A microbiologist and a Cylon walk into a pokémon lab... ((for youmeandpokemon))

[chiron_survivor]

As soon as Professor Madrone confirms a good time to drop by his lab, Adia prepares for the visit. It entails little change from how she usually prepares to visit the Nexus -- the only delay is Caspar getting ready, too.

He asked to come with her, but she has to remind him not to wear a suit, not unless he wants it covered in pokémon fur, feathers, or who knows what else. So he needs a little more time to pick out something casual -- jeans and button-down, which he's not thrilled about.

Adia assures him that he looks as professional as always, and teleports them to the coordinates that the professor sent her.

Comments

[chiron_survivor]

"This is like a dream come true for her," Caspar says, smiling over at his girl. And if this is how she wanted to spend the afternoon, he wasn't going to complain. Truthfully, he found pokémon charming in their own cute way. He was happy to be along for the ride.

Adia returns the smile, then redirects her attention to Madrone as he explains some of the features of the tablet in her hands. When he explains that they won't be traveling unaccompanied, her smile grows and she holds up her tablet to scan each pokéball in turn.

"Oh my goodness... there are so many different types!" She only recognizes some of them, which is better than Caspar's progress. He's simply staring at the options in deep confusion. They are all so cute and weird. Is that monkey's tail on fire?? "Professor? Are there any that you would recommend for us? I've had some training with a fire pokémon, although I think the grass types might be more my speed."

[youmeandpokemon]

"I'm glad I could be a source of happiness." He bows a little to Adia, then steps aside so her and Caspar can examine the different Pokemon up for selection. The very fact that he hasn't scared them off is a good sign: they'll be of great help to his research and also have some fun in the process.

"Grass types are very easy for beginners, water types are good for those who like to be flexible and fire types are truly best for those who have a strong will." He rests one hand under his chin. "Caspar, I could see you being good with fire or water. Either way, feel free to take your time in deciding. I'll be sure to take a Pokemon who can balance out our composition."

[chiron_survivor]

The small bow makes her smile all over again. Professor Madrone is quite the charmer -- professionally speaking, of course.

With renewed determination, she re-examines her choices. She finally settles on an owlett, having had as much experience as she's had with Bucky, another flying type. "That' one," she says, pointing to its ball. "What do I need to do?"

Caspar takes a little more time, immediately gravitating towards fire, but still needing to select a specific pokémon. "These are just temporary, right?" he confirms before making a final decision. There's no way he could bring a flaming animal back with him to Atlantis, and he's not sure he'd want to, either.

That pig-like one is awfully cute. Is it really a fire pokémon? He doesn't see any flames. "I'll team up with the tepig," he announces, standing by its poké ball. Less chance of accidentally getting burned.

[youmeandpokemon]

Madrone has picked up the fact that Adia and Caspar are together, more than friends, so hopefully his polite nature is not mistaken for something romantic.

"Go on ahead and pick up the Pokeball of your chosen Partner Adia, and you too Caspar." He hasn't forgotten Caspar's question, nodding confidently. "Yes, this is just temporary. The Pokemon here will eventually go out with trainers in the Nexus who can take full-time care of the Pokemon. I understand the limitations some people have, and the commitment of time and care can be inaccessible to many."

He looks over at the Pokeballs, carefully taking one in his hand. "Since you've both chosen grass and fire, I think a water type would be a good balance for our team." Gently tossing the Pokeball to the ground, the ball jumps back up and into the Professor's hand automatically.

Sitting on the ground now is a four-legged fish, with a large blue dorsal fin and two bright orange cheeks. The Mudkip seems very happy to be out and exploring.

[chiron_survivor]

Considering that Caspar is not giving him the stink eye, Madrone is doing an excellent job of not being mistaken for anything other than polite.

Adia watches how the professor releases the mudkip from its poké ball. She takes a moment to admire how cute the little creature is before gently tossing her ball to the ground, too. The owlett appears in a flash of light and looks around curiously. "Owl?" she asks, turning her head this way and that.

"Hello!" Adia says to the bird cheerfully. The owlett looks up at her and chirps back just as happily. Hello, new friend!

Caspar watches all this, biting back a smile. God, these pokémon are cute. He tosses his ball, and out pops the Tepig. She oinks once, then begins snuffling Caspar's shoes. "Hey there," the Cylon says, looking down at her. "How's it going?"

Tepig snorts once, and tries to eat his shoelaces.

"Ah, uh... crap. Don't..." He backs up a little and the tepig follows eagerly, curly tail wagging. Shoelaces! Yummy!

[youmeandpokemon]

There seems to be a strange feeling when Pokemon are involved, summarized as both excited and happy. Madrone is clearly both of those as he watches the Rowlet and Tepig come out of their Pokeballs, Mudkip enjoying the sight of his familiar friends as well.

"Good. It seems like your companions are already getting adjusted to you. Adia, be mindful that Rowlet are somewhat nocturnal, so be sure to keep an eye on its energy." He's looking down at Tepig and resisting the urge to laugh.

"Tepig should do a lot better once we get outside. Hopefully." He starts walking to a door that leads into the 'backyard' of the mansion, which is clearly the open Wilds. "I'm thinking we can scout out some nearby cave an mountain structures. Some of the local Pokemon have been migrating there recently."

[chiron_survivor]

Madrone's mood is contagious; even Caspar smiles a little at Tepig's antics. Although he's clearly relieved when all of them head out through the back of the mansion and the piglet loses interest in his shoelaces, instead rooting around in the snow for grass or other hidden goodies.

"I will," Adia promises the professor. She smiles when Rowlet hops alongside her, content to stay close to her companions instead of flying off. "I haven't explored those areas of the Wilds, I'm curious to see which pokémon live there."

Caspar, as usual, looks a little less eager. "Is that safe?" he asks Madrone. "I was told that the anti-violence field isn't as stable in the Wilds."

[youmeandpokemon]

"The deeper ones goes into the wilds, the less reliable it is, however most of the Pokemon around here fend of any otherworldly creatures. Pokemon can be territorial at times, but if we don't show aggression towards them, they rarely fight back. Bringing along a partner is extra insurance, you could say."

The trees become compact as Madrone leads them down a narrow path, the forest slowly overtaking any modern places. Different bug and grass Pokemon tend to favor the darker patches of the forest, where less bird Pokemon travel. Peeking out from the tops of the trees are a small batch of mountains, and a few cave paths have been dug out from the rock. The pathways are human sized, but clearly have been created by the native rock and ground type Pokemon.

"Ah, here we are...Be mindful of where you step. Some Pokemon can be underfoot if we're not careful."

[chiron_survivor]

The answer seems to satisfy Caspar's concerns. He glances down at Tepig who is happily trotting alongside him, snorting out little puffs of smoke every so often. Hard to believe that such a cute little creature would provide any sort of protection against other pokémon, but he knows looks can be deceiving.

As they travel further into the forest, Rowlet keeps an eye out for exposed roots and other obstacles, chirping helpfully when something on the trail needs to be avoided. "Thank you," Adia says to her temporary partner, before taking a look up at the mountains. She redirects her attention to the cave entrance when the professor speaks. "We will."

She hopes they won't have to fight any pokémon with their own, but it sounds like something they can avoid if they're careful.

[youmeandpokemon]

Mudkip is happily trotting along, chirping to Rowlet and Tepig occasionally, mainly to see if they're doing good or have caught sight of something in the forest. It seems like the three starters have a good deal of teamwork with each other, being ever vigilant or mindful of their surroundings.

Madrone is forced to stop the group before entering the cave, noticing that a nearby portion of a small fence has been chewed away, causing him to frown. The amount of destruction to the wooden fence is devastating, having been bitten and chewed to pieces.

"I'll have to look into that eventually...The fence is there to keep the smaller Pokemon from going into a nest of Tyranitar." He knows what caused the damage, but isn't prepared to journey into a much dangerous area with friends in tow. Instead, he approaches the mouth of the cave, where a small Magnemite is hanging out by the entrance.

The magnet Pokemon beeps, its round 'eye' turns into a smile. Madrone gives the Pokemon a small pat on the head, before showing it off to Adia and Caspar.

"Magnemite will be our guide today. A good lightning type Pokemon can light our way."

[chiron_survivor]

Caspar gives the damaged fence a wary glance, but as they aren't headed in that direction, he puts it out of his mind for the time being. Instead, he looks at the magnemite curiously. He has seen several pokémon by now, but this is the first one that doesn't resemble an animal or a plant or any sort of biological organism.

"Hey, there," he says to it. He hears it beep. And grins. This little guy is all right.

Adia is busy hiding a smile behind her hand. Magnemites used to make her a little sad, reminding her of the Cylons. It's awfully cute to see Caspar take such a fancy to one.

[youmeandpokemon]

Madrone speaks up, saying something that almost indicates he can read Caspar's mind (even though that's physically impossible). "It's that Deino your friend caught, Adia. The Pokemon has been very hard to help out since I brought him here. Looks like he's escaped again..." He sighs, shaking his head. "I'll have a few of my Pokemon go search for him later."

Magnemite beeps, floating between Adia and Caspar, circling around them. It takes a small whistle from Madrone to get the lightning-type Pokemon back to the front of the cave, where it starts to glow. The light isn't overpowering, yet bright enough to guide their path.

"The cave has two major rooms in it. You'll notice a lot of nocturnal creatures when we first enter." The professor takes a step into the narrow cave, making sure Adia and Caspar are safely behind him before continuing. As mentioned, the second the group has traveled past the mouth of the cave, different Zubat and Woobat can be seen hanging from the ceilings.

[chiron_survivor]

Caspar doesn't assume any mind-reading, although his expression sours at the explanation. Any mention of Josh, no matter how oblique, puts him in a bad mood.

"Oh, that's a shame," Adia says, clearly concerned. "I was hoping he'd do better with you..." Maybe Josh should have tried to train him after all? Although if the professor is having trouble keeping the dragon pokémon contained, then Josh would have had an even harder time...

Thankfully, magnemite's friendly antics bring smiles back to the faces of both human and Cylon. Inspired, Caspar holds up his pokédex to scan it, Once inside the cave, Adia scans a zubat and a woobat, quietly so as not to disturb them from their slumber. "Cute," she whispers to herself, because they are.

[youmeandpokemon]

Madrone is thankfully unaware of Caspar's mood shift, focusing on Adia when she starts speaking up. "It's a very tricky typing. Dark Pokemon are rebellious and very tough, while dragons will only respect those with a strong will." He gives her a smile though. "It'll be okay. I can repair the fence and many trainers in the area have been helping me locate Deino."

The Pokedex is impressive if it can scan creatures in dim light, but the device is overly efficient at producing information about the Pokemon. Madrone is happy to elaborate on a few of the finer details. "As you can see, the Zubat are very similar to fruit bats, their diets even stay them same." He points to a Woobat that has stuck its large, circular nose to the wall.

"The nose of a Woobat is very strong, almost like that of a pig. It can stay suctioned against a wall for hours on end. You can see the different heart shaped marks on the ceiling and wall where Woobat have rested."

[chiron_survivor]

Adia winces at Madrone's explanation. No, not a good combination at all. Although now she's even more impressed that Josh was able to befriend the deino so quickly. "I'll keep an eye out for him, too," she promises. "Let me know how it goes?"

Her mood is significantly lighter when the professor describes woobat's nose. She looks around for the heart marks as indicated. "Oh, that is very cute," she says, her voice hushed. "Do they use echolocation? Do they eat fruit or something else?"

Caspar admires the bat pokémon briefly, but he seems more enamored of Adia's reaction to them. "She's like this during nature programs, too," he comments as an aside to the professor. "Questions interspersed with informing me how cute the animal on screen is."

"You do it, too," Adia says with a quiet laugh. She returns her attention to the pokémon, in particular Tepig, who is thoughtfully pressing her nose against the cave's wall, curious if she will stick to it, too. But all she leaves is a small scorch mark.

"Pig," the tiny pokémon complains, and Caspar fights back his own comment of cuteness.

[youmeandpokemon]

"Of course, Adia." He nods, while giving Tepig a friendly smile. Even the professor is not immune to adorable Pokemon. "My apologies, Tepig, but it seems your nose lacks the appropriate features that a Woobat nose has."

The pig Pokemon, despite the inability to stick, still seems to be in good spirits. Madrone makes sure to answer all of Adia's questions accordingly. "Yes. They primarily eat berries, fruit and sometimes small insects...no Bug pokemon. The Pokemon food you see at the mart is engineered to contain to necessary nutrients for healthy living."

A few of the bat pokemon stir in their sleep, but Magnemite makes sure to keep his light away. The magnet Pokemon hovers near a wide open hallway in the cave that leads to the next room. Professor Madrone makes sure to lead the party safely into the next cavern, which is glowing of green light.

The next room in the cave is large, lit up by a series of slimy, green gel-ball Pokemon known as Solosis. They seems content with being stuck on the walls, rolling around on the floor on in a nearby pond.

[chiron_survivor]

"I'm impressed at how well they've adapted to life here," she remarks as she follows the professor to further into the cave. Rowlet hops beside her, alert and cheery, while Caspar and Tepig follow close behind. Despite advantages in other areas, Caspar does not have night vision any better than a human's, and he does not want to fall too far from Magnemite's guiding light.

Adia's mouth turns into a small 'o' of wonder at the slimy round pokémon. "Caspar," she whispers. "They look like microbes." Giant, adorable microbes. She holds up her pokédex to scan them, curious about their characteristics.

[youmeandpokemon]

"I would compare a Pokemon's resilience to that of humans: both creatures adapt to their surroundings or find a place in which they can live." Madrone is rather impressed at the different geographical areas of the Nexus, which makes it abundant for all sorts of life, not just exclusive to Pokemon.

Magnemite's job gets a lot easier upon entering the Solosis cave, since the green cell Pokemon give off a flourescent light of their own. The Pokedex reveals that these are Psychic Pokemon, who have the ability to speak telepathically. Hopefully that isn't too jarring, as one Solosis notices the trio, rolling over to Adia's feet, a few other Solosis following suit.

They seems mainly interested in the new company, more so than the previous room filled with Pokemon. Finally, one of them speaks up, as it sounds like a child addressing an adult. Also, the voice can be heard inside one's mind.

"Hi!" One Solosis smiles at them, which just causes the other ones to get excited. They all chirp 'hello', careful to not leave any slime on the feet they roll over. Madrone makes sure to keep them calm as best as he can.

"Please don't overwhelm us with your psychic powers, Solosis." The Pokemon seem to get the message, but enjoy being close to the humans. If approached carefully, one or two might not even mind being picked up.

[chiron_survivor]

"Their variety matches the variety of the Nexus," she says thoughtfully, thinking along similar lines as the professor. Caspar stays silent on the matter. Pokémon are far cuter than humans, he thinks. He looks over at Adia and amends his thought for one notable exception.

She has just enough time to read the information on her tablet before she has company at her feet. The telepathic greeting doesn't surprise her so much as the fact that it's a word she can understand, and not the creature's name. "Hi!" she replies brightly. After having a suffering Great One make psychic contact with her, the friendly voice of a solosis in nothing to panic over.

"Can we tell what they're saying because of the psychic connection?" she asks the professor. She crouches down, patting one of the braver creatures, not minding the slime. "Aww, you're so nice. Aren't they nice, Caspar?" She blinks. "Caspar?"

Caspar has moved to the far back of the cave from where they entered, his eyes wide and anxious. "Did. Did that pokêmon just say hello in my head?" Caspar has gotten used to a lot of things in the Nexus, but something that can enter his mind? Nope, no. Do not want. Tepig circles his legs, snorting and rubbing his pants with her snout every so often. It's okay, person, don't be scared!

[youmeandpokemon]

"Yes, we should be able to understand what the Solosis are saying, as long as they make a psychic connection with us. It would probably be best if only one of them does that, since multiple voices can be a little overwhelming. Speaking from personal experience, I can say it leaves one with a headache afterwards." Madrone gently picks up a Solosis, which decides to perch on his shoulder like a bird. The sticky pokemon can control how much slime it leaves behind thankfully, so the Professor doesn't worry about his suit getting ruined.

It's Tepig's snorting that catches Madrone's attention, turning to see Caspar backing away from a lone Solosis, the cell Pokemon seems confused by all of this. The Professor quickly walks over to the Solosis and smiles at the Pokemon. "Why don't you go show us what the other Solosis are up to?" That should keep the Psychic Pokemon from invading Caspar's mind.

The Solosis rolls away to join his companions near the center of the room, where they seem to be waiting for something to show up. It gives Madrone enough time to address Caspar directly, making sure the Cylon is alright. "It did, yes. I'm sorry if the psychic communication caught you offguard. Just let me know if it happens again and I'll ask the Solosis to stop."

[chiron_survivor]

The solosis that Adia is petting is doing an admirable job controlling its slime as well. When it sees its friend get picked up by Madrone, it squeaks inside Adia's head Me too! and rolls around excitedly. Adia laughs and gently scoops up her new friend, placing it on her shoulder as well. "Caspar, it's okay. It's only their way of communicating."

Caspar has his hands crossed over his chest, trying to not look as freaked out as he feels. The professor's reassurance helps a little, but it also embarrasses him. "I'm fine," he mutters, then looks down at Tepig, who is nuzzling his leg. "I'm fine."

Tepig sits down on her haunches. "Pig," she whines softly.

Caspar sighs and drops his arms. "Sorry, kiddo." He crouches down and scratches the piglet behind the ears, causing her to snort and wag her tail happily. She nudges his hands with her warm snout and he laughs. "What, you want to be picked up, too?" She nods enthusiastically and he scoops her into his arms, letting her rest there when he straightens up again.

"You okay down there, Rowlet?" Adia had been watching her boyfriend with a soft smile, but she doesn't want her own companion to feel left out. The Rowlet raises a feathery wing and salutes. All good down here, thanks!

[youmeandpokemon]

Madrone makes sure Caspar is okay without saying anything, worried that he might would his pride further. For now, he does his best to keep the Solosis at bay, which isn't too difficult, since the cell Pokemon are staring at the second entrance to the cave. A large shadow is approaching, and the Pokemon are growing excited chirping back and forth with each other.

Adia and Madrone should be able to understand what's going on from their Solosis: 'He's coming!' 'The Shiny One approaches!'. From the mouth of the cave, a purple Pokemon makes his entrance, mouth wide open and waddling towards the center of the room. The Wobbuffet looks scary, and one might assume it wants to challenge the Solosis to a battle, but that doesn't seem to be the case.

'Shadow Battle!' One of the Solosis cries out, causing the Pokemon to start stacking in the middle of the room, while Wobbuffet raises one arm, his hidden tail casting a shadow against the back of the wall. From the left and the right, one can see the shadows of the Pokemon growing, as if trying to outdo the other. The two Solosis start to explain what's going on.

'The Shiny One has a long shadow!' 'Yeah, we try to make our shadow longer than his! If we win, he gives us berries!' This might not seem like a big deal, but these Solosis take the competition very seriously.

[chiron_survivor]

Adia looks over at the second entrance in anticipation. Who is the Shiny One? Another pokémon? When the strange purple creature lumbers into the room, she immediately holds up her tablet to scan it. "Another psychic pokémon," she says excitedly. She watches the 'Shadow Battle' as it unfolds, delighted by this completely unexpected competition. "Good luck," she calls out to the growing stack of solosis. What a delightful image they make!

"This is the strangest thing I've ever seen," Caspar announces. He no longer sounds anxious, or even disapproving. Perhaps just confused. Tepig snorts in agreement. Psychic pokémon are weird.

[youmeandpokemon]

The two Solosis join in with Adia's cheering, while Madrone takes a few pictures of the Wobbuffet and Solosis with his Pokedex. It seems like the cell Pokemon are winning, but the stack is wiggling and wobbling too much. Finally, after a minute, the Solosis lose control, bouncing back to the ground, leaving Wobbuffet the winner. A collective 'Awwww' can be heard from the Solosis, but they seem undeterred.

'Next time!' The Solosis call out, while Wobbuffet helps pick them up one at a time. They seem uninjured, which is a good thing. Adia's Solosis buddy nudges her neck with his body. 'Help us evolve?' Madrone is trying to resist laughing at the request. "We're just visiting, but maybe Adia wouldn't mind seeing you again in the future." He knows that it would be difficult to take a Pokemon home, but there's no harm in making future friends here.

[chiron_survivor]

Adia feels sorry for the cell pokémon who lost the competition, but it is heartening to see the wobbuffet helping them back up. She had no idea that pokémon were up to these sorts of games, but it makes sense, considering the level of their intelligence.

"Oh, I wish I could," she says sadly to the solosis on her shoulder. "You'd be far too obvious if I took you back home with us. Well, unless I found a cave remote enough." She looks over at Caspar. "Do you think if we --"

"No." Caspar is not immune to the pokémon charms, but he draws the line at one that can speak directly into his brain. He does not have the chill for that.

Adia pats her cell friend on the top of its slimy body. "I'll come back to visit again, I promise."