? transfer successful ?

? daddy issues ?

      Juniper's lab is just behind your house, and Cheren's already waiting outside the door. "Hey, Cheren!"

"..." Cheren glares at one of the houses, saying nothing.

"Um... Cheren? Are you okay?"

Still no response. The two of you stand there silently for a bit.

"It has been two minutes- Hey, Y/N. Could you go to Bianca's house for me?" Cheren's voice is strained with what sounds like forced politeness. "I'll bet she's spacing out like she usually does. You know her, she's totally flighty."

      "Oh, sure! Wait here a minute!" You dash off towards the house Cheren is glaring at and burst through the door with your shoulder, being careful of Snivy in your arms. "Hey, Bia-"

"No, no, a thousand times no!" A man tells Bianca sternly.

She looks defeated, like a caged puppy (Lillipup?). "But I'm... I'm a good Trainer, Dad! I got a Pokémon and everything! I-I can totally go on an adventure!" She begins to run towards the door, but stops completely when she sees me. Her expression on her face is a sad one, which you get the feeling doesn't happen all too often.

"You... good?" You ask quietly. Snivy cocks his head.

The blonde readjusts her hat, making it cover her eyes a little. "Oh, Y/N... It's OK."

There's a pause. "Is it really?"

"It's fine!" Bianca insists, still without her usual cheer. "I'll be waiting in front of the lab, okay?" She walks around you and out the door.

From behind you, Bianca's dad scoffs. "What nonsense is this? How could my daughter, who knows nothing about the world, be going on a journey with Pokémon?!" He turns and stomps up the stairs, mumbling about expressly forbidding something.

"Don't mind my husband, dear," a woman - presumably Bianca's mom - calls from the kitchen. "He's just being overprotective."

       You frown. "I guess..."

       "All children go on an adventure with Pokémon. It's part of growing up," she continues, going back to washing the dishes. She sighed. "I just wish he'd see that."

       Outside of the Pokémon Research Lab wait Bianca, who's holding Oshawott's Poké Ball and seems to have perked up, and Cheren, who taps his foot impatiently, same as ever. When he sees you, he nods. "OK! Let's go meet the professor." He walks in, Bianca and you following.

       The three of you walk forward, side by side, to a brown-haired woman in a lab coat, back turned to you. She spins around to face you. "Hi there!" She greets happily. "I've been waiting for you young people! Let me introduce myself again. My name is-"

       "Professor Juniper?" Cheren interrupts. You and Snivy give him a look. "We know your name."

       The Professor gives him a look too, but hers is more teasing. "Come, come, Cheren. Today is a special day, a day for formalities! This is not a time to take things lightly." Despite this, she was smiling. "That being said, once again, my name is Professor Juniper, and I am researching when and how the creatures we call Pokémon came into existence."

       She stops for a second - almost abruptly - and looks closely at the three of you, then draws back a little, surprised. "Oh, that's unusual! You've already had a Pokémon battle! So maybe that's why your Pokémon have already begun to trust you! By the way... would any of you like to give your Pokémon a nickname?"

       "I think just Tepig's fine," Cheren says. He leans over to look at the two of us. "What about you two?"

       "Hmmm..." You look down at Snivy in thought. "How does... Basil sound?"