I am Giovanni

Chapter 44: The Weight of a Promise

In Giovanni's room, Archer presented Katsu's Poké Ball with both hands.

"Boss, this Machop is yours, right? Executive Miyamoto gave the instructions."

Giovanni unceremoniously accepted the Poké Ball. He now owed Miyamoto another favor. He opened it, and in a flash of white light, a tearful Machop was released. The moment it was out, it dashed towards the door, desperate to find its master.

Giovanni waved his hand. Beedrill emerged from its own Poké Ball, instantly appearing before the Machop. Its two steel-hard stingers crossed, firmly pinning the smaller Pokémon down. The Machop struggled, but weakened by its injuries, it couldn't break free. It could only let out heart-wrenching roars of grief.

"Enough," Giovanni said, his voice cold and sharp. "Katsu is dead. No matter how sad you are, he won't come back."

The Machop looked at Giovanni with bloodshot eyes, as if asking why he wasn't the one who had died.

"The reason I didn't die," Giovanni continued, his voice unrelenting, "is because my Beedrill is strong enough, and you were not. If you don't want to let him down, then live. Become so powerful that no one else can ever dictate our fate again."

His every word was like a blade, piercing the Machop's heart. "The current you can't protect anything!"

The Machop clenched its small fists and repeatedly slammed them onto the floor until they were bruised and bloody.

"You heard his last wish. If you wish, the duel he wanted with his younger brother... you will be the one to complete it. You can fulfill his dream for him, even look after his brother."

The Machop was silent for a moment, its struggles ceasing. It then nodded forcefully, its eyes full of a new, fierce resolve. "Cha!"

"Let it go, Beedrill," Giovanni said. Beedrill obediently released the Machop and flew back behind its master, a loyal, terrifying guard.

Archer looked at the magnificent Beedrill, his eyes full of envy. Although his own Arbok was a higher level, the difference in their innate potential was like the earth and the sky.

"Boss, if there's nothing else, I'll take my leave."

"Go," Giovanni said, waving a hand. But before Archer left, he added, "Before long, the resources I obtain might increase significantly. If you need anything, just ask. It will be what you deserve."

"Yes, Boss!" Archer nodded heavily and departed.

Now, only Giovanni and his two Pokémon remained. He decided it was best not to use the Machop for a while. He then released his Nidoran.

Inside its Poké Ball, the Nidoran had only sensed that Beedrill was strong. Now, seeing it in person, its blood ran cold. It had been tricked. The chances of escaping this human were dwindling by the second. Let alone the demonic Beedrill, even the grieving Machop was stronger than it. Thanks to Katsu's training and the resources he'd received, the Machop was already at level 16. It could abuse the Nidoran with ease.

Under the watchful eyes of the two other Pokémon, the Nidoran humbly lowered its head, trying to make itself as small as possible, hoping the two big brothers wouldn't notice it.

Giovanni, however, wouldn't let it off so easily. "Didn't you want to spar with Beedrill before?" he said, a mischievous smile on his face. "Today's your chance. Want to try?"

Beedrill remembered the Nidoran's arrogant antics while it had been a helpless Kakuna. If it could have moved then, it would have taught the little upstart a lesson. This was the perfect opportunity.

CLANG!

Beedrill lightly tapped its steel-hard stingers together, its powerful aura flaring.

The Nidoran shook its head frantically, even fawningly rubbing against Giovanni's calf.

"If Beedrill is too much for you," Giovanni said, sidestepping, "then how about Machop?"

The Nidoran turned to look at the Machop, whose face was still dark with unvented anger. It shook its head again. To avoid a beating, it shamelessly stuck out its tongue and obediently barked twice at Giovanni. "Woof! Woof!"

"Look at your pathetic face," Giovanni jested, lightly kicking it aside.

Though it was fawning on the surface, the Nidoran's heart was shouting, Don't bully a Nidoran when he's down!

Giovanni sensed its rebellious thoughts and let out a soft, "Hm?"

The Nidoran was startled and immediately rolled onto its back. "Woof!"

— — —

The next day, Giovanni visited the infirmary. He had made a deal with Dr. Ryoki, and he would not break his word. When the doctor saw his Beedrill, he exclaimed that it was a masterpiece, a true work of art whose potential had already surpassed 98% of all other Beedrill in the world.

Two more days passed. In the training ground, the Nidoran's body flashed with a faint white light. It had leveled up to 13. It proudly tilted its head, then charged a target, knocking it over. This time, it deftly dodged the returning target with a quick sidestep.

"Not bad," Giovanni's voice sounded.

The Nidoran squinted its eyes, even more smug, but then it felt something was off. It looked around. Across the room, the Machop was lifting a heavy target, doing squats, its muscles bulging with sweat. Its body shimmered with light. It had also gained a level, reaching 17.

That wasn't all. Nearby, the Beedrill's wings vibrated. It flew past a target, and with a series of sharp cracks, the target shattered like glass. Immediately after, the Beedrill's body flashed twice. It had leveled up to 19.

The Nidoran's face was filled with despair. What's going on? Why does every time I level up, they level up even more? Can't we just have fun together? It had thought if it just got a little stronger, it would have a chance to regain its freedom. Now, that seemed impossible.

Giovanni's next words struck it so hard it wanted to just flop down and give up. "Oh, you leveled up too. Not bad, not bad."

The Nidoran looked at him with resentment, realizing he hadn't even been watching it.

— — —

Machop

Fighting type

Male

Aptitude: Green

Ability: Guts (Guts raises the ability-bearer's Attack by 50% when inflicted by a major status ailment (poison, burn, paralysis, freeze or sleep.)

Level: 17

Height: 1m

Weight: 25kg

Moves: Low Kick, Leer, Focus Energy, Payback, Low Sweep, Knock Off

Egg Moves: None