So now everyone is in their own region of Choice?
Damn it gonna be So confusing..
Damn it gonna be So confusing..
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- Thread starter kyuukestu
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I know, right, and even if they're in the same region, I'm guessing most'll be doing their own thing so idk how much interaction we'll get unless we decide on who meets up with who.
Shen: King of Digimon
Previously Shen: King of the Mist
Yeahh, that's why imma try and be in the same region as most people, increasing the chances of bumbling into someone on accident lol
Think of it like the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe. We’re all in a shared universe, but are in different regions at different times, doing our own things. You can travel by yourself or with others. However, there is still opportunity for characters who rarely see each other to interact whenever they wanted and come together for different events. Like teaming up to fight an avengers level threat for example.
Maybe I might have Brian be in Ecruteak City finishing up a battle near the Burned Tower. After that, I'll likely have him go to Galar where he may have the chance on obtaining a new Pokemon, despite being a Psychic type Specialist, this Pokemon won't be Psychic.
Man, So confusing
Guess I stick with Sinnoh and my cute Little bear
Guess I stick with Sinnoh and my cute Little bear
Both look solid, I'll need to go through them again later. Please use small paragraphs, the wall of text can be very unappealing.
Looks good!
That's why everyone needs to keep in with the headers identifying their location.
It could vary. As with a lot of things, we'll need to communicate what we want and see how we can go about achieving that. So discuss things, talk about where you want your character to be and what you want them to do. If you see people going places ask if you can tag long, all that good stuff
Essentially. If everyone keeps up with the headings then we'll have no problems.
At the request of @Retro Master and for the benefit of anyone else who wanted to use it as a reference. Here's Esther's application for Mega Houndoom. (Spoiler, it got accepted.)
Esther Rosana Sophys
Meaning of Name:
Esther – Star-like
Rosana – Star of magnificence
Sophys – Sophian village
Nickname(s)
Essy
Mneme Meletē (Stage Name)
Birth Date:
November 7
Birthplace
Aqua Resort, Sophia Island — Oblivia Region
Age
22
Nationality – Race
Sophian
Esther has a bad habit of chewing on her cheeks and lips, she also has a tendency to play tongue-in-cheek when in deep thought. She finds herself somewhat restless when her mouth isn't in use, so she can frequently be seen chewing on gum, hard candy, edible plants, and anything else she can get her hands on.
Red (Naturally)
Black (Dyed)
Style
At first glance, her hair is dip-dyed red; its length—falling past her shoulders—wrapped in a messy bun of cinders amidst the darkness.
Shape and Features of Face
Round, chubby cheeks
Glasses or Contacts
Contact Lenses (Black)
Eye Color
Amber
Skin Tone
Dusky
Height
5’6”
Weight
165 lbs
Esther’s clothing style is distinctly simple and gothic: a one-piece dress, hemmed with ruffles and a darkened midriff. Beneath her dress is a bevy of ancillary gear: a stripped sleeve and cloth glove on her right hand, a finger loop glove on her left, and a lace garter on her right leg.
Mother's Occupation — Horticulturalist || Apiculture
Esther’s mother produces and sells honey with the aid of her Ribombee and Beedrill.
Father's Occupation — Textile Producer || Silk Farmer
Esther’s father produces and processes fine Pokémon silks which contribute to Oblivia’s textile industry. The textile rugs that famously decorate each house in Sophian island come from silk spun by his Leavanny and Ariados. The method of processing the best silk has been passed down for generations.
Oblivia was obscured by its distance; so much so that it was nearly divorced from the technological advances and cultures of the major regions. The first sign of this cultural divide was the complete lack of trainers. The Poke-battling professionals, celebrated in other regions, were simply and strangely...absent. How and why, this came to be puzzled researchers and still do to this very day; but, the fact was that Pokémon Battling was never the hit in Oblivia that it had been in Sinnoh, Kalos, or Hoenn and it certainly wasn't the super-sport it had developed into in Galar. Maybe it was because the people of Oblivia were too peaceful and docile, and the thrills of battle failed to enthrall them as it had with other regions. Maybe it was because Silph co., the corporate behemoth behind the development of the Pokéball, Potion, and other avant-garde technologies, had spurned the region, and their flag-ship products had never been widely distributed; in turn making it difficult for trainers to make footholds in the region. Maybe it was because Oblivia was just small; the region held a mere three major towns and a smattered handful of rural villages. And maybe it was a combination of all three. Whatever the case had been, the people of Oblivia had lived for decades alongside Pokémon, befriending them without the use of Pokéballs.
Instead, Oblivia was blessed with an overabundance of musical prowess. The Oblivian Islands—better known as the Solfège Island or the Do-Re-Mi-Fa-So-La-Ti Islands, for their naming which followed the aforementioned pattern—were a musician's utopia, the people were rhythmic and lyrical, their hearts beat to an unseen score and their bodies danced to an unsung tune; they bonded together with the region's Pokémon—who strangely enough, shared the people’s love for music as if the songs of nature were etched onto their very bones. People and Pokémon became maestros of music, most famously a Ukulele Pichu who would someday leave the region with its partnering Ranger.
Esther’s early days were spent in bliss; the chorus of the forest roused her awake every morning and every night it lulled her to sleep. There weren't many children to play with, owing to the region's low population, so the Pokémon around her became more than just creatures of the forest, they became her dearest friends. Every day passed quietly as the Oblivians took their peace and harmony for granted.
She had been just a child when it happened—Oblivia's first taste of disaster. The events of that day had seared themselves in her mind, constantly refreshed by trepidatious retellings—never to be forgotten. The experience was crisp and vivid, feeling less like a vicarious retelling and more like an anachronistic reliving: a flying castle, a beam of harsh white light, a brilliant blaze that consumed the horizon then Oblivia's seven islands...had become six.
An evil team had set its sights on Oblivia, and its people were helpless and without defense. Although aid was dispatched from Almia, the rangers had no clue what they were getting into; whether they had downplayed the severity of the situation or just couldn't or didn't care enough to send a sizable group, the end result was that Almia only dispatched two Rangers to assist Oblivia in their hour of need.
As exceptional as these rangers were, the two of them could only stretch themselves so far. Although they successfully routed the evil team, it was at the cost of Dolce Island. The region would eventually settle into an uneasy peace; but the vast expanse of the open sea—where Dolce Island had once sat—was evil's constant and harrowing reminder, a wound that would never heal.
For Esther’s family, the worst-case scenario had been avoided. Although her grandmother lived on Dolce Island, a swift evacuation by the rangers had minimized casualties. Regardless, the loss of her home weighed heavily on the elderly woman and, even more so, the loss of her late husband’s grave—vaporized along with Dolce Island.
Spending the last of her days with her children and grandchildren, she was an ever-present reminder of Oblivia’s tragic past. Oft she would lament their fate as ‘Oblivious Oblivians’; unknowingly, she had implanted in her three grandchildren a desire to see beyond the small confines of their motley, damaged region.
They say, ‘dying wishes make the most dogmatic people,’ and to begin her journey Esther hoisted upon herself the wishes of her late grandparents, to avenge their losses by changing the region as they knew it.
To achieve this, Esther set out on a journey to become a Pokémon trainer, an occupation that dominated many of the regions outside Oblivia. In her mind, if she could only garner enough fame, then her home would in turn share the spotlight. Then trainers would flock to the region en-masse, providing it the relevance it needed to never again be left to their fate.
The first step was applying for a trainer’s card, an ID signifying her status as a trainer recognized by the Pokémon League; the second was getting a starter Pokémon. Without trainers or Pokéballs in the region, Esther turned to other means for her first Pokémon.
Desiring a sturdy and relentless Pokémon, one that could bear the weight of her ambitions, Esther set about to do some research. She combed through countless Pokémon shelters and their online webpages, inspecting, and rejecting until she found the perfect pick. A rare Pokémon called Jangmo-o. The description besides its entry promised to fulfill her wildest dreams. Not only was Jangmo-o a dragon type, already heralded as one of hardiest Pokémon types, out it was also a pseudo-legendary—a unique category of Pokémon renowned for their natural power at their final stage of evolution. Pseudo-legendary almost never stayed at shelters, they were hot picks by new and old trainers alike; but this Jangmo-o was a bit of a…hot pepper.
Born within the confines of the shelter, Jangmo-o had inherited the wild, untamed strength and pride of a draconic pseudo-legend, but had none of the temperings that would usually turn Kommo-o into such a respected and honorable Pokémon. Worse yet, was a lust for battle that bordered on the maniacal. It was said that Jangmo-o’s evolution, Hakamo-o, wore its shattered scales as a badge of pride and were courageous and relentless fighters. This Jangmo-o seemed to have developed this trait earlier. The concoction of vices made for a truly unruly Pokémon who thought itself superior to its trainer and often completely ignored their orders in favor if fighting on its own. Already the Jangmo-o had been returned to the Shelter twice and its fierce reputation made other trainers think twice before selecting it. Esther selected it without hesitation. Surely training Jangmo-o couldn’t be that hard, right?
Born and raised in Oblivia, where trainers simply don’t exist, Esther could be forgiven for making such a naïve decision. Once she received Jangmo-o’s Pokéball she learned the Pokémon was just as unruly, if not more, than had been described. Utterly disdainful of its witless trainer, Jangmo-o did things by its own pace, frustrating Esther to no end. After weeks of fruitless coaxing, Esther stumbled upon a realization. While Jangmo-o wouldn’t listen to her orders, she had noticed it would relentlessly challenge whatever Pokémon was set before it. For its bellicose nature, she had named it Pyrrha—after the Pyrrichios war dance. It was…workable.
With that solution(?) puzzled out, Esther set about her next task. She still had no clue what a trainer was, and she would need to learn. To accomplish this, she planned a journey across the regions, her first stop was Galar—renown for the most intense culture around Pokémon Battle. Waving goodbye to her parents, she boarded a ship to Sinnoh and from there caught a flight to Galar.
Encountering a group of Houndour while trekking to Mototoske to spectate a battle, Esther experimentally let Pyrrha loose. After less of a battle and more of a messy melee, Esther walked away with a newly caught Houndour. The Dark Pokémon had been overwhelmed by the relentless assault of the feisty drake, empowered by its resistances. For the bright flames the Houndour spat during its scuff with Pyrrha, Esther named it Halay-Alae—after a folk dance celebrating fire, light, and warmth.
Houndour proved to be the perfect Pokémon. Before reaching Mototoske, Esther made a stop at a Wooloo farm where the farm’s owners were offering short lessons in Pokémon breeding for anyone willing to lend a hand. Halay-Alae proved herself a more than competent shepherd dog.
Her time in Galar swiftly ended after a grand match between the fire-type leader Kabu and an aspiring challenger. With Kalos—home of the Pokémon Performer—as her next stop, Esther booked another flight and set off.
With Pyrrha still as rebellious as ever, Halay-Ale, her new houndour, frequently became her first choice. The Dark Pokemon, famed for its loyalty, saw her through a small local tournament, where although she lost in the second round, she managed her first real taste of battle.
Then, en-route to a Pokémon Performance, Halay-Alae scored Esther her third Pokémon, a sassy little prima donna, a Bounsweet whom she named Tarah Ta’Ella.
After spectating a stunning Performance by the aspiring Kalos Princess, Esther booked her third flight to Sinnoh, where she traveled the region, spectating Pokémon Contests, Gym Battles, and a Pokeathalon.
With her funds running low, Esther decided it was time to make her decision and her travels let her conclude that the path to fame was to become a Coordinator. Although Pokémon Battles were extremely prevalent in all the regions, she noted that the fame of each region's trainers never seemed to extend all that far—the exception to this was Wallace, the Hoenn Champion. Renown across multiple regions not for his title as Champion of Hoenn, but in his capacity as the host of the Wallace Cup.
With her path decided, Esther decided to stay in Sinnoh and aim for the Sinnoh Grand Festival. Still acclimatizing to being a trainer and with Pyrrha as rebellious as ever, Esther made two ribbons in five contests, primarily using Houndour and Bounsweet.
In between contests, the Oblivian native would always seek to expand her horizons, entering many of Sinnoh’s unique and varied events. Halay-Alae saw her through Sinnoh’s Pokémon Hustle—where Pokémon and Trainer competed against others to race through an obstacle course. Years of dance and the travel of the last months kept Esther fit and with Halay-Alae at her side she managed a full clear of the grueling obstacle course. Although she didn’t place high enough to earn any prizes, it was no less of an accomplishment in her eyes. It was by far her proudest moment, and she didn’t stop there. She made entries with both Houndour and Bounsweet into the Hearthome Collection—a Pokémon fashion show right before using them in the Doubles-format of the Hearthome City Pokémon Contest.
Seeking to incorporate what she’d learned in Kalos and Galar into her training style, Esther introduced her Pokémon to music and dance. Often training them to the tune of her favorite songs and teaching them simple dances for fun. She discovered that this seemed to bring the most out of her most rebellious Pokémon, Pyrrha.
Jangmo-o were known to communicate using the sounds created by their scales and a shared interest in music worked like a charm. While Pyrrha didn’t make a complete 180, the drake now seemed to at least tolerate her trainer and listen to some orders.
Esther was on the rise, as both a budding coordinator and Pokémon Trainer—with even Jangmo-o coming around, she had three Pokémon and had soon captured three more: Mareep, Buizel, and Starly.
After her third ribbon was earned in a rare Triples-Format Contest, Esther encountered a gang of brigands who had gotten their hands on an old Galactic bomb and planned to use it to blast open a mineral mine on Mt. Coronet, damaging the Pokémon habits nearby in the process. An uphill battle ensued and the Oblivian coordinator quickly found herself overwhelmed by her foe’s superior skill in battle. Utterly thrashed, she’d been forced to escape while the brigands executed her plans.
As she watched the plume of smoke and ash rise from the mountainside, Esther was reminded of the Oblivian tragedy. It was a harsh snap back to reality, a reminder that the reason she’d gone on her journey wasn’t to have fun, but instead to help her region. The world was still a dangerous place and very little stood between her home and those dangers.
With the bitter taste of defeat still on her lips, Esther threw herself and her Pokémon into training. Never wanting to feel so helpless again, she picked up the Gym challenge in addition to her Contests. Like a woman possessed she pushed her Pokémon to challenge their limits again and again. With the experiences she had under her belt, Esther cleared her first four gyms with blistering speed; but, blinded by her desire, she failed to notice as she pushed her Pokémon too far.
When she reached her fifth Gym, they were simply too exhausted to perform their best. Their defeat was nothing if not thorough. Embittered by her losses she challenged the gym twice more, resulting in even more resounding failures.
Her frustrations manifest themselves in bitterness towards her Pokémon and though after a fifth attempt she would earn her fifth gym badge, her Pokémon had tired of her abusive training. En route to Canalave, where the 6th Gym badge awaited, her Pokémon revolted. Refusing all her orders they turned their backs to their trainer. There was little Esther could do but lash out in an emotional high, pouring all her frustrations onto the undeserving Pokémon. They didn’t budge.
Realizing there was nothing she could do without her Pokémon and at risk of losing her ambition altogether, Esther cried. An hour went by as the girl wept bitterly and her Pokémon faced off, divided. Arguing amongst themselves they elected to offer her another chance.
Through teary vision Esther could finally take in the pain she’d inflicted on her Pokémon, whose coats and hides had lost the luster they’d once worn. She understood now what her folly had been and yet…she couldn’t stop. And so, facing her Pokémon, that’s exactly what she told them.
Her goals and ambitions were grand, it wasn’t easy to reach the top, and only those who were pushed to their limits and beyond could ever get there. While she acknowledged that she’d been blinded and neglected their own needs, she couldn’t promise she’d stop pushing them.
To speak those words elicited a deep sense of guilt and self-loathing in the girl; the weight of her ambitions lay largely on her Pokémon’s shoulders, that was the life of a trainer. While she resolved herself to do all she could to share that weight with them, that weight would never disappear until she achieved her goal.
For several minutes there was silence. Resigning herself for the worse, Esther retrieved all their Pokéballs and placed each Pokéball before its accompanying Pokémon. The choice was theirs.
Her eyes fell to the forest floor, glued there with fear. She didn’t want to see their choices; didn’t want to risk seeing them all turn away from her.
After a handful of moments, Esther’s ears pricked to the sounds of three cracks. She lifted her gaze through a renewed stream of tears. Before her were Pyrrha, Halay-Alae, and Tarah Ta’Ella—their Pokéballs still intact. Next to them were empty spaces and the shattered remains of three Pokéballs.
Hugging the three Pokémon to her bosom, she spent the rest of the day in torment and gratitude. Nothing she said could truly capture the mix of happiness, relief, and guilt she currently felt. Instead, she remained silent and let intimacy speak for itself.
The next morning Esther packed her stuff and left the Sinnoh region, she no longer felt qualified enough to continue her challenge.
For the next year, Esther and her remaining Pokémon traveled, rekindling the trust she’d violated. The end of the year found the Oblivian in Unova, studying the ways of a Pokémon Connoisseur—a specialized group of trainers who focused not only on the condition of Pokémon but especially on their relationship with humans.
There she honed her skills and training regiments into something…new. They were still challenging, aimed at squeezing the most out of her Pokémon but threw herself into the aftercare, going to any lengths to provide her Pokémon all that she could afford as recompense. Specialized diets maintained their energy while extended periods of grooming and relaxation came between intense training sessions.
After a year away from the competitive field, Esther returned reborn. She took Kanto by storm; over the next year, she earned the eight gym badges and the five ribbons she’d need to take part in the Indigo Conference and Kanto Grand Festival. All three of her Pokémon had evolved during her journey, now Hakamo-o, Houndoom, and Steenee.
Despite her rapid rise, the Conference and Grand Festival blew her away. Esther barely scrapped through the preliminaries and was quickly disqualified in the top 128 of the Indigo Conference and the Grand Festival hadn’t gone much better.
The only fully evolved Pokémon on her team, Haley-Alae the Houndoom had become the cornerstone of Esther’s strategies; but despite her best efforts, they’d been stonewalled by an opponent’s Blastoise, whose coverage moves had done a painful number on her team.
Distraught by her loss, Esther watched with hollow eyes as the Conference continued. When the final match of the conference came down to the last Pokémon on either side Esther bore witness to a power she’d never seen before. It was unlike the dynamax that could be seen in Galar’s massive stadiums—the power of Mega-Evolution. The same trainer who’d defeated her had mega-evolved his Blastoise to sweep the competition.
Although awed by the sheer power of the mega evolved Pokémon, there was an even greater feeling of anger and disappointment. Anger that her opponent had defeated her without even going all out and disappointed in herself for letting it happen.
The weeks after the conference was a whirlwind of research as Esther consumed every bit of information she could about the phenomenon of Mega Evolution. It was a rare phenomenon accessible by only a handful of Pokémon who possessed not only power but also an unbreakable bond with their trainer. Fortunately for her, Halay-Alae belonged to a species of Pokémon capable of mega evolution. Unfortunately, judging by the way their league run had ended, they were nowhere near strong enough.
Esther was determined to do everything she could to help her Pokémon grow as strong as possible. Once more, she threw herself into research on the best ways to empower her Houndoom. The trail led her towards a legend originating from the region of Alola: one stating that during the Wela Fire Festival, a fire-type Pokémon who wore the Wela Crown could receive a significant boost to their power.
Without delay, Esther booked a ticket to the Alola region. The Wela Fire Festival wouldn’t take place for several months but during her research, Esther had also stumbled upon Z-moves. She had her eye not only on the Wela Crown but also on Firium Z, which was said to be given to trainers who accomplished Akala Island’s trials.
Already a seasoned trainer with one league under her belt, Esther thought she’d be able to tackle the Alolan Trials without difficulty. However, many of the trials revolved around understanding Pokémon rather than doing battle and the Oblivia found herself in for a struggle.
Six months passed by as Esther slowly made her way from one trial to the next. She absorbed everything the trial captains had to teach and halfway through her Island Trial, she paused to participate in the annual Wela Fire Festival.
Trainers from all over the world had gathered to participate in the Wela Fire Festival and soon a tournament of fire was born. Together Esther and Halay-Alae faced off against numerous other fire-type trainers, making the most of their newly honed skills but ultimately falling short. She finished the festival as the runner-up; but despite her tightly clenched fists, Esther was done being discouraged. She had come close enough that she was sure…next time, the next time they’d definitely win.
Esther returned to complete her Island trials, spending six additional months to do so. Even after completing them, she stuck around. The next Wela Fire Festival would be in another half-year and this time, she intended to win. Her time was not spent idle, the remaining six months were more than enough time to practice with her newly acquired Firium-Z.
Once more she threw herself into the festival with fervor, giving as much as she could and then some. It had been more than three years since her break-down in Sinnoh and the bond between herself and Halay-Alae had only been strengthened by their trials.
A few narrow matches threatened to set the Oblivian trainer back by yet another year, but this time Esther and Halay-Alae would not be denied. After a well-earned victory in the festival finals where Inferno Overdrive proved its worth, Halay-Alae was crowned with the Wela Crown. Before the great Wela Volcano, both trainer and Pokémon reveled in their success.
Esther did so with a great whoop as leaped onto Halay-Alae’s back. Her arms wrapped around its neck, and she nuzzled into its sleek black fur, a far cry from the dull, patchy state it’d been in during Sinnoh. The Oblivian stifled a scream as Halay-Alae howled out a gout of fire that scorched the Volcano’s side.
The eager flamethrower caused a small panic as a portion of the Volcanic cliff-face collapsed. This would’ve ended there but as the trainers gathered to inspect the damaged cliff-face to ensure no further erosion would take place, a dimly glowing stone was revealed amidst the dark rocks.
It was Houndoomite, the Kahuna informed her—the mega stone associated with Houndoom.
As the crowned victor of the Wela Fire Festival and the one who had (accidentally) unearthed the mega stone, Esther was allowed to take it with her.
To commemorate the moment, Esther requested the mega stone holder in the shape of a neckless made from the volcanic rock it had been found it. It was fashioned in the style of the Wela Crown and the necklace thrummed with warmth. In the center of the necklace sat Esther’s Firium-Z, while the Houndoomite went into her bag.
Her tropical journey completed, Esther left Alola slightly more tanned and a lot stronger than when she’d come. With her, she carried with a Z-ring and Firium-Z.
Her next step was Kalos, the birthplace of Mega Evolution. Her research had told her that the Mega Evolution Guru in Shalour City would test trainers who thought themselves worthy of mega-evolution. Esther believed she was ready.
Her Pokemon had long since evolved into their final forms, Pyrrha settling into her bulk as a Kommo-o and Tarah Ta’Ella as a Tsareena. Together with Halay-Alae, they challenged the Mega Evolution Gura and were set to fight his successor Korrina.
The battle was set to be a two-on-two and Esther wasted no-time leading with her starter—Pyrrha. Korrina, of course, opened with one of her Lucario. Boasting high defensive stats and the fighting-type, Pyrrha slugged it out and triumphed over Korrina’s first Lucario. Her second Lucario, however, proved immensely powerful when mega-evolved and even in spite of her bulk, Pyrrha was defeated In a few blows.
In what would commonly be considered a poor move, Esther sent out Halay-Alae. While her Houndoom was working with a type disadvantage against Korrina’s Mega Lucario, it was a situation that went both ways, Lucario was just as weak to fire and Halay-Alae was to fighting—furthermore, Esther had a secret weapon in her back pocket and a gambit of her own.
With smoke and smog, Esther and Halay-Alae played keep away. Esther knew to play to her Pokemon’s strength of nimble attacks from a range and she was waiting for the moment Lucario would unleash its signature move, Aura Sphere. Surely enough, as Halay-Alae doggedly kept her distance their opponents played into their game of range.
Esther struck out, her arms slipping into the familiar posture of a Z-pose. Halay-Alae glowed with Z-power as her strongest move, Inferno, was transformed into the even stronger Inferno Overdrive!
They met Lucario’s Aura Sphere head-on, leaving it little room to dodge after having launched such a powerful aura attack. This was the moment that decided their battle—a miss would leave Halay-Alae too exhausted to take on Mega Lucario, but a clean hit would almost assuredly seal the match in their favor.
As the overwhelming heat from the inferno scattered into cinders, the ash and smoke cleared to reveal Korrina’s Lucario…its mega evolution was undone. Victory!
Esther was ecstatic.
The trial passed, the Oblivian Trainer received a mega cuff and keystone. It was the missing half of the equation that equaled the power that had defeated them years prior. Cautiously, Esther retrieved the mega-stone gleaming with dark, smoldering power—Houndoomite—from her bag and swapped it with the Firium-Z.
Esther stepped back to admire Halay-Alae; seated proudly, her mega-stone finally placed into its holder. The sight alone was enough to wet Esther’s eyes.
Esther pressed her forehead to Halay’s, eyes closed as she felt the warmth radiating from the fire type’s body. A silent understanding passed between the two. After nearly four years together, four years of ups and downs, four years of sorrows and triumphs…nothing needed to be said.
Raising her newly acquired cuff, Esther didn’t even vocalize. Only her lips moved, tracing the sounds she’d longed to speak—“Mega Evolve!”
It was said that to correctly execute a Z-move a trainer a Pokémon needed to have their hearts connected. If that was the case, then the training they’d put in while perfecting Inferno Overdrive had made mega evolution that much easier.
The light of Mega Evolution bled through Esther’s sealed eyes, bringing a knowing smile to her lips.
The next month would see Esther not in Kalos, but instead to the shores of Sinnoh. She thumbed over the trio of Pokéballs at her waist, and each shook pleasantly at her touch.
“How about it Sinnoh, ready for round 2?”
Bio-Data
Full Name:Esther Rosana Sophys
Meaning of Name:
Esther – Star-like
Rosana – Star of magnificence
Sophys – Sophian village
Nickname(s)
Essy
Mneme Meletē (Stage Name)
Birth Date:
November 7
Birthplace
Aqua Resort, Sophia Island — Oblivia Region
Age
22
Nationality – Race
Sophian
Personality
Esther is a deep thinker and takes as much time as she needs to think through her actions. She is not quick to act or react but when she does, it is with single-minded drive and focuses. She can be quite vindictive when slighted but is generally not petty. However, Esther does have a selfish streak and how no problems prioritizing herself above others.Esther has a bad habit of chewing on her cheeks and lips, she also has a tendency to play tongue-in-cheek when in deep thought. She finds herself somewhat restless when her mouth isn't in use, so she can frequently be seen chewing on gum, hard candy, edible plants, and anything else she can get her hands on.
Physical Features
Hair ColorRed (Naturally)
Black (Dyed)
Style
At first glance, her hair is dip-dyed red; its length—falling past her shoulders—wrapped in a messy bun of cinders amidst the darkness.
Shape and Features of Face
Round, chubby cheeks
Glasses or Contacts
Contact Lenses (Black)
Eye Color
Amber
Skin Tone
Dusky
Height
5’6”
Weight
165 lbs
Gear
WardrobeEsther’s clothing style is distinctly simple and gothic: a one-piece dress, hemmed with ruffles and a darkened midriff. Beneath her dress is a bevy of ancillary gear: a stripped sleeve and cloth glove on her right hand, a finger loop glove on her left, and a lace garter on her right leg.
Family
Esther’s family is very well off as upper-middle-class citizens. They don’t own much in terms of luxuries and lavishes, but they possess several acres of land which are used for their bug-pokemon farm. She is the middle child in a set of three, having an older brother three years her senior (who already left for his Pokemon journey) and a little sister three years her junior.Mother's Occupation — Horticulturalist || Apiculture
Esther’s mother produces and sells honey with the aid of her Ribombee and Beedrill.
Father's Occupation — Textile Producer || Silk Farmer
Esther’s father produces and processes fine Pokémon silks which contribute to Oblivia’s textile industry. The textile rugs that famously decorate each house in Sophian island come from silk spun by his Leavanny and Ariados. The method of processing the best silk has been passed down for generations.
Story
The Oblivia region—Esther’s homeland. A minor region that once consisted of seven idyllic islands, half-scattered half-chained along an archipelago. Peaceful and paradisiac; a place so safe and so entirely elysian, that its residents, the Oblivians, were frequent misnomers for 'Oblivious'. They weren't the Oblivia region—some would joke—they were the Oblivious region. When asked about trials and tribulations, they were unknowing; when evil's ambition scourged other regions with conflict and strife, they were untouched; villainous teams, harbingers of catastrophe, were utterly unheard of.Oblivia was obscured by its distance; so much so that it was nearly divorced from the technological advances and cultures of the major regions. The first sign of this cultural divide was the complete lack of trainers. The Poke-battling professionals, celebrated in other regions, were simply and strangely...absent. How and why, this came to be puzzled researchers and still do to this very day; but, the fact was that Pokémon Battling was never the hit in Oblivia that it had been in Sinnoh, Kalos, or Hoenn and it certainly wasn't the super-sport it had developed into in Galar. Maybe it was because the people of Oblivia were too peaceful and docile, and the thrills of battle failed to enthrall them as it had with other regions. Maybe it was because Silph co., the corporate behemoth behind the development of the Pokéball, Potion, and other avant-garde technologies, had spurned the region, and their flag-ship products had never been widely distributed; in turn making it difficult for trainers to make footholds in the region. Maybe it was because Oblivia was just small; the region held a mere three major towns and a smattered handful of rural villages. And maybe it was a combination of all three. Whatever the case had been, the people of Oblivia had lived for decades alongside Pokémon, befriending them without the use of Pokéballs.
Instead, Oblivia was blessed with an overabundance of musical prowess. The Oblivian Islands—better known as the Solfège Island or the Do-Re-Mi-Fa-So-La-Ti Islands, for their naming which followed the aforementioned pattern—were a musician's utopia, the people were rhythmic and lyrical, their hearts beat to an unseen score and their bodies danced to an unsung tune; they bonded together with the region's Pokémon—who strangely enough, shared the people’s love for music as if the songs of nature were etched onto their very bones. People and Pokémon became maestros of music, most famously a Ukulele Pichu who would someday leave the region with its partnering Ranger.
Esther’s early days were spent in bliss; the chorus of the forest roused her awake every morning and every night it lulled her to sleep. There weren't many children to play with, owing to the region's low population, so the Pokémon around her became more than just creatures of the forest, they became her dearest friends. Every day passed quietly as the Oblivians took their peace and harmony for granted.
She had been just a child when it happened—Oblivia's first taste of disaster. The events of that day had seared themselves in her mind, constantly refreshed by trepidatious retellings—never to be forgotten. The experience was crisp and vivid, feeling less like a vicarious retelling and more like an anachronistic reliving: a flying castle, a beam of harsh white light, a brilliant blaze that consumed the horizon then Oblivia's seven islands...had become six.
An evil team had set its sights on Oblivia, and its people were helpless and without defense. Although aid was dispatched from Almia, the rangers had no clue what they were getting into; whether they had downplayed the severity of the situation or just couldn't or didn't care enough to send a sizable group, the end result was that Almia only dispatched two Rangers to assist Oblivia in their hour of need.
As exceptional as these rangers were, the two of them could only stretch themselves so far. Although they successfully routed the evil team, it was at the cost of Dolce Island. The region would eventually settle into an uneasy peace; but the vast expanse of the open sea—where Dolce Island had once sat—was evil's constant and harrowing reminder, a wound that would never heal.
For Esther’s family, the worst-case scenario had been avoided. Although her grandmother lived on Dolce Island, a swift evacuation by the rangers had minimized casualties. Regardless, the loss of her home weighed heavily on the elderly woman and, even more so, the loss of her late husband’s grave—vaporized along with Dolce Island.
Spending the last of her days with her children and grandchildren, she was an ever-present reminder of Oblivia’s tragic past. Oft she would lament their fate as ‘Oblivious Oblivians’; unknowingly, she had implanted in her three grandchildren a desire to see beyond the small confines of their motley, damaged region.
They say, ‘dying wishes make the most dogmatic people,’ and to begin her journey Esther hoisted upon herself the wishes of her late grandparents, to avenge their losses by changing the region as they knew it.
To achieve this, Esther set out on a journey to become a Pokémon trainer, an occupation that dominated many of the regions outside Oblivia. In her mind, if she could only garner enough fame, then her home would in turn share the spotlight. Then trainers would flock to the region en-masse, providing it the relevance it needed to never again be left to their fate.
The first step was applying for a trainer’s card, an ID signifying her status as a trainer recognized by the Pokémon League; the second was getting a starter Pokémon. Without trainers or Pokéballs in the region, Esther turned to other means for her first Pokémon.
Desiring a sturdy and relentless Pokémon, one that could bear the weight of her ambitions, Esther set about to do some research. She combed through countless Pokémon shelters and their online webpages, inspecting, and rejecting until she found the perfect pick. A rare Pokémon called Jangmo-o. The description besides its entry promised to fulfill her wildest dreams. Not only was Jangmo-o a dragon type, already heralded as one of hardiest Pokémon types, out it was also a pseudo-legendary—a unique category of Pokémon renowned for their natural power at their final stage of evolution. Pseudo-legendary almost never stayed at shelters, they were hot picks by new and old trainers alike; but this Jangmo-o was a bit of a…hot pepper.
Born within the confines of the shelter, Jangmo-o had inherited the wild, untamed strength and pride of a draconic pseudo-legend, but had none of the temperings that would usually turn Kommo-o into such a respected and honorable Pokémon. Worse yet, was a lust for battle that bordered on the maniacal. It was said that Jangmo-o’s evolution, Hakamo-o, wore its shattered scales as a badge of pride and were courageous and relentless fighters. This Jangmo-o seemed to have developed this trait earlier. The concoction of vices made for a truly unruly Pokémon who thought itself superior to its trainer and often completely ignored their orders in favor if fighting on its own. Already the Jangmo-o had been returned to the Shelter twice and its fierce reputation made other trainers think twice before selecting it. Esther selected it without hesitation. Surely training Jangmo-o couldn’t be that hard, right?
Born and raised in Oblivia, where trainers simply don’t exist, Esther could be forgiven for making such a naïve decision. Once she received Jangmo-o’s Pokéball she learned the Pokémon was just as unruly, if not more, than had been described. Utterly disdainful of its witless trainer, Jangmo-o did things by its own pace, frustrating Esther to no end. After weeks of fruitless coaxing, Esther stumbled upon a realization. While Jangmo-o wouldn’t listen to her orders, she had noticed it would relentlessly challenge whatever Pokémon was set before it. For its bellicose nature, she had named it Pyrrha—after the Pyrrichios war dance. It was…workable.
With that solution(?) puzzled out, Esther set about her next task. She still had no clue what a trainer was, and she would need to learn. To accomplish this, she planned a journey across the regions, her first stop was Galar—renown for the most intense culture around Pokémon Battle. Waving goodbye to her parents, she boarded a ship to Sinnoh and from there caught a flight to Galar.
Encountering a group of Houndour while trekking to Mototoske to spectate a battle, Esther experimentally let Pyrrha loose. After less of a battle and more of a messy melee, Esther walked away with a newly caught Houndour. The Dark Pokémon had been overwhelmed by the relentless assault of the feisty drake, empowered by its resistances. For the bright flames the Houndour spat during its scuff with Pyrrha, Esther named it Halay-Alae—after a folk dance celebrating fire, light, and warmth.
Houndour proved to be the perfect Pokémon. Before reaching Mototoske, Esther made a stop at a Wooloo farm where the farm’s owners were offering short lessons in Pokémon breeding for anyone willing to lend a hand. Halay-Alae proved herself a more than competent shepherd dog.
Her time in Galar swiftly ended after a grand match between the fire-type leader Kabu and an aspiring challenger. With Kalos—home of the Pokémon Performer—as her next stop, Esther booked another flight and set off.
With Pyrrha still as rebellious as ever, Halay-Ale, her new houndour, frequently became her first choice. The Dark Pokemon, famed for its loyalty, saw her through a small local tournament, where although she lost in the second round, she managed her first real taste of battle.
Then, en-route to a Pokémon Performance, Halay-Alae scored Esther her third Pokémon, a sassy little prima donna, a Bounsweet whom she named Tarah Ta’Ella.
After spectating a stunning Performance by the aspiring Kalos Princess, Esther booked her third flight to Sinnoh, where she traveled the region, spectating Pokémon Contests, Gym Battles, and a Pokeathalon.
With her funds running low, Esther decided it was time to make her decision and her travels let her conclude that the path to fame was to become a Coordinator. Although Pokémon Battles were extremely prevalent in all the regions, she noted that the fame of each region's trainers never seemed to extend all that far—the exception to this was Wallace, the Hoenn Champion. Renown across multiple regions not for his title as Champion of Hoenn, but in his capacity as the host of the Wallace Cup.
With her path decided, Esther decided to stay in Sinnoh and aim for the Sinnoh Grand Festival. Still acclimatizing to being a trainer and with Pyrrha as rebellious as ever, Esther made two ribbons in five contests, primarily using Houndour and Bounsweet.
In between contests, the Oblivian native would always seek to expand her horizons, entering many of Sinnoh’s unique and varied events. Halay-Alae saw her through Sinnoh’s Pokémon Hustle—where Pokémon and Trainer competed against others to race through an obstacle course. Years of dance and the travel of the last months kept Esther fit and with Halay-Alae at her side she managed a full clear of the grueling obstacle course. Although she didn’t place high enough to earn any prizes, it was no less of an accomplishment in her eyes. It was by far her proudest moment, and she didn’t stop there. She made entries with both Houndour and Bounsweet into the Hearthome Collection—a Pokémon fashion show right before using them in the Doubles-format of the Hearthome City Pokémon Contest.
Seeking to incorporate what she’d learned in Kalos and Galar into her training style, Esther introduced her Pokémon to music and dance. Often training them to the tune of her favorite songs and teaching them simple dances for fun. She discovered that this seemed to bring the most out of her most rebellious Pokémon, Pyrrha.
Jangmo-o were known to communicate using the sounds created by their scales and a shared interest in music worked like a charm. While Pyrrha didn’t make a complete 180, the drake now seemed to at least tolerate her trainer and listen to some orders.
Esther was on the rise, as both a budding coordinator and Pokémon Trainer—with even Jangmo-o coming around, she had three Pokémon and had soon captured three more: Mareep, Buizel, and Starly.
After her third ribbon was earned in a rare Triples-Format Contest, Esther encountered a gang of brigands who had gotten their hands on an old Galactic bomb and planned to use it to blast open a mineral mine on Mt. Coronet, damaging the Pokémon habits nearby in the process. An uphill battle ensued and the Oblivian coordinator quickly found herself overwhelmed by her foe’s superior skill in battle. Utterly thrashed, she’d been forced to escape while the brigands executed her plans.
As she watched the plume of smoke and ash rise from the mountainside, Esther was reminded of the Oblivian tragedy. It was a harsh snap back to reality, a reminder that the reason she’d gone on her journey wasn’t to have fun, but instead to help her region. The world was still a dangerous place and very little stood between her home and those dangers.
With the bitter taste of defeat still on her lips, Esther threw herself and her Pokémon into training. Never wanting to feel so helpless again, she picked up the Gym challenge in addition to her Contests. Like a woman possessed she pushed her Pokémon to challenge their limits again and again. With the experiences she had under her belt, Esther cleared her first four gyms with blistering speed; but, blinded by her desire, she failed to notice as she pushed her Pokémon too far.
When she reached her fifth Gym, they were simply too exhausted to perform their best. Their defeat was nothing if not thorough. Embittered by her losses she challenged the gym twice more, resulting in even more resounding failures.
Her frustrations manifest themselves in bitterness towards her Pokémon and though after a fifth attempt she would earn her fifth gym badge, her Pokémon had tired of her abusive training. En route to Canalave, where the 6th Gym badge awaited, her Pokémon revolted. Refusing all her orders they turned their backs to their trainer. There was little Esther could do but lash out in an emotional high, pouring all her frustrations onto the undeserving Pokémon. They didn’t budge.
Realizing there was nothing she could do without her Pokémon and at risk of losing her ambition altogether, Esther cried. An hour went by as the girl wept bitterly and her Pokémon faced off, divided. Arguing amongst themselves they elected to offer her another chance.
Through teary vision Esther could finally take in the pain she’d inflicted on her Pokémon, whose coats and hides had lost the luster they’d once worn. She understood now what her folly had been and yet…she couldn’t stop. And so, facing her Pokémon, that’s exactly what she told them.
Her goals and ambitions were grand, it wasn’t easy to reach the top, and only those who were pushed to their limits and beyond could ever get there. While she acknowledged that she’d been blinded and neglected their own needs, she couldn’t promise she’d stop pushing them.
To speak those words elicited a deep sense of guilt and self-loathing in the girl; the weight of her ambitions lay largely on her Pokémon’s shoulders, that was the life of a trainer. While she resolved herself to do all she could to share that weight with them, that weight would never disappear until she achieved her goal.
For several minutes there was silence. Resigning herself for the worse, Esther retrieved all their Pokéballs and placed each Pokéball before its accompanying Pokémon. The choice was theirs.
Her eyes fell to the forest floor, glued there with fear. She didn’t want to see their choices; didn’t want to risk seeing them all turn away from her.
After a handful of moments, Esther’s ears pricked to the sounds of three cracks. She lifted her gaze through a renewed stream of tears. Before her were Pyrrha, Halay-Alae, and Tarah Ta’Ella—their Pokéballs still intact. Next to them were empty spaces and the shattered remains of three Pokéballs.
Hugging the three Pokémon to her bosom, she spent the rest of the day in torment and gratitude. Nothing she said could truly capture the mix of happiness, relief, and guilt she currently felt. Instead, she remained silent and let intimacy speak for itself.
The next morning Esther packed her stuff and left the Sinnoh region, she no longer felt qualified enough to continue her challenge.
For the next year, Esther and her remaining Pokémon traveled, rekindling the trust she’d violated. The end of the year found the Oblivian in Unova, studying the ways of a Pokémon Connoisseur—a specialized group of trainers who focused not only on the condition of Pokémon but especially on their relationship with humans.
There she honed her skills and training regiments into something…new. They were still challenging, aimed at squeezing the most out of her Pokémon but threw herself into the aftercare, going to any lengths to provide her Pokémon all that she could afford as recompense. Specialized diets maintained their energy while extended periods of grooming and relaxation came between intense training sessions.
After a year away from the competitive field, Esther returned reborn. She took Kanto by storm; over the next year, she earned the eight gym badges and the five ribbons she’d need to take part in the Indigo Conference and Kanto Grand Festival. All three of her Pokémon had evolved during her journey, now Hakamo-o, Houndoom, and Steenee.
Despite her rapid rise, the Conference and Grand Festival blew her away. Esther barely scrapped through the preliminaries and was quickly disqualified in the top 128 of the Indigo Conference and the Grand Festival hadn’t gone much better.
The only fully evolved Pokémon on her team, Haley-Alae the Houndoom had become the cornerstone of Esther’s strategies; but despite her best efforts, they’d been stonewalled by an opponent’s Blastoise, whose coverage moves had done a painful number on her team.
Distraught by her loss, Esther watched with hollow eyes as the Conference continued. When the final match of the conference came down to the last Pokémon on either side Esther bore witness to a power she’d never seen before. It was unlike the dynamax that could be seen in Galar’s massive stadiums—the power of Mega-Evolution. The same trainer who’d defeated her had mega-evolved his Blastoise to sweep the competition.
Although awed by the sheer power of the mega evolved Pokémon, there was an even greater feeling of anger and disappointment. Anger that her opponent had defeated her without even going all out and disappointed in herself for letting it happen.
The weeks after the conference was a whirlwind of research as Esther consumed every bit of information she could about the phenomenon of Mega Evolution. It was a rare phenomenon accessible by only a handful of Pokémon who possessed not only power but also an unbreakable bond with their trainer. Fortunately for her, Halay-Alae belonged to a species of Pokémon capable of mega evolution. Unfortunately, judging by the way their league run had ended, they were nowhere near strong enough.
Esther was determined to do everything she could to help her Pokémon grow as strong as possible. Once more, she threw herself into research on the best ways to empower her Houndoom. The trail led her towards a legend originating from the region of Alola: one stating that during the Wela Fire Festival, a fire-type Pokémon who wore the Wela Crown could receive a significant boost to their power.
Without delay, Esther booked a ticket to the Alola region. The Wela Fire Festival wouldn’t take place for several months but during her research, Esther had also stumbled upon Z-moves. She had her eye not only on the Wela Crown but also on Firium Z, which was said to be given to trainers who accomplished Akala Island’s trials.
Already a seasoned trainer with one league under her belt, Esther thought she’d be able to tackle the Alolan Trials without difficulty. However, many of the trials revolved around understanding Pokémon rather than doing battle and the Oblivia found herself in for a struggle.
Six months passed by as Esther slowly made her way from one trial to the next. She absorbed everything the trial captains had to teach and halfway through her Island Trial, she paused to participate in the annual Wela Fire Festival.
Trainers from all over the world had gathered to participate in the Wela Fire Festival and soon a tournament of fire was born. Together Esther and Halay-Alae faced off against numerous other fire-type trainers, making the most of their newly honed skills but ultimately falling short. She finished the festival as the runner-up; but despite her tightly clenched fists, Esther was done being discouraged. She had come close enough that she was sure…next time, the next time they’d definitely win.
Esther returned to complete her Island trials, spending six additional months to do so. Even after completing them, she stuck around. The next Wela Fire Festival would be in another half-year and this time, she intended to win. Her time was not spent idle, the remaining six months were more than enough time to practice with her newly acquired Firium-Z.
Once more she threw herself into the festival with fervor, giving as much as she could and then some. It had been more than three years since her break-down in Sinnoh and the bond between herself and Halay-Alae had only been strengthened by their trials.
A few narrow matches threatened to set the Oblivian trainer back by yet another year, but this time Esther and Halay-Alae would not be denied. After a well-earned victory in the festival finals where Inferno Overdrive proved its worth, Halay-Alae was crowned with the Wela Crown. Before the great Wela Volcano, both trainer and Pokémon reveled in their success.
Esther did so with a great whoop as leaped onto Halay-Alae’s back. Her arms wrapped around its neck, and she nuzzled into its sleek black fur, a far cry from the dull, patchy state it’d been in during Sinnoh. The Oblivian stifled a scream as Halay-Alae howled out a gout of fire that scorched the Volcano’s side.
The eager flamethrower caused a small panic as a portion of the Volcanic cliff-face collapsed. This would’ve ended there but as the trainers gathered to inspect the damaged cliff-face to ensure no further erosion would take place, a dimly glowing stone was revealed amidst the dark rocks.
It was Houndoomite, the Kahuna informed her—the mega stone associated with Houndoom.
As the crowned victor of the Wela Fire Festival and the one who had (accidentally) unearthed the mega stone, Esther was allowed to take it with her.
To commemorate the moment, Esther requested the mega stone holder in the shape of a neckless made from the volcanic rock it had been found it. It was fashioned in the style of the Wela Crown and the necklace thrummed with warmth. In the center of the necklace sat Esther’s Firium-Z, while the Houndoomite went into her bag.
Her tropical journey completed, Esther left Alola slightly more tanned and a lot stronger than when she’d come. With her, she carried with a Z-ring and Firium-Z.
Her next step was Kalos, the birthplace of Mega Evolution. Her research had told her that the Mega Evolution Guru in Shalour City would test trainers who thought themselves worthy of mega-evolution. Esther believed she was ready.
Her Pokemon had long since evolved into their final forms, Pyrrha settling into her bulk as a Kommo-o and Tarah Ta’Ella as a Tsareena. Together with Halay-Alae, they challenged the Mega Evolution Gura and were set to fight his successor Korrina.
The battle was set to be a two-on-two and Esther wasted no-time leading with her starter—Pyrrha. Korrina, of course, opened with one of her Lucario. Boasting high defensive stats and the fighting-type, Pyrrha slugged it out and triumphed over Korrina’s first Lucario. Her second Lucario, however, proved immensely powerful when mega-evolved and even in spite of her bulk, Pyrrha was defeated In a few blows.
In what would commonly be considered a poor move, Esther sent out Halay-Alae. While her Houndoom was working with a type disadvantage against Korrina’s Mega Lucario, it was a situation that went both ways, Lucario was just as weak to fire and Halay-Alae was to fighting—furthermore, Esther had a secret weapon in her back pocket and a gambit of her own.
With smoke and smog, Esther and Halay-Alae played keep away. Esther knew to play to her Pokemon’s strength of nimble attacks from a range and she was waiting for the moment Lucario would unleash its signature move, Aura Sphere. Surely enough, as Halay-Alae doggedly kept her distance their opponents played into their game of range.
Esther struck out, her arms slipping into the familiar posture of a Z-pose. Halay-Alae glowed with Z-power as her strongest move, Inferno, was transformed into the even stronger Inferno Overdrive!
They met Lucario’s Aura Sphere head-on, leaving it little room to dodge after having launched such a powerful aura attack. This was the moment that decided their battle—a miss would leave Halay-Alae too exhausted to take on Mega Lucario, but a clean hit would almost assuredly seal the match in their favor.
As the overwhelming heat from the inferno scattered into cinders, the ash and smoke cleared to reveal Korrina’s Lucario…its mega evolution was undone. Victory!
Esther was ecstatic.
The trial passed, the Oblivian Trainer received a mega cuff and keystone. It was the missing half of the equation that equaled the power that had defeated them years prior. Cautiously, Esther retrieved the mega-stone gleaming with dark, smoldering power—Houndoomite—from her bag and swapped it with the Firium-Z.
Esther stepped back to admire Halay-Alae; seated proudly, her mega-stone finally placed into its holder. The sight alone was enough to wet Esther’s eyes.
Esther pressed her forehead to Halay’s, eyes closed as she felt the warmth radiating from the fire type’s body. A silent understanding passed between the two. After nearly four years together, four years of ups and downs, four years of sorrows and triumphs…nothing needed to be said.
Raising her newly acquired cuff, Esther didn’t even vocalize. Only her lips moved, tracing the sounds she’d longed to speak—“Mega Evolve!”
It was said that to correctly execute a Z-move a trainer a Pokémon needed to have their hearts connected. If that was the case, then the training they’d put in while perfecting Inferno Overdrive had made mega evolution that much easier.
The light of Mega Evolution bled through Esther’s sealed eyes, bringing a knowing smile to her lips.
The next month would see Esther not in Kalos, but instead to the shores of Sinnoh. She thumbed over the trio of Pokéballs at her waist, and each shook pleasantly at her touch.
“How about it Sinnoh, ready for round 2?”
Alright, guess I should crack to peer pressure. I need an explanation for my World Coronation Series placing, no?
If you want to join the group of people starting well-established then yes.
I'm going to try for Mega Absol or Mega Blaziken, then.
That's huge
The story alone was 15-16 pages in word. It took quite a bit of time. It's the summarized version of what I plan to do in RP. For the sake of brevity, it doesn't include any other arcs Esther may go through or the arcs for her Pokemon in specifics.
Makes me see if I should try for Brian and Mega Gallade.
Damn, if there wasn’t a limit, Esther could get a Mega or BB every arc lmao
Also noticed Esther got herself a Firium-Z *sips*
Quite. She completed all the Alola Trials and ofc I'm getting Kommonium Z at some point, but Firium-Z was the important once since it was her ticket to victory against Mega Lucario.
The story uses a blend of anime and game canon, so the statements of needing to be in sync with your Pokemon are from the anime, so is the Wela Fire Festival. I'm actually quite fond of Alola after watching the anime.
Vetoed.
*shrugs* I'll do whatever. 4 moves, more moves, it's your move, y'all
No. Limits creativity. It’s more interesting when everything is allowed. Unfortunately, we don’t have anything to contain usage tho. I’d suggest keeping a similar format to Sync in that each move has limited uses.
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Neat, suppose it's copy and paste time.
Name: Ezio Farello
Gender: Male
Age: 34
Trainer class: Ruin Maniac
Appearance: Standing at 5'9 feet and weighing in at 152 lbs, Ezio is not the most intimidating person nor does he stand out from the crowd. With tanned skin, curly black hair that covers his ears, blue eyes, an aquiline nose, thick eyebrows and a goatee, he'd fit right in among a crowd of beach-goers. Years of exploring did grant him ample opportunities to build up muscles and it shows. Whilst not overly muscular, he does have his fair share of toned muscles. When out in the field or when battling, he wears a beige pair of pants, a denim shirt, brown shoes and a brown fedora to block out the sun. The fedora was a gift from his father and it means everything to him, only people that he truly trusts are allowed to wear it. His Pokémon however care not for the emotional attachment and see it as a toy instead to the dismay of its owner. Around his neck, he has a necklace with a piece of snowflake obsidian alongside a bracelet of stainless steel around his right wrist that has a key stone embedded in it.. When he is relaxing at home, he usually wears a black hoodie with a pair of comfy jeans and slippers.
Personality: Poverty and an unsatiable curiosity for history has shaped Ezio into the man that he now is. Dangerous ruins and never-ending paperwork require a calm mind and a steady approach, which is something that Ezio formed over time. Having spent the latter half of his youth as Lenora's apprentice, he managed to learn a lot about the history of the world and other various topics that were present in the books of the gym. Although this has delayed the start of his journey by a couple of years, Ezio managed to get a sharp mind and a more objective look at things to help him through his life. In spite of his knowledge, he does not take himself too seriously and has a relaxed attitude to the world around him. After all, getting mad solves nothing in his opinion and only clouds judgment.
In spite of everything, he does has his flaws. He often gets a bit too passive when faced with a dillema in the hopes to make the best decision and if no one is looking, he helps himself to things without paying. That being said, Ezio does have his limits when it comes to crime. If someone gets hurt or actively suffers from the crime, he refuses to do it. However, an apple that is left unguarded amidst an entire box of apples is free play for him.
World Coronation Series rating: Great rank 205. Ezio has participated in multiple leagues around the world, but never managed to beat the Water type gyms in any of them. That is the reason that he never once challenged the Elite Four, but he was not participating to become a champion. He wanted the badges as they helped him skip past mountains of paperwork and it helped him release some of the pent-up fighting instinct in his Aerodactyl. He still regularly endulges himself into a battle and has quite an impressive win-loss ratio, but is no longer a league challenger. He personally thinks that it is time for the younger generation to take a shot at the league instead of an old-timer.
Backstory: Being born in Nacrene city to a struggling artist couple, Ezio took it upon himself to ease the burden that his parents bore and make it in the big bad world. The Nacrene city museum had always gotten his attention and he managed to get a position under Lenora as her assistent. It was simple work like returning books, checking gym puzzles, dealing with the occasional fossil revival alongside her, but it was something that he had never experienced before. After reaching sufficient age, Ezio decided to take the leap into the far beyond and finally make a name for himself. Besides, his parents would have an easier time without a third mouth to feed. Under the ruse of an errand, Lenora sent the boy to Cinnabar Island with an Old Amber for the Cinnabar Lab to revive. Never one to question the orders of those above him, Ezio travelled to Cinnabar where he delivered the amber before being told that he was allowed to go on an adventure with the Dwebble that was given to him by Lenora and the Cyndaquil that was given to him by a lab assistent.
After travelling across the Kanto region and strengthening his team with other Pokémon, he returned to Cinnabar to pick up the Aerodactyl on orders of Lenora. The Pokémon was about to wake up from the reviving process and the Nacrene Gym Leader had given explicit orders to let Ezio see the complete process as he had never seen revival from a fossil without any bones. After the Aerodactyl woke up, the young creature laid eyes on Ezio and imprinted on him, effectively turning the boy into the mother of the Fossil Pokémon. He was no stranger to Rock types, but none of them were quite as clingy as the Aerodactyl who was called Eviscerate. Where Ezio went, so did Eviscerate. She was never more than six feet away from him, although the walking Aerodactyl was a strange sight to many people and the Rock type was overly protective of her 'mother', screeching at anything and anyone that got close to Ezio. The fact that the walk of an Aerodactyl is weak and slow also did not help when running errands.
Deciding that having a screeching predator following him wherever he went was probably not a good idea, Ezio decided to teach it how to fly so that it could explore on its own without bothering him. There was a small issue with that plan though, Ezio had no wings. After a couple of failed attempts by jumping out of a tree, he took a different approach and let his Steelix hold him using its tail, allowing the Unovian boy to 'fly' alongside Eviscerate. Overjoyed by the fact that her mother could fly alongside her, the Aerodactyl cried out in joy before forgetting to land. At the end of the week, the Fossil Pokémon could lift off from standing position and land with natural ease.
When exploring ruins, Eviscerate was Ezio's main Pokémon to defend himself and to get to safety should he have overlooked a pitfal trap, which was more than once. Although Ezio made quite a lot of money from his expeditions and the two maintained a close bond, Eviscerate was growing up and her instinct to hunt was harder to control. The amount of paperwork that Ezio had to plow through to even enter the more dangerous ruins also grew steadily, so the boy had to make a decision. He would have to stop ruin diving and work on the temper that his beloved partner was getting, he'd broken up a couple of fights between her and his Steelix already and it wouldn't be too long before actual injuries were inflicted. He had enough money to last for a while and there was good money in Pokémon battles, so Ezio decided to participate in the gym challenge.
Although he was no battler, clever tactics and rugged Pokémon from working in hazardous areas were able to beat many of the gym leaders. Grass and Fighting gyms were tough for Ezio's team that consisted mostly out of Rock, Ground and Steel types, but Eviscerate managed to time and time again secure the victory for her trainer. Ezio eventually got really into the gym challenge, travelling across the globe to challenge the gyms across the world. He was far from unbeatable though, he had yet to beat any Water type gym. Regardless of what strategies he came up with, the relentless assault of Water attacks always managed to take him and his beloved Pokémon down. Even Eviscerate, after special training to atleast mitigate some of her Water weakness, could not beat any of the gyms that were dedicated to the Water type.
Although a victory over the gym leaders in Striaton City was a giant morale boost, it was by no means a smooth ride in Unova. It was inevitable that Ezio would fight Lenora and she knew him like no other. Lenora decided to go all out against her disciple and brought her strongest Pokémon to the battle. It was not even close, with five of her six Pokémon having super-effective moves against Rock types. Aside from her Watchog, Ezio could not defeat any of Lenora's Pokémon which was an incredible damper on the great start of his Unova gym challenge. The Ruin maniac was taken off-guard by what was supposed to be an easy battle against a Herdier and a Watchog, but Lenora apparently did not spend all the time that they were seperated standing around. After spending the better half of a week trying to find a way to circumvent his team's weaknesses, he came to a risky but potentially winning solution. By sending his Steelix in first and setting up Stealth Rock and Sandstorm, he would damage any new Pokémon and the Sandstorm could be used as a shield against the Flamethrower of her Lickitung. Should all hope be lost, Steelix would use Self-Destruct. With battle plans made, it was time to test them.
To Ezio's joy, the strategy worked! At least, until Steelix exploded. He didn't put as big of a dent in her team as he wanted, but Watchog and Lickilicky were down and Cincinno had taken a hefty hit. The battle continued with numbers decreasing on both sides, but Lenora was steadily gaining ground with Braviary having set up Tailwind and reduced Ezio's team to just Eviscerate. The wind was strong and the sandstorm was no longer up, but they were too far in to go back. Eviscerate hit the field and an aerial battle ensued, with the ancient ruler of the skies ending up victorious with a couple of wounds from the battle. Last was Sawsbuck, a Pokémon that had proven troublesome before. Lenora ordered Wild Charge whilst Ezio ordered Fly, both moves colliding and covering the pitch in a thick cloud of dust. Both Pokémon were revealed to be lying on the ground, attempting to stand up. Sawsbuck managed to get back up first, but the super-effective move coupled with the recoil was too much to handle whilst Eviscerate was still conscious but unable to fly. Since Eviscerate techinically was still capable of fighting, Ezio was declared the winner.
As Ezio was ready to leave, Lenora gave him information about a stone that would push the bond between Eviscerate and him to the next level. Keeping the information in the back of his head, he went along with his journey, only to be completely and utterly walled by Marlin. Strategies that worked before were useless against the Water gym leader, and new strategies did not work either. It was depressing, but Ezio did not give up that easily. Perhaps those strategies could work against the other Water type gym leaders that were yet to be defeated. Time and time again, Ezio tried to beat those brick walls that halted his journey to no avail.
Whilst the new badges helped to cut down in the paperwork required to enter more dangerous ruins, as the badges themselves were proof of a capable trainer, the fact that the Water gyms were still unbeaten did sting and Ezio could feel that Eviscerate felt the same. The next year was used for research on the mystery stone that Lenora mentioned, and eventually Ezio found out that the stone was called an Aerodactylite. It was a rare type of mineral called a Mega Stone, and the information on it was dubious at best and non-existant at worst. This was going to be tough, especially since the most reliable source claimed that another stone called a Key Stone was required to even access the power. What happened afterwards was an area of speculation, but that was to be expected.
Six months of ruin diving and researching later, Ezio found a weird-looking stone in Glittering Cave and although it could be any old stone, he couldn't help feeling an undertone of excitement when holding the orb. What if it indeed was the Aerodactylite? He could not leave the cave fast enough and before he knew, he was in the Ambrette Town Pokémon Lab to get it appraised. It was indeed the Aerodactylite and Eviscerate quickly got a metal collar with the Aerodactylite embedded in the middle. One half of the combo was obtained, all that was left was the Key Stone. The scientist that appraised the Aerodactylite said that the Tower of Mastery probably had a Key Stone that he could use, so that was next on the agenda.
A Key Stone would be the power they needed to beat the Water gyms that consistently gave them trouble, but the Mega Evolution Guru was not going to give some random guy such power. To earn the Key Stone, Ezio would have to prove himself by battling Korrina and face the power of Mega Evolution himself. Needless to say, the power of Mega Evolution wiped the floor with his team. Eviscerate did her best and was usually decent against Fighting types, but there was no way that she could beat a Mega Lucario on her own. A new plan was required, and there was one already being crafted inside his head. His Bastiodon would be the linchpin for the strategy, but it would require a sacrifice to get the plan to work.
The rematch against Korrina began the next week and Ezio started off with Eviscerate, refusing to relegate it just to a sacrificial role. By now, Eviscerate had faced plenty of Fighting types and was able to defeat four of Korrina's Pokémon before facing Lucario again, but the Rock type was in bad shape. Trainer and Pokémon made eye contact and they both knew what was about to happen as Lucario Mega Evolved and punched the Aerodactyl into a wall, knocking it out with a single Close Combat. Even if Eviscerate was at full strength, she could not even dare to hope to survive such a devestating attack. After telling the fainted Pokémon that she did great, Ezio released his Bastiodon. By no means should the Rock/Steel type survive a battle against the Mega Lucario, but Ezio had a plan. He just hoped it worked as the Lucario ran in and unleashed another Close Combat.
As the Fighting type unleashed its many blows on the poor Bastiodon, the Fossil Pokémon's body had gotten a metallic glow and a white ball formed in its mouth as it charged up Metal Burst. With every punch and kick, the ball grew bigger and bigger. Thanks to its Sturdy Ability, Bastiodon hung on with the bare minimum amount of energy left before firing the ball at Mega Lucario. Every ounce of pain that it had endured was in that ball, alongside some extra energy to really put the hurt on the opponent, and Mega Lucario could no longer continue the match. Of course, Korrina's Hawlucha made quick work of Bastiodon, but they did what they needed to do. Determined to make a quick end to this match, Ezio sent out Steelix and ordered it to use Self-Destruct. It was a costly move and Iron Tail would have worked just as well, but he really did not want to risk Hawlucha dodging the attack and wiping the floor with the remaining of his team. The Wrestling Pokémon could not react in time and was taken down swiftly, crowning Ezio the winner.
Whilst he was in possession of the Key Stone now and a functional watch that contained the key Stone, the Mega Evolution Guru did warn Ezio that Mega Evolution should not be used recklessly as it could backfire and seriously hurt someone's Pokémon if their bond was not strong enough. Even though he said that he would keep it in mind, Ezio's thoughts were mostly occupied with the idea of finally beating Water Gym Leaders. As soon as he could, the boy flew to Kanto to settle a debt with Misty who was the first to inform him about his weakness. Surely now, it would be enough to beat her?
To no one's surprise except Ezio, Eviscerate did not Mega Evolve and Misty once again wiped the floor with him. Why didn't it work? He spent almost two years trying to figure this out, he followed the advice that the Mega Evolution Guru gave and he even copied Korrina's action! What was he doing wrong? Ezio rarely got mad, he couldn't remember the last time that he really lost his temper. He got annoyed at puzzles in ruins and paperwork, but never at this level. When Eviscerate tried to comfort him, the boy finally snapped. In anger and frustration, he yelled at his Pokémon. She was worthless, she was broken, she was not good enough, she should just leave.
Hurt by the words of her trainer and parent, Eviscerate flew away to a small town to let her bleeding heart heal. The only problem was that the inhabitants of the village were not quite as keen on their new guest and tried to chase it away. Eviscerate never truly got used to the modern world and the shouting people did nothing but confuse and scare her, allowing instinct to take over and lashing out in self-defense. All that she wanted was a peaceful and quiet place, but instead she got screaming. Could today get any worse?
Meanwhile, Ezio had cooled down and the error of his ways had been realized. Not only did he let the concept of Mega Evolution get to his head, he yelled at his friend, his partner, a Pokémon that was essentially his child, and now she was alone in a strange world. He had to get her back, and now! Thankfully it was not hard to miss her location, an emergency broadcast on the radio and TV quickly informed Ezio of Eviscerate's location.
When he arrived at the town, the population was in complete disarray and some trainers began arriving in hopes of catching Eviscerate. Thankfully Ezio was able to stop them when Eviscerate had noticed him and landed next to him, accepting the hug that the man gave her. That being said, the people of the town wanted money for the damages and shouted at Ezio to pay and leave. Tensions rose as the furious crowd began pushing the Ruin Maniac and his menace of a Pokémon back onto a cliff that was not prepared for the sudden weight and began to crumble, sending trainer and Pokémon falling down to the ground.
Eviscerate tried her best to slow down the descent of her trainer, but they were still falling fast. With no other choice left, Ezio tried to activate the Key Stone for what could be the last time in his life. To his complete and utter shock, a powerful gust swirled around them, suspending them in mid-air. The wind roared, making it incredibly hard for Ezio to keep his eyes open, let alone see. The villagers on top of the cliff however saw a white ball of wind before it got violently dispersed as the Aerodactyl had rocky protrusions now and appeared a lot more intimidating.
With this newfound power, Eviscerate was capable of getting Ezio and herself to safety so that her trainer could pay off his debt. After Ezio discovered Mega Evolution, he decided to be more careful with his words and Eviscerate in general. He could probably beat the Water type gyms now, but the pain on Eviscerate's face made it clear to him that Mega Evolution was meant as a last resort, not as a simple power boost. Great power does indeed come at a cost, and this time the cost was the intense pain that his partner was in and his hat which had fallen in the trees below.
Team:
Species: Typhlosion
Name: Erebus
Gender: Female
Moveset: Eruption, Thunderpunch, Extrasensory, Focus Blast, Solar Beam, Blast Burn, Will-O-Wisp
Nature: Naive
Ability: Flash Fire
Blurb: One of Ezio's first Pokémon and a strong battler, Erebus is a great source of light in dark caves and a great source of warmth in cold nights. She is a bit spoiled though, and will do anything for chocolate cake.
Species: Steelix
Name: Excavate
Gender: Male
Moveset: Curse, Stealth Rock, Gyro Ball, Earthquake, Sandstorm, Explosion, Aqua Tail
Nature: Brave
Ability: Sturdy
Blurb: A giant Steelix, Excavate is not afraid of anything and has proven invaluable with his defenses and ability to dish out incredible damage.
Species: Kabutops
Name: Erode
Gender: Male
Moveset: Swords Dance, Liquidation, Aqua Jet, Stone Edge, Flip Turn, Leech Life, Knock Off
Nature: Jolly
Ability: Weak Armor
Blurb: Ezio's main Water type, Erode is filled with zest of life after going extinct once before and wants to make the most out of his new chance at life.
Species: Bastiodon
Name: Equivocate
Gender: Female
Moveset: Toxic, Rest, Metal Burst, Taunt, Ice Beam, Thunderbolt, Magic Coat, Protect
Nature: Relaxed
Ability: Sturdy
Blurb: Equivocate is unbothered by anything, usually preferring to spend her time napping in a sunny spot. However, she is incredibly stubborn and once she has a plan, it is hard to deter her from following it.
Species: Cradily
Name: Envelop
Gender: Female
Moveset: Confuse Ray, Giga Drain, Leech Seed, Ancient Power, Sludge Bomb, Stone Edge, Recover
Nature: Calm
Ability: Storm Drain
Blurb: Envelop loves water, a love only shared with Erode among Ezio's team. Usually she is found near a lake or stream, admiring her reflection in the water or sitting in the water and frolicking.
Species: Aerodactyl
Name: Eviscerate
Gender: Female
Moveset: Stone Edge, Psychic Fangs, Dual Wingbeat, Dragon Dance, Earthquake, Fire Fang, Ice Fang, Pursuit
Nature: Jolly
Ability: Pressure/Tough Claws
Blurb: Ezio's first revived Pokémon, Eviscerate has imprinted on Ezio as her mom and is incredibly close to him. Around her neck, she has a metal collar with an Aerodactylite embedded in it. The two have such a strong bond that she is capable of mega evolution, but Ezio tries to use it as little as possible due to the strain it puts on her. The two have gotten so close that Ezio sometimes jokingly refers to her as his daughter, and it might not be as far-fetched as it sounds.
Gender: Male
Age: 34
Trainer class: Ruin Maniac
Appearance: Standing at 5'9 feet and weighing in at 152 lbs, Ezio is not the most intimidating person nor does he stand out from the crowd. With tanned skin, curly black hair that covers his ears, blue eyes, an aquiline nose, thick eyebrows and a goatee, he'd fit right in among a crowd of beach-goers. Years of exploring did grant him ample opportunities to build up muscles and it shows. Whilst not overly muscular, he does have his fair share of toned muscles. When out in the field or when battling, he wears a beige pair of pants, a denim shirt, brown shoes and a brown fedora to block out the sun. The fedora was a gift from his father and it means everything to him, only people that he truly trusts are allowed to wear it. His Pokémon however care not for the emotional attachment and see it as a toy instead to the dismay of its owner. Around his neck, he has a necklace with a piece of snowflake obsidian alongside a bracelet of stainless steel around his right wrist that has a key stone embedded in it.. When he is relaxing at home, he usually wears a black hoodie with a pair of comfy jeans and slippers.
Personality: Poverty and an unsatiable curiosity for history has shaped Ezio into the man that he now is. Dangerous ruins and never-ending paperwork require a calm mind and a steady approach, which is something that Ezio formed over time. Having spent the latter half of his youth as Lenora's apprentice, he managed to learn a lot about the history of the world and other various topics that were present in the books of the gym. Although this has delayed the start of his journey by a couple of years, Ezio managed to get a sharp mind and a more objective look at things to help him through his life. In spite of his knowledge, he does not take himself too seriously and has a relaxed attitude to the world around him. After all, getting mad solves nothing in his opinion and only clouds judgment.
In spite of everything, he does has his flaws. He often gets a bit too passive when faced with a dillema in the hopes to make the best decision and if no one is looking, he helps himself to things without paying. That being said, Ezio does have his limits when it comes to crime. If someone gets hurt or actively suffers from the crime, he refuses to do it. However, an apple that is left unguarded amidst an entire box of apples is free play for him.
World Coronation Series rating: Great rank 205. Ezio has participated in multiple leagues around the world, but never managed to beat the Water type gyms in any of them. That is the reason that he never once challenged the Elite Four, but he was not participating to become a champion. He wanted the badges as they helped him skip past mountains of paperwork and it helped him release some of the pent-up fighting instinct in his Aerodactyl. He still regularly endulges himself into a battle and has quite an impressive win-loss ratio, but is no longer a league challenger. He personally thinks that it is time for the younger generation to take a shot at the league instead of an old-timer.
Backstory: Being born in Nacrene city to a struggling artist couple, Ezio took it upon himself to ease the burden that his parents bore and make it in the big bad world. The Nacrene city museum had always gotten his attention and he managed to get a position under Lenora as her assistent. It was simple work like returning books, checking gym puzzles, dealing with the occasional fossil revival alongside her, but it was something that he had never experienced before. After reaching sufficient age, Ezio decided to take the leap into the far beyond and finally make a name for himself. Besides, his parents would have an easier time without a third mouth to feed. Under the ruse of an errand, Lenora sent the boy to Cinnabar Island with an Old Amber for the Cinnabar Lab to revive. Never one to question the orders of those above him, Ezio travelled to Cinnabar where he delivered the amber before being told that he was allowed to go on an adventure with the Dwebble that was given to him by Lenora and the Cyndaquil that was given to him by a lab assistent.
After travelling across the Kanto region and strengthening his team with other Pokémon, he returned to Cinnabar to pick up the Aerodactyl on orders of Lenora. The Pokémon was about to wake up from the reviving process and the Nacrene Gym Leader had given explicit orders to let Ezio see the complete process as he had never seen revival from a fossil without any bones. After the Aerodactyl woke up, the young creature laid eyes on Ezio and imprinted on him, effectively turning the boy into the mother of the Fossil Pokémon. He was no stranger to Rock types, but none of them were quite as clingy as the Aerodactyl who was called Eviscerate. Where Ezio went, so did Eviscerate. She was never more than six feet away from him, although the walking Aerodactyl was a strange sight to many people and the Rock type was overly protective of her 'mother', screeching at anything and anyone that got close to Ezio. The fact that the walk of an Aerodactyl is weak and slow also did not help when running errands.
Deciding that having a screeching predator following him wherever he went was probably not a good idea, Ezio decided to teach it how to fly so that it could explore on its own without bothering him. There was a small issue with that plan though, Ezio had no wings. After a couple of failed attempts by jumping out of a tree, he took a different approach and let his Steelix hold him using its tail, allowing the Unovian boy to 'fly' alongside Eviscerate. Overjoyed by the fact that her mother could fly alongside her, the Aerodactyl cried out in joy before forgetting to land. At the end of the week, the Fossil Pokémon could lift off from standing position and land with natural ease.
When exploring ruins, Eviscerate was Ezio's main Pokémon to defend himself and to get to safety should he have overlooked a pitfal trap, which was more than once. Although Ezio made quite a lot of money from his expeditions and the two maintained a close bond, Eviscerate was growing up and her instinct to hunt was harder to control. The amount of paperwork that Ezio had to plow through to even enter the more dangerous ruins also grew steadily, so the boy had to make a decision. He would have to stop ruin diving and work on the temper that his beloved partner was getting, he'd broken up a couple of fights between her and his Steelix already and it wouldn't be too long before actual injuries were inflicted. He had enough money to last for a while and there was good money in Pokémon battles, so Ezio decided to participate in the gym challenge.
Although he was no battler, clever tactics and rugged Pokémon from working in hazardous areas were able to beat many of the gym leaders. Grass and Fighting gyms were tough for Ezio's team that consisted mostly out of Rock, Ground and Steel types, but Eviscerate managed to time and time again secure the victory for her trainer. Ezio eventually got really into the gym challenge, travelling across the globe to challenge the gyms across the world. He was far from unbeatable though, he had yet to beat any Water type gym. Regardless of what strategies he came up with, the relentless assault of Water attacks always managed to take him and his beloved Pokémon down. Even Eviscerate, after special training to atleast mitigate some of her Water weakness, could not beat any of the gyms that were dedicated to the Water type.
Although a victory over the gym leaders in Striaton City was a giant morale boost, it was by no means a smooth ride in Unova. It was inevitable that Ezio would fight Lenora and she knew him like no other. Lenora decided to go all out against her disciple and brought her strongest Pokémon to the battle. It was not even close, with five of her six Pokémon having super-effective moves against Rock types. Aside from her Watchog, Ezio could not defeat any of Lenora's Pokémon which was an incredible damper on the great start of his Unova gym challenge. The Ruin maniac was taken off-guard by what was supposed to be an easy battle against a Herdier and a Watchog, but Lenora apparently did not spend all the time that they were seperated standing around. After spending the better half of a week trying to find a way to circumvent his team's weaknesses, he came to a risky but potentially winning solution. By sending his Steelix in first and setting up Stealth Rock and Sandstorm, he would damage any new Pokémon and the Sandstorm could be used as a shield against the Flamethrower of her Lickitung. Should all hope be lost, Steelix would use Self-Destruct. With battle plans made, it was time to test them.
To Ezio's joy, the strategy worked! At least, until Steelix exploded. He didn't put as big of a dent in her team as he wanted, but Watchog and Lickilicky were down and Cincinno had taken a hefty hit. The battle continued with numbers decreasing on both sides, but Lenora was steadily gaining ground with Braviary having set up Tailwind and reduced Ezio's team to just Eviscerate. The wind was strong and the sandstorm was no longer up, but they were too far in to go back. Eviscerate hit the field and an aerial battle ensued, with the ancient ruler of the skies ending up victorious with a couple of wounds from the battle. Last was Sawsbuck, a Pokémon that had proven troublesome before. Lenora ordered Wild Charge whilst Ezio ordered Fly, both moves colliding and covering the pitch in a thick cloud of dust. Both Pokémon were revealed to be lying on the ground, attempting to stand up. Sawsbuck managed to get back up first, but the super-effective move coupled with the recoil was too much to handle whilst Eviscerate was still conscious but unable to fly. Since Eviscerate techinically was still capable of fighting, Ezio was declared the winner.
As Ezio was ready to leave, Lenora gave him information about a stone that would push the bond between Eviscerate and him to the next level. Keeping the information in the back of his head, he went along with his journey, only to be completely and utterly walled by Marlin. Strategies that worked before were useless against the Water gym leader, and new strategies did not work either. It was depressing, but Ezio did not give up that easily. Perhaps those strategies could work against the other Water type gym leaders that were yet to be defeated. Time and time again, Ezio tried to beat those brick walls that halted his journey to no avail.
Whilst the new badges helped to cut down in the paperwork required to enter more dangerous ruins, as the badges themselves were proof of a capable trainer, the fact that the Water gyms were still unbeaten did sting and Ezio could feel that Eviscerate felt the same. The next year was used for research on the mystery stone that Lenora mentioned, and eventually Ezio found out that the stone was called an Aerodactylite. It was a rare type of mineral called a Mega Stone, and the information on it was dubious at best and non-existant at worst. This was going to be tough, especially since the most reliable source claimed that another stone called a Key Stone was required to even access the power. What happened afterwards was an area of speculation, but that was to be expected.
Six months of ruin diving and researching later, Ezio found a weird-looking stone in Glittering Cave and although it could be any old stone, he couldn't help feeling an undertone of excitement when holding the orb. What if it indeed was the Aerodactylite? He could not leave the cave fast enough and before he knew, he was in the Ambrette Town Pokémon Lab to get it appraised. It was indeed the Aerodactylite and Eviscerate quickly got a metal collar with the Aerodactylite embedded in the middle. One half of the combo was obtained, all that was left was the Key Stone. The scientist that appraised the Aerodactylite said that the Tower of Mastery probably had a Key Stone that he could use, so that was next on the agenda.
A Key Stone would be the power they needed to beat the Water gyms that consistently gave them trouble, but the Mega Evolution Guru was not going to give some random guy such power. To earn the Key Stone, Ezio would have to prove himself by battling Korrina and face the power of Mega Evolution himself. Needless to say, the power of Mega Evolution wiped the floor with his team. Eviscerate did her best and was usually decent against Fighting types, but there was no way that she could beat a Mega Lucario on her own. A new plan was required, and there was one already being crafted inside his head. His Bastiodon would be the linchpin for the strategy, but it would require a sacrifice to get the plan to work.
The rematch against Korrina began the next week and Ezio started off with Eviscerate, refusing to relegate it just to a sacrificial role. By now, Eviscerate had faced plenty of Fighting types and was able to defeat four of Korrina's Pokémon before facing Lucario again, but the Rock type was in bad shape. Trainer and Pokémon made eye contact and they both knew what was about to happen as Lucario Mega Evolved and punched the Aerodactyl into a wall, knocking it out with a single Close Combat. Even if Eviscerate was at full strength, she could not even dare to hope to survive such a devestating attack. After telling the fainted Pokémon that she did great, Ezio released his Bastiodon. By no means should the Rock/Steel type survive a battle against the Mega Lucario, but Ezio had a plan. He just hoped it worked as the Lucario ran in and unleashed another Close Combat.
As the Fighting type unleashed its many blows on the poor Bastiodon, the Fossil Pokémon's body had gotten a metallic glow and a white ball formed in its mouth as it charged up Metal Burst. With every punch and kick, the ball grew bigger and bigger. Thanks to its Sturdy Ability, Bastiodon hung on with the bare minimum amount of energy left before firing the ball at Mega Lucario. Every ounce of pain that it had endured was in that ball, alongside some extra energy to really put the hurt on the opponent, and Mega Lucario could no longer continue the match. Of course, Korrina's Hawlucha made quick work of Bastiodon, but they did what they needed to do. Determined to make a quick end to this match, Ezio sent out Steelix and ordered it to use Self-Destruct. It was a costly move and Iron Tail would have worked just as well, but he really did not want to risk Hawlucha dodging the attack and wiping the floor with the remaining of his team. The Wrestling Pokémon could not react in time and was taken down swiftly, crowning Ezio the winner.
Whilst he was in possession of the Key Stone now and a functional watch that contained the key Stone, the Mega Evolution Guru did warn Ezio that Mega Evolution should not be used recklessly as it could backfire and seriously hurt someone's Pokémon if their bond was not strong enough. Even though he said that he would keep it in mind, Ezio's thoughts were mostly occupied with the idea of finally beating Water Gym Leaders. As soon as he could, the boy flew to Kanto to settle a debt with Misty who was the first to inform him about his weakness. Surely now, it would be enough to beat her?
To no one's surprise except Ezio, Eviscerate did not Mega Evolve and Misty once again wiped the floor with him. Why didn't it work? He spent almost two years trying to figure this out, he followed the advice that the Mega Evolution Guru gave and he even copied Korrina's action! What was he doing wrong? Ezio rarely got mad, he couldn't remember the last time that he really lost his temper. He got annoyed at puzzles in ruins and paperwork, but never at this level. When Eviscerate tried to comfort him, the boy finally snapped. In anger and frustration, he yelled at his Pokémon. She was worthless, she was broken, she was not good enough, she should just leave.
Hurt by the words of her trainer and parent, Eviscerate flew away to a small town to let her bleeding heart heal. The only problem was that the inhabitants of the village were not quite as keen on their new guest and tried to chase it away. Eviscerate never truly got used to the modern world and the shouting people did nothing but confuse and scare her, allowing instinct to take over and lashing out in self-defense. All that she wanted was a peaceful and quiet place, but instead she got screaming. Could today get any worse?
Meanwhile, Ezio had cooled down and the error of his ways had been realized. Not only did he let the concept of Mega Evolution get to his head, he yelled at his friend, his partner, a Pokémon that was essentially his child, and now she was alone in a strange world. He had to get her back, and now! Thankfully it was not hard to miss her location, an emergency broadcast on the radio and TV quickly informed Ezio of Eviscerate's location.
When he arrived at the town, the population was in complete disarray and some trainers began arriving in hopes of catching Eviscerate. Thankfully Ezio was able to stop them when Eviscerate had noticed him and landed next to him, accepting the hug that the man gave her. That being said, the people of the town wanted money for the damages and shouted at Ezio to pay and leave. Tensions rose as the furious crowd began pushing the Ruin Maniac and his menace of a Pokémon back onto a cliff that was not prepared for the sudden weight and began to crumble, sending trainer and Pokémon falling down to the ground.
Eviscerate tried her best to slow down the descent of her trainer, but they were still falling fast. With no other choice left, Ezio tried to activate the Key Stone for what could be the last time in his life. To his complete and utter shock, a powerful gust swirled around them, suspending them in mid-air. The wind roared, making it incredibly hard for Ezio to keep his eyes open, let alone see. The villagers on top of the cliff however saw a white ball of wind before it got violently dispersed as the Aerodactyl had rocky protrusions now and appeared a lot more intimidating.
With this newfound power, Eviscerate was capable of getting Ezio and herself to safety so that her trainer could pay off his debt. After Ezio discovered Mega Evolution, he decided to be more careful with his words and Eviscerate in general. He could probably beat the Water type gyms now, but the pain on Eviscerate's face made it clear to him that Mega Evolution was meant as a last resort, not as a simple power boost. Great power does indeed come at a cost, and this time the cost was the intense pain that his partner was in and his hat which had fallen in the trees below.
Team:
Species: Typhlosion
Name: Erebus
Gender: Female
Moveset: Eruption, Thunderpunch, Extrasensory, Focus Blast, Solar Beam, Blast Burn, Will-O-Wisp
Nature: Naive
Ability: Flash Fire
Blurb: One of Ezio's first Pokémon and a strong battler, Erebus is a great source of light in dark caves and a great source of warmth in cold nights. She is a bit spoiled though, and will do anything for chocolate cake.
Species: Steelix
Name: Excavate
Gender: Male
Moveset: Curse, Stealth Rock, Gyro Ball, Earthquake, Sandstorm, Explosion, Aqua Tail
Nature: Brave
Ability: Sturdy
Blurb: A giant Steelix, Excavate is not afraid of anything and has proven invaluable with his defenses and ability to dish out incredible damage.
Species: Kabutops
Name: Erode
Gender: Male
Moveset: Swords Dance, Liquidation, Aqua Jet, Stone Edge, Flip Turn, Leech Life, Knock Off
Nature: Jolly
Ability: Weak Armor
Blurb: Ezio's main Water type, Erode is filled with zest of life after going extinct once before and wants to make the most out of his new chance at life.
Species: Bastiodon
Name: Equivocate
Gender: Female
Moveset: Toxic, Rest, Metal Burst, Taunt, Ice Beam, Thunderbolt, Magic Coat, Protect
Nature: Relaxed
Ability: Sturdy
Blurb: Equivocate is unbothered by anything, usually preferring to spend her time napping in a sunny spot. However, she is incredibly stubborn and once she has a plan, it is hard to deter her from following it.
Species: Cradily
Name: Envelop
Gender: Female
Moveset: Confuse Ray, Giga Drain, Leech Seed, Ancient Power, Sludge Bomb, Stone Edge, Recover
Nature: Calm
Ability: Storm Drain
Blurb: Envelop loves water, a love only shared with Erode among Ezio's team. Usually she is found near a lake or stream, admiring her reflection in the water or sitting in the water and frolicking.
Species: Aerodactyl
Name: Eviscerate
Gender: Female
Moveset: Stone Edge, Psychic Fangs, Dual Wingbeat, Dragon Dance, Earthquake, Fire Fang, Ice Fang, Pursuit
Nature: Jolly
Ability: Pressure/Tough Claws
Blurb: Ezio's first revived Pokémon, Eviscerate has imprinted on Ezio as her mom and is incredibly close to him. Around her neck, she has a metal collar with an Aerodactylite embedded in it. The two have such a strong bond that she is capable of mega evolution, but Ezio tries to use it as little as possible due to the strain it puts on her. The two have gotten so close that Ezio sometimes jokingly refers to her as his daughter, and it might not be as far-fetched as it sounds.
All these old men tryna be trainers smh. Accepted though.
lotta old men and young women...not the best set-up if we're bein' honest
Stubborn as a rock, atleast he admits that he is old
Would Brian really be considered old? At this point, he's simply meant to be more experienced with Pokemon training.
The ones in their 20s are on the younger side, but still quite a bit older than the ones in their mid-teens. I think I recall at least one character who was 15 and my OC is 17.
The experienced characters will likely end up with specific dynamics since I presume they wouldn't be doing beginner things like the gym challenge. With their ranks being fairly close they could do World Coronation matches against each other or something. Who knows what you'll come up with.
limiting moves limits creativity? Quite the opposite my Ralts loving friend @Retro Master , having to decided on 6 moves (an example) makes it so you have to think outside the box to be able to get out of trouble, and not just opening Bulbapedia and look through the long list of moves your Pokemon can learn. If you can't get out of whatever pickle you're in, then ggs you lost, life goes on.
Unlimited moves worked in og sync because we had an energy limit, so you couldn't spam anything all the time. Here though, you can spam whatever you please as long as you please because if you run out of flame wheels, you got flame charge, then flamethrower, then fire blast, etc etc...
Unlimited moves worked in og sync because we had an energy limit, so you couldn't spam anything all the time. Here though, you can spam whatever you please as long as you please because if you run out of flame wheels, you got flame charge, then flamethrower, then fire blast, etc etc...
@kyuukestu That fifteen year old is Emma.
If that's the case, I feel like I should've made him a bit younger or made a different character.
I strongly agree with this. Unlimited moves leads to the opposite of creativity.
Depending on which crowd you want to run with, there are a number of other older characters scattered across. So I wouldn't mind it too much.
This is a fair point.
Does anyone have any counter-points to present? Speak up! This is a discussion thread for a reason, if you've got an opinion then share it.
I think it makes sense to carry over some sort of fatigue system without limiting the number of usable moves, since IRL people and animals can't infinitely lift heavy weight or sprint indefinitely. My ideal system would be one where the more training a Pokemon has with a specific move the more times they can use it, so if you have a Machamp that does nothing but train Seismic Toss it would be able to use that move far more than the Dynamic Punch it practiced twice.
I am down for a move limit of like 8, it grants more options whilst still requiring some creativity. And let's face it, no one uses more than 8 moves anyway
Basicly copied Shiro for here and gotta start in Sinnoh, I guess
Name: Shiro Coldpowder
Gender: Male
Age: 17
Trainer Class (What goal do you have in mind for your character? Contests/Battler/Breeder/etc.): Researcher and Trainer
Physical Appearance: being around 5'8 tall, with a fairly pale skin and black, curly and messy hair. He also got a silver, almost white eyes.
Clothing: (Optional) Various
Personality: Although a bit shy and usually keeps distance unless you are a very good friend or his pokemon. He is however a very kind person, like his pokemon, a bit of clumsy and always is extra careful with his research. He mainly tries to understand the changes in the pokemon if they can be in any way cured. He also tends to have a good observation skill as he is great at analyzing things. He also tends to take part in pokemon battles as hobby and take gym challanges to get in more dangerous parts of regions and learn more about the phenomenom that affects pokemon.
Backstory: TBA
Starter: Cubchoo named Glacier
Name: Glacier
Species: Cubchoo
Gender: Male
Ability: Slush Rush
Nature: Naive
Characteristic: Glacier is kind of clumsy, a bit of a shy cubchoo that is very dependable on Shiro. At the same time he loves his trainer and tends to cuddle to him often, making sure his snot doesn't touch his trainer though. If anyone tries to harm Shiro though, Glacier is ready to show his strenght and protect Shiro from any opponent.
Appearance: Looks like a normal cubchoo, that wears a green scarf around his neck that was brought to him by Shiro. (How much scarf not too cheap and not too expensive costs in the amazon? XD)
Moves: Growl, Icy Wind, Fury Swipes, Endure
Name: Shiro Coldpowder
Gender: Male
Age: 17
Trainer Class (What goal do you have in mind for your character? Contests/Battler/Breeder/etc.): Researcher and Trainer
Physical Appearance: being around 5'8 tall, with a fairly pale skin and black, curly and messy hair. He also got a silver, almost white eyes.
Clothing: (Optional) Various
Personality: Although a bit shy and usually keeps distance unless you are a very good friend or his pokemon. He is however a very kind person, like his pokemon, a bit of clumsy and always is extra careful with his research. He mainly tries to understand the changes in the pokemon if they can be in any way cured. He also tends to have a good observation skill as he is great at analyzing things. He also tends to take part in pokemon battles as hobby and take gym challanges to get in more dangerous parts of regions and learn more about the phenomenom that affects pokemon.
Backstory: TBA
Starter: Cubchoo named Glacier
Name: Glacier
Species: Cubchoo
Gender: Male
Ability: Slush Rush
Nature: Naive
Characteristic: Glacier is kind of clumsy, a bit of a shy cubchoo that is very dependable on Shiro. At the same time he loves his trainer and tends to cuddle to him often, making sure his snot doesn't touch his trainer though. If anyone tries to harm Shiro though, Glacier is ready to show his strenght and protect Shiro from any opponent.
Appearance: Looks like a normal cubchoo, that wears a green scarf around his neck that was brought to him by Shiro. (How much scarf not too cheap and not too expensive costs in the amazon? XD)
Moves: Growl, Icy Wind, Fury Swipes, Endure
If you want Interaction @Clite of Dragonbow Then he could also start in Johto and Run into Emma.
Also we have to consider the difference between a Pokemon move and something the Pokemon can do naturally. I doubt just because you didn't teach your Pokemon surf, it can't carry you across water or if a Magmar doesn't have a fire attack on it's moveset, doesn't mean it can breath fire. It's a big difference between breathing fire to start a campfire and using Flamethrower. I think Pokemon has tried to establish this by making early moves like tackle transforming into stronger versions like Take Down. The idea is to have 8 moves limited for battle like situations, not to have to keep surf on your Blastoise so he doesn't drown when you try to ride it.