The early morning sun poured steady golden light across the cobbled path of Route 4. Petals from the wildflowers lining both sides of the trail lifted and swirled in the gentle breeze.
Far behind, the tall buildings and glowing lights of Lumiose City grew smaller with every step Satoshi took, until the skyline looked like a distant row of silver needles against the sky.
He reached up and adjusted his visor hat, pulling the brim down a little lower against the brightness, while his backpack sat firm and light on his shoulders.
"Zigzagoon~♪ Zigzagoon~♪Zigzagoon~♪"
Zigzagoon trotted right beside him, ears up and paws hitting the path in quick, even steps, tail flicking side to side as it keep singing.
"Alright… Santalune City, first badge. Let's see if the gyms here play by the same rules." he murmured, eyes scanning the straight stretch of flower-lined path ahead.
Just as he crossed the invisible line where the city ended and the route truly began, but a breathless voice broke the quiet air.
"Wa—wait! SATOSHI!!"
Satoshi stopped and turned, one brow lifting slightly.
Clemont came rushing toward him—arms pumping wildly, his clemontic gear flapping behind him like a loose cape caught in the wind, glasses crooked on his nose, face flushed red from the sprint.
"Haaah—just made it—haaah—before you left…" Clemont wheezed, bending forward with both hands braced on his knees, shoulders heaving as he tried to pull in enough air.
"…Uhh you alright?" Satoshi asked, voice flat, though the small upward curve at the corner of his mouth showed he found the sight a little funny.
"I—I've made a decision." Clemont straightened up enough to speak, holding one index finger high like he was about to explain the most important invention of his life. "I've decided to entrust Bonnie to you!"
Satoshi blinked once. "...You what now?"
"Bonnie!" Clemont called over his shoulder.
A moment later Bonnie jogged up, breathing much easier than her brother, her cheeks puffed out in annoyance before finally reached them.
"Geez, you didn't even tell me you were gonna run ahead like that! I almost tripped on my own feet trying to keep up with you!"
Clemont pushed his glasses back into place with one finger.
"Look, I realized something last night. If Bonnie's going to keep finding trouble, and I'm stuck being a Gym Leader and developing precision circuitry-based motion stabilizers for hover platfor—"
Satoshi gave him a flat stare, already sensing the long explanation coming.
"Then I might as well let her go with someone capable." Clemont finished, pointing straight at Satoshi.
Bonnie's eyes went wide, arms dropping to her sides. "You mean I can go with Satoshi for real?! Like, actually travel with him? Stay on the road, see new places, find Pokémon, all of it?!"
Clemont nodded, still pulling in deep breaths. "Only if he's okay with it. I trust him."
Satoshi let out a slow breath through his nose, not annoyed but thinking it over carefully. He looked down at Bonnie first—she stared right back up at him, eyes bright and hopeful, bouncing once on her toes.
Then he looked at Clemont, who gave a small, sheepish nod. Satoshi shifted his weight from one foot to the other, then spoke in a clear, even voice.
"Clemont, why do you trust me so much? We've only known each other for a single day."
Clemont blinked, surprised by the direct question, but he met Satoshi's eyes without looking away.
"Because you didn't hesitate when Bonnie was in danger. You stepped in against Team Flare grunts without asking questions or waiting for backup. And you handled it our battle cleanly despite losing. That tells me enough."
Satoshi nodded once, accepting that.
He slipped his hands into his hoodie pockets and kept his tone casual, like they were just chatting about the weather.
"Fair enough. So, you're really okay with her tagging along? She's your little sister. I figured you'd keep her close, especially with everything going on."
Clemont rubbed the back of his neck, glancing at Bonnie who was now crouching down to pet Zigzagoon's head.
"I thought about it all night. She's been restless lately—always asking about adventures, always sneaking out. Keeping her locked in the gym isn't fair to her. And after yesterday… I don't want her getting hurt because I'm not there."
Bonnie looked up from Zigzagoon, tilting her head. "I'm right here, you know. I can hear you guys."
"I know, Bonnie. That's why I'm doing this." Clemont gave her a small smile.
Satoshi watched the exchange for a moment, then spoke again, still casual but direct.
"Alright. If I'm babysitting your little sister, I want a small compensation. Nothing big, just a favor although is more like a permission."
"Huh?" Clemont straightened, curious. "What kind of favor?"
Satoshi glanced down at Bonnie, then back at Clemont.
"Let her have her own Pokémon. Something she can rely on when I'm not around. She's going to need it if she's traveling with me."
Clemont froze.
Bonnie's eyes went huge, her mouth dropping open as she stared up at Satoshi. She froze in place for a second, hands halfway to Zigzagoon's head, then let out a sharp gasp.
"Wait—really?! You mean I could have my own Pokémon? Like, for real? My very own? Not just watching Clemont's or playing with them at the gym, but mine?!"
Her voice climbed higher with each word, bouncing on her toes again as her cheeks flushed pink with excitement.
Meanwhile Clemont's eyes widened behind his glasses, mouth opening slightly before closing again. He shook his head once, then again, more firmly.
"No. Absolutely not!" His voice came out higher than usual before calming down a bit, laced with worry he explain. "She's too young. She doesn't have the experience. What if she picks something too strong? Or something dangerous? What if it gets hurt because she doesn't know how to command it properly? I can't—I can't just hand her a Pokémon and hope for the best."
Bonnie stood up straight, hands on her hips. "Hey! I'm not a baby! I watch you battle all the time! I know stuff!"
Clemont turned to her, voice softening but still firm. "Bonnie, it's not about you not being smart. It's about safety. Pokémon battles can be rough. Trainers get hurt. Pokémon get hurt. I don't want that for you."
Satoshi crossed his arms loosely over his chest, keeping his tone even.
"Clemont, think about what happens if you don't allow it. She's already running into that much trouble on her own."
"Yesterday was just one example. If she's out here with me, and something happens when I'm not right next to her, she has nothing to defend herself with. No way to fight back, no way to escape. She'll be helpless. And that's worse than not giving her a Pokémon and teaching her how to use it."
Clemont looked down at the ground, fingers twitching at his sides. He adjusted his glasses again, even though they didn't need it.
The silence stretched for several seconds, broken only by the soft rustle of petals in the breeze.
Finally, he let out a long, shaky breath.
"…You're right."
"I hate it, but you're right. She needs something. But promise me—promise you'll help her. Don't just give her a Pokémon and walk away. Teach her how to battle. Keep her safe. Please..."
Satoshi nodded once. "Don't worry, she'll be alright with me."
Clemont reached into his clemontic backpack with trembling hands and pulled out a small device that act as the case. He pressed a button, and a compartment slid open, revealing six empty pokéballs in its shrink state.
"I… I prepared these. Just in case. They're empty, but they're ready for catching. You can give her one when the time's right."
As he stepped forward to hand them over, his foot caught on a loose cobblestone.
"Eh?—"
He stumbled, arms windmilling, and the device slipped from his grip. The six empty Poké Balls scattered across the path, rolling in different directions with soft clinks against the stones.
Bonnie burst out laughing. "Hahaha! Big brother! You tripped!"
Clemont scrambled to his knees, face bright red, grabbing at the nearest balls. "W-wait! Hold on—Bonnie, listen to me before you go!"
He finally stood up, clutching the device and the recovered balls, then went straight into big-brother mode, voice rising in a long, frantic list.
"First, don't talk to strangers unless Satoshi says it's okay! Second, don't feed Zigzagoon sweets without asking— it'll make him hyper! Third, don't wander off at night! Fourth, if you see Team Flare, run and hide! Fifth, don't climb trees higher than you can safely jump down from! Sixth, always tell Satoshi where you're going! Seventh—"
Bonnie's cheeks flushed pink, her eyes darting sideways to Satoshi standing right there watching the whole thing.
"Clemont… stop. Satoshi's right here. This is so embarrassing…" She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, fingers twisting the strap of her bag tighter somehow unintentionally making herself adorable.
Clemont kept going, counting on his fingers without noticing her growing pout. "Eighth, don't eat berries off the ground without checking if they're safe! Ninth—"
Bonnie crossed her arms tightly over her chest, lower lip sticking out in a full pout, cheeks still red.
"I already know all this! You say the same stuff every single day! You're always nagging me like I'm gonna disappear the second I step outside!"
Satoshi stood with his hands in his pockets, watching the exchange.
The corner of his mouth twitched upward just a little more, a quiet amusement in his eyes at Bonnie's embarrassment and her pouty protest.
Clemont paused mid-list, finally noticing her flushed face and crossed arms.
His expression softened, and he suddenly stepped forward, knelt down and pull her into a tight but gentle hug, arms wrapping around her small shoulders.
"Be safe…" he said quietly, voice low and steady, holding her for a long moment before loosening his grip.
"I will, big brother." Bonnie hugged him back tightly, pout fading into a small smile against his jumpsuit.
Both of them let go after a few seconds.
Clemont stood back up, gave Satoshi one last grateful nod, then turned and started jogging back toward the city, this time more carefully.
"Bye, Clemont! We'll bring you lots of souvenirs! And maybe some cool gadgets you can fix!" Bonnie waved both arms high over her head.
Then she spun around to face Satoshi, grinning wide.
"Well, what are we waiting for? First badge, right? Let's go! I bet there are tons of cute Pokémon on this route! Maybe a Fletchling or a Scatterbug or something really fluffy!"
Satoshi turned back to the flower-lined path ahead. "…Right."
And together, the new pair—the trainer and the little girl—stepped onto Route 4, their next chapter just beginning.
***
"Holy... Crap..."
"WHY ARE THERE SO MANY TRAINERS?!" Satoshi yelled into the sky, voice carrying over the open path.
Stretching along the flower-strewn route were one, two—no, five—no, at least ten trainers, scattered between patches of tall grass and small decorative fountains, each one turning their head the moment someone new appeared on the path.
A few were already walking straight forward with that clear spark of pre-battle focus in their eyes.
Bonnie blinked, looking left and right. "Uhh… is this normal? There are so many people! Are they all waiting for us? Do they just stand here all day hoping someone walks by?"
Satoshi sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Yeah. Unfortunately."
He glanced down at Zigzagoon beside him. The striped Pokémon had already dropped into a low crouch, ears forward, body tense, ready.
Satoshi had started to recognize the pattern—eyes meet, challenge accepted, battle starts. It felt very familiar to that annoying constant trainer battle...
No time to rest. It was the same as the earlier routes, but this stretch felt like walking straight into a long endurance test.
A few hours earlier.
Satoshi had been pulled into his first battle on Route 4 after entering, he was completely unprepared for how many trainers waited in hiding.
He had tried avoiding their line of sight, ducking behind trees or moving quietly, but it didn't matter—some of them stepped out of the grass and walked right up to him. One chatty youngster had even followed him for several steps before yelling, "Battle me! My Bug Pokémon are the best!"
From that moment, it turned into battle after battle.
Zigzagoon had been pushed hard. But the little Normal-type had held on and grown fast.
Level by level, the experience stacked up from quick thinking and repeated fights. Satoshi had mixed feelings about it—he didn't like the forced encounters, but he had to admit: the theory worked.
Even better, the shared experience system from the games seemed to exist here in reality too.
Even though Froakie hadn't fought yet, it was gaining levels just by staying on the team.
Satoshi had checked it with a quick glance at the status panel—Froakie's level had gone up a little after each of Zigzagoon's wins. That small detail made the long stretches of fighting feel less pointless.
"Seems like the author is being useful for once." Satoshi muttered under his breath, stepping forward into the next open field.
Bonnie tilted her head, skipping a step to match his pace. "What? Who's the author? Are you talking about a book? Can I read it too? Does it have pictures? Is it about adventures like ours?"
"Nothing." he replied, straightening his shoulders. "Let's get through this. We're not stopping until Santalune."
"Zigzagoon, ready?"
"Zigzagoon... (yeah yeah, I can't even rest in peace inside the pokeball...)"
Bonnie giggled and crouched down, reaching out to pat Zigzagoon's head gently between the spikes. "Aww, poor Zigzagoon! Don't worry, I'll sneak you some treats when Satoshi isn't looking! But only the good ones, promise! Like the berry-flavored ones that taste like candy!"
Zigzagoon perked up at the word "Treats" tail wagging faster despite the tired look in its eyes.
A trainer stepped out from behind a thick bush, shouting as they released their Pokémon.
And so, the gauntlet began again.
*
To be continued...
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