Cyrus Albright stood silently in the doorway of the Olympia
Visitor and Information Center’s main room, gaze fixated upon the young woman
who stood before him. He had stopped in to obtain a map of the city, but, after
being rushed into this room by the weary receptionist at the entrance, he
stopped short of entering upon discovering that he was not the only one with
such an idea. Rather, he clung to the darkened silence of the doorframe, a
prime perch for observation of the woman before him, who browsed the
informational pamphlets laid out underneath the laminated and lit map hanging
upon the wall, and, more importantly to him, the small black lizard which
scurried about her shoulder.
Content with his observation, Cyrus closed his eyes for a moment
and drew in a quiet breath. Stepping out of the doorway, he called out with the
projection of a skilled lecturer.
“You there, Miss! What draws you here, to the solitude and silence
of this establishment? Would you not rather the business of the Tourism Center,
with its grandiose seminars and video presentations and its barkers who will
make clear every facet of Olympia’s opportunities for investment and progress?
I should think that a youth such as yourself would appreciate the activity more
than the simple brochures and guidebooks offered here.”
At Cyrus’ commanding voice, the young woman turned with a startled
jump to face him, her reptilian companion hopping down to the table and raising
its tail and hissing as it readied to defend itself and its companion. She
hurriedly ran her hands across her clothes, brushing off what dirt and dust she
could, before clenching the strap of her bag, laid across her shoulder. She
began stammering.
“I- I’m… I’m Yuka Suzuki! I’m here to fin- uhm, I mean to say
that, I, I’m sorry. I wanted to come here because there’s more information
here. That… and, uhm, there’s so much fewer people here…than, that, uhm”
As she trailed off, Cyrus nodded in contemplation. There was more
information in her nervous ramblings than a cursory examination would reveal.
She was, after all, consulting a map of the city, so she’s unlikely to be a
local. While the possibility remained that she could be a new arrival, only
recently planting her roots, the current of culture would have directed her to
the much more visible and active Tourism Center. Why, only a passing traveler,
and one who had put research into Olympia’s basics at that, would have interest
in coming here. And if she were indeed a traveler? Well, informed though she
may be, she was certainly not cautious, having immediately given her name
without prompting. An understandable reaction it may have been, but such a lack
of restraint would land her in trouble if she wandered to the city’s underside
and were to meet and unsavory crowd.
Not allowing himself to remain in his thoughts for too long a
period, lest he lose the momentum of his inquiry, Cyrus continued with a
friendlier tone.
“And, Miss Suzuki, if I might ask, what am I to make of your most
unusual companion?” Cyrus gestured at the unusual lizard, still ready to leap
off the table if approached. “It’s clear that it possesses an innate mastery of
the incendiary arts, a common trait in the beasts of Orsterra and, it would
seem, the lands from which you hail. It would delight me to hear more.”
“Oh, o-oh, this? It, uhm, she’s my partner, er, or my Pokémon. Her
name’s Sala- well, she is a Salandit, but her name is Isabela. You have a good
eye...” She trailed off momentarily. “Or, uhm, maybe some kind of magical
sense, I guess. We have psychics and shamans, after all, so you could have
those where you’re from, too. Oh, but, she can use fire to defend
herself. And also poison, too.” Yuka turned her head towards Isabela, a small
smile crossing her face as she gazed at her long-time companion. Training her
eyes on Isabela, she hesitantly took the initiative to continue the conversation.
“I’m a- uhm, well, see, Isabela and I met during my graduate research. I’m what
you would call a toxinologist. And, I know that it's pedantic… but
that's... I’m not… it's not the same as
a toxicologist. I don't study the effects of venom or its lethality. I’m mainly
concerned with the chemistry of toxins, the biology behind them. I’m sorry, I
know that's pedantic, it's just that so few people realize…”
She trailed off once again, her face flushing as she squirmed
under Cyrus’ gaze. It was clear that he was scrutinizing every detail of her
person. With the room silent save for the hum of its fluorescent lighting, the
smallest of noises could be felt with the intensity of a thunderclap. Her
breath, the rumblings of her stomach, and even the scraping of her bag’s strap
against her clothes only added to the anxieties. She knew that Cyrus was
listening intently to all of them, though she had no explanation for his
behavior beyond curiosity. She could hear her heart pounding, so, praying that
Cyrus couldn’t hear that, at least, she focused on bringing her breath
rate down to relax her body.
Before the lull in the conversation could become awkward, Cyrus
suddenly stood erect and practically shouted. “Stupendous!” Seeing Yuka flinch,
he lowered his tone as he continued. “You and I, Miss Yuka, are colleagues! We
share the responsibilities and privileges of scholarship. I am Cyrus Albright,
professor of history at the Royal Academy in Atlasdam, on the continent of
Orsterra. It sounds as though you could have a most fruitful conversation with
our resident apothecaries, if poisons are of interest to you.”
Pausing a moment to ponder his next question, Cyrus thought
through these additional details. Yuka, a nervous traveler who for some reason
had decided to visit Olympia, was a scholar, a toxinologist. She possessed a
Pokémon, which, while not definitive evidence, narrowed her origin to only a
few small “regions”. Though he knew nothing about her Salandit which could
offer a clue, he recognized that her name narrowed her likely home further to
Kanto, Johto, Sinnoh, or the Sevii Islands. Her home, though, was not worth
further investigation. She had been so free with information, even in spite of
her nerves, that she’d likely reveal it in passing anyway. No, if he were to
discover her true story, he would have to ask a question of greater impact. And
what question better for a scholar, more likely to produce a result, than their
particular research? With no intention of prolonging the exchange, Cyrus pushed
forward.
“If Salandit were the subject of your research, I posit you must
have a rich knowledge of the species, or at the least their venom. I may not
know much about the diverse lifeforms called Pokémon, but I do know that there
is a great variety of species with unusual combinations of elemental powers.
What attracted you to Salandit above all other options?”
Yuka lifted her gaze from Isabela, glancing in Cyrus’ direction
but avoiding catching his eyes. “Well, uh, where to beg- Oh!” Her eyes, though
now trained on some unseen point behind Cyrus, ceased darting. Her hands
relaxed their clench on her bag’s strap and she allowed her arms to fall to her
sides. With a deep inhale, she launched into a well-rehearsed speech.
“Well, you see, we’ve found that toxins are highly conserved in
most Pokémon species, with the same primary compound causing the same effects -
a gradual weakening and eventual loss of consciousness - in all Pokémon. It's
likely that this venom was once far more potent, but over time, most species
evolved defenses that mitigated its effects. Poison-types, actually, are
completely immune to this toxin’s effects. It's this conserved primary
compound, though, that accounts for the fact that almost all Pokémon possess
some ability to make use of the technique Toxic and that all Pokémon are
affected by poison in the same way.”
Yuka had found a rhythm, now, pausing only briefly for another
breath and to remove an errant bit of hair which had fallen across her eye.
“Now, some Pokémon possess secondary and tertiary compounds that
bequeath different effects to their venom. These compounds are much more
variable, which is why a Beedrill’s Twineedle works slightly differently than
other offensive moves that inject venom or a Mareanie with Merciless causes
more damage to a foe it has poisoned. In Salandit and Salazzle, though, the
difference lies in the primary compound. It’s similar to but not quite the same
as the toxin found in every other species. The toxin that Salandit produces,
then, is similar enough to work just like most other form of poison, but
differs enough that enzymes and defenses in Poison-types, Steel-types, and
every other known species of Pokémon fail to break it down or render it
ineffective. With its “Corrosion” ability, it can poison any other species it
encount-.”
The chime of a clock above the map of Olympia forced Yuka to
abruptly break off her explanation. Cyrus, who had been listening with rapt
attention and focus, once again brought himself to his full height.
“Miss Yuka, you have the most fascinating research I have heard
since leaving Orsterra for this city. You must excuse me for being so rude when
you share your knowledge with such an exquisite passion and attention to
detail, but I must gather a map and be off. I have a companion who I’ve
accompanied here, and I should not leave her much longer lest she find herself
involved in one of her most whimsical misadventures. She possesses a bold
spirit, after all.”
As he spoke, his left hand fumbled about underneath his cloak.
With no moment lost after his explanation for departing, he extended the same
hand to her and spoke. “You certainly must elaborate further when we meet
again. Us scholars must lend our support to one another, after all.”
Yuka feebly offered her own hand to accept his offer. “O-of,
course, sir.” He had said his name, but she couldn't recall, her mind spinning
with details of toxins and details left for another time. “I- I’m… well, maybe
we’ll meet again, if you're traveling here for some time.” Making way for Cyrus
to collect his materials, Yuka scooped a now docile Isabela in her arms and
stepped aside. She watched in silence as Cyrus grabbed what he needed and
walked back out of the room towards the front desk.
Outside of the building, Cyrus was free to soliloquize his
musings. “A most fascinating young woman, that was. On one hand, too free with
information, but, on the other, closely guarded. Though it’s impossible to
blame her. Her situation is one which inspires embarrassment, though I highly
doubt it’s of any fault of her own. It’s not uncommon for a young graduate to
struggle with finances. Try as you might to make yourself presentable and
conceal your own body’s betrayals, your hunger and want for material goods was
evident to any who gave thought to the evidence.” He sighed. “She seemed
intelligent enough. I’m certain she’ll find her way. For now, though, I must
return to my primary charge.” Still replaying the encounter in his head, Cyrus
began his walk down the street.
Meanwhile, inside the building, Yuka set Isabela back on the table
and held out her palm. She furrowed her brow as she stared at the coins the
gentleman had left her. They were valuable, no treasures, for sure, but a
modest sum nonetheless. She studied them, then turned her eyes back to Isabela.
Speaking directly to her partner, she spoke with conviction as she threw to the
floor. “Look, Isabela. I promised we’d come here and find something for the two
of us, and we are going to do it. I know we were aiming for a research
position, but I don’t even care if it’s that anymore.” She raised her head,
staring out at the walls of the room. “But, whoever it’s for, whatever it is,
we’re going to land a contract while we’re here.” She removed her bag and began
stuffing informational pamphlets into its side pockets, offering a quick nod at
Isabela. Isabela, for her part, recognized the command to get going and, with a
look back at the coins lying on the table and a dismissive nod of her own,
hopped onto Yuka’s shoulder.
