.: {F'i'r's't//: \steps~

[~Alpha Suicune~]

Arley lingered outside the lab, the rain plastering his mop of thick black hair to the top of his head and dribbling down the back of his neck. He shivered and, not for the first time, chided himself for holding back outside of the laboratory. He couldn't help it; a strange paranoia had seized him, and he could not bring himself to knock.

For a moment, he raised his hand slightly, then snapped it back to his side, shrinking back from the door. Pausing, he summoned up all his courage, banging three times on the door before flinching back.

Idiot. something inside him chided. You shouldn't have done that. Now the people in the lab will capture you and finish what they started, taking you apart piece by piece on the operating table...[i/]

Shut up, Arley told it. I want to get a pokémon, and this is the only way, short of going out and battling and capturing one myself.

[BirdyBot]

Professor Maple opened the door with a shrill creak. A proud looking Arcanine appeared at his feet, smiling as she saw that Arley was a Pokemorph. "Hi there! I'm professor Maple, you? Ah, sorry about the door, I've been meaning to fix that for ages... oh, I suppose you'll be wanting your starter, no? No need to be nervous, I'm not going to hurt you... this way..."

As he led Arley into the room, Mia, the Arcanine, said to Arley, ~Trust me, it's fine. There's something about you I can't help but like.~

Around half of the huge room was fenced off to make a pen. A notice on it read, 'Pokeball haters.' That must mean the Pokemon wandering around inside would not go in their Pokeballs. Aside from the many drawers labeled with every type of Pokemon, Arley could pick something from here too.

In the pen, there was a Riolu, Eevee, shiny Absol, Vulpix, Buizel, Tigrily, two Flarepup and a Hoothoot. Riolu had his eyes closed in meditation, but looked up as he sensed Arley's aura. Eevee was play-fighting with Buizel. Absol came up to get the scent of the new trainer, tail swishing happily from side to side. Tigrily was sitting in a corner, snarling if one of the others got too close. The two Flarepup were both playing a prank in Hoothoot, who wasn't taking th embarrassment too well.

[~Alpha Suicune~]

Arley smiled sheepishly as he was lead into the lab.
Well, okay. So far, so good, I guess...

He gazed around as he was led into a much larger room, filled with shelves and boxes. He took particular note of the pen that took up nearly half of the floor space.
Pokéball haters... ah, okay. Pokémon that don't like to go inside their pokéballs. That makes sense.

He grinned at the Riolu, but his eyes were immediately drawn towards the magnificent shiny Absol. Its coat glittered softly, and as it wagged its ruby tail, Arley felt a strange pang of nostalgia.
Of course! That Absol who saved me, back when I had just come out of the lab. I've always wondered about Absol. Maybe I should have a closer look...

Moving over to the pen, he bent down to look the many pokémon gathered in there in the eye. They all seemed to have unique personalities, but he was still somehow attracted to the shiny.
{H-hey, there... you're a shining Absol, right? That's why your coat is pink and red like that, isn't it?}

His voice became softer and more canine as he slipped into pokétongue, his mouth easily forming the words.

[BirdyBot]

Absol placed one paw on the mesh of the fence, where Arley was. ~Yes, I'm a shiny Absol. How come you understand that stuff, as a rookie?~ it shivered with delight as the boy moved closer to it. It somehow felt a sort of... kinship to this child, like they were meant to be together.

Maple walked over. "Ah, I see Absol has taken a liking to you. That's odd, it normally keeps to itself and avoids the other people who enter. Perhaps this is the Pokemon you should select?" he asked.

At this, Absol leaned closer, tail whipping from side to side. It seemed to like this idea, but did Arley?