This world is inhabited by creatures that we call pokemon. People and pokemon live together by supporting each other, but now the scourge threatens the safety of the entire region. Kohaku has become a dangerous place, where children stay at home and only brave souls go adventuring.
Welcome to KOHAKU. Come for the nightmares. Stay for the tea and crumpets.
The season is SUMMER. It is easy for survivors to forage for food from the land, as there are entire abandoned farms ready for harvest. On the downside, you can smell the corpses.
swarms
GRAND OPENING !
Welcome to KOHAKU REGION's grand opening! If you're interested in joining, come check out our grand opening giveaway!
Anna paused, her toes mere inches from the door. Her heart pounded- this was it, wasn't it? This was the beginning of her new station in life. As soon as she crossed through this threshold, the hopes and expectations- of her superiors and of those she was striving to help- would be thrust upon her, and there would be no turning back.
The late morning sun beat down on the back of her neck, though all she could feel was the cold winter breeze blowing sideways at her, making her shiver. Was she ready? No, she wasn't. But was anyone ready when they made commitments like this? A commitment to... help defend the world? Surely no one was ever prepared to do such a thing.
But they did it anyway. And so would she.
Her knuckles beat softly against the door, once, twice, before she turned the doorknob and gingerly let herself inside. Nervously, her blue eyes scanned the room before she stuttered, "G-good morning, um. I... I'm here to pick up a Pokemon- I was... a-accepted into Eos? As a trainer?"
A loud squeak sounded from the back room, followed by the faint rattle of cages. Cypress poked his head around the corner and adjusted his crooked glasses, staring at the new arrival nervously. "A-Ah yes, I've been expecting you! P-Please, this way." He gestured at her with a hand, then retreated in a hurry. "I-I'll be with you in just a m-minute." Could be heard faintly, echoing in the silence of the labratory.
To call the backroom 'messy' or 'unorganized' an understatement, but at least all the cages were closed this time. "A-And your name?" Cypress asked, turning around to smile at her after mopping up some chemical from the counter. In his hand, he carried a thin pack of papers - as he spoke, he moved towards his desk, where a large briefcase sat.
The Rattata in the surrounding cages turned their gazes to her, almost as if a single being.
The two of them seemed quite a pair, Anna and Cypress, each stuttering out their words and regarding one another the way a feline would regard a sleeping dog.
The young woman nodded silently as the professor ushered her deeper into the laboratory. She wouldn't have even noticed the mess if she hadn't tripped over a misplaced container. She barely caught her balance in time to keep herself from tumbling unceremoniously to the floor. She clasped her hands in front of her and stared down at her feet as she felt herself flush from embarrassment.
Oh, Cypruss had asked her something, hadn't he? "U-um," she mumbled sheepishly as her mind went blank for a moment, "Oh. My name. A-archibald, Anna Marie."
Funny how Cypress had tripped over that same container last week. Normally, Mrs. Sybil took care to remove all hazards once they were placed, but it seemed like the gothitelle had decided to let Cypress suffer the consequences for this one, since it was still there.
"A-Archibald, yes, y-your pokemon have been prepared for you." Cypress didn't comment on the almost-slip. There was a seventy-five percent that he just hadn't noticed, otherwise he would've surely apologized. He crossed out a name on the piece of paper and lifted the briefcase onto the counter, undoing the clasps. Inside were ten spheres, a label in front of each one.
"Feel free to p-pick any one you'd l-like." Cypress said, rummaging around in his desk drawers for the starter kits.
As the Professor's next words, Anna's embarrassment was quite suddenly forgotten. A tingle of excitement rushed through her nerves. She had never had a Pokemon of her own before... but now, now she would!
She bit her lip to keep back the squeal of enthusiasm that threatened to escape, and stepped forward to examine the briefcase that had been arranged on the table for her. So many options! She had imagined the selection to have been much smaller. Suddenly she was faced with a hard decision. She ran through each Pokemon in her mind, glad that she had taken the time to study up before applying for Eos.
"I will take the Tropius. Thank you, Professor." Anna stated after a moment of consideration. She was mildly hesitant to take on such a... large creature so early on, but... how could she say no to a giant, flying, dino-fruit-tree? She picked up the pokeball, careful to keep her fingers away from the release button. They certainly didn't need a giant dino so suddenly join them in the already-devastated room, now, did they?
"Tropius? A-A good choice." Cypress nodded his head. The little pouch that was in his hand was evidence that he had found what he was looking for. It sat in his hand, and then held it out for her to take. "Here are some items to g-get you started. It's n-not much, but i-it should help."
"G-Good luck on your journey." He made a mental note to clean up the mess later, which probably actually meant two or three weeks, at least. "A-And please, do be careful out there!"
:stropius: level 10 leer, gust, growth, dragon dance + stat boost of your choice!
Anna's cheeks grew mildly pink at Cypruss' praise, little though it was. She bowed her head slightly in response, and then took the little pouch that was offered to her with ginger fingers.
"Thank you, again, Professor," Anna replied sincerely with another nod of her head, "I will. I'll be careful."
With those words, the new trainer swiftly showed herself out of the laboratory, suddenly filled with energy and ambition. There was no time to waste!
