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Her head barely showing over the height of the desk even whilst standing, Tate gave a small grunt of frustration when yet again she’d been overlooked by another trainer. Not for the first time she had the thought of installing a raised floor just behind the desk for moments such as this. Of course there was a stool in place to sit on to eliminate that issue but then came the issue of her legs turning to lead from dangling for too long and, ugh. It just wasn’t worth it. So most of her time was spent shuffling around in the back or just laying prone in the floor with loose Pokemon going through socialization and other basic training to prepare them for new trainers.

She stood on her tiptoes, her sandals clacking against the tile as she slapped her hands on the polished countertop of the desk and leaned her weight into her elbows to peer up and over more easily. ”Hello.” she said, lifting one hand to adjust her glasses as she squinted at the figure just inside the doorway. ”Well, come in, come in. No time to waste! “ she said as she went about gathering the various forms the woman would need to fill out. She really did mean to remember to put some on the provided clipboards when she first got to the lab in the mornings but...well maybe one day she wouldn’t get sidetracked cooking breakfast for everyone and actually do some prep work to make the day easier later on.

”Just fill the-” her hands tremored as she stepped around to the side of the desk, and she very nearly dropped the small stack of papers, her grip tightened long enough to keep the tremor at bay before she continued, ”These forms out, and tell me a bit about yourself. These are just for our files but it goes much more quickly if you can fill me in as you go rather than waiting for me to review the paperwork.” she explained, handing the forms over and going to the locked cupboard where the rows and rows of pokeballs were kept. She thought she’d wait to find out a bit more about the trainer but already she was giving off some pretty basic vibes.

Tate’s eyes rested on a few different selections as she wondered if she should go with her gut or wait and see.

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Tate harrumphed at the comment on it being good to meet her. She doubted that, they’d not even exchanged names yet. For all this woman knew, Tate could be a real heel. That wasn’t too far from the truth on a bad day. Fortunately for her she’d caught her in a pretty neutral mood. She figured the next words from her mouth were a compliment and she stared back blankly before shrugging. Not really sure what to do with that one or say in return…

Then came the spiel about her backstory and Tate wondered as she always did at this point, whether it was something the trainer had rehearsed on her way in. Whether she’d sat outside going over it over and over. Quirky fun fact about her parents being polar opposites, she was interjecting before she could stop herself, ”Interesting childhood makes for an interesting child.” Let it hang in the air as the story continued and she began to thumb through the balls themselves, checking and double checking the charts to make sure she was getting exactly what she had in mind.

Maybe...hm… as the story wrapped up with a final sentence worthy of a greeting card and then the after thought that belonged on an inspirational poster in a middle manager’s office, she didn’t miss a beat to ask, ”Were you an extra angsty teen? Ever feel forgotten or left behind? Maybe like you had something to prove? Have….something to prove?” rolled a pokeball around her palm, watching it and not bothering to look at the trainer. No matter the response she held the ball up and clicked the button to release her first starter option.

”This little guy has. Litten this is….ah...damn didn’t get your name….Caarrrmilla. Hm.” she cleared her throat, tossing the forms onto the desk with little regard for where and how they would land, ”Feel free to ask him any questions you may have while I figure out who else may want to come out and say hello.” she said, nudging the Litten forward with the toe of her shoe.

A sullen faced litten with an upside down v in his coloring and pattern on his mouth and chin. His tail swished low to himself and the floor as he stayed stubbornly seated. The idea of two more randoms cause his hackles to raise as he hissed, < You had better keep that bitch Popplio in her ball or I swear to- > the look Tate gave him cut his sentence short and he paced slowly back and forth in front of the two women before seeking refuge under the desk.

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Oh geez, finger guns and all, eh? she thought, maintaining the neutral mask she was famous for but dying not to laugh at the way her question seemed to have done exactly what she’d hoped. It threw the other woman for a loop and brought out the more natural side of her, loosened things up a bit. Good. She herself could maintain the neutrality she aimed for in her occupation. With the Pokemon she was firm but fair and very loving, with the public she tried not to sway them one way or another. None of her personal energy should go into the big decision these people would make day in and day out.

She wasn’t here to be their friend, she was, however, here to make sure they were decent and well-matched to the Pokemon they took with them. Some people may toss three starters out at random and call it a day, but she balked at the idea of just taking the closest of three to what would be a better match and just hoping for the best. It was the worst kind of settling. So while she wasn’t the most professional in terms of being the greatest people person, and Arceus knew she could have a better system for the mountains of paperwork they had to do, at the end of the day she had her own way of doing things and it had turned out well enough so far!

She watched Carm interacting with Litten and paused in her perusal long enough to pay close attention. He’d been known to set other Pokemon aflame before when they got too close, so she wasn’t sure how a strange human would pan out….it was a good sign, though, to see Carm taking note of the obvious tense body language Litten was putting out. The kitten, meanwhile, was confused as could be that this woman wasn’t dragging him out or ignoring him completely and waiting for her other options. He’d ignored her first question and greeting entirely, showing his butt and retreating under the desk. But then…. It was like she was actually considering taking him. She just confirmed it when she asked if he was ready to get out of here. He considered not answering but couldn’t help but to scoff, < What do you think? Would you be happy seeing that every day? > he spat, eyes narrowing at Tate.

The lab assistant just tsked and rolled her eyes, knowing he was putting on a front. Right away Litten felt a twinge of regret at how mean he’d been but he couldn’t let this strange woman crawling after him in the floor know that the real reason he didn’t want to stay at the lab was he didn’t think he could take too many more rejections from trainers. The other Pokemon told him he’d never be chosen with his attitude but he couldn’t help it. He’d been hurt before, had trust issues, had actually been surrendered by a trainer who wasn’t up to the task and had spent the last few months being rehabilitated to even have a chance to go to someone else. So forgive me if I’m picky…. he thought, shrinking closer to the back of the desk < Can’t be too careful. > he completed his thought aloud without meaning to and chewed the inside of his cheek in self-discipline for such a stupid mistake.

Tate walked backwards into the ante room just beyond the lobby they were standing in to release the next starter in private, ”Hey, hey.” her fingers snapped, ”Focus! Eyes on me no no nO” Her hand snatched air, though, as the water pokemon careened around the corner of the doorway and bounded into the lobby, < HI HI HI HI HI! > he cried out, plowing right into her boot with a soft bonk of his head. His mohawk like fin bent a little before boinging right back into place. The orange gills on the side of his face wiggled in greeting as he rolled back onto his hind legs and peered up at the trainer. He’d never seen one before, this was his first time on offer! He spotted Litten under the desk and waved frantically, losing his balance and toppling backward, < OOF! Hahahahaa! Whoopsie! >

Tate popped her head back into the room, ”Carmilla, meet Mudkip.” Litten was glaring already, upset that he couldn’t keep the spotlight to himself for just one second. Now things would go the way they always did. The lab assistant would trot out some idiot Pokemon who seems much more manageable and appealing and he could go back to licking his wounds and keeping to himself without being bothered. Which was….what he wanted. Right?

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Tate watched in earnest from her position a few feet away as Carm interacted with both Pokemon and thought for a moment that perhaps she should have somehow found two completely insufferable ‘mon to give Litten a fighting chance. The adorable Mudkip just oozed affection and lovability, she worried now that elemental type may not be the only advantage he had. It was just another chance for her to remind herself that she couldn’t influence these decisions for the trainers, and it was good that she hadn’t messed with the process in such a way.



But really, Carm had actually done quite well with Litten so far, it was sure something special to see. Not for the first time Tate wished they could give in and let trainers take more than one home with them. But Carm would have a lot of difficult decisions to make from here on out, so it was better to prepare her for them now. Tate had no idea what sorts of decisions she’d made thus far in her life, but it was never easy when you framed such an important decision with as much weight and impact as choosing a starter seemed to come with automatically.



She fidgeted with the other ball in her hand, wondering if it was a good idea to let the final one out that she’d chosen. She gave the trio a little longer to get better acquainted, figuring the more pokemon that were in the mix the harder it would be to trust her decision making skills. She knew if it was her in that position she wouldn’t want to be overwhelmed.



< Hmmm….> Litten raised a paw to the one of the tufts of red sticking out from his mouth, they were pointed more downward than most of his brethren to make his already angst riddled face look that much more permanently frowny. His mouth opened to actually thank her but then the idiotic water type came hurtling towards them and he just sighed, pressing his back closer to the corner of the desk and keeping his distance. The last time he’d seen that thing get excited it had squirted all over the place. And it was one thing to be a cat with water, it was twice as bad to be a fire type cat with water. < He’s something alright…. > he scoffed, rolling his eyes and starting to groom himself, sure that her attention would shift entirely to the mudkip now.



< CaaaarRRRRm! > Mudkip sounded out, his voice croaking a little, < Like caaaaaramel!! > he said, his fins and gills wiggling again in excitement. He’d had it once as a treat and loved the sweet sticky chewy goodness! If she was good like caramel then he liked her already! He rocked forward again, using his back propeller like fin as a rocking chair, < Thank you oh my gosh thank you! > he said, his eyes shining. < Are you a ummm a trainer?? That’s so coool! I’ve never met a trainer before but my friends all tell me about them, they’ve seen them before and then they come back cause they don’t go I guess. He’s seen LOTS of trainers! > mudkip said, oblivious to the fact that that wasn’t something to be excited about, at least from Litten’s perspective, < Right Litten?? You’ve seen LOADS! Anyway hi Caramel! What do you like to do? Do you like sweets? Do you HAVE sweets? > he asked, leaning forward more and beginning to paw at her hip hoping to knock some candy out.



”Mudkip! Manners!” Tate finally interjected, stepping forward. He gave up is search, only because she was on his case. ”I know you’ve probably already got a lot to consider but we do have to put three forward so here’s another plate to spin. Feel free to keep doing what you’re doing and talk with them to make your decision.” she clicked the last ball and out tumbled a perfectly spherical feathered pokemon. Her back was to the trio as she stared at the wall, she’d come out backwards. Her head turned completely around suddenly and she let out a trilling coo of < Whoo? > before turning her body around too to face them with a series of tiny hops, her head facing them the whole time. It was quite an alarming site to see if one wasn’t used to the antics of the owl pokemon Rowlett. < Hi I’m Turtwig! > she said, holding out her wing in a salute, wondering if the woman would buy into it.


Tate bit back a groan of frustration at the fib, instead going back to the back room to grab a rolly chair and bring it back to the lobby to sit and continue to observe.

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Rowlett balked as her lie was caught right away < Oh no, yeah I know. I just really like the name better so I named myself that. I’m actually a rowlett but I go by Turtwig soooo > Nailed it, nice save. She didn’t have long at all to bask in this win because Mudkip had finally given up on his search that he’d kept up even after Carm told him she was fresh out of treats.

He rocked back again, his efforts to procure sweets from the human coming up short. He couldn’t help as his little lip jutted out in a pout but he tried his best not to cry. Rowlett saw his increasing disappointment and recognized it as an opportunity for one of two things, either of which she would enjoy. A chance to pull a fast one, or a chance to win points with the trainer. Both if she could manage to pull it off correctly. She piped up sweetly < Awww, it’s okay Mudkip. I’ll get you some candy! Wait right here! > she said, hopping away half flying to rustle through Tate’s bag where she knew the assistant kept a stash to help with the occasional blood sugar crash.

Tate made a noise of frustration but didn’t want to give Rowlett the talking to she needed in front of the other Pokemon or the trainer. If the trainer wanted a thieving Pokemon - good intentions or no - then so be it. Rowlett came hopping back with something in her beak and a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. An item was dropped in front of Mudkip, square in crinkly purple packaging. His eyes widened, < What’s that?? >

< Chocolate! > Rowlett told him. Litten raised his head curiously. He liked the occasional sweet now and then himself, but Rowlett wasn’t usually this helpful and definitely wouldn’t have given up a treat she could have had herself. One look at Tate’s now mortified face told him this was another one of the owl’s notoriously bad pranks - the kind that only idiots would fall for. And poor gullible Mudkip wasn’t about to question why the puffy white strip of sticky-backed synthetic paper didn’t resemble any kind of chocolate he had ever had.

Rowlett watched with bated breath as the water pokemon started to put it up to his mouth. But then, suddenly Litten knocked it out of his hands, maybe a little too harshly, and kicked it back up under the desk. He didn’t have the heart to tell Mudkip he’d been duped and instead played up the bully persona he seemed to have < My chocolate now! >

Mudkip began to wail miserably, collapsing in a heap at Carm’s lap. Rowlett groaned, her prank foiled and now she had to deal with this big baby. She took the out Litten had given her, though, and said < Ugh Litten you meany! That was Mudkips! It’s okay Mudkip, we’ll find you some later. Let’s play a game like the lady said. You like cards, right? > she looked up at Carm, her beak twitching and her tail feathers wiggling < He likes card games. I do too. Litten doesn’t like anything, though... >

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Rowlett knew she was just dishing it back out, but she took every word of what Carm said to heart. From now on. That HAD to mean she was choosing her! Ha! She felt that much better when she went with her next bombass prank and even when it went awry, she put Litten in his place. He really could be a total jerk sometimes. It took someone like her who didn’t give a damn about his sourpuss attitude who could just roll with it, She was good at just absorbing the negativity and blowing them off. It usually frustrated anyone trying to get a rise out of her and she loved seeing them reel away like a top spinning out of control! She really thought she was getting Litten’s goose and couldn’t help but be pleased with herself. She didn’t care for his big angsty baby act, didn’t have time for it. She was here to have fun, even if it was at the expense of others.

Litten hovered a little closer, not quite close enough to play but enough to observe. His mood was growing darker by the minute and he wished this woman would hurry and pick someone and leave, whether with him or no. He’d completely given up on the idea of anyone ever actually taking him.

Mudkip’s totodile tears dried up fairly quickly, surprisingly so considering the water type was especially leaky in his youth and lack of control. He clapped his little hands together in excitement. He didn’t know where Rowlett got the idea that he liked normal card games, but he DID love memory puzzles like this! They were much more his speed. < Okay! This one! > he picked up one piece and got a triangle and laid it flat before reaching for the second one, < Annnd this one… > a circle < I mean this one! > he flipped it back over and picked up a different second card...square < Grrr no no > his hand reached for yet another one but it turned to ash in his hand, singing it only slightly before the flame fizzled out against his constantly wet skin. < WHA- >

Litten’s lips were still curled back in the hiss he’d launched into, flames still licking his whiskers from the Ember he’d launched right at the card in Mudkip’s hand. Rowlett’s eyes went impossibly wider. Wow….she knew she’d pushed him but..damn! Mudkip, long past the crying stage, went straight to wailing as Litten got more and more frustrated at the crybaby and the trainer taking her time and making his agony continue and that bitch of an owl just teasing him cause she knew she could get away with it. Another burst of flames shot out of his mouth with a screech, setting fire to the rest of the makeshift cards. < Rowlet’s right. I don’t like anything… > he growled, pacing under the desk. They wanted a bully they’d get one. He didn’t let anyone push him around. He’d tried his best to be good, but this was too much.

Tate had been looking at her phone, figuring the sounds she was hearing behind her were just the usual antics. But then the acrid smell of smoke from the smoldering cards on the tile floor reached her nostrils and she whirled around in her chair "Oh! Wha..what happened?!?" her eyes resting on the Litten now pacing like the tiger he would grow up to be. “I’m...SO sorry!” she said, stammering, her hands shaking as she approached the foursome and grabbed him by the scruff from under the desk, “I’m so sorry oh my gosh, please choose and I’ll get this all cleaned up, he didn’t burn you did he?” she gave the Litten a stern look mixed with quite a lot of exasperation. It may be awhile before he was brought out for another trainer again. Mudkip had sprayed the ashes and was making what looked like mudpies, and Rowlett had hopped to a safe distance, the grass type feeling suddenly threatened, tsking her beak and shaking her head as best she could on her round little body. < Hmph.... >