A Tale of Two Scholars

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.