Let's be honest—the chin is a fatal "weak point" for any feline Pokémon.
Even Raikou, the personification of thunder, found its fury fizzling out after a few strategic scritches. Its body went limp, and a low, rhythmic vibration echoed from its throat.
A purr? It sounded like one, yet carried a majestic depth that regular cats couldn't hope to match.
Kashiwagi didn't let up. He redoubled his "offensive," determined to coax a genuine, full-blown purest purr out of the legendary beast.
Even though his thick gloves dampened the tactile sensation, being able to safely rub the chin of a literal lightning god was a revolutionary achievement. Those flesh-colored insulated gloves were worth every penny.
Before long, Raikou's body began to twist and stretch. Just like any pampered house cat, it started to roll over, threatening to expose its belly to the world.
Kashiwagi's eyes lit up. Seeing that Raikou's eyes remained shut—seemingly lost in a subconscious trance—he stealthily slipped off his right glove.
Safety is one thing, but what's the point if I can't feel the fur? He thought.
But the moment his bare hand brushed Raikou's chin, the legendary Pokémon's eyes snapped into narrow slits. A flash of cunning glinted in its pupils, and a spark of electricity danced through the fur of its jaw.
"GYAAAH!"
Kashiwagi let out a pathetic shriek, stumbling backward until he slammed into Hydreigon, who was watching from behind.
A cocktail of numbness, stinging, and itching surged up his arm. He clutched his right hand, rubbing it frantically to soothe the shock. Looking back at Raikou, he saw the beast still lying on its side, but with one eyelid cracked open in a clear expression of mockery.
He'd been played.
The "defenseless" act was a trap. Raikou's stoic face seemed to say: Too green, kid. Way too green.
"That was cold! You could've fried my hand off!" Kashiwagi barked his accusation.
Raikou simply ignored him. If it couldn't inflict maximum psychological damage without causing actual permanent injury after roaming the world for centuries, it would have retired long ago.
"Aaah~" It let out a massive, casual yawn. Pranking aside, the chin rub had been incredibly relaxing. It was actually getting sleepy.
"Fine. You win this round," Kashiwagi muttered, swallowing the bitter pill of defeat.
In reality, if Raikou truly wanted to blast him, it wouldn't need physical contact. It was just mimicking Kashiwagi's own teasing nature—giving him a taste of his own medicine.
Note to self: The cat is smarter than it looks. This grudge is officially recorded.
Determined to eventually conquer that belly fluff, Kashiwagi glanced at the wall clock. With a huff, he gathered his team and headed out for evening training.
....
The Night Life of Lavaridge Town
Lavaridge Town was a famous hot spring resort, meaning the streets were crawling with trainers—both locals and tourists—looking for a post-dinner stroll.
Especially the park.
Trainers huddled in groups, flaunting their Pokémon and baiting passersby into challenges. But Kashiwagi didn't even have to look for them; they came to him.
He took all the frustration he'd bottled up from Raikou and vented it directly onto these unsuspecting strangers. It was a cleansing experience. Watching a string of "wild" trainers walk onto the field grinning and leave it sobbing did wonders for his mental health.
"Much better!" Kashiwagi exhaled, watching a poor Scyther faint in the distance.
Porygon, who hadn't seen much action during the day, was also in high spirits. Even though it had taken a few hits, its Recover move was basically a cheat code. The minor damage was nothing compared to the dopamine hit of a win.
"Pah-ree!"
Porygon beeped eagerly, signaling it wanted another round. It firmly believed that if it kept this up, evolution was just around the corner.
To reach Trust Level Six Hearts...
How could it reach six hearts? Although it was an internal system, Porygon clearly couldn't control it on its own; it could only slowly improve through battles, as its trainer had suggested. It silently pondered how long it would take.
While Porygon pondered the mysteries of friendship stats, Kashiwagi scanned the crowd for his next victim.
...
Suddenly, a figure emerged from the onlookers. Even in the dead of night, this person wore a mask and rather peculiar clothing. Judging by the silhouette, it was a woman.
"Let me try," the masked stranger said. "But I'd prefer if you used that Hydreigon from earlier. Deal?"
Ordering off the menu, are we? Kashiwagi quirked an eyebrow.
He gave the masked woman a long look, patted the disappointed Porygon to comfort it, and returned the digital Pokémon to its ball.
Click. A different Poké Ball popped open.
"Hydrei-gonn!"
Under the glow of the streetlights, Hydreigon let out a raspy, low hiss. Its menacing appearance and massive frame cast a terrifying shadow over the park. The crowd instinctively drew back, whispers breaking out among the spectators.
After a bit of adjustment, Hydreigon was finally getting used to having only one main head again. Street battles were the perfect physical therapy for its new body. Winning was secondary; coordination was key.
The masked woman looked at Hydreigon, a hint of satisfaction visible in her eyes even behind the mask. She raised her hand and tossed a Poké Ball.
BAM! A burst of light filled the clearing.
"ROAAAAR!!"
A massive, dark-red bipedal dragon slammed onto the field. Its aura was pure ferocity. Its jade-white eyes locked onto Hydreigon, and its low growl vibrated like a rapid drumbeat against the chests of everyone standing nearby.
The crowd erupted in hushed excitement.
"What is that thing?"
"It's huge!"
"I know that one! It's a Tyrantrum—a fossil Pokémon from the Kalos region! What's it doing all the way here in Hoenn?"
The two Dragon-types ignored the noise. They stared each other down, instinctively falling into aggressive stances before a single command was even issued.
In the world of dragons, there is no room for pleasantries—only dominance.
Between dragons, there is no logic. There is only the primal instinct to prove who sits atop the food chain—the drive for the strong to conquer the weak.
Kashiwagi stared at the Tyrantrum, and a silent "Holy crap" echoed in his mind.
It wasn't just that the Pokémon looked formidable; it was that he had finally realized who this masked woman was. Honestly, if it hadn't been for those two crimson crescents on her chest and that tattered, weather-beaten cloak, he never would have guessed her identity.
Seeing that he wasn't making the first move, the masked trainer gave a confident laugh. "If you won't come to me, then I'm coming for you! Dragon Claw!"
"ROARRR!"
Tyrantrum ignited its massive legs, charging toward Hydreigon with terrifying speed. Its tail whipped behind it like a heavy steel cable. Its short foreclaws began to glow with an eerie green light, expanding into shimmering energy talons that made the very air vibrate with power.
Kashiwagi's gaze sharpened. "Dragon Pulse!"
"Hydre-gon!"
Hydreigon didn't flinch. Indigo, orange, and azure energies swirled within its three maws, colliding mid-air to form a single, terrifying dragon-shaped projectile of multi-colored light. The energy dragon roared as it careened straight into the oncoming Tyrantrum!
BOOM!!
The volatile dragon energy detonated on impact. A cloud of thick smoke and fire billowed outward, swallowing Tyrantrum whole. But a split second later, the prehistoric king burst through the haze, completely unfazed.
It had used those glowing Dragon Claws to physically tear through the Dragon Pulse!
"ROAR!"
Trailing wisps of white smoke, Tyrantrum closed the distance. As Hydreigon tried to bank away in shock, the green-lit claw swung down with crushing force toward Hydreigon's main head.
CRACK!
"Hydrei...gon..."
Hydreigon grunted, reeling back through the dust. The sheer weight of the impact left its vision swimming and its equilibrium shaken.
Luckily, he could still withstand it, Kashiwagi thought.
If the opponent could shrug off a direct Dragon Pulse, he had to be just as tough. Actually, he didn't have a choice—it was either hold the line or go down. Hydreigon shook his head violently, forcing his vision to snap back into focus.
"Fly up! Dodge it!"
Following Kashiwagi's shout, Hydreigon beat its wings frantically, surging upward. A split second later, a gust of wind and a massive, emerald-glowing tail swept through the space where it had just been hovering.
"Dragon Breath!"
Hydreigon's three heads inhaled sharply, spitting out a rapid-fire succession of indigo rings.
Tyrantrum was still recovering from its missed tail swing. It tried to retreat, but the energy rings slammed into its hindquarters.
THOOM!
Amidst the rising dust, Tyrantrum's massive frame stumbled back, its footing compromised.
"ROAAAR—"
Dragon Breath might lack the raw power of Dragon Pulse, but its execution was faster—and it carried that sweet, sweet chance of paralysis.
Kashiwagi watched the Tyrantrum closely. It was leaning forward, chest heaving as it gasped for air. He realized that while the Dragon Pulse and Dragon Breath hadn't landed "perfectly," they had dealt significant damage.
The beast was only standing because it was literally too stubborn to feel the pain.
What terrifying willpower.
"Get high and use Draco Meteor!"
Seeing Hydreigon was back in the zone, Kashiwagi threw his right hand toward the sky. It was time to end this game of endurance with a nuclear option.
"HYDREI-GHON!"
The Hydreigon flapped its wings and soared to a high position, raising its middle head to concentrate and quickly gather orange-red light on its chest and abdomen.
Although it had used twice the amount of Meteor Shower earlier, it hadn't forgotten the normal method.
In an instant, terrifying dragon-attribute energy frantically brewed, the dazzling light resembling a small sun, making the streetlights and the full moon in the sky appear somewhat dim.
This attack would take it down!
The onlookers shielded their eyes, squinting through their fingers, unwilling to miss the spectacle.
But Tyrantrum had finally shaken off the sting of the previous attacks.
"Outrage!" its trainer commanded.
A horrific red mist erupted from Tyrantrum's scales, swirling around it like phantom flames. Its eyes turned a blood-chilling crimson, and its aura—already oppressive—doubled in intensity. With a thunderous roar that shook the very pavement, it leaped.
"ROOOOOOARRR!!"
The massive Pokémon cleared several meters in a single bound. Hydreigon, mid-charge for Draco Meteor, never expected a creature that heavy to have that kind of vertical.
Tyrantrum's jaws clamped down hard on Hydreigon's tail, and with a violent jerk, it slammed the three-headed dragon straight into the dirt.
CRASH!
Hydreigon hit the dirt hard, his concentration shattered along with the pavement. He had completely underestimated the opponents vertical reach.
But in that split second of impact, Hydreigon managed to unleash the massive energy he'd been brewing.
Fsh-sh-sh-shoo! The cluster of orange energy shrieked as it shot into the night sky!
KABOOM!
The sphere burst, raining down a barrage of glowing meteors. They streaked through the air like fiery arrows, homing in on the Tyrantrum still pinned to Hydreigon's back.
"Hy-drei-gonnn!" With a desperate surge of strength, the three-headed dragon twisted, successfully using Tyrantrum as a living shield against the glittering rain of destruction.
THUD! CRASH! BOOM!!
The park turned into a war zone. Meteors slammed into the earth like miniature asteroids, leaving smoking craters everywhere and sending debris flying toward the panicked crowd.
Tyrantrum took the brunt of it. Three, four massive hits exploded across its spine in a sequence of blinding flashes!
"Ty-rant... r-r-rum!" The prehistoric beast let out a pained, muffled groan. Even for a titan like him, a direct hit from Draco Meteor was a nightmare of searing agony.
But fueled by the blinding rage of Outrage, the fire in his heart burned hotter than the pain in his body. He glared down at the Hydreigon beneath him, his eyes glowing a manic red. He was ready to go down, but he was taking this three-headed freak with him!
"That's enough!"
"Stop!"
Two voices rang out simultaneously.
Tyrantrum's massive, serrated teeth froze inches from Hydreigon's neck. At the same time, the dark energy swirling in Hydreigon's maws slowly flickered out.
Both trainers had called it.
In the heat of a street match, there's a fine line between a "tough fight" and "permanent damage." While these dragons were stubborn enough to fight until they dropped, Kashiwagi and the stranger knew better. A friendly spar shouldn't end with a week-long stay in an ICU.
Tyrantrum hadn't fainted, but he was teetering on the edge. As soon as Hydreigon slid out from under him, the mountain-like Pokémon slumped to his knees, chest heaving with exhaustion.
The crowd let out a collective groan of disappointment. The battle had been short, but the raw power on display had been enough to keep them buzzing for weeks.
The masked woman rushed forward, shoving recovery meds and Berries into Tyrantrum's mouth. As his breathing evened out, she gently stroked the scales near his wounds.
"You were amazing," she whispered. "Rest now. I'll get you to a Center soon."
"Ty-ran..." the big dragon rumbled softly before being pulled back into his Poké Ball.
...
Not far away.
"Great job, buddy. Well done.," Kashiwagi said, patting Hydreigon's central neck. For a Pokémon still learning to balance with one main head, he had performed brilliantly.
Still, the toughness of that Tyrantrum was haunting. How did he stay standing after all those meteors? Was it just the Outrage adrenaline?
"You're just as talented as the rumors say," a voice interrupted his thoughts.
The masked woman was standing right beside him. "You haven't disgraced the bloodline you carry."
"...And you are?" Kashiwagi asked, his brow furrowing.
"Answer me first," she countered. "How many Badges do you have?"
"Four."
"When you have six, come find me at Meteor Falls." The woman reached up and pulled off her mask, revealing a sharp, beautiful face and a smirk that held no malice. "My name is Zinnia. Like you, I am a descendant of the People of the Meteors—a Lorekeeper of the Dragon Type."
I knew it! Kashiwagi's mind raced. "Why six Badges?"
"If you think that's too few, you can come back after you have eight," Zinnia teased, her eyes twinkling. "Either way, when the time comes, I'll have a trial ready for you."
Ignoring the curious stares from the locals, she tossed a Poké Ball.
POP!
A massive, sleek blue dragon with blood-red wings materialized under the moonlight, exuding an aura of ancient mystery.
"Wait! What kind of trial?" Kashiwagi called out.
"You'll find out when you're ready! Keep growing, You aare an excellent Dragon trainer!" Zinnia laughed, vaulting onto Salamence's back.
With a single, powerful flap of its wings, the dragon rocketed into the sky and vanished into the night.
The incredibly fast speed instantly dispelled Kashiwagi's desire to ask further. "...Was it necessary to escape so quickly?"
Seeing that Salamence made him remember the "Team Rocket grunt" Raikou had been chasing earlier.
That was her, wasn't it?
It made sense now. Flannery had said the grunts in the secret base were knocked out by something other than electricity. Zinnia must have gone undercover to bust heads.
This one seems to particularly enjoy disguising herself as a villainous organization…
"A trial at six badges, huh?" Kashiwagi rubbed his chin.
He suspected this had everything to do with Mega Evolution. Perhaps her deliberately choosing to battle Hydreigon was to test his ability to train Dragon-type Pokémon?
But the difference between the two badges wasn't enough to make him significantly stronger.
"Well, Once Porygon and Feebas evolve, maybe it'll be time to hunt for a new Dragon-type teammate." He remembered he still had two clues about specific base stats that he hadn't used.
"Never mind, let's go."
He turned to Hydreigon and said, "Come on, let's get your head checked out at the Center. I bet those Dragon Claws gave you a real migraine."
"Hy-drei-gon..." the dragon groaned in agreement, feeling every bit of the headache.
...
...
Back at the hotel.
Kashiwagi was about to call out to Raikou when, as if sensing something, the other suddenly raised its head and jumped closer.
It circled around him, sniffing him every now and then.
Undoubtedly, Raikou was sniffing Zinnia's scent; it had been searching for this "escaped fish" all day, and unexpectedly, it had caught her scent on this brat.
Good news?
Not at all.
The first thought that flashed through its mind wasn't to ask Kashiwagi if he had encountered any suspicious people, but rather a feeling of regret and helplessness.
Raikou had done everything in its power to keep this kid out of the mess with Team Rocket. It had been careful, strategic, and overprotective—yet, somehow, it had failed. Kashiwagi hadn't just crossed paths with "that person"; he'd spent enough time with her for her scent to be practically "loud."
Raikou turned its gaze toward Kashiwagi, its golden eyes filled with a certain... resentful weariness.
Seriously? Was all that effort for nothing?
Kashiwagi, seeing the legendary beast's bizarre expression, just looked back blankly. "What's up? What are you sniffing for?"
"Raii-koo..."
The Great Cat let out a low rumble and turned away. Unfortunately, Kashiwagi's "Pokémon-to-Human" translation skills were still a work in progress.
"Oh, hey! Remember that Team Rocket grunt you were chasing earlier? The one on the Salamence? I think I ran into her on my way back. You'll never guess who she actually is."
Kashiwagi jogged to catch up, eager to share the news about Zinnia.
"..."
Hearing this, Raikou felt even less inclined to acknowledge this "lucky-but-clueless" kid. Why are you so excited about meeting Team Rocket?!
But Kashiwagi's next words made the legendary Pokémon freeze in its tracks.
"She wasn't actually Team Rocket—she's a Draconid! One of the People of the Meteors! Have you heard of them?"
"Rai?"
Raikou tilted its head, its eyes widening slightly. It was officially paying attention.
Striking while the iron was hot, Kashiwagi filled Raikou in on everything: the battle, the encounter, and the supposed "Draconid Dragon Tamer" bloodline flowing through his own veins.
To be honest, Kashiwagi didn't feel a deep sense of belonging to this ancient clan, but since everyone was slapping that label on him anyway, he'd accepted it as part of his identity. He already had enough identities; what was one more?
Raikou listened to the whole story, its gaze softening into something more complex. It hadn't realized this kid had such a complicated history.
It had pegged him as just a remarkably talented, albeit handsy, trainer.
And the "Team Rocket grunt" was actually a Draconid in disguise? No wonder she was so good at hiding. It wasn't that Raikou looked down on Team Rocket, but experience had proven that while they had the high-tech gadgets, the actual grunts were mostly cannon fodder. The elites were few and far between.
Since the "threat" had been verified as a non-enemy, there was no longer a reason to hunt her down.
Raikou padded back to the side of the bed, resting its heavy head on its crossed paws and narrowing its eyes for a nap.
"..."
Kashiwagi watched the lazy "big cat," a flicker of hesitation crossing his face.
Now that the Team Rocket base in Lavaridge Town was dismantled and Raikou's external wounds were mostly healed, the moment for their paths to diverge was looming.
The thought stung.
He'd finally managed to scratch that chin, but he hadn't even gotten a single belly rub in yet! Looking at the magnificent creature he'd grown so fond of, a heavy knot formed in Kashiwagi's chest.
He knew who Raikou was—a member of Ho-Oh's legendary guard, a protector with a will of iron and a mission to keep the world safe from organizations like Team Rocket. He would never dream of asking Raikou to stop its journey just for him.
But still...
It had been less than a week. It was just too short.
Sensing Kashiwagi's melancholic gaze, Raikou cracked an eyelid and looked at him.
The legendary beast wasn't oblivious. It knew that with the mystery of the "grunt" solved, its reason for staying by this boy's side had vanished. Its healing body was a constant reminder that it was time to run again.
Yet, as it replayed the memories of the last few days, Raikou realized it was finding it very hard to take that first step away.
Even earlier that day, some inexplicable pull had driven it back to this hotel room. Raikou knew exactly what that pull was—it was the very thing it had avoided for centuries to keep its focus on its mission.
A Bond.
It didn't matter that Kashiwagi didn't own its Poké Ball. It didn't matter that he wasn't technically its "Trainer." True friendship doesn't need a capsule of red and white to exist.
Raikou still thought the kid was a bit of a brat who didn't know when to stop touching its fur, but it had come to respect him. It realized that a trainer with his potential needed a stable environment to grow, and it felt a pang of regret for almost dragging him into its dangerous situation.
Thankfully, Kashiwagi hadn't been implicated.
Logic dictated that it should leave now, under the cover of night. But... just for a little while longer...
Let me stay just a bit more. Even if it's only for one last night.
"Raii..."
Raikou closed its eyes, the sound of Kashiwagi's voice humming in its ears. For the first time in a long time, the legendary beast felt a sense of profound peace... and silence.