Pokemon: The Gameboy Effect

Later that day, Chad arrived with two cases of beer, much to everyone's surprise. As expected, the usual chaos unfolded, and John, ever the prankster, had set up a camera to capture the whole scene. If Chad thought he could delete the video, he was sorely mistaken—especially once the late-night snacks were involved.

"John, my man! Next time you go Pokemon hunting, take me with you!" Chad begged, clinging to John's side like a desperate little brother. "I don't even need a Shiny Pokemon. I just want to be part of the action!"

"I'm taking a break from wild Pokemon hunts," John replied, smiling but turning down the request.

The group sat around, savoring the grilled skewers, sipping their drinks, and chatting away. After three rounds, the clock struck ten. Rose and Ethan had plans to visit West Lake the next day, so they decided it was time to head home for some rest.

John had been surprised to see Rose and Ethan getting along so well—it seemed persistence, or maybe a little luck, had finally done the trick.

Before leaving, everyone pitched in to clean up the yard. As they stepped out, Grace turned back to John.

"Oh, one more thing," she said with a smirk. "You might want to get ready for the welcome party."

"What do you mean?" John asked, wary of her tone.

"This is Pokemon University," Grace explained with a grin. "We don't do regular orientation parties here—the finale is a Pokemon battle."

John raised an eyebrow. "A battle, huh?"

Grace nodded. "Yep. The final showdown is between a senior representative and a freshman representative. And guess what? Since you're the winner of the freshman military training competition, you're the rep for your class. Don't embarrass us."

John shook his head. "You really think I'm gonna go all out?"

"Better get confident, John!" Grace grinned. "It's your chance to show everyone what you've got."

John sighed, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Alright, but what if I beat the senior?"

Everyone chuckled as they said their goodbyes. Left alone, John was already intrigued. "This could get interesting…"

The next day, John woke up early, excited for his trip to 'Dragon Island' with his mentor, Daisy. With classes starting tomorrow, today was the perfect day to explore the nest and maybe catch a Pseudo-lengendary dragon Pokemon.

After preparing breakfast for his Pokemon, John packed his bag, slipped into a sporty outfit, and hopped onto his sonic bike, heading for the East Gate of Riverstone University. Unlike the West Gate, which led across a bridge to the sea, the East Gate had a wharf where they'd take a boat to 'Dragon Island'.

Arriving half an hour early, John spotted Daisy already waiting. She was dressed in a pink tracksuit, her ponytail held back with a black ribbon. Even in casual wear, she radiated energy and confidence.

If I were in a relationship with a teacher… John started to think before quickly shaking it off.

Daisy smiled as she noticed him. "You're early! Let's head out. The earlier we go, the earlier we'll get back."

She glanced at him. "Do you have a Water- or Flying-type Pokemon?"

"I have a Frogadier." John offered.

Daisy shook her head with a laugh. "Better to use mine." She tossed a Pokeball toward the water.

A massive Gyarados, over ten meters long, burst from the ocean, casting a fierce look at John as if to say, Who's this, and why does he look so eager?

"This is my Gyarados," Daisy said, gesturing to the creature. "We'll ride it to the Dragon Nest since there's no direct boat from the school."

"By the way," she continued, "you should look into catching a large Water- or Flying-type for transport. It'll be handy when you have research courses at the Dragon Nest later on."

John nodded, eagerly filing the tip away. I've been wanting a mount Pokemon anyway—maybe I'll find a good one in the Island.

He climbed onto Gyarados's back, eyeing its fierce expression. Gyarados wasn't exactly thrilled to let him on board, but John was determined.

Maybe I should catch a Shiny Gyarados, he thought. A red Gyarados flying through the sky would be an awesome flex.

"Alright," John decided aloud, grinning, "I'll catch a Shiny Magikarp, and this time, make sure it's a female too."

As the morning sun cast warm rays over the ocean, John and Daisy set off for the Dragon Island, anticipation buzzing in the air.