Even though Kashiwagi always claimed that "all my Pokémon are equal," everyone in the squad knew the unwritten rule: you can mess with anyone, but you never mess with Mawile.
Even the Trainer himself walked on eggshells around her. That was just how terrifyingly powerful—and pampered—she was.
If you ranked the household hierarchy:
Mawile was definitely at the top, followed by the trainer.
As a "newcomer," Porygon naturally sat at the bottom of the ladder. It used to have Feebas for company at the bottom, but ever since she evolved into a dazzling Shiny Milotic, her status had skyrocketed.
I still haven't evolved yet... Porygon thought gloomily.
It had previously suggested to Kashiwagi that it might evolve once they reached "Five Hearts" of friendship, but he had shot that down immediately.
"I'm worried you'll get kidnapped by some rogue AI, or worse, that you'll grow up and look down on your poor old Trainer," Kashiwagi had said, his face a mask of exaggerated "pity."
Porygon knew then that it wasn't just a tool to him—it was a companion he didn't want to lose. Thus it dropped the "Five Heart" evolution plan.
But...
Six Hearts is so hard to reach!
Porygon was about to let out a digital wail of frustration when Kashiwagi's voice snapped it back to reality.
"Porygon?"
"Pory!"
Porygon blinked, realizing Mawile had already come out of her Poké Ball. She was holding a brand-new smartphone, and both she and Kashiwagi were staring at Porygon with curiosity.
Kashiwagi waved a hand in front of its eyes. "Getting sleepy? Want to head back to your Ball to rest?"
"Pory-gon!"
Porygon shook its head quickly.
They had called it over to help choose a model. Mawile certainly had her own opinions, but much like a wife asking her husband which outfit looks better, she wanted feedback from her Trainer and her digital-expert teammate.
The feedback? Oh, she'd listen. But she'd still do whatever she wanted anyway.
....
Kashiwagi followed the golden rule of tech: Buy the newest model. He didn't know much about Pokémon world brands, but after a three-minute internet crash course, he walked into the most prestigious shop and pointed at the flagship device.
He was a "Rich Bro" now; no need to check the budget.
Mawile's only hesitation was the color.
"You can change the color anytime with a case. Look over there," Kashiwagi pointed to a wall.
"Ma-wile!"
Mawile trotted over, her eyes sparkling at the rows of cute, decorative phone cases.
Kashiwagi followed, looked at the price tags, and his own eyes nearly popped out of his head.
"Whoa!"
Being rich was one thing, but these prices were borderline criminal. He'd rather buy a plain white case and DIY it—
"Mawile~!"
Mawile picked out two cases and turned back to him with a smile that could melt a glacier.
"Buy them! We're buying them!"
Kashiwagi nodded without a second thought.
Porygon watched from behind, deeply impressed. This is what you call 'Household Supremacy.'
In the end, the phone, the cases, totaled a staggering 280,000 PokéDollars plus the data plan brought it up to 300,000.
I just hope I'm not creating an internet-addicted princess, Kashiwagi thought.
Seeing Mawile already tinkering with the settings and Porygon literally diving into the circuitry to optimize the OS, he decided to head back to the hotel so they wouldn't have to worry about walking and scrolling.
....
Back at the hotel, Kashiwagi released the rest of his team. They'd been cooped up in their balls all day and needed to stretch.
Steelix had been sent back to Pyrite Town; her post-battle mood was so good she'd probably be terraforming mountains with extra gusto for weeks.
Milotic, while fine on land, clearly preferred the water. Kashiwagi filled the massive hotel bathtub to the brim for her.
"Mi-lo~" she sang, splashing contentedly.
With Mawile and Porygon busy with their new toy, Blissey became his new shopping companion.
"Happy! Happy~!"
Blissey chirped, carrying a wicker basket on her arm like a little girl going to pick mushrooms. It was her dedicated tool for shopping and foraging.
Hydreigon tried to follow, its two side-heads playfully nipping at Kashiwagi's coat, but he gently pushed the main head back.
"You clung to me all yesterday and the day before. You need to learn some independence." He patted the big center head.
"Be a good boy. Blissey and I will be right back."
"Hy-drei... g-on..."
Hydreigon let out a disappointed rumble, watching the door close with a wounded expression.
.....
The Hidden Alleys of Mauville
Mauville Hills was massive—far too big to explore in a single night.
Kashiwagi stuck to the West District, a street famous for Pokémon items and raw materials.
It had a stellar reputation online because it didn't just stock Hoenn goods; it frequently featured rarities from other regions.
He was looking for something specific—rare herbs he needed to craft high-grade fragrances.
Many of the fascinating fragrance recipes Kashiwagi had recently acquired called for herbs found only in other regions. Without exception, these were the types that simply couldn't be cultivated in Hoenn's tropical climate.
They were strictly import-only.
Even Arisa, the mistress of The Verdant Manor, had to restock her supplies periodically; there were just too many things her small greenhouse couldn't sustain.
He stepped into the herb shop, and a sharp, pungent scent of traditional medicine hit him instantly. Both Kashiwagi and Blissey couldn't help but wrinkle their noses.
Phew... that's strong.
But after a few moments, they adjusted.
Blissey, especially, calmed down quickly and began scanning the shelves for specific herbs. She had recently received a medicinal cookbook from Kashiwagi, and several of the recipes looked intriguing. She was dying to give them a try.
"Welcome, honored guest! What can I get for you today?"
A shopkeeper wearing a traditional kimono strolled out, a long-stemmed pipe dangling from his mouth and a polite smile on his face.
Kashiwagi handed over a list.
"I need the herbs on this list, please. Price isn't an issue, but I need high-quality stock."
The shopkeeper squinted through the swirling tobacco smoke, his eyes sharpening as he read the script.
"Ho! These are some rare finds, young man!"
"If they were common, I wouldn't have come to a specialist like you."
"Ooh! I like your style! Are you a regular's referral?"
"Not exactly. I saw the reviews online and followed the trail."
"The internet, eh? Ah, I see..."
The two of them wove through rows of diverse botanicals—fresh, dried, or processed into various tinctures.
Suddenly, Kashiwagi pointed to a clump of grass that looked like a common weed.
"Boss, what's this?"
Honestly, it looked like something you'd pull out of a sidewalk crack, but Kashiwagi knew better than to trust his eyes when it came to exotic flora.
"That? That's Wild Oats."
"Wild Oats?"
"Yep. Usually used as feed for Tauros, Miltank, or Ponyta. It grows like a weed in Johto and Kanto, but it's a pain to keep alive here in Hoenn. If you have any of those Pokémon, it's great for their... well, their digestive health."
"I see... and that one?"
"That's..."
Kashiwagi kept asking, and the shopkeeper kept answering. Despite the barrage of questions, the old man didn't get annoyed; he actually seemed to enjoy the impromptu botany lesson.
Considering the massive bill Kashiwagi was racking up, a little patience was the least he could offer.
"Wait, is this a banana leaf?"
He stopped in front of a strange herb that resembled a small plantain leaf but was split into three distinct colors from the inside out.
The shopkeeper looked over, surprised.
"A Mirror Herb? How did that end up over here! My goodness!"
"Mirror Herb?"
Kashiwagi pinched a leaf to examine it.
Usually, herbs with "special" names like this had unique effects in Pokémon battles—like Electric Seeds or Power Herbs.
"Yes. I imported this from the Paldea region. They say if a Pokémon consumes this during battle, it can mirror any stat increases the opponent gains. It's quite expensive."
The shopkeeper scratched his head.
"I also heard it helps Pokémon learn moves. It's all the rage at the Daycare Centers lately!"
Kashiwagi blinked.
"Learn moves? How?"
"Don't ask me! Those Daycare folks won't share their secrets. Want to buy some and find out for yourself?"
The shopkeeper gave him a sly, merchant-like grin.
"...I'll take a small batch for now."
He was a bit hesitant.
As the boss said, these weren't cheap. If he bought a mountain of them and they turned out to be useless for his specific needs, returning them would be a headache.
With his list fulfilled and the newly discovered Mirror Herbs in hand, Kashiwagi headed back, feeling like he'd hit a jackpot.
He could explore other shops later; right now, he was dying to test the Mirror Herb's secrets.
...
Back at the hotel, the scene was peaceful.
Mawile was leaning against the headboard, surrounded by a mountain of plushies, glued to her new phone.
She looked so delighted that Kashiwagi couldn't resist peeking over her shoulder.
She was watching an old-school magical girl anime—Sailor Moon style—with Porygon.
I spent 300,000 Yen to buy her a high-tech video player?
Kashiwagi shook his head. Oh well, if she was happy, it was worth it.
"A-choo! A-choo! A-CHOO!"
Behind him, Hydreigon let out three thunderous sneezes in a row, nearly rattling its brains out of its three heads. He stared at Blissey's basket of pungent herbs with pure terror and backed away.
He tried to fly toward his Trainer for comfort, but the scent clinging to Kashiwagi's clothes sent him reeling back again with a pathetic whimper.
Having a sensitive nose is a curse sometimes, Kashiwagi thought.
He took Blissey into the bathroom for a quick cleanup. Nearby, Milotic was curled up in the bathtub, blowing bubbles in boredom.
The cramped hotel room was clearly starting to get to her.
"Hold on, girl. I'll take you all out to play tonight!" he whispered.
Milotic's eyes lit up instantly. She lunged out of the water, her long, serpent-like body coiling around him in a soaking wet embrace.
"Mi-lo~!"
"No! Stop! Argh... I just changed these clothes!"
"Really, girl? I just changed into this!" Kashiwagi sighed, looking down at his soaking wet T-shirt.
Milotic stuck out her tongue sheepishly and dove back into the tub, looking less like a majestic sea serpent and more like a guilty mermaid trying to hide from a lecture.
After changing—again—Kashiwagi sat down and immediately began searching for info on the Mirror Herb.
What he found wasn't just a product description; it was a full-blown academic paper authored by none other than his old acquaintance, Professor Kukui.
The paper detailed how certain Pokémon possess powerful innate moves known as "Egg Moves" or Inherited Moves, which usually cannot be learned through leveling up or natural intuition.
According to the research, the Mirror Herb was suspected to allow a Pokémon to "copy" and learn these special moves from others.
Kukui had listed several case studies using common Pokémon like Rattata and Pidgey to prove his point.
As expected of the Professor who specializes in Pokémon moves, Kashiwagi thought.
Having played through eight generations of games, he understood the logic almost immediately.
He looked up, his heart racing as his gaze landed on Aggron.
"Big guy! We're finally going to get you Head Smash!"
If the Mirror Herb from Paldea was linked to Inherited Moves, then the "rules" of this world had likely updated to match the newer game mechanics.
In the games, starting from Generation VIII, Game Freak introduced a way for Pokémon to pass Egg Moves to each other at the Day Care.
The Mirror Herb was the next evolution of that—allowing a Pokémon to learn a move from a different species entirely, as long as the other Pokémon had the move in its current repertoire.
"Agg-ron?"
Aggron leaned in, tilting his massive steel head in confusion. He had no idea why his Trainer was suddenly so hyped.
What the heck is getting Head Smash mean, and why is it happening now?
Kashiwagi excitedly explained his theory to the mountain-sized Pokémon.
"I'm going to buy a huge stash of Mirror Herbs! Then, I just need to find a Trainer in the city whose Pokémon knows Head Smash!"
"Agg-ron..."
Aggron nodded, though he only half-understood.
He didn't have the experience of playing through a dozen Pokémon games, so Kashiwagi's "gamer logic" was a bit hard to follow.
But if his Trainer was happy, Aggron was happy.
.....
Half an hour later, Kashiwagi returned with a massive bag of Mirror Herbs. He immediately messaged Tyson to ask if he knew any local Trainers with a Pokémon that knew Head Smash.
Since Tyson was a regular in the Mauville circuit, he was the perfect scout.
Head Smash was the ultimate Rock-type physical move—high power, high recoil. A decent variety of Pokémon could learn it, from Nidoking and Onix to Corsola and Nosepass.
To Kashiwagi's surprise, the answer was closer than he thought.
....
Tyson:"Head Smash? My Donphan knows that move. Why do you ask?"
Kashiwagi:"Seriously? That's perfect! Listen..."
Kashiwagi explained the Mirror Herb theory and his dream of teaching the move to Aggron.
Tyson:"If it's just helping you learn a move, I'm totally down. But are you sure about this herb? It sounds incredibly expensive."
Kashiwagi:"If there's even a chance, I have to take it. I'm counting on you!"
Tyson:"No problem at all! Good luck with your Gym battle tomorrow first!"
Kashiwagi:"Thanks!"
....
They agreed to start the "tutoring session" tomorrow night after dinner.
For now, Kashiwagi had to focus on the Mauville Gym.
Based on his previous Gym experiences, Wattson wasn't the type to pull punches. He wouldn't be facing weaklings.
He thought back to that Magnezone he saw on his way into the city.
Will he use a Rotom too?
Kashiwagi looked over at Mawile, who was still sprawled out on the bed, giggling at her phone.
"Mawile, don't stay up too late," he warned, though he was already mentally drafting his strategy for tomorrow.
"We've got a shocking old man to beat tomorrow."