"Someone found Tapu Fini's whereabouts."
"That fast?"
Caitlin couldn't help looking surprised. She was born in the Sinnoh region, so myths and legends weren't exactly new to her—especially with Cynthia around. Cynthia was a full-blown mythology nerd, the kind who could get genuinely excited over a half-buried tablet or a faded mural, always digging into ancient stories about legendary Pokémon. Being around that long enough had rubbed off on Caitlin, and she'd built her own understanding of what "legendary" really meant.
Mysterious and powerful. That was the simplest description.
Caitlin knew the Tapus of Alola weren't like Sinnoh's reclusive legends, but still—having Tapu Fini's trail uncovered in just a few days felt absurdly quick.
"The Tapus don't exactly keep humans out with barbed wire," Damian said, shaking his head like this was the most normal thing in the world. He didn't seem surprised in the slightest. "Come on. Poni Island."
Damian and Caitlin headed straight for Poni Island.
Poni Island sat in the southwest of the Alola region, and Tapu Fini was its guardian deity. It also happened to be the only island that currently didn't have an Island Kahuna—something Damian knew well from the games. In the original story, Hapu traveled all over to hone her skills, trying to inherit the position from her late grandfather, and in the end she was chosen as Poni's Island Kahuna by Tapu Fini. Unfortunately for her, in this world… she probably wouldn't make it.
They arrived at a certain beach on Poni Island.
"Master Damian! Caitlin!"
Two people in Team Rocket uniforms—one stout, one lanky—scrambled over the moment they spotted them.
"Where is Tapu Fini?" Damian asked.
"Right over there, Master Damian." The lanky grunt pointed toward the sea, where a purple shell floated calmly on the surface. "Tapu Fini doesn't like humans getting too close, so we could only keep watch from a distance."
The lanky man was a local—born on Poni—so he knew Tapu Fini's temperament better than most.
"Good." Damian nodded. "You did well. Go to Plumeria later and collect one thousand merit points."
"Thank you, Master Damian!"
The stout and lanky grunts lit up like kids handed candy. One thousand points was a huge bonus.
Damian produced a Poké Ball and started walking toward Tapu Fini at an unhurried pace. Caitlin followed close behind, her steps light. The lanky grunt hadn't exaggerated—Tapu Fini really was floating there, basically sunbathing like it owned the ocean.
Tapu Fini's shell was a rich violet. Inside it, a black, mermaid-like body drifted, framed by long grayish-blue hair.
"Tapu-Fini?"
Tapu Fini heard the footsteps on the sand—no attempt to hide them. The shell rotated slowly until it faced Damian head-on.
"Hello, Tapu Fini."
Damian's smile was bright, polite… and just a little too perfect, like it had been practiced in front of a mirror.
"Fini?"
Tapu Fini stared at him with cool indifference and let out a puzzled cry. In the games, most legendary Pokémon were genderless, and Tapu Fini was no exception—but in the anime, its cry (and Tapu Lele's) sounded unmistakably feminine.
"It's nothing complicated." Damian's smile widened. "I just have this feeling you and I are… meant to be."
As if that explained everything, he lifted the Poké Ball slightly.
"So—would you be so kind as to become my partner? Tapu Fini… I like you."
"…"
Tapu Fini looked at Damian like it had just been asked something it didn't even have a category for. If it hadn't sensed a faintly friendly aura from him, it wouldn't have bothered acknowledging him at all. As Poni Island's guardian, Tapu Fini's duty was to protect the land. And over the ages, humans who coveted its power had hounded it relentlessly. Tapu Fini was long past tired of people like that.
That was exactly why it rarely appeared before humans anymore.
"Fini~"
Tapu Fini shook its head—clean, immediate refusal. The violet shell lifted, already turning to leave.
"Wow. Pretty cold of you," Damian said, raising an eyebrow. He didn't look offended—if anything, he looked amused. "You didn't even hesitate."
Then his tone shifted, still smiling.
"But I didn't go through all this trouble just to watch you swim away."
A dark light burst around Tapu Fini's body. The moment it felt the restraint clamp down, Tapu Fini snapped around, its gaze instantly sharpening as it locked onto the human boy.
Heh heh heh~
A low, nasty chuckle crawled up from the sand. Crimson eyes gleamed as a gray Gengar rose straight out of Damian's shadow, grinning wide.
Mean Look—used by the Shiny Gengar. Normally it prevented an opponent from switching out or returning to a Poké Ball. Against a wild Pokémon, the effect was a little different: Tapu Fini wouldn't be able to leave the area for a short time unless it defeated that gray menace first.
My goodness… Caitlin flicked her eyes between Damian and the Shiny Gengar. This was way too barbaric. Tapu Fini had to be furious right now.
"Fini!!"
Sure enough, Tapu Fini's cry dropped several degrees—cold, edged with anger.
"Don't get mad." Damian didn't lose that bright smile—only the cold behind it showed. "Try to understand me, too. I like you so much. Are you really not going to give me even a chance to catch you?"
And just like that, Damian shamelessly shifted the blame onto Tapu Fini, as if Tapu Fini was the unreasonable one here.
"Fini! Fini!! (But I don't like you, human!)"
Tapu Fini nearly snapped. Since when did someone liking Tapu Fini mean Tapu Fini had to respond? The number of people who "liked" Tapu Fini could probably wrap around Poni Island twice—was Tapu Fini supposed to take responsibility for all of them?
"If you actually get to know me," Damian said lightly, "your opinion will change."
He rolled the Poké Ball across his fingers like he had all the time in the world.
"How about a battle? If I win, you become my Pokémon. If you win, I'll let you go."
Damian looked downright satisfied with himself, as if this was the fairest deal anyone had ever offered.
"Fini!"
Tapu Fini's answer came as a massive Hydro Pump.
As an Island Guardian, it aimed cleanly past Damian—straight at the Shiny Gengar. Tapu Fini was irritated already, and that gray prankster's mocking grin wasn't helping.
"Sucker Punch," Damian said, almost laughing.
A dark flash sparked in the gray Gengar's eyes. Its body blurred into a streak of shadow, slipping past the rushing water like lightning—then reappearing right at Tapu Fini's side. Black claws tore into Tapu Fini's body.
Tapu Fini swayed slightly… and that was it.
Dark-type priority move: Sucker Punch. Tapu Fini resisted it, and Tapu Fini's defense was solid enough that the damage was, frankly, mediocre.
But—
"Heh heh heh~"
The gray Gengar cackled again, completely unbothered. It rocked side to side, then stretched out its long tongue, waving it like it was putting on a show.
The worst part was the distance.
That tongue dangled right in front of Tapu Fini's face, so close it almost touched.
Tapu Fini instantly retreated into its shell. Its teeth clenched hard enough to ache, and a vein practically throbbed at its forehead with pure rage.
"See that?" Damian said, sounding pleased with himself. "Tapu Fini, Gengar is very enthusiastic about you."
He smiled wider, voice dripping with cheerful menace.
"It likes you a lot, too."
"Fini??"