The Unofficial Start

Clover walked into New Bark Town. She was rather apprehensive about starting her journey, she didn't like the Johto starters all that much and she wasn't entirely sure the Pokemon she did want was available. Hopefully the Professor would allow her to capture her own.

Walking into the lab Clover admired the technology within. There were also many books stacked upon bookshelves and she wanted to have a look, she could learn so many new things from those books, but she didn't dare touch them.

"Professor!? You here!?" She called out, he could probably give her advice on how best to go about catching her first Pokemon and where she could find the ones she wants.

"Y-Yes," the Professor called out. Clover's yells seemed to have startled him, and the book that once rested gently in his hands fell to the floor with a dull thud. "Ah," he said, turning toward Clover, "I apologize for my jumpiness. I was out exploring the other day, and a wild swarm of Beedrill caught me off guard, it was quite unsettling, and sudden noises are hard to get back used to! What can I help you with?" he asked with a wide, friendly smile.

Clover smiled at the professor. "That's alright." She continued to look around the lab, shoving her hands into her pockets as she tried to phrase what she wanted in her mind. "I would like to start a Pokemon journey... I heard about the starter Pokemon you give to new trainers but I would like to find something different. I was wondering if you could help me, or give me some advice."

"Of course I can help! It's not a request we get often, but it has happened in the past, we have just the thing," after he spoke, he turned and rummaged through a variety of things on his cluttered desk. Retrieving a quite scribbled notebook, he jotted something down in it before walking to a nearby cabinet and retrieving a starting kit from within. Then, he rummaged into another drawer and took out a Pokeball not common to beginners. It was a bluish color with yellow stripes running down both sides. "This is an Ultra Ball, and we give them to trainers that want to seek out and catch their first Pokemon on their own. If it's what you want, we'll supply this one inside of your kit instead of a starting Pokemon. Will this be good enough to solve your dilemma?" he asked with a kind smile.

"That's perfect, thank you!" Clover took the starting pack and the Ultra Ball from the Professor. She was about to walk out of the lab before something passed through her mind. "Urm... The Pokemon that I would like to capture for my starter is in a location I probably can't gain access to... You see I would like a Dratini and as far as I'm aware they can only be found in the Dragon's Den in Blackthorn and you can only enter once you beat the Gym Leader... Is it possible for you to help me get inside? If not I'm sure I could ask Clair." She smiled at the Professor hopefully, it would be great if he could help, but if not then Clover was sure she could get in some way.

"Why Clair and I are on decent terms, and I'm glad to help you get in," the Professor smiled, "I can't currently travel that far myself, but I'll write her a note, she's sure to allow you entrance. Give me one moment..." he trailed off as he began to rummage through the clutter around his desk. "Ah," he breathed as he found a pen and paper that was, for the most part, blank. He scrawled a quick note onto it and held it out toward Clover. "Just give that to Clair and give her my regards."

"Oh thank you, thank you so much!" Clover took the note and made sure to put it in an inside pocket of her bag. She was not loosing that note. She checked her items before putting them away and double checking she had everything. She waved and smiled to the Professor. "Thank you again!" She shouted before walking out of the lab.

Clement walked along the path into New Bark Town. A light breeze was on the air, and with it came the smell of spores. The air still reeked of the spores in Ilex forest. However, some small changes were noticeable. He could tell that some pokemon here would not be found in Ilex forest. This would be interesting to say the least. The lab was in site, and he quickened his pace. As much as Clement would like to keep his usual calm and cool demeanour, this was a cause for excitement. He knew for a fact that he didn't want one of the starters. Instead the pokemon of his aspirations was the beautiful, perfect Paras. So much research potential in only a single pokemon! Oh, the way that the spores started to consume the pokemon's mind. At that point the question of whether it was a pokemon still at all could be asked.

Distracted by this, it took Clement longer than it would normally to notice the change in scent. He looked up from the ground, forcing himself away from his thoughts about Paras and its beautiful parasite. A sudden change in the air, a sudden appearance of a girl walking out of the lab. He sniffed the air again. There it was again. She had the undeniable smell of a human, but there was something else. She was different and special and something that he had never seen before. He walked closer, and stopped a few feet away from her. Again, he sniffed, leaning towards her slightly as he did so. "Oh, yes. What an interesting specimen you are." He said, smirking slightly as he looked at her.

Clover stopped just outside of the lab when the strange boy stopped in front of her. OK so Clover was used to strange things... Very strange things, but this guy was on a whole new level. "Umm... Excuse me?" She asked, slightly worried for her safety. Was this guy sniffing her? She took a small step backwards in the hopes that if this person were to try and make a grab for her she could get to the lab and scream for the professor to help her.

Then again... She was going on a journey to become a world renown Pokemon Tamer, surely she could take on some weird teenager. "If you attack me... I will use deadly self defense, just saying."

"Of course you will. I am Clement Parker, and you are a very strange young lady. Tell me, there is something different about you. I can tell from your scent." Clement doubted the girl really could use some kind of deadly self defence, but given that Clement was a pretty terrible fighter himself he didn't want to provoke her. He hoped what he was saying constituted as socially normal- He couldn't really tell most of the time. Remembering what was supposed to be normal manners, he held out his hand awkwardly as if waiting for a handshake. "Rest assured you do not need to worry about me attacking you. I am simply on my way to receive a pokemon from the professor and start my journey as a researcher. Now, you can hardly blame me for being curious about someone who is immediately recognisable as different, can you?"

Clover frowned as Clement started talking, the more he spoke the more confused she seemed to get. "Scent? What scent." She twisted her head to subtly sniff herself... She didn't smell. Clover ignored the outstretched hand, she didn't trust this person just yet. "Wait... What do you mean instantly recognisable? How am I instantly recognisable as different? I'm pretty sure I look like your average human being and I'm more than sure I SMELL like your average human being..." Clover gave this teenager a rather strange look... Perhaps he had some sort of disorder.

Clover sighed, it probably wasn't the boy's fault he was different. It wasn't her fault she was different, although technically it was but still. "...I'm Clover, Clover Brackleston, call me Clove... Okay so I'm slightly different, how the hell did you know, and don't just say my scent, explain it to me."

Clement looked surprised for a second. How else could he explain how he knew the girl was different? "There isn't another way to put it. Don't bother sniffing yourself, you won't be able to smell it. I have gained a good sense of smell through overexposure to pokemon spores." He was a little taken aback by the girls refusal to shake his hand. Wasn't that a social norm? Perhaps Clement had gotten it mixed up. "I know you're different because I know what most humans smell like. Of course you smell human, but there are different scents mixed in. I can smell a pokemon, but I am not familiar with what exactly. I can't describe it. You just smell extraordinary." Even Clement could tell how strange he must sound. The look the girl gave him confirmed as such. Waiting for the girls response he straightened his tie, pushed his glasses up and looked straight into the girls eyes. "Well, Miss Brackleston. It appears we are both strange."

"Very strange indeed..." Did this guy really know she was special just by how she smelt, that was more than creepy. "I take it since you really wanna know there's no harm in telling you. I can hear the thoughts of Pokemon, I understand their thoughts and feelings and I can manipulate it to some extent. It helps if I have a strong connection to the Pokemon..." Clover mused what the guy had said... "I guess the reason I smell like Pokemon is because I got this gift through a Dragonair, they're vary rare so I doubt you would have seen one before unless you lived in Blackthorn, although I'm pretty sure you don't live there since I don't recognise you.

So you're starting a Pokemon Journey, what Pokemon do you want as your starter? Chikorita?"

"Interesting, interesting. I'd love to find out how that works, however I really don't have the equipment to do so. Perhaps we could exchange pokegear numbers? I'd like to help you find out exactly how this power works when I have the correct equipment." He pulled his diary out of his back pocket, scribbled his number in it and handed it to the girl. He listened as she told him about the pokemon. He had heard of dragonair but had never seen one. Nor did he have any real interest in it. This was someone else's field of study. Still, it was interesting that a pokemon could grant a gift like that. "You are correct, I am not from Blackthorn. I live in the nearby town of Azalea. No, I'd rather catch my own pokemon. I plan to catch a Paras as my first pokemon."

"Yeah that will be fun..." Clover took the notepad and typed the number into her Pokegear, she called the number and hung up, Clement now had her own number. She handed him his notepad. "I'll most likely be in Blackthorn, I'm not really going for the Trainer route, I'm more of a Tamer so I should be spending most of my time in Johto there. Have fun with your... Research." Clover waved to Clement as she walked past, perhaps she could get used to him.

[Clover has left the Thread]

"Thankyou. Goodbye, Miss Brackleston." He said calmly. he put the diary back into his pocket and leant his head back, smelling the air one last time. The lab smelt like medicine and pokemon, as expected. Slowly he walked into the lab and was greeted by an amount of machines and books. He let his fingers brush over the spines of the books as he tilted his head to read the titles. He suddenly came across one named "Pokemon poisons and their uses." Ignoring what would be considered normal social politeness, Clement took the book from its place on the bookshelf and started to read it.

Professor Elm lifted his head as the lab doors opened once more. He assumed it was the trainer from earlier, perhaps there was another problem. When a new trainer walked in he was happily surprised. However this particular trainer didn't exactly act the same as all the other new trainers, instead he decided to read a book.

Professor Elm coughed lightly, "Can I help you?"

Clement looked up at the professor, turning his head away from the book. Slowly he shut it and put it back into its place before turning to look at the man. The professor had messy brown hair and glasses and unsurprisingly, was wearing a lab coat. "Ah, yes. Hello sir. I am Clement Parker. He held his hand out to the professor, hoping that this time his handshake would be accepted. "I'd like to become a pokemon researcher, specifically studying the areas of pokemon effect spores and poisons as well as poisonous plants. I have come to you in the hopes that I could start my journey here. I however would rather not have one of the starter pokemon available here. Perhaps you have something that would allow me to choose my own starting pokemon?" He said whilst still holding his hand out expectedly.

The Professor took Clements hand and shook it, hoping he wasn't showing how strange he thought this kid was, but each to their own, he didn't judge. "I'm sure I can help with that. I can give you an Ultra Ball along with the starter pack each new trainer gets. That way you can go out and capture your own Pokemon." The Professor walked off to retrieve the starting items.

Clement was glad the professor had actually accepted the handshake. He watched as the man walked off and sniffed the air again. It smelt the same although he could distinctly smell the pokemon inside the lab. One that was giving off small amounts of spores- most likely the grass type, chikorita. He could smell the disgusting burning of the pokemon cyndaquil as well. He was glad he didn't have to go near that thing. He could smell the water pokemon as well, albeit barely. The trainer kit sounded as though it would be helpful. Waiting, Clement went back to reading his book.

The Professor returned with the starting kit and spread the items out on a table for Clement. Elm noticed that the boy liked the book he was reading, he seemed enthusiastic enough so he rooted around at his desk for a scrap of paper and a pen, he was getting used to writing out notes. Once he had scribbled down what he wanted he handed the note to Clement.

"This is my Pokegear number, feel free to call me if you find anything interesting." The Professor smiled at the boy, he could be of some help within his research group.

"Thankyou, professor. I'll be sure to call you if something you may find interesting comes up." Clement took the items and put them into his bag, then handed the professor a scrap of paper with his own pokegear number on it. He entered the professors number into his pokegear and put the book back, then thanked the professor again before walking out of the lab in the direction of the Ilex Forest where he could find a Paras.
[EXIT]