#BUT *points to the companions in Alola*

[yanakkie]

Society if Iris and Cilan had continued to travel with Ash into Kalos, Alola, Galar, and beyond

[harmonia-university]

Some history facts with Prof. Elsie!

Hey! The name's Elsie, and I'm a history professor at Harmonia University! I specialize in human history, but I'm pretty passionate about history in general so I guess the Askblog Council came to me with all these questions from you guys, heh heh!

You probably saw me a while ago anonymously answering a few of these questions. But I think I'm brave enough now to show my face to everyone and be an official member of the Blog! I believe these questions were asked a while ago, but now I have the time to answer them so...well I guess I should address them eh?

What can you tell us about humans?

Well I think I've mentioned before, and it's probably obvious just by looking around, but they're nonexistent here! They did exist at one point, we were all living harmoniously together...until some unfortunate circumstances that led to a big war between humans and Pokemon. From then on, humans began to disappear and then just...completely vanished, without any warning.

Was it ever stated how all the humans disappeared? Is it simply an extinction event or more of a supernatural thing?

That's a pretty big topic in today's history research actually! After the war, although the Pokemon won by a landslide, there were still a good amount of humans left. Although the roles shifted a little bit, as before Pokemon were often companions to humans, almost like a pet...but now we were more independent. Living among them as civilians.

The complete disappearance is truly an enigmatic event that is a big debate among experts nowadays! Some associate it with a giant meteor shower - the biggest one seen in history that wiped out humans, as us Pokemon are quite durable. There's also been recounts of a blinding, soul crushing flashing beam of light that wiped them all out. Either way, life was becoming more unsustainable for humans as things evolved to fit Pokemon-kind more...that probably accelerated things. But from how fast it happened and the fact that the event was very poorly documented...there's more reason to believe that someTHING supernatural caused it.

What are your thoughts on humans as a whole? How do you feel about their unfortunate fate?

My family was always very close with humans. I've only heard great things about them, and all the cool stories of how my family, against all odds, won the biggest battles in international leagues and tournaments, all thanks to a trainer that knew how to make a small, weakling species like ours, very strong! I grew up with a very positive outlook on humans, and it makes me really sad that things ended the way they did. Like I said earlier, we wouldn't be here if it weren't for the humans. That's probably what led me down this path, honestly. Haha!

What's the geography of the world like? How has the geography changed since the human times?

The humans were in the midst of restructuring and renaming the regions in the world. To make them more...friendly sounding I guess. Certain areas also wanted to be their own thing...so that's where regions like Unova and Alola come from.

When the humans were wiped out, this was an unfinished project that Pokemonkind were determined to finish. Physically, the world is the same. But how everything is divided is probably different from what you're used to.

The region that Harmonia University is in - Arboria - although one of the biggest regions in the world, remained in one piece, somehow! Our downstairs neighbour got split into a few parts...Unova and Alola, as Ive mentioned, and some of the desert areas became known as the Orre region.

Another example where things are different...the Freyurr region! This was comprised of 3 different regions before - collectively known as Scandinavia. After the human extinction, this region became one with 3 distinct areas with their own language and culture.

What happened to Pokeball technology? It seems like it could be dangerous, but on the other hand it could be useful - especially for transportation! And it's low cost, low space, I'm surprised I haven't seen any evidence of the technology being converted for modern use.

Pokeballs are pretty much nonexistent nowadays, near impossible to get your hands on as a normal civilian! It was one of the biggest things that the Pokemon back then had a gripe about with the humans. Although not completely inhabitable, living in a Pokeball was very unpleasant - it's basically like being put into a very deep slumber, for who knows how long. Not much room to do anything or move around in there. Plus, many humans caught and collected tons of Pokemon with no rhyme or reason - many of them were left abandoned in Pokeballs and PC’s, never being able to see the light of day.

Other than for research and education purposes, Pokeballs have been banned all around the world ever since Pokemon civiliazation was born. We don’t even use them to capture our own ferals.

I've heard rumors that humans had experimented with themselves to turn into Pokemon before, but I'm assuming it's all just a myth. Was there ever a possibility that some of the humans ended up becoming Pokemon due to their experiments?

Pah, I'm pretty sure that was all a hoax. I'm sure humans have tried, but honestly they didn't make any breakthroughs in that front. I don't think human genetics were wired in a way that would even make that possible. They were able to kind of do it with Pokemon due to there being a particular species with properties that could allow it. But humans to Pokemon...nah that'd be a complete rewrite of everything! Or maybe...a really fun dream.

Do the Galar fossil Pokemon exist? How do fossil Pokemon work, are they revived or have they just always been around?

Yep, they do exist. But there's a bit of a catch...all of the fossil-revived species living today were revived during the human era, or are descendants of those that were. We've had to abolish a lot of those fossil revival labs, as newly found fossils would just come out as feral Pokemon with really nowhere to go. Now there are some such Pokemon in captivity, but it's strictly for ethical research purposes!

Anyways, I think that's all the questions that were left over for me! Hope that was informative. Our history isn't pretty but I think it's still really important to learn about it all. Haha! Well, if any of you still have questions, or just want to come chat with me...I'll be available!

[microwave-core]

Red-Hot Paean

Cynthia x Fem! Reader

Cynthia has always been one to praise you whenever she sees fit (which is always), but she can’t seem to hold her tongue when it comes to interviews. At least she’s always willing to indulge you after putting you through such embarrassment.

“So, a little Starly recently told me that you were thinking about taking a vacation to the Alola region. Do you have anything to say about that?” 

“Ah, well, there isn’t much more to say about it other than it’s true. Being champion is my passion, but everyone needs a break now and then. Besides, I’ve been meaning to check out the Battle Tree, and I’ve been sorely missing quality time with my wife.”

“The Battle Tree, huh? I’ve heard that the trainers are quite formidable, especially the battle legends leading the whole operation. I suppose that’s a kind of challenge you won’t find anywhere in Sinnoh!”

“Indeed, it’s been quite some time since an opponent has backed me into a corner. The thrill of battle spurs me on, but exploring the region is also a must. The island challenge feels a bit beneath me at this point, but the beaches are quite alluring, especially with beautiful company.

“And the apparel shops are simply darling. Most of the options are not my kind of style, but I can’t help but want to pick a few things up, anyways… Ah, but my darling beloved, now she would look wonderful in them. Afterall, she looks gorgeous in any and everything she wears.

“But whenever I see any kind of cute clothing, I can’t help but see her in them. Especially outfits for the warmer climates, since I see her in them so rarely with how cold Sinnoh is and all. Alola certainly won’t be the first time I end up purchasing clothing for her on a vacation, but that just leaves what I should get for her this time…”

“Oh yes, I must agree. Alolans are quite fashionable! From adorable to elegant… everything seems to look good. Your wife sure is a lucky woman to have someone such as yourself as a vacationing companion. Is there anything else about this trip you are looking forward to?”

“Besides that… I am looking forward to exploring the ruins. From what I’ve read, there aren’t many mysteries surrounding them, especially in comparison to ruins in other regions, but I don’t think I will be able to keep myself away from them…”

The TV remote clatters to the couch cushion with a soft thud. You're not sure why you keep up with Cynthia’s interviews when they always end with you becoming far too flustered for your own good. This was far from the worst she’s ever gushed before, and yet it still gets you all the same.

And speak of the devil, the moment you lean back into the cushions, the front door creeps open, followed by the gentle clacking of heels, accompanied by less-gentle thuds. She leans over the couch, arms laying over your chest and head perched atop of yours.

“Hello, dear…” She practically purrs. You can’t see her face, but you can hear the sweet smile on her lips from her tone alone. Garchomp sidles up to you, forcing your arm over her flat head in the hope that you would pet her. You mumble out a ‘hello’, yet to overcome your embarrassment.

“What were you watching? I could have sworn I heard the TV on when I was unlocking the door…”

“Your interview from the other day.”

“Oh, you saw it already? I wasn’t expecting to be asked about Alola, but I suppose it was going to come up eventually.”

“I, uh, just caught it, actually and… (Azelf, give me strength) I turned it off after you got off track talking about… me. I know that you think very highly of me but… it gets embarrassing watching you talk like that… especially when Arceus knows how many people are going to see it.”

“Aww, really? And here I thought I managed to tone the gushing down for once.” You know that Cynthia gushes because of how deeply she loves you, which makes your heart pound with both love and embarrassment, but the teasing tone lacing her words allows the embarrassment to outweigh the former.

“Besides, it’s not as if I was lying… I’m looking forward to seeing your adorable self on all sorts of tropical backdrops.” She moves her hands to your face, squishing your cheeks softly. 

“Is it so wrong of me to want everyone to know how much I care about you? I just can’t help myself when I’m so easily reminded of you… “ Her voice wavers from teasing to soft, each word barely above a whisper.

“The fact that I get to call you, someone so beautiful and caring and intelligent, my own… It doesn’t feel real sometimes, that someone as wonderful as you exists, and is willing to stay by my side, no less!”

Her words feel far too much, far too praise-filled, borderline reverent. You place your hands on her own, feeling the heat radiating off your face through her skin. Your body was boiling, yet you couldn’t help but yearn for her warmth, both her body and her words. Yet all too soon, she begins to pull away.

“Well then, how about I get cleaned up and pick us up something to eat? It’s only fair that I treat you to something nice after putting you through so much embarrassment, right?” You can only respond with a feeble nod.

She leans over and gives you a quick peck on the forehead before pulling back completely, presumably going to your bedroom to clean up, leaving you to huddle into yourself (and the Garchomp practically sprawled out across your lap). 

In interviews, Cynthia would always find new ways to embarrass you with her off-track side tangents, and in private, she would always find new ways to set your heart aflame. 

But while her seeming unending love for you would make you beyond flustered, it would always lead to her treating you to whatever your heart desired. She could be teasing, and she was sure as hell embarrassing, but it was certainly worth putting up with once it was all said and done, leaving nothing but the sweet, endearing Cynthia ready to melt your heart away.

[duckapus]

Streamer!Ash AU: Do any of Ash's future companions watch his streams before joining up with him? What about League members (such as Gym Leaders, Elite 4, and Champions)?

The Kanto League Members and Tracey don't watch the streams before meeting him because by that point it's still too early for it to really be popular.

Most of the Johto League members also probably don't watch it yet, but Casey (the baseball girl from a few episodes) apparently watched them from the start and was inspired to stream her own journey.

By Hoenn he's actually gained a pretty big following, plus Lance warned the other Champions ahead of time because holy hell this kid gets into a lot of weird dangerous shit, so we get most League Members at least vaguely recognizing him from now on with a few fans in the mix. Max definitely watches considering he already watched Ash's League matches in canon and May definitely does not considering her canonical complete disinterest in Pokemon Training in her canon debut.

As for his other companions, Cilan and Clemont will at least be vaguely aware since they're Gym Leaders, Serena obviously does Because Serena, not sure for Dawn, Iris, Bonnie or the Alola crew, Goh started watching after the Mewtwo incident Because Mew and Chloe only knows it as "That Show Goh Never Shuts Up About," and Team Plasma tries to keep N from finding out the stream exists but he totally finds it anyway.

[gale-gentlepenguin]

Gale's Rankings: Best Ash Ketchum

Now this sounds like a weird Ranking topic, but with over 20+ years of Pokemon anime to sift through, I can tell you there are some differences.

This Ash:

Is very different than this one:

And not just in animation styles.

So I should go over the rules.

I will be distinguishing each Ash on the Tried and True method. Based on Ash's Hat. For Example, Ash in the Kanto league, Orange Islands, and Johto Ash are all the same Ash, as they have the same hat. But once he goes to Hoenn, Its a different Ash

I will be ranking them based on Personality, Pokemon team, Competence for experience level, Performance and Overall Charm.

In regards to Competence for Experience, I mean how skilled he was shown to be compared to how he is in the region

I will not be including Manga, or spin offs. Purely the anime. Movies will be included if it benefits Ash

This is a personal list and I would love to hear everyone's thoughts.

____________________________________________________________

7. Black & White Ash

This... this ash at his lowest point in my opinion.

Also 2nd lamest companions. Iris was fine but the green haired Connoisseur annoyed me.

This was around the time the anime tried to do a soft reboot/retcon within itself and had Ash still say he is 10, even though he already went through 4 regions.

This Ash isnt a terrible person or anything, but ... he is kind of an idiot in battle. He gives advice and there are times he's mature but he loses battles he has no business losing. His team is also pretty unremarkable in Unova, even with all 3 starters. He never fully evolved any of them, the only Fully Evolved pokemon from Unova being his Krookadile (His best pokemon aside from Pikachu) Leavanny and Unfezent. (Which he switched out HALF THE TIME)

His pikachu also lost to Trip (a bargain bin version of Paul) who JUST GOT his pokemon recently.

But that is nothing compared to his embarrassing performance in the Unova League.

He made it to the great 8 and ended up losing to Cameron. Who if I had describe his incompetence, it would physically hurt me.

This Ash off the bat was not going to win any Leagues. But you would think with his experience he would be better... but he wasnt.

6. Sun and Moon Ash

I hate this iteration of ash... personally dislike him.

This Ash is likely the most immature we've seen ash since Kanto. Most of his maturity is gone in the first half of the season. His battle tactics may not be as bad as the previous ash (With this Ash actually WINNING his league). But its hard to say if most of those wins feel earned. Unlike later entries on this list, this Ash stumbled into incredibly powerful pokemon (two of which are basically legendaries), but to this Ash's credit, his Incineroar and Lyconroc were trained up and earned. I also enjoyed seeing the dynamic of this ash had with his friends in alola, along with the professor. I do think this Ash didnt deserve his Win in the league... mainly because the league was hardly official in terms of rules. It was basically a tournament with half of the people being his friends. But thats me nitpicking. This Ash does show to grow and strategize better than the last Ash, so I will give him props. But thats all I am giving him. Well Okay, Pikachu helped hard carry in this season

5. Journey's Ash

This Ash is... well he is technically the most skilled Ash as he can use all the tricks and did win the Master Class. But I dont get why.

Side note Gou is the worst Companion in the entire series dont @ me I know I am right.

This Ash STUMBLES hard into all his strong pokemon. Gengar, Dragonite, Dracovish. Sir Fetched and Lucario are the only two he needed to help evolve. Also, what is up with that unbalanced Team Composition? Half weak to fairy and dragon, Half weak to ground types. How did Cynthia NOT sweep?

That may have been Nitpicking a bit, but I still stand on the former point, most of his mons were strong at the jump. In Alola, the two legendaries he finds he at least has to evolve. Sure they are legendaries, but still.

I also just found this ash a bit too kidish until the end at the master class tournament.

Now did Ash deserve to be the very best? Yes. Did this iteration of Ash deserve it... Meh. At least it wasnt Unova or Alola Ash.

I do like that this Ash actually remembers his journey and tries to improve on it... though I am still pissed at a LOT of the retcons they did.

It did give us a lot of epic battles and Pikachu's epic clash.

4. Ruby & Sapphire Ash

Now we are at the Ash's I actually enjoy.

This Ash is a more refined yet still Childish Protagonist. He has been around the block and still has his child wonder. Yet he is more brazen and intelligent. He is more strategic compared to his previous iteration and will go into battle's with clever strategies. His team is also fairly balanced, His Sceptile being the star of the show, but his hoenn league team was nothing to sneeze at, His Swellow, Glalie, and Torkoal did work.

His placement in the great 8 in Hoenn showed his improvement and was a solid placement for him at this time. After this we really got to see Ash improve in the Battle Frontier.

Now the Battle Frontier is similar to Ash in the Orange Islands, the main difference though is that this is a more mature ash with some more serious opponents. Ash had a larger arsenal of pokemon and if it wasnt for all the experience he had gained, he likely would never have beaten Brandon and his team of incredibly strong Regis

Ash had his MVP companion Brock, and was accompanied by May and Max. Max being the young curious kid helped let Ash be more mature, while May still being new to pokemon let ash give advice as well as explore new avenues for strategies by watching Contests

Out of All the Ash's I would say he is the ash I look to to show his growth.

3. Original Ash

The Original, The start, the hyper active, comedic Ash that I grew up with.

Ash in the start was a complete noob and was stubborn to a fault. Its funny how he doesnt earn Half his badges through battles at the start. His pokemon usually joined him instead of being caught, and a chunk usually left for other reasons.

This Ash does grow and has the most heart out of all the ash so far. He cares about his pokemon and this is the closest Ash to capturing the magic of a trainer on their first Journey.

During the Orange Islands and Johto he does grow a bit, learning new strategies and showing himself capable of winning. He even bests his rival Gary.

And Of course this Ash had a team of strong mons, Charizard, Pikachu, Heracross, Squirtale, Bulbasaur, Pidgeot, Lapris. and a HERD OF TAUROS! Bayleaf, Quilava, and more.

And of course the OG companions, Misty and Brock. Though tbh I never cared for Misty. She was Mid.

2. Diamond and Pearl Ash

This was VERY hard for me to decide. Ash from Sinnoh is honestly some of the Best Ash I have seen.

We see ash grow and develop a lot more of the iconic strategies and out of the box thinking we know him for. Ash had met his antithesis in Paul and would clash with him only to have one of the best battles in ALL of Pokemon in the great 8!

This Ash had The OG Brock by his side, along with Dawn, who in my personal opinion was a superior coordinator companion to May. I liked May but Dawn managed to vibe with Ash much easier in my opinion.

Ash's team with Gliscor, Torterra, Buisal, Staraptor, Gible and Infernape were a solid team base, and Ash's Pikachu also being a star in its own right

I loved the maturity of this ash, as well as the frustration he felt when being beaten by Paul at every step. He even began questioning his own ability when Paul's cutthroat tactics seemed to show such results. But it was shown through Infernape why Ash was in the right.

This Ash also should have gone farther than top 4, but dude faced DARKRAI AND LATIOS. Not Ash's fault the had to deal with the one trainer with a game shark. It did feel like Tobias was created SOLELY to stop Ash from winning. But even the final's opponent couldnt beat the darkrai while Ash at least did.

Still salty on that.

1. XY Ash

Yes, Kalos Ash is my favorite Ash. Sure Kalos as a region and a game was MID. But Mega evolutions, the battles, the way Ash grew and developed. This Ash was SUCH an improvement from Black and White Ash that it felt like this ash was from Diamond and pearl. It is Ash at his best. His most mature, his most energetic yet not annoying. This Ash is the cool ash that your GF tells you not to worry about.

Serena Clemont and Bonnie were solid compatriots. Bonnie being a better max, and Clemont being the dorky yet fun inventor. While he isnt Brock, he is still a fun character. And of Course, Serena is best girl. She didnt lose her bike to Ash's pikachu, so points. She knew him from the past, the cute crush never felt forced. It also made the times when they argued really hold weight. Ash realized he effed up when Serena was pissed.

Now for the team. Ash earned his OP team. He evolved all his pokemon save for Pikachu and Hawlucha, into the strong powerhouses they became. He was competing against Mega evolutions AND Winning. He and Greninja even bonded so hard he got a unique form. AND THAT THEME FUCKING SLAPPED

His fights in the Kalos league top 4 and final match were INSANE!

His rivalry with Sawyer was interesting, especially with how Sawyer overtook him when he was in a slump only for him to push back hard.

His rivalry with Alain also had some depth that I wish was explored more.

This Ash deserved the Win in Kalos. But even so, his fight with Alain in the final was intense and epic.

It shows how Ash went the POLAR opposite of his Unova iteration, it showed how Ash struggled and grew on the level of Sinnoh, and it showed how he was a leader in his own right. This was Ash at his best.

[silvermeww]

favorite moment with ash/satoshi? :)

Ooh thanks so so much for the ask, you have chosen such a great character ksksksks

The fun thing about Ash (or Satoshi in my rewatch, what a lad) is that there is so much to choose from?? He’s such a goober ever and goes through so many different arcs, some bad and some good but all of them ultimately representing growth, and I love that for him, that in the end it really was all about the journey (and still is, isn’t it?). Well, I took the time to think because honestly my favourite moments has to be his interactions with his friends and his Pokémon, they’re so wholesome and funny and light and really make the journey so much more lived-in, you know?? More wanted, less of a slog, happiness shared with each companion and funny and uplifting all the same.

I guess for now, since it’s always changing for me, is the way Ash handled Litten up to its capture, and especially that ep when Stoutland passed away. It’s so rare for Ash to stay in one place for so long so Alola is already full of amazing scenes for me, scenes where Ash finds new perspectives in familiar places (that isn’t Kanto), and so him taking an interest in Litten from that start and not immediately hunting it down to catch it was already so interesting to me. Because now he doesn’t have to get it on the first try, he doesn’t have to catch it at all, because there is no League and no rush here in Alola. He can be friends with it as it was, wild and free just like him, and even if it would take a while for it to warm up to him it didn’t matter. He had time, for once.

And when Stoutland actually went away and never returned… well, what can I say?? Ash’s patience, his gentle care, his persistence to make sure that Litten was alright and taken care of, that will never stop changing me. It’s the accumulation of all of his experience (looking after baby Pokémon, looking after traumatised Pokémon, caring for sick Pomeon and seeing different ways to care for them… that and so much more). He’s grown, but he’s still the same. Willing to befriend anything no matter the cost, and taking the hits when it’s needed. His moral compass is still as string as ever, but now he knows its time and place. In Alola, he was really taken their ideal of people and Pokémon together by heart, and for once that was the perfect ideal for him. So no wonder he was at his most authentic self there as well, in my opinion at least ^^

ALSO I can do the whole thing for you, especially since I’m bored and wow I’m on a roll, but I will put the rest under a read more just in case heh

First impression

As a person who kept hearing about it, I honestly had no clue about him except that he’s on a journey and had Pokémon idk.

When I was actually first watching the series he was, well, I remember I used the word ‘unlikeable’ for everyone back then at some point in S1 because it really was easy to see everyone’s flaws back then. Ash was loud, wouldn’t take others opposing opinions as well, didn’t understand Pokémon well also (which did inevitably lead to the Charizard problem in the end)… but also had it hard on his side as well. I guess I just saw him as he was, as a 10 year old setting off in the wild—about to meet danger but hey, he’s also just as dangerous just as he was lol.

Impression now

God, as by my rewatch? He’s an absolute menace heh. Actually rewatching S1 really brought about me noticing the emphasis on ‘growing up’ on Ash especially, in Kanto of all places. Then again, it is the place that has guns, the Yakuza and 10 year olds that have to stop them. Growing up and being the Chosen One and being told multiple times to just act in an emergency is a lot for him to handle at the start of his journey, where he just wants to be friends with Pokémon and just saw the League as something to do while he was at it (until Gary came along lol) so now I feel even worse for him. But knowing how it ends, I know he’s going to get great friends, amazing teams, and achieve a big part of his dream with so many people by his side so I can’t be sad for too long. Also him copying Brock mannerisms when he’s not around and teaching other people some of the things he has learnt so far is so nice, really changes the perspective of him so early on in S1. For now I’m just waiting for him to get enough braincells in the Orange Islands to learn how to strategise :p

Idea for a story

You’re asking the fanfic writer lol… Well I have so many, and they don’t all come from my XY au heh. If I had to be original and choose one that I didn’t already post, I would say a story based on the massive net of friends, rivals and in between he has and their communications and connections with each other. Like Internet forums, friends-of-friends, meeting each other while passing by, talking about Ash and overhearing… yeah it’s not strictly Ash-focused but seeing his effect on everyone like those extra eps that were present like Chronicles for Johto, and post DP and BW (XY would’ve been peak if we had Serena meet Iris PLEASE!!!!) was so amazing for me. Ash is an instigator, and, well, to know him is to survive him though silliness and whimsy (or Sheer Force, an ability that—). Either way, fun times and something that I should do fr.

Unpopular opinion

I mean, what’s there to say that hasn’t already been said?? I guess something that maybe not a lot of people have said (to my knowledge) is that the Hoenn League was probably one of the worst leagues to me, honestly. If it wasn’t for Morrison (great guy, love the next recantation of King Kai in my Pokémon Advanced) it would be been downright unmemorable to me. I don’t care about Meowth in Boots guy, he barely brought anything to the table as a last minutes addition. At least Ritchie taught Ash to idk be ready instead of relying on luck, and the Johto guy taught him that there are always other places with other people to battle, and Sinnoh guy taught him that there is always someone stronger, no matter what. Cameron was just a roadblock so I don’t have to worry about him (and Eevee guy COULD’VE been promotion for Sylveon if they weren’t cowards and gave me a proper friendship evo fights), and I got an essay as to why Alain needed to knock Ash down on his butt in Kalos. But Meowth in Boots guy?? Nothing. I guess I could reach and say something about being cocky but Ash mostly mellowed out by then. Idk it just wasn’t as OG as OG, as rewarding as Ash vs Gary in Johto, or nail-biting like in Sinnoh, or funny as in Unova, or as painfully quick at the start like Kalos. Which is sad because Hoenn was a great region but with the change of VA and everything along with a new format (having a deuteragonist and new villain teams), I can’t really blame the League as much. Would’ve helped if there was setup for once, but I get the need to make him lose the only way he’s gotta. By last minute additions lol.

Favorite relationship

Him and everyone as friends <333 But seriously, Ash is the kind of guy where you can slap him into so many relationships and see what comes out of it. I can’t have a favourite one per se, but one of my faves has to be him and Poiple (I’m on a SuMo roll and I haven’t even watched it in a while yet lol). Just, space baby and love and teaching it the world that he got used to, the good and the bad, and seeing everything in a new light, and letting it grow up in its own world (so much more better than what happened to Goodra, got an essay on that release-and-only-in-League-return). Love and more love. Different kinds of it, different shades, family and sharing.

Doesn’t help that the end of the arc was a *chefs kiss* as well, heh :3

Favorite headcanon

Another one that has been done to death heh, how can I get a good one for you… well, I always liked the idea that Ash does have a journey with his mother after the vague ending of JN at some point, just a small one where they travel around together and he tries to show her how to camp out and she Knows but she lets him show her anyways and he rotates his Pokémon and she cooes over them and even catch some of her own. Nice things, taking it slow. Also imagine them bugging Oak together lol, so fun heh.

[metrova]

Mimikyu's Origin

This is my first attempt at writing a fanfiction. I hope you guys like it! Pls don't judge too harshly lol

@vall007 @bi-fiend yo guys Mimikyu lore, I think you'll love this :D

A long, long time ago, when the Great Olde Ancient Ones were still around, was birthed an entity we know today as “Mimikyu”. Shub-Niggurath had her pleasure with a human man, allowing another one of many monstrous abominations to be created and brought into their realm. The entity originally did not have a name - it did not need one, for it was not important. Its appearance is still unknown, but according to some interpretations, it’s said to be about seven feet tall, with tentacle appendages making most of its form. It has two piercing pink-colored eyes which may be the last thing you see before inevitably dying upon witnessing the creature’s true appearance. When The Ancient Ones still reigned over Earth, the entity, along with many others, was released to wreak havoc, destroy and kill anything and anyone in its path. Although it is nothing compared to the Ancient Ones, to an average man it was as much of a threat as they were; it seemed to take great pleasure in watching the humans quickly lose every bit of sanity upon seeing its incomprehensible to the mind appearance before viciously tearing them apart.

When the Ancient Ones were repelled away, while some were lucky enough to be taken with them, most of their creations were left stranded on Earth, the entity being one of them. They all perished either from the piercing heat of the sun or the poison of the stars, except it. It managed to avoid the harsh sunlight, nor was it affected by the poison of the stars. Darkness seemed to give it a sort of energy.

…

After years upon years of being stranded alone in the realm of humans, the entity eventually became curious about them. Yet it knew it could never approach them, for its appearance would make them promptly drop dead. This made it experience its (second-to-)first emotion - loneliness. The entity eventually learned to isolate itself from everyone, keeping itself out of sight. The more time passed, the more that empty feeling within it grew. Over its many centuries on Earth, it has seen how humans and their companions interacted with each other after The Ancient Ones had disappeared - how they spent time with each other, how they leisured, how they had fun, how they… Shared physical touch. It wished it could have that. It really wished it could have that. Yet it knew it couldn’t.

In a more recent time, somewhere around the 2000s, the entity had taken shelter and resided in an abandoned store (which is known today as one of the trial sites in the region of Alola). It has seen all there is by now, yet could never experience it. It learned that a certain creature had been getting adored by humans - a cute fuzzy little yellow rodent with long, pointed ears, two adorable little brown eyes which one could easily get lost in, and red circles on each cheek serving as pouches to store electricity. Its charming appearance, along with its “cool” factor, seemed to attract quite the following.

The entity figured it could try to mimic that creature - perhaps it could try disguising as one and get a little positive attention, too! So, it took a yellow sheet and began crafting a disguise, putting all and everything into it. Once finished and satisfied with the final result, it set out for the first time in Azothoth-knows how long. When it tried to approach people, however, the result was not as expected. They seemed frightened by it and seemingly tried to avoid it, given how quick they were to walk away. It had not realized, but its appearance,  although supposed to imitate such an adorable creature, had ended up appearing more frightening and ominous - wobbly, busted ears, black scribbles for eyes, orange scribbles to imitate those red pouches and a wide smile-like pattern for a mouth. Defeated, the entity retreated to its shelter, the feeling of loneliness now having grown into a big, empty void within it. It began crying to itself, for all its time and efforts were completely in vain.

A young man, a journalist, found out about it and decided to observe it and its behavior, eventually finding out about its intentions and desire to get closer to humans. Hence it attempted to mimic another creature, the man decided to name it “Mimikyu”, and that’s how we know the entity today. One day, the young journalist passed after accidentally being exposed to Mimikyu’s true appearance, which it eventually noticed and found his unconscious body. It looked through his notes, and that’s how it found its new name. That’s when Mimikyu eventually decided to observe other pokemon, learning how they spoke and the sounds they made. That’s how it learned to speak the way we know it to, with that cute high-pitched voice.

I wonder, what would have happened if the Alolans had not turned their shelter into a trial site? Would Mimikyu have never been noticed? Would it not be as famous as it is today? That is up to your interpretation.

[themattress]

If you want yet another example of why I fucking hate the Pokeani fandom and the two series they hold up as sacred cows (DP and XY), just take a look at the crap that's up on TV Tropes:

Wow. Notice how literally nothing else about the shows in question (one of which ran for four years and the other for three, meaning there was a lot of content in them) is mentioned at all. Only Ash, and only how skilled/competent/successful as a trainer he is. This single factor dominates the general opinion discourse of the shows in the Pokeani fandom and is what justifies them being named "the best", while other shows like BW and SM (the ones that follow such "tough acts") get constantly put down by comparison. How well Ash works as a self-insert power fantasy is literally all that matters to these clowns. It's so embarrassing.

Oh, sure - SM fans are the myopic ones! And let's check these "flaws" that those fans are "ignorant" about. "Animation and art style being wasted on comedic expressions instead of battles", "shying away from battling in general" and "many questionable writing decisions in important episodes especially the Alola League", which translates to nitpicks about decisions pertaining to - you guessed it - battles. Those aren't flaws. As a wise girl stated yesterday:

Of course SM isn't perfect, no series is....but it is absolute lightyears ahead of XY, period.

More battle stupidity. God, the hard-on these manchildren have for legalized cock-fighting is ridiculous. Fucking Nemona, a battle maniac, is somehow more mature about it than them!

So Dawn is considered better than May simply for struggling and losing more (the exact same kind of thing they scream bloody murder if it happens to Ash) and not getting wins they'd deem "undeserved", in addition to hogging the spotlight at every opportunity even when it isn't called for - usually for fanservice reasons. Her personality is likable and distinct, though; I'll give her that. While Serena is considered better than Iris (who has no elaboration given as to why she's "one of the least popular female companions" as if the reason doesn't make the fans look good, funny that) because............um, she's more feminine, is in love with Ash, and is given the kind of "arc of Character Development" these fans deem acceptable for a female character (read: a copy of Dawn's). Also, she's not dark-skinned.

The only objectively true statement in this entire blurb is the Mega Evolution specials being different and enticing. Otherwise: "improved writing" (read: back to DP style formula and safeness and fan pandering rather than really trying to be its own thing that's comfortable in its own skin), "action and battle animation" (read: fan obsession with battling above all else being satisfied), "a much more competent take on Ash" (read: a boring, out-of-character, Mary Sue self-interest power fantasy extraordinaire), "a better balance on having Team Rocket threatening at times while keeping their comedic traits" (read: Team Rocket just behaving downright psychotic), "a likable group of companions and supporting characters" (read: characters who are deemed uniquely "likable" solely for how they prop up Ash), and "a good pacing that averted Arc Fatigue" (this one's half-right, the pacing was largely solid...but averting Arc Fatigue was kind of difficult when for the longest time barely anything substantial was happening in the arc outside of the routine Gym Quest. Ash had no real rivals, Serena took a year to find a goal to pursue, Clemont and Bonnie didn't start getting significant focus or development until the second year, Team Rocket had nothing going on, and plot points that might have been interesting long-running threads like the Evil Malamar went nowhere. How is that an improvement over BW, which objectively had more going on in its first two years?)

Finally, this one piece of honesty:

Again, I say: I am so fucking glad that Ash has been retired. I get holding an attachment to a character you've known since childhood, but when it gets to this level of toxic where nothing less than that character being worshipped in-universe will suffice, it's time for them to go.

[thelonelyfairy]

Remember Me

Chapter 4

Leon x Reader (oc)

Note: A special shout out to: @ghostly-thorn for allowing me to use her OC. A little fun fact is her work: “In A Rose’s Shadow” heavily inspired me to write this story in the first place. So thank you for inspiring me dear ❤️ enjoy the chapter!

Masterlist ch3 ch5

After a restless night of tossing and turning, you reluctantly leave your room, consumed by swirling thoughts. There's no backup plan if you're caught; you only have Houndoom in case things go awry, and despite him being the strongest in your team, you two won’t be able to take down Team Rocket yourselves. After all, you've entrusted your previous team to guard Alola in your absence.

Accompanied by Houndoom, you decide to venture through the streets of Motostoke to ease your thoughts, opting to explore while the city lay dormant.

As you stepped outside, the wind tousled your hair, and you found yourself gazing up at the sky. Despite the city's luminance, the stars sparkled brightly overhead.

A gust of wind passes through your legs, interrupting your little moment with nature.

"Houndoom!" you whispered urgently as Houndoom leaves your side, you hurry to catch up as your loyal companion bounded ahead, heading towards the firehouse before veering left. You followed, crossing a bridge over rushing water, gears whirring beneath, hinting at the height of the drop below.

“Well, hello to you too,”

An elderly man wearing a fedora and a long black coat, accompanied by gloves, sits on a bench overlooking the rushing water below. He affectionately pats Houndoom, which wags his tail contentedly.

"Houndoom, come here! I’m so sorry!" you say as you approach the pair. How odd that Houndoom would willingly approach a stranger.

The man's chuckle ripples through the air as Houndoom obediently pads over to your side. "What brings you out here so late?" His voice is smooth, yet there's an underlying sense of authority underneath.

“I can’t sleep. I think it’s just nerves,” you confess.

“Ah, a Gym Challenger?” he muses, catching on to your unspoken anxiety.

You nod, confirming his assumption.

“Have a seat,” he offers, gesturing to the bench. If Houndoom appears comfortable around this stranger, then there's nothing to worry about.

“Fiore,” the man introduces himself as you sit, leaving Houndoom to lay on the ground between the both of you.

“Danielle,” The man only shows his eyes, the coat covering part of his face. His eyes are a stone gray as he eyes you up and down.

“You don’t strike me as a Danielle,” he observes.

“And you don’t look like a Fiore,” you retort.

“Sharp tongue,” he chuckles, his amusement evident, leaving you to smile at his warm laughter. “What is it exactly that you’re nervous about?”

“I wouldn’t say nervous,” You explain. “I can train my team with no problem and I’m fine talking to an audience, I’m just worried for my sister’s safety.”

“Then why are you here?”

You sigh, “my sister wanted to try something new-“

“No, no, no.” He interrupts, “Why are you here?”

Your lips seal shut while Houndoom gently jumps onto your lap, sensing your sorrow. “I don’t want to hide in the shadows anymore.” you express, clenching your fists. “I want to be strong and no longer cower away from danger. I want to protect those that aren’t strong enough.”

Turning to the man, you notice his expression remains unchanged.

“You have a certain look… it reminds me of my own son who stood in front of me many years ago…” he squints. “You have the same eyes.”

‘Shoot, I forgot to put the contacts in!’

His gaze shifts to the stars above, “I’m here to support my granddaughter, as we only have each other left.”

“I get it. My sister is my only family left too,”

“Johtonian?”

You nod, “is it obvious?”

“Well, you have a Houndoom,” he points out, facing you. “Secondly, I’m from Kanto, which is the ground zero of Team Rocket.” His eyes creases, “But, you look like any other ordinary Johtonian.”

You chuckle as Houndoom settles comfortably in your lap, as you lean back on the bench, gazing at the stars above.

“It’s hard to find support for Johtonians in Galar. It feels like I have to wear a mask and erase what I left behind,” you whisper.

“We all wear masks,” Fiore reflects, “and there comes a time when we can’t remove them without shedding some of our own skin.”

"Dani, quit worrying over your appearance," a familiar voice, rough yet feminine, interrupted your thoughts. The locker room's bright white walls surrounding you, along with the faint smell of smoke—echoes of Motostoke Stadium.

With the ceremony looming, you both had already collected your uniforms with the exception of Hop receiving his last, and escorted out of your dressing rooms to separate locker rooms that lead in different directions towards the pitch. Now all that’s left is waiting amidst the anticipation of fans, broadcasters, and paparazzi.

"Can’t you blame me?" You reply to your sister, stealing a glance at your reflection before admiring the triple-digit number on your uniform. "The whole world's eyes are on us, even Alola.”

The weight of it all settled in. Despite altering your appearance, the risk of being recognized lingered—a reality you couldn't escape.

“You look nothing like the old you. You’ll be fine,” Lyz rises from the bench, approaching the mirror.

Her grey eyes were concealed within her own green contacts, and with her bold decision to cut her hair into a masculine style, she spares little to no features of your father.

“Think about it,” she suggested. “Say if Team Rocket did find you, your new team would already be strong enough to fight back.”

Now that you think about it… that wasn’t a bad idea after all, in fact, it would help Houndoom immensely if he had a team to work with.

“Yeah,” you said, pulling Lyz closer for a hug. This event wasn't a matter of life and death, but rather an opportunity to step into the spotlight, no longer hiding in the shadows.

“Hello, hello!”

You both turned, facing Hop peeking his head out from the locker room entrance, sporting his uniform like all the others.

“Sorry, am I interrupting something?”

“No, not at all!” Lyz gently moved away from you to comfort Hop, easing him inside.

“What’s with the long faces?” He raised his fists. “The whole world will see us now!”

‘Now?’

A blast of music fills the stadium, even reaching the locker rooms. The TV flickers on, revealing the empty battlefield, with the audience cheering joyfully and cameramen and reporters lining the sidelines. With the event being officially broadcasted, it’s too late to turn back now.

Rose then emerges from a tunnel with Oleana, seemingly unfazed by the sight as he waved at the crowd.

Flashes of lights begin to speckle across the stadium from paparazzi, reporters, and a staggering amount of Romtom phones filming using the drone form.

“Ladies and Gentlemen!”

Rose then addresses the crowd, “My name is Rose, Chairman of Galar’s Pokémon League! I know that everyone gathered here and those watching at home have all been eagerly awaiting this moment, especially with the new developments!”

The crowd erupts in cheers and applause.

“But it is my pleasure to announce that finally—“ He raises a fist to the sky, “The Galar region Gym Challenge will now begin!”

The screen behind Rose displays images and highlights of previous Gym Challenges.

“Yes, the Gym Challenge! Participants must defeat the eight Gym Leaders and gather all eight badges to prove their skill as a Trainer!”

Rose strikes a pose, showing off his rather underwhelming biceps. “Only the most worthy will have the honor of challenging the greatest Champion in history!”

You ignore Lyz’s sidelong glance as your heart sinks. You could never hate Leon, but you couldn’t shake the feeling of how unfairly he received his World Champion title, all because of your forced early retirement.

“Now I would like to invite the Gym Leaders to show themselves!”

The camera zooms out from Rose before panning to the tunnel, revealing the faces of the respected gym leaders exiting onto the pitch. The crowd cheered for multiple names, with Raihan's name overlapping the others.

One by one, Rose introduces the Gym Leaders, starting with ‘The Fighting Farmer, Milo,’ who seems to be undoubtedly friendly, grinning as he waves happily to his fans.

Next was, The Raging Wave, Nessa, seeming to be the complete opposite of Milo, a blank stare with harsh deep sea orbs until she throws charming kisses to the camera, with her hair rippling behind her like waves of the ocean. The stage name speaks for itself.

The ever-burning man of fire, Kabu, marches with his head held high with a faint smile. You’ve recalled a few whispers from here and there of his history in Hoenn, to which you admire his fiery spirit.

Up next was a slight change of pace, a pale boy with a white mask known as, ‘The silent boy of mystery,’ waving side to side with a slumping posture, obvious that he did not seem like a social butterfree compared to the other Gym Leaders.

The master of fantastic theater, Opal, was announced next. You worry for her continuing at this age as she walks much slowly with the others even with the help of her cane.

Melony, the ice-cold professional with all white from head to toe even from her skin and hair with the exception of her icy blue orbs. The screams and cheering increases as she waves and winks to the crowd.

And if those cheerings weren’t loud enough, a sudden wave of female screams took over the stadium once Raihan, the infamous Tamer of Dragons, was the last to be announced. He grins, showing off his fangs as he waves to the crowd before taking his selfies from his Rotomphone.

“Unfortunately we’re missing one, but these are your Gym Leaders on this rotation! And we are proud to call them our own!”

The camera pans out to the gym leaders in a formal line.

“Gym Challengers, please enter the pitch and head towards your endorsers.”

A soft, gentle hand extends toward you, while another, with warm honey-colored eyes and a broad, friendly grin, meets your other hand.

And with a push by some unseen force, your legs begin to move, carrying you forward on your high-top platforms. The shadows that once enveloped you within the tunnel dissipate as you emerge into the blinding brightness of the stadium lights and flashing cameras. With a deep breath, you inhale a sense of security mingled with anticipation, exhaling a newfound sense of freedom into the bustling atmosphere.

As you set foot onto the pitch, a wave of calm washes over you, reminiscent of the familiar cheers echoing through Alola's arenas. Memories begin to flood – the trials against the Kahunas, the intense battles of the elite four, and the annual clashes with Leon for the World Championship.

With Hop and Lyz by your side, you raise your joined hands, eliciting an even greater roar of approval from the crowd as you approach the Champion, flanked by his Chairman. Meeting the Champion's gaze, his honey-colored eyes gleaming, presenting a curt nod from your action.

For the love of your family and your people, you will steel yourself for the challenges ahead, and you will refuse to go down without a fight.

♡ ♡

Photo sessions ensued with your endorser, Champion Leon, alongside Chairman Rose and the other Gym Leaders, carefully avoiding Raihan and the Gym Challengers, particularly the boy who had earlier pushed Hop, accompanied by his raven-haired companion.

All seemed well until a familiar tangle of white hair with black roots approached last for the group photo.

Guzma...

With the grace of Arceus, you managed to avert his gaze. As much as you needed to stay informed about the current state of Alola, any hint of familiarity would immediately raise suspicion.

Unfortunately, the show was only halfway over. With the upcoming interviews, you were all escorted to your designated dressing rooms once more to await the arrival of your stylist. You could already envision the eager anticipation of the audience waiting to be introduced to each Gym Challenger.

Despite your previous experience with interviews during your Championship in Alola and Leon's reassurance and training, nerves crept in once more. Only the viewers could guide you through the Gym Challenge, but what if you failed to meet their expectations? Back then, you cared little if anyone liked you; your sole duty was to protect your region. But how could you protect it once more if these people didn't see the strength in you to begin with?

"Hey hun, you holding up okay?"

You turn at the sound of the voice, the door slightly ajar after being left open, anticipating the arrival of your stylist any moment.

But to your surprise, it's not just any stylist.

"Sonia?" You ask, taken aback by her presence, recalling she mentioned joining you solely for research purposes.

Sonia pouts slightly, hands resting on her hips. "I'm your stylist! Didn't Lee tell you?"

Shaking your head, you approach her, offering a quick embrace before ushering her inside. She mutters something about Leon under her breath as she enters, clutching a kit in one hand and a garment bag in the other, presumably holding a dress.

"I'm doing okay," you respond, closing the door behind her. "Just a lot on my mind right now."

"I noticed, we all did," Sonia smiles warmly. "Believe it or not, many of the Gym Challengers aren't exactly friendly to each other, even with the same endorser. So, seeing what you did on the pitch really touched everyone."

The impromptu of raising your joined hands was sudden, yes, but in the heat of determination, it was necessary to send your message.

"Anyway!" Sonia changes the subject cheerfully. "We've got your dress. Leon went with this color for you!" With a flourish, she unzips the garment bag, revealing a stunning scarlet dress, echoing the hue of your own fiery locks.

"It's beautiful, Sonia..." you murmur, admiring the soft fabric.

"No problem, dear!" Sonia chirps, pulling out her makeup kit. "Now, let's get you dolled up!"

After a few minutes of Sonia delicately applying makeup, she moves on to your hair, preparing it in an elegant updo. However, she pauses as if something caught her eye.

"Oh hun, why didn't you tell me you're a redhead? No wonder Leon chose this color!"

Your heart skips a beat, a sinking feeling in your stomach.

"What do you mean?"

"Your roots are showing, darling. But don't worry, it's not noticeable from afar. But if you ever want to make your hair pop even more, I've got some tricks up my sleeve!" Despite the surprise, you hardly notice Sonia finishing your hair.

"I'll leave you to it. Leon should be here soon," she says, gathering her things.

"Thank you, Sonia," you murmur, admiring your reflection. "It's been a while since I felt this pretty."

"You've always been pretty, dear. Your kids will thank you one day!" With a final smile, Sonia exits, leaving you feeling flustered.

Shaking off the thought, you begin to put on the dress, only to gasp as you realize the zipper at the back, just out of reach. Time slips away as you struggle with the stubborn zipper, trying every trick you've seen online to no avail. Your only hope was texting Sonia for help to which she responded that she’ll arrive shortly.

There's a knock on the door.

Finally!

You hurry to the door, using the front of the dress to conceal your chest.

Your rescuer has arrived, but to your surprise...

"Leon?"

The Champion's eyes widen, pupils slightly dilated with surprise. His face flushes crimson, partially hidden by his hand as he turns away.

"I'm so sorry, let me—"

"Wait—" Your gentle touch on his strong bicep halts his movement.

"I need you."

After your words hang in the air, Leon slowly turns back to face you, his expression a mixture of confusion and concern.

"What do you mean?" he asks, his voice softer now, his gaze searching yours for answers.

You take a deep breath, gathering your thoughts before speaking again. "I mean, I can't zip up this dress on my own," you admit, gesturing to the zipper at the back that remains stubbornly out of reach.

A flicker of understanding crosses Leon's face as he steps closer, closing the door behind him for privacy before his hand reaches for the zipper. "Of course," he says softly, his touch surprisingly tender as he begins to zip up the dress.

As he works, a comfortable silence settles between you, broken only by the soft sound of the zipper sliding into place. Once he's finished, Leon steps back, his gaze meeting yours once more.

"There," he says with a small smile. "All done."

You offer him a grateful smile in return, a sense of relief washing over you. "Thank you, Leon," you say sincerely before Rotom flies towards your palm with a message from Sonia.

✉️ Arceus! I just read this I’m so sorry 😣 , I can hear Leon talking inside tho, sounds like he came in to save the day as always! 😁

He nods before clearing his throat, leaving you to quickly set your phone down, “Sonia told me you were ready so I figured I might as well stop by to train you first, after all,” he gestures for you to sit by the vanity while he grabs a spare chair by the room.

Leon notices your nervous frown to which he offers an encouraging smile. “Don’t worry, it’ll be fine,” he says reassuringly. “We’ll make sure you’re ready for anything they throw at you during the interviews.”

Leon proceeds to outline the fundamentals: always smile and greet people, and steer clear of any questions not related to the Gym Challenge.

Everything goes smoothly; he covers familiar ground, thanks to your prior experience as a Champion.

However, there's a shift in tone now.

"Be cautious about discussing Johto," Leon warns. "You might have supporters, but there will also be detractors. The host might try to push your buttons, and I don't want you to feel overwhelmed when that happens."

The problem is, you've never set foot in Johto. You feel like the least qualified person to represent your family's region.

With a heavy sigh, you slump down, chin lowered as you stare at the floor.

"Hey, look at me."

You raise your head to meet Leon's gaze, a lock of hair falling into your face. He gently tucks it behind your ear.

“Trust me, yeah?”

The warmth of his eyes soothes you, and with his gentle smile, you find yourself unable to resist believing his words. Despite the doubts gnawing at your mind, his assurance feels like a lifeline in this storm of uncertainty firing all over your mind.

As you nod in response, a sense of resolve begins to settle within you, strengthened by the unexpected support from Leon.

He wants to see you succeed.

“I trust you.”

♡ ♡

Music begins to fill the stadium as the audience erupted into applause, eagerly awaiting for the spectacle about to unfold.

Cameras were strategically positioned at the center of the pitch, displaying on the large stadium screens for the crowd's enhanced viewing experience. Positioned facing each other were two seats, ready for the upcoming interviews.

Shielbert, the charismatic host of this year’s Gym Challenge, made his grand entrance. With his trademark grin and sparkling eyes, he strode onto the pitch, capturing the attention of all present.

Clad in a scarlet tuxedo, his light blonde hair resembling a shield as it gleams under the stadium lights, his smooth voice begins to resonate throughout the arena as he addresses the audience.

"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls!" He booms with a theatrical flair, "Welcome to the event of the year – The Gym Challenge!"

The crowd erupted into cheers, their enthusiasm filling the air.

“As the rotating host of this year’s Gym Challenge, I'll be leading the way, while my younger brother enjoys his moment out of the spotlight,” he quipped, bringing in laughter from the audience.

But there was none within the locker room.

All Gym Challengers were directed to return to the same locker rooms they had visited earlier, where they would wait for their one-on-one interview with Shielbert as well as being instructed to optionally bring along their ace Pokémon.

You opted to bring Totodile to represent Johto, deciding against bringing Houndoom in order to blend in since most of the Gym Challengers were relatively new in their Pokémon journey.

As you wait with Totodile keeping you company, your gaze fixed on the looping advertisements, attempting to not nod off from the boredom.

"How do I look?"

Near the entrance of the room, you spot your sister, dressed smartly in a dress shirt, trousers with suspenders, and sports gloves.

"You look great!" you compliment, while Totodile chimes in with applause.

“Why thank you, to you as well.”

Before you can thank her, she releases her recently caught shiny Trapinch from the wild area.

“Really?” You ask, narrowing your eyes, as you had assumed she would choose Sobble as her ace.

“What? Can't I show off my recent catch?” She beams proudly as she cuddles her Trapinch, making it squeak in delight.

Before you can reply, Hop enters with Wooloo trailing behind. He wears a basic tuxedo and slacks, with a tie that matches his hair along with a brooch of the Champion Logo to represent his older brother.

“Well, look at you!” Hop’s face lights up at the sight of your sister as he extends his arms, to which your sister embraces. The warmth of their reunion fills the room.

If only your parents were here to witness your sister's first puppy love.

"And you, Dani! Looks like Lee finally caught on to your fiery spirit!" You smile and thank him, remembering Sonia's comment about Leon personally selecting this dress for you.

The TV emits a soft ding, prompting all of you to glance at the screen displaying the leaving order aligned with the Gym Leaders' order, indicating that you three will be the last to leave.

Luckily, the interviews are short, only about 10 minutes each, so everyone gets a fair shot. Milo’s group sets a friendly tone, setting a good example for those following.

It’s interesting to see that each challenger seems to reflect their gym leader’s personality in some way, which makes sense for endorsements.

Tension rises when Piers’ only invitee steps onto the pitch, the cameras zooming into her rocking an alternative dress style.

It’s the girl from the Inn, Marnie. And with her side, a Pokémon familiar to a Pikachu, to what your Rotom phone called it as Morpeko.

Marnie mostly gave short and direct responses but seemed hesitant on her words which Morpeko comforts her, but gains confidence as Team Yell cheers her on.

Next up is Raihan’s, you and sister shared a look as Guzma, another solo invitee, enters the pitch with his streetwear style outfit with a Centiskorch on his shoulder.

“You guys think he looks cool right?”

Poor Hop, fortunate how he’s innocent enough to not connect the dots.

But of course, Guzma would be endorsed by Raihan, he’s the only person he knows well in Galar.

You can recall meeting Raihan once Leon’s Alola visits became frequent, Leon mentioned that his best friend needed a break from his social media and Gym Leader life. What better way to relax than to stay at Alola?

And what a coincidence that Guzma joined you on that day.

You and Lyz gave a quick nod to Hop before Guzma begins.

As the interview kicks off, Shielbert asks basic questions, and Guzma answers casually, without a care for winning over the audience. Surprisingly, they seem to love his laid-back attitude along with his Centiskorch nodding at Guzma.

But then, in the last 5 minutes, they hit Guzma with a loaded question about his past.

“Guzma, we’ve heard around these parts that you used to run a gang. Isn’t that right?”

You frown. They’re trying to taint his image already after a good start.

Guzma straightens from his laid back position, his Centiskorch frowning from the sudden change. "It ain't just some gang. We're family," he explains. "My crew's made up of runaways and kids without a home, lookin' for a family."

Wise words, he leaves the audience in awe and Shielbert was kind enough to change topics.

“I apologize for what I’m about to ask, but your home region was hit recently by Team Rocket attacks. We’re unable to receive anything on their end due to that. So tell us, how’s Alola holding up?”

Your heart sinks to your stomach as Guzma prepares a response. He takes a deep breath and gulps before speaking. "All I'm sayin' is, Alola can't even get a word in with how much Team Rocket's been takin' over. We just wish there was a region out there that’s able to help us.”

“I’m very sorry about that, but please, everyone,” Shielbert interjects politely, brushing off Guzma’s words, “give a round of applause for Guzma!”

Guzma stands tall and proud, though his expression seems to betray a frown at Shielbert’s poor choice of words as he walks off. If the host is already ignorant of the matter, your answers won’t make any difference either.

You glance at Hop and Lyz. Despite their attempts to appear calm, their trembling arms and legs give away their nerves.

Taking a deep breath, you rise from the bench, turning towards Hop and Lyz with Totodile by your side.

“Listen up, you two,” you begin, catching Lyz and Hop’s attention, including the Pokémon.

“We’re going to ace this interview. We’ll answer all the questions, have everyone love us, and walk in there with our heads held high! Understood?”

Lyz nods shyly, and Hop raises a fist in the air, “Yeah, we got this!” Wooloo bleats in agreement, Trapinch stands up proudly, “ Clack- clack!” it cries out, and Totodile joins in with cheers.

"And now, everyone," Shielbert announces, "as we near the grand finale of today's ceremony and interviews, please join me in welcoming Chairman Rose!" The crowd erupts in surprise and cheers.

Rose steps forward, exchanging a brief handshake with Shielbert and sharing a few words before Shielbert exits and Rose addressing the audience.

"Thank you all for the warm welcome, and thank you, Shielbert, for the introduction. We'll now be switching gears as I take the lead to interview the challengers endorsed by the Great Word Champion himself!”

“But first, let's start with my own endorsed challengers. Please welcome my dear daughter, Marcella!" The crowd cheers, whistles, and cameras flash throughout the stadium.

The raven-haired girl from yesterday makes her entrance, her straight hair now transformed into dark curls styled in an updo, her poofy purple dress giving a cute yet elegant charm as her Ghastly hovers beside her.

The crowd erupts into cheers once more, Rose smiling proudly at the girl’s alluring appearance as they share a brief embrace before taking their seats.

“And who’s this?” Lyz asks.

“That’s Rose’s daughter…” Hop whispers, “I’ve heard he’s trying to set her up with Leon.”

You ignore the heavy thump in your heart at the news, but you know there’s little you can do to intervene.

“Go take a seat, my dear!” Rose exclaims, ushering his daughter to her place.

Surprisingly, her interview lasted only 10 minutes, just like the others. She reveals much of herself, preferring to be called Zera, mentioning Bede as her adoptive brother, and proceeds touching on her pampered lifestyle.

Your own childhood was privileged in its own way, but your family chose a more humble path.

With the snap of their fingers, your parents could’ve easily lived a luxurious life in Akala Island, perhaps even claim ownership of Aether Paradise.

Rose, on the other hand, has provided his daughter with endless open doors that many in Galar would envy.

The Chairman and his daughter gave one last embrace after their long drag of stories together before they part ways.

Lyz releases a weary sigh as the boy with tufts of white hair, trailed by a floating Solosis, strolls onto the pitch. Dressed in a pale pink tuxedo, he stands out against the more conservative attire of the other male invitees.

It's the same boy who pushed Hop yesterday.

Rose and the boy, who introduced himself as Bede, exchange a handshake before taking their seats.

Unlike Marcella, Bede's upbringing was marked by orphanhood and financial struggles until Rose adopted him. He expresses unwavering loyalty to Rose, acknowledging him for saving his life.

“Me and Solosis will become unstoppable, and I swear that to you, Rose.”

Throughout the interview, it became apparent that Bede was a broken boy in search of a paternal presence. Rose appeared to deflect any loyalty sentiments, instead emphasizing his Pokémon and the rationale behind the endorsement, much like Shielbert did with the previous challengers. It seemed that Bede had hoped for the same treatment Rose gave Marcella. They share an awkward hug from the side before Bede leaves the pitch.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the moment we've all been waiting for, the challengers endorsed by none other than the Champion himself. Let's give a warm round of applause for Danielle!”

Your body stiffens. You had anticipated that Hop would be called first, given his relation to Leon.

The thunderous cheers reach into the locker room. Rising to your feet, you smooth out your dress before Totodile jumps into your arms.

Hop and Lyz offer words of encouragement and support, which help ease your nerves as they hold the door open for you.

With a deep breath, you step forward, one foot in front of the other. Despite the cheers fading into the background, you hear the distinct click of your heels on the tunnel floor leading to the pitch.

“ Totodile !”

You smile at your Totodile, sensing comfort and determination in its voice.

“Yeah, we got this!”

Emerging from the tunnel, you’re momentarily blinded by the bright stadium lights once more. What surprises you further is how effortlessly your heels glide over the clean, grassy pitch. Perhaps they’ve added some sort of discreet path to prepare for this.

As you make your way onto the pitch, the crowd's cheers and camera flashes wash over you, but you remain focused, your heart pounding with determination. Totodile nuzzles against you reassuringly, seeming to catch on from your heart rate, his presence giving a source of strength.

With a final deep breath, you square your shoulders and approach the center of the pitch where Chairman Rose awaits. His welcoming smile puts you slightly at ease as you extend your hand for a handshake.

"Welcome, Danielle!" he exclaims, his voice booming over the cheers of the crowd. "We're thrilled to have you here! Take a seat.”

You nod, a surge of adrenaline coursing through you. This is your moment to shine, to show the world what you're made of.

“Your grand entrance at the Opening Ceremony certainly caught everyone’s attention. Care to share the inspiration behind it?”

The memory of the joined hands during the ceremony floods your mind. It was a spontaneous gesture, but it was needed to send a message for the world.

“I felt like it was important to send a message of teamwork,” you explain, scanning the audience. “In a competition like this, everyone can turn against each other for the title. But we’re not just any individual; we’re a team, a collective force. Together, we’re stronger.”

A smattering of agreement ripples through the crowd, followed by enthusiastic applause.

“How about we shift gears and hear more about your Totodile?”

He gestures towards Totodile, who bounces and waves to the delighted crowd from your lap, eliciting a mixture of awe and laughter.

"Totodile here has been my partner since day one," you share, feeling a bit down for needing to lie for bringing up Houndoom until you run a hand over Totodile's head as he affectionately nudges your palm.

"Even though he's still new to battling, he's got quite the spirit." Totodile reacts to your comment with a grunt of frustration, playfully swatting your hand away, much to the amusement of the audience.

"But that's what makes him special," you continue with a smile, earning a nod of agreement from Totodile and chuckles from the crowd.

Chairman Rose nods approvingly. "A strong bond between Trainer and Pokémon is essential in the Gym Challenge. Now, tell us about the team you're planning to set up."

Your confidence shines through as you respond, "I’m aiming for a well-rounded team with a mix of types so there’s less disadvantage.You can’t win if you’re only going to rely on type, right?”

The crowd agrees, you scan the crowd, proud of the smiles and cheering you’ve received so far until your breath hitches.

Chairman Rose's expression tightens, but there's something unsettling about it. His lips curve upwards, a smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes, leaving an eerie aura between you two.

“Since you have a Totodile, it’s safe to assume you’re from Johto. Am I right?” Rose asks, leaning in with genuine curiosity, his tone even but his gaze piercing.

Touche .

You pause, weighing his question carefully. “Me and my sister moved here after hearing Galar is open for refugees.”

Taking a deep, shaky breath, you meet Rose’s intense gaze. “Johto is struggling with Team Rocket’s reign, and we didn’t have many options left. Coming to Galar seemed like a chance for a fresh start.”

“And what makes you believe you’ll find that fresh start here in the Gym Challenge?”

You meet Rose's gaze head-on with unwavering determination. "Because, Chairman Rose, every challenge is an opportunity to prove oneself, is it not?”

You notice the audience straightening up, some even edging forward in their seats.

“Even though Johto faces the threat of Team Rocket's control, it has also given us strength and determination in its people. While we came here for refuge, we're not here to be pitied or underestimated. We're here to compete, to prove we're not just pawns of Team Rocket. And let me tell you, Chairman,” you address the camera, “and even to Team Rocket if they're watching, we're not giving up easily. I'll win this challenge and bring peace back to Johto, Alola, and the other regions you’ve terrorized.”

The audience erupts into applause and cheers, as they show their support for your bold declaration. You can feel their excitement and encouragement washing over you.

Chairman Rose nods, his expression thoughtful as he takes in the audience's reaction before quieting them down. "A powerful statement indeed," he says, his voice carrying across the stadium. "Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us, Danielle. I have no doubt that you and Totodile will make a formidable team in the Gym Challenge." Rose takes your hand before raising it to the sky.

“Give it up for Danielle!”

As you head toward the tunnel to exit the pitch, the crowd's applause echoes in your ears, cheering your name as Totodile comforts you with a long hug.

♡ ♡

Next, it was Lyz's turn, and Rose approached her with a friendlier demeanor, avoiding any attempts to throw her off guard like he did with you. He hardly asked anything related to Johto, but Lyz made sure to mention that Johto deserved to be free from Team Rocket's control.

Hop received similar treatment, and you couldn't help but smile as he too stood up for Johto. It was surprising that Rose didn't make a big deal out of him being the younger brother of the Champion.

And with that, today's interviews came to an end as you all recalled your partner Pokémon into their Pokéballs.

After changing back into your original outfit, the three of you made your way toward the exit of Motostoke Stadium.

"Standing there on the pitch... in the stadium... in front of everyone!" Hop exclaimed excitedly, his enthusiasm clear. "There's really no words for it, but... I can barely contain myself! My heart's racing!"

Before you could respond, three figures approached you; Leon, Chairman Rose, and Marcella.

“You’ve all done amazing out there!” Leon commended, casting a proud glance at Hop. “Couldn’t be prouder of you.” The brothers exchanged a smile before Rose approached with a friendly demeanor, a stark contrast to his uncomfortable presence on the pitch.

“So, the three trainers endorsed by our World Champion himself! It’s truly a pleasure to meet you all.”

"Oh, and what's this?" Rose's keen eye caught sight of the Dynamax Band on your wrist, a glint of curiosity in his lime-colored eyes. “I see you three already possess Dynamax Bands… How wonderful! It seems you two have been led here by the guiding light of the Wishing Stars.”

“By the way, it was my wonderful company that invented those Dynamax Bands, you know!" Rose says with a touch of pride. “And I daresay this year’s Gym Challenge is looking to be an absolute blast!” He finishes with a hearty clap before Marcella leans in to whisper something in his ear, prompting him to clear his throat.

“Now, I’m terribly sorry, but there’s some urgent business I need to attend to, so I must be on my way.” Rose announced before walking off, "The best of luck to you three!"

With a nod of farewell, Rose exits the stadium, Marcella trailing behind him. She paused for a moment, blowing a kiss to Leon before hurrying to catch up with her father.

You catch Lyz frowning in disgust while Leon, his face slightly strained, turns his attention back to you three, his smile somewhat forced but nonetheless present.

“Now, listen closely, you three,” Leon’s voice took on a serious tone, his words delivered in a whisper meant only for your ears. “You’ve both only just started on your path as Trainers. If you want to win, you need to do more than just train your Pokémon. You need to train yourselves too.”

“Well said, Leon,” you comment, acknowledging his advice with a nod, prompting a smile from him.

Allowing the brothers a moment to exchange words, you turned your attention to Lyz, intending to discuss your plan for approaching the Gym Challenge. As you stepped out the door, you were met with a surprising absence of fans, paparazzi, or news reporters. It seemed the Chairman had protected the Gym Challengers privacy for today.

From the shadows emerged a figure, leaving you to instinctively draw your sister closer. However, the figure soon revealed themselves to be a League Staff member.

“Hello Challengers! The Chairman asked me to deliver these gifts to you.”

Approaching cautiously, you noted the presence of guards surrounding the building, reassuring you of your safety.

“A gift… such a wonderful thing… from the chairman… such a wonderful man.”

You blinked, the League Staff clears her throat. “Excuse me. The gift is access to the Flying Taxis!” As she hands you a brochure of VIP Flying Taxi Information, she continues, “If it’s alright with you, I’ll read a segment from the Flying Ta-“

“No, thank you,” you interject, cutting her off. “We’re super tired from today. We appreciate it, though.” Quickly, you led your sister away from the League Staff.

“Tomorrow, Route 3, Turffield,” you reminded yourself, the next destination already looming in your mind.

[talesofsonicasura]

Herald of Ruin: Return

We're onto part 2 folks for Herald of Ruin. Delving into the Transformers side but also why the au got it's name. Buckle up cause things are gonna get buckwild.

Now in games like Pokemon Sun/Moon and Legends Arceus, a slightly more religious element is intertwined with the Legendaries alongside Lords. Lords are Pokemon said to be blessed by Arceus but also play a pivotal role in the latter game. These unique creatures pick people to serve a special role. Kahuna for Alola while Retainer for Hisui.

In a sense, these people are those Pokemon's Champions. Orion Pax doesn't know that he has been chosen for such a role but not under Primus. Remember how I mentioned the Treasures of Ruin?

Well, Blackbox wasn't the only one he had release. Orion set free ALL of them. Chi-Yu the Ruinous Beads, Chien-Pao the Ruinous Blade and Ting-Lu the Ruinous Vessel. He didn't catch them though as none wanted to join him.

A decision that garner both surprise yet also curiosity. This particular being knew what power they possessed and even captured the Ruinous Tablets. Yet he respect their wish to not follow his whim? No one has ever genuinely done such an act.

The remaining three Treasures decided to follow Orion and Roc from a distance. All to observe the archivist to truly understand his character. It leads to the trio to deem Orion Pax as their champion.

They weren't the only ones to have an eye on him. By sheer accident, Orion had garner the intrigue of the Djinn Pokemon Hoopa. The Mythical stumble upon the two travelers and began to watch them with sheer curiosity.

Hoopa planned to whisk away an asleep Orion to its pocket dimension like everything that garner its interest. Things don't go to plan when the remaining three Treasures decide to approach the mech at the same time. It leads to a clash between all four Pokemon.

Orion nor Roc barely had any time to react when Hoopa warped the archivist to a random location with it's rings. Where to? Jasper Nevada. Yup Earth back in his universe specifically between Con Job and Convoy. Of course he doesn't know that. The only companions the archivist are his Pokemon at the moment.

Orion sends out Vos to scout the wasteland and what he found will shake him to his core. An offline Vehicon drone, an actual Cybertronian. Orion manages to get them back online and the bot introduces himself as Steve.

Just like the archivist, his memories are a bit skewed since the processor took some damage. How? Well Steve thinks he's a NAIL(non aligned bot) who been a Decepticon war prisoner. It's technically not a lie when you consider how Buckethead treats his soldiers.

Thus Orion Pax learned what had happen while he been gone. A massive civil war that expand across the cosmos, his planet now dead but also any possible way to recover all those lost memories is impossible. Something both these factions have brought here.

Orion felt ill upon hearing all of it that he needed some time halfway through the explanation to process the info before Steve could continue. Impact would've been worse if it weren't for his memory problem. At the start, the two try to get their bearings. Basically assess the situation and where to go from there.

Both bots stay together as their chances would be better(Orion also missed seeing another one of his (near extinct) species.) It doesn't take long for the war to find them. Throughout this point onward, Orion's group is neutral.

Not aligned with either Autobots or Decepticons. Orion just wants to find answers and choose his own path. His goal later changes when it becomes apparent that he wasn't the only one who ended up here. The other three Treasures of Ruin and Hoopa were following close behind.

Now Orion must catch all four Pokemon before they wrought ruin on Earth. That means hacking into the Pokeball capture limit as he can't get away with it here like with Crimson. I will say Hoopa is gonna cause trouble for everyone while it's free.

Steve follows the archivist at first out of survival. He remembers every time he gone offline and it is a traumatizing experience to put it lightly. Although their partnership does evolve into genuine friendship to Endura Amica. Endura Amica can be considered brotherhood or closest friends in simple terms.

I ain't leaving Roc behind either. Although it's gonna take some time for him to reach Orion as not only does he need help from a Pokemon who can travel dimensions but also pinpoint the location. Think needle in a massive haystack.

Now our heroes will be major points of interest to three particular groups. The Autobots, Decepticons and MECH. Latter is gonna be a much bigger threat as Airachnid will have more involvement with said organization. Steadily twisting it into something of her preference.

Now you guys are probably wondering, if Orion Pax and Optimus Prime are the same person, then whose leading the Autobots? It's still Optimus. To wield the Matrix of Leadership, any detrimental impurities in a potential Prime must be purged. One individual has now become two with the other half casted away.

You can say the Orion Pax three parter and how alien the Matrix of Leadership is spurred on the idea. Our archivist not gonna have a good time meeting Optimus Prime. Someone might get punched in the face with this exchange. It definitely sucks because Team Prime is the ones who find Orion's group first.

They don't stay for long when it became clear the Autobots wanted their help in this war. Something the archivist quickly refuses as he wouldn't dare bring his companions into such madness. Orion's groups leave the Autobot base through the ground bridge when no one is looking.

The bots will try to find them but some under different reasons than to keep a watchful eye. Ratchet wants to understand what the Pits is going on. If the young mech really was Orion Pax then who exactly been leading them? Did the Matrix toss out his spark and let someone else take control?

Optimus Prime just wants answers. He had no complete memories of his previous life as Orion Pax. Only fragments that never felt like his own. To encounter this smaller doppelganger meant a lot more been involved in him becoming Prime. And the Matrix of Leadership seems burn around this Blackbox. Why did it feel so much like rage?

Jack(mostly him), Miko and Raf are on the curious side. They want to know more about this younger version of the Autobot Leader. What's the connection between them? And those strange creatures Orion carries around with him.

It takes much longer to leave when the archivist's group comes across the Decepticons. Megatron already held suspicion about his former friend and close brother. Orion Pax sent that mindset into overdrive.

This is the archivist he knew but one who didn't align with the late High Council. An Orion Pax whose optics were truly open and experienced actual freedom. Someone who was once a memory that now shone even brighter than before.

Megatron refuses to let Orion Pax go. If he doesn't want to participate in the war then the Decepticon leader will accept that. The archivist is meant to become a bird inside a gilded cage either way. By his side as the warlord brings the universe to it's knees.

Orion's companions will have temporary safety as Megatron could use them to keep the young mech in place if need be. You can bet a certain Mythical didn't like that idea with the other three Legendaries soon agreeing. Orion is also Starscream's biggest chance to get rid of Megatron.

An actual weakness that he can exploit after so long. Though the second in command will have to tread carefully around Orion's Pokemon. It's more than just them that'll interfere with the seeker's grand scheme.

Shockwave alongside the Predacons will make an earlier appearance. Especially considering the Pokemon now in their universe are not to be tricked with. There is guaranteed Cybertronian vs Pocket Monsters conflict.

Whether it's Orion's team who have gone toe to toe against Legendaries like the Treasures of Ruin. Or those very Pokemon and Hoopa known for power so incredible that they can be considered gods. Megatron is gonna have some real competition for sure.

For Rescue Bots, I have some ideas on how things can play out there. It does involve ground bridge hijacking and the group hiding out in Griffin Rock. Things are definitely untouched by the massive war there than back on the mainland.

Orion's group would fit in when you consider all the shit that happens at Griffin Rock. Plus Team Rescue Bots can understand their entire situation better. Perfect for a break, self reflection and a potential clash with one of the Ruinous Treasures.

No one is gonna get too comfy as serious shit will go down in Griffin Rock. Better hope it isn't a literal beady eyed flaming goldfish with flames hot enough to turn sand and rock into a lava swimming pool. Oh can't forget the possibility of accidentally running into Optimus or Bumblebee there.

The field has been now sent. Champions to the divine who were cut from the same cloth are finally in play. One blessed with ancient leadership through a god of life now forgotten. The other sought out by living ruinous forces and an all powerful djinn's greed.

Question is will Orion truly be a herald of ruin? Or can he master the trials before him to prevent untold destruction? The actions he take and the bonds he shares with others shall help determine such fate.

I hope I was able to properly convey the AU here. Compiling both parts together would have been way too long in my opinion. Plus I wanted to mess around with the NAIL/Neutral idea than just Orion Pax as there will be more of these unused elements in other writing.

That's it for now! Until next folks, I'll see you at the crossroads in Paldea. Transform and roll out! Here's the Pokemon mentioned in order.

[sonicasura]

A Trainer's Origin

• Trainer was raised by a flock of migratory Pidgey and Pidgeotto who were led by a Shiny Female Pidgeot. When Trainer asked Pidgeot where they found them, Pidgeot answered that they found them as a baby in the tropical region of Alola all alone in the Vast Wilds Of Poni Island, along with a Pokemon Egg which later hatched into a Torchic

• Around 2 years old Trainer spoke fluent PokeTalk

• All of the Flock loved Trainer and when Trainer eventually left to start getting to know humans better with a kind old man from the Isle Of Armor, one of the Pidgey went with them, which later became their Pidgeot

• At 6 years old they traveled too Hammerlocke with the old man where they ended up meeting a Impidimp who wandered into the city and ended up getting into some trouble at a local cafe. Trainer ended up cisiting that cafe and managed too get Impidimp to stop there mischevious rampage. Though this interactuon had the effect of making Impidimp follow Trainer back home to where Trainer lived with the Old man.

• Kubfu was introduced to them at 7 years old by the kind old man, Kubfu was incredibly tough and honed their martial prowess until they felt worthy of evolving. Something that didn't happen until an incident 4 years later.

• Around 8 they had headed back to Sinnoh to help Rowan with some Pokemon Research with their ability to speak to pokemon. When they got there they met some of the Professors Pokemon, one of them was Piplup who didn't get chosen from this years batch of new trainers and were going to be staying at a Poke Ranch next to the Professors house. Though Piplup took a very strong interest in Trainer and deemed them too be the perfect partner and joined them.It was also during this time when the duo went to research Pokemon. Rowan get tackled by a Turtwig, who ran off after spouting some angry words. After that they met Clara, an old woman who lived in the area who explained that Turtwig so himself as a hero to the local pokemon and attacked any who scared them. That same Turtwig soon appeared and made it clear that it didn't like them. Until Trainer started speaking to them and the Turtwig being shocked that a human understood PokeTalk. It wasn't even a minute after there conversation, when Turtwig decided that it wanted to be by Trainers side and bit down on Trainers head in a sign of affection. Turtwig joined Trainer on their journey which eventually gained a other companion, an excitable boy named Barry, who wanted to join in on the adventure. The story of Platnium takes place on this adventure.

• The story of Orre takes place shortly after with Trainer gaining the Snag 'em Arm and taking on Cipher. It was this adventure that they met Mewtwo who came to Orre after they hears of the Shadow Pokemon

• When the turn 9 years old they visit Alola and spend the year at the Trainer School like Ash did in the anime, and the story of Alola and the Ultra Beasts take place

• Paldea story happens when they are 10 and they meet Koriadon and the Paldea cast, along with Hoopa

• After the Paldea story they become a Frontier Brain and get there stadium in the Unova region

• When there 11 the adventure in Galar takes place and they battle Eternatus and explore the Crown Tundra

This is a brief timeline of events before Trainer goes to the Kaijuverse, any thing to add or change

That's honestly perfect in my opinion. You hammered out the main points pretty nicely plus there's plenty of room for shenanigans to take place. Also Trainer being found on Poni Island gives me a strange feeling that they were near the Altar of the Sunne/Moone to be precise.

The gang are definitely going to be shocked upon learning how long and far their young friend has traveled. Also Kafka accidentally reenacting a childhood incident of mine. Basically 4 year old me accidentally confused a napping sea turtle for a rock and sat on the big fella until it began moving.

Kafka does that but with Trainer's Torterra who likes napping in the dirt.

[crystalelemental]

Friends...it is with a heavy heart that I must announce...I think maybe sometimes the Pokemon anime is good.  I'm crying also.

Maybe watching the various seasons for so long has lowered my tolerance threshold, but we've been watching the Hoenn series and got through the first two seasons of it, and it's...good. Like actually pretty good.  I did like Alola a lot, I'll grant you that one, but I think that's more comparative and enjoying the general group going on.  Hoenn feels, like, legitimately good.

To keep up my usual cred, I am attributing this largely to May, who, in an effort to be as incendiary as possible, I am going to refer to as "Serena but good."  While I enjoy the Alola collective better as a group, May is the best companion Ash has and it is not close.  She's goofy, she's snappy without being mean, she's just a fantastic personality to follow, and her dynamic with Ash feels the strongest.  Having been through a lot of seasons with the lad now, Ash is at his best when he's a petulant little shit.  Kalos is boring because it's just constant action hero Ash with one (1) instance of being a bit of a brat played for drama as "This isn't the Ash I know!" which really only reinforces that Ash/Serena is a garbage pairing because girl, he has been like this for at least 80% of this journey, what are you on about?  By contrast, Ash in Hoenn is this delightful mix of an absolute brat, constantly arguing with May about his gym battles taking priority and being bullheaded and stubborn, but also being more competent as a trainer than he initially was back in Kanto, so his exploits and successes feel much more legitimate.

I think part of this is also the contrast of how bad May initially is at all this.  When you're playing the games, you take for granted that you're just shown the moves your Pokemon knows, but in a functional setting like the anime, it makes sense that there's time you have to dedicate to know this stuff.  May likes Pokemon, she wants a companion, but she doesn't...know anything.  She never really put in the time, and she doesn't know their basic attacks or how to give a command.  And that's a really interesting starting point for a new trainer, that both gives Ash a more significant role as an experiences trainer providing advice (which she will stubbornly refuse at multiple turns), and recontexualizes his earlier performance.  Ash is presented as a complete dingus in Kanto, but by comparison, he put in the work.  Even with an unexpected Pikachu he knew what it could do and how to lead, even if it wouldn't follow.  I think it's great to showcase this kind of discrepancy.

It also (as my wife pointed out) contrasts well with Max, who is a walking encyclopedia of how things work.  He has incredible book knowledge of types and moves and Pokemon broadly, but as a young kid, lacks the functional experience Ash has, and is constantly surprised by what he can do.  The fights may still cheat a bit, but my tolerance threshold has absolutely been lowered for this by now, and it makes for a neat presentation to have Ash pull out some of this nonsense that Max would never think of because he's so by the book.  It feels a lot more reasonable to have Ash doing nonsense in this context, rather than just "Oh that Ash is just so clever" when no one's surprised by it.

But back to what's important: May.  I think what's important to note about May is that, despite her initial lack of knowledge, she's not incompetent.  She does pick up moves, but only around the time she decides to pivot into contests.  At that point, she not only starts to learn the moves of her Pokemon, she starts to know how they interact and how to create a combination that dazzles a crowd.  And unlike Serena (a phrase I'll be using a lot here) who just does the show, she still gets to battle.  Battle experience and know-how is just as important to the contest circuit, and while she's not doing a gym challenge, you have a good sense that May is able to really play the battling game well.  Her victory over...shit, is it Grace?  The Medicham girl who is supremely annoying.  It's a clever victory that is, to be honest, kind of in the Ash style of using particular traits of the attack to your advantage.

But by the same token, May's still inexperienced and it shows.  She bombs her initial contest battle because she wasn't prepared.  She hits frequent mistakes because she's in a rush to do something.  She gets arrogant over her two consecutive victories, and overestimates what she can do, leading to an embarrassing defeat with Bulbasaur.  May encounters her fair share of roadblocks, but unlike Serena, her roadblocks are character moments.  Serena tended to fail based on accidents.  Fennekin accidentally trips over its ribbon, or Eevee accidentally slips and they have to recover, and so on and so forth.  When May loses, it's because she's being stubborn, or she's being rash.  May has clear character flaws that others point out; Drew is quick to identify that May is often indecisive and it throws off her Pokemon's confidence in what they're expected to do.  But that same rash nature is also how she pushes ahead and keeps herself going, so it cuts both ways.

And of course, there's her dynamic with Ash, which occasionally gets played up because male protagonist/female deuteragonist.  What I like is that their dynamic feels very sibling-like.  It's the same kind of petty arguments that May and Max get into, and the same kind of well-meaning attempts to give advice or encourage, and the same kind of stubborn refusal to hear it and irritation at feeling condescended to.  It is a great dynamic that really builds on the characters and makes their connection feel organic and sincere.  You know.  Unlike Serena.  Who kinda just fawns over Ash while he does nothing of particular note, resulting in a dynamic I could not describe in detail despite watching three seasons of it.

I think what I'm getting at is that this cast feels really natural.  I think a lot of Pokemon seasons tend to have partners and characters that feel very...gimmicky?  You know, like Clemont's "The future is now thanks to science" bit you get every goddamned episode, or Bonnie's stupid "You're a keeper bit" and Clemont's canned embarrassment response.  Or Brock, who is the sole thing holding back the Hoenn group.  You can count on most episodes having a pretty girl that Brock is going to be weird about, and you can count on Max taking over Misty's old job of pulling him away.  By and large, May and Max lack that kind of gimmick.  But they do have bits.  Max has his poindexter bit of being super knowledgeable about book stuff but also super snooty about it, particularly toward May who often doesn't know this stuff.  Meanwhile May is a goober, and her running bit of pretending to be a newscaster and commenting on what's going on around them admittedly gets me every time.  It's cute, and it's varied while still being very much the character's Thing.

To my surprise, this...might be my favorite iteration of Team Rocket, too?  Kalos Rocket felt like they leaned too hard into serious villainy to be a fun appearance each episode, while Alola Rocket did alright for themselves but largely by having longer stretches of just not being around.  Hoenn's been a fun interpretation, and I think it's because they're a good balance of relatively harmless and actually funny this time.  I'll admit, this time around they're gimmicky, repeating like the same plan at every gym battle episode, and having every theft prefaced with Meowth attempting to explain why this is a good gift for the boss.  The difference is that the gimmicks are elevated by how they're handled, as they start to catch on to the fact they're doing the same things and it never works but find ridiculous ways to justify doing it anyway, and Meowth's stories becoming more and more detached from reality until even James is pointing out that this is a stupid idea before being roped into it anyway.  Like, they're actually funny this time.

Rivals!  I kinda like that Ash doesn't have a battle rival.  He's met some people, but it's not like an ongoing thing.  I appreciate it.  May's rivals are all really good except one.  I do not like Medicham lady.  But like...the mom with the Flareon, who's part of a big fanclub for contest participants?  That's neat, I like that.  Also her daughter is like a savant, the kid should compete.  The Dusclops kid was interesting, though holy shit his family is a disaster.  Drew is a fun kind of arrogant rival, being fairly full of himself but not a dick.  He does give May legitimate advice for the smacktalk he does, and seems to genuinely care about her development and performance.  My wife is deep in the throes of contestshipping at present.  I'm not as deep, but it's a cute pair.  I think keeping him as the recurring rival was the right call.  The others have some stuff going on, but I like having a rotating cast of people just out there, with only one real focus.  Serena's rivals were...look, I only remember Shauna.  I know there were others, but the attempt to make them stand out didn't work, you kinda have to commit to just one.

The Pokemon of the season are pretty good.  The personalities of the Pokemon can help bring out a lot in the show, and I think Hoenn's strength is that it's got a high concentration of lunatics.  May's Torchic is our sweet child with one braincell.  Wurmple was cute as a Wurmple though lost a bit on evolution.  Skitty is an absolute delight.  Bulbasaur is precious.  Corphish is an energetic loon.  Torkoal's an over-emotional disaster creature and I love it.  I do think they could do a bit more with interactive traits between the Pokemon.  The only one I can really think of was Corphish being jealous of Grovyle, and Corphish stealing Torchic's food and then Combusken being like "I can kick your ass now."

The gym leaders!  Roxanne feels pretty unchanged, so nothing to comment on.  Brawly got a lot, and I kinda like what they did with him.  Wattson is hilariously passed over, they didn't even try.  Flannery, to my frustration, they did a pretty good job with.  Norman's a bit played up but I do appreciate that he's where May's obliviousness comes from.  And Winona was unfortunately far too hinged.  Lacks the lunacy of her ORAS counterpart, less invested.

The background stuff with Magma and Aqua is largely fine.  I appreciate that it's integrated well, and that they're kinda just following the games' path on this one.  It's a nice nod to me, as someone who tend to prefer the games, and I like that they get play a little early instead of tossing it all in at the end of the region.  Though one thing that was funny, the first episode absolutely used different names for Tabitha and Shelly, which threw me.  I remember being like "okay these are just anime folks," but then they show again and used the right names and something about that tickles me.

I dunno, we're having a pretty good time with Hoenn!  I'm...kinda surprised by it.  Ash has officially grown on me, something I imagine will give @alphakuriboh and @megazardx2 a smug satisfaction.  May's not quite favorite protagonist now for me, Dawn is still very much my girl though we'll see how the anime does her character, but May did secure her place as my wife's favorite.  It's good enough that I'd legitimately taken the stance that Masters should consider just using anime May's personality over games May, because I can legitimately say this one's just more interesting.  Could do without Brock, but nothing is perfect.  Two more Hoenn seasons to go.  The last one's the Frontier as I understand it, so I'll finally get to learn, like, anything about the original Frontier set.  Fun times ahead, I suppose.

[skullkxd]

what kind of phone does your muse have, and how customized is it? does it have a basic case or something more unique? is the screen cracked? do they have a popsocket or other accessories on it?

ree has two — one that was given to them back when they were first moved to Alola, and then the Rotomdex.

Their old phone is busted pretty much beyond repair. Was busted to the point of unusable before Silva worked her magic and got it up and running a while back. Ree doesn’t use it, they sort of just want to throw it away, but … they don’t. Even though it’s from before, even though it barely works, they keep it — hidden in their room, away from anyone who can see it.

the Rotomdex is their new companion and communication device, that was gifted to them right before they started their trials. Ree calls the rotom Rototo, and they’re buddies ! Ree takes very good care of them, and makes sure they’re entertained.

[pannyexpress]

this is a sign to gush about your ocs on main

Part of me was scared someone would actually do this and then I’d be forced to follow through lol(maybe if I actually made a habit of posting about them regularly that would motivate me to do more with them)

Let’s go with my Pokémon OCs this time!

First of which is Elysia who is actually more than a Pokémon OC, she’s my go to, my ride or die, if I play a game with a make your own character she’s the one that usually steps up to bat. She’s a sweet mother hen who has big problems telling ppl no, if she thinks she can be helpful she’ll usually lend a hand. In her pokeverse, she’s a Researcher and aspiring Pokémon professor with her specialty in Pokémon Genetics and how it influences variations, from eeveelutions to regional variants. But don’t let her brains fool you she’s got brawns to match, as a child who grew up on a ranch she’s used to hefting large Pokémon.

Then there’s my ancestor Draconid Anemone and her reincarnation Mahina from Alola. Anemone was the original Priestess of Rayquaza who sacrificed herself to quiet the raging titans in ages past(and sometimes is instead brought to the present day). Mahina her descendant no longer bears a connection to Rayquaza but instead has received Lunaalas blessing when she was born which caused her hair to turn white. Both girls have a strong sense of responsibility, though Mahinas pokemon journey showed her there’s no need to be in a rush to grow up and there’s nothing wrong with taking her time and enjoying these moments of childhood wonder and freedom.

My newest Pokémon OC is my Paldean OC Crysta. She’s an aspiring paleo/geologist. She loves rocks but unfortunately rock type Pokémon do not love her. It’s a common point of teasing from her friends. She’s sweet and easygoing but perhaps a bit too easygoing at times. Crysta can also be a bit ditzy and easily loses herself in her research. Her research typically takes her out on field studies where she can easily disappear for days at a time going no contact with anyone before suddenly popping back up excited to share what she’d learned without realizing how long she’d gone without reaching out to anyone.

I’ve had other less fleshed out Pokémon OCs like an alchemist who disguised herself as an aroma lady or an ancestor of Hilda’s named Valkyria who fought alongside the original twin heroes of reshiram and zekrom or Fairuza an ancient woman who was the chosen one of Regigigas and shared his immortality but fortunately had an immortal companion in the chosen of Zygarde

I miss tumblr rping lol I need to find some rp forums

[flightlessribbons]

POKEVERSE SUMMIT PROLOGUE

Note: I'll write the entire summit pic (Have been working on and off on it between school) and will eventually post the whole thing on Ao3! For the time being now though, while it's still mostly a draft, I just wanted to post the prologue! I love making scenes with all the groups all under one roof and fleshing out relationships that may not have any reason to interact otherwise!

Prologue

The doors creaked to a close as the last name on the list entered the building, Silver's eyes wandering critically about the smaller than expected attendance. The elite four member scoffed at the high ceilings of the wide entrance room of the Opelucid city mansion that held the long awaited summit.

“Seems a bit overkill for a group with the same numbers as big as a school classroom.” 

Jabbing her elbow deep into his side, Kris ignored her friend’s hiss in favor of glaring at him. “You complained on the way here about the possibility that the venue was too small, and now it's too big? Get over yourself!” He muttered a passive aggressive apology, rubbing his sore side while taking stock of his surroundings again.

The small audience milled about in the large front room, the hum of conversation diluted among the large space. With everybody pushed as far into the corners as they could, it surely looked less like an exclusive invite only event and more like a reluctant workplace party.

Silver recognized some of them, of course- The Kanto attendants were next to their own little group. Gold has been animatedly retelling a story to Red and Blue- the dark haired man hanging on to the tale with unrivaled interest, while the lighter haired man nodded politely along. Leaf and Lyra had been giggling for the last ten minutes, pointing at the way the clock’s second hand moved funny. Kris offhandedly wondered aloud if a ghost pokemon had anything to do with it. 

Though the majority of guests he failed to recognize. A group from Sinnoh draped in clothes much too warm for the cooler Unova region in the spring, talked quietly, other than a blonde man and a bespectacled woman making jabs at each other about personal financial debt. 

While he took some grace at the fact they were across the room so he didn't have to crane his head to even glance at them- the group from Galar was too tall for Silver's liking. On top of their intimidating heights, one girl was dressed in an outfit ripped straight from a fairytale, laughing far too loudly, her arms waving wildly in her large sleeves. Silver shook his head at the noise.

The trio from Hoenn was alarmingly peaceful in the corner by the fireplace. The lanky professor took up less space than his shorter wife, though he seemed at ease at the fact. She commanded a strong presence even as she simply joked with her green haired friend who only clicked his tongue at her tone with an unserious grin.

The Unovans were the largest in size, though Silver would argue the most boring. Save perhaps the girl on the side who dressed in pastels and loud shapes and her companion with a scowl and a mess of hair on his head, Silver glazed over the group easily. 

He recognized one face in the rambunctious group from Alola, though he dared not greet his former student at the moment. Not while his company was the reason for most of the noise in the room as they cheered at a rotom phone for one reason or another. 

“Hello everyone! Welcome to PROJECT PRYGON! "PRYGON" being a stylized variant of PPR-GON: the "Pokemon Preservation and Restoration- Group Organized Network!”

Silver's attention was caught at the wordy acronym, his head swiveling to his right. Just in front of the large door to the north wall, a blue haired woman stood excitedly, her hands clapped together. Her dark cheeks flushed with adrenaline as she continued with a wide smile, “Thank you for coming! I know almost all of you had traveled far at our invitation, and I wanna emphasize how much it means to us that you've managed to be here today!

“That said!” she grabbed a stack of papers from a service tray behind her, “Would you each please grab a form and fill it out before we proceed with today's activities?”

…

“Why do I need to have an opinion on the state of berries in my local ecosystem?” Silver mumbled to himself, paper gripped frustratingly in his crossed arms. He stood in the line to turn in his form, though a complication in the front caused him to stand stagnant for a moment. Separated from his friends who took longer to fill it out, the redhead jumped as a voice quipped behind him.

“Perhaps that question wasn't for you, then.”

Turning to see who spoke, a brown eyed young man peered straight at him. Silver felt uneasy under his gaze.

“Pardon?”

“Perhaps that question wasn't meant for you.” The brown haired man repeated, unwavering. He glanced at Silver's crumpled paper. “I'm guessing you didn't care much about naming your favorite pokémon historical event either?”

The redhead narrowed his eyes at the man, “Can't say that I did.”

“Questioning the theory of song in pokémon handling and evolution?”

“Not my expertise.”

A grin broke out on the man's face, like he'd made progress in a puzzle. “I see. You were able to answer the questions about pokemon battling, right? About using the right items and such?”

“Maybe I did- why do you care?”

The stranger's back straightened, a hand coming up to adjust the brim of his hat. He seemed to be calculating at a mile a minute, analyzing every spoken and unspoken word with an eerily keen eye. His smile returned to his face, smaller but more accomplished and content. 

It unnerved the older man.

“All to know which questions are right for each person. Everyone here's got their own favorites.”

His eyes flickered away for a second before returning, his voice lighthearted as he spoke. “You’re up.”

The redhead ripped himself away from the odd conversation, walking forward to hand his paper to the service attendant. Looping back to his friends, he didn't dare spare a glance to the weird stranger. His discontented frown only softened when Lyra sat next to him, her cheeks rosy. She squealed and patted at Silver’s leg, “I wasn't expecting that at all! What a fun questionnaire!”

He stared blankly at his girlfriend, “What about that was fun to you?”

The brunette scoffed at him, as if he'd told a bad joke, “Number 14 was about the importance of breeding patterns and egg groups! No one ever asks about that- and as one grandchild of a daycare couple, it means a lot to see it up there! Everything important is usually about battling- so you never have a problem being seen.” Lyra pouted a bit, and settled more into her chair, letting her words sink into the man beside her. 

“The questions…not for me.”

Sparing a look across the room, he found the odd young man in the Unova group, unseeming and relaxed in the way he carried himself. For someone so nonchalant, Silver couldn't picture him as the same person behind him in line.

At least not until Leaf had come up and pointed at the odd man minutes later with pride, “Y’know, that's my nephew! Isn't he so tall now?”

Looking at his brunette friend, so well known for her exuberant personality, and a little less well known for her scarily critical mind and instincts, Silver only sighed in full understanding.

“I can really see the family resemblance.”

[gctchell]

Pokémon Team headcanons.

-> 𝕷𝖎𝖑𝖎𝖙𝖍.

♀️ Noctowl.

♀️ Mismagius.

♀️ Lunatone.

♀️ Espeon.

♀️ Milotic.

♀️ Salazzle.

A very strong team radiating magic and old age, most of these Pokémon have surpassed their natural lifespans and have been Lilith's companions for quite some time now. They are her signature team and constantly by her side, and keep her company in Heaven.

Fun fact: Salazzle is a mother and has plenty of spawn that skitter about the Palace Gardens along with her harem of male Salandits.

Unseen because she does not see battle and merely vibes around the Morningstar Palace and Royal District in peace, and watched over the babies growing up. She will, however, be triggered into fight mode if Lilith's children are threatened. She comes and goes as she pleases;

♀️ Meloetta.

Vibes with her as a pair of buddies when not with Lilith;

♂️ Smeargle and ♀️ Noibat.

-> 𝒩𝒾𝒻𝒻𝓉𝓎.

♂️ Litwick.

♀️ (Alola) Meowth.

♀️ Espurr.

♀️ Koffing.

♀️ Centiskorch.

♂️ Cacturne.

Niffty and her little clean up crew of the Hotel take good care of making sure it stays spick and span, and clear of all pests and invasive lifeforms. Sometimes there's a fire hazard or four, but it's nothing she can't take care of.

-> 𝓒𝓪𝓻𝓶𝓲𝓵𝓵𝓪 𝓒𝓪𝓻𝓶𝓲𝓷𝓮.

♂️ Gardevoir.

♀️ Kirlia, daughter of Gardevoir.

♂️ Alakazam.

♂️ Pangoro.

♀️ Oricorio.

♀️ Swanna.

An elegant and effective team who are all quite graceful and tranquil, fiercely loyal to Miss Carmine and very dutifully protective over her daughters.

Unseen and actually not actual party members, more like passively cared for inhabitants of Carmine Industries. It's not easy for pests to sneak in and make themselves at home, not at all, but these little ones have, and they have Carmilla's respect to the point of being personally trained and cared for;

(Mixed) Maushold.

-> 𝔖𝔱𝔢𝔩𝔩𝔞.

♀️ Frosmoth.

♂️ (Salted Cream, Berry Sweet) Alcremie.

♂️ Polteageist.

Stella has had her Frosmoth the longest, raised and evolved from Snom after one particularly rough night involving Stella's father. Polteageist is the second longest in her team, evolved from Sinistea who was born in one of Stella's engagement gift tea cups. Alcremie is still new, caught in the recent months while on an outing with Octavia.