The freshman courses in the Breeding major were packed to the brim. Compared to the Battle department, which focused heavily on practical training, the Breeding field was far more theoretical. There was a lot of reading, a lot of writing, and a whole lot of research papers.
From Monday to Friday, the days started early, with two theoretical classes each morning. These were intense, covering everything from the basics of breeding to the nuances of nutrition and care for different types of Pokemon. On Tuesday and Thursday afternoons, things shifted. That was when the practical side of the major kicked in. Students spent time in the breeding hut, learning how to care for newborn Pokemon, preparing their diets, and even going out on field trips to places like Trial Island to collect fruits and test out new methods of breeding in the wild.
It was a demanding schedule. Freshman year was all about laying the foundation, getting to grips with the science behind breeding and caring for Pokemon. But by the second year, things would ease up a little. Specializations were introduced, and with fewer classes came more complex material. It would be a different kind of challenge, but at least the workload would lighten.
John, however, found himself enjoying the grind. There was a sense of structure to it all, a clear sense of progress every week. "Feels like college again," he often thought, almost laughing at the second chance he'd gotten at life. It was like a do-over—a chance to hit the reset button.
Mornings were predictable: a quick round of exercise to start the day, followed by a shower and a hearty breakfast. He'd then make his way to class, where he'd immerse himself in the lectures. By 10:30 a.m., the day's classes were done. The rest of the morning was for himself, and he'd usually grab a quick lunch on his way home. By the time he returned, Delibird had already dropped off his pre-ordered meal.
After lunch, John would often pull out his Gameboy and unwind. The game was his escape, his way of shifting gears. Hours would pass by in the blink of an eye. Occasionally, he'd meet up with Grace or the others for drinks or casual hangouts. Evenings were spent with a good book or cooking a simple meal for himself. When he was feeling particularly disciplined, he'd go to bed early, keeping to a solid routine.
John had promised himself that if he got another shot at life, he would take better care of his body. He'd learned the hard way in his past life, where long hours at a desk and neglecting his health had led to a herniated disc and cervical spondylosis. No way was he going to let that happen again. He made sure to hydrate with wolfberry tea and kept his posture in check throughout the day.
Today was Thursday, though, which meant no time to get distracted by his Gameboy. In the afternoon, he was heading out to Trial Island to gather fruit and inspect the local flora. That would have to come first.
Firing up his Gameboy for a quick session before he left, John found himself standing near the riverbank at Route 110, just outside Mauville City, next to the famous bicycle viaduct. He'd already caught a Shiny Aron earlier in his travels, and the region's items—scattered in hidden corners—weren't really a priority. He knew that Pokemon could sometimes carry items of value, but that wasn't his focus at the moment.
John pulled out his fishing rod, reflecting on his last adventure with Daisy . Together, they'd ventured out to the Dragon's Nest, and it had been one of the highlights of his journey so far. But today's goal was clear: he was after a Shiny Magikarp.
As he prepared, John's mind wandered to his mounts. A strong team needed reliable flying, land, and water mounts. His Gible would evolve into a Garchomp one day, and that would handle the flying duties. For land, he didn't have any particular goals, though he kept an eye out for a good fit. But for water, that was where things got tricky. His Frogadier could Surf, but it couldn't dive.
What he needed was something more versatile. He needed a Gyarados. Not only could Gyarados Surf, but it could also be used as a flying mount, at least temporarily, until Garchomp reached its full potential.
The waters around Mauville City weren't exactly teeming with rare Pokemon, but they were home to three main species: Magikarp, Tentacool, and Goldeen. None of these were exactly groundbreaking, but they offered great opportunities to level up. Magikarp, especially, was a frequent sight. They ranged from LV 20 to 30, and usually, when a Magikarp reached LV 20, it would evolve into the fearsome Gyarados. But these ones—these particular Magikarp—hadn't evolved.
John squinted at the water. "They must be the 'special' Magikarp," he mused, half-joking. It was almost like they were the Pokemon equivalent of underachievers—just floating along in life, never reaching their full potential.
A sudden thought made him smile. "If I ever open a Pokemon breeding business, I could specialize in helping these poor Magikarp evolve. Or better yet, I could sell fully evolved Gyarados. Those things are worth a fortune."
Fishing wasn't going well. His rod was a basic model, not much better than a twig with string attached. Sure, there were better rods out there, but for now, he had to make do. Still, after an hour of patience, he finally caught something—a low-level Magikarp.
Not quite what he was hoping for, but at least it wasn't a total waste of time.
While he continued fishing, John checked on his Gible.
[Gible (Ground, Dragon-Type)]
[Level: 23]
[Ability: Ability: Rough Skin (attackers lose HP when they make contact)]
[IVs: HP (31), Attack (31), Special Attack (31), Defense (31), Special Defense (24), Speed (31)]
[Moves: Sand Tomb, Tackle, Sand Attack, Dragon Breath, Bulldoze]
[Held Item: Exp. Share]
John couldn't help but grin. His Gible was a gem—perfect IVs across the board. It was no wonder this little dragon had so much potential. If it was the child of a Dragon King, it was no surprise. Once it evolved into Gabite, it would be a powerhouse. And that wasn't even the best part—soon, he'd be able to ride it, leveling it up further as he breezed through Cycling Road and prepared for the Mauville City Gym.
After two long hours of fishing, he'd still didn't caught a Shiny Magikarp.
John switched off his Gameboy and got ready for the next task.
He changed into his sports clothes, grabbed his new backpack, and hopped onto his Mach Bicycle. The fruit-collecting mission awaited, and he still had a few hours before the day's work was done.
As he sped off toward the east gate of the school, John felt a rush of satisfaction. His day had been productive—he'd made progress in his studies, added a powerful new Pokemon to his team, and was about to complete another important mission. It was everything he could ask for.
And in a way, it was proof that with a little effort, he could finally make the most of this second chance at life.