Mauville City, New Mauville, Sea Mauville, and Mauville Hills.
These four "Mauvilles" each symbolize a completely different side of the region.
Although Kashiwagi had only ever seen the abandoned offshore energy platform, Sea Mauville, in videos, standing here in the streets of Mauville City allowed him to see the massive Mauville Hills complex in one direction and the weathered, isolated island of New Mauville sitting just off the coastline in the other.
"Have you never thought about redeveloping New Mauville? I remember you saying before that the project was halted to protect the wild Pokémon, but with today's technology—"
He turned to ask Wattson.
Wattson looked at him with genuine surprise.
"Ho-ho! You even know about that? Don't tell me you have relatives who used to work for the company?"
"No, just something I read online," Kashiwagi replied.
"Ah~"
The plump, white-haired old man nodded in understanding, though a hint of regret flashed in his eyes.
"Even with today's tech, it's the same story. New Mauville's environment is... unique. You can't just go poking around in there. That's why we had to settle for renovating and expanding right here in Mauville City instead."
The company Wattson referred to was the Greater Mauville Holdings, the energy giant that originally built the city.
Once fierce business rivals with Devon Corporation, they had even resorted to sending industrial spies to sniff out Devon's secrets.
Unfortunately, Devon was simply too powerful, and Greater Mauville Holdings suffered a catastrophic blow when the New Mauville project collapsed. They went bankrupt shortly after.
In this world, just like in the games, Greater Mauville Holdings had become a "tear in the fabric of history," a relic that fell alongside their failed ambitions.
Recalling the data he'd seen, Kashiwagi asked again, "Is New Mauville still abandoned then?"
"Indeed! It's become a sanctuary for many wild Electric-type Pokémon. It's not quite as treacherous as the Valley of Steel, so if you're interested in Electric types, you should find a way to check it out!"
Wattson let out a boisterous laugh and suddenly brought the car to a halt. "We're here! Mauville Hills!"
...
Through the window, a colossal, square-shaped architectural marvel loomed before Kashiwagi.
It looked massive from a distance, but up close? It felt like the building stretched on forever to the left and right. Although it was only about two and a half stories tall, its footprint was terrifyingly vast.
The foot traffic was equally staggering, with a constant stream of people and Pokémon flowing in and out of the semi-outdoor districts.
"The Pokémon Center is right inside," Wattson directed.
"Just follow the signposts and you can't miss it. Vehicles aren't allowed inside, so I have to drop you here. By the way, my Gym is in there too!"
"Got it. Thanks for the lift, Wattson." Kashiwagi stepped out and offered a polite nod.
"Wahahaha! Don't mention it! Just remember to book your challenge early! Don't get lost window-shopping in there! I'll be at the Gym these next few days, but if too many people sign up, you'll be stuck in a long queue!"
Wattson waved dismissively, then suddenly struck a serious pose.
"After all, I'm surprisingly popular for a Gym Leader! Hahaha—!"
The booming laughter faded away along with the humming of the hovercar.
Kashiwagi wore a strained expression but couldn't help a small chuckle. "What a colorful old man."
Perhaps because Wattson's car was so recognizable, pedestrians began shooting curious glances Kashiwagi's way. He quickly fixed his expression and hurried into the interior of Mauville Hills.
Mauville was one of Hoenn's few true metropolises—it was bound to be crawling with Contest fans. Getting mobbed now would be a nightmare.
...
Inside the glass-domed, semi-outdoor corridor, floor-to-ceiling windows displayed promotional videos for the city. A familiar electronic voice chimed from the hidden speakers:
"Welcome to the City of Joy, Mauville Hills! We hope you have a wonderful and safe stay, Roto~!"
Kashiwagi scanned his surroundings and realized these windows doubled as virtual touchscreens.
Countless Rotom icons popped up across the screens like digital assistants, occasionally chirping a greeting: "Is there anything I can help you with?"
Quite a few people were actually stopping to chat with them.
The Rotom were incredibly helpful, answering questions about directions or specific shops and even projecting glowing arrows on the floor to guide the way.
"To think they can do all this without a specialized motor or appliance... Rotom really are incredible Pokémon," Kashiwagi mused.
Suddenly, a shrunk-down Poké Ball on his belt began to rattle violently.
It was Porygon, and it was not happy.
I can do that too, you know! was the clear message being vibrated through the metal.
"Uh..."
Kashiwagi felt a pang of guilt for being so careless with his praise. He whispered an apology.
"Sorry, sorry! Don't take it to heart. Rotom has its strengths, but Porygon has its own specialties. There's no need to compare; it's meaningless."
"Incorrect! Rotom is the number one best Pokémon in the world, Roto~!"
A Rotom on a nearby virtual screen suddenly chimed in, its digital face smirking.
Porygon's ball shook even harder now. It looked ready to burst open so it could personally delete this "ghost in the machine" from existence.
"..."
Kashiwagi stared blankly at the meddling screen.
"I take back what I said. What a troublesome Pokémon, Rotom."
The Rotom on the screen immediately switched to a crying face.
"Ehhh—?! How could you—?!"
On his belt, the Poké Ball finally went still.
Apparently, Porygon was only satisfied once its Trainer stopped complimenting the competition.
He let out a sigh of relief and ignored the "crying" screen as he walked away.
Honestly, that thing was lucky he didn't file a formal complaint for inciting a digital riot.
...
Welcome to Mauville Hills!
As he stepped further in, a massive, open indoor streetscape opened up.
To his left and right were shops selling everything from luxury items to specialty services. Further ahead, he could see the Central Plaza Park, the heart of the square-shaped complex.
Even with the crowds, the sheer scale of the place made one feel small.
At its core, it was a hyper-mega-mall, just one with facilities far more diverse than any standard shopping center.
Kashiwagi picked up a free brochure from a stand and flipped through it.
He had researched Mauville Hills before arriving, but experiencing it in person was a different beast entirely.
If Mauville is like this, he wondered, what must the true 'High-Tech City,' LaRousse City, look like?
His curiosity was officially piqued.
"Let's head to the Pokémon Center first."
Kashiwagi tucked the brochure away and walked straight toward the Central Plaza Park.
The Pokémon Center sat right on the edge of the greenery, its iconic red roof impossible to miss.
Despite Mauville Hills' massive scale, the layout was surprisingly efficient—mostly straight corridors and clear paths, sparing him from wandering in circles.
A moment later, he arrived.
As the automatic doors hissed open, a bright, digitized voice rang out:
"Welcome to the Mauville City Pokémon Center, Roto~!"
Even in here?! Kashiwagi thought, a silent groan escaping him. Are these things multiplying like Zubat in a cave?
He looked toward the back of the lobby.
On the massive screen above Nurse Joy's counter, a grinning Rotom face had completely hijacked the display. It looked like a prototype for the Rotomi PCs he'd seen in other regions.
"Nurse Joy, if you please," he said, handing over his seven Poké Balls.
Most trainers only carried six, with any extras being automatically warped back to their Pokédex provider.
However, since Kashiwagi had received his 'dex aboard the Eros Milotic, he hadn't set a specific teleportation destination, his team stayed right where they were.
Besides, there was no need to send them back to Orre; he could handle the extra work.
He only kept Steelix at the ranch because her massive size made indoor life a nightmare.
It wasn't fair to keep her cooped up 24/7, whereas Aggron and the others could at least come out for some fresh air every night.
He found an empty sofa and sat down, waiting for the routine check-up to finish.
Thanks to Wattson's lead foot, it was still early. Once I find a place to stay, I'll head to the Gym to book tomorrow's challenge. Then, mail the fossils to Devon Corporation, and hit the Mauville Food Court for a real feast...
As Kashiwagi plotted out his afternoon, a few excited voices nearby caught his attention.
"Did you hear? Over in the Central Park! Tyson is battling Elite Four Glacia right now! If we hurry, we can grab a good spot!"
Tyson?
The name rang a bell. Kashiwagi paused, and an image of a strange, cowboy-like silhouette flickered in his mind.
The "strange" part wasn't the trainer—it was the Meowth. A Meowth wearing a feathered hat, a red neckerchief, and a pair of sturdy little leather boots.
"Oh, it's that guy," Kashiwagi realized.
Tyson was Ash's big rival during the Ever Grande Conference. His partner was a "Puss in Boots" Meowth that, despite being unevolved, had enough power to take down the Hoenn-era Pikachu.
Tyson hadn't just beaten Ash; he had gone on to win the entire Ever Grande Championship.!
But battling Glacia? Is this a Champion League challenge? That seemed unlikely.
Still, his curiosity was piqued. Since he had time to kill, he decided to go join the crowd.
...
Finding the match wasn't hard. Word of a Conference Champion taking on an Elite Four member had spread like wildfire, and by the time Kashiwagi arrived, the spectator area was packed.
Luckily, he was tall. Even standing behind a row of people, he had a clear view of the battlefield.
At one end stood a young man with brown hair wearing a green duster coat—Tyson.
At the other stood a sophisticated blonde woman in a flowing purple dress—the Ice-type master, Glacia.
On the field, the hat-wearing, boot-clad Meowth was frantically dodging a barrage of Icy Wind and frost shards from a Glalie.
The Meowth was darting in, trying to close the distance. The ground was already coated in a thick, shimmering layer of ice, yet the Meowth didn't slip once.
Those boots have some serious grip! Kashiwagi raised an eyebrow.
To be honest, if it weren't for the fact that this Meowth was a "special case," one could almost argue it was cheating.
After all, designer footwear wasn't exactly on the League's list of approved held items!
Still, Tyson likely cleared the costume with the league officials long before entering any major tournaments.
"Iron Tail!"
At Tyson's command, the Meowth—now dangerously close to Glalie—leaped into the air. He spun his body like a golden blur, slamming his glowing, metallic tail directly onto the Glalie's rocky forehead.
THWACK!
The visible shockwave sent a ripple through the air, a testament to the sheer power behind that strike!
But Glalie didn't even flinch. The black horns on its head crackled with icy blue electricity, condensing into a shimmering sphere of light right before its face.
"Freeze-Dry."
The roar of the crowd nearly drowned out Glacia's voice, but Kashiwagi caught the command by reading her lips and focusing his sharp ears.
In an instant, a jagged beam of blue, white, and purple energy erupted from the sphere. It doused the Meowth as he tried to flip away, instantly encasing the poor feline in a massive, solid block of ice.
"Meowth!" Tyson's voice was laced with panic. "Break out, quick!"
"Gyro Ball." Glacia's expression remained serene, her voice barely raised above a polite conversational tone.
"Glai-ie!!"
The wicked-looking Glalie began to spin like a high-speed top. Its protruding horns glowed with a silver light, forming a brilliant metallic ring that slammed into the frozen Meowth with bone-shattering force!
CRASH!
The ice block was sent flying in a high arc, smashing into the ground and shattering into a thousand crystalline shards.
Meowth lay in the center of the debris, his hat fallen to the side and his eyes replaced by dizzying black spirals.
Tyson sighed, a look of defeat crossing his face. "I lost. Thank you for the lesson, Elite Four Glacia."
He recalled his Meowth to its Poké Ball.
Wait, it's over? Already? Kashiwagi felt a wave of disappointment.
From the look of the field, it seemed like the duel had only just begun. It turned out to be a simple one-on-one.
Then again, "roadside battles" were usually quick affairs. Still, Tyson didn't seem to have improved much.
Glalie might be Glacia's ace, but for a Meowth that once bested a Pikachu to go down that easily... it felt a bit off.
As Tyson stepped down, other trainers immediately rushed forward, clamoring for a chance to face the Elite Four member.
Surprisingly, Glacia nodded and agreed to keep going.
Is this a special 'Open Coaching Day' like the ones Lorelei holds?
Kashiwagi's heart skipped a beat. He turned back toward the Pokémon Center.
Given the crowd, his chances of getting a turn were slim, but if possible, he desperately wanted to test his current strength against an Elite Four member.
And if I can't get to Glacia, maybe I can challenge Tyson.
...
He had barely stepped back inside the Pokémon Center when he heard his own name blaring through the lobby.
"MR. KASHIWAGI! PLEASE COME TO RETRIEVE YOUR POKÉMON! MR. KASHIWAGI! PLEASE COME TO..."
The source was a loudspeaker mounted on a small utility cart. Standing behind it was a Blissey nurse, her arms crossed and her right foot tapping the floor with an impatient tap-tap-tap. She looked absolutely unimpressed.
What the... they do broadcasted call-outs here?!
"Ugh." Kashiwagi rushed over to the cart, offering a sheepish apology to the Blissey. "So sorry, I got distracted by the crowd outside."
"Happ-y! Blis-sey!"
The nurse gave him a stern lecture in Pokémon-speak before finally handing over his team.
He was genuinely stunned. In every other city, you just went to the counter with your ticket or Trainer Card.
Who knew Mauville had a "take a number and wait" policy so strict they'd put you on blast if you missed your turn?
I just hope nobody recognized me, Kashiwagi prayed silently as he grabbed his Poké Balls.
"Kashiwagi? Excuse me, are you the Kashiwagi who won three Pokémon Contests in a row?"
Spoke too soon.
He forced a stiff smile and turned around, only to find the speaker was Tyson himself.
"Uh, yes, that's me..."
"That's awesome! I'm Tyson!" Tyson's eyes lit up like a Chinchou.
"My little sister is a huge fan of you and your Mawile! Could I please get an autograph?"
He lunged forward to grab Kashiwagi's hand, but Kashiwagi shifted his weight and dodged the "pounce" with practiced ease.