Clementine sat with her knees pressed tightly together, purse sitting properly in her lap. While examining the very familiar floral wallpaper and trim that surrounded in her what could hardly be called a waiting room, she tapped her feet in a steady beat to practically keep from screaming. The room was more like a holding tank for restless Magikarp.

This is it, she thought to herself, It's almost time, with a line of nervous sweat rolling down the middle of her back. Auburn hair neatly brushed back into one of her mother's hair clips, a small amount of blue eye shadow to complement her olive skin and almond colored eyes, her new dress creased in all of the right I am ready. I have everything memorize. I think… Something inside of her small leather satchel began to vibrate. She couldn't imagine who could possibly need her at this moment. Practically everyone back in Cianwood knew where she was, not to mention all of the people she had met on her badge journey; in fact most of them had messaged her earlier that morning, sending their luck and praise. Finally digging it out of the tightly packed back and looking at the screen: Cianwood City PokeCenter. She gave a small smile just before clicking the button to answer.

"Hello," she whispered quietly, glancing around the waiting room to make sure she wasn't disturbing anyone. Sure enough, everyone else there was also absorbed in their nervous and/or pokegear; some were even reading up on their own resumes to make sure everything was intact. The only people who noticed that she was even making noise were the receptionist, who only gave a small nod of confirmation that it was okay, and the boy sitting next to her.

As soon as she finished the word, a great chorus of cheers came through their ear piece. The muffled sounds of many people wishing her luck and expressing their love flooded the small room instantly. A small mist began to shroud her eyes, as she frantically turned the volume down. "Thank you-Thank you so much."

A rustic voice came through next, clearer than the rest, "Hey, sweetie. I'm here at the center and we all wanted to wish you luck - your mom, your brother, and everyone that works at the center. Heck, even half the town came."

"Dad..." Still in a whisper, her cheeks began to flush, "I can't really talk right now. But I love you..."

"Okay, we understand, sweetheart. But just so you know, no matter what happens, we still love you." The last part was in a low, genuine voice - almost a whisper. Her father had never fully supported her dreams of going into the medical field. Being the previous Gym Leader of the island, he had pushed dream of her studying something within the realm of fighting type Pokemon. She would have, too, if one of the women she had worked with at the Cianwood City PokeCenter had not of shown her the university's introduction video. In the moment of the phone call, which her father continued to rave about how much Mrs. Muller believed in her, she could not help remembering the virtual tour video she had watched almost three years ago.

A woman wrapped cozily in a floral print dress and obnoxious red heels, stood in front of a building with a large clock tower. A grin was plastered on her face in a way that made the viewer almost cringe. The dress held shades of the university's unofficial but fairly obvious colors, green, red, and blue, as the decoration in all of buildings were chosen carefully to match these. The three dormitories were named after the colors, even. As alma mater of the university slowly begins to fade out, her voice, peppy and full of exclamation points, comes through loud and clear.

"Hi! My name is Jessica Davids! I am a senior here at Samuel Oak University. If you are watching this virtual tour, it means that you may be interested in attending so that you may further you Poke-Education! Let's start by giving you a brief history of the university!"

The screen began to show pictures of the university and people that the young woman spoke "The Samuel Oak University started as a small research center in Pallet Town, Kanto Region named after the late Professor Samuel Oak. In the beginning, he pioneered the Scientific Progressive Education Movement from his small laboratory! Over the years, Professor Oak's research lab has been expanded throughout Pallet Town in order to make room for the continuous flock of people who had wished to study with him. After his death, a team of his closest researches, as well as his daughter, Danielle Oak, and even the great Ash Ketchum started the Progressive Education Movement in Kanto Region, which started 1998! Through their help, donations were made to make the already expanded research facilities into a full blown university that could house a maximum of 500 students a year. This means that the university can only admit 125 new research students every new term."

The screen flashes back to our virtual tour guide, Jessica, who is now standing in front of a large "Behind me, all of the different research focuses that you may choose to study are shown. As you can see, we offer many different fields in which you may want to study. We offer degrees in anything from Pokemon and Human Medicine, to New and Old Age Battle Techniques, to even Pokemon Breeding. As you may have guessed, Samuel Oak University is considered the leader of the Progressive Education Movement of the three in the PokeWorld. While the Opelucid Technical Institution and Cove Lily University may have their strengths, technology and Pokemon biology respectively, we offer a strong, well rounded education that can admit a variety of students. Not to mention we are ten years their senior and they were founded by graduates of SOU!" The last statement was said with a wink. The video reeled on, explaining other factors that may sway or dishearten the listener. Talking more about the dormitories; The Red Room which was for the freshman class, the Blue Dorm for the sophomore, and the Green Hall which housed both the junior and senior classes.

From that moment on Clementine knew that she wanted to be a part of this movement. She felt that medicine and the study of healing Pokemon was her calling and she would do anything to get there. When she had gathered all Johto badges, as needed as part of the admission to the school, her father fully expected her to go on to challenge the Elite Four so that she could take his place as Gym Leader of Cianwood, continuing his legacy. Needless to say, the last few months had been full of tension in their home as she was finishing her internship at Cianwood's PokeCenter and readying herself for the interview with the University Admissions Panel. He had never showed the slightest comfort with what she was doing until now.

"Thanks... Everyone... Especially you, dad." Taking in a deep breath, she composed herself, hit the red button, and quickly ducked her head so that no one would see her wiping her eyes.

"Sounds like you've got a lot of people on your side."

She was caught. Slowly, her head came up to meet whoever had spoken to her, one small tear still lingering in the crease of her left eye. The voice came from the young boy beside her. Before now, Clementine had never really look around at the people she had been sitting in the same room with. It had been at least half an hour and she had been so self absorbed that she couldn't even take the time to notice her surroundings. The boy was wearing a red button down shirt, which complemented his pale skin and dark hair wonderfully. "Uhm.. Yeah, I guess so."

"So, you want to study medicine, huh?" He stated firmly, with a small smile.

"Wha-? How did you know?"

"I can read your application since we are sitting so close. Don't worry, I just glanced at the first few lines," He began to read what he could see, "Pokemon and Human Medicine, Kingdra, Happiny, Gloom, 19 years of age-"

"Miss Clementine Lee. You are next." The receptionist, raised her head and took a quick glance around the room to see who would answer. Clementine raised her hand and the woman motioned for her to come to the door. There was a small pause, in which neither the boy nor girl knew what to do. It was her turn. She had to go in. Her head could have exploded in that moment. Luckily, it did not and her life continued, but in her mind her brains were all over the walls and she, somehow still alive, was trying to clean up the mess.

Then he spoke and ended her mind's small, and maybe sick, fantasy. "Well, Miss Clementine Lee," the boy held out his hand, "My name is Noah Kindervag. Good luck. Hopefully we will be seeing each other in a few months." This time he gave her a full on grin, as they shook hands. His hands were soft and gentle as they clasped hers. She returned the warm and welcoming favor. "And don't be phased if someone in there doesn't seem to like you. I hear that Misty Kasumi is a real bitch to the pretty ones."

Before turning away and hustling to the room, she whispered a quick, "I'll try to remember that!"

Once at the door labeled "University Admission Panel," she took a moment to herself, closed her eyes, composing as much as she could. Quickly and thoroughly she checked to make sure she had everything she needed.

She was ready.

The room was larger than she had expected. It was rectangular, with a table at one end that sat five people, whose names she already knew by heart. The wallpaper from the waiting room was not in this one, thankfully. Here the walls were painted a light shade of blue, neither distracting nor dull and just right with the amount of sunlight that was coming through the room from the glass dome ceiling. One part of the room looked like a Pokemon holding center, part water tank, part gravel. Next to it was a large monitor that displayed Clementine's name and photo submission, a photo of her at the PokeCenter working with Mrs. Muller on healing one of her father's Pokemon. In the middle of the room, there was a large "X", which indicated where she should stand. With a small flush creeping through her face, she made her way to the mark.

"Well, hello, Miss Lee." The woman sitting in the middle spoke up first. Danielle Oak, the daughter of Professor Oak himself, was right in front of her. Now middle aged, Ms. Oak looked nothing like her father did in his prime; All of the pictures taken of him during the fight for educational rights made portrayed him as being gruff and endlessly exhausted. Thankfully she had taken fully after her mother's looks, a face made or polished porcelain. Clementine noticed that her brown hair was pulled back into a bun, with a clip much like her own. At this point she was grasping at any familiarity and similarities she could find to put herself at ease.

"I suppose you know who we are, so why don't we just get started on you." Her manner was very matter-of-fact, but still somehow warm and inviting. Looking down the table, it was true that Clementine did know each and every face at the table. Ash Ketchum, Brock Brown, Misty Kasumi, and Dr. Akihabara - each a legend in their fields, some even famous. "Why don't you tell us a little about yourself."

"My name is Clementine Lee. I am from Cianwood City in the Johto Region." Talking about her life made her relax and she even tried to make a small joke, "Everyone knows my knuckle head of a father, Chuck Lee, the previous Gym Leader. I've heard the story of you challenging my father for your badge many times, Mr. Ketchum."

He winked at her and looked back down at what she could assume was a copy of her application. "It was a pleasure to battle with him... I'm sure there is a story as to why you didn't become a Gym Leader like your dad, huh?"

"I had been volunteering at the PokeCenter with my mother since I was about 12, doing things after school. You know, mostly reception work when I was younger. And then sometime after my sixteenth birthday, Mrs. Muller, the resident doctor, showed me the university's website. She was telling me how she wished they had places like this when she was younger and that if I liked working in the Center so much that I should look into it. The whole time, dad had me training every morning with my Tyrogue that he had given me as a present. So, I went on my badge journey and by the time that I got back I knew that it was exactly what I wanted to do."

"Where is your Tyrogue now?" The question came from the end of the table. The stoic, swarthy man who had traveled with Mr. Ketchum on his first journeys had chosen to speak. The question came from left field. Clementine had not prepared for this and it showed by the drop of her smile.

"At home with my father. He's a Hitmonchan now. They are keeping him company for me. My father has him helping out at the Gym while they are transitioning to the new Leader."

"Moving on to the rest of the process, let's talk about your letters of recommendation, shall we?" A firm voice came from Mrs. Kasumi, who seemed to not hold Mr. Ketchum nearly the amount of esteem that Clementine did. "Both Mrs. Muller and Gym Leader Clair from Blackthorn City had much to say about you."

"Oh, yes!" Dr. Akihabara piped in again. "I was very impressed by both of the letters. You seem to have a lot of experience working in a Center as you mentioned before. Mrs. Muller said... uh... Yes, that 'you practically know the ins and outs of their PokeCenter and could run it yourself if she peeled over and died at this very moment!'"

"And your letter from Ms. Clair..." Danielle's cool voice washed over the room like a warm Cianwood tide coming over the beach in the late afternoon; no one else dared interrupt her. Clementine was surprised at the amount of attention the rest of the panel gave her. "I find it particularly moving, honestly. Stopping the battle, just to heal Clair's poisoned Kingdra."

There was an odd silence in the room. All eyes lingering on Danielle in the center of the panel table. That is when Clementine realized that what she had just said was more of a direct questioning of her past actions than just a statement.

"W-w-well, yes. Y-you s-see. My Seadra at the time had hit it with three full loads of poison spikes. Its his specialty, I had trained him while visiting the Whirl Islands. I-in the fast, swirling water, she had to predict the movements of the Pokemon and the water around him so that his spikes hit the target... Even through the turbulence of the water and the frantically fast movement of the Pokemon. Her Kingdra wasn't used to anyone keeping up with its speed in the water, much less able to spike him with three out of three hits."

"I bet that Kingdra looked pretty bad after that, if a Pokemon holds that much poison in it for that long, it could be fatal." Brock gave her a grave look, as he began to understand the depth of the situation.

"Yes, ma'am. That's why I pulled Seadra out and gave her Kingdra a serum that I brewed myself."

"Tell us about this serum, Miss Lee!" Akihabara was a man who spoke so emphatically and with such gusto that it almost scared Clementine.

"And while you are at it, show us your team, as I understand the serum is involved with how you made your Pokemon selection." Again, Danielle took control of the room./p

Taking out her pokeballs, she released her two of the three choices into the Pokemon holding area. A Kingdra came from the first pokeball and was instantly swimming lapse in the nine foot wading pool that was available. The second pokeball opened and the room was instantly filled with a very distinct smell. Almost everyone in the room that a Gloom was coming. As she appeared, she began to teeter in the gravel, just on the line of holding area. It looked concerned, as if it didn't know where it was. She was young, everyone could tell by the way she carried herself and visibly longed for Clementine's attention, no doubt a motherly figure to her.

"To start, I now have a Kingdra; I evolved him under Clair's supervision right after our battle. She gave me the stone and facilitated a trade with one of the trainers at her Gym. I've raised him from a Horsea, which I got on my first trip with my parents to Olivine City when I was a kid. After learning how bad the spikes could be on Pokemon I decided to start training in harsher conditions. In the year that I have been interning at the Center, I've taken weekly trips to the Whirl Islands to practice its agility and resistance in waters, as well as its accuracy. I've also been toying around with his smokescreen, to see if he can still hit targets through it. It works most of the time, doesn't it, buddy." She was now petting Kingdra's head, as she sat at the side of the tank. "As for my Gloom... I found her as an Oddish being bullied by a pair of Zubats in Ilex Forest, near the old Shrine. She had an alarmingly strong Sweet Scent that had attracted them."

"The elixir that I use, is a combination of the basic ingredients needed to make an Antidote, with a small twist. One day, a wild Gyrados that I had been using for consistent training for about a month died because I couldn't get him to the Center fast enough. I started playing around with the idea that maybe a stronger Antidote could be made for my Seadra's poison spikes; the same the one developed to heal humans that had a Seviper or an Arbok bite. In medical centers, if you have a near death experience with a Seviper or an Arbok bite, they take the poison from the Pokemon to make a special Antidote. So, I used what we know as the basic ingredients for an Antidote and added one of Kingdra's spikes."

All while talking, Clementine begins to take out a beaker and torch set from her large metal briefcase that she had been tugged along her side. She mixed all of the items together, motioning to Kingdra as if to ask for a singular spike - which he gave to without any hesitation or any attacking malice. It simply landed in the gravel next to where Clementine had set up her station. Carefully, she mixed it in. But nothing happened. Even when heating a completely melting the spike down into the Antidote ingredients, the poison seemed to resist mixing.

Misty, of course, was quick to make this scene into an obvious and biting statement. "It doesn't seem to be working, Mrs. Lee. You only have thirty minutes to complete you interview, and we have now wasted ten precious min-"

"Exactly," With a bite in her voice, as if she had been through the routine too many times, she continued her presentation. "It didn't work the first fifty times I tried it. I had tried every solution you could think of, higher temperature with a shorter boiling time, lower temperature with a higher boiling time, even adding in extra ingredients like berries and apricots. Nothing worked. Until one day, Gloom was hovering over me and some of her secretion mixed into the formula." Flicking her auburn hair, away from the fire, as she pulled in close and motioned for Gloom to come closer. "At first I was pretty mad at her. Wasn't I, girl? But then I realized that something had happened." She began to add some of the drool from Gloom into the solution that she had thus far. After two or three minutes of a rolling boil, the Antidote became a light pink and began to emit a very sweet odor.

"Something in Gloom's secretion chemically reacted with the poison to make it susceptible to completely dissolving into the Antidote. After I made a couple of them, I had a few battles with my brother, who was training to take my dad's place. His strong, fighting type Pokemon have a strong resistance to poison, since their body mass is much bigger and more dense than most Pokemon, especially his Hariyama. Once Seadra got him with the fourth round of spikes, he started to show signs of being poisoned."

She brought the elixir to the panel to be studied. "Thank goodness it worked, because he could have been in big trouble."

All of the panel, especially Misty, looked impressed with what the girl had demonstrated. Another silence crept over the panel as Clementine made her way back to the "X" in the middle of the room. I even made the bitch smile. If I don't get in now, I'll never make it. She was satisfied with the way the elixir turned out, and how Gloom and Kingdra reacted to being in front of the judges.

"This is exactly the kind of innovation we are looking for at our university, Miss Lee." Danielle's eyes were looking directly into hers, with sincerity and passion. "You have shown great potential and I really think that you will be a wonderful asset to our medical research facilities."

"But you are forgetting something." Of course, Misty was not completely satisfied with the interview as everyone else seemed to be. "The third and final selection for your team should be shown to the panel. As you know, it must be a basic or baby Pokemon, so that it can be fulled trained here at the university."

"Oh! Yes, of course." With a click of the pokeball, a small Happiny was released into the holding station next to Gloom. They instantly came together, Gloom pulling the Happiny onto her head and carrying the young one around. "I did a lot of research on people that have been admitted and graduated from the program. Usually the first Pokemon the person in study receives from the university is a Chansey, and it is usually within the first year, while students within other majors do not receive a Pokemon from the university until their secon-"

Misty again felt the need to bully her once again, "Very good. You did your homework. But you know why?"

"Yes. Blisseys are seen at their best in a Center when the staff member they are working with has known the Blissey almost all of it's life time. Which is why I went to Eggseter in Johto to breed a Happiny myself. She is bred with a Miltank, which is often speculated to be the best Pokemon to breed with as their healing attributes work well together."

"She is a dead ringer, Misty. You can't fault her at all." Brock said proudly, eating up the fact that Clementine had bred the Happiny impeccably.

"I think that is all we need to see from you at this moment, Miss Lee, as it is very close to time." The ends of Danielle's lips curled up ever so slightly, as to show a sense of pride as well in the promise the Clementine showed for the school. "Thank you for coming to see us."

"No, no. Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity, I really-"

Danielle raised a hand. Clementine silenced immediately. "Don't thank us, we we're merely blessed to be spectators. Be proud of the work you demonstrated today ."

The girl nodded and began to gather her things, pulling all three Pokemon back into their balls, putting away the beaker and torch set.

"And Miss Lee," Clementine's attention was taken again by Danielle, just before walking out of the door, "I would start picking a dorm bedding, if I were you. And give Chuck a big hug for me, okay?"

"O-okay!" Without even questioning how Ms. Oak knew her father, she quickly closed the door to let out a small squeal of excitement. She was in. She had done it. So much stress had completely vanished from her life. She could enjoy the party that her parents were no doubt readying for her back in Cianwood without the queasy feeling at the pit of her stomach, like that time that she had accidentally inhaled too much of Gloom's pollen and was uneasy for a week.

"Mr. Noah Kindervag. You are next."

Clementine passed the boy she had spoken to before her interview and gave him a small smile. Before going into the room, he squeezed her arm slightly, causing her to turn toward him. "So? How'd it go?"

"I'd say... It went pretty well." She tried to be conservative, because she didn't want to tell him that she had gotten in and then have Danielle somehow change her mind. Then she remembered what he had said to her just before she walked into Panel, "You should have seen it, I even impressed the bitch you told me about."

"Well, look at you. Looks like we'll be seeing each other in a couple of months." He winked at her before pulling a torn sliver of paper from his pocket and handing it to her.