Pokémon: Above the Top

Wallace had changed so much that Sato didn't recover for quite a while.

He still remembered visiting the Sootopolis Gym back then. After putting Wallace's three arrogant "seniors" in their place, Wallace had challenged Sato himself in an effort to restore the Gym's dignity.

Milotic vs Sharpedo. In the end, Sharpedo won.

At that time, Wallace was just another so-called genius who had gone astray in the eyes of others.

And because those around him didn't accept him, his personality had become somewhat repressed and insecure.

But now -oh wow- he was flamboyant beyond belief, constantly surrounded by drooling fans. It was like his true nature had finally been unleashed.

Sato had once naïvely thought that if Wallace really became Champion of Hoenn one day, that battle might be something he could brag about for the rest of his life.

But as his Pokémon steadily grew stronger, Sato suddenly realized… why did he subconsciously assume he couldn't surpass Wallace?

'If I can beat you today, I can beat you again, and again, and again in the future!'

A true heart of strength is forged by stepping over countless prodigies!

Ahem…

Looking again at Wallace now, Sato silently added another reason to defeat him.

'Damn it. Who gave you the right to lift my chin like that? Did you ask for my permission? Do we even know each other like that?'

'…Stupid Wallace.'

After all the laughter and chaos, although the group hadn't been that close before, Wallace's over-the-top personality ended up creating a surprisingly lively atmosphere.

Of course, Sato remained cold and distant the whole time, just watching the other three chat cheerfully while secretly considering whether he should challenge the limits of human flexibility again.

Hmm… this time maybe he'd go for the neck.

Given that they had been traveling for days, after enjoying a luxurious dinner at the seven-star hotel, Wallace took the initiative to arrange their accommodations.

"Sato, I'll come by at 8 a.m. tomorrow to take you to the competition I've poured my heart and soul into organizing~"

Wallace stood at the doorway, speaking mysteriously to the three of them. He even gave them a flashy wink before leaving.

BANG!

His answer was Sato slamming the door without hesitation.

"Boss… wasn't that a little rude?" Mark suddenly remembered the concept of manners.

"…You change sides just because of a fancy meal? Since when has Shadownight Gym ever been short on food?" Sato's eyes gleamed with cold light, making Mark stand at attention and salute, not daring to say another word.

"Hmph. Go to sleep."

Sato turned and walked into the room, opened his laptop, and began browsing the latest News.

Sleep? When young people say they're going to sleep, are they really going to sleep?

Of course not. First, you check the trending topics, watch some shows, chat flirtatiously, and only when you're too exhausted do you lie down.

…Then, lying in bed, you keep checking your phone for trending topics, more shows, more chats.

Only when the phone drops on your face and you realize you can't stay awake anymore do you finally close your eyes and truly go to sleep.

And so, Sato the night owl came across News about himself in Veilstone City. After staring at it for a while, he decided it wasn't important anymore.

…Compared to tomorrow's headlines, that one was just a light drizzle.

----

A quiet night passed.

The next morning, the flamboyant Wallace arrived on time to wake them up, and Sato had already seen the latest coverage on his laptop.

But after a night of adjusting his mindset, he could now face it calmly, able to resist the urge to glance at Wallace's neck or fantasize about the limits of human flexibility.

As Wallace put it, you get used to being on the front page after a while.

"Wallace, is the competition we're about to see really that dazzling? Can Pokémon really pull off those kinds of effects?" Mark couldn't help asking again along the way.

Sato was surprised… 'Mark hadn't passed out immediately last night? He actually did some research?'

"Those aren't effects at all… it's all carefully refined through rigorous training… BIT BY BIT! What we're showcasing… is the charm of Pokémon… the brilliance of battle!"

Wallace was thrilled to see Mark show interest in his "competition", and couldn't help but launch into a passionate speech in front of everyone.

Of course, they still had a group of screaming fans following them, who didn't find it awkward in the slightest. In fact, their screams intensified.

Sato recalled the Wallace he had seen in his previous life. Still flamboyant, yes, but not this unhinged.

'What exactly had you been through over the years? Or was it simply youthful ignorance?' Sato shook his head, too lazy to dwell on it, and turned his attention instead to the new competition that Mark and Joseph were actively discussing.

"A… performance battle competition?"

Sato thought it over for a moment. 'Wasn't this the same as the "Pokémon Contests" that would soon explode in popularity, eventually rivaling the League Conference?'

Right now, Contests were only known in a few small towns in the Hoenn Region; a kind of local craze that hadn't caught on more widely.

As for Sinnoh, it was probably just being introduced. No wonder Wallace kept saying he'd poured great effort into organizing this event.

From the hotel, it only took the group ten minutes to reach the "competition venue" -Contest Hall-.

Looking at the water stage painted entirely in sky blue, Sato thought to himself, 'This must be the prototype of the future annual Wallace Cup.'

"Do you guys want to give it a try~?" Wallace directly extended the invitation to the three of them, and even gave Mark a charged, provocative look.

"AHH~!!!"

Sato frowned, feeling irritated by the fresh wave of screams and cursing Wallace in his heart.

'You damned, ever-flamboyant nuisance!'

"Then let's give it a shot." Sato narrowed his eyes. It's just a Contest, right? 'So what if I've never eaten Mamoswine meat, doesn't mean I've never seen one run. I've even seen whole herds of Mamoswine run!'

"I want in too!" Mark, always eager to join the fun, jumped at the chance. Now that even the boss was participating, he had no reason not to.

"What about you, Joseph~?" Wallace turned and gave Joseph a flirtatious wink, complete with the usual electric spark.

"I'll cheer for everyone~" Joseph chuckled, winking back with equal spark. After all, his looks weren't lacking either.

"Alright then. The audience seats are over there. I'll take Sato and Mark to sign up."

"Sure, go ahead. Don't mind me." Joseph nodded and made his way to the stands.

Wallace seductively crooked a finger at Sato and Mark, triggering another round of screams from nearby fans. Only then did he smugly lead them backstage to register.

"This is your first time participating in a performance battle, so I've scheduled you near the end. That way, you can watch others perform first. Sound good?" Wallace said with considerate sincerity.

"No problem!" Sato nodded. He agreed, the protagonist should always go on last.

"Then I'll put you in the third-to-last and second-to-last spots," Wallace said matter-of-factly.

"Why not second-to-last and last?" Sato frowned.

"Because I'm going last~" Wallace grinned. "The protagonist has to enter last, of course!"

"…Oh."