Chapter 218: Mammon: I'm Just an Entrepreneur Out Here Building My Business
"???"
Thundurus processed what Mammon had said — buy one, get one free — and its expression cycled from confusion to offended disbelief to a kind of furious incredulity.
Did this human know who it was talking to?
Thundurus. One of the legendary Forces of Nature. Not a Caterpie. Not a bargain bin item. A legendary Pokémon.
This insufferable human needed to be taught an immediate lesson—
"Not bad. Two legendaries in one afternoon."
Mammon looked at the two Ultra Balls in his hand, thoroughly satisfied.
It had been genuinely uncomplicated. Dark Mewtwo had locked both of them in Psychic simultaneously, then methodically used them to slam each other into the cliff face until the Poké Balls caught. When the balls trembled, a small adjustment of telekinetic pressure kept them from breaking out.
Start to finish: clean. Efficient. Boring, even.
Psychic-type Pokémon operating at a crushing power advantage were just useful in a way that was difficult to overstate. Psychic was practically a universal solution.
"MAMMON. What. That Pokémon is — how is it—" Nora was practically vibrating, staring at the two Poké Balls with the expression of someone whose worldview was being quietly revised. "Your Mewtwo is just — that's Tornadus!! And Thundurus!!"
She jogged over, eyes wide with an admiration she wasn't trying to hide.
She'd noticed it before, at Dragonspiral Tower. The Kyogre in the distance during the Larousse incident. The Dark Mewtwo. Reshiram choosing him. And now this.
If she were Reshiram, she'd have chosen Mammon too.
"Mewtwo is exceptional," Mammon agreed, visibly pleased by the enthusiasm.
"I bet you could take on Alder with no problem at all!" Nora nodded with great conviction.
Elesa's expression was subtly complicated.
Alder.
Bless Nora — she had a good heart, strong instincts, and was genuinely talented. She also didn't quite have the frame of reference here. "Ten Alders" probably didn't cover it either, once Primal Kyogre was on the table. But there was no need to say so.
"If you keep training the way you have been, you'll be able to take on Alder yourself by end of year," Mammon said, redirecting toward Nora with an encouraging smile.
"Yeah?! That's exactly my goal — I'm going all the way to the top of the Unova League this year!"
She pumped her fist, bun-hairstyle bouncing with the energy of it.
"You can do it. I believe in you."
Nora's face broke into the kind of wide, genuine smile that could light a room. Her eyes curved into crescents.
Walking back, Mammon turned the two Poké Balls over in his coat pocket and thought it through honestly.
Tornadus and Thundurus. Both solid. Both legendaries, objectively. But his roster was already deep, and cultivating either of them would be investment without a particularly clear return. He didn't have especially strong feelings about either one.
The designs didn't help. His personal aesthetic preferences leaned elsewhere. Tapu Koko and Tapu Bulu could sit at the same table with these two and form a very specific club. Distinguished company in terms of power, less so in terms of visual appeal.
Now, if it had been Zeraora or Diancie — he'd have made the time. Darkrai and the Eon duo were worth it too, for the combination of strength and presence.
These two would go to the Ranch. Good merit point redemption options.
He pulled out his phone.
"Hey, pick one — Flying-type, or Flying plus Electric?"
The reply came fast.
"? Babe, my main team's already full. And I've got Dragonite and Articuno for Flying coverage already."
A pause, then:
"Also, babe, WHY do you keep sending me Flying-types? Are you doing this on purpose? Are you trying to complete some kind of set??"
Mammon snorted quietly.
"Haha~ you caught me. Put together a Flying team and take down that Pidgeot trainer."
Now that he thought about it — Dragonite, Articuno. She was right. He had been consistently sending Flying coverage without meaning to.
"???"
Three question marks.
"Just pick one? Dragonite can be your Dragon main, Articuno's your Ice main, these two would both be good additions."
"No no, that's too many Flying-types in one party, I'll have targeting problems. I'm trying to be the GREATEST champion okay?? (sunglasses.jpg)"
"Sure you don't want them? These are legendaries."
"I'm sure!! Besides — hehe — I already caught my own legendary. (photo)"
The photo came through. Mitsuki, flower-patterned cap tilted at a slightly rakish angle, finger-guns at the camera, grinning. Behind her, taking up most of the frame, was a massive silver Pokémon built like a small fortress.
Mammon recognized it immediately. Melmetal. A Mythical Pokémon. The anime version appeared in Ash's Alola lineup.
"My girl is amazing."
He sent back a thumbs-up emoji.
"Hehe~ obviously! Oh, and babe — you know that giant rooster? I've been seeing it flying back and forth between Poni and Melemele more than usual. I don't know what's going on with it."
He could picture Mitsuki's expression — genuinely puzzled, watching Tapu Koko do its mysterious circuits.
"And I think its vibe has been off lately? Like, something's wrong with it. Also, it used to just fly past me occasionally, but now it keeps showing up near me specifically. I'm starting to think it's following me."
Then, a moment later:
"I WILL catch that bird eventually!! I would absolutely wreck it with my Incineroar if I were more confident about the timing."
Mammon stared at his phone.
She's probably right.
He ran through the logic. Tapu Fini and Tapu Lele had both left with him and Caitlin. Which meant Tapu Koko and Tapu Bulu were now covering double the territory each. Tapu Koko was already neurotic at baseline — adding double workload on top of that was a recipe for deterioration.
And if Tapu Koko was following Mitsuki—
It might literally try to get caught. Tomorrow. Just walk up and touch the Poké Ball.
That was completely within the character of a Pokémon that had always been two steps away from a breakdown. Tapu Bulu was probably somewhere quietly catastrophizing about being the last one left, managing four islands alone.
He typed back a few warm words, they talked for a bit longer, and then he put his phone away.
Back in Eindoak, Mammon found them a good restaurant and ordered without looking at the prices.
"YESSS!!"
Nora surveyed the spread that arrived — course after course, properly elaborate — and was visibly delighted.
"I haven't eaten like this in forever!"
"Eat as much as you want. Order more if you need to." Mammon found her reaction genuinely entertaining. "Are you running low on funds?"
"Not really! Pokémon training isn't that expensive day-to-day. Pokémon Centers cover food and lodging, I don't buy much makeup on the road..." She ticked it off on her fingers. "The real cost is food for my Pokémon and those special energy supplements. That adds up."
"Makes sense."
"I earn extra by challenging other trainers to small bets. Winnings from sparring matches. The issue is a lot of trainers won't do it!" Nora looked genuinely exasperated by this. "They just — decline! Don't they believe in themselves? You have to have some nerve if you want to go anywhere!"
Mammon thought of Mitsuki, who had precisely the same habit.
Is this a protagonist thing?
"The best ones are the rich kids," Nora continued, brightening. "You win against one of them and you can stock up on treats for Serperior and everyone for a week."
"Efficient."
"Mammon, are you from a wealthy family?" Nora asked, with the directness of someone who had decided the question was reasonable.
She'd been thinking about it. Mammon carried himself a certain way — the ease of someone who'd grown up comfortable. And Caitlin, who was always nearby, had a quality to her that couldn't be imitated. That kind of grace was grown, not learned.
"Not exactly. My father runs a Gym in Kanto. As for me — I went out and started my own business." Mammon considered how to put it. "So I suppose I'm an entrepreneur."
"You STARTED A BUSINESS??" Nora's eyes went wide. "You're only a year older than me!"
"The timing felt right."
"That's incredible, you're actually incredible—"
"Ha. Actually — Nora, my company does bring on freelance trainers. The pay is good. Are you interested?"
"Wait, really?"
"Flexible hours. You take on a minimum number of tasks per month and you're covered. If you're busy, you can skip tasks, but your base pay gets adjusted proportionally. Cross-regional jobs are available if you want them — travel expenses covered."
He'd designed this specifically for people like Nora, Drayton, and Skyla — talented trainers who were mid-journey and could use supplemental income without committing to a full organizational role.
"There are a lot of people your age in the same arrangement — most of them are currently at Blueberry Academy. What do you think? Want to try it?"
"Sure!!"
She agreed without asking what the tasks were.
She'd only met Mammon twice. But her instincts about people were good, and her instincts about Mammon were positive. He'd been straightforward both times. He was easy to be around. His Pokémon were treated well and clearly trusted him.
And — honestly — he'd been chosen by Reshiram.
Could someone chosen by the Dragon of Truth really be a two-faced person underneath?
Nora didn't believe it. She believed in her gut feelings, and her gut said: this one's fine.
(End of Chapter)
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