Yamamino's sights were set on becoming someone like Chairman Rose.
He wanted to establish a Pokémon League while simultaneously injecting an economic system into Orre that would make it prosper. To many, it sounded like a complete fairy tale. After all, the interest group led by Es Gan hadn't even been dealt with yet, and here was Yamamino, already fixated on a future where the dust had settled. It was hard not to see it as a bit over-ambitious.
However, Kashiwagi had to admit that the real reason he agreed was Yamamino's background. Without money, resources, or connections, everything would be nothing more than a "moon reflected in the water." As a member of the inner circle of the interest groups and the offspring of one of the leaders of the resistance, Yamamino could fill exactly those gaps.
In other words, their starting point was much higher than Rose's ever was.
What was once an incredible hypothesis now felt far more realistic—though for now, the primary goal remained the liberation of Pyrite Town.
----
In the living room.
"Let my father and his associates handle the mess in Phenac City. This place is our base of operations," Yamamino said, continuously sketching out his philosophy for Kashiwagi.
Pyrite Town was barren, yes, but it possessed resources the entire world craved.
Minerals.
Not just iron, copper, and tin, but various rare metallic elements. The phenomenon of so many different metals appearing in a single area was likely something only possible in the Pokémon world. Yamamino believed that if they could secure Pyrite Town, they would already be halfway to victory.
"Using resource-rich cities to encircle commercial ones," Kashiwagi thought to himself, slightly amused by the strategy.
"For now, you should continue to follow the orders of Frobo and Ryuka," Yamamino continued. "Follow their lead according to their strategy."
"And you?"
"I'm going to recruit more like-minded individuals. It's perfect—both you and I have high reputations right now. Especially you; you're going to be a massive help to us."
"Me?"
"Of course. You come from a common background and currently sit in the middle tier of Pyrite Town's hierarchy. You are much closer to the hearts of the ordinary people and the middle-class families than a 'high-born' like me. That's why I said my companion must be you. Do you understand?"
He's turning me into a poster boy...
Kashiwagi's lips twitched. Seeing Yamamino's matter-of-fact expression, he understood that they both knew exactly how much weight a role model carried. People tend to follow blindly, especially those with little education.
Speaking of which, during the years Ryuka and his group had been preparing, they must have been teaching people to read. If people are illiterate, they cannot understand logic or principles; and if you cannot make more people understand principles, you cannot fundamentally repair the soul of the Orre region.
"Can I bring others into the fold?" Kashiwagi asked.
"Of course." Yamamino chuckled. "Our relationship is one of equals, not superior and subordinate. Don't get that twisted."
"Alright." Kashiwagi nodded.
He naturally wanted to bring Naruhisa and the others in. Under his supervision, Naruhisa and the rest had been learning to read, and even their families were taking the opportunity to do so. That, too, was a form of power.
Of course, it had to be a gradual process. He had to let them slowly accept the ideology of saving Orre and realize that they could be part of something great.
Beside them, Takeshi listened, feeling completely dazed. "What are you guys talking about? The more I listen, the less I understand."
Yamamino replied simply, "In short, we're preparing to beat up the bad guys."
That's a bit too 'short,' Kashiwagi thought helplessly. "I'm heading out to find Big Brother. You do as you please."
"Go ahead," Yamamino waved him off.
----
A short while later, at the office building.
Returning for the second day in a row, Kashiwagi didn't hesitate. He headed straight upstairs, greeting Frobo and the others—who gave him inquisitive looks—and found Ryuka in his office to tell him what he had decided.
"I see..."
Ryuka pondered for a moment, then stood up and extended his hand. "Welcome to the team!"
"Tha—Thank you." Kashiwagi was momentarily stunned. After shaking hands, he asked, "You aren't going to try and talk me out of it?"
"There's nothing to talk you out of. First, as I said before, you're already in too deep to stay out of it. Your efforts contributed to the current tides in Pyrite Town. Secondly, since you have the resolve, I cannot and should not dampen your enthusiasm."
Ryuka spoke with genuine sincerity. "If possible, we wouldn't want any child to be involved. After all, bloodshed and sacrifice are inevitable, and you all are the future of this region. But since you have this resolve, it proves you possess the qualities of an adult—taking responsibility. That makes us comrades of the same mind."
Kashiwagi wasn't the only one who had been thinking after yesterday's meeting. Ryuka had also considered how to treat Kashiwagi—and others like him. The world is never short of heroes; once the rest of the world learns of what's happening here, thousands upon thousands of Trainers will surely lend a hand to help the cause of peace. When that time comes, Ryuka will have to face even more young people filled with ideals and convictions.
"Thank you for your trust," Kashiwagi said gratefully. "So, what should I do now?"
"Do what you've always been doing. Build your strength, and wait for the opportunity."
"Yes, sir!" Kashiwagi replied, his heart racing. Although he had made his decision, he had still been worried that Ryuka might not give his approval. Whether it was the thought that he couldn't handle it or doubts about his age, he had been incredibly anxious.
Fortunately, Ryuka was even more open-minded than he had imagined.
"Glis-cor~"
Gliscor, who had been hiding somewhere, dropped down and hung upside down, smiling at Kashiwagi. The latter laughed and scratched its chin. "Hey there. Take care of me from now on."
"Glis-cor!" Gliscor shouted, suddenly grabbing Kashiwagi's head and rubbing against him vigorously before slowly letting go, looking quite proud of the messy hairstyle it had created.
But in the next moment, its head was met with a heavy chop from Ryuka. "Don't play those senseless pranks!"
"Glis-cor..." Gliscor rubbed its head, looking aggrieved.
Kashiwagi stood up to take his leave. Just as he was about to walk out, he heard Ryuka call out from behind him. "By the way, keep taking your salary from Team Snagem and keep using their resources. Don't feel pressured about it."
"...Understood."
"If you don't use them, others will. Make yourself as strong as possible. Increasing your combat power is what you should be focusing on most. Understand?"
"I understand."
As he stepped out the door, he immediately saw Frobo and the others leaning in with wide smiles.
"Nice going, kid. Great ideological awareness."
"With people like you around, our hard work hasn't gone to waste!"
"Want to try joining the International Police?"
"Don't talk nonsense! There's no time to train him now! Besides, he has a much better future ahead of him than being a cop."
"True."
They chatted all at once, their voices filled with an undeniable sense of closeness. Surrounded by them, Kashiwagi realized he had truly been accepted. The way they looked at him was no longer as a subject to be protected, but as a partner walking shoulder-to-shoulder with them. It filled him with immense joy.
Frobo stepped forward. "Remember those Mightyena and the others I took from you?"
"Yeah."
"They were taken to the International Police Headquarters as experimental samples to study that special drug. Without them, we would have had to find other ways to perform actual parameter tests. Of course, we've taken in more Pokémon like them since then."
"Wait, does that mean my Mawile..."
"Exactly. She came from the International Police's Pokémon Ecological Park. You'd better treat her well—though saying that is probably unnecessary. Everyone has seen how well you take care of her."
"I'm glad I didn't let you down."