#(and I’m trying not to give anyone the same Pokemon)

[megamog]

I have returned to working on my Pokemon and FFXII project. I’m doing some brainstorming on the Judges for now.

[parasolladyansy]

Hello, I hope you’re having a wonderful day/afternoon/night! I love your art style. It’s so cute >w<

Could you give any tips for beginner artists both in drawing for characters and Pokemon?

Hi-ho! I can try ouo;

⬆️ Made in 2010 - the oldest Pokémon drawing I have on file (though I have much older ones on paper!)

First tip I’d say is to practice! ✍🏻

I’ve been drawing since I was very little, & that included Pokémon fanart. There was a point where I was drawing every single day for years - I have all these journals where instead of writing through my thoughts & feelings, I just filled it to the brim with drawings & even little comics!

They don’t need to be perfect, or better than anyone’s - they just have to be yours. 🩵

⬆️ Made in 2016 - I started trying for a softer look with a lighter, blue line-art instead of the thick black one.

Getting into the more technical art stuff I learned in college, drawing just about anything becomes easier when we break them down into shapes.

Humans, Pokémon, or even shadows, ripples, & water patterns can be broken down into basic shapes that you build up with added details. Like here: we can see circles, ovals, semi-circles, & all kinds of angular shapes.

Take a look at the Pokédex, & try seeing the different shapes that make up each Pokémon. Even the most complex Pokémon in the ‘dex becomes less daunting when we break them down into manageable shapes. Same for human characters.

⬆️ Made in 2023 - from Sword x Shield

Another (less technical) tip I have is study other artists you like to help you find your style!

When I made the step to go line-less, I took a lot from my love for Impressionism (eg. Monet), & was also very much inspired by K. O’Neil’s Tea Dragon books, especially in Sword x Shield.

I think it’s safe to say just about every single artist to pick up a pencil was influenced by someone. The “father of manga” himself, Osamu Tezuka, was inspired by early Disney animations - if you look closely, you can see it in his earlier work. It goes both ways, as we see Disney emulate Tezuka (to the point of plagiarism >_> Lion King)

On that note, try not to feel bad if your style starts off looking too much like the original artist’s - I think that’s natural. After all, we artists emulate what we see, what we like, & how we see those things.

What matters is building on it, finding those personal touches to make it yours. ^_^ Like with Pokémon, you can go by the original art Ken Sugimori & the other official artists, or take your own spin on it (exaggerate features, play with color, etc).

⬆️ Made in 2024 - a little less than a year ago & I already draw Sora a little differently!

I think art is a journey, & you can only stand to improve over time & practice. I’m still refining my work, & sometimes that means crumpling it up & starting again.

Maybe the most important tip I have is: don’t give up.

There were a lot of people who wanted me to quit drawing. I’ve had my doodle ripped up by a teacher, told I wouldn’t amount to anything, told that no matter what I did someone will always be better than me.

Even through all that, I never gave it up, because it’s something I love. I could happily draw all day (though sometimes I have slow periods, like where I’m at right now), & drawing helped me get through the darkest times as well as celebrate when things were good. ^_^

So don’t give up. Take breaks if you need it, but don’t give up if it’s something you love & gives you life. 🩵

—

Ha…I realize that’s probably a lot deeper than what you meant to ask. I said I’d “try” lol 😂 I hope this helps you all the same 😅

[chiiyuuvv]

fuma as a crush and bf ₊˚ෆ

crush/bf!fuma x fem!reader 0.7k words requested!

▸ 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘺?

When fuma has a crush on you, he’d..

(♡•♡) give you small smiles whenever you enter the room, whenever you open your mouth to speak, whenever you make eye contact.. It’s just his way of saying hello without sounding like an idiot. 

(♡•♡) stutter whenever you talk to him. It’s part of the reason why he likes to stick to small smiles. Not because he hates your presence, he just hates the fact that he stutters so much around you, his cheeks burning red as he bats his eyes to the floor, finding his shoes extra shiny

(♡•♡) be protective over you. He likes to call himself subtle, but anyone walking by can see the glares he gives to men when they try to even take a glance at you. You don’t know it yet, but you’re his girl, so no one is going to be looking at you in any type of way >:(

(♡•♡) follow you like a lost puppy. Or should I say, “she said she likes this, so I’m going to do the same thing” knowing good and well he despises whatever action you’re doing. If you decide to put bows in his hair, he’d be cringing on the inside, but hey, at least you’re happy 🤷‍♀️

(♡•♡) confess when you’re trapped inside a run down elevator. Usually fuma would like to keep his feelings to himself, but he hates when he begins to second guess the situation, thinking about all the possible ways something could go wrong. It limits him from being happy, and he hates feeling trapped inside a box. So as you’re sitting there in silence, he’d randomly blurt out the feelings he’s been holding back, finally able to get them off his chest. He doesn’t expect you to like him back, so to say he was a little shocked when you got up and kissed him was an understatement. 

When you’re dating fuma, he’d..

♥‿♥ want to go grocery shopping together! He’d insist on carrying all the baskets and paying for all your purchases, your only job is to point at the things you want so he can get them for you. Likes to socialize when waiting in the checkout line, his arm wrapped around your waist while he pushes your head to his shoulder; he’s not exactly a pda type of guy, but he does crave your warmth from time to time :3

♥‿♥ put his hand on your thigh whenever you’re in a dinner setting. This isn’t to rile you up in any type of way, just like a comforting reminder, chanting the words, “I’m here,” if you somehow manage to forget. He’d also feed you snacks if you’re out on a picnic or something. It honestly reminds me of High School Musical, the scene where Troy and Gabriella are trying to throw grapes into each other's mouths. It’s romantic yet silly, something fuma cherishes.

♥‿♥ want you to go to the gym with him. You don’t even have to work out, he just likes it when you’re watching him do his form. He feels powerful almost, knowing he’s the reason why you drool, which keeps him motivated to do better 😋

♥‿♥ be your #1 supporter. Like I said before, fuma doesn’t like being trapped inside a box, so he’d encourage himself to step out of his shell and face his fears, the same goes for you. He understands why you’re scared, but he wants you to understand that he will be with you every step of the way. When you finally face your fear, fuma would be so proud of you, spending the rest of the day (or week (or month)) spoiling you, celebrating your victory. And if you didn’t, fuma would console you, because at least you tried your hardest, you know?

♥‿♥ nag at you. Fuma is not only your boyfriend.. He’s your mother atp. Nags at you for going outside without a jacket. Nags at you for staying inside and playing pokemon all day. Nags at you for refusing to eat your vegetables – he’d give you one stern look, and right then and there did you know that you messed up. He doesn’t want to seem mean, but he wants you to take care of your health is all :(( 

︴bonus! @kehnarii, i told you were thoughts were in good hands!!

▸ taglist 🎧 @starryriize , @cherrycolaberry , @kehnarii , @wtfisgoingright

🎬 navi

@chiiyuuvv on tumblr . do not steal works/headers/line dividers

[depressedhatakekakashi]

Tough Goodbyes

for @kkgiweek Eternal Rival's Creators Challange

Daily Prompt: Backbone

Point Bracket: 2,500 (10x2= 20 points)

Rin came skipping out of the Pokemon center,  a smile on her face and a distinct lack of a giant pink pokemon running behind her. She made her way toward Kakashi and Gai, that cheerful smile never leaving her face.

It wasn’t the smile Kakashi was focused on, though.

All he could look at was the space behind her where he expected to see Chansey hoping happily along while she followed her trainer to the next big adventure. 

“I’m here,” coming to a stop, Rin greeted them with a little wave. “Sorry it took so long. I got caught up talking to professor Senju while I was sending my Pokemon to him.”

“There’s still twenty minutes until the boat to Unova gets here,” Gai assured her. “But it looks like Chansey got distracted and forgot to follow you,” he pointed to the space behind Rin, but she made no movement to look. 

“She didn’t get distracted,” Rin kept smiling. “I sent her back to Professor Senju.”

Kakashi and Gai shared a cautious look. “You…left her?” Kakashi released, unsure if he’d heard Rin correctly.

“Ya, that’s actually sort of what ended up taking so long,” she answered with an awkward chuckle. “You were talking about taking a journey to sort of start over, and it got me thinking that this journey to Unova might be my chance to start with a clean slate.”

“Without your partner pokemon?” Jolteon let out a low, protective growl beside him and rubbed her body against his leg. At the same time when he looked Gai’s way he noticed Hitmonlee standing a little closer to his trainer than he was before Rin’s announcement. “That’s a bit..extreme, don’t you think?”

Crossing her arms over her chest, Rin narrowed her eyes. “Ditching me and Gai in the middle of our journey was extreme. Telling us just this morning when we’d already made plans to go to Unova that you weren’t going with us was extreme. Do you want me to continue?”

“Rin, give him a break,” insisted Gai. “It’s just not what we were expecting you to do. It’s normal for all of us to leave our teams behind and start fresh,” Kakashi nodded along, recalling that morning when him and Gai had gotten up early and made their own calls to Professor Senju so they could transport their sinnoh teams to him. “But your partner pokemon? We’ve never left them behind before.”

“Well, I want to start completely fresh,” she insisted. “And Professor Senju explained that Unova was a special region that didn’t really have pokemon from other regions, so I thought it was a great opportunity to get myself a new starter that might actually be the main partner on my team.”

“Was chansey ok with this?” Kakashi inquired, wondering how the pink ball of joy and kindness had taken to being left behind so suddenly. 

“She was upset at first,” Rin admitted, sadness sinking deep into her eyes. “But she understood. We had a good conversation about it, and I promised that she’d be back on my team after this journey. I just…I think I need to start over.”

“Because of me?”

“Not just because of you, but yes,” she whispered. “What you said at the tournament, when we were chatting on the beach…it forced me to realize a few things.”

Thinking back to that day, Kakashi couldn’t help but feel guilty.

Rin had just confessed her feelings for him in a moment of pure joy after having won her match against Gai in the sinnoh league, and he’d turned her down with a lot more harshness than he’d intended.

It wasn’t that he didn’t care for Rin, he just didn’t see their relationship the same way as she did. Even if he did, he was in no place to try dating for the first time. His mind was still a mess.

Every time he closed his eyes he saw that staraptor flying straight at him with its claws reaching for his eye. If he dared to think about a harmless pokemon battle with Gai, Rin, or anyone else, his chest would get so tight he struggled to breath.

Every moment of every day was a walking nightmare.

Rin deserved better than that. 

They both did.

“Maybe,” Gai spoke up, his voice full of uncertainty. “Hitmonlee?”

Looking over at his friend, Kakashi narrowed his eyes. “Don’t you dare,” he hadn’t intended to growl, but the anger seeped into his voice. Just the thought of Gai leaving Hitmonlee behind made his skin crawl. 

“It’s his choice,” Rin insisted, her sadness replaced by a sharpness he rarely heard in her voice. “And it could be good for him. You said it yourself, you want to go on your journey alone. To have a chance to clear your head and think without anyone else around. If you leave Jolteon-”

“Jol!”

“Calm down,” burning his hand into the spiky fur on Jolteon’s back, and offered a gentle smile when she looked back at him. “I’m not leaving you behind.”

“Oh, so it’s ok to leave us behind, but not Jolteon,” Rin snapped.

“You’re being harsh, Rin.” Gai spoke up. “Take a walk. This conversation clearly isn’t doing you any good.” 

Opening her mouth, Rin quickly silenced any protests she might have had when Gai looked her way. It wasn’t anger or annoyance in his eyes when he looked at her, but sadness. 

A sadness Kakashi had seen far too much of in those beautiful eyes since he’d gotten out of the hospital. 

  ��Fine,” she huffed, turning her back to them. Without another word she stormed away, her anger so fierce Kakashi could practically see it radiating off of her in bright red waves. 

“She’s kind of right,” he sighed. “I am ditching you two.”

“I think she’s less upset about you going on your own journey and more upset about whatever you told her at that beach. It must have really hurt her.”

“Probably,” it wasn’t something he wanted to discuss. If Gai knew about Rin’s confession, and how he’d reacted to it, he’d most likely scold him. Rin wasn’t the first person to confess their feelings to Kakashi, but she was the first person he cared about to do so.

He’d really tried his best to let her down easy.

“Still, she might be right,” Gai continued, doing him the greatest kindness by not pushing the issue between him and Rin. “Unova is a chance for me to start over. This journey hasn’t been hard on just you, you know.”

“I know, I ditched you two while I was busy thinking about myself. I’m sorry.” his eye focused on the tops of his feet. It was difficult for him to meet Gai’s gaze when it felt like he’d ruined everything between them. 

That was part of why he wanted to go somewhere else.

To clear his head and figure out if there was a future for him in Pokemon battling after what happened, but to also help him deal with the conflicting feelings swirling around in his heart every time he thought about Gai. 

Rin had more of a backbone than him at the end of the day. At least she had admitted her feelings even in the face of rejection.

He couldn't even do that.

“That’s not it,” taking a small step forward, Gai knelt down in front of Jolteon and laid a hand atop her head. “You needed time to think. It’s unfair to expect you to get over what happened overnight. You lost an eye.”

“Gai…”

“I was terrified,” he continued, moving his hand down so it was under Jolteon’s chin and smiling when she leaned into it. “When you were in that hospital and I didn’t know what was going to happen all I could think about was the worst case scenario. My usual youthful energy failed me at that time, and if I’m being honest I’m not sure I’ve fully recovered from that fear.”

Squeezing his eyes shut, Kakashi drew in a shaky breath. It was so rare for Gai to open up like this that he didn’t know quite what to do with the information. 

When he was recovering he’d thought it was just him who was suffering. He was the one who’d been injured. The one who had to learn to live with a new disability. Him who dealt with the recurring nightmares of that day replaying in his mind every time he dared to close his eyes and try to sleep.

He’d been so focused on himself he hadn’t thought about how Gai and Rin felt about it all. 

“I could have lost you,” running his thumb along Jolteon’s jaw, Gai sighed. “That’s not something I can just forget. I know it’s harder for you, I’m not trying to compare our experiences at all, but…”

Lifting his eyes, Kakashi looked directly at Gai for the first time in weeks. “You need time too,” he finished, knowing just what was on Gai’s mind. “It’s ok to admit it. Rin needs time away from me, I need time to figure out if I can ever really recover from this, and you need time to process.”

It made sense.

Something like that wasn’t going to have no effect on the friends he’d spent almost every day of the last four years with. 

“And maybe I do need to start clean,” Gai continued. “Maybe Rin’s right that Unova is our chance to begin fresh, and wherever you end up going could be the same for you. It’s not bad to start again, is it?”

Raising his eye to the sky he watched as the clouds passed by overhead. “It’s not,” he agreed. “But I don't think I can go without Jolteon.”

“Because she’s your partner?”

“And because with her by my side, I’m still connected to you and Rin,” a plane flew by overhead, leaving a long white trail behind it. He watched as that trail slowly disappeared, becoming mere particles in a never ending sky. “Jolteon, Hitmonlee and Chansey have been everywhere with us. Even when we started with new teams in every region we had them at our sides. Even if we couldn’t use them in battle, they were there with us,” looking back at Gai, he smiled softly. “It’s not just Jolteon I’m afraid of leaving behind. She’s the backbone of my team, and the connection I’ll still have between us.”

“Kakashi, our connection is never going to die.”

“But it might,” tears welled up in his eyes as he thought about the possibilities of the future. “If I don’t have Jolteon with me there’s no guarantee you’ll message me. You might think we don’t have anything to talk about, or you might just forget about me.”

“I could never forget about you.”

“I don’t know that for certain. I don’t think I know anything anymore,” a tear fell from his good eye. “The only thing I know with any certainty is that If I leave Jolteon behind, things will just get worse for me. I don’t think I can do this without her.”

“Jol!”

“And I don’t think you should do it without Hitmonlee,” he continued. “With him by your side I know nothing bad will happen to you. He’ll protect you, right Hitmonlee?” 

“Hit!” The fighting pokemon pounded a hand against his chest in confirmation. 

“So keep him,” he whispered, looking at Gai with exhaustion weight down on his shoulders. “Our pokemon are a part of us. They’ve been through everything with us from the day we left Pallet town together. They’re just as much a part of our group as Rin, you and me.”

“They really are, aren't they?” giving Jolteon one last pat on the head, Gai placed his hands on his knees and pushed himself up. “You’re right, Rival. I don’t think I could do this journey without Hitmonlee, and I really don’t want to.”

“So you’ll take him?”

“I will,” he breathed a sigh of relief hearing that. With Hitmonlee at his side he wouldn’t have to worry about Gai so much. He’d be able to focus on himself and everything he had to figure out. “But, I need you to promise me something.”

“What is it?”

“Message us,” Plopping down on the bench beside him, he smiled. “Even if it’s small. Just let us know that you’re doing alright.”

Kakashi chuckled. It really was such a simple request, but he knew there was more behind it. Gai didn’t just want him to message him with updates on his mental health, that would be too simply for his rival. 

He wanted to know about the pokemon he caught, the battles he had, the people he met. His messages couldn’t be small, because if they were Gai would end up sending him a three page message with hundreds of questions and at least half of those questions would be about Jolteon and whatever other pokemon he ended up with. 

“I’ll message you at least once a week,” he promised, unsure if that was a truly realistic goal but wanting to commit to it regardless. “And when this journey is done we’ll find each other again.”

“Is that a promise?”

Lifting his right hand, he held it out to Gai. “It’s a guarantee,” he corrected his friend. “No matter what happens, regardless of what path either of us end up taking on this journey, we’ll find each other again.”

Taking hold of his hand, Gai squeezed. “I’ll be coming back to you as the new Champion of Unova,” he said with excitement sparkling in those big black eyes. “And you’ll be the champion of Alola.”

“I can’t promise that,”

“But you will,” Gai insisted. “I just know it, deep down. And when that happens we’ll go on a new adventure together. One where we can face each other in the next big league. That’s what we’re destined for, I just know it.”

“With Hitmonlee and Jolteon on our sides,” the two pokemon cheered at that and Gai’s eyes crinkled at the edges as his smile widened. 

There was still a lot for him to do. Once he’d seen Gai and Rin off he still had to decide where he was going to go, figure out how he was going to get there, and begin a journey that could either help him through some of his problems or possibly make them even worse. 

But for now, with Gai sitting in front of him smiling that heart melting smile of his, he couldn’t find it in him to care about any of that. He just wanted time to stand still in this exact moment.  Then maybe he’d never have to say goodbye, and he could just sit here feeling the warmth of Gai’s kindness surrounding him like a comfortable hug. 

Paradise couldn’t last forever though. 

All good things came to an end, and before he knew it he’d be standing on the dock waving goodbye to his friends as they set off on their brand new journey.

“Tell Rin-”

“Kakashi, don’t,” Gai insisted. “You’re going to see her before we leave. If you have something to say, just tell her yourself.”

He shook his head. Usually Gai would be right. Two weeks ago he would have been able to tell her anything and she would have listened with a cheerful smile, but right now she wanted nothing to do with him.

It was good they were going their separate ways for the time being. She needed some space away from him. 

“Just tell her I’m sorry,” he whispered. “She’s my friend, she will always be my friend no matter what. I don’t care if she’s still mad at me when we see each other again, I will never stop caring about her. I just can’t…”

His heart didn’t belong to her.

It belonged to someone else. Someone he’d loved since the first time he saw him smiling under the bright blue sky of Slateport city back in Hoenne after they’d helped tame groudonne. 

Someone he couldn’t say anything to, because admitting his feelings when he felt so broken and beaten was something he simply didn’t have the strength for.

[chycoin]

HUGE SPOILER AHEAD!!!

Watch “TRASH FRIENDS” before reading. If you haven’t watched it and still read this, pls don’t say I didn’t warn you 🫠👍

Just watched “TRASH FRIENDS” and the thumbnail really made me think this was going to be an episode focusing on the way Mario has been treated by Smg4 and his friends (at least that’s how I see it) but I wasn’t expecting an episode about Smg3’s insecurities and fears (mostly insecurities)

I really was caught lacking because I was expecting something and I got the opposite lmao. I should be familiar with this guy’s content already and know that the only thing expected from these episodes is the unexpected xD, but anyways back to talking about the video.

In previous episodes we see that he gets a little bit of customers such as in the episode “You used to be cool” and “CEO OF RIZZ” but in this last mentioned episode he tries to advertise his café after Boopkins’s date works out in the end and so does the same in “SMG4’s NEWS.”

At first you think “Maybe he wants more than what he has” but after watching this episode you realize he’s actually struggling with his business and last weeks episode you change your view from his actions and see him as more desperate rather than greedy after watching this latest ep.

Constantly trying to get more people into his café and taking every single chance he can see to advertise no matter the place or time, like life depends on it.

And talking about chances ._.xD

(This goober losing the video to a basketball, I’m dead😭)

Smg4 comes to this guy’s café for his help to get his “Michael Jordan Endorsement Video” back because boi lost it and he wants Smg3’s help because their “FRIENDS”

Of course Smg3 saw this as a chance to advertise his café because HOLY SHIT MICHAEL JORDAD!!! A famous basketball player that anyone would want to have the chance to meet and that’s a chance that Smg3 is willing to take because it means his business would BLOW UP *someone throws them a chair*

Btw when Mario shows up to offer his help, I expected Smg4 to be more happy that he has his avatar buddy always trying to help him but instead…

Don’t get me wrong, I know they got a little weirded out about the fact that Mario is a regular around the Junkyard due to him eating at that location but still, that dialogue still sort of hurt me man qwp

But anyways back to my review of this episode and giving my acoustic povs that nobody asked for.

They arrive at the junkyard and after being there for 5 seconds, they find the legendary pokemon that goes by the name of “Michael Jordan Endorsement Video” (sorry for my weak ass jokes, I just woke up and my humor is a little broken rn)

After having the video on sight, Mario pulls a Yoshi and beats the crap out of the spaghetti plate where the video so happened to land on, in one go. Obviously, causing the other two to try and force the USB out of him but both failed as Mario did a BLJ through the trash and forcing 3 & 4 to dig through everything to find him.

Now… the part I was dying to talk about and hopefully I can let out my thoughts the proper way.

As the two spend an entire evening just digging through trash, they start a friendly conversation until Smg4 touches the Smg3’s CnB topic which causes Smg3 to get nervous and lie about everything being fine because he has something that every human being has unfortunately, ✨I N S E C U R I T I E S✨.

Which I understand because bruh, 3’s been seen as a bad copy of 4 who’s the total opposite of him for a good piece of his life, if not his ENTIRE existence and now that’s he’s going through a change in his life for the better, he’s going to face a lot of these insecurity episodes because he’s so used to being seen as the bad guy, the bad copy, The Villain. Always people seeing what 4 does and never looking what 3 does which got him into that dark path.

Is like the Sun and the Moon kind of thing. The Sun (Smg4) can shine the brightest while the moon (Smg3) is just a floating rock shining the least. I’ll bring this up again at the end of the review.

But yeah, Smg3 has insecurities and is more shown when they reach the entrance of Mario’s hiding spot.

-Part 2 🫠👍-

[genlirema]

for the ask game, Link Click?

Thar be spoilers ahead so if you have not seen it GO NOW (mostly Yingdu/Bridon spoilers but also some Season 2 spoilers too .-.)

the character i least understand

Can anyone explain to me wtf Liu Xiao is trying to do cuz “making the uncertain certain” is too vague of a motivation for me to understand. Also why target Lu Guang specifically? Thanks to Yingdu/Bridon we know now he can’t be the only person messing with time so what gives c’:

interactions i enjoyed the most

I never thought I’d enjoy Felix/Xia Fei as much as i do now, I think I speak for everyone when I say the entire photoshoot session with Xia Fei is so cute 🥺 the pub scene was also funny too lol I hope we get more interactions with Xia Fei in the future

the character who scares me the most

Also Liu Xiao. And maybe Li Tianchen.

the character who is mostly like me

Lu Guang cuz I’m sick & tried constantly and i wish i could go back in time to stop myself from deleting my Pokemon White file & accidentally killing my Victini in the process ;-; (among other things)

hottest looks character

Qiao Ling. Hands down.

one thing i dislike about my fave character

The dynamic between Lu Guang & Cheng Xiaoshi is both very wholesome yet somehow problematic at the same time, at least in my eyes. Sure, I may ship them together, but I also think Lu Guang is a bit callous for wanting to protect Cheng Xiaoshi so bad yet also lying to him constantly, like the earthquake way back in Season 1. On the other hand, I fear Cheng Xiaoshi might be too nice for his own good that even when he learns the whole truth about Lu Guang, he wouldn’t try to stop him. That’s why I can’t really say who’s my fav between Lu Guang and Cheng Xiaoshi.

one thing i like about my hated character

Do I really have to talk about the Li twin’s dad? c’:

a quote or scene that haunts me

Li Tianxi whyyyyyyyyyy you were too good for this world ;~;

a death that left me indifferent

Aside from the obvious (Liu Min) does Lu Guang count? Honestly once Season 2 dropped I could sense a mile away that he wouldn’t die ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

a character i wish died but didn’t

Hence why I was indifferent when Lu Guang got stabbed ig? The way I see it the only way to save Cheng Xiaoshi (and Qiao Ling ig) and end the series is if Lu Guang was either dead or if he had never met Cheng Xiaoshi.

my ship that never sailed

Honestly I think I’m pretty satisfied with what we got? I don’t really mind if Shiguang (Lu Guang x Cheng Xiaoshi) is never confirmed cuz I can see them as both platonic or romantic yknow? We need more Aroace rep so as long as there’s interactions between the two in Season 3 I see this as an absolute win

[1waveshortofashipwreck]

Misc. Tag Game! ✨

thank you for the tags @ronald-speirs @panzershrike-pretz and @sharkboyandlavalieb !!!

Made by the amazing @ronald-speirs 💖

Favorite place in the world you’ve visited?

Hmmm I’m gonna have to go with when my mom, sister, and I all went to Las Vegas for my 21st birthday! It was so much fun and just an incredible experience 💕

Something you’re proud of yourself for?

Probably continuing my therapy journey! I’ve been in therapy continuously since I graduated in 2020 and I feel like I’ve made some good progress! I’m proud of myself for not giving up when things felt impassable

Favorite books?

Soooo i’m not too big on reading but something I will read over and over again is the fruits basket series!!!! That’s the only book series I’ve read in its entirety and I love every bit of it!!!

Something that makes your heart happy when thinking about it?

It’s not the dart scene at the start of replacements idk what you’re talking about

Favorite thing about your culture?

About being American? I guess just the fact that BoB is American 🤣

When did you join the HBO War fandom? What was the first show you watched?

Umm i think in April ‘23?? @dontirrigateme and I had just watched the x-men first class movies and wanted to watch more James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender, so of course we watched BoB… the world has never been the same

Have you read any of Easy Company’s books? If so, which ones were your favorite?

I’m trying to read Ambrose’s book right now, but I have Winters’ Beyond Band of Brothers, Guarnere and Babe’s book, and a couple others on my shelf!! (if anyone finds Webster’s shark book i promise you my first born for a copy of that)

Favorite HBO War character and your favorite moment with them?

Oh goodness there’re so many!!! Ummm well right now I’m going thru a Liebgott phase oml the man makes me FOAM AT THE MOUTH so I’m gonna go with when he tends to Talbert on the Night of the Bayonet, like Liebgott is known for his temper and fighting but here (and with Tipper) you can see he’s an absolute SWEETHEART AAAA I WOULD DIE FOR JOSEPH DAVID LIEBGOTT

Do you make content for any fandoms, if so; what sort of content?

I’ve just recently started writing for BoB!! I also have some Pokemon x BoB collages that I’ve made 🥰

Favorite actor/actress and your favorite film of theirs?

Johnny Depp hands down, and absolutely pirates of the caribbean, it’s just all-around lovely and whimsical and amazing (fun fact till like middle school i had no idea what Johnny Depp actually looked like because my only references for him were Captain Jack Sparrow and Willy Wonka and they just did not look the same to me 🤣)

Favorite quote/s that you wish to share with others?

I think I’ve said this before, but it’s a quote from my blorbo Vincent Van Gogh, “I feel that there is nothing more truly artistic than to love people.”

Random fact your mutuals/followers don’t know about you?

My dad’s retired Navy, so I grew up moving around until he retired when I was about 8!

If you’re a writer, do you need a beta reader (say yes so I can be your beta reader 🤭)?

ASDFDL I WOULDN'T MIND HAVING A BETA READER

Three things that make you smile? (I’m watching BoB rn so this is about to be BoB momes)

“CURRAHEEEEEEE!”

“We salute the rank not the man”

“I’m John Wayne! The costume department set me up with these nice navy whites, what do ya think!?”

Any nicknames you like?

Honestly I just feel warm and fuzzy when given any nickname, I’ve been called Em, Emmy, Ems, my favorite might be “Yellow,” I’ve had three separate best friends give me this nickname just cuz they associate me with the color yellow and sunshine vibes ✨

List some people you love to see around on tumblr!

ASDJ:LKF THERE ARE SO MANY @dontirrigateme @panzershrike-pretz @ithinkabouttzu @executethyself35 @ronsparky @love--persevering @ronald-speirs @sweetxvanixlla @whollyjoly @xxluckystrike @venus-haze @thicccqueyoongimin @joetoyesbrassknuckles101 @neptunes-blue @ewipandora @hanniewinnix @sharkboyandlavalieb @footprintsinthesxnd @mutantmanifesto @jump-wings @malarkgirlypop @mads-nixon @blueberry-ovaries @coco-bean-1218 @b00ks1ut AND SO SO MANY MORE I'M SORRY IF I DIDNT TAG YOU I PROMISE I LOVE YOU

What would you do during a zombie apocalypse?

Cry and die probably

Favorite movie?

Bohemian Rhapsody, the Mummy, and Pirates of the Carribean, and the Blair Witch Project!

Do you like horror movies? YES!! Especially found footage movies!!

No pressure tags!! @dontirrigateme , @ithinkabouttzu , @executethyself35 , @neptunes-blue , @thicccqueyoongimin , @love--persevering , @jump-wings , @blueberry-ovaries and anyone else who wants to do this!!! 💖

[justsomeoneintoomanyfandoms]

okay this is gonna be long so i apologize in advance..

Hiiiii could I have a matchup for ATLA, Hazbin/Helluva, Mystic Messenger, Obey Me, and/or One Piece? Please pick and choose which ones u wanna do if thats too much lolol

I’ll go by Blondie for now, Im a cis girly + bisexual (heavy lean to men). I’m a Pisces (i dont rlly understand the sun/moon stuff tbh) and my mbti is INTP.

Im 5’5 and my natural hair is usually blonde in a wolf cut but right now its red because I’m gonna go as Foxy from FNAF for halloween :D I’m also the whitest white girl you’ve ever seen and I’m pretty sure I have dark blue eyes but people comment on them a lot which makes me think they might get lighter in the sun (someone once asked if my eyes were turquoise and i was hella confused). I’ve got broad shoulders with a slim waist + big fat hips and thighs 😍😍 Also I swim for sport so I’ve got some muscle especially in my arms. (im still all squishy tho)

As for my personality it definitely depends on my environment and how I’m feeling. I tend to keep my head down and be that kid-that-sits-alone-in-the-cafeteria in settings where I don’t know anyone, wearing my headphones and ignoring people for the most (nonchalant? mysterious? i sure hope so) But around my friends I like to laugh a lot and I’m constantly trying to make dumb jokes, and voices/impressions to make them laugh too. I can range from very high energy (cant stop moving and sometimes i emote haha) to very low energy (monotone with dry jokes that catch people off guard + my boyfriend likes this side). I’d say I’m a pretty passionate person as well :]

The places I like tend to be safe, very mellow and/or warm places; A foggy forest, a pumpkin patch with autumn leaves everywhere, my marshmallow bed (with my crazy soft blanket and huge comforter), rainy days….I have a pokemon card collection (when i was a kid i dutifully organized each one, not by power level, but by favorite types and favorite pokemon of each type), and a ton of posters and figurines all over my room. I wouldn’t say im a messy or hoarding type of person, but I definitely enjoy my clutter. I like all kinds of food (not spicy i cant handle it 😭😭) but as for sweets I’m definitely a chocoholic. It might even be an addiction atp. Favorite drink is a type of chocolate coffee at one of my local shops, favorite food might be Spaghetti but i like a lot of food so idk, favorite color is purple.

Hobbies: Reading (I have a mini library that consists of a bookshelf and a half), writing, making art, singing, drumming, driving, watching tv (anime, movies etc), gaming, dreaming (i have a dream journal!) and bedrotting. I LOVE the horror genre (Scream is my comfort movie), halloween and anything remotely spooky (ik this is weird but i love having nightmares, they’re so interesting even when i wake up crying). Also, two of my favorite things ever is FNAF and zombie apocalypse stories (if that helps at all).

Ok ‼️ thats about it :) Sorry that I’m a chronic yapper but I hope you can get to me! Also I’ve never submitted an ask here, so…

All the best,

Blondie (🌙) anon

Hi Blondie! Thank you for your request! I decided to go with all of your requests. Sorry it took so long. I hope you like your matchups!

In Avatar: The Last Airbender, I match you with...

Sokka really likes your personality. He thinks the combination of being mysterious but making dumb jokes is perfect.

He really admires your dedication to making people laugh. Sure, if the situation calls for seriousness, he might be a bit irritated but overall, he finds it an admirable quality.

In a modern au, Sokka would definitely be into collecting figurines (they’re action figures, not dolls!). He likes going shopping with you to pick up the latest figurines you’re both interested in.

In the same manner, he’s also really into gaming with you. He likes multiplayer games where he can strategise, but anything you want to play, he’ll give a try.

I think Sokka would be really interested in watching you practice drumming. He thinks it’s cool and would love learning tricks like spinning drumsticks.

In Hazbin Hotel, I match you with...

Lucifer is a very passionate person and needs someone equally passionate in his life. You balance each other out well.

Laughing is something he almost forgot how to do for a while after Lillith left him. But now that you’re in his life, your laughter never fails to bring up his mood.

Clutter is unavoidable when Lucifer’s around. And if you like clutter as well, it’s guaranteed to only get worse. As long as you both know where things are, it’s not really much of a problem.

I see Lucifer as a big foodie, especially when he’s with someone who also likes food. He loves trying new things so if you’re up for it, he’ll happily take you to every obscure restaurant in Hell.

Please introduce this man to anime! He would absolutely love it, especially rom coms. They’re exactly his type of show. He’ll also watch anything you recommend.

In Helluva Boss, I match you with...

Stolas really needs someone who can match his energy. So the fact that you can switch between high and low energy when needed is a really good thing in his eyes.

There’s no way this owl demon isn’t addicted to coffee. He needs something to get him up and out of bed in the morning so he’ll happily make you a cup as well.

Safe places are a big thing for Stolas. He’s been through some bad things in his life so knowing he’s got somewhere he can feel safe is important to him. And his biggest safe place just so happens to be wherever you are.

If there’s one thing Solas loves more than you, it’s singing. So the fact that you like singing as well is a huge win! No one around you will be getting any peace and quiet anytime soon.

Stolas would love watching you make art of any kind. He thinks you’re incredibly creative and talented. If you’re comfortable with it, he would love to display your creatives however he possibly can.

In Mystic Messenger, I match you with...

Much like Stolas, Seven likes that you can range from high to low energy. He loves being able to do things with you but sometimes it’s nice to just rest quietly.

One of the least organised people you will ever meet. Clutter is unavoidable, despite Vanderwood’s best efforts so it’s a good thing you like it.

Chocolate coffee? You just said two of Seven’s favourite things (apart from you of course). He’s got a new addiction coming his way if he’s not careful.

Bedrotting is guaranteed in your relationship. Sure he’s pretty busy with work but when he’s free (or procrastinating), one of his favourite things to do is lay in bed with you and do nothing.

Seven’s delighted that you like horror. It’s  one of his favourite genres and the fact that you like it as well is excellent. Expect a lot of horror movie viewings in your future.

In Obey Me, I match you with...

Making dumb jokes is Mammon’s entire being. So between the two of you, no one in the Devildom will know peace again.

He’s a very passionate person, as much as he tries to deny it sometimes. It’s good that you can match his energy in this regard.

Oh, Mammon would be an absolute fiend for collecting Pokémon cards. It really fuels his greed trying to collect every card known to mankind.

Since you both like driving, there are probably going to be a lot of arguments over who gets to drive on any particular day. Just make it easy and alternate. It’s better for everyone.

Mammon loves listening to you sing. He’s got a good voice but doesn’t often join in since he doesn’t want to overpower your voice. He’d much rather just listen to you.

In One Piece, I match you with...

Killer’s shocked. Someone who’s close to him that keeps their head down and doesn’t pick fights everywhere they go? His prayers have been answered.

Spaghetti dates are a weekly event at least. Since you both love that food, you’re going to be trying out every different type of sauce out there.

I can see Killer being into Halloween in a modern au. He likes being able to go out in his mask without being looked at strangely for a change.

Safe places are something he doesn’t get  to indulge in often. But he’ll always make sure you have somewhere you feel safe. And if you want his company there, he’ll happily oblige.

Killer’s never been a super creative person but he likes watching you make art. He finds the process relaxing and enjoys getting to see you doing something you enjoy.

[id0what1want]

Same anon as the battle quotes one and I’m so happy you liked my ask! Was a little nervous. Curious on how she’d react to being transported to Hisui, mainly reactions to like. The Galaxy team, the way of life, stuff like that!

Also if you want to do the battle aspect, it’d be interesting to see her quotes for how she’d react to seeing an Alpha for the first time, getting hit by a wild Pokémon’s attack, fall damage, being spotted while sneaking up on a mon, low HP for herself, battling a Noble Mon and stuff like that as well! :>

No need to be nervous anon, I don't bite!! Cereza totally does tho

This is incredibly interesting! I love the mask maker Kieran au in Hisui so I might piggyback off of that! Cereza would be bewildered at first, but considering the wild events of the story, would quickly shrug and be like "yeah that checks". Especially cuz of the whole SadaTuro time travel shenanigans. Honestly she likely ended up in Hisui by fucking with the lab in Area Zero when she definitely should not have.

Cereza would make a beeline for every Pokemon she doesn't recognize, she would be an amazing member of the Galaxy Team but I think they'd be scared senseless of her. I feel like she'd definitely squint really hard at a few characters due to their resemblance to characters she knows *cough* Adaman *cough* The way of life definitely reminds her of Kitakami and it does make her homesick. She was forced to spend multiple months away from Kieran and now time travel has come back to bite her in the ASS and takes her away from him again, she's definitely pissed. If she still has her Tera Orb and Miraidon (both of which she keeps hidden except from maybe the professor and anyone who's tech savvy) she's trying to reverse engineer a way home through them. On that note, I'd love to see them find each other in the mask maker au, that'd be dope. She's very upset that she doesn't have her Pokemon with her. If any of them are with her, it'd either be her Corviknight or her Dragapult, both never leave her side. I'm airing on the side of Charon, her Corviknight. (I have to do her pokemon team post sooo bad :') If Charon is with her, she would refuse to let anyone remove him from her side. If anyone tries, she quickly gets violent. I imagine she does copious amounts of research as a way to distract herself, which she already does in her own time anyway but now she has a whole new TIME PERIOD to record. She feels like Director Clavell when she has to write the pages to her own Pokedex. She does recognize a few Pokemon and puts two and two together, for example Perrin's Hisuian Growlithe, Basculegion is native to Kitakami, and Kleavor can be found in the Canyon Biome of the Terrarium. For this reason I'm sure she has a Kleavor on her Hisui team. She would reach the pond that Turtwig spawn by and cry (She has a Torterra on her team back home named Ginkgo). That and the pond reminds her of Wisteria Lake and she starts missing Kieran again. She would definitely harass a spiteful little fox into joining her team. She loves that Hisuian Zorua, but it definitely tries to kill her multiple times before she catches it. (The two definitely have the 'I only worked with you cuz I had to, we will NEVER be friends' 'Let's get through this together!' 'I HOPE YOU DIE') but they eventually work it out. I think she either invests in a Porygon-Z or a Rotom to try and work out a way back home. If Arceus is talking to her, she's definitely speeding through the tasks he gives her in order to return. She recognizes Ingo and does the surprised Pikachu face. Her reaction to Alpha Pokemon is starry eyed interest. She's with Irida at the time and she spots one and Irida explains the phenomenon to which Cereza books it towards the damn thing. Irida has to physically drag her away. Safe to say on her own time she gets roughed up by a few Alpha Pokemon but it's worth it for research purposes. Getting hit by a Pokemon's attack she can probably shrug off half the time (she spars with her Annihilape for Arceus sake) but the other half she grips her ribs and lets out a heavy sigh with the line "that smarts..." (She's Galarian, but the accent rarely pokes through)

SHE WOULD SUFFER SO MUCH FALL DAMAGE she will straight up forget she doesn't have a rotom phone and jump off cliffs. Charon has to save her SO MANY TIMES. She probably hits the ground and falls over with a groan before face palming her forehead with the heel of her palm like "Dammit, this is getting old..." Being spotted while sneaking up on a mon would normally never bother her- unless it's an Alpha in which she frantically starts rationalizing to it. Like it can hear her. She is so smart yet so stupid. She'd be sneaking through the woods and hear the growl of an Alpha Ursaluna behind her and she turns around and says with a sheepish smile. "Technically it's not trespassing since you don't have a land grant." and she gets freaking socked. Low HP for her probably wouldn't be anything beyond a few winces. Cereza is small but very durable, she prefers the wilderness to the indoors, and in a way, Hisui is amazing for that. She already likes to rough it in Paldea, exploration is like her favorite thing ever, Hisui is a haven for that. Kieran I'm sure remembers how Cereza spent multiple nights in Kitakami exploring the land because she couldn't get enough during the day. She'd come to orienteering the next morning with scuffed knees, messy hair, a little bit of dark circles, and the most excited grin as she asks Kieran about everything she saw the night before. She'd be so good at battling Noble Mon (again, spars with Annihilape) especially coupled with all her pent-up anger. She is probably taunting the damn thing half the time, she would get hit and laugh saying "Oh I'm WAYY harder to kill than that!" it almost looks like she has a death wish. On quiet nights when she can hear herself think, she misses home. Especially her onion boy. Losing him twice is a punch to the gut. She cries herself to sleep some nights into Charon's steel feathers, her only reminder of home. She feels like she's going insane all over again and when she's alone in caves or on top of mountains, all she can do is scream until her vocal cords beg her to stop. Cereza may be chaotic and fun, but she isn't stupid. She understands the gravity of her situation and it guts her. I might do another one exploring a full scenario/au where she and Kieran get thrown to the past and she hears rumors of a mask maker and it's him. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASKS!! They get me thinking and this scenario is something I've never considered before!! :> Continue throwing in your two cents, anything is welcome!

✨Do whatever you want forever✨

~ Cytoplasm

[ecargmura]

Pokemon Horizons Episode 41 Review - Dot And Her Mother

Why are Dot-focused episodes so good? Episode 15, which was a mix of Dot and Liko-focus, was good. Episode 39, the first true Dot-focused episode, was really good. This one was really good since this one focuses on Dot’s backstory!

It’s always nice to see how a member of the Rising Volt Tacklers came onto the ship. While we know the backgrounds of everyone except Ludlow, we still don’t know how Murdock and Mollie came aboard the ship now that how Dot got here is revealed in this episode. Dot was basically the same as she is now, but a bit shyer. She spent her days cooped up in her room streaming, but wanted to expand her horizons after seeing Friede’s thesis and getting some advice from him and Iono. This was how she suggested to her mother, Blanca, that she wanted to aboard the Brave Olivine as a trial period.

It’s interesting to know about Blanca as she is connected to both Dot, her daughter, and Murdock, her older brother. Blanca is totally different from her two family members. She’s chatty, energetic, slightly scatterbrained and a bit overbearing, but means well. I love the little gag with how her Midnight Form Lycanroc has to stop her from chattering too much. I did like that while she did seem like an overprotective mom, she just wants what’s best for Dot—wanting her to say her true feelings, which she’s bad at. I do love how she’s a good mother at the end of the day as she teared up when Dot expressed her true feelings about ending the trial period and staying on the airship for real. It’s cute how both Murdock and Blanca have the Rockruff line, but she has the Midnight Form while her brother’s dog hasn’t evolved yet; will there be a day that it’ll evolve and if it does, will it be Midday or Dusk? Also, I was really surprised with her voice actress! She’s voiced by Motoko Kumai, who has been in the XY series as Serena’s Showcase rival, Nene! I’m usually familiar with her most famous role as Li Syaoran from Cardcaptor Sakura, so for her to voice an adult woman is a strange but welcome feeling; it’s always nice to see returning voice actors and actresses try out new types of roles, even if they’re minor ones.

What I like about the family issues presented in Horizons is that they’re usually resolved on their own without anyone interfering too much. In the past series with Ash, Ash had to step in and solve the family matters. For example, in the Black and White series, Bianca and her dad had conflict and Ash had to step in and battle her dad. In the Sun and Moon series, Ash had to involve himself with Lillie’s family matters at first before they resolved it on their own. In this series, Liko’s family issues were resolved on her own back in Episode 9. In this episode, Dot resolves her own family issues on her own without Liko or Roy interfering. I think that it’s a nice change of pace!

True to Pokemon fashion, battling always has to solve problems. Blanca’s not a bad battler as she uses Counter as her main style of battling. For Dot, she beats her mother with Quaxly as the duck had the type-advantage and also learned another super-effective move, Low Kick. Now, all three Paldean starters got new moves! I can’t wait to see them progress even more! Now, please give Liko and Roy legitimate wins; Dot can’t be the only one of the three kids to keep winning battles!

The friendship between the three kids is adorable. Liko and Roy really like Dot and because they’ve been around each other for a while, they know what to do get her to open the door to her room. This episode, they pretend to leave and it worked. So cute! Liko being a big Nidothing fan and realizing that Blanca once barged into her livestream on accident was cute! I also liked how Liko and Roy helped with chasing Tinkatink around the airship; they just appeared and I found that hilarious. I found the Maushold being mini delivery mice on the airship adorable! It’s like Murdock got four employees that pass food to Dot!

My only concern with the episode is the fact that Friede was sleeping at Dot’s house and her reaction to seeing a random guy sleeping in her living room was too calm. Other than that, this was a great episode! I’d love to see more Dot-focused episodes in the future, whether it be her doing silly things with our main duo, doing collaboration streams with Iono, or battling! What are your thoughts on this wonderful episode?

[obsoleteozymandias]

Hi!! I'm happy you liked your request! Thank you so much for the matchup exchange! I would also like someone from TWST.

I use they/he pronouns, and I'm somewhere on the transmasc/transman spectrum. I don't have a label for my sexuality, but I do have a preference for men and masc-leaning enbys. I'm also good with being matched with anyone.

Personality: I'm pretty shy, especially around strangers and while I'm in public. I am very much an introvert, and I enjoy my alone time a lot. I don't have a lot of friends, but the ones I do have are very special to me, and I find it much easier to open up to them. I have a close relationship with my parents, and I value my family a lot. While I have not been medically diagnosed with anything, it's pretty obvious to everyone around me I have anxiety, and I'm also known to be pretty paranoid. It can be a bit hard to deal with sometimes, but I make it work. Some of my friends also think I might have ocd, but I'm not quite sure myself. It's something I'm currently looking into. I tend to be pretty obsessive when it comes to my interests, and I have a tendency to let them consume my entire being. Sometimes it can be a good thing, but it's usually a hindrance when it's all I can think about. Most of my friends and coworkers consider me to be a kind person, and I tend to put others above myself. I'm very people-pleasing by nature, but I know when to stand up for myself as well.

Likes: I love animals a lot, especially dogs. I have two dogs right now, and I love them more than anyone. I'm a baker, and I make all of the dessert for any major family get-together, including Thanksgiving, Easter, and Christmas. I like gaming, but I prefer cozy, easy games like Pokemon and Stardew. I also play a lot of visual novels, but I know that not everyone considers those games since there's no actual game-play. I'm a collector of many things. My favorite thing to collect is Pokemon cards, and I also collect Yugioh from time to time. Other collections I have include anime figure, rocks/crystals, and plushies. I also love theater, especially musicals. My favorites right now are the Hatchetfield trilogy by Starkid. On that note, I also love anything horror.

Dislikes: I hate large crowds and being outside for too long. I much prefer being alone in a quiet room. I dislike anything medical, especially when it comes to needles. My mom still has to make my doctors/dentists appointments for me because I hate them so much. I hate the rain, especially when it's thundering. I live in a hurricane state, so I'm always wary of thunder since it could mean hurricanes and/or floods.

Type: I wouldn't really say I have any one specific type to be honest. I like someone who is kind and thoughtful. Someone who can balance out my anxiety while not being too extraverted or loud. My love language is gift giving, so someone who enjoys receiving gifts would be nice. I also like receiving words of affirmation. I also prefer someone who is a dog person like me since my dogs are very important to me.

Again, thanks so much for the exchange, and I'm so glad you liked your matchup!

Thanks for doing this exchange with me! I’m so sorry about the delay on this one, but I hope you enjoy nonetheless! 

== Twisted Wonderland ==>

I match you up with…

Vil Schoenheit 

Pre-relationship:

Opposites attract here. First of all, I think he notices your potential. He sees you and your shyness and anxiety, but beneath that, he sees your kindness and passion. He KNOWS from day 1 that he wants to see you flourish. 

Now, Vil isn’t necessarily kind per say, but I think he is considerate and conscious of other people. It isn’t the same, but he is rarely cruel to someone for the sake of cruelty.

He is certainly intimidating at first, and it takes a while for you two to navigate how to interact with one another, but I think you’ll find him honest and genuine to a fault. He won’t lie to you, nor will he try to harm you for his own gain. For all that he’s a hardass, he knows your limits, and won’t push you too far. 

Too far. There’s a bit of mutual pushing, and it’s all done with love. 

As you get closer, you two start to be more candid with one another. He tells you about his stressors during the day, and you recount yours to him. He won’t judge you for your collections, not genuinely at least. 

He also makes sure that you two spend time together in a safe and quuiet environment for both of your sakes. I’ve always imagined that he’s someone who enjoys the peace of silence. 

He’d even play games with you every now and then. I imagine he’d favor some more tactical or puzzle games, but he could absolutely play your cozy games with you too, although somewhat sparingly. 

Confession: 

Vil isn’t sure when he falls for you. It was a slow and steady thing, like seasons changing. It was just that one day he woke up and realized that he adores you. He loves that you two can sit in silence together. He loves that you are passionate and kind. He loves your passion for animals and baking. He loves how special you make him feel. He loves you. 

He does have doubts that he isn’t good enough for you. For all of his ego, he knows his own flaws - selfishness, arrogance, and perfectionism. He worries that he won’t make you happy. But at the same time, he can’t deny the way you make him feel. 

Rook noticed this, of course, and gave him some good advice: to just go for it and see where it leads him, and, most importantly, to accept whatever answer you give with grace. 

And so Vil treats you to a private dinner, a showing of a new stage production, and confesses to you afterwards with a loving smile.

Relationship:

Your relationship is built on being candid with one another. It takes a moment, but Vil is unusually quick to let his walls down around you. He tells you when things bother him, and you let on about your own worries in turn. 

He’s a master at combating your paranoia and anxiety. He knows exactly how to calm you down, and also how to make you feel better about both yourself and your worries. You two are always improving together. 

Any gift you give him would be invaluable. He’s definitely a material person, and so if you gift him some new weights or makeup, he’ll be floored. Expect to be covered in extra kisses and affection for a long while after that. 

You two definitely adopt dogs together! Vil takes them out on runs with him in the mornings, and they snuggle up with you two as you go to sleep. He doesn’t even hide his love for the dogs; they are the real bosses in your relationship. 

He actually imagines growing old with you and finds that he imagines you gorgeous regardless of age. 

And he imagines himself happy regardless of what he looks like, as long as he’s by your side.

[unmeisenshi]

When Ann came to, she found herself in a camp, with a large bonfire in the center. To her left was Louis, still unconscious, and near the bonfire was a mega-evolved Lucario. They chuckled and gave the Charmeleon a few slaps to wake her up.

“Who… Who are you…?” Ann asked. She tried to move her arms, discovering she was crucified, with binds holding her arms in place, same with Louis. “What have you-”

“Ah, ah, ah~” The Lucario placed their paw over Ann’s mouth. “You are being used for something greater. Something for LaPlante.”

Ann struggled for a moment, shaking the Lucario’s paw off of her mouth. “Wait… How do you know about LaPlante? We’re trying to stop her!”

The Lucario chuckled. “My dear… Don’t you know? LaPlante is bringing Armageddon. It’s the end of days. Much like Arceus before Her, She is now everywhere. We are earning Her favor so that She may spare us.”

Ann looked down, her eyes wide with fear. “Sacrifice…?”

“That’s right. Don’t worry. Your deaths will be honorable… But not quick. You trespassed on our territory. Who are you with? ELO? The Clash? Who!?”

Ann recoiled slightly, shaking her head. “I-I don’t know what those are!”

The Lucario backed off, chuckling once again. “You’re full of shit. But maybe your friend here will talk.” They walked over to Louis, and instead of giving light slaps, the Lucario punched the Marowak in the stomach.

Louis coughed up lots of spit, and yelled in pain. The Lucario pushed Louis’ head up. “Who are you with?!”

He looked up, taking in the Lucario, and shook his head. “We aren’t working with-”

“LIES!” The Lucario shouted, punching Louis once again. 

This line of questioning continued for several minutes. Louis became more and more bruised, and blood trickled out of his mouth and from several cuts that littered his body from the punches. Ann helplessly watched from where she was. Her eyes filled with tears at the sight. She watched the Lucario pick up Louis’ head, ready to pummel it once again. Without thinking, she shouted, “Please, stop hurting my brother!” She dropped her head, tears dripping from her eyes. “Please…”

The Lucario cocked an eye, and let go of Louis’ head. The Marowak let his head fall, but looked over at the Charmeleon. “Ann…”

The Lucario placed a paw across Ann’s cheek, wiping the tears away from her eyes. “Ready to talk? Tell me… Who are you with?”

The Charmeleon whimpered, with a scared look on her face. “I promise you… We aren’t working for or with anyone. That great big fireball from a few hours ago… You saw it, yeah?”

The Lucario cocked an eye once again. “That silver one that made a really big boom? How could we not see it?”

Ann nodded. “As hard as it is to believe, we crashed here. That fireball was us. We don’t know who ELO or The Clash is… We only just arrived here.”

The Lucario smiled, and began to loudly laugh at Ann. “That is the most bullshit lie I think I’ve ever heard from someone!” Continuing their belly laugh, they motioned to an unseen Pokemon. “Bring me the dagger. Time for our sacrifice.”

Ann screamed in protest. “No! I’m not lying to you!”

Louis looked over at Ann, fading in and out of consciousness from the severe beating he got. “Ann… Look at me. Don’t give them the satisfaction.”

The Lucario returned with a dagger in hand. “You will be given to a greater purpose. Do not be afraid.” The Lucario held the knife up to Ann, ready to kill her off.

“¡Oye, Vedder! ¿Qué carajo crees que estás haciendo?”

The Lucario turned to see Enrique pointing at them. “What are you doing here?”

“Those kids are with me, Vedder! Let them go! I sent them to retrieve a medicinal plant in your neck of the woods. They are not fair game!” Enrique quickly walked towards the three.

“And if I don’t, then what? They are my sacrifices to LaPlante. We all need to pitch in if we are to be saved.”

Enrique sighed. “Again with her? She’s crazy, Vedder. She won’t spare you. You’ll die, and join Infinity. And that’s the end of it.”

“Tch… You don’t know that.”

Ann began to slowly move her arms forward, finding that the support was weak enough that she could break it. She looked down at Vedder with an angry look. Enrique noticed this, and he and Ann made eye contact briefly. “Vedder… Let the kids go. Last chance.”

Ann began to wiggle more and more, hearing the wood beginning to crack slightly. Vedder chuckled, not noticing what was happening behind them. “Oh yeah? I suppose that you’re going to do something to me, then?”

Enrique shook his head. “Not my style, amigo. But she will.”

“Who? The girl I have tied up?” Vedder said, turning around to see that Ann finally broke the support, and fell onto Vedder’s shoulders. She took a big bite into the Lucario’s ear, with the taste of iron filling her mouth soon after. Vedder screamed in pain, falling onto the ground and trying to wrestle her off. Some of the other Lucario began to move forward, but Enrique stepped in the way.

Ann pulled up on Vedder’s ear, ripping a big chunk of it off and falling onto her back. The Lucario reeled in pain, looking at Enrique for a moment. “Aren’t you supposed to be helping us? Providing medical assistance? Could you… I don’t know… Provide??!!"

Enrique looked back, and chuckled. “Not this time, cabrón. Blue Öyster Cult has broken the agreement we set in place. You ambushed some folks I was caring for, then interrogated and beat one of them up, intending to kill them both for a false idol. Therefore, your agreement is terminated.”

“What?!” Vedder charged after Enrique, but Ann kicked the Lucario down, and grabbed them by the head. The Quaquaval freed Louis from his bindings, cradling him and backing away from Ann.

The Charmeleon gripped Vedder’s head tighter. “You prick… How dare you… How dare you attack my brother!” Her tail flame grew bigger, and fire began to blow from the vents around her neck. She seemed to be charging the move Overheat, but her arms also began to light up with blue flames, as well as the ground around her. “One thousand dragons… breathing flames from above… One giant column of flames!”

With a bloodcurdling scream, a vortex of blue fire engulfed both her and Vedder. “Hellfire... CHOIR!” The flames lasted for quite some time before dying down. Ann remained standing, though Vedder was completely gone, save for some ashes that blew away in the wind. 

The Charmeleon quietly walked over to Enrique. “We got the herbs. Let’s go.”

Enrique chuckled. “Yes ma’am.” He said, following close to her. He stopped briefly and sarcastically waved at the group. “¡Hasta luego, pendejos! Have a fun war!” 

[tundrakatiebean]

So I don’t know if anyone else is using Pokémon Sleep but a bunch of my friends on discord are using it. I already have a better sleep tracker so I’ve been comparing the data between the two because I’m a nerd and find that interesting. The Sleep tracker is not particularly accurate and regularly gives me 2-3.5 hours more sleep credit than I actually have earned according to my other sleep app. This isn’t that surprising because they measure the data in a different way - phone on mattress for Pokémon and through my smart watch for the other.

I’ve noticed that the Sleep app tracks me as having fallen asleep VERY quickly. I do a thirty minute breathing exercise at bed time every night so I know I’m not asleep when it says I am. I decided to test why that is.

Hypothesis: because of Pokémon Sleep’s limitations as a phone only sleep tracker it tracks sleep mainly through movement

Test 1: I started my sleep session on Pokémon Sleep a half hour before I started trying to sleep while I was reading in bed. I was not completely still, my arms were moving to turn pages and I occasionally shifted my legs, but I was in the same position the whole time.

Result: Pokemon Sleep recognized me reading as having fallen asleep very quickly. The arrows I’ve added to this screenshot indicate when I actually put down my book and started trying to sleep (orange/yellow) and when my other sleep tracking app says I fell asleep which matches when I last looked at the clock/was aware of being awake (red)

Conclusion: movement does play a role in Pokémon Sleep’s tracking, but not minute movements such as moving the arm to turn a page on a screen reader meaning the tracker counts stillness as sleep even if the user is not sleeping.

Next test step: see if sound is also factored into this sleep assessment by doing the same amount of awake reading in bed as test 1 but this time with audible sound playing near the app.

[kohakhearts]

hey that pokemon 2000 gifset + your jn dub analysis made me think about the pokemon 2000 dub - I've only seen it subbed once (compared to the hundred times I watched it dubbed as a child) so I could be misremembering, but didn't the dub completely change the themes of the movie with the chosen one ash thing?

i actually haven’t watched the sub nearly as many as times as the dub either :p but i have read extensively about this topic bc it’s personally my favourite pokemon movie and yes! the first and second pokemon movies are both victim to this (like mewtwo’s epic speech we all love so much at the end of the first movie…being a complete fabrication by the dub team :p you gotta give those writers credit - they were VERY good at what they did), largely i’m guessing due to cultural values and expectations. since they were trying to sell the anime to an american audience, not a japanese one.

tangentially, i will say i also think that’s the root of this like…subtle distinction some people have between the characters “ash” and “satoshi.” i don’t differentiate them in any big way myself because fundamentally they still are very much the same, but it is true that in japanese, ash has somewhat different mannerisms and responds differently to events at times, especially in the early anime when it was so much easier to get away with making big changes for…a big assortment of reasons haha.

in THIS movie in particular, some of those things are like…well. the prophecy is probably the most obvious change. the dub team rewrote it to include the chosen one reference, which works great because of the word play on ash’s name. in japanese, it just says “an exceptional trainer will appear to help calm the wrath of the gods.” ash’s response to this is more mild trepidation than outright fear. he doesn’t hesitate like he does in the dub. and tbh? both reactions make perfect sense for his character in my opinion.

in japanese, his concern is more "do you really think i can fit that role?" this...tracks pretty well with his character development by this point. like yeah he said he could win the indigo league, but he's also thinking about dropping out after gary loses; it's that little grain of insecurity he has, which he's normally good at covering up with arrogance (a lot of which is also very genuine, don't get me wrong). but he sees the opportunity to help and he takes it. that's just...what ash does.

in english, though, the prophecy is pretty clearly about him. there's no one else it could be. it has to be him. and he...doesn't like that? that scares him. which, fair. anyone would be terrified by being singled out like that. it's also so much...not ash's thing, even at this point in the series. his character development is about embracing having to work hard to do well. to keep trying until you get it right, no matter how many times you get it wrong. the idea of being a "chosen one" completely robs him of his ability to be so single-minded about what he wants his destiny to be that it manifests as pre-determined; it just...pre-determines it for him, if that makes sense. lol.

the thesis of the japanese version of the film is that no one person or pokemon can stand on their own. everyone needs help. it's about harmonizing with each other and with nature. about letting others help you, and helping them in turn. the english version rewrites that into a story about power and destiny. the title alone says it all, right? it's called "the power of one" - no reference to lugia, no reference to the birds. in japan, the title is about the revelation (or "birth") of lugia.

westerners love a good chosen one story, so this was a really good choice by the dub team in that respect. i mean, it's a narrative that's stuck really well. fandom loves chosen one ash! in general, western fanbases are really into this narrative. it's everywhere. and there's a lot that goes into that, culturally, and especially religiously, historically, etc. so at the end of the day, i don't think the change is so much about conflicting ideas about collectivism and individualism. it's more about goals and ideals, on a personal level.

let me say again for the 273456784th time, i love that they resolved ash's story by having him realize that the goal he's really been striving for all this time is to meet and befriend pokemon. to learn from them. to earn their trust. it's like...he did the thing that everyone else thought represented his goal, maybe even himself included, only to realize that his dream was never about the end of it anyway. it was about everything he learnt and everyone he met along the way. (i also suspect nobody writing in 1997 knew that that would be the ultimate resolution, either. but it makes sense in the entire context. it's kind of a nice irony, even. to only figure it out after writing the story :p)

and i think this little distinction is important to that goal! it's his whole character! which is why even though i too love chosen one characters, i don't necessarily think of ash as one. because even if he is, his whole Thing is that he wants to try. a lot of the chosen one narrative is about characters being reluctant to be used for a "greater good," or about them collapsing under that pressure. ash doesn't really have that. he does what he thinks is right because he...thinks it's right. sometimes, sure, others have to push him into it a bit, but usually they're actually pushing the other way - it's too dangerous, you're going to get hurt, etc. and to me, i don't know - thinking of times he's died, or nearly died, and some legendary or mythical pokemon has saved him at the last minute...i don't think that has to mean he's special in a cosmic sort of way. i think it just means he's special to them. that he did something for them, or for someone else they had come to care for (thinking manaphy responding to may's emotions, not just to the fact that ash was drowning, or in mpm ash convincing latios to trust him because of their mutual desire to save latias, etc.), and so they want to help him. which is completely opposite to the typical chosen one narrative, i think? because he doesn't do those things out of obligation...he does them because he thinks he can become a better trainer by doing them, and he wants to do that. and well. he did do that.

anyway my tl;dr here is YES they changed the theme a lot haha, but i find it fun that they also changed the characters’ responses to that theme. funnily that’s…kind of also what fanfiction writers do all the time, lmao, but that’s a whole other conversation.

[mpc-unofficial]

Pelipper mail: Mx. Kalani.

They're barely conscious-- strange, perfectly circular bruises dot their arms, and a slightly older one blossoms in the crook of their elbow. Hair askew, rashes on their skin from the abrasion of tiny hooks on the skin of the malamar, bound hand and foot with tape and curled into a rather uncomfortable position.

But they're here.

A video is attached:

[It shows Irene in her room with Byte, typing something onto her computer. A knocking sounds from the door. Irene sighs, before getting up and opening the door.

“Yes, I’m alive.” Irene says to the person behind the door. “You know, you don’t need to keep checking in on me.”

“After what you’ve pulled yesterday? Forgive me if I’m a tad bit paranoid. Also I’ve uh… brought food, if you want some.”

“Thanks, and yea, sorry about that.” Irene allows the person in, it’s the same guy seen in the last mysterious camera video. He’s holding two packets of bread, alongside a cup of coffee. He sets the coffee down on the table, before passing Irene one of the two packets of bread.

“It’s not your fault, though I have to admit that I’ve been a bit jumpy since…”

It was then Byte made a noise of concern. A portal appears out of nowhere, a pelipper flying out and dropping Kalani on the floor before disappearing.

The two (conscious) people in the room scream.

“KALANI?! OH, OH SHIT I SHOULD GET A MEDIC—“

“BUT YOU ARE A MEDIC?!” The other guy in the room looked absolutely terrified.

“Right! Right, I’m on it!” Irene rushes over to Kalani to give them a basic check up. Byte flies over as well, a slight whirling noise could be heard as the porygon2 started up a couple of scanners.

“Was… was that pelipper mail?! It could do that?!” The guy looks over, still panicking and clearly at a loss.

“Yes, be it fortunate or not, this is the reason they’ve been missing from the center for the past couple of days.” Irene checks in on the scans, letting out a sigh of relief. “Thank god, they aren’t in any critical condition.”

“Wait a second, I thought them being missing was due to the whole shadow exploration business?”

“Oh,” Irene looked genuinely taken aback by that.

“Oh shit, I completely forgot about that part… Cover our backs if a supervisor asks?”

The other guy’s eyes widened. He was rendered speechless for a second before finally being able to force a couple of words out.

“O-of course I will! But would you mind explaining all this,” he gestures to the room. “To me later? I wouldn’t tell, I promise.”

Irene takes in a deep breath. “Sure, ok. At this point I’m pretty sure I owe you quite some for all this… bullshit.”

“Alright, cool, now uh… medical attention?” The guy asks, eyeing Kalani.

Irene nods, taking in another deep breath. “Medical attention, after I switch off the account’s pelipper mail.”

“You could have switched it off this entire time and you didn’t?!”

“Look, Kalani needed a way back, and none of us had any idea that this would happen. Heck pelipper mail even saved their life once.” Irene quickly punches in a couple of commands into the computer as Byte shapeshifts themself into a stretcher of sorts.

“I have way too many questions, but I suppose those would have to wait.” The guy was already trying to gently move Kalani onto Btye.

“Alright, done.” Irene pulls back from the computer before helping the guy move Kalani onto her pokemon.

Byte lifts off the ground as soon as they were done, floating between them.

“If anyone asks, say a shadow did it.” Irene grabs ahold of a handle her pokemon has provided her with.

“You got it.” The other nods before they move out of the room.]

The video ends there.

[depressedhatakekakashi]

Challenger’s Puzzle

Prompt: Puzzle

Au: Pokemon Au

Characters: Hatake Kakashi & Sai (yes i know i forgot to give him his name but it’s sai i promise)

Words: 1,495

@kakashiweek

3 minutes and 22 seconds. A new record.

Kakashi had never seen anyone weave their way through his gym maze and locate Chimecho in her chosen hiding spot in such a quick amount of time.

There was just one problem with it.

“Do it again,” he spoke firmly, barley looking up from his book as Jolteon lay across his legs happily napping.

“I’m sorry?”

“Do it again,” he repeated as he flipped to the next page. “And this time take out your pokemon.”

“Take out my pokemon?” Kakashi expects anger. Every trainer to date who had to be given those same instructions always yelled at him for suddenly adding a new requirement, even though there was a warning at the front of the gym stating that the challenge had to be completed with their aid of one of their pokemon. What he gets instead is Confusion.

Complete, genuine confusion.

Lowering his book he examined the kid standing in front of him. Tall, dark haired and so pale that Kakashi could swear he could disappear into snow without issue.

Not the usual hot headed trainer he found at his gym doors.

“There’s a sign at the front door,” waving his hand to the side, he watched as the kid narrowed his eyes. “Says the gym challenge is to be taken with one of your pokemon. It can be your first pokemon, or a pokemon you’ve bonded with more than any other. I don’t really care which Pokemon you choose but you need to choose one of them.”

“Why?”

Kakashi stared at the kid, weighing his next response in his kind. He could go the usual cold, aloof route but this didn’t seem like a question that was being asked out of malice or anger.

It was genuine. His challenge had somehow confused the kid and a proper explanation was required so that is what Kakashi would give him.

Snapping his book shut he set it off to the side and gave his full attention to the challenge for the first time since he’d walked through the gym doors.

“The challenge is to work with your Pokemon to find Chimecho,” hearing her name, Chimecho floated toward Kakashi and settled around his shoulders, he ribbon curling loosely around his neck. “You’re meant to let your Pokemon lead the way. To shoe you where to go and listen to anything they may try to tell you with movement or noise.”

not everyone was able to understand the assignment, but Kakashi didn’t need his challengers to get it perfect. An honest effort at teamwork was all he really wanted to see. As long as that effort was there the actual teamwork could be improved upon.

“But i-“

Kakashi held up a hand to silence the kid. “You found Chimecho,” he confirmed, a smile tugging at the edge of his lips when Chimecho rubbed herself against his cheek. “Without the aid of a Pokemon. You would have been told at the entrance that you needed to do the challenge with the aid of one of your pokemon, correct?”

“Yes.” The challenger answered without hesitation.

“Yet you chose to keep your Pokemon inside of its ball and do the challenge without it?”

“I didn’t need it help with the challenge.” there’s a confidence in his words that sets Kakashi on edge. A confidence that he has heard before, long ago when he was still a brand new trainer himself working on his gym challenge. Squinting, he could almost see Yamato standing in the kids place with wide bright eyes and a head full of terrible beliefs from his so called ‘guardian’.

Closing his book he used it to gently bonk Jolteon on the head and smiled when she glared up at him. “Sorry, I need to get up,” with a huff and a slight roll of her body, Jolteon plopped down onto the floor in front of Kakashi and splayed herself up with her belly exposed. “Ah, yes. Of course.”

Rather than getting to his feet as he had originally planned, Kakashi shoved himself up just enough so that he was sitting on the tips of his feet and placed a hand on Jolteon’s belly. “You may not have needed help,” he spoke, his eyes focusing on the challenger while he gave Jolteon her much desired belly rubs. “But the point of the challenge is to complete it with your Pokemon.”

His words were met with a blank stare. There was no argument, no anger, and not even a hint of annoyance. Just an expressionless face that stared at him as if waiting for further explanation.

“Let me guess,” he gave Jolteon one final pat on the stomach before finally standing to face his challenge. “Pokemon are a tool, not a friend?” hearing those words from someone else’s mouth was bad enough, but saying them himself made Kakashi want to wrech. They were vile, cruel words that he always hoped he’d never have to hear again but always found himself listening to at least once a year when the newest batch of Pokemon trainers found their way to his gym.

He wasn’t sure why, but his gym seemed to attract some of the worst trainers. They weren’t bad because they were weak, since it would be impossible for them to even challenge his gym is they were incapable of beating the seven other gyms ahead of him.

No, they were the worst because of their beliefs.

Pokemon were meant to be their friends. Their companions in their journey, helping them achieve their goals. Anyone who considered such lovely creatures as a ‘tool’ was scum in Kakashi’s mind.

“Fine,” he glanced down at Jolteon. “You can have a battle.”

Surprise crossed over the trainers face for a second before settling back into that same blank expression he’d worn since he first entered the battle area. “So, I don’t have to go back?”

Waving away the question, Kakashi turned his back to the kid and began making his way towards his side of the battle field. Every step he took Chimecho rang her bell, cheering him on in her own special way. “Someone like you isn’t going to learn anything if I just send you back out there and force you to take out a pokemon,” that was a lesson he’d learned the hard way. “You get three Pokemon.”

“So a Three Vs Three battle?” Kakashi couldn’t help but laugh at the question. “Is something funny.”

Stopping, he pointed down at Jolteon. “I’ll have one,” he clarified. “You will have three.”

“That… doesn’t seem like much of a challenge.”

Taking the final few steps toward his spot, Kakashi turned back towards the kid and smiled. A small, warm smile that he remembered offering to Yamato the first time they properly faced each other in battle. There had been a lot more on the line in the battle, as Yamato had decided to use the venasaur Kakashi gifted him to ‘prove’ that Pokemon were tools to be used, but it wasn’t any more important than this one.

“Every Pokemon is precious,” he explained as Jolteon took her place on the field. “A trainer who views their Pokemon as a tool can have the best strategies available to them, and they’ll still lose to a trainer who treats their Pokemon with the respect that they deserve.”

“Yet, here I stand,” the challenge argued even as he took his place and selected one of the Pokeballs noff of his belt. “I have all seven previous gym badges to prove that I have beaten every gym leader before you.” Kakashi laughed again, this time a bit brighter. It was a funny thought to him, a kid thinking that he had beaton Yamato and Gai when they were going all on a match. “What’s so funny?”

“You,” he answered, his smile only growing when the kid narrowed his eyes. “They were going easy on you.”

It was their job, after all. As Gym leaders they were meant to test new trainers, not beat them so badly that they never wanted to battle again. It was the one thing that everyone could agree made Kakashi a bad gym leader.

He had the skills of a gym leader and the patience required to teach new trainers who wanted to learn from him, but unlike the others Kakahsi didn’t hold back. He didn’t go all out, but he often didn’t need to. A new trainer with less than five years of experience was unlikely to present him with any real difficulties in battle.

Thankfully there were actually more than Eight gyms in the region, because otherwise the yearly league would be rather boring because of Kakashi’s refusal to go easy on new trainers.

“One vs three,” he repeated, holding up each of his hands with the respective number of fingers extended for emphasis. “You think you can handle that?”

“Easily,” his challenger confirmed before throwing his Pokeball out. “Smeargle, I choose you!”