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!
Samantha was starting to get a little sick of longingly staring into windows. She had been outside of Cypress Laboratories for at least an hour, pacing back and forth and occasionally approaching the great building. So close to the door . . . this time . . . this time . . .
No. She scuttled back, ducking behind a corner of the wall so nobody could see her. She pulled her pigtails in frustration, hissing "Stupid, stupid!" So close and yet so far, the story of her life. Was it really her fault, though? Just the mere thought of stepping into that building filled her with a mix of delight and disgust. What if they mocked her? Denied her a Pokemon? Told her to run along and just sulk her way back to Bacchus? It was such a huge opportunity, she couldn't just throw herself into it so casually. She needed to prepare more, take more time . . . maybe recite that little speech she had prepared about how worthy of a researcher she was.
What, no! There wasn't enough time. She had been skulking around the labs for too long by now. People were going to start giving her weird looks, if they hadn't been already. She was going to have to open those damn doors eventually, and now seemed as good a time as any. She squeezed her eyes shut, as if afraid of what she'd see in there. One step, then another, slowly making her way closer and closer to the doors. Her hand trembled as she reached out, finally wrapping around the doorknob.
And then she practically flung herself through the doors, blurting out in one breathless sentence "Excuse me is Professor Cypress in the building today?" Slowly she opened her eyes, relief washing over her body. She was in! She made it! And maybe she didn't even look like too much of a nervous wreck doing so!
The front room was empty - farther back, there was the loud, unmistakable sound of glass shards being swept up. Cypress poked his head around the corner, his hair tousled in all different directions. "A-Ah yes, j-just one moment!" Then disappeared, followed by a chorus of rattata cries and rattling cages that threatened to break free at any moment.
A few seconds passed before anything else happened, but when a figure finally emerged from the back room, it was a Gothitelle instead of Cypress himself. 'The professor will be right with you.' At the word 'professor, she narrowed her eyes briefly, as if in distaste, but composed herself almost immediately. 'Until then, I will be performing the necessary procedures.'
A large stack of papers hovered in front of her, coated in an obsidian black aura. Beside them hovered a pen and a small pouch. 'EOS, correct? My name is Mrs. Sybil. Your name, please.'
"Nice to meet you!" she shouted, maybe a little too quickly and cheerfully. "I'm Samantha. O-or Sammy if you prefer! And yes, I'm with EOS."
The Gothitelle . . . she might've seen its pre-evolved forms before, but fully evolved ones were rare! After signing her name she sat down on a nearby cardboard box, doing her best to sketch the elegant Psychic-type. Telepathy, telekinesis . . . definitely one of the higher-minded Psychic Pokemon, capable of acting and speaking much like a human being. This was all so fascinating!
. . . Wait, what was she here for again? Oh, right, a partner Pokemon! Hopefully the professor would be here soon. But it was okay if he took his time: the lighting of the lab was perfect for life drawings!
Mrs. Sybil nodded once, satisfied. The pen moved to cross something out on the stack of papers before the entire thing hovered to a stop at the desk in the corner. 'Pleased to make your acquaintance.' She stood her ground for the sake of this girl's artwork, but her pupils moved to glare over her shoulder at the back of the lab. At least the noise, by this point, had died down.
After another round of various, strange noises, the professor emerged, carrying a briefcase that had a red pokedex stacked on top. "A-Apologies for the wait, miss-" At this, he paused, but a purposeful stare from Mrs. Sybil had him grasping the handles of his glasses to push them up, recognition dawning. "-E-Eve, yes, your pokemon h-have already been prepared for y-you." As the briefcase opened, it became cloaked in the same aura as the papers from before had been, hovering to where Samantha currently sat. Inside lay two rows, each containing five red and white spheres.
"F-Feel free to let them out of their pokeballs i-if it makes choosing easier." The professor supplied, strolling over to his desk to lay the pokedex on top of the small pouch already there.
With a few triumphant strokes of her pen, the base of the sketch was finished. It was simply a start, of course: it would've been terribly rude to keep everyone waiting while she finished drawing. But it would at least give her a basis to work with that she could analyze from memory, a few notes about the Psychic-type's capabilities etched down next to her picture.
"Oh! That's great! Thank you very much!" She zoomed over to the Pokeballs fast enough to practically be a blur. She eagerly looked over the balls, trying to remember each name and each face. She almost wanted to let them all out and sketch then all, but she knew that would just be pressing her luck far too much.
Of course, it'd also push her luck if she spent too long making her decision. A shame that was already happening. Her eyes darted back and forth between balls, nervously. Living fossils, walking relics, rarities, and adorable bundles of fluff. How could she even choose? Some seemed so much more practical for the journey ahead. Others fighting machines that could defend her from any Scourge. Others she just wanted to hug tight and never let go.
However, one of them could do all of those. It elegantly sailed the seas, letting out beautiful songs each time it surfaced from the deep. It defended all who needed its protection, merciful and supportive yet also ferocious. And it was famed all throughout Hoenn for its beauty! Yes, Milotic would be a perfect choice of starter! She eagerly pointed to the Pokeball, exclaiming "This one! I'm sure!" Then she got a better look at the nameplate.
Oh, right. It was a Feebass first. Oops.
Oh well, she had already made her choice. No sense rescinding now. Besides, how far away could Pal Park be?
"F-Feebas?" Cypress adjusted his glasses again, nodding nervously. "T-That's a good choice!" Then again, he said that about all of the pokemon chosen. And they were, honestly, each in their own special way that depended not only on their own potential, but the dedication of the trainer as well.
The small pouch lifted itself up from the table and hovered over to where Samantha was, Mrs. Sybil nodding her head as the professor held out the pokedex he had in his hands. 'Here are some things to get you started on your journey.' Cypress nodded his head in agreement. "A-And there's no telling what's o-out there, so please, be c-careful out there. Good luck!"
:sfeebas: level 10 splash, dragon pulse + stat boost of your choice!
Samantha scooped up the materials Cypress and Mrs. Sybil gave to her. She slung the Pokeball over her shoulder and held the Pokeball close to her chest. "Welcome to the team, Borealis," she whispered, eyes closing as she imagined her journey with her new friend. Feebas was a bit of an outcast too. Maybe in some way, they were made for each other.
"W-we will! Thank you so much!" she cheered, running out of the lab almost as quickly as she walked in. The hardest part of the journey was done: starting it. Now all she had to do was start making a name for herself as a researcher!
