Pokémon in the anime often possess remarkably high intelligence.
Their vivid expressions and behaviors aren't so much "anthropomorphic" as they are a reflection of the fact that they naturally possess these emotions. To call it personification is merely a way for humans to flatter themselves.
Judging by how Mawile was currently ignoring everyone, this little one was indeed going to be difficult to get along with. She likely hadn't fully grasped the reality of her situation yet.
But Kashiwagi didn't blame her. After all, Mawile had been forced to leave her long-standing environment because of his choice; having a bit of a temper was perfectly normal.
Inside the house.
Mawile looked at the various pieces of furniture with a look of pure disdain. After a thorough inspection, she hopped onto the sofa, used a throw pillow to cushion her backside, and sat down properly with her small hands resting on her knees.
"Mawile~"
She lowered her eyelids and opened her small mouth slightly.
"...What does this mean?" Kashiwagi asked, looking toward Lairon and Chansey in confusion.
Lairon's expression was a bit odd, but Chansey immediately scurried into the kitchen, brought out a glass of ice water, and handed it to Mawile with a smile.
Mawile glanced at it, appearing not entirely satisfied, but she nodded and took the glass anyway, taking tiny, dainty sips.
"Alright, so she was just thirsty."
Kashiwagi dragged a chair over and sat down—not too close to Mawile, but not too far either. "It's definitely hot outside. Let's just chat inside for a bit."
Mawile lifted her eyelids slightly but still didn't respond. She simply extended her hand to return the empty glass.
Chansey took it happily, naturally sliding into the role of a maid.
Kashiwagi sighed and patted Chansey's head before turning back to Mawile. "You can keep ignoring me if you like, but friendly communication would make our future cooperation much easier. Perhaps you think that if you just stay silent, I'll send you back."
"But I'm sorry to tell you—that's not going to happen."
He pointed to a map hanging in the living room. "This is Pyrite Town. It's countless kilometers away from where you used to live. In between here and there, there are no trees and no water—only rocks and desert sands."
"Your previous Trainer has entrusted you to me and told me all about you. In other words, there is no longer a place for you there. If you don't understand that, I can repeat it as many times as you need."
"Mawile!"
Mawile's eyes snapped open. She whipped her head around, and the massive, pitch-black jaws on her head lunged at Kashiwagi!
"Lairon!"
Lairon roared, preparing to charge, but Kashiwagi held out a hand to stop him.
The great jaws didn't actually bite down on his head; they simply snapped open to their widest extent inches from his face, revealing the deep red interior and the rows of massive, even teeth.
"You don't even have the Intimidate Ability," Kashiwagi said with a calm smile. He was already brave, and after absorbing the Lass's fighting memories last night, his nerves had only gotten steadier.
Mawile's little trick wasn't enough to rattle him.
Seeing that her tried-and-true scare tactic failed, Mawile turned her head back and lowered it, her cheeks puffing out in frustration.
"Maw.. Mawile!"
"Alright, back to business. Let's talk about your accommodations. You can't possibly be indifferent to what you're going to eat and where you're going to sleep."
Kashiwagi didn't move to pet her. Mawile's background was vastly different from Lairon's or Chansey's, so he couldn't use the same methods to build a bond. Expecting her to be affectionate on the first day was unrealistic.
In fact, he could see that beneath Mawile's forced air of indifference, there was a trace of panic and fear.
It was understandable. A pampered "child" had suddenly been uprooted from a familiar environment and brought to a strange place to meet a strange person—and was even expected to fight for a stranger. Whether it was a Pokémon or a human adult, no one could adjust to that instantly.
Therefore, the "thorns" she was showing now were partly a defense mechanism to protect herself. Whether the strategy was foolish or not was beside the point. Everyone acts based on their current understanding of the world. Mawile's resistance might seem silly to Kashiwagi, but to her, it was likely the best plan she had.
"Is there anything you want?" Kashiwagi kept his smile peaceful. "Like... a princess bed? Cute pillows? Oh, wait, is this your doll?"
He reached into one of the boxes Frobo had brought and pulled out a plush doll. Upon seeing it, Mawile immediately hopped off the sofa, snatched it away, and hugged it tight.
With the doll in her arms, her posture relaxed significantly. She no longer avoided Kashiwagi's gaze.
As their eyes met, he confirmed his suspicion: she hadn't been being rude earlier because she was arrogant, but because she was too flustered to look him in the eye. Now that the tension had faded, her gaze held a hint of cautious curiosity.
"So, what do you want? Can you tell me?" Kashiwagi asked patiently once more.
By noon, Mawile had returned to her Luxury Ball.
Kashiwagi looked at the shopping list in his hand and then at Lairon and Chansey. "Do you guys want anything? Might as well buy everything at once."
The two shook their heads.
Times were different now. When he had first met Chansey, he had been desperate for her help and had pushed her for an agreement. Fortunately, Chansey was empathetic and agreed to help. If it had been Mawile in that situation, negotiations wouldn't have been nearly as smooth—he probably would have spent an entire week just trying to convince her to do anything.
He couldn't rush this. One step at a time.
Kashiwagi recalled the two Pokémon into their balls and prepared to go out and shop. Some items were available on the surface, but for others, he'd have to head to the Underdome. Once the shopping was done, he'd head to his literacy classes.
He took another look at the medical report, which detailed Mawile's stats:
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Pokémon: Mawile
Type: Steel / Fairy
Gender: Female
Height: 71cm / Weight: 15kg
Ability: Sheer Force
Level: 45
Moves: Fairy Wind, Bite, Astonish, Feint Attack, Crunch, Iron Defense, Sucker Punch, Power-Up Punch, Magnet Rise, Iron Head, Stockpile, Swallow, Ice Punch, Thunder Punch.
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Level 45 with fourteen moves—on the Underdome black market, she would fetch a very high price.
Her only real flaw was her low base stats, but in the context of the anime world, base stats aren't everything. With dedicated training, she could overcome anyone.
Of course, a major reason Kashiwagi had chosen Mawile—besides her unique physical potential—was the fact that she could Mega Evolve.
Perhaps Mega Evolution was unheard of in the Orre Region, but in the outside world, it wasn't some unattainable secret known only to Champions and the Elite Four. In the XY series, plenty of "filler" trainers had Mega Stones and Key Stones. By the Sun and Moon era, even Kanto Gym Leaders and Team Rocket grunts had them.
So, while it was a distant goal, Kashiwagi believed he would eventually obtain a Key Stone and a Mawilite, as well as an Aggronite for Lairon.
Worst case scenario, he'd just find a way to get to Mega Island in the Kalos region and pick them up there. A little "five-finger discount" would do the trick.