Damian spent two hours shopping with Caitlin. While they were out, he also bought some clothes for himself.
Caitlin helped him pick them out. A few of the outfits were chosen specifically because their styles resembled her own dresses.
This was deliberate.
"Oh? Damian! Caitlin!"
Suddenly, the clear, surprised voice of a young girl rang out from behind them.
"Lacey, what a coincidence," Damian said as he turned around.
It was the very attractive Lacey. At that moment, she was standing with Kieran and Carmine. It seemed they were also out shopping.
"And Carmine and Kieran, too."
"Damian! Caitlin!" Kieran shouted.
He looked quite excited, and his eyes were practically shining. Ever since the incident in Nimbasa City, Kieran had started to see Damian as his idol.
Carmine looked confused as she watched how Lacey and Kieran were acting. She recognized Damian and Caitlin, of course. She had seen them at Blueberry Academy before. Their looks and presence were so striking that they were hard to forget.
But why did Lacey and Kieran seem so close to Damian? Had something happened? Carmine recalled some of the rumors she had been hearing at school recently.
"I didn't expect to run into you here, Damian! We're so lucky!" Lacey said as she walked up cheerfully.
Her pink hair fluttered as she moved. She looked adorable and full of energy. Caitlin kept a faint smile on her face, but she was actually quite irritated. This was supposed to be private time for only her and Damian, and it had been interrupted for no reason.
"It's fate. Are you three out shopping as well?" Damian asked with a very cordial smile.
"Yes! It's a holiday today, so I brought Kieran and Carmine to see my hometown."
"Oh? I thought you were from Driftveil City, Lacey."
"No, no. My father is based in Driftveil City, but I actually grew up in Nimbasa City."
"I see." Damian glanced at his watch. "We've been walking for a while, so we're a bit tired. Want to grab some juice and chat for a bit?"
Damian extended the invitation to the three of them.
"I'd love to! I actually have so much I want to tell you, Damian!" Lacey nodded enthusiastically, looking very excited.
Carmine gave Lacey a strange look. It was her first time seeing Lacey act so much like a typical young girl. At the academy, Lacey usually acted calm and sophisticated. The difference was huge.
The group found a nearby shop that sold juice and milk tea. Damian told everyone to order whatever they wanted, then he ordered some snacks and small cakes.
He also released Jirachi, Victini, and "Miss Shell"—Tapu Fini.
"Tapu Fini! It's so cute!"
Lacey loved Fairy-type Pokémon. The moment she saw Tapu Fini, she couldn't look away. Miss Shell glanced at Lacey, stayed cold, and didn't respond. She simply began eating her small strawberry cake gracefully, squinting her eyes in happiness.
"It really is a coincidence today. Caitlin and I are actually leaving the Unova region tomorrow," Damian said, taking a sip of his juice to start the conversation.
"What? You're leaving already, Damian?" Lacey asked, looking stunned.
"That's right. The company here is already on the right track," Damian explained with a nod. "Also, Team Plasma has basically been wiped out. Only a few small groups remain, so they don't really need us to stay here anymore."
"That's such a shame. I really wanted to go on another mission with you," Lacey said, looking frustrated.
She truly admired Damian. He was powerful, but he also took care of his juniors. She had hoped to go on one more mission so Damian could see how much she had grown.
"There will probably be more chances in the future," Damian replied with a smile.
"Will you come back later, Damian?" Kieran asked expectantly.
Compared to Lacey, he admired Damian even more. To Kieran, Damian was the first strong person who had ever encouraged and acknowledged him. After returning to Blueberry Academy following the assault on the Team Plasma base in Nimbasa City, he had trained like a maniac.
Because of that resolve, his strength had been rising at a rapid pace recently—so fast that it had shocked Drayton, Carmine, and Lacey. He wanted to get stronger. He was doing it for himself, but also for Damian, who believed in him.
"I will if I have time. Kieran, the look in your eyes has changed. Also, this look suits you—you seem really impressive."
Damian looked at Kieran and could easily sense the change. When he first met Kieran at the academy, the boy had timid eyes and an anxious personality. He used to hide behind Carmine and rely on her.
Now, Kieran's aura was completely different. Even his hairstyle had changed; he had his hair tied back with a headband, making him look neat, sharp, and full of spirit.
"Thank you..." Kieran was startled.
He lowered his head shyly, and a blush even rose on his face. Damian chuckled softly. It seemed he was still a shy kid at heart.
"Kieran really has changed a lot lately. His strength is growing at a crazy rate. His school ranking is about to enter the top ten," Lacey added.
Since returning from Nimbasa City, Kieran was like a different person. He spent almost all his time training. When his Pokémon needed to rest, he would go to Drayton or Lacey for guidance and set up even more training.
Lacey had watched Kieran's growth with her own eyes. Because of that, she and Kieran had gotten close. She genuinely wanted her classmates to become stronger. Kieran rubbed his nose, feeling a bit embarrassed.
"I don't think it will take much longer before Kieran enters the Blueberry Elite Four," Lacey said confidently.
To her, the speed of Kieran's improvement was honestly a little scary.
"Kieran was always talented. He just needed resolve and an opportunity," Damian agreed.
It wasn't an exaggeration—Kieran's talent put him among the top tier of geniuses. He was the kind of person who could become a Champion within a single year. Kieran looked at Damian with deep emotion in his eyes. He became even more determined to get stronger. He could not let Damian down.
Hearing Damian and Lacey praise her brother like this made Carmine feel complicated. She felt happy because her brother was getting stronger, but she also felt uneasy about being surpassed. There was even a tiny bit of jealousy because her brother was so popular.
After all, hadn't she been the one protecting Kieran since they were children? Still, it was only a small feeling. Carmine truly cared about her brother.
"As for me... I cannot tolerate the existence of other evil teams," Damian said.
He set down his juice, and his voice dropped, quiet and low.
"So, until I've removed every other team—and those dirty scum in the Hunter teams—from every region, I won't stop."
Damian didn't speak loudly, but his words sent a shock through the three students.
Evil teams? Carmine was confused. Was Damian a trainer who focused on taking down evil groups?
"Damian!!" Lacey stared at him with excitement, her eyes fixed only on the young man in front of her.
"I will definitely get stronger! I will help you!" Kieran made a firm promise.
"Thank you. I'll be looking forward to it," Damian smiled back.
"I guess there aren't many missions left in Unova now, right?" Lacey asked.
"Yeah, it's really annoying. I've only completed three missions so far. I haven't even earned enough to trade for a Ralts yet," Lacey said.
Missions? Carmine was completely lost. This was the second time she had heard that word. What were these "missions"?
Could the rumors at school be true? Were Lacey and the others working part-time for a company? Carmine had thought it was just gossip. The idea of trainers joining a company for part-time work sounded too far-fetched.
But now it seemed like it was probably true. Had Kieran joined too? Why didn't he tell her? She decided she would have to ask Kieran and Lacey about it later.
"Drayton and Kieran are so sneaky. The two of them took so many missions for themselves," Lacey complained.
Drayton was the strongest at Blueberry Academy, and his main Pokémon, Dragonite, had great endurance and flight speed. Kieran was Drayton's close friend, so the two of them often teamed up to secretly accept missions. Kieran gave an awkward smile and didn't say anything.
"Actually, if you have time, you can take missions in other regions too. I'm going back to Kanto for a while, and then I'll head to the next region. If there are any major missions, I'll contact you," Damian said with a laugh.
Lacey cheered. "Yay!!"
"We will definitely go!" Kieran was excited too. When that time came, he wanted Damian to see how much he had changed.
After chatting a bit longer, Damian and Caitlin said their goodbyes. Interestingly, when it was time to pay, Lacey rushed to settle the bill. She insisted they couldn't let the "boss" pay.
After leaving the three of them, Damian and Caitlin walked out of the mall.
"They really are lively kids," Damian said, thinking of Kieran and Lacey.
"You aren't exactly old yourself, Damian," Caitlin teased, covering her mouth as she laughed. "But is it really okay to keep things from them? That girl and Kieran really seem to admire you."
"Caitlin, you know? A philosopher once said something very interesting."
Damian gently rubbed Jirachi's little belly. The little Pokémon was dozing off in his arms, its head nodding up and down. It had eaten a lot of cake and drank a big glass of milk, so it was very sleepy. Its stomach was round and full.
Caitlin looked confused and tilted her head. "?"
"Admiration is the emotion furthest from understanding," Damian said slowly, with a faint smile.
Caitlin frowned slightly and fell into thought.
"The person they see isn't the real me. Not at all."
Damian was used to wearing a polite smile, but that didn't mean he was truly gentle or kind.
"However, I do hope they can accept what I'm really like. That day will come eventually. I wonder what they'll think then?"
A wicked grin slowly spread across Damian's face. It was sure to be very interesting.
"That depends on how much they value you," Caitlin said after thinking for a moment.
"I suppose so. But it's also possible that by the time they learn the truth, everything will already be resolved."
Damian looked toward the distant sunset. It was getting late.
The next day arrived. Damian and his group took a plane and left Unova. The plane landed in Goldenrod City.
"Master Damian."
At the airport exit, Carr—wearing a disguise—greeted them with several followers.
"As expected, nothing beats the feeling of home territory," Damian said.
He stretched his limbs, feeling the warmth of the midday sun on his body, and spoke in a lazy tone.
"It's been a while, Carr."
"Two months and six days, Master Damian."
Damian clicked his tongue. "Tsk. You really remember it down to the day."
Damian walked toward the car Carr had prepared.
"How is the situation with the Radio Tower?"
"It's all handled. We have the manager and several executives under our control. You can go there whenever you're ready."
Carr smirked. Just thinking about what Damian was about to do made him feel excited. Carr, who always carried explosives with him, was already a bit unstable. What he loved most was watching other people lose their minds too.
Taking over the Radio Tower wasn't difficult. Carr wasn't exactly a kind person. He had dug up the personal information of the high-level staff and threatened their families. They had no choice but to agree, especially since it was only for a short time.
"Good. Let's head over."
Damian sat in the luxury car, and Caitlin and the others followed. Carr was thoughtful and had brought several cars to pick them up.
The group arrived at the Goldenrod Radio Tower. As one of the most famous landmarks in Goldenrod City, the tower was impressively built. Carr had notified the staff in advance. When Damian and his group arrived, people were already there to welcome them.
Damian walked fearlessly into the famous tower. Led by the staff, he arrived at the broadcasting room.
"What is Damian planning to do?"
Zinnia asked curiously, nudging Caitlin with her arm. She had asked Damian before, but he hadn't told her. Zinnia was genuinely confused. Was he here to give a weather report? Surely he wasn't here to sing.
"You'll see in a moment." Caitlin's lips curved upward as she watched the back of the man she loved.
She knew that very soon, the name of this young man would ring out across the entire Kanto region.
Zinnia stayed silent and pouted. "..."
Everyone loved being so mysterious and speaking in riddles.
"Tune the broadcast to the most popular channels," Damian said as he sat down in the broadcaster's seat.
"Understood." The staff member didn't know who Damian and the others were, but the manager had ordered them to follow these people's instructions completely.
"Sir, it's ready. These are the most popular channels right now," the worker reported.
"Excellent. Let's begin." Damian nodded in satisfaction.
Damian took a slow sip of water to clear his throat. At that same moment, across all of Kanto—in taxi radios, on televisions, and through speakers on the streets—a clear male voice rang out at once.
"Hello everyone. I am Damian. Damian of Team Rocket."
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