Spring is around the corner-

[ulternprofessor]

[Over at the Banyan Research Lab it's not hard to notice Professor Banyan right outside. His lab coat is left by front porch with his Ulternian Pikachu having taken over it during its nap time, as he's tending to his front yard. He can be heard humming a song while working away.

For anyone passing by he'll be more than happy to have a chat.


Otherwise aside from gardening, the Professor will be seen nearby the shores intensely studying nearby Pokemon on the beach. He's got a notepad in hand to occasionally jot down his observations.]

---

(🌺Come have a chat with the local Professor! Also for those who are interested he's more than happy to hand out one of the Ulternian Starter Pokemon as well!🌺)

Comments

[radleyslittleevie]

Evie soon comes along to the front yard, tail bobbing. "Hi! What are you doing?"

[ulternprofessor]

Oh! A familiar Pokemon, he knew her well!

"Ulsai, Evie!" Banyan laughed while waving to her. "I'm fixing up the yard so it's nice fer all the friends that comes and visit."

[radleyslittleevie]

"Oh, that's nice!" Evie chirped. "Can I help?"

[ulternprofessor]

"Hmm, well lessee..." Banyan chuckled. He's down on his knees to be at eye level with Evie. "How good are you with digging?"

beach

[domeinion]

Oh, ulsai! What are you working on?

[Alice is taking notes as usual, but so is Shellock, it seems... although of course he can't write and is just clumsily drawing what looks like a maze in the sand with a stick.]

[ulternprofessor]

Hmm? Just studying the habitat nearby the waters here--oh!

[He's glancing up from his notes, realizing he was speaking to someone and not just rambling to his Staryu that was laying upon the sand.]

Ulsai! I see you're doing your own research too. How are you?

[domeinion]

As always! [She smiles and watches a Sandygast chew on a peace of seaweed. How it digests anything, the world may never know.] I can't help but want to understand things. Especially in a new environment. If I were a planeswalker, I'd have notes on all sorts of dimensions -- I mean, not that it's stopping me...

[ulternprofessor]

[Banyan's taking a moment to note down what Sandygast is doing. Pokemon were full of mysteries! So fascinating!

Stopping his writing he turned his gaze to Alice. While he didn't know what sort of grandiose adventures she may have, he gave a faint smile.]

Well... hope yer enjoying your stay here. If ya ever want yer more than welcome to exchange notes with me about Pokemon here in Ultern. Maybe it'd help you some with what ya need.

[gold_drum]

Ever since a certain incident involving Elio, Gold's been avoiding Professor Banyan's lab, despite living there... He's been leaving early in the morning and coming back late in the evening, only staying over to sleep. But today, he invited his coworker Trip to visit for various reasons, so he has to be around to welcome him.

And so, he's dragging his feet over to Banyan's house sometime after noon, hoping to slip in unnoticed. But of course, the Professor is right outside, and Gold freezes as he sees him. If Gold doesn't move, he won't be seen, right? ...Yeah, right.

[ulternprofessor]

Unfortunately for Gold, even if Banyan hadn't noticed one of his Pokemon--namely his friendly Chikorita noticed. He's beaming and trotting over greeting with a loud: "Chikooo!"

Banyan stopped pulling at weeds that had been sprouting to turn around to see who was dropping in. Noticing Gold however he immediately smiled wide.

"Afternoon, Gold!"

[gold_drum]

Gold cringes when Chikorita notices him, but manages to give him a smile.

"Heya, Bud," he says quietly, leaning down to pet the Chikorita. He pauses suddenly with the realization that Elio's Chikorita, Rose, wasn't the same Chikorita Banyan had, the one Gold had been calling Bud in his mind. Great. Another stupid misunderstanding about Elio. Gold just couldn't stay rational about that guy, could he?

When Banyan calls his name, Gold... doesn't answer. He pretends he didn't hear, too caught up with petting Chikorita.

[ulternprofessor]

"Chikoriii!" Chikorita gave an appreciative response to the pet. In fact he's leaning into Gold's touch delighted by the interaction.

Banyan watching the two chuckled. Of course he wasn't oblivious to what Gold was doing--after all his days and nights were long. Some times he'd end up being cooped up in his labs for days--with feeding his Pokemon being the only reason he'd emerge from his confines. That's how it's been for years, until Elio and Gold stumbled into his life.

"Hm, y'know..." Banyan spoke out loud, undeterred. "Gold, yer just the person I've been wanting to see. I was feeling a lil' creative in the kitchen but I went overboard. There's a buncha ...whaddya call 'em again... ah! Crepes. I made way too much to eat on my own. Whenever yer hungry, there's plenty for ya to eat."

[but first, a photograph!]

[serperiority]

[So he's outside and working at a leisurely pace... that's perfect. Trip doesn't want to bother him while he's busy and certainly doesn't wan to run into anyone else, not his younger self or Elio.

The Pikachu sleeping in the lab coat did draw his attention for a moment, however, and he couldn't help taking a picture.]

[ulternprofessor]

[He's humming still, not noticing Trip at first. It's not until his Pikachu let out a little sneeze indicating it was awake now. Soon it followed with a yawn, a stretch before sleepily standing. Pikachu sent a sleepy gaze to Trip before moving in a small circle on the lab coat to settle back into sleep once more.

Banyan watched his Pikachu, chuckling before turning to Trip. He'll give a wave to the young trainer.]

Ulsai! What can I do for ya?

[serperiority]

[What a cute little yawn and almost cat-like stretch... it's interesting behaviour he hadn't gotten the chance to see a Pikachu exhibit before, but there weren't any native to his region, after all.

He turned to Banyan, hearing the laugh.]

Ulsai! I promised Elio I'd leave a print with you for him... he lives here too, right?

[It's a photograph of shy little Rosie's smiling face, partly hiding behind her leaf!]

[ulternprofessor]

[Ohh? Was he a friend of Elio's? Banyan's curious as to what Trip had for Elio--until he took a peek. His expression softened as he saw Rose's familiar face.]

What a nice picture you got there. Elio does live here, but yer more likely to catch him out and about towards the fields than here.

[He'll admit while scratching his cheek.]

[gianthobo]

[There's someone wandering towards the research lab. Someone... very large. AZ stops as he nears the edge of the lab, Floette floating near his shoulder. He looks over at her and then nods, carefully stepping around anything that might look important so that he doesn't ruin it.]

[When he nears the professor, he crouches and clears his throat.]

... Hello.

[ulternprofessor]

[Upon sensing someone close to him, and hearing them clear their throat did Banyan turn his gaze in AZ's direction. Oh! This wasn't a face he's seen before that much he was sure.

Never the less he's grinning wide over at AZ.]

Ulsai! What can I do fer ya?

[gianthobo]

I... erm.

[Floette floats over to AZ's face and nudges him gently.]

... Right. I... was wondering... about some of the new Pokemon I've seen... they are unique to this region, I imagine?

[He doesn't have a Pokedex, but he still has seen a lot of Pokemon.]

A small feline one... and a small chick with two heads like a Doduo?

Later...

[gold_drum]

After meeting with Banyan, Gold's sitting outside on the chair by the front door, just chilling, looking up whenever he sees someone approach. His Umbreon is hanging around nearby, sniffing at plants and so on, but he'll look up whenever anyone approaches too, with a glare.

(ooc: Gold's waiting for Trip, but anyone else is free to approach him!)

[serperiority]

Trip's happy to see Gold there, honestly. He's very eager to meet him again, both to give him the results of his investigation, but also to give him the gift he saved up for (read: skimped out on his own needs to afford a nicer gift, but Gold doesn't need to know that).

The nobler reason is that Gold had an unfulfilled childhood and Trip was trying to make up for it.
The selfish reason is that Trip learned Gold already had a best friend who wasn't him.

Now, Trip's used to being on his own. He even prefers it. He's solitary by nature. He doesn't even spend as much time or speak with his Pokemon as much most other trainers do, quiet and aloof... but he can get lonely and he can get very attached. If someone meant something to him, he'd get very, very easily attached and overestimate how much he meant to them, assuming reciprocity, and get his feelings hurt... because it was only him cherishing a meeting or two as though it were a deep bond. Maybe they were only friendly as coworkers or because they'd both hit hard times before that. Maybe it was a friendship of convenience. Maybe they were only acqauintances. Trip didn't know enough about friendship to even recognize those levels, all he knew was that he didn't want to let Gold go without a fight. Even if he couldn't win against Silver, at most, he could his best to make sure Gold wouldn't forget him. That was a good enough goal for now.

Personality-wise, he knew he couldn't win, he wasn't very chatty, friendly, or anything to write home about, so he could only think of earning a more permanent place in his heart with material gifts... and perhaps affection, even if it didn't come naturally to him, because he just wanted to be remembered.

So that was why, while he arrived with prints for Elio, for Gold, he brought a big shopping bag along too (it'd be gift-wrapped, but that'd cost extra!).

[gold_drum]

Gold brightens up when he sees Trip, getting up to meet him halfway. His Umbreon also looks up, giving a warning, low growl at Trip.

"Don't worry, it's just Trip," Gold tells the Umbreon, patting him on the back. The Umbreon quiets down but walks next to Gold as he approaches Trip, still glaring, emitting a constant, very low and quiet 'rrrr' sound. Gold pays that no mind, just greeting Trip with a smile.

"Hey! Welcome. Whatcha got there?" he asks, pointing at the shopping bag.

[megabond]

[After he got accustomed to his new living quarters at Turnbloom, Sycamore didn't take long to head to the research lab at Route 1 that Ash mentioned yesterday. When he found the Professor himself, he didn't take long to approach his would-be colleague.]

Ulsai! You must be Professor Banyan, correct?

[ulternprofessor]

That's right you are!

[Banyan when Professor Sycamore approached him had stopped tending to his yard. Brushing away loose dirt from his gloves he'll enthusiastically wave to Sycamore.]

Ulsai! What can I do fer ya, Mister?

[megabond]

My name is Professor Sycamore. I'm a Pokemon Professor from the Kalos region researching Mega Evolution.

[Sycamore offers him a handshake.]

It's so nice to meet a fellow professor in this region.