Calyrex was a righteous king. There was no way it would ever be bought off by a little petty bribery!
What "Poni Radishes"? Are they really tastier than the Radiant Radishes we grow?
But then again!
"Friend, if you really do get abducted over there, bring me back some radish seeds."
"You surrendered way too fast!"
"It's not that I want to eat them. It's for two friends of mine—you know the ones. My steeds really like carrots."
Hikaru couldn't refute that.
Because Calyrex really did have two steeds.
"But they aren't your friends right now!"
Calyrex declared, "Mm-hmm. They will be soon! Once Radiant Flowers bloom all across the Crown Tundra, and once my vegetables sell to the entire world, my faith power will flow without end. With your help, Radiant Flowers will also propagate for generations upon generations!"
"I'll make one hundred reins and tie them down tight! Everything will come back—my carrots, my kingdom, my reins, my shrine, my steeds!"
Calyrex entered its fantasy time again, which everyone had long since grown used to.
King, don't give up on your dream. Keep sleeping.
Turning back to Tapu Fini, Hikaru suddenly felt a sense of déjà vu.
Right—!
Tapu Fini kind of looked like Rika!
"Uh… I still don't understand why you insist I move to Poni Island in Alola. As far as I know, there aren't many residents on that island. Most of the sea folk live on boats, don't they?"
Hikaru shook his head.
"Give me a clear answer."
Tapu Fini narrowed her eyes.
What, you used my power and now you want to pat your butt and leave?
Hmph. If you agree to my conditions, you can use my power however you want from now on. I won't interfere. I'll even help you sometimes. Isn't that a bargain?
"Fii-ni~"
Tapu Fini began explaining—almost like she was pitching her island.
The Ruins of Hope that I watch over were once known as a "place where life ends." If a shaman like you can master the power contained in the Ruins of Hope, maybe you really can bring the dead back to life.
Of course, the premise is that the one being revived must still "have life"—but that's beyond my jurisdiction. When I say "bring back the dead," I mean permanently bringing a soul back into the living world!
A soul plus life!
You should still have people you want to help. Even if you don't right now, you'll keep encountering them in the future, won't you?
"Pokémon that can grant life and resurrect the dead… there are two: Ho-Oh, and Xerneas."
"But I'm just a human." Hikaru said. "For me, Ho-Oh's Sacred Ash and Xerneas's branch would be more useful."
Tapu Fini looked displeased.
I'm already offering you such enormous access, and you're still not satisfied?
"Fii—!"
I rarely like someone this much!
The true meaning of Poni Island is 'helping.' Do I really have to spell it out?
Because you've helped both the living and the dead, and because you can skillfully borrow my power, it means you match me extremely well. That's why I've singled you out.
Fine. I'll tell you.
"Fii-ni~!"
I want you to complete the Island Challenge, then settle on Poni Island—so you can become the island kahuna.
Right now, Poni Island doesn't have an island kahuna. That's been giving me a headache!
You—your power is a perfect match for me. Let me put your power to use. That is the price you must pay. Become mine!
"You mean… island kahuna?!"
Hold on.
Isn't this basically getting "appointed" out of nowhere?
"I've never even been to Alola." Hikaru said, startled, then immediately turned serious and refused with righteous conviction. "I may visit someday. I appreciate your favor, but this job is far too important. I can't accept."
In terms of status, an island kahuna could be considered equivalent to an Elite Four member.
But what it represented was completely different.
An Elite Four seat could be replaced at any time—and aside from the Paldea League, most regions' Elite Four members could even slack off and travel. They only had to return when a League Conference was underway, or when a challenger reached the end of the Champion's path. Most of the time, they had no obligation to remain at League HQ.
But an island kahuna was different.
They were the absolute powerhouse who guarded one of Alola's four islands—someone entrusted with a major mission.
Normally, an island kahuna couldn't leave their island for long. They also had to protect the island, train up new Trainers, handle island affairs, and they had the authority to appoint that island's captains and oversee the Island Challenge.
In the book Guardian Deities and Island Kahunas, it was written:
"[The Tapu who live on each island will entrust a Sparkling Stone to the person chosen as that island's kahuna.]"
"[As for the standard by which they choose—no one knows.]"
However, Hikaru forgot one crucial detail.
The moment his refusal left his lips, Tapu Fini froze.
Then she grew embarrassed—and angry!
As if she were about to explode on the spot!
"Crap!"
"I forgot—when a guardian deity chooses an island kahuna, the chosen person can't refuse, or the guardian deity will get angry!"
"But that rule is unbelievably self-centered!"
"Fii-ni!" Tapu Fini was indeed furious, a sharp irritation burning in her jade-green eyes.
Human—up to this day, no Alolan has ever dared to refuse a guardian deity's appointment and favor!
You've piqued my interest!
But just as Hikaru thought Tapu Fini was about to cause havoc, she unexpectedly forced herself to suppress her anger.
"Whew… Among the four guardian deities, Tapu Fini and Tapu Lele are considered relatively mild-tempered…"
If it were Tapu Koko, he probably would've already thrown a punch.
Meanwhile, Giratina loved nothing more than watching chaos unfold, and burst into a cackling laugh.
[Land deity, are you mad?]
Tapu Fini: "Fii, ni (N-no, I'm not)!"
She said that, but in truth she was furious.
Still, Tapu Fini had some rationality left.
Alolans were not allowed to refuse.
But Hikaru wasn't an Alolan—he was a Sinjoh person.
Sinjoh… descendants of the Sinjoh people. They had nothing to do with Alola. So even though his refusal cost her face, at least none of the other guardian deities had witnessed it.
Even so, Tapu Fini was still extremely displeased!
I favored you this much, and you rejected me outright. Where am I supposed to put my pride?
Even if no guardian deity saw it, there are plenty of Legendary Pokémon here!
Man, you must give me a reason for rejecting me!
"The responsibility is too great. And I'm the type who travels everywhere. An island kahuna has to guard the island year-round. I also have a homeland, and I have no intention of moving to Alola right now."
"If it's about climate, then Paldea and Unova are also great places to live, so it's not a housing-environment issue."
Sinjoh's climate was basically the same as Sinnoh's. It wasn't so much 'livable' as 'every winter, it randomly freezes a few unlucky passersby to death.' Harsh, to say the least.
In truth, for ancient humans, places like Sinjoh and Sinnoh were far too cold to be ideal homes. The most suitable places were warm lands with distinct seasons.
Even after Sinjoh declined, the people scattered far away. Few returned to Sinnoh.
"As far as I know, Alola often has people doing the Island Challenge. If the island kahuna isn't on the island, doesn't that prevent the Challenge from being carried out? Wouldn't that be strange? Wouldn't people accuse them of dereliction?"
"Also—handing an island over to an outsider. Is that really okay?"
"Fii-ni?" Tapu Fini gave a cool snort.
What's not okay about it?
Didn't I already say it? Alola has traditions and rituals, but we guardian deities can change the rules whenever we want.
Besides, an outsider serving as an island kahuna isn't without precedent!
Ula'ula Island's island kahuna is an outsider!
As long as they're suitable, it's fine.
And if an island doesn't have a kahuna for the time being, someone from another island can temporarily fill in!
"Ula'ula Island… you mean Nanu."
Come to think of it, Nanu could even be considered a former colleague of his. He'd been an International Police officer. Aside from infiltrating various villain organizations, he later also worked with the Ultra Beast Task Force. He seemed to be an old acquaintance of Giovanni, too—so he probably had Team Rocket work experience on his résumé.
Now the man worked as a police officer on Ula'ula Island, usually slouching around and playing cup-and-ball.
"So as long as you settle in Alola, you're an Alolan? Alola's definition is that broad?"
"That's basically like Unova."
Poni Island's island kahuna position really was vacant.
All the way until the Sun and Moon era, when the player arrived in Alola to begin the Island Challenge and was nearing the end of it—only then did Poni Island gain a new island kahuna.
Goddess Mewtwo said, "Dealing with Legendary Pokémon so much, and you end up in situations like this… isn't it kind of interesting?"
"Tapu Fini doesn't seem willing to give up. Your refusal might not work."
This was also her chance to see how vast the world really was—especially in the Dream World.
After touring Unova's lands, should she go travel other regions too, like "Unit One" once did?
"Actually, Poni Island should have a suitable candidate." Hikaru said. "After the previous island kahuna, Grandpa Sofu, passed away, his granddaughter Hapu should be the best person to inherit the position. And she has the will for it, doesn't she?"
"Fii-ni?" Tapu Fini suddenly drifted right up close.
What's going on?
Didn't you say you've never been to Alola? Then how do you even know about our deceased island kahuna?
[Sinjoh people always know all sorts of things. What's strange about that?]
Giratina's explanation only made Tapu Fini more confused—while Giratina was secretly delighted.
Being a riddle-speaker really is fun.
"Hmph!"
Tapu Fini waved a hand.
Since you already know Poni Island's situation—setting aside how you know—Hapu hasn't matured yet! Her mindset and state aren't sufficient to be Poni Island's island kahuna. That's why I didn't choose her!
Also, Poni Island's Z-Crystals aren't enough anymore, and the island's Sparkling Stones have been left unprocessed with no one to handle them.
Aren't you the legendary craftsman? Come help me. If you do, you'll have Z-Crystals too—and a full set, at that!
Hikaru said, "You want me to process Z-Crystals? But aren't those crystals supposed to look like that naturally? They don't need processing at all."
"As I recall, Z-Crystals are minerals produced by certain veins. Minerals naturally form orderly shapes—cubes, octahedrons, dodecahedrons, and other regular forms—because of how their atoms arrange."
Of course, compared to Dynamax and Terastallization, Z-Power was an all-region, universal ability. You could use it freely no matter where you went, which was extremely convenient—just like Mega Evolution.
"Z-Crystals are crystallized natural power. Z-Power also lets Pokémon's moves become special strengthened moves—Z-Moves—activated through a dance."
"In the distant ancient era, when Necrozma—the Radiant Deity—battled the Tapu, the leaked light became Z-Power."
"The light-devourer from the vast sky appeared, and darkness covered the world. The beast that eats the sun and the beast that beckons the moon were seized, becoming Dusk Mane and Dawn Wings. Young people and the guardian deities used stones to release light, separating the two beasts from the light-devourer, and driving Alola's darkness away…"
Hikaru rambled on—only to see Tapu Fini's eyes glitter with a strange excitement.
Oh? Still saying you have nothing to do with Alola, yet you even know the ancient era.
And the way you know everything—you're exactly like those sea folk.
Yes! Them!
Those sea folk were unbelievable: they could deftly handle ships, read the stars, command the waves, and visit lands all over the world.
They knew every legend and mystery, and could acquire treasures without anyone noticing!
"Fii-ni~!"
Tapu Fini became even more satisfied with Hikaru.
A legendary craftsman who knew everything like the sea folk, who excelled at roaming the map, who matched her perfectly, who possessed powerful spirit-medium abilities, and who loved helping people as a matter of course.
You dared refuse my appointment?
I've decided it's you!
Even if it's only until Hapu grows up, that's fine. If you want to pay your debt, then you'll have to repay it with your body!
Calyrex said, "Friend, you're finished. Tapu Fini has completely fallen for you. There's no way to refuse now."
Hikaru said, "King, are you only thinking about carrots?"
Calyrex didn't answer, only smacking its lips.
Tapu Fini shifted her gaze to Ogerpon, who was standing there at a loss. At a glance, she saw the little orange's condition.
"Fii-ni!"
"Po-po-ni?!"
Tapu Fini floated over to Ogerpon and began a new round of persuasion.
If you help me convince this human, you can also meet the one you long for!
You want to see him, don't you? You want to see the one who has died. I can feel that powerful wish of yours—emotions and heavy memories that haven't faded even after hundreds of years. Even someone dead for centuries, I can find a way to bring him back into the world!
"Po-po-ni…" Ogerpon hesitated, then shook her head again.
No, no. She couldn't decide on someone else's behalf!
Besides, the legendary craftsman already said he could let her meet the one she missed, too!
"Fii-ni (That's using my power!)"
"No." Hikaru cut in at the right moment, and explained the special pool water in Kitakami to Tapu Fini. The guardian deity of water and death froze, then looked a little dejected.
What… so you don't want to come because you found a better place?
Immediately after, her anger surged again!
Damn you, you heartless jerk. What benefit do I have to offer before you'll come? I'm really angry now!
Hikaru thought seriously for a moment.
"Hmm… Can you give me Mirage Berries? The legendary berries that, when mixed with guardian deity scale powder and purified water, can cure any poison!"
The guardian deity froze.
Then she became even angrier!
Hey! That's completely upside down!
Mirage Berries are offered to us by the locals. Why are you asking me for them?
But… but if you'll come, it's not like I can't give you some!
Y-you come here. I'll raise you on Mirage Berries! At least come work for three years first, okay?
(End of Chapter)
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