Giovanni (Quartz)

Giovanni doubles as the Gym Leader for Viridian City's Gym, and as the Boss of the criminal organization Team Rocket. As the Gym Leader, Giovanni holds the Earth Badge for the trainers that defeat him, and specializes in Ground-type Pokémon.

Kanto
Red barges in into the office and finds the president, a grunt and the boss of Team Rocket. The man tells Red has forced his way into the hideout, just in this moment he is discussing business with the president of Silph Co. Red admits the police are on their way to the hideout, but the boss commends him for bypassing the security and freeing everyone, even ruining the plans of Team Rocket. The grunt tells the boss, Giovanni, it is time to leave. Red plans he will stop the plans of Team Rocket every time.

Giovanni feels displeased and takes a Poké Ball. The grunt asks is it wise to waste time on a boy, but Giovanni replies it is more of a nuisance. Red sends Charizard and Giovanni Nidoqueen. Nidoqueen uses Double Kick, hitting Charizard and slamming it through the walls. Giovanni thought Red would be more of a challenge. Charizard uses Flamethrower, but is stopped by Nidoqueen's Surf. The attack causes a blackout in the tower. After the attack, Giovanni thinks this was a waste of gift to send out the very best, Charizard, who was easily defeated. Giovanni considers Red lucky he came here, but is asked why is he doing all this. Giovanni replies to Red Pokémon are business and business needs sacrifices. Red disagrees, claiming they are friends. Giovanni points out his friend suffered during the battle and has been defeated. Giovanni leaves on his helicopter, doubting Red will understand what Giovanni hopes to achieve. Since the police came too late, Team Rocket fled, though the development of the Master Ball was postponed.

Later, among the locals, Red heard there is the Viridian City's Gym, which was closed for a while, but was recently re-opened. Red rides off on his bike, deciding to challenge this strongest (eight) Gym Leader, thinking he will learn much from him. After arriving, Red meets up with Blue, who thinks Red is slow. Blue shows he earned the Earth Badge, as he claims it was easy for him and walks away. Red comes to the Gym, but hears the Gym Leader has moved away for a moment.

After a while, Red enters the Gym and encounters Giovanni, who admits he is the Gym Leader. Red realizes this entire Gym is another Team Rocket base. Giovanni goes to take some Poké Balls, knowing Red will take up the challenge. Red refuses to believe Giovanni is the Gym Leader, for all other Gym Leaders, despite their different personalities and tactics, loved their Pokémon and would never claim Pokémon as tools for business. Giovanni grins, asking if Red would still battle. Red accepts, but reminds Giovanni he is fighting an enemy, not a Gym Leader. Giovanni admits yesterday, a powerful girl arrived, and managed to defeat all of Giovanni's Pokémon. Since he fights Red, Giovanni uses two Ultra Balls instead. Giovanni feels there is something about Red that makes him almost lose control. Giovanni sends a Rhyhorn, intending on defeating Red. Red sends a Victreebel, so Giovanni remarks Red relies on the type advantage, rather than Charizard's brute strength.

Victreebel uses Razor Leaf, but is defeated by one Horn Attack from Rhyhorn. Giovanni knows Red's strategy to end this battle quickly, but it won't work. Red calls Victreebel back and sends Persian. Persian uses Slash, hitting Rhyhorn, who uses Take Down. Persian uses Taunt, but is countered and defeated by Rhyhorn's Thunderbolt. Red sends Snorlax, who uses Hyper Beam, but misses and is defeated by Horn Drill. Giovanni is not pleased that this were Red's powerful Pokémon. Red sends Pikachu, making Giovanni surprised, for electric-types are weak against Ground-type Pokémon. Giovanni is disappointed, but feels some frustration towards the boy. Pikachu leaps to use Thunder, but is defeated by Thunderbolt. Red wonders how could Pikachu be defeated that easily and is told Giovanni's Pokémon's level tops Red's Pokémon's. Giovanni wonders which Pokémon will Red use - Charizard or some other trump card.

Red sends a Hitmonlee. Giovanni remarks it is a fighting-type, but feels the battle quite alive and intense. Hitmonlee uses Rolling Kick, hitting Rhyhorn, who retaliates with Horn Attack. Giovanni feels this battle reminding him of one a long time ago. Using High Jump Kick, Hitmonlee hits Rhyhorn, who uses Horn Drill. Repeating the same moves, Rhyhorn and Hitmonlee exchange attacks and defeat each other. Both trainers call their Pokémon back. Giovanni knows Red will use Charizard, while Giovanni warns him he'll use Rhydon, making Charizard a no match to it and making it a big mistake. However, Red admits he wanted Charizard to be his last Pokémon, to prove love for it is not meaningless. Giovanni is angry and promises to crush Red's pride. Red knows well the Gym Leaders he defeated love their Pokémon and the Gym Badges are the proof of that. Red points to Giovanni Charizard is the proof he came far to here. Giovanni studies Red's moves, quite surprised and remembers this passion, for he also had a Charmander once. However, he does not know why this passion changed, seeing Pokémon as tools for business.

Giovanni sends Rhydon, thinking he may have been like Red. Charizard starts with Fire Punch and Rhydon with Ice Punch. Both exchange blows and hit each other. Charizard uses Mega Kick, but misses and gets hit by Fury Attack, slamming Charizard to the wall. Rhydon goes to finish Charizard with Horn Drill, though Charizard uses Seismic Toss, dodging Rhydon, grabbing and slamming it to the ground. Rhydon is defeated, making Red and Charizard as the winners. Giovanni admits he never'd thought Charizard is raised that well to defeat Rhydon. Giovanni presents the Earth Badge, but Red refuses a badge from the leader of Team Rocket. Giovanni admits Red does not anger him anymore and gives order to his grunts to send word Team Rocket is disbanded. Giovanni gives Red the Badge, reminding he gives it out as a Gym Leader who enjoyed this intense battle. Red is glad and takes the badge.

Giovanni warns Red to complete the Pokédex, he needs to be the strongest trainer around. Such a task can only be completed by becoming the Champion of the Pokémon League. Red leaves, while Giovanni hopes Red can achieve what he did not. Giovanni wants to change his life to love and trust Pokémon. Red cycles off, promising to find a way.