There was an odd knot in the pit of Lucille's stomach as she booted up UNOVR. Sure, she had played video games before but nothing ever in VR. Taking a few moments to gather herself as she adjusted to the virtual space and moving various parts of her body in it. Customizing her character and picking out a name took quite some time since she scrolled through each of the options before settling on an appearance that she thought would suit her. A rather muted and monochromatic color palette, alabaster white hair and pale cerulean eyes. Upon confirming her character's image, she was teleported to the entrance of the research tent.

Wait, It wasn't the usual lab building that she was so used to going to on her previous Pokémon adventures? Perhaps the devs decided to mix things up every once in a while which, she didn't mind in the slightest. It had been years since she had touched a Pokémon game and there was bound to be a lot of things that she wouldn't know about the world and how things worked. Diamond, Pearl and Platinum were the last games that she played after all.

Lucille's gaze was drawn to a silver-haired, tall woman wearing a labcoat, who was sitting behind a desk, shuffling stacks of forms into neat piles, whom she figured was probably the NPC Professor of the Region. Ah, so this would start off like any other Pokémon experience: familiar. It was honestly kind of reassuring that things hadn't changed all that much from years ago, well, except for the number of Pokémon in the Pokédex as well as the updated graphics. It all felt way too real. Which, she supposed was the point of it.

The UI bringing up the name Professor Ash as the woman began to speak, earning a small nod of confirmation from Lucille. Wisps of white hair sweeping across her vision briefly before she raised a hand to brush them back into place. Her attention drifting to the poster that sat against the canvas wall, showing off all 27 starter Pokemon, She could recognize the first four sets of starters for certain, the others however were unfamiliar. But they still had adorable designs which she could appreciate.

The budding trainer moved to take a seat across the desk from the professor, setting her gloved hands in her lap ❝I see, go ahead and ask. I will try my best to answer.❞ Lucille offered up, her voice calm and almost void of emotion. It wasn't that she wasn't excited to be beginning a new chapter, quite the opposite. She just had trouble finding what to say or how to feel sometimes, so she preferred to say little and just listen instead.

Lucille listened intently as Professor Ash took hold of her clipboard and listed off three questions for her to answer. She took a few moments to process and think about how she would respond. Her cerulean orbs flickering this way and that before finally settling to the gloved hands in her lap, idly twiddling her thumbs ❝I don't like lying, in fact, I despise it. Nothing good ever comes of it. It hurts others and it makes situations worse. People who do so are digging a deeper hole by lying. In most situations, it's better to be honest.❞ She replied, shuffling in her seat a bit to find a comfier position. Were chairs always this uncomfortable or was it just how stuffy the atmosphere had been? Lucille exhaled through her nose and cleared her throat briefly before continuing on to the next question.

❝My proudest achievement? I think moving out of my dad's place. Don't get me wrong, he's great, lovely even. I just felt... ready. I wanted my own space and sometimes he can be a little much on the doting. I also had a new job which actually gave me the income to do so. It was a win-win.❞ Luci added, her tone holding a subtle lilt of familial affection towards her father. He had done well to raise a daughter with a physical disability. She couldn't fault him for trying his hardest, even when things were difficult at first when it came to big adjustments, especially in the beginning. The snow-haired woman was proud of herself and her father in many ways. Though Lucille did have difficulty when expressing how she felt a lot of the time, she supposed people did express things in different ways, hers was just... more awkward than most.

And finally, the third question ❝Well, it depends. If it's work-related, usually right away. Friends and family also pretty quickly unless I'm distracted by a video game or some other thing I enjoy, listening to music and making art for example.❞ Lucille answered flatly once more, her expression practically unflinchingly stoic the entire time. Her eyes lifting from her hands to glance at the ashen-haired professor ❝Will those answers be enough for your notes?❞

The snow-haired woman grasped the capsule-shaped orb in her palms gingerly, her eyes studying the name written clearly across the surface of the white tape 'Cyndaquil' Lucille nodded her head softly in appreciation ❝Thank you. I'll take good care of it.❞ She uttered as she rose from her seat and pushed the button in the center of the Pokéball, perhaps it was time she met her new friend and introduced herself. The crimson and silver sphere popping open and releasing a blue light onto the floor that dissipated into the form of a small mouse-like creature.

The fire mouse blinked a few times as it took in the surroundings, shaking off its fur and rubbing its small stubby paws against its face as if to prune itself before pausing as Lucille moved to squat down closer to the Cyndaquil's height, extending out a gloved hand towards her newfound companion ❝Hello.❞ Lucille began as she observed her new Pokémon. The Cyndaquils' snout wriggled briefly, face scrunching up before it let out a loud <Aaaacchoooo!> A few embers shooting out onto the floor below as the fire on its back crackled to life suddenly. Lucille withdrawing her hand quickly in surprise and practically leaping to her feet to stomp out the embers with her boots before they managed to ignite and start a fire in the research tent. That wouldn't have been a good way to make an impression as a trainer. Nor stay on Professor Ash's good side. Thankfully the embers had only left a few scorch marks against the surface of the floor. Which hopefully Ash wouldn't notice... maybe.

Perhaps it would be best if they left before she had the chance to notice such a thing. There wasn't any rush to get to know or name her new partner after all. The duo could take their time with that. Lucille quietly scooped up the sniffly Cyndaquil, who tilted its head at the warmth of its trainers' form. The ashen-haired woman adjusting her hold on the fire-mouse for a moment to put the Pokéball away on her belt before making a move for the entrance to the tent. Pausing briefly and turning to wave her good-byes to the Professor.