Adventure Thread - Group A

Hey. This place didn't seem so bad. Eve figured that... Yeah, she didn't want to bother the others. Though, she also wasn't going to walk in naively without taking any precautions. Eve tapped out a short message to the other three, telling them that she was going to check out some place new and leaving the address. Just to make double sure, she also left a note on the dining table with essentially the same message. Neither message mentioned anything about Eve's worries about the sketchiness of the place she was going to. After all, she wanted to worry them even less than she wanted to bother them.

With the messages sent and information placed just in case piles of dung did hit the fan, Eve selected her party and then made her way out.

So... the building looked fine. Eve was beginning to wonder if maybe she had just been over-worrying. Sure, the unmoving guards were a bit creepy and the way the receptionist just automatically knew was off-putting but... Okay, maybe she should be worried. To science or to worry?

"I am... interested in it," Eve began hesitantly as she looked around the lobby, "I was hoping I could get a little more information before committing, though. I don't mean to be offensive, but your message hardly seemed... legitimate."

Kaeda heads out to start training. Who knows how much she needs, but depending on how she feels, she might head back. 

"Business is a cutthroat world, Miss. Especially when speaking of bleeding-edge technology. I'm afraid I still cannot say more until you have signed the NDA. Remember that you are under no obligation to go through with anything, signed NDA or not."

Eve is not exactly fluent in legal-ese, but this non-disclosure agreement seems to be of the typical variety: The signer agrees to speak of what they see/hear/experience to nobody without express written consent from the issuer of this agreement. Failure to do so will result in legal action against the signer, including, but not limited to jail time, fines, and the like.

The receptionist smiles as she takes and scans the paper copy of the NDA. "There. Now that you've signed the agreement, I can answer a few of your questions. You've heard of Genetic Engineering, yes? That's basically what we do here, except we take it to the next level by attempting to combine humans and Pokemon together. Usually by giving humans Pokemon traits. It's extremely advanced stuff, practically science fiction-level. I'm afraid I can't offer you further details, as I'm just the receptionist. If you wish to know more, I can see if I can get you in to watch a 'demo' of it."

The woman chuckles as Eve's eyes practically light up. "Don't worry, Miss Lucian, you can rest assured that no Pokemon or humans are unduly harmed by this process. I've been told there is some pain involved, depending on the amount of changes one is planning to undergo, but all who go through the procedure are kept here to be monitored and studied for health reasons. As for the candidate selection process... I really couldn't say. You'd have to ask the Head Scientist."

If Eve is willing to wait, she will get started on seeing if there is a demo available to observe.

Eve waits (im)patiently for a few hours while the receptionist does a lot of typing on the computer. Eventually she approaches Eve again with another person in tow and informs Eve that this man will take Eve to an observation room for a 'demonstration of capabilities'. She is then given a security pass and led through numerous winding corridors until they reach their destination.

In the room below is what looks at first glance like a large, bipedal umbreon. On closer examination though, it is revealed that it is in fact a young man with many features of an umbreon, including a thin coat of black fur and the unique ears. He seems...agitated as he wanders in through the door that opened up from another room (probably where he was being held for 'health reasons') and he whirls around in fear/surprise when the door he just entered from shuts quickly behind him, hackles raised. Eve hears someone issue commands of some sort through an intercom in the 'testing/demonstration' room. The guy's fists clench and un-clench multiple times as the commands are given. When blank target dummies begin popping up randomly in the chamber, he reacts instinctively, creating and hurling bolts of dark energy at them. At first, things are going well for him, but after a few minutes of nearly endless fighting, he begins to tire, and is eventually 'zapped' by one of the dummies.

There are screens filled with all sorts of data on Eve's side, displaying things like the demonstrator's height, weight, sex, age, etc. There are even things that catch Eve's attention, like "% of Pokemon DNA" and "# of combat scenarios cleared" as well as "# of Moves known".

From these screens, Eve can discern the following: The Subject, #414824084-U, is Male, aged 18, with a height of 5'8" and a weight of 120 lbs (which is a bit light for a human male, but not unhealthy). He has 30% Umbreon DNA, has participated in/cleared 3 combat scenarios (this was his first 'endless' scenario), and knows only Faint Attack and Dark Pulse.

Well, how would Eve feel in the Umbreon-human's place? He didn't look like he was being forced into the testing room, per se, but the sudden sealing of his only 'escape route' obviously startled him. Then again, if the numbers are to be believed, he should be used to this. He's been through at least 3 other 'combat scenarios', and seems to have decent stamina for battle. Doesn't seem like he's being mistreated either. There's no signs (that Eve can see from 50 ft away behind a set of one-way glass) that he's underfed or otherwise malnourished. The test ended when he could no longer continue to produce energy for his attacks.. Maybe he just doesn't like the 'combat scenarios', and/or knows he's being observed and has performance anxiety? It would be incredibly hard to tell without asking him directly, and if he's being isolated, like it seems, then it's exceptionally unlikely that they'd let Eve speak to him. No, at best she'd be speaking to a scientist or something.

After a few minutes, the door back to whatever room the hybrid boy came from is re-opened, and he slowly shuffles back in. No words are spoken to Eve by her 'escort', as the evidence is plainly written on her face. She's escorted away from the observation deck and into an office of some sort. Within is a female scientist who smiles at her as she enters.

"So, Miss Lucian." She begins. "Now that you've seen a demonstration, would you like to experience this next step in human evolution?"

~~~
Meanwhile, back in Celadon...

Lia awakens an unknown amount of time later... and finds herself completely immobile, only able to see out of one eye. She sees both feet are hung in slings, like you might see in a hospital room, and what she can see of them and her legs are completely covered by a cast. Based on the fact she can't move, but can feel that her arms are elevated, she must be in... A FULL-BODY CAST?!

Floyd watched Lia's match against Atropa in silence, mildly disappointed the two didn't go all out with a 6 on 6 fight. Afterwards he follows Atropa, assuming Lia won't want an audience against Nalkeya on the off chance she loses.