Clemont adjusted his glasses with one hand, pushing them back up the bridge of his nose as he stood there on the cobblestone area they had chosen for the battle, then raised his voice clearly so it carried across the open space without any echo distorting the words.
"Alright, it'll be one-on-one battle with whoever pokémon fainted or surrendered will result in a loss!" he said, his eyes narrowing slightly behind the lenses as he glanced over at Satoshi and nodded once to confirm the rules.
"Fine by me!" Satoshi responded loud and clear, his voice coming out strong and direct as he shifted his feet slightly on the pavement to settle into a ready stance.
His eyes focused ahead on Clemont and the rabbit Pokémon standing in front of him while he rolled his shoulders back a bit to loosen up.
Then without hesitation Clemont gave the first command, his arm extending forward in a quick point as he called it out.
"Bunnelby, close in with Quick Attack!" he shouted, leaning his body forward a little with his hand still outstretched, his brows furrowing in concentration as he watched his Pokémon move.
The rabbit Pokémon dashed at incredible speed in that split second, its back legs pushing off the cobblestone with a short scrape as it bent low at first to build speed, then straightened out its body to cut through the air while its ears folded back slightly to reduce drag.
Before Zigzagoon could realize it, Bunnelby was already dangerously up close, its front paws positioning forward and its body aligning straight ahead as it closed the last bit of distance without slowing down.
Satoshi's command cut through the wind.
"Now use Headbutt! Head-on!" His words coming out sharp and immediate as he kept his gaze locked on the battle.
Bam!
Shocking Clemont, as he watched in disbelief, his eyes widening behind his glasses, his mouth opened a bit without making a sound, his hand dropping to his side loosely.
Both Bunnelby and Zigzagoon collided with each other in a full-blown head tackle.
Bunnelby's forehead driving forward with its ears tucked close to its sides for stability while itself planted firmly on the ground to brace against the impact, and Zigzagoon's head lowering just before the hit to drive its own forehead straight into Bunnelby's with equal force.
The two of them gritting their teeth none wanting to back down, pushing back and forth as their bodies strained against each other, their body sliding slightly on the uneven stones while their muscles tensed up from the direct pressure of the lock.
Satoshi's pokémon was the first to crack as its legs started to tire out, its back paws shifting backward inch by inch, its front paw bent under the ongoing push, causing it to lower slightly and its balance to waver from the sustained effort.
Clemont immediately used the opportunity to command his Pokémon, his shoulders relaxing a fraction as he spotted the shift in the lock.
"Hehe, a perfect opening. Bunnelby, use Mud-Shot!" he called, his glasses light up.
The rabbit Pokémon immediately formed a muddy orb between its shovel-shaped ears, gathering more earth energy as the orb took shape directly into the muddy sphere swirling and condensing between the ears while Bunnelby kept its position in the head-on lock.
Zigzagoon couldn't escape because it was in a lockdown headbutt with it, its paws still pushing forward against Bunnelby's without any space to pull away.
But...
The racco pokémon grinned widely under the pressure, its mouth curving up at the corners while its eyes narrowed slightly.
Confusing Clemont before he widened his eyes in realization of what move this Pokémon commonly always had in its arsenal.
"No! Bunnelby!" he started, his voice rising in urgency as he raised his hand sharply to signal the retreat. "Dodge immediat—"
"Right where I wanted! Use Pin Missile! Wide area spread!" Satoshi shouted, his voice rising loud and direct as he clenched his fist at his side and kept his feet planted on the pavement.
Zigzagoon's whole body lit up with energy, its fur standing out slightly as the glow built up from its core and spread outward, and before Bunnelby could pull away, Zigzagoon then shot out in a gathering eruption of needles, the projectiles launching in a wide area spread from its body in all directions around the close-range lock.
Hitting the concentrated muddy orb directly in front of them and causing it to explode on contact with a burst of mud energy that sprayed outward, creating a cloud of smoke that billowed up from the point of impact and spread across the cobblestone area between the two Pokémon.
Clemont and Satoshi stared silently, their eyes fixed on the smoke without moving as they stood there on opposite sides of the space.
The distant city sounds continuing in the background while the cloud hung in the air for a few seconds, Clemont's hand still half-raised and Satoshi's fist loosening slightly.
The smoke cleared out as the result slowly revealed itself, the haze thinning from the center outward until the figures became visible again on the cobblestone.
Both Pokémon stood between oppositely of each other and heavily wounded, exhaling in and out, Bunnelby's ears drooping slightly while its chest rose and fell with deep breaths and small bits of mud clinging to its fur, and Zigzagoon's paws spread wide for balance as it panted with its tongue out and scratches marking its sides from the close-range explosion.
Satoshi's eyes narrowed, his gaze focusing on Zigzagoon's condition as he stood there without moving. He hesitated only a second, but he let out a light sigh and decided to—
'The battle was shorter than I expected, and since there's not much reason to continue if his pokémon is gonna get hurt even more from pushing on.'
Satoshi thought, his mind turning over the visible wounds on Zigzagoon's body and the way it stood with wobbling legs while he kept his expression neutral, his shoulders slumping just a fraction as he reached for the Poké Ball.
"Zigzagoon, stand down." he said, his voice steady but with a hint of reluctance as he extended his arm forward slightly and kept his eyes on his Pokémon.
Zigzagoon gave a low growl but obeyed, collapsing down with heavy breaths, its body dropping to lie flat on the pavement and closed its eyes for a moment to rest.
Clemont raised his hand, concerned, lifting his palm up in a stopping gesture as he took a step forward, his brows knitting together while he adjusted his glasses with his other hand.
"Are you sure?" he asked, tilting his head to one side as he glanced between Satoshi and the collapsed Zigzagoon.
Satoshi nodded, his head moving up and down once in confirmation as he kept his expression neutral, his hand lowering back to his side after recalling Zigzagoon with a quick flash of red light from the Poké Ball.
"No point in pushing him further. You've got the level advantage and more experience. I'm not here to throw him into a wall." he replied, crossing his arms over his chest loosely while he shifted his weight to one foot.
Clemont called Bunnelby back with a quick recall from his Poké Ball, the light pulling the rabbit Pokémon in, and approached, a look of visible respect on his face as he walked over the short distance to stand closer to Satoshi.
"You might've lost the battle, but..." he said quietly, his voice lowering a bit as he met Satoshi's eyes directly, his hands clasping together in front of him while he stood straight.
Satoshi looked over with a brow raised, lifting one eyebrow slightly in question of what he's about to say, his head tilting a little to the side.
"What do you mean?" he asked, uncrossing his arms and letting them hang at his sides while he kept his gaze steady on Clemont.
"You used Headbutt like a direct counter. Pin Missile like an explosive trap. You didn't just give orders, it's like you reinterpreted the moves themselves."
"Even Gym Leaders don't fight like that!"
Clemont explained, gesturing lightly with one hand as he spoke, his eyes brightening a bit behind his glasses.
Satoshi gave a modest shrug, his shoulders rising and falling in a simple motion as he slipped his hands into his pockets.
"Meh, just thinking out of the box, really." he said, his mouth curving into a small half-smile.
But Clemont wasn't done, his expression staying serious as he continued without pause, his hands unclasping as he adjusted his stance slightly. "And it seems I have figured out your pokémon level from the battle."
"You made a level 12 Zigzagoon keep up with a trained pokémon ten levels higher. That's not normal. That's…"
He added, his voice trailing off as he searched for the right word, his gaze dropping to the ground for a second before coming back up while he pushed his glasses higher on his nose.
Clemont thought for a moment, searching for the word. "...Genius-level improvisation."
Satoshi smiled faintly, the corners of his mouth turning up just a little as he stood there relaxed, his posture easing as he nodded once in acknowledgment.
"Well, thanks. But I've still got a long way to go." he replied, rubbing the back of his neck with one hand while he let out a short breath.
Clemont gave a small laugh, the sound coming out short and light as he adjusted his glasses again, his shoulders shaking slightly from the chuckle before he straightened up.
"That makes two of us then!" he said, extending a hand again—not as a Gym Leader, but as a fellow Trainer, his palm open and facing up slightly as he held it out, his eyes meeting Satoshi's with a warm glint.
Satoshi shook it, his grip firm as their hands met and released after a moment, his own hand lingering for a second before dropping back to his side.
And with that, the foundation of a quiet, mutual respect was laid. One born not from victory… but from how the battle was fought.
***
As they sat on a shaded bench not far from the practice field, Zigzagoon was resting inside the Poké Ball after getting healed up with Bunnelby, the bench's wooden slats creaking slightly under their weight as they settled in.
The shade from a nearby tree casting patterns of light and shadow on the ground around them while distant sounds of the city filtered through.
Satoshi yawned with a relaxed expression, his mouth opening wide as he stretched his arms out in front of him before letting them drop back, then Clemont spoke again, thoughtful, his voice coming out even as he leaned back against the bench, his arm resting along the top of it while he turned his head toward Satoshi.
"You know…"
"With how you battle, have you considered registering for the Kalos League?" he asked, raising his eyebrows slightly as he waited for the response.
Satoshi looked up, blinking, his eyes widening a bit as he turned his head toward Clemont.
"The Kalos League?" he repeated, his brow furrowing just a touch while he leaned forward a little with his elbows on his knees.
Clemont nodded, his head moving up and down in confirmation as he crossed one leg over the other, his hand gesturing lightly in the air as he explained.
"Yeah. You know—take on the Gym Challenge, earn all eight badges, then qualify for the League Conference in Lumiose." he said, his eyes glancing off to the side for a moment before returning to Satoshi.
Satoshi tilted his head slightly, as he considered the words, his fingers tapping lightly on his knee.
"Wait… You mean the one that ends in a tournament format?" he asked, his eyes narrowing a bit in thought as he kept his gaze on Clemont.
"That's right!" Clemont confirmed, his tone steady as he gestured lightly with one hand, his mouth curving into a small smile while he nodded again. "Every year, hundreds of trainers enter. The top sixteen fight it out for the championship."
Satoshi furrowed his brow, his forehead creasing as he looked down at the ground in front of the bench, his hand coming up to rub his chin slowly.
"But what about the pokémon League? As in, the actual League? The Elite Four. Champion tier." he said, glancing back up at Clemont with a questions.
Clemont blinked at the question, his eyes closing and opening quickly in mild surprise, then gave a small smile, the expression forming slowly on his face as he adjusted his position on the bench.
"Ah… that. Well, technically they're the same system—just different stages. Most people call the badge-collecting path the 'Kalos League' but only a handful ever make it far enough to challenge the Elite Four, let alone the Champion." he explained, his hand waving dismissively in the air before resting back on his leg.
Satoshi leaned back, expression still unreadable as he rested his arms along the top of the bench and stared ahead, his fingers drumming lightly on the wood.
In the anime, he remembered Ash fought in tournaments, conferences—the Indigo League, the Silver Conference, and so on—but the Elite Four was never directly challenged within the scene, 'But it's not like it never existed.'
The game, meanwhile, treated them as the final test after the protagonist collect all eight badges.
So in this world… both existed. just not in one path.
"...very Interesting." he murmured, more to himself than anyone else, the words coming out low and quiet as he kept his gaze forward, his mouth pressing into a thin line while he nodded slowly.
Clemont tilted his head, leaning it to one side in curiosity as he watched Satoshi's face, his own expression shifting to one of mild puzzlement.
"You didn't know about it?" he asked, raising one eyebrow.
"I thought it was just the regional tournaments. Didn't realize the Elite Four were still in play." Satoshi replied, turning his head back toward Clemont with a small shrug of his shoulders.
"Yes, they are. But they don't bother with challengers who don't prove themselves first. The League Conference is their filter. Only the winner of the Kalos League gets a shot." Clemont said, his voice firm as he gestured with one hand again, his eyes locking onto Satoshi's.
Satoshi crossed his arms, and gone into deep thought, his arms folding over his chest as he close up his eye, his leg bouncing slightly on the bench.
'So this version of the pokémon world... It's blending both systems. The tournament format from the anime, and the post-League gauntlet from the games. That means… I can reach the top. If I'm good enough.'
Clemont leaned forward, smiling a bit, his body shifting on the bench as he continue resting his elbows on his knees.
"If you're serious about battling, you should register. You've got something different, Satoshi. Although you're just begin your journey, let's call it... Unique Potential." he suggested, his eyes brightening.
Satoshi looked back at him, brow arching slightly, one eyebrow lifting as he turned his head, his arms uncrossing as he sat up straighter.
"You think so?" he asked, his mouth twitching into a faint grin while he met Clemont's gaze.
"I am certainly so," Clemont replied simply, his words direct without any added emphasis, his smile widening just a touch as he gave a quick nod.
Satoshi gave a faint smile, more to himself than anything else, his eyes drifting downward for a moment.
He tapped his pocket, feeling the faint weight of Zigzagoon's Poké Ball, his fingers lingering there briefly before pulling away.
*
To be continued...
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