-Become an Intermediate Breeder.
-Start your own career from the comfort of your home!
That was John's simple plan for college.
He thought he'd have to wait another year, but to his surprise, he was already on the verge of making it happen before the second half of the semester even began.
As he walked toward the principal's office, he couldn't help but quicken his pace. He took a deep breath at the door, composed himself, and gently pushed it open.
"Come in," a warm, gentle voice called from inside.
John stepped in. It was his first time in the principal's office.
The room was small, with simple furnishings—a desk stacked with papers, a wall lined with bookshelves, a guest sofa, and a small tea table. In the corner, an Eevee lay curled up on a cat tree, napping peacefully. A tiny pot with a delicate purple flower sat by the window, adding a touch of color to the otherwise modest space.
Behind the desk sat Principal Saul Badman, pen in hand, jotting something down. When he saw John enter, he looked up with a friendly smile and motioned for him to take a seat.
"I haven't seen you since that time in the dorm courtyard," Principal Badman said.
John, feeling a bit honored, quickly took a seat. "Counselor Daisy told me you were looking for me?"
Principal Badman nodded. "The National Breeders Association is hosting a breeding camp soon. Every year, we select a few promising students to attend. Professor Scarlett recommended you, and I agree. Would you be interested in going?"
John hesitated only for a moment before nodding. "I'd like to participate."
Truthfully, he wasn't all that eager to leave campus. Training at school was the fastest way to improve his skills. But earning an Intermediate Breeder qualification—and getting one step closer to opening his own breeding hut—was too good to pass up.
From what Daisy had told him, the camp involved a lot of fieldwork, meaning a breeder's individual strength played a significant role. If he wanted to stand out, he needed to be strong enough to back it up.
Fortunately, unless a Gym Leader personally came after him, he was confident in his abilities. Besides, he'd be allowed to bring at least three Pokemon with him, so there wasn't much to worry about.
Principal Badman seemed satisfied with his answer and nodded approvingly. "Good. Go back and prepare. You'll be leaving soon."
"Wait, the day after tomorrow?" John was caught off guard. "That soon? For a national-level camp?"
"The timing wasn't my decision," Principal Badman chuckled. "Professor Scarlett is leading the group this time, and she decided to head out early."
John sighed. Well, whatever the professor said went. Leaving early or late didn't really matter to him. If Scarlett had some experiments to run, John would just find a quiet corner, mess around on his Gameboy, and wait for the camp to begin.
"Oh, one more thing," Principal Badman added. "Give your ID number to Daisy. You're going abroad for this camp, and the school will arrange a temporary passport for you."
John's eyes widened. "We're going overseas?!"
Now he was intrigued. Ever since Pokemon had appeared, the world had changed drastically, but what about other countries? The idea of exploring foreign lands filled with Pokemon sparked his curiosity.
"Thank you, Principal," John said gratefully as he stood to leave. Then, as if remembering something, he hesitated before pulling out a Pokeball. "Sir, I have a Haunter that won't evolve. Could you take a look?"
"Haunter won't evolve into Gengar?" Principal Badman asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah. I tried using the school's trade machines three times, but nothing changed," John explained.
The principal's expression shifted slightly. "Release it. Let me take a look."
John released Haunter, who immediately floated over and gave him a wide, mischievous grin before attempting to Lick him.
John sighed. He was paralyzed again.
Principal Badman handed him a Cheri Berry. "Here, eat this."
John stiffly took the berry and chewed, feeling the tingling sensation of paralysis fade away. "You keep Cheri Berries on you?"
The principal chuckled. "I have a Gengar, and as you probably know, their way of showing affection is Licking people. I've been carrying Cheri Berries for years—though at this point, I've built up an immunity."
As if to confirm his words, a Gengar suddenly materialized behind him, grinning ominously.
John froze. Wait... you can develop immunity?
He turned to glance at his own Haunter, which was noticeably larger than Principal Badman's Gengar. If size correlated to the effectiveness of Lick, then John figured he might reach paralysis immunity even faster than his principal.
That was a terrifying thought.
While John was lost in his own horror, Principal Badman carefully examined Haunter. After a moment, he nodded. "Your Haunter is fine, but the problem isn't with its evolution method. See that spell ring around its arm? It's suppressing its power."
John looked closer and noticed the faint, almost ethereal-looking band circling Haunter's wrist. "So that's what's stopping it?"
"Exactly. Spell rings aren't part of traditional breeding techniques. You'll need a specialist to remove it."
Principal Badman grabbed a notepad, scribbled something down, and handed John a slip of paper. "Here's a contact number. Call them and mention my name—they'll help you out."
John took the note gratefully. "Thank you, Principal."
In just one meeting, he had secured a spot at the breeding camp and found a way to fix Haunter's evolution issue. It was a productive visit.
As he turned to leave, Principal Badman's voice stopped him. "You should come by more often. We can discuss breeding techniques together."
John hesitated, then smiled. "Yes, sir! I'd love that!"