Ula'ula Island. Damian and Caitlin had returned to the island once more.
Aether House, one of the Aether Foundation's small strongholds, was known as "a model of Pokémon and people living side by side."
The Aether Foundation was an organization founded on the principle of protecting Pokémon, and Aether House was no exception.
The staff here took in injured wild Pokémon, and they also adopted orphans and let them live on-site.
Basically, it was this world's version of an orphanage from Damian's previous life.
That was one of the big reasons the Aether Foundation's reputation in the Alola Region was so stellar.
Lusamine's hidden dark side was unknown to the public, while the Aether Foundation's efforts for wild Pokémon and people alike naturally earned them praise.
Right now, Damian and Caitlin were at Aether House, having brought a good amount of supplies for the kids and the Pokémon.
"Thank you both so much for coming to see the children." The Aether Foundation staff member was clearly grateful.
Damian and Caitlin had brought a lot of snacks, toys, books, and clothes.
"No need to thank us. Just doing our tiny part." Damian replied with a smile.
At the moment, Caitlin was standing with her newly evolved Hattrem, patiently reading stories to the kids.
"You're the ones working hard. Taking them in and looking after them must be exhausting."
Watching the pure smiles on the kids' faces, Damian couldn't help but smile himself.
"Not really. A lot of kind people come by to play with them, and the kids are very well-behaved. If I had to complain about something…"
The staffer remembered something and his face twisted with anger.
"When Team Skull was still around, they'd show up here and harass us all the time. Those thugs have zero empathy. They even bullied these adorable kids."
For the Aether Foundation staff, the ones they hated most, hands down, were Team Skull. No contest.
In their eyes, those scum weren't just heartless; they went out of their way to make trouble.
What most of the Aether Foundation staff didn't know was that their beloved Chairman Lusamine had been in contact with Guzma all along.
"But now that Team Skull's gone, our lives have gotten a lot more peaceful."
The staff member sighed in relief.
When he'd heard that Team Skull had disbanded, he'd practically been over the moon. If he knew who'd been responsible, he'd at least light a couple sticks of incense for them in thanks.
"That's good to hear."
Damian chuckled softly. Team Skull really was hated wherever they went—but Team Rocket wasn't.
They were an evil team, sure, but Team Rocket wasn't the kind of organization that picked on civilians just for fun—especially not a place like Aether House that actually did good.
Damian was firmly against that kind of thing. Who said an evil organization had to enjoy bullying regular people?
"Hey, guys, I'm back again~"
Just then, a girl in a black-and-blue long dress stepped through the open door. Her lively, clear voice was pleasant to the ear.
The moment the kids saw her, they rushed over with delighted faces.
"Acerola!"
"Good kids. Have you all been reading properly today?"
The girl, Acerola, smiled so hard her eyes turned into crescent moons as she looked at them.
Damian quietly watched the scene, but his gaze never left Acerola.
Her hair was a deep purple, cut to mid-length in a style similar to Mareanie's. Her baby-fat cheeks made her look extra cute, and her frame was slender and petite. Her dress was long and clearly patched in several places, and a golden armlet encircled her left forearm.
This was Acerola, one of Ula'ula Island's Captains—and the one who would become Alola's future Ghost-type Elite Four member.
A friendly, energetic girl. She looked like she was dressed in rags, but that was just her personal taste. Her dad owned the library in Malie City.
Worth noting, Acerola was a descendant of Alola's old royal family. The armlet on her left arm was a royal bracelet.
Of course, in the current era ruled by the Pokémon League, the old kingdom days were long gone. Some places still had "princesses" or "kings" in name, but it was basically just a title now.
Acerola was a good example. She called herself an "ancient princess," but it was really just that—a self-introduction.
"I see some new faces. Hi there, I'm Acerola~"
After she'd finished fussing over the kids, Acerola blinked her big eyes and flashed a bright, adorable smile, taking the initiative to introduce herself to Damian and Caitlin.
You could tell right away—this was an extrovert with zero social anxiety.
"We've heard of you—Ula'ula Island's Captain, Acerola." Damian said, smiling.
"I'm Damian."
"I'm Caitlin. It's a pleasure to meet you."
Caitlin dipped in a graceful curtsey, her clear eyes landing on Acerola with open curiosity.
Damian bringing her to Aether House was, more than anything, about meeting Acerola.
"Caitlin, you're so pretty."
Acerola's gasp of admiration was entirely genuine. She was truly impressed by Caitlin's looks and aura.
That kind of noble, refined elegance was not something just anyone could pull off.
"Thank you. You're beautiful too, Acerola. And your dress has a great sense of style."
"Hehe~ really? I'm so happy to hear that. I made this myself, you know."
Acerola's eyes curved into crescents again. A girl being complimented was always going to be happy, especially when the one doing the complimenting was this gorgeous.
A very pure, straightforward girl.
Caitlin made that judgment almost instantly.
A few casual exchanges were all it took to read Acerola's personality.
"Acerola, are you free right now?" Damian cut in at just the right moment.
"Mm… I didn't have anything to do, so I came to play with everyone."
Acerola tilted her head, puzzled, but still answered honestly.
"Then could I ask you to have a battle with Caitlin? A serious one. Go all out."
"Eh?" Acerola blinked.
"Acerola, would that be okay?" Caitlin spoke up as well.
"Um… I'm really strong, you know."
Acerola hesitated. She might be pure-hearted, but she wasn't clueless. She knew she was extremely strong.
If she went all out, there was a real chance she'd completely crush the other person's confidence. Quite a few Trainers on Ula'ula Island had already tasted her "poisoned hands," so to speak.
"You don't need to worry about that. Caitlin's a very strong Trainer too." Damian assured her with a grin.
"Really? Then sure! I love battling."
Acerola's eyes lit up, and her smile grew even brighter, her brows curving in a way that was almost too cute.
Damian simply smiled and watched the two girls. Caitlin had made a lot of progress lately, and it was about time he found her an opponent who'd really push her.
Acerola, a Elite four-level specialist in Ghost types, was just right.
Damian was good with Ghost types himself, but he was way too strong compared to Caitlin right now. As a sparring partner, he wasn't ideal.
For any top-tier Trainer, fighting into a type disadvantage was required coursework.
All right, Caitlin—go get 'em.