An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
It's time to talk about our dear Prof. Stretch!
Stretch
Species: Monster
Age: 21 when you meet Blue. 23 when he takes over the lab. 27 when Papyrus arrives at his laboratory.
Profession: Pokemon researcher specialized in Pokesans. Responsible for the Swapville laboratory.
Initial Pokemon: Blue
Other Pokemons: Sans (originally from Papyrus), Cherry (Originally Red), Geno (is in his care), Lust (captured to be handed over to a Coordinator), Berry and Edgy and other wild pokemons he takes care of.
“Welcome to the Beginner’s Guide for Master Pokesans. I’m Prof. Stretch and I will be your instructor in this fascinating world.”
Stretch has always loved pokemon since he was a child. As most young people dreamed of being a coach, but because of a lecture by the renowned Dr. Gaster, a genius among researchers, he soon realizes his vocation was to study them and not train them.
He then applies himself to studies and moves on to a renowned college specializing in training researchers. It is in college that he meets his best friend Dynne, a Fish Monster who is on the same course as him.
He decides to specialize in pokesans (being a skeleton has more affinity with them) and as soon as he graduates he goes on a research trip with Dynne.
They choose a forest known for its wide variety of pokemons as a starting point for research and before long they are approached by an energetic pokesans Swap.
Stretch is excited, but the pokesans soon lose interest in them and disappear, but not for long. Stretch soon notices that the pokesans are watching them (he tries to be sneaky, but he sucks at it) from afar (sometimes not that far). He's fine with it, as he watches them he watches him back.
In fact he is very happy, after all that is what he graduated from, studying pokesans and the company also makes him feel safer in this great forest (Stretch lived all his life in the city), even though he does nothing to save them from the poisonous pokepastrys or the badly regarded Pokealphys with whom they came across at a given moment.
One day the pokesans approach again and take them to a cave. He and Dynne discuss the pros and cons of entering (they only have a Escape Roupe and the last of their Repel was spent to pass the pokepastrys nest), but since they are being invited by the pokesans (and the Swap are well known for not being the type who play tricks) they decide to follow him.
The place is a scientific find! It's covered in magic crystals and could be a cave with more magical crystals since Cave Temm. Dynne is terribly excited and despite her own excitement about the discovery, Stretch is happier with the pokesans' rapprochement than with crystals. It is a pity that they were not the first Monsters to find the place. An unknown Monster was tearing the crystals out of the cave without any care.
Outraged by the damage, they try to stop him, only for the Monster to throw his Pokémon at them.
The pokemons start to fight and although the little one doesn't have much technique, he has power. Stretch tries to give some advice and warnings in the middle of the fight (he may not be a coach, but he had watched hours and hours of tournament broadcasts in his childhood). It looks like they can win, and the other Monster also notices this and uses a mysterious artifact to strengthen the pokemon.
Whatever it is ends up with the Pokémon attacking its own master, who runs away. He convinces Dynne to go out for help while staying to help the pokesans.
He tries to convince him to abandon the fight, but the little one is determined to stop his opponent. To protect him from a serious attack, Stretch ends up launching himself on the pokesans and ends up unconscious, only waking up already in the hospital, where he is informed by a tearful Dynne that the moody Pokealphys in the forest had saved them.
Dynne tells of her plans to stay in the forest and study the cave. At least that was the reason she had given it, and Stretch may not have seen what happened there in the end, but he could see that a connection had been established between Pokealphys and Dynne.
He's happy for his friend, but he can't stay. He has to continue his research. Hoping that he also managed to reach the young pokesans he decided to take a risk and invited him to travel with him. To his satisfaction, the little one accepts his invitation and enters the pokeball Stretch offers of his own free will.
Stretch names his new friend Blue (not very creative, but the little one liked it so what's the problem?) and cannot contain the almost childlike joy of finally having his own pokemon (one that chose him and not that he was given).
He cannot deny that for much of the trip his “research” consists of his own pokemon.
Thanks to his studies of Blue he is invited to take over a laboratory (since he would never have money like Dynne to set one up) which he accepts immediately (Blue may be happy walking around, but he is more than ready to abandon the sleeping bag, Center beds, or Laboratory sofas).
The place is great, and is reputed to have a good range of pokesans. He realizes that Blue is not very satisfied (by now he has realized that his pokesans have very different aspirations and starts to worry about it).
He takes advantage of having the equipment and time to put into practice an idea that he had a long time ago, and designs an armor for Blue in order to strengthen it. The prototype is simple, but it works well and if everything goes well he can present it to scientists in the future.
A few years pass and as he thrives on his research (and his laziness) he realizes Blue's dissatisfaction.
One day he receives a visit from an Officer who delivers him a damaged pokeball. She was found at an apparent crime scene and as it was closer than the Center she took him to him.
Stretch puts it on some machines to heal the pokemon inside and to prepare a forced opening. In the meantime he is visited by a young skeleton Monster in search of his coaching license.
The young man already has his own pokemon (one less problem), but while Stretch went over the terms of the license with the boy the pokeball is opened releasing an out of control pokesans that begins to destroy the place.
Amid the confusion the boy's pokemon is injured and Blue and Papyrus, the aspiring trainer, unite to stop the uncontrolled pokesans.
Stretch manages to heal Sans, Papyrus's pokemon, who returns to the fight. In the middle of the combat, Sans evolves and manages to pass out the opponent's pokesans.
Stretch is impressed by the trainer who, even young and inexperienced, shows great talent (battles have never been his forte, but he can admire the skill). He also realizes the connection between him and Blue and even though it breaks his soul, he knows it is the best for his pokesans.
He is willing to give one of his pokeagendas (one of the few built by Dr. Gaster himself) and Blue to Papyrus when he is surprised by Sans who decides to stay in the laboratory.
He sees Blue go on his long-awaited training journey with a heavy soul, but certain that their future will be bright. In the meantime he has two new friends to make.
Sans is very calm and suits his personality well and soon the two get along very well. Geno, the uncontrolled pokesans, on the other hand is a source of concern.
The pokemon was irreparably injured, physically and emotionally. He is clearly entering Fall and Stretch feels his soul tighten just thinking about this sad creature turning to dust after having suffered so much.
He does everything to get Geno back or at least keep him as comfortable / happy as possible.
Later, while doing research to help Geno, he ends up rescuing a fire-type pokesans in the middle of a blizzard.
He takes the pokesans who are also in a state of Fall, but there is something blocking the progression of the disease (to the point that the pokesans himself seems to be unaware of his real state).
Fascinated, he takes care of the pokesans while trying to discover his mystery and if it can help Geno (and several other pokemons).
He baptizes Cherry's pokesans (even though he was clearly a trained and abandoned pokemon, and probably should have a name) and soon the little monster becomes his companion, following him like a nervous little shadow for Sans and Geno amusement.
He captures a Classic Class Lustwhich he will hand over as a starter to a young aspiring Coordinator and much later will have his laboratory invaded by 2 electric Bitty pokesans, who will live there.
There are also several pokesans and other wild pokemons that he knows and helps in the Forest including a mysterious ghost Pokémon that has been haunting his lab (or more precisely Geno).
He relies on the help of Papyrus and Pink (the young Coordinator) to collect data on several pokesans while giving them tips on gyms and pokemons.
Lazy and somewhat sloppy with himself, he is very dedicated to his research and the pokemon in his care. He wears a white coat (symbol of pokemon researchers / scholars) over an old orange sweatshirt, beige capri pants and wide-slippers.
Curiosity: As one of the functions of every researcher, Stretch has to prepare and teach classes, one of the functions he detests in his work and has been running away for years until he is forced (as punishment) to record an entire initiation to the world pokesans to be distributed schools and added to the pokedex data.
He did this more than once, because on the first recording he mumbled so much, and put so many smart comments that he was forced to re-record everything a second time (with the threat of doing it again until he reached the standards of the League Committee).
