[PKMN OPEN] Hoenn: The Road

Name:
Charlie Dalton

Age:
18

Starting City/Town:
Petalburg

Appearance:
Charlie has a particularly brawny build, with a burly torso and wide hips, and stands at 6'4". He is well-muscled from an athletic lifestyle, though any definition is concealed by a stubborn layer of fat. He is a bit overweight, but is by no means obese. Charlie's neck length brown hair is often left untidied, allowing the tropical breezes to take their toll and giving him a somewhat rugged look in cooperation with his sandy complexion. Although he has never been considered conventionally handsome, he has a square jawline and strong chin, which hosts the meager beginnings of a scruffy beard. Charlie's amber eyes are round and innocent.

Charlie has never had an interest in fashion, and chooses to aim mostly for comfort in his outfits. He typically wears a loose-fitting henley shirt and a pair of worn bluejeans. On his feet, Charlie wears a pair of brown leather hiking books, which are shabby from years of use, for ease when traveling over rough terrain. He also keeps a a red and blue tartan flannel tied around his waist in case he encounters cooler climates.

Personality/Traits:
Although his initial imposing stature can be off putting to many, Charlie is truly a "gentle giant." His bellowing laugh underscores almost every conversation he has, and he is generally liked by those who know him. Although he means well, he can be a bit flighty at times, which causes his fear of disappointing others. In school, Charlie excelled on the football excelled, but often found himself falling behind in the classroom. However, this was not due to lack of intelligence, but rather a disinterest in the subject areas. Although he may be stereotyped as a slow-witted jock, he is actually very perceptive and well-spoken.

Charlie is an explorer at heart, and is open to every new experience that comes his way. In the heat of battle, he finds it easy to remain calm and analyze each situation logically, despite constantly making hasty decisions in various other aspects of his life. Charlie is also serious about food, and loves concocting Poffin recipes.

Brief Background:
Charlie had a lower middle class upbringing in Petalburg City, never quite having enough but also never quite wanting anything either. His father worked as a researcher for the Devon Corporation in Rustboro City, commuting daily and working long hours but still always making time for his family, and his mother was a previous top coordinator who had resigned to a less exciting lifestyle to take care of her husband and son. With his mother always home, Charlie learned to cook at a very young age and quickly developed a fondness for many different types of cuisines. He would prepare Poffins and take them to share with the Pokémon that inhabited Petalburg Woods, where he soon became a familiar face. He also enjoyed watching tapes of famous trainer battles, and hoped that one day he might be able to leave on a journey of his own.

As Charlie grew older, he began to show an affinity for sports. When he entered high school, he outclassed his peers in nearly every athletic activity. It was not long before he was elected as the captain of the football team and led them to a Hoenn Region championship. It was also around this time that he began dating a childhood friend named Audrey.

Charlie's lack of care in the classroom eventually caught up with him as many of his friends made post-graduation plans. He had always assumed that he would leave to travel Hoenn upon finishing school, much to the dismay of his parents. His father, the realist of the family, insisted that Charlie continue his education and attend university, but his mother supported her son's decision, arguing that travel could be an extremely enriching experience. Charlie's girlfriend, Audrey, ended their relationship shortly after graduation, not wanting to be tied down to a boy who, as she put it, "had no idea what he is doing with his life." This left him shattered and miserable, and he longed to get out of Petalburg. After many debates with parents, Charlie was permitted to leave on his journey with the promise that he would return home if he failed within the year.

Pokémon


Name:
Emile

Gender:
Male

Level:
15

Moveset:
Tackle | Lick | Metronome | Defense Curl | Amnesia | Last Resort | Power-Up Punch

Ability:
Thick Fat

Backstory:
On the first mild spring day of the year, Charlie had opened the windows throughout his house to let in the cool breeze, enjoying the warm weather after an extremely frigid winter. Preparing batch of Poffins to deliver to the wild Pokémon in Petalburg Woods, he placed a basket of the delicacies on his kitchen table, the buttery smell filling the air. When Charlie's back was turned, Emile slipped inside through the open kitchen window and began to gorge himself on the small pastries. The boy was caught by surprise at the spectacle, yet couldn't help but to laugh. Startled, Emile grabbed the basket of Poffins and escaped again through the window.

A few days later, Charlie happened to be walking about Petalburg when he spotted the same Munchlax stealing food off of the plates of customers at a café when they weren't paying attention. He chased the Pokémon down and, upon catching him, made him promise that he would no longer steal people's food if Charlie provided him with some every day. Emile soon after became his partner Pokémon.
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