Toma knocked me from my cushion wrapped hammock. Craning my neck up from it's compressed position against the floor, I saw big sis standing in the doorway. "Hmmph. Good job training your Spinarak's Insomnia, he'll be good for you at times like this.", she said. "Could I get a few more minutes, just here on the floor?", I bargained. Plumeria grabbed me under the arms and lifted me onto my feet. "No, my thick skulled protege. You're going with the plan like everybody else.", she chided.
I yawned and stumbled to the corner of the room. It wasn't often necessary, but today of all days I felt obliged to wear my most Team Skull-y Team Skull uniform. A black tank top with the cross bone strips, skull cap beanie with the stamped eye design, an open zippered hoodie marred with holes, and the same cargo pants I'd had from the beginning, which now fit much better, despite looking the same due to their size.
It was dark out, just past midnight, as the grunts assembled for the journey to Poni Island. Will and Rich were too valuable as thieves and Eva was acting as Plumeria's contact back to Po Town while all the important figures were spread out, so I was the only one of our clique present. As an adequate trainer, former resident of the area around the Ruins of Hope, and one of big sis's students, I was a perfect fit for the group's guide. I would also be the leader of the less experienced grunts that would be on guard duty.
The crowd assembled into their subgroups, who we had been training with a bit while the day approached. We looked like a club from a school for street trash, that for some reason required a matching street trash uniform, about to leave on a school trip. "One last time, what's our job here Kau'i?", an older grunt in my subgroup asked. Even though I was young and small, they actually treated me as the leader. That understanding was one of my favorite things about being in Team Skull.
"We lead the way to the Ruins, or more accurately I lead the way and you guys deal with any wild pokémon, then we stand guard outside. If more shouts come from inside than usual, someone's messing with the plan and we go in. Not hard stuff.", I explained. He nodded his head and the other two gave appreciative looks our way. Finally, Plumeria exitted her home and waved us all to the dock.
We all piled into two boats off of the ruined piers. One was for the 'Jawbones', the grunts that had gathered around Gladion and in Guzma's inner circle who were in and out of Po Town often and thought the Team should flex our power more, nicknamed as such for their aggression and loud mouths. There was always a contingent of them that came along on big plan stuff. The other one was for the rest of the grunts. My little party settled in on the deck of the non-Jawbone boat.
As Fade, of all people, pulled us out of port, another of my group began a conversation. "What was it like before the whole plan thing?", the girl asked, one of the few grunts younger than me (though the number grew every day I got older). "Better. The whole team was one huge net of people, none of the Gladion/Plumeria/Guzma division thing. Lots of friend groups got split up when we had to take on actual responsibilities for the plan.", I told her. She was a good Bug-Type specialist, I was certain she'd have thrived in the Team's more interconnected style.
"Tell me about it! The management shit they have us do in big bro's group keeps me away all day.", our senior said. "I don't know, Braincase work's not too bad. Plenty of people to talk to.", the junior retorted, using another group nickname. "It's different! Talking to people because you gotta just doesn't scratch that itch.", he replied. "My job with Gladion's pretty easy. Is it different for you guys?", said the final member of our group. He was just a year older than me and would be doing his island challenge soon if he wasn't in Team Skull. "Way different. Sinuses stealing for Plumeria or Braincases doing all the organizing for Guzma are in a fully scheduled position. With Gladion you Sockets and Jawbones just go out of town and do what you want, maybe recruit some people. No offense.", I informed him.
"So why do the plan at all?", asked the boy. "I don't know for sure. I've asked around with several people, and it seems the Pokémon League put little bro Gladion's mom in psych care for funding the Team and that lack of funding was what started the push for responsibilities. Before that though, when big bro Guzma hadn't made Team Skull yet, he tried to become a trial captain, but his master denied him, and now that master works with the League. It's a whole list of things really, but those are the big ones.", I expounded. The boy looked angrily over at me.
"So they screwed us over and we're screwing 'em back? Serves 'em right!", he said. "You sound like a Jawbone.", the older grunt jabbed. "So what if I am?!", the would-be trial-goer defended. "Don't be.", I butted in, "The Jawbones would rather we seem scary to everyone outside the Team than go back to being a family for any Alolans without one, like we should be. The plan's already pushing it." "We have to show we can defend our family or it doesn't mean anything.", the girl chimed in.
I shrugged. "There you aren't wrong. Wish there was a faster way to do it, but the plan is poetic at least. 'Show the League what it's like to not have a safety net.', it's a good pitch, and we oughta do it while we can.", I agreed. "Are you sure you're 10 years old? Like sure sure?", the old Braincase asked. "I mean I am an orphan, so I don't know, but even still it's at most a year off.", I said.
They went on about the plan while I stared off over the black waves, the conversation continuing without me. I nervously thumbed Kawami's pokéball, still slick and rough like grease and concrete from its time in the trashiest garbage in Alola. That day in Malie seemed a million miles away, but, unbeknownst to me, that life was rapidly catching up to me.
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"So what was it like growing up here, oh great leader?", the Socket boy teased. "Do you have the path secured for the next couple hundred feet?", I asked sternly, gaze locked forwards. "Buhhh… Um, yeah?", he confirmed slowly. "Alright.", I accepted, "It wasn't great. I was juggled house to house, not like in foster care, that was just the system, but mostly I snuck out to a hovel in the ruins so I could actually build up something instead of living on borrowed kindness." The group blinked at my honest response.
The eldest cleared his throat and broke the tension. "How'd that lead you to Team Skull? Seems unlikely.", he said. "I stole a pokéball, caught my Golbat with it, the not-Kahuna Kahuna wouldn't let me train her, I ran away to make something of it all and stumbled into a grunt. The rest is self-explanatory.", I explained. "Hardly. You won your battle to show your stuff, became big sis's student, people even say you and little bro are rivals!", the freshie fangirled. "Don't spread that bullshit, if I ever get challenged by another Jawbone because of that rumor I might just make my own plan.", I denied dryly. The boys chuckled.
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"Nine o'clock!", the Socket shouted, swallowing his laughter. A rustling in the trees approached us from the indicated direction, then suddenly stopped before it could break away from the forest. "Nice one Toma!", I cheered. A bundle of webbing flew up from the canopy and fell open into trails of silk caught in the wind, imitating a firework. Toma had learned to do this trick to entertain a drunk, and it had quickly become one of his favorites. "Do we need to, uh… do something about that?", the girl asked. "Nope. Toma's got Spider Web perfected, even as a Spinarak, so they won't be able to leave the forest.", I assured her.
The Jawbones and Plumeria's posse followed behind us, saving their strength, as we made our way down the coast in the faint crescent moonlight. The Poni Breaker Coast was craggy, full of small and hollowed pits of water. Navigating it wasn't easy, since following the coast would lead you on a winding and arduous route that could strand you with the tide, you had to carve a path through the slippery gravel. In the years I'd been away it had changed significantly from the influence of erosion and wild pokémon, but I knew the pattern of the place and our pokémon were scouting ahead, so I managed.
Just before dawn, as planned, we reached the Ruins of Hope. Down a broken spiral of porous igneous slabs, near the bottom of a vibrant tide pool that stood all but empty at the current low tide, a painted wooden entryway marked the sacred sanctum of Tapu Fini. "We're here.", I stated for the benefit of everyone further back. Plumeria stepped forward to address the entire troop.
"Prepare yourselves dummies! Get your teams into shape! When the sun breaks the horizon, we go in and capture Tapu Fini! Don't kid yourselves numbskulls, we aren't using a pokéball to capture it. This is a legendary pokémon! We will need to have a constant rotation of people keeping Tapu Fini weak, and we do not know if it has access to moves like Recover or Aqua Ring! This all is guaranteed to be a fucking problem, so get your shit together! DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?!", Plumeria, big sis, the admin, the Poison-Type specialist, and my mentor, commanded. "NO!!!", we replied in unharmonious unison. "TOO BAD!", she shouted over us.
She stepped down from her lofty position, and the commanding sneer slipped from my mentor's face as she turned to me. "Do you think this will work? I'm worried about these adorable idiots, if it doesn't work they're gonna be in trouble.", big sis worriedly whispered. "And they won't be if it does work? It's too late to be worrying about this stuff, take your own advice.", I told her, feigning confidence. "Hmph! You got me there. Watch our backs, yeah?", she said, mentally going over the plan again. "Yeah."
All too soon, the sun graced the sky with the day's first twilight. "GO TIME!", our admin ordered. A grunt with a battle-hungry expression arm checked me as she passed, clearly a Jawbone, and the troop descended into the Ruins. A clattering of feet followed by a clattering of battle echoed through the tide pool.
I whistled for my pokémon's attention. "Toma, detection web all around the Ruins. Kawami, keep the sky clear.", I directed. Both saluted, which caused Golbat to fall to the ground. "Kawami, save the salutes for when you're a Crobat! You only have one set of wings dingbat!", I disciplined. With that done, my team rushed to keep watch like I'd told them. "Anything for us to do?", the older grunt asked. "Just watch the immediate area and back up my team. I can listen for any signals.", I replied.
The grunts began to disperse as I heard a familiar voice reverberate out of the Ruins, "Tipi, dunes! Kalako, swallow the support!" "Change of plans! You guys take over, I need to check on them.", I called to the grunts. "Aren't we all supposed to go in if something's happening!?", the boy asked. "I'm not sure if something is happening. Take over!", I ordered. If I was right, I couldn't have them follow me in. With another whistle, Kawami and Toma returned to me and I rushed down the natural staircase and into the Ruins of Hope.
My eyes didn't need to adjust to the darkness of the cave, it was alight with the attacks of pokémon. Tapu Fini's presence alone coated the chamber in flowing, bubbling mist that prevented status conditions. Their serene charcoal black figure, like a mermaid straight out of folklore, was ever so subtly bruised. A glowing Aqua Ring hovered around the legendary pokémon's totemic fish-shaped shell and glowing barriers, Reflect and Light Screen surrounded both sides of the battleground. Beneath the guardian deity of Poni Island was exactly who I had feared I had heard.
Hapu, having not grown an inch since I'd last seen her, was astride Mahā, who had evolved into a Mudsdale, giving orders to a full team of Ground-Type pokémon as they fought off Team Skull. Earthquakes had sweeped the deck with many of the Poison-Types led by Plumeria and her subordinates while her Krookodile snapped up Drowzees and Hypnos that tried to Disable Tapu Fini's moves. I stared on in shock as my mentor and my protector fought over the deity of the island.
The fight continued as I stood frozen, the overwhelming numbers of Team Skull whitling down Hapu's bulwark defense. Her team destroyed the grunt's pokémon, but not fast enough. A Hypno that had hidden in the backline finished a long and thought out Nasty Plot, then Baton Passed to Plumeria's Salazzle, which hadn't been on the field until now. Salazzle was not holding back, sending massive Sludge Bombs into Tapu Fini.
Tapu Fini sent a torrential Hydro Pump through the Sludge Bombs at the lizard, but before it could hit Salazzle, she painfully shed her scales to form a Substitute that blocked the attack. Tapu Fini's calm expression turned sour, and their fury became known. The calm pools of salt water at either side of the holy chamber burst to life, rushing up and over Tapu Fini's head before turning a bright pink and crashing down into the surrounding pokémon. Nature's Madness left everything in its wake beaten and bruised, alleviating them of their energy at the Tapu's command, but this included Hapu's pokémon.
The grunts took advantage of this, causing her Flygon, Krookodile, and Dugtrio to faint and Disabling the Tapu's moves. More Sludge Bombs flew up and hit them without interruption. Tapu Fini was hurt. Mahā, the only pokémon Hapu had left, shook the earth beneath his hooves with a mighty tremble that eliminated the last of the grunts' pokémon. Only the admin and her closest partner were left standing.
As another of Salazzle's Substitutes fell to ground, the salamander slung naughty words at the Mudsdale, Tormenting it. Unable to use Earthquake again, Mahā instead charged forward, creating a wall of sharp debris with each stomping step. Salazzle slyly dodged out of the way of the High Horsepower attack and clapped derisively, giving Mahā an Encore. The contradictory signals of Encore and Torment made Mudsdale unable to do anything but Struggle, which Salazzle also avoided. Tapu Fini tried desperately to intervene, but all their moves were still Disabled.
As Salazzle struck down Mahā, she giggled as if playing a trick. Tapu Fini, protector of all of Poni Island, shrunk back. Then, Hapu stepped in front of the legendary creature. The grunts continued pouring out of the Ruins behind me, Jawbone, Nostril, and Braincase alike. Plumeria stared Hapu down. "Back down, little missy. It's over.", Team Skull's big sis shouted. "No.", my big sis shouted back.
"Without this creature, Poni Island will be beset by threats you can't imagine! Their island is my island! Their people are my people! I will put my life on the line to protect this pokémon the same way they would for me! DO NOT LAY ANOTHER FINGER ON THE GUARDIAN OF THIS ISLAND!!", Hapu boomed. The room shook with the roar erupting from the small girl's body.
Hapu's steadfast face shimmered with sweat, as her exhausted eyes wavered around Plumeria before locking onto me. "Kau'i?", she whispered. Then, a simple command, a roiling crack, and a thud. The Fire Lash had whipped Hapu unconscious in a single move. My body regained focus, my mind no longer content to let things go as planned. I ran forward with a scratchy scream rushing from my throat. Toma and Kawami followed my charge.
I skidded into position in front of Hapu's unconscious body. "What are you doing Kau'i!?", Plumeria shouted angrily. "Something really stupid. Infestation and Wing Attack!", I shouted back. Toma's construct spiders dug into Salazzle's scales as Kawami dived into her. Salazzle let out a shriek, and a Flamethrower spewed out of her mouth. Tapu Fini prevented the attack from hitting me as Toma fell to the flames and Kawami's wing was burned, leaving her grounded.
One last idea in my adrenaline filled mind, I whispered in Tapu Fini's ear. The legendary pokémon smiled, and the bubbling mist emanating from them faded away. "What kinda plan is that!? Toxic.", Plumeria chuffed. Salazzle's gaze sharpened, and Kawami hopped in front of that gaze. The Confuse Ray took effect, and Salazzle's muscles spasmed as it choked on the bile and venom that would have formed Toxic. Tapu Fini spat a simple Water Gun at her, and Salazzle faceplanted. Plumeria fell to her butt.