It all starts here {mod}

[Gemini]

"Let's go, let's go, let's go!" Lina cried as she half-dragged Alex down the road. It was quite easy to see which of the twins was more excited about receiving their first Pokémon. Alex was far more laid-back personality-wise. He rarely took the reins on any endeavor the two ventured into, thus leaving it all up to Lina. She, of course, willingly took the lead. But Alex's lack of interest was beginning to bother her. "If we don't hurry, all the good ones will be gone! Daddy won't let us back in the house!"

Alex rolled his eyes. He knew full well that their father was merely teasing them. No matter what Pokémon was given to them, their parents would always welcome them back with open arms. Then again, the blond mused with a snicker, if Lee came home with a Caterpie, Mom might never speak to her again. "And what is so funny?" Alex blinked at his sister's cross face before grinning slyly. "Nothing at all, Lina." The look on the girl's face told him she didn't buy his excuse at all, but she said nothing else before spinning on her heel and stomping towards the lab.

Professor Laurel's lab was one of the only buildings in town that was more well-known than the estate the twins lived in. Having been in Lacewing all their lives, the twins had gotten into their fair bit of trouble sneaking around the facility. Most of the time, Professor Laurel was kind enough not to inform David or Andrea about the twin's mischief. He would generally put them to work (though there was that one time...)

The greatest thing about the lab was that the door was never locked, except maybe at night. Lina reached the front door first and threw it open as if she owned the place. Everywhere she looked was the gleaming metal of some high-tech machine that she knew nothing about. Lina looked around, frowning when she didn't see the professor right away. "Professor Laurel!" she cried, cupping her hands around her mouth to make her voice louder (not that it needed to be). "We're here for our Pokémon!" "Will you keep it down?" Alex barked, rapping his knuckles atop Lina's head. She let out a mewl of pain, glaring at her brother. "Professor Laurel is a busy man." "Daddy said he wasn't busy right now," she protested, sticking her tongue out at her brother. The blond boy sighed deeply, shaking his head. There was just no arguing with her.

words:: Four-Hundred and Twenty-Four
tag:: Professor Laurel
ooc:: I hope it's not a problem to roleplay them together (they kind of do everything together). There will be occasions when they're separate though.

[Cai]

Professor Laurel was humming quietly to himself as he worked. He had a large diagram of some mysterious Pokémon's anatomy spread out on a broad desktop and was poring over it, muttering vaguely from time to time. Just as he was about to make a neat marking on the diagram in red ink, a startling shout rang out. Professor Laurel! came the voice We're here for our Pokémon!

Laurel jumped, alarmed, and the neat red line turned into a wild scribble across the length of the picture, and Laurel raised an eyebrow as he looked at the now ruined diagram. "Oh dear..." he said ruefully, sighing as he emerged and went to see whoever it was who had disturbed his work. "Well, which of you banshees is the one who just ruined a perfectly good Carracosta diagram?" he said, surprisingly jovial for someone who had just had his morning's work negated.

"Ah well, never mind. You want your Pokémon, hmm?" he asked, rummaging around in his pockets already to see what he had on hand, lifting various miniaturised Pokéballs out to inspect them. "Both of you? Well, I see you, young miss, will not be best suited to a Pokémon fond of peace and quiet, that's for sure!"

"However, as it happens, I have some Pokémon here that might take your fancy and be happy for a nice new life of adventure and travels." He held out three Pokéballs which had been in his remarkably deep pockets. "You may choose one for your partner, and then I shall see what else I have for this young man."

LINA IS OFFERED ONE OF:
"] "] "]

[Gemini]

It wasn’t long after Lina’s shouting that Professor Laurel made his appearance. He looked a little annoyed at first, but his expression lightened a bit when he saw who it was in his lab. Well, which one of you banshees is the one who just ruined a perfectly good Carracosta diagram? The question made Lina grin innocently before pointing at her brother. “He doesn’t look like it, Professor, but Alex has a really big mouth.” Alex crossed his arms, frowning at his sister. “And a girly voice?” Lina grinned. “Girlier than mine.”

Alex sighed, defeated, and turned to the professor, hoping the older man could shift Lina’s attention. You want your Pokémon, hmm? At the mention of Pokémon, of course, Lina forgot all about teasing her brother (and placing the blame on him), and danced on the balls of her feet as Professor Laurel dug through his pockets. Well, I see you, young miss, will not be best suited to a Pokémon fond of peace and quiet, that’s for sure! Lina grinned. “Of course not! I need a Pokémon who’s ready to wreak havoc with me!” She was only half-joking. Her definition of ‘havoc’ was always far tamer than that of the adults. The worst she would do would be to let her Pokémon loose on the kitchen staff while she raided the pantry.

However, as it happens, I have some Pokémon here that might take your fancy and be happy for a nice new life of adventure and travels, the professor said, revealing three Pokéballs. Lina’s eyes widened as she stepped forward, wondering what creatures lay inside. You may choose one for you partner, and then I shall see what else I have for this young man. Lina turned with a wicked grin, sticking her tongue out at her brother. Alex merely rolled his eyes and leaned against the nearest wall. Professor Laurel had made a wise decision giving Lina her Pokémon first. Had he offered Alex his first, she probably would have thrown a fit and broken something, most likely something in her own body. Then he would have had to leave her behind to mend which would only have led to another fit.

Lucky for Lina, Alex was a patient young man.

Lina hesitated before taking the three Pokéballs from the professor. They felt warm in her hands, almost as if she was holding three little hearts. Not wanting to pick at random, she called all three Pokémon out from within their respected Pokéball. Three small fire types appeared before her, blinking at the sudden brightness. “They’re so cute!” the blond girl gushed, rushing forward to scoop them all into her arms. The little Pokémon made noises of glee at the attention. “I wish I could have all three...” Alex opened his mouth to speak, and without turning around, Lina knew he was going to speak. So she cut him off, “I know, Alex. I can only have one so choose wisely.”

The blond boy cocked a smirk. It had been exactly what he’d been about to say. Lina looked over the each Pokémon slowly, calculating the pros and cons of each. “Mother would throw a fit if I brought a pig into the house. Even if he is adorable and well trained.” She put Tepig back into its ball. After mulling it over for a few more moments, she finally decided. “I’m sorry, Torchic. You’re very cute, and I hope you find a good trainer someday. But I’m going to go with Vulpix.” Away went Torchic. Lina handed the two Pokémon back to the professor, carrying Vulpix over to where Alex stood. “Isn’t she cute?” Alex merely smirked, patting his sister on top of the head. He then approached the professor, nodding. “Ready when you are, Professor.”

words:: Six-Hundred and Fifty-Eight
tag:: Professor Laurel
ooc:: I'm sorry that it's kind of long.

[Cai]

"Ah, yes, Vulpix, an excellent choice. She will make an excellent match for you, I believe," the Professor said cheerfully as he took back the other two balls and placed them back in his never-ending pockets to join the other starter Pok?mon he had on hand. "Now, if you will excuse me for just a moment, I imagine I have something quite suitable for you as well, Mr..?"

Prompting the two to tell him their names while he went, the Professor walked over to a shelf with a box placed high up and stretched to bring it down. He opened it, peered into it and inspected the neat rows of red and white Pokéballs held within, hmming slightly as he selected one, two, then finally three. He had a startlingly large collection of young Pokéball ready to go to new trainers, but he never stopped spending plenty of time pondering over the decision of which Pokémon to offer to which trainers. It was a delicate, important, weighty matter, for whichever Pokémon a youngster received at this crucial point would serve to shape their future as a trainer.

With that in mind, Laurel chose carefully, and, holding Alex's selection in one hand, he reached over with the other and took two small bags from one of his many worktops and made his way back to the two young visitors, depositing the bags on the side while he approached the boy. "I have here a young Riolu, Tyrogue and Pawniard," He explained, extending the three balls to him. "Choose one and he shall be your partner in your travels."

ALEX IS OFFERED ONE OF:
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[/b][/blockquote]

[Gemini]

On the outside, Alex looked very calm and collected about receiving his first Pokémon. In reality, his palms were sweaty and his heart hammered against the inside of his ribcage. What if the professor searched and couldn’t find a proper Pokémon? What if the Pokémon he was offered was something that Alex simply couldn’t stand? Many more worried thoughts swam around in his head to the point where he was consumed by them. He had heard the professor’s prompting question, but it simply hadn’t registered. Lina giggled as she stepped forward, rather surprised to see the focused look on her brother’s face. She decided not to rat him out (she of course knew what he was truly feeling) and took control of the conversation.

“Don’t you think you ought to know our names by now, Professor?” It had always bothered the girl when people didn’t immediately recognize who they were. Their parents were very well-known in the town. Shouldn’t the children of such well-known people be just as well-known? To Lina, it only made sense. Alex, however, had always liked the fact that his name wasn’t one that everyone had memorized. He liked to be able to introduce him and people actually mean it when they say “It’s nice to meet you.” People tended to gush on and on about how fantastic their father was or how beautiful their mother was. If people didn’t know you, they certainly wouldn’t know your parents.

But Lina’s whining managed to break through Alex’s thought cloud. It always happened and he simply couldn’t explain how his twin could squeeze into his subconscious when others could not. He blinked a few times to clear the fog about him before he turned and frowned at Lina. “Don’t be rude, Lina.” The girl stuck her tongue out at her brother before returning to her place by the wall. Alex smiled as the professor made his way back. “I’m Alex, Professor. Alex Cheval. And that is my twin sister, Lina. You may know our mother and father better than you know the two of us.”

His assumption, however, was tossed aside temporarily as the professor offered three Pokéballs, as he had with Lina. I have here a young Riolu, Tyrogue and Pawniard. Choose one and he shall be your partner in your travels. Alex hesitated briefly before he reached out and took the first Pokéball. Pawniard would make for a poor sparring partner—unless Alex wanted his arms to be cut clean off, anyway—and Tyrogue was one of those unstable Pokémon that could evolve into one of three. Riolu was a safe bet. Alex gripped the Pokéball with a smile, lifting his gaze to the professor’s. “Thank you very much, Sir.”

Lina bounced forward now that her brother’s choosing was over. She eyed the two bags the professor had brought over, but turned to her brother first. “Well come on! Let’s see him!” “Shush, Lina!” Alex hissed, jerking his head towards the professor. His eyes locked onto the two bags for a moment before fixing on the professor’s once again. “The professor has more for us. Don’t you, Professor?”

words:: Five-Hundred and Fifty-One
tag:: Professor Laurel
ooc:: Dumb question alert: What level do these Pok?mon start out at? One or Five?

[Cai]

The Professor was fiddling with two small, red devices as the twins spoke, but he stopped abruptly and peered at the two young trainers when their words registered. "What? " he squawked, his eyes flicking from one to the other rapidly. "Surely not Alex and Lina Cheval! Last time I looked you two were just little tykes knocking over my equipment! My goodness, how time flies..." he was seriously alarmed by the fact that the offspring of Andrea and David Cheval were no longer little children toddling about at knee height. "Well, I do apologise. Good grief, you've grown. Well, I shall certainly be keen to hear of all your exploits in the future, my dear young friends."

Laurel finished pressing buttons on the devices and handed them to the twins with a bright smile. "Here are your Pokédexes. I'm sure you're both aware what they are, hmm? Just point and press to record and receive information regarding any new species you happen to come across on your travels." He picked up the small packs, offering one to Lina and one to Alex.

"These are your trainer starter kits. They contain five Pokéballs each, so you can start catching right away. There are a couple of maps in there as well, so you don't get lost!" The Professor smiled broadly. "What fine individuals you have come to be. I wish you all the best in your travels, and do come back and let me know what you've been up to!"


[[Level 5 for starters x3]]

[Gemini]

The professor wore a very startled expression when he finally realized who the twins were. What? Surely not Alex and Lina Cheval! Last time I looked you two were just little tykes knocking over my equipment! My goodness, how time flies... While Lina beamed at the recognition behind her usual chaotic behavior, Alex felt a little guilty and bowed his head in shame. The pair hadn’t done anything that destructive in years, but the fact that the professor only knew them because of that...It was a little embarrassing. “The very same,” the twins said simultaneously, exchanging a glance. “We’ve grown up quite a bit since then, Professor,” Alex continued, almost frantically, in an attempt to get on the professor’s good side. Professor Laurel didn’t seem to be thinking much on the destructive side of things, more that the pair were no longer the little hooligans they once were. Well, I do apologise. Good grief, you've grown. Well, I shall certainly be keen to hear of all your exploits in the future, my dear young friends.

Alex let out a deep sigh of relief. He made a note to call the professor whenever they decided to contact home. If he was keen to hear of their exploits, then Alex would be sure to tell of everything. Lina had already grown bored with the conversation. The professor finally knew who they were. Big deal. Even Alex’s lame attempt to convince the professor they’d grown was, well, lame. He just wanted to be all mature in front of the adults, like usual. Get him alone and he wouldn’t even tell you the time of day unless you said the super-secret password (which changed on a fairly regular basis). He was the most childish of the two, he just refused to let the adults see it.

Professor Laurel handed the twins a red device that Lina snatched from him immediately, opening it up to investigate it. Alex was a little more hesitant, but opened his as well moments later. Though both teenagers knew what the device was, they listened as the professor explained it. Here are your Pokédexes. I'm sure you're both aware what they are, hmm? Just point and press to record and receive information regarding any new species you happen to come across on your travels. He then gave a pack to each of the twins. As she had done with the Pokédex, Lina yanked open the pack to see what was inside. She needn’t have bothered, however, because once again, Professor Laurel went about explaining the packs. These are your trainer starter kits. They contain five Pokéballs each, so you can start catching right away. There are a couple of maps in there as well, so you don't get lost! The twins shot a knowing look at one another instantly. They were both terrible with directions, but both knew how to read a map. Hopefully they would at least agree on the correct direction. Otherwise, they would get lost. What fine individuals you have come to be. I wish you all the best in your travels, and do come back and let me know what you've been up to!

Alex smiled broadly as he shouldered his pack. “We’ll call you every step of the way, Professor.” Lina rolled her eyes, grabbing her brother’s shoulders as she steered him towards the exit. Over Alex’s loud protesting, Lina managed to say, “Yes, yes, we’ll be good, Professor. Thanks for everything, see ya, bye!” And just like that, they disappeared out the door. Vulpix remained behind for a brief moment, crooned a goodbye to Professor Laurel, and bounded out after her new trainer.

words:: Six-Hundred and Twenty-Five
tag:: Professor Laurel
ooc:: Yeah. I totally knew that. And yay for abrupt endings!