it was a quiet morning until the holocaster rang. as soon as i answer it, i jump, the screaming of the girl on the other end overwhelming me. apparently she was in a rush, because only the voice mode was on.

"HEY hey, august, so apparently you have kanto pokemon now? and really rare ones at that, hmm? you better be at the lab because i'm coming over right now to take pictures and DO YOU HEAR ME AUGUSTINE? YOU BETTER BE READY. i'll see you soon, okay? bye!"

the call ends and i set the holocaster back down, breathing out a sigh.

viola was a long-time friend, but she could be a handful. plus, doesn't she have a gym to run, i think.

i swing myself up and walk towards the back of the lab, slipping out the door and into the cool morning air. immediately i'm met with a questioning tone of one of the pokemon.

"kie?"

looking down, i see it's just froakie, the kalos water starter. "why hello there. is something wrong?"

the pokemon shakes his head. then he looks back up at me and tips his head. "kie?"

my eyes twitch in frustration before i realize. "oh, me? i'm okay. it was just viola called to say she was, or is, coming, and it's only been a week since i met the new pokemon, and i'm not sure . . they'll take well to her picture-taking."

froakie shakes his head. then he bounds away, first to bulbasaur, saying something to her. she glances at me before replying with a smile, and froakie turns back to give me a thumbs-up. the same happens with charmander. however, when it was squirtle's turn to reply, she comes over to me instead, froakie bounding after her.

"yes, squirtle?"

she motions around her neck. of course. she wanted her necklace, the one from leanna. we had taken it off after that one day, so it wouldn't get damaged when she swam or battled, but it was only natural she would want it back.

"i'll go and grab it, okay?"

she nods to me and froakie lets out a sound of joy.

i smile at them both, quickly standing and going inside.

"AUGUSTINE I SWEAR IF YOU DON'T LET ME IN. I SWEAR."

oh boy. my feet carry me towards the door, and i open it in a hurry. i only barely catch viola as she barrels in, and she casts me a grateful glance before straightening up. "i will have you know people were starting to stare."

"maybe if you quieted your voice-"

"mayBE IF YOU-" she pauses, kicks the door closed, resumes, "answered the door the first time, i wouldn't have had to."

"sorry. i was in the back."

she claps her hands together. "oh! with the new pokemon?"

i nod. "yeah and-wait. your hair is up." i study her for a minute. "were you at the battle chateau."

"mhmm. me and grant were. that's how i found out about the pokemon. grant told me. apparently, grant got told by valerie, who got told by korrina, who found out while talking to diantha, that you got them in recently. and let me say, korrina was very surprised to be talking to the champion. it must be because she's so young and all, i mean, sixteen isn't very old for a gym leader, but still, her family's been around forever, so you think she would've met diantha more than once already-"

"vi. i get it."

"oh, sorry, sorry! well, why don't you show me the pokemon?"

"sure." i lead her along to the back before remembering the necklace. "oh, let me grab something real quick. i turn and hurry up the stairs.

"i already have a camera, you know", she calls out teasingly.

"not that!"

"don't keep me waiting long!"

i shake my head, bounding around to my desk upstairs and fishing the necklace out of one of the drawers. viola immediately flocks toward me when i come down, and i hold it out to her.

"oh, august, it's so pretty", she beams. "who's is it?"

"squirtle's, actually. leanna gave it to her."

"ooooooh that's leanna for you! and it's going to look so gorgeous when i take snaps of it." she holds up her camera for emphasis. "now, let's go see!"

outside, the three had already assembled, looking up at the both of us. i bend down and hook the necklace over squirtle, then, thinking about it, loop it around once more, bringing the pendant up higher from the ground. she gives me a smile in return.

i grab viola by the shoulders and step forward. "viola, this is charmander, bulbasaur, and squirtle. guys, this is viola."

they all call out greetings and in return viola raises a hand in a small wave. "hi."

after leading us all over to a more grassy area, viola points to squirtle. "you first, okay?"

squirtle nods and steps forward, the other two coming back to stand beside me. i cross my arms as i watch viola work.

"now, i can't have you looking directly at the camera, but maybe you could look to the side? haha, a little more than that. don't worry, you'll see it in action when the other two have their turn. ah, there you go! now just hold still, annnd . ." she brings her camera up to her face, adjusting for a few moments before snapping several shots. "perfect! thank you, squirtle."

next was bulbasaur, whom she got to lie down on the grass, legs curled up into her body and eyes closed. squirtle let out a small noise of surprise upon seeing the bright light when viola snapped the shot.

and after was charmander. the two had trouble finding a position until a butterfly flitted past. charmander tried so hard to ignore it, but viola let out a little laugh and told him to go after it. she got quite a few shots of the fire-type chasing the bug.

lastly, she had them all come out. after a moment's hesitation, she makes me come out as well, having me sit and the three pokemon gather around, one on my head -not by choice, not really viola's either, but she thought it was cute, so charmander was allowed to stay- one on my shoulder, and one in my lap.

she presss a few buttons before sitting down and leaning the camera against one of her knees. "no flash, so you can all look straight ahead. mmk, aaand . . got it!"

a few more ended up happening. somehow, a shot happened with charmander jumping up from my lap, posed quite excellently with my head still in perfect view. another showed squirtle in my arms, necklace coming down to rest against the back of my hand. one showed them all in my arms, actually, which was surprising. there were a few more. my favorite ended up being the last viola showed me, lifting it up from across the table indoors.

"aww, look at this one!"

it was of me and squirtle. she was sitting on my shoulder, arms holding my head. her gaze was to the sky as mine head was leaned towards to the floor, eyes closed and mouth opening a laugh.

i reach out and snag it, looking at it up close. it really was a good one, which was why it was such a surprise to hear viola's next words.

"you keep it."

i look up. "what?"

"keep it. it's obvious you like it, and besides, i have plenty others. oh!" she reaches into her jean pockets and pulls out squirtle's necklace. "you told me to hold on to this, but i should give it back now."

i take it from her, nodding. "thank you. uh, for the picture, too."

"yeah, no problem", she waves me off. "if you want, i can send all these others to you as well."

"mmm, maybe just the ones of the pokemon. it'd be good for-"

"research, yes. got it." she stands up and starts gathering up all the photos. "well, i think i've wasted enough of your time."

"oh, well uh, there is one thing i wanted to talk to you about, if you can-"

"august dear, of course i can." she slips the photos into her bag and sits back down. "what's up?"

"i . . got a request from someone to, uhh, help me construct a pokedex."

"oh my god", she screams. "august that's great! so it's finally happening. wow, this is so exciting, oh wait! who's this mysterious partner, hmm?"

"well, he introduced himself as the guy who made the holocaster."

her eyes sparke. "oh? that reminds me. diantha met him the other day. didn't say anything, other than she did. so, i guess if you need a little leeway, you can say you have the champion on your side", she halfway jokes.

i nod. "i'll see what she says. she's supposed to come by soon anyways."

"ahh, because of the thing she told korrina?"

"no, that's . . a separate matter of the same issue. i'm looking for documents to help with a stone leanna gave me. di said she'd dig around for me."

"oh? what's this stone look like?"

"ah, it's . . wait. it might be in my pocket." i dig around, letting out a noise of victory when i manage to find it, and pull it out, passing it over to her.

her eyes widen. "this . . i've never seen anything like it." she looks up. "where'd leanna find it?"

"geosenge, apparently."

"hmm." she looks at it for a few more moments before handing it back. "well, let me be of help and ask alexa if she or her friends know anything. reporters cover a lot of stuff, y'know."

i let out a laugh. "right. that would be great, vi."

"i'm out then. for real this time." she says this while picking up her bag and standing up over-dramatically. "you know . . maybe i should just call you when you don't answer next time."

"assuming i have my holocaster on me."

"ugggh. i am going to walk out there and all those people are going to stare at me again."

i blink. "just let me take you home then."

"nonono it's already noon i have been in your presence long enough-"

"really vi, i don't mind."

she sighs. "well i suppose. thank you."

it was about an hour's drive. once at santalune, vi insisted on me first taking her to the museum. we stop there and she burst through the doors, me following soon after.

"i've got more pictures", vi proclaims, dragging out the last word.

the lady at the front desk smiles. "that's great, viola. colette is actually out right now, but if you leave them with me i'll be sure to deliver them to her."

viola happily obliges, then leads me along towards one of the walls where her pictures were hanging up. there, we find a surprise guest.

"oh", viola manages.

siebold turns towards the both of us, putting on a gentle smile. "hello there, viola. more splendid work of yours, these are. and professor, how nice to see you too."

"likewise."

at that moment, siebold's holocaster rings. he puts it close to his ear. "hello? oh, no sorry, i got sidetracked. i'll be there soon." he hangs up and nods towards up. "well, duty calls. i'll see the both of you around."

once he was out of earshot, i turn towards viola. "do you normally have elite four members looking at your works?"

"no, but it sure felt nice. he must be an appreciator of fine art", she declare.

just then, two kids come around the corner, chittering away. they glance over at us, putting a small dent in their conversation, and stand to view the work beside viola's.

"so this one is-"

i interrupt to move her out of the way. she wasn't always one of observation. and, just as i suspected, the two kids inched closer to vi's works.

"oh wow. i still get shivers when i see the vivillon one", one of them, a girl, whispers.

viola perks up at this.

the two talked for a few more moments before the girl peeks a glance at viola, and then, turns fully towards the both of us with a gasp. "y-you're vi-vio took these pictures, right?"

a faint blush rises up on vi's cheeks. "u-uh, yes."

"we come every chance we get to see if any new ones are up", she girl continues. "me and trevor here just adore your pieces."

it was at that point that the boy, trevor, happen to glance at me. his reaction was about the same as his companion. "wait, aren't you professor sycamore of lumiose?"

"righto", vi says before i get a word.

"oh wow. shauna, there are two famous people in front of us!"

"trevor, quit geeking out! they're probably busy. viola is still a gym leader, remember?"

shauna turns back towards us in a heartbeat. "it's really great to meet the two of you."

trevor nods. "really nice." to me, he says, "professor, i want you to know that you're a huge inspiration to me. when i get older, i hope to study pokemon as well!"

"what an aspiring goal. i wish you luck", i say.

"oh!" vi slaps her cheeks. "oh the gym! come on, you have to take me there so you can get back before nightfall."

"vi, it's only one-thirty." i said that, yet i still let her drag me along.

"bye kids", we both manage to call out at the same time.

at the gym, vi is quick to lead me back to her own personal room and dump her bag on a nearby table. then she spins towards me. "i have an idea", she announces.

"and what might this be?"

"that trevor kid, he's the perfect one to give a pokedex to! didn't you hear him? he wants to study pokemon, and surely he'd take up your offer if you asked him to help you complete it. it's the perfect plan!"

"it . . actually sounds good. i'll consider it."

"hmph, just remember i'm the one who thought of it, mkay?"

"gotcha."

right as i say that, the lights flicker out.

"well that's great", viola mutters.

i hear the sound of a pokeball opening then.

"vivi, would you use flash?"

the butterfly pokemon obliges, lighting up the room just barely in a dim glow. i go over and flip the lightswitch several times, but to no avail -it does nothing.

"august, i don't like this. we should-"

the lights turn back on, just like that. viola frowns, replacing her frightfulness for annoyance. "well. that happened."

"have you had problems like this before?"

she shakes her head. "but hey, i'll be fine. i have vivi, after all." she reaches out and hugs her pokemon. "it's you who should be concerned. if power surges are happening, it probably won't be easy to drive back."

"i'll be fine."

"still, you might call me when you're home."

"deal." i move towards the door. "i'll go, then. bye vi."

"bye august!"

luckily, everything was peaceful for the rest of that day. i reassured viola that i was perfectly fine upon returning home, and that there was plenty left in the day to do other things yes, and that sure i would still like those pictures.

after that, everything went smoothly. it wasn't until a few days later, when i made a decision about the pokedex, that i placed a call and the gears began to turn.

"i am so glad that you've agreed to this, professor. here, let me show you some rough designs i've come up with."

"just august is fine."

"right."

we were both at the lab, sitting in a white-walled room with a thick table near the center. squirtle had managed to wander in and now sat at my feet.

lysandre pulls out three blueprints and hands them to me. i lay them out, glancing over each one before taking a more in-depth look. after a few minutes, i look up.

"well", he prompts me.

"i think . . they need to be easier to use."

"easier?"

"more oversimplified. like, umm . ." i stand, making a grab for sheets on a nearby table pressed against a wall. my eyes scan through them before i pluck a single one out, laying it on the table.

"see, what i had originally thought was for it to be a screen and a case. when you point it at a pokemon, the top half of the case would slide upwards, revealing the screen as it scans the pokemon."

"ah, how brilliant!" lysandre brings the paper closer to him. "though i see room for improvement, i do quite love this. it's just as you implied, too, the easier it is to use, the better." he taps the paper. "how would you feel if i produce the screen? i can make it light, holographic, easy to read, as well as weather-resistant, should a situation call for it. you can even provide all the layouts for entries for me, if you so wish."

"that sounds great, actually. i would like that", i say, reaching down to scratch squirtle's head. "if you can give me five days, i'm sure i can have the prototype case done."

"woah woah. it might take me a bit longer. plus, if you're serious about those layouts, you might prioritize those first."

"ahh, right." i bring a hand up to my head. sometimes i forgot normal people couldn't function with little sleep and a determined will. "well then, how about . . two weeks, we meet back here and discuss progress?"

he nods. "that sounds good." after gathering the blueprints, he stands and once again taps my own. "send me a copy, would you?"

"will do."

"you have a good day, pro-august."

"you as well."

and that was pretty much the start of two things. one was, obviously, the building of the kalos pokedex. the other will come to light later on, but i bet you won't be too surprised when it begins to take form.