Chapter 36: Kukui, We Have a Situation!
"Everyone — why so serious? How about relaxing a bit?"
Seeing that Kukui's group had gone silent, Mammon tilted his head.
"After all, you're some of Alola's most renowned figures, aren't you?"
"Who are you?"
Kukui broke his silence, asking Mammon directly.
"Now, how should I answer that?" Mammon laughed softly, taking another sip of coconut water and pondering the question.
"Mammon. Team Rocket Senior Executive Mammon, leader of the Alola Team Rocket branch. Satisfied?"
Mammon?
Kukui scoured his memory carefully. He was certain the name had never come across his desk before.
Mammon had been the winner of last year's Indigo Conference, but a tournament title like that wouldn't have been enough to draw Kukui's particular attention.
But there was another critical detail — this Mammon was the leader of the Alola Team Rocket branch.
Which meant the entire Alola Team Rocket was under his command!
"Anything else you'd like to ask? I'm in a good mood today. I can answer a few more of your questions."
Mammon basked in the sun, his right hand lightly stroking Tapu Fini's silky steel-blue hair.
"If not, then let's get down to actual business next."
"It seems you knew we were coming?" Hala asked in a low voice.
"Isn't that obvious?" Mammon raised an eyebrow, giving Hala an odd look.
"Your subordinates might as well have been openly tailing Caitlin. Their tradecraft was truly unremarkable."
Mammon's mockery cut deep, and Hala fell into a long silence.
"How did Tapu Fini end up with you?" Olivia demanded sharply.
Seemingly recognizing her own name, Tapu Fini lifted her head and looked at Olivia in confusion.
"Tapu Fini is my Pokémon, Queen Olivia. Would you care to explain why Tapu Fini can't be with me?" Mammon asked with genuine puzzlement.
The matter-of-fact counter-question actually stunned Olivia for a moment.
"Tapu Fini is Poni Island's guardian deity!"
But Olivia quickly recovered, brow furrowed as she answered.
"Yes. And?"
"How could you catch her?!"
At Olivia's words, Kukui and the other two remained silent. It was a rather overbearing thing to demand, but the Tapus truly meant too much to them.
Mammon, however, couldn't hold back his laughter at her words.
"Heh~ Island Queen Olivia, quite the impressive show of authority."
Lance couldn't keep a straight face either, letting out a cold laugh of pure mockery.
"You—" Olivia's brows shot upward.
"No need to sputter, Queen Olivia. Tell me — when exactly did your Alolan region pass a rule stating that the Tapus cannot be caught?"
Mammon casually cut Olivia off.
Olivia's entire retort got stuck in her throat from that one line. It was true. The Alola region had never instituted any rule stating that its island guardians couldn't be caught.
If there was no such rule, then how exactly was catching a Tapu "not allowed"?
Olivia pressed her lips together tightly, her expression darkening.
Even though Alola had no such rule, that was because the Tapus' importance to Alola was self-evident. Any outsider strong enough to actually catch one wouldn't sour their entire relationship with the region over a single Pokémon.
Cynthia was a perfect example. With Cynthia's power, defeating and catching a wild Tapu would be no significant challenge.
But once she understood what the Tapus meant to Alola, someone like Cynthia would absolutely never do it — because she was Cynthia.
And as for those without the power? Anyone who tried to go after a Tapu would simply get taught a lesson by the Tapu itself. So there was nothing to worry about.
"Since ancient times, Tapu Fini has been Poni Island's guardian deity. To the people of Poni, Tapu Fini is not merely a Pokémon — she is their spiritual symbol, their totem."
Kukui spoke gravely, then made his plea to Mammon.
"Lord Mammon, I ask you to show mercy. Please, release Tapu Fini."
Kukui knew what he was doing was brazen — especially asking it of a senior executive of an evil organization. The shame burned in his gut.
But the problem was, Poni Island genuinely couldn't be without Tapu Fini!
Poni Island's Kahuna position was still vacant. Without Tapu Fini, what was Poni Island supposed to do? The Poni Island Kahuna had to be chosen by Tapu Fini!
Watching Kukui lower his head for Poni Island's sake, the other three furrowed their brows deeply.
"Oh?"
Mammon regarded Kukui with genuine interest. Truly, this was the man who'd poured his heart and soul into Alola's development.
Tapu Fini, who could understand human speech, naturally knew exactly what these humans were saying.
Shell Lady made no sound. She simply continued eating her fruit, her peripheral vision cautiously tracking Mammon.
"How touching, Professor Kukui. Your conviction is truly admirable. But I'm sorry — I may be a rather terrible person, but I don't abandon my partners."
Mammon slowly rose to his feet, smiling serenely at the four in front of him.
"Even if you beg me, it will be of no use. Tapu Fini is already my Pokémon."
"Also… I'll give you all a heads-up."
Mammon ignored their expressions and continued with a smile.
"Not just Fini. The other three Tapus — our Team Rocket will be catching all of them as well."
"You've got to be kidding me! A mere Team Rocket!"
Olivia was the first to lose her composure, her voice erupting in fury.
How dare he! Team Rocket's arrogance had reached absurd heights! Standing in front of three Island Kahunas, announcing that he was going to catch their islands' Tapus?!
How was that any different from walking up to a man's face and telling him you were going to go sleep with his wife?!
The AUDACITY!! The sheer, unbridled audacity!
Facing Olivia's furious glare, Mammon laughed dismissively. This woman had clearly never been beaten down properly.
But that was fine. She'd be getting that experience very shortly.
"Kukui, we have a situation. Let's take down these three first and rescue Tapu Fini — we can deal with everything else afterward."
Olivia could no longer hold herself back. She swept a cold gaze across Mammon's group and turned to Kukui.
But doing so would amount to stealing someone else's Pokémon, wouldn't it?
Kukui hesitated. After all, Tapu Fini didn't actually appear to be resisting this Mammon fellow.
But thinking of Poni Island, Kukui silently acquiesced.
Alola came first!
"Did you hear that, Fini? These people want to beat me down and rescue you."
Mammon, genuinely amused, spoke to Tapu Fini with a half-smile that wasn't quite a smile.
Tapu Fini: (°ｏ°)
"Tch~ honestly, I don't know whether I should praise your courage, or call you fearless through sheer ignorance, or just settle for calling you pathetically stupid."
Mammon straightened his black coat, a mocking curve pulling at the corner of his mouth as he fixed Olivia with a sidelong look.
"The likes of you want to take my Tapu Fini from me? Did your brain get squashed in a doorway?"
"Hmph! What an arrogant little brat. It's we who have the numerical advantage here!"
Olivia let out a cold snort. She didn't believe for a second that the four of them could lose.
Forget the fact that they outnumbered the other side — Kukui alone was a Champion-tier trainer!