Crime Sometimes Pays

by FallenKoala

Giovanni was expecting the latest experiment to provide him with powerful and rare pokemon. It ends up spitting out a strange man instead. Never one to waste an opportunity and a chance to recoup some losses, the boss puts him to work as a new grunt and test subject. Team Rocket's newest employee must find his place in the team, without screwing too much up in the process.

2. Chapter 2: Say 'Ah'

"Weeavve."

The soft poke-snore would have been quite cute if it had come from a pokemon that hadn't been Maxwell's personal nightmare for the better part of a year, the weavile resting up against his left side tightening her clawed grip on his arm in her slumber. Max shifted on the spot, one leg dangling down outside the black helicopter while he gazed up at the night sky through the gaps in the rotors above.

'I should have listened to mother and stayed in law school.'

But he hadn't, and so he now found himself as a grunt of the largest criminal organisation in Kanto.

Another snore, this one from behind him, gained his attention. Just like her pokemon Vivian was comfortably passed out on the rear seats, the forgotten magazine shielding her face from the moonlight. Their unofficial policy, one takes watch while the other takes time to nap, always seemed unfairly skewed in her favour whenever they were on a job together. Granted, 'wait in the chopper' wasn't the most exciting assignment, but it could turn into a highly dangerous one if the boss returned and they were both sleeping.

There wasn't much else he could do, Maxwell sighing and looking back over at the small cottage. Just like before, there was no sign of movement save for the large 'no trespassing' sign above the door flapping in the breeze. The only change from the last hour was that the lights were now on, apart from that nothing was new.

'Wait…'

"The lights are on," Max muttered, before he jolted up. "The lights are o- ah!"

He winced, Weave's claw digging into his ribs as her eyes snapped open. Thankfully it didn't pierce the uniform, but Maxwell was still quite glad that the pokemon let him go to bolt upright at the alarm. The Weavile's eyes quickly scanned the outside night before settling on the illuminated building, tilting her head as if to wonder what the problem was.

"Lights?" murmured Vivian, before the realisation hit her and she scrambled to sit up. "It's the Boss!?" She snatched her magazine off the carpeted floor and flung it into the cockpit, all while repeating herself. "It's the Boss! Ivan!"

"I heard, I heard!"

All three entered a mad panic. Ivan started to loudly knock things over in the cockpit doing pilot things while Maxwell desperately tried to smooth down his messy blonde hair, formerly a victim of Weave's attentions. Vivian for her part was smoothing down her uniform with her hands, her pokeball being raised just as Max placed his cap back upon his head.

"Weave, return!"

Maxwell's nemesis was vanquished in a flash of red light. However, he didn't have time to savour the victory. The lights went out at the cottage just as the front door opened and a trio of figures emerged. The persian that exited the small house first was unmistakeable, Max sliding out of the chopper and planting his booted feet firmly on the ground. Vivian quickly followed him, the two taking up position on either side of the open helicopter door with hands going up to their caps in a salute.

'Huh?'

The boss, Giovanni, approached the helipad with an unexpected companion walking next to him. Appearing to only be wearing a blue towel around his generous waist the strangely red man was practically naked, especially when compared to the expensive suit that the boss of Team Rocket wore. He didn't even have any shoes on, his bare feet touching the dirt path while the other approaching man sported footwear that likely cost more than Maxwell's entire life savings.

"Who's the freak?" Vivian whispered out from the side of her mouth while remaining still otherwise.

Maxwell didn't have the answer and decided to just keep his mouth shut as the strange procession reached the edge of the pad. Persian, not the friendliest pokemon at the best of times, bounded ahead and went for open side door with a grimace on his face. In a highly unusual move, the graceful feline leaped into the inside of the helicopter without even waiting for the boss.

Giovanni and the strange man beside him stopped just short of the chopper, a few feet away from Max and Vivian. Both of the grunts smelt it at once, the pair unable to stop themselves from wincing. The stench wasn't like bad body odour or rancid food, there was no threat of vomiting. Instead, under the somewhat familiar scent of smoke and burnt plastics, there was a small that was just…

Wrong.

The large man, and indeed up-close Max could see just how large he was in both height and general girth, swept his unnervingly small eyes across the two of them. The pink guy's mouth said a few words silently while he appeared to alternate between the large red 'R' on the side of the black helicopter and the uniformed grunts with their own 'R' proudly displayed on their chests, Maxwell almost sure that the raw-looking lips had started with 'what the…'.

"Is something wrong?"

Max's posture stiffened at Giovanni's question, with the Boss seemingly not bothered with the strange air at all.

"Boss," Vivian answered steadily without any hint of her previous mischievous teasing, her expression stony and her salute rock solid. "It's the smell, sir." She continued a half-second later. "Not meaning to insult, Boss. It's just… really odd."

Max braced himself, Vivian not twitching a muscle while the Boss lifted an eye.

"Yes, the smell," Giovanni agreed without any of the expected anger. The pink man blinked and looked as if he was going to say something, before he stopped and remained silent. "Unsettling at first, but you get used to it after a while." Giovanni looked at Maxwell and back to Vivian, before he waved a hand. "At ease but stay where you are."

Max dropped his salute and relaxed his posture, his counterpart doing the same while Giovanni continued.

"The events of tonight are to be considered secret, with the two of you not to repeat any of this to any others except with my explicit permission. Not to any higher-ranking agents, or even my secretary." A gust of cool night wind blew a few loose leaves across the pad. "Understand?"

Hasty nods from both Maxwell and Vivian and simultaneous confirmations. "Yes Boss! We understand!"

Giovanni nodded in acknowledgement, before turning with an open hand to present the strange man.

"This man is John, although you will refer to him by his last name." A second of silence passed as the boss exchanged a look with the man he was introducing, who blinked before he refocused on the grunts.

"Smith."

"Mr Smith," the Boss continued on without skipping a beat, "has unfortunately been involved in an industrial accident, as you can see from his skin."

Maxwell winced, Mr Smith's skin not just the shade of raw meat but also seemingly to be completely smooth save for the joints, as if the industrial accident had involved some kind of caustic chemical bath.

"His clothes were completely destroyed as an unfortunate result, and he has lost all of his possessions and identification in the tragic accident." Giovanni paused, glancing at Mr Smith. "Even worse, it seems as if his memory has been adversely affected. He can't recall region names or even what pokemon are, for instance."

'He doesn't even know what pokemon are? That's insane, everyone knows what pokemon are. They're pokemon!'

Giovanni cleared his throat, his hand moving to adjust his tie.

"Of course, Team Rocket and its affiliated partners had nothing to do with this unfortunate accident that has befallen Mr Smith. However, as I am a generous man, I have decided to take Mr Smith in as my guest for the time being until he makes a full recovery. If anyone questions who he is you can tell them that Mr Smith is a guest of the Boss, my guest, and that is all that I have to say about the matter." His gaze hardened. "Questions?"

'You know what generous means?'

Max pushed that query to the very bottom of the 'do not voice' pile, and instead got his reply in a split second before Vivian's.

"No sir."

"No, Boss. No questions."

"Good." Giovanni furrowed his brow afterwards, bringing a hand to his chin in thought while he looked into the helicopter behind them. "One of you release your pokemon. I wish to test something."

Maxwell looked down and fumbled for his belt, but this time Vivian was faster on the draw. The female grunt grabbed her pokeball and enlarged it with one practiced move, the red beam aimed at the ground between Giovanni and her. Mr Smith visibly jumped in his skin when Weave appeared, despite the weavile barely reaching his waist with her red feather crown.

"Weavile!"

The pokemon looked up and saw Giovanni before her instead of her owner, Weave's fanged grin vanishing as she realised who he was. Her right claw shot up to her head in a salute, Maxwell certain he could hear Vivian sniff with barely restrained pride.

Then Weave's tiny nose twitched, and the pokemon outright grimaced with her tongue sticking out. She shivered, not the most common reaction one saw from dark and ice types let alone a duel type, but the reaction that occurred when she actually laid eyes upon the strange human was something no one had remotely expected.

Weave bolted.

One could have mistaken the 'mon for a flying type as she sprinted for the helicopter with a loud yelp, dashing through the middle of the two shocked grunts and sliding under the belly of the helicopter. The sound of claws frantically scrambling on the cold concrete was all that remained of the weavile, until red feathers inched up above the top rotors and a pair of eyes stared out from the other side of the chopper. With her pupils and irises being mere pinpricks, Weave stared at Mr Smith even as Vivian jumped around to face her.

"Weave, what are you doing!?" Vivian hissed and brought her hands up to both sides of her head, her empty pokeball touching her cap. She aimed it at Weave and, after a worried glance back towards Giovanni, recalled her rouge pokemon. "Return!"

Vivian minimised her ball and put it back on her belt was Weave was safely inside, the normally composed grunt gritting her teeth. "In front of the Boss…"

Maxwell just picked up the whisper, Vivian spinning around on her heels with her pleading hands outstretched.

"Boss, I'm so sorry that Weave did that, I just…"

She was silenced with a raise of Giovanni's hand. The Boss didn't seem too bothered by the display, the suited man even sporting a slight smile. Mr Smith however seemed tense with his eyes squarely locked on the pokeball now holstered at Vivian's hip.

"A weavile? What a rare pokemon for a just a grunt. A gift?"

Vivian seemed taken aback but nodded after a moment. "Ah, yes Boss. I got her as a sneasel before I joined."

"I see." The Boss turned to Mr Smith, the other man shaking his head before looking back Giovanni when he was spoken to. "That pokemon species, weavile, is known to be one of the crueller ones by nature. Even for a pack hunter." There was no reply expected, the Boss already turning back after the brief explanation. "It also had a poor reaction to you, interesting. Perhaps the smell."

Maxwell figured that it was a safe bet to make, recalling how Persian went straight from the helicopter. Even now the foreign scent still lingered in his own nostrils, although diminished due to the focus on recent events.

"A matter for another time, it's late." A gesture towards the helicopter door. "After you, Mr Smith."

The man did as told, stepping towards the door without complaint. Maxwell felt a shiver down his spine when a glance towards him made mutual contact, Mr Smith's tiny eyes sharing both the colour and warmth of blue ice. A slight nod of acknowledgement and attempt at a faint smile did little to sooth Max's nerves. The large man repeated the same gesture to Vivian before he put a foot inside of the chopper and squeezed through the door, one hand gripping the doorway while the other held onto the hem of his towel.

The flying machine squeaked on its wheels in protest, listing over to the left side with a metallic groan before shakily returning to a centred position after he had disappeared inside. Maxwell glanced to Vivian, the other grunt making sure the Boss wasn't watching before tugging her collar and gesturing to the struggling helicopter with wide eyes.

"What the…?" Through the open door, Ivan's voice could be heard over the machine's protests. "Towel man! How much do you weigh? Are you man or pink Nidoking!?"

There was no audible reply, Giovanni sighing before gesturing with a hand to the helicopter.

"Get in, I'll have a brief talk with Ivan." The Boss made to walk around to the right side of the helicopter, beside the cockpit. "And I expect a quiet flight back to base."

Maxwell and Vivian shared a look and a wince, before the older grunt stepped up and followed the pink man into the helicopter. He did the same, but not before silently offering up a prayer for protection to whatever deity would hear it.

---

John once again found himself trapped inside a corridor, although this one at least had a coat of light-blue paint and the occasional potted plant. His new boss and the two 'grunts' from the helicopter ushered him quickly along, Persian lagging behind to the rear of the group, each member glancing at every door they passed.

The ride back to the headquarters had gotten off to a rocky start with the pilot having to dump fuel just to keep them above the treetops. John was certain that, while portly, he wasn't that heavy to be one solely to blame. Still the flight issues had been short lived, and staring out the windows at all of the lush forests and fields had eased his mind as well as pass the time. He had even spotted a large city along with smaller towns and roads, the lights from a few buildings and streets aided by the illumination from a massive moon.

The Team Rocket HQ itself had also been an impressive sight, the imposing air the futuristic silver buildings radiated only matched by the sheer lack of concern for subtlety on behalf of the designers. With the main many-storied tower and surrounding sub-buildings bristling with antenna and dishes, alongside the massive red 'R' icons, John was now certain that he had been recruited into a supervillain's cult. And if the slick, sci-fi fortress design of the buildings themselves weren't enough, Team Rocket had somehow decided that sticking them smack bang in the middle of the largest rocky canyon in the area was a good idea. At least the main tower had a helipad right on the top, and John had made a mental note of where to run if a sudden flood occurred.

Shifting away from silent critiques on 'evil bad guy' base design and focusing back on the current goal, John continued to match Giovanni's pace as the group slowed for a curved corridor up ahead. Maxwell, the male grunt, left to check it out before the rest of them reached it. John's eyes darted towards the blonde's belt, in particular the red and white sphere clipped to the belt.

'Devil magic.'

He wasn't a particularly religious man, and while he considered himself to only be a 'midwit' when it came to science knowledge, he still knew enough to know that seemingly turning matter into energy and storing it in a device the size of his left nut was nigh-impossible. Especially when said matter was a living, apparently sapient creature. John didn't even want to learn about how such a process was powered, hoping that he wasn't walking next to people carrying miniature nuclear reactors so they could transport their equivalent of a dog in their pockets.

"Wait."

Giovanni moved to join Maxwell when the grunt looked back to them to point around the corner, the Boss's polished shoes clicking on the shiny metal tiles that made up the corridor floor. Disappearing around the corner, his next words were answered by a trio of male voices.

"You there, grunts."

"Boss!"

"What are you doing here so late? You're not guards."

"W-we just got back from a job, Boss," one voice explained, quite deep. "Got into a fight with some punks who tried to take the goods."

"Yeah," a second voice that was more nasally and weasley added. "Street thugs. We got away with the haul, but we also got, ah, beaten by 'em a little. Just a little."

"It was more like a draw and then an organised retreat," answered a third grunt, with what sounded to John like a mobster straight out of the Godfather. "Our pokemon got worked over a bit, so we brought them to the med centre for some healin'."

A soft footfall, John looking to his side as the young women the Boss had called 'Vivian' took a step up to stand next to him. Head height with his chest, she met his stare and visually struggled to not wince, her own blue eyes giving an exaggerated roll while she gestured with her head towards the hidden conversation. John studied her for a moment before nodding, not failing to catch the way she breathed a sigh of relief when he refocused his eyes on the corner.

"You know that the medical centre is only for emergencies after twelve, not for bruised pokemon." Giovanni had a sigh of his own, seasoned with barely restrained annoyance. "Did you push the button?"

"Not yet Boss, do you want us to?"

"No. I want you to leave and not come back until after midday. And take the long way back to the dormitories as punishment for your failure."

A chorus of hurried affirmatives:

"Of course Boss!"

"Thank you Boss!"

"Boss! Anything for you Boss!"

Was followed by the sound of running and the slamming of a door. The sounds faded, everyone waiting for what seemed like ages for the next order.

"Idiots," Giovanni finally called out from the next corridor. "Remember what we discussed earlier, Mr Smith?" John didn't get a chance to reply. "Continue to me."

Deciding to take the chance away from Giovanni's watch, John looked to Vivian and shrugged while consciously avoiding eye contact. She just shook her head and motioned that they should do as ordered, the grunt falling behind to shadow John's right. The pair, Persian still skulking around far behind, collected Maxwell on the way past before rounding the corner. The Boss was waiting for them in front of a large white door with a red cross in the middle, staring at a smaller grey door that was flush with the metal walls.

"You two remain here and ensure that no one else tries to enter." Giovanni reached into the pocket of his suit's pants, pulling out a thin black wallet with a small 'R' on the front in gold. He flipped it open and moved it towards the panel with a large button that was marked 'Emergencies Only', holding it up before a short and rectangular strip of reflective red just below the button itself. A thin flash of red light from the strip, and the white door split down the middle with each part sliding into the surrounding sides of the doorway. "Mr Smith, myself and you will go in. Persian can stay out here with the grunts."

Keen to get out of the corridor, John didn't hesitate to enter the medical centre, stepping into a small lobby decorated with a few potted plants placed next to a row of folding metal seats. Everything was coloured an almost blinding white, every surface spotless and the chilled air smelled of disinfectant seasoned with citrus. A large desk, shaped like a 'U', took up the majority of the space in the room. Two computers, curiously looking to have old and blocky CRT monitors instead of flat screens, sat on one long end of the desk each. A pair of frosted glass doors with large black and white labels above them flanked the desk, the one of the left marked 'Pokemon' while the other was 'Humans'.

Giovanni walked past him and headed straight for the door on the right, waving for John to follow. He did so, the Boss knocking on the opaque glass with a fist. "Yari? It's Giovanni." A buzzer sounded from the desk a few seconds later, and the door opened inwards with the hiss of escaping air. John got a glimpse of the large area it led to, a few medical stretchers and closed doors with an assortment of monitors and machines on mobile machines lined up against a wall. He didn't have time to get a better look as the first door on the right, the closest to John and the Boss, opened.

"In here, Giovanni. What have you called me for this early in the morning?"

The voice was male, and John was surprised when the Boss actually smiled despite the use of his name and not his rank, even more so at how genuine it was. He followed the suited man, Giovanni disappearing through the doorway.

"Something curious, old man."

"Careful youngster, your next physical is due this month."

John stepped into the office just in time to catch a chuckle from Giovanni, the boss standing beside a flat stretcher opposite a seated man dressed in black silk pyjamas and a white lab coat. Almost completely bald with a short and wispy grey beard that matched his last remaining hairs, the elderly doctor was adjusting his small set of eyeglasses while sipping a mug of steaming coffee through a smile of his own.

Looking away from Giovanni and towards John as he entered, the doctor's brown eyes widened while he spluttered into his cup.

"Oh my, look at you!" The doctor placed his coffee down on the desk in front of him, swivelling around on his wheeled office chair and reaching a hand into his coat to pull out a white handkerchief. "What an impressive and large specimen of a man, obviously well fed!"

John resisted the urge to scoff while the doctor wiped his mouth, Giovanni's grin not hiding his own amusement at the way Yari put it.

"Abnormal skin of a reddish-pink colouration, not a trace of body hair save for the head," the doctor continued while reaching to grab what looked to John like an electronic tablet off of the desk. The man paused, holding the white cloth to his nose for a long moment with a frown before returning it to his pocket. "A strange scent as well, not conventionally unpleasant to the nose but somehow I still get a feeling of malaise, curious." The doctor rapidly typed on the illuminated screen of the table while talking, only taking his eyes off of John for a second at a time to glance down at the device.

"You've reacted to the smell well," commented Giovanni, an eye raising. "I'm still not used to it, and pokemon loathe it."

"I'm not surprised, given their olfactory systems are typically many times more powerful than our own, along with their other senses. And I can assure you, practicing medicine for decades has exposed me to worse stenches." Doctor Yari craned his head to try and get a side view of John, whispering to himself before returning to his typing. "Hopefully it is just a temporary problem. How exactly did this occur?"

John glanced to Giovanni, waiting either for him to speak or to receive permission to do so himself. The boss met his look with a nod before motioning for John to close the door. It shut with a click, prompting Yari to halt the focus on his notes. Giovanni cocked his head to listen for a moment, ear aimed towards the now-shut door, before speaking.

"Yari, you did read the message I sent you? You were here when we arrived, after all."

The Doctor scoffed before pressing a button on the side of his tablet, a section in the middle of the desk's metal surface popping open. A blue light flashed before a flat rectangular screen was projected in mid-air above the spot, the holographic display first showing a single red 'R' logo before changing to a view of some sort of email or messaging system. A part of John's mind recognised the layout as being uncannily similar to Outlook, but that was pushed aside to marvel at how CRT computer monitors and holographic computer displays could exist simultaneously in the same building.

"Of course I read it, it woke me up with that absurd siren alert you love to use so much." A huff and a wave at the screen, one message in particular marked with an almost comically large and red exclamation point. "I'm not losing my marbles just yet, boy. I may hold a doctorate, multiple in fact, but even I need more to go off of than…" Yari adjusted his glasses again and squinted at the projected screen. "There was an incident at one of the labs that caused an issue. I'll be back at base by three-thirty-five AM. Meet in the medical centre. Maintain secrecy."

Yari leaned back in his chair with his arms folding, tablet forgotten in his lap. He tutted and shook his head at Giovanni, the boss still smiling despite the doctor's repeated sass. He actually seemed to quite enjoy it.

John didn't miss how the smile faded a tad when Giovanni focused on him and not the doctor, not a real shock considering he wasn't nearly as familiar or perhaps respected as the elder.

"Yari, this is John Smith, or at least that's what he's introduced himself as." A hand was gestured towards him. "Mr Smith, you may speak freely to Doctor Yari, I trust him completely."

"Doctor," John greeted with a nod, figuring it was best to avoid direct eye contact as it seemed to weird people out so far. He glanced down at his pink body, hidden only by the same towel from earlier, before looking back at Yari with a flourish of the hand and a slight bow of the knees. "I'm the issue." The flourish turned into an offered handshake, Yari smiling at it for a brief moment before leaning forward to meet it with his own, slightly yellowed hand.

John swore that he heard Giovanni mutter 'An issue indeed,' under his breath but when he broke the shake and turned back the boss's small smile hadn't changed, although his eyes narrowed ever so slightly when he next spoke.

"Apparently, Mr Smith is suffering from a large amount of memory loss." Giovanni made eye contact with John, the boss's expression not changing. "He claims it's 'amnesia'."

"I see," Yari resumes typing away on his tablet, however this time the lines of text appeared upon the holographic screen instead. "Was there any trauma?"

"I scared the shit out of his cat."

John realised that he had potentially overstepped the line, but at the moment didn't care. It had just been too hard to resist and said almost automatically.

The typing stopped, Doctor Yari wagging a finger at him. "Watch that language, especially in front of your elders." Despite the warning the doctor's smile seemed only to grow, and his small shoulders bounced with a stifled chuckle. Giovanni was silent and didn't appear to be equally as amused, however no reprimand was sent John's way.

"I should specify that I mean physical trauma, injuries or even small bumps." Yari's fingers waited on the tablet's touchscreen. "What is the first thing you remember?"

John rubbed his chin in thought. "Falling out of some kind of portal, which was on fire and I think also exploding. Then I was on the ground, metal floor, and when I got up there was the Boss, a scientist, and Persian looking at me like I was some kind of monster." He paused, lifting up a red hand and rotating it around. "I guess I can't blame them. Oh, and when I say 'Persian' I mean the… persian named 'Persian', specifically."

"I figured that out, yes. I am quite familiar with Persian." Yari turned around to face Giovanni, the boss leaning up against the stretcher with his arms crossed. "Speaking of, he's not with you?"

A grunt. "No, he's outside in the corridor." The boss's mouth twitched in irritation. "Rather than withstand a little unease and be a strong pokemon, Persian has decided to be weak and pathetic for the time being."

Yari nodded in understanding, but when he refaced John he looked up, shook his head softly, and silently mouthed 'He loves him'. Once again Giovanni didn't comment, but instead looked at his watch.

"So, you fell out of this exploding portal?"

"Yes. The portal wasn't really exploding though, it was more the portal-generating thing going up in smoke. Lots of electrical fires."

"No injuries, pain?"

"Nope."

"Hmm," hummed Yari, another set of tuts leaving his mouth afterwards. "At least this time it was portals, and not another cloning debacle."

"Doctor…"

Yari brushed off Giovanni's low warning with a wave of his hand.

"Yes, yes, still a sore point." The Doctor finished typing and placed the tablet down on the desk, before he opened a draw underneath and fished out a stethoscope. With a swivel of his chair, he gestured towards the stretcher bed. "John, please take a seat. I should probably give you a quick check-up before we continue with questions."

Giovanni moved first, smoothing his suit out with a hand and making for the door. John stepped out of his way, his new boss fixing both him and Yari with a look.

"I'll leave him with you Yari, I'm going to try and get a few hours sleep. Call if you have something important, if not I'll be back later this morning." Exiting the office, Giovanni paused in the outside area. "And remember to try and keep things quiet for now. The official story is 'industrial accident causing memory loss', nothing more."

Yari didn't give a direct answer but instead just hummed an affirmative, his back turned to the door while he fumbled around in the room's wall cabinets. Evidently it was enough, the frosted door leading to the lobby clicking shut a few seconds later. There was a brief hiss of compressed air afterwards, John sitting down on the stretcher as instructed.

It creaked under his weight, the centre sagging down alarmingly low. Doctor Yari looked over his shoulder at the sounds, peeking over his glasses as he did so.

"We might have to borrow one of the pokemon scales for you, young man."

"What?" John crossed his arms, the stretcher still protesting any movement. "Come on, I'm not that heavy."

"If you say so. Still, I would like to check regardless."

A snort for John, but really he couldn't fault the doctor for the decision. He still remembered the helicopter ride after all. Yari returned attention to the cabinet, all sorts of medical devices both familiar and foreign being placed upon a wheeled metal table. A thermometer in plastic packaging, some forceps, a device that looked like a barcode scanner attached to a small monitor, the pile seemed to grow. Growing more hesitant as the ratio of items began to skew more towards the 'unknown' side, John coughed into a fist and tried to make conversation.

"So, you and the boss seem to be close. He doesn't seem like the type to disrespect."

Yari turned around, a box of medical gloves in his hand.

"I've been Giovanni's doctor since he was little, there's not much about him I don't know." He pulled out a pair of gloves, snapping them onto each hand. "He's a hard man, but even the hardest of us need to vent their issues to someone occasionally. Heh, it also helps that I'm the only doctor he trusts to give him his yearly physical. If he gets too big for his boots or hot in the head, the next prostate exam might be a little rougher than usual. Not much else in the world can give you more power over a man than that."

John winced, the large pair of medical gloves the doctor was wearing being a bit more threatening than before. Yari must have noticed, and the doctor grinned.

"On that topic, can you remember if you've ever had a check before? It won't take a minute, just bend over and cough."

He could only give a humoured snort as the answer, his arms still crossed. In response Doctor Yari shrugged, his gloved hands opening the packet of the thermometer.

"Let's stick to the other end then. Say 'ah'."

---

Bright mid-morning sunlight, unhindered by the thick glass roof, bathed neatly trimmed grass and regularly pruned bushes with welcomed warmth. The medical centre's small courtyard, the size of a large tennis court, was a refreshing oasis of green amidst the surrounding metal sprawl of the Headquarters. Vents in the transparent roof high above allowed a fresh breeze to flow in and ruffle the leaves of the small trees that dotted the space and combined with the bubbling pond it created a very convincing imitation of being outdoors. Small hidden speakers even played recorded chatters and chirps of various bird pokemon, although on this particular morning they were accompanied by loud slurps and belches.

Yari, tablet still in hand, sat and observed the man sitting on the opposite side of the park table devour yet another large cup noodle with a speed that rivalled the hungriest snorlax. Dressed in a tight patient gown instead of a just a towel, he probably could have even passed for a sunburnt one at a distance. Three already empty containers, all nebulously labelled 'Seafood Sensation', sat next to two devastated packets of 'Piloswine Farms' Famous Potato Chips' and a trio of 'Machamp-Power' protein bars.

At this rate of consumption the doctor would have feared for the stock levels of the centre's vending machines, were it not for his knowledge of just how unpopular almost every item within them was. Giovanni and by extension Team Rocket thankfully understood the importance of some amenities to employee morale and health, such as the very courtyard Yari sat in, but the quality in both nutrition and taste of vending machine food had not made the list.

"This is fucking great! It's like I'm eating at an actual seafood joint!"

Evidently Mr Smith was of the minority opinion, his plastic fork only pausing so he could grab the large bottle of water beside him. Two thirds of it of vanished in a mere two gulps, and Doctor Yari was silently thankful that he had the foresight to have closed the centre for the morning and told the staff to have a sleep in. The more people he spared from this uncouth display of gluttony, as well as repeated slips into foul language, the better.

Almost as if on cue the large and still-pink man released the bottle from his mouth to burp, the back his free hand wiping his mouth while he examined the magikarp picture on the side. "Even this water is god-tier, water!"

'It's just normal water,' Yari thought with a nod, John returning to his noodle bowl with gusto. 'Although with all the sodium in those noodles, I suppose such enthusiasm for it should be encouraged.'

He glanced down at the many notes on his tablet, nothing having been entered for a while save for 'the man can eat.' Figuring that now was as best a time as any, he sighed to himself before sending a quick message off to the boss that his report was ready. As Mr Smith was noisily finishing off his current bowl Yari went to attach his extensive findings to a follow-up message, but he had barely started to upload the substantial document before the boss sent a reply back. Even more surprising was the content, Yari voicing a quiet hum as he read that Giovanni was on his way.

'Such unusual interest in something that isn't a rare pokemon, or money.'

Still, he certainly couldn't fault the man for taking such notice of their visitor, considering the circumstances.

'Even more so after these tests,' Yari added, glancing back over his recorded observations of Mr Smith. Just as the thought had popped into his mind, the sound of a plastic fork dropping into an empty noodle cup prompted him to look back up.

"Ah, that's the stuff," Mr Smith sighed happily while patting his round gut through the gown and leaning back slightly. The wooden bench creaked under him at the movement, and he quickly righted himself with one hand grabbing the table for support. Glancing down at the tortured seat, he scoffed. "I still think your scale is busted, there's no way I weight that much. I'm not that much of a fat cu…" He caught himself as if he was about to swear, but Yari couldn't guess as to what it was meant to be. "A fat bloke."

The doctor raised an eye. "We used two scales that gave identical readings, both capable of comfortably fitting a snorlax."

"I don't know what that is."

'A mirror might answer that.'

The silent reply brought a smile to Doctor Yari's face.

"It's a large and heavy pokemon, quite fond of eating and sleeping."

"Huh, probably could have guessed that one. Snorlax likes to snore and relax, Persian probably purrs. What next Doc, a bird that flies called 'Flybird'?"

Yari decided that now was not the time to tell John about Flygon. Instead he gestured with a hand towards the empty food containers. "No, a think a stomach-ache might be next. That amount of food would normally feed three grown men, if they could even keep it down."

Crossing his arms, John harrumphed. "Yeah, well I was hungry okay? The beast, she needed to be fed." His hands drummed on his stomach at the words with a grin, before it faded. "Look, sorry for eating so much Doc, I swear one noodle cup normally does me pretty well." An absentminded wave of his hand to the side. "I appreciate the shout; I'll buy you beers when I get some cash after… I dunno, wash the boss's car or whatever it is he wants me too actually do around here. I could go for a beer." His grin returned to full force, probably more so at the thought of alcoholic beverages than anything else, but Yari couldn't help but match the grin with his own wide smile.

"I appreciate the offer, John, but don't feel obligated. The medical team gets a stipend to spend on needed items for patients, and since I'm the top doc I can use it as I see fit." He went back into his notes and wrote another line, John nodding before turning around to examine the courtyard again.

Subject seems to be able to recall small details, such as beer and how much he normally would eat.

The bench John was sitting on groaned when he got up from it to twist his torse side to side with a satisfied laugh, Yari cocking an eye. "You don't feel sore? You said yourself that fitness wasn't your primary concern?"

"Nah, complete opposite." John eyed one of the patches of grass. "I feel amazingly great. In fact, I think a post-breakfast workout is in order. Do you need me to do anything else?"

Yari shook his head, knowing that the boss would be at least twenty minutes away at least. "Not at the moment John, I'll let you know. Don't overwork yourself though, especially after such a large meal."

"Yeah, I know. Thanks Doc." The gowned man jogged off towards his chosen spot, Yari shaking his head while Mr Smith dropped down to his hands in the grass. It was a visible struggle for John to keep his engorged belly off the ground, but the man started a new set of push-ups with an almost childlike grin of beaming achievement while he did so. And an achievement it probably was, considering he'd admitted to Yari that he recalled only able to do five 'weak' ones at most.

Returning to the review of his report, Doctor Yari still couldn't believe some of the findings made on just the first day. Using a finger to scroll through the electronic pages, he felt the almost foreign feeling of excitement that had been previously buried under the last few years of mundane general practice and surgeries. So engrossed he was in his notes, he lost track of time and failed to notice Giovanni's arrival until the boss was almost next to him.

"Good morning Yari."

Jumping in his seat Yari looked up to find Giovanni, the boss now wearing a muted brown suit with black tie, smiling at him with sleepy eyes. Placing a hand to his chest and breathing out slowly, Yari shook his head and stood up.

"Careful. Don't sneak up on an old man deep in his thoughts, you might give him a heart attack."

"You've got plenty of years left, Yari." Giovanni's smile settled down into a neutral expression. "How is Mr Smith? Anything interesting?" Both turned to regard the man in question, John at the opposite end of courtyard jogging around a small square. "Interesting and of use to us, I should add. He certainly seems to be more… active, than I was expecting."

At that moment John noticed them, the man coming to a stop with a raise of his hand and a call out. "Boss. Good morning!" He made to jog over to the pair, before Doctor Yari raised his voice to reply.

"John, why don't you take a quick shower while I talk to Giovanni for a few minutes?" He pointed to one of the glass doors to the right of the courtyard. "Second door on the left, there's towels in the cabinets."

"Sure thing, Doc."

The red man turned and went for the recommended door, Giovanni waiting for it to close behind him before speaking next.

"You know I don't like to have my name used in front of the grunts, Yari."

"I thought this one was a bit special, since you seem to tolerate him just a little bit more than the usual fair."

Giovanni scoffed at that, although he didn't outright deny the observation. "He's not even a grunt at the moment, he hasn't completed training and I have doubts that he ever will given his pokemon issues." The boss crossed his arms, eyes on the door that John had disappeared through. "Mr Smith has one of the most ideal circumstances of a promising Team Rocket aspirant, having nowhere else to really go, but it seems as if he's already got a large amount of unearned confidence. Wearing big boots already, it would be best if we continue to remind him who he works for."

Nodding, Yari opened the report on his tablet. "That is probably a good idea, I myself have noticed that he is doing surprisingly well at getting comfortable with things in such a short amount of time. As your doctor I recommend that you yourself take caution around him, his good mood may be infectious."

"Ha," another scoff from the boss. "Unlikely. It will take more than a human corphish to get to me." A pause and a sideways glance. "You, on the other hand…"

Yari chuckled. "Oh, you got me. I have to admit that he has a certain refreshing charm despite his faults. The back and forth has been a welcome change to nervous stutters."

"Maybe. It can quickly grow into open disrespect however."

Yari hummed in acknowledgement, before giving the area around them a quick scan to ensure that they were alone. Giovanni noticed.

"Doctor?"

"Giovanni," Yari replied with his voice lowering. "I have to ask what exactly was the goal of this 'portal' experiment that brought Mr Smith to us?"

The boss blinked, one hand rubbing an eye before he shuffled closer.

"Why do you need to know the specifics, Yari?"

"There are several abnormalities that stand out with the results of the tests and scans."

"Such as the skin?"

"Oh yes," the elderly doctor nodded. "But that particular aspect goes a lot deeper than just colouration. Something unprecedented happened to this man, and I'd like to know what."

There were a few seconds of silence between the two men facing each other, save for the breeze blowing a few leaves along the tiled path. Giovanni's mouth twitched while he gazed at Yari, before he crossed his arms.

"I employed a man I hesitate to call a scientist to conduct research on powerful pokemon for me, in the hopes that he could secure unknown ones from what he explained were 'alternate dimensions'." He noticed the look Yari had. "I know, Doctor, it sounds like a gamble. In fact it still looks as if it's a lost one. However, this 'scientist' brought his research notes from his previous employment, and he was quite willing to continue his work with us as he is currently wanted by Interpol."

"You did say that people with few options are favoured recruits."

"I did. This time it didn't work out however, the machine he built will take months to repair. A lot of money was put into that promise of valuable pokemon, and I got a solitary man out of it. Even if you do think he's interesting, I still consider it a failure."

Yari cleared his throat with a cough and focused back on his tablet. "I think you might reconsider that in a moment."

"Oh?" Giovanni scoffed, but his eyes glinted. "This better be good. It's been a mediocre showing so far."

A nod, Doctor Yari adjusting his glasses before beginning to read. "To start, some of the more direct findings. As you said before, Mr Smith's epidermis is a raw reddish pink in colour, much like a light-skinned human's new skin after intense sunburn peeling. That's because it is fresh and new, it's as if he's just moulted like a reptile pokemon. Body hair is practically non-existent save for the head, but the most unusual thing is the lack of scars. May I?"

Giovanni nodded as Yari reached for a hand, the doctor placing his tablet under an arm before pointing out areas on the back of the boss's bare skin.

"See these small bumps and tiny scars? Completely normal for a man of your age, even considering your current wealth and standard of living. Small knicks and scratches occur and heal over the course of one's life, leaving tiny marks." A finger pointed out a thin mark a few inches long along the wrist. "That's where Persian accidently scratched you once, for example. A common occurrence for anyone interacting with clawed pokemon, not to mention those who own ones like bisharp."

Yari let go of Giovanni's hand. "Mr Smith however has no scars or marks that I could find, something that is impossible considering his growth. He's a full six-foot-four, I estimate him to be in his early to mid-twenties, and so he should have some visible by now. It's almost as if he was just born, and it will be interesting to see if he does indeed regain pigmentation over the next week."

"Moving on," Yari pulled out his tablet again. "I had to use pokemon scales to get an accurate reading, two in fact to confirm the results."

He was interrupted by a scoff from Giovanni, a slight smile on his face. "I could have told you that he was overweight from looks alone."

"Indeed, but would you have guessed over four-hundred-and-fifty pounds? Four-hundred-and-fifty-eight to be exact, I double checked." The silence and raised eyes from Giovanni was a good enough answer, Yari flicking a hand in amazement while he continued to reread his notes. "Looking at his body size, build, and height I would have guessed half that with maybe ten extra pounds or so. I will have to do further tests on the density of his bones and muscular structure, but what I can tell you now is that there's a lot packed into that man."

Scrolling down the tablet, he began to list off other findings.

"His vision, despite his feelings that he used to have a prescription of corrective lenses, is impeccable. The eyes themselves are far smaller than normal but he can spot details at a great distance, and his peripheral vision is well developed. Upon closure inspection the irides, cool blue in colouration, are unusually detailed. I even started to feel a bit uncomfortable looking into the eyes as a whole, so I had to resort to taking photos instead."

"Well then, at least he might be able to stare people into surrender, what a superpower."

Yari ignored the dry remark.

"Hearing is exceptional, the same goes for reflexes as far as I could test." A frown at the notes. "Mr Smith seemed to believe that he had both high blood pressure and issues with blood sugar, odd things to remember as an amnesiac, but I couldn't find anything wrong despite his weight issues."

Another scroll through the notes. "On that point he also mentioned that performing regular and vigorous exercise wasn't a memory that he had held onto, I believe a claim was made that five or so push ups was the max, but during testing he was able to complete fifty-six repetitions before tiring. Adding to that, before you arrived he had even started on doing another set. I can say for certain that it took him by genuine surprise as well, as did the rest of the fitness tests."

He cleared his throat into a closed fist and wiggled his shoulders.

"Choice quotes exclaimed during the tests included: 'I feel like a god!', 'I am Adonis reborn!', and 'Is this what it feels like to be Chad?' I was unable to answer the latter, as I do not know of anyone by the name of 'Chad'. When I asked whether the name might belong to a familiar figure, such as a father or brother, he merely laughed. This was followed by another name, someone called 'Gop Nick', and a rapid series of squats. The tests worked up a hard sweat, and Mr Smith remained ecstatic throughout the entire process."

"Hmm," Giovanni nodded with his hand rubbing his chin. "That sounds a little more promising. Physical ability is not extremely common amongst the grunts, but it still won't help much if his innate repulsiveness to pokemon impedes missions."

"Double-O-Nine seems to manage just fine by herself," Yari reminded, however Giovanni's face soured.

"Black Tulip is one of my most exceptional and trusted agents, doctor. Her repeated displays of competence and skill are beyond the reach of the vast majority. Smith will never reach that level, no matter how many times he can squat. Don't even think about making the comparison again."

Yari threw up a hand. "Okay, okay, I apologise. Let's continue." He furrowed his brows at Giovanni, the boss crossing his arms but eventually nodding his consent.

"There seems to be consequences alongside these physical abilities however, notably his metabolism. To put it simply, it's off the charts. The man will probably need to eat like a snorlax to maintain his performance, and there's always the potential risk of heart issues if we push it too far. More testing will be needed to properly gauge how this will affect Mr Smith, dropping dead of a heart attack at thirty will not be ideal."

Another check of the notes.

"We'll also have to conduct regular blood tests to monitor his hormone levels and associated issues. The body scan showed enlarged glands, in particular the adrenal, and increased levels of production from others. I recommend watching for signs of increased aggression, irritation, and stress. To help explain it to you, steroids and other physical performance-enhancing drugs are fabricated based on these natural hormones, and Mr Smith has levels equivalent to a frequent user."

Yari returned his focus to Giovanni, expecting a new set of questions. The boss had ceased his previous frown and had replaced it with a small smile at the new revelations, his fingers interlocked together.

"Signs of aggression? Such as?"

"Well, an increased appetite for violence for one. He could also become more belligerent, attempt to start fights with others, seek out confrontation despite danger." Yari shrugged. "It can sometimes be seen in the behaviour of people and pokemon living in the more remote regions of the world."

"Interesting…"

"Ah, but not nearly as fascinating as the most radical departure from the norm, and what I theorise to be the main cause of this remarkable development: Stem cells."

Yari raised a finger to highlight the point, and he paused to let Giovanni take in the information. The boss just blinked however, and the doctor touched his forehead with his free hand while trying to think of what to say.

"Hmm, how should I put it? Stem cells are split into two separate groups, and both humans and pokemon have them. They're cells that develop into other cell types, such as brain cells or cells that make up your liver or heart. You and I have stem cells in our tissues that replace dead cells as they die off, however they are very localised and specific to the tissue that creates them. The amount we have is also severely lowered once we reach adulthood."

"Pokemon are similar, however due to their unique method of rapid cellular change when evolving and other factors, they have vastly more stem cells that are more active and powerful in the body over the course of their entire lives. That's why they can take a lot of damage in battle and can heal as well as regenerate when eating certain berries. These berries and pokemon moves such as heal pulse encourage not just production of additional stem cells, but also spread them around damaged areas more effectively. We humans are still affected positively by the same methods, but it is severely limited due to our low number in comparison."

Yari tapped his tablet with a finger, Giovanni not saying a word but still seemed to get what he was saying with the occasional nod. "There has been research into treatments that either transplant or increase stem cells, but unfortunately most of it is focused on pokemon healing with stronger potions."

He stopped when Giovanni raised a finger of his own with his head tilted to the side. "Hold on Yari. I hope that you're not seriously going to suggest that Smith has these pokemon 'stem cells', are you?"

Yari grinned back at the boss while he frowned. "Not at all. Completely different. You see, I've been talking about stem cells commonly referred to as 'adult' stem cells. What I haven't got to yet is the second type of stem cell, known as embryonic stem cells. As you can probably guess from the name, these cells are found in large amounts in embryos and infants, both human and pokemon ones. However, it is these cells that are also present in large amounts within Mr Smith, if the tests are to be believed."

This time Giovanni didn't stop at scoffs or huffs, he instead let out a short and incredulous laugh. Yari kept smiling and patiently waited for the man to speak, but he was a little disappointed that the boss didn't seem to quite grasp the implications.

"Doctor, you can't tell me that…" Giovanni shook his head to try and clear away the remaining disbelieving mirth. "Are you saying that Smith is essentially some kind of walking fetus? Pink and everything?"

A few moments passed, and all Yari could do was shrug. "Well, not exactly that, but surprisingly close to one." He rolled his eyes at the younger man's smirk. "This is not something to take lightly, Giovanni."

"But he is a walking and talking baby?"

A flash of irritation went through Yari's mind, but he had to silently remind himself that the boss didn't exactly have many chances to act so familiar with others. Instead he ran a hand over the few remaining grey hairs on his head and put on his best 'crotchety grandfather' voice.

"Now Giovanni, as amusing as the image is, I guarantee you that you'll want to pay attention to what I'm going to tell you next."

It worked, the boss sighing with a smile on his face. "Fine Yari, I'll behave."

The doctor nodded, looking down at his tablet for a few moments before returning his gaze.

"Now these embryonic cells are, and I hope I'm not overwhelming you, pluripotent cells. These are the cells that grow into every other cell that makes up a living creature. They change into brain cells, muscle, bone marrow, organs, skin, everything." He waggled a finger while looking at Giovanni. "It is these cells that are present in large numbers within Mr Smith, who by every metric is a mature human adult male. Do you understand what this means?"

"A little," admitted Giovanni, his face serious again. "He has lots of cells in him that can turn into others." An eye raised. "So what are you telling me exactly? Can he regrow parts of himself?"

Yari shook his head. "Sadly enough, not to the level you're thinking of." He shifted focus back onto his report, opening up the relevant subsection and notes. "At the levels reported by our machines, he could see a remarkable increase in healing and disease resistance. Not instantaneous, but he could potentially see a weeklong injury healed in a day or two, maybe even sooner if given restorative berries or aided by a pokemon with the right move." He sighed softly. "I asked a chansey from the centre staff to come to my office and use heal pulse, wanting to see if there was any instantaneous effect on Mr Smith's needle entry points, but she refused to even be in the same room as him. Poor thing was terrified."

Giovanni's face hardened. "Did you punish it? It disobeyed an order from you, a head of staff." The boss's arms crossed again. "You know that I despise pokemon who don't know their place."

A wave of the hand from Yari dismissed the concern.

"No I did not punish the chansey, Giovanni, and I will not. Her reaction to Mr Smith was understandable given the circumstances, and it helped me learn that even chansey don't get along with him." He ignored the glare he received in return. "I instead sent her to collect an appropriately sized uniform. I like to take a different approach to pokemon than you, I have to considering my job after all. I can't go and terrorise my staff over forgivable mistakes." He huffed and made a pointed glance back to his tablet. "Now can we continue on with more important matters?"

The frown remained, but eventually there was a nod. "Yes, fine. Condense it down as well, I'm beginning to tire of this."

Sighing again, Yari closed out of the stem cell section of the report and instead went for the summary.

"In addition to the physical exams, I also administered some standard intellectual tests. The results of these were closer to normal levels, mainly sitting at average to excellent in most respects. He obviously has received a good education from… somewhere, with a solid grasp of some tertiary concepts related to engineering and, surprisingly, computer programming basics. Although I should note that some answers made little sense, and he couldn't wrap his head around many of the common languages and frameworks such as ARBOK, KOFFEE, and PIPLUX. Something I hope to talk with him about further."

His enthusiasm dipped slightly at the next section.

"However, he struggled with some higher mathematical concepts and seemed particularly evasive when the topic of energy and basic pokeball mechanics came up. And of course I should add that his knowledge of the world and pokemon are practically non-existent. He'll need to spend time learning the very basics to have even the passing knowledge required to act with the general public."

The frown that Giovanni had almost morphed into a full-blown scowl. "I was afraid of that still being the case. I was hoping that he was lying about his lack of knowledge about pokemon, but it drops his usefulness down to near zero. I'm not going to invest in some fool that needs to return to school like a child." Yari looked away to hide a small grimace, but it wasn't enough. "What, Yari? More bad news?"

"I'm afraid so," he answered while putting the tablet to sleep. "While I don't doubt that he is being honest most of the time, occasionally I do get the feeling that he's not being completely truthful. He's been very convincing, to the point where I'm doubting myself for questioning it, but I feel like Mr Smith's amnesia may be… selective, at times."

That earned a humourless chuckle from Giovanni. "Oh, I know it is. He's lied straight to my face at least more than once already, I'm sure of it."

"That doesn't bother you?"

"A little," he said, then scoffed. "Not that I can really fault him for being dishonest, in fact it helped me decide to make the employment offer." The boss seemed to think for a moment, his fingers interlocking in front of him. "He's obviously practiced in deceit, that much is certain. I can't pin down the exact lie or when he does it, but I do get the feeling that he has. I can only wonder what Smith is hiding and given how he managed to find himself in my employ…" A few seconds went by, before Giovanni yawned and rubbed his eyes, with his frown returned to a more even expression. "Perhaps I am being too harsh in my judgements, it hasn't even been a full day after all. I could use another good liar on the payroll."

Yari couldn't disagree with that, and he relaxed somewhat now that the boss seemed to be a little more appreciative of the strange man. Adjusting his glasses and gaining Giovanni's attention, he nodded.

"I'll finish up then, as I have a proposal in regard to our guest. Despite his beforementioned lack of basic knowledge, he has shown a knack for problem solving and critical thinking, as well as a good level of literacy." A nod towards Giovanni, the boss listening intently. "He will likely do well with studies, he can pick up new concepts quickly and seems to have a very inquisitive manner when focusing on the world and pokemon in particular. In addition his current problem with pokemon, or rather their apparent problem with him, may fade with time." He mentally debated informing Giovanni of his next thought and instead settled on keeping it to himself.

'Since he lacks basic knowledge about how society and pokemon work, he could easily be… guided, to end up thinking in the proper Team Rocket manner.'

The boss was already deep in thought, an almost silent hum sounding while he looked towards the closed door that led to the shower area. Then, while Yari waited, Giovanni checked his wrist watch before refocusing on him.

"Okay then Doctor, I believe I've made up my mind. What do you propose?"

Yari felt excitement start to rise.

"I want to be put in charge of Mr Smith's development and training, instead of the usual school with Viper. I've already started to draw up a plan that would simultaneously allow us to prepare Mr Smith for general Team Rocket operations, educate him on basic knowledge with the potential for advanced concepts, as well as conduct experiments around his physical conditions." The tablet was taken out again, Yari opening up a second document on it.

"With your permission I'd like to pick a small team from the medical staff and science wing to assist me, no more than four, and swear them to secrecy. I'd also like to share some heavily censored correspondence with some outside specialists, namely a pokemon behaviour expert and a human-focused nutritionist. A few starter pokemon, probably the usual zubats or rattatas, to test bonding capability and adjustment to pokemon battles. The regular exercise and physical training facilities should suffice, although I would like to have him assigned a single room away from the general dormitories if possible. For safety."

He didn't clarify the last point and glanced down at his notes. "Lastly if you could select a few trusted grunts to act as general assistants if anything comes up, who can also be used in some social experiments and monitoring, it would be great." Yari tapped a finger on his forehead, before exclaiming. "Ah, I almost forget." He fixed Giovanni with a hopeful grin. "We'll probably need a separate budget, named something nebulous such as 'Yari Project' or 'Stethoscope Fund'. I can run the numbers and write up a request."

Giovanni sighed with a mutter of "more money," but he nodded regardless.

"Of course. Get those numbers and send them to Joben, I'll use him instead of Matori for this particular matter. Tell him what he needs to know, and nothing more." A pointed look. "The same goes for everyone else involved. I'll personally make sure that Mr Smith understands what he needs to, send him to me when you're done here. After lunch preferably." Giovanni made to turn around, his eyes on the door leading to the main hospital area and exit. "Anything else for now?"

"I don't believe so, that should cover it." Yari smiled warmly. "Take it easy for the rest of the morning, Gio. Too much stress can be unhealthy for you."

The advice brought just the slightest of smiles to Giovanni's face.

"I don't get stressed, Yari, you know that." He started to head for the exit door, catching himself a few yards away. "Before I forget. There's a pair of grunts who were on the mission to the lab, one of them uses a weavile. Female, the grunt and the weavile. Joben should be able to quickly track them down. They've already been sworn to secrecy, use them as you wish."

Yari acknowledged him with a nod, a moment before a knock sounded on the door next to Giovanni. It popped open and a pink head looked in through the gap, a pair of beady black eyes seeming to scan the courtyard.

"Chansey, ans…"

The chansey's greeting stopped short when she noticed the man in the suit before her, the nurse pokemon freezing in place when Giovanni looked down at her with a hard glare. Yari noticed the confrontation brewing, and quickly acted.

"That will be the chansey I sent to gather Mr Smith's new clothes, Boss." Giovanni's eyes flicked to look at him, Doctor Yari remaining where he was with his own gaze holding strong.

'Let it go, Gio. Or you know what will happen a month from now.'

"Chansey, to me please. The Boss is in a hurry."

The egg-shaped pokemon didn't need to be asked twice, taking the opportunity to run past the Team Rocket boss as fast as her feet could carry her. A large bundle in her short arms, she gave Giovanni a wide berth. Thankfully the boss only remained a moment longer, Giovanni catching the open door and leaving through it with a wave of the hand.

"Goodbye, Yari."

Yari waved and shook his head, the door closing behind the boss. Chansey for her part breathed out when it did, before hesitantly looking around the courtyard for something else.

"Mr Smith is in the showers at the moment, Chansey, so no need to worry I won't make you stay. Still, he's not the human that you have to be concerned about." The pokemon looked up at him and nodded with a sad hum, although she perked up when he gave her a quick pat on the head. "Are those the clothes I asked for? We had sizes that large?"

"Chansey!"

He took hold of the offered cloth bag, laughing at the enthusiastic nod he got.

"Well, I'll be. I'm sure Mr Smith will appreciate them greatly, thank you."