Savoir-faire – To Know and To Do
I: Dire – To Say
Today is the day I receive tenure as a Pokémon professor. Today is also the day I began my journey for the second time.
I stand in Lumiose City, Kalos, facing five screens connected to the regions of Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh and Unova. Each of the august personalities I face bear solemn expressions. Behind me is the leader of the Sycamore Research Centre, Professor Augustine Sycamore. He had not been very supportive, either of my claim or of my chosen field of research.
"Erm..." Samuel Oak swallowed. "Erm... your thesis was of... well, a different nature than most other researchers. Personally, I am interested in the claim that Dr Yung's infamous research on Mirage Pokémon could have been adapted towards beneficial fields rather than its original purpose of creating a perfect species of Pokémon. This is counter to Dr Yung's original intention..."
"I have here the outpatient data over the past ten years gathered from the Pokémon Centres by Magenta Plaza, North Boulevard and South Boulevard," I replied. "Lumiose City is home to the Lumiose Gym, which specialises towards Electric-Type Pokémon. In that sense, the Gym sees the output of many Pokémon facing static discharge, nerve damage and, in some cases, necrosis of cells. Operations become complicated due to the inability to use Magnetic Resonance Imaging, as Nurse Joy has informed me. Dr Yung's Mirage Pokémon system is capable of creating virtually any Pokémon, assuming data on those Pokémon has been acquired. Despite its original purpose of battle, there stands reason that the Mirage Pokémon system could be redeveloped to provide an anatomically accurate model of Pokémon. This system could not only allow us to specify the internal systems of a Pokémon within a 3-dimensional model, it could also be used for training prospective surgeons, and thus ameliorate the under-staffing of Pokémon Centres."
"But the paper questions the decision to expel Dr Yung for ethical decisions, Professor du Bois," Professor Utsugi Elm volunteered, as I spotted him diving off-screen, presumably to rescue a precious scribble from the floor.
"Firstly, I have elaborated upon the speed at which the Pokémon Institute's decision was reached," I replied. "Even if the Mirage System's purpose was cruel, it was a work deserving of consideration for other purposes. Pokémon by themselves do not recognise moral decisions; they recognise bullying, death threats, starvation, and living well, but the subtle moralities are not their sphere. Before expulsion, that research should have been licensed by the Institute, which would not only leave Dr Yung barred from his own research as well as liable to copyright violations, but also allow other students of the Institute to build upon that knowledge."
I took a deep breath. "We are, however, diverting from the original point. My thesis addresses the ethics of Pokémon treatment, and how the current system of society interacts with Pokémon. We are not here to debate on the extraneous case study I have detailed to explain how in some cases, our devotion to Pokémon have reached the borders of irrationality."
"Well, it's an interesting case," Odamaki Birch submitted, grinning.
"Evolution and the effects upon infrastructure and necessary lifestyle changes, I found relevant," Nanakamado Rowan admitted. "Wouldn't you say, Professor Juniper?"
"Agreed," Aurea Juniper admitted. "Well, Associate Professor du Bois, your work is truly deserving of tenure. Everyone, don't you agree?"
"Of course," Professor Oak sighed. "I just feel that Dr du Bois has not fully understood the relationships between humans and Pokémon, if she is about to enter my field of study."
"I will be embarking on fieldwork once my proposal has been cleared," I admitted. "During that time, I shall undertake travel around the Kalos region as a trainer to cover the routes of travel the average Kalos Trainer covers throughout their travels from Vaniville Town to the Kalos League."
"Alone?" Professor Juniper frowned. "A girl walking alone..."
"Furthermore," I continued. "I shall be expanding my research to include human factors in the Trainer journey with respect to Kalos."
"I see," Professor Rowan rumbled. "The decision is conclusive."
"However," Professor Oak interrupted gravely. "I must add a condition."
I paused. A conditional acceptance to tenure should be unacceptable. I should protest. However, if Samuel Oak was making that sort of announcement, I should be listening... right? "Proceed."
"By the end of the report, I wish to see a complete log of your fieldwork," Oak stated.
"A log?" I echoed.
"A log, Dr du Bois," Professor Oak replied, with such severity that I could feel it even from the screen. "I realise that, as a researcher specialising on the anthropological side of Pokémon relational research, the subjectivity-objectivity argument would be against you. To that end, I require you to take a research assistant along from Vaniville. A new Trainer to serve as a case study for your research. Should you wish, you can take part in the journey such as through battling, but the majority of your report should come through this subject. Yes?"
I considered the argument, and relented. "Yes. Thank you very much."
"The assessment is complete." At this, the screens shut off, one by one, leaving me to stare as Professor Juniper waved and cheered before her screen shut off.
Augustine sighed theatrically. "That went well."
"Of course. There was never any doubt." I answered him.
"What will you do, Marguerite?" Augustine asked. "Are you really going to start on that study? The Pokémon League won't like it, you know."
"They must. My field combines all the knowledge of the six regions," I answered. "My subject is humanity and Pokémon. What other field is there for me?"
"For the Lady Marguerite Linden du Bois?" Augustine laughed.
"I'm not a lady," I sighed. I brushed my dark hair out of my eyes, cursing my barrette.
"Grand Duchess, then?" Augustine joked.
"There is only one Grand Duchess of the Battle Château," I replied. "That is not me."
"You were that, once," Augustine replied, no longer smiling. "You still have that Lucario that Korrina gave you, right?"
"Yes," I replied. "I do."
"So, maybe during this journey," Augustine said, "It might do you good to remember that, while we are researchers, the subjects of our research are living beings, too. Then maybe you can recall what it's like to battle."
"I would rather not," I whispered. "All of them..."
"Hmm?" Augustine smiled, the laugh lines crinkled and worn. "From the Honour of Kalos? About ten years. By this time, you should've been married with a baby, I think."
"Ah," I echoed. "Instead I have a household of Ghosts and a body of eternal youth. I- I think he knows."
"Who?"
"Samuel Oak. I think he knows me."
Augustine sighed. "You're not doing yourself justice, hiding out in the Trail. You won't even hang out with the Hex Maniacs along Brun Way and Mélancholie Path. Just... go on that journey. Bring a nice young Trainer along. It's been ten years since Lysandre, you can't just... float along."
I stared at him. "If you're telling me this, then..."
"Yeah," Augustine nodded. "They accepted it. You set out to Vaniville tomorrow."
I felt empty as I left the Laboratory, the sun setting over Lumiose right as the lights came on at the Centrico Plaza's Prism Tower. Tourists could be spotted by watching the spectacle they made. I paid no attention to the pretty lights, having seen them for twenty years or so.
My feet took me along North Boulevard – with a stop to collect mice – to walk by the Lavarre Nature Trail by memory, along to the scary house. I lived there rent-free, ever since I gambled with the storyteller for a room there. I forgot which story I told him, but then he patted my arm and told me to stay as long as I needed. I think my story scared the wits out of him.
The dark blue shadow landed beside me, walking along until it suddenly threw out a paw. I dodged, and it hit a tree.
"I told you to stop that," I told the Lucario severely.
Altair nodded, still grinning.
"Jerk," I muttered, but allowed Altair to lead the way back to home. Home in this case being my ramshackle little house. What, you thought being a Trainer paid much?
The screech of steel met my ears as I beheld Aegis raising its sword- to behead the trout I had stored. By the by, Ghost-type Pokémon were the easiest to feed; just let them out on the moor and leech the fear out of terrifying passers-by. They also made good helpers, assuming that you didn't mind adapting to their needs.
Overhead, Crystal, my Chandelure hissed, its will o'wisps tinkling against each other, throwing eerily blue light over the kitchen. Altair growled lowly as the glorified chandelier lit several candles placed around the place; it was very familiar with fire hazards. I tried to have the place fixed up for electricity once, but the nature trail's high rain output and Pokémon population made that decision untenable.
As Aegis threw the slices of trout into the air, Crystal blew a will o'wisp that lightly fried it, which Aegis then caught onto its shield and threw onto the giant plate. There was a lot of trout; today was their weekly ration of meat. I once told her I wanted a Ninetales; after that, she had set herself out to make herself useful, despite my – very rare – protests. Beside it, Liz, my Floette, hovered sleepily.
Yes, I keep a Fairy-type alongside Ghost-Type Pokémon. I won't be the first Trainer to do so.
I grabbed a pair of tongs, dividing the trout into five plates. As the trout's fragrance reached that corner, Floette began to look more alert. "Guys. Dinner. No stealing."
Altair assisted me. Crystal tried to steal from him; Altair blew a raspberry at her, and Liz ignored hers in favour of the beancurd and croutons I dragged from the icebox to mix into a fresh salad for her. After serving the salad, I brought one plate and the box with the mice outside to the swamp, to the reason why I had to live in the bayou.
Gingerly, I floated the box out on the surface. "Jelly. Time to eat."
The box abruptly disappeared below the surface. One tentacle tried to reach for me, but I shook my head. My Jellicent obediently disappeared back inside the lake, the dark place I had found for the last member of my team to luxuriate.
I held the trout out, and whistled. Three, two, one-
My barrette came loose as Vega, my Flygon, hurtled out of the air, grabbing the plate and hoisting it up.
"I'm calling a meeting," I told the empty air, knowing that my team's dragon would get the message. "You guys are coming. It decides who keeps house."
I went back into the house. The old man was out; he tended to be out when Jelly, Aegis and Crystal were all within proximity. I ate part of the salad and part of the trout; Liz floated about the table, eating honey with that calming scent that I knew was going to attract the Vespiqueen next door. My house was the dream of most Pokémon Rangers, assuming they could live in a Barboach-infested, Ghost-haunted, earthquake-prone area.
It had been home for five years, and now...
The door swung open. Jelly floated in, pink and miffed as the queen she is. Vega poked in after her while I was making a cup of tea.
I snatched the honey from Liz, checked for Durants, and took some with my tea. I drank it, before I faced my family of seven.
"They've cleared us for fieldwork," I began. "We're supposed to set out tomorrow. So, I will choose, amongst all of you, a team of six to go with me. The remaining one, I will arrange for facilities in Lumiose or Vaniville itself with Augustine."
That was the easy part. Now was tough. "Obviously, the ghostly trio are coming along, since bad things happen with Ghost Pokémon when supervision isn't provided."
Sword and shield clanked, before Aegis stopped his celebration. Jelly whooped – an unusual mix of bubbles at high pitch – and Crystal hissed. I wish I could say that my Pokémon were perfectly behaved, but even the likes of Morty and Fantima, never mind Agatha and Phoebe, could not discipline a team that half consisted of Ghosts.
"You know what Ghosts are like," I reproached. "Then, I need Liz to handle dragons, and Altair to alternate with the trio for night watch. And Vega..."
Altair snorted, Vega sniffed; the two of them seemed to have some rivalry since the start. Over what, I don't know.
"This trip might not require flight, rocks, or psychic power." I continued. "Vega, I'm well aware that you like being settled, so I'm prepared to put you with Augustine. Vega... I might have to ask someone for a favour, but I will make sure you are taken care of, and I will come back for you. Since Deneb and Delphi, I... I..."
I found myself pushed into the squishy chair with my tea, Liz gingerly holding onto the saucer with its remaining hand. Lucario started rifling through the drawers of the bureau. Vega went out, giving a cry that Jelly signalled was his way of taking care of himself.
Altair brought out my outfit; a little black dress, green fedora with black sunglasses, green thigh-high socks and black laced riding boots. He held up the ring, the one that connected with the stone Lucario held... Deneb had held a different one until his dying breath.
On the return of my career as a Trainer, on the day of his death, and on the start of my time in the field, I found myself pulling on the bracelet, the key stone winking in the eerie light.
I then realised that I had forgotten to tell the old man.
"Get me a phone!"
Living in Kanto, the worst thing isn't the Johto Trainer next door. It really ain't the Gyms, Indigo Plateau, or Team Rocket's dregs. If you're like me, unfortunate enough to be born with the surname Oak, it's the questions. Are you related to...? being the king.
Well, it's not really the questions. It's the expectations. The necessary battle knowledge. The ease at which we pick up Pokémon training. And, if you're thirteen and yet to set out on your journey anywhere, despite holding a perfectly valid Trainer's license, the strange looks.
It lessened, I detected, as I spotted the lack of strange looks given to the family name-plate, but it won't. Because Professor Samuel Oak's shadow would be right there, hovering about. Plus, apparently I'm supposed to be shadowed by a Pokémon professor for some case study.
"Isn't that great?" Mum said as she started cooking up a storm. "Donar's going to be famous!"
I was about to answer that when the wok broke. Because my mum slammed it too hard. Onto the table. Reason number one why no one should ever pick a fight with any Fighting Gym; because they most likely have people that can smash iron to bits. I kept silent on the matter.
The professors were supposed to be in Aquacorde Town. There were five trainers, me included amongst them. One amongst us were going to be selected as the research assistant for the Sycamore Institute's newest brainchild. No Trainer would've liked a Pokémon prof tagging along, until it came out that the prof was going to pay for food and lodging. Then people were all over it.
I started out to Vaniville Pathway, and found two girls and two boys. What was important was that currently, the pathway between Aquacorde and Vaniville was blocked by a thick mist that clung to the ground, and overhead was swinging a Ghost Pokémon. It looked like a sentient chandelier; striped, round head, and round, pupil-less yellow eyes, a ring of small, black spikes on top of its head with tall, purple flame in the middle. From a black spike below its head, black arms curl upward, tipped with purple fire.
"T- That's a Ghost," Shauna whimpered. "A G- Ghost Pokémon..."
"C- Chandelure, the Luring Pokémon," Trevor stuttered. "Chandelure's fires do not burn its victims physically, instead burning their spirit... After hypnotising its opponent by waving these flames, it absorbs the victim's spirit..."
"Why the hell is there such a dangerous Pokémon around?!" Tierno squeaked. For such a large guy he sure sounded terrified. Then again, a Pokémon that could burn your spirit...
It was waving its flames in loops. I felt stupid.
"Oh, pretty," Serena mumbled. I looked at her; she was looking elsewhere.
As I looked back up, the glass head bobbed, and the purple flame burned brighter. It was... welcoming. Eerie, too. But welcoming.
"What do we do?" Shauna whispered. As she spoke, the Chandelure blew a plume of smoke that shrouded it.
"The smoke," I said as it disappeared, and the Pokémon saw us again.
It blew another plume. I charged. I ran into a brick wall.
I stumbled, crashing onto the ground, and I realised that the human-sized dark blue Pokémon was just standing there. It wasn't moving. It was... assessing?
A Lucario, my inner fan-child squeaked. I could identify a Lucario by sight, mainly because of Mum and because she had suggested one for my starter. A Riolu, at least. I had shot it down at the time, but if most were going to be built like that, I wouldn't mind.
A woman stepped out of the mist, which petered off to form... a flower? No, the flower was held by a figure, a tiny humanoid. It was blue; the flower, that is.
"Thank you, Liz," the woman – the Trainer? – murmured, as the Floette floated to her side. The mist died off, as the Chandelure lingered by her. The woman... she was definitely young, only slightly older than us. She wore a green fedora with sunglasses, with a black dress, green thigh-high socks and laced riding boots. Over her shoulder dangled a backpack, and at her belt were four more Pokéballs. "You too, Chandelure."
We stared at her. Serena was the first to reply. "Are you crazy? That's a highly dangerous Ghost-Type Pokémon and you let it wander around like that?"
"Well, you needed to get used to it if we are travelling together, right?" the woman spoke, placing one hand on her hip. The Lucario growled, and the woman shushed it. So it was her Pokémon too?
"Get used to it?" Shauna screeched next. "I don't want to be next to a Ghost Pokémon! I don't even know you!"
"Oh, that," the woman snapped her fingers. "I'm Professor Marguerite Linden du Bois, call me Dr du Bois, I suppose. I am the professor who is going to choose, from the five of you, my next case study. In exchange, that lucky person will have his or her food and lodging sponsored by me, as well as nominal safety looked after. However, my team has a few... unusual members, hence I needed to see if any young Trainer could handle facing a Ghost-Type Pokémon for the first time, even a dual-type like Chandelure."
She's insane. That's got to be the only reason why I'm here facing a powerhouse, a tiny fairy and a sentient chandelier. The Prof is insane.
"It's not just one Ghost, though," Dr du Bois blithely continued. "It's three."
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