Meeting the Professor

Ashley tucked her book, The Guide to Kanto, a gift from Tim into her bag and hoisting it up onto her shoulder. Charcoal rested on her other shoulder, snuggling down by her neck. Ashley chuckled lightly and scurried back into the house, calling out to Tim “Tim! Are you ready to go?” The man appeared at the bottom of the stairs, dressed in a suit that was required to be worn for his work.
“Geez kiddo, do you have to make me even more jealous?” he joked, Ashley grinned again, giggling. She darted under his arm as he reached out to ruffle her hair, saying
“Come on already or we’ll be late!” Tim smiled gently, Ashley’s mother, Jane stumbling down the stairs. Her hair was tied in a bun and she was in a skirt and blouse. She owned and ran a flower shop with the help of her Rosearade. Jane smiled tiredly at him
“I’ve never seen her so...excited.” Jane murmured to him while in passing by him, giving him a peck on the cheek.
“Mm, she definitely should be. I don’t think you couldn’t be excited about starting your journey; it wouldn’t be normal.” He hugged her, burrowing his face in her hair and breathing deeply, tickling her. Jane laughed, pushing him off her.
“You promised to take her part way there remember?” She shot to him, straightening her blouse. She knew that her daughter was bouncing up and down at the front door, impatient to leave.
“I know I promised but I’m sure Professor Melody’s lab open all day? Can’t you take the morning off and spend with Ash?” but Jane was shaking her head before he had finished.
“You know I can’t Tim,” She sighed heavily. “You know I’d love to do that but I want to get ahead of the bills and the mortgage first before I even think of doing half days.” Tim studied her, concerned. Dark bags were curling under her eyes, bloodshot veins winding around the whites.
“Jane...” He started but Jane pushed him slightly
“Go, I’ll be fine.” She assured him, reaching for her coffee mug and placing it under the coffee machine turning it on. “She’s waiting Tim.” She added with more urgency and firmness in her voice. Tim gave in, kissing her on her crown and slowly walking out the door. Ashley nearly pounced on him when he stepped out.
“Ready?” She twirled around, ready to race off to the lab-and flatly fell face first onto the ground. “Ashley!” Tim rushed over to her side, bending over her. “Are you ok? Are you hurt?” Worry filtered through his voice, as if he was her father. Ashley hobbled up onto her feet, her face scrunched up in pain and tears wobbling in her eyes, ready to fall at the drop of a pin. A small scrape on her cheek was the cause of the pain, bleeding lightly. “Aw it’s not that bad is it?” He chuckled weakly, taking out his handkerchief and dabbing the blood off. “Does it hurt badly? If it does, we can wait a little longer...” Suddenly, the tears disappeared and the eyes they had threatened to fall from brightened.
“No! No! It stings only a little!” Tim held up his hand in defence and smiled gingerly.
“Alright then, do you have a bandaid in your bag?” Ashley smiled brightly and hurriedly took out a small first aid kit, taking out a bandaid and letting Tim press it onto her face. “Better?” Ashley nodded, the bandaid standing out on her pale skin. “Good now, how about I race you to the corner?” Ashley took off towards the corner of her small street, Tim only steps behind.
~*~
Ashley bit her lip nervously as she stood outside Professor Melody’s lab, tentatively reaching out and knocking on the door, softly at first but a little harder after she waited a minute. Ashley pondered whether to open the door herself but pulled herself back, saying to herself this was also the professor’s home and it would be rude to charge in uninvited. So she decided to wait patiently for someone to open the door.

The door to the Lab finally opened. Standing inside was a tall woman with long blonde hair and blue eyes. She wore a white lab coat and a sensible skirt. She had a clipboard in her hand and a smile on her face.
"Hello I'm Professor Melody," the woman said. "I assume your here for your starter kit. Do you already have a Pokémon?"