Letting the Deinos out into the backyard was also Kashiwagi's way of getting his own Deino to start training.
The process was grueling, but with Takeshi's help, five of the Deinos were successfully herded to the side. They began to crowd around as spectators for their brother's debut battle.
Dragon-type Pokémon have intense fighting instincts. The moment Deino sensed the hostility radiating from the Aggron standing opposite it, its demeanor instantly shifted from a Husky pup to a young wolf king.
"Dei-no!"
It let out a low growl.
"GROON—!!"
Aggron immediately countered with an even more thunderous roar. The shockwave of air felt almost physical, vibrating through the atmosphere and blowing back Deino's fur, causing the little dragon to instinctively take a step back.
The big brute is taking out a personal grudge, Kashiwagi thought, shooting Aggron a look of disdain. Aggron, however, stood tall and proud, without a hint of embarrassment on its face.
So what if it's a two-month-old baby? Since when did being a few times older mean I can't play along?
"You're something else," Kashiwagi muttered, giving Aggron a thumbs-up before turning to cheer on Deino.
"Don't panic! Stay calm!"
Through their time together, Kashiwagi had realized that the little guy still struggled to understand human speech. It mostly responded only to very basic vocabulary like "forward," "back," or specific move names.
Because of this, he had to keep his commands as simple as possible. Fortunately, even if Deino didn't understand the semantics, it could read his tone. The words, laced with heavy encouragement, helped it steady its feet and let out a low cry.
"Dei-no!"
As a Dragon Pokémon that had inherited excellent combat genes from its parents, it wouldn't cower just because an opponent had a heavy presence. On the contrary, the pressure only fueled its desire to fight.
"Charge!" Kashiwagi commanded.
Deino yowled and charged forward blindly, tracking Aggron's position by scent.
But just then—
"Stop! Earth Power!"
Kashiwagi's second command arrived. Deino couldn't react in time; it took a full two-second lag before it halted its momentum and tilted its head back to cry out at the nearby Aggron.
"Dei-no!"
A surge of power spread from beneath its feet. Soon, a depression over a meter wide formed under Aggron, with surging energy pulsing within it.
However, the execution speed was undoubtedly too slow. It would have been incredibly easy for Aggron to dodge, but to test the strength of Deino's attack, it chose to stand its ground and take it.
Boom!
Ground-type energy erupted like a volcano, slamming into its body. Instead of crying out in pain, Aggron roared excitedly toward the sky.
That's the stuff!
It brushed away the smoke and beckoned with its claw.
"Aggron!"
Again!
"Dei-no..."
Deino couldn't see Aggron's provocative gesture clearly, but it was sensitive to its aura. It became agitated and prepared to lunge.
"Stop!" Kashiwagi shouted. "Don't let it bait you! Don't be impulsive!"
Deino froze and turned to bark at him. "Dei-no! Dei-no!" There was a clear trace of impatience in its voice.
Huh? It's surprisingly cooperative?
Kashiwagi had assumed Deino was the type to lose its head once the blood started pumping, but it seemed to have a strong sense of obedience to commands.
That was a pleasant surprise.
"You can't beat it in close quarters. Use Dark Pulse!" he said quickly.
Deino's teeth were itching; it desperately wanted to charge up and gnaw on Aggron. But hearing its Trainer's voice, it suppressed its temper and unleashed a beam of interlocking violet-black rings of light.
Aggron chose to tank this as well, afterward shaking its claws with an expression that said "totally useless."
"Roar~"
Bullying a little kid—especially a bratty one—was just too much fun.
"Dei! No!"
Provoked one too many times, Deino finally lost control of its emotions. It lunged at Aggron, headbutting and gnawing at its armor.
Kashiwagi felt helpless. "You two idiots..."
----
He switched Deino's opponent.
Compared to the petty Aggron, the maternally radiant Chansey was much more suited for the job, submissively taking every move directed at her.
"Great job, great job."
Kashiwagi stroked Deino's furry head and then praised the hardworking Chansey. "Thanks, Chansey. You're way more reliable than those two over there."
Aggron: "?"
Mawile (who had done absolutely nothing): "?"
"Lucky~"
Chansey was all smiles, her gaze toward Deino filled with affection. She was a Pokémon naturally gifted at caring for others; otherwise, she wouldn't be the professional nurse of choice for Pokémon Centers in Kanto and Johto. As for Deino—the kid was a bit of a brat, but she didn't maintain the same high guard that Aggron and Mawile did.
"Dei-no~"
Sensing Chansey's kindness, Deino let out a soft cry, and then...
Chomp.
It took Chansey's hand into its mouth.
"Lu—lucky~"
Facing the pink egg's slightly panicked eyes, Kashiwagi smiled. "That's just its way of showing affection. But if it hurts, don't just endure it, okay? We don't want to let it form bad habits. I get gnawed on, too."
Chansey nodded, looking like she somewhat understood.
Off-field, the other five Deinos were stimulated by the battle and were itching to jump in. Takeshi and Haxorus held them back like five Huskies about to break their leashes. Eventually, they couldn't hold them any longer and let them run toward Chansey.
"Telekinesis!" Kashiwagi shouted.
Chansey instinctively took control of the six Deinos, lifting them all into the air.
"Dei-no~ Dei-no~" The six Deinos barked hoarsely without stopping.
"What do you think?" Takeshi asked.
"I'm very satisfied. Though its personality is impulsive, considering its age and its obedience to commands, it has great potential," Kashiwagi praised his Deino.
Being hot-tempered isn't entirely a weakness for a Pokémon. As long as the tendency to lose rationality when provoked is corrected, that rage can become the fuel for its attacks. Besides, isn't it normal for a Hydreigon to be a bit cranky? They are naturally ferocious Dark-types.
"It looks like you really like it." Takeshi was happy to hear Kashiwagi's praise.
Kashiwagi was, after all, a descendant of Dragon Tamers who had been separated from his roots. He hadn't grown up around Dragon-types and might not have been able to handle their overly lively or volatile temperaments. If a psychological gap formed, it would be detrimental to their growth. Not to mention, Deino was famous for having a long development cycle.
"What do you plan to do about Aggron and the others?" Takeshi raised a concern.
It's important for teammates to accept one another. Aggron and Mawile's inability to warm up to Deino was a problem that could be either minor or significant.
"I'll give them the cold treatment—but I'm not ignoring it." Kashiwagi smiled before Takeshi could speak. "You don't know Aggron and the others. Their current rejection is actually because of you guys."
Takeshi was puzzled. "Us?"
"Yes. You and the other Deinos. My Deino eats and sleeps mostly with your group. Aggron and Mawile think it's part of your 'clique.' So, they naturally set up a conflicting stance, even though they know it belongs to me now."
Kashiwagi continued, "Once you guys leave, and Deino is the only one left... I bet within a day, as soon as Deino lets out a few pathetic whimpers, they'll soften up immediately."
"Is that how it works?"
"They know the taste of loneliness better than anyone. So, they're all good kids who will work hard to make sure their companion isn't lonely." He smiled, his gaze toward Aggron and Mawile full of tenderness.