Kashiwagi and Tyson stood at the edge of the battlefield, the dust finally settling.
After a hard-fought match, the two exchanged contact information, promising to meet for dinner at Tyson's place the following evening.
"Talk about passionate," Kashiwagi murmured, watching Tyson's departing back.
"If I didn't know better, I'd think I was the one who lost."
He couldn't help but feel a sense of respect. To be so gracious in defeat showed a remarkable character. While Tyson might not be the strongest trainer he'd ever faced, his sportsmanship was top-tier.
I really hope I get a chance to battle that Meowth in boots one day, Kashiwagi thought.
He'd always had a soft spot for "unique" Pokémon—at least, the ones with unique physical traits.
Personality quirks, on the other hand? Not so much. Especially when they were as relentless as the one currently buzzing around his head...
....
The Buzzing Nuisance
"Rotom is amazing, right?! Admit it, Rotom isn't a bother at all, zzt-lot!"
The Drone Rotom zipped around Kashiwagi's head like an oversized, electrified mosquito. Its constant chirping was starting to draw stares from the locals.
However, most people weren't looking at the Rotom. Their eyes were glued to the large, geometric creature frantically chasing it: Porygon.
"Pory-gon! Pory-gon!"
The usually stoic Porygon was fuming. It had never liked the high-strung Rotom species, and after being pestered all through the post-match inspection, the "Middle-Ground King" had finally snapped.
Kashiwagi had been forced to let it out of its Poké Ball after it wouldn't stop rattling against the belt. Now, he was witnessing a high-speed chase that looked like a digital dog chasing a very annoying bird... or maybe a duck chasing a fly.
Over the whirring of the drone, Kashiwagi caught snatches of a nearby conversation:
...
"Mommy! Look! A cute Lego duck! It's so big and it's moving!"
"Wow, how strange... I wonder what kind of machinery is inside?"
"I want one!"
"Ehh? You have so many toys at home already, we aren't buying more!"
"I WANT IT! I WANT IT NOW! WAAAAAAH!"
...
A toddler suddenly threw himself onto the pavement, performing a classic temper tantrum "floor-roll". The sudden outburst startled both Rotom and Porygon, giving Kashiwagi the opening he needed.
My Porygon is NOT a toy, Kashiwagi grumbled internally as he lunged forward and grabbed both Pokémon out of the air.
....
"Wha—what are you doing?! Violence is against the rules, lot! This isn't a battlefield, zzt-lot!"
The Drone Rotom's gourd-shaped head wiggled violently as it tried to squirm out of Kashiwagi's grip.
"If you stop stalking me, I'll let you go," Kashiwagi said firmly.
"No can do, Rotom!"
"Oh?!" Kashiwagi raised an eyebrow.
"Pory!" Porygon tensed up, looking ready to deliver a Tackle at point-blank range.
"Eek!" Rotom took one look at Kashiwagi's unfriendly expression and Porygon's glowing edges.
"...Fine, but you have to tell it to stop chasing me, zzt-lot."
"If you behave, it won't chase you. What do you think my Porygon is, some kind of savage?"
"Pory-gon!" (Exactly!)
Rotom looked away.
"Fine, I promise you, Rotom."
Kashiwagi let go.
Rotom immediately spun its four small propellers, darting back to a safe distance before it opened its mouth to start its repetitive boasting again.
Clearly, this guy was going to go back on his word.
"I've already said you're amazing several times, Why are you still following me?" Kashiwagi interrupted before it could ramble more.
He looked toward the distance where several orange-painted construction machines were busy filling the massive craters left behind by his Steelix.
Each machine had a goofy, familiar face on the side.
Rotoms. Everywhere.
Wattsun really is an incredible engineer, Kashiwagi thought. To integrate Rotom into the city's infrastructure to this degree—New Mauville, Sea Mauville, and now this—the man was a genius.
"Flimsy! Your praise lacks sincerity, zzt-lot!" the drone protested.
Sincerity?
Sincerity my foot!
Is this thing just bored?
Kashiwagi squinted at it. Again he wouldn't be surprised.
Rotoms were notorious for getting into mischief when they had nothing to do. He remembered stories of them hacking into corporate mainframes just for a laugh.
....
Suddenly
A bell rang.
BONG— BONG—
The sound of a nearby clock tower echoed through the square. Kashiwagi checked the time.
"It's almost 6:00 PM. Don't you Rotoms ever clock out?"
"Clock out?"
The Drone Rotom froze. It spun around to look at the giant clock and let out a digital shriek.
"Ah! Six o'clock! Six o'clock! I'm going to miss dinner! IT'S SIX O'CLOCK, ZZT-LOT!"
Without another word, the drone—which had been so obsessed with Kashiwagi moments ago—streaked away like a bolt of lightning.
I knew it, I'm definitely filing a complaint with Wattson tomorrow. Kashiwagi thought, shaking his head.
As he watched the drone vanish, he noticed the construction machines in the distance shudder.
Suddenly, their work speed tripled. Soil was flying, holes were being filled at record speed, and the machines practically vibrated with urgency.
It seemed the "Rotom Work Union" had one golden rule:
[If you aren't on time for dinner, you have a serious problem!]
"Well," Kashiwagi turned to his Porygon.
"I guess we should go eat, too."
"Pory~!"
Porygon nodded vigorously, its eyes curving into happy little crescents. Its mood improved instantly the moment that Rotom was out of sight.
Talk about a natural rivalry...
Kashiwagi couldn't help but sigh. Even though they had completely different typings, they shared such similar special abilities that they were practically destined to be at each other's throats.
It was a classic "Two Tigers on One Mountain" situation.
From a trainer's perspective, he wished Porygon wouldn't let it get under its skin, but how could it not?
Imagine seeing someone else do exactly what you're best at—only they do it "better" in the eyes of the public, and they've already been embraced by the masses...
Worse yet, that other guy is sitting in the very spotlight your creators always dreamed you would stand in.
Even a well-adjusted adult would feel a sting of resentment from that kind of fall from grace.
Especially for a dull, obedient, and docile Porygon.
Poor Porygon.
Looking at the blocky, earnest little "duck," Kashiwagi felt a pang of sympathy. In the future, almost every trainer would be carrying a Rotom Phone. It felt like Porygon was being left behind by history.
Maybe I should develop a Porygon Phone...
Kashiwagi thought, his determination surging.
Why let the Rotom family have a monopoly? Down with the digital hegemony!
While Kashiwagi was busy planning a tech revolution, Porygon was trailing behind him, silently calculating whether it would have a chance to dive into the local network tonight to give those smug Rotoms a piece of its mind.
For some reason, just looking at them made its code run hot!
.....
The Mauville Food Court
In the games, this was a place where you could win physical prizes like Big Nuggets or Berries through battles.
In reality, however, there wasn't a spare inch of space for a Pokémon battle. Instead, the area was packed with vibrant stalls and neon signs hanging from every corner.
"Welcome to the Mauville Food Court! Featuring specialties from over nine regions! Please, eat to your heart's content!"
An automated voice boomed overhead as Kashiwagi stepped inside.
Over nine regions?
He paused, approaching a large navigation board near the entrance. Scanning the dizzying list of shops, his eyes landed on a traditional-style restaurant called "The Treasure Eatery". According to the sign, it specialized in cuisine from the Paldea Region.
Paldea... wait, so this world actually has Chinese food?
Kashiwagi hadn't played Scarlet and Violet before he transmigrated. He'd spent the last few months cramming knowledge about Paldean Pokémon, but his understanding of the region's culture was still a bit fuzzy.
He had always assumed his Pokémon Chef's wok-frying skills were a unique quirk.
But thinking back, Chef had inherited that iron wok from his grandfather. Where did a grandfather in Kalos get a traditional wok and spatula?
The mystery was solved.
Chef's family likely migrated from Paldea to Kalos, and they probably had deep ties to places like The Treasure Eatery.
Kashiwagi looked at the menu items, feeling a wave of nostalgia. "Mapo Tofu... Almond Tofu... Ramen... Vinegar-pickled Toedscruel with Cucumber?! What the heck? Is that just jellyfish head? Are they actually eating Pokémon?!"
"Actually, no. The parts used for Vinegar-pickled Toedscruel are thin flaps that naturally shed from their bodies. Since it's a Grass-type Pokémon, it's essentially no different from the fruit that grows on a Tropius."
A cool, refined voice spoke from directly behind him.
"Oh, I see. Thanks for clearing that up—" Kashiwagi turned around gratefully, only to freeze.
Standing there in a flowing purple dress was Glacia.
His hand gave a slight, nervous twitch.
"Uh... Elite Four Glacia?"
"I've heard much about you, Kashiwagi-kun. Steven has been mentioning your name quite often these past few months. I didn't expect to run into you here."
Glacia had her arms crossed, a faint, almost imperceptible smile on her face.
Up close, she felt like a walking air conditioner. Just standing near her made the air feel crisp and chilly.
I remember Glacia isn't originally from Hoenn... Could she be from Snowpoint City in Sinnoh?
Kashiwagi gave a polite greeting but couldn't help asking, "May I ask how you recognized me? Did Steven-san show you a photo?"
"Not exactly."
Glacia was blunt.
"I was just finishing dinner, and the television in the restaurant happened to be broadcasting the Contest you participated in. It was quite a lovely performance. Your Mawile handles Ice-type moves with impressive precision."
"You flatter me..." Kashiwagi replied, momentarily starstruck and at a loss for words.
To Kashiwagi's surprise, Glacia took the initiative to exchange contact info with him and even shared her temporary address.
"I'm staying at the Mauville Hills Hotel, Room B113. I'm in Mauville City for a week-long vacation," the elegant noblewoman said smoothly.
"If you run into any trouble, feel free to find me."
She offered a subtle nod.
"I'll leave you to your meal now. Oh, and if you do decide to visit The Treasure Eatery, I personally highly recommend their ramen."
With that, she turned and glided away.
...
Mauville Hills was located on the second floor of Mauville City—a super-luxury hotel complex.
In the original games, it was a residential area, and it also happened to be where Kashiwagi was staying tonight.
Rooms there were notoriously hard to book; he'd only snagged one because he got lucky with a last-minute cancellation.
"I didn't expect to be the one getting approached again..."
Kashiwagi looked at the two new contacts in his phone with a complicated expression.
"Forget it, let's eat! If the food is good, Porygon, we're stealing their secrets!"
Porygon swung its blocky legs happily.
The duo arrived at their destination: a branch of "The Golduck's Smile". The sign featured a goofy, vacant-staring Golduck clutching its head.
As for The Treasure Eatery? That could wait until tomorrow. His Gym challenge was scheduled for the afternoon, so a "Homeland Buff" lunch would be the perfect pre-game ritual.
....
Inside, the restaurant was exactly as described online—packed with the classic Western-style round tables for two. Business was booming, though the layout was a nightmare for large Pokémon.
Luckily, Porygon was compact enough to fit.
Kashiwagi ordered six or seven dishes and waited with bated breath. As the food started coming out, his eyes scanned the plates with laser focus.
Wait... where's the light?
In the culinary world of this "Chef" lineage, high-end dishes were supposed to glow.
Kashiwagi had confirmed himself that this wasn't some special effect from his simulator—glowing food was a real phenomenon. Even videos of the legendary chef Locomoco showed his creations radiating light.
But here? Not a single spark.
Why?
Is the chef today just an apprentice who hasn't mastered the secret technique of food preperation yet?
Kashiwagi frowned. Every dish that arrived was the same: decent presentation, good aroma, but zero luminosity.
Finally, he flagged down a waiter.
"Excuse me, why isn't the food glowing?"
"Glowing?" The waiter blinked, then chuckled warmly.
"Ah~ you must be referring to the 'Gourmet's Blessing.' I'm afraid that's a legendary technique only Master Locomoco himself can achieve."
"Only Master Locomoco?" Kashiwagi repeated, skeptical.
"But I've seen videos of other chefs from the 'Lo' school, and their food glows too."
The waiter's smile didn't waver.
"You've misunderstood, sir. Those are just special effects used as a branding trademark for the school."
Special effects!
Kashiwagi nearly spat out his water.
He nodded dumbly and let the waiter go, his appetite suddenly plummeting.
He had come here specifically for "authentic" glowing food, only to be told it was a one-man miracle known as the "Gourmet's Blessing".
He remembered seeing people mention that in the comments section before, but he'd scrolled right past it, thinking they were just there for getting attention.
Who would have thought...
Then... how am I able to replicate the glow so easily? Is it because of the simulator?
"Pory...?"
Porygon had been vibrating with excitement at the prospect of its first solo dinner with its Trainer. But seeing Kashiwagi look so dejected, its own digital enthusiasm deflated instantly.
"It's nothing, sorry for bringing the mood down. Let's dig in!" Kashiwagi rubbed his face and forced a smile.
"Even if it doesn't glow, there's bound to be something worth learning. We're still on a scouting mission!"
He scooped a massive portion of fried rice onto Porygon's plate.
"Eat up! We aren't leaving until we're stuffed!"
"Pory-gon!"
The virtual Pokémon nodded vigorously and buried its beak in the rice.
....
The two of them, one human and one Pokémon, ate until their bellies were round, and there was still quite a bit left.
They weren't worried about to wasting food. Hydreigon would eat anything.
Hydreigon: "Hy-drei-g-o-n!" (FOOOOOD!)
While a "refined lady" like Mawile might turn her nose up at leftovers, Hydreigon had zero standards.
Back when it was blind, it probably would have tried to eat a poisonous mushroom if Kashiwagi hadn't stopped it.
Leaving the restaurant, Kashiwagi headed toward the electronics district to buy a phone for Mawile.
Porygon didn't mind acting as "Pokémon Intelligence" for its teammates at all.
In fact, it was thrilled to be of service to Mawile, who had always held the highest "noble" status in the squad.