It was the Principles of Ecology class' first outing of the semester. They weren't going far from campus - really just out of the gates and into the urban spawl that was Slateport City.

Although not one of the courses he taught, a colleague had asked for his help chaperoning the class and Gideon saw no reason to refuse. If anything, it was a good opportunity to stretch his legs outside of the lab and to get to know some of his own students among those gathered today.

As always, he sported a fitted harness attached to his professional-grade camera and set of binoculars. Floating beside the professor was one of his VIVILLON, CRISPR, a butterfly with a unique coloration that had been developed in Gideon's lab several years ago during the course of a project investigating the genetics of VIVILLONs' many morphs.

Today's excursion involved documenting what sorts of species inhabited highly industrialized spaces. Students were asked to explore themes such as potential human/Pokémon conflict and Pokémon adaptations to urban settings (physical or behavioral) as they took notes within their field journals.

CJ Mizikar
[normal/bug/fairy]

☉

A BELLSPROUT waddled from the underbrush. Gideon acknowledged the Grass-type, categorized it as a common species to find in this particular ecoregion, but didn't interact with it further beyond snapping a quick photograph. Besides, Gunner Graves had plans for the pitcher plant-esque Pokémon anyway.

"Thank you," Gideon replied, matching Gunner's wide smile with a closed one of his own. Although not normally very expressive, the professor's eyes betrayed a spark of pride and satisfaction.

"About two months now? It's been a bit of a whirlwind." That was an extreme understatement. But, as Gideon had always been prone to do, he piled his plate to nearly insurmountable heights.

"I've had to cut back some of my hours at the university to accommodate my new responsibilities, though."

Almost as soon as the words left his lips a glimpse of something red caught the professor's attention. A LARVESTA, munching on the leaves of a small understory tree. Gideon stilled for a moment before bringing his camera up to his eye.

"These aren't that common..." He muttered to himself as the shutter continuously clicked. Eventually he'd bring the camera down and browse the main screen for confirmation that he'd captured at least a few worthwhile images.

Content with his work, Gideon then released one of his VIVILLON - his favorite, actually, with a morph he'd produced himself through genetic modification. CRISPR, as the butterfly was called, knew the drill. He floated languidly toward the LARVESTA, strategically releasing SLEEP POWDER spores atop the larvae until it fell into a deep slumber.

A light volley of a Poké Ball would cinch the capture.

catching LARVESTA ♡
Gunner Graves
[poison/bug/grass]
outfit check

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GIDEON GRAVES

researcher • professor • museum director

dr. gideon graves is an adjunct professor in the department of organismic and evolutionary biology at slateport university. recently, he was also appointed as executive director of the national museum of natural history in slateport city. he maintains research laboratories at both institutions, where he focuses on projects involving virology and disease-causing organisms, evolutionary genetics and genomics, and pokémon phylogeny (with an emphasis on regional variations).

at a cost to his personal life, gideon has prioritized his career above all else. in the past, this hyper-focus lead to the dissolution of his marriage and estrangement from friends and loved ones. he's actively trying to mend these strained relationships and adjust to a healthier work-life balance, but old habits die hard.

PLOT HOOKS

feel free to post here or DM me (dove) on discord! ♡

SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY || gideon is looking to foster connections with his fellow academics, whether these be new or pre-established relationships. he has academic ties to hoenn, galar, alola, and paldea. his areas of research include viral evolution, regional variations, evolutionary genomics, and functional genetics, although i'm open to him networking with scientists from various disciplines!

RESEARCH & EXPERIMENTATION || out of all his responsibilities, gideon's main focus and academic passion revolves around his research. if you're interested in doing science-oriented threads, feel free to reach out and we can work out the details!

ARTIFACT ACQUISITIONS || the national museum of natural history is well known for it's expertly curated exhibits. for both research and display purposes, the museum - and gideon by extension - is always on the market for new artifacts/specimens/objects of scientific significance/etc. this plot would be applicable to adventurer/contractor characters or those looking to branch out and explore the region!

BIG BUSINESS || have you ever wanted to rent out a museum for your company party? charity event? [insert special occasion here]? what about establishing your career in a fun, educational setting, whether that be as a docent, curator, researcher, and beyond? look no further! director graves is always open to talking business.

BUG BRAIN || one of gideon's pride and joys is the natural history museum's INSECTARIUM, a large, multi-biome atrium where guests can walk through and view live insect pokémon. in particular, gideon is interested in obtaining all VIVILLON forms, but also bug-types in general to keep on display. i'm always up for threading a DW in a bug-type route!

FOUNT OF KNOWLEDGE || gideon is currently accepting lab assistants as well as graduate and postdoctoral students interested in working under him in his laboratory. ideal candidates will have a strong background in the biological sciences with specializations in evolutionary biology, genetics, microbiology (focusing on disease-transmitting organisms), or similar fields.

THE NEXT GENERATION || as an adjunct professor at slateport university, i would love for gideon to interact with his students, whether it be inside or outside of the classroom! if your character is interested in enrolling in or auditing one of his classes, he currently offers these courses on rotation by semester:

UNDERGRADUATE

FALL • genes and development
FALL • evolutionary genetics
SPRING • evolutionary systems biology
SPRING • phylogenetic biology
SUMMER • virus discovery & evolution lab
SUMMER • ecology and evolution of infectious disease


GRADUATE

FALL • evolutionary genomics
FALL • comparative genomics
SPRING • speciation & adaptation genomics
SPRING • biology of insect disease vectors

ALCOHOL SNOB || during rare moments of free time, gideon can sometimes be found at bars and public houses around the region. he is a notorious alcohol snob and loves learning about the history of liquors/cocktails. come have a drink with him!

BACK TO NATURE || although he spends much of his time indoors within the museum, university, or laboratory, gideon enjoys getting outside when he can. he does do field work on occasion, but also hikes around remote areas in the region just for the fun of it. you'll find him with his professional-grade camera and binoculars, on the lookout for interesting pokémon and natural phenomena. maybe he bumps into your character on the trail or they plan an outing together!

They'd decided on an early morning trek, at Gideon's suggestion. Just around sunrise, when the sun's rays blossomed cool pink and orange tones onto the horizon. And, of course, when most avian Pokémon were active, along with other matutinal species.

While Gunner Graves took a more casual approach to the hike, Gideon himself wore gear typically associated with the hobby: waterproof boots, convertible cargo pants, a light shirt and vest combo, and a small backpack with necessary provisions. Additionally, the professor also sported a harness for his professional-grade binoculars and digital camera (essentials every nature nerd needed for their trips outdoors).

His PIDGEY, Poppy, perched squarely on his broad shoulder, cooing softly as they hiked.

"You know me, I like to stay busy." Gideon responded, although his attentions were on a cluster of nearby shrubs. Rustling of the leaves indicated that some understory species may be hiding within.

"Did I tell you I was appointed Director of the Natural History Museum in Slateport?" It truly had been quite awhile since the brothers had reconnected. Gideon couldn't clearly recall if he'd shared the big news with Gunner yet.

Gunner Graves
[poison/bug/grass]
outfit check

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