#hope you enjoy this gotdamn ENCYCLOPEDIA I truly have no chill

[youngpettyqueen]

please tell me which pokemon each of the DS9 crew would have?

please enjoy this absolute novel of a post <3

I gave everyone what Pokemon I think they would have and the amount of Pokemon I think they would have- I dont think anyone on DS9 has a full team of 6, most of them only have 1 - 2 in my mind's eye, and ill also be giving my reasoning for each choice

Sisko-

Gothitelle: I think Gothitelle compliments everything Sisko has going on with the Prophets, since it's a Pokemon that sees time and memory differently than humans do. I think a Gothitelle could help Sisko with the visions he gets, with processing them and interpreting them. I also think Gothitelle would be helpful to Sisko with processing and grieving and dealing with his trauma

Kabutops: Sisko inherits this one from his father I think. I think a fossil Pokemon fits how he can get stuck in the past, and Kabutops specifically can also represent that vicious, angry side Sisko shows at times when things get truly desperate and dark. but Kabutops is also a Rock type, and what is Sisko if not a rock that his crew and family so often look to in their darkest hours?

Kira-

Ceruledge: I imagine a young, resistance fighter Kira teaming up with a Charcadet- something small and quick, just like her. growing up alongside it, and it evolving into a Ceruledge, a fierce and fiery warrior to match her. I think the typing, Fire/Ghost, suits something that comes out of the Bajoran resistance- wild and angry, but haunted, and dark

Jadzia-

Gallade: I dont think there's a better type combo possible for Jadzia than Psychic/Fighting, and of the limited options I think Gallade is best both for how strong it is and even just design wise. very easy to imagine Jadzia sparring with a Gallade, matching its blades with her bat'leth. this is absolutely one where she raised this Gallade from a Ralts, and I think there would've been a lot of thinking over which form to evolve it to, with her ultimately evolving it to a Gallade after being Joined with Dax, with how important Klingon culture became to her

Kingdra: I dont know how to explain my choice for this one it just came to me in a vision. I think both the Water and Dragon types also suit Jadzia, I could've picked any number of Dragon types for her, but Kingdra just spoke to me as I was looking at it. I think it suits her for the strength and speed it has, while also being a majestic and prestigious Dragon type, acknowledging her for the queen that she is

Julian-

Eevee: he's had this Eevee since he was a small child and he's never had it evolve. it's never shown any interest in evolving, and he doesnt pressure it, and will be supportive if it ever decides to evolve. this Eevee is very affectionate and cuddly, and always offers comfort to Julian's patients, and would be his constant companion, usually perched on his shoulder. ive had this hc in mind for a while that he would have an unevolved Eevee, which I imagine would've been a gift from his parents when he was young, and which helps him deal with all his trauma over being augmented by being something he can save. he couldnt stop his parents from doing what they did to him, but he was able to save his Eevee, and give it the freedom and choices he never had

Delibird: where most medical professionals have Pokemon like Chansey and Audino, Julian has a Delibird. Delibird is silly and whimsical, and offers humour and joy to patients, while also being capable of healing. if we borrow from the Pokemon world that Nurse Joys are paired with Chanseys, I think when the time came for Julian to be paired, he instead went with this goofy ass Delibird who was loud and silly and tended to annoy other medical students, but was always a hit with the kids

Absol: I think he would acquire an Absol during the run of the series, sometime after Camp 371. a Pokemon that can sense incoming danger would be incredibly helpful for a doctor in particular, especially planetside and during missions. I think the Dark typing as well as the more intimidating, battle-ready design would serve well in representing Julian's arc into darker territory towards the end of the series, and it would be his only Pokemon that would be capable of true battling if needed

Miles-

Metang: I cant see Miles having a Metagross but Metang seems like it was made for him. a partner that's been with him for a long time I imagine, helping him out on the job as needed, but also able to do work of its own since its been doing this for a while. Steel type is just perfect for Miles, and I think Metang captures that really well, with its design complimenting Miles' work and its Psychic typing giving it that higher intelligence to have it be an independent engineer in its own right

Bastiodon: this is another partner I think Miles would've had for a while, and this Bastiodon is what I imagine at his side when he was fighting Cardassians, and when he fights the Dominion. I think a Bastiodon physically represents Miles' desire to protect, as well as how he'll be a battering ram when needed, all brute force and no delicacy. the safest place in the universe for Miles' children is in his arms, and the second safest place is with this Bastiodon, who often lays down for long naps with Molly curled up with it

Elekid: this is a whole scenario hc- the crew finds a Pokemon egg thats been left behind by the Cardassians and it hatches into an Elekid that immediately imprints on Miles. its his little buddy assistant who hands him tools and powers stuff up for him to run tests. he complained endlessly about it for 3 days and then got so attached that he'll kill anyone who looks at it wrong. this Elekid loves Keiko so much and hides behind her when its scared, is best friends with Molly, and it loves Yoshi more than anything else in the universe

Odo-

Ditto: you know I have to give Odo a Ditto. and you know this Ditto has to have trouble with faces, and Odo feels deeply connected to it as a result. this Ditto has imprinted on Odo so hard and copied his personality so its a very gruff Ditto that does great impressions of Odo and is uncannily like him. it has a vendetta against Quark and all of Quark's Pokemon and tries to fight them constantly

Quark-

Gimmighoul: money man gets the money Pokemon. this Gimmighoul is to Quark what Odo's Ditto is to him- it acts very similarly to Quark, is always scheming, and has a greedy streak to rival his. this little guy will scuttle around the bar and collect loose slips and chips, and keeps its stash mostly in its chest, which it shares a cut of with Quark. this little guy's design, money-obsession, and size and sneak factor make it just the perfect partner for Quark, because I think theyre best friends but also they butt heads constantly and argue over who gets what money. this Pokemon knows capitalism and it is WINNING

Porygon-Z: might seem like an odd choice, but I was debating over Pokemon that would serve different purposes for Quark, and I realized how multi-versatile Porygon-Z could be and then some lore ideas came to me. im thinking Quark may have gotten this Porygon-Z as a Porygon, when he first arrived on DS9, and its been with him all these years. this Porygon-Z goes in and out of the computer, accessing and taking in databases for Quark's use. it can also be a translator for other Pokemon and other species alike. Quark gets most of his information from this Porygon-Z. Odo absolutely hates it and it has a very intense rivalry with Odo's Ditto

Zubat: Quark's ears around the station, which reports back to him constantly. station inhabitants know to watch what they say when they spot a Zubat in their area, but visitors? not so much. Zubat is small, and sneaky, and has unmatched hearing. its also a slippery little bugger, much like its owner, except when this guy shrieks and squeals it tends to leave people disoriented and confused, letting it slip away and go flying back with its tails tucked. it also has a nasty bite, though nobody has ever been able to prove it was Quark's Zubat that bit them- I imagine DS9 would have a Zubat problem, dont ask me how thats possible in space its just the Vibes

Worf-

Emboar: while Fighting is obviously a great type match up for Worf, I knew it couldnt be as simple as just any Fighting type. I went through a lot of ideas before deciding on Emboar, with its design reminding me of Klingon Targs and Worf having had one as a childhood pet, while also being a massive, bulky, insanely strong Pokemon that could keep up in combat. much like Jadzia and Gallade, I can imagine Worf sparring with this Emboar, with this Emboar physically presenting the fire that burns in Worf at all times

Aegislash: hear me out on this one cause I know its strange. I wanted a Pokemon for Worf to represent the blade, and the Klingon culture, and I think Aegislash fits this both for being a literal blade, but also for its Ghost typing. Worf is in many ways haunted by his own culture, how disconnected he is from it due to being raised by Humans. I think Aegislash is as much a bat'leth as it is a representation of his own heritage following him like a ghost, the shadow of what he could have been always lingering

(I do also think Worf would take in Jadzia's Gallade after her death)

Ezri-

Sylveon: for someone as anxious and neurotic as Ezri, I think a partner like a Sylveon would be best, while also being a great help to her as a counsellor. Sylveon is a highly empathetic Pokemon much like its owner, and is a great help and comfort to her patients, while also being a great help and comfort to Ezri herself. Ezri adopted an Eevee while going through training in the Academy, and it very quickly evolved into a Sylveon imo

Kingdra: inherited from Jadzia. at first the two clash horribly, as Kingdra is angry and mourning, and Ezri agreed to take it in out of guilt. eventually they manage to come together, and they form a very tight bond, offering comfort to each other as they navigate the ghosts in their lives, and this strange position theyre both in

Jake-

Gumshoos: I think a Yungoos stowaway on the station would be Jake's first caught Pokemon, and would evolve eventually into Gumshoos as it grows up with Jake. a scrappy Yungoos in the beginning that follows Jake around and gets into trouble with him, and as it grows older and evolves it investigates with him, sneaks around for him to gather information, and is his right-hand man in journalism. this Gumshoos is viciously protective of Jake, and it and Sisko get along really well, and Sisko trusts it implicitly. I figured a detective-type Pokemon would be a fun match for Jake, especially one that could mature with him

Brionne: this Brionne was belonged to Jennifer. Sisko of course cared for it after her passing, but the Brionne was very attached to Jake, so Sisko gave over ownership once Jake was old enough to care for a Pokemon himself. I wish we had more of Jennifer to go off of in canon, but with how connected the Sisko family is to water and the importance of that meeting of Benjamin and Jennifer on the beach, I think a Brionne makes a good choice for a Pokemon that she would've had, and which would make a good match for Jake. Brionne is silly and fun, with a cheerful disposition, and from what we see of Jennifer I think a Primarina would've suited her, but perhaps Brionne never got to evolve to that point and after losing its owner, doesnt want to evolve anymore

and of course, bonus recurring characters...

Rom-

Timburr: I think Rom doesnt have a Pokemon for the longest time, having not had any as a child and then being too busy trying to raise Nog as an adult to worry about Pokemon. I think he acquires a Timburr on the station, secretly rescuing it back when it was occupied by Cardassians, and its stayed with him ever since. this Timburr is his assistant, and much like him, is timid but well-meaning. this Timburr loves Nog dearly, and the only time it gets violent is if it feels Nog is in danger

Nog-

Golisopod: another scenario hc, I think Quark gets cheated with an egg that hatches into a Wimpod, and not wanting to deal with it he pawns it off on Nog to deal with. Nog resents it at first, but comes to care a lot for the Wimpod, seeing himself in it as a trouble kid being bullied all the time. as Nog grows and matures, his Wimpod grows with him, and while Nog might not grow up to be big and strong, his Wimpod sure does evolve into a massive and imposing Golisopod. Golisopod is considered an odd choice for a future captain, but since Nog is anything but a typical captain, the two make an excellent match

Garak-

Kecleon: I did consider Zoroark for Garak's partner, but ultimately Kecleon won me over with its camouflage-based stealth and lizard design. Garak's Kecleon could also represent the Regnar he kept in secret through his schooling, Mila, if he got to keep her. Kecleon's camouflage is invaluable to him in keeping tabs on the station, and his Kecleon acts very much like him, being elusive, mysterious, and largely unknown. I think most people wouldnt even know Garak had a Kecleon, with Julian being one of the few who's even seen it, lurking about in Garak's shop

Keiko-

Roserade: my botanist queen of course had to have a Pokemon that would be a helpful research assistant, and what better than a Roserade? I went through several flower Pokemon before deciding on Roserade, for being one of the stronger and more combat-able ones, for someone like Keiko who isnt afraid to stand up for herself. I think she never had a Pokemon of her own as a grown up, maybe leaving any childhood ones with her family on Earth when she Joined Starfleet, until she started dating Miles who gifted her with a Budew, which is now her Roserade