Bounded Potential

Once upon a time, in a war torn land.

A young boy sat on a hill overlooking Pewter town, his eyes on the far, far horizon. Ignoring the other man on the cliff.

The young man stood behind him, his eyes on the boy's straw hat.

"How's the rifle feel?"

"It's Heavy."

"Figured."

"Go away already, ya surrender-mankey."

The rifle had always been too much for him. Then and now, it rested in his hands awkwardly, the callouses in his palms in all the wrong places.

The clumsy way he held the rifle spoke volumes; of the fire burning within the boy's stomach. Of the ignorance of how much destruction the weapon could bring about.

Eager to take back as much as had been taken from him. From his family, from his friends, his neighbors and his fellow countrymen.

"They ain't coming back. Not today."

"What do you know, draft dodger?"

"Snrk."

"Something funny?"

"Your face."

"Hrrrgh."

Overflowing with national pride and an over-eagerness to serve his country. How cute.

He had been lucky to be too young during the first draft. It would not last, though.

He would still be in Kanto during the second one, when the region began to run out of adult men to throw at the meat grinder.

"You're one unlucky brat."

"Screw you too. Your hat sucks."

"..." He thumbed the brim of his hat self-consciously. "Ad hominem."

"I don't speak kalosian."

Cheeky brat.

He opened his mouth, as if to fire back, before slowly shutting it closed, merely staring at the boy's straw hat once again. A small badged had been pinned to it.

An Official Bug Catchers association Initiate badge.

"... It's mine." They boy said bluntly, reaching for the brim of his own hat. "You can't have it."

"... I know." Neither can you. "... It's getting late."

Grabbing his boxy briefcase, he began to march down the hill.

"What are you up to now?"

"I ain't just a draft dodger. I'm a medic, too. So... I'm gonna go medic stuff up in town."

"... why are you here? The frontline's hundred of miles away!"

"It is. But I landed here. So I'll do my best to help everyone here."

"...?"

"See ya later, kid. Don't be too shocked when it happens."

"... the hell's up with that guy...?"