#WHO am I supposed to ramble about Pokémon to!!!!

[southislandwren]

Omg when someone talks about video games with you on Yik yak ❤️

[weaselandfriends]

Don't suppose you've seen Gen Urobuchi's recent movie on Netflix, Bubble? It has a lot of Madoka Magica DNA, because of course it does—but it's surprisingly bloodless for one of his stories. For that reason, I can't imagine you'd like it, but it occurred to me that its premise, with boys surviving out in the world while playing a competitive sport, had very similar vibes to some of the themes you've discussed regarding your upcoming Pokémon fic!

I have not seen Bubble. I'm honestly awful at watching new stuff as it comes out, though like everyone else I am currently watching Frieren (and I saw Oshi no Ko last season).

As far as Urobuchi goes, I've honestly not been too impressed by the rest of his oeuvre. What I've seen includes:

Fate/Zero: Falls off hard in the second half, though the reason for this might have more to do with being a prequel than any particular decisions Urobuchi himself made

Phantom Requiem for the Phantom: Ignore the awesome name, this is so boring, also has a terrible Dice Guy villain (I'll explain what this means); however, the ending (like the last five minutes) is strong

Psycho-Pass: Another outrageous Dice Guy villain, slow start, though it picks up near the end

Saya no Uta: I actually like this, it's good

Now what is a Dice Guy? This is a term I coined when watching the extremely bad anime Akuma no Riddle. In this anime, there is a character who barely ever interacts with the plot, but rather stays in the background, sitting in a shadowy room, from which he ostensibly exerts some puppetmaster-style control over the events unfolding. The show frequently cuts to this character as he monologues to himself about deep-sounding philosophical topics such as the nature of fate and chance, topics he emphasizes by a fixation with a pair of dice he constantly rolls. For instance, at once point he might say something like "Fate is... a roll of the dice," and then roll his dice. (I parodied this specific guy in Cockatiel x Chameleon via the company boss Harper meets near the end of the story.)

Though it's not always dice specifically that the Dice Guy plays with as he rambles about intellectual-sounding topics in the most surface-level ways imaginable, the core conceit is similar, and Urobuchi loves this type of guy to no end. Psycho-Pass's villain, for instance, is constantly monologuing about and quoting literature; Phantom Requiem for the Phantom's villain has a similar fixation with theater, likening the events of the story to performances in a play.

I hate these guys. They're insufferable. And they plague Urobuchi's work. Kyubey would probably have wound up a dice guy if the necessities of Madoka's plot structure didn't leave him only ambiguously villainous for most of the story. He does, after all, fill the role of a shadowy puppetmaster. I'm imagining a world where Kyubey's speech likening magical girls to cattle isn't a one-off moment but the core defining motif of his character, and I shiver.

While a lot of fans in the space attribute Madoka entirely to Urobuchi, I like to point out that Madoka also had an auteur director at the helm with his own distinct creative vision: Akiyuki Shinbo, the mastermind behind everything produced by Studio Shaft. I think Shinbo and Urobuchi both limited some of the other's more indulgent practices, and it is specifically in their collaboration that something as uniquely special as Madoka Magica could come about.

Anyway, I apologize for going on this diatribe/rant, but I feel bad answering a question sent to me with a simple "No," so I gave you this instead. Enjoy?

[sprinklenoodles]

Read the first chapter, have some thoughts! Some simple ones before I go on a specific tangent and all!

As for my tangent, while reading the first chapter of A Heir's Journey but the more I think of it, Kijo kinda reminds me of Lusamine in an odd way. Not specifically here but I shall elaborate of course!!! The game version of Lusamine is absolutely awful but in the anime, she's much more doting, a bit clingy, but she means well despite her flaws. I'd mention Ultra Sun and Moon Lusamine as well since she's also a variant of her character but also like, I didn't play those so I only know so much about how different she is to her other game counterpart. I know she's kinda an awkward middle ground though due to the changes in who the main antagonist is in those games. But, where Kijo comes along in this is, like Lusamine, there are differing variants of him in your fics which I already mentioned the slight variants of characters being cool and interesting and being a sorta mini analysis of the character by showing different facets of their personalities depending on what au they're in. And like, it doesn't help that I am reading The Pokemon AU fic now and got reminded of Lusamine oddly enough. Like, in this fic, I can already feel the lot nicer side of Kijo showing as apposed to other fics that show his calculative side, his more authority-driven side, even his love life and more controlling side of him. And damn it, I will never not find this cool!!! It shows the multifaceted nature of Kijo and how, in some instances, he could even be shown as a good father.

Like, damn it! I don't even know if this will last in this fic or not cus I dunno all the twists and turns QUITE yet, but damn it. Kijo's just lowkey wholesome here. Like, it was actually sweet reading Byakuya saying that he loved his father, even if it was just to get the damn man off his back so he can be cool and do Pokémon trainer shit! I am definitely interested in Kijo in the near future while slowly reading this fic, how the plot progresses, if I'm proven wrong on some things. Silly stuff like that! I really gotta psyche myself up into drawing him more so I can finally get a definitive design and draw him being both a menace to society, a charming gentleman, and of course goofier doodles cus I will never not shitpost! It's too fun heehehe!! Hope this little ramble made sense and I also will be continuing to read this fic of course!! Hell, even if I say I'm not as big into Pokémon anymore, I got too invested as a kid so I'll at least be somewhat of a sucker for it, even if I'm not playing the games or watching the anime anymore!

AAHHH!! I'm really honoured you're taking so much time to think about my silly fics!!

And I suppose that Kijo is kinda like Lusamine. This Kijo would really just be like animated Lusamine tho!

But glad you like this so much. Kijo and Byakuya do just really have a good relationship here... because I could. Byakuya deserves it!

Also happy I managed to convert you!!! The Byakuya &Chihiro friendship is the best, though there are not there yet here. They gotta develop some first! Same goes for Byakuya and the other person in his group!

And it's not like you need to be a huge fan of pokemon to enjoy it, as long as you know it. Like, it helps to know how moves, evelution and that stuff works because I... can't really explain it a lot without it being weird- the characters know this stuff already after all.

But really happy you enjoy reading it :D

[megandcomics]

Tears of the Kingdom vs Breath of the Wild Story Thoughts Ramble

There will be lots of Story Spoilers!!!

So I beat the main story of Tears of the Kingdom last week and I’ve been thinking about the emotional impact of BoTW and Totk and the stories they are trying to tell. In most regards Tears of the Kingdom is a superior game in gameplay aspects, the world having the land, sky, and chasms, there’s just a ton to do. There’s a feeling of hope and teamwork, the world is more established. I love the game with all my heart, as I love breath of the wild, but I just felt a little more attached to the BoTW story and I wanted to just go over why.

Tears of the Kingdom story is essentially, Ganondorf is revived, Zelda vanishes (to the past) and Link lost his arm. His arm is replaced by original king of Hyrule, Rauru. Once you get off the sky island you go to talk to Purah and find out about regional phenomenons and sightings of Princess Zelda. You are tasked with investigating those regions to get info on what happened to her and also helping the local groups of hyrule.

How I played the game was similar to how I played Breath of the Wild. I go after towers and wanted to check in on some places just to get a lay of the land. So as I’m getting towers I get the dragon tears quest, and a lot of the geoglyphs are near towers. So I did those and memories pretty simultaneously. I also went to Rito Village, Zora’s Domain, and Gerudo Town. I like to know lore so going after the memories was something I always did early. (I actually forgot about Goron City for a minute too, I went there last because I forgot)

ToTK Memories

So the memories explore Zelda’s time in the past, her encounters with Rauru, Sonia, and Ganondorf, the assembling of sages, the Imprisoning War and Zelda’s draconification. I don’t know if getting the memories first made the rest of the story fall more flat to me but that’s really what I want to discuss.

So now that I’ve activated the quests and know what happened to Zelda, the regional phenomenon quests felt kind of silly. Like the dungeons were awesome, I loved having the sages as companions, helping them get out of their environmental situations, but the aspect of the quest where you were supposed to be “investigating” what happened to Zelda just felt repetitive. I kept going, obviously this isn’t Zelda, Zelda is that dragon up there.

I also felt disappointed the ancient sages had like no story and no personality. Each cutscene where your companions met with their ancient ancestor followed the same script. I was a rito/Goron/Zora/Gerudo sage who fought in the imprisoning war. Followed by a generic cutscene of them standing looking defeated while ganondorf is looking at them menacingly. The amount of times they said “let me tell you about the imprisoning war” “so that was the imprisoning war” “he wanted my secret stone” started sounding like the scene in Pokémon where they go “just wait till I use my secret weapon, hydreigon. So that’s his secret weapon. No wonder your Hydreigon is your secret weapon” scene.

Then after the imprisoning war scene you see Zelda saying hey I need you to support this guy named Link in the future he’s going to beat up Ganondorf. And you get that essentially 4 times. So not only am I not attached to the past sages, the cutscene is repetitive (because the game doesn’t know what order you’ll do things in).

The 5th sage quest does improve on this exponentially but it’s because we know who Mineru is (if you got the memories) and even then her take on the imprisoning war is more personal and you get to see Rauru’s sacrifice. That’s what I felt was missing from the other 4.

I also did the Lucky Clover Gazette side adventure where you are investigating Zelda sightings and proving the leads aren’t actually Zelda. Again, the story heavily relies on the idea that you don’t know what happened to zelda.

When you go after Zelda in hyrule castle I didn’t feel as desperate as I think I was intended to feel. It was a great experience chasing her around and the fight with phantom ganon is fun. I do understand the whole point of Link going after these leads and the lucky clover stuff is because any mention, any possibility of finding Zelda is what matters most to him. I think that notion is beautiful but I still felt generally disconnected from it since I did the memories.

Should I have waited to do the memories? In breath of the wild it just helps you get an understanding of what happened 100 years ago, but TOTK memories actually tell you where Zelda is and what she is doing. Yet Find Zelda is one of the main quests.

Once you do everything necessary to get the master sword and decide to confront Ganondorf it’s a lot better though, I think the story has a great payoff where you lose zelda to start and you are able to save her the way you lost her the first time. Fighting Ganondorf was rewarding, and it was tricky. I think that the boss fights overall were on a whole other tier than BoTW. The dragon battle was epic, the Light Dragon assisting even without her sense of self while wielding the sword she gave everything up for. Then Link falling and catching Zelda had me cheering. I think the best way to describe the story overall is that the ending feels earned.

So why did I personally feel less connected?

I think Breath of the Wild thematically is more coherent. The concept of waking up in a different time with no memories, the strange quiet and loneliness of the world. Something about it is so melancholic. I know breath of the wild gets a lot of “there’s no story” comments but I feel the story is in the landscape. I went after a lot of towers in my first play through and some memories first. I didn’t get memories in order. But what I loved about the memories were the fact they were MINE, they were Link’s. There is such a tragedy in the story that really does pull my heart strings. You learn of all these people, the champions, Hyrule’s effort, Zelda’s distress, and how despite everything they did, they didn’t win.

The shrines and towers were in the world because they were unearthed in an effort to stop Ganon. Every Divine Beast was heartbreaking because you experience first hand what happened to the champions and how they died (plus the SOS signals and the dungeon themes were filled with desperation) They are trapped in the beast that killed them. I wanted to set them free. I felt so bonded to the champions, their stories, the way their people spoke of them, the memories of their relationship with us and with Zelda, and how they fell one by one, sacrificing it all to save Hyrule. Knowing I had also fallen but was lucky to still be alive.

I think in that respect Zelda herself had a story most could feel attached to. She has so much on her shoulders, her Dad puts a lot of pressure on her, she feels not good enough. Her interests and person are sidelined for the good of Hyrule. Watching her break down and blame herself every step of the way was hard to see. I’ve felt that way, even without the weight of the world on my shoulders. And unlocking her powers too late, it was already over. But the fact she went in to hold back Ganon and sacrificed herself showed her sense of duty to her kingdom.

I felt like that was something to fight for. For your fallen friends, for that princess who gave up her life to a cause that she was powerless to stop, the guilt on her shoulders. All of that in the backdrop of this quiet world.

I think also having so much bonus content with the champion’s ballad and even Age of Calamity made me so attached to that struggle they shared. The knowing of a timeline where they all survive, juxtaposed by going back to play breath of the wild to know that it wasn’t real. But you still feel for the characters deeply. You think about what could’ve been.

That sadness and tragedy is not as present in tears of the kingdom. Yes Zelda is gone, there are gloom holes all over. But the threat doesn’t seem immediate. Ganondorf stays in his hole in the ground until you come to him. I understand through his phantom form/phantom zelda he was impacting the world but again everyone seems to be alive, just struggling. There aren’t guardians running around to make you feel like the battle isn’t over and the Divine Beasts causing havoc. There was nothing like the feeling of climbing hyrule castle for the first time, being full of guardians and monsters and still finding more memories from zelda and rhoam’s diaries.

Yes Tears of the Kingdom is a superior game, it’s a blast and I still cried my eyes out during the story because I’m a sucker. I know Zelda isn’t really known for having strong stories, it’s more about discovery and dungeons. But the story is still something I deeply value and especially in the music with the use of leitmotifs you can feel everything. At least I do. The thousands of years of in game history and the concept of reincarnation and fate are so strong. I could talk about it all day and my love in general for The Legend of Zelda.

I do wonder if part of breath of the wild’s impact on me was that I started playing in December 2019, and then 2020 hit and I played it constantly during quarantine. That lonely world reflected what I felt during that time.

I guess my overall point in this post was me wondering if anyone else felt disconnected especially with the nameless ancient sages when before we had unique champions who were decently fleshed out with individual experiences and relationships. I’d love to hear thoughts on all of this. This was a ramble so hopefully it’s semi-coherent.

These thoughts are also based on my first impression and first play through. I’ve had years to sit with my breath of the wild feelings so my overall feel of the game may also change with time.

PS. I think I spend too much time in game flying around with the light dragon cause I miss Zelda

[hervygervy]

what other thing do you like besides Kid Icarus and Grim Adventures?

Sure, I'll bite. I'll take any excuse I can get to talk about things I like. Obviously I like a lot of other media franchises, but I opted to put those two in particular in my bio just to let other people know what I'm definitely going to be posting about the most. They're my favorites and all that. My warning to others of my chronic media obsessions. Otherwise I like a lot of Nintendo stuff: Pokémon, the Legend of Zelda, Animal Crossing, Earthbound, etc. Whenever people ask me this kind of question I'll always tell them I like Xenoblade Chronicles, but I've only played the latest two games and I only like 3. But hey, I look cool if I say that. In terms of other publishers, I like some Capcom and Namco games like Ōkami and Katamari Damacy. I also enjoyed my time with games like Elden Ring and Hollow Knight. Oh, I really like the Parappa games too. So mostly I'm a gamer, I suppose. My favorite genre is the monster collecting RPG. I love turn based combat, and I like creating whacky teams of equally whacky monsters. On the cartoon side of things, I've been trying to watch more of them. I watched a lot of cartoons on TV as a kid but somehow I missed out on what people consider the golden age. I used to think it was just because I was young but I've talked to people a couple years younger than I am and they somehow caught the golden age shows on TV. I stopped watching cable TV when I was 11 or 12 or so and went through a brief anime phase as a teen. Most of the shows I opted to watch weren't all that good so I kinda just stopped watching anime consistently after a year or two. But I can name a few shows I like, even through all the mediocrity. Beastars and Made in Abyss are excellent, and I remember Asobi Asobase and Aho Girl being funny but I'm not a teen anymore so who knows, maybe if I revisited them I might find them cringe. I had another brief anime phase during my first year of college, if you can call it that: I was really just trying to crunch through a lot of anime based on video games. Did you know Parappa the Rapper got an anime adaptation? It's pretty interesting. As for books... I don't really like reading. I read As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner for one class not too long ago. I liked that one I suppose. It's an awfully difficult read though and I can only really say I liked it because I had the professor explain the whole plot to me in detail. Alright... I think I rambled enough now.

[notcolleen]

tw for very rambling suicidal ideation behind this, i promise i am safe 👌 (but blunt talk about death and rambles abt cats and mentions of pokémon 👌)

[[MORE]]

but i have not been this actively suicidal for extended amount of time probably ever, yet i say that knowing that i will stay alive indefinitely……..just really really really sad all the time 😌 (so please know that too and allow me to write this out lol)

it’s just a very overwhelming sense of staying alive out of obligation and that’s not exactly what dbt would call a Life Worth Living

but i am obligated to my cat first and foremost (as ridiculous as that might sound to some but i know others will understand lol) and to my family as well, and the guilt of leaving them overwhelms me even though i know logically i wouldn’t be alive to feel it….like i look at phoebe (the cat in question for those who don’t know) and i see a wonderful animal who didn’t sign up to be taken in by a severely depressed human — she deserves unconditional care and love and that is what i agreed to when i adopted her so that is why i am obligated to stay alive as long as she is alive

plus on a more practical level, when my ideation gets to the point of “okay let’s try to find an equally loving home for her ! maybe even someone who has more space and more time and more emotional bandwidth !” im like wow that would be pretty obvious to anyone that knows you that something is wrong lmao and also i get so sad at the thought of not having her in my life……..which contradicts the “i actually want to be dead” ideation and brings on my next unwavering reason to stay around……which is my extreme fear of death and the unknown

like…….that’s terrifying and idk how it’s just basically accepted that we as humans exist and then stop existing? and that’s it? like a hs classmate of mine just passed away less than a week ago and i can’t stop thinking about it, i selfishly can’t stop thinking how unfair it is that i am sitting here, literally abusing my body every minute of the day and not taking care of any part of my self and yet my health is essentially perfect?? yet she was genuinely one of the nicest ppl in this horrible town and breast cancer took her life and if that doesn’t prove that this life has no logic at all idk what does

and it’s terrifying bc i can’t comprehend what happens after bc in my mind there just can’t logically be any after but there also can’t logically be nothing so it’s just….overwhelming blankness

so now i wake up every day and i cry on my walk to work because i have the same compulsive thoughts about dying at the same spots on the same walk bc my brain is dumb and repeats everything

but also keep thinking about how that would affect the kids i work with, who tell me they love me every day and hug me even though they’re not supposed to and tell me i’m they’re favorite teacher when they’re not supposed to but it’s really only because i’m the only one that knows pokémon enough to print out the coloring sheets they want so it’s conditional love but i don’t even care bc it’s real to them and to me

but then i cry more bc i love them too but i still want to die and they would move on quickly but it would still be something in their life that they certainly dont deserve and wouldn’t understand

so i go to work and i pretend to be a good, caring person and it’s exhausting bc i am not, so i get home and it’s like a switch is flipped and i am an entirely different person with no moral compass and no desire to connect with anyone or be around anyone or do anything…..like at this point i have alienated everyone in my life and can’t see myself getting to a place where i can build connections again, my only social interactions rn are work and i get frustrated that i have to make the same small talk with my coworkers every day, i get frustrated that i have to partake in social niceties or that im expected to go to holiday parties and have lunches with these people who don’t actually know me and i don’t actually know them??

i did have thanksgiving with my family tonight and i know i have so much love for them, and i felt safe there for that time……but there was still this underlying emptiness to everything and even conversations with them, the people i am closest with and really the only ones i talk to anymore, felt surface level in a way that frustrates me and i can’t articulate it accurately but it’s exhausting and i am tired

and i was getting more anxious as i was getting ready to leave my parents bc the time alone after being with family is the hardest for me and my dad turned to my sister…..who had just had another fight with her husband….and said “just so you know, you can stay here tonight, you’re always welcome to stay here” and i started crying on my way home because that’s what i needed to hear tonight but he wouldn’t know that bc i can’t vocalize my emotions like a functional adult and go out of my way to make it seem like i’m doing better than i am so that my mom doesn’t worry

i know i need more help in terms of my mental health (also not in denial abt how bad my eating disorder is rn but that’s another issue that i’m not going to write another novel about rn) but idk what that looks like in my life rn and it’s hard when my depression is this bad because i keep coming back to “yeah i need more help but also it’s all pointless anymore lol” so i just go through my days completed detached and telling myself that any way i can cope is okay bc instagram told me 💖✨if all u did was survive today that is okay✨💖 but really it’s just me enabling apathy and destructive behaviors and moving targets of “i’ll do better once xyz”

idk how to end this post other than to say again that i am safe, just obviously not in a good place mentally but very much able to keep myself alive (i’ve been jaded by too many “instagram cares” messages after posting lol) (i know this is tumblr) (still jaded)

[pinkhairandpokemon]

Introductions!!!

Auberi and Hop wanted to be included on the blog so now they’ll be posting here too! Also from now on we’re gonna sign off posts with our names so it doesn’t get confusing about who’s posting.

-Blake

(^Like that!)

———

Hello hello! Name’s Hop Laventon, 19 years old, professor in training, Zamazenta’s trainer, and assistant to Prof. Sonia from Galar! Normally I help with Sonia’s Dynamax research, but currently I’m in the Paldea region with friends, gathering data on the Terastal phenomenon! I’m also pretty well versed in Pokémon battling, if I do say so myself- I learned a lot not only from participating in the Galar Gym Challenge, but also from watching my older brother’s league matches growing up! Actually, I’m considering battles as the field of research I go into when I officially become a professor. I want to study how strategy, advantages and disadvantages, and the bond between trainers and Pokémon play into them, and how to help make them an overall safer and more fun experience for both the people and Pokémon involved. I’ve learned and seen firsthand how stressful the competitive scene can be on both parties, not just in Galar but in many other places, too, and I hope on day my research will help make a change to that!

If you ever need advice on Pokémon training or strategy, I’m your guy! Or if you’re looking for a battle, me ‘n my team are always up for it!

-Hop

———

Bonjour, I suppose- I’m Auberi. Auberi Bellerose, 20 years old. S-sorry, I’m kind of awkward with introductions. Reigning champion of Kalos, or- well, sort of. I was…unavailable for a period of time, so Diantha was handed back the title while I was away. Cause well, uh- it wasn’t clear whether or not I’d… ever… be back. Long story. But I am back now, I’m just on a vacation with my friends for the time being. I’ll probably go back to reclaim my title once this trip is over. Anyways, I’m a champion but I also like a bunch of other non-battling related hobbies, like cooking, baking, gardening, guitar, singing, to name a few. I kind of do music on the sideline, like how Diantha does with acting. A lot of people refer to me as a rising star musician, but I actually haven’t written any songs yet. My life is sort of on pause right now, if that makes sense...? I haven’t been able to see any my friends for a long time so right now I’m focused on catching up with them and enjoying something… mundane, for once.

So, uh, I guess that’s all you have to know about me. Apologies if I rambled a little.

-Auberi

———

OOC: Hop and Auberi are available for questions and interactions now! :D

[flustersluts]

i was able to get platinum back in the day used so i'm very thankful to my dad for that one at gamestop. and honestly, i feel you with the tutorial. the only way i got through that was buttonmashing and the general goofiness of the situation. oh, we just found a child out by sea? well if they can't provide for themself or this village, they will have to become a member of team galactic or else, we'll throw them out into the wild to survive with aggressive Pokémon (: legends arceus does have some mechanics that takes getting used to but the game doesn't have to hold my hand every step of the way there. i might go out on a limb and say that these newer pokemon games, even the nonmainline ones, feel really targeted towards kids and ushering in a new generation to liking pokemon hence the over excessive tutorials and easy gameplay in the past few generations. but that's just me. also to clarify, i don't play mariokart seriously- just played it with my siblings and friends in the past so take that to measure my skill level as you will. honestly, i bet it'd be a tossup between the either of us so there is a possibility either of us will win. but you not playing fairly as you put it might even the playing field out a little.... so let's just say 55/45 change? i'll let you choose who has the higher chance if you want (: (also lmk if my asks are too long, i am very chatty/wordy over text lol) -🦚

"ALSO before i forget and you have adequate time to respond, would you recommend Celeste or what do you like about it? I've looked into that game for a while now but always found myself a little intimidated by the platforming as it's supposed to be really hard and i've done okay with platformers in the past. tho honestly i just want to hear you ramble about it as well...hearing people ramble about things they enjoy is so wonderful. instead of spreading hate, spread love and goodwill, yknow? -🦚"

SDHJKFHKJSD yea the premise of arceus is very Very funny:')))

i would defo recommend celeste!!! i was just saying this to one of my friends on discord hehe like while i have many games that i ADORE that i think are not for everyone and would rarely recommend (e.g. getting over it) celeste is genuinely very very accessible, holds ur hand and introduces new tech and concepts to you in a way that's intuirive and easy to grasp, and idk it eases u in basically! like yes it gets hard but only after you've had a long time familiarising yourself with the movement etc.:))

[flamingeaux]

Pokemon SCVI Lengthy Ramble

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet have been released for a while and I wanted to share some rambling thoughts

These are just personal thoughts and stuff, and if I got something wrong, let me know

Also I haven’t seen anyone else mention these, so I might be the only one who feels like this lol

Also haven't managed to get the game yet, but from what I’ve seen through screenshots, clips, and play throughs, it feels so phoned it. Forget about the bugs and glitches, it's Theming is supposed to be based on Spain, but I hardly get that impression at all. 

Maybe I’m the only one feeling that the theming is lacking I haven’t seen anyone else mention it. Now I’m not from Spain, nor have I had the chance to visit, but I love learning about other cultures. Personally I just don’t get the vibe that it’s supposed to be Spain. They did such a good job with the Alola region. The Galar region being based on Britain (also I’m not from there, nor have I visited) but I at least got an English vibe from it. 

But here are a few references I have caught on to- 

The Academy being based on the Sagrada de Familia in Barcelona:

The Academy courtyard also looks inspired by Park Guell (pictured later)

And then the starters: 

Meowscarada likely being based on the "Vijanera Festival," as a Trapaion. I think it’s name is also a play on the word,” Masquerade.” I’ve also seen people compare it to a magician, but personally I don’t see it. Maybe more of a court jester, but I could be not understanding a reference.  

Skeledirge likely being based on the mosaic lizard in Park Güell, in Barcelona. Could also possibly have some Opera influence due to its move, “Torch Song.” Or maybe it’s just in reference to Latin singers and songwriters in general.

Quaquaval likely being based on traditional Spanish dancers and the dances themselves. Those I’m not too familiar with so my best guesses would be Flamenco, Salsa, or Fandango. It’s big tail design also feels very much like a peacock, but that feels strange since the Peafowl bird is native to India. 

I’m most likely missing a lot of name references too

Other Paldean Pokémon:

I love the Smoliv line, I know Olives are a huge part of the food culture

Bramblin- I want to hate this line, but at the same time it’s so comical and genius. Just a possessed tumbleweed

The Maschiff line is based on the Spanish Mastiff which was both a guardian and herding dog 

There’s likely more Pokémon that are based on customs and maybe even folklore, but I couldn’t find it, or I’m just unaware. 

I like that they Included Tauros, since Spain is known for its Matadors (bullfighters), and the summer festival, “Running of the Bulls.”

However, I am aware of the controversies of these cruel practices and I get why Game Freak wouldn’t want to include them. 

If you’re not aware, both of these practices involves the death of the bulls at the end. 

But if they weren’t going to make a kid friendly version of those events, then why include Tauros at all, or even give it a region form. 

Again, maybe I’m not understanding something.

-

For the past few years they’ve been implementing and pushing new food mechanics: Pokepuffs, Pokebeans, Curry, and now the Sandwhiches.

But I don’t understand the Sandwhich aspect at all, why not go for a traditional Spanish dish? But then again I can also see that like with the curry it’s easier to make variations of one food, rather than explore completely different dishes. But if that’s the case, why got go with soups or stews instead??

Considering how sports (Futbol) is just as popular in Spain as it is England, I’m surprised we don’t see too much of that. Yes there’s the gyms and you have the rival Nemona to be your competitor, but it doesn’t feel quite there. 

In Galar of course the pokemon challenge took the role of these sports, and I can see that it would feel repetitive if they did it again. But it feels like they just missed the mark.

-

Other miscellaneous things I feel could have brought some neat inspiration:

Picasso’s birth country is Spain

Spain is the setting of the comedic story of “Don Quixote”

I kinda wish there was more Spanish based music: like the inclusion of guitar or castanets

13 is the unlucky number certain flowers are seen as bad luck too 

Giving a gift is common place when invited to a home for dinner 

This is all I can think of off the top of my head, again I’m not a Spanish Local so I obviously don’t have a professional first hand view on the country history and culture, but I feel like there’s was just so much missing, and more that could be done, and just so much wasted potential.

If any of my notes need correcting don’t be afraid to chime in and let me know, or feel free to give your two cents on anything I mentioned. 

[darkx-the-dragon-kn1ght]

Chapter 7- Part 5

A lynchpin…you know, a part of me was still wondering why Team Meteor targeted the train station, of all things. If it’s that important to the city, then I suppose that checks out.

That’s…a very good question, Corey. Team Meteor called themselves “shepherds,” didn’t they? Claimed they’re actually protecting the region somehow- whatever Ace and Redeye meant by that, that’s probably the aforementioned “justification.” Of course, it doesn’t truly justify something like this or anything else they’re planning- anyone with real sense can see that. 

And I suppose that’s why Xera’s willing to fight them- to make sure they don’t cause another tragedy like what happened at Grandview Station, no matter how they try to justify it. In fact- I’m gonna say that’s the reason Xera decided to help get Corey’s medical stuff back. Not to help the doctor specifically or even to battle yet another street crook, but for the sake of a fellow victim of the train accident…even if I don’t think she’d admit that out loud. Slowly but surely, she’s starting to care!

Am I putting in way too much effort to give unique characterization to this game’s player avatar who, in-game, is still named after me (even though I wish I could go back and change that in retrospect but there’s nothing I can do about it now, I think)? Maybe, but I like OC-building stuff so I don’t particularly care or mind.

Anyways, apologies for the ramble, let’s back to the game.

Oh my gosh, finally someone else besides Ame and Victoria acknowledges Xera’s circumstances (and trauma)!

I mean, I believe that, given we’re still only on the first Gym out of eighteen and Team Meteor’s already doing intense stuff like this.

That’s…actually perfect for what I’m doing right now! I’m liking this guy more and more, despite his evil-looking hair!

And with Corey fading into the ether, it’s time to keep doing what we originally came here to do!

One grinding session later…

I can’t believe the first Pokémon we’ve evolved in this game is one that is meant to be traded away, but I’m still excited!

I’m sorry, what the heck is this evolution music? It sounds…I can’t even describe this music, it’s like���low-key? Eccentric or just…weird? I can say one thing, this was not the music I was expecting for evolution.

Also, Bibarel’s PokéDex entry for anyone curious!

So with Twig now a big strong beaver, we can go back to that one guy and receive whatever pink Pokémon he was alluding to before!

Ooooh, a Munna! Interesting! Always good to have a Psychic-type!

Shimmer, huh? Well, at least this guy gave it a good name.

It sure is, pal!

And some more PokéDex stuff because why not-

Anyways, Shimmer goes in the PC for now so we can get Streak back. Onto the next thing!

Previous

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[bluekat12345]

Pokémon Presents: Pokémon Scarlet and Violet thoughts

I saw this latest Pokémon Presents and I will focus only on the topic of Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, so sorry, I won't be talking about the other things the video mentioned. Warning: This will be a lot of rambling about my thoughts and opinions on the trailer and the game. And this might contain spoilers for those who haven't seen the video so DON'T READ if you don't want to be spoiled.

First of all, I feel that Pokémon Scarlet and Violet has been the most frustrating when it comes to getting information about it since I feel there is a gap of months between trailers and info videos.

When I heard this was supposedly going to be an open world RPG, I was skeptical, and honestly, I still kind of am. But I admit the latest Pokémon Presents has convinced me more. I heard there were going to be three different storylines, including the usual becoming champion storyline, which piqued my interest, and I can't wait to hear about the other storylines a player can do.

I actually liked the part at the beginning, that apparently, you attend a Pokémon Academy and are doing an independent study, which I think it a pretty cool idea. I've always wondered about the schools in Pokémon and finally, we get to be actual students.

As for the legendary Pokémon in the games, I'm actually rather conflicted. They look cool and the concept of getting to use them like motorcycles and mini planes to explore the region is awesome, but the way the commercial made it look, it made it seem with encounter and obtain them rather easily and early in the game, a bit to easily and early for my tastes, I'm kinda hoping something to the previous games. I guess I'll wait and see if there's more to that story.

Also, the character designs are cool and the pokemon look great, and I can't wait to see if there are more regional variants, like that cuter Wooper. I also hope we'll see evolutions of these pokemon soon. And I like the region name.

Finally, I loved the new feature of pokemon getting those cool crystal-like forms, it reminds me of mega-evolution. I thought they were so pretty!

Overall, I'm getting pretty excited for these games and can't wait to see more about them. Still not sure which version I prefer, but I suppose I'll need more info before making a decision.

[byakuyasdarling]

Ah yes, Pokémon rivals; my favourite topic

Warning: this list is massively biased. I (kinda jokingly) rag on every ‘Awful’ tier rival, so if you don’t want to here that, feel free to skip that explanation. I am pretty harsh with Marnie, I know a lot of people like her, so if you do like her PLEASE don’t read her section because I do not want to upset anyone. 

Also, I do ramble a bit how I like SWSH but they are my personal least favourite games (which is a hot take, I know), so if that would upset you please skip. Take care of yourselves <33

I created the politically correct ranking of Pokémon rivals (/j)

Anyway, epic explanation under the cut:

*if N was on this list he would fall under “Amazing”. Breath-taking story, breath-taking development, great theme songs, awesome character, fantastic team.

Why Blue is in S rank (very long explanation compared to the rest)

You cannot tell me Blue (or Green, or Gary, whatever you want to call the main Kanto rival) isn’t THE BEST RIVAL EVER. They got it SO RIGHT. He inspires hatred, AND sympathy. Literally, his grandad, the only living relative aside from his sister we even know about, loves you (the player) more than him and it’s kind of sad. 

Blue is great, he has a crappy pronunciation of ‘Bonjour’ (see Pokémon Masters), he says ‘smell ya later!’ he has class, swag, and is by no doubt the most challenging rival character. He is the only rival I never swept on a normal run. He is always demeaning you; he is always one step ahead all the way up until the champion battle where you finally beat him. AND HIS CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT OMG.

He still is arrogant and prideful, but respects people and wants to guide people to be better at Pokémon battling and thrives when he sees others succeeding - he doesn’t mind being ‘a former champion’. HECK HE’S SO COOL AND AMAZING. 

Also he has the best champion theme and encounter theme ever. Yes, he was a previous F/O so I am super biased; but so were 3 others on this list. 

Silver and Gladion

These two were my F/Os when I was much younger (around 12). They are great rivals with great development and story arcs. Plus, they have bopper encounter themes and battle themes. Gladion was my real introduction to the oc x canon community and inspired me to take drawing on as a hobby (as well as Lillie but I did not end up drawing her as much). 

Brendan, Cheren, Hugh, and Barry

When I was 10 playing Omega Ruby, I liked Brendan a lot (so... another past F/O... he’s the final one though). I dunno, he genuinely had a good friendship with that extra spice of rivalry with our character, May. I do not like friendly rivals (if my listing wasn’t obvious), but Brendan did it right. There was a lot of touching scenes with him and May *cough*cough* Delta Chapter *cough*cough* which really made me connect with him when I was 10. Now, Brendan and May are interchangeable depending on which one of them you pick to play as, so why have I ranked Bredan far above May? Better encounter and battle theme (yes, they have different instrumentation) and he gets the childhood crush pass.

Cheren is cool, I just really like his character and his attempts to create a good strategy. He is really dedicated to what he loves and becomes a gym leader (like BLUE DID. Blue has it all, really). Plus, glasses are cute :) (he is the same age as me, I can legally say that even though that was an obvious nod to Byakuya but you never know what people will take out of context). 

Hugh is cool becomes he somewhat feels like an asshole rival, but at the same time, has a really soft side. Like, his whole motivation to be a good trainer is to save his sister’s Purrloin that was stolen by Team Plasma. He is a hero y’all. Also GREAT encounter and battle theme; huge thumbs up. 

Barry! My man! Overall, cool rival with a great team. He is the second hardest rival to me (but Blue is harder than him by a landslide still). He is really funny in both the games and the anime and despite being a bit more friendly, he still sparks a lot of rivalry with you. Plus, his dad is battle frontier brain Palmer! How awesome! He was also my first rival, so that’s something special to me too. 

Average Tier

I like Hau as a character, he feels like a genuine friend and how he develops with the main character and Lillie is really wholesome. It’s just - I dislike him as a rival, a lot. Easy fights, not the best encounter theme... just kind of there. I get why people consider Gladion as ‘the true rival’ of S and M because he really is. Hau is also a rival that chooses the starter WEAK to your starter like the gen 6 rivals (who I hate with my entire being). 

Wally had a bad-ass final battle theme song and moment. That’s literally the only reason he makes the average tier. If this was a ranking disregarding ORAS he is easily down in the ‘Awful’ tier. 

I like Pokémon Sword and Shield... except I just don’t like them as much as every other game (yes. I did play Pokémon Yellow and enjoyed it more, thank you). I know you all HATE that, but that is just my opinion - I think I have earned the right to say that after my almost 12 years of playing these games and being a VGC player for a few years. It has good characters and some cool Pokémon and yeah... gameplay? Lacklustre. I really do not know what went wrong outside of story. Somehow the competitive battle scene is not the fun it used to be. Dynamax bugs me, the lack of megas bugs me, the dex cut REALLY bugs me. I know I am not the only one who thought this game lacked the charm other Pokemon games have. Graphically though, it’s very nice for the most part.

I have gone way off-topic, but anyway, yeah. SWSH rivals make average because I like their characters (especially Hop’s development). Outside of that, not the best rivals.

May is cool for a lot of the reasons I discussed with Brendan.

Lacking Tier

I like Bianca’s whole deal with her dad and how Elesa has a nice moment to shine too - and that’s it. I know the whole theme of her team is friendship but I die inside every time I watch a Chandelure uses RETURN. It was cool she returned in BW2 I guess? I like how her battle theme matches her personality, but it isn’t anything to write home about. 

I like Calem a bit more than Serena but I do not want to pull another Brendan and May (even though I had some good reason to do that) and I’m going to put them here. Bad teams and not memorable in the slightest, Calem and Serena belong in this tier. 

Awful Tier

X and Y rivals amirite??? They just suck. They are annoying and they suck. They have 3 Pokémon in all final fights, really? At least Shauna is likeable in the anime. 

I hate Trace. But, he has one funny memory I have with my dad that makes him slightly better. We both named him ‘Blue’ since Blue is the actual Kanto rival, but then Blue showed up in LGPE... And then the two ‘Blues’ talked to each other and it was mildly amusing at the time. Anyway, he didn’t deserve Blue’s champion theme (which is even used for Blue in later games outside of his champion battle (BW2), THAT IS NOT TRACE’S THEME. Anyway, he is the gross friendly rival that attempted to fulfil the best rival’s shoes. Sorry Trace, bad luck my dude. 

I just never attached to Marnie I suppose, but I can understand that she is important to those who are invested in her. I am about to fully rag on Marnie, so please skip if that makes you upset. 

 I am going to hurt a lot of people when I said I never liked Marnie. She was always just... like why do people like her so much?? I feel like most people like her because she is ‘funny haha goth gf’ which, fair I suppose. I just think she is super lacking as a rival, she makes no real impression as an actual character, and I think if you removed her from the game it wouldn’t make a difference. Don’t want to be that guy, but I AM that guy right now. I suppose she has a cute design?? and that’s it. Again, I am really biased when it comes to SWSH and rivals, so I suppose she really got the short end of the stick with me.

[ariannadi]

One Step Closer

Part 3/? Of ”A Girl Out of Time”, Adaman x OC

Background context + entire series thus far on Ao3!

—————————————————————————

“…And we’ve noted that Paras, and in the same vein Parasect, actually use the spores from their mushrooms, which they shake to spread further, as a means of self-defense. The resulting condition is rather random but-“ Hikari looked up from where she was writing in her Pokédex, and sent an apologetic smile in her companion’s direction. “I’ve been rambling for the better part of an hour now, sorry about that. Surely you have other things to attend to.”

Adaman, who, for the entirety of her cataloguing, had been resting his head in his palm and studying her with a dopey smile, just shook his head. “I enjoy hearing you speak, Hikari. And I don’t think it wasted time to learn new information about Pokémon that could very well save someone’s life at some point.” His heart fluttered in affection at the shy smile that appeared on her cheeks upon hearing his compliment.

By Mighty Dialga, she was absolutely lovely.

”Well… if you’re certain,” Hikari uttered, tucking a strand of long, flaxen hair behind her ear as she flipped to another entry in the notebook. “I could go over the means in which Cherubi pick which trees they choose to occupy, but that could very well take another hour to cover, and I’m starting to get hungry.” Rising from the table they had taken up in the Galaxy Team library, she asked, “Care to join me at the Wallflower? You don’t have to cook this time - though, I must admit those dumplings you made last week were quite delicious.”

Adaman grinned easily at her, matching her movements. “I’m pleased to hear you say that. I’d like to think my skills have improved somewhat since Beni agreed to teach me. That being said, I’m always up for simply partaking in a meal.” 

Exiting the Galaxy Team headquarters, the pair made their way to the canteen across the street, where Beni was busy tidying up the previously occupied table. When he spotted them approaching, the older man rose an inquisitive brow.

“Visiting Jubilife again, Adaman?” he asked, placing a stack of bowls on his tray. “This makes the… what, fourth time this week?” Adaman didn’t miss the way Beni’s knowing eyes flickered towards Hikari as he pointed out said fact - and the clan leader felt his face heat in response.

”Adaman’s been helping me record previously established knowledge on Pokémon from his clan’s records,” Hikari explained, waiting for Beni to finish cleaning up before taking a seat at the table. “Like for instance: Lord and Lady Pokémon. They’re still one of the biggest mysteries; so any help we can get on their behaviors is a plus.”

”Hm… I suppose that makes sense. Though, in Adaman’s case, I think these gatherings have a more selfish implication.”

”Beni!” Adaman barked in mortification. Hikari just looked between the two men in confusion. 

“Am I missing something here?” she questioned, twisting her lip. “Adaman hasn’t been selfish in the slightest, Beni. Both he and Irida have actually been rather open with the Galaxy Team when it comes to sharing their culture and ideals.”

Beni, ignoring the death stare from the Diamond Clan leader, nodded once. “Ah, my mistake. Anyway, what can I get you two this evening?”

”I suppose the usual. Unless, you wanted something different, Adaman?” Hikari asked of the still-fuming young man, who snapped out of it long enough to answer her.

”No, the usual will be fine. In fact, why don’t I assist you with making it, Beni?” Adaman bitterly insisted as he moved to follow the chef inside, only to turn back towards Hikari with a smile. “Shouldn’t be long. I’ll ensure the potato mochi is fried extra crispy, just the way you like it.”

”My hero,” Hikari laughed, and waved him off. “I’ll see you in a little while, then.”

”Alright, what was that all about?” Adaman demanded once he and Beni were inside the Wallflower’s kitchen. “Are you trying to make me look like a fool in front of Hikari?”

“You don’t need my help in accomplishing that, boy,” Beni huffed as he went about gathering the necessary ingredients for the meal. “We’ve all observed the way you’ve been tailing after her like a lost Lillipup for the better part of two months now. When are you going to man up and make your intentions known?”

The clan leader opened his mouth to argue, but found that he didn’t have a rebuttal. Beni just shook his head at the likely pained expression on his face.

”She’s the Savior of Hisui, and an otherworldly beauty; to boot. There are quite a few interested men within our ranks who have spoken out about courting her. You have the advantage over them of actually knowing her as an individual, but if you don’t act, you’re eventually going to lose your chance.”

As the levity of the elder’s words sunk in completely, Adaman felt his throat constrict. The mental image of a faceless stranger with his arm around Hikari’s waist came to the forefront of his mind, and Adaman decided in that moment that he very much hated it.

”Would she even be familiar with courting customs?” he questioned, not knowing at all where to begin. “I mean… my clan has some procedures when it comes to marriage and whatnot, but...” 

“She came from the future and adapted to life here, did she not? Just let her know you wish to be with her, in one way or another.” Beni then chucked an apron and bandana directly at the younger man’s face, catching him off-guard. “Now, enough groveling - we’ve got food to cook.”

————————————————————————— When Mai stopped by her brother-turned-clan leader’s residence that evening to update him on matters in the fieldlands, the last thing she expected was to find him sprawled out in the middle of the floor, evidently drowning in piles of parchment.

”Did you get into a fight with a book?” she asked semi-seriously as she closed the door behind her. Adaman lifted his hand from where it had been covering his face, only to groan upon seeing her and replace it once again.

“I’m not in the mood for your teasing, Mai,” he replied, his tone rather frustrated. The woman blinked once before moving to examine the mess strewn about, and her eyes widened at what she saw.

”Are these… love letters?” she questioned, doing everything in her power to hold back a smile. The whole scene suddenly made a lot more sense: her baby brother was finally acknowledging his feelings for a certain outlander and at a loss of how to go about it. How adorable. 

“Butt. Out. Mai.” Adaman hissed. The warden, shaking her head in pity, did the exact opposite, however.

“You need to stop trying to think so hard on this; you’re going to end up popping something in your head.” When she began tidying up the space without permission, Adaman finally made a point to get off the ground. He snatched the letters she had collected with a disapproving look, and Mai held up her hands in surrender. 

“Don’t even act like you have a better solution,” he scoffed, setting the (now neat) pile of parchment on his table. Mai caught the way he stared at them with an almost sad expression, and suddenly she felt a little bad for giving him a hard time.

”Hikari is smitten with you. I don’t know if you needed that clarified, but she is.” Apparently this was news to Adaman, because he flipped around with a look of surprise.

“She… is?”

It took everything for Mai to not roll her eyes at him. “Trust me when I say: you’re not the only guilty party when it comes to openly staring after the object of your affections. On top of that, she tells Arezu everything; and Arezu doesn’t know how to keep her mouth shut.” 

Her brother was quiet for a moment as he stared towards his feet, only for the tiniest of smirks to appear as he truly came to terms with what he’d been told. “Could it really be so simple?” Mai could hear him mutter under his breath, and then she did roll her eyes.

Honestly, these kids were about as oblivious as they came.

”You know, Hikari’s birthday is in a few weeks. I’m sure she’s mentioned it to you—and if not her then you’ve definitely heard it from Arezu by now. You could use it as an excuse to give her something that’ll get your point across,” Mai suggested, shrugging.

”You mean, give her a courting token for her birthday?” Adaman asked, scratching the back of his head. “That’s a little forward, don’t you think?”

”Well, you do want to court her, right?” Mai stressed in response. “You don’t have to be so obvious—leave it up to interpretation. Ensure it’s something she’ll treasure, but that it properly expresses what she means to you.”

Adaman looked to be seriously considering the notion, if the way he brought a hand to his chin said anything. Finally, he nodded.

“I think I may have an idea. But I’ll likely need assistance from our craftsmen if I hope to execute it properly.” Looking up at his sister with a grateful smile, he uttered, “Thanks, Mai. I appreciate it.” When the woman made a point to walk over and affectionately ruffle the pile of hair on top of his head, he let out an undignified squawk.

“All will be fine. Have a little faith in yourself,” she reassured him, and snorted as he proceeded to swat her hand away.

—————————————————————————

 A pile of food, new clothes, and various supplies awaited Hikari when she opened the door to her quarters the morning of her nineteenth birthday, and for a moment she simply stared down at the blockade with a blank expression.

”Hey, good morning, Hikari—and happy birthday!” called Arezu from the salon across the way. “I see the townsfolk have delivered on their promise to shower you in gifts!”

”Arezu…” Hikari started with a look of exasperation, “Did you tell everyone it was my birthday today? I told you I didn’t want a bunch of people knowing for this exact reason! I didn’t want anything extravagant!”

”And I know as your hairdresser that, had everyone been unaware, you likely would’ve been moping about all day since it’s your first birthday away from your original era,” Arezu retorted. “You’re the Savior of Hisui, girl! People aren’t going to overlook that, or you. Embrace your special day!”

Hikari didn’t have it in her to argue; and so she just sighed and began hauling the pile of gifts off her porch and into her quarters. She really did appreciate the people of Jubilife taking the time to express their gratitude, but she also didn’t want them feeling obligated. At this point, she’d likely be spending the day visiting each individual who brought her a present so she could graciously thank them. 

As she was tucking away the various new kimono and yukata she’d been given (some of which Hikari found she actually adored in terms of material), a series of knocks came from the front door. Letting out a hum, she rose from the floor and went to answer it, only for her brows to rise slightly upon seeing who stood on the other side.

”Oh, hi, Adaman. It’s been a little while,” she said in greeting, then sheepishly looked over her shoulder at the pile of goods she had yet to sort through. “Er… ignore the mess; apparently the townsfolk got the unanimous memo that my birthday was today.”

“It doesn’t bother me at all,” the clan leader in question chuckled. “I’m pleased to know everyone is eager to celebrate you. In fact, that’s why I happen to be here, as well. I have something for you.”

The warmth Hikari felt blooming in her chest in that moment was inevitable, and she offered him a touched smile as she tilted her head the slightest bit. “That’s very sweet of you, Adaman. But you didn’t have to do that.”

”Nonsense,” he replied, and pulled out a rectangular wooden box from the pocket of his haori then held it out to her. “I made this for you. I hope it’ll properly express just how grateful I am to have someone as wonderful as you in my life. Happy birthday, Hikari.”

It took her a moment to take the box from his hand, but once she did, she was entirely careful about removing the lid and setting it to the side. When her eyes fell upon the object tucked away inside, the tiniest of gasps left her lips.

It was a hairpin, crafted out of what looked to be a quality blue quartz. The end piece, which was pentagonal in nature, had the Diamond Clan insignia carved into it, with beaded chains hanging from the edge. It was absolutely beautiful. Possibly one of the most beautiful things she had ever been given. Adaman had made this for her?

”Oh, Adaman…” she breathed, and lifted the pin from the box, running her thumb over the cool smoothness of the exterior. “It’s so beautiful, I-I don’t know what to say…” Looking up at him with glossy eyes, she peeped out, “I can’t accept this.”

“Of course you can; I would be disappointed if you didn’t. May I?” he asked, gently reaching for the pin and gesturing for her to turn around. Hikari nodded and did as was requested, and soon felt Adaman’s fingers brushing her curtain of hair together to pull it upward.

“As you can probably tell, I’m quite familiar with tying hair into updos. Forgive me if the end result isn’t as polished as Arezu’s handiwork, however. I know you wear your hair up when crafting or surveying, so I thought you might appreciate a little flair while undergoing such tasks.” Once he was satisfied with his work and the pin was properly secured, he quietly uttered, “There.” 

Hikari moved to examine her now-pinned-up hair in the small mirror next to her entryway, and grinned. “Wow… it’s so lovely!” she exclaimed, turning her head back and forth a few times so she could get a better look at her new accessory. Glancing at the man still standing at the door, she then said, “Thank you, Adaman.”

”You’re welcome,” he responded, but his eyes remained fixed on her face, and it appeared he had more to say. If Hikari didn’t know any better, she would say he was nervous.

”I really do love it,” the young woman softly spoke in an attempt to ease whatever dilemma was on his mind. Feeling bold in that moment, she approached him once again, and leaned up on her toes to press a sweet kiss to his cheek. Adaman’s eyes widened considerably in response, and his face flared a deep scarlet.

“H-Hikari,” he sputtered, but whatever he was going to say next was interrupted by an unanticipated Professor Laventon appearing out of the blue.

”Oh! I didn’t realize you too would be here, young Adaman!” the professor spoke jovially, but quickly turned his attention to his underling. “Dear Hikari; seeing as it’s your birthday I was hoping to treat you to a special lunch at the Wallflower. Are you available?”

”Um, yes, I believe so,” Hikari answered. Not wanting to shove Adaman to the wayside so quickly, she turned to him and asked, “Would you care to join us?”

The Diamond Clan leader once again looked conflicted, but was quick to nod in agreement. After Hikari had closed up her quarters, Laventon led the trio down the street towards the Wallflower—babbling about something or other for the entirety of the trek.

Hikari, meanwhile, nonchalantly slipped her hand into Adaman’s as the pair walked side-by-side; sending him a gentle smile when he stared down at her in surprise. It took him a moment, but he returned the gesture by flashing a toothy one of his own.

And if his fingers managed to lace with hers at some point and remain that way under the table for the entirety of lunch… well, neither cared to bring it up.

[kreactionsentertainment]

Pokemon x Exo pt. 2: Beginning of the Journey

Admin Note: I would like to reiterate that both main characters are over 20 in this story.

Disclaimer: I don’t own pokemon, exo, nct’s Haechan, or the boys in general. This is for fictional and creative fun.

Tags: Pokemon, Exo, Reader insert

Placing a gentle hand on the right-hand side. The ball seemed to shiver at your touch as if frightened by the sudden pressure. Carefully picking up the ball in your hands, you looked up at the Professor with a smile. The Professor nodded without saying a word, whereas Donghyuck picked up the most energetic ball in his hands. His grin rivaled a thousand suns as he called for Scorbunny to leave it’s pokéball. Scorbunny leapt from the ball and hopped over to Donghyuck. You looked down at the ball in your hands and sat down on the ground.

“You don’t have to rush; I know this is happening so suddenly. You can take your time; I know we will be great friends in the future,” You spoke softly to the Sobble inside it’s pokéball.

“Y/N ah, why won’t your Sobble come out,” Donghyuck complained as he can his Scorbunny chased each other around the room.

“This is a big change for the little guy, Sobble needs time to adjust to this change. After all, he didn’t ask for this. I will not force him if he is not ready to meet me,” You explained as you held the ball in your hands.

“Y/N hurry and become friends with Sobble, Scorbunny and I want to battle,” Donghyuck sighed as him and Scorbunny settled down.

“Battling is not always a priority. Anyone can see that you and Scorbunny have an instant connection. However, some partnerships need time to develop to their fullest potential,” You explained as you put your pokéball gently in your bag.

“Do you two know where you want your journey to go?” The Professor leaned against her desk as Grookey hopped up on to her shoulder.

“I’m not sure where this journey will take me,” You answered after a moment.

“I want to challenge the nine brothers!” Donghyuck jumped up and posed for the security camera in the corner of the room.

“Ah yes Donghyuck, you’re very ambitious. The nine brothers are all very talented in their art,” The Professor nodded with a smile.

“Can you tell us more about the nine brothers?” Donghyuck asked excitedly.

“I suppose I can, you will need some information about the Nine before you run into them on your journey,” The Professor and Grookey walked behind her desk to a black bookshelf and picked up a small, framed photo.

“I’ve known those kids since they were young and ambitious, Donghyuck reminds me of the younger brothers while you remind me of the older brothers,” The Professor chuckled as she handed you the framed photo. Twelve people smiled in a field surrounded by different types of pokémon.

“The three adults in the photo are me and their adoptive parents. The three of us were friends in school, quite close. We were all very interested in the scientific side of pokémon. Unfortunately, their parents passed after an accident involving the research of the Dynamax evolutions of the Galar region. Since then, I worked hard to give those boys every opportunity I could, eventually I was given the professor title alongside Aciano. Just when I thought things were coming together, Aciano was caught doing horrible experiments to innocent people and pokémon,” The professor looked away from the small, framed photo to look at the Grookey on her shoulder.

“That’s so sad,” You mumbled as Donghyuck came over to look at the photo with you.

“Indeed it is, yet the boys proved to push through their difficult beginning. Look at them now, they have no doubt made their parents proud,” The Professor smiled again.

“The Photo is foreshadowing who they have become in the future. Starting off on the left side Sehun, Chanyeol, and Junmyeon will be the first gyms in your journey. Sehun has an infinite connection to Grass type pokémon. The only pokémon I know that will be on his team for sure is Leafeon,” The Professor explains as Grookey climbs down to inspect the photo.

“Right! The Nine as considered to be the best of the best, rumor has it that each of them has their own eevee. Although from what you have said I’m assuming this isn’t a rumor?” Donghyuck asked as he looked up to the professor.

“You are correct, Donghyuck. It’s not a rumor, each of the nine has an eevee that they had since they were young. Each of them has a different connection to the special type pokémon, their eevee’s have evolved according to their connection with their trainer,” Something about this statement doesn’t make sense. If this were true, why would Baekhyun be the leader of a dragon type gym rather than a normal type gym?

“So therefore, Junmyeon will have a vaporeon and Chanyeol will have a flareon,” The Professor stopped talking as something about your atmosphere interrupted her.

“Your explanation doesn’t make sense with the Champion,” You looked up from Baekhyun’s smiling face to face the professor. She smiled and nodded, thinking for a moment.

“Baekhyun has always had a special connection to the sky. His connection to dragon type pokémon is something I’ve never seen before. The only connections more important to him than his dragon type pokémon is to his partner pokémon and to his brothers. He’s always known that his eevee would never naturally be a dragon type, until the emergence of the Star Stone. Although it never stopped him from being a great trainer to his eevee,” The Professor defended the Champion.

“How about I take you two to the pokémart down the road? You’ll need some items for your journey from now on,” The Professor stood up and the Grookey quickly climbed up to her shoulder again. You and Donghyuck stood up, you gently placed the photo on the professor’s desk and followed her out of the Research Center.

“Professor, the Nine are older than us, right? Yet, you are older than them? You don’t look as old as what you’re saying,” Donghyuck rambled slightly as the three of your walked down the street to the pokémart.

“I’ll take that as a compliment, Donghyuck. I am quite old, although I still feel young,” The Professor chuckled softly. The doors of the pokémart opened up quickly.

“Now go gather some items for yourselves, I will take care of the bill this time,” The Professor pointed to the three different areas of the pokémart. You knew from stories that the woman straight ahead can heal a team of pokémon no matter their state after a battle. The blue area to your right is where you can buy potions of different types and some pokéballs to add to your bag. You weren’t quite sure what the area to your left is, but you figured you would find out sooner than later. You walked over to the blue area and picked out two dozen pokéballs and two dozen potions.

“Thank you for shopping with us, the bill has already been taken care of!” The two men behind the counter nodded their thanks and began speaking with the next customer as you took your items and put them in your bag. A small pressure on your shoulder grabbed your attention. Sobble snuck out of his ball and he crawled up to your shoulder.

“Ah hello! I’m so happy to see you’ve come out. Do you want to meet Donghyuck and Scorbunny?” You asked the little Sobble. The Sobble seemed to shake a little bit, but it made its way to your bag and made a little home for itself outside of its pokéball. You smiled and made your way to meet up with the others outside of the pokémart.

“If you continue on this path, you will reach Route 1 and 2. The first city you will reach is Zinnia City. The tall grass is where most wild pokémon will hide, try and make a small team before you challenge Sehun’s gym,” The Professor advises you both.

“Alright, but before we go anywhere, I challenge you Y/N!” Donghyuck is going to get his challenge before the two of you begin your journey.

[echoeternally]

Mini Gift

It’s @mrnerdling‘s birthday, and I wrote up a longer story for the day. However, I also wanted to write a small thing based on another suggested pairing! So, I did, and it’s sloppy, but I tried to cram it in within like...I dunno, four hours between research and writing.

Anyway, I know extremely little about Pokémon Unite, so it’s going to be rather choppy and probably have nothing to do with the game. (I didn’t even include evolutions because that hurt my brain to consider evolving back and forth, which I think they do in Digimon, but not Pokémon.) But, hey, it was worth a shot, and I experimented.

Just a cute fic to feature some ship teasing that he should enjoy. And I hope you do too!

...

Four trainers joined together at the Aeos Island team rooms. While they carried on discussing strategies for their upcoming practice, they sent out their current selected Pokémon, allowing them to gather together while their trainers continued planning.

 Lucario folded his arms and surveyed his team, noting his usual companions in Cinderace and Slowbro. He tilted his head at the appearance of Blissey, a newcomer to the team and the island overall.

 “Huh, first of our team newcomers.” Lucario nodded. “Welcome aboard, Blissey! My trainer is the team captain, so I try my best to reflect her efforts.”

 “Oh, thanks for the welcome!” Blissey bowed her head and smiled. “It’s going to be fun getting to join everyone.” She blinked and blankly stared at the group. “To be honest though, I have absolutely no idea what I’m doing.”

 “Me neither,” mumbled Slowbro.

 “But…you’re already on this team.”

 “…I am?”

 “Don’t worry, Slowbro’ll come to life in a little while.” Cinderace rubbed his nose and smirked to Blissey. “Name’s Cinderace, and I’m part of this team too. Our trainers tried to match the variety in roles among Pokémon for this island.” He pointed at the egg in Blissey’s hands. “You’re a healer, right?”

 “Normally, yes.”

 “Right, so there are a few different types of roles for each of us,” went over Lucario. “Since you have a focus on healing, that makes you our team’s new Support member. Slowbro can make strong blocks, so he’s our team Defender.” He pointed at Cinderace. “Since he’s fiery and likes to battle, Cinderace is our Attacker.” Lucario rubbed behind his head. “We’re supposed to have someone that’s quick around the field, who is the team Speedster. I suppose you’ll meet him later.” Lucario shrugged. “As someone that tries to cover multiple roles in one, I do my best to be the All-Around type on our team.”

 “Wow.” Blissey brightly smiled. “This already sounds complicated. I love it!”

 “It takes a bit, but you’ll get into it after a few rounds,” offered Cinderace. “Since we’re just practicing today, though, I don’t imagine it’ll be too rough on you.” He stretched and winked to her. “Basically, we just need to worry about scoring more points than the other team, and that’s the idea of the game.”

 “Each role helps determine how well we perform,” brought up Lucario. “So, with that, we’ll let the rest get resolved on the field.”

 “Ooh, my trainer is calling me over that way,” pointed out Blissey. “What do we do by the benches?”

 “…Wait for your turn to practice, I guess,” determined Cinderace, glancing at Lucario who shrugged.

 “Neat!” Blissey wandered off from the group. “I still don’t get any of this!”

 “Well, waiting won’t help much,” mumbled Cinderace. “…Huh. Hey, Slowbro, they’re calling you over too.”

 “…Who?”

 “Your trainer, knucklehead.”

 “Oh, ok.” Slowbro blinked and then slowly waddled down the same direction that Blissey had gone in.

 “Guess they want to focus on offensive plays first,” suggested Cinderace. “If those two are sitting on the sidelines, that means it’s you, me, and whoever the newbie is when they get jump in.”

 “That makes sense, since we’ll need to learn covering the field.” Lucario tapped on his chin and nodded. “Ok, so, practices today are mostly relying on us getting Aeos Energy to score points. If we’re doing some offense training to start, that’s the main goal to focus on.”

 “Are we just going on the field as is?”

 “Yep, going right into it.”

 “Huh, should be fun.” Cinderace grinned and lifted a thumb up to Lucario. “Want to see who can score the most points between us two? New guy will probably figure it out and join in.”

 “We do need to work on strategies too.”

 “Where’s the fun if we’re only working and not bringing out the best of each other?” Cinderace slid closer to Lucario, patting his head and nudging him. “Come on, huh? Let’s have some fun with this!”

 “Well…it is technically part of our exercises, tallying high scores—”

 “Aha, knew you’d see it my way!”

 “Just don’t get too carried away,” requested Lucario. He frowned and looked over as Blissey tried talking with Slowbro, who vacantly stared off around the meeting room. “Last time, you knocked Slowbro too hard on the head, and now he seems like he’s back to basics.” Lucario lowered his eyes as he watched Slowbro drool, while Blissey chattered on. “…Or worse, actually.”

 “Coach, you’re thinking way too hard.”

 “Don’t call me that.”

 “Why not? You basically are!” Cinderace jogged in place, getting his feet warmed up. “Going to roll some heads on the field and get the highest scores like you wouldn’t believe!”

 “Do you ever turn over the competitor in you?”

 “Nope!”

 “Well, that does help us.” Lucario shrugged and smiled. “Come on, let’s get ourselves ready.”

 “You’re so cute when you’ve got a big work ethic going,” teased Cinderace, leaning over Lucario’s head.

 “Get off.”

 “Make me.”

 After chasing his teammate to the practice field, Lucario lined up with Cinderace at the starting gate. Their trainers readied their supply of Aeos Island balls, ready to capture the wild Pokémon that their partners battled against. The two trainers were joined by a third, who hurriedly sent their choice to the field as they set the practice timer.

 However, the purple gates opened, and Lucario raced off alongside Cinderace.

 “Try to keep up, Luca!”

 “Don’t call me that either!”

 Laughing, Cinderace hurried up the northern route, while Lucario traveled down the southern side. Kicking streams of fire and sliding past his opponents, Cinderace swept at the wild Aipom and Audino. His trainer from the sidelines collected Aeos Energy from the capture.

 “Nice and easy,” cheered Cinderace. “They better get that Speedster straight to work to catch up with me!”

 “Might as well, you’re right!”

 Blinking and halting from the new voice, Cinderace turned around as a yellow blur rushed past him. A loud clap rang out, as lightning bolts danced through the air and zapped at the wild Pokémon nearby.

 The striker rabbit watched as the blur raced around, snatching more Aeos Energy before running for a hoop. Jumping up, the thunderclap cat slammed in a ball of energy, scoring points for the corresponding trainer.

 Setting down, Cinderace gawked as the cat beamed to him.

 “Hey there, sorry for the interruption introduction,” called the newcomer. “I’m Zeraora, and I’m your team’s latest Speedster!” He swiped below his nose. “Heard that we’re having a little contest of our own, so I hope you don’t mind me joining in.”

 Slowly nodding, Cinderace looked the yellow cat up and down, impressed at just the sight alone. Watching him run around once again, Cinderace flailed around, trying to attack the wild Pokémon to score more energy.

 However, Zeraora’s speed helped him collect bits of energy from the ground and take down emerging Pokémon faster than Cinderace could keep up with.

 Knocking enough energy into the goal, Zeraora grinned as it faded, and spun around to Cinderace, winking to him.

 “Check it out! We scored a load of points on this one.” He waved. “Come on, cutie, let’s see if you can keep up!”

 “Wow, I think this is how I sound to Lucario,” mumbled the flushed face Cinderace. “…Why doesn’t he like me even more?”

 Both rushed to the next goal, knocking more energy into it. Lucario had chased an evasive Audino over, and was able to help his trainer capture them for Aeos Energy. Once that was done, however, Lucario gawked as Zeraora raced past him, jumping up and slamming more energy into the nearby goal.

 “Wait, what?” Lucario fumbled back and stared up at the cat hanging from the hoop. “Are you the new speedster?”

 “Nice, you’re the team captain!” Zeraora grinned. “They told me you’d be handsome, and they weren’t kidding!” He dropped down and ran for the next wild Pokémon. “Come on, little guy! Let’s see if you can keep up with me!”

 “…He’s like Cinderace, but worse,” muttered Lucario as he blushed.

 As they continued scoring points, practice time ticked away and ran out. Checking over the final scores, Lucario gawked at how high Zeraora’s score was, in spite his late start. Cinderace had scored the lowest, which was quite unusual for him. Turning for the rabbit, Lucario raised an eyebrow, as Cinderace shrugged and gazed back to Zeraora, beaming from his results.

 “Ha, check it out!” Zeraora placed a hand on his hip. “Didn’t think I’d score so high, but you guys made competing pretty fun. I think we’ll make a strong combination!” He winked to his teammates and wandered toward the exit. “I wonder who else is on this team? I think they were both pink…”

 “Well…at least he’s fast,” decided Lucario.

 “He’s amazing, and I have to know more,” rambled off Cinderace.

 “Look in the mirror.”

 “He’s even better than me!”

 “That’s not what I—”

 “Best newbie ever!” Cinderace hurried after him. “Hey, Zera! Tell me more about yourself! Like, everything!”

 Rolling his eyes, Lucario slapped a paw over his head and dragged it down. Sighing, he followed his teammates out from the first practice field, looking to join them for the next session.

 Though Zeraora enjoyed chatting with Cinderace, he would steal glances to Lucario and grin to him, making the captain blush.

 This was certainly going to be a new dynamic for them.

...

Whoosh, there it is!

Yeah, I did my best while hurrying it along. This wasn’t the original gift idea, but I wanted to include both ideas sent to me.

Since I normally write like medieval Pokémon, or otherwise normal stuff where they battle and such, I decided to try following another game, and went with one that all three leads appear in, which was the latest game.

Even though I’ve never touched it, so maybe that wasn’t the best idea, but oh well! That’s what research is for. (Also, there’s other stuff that I didn’t get to touch on about Unite, but alas.)

If I had more time, I’d probably write more, but this is it for this one. Hope you enjoyed the quick bit!

[pansexualseaanimals]

Chapter 9 Sneak Peeks ‘Cause You Deserve It

Hey guess what? I’m still alive! I haven’t been writing for a while because these past few chapters have kind of been making me face things about my own life that I hadn’t given due time to address and manage (especially Pyxis and Rory’s thoughts on how parents can “love you but not want you”, and stuff said by multiple people in chapter 9, the one I’m still writing) so I kinda just dealt with those thoughts and came to conclusions and stuff in my own mind while I endlessly binged anime and video games. Not that I don’t normally do that, mind you, but I did it a lot more and not much else.

Luckily, I live in a wonderful gorgeous apartment in my favorite town I’ve ever lived in (the only town I’ve ever called home, in fact! At least, in this world!) and it’s super comfortable and I live with my best friend who is way too good of a roommate if I must be frank - I’d rather be Columbia, honestly - and life has been relatively super good, so like. Don’t worry! I’m so happy in my life the way it is! I’m back home in the Midwest, surrounded by beauty and friends who’ve helped me out more than I could ever ask (but I did, let’s not lie lol) and... I still have depression and I’m working on that and planning on getting a doctor soon, but... I’m starting new good habits, getting into things I’ve been wanting to try, and yeah... I’m rambling at this point so I’ll make the rest quick.

I wanted to give sneak peeks because it’s been SO LONG and I don’t know how many people really actually read this thing? Like, “I’m excited that there’s a new chapter” kind of peeps? But no matter how few there are, you guys all deserve something nice, and this was all I could think of. Instead of just posting one scene, I’ll post a few clips from a bunch of scenes. Everything is subject to change as I keep writing, so it might not match the finished product, but... That just means you guys are extra-special! Heehee! ^__^ 

Excerpts are below the read-more cut. Hope it’s enjoyable! 

\/\/\/\/\/

"Oh, I've got twenty-five coins for the sea show clanking in the backseat, whoa-oh. I've got thirty-two seashells lined up in a row..." Caurel happily sang as she covered the turquoise side in pink, pausing and hiding in a corner when she noticed Zebra rising out of the spawn pool. The younger Inkling, hesitant, flung her brush wildly to cover the pink ink and swam forward, repeating the process every few feet. When she dropped down to the valley, she triggered another Ink Mine, this time getting away just quickly enough.

  "Not falling for that again," they sighed... right before Caurel popped out of her corner and slashed her brush at her, sending her floating right back to the spawn point. Unable to keep from giggling, Caurel re-inked the entrance ramp and climbed up to the higher level, brushing quickly down the alley as Zebra respawned again.

  "And I'll swim, swim, swim, to my darling Martha... And let her lay me down in the bay where the warm winds blow~"

  "Are we singing the same song?" Penny shouted from the audience, loud enough to be heard over the stage music.

"'Martha's Bay' by the Seagulls?" Caurel shouted back for confirmation.

"I knew it! Ahhh, I love you!"

"I love you, too, Butterfly!"

"Boooo!" Rocky shouted as he took out Thresher. "Get a room!"

  "But their love for each other is like our love," Ankyr said with a wink.

"You really are a sea turtle."

  "Hey, only Pyxis can call me-" SPLASH! Ankyr fell prey to Bonnet's Heavy Splatling.

"FOR ANKYR!" Rocky jumped up and flung his roller down before rolling toward Bonnet - and getting caught in a freshly thrown Splash Wall.

  "I love it when he does that," Tiger squeaked.

\/\/\/\/\/

"What took you so long? Why did you trade Ankyr for these randos?"

"Rocky," Caurel sighed. "They're the friends we were supposed to meet today, remember?"

"Oh..."

"Guys, this is Rocky, our squad's leader," Pyxis laughed.

  "Nice to meet you," Carina said, stepping forward to shake Rocky's hand. "Don't worry, my 'boyfriend' will be back soon."

  "'BOYFRIEND'?" The entire crowd turned their attention to the charismatic newcomer.

  "It's just an inside joke," Pyxis hastily assured them. "You'd just have to be there."

"Yeah, he kind of saved me a lot of hassle," Carina shrugged.

  "My Sunshine has inside jokes with people I don't know," Moises thought out loud. "Not sure how I feel about this..."

"Well, you know us now," Hans piped up. "She's Carina, I'm Hans, this here is Shera, and the rude guy is Cygnus."

"I haven't said anything rude yet!"

"We all know you will," Shera said as she scooched over to Abbey. "So, what's your name?"

"I'm aromantic," Abbey said between sips of coffee. Their friends howled with laughter in the background.

"Aw, that's too bad... Are you... asexual, too?"

"They're not sex-repulsed, if that's what you mean," Pyxis jumped in. "That's not what asexual means, though."

"Sweet little Pyxis," Cygnus chuckled, patting his friend on the head. "Always here to educate her friends."

"...You mean their friends," Rocky corrected.

  "What? No. You too? Are all Squids okay with the whole fluid-gender thing?"

"You didn't even last five minutes," Hans sighed, covering his face with his palm.

  "Look, she was born with lady-parts, am I wrong or am I right?"

"Here's what I know," Rocky began slowly, stepping closer to the Octoling and staring him in the eye. "This particular group of friends respects what people choose to call themselves. When you're with us, you refer to Pyxis as they/them. If you can't handle that, you can swim back home."

"ROCKY!" Caurel grabbed her brother's arm and yanked him down to sit beside her. "They're our guests!"

"And Pyxis is family," he bit back. "Which is more important to you?"

"Wow, they really worship you around here," Cygnus laughed, turning to leave. "Do they even really know you? Your history? What have you been telling them?"

"Cygnus, get back here and act your age," Carina commanded.

"No thanks, Your Majesty."

  The crowd was hushed for some time, the noises of the audience around them and the battle down below, permeating their silent space.

  "Sorry about that," Carina finally spoke up. "I told him to behave himself. But he's... how do you say... stuck in his ways."

"He's only twenty-two," Shera rolled her eyes. "He's just a stubborn pufferfish."

"You okay, honey?" Hans asked Pyxis, who was too busy processing their own thoughts to realize they should answer.

"...I'm family?"

\/\/\/\/\/

And now, here’s Shera going goo-goo over more Inklings

---

“Vanilla? Is that a brand, or...?"

"Oh no, I just mean, the original one."

"So... Vanilla means original?"

"The basic form of something, yes. Regular. It's just slang."

"Who's the person with the gatling?"

"Ah, that's Pixie with the Zink Mini Splatling. Disruptor and Bubbler."

"Pixie..." Shera turned to where Pyxis was seated. "PIXIE!"

  "Yes?"

"I can never call you Pixie again! That's the name of my new future wife!" Ecto and Thresher couldn't help but laugh.

"...Glad to hear it?"

"She's actually dating Ty right now," Tandy pointed out. "Sorry, you'll have to look elsewhere."

"Darn."

"Great Overseer," Carina sighed. "Why are you so thirsty today?"

"I dunno, Queenie," Shera shrugged and shook her head. "Look. I had no idea Squidlings could be so attractive, okay?"

"I mean, she's not wrong," Hans laughed. "The first time I saw Ankyr..."

"YOU CAN DO IT, GUYS!" Pyxis suddenly stood up and cheered as loud as they could.

\/\/\/\/\/

And now for some good parents! Specifically, Ecto’s dads. Well, one of them. The other is busy playing Pokémon with Caurel and co. in the living room at this moment. They haven’t been mentioned much so far, but they’re great friends with the Waters (Waters’? Waterss?) ever since all the families met, and Rocky and Caurel hang out with them a lot.

---

"That's because you can look back on the past, apply your knowledge of the present, and cook up a better future for yourself. A new happiness. Again, one that won't last forever. And maybe it's not perfect. Maybe you burn your tongue. Maybe you let it go cold without realizing. But there'll always be more soup."

"You just have an answer for everything, don't you?" Rocky scoffed, throwing more tomatoes into the pot.

  "Not quite. There's one thing I've always wondered."

"The secret of life?"

"Nah, figured that out in college."

"What? No. Shut up." The two shared a laugh. Mister Plasma reduced the burner's heat and placed a lid on the pot, before turning to Rocky.

  "Back when you were in Coral Reef's boat... Why didn't you say anything?"

  "Well..." Rocky took a moment to continue. "Figured there wasn't any point, I guess. Can't help it if the person you have a crush on is gay. Like, if Pop was het, you wouldn't have the love of your life."

"Well I'm glad that's not the case," he said with a short laugh, before frowning and patting Rocky on the head. "Sorry, hon."

"It's fine. That's one of those 'just move on' parts in life. So I did."

"Ah..."

"Happened with Ankyr, too. But that was back when we were super tiny. Like.. That's a different kind of love. Baby love, I guess. But then again, we thought Ankyr was a girl back then. That was easier to move on from."

  "You just can't catch a break," Dad laughed. "Anyone on your mind these days?" Rocky thought a while before answering.

"I... Not really. I don't know, Oji. Guess I'm kind of giving up for now. I just wanna cook and take care of the ocean. Those are my loves. Well, I'll never get tired of Turf War either. I guess... that's it."

"And that's A-okay," the adult Inkling nodded, before yelling "COME AND GET IT!" There was a multitude of shuffling sounds from the living room as the young adults made their way to the kitchen. "Come see us any time," he said again. "We'll always be here for you."

\/\/\/\/\/

And that’s all I have for you here today, I wanna stop myself before I give away more than I might have given away... But yeah, working on that slowly but surely now. I was already about halfway-ish done with the chapter before I fell off, I think? Depends if I think of adding any more scenes than what’s already planned. So, look forward to that soon! Catch you on the flip side~

P.S.: As a reminder, this is the second-to-last chapter I’m writing; after 10 is over, we’ll be moving on to the second book in the series, which will hopefully have much better pacing and will definitely be a lot different, but still be about the lives of Pyxis, Ankyr, and their loved ones - that will never change. Some of your favorite characters might not be around as much in book 2, some might get a spotlight where they hadn’t before, and of course we’ll meet lots of new friends, and you’ll just have to decide what you think of each of them. :3 But I hope you have fun. Regardless of anything, thanks for reading. If you’ve read any of Look Alive, Sunshine, you have my Heart Containers, and my eternal gratitude. Please let me know what you think, if you’ve got the time. Love & hugs!