Pokemon: I Transmigrated Twice

"This… does make some sense."

Petrel, who was holding Gladion like a chick in his left hand, stroked the small mustache on his chin and nodded in agreement with Stephen's words.

Indeed, if Fabra could betray his former boss, Lusamine, today for the sake of power and status, then tomorrow, he might just as easily betray Team Rocket for a stronger faction offering higher rewards.

In any organization or world, the term traitor is universally despised.

"BOSS, should we take this guy out?"

 Proton, the future most ruthless of Team Rocket's Four Executives, suggested coldly.

Faba was completely dumbfounded.

W-What? How did the situation turn out like this?

Wasn't he the one who had just helped Team Rocket secure the Aether Foundation, a great achievement?

How did things suddenly escalate to them wanting to kill him?

"Don't talk nonsense."

Luckily, Giovanni's response made Faba breathe a sigh of relief.

"Dr. Faba is a key contributor to our success in taking over Aether Paradise. Such talk is forbidden."

"Understood..."

 Seeing their boss lay down the law, Proton had no choice but to back down reluctantly.

After a moment of thought, Giovanni finally made his decision: "Since you, Stephen, don't trust Dr. Faba, we'll transfer him to Kanto. Lusamine will be left for you to manage."

Hearing Giovanni's decision, Petrel released Gladion.

"Mother! Lillie!"

The future edgelord teen sprinted forward and embraced his mother and sister in a heartfelt reunion. It was a picture of familial harmony.

It seemed that, at least for now, this family's relationship hadn't fractured as it did during Ash's era.

Wicke let out a long sigh of relief. No matter what, their lives had been spared.

The three members of Lusamine's family looked at Stephen with gratitude.

If it hadn't been for Stephen stepping in, they might…

Meanwhile, Faba's feelings were a tangled mess.

Leaving Alola for Kanto?

Wouldn't that mean losing his original foundation of power?

But staying in Alola would mean enduring Lusamine's endless attempts at revenge.

Following Giovanni back to Kanto was undoubtedly his only choice.

Yet, thinking about it further, Faba felt even more conflicted.

Compared to his time as the Deputy Chief of Aether Foundation, this new position didn't seem to offer much improvement in terms of treatment.

"It's settled then. Stephen, you'll take charge of everything in the Alola division. Also, replace all current Aether Foundation employees who are aware of our presence with Team Rocket personnel."

Giovanni issued his final orders.

Lusamine bit her lip tightly. She understood perfectly well that Giovanni's actions were meant to monitor her family and Stephen.

But in such a desperate situation, keeping her family alive was already a blessing amidst misfortune. She dared not hope for more.

"Everyone, prepare for retreat!"

Proton waved his hand and ordered the subordinates to prepare for their return to Kanto.

This naturally included Faba, who had just been recruited by Giovanni.

"Uncle, do you trust that guy?"

Stephen glanced at Faba's retreating figure and asked Giovanni.

"Of course not,"

Giovanni was a competent leader, but not a foolish one.

He didn't mind employees changing allegiances, but Faba's actions had far exceeded the limits of job-hopping.

"But the guy just made a significant contribution. Both emotionally and logically, I can't kill him right now. Otherwise, it would harm team unity."

Giovanni's reasoning was sound.

No matter how much Faba betrayed Lusamine, he was indisputably a major contributor to Team Rocket at the moment.

Giovanni didn't have a legitimate reason to get rid of him right away.

"Keep him under surveillance?"

Stephen guessed.

"Yes, 24/7 monitoring," Giovanni said, narrowing his eyes.

"Even when he's in the bathroom dealing with himself, I'll have someone watching him."

Uh… That treatment might be worse than staying with Lusamine.

"Do you want to kill him? I could assign him a suicide mission in the future or find another way…" Giovanni offered.

"No need. He didn't betray me or my companions."

For now, Stephen's feelings toward Faba were just disliked, not enough to warrant killing him.

It's like how Stephen always says he regrets not killing Momonosuke in his past life, but most of the time, it's just talk. After all, Nami and Robin, whom Momonosuke took advantage of, aren't Stephen's women. Even Luffy and the women themselves don't mind, so Stephen can't be bothered to meddle in someone else's business.

But if Momonosuke dared to lay a hand on someone like Karen… hehe, at the very least, Stephen would turn him into a human swine.

Stephen's attitude toward Faba is the same. This guy isn't anything good either, but as long as he doesn't mess with Stephen directly, Stephen won't bother with him. The people Faba betrayed are Lusamine's, not his. And Lusamine doesn't have any special relationship with him—at least not at the moment.

Giovanni pinched his chin, his gaze shifting back and forth between Stephen and Lusamine, who was holding her children.

Hmm, that Faba still seems to have some value left…

...

Two hours later.

The sound of a large transport plane's propellers echoed over the Aether Foundation's artificial island. It was a massive transport plane carrying a large group of Team Rocket members led by Giovanni himself.

As the transport plane flew farther and farther away, eventually disappearing beyond the horizon, Lusamine and her family finally breathed a sigh of relief. Although Giovanni left behind dozens of Team Rocket operatives and a captain-level member, Petrel, as his eyes on the island, at least for now, Lusamine's family was completely safe.

The pressure that had been building up in Lillie's heart finally erupted at this moment.

"Waaah… waaah… waaahhh!"

Lusamine pulled her youngest daughter into her arms, one hand holding her close and the other stroking Lillie's hair, which was the same color as hers.

"Don't cry, don't cry. Mommy's here… Mommy will protect you."

Stephen glanced at this tender mother-daughter moment and then waved his hand, shouting at the remaining Team Rocket operatives Giovanni left behind:

"Everyone, take your positions. From now on, you're employees of the Aether Foundation. Go change your clothes and get to work."

After giving these instructions, he pointed at Wicke and added:

"On the surface, Lusamine will continue to serve as the president of the Aether Foundation, while Miss Wicke will become the new deputy head. If you don't understand something, ask her."

"Understood?"

Few people responded to Stephen's words. After all, to these Team Rocket operatives, being led by a twelve-year-old kid was hard to accept, even if he was strong. Petrel, too, stroked his little mustache and pretended not to hear. He wanted to see how this kid would handle the situation—and to be honest, Petrel wasn't too keen on taking orders from a kid like Stephen either. It was the classic workplace dynamic of senior employees bullying the newcomers.

Two seconds passed, and still, no one responded.

Suddenly, Petrel felt a sharp pain in his back, letting out an "Ah!" before falling face-first to the ground, eating dirt. Behind him stood Karen, her foot raised.

"Are you all mute?" Karen asked coldly.

Will froze for a moment, but the next second, he ran to the nearest Team Rocket operative and kicked the guy's knee, making him howl in pain. Why the knee? Because Will's legs were short.

Karen and Will's actions were like lighting a fuse. In an instant, the Pokémon of the trio jumped out of their Poké Balls.

Bewear was riding on top of an Arbok, alternating left and right hooks, leaving the serpent's face covered in blood. Maria and Rose latched onto a Team Rocket grunt's pants legs, while Maria spewed Flamethrower. Umbreon grabbed a Fearow by the back of its neck with its left paw, while its right paw clenched into a fist to deliver two punches straight to the bird's head.

"Damn Team Rocket! You're all dead!"

Will, who hadn't fought anyone in nearly a year since Bishas, went wild, kicking a Team Rocket grunt in a very sensitive area for all he was worth.

Lusamine, Lillie, and Wicke were utterly dumbfounded.

As for a certain edgy boy…

"Die, die, die!!!"

Gladion ran over to Karen and started kicking Petrel's behind repeatedly. It was obvious he hadn't forgotten the slap Petrel had given him earlier.