Pokemon: I'll Exchange Everything

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Liam stared at the girl standing at the entrance with disbelief, completely unable to reconcile the image of this somewhat underwhelming girl with the future Ice-type Elite Four member... the one who would become that mature, sexy curvaceous woman... 

What on earth had happened to this world? Liam couldn't help but voice this question in his heart.

"Uh... are you okay? Did you get hurt? Do you need to see a doctor?"

The girl who called herself Lorelei ran over with a worried expression, helping Liam up and asking a flurry of concerned questions.

"Ahaha, ahahaha, I'm fine, I'm fine. It was just a little slip. I'm not hurt. I'm really sorry for worrying you. Making such a fool of myself the first time we meet is really embarrassing," Liam said with a sheepish smile, scratching the back of his head.

"Pfft... Hahaha... You're really something else. Nice to meet you. I'm Lorelei, from Four Island in the Sevii Islands. My dream is to become the world's greatest Ice-type Pokémon trainer, and I'm currently preparing to challenge the Kanto League," the girl said with a laugh, extending a delicate hand toward Liam as she introduced herself.

Liam hesitated for a moment before reaching out and giving her hand a brief, polite shake before letting go.

"Hello, I'm Liam, from Pallet Town in Kanto. My goal is to become the League Champion and the world's strongest Pokémon Master. It seems our goals are quite similar. Who knows, we might end up as rivals in the League tournament," Liam said with a smile, introducing himself briefly.

Lorelei looked at Liam with a smile, quietly retracting her hand before grinning. "Haha, I'm really looking forward to meeting you at the League. Just so you know, I'm pretty strong, so don't disappoint me when the time comes."

"Of course, I won't go easy on you just because we're acquaintances," Liam replied cheerfully.

At that moment, the botanical garden's gate creaked open, and a cute little head popped out, curiously looking around. 

When she spotted Liam, her face lit up with a sweet smile, and she waved at him.

Liam waved back with a smile, then turned to Lorelei and said, "This adorable little girl is Erika, the daughter of the gym leader here. Now that the gate's open, you should head in."

Lorelei nodded, then gave Liam a quick hug before turning and running toward Erika.

Liam watched as Lorelei entered the botanical garden, then shook his head with a wry smile. 

He picked up his Bike, got back on, and rode off toward the Pokémon Center.

When Liam arrived at the Pokémon Center, he took care of some quick healing and rest, enjoyed a hearty lunch, and then headed over to the communication device to call Giovanni.

"Hey, it's noon. Have you eaten yet?" The call connected after two rings, and Liam was greeted by the sight of Giovanni holding a cup of instant noodles, eating while talking.

Liam's face twitched... Why did this feel so familiar? Had he accidentally called Professor Oak instead?

"Uh... why are you eating instant noodles? Is the organization so broke that you can't afford proper food?" Liam asked, exasperated.

"Haha, no, no. I just wanted to save some time, so I didn't go out to eat. There's a lot going on with the organization right now, and I want to get things sorted as soon as possible. So, what about you? What do you need? Are you calling about that Bill kid?" Giovanni replied with a laugh.

"I actually have something else to talk to you about, but since you brought up Bill, how's he doing? Did he agree to join the organization?" Liam asked curiously. 

It had been a few days since he had sent the items back with Takeshi, and he wondered how things had progressed.

"Don't worry about that. After receiving your items, I had people handle it. With your letter of recommendation, I'm sure things will go smoothly. Oh, by the way, Team Rocket now has a legitimate front company. I've invested in a corporation called Silph Co. I traded some TM research data for a portion of their shares. This will help us fund our TM research more quickly. Over time, I plan to take full control of the company and make it a part of Team Rocket's assets." As he spoke, Giovanni's face showed a confident smile.

Liam nodded. He obviously knew about Silph Co., the main supplier of PokeBalls on the market, with substantial financial resources. 

If Giovanni could secure a stake in the company for Team Rocket, it would make funding much easier in the future.

"Giovanni, I have complete faith in your methods. I look forward to seeing that day come. But I do have something else to discuss with you today," Liam said with a teasing smile, preparing to explain the real reason for his call.

"Oh? Did something happen? Are you in trouble? Do you need us to step in?"

Giovanni put down his cup of noodles, his expression turning serious.

Liam shook his head slightly, glancing around to make sure no one was nearby before speaking.

"Last time Takeshi came to see me, he mentioned that the poachers we captured had their headquarters in Lavender Town. Yesterday, I went to Lavender Town and found out that it's true. These poachers have set up their base inside the Pokémon Tower. When I went to investigate last night, they spotted me, and it took some effort to escape. I wanted to ask if you have any plans to deal with this and if you need my help."

After listening to Liam's explanation, Giovanni fell silent for a moment, then let out a bitter laugh. 

"I already knew about this. My informant told me everything earlier. He described a mysterious person who showed up last night, and based on the description, the first person I thought of was you. Looks like I was right. Don't worry about this. I received intel this morning that they've already moved their base. They've slipped away to who knows where. I've sent people to track them down, and I'm sure we'll find them again soon. Just don't go stirring the pot like this again. It's not only dangerous but also messes up our plans..."

Liam finally understood. It seemed like his good intentions had backfired this time. 

His curiosity had apparently disrupted Giovanni's plans, and the thought made him feel a bit guilty. "Looks like I caused some trouble for us this time. But don't worry, I'll be more careful next time," Liam said apologetically.

Giovanni shook his head. "I don't mind you causing trouble. I just don't want my you or our people to get into unexpected danger. Next time you run into something like this, give me a heads-up. I can send someone to back you up."

Liam nodded, promising to be more cautious in the future. After exchanging a few more pleasantries, they ended the call.

After finishing the call, Liam stepped out of the Pokémon Center. He unzipped his jacket and looked at the six badges pinned to it, letting out a small sigh. 

Then he hopped onto his Bike and set off toward the next gym location: Fuchsia City.