Kashiwagi was licked for approximately four minutes straight.
By the time he finally regained his freedom, he had gained a massive, three-headed shadow.
Hydreigon was now using his left mouth to gingerly tug on Kashiwagi's coat sleeve, letting out a pitiful whimper-howl whenever the Trainer strayed more than two feet away.
Naturally, this meant that everywhere Kashiwagi walked, he was followed by the teasing smirks of the Draconid people and the mocking glints in the eyes of the more intelligent Dragon Pokémon.
"Well, so much for progress," Kashiwagi sighed, feeling as though a week's worth of training Hydreigon's independence had just been tossed into the trash.
But what could he do? Traumatic events tended to make even the toughest dragons a bit clingy.
Kashiwagi made his way back to the pile of captured Rocket grunts. He had already finished his "exploration" of the airship and come up mostly empty-handed.
Rocket jetpacks? Those things were basically suicide machines. Not worth the luggage space.
Porygon, however, had been busy. After the digital Pokémon confirmed it had successfully scrubbed and downloaded every file and system log from the airship, Kashiwagi shifted his focus to "interrogating" the prisoners—specifically Attila and Hun.
He woke them up in shifts, grilling them about the Mega Stones and Key Stones.
How many have you stolen? Where are they being kept? Who's the supplier?
The intel came in bits and pieces.
Attila was surprisingly talkative under pressure, but Hun—the "tactician" who tried to fly away—had a much tougher shell.
If there weren't so many witnesses around, Kashiwagi would have loved to see if Hun's attitude stayed as "hard" after losing a few teeth.
...
Despite the temptation, Kashiwagi realized he couldn't keep Hun's Key Stone for himself.
First, too many people had seen it. If Officer Jenny reviewed the airship's security footage to gather evidence, she wasn't going to overlook a missing Key Stone.
Second, the stone was clearly "hot." It had been stolen from some poor soul, and Kashiwagi's moral compass had been trending upward lately.
Mega Evolution was a power fueled by the bond between hearts; he didn't want his first transformation to be tainted by the memory of some unlucky kid crying over their lost treasure.
Besides, this wasn't the Pokémon Special manga—he didn't need a collection of Key Stones to perform multiple evolutions.
But, he thought, looking at the stone, that doesn't mean I can't take it for a test drive.
"Elder Aoyagi," Kashiwagi asked directly, "would it be alright if I used that Key Stone to try a Mega Evolution?"
The Elder blinked, then let out a hearty laugh. "Couldn't resist after seeing the battle, eh? Haha! I understand! I was just as excited the first time I saw it in my youth..."
The old man reached into the pile of confiscated gear and pulled out a Key Stone embedded in a Team Rocket badge.
"The Steelixite is still on that Steelix over there. You'll have to pry it off."
"No need for that. I actually have a Mega Stone of my own," Kashiwagi waved him off, pointing toward his ace. "And it's not for Steelix."
For his first time, it had to be his partner.
"Hydrei?"
Hydreigon tilted all three heads, looking at the tiny, glowing pebble with confusion.
"This little thing is incredible. You'll see in a second," Kashiwagi smiled, gently prying his coat out of the dragon's mouth.
"Back up a bit, give me some space. Aggron! Over here!"
"Gronh?"
Aggron stomped over, looking equally puzzled.
Hydreigon watched the two of them. His instinct was to protest being left out, but the serious atmosphere told him his Trainer was doing something important.
With a dejected droop of his heads, he floated back a respectful distance.
...
Kashiwagi held the badge, his thumb hovering over the Key Stone.
In the anime, Trainers always seemed to make a specific contact with the stone...
The moment his skin touched the cold surface, a mysterious wave of "shared sensation" flooded his mind. His eyes instinctively snapped to Aggron.
As their eyes met, the Key Stone in his hand and the Aggronite tucked into the hollow of Aggron's armor reacted instantly. They pulsed with a faint, rhythmic light—like twin stars blinking in the dark.
"Ho! You got a reaction on the first try?"
Elder Aoyagi watched in surprise. "The fact that they're both glowing means your bond has already been verified. You've met the threshold. Now, for the second stage: take your hand off the stone."
"Right," Kashiwagi nodded, following the Elder's guidance.
Even after breaking physical contact, the strange connection remained, etched into his heart like a vivid shadow.
"Close your eyes. You too, Aggron."
Under the Elder's soft instructions, man and Pokémon closed their eyes.
"Don't touch. Don't speak. Can you feel each other's presence? Answer me with a nod."
Both nodded.
In the pitch-black void of their minds, the other's silhouette was suddenly as clear as day.
"Good. The secret to Mega Evolution is to amplify that presence infinitely. Imagine a chain of hearts connecting you both. This requires effort from both sides. Do you understand?"
Kashiwagi understood perfectly. Aggron, not speaking human, was a bit lost.
Kashiwagi took a moment to mentally explain the "heart-chain" concept to his partner.
Not far off, Hydreigon was listening intently, too. Even if it didn't apply to him yet, he made sure to take notes.
You never know when you might need a mental chain!
If Hydreigon could master this mental trick, surely Kashiwagi would shower him with praise!
Elder Aoyagi watched Kashiwagi and Aggron with a keen, observant eye.
"Don't be discouraged if it doesn't work the first time," he added.
"Failure is perfectly normal with Mega Evolution. It's a process of trial and error."
"I understand," Kashiwagi replied.
He placed his hand on Aggron's heavy steel armor. The cold, unyielding texture of the metal seeped into his skin, grounding his restless nerves.
As he locked eyes with his partner, a powerful, shared desire bubbled up from deep within.
We're going to evolve!
We're going to make this work!
Man and Pokémon were radiating the exact same intent.
"Sss... haaa..."
Kashiwagi took several deep breaths, centering his mind. He reached out once more, placing his fingers firmly upon the Key Stone.
"Ready?" he whispered.
"Gronh!!" Aggron let out a low, guttural roar.
The moment he touched the stone, their mutual presence surged. That hazy, abstract feeling of "togetherness" suddenly snapped into focus, like a veil being lifted from a masterpiece.
There was no need for Chuunibyou-style catchphrases or grand speeches.
As they simultaneously cast out their mental chains toward one another, forging an unbreakable link, the words left Kashiwagi's lips instinctively:
"Mega Evolve!!"
"GRONH—!!!"
A burst of rainbow light and blinding white radiance erupted from Aggron's body.
Countless strands of light shot out, intertwining with the energy radiating from the Key Stone in Kashiwagi's hand.
In an instant, their hearts felt heavy—as if a massive weight had been dropped onto their souls. It was an indescribable burden, a pressure that tested their limits, but they held firm.
Aggron's silhouette began to warp and expand.
First, the needle-like horn on his forehead retracted, only to extend upward into a massive, blade-like horn.
His center of gravity shifted forward as thick, heavy armor plated his chest, abdomen, and back.
Long, wicked spikes sprouted from his forearms, and his shoulders flared out like jagged daggers.
His limbs and tail grew even sturdier. This wasn't just an evolution; it was the transformation of a light tank into the King of Heavy Armored Tanks.
The light faded.
The silver body stood gleaming in the sunlight—a walking, breathing metal fortress.
"Gronh..."
Mega Aggron exhaled a plume of white steam. There was little joy on his face; the sheer volume of power surging through his veins was terrifying, threatening to swallow his very consciousness.
He finally understood why his heart had felt so heavy.
Energy!
An inexhaustible, roaring ocean of energy! Even for an Aggron who rarely felt the bottom of his stamina pool, this was different.
The power was so concentrated it felt like it might burst through his armor.
Mega Evolution... is no small feat, he realized.
He turned his head with some effort to look at Kashiwagi. His Trainer's expression was just as strained. The mental "pressure" was being shared equally across their bond, vibrating through the link between them.
"Gro—"
Mega Aggron tried to raise a claw, but halfway through the movement, rainbow light flickered across his body. The form seemed to dissolve.
In a flash, he reverted to his normal state.
"Hah... hah..."
"Phew..."
Aggron panted heavily while Kashiwagi wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead. Neither had expected that simply maintaining the state would be so exhausting, let alone that it would cut off automatically.
Did they fail? They looked toward Elder Aoyagi for an answer.
"Not bad, not bad at all~"
The Elder stroked his beard, nodding with a look of pure satisfaction.
"To reach that stage on your very first try is truly praiseworthy. I suspect that with a bit of real-world pressure in battle, you'll be able to stay in that form and fight just fine."
"Is that... so?" Kashiwagi asked, still finding his rhythm.
"Of course! You should have more confidence in yourself," Elder Aoyagi said with a warm laugh.
"Even in my youth, it took a period of grueling, specialized training before I could successfully Mega Evolve with Altaria."
The Elder looked at Aggron, his admiration plain to see.
"To suppress that violent surge of power without being consumed or influenced by it... your Aggron is truly formidable, both in strength and in spirit!"
Hearing such high praise, Kashiwagi and Aggron shared a look and a well-earned smile.
Suddenly, a commotion erupted in the distance.
"Raikou! Why is Raikou here?!"
"What's it doing? Wait! Don't let it get any closer!"
So the big thunder-cat finally decided to show up...
Kashiwagi's eyebrows shot up. Then, as if a sudden realization hit him, his expression shifted rapidly.
He set down the borrowed Key Stone and said, "I'm going to check it out! I'll leave these Rocket losers in your capable hands, Elder!"
"Alright... wait, why is he running so fast?"
Elder Aoyagi had barely nodded before Kashiwagi was already twenty meters away, with Hydreigon tailing him like a giant, hovering shadow.
Such a rush! the Elder thought.
If he's going to face Raikou, why leave Aggron behind? Is he just going to watch the show?
The Elder shook his head, completely baffled.
...
Kashiwagi sprinted toward the Elder's residence. Sure enough, Raikou was standing in the courtyard, staring indifferently at the circle of Draconid villagers and Dragon Pokémon surrounding it.
When facing strangers, Raikou didn't just act "cool"—it radiated a palpable, underlying hostility.
"Wait! It's a misunderstanding! This is all a misunderstanding! He's a friend!"
Kashiwagi threw himself between Raikou and the crowd, arms outstretched to hold the villagers back.
"The reason I knew Team Rocket was targeting Meteor Falls was because Raikou gave me the tip!"
The Draconids immediately lowered their guard.
They had been saved by this boy only half an hour ago; they weren't about to turn around and doubt his word now.
Raikou watched Kashiwagi's back and slowly retracted its combative stance.
Dragon Elder appeared, supported by an assistant.
"Stand down, everyone. Raikou is a guest who has traveled from afar. Give him and Kashiwagi some space to talk."
The villagers, sensing the tension had broken, dispersed quickly. The Elder left as well, having appeared just to deliver that one decisive command.
Kashiwagi let out a long sigh of relief, then turned to Raikou with a look of pure resentment.
"Where were you?! It's over! It's been over for ages!"
"Rrr... oar..."
Raikou gave him a thorough once-over, confirming he wasn't injured. It didn't bother explaining its tardiness.
It glanced toward where the Rockets were piled up but didn't approach. Instead, it padded silently into the house, found a spot clear of broken glass, and curled up to rest.
It had been on high alert for days, lurking in the shadows.
If its senses hadn't been so sharp, it probably wouldn't have known the battle was over until tonight.
By its standards, this was arriving early.
"Fine... you rest. It looks like Officer Jenny and the others have arrived."
Kashiwagi did a quick sweep of the broken glass and pulled the curtains shut, knowing the legendary beast hated prying eyes.
"I'll be right back—"
...
"Right back" turned out to be two hours later.
Despite being told there was a literal Team Rocket airship waiting for them, the technician Officer Jenny brought along claimed he didn't know how to fly it!
Porygon can fly it, but you can't?! Kashiwagi fumed internally.
Between giving statements, documenting the damages, and cataloging the stolen goods, Kashiwagi was run ragged.
Just as he finally regained his freedom, he received word that the Dragon Elder wanted to hold a small meeting at the Dragon Shrine.
To be honest, he really didn't want to go.
"You should go. They're discussing giving you a Key Stone of your own. You're not going to turn that down, are you?"
A voice, sounding almost like his own inner thoughts, rang out.
Kashiwagi froze for a second, then turned to see a familiar figure leaning against the porch railing.
"...I have a question," he said to a smiling Zinnia.
"Did you guys all agree to dump the hard work on me and only show up once the dust had settled?"
"Of course not~"
"Haha. I totally believe you."
Kashiwagi gave her two very flat, very deadpan "hahas."