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Post by JadeMonument on Sept 7, 2016 18:03:09 GMT
Mint Town, for those not in the know, is an altogether unremarkable town in a region full of gorgeous locales and huge cities vying for a tourist's attention. But to those who call the region of Lysia home or are preparing to attempt the Lysia League challenge, Mint Town is the famous "Town of Beginnings" - a safe place for young Trainers to begin to build the bond between themselves and their starter Pokemon.
Professor Pine's lab isn't too difficult to find, and even if it was, the people in the town are more than happy to point you in the right direction - a two-floor behemoth in a town of single-floor homes and local shops. From the outside, the lab is no marvel of technology; a simple brick exterior with a green roof on top, with small planters full of the town's namesake hanging off of the windows. One of Pine's assistants, dressed in everyday clothes under her pristine white lab coat, greets you at the door to the lab, informing you that Professor Pine has been expecting you as she checks your name off of the clipboard she's carrying. Her pen is placed back behind her ear as she leads you into the lab.
The room you're left waiting in looks more like a living room than a reception area, aside from the empty desk with a door leading further into the lab behind it. Two comfortable couches are set in front of a coffee table, where the assistant who brought you in placed a few trays of fruit and bottles of water in case you wanted a snack while you were waiting for the Professor. But since the blonde-haired young woman had gone back into the lab after leading the last of the four of you into this waiting area, telling you that Pine would be out shortly, no one from the lab had come out and interacted with you.
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I'm not going to say it was damage, but it was damage.
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Apr 27, 2024 17:48:03 GMT
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Post by Robot on Sept 7, 2016 18:26:43 GMT
Covered in a fine veneer of road dust, Theodore was the first of the four in. The teenager parsed few words to Professor Pine's assistant, and took his hat off, holding it against his hip. Didn't do to wear one indoors, and only scum was impolite around a proper woman. Far too serious in expression and posture, especially for a boy his age about to take to the journey of a lifetime. Everything about the young Weed spoke of a gauging sharpness about him, from the glint in his eyes to how he squared his shoulders. It wasn't one o'them 'better n' you' looks, more like he was just taking everything in, more than a boy should on their first day. Alert, vigilant, ready. The other trainers as they wandered in got a dip of the head and a closing of his eyes as an acknowledgement of their presence and a slight display of trust, and his attention returned to the door. It had been a long walk to get to Mint, but he stood. He'd sit when he finished what he'd come to do.
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Post by FelixSparks on Sept 7, 2016 20:05:58 GMT
While the first one in looked as if he'd just stepped off the set of an old western movie, the boy who arrived second looked as though he might have been the one calling the shots from the director's chair. He nodded as the woman spoke, all smiles and a joke here and there, making sure to shake her hand when they were done. A lovely lady, so nice and laid back. With the right lines she could probably make the screen EXPLODE.... with that thought tucked away for later, Adam made his way to the couches, grabbing a fruit for himself as well as a bottle of water. It's rude not to take what's offered, right?
He cast an eye over the room, eventually settling on the boy who has arrived first. Quite the desperado by all appearances, Adam couldn't help but wonder why. They weren't near any of the deserts... Perhaps this boy was from another country originally, like he was? Adam waved politely, not sure if he wanted to approach just yet. Sometimes those people were great, other times they were nutjobs waiting to crack. Perhaps he'd play this one a bit cautiously.
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Oct 13, 2018 19:33:19 GMT
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Post by David Hilm on Sept 7, 2016 21:24:28 GMT
Abigail steps into the lab, all smiles and bubbling excitement. The lab was similar to many she had been in before, if not in layout then at least in atmosphere. Each lab assistant she passed got a handshake and a good morning, always helps to get off on the right foot with the people that may be in charge of her extra Pokemon in the future. She steps into the room the aide leads her to, surprised to not be the first in the room. If her fourth team mate is as punctual as the other two, this could be a rousing success of a team without a doubt.
She returns the nod from her first team mate, and smiles with a wave to her second, before settling in and relaxing near the door. Odds are nothing would go wrong, but one can never be too careful.
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Post by Oranchello on Sept 7, 2016 22:27:31 GMT
"Mom! Seriously, I'm going to be late!" Beryl reaches deep into the car's backseat the pry her bag away from the hands of her giggling sisters. "Yes, I packed my own lunch. You saw me do it! Yes... fine! If there's enough time," she counters. Her mother wanted her to meet back up with them once she had her starter, but Beryl was going to make sure there'd be no chance of that happening. She had pretended to be her mom over the phone to get her appointment a day earlier for a reason, and she wasn't about to share her pokemon now that she was so close to being free. Most groups were less than five people anyways, so her sisters could handle themselves just fine without her.
With a snap, the handle of her bag extends so she can use the wheeled carrier attached to the bottom. It wouldn't help much on the road, but some routes were properly maintained weren't they? She turns back to give her mom a kiss on the cheek along with a final exasperated sigh, and she waves to Begonia, her meekest and more likable sister, though the rest interpret it as directed at them. How vapid.
With a flourish she's back on track towards the building, waiting by the door till her mother's pulled far enough away her sisters' hollers won't carry inside once she opens the door. She's a bit intimidated by Theodore's grim nod, but she waves all the same, if a bit awkwardly. She takes a seat on the unspoiled second couch and reaches for a glass of water. Breaking the ice is a tall order for someone like her, and that's not a joke about her height.
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Post by JadeMonument on Sept 7, 2016 23:59:25 GMT
The quiet that had fallen over the waiting area was broken without warning, as a young woman with tanned skin, freckles, and a bandana tied back to keep her hair out of her eyes came out from the back room, two assistants nearly getting smacked in the face by the swinging door as Professor Pine practically ran out to meet you all. "I am so sorry to keep you guys waiting!" The Professor wiped her hands on her jeans, drying them off, before stuffing them in the pockets of her lab coat. Unlike the assistant's, Pine's is covered in faded dirt and grass stains from working out in the field, try as she might to wash them out. "I understand that the four of you are here to pick out your first Pokemon as your first step toward challenging the League! That's incredibly exciting, if you ask me... Ah, sorry, I'm getting ahead of myself. I am Professor Pine, and welcome to my lab!" The young woman beams at the four of you before turning around, pulling a TV remote out of her pocket with a flourish. With the press of a button, a huge wide-screen television quickly comes to life, displaying a variety of Pokemon. "And these are the Pokemon I have available for new trainers!" The Professor turns back to you all once more, still smiling. "Now, while you're looking over your options, there are a few things I need to tell you about the Lysia region League challenge. First thing's first: most new trainers decide to team up with other new trainers to tackle the road and challenges together, and this practice is even encouraged by the League. It makes the whole adventure that much safer, and, I think, more interesting!" Pine stopped for a moment, glancing at one of the assistants who followed her out front. The older man nodded, heading back into the lab. "I would really recommend that the four of you consider forming a team, actually. For one thing, it'll be simpler that way, as we can register you as a team here at the lab... Oh, but it's not a binding contract or anything! You can always remove yourself from a team's ranks at a Pokemon Center, so don't worry about that."The dark-haired young woman took a deep breath as she moved toward the couches. "... And the last bit of League news I need to tell you about is the recent criminal activity in the region. Two groups, Team Dawn and Team Dusk, have recently increased their activity, destroying property and attacking people. If you encounter them on your adventure, you are to get as far away as possible before contacting the authorities." The Professor sat down next to Beryl, cracking open one of the water bottles on her coffee table. "Sorry, that part is mandatory right now. The League just doesn't want any of you kids to get hurt, y'know?""But enough doom and gloom! Tell me - do you know what Pokemon you want to start with?"
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Post by FelixSparks on Sept 8, 2016 0:20:34 GMT
Adam listened to the lecture intently, only reacting a few times. The first was when the pokemon came onto the screen, and his eyes lit up, spying the perfect pokemon for what he wanted to do. He was almost bouncing in his seat as he thought of how wonderful it would look on the big screen, he was so excited! The second was when she mentioned the teams. He frowned heavily, leaning back and shaking his head. That was part of why he'd LEFT Unova... Well, now that he was here and he'd have his own pokemon... Maybe he could do something about it.
When the professor finally asked the big question, Adam LEAPT from the couch and ran to the screen, pointing straight at Numel. "This one! This one for sure! It's PERFECT!" He beams, and if you squinted you could swear there were stars in the boy's eyes. "As for the team... Personally, I'm for it. I think it'd be great to travel together!" Not to mention learn how many people here are star quality and get them the recognition they deserve... Especially Quickdraw. He seemed MADE for the screen, or at least having come off of one.
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Oct 13, 2018 19:33:19 GMT
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Post by David Hilm on Sept 8, 2016 2:01:09 GMT
Abigail watches as the boy jumps to the screen, choosing his Pokemon without any hesitation. Caught off guard for only a moment, she gets up and walks over to the screen herself, scanning the Pokemon for nothing in particular. More than a specific Pokemon, she was looking for qualities. She stops on Venipede, remembering back to a time her father had rolled off into the distance after some criminal or other on the back of a Scolipede. Smiling fondly, she presses her finger to the Venipede, half day-dreaming of being able to ride on its back as she went after danger herself.
"This one. I think we could do some good together."
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Post by Oranchello on Sept 8, 2016 2:33:15 GMT
Beryl takes a deep as soon as Pine is finished, trying to control herself- and then Adam goes forth, and she smiles. She managed to hold herself back this much, at least.
What's in front of her isn't really a choice, to be fair. The moment she registered, she made sure to ask about the starters. Afterwards, she searched for them online, collated information about them, made lists upon lists of pros and cons, looking for particular qualities and painfully forcing herself to cross out some options that just wouldn't work for what she had in mind.
"This one," she says as evenly as she can manage through her thundering heartbeat. "This one is mine." Swablu met all of her specifications, but that wasn't all. Swablu are known to be easy to carry, and not at all prone to fearing their trainers. She has seen a few trainers with them as starters already, walking around with the birds on their head as if they were wearing hats. They're also known for being very clean, which is a must for someone with little grooming experience like her. Her finger pointing at the screen shakes a little as the corners of her lips threaten to curl upwards and ruin her pretension of calm.
It also helps that they're cute.
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I'm not going to say it was damage, but it was damage.
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Apr 27, 2024 17:48:03 GMT
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Post by Robot on Sept 8, 2016 3:38:10 GMT
Posse might not be too bad 'a idea. PA said a man makes his own way, but a good and right man will have people th' look out for him too.. Theodore thought to himself quietly as Professor Pine carried through her lecture. Even with the screen up, she carried his full attention. Dirty and a bit scruffy as he was, he was at least we'll mannered. As the scientist finished her explanation and asked about their starter choices, he cleared his throat gruffly.
"Mah name's Theodore Weed, T if ya' gotta shorten it. You bunch seem like decent folk, an if there's trouble comin', real man wouldn't let a lady walk into it alone. So's if it ain't a bother, Ah would like to form a posse like Miss Pine said." The teenager drawled in a very strong accent, his expression having softened in it's intensity greatly. There was still no smile, but he hasn't really had a reason yet.
Having gotten introductions out of the way, as well as his thoughts, he moved to one side of the screen and took his good sweet time looking from Pokemon portrait to Pokemon portrait. There was no impulsiveness about it, as if at a glance he was feeling for something a still couldn't show. "Thisun, Cacnea.". Theodore was convinced it would be a hard-boiled sonuvagun.
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Post by David Hilm on Sept 8, 2016 14:46:21 GMT
"Forming a squad would probably be in all of our best interests, yes. I'm sure we all have a number of skills and abilities that would benefit one another, as we all seem to have quite..." She looks at Adam. Not impolitely, more inquisitively. "Varied backgrounds. Assuming we all get along well, this should be a rewarding experience for us indeed."
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Post by JadeMonument on Sept 8, 2016 16:38:24 GMT
Pine finished her gulp of water before standing up, clapping her hands together. "Oh, those are all great choices, and I'm so glad you're all going to be traveling together! Now then..." The young woman motioned toward the other assistant who had come out from the back with her, who also happened to be the one who greeted you all at the door. The blonde woman came forward, bringing the steel suitcase she had been holding at her side up and opening it to show Pine the rows of Pokeballs inside. The Professor took a moment to look over the small orbs before quickly snatching four of them from the case, spinning on her heels to face the four of you once more.
"Here you are! Adam, this one is your's... Abigail, here's your Venipede... Beryl, Swablu, and Theodore, here's your Cacnea!" Pine smiled as she handed over the Pokeball to each of you. As she did, the male assistant returned from the back, carrying another, similar steel case at his side. This case was deposited on the coffee table before being opened, revealing four smaller steel boxes inside. "Inside those are your official starting kits - think of it as a present from me to you! You've got a Pokedex and five empty Pokeballs in those to get you started on your journey. Oh, and your Pokedexes have already been set up with your Trainer ID's, of course. Be careful not to lose those! They aren't cheap."
Professor Pine stopped for a moment, as if considering something for a moment. "Now, I'd personally recommend you head out to Route 1 as soon as you're ready. I have a few things to take care of in my lab still, but I don't want to keep you all waiting much longer, so I'll just meet you out there!" She smiled again, running her hand through her messy hair and bouncing on her heels. "Yeah, sounds like a plan! I'll see you all soon!" And with that, the young Professor practically dashed back into her lab, leaving her two assistants behind.
"Sorry about Pine, she's... She can be a lot to take in, but she means well," the male assistant apologized, pushing his glasses back up his face as he picked his steel suitcase back up. "She was overseeing a test we were doing with the lab's Sewaddle when it started to evolve, and she got really excited about it. We're just helping Swadloon settle in to everything now." He sighed, turning around back to the lab. "Hey, Angie, I'm heading back. Can you...?"
The blonde woman nodded. "Of course. Kids, if you'd come with me..." She began to walk back the way she had led you in, making a motion with her hand, asking you to follow her. "I'll make sure Pine doesn't forget she told you she'd meet you, I promise. Could you ask for a better day to start an adventure though? It's some beautiful weather out there. I kind of envy you!"
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Post by FelixSparks on Sept 8, 2016 19:50:22 GMT
Adam held his pokeball close, opening the box and adding the items to his stash inside of his backpack. As he follows the blonde, he looks to his new traveling group. "Since we're going to be traveling together, we should probably follow Theodore's lead and introduce ourselves. My name is Adam Lancaster. I plan to take on the league, and use the funds to start a directing career! I think this Numel is going to be my first star~ I've got a great feeling about her, AND all of you! I may not be as much use in a fight as Theodore here, but I'm great at training pokemon, and growing plants and stuff!" He holds up his portable grower with a flowering Oran Plant inside to back up his claim. "I'm sure we'll all get along just fine!"
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I'm not going to say it was damage, but it was damage.
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Apr 27, 2024 17:48:03 GMT
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Post by Robot on Sept 8, 2016 21:00:37 GMT
This is fine ah 'spose. Miss Pine's in a hurry to git back to business, and we got the longest road waitin'. Evolution's probably one 'o them once in a lifetime things. "Thank ya' ma'am, promise to take good care of th' fresh start I been given." Theodore spoke politely as Professor Pine retreated to the confines of the lab, and turned to follow along after 'Angie'. He'd already been a little soured to his traveling companions, putting things before people. City folk.
Nah, maybe it weren't quite like that. They all wanted to start writin' their own stories too, just like he did. That Adam feller sure as shoot did talk a lot, weren't none of their business what he got up to, why was he toutin' on about it? Neither of the girls had really said all that much, and as Theodore slid his hat back on to head outside he gave each a curious sideways glance.
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Post by Oranchello on Sept 9, 2016 1:39:06 GMT
Beryl managed to hold herself back from running Adam over, but only barely. She made a good show of turning towards the others as if she had always meant to do it this way. She gave a little curtsy, too, though with a wry grin that betrays the joking tone of it. "I'm Beryl. Beryl Devini. I'm glad to have found a group so quickly. I'll be in your care." She wouldn't let her goals slip just yet. They weren't a secret or anything, but she wanted to break it to them gently, that perhaps they would become famous alongside her, if she had anything to say about it. Only once she was satisfied with everyone's responses, did she slip the pokeball the professor gave her into the slot at her belt that she had been fiddling with all day. The small weight on the side of her hip almost made her break down into giggles, though she covered that up rightly well by focusing on getting her share of the starting gear. No food, she immediately noted. She'd have to walk to the shops before they headed for their meeting with Pine. "Um... Angie, right? Could I bother you with a few questions? I keep a small blog, you see, and..." And she needed some help! The rushed introductions had left her with little to work with. "Could you tell me your fellow assistant's name?" That comes first! Can't write about someone without a name. "I'd love to hear any thoughts you'd like to share, about journeys like ours and what it's like to work for Professor Pine." She had practiced her lines in front of a mirror, but it had been hard to make natural expressions without anybody to expect answers from. She had let herself forget the scripted wording, on purpose, so coming up with what to say on the spot would let her sound more natural, even if the gist was the same. She had already made note of what she had seen of Mint Town from the car ride here, and of the lab from right outside, but she couldn't leave without a story to tell about it all. Beryl spends 5 AP, to archive: - Mint Town, the Town of Beginnings - Professor Pine's Laboratory - Professor Pine herself - Angie, Pine's Assistant - The Other Assistant, whose name she doesn't yet know
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Post by JadeMonument on Sept 9, 2016 14:20:27 GMT
Angie seemed a little surprised to be asked these questions, but a friendly smile soon returned to her face. "Oh, of course! I used to run a blog myself, but working here at the lab doesn't leave me with much time to keep it updated. The other assistant you all met's name is Tom."
"Professor Pine's honestly really great to work with, despite being a bit... All over the place, at times. She doesn't really like to work in the lab much, so it's usually just Tom and I running things here and collecting the data she sends us from the field." The blonde-haired woman laughed a little at that. "I may not look like a fearsome battler, but I took the League challenge when I was about your age. I collected a few badges before I decided it wasn't for me... But I caught a few Pokemon during that time, and I still have them here at the lab. I'll be honest, a journey like your's won't be easy, but I think it's one of the most rewarding things you can do." She had been reaching for something on her own belt while talking, and now held a Pokeball of her own in her hand, as if providing evidence of her own journey. "There's all sorts of people and Pokemon out there. Do your best to understand them."
The Pokeball was quickly placed back on the assistant's belt, and she smiled, drawing out a small notebook from her coat and taking the pen back out from behind her ear. "Would you mind telling me the name of your blog? I'd love to read about your adventure, if you're planning on updating it with those kinds of details."
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Post by David Hilm on Sept 9, 2016 17:51:18 GMT
Abby smiles to herself as they are led back outside. As the rest of her party introduces themselves, she nods to each.
"I'm Abigail. Its a pleasure to meet you all."
She idly taps her Pokeball, not doing it consciously, but itching to have the chance to send out her Pokemon and get to meet it. She hoped beyond hope that she and it would get along well. Her dad had told her some horror stories of trainers and Pokemon that didn't like one another, and she desperately wanted to avoid that if at all possible.
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Post by FelixSparks on Sept 9, 2016 20:16:29 GMT
Adam frowned slightly. Everyone else was being rather cagey, but he supposed that was to be expected. He allowed himself to relax and grin again, wrapping his hand around the pokeball again. He pulled his Pokedex out of his pocket, opening it and checking his current party. A Female Numel hm? He opened the menu with one hand and keyed in a quick name, hitting the Enter button before letting his pokemon out of her pokeball. "Come on out Cleo!" He grinned, kneeling down the meet the little numel and extending his hand. "My name is Adam Lancaster. I have the feeling you and I are gonna be best friends~ Put er there!" He's beaming at this point, nearly beside himself with how happy and excited he is. His very own pokemon! His first pokemon, and it's not something scary like a houndour or fierce like a growlithe, but it's this tiny, adorable little numel, and he couldn't be happier.
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Post by Oranchello on Sept 10, 2016 0:23:48 GMT
Beryl made it a point to listen well to what Angie had to tell her. She likes having idols and people to look up to, because looking for impersonal advice tends to fail more often than not. "Ah, here," said Beryl, who came ready. She went ahead and offered Angie a little card printed with the blog's address, in dark purple. "The blog's name is 'Let Me Tell You About'. It used to not have a very clear direction, but it'll be more of a travel blog now. Feel free to request or suggest topics or places to visit, I know I'll be keeping any of those in mind." Maybe a new reader? She knew not to get her hopes up, intellectually, but it was much harder in practice. "Ah, we should be going, I think. I need to stop at a store on the way, and I don't want to make Professor Pine wait. You make her sound rather impatient," she told Angie with a smile. This really was the best day ever, even if she was too nervous to send out her Swablu just yet. Maybe... maybe with Pine there? Yes, it only made sense to do it with an expert in human-pokémon interaction nearby.
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I'm not going to say it was damage, but it was damage.
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Post by Robot on Sept 10, 2016 10:31:32 GMT
Human introductions out of the way, Theodore gave a solemn nod and committed the names to memory before eyeballing his lone full Pokeball. Cracking it open with a squeeze, white light poured from it and coalesced into a short and very round cactus looking Pokemon. The teenager took a knee to get on his Pokemon's level.
"Pleasure t' meet." He declared, giving the Cacnea a small tip of the hat. "You an me, we're friends first n' partners second. When I speak, you're gonna listen. You got somethin' ta say, I'll give yah the same courtesy." Theodore took one of it's stumpy limbs in a hand, mindful of the needles, and gave it a firm shake after the short gruff speech. Afterwards he rose and gave his first Pokemon a bright and genuine smile. With all the grit on him the effect was even more stunning.
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