John stepped off the plane and walked through the VIP terminal at Aethermere City. A sleek black business car was already waiting for him outside. His assistant, Emerald, had arranged everything in advance, from booking the flight to securing transportation. With her handling the logistics, he didn't have to worry about a thing.
The ride to Riverstone University was smooth. As the car pulled up to the grand entrance, John barely had time to take in the familiar campus scenery before a voice called out to him.
"Hey! Is that John?!"
There was a mix of excitement and uncertainty in the tone. Looking up, John saw a young woman in white sportswear holding a tennis racket. She was undeniably beautiful, but he had no idea who she was.
"Uh, and you are?" he asked, tilting his head slightly.
"It really is you, John!" she gasped, her eyes lighting up. "I'm a huge fan! Can we take a picture together?"
She eagerly pulled out her phone. The moment his name was mentioned, several other students turned their heads. John suddenly felt a creeping sense of danger. He had taken precautions, wearing a mask, yet he had still been recognized. Was she a real fan, or worse—one of those obsessive types?
"Uh, maybe another time," he said hastily. "I've got a meeting with the principal." Without waiting for a response, he took off running. He knew that once he agreed to one picture, he'd be stuck in a never-ending photoshoot with the entire school.
"Wait! At least sign something!" she called, not giving up.
Hearing the commotion, other female students who were also fans of his joined in, chasing after him. John turned a sharp corner, then swiftly released his Gardevoir. Without missing a beat, she teleported him straight to the principal's office. He landed slightly off-balance, panting from the brief sprint.
Across the room, Principal Saul Badman chuckled. "Let me guess, fans?"
John groaned. "I barely made it out alive. I need a way to walk around campus without being recognized."
Principal Badman leaned back in his chair, stroking his chin. "Zoroark."
John blinked. "Come again?"
With a smirk, the principal tossed a Pokeball into the air, releasing a sleek black-and-red Zorua. The little fox-like Pokemon raised a paw, and a ripple of distortion spread outward. Principal Badman's face blurred for a moment, and when it refocused, he now had an entirely different appearance—a square jaw, a completely different hairstyle, and a slightly more rugged look.
John's eyes widened. "Wait, Zoroark's illusion ability is that good?!"
The principal grinned. "It's a game-changer. Maybe you should get one."
John made a mental note. He'd have to figure out where to catch a Zoroark in his Gameboy later.
Switching gears, he took a deep breath. "Right, about my early graduation. What kind of exam are we talking about? Standard four-out-of-six battle format?"
Principal Badman shook his head. "That's for regular students. You, however, are a Gym Leader. That format would be meaningless for you."
John sighed, already sensing trouble. "So... what exactly does that mean for me?"
The principal leaned forward, a knowing glint in his eye. "Tomorrow morning at 5 AM, you'll head to the DragonCrest Trainer Association. There's a special flight waiting for you, a Pokemon Investigator mission. You'll be deployed to the borderlands to assist Agent Zachary Hayes in taking down a criminal organization operating between the Draconia and the Grassland Republic."
John's exhaustion vanished in an instant. "Wait, an investigator mission? Like taking down actual criminals?!" His eyes sparkled with excitement.
Principal Badman nodded. "It's time you saw the real world. School has its place, but true strength is forged in battle, not in the safety of an ivory tower."
John was already imagining the possibilities. He'd studied this kind of thing before, Team Magma, Team Aqua, even Team Rocket back in Johto. He had folders dedicated to analyzing how they operated. Now, he'd get to see a real criminal syndicate in action.
"Alright, I'm in," he said with a determined grin.
The principal chuckled. "I figured as much."
John stood up, already planning his next move. "I need to pick up my Vigoroth and Smeargle this afternoon. They've been training at Justin's Gym for nearly a month. Old man Justin already messaged me to come get them."
Just as he was about to leave, Principal Badman suddenly grabbed his wrist and shoved something soft into his arms.
John looked down to see an Eevee staring back at him with big, curious eyes.
"One more thing," the principal said. "Help me check its individual values."
(A/N: Got any better name than 'Grassland Republic', I'm not to proud of that one, my skill in naming things kinda sucks XD