On towering sand dunes,
the sun began its slow descent, painting the sky in bleeding shades of violet and gold.
Kashiwagi squinted into the distance. There, nestled against a lush green oasis, the iconic neon glow of a massive Poké Ball sign flickered to life.
"We've made it. It's not a mirage this time."
The soft, warm light reflecting off the Pokémon Center's floor-to-ceiling windows was a sight for sore eyes. Just looking at it seemed to wash away the stifling heat and the bone-deep fatigue of the desert trek.
"Finally! Thank the heavens!"
Behind him, Iris and Axew let out a synchronized wail of relief. The moment they heard the news, they collapsed face-first into the sand.
Pffft.
They only turned their heads slightly to catch a tiny pocket of air. It had been a brutal hike. Walking from high noon to dusk in the shifting sands of a desert is a nightmare for anyone's stamina.
Poor Iris had already been tricked by two separate mirages earlier that day, sprinting toward empty air. And then, she had wasted her remaining energy chasing after a Flygon like a possessed fanatic.
Walking with her for just half a day had made Kashiwagi's desire to travel alone grow exponentially.
Internal Monologue: Don't get me wrong, having a companion to chat with beats talking to my Aggron for the hundredth time, but the girl is a magnet for chaos.
As they walked, Iris had done most of the talking. Much like Ash Ketchum, she couldn't go five minutes without declaring her grand ambition to become a Dragon Master.
Perhaps she hadn't had this habit before, but after traveling with Ash for so long, she had unconsciously picked it up.
Kashiwagi didn't mind.
In this world, most adults admired such fiery dreams.
Besides, he knew the truth: this girl was a future Unova Champion and one of the Masters Eight. She was a powerhouse who climbed to the top without any "System" shortcuts.
He respected her strength. Her navigational skills? Not so much.
...
"Excuse us," Kashiwagi announced as he strode into the Pokémon Center.
Behind him, a very grumpy-looking Dragonite shuffled in, literally carrying a half-conscious Iris in its arms.
Whoosh!
The automatic doors slid open, and a wave of pure, filtered air conditioning hit them. To Iris, who usually lived like a wild Pokémon, it felt like the breath of an angel.
"So... cool... so... heavenly..." she drifted.
Because the Center was located in the middle of nowhere, Nurse Joy was actually delighted to see guests. She greeted them with a beaming smile.
After handing over their Pokémon for a quick tune-up, the two trainers collapsed onto the plush sofas in the lobby.
They picked up the conversation they had started in the dunes: How to master the "Heart of the Dragon."
"So," Kashiwagi summarized,
"the key is to perceive and empathize with the feelings of Dragon-types? To truly understand their thoughts?"
"Exactly!" Iris chirped.
Kashiwagi frowned.
"Doesn't that sound like a paradox? I want to use the 'Heart of the Dragon' to understand them, but I need to understand them first to unlock the 'Heart'?"
"Uh... well... when you put it that way, it is kind of a loop... AGH! I don't know the theory! I just do it!"
Iris groaned, frustratedly ruffling her massive hair.
"My bad. I shouldn't have asked for a logical breakdown of an instinct," Kashiwagi apologized.
It's a talent that's supposed to be something special, but to force her to teach principles and logic is bound to be difficult. It's a wonder she can even figure it out..
He was genuinely interested, though.
After all, if he used the clues next, he would most likely encounter a fully-formed, high-level, pseudo-legendary Dragon-type Pokémon.
Having the "Heart of the Dragon" would make taming such a beast much easier.
Otherwise, raising a pseudo-legendary that is fully grown in all aspects is no easier than raising one from scratch.
Unfortunately, learning the Dragon Heart skill might be even more difficult!
...
Just as Kashiwagi was feeling regretful,
"I've got it!" Iris suddenly shouted, snapping her fingers. "Let's battle! You can understand Dragon-type Pokémon through the heat of combat!"
"Huh?"
"A battle!" Iris repeated, leaning in.
"During a fight, the Pokémon and Trainer are one. Don't you think that's the best time to see what your Pokémon is really thinking?"
Kashiwagi blinked. Actually... that makes a weird amount of sense.
However, looking at Iris's drooping eyelids, he knew it wasn't happening tonight. They were both running on fumes. They agreed to a match first thing in the morning.
...
As night fell, the desert temperature plummeted.
Kashiwagi, usually someone who enjoyed the finer things, opted for the Pokémon Center cafeteria.
Since he'd become wealthy, he rarely stayed in Centers, usually preferring high-end hotels or cooking his own gourmet meals.
But tonight? A hot meal he didn't have to cook felt like a luxury.
Iris, despite being the heir to the Opelucid Gym, was much more... "rustic."
If there was a Pokémon Center, she'd stay. If not? She'd just climb the tallest tree and sleep on a branch like a Slakoth.
She'd been hit by so many Poké Balls from trainers mistaking her for a wild Pokémon that it was a miracle she didn't have a concussion.
"Why sleep in a tree?" people would ask.
"It's comfortable! It's free!" she'd reply.
She even tried to go sleep in the oasis bushes tonight, but the desert chill sent her sprinting back inside, teeth chattering and arms wrapped around herself.
Watching her, Kashiwagi remembered her backstory. She'd grown up in the Village of Dragons, living side-by-side with wild Pokémon.
To her, the "civilized" world was the weird one.
When it came time to feed the Pokémon, the two trainers finally had their "moment of truth."
Iris was staring at Kashiwagi's team with wide, disbelieving eyes.
"Looking at your team, I really can't tell you're a Dragon Tamer at all!"
Earlier, Kashiwagi had mentioned he was technically one of the Draconids from Meteor Falls, though he added he wasn't exactly a "traditional" one.
Iris hadn't understood what he meant until she saw Aggron and the others.
After all that talk, this "Dragon Tamer" only had one actual Dragon-type on his active roster.
Well, maybe one and a half if you counted Milotic being in the Dragon Egg Group.
"You're not exactly one to talk," Kashiwagi countered.
His gaze swept over her Excadrill and Emolga, finally landing on a fierce, prehistoric-looking bird with kaleidoscopic feathers and a serpentine head.
It was an Archeops. A Rock-Bird Pokémon known for its incredible power—and its Defeatist ability, arguably one of the worst handicaps in the game. He vaguely recalled her having one in the games, but seeing it in the flesh was different.
"I found this little one as a Fossil at a street stall! It took a lot of work to get him back to life," Iris explained, noticing his interest.
She launched into a classic "Protagonist Story": she luckily found the Fossil, revived it with help, lost it to a group of Pokémon Poachers, and finally tracked it down thanks to Gible's sensory abilities.
The story even included the classic "Trust-Building Bite."
In the anime world, it seems any grumpy Pokémon can be won over if you just let them chomp on your arm while you give them a gentle, loving look.
Kashiwagi's Thought: Try that with the Pokémon from the Hisui region... they'd maul you until you had amnesia.
"By the way, does your Archeops know Head Smash?" Kashiwagi asked suddenly.
Finding an Aggron that could use Head Smash was proving to be a nightmare.
Even though his "Big Monster" had the Rock Head ability—which would negate the massive recoil—he still hadn't mastered the move.
Stone Edge was reliable, and Aggron's Mega Evolution swapped his ability to Filter (losing the Rock typing anyway), but it still felt like something was missing.
He'd hoped Aggron could learn it by observing Archeops.
Iris shook her head regretfully.
"Pity," Kashiwagi sighed, patting Aggron's armored shoulder. The giant Pokémon didn't seem to mind; Head Smash or not, his strength was absolute.
...
The next morning, a high-energy Iris came pounding on his door.
"Good morning, Kashiwagi! Wakey-wakey! Let's go, Kashiwagi!"
Even though they were traveling together, they weren't sharing a room like she used to with Ash.
Regardless of whether Iris cared, Kashiwagi definitely wasn't about to sign up for that chaos.
"Happy~!"
A Blissey pushing a cleaning cart gently tugged on Iris's vest and pointed toward the exit.
"Eh? He's already out?"
Iris translated "Blissey-speak" instantly.
She dashed downstairs and out of the Center, spotting Kashiwagi by the oasis pond. He was already deep into his morning routine.
In the shimmering water, his Shiny Milotic was elegantly coiling and spiraling. The morning sun caught her golden scales and vibrant tail fins, making her look like a living masterpiece.
Iris stood frozen for a moment. "She's... so beautiful..."
"She really is."
Kashiwagi's voice right next to her ear made her jump. He had finished his workout and walked over without her noticing.
"Even as her Trainer, I find myself captivated by her," Kashiwagi said wistfully.
"It's strange. I used to see videos of Milotic online and think, 'Yeah, that's pretty,' before scrolling past without a second thought."
"Why the change?"
"Why...?" He smiled.
"Maybe it's the heart. Those other Milotic belonged to strangers. This one is my partner. When you share a bond, the way you see them changes completely. Or maybe,"
he chuckled,
"the videos just didn't have enough pixels to capture the real thing."
Iris looked thoughtful for a second, then snapped back to reality.
"Wait! The battle! Let's battle! You promised yesterday!"
"Before breakfast?"
"We can eat after we fight!" Iris insisted, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.
Kashiwagi looked at her expression. He wasn't sure if she was doing this to help him learn the "Heart of the Dragon" or if she just really wanted to take down a fellow Dragon Tamer.
Either way...
"Fine by me!" He nodded.
"What's the format? One-on-one? Three-on-three?"
"Three-on-three!" Iris declared, already reaching for her Poké Balls.
"And I'm bringing out my entire Dragon squad!"
Kashiwagi looked at the Milotic gliding through the pond and gave a dry chuckle.
"In that case, I'll use the three Pokémon in my party that have the most 'Dragon-like' spirit."
"You're on!"
The two moved to the battlefield behind the Pokémon Center.
Though the arena looked like it hadn't seen a serious match in years, the local Blissey kept it immaculate.
The only thing covering the ground was a thin, powdery layer of sand blown in by the desert winds.
Since there was no Rotom-Phone or drone referee available—and Nurse Joy was busy with morning rounds—they had to set their own ground rules.
"Any preference on who goes first, or how we send them out?" Kashiwagi asked, taking his position.
Iris stood across from him, her wild hair practically crackling with excitement.
"Both at once! Full throttle from the start!"
"Fair enough."
He pulled a Poké Ball from his belt, letting the morning sun glint off its polished surface.
"Ready?"
"Ready as I'll ever be!"
"Go!"
At Kashiwagi's signal, two spheres arched into the air and burst open in unison.
Pop!
Pop!
White light surged and solidified. Fraxure and the Shiny Milotic landed on opposite sides of the sandy pitch.
"Frax-ure!"
"Mi-looo~"
The morning sun wasn't too intense yet, meaning the heat wouldn't sap Milotic's moisture too quickly.
Kashiwagi had chosen her specifically for the lead. He was, however, a bit surprised that Iris started with Fraxure.
What was its Ability again? he wondered. Rivalry? Mold Breaker? If it was Rivalry, things were about to get awkward—a male Fraxure facing a female Milotic would see its attack power tank. But knowing Iris, it was almost certainly Mold Breaker.
"Dragon Dance!" Iris commanded instantly.
"Charge in! Haze!" Kashiwagi countered.
Fraxure began a fierce, rhythmic war dance, his body glowing with a sharp orange-red aura as his speed and power began to climb.
But he didn't get to enjoy the buff for long. Milotic glided forward with surprising speed, exhaling a thick, billowing cloud of dark soot-like mist.
The Haze blanketed more than half the field.
In an instant, the orange glow of Fraxure's stat boost flickered and died, replaced by the pale blue light of a stat reset.
Iris blinked, stunned for a split second, before her sharp instincts picked up a chilling blue light flickering within the dark mist.
"Jump! Get out of there, now!" she screamed.
A heartbeat later...
"Blizzard!"
A visible wave of icy blue energy, thick with crystalline snowflakes, tore through the Haze. The sheer cold flash-froze the sandy floor into jagged patches of frost.
The source was Milotic's open maw and her shimmering, fan-like golden tail fins.
She exhaled the freezing breath while her tail beat the air, intensifying the storm's velocity and reach.
"Eeeek!" Iris yelped, hugging her arms as the freezing aftershock of the Blizzard reached the trainer's box.
Luckily, thanks to her quick command, Fraxure had scrambled to the very edge of the arena.
He stared at the frozen ground where he had stood moments ago, a look of pure terror on his face.
An opponent using Ice-type moves—the one thing he hated most.
But Iris knew that after such a high-output move, there was always a "cooldown" period. She decided to go for broke.
"Fraxure, use Dragon Claw!"
"Frax-uuure!"
Bellowing to bolster his own courage, Fraxure charged through the dissipating mist.
He closed the gap in a desperate sprint, leaping at Milotic just as she finished her breath.
His claws glowed with a fierce green energy as he slashed downward.
Bam! Bam!
The Dragon Claws connected squarely with Milotic's side, kicking up a cloud of dust.
She winced, a flicker of pain crossing her elegant features.
But before Fraxure could retreat, a brilliant golden tail lashed out with speed that far eclipsed his own, coiling around his midsection like a whip.
Whump!
Just because she had finished a move didn't mean Milotic was paralyzed.
To a "serpentine" Pokémon, Wrap was basic instinct.
"Frax-ure!?" The dragon panicked.
"Oh no! Fraxure, break free!" Iris cried.
"Hypnosis."
Kashiwagi didn't give them an inch. Milotic's sapphire-blue eyes began to glow with an enchanting, rhythmic light.
Ripples of translucent pink and purple rings pulsed directly into Fraxure's face at point-blank range.
The dragon's heavy eyelids began to droop instantly. Within seconds, his head slumped forward.
Snore...
He was out cold, right in the middle of the golden embrace.