Home to those of superior breeding and noble bearing, the Vermilion Division houses only the wealthy and aristocratic. Carrying on the rich traditions of their ancestors, the students placed in this class see their pride and power tempered and tested in flame. Trainers placed in this division seek to showcase the superiority of their genes, and seek to reach even greater heights. It is here where legends rise... and occasionally fall. When you play with fire, prepared to be burned.
Upon entering the classroom, one may think they took a wrong turn or opened the wrong door. With clean white tile underfoot, the view alone is a perplexing one. Rather than the usual rows of desks that fill most classrooms, this one has a series of counter-tops complete with sink and lower cupboards; each one is two desks wide and placed in symmetrical rows. It all looks rather like a Cooking Class, complete with the smell of flour and warmth of the oven, despite neither being present. The only cue this might be the right place are the rich mahogany furnishings around the room. Bookshelves, cupboards, and a large desk complete with velvet lined chair. Flickering candles give the room a peculiar mix of fine dining versus home economics. Hopefully, the Professor will be able to explain this bizarre atmosphere...
Posted: Sun Jan 22, 2017 3:37 pm
Classroom Professor: [Current] Apollo Demitrius Lux
Though placed in charge of the Vermilion Division, Apollo Demitrius Lux is a Chef first, and a Professor second. A purist and follower of traditional practices, Professor Lux believes in cooking only with heat or flame provided by a Fire-Type Pokemon. Likewise, he uses only the freshest ingredients whenever possible. Believing that the rules of the culinary arts apply to more than just food, the Professor has sworn to cut away the gristle from his students, tenderizing, and seasoning them, before placing them upon the fire just long enough to give them that delectable combination of skills that makes the Vermilion Division magnificent! Of course a few morsels might come out a bit too charred, but such are the risks.
Onyxia walked into her class room. Her Litleo, Ordo, walking beside her. The girl was in a black jacket, white shirt, urban camouflage pants, and black combat boots fully laced. She looked at the Classroom, she found it all strange but she didn't care. When she saw an older person she waved. "Hello Professor. Onyxia Skirata reporting for class. Oh and Litleo Ordo Skirata is reporting as well." Ordo raised himself with pride, which Onyxia laughed a little. "Assigned seating or sit wherever?"
Onyxia would find that her introductions sadly fell on deaf ears....well not deaf, but blocked. The Professor as it happened was wearing a pair of bright orange earplugs. To block the screaming of course...well, muffle it anyway. A perfectly cleaned cutting board lay upon his desk, and atop of that was a Bounsweet. Knife in hand, the Professor would begin cutting it into fine slices, the sound of the blade against the board mingling with it's cries of anguish. The Pokemon was still very much alive during all this....to preserve freshness of course! Few thing were as important as the "freshness" of ingredients.
Once done the man would turn to his immediate right, brushing the sweet delicious slices of bounsweet into a sizzling pan filled with items prepared beforehand. The source of the heat was, of course, the front most hump of a Camerupt. "Make sure to keep the temperature low Cheese, I need this to simmer for twenty minutes before adding the sauce."
">Hon hon! Omlette du Fromage!<" Came as the Fire-types response. Utter gibberish, but it was best generally best not to call a six foot high flaming camel on such things.
Turning away from his work, the Professor would remove the plugs from his ears, and at last notice the arrival of his charge. "Oh, well hell there. I am Professor and Chef, Apollo Demitrius Lux....and you are?" He asked, gesturing to the girl. It would seem he had indeed completely missed the student's attempt at an introduction.
Onyxia watched her teacher cook. It was rather amazing to see. Ordo ran around the legs of the Camerupt. >Hello!< Onyxia looking at her Professor some more as the realization came. "Oh my gosh! I recognize you now. You were on TV once right? You had a whole cooking show." When she was asked who he was she nodded some more. "I am Onyxia Skirata. The Litleo running around in excitement is Ordo." She bent over and lifted Ordo up so he didn't get himself hurt. >Hi there, I'm Ordo.< She smiled and gave a small nod. "It is an honor to have such an amazing Chef to teach me. Any chance we'll cook?"
Apollo arched a brow at his student. What a surprise. So few people remembered his cooking show. It lasted exactly one season before being cancelled due to so called 'excessive violence' and 'cruelty to Pokemon'. Stupid parental and animal groups. Did they not understand the virtue of the freshest foods? The skill it took to descale a Magikarp while it was still flopping about on the cutting board!? Ah but he was getting distracted; besides what was more surprising was...
"Cooking you say? Well aren't you a rarity!" He exclaimed with a bit of a smile. It wasn't exactly common that the well-to-do students of the Vermilion Division ever wanted to learn how to perform the tasks their household staff usually took care of. "Perhaps we can find time for a lesson later" He began, untying the back of his apron as he proceeded towards the cupboard at the back of the class "First we have Academy Business to attend to." Nodding fainting, the tall blond would hang his apron on a hook, open the doors of the cupboard, and begin gathering items from within.
"Your first assignment as a member of the Vermilion Division is something of a rescue mission" He stated, taking a few things off the lower shelf of the cupboard "You see the Organization got it in there heads to build a special resort for the upper echelon to unwind and relax. Somewhere remote and completely under our control; but nothing is ever completely under someone's control. Man can't beat nature no matter how we try" As he spoke, it was clear that last sentence was meant to be important. "Anyway, during the evacuation some of the workers and staff ran deeper into the island and got lost. Your primary mission is to go there and rescue one of these poor unfortunate souls. Your secondary mission, though it is just as important, is to round out your dish a a little...that is to say your team." The Professor closed the doors of the cupboard at this point, turning as he folded the top of a brown paper bag "While on the Resort Island I want you to capture at least 1 other Pokemon to add to your team."
Striding down the aisles between counters, the teacher would thrust out the bag towards the girl "To that end I've prepared some supplies for you...and some lunch. A good diet is key to growing stronger!" The Chef announced proudly. From there he'd gesture to the door"Once you leave this room go to the Pokemon Center. Outside and around back of that building you'll find the Helipad. We used to use boats, but due to the....issues...on the island we've had to resort to air lifting students in.You'll be dropped off at high ground and have to work your way down from there." Stepping around the girl, Apollo would walk towards his Camerupt to check the progress of his dish "Inside the bag you'll find two items you're probably not familiar with. One is a small metal disk with a green pad on it. It's a homing beacon. When you find the worker give them the disk and press the button in the middle. Someone will....retrieve them...promptly" He said, looking to the ceiling and rolling his wrist in an odd gesture "You'll also find a set of flares. When you want to get off the island return to *high ground* and set them off to signal the Helicopter. Don't waste them or you WILL be stranded on the island and have to find your own way off."
Retrieving his apron once more, the Chef would return to his desk in order to work on the next part of his dish "Goodluck, and try not to die."
Onyxia nodded as she listened to her Professor. As the paper bag was handed to her she nodded some more. "Roger that sir. I will be off immediately." She was given a mission already, which meant it was time to get serious. She looked to Ordo. "Pokeball or walk Ordo but we need to go." She watched Ordo give a nod, she wished she could understand more than just that. "Thank you for lunch." She gave a nod and slight bow before turning on her heels. "Come Ordo, we got a person to find." With that her and her partner in crime walked out to the helipad, which she got lost once on locating it. Eventually she made it there. Climbing in her and Ordo took off to find the missing resort Staff.
They had told Trafalgar he would be coming to class, however he arrived at the kitchen. "Great. Boy, am I starving after today. I wonder if...there's anything to eat here?" He murmured to his partner, Trust. The class certainly was quite a spectacle to see. He didn't know what to make of it, but the aroma was delicious. Again, he wondered what someone was cooking up in here. Likely, something fancy. "Well. Student, Trafalgar Vince Olympius X reporting in." He announced with a slim awkward smile as he hoped for a response.
Trafalgar might have been enjoying the smell, but could he say the same about the sight? Standing on a short wooden stool next to a Camerupt, the boy would witness a blond man slowly hand-cranking a rotisserie. Turning upon the spit itself was a live Tepig, decked out in slices of Pinap Berry and rings of flowers collected from Comfey. Squeaking weakly, the Tepig had clearly been there for hours given the darkened hue of it's fur. "Alolan Style Tepig" The man explained "It's natural resistance to fire and heat make it ideal for slow roasting. Keeps the meet nice and juicy!" Clapping his hands together, the man would step down to the stool, gesturing to his right. Strangely the hand-crack would keep turning long after he'd left go, occasionally giving off a few sparks. "Keep the heat even please Cheese" He said, bending forward slightly and looking at the Camerupt. ">Wee Wee! Baguette!<" The Fire-type proclaimed. "No, no more bread" The man stated, then turned the boy who'd only be able to understand half that conversation.
"So you're one of my new students eh? Bit old to just be starting your journey don't you think?" The man remarked, raising a brow at the youth. A moment later however the Chef would shrug "But I suppose like fine cheese and wine, some things need to be properly aged before they're ready." Following this the blond man would take a step back, giving a proper bow for one of his superior station "I am Chef and Professor, Apollo Demetrius Lux. Charmed I'm sure."
Rubbing his hands together, the Chef would proceed to the back of the classroom "While I like to take my time with a recipe, some ingredients need to be prepared quickly while fresh. You dear boy, are one such ingredient!" Opening the cupboard at the back of the room the man would begin his explanation "Your first assignment as a member of this academy is rescue mission of sorts" He said, sifting through the contents of the cupboard "The thing is that the Organization decided to build a Resort. Someplace for the bigwigs and up-and-coming aces to relax after particularly difficult or traumatic missions. It was built well within the realm of our control....nature didn't agree. Needless to say there was an evacuation. Sadly during which several of the workers got lost. Your mission will be to retrieve one of these poor souls, alive preferably" Rising from the cupboard he'd close it's doors "That isn't your only assignment however. While on the island you must also capture at least one additional Pokemon to round out your team."
Following this statement the blond Chef would stride back to the front of the room and present Trafalgar with a paperbag "Of course we'll be providing you with some supplies. At least for this mission." Pausing for a moment, Apollo would wait for his student to digest this information before continuing. An upset mind was almost as an upset belly. "Inside the bag you'll find some fairly standard supplies; but you'll also find two things you are likely not familiar with. The first is a small metal disc topped with green. This is a Homing Beacon. When you find one of the workers give them this and press the button in the middle. They'll be immediately whisked back to the Academy" He waved a hand through the air to indicate the whisking "You'll also find a Signal Flare. Now this is VERY important. You see due to the....tricky nature...of the situation we're only able to airlift you to the island housing the resort, and only if we drop you off on high ground. When you want to leave you'll need to use this Flare in the same spot you were dropped to signal the Helicopter for pickup. Waste it, and you're on your own for getting off the island" Stating this with a very serious look in his eyes and a crease in his brow, the Chef would then gesture to the door "To reach the Helipad you'll need to go to the Pokemon Center. You'll find it around the back of the building."
Trafalgar had to admit, seeing a live Tepig being roasted in front of him was not a sight he could see everyday. He preferred his meat to be dead when cooked. It left a sort of bad taste in his mouth, but nonetheless, this man, his professor, was very gracious and charming. He definitely saw the appeal behind his current dish. Trafalgar's prior thought of a fancy meal...was correct, however Trafalgar wasn't feeling that hungry anymore.
He nodded at the Professor's fine wine and cheese comment. He knew that he would be older than most of the student's at the academy, however, that certainly wasn't a disadvantage in certain regards. "Professor Apollo Demetrius Lux, huh? Nice to meet you. I'm Trafalgar Vince Olympius X." Trafalgar offered a gentle smile. He reintroduced himself again just in case his earlier introduction had gone misheard.
Trafalgar listened intently as the professor scrambled through the cupboard. Two missions: Rescue a lost worker, and catch a new Pokemon. The task seemed simple enough, but he also found himself anxious as he took in the information about this supposed Resort.
"Thank you for the items and gear. I'm sure it'll prove very useful. I'll be careful with the flare as well." Trafalgar answered. He didn't see much more reason to stay in the classroom as he had received his task and was being gestured out of the room. "Well, I'll see you in a little bit, then? Trafalgar couldn't help but grin, as he said that. He was sure the mission would take more than "a little bit"...however, those words filled him with hope and excitement.
Not more than a couple of minutes passed before a second student entered, his cutiefly companion announcing their presence with the perpetual buzzing sound of his little wings trying to keep up with his trainer. Altair was, for once, leaving his face unobscured; his wide brimmed witch's hat hung from his neck and accented him instead. First impressions were important afterall, and the professor was someone he'd be seeing enough times to where hiding would be pointless.
"I am entering, pardon me- would you happen to be Professor Lux?" he remarked when he saw the blonde."Excuse my manners, I should have introduced myself first. I, the witch Altair, am your student. Pleased to make your acquaintance."
Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2017 9:47 pm
Nim opened the door carefully; she had no idea what schedule her professor was on, and she didn't want to interrupt anything. Her experience with the Mimikult, as she and a few of the other kids on the commune had derisively nicknamed the place, had lead her to believe that most people in power were very, very set on time and place. She hadn't been given a schedule, which was in itself odd; there were timetables everywhere back home, and she hadn't seen a single one since she'd been here.
But another student had entered before her, and was commanding the teacher's attention. Nim barely swallowed her urge to turn tail and stand in the hallway. Instead, she stood a few feet back, hand on the doorknob, ready to pull and leave if someone noticed her. This "Professor Lux", if she'd heard the prettier student right, was probably a busy man, and it definitely wouldn't be a good idea to get on his bad side.
Eins, meanwhile, had no such sense of decorum. Taking advantage of her trainer's nerves, she'd skitter past Nim to get a better look at the kitchen.
Indeed the more astute of the students was correct, Chef Lux was a busy man...of a sort. Standing back at his desk slash prep-station, the blond haired food-aficionado was, by hand, ripping off the mandibles of live Grubbin before dipping them in a vat of boiling chocolate. He'd wait a moment of course for them to stop squirming, they needed a nice even coating, before placing them on a sheet of wax paper to cool. They'd be gooey and delicious once they were ready!
Once he was done laying out a tray of six Grubbin equally spaced apart, the Chef would begin wiping his hands off on a wet towel and look to his charges. "My, two students at once! This is certainly a first" He smiled warmly as an oven used to bake cookies "I am indeed Chef and Professor, Apollo Demetrius Lux. A pleasure to make your acquaintance" He said, making a point to look at both of his students directly.
"Now why don't we get down to dishes? Best to get to work while the pan is hot! Makes things nice and crispy" The man proclaimed as he headed to the back of the class "And we wouldn't want you to fall behind your classmates would we?" He added with a wink. Once the cupboard was open he'd begin to explain just what he was getting at...
"You see some time ago the leaders of the Organization decided to build a Resort for their personal use....and anyone else deserving the 'attention' of course. The problem as it were is that, while they control most of the world, they do not control the world itself. Nature is a fickle, albeit delicious thing you see" Apollo said as he shuffled through the cupboard, occasionally looking over his shoulder to make certain that his students were listening...and that none of the Grubbin were trying to squirm off the pan. "Now during the evacuation some of the workers building the Resort got....lost. Your job is to go out there and find one of them and make sure they get back to the Academy. While you're there I also want you to capture at least ONE more Pokemon to add to your team" Standing up and closing the cupboard door, the man would proceed down the aisles of desks with two paper bags "To both these ends I shall provide you with some supplies." Drawing closer, the Professor would hold out the bags to his students "Contained inside are some fairly basic items, but most important are two you may not be familiar with. One is a metal disc with a green coating. This is a Homing beacon. Give it to the Worker when you find them, hit the Button, and they'll be returned here to the Academy" The Chef would pause a moment to make sure they understood "You will also find a Signal Flare. This is VERY important. You see due to the nature of the...problems...at the Resort, the only way on or off the Island is by air. You'll need to use the Flare from high ground, the place they drop you off will work for this, in order to signal your ride home" Again Apollo would pause, looking between his students before continuing "To reach the island you'll need to go down to the Pokemon Center. Outside of the building around the back is the Helipad. They'll take you from there." It would seem the explanation was done, and they clearly had permission to leave.
Altair almost seemed a little amused by the events unfolding before him. What an interesting man this was, perhaps he could teach him a thing or two sometime. It was a grotesque display, sure, but that just made the boy more eager to learn the method behind his professors madness. In stark contrast Deneb immediately took shelter on the inside of his trainers coat, his buzzing growing louder as he cowered in fear. Those grubbin! his poor, flightless brothers. What if he was next...cutiefly wasn't a delicacy in these parts, right? Just the thought of it added more frenzy in his buzz. Leaving too soon wouldn't be soon enough right now.
When the remark about two students was made, Altair glanced around the room. Was this a joke...? He didn't see a second- oh, behind him. This girl was almost as invisible as her partner pokemon. Snapping his attention back to the professor, he made sure to pay close attention to his instructions for the items they had been given. This technology was incredibly foreign, but it didn't seem hard to use. Perhaps that was a blessing considering how unlucky he was with more complex forms of mechanical magic. "Understood. Thank you, Professor." was all he had to say before turning around to face the mysterious girl who had appeared earlier.
She seemed anxious. Perhaps she was the unfriendly type too. Not like it meant Altair wouldn't try, but establishing these things helps determine the right approach. He shouldn't come off strongly, for one, or too enthusiastic either. Ah, what a pain, it was like stepping into a mine field. But it was at least worth a shot, wasn't it?
"Would you like to accompany me to the Center?" It was all he could offer her, but he was hoping it was enough to at least give her a good opinion of him.
Nim couldn't help watching the tall blond work meticulously; she'd never seen such food! Water-thin gruel was more the Veiled's style, and she could feel her stomach rumble a bit... she'd need to find food at some point. And it even seemed Pokémon could be useful for something beyond battle! Who knew?
Eins, meanwhile, had squeaked in fear upon seeing the boiled bugsweets. She immediately abandoned her disguise and went totally incorporeal. You can't eat wheat you can't touch!
She managed to keep her mind off her idiot Pokémon and her stomach by listening to the man. This Professor Lux was who she'd be reporting to, and he sounded... well, friendly enough. Didn't seem like he was going to start droning on about deference for elders or self-flagellation, so that was a good sign. Nim listened carefully, wondering exactly why they were sending students to a potentially dangerous island... but eh. The Organization wasn't the most responsible of groups. She wasn't pleased with the instruction to catch another Pokémon; indeed, if the other student hadn't been here, she would have tried to argue against it. But there was no sense in making a scene right now. She'd take the orders, and catch one. Carefully, she tucked the bag under her arm and began to reopen the door...
And was stopped by the other student's voice. She stared for a moment, red eyes wide with surprise. Was he trying to size her up? Get something out of her? They were technically on the same team, but that didn't mean anything; sabotaging another student was a surefire way of making yourself look better. She briefly weighed her options, biting her lip, when--
-- Eins chose to try and find a new friend. Deciding she probably wasn't next on the menu, she'd re-covered clamber over to to the two humans, waving a pair of shadowy extremities. /HI!/ she squeaked up at the striking youth. /Hi! Was there a friend in your coat? It looked buzzy and cute!/ Eins may have been aware of the communication barrier, but it would not stop her.
Apparently, the decision had been made. She needed to at least keep an eye on her manic Pokémon. "A-all right," she stuttered, one hand digging into her other arm tightly. "Sounds fine. I'm, uh... Nim, by the way. And that's Eins. Don't worry, she's generally just... excitable." That sounded vaguely natural, didn't it? And if the other student did anything sketchy, she could always just try to push him out of the helicopter or whatnot.
