#johto characters my beloved

[fluffs-n-stuffs]

One chases after their dreams. The other fights for it.

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[sigmaleph]

So the other day I finished When I Win the World Ends

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A couple months back, my wife recommended me a pokemon fanfic. It was not When I Win; it's called Ghost Town and it's about a young trans woman returning home and coming out to her family while simultaneously finding out her closest childhood friend has been murdered. It's beautiful, definitely the most moving piece of writing i've read this year, and also entirely unlike WIW except that both are, nominally, set in 'the pokemon universe'.

These two works are not remotely set in the same universe. Their settings are entirely different, the result of two different people taking the thing we are presented with in the pokemon video game series and asking 'OK, but what does this world actually look like?' and coming to very different answers, because it turns out that setting is not really pinned down much by the games.

Are there animals beyond human and pokemon in the world? In WIW, the answer is no, except perhaps in some parallel universe like where the Ultra Beasts come from. In GT, the answer is yes; when the pokedex calls wingull the seagull pokemon, this is because there are actual seagulls in the world for comparison.

What's the deal with all the game-like elements of pokemon battling, like taking turns and pokemon only being able to use four moves and so on? In WIW, this is a competitive ruleset; pokemon battling is a highly regulated sport, and pokemon act in turns because their trainers specifically train them to wait between moves. In GT, this is just not a thing; 'pokemon only know four moves' is an abstraction made for game design concerns, the same way the game present us with a location with three building and tells us this is a town. The 'real' Pallet Town has more people and buildings than that, and 'real' pokemon don't act like characters in a turn-based RPG.

I could go on further but I will not; you get the point. The games present us with broad strokes of a world, but it is not a world that really holds together very much; it is not a series interested in worldbuilding. Game Freak doesn't go into the question of what is the geopolitical relationship between Johto and Kanto, or what does a culture where ten-year-olds are allowed to go out on their own into the world accompanied by monsters look like, or what the hell is Cinnabar volcano burger made out of, and this leaves room for fanfic writers to step in with their own answers to these questions.

I spend a lot of time pondering these questions, perhaps more than I should, and while there are boring answers one could give sometimes writers come up with genuinely fascinating takes on it, trying to weave them together into a world that holds together while at the same time resembling a beloved video game series that cannot decide if America is real or not.

So when I finished Ghost Town and most of the other works by the same author I saw a number of people in my dash talking about this other pokemon fanfic, and it did not disappoint despite being so different and having a tragic lack of explicit trans lesbians.

I've never been much into competitive pokemon battling despite playing the actual games themselves on and off for most of my life, but the angle on that in WIW really does work as a central focus (even if it does, unforgivably, get Umbreon's ability wrong). The one thing in it that still sits oddly with me is that I cannot really get a handle on what Cely's deal is. She's not psychic, apparently (the public perception of psychics in the pokemon universe is yet another of those things WIW and GT have different opinions on). She's not some kind of fated RISE messiah, because RISE is just a cult and doesn't have any deeper insights into the nature of reality. Is she just lucky? Are we just happening to observe the one particular timeline where she got all her predictions right for no reason in particular, or was it perhaps necessary that Cely get all her calls right for us to see an outcome where the world doesn't end, anthropic-reasoning-style? If there is an answer I was supposed to get from the story, I didn't

But that's quibbles. It's an excellent work, I loved it, i'm very glad I was following people who'd talk about it often enough I gave it a shot. This is not really a review of it, though, or of Ghost Town. This is just my excuse to talk about pokemon worldbuilding and namedrop the cinnabar volcano burger.

[loupy-mongoose]

I can feel my Jamie fixation slipping away, but at least there's something to replace it with this time.

Recently someone got me thinking about a particular shiny hunt I'd started ages ago (possibly over a year) and never finished.

The hunt for a shiny female Cyndaquil.

While I've been lucky in the past and stumbled into shiny female starters and others of a similar gender ratio, this is the first time I've sought out a female. And I have a very specific reason for it.

My first ever Soul Silver file, the game I hold the deepest love and nostalgia for due to several factors.

To start that file, I knew two things; One, my starter would stay a Quilava. Two, I wanted it to be female. So I reset and reset for a female Cyndaquil, finally getting her and naming her Quince.

In that game I ended up with; Quince the Quilava Stella the Furret Pigeon the Pidgeot Mary the Ampharos Cobra the Arbok and Victor the Victreebel.

These guys joined me as I poked every corner of Johto and Kanto, sought out every secret. They comforted me as I moved from one home to another. I had them before I knew about Nuzlockes, before I used natures to build character off of. Likely before Jamie was a thing. This file was so well loved that I completed it's 493-count Pokedex without the use of Action Replay. (Although cheated Pokemon from Diamond and Pearl probably had a heavy hand in that, lol.) They are currently sitting in Home at around level 90 from our time spent together.

And so, when I noticed a very real opportunity, I decided it would be fun to rebuild the team in shiny form.

I got Pigeon, Cobra, and Victor in Let's Go a long time ago now, and soon after that I started the hardest of the group; Cyndaquil. That hunt being in Legends Arceus. I got a few shiny males before my drive drifted away and I went on to other things.

But a few days ago I picked it back up... and the first shiny I got was female.

So I now have my beloved Quince in shiny form!

She's staying a Cyndaquil for now, but one day she will reach her final form as a glorious Quilava~

Currently I have two more to get; Stella the Sentret, and Mary the Mareep. Both of which I'll be Radar hunting in Shining Pearl. ^^

[sugarmasonmearii]

[Repost] Mario Pokémon Trainers Series

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Almost a year ago, I started this mini drawing series, where I drew the eight well-known human main characters from Super Mario in outfits of the player trainers from all Pokémon regions, in (almost) their official 2D art style, by Shigeru Miyamoto. It's actually hard to capture the full essence of the 2D art style, so I could only get as close as I can. But I think I did okay.

The inspiration behind this series was the stickers from Mario Party Superstars, and since I had been drawing so much Pokémon and missed drawing some Mario, yeah this was the result.

Three months of work, and I did all of this before on computer mouse so it's no easy task. Although after I did Yoshi, I closed off this series and moved on to making more Commissions and finishing my own projects. Despite that, these still get the attention of many in DeviantArt, not so much on Twitter anymore cuz these are literally my first art entries in that site.

I chose a Pokémon from the region assigned to each character:

Mario - I chose Kanto for him, as well as Pikachu because the first Generation is the mascot region of Pokemon, reflecting Mario being the mascot of Super Mario ofc.

Luigi - Johto is actually a region beloved by a lot of people, and Luigi is almost the same, sometimes even more preferred than their counterparts. Although Chikorita's there cuz... green.

Peach - My origin region Hoenn. I chose Skitty for her cuz pink and cute, and perfect for a princess like her.

Daisy - Ironic for a Princess living in a hot biome to be assigned in the coldest region, but at least she has a shiny fellow warm-biome friend Luxio.

Wario - Unova, like Wario and Warioland series, two things that only get the love they deserve way later. Picked Tepig for him, although there are other Unovan Pokémon that'd fit along.

Waluigi - The least loved region, paired with the unloved Luigi Clone. Inkay is due to its evolution method, which also alludes to Waluigi's emblem being an inverted L.

Rosalina - Frankly it's due to the Minior why I assigned her to Alola.

Pauline - Same thing with Grookey that's why she's assigned to Galar.

Yoshi - Someone begged and guilt-tripped me nonstop from the comments in DA, that's why this thing happened. 😑 This too is why I had to strictly implement the "No Free Art Requests!" rule.

Will the series continue? Apparently it did because of this commission. But again, I don't intend on voluntarily continuing this series. So if your character didn't came out, you can always commission me :) ...

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If you're interested in a commission from me, [do check here] for details. Or you can check my [Carrd art commissions.] Or you can DM me too.

You can support me via [Ko-fi] and/or [Patreon] too!

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Fanart: Me Super Mario and Pokémon: (c) Nintendo and Game Freak

Do not rip, trace, steal, copy, distribute, or use without consent please!

[souenkun]

💥 Pokémon Gameverse Fanfic Recs 2023 💥

Hello! 🥺✨️ I'm pretty new in loving the amazing Pokémon trainers that the official games created, so I thought I'd compile all of my favorite fanfics of them that I've read last year. Here are some notes to read before you start scrolling:

There is almost 80 fanfics that I listed here, if I counted correctly! They're divided into 3 big categories (which are Ships, Gen, and Character Study Fics), and each pairing that I listed follow the same way that AO3 writes theirs ("/" for romantic pairs and "&" for platonic pairs).

Trigger Warnings aren't listed here, so please check the Additional Tags section and/or the Author's Note to do so.

There are a few Explicit (E)-rated fanfics here, so please tread carefully.

Most fanfics are about trainers from the Kanto, Johto, Alola, Galar, and Hisui regions.

Lastly, please show the authors some love by leaving kudos and comments! They've poured a lot of effort and love for these fanfics that will blow your mind 💗✨️

The list is below the cut! Please enjoy these amazing fics as a way to start your new year 🥂💫

Category A: Ships

Truerivalshipping (Raihan/Leon):

dream in my soul, and i won't let it go by notavodkashot

i've battled hard with the face in the mirror by notavodkashot

the sea between us (and the storms we bring) by bukkunkun

against all odds (no matter what) by bukkunkun

namelessshipping (Red/Blue Oak):

return again by bukkunkun

Peaks and Valleys by clefairytea

Red's Halfway House for Troubled Trainers by clefairytea

Your love has come home (And so has your worst enemy) by clefairytea

What's Yours is Mine by lemonjelloarts

the vastness is bearable by synchronicities

the earth badge by littleroot

Supersonic by apockalypsis

Halcyon by Skylark

Huntershipping (Ethan/Silver):

Mistakes Were Made by deamsgirl

Rivalzoned by deamsgirl

kinda like fireworks by ghostscribe

Alloy by untilitbreaks

Sacredshipping (Morty/Eusine):

A New Kind of Future by Skylark

Let the wind rush crowned with foam by vaguada (orphan_account)

Darkunclesshipping (Grimsley/Nanu):

from the dark, will come a light by notavodkashot

beloved by bukkunkun

Dangerous Territory by Orcinus_the_Orca

Perfectworldshipping (Lysandre/Sycamore):

convalescence by bukkunkun

the hope that mattered by bukkunkun

Launchshipping (Archer/Proton):

Garbage Disposal by orphan_account

Recuperations by orphan_account

Fleeting by orphan_account

The Wishes of Archer and Proton by anewdayscoming

Oceanflowershipping (Moon/Lillie):

coming of age by eggtimer

i can't keep going on like this (but i can't stop either) by rosesscythes

Cuteboneshipping (Hau/Gladion):

Brightest Sky by dreamcp

Solace by The Results are Iridescent (flyingllamas)

Miscellaneous Ships:

No Fangs by TheIllusiveMantis (Hardenshipping - Archie/Maxie)

sprinkles and magazines by cocoacandy (Ignitionshipping - Volkner/Flint)

Pricks Like a Bramble by magnetism (Kabu/Peony)

Oversights by Silky_John (Lt. Surge/Koga)

A study in temperature by orphan_account (Lt. Surge/Koga)

leave it to the land (this is what it knows) by synchronicities (Clanleadershipping - Adaman/Irida)

Category B: Gen Fics (Based on Regions)

Kanto:

Feelin' Blue? by orphan_account (Lance & Blue Oak)

Red Herring by orphan_account (Lance & Red)

Bolt From the Blue by orphan_account (Lance & Blue Oak)

Johto:

Teacher, Preacher by mochawhip (Silver & Archer, Archer & Rocket Executives)

Arctic by mochawhip (Silver & Archer, Silver & Giovanni)

Still Breathing by anewdayscoming (Rocket Executives)

planting seeds in a garden you may never get to see by synchronicities (Ethan & Lyra & Silver, Red/Blue Oak)

Half a Revolution by herohelio (Silver & N)

Lance & Silver (I literally had to put a separate category for them here because of how much fanfic I read of them as a found family 😭🤚):

head smash by aeroblast

you know the rest by heart by nevermore_evermore

how do we make this heart (beat on and on) by nevermore_evermore

Silver has an awful time by anewdayscoming

lesson number one: never trust anybody by SakanaKana

when feeling burnt out from grinding on the main quest, try: harder (an ultimate gamer move advice from the best in Blackthorn Clan, Clair Blackthorn) by SakanaKana

Dragon Support by StratusCloudSurfer

pain split by aeroblast

dizzy punch by aeroblast

Hoenn:

on belonging by johnchurch (May & Archie & Maxie, Archie/Maxie)

Fearless by RageCandyBar (May & Norman)

Sinnoh:

maybe the real fire-types were the friends we made along the way by HopeStoryteller (Volkner & Flint)

mourning what cant be saved by miafey (Cynthia & Dawn, Volo & Dawn)

Alola:

until we meet again (Gladion & Lillie, Hau & Gladion) by synchronicities

Silver Bird by Saphruikan (Gladion & Silvally)

Fundamentals of Silvally by cteranodon (Gladion & Silvally)

Hisui:

Tag-Along by capitalj (Ingo & Akari, Subway Masters)

now the sun appears by sojourner (findingkairos) (Ingo & Akari, Subway Masters)

Converging Tracks [Series] by StellarCoachman (Ingo & Akari, Subway Masters)

End of Line by coolcrocs (Subway Masters)

Let’s Get You Back to Her by WaywardStation (Ingo & Akari, Subway Masters)

Dear Nimbasa Times: Please Stop Spreading Rumors About My Brother's Body Being Hidden In The Subway Tunnels Unless You'd Like To Start Paying For My Therapy. Love, Emmet by TrashfireRadiowaves (Subway Masters)

Diverge, Converge by Level99Eevee (Ingo & Akari, Subway Masters)

the only way to be sure of catching a train is to miss the one before it by dittolicous (Ingo & Akari, Subway Masters)

Given Some Time (And Maybe Space) by EVTrainingUniversity (Gaeric & Irida)

Fate Is Written In Stone by EVTrainingUniversity (Hisui Wardens)

Heights of the Tundra by EVTrainingUniversity (Gaeric & Sabi)

Category C: Character Studies

(i know) you're out there somewhere waiting by notavodkashot (Raihan)

these chains will not hold me down, they'll break and fall to the ground by notavodkashot (Piers)

Clever Girl by HopeStoryteller (Kabu)

Fidelity by Skylark (Silver & Crobat)

Alpha Beta by mochawhip (Silver & Giovanni, Silver & Rocket Executives)

1 by Silky_John (Blue Oak)

[burgundy-twice]

‘CAUSE IVORY TOWERS SHATTER WHEN YOU SHOW THEM AS THEY ARE!

[PT: Cause ivory towers shatter when you show them as they are! End PT]

BURGUNDY

HE/THEY/XE . (Honestly any but she/her or it/its! :0)

Twice Johto Champion! Almost galar champion but they hate me sooo much </3

Retired from the competitive scene, working on my bachelor’s in physics! I’m currently working in Kalos under Professor Sycamore for some internship shit but I keep being called his assistant so it’s just an honorary title now :3c still have my same Ol’ team (aside from new guy mr pawniard) who are my emotional support which comes from the fact I am, in fact, doing physics. You can ask for pictures I adore them with ALL MY HEART!

I AM SO LOUD!

EEK!!!

The baby in the background is my beloved schmooboo blooboo aka ACICULA! My starter…my ace is my Glalie though.

ooc info under cut:

HI! I’m finch! Burgundy is kinda but not really a self insert I’m using for shits and giggles but I promise he’s got a lot of character teehee. Like Burgundy I’m a physics major so I’m protecting HARD /lh

Burgundy is also an awkward overly excited late teen who loves having fun and being kinda annoying. /silly xe babbles on ab off topic shit and his emotions are very volatile .

My main account is @axe-cution !!!

Info about tags, not including main rotomblr tags:

#flamegrilled - main posts, anything that’s not a reblog or an ask, pretty much

#rb - reblog, self explanatory

#lab hell - anything pertaining to sycamore’s lab .

#pkmn: acicula- anything about burgundy’s cyndaquil

#pkmn: wires - glalie

#pkmn: beans - clefable

#pkmn: clint - Scizor

#pkmn: zircon - metagross

#pkmn: pawniard - pawniard

Anything else is self explanatory, hopefully!

Also here’s the prior burgundy ref it’s prolly useful or smtgn:

[epicspheal]

Vee-Vee Power! A Penny Analysis

Just a heads up I'll probably be revisiting this analysis once we get the Scarlet/Violet DLC because likely there will be more insights to Penny's character.

Alright so Pokemon Scarlet and Violet has probably introduced the most beloved friend group series that the franchise by the fandom standards in Penny, Arven, and Nemona. Both Arven and Nemona have had analysis on them but there's not that much going around for Penny who is my personal favorite of the three.

Let's start with Penny's name. Or names I should say since she ends up going by two different monikers. There's her given name Penny and her pseudonym Cassiopeia when she was the mysterious shadow head for Team Star. Penny comes from Peony and she's funnily the third character in the franchise to have her name based on this flower. Peonies symbolize many things such as shame, bashfulness, honor, and bravery. All of these apply to Penny to at some point during her story. One of the first things we realize about her is that she's quite bashful and quiet as a person. She even mentions at one point that's she's not used to speaking so much and that her throat hurts. While Team Star is huge source of pride for her, it also brings a bit of her shame as she feels that the group has gotten out of control and she feels bad that her friends may get expelled. She's also rather honorable in trying to take the fall for her friends once the initial fallout with the confrontation of the bullies takes place. And she's even willing to admit to hacking the LP system (which in and of itself isn't honorable but owning up to it is). And she demonstrates an immense amount of bravery in taking the fall for her friends, learning to come out of her shell and face the player to dissolve Team Star and then going down into Area Zero.

But then she has another name she goes by…Cassiopeia. Cassiopeia is the name of a major constellation named after a prominent figure in Greek Mythology. Cassiopeia was a nymph who boasted too much about her and her daughter's beauty which invoked the wrath of Poseidon who threatened to destroy the kingdom of Ethiopia (accounts vary as to whether he vowed to flood it or use the monster Cetus to destroy it). Cassiopeia, realizing that she messed up, consults the oracle who tells her she needs to sacrifice her daughter. Andromeda was chained to a rock but ultimately saved by Perseus. The gods, still not satisfied decide to put Cassiopeia into the heavens as the constellation as further punishment (and the names of 5 major stars that make up the constellation Cassiopeia are the same names of the Team Star bases)

Now what does ANY of that have to do with our resident Eeveelution enthusiast? Well if you strip both the Cassiopeia Myth and Penny's story down to the bare essentials, they're both about women who have to sacrifice something they love in order to save a greater population of people and end up getting punished harsher. Penny attempts to disband (therefore sacrifice) Team Star in order to protect all of the other Team star members (both admins and grunts). And out of all of those involved she had to be sent away to Galar, and then had some extra community service for her hacking of the league.

Alright now let's get down to her team makeup. She's notable in being the only single trainer in the canon to use all Eeveelutions (the Kimono sisters of Johto and the Eevee trainers of Alola are a collection of trainers who use one Eeveelution a piece but not a whole set). This certainly shows that she really likes the Eevee Line, but there's more to it. The eeveelution family is at this point synonymous to the idea of having multiple paths ahead of you (as we've seen in the anime with Chloe). So that implies Penny has a lot of paths still open for her and that's she changing. Indeed she does a change quite a bit through the story, albeit subtly.

One thing that stood out to me was that three out of her six Pokemon actually correspond to three of the types of the Team Star bases: fire, dark, and fairy. What's more when you look at who runs those bases (Mela, Giacomo and Ortega) you realize that Penny actually calls those three by nicknames (Mellie, Momo, and Ortie) suggesting potential closeness to those three in particular.

It's also notable that her first and last Pokemon, Umbreon and Sylveon evolve by friendship (at night) and high affection (with a fairy type move). It shows that's she's a very caring trainer and most likely a night owl who also likes cute things (which is very confirmed with an entire team off eeveelutions who all happen to know Baby-Doll eyes and Quick attack). She also clearly values friendship which explains how 1/3 of her team is comprised of Pokemon who happen to evolve by actually liking their trainer.

Now onto Penny in the story. We first meet her, ironically being harassed by her own grunts with them none the wiser that the girl they were pushing to join Team Star was their enigmatic leader. This is a major scene as it establishes Penny as a shy girl who struggles to stand up for herself. But also this proves to be a major catalyst for her wanting to disband Team Star. After all, Team Star was meant to protect kids from bullies, but now they were acting like the very people they despised. Now granted as we know in flashbacks from later on in the game there was already heat on Team Star from the school admin so the idea of trying to save her friends by disbanding the team was already on her mind. But feeling the effects of Team Star firsthand (seeing how at least the grunt level, they had lost their way) and seeing the player defeat them gives her the idea of how to dissolve the team.

We learn later that Team Star had created a code that prevented anyone from ordering each other around. Which makes a lot a sense given that Giacomo (the one who helped to create the code) had experienced the negative affects of having the power to order others around. But also it reflects the reality of how in grade school, certain cliques tend to have one person order others around which can be a perfect breeding ground for bullying to start. Since Team Star was founded on the concept of anti-bullying it makes sense that the members would try to avoid any situation where bullying could take place. The fact that Penny respects this code and seeks to use that to get Team Star to disband rather than just outright ordering them or some other method of forcing them shows how much they mean to her and how honorable she is deep down

"Team Star is a group of troublemakers formed by some academy students a while back… They cause headaches for the school and try to bring other students down to their level. And I refuse to sit idly by and let them get away with it!"

This is an interesting line when you look back the Starfall Street Story-line because it initially makes you think that the rumors are right about Team Star, especially after you see them harassing Penny earlier. That they are a bunch of bullies. Perhaps at that moment Penny was feeling a bit (rightfully) upset at how her group had changed since she was gone for those eighteen months. Or perhaps she was really just trying to play up the rumor side in order to get the player to agree. Either way when you see how she talks about Team Star later on it's actually a bit jarring to think about this line early on in the game where she seems to hold the same opinions of Team Star that the rest of the student body and administration do.

One thing to note when we're introduced to Penny as Cassiopeia we noticed a slight change in her dialogue. She sounds far more confident, she's able to talk for longer times than she does when we meet her as the supply rep. It makes sense as a lot of people who are quiet in real life tend to be better able to communicate behind the screen (or in Penny's case, hack your Rotom Phone).

Also, both Cassiopeia's first entrance and "supply rep" Penny both mention hacking upon introducing themselves which is nice foreshadowing to the fact that they are indeed the same person.

When you meet Penny as the supply rep for the first time she thanks you for helping her out back at the stairs to which you can reply that you remember or that you don't. And she says a really sad line if you mention that you don't

"That figures. I never leave an impression on people…"

That really broke my heart. It's unfortunately a common feeling for people who have been bullied. Yeah they're targets they're often made to feel invisible when they are not being made fun of.

As we meet up with Clive we start to see Penny's suspicion of this "student" that wants to join. I know there are people who don't care for Penny and cite that she is a little mean, her early treatment of Clive being one example people point out. To be honest, I personally do not see this as her being mean. Rather's she being rightly cautious about who she let's on. Yes, she wants to bring down Team Star, but she still cares for them and she knows how much of the school dislikes them. She couldn't ascertain if Clive had been one of the bullies' friends who just wanted to seek revenge. This is different from the player who doesn't have the same long term knowledge of them team therefore a little bit more trustworthy. And over time she does truly begin to trust Clive and apologizes for the early wariness

As we go through Operation Starfall, we get some really nice insight into Penny's character both as herself and as Cassiopeia. As we approach each base we get really detailed info on the boss from Cassiopeia which at first with just the knowledge of her hacking skills you could assume this just her getting information from social media. That is until you beat the boss and she sounds like she's mourning their defeat to which she always mentions she's caught up in her thoughts. This shows that there's far more to this story than meets the eye which should be raising your suspicion of Cassiopeia. Indeed Clive even asks the player how much you trust them.

Things really come to ahead by the fourth base the player defeats where we learn this

"…As you know, Team Star was formed by a group of students who were being bullied at school. Shortly after forming the team, these students—none other than the squad bosses themselves—confronted their bullies head on. The outcome was a resounding victory for Team Star… Though you could hardly call it a contest. The bullies didn't even put up a fight. They all bolted from battle the first chance they got. Scared spitless of Team Star, the bullies then dropped out of school, one after another… And Team Star ended up the villains of the story. …But that's neither here nor there. Forget I mentioned it."

This quote not only sheds light on what really happened with Team Star (which was being confirmed anyways by the bosses that have been defeated) but it's also meant to bring into question why is Cassiopeia so determined to bring them down knowing that Team Star weren't the ones in the wrong.

Meanwhile as we continue to meet Penny as the supply rep we notice that Koraidon/Miraidon continues to pop out of it's ball to greet her with an affectionate lick. Something we don't see the dragon do with either Arven or Nemona. Given the suspicion that should be surrounding her by the time we get to the big reveal it makes sense why we see this take place. To let us know that deep down Penny is still a good person based on the dragon showing instant affection to her. That and perhaps the dragon sees itself in Penny as we learn in the Area Zero content that Koraidon/Miraidon itself are also struggling to stand up much like Penny is struggling to stand up to be her authentic self.

When we get to the final reveal in the schoolyard we're treated to this quote

""Heh. This must be quite a shock for you. The big boss… Cassiopeia… They were both me all along. When I saw you make quick work of those Team Star lackeys outside school that time, the idea for Operation Starfall suddenly came to me. My skills let me get hold of as much LP as I want, so I decided to use that to tempt you to helping me out. After the operation started, I kept an eye on you as a member of the "supply unit"… And I had you battle the bosses on my behalf. All for the goal of defeating me and putting an end to Team Star once and for all. But still…there's a part of me that wants Team Star to live on! I can't just roll over and let you win without putting up a fight! This is the final showdown. Are you ready?"

This is another point where people bring up Penny being a bad person because she was manipulative in her own goal. And yes to be fair she was underhanded but it's understandable given her backstory as to why she goes for more indirect confrontation methods. Like this is someone who doesn't like the spotlight and has struggled with confrontation. Plus she's really torn about this whole plot because the Team Star admins are her friends. She even says she doesn't really want to disband them. But she feels she has to in order to save her friends

After all, we see in the flashback once the Operation Star was a success that she tried to get them to disband to avoid further punishment. To which the others decided not to. At that point we see that she ends up taking the blame onto herself to protect her friends. This is why I don't necessarily get why people call her selfish. That's pretty unselfish to take on the blame and be willing to be sent of for a whole 18 months.

"I'm the big boss of Team Star. The name's Cassiopeia—No…Penny!"

This is another major quote that I think is underrated. You can see that she's now fighting between the two identities she holds. Cassiopeia, the enigmatic leader of Team Star and Penny her true self she's not been able to show authentically

"Time to Terastallize! Shine bright like the starry sky and become who you really want to be!"

Again this further supports the idea that after Operation Starfall, she's really wanting to be her most authentic self

The reunion (and truly first meeting) between her and the Team Star Admin is really touching to see. Her finally meeting them face to face, and them forgiving her after what she did. They realized that despite the underhanded method, she was really just trying to look out for them.

After the final showdown we see Penny own up to more of her crimes. Which she didn't have to do, but it shows that deep down she's an honorable person whose done some questionable things. And again this directly contrasts the idea that she's selfish as she could've just not owned up to hacking the LP system. Some people dislike the fact that she seems to get off easy but to be fair she already had been sent away for 18 months previously. And as much as Operation Starfall street was a lesson for Penny, it was also a lesson for Clive/Clavell who was about to straight up expel everyone involve with him learning to be more observant before taking drastic measures.

We meet Penny again in Area Zero and this is where a lot of people kind of find her interactions with Nemona and Arven to be mean-spirited. Now true she is snarky here but you can see it as a way of keeping her guard up which is something many people who have been bullied may do. Not to mention both Nemona and Arven come off strong with Nemona being a little too extroverted and not reading the room and Arven actually starts in on her first by calling her pipsqueak which would actually send her onto the defensive. I think people forget that there are three socially awkward kids meeting for the first time going into an incredibly dangerous and off-limits area. That wasn't going to be just a smooth nice interaction and again Nemona and Arven had some not-so-great moments down there as well.

To her credit Penny actually does apologize to Arven (and Arven does the same) and she has a bit more situation awareness of what was going on with Koraidon/Miraidon when they meet their very aggressive counterpart. She even actually tries to give Arven some words of sympathy once we know the true fate of the professor.

People also give her flak for her calling her father annoying for checking in on her and giving her an embarassing nickname (Pen-Pen). Yes she doesn't have it nearly as bad as Nemona or Arven, but she is a teenager. Most teenagers tend to find their parents annoying. So it's a very realistic remark from her even if she doesn't familial problems on the scale of others.

In the post-game we see her checking up on the former Team Star admins as they work to reintegrate themselves back into academy which acts as one final bit of growth for Penny. She's concerned given the reputation of Team Star and the fact that the admins are like her rather awkward. However her worries a little misplaced as despite their awkwardness, the admins are able to make a name for themselves outside of Team Star. She recognizes this herself and she ultimately stops tailing her friends knowing they'll be alright

Penny isn't perfect, but she's trying her best to change for the better. The narrative acknowledges this and that's why I really appreciate her as a character.

[kits-ships]

hiii kit! hope youre doin well, i think this is the proper first time i send an ask? i wound myself at my crappy memory… but i speculate your birthday is around tomorrow or so…maybe or maybe not…but happy birthday!! early or late!! been seeing here and there some stuff youve been up to, and you can totally use this ask if you wish as a update on your pokemon stuff if u wish or anythin else!

love joy and peace ur way -nat

hi nat!!! i think its the first time, mostly because ive been so bad at answering asks lately hjkfgg... and ty!! my birthday was over the weekend so i had lots of fun opening pokemon cards :3 (idk how to play tcg i just like the pretty pictures <3) my most expensive card rn is apparently like 11 dollars so.... im kind of a collector 😎 /j

ive been really neglecting this blog as of late, especially on the selfship aspect! the end of the year is always so stressful so i just nose-dived into pokemon for some silly little escapism. i want an irl buizel so bad. water friend.

i still havent drawn mana properly either!! i have a basic idea for her design but since shes a seer/oracle i dont wanna take anything from stereotypes or closed practices. i just know shes a sleepy stoner that stares at the moon and has dry eyes. and i still need to add adaman to the f/o list / rearrange my carrd. :,( no worries! i shall just procrastinate more

as for lunette im fighting for my life to not ship her with 500 pokeguys. obviously theres nothing wrong with that but idk if my attention-span can handle it. theres a certain gym leader from sinnoh, a gym leader from johto, and a character from alola that ive liked since i was little <3 :3

pokemon is like. the longest lasting reoccurring special interest ive had other than cats, so its always cute looking through media and going "omg i loved this guy when i was 8!" "i remember that!!" for example: double trouble from pikachus jukebox is SO funny. i used to listen to it on repeat

ok. thats all my autism can think of rn. i love pokemon and i love sinnoh. shoutout to my beloved electric rat and shoutout to pokemon puzzle league.

[coldslaws]

Honestly Alder is one of the best champions in the entire franchise. The amount of depth and story that is both spoken and unspoken in Alder is genuinely amazing but he gets constantly shoved aside because his battle was "too easy" like that doesn't defeat the purpose of his whole character!

He doesn't change the minds of his opponents through battling, but through words and experiences. He helps and teaches Cheren that not everything is about battling and to not make the same mistakes he's made. He tries to see reason with N because he knew he wasn't going to win, and when everything comes to an end he lets N go because he knows she never had a chance.

He's just this funky lil bug type old guy that's been riddled with grief and pain that causes him to go rusty when the region needed him most, he just wanted to retire.

Though fuck anime Alder, they completely dumbed down his character into nothing but a lazy women's pest. Anime Alder pisses me off and I hate when I see people make posts or headcanons of anime Alder because it always includes how much of a creep he is. Bleh.

- 💌

I KNOW!!! i love him :(( him and n are just like. a thoroughly incredible found family pair. i think a lot of my family hcs make his whole situation even worse and gives him more reason to hold onto hope for n as a person than he already has because like, if lance is his sibling (and following pokespe lore where lance can talk to pkm and tries to wipe out johto), that means he's seen n's exact ideals at play all over before. first hand. he knows how bad it can get yes but he also knows that someone like lance can be rehabilitated because lance did all that awful shit, arguably did more damage than n managed to, and yet now he's successful and beloved and happy.

and then ryuki.. i dunno if ill ever get to address this on rh anyways since it's far out, and i did hint vaguely at it on nhp, but there comes a point in the future where ryuki eventually mistakenly gets someone pregnant, drops the kid (benga) in alders lap, and runs away. ive been dropping hints here and there but because of the dragon clan ordeal, ryuki struggles to connect with his dad ever again after that point, and alder struggles to support his emotional needs, which is what leads to ryu leaving for alola and abandoning benga. alder's family is so busted up and in bits and pieces, and as he grows from this hurt, he becomes a more capable guardian through supporting benga and iris, desperate to reach the hearts of anyone he can and save them from disappearing within themselves. all of that why he insists on helping n despite the nightmare they caused for unova and despite the way n came after him personally. not only did she call him names, demean him, and fight dirty against him, but she helped propagate the myth that he'd killed his best friend. his kindness, spurred on through grief and a miriad of major life experiences, is his weakness and his strength.

and like you said, he's hurting, he's old, he wants to retire. n knows to take advantage of this and, combined with his growing insecurity over the death of volcarona, he doesn't stand a chance. while maybe there was never a shot he'd actually win anyways, given that zekrom was in n's party during their battle, he still holds back enough for n to take notice and for it to linger in her brain even after everything happens. which is what eventually causes her to seek alder out, then join him for training, then become a part of a new family altogether. alder won by losing

like. he's just got so much going on and i think it's really cool. and who doesn't like nice old men or bugs. 10/10 character

and then we all collectively say fuck you pokemon anime for reducing his character

[eggs-are-my-passion]

you don't understand how happy i got when i looked up the elm tag and saw this blog (i actually used to run an elm blog back when pokémon ganda blogs were super active) !! elm is fr my all time favorite pokémon character and seeing someone else who loves him just as much is honestly super amazing <3

i also love the headcanons you made for him!! i also hc him being neurodivergent i'm so happy you did too dhchchh !!! aint no way this man is neurotypical hdfhfhf

(sorry for the long ask! just very happy :D)

//I never actually looked up any elm blogs, but I thought they didn't exist since he's not usually the most beloved professor lol

//I also love this nerd. I fuckin love johto all together

//and like, of course he's neurodivergent. Look at the art from ken sugimori and tell me if this man isn't autistic?

//there is paper flying out of his pocket for christ sake

[nell0-0]

Accidentally turned on anonymous; I’m the one who posted that champion talk.I’m glad you love that route too! I can actually see them doing that(and not just because every like four months Gamefreak Twitter decides to remind people of Ingo’s current fate.

For one, Unova’s legend is built on two twin brothers, older one truth and younger ideals. We got the differences with Alder and Iris for that(and the rivals having Cherrim as Ideals, Bianca as truth, and Hugh as balance) but the twins are literally black and white twin brothers. A third champion can round out the truth, ideals, and balance and Emmet feels perfect for it storywise with Unova starting with twins and ending with twins(bonus if Emmet incorporates grey in his outfit since it’s the mix of his and Ingo’s color scheme).

Secondly, it feels that the regions go in real time. Red and Blue aging matching up with how old Gen 1 was to both Johto and the Unova sequel having that timeskip matching up with their releases. Ingo’s concept art of him being found in Hisui also is listed as “XX years ago” which implies he been there for at least a decade which lines up with Black and White 2 age(excuse me as I crumple to dust-) and also is plenty of time for Emmet to take everything in for better coping skills. ALSO, the constant mentions to Unova and seeing the changes outside of the region. Unova was mentioned multiple times in Kalos, specifically the Subway and Coleress research. In the Ultra Games Grimsley is revealed to have retired from being the dark type elite four member while Coleress is revealed to have been traveling regions to pursue his totally not illegal research. Several Unovan Pokémon received love in Gen 8 with evolutions and the nobles. And of course Ingo was sent hundreds of years into the past(side note: almost every Gen has a ghost. Marowak, the little girl in Pheobe gym, Old Chateau and the abandoned house, the strange house girl, the elevator girl, the trainer school girl, the love letter girl, and vessa. But we never got to fight one besides Marowak. If ghost Ingo comes true, please have a fight and some true closure with Emmet) and wasn’t sent back afterwards. This means so much has changed since the sequel and since many things weren’t answered already like what the original dragon looked like, they could totally do a third and final game as a send off. Having a fan favorite like Emmet be the champion(since the twins are adored in Japan) be a fitting way to conclude their story.

As for Emmet himself, he is possibly the strongest double fighter in the series. The twins are basically champion level fighters and there are even headcanons they wanted to be champions until realizing only one of them could be. Emmet runs a competitive team and in all the media, he’s implied to have only lost to the protagonist and Ingo(in the Manga Hilda merely tied with Ingo. In Masters Emmet reveals he and Ingo practice fights with each other where Ingo hardly loses matches. And in the anime no one could beat them to the point of someone lying that he did to seem impressive) so he’s definitely strong enough to be one. Being champion and thus in the spotlight could also give us more info on the Unova myths, Emmet’s backstory(I have sad headcanons with that), or his relationships with the other people in Unova. But also…Emmet is a double battler, and including Gurdurr and Boldore, the two have twelve Pokémon. We could possibly have our first ever double battle champion, and given Pokémon been adding harder challenges(Ultra Necrozma, BDSP Cynthia, Volo, and final boss of Scarlet and Violet) this could be something they could do at a stand out final fight. In conclusion, less evil Emmet, more champion Emmet(and please Gamefreak! You’ve been building up something for Unova for years, please be good-)

I would love for Emmet to be the first ever double battler champion! He's a beloved character with a lot of potential. I wouldn't get my hopes up since the pokemon franchise has a lot of ongoing stories in world that never seem to progress, or at least we have to wait a long time to get a glimpse of it (pointedly looking at Looker and Anabel, for example). And even when we do get progress, closing the story line seems like wishful thinking. Not that I complain much since it allows for a lot of content creators to go wild, although it would be nice to get some closure in some of them. Gamefreak better let the twins reunite at some point. Acknowledge what you did to those two poor twins, cowards.

On the other hand, I love all your thoughts about this. But but BUT-

Did you really have to go there. Omg. My heart.

[professorcocoa]

Hello there rotumblr, the name is Cocoa and Pie, the butterfree is my beloved partner.

I live in Azalea, on the Johto region, and I'm aspiring to become a pokemon professor.

I still don't know what exactly I'm going to study, but it doesn't matter, I'll just research everything.

It's a pleasure to meet you all.

//ooc: hello everyone, the name is Willow. I'm a 19 year old nb who just loves pokemon a little bit too much

here's the list of my pokerp blogs just cause

@pokemonprofessorintraining - me in the pokemon world

@ecruteakfashiondesigner - my oc that's based on my ex bf and my dream bf at the same time

@trio-of-chaos - a little joke that went too far, now a trio of dumbasses

@katcriollo - Cocoa's long lost sister

@mazes-and-puzzles - Maizie (canon character)

@spinarak-bite - Spinarak Man

@eggs-are-my-passion - Professor Elm (canon character)

@papercutt - Paper Cut Anon, aka another joke

@koko-tapu @lele-tapu @bulu-tapu @fini-tapu - The tapus

@sleepy-mot - Dudunsparce eeby deeby

@slakingthatslays - Slaking eeby deeby who is also a drag queen

@sleepingtight - Cresselia from the same world as Amy

@w1llowo - me again, but this time as a literal faller. Like, they're literally me!!

Their pokemon:

Pie, Butterfree, Female

Sponge, Slowking, Male

Opera, Shiny Crobat, Male

Sirius, Larvesta, Female

Pillow, Geodude (as smooth as a bowling ball), Male

Flint, Duraludon(an extremely tiny one, 6 cm/2.4 inches in height), Female

Cleopatra, Female, Trapinch

Team Menace

Krabbies (3), Females, Romana, Marinara and Carbonara

Krabbies (2), Males, Pizza and Pasta

Marguerita, Female, Kingler

Salsa, Male, Kingler (Team Menace Leader)

[nautiscarader]

Azure reunion - ch. 1

Disclaimer: All characters are aged-up,to match the theme of the story, and make Ash's endless journey a little more realistic. I haven;t seen anipoke for ages, so Bulbapedia, you are my only hope. Vulpix is the cutest Pokémon. The last thing has nothing to do with the story, it is just true, fight me irl.

(Ao3)

It was good to back on the road. Or rather, above it. Feeling wind in his hair, as he sat on his trusty old Pidgeot, Ash Ketchum felt as if he was 10 years old again, starting his great journey…

It hasn't been that long since he arrived back from Galar, with dozens of new Pokémon at his side and shiny trophy with his name. His mom thought he'd stay home longer, but deep down she knew he wasn't made to sit down and bask in glory, his relentless spirit could only have been contained for so long…

He watched as clouds moved next to, underneath and around him, obscuring the many roads and landmarks he has visited over the last decade or so. Flocks of wild Starlys and Pidgeys surrounded them as they flew over the mountain ridge separating Kanto and Johto, with the peak of the majestic Mount Silver being the only higher point visible.

"Pika!"

His partner tugged Ash's collar, prompting him to ask Pidgeot to lower the altitude and let Pikachu choose where to land. As the clouds dispersed, they were presented with vast, lush forests and dozens of lakes that dotted northern Johto, with its most recognisable one shining with the glow of the red, afternoon sun.

"Do you want go for a swim in a lake, bud?"

"Pika!", Pikachu replied.

"Okay then, looks like we'll be landing there."

Ash leaned forward and hugged his beloved starter as Pidgeot dived down, looking for a place to land. In the distance, far beyond the tree line, they could spot a few rustic buildings, with the only larger, more noticeable one being the Pokémon Center.

The large wings of Pidgeot flapped one more time before his claws touched the ground, allowing its passengers to safely unboard.

"Thanks, buddy", Ash nuzzled against Pidgeot's feathers. "Here, you deserve this, you flew half the continent."

He reached into his backpack, procuring a huge pile of choped berries, which Pidgeot began munching on immediately. Ash stretched his arms and walked towards the lake, marvelling at the colours of the sky reflecting in its surface.

…at least until a splash of water hit his face, nearly causing him to trip and fall.

"What the heck?", Ash looked around spotting the creature that splashed him. A rather bulky Azumarill puffed its cheeks, ready to hit the human again, but Ash's Pikachu was already on the case, jumping to protect him.

Azumarill evidently did not expect to find an electric mouse there, but it didn't give up, throwing mud at its foe to shield itself from its electricity.

"Oh, you think this will slow him down?", Ash smirked, "Use Electro Ball!"

Pikachu curved its tail and leaned forward, ready to tirn into a ball of lightning, his agile moves tossing any bit of ground and dirt sticking to its face. It rushed towards the mouse, but deliberately dodged its punch, surrounding it from the back in a swift distraction. With an upper paw, he began glowing and charged at the frightened Pokémon, watching as its fear-filled eyes got bigger and bigger until… they disappeared in a flash of light.

"Pika?!"

"No, return!"

A new voice caught their attention as Azumarill was returned to its owner's Pokéball, vcausing Pikachu to collide with Ash with tremendous force, making the two fall into lake with a far greater splash.

For quite a moment, Ash was confused as to what has happened, until the same voice brought him back to reality… but only just, as the familiar tone nearly made him fall again.

"Ash?!"

As his vision cleared up, he was greeted with wide-open,surprised blue eyes, and the red hair, matching the tone of the late afternoon sky.

"Misty?!"

"Pikachu-Pi!", Pikachu joined him, as the young woman reached her hand to help him get up.

For quite a while, Ash was rendered speechless, unable to gather thoughts racing his mind. She was quite possibly the last person he expected to find, and now she was towering over him, he could see how much-and how little at the same time has changed.

Her hair style was different; gone was the single ponytail, in favour of more symmetric haircut, though still far from the lush, opulent hairdos of her sisters. Her suspenders were gone too, though she kept her yellow-and-blue attire, complemented by a fisherman's jacket with dozen of pockets, one of which housed her Mega Ring, as well as other Pokéballs.

But Misty was in for far bigger surprise when she finally helped him get up and found out she could no longer stare down at him, her eyes levelled at his far more pronounced jawline, covered in subtlest of stubbles. And when she finally looked at him, words were stuck in her throat as well, when she realised how much her friend has grown, and how he differed from the image she has seen on TV.

With their eyes fixated at each other, the two youngsters were left in a silent stalemate, gathering words that could express their feelings and thoughts that have accumulated over the years.

"Misty…"

"Ash…"

Their lips came within inches from each other, their breaths mixing, as the two came closer and closer….

At least until Misty delivered a solid punch to his head.

"WHY DID YOU ATTACK MY AZUMARILL?"

"Me?", Ash countered, assuming hi own fighting stance "Why did he splash us?!"

"Pika!", Pikachu chimed in.

"Cos he was securing my fishing spot!", she pointed back, at the slightly obscured blanket and tent, togther with fishing supplies left on the ground.

"Oh, I guess that-that does make sense…"

The two stared at each other in disbelief before bursting into laughter, interrupted only by Misty welcoming back Pikachu that leapt into her arms.

"Hey there! Long time no see…"

"Yeah, it's been a while since Alola…", he scratched his head. "You-you look great…"

"Well you do not", she countered sternly, catching his attention, "You are soaked!".

"Yeah, you are right, we should…"

[franstastic-ideas]

I guess I’m numbering these!!

LACONIC WANDERER. I learned a whole new word from you, honestly that synonym works better than saying “silent” or something, it adds a new layer of mystery. Maybe the style and spelling and vibe of the word. Ignis hehe, Latin for fire, that one sure is popular, granted I’ve only seen it used one other time, but def much nicer than other fire based English names.

Kotone, ah the Johto games always gave off a more justice vibe to me. I had to erase a whole spiel I accidentally went off on here, but it definitely captures the passion in those games. Even TR acknowledges that about the protagonist. Cute Pokémon name too!

Haruuukaaaa my 2nd fav, ugh weren’t those Pokémon Evolution episodes SO good for her and Leaf? Adventurous Darling!!! Oh she SO is, under the SEA into SPACE, the varied climate for Hoenn is BUILT for adventure. And v cute too, very lovable. Steven got roasted by his dad and Zinnia over the better newer Champ AND by Hoenn Radio, only game to have it too I think? I’m biting my lips to not launch into a rant about every girl and their region, you’re activating my Pokémon Fanatic side and this CAN get into deep meta territory if I’m not careful.

Candeloro!! Yes, Blaziken, giant candle, I can see it, very shaped. The whole loro at the end is very nickname-y, and I wonder if I feel that way bc of the nickname Toro by her manga counterpart from Pokespe.

Congrats to BW for being the only game to deliberately call the protagonist a hero of something of prophecy. Very battle-ready, good ol’ Unova where they demand active students for competitive programs but god forbid you actually fight for social change. You said every girl’s personality was different and honestly I see it, and it fits them and where they grew up perfectly. Throw them in a room together and it will be so interesting how the dynamics work. Gretchen? I had to look that one up, and it’s interesting. Even if someone didn’t know the meaning of any of these names, just the way they roll off the tongue feels like a name that matches each girl’s character. Vowels and consonants and all that.

I’m scared of this thing refreshing on me so I’ll continue in another ask.

So! Leaf was in fact the last of the girls to receive her title. I knew I wanted to use the adjective 'Laconic', but no matter where I looked, there wasn't a word to describe someone who happens to appear at the right place at the right time.

And that's kind of what she does? Leaf didn't set out to track down Team Rocket, she kept arriving at just the right moment to interfere. But Wanderer works well for her, because that's what she loves to do. Leaf travels at her own leisurely pace, that's her approach to life too. She enjoys stopping to sniff the Roselia, so to speak.

Kotone's was another one that took some time. I wanted a title that conveys her strongest quality, her compassion. She is ceaselessly gentle and kind, no matter how combative and rude Silver is towards her. Her patient attitude towards him also contrasts well with her friends' feelings. Hibiki is easily intimidated by him, and Kris thinks what the redhead needs most is a good kick to seat of the pants.

Even though Kotone is almost always shown with Chikorita as a partner, I think Typhlosion is best for this AU's incarnation of her. Kotone's Typhlosion, Eva (who is actually male), his name means 'life'. Fire doesn't have to only bring destruction. It can also bring warmth, and I feel that's something which matches Kotone's outlook. She tries to see the good in everything and everyone.

Haruka, I've always described how I see her as 'the perfect blend of tomboy and girly girl'. She can be both! She's traveled all across the region and has even gone to space, she's become the strongest trainer in Hoenn, she also collects Poké Dolls and performs onstage as a beloved Contest Star.

Similarly to Kotone more often than not being shown with Chikorita, Touko usually is given Tepig/Emboar as a partner. Without looking at who her partner is in Sisterhood, one may assume from her title that this is the case here as well.

However, a Serperior is her starter! The 'Hot-Blooded' in Touko's title pertains to her being Reshiram's Chosen instead. I think if someone were to tell her that a Fire-type suits her better, she would respond with something like,

"My partner may not have flames on the outside, but that doesn't matter! The flames of passion burn bright inside her!!"

[fluffs-n-stuffs]

hey! i just wanted to say i really love your comic, i love the way you draw eusine and morty and you write them really well!! i think ur art is just really cool in general honestly, the way you do lineart is so flowy and pretty. i saw things have been a bit rough on you lately, and i just wanted to say i hope things get easier for you soon! i hope ur having a good day

Aaaaa thank you so much friend! (I apologize for the late response on my part - things have gotten incredibly busy on my end huhu--- but know that your message brightened up my day from the moment I first received it!) 😭💖💕💕💕

It means a lot knowing there are others out there who also enjoy the Destiny Bond comic as much as I do making it - I honestly often worry about my writing as I tend to fall into that 'talking heads' or long-dragging-bits-of-dialogue style, especially when it comes to the way I let characters speak and deliver exposition. It's what comes naturally for me I suppose, along with my subconscious decision to panel things like a long-scrolling webtoon, hehe --- but it means the world knowing that you think I've written them well. 🥺🙏✨

And about my linework as well aaaaa that means the world to me !!! 😭😭😭❤️❤️❤️ I think that's why these panels tend to take a while- I like to guarantee that my lineart is polished and flowy enough to my liking, though I do end up overthinking stuff as a result ^^;;

I'm still learning as I go along, so rest assured I am always consciously doing my best to improve in any way I could with every new update! I only want the best for our beloved Johto mystics, after all 🌟💫

Things have also more or less settled over here (this week was definitely more forgiving and kind than the last, thank goodness) --- so bless you for your well wishes! I hope you have a wonderful day ahead as well 🌸

[torchickentacos]

question. i’m planning to watch alllll of the pokémon anime and do video essays on each gen. but my question is: do i start AG now or wait………. my big thing is i’m hesitant cause i know they switch VA’s halfway thru

HIIIIIIIII OK!!!!!!!! So, I personally don't think the VA switch is that bad. It's noticeable, and rough for a couple episodes, but if you're watching all of pokeani I imagine it's just a speedbump. AG is so interesting because it's got REALLY GOOD CHARACTERS and it's chaotic as hell, but at the same time there's tons of episodes in a row where not much happens. I think that May and the Hoenn Coordinators as well as the battle frontier arc later in the season kind of pull it through, but it's a slog for some of the ride- and I say that with Hoenn being my favorite anime genenration. Watching AG means you're either going to be having a great time or bored as hell depending on the episode. BUT back to the VA switch, I really think it's jarring for only three or so episodes before it just kind of blends into normal (Drew aside, I prefer his old VA by miles but that's a personal gripe and he's stellar as a character so I let it slide).

So, TLDR: watch now if you're looking to have some really interesting character arcs (May, Drew, Ash to an extent, banger movies) and some batshit chaotic episodes (who what when where wynaut my beloved, just threw those kids off of a waterfall....) but wait if you want to put off all of the AG filler. But if I can be honest...? If you can make it through Johto filler you're already through the worst of it. Thank you for asking me!!!! Best of luck and if you want, lmk when you do those essays because I wil read the HELL outta them /positive!