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Tate sat in the lobby, away from the desk, as she took comfort in the silence of the opening hour of the lab. Folks outside were beginning to stir, getting restless in their homes and hotel rooms and coming out to enjoy the first warm rays of the day’s of the summer sun. It would be autumn again in no time, so these days should of course be appreciated while they were here. She herself was beckoning the coming cooler weather, enjoying a steaming mug of coffee and a tray of delicate cakes. Many people came by during their lunch break since all the other shops in town were closed - which was her lunch break that went interrupted - so she’d long since learned to have a snack a bit beforehand to hold her over til it slowed down again.

She’d just bitten into a cream-filled sponge and offered the other half to the Pokemon at her feet when the front door opened and a slight young man entered and introduced himself rather formally. The plump woman looked him up and down over the top of her glasses, taking a long sip of her coffee and frowning when it steamed up her lenses. She placed the cup on the side table and took off her specks to clean them with the hem of her shirt, waddling over to stand behind the desk, ”Welcome, Mr. Sterling.” she greeted him finally.

”I’ll need you to fill out this paperwork and tell me a bit more about your experience with Pokemon. You say you’re a specialist - have you had any Pokemon before? And if so where are they now, and for what purpose did you have them? Companions, workers, competitions, etc.? Being a researcher you must also be interested in the well-being of all Pokemon so I’m sure you understand our screening process and don’t mind personal questions like this.” she rattled off, gathering paperwork, a clipboard, and a pen as she spoke before handing it across the desk.

”Oh, and help yourself to a cake if you’d like. Meowth can get you some coffee or tea as well, can’t you Meowth?” she said, asking but really telling the feline. The cream colored Pokemon’s ears twitched as he gave a long stretch before rising to his hindlegs and finishing off the cake he had been eating, < Sure thing, how do you take it? > he asked, eager to help out. After all not every Pokemon could just hang out with a trainer from the get-go like this. It would be good to get a leg up on the competition. The guy had said he liked flying-types but that was fine - sometimes people didn’t realize what they were really looking for til it hit them in the face! Bam! He clapped his front paws together to punctuate his inner monologue but passed it off as just dusting the crumbs from his claws onto a napkin on the table.

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Meowth watched, observing the researcher-coordinator with increased interest as he interacted with Tate. His weight shifted from one back paw to the other, tail twitching back and forth as he resettled his stance. His paws clasped together softly, held in front of him as a soft smile came across his wide face. He noticed how Drake never quite made eye contact, and when the young man looked his way after the offer he averted his gaze too, not wanting to look him in the eye and cause him any discomfort. The serene smile was still stitched into place as he nodded and stared at Drake’s earlobe. < Lemon, hmm, we may have that. I’ll go check. > he said, his voice taking on a soft affectation that it hadn’t had before. He turned away and disappeared into the back offices to root around in the cupboards, less careful with his movements and his mouth set in a determined scowl as box after box of tea was pulled out and sat to the side when it wasn’t the right one.

Tate watched the feline disappear through the door and winced at the soft shuffle of cardboard that you would only have heard if you were used to listening for troublesome Pokemon getting up to mischief. She would have a mess to clean up later, she could just feel it. ”However you wish to proceed, so long as it’s all done correctly. I wouldn’t want you saying the wrong thing or writing down a wrong answer, after all.” she finally replied to Drake, going around him to retrieve another cake and her mug from the table before going back to the desk to sit the latter down, carrying the lemon drizzle confection over to the enormous cabinet with rows and rows of glossy red and white pokeballs. She glanced over her shoulder as Drake answered about his specialty, giving him her attention as she tore off a piece of the cake and crumbled it up, letting the bits fall right to the pristine tile floor.

Tropius, grass and flying. she thought, turning away again, smirking a bit at how well she’d done with her preemptive decision for his second offer. She grabbed a ball from the lower shelf and started to click it but stopped when he went ahead with answering more questions. ”Ah, yes, I think so.” she answered politely to his suggestion about Ms. Adams. She’d seen her around before, she was quite sure, but she’d heard a great deal more. Quite the seasoned teacher for the young man - definitely someone she would trust getting a reference letter from if she were inclined to request one.

Meowth came back through the door just as Drake mentioned he would be happy with another type, and he nearly dropped the delicate porcelain tea cup and saucer in excitement before recovering just as quickly as he approached once more, offering the drink. < I found Lemon Tea! Our last bit! > he said proudly. He would have been back sooner but he’d been sure to put everything back right where he found it. He thought carefully about the question. He didn’t want to give a wrong answer….his gaze flicked over the human guy, taking in as much information as he could from his appearance and what he’d heard him saying, ”I like….tea. And I’m not experienced with battles or contests but I’m always willing to try and learn more. I do love to learn things.”

Tate interjected, ”Meowth is like a sponge. He soaks up all he can and when the time is right, just give him a good squeeze and it’ll all come spilling back out.” she teased, knowing the Pokemon could take it. ”Oh, and my name is Tate but you’re fine, I didn’t offer my name when you did yours so that’s on me.” Meowth’s head ducked sheepishly. < I’m simply always looking to improve myself. If adapting to the situation, taking notes, and making adjustments where I fall short is a bad way to do that then I don’t know any better way.> he admitted, which seemed to take Tate by surprise. So much so that her thumb slipped and hit the release button on the ball she was still gripping. A sphere of feathers came tumbling out and landed - hard - on the floor. ”Oops, sorry, Rowlet.” she said, pursing her lips to keep from laughing at the disgruntled owl.


Rowlet cooed sharply with irritation but then realized she was out of her ball for a reason. And spotted the crumbs on the floor, < For me?? Thanks! > she assumed, rolling over to peck eagerly at the cake by her head. At least she’d conveniently landed on her side and didn’t have to worry about bending over to do this. Tate leaned over herself and spun the bird around so she could at least see there was more than food to be out for. < Oh hey! > she called out between pecks, finding it difficult to swallow in this position but wasn’t about to complain. Cake was cake! Meowth grimaced at the shameless display of gluttony but kept his mouth shut, not wanting to appear negative to the trainer they were more or less auditioning for. Instead he fixed his smile right back into place.

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Meowth felt his breath catch in his throat and had to keep the too-pleased smile from creeping into what was supposed to be a sincere softness on his face. Perfect the man had said. He’d done something perfectly! Then he went on to compliment him directly, and Meowth just couldn’t help it! His chest puffed up with pride at answering so well. Why...his more honest answer had earned the praise even! < Good, okay, chill, calm down, don’t let him see it went to your head! #winning though hhhh!!! > the thoughts raced through his mind as he strained to keep the picture of serenity about himself. He hated sharing the spotlight with Rowlet now but..he’d done so well so far. Surely a type preference wouldn’t get Rowlet chosen over him! < Right? Nothing to worry about. >

Tate nodded simply in response to the compliment about her name. She was glad he was more polite than most other trainers, but knowing what she knew about some of the Pokemon here and some of the people she’d met in her time - some people only acted that way when they wanted something. In this case, it was a Pokemon. Or maybe he was being genuine. She had no real way of knowing, and could only hope her suspicions were unfounded paranoia. Either way he had one more Pokemon to meet. She remembered the last boy she’d dealt with, a few years younger than Drake, and the polar opposite of him in fact. The little weasel had basically called her an old hag. She was glad he’d given up and gone back home without even interacting with this next Pokemon. It would have been wasted on him. The only reason she’d chosen it in the first place was she knew he could hold his own with such a trainer compared to more….she glanced at the Meowth…impressionable Pokemon.

She stuck her foot under Rowlet and heaved the bird up to a standing position - which honestly looked like a seated position the way her round body hid all but the tips of her talons - and the owl hopped forward, finished with her crumbs already. Maybe the guy would give her a whole cake from the stack on the tea tray. < Like she said, I’m a Rowlet. I’m flying and grass so I’d be handy once you get onto Route 1 and have to deal with bugs and the water types. Cause like, birds eat bugs and grass grows with water, you know? Easy peasy.” she rattled off, earning a cough from Tate which she promptly ignored. Tate just rolled her eyes at Rowlet pulling information out of her ass like this. The owl had never been beyond the walls of the lab and was going purely based on what she’d gleaned from more seasoned starters and trainers. Still, she had to admire the ease and confidence she had when spouting it all out.

< So yeah, a n y w a y, I love cake OBVIOUSLY HAHAHAHA, I like reading, it’s pretty cool. Fantasy novels are great. I missed what you do if you said it before I came out I mean but I’m gonna say….> she gave him a once over Coordinator. Definitely a coordinator. she said. ”See, I know coordinators are all about coordinating things and planning events and like, organizational and stuff and you look kind of like a nerd so that’s what you are right? the look on Meowth’s face told her he didn’t agree and she just double down, confident as ever, ”Ughh, okay Meowth, here’s the deal okay? Sweetie? Trainers drive trains, coordinators...coordinate things, breeders do Arceus KNOWS what, and researchers look for things that people already looked for once and couldn’t find so they have to go search again. Do you understand now? > she tilted her head, her beak shifting into what could possibly be a pitying smile, before she turned to look up at Drake with an amused sigh as if to say “Can you believe this cat?”.

Tate shoved the rest of her cake into her mouth to choke back the bubble of laughter. This topped anything Rowlet had ever done! She would have to look up the info of the girl she’d last offered Rowlet to to update her. This was GOLD. Before she could choke and die on her treat she grabbed the ball of the next pokemon and released Hawlucha into the room, ”Owoosha” she mumbled around lemon cake, tears streaming down her chubby cheeks as the regal flying/fighting type rose from the crouch he’d appeared in and straightened his feathered arms out to his sides from his chest. The mask-pattern on his face was softly rounded and intricate like lace and the same patterning could be seen elsewhere on his body wherever there would normally have been a jagged chevron. < Hawlucha. > he translated, his tone strong and even as he approached the young man and offered a taloned hand to shake. He’d walked right past the other two Pokemon and looked Drake straight in the eyes, his chin and head held high and shoulders squared.

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Uh-oh, he’s done it now… Tate thought, seeing the subtle smile he’d given just to Meowth in reaction to Rowlet’s rambling just before correcting her. And sure enough Meowth couldn’t seem to hold back as a full on grin threatened to crack his face wide open. Yessss, he knows she’s full of Miltank dung! Hahahaha, in your face Rowlet! he thought, unable to even remotely keep his thoughts off of his face as he smiled back at Rowlet even through the “sweetie” and the smirk she gave Drake. Ha, smirk all you want, I got my foot in the door, we’ve established something here! he thought, his brows furrowing a bit and scrunching the fur around the coin on his forehead. He felt like he could breathe, finally, like he’d just aced a test. But Hawlucha’s release got him right back in competition mode. This was serious business. A fat idiot bird was one thing. This guy was the real deal. Maybe too real Meowth thought, trying not to be too intimidated as the bird who was only of medium stature still walked and commanded the room as if he were ten feet tall.

Tate walked over to have a seat at the desk finally, settling in to let him finish interviewing all three selections. She usually could tell which way someone was leaning by this point but honestly it was a toss-up. Even with his type preference she wasn’t sure that Meowth hadn’t proven himself worth an exception. And despite Rowlet’s shortfalls she definitely had spunk and could keep things interesting. She made a note to write that letter as soon as Drake left, no matter which option he went with - that girl was hearing the story of the trainers who drove trains. And Hawlucha now had his chance to make an impression, but even the first few moments out of his ball had been full of gravitas that he had always seemed to come by quite naturally.

Rowlet somehow puffed up even more when he..chastised her? What the heck! She laughed haughtily, covering her mouth with one wing < Geez, you couldn’t tell I was joking? Like, man, lighten up! Do you even have a sense of humor?> she laughed a little harder even as Hawlucha walked past and ignored her continued rambles that she dropped the volume to say under her breath < Frickin nerd… > she pouted, rocking back on her back claws before hopping around to turn her back on them and swipe a cake off the plate, digging in with gusto as she blinked back tears of embarrassment when she caught Tate looking at her with thinly veiled pity.

The feathers by Hawlucha’s mouth seemed to pull down into a concerned frown at the limp hand he was shaking. He knew he was a fighter so maybe he was expecting too much strength, but this was pitiful. Oh well, there were areas he could improve as well - not everyone was perfect at everything. But they would definitely need to work on that handshake if he went with this boy. < Drake, it is nice to meet you. Researching is a noble profession. Perhaps one day you will work in a facility such as this. > he said, his tone polite but restrained. < I would like to go with a trainer who can help me achieve my goals, so I am glad you thought to ask that question. I am a flying type, but I am also a fighter. It is in my very type-name that I should be used to fight. I want to live up to that potential and destiny. I’ve done a great deal of research myself, but have yet to put it to practice. Battling the others is frowned upon in a laboratory setting. >

< I come from a long line of fighters, famous ‘luchas who upheld our legacy for years and years. Honoring that tradition is my motivation in life. > he folded his wings, incidentally showing off the delicate lace-like design of his feather pattern. < If you’re looking for a Pokemon with less lofty dreams or not as much desire to really battle professionally I understand, and wish you well with your...options. > he admitted, giving a quick glance to the Meowth and Rowlet in the floor beside of him, giving them an artful entrance into their own responses.

Meowth’s mouth went suddenly dry, his heart racing as he looked between Tate, Drake, Rowlet and her frickin cake, and the Hawlucha with his stupid royal face and knew he was panicking. Why didn’t the bird speak first?! Why didn’t he have more time to come up with the right answer? He cleared his parched throat and croaked out, < M-my motivmeaning. > CHOKED < My motivation in life is to...actually can you come back to me? I’m so so sorry. >

He panicked and looked to Rowlet again who finally looked up from her slice of carrot cake with cream cheese frosting smeared around her beak. < My what now? Motivation? What gives my life meaning?? That’s such a deep question, I just like to have fun and eat and read and go with whatever life throws my way. I’m young and ambitious but I don’t have any like, destiny to live up to. That’s too much pressure for me. Waaaay too much. Why should what my granny did with her life have anything to do with me? Like no offense, wrestlemania, but that’s no way to live. #YOLO, okay? Look, you want a bird, you want to research, you want to battle whatever okay, pick me. Not the cat - who is so full of shit by the way even more than I was pretending to be earlier, he’s a spazz. And not Hulk Hogan over here, cause he may crack and snap your neck one night while you’re camping out to run away to the big city and live out his lucha dreams. I’m chill, I’m whatever. If that’s not good enough, fine, whatever. But so long as you’re cool with cake crumbs in your backpack - cause I’m gonna need snacks for the road - and are patient enough for me to learn to battle just as much as you do I don’t see why you shouldn’t pick me over these two. No offense. Sorry, I’ll seriously try to work on the whole rude thing. I’m just like...honest okay? >

Meowth was chewing on his paw by now, his back turned to the group as he fought to gather his thoughts. He had tuned out anything Rowlet said entirely, and turned back with his composure intact once more. The serene smile was back in place, < Sorry about that, I get a little anxious sometimes. Haha, don’t we all? > another cursory glance around the room as if he hadn’t just had a near meltdown over a simple question, < But my motivation in life is to be the best me I can be. I know that sounds corny and scripted and goodness, what a hackneyed cliche...but it’s the truth. I’m constantly working to improve myself in many facets. So my future is unknown, and I’ve never really taken the time to ponder on where I would see myself, because every day, every moment, I’m shifting and adapting and the more I learn the more I change. I do like to cook, though, and I love to perform…..I don’t know is it weird that one day I’d like to have a cooking show? That’s so off of what everyone else has said I feel like an idiot for saying it. Like...a pokemon cooking? No trainer would ever want that. But if I’m being honest that’s it. Okay? I want to cook, I want to charm people, I want to have them invite me into their homes through the television and be like ‘Hey what’s up people, I’m here to cook for you and make you want to cook too.’ But that’s not coordinating and it’s not battling but so what? Don’t you just need a starter to get started? Unlike Rowlet I’ve actually done my research on the region and forget Route 1, in this town alone there are…. > he paused to count, wishing he’d thought this up before he started speaking but there was no turning back now and he was doing great so far! < FOUR flying types you can encounter. JUST IN CASSI. So I don’t know, pick me don’t pick but….ugh. I don’t know. >

Rowlet took a second to realize he’d basically insulted her and hooted so hard cake crumbs flew out onto Hawlucha’s feet, < OH MY ARCEUS YOU’RE SO FULL OF IT MEOWTH! WHAT THE HECK! WOOOOOOW!!! > never specifically saying what exactly about what he’d said was BS and the more flustered she became the more it probably appeared as if she were just saving face again. Hawlucha tapped his taloned toes on the tile to knock the crumbs off his feet but still stood by stoically waiting to see if the boy was ready to make his decision. Meowth’s body had tensed up but he hadn’t retaliated physically or verbally to the accusations, feeling he was damned if he did or didn’t since he didn’t want to appear over-defensive or sink to her level. Tate stood at the desk and picked up two pokeballs to return whichever he didn’t pick just in case a fight did happen to break out. But she knew Meowth was smarter than that, and Rowlet too scared to try it, and Hawlucha was a combination of both and wouldn’t want to hurt either of what he considered defenseless and weak Pokemon.

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Meowth’s head stayed bowed in what appeared to be shame, as Drake addressed them as a group and Rowlet continued to glare at him, Oh man, I messed up, I so so so messed up, I can’t believe I let them get under my skin like this, I can’t believe I messed it up this bad, I’m never getting out of here. he continued his mental beatdown, only barely comprehending what was being said after being told it wasn’t a competition. That’s all he knew, that’s all he understood. Vying to be the best, to be recognized, to be told he had done a good job, that he’d won. He had to be right. And for him to have miscalculated this, to have misstepped so greatly as to have shown his hand like that….it was killing him. His stomach was in knots, he thought he may hurl a hairball any minute.

Hawlucha’s arms remained crossed as he leaned his back against the high desk, looking over his shoulder to Tate and shaking his head at the Pokeballs. That wouldn’t be necessary just yet. Despite being the lab assistant in the room, and therefore the authority, she actually took the cue from him and nodded in agreement, sitting them back down on the desk and taking her seat once more. The young man was quite mature and had done well at getting them to stop bickering. The fighting bird turned slowly back to Drake as he was directly addressed and listened intently to the entirety of the question. It had struck the one nerve he had and for the first time he lowered his gaze to the man’s feet as he answered, < I actually never knew any of them personally enough to have one to look up to for anything other than the statistics and accolades I’ve read about in the archives. But as far back as six generations I know they’ve all come from this lab and have gone on to see the world, to battle in regions some in this region had never even heard of til the borders opened. I saw on your paperwork you’re from Hoenn - maybe you’ve heard of my great-grandmother Lucinda who took down a Steelix with her bare claws? > he bragged, standing a little taller with the pride his ancestors gave him. He had no achievements of his own to present, but his family legacy, the honor he had to carry on, it was all he had in life. The little owl had had somewhat of a point in her previous tangent. While he wouldn’t bring harm to the man, if they left here and he saw in any way that he would be kept from the glory he was destined for he would most assuredly abandon him at the first chance he got.

Rowlet grunted with displeasure as he attempted to correct her attitude again. She started to argue back all over again but was dissuaded with a cautious look from Tate. Was she really treading on such thin ice? Had she really gone too far after all? She was young and still had a lot to learn, so perhaps with time and patience she could mature enough to know what was and wasn’t polite, and let people make their own judgements of others without interjecting with her own knowledge. If a trainer got stuck with a bad pokemon then it was their own fault - she should have been talking about herself and not others. She’d done the same thing with the bedwetting Mudkip in her last presentation, and that was the very Pokemon who’d left with that trainer. It was a lesson learned with age, maybe. She made the effort to answer his question as simply as he’d asked it, < My favorite cake is pretty simple, actually - I even prefer the box mix and canned frosting version - yellow cake with chocolate frosting. Classic and satisfying. I can’t have human sweets very often so when I get the chance I can….kind of go overboard. > she admitted, looking down as much as she was able with the way her body was built at the dusting of crumbs and cream cheese still on her chin and chest feathers.

Meowth finally peered up at Drake when he was addressed at the last, shuffling his hind paws with his front ones twiddling their pads together with anxious energy. < I don’t have a favorite dish, it’s too hard to choose. But I have a favorite ingredient - peppers. I love cooking spicy cuisine so...habaneros, poblanos, serranos… > he said with a shrug, < A lot of people just go for the heat and don’t take the time to appreciate the essence of the flavor the peppers give the dish. They’ll pile on the ghost chilis and eat wings til they cry and don’t respect the ingredient for what it is. > He hoped that was a good enough answer. He felt absolutely deflated after the tension from before, and would need time to recover and take notes and make the right adjustments once this was over. It was hard to keep it all up for this long - usually people were in and out but Drake was really digging in before he made his decision. Which was something Meowth could appreciate but man, he wished he’d been more prepared.

< A strong partner who is willing to push me to my absolute limits. Someone who won’t hold me back. I’ll do my best to help you with what you need from me but as I said before, I have my goals and I will achieve them. It’s my destiny. > Hawlucha said, leaning back on the desk again.

< I just want to get out of here? Hey, like cat-boy said - a starter is just to start. Do we really have to totally line up with everything you need or want? Cause honestly none of us is gonna be perfect or “the one”. It’s stategorically impossible. So why agonize over it? You came in knowing at least some criteria of what you wanted. Why not stick to that? Have you seen what I evolve into? I’m not gonna be a rolypoly forever. Put me through some good old fashioned training and I’ll be a gorgeous contest specimen, alright? I would love that kind of life! To be glamorous and famous and just unf, amazing. > she didn’t think she had a Snover’s chance in hell of being chosen at this point but honesty was her policy when it suited her and it had gotten her this far so why not ride it out?

It was yet another puzzling question for Meowth, one he definitely hadn’t rehearsed an answer to. He’d spent so much time working on himself he’d never given any thought to what his partner should be like, he took his time with his answer, glad this time the other two had gone first on their own < Honestly to be what I want to be doesn’t require a whole lot of dedication from you, so there’s no pressure there at least. Just support me and let me try cooking for you and your friends as we go through the region. Maybe for contests we could arrange the act around that kind of performance? Turn the rules on their heads and make it about more than the moves. There’s beauty in plating, there’s coolness in a flambe, there’s cuteness in baking. > That saccharine smile crept back onto his face as he realized he’d actually managed to make a good point on the fly. His improv skills were improving. Ha...get it…improving.

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