#the pokéball has appeared folks

[andi-o-geyser]

Trinket, I choose you!

#trinket gO #the pokéball has appeared folks #forget the raven queen i’m most excited to see the fucking pokéball #pokéball glup shitto #i’m so sorry i am! sleep deprived! #pop grog out of that little guy to kill some fools! go wild commit murder! live your best life vex! #tlovm #the legend of vox machina #vex’ahlia #trinket #trinket the bear #vox machina #cr1 #lovm #vex #critical role #andis thought geyser

[kbmercer]

Ch.1, Part 1: Encounter

My Heroic Pokemon Squad (A Pokemon/My Hero Academia Crossover)

Summary:

After receiving an emergency call to assist in sedating the legendary pokémon of time and space, Top Ranger (Y/n) (L/n) gets caught in the crossfire of their rampage. Sent barreling into a world unknown, (L/n) must now navigate her new surroundings and somehow find a way home. Yet, the aftermath of a momentary rift between dimensions carries drastic repercussions, especially considering that pokémon had never existed in this place to begin with. Not only that, but it seems humanity here have powers of their own, not unlike that of the creatures she has grown to love.

“In today’s news: ‘International Turmoil’.

It has been 48 hours following reports of a spike in supernatural activity occurring all over the world leaving countries on high alert. According to the investigations currently underway, it is said that all instances appear to stem from the creation of portals. The portals have since disappeared, yet the aftermath of this phenomena has resulted in a noticeable change, specifically in the wildlife. ‘Quirked animals’ are said to have begun inhabiting the areas where the portals had manifested. In Indonesia, pictures posted on social media show a group of mole-like creatures with steel claws drilling into the earth; and in Canada a video from a wildlife researcher spotting a dog-like creature with a pointed tail and curved horns spitting fire from its mouth...”

To say that (Y/n) was frazzled by this information would be an understatement. The young Ranger stood on the pavement of an unknown street within an unknown city listening to a broadcast presented by people unknown to her. She was one person within a crowd of many, watching the grid of televisions displayed at the window of a small tech shop. The air of uncertainty was palpable within the people surrounding her. Conversations about animals having “quirks” was the hot topic. Words of fear, anticipation, and curiosity fly from the people’s mouths, intertwining into a tangle of chatter.

“Oh my goodness, look at them! I would’ve never thought it to be a dog if I wasn’t told.”

“Man…I guess if humans can have quirks, animals gaining some of their own was kinda inevitable, yeah?”

“Don’t say that! This has to be some sort of mistake…”

“This isn’t good! We’re already dealing with the fall of All Might and now we have to deal with this?!”

The commotion had gotten louder and incomprehensible leaving (Y/n) to stop listening. She separated herself from the crowd. Taking a deep breath, she adjusts the red duffel bag she carries with her, keeping it close to her body like it was her lifeline. It might just be, considering the circumstances. She had no shelter apart from a makeshift tent she possessed, and the food she had been eating upon arrival two days ago had since depleted. She wasn’t only feeding herself…and while (Y/n) was sufficient in money, the girl highly doubted that this world’s currency was the Pokémon Dollar. Pokémon had never even existed here.

If the commentary wasn’t clear enough, in this world, Pokémon had never existed until those portals had opened.

             Perhaps the extent of how big of a problem this was didn’t catch up to the young ranger until she thought about it in further detail. Perhaps the shock of waking up on some random beach with minor injuries and a wet uniform took all of her attention. It’s entirely possible that all her time and energy was focused on making sure she and her pokémon party who suffered the same fate could effectively recover. Though, she neglected to consider the bigger picture – the grand question: What do I do now?

Panic began to overwhelm (Y/n) but she suppressed thee tears that threatened to spill. Pokémon are especially perceptive to their trainer’s emotions both inside and outside their capsules. Her companions were a rather rambunctious and protective bunch know to break out of their pokéballs to aid her, but she couldn’t risk that. Instead she mulled over a potential plan of action as her feet carried her any which way. Down streets and past crosswalks, (Y/n) took in her surroundings: skyscrapers as tall as the eye can see, bustling city folk, narrow alleyways, advertisers and advertisement posters, vending machines that light up when anyone happens to walk near them, stairs to the subways. Despite the location being different, the girl couldn’t help but draw similarities to all the cities she had traveled to back in her own world like Rustboro City in Hoenn or Goldenrod City in Johto. Both were just as busy and energetic, complete with districts lined with stores and fast-food spots with corporate buildings being just around the corner. Though, it was by no means as Castelia City in Unova. That was a completely different beast.

By the time the top ranger had collected her thoughts, the sun had since set over the horizon casting a warm yellow-orange glow through the metropolitan, welcoming shadows to form underneath the feet of passersby. (Y/n) had her head lowered (e/c) eyes trained on the asphalt beneath her. After weighing her options, all she could think of was either settling for another day of living under her tent or simply searching for enforcement, the only viable option of helping her. The caveat to that decision, however, was that her lack of identity could possibly garner suspicion and make her situation worse than they already are. She was at an impasse.  The young Top Ranger had never been stuck with so little options and it was upsetting. With a stamp of her foot she settled on taking repose in a café within her vicinity, unintentionally ignoring the welcoming words of the employees stationed behind the counter in her frustration and taking a window seat. (Y/n) failed to notice the inquisitive looks she received as she kept her eyes out the window, especially the person she had unceremoniously sat in front of.

“Well, if you’re going to take a seat there, the least you could do is acknowledge my existence,” (Y/n)’s eyes widened as her head snapped to the woman sitting opposite of her in the booth that she had sat. With bright blue eyes staring at her past the bangs of her deep purple hair, her upper body clad with a red camisole reclined in the place she sat. It was clear that she was mildly displeased at what happened. The girl sputters abashed by her lack of awareness before bowing her head.

“Sorry! I d-didn’t mean to not notice you. I just have a lot on my mind I guess…” Her eyes averted from the woman, she wanted to look anywhere but towards her pointed stare.

“Oh yeah? Then I’ll bite. If you’re gonna keep me company I’ll settle for a little small talk.” The woman takes a sip of the coffee in hand, but the hesitation from the girl across from her gets her guessing. “School trouble? Family issues maybe?” She gasps. “Is it about a boy?” (Y/n) shakes her head profusely.

“No! Nothing of that sort!” Oh Arceus, is she really the person she has to air her troubles out to? A brief moment of pause results in (Y/n) deciding to take the opportunity. This woman is just a regular civilian. What’s the worst that could happen? It’s not really like she had any better options. Under the blue-eyed woman’s expecting gaze (Y/n) shifts in her seat.

“It seems that I’m kinda lost…I don’t know where I am or why I’m here…” The woman’s gaze appears to transition into a deep frown and (Y/n) gets progressively nervous but resists the urge to clamming up. “I…washed up on the beach near here…and I don’t really have a home to go back to, if that makes any sense…I’ve been deciding on whether I should talk to law enforcement about my predicament, but I just feel that nothing good will come of it…y’know.” The steel grip (Y/n) kept on the duffel next to her doesn’t evade the eyes of Kayama. The words spoken from the teen were undoubtedly distressed, the contained uncertainty shown in their eyes coupled with the tenseness of their body supported that. It’d be foolish to dismiss and turn a blind eye to this. Yet, the reason to why she hadn’t already risen from the booth to take the girl to the police department was because of her last phrase. “I feel that nothing good will come of it.” Is (Y/n)’s relationship with authorities a sour one, or is there something else that she’s deliberately not telling her? Kayama let out a hum before viewing the skyline. The sun had taken rest for the day and streets of Musutafu were dimly lit by the various streetlamps and remainder of open shops on the strip.

“I know talking to authorities isn’t really a thing people like to do. But if you are is in as much of tough spot as you say you are, don’t you think it’s at least worth a shot?”

“If I may be honest, at this point I don’t think I have much of a choice,” with up-turned brows and a embarrassed scratch of the cheek, (Y/n) sighs in resignation. “I just don’t know where to start, I’ve basically been wandering all day.”

“Well, lucky for you I know exactly how to get you there.” Downing the remainder of her caffeine, Kayama motions (Y/n) to follow suit to which the young ranger obeys, securing her crossbody comfortably.

“Thank you, Ms…”

“There’s no need for the formality. Just call me Midnight for now.”

#crossover #fanfiction #pokemon #my hero academia #shonen #nintendo

[jelanisaeed]

Round 1: VS Venonat - Legends Part 1

Hello everyone, welcome to my story! This is the first book in a series I'm writing. Hopefully, it'll be finished the way I want it to be. I have a lot of plans to manipulate known facts and add my own into the fray as well.

Sorry, y'all! I didn't mean to fall off on writing this. I just got self-conscious. But I'm not going to let that get into the way anymore! I'm gonna stay on top of writing this!

Especially with this new writing style I've got! I've discovered I'm more a slice of life, mystery, fantasy type of writer. Not so much action like I originally tried. So, my chapters will be much shorter than before and will have great character interactions. I hope y'all like it this go around! And I promise I'll do better with staying on top of things!

I've made a lot of changes to the OG story, along with the previous version so I'll make sure to spot them out and let y'all know!

Oh, and quick disclaimer. I'm a black queer writer so all of my stories, including this one, will have characters who explore black and queer themes. I hope this creates a welcoming atmosphere for all to enjoy my stories and see a different perspective on pokemon and what it can be written about.

I also hope to inspire more black and queer writers to write stories on this site. The more the merrier!

Oh and I'm thinking about doing this thing where I tell y'all what music helped me write these chapters. It's a fun little thing. Mainly because music is a big part of my writing process so I thought it'd be fun to share with y'all!

So these three chapters were inspired by the Calling All Lovers album by Tamar Braxton! I love her voice and have been obsessed with her recently! She's always been one of my favs (#piscesgang) but this revisit to this gem just kept me going! I believe the song that helped a lot was Broken Record.

Special shoutout to Big Dummy by Cocoa Sarai (#piscesgang) as well! That song kept me motivated.

Without further ado, I hope you enjoy it!

…

Pokémon Adventures: Turquoise, Jasper, & Ammolite

Round 1: VS Venonat – Legends Part 1

Location: Twinleaf Town Date: August 4th, 3000 Time: 8:45am

Legends. Paxton grew up on the grand tales of mystery and wonder. Weaved together by ancient people who desired to understand the world around them. From declarations of the universe’s creation to the birth of emotions. A legend existed for them all. And all found themselves scribed and stored in libraries across Sinnoh.

Once upon a time, he believed them. Sat amongst groups of budding trainers in awe as their teacher’s spun these tales. Admired the scholars who backed up these claims with beautifully dressed lies. Part of him wished he believed them. At least then he’d preserve the innocence he lost long ago.

Not that it mattered. Innocence didn’t make for a great travel companion. Clouded the mind and led even the best astray. Paxton knew he’d never succumb to it. Not again.

“Ain’t that right, Kiri?” his little formantis thrilled beside him. She fell in step beside him, having just defeated a wild bidoof. Annoying rodents with the worst aromas.

Under the morning sun, he kept moving. Summers in Sinnoh never made much sense. Despite the heat, a chilling breeze whisked by. Eastern winds—had to be from the lake. Still, a bit musty for his taste. He heard Lake Verity was a beautiful place filled with energetic, young pokémon. Perhaps just another well-crafted lie.

It doesn’t matter. Paxton shrugged and continued his path. He had his mission and pitstops didn’t fit the bill. Soon enough, he found himself inside Twinleaf Town. A cute little place filled with morning folks. They took to the streets with their pokémon and tended to their business. A few merchant stands set up with fresh produce and supplies.

“Pretty nice, huh?” Kiri agreed. She breathed in the fresh air and thrilled. Much better for her than Jubilife City.

Now, if any of them could point him in the right direction—

“I tell ya it’s true!” A youngster wailed to a crowd. Quite the sight, Paxton mused. Clothes tattered and caked with mud. His youthful tan marred with bruises and an odd burn across his forearm.

“There’s a monster in the lake! It attacked me and my nidoran!”

A monster in Lake Verity? Paxton frowned. Too farfetched for his taste. Powerful pokémon never lingered along the lakefront, so the merchants told him. The most dangerous any trainer encountered was a choleric gyarados!

There’s no such thing as monsters, he scoffed but got closer regardless. The kid had a story, no doubt about it. Perhaps it would prove to be a challenge for him.

Though his hopes weren’t high. Twinleaf Town hadn’t produced capable trainers in years—

“The boy speaks truth, if only misguided,” an elderly man took the boy’s side with a pleasant smile. Eyes narrowed with wisdom as leaned against his cane. “There’s always been a force protecting the lakefront. A guardian blessed by Lady Mesprit herself. It serves to protect the grounds from intruders.”

A guardian, the Paxton scoffed. Yet another well-dressed lie. And the crowd around him shared his thoughts if their whispers were any indication.

Clearly, the elder saw no reason to stop. He only adjusted his kimono and tapped his cane against the lush grass. A soft, melodic sound, yet it quieted the confused herd of people. Paxton whistled. Plenty of teachers killed for that superpower, especially on the last day of classes.

“Now, now,” The elder smiled, gingerly tapping the pokéball on his cane. “We all knew of the legend.”

The ball snapped open and released a pokémon before them all. A beautiful feline with glowing, white fur. The perfect contrast to its pitch-black skin and talons. Armed with a scythe-like tail and a crescent horn jutting from its forehead.

It glared at him with glowing red eyes. Eyes filled with frosty wisdom. Lingered on him, demanding something the trainer wasn’t prepared to give.

He flinched. Not his proudest moment. And the pokémon agreed, turning up its nose with a snarl.

“You feel it, Absol?” The man said in a graveled whisper. At once, the strange pokémon—absol, he supposed—growled. The elder stroked its forehead and locked eyes with the trainer. “Young man, what is your name.”

Part of him wanted nothing more than to flip the old geezer off. He hated unwanted attention. Yet the questioning gaze of the crowd made him shrink. Of course, that geezer had them wrapped up in his every word.

“Paxton,” he spoke softly, gathering Kiri closer for comfort. She glared and waved her arms for battle. “Paxton Lotus of Floaroma Town. This is my partner pokémon, Kiri the formantis.”

The geezer nodded with a strange smile. But Paxton couldn’t place why it disturbed him. “You all remember the legend,” the geezer spoke again. “A child blessed with verity. Discovered by the peaceful flower.” Paxton groaned. Of course, this had something to do with him. No wonder he didn’t trust the geezer. “Tell me, young one. What has brought you to his town?”

Easy. He had his mission. Deliver the package and report back to Professor Kapok. Nothing special. He did plenty of these over the weeks.

“To see the lake guardian with my own eyes,” Paxton spoke, but words felt foreign. “And start my journey with an adventure.”

“An adventure,” The man smiled. A knowing smile Paxton saw plentifully on Father’s face. “An adventure intertwined with the red strings. Yes, you certainly shall receive one. Follow me, please youngling.”

Something tells me I shoulda stayed in Floaroma Town

…

Suddenly, staying in Floaroma Town felt like the right move. Paxton sighed and ran a hand over his green coils. Lake Verity didn’t live up to the legends. No bustling pokémon or fairy spirits. Not even a spontaneous battle—though, Paxton yearned for it well. Just silence and a thick fog.

A strange fog at that. It hung over the trees until they caved to its weighed. Many bent at odd angles. Not even Eterna Forest looked so eerie. And that forest had far too many ghost-type pokémon.

“I hate this place,” Paxton shivered. The air seemed so cold and heavy. And each brush of air prickled his skin with sharpened icicles.

Paxton paused by a familiar tree. Passed it a few times now, he knew. No other tree had these strange cravings on the bark. Some language, he wagered. However, the letters seemed bizarre and had cycloptic eyes. Strange, yet they seemed familiar. As if he saw them in a dream before.

{Paxton…} a voice whispered on the wind. Eyes darted around, but Paxton couldn’t find the source. Yet the voice continued, whispering his name in an offbeat rhythm. {Paxton…}

Great, I’m loosin’ it! Paxton groaned. Yet the voice paid him no heed. Each whisper grew louder than the last with a pronounced echo. Mashed together with words until it jumbled into an incoherent mess. Pain shot through his mind and Paxton stumbled. Braced against the tree, he stared into the fog and froze.

A figure breached the fog. Pale as ice with messy coils and lifeless eyes. Naked yet the wisping streamers of the fog covered anything unsavory. The figure stared at him with shinning sky-blue eyes…and smiled. Giggled even!

Is that a ghost? Paxton swallowed. Spirits weren’t his forte. In fact, they freaked him out!

{Paxton…} the ghost spoke even though its lips never moved. It urged him to follow as it stepped back into the fog. {Paxton…}

…Hell. Against his better judgement, he followed it. Chased it through the shifting fog as Kiri appeared beside him in a burst of light. He needed her. If this ghost was anything like the kind in Kanto, then he couldn’t take any chances! Would’ve been a perfect time to find that guardian though.

Guardian…what if that ghost was the guardian? A chill ran down his spine. He hoped not. Dealing with the undead was Casper’s thing, not his! He had enough of ghost-type pokémon ever since he got lost in that busted down chateau!

Still, he put those thoughts aside and chased its faded form. Even as his lungs screamed at him to take a break. Or his legs struggled to keep up. He fought through it. And Paxton found himself in a clearing. Empty, yet devoid of the heavy fog. Just a soft breeze and lake water as it crashed against the ground.

The ghost turned to him and grinned. Eyes filled with mirth as it lifted off the ground and floated to the lake. Paxton followed and gazed in awe. The ghost danced above, swinging its arms. It spiralled through the morning skies and giggled. Soft and melodious as the soft waves rolling through. And with a grin, the ghost dove into the lake.

Glittering light erupted across the water. Engulfed the lake in a rainbow splendor.

For a moment, Paxton stared into the light. Entranced as thoughts raced through his mind. Feelings, long since buried, unearthed and flooded him in a sparkling array of light—

(Veno-NAT!)

Paxton didn’t realize he moved until the heat hit him. As he rolled along the soft grass, charred dirt sprinkled his skin. Ignited by flashes of green light. Something attacked him, but he couldn’t see anything in the grass. Just rustling as the breeze blew through—

(NAT!)

This time, Paxton was ready. He lunged away as streaks of light smashed into the ground. Unharmed except for the light scarps. Good enough for Kiri as she dashed into the fight. She weaved through the streaks of light and unleashed a spiral of glowing leaves into the tall grass. Trimmed grass fluttered through the air, but the rustled told him all he needed to know.

“Kiri, widen your range and trim the grass! Razor Leaf!”

Sharpened leaves ripped through the air and trimmed the tall grass. Amongst the fallen leaves, he caught a glimpse of the assailant. Purple for sure…and were those clodhopper feet?

The creature paused in the epicenter of the field. And…it had to be the ugliest thing Paxton ever saw. Thick, disheveled purple fur mashed with giant, red eyes, stubby paws and insect features. Poor thing. Nobody’d ever train something so hideous.

This must be the monster. Paxton frowned. Ugly or not, he had to get rid of it.

“Kiri, time to water the garden.” Kiri rushed it and slashed it across the chest. The bug cried out, but Kiri didn’t stop there. She slashed and slashed, drawing pained buzzes from the creature. Now that Kiri had a target, that bug didn’t have a chance.

“That’s it! Fury Cutter!”

Once Fury Cutter went to work, it didn’t matter what pokémon Kiri faced. Each slash gained greater strength than the last. A nasty move for sure but made pokémon battles so much easier. The bug stumbled away from a slash and hopped away. But Kiri raced after it, unleashing more spiraling leaves to smash into its back.

“Finish it, Kiri! Leaf—”

Kiri cried out, low and mangled, as she fell forward! Her blades held her up, but she gasped for air.

But how?! Paxton watched in horror as the air rippled and smashed into Kiri, blowing her back. He lunged for her. Caught her just before she crashed. And when he pulled her close, he found streaks of purple staining her green skin. Poison?

(Nat?) The bug hopped over. Body tensed as green light oozed underneath its messy fur. Paxton dipped a hand to his belt. He had the perfect pokémon for this ugly—

“Motha,” A calm, melodious voice washed over the field. And the beast paused. “That’s enough.”

The beast hobbled over to the lake with a certain bounce that Paxton didn’t appreciate.

“That’s enough fighting, please,” the same voice spoke again. And a trainer climbed out of the crystal waters. Clad in only a pair of black briefs decorated with bugs and bubbles. His soaked black coils hung over his eyes, dripping water down his toned hazelnut body. When he finally moved the coiled curtains, Paxton caught sight of sky-blue eyes.

Just like that ghost.

But…his looked so shattered.

“Who are you?” He spoke again with that same melodious quality. Only this time, there was a noticeable edge. Like a cliff blocking a powerful wave. “What are you doing in Lake Verity?”

Paxton scowled. Figures the monster had a trainer. It fought too well to be wild. But it didn’t make sense. Why attack? Paxton shook his head.

“My name is Paxton—Paxton Lotus of Floaroma Town,” he gulped. His heart pounded against his chest. “I’m here to defeat the monster in Lake Verity. That you, ain’t it?”

The trainer paused. And his eyes darkened with flecks of gray.

“I am the guardian of Lake Verity,” he began slowly as a storm brewed behind his lips. “My name is Turquoise. Turquoise Yukule.”

…

How did y'all like that chapter? It took some time to perfect, but I loved the twist it took! I'm happy with it.

Paxton's a new character I made. Lowkey based him off of a mix of the Aroma Lady and Gardener Trainer Classes. I'm starting to really fuse Trainer Classes for some reason and I love it lol

And yay, Turquoise is back! He's literally my favorite little bubble of sunshine. I love his character and did some changes to him too. I'll let y'all know his Trainer Class next chapter!

But I'd to hear from y'all. Feel free to leave a review or PM me. I'd love to hear your feedback. And I'll do my best to respond to all reviews as well!

#Pokemon #LGBT

[likeathunderbolt]

Thoughts on the Pokémon Galar Region:

1) As someone from the UK I am really pleased and honoured that Nintendo would choose to base a region here, so thank you Nintendo I can not wait to play!

2) I have seen talk of the landmass of Galar simply being the UK upside down; I don’t think this is entirely true, as although there are some things that support this, such as the London based city being in the north, the protagonists having Scottish influences yet being in the south, and the general shape of the landmass, there is much more to suggest that it’s not that simple. The influences of the individual areas on the game seem to be a complete mixture of places across the whole UK rather than each area being based solely on one single specific region. Galar seems more like the UK was put in a tin and jumbled about than a simple upside down map. This simplification of the inspiration region is also common in Pokémon games.

3) The Chalk man on the hillside in the trailer is based on the Cerne Abbas Giant in Dorset. (I have seen people suggesting it’s based on Nazca lines in Peru which is a bizarre conclusion considering that Hill Figures like the giant are relatively common in the UK.) This area of Galar also contains a Stonehenge  looking construction as well. Stonehenge is in Wiltshire which actually borders Dorset so these two monuments aren’t too far apart in real life, but this supports the theory that all the locations in Galar are a made up of a mixture of UK influences to different degrees, rather than being based solely on single specific places. (The London based city being the exception that proves the rule).

4) I have also heard talk that Galar is just England rather than the whole UK. Even on the Scant evidence we have from the trailer and map this seems untrue. The Pokémon trainers we meet in the trailer take influences from Scotland, such as wearing a tam o’ shanter, (traditional Scottish cap) and tartan trousers. There also appears to be a geographical reference to the Storr, on Scotland’s Isle of Skye, in the centre of the Galar map, between the Grass and Water Gyms. The prominent dragon statues in the large dark coloured town just beneath the icy region are also a strong allusion to Welsh influence here. This is supported by the mining influences on either side of this dragon city, with the beach-side, ground gym, mining-looking area reminiscent of the prehistoric to modern day copper mines of Llandudno in north Wales. (Though mining is common across the whole UK and this Ground gym type area has also been attributed to a Cornwall tin mine type influence.)

5) Specific influences from Northern Ireland are a bit more tenuous at this point but I am confident we will see them mixed into the game and become clearer as more info and footage is released. The large lake region of the map has been speculated to be based on the famous Lake District of North West England, but could just as easily be based on Lough Neagh and Lough Erne in Northern Ireland (or the lakes of Snowdonia in Wales [the small watchtower type castle to the north west of the lakes is reminiscent of Dolbadarn castle on the shores of Lake Padarn in Wales] or indeed the many lochs of Scotland.)

6) That said, I think (or maybe more hope) that the lake next to the purple house on the map (which is thought to be the professors lab/house) is based on Loch Ness, and while I would love a game that allows us to encounter wild Lapras near the beginning and raise them as part of our team, I would love even more for there to be a Nessie based legendary here, for us to return to once we’re more established in the game. (Is it too much to hope we get both of those things?) 7) This seems a good time to mention that Y Ddraig Goch, the Welsh Dragon, is perfect material for a Galar legendary. In relation to Nessie too there could be a fire dragon and a water dragon. I also think the Cheshire Cat would make a great pokémon in general, and that the Galar region would be the perfect place to roll out a great new roster of fairy types as well as some very interesting regional variants.

8) The large, red, industrial town near the centre of the map appears, again, to be a mishmash of places rather than based on anywhere in particular. The inspiration seems to come from the industrial revolution so Belfast, Manchester, Cardiff and Glasgow all seem to be getting a reference here. (Along with many other places.) I’ve seen it ascribed to Sheffield, Birmingham, Edinburgh etc but it seems much more likely to me that like all areas of Galar, it’s simply inspired by a mixture of places in the UK.

9) I personally really like the tie in of sports stadiums and Pokémon Gyms. I just hope we return to battling underlings in the gyms rather than the trials of the Alola region. I also hope that battling wild pokémon comes back, to complement the new GO! catch method. I’d like to be able to throw a pokéball after weakening the wild pokémon first, to make the catch easier. As well as modifying the GO! catch method with the addition of the old battle weakening first, I’m hoping that being able to see wild pokémon and thus, being able to choose to engage them or not, remains a feature. 10) I’ve heard the name of the region, Galar, is supposed to come from the words Gallant and Valour, so thanks again Nintendo because that is genuinely really cool! ...but Galar literally means grief, mourning or sorrow in Welsh (and probably something similar in Cornish and Breton too) as well as meaning disease or illness in Irish (and probably something similar in Scottish Gaelic and Manx too)... though Nintendo can’t have been expected to know that, it’s just a really funny side note!

11) I’m currently most excited to visit the Wonderland looking, fairy forest town. I hope there are some type of fae based pokémon to catch and local Galar stories of the fairy folk! I’d also love to explore the forest around this town to catch some perhaps, fair folk, gnome and goblin looking pokémon. The icing on the cake would be if this forest housed some kind of fairy type legendary. I’d also love to be be able to explore the large forest by the starter town and if there were some parallels between them. There is forest footage in the teaser trailer so I think we may get some of this!

12) The crown on the tower of the large dragon castle looking city makes me think there may be some reference to royalty in this game and I’m just thinking of corgi pokémon because corgis are amazing. Please give us royal corgi pokémon Nintendo!

13) I think the games look beautiful, the map is great, the train tracks that crisscross the region are a very clever addition, both in game function and following the UK inspired theme. I am genuinely really, really happy that nintendo have chosen the UK as the inspiration for a Pokémon game region. It’s an honour, thanks Nintendo!

#Pokémon #galar #galar region #pokémon gen 8 #pokémon sword and shield #sword and shield #pokémon generation 8 #gen 8 #personol ar gyfer ts #personol

[alolandork]

Alex vs Damian

The first time I met Damian, I was participating in a local tournament in Castelia...

“Here we are folks at the Castelia City One-On-One Championship, Juniors Division! We’re in the final round, and it looks to be a truly spectacular match!! Challenger one is our own local up and coming star, Alexander!” The crowd cheered as I stepped out into the coliseum, the whole town had come out to see me and a few others in the city compete, but I had made it to the finals. I was the center of everyone’s attention, as I loved it. “Alexander has really climbed to the top here in his first real challenge since his becoming a trainer. His partner Lycanroc can really bash it with the best!” Lycanroc howled with pride as the fans cheered for him, this was our moment. “Our other challenger today is a wild star of the Kanto region, Damian!” My opponent stepped out, not an ounce of excitement in him. If anything he seemed bored with the whole thing. “He’s been a real tough one to battle here today, having quick victories across the board. His partner Charizard appears to be well seasoned! It’s plain to see these two have a fair bit of experience battling!” He wasn’t kidding, this boys Charizard looked impressive. There was a hardened look about it, like it had been through tough times.

We both approached our respective sides of field. Lycanroc shook with anticipation. I was confident, none of the other competitors were able to handle us so far, one after another presenting not even a slight challenge. But my opponent... both of the seemed unfazed by the crowds, the stadium, the promise of the trophy.

“The challengers seem more than ready for this fight, their Pokémon are raring to go!! So let’s get this match underway!!”

“Trainers, BEGIN!”

“Lycanroc use Stone Edge!!!” With a howl Lycanroc called huge jagged stones from the ground heading towards Charizard. “Dragon Pulse.” Damian’s command was quick and decisive. With a roar Charizard shot a pulse of energy that collided with the stones. In the ensuing explosion Damian called out again. “Charizard, Flamethrower!” A jet of flames shot through the smoke and hit Lycanroc head on. “No!” Lycanroc shook it off, growling low. “Use Throat Chop!” Lycanroc lunged forward, dashing quickly at Charizard. “Shadow Claw!” They clashed again, Charizard having caught Lycanroc’s claw. With a heave Chrizard tossed up Lycanroc and Shadow Clawed him, knocking Lycanroc back. But the wolf Pokémon quickly dove back in and landed a direct hit on Charizard. Back and forth the pair went, breathing heavily, “Lycanroc, Fire Punch! Charizard doesn’t have much left!!”

I was over-confident, so sure of myself, absorbed in the glow of the lights, the cheers of the crowd. I wanted to give them a show, a spectacular win, something to talk about for years. I was naive.

Lycanroc dashed in one last time and landed a direct hit to Charizard’s face, and I cheered! But my face paled as I gazed up at the display screen, Charizard had a fraction of health left. ‘This can’t be, that should’ve been more than enough to win this...’ I turned to see Charizard’s head turning and forcing Lycanroc’s paw back, his eyes burning brightly. “Lycanroc mov-!!” “Mega Punch.” With a roar, Charizard pushed Lycanroc back, then swiftly jabbed him in the stomach, with a sound similar to a muffled cannon blast, sending Lycanroc soaring across the field and smashing into the wall. Shakily, the wolf Pokemon stood, only to fall moments later.

Needless to say I was devastated. I was angry, my moment was snatched away from me and I hated it. I wanted He spotlights to burst, just to keep them off me. I dragged myself over to Lycanroc, and returning him to his pokéball.

[ranseiuniter-archive]

    It had taken a lot to get here. After several days of infuriating investigation Hiroko would discover she wasn’t the only one searching for Kubo--and that while her attempts had turned up no results, they knew where the boy was being held. (Equal parts relieving and a bit frustrating to know they could retrieve him, but also that her own attempts would have most likely kept turning up nothing.)

    This is neither the sort of battle nor battlefield she’s accustomed to--sparkling-clean walls and tiled floors and florescent lights that make her head hurt. Every sound bounces against the stone-cold surfaces of the halls, meaning there’s little room for mistakes. Finding Kubo’s belongings and pokémon, that’s the mission she’s been tasked with; she and the other rescuee assigned to the task have split up to cover more ground--though they only have one floor to search, this base is baffling, a labyrinth of halls that would put Motonari’s garden to shame. 

    She stands with her back pressed to the wall, tucked away in a corner between halls where the nearest doorway creates just enough of a crevice to hide from anyone approaching from the back, a blind spot where they couldn’t see her until they rounded the corner. Stealth isn’t her forte by any means, but what she lacks in those skills she intends to make up for in speed and efficiency; Ryou sits perched on her shoulders, equally poised to strike. The steady tap of feet against the floor grows ever louder as its source approaches. She has to time this perfectly. Too slow and they’ll have a chance to call for help, too soon and they’ll see her too long before she can reach them. Catch them off guard, subdue them quickly, and get what she needs.

    Hiroko moves swiftly; when the moment comes she leaps out from her hiding spot. Ryou drops from her shoulders and in a single, fluid motion shoots an ice beam at the floor, creating a slick path--and Hiroko takes one, two, three steps and drops, sliding on her hip across the floor and through the grunt’s legs. Before he even realizes what’s hit him she reaches out an seizes the man by the ankle, flipping him head-over-heels. 

    His forehead connects directly to the tile with a smack.

    A clean knock out, but Hiroko’s work isn’t done yet--concussed or not, he’s bound to regain some consciousness pretty quickly. She has to work fast and get what she needs--namely, the keycard he carries with him. She snatches it from his person, unlocks the nearest door, and with a heave, picks the man up and drags him inside. She rifles through the room’s contents as quickly as she can, but there doesn’t seem to be anything she’s searching for here. 

    (For a moment Hiroko considers stealing the uniform as well, perhaps giving her a bit more freedom to move around, but she decides against it. This man is much larger than her and trying to pass off clothing five sizes too large as her own would be absurd--she’ll just have to move quietly and carefully.) 

    The door closes quietly behind her as she slips outside and, just for good measure, she has Ryou encase the door handle in a thick block of ice, ensuring that it won’t be opening any time soon. She doesn’t need him getting out and raising the alarm on her. 

    What follows is what feels like hours--but in reality is far shorter, perhaps half an hour at most--of heart-pounding skirting about. Each new room she comes across she darts into, rifles through the contents, and moves on----

    But always careful to listen to the sound of the footfalls before taking her leave. The more encounters, the more confrontations, and the more of a trail she’d leave behind her. She could kill if it came down to it, certainly, but killing was messy; best not to leave any trace. And so she continues, hall after hall, door after door--they all seem to blend together. For all she knows most of them may be ones she’s already visited with how confusing these halls are. She can’t mark them from the outside lest she leaves a trail to follow for others and raises any more suspicion.

    Finally, however, she turns the knob to a room and slips inside--and at first she’s ready to write it off as yet another empty one, nothing but a sterile laboratory-like layout. Shoved away in the corner, however, something caught Hiroko’s eye. In contrast to the clinical room around her--wood and canvas and string, a well-worn shamisen propped against the wall. Next to it was a backpack lying in a heap, half-unzipped but still keeping its contents together. Yes! She collects the items with enthusiasm, slinging the shamisen over her shoulders and then--after rifling through the backpack’s contents and confirming none of Kubo’s pokéballs were inside--tosses that across her back as well. 

    She’s so caught up in her partial success that she almost doesn’t notice the sound of the doorknob turning.

    “Hey, what are you doing in he--?!”

    The inquiry cuts short in his throat as Hiroko reacts on instinct; she shoots forward, sliding a knife from her sleeve so quickly it almost looks to appear out of thin air. Using her shoulder as a ram she slams the grunt up against the wall, one hand pinning the man’s arm and the other drawing her dagger on his throat with inhuman precision. The grunt’s eyes go wide and, for an instant, seem to flicker towards his belt as if he’s considering trying to retrieve a pokémon to fight back with.

    “The slightest move and I slit your throat,” Hiroko hisses. “Hand up. Now.”

    There’s a tremor in his movement as he raises his free hand into the air; he’s no small fellow, probably strong enough that he could overpower Hiroko if it came to sheer physical power, but she has him right where she wants him. 

    “Y--You won’t kill me,” he stammers. He certainly seems to want to believe it’s true, as if hoping that by saying it aloud he’ll psych her out. 

    “I’ve killed better men than you. Don’t test me.”

    He promptly shuts up. (Good to know mainlanders, even the worst of the lot, seem to value their lives more than folks around Ransei.)

    Hiroko runs over her options in her mind, never wavering as she stares the man dead in the eye as if daring him to test her. She could kill him and be done with it--she has what she came for and if she escapes quickly she won’t have to face the consequences. But then, there’s Kubo’s pokémon to worry about yet. She can leave it to her partner but leaving a body behind means potentially making things more difficult for them. She doesn’t want to abandon the mission with only half of her objective complete, but who knows how much time they have left, and if she gets caught they’re losing all of Kubo’s gear. Better to secure what she’s got than risk double-or-nothing. And then again, making a clean getaway will be difficult when she doesn’t know where she’s going.

    “Listen up,” she speaks in a low voice. Any further interruptions and she’ll be in a tight spot. “You’re going to lead me out of this base. The quickest way to the exit, without raising any alarms, and I’ll let you go. Straight out of here, and then you’re free to go. And as a warning--it will be in your best interest to get the hell out of here if staying alive is a priority. Am I clear?”

    “Y-Yes, ma’am...”

    “Good.” She twists his arm up and around behind his back and with a flourish, plants the tip of her knife above his heart, just between his ribs. “Lead the way.”

#event; the moon rises #HERO OF RANSEI 🌸 main. #UM HEY HIROKO? COULD YOU MAYBE CHILL?

[awesomeduskangel]

Sunrise

Title: “Sunrise”

Chapter: 1/?

Category: Super Smash Bros.

Genre(s): Action/Adventure, Drama (I guess)

Character(s): Inkling, Red/Pokémon Trainer, Ren Amamiya/Joker

Warnings: None for this chapter.

Summary: It all started with a morning run between friends. When the fifth Super Smash Bros. tournament rolls around, Inkling is determined to beat her newfound rival, Red. However, with each passing day, she struggles against the Brawl veteran. When her frustration rises, she seeks out the help of the stylish gun-wielder: Joker.

Note(s): This is also posted on my AO3 account, RoseOfTheGalaxy.

In the wee hours of the morning, when the world was still dark, a lone figure, the Inkling, stood in a patch of grass near the front of the Smash Mansion. Cool, crisp air dug under the fabric of her clothing and froze her face, refreshing her senses. The light frost on the grass crunched underneath her tennis shoes. She was fierce. She was ready.

She took aim at the trunk of a nearby pine tree with her Splattershot. As she exhaled, her breath formed a tiny cloud in front of her. She pulled back the trigger and—

“Inkling?”

The moment she heard the Pokémon Trainer, Red, step outside, she whipped around towards him and fired. Before he knew it, his entire face was dripping with bright orange ink.

“Gotcha!”

Broken out of his half-asleep state, he wiped away some of the goopy substance with an arm. “I didn’t expect to see you out here.”

“Really?” she responded. “The first match of the tournament is in a few days! I’ve never done this before—It’s not like a turf war. I need to train hard so I can win!”

“That’s fair,” he said. “But it’s not even 6:00 yet.”

“Well, what are you doing here, then?”

“Well, I...” His cheeks turned slightly pink. “Same as you. Smash isn’t...like a Pokémon battle either.”

She snorted with laughter.

“Hey. I used to get up early to train for Gym battles, so this isn’t anything new.” He smiled and folded his arms over his chest. “Really, though. Smash is a whole different game.”

A light breeze rustled the leaves of the trees. As the pair watched each other, the gears in their brains began to turn. How did the other fight? What kinds of attacks should they be aware of? How might the other utilize the stage environments to their advantage? Would that even matter?

After a moment, Inkling glanced up at the sky. The crescent moon seemed to gaze down at the pair with eager eyes, like a spectator waiting for someone to land another hit.

“You know,” Red said, “during the Brawl tournament, I used to walk my Pokémon to this town nearby—Smashville. I haven’t been there in years.” He reached for a Pokéball. “Since we’re training, what do you say we run there? It’s not far.”

“Is that a challenge?”

With sparks in his eyes, he reached for a Pokéball and opened it. In a brief flash of light, Squirtle appeared at his feet. “Wanna go for a run, buddy?”

The tiny turtle Pokémon balled its fists and bobbed its tail up and down. “Squirtle, Squirtle!”

“Okay! Let’s get ‘em, Squirtle! You ready, Inkling?” Red bent into a running stance. “We’ll start in three—”

Inkling glanced at her temporary rival with a wide smirk. “Hope you can keep up!” Without another word, she sprinted away from the mansion and towards Smashville.

“H-Hey!” Red fumbled around for a moment before running after the squid-kid. “I didn’t finish counting!” Squirtle followed its Trainer with haste.

As the Pokémon Trainer dashed ahead, he kept his eyes locked on her. Getting a head start, huh? Two can play at this game! “Squirtle! Hit her with a Water Gun!”

“Squirtle, Squirtle!” The Tiny Turtle Pokémon jumped onto his shoulder, then leapt forward. In mid-air, he shot a stream of water at Inkling.

She yelped and halted as the blast collided with her back. “Hey, watch it! You know what water does to us?” She whipped her head to the side to see Red zooming by. “That’s not fair!”

“You didn’t play by the rules, either!” he shouted. As he raced ahead, he cackled and high-fived his partner.

Fire burned in her eyes. Her feet pounded into the dirt as she pushed on. There was no way she was letting them win!

---

By the time the pair had neared Smashville, they were drenched in sweat, and their shoes and ankles were covered in pieces of wet grass, dirt, and grime. Throughout their journey to the town, they’d encountered dying pastures, dry paths, and clear rivers. At the halfway mark, they’d stopped to hydrate themselves, courtesy of Squirtle, who had kindly provided the water.[NB1]  As they continued running, the Pokémon Trainer and his partner had stayed ahead of the squid-kid. Of course they had. The bond between Trainer and Pokémon could overcome anything. As Inkling had observed her opponents kicking up dust, she’d wondered how hard she would have to push herself to claim victory, both right now and in the tournament. Red was obviously a veteran, so he had to have plenty of experience with how Smash worked. She was at a disadvantage in that regard. However, he hadn’t seen everything she was made of. Yet.

In the end, Red and Squirtle reached the entrance to Smashville just before Inkling. “What was that about, ‘Try to keep up’?”

“Okay, okay! You win,” Inkling said. As she stopped to catch her breath, she gazed at the lines of buildings and streets. Even though it was only before 7:00 in the morning, characters already appeared to be going about their daily business. Lights inside some buildings were flicked on, and signs were turned from “closed” to “open.” The sidewalks were empty, with the exception of a few folks scattered here and there. Smashville didn’t look as bustling or as technologically advanced as Inkopolis, but it was a new place that the squid-kid couldn’t wait to explore.

“Hm...” Red put a finger to his lips. “I wonder how much has changed.”

As the Smashers walked through the gate, the sun began to emerge in the distance. In a matter of minutes, the sky was washed anew with pale pink and orange. Inkling smiled as warm light shone across her body. She’d never seen a sunrise so...breathtaking.

---

Unbeknownst to the Trainer and the squid-kid, a tired figure with dark hair and glasses sat inside an open coffee shop. He curled his fingers around the ceramic cup and took a sip of the black coffee. Different than LeBlanc’s. In a more awakened state, he looked outside the window and saw three characters: A boy in red clothing, a blue turtle, and some kid who vaguely resembled Futaba.

“This must be it.”

#super smash bros #ssbu #super smash bros ultimate #super smash brothers #inkling #red pokemon trainer #pokemon trainer smash #ren amamiya #amamiya ren #p5 joker #fanfiction #multichapter #chapter 1