Chapter 14: Team Rocket’s Second-in-Command! [14]
Back in Hoenn, Luo Yuan didn't even need receipts for Matori. He'd simply write down a number, transfer the funds from Team Rocket's Hoenn accounts, and that was that.
And though Matori often called it "misuse of funds," Luo Yuan couldn't disagree more. It's not like he pocketed any of that money, right?
Take first-class plane tickets, for example. If he didn't fly in first class, he'd be drained of energy and might slip up in front of Professor Oak. What then? What if it cost Team Rocket a vital opportunity?
The berries, the evolution stones—all of it went toward training his Pokémon. Making his Pokémon stronger was just another way to make Team Rocket stronger, right?
In essence, every item he bought only improved his ability to serve Team Rocket!
How could that possibly count as misusing company funds?
---
By the time Luo Yuan left Viridian Gym and returned to the Pokémon Center, it was nearly ten o'clock.
From a distance, he could see Nurse Joy chatting with Misty at the reception desk.
"Hm? Misty, you're still up?" Luo Yuan asked as he entered the Pokémon Center.
"Luo Yuan! You're finally back!" Misty's eyes lit up. "There are a couple of people here to see you. Do you know them?"
She pointed to the far corner of the lobby, where two men in Silph Co. uniforms sat on the couch. The moment they saw Luo Yuan, they stood and approached him.
"Mr. Luo Yuan!"
"That's me. My order's here?" Luo Yuan said, as if greeting old friends.
"Yes! Your deluxe bicycles have arrived, as requested."
One of them opened his briefcase, producing two Poké Balls—one orange and one black.
"Bicycles? But aren't those Poké Balls?" Misty asked, puzzled.
When she'd shopped for her bike, she certainly hadn't seen anything that came in a Poké Ball shape.
"Allow us to introduce the latest in Silph Co. innovation: the Utility Capsule," the man said, beaming.
With a click, both Poké Balls popped open, and two bicycles materialized in the Pokémon Center lobby—one orange and one black. Sleek, minimal, yet full of subtle details that spoke to their high-end design.
"Behold, Silph Co.'s latest luxury bicycles. Equipped with state-of-the-art shock absorbers, they make mountain terrain feel like smooth pavement."
"The frames use a newly developed beta alloy, highly impact-resistant. Even if struck by a Kangaskhan's Mega Punch, they'll deform by less than thirty percent and still be fully functional."
"Not to mention our industry-leading shifting and gear system, designed for athletes capable of speeds rivaling a Dodrio."
"..."
Misty's head spun from the onslaught of details. She only caught the essentials: these bikes were top-notch... and probably expensive.
Luo Yuan remained unfazed—he already knew all this before placing his order.
Taking the orange and black Utility Capsules, he casually handed Misty the orange one.
"Consider this to cover the bike you lost."
"What? I can't accept this!" Misty said, shaking her head.
Her old bike had only cost a few thousand, but these had to be worth ten times that.
"Take it. I already bought it; it's not like I can get a refund now. You wouldn't want me to throw it out, would you?" Luo Yuan said.
"But... this is just too much."
Although Misty came from Cerulean Gym, her family wasn't well-off. In Kanto, gym stipends were notoriously low, forcing some gyms to develop side businesses just to keep the doors open. Cerulean's reputation as one of the weaker gyms didn't help matters, either, leaving it with just enough in annual stipends to scrape by.
As the youngest of four, Misty had grown up using mostly hand-me-downs. Her bike, a gift from her sisters when she set out on her journey, was the first brand-new item she'd ever owned.
Now, with Luo Yuan handing her this high-end replacement, Misty felt overwhelmed.
"Just take it. My family has some business in Hoenn, so a bike isn't really a big deal." Luo Yuan smiled.
Strictly speaking, he hadn't lied. "Family" meant Team Rocket, and "business" referred to Team Rocket's Hoenn division. What else could that be but business?
Though still hesitant, Misty finally accepted the bike. Had Luo Yuan given her a bike by itself, she might have refused. But with the matching orange and black colors, it felt less like a gift and more like... well, something with a special meaning.
In any case, when Misty took it, she couldn't help but feel a little happy inside.
As Joy watched this, she suddenly felt a twinge of jealousy.
Hit with an unexpected dose of sappiness before bed, she found her appetite for a late-night snack thoroughly ruined.
"Chansey, time for bed-check!"
"Chansey~"
Ignoring Chansey's silent plea for mercy, Nurse Joy grabbed her half-asleep assistant and made a swift exit.
Luo Yuan signed the delivery form, and the two Silph Co. representatives carefully stored it away before handing over a pair of silver cards.
"Here are your VIP cards. With these, you'll have a five-year warranty on your bikes and a five percent discount on all Silph Co. products across Kanto and Johto."
Misty carefully tucked her card into her wallet, while Luo Yuan just slipped his into his pocket.
The warranty and discount... as if he would ever need them.
What a joke.
As a proud member of Team Rocket, when had he ever needed a discount?
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T/N: Team Rocket is lucky to have him
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