Obvious exits:
South <S> leads to Saffron City: Silph Co. Section.

Fay has arrived.

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Name: Professor Sassafras (Alias: Sassafras)Conn: 23m 27s (Idle: 0s)
Race: Human                            Gender: Female
Group: Professor (NPC)                 
Age: 32                                Birthday:  January 4, 1970 
Location: Saffron City: PokeCenter
Quote: "A Bulbasaur ca... Oh, wait! Mary, you have a question?"
Profile: Slender and tall, with long orangebrown hair, Professor Sassafras is the 
perfectly personified version of her plant counterpart. Though reasonably kind and 
caring, Sassafras is known for her overly strict ways with her students, often 
forcing out of them their all. Asking questions is almost a must, as the professor 
loves to hear young minds taking interest in their learning. Sassafras strongly
 believes in the value of education, and to those elinquents who didn't study that 
passage on Meowths like they were supposed to, watch out - her wrath can leave a 
student's face pale.
=======================================================================

Rain pours heavily outside. In a smaller town, the PokeCenter might be completely empty on a day like this - but larger cities such as Saffron only help to attract trainers even further. The air is filled with a confused mixture of human and pokemon noises as conversations take place in the hospital. One person that seems to catch a little more attention than the usual Joes and Marys in the center is a tall woman with orangebrown hair, sitting crosslegged on one of the chairs near the door, appearing positively bored. She is none other than Professor Sassafras. A few of the natives of the city drop her a wave and a good evening, to which Sassafras inclines her head and offers a light smile. Nobody approaches her, however - perhaps anybody interested already has.

The rain outside is fierce, and it comes down seemingly without end. The doors to the Pokemon Center swing open as a little blue-haired girl walks in. Rather, she skips in. The young trainer is wearing a yellow poncho, which for the most part, has kept her dry. Water drips from blue tresses, and it's obvious she didn't take advantage of the hood that was attached to the poncho. A Rattata is in her arms, and he looks around the Pokemon Center with a hungry look in his eyes. Is it the warm food he wants? No. Is it a nice place to sleep? Guess again. He is looking for customers. Perhaps the dirty bag he has on his shoulders has something to do with it. "We're here!" she exclaims, doing a happy little twirl near the center's entrance. <Look at all the people! I'll bet they're all suckers.>

Sassafras's green eyes stray over to the newcomer and her Rattata, but she gives Fay no more notice than she would any other girl coming in. A full day of sitting in a Pokemon Center watching people storm in and out will do that to you. "I wish I could be conducting that experiment on the Clefairy's Sing right now," Sassafras mutters to herself, not for the first time that day. "And I need to get that order in for the Growlithe and Caterpie tonight." After a thoughtful pause, Sassafras grabs a notebook and pen from seemingly nowhere, and begins scribbling away on it.

Did that woman just say what Fay thought she said? After all, she didn't wear that patch on her overalls for nothing. Cutting her skipping short, the trainer bounds excitedly over to the seated professor. "Did you just say Caterpie?" she inquires, those blue eyes wavering hopefully. The Rattata in her arms doesn't seem nearly as interested as his trainer. <Say, you like a lovely and intelligent young lady. Perhaps I could interest you in one, or maybe two of my products?> the Rattata inquires, offering the professor a toothy grin. As Fay looks at the woman, she wonders if perhaps this was one of the professors that were doing the Winneedee interviews. She had never seen any of the other professors, besides Professor Fir, so she didn't know.

Professor Sassafras glances up from her writing, peering at Fay for a second. "Oh, hello there," she says. Her tone is by no means lighthearted and cheerful - it has a deeper sense about it. "Caterpie?" Sassafras glances down at her notepad, then nods her head as she glances back up at Fay. "Oh, of course. Right, just need a Caterpie for a young boy who got his license." She glances down at the Rattata, gives him a bittersweet smile, and says to Fay, "You've got a nice Rattata. Please tell him I'm not interested in buying anything? Now." She adjusts her stance, now placing her legs side by side and putting both feet on the floor. "You don't look like one of my old students. Any way I can help you?"

Unlike the professor, Fay's voice remains light and cheery. "Wow, I really like those pokemon. My starter was a Caterpie! They are wonderful pokemon. They're smart, beautiful, loyal and perfect." Noting the professor's serious expression, Fay stops her babbling short. Patting her Rattata on his head, she shakes her own. "The lady doesn't want to buy anything Mercer." <Drat.> Is his reply, and he pouts childishly. "Oh, um, are you by any chance a professor?" she asks, lifting up a curious eyebrow.

A pack of Growlithe puppies play Tug-of-War with the database. Better save! (Saving)

"Quite," is Sassafras's only reply to Fay's rants over the Caterpie. Sassafras doesn't appear uninterested in what Fay has to say, she just appears to want to get down to business. "And to answer your next question..." There's a light little accent on the word 'question', as though it's some kind of holy word. "... Yes, I am." The rain pours down behind her, and with an aura of proudness, the woman's chest puffs out slightly and she raises her head, and in a very majestic looking scene, she announces, "I am Professor Sassafras, the pokemon professor of Saffron City!" Pause, pause. "And who might you be?"

Hey; at least she was paying attention to what she had to say. Some people wouldn't even do that much. The little girl doesn't understand why the professor pronounces the word 'question' in such a fashion, but she doesn't say anything about it. Instead, a happy smile graces her chubby face at the positive answer the woman gives her. Thrusting a tiny hand forward, Fay gives a small bow to the professor. "Well it's a pleasure to meet you Professor Sassafras! My name's Fay Phillipa!" she replies whole-heartedly. Mercer remains quiet, feeling a little disappointed with the recent turn of events.

Sassafras glances down at the girl's hand, blinking softly. Most eleven year old girls wouldn't do that to someone three times their age. With a soft little smile, the professor extends her own hand, grips Fay's, and begins to shake it softly. "The pleasure is all mine, sweetheart." Sassafras shifts slightly in her seat, softly setting a sheet of paper onto her lap. She takes a quick glance at it, and turns back up to the girl. "Tell me, Fay, where do you come from? I don't believe I've seen you here in Saffron before."

Fay's reply to the professor's comment is a blush and a chubby-cheeked smile. Once the two finish shaking hands, Fay goes to gently petting Mercer. "Who me?" she asks, gesturing to herself, as if there were a cluster of people surrounding the professor instead of just herself. "I was born and raised in Fuchsia City!" the little girl says proudly, rocking back and forth on her feet. This child can't stand still for one moment can she? "No, I don't think I've seen you either. I have seen Professor Fir though!" she adds, as if that would make much of a difference.

Sassafras nods, scribbing down some words on a paper - undoubtedly the information Fay's just given her. After a moment's pause, the professor glances up at the girl, and gestures to the chair beside her. "If you like, you can take a seat." Scribble, scribble, erase, scribble, stop. "You've met Professor Fir?" Sassafras asks, not looking up. "A good man. He and I have collaborated on a few experiments before. I, erm, don't suppose you heard about what we concluded with Geodudes, did you?" Sassafras finally finishes writing what she needs to write, and she now glances up at Fay, waiting for a response.

Listening to the professor; Fay takes the seat offered to her. "Gee, thanks!" Such a hyper little girl she is. Fay then nods in response to the question, putting her tanned hands into her lap. At the professor's next inquiry the trainer bites her lip and shakes her head from side to side. "No I haven't madam. I only saw him twice. After that I went back home and trained Davet." she replies, taking a moment to hang her head sadly before looking up again. Meanwhile, Mercer appears content to sit in his trainer's lap. Of course, in the mean time he looks for possible customers. Can't blame a rodent for trying can you?

"Of course," Sassafras nods, still glancing at Fay. "I don't know if it would interest you in the first place." If Sassafras sees the girl let her head drop after mentioning Davet, she doesn't let on about it. "Well, now, dear... I suppose you're not taking interest in me just because I'm knowledgable, correct?" With a light nod, the woman says, "You're here about the Winneedee, of course?" Meanwhile, a few people do pay a little attention to the Rattata (one little girl tugs her mother's dress, giggling softly at the funny little pokemon), but nobody actually approaches him.

"Yeah, I'm here about the Winneedee!" she says, nodding her head up and down vigorously. While she sits her fidgeting continues, and she shakes her feet in miniature circles, trying her best to sit still. Mercer offers his best sales rodent smile to the little girl, and he puffs out his chest confidently. If he could get the girl to bring her mother, maybe they would buy some of his stuff. One day he would become the best pokemon sales rodent ever! "Well, learning is important too!" Fay adds confidently.

"Why, yes..." Sassafras practically sighs here, a light little smile crossing her face. "Yes, learning is very important. I'm glad you know that - many of my students don't." The professor shakes her head softly, and gets back to the topic on hand. "It's good to hear that you're taking interest, Fay. But why do you think you'd be the best trainer for this Wineedee? It's good that you realize learning is important, but even I know it's not everything."

Meanwhile, the little girl simply giggles at the Rattata. Her mom, frowning at the pokemon, tugs her alone, mumbling, "Let's get you and your Pidgey some ice cream, okay?" With that, she begins to tug on the small child, taking her out of the center with the girl continually looking back.

For a moment Fay says nothing, obviously putting some serious thought into the professor's question. Once she opens her mouth to say something, but she shuts it again before any words come out. Her fidgeting becomes worse, and she furrows a brow in concentration. Then, as suddenly as the thinking spell had come, it goes away. Fay's pudgy face relaxes, and there's that confident smile again. "Hmmm. My first pokemon was a flying type. Well, he was a Caterpie, but he did evolve into a Butterfree eventually!" she comments, pouting momentarily. "So, I've had experience with that type of pokemon before. Plus, I trained an extra long time at home before I went on my journey. So I've had a lot more training experience than other girls my age." She finishes, saying all that in one breath. Boy, is she a talker.

A pack of Growlithe puppies play Tug-of-War with the database. Better save! (Saving)

Sassafras can only marvel at the girl who can speak nonstop all on one breath. Where does she store the air for her lungs? "A... Butterfree, eh? Very good." The woman scratches her chin, scribbling this down. "Very good indeed. You are... how old now, twelve? Quite an achievement for someone your age... Anything else you'd like to tell me?" Though years of experience has trained the professor to hide many emotions, her surprise is pretty easy to see in her eyes and in her voice.

"Well, I'm going to be twelve the seventeenth of this month!" she says with a proud smile. "Yeah, Davet evolved into a Butterfree. It took a long time but we did it! I was so proud of him." she says, marveling at the memory. A wave of nostalgia sweeps over her, and for a few moments she is completely silent. This is a miracle in itself. "I wish he was here." She mumbles, wiping a stray tear away from her eye. The moisture running down her cheek gives her one last idea. "There is one more thing. I'm willing to sacrifice anything for my pokemon." Whatever that means.

The professor seems even more impressed. "Not even twelve," she mumbles to herself. "Not even twelve..." When Fay speaks next, Sassafras listens to every word, though her reply is minimal. "Breeding season, I presume," the woman replies, hardly looking up. "Sacrifice for... okay." Scribble, scribble, scratch, scribble, erase. The woman uses her free left hand to brush back her long dark orange hair, and Fay just might be able to catch a glimpse of her shining little earrings. "Do you have your pokedex with you, Fay? I'd like to see it."

First Fay looks surprised, and then she looks impressed as the professor mentions the Breeding season. "Yeah, Davet wanted to go more than anything. I couldn't keep him from his dreams. He was, is, my best friend." <Hey, what about me?> the Rattata asks, giving his trainer an angry look. "Oh, you're my best friend too." she says, petting him on the head. The Rattata gives her a smirk, but he seems to accept her apology. Looking up from her pokemon, the little girl nods her head softly. "Sure do." Pulling the miniature computer out from her overall pocket, she hands it to Professor Sassafras.

Professor Sassafras nods slowly, adjusting her glasses in a very proper fashion. "Some old students of mine expressed there concern over the Butterfree's mating habits. That, in fact, is going to be the major focus of one of my upcoming experiments. Who knows?" The professor turns her head to glance at Fay, smiling softly. "If one responds to 'Davet', I'll relay a response from him to you." The woman smiles at the affection between Fay and her pokemon before she accepts the pokedex, and after a moment's hesitation, she stands up and stretches lightly. "I've been sitting there for three hours," she mumbles to herself, her small notepad seemingly disappearing. She must have put it in her pocket or something... "Walk with me to the computer. I can scan your pokedex from there." After a moment of locating the computers, the tall woman begins to march towards the only vacant one - other trainers occupy the others, almost half of them simply using the chairs.

"You'd do that for me?" she asks, a few happy tears escaping her eyes. Luckily for both Fay and the professor, the girl keeps a hold on the water works, and only those few salty droplets escape. "I'd be so grateful if you would! He's got big wings, and they look real silky!" Suddenly, she stops figuring this is more information than the professor cares to deal with for the time being. Getting up from her chair, she shakes her legs a bit, as they seemed to have fallen asleep. With a happy-go-lucky skip in her step, she proceeds to follow the young woman to the computer. Mercer spies the many trainers surrounding him, and he rubs his white-tipped paws together deviously.

The professor nods as she walks, though she doesn't quite verbally reply. Dodging hyper Meowths and the trainers that chase them with considerable ease, Sassafras makes her way through obstacles to finally arrive at the computer on the other side of the center. She sits down in the chair, and nods to Fay. "Pull up a chair if you like," she says, apparently not noticing that the only empty chairs are on the other side of the center. Taking the pokedex and pulling her own out from nowhere, Sassafras enters a few commands into the computer, and, at one point, holds her own up to a small device attached to the computer itself. Possibly a scan?

The little girl doesn't seem to mind the absence of chair, and she remains standing. She watches with piqued interest, as the professor fiddles with the computer, her pokedex, and another pokedex. What is she doing? The little girl hasn't a clue, and figures the only way she is going to find out is by watching. Thus, she remains silent for the second time tonight, and waits for the woman to finish her task, whatever it is. Mercer still remains silent, waiting for his right 'moment'. After all, it took a true sales rodent to decide when opportunity called. He knew it certainly would call to him from someone tonight.

After a little more typing, Sassafras now holds Fay's pokedex up to the machine, allowing her information to be scanned. After the computer declares that it accepts the trainer's pokedex, Sassafras nods softly, handing the red device back to Fay. "Thank you," the Professor nods to Fay, adding, "I wish more of my students are like you. You're free to go now - I just need to type up your remaining information. I'll contact you should the need arise, all right?" The slender woman brushes back her hair once again, waiting for Fay to accept her pokedex.

A pack of Growlithe puppies play Tug-of-War with the database. Better save! (Saving)

Taking the pokedex, Fay still doesn't speak. Then, she does something unexpected; she opens her arms, and wraps them around the professor's waist, hugging her tightly. It's a lot like a hug a little girl would give her mother. "Thanks for everything! Promise you'll keep an eye out for Davet?" she inquires, lifting her head up to look at the woman pleadingly. Mercer squeaks at being pressed so uncomfortably against the professor, and he scurries his way up to her shoulder. <Hey watch it!>

Again, Professor Sassafras is caught off guard by the girl's actions, and she reddens softly. The most affectionate action the woman takes is to give Fay a little pat on the back and a little, "Um, I'll be sure to, Fay." Sassafras feels insecure - possibly because she doesn't receive this kind of affection very often. With a little sigh, and a soft hesitation (what happened to all the professionality? she wonders to herself), she nods her head, glances down at the girl, and murmurs, "I promise."

The professor's words seem to satisfy the girl, and she releases the woman. She brushes off her poncho and her overalls, before offering another bow. "Thank you, I appreciate it." Noting the reddened tone of her skin, she reddens herself. "Sorry about that." She says, scratching the tile floor of the center with one foot. She reached out one hand to take the pokedex being handed to her.

Professor Sassafras, having given the girl her pokedex, turns to the computer screen, and nods softly. "It's, ah, it's all right." She says little more in that respect. "Run along now. I'll just finish this up here... Have a good night." And with that, Sassafras turns back to her computer. Should Fay decide to turn and leave now, however, the professor will say one last thing before the trainer goes. "If you're ever back in Saffron, drop by my lab." The typing resumes once more.

Pokedex in hand, and Rattata on her shoulder; Fay turns to leave the professor to her duties. It is still raining outside, and so she decides to stay in the Pokemon Center. Mercer is returned to his pokeball, and the blue-haired preteen waves to the orange-haired woman. "See you around professor! I promise to come down and visit. Maybe I could ask you some pokemon *questions*" she says, remembering the woman's words earlier.