Back home.
Kashiwagi glanced at the countdown on the Simulator.
The cooldown had actually ended yesterday, but due to his mental turmoil, he had put it off, intending to use it alongside the next one. Based on his observations, a Blue Talent only appeared every three simulations. This wasn't the third, so it wasn't time for a Blue Talent just yet.
He had a lot on his plate these next few days.
"I have to work even harder."
Kashiwagi looked at the Pokédex in his hand. Mawile had just reached Level 50 this morning, which meant she had officially outgrown the standard rewards of the Simulator. Ordinary simulations could no longer satisfy her leveling requirements; he'd need at least a Top 8 finish to get results.
Only a Top 8 finish or higher would grant the reward of a level-up for Pokémon under Level 70.
Aggron wasn't far from Level 50 either; it would likely happen sometime this week.
To be honest, Kashiwagi was a bit surprised by their rapid progress. Although the Simulator provided a massive boost, a large portion of their levels still came from the rewards of their own grueling training.
In this world—influenced by the logic of the anime—Pokémon strength seemed to grow incredibly fast. It made sense why Ash could swap his team every season for a tournament and still manage to reach a decent standing.
However, since Aggron and Mawile could no longer use the ordinary rewards, Kashiwagi could focus all those resources on nurturing Chansey and Deino, helping them grow as quickly as possible.
Especially the latter. Even though Professor Rowan had told him that levels aren't a definitive shackle to evolution and that it could happen early or late, the fact remained that Hydreigon was a late-blooming Pokémon. In the games, its evolution level was a staggering 64, a height Kashiwagi couldn't even see from where he stood.
In comparison, the evolution cycles of pseudo-legendaries like Garchomp and Salamence were much shorter, which honestly made him a bit envious.
"Come over here."
Kashiwagi waved at his Deino, who was currently mixed in with its peers.
These little guys basically all looked the same. If you weren't familiar with them, it was truly difficult to tell who was who. To make identification easier, he had specifically dyed the little tuft on his Deino's head with a bit of white paint. It made spotting his partner much easier.
"Dei-no!"
"Dei-no dei-no!"
But apparently, more than one Deino had taken a liking to him. With one call, almost the entire pack came charging over—a dark, headlong wave that was actually quite intimidating.
"Are you sure you don't want to raise a few more? They seem to really like you," Takeshi said from the side.
Kashiwagi shook his head vigorously. "Thanks for the offer, but raising one is already enough of a headache. You've seen it—my other Pokémon are practically on strike."
"Uh..."
Takeshi looked a bit embarrassed at the mention of that. In just a few days, every inch of the place bore the marks of Deino devastation. Aggron and the others used to just complain to Kashiwagi; now they were straight-up protesting. He couldn't exactly turn a blind eye to it.
But there was no helping it. A Deino's Ability tells you everything you need to know about its nature: Hustle. Without a core of chaotic energy, it wouldn't have that Ability in the first place.
"Just kidding. Don't take what Aggron and the others say to heart. They're just sensitive. The Deinos haven't actually touched anything they consider precious; they're just bored and acting scary to assert themselves."
Kashiwagi chuckled. Come to think of it, Aggron and the others were becoming quite mischievous. Even though they were starting to get used to the Deinos' "home renovation" habits, they still felt the need to come out and roar a bit just to show who was boss.
He said, "Let's head to the backyard. Being cooped up in the house all day isn't good for anyone."
"Is it okay?"
"It's fine. No one dares come near this place. I've already told the maids not to come by lately. The house next door is empty with no staff, so relax."
Kashiwagi had already scouted the area. There were no surveillance cameras, and virtually no one would wander over here. High Executives were usually very big on privacy and didn't let people near their homes.
"Alright," Takeshi agreed. He really did need some sun and fresh air.
The Backyard
The Deinos were shrieking and hollering as they ran around the yard, having the time of their lives.
Aggron stood by its two trees, guarding them with a look of pure horror while shooting angry glares at Kashiwagi.
"Roar!"
"Easy now, what are you so afraid of?"
Kashiwagi laughed and picked up a spray bottle he'd brought along. He ran to the base of the two trees and sprayed a ring around them. "There, that'll do. They won't go near them anymore."
"Aggron?"
"You don't believe me?"
Seeing Aggron's bewildered expression, Kashiwagi raised an eyebrow. He jogged over, scooped up his own Deino, and carried it to the edge of the tree's perimeter before setting it down gently.
"Roar—"
"Watch closely."
He held back the Aggron, who was poised to roar.
In an instant, the great beast watched as the Deino took a single sniff, suddenly stuck out its tongue in disgust, and bolted in the opposite direction.
"Gron?"
Aggron found this fascinating. It leaned down to sniff the scent as well—"GROON—!!"
It immediately clutched its nose, staring at its Trainer in disbelief. Its expression screamed: What on earth did you spray there?!
"Pokémon Repel Spray," Kashiwagi said with a slight smile, lifting the bottle. "In the outside world, this stuff is usually used on high-voltage power lines and railways to stop certain Pokémon from chewing on them. Don't worry, the scent isn't harmful. If a Pokémon can stomach the smell, it's fine. But as you know, Deinos have poor eyesight and rely on biting and sniffing to identify their surroundings. So, as you saw, it can't stand this smell!"
Aggron's eyes sparkled. Even if it didn't understand the science, its Trainer sounded very impressive. However, the moment the smell hit its nose again, its expression collapsed.
How can something be this disgusting?
"Roar~"
"Hahaha, that's because the primary targets for this protection are you and your pre-evolutions! Lairon and Aron are the ones most interested in signal towers and railways; they're always trying to sneak a snack."
Kashiwagi couldn't stop laughing. As a human, he didn't find the stuff stinky; in fact, because of the added fragrance, he thought it smelled a bit like perfume.
This stuff could actually work for Mawile's princess bed, too. But he was certain that if he dared spray it there, Mawile would instantly transform into a vengeful spirit.
Aggron looked at the gloating Kashiwagi and felt that he definitely wasn't saying anything nice. A rare urge to prank him back surged within it. Its massive tail swept out instinctively as Kashiwagi turned around, tripping him and sending him stumbling.
The two looked at each other—one looking up from the ground, the other looking down from above.
"ron~"
Aggron turned its head and acted like nothing had happened, trotting off to find Takeshi's Haxorus. This Pokémon, which was slightly shorter than itself, possessed a raw strength that matched or even exceeded its own. Those iron-hard, axe-like tusks were also something it greatly admired.
How could it pass up a chance for a good sparring session?
"That guy..."
Kashiwagi realized he might have pushed the joke a bit too far and rubbed his head.
Suddenly, a series of cries rang out.
He looked up just in time to see the pack of Deinos charging toward him. One after another, they bowled him over, nuzzling and rooting around him.
Feeling the slight sting on his hand combined with the damp, sandpaper-like sensation of a tongue, he looked helplessly at his partner Deino. "In the whole world, you're the only one who loves biting people this much."
"Dei-no~"
The Deino responded proudly, completely fearless.
Hearing this, the surrounding Deinos joined in, lifting their voices together.
"Dei-no! Dei-no!"