Professor Josie seems to still be quite tired, as evident on her drooping eyes and the dark and large bags underneath them. Noticing this, the two didn't say anything and instead just tersely answered:
"Good morning again, too, Professor."
Before sitting down, the seats were reserved for them. Seeing that the targets of the briefing had turned the power off on her laptop before closing it by putting its screen down. Now, she can see her front very well.
"Do you two know how to swim?"
At this question, Anthony and Mary looked at each other for a moment before nodding at the same time. It was a no brainer for Anthony as both the current and previous Anthony can swim whilst for Mary, she already wanted to be a trainer since a rather tender age, so she nagged her parents for swimming lessons, which is actually one of the most lucrative business in the Pokemon world as kids who wanted to become trainers always have to take this class, if they wanted to have higher chances of survival in the world of Pokemon as a trainer, they should know how to swim at the very least.
Seeing and already expecting their response, Professor Josie nodded as she pushed her glasses and gave Anthony and Mary one activity sheet each.
"That's good, now through these activity sheets, I will explain to you what you will do to help us in our data collection logistics while also thinking about what research you will do and present to me."
Anthony and Mary looked at the activity sheet, and on top of it, before the blank where they will put their name, is the title of the research that they would be helping with gathering data today: Updated population census of Magikarps in Route 12 after microplastic rerouting. It's a rather complicated-sounding research, but Anthony immediately understood that it's a follow-up research on a previous one or a second part of a multi-part study; however, when she glanced at Mary, he couldn't help but notice that she started to vibrate upwards through her feet.
_If you're a vtuber, you would have been accused of everything other than being jittery because of nervousness..._
Anthony sighed, while Prof. Josie also noticed this and looked at Anthony. While the Professor of the Green Development lab is stoic, Anthony felt like she's rather tempted to laugh at the sight of Mary being afraid of research. However, Prof. Josie toughed it out and continued speaking.
"Don't be afraid, you two, your task is simple, and the research itself is something not as complicated as its first part. All you need to do is capture Magikarps around Route 12, which is near Fuchsia City. You will be given proper attire and guidance by one of the associate researchers inside the satellite labs there. You do know how to handle a Magikarp, right?"
This time, to get Mary out of her chaotic thoughts, Josie looked at her as she directed the question to the jittering lady. This made Mary get out of her state of silent panic as she immediately answered.
"Uh... yes, yes, this is said by Ma'am Mary and Sir Ben: Magikarps know that being inside a Pokeball usually means being valued and taken care of by someone else, something that they have never felt, making them feel inferior compared to their evolution, Gyarados, whom all Magikarps are instinctively striving to become. This also made them have delicate emotions and can be easily attached to someone who has caught them, that's why the method of pretending to throw them away to make them evolve almost has 100% rate of working..."
Josie nodded before again asking:
"Meaning...?"
It seems like she still wanted Mary to answer. Hearing another question, Mary gulped while exhaling a large breath.
"We can't capture our samples using Poké Balls as we can't risk having lots of Gyarados to take care of."
Josie nodded before extending the last words of Mary.
"Yes, that's correct. Also, Gyarados that evolved through such a method and were released afterward are observed to have tendencies of jeopardizing the journey of their former trainer when they saw them around oceans."
Mary nodded while Anthony remained silent and watched as Prof. Josie skillfully calmed down the nerves.
"Ma'am, Hana and Sir Ben didn't say that..."
Josie nodded again.
"Uh-huh, what I said is something I learned from the research colloquium I attended in Hoenn yesterday."
Josie looked at Anthony and flicked her right eyebrow, which made Anthony quite shocked. It seems like Josie knew, or at least had the feeling, that Anthony intended to carry the duo through the whole activity, which is something unforgivable, as group activities are done by a group because they should be done by two people.
Anthony was impressed. Prof. Oak would surely just let things play out. He wondered if Prof. Josie is really trained to teach people or if she just goes with children.
"Well, I guess I don't need any more explanations than since we have two interns who know one of the few trainer to not lost their lives while raising a Gyarados. Before we end this and let you start packing your things, I will entertain your questions."
Anthony immediately raised his hand.
"What topics are acceptable and are considered part of 'green development'?"
Mary nodded at this question, satisfied.
Josie, hearing this, tilted her head a little.
"Well... I don't know... that depends on you and how you angle your research. For example, the fossil lab's research on how microplastics skew carbon dating results can be done here if there is a goal somewhere in the Introduction of the research to be a bridge on creating a new way to carbon date more accurately despite the microplastic contamination among fossils..."
Anthony nodded at this and then asked another question.
"Are awareness type of research also acceptable in this lab, given that it's framed to help develop something to help spread awareness?"
Josie nodded.
"You seem to have searched a lot about research. Your parents are not the biggest fans of this part of their journey. Yes, you can do that, but you have to make sure to have a proposed output to intervene at that level of awareness or something that you have discovered."
After sighing, Josie continued.
"Ah, you can also test the effectiveness of a proposed intervention on their target population, you just have to request the non-profit use of the tool from the author, who are usually inside this lab."
Anthony nodded at this before Mary warily raised her hands too.
"When will we have to pass the tentative titles we formulated?"
Josie looked at Mary before replying:
"Preferably tonight so that I can approve one immediately tomorrow for you two to start, but I suggest tomorrow for you to have a proper rest since the next few days, you will be helping with a different research's data collection."
Anthony and Mary nodded at this before looking at each other once more. Seeing this, Josie spoke once more.
"Alright, now that it seems that both of you don't have any further questions, I will be dismissing all of you now. It's already indicated in your activity sheets, but you will have to catch 5 Magikarps and then create separate lab reports in those activity sheets. The lab reports will be guided by several questions inside the sheets themselves."
After saying as such, Josie stood up while also coaxing Anthony and Mary to do so. The Professor then said, "Good luck."
The two interns nodded and replied with gratitude before going out of the conference room to prepare their lunch because, apparently, the satellite lab on Route 12 doesn't have a cooking staff, so the scientists are the cooks, and the two kids don't want to disturb their peace and quiet. They already said to Prof. Josie to relay such an arrangement to the satellite lab.
The professor then sighed as she pulled down her glasses and rubbed her temples.
"Why do they have to go here when I'm in dire need to rest... It's a good thing that there are only two of them..."
Such complaints are rather common amongst Professors as no one wants anyone disturbing their rest time. Prof. Josie, in specific doesn't had any rest since this morning as she has to prepare a lot of stuff for the accommodation of the interns at the Satellite lab. Data collection is such a crucial part of any research; Josie only has trust in herself to make sure that everything went well.
Of course, this is also something that he has been teaching to her juniors and assistants, that certain matters have to be done by themselves, no matter how much they trust others.
_Ah, I wonder what type of research the Dover kid will come up with. The girl seems to be very nervous... she has to gain confidence from this first paper of hers. Apparently, that girl wanted to be Hana..._
Josie found a problem with that aspiration just from the attitude of the Mary girl alone, though she doesn't have the time to think about it, for she really wanted to rest. In the end, she just locked the door of the conference room, turned up the air conditioner, and slumped her head into her hands that were curled up on the long table's surface.
_______________
In the kitchen area of the green development lab, the only two interns of the lab, Mary and Anthony, are holding a two-layer bento box each while looking at the large selection of food. To respect the Miltank of Anthony, the cooks opted for vegetables and non-beef meat recipes, which is appreciated by Anthony as he smiled using his best effort to lift up his stiff face whilst he put viand after viand and filled up a whole bento box with rice.
He also helped himself with some pickled mangoes, putting them inside a separate sealed container of small size. All this while, Mary was continuously fidgeting and looking at Anthony, whom can't take it anymore.
"Is there something, Mary?"
Anthony questioned, which made Mary jolt in surprise. However, in the end, she knew that she could trust her friend, so she went and said what was on her mind.
"You... you look way too calm... I... I'm envious..."
It seems like even when she's so much calmer than before, she's still quite intimidated by primary research. At this sight, Anthony closed his bento box and once again looked at Mary.
"Let me ask you, Mary, why do you want to be an associate field researcher?"
In this question, Anthony already knew the answer; thus, even though Mary was just frozen in realization, he immediately replied to himself.
"You... should really stop imitating my mom. This job is very hard and something that requires work that's way out of the comfort zone of trainers. You should really find the true reason behind your decision, or just quit ahead of time, because there will never be another Hana or Ben Dover. Even Anthony Dover can't become Hana or Ben, I'm just Anthony."
It was as if thunder had fallen down the kitchen as the whole room became quiet; it was evident that everyone had heard what Anthony just said. However, he doesn't care and will do and say something embarrassing once again if that means curing the obsession of his friend with being a person that she's not.
Wanting to become like the legendary Hana Dover to the point of being a researcher just because Anthony's mom is also a researcher is like a chicken wanting to learn how to bark because it wants to be a dog. While idolizing someone is important in the development of the intent and motivation of people, it becomes harmful if they think that they have to be a carbon copy of someone, because that's impossible.
Mary looked at Anthony's ever-neutral face with shock as she started to consider things that she had never considered before. In the end, she silently packed her own lunch and exited the room, which made Anthony sigh.
_I hope she's professional enough to take criticism well... though I doubt it._
______________
As nothing happened, Antony and Mary carried on their own preparations as they took a bath, put on their lab gowns, and put them in their backpack alongside their lunch, and once again went out of the lab to the docks area where another giant Lapras is present, ready to make them its 'cargo'.
_Ah, right, this journey will graze Fuchsia's shores, though it would be faster as it's nearer to Cinnabar than Pallet..._
As Anthony and Mary awkwardly made themselves comfortable in the Lapras, the assistant professors waved them goodbye to their new journey. And while the two were also waving, they couldn't help but notice something odd as they squinted their eyes and asked themselves.
_Where did Professor Josie go?_