@samreaperYour happy-go-lucky duo and search for Cubchoo was unfortunately halted, as in your path stood a rotund Furcoat. He took a wide-legged stance into the snow. His boots dug in, the shuffle of the powder audible from a distance. His breaths were heavy. You could tell by the air forcing itself out of his mouth. It came in large plumes of clouds, rapidly and repeatedly. You swore a mild fog might start covering the area if he kept it up.
“Y-you ruined me! All of my data is pointless! If you hadn’t said anything, Evergreen would’ve kept quiet!”It was then you noticed the thick, brown mustache protruding from above the Furcoat’s scarf. It was the researcher from before, who had insulted Evergreen only to be shut down by her retort. You weren’t quite sure how involved you truly were in the downfall of his academic career, but he seemed to blame you nonetheless. With the wind and between breaths, he spoke in raspy tones.
“So now, you’re going to pay…”The large man reached underneath his white snow coat. From the depths of its many pockets he retrieved a Poké Ball. His shoulder fell back, as did his arm. The ball increased in size to cup perfectly in the man’s grasp. His other arm pointed forward toward you. His scarf lowered, and a scowl greeted you from underneath. He roared as best he could, throwing forth his weight to toss the Poké Ball in your direction.
—
~SCIENTIST RUTHERFORD WANTS TO BATTLE!~
“Swinub, use Powder Snow!”A brilliant flash of light momentarily blinded you. Your vision returned, everything all the same, save for the furry pig Pokémon now halfway between you and the researcher. And it was ruffling its body, summoning a gale wind to gather the snow about it and send it cascading toward Gastly. With an exasperated grunt, it lurched its body forward to unleash its wintry assault.
@Delta44As you opened your eyes, everything became clear. The sun gave a yellow tinge to your surroundings, and the summer heat caused a drop of sweat to run down the side of your body. Hadn’t it just been pale blue? You must’ve fallen asleep in the middle of the night. The temperature almost lulled you into a second, mid-morning nap. Your eyes fluttered a slideshow of light and dark and began to roll into the back of your head. Almost. Your skin tightened and your chest heaved. You shot up in bed and your eyes widened, adjusting to the light. The adrenaline in your veins returned as your shaking hands gripped whatever might be lying about. You threw whatever coverings that bundled you in the night and your feet hit the ground running, literally soaring out of bed. Was that the smell of pancakes downstairs or in a house across the road? Where’d you fall asleep again? Who cares, today was the day! Your eyes darted about the place and you grabbed whatever you thought might help you in the blink of an eye. Personal belongings, a pack, some snacks, you even found a Potion hidden around the place and stuffed everything into some sort of container. The zipper groaned as you heaved backward with all of your might to get it closed. You nearly sprinted away before turning back. You collected all of the cash you’d been saving and stuffed it into your pockets.
[Acquire: Potion x1]
[Acquire: 500 P (Pokédollars)]
Did you say goodbye to your parents? Were they here? Were you in a home? Out the door you went. Your shoes slammed against the dirt and kicked up grass. With your gear in tow, you took your first steps to becoming a Pokémon master.
You’d arrived on a small barge, the only vessel that was offering transport to the cold valley of Argentglade. When you stepped off the boat, you’d notice the pier was covered in a translucent ice, and the sky was populated with tiny balls of snow. Even though it was summer, the northern town still received regular snow storms, as odd as that seemed. Researchers from all around Huji came to investigate the phenomena. The residents would always tell them it was because they were so far north, but the researchers never had it. They could be seen trotting about in thick, arctic coats and sealed boots. They’d always be walking in and out of a cubic, white building with black satellite tower.
Your heels pressed into the cracking ice as you took your first step. It was thin, but still dangerous. Mounds of aquatic catches were piled in boxes and piles around the pier, unoccupied but someone had to have caught them. Past the pier, random sprout of vegetation peeked past the white prairie. The soft hills seemed to roll on forever. The sun caught them just as the right angle, and from where you stood the town was bathed in a field of silvery diamonds. Small cottages with yellow windows and smoking chimneys stood out against the blue and grey background of sky. Each roof was white, white with snow. They were spread out, far enough to maintain privacy, but close enough to secure the feel of community. Wherever one walked on the cobblestone paths, the smell of baking or hot soup caressed one’s frigid nostrils.
For a cold town, you’d found the residents were surprisingly warm and kind. Any would offer you food and bed for the night if you required it. Asking around, it’d be easy to find out about Professor Evergreen’s research lab. Every year, she would offer residents the chance to assist her in research efforts by equipping them with technology and, to most’s anticipation, a Pokémon. And that’s why you were awake today, and on this morning. Wisps of cool air flowed into your mouth as you hurried toward the lab. The cubic, white building with yellow, square rows of windows and a black satellite tower on top.
Furcoats (that’s what people around town called researchers) were pouring in and out of the open, glowing entrance. Those with packs, who you suspected to be trainers, were doing the same. People of all ages were walking, running, and sprinting out the front door. Each of them took to a different direction, but many were headed in a general southern direction, toward the only route out of town. You headed the opposite way, still needing your Pokémon to venture forth with.
A luke-warm breeze unruffled your hair as you stood in front of the doorway. Somehow, a constant temperature of wind invited you into the building. Before you was a lady, and incredibly young at that. You wouldn’t be surprised if the two of you were the same age. She had sky blue hair that cascaded as water onto her shoulders. She wore a black vest overtop a standard white dress shirt. Around her neck was a ribbon red ascot, tied with an intricate knot. Her curious eyes were just a shade darker than her hair, like an icicle crashing onto a frozen lake. She sat in a futuristic-looking wheel chair, with handles, switches, and bars littering the exterior. The chair adjusted itself to face directly towards you. Her icicle eyes perked up to meet your own. There was a presence about them, an unspoken, invisible cunning.
The girl extended her hand, wishing to take it into her own. Given you accepted, you found her grip was surprisingly firm, her fingers clinging tightly to the bottom of your palm.
“Oh, do come in! My name is Dr. Evergreen, I’ll be your employer. If you have any questions, don’t be afraid to ask. ERIC will assist you from here.”You marveled the interior of Evergreen’s lab. It was decorated as a modern, cozy home, but somehow also functioned as a lab. Wooden, polished tables and beige carpets were placed amongst stark white counters and glassware. Terminals, monitors, and switches covered the cream walls at about stomach level. There was a kitchen and a centrifuge room. There was a den and a microscopy lab. For every modern living element, there was a scientific one. You admired the design and how it all somehow mixed, despite how different the two were. The carpet quickly absorbed any liquids or chemicals that were spilled onto the floor. Any residual liquid quickly evaporated as powerful ceiling vents twisted their teeth and revealed themselves. They inhaled deeply before returning to their slumber, hidden in the off-white ceiling.
Elements and furniture of the interior seemed to be able to move itself if needed. If ever an object was in your way, it was able to shift along a horizontal or even vertical plane in some cases. Other, larger pieces were transfixed to a section of the wall. The wall was capable of flipping about, hiding the obstacle until it was no longer in your path. It appeared that nearly everything was made universally accessible within Evergreen’s lab. A system of drones flew precisely above you in all directions. They were each carrying supplies of varying quantities and qualities. There were few furcoats around, and none seemed to have any remote to control them with.
“They’re automatically piloted by my assistant.”Just after mentioning the name, a nearby black orb on the wall emitted a triangular, bright blue beam in front of you. It loaded a series of dots and lines. First, in the shape of feet, then legs, torso, arms, and finally a head. Before you stood a primitive outline of a man, bald and about six feet tall in stature. Weight unknown.
“IT IS A PLEASURE TO MEET YOU.”“He will be taking you into the terminal room. I'd do it myself, but it's a bit crowded at the moment... see you soon!”Evergreen waved to the both of you once again before turning about in her chair. She appeared to be greeting those who were entering at the door. She took extra care and time to meet the children and those who were younger. You could overhear her asking about their favorite Pokémon and what they wished to accomplish in the future.
“RIGHT THIS WAY, PLEASE.”The blue hologram was connected to the black sphere on the wall by a thin, wavering beam of light. The sphere shifted on the wall as ERIC began to walk, taking twists and turns through the modern home of a laboratory. You noticed several other trainers around you being led by clones of ERIC. It appeared that the intelligence system was not limited to just one appearance at a time, and was capable of communicating with multiple individuals. In addition, it appeared to be operating many of the automatic functions of the laboratory. ERIC could take orders and respond in real time, without any input or coding system required. You weren’t quite sure how it all worked, or how advanced ERIC really was in terms of conversation and answering questions.
ERIC led you into a room much like the populated counters, stark white but much more barren than the rest of the laboratory. This room was covered, floor and all, with large white tiles and black glass in-between. Being the first there, ERIC led the two of you into a back corner, motioning for each of you to face against one of the white tiles on the wall. Once you were in position, a light blue ring formed around you. It traversed your body once, twice, before fading as pixels in an explosion. The pixels reformed, piece by piece, to create letters on the white tile in front of you.
[REGISTER] Read on the screen, just above a thumb print. There was no turning back from here. Did you accept?
Assuming you accept...Blue lines traversed the screen. In patterns, sporadically, dashing in their inconsistency. The cogs in the terminal whirred as the lasers performed their show, before they came to form words on the screen.
REN MOYRA
AGE: 17
SEX: F
HEIGHT: 5’ 2”
WEIGHT: 112 LBS
[IS THIS CORRECT?]Assuming you pressed the button, after making any changes you wished...CALCULATING...First, a hex grid of wireframe. Black in the inside, green as the structure, a Poké Ball formed in a pocket below the screen, held by a sort of basic upholder apparatus. A green laser, in the fashion of a 3D printer, began to bring the Pokéball to life. Layer by layer, the second dimension gained another perspective. First green, then a white bottom, a black, middle rim, a white button on the front, and finally the cherry red top. The button glowed a dark pink and hummed a synthetic tune before fading.
YOUR POKÉMON IS... SHINX
[WILL YOU GIVE SHINX A NAME?] The screen asked you.
—
After you have named your Pokémon…No 403 SHYN (SHINX)
FLASH POKéMON
LEVEL: 5
HT: 1’ 08”
WT: 20.9 LBS
SEX: M
NATURE: IMPISH
INCREASED STAT: DEF
DECREASED STAT: SP. ATK
FAVORITE FLAVOR: SOUR
DISLIKED FLAVOR: DRY
ABILITY: INTIMIDATE (LOWERS OPPONENT’S ATTACK)
THE EXTENSION AND CONTRACTION OF ITS MUSCLES GENERATES ELECTRICITY. IT GLOWS WHEN IN TROUBLE.
PLEASE TAKE YOUR POKé BALL. GOOD LUCK!The computer said.
~You caught Shyn, the Shinx!~“CONGRATULATIONS.” ERIC said. The hologram spoke monotonously and lacked facial expression, but you felt he was trying his best. The transparent, blue humanoid waved its digital fingers in a direction toward you. A drone came humming over from the opposite corner of the room, carrying two miniature, silver tablets in its clutches. The flying robot lowered itself and extended mechanical projections towards you, waiting for you to grab the Pokédex at any time.
“THESE DEVICES ARE KNOWN AS POKéDEX. POINTING THEM IN THE VICITNITY OF A POKéMON WILL GIVE THE TRAINER A SUMMARY OF INFORMATION FOR THAT POKéMON. THAT POKéMON’S INFORMATION WILL THEN BE DOWNLOADED TO THE DATABASE. THE POKéDEX IS LINKED TO PROFESSOR EVERGREEN’S POKéDEX, AND SHE MAY BE CONTACTED AT ANY POINT IN TIME.”[Acquire: Evergreen Pokédex]
A normal person explaining all of this would need to catch their breath between sentences, or at least explanations. ERIC wasn’t limited by this, however, and continued to list off everything you needed to know. There were silent pauses between each recital, though, so you were able to catch on to all of the information being explained.
“EMPLOYMENT UNDER EVERGREEN LTD. REQURIES TRAINERS TO UPLOAD AS MUCH POKéMON DATA AS POSSIBLE. MONETARY SUMS WILL BE PROVIDED FOR SCANNING WILD POKéMON. ADDITIONAL MONETARY SUMS WILL BE PROVIDED FOR SCANNING BOTH WILD AND RARE POKéMON.”Once again, a momentary pause.
“EMPLOYMENT UNDER EVERGREEN LTD. DOES NOT ALLOW FOR THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY PROVIDED BY OTHER COMPANIES. TECHNOLOGY WILL BE PROVIDED BY EVERGREEN LTD. AS THE TRAINER BECOMES A MORE VIABLE ASSET THROUGH THE QUANTITY AND QUALITY OF DATA UPLOADS. TO BEGIN EMPLOYMENT, EACH TRAINER WILL RECEIVE A COMPLEMENTARY EVERGREEN BALL.”The same drone that had delivered the Pokédex had flown back to another corner of the room, activating a switch on a white wall tile with a twisting, mechanical projection. The wall tile folded open to reveal a line of Poké Balls ready for the taking. The drone grabbed two and delivered them much the same as the Pokédex. They were like other Poké Balls, but with a silver “E” within the top portion of red.
[Acquire: Evergreen Ball x1]
“DO YOU REQUIRE MORE INFORMATION?” ERIC said.
