Though the two Tapus were curious about their alternate-world comrade, Tapu Fini 2, they didn't show much resistance or hostility.
Of course, if Tapu Fini 1 were asked to split most of Poni Island and its waters for her counterpart, she'd no doubt turn hostile—regardless of whether she could beat Lucas, who'd already defeated Tapu Koko, the strongest fighter among them.
Tapu Fini 1 only cared about attitude.
As the two Tapu Finis conversed, with Tapu Koko floating nearby and listening intently, Lucas, now feeling truly alive again, released Luxray, Mega Swampert, Milotic, and Dragonite from their Poké Balls.
In his arms was the still-curious Popplio.
The clean, fresh air and the reassuring atmosphere of the ruins quickly eased the nerves of Luxray and Swampert, still tense from their fierce battle.
Even Milotic, who hadn't been much help due to the environment, stretched her long body contentedly. Being in a Poké Ball was a thousand times better than the polluted world, but it still felt stuffy.
Dragonite's mother swished her tail, and sat beside Dragonite, introducing the ruins to an imaginary figure—or perhaps her old Trainer.
Compared to everything on the other side, they all felt enormously grateful to have been born in such a serene and beautiful world.
"Puu~"
Popplio wanted to go to Tapu Fini, but seeing another Tapu Fini, closely resembling the one she knew, she was a little confused.
Still, she instinctively tried to crawl closer.
With the Tapus discussing important matters, Lucas didn't want Popplio to disturb them.
He simply placed Popplio into the small pool around the ruins, explaining softly, "They have something to talk about. Let's play here for now."
Being newly hatched, Popplio's curiosity was boundless, her instincts urging her to explore.
Compared to the tiny inflatable pool Lucas had prepared, this vast pool was her first experience with such open water, grabbing her full attention. She happily swam around.
Since the pool connected with the sea, Lucas, worrying Popplio might swim off, called over Mega Swampert to keep an eye on her.
Maybe she recognized the big hands that once carried her, but Popplio was not afraid of Swampert. Instead, she delighted in blowing a stream of pink bubbles at him.
There was no harm done—it just tickled Swampert a little.
While Swampert played with the child, he also used the pool's water to clean his air sacs.
During the earlier high-intensity fights, he had relied on water pressure instead of air to accelerate his punches or adjust his posture, avoiding particles and pollutants.
His air sacs could filter impurities—but only up to a point.
Once he was done cleaning, they would just ask Tapu Fini 1 to purify the water.
Seeing Swampert's actions, Lucas remembered something. As the Tapus were finishing up their conversation, he turned to Tapu Fini 1.
"If you have time, could you purify us a bit? I'm worried we brought some contamination or germs from the other world during our travel."
Tapu Fini 1, just finished exchanging with Tapu Fini 2 and thinking how unreliable humans could be, resolved to make the next Island Kahuna's trials even stricter.
Hearing Lucas's request, she agreed without a second thought.
After hearing about the other world, she'd already planned to do so.
With a soft chant, Tapu Fini 1 hovered above, conjuring a sphere of pure, cleansing water and turning it into a gentle rain within the Ruins of Hope, washing away all filth and impurity.
The pool below was cleansed as well.
Taking the opportunity, Lucas rummaged through his spatial bag for all the items he'd used in the other world or that had been exposed to its atmosphere.
If the ruins could fit everything, he'd have dumped it all in for a thorough disinfection.
Yes, disinfection.
In Lucas's eyes, Tapu Fini's Purifying Water was like a disinfectant—it could sterilize and wash away filth.
Come to think of it, it could also work as dish soap. Cleaning grease off plates would be so easy.
Lost in such idle thoughts, Lucas even produced a washbasin to try collecting some of the "rainwater"—but Tapu Fini 1 shot him a glare.
Given the size of the ruins and the number of people and Pokémon present, Tapu Fini 1 could only condense a certain amount of Purifying Water.
Come on.
You kidnapped my kin into another world and now worry you might not have enough purified water?
Once she reconnected with some ocean currents, restoring most of her power would be easy.
By then, how much purified water would you ever need?
As for whether her kin wanted to take on a new role as an island guardian somewhere else, so long as it didn't involve her piece of Poni Island, it didn't matter.
What Tapu Fini 1 and Tapu Koko really thought about the other world's events, Lucas didn't know.
After a short rest and feeling completely clean, he prepared to leave.
But before that, he still needed to collect the reward Tapu Fini 1 had promised.
Though that reward seemed negligible to him now—
With Tapu Fini 2 here, as long as she regained her strength, either purified water or mist could be summoned as needed.
Of course, only Tapu Fini 2 wouldn't be able to summon the spirits of Sofu or other past islanders, since there was no real connection.
If she could, that would practically be NTR.
Luckily Lucas had checked with the system.
Tapu Fini 2's mist still held special properties. Beyond confusion, it could, in response to the intruder's obsession or longing, briefly call forth those dearly missed.
Maybe he felt a bit shortchanged by this?
Lucas's face was etched with indecision—should he demand more payment, claiming the quest was too hard?
In reality, Tapu Fini 1 had considered this issue too. She didn't have much love for humans, but she greatly admired Lucas—who'd been praised non-stop by Tapu Fini 2's retelling.
Under siege from thousands of Xurkitree, unable to fight at full power, losing her strength as a guardian deity, a string of Ultra Wormholes from the Altar of the Sunne…
Lucas had survived, not only saving Popplio and Tapu Fini 2, but also fighting all the way to the enemy's lair and completely resolving the crisis.
Tapu Fini 1 felt that, borrowing Tapu Koko's words, Lucas and his Pokémon were like true war gods.
Just handing over a bit of Purifying Water and Mist seemed too perfunctory.
Yet, she couldn't think of anything else Lucas would value.
So, she spoke up before he could, asking him directly what kind of reward he'd like.
"Pu-ka-fini."
Tapu Fini 1 fixed Lucas with a solemn gaze, questioning him.
Having spent so much time with Pokémon, Lucas felt he could somehow understand her intent.
With a delighted, yet slightly troubled expression, Lucas hesitated. What should he ask for?
If he requested something overboard—say, the energy stored in the Sun/Moon Altars of Vast Poni Canyon—it'd be a nonstarter.
Seeing Lucas so torn, Tapu Fini 1 softened and summoned two diamond crystals from the pool: one blue, one pink.
They were the Water-type Z-Crystal and the Fairy-type Z-Crystal.
Lucas caught them, a bit dazed.
What did this mean?
He'd never even completed the Island Trials for Normal, Grass, Ground, Electric, Water, Fairy, or even the exclusive Mimikyu Z-Crystal—how'd he get so many?
Of course, Tapu Fini 1 didn't mean these Z-Crystals to be his main reward—these were just a bonus.
As for the real reward—
Before Lucas left Alola, or even later, once he knew what he wanted, he could return to the Ruins of Hope to claim it.
For now, since he hadn't made up his mind, Lucas left it for later. Then, together with Tapu Koko and the others, he was "packed up" and tossed out of the ruins by Tapu Fini 1.
Standing on the windswept Poni Breaker Coast, Lucas, a bit dazed, glanced at Tapu Fini clutching sleeping Popplio. Patting his stomach, he muttered, "Forget it, let's eat first."
Considering Tapu Fini's uniqueness, Lucas didn't want her wandering around with him openly.
Instead, he took Swampert and Dragonite, and headed alone to the Southwest Poni Island's Seafolk Village—the only human settlement besides the Battle Tree.
He packed up heaps of fragrant food from a ship's restaurant, then met up with Tapu Fini, letting out his Pokémon at the purple-blossomed Poni Meadow for a peaceful lunch.
After eating, Lucas and Dragonite helped tidy up the trash so Tapu Fini, who also disliked environmental destruction, wouldn't be upset.
Mid-cleanup—
Lucas noticed Tapu Fini, holding sleepy Popplio full of MooMoo Milk, gazing longingly at the garden and the cutiefly that gathered honey atop the flowers.
"Are you a little reluctant to leave?" he asked.
"Pu-ka."
Tapu Fini shook her head.
It wasn't so much reluctance as it was bittersweet nostalgia at seeing landscapes matching her old memories along the way.
She'd already decided to seek a new home with Popplio. This Poni Island was no longer hers. She only hoped the other Tapu Fini would protect it and not repeat her mistakes.
Perhaps to keep herself from dwelling on it, Tapu Fini smiled at Lucas and just helped with the cleanup.
A short while later—
Poni Meadow retained its beautiful, natural appearance, and Lucas readied to leave.
It wasn't even 1pm yet—he still had plenty of time.
He took out a business card and a few photos.
Looking at them thoughtfully, Lucas decided he might as well visit Aether Paradise that afternoon.
If he saw Lusamine, he'd be able to use their family photo in her office to strike up a conversation.
Even if Lusamine had put away the photo, he could still steer the topic.
Besides, now that they knew Mohn was alive, Lusamine and Gladion probably wouldn't care about minor inconsistencies.
Lucas told Tapu Fini that he was heading out on some errands.
She didn't mind resting in the Dive Ball for a while.
Really, from this moment on, she could finally rest easy—and dream peacefully.
Poni Island wasn't far from the Aether Foundation's headquarters, Aether Paradise.
At least, it was closer than Ula'ula or Akala.
Before setting out, Lucas called the number on the business card to tell Lusamine he'd be visiting.
She welcomed him warmly and even offered to send someone to pick him up.
Lucas declined.
He told Lusamine he'd arrive in about ten minutes, then hopped on Dragonite's back, flying toward the giant man-made island.
Soon enough, the huge floating platform, looking like a massive ship, came into sight as Dragonite flew closer.
Staring at the remarkable, nearly miraculous artificial island, Lucas's eyes were filled with thoughtful speculation.
He recalled that Blueberry Academy and the Terarium Dome were also sea-based marvels of engineering.
Did that mean Lusamine's team shared designers or builders with Blueberry Academy?
Maybe, once they got to know each other, Lucas could borrow some talent for his own dream of a "farm ecosystem dome"—assuming he could scrape together the funds.
With these thoughts, Lucas locked his eyes on Aether Paradise's helipad, its beacon flashing and a figure waving.
That must be Lusamine's liaison.
He patted Dragonite's back, signaling him to descend.
As they drew near, Lucas could see the person clearly.
With long purple hair and pink, butterfly-wing-shaped glasses, the curvy woman was wearing an Aether Foundation white staff uniform.
The first impression: a gentle, intellectual woman.
Lucas recalled her name—Wicke, the Aether Foundation executive who hadn't come to disturb Lusamine earlier that morning.
As Lucas turned his attention to her, Wicke smiled and waved even more vigorously, calling out,
"Mr. Lucas, please land here~!"
Once Dragonite had landed safely, Wicke hurried over in heels, took a long look at Dragonite, and then extended her hand to Lucas.
"Hello, I'm Wicke, your Aether Paradise tour guide for today. Nice to meet you."