Every trainer needs a private space to tame a new Pokémon without interruption. Fortunately, certain neutral districts in the Underdome offer exactly this kind of service.
Otsuka led Kashiwagi to one of these facilities. Once the room was booked, the young man seemed eager to tag along and watch.
Kashiwagi shot him down immediately, arranging to meet again in two hours.
Leaving a dejected-looking Otsuka behind, Kashiwagi slammed the door shut, sealing out the subterranean clamor.
The space wasn't particularly large—it resembled an enclosed basketball court with a flat floor and roughly marked boundary lines. There were various environments available for rent, such as those with pools or grassy patches, and the dimensions were usually enough to accommodate most Pokémon.
Kashiwagi started by releasing Aron. Then, he carefully pored over the data Maruyama had given him regarding the Chansey.
Being illiterate is a nightmare, he thought, struggling with the strange script. Luckily, he wasn't completely unlearned; he could piece together the gist of the information with some effort.
"In a moment, I'm going to release our next partner. If it starts running around, you can try to head it off, but absolutely do not attack it—even if it attacks me. Got it?"
He spoke with grave earnestness, repeating himself several times to ensure the little Steel-type understood.
Once Aron nodded, Kashiwagi pulled out Chansey's Poké Ball, enlarged it, and took a cautious step back.
Pop!
"Lucky..."
The pink, oval-shaped creature materialized. Its hands immediately flew to the egg in its belly pouch, eyes darting around helplessly as it slowly backed away.
"Hello there."
Kashiwagi didn't rush in. He maintained a distance that wouldn't trigger Chansey's flight response. "Don't be afraid. Just relax... you're safe now. No one is going to hurt you."
"Lucky?"
Chansey paused and looked at him. It glanced nervously at the stationary human, then at Aron, who was trying his best to look non-threatening while sneaking curious peeks at the newcomer.
Seeing that neither showed any signs of aggression, Chansey's internal panic began to subside.
Kind and gentle by nature, Chansey possessed the ability to sense malice. To its eyes, this duo of human and Pokémon was undoubtedly friendly.
"My name is Kashiwagi, and this is my partner, Aron."
"Kwah!"
After the brief introduction, Kashiwagi noticed Chansey had calmed significantly. He placed a tin of Pokémon food on the ground. "If you're hungry, please, help yourself."
To prove the food was safe, he personally picked up a kibble and popped it into his mouth. To be honest, it didn't taste great—low price usually meant low quality—but it served its purpose.
The two backed away, giving Chansey space to approach.
"Lucky..."
Chansey gave the hair-like appendages on the sides of its head a little wiggle, then waddled forward to pick up the food, eating it bit by bit.
As it ate, it kept its eyes on Kashiwagi.
The boy kept his hands open and visible to show he wasn't making any sudden moves. Seeing Chansey transition from cautious nibbles to hearty gulps, Kashiwagi let out a sigh of relief and smiled.
Maruyama likely hadn't mistreated the Chansey or starved it; there was no profit in damaged merchandise. However, Chansey probably hadn't had the heart or the appetite to eat while in captivity. In a Poké Ball, it could sleep, but in a cage, it would have been constantly terrified. It would be a miracle if it could eat under those conditions.
Especially after being "returned" twice.
When Chansey finished the tin and looked at him expectantly, Kashiwagi shook his head. "Sorry, you have to eat in moderation. Eating too much at once isn't good for you."
"Lucky~"
Chansey looked a bit disappointed, but with a full stomach, its emotions stabilized. The relatively safe environment finally made a "conversation" possible.
"Were you taken from a Pokémon Center or from someone else?" Kashiwagi asked, addressing a vital concern.
Chansey were rare compared to other Pokémon, making them prime targets for poachers or thieves—some even went as far as raiding Pokémon Centers. Otsuka claimed the shop was "clean," but Kashiwagi wasn't about to take that at face value.
"Lucky?"
Chansey rubbed its cheeks with its short arms, looking utterly confused. It was unclear if it didn't understand the question or if it simply didn't know what a Pokémon Center was.
He repeated the question several ways, trying to interpret Chansey's responses.
Communicating with Pokémon was a test of patience. They have independent thoughts and wear their emotions—joy, anger, sorrow, and delight—very clearly on their sleeves.
In a way, their hearts were both fragile and incredibly resilient. Resilient enough to wait years for a verbal promise while enduring total solitude, yet fragile enough that being abandoned could leave a wound so deep they might never trust a human again.
How should I view Aron and the others? Kashiwagi wondered.
Though he spoke of "partners" and "companions," at this stage, Aron was essentially a tool he was using to improve his status and environment. What did a "true partner" even look like? Mutual aid? Life and death together?
Kashiwagi didn't want to overthink it. His current survival situation forced him to prioritize utility. However, if Aron ever had a wish, Kashiwagi knew he would do everything in his power to fulfill it.
Once he confirmed that Chansey was a wild Pokémon captured by a poaching group and brought to Orre for sale, he felt a weight lift off his chest.
Orre might be a lawless land where Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny held no sway, but a stolen Pokémon still belonged to someone else. That was a far messier situation than an abandoned or "returned" one.
Checking the distance between them again, he realized Chansey had moved from five meters away to less than one. A massive improvement.
Kashiwagi continued to chat, bringing Aron into the fold, speaking of things that might interest or relax the pink Pokémon. Seeing the last of the wariness fade from its face, replaced by a hint of a smile, he decided the time was right. He reached out his hand.
"Chansey, if you're willing, I'd like to invite you to join us—to join me and Aron's little team."
He pulled Aron closer to show their bond. "You know, living alone in a place like this is hard and scary. There are bad people everywhere. But if we move forward together, I believe no obstacle is too big. When bad people see us sticking together, they'll think twice. We help each other, and we live together."
"Kwah!" Aron nodded with a grin.
With the Poké Ball in his possession, he didn't technically need Chansey's permission to give orders. But he didn't want to be that crude. Lowering his posture to ask for its consent was something he was more than willing to do.
Respect. Even if it was just on the surface for now, Kashiwagi wanted to maintain that habit.
"Lucky..."
Chansey stared blankly at them. For a fleeting moment, its expression brightened, but it quickly dimmed again.
"Are you worried about fighting?" Kashiwagi sensed the cause of its low spirits. "Why is it that you don't want to battle? Is it because you don't want to hurt others, or because you're afraid—afraid of being hit or hitting back?"
At first glance, the two seemed similar, but they were worlds apart. The latter was a psychological fear that could be overcome; the former was a fundamental belief. Not every Pokémon was interested in combat.
"Lucky?" Chansey looked lost.
It seemed it didn't know the answer either—perhaps it was a bit of both.
"...How about this? If you don't have to attack a single person or Pokémon, but only help heal Aron when he's hurt... would you be okay with that?"
Kashiwagi suddenly gave Aron a playful "smack" on the head and winked.
Aron was stunned for a few seconds before catching on. He promptly flopped onto the ground and began rolling around, putting on a performance of extreme agony.
Chansey gasped, startled, when a voice rang in its ears.
"Chansey! Use Heal Pulse on Aron!"
"Lu-Lucky!"
Its body shivered, and it instinctively released a wave of pink energy toward Aron. The light rippled over him like concentric circles.
"Kwah-doh!"
Aron felt a surge of vitality through his body and looked up in genuine amazement. So that's how it feels! Like a backup battery! Awesome!
Chansey stopped and stared at its hands, then at the now-energetic Aron who was jumping around.
"Can you accept this kind of 'battle'?" Kashiwagi had somehow appeared by its side. "No need to hurt anyone. Just use your skills to heal Aron, to take away his pain and make him feel better. What do you say?"
If you can't achieve everything at once, take it step by step. Once it got used to the atmosphere of a battle, they could worry about the rest. If it truly couldn't fight later, it could simply serve as the team's dedicated medic.
"Lucky..." Chansey hesitated, looking unsure of itself.
"Don't worry, and don't be afraid. Whether you do well or not, I won't blame you." Kashiwagi placed a hand on its head, stroking it gently and slowly.
Chansey looked up at him, then at Aron, whose eyes were full of encouragement and expectation. It squeezed its eyes shut and gave a firm, determined nod.
"Lucky!"
"Excellent! Welcome to the team!"
Kashiwagi smiled and held out his hand. Tentatively, Chansey placed its small paw into his palm.
"Kwah!"
Aron gave a loud cry and charged, tackling both of them to the ground. They tumbled onto the floor, sharing a startled look before bursting into happy laughter.
"You idiot! Don't just tackle people!"
"Lucky~"
"Chansey! You're actually pretty heavy—ah, I'm not complaining! Don't look so depressed!"