Even though Deino was incredibly clingy toward Kashiwagi, it proved itself to be quite reliable in actual combat.
Case in point: right now.
It was currently using Dragon Breath to drive away a flock of Taillow that were trying to swarm them.
Boom!
The blue-green flames of fury exploded in mid-air like a beautiful firework display.
"Dei-nooo!!"
Deino roared, tilting its head back. Despite its small stature, it exuded an indescribable sense of pressure—perhaps an innate trait of its species, or perhaps something it had picked up from Aggron.
The Taillow flock hesitated to approach under its intimidation, yet their stubborn nature kept them from retreating entirely.
"A real bunch of hooligan Pokémon, aren't they?"
Kashiwagi finished rolling a rice ball infused with heavy attractant and hurled it forcefully in the opposite direction. His powerful arm strength sent the rice ball arching high across the sky.
The Taillow flock paused as one, then swifty dove toward where the rice ball fell, descending into a frantic squabble.
He took the opportunity to grab Deino and made a run fo... err. strategic retreat.
"It's a miracle no one's dealt with them after all these years," he remarked, clicking his tongue in wonder as he watched the crazed Taillow.
There was no doubt about it—this was the same flock that Ash's "glitch" Taillow had once belonged to. Years later, they were still acting like the local bosses of Petalburg Woods, and their territory had even expanded significantly.
Kashiwagi had specifically waited until other wild Pokémon were passing by to take out his food, yet a lone Taillow hidden in the treetops had still spotted him. Initially, he didn't want to make a scene, so he offered it some food and gave it a few head pats before trying to leave.
Who knew some Pokémon could be such jerks?
The little guy wasn't satisfied with eating; it tried to snatch his bag. When that failed, it simply called over its "thug" buddies to jump him. It was practically highway robbery.
No wonder people online said that while most wild Pokémon are adorable when acting alone, they become "evil" to the core when they're in a pack. With so many comrades backing them up, what wouldn't they dare to do?
In their simple worldview, whether it's territory or food, everything is either fought for or stolen. So what if we steal your bag?
"Dei-noo~"
Deino was a bit reluctant as it was led away. It felt that even though the opponents were numerous, it still had a fighting chance. Why run?
In reality, Kashiwagi just didn't want to waste time on them.
There was nothing particularly special about Taillow. The fact that Ash's could turn into a "Golden Swellow" by absorbing Thunder was due to its own unique grit; it didn't mean every Taillow had that kind of potential. Besides, he had no interest in training a Taillow for the time being.
"Alright, don't be grumpy. Have a Pokéblock and cool off."
Kashiwagi popped a dual-toned, deep and light blue Pokéblock into Deino's mouth. This specific blend featured the dry flavor it loved most, and its quality was far superior to standard white Pokéblocks. Usually, he only reserved these for his own team.
Chomp, chomp.
Chewing on the Pokéblock, Deino's mood visibly brightened.
-----
Petalburg Woods was massive.
Unlike the games where only a handful of species appeared, here you could find almost any Pokémon that preferred forest habitats. For instance, even the Arbok and Weezing released by Jessie and James were rumored to reside here.
Kashiwagi couldn't help but wonder if he'd run into them. Though, even if he did, he'd probably never recognize them—unless they were the only Arbok and Weezing in the entire forest.
"Recommended campsites... recommended campsites... Aha!"
As Kashiwagi walked, he scrolled through his phone screen and soon discovered a spot by a crystal-clear stream.
There were plenty of Hoenn travel guides online, featuring crucial advice like "How to Avoid Being Chased by Taillow" and "Best Camping Spots." He'd failed the first part, but surely the camping part wouldn't... right?
Since this was his first time—having only watched his simulation subjects camp before—Kashiwagi was a bit clunky at the start. Deino was desperate to help, but unfortunately, it couldn't see what was going on and mostly just caused a mess.
Out of necessity, Kashiwagi had to split his attention to direct the little guy.
Fortunately, he wasn't carrying much, and he gradually got the hang of it. Whether it was the tables and chairs or the cooking stove, everything came together smoothly. A simple campsite was soon established.
"Looking good?"
Kashiwagi watched Deino rolling around inside the tent. Seeing that it wasn't about to collapse, he nodded in satisfaction.
If things really went south, he could always hop on Steelix and head to the Pokémon Center three kilometers away. Don't be fooled by the wilderness of Petalburg Woods; it still had its own Pokémon Center. The infrastructure in these major regions was incredible—you even got cell service in the middle of nowhere.
He had intended to follow the guide's suggestion of picking up leftover litter, but to his surprise, the area was exceptionally clean. However, he suddenly felt a strange sense of déjà vu...
"Is this the place where Pikachu fought that Taillow?"
Kashiwagi snapped a photo of the stream's scenery. Recalling the scene in his mind, he grinned. "Time for a photo op!"
He had been quite young when the Pokémon: Advanced series aired, so it was a core childhood memory. Seeing the "familiar" environment now brought up a complex swirl of emotions.
He turned back toward the tent.
Deino, who had been napping inside, was gone.
Kashiwagi's heart skipped a beat. They were less than fifty meters apart; he'd only looked away for thirty seconds! Where did it go?
"Dei... Dei-noo!"
A muffled cry came from the distance.
He scrambled to look toward the source of the sound and saw Deino dragging a large bundle of branches toward him. The branches were laden with fresh, plump berries and vegetables.
"You little rascal..."
He couldn't help but chuckle as he went to meet it. Taking the branches from its mouth, he patted its head in praise. "Great job, but next time you do something like this, let me know first, okay? I was worried about you."
"Dei-nooo~"
Deino let out a happy howl. It was unclear if it actually took the advice to heart, but it kept rubbing against his leg affectionately.
"It's still early... let's have some fun! With weather this good and a stream this beautiful, it'd be a waste not to let loose."
Kashiwagi checked the time on his phone and released the rest of his Pokémon.
Steelix! Aggron! Maw-wile! Lucky~ A chorus of cries filled the air.
Aggron was the happiest to be in a forest. It took a deep breath of the woody fragrance and headed straight for the stream. Unfortunately, the deepest part of the creek didn't even reach its belly, but the icy water still felt refreshing.
"Maw-wile~"
Mawile had already claimed the only camping chair. Dissatisfied with the sun, it dragged the chair under a tree. "Maw!"
"Where am I supposed to find ice cream in a place like this?"
"Maw-wile~"
"Hand-churned ice cream? I don't know how to make that!" Kashiwagi waved his hand dismissively. Just then, his Galarian Corsola floated past lazily. "Cooorsola..."
Call me when the food's ready. I'm clocking out.
It dove into the tent and promptly fell into a deep slumber.
Chansey, on the other hand, was more than happy to help Mawile. It grabbed one large and one small bucket and began researching how to make artisanal ice cream.
Steelix surveyed the surroundings. "Steel?"
"No way. Someone's going to yell at me for 'damaging the natural environment' if you do that." Kashiwagi flatly rejected its request to dig a hole.
Left with no other choice, Steelix acted like a steel type Rayquaza, soaring through the air and occasionally dipping its tail into the water to cool down.
In the end, only Kashiwagi, Aggron, and Deino were actually playing in the water.