When it came to shopping, Mawile possessed a natural, burning passion that required no teaching.
It had initially thought the shops on the Eros Milotic were the height of luxury, but it was stunned to find that the department stores in Littleroot Town were larger, carried more variety, and—most importantly—were much cheaper!
Immersed in this glittering world, Mawile lost itself, falling into a state of "Confusion" where it wanted to buy everything in sight.
Fortunately, Kashiwagi possessed the Own Tempo ability. He remained immune to the confusion, acting as Mawile's anchor of sanity and strictly forbidding it from purchasing useless clutter.
However...
Even so, the bags in Kashiwagi's hands multiplied steadily. Eventually, he found himself awkwardly lugging heavy parcels with both hands as they arrived at a Pokémon Beauty Salon.
Mawile had wanted to visit one for ages. It had spent hours listening to N's sisters, Anthea and Concordia, and their Pokémon talk about beauty care, and seeing the photos on their phones had filled it with envy. Finally, it was getting the real experience.
"Hair styling? Nail art? Dyeing? None of that really suits you." Kashiwagi stood beside Mawile, flipping through the service menu. "Natural is the most beautiful look for you."
"Maw-wile?" Mawile blinked its large, watery eyes at him.
"Of course I prefer you natural," Kashiwagi nodded firmly, completely ignoring the awkward expression of the beautician nearby. "In my opinion, these extra things aren't necessary. But if you think it looks good, I'll support you—though you should consider what happens if your 'makeup' gets ruined during a battle..."
"Maw-wile!" Mawile reconsidered.
"Alright then. Please give her the basic coat and skin maintenance package. And I'd like to request the same for these two as well." Kashiwagi nodded in satisfaction and released Chansey and Deino.
He then moved to the adjacent "Hard Surface and Joint Maintenance" section, handing Aggron and his other heavy hitters over to the specialists there. "For Aggron's plating, please—under no circumstances—polish or buff it."
"Understood."
The staff took the Pokémon away. Aggron viewed the scars on its armor as badges of honor; if someone buffed them out, the Pokémon might just tear the shop apart in a fit of rage. Kashiwagi had no intention of being hauled away by Officer Jenny on his first day in Hoenn.
"Money... it's all about the money..."
He looked at the mountain of shopping bags and sighed. Even though he was trying to be frugal, his savings were dwindling at a visible rate. This beauty session alone for six Pokémon cost nearly 100,000 PokéDollars. He couldn't help it—Aggron and Steelix were massive, and the salon charged extra just for the sheer surface area of the latter.
Why didn't the Ranch Uncle's health management guide include beauty tips? This stuff is vital for psychological health! Kashiwagi mused that if he didn't find a way to make a fortune soon, he'd have to swallow his pride and borrow from his wealthy friend, Yamamino.
"Maw-wile!"
"What is it?" Kashiwagi hurried over. Mawile made a gesture like it was holding a camera.
"...You want a photo too?"
"Maw-wile! Maw-wile!"
"Fine, fine."
Kashiwagi snapped a series of photos of Mawile looking adorable with a towel wrapped around its head. Under the Pokémon's direction, he uploaded them to the "Poké-Blog" account he had set up for it.
"There. I'm sure Anthea and the others will give you a 'like' when they see it."
He handed the phone to Mawile. It fiddled with the device for a moment, but realizing it couldn't read the text, it gave up and handed the phone back with a look of regret.
Seeing this, Kashiwagi said, "Maybe... you should learn to read? Or at least recognize symbols?"
"Maw-wile?" Mawile tilted its head, processing the idea before looking hesitant.
"Literacy is a good thing! And you're smart, you'll pick it up fast. Look at me—I mastered it in three months." Kashiwagi's words drew a sidelong glance from the beautician.
Three months? You learned to read at three months old? What kind of prodigy are you? the beautician thought, watching Mawile nod in agreement. She realized the Trainer had successfully "tricked" his Pokémon again.
-----
The Chef in the Kitchen
When they emerged from the salon, Mawile was glowing from head to toe, looking like a brand-new plush doll. It was a literal "ugly duckling to swan" transformation. Its mood was at an all-time high.
"That coat-brightening serum really works that well?" Kashiwagi circled the Pokémon. Mawile struck several poses, looking incredibly vain. He chuckled. "Should we buy a bottle of the same brand?"
"Maw-wile!" Mawile's eyes sparkled. Definitely.
Back at the Pokémon Center, Kashiwagi didn't see Brock in the lobby and assumed he was in the wards. However, when he went to the cafeteria for dinner, he spotted a familiar figure behind the serving counter.
"If you need more, come back anytime! ...Kashiwagi!"
"I thought you were a Pokémon Doctor intern? Why are you serving food in the cafeteria?" Kashiwagi asked, curious.
"I'm a trainee," Brock replied. "You can only get an internship after passing the relevant certifications; I'm in the training phase. The kitchen was shorthanded, so I stepped in. Everyone seems to love my cooking."
"You made this?" Kashiwagi's eyes lit up.
"Of course." Brock exuded confidence in the kitchen. "Please, enjoy! I made plenty!"
"Thanks."
He took three plates of curry and rice. In this world, any Trainer with a Pokédex could eat and stay at a Center for free—it was essentially a regional social welfare program.
"Maw-wile?"
"Lucky~"
Chansey and Mawile picked up their spoons, looking curiously at the steaming curry. It was their first time trying it.
"Go ahead. Let's see how his skills are," Kashiwagi encouraged.
Pokémon cuisine often reflected Japanese tastes, and curry was a staple. While Kashiwagi wasn't usually a huge fan, the curry in this world was a obsession for many. He took a bite.
The base flavor was familiar, but Brock's version was far superior to any cheap commercial brand. The flavors exploded on his palate; a gentle spiciness swirled on his tongue while the aroma of various spices rushed to his brain. It was a multi-sensory hit that made his toes curl in satisfaction.
"Whoa..." Kashiwagi let out a long breath. "This is addictive. It's honestly as good as 'glowing' cuisine."
Brock's skills were top-tier, living up to his reputation as a master Breeder. He looked across the table to see that Chansey and Mawile had already finished their portions and were staring at him expectantly.
"...Alright, I'll let you have seconds."
Feeling generous, Kashiwagi made an exception and decided to let Aggron and the others try some too.
"Maw-wile!"
"Lucky!"
Mawile and Chansey cheered, grabbing their plates and racing back toward Brock.