Jun took a deep breath as he stood in front of the massive glass doors of Rowan Laboratory, the iconic research facility in Jubilife City. The bright afternoon sun shimmered against the glass, making it almost impossible to see inside. With his heart racing at the thought of what lay ahead, he ran a hand through his short black hair and adjusted the strap of his backpack.
“Goodbye, Jun. Take care of yourself until our paths cross again,” Alyssa’s voice echoed in his mind as he recalled their farewell by the cafe. He could still see her walking away resolutely into the crowd, full of determination and expectation for the future.He still couldn’t believe he was accepted as an intern at THE Rowan Laboratory.
Stepping inside, he was greeted with a cool embrace of air conditioning. A receptionist sat behind a sleek glass desk. Her eyes lit up when she noticed him. “Welcome to Rowan Laboratory! You must be Jun, our new intern. Professor Aria is expecting you. Please take a seat in conference room 2, and I’ll let him know you’re here. It's just through here, the doors are labeled.” She indicated with her hand at a hallway to the right.
“Thank you!” Jun replied, trying to suppress the flutter of nerves in his stomach. He made his way to the conference room, a chic space adorned with images of different Pokémon and their evolutionary forms. A large screen at the head of the table flashed with graphs and diagrams of split evolutions.
That's interesting, he knew that Professor Rowan was the Pokémon Professor known for specializing in evolution. He delved into his SystemDex and brought up the instances of split evolutions that occurred in Sinnoh. ‘Ooh, there are several Hisuian forms that could count as split evolutions, maybe I can bring that up at some point.”
Not long after, the door creaked open, pulling Jun out of his daydream, revealing a tall, slim figure. The presumably Professor Aria walked in, his demeanor soft-spoken yet grounded, and his eyes framed by glasses that slid slightly down his nose. A brief wave of anxiety washed over Jun, but that quickly dissipated when he noticed the gentle calming aura of a Gardevoir hovering beside the professor.
“Ah, you must be Jun!” Professor Aria said, his voice warm but slightly tremulous. “I’m Professor Aria, and I’ll be your supervisor during your internship here. I’m thrilled to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you too, Professor.” Jun replied, shaking the man’s outstretched hand.
‘Hello, Jun.’ a soft soothing feminine voice reverberated in his mind.
He glanced over at Gardevoir and bowed his head in response, she tilted head, radiating an aura of gentleness.
“Please, just call me Aria,” the professor insisted, the corners of his mouth lifting in a shy smile. “I understand from Professor Rowan that you have a keen interest in learning to conduct pokemon research, and I hope you’ll find your time here rewarding. He’s currently in Kanto, collaborating with Professor Oak on some mystery project. But worry not—the lab is in good hands.”
Jun nodded eagerly, his excitement surging. “I’ve always wanted to do my own research on Pokémon. I've read tons of papers and theories that are available to the public, but I feel that there's so much more about them that we can discover… it’s all so fascinating!”
Professor Aria strode forward, his eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. “That’s wonderful to hear! I’ve been conducting research in split evolutions. It’s a complex area of study involving certain Pokémon that can evolve into multiple forms, depending on conditions and circumstances. There’s so much we still don’t understand, and I could use a fresh perspective.”
“Split evolutions.” Jun echoed, glancing at Gardevoir. “Like Eevee or even Kirlia?”
“Exactly!” Aria replied, his eyes lighting up. “Eevee is a great example, and the Ralts line like Gardevoir here also count, but there are many others, too. The different forms of Wormadam, whose evolution can be influenced by the environment and the evolution of Snorunt and so on.”
Jun felt his excitement rise along with the professor's exuberance. “So how does the research work?”
“Ah, well, that’s where we come in,” Aria said, his voice becoming animated. “We analyze genetic factors, emotional triggers, environments, exposure to different stones and items and even moves that can influence the pathways of evolution. Some Pokémon may even have special evolutions tied to their friendships or experiences.”
With that, Professor Aria gestured towards the exit of the conference room. “Would you like to join Gardevoir on a tour of the lab?” Aria suggested, his hands clasped together. “You can see the various projects we’re currently working on.”
Jun’s face lit up. “I would love that!”
The Professor motioned for Gardevoir to lead the way, and as they stepped into the bustling hallways of the Rowan Laboratory, Jun couldn’t help but marvel at the impressive equipment and bright screens displaying research at work. Amidst the chaos of scientists and Pokémon, he felt that spark of possibility. There were so many pokemon here that he hadn't *observed* yet, and with the professor's help he might even get to get his hands on some pokemon from different regions.
“This is only the beginning,” Jun thought, excitement bubbling in his chest.
As the floating Gardevoir guided Jun through the halls, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was stepping into a world filled with endless learning opportunities. The air buzzed with the hum of machinery and the soft voices of researchers communicating complicated concepts about Pokémon behavior.
‘This is our Genetics Wing,’ Gardevoir indicated, leading him into a lab filled with high-tech screens and equipment. Researchers were examining samples under microscopes, documenting data, and experimenting with DNA structures.
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
“It’s incredible!” Jun breathed, truly fascinated. He watched them at work, eyes wide with anticipation. “What are they studying?”
‘Mostly genetic markers related to evolution,’ the Pokémon replied, her mind's voice gentle but clear. ‘We’re trying to understand the specific genes responsible for split evolutions, among other projects.’
Jun’s mind raced with questions as he absorbed every detail. He began to formulate ideas on how to structure his own research on abilities one day in his head, imagining experiments and theories.
After a while, they exited the Genetics Wing and moved towards the Ecology Section. Here, tanks filled with different species of Pokémon surrounded them. In one tank, a colorful display had several Poliwag chasing each other playfully, while in another, a few Wurmple lazily munched away at forage, and in another different colors of Burmy hung from branches.
‘Well, how about that?’ Gardevoir chimed, noticing Jun’s wonder. ‘This area focuses on environmental influence on Pokémon evolution. We observe how habitat conditions can affect traits and evolution outcomes.’
“Do you think we can observe any split evolutions happening here?” Jun asked eagerly.
Gardevoir paused, considering. ‘Not right at this instance, perhaps, but when we have a Pokémon evolve under different circumstances, that data is valuable, so we usually save that process in a video log. The goal here is to replicate environments that can lead to unique evolutionary pathways.’
As they continued their tour, Gardevoir shared insights, making them interactive. Jun felt a connection grow not only with the lab and its findings but also with Aria’s Gardevoir, her knowledge a beacon guiding him on his journey to understanding the deeper complexities of their world. This made him start to think about his own Pokémon, as an orphan he didn't have the financial resources to nurture his own Pokémon, but now that he had a source of income, that could be put on the table.
When they finally returned to the conference room, Gardevoir gave him a soft smile and a wave goodbye before drifting back towards the research area. Jun settled back into the chair, he was buzzing with ideas, theories, and possibilities of Pokémon research swirling in his mind. He looked up at Aria, who was organizing some documents.
“This place is incredible,” Jun declared. “I would like to learn how to make a difference here and contribute to the research.”
Aria looked up, his expression a mix of gratitude and encouragement. “With your enthusiasm, I am certain you will,” he said softly, a sense of relief washing over him. “Now, how about we discuss your responsibilities here? I believe you’ll find them fulfilling, and they will also help you refine your skills as a budding Pokémon researcher. But before we get into specifics, I want to discuss your living arrangements and safety.”
“Living arrangements?” Jun echoed, perking up, he had just vacated his dormitory at the trainer school and was looking for a place to stay.
“Of course. The lab provides housing at the Jubilife Condominiums,” Aria explained. “You’ll find it quite comfortable. It's located in the north eastern quadrant of the city and your neighbors will be trainers, researchers and even myself, although I do profess that I rarely spend the nights there, my cot here in the lab sees much more use.”
Gardevoir let out an exasperated sigh.
“Sounds fantastic! I can’t wait to settle in.” Jun smiled, but then his face fell slightly. “Actually, I haven’t gotten a starter Pokémon yet. I was hoping to catch one on my own after settling in.”
Aria’s expression shifted into one of mild concern. “That’s quite unexpected. While it is commendable to want to catch your first Pokémon, it’s important to have a companion for protection during field studies, especially in the wild. How about we look into applying for a lab Pokémon?”
“Lab Pokémon?” Jun echoed, genuinely intrigued.
“Yes,” Aria clarified, his voice steadying. “You can apply to borrow Pokémon from our reserve for research purposes or for personal protection during your field studies. It’s particularly important if you haven’t acquired your starter Pokémon yet.”
“Hmm, could I get back to you on that, I’m going to spend some time thinking this through first.”
“No problem, you can come to me at any time, I'll set aside the forms for you. Now let's talk about your responsibilities. Data entry is one of the primary tasks for all interns. I certainly could always use a helping hand with organizing observational data. Otherwise, your responsibilities will range from assisting in research to conducting field studies.”
The hours drifted by as Professor Aria walked Jun through the lab’s operational workflow. He learned about the different types of research projects, ranging from environmental studies to Pokémon behavioral analysis. Jun found himself enraptured by the various tools and techniques that were available for observation and data collection.
Before he knew it, Professor Aria was leading him to a small office with a sign that read “Lab Pokémon Management.” The files contained information about all the Pokémon available for interns, including their strengths, weaknesses, and specific purposes for their allocations.
“Here we are. You can take the list with you and decide later on what you feel might suit your needs as you begin your studies,” Aria said, handing Jun a dossier.
Jun quickly scanned through the files before him. There were sturdy Pokémon for protection, such as Machoke or Golem, and assistant type pokemon such as Gothitelle, but deep in his heart he wanted to nurture a pokemon by himself, from the beginning.
“What type of Pokémon do you imagine you would go for?” Aria inquired, eyeing Jun with curiosity, as they left the office and headed towards the lobby.
“I'm thinking a bug type, that's my favorite type after all, but I'm also considering that a psychic type would be super useful for lab work.”
“Ah, considering the rarity of that combination of types, your choice is going to be rather limited. I’m pretty sure we have any Orbeetles or Rabscas in our reserve. Hmm, give me a couple days, I'll look into it.”
As they reached the lobby, Professor Aria turned to the receptionist.
“Sorry to bother you, Grace. Do you have the documentation for Jun here?”
“Yes, of course Professor. Here they are, Jun. Proof of internship at Rowan Laboratory, a leasing form for your apartment at Jubilife Condominiums, this file holds copies of all the forms you signed and finally a lanyard with your Lab ID, don't lose this, you need this to access everything in the lab.”
The receptionist, Grace, handed over a thick packet of documents and a lanyard with a smile.
“Thank you so much.” Jun bowed slightly.
“No problem,” she replied, “is there anything else I can do for you Professor?” She turned to Professor Aria.
“Nope, we're all good to go. Jun, take your time and think about which Pokémon you wish to be your starter, don't make a choice you'll regret. Anyways, we're done for today, you should head to your new apartment and reset up well, tomorrow's gonna be your first day, I'm looking forward to working with you.”
With that said, Professor Aria turned and headed back into the lab.