"Here's what happened..." Late at night outside the Pokémon Center, the area was cordoned off by police, and no one, whether staff or trainers, was allowed to leave. Nurse Joy was recounting the events to Officer Jenny, who had just arrived.

"It's Team Rocket after all..." Officer Jenny's expression darkened. Recently, Viridian City had been anything but peaceful, with frequent Pokémon kidnappings. She had suspected that Team Rocket might be involved, and now it was confirmed.

"If it weren't for Mr. Ash and Miss Misty's help, Team Rocket might have succeeded this time. I've just counted, and they took a total of 127 Pokémon," Nurse Joy said, still shaken.

If Team Rocket had escaped, then 127 Pokémon, all carefully raised by their trainers, would have been stolen. Such a success would have severely damaged the Indigo League's reputation.

"Mr. Ash... and Miss Misty?" Officer Jenny was taken aback. She certainly remembered the two trainers who had appeared before her that afternoon, bedraggled from a Spearow attack, yet they had managed to drive them off.

"I will report this incident accurately to the League headquarters. The rewards for them will not be shortchanged," Officer Jenny said to Nurse Joy, saluting her. The police had already cleared the other individuals at the Pokémon Center of any involvement with Team Rocket, so they could stand down now.

The incident in Viridian City had spread quickly throughout the entire Indigo League, and even other leagues were now aware. Team Rocket had once again made headlines around the world, but at the same time, Ash and Misty had also come to the attention of some important individuals.

...

"Those two fools..." In a dimly lit office, a man with a formidable presence and an aura of invisible pressure became even more stern after hearing his assistant's report.

The Persian, sitting quietly at his feet, dared not make a sound, fearing that any action might further anger the already furious middle-aged man.

"Boss, should we expel them from Team Rocket and punish them?" The assistant, a smart and capable woman dressed in a purple suit with short, ear-length hair and gold-rimmed glasses, made the suggestion cautiously.

"Forget it..." After a moment of silence, the middle-aged man seemed to suppress his anger, shaking his head to dismiss the suggestion.

The assistant opened her mouth but ultimately said nothing, puzzled why her leader was so forgiving towards the duo who had failed repeatedly and acted foolishly.

"Although this was their own reckless action, it might just have a numbing effect..." After his initial fury, the middle-aged man calmed down and contemplated their next move, realizing that it might turn out even better this way.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

The assistant remained silent, confused by his words.

"Viridian City has been too quiet for too long... ever since we took control behind the scenes..." the man said cryptically. Team Rocket's presence had been felt in many parts of the Kanto region, but Viridian City had been quiet for a while.

In the short term, the Indigo League might think that the proximity to Indigo Plateau kept Team Rocket from being active here, but eventually, they might realize the truth. Thus, this operation could serve as a diversion, allowing Team Rocket to hide even deeper.

And with the League's attention now on this area, his other plans could proceed!

"Have Apollo get ready. Once the League lets its guard down, that will be our time to strike. We cannot afford to fail this plan," the man said sternly.

"Yes, Boss!" The assistant responded solemnly, her expression serious.

...

"Team Rocket... Viridian City..." At the Indigo League headquarters near Indigo Plateau, one of the Elite Four, the Ice-type master Lorelei, was roused from sleep by the news and initiated a video call with the other three members to discuss the situation.

"I didn't expect Team Rocket to be so bold as to operate in Viridian City!" Exclaimed a middle-aged man, bare-chested with a rugged and heroic demeanor, his arms crossed. He was Bruno, one of the Elite Four, known for his expertise with Fighting-types.

"Team Rocket is reckless, what wouldn't they dare do?" the elderly woman with a weathered face replied to Bruno. She was Agatha, the Ghost-type Elite Four member, looking somewhat weary.

"But we must not relax our scrutiny over Viridian City," said a young man with fiery red hair and a handsome appearance. Known as a 'Dragon Master,' he was actually the Flying-type Elite Four member, Lance.

"Indeed, according to the reports, the ones who thwarted Team Rocket were a rookie trainer and Misty from the Cerulean Gym," Lorelei nodded slightly before continuing.

"A rookie trainer?" Hearing that the one who disrupted Team Rocket's plans was a new trainer, the other three Elite Four members showed surprised expressions, with Lance looking particularly intrigued.

"That's right, he was recommended by Professor Oak and just became a trainer yesterday," Lorelei said, holding detailed information about Ash, which included everything from his childhood to his recent activities.

"Recommended by Professor Oak..." Agatha raised an eyebrow at the mention of Professor Oak, with whom she had been acquainted in her youth, even harboring feelings for him at one point.

"Even if he is a rookie trainer, we must provide a proper reward," Bruno stated, believing in fairness and justice as the foundation for the League's integrity. "Reward for merits and punishment for faults, that's how I handle things."

"Then... let's elevate his trainer level directly to the Basic Ball tier," decided Lance, promoting Ash from a rookie trainer past the official trainer level to the Basic Ball tier!

Trainer levels are categorized as Rookie, Official, Basic Ball, Great Ball, Ultra Ball, Master Ball, with the Elite Four and Champion being at the Master Ball level.

Only as an official trainer does one begin to receive a stipend from the League, but while an official trainer receives only 1500 a month, the Basic Ball level yields 3000 a month, putting Ash at the same compensation level already.

"As for Misty from the Cerulean Gym, let's provide a subsidy to the Cerulean Gym. They were preparing to relinquish the gym's legacy, weren't they?" Lance suggested.

"Let's settle it this way!" Lorelei, Bruno, and Agatha concurred, though promoting Ash directly to Basic Ball level seemed a bit much, the reports indicated that without his and Misty's intervention, Team Rocket might have indeed succeeded in taking over a hundred Pokémon.

Thus, the major contributor, Ash, receiving such a reward was indeed justified!