MurkMire said:

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Name: Jack "Jackie" Siegal
Age: 17

Goal: To be one of the roughest, toughest, scariest trainers ever to roam the free world.

Appearance: Wavy red hair, intense brown eyes, and a cold glare make up this . Jack initially gives off a very unfriendly presence. He wears a white button-up sleeve shirt, with a red undershirt. He also wears dark jeans and a pair of black boots.

Spoiler:

Personality: Jack was always a shy, meager kid. When living out in Olivine City, Jack was mostly living with his mom, as his father was always out with a fishing crew. He never learned to really stick up for himself, but built up a lot of anger and frustration. However, his mom would try to spend a lot of time with him, and Jack always saw his mom as a safeguard from the life of being bullied.

However, Jack's father had returned from an extensive trip, and saw how Jack needed him in his life. So, one night, Jack's father took him to the movies. They went to go see a mafia film, one that would change Jack forever. Jack was inspired by the bold, the cruel, and yet, completely charismatic charm. He dreamed of great power, and respect.

Become a hard boiled, street smart, tough as nails Pokemon trainer. Not only did the movies of mafia and mobsters fuel his drive in life, but his dad personally taught him about his battling days.

Eventually, his dad decided to take on a new job, and move to a more quaint area. Thus, they moved to Cherrygrove City. After enough training and practicing with his dad's own Pokemon, Jack was gifted a Corphish, a Pokemon his dad felt would be perfect for the job.

Though a bit empy-headed, Jack found a new confidence, as he would soon become a real Pokemon trainer, ready to start a path of his own.

Starter Pokemon​

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Name: Vice
Gender: ♂
Ability: Adaptability
Moves: Vicegrip, Aqua Jet, Harden, Leer, Bubble, Double Hit​

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Dragon said:

The lovely Rose of the Dead
Name: Hugō Colthearts (Hue - go Colt - hearts) ♑
Gender: Male
Age: 16

Hometown: Ecruteak City

Appearance: Hugō is a little bit on the slim and mean side, who does weigh around 160 pounds, and also has a height of 5'9. He has bristly, short black hair that has bangs that almost extends to his top shoulders, and alongside his slightly slim 5 fingers on each hand as well as his slightly slim 5 fingers on each tone, his overall skin tone resembles that of a Asian young boy, has it's a pasty yellow color. Speaking of which, while Hugō has the physique and posture of a young woman, he is indeed male, which made a lot of confusion during his wake, but, he became accustomed to it.

Hugō wears the traditional Japanese dress of a miko, which even today has remained essentially unchanged except for the lack of the slit-shoulder seam. It consists of a white jacket with sode-kukuri (cords) through the sleeves and open shoulders. He also wears strings called muna-himo which are attached to each lapel and tied in front to keep the garment closed. Hugō's kosode would be very much like a modern Kendo or Naginata Keikogi, with the sleeve fitting somewhat closely like a modern loose shirt and extending slightly past the wrist. The slits on the side of his hakama, and the openings at the sleeves and shoulders of her hitoe (jacket) showed the white kosode she sported. Hugō also wears a bright red nagabakama (a very long hakama), which includes the small board on the lower back. Finally, Hugō wears common tabi (socks) and rice straw sandals. It's all sported by a red Obi, or belt, over all his other garments.


Strengths / Interests: Hugō is a kind, and pretty gentle boy, and does act very feminine at times. His mannerisms are pretty straight-forward, as he speaks in a refined, and dignified tone, addressing people as he would like to be addressed - with the utmost respect. He does like getting into arguments, since he's pretty open minded to a variety of topics and cultures. He does enjoy nature, as he tends to enjoy spending most of his life outdoors, taking a look at wild pokemon, and other plant / wild life that's around. His main interest is mainly into pokemon though, as he always loved to see what kinds of pokemon lived in each habitat, as well as why the area around them is hospitable. Battling was something that is relatively new to Hugō, so, he isn't exactly knowledgeable in the field, but, he is always generally willing to learn and try new things.

Weaknesses: Hugō can be pretty naive, meaning he can instantly believe a ridiculous story or idea and call it a fact. His naivety does lead him in sticky situation sometimes, but, he always believed that it was better to believe in someone rather than not having a certain degree of trust altogether. He's also a bit paranoid and can frighten, and be shy around people, new and old. Call this a habit, what you will, but, his paranoid nature does call him to shout and scream a variety of times, even though he doesn't intend to. But all in all, he''s a gentle boy with a nice heart - he just has to work on his paranoia.


Family: Hugō was born in Ecruteak City, where he was born with a mother and grandmother, with his little sister being born just a few years after him. More importantly, Hugō was born as a member of the Colthearts family clan. The Colthearts are a family who are known for communicating with spirits, and with the land of the dead. The leader, and master of the Colthearts clan was the one who's connection to the spirit world, and the land of the dead was the strongest of them all. The master of the Colthearts was always part of the main branch family, while the other members of the family was simply called a branch family, in which a member of the branch family would never be a master, because their spiritual power was too weak compared with the members of the main family. Finally, the "spiritual power" of the Colthearts clan, was always inherited by the females of the group.

However, Hugō was born not a female, and thus, he didn't possess any spiritual energy. He was also born as a member of the branch family, where his mother was the young master's aunt. In any case, being born a male, Hugō was sometimes looked down upon in the family, for not being a female, even though his physique and posture resembled that of a female.

Goal: Hugo wants to find his own purpose in this world; being born as the black sheep of the family, how can he prove his worth? One day, when he finally turned 16, he decided - it was time to go on a pokemon adventure on his own. His mother was reluctant for him to go at first, since she was worried that Hugō didn't learn much about the outside world. However, with all due respect, Hugō knew that even though he did not possess any powers of his own, he still wanted to help the family get the respect that they deserved in some way. Plus, he knew that power wasn't everything. A person can become just as kind, and just as gentle as the next, no matter who they were. While Hugō did sense his mother's anxiety and resentment towards him, he also vowed to find a way to reunite the broken ties between the Main and Branch family.



Chosen Starter: Gastly ゴース (Huǒ)

Gender: Female ♀
Ability: Levitate (Gives full immunity to all Ground-type moves.)
Moveset: Lick, Hypnosis, Confuse Ray, Shadow Ball, Sucker Punch, Night Shade

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Sephear said:

Kilian Warren

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Age: 17

Goal: To become pokemon champion as well as to establish better pokemon preservation parks, shelters and communities.

Appearance: Kilian stands at a moderate 5'9, with slightly messy black hair he usually allows to just hang down around his head and coal-colored irises. He often wears a blank or contemplative expression, rarely showing any significant emotion other than curiosity or frustration unless excited about pokemon or an opportunity to learn something rare. He's a pale young man, having spent most of his spare time outdoors, but either in fairly think woods or in caves, rarely wanting for light but neither soaking up a lot of sun.

He doesn't put much effort into how he dresses, nice hiking boots for all his study trips, worn-out blue jeans and dark shirts, often black or a dark blue, sometimes purple too. The only thing that really stands out all that much about the young man's outward appearance is his Dratini, which is nearly always out of its pokeball and wrapped around Kilian's neck and shoulders like a thick pokemon-themed scarf.

Personality: Kilian is a bit of an odd bird. After nearly drowning in Lake Rage when he was a young boy and being saved by a Dragonair he's devoted himself to the preservation of pokemon. Some would say he's a little too devoted. He's had this mindset long enough now that he seems to have a hard time socializing with people, usually only really opening up to or about pokemon. Kilian has trouble reading the expressions and voices of other people now, sometimes bluntly saying insensitive things without comprehending how he could hurt anyone or being very confused by statements that should be obvious to most people his age.

A strong sense of justice and a desire to protect the things he deems important can lead to some of Kilian's misunderstandings becoming arguments or even fights. When he can't understand why something he did would have made someone angry it often makes him feel like he's the one being picked on and he can get defensive of his choices even when they were wrong or hurtful. All this combined with his usually subdued demeanor can make Kilian appear quite cold, but despite his issues with other people, he's extremely empathetic and warm with pokemon. The young man is frequently torn between his desire to understand people better and his fear of causing more trouble for everyone around him.

One human interest Kilian does understand and embrace is the sharing of knowledge. He loves hearing stories, facts and just learning about the world around him and is also eager to teach others when he has something to offer, causing him to come off as a know-it-all to some.

Starter: Dratini
Moves: Aqua Jet, Wrap, Leer, Twister, Thunder Wave, Slam
Dratini is nowhere near as serious or dour as its trainer, outgoing and always eager to make friends with people and other pokemon alike. It is, however, fiercely attached to Kilian and quickly turns on anyone who would intentionally hurt him. It is his guardian and his friend, his keeper and his companion, yet strangely he hasn't seen fit to give it a nickname.

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Junier said:

I WANNA PEER OVER THE EDGE AND SEE IN DEATH IF WE ARE ALWAYS THE SAME
Realiti - Grimes | FC: Lenore ('Lenore, the Cute Little Dead Girl')

Excerpt from interview conducted by N. Lyn, for Trainer Monthly: "Why We Train: Meeting the Faces of the Johto League Challenge."

------Fifteen, with sixteen so close she can taste it, though I'm not convinced. Even balanced on the rung of the wooden fence, she has a certain petiteness to her, the persistent air of childhood she could never shake. If I could generalize Mihra's character, and all its unconvincing melancholy — from the funerary black dress to the facetious hair clips — and to risk her own disapproval: she's a fairy girl. There's an adamant sense of imagination and unprovoked mischief dancing in her eyes; we have not made eye contact since I visited her here on the farmlands.
------I say she is petite, but much of Mihra reflects Laurel¹ — if you've been there, you'll know all about the rolling, little community: a great stretch of greenery, the occasional farm. I can see why she would want to get out of Cherrygrove, even if there is color there. There is no color in Mihrabelle. She has a mat complexion, hair blonde like straw. And I can see why there are dissenters, standing beside her, but I am also unable to emphasize further than that. There is an air to her that a fairy girl really doesn't have, after all.
I tell her as much: "You are fascinatingly brave, you know that?"
------She just sighs, I think. Shrugs with a shaky smile of pursed lips and half-attention.
------I change the subject. "You have family here. So you've done some farming before?"
------"I used to milk the Tankers² before I got sick. I don't like 'em though. They're clingy." She crosses her arms on the top beam of the fence, rests her head there. Her body rocks in the breeze.
------I've never been inclined towards pre-generated questions, but the silence makes it tempting. "What kind of Pokemon do you like, Oetsu-sama?"
------At first, it's hard to tell if she's considering or watching the clouds roll by. But eventually, she lifts her head a bit and utters, "Um, the little guys…"
------"...The little—"
------"The underdogs. That no one would really pick. Like, the ones I see in the movies — Charizard, Gyarados, Tyranitar — those are really hard Pokemon to find and train. But you can find, like, Spinarak or Hoothoot anywhere."
------"Oh! Do you think you're an underdog, Oetsu-sama?"
------"Pfft. No. Don't a lot of people like me?"
------It's a hard question to answer. Three years prior, the little farm girl I drove to Laurel to meet, Oetsu Mihrabelle, became one of the first Johtonese to be diagnosed with Pokerus. More accurately, a mutation doctors claimed was carried by some classically-bred Pokemon at her family's farm. Three months from today, the disease went terminal; the news went regional. Because Mihra had a dream, regardless of how she was going to end up, that she would become a Trainer. Her condition was, and is, too rare to dissuade the incitement of fear and suspicion that her decision has. Some blame the parentage; "She doesn't look well, how could anyone let their daughter go out in that state?" Others are adamant that it really is contagious because, well, someone in the family's a trainer or works at the local breeding center and they should know Pokerus better than anybody, right?
------I ask Mihra, then, "Do you feel capable? Like, you can do this? Are there any nagging fears that you have about Pokemon Training?"
------"No." She is blunt. "Pokemon aren't scary. Training isn't scary."
------She stops there, but I press. "Do you think there's anything that would keep you from being a good, if not a better, Trainer, than anyone else tackling the League?"
------"Uhh, other than gradually dying?" For the first time, she looks me in the face, expectant. "Nope."

------

Sap Sipper | (F) | Zen Headbutt; Stomp; Grass Knot; Confusion; Agility

We linger over the pasture for some time. Flaaffy meander in one anxiety-strung knot at the far corner of the fenced-in area. Another Pokemon has attempted to intermingle, assumably, sticking out like a sour, yellow-black thumb. The Girafarig, Lala-Noon, failed to give me the air of a "helper Pokemon," and even now she wears an afflicted expression, peering over the flock like the Umbreon intended to corral them. She is a very expressive, very strongly-built Pokemon, particularly in the legs. But I was pleasantly surprised by her affection for Mihra before we reached her parents' farm, guiding the girl, a ghostly grip on her horns.
------I had offered to pet the Girafarig, and she seemed obliging, except for her tail which shot suddenly awake and dared to snag my wrist with its teeth — I consider it one of the less precarious circumstances journalism has gotten me into.
------On the subject of Pokemon, I then ask, "Why the two names? 'Lala-Noon.'"
------"Well," starts Mihra, "I couldn't decide on just one name. I thought Lala was cute, but Noon was more meaningful. I think they both fit her, sort of. So I just—" she fits a fist in her palm "—mashed them together."
------"Makes sense."
------"Yeah."
------"Do you think Girafarig's an 'underdog'?"
------"Not really. They³ were just kinda like, 'Well, this Girafarig doesn't really have anywhere to go, so I guess she can help you out.' But Lala-Noon is the first Girafarig I've ever seen."
------"Same here. What other Pokemon were at the center?"
------"Like, a bunch of Psychic types. They say they're 'soothing' or are, like, more 'person-like.' But the waves or whatever that they get off can trigger some people. I think Lala-Noon gave one boy a nosebleed once. So that wasn't fun."
------"Oh, no! You don't have anything like that, do you?"
"Definitely not with Psychic-types. I think I got a rash from some Clefairy once, though."
------"Ah. You might just not be accustomed to them," I explain. "They're a new type." And she nods, giving the impression all the same that she probably knew that.

------It's hard to launch off of that, natural conversation into the burning question. Even after eight years of doing this, I can only approach transitions with hesitance and the grace of a Feebas.
------"...how does it feel?"
------She takes a second or two to answer. "Surreal… but also, like, I can feel it. It's a feeling," she says, "but it's not… a heavy feeling. It's kind of like the end of the world, but only you know about it."
------"And there's no point preparing for it, if it's just going to happen, it'll happen."
------"Right, exactly. You just do what you can with what you have."
------With unexpected enthusiasm, she comes off the fence on a lingering note — "So that's why…" — and digs through a little knapsack leaned beside her on the ground. She finds a black binder, flips it open, passes a page or two. Mihra holds it open to me as if it's story
time, binding balanced on one palm. On that laminated page, a numbered list written in script. She announces: "I've made an 'end-of-the-world' list!"
------And it's fascinating to me. "A bucket list?" Really, you don't understand a person best until they show you what they want to do. I know I've made a point to ask every trainer for a driving goal, but this was the first thus far who had filed it note-by-note. I didn't know if it was pedantic or perfect, but there was definitely some perfectionism behind it.
------"It's not that long," Mihra says, "because I parsed it down."
Difficult to be believe, considering how miniscule some of the entries were. "Eat a whole bag of jellybeans." "Buy a Premium Ball."
------"See, I can't do half of these without leaving Cherrygrove," Mihra explains. "That's why I have to become a Trainer."
------"To eat jellybeans?"
------I probably sound incredulous, but she doesn't take it to heart. With the same lambent countenance, she goes, "Well, most of them are bigger than that. I probably need to do another edit. I think I wrote the 'jellybean' one three months ago."
------"Do you have a Training-related goal?" I question next.
------"Hm. I really want to meet Morty." She looks up at me, a full feet below. The fairy girl image rushes back to me.

------There is a commotion within the fence. The Umbreon has arisen from its prowl along the sidelines, snarling and scrabbling. The Flaaffy have all scattered for their safety. And Lala-Noon stands in the middle of it, posed with her hoof to strike again if need be.
------Naturally, I'm ready to interfere, hand at my belt, while Mihra only sits sniggering to herself. "Hehe. He probably tried to sneak up on her. What a dummy."
------It resolves itself, at least, with the two Pokemon standing ground before Umbreon relents. It slinks towards the stables with sunken shoulders.

------"You haven't been here since…?"
------"I was twelve. Wow." Her eyes trail over the expanse, the green and the intermittent blue. "It's… nice."
------"Sick of cherry blossoms, I bet?"
------"Snrk. Oh, definitely."

------"Can I ask one more question, Miss Oetsu?"
------"Shoot."
------"Are you scared?"
------Score — at my expense, I've finally won a grin from the little girl. "I wouldn't be dressed like this if I was."

---

¹ Laurel Farmlands, offshooting Route 38 between Ecruteak and Olivine. Home to the esteemed Moomoo Farms.
² A Northern Johto colloquialism for the Milk Cow Pokemon.
³ Referring to staff at the Cherrygrove's Children Psychiatric Center, the place Mihra has called home entering "Chains."

WHEN I GET UP, THIS IS WHAT I SEE / WELCOME TO REALITY

Spoiler: tl;dr

Name: Oetsu "Mihra" Mihrabelle.
Age: 15 and 11 months.
Goal: After going terminal, to complete her bucket list by travelling around Johto.
Appearance: Blonde with dark eyes. Petite, leggy build; below-average height. Slight freckling. Ghost-pale complexion with slight yellowish undertone. Favors chic girlish fashion: dresses and skirts with stockings. Favorite accessories are skull hair clips.
Personality: Precarious and curious. Fearless, and though often cynical, ambitious and impassioned when it comes to reaching a goal. Her gregarious nature battles against an inner self-deprecation. Her head is perpetually in the clouds; an easily-distracted dreamer. Often finds herself being treated as much younger than she is. Enjoys small-talk and hard questions. Tends to make jokes at her own expense. Can be neurotic and pedantic, a "busybody." Hates disorganization.
Starter:

Lala-Noon / (F) / Sap Sipper / Zen Headbutt, Stomp, Grass Knot, Confusion, Agility
Empathetic with a strong sense of self and justice.​

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