[center][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/200122/e953ebd7baa8b50eccbebc557e8aa65b.png[/img][/center]

Basil had questions, several questions, like who were those two trainers battling and why are those two brown haired twins so eager for blood. The big question though was why one of the Elite Four watching a battle that was not exactly of highest stakes or level. He was to afraid to ask and he was completely uncertain about what to do, looking around with a slight panic for the professor, but luckily it looked like she found him. Really, he did not know how he did not notice the woman wearing the white lab coat. He sighed with relief and greeted the professor with a sheepish smile. [color=8882be]"Uh, hello Professor Kalmia."[/color]

Wait, Jacques was looking at Basil. Why was he looking at him?[i] [color=8882be]Alright Basil, keep it cool, keep it cool.[/color][/i] He repeated over and over in his head. Maybe if Basil didn't look Jacques in the eye then maybe the Elite trainer would not sense his fear.

Oh thank Arceus, they were going to go inside. Basil followed Kalmia inside and left his bag at the door. What he saw, well, it certainly was a lab alright. He imagined that it would look something out of a movie or TV show, or at least having enough space not to shoulder check the shelves. Just how in the fresh hell did she get anything done around here? There was barely any room to breathe let alone work. Also, was it safe for the Pokemon to be wandering around in such a tight space? Couldn't that Pikachu just fry the servers or the Spiritomb just be a spooky terror the other Pokemon and just cause panic? 

Considering the importance of her work, wouldn't the government be more interested in funding research? At least not attached to someone's house. Can't imagine not bringing home your work when your work is your home. You know what, it's probably best not to think about these things. 

Besides, with a Pokedex presented to him it would be hard to think of anything else. It was a dark, desaturated purple for the main body with silver streaking through the middle. An actual, honest to god Pokedex from Professor Oak presented by Kalmia. In that moment, he was then struck by a stream of words as she explained everything. She must have been tired repeating it to every newbie trainer that walked through her doors. [color=8882be]"Thank you very much Ms., I mean, Professor Kalmia. I won't let you down!"[/color] He said, perhaps a bit too eagerly as he tried to show that he had some sort of confidence. She was trusting him to complete the journey, not remain a spineless Jellicent. 

More importantly, Kalmia presented him with a Pokeball. For a moment he thought his heart stopped. It suddenly became more real that he was doing this, that he was going to have to be responsible for living beings and take care of them and himself out on the open road. Would the Pokemon even like him? Would he even be good at this? He stared at the ball, almost afraid to receive it, visibly shaking.

Oh to hell with this! He took the ball slowly from Kalmia and looked down at it, taking a calm deep breath before releasing it from its ball with a white flash of light. 

[color=ed1c24]"Dar?"[/color] The little creature surveyed her surroundings before looking up at Basil with quite an inquisitive look. 

Basil knelt down so he was closer to her eye level. He did not think that she would be so small, but it could probably knock the air out of his lungs if it wanted to. His hand reached out for the creature, not touching her, but allowing the pokemon to sniff it before she pushed her own head into his palm for rubs. [color=8882be]""You're a sweet one, aren't you.[/color] For the first time since he left home, there was a genuine smile on his face, calm, enjoying the moment. 

He took this moment to scan her with his Pokedex before the device spoke in a very digital voice.

[center]- You've obtained Darumaka! -

[url=https://cdn.bulbagarden.net/upload/4/4c/554Darumaka.png][img]https://i.imgur.com/NDqzgVS.png[/img][/url]

[color=6ecff6][i]Pokédex Entry #554 – Darumaka, the Zen Charm Pokémon. When its internal fire burns, it cannot calm down and has to run around. When the fire diminishes, it falls asleep and pulls its limbs into its body to form a state where it will always right itself no matter how it is pushed or pulled. Because the droppings of a Darumaka never cools down, they can be used to heat clothes by those who doesn’t consider that disgusting.

- Would you like to give Darumaka a nickname? -[/i][/color][/center]

A nickname? The thought didn't occur to him until now.[color=8882be]"Hm... Hey little one, how do you like the name Cecil?"[/color] He didn't even get a chance to check for a reaction when his Darumaka tackled his chest, knocking him down on his back, and then snuggled on him. 

[color=8882be]"I think she likes it."[/color] Basil said with half breath. Holy Arceus above, Cecil was heavy. It took a considerable amount of effort just to sit up while holding onto the Darumaka. [color=8882be]"Thank you so much, Professor."[/color]