#( * starters —— she'll put on your favourite smile! )

[mantlehold]

open to f/nb. ( mutuals &&. whoever wants to reply only! ).

au!verse context: regina is a famous actress and model and matches up with a fan on a dating site, which is surprising. but they have a few issues on their mind and blurt out the budding actress’s job and financial situation because  — — they need help with college fees, aka the stressful™ stuff.

“so, what you’re suggesting is that a) i help you out with your tuitions fees and whatever stuff you’re struggling to get   —— and b) you’ll do whatever i want?” her voice was silky smooth as she eyes the other, her mouth curved into what appeared to be a comforting grin. they seem to be very nervous.

and much less; it’s a strange proposition to be hearing from across the table. sat at this comfy diner; she wasn’t surprised she wasn’t noticed or swarmed by the paparazzi or rabid fans.

( well, she PAID them off to leave her be. especially when she was meeting up with a fan who didn’t want her to be followed for this meeting to occur, no less. )

[colourful-void]

For the pokemon berry ask meme, how about Iapapa?

Iapapa. What kind of rival concept would you like to see in the series next?

I ACTUALLY HAVE A LOT OF THOUGHTS ABOUT THIS!!!!

here's are 3 of my favourite ideas! Im givin them names for fun, and since gen 9 is coming up the starters i use as examples will be the gen 9 starters!

Rival Clarin: a new friend, since you were close in age you were excited to get your starters at the same time and start your journeys together. However while the player character is excited and raring to go, Clarin actually, isn't. She loves her Fuecoco or whatever, and she takes good care of it, she's just... not interesteed in battling. Your first few rival fights are pretty lowkey, she doesn't collect a lot of other pokemon to fight with and her starter evolves late. Everytime she fights you it's because Fuecoco and Sprigatito were just really excited to fight each other, and she can't say no to that faceee. Really the rivarly is stronger between the pokemon than the people. Buttt as the journey continues, Clarin befriends a (new region mon) and helps an injured (local bird mon) that wants to stay with it. Because of the player character's excitement and the pokemon pushing her, Rival Clarin finds her love of pokemon battling, and puts up a good fight before the league! In post game you can see her studying and learning more about pokemon battles, telling you that next time she'll challenge you and put up a real fight!

Rival Micah: childhood friend! Even before you got your starters, you both have been competitive your whole life. Micah wins pretty frequently, but once you guys start your journey, you begin to pull ahead. Your Sprigatito is just too strong for his Quaxly. Similar to previous rivals, part way through the game Micah begins to doubt himself and struggles. Then, he finds a group of trainers who work to push each other, who is never seen on screen but he talks about in his dialogue in his fights. his difficulty as a trainer spikes after this and only keeps growing. Hints are dropped throughout the game, and as his team grows you notice the pokemon he's aquiring are starting to match the ones the villian team keeps around. Turns out your rivals gotten mixed in with Team Whatever and your final battle with them is part of the conclusion of the villian team arc in the story. After beating them, they ask themselves why that can't beat you anymore, and the player character (or a helpful npc around to keep the player silent), points out that they've bonded with their pokemon, where as somewhere along the way Micah's pokemon stopped being his partnersI. Micah realizes this and apologizes, vowing to do better and let his pokemon be with trainers who value them more. Later you can find him with his fully evolved Fuecoco, which decided to stay with him. He doesn't have much of a big fight, but he's stopped comparing himself with you, so it doesn't bug him too much.

and finally

Rival Ivy: As referenced by them fairly frequently, they met you around a year ago, where they protected you from a wild (regional dog) attack. The player character is notably a bit nervous about starting their journey, but you're still excited to journey for yourself, hoping to overcome these nerves. Ivy is your big sibling figure, and they spend the game helping you out and guiding you. They're SUPER protective of you, pushing around the local villain team and making sure no one picks on you. 3/4s of the way through the game, they notice you're surpassing them, but they're still determined to protect you. In the end game of the villain plot, Ivy's taken hostage or attacked, and the player has to rescue them. They cry a little and smile, saying that "{their} little sibling's really grown up...". They give you a strong final battle, saying they wont hold back anymore and they're really proud of how far you've come. When you visit them post game they say that you don't need them to protect you anymore, but they're always up for a battle between siblings.

those are my rival ideas!!! maybe ill draw em out one day!

from the pokemon berry ask game!

[mantlehold]

open to f/nb. ( mutuals and those interested can reply! ).

BASED ON THIS; (with a few changes here and there).

“so, um. . . you’re my new roommate?”

deciding to have a roommate in her apartment near the college campus they both attended was a superb idea since she and her ex boyfriend had a messy breakup. GRANTED, he was a horrible person she had been with since sophomore year of high school and she finally broke it off and ran away to somewhere safer. but this was temporary until she could get enough money to move into a bigger apartment thanks to her student nursing; and she was pregnant . . . that had to be kept in mind.

granted, she and her roommate talked about her pregnancy and they were okay with having a pregnant roommate if or when she decided to move out. but kaia didn’t WANT to be a further inconvenience — only seven months to go but she didn’t want to be dead weight to her roommate. college stressed them both out and she didn’t want to add onto it any further.

“it’s nice to meet you in person finally, by the way. i hope i’m not a bother. god i would never forgive myself if it were the case.” kaia gave them a glowing smile filled with warmth as she sat on the velvety 2 seat couch across from her new roommate, tucking dark messy locks behind her earlobe. “i hope i’m not much of a bother for however long you’re staying here, by the way.”

but they’re very pretty. had this confident air to them and they even teased her a little when she helped them move some of their belongings to their room—and she felt a little jittery, really.

[mantlehold]

starter for: @pcrfectstorms​ / veronica !

STARTER CALL.

“and the prettiest girl decided to come by my house because?” her parents weren’t home. well, were they ever at home? her mom was busy as ever with her charity work and her dad was working at the gazette again for his next big scoop. it means she practically spent her time in the mantle household alone when she wasn’t throwing parties.

but it was how her heart skipped a beat when she saw ronnie on the other side of the door the moment she opened up.

[mantlehold]

starter for: @didntshed​ !

STARTER CALL.

“honestly? each time i wake up in this town, it feels like a fever dream.” was regina having more nightmares than normal, waking up in a sweat every night? yeah, unfortunately. add that alongside the fact growing up here in the first place, ending up experiencing years of isolation and torment at the hands of her father which stung.

but things were a little better now, she thinks.

“but anyway, enough ‘bout me. heard about you from betty. how’ve you been. . . mrs smith, right?” listen, her memory has been foggy. blame the former athlete spending more time helping veronica lately; she never got time to catch up with others in town.

[mantlehold]

open to: f/nb based on this.

the throbbing hangover, waking up in an unfamiliar environment (though it was actually her room in her apartment; she was still woozy) with her naked body entangled in the sheets. regina was CONFUSED when she was attempting to process what she had woken up to. but seeing her best friend snoozing beside her, also in the nude had left her freaking out. and that in itself was an understatement.

“fuck.” she whispers, eyes widening.

[mantlehold]

starter requested by: @unbearablyindifferent​ ! / bold!kaia.

“when someone points at your black clothes and asks whose funeral it is, having a look around the room and saying ‘haven’t decided yet’ is typically a good response.” 

oh, did that just slip out of her mouth? yep. it did.

[mantlehold]

starter requested by: @esoerotica​ / for samantha !

STARTER CALL.

the hospital was a little busy at this time of day and kaia was exhausted. working an overnight shift that bled from night to the early morning had her rubbing her eyes and constantly adjusting her pinned back dark hair (as she REFUSED to have her hair up in a ponytail citing personal reasons).

but, she enjoyed her job and how fulfilled she felt helping others around her. it brought her a sense of JOY apart from being a young single mother that she couldn’t find anywhere else if you would ask her.

“you didn’t have to pick me up, sam.” samantha, one of her closest friends unironically who she had met while surfing as the other woman worked as a lifeguard at the beach she ventured to in the early hours of the morning. samantha even had met her kids on occasions when she swung by to hang out so they were . . . pretty close.

but kaia yawns mid sentence, settled against the front passenger seat. public transport was a disaster in the morning and she was worried about infringing on samantha IF she had a shift at the beach at this hour.

[mantlehold]

open to: m/f/nb.

( tw: abuse mention. )

based on this  /  concept in the source.

was this a good idea? probably NOT. what on earth was she doing the last two and a half months, seeing someone in secret when she was still together with a garbage boyfriend who abused and cheated on her regularly since they were both in their sophomore year of high school? but kaia was treated far more better, treated EQUALLY and as a person.

but she had to keep their relationship a secret for their sake and for herself—she didn’t want her secret partner to get hurt because of her. this was a risk she was very willing to take; she just wanted to be happy.

“you’re taking me out somewhere?” she was being pulled along by the hand by her secret lover, eyes big. “can i know orrrr, are you surprising me?”.

her boyfriend was out of town for the the next couple of weeks and the opportunity? they snatched it right up like vultures.

[mantlehold]

starter requested by: @serpentblooded​ / toni !

“oh c’mon, jb, no point in sulking like that while i’m working.” 

the whyte wyrm was fully occupied for the night which UNFORTUNATELY made toni’s shift at the bar far more chaotic and cluttered. but it didn’t stop the pink haired serpent from keeping up conversation with jellybean, which was surprising as usually work nights like these left her irritated and not wanting to mingle.

[mantlehold]

starter requested by: @serpentblooded​ / regina !

“why are you lookin’ at me like that?” she drawls toward the serpent seated across from her at pop’s chock'lit shoppe, food settled in between them on their booth’s table. 

did regina say something off handed or dumb, even? well, it was in TYPICAL mantle the magnificent to ... blurt out that was on her mind, whether it was warranted or otherwise.

[mantlehold]

starter requested by: @helreisa​ ! / bold!kaia.

“if i can’t cause tiny bits of chaos every day, i think my body will shut down.” there comes a time and a place where kaia grew inconveniently peeved, possibly annoyed that nothing if not ANYTHING is happening. but can you blame her?

she thrives off mischief and entertainment and the day grows dull if none was provided. 

[mantlehold]

open starter ! ( mutuals only ).

giving a scolded look as she was tending to the person under her care, it was as if it were almost another person and not the MEEK and gentle nurse you’d usually find scurrying about the hospital floor during the busy work hours or on her overnight shifts.

when it came to others getting hurt? kaia always acted instantly.

“keep still, please? i can’t patch you up if you’re squirming and making my job unintentionally difficult.” kaia would reply with a frown, the first aid kit open next to her as she was stitching their injury up. “now. . . how did you get this again? i swear, we’ve got to wrap you up in bubble wrap or, um, something.”

[mantlehold]

starter requested by: @sunflowermuses​ / for summer !

STARTER CALL.

“you have this pale look to your face. are you okay?”

it was NATURAL for kaia to worry about those around her as if it were second nature to her and in a way, it was if you examined the brunette closely. settling herself across from summer, someone who she had met once on a shift and had grown friendly with. they’re sat in the hospital cafeteria, the hustle and bustle of the morning all just background noise to the young nurse.

she whispers. “you have been eating and everything, haven’t you?”.