"I see. So Lusamine wants to meet with us?"
Inside the villa, Damian swirled the blood-red wine in his crystal glass. A faint, interested smile curled at the corner of his mouth.
"Yes," Guzma said, nodding. He'd rushed over from the Game Corner as soon as he got the message.
"The Aether Foundation's reputation in Alola has always been extremely positive," Caitlin noted, immediately catching the key point. "I'm surprised the President of the Foundation has a connection with you, Guzma. And why would she want to meet with us—an evil organization?"
Something felt off to Caitlin.
"I don't know what she's aiming for this time," Guzma said after a brief hesitation, choosing his words carefully. "But Lusamine isn't as pure and righteous as she looks on the surface. In the past… I guess you could say I worked for her."
He didn't know Lusamine's ultimate goal. But he'd dealt with her enough times to recognize the wrongness under the polish. And that was saying something, coming from him.
"Of course, Master Damian, I'm not in contact with her anymore," Guzma added quickly, clarifying his position before Damian could misread it. He felt it in his bones—he had been born to be part of Team Rocket. Loyalty was everything.
"It's fine. Everyone has a past." Damian's tone made it clear he wasn't bothered. "If Lusamine wants to see us, there's no reason to refuse. Guzma—set a time with her."
Damian spoke with a light laugh. He could already guess why Lusamine was reaching out. That was fine. He had more than a few ideas about the Aether Foundation himself.
"Got it!" Guzma pulled out his phone and called Lusamine on the spot.
Two days passed quickly.
As expected, the response to the Arceus Game Corner was excellent. In particular, the arcade inside the Game Corner was packed to capacity almost every day. The reason was simple: the top rewards were Dratini, Larvitar, and Jangmo-o.
The infants of those three pseudo-legendary Pokémon were far too tempting for most people. Whether it was for training, keeping them as pets, or trading them for something else, they were fantastic choices. In this Pokémon-filled world, precious Pokémon never lacked a market.
And most of the people flooding the arcade were, in truth, "gambling." The temptation of turning a small wager into a massive win was something most couldn't resist. After all, a gambler didn't lose every single day… right? With that mindset, even if someone couldn't land a Dratini, walking away with a rare Pokémon like Eevee or Porygon still felt like a win.
So the arcade's popularity exploded. It wasn't just people from Melemele Island anymore—some were traveling from other islands specifically to play.
Today in Alola, the weather was beautiful once again.
In a private booth at a high-end hotel, Damian sat across from a magnificent woman, calmly sizing her up. She had long, silky golden hair, very fair skin, and a slender, elegant figure. Her white-and-gold form-fitting dress outlined a slim, soft waist, while her black-and-white trousers showcased long, straight legs with effortless confidence.
She was beautiful—glamorous—yet her beauty was entirely different from Caitlin's. Lusamine carried a mature, poised aura: the weight of someone who had held power for a long time and was used to being obeyed. One look was enough to tell she was no ordinary person.
This was Lusamine—the President of the Aether Foundation, and the creator of the artificial island, Aether Paradise. She was an exceptionally capable woman. Years ago, the Aether Foundation had been a small organization, but under her leadership it had grown into a dominant force in Alola, even boasting a base as grand as Aether Paradise.
In the eyes of Alola's people, the Aether Foundation was kind. Their primary mission was to protect injured Pokémon, especially those harmed by Team Skull. Lusamine was seen as a loving, capable, responsible leader.
That was the public perception.
In reality, ever since her husband, Professor Mohn, disappeared while researching Ultra Space, Lusamine began to change. Her love for Pokémon twisted into obsession—she wanted to gather Pokémon into a private collection of her own. And her strongest desire of all… was for the Ultra Beasts inside Ultra Space.
It was precisely because they noticed their mother's "change," and felt suffocated by her suffocating control, that Gladion and Lillie fled Aether Paradise one after another.
But the outside world knew nothing about that.
To ordinary citizens, Lusamine was still the elegant, compassionate President of the Foundation.
"President Lusamine, it's an honor to finally meet you."
Damian didn't bother hiding his gaze as he looked her over from head to toe. It had to be said—even though she was the mother of two, it didn't show at all. Even living in tropical Alola, her skin was remarkably fair and radiant. Her features were so refined it was hard to believe she was already forty.
Caitlin, for one, had been surprised. Lusamine's photos already made her look young, and Caitlin had assumed they were heavily edited. She hadn't expected the real Lusamine to look even fresher than the pictures. It made Caitlin wonder what kind of maintenance routine the woman had.
"Team Rocket is a name I've heard quite often as well." Lusamine's voice was controlled and cool. "I didn't expect your organization to come to Alola."
Her brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. The boy's uninhibited gaze made her uncomfortable. However, she was here because she needed help—and since Team Rocket was an evil organization, she chose to endure it for now.
"Alola is a nice place," Damian said, leaning back in his chair, eyes still fixed on her. "And it has potential." Then he smiled slightly. "So, President Lusamine—what's the real reason you reached out to Team Rocket?"
"I want to ask your organization for a favor." Lusamine's tone remained flat. "Naturally, I will provide compensation."
"I see." Damian clicked his tongue softly. "Fair enough. You're being very polite, President." His voice carried a faint, deliberate mockery. "Go on—speak freely. Did someone offend you?"
"No." Lusamine didn't take the bait. "I want your organization to find two people for me, and bring them back."
Still calm, she pulled out a photograph, set it on the table, and slid it toward Damian.
"Oh?"
Damian raised an eyebrow and picked it up.
As expected—Gladion and Lillie.
He wasn't surprised at all. If Lusamine came looking for an evil organization, it was usually for this kind of job. In the original story, she used Guzma and Team Skull to locate Lillie. Now that Team Skull had folded into Team Rocket, she had no choice but to come to them.
"President Lusamine…" Damian's finger slid lightly over Lillie's face in the photo as he gave Lusamine a half-smile. "This matter isn't going to be easy to handle."
Lusamine's brow tightened immediately.