I am Giovanni

Chapter 46: The Hunting Ground

The roar of the engine drowned out the howling wind as the off-road vehicle sped across the fields. While Team Rocket hadn't yet reached the point of using helicopters to hunt Pokémon, a simple jeep was certainly not an issue.

Their destination was the Safari Zone near Fuchsia City. At this time, it was not yet a place for trainers to catch Pokémon; it was a vast, protected ecological reserve. Many rare Pokémon resided there, all under the protection of the Alliance and guarded by the Fuchsia City Gym. To Team Rocket, it was a treasure trove of untapped resources, completely wasted.

After five days of continuous driving, they finally reached the outermost edge of the zone.

"Daylight is no good for our operation," Mondo, the squad leader, announced to Giovanni and his five team members. "We'll wait until nightfall, when the rangers are resting and few are in rotation, then we'll make our move. This spot is the closest to the Tauros gathering place. We can get in, get the job done, and retreat quickly."

"Yes, Captain," Archer and the others responded in unison. They concealed the jeep and settled in to rest.

Time passed. Giovanni looked up at the bright moon, partially obscured by dark clouds, and lightly clenched his fist. When the hoot of a Noctowl echoed through the night, the operation officially began.

Mondo made a few quick hand gestures. "The three of you, go left. Archer and Sam, you take the right."

"Yes, sir," they responded, releasing their Pokémon.

Then Mondo turned to Giovanni, his voice overly amiable. "Lord Giovanni, you should come with me. I can protect you better that way."

"Alright," Giovanni said, not refusing.

Mondo then released his own team: three Arbok, a Gloom, a Dugtrio, a Beedrill, and a Poliwhirl. All of them were powerful Pokémon, each one above level 30. He was indeed a strong trainer, a notable figure among the squad leaders. He could certainly protect Giovanni if he chose to.

Giovanni pulled out a Poké Ball and released his Nidoran. The small Pokémon looked at its new surroundings with surprise, bouncing twice in place, as if it couldn't believe the solid ground beneath its feet. But before it could get too excited, Giovanni's voice whispered in its ear, making its entire body tense up.

"Don't even think about it. If you try to run today, I will kill you."

The Nidoran pondered for a moment, then turned its head and gave Giovanni a subservient smile. He's been good to me lately, Nidoran reasoned. How could I be ungrateful?

Mondo beamed at Giovanni. "Your way of interacting with Pokémon is truly unique," he said, though a different, unreadable emotion flashed in his eyes. "But a disobedient Pokémon still needs a firm hand."

"I know," Giovanni replied casually.

"You can just follow behind me," Mondo said, leading his Pokémon forward.

Giovanni looked at his retreating back, then lowered his head and whispered to his Nidoran, "In a little while, I might need to use that item of yours. If we lose it, I'll give you a better one later."

The Nidoran immediately tried to shake its head in refusal, but seeing Giovanni's cold, emotionless gaze, it could only agree. The item had been a gift; Giovanni could easily take it back.

Giovanni followed Mondo, their footsteps crisp and abrupt in the silent night. The nearby Pokémon had long since been scared away. Not far away, a dark mass lay sprawled across a field—one of the Safari Zone's Tauros herds.

There were at least one hundred and fifty of them, a sizable group. To maintain ecological balance, the Alliance would capture any Pokémon in the reserve of considerable strength. This policy gave Mondo and his team their opportunity.

The Tauros herd's sixth sense for danger was sharp. As Mondo and Giovanni approached, their scent carried by the wind, the herd grew restless. One by one, they stood, letting out low, rumbling growls. Several Miltank in the center surrounded a particularly robust Tauros, their eyes scanning the darkness.

This robust Tauros, the leader of the herd, gently nudged the Miltank aside and walked to the front. Though not yet at a Gym Leader's level, it was still a powerful, veteran-level Pokémon.

"Moooo!" it roared, its attention fixed on the source of the danger directly ahead. It reared its upper body, then stomped down forcefully, charging forward like an out-of-control truck. The entire herd followed, their combined charge making the very earth tremble, kicking up a thick cloud of dust.

This development was noticed by the other five Team Rocket members. Archer immediately cursed under his breath. The others seemed indifferent.

"Oh no!" Archer exclaimed. "Lord Giovanni is still over there!"

"What are you afraid of?" Sam said with a dismissive wave. "He'll be fine. Captain Mondo is there. He'll protect the kid. Haven't you noticed? The Captain is practically bowing at his feet. He clearly wants to get in good with the future leader."

Archer frowned— a bad premonition settled in his gut. He ignored Sam and, with his Pokémon, quickly rushed towards the stampede.

Meanwhile, in a remote ranger outpost, a chubby, middle-aged man who had been sleeping soundly at his desk suddenly lifted his head. He looked out into the distant night, then released a Slowpoke. The Slowpoke followed his gaze and let out two low growls.

The man shot to his feet. "A Tauros stampede? They're usually so docile. Something's wrong!"

He released a Pidgeot, attached a small note to its leg, and instructed, "Pidgeot, go to the Fuchsia Gym! Now!"

The Pidgeot nodded, spread its wings, and soared into the night. The middle-aged man and his Slowpoke then quickly headed towards the sound of the stampeding herd.