept.
Only an idiot would refuse.
Armin selected Yes without hesitation.
[Main Quest Updated!]
Objective: Identify the traitors within Team Rocket! (0/5)**
Time Limit: 29 Days
Failure Condition: Timeout
Due to increased difficulty, completion rewards will be significantly enhanced.
Ariana watched him carefully.
When she sensed his answer, she smiled.
"Good. As a new member of Team Rocket, you'll need to complete a simple task to prove yourself."
Armin frowned slightly.
"Does this have something to do with the doctor just now?"
Ariana nodded.
"He suffers from severe psychological disorders. Paranoia. Dissociative tendencies. Delusional projections. Anxiety. He's a tragic man."
"But he's also a brilliant biologist."
Armin remembered what he had overheard in the hallway.
"So my task is to look after his daughter?"
Ariana's expression turned odd.
"No. His daughter is dead."
"The 'daughter' he talks about now exists only in his imagination."
"You just need to play along. Go home with him. Pretend. Stabilize his emotions."
Silence fell between them.
Armin stared at her.
So—
His first official assignment as a Team Rocket operative…
Was babysitting a ghost.