I am Giovanni

Chapter 77: Defeat

The Meowth lay on the ground, listening to Miyamoto's hurtful words, its eyes filled with unwilling defiance. It stood up and cried out to Giovanni, "Meowth!"

"You mean," Giovanni asked, understanding its intent, "if you follow me, you want to defeat her?"

Miyamoto turned her head slightly, looking at him with interest, wanting to hear his answer.

Giovanni broke free from Archer's supporting arm, took two steps towards the Meowth, and said with absolute confidence, "As long as you and I work hard enough, then nothing is impossible."

Miyamoto laughed gleefully at the boy in the Meowth mask and the real Meowth. "Then I'll be waiting for the challenge from you two little cats. Don't make me wait too long."

"We won't," Giovanni said.

"Meow!" the Meowth added, its voice full of a new resolve.

"Then," Giovanni asked, turning to it, "will you become my Pokémon, Meowth?"

The Meowth let out a low growl, crouching into a battle stance.

"Beedrill," Giovanni waved his hand.

Buzz!

His partner flew over, hovering in front of the Meowth. It tapped its stingers together, its body exuding a strong fighting spirit.

"Hurry up," Miyamoto reminded him. "There are some mysterious Pokémon deeper in this forest. If they come out, even I might not be able to handle them."

Miyamoto then went to search Gale's body, finding a few Poké Balls and other items before instructing Archer to take all the useful parts from the dead Pokémon; she had her own subordinates to reward.

"Quickly," Giovanni replied without looking back. "Beedrill, use Focus Energy!"

"BZZT!" Beedrill tapped its stingers, its aura condensing.

"Hiss!" The Meowth arched its back, its fur bristling, full of wildness. The battle was about to begin.

Beedrill moved first. In the open area, its speed advantage was fully displayed. It became a golden afterimage as it rushed towards the Meowth. "Fury Attack!" Giovanni whispered. Beedrill's attack was a fierce storm, its twin stingers like dragons.

But the Meowth's speed was also astonishing. With incredible agility, it twisted its body, narrowly dodging the sharp points. It then leaped fiercely, its claws tightly clenched, and slammed them hard towards Beedrill's head.

It was Fake Out. The strike not only dazed Beedrill but also made it flinch. Beedrill, however, was not so easily defeated. It flapped its wings, instantly widening the distance between them.

"Venoshock!" Giovanni commanded calmly. A large amount of venom sprayed from Beedrill's stinger— a hint of seriousness flashed in the Meowth's eyes, but it did not retreat.

It used the rocks and trees as cover, deftly dodging the attack. After creating some distance, it swung its tail, using Swift. Golden, five-pointed stars shot towards Beedrill. They were too fast to dodge.

But this was not the first time they had fought. "Fury Cutter!" Giovanni ordered. Beedrill quickly swung its two stingers, forming a dense defensive net, shattering the stars one by one.

However, the attack was too dense, and a few still penetrated its defense, hitting its body.

"Bzzz..." Beedrill cried out in pain, its body trembling slightly, but it did not lose its fighting ability. On the contrary, the pain seemed to ignite its spirit, making it even more ferocious.

The Meowth suddenly leaped, pouncing towards Beedrill, its sharp claws gleaming. It was a Feint Attack.

"Cross your stingers!" Giovanni immediately commanded. "Then use Harden!"

Beedrill crossed its thick stingers in front of its body, and both its stingers and body took on a metallic luster.

Clang!

The Meowth's claws landed, creating a shower of sparks but not harming Beedrill in the slightest. In Beedrill's red compound eyes, there was a hint of smugness. The Meowth was so angry it bared its teeth, but its claws couldn't advance an inch.

Seeing the distance so close, Giovanni was not polite. "Poison Sting!"

Beedrill's lower stinger cocked up, and a rain of needles flew out. The Meowth dared not meet the attack head-on and hurriedly pushed off Beedrill's stingers, dropping to the ground to barely create distance.

"Finish it!" Giovanni waved his hand. "String Shot to restrict its mobility, and finally, Fury Attack!"

Upon receiving the command, Beedrill's entire body tensed, its focus highly concentrated.

The Meowth sensed something was wrong and immediately used Pay Day. Golden coins flew towards Beedrill, but it instantly disappeared, dodging the attack and reappearing above the Meowth.

It quickly spat out tough strands of silk, which wove into a massive net in the air, rapidly enveloping the cat— panic flashed in the Meowth's eyes. It tried to jump and dodge, but the net was too fast, wrapping it tightly. It struggled, but it was futile. Beedrill's silk was specially cultivated; its toughness was far beyond ordinary.

"Fury Attack," Giovanni's voice was as cold as ice.

Beedrill swiftly dove downwards, its hard stingers transforming into sharp blades, like two silver lightning bolts, fiercely striking the bound Meowth. The Meowth was so scared that it closed its eyes, feeling as if it was about to be finished.

However, the anticipated pain never came. It slowly opened its eyes. Beedrill had retracted its attack at the last second. Giovanni had already walked over and was gently clearing the silk wrapped around it.

He pulled out a Poké Ball and placed it in front of the Meowth. "Join me."

The Meowth looked at Giovanni, then pressed its head against the Poké Ball's button— a red light flashed, and it was taken inside.

Click.

— — —

Meowth

Normal-type

Male

Potential: Deep Green

Ability: Technician (Increases the power of moves which have a base power of 60 or less by 50%.)

Level: 25

Height: 0.49 m

Weight: 15kg

Moves: Fake Out, Feint, Scratch, Pay Day, Bite, Taunt, Assurance, Swift

Egg Moves: Hypnosis