The Underdome, Neutral Sector 5.
"Black... your taste is really something else..."
Kashiwagi stared speechlessly at Mawile, whose eyes were practically sparkling.
Before them sat a princess bed dominated by deep black tones. It had a dark, gothic flair, and the headboard even featured an illustration of a Gothitelle.
"Mawile~"
Mawile shot him a sidelong glance, her expression saying, If you don't want to buy it, whatever.
She then turned her head away, crossing her tiny paws over her chest with an air of indifference. However, she couldn't resist sneaking another peek at the bed every few seconds.
Talk about a textbook case of "playing hard to get."
"I was just making a comment on your style; don't get all defensive on me."
Kashiwagi didn't hesitate. He handed the deposit and his address to the smiling shop assistant nearby. He wasn't about to break his word; he just couldn't help but roast Mawile's questionable aesthetic.
Come to think of it, this kind of thing was probably a complete novelty to Mawile.
When she lived with the Big Boss, she resided in the forest area of the ecological park. She wasn't living in a massive mansion like James's Growlithe. The Big Boss preferred his Pokémon to maintain their "wild, natural state," so there was no way he would have provided something as human-centric as a princess bed.
That plush doll was likely the only man-made object Mawile had ever owned.
From a certain perspective, Kashiwagi was being a bit of a "sucker" by offering to buy her a princess bed. But he knew exactly what he was doing. If Mawile had been used to sleeping in a bed, would she have been this fascinated by it? Besides, she had "downgraded" to come to this backwater town to help him; the least he could do was let her have her bed.
Of course, if Lairon or the others wanted to sleep in beds, Kashiwagi wouldn't refuse. It was just that once Lairon realized his weight would crush a bed to splinters, he insisted on sleeping on the floor next to Kashiwagi, much like a giant Golden Retriever. As for Chansey, while she was usually "forced" onto the bed by Kashiwagi, she was clearly happy to snuggle up with her teammates. Neither of them would likely care for a princess bed.
"That's about everything... let's head back."
Kashiwagi checked his list. He had bought everything he could; the items currently out of stock would just have to wait for delivery. "What do you want for lunch? Stick to what you used to eat?"
"Maw... Mawile..."
Mawile was still staring longingly at her black bed. Hearing his voice, she froze for a second, looking like she wanted to say something but was holding back.
"I already bought the bed, is food really where we draw the line? It's fine, you can have whatever you want." Kashiwagi knew this "Young Lady" had something specific in mind.
Sure enough, hearing his words, Mawile did something unprecedented: she flashed him a bright smile and took off running toward a specific shop.
Kashiwagi hurried to keep up. Moments later, he found himself in front of a storefront.
"Ah... so you wanted this."
He looked at the glowing burger joint sign. Seeing Mawile staring intently at the promotional poster, he realized she wanted to experience something she had never been allowed to try before.
Burgers might be simple to make, but to the residents of Pyrite Town, they were a exotic "foreign" novelty—otherwise, the shop wouldn't be located in the Underdome.
"Don't look at me like that. Let's go in."
Kashiwagi waved his hand. Mawile, her eyes full of hope, gave a squeal of delight and pushed open the doors to the burger shop.
----
A short while later.
Kashiwagi sat by the window, accompanying his three Pokémon as they ate burgers and drank cola. Truthfully, the food wasn't as good as the KFC from his past life, but with every bite, a sense of nostalgia washed over him.
"Good?"
He turned to the group. Lairon and Chansey nodded vigorously; after eating bland Pokémon food for so long, this was a wild new experience. Mawile covered her mouth daintily as she chewed. Upon hearing Kashiwagi's question, she immediately put on an air of "it's just okay," though her high opinion of the cola was obvious.
"You really do have a sweet tooth," Kashiwagi muttered. He looked out the window at the people and Pokémon passing by in the Underdome.
Communication and good food—truly the keys to bonding with Pokémon.
A few hours ago, he was wondering how long it would take to get Mawile to even speak to him. He hadn't expected a single lunch to bridge the gap so quickly.
However, Kashiwagi knew that Mawile's current "good attitude" was based on the fact that he was being easygoing. The true test of their relationship would come when a conflict inevitably broke out.
----
In the afternoon, Kashiwagi returned to the surface to attend his literacy class as usual.
The teacher was visibly surprised to see him. She likely assumed that after skipping two days of class, he wouldn't be coming back.
But unfortunately for her, for the sake of his future money-making plans, he had to be there. Kashiwagi sat quietly among a group of kids and girls, learning the written language of the Pokémon world alongside them.
----
Team Snagem (Sand Unit) — Underdome In a brightly lit office.
Ryuka sat in a plush executive chair, resting with his eyes closed. Above him, a strange Pokémon resembling a cross between a bat and a scorpion hung upside down—a Gliscor, its golden eyes glowing like two lamps.
Click.
Frobo opened the door and walked in. "Big Brother, I'm back."
"Mm."
"He went to the literacy class again this afternoon. He's certainly staying true to his goals."
"And?"
"And I think you were right before—he definitely wants to leave Pyrite Town."
"That's only natural," Ryuka said softly, opening his eyes. "No one who has seen a magazine or a video of the outside world would ever like a place like Pyrite Town. Even I feel suffocated here. For someone starting from the bottom like him, it must be even harder to bear."
Frobo stepped forward. "Then... should I formally recruit him?"
"No, forget it. More mouths mean more risk of exposure. Let him keep amassing wealth and strength on his own. Let him find his own way out." Ryuka shook his head. "If necessary, it wouldn't hurt to give him a little 'convenience' here and there."
Frobo nodded. "Understood. Oh, by the way, the higher-ups say the lab results will be out in a week at the earliest. Developing the antidote shouldn't take more than half a year."
"I see."
Ryuka closed his eyes again, and Frobo quietly withdrew.
Half a year... I've endured for so many years, what's another six months? He thought silently. The burning irritation in his heart subsided as he drifted back into rest.
"Glis... Glis-cor-cor-cor!"
The Gliscor suddenly let out a long, nonsensical burst of laughter.
Smack!
"What are you laughing at, you idiot!"
"Glis... cor..." Gliscor rubbed its head with its pincers, looking aggrieved.
----
Evening.
Dinner was over. Mawile found the taste acceptable, though the whipped cream cake dessert was a bit mediocre—better than nothing, but just barely. Overall, she was satisfied.
Except for one thing.
"One slice every two days. No more. Keep that in mind," Kashiwagi said while washing dishes, addressing Mawile and Chansey.
Knowing the "Young Lady" loved sweets, he had specifically bought three slices of cream cake. He hadn't expected Lairon to take one sniff and run away in disgust, so Kashiwagi had ended up eating that piece himself.
The taste was average because it was made with vegetable cream. Cream made from Moomoo Milk was far too expensive, and the bakeries in Sector 5 didn't like making it because the high cost made it hard to sell.
Mawile already had a low opinion of the vegetable cream, and she had only given it a "passing grade" due to her current circumstances. But hearing that she could only have one slice every two days made her cheeks puff out in indignation.
"Mawile!"
"You didn't eat cream cake every day before, did you? Why the attitude?" Kashiwagi laughed.
The Big Boss hired professionals to raise his Pokémon; he wasn't trying to turn them into Snorlax. Mawile didn't get high-intensity exercise in the ecological park, so high-calorie foods like cream cake would have just made her overweight. She likely rarely got to eat it back then, either.
"Chan-sey..."(AN: will stick with this now)
Chansey timidly raised a hand, indicating she was willing to give her slice to Mawile.
Mawile's face lit up with hope, but when her eyes met Kashiwagi's and saw his half-smile, she immediately understood the situation.
"It's not that I can't afford it; it's just not necessary."
Kashiwagi wiped the water off a plate and patted Chansey's head. When it came to food preferences, Chansey was the one who gave him the most headaches—mostly because she had no preference. No matter what he fed her, she'd just smile and say it was delicious.