[Sophia Schuster]

Today was a wondrous day, a day of great tidings. It was a momentous occasion that added something of a kick to a certain young lady's step as she made her way to a certain facility. It was not a simple occasion in which she got something for nothing- though those occasions were nice, as well- but an occasion in which she herself earned something for herself. Not only was it a gift, of sorts, but it was something of a trophy, as well as a tool. Rather, not it, but “they”. Sure, she had some assistance getting the groundwork done, but there was nothing wrong with that- it was an agreeable and otherwise professional arrangement that worked out for the mutual benefit of herself and her partner.

Of course, one might wonder just what the hell the hub-bub was about.

Well, that's simple. Sophia managed to achieve not only the second, but the third major milestone for a student interested in breeding. “Hatch ten eggs”, the second milestone, was simple enough- something anybody could do with enough time, provided they had a singular couple that was compatible. “Hatch the eggs of ten different species”, the third milestone, however, was a bit more complex. It required a bit of branching out, time to acquire resources, and a great deal of luck. In Sophia's case, though? She had a wonderful bit of luck by having a roommate that was fairly agreeable and easy to work with. As a result, what would have taken her well over a month, maybe two or three, took her only a few weeks.

She really would need to thank Seraphina properly for that later, even if it was a mutually beneficial exchange.

After heading up to the desk to verify the batch of eight eggs and their newborn lives, Sophia filled out all the necessary paperwork and was presented not just one, but two, Breeder Emblems. The second gave her access to equipment that would allow her to control the species of a couple's egg. She didn't understand yet how that worked, but she'd have plenty of time to figure it out, she was certain. As for the third emblem, it allowed her access to even more equipment. In this case, to determine the ability of the new Pokemon. Useful things all around, she felt.

Perhaps it was just the moment, but she felt a little lightheaded. After “cashing in” on her rewards, she made her way over to the one of the benches in the reception area of the Breeding Center and plopped her rear right on top. She sighed. It was a good sigh, though, and her expression said it loud and clear. Her mind was racing. She wasn't the sort to show off, so that initial giddiness needed to wear off before she went anywhere. She relaxed and tried to let that stupid smile melt from her face. She was just in a really good mood. And the future was already partially laid out for her. She and Seraphina had a few more solid pairings to make, and that was assuming neither of them found other things. The fourth emblem? It was probably much sooner than she thought.

The maiden relaxed. It was probably easier for her than it should have been. Still, with a few small “changes” made to the uniform thanks to her sewing skills, it was looser and lent itself well to lounging and whatnot. Few people could tell the differences without looking close, though. Over that silver uniform, though, was a lightweight scarlet jacket, left open closer to the top. Thin leather gloves kept her fingers nice, warm, and active. Between her Mary Janes and the thigh-high stockings, her legs were kept mostly hidden. All in all, she looked like a reserved young lady. An exceedingly happy, reserved young lady.

”So much to do when I return.” She quietly hummed to herself.

[Sylvia Lane]

For Sylvia, today wasn’t that wondrous of a day. Nothing particularly spectacular had happened to her, and she hadn’t accomplished anything that was worthy of high praise. Honestly, she would’ve gone as far to say that today was especially lacking in any noteworthiness. But she was still quite happy for it. Embraced that uneventfulness in fact. It wasn’t a special day, but it was certainly a good one. Mostly because she was spending it quenching her curiosity. At that moment she walked along a path, her eyes glued to the map she had grasped between her gloved fingers. Occasionally, she would glance up from the tiny slip of paper to look at a sign, or to smoothly slip out of the way of someone coming in the opposite direction. She’d been strolling and weaving around people for about twenty minutes now, and she figured it was about time she arrived at her destination.

The walk itself hadn’t been unpleasant, of course. But the chill in the air made the experience unsavory for her. It didn’t help that she hadn’t put as much thought into layering her outfit as she usually did. A hint of her light blue uniform peeked out from the collar of the navy covered blazer she wore. Opting out of wearing the usual skirt that came with the uniform as usual, Sylvia instead wore a pair of gray dress shorts and coal colored, pinstriped tights. Her feet were protected by a pair of ankle high leather boots, probably turning out to be the warmest part of her at the moment. A leather jacket and a scarf, she had mused repeatedly during her trek, was all she would’ve had to add to her outfit to make this all a little more bearable. Though, it would surely seem like overkill to anyone else.

Sylvia’s steps slowed and finally stopped as a building came into view. The Breeding Center, to be more specific, and her destination. She carefully folded up her map, slipped it into her bag and practically jogged up to the building while hugging her arms. The door slid open, allowing her entrance. Once she was inside, she let out a sigh as the warmth blanketed her for a moment. The doors slid closed behind her, but opened up not a second later as a small group of upperclassmen maneuvered around her to exit. Sylvia sidestepped out of their way, uttering a polite ‘pardon me’ while doing so. She caught snippets of their conversation as they passed. Something about a student that was starting to make a name for themselves among the breeders on campus. They…didn’t seem to sound too pleased about it.

This bit of information intrigued Sylvia, but they were gone before they could catch the student’s name. Sylvia watched them leave curiously, tucked a strand of her hair (which was currently a soft powder blue) behind her ear, then turned to find somewhere to take a load off for a bit. After attending her first breeding class, Sylvia’s interest had been piqued. She hadn’t taken part in an actual battle yet, unless you counted that one encounter when she caught Wes, but she was fairly certain it wasn’t something she was going to take part in very actively. She was just starting out, though, so perhaps that would change the longer she stayed. She was open to the idea. But breeding…breeding sounded like something that was more her speed. The details were still fuzzy for her, but even the fuzzy details seemed interesting. Interesting enough for her to make the walk here to get more information, anyway.

The plan was to go up to reception and drill them with questions, but she really did need to sit for a bit first. To warm her bones and give them a bit of a break. She glanced around the lobby, searching for a nice place to perch, when she spotted some benches. Perfect. Sylvia moved in the direction of the benches, noting that there was already someone sitting upon one. She, of course, would have to greet them. A smile was already tugging on her lips as she geared herself up to say something, but as she grew closer, she noticed something very…different about them. This person, a girl, had a full head of snowy white locks. Sylvia’s smile faltered slightly as she realized this, then doubled in size a second later. She dropped her hands and hurried over until she was standing directly in front of the girl. “You have beautiful hair.” she suddenly gushed, her admiration clear in her green eyes.

[Sophia Schuster]

To say that Sophia had been expecting someone to speak to her was one thing, but to say that she was expecting a sudden compliment was another. The truth of the matter was that she expected neither, so one, and then the other, left her a little dumbfounded at first. For just a moment, the young lady sat in her spot, her expression blank, as reality took a few moments to sink in. Then, with a slightly startled expression, she found herself blushing slightly. It was a faint tinge of red on otherwise fairly pale skin, so it was rather easy to tell. Naturally, it faded away quickly as she got a better control over herself. She had just been taken by surprise with the sudden delivery of praise. Was it praise? Compliment? Compliment sounded more correct. Either way, she let out a sheepish laugh, her right hand tugging silvery locks back behind her ears out of a sort of self-consciousness.

”I-” Her voice came out a bit squeaky. With a light cough, she took the chance to properly calm herself, as well. No more of that embarrassed nonsense. ”Well, thank you. I certainly wasn't expecting that.” Her lips curled into a slight smile. Ah, that face. Where, where, where had she seen it before? Well, she doubted that they'd exchanged names properly prior to the present- a seemingly random compliment like that wouldn't have been delivered in such a manner, otherwise. “Today” would have likely been tacked on, if that were the case. Emerald orbs and sky blue hair- an odd combination, to be sure. But the face- the face, she felt she had seen before. She just needed to stall for time.

”Of course, your own hair is very pretty. Face, and eyes, too, at that.” Fortunately, she didn't think badly of the girl's looks, so returning the compliments was easy work. ”Was that a means of starting a conversation?” Her voice gained a somewhat playful tone. ”Or was my hair simply so beautiful to you that you needed to say it?” Well, it was teasing by that point. ”Either way, I appreciate it. I myself don't think much of it, but knowing that others think that it's beautiful is at least good for my confidence.” And then it clicked- where she had seen that face. Not a once nor a twice, but a thrice to the present. This girl was one of the ten-odd students, classmates, she had had in almost every class so far.

”Correct me if I'm wrong, and I do apologize if that's the case, but aren't we in several of the same classes?” She paused for a moment to take tally. If not the hair, then the face, had been seen in how many classes? It might have only been a passing glance, a faint blur as she turned her head or something, but she wanted to say all three classes. ”Tactics, Breeding, and Navigation, I dare say?” She was roughly eighty percent certain. If she was wrong, it was nothing to be concerned over. It wasn't nearly as embarrassing to be wrong as it was to receive an unexpected bit of praise. She just didn't like the attention. Though it did raise a question, either way- her inquiries had been teasing and jocular, but, at that point, she was very much certain that an answer would be nice. As though gently prompting the other for verification, she tilted her head to the slide ever so slightly.

She'd find out, one way or the other.

[Sylvia Lane]

Sylvia hadn’t been expecting a response to her compliment. The words had simply bubbled up, and floated from her lips before she could catch them. It was a bit of a habit. A harmless habit, to be sure, but she had had her fair share of bristly encounters with those that didn’t take kindly to random compliments. So even though she wasn’t expecting a response, she was used to having negative ones. Thankfully, though, this wasn’t one of those instances where she had to deal with one. The brief silence that fell between the two of them wasn’t uncomfortable , but after her mind had finally caught up her with her actions, she was surprised to find that the girl in front of her hadn’t said something right away. The smile on her face still remained, but she blinked a few times, curiously.

And then, ah, there it was. A faint tinge of pink highlighted the girl’s cheeks, finally, and Sylvia’s smile softened, thankful for this reaction. She wasn’t sure if it was positive or not, yet, but at least she wasn’t being yelled at. That was always nice. She gave a nod at the thanks that was voiced , then stood up straighter. An apology was probably in order. She hadn’t had any weird intentions, but it really was a bit rude running up to strangers and shouting in their faces. Even if they were kind shouts. Not even shouts really. She gave her head a quick shake to chase away that train of thought, and opened her mouth to apologize.

Her mouth snapped shut, however, when a compliment from the stranger was directed at her. Compliments, actually. Now that was a new one. She couldn’t think of a time when someone had actually responded with a trail of kind words of their own to counter hers. She blinked once, then, looking a bit bashful, put a hand to her cheek, “Oh dear. Well now I feel like I’ve been defeated,” she laughed lightly, then dropped her hand back to her side. “As a matter of fact, though, it wasn’t a conversation starter. The latter, I think, is the best description of why I’m standing here in front of you now. I have quite a bit of a thing for unique hair colors, if you couldn't already guess.” She spoke slowly, smiling pleasantly the whole while. She would’ve been truly glad if, as she said, her words had boosted her self-esteem a bit. That had always been her goal, after all. Aside from having no restraint.

“Hm?” Sylvia looked a little surprise at the sudden question. She brought a finger to her chin and looked up, humming as she searched her memories. Could such a coincidence have happened? She had to admit that while she had tried to greet as many of her classmates as she could, she usually only did so with a smile and a wave. There hadn’t been enough time to properly interact with them all, sadly. So as a result, she couldn’t bring very many faces to mind. She glanced at the girl again, then squeezed her eyes shut as she thought.

There was that one girl that sat in the front row of Battle Tactics and Breeding along with her. And even during Island Navigation, that same girl had sat directly in front of the teacher, so that was technically the front row, right? She’d seemed studious, serious… the more she thought about her, the more she was sure of it. She’d even had the same color of hair, now that she really thought about it. She remembered that flash of desire to comment on it on a few occasions, only to squash it miraculously. “You are absolutely right,” she said, finally, opening her eyes and flashing a warm smile. “What are the chances of that?”

She held out one of her gloved hands, “I’ll properly introduce myself then. Sylvia Lane is my name. I’m truly glad, and honored, that you remembered me.”

[Sophia Schuster]

It seemed like she was right. Moreover, the then-nameless girl was altogether pleasant, at that. How nice. Then again, she had approached for no reason other than to praise Sophia's hair. Provided there wasn't an ulterior motive, and it didn't look like there was one, that made them pretty nice. A name was given, and a hand was offered. Sylvia was a fairly formal sort, it seemed, not that that was a bad thing. Sophia stood, if only because it was a bit weird to take another's hand while they stood while one sat.

”Sophia Schuster. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Sylvia.” She spoke clearly as she gripped the other girl's hand, smiling pleasantly. That said, it would have been terribly awkward to make such a fuss about recognition if they simply parted after making acquaintances with each other. Awkward and altogether odd. It would have felt wrong, honestly. So, it was with that reason- and general curiosity- that she opted to instead shift into a line of inquiry once she released the other's hand.

”I'd ask what you're doing here, but there's not very much one can do at a breeding center besides the point of the facility, I would think. I suppose you're here to try your hand at breeding after the first class? Or are you perhaps already comfortable with the process?” She tilted her head, still smiling. She fell into the latter. Then again, anybody that came back with half a dozen eggs at a time would have fallen into that category, she figured. She and Seraphina would have a few more eggs to produce the next week, too. Perhaps even more, if their new agreement came to produce nice fruit.

[Sylvia Lane]

“Your first guess was correct… sort of,” Sylvia brought the hand she’d used to shake Sophia’s to her face and scratched her cheek timidly. “The first class session did pique my curiosity on the subject, so I decided to come here. But, now that you’ve mentioned it, I actually didn’t have much intention to do any actual breeding today.” Honestly, the thought was still a bit…scary for her. For lack of a better word. Although breeding seemed much more accessible to the girl than battling did, she still was a bit apprehensive about starting so suddenly. She figured gathering information needed to come first, then she would feel better about diving in. Hopefully.

Sylvia clasped her hands behind her back and rocked on her heels, “I was hoping to receive some information from the staff here. Maybe get some recommendations for books, some tips for how to get started, and generally just some piece of mind on how it works. Besides the obvious, of course,” she let out a light laugh after this last remark, followed by a soft clearing of her throat. Her green eyes settled on Sophia’s face, “You, however, seem as though you’re well-acquainted with the process. Pardon the assumption. I know we’ve only just met, but you just seem to have this air of confidence about you – like you’ve been here several times before.”

A thought suddenly occurred to her then, and it showed on her face. Her smile fell from her face as her face lit up with the memory, her eyes drifting up briefly to the ceiling. Then it returned, with an eagerness that she simply couldn’t hide. She turned her eyes back on Sophia, “Actually, I heard something really interesting a moment ago. I passed a group coming in talking about a student that was making a real name for themselves here at the Breeding Center. I believe I heard them say that they’d gotten two…three emblems already? Isn’t that amazing?” she had ceased her rocking at this point and had pulled her hands out in front of them and curled them into small, excited fists. “I don’t believe they’ve been at the academy for all that long either, so wow.”

Sylvia was speaking quite a bit more than she usually did, though her leisurely speech pattern remained. The thought that she could meet someone like that had ignited her interest. As such, she felt a bit daring. She decided to take a shot in the dark here. “So, I hope you won’t mind, but I’m going to push my assumption a little farther,” she smiled apologetically, but the excitement was still evident in her eyes. “Since you’re a regular, I’m guessing that you know exactly who I’m referring to. Would you…perhaps know their name? Sadly, I wasn’t able to catch it, and I would love to speak to that person. Maybe sponge some of their knowledge if they’d allow me.”

[Sophia Schuster]

That was about right. Trying to get information on the process- the finer bits, at least- was a perfectly fine first step. She herself let out a sheepish laugh at the comment on her “confidence”. She couldn't deny it, though. She had been ready to simply comment, but Sylvia went on. She raised an eyebrow at the mentioning of rumors. She would have completely discarded the thoughts up until something rather embarrassing popped up. Three emblems? New student? M-Miss Sylvia was very excited, it seemed. Sophia, on the other hand? She felt a cold sweat. She hadn't been making her constant trips to the center a secret, but she hadn't gone advertising it, either. D-did she really stand out that much? Was it her hair?

”A-about. . . about that.” She sheepishly laughed, her mind reeling. Well, she didn't mind helping out a fellow student. She was never against that, especially if they had the urge to better themselves, as well, but. . . how had she messed up so badly? She felt terribly embarrassed. The compliment was one thing, but now she had rumors going on about her? How shameful. ”That's-” Her voice trailed off. Sylvia was certainly filled with surprising things. Unexpected compliments, and now this.

”I'd like to think they're talking about someone else, but. . .” She lightly coughed into her hand before retrieving her badge case. Opening it, she revealed not one, nor even two, but three Breeder Emblems. No badges- that'd be rectified later, of course- but the presence of the emblems was undeniable. ”. . . I'll choose to think they're talking about someone else, but as for having been around only a short while and acquiring the first three emblems, I'm just as eligible to assist you, or so I'd like to say.” Putting aside whether or not others were aware of her progress, she was, at the very least, confident in her research thus far.

”Was there anything in particular you had wanted to ask? Or were you looking for examples?” She tilted her head. Honestly speaking, there were a number of ways she could offer assistance, from offering tips to outright showing the girl. And then the wheels in her head began turning. She needed to stop that, though. She was getting used to assuming others would be willing to perform symbiotic business relationships, like Seraphina.

. . . well, it wasn't impossible, though. But she wouldn't put it forth unless something came up.

[Sylvia Lane]

Sylvia’s eyes never left Sophia as she waited patiently for an answer. She feared she may have come off a bit too strongly, and she was apologetic for it. But once something was settled in her mind, it took quite a bit to shake it off. Sylvia was hungry for knowledge, and eager to finally find her niche in this academy. If breeding wasn’t it that was fine, of course, but she would be kicking herself for weeks if she didn’t at least try. Her gaze softened, however, when she noticed Sophia stammering in response to her question. Perhaps she really had come off too strongly. That wouldn’t do at all. She didn’t want to scare the girl off due to her selfishness.

Her lips curled into a weak smile, and she was just about to apologize. But then Sophia continued, and pulled out a case of sorts. Sylvia looked curious as she brought it forth – what had prompted this, she wondered. Her questions were swiftly answered  when the case was opened, revealing three emblems nestled cozily in its base. Her hands flew to her mouth as she put two and two together, eyes wide. “I…oh. Now this is something,” she spoke breathlessly, her voice muffled slightly by her hands. Then she was laughing, “The coincidences just keep on piling up, don’t they?”

Sylvia couldn’t believe her luck. What were the chances of having the person she most wanted to meet in that moment be the first stranger she happened to interact with in the center? Surely, there were only so many coincidences one could handle in such a short amount of time. She wasn’t going to complain about it, but she feared her luck was going to dry right up at this rate. Although, it seemed as though Sophia wasn’t completely convinced that she was the person Sylvia had heard about. Sylvia admired her modesty – she, for one, was completely convinced.

“Thank you for lending an ear to me,” Sylvia dropped her hands and hooked them behind her back again. “But first, I would be remiss if I didn’t congratulate you on getting those emblems. You must have worked long and hard to get them.” The sincerity of her words were further enhanced by the smile she had adorning her face. She looked genuinely proud, despite only having just met her. “Now as for questions, hm…”

She thought for a moment. Then, looking as if she’d settled something in her mind, she rummaged through her bag, pulled out five Pokeballs and released them. A Shinx, Wooper, Eevee, Noibat, and Scraggy appeared at her feet. The Noibat promptly flapped into the air and landed atop her head. Sylvia laughed a little, gave the bat Pokemon a small scratch behind his ear and looked at Sophie. “I have a vague idea of how egg groups work, but it definitely use some clearing up. Do you think any of these guys are breeding material?”

[Sophia Schuster]

”I couldn't have done it without help, but thank you all the same.” It was the truth, though. Even if it was a nicety driven by conversation, she still felt the need to be humble about it. The fact that the humility was also honest, however, just cemented it as the right course to take. She wasn't entirely sure what to expect, but it seemed Sylvia was producing her Pokemon. Of them, four were things she had yet to properly encounter. Eevee? Well, she had three. After gaining a Noihat, Sylvia prompted her question.

”Eevee is a Field egg group.” She responded mechanically before producing a phone and quickly padding some things in. She was fairly sure that the Shinx was, as well, but she wanted to be sure. ”And it seems that Shinx, Wooper, and Scraggy are, as well. There are other egg types on some of them, but they're all in the same egg group, yes. Provided they aren't all the same gender, they could breed.” She nodded before her eyes flickered to the Noibat. She really wanted her as a partner, even if for just one round. ”Noibat, on the other hand, is in the Flying egg group.” She added after checking the information. The Field egg group was basically her backyard, to a degree, but she had begun research in Flying.

”Of course, to get a Breeder Emblem, just breeding them isn't enough.” She reached for a ball of her own before letting Silk out, the Lavesta giving off a slight hum before looking up, around, and finally down as he began to doze off. No fighting, no eggs? No interest. ”You need to be able to hatch the egg as well. It's easily done over time, sure, but with a guy like this, you can half the time required. Pokemon with Flame Body, or Magma Armor, as an ability- he has Flame Body, for the record- have that function. Fortunately, the ability is still useful in battles, too, so it's not as though you're sacrificing fighting potential by opting for breeding specifications.” She nodded before kneeling and stroking the bug, who let out a strange, buggy purr.

”But that's the absolute basics of it. Provided they're in the same Egg group and have opposite genders, you can make it work. Or, if you have a Ditto, that's an option too.” She grinned impishly. Coincidentally, that little ball of slime would prove extremely useful in the coming weeks, too, she was sure. ”Coincidentally, I have a number of male and female Pokemon in the Field group, as well.” She let that little tidbit out, not without at least a slight bit of selfish and ambitious desire. She couldn't help it.

”Did that help you any, though?” She asked, tilting her head, while still stroking the tiny, infernal bug.

[Sylvia Lane]

Sylvia’s had a notepad and a pen in her hands only moments after Sophia had made her first remark. She began scribbling down notes on the page, nodding occasionally and glancing up to confirm that she was still listening. So most of them were within the Field egg group. The little bit of research she had donr last night in preparation for today had given her similar information. There had been a substantial amount of complicated jargon in that article in particular, she recalled, so she appreciated this compressed version. “Flying group…” she murmured while writing the words on the page beside a rough doodle of Noibat. So Finny would be out of the running for a little while. As if in response to her thoughts, the Noibat tugged lightly at her ears.

The remainder of her Pokemon had taken to resting at her feet. Well, most of them. Ark was curled up directly in front of Sylvia’s toes, his eyes drifting around the lobby calmly. Lena sat near him, imitating his movements but with a certain caution that wrinkled her brow. Wes was standing with his arms crossed over his chest, shooting challenging looks at pretty much everyone who passed and snickering afterwards. Winnie, however, had waddled off long ago and was now circling the snoozing Larvesta. A silly grin was plastered across her face as she pranced around the bug, eliciting the occasional “Pah!” in the hopes of waking him up. Sylvia caught this sight out of the corner of her eye, “Winnie,” she said in a low, firm tone. The Wooper froze in her tracks, pouted then sat down, instead taking to simply staring at the bug. Sylvie smiled, pleased by this immediate response, then let her eyes glide over to the Larvesta.

“Yes, that was quite helpful. I learned quite a bit,” she replied, flashing a smile Sophie’s way before returning her attention to the Larvesta. “He certainly seems to be quite the handy partner. I wouldn’t mind having an addition like that to my little team.” A faint smile rose to her lips. Sophia’s earlier comment about owning a number of Pokemon from the Field group had not been lost on her. Sylvia wasn’t much for business, but she could tell that her new acquaintance most definitely was. Who was she to stamp out that ambition? Especially when the two of them could possibly benefit from it in some way.

[Sophia Schuster]

Well, things certainly did seem to be gearing themselves up for something falling well within the confines of “advantageous” for Sophia. After the comment on desiring a Larvesta, Sophia just flashed a warm smile, slowly standing up. Silk was completely and utterly unaffected by the sounds, though. He might not have had Soundproof, but he could certainly sleep if he put his mind to it. A quiet “ehehe” escaped the young lady at that point as she shifted her weight almost entirely to her right leg, her leg bending slightly. It seemed more like a relaxed standing posture than any specific stance, though.

”If you think you'd like a Larvesta, I could potentially help you out there. I do possess the means to breed a Larvesta.” She nodded before smiling slightly. ”Plus, with those emblems, I should be able to access equipment that will help me specify the resulting species when breeding. Even ensure that it'd have Flame Body, unless someone lied to me.” It was good to specify the smaller bits before making any propositions.

”If I may be so presumptuous, we could enter a small joint venture, if you're interested? Actual terms still need to be determined, but. . . I believe they'd work out to break even. You have five Pokemon. Five hatched eggs- any eggs- would result in your first Breeder Emblem, allowing you access to the facilities again in a week. Additionally, cooperative breeding does allow for both parties to get credit with the result. I wouldn't consider it cheating, either. It'd be a crash course, and you'd just be using resources available to you.” Making sure to ease or erase any moral concerns was also essential.

”So, do you think you'd be willing to enter negotiations for cooperative breeding? It's fine if you only want to do it once- I'm not asking for some semester-long agreement. No commitments. Of course, either way, I still would like to consider us acquaintances or more.” And obliterating the illusion of hard feelings was next. Her father taught her well for less-official business dealings.

But it was also that she herself didn't want to alienate this girl, partner or no.

[Sylvia Lane]

Sylvia noticed the change in Sophia after mentioning her interest in owning a Larvesta with a smile. It was a very small change, but one that she couldn’t help noticing. She brought both of her hands in front of her, notepad and pen still gripped in her fingers, and brought them together while she listened to her proposition. The mention of the emblems’ use when it came to opening up more avenues within the facility surprised her. She hadn’t bothered reading too much about the emblems in the rulebook, so until that moment they had simply been shiny trophies to her. The fact that there were rewards that came with their acquirement changed quite a few things for her. And to think you could get such a handy device after getting three emblems – how would such a thing work, anyway?

She brought her pen up to her lips thoughtfully once Sophia was finished explaining her idea. Cooperative breeding, huh? The thought hadn’t occurred to her, unsurprisingly. Breeding had seemed pretty straightforward at first, but the more she learned about it, the more she realized that it could become quite complex. If you took it seriously, that is. And that was exactly what Sylvia intended to do. So, as a novice, turning down a chance like this seemed didn't seem all that wise. Not only would she be learning about the process from someone who very clearly knew what they were doing and, more importantly, knew what they wanted, but she would also get a few eggs of her own as a result. As well as tools she could use for any future ventures, if her path to getting the first emblem goes well.

Sylvia smiled against the tip of the pen, “I feel that it would be horribly foolish of me not to take you up on that offer, Sophia,” she said, finally, dropping the pen and letting it land on a clean sheet from her notepad. She quickly scribbled something down, then ripped the page out before handing it over to the other girl. “I know we probably have quite a bit more to discuss before we part, but I wanted to give you my contact information before I forgot.” her smile softened. "I hope I'm not coming off as too pushy. Do tell me if I am."

While the two had been speaking, Winnie had at some point rolled onto her stomach and was staring intently at the Larvesta. Her mouth was curled into a deep, restrained frown. Sylvia kept watch on her out of the corner of her eye – she was sure the Wooper was struggling not to leap right on the poor, sleeping creature, so she was ready to stop her if her will broke. This happened a little too much for her to leave her to her own devices.

[Sophia Schuster]

Was that what it felt like for gamers when they acquired an unexpected rare item, or found a really nice set in an online bazaar for cheap or whatever they wanted to trade? Maybe it was. Either way, Sophia was pleased. Beyond pleased. She was fairly ecstatic. Third emblem? Before long, she'd have a fourth. It made her even more giddy than she'd already been. Either way, Sylvia seemed to be for the idea of a venture together. What she hadn't expected was the girl's contact information. Well, then again, that was a fundamental thing for continued communications- business or no.

”I'll be sure to send a test message later so that you have my information as well, then.” She half-hummed before reading, then pocketing, the note. ”As for being too pushy, rather, you saved me the trouble of coming up with the nerve to ask you for it.” The smile she offered in return was sweet and warm. With that, though, the young lady shifted her gaze towards her phone for a moment. She could have sent that message then, but it was better to keep things situated, she felt.

”But, since you seem willing, let me just throw an opening offer out, then.” She paused and closed her eyes. All in all, she seemed at ease. She didn't seem worried about Silk, either. Speaking of which, the bug opened his eyes without warning and stared forward- his gaze boring into the Wooper before him. He didn't seem to be worried about the fact that it was a Water-type, or looked like one, either. He just kind of. . . stared. Or maybe he was still sleeping with his eyes open? Whatever the case.

”We'll breed some of our Pokemon together. Well, in your case, all, if you desire it. Five eggs produced and hatched will lead to your first Breeder Emblem, like I said. If at all possible, I'd like to request the Shinx, Wooper, Scraggy, and Noibat eggs. In return, I can offer a Larvesta with Flame Body, which will be beneficial both in combat and in the breeding field and a Growlithe. In addition, as I already have an Eevee, I'll defer to your judgment on the final pairing. It can be another Eevee to go you or me, or it can be whatever ends up pairing with the Eevee, to grant you another Pokemon after hatching.” She paused before nodding. She already had an idea, in both cases, so whatever Sylvia wanted to do with the fifth pair would work out, one way or another.

”Additionally, as the credit is rewarded to us both, it doesn't matter who does the hatching. I'll gladly take care of that part, as well, since Silk can speed the process along. Upon hatching, I'd give everything we agree on to you.” She paused again before chewing her bottom lip. ”Ah, and I suppose I should explain why I'm requesting four of the eggs, while you'd only be getting two things, barring the fifth Pokemon. To my knowledge, a student can't acquire a Larvesta outside of finding them in the restricted areas or through trading. My research shows that they're literally not available in the normal areas.” She shifted her posture, swapping legs.

”For that reason, as well as the fact that it'd come with the Flame Body ability, I'm considering it as more. . . 'valuable', so to speak. However, that's also why I'm leaving the judgment for the fifth pairing to you, as well. If you desire a new egg, then I should be free to offer a Mareep egg as a result of that pairing. If we did that, then you'd still be able to try breeding your Eevee with one of your own Pokemon next week to produce an Eevee egg; for the sixth species on your records, for the third emblem.” She nodded before laughing sheepishly.

”That. . . might have been a lot, or confusing. Should I condense it?” She herself thought the terms were fair enough, but she wasn't sure if it was confusing or not. She did sort of just continue talking for a minute or so there.

[Sylvia Lane]

Sylvia shifted back into listening mode again after handing over the slip of paper. She wielded her pen and notepad with a smile, ready to take down any important details if she needed to. But, it became very clear very quickly that this explanation was going to be a…lengthy one. Regardless, Sylvia attempted to jot down as much as she could without missing anything that Sophia said. Particulars like which eggs Sophia desired (four it seemed) and what she suggested she would receive in turn (two, a Larvesta and Growlithe, possibly three from that last pairing). Again, her notes were filled with little doodles to go alongside actual written notes. Two pages full of eggs, arrows, and Pokemon. On the second page, she sketched out a quick Larvesta, circled it, and wrote “Flame body!” and “Valuable!” in huge letters for emphasis.

She had been so enthralled in her note-taking that Winnie had momentarily fallen from her thoughts. Her tiny eyes had never left the Larvesta’s face, so when his eyes suddenly opened, she was more than a little startled. She jumped slightly and, lacking the arms to catch herself from the recoil, promptly slammed her face into the floor. She pushed herself back up with some difficulty. A huge, silly grin was plastered across her now slightly reddened face. “Pahhhh~” she whispered to the Larvesta, perhaps so Sylvia wouldn’t’ take notice of her antics.

Sylvia wrote a quick note about the Mareep egg Sophia had mentioned, then breathed a soft sigh before looking up from the page. That had been quite a bit of information. Despite its length, though, from what she had gathered, it seemed pretty fair in her eyes. The main thing she wanted to glean from all this was knowledge and a start, after all. The eggs and the Larvesta were happy little bonuses. Simply meeting Sophia was a joy in of itself, so she was pleased overall.

“Oh, you don’t have to do that,” she slipped her pen into her other hand and gave it a dismissive wave. Her eyes slid down to the notepad. “Um, if you don’t’ mind, though, I would like to repeat the terms back to you. Do correct me if I’m wrong.”

Sylvia brought the pen back to her mouth, “So, you requested to have four eggs as a trade off for my receiving a Larvesta. I would receive a Growlithe as well, but the Larvesta is the real gem in the equation right now. You’ve also given me the choice of the fifth pairing – on that note, I think I will take you up on that Mareep egg, if that’s okay. I... believe that covers everything.” she nodded, then glanced up at Sophia, smiling. “I didn’t see any particular problems. I feel like you’re being incredibly generous, to be honest, considering the difficulty of acquiring a Larvesta. I appreciate that very much.”

She was fairly sure she hadn’t missed anything, but she was open to being corrected. It was a lot of stuff to parse through, after all. Sylvia reached up and grabbed Finny who had dozed off at some point, careful not to move him too suddenly. Cradling him in her arms, she spoke up again, “I'd like to have everyone breed today. But I noticed you mentioned Noibat eggs in the list of eggs that you wanted. This little guy is in the Flying egg group, correct? Who would I pair him with?” Sylvia tilted her head, eyes curious.

[Sophia Schuster]

Silk just stared at the Wooper. It wasn't entirely clear if there was anything going on in his head. Not a sound escaped him. And then? Then he slowly rolled over, laying on his back, and let out a faint hum. His eyes had closed again. Still, it was impossible to tell if he was just blowing off the Wooper, treating her as no threat, or just getting more comfortable for sleep. Or inviting her. But that'd be lewd.

”Sure. Mutual understanding is key.” Sophia easily and happily responded. Letting business terminology slip was also fine in this case. After all, it wasn't fair if there was a degree of misunderstanding on either side. Sure enough, Sylvia managed to relay everything back to her. That put Sophia at ease, as well. At the mentioning of generosity, she was a bit conflicted, though. Was she being generous? She thought it was simply fair. Either way, she nodded.

”I'd like to think it was fair. I don't particularly consider myself generous, but getting four new species is tremendously valuable for me.” She offered a pleasant smile. ”So, even with the rarity of a Larvesta, I feel it was closer to fair than me simply being nice.” She let out a faint giggle. ”As for the Mareep egg, that was just one aspiring breeder helping another. Besides, you weren't against it.” She hummed a little before her body shivered with a silent laughter at the next question. It was probably good that they met now, as opposed to another two weeks down the road, otherwise the pairing she'd have offered would have been a bit worrisome.

”Well, I have a few things in a couple of other egg groups. It's true that I haven't properly gotten into the Flying egg group yet, but I'm working on that. As for him, well.” The smile was less warm and more generally playful as an almost devious “hee~” escaped her. She reached around and produced another ball before releasing the contents, an amorphous goo blob appearing and squiggling. As it looked up, it became apparent that it had a face. Well, as much a face as beady eyes and some strangely pleasant, though faint, smile could be.

”Like I said before, if you have a Ditto, anything is an option. Would you believe a Ditto can breed with non-gendered Pokemon, so long as they have an Egg group? That was surreal.” She giggled, her words more than suggesting she'd already tested out just that.