At the bottom of a grey-brown rocky valley,
Kashiwagi stared at his phone.
The compass needle was spinning like a propeller.
"A special magnetic field..." he muttered.
These "special magnetic fields" were peculiar environments that allowed Pokémon like Magneton, Nosepass, and Charjabug to evolve.
In the Hoenn region, the primary location was New Mauville, but it seemed this valley shared similar properties.
"So this is Steel Valley."
He looked at the name of this area on his phone's map, recalling the anime story—the place where Ash and his friends helped a wild Torkoal defeat the local Steelix leader and then catches that Torkoal.
But was it naturally a magnetic anomaly, or had something changed it? The anime only featured Magnemite and Magneton; surely it wasn't artificially created?
Could there be a hidden expansion of New Mauville right beneath my feet? He was, after all, quite close to Mauville City.
He glanced at the ground, remembering that the wild Steel-types here were notoriously territorial. Any trainer who wandered in usually got chased out.
So why hadn't he seen a single one? Had a passing trainer already "cleared the map" and caught them all?
Kashiwagi turned to Porygon, whose legs were currently shifted into fine, rotating gears.
"Do you sense anything? Maybe electrical pulses from a Magnezone?"
"Pory!" Porygon shook its head.
Unlike Gible or Hydreigon, Porygon didn't have the biological sensory organs to pick up such high-frequency electromagnetic signatures.
Suddenly, as if answering his question, countless streaks of bright yellow lightning erupted toward the sky in the distance.
CRACK-BOOM!
The sky darkened, then flashed blindingly bright. A deafening explosion and the screeching sound of clashing electricity reached them.
They locked eyes.
"Want to go take a look?"
"Pory!"
Porygon didn't hesitate. It shifted into its "Balance Bike" mode—its back recessed into a foot-pedal platform, its tail retracted, and its head elongated, growing rectangular handlebars on both sides.
This was Porygon's self-improvement project, modeled after Team Rocket's single-person hover-scooters.
It was perfect for short bursts of speed, though it was physically taxing—if Porygon ever figured out a way to manage its energy consumption for long-term travel, it would essentially be a living Transformer.
"Thanks. Let's go."
Kashiwagi gripped the handles, and Porygon accelerated toward the source of the storm.
When they arrived, the scene was far from a chaotic battle or a poaching operation.
Instead, they saw a swarm of Skarmory perched on the rocks, while a circle of Magnemite and Magneton surrounded a central duel: a Magnezone fighting a Magneton.
Standing behind the Magneton was a chubby, grey-haired old man, shouting commands.
"One more time! Use Thunderbolt!"
The old man's voice grew clearer as Kashiwagi approached.
CRACK-BOOM!
The devastating thunder erupted from the Magneton's magnets, striking the Magnezone and sending it collapsing to the ground with swirl-eyes.
Wait... using an Electric-type move on an Electric-type? Kashiwagi raised an eyebrow.
Then again, when two magnets fight, what else are they supposed to do? Resort to Steel-type moves that the other resists?
As the Magnezone fell, the winning Magneton began to glow with a brilliant, iridescent blue light—it was evolving.
However, before Kashiwagi could move any closer, the ground beneath them cracked like a spiderweb.
BOOM!
A shimmering, silver-scaled Steelix burst from the earth with a deafening roar!
"ROAR!"
"Pory!"
Porygon knew that slamming on the brakes at this speed would send its trainer flying. Instead, it calculated a trajectory, firing a beam of icy-blue electrical energy at the ground.
ZAP!
The energy solidified into a curved, frozen ramp connecting the ground to a high embankment.
Porygon skidded up the icy slope, using the friction to reduce speed while maneuvering around the Steelix. It tilted forward slightly, allowing Kashiwagi to dismount smoothly.
Kashiwagi gripped his Poké Ball, staring at Porygon in shock.
He hadn't given a single command—this was pure, autonomous judgment.
Porygon had evolved from a "clunky blocky duck" into something truly sharp and capable.
"Great work! Thank you, Porygon!" he praised.
"Pory~" Porygon looked pleased, though its focus quickly returned to the Steelix—the boss of Steel Valley.
The Steelix tilted its massive head, staring at the duo.
It seemed surprised by their quick reaction; it had fully expected them to crash. It took a deep breath, its jaws glowing as it prepped a Dragon Breath.
Porygon's eyes shimmered—Conversion 2 was ready.
Around them, the Skarmory, Magnemite, and Magneton swarmed in, their glares icy and hostile. Kashiwagi held two Poké Balls, his expression calm, not a trace of panic in his eyes.
"—STOP!"
A sharp, urgent shout cut through the tension.
The chubby old man hopped off his newly evolved Magnezone and ran in front of Porygon, throwing his arms up.
"Stop! Everyone, stand down!"
The Steelix grumbled, exchanging glances with the swarm of Steel-types. It stood down.
Wattson (Tessen) exhaled, relieved, before a familiar voice called out from behind him.
"It really is you, Mr. Wattson. What are you doing in Steel Valley?"
Wattson turned around.
"That's my line! Are you okay? Did you get hurt?"
"Not a scratch."
"Good, good! There are danger signs all over the outside of the valley. Why did you rush in? Do you have any idea how dangerous that was?"
"Danger signs?"
Kashiwagi paused, tilting his head to look at the Poké Ball where Porygon was resting.
"Did you see any?"
"Pory."
Porygon signaled a negative with a soft hum.
"None? That's impossible..." Wattson looked skeptical, but he waved a hand before Kashiwagi could explain.
"Whatever, you're in now, so it's done. I'll take you out in a bit. The wild Pokémon here are extremely hostile to intruders—if you stay, they might actually attack you."
He turned and shouted something in the direction of the Steelix. The Steelix and its entourage of Skarmory and Magneton exchanged glances, then turned and slithered away without a sound.
Kashiwagi realized Wattson must have a solid rapport with the valley's inhabitants. Was it because of the special magnetic field? Or some past adventure?
Likely both.
"Follow me," Wattson gestured.
"My Magnezone just successfully evolved, by the way. Are you headed to Mauville City? I can give you a lift."
"Well, that would be greatly appreciated."
Kashiwagi nodded in thanks. They were only 50 kilometers from Mauville, but it was already 3:00 PM.
He had intended to push through to the city, but catching a ride made far more sense.
They walked down the slope along the dusty path, with the boisterous and big-hearted Gym Leader happily striking up a conversation.
Behind them, the Magnezone and Porygon trailed, sharing a mutual, silent acknowledgement.
"I see! You're planning to challenge the Mauville Gym? Well, that's quite the coincidence!" Wattson roared with laughter.
"You've got a good eye! Just try not to wander into dangerous places next time, alright?"
"Understood." Kashiwagi kept his replies brief but polite.
After about three minutes of walking, a hover-car with the distinct color scheme and aesthetic of a Manectric came into view.
"What do you think? Pretty sharp, right? This is my favorite ride!" Wattson boasted proudly.
"It's certainly stylish."
Kashiwagi looked at the unique 'itasha' (customized car) and couldn't help but think of the hover-car the Team Sand had given him.
He'd never even turned it on, preferring his own hover-bike for agility.
He tucked Porygon's ball away and whispered a quick thanks.
Wattson, busy recalling his Magnezone, glanced over.
"That Pokémon of yours—a Porygon, right?"
"You recognize it?" Kashiwagi was genuinely surprised.
After being used to everyone else looking at Porygon like it was an alien artifact, meeting someone who actually knew what it was felt refreshing.
Wattson chuckled.
"Of course! When I was planning the expansion of Mauville, I considered working with Dr. Akihabara to integrate Porygon into the city's management system. But I gave up on it in the end."
"Gave up? Why?"
"Found a better fit."
Wattson patted the car door. He didn't use a key or a handle—the doors slid open automatically.
A slightly synthesized, buzzing voice chimed out: "Welcome back, Mr. Wattson~"
"That voice is—"
Kashiwagi's heart jumped. He leaned in to look at the center console screen and saw a familiar orange-red face staring back at him.
"Rotom!?"
"Exactly!" Wattson hopped into the driver's seat, flashing a wide, bright grin.
"A Rotom-powered smart system. It's perfect for an Electric-type Gym Leader, don't you think?"
"I can't argue with that..."
Kashiwagi had to admit, the synergy was undeniable. Poor Porygon, he thought. Losing a job offer to a Rotom... let's hope it doesn't take that to heart.
As they drove, Kashiwagi sat in the passenger seat, gently tapping the Poké Ball in his pocket.
He realized how powerful the "narrative hand" of the world really was; even a Gym Leader's business decisions were being nudged to favor the anime-standard tech.
"Why didn't you go with standard Artificial Intelligence?" Kashiwagi asked out of curiosity.
Artificial Intelligence was highly developed in this world, from Clemont's robot double, Clembot, to the virtual AI used by J in the Lucario and the Mystery of Mew incident.
"Artificial Intelligence?" Wattson gripped the steering wheel, pausing before realization hit.
"Ah! You might not be from Hoenn, so you wouldn't know about the AI incident in LaRousse City. While I personally wanted to use AI, others in Mauville had their reservations."
LaRousse City? Kashiwagi quickly pieced together the history.
A Deoxys trying to reunite with its partner caused a ruckus that damaged the city's defense systems, leading to a massive malfunction in the city's automated defense boxes.
Even though Ash and his friends had fixed it, the event left a permanent scar of distrust regarding non-biological AI.
People were willing to trust Pokémon, but not computers.
Wattson was clearly proud of his [Rotom City Management System], explaining the technical specs the entire way.
Porygon, inside the bag, had initially been indifferent, but the more it heard Wattson talk about it being the "preffered choice" to Porygon, the more agitated it became.
Even the Poké Ball began to vibrate.
Kashiwagi, keeping up the polite conversation with Wattson, silently buried the Poké Ball deep into the bottom of his backpack and wrapped it in a thick towel to muffle the sound.
I can't exactly get into a debate with the driver, he thought. Best to just pretend I didn't notice.
...
Wattson's driving was fast. Even weaving through the dense forests, they arrived within an hour, and the silhouette of Mauville City loomed on the horizon.
Like most bustling hubs, Mauville was filled with skyscrapers, but its centerpiece was unique: a massive, square-shaped, multi-layered complex.
It looked less like a building and more like a self-contained city.
"A city... within a city?" Kashiwagi whispered.
"Exactly!" Wattson beamed with pride.
"This is 'New Mauville' as I originally planned it! A new city of Mauville! The capital of joy!"
What Kashiwagi saw was the sprawling megastructure—a massive civic hub that housed the vast population of the anime's Mauville City.
The Rotom system was the brain of this massive architectural beast.
"That,"
Kashiwagi couldn't hide his amazement,
"is truly impressive."