Assist [Lab/Mod]

[August Spector]

This was it?

August wasn't a city snob or anything, but it was a bit of a shock to go from Diamond City -- the largest city of Ascua -- to ... whatever Greenberry Town was.

Like, did it even qualify as a town? A village? Hamlet?

Whatever. August wasn't going to be here for too long. He was going to find a place to spend a night or two (although he disappointedly didn't see a free Pokemon Center around, so he'd have to find an inn or actually make use of his bedroll) to give his parents a chance to miss him, then make his way back home.

He didn't need to go and see the region or whatever. He didn't need to be "forced" to stop going to the Game Corner. Really, the place was in his blood. He could totally make a fortune for the family if his parents weren't so worried--

"Oh, perfect! You, young man!"

August turned at the voice, raised an eyebrow, and pointed to himself. "Me?"

"Yes, yes." The older woman chuckled as she caught up to him and shoved a bag in his hands. "Assist an old lady out, will you? It's getting difficult carrying my shopping from Astin after holding it throughout the boat ride."

"...Sure." With a mental shrug, August did as he was told and followed the woman down the path. He vaguely recognized her from the boat and couldn't imagine doing all his shopping early enough for a roundtrip to and from Greenberry. He wondered if she was the kind to go and do her shopping as an evening out in Astin, then spend the night there and return to Greenberry in the morning.

It was probably the most excitement a woman her age got nowadays.

August would probably do that. Go to Astin, get a decent inn, do his shopping, maybe take a quick trip to Diamond City and the Game Corner--

"--seeing the professor, are you?"

"Hm?" August blinked at the back of the woman's head, focusing on the present moment and realizing that he had no idea what part of Greenberry Town they were now in. At least he hadn't zoned out enough to wander off the path and back into the sea.

The woman, thankfully, repeated herself and asked, "You're seeing the professor, aren't you?" Before August could ask her to clarify, she continued with a wistful, "Oh, to be your age again! Why, I would have joined the gym challenge in a heartbeat. I bet I could still do it, you know."

August smiled faintly, eyeing the woman's crooked frame and wrinkled face. "I'd bet on you."

She wheezed out a laugh and patted his arm. "Ah, don't be a flatterer! I do hope you enjoy the gym challenge. The rush of the battles, the excitement of working well with your Pokemon, never knowing what the next attack will do to the tide of the battle...!"

August zeroed in on her words, her tone making his blood start to sing. Could he...? Should he...?

August's mind was made up when the woman thanked him, took her bag back, and gave him a gentle push (which wasn't really much of anything, but he got the gesture) towards the large building at the end of her street.

Ah, what the hell. Taking on the gym challenge shouldn't take that long, right? Besides, part of the journey will take him right back to Diamond City anyway.

August took his time reaching the lab and knocking on the front door.

Mod Kris /Mod Kurt

[Mod Kurt]

It didn't take too long for the door to swing open and reveal a gentleman that was probably due for his fourth cup of coffee. As such, he was wearing an easy-going smile that may have a twitch from the caffeine he has inhaled so far, but he seemed genuinely friendly.

"Hi there," he said. "Name's John Cordue. Don't think I've seen you around here before. C'mon in."

He moved to the side, allowing the young man into the lab and John grabbed a nearby mug to take a swig of it. He frowned at it, finding that it was empty, before putting the mug down on a second table and will most likely forget later that it is empty and try to take a drink from it again at some point.

John glanced back at the young man once they were comfortably inside the lab and noted his pack and lack of pokeballs from what John could see. The young man looked the part of a starting trainer, but he seemed a little older than what John usually saw in starting trainers. That, and the man before him didn't seem quite as... enthusiastic.

"So, what can I do for you?" John decided to ask.

August Spector

[August Spector]

August raised an eyebrow at the man who answered the door with both a smile and a twitch. His words were spoken quickly, but at least he sounded friendly.

Still, August almost turned around and changed his mind about this whole gym challenge thing, because if becoming twitchy and a little too happy was the result, then maybe August didn't want to do this.

It actually reminded him somewhat of others that he used to see at the Game Corner, people who would still be at the game tables even after August -- who definitely could pull himself away for a break, thank you -- left for the night and returned the next day.

...His mother didn't think August looked like that, right?

Nevertheless, August followed this John Cordue, whoever he was, into the lab. He figured Mr. Cordue was supposed to be there, even though he obviously wasn't Professor Cypress. She probably had tons of assistants, though, with all the work she did. Mr. Cordue seemed to know the place and, after double-checking a mug for presumably something else to drink, asked August what he could do for him.

"Uh, I was hoping to..." What the hell was August hoping for? What do young trainers usually ask for? "Gym Challenge. I want to do the gym challenge. How do I... start, I guess?"

August didn't really want to do the gym challenge, but judging by the old lady's descriptions, he would be able to get the same rush from battles as he would from the tables at the Game Corner.

"Uh, I'm August Spector. I think I'm here for a starter Pokemon?" August tried again. "Please?"

Mod Kurt

[Mod Kurt]

Well, the nervousness was certainly on par for a starting trainer, at the very least.

The young man eventually made it out that he was aiming to start Ascua's Gym Challenge and introduced himself before asking for a starter Pokemon. Or, he "thinks" he's at the lab for a starter Pokemon.

John grinned. "You came to the right place, August. To start the Gym Challenge, we set you up with the PC storage system, give you some complimentary starting supplies, and a starter Pokemon, should you ask. Which you did."

Maybe John should start cutting back on the coffee. Switch to Roserade Tea or something. He tried to slow down his speech as he led August into one of the computer rooms. There, he helped walk August through the PC Storage System set up and retrieved a packet of the starting supplies.

"Here you are," John said. "A handful of pokeballs and a couple of potions and antidotes, just in case you need them for your starter Pokemon. Which you can choose right now, if you're ready."

John gestured to a table that held a few pokeballs. "Would you like to meet them first?"

August Spector

[August Spector]

Any doubts August had about John Cordue and his ability to help him with getting started as a gym challenger vanished when the man began talking about the PC system and free starting supplies.

August liked free stuff.

August followed John to the computer room and found it simple enough to get set up in the PC storage system. Computers and electronics were familiar enough to August, and the PC storage system had been around for a while. He thanked John when he received his starting supplies and pocketed them in his pack as John gestured to a table with some pokeballs.

Before John could finish his question about meeting the Pokemon, August pointed to a random ball and said, "I choose that one."

August honestly didn't care which Pokemon he received. He'd treat whatever he got well and hoped that the Pokemon liked battles.

Mod Kurt, please just randomize August's choice

[Mod Kurt]

John raised an eyebrow at August's quick decision regarding the Pokemon. Generally, John -- and Professor Cypress -- would almost insist that the trainers meet the Pokemon to ensure each got a good first impression, but John supposed there was such a thing as leaving everything up to fate. August seemed familiar with the going-ons of starting a Pokemon journey, if his quick understanding of the PC storage system was any indication, at the very least.

"If you're sure," John said, giving August a few seconds to back out, but August seemed like his mind was made up. John handed the chosen Pokeball over to August and said, "Take good care of her. Both of you, good luck on your journey."

August received a Ralts!

[center][font size="5"](Nickname) the Ralts[/font]
[img]https://i.dstatic.com/images/pokemon/front/normal/ralts.png[/img]

[img]http://i.imgur.com/uHULH4R.gif[/img][img]http://i.imgur.com/jIngXxR.gif[/img] | female | trace | amorphous | august spector

Personality:
+ dedicated + (positive)
- prim - (negative)

Happiness:
70 / 150

Level: 5 (0/5 exp)
Hold Item: none

Growl | Disarming Voice | Double Team | Psychic | ---- | ----

History Points:
>> Born to Mona the Gardevoir and Leo the Gallade, both of Gaia Ranch
>> Has one litter sibling
>> Given to August Spector at level 5 from Greenberry Labs[/center]

August Spector

[August Spector]

John's surprise at August's hasty decision seemed to bode ill for August, but John regardless gave him the Pokeball. Perhaps August should have let John finish speaking and maybe actually meet the Pokemon, but August quite liked leaving these kinds of decisions up to fate.

He'd win this game no matter which Pokemon he received as a starting partner.

August nodded as John wished him luck. "Thank you," he said. "I'll do my best and take good care of... her." Vaguely, he wondered what Pokemon he got and took his leave, opting to meet his new Pokemon as soon as he could.

Mod Kurt, thank you!