A few days slipped by before anyone blinked.
Kukui and the others didn't make any loud moves. No raids. No public declarations. Just watchers—posted around the entertainment center—and a quiet push to pin down Caitlin's movements.
And honestly, the first part wasn't hard. Caitlin hadn't exactly been living under an alias. The villa registered under her name was an obvious dot on the map, so of course it landed on their surveillance list.
The problem was the second part.
Caitlin had expected this from the start. With Teleport in her pocket, Kukui's people could watch the front gate until their eyes dried out and still miss her leaving.
The last few days were calm.
"right before the storm hits shore".
Damian, meanwhile, couldn't have looked more relaxed if he tried. He stuck to the same routine: beach at noon, sun on his skin, sea breeze in his face, a swim whenever he felt like it.
Afternoons were Caitlin's—special training.
Evenings were Domino's—"special training."
It was, frankly, a comfortable life.
Until one day.
Caitlin left the villa district in a fitted white-and-pink long dress, headed into the city, met up with Proton, and then the two of them started walking toward the outskirts at an unhurried pace.
"Who's that with her?"
In a certain room, Kukui and the recently discharged Hala leaned over the footage and exchanged a look. Neither of them recognized Proton on sight.
"Zoom in." Kukui's brows drew together. He pulled up the wanted data he'd saved on Team Rocket's executives and cross-checked it against the face on screen.
The result made him go still for a beat.
'Team Rocket High-Level Executive: Proton'!
"…Another one," Kukui said quietly.
Hala's expression tightened. "Another Rocket executive."
And not just any executive, either—Proton wasn't some random captain. He was one of Giovanni's notorious Rocket executives out of Kanto. The kind of name you didn't like seeing on your island.
"Kukui," Hala said, voice low, "they're heading toward the outskirts. That's our chance."
They didn't know what Caitlin and Proton were planning. But they didn't need to.
Inside the city was a bad place to start a fight. Too many civilians. Too many variables. With someone like Caitlin, if Team Rocket decided to play dirty, the city itself could turn into leverage.
Out on the edge of town—out in the sticks—fewer people, cleaner ground, and a lot fewer excuses.
Kukui hesitated for half a second. Something about it still felt… staged.
But chances like this didn't come often.
"Alright," he said, decisive. "Notify Olivia and Nanu. If we move, we move fast. We're bagging both of them."
If they could snag two Rocket executives in one sweep, Team Rocket's Alola operation would lose a huge chunk of its bite overnight.
"Got it." Hala paused, then asked, "Do we give her the heads-up?"
He meant Champion Cynthia, who had arrived from Sinnoh a couple of days ago.
To be honest, Kukui still hadn't fully digested that part. He'd only forwarded Caitlin's info to Sinnoh hoping they'd take it seriously and send back more background.
Instead, Sinnoh's Champion showed up in person.
Kukui had been blindsided.
"Not yet," Kukui said after a moment. "This is Alola's problem. What do you think?"
He didn't doubt Cynthia's intentions—she'd been clear that she wanted to bring Caitlin back, nothing more—but it was still sensitive.
Alola didn't even have a League yet. If Team Rocket sets up a branch here and Alola ends up needing an outside Champion to capture Rocket executives?
That story would travel. Fast.
And the second it reached Kanto, Kukui's application for the Alola League would go straight off a cliff.
Kanto already looked at Alola like it was "less than safe" because of the Ultra Beast situation. If Alola also looked weak—like it couldn't handle a single Rocket cell without outside help—approval would get even harder.
(Note: In both the games and the anime, the Alola League was only established after Ultra Space was explored. Kukui's earlier applications were rejected multiple times, and the Ultra Beast threat was one of the main reasons.)
"You're right," Hala said, nodding slowly. "I agree."
Team Rocket had managed to grow right under the Kanto League's nose. It wasn't crazy to assume they had real Champion-level threats somewhere in the organization.
But those people would be guarding headquarters in Kanto.
It didn't make sense for a Champion-level trainer to be stationed at a branch out here…
…Right?
"After we settle this," Kukui said, eyes narrowing at the footage, "we'll notify Champion Cynthia. I'm sure she'll understand."
His expression stayed heavy as Caitlin and Proton walked off-screen.
…
Ten Carat Hill sat near the outskirts of Hau'oli City. Wide view, pleasant scenery—one of those places that practically begged for a picnic.
Which was exactly what it was hosting.
Damian was sitting on a picnic mat, calmly feeding sliced apples to Tapu Fini like this was the most normal thing in the world.
Caitlin and Proton arrived shortly after.
Olivia stared from a distance, then blurted out, "Okay—who's that supposed to be? And… why is Tapu Fini with him?!"
Because Caitlin and Proton weren't just standing nearby. They were standing with clear deference, like that young man was the one in charge.
And the real problem was floating right next to him.
Tapu Fini.
The guardian deity of Poni Island.
Olivia recognized it instantly.
Kukui blinked, genuinely thrown. "I… don't know."
Nanu let out a long, tired sigh, rubbing his forehead like this was already giving him a headache.
Hala's gray brows knit tight as his eyes locked onto Tapu Fini. That was unmistakable.
So why was it here?
Had it been… caught?
A cold, uneasy feeling crawled up Hala's spine.
It can't be. It can't be that.
For a moment, Kukui, Hala, and Olivia all ran the same frantic mental arithmetic in silence.
Nanu broke it first, voice lazy and flat. "Looks like he's noticed us."
Kukui looked up—and sure enough, the young man and the two Rocket executives were already staring right at them.
The young man even lifted a hand and waved, like they were late to a friendly meetup.
"Let's go," Kukui said, face hardening.
In that instant, the "off" feeling snapped into place.
This wasn't an opportunity.
It was bait.
But turning around now would look weak—and might be worse than walking in.
So they walked.
The four of them approached at a measured pace and stopped a short distance from Damian's group.
"Oh?" Damian remained seated, cross-legged and relaxed. He took a sip of coconut juice, smiled, and waved again—harmless, friendly, almost irritatingly calm. "Professor Kukui. And the three kahunas. All at once—what an honor."
Caitlin and Proton stood in front of him, one on each side, facing Kukui's group. The hierarchy was obvious at a glance.
If anything, the young man's status looked higher than either of theirs.
Hala narrowed his eyes—first at Tapu Fini floating obediently beside Damian, then at Caitlin and Proton.
"They didn't come here with good intentions," Hala muttered.
Nanu scratched his head, deadpan as ever. "Pretty sure we're the ones who showed up looking for trouble today."
Hala's mouth twitched. He shot Nanu a sharp glare.