Chapter 3
Homebound
Dawn
The professor's lab could not be missed in this peaceful, scenic town. She passed by it many times on her way to school and many visits to the town for trips to get groceries. She only knew it as the place that Lucas's father worked at but today she felt this building was the key to her victory.
Powerful, rare Pokemon await me, Dawn beamed with excitement, walking up to the two story tall lab. Who knows what experiments they conducted to make it even more powerful? A serum created to make super Pokemon? Did they unlocked the key to bring out unfathomable psychic powers in these Pokemon? These questions were burning in her head, building her anticipation that she could finally see the mystical aura this lab now possessed.
Barry knuckles rasped a few times against the thick oak door but didn't receive a response the first time. His second set garnered nothing. His third try included him pounding at the doorway so the whole neighborhood could hear. This time he was rewarded with a few grunts from someone behind the door and an annoyed scientist to greet the trio.
"Listen here, kids," the professor's aide obnoxiously said. "We are not interested in anything that you kids are selling. We don't care if it's for sports or any of those clubs you have in school, but we are not buying. Far too many claiming to be part of some kind of anime club have hoodwink us too many times."
Lucas took the step forward and awkwardly held a hand up. "Uhh...sorry to bother you Mr. Lane but it's me, Lucas. We're here for the apprenticeship."
Stopping in his rant, the young aide took a moment to observe the teen. "Oh, Lucas. I didn't see you there," he adjusted his glasses. He scanned the other two and adjusted his tone to a more hospitable one, at least by clinical scientist standards . "These must be the subjects- I mean volunteers you brought on for us to study-Urp no I meant to help out with the new study. Please forgive me, I haven't been able to get a good eight hours of sleep in the past few days."
"Yes, here for that study and ready to help!" Dawn pounced on the aide. "I'll be your human guinea pig if that's what it takes to get one of those Pokemon!"
Her energy and boldness irked the tired aide. "Fine, fine, come in to the lab. The professor happens to be free at the moment," he ushered them inside.
Dawn's boots squeaked on polished, tiled floor. The cleanliness of the building reminded her the sterile hallways of a hospital, with it's blue walls trying its best to liven up the place and bright fluorescent lights brightening up the various workstations for the researchers.
"What's the hurry?" Barry, the poster child of hastiness and impatience, remarked. The researchers amounted to a total of dozen all were scrambling around, carrying their notes to compare or various instruments in and out of offices.
Coming out one of the standard office was a middle aged scientist who ran into the group with a stack of papers fresh from the trusty copier. He immediately took notice of the kids and didn't seem to please to see them.
"Lucas, how many times do I have to tell you. Don't visit the lab during my work hours. Important and delicate research is going that no outsider should interfere. Wait until after I'm done with work to visit," the older researcher scolded the boy, nearly dropping the stack.
"Mr. Lundrigan, don't give him this crap now," Lucas stepped in to defend his friend. "We are not here to cost any trouble!" Barry denied his assumptions with passion.
The assistant stood between the hothead teen and his senior. "Apologies Professor," he bowed his head in respect. "I brought them in but if it disturbs your work then I can-"
"Hey, we're not going to let you kick us out!" Dawn lay down her foot, shock and appalled that the man was willing to throw three kids out to appease the higher ups. "We were given the opportunity to help the professor...and get rare Pokemon," she whispered the last part.
"What is this commotion all about?"
The aide was getting ready to usher the trio when a deep voice froze both researchers in their place.
Standing next to Lucas's father was an elderly man sharply dressed. She instantly recognized him as the famous Professor Rowan. Dawn has seen him many time on the television but this was her first time she was face to face with the man despite living so close to his lab and having her friend's father work closely with him.
Hair white as snow and a dignified mustache, the professor stroked his hairless chin. He wore no white lab coat as the rest of the people in his lab. The man chose to wear a simple white dress shirt and black tie combo. He matched his dark blue pants with a lighter blue vest. His presence alone made the two alert. Cold calculating gray eyes kept eye contact with his aides, awaiting an answer.
"It's my son, Professor. He was on his way home with his friends." Lucas's father waved his file like a fan.
The voice again, measured and deliberate. "I believe I heard they were here to help with the research or did I misheard," he brushed off Mr. Lundrigan's words and stepped directly to the group. "You three are here to help with our study on evolution?"
"Yeah, Lucas said you have positions opened for three young assistants!, "Dawn approached the Professor. "We are determined to do whatever it takes to be accepted!"
"I see, such eagerness," he said. His voice was clear and grave, not showing anger but didn't display mercilessness. "Then let's get these interviews on their way." He turned around, not waiting for response and walked towards his office in the back.
"Interview!" Dawn gasped.
The moderate sized office was lavishly decorated, giving the lab a whole new level of professionalism. The old man even had a wall reserved for his awards and various degrees from the University of Sinnoh right behind him. The ornate mahogany desk was what sealed the deal for Dawn that made her accept the fact that this professor was an important figure in today's world.
"Take a seat," Rowan brusquely said, shoveling through a muddled stack of papers and files on his desk.
A pile of papers filled with gibberish to demonstrate how busy he is, Dawn gawked in childish wonderment. She took the single chair in front of Rowan's desk. Plopping down on the bonded leather chair, she could feel herself sink into its cushions. Her attention should have been on the professor but the adornments placed on top of the bookshelf behind Rowan were too alluring for her eyes.
An exaggerated cough brought her vision down from a helix-shaped fossil to a stern, unmoving Professor Rowan. Single sheet of paper in hand, Professor Rowan began every intern's nightmare: a one-on-one interview.
"State your name and age if you may," Rowan started, his clear gaze burning into Dawn's skull.
"Name?" she uttered, still in her daze.
"Yes, the name given to you on your birth by your respective parents/guardians," Rowan calmly explained not sounding condescending in the least.
Dawn cleared her head, feeling quite imprudent for a moment. Her mind returning to reality, she noticed the digital camera erected on a tripod. The blinking red dot on the slim, gray camcorder made her realized it was turned on. With its dark lenses directly pointed at her, Dawn straightened her slouching posture.
Sudden uneasiness clouded her heart, feeling quite exposed. "Why is this interview…being taped?" she had to asked, anxiety now eating at her cognitive abilities.
Rowan raised an eyebrow, facing the camera as if he too just realized it was craftily placed there. The digital camera was at an angle so its lens couldn't capture the perplexed face Professor Rowan made. "Ah, that…I like to record all applicants being interviewed for a specific job," he clinically answered. "I've done it to everyone that has ever worked here. I hope it's not much of an issue-"
"Oh, no-no. It's not a problem at all," Dawn dismissed her worries, shaking her hand.
"With that settled, let's return to the interview," Professor Rowan straightened in his chair. "State your full name, hometown and age, please."
Dawn responded with full confidence on this first question. "I'm Dawn Berlitz from Twinleaf Town and I'm eighteen-years-old."
The professor's mustache twitched yet his facial expression remained unchanged. He continued with the next question on his list.
"What do you believe to be more important in a friend? Loyalty or honesty?"
Dawn abruptly paused in her lapse of thinking. She was not at all prepared for this heavy question. It wasn't something you could answer in the moment without being entirely truthful. She rushed her thoughts in hopes of figuring the correct answer.
There is a correct answer, right? Dawn asked herself, trying to see if this interview had a bigger motive. He will be willing to take me more seriously if I respect loyalty more than honesty.
"There is no right or wrong answer," Rowan spoke, astonishing Dawn. He jotted a few notes on a piece of blank paper in the incomprehensible writing that the doctors use to encrypt their notes. This concerned Dawn since she had said nothing yet the professor has begun to take record.
"It's a tough choice between the two but…" Dawn stopped herself, but Rowan kept writing unperturbed. She pondered on what each meant to her. Loyalty towards the end served me nothing. I kept up with Roman for so long yet it was all for naught. I can't live with myself to make the same mistake.
"Honesty." She mumbled, head slightly lowered.
"Hmm," the old man paused, finally paying close attention to Dawn. "What was that?"
Dawn looked up, straight into Rowan's scrupulous eyes with confidence. She repeated, sounding cold and distant, "I believe honesty is more important than loyalty."
"Is that so…" Rowan murmured, filling out his notepad. "Moving on…is it better to be born good or to overcome your evil nature through great effort?"
Dawn paused to ponder. That's it. No explanation as to why I choose honesty, she thought perplexed before focusing on the even more complex query. This has to be some kind of personality test. Right? Dawn was trying to figure out the line of reasoning for this interview. Professor Rowan must have been trying to gauge her personality with this test. Or he was trying to see if she was some kind of android sent to steal his research findings.
Dawn was quick to pinch herself on the cheek. She winced at the sudden pain.
"What are you doing?" Rowan stopped to ask.
"Just trying to see if I wasn't actually an android," she casually replied, rubbing her sore cheek. "I know I'm not one but maybe that was just how I was created. False memories could have been planted in my brain to make think I'm a normal teenage girl. I could have been created to slip into your ranks and steal all your data." She nodded with her eyes closed, figuring it was quite plausible.
"Errr…hmph!" Rowan cleared his throat, flabbergasted by her response. "I think it's…uhh safe to assume that technology hasn't advanced that far, yet. Besides, if I really was testing for androids then I would have asked questions that evoke an emotional response. The Turing Test proposes scenarios that..." He seemed like he was about to go into a further discussion on the manner but restrained himself from doing so. "Well that is a discussion for another time. Let's get back to the questioning. Please give me a concise response."
Dawn let out a breathe of relief knowing she wasn't an artificial intelligence. "I want to say...good. Being born good is my answer," she managed to answer. The professor's stoic expression and noncommittal comments made it difficult for Dawn to figure out if the interview was going well.
The interview continued with odd questions challenging Dawn's morals and beliefs. His hand flowed across the notepad while offering no real feedback besides the occasional hmphs and srange noises from the old man's mouth.
Is this really an opportunity to join the Professor's lab as an assistant? The question creep in her mind, finding this line of questioning unusual. There is one thing I have learned from this experience...this professor is a genuine mind reader!
"We're getting close to ending this interview and finding out if your right candidate for the program," Rowan said, without looking up from his notepad. "Don't feel discouraged yet."
"H-how did you know...I was...thinking that," she uttered in disbelief. I guess he does have mind reading as his special skill, Dawn was in awe.
"I don't want to start the notion that I can actually read minds," Rowan brought up, putting down his notepad.
Ha, that's exactly what a mind reader would say to throw people off his tail. But don't worry professor, your secret is safe with me, Dawn was convinced of this man's psychic powers.
The professor realized an explanation was in order. "I've studied human psychology to help me in my studies of Pokemon growth among human interaction. I've picked up a habit of detecting people's thoughts through subtle body language," he clarified. He even directed her attention to his degree on the wall from the University of Sinnoh. "I'm very confident in my ability to read people and their intentions."
"Yeah, I understand. Subtle. Body. Language," Dawn smiled towards the camera and secretly winked at the psychic in front of her.
Professor Rowan sighed and continued the interview. "We are getting close to the end so lets wrap this up." He scribbled more jargon on his notepad. "Why did you seek out this position?"
An actual question that deals with the job at hand, Dawn straighten her back, invigorated. She thought about it hard. I guess there is no reason to hide it from a psychic.
"I'm here because I want to my partner to be one of your exotic, rare Pokemon. I aim to become the next Pokemon Champion of Sinnoh," she revealed and became embarrassed at to what she just said. It does sound like a generic dream that every Pokemon trainer spouts when they start their journey. He must really think I'm selfish that I only came here to take his rare findings for my own gain.
"Pokemon Champion, I see," Rowan repeated sounding not in the least surprised. "Are you really set on this goal? Is that what really motivates you?"
"Yes!" Dawn responded immediately. It's the half truth at least. I need to become champion.
"Do you know how many Pokemon trainers retire the trainer lifestyle after a year? From those that remain, how many give up on challenging the league?"
Dawn paused to think. "If it's anything like coordinators, I say about forty percent give up in the first year. Seventy percent of the remaining group give up due to financial, psychological or even physiological reasons. At least, that's what my mother told me."
"Given that, how motivated are you to see this goal through. Can you see yourself dedicate your life to this goal?" His final question resonated with Dawn.
"I can-no I must," she spoke with conviction yet she was looking down at her knees. She lifted her head, eyes glowing with determination.
"Is that so," Rowan said almost in a whisper. "That concludes this interview, Dawn. Please wait outside and tell that young lad, Lucas, to come in next."
Stepping outside the office, feeling the tension leave her shoulders. She nodded at Lucas who walked into Rowan's office after her. A three set of chairs were arranged in the hallway, opposite of the door and Barry was already in it. He already completed his interview, calling it the easiest test he has ever taken in his life.
Lucas didn't take as long and exited with the Professor right behind. He lead them into the main Pokemon lab filled with white tables full of lab equipment, beakers, and instruments of various sizes.
"Good news everybody," the Professor announced with some jovial emotion.
"You're accepting me as your apprentice?" Dawn asked ecstatic. Apprenticeship to a powerful mind reader! Her admiration could be displayed on her face with stars shining in her blue eyes.
"No," he curtly said. " and I'm not a psychic. The position you applied for is an assistant for this lab and you all qualify to become my new junior researchers in my lab."
"We all passed?" Barry uttered shocked.
Lucas's smile lit up. "I can't wait to tell dad," he said.
Tapping a wrinkly finger on an empty table, Professor Rowan produced three Pokeballs. He gently placed all three in front of the new recruits. "I have here three rare specimens collected on my travels." He tapped the first Pokeball. "This is Piplup, a water-type from the coldest region of Sinnoh. Next is Turtwig, a grass-type rarely found in Sinnoh's forest. Lastly, Chimchar, the fire-type that is hard to come by in the east of Sinnoh."
"Dawn, you will receive yours first," Rowan revealed.
Great! I can get Chimchar to roast Roman's stupid grass runt! Dawn deviously thought, eager for her next encounter with Roman.
"I'm grateful to be first," Dawn acted modest, yet her voice sounded too excited.
Rowan placed his hand on the first Pokeball, his eyes not moving from Dawn. "Dawn, I bequeath you the Pokeball that belongs to the prideful, yet cool-headed Piplup
"Euhh?" Dawn uttered. "But-but shouldn't you be letting us choose the one we want? Isn't that how these things work in the world? Let us kids choose which super rare Pokemon we will like to take to gain the advantage over those Bidoof and Starly beginners."
Rowan kept his unnerving stare on Dawn, picking up a Pokeball and gently pushed the button. A red beam of light struck the ground and materialized into the form of cute, stubby penguin-like Pokemon. The Piplup puffed out his chest, realizing he was finally meeting his trainer.
"Piplup are prideful Pokemon. They are quite difficult to manage at times due to their thick hardheadedness," Rowan spoke as if he was in one of his lectures. He talked in a monotone, boring tone that could put half the class to sleep. "I am pairing this with you due to your personalities. I feel that you're the type of person that can bring the best out of this Piplup."
Dawn grew weak and collapsed onto her knees. "Bu-but-but I wanted Chimchar," she softly whined, hands shaking towards the third Pokeball.
-"Why I'm a hundred times better than that imprudent monkey!"- Piplup angrily trilled, but no one could understand his irritation. He could have just been yelling at brick wall as he continued to shout.
"Ah, but this Chimchar will go to Barry," he disclosed. He popped the Pokeball open and a small, orange monkey appeared right next to Piplup. He looked up in awe to meet the blonde boy and hopped up and down in excitement.
-"A trainer! I finally get to go on an adventure!"- Chimchar gleefully shouted, jumping onto a Barry's head.
"Whoa, this little guy sure has a lot of energy," he giggled, plucking the fireball off his messy hair. "You really think I can handle this one?" Holding Chimchar at arm's length, Barry studied the rare Pokemon. He cocked his head left and Chimchar mimicked his movements.
"I'm very sure you will manage just fine," Rowan said without missing a beat and moved on the last Pokemon. Emerging from his slumber was green turtle with small plant sprouting from his head and hard-packed dirt to form his brown shell.
"Lucas, I hope you can bond with Turtwig. A docile grass-type that takes patience and meticulous care to nurture into a loyal companion," Rowan introduced the groggy Tiny Leaf Pokemon.
Yawning and stretching his sore jaw, Turtwig brought his huge eyes up to meet smitten eyes. He was slow to realize he was actually being given away. -"Wait, I'm finally being given to a trainer? My cozy life of living in this lab was short lived."- he blinked, searching for his lab mates.
Still on her knees, a Dawn shot death glares at Barry as he mingled with his new Pokemon. "Hey Baaaaarry," Dawn coyly said, acting all innocent. She approached the ecstatic boy. She knew how rare fire Pokemon where in Sinnoh. The value that this monkey had was greater than his weight in gold.
"I prohibit you to trade these away even among yourself," Rowan spoke up as he tinkered with a device on another lab setup. "Or I'll be forced to revoke your Trainer's license. I had the authority to do so you know."
"Pfft, mind reading me again," Dawn grumpily mumbled, taking a step back from Barry. She sighed, returning her attention to her displeased Piplup.
She sensed the animosity from Piplup who crossed his arms. She dreaded the time it will take for such a prideful Pokemon to warm up to her.
"If we are to be an unsupportable force of nature in the Pokemon world then I should lay down my goals and expectations," Dawn brought herself face to face with Piplup.
- "Unstoppable?" Piplup repeated befuddled.
"We are going to team up and crush the dreams of my ex-boyfriend," she drooped her voice to a whisper. She feared if the professor hear her actual goal, he would revoke her Pokemon and trainer's license. She noted to not think about this subject around him in case he tried to read her mind. "Expect tough battles because we are aiming for the Pokemon Champion title. I am stopping at nothing to get my revenge."
-"Ex-boyfriend? Pokemon Champion? Revenge?"- he dumbly repeated. Piplup was beginning to worry that he got stuck with the most insane of the group.
Dawn unclipped a yellow case from her bag. She revealed a set of fresh poffins she made the night before. "Have this one," she said, choosing a spicy one.
Unsure of the treat, Piplup hesitatingly took a bite. The spicy flavor was perfect for his palette and gobbled down the poffin. He took another, surprised by this girl's ability to cook.
"I knew you would enjoy that one. One thing I learned from my mother is to cook amazing poffins for my Pokemon," she crossed her arms, nodding with a smug smile. "Pokemon trainer is my new career and I going to need every advantage I can get. We are going to catch other strong teammates. We are going to train and become Pokemon Champion. To become champion means to become the best. I'm completely serious. Failure is not an option for me."
-"To be considered the best of the best,"- Piplup muttered between bites. He puffed his chest out for he was finally onboard. A challenge that was perfect for someone of his species. To be considered one of the greatest was exactly how he envisioned himself to be. -"I will finally show everyone how powerful I can become!"-
"But I still going to need to find a fire type to fill up my team," Dawn grumbled to herself. There is barely any fire types in Sinnoh, she sadly thought, looking onto Barry's Chimchar with envy.
The professor stepped back from his workplace and lay out three identical devices on the table. Made out of red and black plastic, the device reminded Dawn of a certain handheld game console. A single push and the it opened up to show two digital screens on each half. "While on your journey I will also like for you three to work on another project of ours which is to document every Pokemon in the Sinnoh region. You'll be traveling the land for we are still not sure of every species that lives here."
"Is this some sort of notepad device you want us to jot our notes or something," Dawn said as the professor handed them out to each of them.
"Of course not. That's were this handy invention that one of my colleagues invented will assist you in your quest. You only need to direct the camera on the back to the specimen you want to record," he explained.
Dawn saw the camera icon and tapped on the touchscreen. It displayed a live feed of the lab and hold up towards the Pokemon. A satisfying ting sound resonated from the device and a monotone male voice began to speak .
"Piplup: the penguin Pokemon. It's bold nature gives it an air of importance around other Pokemon. Its thick down guards it from the cold as it dives underwater for more than ten minutes to hunt."
"This thing is pretty sweet," Barry huffed, aiming the camera at every object in the lab like an excited toddler being given a new toy to play with.
A disheveled scientist walked into the lab. "Pardon me Professor Rowan but can I speak with Lucas for a moment," Lucas's father spoke towards the Professor. He was a mess like his son but his situation seemed more of neglect than laziness. His hair was combed into a fine mess and his lab coat wrinkled. It looked like he hasn't the time to take a nap in awhile.
In the corner of her eye, she saw Lucas and his father walked into his office. She knew how shaky their relationship has been these past few years, but Lucas still carried that hope that they can one day see eye to eye.
Lucas
He followed his father into his own office. He came here many times before as a child, especially before his younger sister was born. He was a quiet and well behaved child that didn't bother the researchers and in return he got treats from everyone, especially from Rowan who shared his sweet tooth. The office back then was organized and clean but nowadays it was in a state of disorder that it made Rowan's cluttered office look like an immaculate room.
Piles of papers were stacked on the floor, on the small desk, and even on the chairs. The furniture was pushed up against the wall, with little to no decor to lighten up the space. With the chairs filled with unsorted files of research, they had nowhere to sit. They stood on the gold and red carpet in the middle of the room to meet.
The tension could be cut by a knife in the room, but Lucas dared not speak first. "Lucas, you should have told me you were going to apply for the position before you came here,"" he began, sounding slightly disappointed. He was visibly tired and Lucas recalled how this week his father has been working so hard.
"I wanted to surprise you," he lied, and bit his lip. He knew his father would oppose him if he told him beforehand.
"I've already talked with you about this. You were suppose to attend Sinnoh's top university this semester. There is no need to go on this journey when you can start school," he sighed sounding exhausted as he ran a hair through his messy hair. "I only wanted what will be best for you."
"Then let me help the professor's study. Working under him is a worth more in experience than any beginner courses in a university. He accepted me and my friends to aid him," Lucas grew confident, realizing his father was losing faith on his original plan for him. This was the only way he could convince him to let him go on an adventure across Sinnoh."I can't back out now. I'm prepared to help in anyway."
If you have me back out now, you will be going against the Professor's decision, Lucas thought to himself, studying his father's troubled face.
Seeing he was backed into a corner, he gave in to his son's wishes. "Fine, but you better not make any crucial mistakes. No goofing off or losing sight of the task. Always be recording new Pokemon you come by and don't neglect the Pokemon that the Professor gave you," he lay out the tasks. "I don't want you quitting during your Pokemon journey," he muttered.
Lucas nodded. "I'll be seeing you dad," he said walking up to the door. He cracked the door open and saw Dawn.
Dawn noticed Lucas and smiled. "We need to go but I want to visit someplace before we head out," she said to Lucas and Barry looked like he was ready to bolt out the door.
"Lucas!"
Lucas turned around to see his father picking up his mug of coffee. "Please...take care of yourself."
Lucas's stomach fluttered. It was genuine concern in his voice. "I will. Please take care of Sora and grandfather while I'm gone."