The Poké Ball barely shuddered before it clicked to confirm the capture. Froakie was his, and John wasted no time inspecting its stats.
[Froakie (Water)] Level: 7Ability:Battle Bond (Effect unknown)
IVs: HP (31), Attack (31), Special Attack (31), Defense (25), Special Defense (27), Speed (31)
Moves: Bubble Beam, Pound, Growl, Tackle
Held Item: None
"Only level 7?" John murmured in surprise. Froakie had fought with far more skill than that level suggested. Lucky it was low, though—Torchic had only hit level 10 after last night's training marathon, and a stronger Froakie might've turned the tables.
Froakie's IVs were impressive, with four perfect values and only slight downgrades in Defense and Special Defense. And then there was its unique Ability—Battle Bond. Froakie's official Abilities in the Pokédex were either Torrent, standard among water starters, or Protean, its rarer Hidden Ability. Yet Battle Bond was something altogether different, a legendary ability from the anime world, enabling Ash's Greninja to fight alongside him with a bond stronger than any regular trainer bond.
"Seems my trip into the wild wasn't a waste after all," John thought, pleased with his discovery.
Just then, Mark bounded over, clapping a hand on John's shoulder. "Dude, since when do you have a Torchic—and one that strong!"
"It's a recent addition," John replied, not exactly lying. Torchic had, after all, come from Professor Birch himself.
Mark, none the wiser, grinned and gave him a friendly jab. "You owe me dinner after keeping me in suspense all day!"
John chuckled. "Alright, it's on me," he said confidently. With 38,000 Pokedollars in his account, dinner was well within budget.
After finding a cozy hot pot place in town, the two settled in, the aroma of steaming broth wafting over them as they chatted.
"So, now that you've got a starter Pokémon, what's your plan?" Mark asked between bites.
For students finishing high school in this Pokémon-driven world, there were four main paths. The first was a traditional university, a good option for those pursuing careers outside the Pokémon field. The second path, Pokémon University, offered specialized courses for breeders, battlers, and other career tracks. The third option was to train under a Gym Leader, although gym admission was notoriously selective. And the last path was the military, where Pokémon skills were valued and refined for defense.
John had never planned on Pokémon University before the handheld discovery. But with his newfound training capabilities, becoming a Trainer now seemed like the natural choice. Joining a gym or enlisting weren't options that allowed for his unique training situation, so he was considering Pokémon University, possibly in the Breeder track to take advantage of the handheld's functions.
"What about you?" he asked Mark.
"I'm trying out for the Chiba Gym. My dad's pulling some strings," Mark replied with a casual shrug, showing neither pride nor embarrassment.
The Chiba Gym in Verdantia City Province specialized in Grass-type Pokémon, and since Mark's starter was a Bulbasaur, the path seemed like a natural fit.
"Not bad! Sounds like a solid plan." John said, nodding with a hint of envy. After all, who wouldn't want a clear path laid out for them?
"Want to come with? It's an open tryout, though no guarantee you'd get in," Mark offered.
John shook his head. "Nah, Pokémon University's more my style. And anyway, I'd be out of place at a Grass-type gym without a Grass Pokémon."
Mark laughed. "True, but maybe one day I'll see you on campus or at a tournament. Cheers to the journey, man."
They clinked their glasses, each looking forward to what lay ahead on their Pokémon journey.