Apparently he runs a criminal organization called Team Rocket? At least, that's what I was told. Does that name ring a bell?

[He adds quickly, wanting to give the stranger the benefit of the doubt.]

Honestly, I don't really have a good perspective on it, since I'm not from your world. But Lance and Professor Oak both weren't terribly complimentary of him. When I met him before, he seemed affable enough, and it was fairly plain he genuinely appreciated his pokemon, but the sense I'm getting is less that this might be a different version of him.