Back in the Sand Unit's Underdome.
Kashiwagi was summoned to see the leader of the Sand Unit, Soshiro.
He expected to receive another "corrective" beating, but instead, he found the man grunting through a heavy bench press session. Soshiro's muscles were so engorged they rivaled a Machamp or a Conkeldurr. Between reps, Soshiro told him that the promises made earlier had been fulfilled and asked if Kashiwagi had decided which Executive to follow.
Kashiwagi said he'd go with Ryuka.
And then, he was kicked out.
The abruptness left Kashiwagi scratching his head. Was Ryuka really that trusted? Soshiro didn't even bother with any further manipulation or "loyalty talk."
But whatever. Who in their right mind would complain about not getting hit?
After leaving, Kashiwagi headed back to the surface and stopped by the hospital to visit the post-surgery Otsuka. He happened to see Otsuka's parents and sister outside the ward. Since they clearly didn't recognize him, he just peeked in, saw that the guy was wrapped up like a mummy, and checked that the heart monitor was steady before leaving.
Finally back at his apartment.
Kashiwagi let Lairon and Chansey out to roam freely while he went to check his "small" vault.
To prepare for today's tournament, his savings had shrunk to less than 30,000 Poké Dollars. Fortunately, this event had been a goldmine—the cash already in his hands totaled three million.
"...I should probably keep this on me. It's not safe here," he mused.
Having that much cash in his apartment felt like a death wish. After the tournament, his name would be buzzing for a while, and it was almost certain that some thief would try to sniff him out. In Pyrite Town, there were plenty of people who valued money more than their own lives.
Deposit it in the bank?
Not exactly reliable. Kashiwagi knew that while the only private bank in Pyrite Town was owned by the Mayor, it had zero credibility. No grunt worth their salt would trust them with a fortune. Only the ordinary civilians were willing to let the Mayor "manage" their wealth.
He decided it was better to carry it or find a way to deposit it in the Pokémon Bank in Gateon Port. That place was trustworthy because it was run by people from other regions, connected to a global network that allowed withdrawals anywhere in the world.
As he tucked the money away, he thought about searching for a third Pokémon to round out his team once things settled down.
Suddenly—
"Lairon!"
Lairon ran into the bedroom, sounding a bit panicked, and let out a low, muffled cry.
Kashiwagi jumped. "What's wrong?"
Just as the words left his mouth, Chansey walked in. She looked a bit shy, her small hands holding up a large, smooth egg.
Kashiwagi's eyes widened, his words tripping over each other. "You laid an egg!? No, wait—is this your egg? I mean—did you just take that out of your pouch?"
"Lucky~"
Chansey nodded and placed the egg on the bed, looking happily at Kashiwagi and Lairon.
This was a Soft-Boiled egg, produced from the deep pink pouch on her belly. If she was in high spirits and peak condition, she could produce several a day. They were incredibly nutritious and suitable for both humans and Pokémon.
To be honest, Chansey hadn't shared her eggs in a long time. It wasn't because she was stingy; she just felt that if she gave away the one she had, she wouldn't be able to replace it. She didn't know why, she just had a hunch.
But just now, that hunch had changed. She felt she could produce them again, and a quick trial proved her right.
Unfortunately, she had scared the daylights out of the inexperienced Lairon.
After some communication, Kashiwagi explained Chansey's special ability to Lairon.
The steel-clad Pokémon let out a long sigh of relief. "Lairon!"
It thought Chansey was going into labor right then and there. Talk about a scare.
But a nutritious egg... Lairon remembered someone saying it was malnourished and needed to bulk up. It walked to the edge of the bed and sniffed. The egg had an alluring aroma, unlike any egg it had seen before; it practically screamed "delicious."
"Lair!" It swallowed hard.
Seeing this, Chansey immediately pushed the egg toward Lairon, gesturing for it to eat. Lairon opened its mouth eagerly, but stopped itself at the last second. It used its snout to nudge the egg toward Kashiwagi.
Good things were meant to be shared. It had never been the type to eat alone.
Kashiwagi smiled and suggested, "Let's not be modest. Since it's a gift from Chansey, I'll fry it up in a bit, and we'll all share it."
"Lairon!" Lairon nodded enthusiastically.
Hearing this, Chansey—worrying there wouldn't be enough—promptly pulled two more eggs out of her pouch, placing them beside the first. The production process was magical; the eggs seemed to swell and solidify in seconds.
Seeing her reaching for a fourth, Kashiwagi quickly stopped her.
"Wait! Enough! One each is plenty!"
Even if she could lay them, it had to take some toll on her energy. Besides, these eggs were huge; they might not even finish them all, and wasting food was a sin.
"Lucky!" Chansey rubbed her head sheepishly, realizing she'd gotten a bit carried away.
Kashiwagi gathered the three eggs, his mood soaring. Actually, when he first bought Chansey, he'd had this in mind since Lairon needed the nutrients. But since Chansey hadn't offered, he assumed she was still nervous or they weren't close enough yet, so he'd let it go.
Now, less than a week later, the goal was achieved. Kashiwagi was genuinely happy—happier, in fact, than when the three million landed in his lap.
He lit the stove and poured oil into the pan. As he worked, he chatted with the two Pokémon crowded around him. "How do you want them? Over easy? Sunny side up? I'm telling you, you can't go wrong with fried eggs—"
Ding-dong!
The doorbell rang. Three pairs of eyes snapped toward the door.
Kashiwagi turned off the heat and peeked through the peephole. It was a stranger—though the insignia on his chest identified him as a Sand Unit Squad Leader.
"Can I help you?" he asked, opening the door cautiously.
"Got a moment?" the man said bluntly. "The tournament prize money, the donation cuts, and the Squad Leader perks—they're all ready for pickup at the headquarters. I'm here to tell you to get there as soon as possible."
"Oh! Thank you!"
Kashiwagi quickly thanked him and pulled 30,000 Poké Dollars from his pocket, offering it with a smile. "Just a small token of my appreciation for making the trip."
The man didn't even look at the money. "I work for Master Ryuka too. No need for that. Our division doesn't do that kind of thing. If you want to thank me, just give me a hand during the next gang war. I'd appreciate that more."
"Ah! My apologies!" Kashiwagi put the money away, then turned and ran back into the room to grab one of the Soft-Boiled eggs. "Take this, then. It's nothing expensive, just a greeting gift."
"...Fine." The man looked at the egg and accepted it without further protest. "By the way, you didn't recognize me?"
Kashiwagi blinked, looked closer, and then realized. "You're the one who delivered the Vibrava to me—"
"Correct. Name's Frobo. We're colleagues under the Big Brother now. Let's keep our squads close." Frobo nodded with a smile and turned to leave.
A rare bit of humanity. Kashiwagi had always believed the world of official members was one of cold, calculated interests. His experiences over the past week had certainly supported that. He hadn't expected to find a "good person" here.
Is it because I've made it? Once your status rises, do the people around you suddenly become 'nicer'?
Kashiwagi closed the door and walked back to the kitchen, shaking his head. "Sorry Chansey, Lairon. We'll have to split two—"
He stopped mid-sentence.
On the table, the missing egg had already been replaced. He looked at Chansey, who gave him a shy, bashful smile.
"Lucky~"
"Lairon!" Lairon's eyes crinkled in a grin.
Kashiwagi let out a helpless laugh. "Alright, you little genius. Back to business. Now, about these sunny-side-up eggs... I have to mention soy sauce. I haven't seen it in Pyrite Town yet, but I'm telling you, that stuff is..."
His rambling voice continued in the small kitchen under the soft, amber glow of the lamp. It was a moment of pure, heart-warming peace.