Isaac Newton and his daugther, Jeanne, watched as John walked away.
"Dad, are you really planning to give that 'item' to a stranger who hasn't even officially joined our dojo?" Jeanne asked, his voice laced with concern.
Isaac chuckled softly. "He's not a stranger, Jeanne. His name's John and He's a student from Riverstone University and also Principal Badman's newly accepted disciple."
"Principal Badman? As in the renowned master of Pokemon breeding ?" Jeanne's eyes widened in disbelief.
Jeanne turned to glance at John's departing figure, his gaze now tinged with respect. "So, he's Principal Badman's disciple... That changes things."
Isaac smiled thoughtfully. "That 'item' was originally acquired with Principal Badman's help. Handing it over to his disciple is a way to repay the favor. Besides, the incident today was Charles's fault. Giving it to him is also a form of compensation."
Jeanne frowned. "But John has been a trainer for less than half a year. Even if he's exceptionally talented, isn't this a bit premature?"
The Gym Leader shook his head. "Talent like his is rare. If he's already this strong in such a short time, his potential is immense. Building goodwill with someone like him now is an investment in the future."
"But what about the others in the dojo?" Jeanne pressed.
Charles's actions today were driven by greed. He even tried to set John up. As for the others..." Isaac sighed. "My disciples have average talent at best. None of them have shown the ability to surpass me, let alone handle that 'item' responsibly. Giving it to John was an easy decision."
Isaac's voice turned cold. "And Charles? He's the last person who should have it. If I handed it to him, it would only lead to disaster. If it weren't for the fact that he's been with me since he was young, I'd have expelled him for his actions today."
Later that day, John and Mark went out for lunch at a local hot pot restaurant. Stephanie didn't join them, leaving the two of them alone to catch up. They ordered food, sat down, and fell into an easy rhythm of conversation, much like they had during their time in Aethermere City.
"Let me ask you something," John began casually, swirling a piece of meat in the boiling broth. "In your dojo, there's a guy named Charles Darwin. Do you have a history with him?"
Mark's face darkened at the name. "Why? Did he give you trouble?"
John nodded. "I think Alfred set me up. He placed me in an examination room where Charles was the examiner."
Mark's expression twisted in anger. "Those two old dogs! They're using dojo politics to mess with my best friend? No way! I'm going to give them a piece of my mind." He started to rise, but John quickly pulled him back down.
"Relax. I didn't take any losses," John assured him.
Mark reluctantly sat back, though his fists remained clenched. "Tell me what happened. If you even suffered a scratch, I'll make sure they pay for it."
John recounted the events of the actual combat exam. When he mentioned how his opponent had used his strongest Pokemon to attack him, Mark's anger flared again. But as John described how he singlehandedly wiped out Charles's team, his friend's eyes widened in astonishment.
"You took out his whole team with one Pokemon?" Mark's jaw practically hit the table. "Are you even real?"
John smirked. "What do you think?"
"No way. I mean, I know you're not the type to lie, but still... Damn, that's impressive." Mark shook his head in disbelief. "And you say you also fought my master?"
"And won?" The boy looked like he might fall out of his chair.
"He used an Abomasnow. It wasn't his main Pokemon," John clarified.
"Even so, that Abomasnow is no pushover. It's flattened me more times than I'd like to admit," Mark muttered, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Anyway," Johnn said, steering the conversation away, "what's going on with you? You seem to have a lot of enemies in your dojo."
Mark sighed, though a hint of pride crept into his voice. "Jealousy. When I joined, Master immediately promoted me to personal disciple. Then I started dating his younger daughter. Half the dojo's members envy me, and the other half outright hate me."
John raised an eyebrow. "Charles's one of the haters, huh?"
"Partly. But it's not just about me dating the master's daughter. There's something else—an item that determines who will inherit the dojo. Anyone who gets it is practically guaranteed to become the next Gym Leader. Charles's gunning for it, and since I'm in a favorable position, he's been targeting me."
"Ah, dojo politics. Sounds like something out of a martial arts drama," John joked.
"You're not wrong," Mark admitted with a chuckle. "Still, it's a headache."
The two continued eating and chatting, sharing stories about their lives. Mark vented about the politics of the dojo, while John regaled him with tales of university life. It was a much-needed break for both of them.
As they were about to part ways, John remembered something. "Oh, your master mentioned a surprise reward for me. He wants me to visit the Gym after the New Year."
"A surprise, huh? Well, I'll be heading back home for the New Year too. Let's plan to go together after the holidays," Mark said, clapping John on the shoulder.
"Sounds good," John replied with a grin. "Just don't let Charles ruin the trip."
"Don't worry about him," Mark said with a smirk. "If he tries anything, he'll have to deal with me first."
"I'll take your word for it, hehe," John said, a small smile tugging at his lips.