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aye-write · 4 years ago

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Summary: Research student Isla Reid has been fascinated with the legend of the Kildonian Chessmen - a trio of mythical Pokemon rumoured to have lived centuries ago on the remote region of Kildo - for as long as she can remember. So, when a museum exhibit on the Chessmen is set to open in Kildo’s Hydrogate City, coinciding with her independent research project, she packs herself and her trusty partner Furret onto the long ferry journey bound for this new region.

However, when she arrives in Kildo, thoughts of her research, new friends, and an entire Pokedex’s worth of new Pokemon, are quickly dashed. Kildo is a troubled place, beset by natural disasters and fierce rivalries among its people. Isla suddenly finds herself at the centre of a centuries-old plot to invoke the wrath of the Chessmen, and is set on a race against time to stop them, before it spells destruction for the entire region.

Other Links: Read it on Ao3!

Tags: OC Pokemon journey, OC region, Fakemon region, bisexual main character, found family, ace main character.

If you are not interested in these posts, especially as I know Pokemon journeyfic is fairly niche, please blacklist the tag #Checkmate. Most of the story will be put under a Readmore anyway!

Author’s Note: If you’re interested in more information, exclusive updates, character art, and teasers for this fic, please consider following its sister tumblr @kildo-pokedex!

This was another chonker chapter at 4.5k that I didn’t anticipate being this long at all! The joys of plantsing, eh? I had hoped to reveal the starters this chapter, but that’s being bumped to next update. In the meantime, please enjoy the reveal of Brootser, and the partial reveals of Weldeon, Ampster and Coastrot!

*****

Chapter Three

Despite everything, night rolled over the Whispering Pine Croft.

After hours battling insomnia, Isla stole downstairs not long after the clock in the hallway chimed midnight. Goosepimples erupted on her skin, the air chilling her to the core. Clicking on the floor lamp, she cast her gaze around the living room. A rickety bookshelf took up most of one wall, covered in dust and trinkets. It didn’t take her long to strike gold.

The Etymological Dictionary of Old Kildonian, 1981 Edition.

Sitting at the old coffee table, she spread out her books and copies of the Old Kildonian script until there wasn’t an inch of space left. Then she opened the dictionary and started to read. She read, moving between dictionary and text, until her eyes strained in the dim light of the lamp, and the words on the page turned into incomprehensible squiggles. Just keep going, she told herself, as she marked off another decoded word. Just keep going. Just keep going. Just keep—

“Isla?”

Isla slammed the book shut. The noise seemed to echo forever in the quiet of the living room. The intruder snapped on the main light and Isla blinked foolishly as everything illuminated around her. It was Blair at the door, swaddled in an enormous red dressing gown and a pinched look on his face.

“What are you doing down here?” he asked, pulling his dressing gown tighter. “You’ll catch your death of cold.”

“I’m… I’m not doing anything,” Isla said, trying to collect the papers together, position her body over them, anything to hide them from sight.

“Really? You look like a student trying to panic revise a whole subject the night before an exam,” he chuckled, plopping himself in the seat opposite. “Come on. What’s up?”

Isla sighed. What was the point in lying? “I’m just trying to make some sense of these texts.”

Blair glanced at the clock above the fireplace. “At half two in the morning?”

“I couldn’t sleep. This presentation is doing my head in.” When Blair frowned, she added, “My supervisor asked me to update them with all the “progress” I’ve mad so far. Of course, I haven’t made any yet.”

“So, you’re trying to decode all these old books with…. an out-of-date Kildonian dictionary?”

“I found it in the bookcase. I thought it might help.”

“I’m pretty sure that book is older than me. Please don’t tell me you’re taking it word-by-word.”

“More or less.”

“You’ll be there months trying to sort all that lot.”

“I don’t have any other choice,” Isla’s voice cracked. “Everyone is hounding me. I can’t let this come undone. They’ll pull approval of my project and fail me if I don’t keep jumping through all their hoops.”

“Why is the legend of the Chessmen so important to you?”

Isla hesitated. It was an innocent enough question, but the thought of answering it felt like ripping her chest open and exposing the beating heart underneath. “Well...” she started, cringing at how stupid it all sounded in her head. “When I was little, I was kinda lonely. I didn’t have siblings. Or friends, really,”

Blair made a sympathetic noise.

“No, it’s okay. I wasn’t that bothered by it,” Isla lied. “But because I didn’t have many friends, I naturally leant towards books instead. And I loved fiction, like adventure stories and that, but I felt so much more connected to things that were actually real.”

Blair nodded. “Understandable.”

“Anyway, one Christmas, I got this book. I think it was called Myths and Legends of the Pokemon World and it had all the origin stories of all the legendary Pokemon from like… every region in the world. God, I ate up every single story - how Arceus created the world, the theory that all Pokemon came from Mew in some way, how Groudon and Kyogre created the land and sea. I was absolutely hooked. Then, right at the end, there were a couple of small articles devoted to a place called Kildo.”

“Typical,” Blair muttered. “Always playing second fiddle to the big guns.”

“The book explained a little bit about the legend of the Chessmen. I was just… amazed at how these Pokemon brought humans these gifts of technology and arts and whatnot and how advanced the region was for its time. And then when I read what happened next, well… I just wanted to know why. Why did the Chessmen take away what they gave the humans? What happened to them after they became dormant? I was obsessed. When I was younger, I had this stupid dream that I would like… Oh, it sounds so cheesy now, but… like solve the mystery of what happened all those years ago.”

“It’s not cheesy, Isla. Dreams are never cheesy.”

Isla bit the inside of her cheek. “I know that. It’s just… well, this legend has been everything to me for years. I’m not bigheaded enough now to think someone like me could ever solve it. But I’d love to find something. Even if it’s just standing in the same place these Pokemon stood once, all those years ago. But now it feels like it’s slipping away from me. I won’t be able to do anything unless I get these texts translated.”

“They’re well-known texts, right? Haven’t they already been translated?”

“The only translations that exist are locked behind online paywalls,” Isla sighed. “Not exactly within my budget. The originals were family owned. I suppose you can’t blame them for wanting them kept safe.”

“Could the university not pay for you to access them?”

“Not my department. They already think the project isn’t worth the time. They’re usually into social changes, modern day life, that sort of thing. Mythology doesn’t get a look in. Even though I changed my project a bit – focusing more on how the mythology influences modern life, with the Chessmen more of like a case study – the department still don’t want much to do with it.”

“Well, that’s their loss. Your project sounds fascinating just from what I’ve seen of it.”

“This little bit you’ve seen might end up being all it ever amounts to. With Nana Morag in the hospital, my options for translations are limited, and these old texts are all I have to help me piece together where the Chessmen might be.”

Silence unfurled around them. Isla stared down at her lap, her legs shaking and her mouth dry. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d ever talked so much about herself and she found that she couldn’t quite bring herself to look Blair in the eye.

“I think I might know someone.”

Isla pricked her head up. “Really?” she said, hope throbbing in her chest.

“I have a friend who lives in Inverbrook. It’s not a huge city, but they do have a subsect of Tideburgh University there. He’s doing a Masters in Language and mentioned being involved with an elective on Old Kildonian. I can contact him for you. He might be able to help.”

Something surged through Isla like she’d just taken a shot of adrenaline. “Oh, Blair, thank you! That’s amazing!”

“No guarantees, of course!” he said, spreading his hands hastily. “He might not know enough of it to be a proper help. But he may be able to put you in touch with some other folks who can help, if that makes sense.”

“It does. A lot of sense. Thank you again.” Isla paused. “Where is Inverbrook?”

“Pretty much directly south of here. About forty odd miles or so. Following routes 29 through 26 pretty much leads you right there. Public transport is crap, though, so you’re better walking most of it. Shouldn’t take much more than a couple of days if you’re…”

He paused. Isla knew what he wanted to say. If you’re fit. Women like her weren’t supposed to be fit. And even though the thought of days of walking filled her with equal parts apprehension and dread, she forced a look of determination onto her face.

“Don’t worry,” she said. “I can handle it.”

Isla shared the news that she would be leaving in the morning as they sat down at the kitchen table. Kenneth and Skye stayed quiet, barely reacting to the news, but Rhona’s face crumpled.

“Oh, chick, are you sure?”

“I think it’s probably for the best,” Isla said. “I don’t want to be a burden, especially with you guys having your hands full with the croft and Nana Morag being ill. Having a guest is too much on top of everything. I really do appreciate everything you’ve all done, but I think it’s best that I head towards Inverbrook and start my research properly.”

A strange expression passed over Rhona’s face, one that Isla couldn’t make sense of. For several terrifying moments, she thought she’d offended her.

“You wouldn’t be a burden on us, Isla,” Rhona eventually said, her eyes brimming. “We’d happily have you here for as long as you want. It’s been lovely having you.”

Isla felt something in her heart buckle.

“We do understand that your studies have to come first. But… you said you wanted to go to Inverbrook?”

“Yes. Blair is going to put me in touch with a friend of his there that might be able to help me with some translations.”

“It might not be as easy as you think, chick. I’ve just been watching the local news. There was flooding down south. The river that goes through Route 27, which connects Port Glen to Inverbrook, burst its banks. The whole route is submerged. No-one can go through. It’s completely impassable.”

You wouldn’t have said the entire of Port Glen had only just recently been battered by a storm, Isla thought, as she set off down towards the harbour after a filling breakfast. The morning sky pinkened gently, like a mother’s embrace, and golden threads of sun drifted through soft, watercolour clouds. A cool wind kept the worst of the heat at bay as she walked. All in all, it was a fairly pleasant experience. Well, as pleasant an experience as walking would ever be.

It was Rhona that had suggested trying the ferry. She couldn’t be sure what passenger routes they ran from Port Glen, or if they only did international and goods shipments, but it was a better option than waiting the potential weeks for the Inverbrook route to be cleared or taking the (extremely) long way around the whole region.

Breathing heavily and sweating despite the brisk ocean breeze, Isla stopped to catch her breath as she arrived at the harbour. She cast her gaze around hopefully. It was quiet. Too quiet. Not a good sign in the least. Aside from the occasional sailor pacing the docks, and the sharp, cutting cry of seabirds, the place was still and silent.

The thought of asking someone to help sent panic crashing through her like waves in a storm, but there was no other choice. The best option rested with a nearby sailor, busily looping ropes and picking apart complicated knots. A Pokemon stood at his side. Squat, muscular, with short brown fur, flecked with white, and cut into a stout triangle pattern, it was another one that Isla didn’t recognise. Every now and again, the sailor tossed it a particularly difficult-looking knot of rope, which the Pokemon expertly shredded with sharp, curved claws.

“Brootser, the Pelting Pokemon. The evolved form of Brogue. With incredibly sharp claws and powerful jaws, Brootser are highly aggressive and territorial. Even against much stronger foes, it won’t back down easily,” her Pokedex chirruped.

Isla’s hand tightened around Soba’s Pokeball as she read more details. A Fighting type. A second evolution. Being a Furret, Soba wouldn’t stand much chance in a fair fight, much less an unfair one. While she did generally feel more comfortable approaching a fellow Pokemon owner, she probably could have stood to pick one with a less terrifying partner.

All the same, she approached the sailor, keeping herself primed like a coiled spring. “Excuse me? I was wondering if you could help me with something?”

The sailor had a strong, lined face, but he didn’t seem anywhere near as intimidating when he relaxed into a smile. “Sure,” he boomed. “What can I do for you?”

“Are there going to be any sailings from this port in the next few days? Anywhere that lands near Inverbrook?”

The Brootser, distracted from its work with the knots, pressed its wet nose against Isla’s hand. Isla let out an involuntary squeak.

“Brootser, stop that!” the sailor said firmly. “Sorry, miss. He’s obsessed with leather. Have you got leather in your handbag or anything? Your shoes? I swear, he can sniff it out within a mile. I have to keep him distracted at work otherwise he’d never leave people alone. Here, Brootser, go and do this for me.”

The sailor tossed a section of rope a few feet down the docks. The Brootser growled, a deep throaty rumble, before dropping to all fours and pursuing. Within moments, the rope was ripped to little more than fibres.

Isla searched for something to say. She eventually settled on, “He’s cute.”

“He’s a menace is what he is,” the sailor said, wiping his brow. “Anyway, you were asking about the ferries? Unfortunately, the passenger ferry was badly damaged in that storm two nights ago and won’t be running any routes for a while.”

“How long is a while?” Isla asked nervously.

“We’re waiting for some metal workers to come down from Hydrogate. They’re delayed because their Weldeon team were exhausted after a big job in the ironworks. Currently we’re looking at about a week.”

“A week?”

“I’m afraid so. If you go to reception and leave your details, they’ll be able to contact you as soon as we know when the sailings will be going ahead.”

“Aren’t there any other options?”

The sailor considered. “Not here. But if you’re set on sailing and you could get to Dewbrae Town, I think they’re still running sailings.”

“Where’s Dewbrae Town? Is it close?”

“It’s up past Aberdrip City, which is an hour’s drive north of here. Then you have to pass through Aberdrip Forest and that brings you out just at Dewbrae. Maybe a couple of days walking if you keep a steady pace,” he paused, and Isla felt his eyes rake her body. “Maybe a couple more. But, if you’re in a hurry, it’s better than waiting around here. Everything’s very up in the air at the moment.”

Isla thanked the sailor, trying to ignore the heavy feeling that came over her. Why was this so difficult? She’d encountered disaster at every turn so far and, in her darkest moments, she couldn’t deny wondering if it was even worth it to keep going. Nana Morag ill, no passage to Inverbrook through Route 27, no ferry from the Port Glen docks, now she had to go all the way to Dewbrae – wherever that was – on nothing more than a possibility?

But what could she do? What other options did she have?

Rhona would know what to do, Isla decided. She had a way of sorting things out, an uncanny level-headedness her own mother didn’t have. That’s what she’d do. She’d head back to the croft and take stock of the situation. She started walking, thoughts whirling through her head like the flapping of birds’ wings. Maybe there was another way to Inverbrook. They knew the region better than she ever would. Maybe they could—

“WIIIIING!”

Isla gasped and swore as her foot trod on something soft. With a gust of cold air, the offending thing burst upwards and pain erupted at the top of her head. Sharp, pointed talons dug into her scalp and she yelped in pain.

“Gull! Gull!” her assailant screeched; each squawk accompanied by a swift peck to the head.

Isla’s hands closed around her attacker’s soft wriggling body. With all her might, she tore it from her head and tossed it as far as she could manage. But the Pokemon swooped back into the air, seemingly unharmed, fixing Isla with a glare that sent a tremble down her spine.

“Gull! Wingull!” it shrieked.

Recognition dropped into Isla’s belly like a stone. It was a Kildonian Wingull. The same Kildonian Wingull that had attacked Rhona the day Isla got off the ferry. At least, it certainly looked like the same one – she could hardly call herself an expert on them – but it was roughly the same size and had the same high-pitched squawk. And didn’t the Pokedex say that Kildonian Wingull only attacked people who had food? Isla didn’t have a single crumb on her. So what other motive could it possibly have for attacking her?

Isla reached for the Pokeball at her waist, panicked fingers scrabbling for the catch. But the Wingull screeched again, diving into a tackle. The impact came low in her stomach, knocking the air from her lungs and leaving her doubled over. The second blow sent her off-balance and stumbling, eventually crashing to the ground where the pain came in sharp spikes. With a fury of feathers, the Pokemon ripped Isla’s bag away from her.

“Hey!” She wheezed. “There’s nothing in there for you!”

Her protests were rewarded with a face full of frigid water.

By the time Isla had sluiced the water from her face, the Wingull had unhooked the bag’s clasp and was digging around in her things. Hairbrush and deodorant were both ignored, the coin purse in the shape of a Quagsire got an inquisitive gnaw but ultimately left in favour of a pen, which lasted a whole thirty seconds until it splintered and was promptly spat back out.

Every inhale felt like she was being stabbed underneath the ribs, but she still forced herself to move. “Leave my things alone! There’s no food in there!”

Wingull had wriggled itself right into the bottom of the bag and had pulled out an old emergency kit that Isla had nearly forgotten about. Most of the items had already been used or dumped over the years she’d had it, leaving only a couple of travel sized Potions, a Repel Kit, and a Poke Doll, wrapped up in a worn-out bag. The Wingull squawked indignantly and decapitated the doll in one fell swoop. Then it turned back on the travel bag, scraping around and tearing at it with its beak.

Something dropped out. Isla’s heart plummeted to somewhere near her feet.

It was a Pokeball. An old Pokeball scratched and grimy with age. A Pokeball that Isla had all but forgotten about ever since she made the decision to train just Soba all those years ago. A Pokeball that was now right in the Kildonian Wingull’s line of sight.

She saw it happening before it actually did. The hungry Wingull viewed the Pokeball as nothing more than a shiny, tasty snack. It darted forward, opened its beak wide, and engulfed the old capsule. Isla prayed that the ten year old ball would turn out to be too old to work anymore, and the worst thing to happen would be the Wingull hacking it back up again. But the Pokeball made a shrill shiiing noise as it made contact with Wingull’s beak, and the Pokemon disappeared in a flash of blue light.

The Pokeball shook. Once. Twice. Three times. Then it was still.

And Isla had caught a Kildonian Wingull.

Isla told the story of her accidental Wingull capture to an appreciative audience when she got back from the docks. And then again over sandwiches at lunchtime. While Soba curled up in the corner next to the radiator, oblivious to this new teammate, Isla released Wingull for the nerve-wracking job of introductions and feeding time. Rhona’s eyebrows rose so high that they practically disappeared into her hairline, but she didn’t protest.

“I can’t believe it’s the same one,” Rhona said, eyeing her half-eaten sandwich she was planning on saving for later. “Most try their luck once and then move on.”

“I think it’s young,” Blair said, lifting its wing to get a better look. “Perhaps separated from its mum too early. Maybe it doesn’t know any better.”

“I didn’t mean to catch it,” Isla sighed. “I’d forgotten all about that old Pokeball. We were always told to carry an extra one or two, even if we never intended to catch Pokemon, like for emergencies and that.”

“It must have been starving if it thought a Pokeball was food. Or maybe just exceptionally stupid.”

“Jury’s out on that one,” Isla said, as the Wingull pecked at a Tauros shaped pepper shaker.

“Kildonian Wingull are incredibly food oriented,” Blair lifted his plate to avoid the Pokemon’s frantically flapping wings. “Most of the bird Pokemon around here are.”

“Why is that?”

“Competition. Because there’s so many, they all compete for the same natural resources. That’s part of why people think Wingull adapted for Kildo the way they did. They couldn’t compete for most of the natural food, so they evolved to take food from humans instead. Problem is, they end up thinking all food is fair game. Hey, watch it! No! That’s mine!”

Isla suppressed a chuckle as Wingull lunged for the crusts on Blair’s sandwiches. In the kerfuffle of squawking and feathers, Isla looked over at Skye, who hadn’t said a word through the entire of lunch. Her face was screwed up.

“Skye? Are you alright?” Isla asked.

Skye made an odd strangling noise, pushed herself back from the chair, and ran for the stairs, each one thudding under her feet. A moment later, a door slammed.

“Did I say something wrong?” Isla said, horrified.

“No, not at all,” Rhona said, rescuing a glass of juice that had been upended when Skye left the table. “She’s just a bit upset. We were supposed to be going up to meet Professor Spruce tomorrow to get her trainer’s license and first Pokemon. But because Nana Morag is in hospital, I have to be here in case something comes up on short notice, and I just can’t spare the time to take Skye up to Aberdrip City. She’ll only be delayed for a few days, but the poor lass was so looking forward to it. Especially when she’s had to wait so much longer than everyone else.”

“Why’s that?”

It was only after she asked the question that she considered it might have been rude. Or none of her business. Too late to save herself now, though. Rhona’s face tightened, her mouth puckering like she was sucking on a sour lemon.

“Sorry,” Isla looked down at the table. “I shouldn’t be nosy.”

The kitchen fell quiet. Rhona let out a deep, juddering exhale and sat back down, folding her hands into her lap, the kitchen suddenly feeling about ten degrees colder. Isla took a sip of water, her mouth and throat turning to chalk.

“Skye had childhood cancer.” The words didn’t even get a chance to settle before they were tumbling out again, like Rhona was trying to get them all out at once. Like they couldn’t hurt her as much that way. “She spent most of her childhood in hospital with leukaemia.”

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.” Once again Isla found herself cursing both her mother and herself for not bothering to find any of this information out beforehand.

Rhona shook her head. “It’s alright, chick. We don’t talk about it much. Besides, she’s been in remission for a year now. But she’s missed out on so much school and she gets tired so easily.”

There was nothing Isla could say that would be enough. She had to settle for, “I’m sorry to hear that…” and hope Rhona could somehow understand just how much she meant it.

“There was a time when she was being treated that she became very low and very depressed. It was frightening. I’ve never been so worried in all my life. We were scared she was just… giving up. Then, one day, they had some Pokemon trainers visit the hospital. A lot of children there would never be able to go out training. Some wouldn’t even… you know, live to see their next birthday.”

Rhona’s voice wavered. Blair put his hand over hers and squeezed. “Easy, Mum. Don’t go upsetting yourself now.”

“One of the trainers was assigned to Skye,” Rhona continued. “But she was so quiet and so withdrawn that we didn’t think the trainer could get through to her. The trainer had this Pokemon with her – Ampster, I think it was – and it was like a light turned on behind Skye’s eyes when she saw it. I saw glimpses of my daughter again. This trainer stayed with her for hours. Just talking. She’s wanted to be a Pokemon trainer ever since. And I hate that so many things keep getting in her way.”

Rhona sunk her head into her hands. Her shoulders quivered.

Isla felt terrible. No wonder Skye had been quiet during the whole of lunch. How stupid had she been? Skye was being kept from her dream of being a Pokemon trainer and she’d waltzed into their kitchen showing off a Pokemon she hadn’t even meant to catch? It made Isla’s toes curl just thinking about it.

“Could Skye not make the journey on her own?” she asked.

“No,” Rhona lifted her head again, looking pale even at the thought. “She’s not fit enough. We were going to rent a car and drive her, but…”

“Could I take her?”

The offer slipped past Isla’s lips before she knew what she was doing. Rhona looked at her in mild shock, her mouth slowly gaping open.

“I mean, I’ll be passing through Aberdrip anyway!” Isla continued. “One of the sailors said I could get the ferry from Dewbrae Town which is just past Aberdrip, right?. I could take her along with me.”

“Gosh, that’s very kind of you, chick. And I’m sure Skye would love it,” Rhona said, nervously glancing at the stairs. “But I’m not comfortable with her making the trip back on her own. Or even just the amount of walking she’d have to do.”

“I could go with them,” Blair said.

Rhona looked at her son like she’d only just remembered he existed. “What’s that, honey?”

“I could go with them,” he repeated. “We could put Skye on Coastrot. That’s my partner Pokemon,” he added for Isla’s benefit. “He’s strong enough to carry her and we can keep her nicely bundled up. Then once Isla heads off to Dewbrae, I can take Skye back.”

“I don’t know,” Rhona said. “We need you here too.”

“Mum, it’s a day. Maybe two, tops, if we let Skye rest overnight. You and Dad can manage that long, right? You could ask a couple of the lads from the market to pitch in if you really need to. I’m sure they’d work for a hot pie and some cash in hand. And you don’t need to worry about us. We won’t do anything silly. We’ll just get Skye her Pokemon, check in for the night, see Isla off to Dewbrae the next morning and head back ourselves. Easy-peasy!”

Rhona still didn’t look convinced. “It’s such a long way, though. She’s not been away overnight in such a long time.”

“It’s a few hours of travelling, Mum. You said it yourself, Skye’s already missed out on so much. It might not feel like much for us, but for Skye, it’s her whole life. One delay after the other. And with everything the way it is right now, what if there’s just more delays? More reasons not to take her? You have to let her.”

Rhona went very quiet, her face pale.

“I’ll look after her, Mum,” Blair said. “She needs this.”

“I know you will. And I know she does,” Rhona heaved a sigh. “She’s not my little baby anymore. She’s growing up.”

“I’d like to go.”

Everyone jumped at the voice that came in from the doorway. Rhona wiped her eyes. “Oh, Skye, honey, sorry. I didn’t hear you come down. Are you okay?”

“I think I can do it,” Skye ignored her mother’s question. Her voice was louder this time, but still hesitant, like she was testing out its limits. “I want to go get my Pokemon and I’d like Blair and Coastrot to take me. And Isla,” she added, and Isla felt a smile curve onto her face. “If that’s okay with you?”

Silence widened like a chasm between mother and daughter and for one horrible moment, Isla half-expected Rhona to turn away, to start shouting, to deny her flat out. But then tears spilled out of Rhona’s eyes and her whole face softened.

“Yes, honey,” Rhona said, her voice little more than a whisper. “Yes, that’ll be okay with me.”

As they hugged, Isla felt a stray tear prick at the corner of her eye. The emotion surprised her. Yes, it was touching to see a mother and daughter hug and reconcile, but something told her it went deeper. As she looked out at the dying sky, strewn with deepening orange and slicks of black, something unsettled itself in her heart.

Tomorrow she would be leaving Port Glen. Tomorrow she would leave behind a family unit where she felt accepted. Tomorrow she would start her journey to Inverbrook.

She didn’t know which one felt scarier.

#checkmate #pokemon oc fiction #pokemon fanfiction #fakemon #fakemon fanfiction #long post #fanfiction

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maswartz · 6 years ago

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Fakemon Starter Ideas

Grass

Sproutusk (sprout + tusk) Small elephant Pokemon Grass Type The leafs that grow out of Sproutusk’s face can be used as a sign of its health. Ability- Overgrow Evolves at level 18 Eleafant (elephant + leaf) Tree Elephant Pokemon Grass/Rock Type Using their new stronger branch tusks Eleafant dig for minerals to eat. Ability- Overgrow Evolves at level 38 Mastowood (mastodon + wood) Forrest Mastodon Pokemon Grass/Rock Type Mastowood use rocks to sharpen their trunk tusks, they can create quakes by stomping their massive feet. Ability- Overgrow Caneed (canine + seed) Moss Pup Pokemon Grass Type Caneed will roll around in moss and mud for hours to get their fur the right color. Ability- Overgrow Evolves at level 18 Thorowl (thorn + howl) Hidden Wolf Pokemon Grass/Dark Type Using their fur as camouflage a Thorwl can remain hidden for days on end Ability- Overgrow Evolves at level 38 Flowulf (flower + wolf) Camouflaged Hunter Pokemon Grass/Dark Type Due to their camouflage skills many legends about Flowulf turning invisible were told. Ability- Overgrow Babrush (baboon + brush) Treetop Pokemon Grass Type A troop of Babrush will pick the tallest and strongest tree in the jungle to make their home in, many Babrush will never leave the safety of this tree. Ability- Overgrow Evolves at level 18 Babree (baboon + tree) Jungle Fighter Pokemon Grass/Fighting Type As they grow Babree train in order to defend themselves from their many predators. Ability- Overgrow Evolves at level 38 Baborest (baboon + forest) Jungle Champion Pokemon Grass/Fighting Type The strongest Baborest in the troop will defend the tree from any attackers often fighting for days without rest until the threat is defeated. Ability- Overgrow Plangon (plant + dragon) Seed Dragon Pokemon Grass Type Plangon spend their days gathering many different seeds from many various plants and trees. Ability- Overgrow Evolves at level 18 Dragard (dragon + garden) Garden Dragon Pokemon Grass/Dragon Type Dragard are said to have special plots of land they plant the seeds they have gathered, they will defend these gardens from outsiders. Ability- Overgrow Evolves at level 38 Blossern (blossom + wythern) Life Dragon Pokemon Grass/Dragon Type The breath of a Blossern can cause seeds to sprout faster and can make plants and trees healthier. Ability- Overgrow Caleaf (calf + leaf) Leaf Deer Pokemon Grass Type Caleaf will stay close to their parents until they are able to defend themselves. Ability- Overgrow Evolves at level 18 Elkric (elk + electric) Electric Deer Pokemon Grass/Elec Type Using the static that builds up on their fur Elkric can fend off attackers with a burst of electricity. Ability- Overgrow Evolves at level 38 Moostorm (moose + storm) Lighting Moose Pokemon Grass/Elec Type The antlers of Moostorm can discharge incredible bolts of lighting for offense and defense Ability- Overgrow

Fire

Horse Embolt (Ember + colt) Pony Pokemon Fire Type Young Embolt will often leave flaming trails behind them until they learn to control their flames. Ability- Blaze Evolves at level 20 Flamare (flame + mare) Ghost Mare Pokemon Fire/Ghost Type Flamare are said to gather around cemeteries. Folklore says their flames attract the spirits of the deceased Ability- Blaze Evolves at level 41 Necrorse (Necro + Horse) Spirit Horse Pokemon Fire/Ghost Type According to legend a team of Necrorse pull the chariot of the dead into the afterlife. Ability-Blaze Snake Scorcpent (scorch + serpent) Fire Serpent Pokemon Fire Type Scorcpent practice their strike on rocks and trees leaving burn marks in them. Ability- Blaze Evolves at level 20 Coburn (cobra + burn) Flame Cobra Pokemon Fire/Poison Type Coburn use their venom to immobilize their prey until they can consume them. Ability- Blaze Evolves at level 41 Vipyro (viper + pyro) Burning Viper Pokemon Fire/Poison Type The venom of a Vipyro is said to cause an intense burning sensation inside the victims body. Ability- Blaze Ox Calva (calf + lava) Magma Calf Pokemon Fire Type Calva play around the openings of caves, if cornered they will raise their body temperature immensely Ability- Blaze Evolves at level 20 Bulcano (bull + volcano) Volcanic Pokemon Fire/Rock Type Bulcano can shoot flames hot enough to melt rock and metal. Ability- Blaze Evolves at level 41 Minorupt (Minotaur + erupt) Magma Bull Pokemon Fire/Rock Type When two Minorupt battle for territory the ferocity of the battles often cause volcanic eruptions Ability- Blaze Ram Wold (wool + weld) Wool Pokemon Fire Type Wold usually stay in large groups while grazing. This allows them to ward off predators easier. Ability- Blaze Evolves at level 20 Goalten (goat + melt) Goat Pokemon Fire/Steel Type Goalten are known to ignite their horns in flame to increase their striking power. Ability- Blaze Evolves at level 41 Inferam (inferno +ram) Ram Pokemon Fire/Steel Type The wool of an Inferam is said to never go out once ignited. As a result they were once used to line the side of roads before the invention of the light bulb. Ability- Blaze

Water

Narwhrow (narwhal + arrow) Small Whale Pokemon Water Type Young Narwhrow will spray a jet of bubbles when in danger so they can escape to the safety of their mother Ability- Torrent Evolves at level 16 Narwhear (narwhal + spear) Whale Pokemon Water/Steel Type Narwhear will use their newly grown horn to attack any danger no matter the actual threat Ability- Torrent Evolves at level 36 Narwhance (narwhal + lance) Horned Whale Pokemon Water/Steel Type Narwhance use their horns to fight for dominance as well as defense. Their horns have been known to pierce ship hulls. Ability- Torrent Tidat (tide + bat) Water Bat Pokemon Water Type Tidat use echolocation to navigate the ocean and rest in underwater caverns during the day Ability- Torrent Evolves at level 16 Wavamp (wave + vampire) Aquatic Bat Pokemon Water/Flying Type Wavamp fly around on rainy nights and use their fangs to drain the water from trees and plants Ability- Torrent Evolves at level 36 Vampami (vampire + tsunami) Hydro Bat Pokemon Water/Flying Type Vampami are able to drain the moisture from the very air around them to feed on. Ability- Torrent Dolphent (dolphin + student) Curious Pokemon Water Type Dolphent are curious about everything and are always trying to learn more about the world around them Ability- Torrent Evolves at level 16 Schorsal (scholar + dorsal) Learning Pokemon Water/Psychic Type Using their psychic abilities Schorsal are able to collect an incredible amount of knowledge Ability- Torrent Evolves at level 36 Profoise (professor + porpoise) Wise Pokemon Water/Psychic Type According to folk lore if you capture a Profoise at sea it will answer a single question without error. Ability- Torrent Platyoxic (platypus + toxic) Pollution Pokemon Water Type Platyoxic thrive in polluted waters often gathering near illegal dump sites allowing the authorities to discover such crimes. Ability- Torrent Evolves at level 16 Platyirus (platypus + virus) Toxic Water Pokemon Water/Poison Type Long ago it was believed that Platyirus tainted the waters they lived in but it was eventually discovered that by feeding on the pollution they were in fact cleaning the waters. Ability- Torrent Evolves at level 36 Platyague (platypus + plague) Purified Water Pokemon Water/Poison Type A single Platyague can clean at least three olympic sized swimming pools in one day Ability- Torrent Camwell (camel + well) Small Camel Pokmeon Water Type In order to survive the harsh desert heat Camwell will dig in order to find water. Ability- Torrent Evolves at level 16 Hydrump (hydro + hump) Hump Pokemon Water/Ground Type Hydrump can store a week’s worth of water in their humps and use this water for survival and attack. Ability- Torrent Evolves at level 36 Desasis (desert + oasis) Oasis Pokemon Water/Ground Type Desasis can survive for half a year off of the water stored in their humps. Ability Torrent

#pokemon #fakemon

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nuclearomega · 6 years ago

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Here's the entire fakemon Pokedex for Pokemon Plastic Pyrite. I completely stopped working on the game awhile back but wow I didn’t realize how many I made (although some of them I only sprited once or intended to change the design/shade more). The question marks never got past being a sketch or even an idea, I only gave them stats & a moveset so I didn’t include them.

Regardless, I learned a lot working on the game. To be honest I haven’t made sprites in like over, ten years so it was fun to make these!

Fahrenthera was sprited by Peegeray.

#fakemon #fakemon pokedex #Pokemon #sprite art #my art

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ace-trainer-akari · 4 years ago

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Welcome Pokémon trainers! Call me Akari! I’m a high ranking placer in many tournaments!

Not to brag but I helped defeat team plasma. Yes I stole his hydreigon. Deal with it. I’m here to answer any questions you might have!

My preserve is in the light red square! It’s several square miles of basically every habitat you can think of! Please excuse the markings my partners left.

Speaking of partners, a master list of those I’ve befriended are here!:

So please! Don’t hesitate to ask!

Mod here! I just have a couple of things to note:

Please keep it clean and non sexual. Pokémon breeding questions are fine, violence is fine, horny on main isn’t.

A lot of this has some of my own headcanons and personal playthrough experiences

Akari’s face claim atm is Tenko from NDRV3 due to my lack of art skills. If you do want to draw her, here’s the closest I could make in Picrew

This blog runs on the following canons:

A handful of game logic (catching the ultra beasts, evolution methods, egg groups/egg moves and mentions of IV training)

A ton of anime logic

Some manga logic (IE things like Pryce owning a lapras but not the other shit he did.)

Some fakemon regions. Currently the “canon” fake regions I’m going off of are my own (un named atm but the pokemon can be found on @fakemonverse ), The Kaskade Region by Lockstin, the Mazah region by Subjectively (and their hallowed form concept) and Asone by TrueGreen7. They own their designs and concepts, I’m interpreting them as unrevealed pokemon

Some other miscellaneous things. Akari took Ghetsis’ Hydreigon from him after the events of BW2 seeing it really hated him. He’s still a bit bity tho. She also “takes the place” of the player character during the events of Sword/Shield but a year before the canonical events and ends up getting all 3 starters, the trust of both dogs and Eternatus due to lore shenanigans. ON THIS BLOG ONLY HOWEVER. On other blogs where legendaries aren’t allowed, she’s an avid researcher of Eternatus bc she loves them snakey boys. Canonical to both however is her and Leon tying due to the energy used knocking both trainers out and not the pokemon. Her jersey number is 420 as it’s a special day to her (she won’t tell) and promised to come back 3 years to the day, where she can bring in her 2 most powerful aces to battle.

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twarda · 8 years ago

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Hey! It's time to open the commissions here. I plan to begin the work on Monday, so let's get started.

Twarda's Tumblr special commissions: cheaper pokemon art this month only. Ask for your fave, or for your winning team member!

This post is scroll friendly, so for all of you interested, make sure to read the info below. Thank you!

Contact: for this special commission offer, please use Tumblr's Asks. In the message include the pokemon(s) you want (you can request your team), the style (Drawing or Painting), and your Paypal address. Anons won't be served. I will reply to your message to confirm the price/to discuss the details. Upon agreement, I will send you the invoice. OCs are allowed as long as they look similar to the source material. Existing fusions/fakemon are open to discussion (and only if they belong to you). Designing a fusion/fakemon is not included in this offer. Absolutely no adult themes. Prices and examples are in the picture above. If you cannot read it (small size or something), let me know.

Slots: 1. @ar-ameth 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Some additional notes: payment through Paypal only, in USD! As usual, the prices are starting prices. This means that for something as design heavy as eg. Zekrom or Celesteela, I will ask for additional fee (5-9 USD). There aren't that many complex pokemon, so I don't think you'll have to worry about that. OC pokes wearing clothes, having excessive amount of jewellery, markings etc will be either rejected or you will be asked to pay the additional fee. Refer to my ToS if you have a question (below). Lastly, I may live in a different time zone than you, please keep that in mind while waiting for my reply. And I’m not native English speaker, but you probably know that by now, so some typos & weird wording might be expected.

Some important links (copy paste them): ToS (useful information!): dropbox.com/s/llyrhmtr0zwu8xg/Terms%202017.pdf?dl=0 Regular offer (for your future reference!): dropbox.com/s/1gtpdhb2hmtv12f/Offer%202017.pdf?dl=0 DA gallery (if you like what you see!): twarda8.deviantart.com/gallery/

#commission #commissions #pokemon

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familiaralien · 8 years ago

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A very long time ago when I used to regularly make fakemon I often got the question as to how I came up with them. At the time I didn’t really have a good coherent answer nor the English vocabulary to actually elaborate how so I decided to do something special and create a design notes image submission to go alongside the actual starters.

So yeah the first thing I do when I come with any creature design is basically creating a synopsis in my head for it. For these Pokemon it was: starters Pokemon you could find in the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island. Starter Pokemon usually a grass type based on an extinct animal, a fire type based on one of the signs of the Chinese Zodiac and a water type based on a amphibious animal.

From there I kinda brainstorm what could fit those niches and came up with Dimetrodon, Holstein Friesian cattle and a North American beaver. Furthermore most Pokemon are animal with a twist so in this case I tried to apply their elemental types into the designs themselves. Frondon and Beablet have that elemental type around the unique feature of their species though Taurch was a based on the fact cows use their tail to swat away bugs (therefore bug types, which are weak to fire, would be afraid of a flaming tail to be sure). In addition Taurch also is based on a minotaur in addition to being based on a type of domestic cattle which explains some of its design choices. Also I gave Frondon some mammal like features actual dimetrodons likely didn’t have (like erect ears and a deer like nose) to make the fact its based on a synapsid more obvious as I had some concerns people would think its a stegosaurus lol.

From there I put their general shape (often called a silhouette) onto paper and tweaked the designs until they felt like Pokemon. That’s definitely a thing you can’t teach easy but its mostly just learning to balance markings. Beablet is about as complex as you want to push it.

As a last point don’t be afraid to based a fakemon on a creature that already has a Pokemon based on it. As fun as it is to try to come up with designs based on obscure creatures that haven’t got a official design based on them yet that can lead to you trying to force the design. That can definitely lead to designs that just look off. The world will not mourn too heavily seeing another cat Pokemon I promise you, if that’s what your mind wants to make go for it!

#G made a cropcircle

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maswartz · 6 years ago

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Fakemon Starter Ideas

Grass

Fire

Rabbit Burnbun (burn+ bunny) Bunny Pokémon Fire Type Burnbun are known to reside in vast fields. Many crops fall victim to a mischievous Burnbun. Ability- Blaze Evolves at level 20 Pyrabit (pyro+ Rabbit) Rabbit Pokémon Fire/Ground Type Pyrabit use the flames on their ears to light up the dark tunnels they live in. Ability- Blaze Evolves at level 41 Torchare (Torch+ Hare) Hare Pokémon Fire/Ground Type Torchare prefer to stay in the sun instead of the tunnels. They will attack anyone they think is attacking their home. Ability- Blaze Horse Embolt (Ember + colt) Pony Pokemon Fire Type Young Embolt will often leave flaming trails behind them until they learn to control their flames. Ability- Blaze Evolves at level 20 Flamare (flame + mare) Ghost Mare Pokemon Fire/Ghost Type Flamare are said to gather around cemeteries. Folklore says their flames attract the spirits of the deceased Ability- Blaze Evolves at level 41 Necrorse (Necro + Horse) Spirit Horse Pokemon Fire/Ghost Type According to legend a team of Necrorse pull the chariot of the dead into the afterlife. Ability-Blaze Snake Scorcpent (scorch + serpent) Fire Serpent Pokemon Fire Type Scorcpent practice their strike on rocks and trees leaving burn marks in them. Ability- Blaze Evolves at level 20 Coburn (cobra + burn) Flame Cobra Pokemon Fire/Poison Type Coburn use their venom to immobilize their prey until they can consume them. Ability- Blaze Evolves at level 41 Vipyro (viper + pyro) Burning Viper Pokemon Fire/Poison Type The venom of a Vipyro is said to cause an intense burning sensation inside the victims body. Ability- Blaze Ox Calva (calf + lava) Magma Calf Pokemon Fire Type Calva play around the openings of caves, if cornered they will raise their body temperature immensely Ability- Blaze Evolves at level 20 Bulcano (bull + volcano) Volcanic Pokemon Fire/Rock Type Bulcano can shoot flames hot enough to melt rock and metal. Ability- Blaze Evolves at level 41 Minorupt (Minotaur + erupt) Magma Bull Pokemon Fire/Rock Type When two Minorupt battle for territory the ferocity of the battles often cause volcanic eruptions Ability- Blaze Ram Wold (wool + weld) Wool Pokemon Fire Type Wold usually stay in large groups while grazing. This allows them to ward off predators easier. Ability- Blaze Evolves at level 20 Goalten (goat + melt) Goat Pokemon Fire/Steel Type Goalten are known to ignite their horns in flame to increase their striking power. Ability- Blaze Evolves at level 41 Inferam (inferno +ram) Ram Pokemon Fire/Steel Type The wool of an Inferam is said to never go out once ignited. As a result they were once used to line the side of roads before the invention of the light bulb. Ability- Blaze

Water

#fakemon #pokemon

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maswartz · 6 years ago

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Fakemon Starter ideas

Grass

Fire

Water

#pokemon #fakemon

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maswartz · 7 years ago

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Fakemon Starters

Grass

Fire

Rabbit Burnbun (burn+ bunny) Bunny Pokémon Fire Type Burnbun are known to reside in vast fields. Many crops fall victim to a mischievous Burnbun. Ability- Blaze Evolves at level 20 Pyrabit (pyro+ Rabbit) Rabbit Pokémon Fire/Ground Type Pyrabit use the flames on their ears to light up the dark tunnels they live in. Ability- Blaze Evolves at level 41 Torchare (Torch+ Hare) Hare Pokémon Fire/Ground Type Torchare prefer to stay in the sun instead of the tunnels. They will attack anyone they think is attacking their home. Ability- Blaze Horse Embolt (Ember + colt) Pony Pokemon Fire Type Young Embolt will often leave flaming trails behind them until they learn to control their flames. Ability- Blaze Evolves at level 20 Flamare (flame + mare) Ghost Mare Pokemon Fire/Ghost Type Flamare are said to gather around cemeteries. Folklore says their flames attract the spirits of the deceased Ability- Blaze Evolves at level 41 Necrorse (Necro + Horse) Spirit Horse Pokemon Fire/Ghost Type According to legend a team of Necrorse pull the chariot of the dead into the afterlife. Ability-Blaze Snake Scorcpent (scorch + serpent) Fire Serpent Pokemon Fire Type Scorpent practice their strike on rocks and trees leaving burn marks in them. Ability- Blaze Evolves at level 20 Coburn (cobra + burn) Flame Cobra Pokemon Fire/Poison Type Coburn use their venom to immobilize their prey until they can consume them. Ability- Blaze Evolves at level 41 Vipyro (viper + pyro) Burning Viper Pokemon Fire/Poison Type The venom of a Vipyro is said to cause an intense burning sensation inside the victims body. Ability- Blaze Ox Calva (calf + lava) Magma Calf Pokemon Fire Type Calva play around the openings of caves, if cornered they will raise their body temperature immensely Ability- Blaze Evolves at level 20 Bulcano (bull + volcano) Volcanic Pokemon Fire/Rock Type Bulcano can shoot flames hot enough to melt rock and metal. Ability- Blaze Evolves at level 41 Minorupt (Minotaur + erupt) Magma Bull Pokemon Fire/Rock Type When two Minorupt battle for territory the ferocity of the battles often cause volcanic eruptions Ability- Blaze Ram Wold (wool + weld) Wool Pokemon Fire Type Wold usually stay in large groups while grazing. This allows them to ward off predators easier. Ability- Blaze Evolves at level 20 Goalten (goat + melt) Goat Pokemon Fire/Steel Type Goalten are known to ignite their horns in flame to increase their striking power. Ability- Blaze Evolves at level 41 Inferam (inferno +ram) Ram Pokemon Fire/Steel Type The wool of an Inferam is said to never go out once ignited. As a result they were once used to line the side of roads before the invention of the light bulb. Ability- Blaze

Water

#fakemon #pokemon

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