The Underdome was massive.
Kashiwagi led Aron around for a long while, but he still couldn't figure out the specific zoning or what half the buildings were for. Many places were locked tight, with nothing but meaningless neon signs flickering incessantly. They likely wouldn't open until nightfall, and they didn't look like "normal" shops—the bunny girls and gold coin motifs on the signs spoke volumes.
"Ah! There you are!"
A sudden shout startled Kashiwagi. He turned to see two blurry figures approaching rapidly. Just as he was about to bolt with Aron, the figures stepped into the flickering colored lights.
A woman with beige hair and tanned skin appeared. She had a somewhat large mouth and ordinary features, but long legs that supported a 180cm frame. Her movement was as lithe as a Liepard, and her face wore a wild, unrestrained smile.
But Kashiwagi was more focused on what was behind her.
What a massive Quagsire!
He couldn't help but marvel. A Quagsire reaching 180cm was rare; its frame was wider than a human's, making it look like a heavy, imposing wall. At first glance, it was quite intimidating... though, truth be told, it looked even derpier than usual.
"Good morning, Lady Ayana."
Kashiwagi quickly looked away and greeted her. She was one of the four Sand Unit Officers, well-known among the lower-ranking grunts for being relatively kind.
"You're Kashiwagi, right?"
Ayana appraised him. Without waiting for an answer, she grabbed his arm. "Come with me! You're the last one!"
"Lady Ayana—"
"Call me Big Sis! And stop yapping! Just follow me. If you keep complaining, I'll deck you!"
Her bluntness shut him up. He glanced back at Aron and saw the little guy being carried in the Quagsire's arms, its four stubby legs flailing in mild panic. When their eyes met, Kashiwagi gave a reassuring nod, and Aron gradually settled down. After just a few days, a clear bond of trust had formed.
A few minutes later.
Ayana led Kashiwagi through a maze of alleys toward a space resembling a basketball court. Massive floodlights illuminated the area from all sides, and a neat chain-link fence separated it from the walkway.
It was a battle court.
Kashiwagi peered inside and saw several young men and women in Team Snagem uniforms sparring with their Pokémon. Unlike the standard matches in the anime where Trainers stand at the edge, these people were inside the court, staying close to their Pokémon.
He knew this was a signature style of Pyrite Town—and the Orre region as a whole. It was the "Special Chapter" style of combat: the Trainer and the Pokémon took the hits together.
"Stop! Everyone stop!"
Ayana released Kashiwagi and clapped her hands loudly. "Gather 'round!"
The sparring members immediately halted and hurried over. Kashiwagi retrieved Aron from the Quagsire and stood before a row of about a dozen teenagers. They looked to be his age—around fifteen or sixteen—with bright eyes and fit physiques. Most had rough, tanned skin, bearing the marks of a life spent outdoors. They weren't all from wealthy backgrounds.
Their Pokémon varied in species. While their exact power levels were unknown, they were full of energy; even after having their matches interrupted, they showed no signs of exhaustion. They radiated the aura of battle-hardened veterans—the result of meticulous training.
Special Ops?
No, this was likely a team assembled specifically for the match against Team Snod next week. Kashiwagi realized why he had been dragged here, but he wondered if including a brand-new official member was part of the plan all along.
Am I really that valuable? He tried to think positively—perhaps the Sand Unit leaders actually liked him.
"What are you standing there for? Say hello! Do I have to prompt you for everything?" Ayana gave his shin a light kick.
"Er, good morning, everyone," Kashiwagi greeted the skeptical crowd.
A synchronized, polite round of applause followed.
Ayana nodded, satisfied. "This is Kashiwagi. He's one of the combatants for next week and your temporary teammate. Make sure you get along."
With that, the "Big Sis" turned and walked off with her Quagsire. She didn't bother introducing anyone, nor did she tell Kashiwagi what his specific role was.
The group maintained their disciplined stance until the very second Ayana vanished. The moment she was gone, the atmosphere turned lax and cold.
"Ugh, what a drag."
"My move was already out, so that counts as your loss, you hear me?"
"Loss my ass! Who saw it? Where's the proof? Show me the proof!"
The group turned back to their business, completely ignoring Kashiwagi. He tried to initiate a conversation, but not a single person responded. He was totally shunned.
Ostracized? Did I offend them?
He walked to the edge of the court with Aron. He heard a cold snort from behind, making his situation even clearer. He decided to stay quiet and observe their battles, occasionally whispering to Aron. The little guy nodded back with its glowing blue eyes, though it was hard to tell if it actually understood.
Ten minutes passed.
His self-contained behavior eventually drew their attention back. Whether the initial shunning was coordinated or spontaneous, Kashiwagi was now being scrutinized again.
"Hey! What do you think you're doing?" A blonde guy with a buzz cut walked over, looking aggressive.
Kashiwagi replied, "Watching you spar."
"Who gave you permission to watch? Who let you in here? Get out!" the boy barked. Beside him, a Donphan let out a threatening, low trumpet.
"DOH!"
"KU!"
Aron didn't back down, barking right back. Despite the massive size difference, Aron showed zero fear.
"Hah! Knows how to protect its master, eh? Nice Pokémon. Give it to me, and maybe I'll forgive you!" The boy sneered, his eyes locked onto Kashiwagi.
It was obvious he didn't actually want Aron; he was just looking for an excuse to start trouble.
Gangs... Kashiwagi thought. While he hadn't expected much from Team Snagem's internal discipline, being constantly harassed was getting exhausting.
"I'm not giving it to you. What are you going to do about it?" Kashiwagi said flatly.
The contempt in his voice set the bully off. The boy lunged forward and grabbed Kashiwagi by the collar. "Huh?! You think you're hot stuff? You're just some rookie who crawled out of the gutter!"
"Heh. And which sewer did you crawl out of?"
Kashiwagi grabbed the boy's wrist. His grip was like a pair of iron pliers, slowly tightening. The boy's face flushed red as he gritted his teeth, refusing to make a sound.
I might not be able to beat a Machamp, but I can handle you. You think my reputation as the boss of Iridium Street was just for show?
"If you're so tough, go pick a fight with Team Snod. Are you so sure we'll win next week? Acting like a big shot to your own teammates? You're pathetic." He shoved the boy's hand away with ease.
"DOH!"
Seeing its Trainer "hurt," the Donphan charged, but before it could get close, a silver blur slammed into it.
BAM!
Aron was less than half the Donphan's size, but it managed to force the larger Pokémon into a deadlocked struggle.
"You piece of—" The boy clutched his aching wrist, his eyes bloodshot. He roared and raised a fist to swing at Kashiwagi's face.
Kashiwagi was ready to catch the punch and counter, but out of the corner of his eye, he spotted something. He didn't move.
The boy's fist was caught in mid-air by a different hand.
"Otsuka... it seems you really enjoy ignoring my orders." The hauntingly calm voice caused the anger in the boy's eyes to vanish instantly. Cold sweat began to bead on his forehead.
"B-Big Sis..." Otsuka lowered his head, not daring to look at Ayana's icy expression.
"Or perhaps you have a problem with the Boss's arrangements? You have your own ideas? Fine. Be brave. Say it out loud."
"I am so sorry! Please forgive me!" Otsuka dropped to his knees, his forehead pressed against the concrete, his voice desperate.
His Donphan was similarly pinned down by the massive Quagsire, who wore a deceptively "kind" smile. The sheer pressure of the Quagsire's presence made even Aron take a step back.
Ayana ignored the kneeling Otsuka and looked at Kashiwagi, who was standing off to the side. "And you?"
He blinked, pointing at himself. "Do I need to kneel too? Fine, if that's what you want..."
"Tsk. Enough with the acting," Ayana waved him off impatiently. "You're just as annoying as that guy with the glasses!"
Kashiwagi immediately straightened his back.
"Listen up, you brats! I don't care who you like or hate, or who's backing you. If we lose to Team Snod and the Sand Unit becomes a laughingstock, every single one of you..." Ayana pointed a finger at each person in the group. "...is going to the mines! You'll dig until you drop dead! No exceptions! If you're unhappy, come talk to me! Or have your backers come see me! DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!"
Her voice was like a lion's roar, vibrating through their chests.
"WE UNDERSTAND!" came the synchronized reply.
Ayana left with her Quagsire again. But the atmosphere in the court had turned incredibly heavy. Otsuka remained kneeling, his body trembling.
Kashiwagi noticed the surrounding stares had shifted from indifference to pure resentment. It seemed Ayana's threat had given these people a reason to direct all their bottled-up anger toward him. They would likely double down on the hostility now.
If that's how it's going to be...
Suddenly, Kashiwagi had an idea. He crouched down in front of Otsuka and poked his arm. "How long are you planning to stay down there?"
Otsuka turned his head, revealing bloodshot eyes filled with tears. "It's all your fault... it's all you—"
"Yeah, it's all me. So what?" Kashiwagi shrugged indifferently. "What are you going to do about it? Punch me now? Do you even have the strength?"
Otsuka bristled. "You!"
"You can't do it. You can't handle me. It's frustrating, isn't it? In that case... you'd better start sucking up to me." Kashiwagi smiled. "Because otherwise, I'll sabotage the match. I'll throw the whole game."
"...Huh?"
"Look, I have nothing to lose. Some of you are hoping to use this match to climb the ranks, right? Some of you have rich families and are looking for a promotion." He raised his voice so everyone in the court could hear. "So, let's all be friends. Let's keep each other happy. Because if I'm feeling miserable during the match, who knows what I might do?"
"Of course, you could try to kill me in the next two days. You can bet on the outcome of that fight, and bet on how the Boss will react to you spitting in his face. At worst, you die or spend your life in the mines, right?"
Kashiwagi's blatant threat turned the glares of resentment into looks of shock. Everyone had considered a "burn the bridge" move at some point, but no one had ever dared to use it as a threat. Usually, people assumed it was just empty talk from someone trying to save face.
But Kashiwagi didn't look like he was talking just to save face.
An eerie atmosphere settled over the court.
"—I'm just kidding! Don't look so tense. It's not like I'm threatening anyone. We're teammates! Brothers! Getting along is only natural, right?"
Kashiwagi broke into a wide, warm smile, ignoring the freezing silence. He helped the stunned Otsuka up and patted the dust off his uniform. "Look at you, all messy. You're sixteen, right? You can't keep going on like this."
He turned his gaze toward the rest of the group. Under their bewildered eyes, his smile remained bright and sincere.
"Let me introduce myself again, everyone! I'm Kashiwagi! From Iridium Street! I look forward to working with you this week!"
Kashiwagi gave a slight bow. His clear voice rang through the court, meeting a sea of tense, astonished, and wary expressions.
If being targeted by the group is unavoidable, I might as well blow the whole thing up.
In the distance, beneath the shadow of a building, a faint glint of light reflecting off a pair of glasses vanished.