The party had gone late into the night. Ash's mom made enough to feed an army, and boy, did people eat. It was fun, after what they had just gone through in the League, which was a lot.

And of course, Ash got presents, a lot of them from everyone after everything he'd done for them. There were small, thoughtful gifts like the ones Misty or Yellow got him.

Erika gave him a bottle of a new perfume she made specifically for him. Jasmine gave him another necklace. Morty gave him yet another "prince" shirt with the words Prince of Johto still on the back of it. Sabrina gave him a custom-made bento box that she specifically had to import. Surge gave him custom-made dog tags with his name on them.

Whitney brought him a personalized PokéGear case covered in Miltank stickers, insisting it was "fashionable." Chuck basically forced a massive basket of rare berries into his arms. "Fuel for champions!" he boomed, nearly crushing Ash with a bear hug. And there was more stuff like that.

Then there were some bigger things. Brock, best buddy that he is, saw Ash didn't have a Tyranitarite, so he made a few calls and got him one for his Tyranitar. Clair came in strong, giving Ash a dragon scale polished like a jewel, flaunting that she gave the best gift, better than anything Lance could get him, so yeah, no competition.

Speaking of Lance, the thing he talked about with Ash was that he wanted to buy another Egg from his clan, since he was allowed to do business. The one he wanted to buy was a Bagon Egg, and more than that, because it was Ash's birthday and they had helped stop everything that happened, he gave it to him as a gift.

So, when Ash told Clair that, she immediately got salty, biting on her nail about how Lance was sneaky and that next time she'd give the better gift. Ash just chuckled and smiled.

Pink, naturally, tried to get Ash to go on a date again, failed spectacularly, and vowed she wasn't giving up. Oh, speaking of which, the Indigo League happened for them, and no, none of the Pallet Five won it. Paul did, ironically enough, and he immediately left to try and get to Johto to do it there, also to get away from a certain annoying kid following him around.

Pink's words, not his, but Ash could take a guess who it was. And let's just say, he does feel bad for Paul.

Anyway, unfortunately, the Gym Leaders couldn't stay all night, even if they would have liked to. They had to get back to their Gyms, so begrudgingly they left, giving Ash one more goodbye and a few hugs as they went, with either Abby or Sabrina dropping them off.

When it got dark, the people who lived in Pallet started dispersing, and Delia went inside to do some cleaning with Molly. That left the last table with only the main gang: Ash, Gary, Green, Brock, Misty, Yellow, Ethan, Kris, Lyra, and Silver.

Brock leaned back in his chair with a satisfied groan. "Man… I don't think I've eaten that much since… ever."

Misty smirked. "Please, you were shoveling food into your mouth like a Snorlax. I'm amazed you didn't pass out halfway."

"Hey, Delia cooked! You don't not go for seconds. Or thirds," Brock defended, patting his stomach.

"Or fourths," Gary muttered with a grin, sipping from his soda.

Ash chuckled, leaning back with Pikachu dozing on his shoulder. "You guys act like you don't raid my mom's cooking every time you come over."

"Can you blame us?" Kris said with a small laugh. "If I had food like this waiting at home, I'd never leave."

Silver, arms crossed, gave a quiet huff. "Tch. Don't let it go to your head, Ash. Just 'cause it's your birthday doesn't mean it's anything special."

"Aw, c'mon, Silver." Ethan nudged him with his elbow. "You stayed the whole night. You're having fun and you know it."

Silver didn't answer, but the faintest twitch at the corner of his mouth betrayed him.

Green smirked and leaned in. "Or don't tell me you're just here 'cause your big sis is here. Wow, what a sis-con. I don't know if I can handle such a clingy little brother~" she teased.

"H-hey, that's not true!" Silver blurted out, earning a light elbow on his shoulder.

"Come on, it's a joke," Green said.

Silver looked at her, then looked away. "Whatever."

Nearly everyone (except Ethan) wanted to facepalm, since it was painfully obvious Silver liked Kris. But it was his love life, they weren't gonna push him. That didn't mean they weren't gonna tease him about it.

Yellow clasped her hands together, her smile warm as always. "It really was nice, though. Everyone being here… it felt kind of like the old days."

Green leaned on the table with a smirk. "The old days where the biggest problem we had was thinking about the League, and we just had to deal with legendaries and stuff."

Ash sighed into his soda. "Good times."

That earned a round of laughter, soft but real. And then, slowly, the laughter faded, replaced by a quiet weight hanging in the air.

"So," Gary said at last, breaking the silence. "This is it. At least for a while, huh?"

"Yeah…" Ash traced a finger along the rim of his cup. "What are you all gonna do now?"

"Well…" Misty looked down, sighing. "I'm… officially taking over the Gym."

"Really? I thought you had to wait until thirteen before they could transfer the title?" Ash tilted his head.

"Usually, yeah. But since I fought in the Gym Leader tournament and beat Chuck, and, you know, the Lapras stuff, the League made an exception." Misty shrugged. "So… I'm the official Cerulean Gym Leader now."

Her voice didn't carry the joy it should have. This had been her dream for so long. It was why she'd traveled with Ash in the first place. And now that she finally had it… it felt bittersweet.

Ash gave her a small, earnest smile. "Hey… I'm happy for you. You finally reached your dream. That's worth something, right? Sure, it'll be lonely without you, but it's not like you can follow us around forever."

Misty bit her lip before managing a small smile back. "Yeah. And, hey Ash, good luck, now that I won't be around to keep you out of trouble."

Ash chuckled. "Pretty sure I've saved you more times than you've saved me."

They both laughed, though the sound carried a faint edge of forced cheer.

Yellow had been quiet, fiddling with her hands. Finally, she took a deep breath. "Ash… I have to go too."

Ash blinked, looking at her. "Yellow?"

Her voice trembled, but she forced herself to continue. "Remember back in Viridian Forest? When I told you I didn't know what I wanted to do? Well… I finally decided. Uncle Wilton told me some things about my mom and dad, things I need to know. So… I'm going to travel the world by myself. I'm going to find them."

She looked up, eyes shining, holding back tears. "Ash… thank you. You helped me find my own dream. The day I met you changed my life. So… thank you. For everything."

"Yellow…" Ash said, putting on a smile for her. "That's great. I'm happy for you. You finally decided, you're not just following us around anymore."

"Yeah," Yellow admitted, clutching her hat. "I know it sounds scary but… I think it's what I need to do. I've been scared too long about choosing something, and… this feels right."

For a second, the table went quiet, until Ethan broke it with a dramatic sniff. "Dang, that's deep. Now I feel lame saying I just wanna eat every region's food and see what happens."

"Pfft—" Lyra burst out laughing, nearly snorting her drink. "That's literally the most Ethan answer ever."

"Hey, don't knock it! Food is life!" Ethan protested, pointing at Brock. "Back me up here, chef!"

Brock raised his glass. "Can confirm."

That broke the tension. Everyone chuckled, the mood lighter again.

Ash leaned on the table, looking at Yellow. "You'll find them, Yellow. And when you do… how about I meet them and tell them that their daughter is one of the most talented, most interesting, and most extraordinary people in the universe."

Her cheeks went pink. "Ash…"

"Aw, look at that, she's crying," Green teased, leaning over with a smirk.

"Green!" Yellow squeaked, her face red now.

"Don't pick on her," Kris scolded, though she was grinning too.

Brock laughed as he looked around. "Well… if we're sharing, I… I guess I don't know where to go from here. My plan for so long was just to go win the breeding competition, but I guess I just don't care about that anymore. So I've got to see where I'm gonna go from here."

"Well, my guy, you know I'll always welcome you to keep me company. I guess now's as good a time as any, I'm gonna go to Hoenn," Ash announced. Surprisingly, this had never come up before, so now he was saying it.

Brock looked at Ash and smiled, shaking his head. "Maybe. But not right now. For now, I'm gonna go back to Pewter City for a while and take care of my siblings, and I'll see where I go from there."

"Well, the offer's always open, my guy," Ash said, patting his shoulder.

"Well then, Ash, I guess you're going on your own. This time for real," Gary said, looking at him. "I already talked to Gramps, and since I've got to get my official Professor license first, I'm off to Sinnoh. Remember that favor I said I owed Professor Rowan? Well, turns out he was just waiting for me to finally choose to be a Professor. Guess I am kinda predictable." Gary laughed.

"Wow, that's fun. Almost makes me wish I could too," Green said, crossing her arms. "But yeah, Ash, I'm not going to Hoenn either. At least not for a while. I've got things I want to do here in Johto, and besides, my little brother is here." She put an arm around Silver and locked him in a headlock.

"Ahh, s-stop that," Silver said as he scrambled in her arms.

"Say please, big sis, and I'll consider it," Green teased as she squeezed tighter.

"Ahh—s-stop that!" Silver flailed, cheeks red. "Ok… please… big sis…"

The whole table broke out laughing. Lyra actually fell halfway off her chair. "Man, I'm gonna miss this. Watching you two is better than TV."

"Not funny," Silver muttered, trying to smooth his hair back down.

"Actually, it's hilarious," Kris grinned.

"Well, I guess it's my turn." Ethan patted his chest. "I… don't know, honestly. I was just gonna go with the flow. Maybe visit my grandparents' daycare and help them raise some of the Pokémon eggs."

"Well," Lyra puffed her chest out dramatically, "I'm going to try for the League again. Now that you monsters aren't in it, I have a good chance to win." She huffed, but then lowered her eyes toward Ash. "Well, that is… unless I can find my Mr. Right and settle down. Hey Ash, you wouldn't happen to know someone?"

"Nope. No one at all," Ash said, acting dense, even though he knew full well what she meant and wanted. That made Lyra pout and look away.

Kris sighed and pressed a finger into Lyra's head. "Don't be annoying. But as for me, I think I'm gonna travel Kanto for a while. After all, I want to catch every Pokémon in the Pokédex… well, minus the legendaries… obviously."

"Well, guess that leaves you, best buddy," Ethan said, looking over at Silver. "What are you gonna do now?"

Silver looked away and crossed his arms. "At the moment, I already said, I'm going to train. And I will become stronger. I made a promise. My goal is to surpass Lance."

"Wow. So you're gonna challenge him one day? Hmm… gotta say, out of all of us, if one of us became a Champion, honestly, Silver's the only one I see actually doing it," Ash said.

"Oh yeah, I see it. The serious look, the kind that actually gets the job done. Yeah, I can totally see it," Ethan nodded.

"See, this is why we need to stay together longer," Lyra said, throwing her hands up. "The banter is gold! Like Silver being a tsundere, Ethan being Ethan, Kris pretending she doesn't secretly enjoy bullying everyone…"

"I don't bully everyone!" Kris protested, elbowing her sister. "I only bully you."

"…And that makes it better how?" Lyra deadpanned.

"Because I'm your sister. It's my right as the oldest to bully you," Kris said seriously.

Lyra groaned. "Why can't you be like Ash? I mean, look at how he treats Molly. Why can't you treat me like that?"

"Well, technically Molly is adopted, so that's an answer. Also, Molly has enough emotional trauma for one lifetime," Ash replied. "Oh, and she also doesn't give me a reason to bully her."

Lyra threw her hands up. "See? That's my point! Everyone here gets a free pass except me."

"Because you whine the loudest," Silver muttered, arms crossed.

"EXCUSE ME?!" Lyra snapped, pointing at him. "That's rich coming from you, Mr. 'Tch' every other sentence."

That made Ethan wheeze, slamming his hand on the table. "Oh my Arceus, yes. Do the thing, Silver, come on, just one."

Silver glared. "…Tch."

The whole table erupted in laughter. Even Green nearly fell out of her chair, clutching her stomach. "Never gets old."

Silver's face was red as he buried it in his hands. "Why do I even hang out with you people…"

"Because you love us," Kris said sweetly, sipping her drink.

"Absolutely not."

"Admit it," Ash teased, leaning forward with a grin. "Deep down, you'd miss us if we weren't he—RE." But at the last moment, his voice cracked, cutting him off and freezing the table.

Brock blinked, then slowly broke into a knowing smile. "Ohhh~ I see. Looks like Ash is finally getting hit with puberty!"

"Ha, really, that's hilarious," Ethan said as he slapped Ash's back. "Hey, if you need advice… you're on your own. It sucks, my guy. Tough it out like the rest of us."

Ash shook his head and huffed. "It's nothing, just puberty. And just because my body is starting to produce more testosterone doesn't mean anything." His voice cracked again.

The table practically exploded with laughter, Misty nearly falling sideways out of her chair while Pikachu squeaked in confusion at all the noise.

"Pffft—Ash, don't say the word out loud!" Gary was red in the face from laughing, holding his stomach. "You sound like some old science video they make you watch in school."

"'My body is producing more testosterone,'" Green repeated in a fake-serious tone, wagging her finger like a professor. "Kids, write that down. This'll be on the test."

"Come on!" Ash whined, cheeks heating as he slapped the table. "I'm a doctor, of course I know this stuff!"

Brock grinned, leaning forward with a mock-wise expression. "Don't worry, Ash. It's all natural. Voice cracks, mood swings, random growth spurts. You'll be a proper adult in no time."

"Great," Ash muttered, resting his face in his hand. "As if saving the world wasn't stressful enough, now I have to deal with this." He smirked. "Although… when my voice gets deeper, I do kinda wanna hear what that sounds like."

That made people stop and imagine what Ash's voice might change to. Let's just say, they all pictured some version of a smooth, deep 'sexy man voice' the kind that was nice to listen to. But that was just imagination. No way of knowing if it was true, so they dropped it before anyone got any ideas.

Brock stretched, cracking his back and changing the subject. "Man… this is really it, huh? Everyone is splitting up again."

"Yeah," Misty said softly, fiddling with her cup. "Kinda feels like the end of an era."

"More like the start of a new one," Ash countered. "I mean… yeah, we're all going different ways, but that's not a bad thing. We all have our own lives to live. Besides, if I had the chance to do it all again, I wouldn't change a thing… well, maybe besides the times I got stabbed."

Ash leaned back in his chair, Pikachu twitching in his lap, his eyes reflecting the warm glow of the party lights outside. "And hey," he continued, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, "even if we're all going different ways… doesn't mean we won't see each other again. So how about it? Next time we see each other, let's go on another journey."

"Deal," Gary said, and everyone nodded.

"And hey, Yellow," Ethan said, looking back at her. "You know, if you're traveling the world, don't you think taking care of those eggs might be a problem? You know me and Lyra can always babysit, if you want."

Yellow looked at the two Pichu Eggs. She didn't have an answer, but then Chuchu reached out and put her yellow paw on Yellow's hand, giving her a smile and a nod.

Yellow took a breath. "Yeah, okay."

Ethan froze. "Wait, really? H-hey, Yellow, you know I was just teasing! I don't want you to do it if you don't want to."

"No, it's fine." Yellow shook her head. "Chuchu says it's okay. And remember when they came from the future? I think they're meant to be with you two. Just promise me you'll take care of them, okay?"

Lyra looked excited as she happily reached out and hugged one of the Eggs. "Deal! I'll take care of it every day. We'll be best friends!"

Ethan also took the other one. "Same here. I'll take care of it, I promise," he said with a sincere voice instead of his usual goofy one.

Chuchu watched and smiled. Then she noticed Pikachu next to her, gave a mischievous smirk, and whispered something in his ear. It was too quiet for anyone else to hear, but Pikachu turned red with a deep blush.

Ash looked around one more time and held out his fist. "So then, everyone, this isn't goodbye. It's just hello for another time, alright?"

And everyone brought their fists out, making a circle and fist-bumping each other one more time.

-

The next day, Ash woke up. He stretched his arms and rubbed his eyes, looking around. For once, it was quiet. Last night Abby had taken everyone home. Gary had already left at night to catch a boat, and Green… well, Green was probably still sleeping in. Now, Ash was officially alone.

He stretched again, then gently moved Pikachu and Vee off of him. Heading to his closet, he saw his first two jackets hanging there. Smiling, he hung his third jacket alongside them. Then, next to his Silver Conference trophy, he placed the hat he had used in Johto on top, stepping back to admire the sight.

As for what he was wearing, there was a box by his bed. It was a new outfit Delia had gotten him. He grabbed it, went to the bathroom, and started his morning routine.

There, as he zipped up his jacket and tied his new sneakers, he looked in the mirror and smiled at his reflection. He wore a blue and black jacket styled like a flight jacket, zipped up over a plain black shirt that hugged his chest. He rolled up his sleeves, tugged on his gloves until they were tight, and his ring glinted on his finger. Around his neck hung both his necklace and dog tags.

His sneakers matched the black-and-blue look. And finally, inside the box was a new hat, black and blue, with the League symbol on the front.

Ash smiled at his look, then walked downstairs where he saw Delia already making breakfast.

"Good morning, dear. And don't you dare say you have to go. I know the boat schedule, you have three hours. You can sit down and eat." She placed a plate on the table for him, where Molly was already eating happily and waving for him to join her.

Ash sighed, but smiled again. Well, an hour wouldn't kill him and after he could go say bye to Green again. So he walked over and sat down to have breakfast one more time before he left.

—

{Meanwhile – Ashtwo}

D went back to the base, now with his new disguise. No scarf this time, just a Kakashi-style face mask and an eyepatch.

People watched him as he walked, their gazes heavy with pity. Not that he cared. His so-called "disfigurement" wasn't real. None of it was. But he had to keep up the act.

His phone was flooded with messages, but he left it on mute. He didn't need distractions from what mattered. Right now, he'd been summoned to the office, to speak with the boss.

As he moved through the halls, he knew full well he was being followed by Enid, Jay, Helena, and Domino shadowing his steps. He ignored them and kept walking.

When he reached the office, the first thing he noticed was the grunt he'd kicked during his escape from the Masked Man. The man still had a bruise. D gave him a casual nod, "Hope the divorce went well," he muttered, then walked past him into the room.

Giovanni was waiting inside. Seated around him were the remaining admins, several high-ranking members, and all four Executives. With the Masked Man gone, D was no longer an Executive, just a commander.

Proton was the only one who met D's eye with something like guilt. During the takeover, Proton had been sent to Hoenn with Ariana to oversee expansion. He hadn't been there when it happened. And Proton liked D. That's why, when he heard D had been mind-controlled and left "disfigured," he blamed himself in part.

D stepped forward and bowed his head slightly. "Boss. You wished to speak with me."

"Yes…" Giovanni's gaze lingered on D's new look. He had heard from Sayoko and Owari that the mask's self-destruction had left D even worse than before. Seeing him now, with his entire lower face and one eye hidden, Giovanni could only imagine the scars beneath.

He folded his hands on the desk, his gaze sharp but not unkind. "D. You've returned from… everything, in one piece." His eyes flicked briefly to the mask and the eyepatch. "Or near enough."

D inclined his head. "I did what I had to. What happened wasn't your fault, boss. It wasn't anyone's fault. The Masked Man had us all by the throat."

Across the table, Archer shifted uncomfortably. He remembered all too well what he'd been forced to do under mind control. Most of his time had been spent in Pryce's base, but D had been sent on missions again and again. Archer could only imagine what horrors he'd endured. (Spoiler nothing, Ash had never actually been controlled. But they didn't know that.)

"I'll be direct," Giovanni continued. "I failed you during the takeover. You were mind-controlled, and afterward you were left disfigured. For that, I owe you an apology. And I will extend to you the same offer I give anyone who has been wronged: if you want to walk away… you may do so. Clean slate. No one will hunt you. No strings attached. It will be as if you never existed in Team Rocket."

The room fell silent. All eyes turned to D. And just outside, four figures pressed against the door, holding their breath, straining to hear his answer.

D looked at them with his one good eye, then turned back to Giovanni.

"I refuse."

Giovanni tapped his desk once, sharply. "Why?"

"Let's turn that question around. If I were to leave, where would I go?" D asked. His one visible eye narrowed. "You remember why I came here. My face was scarred from a defective grenade during my time in the army. Because of that, I had nowhere to go, and no one would hire me. Now I'm left even worse. I'm missing an eye. The skin off my cheeks is gone. I'm a freak. This mask is just so you people won't gag at what's left of my face."

He exhaled slowly. "Before I was mind-controlled, I almost had enough saved for the surgery to repair my face. But after what happened, I need at least three times, maybe four, the original amount."

Giovanni studied him for a long moment, fingers steepled. His gaze was unreadable, but sharp enough to cut glass. "You refuse. Even after everything."

"Yes," D said, his voice steady. "Not because I love Team Rocket. Not because I owe you my life. But because I need this place. Out there, I'm finished. I can't go back to the army. I can't live a normal life looking like… this." He gestured vaguely at the mask and eyepatch. "And I need money if I ever want any hope of fixing my face and going back to normal."

A silence followed. Proton shifted in his chair, frowning. Ariana gave nothing away, though the corner of her mouth twitched with faint amusement at the brutal honesty. Archer's knuckles whitened where he gripped the table. He still hadn't forgiven himself for being Pryce's puppet.

Giovanni's eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "So you stay because you have nowhere else to go."

"Yes, and? How many people do you truly believe are in Team Rocket because they want to be? Everyone does something for a reason. If no one wanted or needed anything, we wouldn't have arguments. We wouldn't have wars. And you know as well as I do… there wouldn't be a Team Rocket."

There was a murmur around the table. Proton crossed his arms and lowered his gaze with a conflicted look. Ariana smirked faintly. Archer flinched, D's words dragging him back to months of helpless servitude under Pryce.

Giovanni drummed his fingers on the desk once, sharply. Silence fell. His gaze never left D. "You speak like a man with nothing left to lose."

"That's because I don't," D answered without pause. "To be honest, if Pryce hadn't done what he did, if the mask hadn't exploded, I almost had enough saved up. Three more months, maybe, and I'd have had the money for surgery. By then, I could've lived my life normally. But now the cost has gone up, because the damage to my face is so much worse. If I showed you what's underneath, half this room wouldn't sleep tonight. I know. I live with it."

The four eavesdroppers outside Enid, Jay, Helena, and Domino slapped their hands over their mouths to stifle gasps.

"Hmm. Interesting," Giovanni said, leaning back in his chair. "And if I offered to pay for your surgery, and let you leave, would you take it?"

"Probably," D lied flatly. "But you won't. You can't."

"Oh?" Giovanni leaned forward, curiosity flickering in his eyes. "And why can't I?"

"It's simple. After what happened with the Masked Man's takeover, Team Rocket is in shambles. If you look at the reports, there hasn't been a single major operation in the last month. That means, for now, you're pulling back from Kanto and Johto. Both regions are compromised. Most likely… you're moving to Hoenn."

D's voice was calm, calculated. "Setting up new bases. New construction. Recruiting more members. Covering the loss of income. You can't afford to spend that kind of money on me, or lose me."

Giovanni was quiet for a long time. The room itself seemed to still, all the faint background murmurs of the Rocket compound fading away as every eye fixed on them.

Finally, Giovanni exhaled softly through his nose. "You're smarter than most. You're right, there are holes in our operation. And you're right, our resources are stretched thin."

"Exactly. So the reason why I'm here doesn't really matter, does it?" D said, still unmoving. "All that matters is that I need Team Rocket, and Team Rocket needs me. That's the basis of most deals: two sides with something to gain."

Giovanni sighed, leaning back slightly. "Very well. You've made your point. And you are right. But there is one last question I have for you." His gaze shifted briefly toward Sayoko and Owari, then back to D.

"I've heard, from Admins Sayoko and Owari, that you fought against both of them… as well as grunts Enid, Jay, Helena, and Domino. Not to mention a girl they claim fought with at least the strength of a low-level Gym Leader." Giovanni glanced at the report in his hand. "While those four are… an unusual lot, their strength cannot be denied. And you fought all of them by yourself. So my question is: how much have you been holding back?"

D took a breath. "A lot."

"Then how strong are you, really?" Giovanni's eyes narrowed. "From what Archer told me, those masks never made you stronger. If anything, they were limiting you."

"If you're asking whether I believe I could beat one of the Executives, no. I'm not delusional. But I do believe I'm stronger than most Admins," D answered plainly.

Giovanni sat back, his eyes locked on D. His fingers tapped the desk once, sharp, final. "Stronger than most Admins… but not quite an Executive. Yet." His voice was calm, but the weight on that last word lingered in the air.

D tilted his head, his single visible eye unreadable. "I know my limits. I'm not pretending to be something I'm not."

"Perhaps," Giovanni said smoothly. "But you are something."

Across the room, Proton gave D a side glance, something almost protective in his expression. Archer, however, shifted uneasily in his seat, jaw tightening at the implication that D might be hiding more than he let on. Ariana remained silent, her eyes flicking between D and Giovanni with a faint spark of intrigue.

"You claim you remain because you need us. That without Team Rocket, you'd be finished," Giovanni continued. "Yet… you don't act like a desperate man. Even now, you speak to me as if we are equals at the table."

D didn't flinch. "Respect is earned, boss. You've earned mine. But pity? That's useless. Tell me, if I walked in here groveling, begging, would that make me more valuable to you? Or less?"

For a moment, silence. Then Giovanni chuckled, the sound cutting through the tension. "Hmph. Fair point."

He leaned forward, tapping one gloved finger against the desk. "Tell me, D. If I were to give you a promotion… make you an Admin officially… what would you do with that authority?"

D tilted his head slightly. "I'd do what you expect of me. As long as you keep paying me, so that one day I can finally afford that stupid surgery. And after that… well, we'll just see where things go."

Giovanni looked at D one more time before leaning back in his chair. "That was the correct answer. If you had said you would swear your life to me, I would have sent you away. Because we both know that's a lie, isn't it?"

D said nothing, only gave a small nod.

Giovanni straightened, his voice carrying across the chamber. "Very well. Since we have recently lost a number of Admins, D. you are promoted. Effective immediately, you are an Admin of Team Rocket, and you will be transferred to the Hoenn branch."

Then his gaze swept the room, cold and commanding. "And as for the rest of you, D was correct. For the time being, we will pull back from Kanto and Johto. Our focus is Hoenn. Effective immediately. Those of you who wish to transfer as well, you may come to me directly."

D simply nodded, stepping back into line without another word. Sayoko and Owari watched him from the side, their frowns betraying the sting of seeing him like this, aloof, walled off, unreachable, because now they knew he was like this willingly

Outside, the four eavesdroppers Enid, Jay, Helena, and Domino stiffened. Their throats tightened at Giovanni's decree. If they wanted any hope of ever returning things to the way they once were, they had no choice. They had to go to Hoenn too.

–

{At the International Police Headquarters}

Anabel hadn't done much since her return. Thanks to her role in arresting a wave of Team Rocket grunts, and being first on the scene during the crisis, she'd been given another promotion. Now, she had the same rank as Looker.

Looker, of course, had refused his own promotion again. Personal reasons, as always.

But despite the recognition, Anabel felt no joy. She sat slouched in her office, staring at the computer screen as she pushed through busy work. Everyone assumed her long hours meant she was driven by ambition. But the truth was simpler, and heavier.

She tugged at the scarf wrapped around her neck. D's scarf, the one he had left behind. She kept it close, always.

Her fingers clenched around the fabric as her thoughts spiraled. She didn't even know what she wanted. What this feeling was. All she knew was that it hollowed her chest in ways she couldn't name.

Ding.

The sound from her computer nearly sent her out of her chair. She spun toward the screen, hands half-raised in reflex before she caught herself. With a shaky breath, she sat back down and opened the message.

Her eyes widened.

It was from D. [I'm being transferred to Hoenn]

That was it. No call. No congratulations for her promotion. No teasing, no familiar "darling." Just a single flat message.

Anabel's grip on the scarf tightened until her knuckles went white. Then, suddenly, she pushed up from her chair with fire in her chest.

She was going to Hoenn.

But first, she needed to find Looker.

–

{Back with Ash}

Ash was in Vermilion City again, hearing the sounds of boat horns as he waited at the port.

Pikachu and Vee were by his side, obviously, and he had a face mask covering his face. Turns out masks were still really popular here in Kanto even after a year, so he had to put one on.

As he did, Ash was thinking about his voice. Voice cracks were something called the 'transition phase,' where your vocal cords get used to your new voice before they change. Normally it takes about six months in the real world, but since in this world humans 'mature' quicker, like he once said, he could crawl before he was even one year old, it would probably take a lot less time for his voice to stabilize.

As Ash casually sat on a bench, he heard some sounds behind him, "There you are! We've been looking for you!"

When he turned, raising an eyebrow, he saw Chloe and Regina, along with Chloe's Eevee and Mirche.

Chloe ran up first and crossed her arms, tapping her foot. "So you came and didn't even decide to call, huh?"

Ash chuckled. "Wow, were you that happy to see me? If I had known, I would've stopped by your house to buy some flowers. Does that mean you're here to accept my declaration of love~?"

"You shut up, you," Chloe huffed as her cheeks glowed pink. "We just came here to see you off, and also since we couldn't make it to your birthday."

Ash chuckled again, resting his chin in his hand as he leaned back on the bench. "Aw, Chloe, you didn't have to come all the way out here just for me. If I knew you were gonna miss me this much, I'd have written you a love letter to hold onto while I was gone."

"Y-you're insufferable!" Chloe snapped, her cheeks blazing red as she whipped her ponytail to the side. "Seriously, why do you always say stuff like that?!"

"Because you blush every time." Ash grinned, eyes glinting mischievously.

Regina, standing just behind Chloe, let out a small squeak at the exchange. She fiddled with her sleeves, cheeks warming, clearly unsure whether to laugh, hide, or vanish into thin air.

"See?" Ash said, pointing at Regina with a smirk. "Even Regina's embarrassed for you."

"I-I'm not!" Regina stammered quickly, waving her hands in denial, though her face had turned pink as well.

Ash just leaned back with a satisfied smile. "Two for two. Guess I'm on a roll."

Before Chloe could explode again, Pikachu twitched his ears toward a noise. The group turned to see Chloe's Eevee and Regina's Mirche cautiously padding forward toward Vee.

Vee, minding his own business, had just hopped off the bench and sat down, stretching his tail out. He wasn't even trying, but somehow, the moment he looked at the two girls with his calm, big-eyed stare, both girls' Pokémon froze.

Eevee tilted her head shyly. Mirche gave a soft little "Vee…" almost like a sigh.

Vee blinked, looking confused. Then, both Eevee moved closer, practically batting their eyelashes at him.

Vee's ears shot up, his eyes wide as he looked back at Ash. "Vee? [What the heck just happened?!]"

Once again, two more had fallen to his charms of doing absolutely nothing.

Ash immediately burst into laughter. "Oh-ho-ho, look at that!" he said loudly, pointing. "Seems like our Eevees are getting along really well. Guess that means, logically speaking, Chloe, Regina, you two and me? We're destined to end up together. No arguing with fate."

"W-WHAT?!" Chloe yelped, face going scarlet. "That's not, don't twist it like that!"

Regina covered her mouth, completely red now, trying not to squeak. "T-that's… n-not how it works…" she mumbled, her voice barely above a whisper.

Ash sighed dramatically. "Guess it runs in the family. My partner's a natural heartbreaker." He leaned closer to Chloe, lowering his voice with mock seriousness. "Clearly, our Eevees are in love. And as responsible Trainers… I suppose that means we have to end up together, too."

Vee groaned and smacked his face with a paw, fur puffing out in mortified protest.

Pikachu rolled onto his side, cackling with squeaky laughter.

"Y-you're impossible!" Chloe shouted, stamping her foot. Her Eevee, however, had already scooted closer to Vee and leaned against him with dreamy eyes.

"Impossible to resist?" Ash shot back smoothly, winking over his mask. "You know, if our Pokémon start dating… it'd only be fair if we followed their example, right?" He winked shamelessly.

That did it. Chloe nearly combusted. "A-A-AASH KETCHUM!!"

Regina turned away, her hands clasped together, her face as red as a Tamato Berry.

Ash laughed, but the moment was cut short as the ship's horn blared across the Vermilion harbor, deep and loud, rattling the benches. The announcement followed almost immediately after:

"All passengers boarding for the Hoenn Region, please proceed to the main gate."

Ash straightened, glancing toward the massive cruise liner at the dock. "Well, looks like that's me."

Chloe's blush hadn't completely faded, but she folded her arms and gave him a small frown. "So you really are going… without even saying goodbye properly."

Ash chuckled, standing up and slinging his bag over his shoulder. "I thought I was saying goodbye right now. Or…" He leaned down just a little, lowering his voice with that same playful grin. "…do you want a kiss on the cheek to make it official?"

"Wh—! You—!" Chloe nearly stumbled backward, her ponytail whipping as she turned away with a squeak. "Don't even joke like that!"

"Aw, come on, Chloe," Ash said, tone teasing but warm. "You'll miss me. Admit it."

"I will not!" she snapped, though her face betrayed her.

Regina clasped her hands together, watching the whole scene with eyes that darted between them and then down at the ground. "…W-we'll miss you, Ash. Both of us," she said softly, almost in a whisper.

Ash's grin softened into a genuine smile. "Thanks, Regina. I'll miss you both too." He glanced down at Pikachu and Vee. "Looks like this is our ship."

"Pika!" Pikachu chirped, puffing up proudly.

"Vee…" Vee sighed, still pinned between Chloe's Eevee and Regina's Mirche, who were both practically clinging to him.

"Guess someone else has a harder goodbye than I do," Ash chuckled.

The horn blared again, louder this time.

Chloe shifted on her feet, biting her lip. "…Ash."

"Yeah?"

She hesitated, then quickly shoved something into his hands. "Here. Happy birthday," she muttered, stepping back.

Ash looked down at it, it was a small box with a ribbon around it. Carefully, he tugged at the ribbon and opened it. Inside was a sleek black bracelet with a shining blue gem set in the middle. It looked custom-made, the kind of thing that wasn't bought last-minute from a shop.

"Wow, this is actually really nice. Thanks," Ash said, slipping it onto his wrist. He grinned. "I'll wear it every day, it'll be my good luck charm~" he teased.

"You better," Chloe huffed, looking away just as the last call for Ash's boat echoed through the harbor.

Ash gave one last wave, backing toward the gate. "Alright, this is it. Bye, guys! Take care!"

"Take care, Ash!" Regina called, lifting her hand in a small wave.

Chloe shouted after him too, her voice louder than she intended. "Don't get into trouble, you idiot!"

Ash laughed, running backward toward the ramp with Pikachu perched on his shoulder and Vee trotting close behind. As he stepped onto the ship, he turned one last time, smiling wide. "No promises!"

And with that he was off.

-

{With Silver}

Silver was packing his bag. He didn't know exactly where he was going, only that he needed to get stronger.

As he stuffed the last of his things inside, his phone buzzed. He froze, glanced at it, then picked it up. The sender made his brow furrow, his father.

He opened the message.

The words hit him so hard he almost dropped the phone:

[Silver, you have a sister. Your mother and I need help finding her. Come meet us and let's talk.]

Silver stared, hand tightening around the device. His jaw clenched. He didn't know whether to believe it, but if there was even a chance it was true, he needed answers.

Shoving the phone onto the bed, he finished packing with sudden urgency. And picked up his bag, time to get to the bottom of this

{Johto Arc - end}