Raifort-san never expected that the "honest merchant" she'd bought so many Cleanse Tags from would turn out to be Paldea's strongest official enforcer, and on top of that, an anti–tomb-raiding agent working for the authorities.
How was that any different from falling into the hands of the police?
Hikaru stroked his chin.
The answer was: this was "handling it above your pay grade."
Of course, Paldea practically had no patrol officers in the first place, which was also true. After all, that specific Trainer class only existed up through Generation VIII.
"What's wrong, Raifort-san? You're not going to say anything?"
Raifort-san's first instinct was to bolt and run.
But seeing that Hikaru didn't seem like he planned to execute her on the spot, she still grew suspicious and wary.
"You're really an Elite Four?"
Hikaru: "Yep. Champion Geeta recruited me because the salary she offered was very high, and I don't have to work overtime. Well, not in the 'conventional' way of working overtime."
Hikaru smiled at Raifort-san. "So, Raifort-san, your situation has already been reported."
Raifort-san: "."
She felt like today was simply her unlucky day. Not only had she lost money, now it looked like she'd been caught by an official.
Luckily, when she came over, she hadn't brought the "treasures she'd felt out" along with her. Otherwise, she really would have been caught red-handed.
"Ahem. I, actually, I was just talking, that's all. I never seriously planned to use the Treasures of Ruin to do anything big. After all, someone like me, with a heart full of stray thoughts and desires, can't possibly command them anyway, right?"
Raifort-san argued as she glanced at Wo-Chien and Chien-Pao.
The little snail flicked its eyes from the bamboo slips to Raifort-san, then let out a low, strange, mocking chuckle.
[Unworthy of virtue, yet paid in stipend—calamity.]
"Wo-chien." Wo-Chien shook its head.
Raifort-san looked intrigued. "It seems like it said something?"
Hikaru: "The little snail said that someone without virtue enjoying a stipend is a disaster. In other words, you don't have the character or qualifications to inherit a king's mantle."
But after being judged like that, Raifort-san didn't get angry. Instead, her eyes lit up, and she shrugged.
"The Tablets of Ruin are said to be records left by court historians. I never thought you'd possess such immense wisdom. What you said must be an ancient policy treatise from the far Eastern lands!"
"Still, how can you understand what it's saying?"
Raifort-san was curious about Hikaru's interpretation as well, and Hikaru laughed.
"Raifort, I'll ask about the origins of all the decorations on you later. I hope you didn't loot the royal tombs of Alola."
"As for translation, I can understand Pokémon speech. Other regions have people like that too. Just treat it as a kind of psychic power."
"Paldea doesn't have people like that, does it?"
Raifort-san's eyes sparkled. "Oh. That's fascinating."
Her interest in Hikaru skyrocketed—though it hadn't been small to begin with—and she looked, brimming with enthusiasm, at Chien-Pao again.
The leopard scratched at its head and face, meeting Raifort-san's gaze for a moment.
Chien-Pao! The legend says it slaughtered a king—the Paldean Empire's number one assassin. Do you dare to hold eye contact with it for three seconds?
Chien-Pao opened its mouth wide.
"Hah!"
Raifort-san asked excitedly, "What did Chien-Pao say?"
Hikaru: "That? It was just huffing at you."
Raifort-san: "."
"There are still two Treasures of Ruin left. Hey, wait a second—this person isn't a 'bringer of ruin.' You can't hit her."
Hikaru reacted instantly and grabbed Charcadet, who was charging out. The little knight got yanked back and only then realized that the woman in front of it was a human, not one of the Treasures of Ruin.
But she really was carrying a lot of weird relics!
"Alright, Raifort-san. Let's talk about the accessories on you. Why do you have so many items related to Alola?"
"Your belt, bracelets, headpiece… where did you get all of these?"
"I'll say this up front: don't tell me you bought them in Alola. I know there's an antique shop in Alola called Antiquities of the Ages that often sells extremely strange antiques. Supposedly they boast that every item in the store is a one-of-a-kind piece."
"You wouldn't happen to be that shop's 'supplier,' would you?"
In the games, that antique shop is every bit as outrageous as the auction house in Porto Marinada—only you dare not imagine it, but they dare to sell it.
They even had Magearna delivered to that antique shop.
Raifort-san's expression shifted slightly, but she quickly argued back. "Isn't it normal for people to buy antiques to collect them? Oh, come on, don't be so serious! That whole Bourgeois-san incident—you should be thanking me!"
"Bourgeois-san is a big client, isn't he?"
Hikaru waved a hand. "No. Bourgeois-san's matter is already settled. If I hadn't gone to his house, his collection would have already been looted clean by Gimmighoul."
"Where do you think my Gimmighoul came from?"
"Cool~" The coin-carrying little fellow whistled at Raifort-san.
So you were the one who talked that rich guy into saving up money. Thanks a lot.
He saved me quite the "family fortune."
And now, it's your turn.
"Your Gimmighoul doesn't seem very friendly toward me. Am I its ATM now?"
Raifort-san rubbed her brow. "So that's how it is… Honestly. Looks like my luck today is both good and bad."
She shrugged helplessly. "As for Antiquities of the Ages, yeah, I do have a bit of business dealings with them. As for these accessories—though I don't know why you keep emphasizing the Alolan royal family—I'm not deranged enough to go digging up the tombs of those ancient kings."
"Alola's folkways are simple, and they take death very seriously. And don't let appearances fool you—when I went to Akala Island, I went on a pilgrimage."
Raifort-san's expression relaxed slightly.
"Akala Island has Memorial Hill. It's where successive ancient kings of Alola are buried—across the four islands. It's a place that connects the memories of humans and Pokémon, and many people from beyond the islands gather there too."
"I went there once. The legend says that if you offer a Pecha Berry, the island guardians' power will let the soul truly rest, and at the same time new life will be born. And so the ancient kings of Alola all received peace."
"But look at Paldea's kings. Because of the catastrophe caused by the Treasures of Ruin, and because of their greed for the treasures in the Great Crater, their desires turned into vengeful spirits. They possessed their own descendants, and even now they keep demanding more and more…"
"If possible, I'd like to pray for rest too. At least, when I die, I won't become a resentful spirit like those ancient kings. I wonder whether the land deities will protect an outsider."
Hikaru's brows furrowed slightly. From his perspective, there was still a trace of vengeful spiritual energy clinging to Raifort-san.
In the original work, this was brought up in the plot where the rapper aunty helps Raifort-san exorcise spirits. It was also why Raifort-san bought the Cleanse Tags.
Hikaru: "Yeah, but the lingering soul on you seems to be cursing you, saying you're an unfilial descendant for robbing your own ancestors' tomb."
Raifort-san was startled. "Ahem! How can you see the souls on me? They should've been driven off already!"
Hikaru: "Did you forget I'm a medium? The resentment is too strong. Your Cleanse Tags are the basic version, so their exorcism effect is limited. The curse got dispelled, but your ancestors' hatred stayed behind. Don't underestimate your own ancestors' strength."
"What's wrong with that…" Seeing she couldn't hide it anymore, Raifort-san simply gave up and flopped into shameless honesty. "Oh, please. Ancestors who got their country wiped out by the Treasures of Ruin, or who ruined their nation chasing treasure—don't come out here lecturing me!"
"Alright, ignore them. This little bit of energy can't control me anyway. When it comes to controlling puppets, I'm the expert."
Raifort-san delivered a set of remarks that would make the whole ancestral line burst into tears of laughter. But if you thought about it carefully, what real family affection existed in royal infighting? A fallen descendant like Raifort-san would never believe those former kings left her any benevolent legacy. If there truly was a "legacy," it was the caches of treasure buried all over the place.
As a descendant of royalty, Raifort-san believed she had the "legal right of inheritance."
She removed the hair ornament on her head, and her high ponytail spilled loose at once, making her look even more disheveled.
"These things—I dug them up from ancient ruins in Paldea. Long ago, merchants from distant lands brought precious treasures over here."
"But some of the patterns, I still haven't fully deciphered. Like this headpiece, and the belt, and this bracelet."
Hikaru pointed at them. "The crest on the belt is Lunala, the 'Beast That Calls the Moon' in Alolan legend. It dwells in another world, and when its third eye appears, it flies to other worlds. Sometimes it summons unknown power and life into this world through caves that lead to other realms."
"The bracelet's shape is Tapu Koko, the so-called war deity. That's what it looks like when it closes its shell, so you wouldn't have seen it. It's overflowing with curiosity—the guardian of Melemele Island. It calls storm clouds and stores lightning inside its body."
"The pendant on your chest is Articuno…"
"And that headpiece—what you just heard, and what I'm puzzled by as well—is a Pokémon named Marshadow, the same as this mysterious ornament. It's called the Shadow of Martial Arts."
"Oh~" Raifort-san folded her arms. "Didn't expect an Elite Four… to have such deep research into history and legends. You can recognize, at a glance, which Pokémon these patterns represent, and what they signify."
"Hmph. No wonder you're someone who can break the seals on the Treasures of Ruin. Well… with those treasures in your hands, I can't really get any ideas either."
"If I use force… I probably wouldn't be your opponent, would I? Say, are you a historian?"
Hikaru: "I'm not a historian. My friend is. But, not to be modest about it—I am history itself."
Raifort-san sensed something. "Hm? That's a startling line. Are you implying you're the descendant of some ancient people… like me?"
"That's right."
Hikaru compared the hair ornament Raifort-san tossed over with the mysterious ornament in his hand. The hair ornament didn't carry perfume or fragrance—probably because Raifort-san spent so much time tomb-raiding, it reeked of soil.
And the smell was fresh, too. That meant she'd been in a grave not long ago.
Watching him inspect it, Raifort-san asked curiously, "Why are you so interested in Alolan things?"
Hikaru answered simply, "Because I'm an Island Kahuna."
Raifort-san froze, her face turning wildly dramatic with disbelief.
"You're an island—what are you even saying? How can someone be both Paldea Elite Four and an Alolan Island Kahuna? Do you have any idea how far those regions are from each other? Is your work schedule just nonstop flights?"
Hikaru shook his head. "Not exactly. Even if I'm an Island Kahuna, I haven't gone to take office yet. The position of Island Kahuna doesn't bend to human will. The island guardians choose the person. If you don't meet their demands, they get very angry."
"They took a liking to me, so I can only hold the job concurrently. That's what you get for borrowing the island guardians' power casually."
"So, as the acting Island Kahuna of Poni Island—the Island of Passage—I have to know where these things came from. If they were looted from Alola, Raifort-san, I can't cover for you."
"So, I'm confiscating this headpiece."
Raifort-san exploded. "Hey! You're totally abusing your authority! That's something I put in a ton of effort to dig—invite—out of a tomb!"
But after hearing Hikaru's layers of identities, she was genuinely stunned.
Sure, she'd considered he might be making it up to fool her—but thinking back, ever since she'd gotten to know the shop owner, this guy had always been mysterious.
Sinjoh? A place she'd never heard of.
At first she'd thought he was just a medium with some skill, but gradually she realized the charms he sold were widely praised among spiritual practitioners. Even the Hoenn Elite Four thought they were extremely effective—and they could even communicate with the other side. Those weren't ordinary charms.
If he really was the Island Kahuna of the Island of Passage, then everything made sense.
Akala Island was the Island of Life, and Poni Island was the Island of Passage—those two islands' attributes were opposites.
"How did Geeta recruit someone this ridiculous to be Elite Four? How am I supposed to do underground work in the future? He can appraise antiquities better than I can."
Raifort-san was speechless inside.
This Paldea League really did recruit anyone—no discrimination, come one come all.
"Fine. If you really want it, then take it. But you can't keep making trouble for me. I've got plenty of headpieces."
Raifort-san shrugged and gave the headpiece to Hikaru, planning to sell him a favor.
Hikaru, meanwhile, continued comparing the mysterious ornament with the special headpiece.
[Secret Item: Mysterious Ornament (Marshadow).]
[Description: A form that should never have been recorded, yet it unexpectedly appeared in a foreign land as a treasure. However, the buyer seems unaware of the ornament's true function, believing it to be merely a relic for worshiping a foreign guardian deity.]
[Effect: The holder's shadow may be inhabited by Marshadow. By infusing it with light, you can disperse darkness and release the special weather "Rainbow"! Additional effects of moves become more likely to occur, and can stack with Serene Grace! Under rainbow light, training and leveling efficiency also increase!]
[Note: Legend says Marshadow mastered two ultimate martial arts: "Seven-Star Soul-Stealing Kick" and "Hundred Rending Unrivaled."]
[Secret Item: Raifort's Headpiece (Marshadow).]
[Description: Like the Mysterious Ornament, this antique was sold here from distant Alola. It records a shadow-dwelling Pokémon unknown to modern Alolans. In the far ancient past, it was called the shadow of a god. Supposedly, it was a fantasy born in the instant Alola was bathed in light.]
[Effect: Dexterity +50%, Stealth +50%. According to an obscure legend, this hair ornament was made to imitate Marshadow, and it seems it can imitate something unimaginable as well.]
[Note: If you obtain both the Mysterious Ornament and the Headpiece, Marshadow may appear before the holder, or dwell within their shadow, stealing the holder's power!]
"Steal the holder's power? That's not a certainty."
"Marshadow can learn legendary martial arts. If there's a story like that, it means its martial arts can also be learned by other Fighting-type Pokémon."
"This has nothing to do with the Rainbow Trial. After all, I don't have a Rainbow Wing. I could fake it, but there's no need."
"What I want is Marshadow's martial arts, and…"
Hikaru tried infusing sunlight into the mysterious ornament. In the next instant, a faint rainbow appeared before his eyes.
That's right. He also wanted this incredibly powerful "Rainbow" status.
There were two kinds of rainbow conditions. The first was the state he'd just triggered. Normally, it required "Water Pledge" + "Fire Pledge" to activate, but that was a field effect rather than weather.
However, true "rainbow weather" also existed: Ho-Oh's "rainbow light." Its effect was that Ho-Oh recovered a small amount of HP each turn and would not fall into negative status conditions. It was permanent weather.
"With a little modification, I can turn it into a held item. This is an item that can trigger 'Rainbow.' If I give it to a Pokémon with Serene Grace, isn't that a bit too overtuned? Still, Pokémon without Serene Grace can enjoy Serene Grace's fun too. Now everyone can use 'Serene Grace Rock Slide.'"
As for Raifort's headpiece, that unbelievable imitation effect—he still didn't know what it did. Maybe once he reached Alola, or Oblivia, he'd find out.
Hikaru's actions made Raifort-san cry out.
"Hey, what you found isn't ordinary. It's the real deal!"
Hikaru looked at her speechlessly. "Are you planning to buy it back from me?"
"No, um… forget it." Raifort-san scratched her cheek awkwardly.
Haggling with a local Elite Four—especially when you were doing illegal business—there was a huge difference between "looting" and "finding."
Raifort-san decided to make good use of Hikaru as a Paldean Elite Four—an "in" for her activities in Paldea. At critical moments, he would definitely be useful.
Besides, they were online friends. If worst came to worst, she could just go raid tombs in other regions.
And Hikaru also understood why Raifort-san wore the headpiece.
Although it looked unremarkable, Marshadow as a Pokémon contained many elements of "imitation," and in the antiques trade, nothing was more common than fakes. Wasn't that another form of imitation?
Moreover, one of Marshadow's inspirations was a kind of Hawaiian little dwarf—said to live hidden deep in the mountains and regarded as the embodiment of skilled craftsmanship. That was why Marshadow had the Ability Technician.
"Skilled craftsmanship plus stealth. It really is a tomb-raider's signature item. And Marshadow's signature move is Spectral Thief."
As for why it could trigger a rainbow…
Marshadow, Necrozma, and Ho-Oh. These three Pokémon seemed unrelated, but in fact they shared a very subtle link: the rainbow.
Necrozma was a prism. Marshadow was a shadow. Ho-Oh was the light of the rainbow.
Alola's inspiration was Hawaii, known to the world as the Rainbow State. In the game's background, UI buttons, and battle screens, seven-colored light often appeared—and even the horizon over Exeggutor Island carried a band of rainbow.
Thus, in earlier generations, the "Oblivia" region—also inspired by Hawaii and known as a lost country—likewise carried rainbow elements. There was even a "Rainbow Cup" and "Rainbow Altar" used to worship Ho-Oh.
When a prism refracts white light, a rainbow is born.
And that was precisely why Marshadow could appear as Ho-Oh's subordinate.
In discarded concepts, it was also said that Alolans prayed for the rainbow's protection.
And because Alola was the Rainbow State, the Team Rocket that appeared in Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon was "Team Rainbow Rocket."
In the TCG booster packs, the third Sun & Moon expansion set—led by Ho-Oh—was titled Burning Shadows, and its Japanese counterpart was "望见战斗之虹" (Sight of the Battle Rainbow).
(End of Chapter)
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