After Lunala left, Damian and the other two naturally had no intention of staying at the Altar of the Moone any longer.
But before they could leave, two Pokémon blocked their way.
"Tapu Koko and Tapu Bulu… they don't look very friendly."
Lillie spoke cautiously, staring at the two Tapu barring the path with an aggressive air.
"The moment Lunala leaves, they rush over to interrogate us, huh?" Damian chuckled, not particularly surprised.
"Koko?"
Tapu Koko fixed its gaze on Damian and Caitlin, letting out a low, sharp cry.
"We caught Tapu Fini and Tapu Lele fair and square, you know. No dirty tricks involved."
Damian grinned as he spoke to Tapu Koko.
"Koko..."
Tapu Koko's expression scrunched into something almost human.
If they really had caught them in a proper battle, it didn't have much ground to complain.
But with Fini and Lele captured, what was going to happen to Poni Island and Akala Island in the meantime?
"Caitlin, let Lele out." Damian said when he saw Tapu Koko still wasn't satisfied.
Caitlin nodded, raising the Poké Ball to release Tapu Lele.
But when she pressed the button, the Poké Ball didn't react at all.
Caitlin: "…"
Yeah, Tapu Lele just did not want to come out.
"Lele, come on out."
Caitlin gave Tapu Koko and Tapu Bulu an awkward yet polite smile, then lowered her voice to coax the Tapu Lele inside the ball.
"Koko!!"
A big black "#" might as well have popped up on Tapu Koko's forehead as it let out a strained, angry cry.
With a flash of white light, the Poké Ball finally opened.
Tapu Lele popped out in front of Caitlin, looking all cute and innocent as it waved cheerfully at Tapu Koko and Tapu Bulu.
"Koko?!"
Tapu Koko glanced at Caitlin, then turned to question Tapu Lele.
It wanted to know how Caitlin had caught Lele.
Had she really beaten it head‑on—or had she used some kind of cheap trick?
Seeing the three Tapu chatting away in mid‑air, Damian stretched lazily.
"Mr. Damian, what are Tapu Koko and the others doing?" Lillie asked curiously.
"They're worried about Tapu Lele and the others. After all, they've spent countless years protecting Alola together as teammates." Damian replied with a small smile.
Tapu Lele, however, had followed Caitlin fair and square after losing a bet, so there was nothing to worry about there.
The problem lay with Tapu Koko and Tapu Bulu.
If those two knew what was good for them, they'd just drop it.
With Lillie here, Damian really didn't want his "baby girl" to see him as some thug who robbed others of their Pokémon.
He was perfectly willing to let Tapu Koko and Tapu Bulu walk away.
He'd never had any real designs on them in the first place.
But if Tapu Koko tried to push things—to strong‑arm him and Caitlin into releasing Fini and Lele—then Damian wouldn't be so polite.
…Though it kind of looked like they were now fighting amongst themselves.
Damian blinked and watched the Tapu, puzzled.
Tapu Koko and Tapu Lele seemed to be arguing pretty fiercely, while Tapu Bulu tried to play mediator—but neither Koko nor Lele was paying it any attention.
The Tapu were actually having an internal meltdown.
"Mr. Damian, what are they saying? How did it turn into that?"
Lillie was stunned.
Caitlin was also confused—and already considering whether she needed to send out Metagross to back Tapu Lele up.
"Emmm… how do I even put this?"
Damian's expression turned a little strange.
Roughly translated, the conversation between Tapu Lele and Tapu Koko went like this:
"You left with humans. What's going to happen to Akala Island?"
"I don't know. I got caught, there's nothing I can do. How about you keep an eye on Akala Island for me, Koko? And Bulu can go look after Poni Island."
"..." Tapu Bulu.
"That's your island. Why should I cover for you?" Tapu Koko snapped.
"We've been friends for so many years. What's the big deal about helping me out for, like, a hundred years?"
"Are you kidding me? Then have your Trainer catch me and release you instead—you can come watch Melemele Island for me."
"Then what do you expect me to do? I can't just betray my Trainer, can I? I have my pride, you know. Let me make this clear: if you try anything against my Trainer, Koko, I won't hold back on you."
Tapu Lele huffed, looking like it couldn't care less, totally playing the "dead pig isn't afraid of boiling water" card.
"For the next hundred years, I'm off duty. If you've got a problem with that, come hit me."
"Lele, have you no shame?! You run off with humans to enjoy your journey and just dump all the work on us??"
Tapu Koko's hands were literally shaking with fury.
They were all island guardian deities.
They'd spent countless years protecting their islands, through storm and calm alike, without ever taking a day off.
Now two of their coworkers had just bailed—and not for a short trip, but for a whole century.
And not only were they not getting any vacation, their workload had actually increased?
What kind of messed‑up cosmic joke was that?!
"Alright, alright, stop arguing, stop arguing. Koko, calm down already. Sigh… it's not like Lele and Fini did it on purpose."
Tapu Bulu sighed, doing its best to play peacemaker as it tugged on Tapu Koko, trying to lead it away.
If not, it was honestly worried Koko might blow a fuse and start a real fight with Tapu Lele.
Tapu Koko's temper had been getting more and more neurotic lately—who knew when it might actually snap?
It was better for everyone if things stayed civil between coworkers.
"I'm still pissed! This is bull! Why do they get to go on vacation?!"
Tapu Koko fumed.
"And how am I any worse than Fini and Lele? Why didn't those humans come catch me? Just because those two look a bit prettier? I'm stronger!"
"Yeah, yeah, sure, you're absolutely right. Enough, Koko. What's done is done. Let's just go home and sleep."
Tapu Bulu nodded along hastily as it dragged Tapu Koko off.
Tapu Koko and Tapu Bulu finally left.
From now on, the two of them would each have to protect two islands at once.
Yeah, Tapu Koko felt completely done with life.
"Lele～"
Once its two ex‑coworkers were gone, Tapu Lele happily swooped down, circling around Caitlin a few times before wrapping its arms around her neck and rubbing against her, letting out a soft, delighted coo.
Pure joy.
"Tapu Lele is so adorable."
Lillie's eyes sparkled.
Tapu Lele really was so adorable.
It had definitely just been Tapu Koko being too fierce that made Tapu Lele get mad just now.
Yep, that had to be it.
"Looks like leaving Koko and Bulu behind wasn't such a bad outcome."
Damian, on the other hand, was thoughtful.
He'd heard every word of Lele and Koko's argument, and honestly, he thought this arrangement was actually pretty good.
After all, Ultra Beasts did occasionally show up in the Alola Region.
They really did need guardian deities to watch over things.
If Ultra Beasts scared people off and Alola's popularity dropped…
Wouldn't that hurt Team Rocket's business too?
~~~
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