Substitute.
Using elemental energy to construct a decoy body to intercept the opponent's moves.
That's how it works for everyone else.
But Dr. Akihabara's version was different. It attempted to inject Porygon2's own information data stream into the elemental foundation, deconstructing and reassembling it into a "Second Self" rather than just a dummy. Because of this, it could execute moves normally—
"How is any part of this 'normal'..."
Kashiwagi was speechless. One had to hand it to the man who created the Virtual Pokémon; in an anime world already overflowing with black technology, Dr. Akihabara had managed to deliver a truly era-defining advancement.
[The Doctor states that this 'Sentient Substitute' technology is currently a prototype, unlike 'Sharpen' or the 'Conversions' which are finished products. It can only be used by an evolved Porygon2. A standard Porygon cannot successfully bifurcate its data stream; even if it forced the process... it would likely suffer total database loss.]
Porygon2's voice came through as a flat, emotionless mechanical monotone.
The content, however, was terrifying.
A Porygon's "database" included its memories, its moves, its very consciousness. Losing that would lead to a horrifying "Who are you, mister?" scenario.
Kashiwagi couldn't help but ask,
"Are you sure Porygon2 won't have that problem? The Doctor's warning is making me a little nervous."
[Theoretically, no. The Doctor has already had Unit 1 and all the other Porygon2 units test it successfully.]
The Porygon2 inside the phone replied:
[Because Porygon2 can perfectly back up its internal database, there is no risk of data loss during the split. The ability to create a second self is actually based on this very principle of redundancy.]
"Theoretically, huh..." Kashiwagi muttered.
The value of a "Special Substitute" was self-evident. It was a bugged move that effectively turned a Singles match into a Doubles match. If this were a game, Porygon2 would likely be the most-used Pokémon in the competitive meta overnight.
Dr. Akihabara really had stuffed a lot of "cheat codes" into this thing just to outdo Rotom.
It's a bit cheating.
Wait, I'm the one cheating?
Never mind, then.
Kashiwagi couldn't resist the urge to test it, and the Porygon2 in his phone looked equally eager. It clearly recognized the immense tactical value of this new power.
"...How long will it take you to master it? Or did you 'learn' it automatically when the hard drive was loaded?"
[The latter! But I will need time to familiarize myself with the execution!]
Porygon2 replied. Even through the mechanical voice, a hint of excitement leaked out.
"Perfect!"
Kashiwagi breathed a sigh of relief. He had worried Porygon would have to manually "decipher" the data, which looked incredibly complex.
Realistically, given how Porygon "learns" moves, the Doctor could probably have made it learn every move in existence in an instant.
However, to ensure "organic growth," the inventor had suppressed Porygon's move pool to a minimum, allowing the Trainer to participate in the Pokémon's development.
After all, unearned power isn't great for a Trainer's growth.
[Practice! Let's go to the park and practice right now!]
Porygon2 opened the phone's map, marking the nearest park and nudging its Trainer to hurry.
Like Hydreigon and Milotic before it, the newly evolved Porygon2 was far too restless to sit still.
"No, we're going somewhere else first."
Kashiwagi entered an address that Porygon2 found familiar.
[Ah! This is—]
"Tyson's place."
He hailed a taxi at the curb. Now that the drama with Dr. Akihabara was over, he had to find Tyson and learn Head Smash as soon as possible so he could leave Mauville and head for the next Gym.
Besides, he'd bought all that Mirror Herb; it would be a waste not to use it.
Though Head Smash would only be "the icing on the cake" for Aggron compared to the raw power of Mega Evolution, it was still a devastating move that could create miracles if timed correctly.
With a Rock typing and the Rock Head ability, not learning Head Smash felt like a crime against nature.
"Time to show off your talent, big guy! Let's learn it in one night!" Kashiwagi patted the Poké Ball on his belt and whispered.
No response.
Evidently, Aggron had no intention of responding to such an unreasonable demand.
"..."
One night? Even Hydreigon couldn't master a Dragon-type move that fast!
Kashiwagi sighed at the lack of feedback.
Perhaps influenced by his own habits, his Pokémon had all become exceptionally calm and objective.
They weren't the type to be swayed by illogical jokes.
Unless he truly believed they could do it—only then would they act, giving their absolute all even if the odds were astronomical. But if the Trainer was just making a hopeless joke, they wouldn't just blindly charge into a brick wall out of "hot-blooded spirit."
Even Hydreigon would just give him a "sure, whatever" look.
If these were Ash's Pokémon, they'd probably start training like mad regardless of the logic and then succeed through the power of the plot.
Of course, Ash always firmly believed they could learn it successfully, so they would naturally learn new moves, or at least switch to similar ones.
Kashiwagi, however, preferred a more grounded path.
Following the address Tyson had given him, Kashiwagi eventually found the home of the former League Champion—
A Poké Mart?
He blinked at the building with the blue roof. Through the glass windows covered in promotional posters, he could see shelves stocked with potions, items, and merchandise.
As his gaze drifted to the counter, he saw a Meowth sitting on the desk, casually licking its paw.
Unlike a normal Meowth, this one stood tall on its hind legs, sporting a dapper feathered hat and leather boots.
It looked inexplicably cool—like a feline swashbuckler straight out of a fairy tale.
Behind the counter, a familiar face brightened.
"Kashiwagi!"
Tyson circled around the counter with a grin, stepping out of the shop as Meowth followed silently behind him.
"When I got your message this morning, I honestly thought you weren't going to make it!"
"Meow-th?"
Meowth looked up at Kashiwagi.
Between its raspy, gravelly voice and those razor-sharp eyes, it looked like it had a permanent bone to pick with the world.
So this is the guy who took down three of my teammates? the cat thought.
Aside from having a face that's actually decent for a human... he doesn't look like much!
Meowth narrowed its eyes. It was convinced Sceptile and the others had simply grown soft from a lack of real challenges. It would have to find a way to settle the score.
Noticing the intense stare, Kashiwagi gave a friendly smile and offered an apologetic nod to Tyson.
"Something came up on my end. Sorry for the back-and-forth; I really appreciate you making time for me."
Between Dr. Akihabara's arrival and the "Unit Zero" incident, he'd nearly written off this meeting. Who would have thought the Doctor would just pull a vanishing act?
"Don't mention it! I'm just happy you're here!"
Tyson's face was split by a massive beam. There wasn't a hint of annoyance; instead, he had the pure energy of a friend whose work shift had just been crashed by a buddy. He waved Kashiwagi inside.
"Come in, come in! It's too dusty out here!"
....
As Kashiwagi stepped into the shop to look around, a sudden mechanical rumble echoed through the room.
Rumble—Clack!
He turned to see Tyson and Meowth pulling down the heavy metal shutters on all the windows.
"Uh, is that really necessary?" Kashiwagi asked.
"No worries, business has been dead anyway", Tyson waved it off with a laugh.
"Besides, if I leave, there's no one to watch the register. My sister isn't home from school yet, and my parents are off on their honeymoon. I can't exactly leave a Pokémon in charge of the shop, can I?"
"...I think you actually could," Kashiwagi muttered, casting a glance at his phone.
He quietly used his thumb to pin down the screen where Porygon2 was currently performing an enthusiastic "pick-me!" dance, clearly eager to try its hand at being a cashier.
Pa-pory~ Pa-pory~
Tyson blinked. "Did you say something?"
"Nothing."
As Kashiwagi brushed it off, he felt two light taps on the back of his hand. He looked down to find Meowth sniffing his sleeve with an intensely curious expression.
The cat had sensed Porygon2's presence.
Tyson quickly pulled Meowth back.
"Hey! Don't go poking other people's phones! Sorry about that, Kashiwagi. He isn't usually this nosy."
"Meow-th." The cat turned its head and huffed dismissively.
This guy... has he been a 'Lucky Cat' shopkeeper for too long? His personality is totally different, Kashiwagi thought.
He remembered the Meowth from the Hoenn League being incredibly cold and aloof—it had barely given the Team Rocket Meowth the time of day.
Now it seemed... lively? Maybe it finally settled its grudge with Persian.
Then again, it had been three years. Blissey had fixed her heart in less than six months.
Speaking of which, Tyson's parents went on a trip too… No wonder Tyson stayed in Mauville City instead of challenging the next League, to prevent his school-aged sister from growing up unsupervised, right?
Kashiwagi recalled the brothers he met in North Petalburg City; the younger brother was the type who was neglected and ended up becoming increasingly clumsy, the kind who meant well but caused more harm than good.
Tyson led him through the back door, revealing a spacious backyard that doubled as a private battle arena.
Tyson put his hands on his hips, looking quite proud.
"This is where I do my daily training! Not bad, right?"
"It's perfect."
Kashiwagi scanned the area. It was wide enough that Aggron could cut loose without accidentally bringing down a neighbor's wall.
One of the biggest hurdles for urban Trainers was finding space; even in a world as vast as this, you couldn't exactly fire off Hyper Beams in a crowded residential district.
Most serious Trainers either lived in the suburbs where the view is open and they don't have to worry about training space or spent their entire lives camping in public parks.
Tyson belonged to the former category.
His neighborhood was blissfully deserted.
"I'm counting on you! Donphan!"
Tyson tossed a Poké Ball, and the sturdy, armor-plated elephant slammed onto the dirt.
"Don-phan!"
It looked around, and its eyes immediately locked onto Kashiwagi with a competitive spark.
"Don!"
Is it time for a rematch?!
Tyson quickly jumped in front of his overeager elephant.
"Easy there! We aren't battling! Kashiwagi and his partner are here to learn a move!"
"Don?"
Donphan flapped its large black ears, looking confused.
Learn a move?
Learn what?
"Ag-gron..."
Aggron materialized beside Kashiwagi, his massive frame casting a long shadow. As he lowered his head, his cold, crystalline blue eyes met the gazes of Meowth and Donphan.
The sheer predatory pressure radiating from the steel titan made the two smaller Pokémon shudder, instinctively taking a synchronized step back.
But the icy tension vanished in an instant.
Because Kashiwagi had spoken.
"Aggron, this is the teacher who's going to help you master Head Smash! Donphan, we're in your care!"
"Agg-ron!"
Aggron's expression softened immediately. He gave a polite, rumbling grunt of greeting, trying his best to look approachable to his new "senpai."
"Meow-th..."
Meowth, whose fur had been standing on end with his claws fully unsheathed, slowly relaxed. Seeing Aggron's respectful attitude, he retracted his blades and offered a half-hearted, cool-guy nod in return.
Meanwhile, Donphan was listening to Tyson's explanation. Hearing that this giant wanted to learn its ultimate move, the elephant's expression turned remarkably complex.
"Don... Phan!"
It raised its long trunk in acknowledgment, but its eyes remained wary.
Its keen sense of smell was picking up a scent that screamed Danger—this silver beast was even more formidable than the giant Steelix they had faced yesterday!
Still... a lesson was a lesson.
Donphan sighed, curled its body into a sturdy tire shape, and began to roll forward with a heavy Rumble-Rumble-Rumble.
Aggron watched the rolling elephant with a bewildered look. He turned to Kashiwagi and pointed a massive claw at his own rigid, armored midsection.
"..." "g-gron?"
Am I supposed to turn into a ball, too?
"Uh, Tyson? Does Donphan use Head Smash by curling up like that?" Kashiwagi asked, glancing away from his confused "Big Monster."
Tyson scratched his head awkwardly.
"Not exactly... Donphan is just trying to think of how to teach him. If he's not in tire-mode, his brain just doesn't spin right."
"Meow-th!"
Meowth crossed his arms and nodded solemnly in agreement.
I see, Kashiwagi thought. He's so responsible that he's actually overthinking the curriculum.
"Let's simplify things. Just have Donphan perform the move, and Aggron will try to mimic it,"
Kashiwagi suggested, pulling out a bundle of Mirror Herb.
"Traditional teaching might take too long for a move this heavy. We're going to rely on this."
"Mirror Herb? I've heard of it... but does it really work like that?"
Tyson asked skeptically, eyeing the multi-colored leaves.
"Only one way to find out." Kashiwagi fed the herb to Aggron. According to Professor Kukui's research papers, consuming the herb allowed a Pokémon to momentarily "sync" with a witnessed technique.
Donphan, hearing that it didn't have to actually explain anything, looked immensely relieved. It wasn't the academic type anyway.
"Don!!"
Donphan's trunk whipped through the air as a staggering aura began to gather. It dug its four feet into the dirt, lowered its center of gravity, and charged!
Brilliant, amber-colored Rock energy erupted, swirling around its body like a shimmering halo until it completely encased the elephant. It looked like a massive, glowing boulder—a localized meteorite thundering across the yard!
The shockwave from the charge whipped Kashiwagi's and Tyson's clothes, making them snap loudly in the wind.
"What power! Truly a top-tier Rock-type move!" Kashiwagi nodded, impressed.
And that was with Donphan being a Ground-type; it wasn't even tapping into the Move's full potential!
With no target in sight, Donphan skidded to a halt at the edge of the field.
"Don!"
It turned around, giving Aggron a "your turn" look. Secretly, it thought, There's no way he learns it just by watching once. This move takes years to—
"Can you do it?" Kashiwagi asked, eyes full of curiosity.
Aggron savored the strange, herbal aftertaste lingering in his mouth. He stood still for a few seconds, processing the flow of energy he had just witnessed. Then, he gave a firm nod.
"Guh-ron!"
I'll give it a shot!
Aggron stepped into the center of the arena. Under Donphan's skeptical gaze, the steel giant clenched his claws.
"GUH-ROOO!"
The air around him suddenly began to thrum and vibrate! A blinding, amber-gold light ignited across Aggron's silver plating!
"Don...?"
Donphan froze, its eyes bulging in disbelief.