Lying on her soft princess bed, Mawile rested her chin in her small paws, unable to sleep.
To be honest, she had been incredibly excited before lying down. But once she was actually tucked in, her passion cooled significantly. Layers of "romantic filter" shattered one by one, and her initial joy dropped from a perfect ten to a seven.
And as she stared up at the lace canopy, her mind drifting back to the reality of battle, that seven dropped to a five.
Mawile was now wide awake.
When will I be called to fight? Likely not long from now. Mawile understood that if a Trainer kept calling and the Pokémon kept refusing to budge, patience would eventually wear thin, and she'd be forced onto the field.
Maybe I should just run away?
The thought flashed through her mind but was immediately dismissed. For one, she had no idea where to go; for another, this place seemed very dangerous. Following the Trainer around today, she felt like every person she saw looked like a villain.
Since she couldn't retreat, she decided to take the initiative! It was better to face it head-on than to wait for the axe to fall.
With that in mind, Mawile hopped off the bed and crept out of her room to peek at the Trainer next door. Unlike her, who had a private room, Lairon and Chansey seemed to stay with the Trainer. She lightened her steps as much as possible, not wanting to alert them.
However...
The second she stepped into the room, before she could even get a good look at their sleeping faces, two pairs of eyes locked onto her like searchlights.
"Lai... ron?" Lairon stood up from beside the bed, looking at her with confusion.
At the foot of the bed, Chansey poked her head out, rubbing her eyes with a groggy expression.
"Mawile!"
Mawile jumped in fright, quickly covering her mouth. Seeing Kashiwagi begin to stir and roll over on the bed, she scrambled back to her room, dove under the covers, and pretended to be dead to the world.
A few seconds later, a figure appeared in the doorway.
"What is it? Thirsty? Hungry?" Kashiwagi's calm voice drifted into her ears. "Or just can't sleep?"
She didn't move an inch, acting as if nothing had happened.
Soon, she heard his footsteps receding. She opened one eye a crack and saw the lights were on in the hallway. She heard the muffled cries of Lairon and Chansey, followed by the Trainer saying something with a chuckle.
A moment later, the figure returned. She resumed her "corpse" pose. She heard a soft clack nearby.
"I warmed up a cup of Moomoo Milk for you and added a bit of sugar. You should like it." His voice continued, "If you really can't sleep, feel free to wander around the house, but don't go outside. The temperature drops fast at night; you'll catch a cold if you're not careful."
With that, the footsteps faded, followed by the click of the light switch. The world plunged back into darkness.
Mawile waited two full minutes before rolling over. Her eyes shimmered in the dim moonlight filtering through the window. She looked at the small cup of milk on the nightstand and reached for it. The warmth traveled from her hands all the way through her body.
"Maw... Mawile~"
She took a tiny sip. So sweet!
Maybe she should give it a try. This Trainer didn't seem like the type to blow a fuse just because she lacked strength. The scary stories she'd heard might not all be true—just like that burger that tasted nothing like she expected.
----
The next morning.
After Kashiwagi finished washing up, he saw Chansey using a brush to clear the dust from the joints of Lairon's metal armor. He headed toward Mawile's room to wake her, only to find her already sitting at the dining table, waiting for breakfast.
He couldn't help but smile and wave her over. "We can't skip the morning grooming. Come here."
"Mawile?"
Mawile wasn't sure what he meant, but she hopped down and followed him into the bathroom. When she saw Kashiwagi pull out the same grooming kit she had used back home, she immediately cooperated, turning around and opening the great jaws on the back of her head. On her front side, she took a cup of water from Chansey and opened her mouth to let the latter brush her teeth with a small toothbrush.
Surprisingly cooperative, Kashiwagi thought, raising an eyebrow. He had expected to spend some time coaxing her. Was it the Moomoo Milk from last night?
He figured it was likely. If things kept going this way, wouldn't she be ready for battle soon? That would be ideal. He flashed a subtle smile and made quick work of her personal hygiene.
----
Breakfast.
Everyone had their fixed portions. Since funds weren't exactly overflowing, the high-end food Mawile used to eat required special orders and extra cash. Her current meal quality was a significant downgrade. Kashiwagi had been worried she wouldn't adjust or might even smash the plate in a fit of rage.
But neither last night nor this morning did she complain. He found it bizarre. Yesterday she was cold and distant, as if she were in a different world; how did she become so "normal" overnight?
Something's fishy. His expression was a bit strained.
When morning training began, things got even weirder. Without even being invited, Mawile naturally stepped into line next to Lairon and Chansey. Her eyes flickered with emotion, though Kashiwagi couldn't tell what she was thinking.
Kashiwagi and the other two Pokémon looked at each other in surprise.
"Well... it looks like we have a new member for morning training. However, since we aren't all familiar with each other's styles yet, I suggest a friendly sparring match. What do you think?"
He looked specifically at Mawile. Lairon, obviously, wouldn't refuse. Mawile looked up, understood he was asking for her consent, and nodded without much hesitation.
"...Thanks for the cooperation." Kashiwagi turned around, unable to hide his shock.
He had no way of knowing that to overcome this mental hurdle, the Pokémon had stayed awake all night and was now in a state of "whatever happens, happens."
----
The makeshift battlefield.
The two Pokémon stood five meters apart, eyeing each other with tension and wariness. Kashiwagi didn't give any commands; this match was entirely up to them. Chansey stood by the Trainer, wanting to cheer but not knowing who to support—so she cheered for both.
"Chan-sey! Chaan-sey!"
"On your marks." Kashiwagi put a whistle in his mouth. TWEEET!
Lairon moved first. He tilted his head back and took a deep breath. Dust from the air and the ground condensed into sharp projectiles, turning into a cluster of jagged stones in an instant.
Zip! Zip! Zip!
Driven by a brownish-gold light, the Rock Blast launched forward! While it looked like Rock Tomb, the structure was different; these were made to shatter on impact for maximum damage, whereas Rock Tomb used subterranean boulders meant to hinder movement.
Mawile decisively swung her head, bringing the great jaws forward to block. The surface of the jaws shimmered with silver light as the flying stones hit the metal and pulverized into dust.
Lairon, having finished his probing attack, got a basic read on her defense and began to back away slowly, intending to play a hit-and-run game.
However, he didn't notice the bewilderment on Mawile's face.
Wait... that's it? Was he holding back on purpose? The rocks were so slow, and the impact was so weak.
How polite of him.
Mawile watched the retreating Lairon and caught Kashiwagi's gaze out of the corner of her eye. She decided she shouldn't be "polite" in return, lest her Trainer think she was actually that weak.
Alright. Full power!
Mawile clenched her small fists. Faint yellow sparks of electricity crackled around her body as she suddenly slammed her feet into the ground. With a loud BOOM, she launched forward!
Yes, launched was the word. Kashiwagi's eyes widened as Mawile blurred like a streak of black light, sailing right over Lairon's head. She reached the wall at the edge of the yard, flipped in mid-air, and kicked off the stone surface with both feet!
BOOM!
The impact sent a cloud of dust blooming from the wall. Before Lairon even realized the attack was coming from behind, Mawile had already closed the distance and swung her fist! A brownish-red light exploded against Lairon's side!
CLANG!
Lairon was sent flying, tumbling several times through the dirt before coming to a halt. He staggered back to his feet, shaken.
Kashiwagi and Chansey watched in stunned silence. There was no need for words.
They looked at Mawile, who had landed on the ground with an even more confused expression, staring at her own small fist as if she didn't know her own strength.
Kashiwagi's heart was racing.