Chapter 4: Welcome to Alola
"Just keep things within reason. Don't go overboard."
Giovanni smiled faintly. He wasn't exactly swelling with pride at his son's bold declarations — if anything, he felt a headache coming on.
He knew exactly what Mammon was like these days.
Arrogant, cocky, and flashy. Reckless in everything he did. Giovanni genuinely worried Mammon would cause too big a scene in Alola and bring the League down on their heads.
"Relax, Dad~ I'll keep things in check."
Mammon flashed an innocent, boyish smile. Based on looks alone, he was remarkably convincing.
"Oh — one more thing, Dad. Why don't you let Matori come with me? She's super capable, and I could really use her."
"???"
Saffron City — the largest and most prosperous metropolis in all of Kanto, famous even across other regions.
The "Saffron" in its name evoked the gleam of gold, and the city more than lived up to it.
The next day, Mammon arrived at Saffron City's airport. Next stop: the Alola region.
"Young Master."
Two people stepped forward to greet him the moment he reached the entrance.
"Lance, Domino — long time no see."
Mammon smiled and greeted them both. These were the operatives Giovanni had assigned to him.
"Approximately six months and nine days. Congratulations on your Indigo Conference victory, Young Master."
Lance replied with a courteous smile, every bit the gentleman.
He was a handsome young man with short green hair and fair skin — his features carrying a slightly roguish edge.
Among Team Rocket's Four Generals, Lance was the clear standout — in the looks department, at least. The less said about Archer, Ariana, and Petrel's faces, the better.
Lance was a senior officer, and in terms of battle strength, he was middle of the road — solidly at the bottom of Elite-tier.
Domino stood beside him with a poised smile. Dressed in a fitted black dress, her figure was striking — golden waves of hair cascading over her shoulders, a fair and beautiful face. Magnetic.
She was Team Rocket Officer Domino, known as the "Black Tulip." Her personal battling skills were nothing special, but she was a specialist in intelligence gathering — a field agent through and through, and exceptionally good at her job.
"The other members have already departed from various airports. The rendezvous point has been set."
"Perfect. Having you at my side puts my mind at ease, Lance."
Mammon clapped Lance on the shoulder approvingly.
Lance might not be at Archer's level, but the man had genuine substance. With Lance handling support, Mammon could afford to worry a lot less.
"That cheapskate old man… I'm out here conquering new frontiers for him, and he still penny-pinches when I ask for people."
Mammon couldn't help but grumble. The deal had been one senior officer — Lance — plus a few regular officers.
But in the end? He got Domino. One officer. Giovanni's excuse was that he simply couldn't spare anyone else.
Domino had even been pulled off her cover as a researcher to be reassigned to Mammon's unit.
"…"
Lance let out an awkward chuckle. Personally, he was more than happy to follow Mammon to Alola.
Life in Kanto had been running on autopilot — the same dull management grind day after day. Heading to Alola to build something from the ground up? Now that was exciting.
Domino, on the other hand, kept her mouth firmly shut. One of these people was the Boss's son, the other a senior officer. She was just a mid-level intel operative — what was she supposed to say?
Especially when the prince was complaining about the Boss himself. No way she was touching that.
"All right, let's head in. Alola awaits."
"Yes, Young Master."
"Oh — one thing. I don't like drawing attention when I'm out and about. Drop the 'Young Master' stuff. Just call me 'sir.'"
"Yes, sir!"
"That's more like it. Let's move!"
The Alola region — the world's most renowned tropical vacation destination, famous for its stunning beaches and crystal-clear oceans.
Blessed with warm weather, abundant natural resources, and an unmistakable island vibe, Alola was a paradise through and through.
On its beaches, palm trees, pineapple juice, hibiscus-print shirts, and beach sports were everywhere you looked.
Whether you came for vacation or adventure, Alola had something for you. The only real downside? The region still hadn't established its own Pokémon League.
Alola — Melemele Island — Hau'oli City Airport.
"Ahh~ Now that's some quality sunshine. And that ocean breeze — not bad at all."
Stepping out of the airport, Mammon pulled off his sunglasses and stretched luxuriously. The long flight had left him a bit stiff.
He gazed into the distance — the deep blue sea meeting the clear sky at the horizon, the heavens reflected perfectly on the water's surface. A gorgeous sight.
And the crowds in Hau'oli City were no joke. This was Melemele Island's most famous coastal city, after all.
"Come on, let's grab some food first. Then we'll talk strategy."
Mammon led Lance and Domino to a well-known nearby restaurant and booked a private room.
"Sir, I've received word — the first wave of our members has arrived in Alola." At the table, Lance reported in.
"Good. Lance, send someone out to buy up some land. And while you're at it, pick up a shopping mall outright — we'll gut it and renovate."
Mammon nodded.
"Convert it into a Game Corner. You should be plenty familiar with how those work, right?"
They'd brought substantial funds for this trip, but they needed to get revenue streams up and running fast.
Times had changed. Team Rocket had a lot of mouths to feed, which meant they needed legitimate business fronts. Money didn't grow on trees.
Team Rocket's core philosophy: exploit Pokémon for profit. Dominate the world.
"Understood."
Lance nodded. He'd managed the Celadon Game Corner for a stretch — this was old hat.
"Now for the main event. Domino."
Mammon turned his gaze to her.
"Take a team and start gathering intel. Two targets are top priority: Team Skull and the Aether Foundation."
"For now, focus on Team Skull. We're the new kids in town — it's only polite to introduce ourselves to the locals."
A dark, razor-edged smile crept across Mammon's face.
"Yes, sir. I'll have it handled as soon as possible."
Domino nodded firmly.
"Don't be so stiff about it. I trust you." Mammon smiled and took a sip of pineapple juice. Fresh-squeezed — genuinely good stuff.
"Sir, we only just arrived in Alola. Going after Team Skull right away — isn't that a bit hasty?"
After a moment's hesitation, Lance spoke up carefully.
In his view, Team Skull was the local power. Playing it safe meant avoiding direct confrontation until they had a better read on the enemy's strength.
"Lance, we're guests here. If we're going to take over someone's turf, the least we can do is say hello first."
"Besides…"
Mammon made zero effort to hide his contempt.
"Team Skull is just a gang of rejects led by a failure — a bunch of losers playing dress-up."
"Trust me. Once we find their hideout, there won't be a Team Skull in Alola anymore."