#counting-wooloo

[ballonleastadiumofficial]

I'm vaguely offended that you thought that could ever be me.

[A NEW USER HAS LOGGED IN!]

...Holy shit, can't believe I actually managed to remember that... Does anyone even use this site anymore?

[short-wooloo]

I noticed something that never comes up in the discussion of whether it was wrong of the Jedi to fight in the clone wars (surprisingly from both the Pro Jedi and antijedidiot camps) is that the separatists want all the Jedi dead

Like even aside from that being implied by the separatists being controlled by the sith, Count Dooku and General Grievous explicitly state that they're in this to kill the Jedi, their idea for how the war goes is inseparable from the mass murder of the Jedi

(and it's not like anyone else in the separatists are against it, most of the military leaders are only slightly less murderous psychopaths than Dooku and Grievous, the corporate leaders hate the Jedi for always ruining their "get even richer" schemes so they won't protest, and the civilians and political leaders of the separatists are powerless)

Being neutral and staying out of the war was never an option for the Jedi, one side's goal was to murder them

[charmiespecs]

Sleep well, sweet sheep 🐑

[pawjamas]

wife has made me get into a habit of counting wooloos (and sometimes mareep) jumping over a fence as a calming/grounding exercise and it genuinely works for me

[pokemonheritageposts]

REMAKING THIS AGAIN BECAUSE NICKIT ISN'T DARK/NORMAL IT'S JUST PURE DARK (i blame the person who complained about it being missing in the notes the first time)

if i have to remake this again i am going to start killing hostages

(with apologies to Lechonk and Nickit for forgetting them last time, Tandemaus for mistakenly putting them here last time, and apologies to Shroodle which kinda counts since it is on the first route but SV routes work different and it's not in the first part of the route.)

(...and also apologies to everyone without a regional variant since I also had to group those together for room. And also to Alolan Rattata for forgetting them last time. Man I fucked this one right up.)

[ballonleastadiumofficial]

You know, Swirlix often act out if they're not getting enough sugar in their food. I'd wager that contributed to its foul behavior and sour taste.

I'm certainly happy you came out of it all unscathed.

I'm feeling in the mood for conversation today. Is there anything you rotumblrists would like to tell me about your experience with fairy type pokemon? Who has stories they'd like to share?

[catcakemu]

Daily Sheep Drawing 1

HELLOO PEOPLE AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I haven't been drawing much but since I miss it I decided to engage in daily drawings and since I love sheep (especially Wooloo and Mareep) I will do daily sheep drawings for now uvu

Anything counts! Sketch, halfbody, shaded, fullbody, sheep, pokemon, sheep like, ANYTHING

This is for myself after all and I want to make it as stress free as possible :D

Also feel free to send me sheep in my inbox, maybe I get inspired uvu

[short-wooloo]

Antijedidiots/anti Republic people/separatist apologists(/and let's be honest here, tankies): the separatists just wanted to leave the Republic! If the Jedi allowed it there would have been no war!

The separatists: we want to attack neutrals, colonize planets, extract every resource from them for our war machine, enslave and/or genocide the locals, kill all the Jedi and take over the galaxy

[tsuutarr]

Pairing: Hop x GN! reader

Word count: 8.5K

Content: fluff, growing up, a Hop character study, kind of a fix it fic (basically I feel bad for constantly beating Hop in the game and had to write this LOL)

Summary: From a young age, Hop knew that he wanted to be the next Champion, just like his older brother. But as he goes on his journey, he's not sure what he really wants. Despite all that, though, he's grateful you're by his side.

From a young age, Hop was introduced to a path paved of gold, lying in front of him with a polished glimmer. His older brother was the Champion of Galar! It was only right that Hop would take on that mantle, too. In fact, Hop knew he’d be even greater than his brother– he’d make sure of it. After all, that was what everyone expected of him, right?

When asked what he wanted to be when he was older, Hop confidently proclaimed that he’d be the next Champion. His statement wasn’t met with scorn because people were aware of who his brother was. Since his brother was the Champion, Hop would obviously be an excellent trainer, too. That was what everyone said, so it had to be true, right?

“So, what do you want to be when you’re older?” Hop asked you as you made flower crowns. You were  his new neighbor that moved to Postwick about a year or two ago, but with how often you played with each other, Hop felt like he has known you for years and years.

“I dunno. I think I’d like to go on a journey, though. See the world, you know?”

“Yeah, I guess,” Hop responded, watching as the wind tousled your hair. “If you wanna go on a journey, maybe you should go on a Pokémon journey! A rival would be good for me, just like Sonia and Lee.”

You blinked at him curiously. “Sonia and Lee?”

“Yeah, I guess you haven’t met them yet, huh? Lee’s – or Leon, I guess – my older brother and Sonia’s his childhood friend.”

“Wow, they are like us, then,” you laughed, placing a flower crown on Hop’s Wooloo. Seeing Wooloo bleat at you made Hop’s heart warm. There was a sense of peace whenever he was with you. Unlike the rest of Galar, you didn’t place much stock in him being the Champion’s brother. You just saw him as Hop.

Hop’s eyebrows furrowed.

When did being known as Leon’s brother bother him? He was proud to be Leon’s little brother! The Champion’s brother! But… maybe it did sting a little when that was what he was referred to as constantly. Sometimes, he felt like he didn’t have an identity outside of his brother–

“Hop?” you called, making Hop turn to you in surprise. Wooloo bleated at you, ordering you to continue brushing its fur. You laughed, but obliged anyway. “You looked lost in thought. What’s on your mind?”

“I got that Wooloo from Lee,” Hop responded, making you hum in acknowledgement.

“Wow, how lucky!”

“Yeah, lucky.” Hop knew that he was lucky. Not a lot of people had a brother like him, he knew that. But sometimes he wondered if he’d be able to reach the throne his brother sat on and live up to his brother's name. Everyone said Hop would be good, just like his brother. So he had to be. He had to–

“Hop?” you called out again, and this time, when Hop snapped out of his thoughts, he came face to face with yours, looking at him with concern.

He gulped. “Yeah, mate?”

Gently, you placed a hand on his forehead, checking his temperature. “You’re no warmer than you should be…”

“I’m fine,” he huffed, though he didn’t make any moves to remove your hand from his forehead. “I was just… thinking.”

“Be careful there,” you teased. “Don’t want to blow a fuse, eh?”

“Oi, stop that,” he grumbled without any bite. “...Are you leaving today?”

“Ah, yeah,” you nodded, finally pulling your hand away from his forehead. He kind of missed it.

“Shame, you could’ve met Lee.”

“Oh, he’s coming back today?”

“Well,” Hop huffed out a laugh. “If he doesn’t get lost, then yeah.”

“Aw, that’s a shame. I wanted to meet him.” You scratched behind Wooloo’s ear with a pout on your lips. “Send him my regards?”

“Of course I will,” Hop agreed. “And you’ll see him eventually.”

“Eventually,” you nodded, before standing up at your name being called by your mother. “Well, that's my cue.”

“See you. Have a good spring break!”

“You too, Hop!”

He didn’t know why, but he kind of wished you could’ve stayed for the spring break.

--

Hop’s meals with his family were always boisterous, even when his older brother wasn’t there. His family would always turn on the TV to watch Leon’s matches. Hop always loved watching Leon’s matches, but having his brother there, right beside him, was even better.

“Leon, your match was fantastic!” Hop’s mother beamed, clasping her hands together in glee. “You’re such a talented trainer.”

“Charizard and the rest of my team are the ones that deserve all the praise,” Leon said, modestly, eyeing his Pokémon lingering outside his house. His house was too small to fit his large Pokémon inside – sometimes, he envied how small Sonia’s Yamper was!

“One day I’ll have a team as awesome as yours!” Hop grinned, his Wooloo bleating next to him. “Watch out, Lee!”

Leon laughed loudly at his little brother’s eagerness. “You don’t understand how excited I am for that, Hop. I can’t wait to battle you!”

“I’m sure you’ll be as good as Lee,” Hop’s mom agreed. “After all, Leon’s already done it himself, so he can help you.”

There was a weird pang of bitterness that stung Hop at the insinuation that he couldn’t be a brilliant Pokémon trainer by himself, but he crushed it down. “I wanna earn my place,” Hop said, patting Wooloo’s head. “I’ll get to the top where Lee is without his help. That way, we can truly be equals!”

“There’s nothing wrong about asking for help, Hop,” Leon said, gently. “And besides, you don’t want the Pokémon I’ve been reserving for you?”

Hop’s eyes grew wide as Wooloo bleated in protest.

“I’m not trying to get rid of you, Wooloo!” Leon laughed, tossing the sheep Pokémon a piece of lettuce. “Just, when it’s time for you to take on the Gym Challenge, I’ve got a Pokémon for you.”

“Wow, thanks, Lee!” Hop said, eyes wide with excitement, “But I can't do the Gym Challenge for another few years.”

“Hah, I know,” Leon responded with a laugh. “It’ll come soon enough.”

Anticipation thrummed through Hop’s veins. It couldn’t come fast enough.

--

Now, four years later, at age sixteen, he’s sitting in a train that is leaving Postwick. It all still feels so surreal to him. He has waited for this moment – the moment he’d get to go on his own Pokémon journey – for years. Changes seem to be happening so quickly, and despite his confident demeanor, he’s still nervous. But when he sees you, he feels better, like there’s still something consistent in his life. His eyes linger away from the window, instead opting to look at you. You sit in front of him, idly watching the scenery pass by.

“Exciting, isn’t it?” you ask, suddenly turning to him. It makes him jolt in surprise, before his face eases into a grin.

“Exciting,” he agrees, feeling nervous at how your knees brush against each other. “You know, I wonder what that Pokémon was – the one we saw at Slumbering Weald.”

You hum thoughtfully, your fingers tapping against the wooden table between you two. “Whatever it is, it must be powerful. I’m glad you were there with me.”

“I couldn’t do anything, though,” Hop says, but you only shrug in response.

“Neither could I. But your presence was good enough to keep me grounded.”

“Heh.” Talking to you always eases Hop’s nerves. He wonders if you’re aware of that, but decides you probably aren’t as you shove a cookie in your mouth.

“Want one?” you offer, making Hop nod.

“Thanks, mate.”

You nod, eyes going back to the scenery outside. Hop’s eyes stay on you, though, because he wants to burn you into his memory. After all, he won’t be able to see you in a while and you’re kinda like… his good luck charm. He thinks he’ll be able to do better when he thinks of you.

--

With all the excitement thrumming in his veins, the events prior to arriving at Budew Drop Inn feels like a blur. Still, you both managed to sign up for the Gym Challenge, so he thinks of that as a win. He’s ready to kick back and relax, but when he sees Sonia staring at the statue in Budew Drop Inn, Hop is surprised. 

 As Sonia explains her reason for being here, Hop can’t help but be intrigued. He’s still set on being Champion, but… Sonia’s research is just fascinating. Not to mention the events that had occurred in Slumbering Weald – a part of Hop is curious if the Hero in the legends wielded a Pokémon like that.

Maybe it’s Hop’s curiosity that prompts him to say, “If we hear anything about the hero or whatnot, we’ll tell you!”

“You will? That’d be fantastic!” Sonia responds, clapping her hands together.

“Sure, I’d be happy to,” you agree, eying Hop out of the corner of your eye. Hop looks at you curiously.

“What is it?”

“You just seem really excited,” you give him an easy grin, “it’s a good thing we left for our journey, after all.”

“Well, I’ll be the new Champion, you know,” he responds, easily, but inside his heart is running laps in his chest. The implication that his happiness is why you’re so excited to be on a journey makes him feel oddly warm. He doesn’t dwell on it, though, because Sonia is shooting the two of you a cheeky look. “You better do your best to keep up, mate! A good Champion always needs a good rival.”

You nod with a laugh, “You’ll see, Hop. I’ll be the best rival the world’s ever seen.”

--

And a good rival you are – Hop still hasn’t been able to beat you. There’s a lingering frustration that rattles him as he withdraws his fallen Pokémon, but there’s also this sense of… freedom. Sure, losing sucked, but it was exhilarating thinking about how Pokémon can use their moves and abilities to fight.

“Good match, Hop,” you say, approaching him.

“Good match,” he agrees. “Looks like I better keep my guard up! You’re excellent at using type match ups to your advantage, you know. I didn’t realize your Pokémon had that ability, either – that was awesome to see in battle.” Hop continues his little tangent about your battle, before shifting to the Pokédex you two had obtained from Professor Magnolia. “And not to mention – did you know that Wooloo’s wool is so strong that it could roll down a cliff and not get injured? Maybe that’s why our Wooloo are so rambunctious! They don’t think they can ever get hurt.”

“Wow, no wonder that one Wooloo rolled into Slumbering Weald, then. It probably should’ve been protecting us,” you laugh, making Hop grin.

“Probably!” he crosses his arms, letting out a hum. “I’ve had Wooloo for years and I’ve never known this – I’d have probably never known if I didn’t go on this journey. It’s fascinating to know how broad our world is. Now I’m curious about how dynamaxing fits into all of this, you know? It’s such an interesting concept.”

“Yeah, it really is!”

 “Isn’t it?” Hop continues talking about his findings, spurred on by your attention. You’ve always been the sort to look at him and only him when he talks, so it's easy for Hop to talk about his newest fixation. You always listen to him when no one else does, which he appreciates. Especially since Hop isn’t really sure why, but he’s been very into researching Pokémon lately. Sure, in part it’s because researching leads to understanding Pokémon better, which leads to being a better Pokémon trainer, which then leads to helping him become a Pokémon Champion… But sometimes he’ll sit down and read pages and pages of Pokémon facts just because he finds it interesting. 

“You’ll be a fine Champion with all that knowledge,” you say, and Hop feels kind of off when he hears that statement. He’s not sure why, but he just nods.

“Yeah, I will be.”

--

Going on a journey is a lot more fun than Hop anticipated. It helps that he runs into you frequently and that he’s won all his gym battles so far (the grass, water, and fire badges he’s spent hours shining proving that). But what really makes him love traveling is learning. He’s found out so much and he continues to find out even more. The world is so much more vast than he ever imagined and it's all fascinating. Not to mention the fact that he’s picked up bits and pieces of knowledge to help Sonia and well…

Hop sometimes wonders if being a Champion is what he really wants. Sometimes, he’ll be so entrenched in his research that he won’t notice time slipping by. Of course, he still trains and battles and enjoys it, but there’s another form of enjoyment that comes with research.

But he’s set out to be the Champion – it’s what he’s always wanted. It’s what he thought he’d always want. It’s what everyone else expects of him as the Champion’s brother…

“The Champion really must have been off his rocker to endorse the likes of you,” Bede says, looking awfully smug as he always does. Hop has never really liked the guy.

“Rubbish. More like you don't know enough to recognize greatness when you see it. My throws are the greatest, and my bro is the finest Champion the world has ever seen! I'm not gonna listen to you insulting him!” Hop yells, readying his Poké Ball.

“How tiresome... Fine. I'll battle you over there. Maybe that will help you finally understand just how weak you are.”

The corners of Hop’s lips dip down further, displeased. “You’re on then!” Hop turns to you and motions for you to go. “Let's meet up in Hammerlocke when I'm through with him!”

You look hesitant to leave, but say, “Good luck, I’ll see you in Hammerlocke,” to Hop, before leaving.

Bede watches Hop, chin held high and pose nonchalant. “All this prattle about your friend and the Champion and whatnot... Do you not have anything of your own to show?”

Hop’s lips purse. He’ll show Bede.

--

The fire flickers, lighting up Hop’s face with shades of gold and amber. His Pokémon lay around him, sleeping soundly by the campfire after the battle with Bede.

There isn’t a lot to say, really. Hop lost – he lost badly.

“You’re just dragging the Champion’s name through the mud,” Bede had said, haughtily, and Hop couldn’t come up with any response because Bede was right.

“What am I supposed to do now?” he murmurs, eyes trained to the flickering fire in front of him. Leon’s always been Hop’s role model – Hop has always wanted to be Champion because that’s what Leon is. But did Hop actually want to become Champion, or was it all just because of Leon’s inspiration? Does Hop’s dream really belong to him? But even if his dream doesn’t belong to him, what else can he do…?

Is he having doubts because he has other avenues he wants to explore or is he having doubts because he lost? Is someone like him, who is dragging his brother’s name through the mud even able to become Champion?

Hop thinks and thinks, unsure of what to do. He kind of wishes he could see you – you’d be able to talk him through some things, to encourage him. But you’ve always been strong, Hop realizes. Unlike him, your dream is your own – it’s something that you’ve crafted and you’re certain of. Hop envies that. 

A bleat to his side draws his attention, his Dubwool nudging him. Hop looks over, noticing the book in his Dubwool’s mouth. 

“Ah, thanks…” he says, and Dubwool nudges him. “What, you want me to read this? To you?”

Dubwool bleats again, looking at Hop with its big eyes. Despite evolving, Dubwool’s eyes are the same as they were when it was a Wooloo.

Hop wants to say, “Not now,” but seeing his partner Pokémon’s curious look, Hop decides to oblige, settling into his warm jacket. He flips open the book, reading the various mythologies he’d been reading up on. Initially, he’d read this book to help find some information for Sonia, but the book itself fascinated Hop. While his bitter defeat still lingered in his mind, somehow, reading the book with Dubwool’s head in his lap helped make the fire in front of him feel cozier.

--

When he sees you again, your reunion is interrupted by some Team Yell grunts that you ceremoniously destroy in a Pokémon battle. Hop would’ve joined in, but he can’t seem to get himself to battle just yet, Poké Balls feeling heavy in his pockets.

You turn to him, “Hop–”

“Wow, you and your Pokémon were brilliant together!” he interrupts, making you blink in surprise.

“Ah, yeah, thank you…” you chew your bottom lip. “But that aside, are you okay?”

“Ah? Yeah, I’m fine as always.”

You give him a flat look, knowing his tells and when he’s lying. To be fair, Hop has always been pretty bad at lying.

“...See, Bede really wiped the floor with me the last time we battled… And don't get me wrong—I can take a loss! Battling means you've got to lose sometimes,” Hop says, though he doubts you’ve ever lost. Or that Leon has ever lost. He’s just not… good enough. “...But he said that I was dragging Lee’s good name through the mud, being so rubbish like I was… And I just can’t get those words out of my head!”

There’s a conflict in Hop – his desire to not mar Leon’s name, his doubts of who he is and what he wants, his envy towards you… It all muddles inside of him in some incomprehensible ball of self-loathing. Hop just isn’t sure what to do. He feels lost.

“...Hop,” you say, gently, “Can we… hang out for a bit?”

“Huh?”

“Just. I feel like when we’re on this journey, we’re so busy battling and trying to get stronger that we haven’t really had time to hang out, y’know. I want to catch up, if you’re okay with it.”

At first, Hop wants to say he’s not in the mood, self-loathing clutching him like a vice, but he realizes that you’re asking to hang out because of him. You’re worried, and it’s because you care about him. The thought makes Hop’s self-loathing deteriorate slightly. “Okay, I’d like that.”

You sleep soundly beside him, cozied up in your sleeping bag. Hop can’t really seem to sleep, though. Talking to you had abated some of his worries, especially with how patient you were. You also listened to him ramble about Pokémon research again, which made him feel a lot better.

He turns, looking at your sleeping face. You’ve always been someone he treasured, but nowadays, you’re more than that. You’re someone he admires, too. Someone he envies. Someone he wants to be closer to.

Hop closes his eyes, remembering how you looked by the campfire, how your eyes lit up when you two ate your curries together. He remembers you affectionately cuddling his Dubwool as if it were still a Wooloo. He remembers you making flower crowns for all his Pokémon and even him. 

“A crown looks good on you, I think,” you said, making him huff a laugh. You bow, saying, “Your wish is my command.”

“Then I command you to eat your dinner,” he responded, grinning. You’d always find a way to make him laugh.

“Ah, is it done?” 

Of course, food was something that always drew you in, making you drop your role immediately.

“It is, now c’mon, it’ll get cold,” Hop said, “Or I’ll eat it, if you don’t want it!”

You gasped in mock horror. “Don’t you dare!”

Hop snickers at the memory, before he remembers another memory with you. Different memories of you play inside his head like a movie, lulling him to sleep, shoulders lighter than before.

After talking with you, Hop feels a little better, though his doubts still linger. When you part ways, it’s hard not to let him sink back into his negative thoughts. Still… Hop decides that he’s not going to lay there without doing anything – sure, he may not know what he wants to do exactly, but he’ll figure it out. He’ll get stronger.

--

So he battles and he researches and repeats the same thing over and over again. He switches out his Pokémon and experiments with different team compositions. It’s tough having to train so many Pokémon, but researching different strategies is fun. He likes learning about more Pokémon. Besides, battling… It’s fun, too. Slowly, as the wins stack up, he’s gaining a bit of confidence in himself again. He’s not sure if his strategies are working fully, but at least it seems like he’s winning consistently… Until he battles you. When he battles you, he can see that chasm that forms between your skills and it’s hard to crush the doubts that arise again.

“Good match, Hop,” you say, approaching him with an extended hand. He gives your hand a firm shake.

“Yeah, good match, mate.” He hesitates, before he inhales deeply. He’s still a mess of emotions, but you’ve always been willing to listen. Talking to you has helped him a lot before. “Before we ever started out on this journey... I remember watching Lee on the telly. He was like a bright star, so strong I could hardly bear to look right at him. But now, I can tell just how strong he really is... And what he's got that I haven't…” He looks at you, not sure what to expect – disappointment, maybe.

But instead, you look at him kindly, encouraging him to continue.

“But I’m getting stronger, too. Maybe not as fast as you, but fine. Whatever! Thanks for letting me battle you again. And here. I'll heal up your team for you, too!”

“...Yeah, thanks, Hop.”

Hop waves off your thanks, instead focusing on your Pokémon. While healing them, he says, “...I still don’t know what I want fully. It’s like I’m torn between different sides of me. I like battling because it's fun, but I also want to win. I like research, but I also want to battle. It’s odd because I thought being Champion was what mattered to me, but now I don’t know.” Hop inhales. “But what I do know is that I want to battle Leon – I want to take on my bro. But not just that; I want to beat him! And I'm going to! My mind's made up! You and me are going to have another battle once I get my Gym Badge in Circhester!”

You grin at him. “I’m looking forward to it, Hop.”

There’s still a heaviness that lingers on Hop’s shoulders, but he feels a little better now that he’s more intune with what he plans to do and wants to do. He wants to battle, he wants to improve. He wants to beat Leon and he wants to beat you. He wants to research and learn about Pokémon. He wants to do it all and while he may not be able to do it all at once, he’ll take things step by step.

--

When Hop sees you again, he tries to battle by following Leon’s strategies, but somehow, that still doesn’t help him win against you. He just doesn’t know what he’s doing wrong. It’s frustrating, but he’s made up his mind to research as much as he can and train as much as he can, so he’ll just have to see what works best for him. It won’t be a quick process, but Hop is motivated enough to keep going. Step by step, he’ll surely get to where he wants to be.

“I know you probably don’t want to hear this from me,” you say, softly, snapping Hop out of his thoughts. There’s a frown on your face and for the first time, Hop sees the guilt that lingers in your eyes. “But I… don’t think you should be battling like Leon. That is, I think it’s best to find out how you work best, Hop. And most importantly… You’ve ought to stop doubting yourself.”

“Huh?”

“I saw that last move, you know. If you had just went through with your plan, you could’ve knocked my Pokémon out, but you were too focused on what you thought I might do that you doubted at the last second.” You shake your head. “Sorry, I know I’m overstepping. I’ll see you later, Hop.”

“Wait–”

But you’ve run off before he can get a word out. Hop can’t help but stare at your retreating figure, stunned at what you’d just said to him. 

Oh…

He was so focused on himself that he had never realized what you might’ve been going through. Now that he thinks about it… What is your dream, anyway?

--

When he sees you again, he expects stiffness, but you greet him kindly and warmly. You’ve always been supportive and friendly to him, he’s realized, regardless of his flaws. But he's also very acutely aware about how worn out you look. The best thing he can do right now is to talk to you like he always would – that somehow seems to pep you back up. It makes him smile at how much kindness you hold for him, patiently waiting for him to reach out when needed.

He wonders if he needs to wait for you to reach out when you need him, or if he can take the first step and offer you his hand first. He’s not even really sure if he can support himself, but he wants to be there for you. After all, your words from before helped puzzle pieces snap in place for him. His self doubt, his hesitation – those were holding him back. 

He realizes now that he needs a proper balance in his life of battling, researching, and having fun, but he was so focused on winning that he’d forgotten why he wanted to win in the first place. Winning to him isn’t just a sign of his competence as a battler – winning also signaled how much effort he had put into training and research.

That effort is why he liked battling so much – he would put in the work and get rewarded. And he believes he’ll continue to get rewarded if he continues to try hard. 

Of course, that doesn’t mean he can’t sit down and relax for a bit, chattering with you and Sonia about the Legendary Heroes. It’s all so interesting, and Sonia seems to agree. For the first time, seeing Sonia’s passion for her work, Hop thinks that being a professor might not be a bad idea at all.

Of course, battling is still his number one priority, so he challenges you to a battle at the Hero's Bath. You, again, wipe the floor with him, but this time, he doesn’t feel as heavy as he did before. This time, he battled like he would, not how Leon would. His strategy and battle style aren't perfect yet, but he feels like he's getting there. 

“I still can’t even beat you, my true rival… But I think I’m starting to see the light!” he says and this time, he means it.

The smile you give him at his words is brighter than any light. It draws him in and makes him want to burn that smile in his memories forever.

“I’m glad.”

--

Finally, as he watches Raihan’s last Pokémon go down for the count, there’s a feeling of ease that settles inside him. Hop still doesn’t have all the answers, but he feels like he’s closer than he’s ever been. As he does his best to catch up with you, he realizes that you’ve always been patiently waiting for him.

As you two ride the train to Wyndon, both of you with eight shiny badges, Hop realizes that the journey’s changed you a lot. You’re more assured, more confident. But you’ve always remained just the way you are in some ways, too. You’re kind, you’re wonderful.

“We’re finally headed for Wyndon, huh?” he says, making you look up from your book.

“Yeah.” You place a bookmark between the pages of your book, and Hop recognizes it as the Wooloo shaped one he gifted you years ago. “It’s kinda unbelievable, huh?”

“You think?” Hop says, earnestly.

You huff out a laugh. “You’re right, I guess it might not be for you. I always did think you’d make it this far.”

At your words, Hop’s heart throbs with affection. He wonders if he knows what you mean to him, what you’ve meant to him throughout this journey.

“I knew you’d get this far too, y’know,” he grins. “Sure, I reckon I’m still the favorite to win, but… You’re my true rival, mate.”

You snort. “I’m glad because I won't let someone else have that spot, y’know.”

“No one else can take it,” he says, watching as you give him a smile he’s never seen more. It’s… more bashful, a little more soft. It’s not a smile you give to your Pokémon nor is it one you give to your mom. Heck, it’s not even one you’ve given to him yet. It’s hard to explain, but the way your lips flit upwards slightly, the way your eyes crinkle – it makes him feel like time is stopping.

“Hop?” you call out, your smile turning into a look of concern.

Hop inwardly curses, embarrassed that he was caught staring. “There’s a lot I want to check out at Wyndon, actually. There’s that big tower… and the monorail… And Wyndon Stadium– it’s where the whole world’s gonna be watching us!”

You exhale softly, fingers lightly tapping against the hardcover of your book. “Nerve wracking, honestly.”

“You’ll do great!” Hop encourages. He wonders if his words will mean anything to you like your words mean to him. “You and me are gonna make our match the greatest match that ever was!”

You blink at him, before a small smile curls at your lips. “Yeah, you’re right,” you give him a grin. “You and I… We’re gonna show the entirety of Galar!”

Hop beams back at you, knowing in his gut that you two will surely make history.

--

Hop’s heart thuds in his chest as he watches you on the television, commanding your Pokémon with so much power that he can’t look away. You blaze so brilliantly that Hop doesn’t know how you haven’t consumed everything whole. But there’s something else he notices – something he knows no one else but him sees. The way your hand trembles, the way you close your eyes and breathe to calm yourself. Whenever you’re on the battlefield, it’s not just your Pokémon that you command, it’s your emotions.

Hop realizes that you have your own doubts, your own fears – it’s just that, unlike him, your dream is crafted by you. It wasn’t crafted like his where he wanted to be Champion because it was all he knew. It wasn’t crafted like his where it felt like his dreams were being crushed by his doubts. Instead, your dream is crafted like his new one – built slowly and lovingly over the course of his adventure. As he finds himself, his dream shifts and molds into something that grows with him. He no longer wants to be Champion because it was all he knew or because he wanted to be like his brother – no, it’s because he wants to win and prove himself. It’s because he wants to showcase that his strategies, that his research, is meaningful. 

More than anything, he wants to battle you. He wants to battle you so you can see that he finally knows what he wants – so that you can finally see that he’s no longer doubting who he is.

“After seeing the way you battled, I can’t accept any outcome besides winning this match,” Hop says, meeting you in the locker room. You grin at him, offering him a hand to shake, which he does gladly. Your warmth alights adrenaline in his blood but it also comforts him.

“I’m not going to take defeat laying down, you know,” you say, making him laugh.

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

You both stare at each other, a mutual understanding passing through you two. As the intercom calls for you two, you two smile at each other, before getting to your spots to battle. As you two meet on the field with millions of eyes on the two of you, Hop is suddenly hit with the realization of just how far the two of you had come.

“I just had this sort of flashback, you know. Remember? Back when we were still in Postwick,” he says, making you huff out a laugh. 

“I’d never forget.”

He smiles, before inhaling deeply. “When we got our Pokémon from Lee that day, I never would’ve dreamed that I’d end up standing here… facing you. But I’m glad it’s you.” Before you can respond, he smacks his cheeks lightly to get himself into the proper mindset. “But it’s time I finish what I started that day… Got it? The one who’ll win is me!”

--

The one that wins is you. After the intense battle, the one that claims victory is you. Somehow, Hop knew this would happen. You had something about you that was similar to Leon. Yeah, he knew you’d win…

But that didn’t mean it didn’t sting when he lost.

Still… Hop watches your shoulders heave in exertion. He watches as your Pokémon runs to you, proud. He watches as the crowd cheers madly, the match you two held having a lasting impact on all that watched.

He watches and he sees the unshed tears in your eyes as yours meet his. He watches as you open your mouth to speak, but close it, teeth clenching in uncertainty of what to say. You don’t pity him – that’s not the type of person you are – but he knows you feel guilty. He knows that his dreams weigh heavy on your own shoulders. He knows, and he wishes you knew that he’ll be okay.

He wishes you could know that somehow, despite losing, he doesn’t mind. He tried his best, his Pokémon tried their best, and that’s what matters to him now. He’s not going to take this loss as him losing an opportunity to become Champion. Instead, he’ll take it as a new start where he can dedicate himself to combining his love for battling and research. He wants you to know all of this and more – so, so much more.

“Thanks, mate,” he says, approaching you. He gives your Pokémon a sitrus berry, earning a delighted purr from it. He smiles at it, before he grins at you. “I’m really glad you were the one here with me.”

“Hop… I–” you swallow the lump in your throat, your voice wobbling. He sees himself reflected in your eyes so clearly that he wonders if you see your reflection reflected in his. “I’m… glad I could battle you. You’ll always be my greatest rival, for the end of time.”

“Good,” he says. “I’m not letting anyone take that from me.” With a grin, he offers his hand for a handshake, which you just look at.

Hesitantly, you reach out. Hop shakes your hand firmly, trying to emphasize everything he wants to say with his actions. But he knows he can’t so he decides to say everything instead.

“You know, even when Sonia was saying that you and me looked like we could become heroes, I never really felt like one…” he says, “But you, mate! I think maybe you really could do all sorts of great things! Good on you and all the rest of your team!”

“I think you can do all sorts of great things, too, Hop,” you say with so much passion that it blows Hop away. Your lip wobbles as you hold his hand with both of yours. “Hop – you don’t see what I see, that much I can tell, but I want you to know that you’re amazing. Your passion, your knowledge, all of it. I’m so grateful that you’re the one that’s my rival. I could have never asked for anyone better.”

Hop is stunned into silence, unsure of what to say. But what he does know is that your words are close to bringing him to tears. He’s already decided not to doubt himself, he already knows what his real dream is, but hearing words of encouragement just makes everything in the world shine differently.

Hop wishes that he could see how you look at him. He wishes that you could see how he looks at you. 

“...Thanks, mate,” he says, voice cracking in the middle. “I– just, thanks.”

“Yeah,” your murmur softly, the guilt in your eyes clearing away slowly. You squeeze his hand and Hop wonders if you’d be willing to hold his hand forever and ever. He wonders if you’d be willing to talk to him on lazy mornings and listen to his ramblings. He wonders if you’d travel with him, camping and having Pokémon battles together. He wonders if you’d be willing to–

Oh.

Oh.

Arceus.

He thinks he’s in love with you.

--

Hop has little time to revel in the realization that he loves you, what with Director Rose acting odd as well as your final battle with Leon coming up. You’re the one that’s fighting, but for some reason, he’s the one that’s more nervous. Still, he decides to greet you brightly.

“All right? The big moment’s here, eh? I came just to cheer you on, you know!”

When the nervousness eases from your face, Hop doesn’t know why that makes his heart soar. “Hop,” you say, softly. “You came.”

“Yeah, ‘course I did,” he says, sitting next to you. “Mate, you feeling all right?”

“Not really,” you admit, sheepish. “It’s just… So much.”

“Yeah, it is,” Hop agrees easily, placing a kind hand on your back. He rubs soothing circles, feeling the tenseness in your back. “I’m cheering for you, you know.”

“Thank you,” you say, and Hop grins.

“Still, it’s not easy picking sides… After all, it’s the showdown between my big brother and my rival… Who should I really want to win more?”

“Hey!”

“I’m joshing you!” he laughs. “I’ll be cheering for you, promise. After all, we did start this thing out together, way back in Postwick.”

“Yeah.” You breathe in deeply, before nodding. “Yeah, we did.”

“Yup, so you better beat Lee, you hear? If anyone can beat him, it’s you.”

“...Hop, can I ask you for something?”

“Hm?” he looks at you, feeling the nervousness roll off your shoulders.

“Can you hug me?”

Hop almost chokes in surprise, but opens his arms silently, not trusting himself to speak. He hopes you can’t hear the way his heart thuds so strongly against his chest. Oh Arceus, did he smell okay? Maybe he shouldn’t have agreed to his hug – he’s not sure what to do with himself and the nerves are about to kill him. Still, as he feels you squeeze him tightly, his embarrassment ebbs away slowly. He hugs you back, cradling you close to him.

There’s not much he can do for you, but he hopes that, at the very least, you’re aware that he’ll always stand by you. That he’ll always be there to support you.

--

Hop’s head is a mess. He was supposed to watch you and his brother’s battle, but Director Rose had interrupted the fight, going on about the Darkest Day or some other baloney that Hop could care less about. Currently, Hop’s more worried about his brother who has run off to stop Rose. 

“I want to help my brother,” he mutters, watching Leon leave on his Charizard. He’s feeling so useless that he’s not sure what to do. All the doubts from months ago come crashing back into him, Bede’s words ringing harshly in his ears. “I’ve got to!”

“You can help!” you encourage, tugging at his sleeve. “Let’s go, Hop!”

“That’s easy for you to say,” he snaps, frustrated. “ I can’t even manage to beat you, so what sort of help could I ever be…?”

As soon as the words leave Hop’s mouth, he freezes, knowing that he messed up.

“I mean–”

“You’re right,” you say, face perfectly neutral. “With that attitude, you can’t do anything!” Your tone is heated, “But– Leon needs you, Hop. I need you. We need to help Leon and I won’t be able to do it on my own. You might think you’re not good enough or that I can do everything on my own, but I can’t!” Your shoulders heave as you try to catch your breath, your tears wetting your cheeks. “Arceus, Hop… Can’t you see? I need you. I–”

“You’re right,” Hop says quickly, guilt settling into his brain. He tries to think back to his epiphany. He thinks back to what his real dream and goal are. He thinks back to why he wanted to battle, to why he wanted to beat you. He thinks about how you mean the world to him and that he wants you to know that he has your back like you have his. He wants you to know that he’ll always support you. 

Shame overwhelms him as his head gets clearer, his worry for his older brother being replaced with determination to help him. “You're right, I was saying rubbish. I’m sorry.”

“You were saying rubbish,” you snip, sniffling. 

Hop wipes off your tears with his thumb, saying, “Sorry.”

“If you are, you better help me.”

Hop nods at you, determined to make things right. “Let’s first start with how we can help Lee. Director Rose said something about the Darkest Day, didn’t he…?” The gears in Hop’s head turn, making him gasp as you come to the same realization. 

The statue of the hero, the tapestries, Slumbering Weald…

You and Hop nod at each other, determination settling in both of your bones.

--

As you two enter Slumbering Weald, Hop can’t help but remember the first time you visited the place together. Thick fog hung over the place like a shield, trying to block out any intruders that may dare to step into the holy ground. Back then, Hop was terrified. Now, though, Hop is surprised with how safe he feels with his Pokémon and you by his side.

“Ready for this?” he asks you, and you nod.

“I’ve got you and my Pokémon by my side. I’m not scared of anything.”

Your words make Hop’s heart flutter in his chest and he wants to wheeze physically at how you knock the breath out of him with your words. Instead, he says, “Going into the forest after Wooloo that day... That was the start of everything, wasn't it? A legendary beginning, really…”

“That’s true,” you nod, “and I’m glad we had such a legendary beginning.”

“I reckon whatever we're about to see will be pretty legendary itself!” he beams, “Well, let’s head in and add another page to our tale!”

His heart almost stops when you grab his hand, but he doesn’t say anything in fear that you’ll pull away. Instead, he squeezes your hand back.

--

Hop feels like he’s going to die. Everything before this moment, finding the rusted sword and shield, going up the Energy Plant, reaching the Tower summit… all of it feels like a blur, hazy in his mind as he stares at the beast in front of him. Leon does his best to hold his own, but the new Pokémon – Eternatus – is too strong. 

But he can’t give up here. He wants to protect Galar, his mom, Leon, and you. He’s put in so much effort to be strong. He’s put in so much effort to find out what he really wants. You’ve put in so much effort to get this far. You’ve put in so much effort to pull him out of his own doubts.

Yeah. He’s not going to let the Darkest Day come. There’s no way.

With a deep breath, he stands up, extending a hand to you. “All right. Let’s take it on together!”

“Gladly!” you say, grasping his hand to stand up yourself. You two stand side by side, rusted sword and shield in your hands, looking like the heroes from the tales of old.

--

After all that excitement, Hop’s not really sure how things will return to normalcy, but they do. After dinner with his family, he’s reading in his bedroom, Dubwool resting its head on his lap. There’s a knock at his door, causing Hop to look up in curiosity.

“Come in,” he says, and the door opens to reveal his older brother.

“Hey, Hop,” Leon says, closing the door behind him. “Got your nose in a book, eh?”

“Yeah,” Hop says, putting his book down as Leon makes his way over. “...How are you feeling, Lee?”

“Ah?” Leon looks surprised, before he laughs. “Fair question. I’m not entirely sure. I’m kind of frustrated, I think, but… I also feel exhilarated. Your friend truly battles like no other.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” Hop says, feeling a sense of happiness at Leon acknowledging you. Yeah, you are strong.

“...How about you, Hop? Feeling all right?”

“Yeah!” Hop responds, genuinely feeling lighter than before, like another pathway has opened up for him. “It’s kind of like a new path has opened up for me, you know?”

“Hah, I get that!” Leon claps his hand on Hop’s back, bellowing out a loud laugh. When Hop looks into Leon’s eyes, he can see the pride his older brother carries for him. “Look at my brother – strong and smart. I’d have expected nothing less.” With a grin, Leon musses up Hop’s hair, making Hop laugh as he tries to get out of his older brother’s headlock.

“You messed up my hair, Lee!”

“Sorry, sorry,” Leon says, letting Hop go. “...But seriously. I’m glad you seem to know what you want to do. I have things I want to do that I’m no longer Champion, too. Looks like we’ll both be busy.”

“Yup, sounds like it!”

Leon grins, before stretching and falling back on Hop’s bed. “Man! Time sure flies quickly, huh? I feel like it was only yesterday that I was losing battles and getting helped as a child.”

Hop blinks, looking at Leon curiously. “You… Lost battles before?”

“Yeah, when I was starting out.” Leon lets out a small hum in thought. “I also refused to get help because I was kind of overconfident, too. Once I started getting help from people like Master Mustard, though, well… I guess I kind of unlocked a hidden potential in me and I stopped losing. Well, until now, that is.”

“Oh,” Hop says, looking surprised. His older brother, who he thought was the pinnacle of strength, had struggled too. His brother needed help, too. His brother is human, too. “...Thanks, Lee,” Hop decides to say, finally.

Leon lays on Hop’s bed for a few more beats, before he tackles Hop into another headlock, making Hop’s hair even messier than before.

“Hey!” Hop laughs, pushing Leon off of him.

“I’m proud of you, Hop,” Leon says, once Hop escapes the headlock. “I hope you know that.”

Without missing a beat, Hop responds with, “Yeah, I know.”

--

The next day, Hop finds himself back in Slumbering Weald, taking in the mystical atmosphere. He looks at how the trees reflect against the lake, clear and bright. 

“Hop?” At your voice, Hop turns around, looking at you curiously.

“Huh? What’re you doing out here in the woods?”

“Well… I just felt like something was calling me here, I guess?” you say. “And it’s quiet.”

“Hah, yeah, I guess it must be loud around you, huh?” Hop pauses, looking at the lake that’s as clear as his heart. “Congrats on the Championship, by the way! You’re amazing, I hope you know that.”

“Thank you,” you say, eyes trained on the lake before you. You watch as leaves leave ripples on the surface of the water.

“I should be thanking you,” Hop responds, making you turn to him curiously. “I… Have something to confess.”

“What is it?”

“I actually stopped wanting to be Champion a while ago.” Hop put up a hand. “Wait, let me rephrase – it was more like… I found out that becoming Champion wasn’t my end goal. Sure, it’d have been nice to be Champion, but more than that, I wanted to win and be strong. Being Champion would just signify my strength.” Hop skips a flat stone across the lake, causing ripples to form. “I also realized that while I loved battling, I loved research, too. The stuff Sonia’s doing? It fascinates me.”

He looks at you, and you look at him, patiently waiting for him to continue.

“...The reason I was able to find myself and stop doubting myself so much is because of you.” His voice is so quiet that he doubts you heard him. But the softness in your eyes tell him otherwise. “So, yeah, thank you.”

“You’re so silly, Hop,” you laugh. “You’re the one that’s done that, you know? Sure, maybe I gave you a push here and there, but you’re the one who discovered all of this. You’re the one who decided to take the steps to meet your goals. You’re– you’re amazing, you know that?”

Hop wonders briefly how you can make him love you even more than he already does. He wonders briefly if he’s loved you long before he even realized it because how could he not? He briefly wonders, but then he realizes he doesn’t care because he loves you now and that’s what matters to him.

“I have one more confession,” he says. He can feel his heart about to jump out of his throat but he feels like his heart will stop entirely if he doesn’t tell you his feelings. “I like you. I’ve liked you for a while now, actually. I know I can be a pain sometimes, and I’m not trying to force my feelings on you, but if you’re okay with it, can you give me a chance?” Hop’s eyes are closed during his confession, scared of what expression you’ll have on your face.

When you’re silent, he feels himself sweat, unsure of what to do with himself. Taking a chance, he cracks an eye open to at least assess what expression you might have on your face. What Hop sees takes his breath away – you, underneath the dappled sunlight, the wind in your hair. You, with a bright smile, all the affection you can muster in your eyes. You, who is looking at him with so much emotion that he’s not sure what to do with it all.

“I’ll give you as many chances as you want,” you say, reaching out to grab his hands. “So, will you give me a chance?”

“Arceus, yes,” he laughs, relief flooding the adrenaline out of his veins. Arceus, he loves you. He really, really loves you. And with the way you look at him he can tell you love him too.

[short-wooloo]

This here also kinda highlights a parallel Dooku has with Maul (and to a lesser extent, Anakin)

They both could have stopped Sidious by just saying something

After Qui-Gon's death or after Maul's return, Dooku and Maul could have ended it all by just saying "Palpatine is Darth Sidious" (not even that, all they had to do was point the Jedi in the right direction)

But they didn't

Pride, guilt, arrogance, ego, or selfishness stayed their hands

Maybe, for whatever reason each had individually, Maul and Dooku wanted to be the one who personally killed Sidious, they wanted their revenge and their revenge alone, to ascend to Mastery of the sith

They put themselves over everything and everyone, and the galaxy burned for it

One thing I do like about TOTJ's take on Dooku's fall is that it really highlights that the Dark Side makes you absolutely masochistic. (Mega long post ahead).

One thing TOTJ establishes is that Qui-Gon's death is absolutely on Dooku (no matter if the show itself doesn't seem to be aware of it).

His tone is concerned and his attitude sympathetic and supportive, but he knows. He knows it's a Sith Lord (he even knows Maul's name). He knows Qui-Gon almost died and is marching right into another trap, but he asks questions anyway and affects ignorance.

"I've been warning them about the coming darkness for years," he says, "never to be taken seriously." Using the Council's skepticism as an occasion to complain about how they didn't believe him while lying by omission is a great case of that hypocrisy Dooku loves denouncing in others. Dooku would rather Qui-Gon share his disillusionment with the Jedi than actually do anything to help Qui-Gon. The Council don't believe him? Okay, Dooku, but YOU DO. You can just tell him what's going on.

But he doesn't.

On some level, Dooku has to be aware of what's about to happen. Qui-Gon is walking into grave danger, and Dooku's response to that - before it happens, when there is still time to stop it - is to put the blame on the people who don't know shit while not doing shit himself. (Why can't Dooku be there to protect Qui-Gon, other than because he's already slavishly loyal to Sidious' plans?)

And this moment puts every subsequent action of Dooku's throughout the Prequels in perspective - particularly his relationships with Obi-Wan, Ventress and Yoda.

Dooku is a glutton for punishment.

I've written here about why I think the 'Box' from TCW 4x17 is meant to parallel Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon's mission on Naboo. The dioxis, ventilation shafts, the catwalks and lightsabers, the ray shields, the fire pit... Dooku's idea of a test to find the best mercenaries around is to have them survive what killed Qui-Gon (what he allowed to happen).

During the challenge, it's pretty obvious he starts to suspect Hardeen is Obi-Wan.

Or at the very least, he's taking an interest in the man who supposedly killed Qui-Gon's own apprentice - Dooku's spiritual grandson (see RotS novelization), whom he's been trying very hard to either recruit or kill himself. And what does he do with that interest? Tries to push "Hardeen" to kill Eval in anger.

Dooku, who still mourns the Padawan he knowingly let walk away to his death, watches a pantomime of his Padawan's death, while putting in mortal danger all he has left of said apprentice. If he knows Hardeen is Obi-Wan (and it's pretty obvious that he does), he tries to get Obi-Wan to Fall (or potentially die) in a scenario reenacting Qui-Gon's death. If he doesn't know for sure, then he's encouraging his all but grandson's killer to win the tournament because he admires him (for killing someone Dooku wanted by his side).

Whatever the outcome, Dooku chooses to relive his guilt and chooses to make the same choice to kill his loved one all over again, even though we know he hates that he made this choice:

He misses Qui-Gon and needs him but tries to kill or destroy Obi-Wan, whom he needs and wants by his side. (I haven't counted just how many time he does try killing Obi-Wan in TCW while still expressing his indefectible admiration for him - it's frequent, the Box just stands out to me as one of the most noteworthy occasions.)

And he keeps doing stuff like that!! He keeps choosing the path that causes him the most pain. He does it with Sifo-Dyas, he does it with Yaddle, he does it with Yoda and he does it with Ventress.

Just look at him confronting Sidious about Qui-Gon's death:

He KNOWS following Sidious got Qui-Gon murdered and he KNOWS Sidious will continue to kill or order him to kill people close to him. And yet he's quick to reassure Sidious that this doesn't change anything. Securing his position with Sidious matters more than his rage and grief. The ONLY WAY this behavior makes sense is if Dooku is fully aware that he had a choice about Qui-Gon's fate, and decides that this is the path he's on now: Sidious might make him kill everyone he cares about, but he's going to do it. Every time, things will play out the same.

Sidious tells him to kill Ventress, his new apprentice? Sure, why not!

(And it's not even out of true loyalty for Sidious, because he constantly tries to double-cross him later on. It's pure self-destruction:)

He hates it, Sidious promises him more of it, and he goes along with it!

This is why Yaddle's attempts at bringing him back don't work, in my opinion:

"Whatever lies he's told you, whatever you have done, you can make up for it now by bringing him to justice." This might convince a man who is looking for atonement, except Dooku isn't. He is looking for punishment.

Killing or harming those close to him leaves him broken, furious or in pain? He'll just keep doing it.

Sidious offers him nothing more than agonizing slavery? He'll keep on kneeling.

That's when Yaddle literally offers him the Light - the light that is so much more powerful than the Dark that it has Sidious cowering, the light that can save him if he wants - Dooku just strikes her down, even though he was heartbroken over thinking he had killed her just a moment ago.

He chooses to kill her, regrets it and hates himself for it, and chooses to kill her again. HE KEEPS MAKING THE CHOICE THAT HE KNOWS WILL HURT.

His remedy to guilt is to pick a shovel, because by God if he hasn't hit rock bottom yet he's going to dig!

[pokemonred-v-blu]

//Image under the cut lol but I thought it'd be funny to draw a silly thing for the fight we're about to have. It's not finished yet because I thought I'd put out the sketch for the other involved parties (@numberonebidoofenjoyer , @counting-wooloo , and @skyfire-the-pokemon-biologist ) to give critique about their characters depicted

Prefight selfie!!! Get in guys, let's capture the moment!

Edit: I forgor Lochland's glasses-

[pokepollsters]

Little Cup Stats- March 2025

Each of our Little Cup Polls this month were suggested by someone different! But they all posed an interesting question to answer- and here's how the answers stack up. Hope you enjoy more stats, and don't forget to submit your own Little Cup Poll suggestions if you have them!

Week #9 (Mascots)

Our first question this month gave us a look into a world without Pikachu as the series mascot! 3 Pokémon have been named by the developers as potential mascots had they not chosen Pikachu, and it was our task to pick between them. This was how it played out after 461 votes:

Psyduck- 29.3%, 135 votes

Clefairy- 46.6%, 215 votes

Poliwhirl- 21.9%, 101 votes

See results- 2.2%, 10 votes

And adjusted after discounting those who couldn't choose:

Psyduck- 29.9%

Clefairy- 47.7%

Poliwhirl- 22.4%

And in visual form:

Clefairy is the clear winner! The Water Types just couldn't compete with Clefairy's cute charm!

Week #10 (Eeveelutions)

The only question this month posed by me, I was curious to know just how many people like to use the Eeveelutions- and how many of them you've each used at one point or another! There were 567 votes, and this was how it looked:

0- 4.2%, 24 votes

1- 6.7%, 38 votes

2- 7.4%, 42 votes

3- 12.3%, 70 votes

4- 11.6%, 66 votes

5- 9.9%, 56 votes

6- 7.2%, 41 votes

7- 4.9%, 28 votes

8- 32.1%, 182 votes

See Results- 3.5%, 20 votes

When we remove those who couldn't vote for whatever reason, the adjusted numbers are:

0- 4.4%

1- 7%

2- 7.7%

3- 12.8%

4- 12.1%

5- 10.2%

6- 7.5%

7- 5.1%

8- 33.3%

And that visually looks like this-

So exactly a third of our voters have used all of Eevee's delightful evolutions! And approximately speaking, the other thirds have each used 0-3 Eeveelutions, or 4-7 Eeveelutions.

Week #11 (Star-Shaped Pokémon)

Further into the month, we had another question of which Pokémon you preferred over others! This time though, the selection was based on shape- the shape of a star! These stellar Pokémon all wanted your vote, and this is how it went after 738 votes:

Cleffa- 6.2%, 46 votes

Clefairy- 8.7%, 64 votes

Clefable- 2.8%, 21 votes

Staryu- 4.1%, 30 votes

Starmie- 8.3%, 61 votes

Solrock- 4.6%, 34 votes

Jirachi- 38.6%, 285 votes

Minior- 26.2%, 193 votes

See Results- 0.5%, 4 votes

Now we'll adjust the percentages when we remove the indecisive votes, but let's also include an additional note for the totals when we group together evolution lines!

Cleffa- 6.3%

Clefairy- 8.7%

Clefable- 2.9%

Cleffa/Clefairy/Clefable Line- 17.8%, 131 votes

Staryu- 4.1%

Starmie- 8.3%

Staryu/Starmie Line- 12.4%, 91 votes

Solrock- 4.6%

Jirachi- 38.8%

Minior- 26.3%

In chart form, it looks like this:

So while there was strong competition, Jirachi was the favourite, and not even combining evolution lines could compare to it!

Week #12 (Early-Game Normal Types)

Our final poll of the month concerned those Normal Types you find early on in your adventure. Every Generation has at least 1, and some more than that! But which was the most popular one? There were 523 votes, and the results were:

Rattata- 3.4%, 18 votes

Sentret- 11.3%, 59 votes

Zigzagoon- 26.2%, 137 votes

Bidoof- 11.5%, 60 votes

Patrat- 1.3%, 7 votes

Lillipup- 14.9%, 78 votes

Bunnelby- 2.7%, 14 votes

Yungoos- 1.1%, 6 votes

Skwovet- 1.9%, 10 votes

Wooloo- 22%, 115 votes

Lechonk- 3.1%, 16 votes

See Results- 0.6%, 3 votes

After adjustment:

Rattata- 3.5%

Sentret- 11.3%

Zigzagoon- 26.3%

Bidoof- 11.5%

Patrat- 1.4%

Lillipup- 15%

Bunnelby- 2.7%

Yungoos- 1.2%

Skwovet- 1.9%

Wooloo- 22.1%

Lechonk- 3.1%

And in chart form:

So Zigzagoon reigns above all early Normal Types! Wooloo came close to toppling the throne, but it wasn't enough. Poor Yungoos and Patrat though, neither of their vote counts broke out of single digits!

Final Stats

And now the monthly stats. 2,282 votes were cast this month, down again from last month's 2,769 votes, with an average of 571 votes per poll! Likewise, this is a decrease from last month's average of 692 votes per poll. Seems these questions didn't capture quite as much attention as previous ones! This still keeps the overall Little Cup Poll average vote total at a respectable 700 though.

Looking at the voting trends, it seems an average amount of votes seems to be emerging, with certain polls getting a bit more attention than others every few weeks. We'll have to see if this holds true in the future.

And that's all for March! As always, thank you for voting, and I hope to see you all back here for more stats in another month's time. And as a final reminder, keep those poll suggestions coming- this series is nothing without your input!

Last month's stats!

[short-wooloo]

Actually, that's kinda the story of every fight Obi-Wan is in

Outside of Grievous (who is non force sensitive), everyone Obi-Wan has ever fought:

A. Is equal or greater than him in Force power

B. Lost to him save for one

Anakin/Vader, Ventress, Maul, Savage, Grievous, they all assumed their own superiority over Obi-Wan, they underestimated him, and save for Ventress, this cost all of them dearly

The only person who has ever beaten Obi-Wan in a fight is Dooku, why?

Because he did not underestimate him

Like the others, Dooku was convinced of his own superiority, but he did not think of Obi-Wan as an inferior, Dooku makes it abundantly clear, he respects the hell out of Obi-Wan, and thus when he fights him Dooku doesn't screw around, he treats Obi-Wan like the serious threat he is

(Its also possible that this is a sort of twisted "kindness" on Dooku's part, Obi-Wan was Qui-Gon's padawan and avenger, thus Dooku deals with Obi-Wan quickly and efficiently because he can't bring himself to be excessively cruel to Qui-Gon's apprentice)

what I love most about obi wan is that like. in terms of power levels and raw natural ability he’s kind of….. average??? nothing to write home about????? and even so he’s still one of the most respected jedi masters out there, the jedi master you point to and go “you see him? he’s the definition of a jedi”

he’s all hard work and dedication and determination and it SHOWS. people look up to him!! jedi know it’s not how powerful you are it’s what you do with that power and the fact that he worked so hard to get there??? they recognize that effort. achievements are more noteworthy for having struggled to be achieved than if it took no effort at all

in a universe of anakins and yodas and mace windus who are objectively powerhouses in the force it’s my mans kenobi out here posed as the model jedi like bro……. bro 😭

[loz-chainsofcorruption]

Link OC questionnaire tag game!

If your Link wound up in the dark world, what would their dark world form be?

Boots would be some kind of mule/wolf combo, the same color as the special stitches on his clothes. Stray would be a scruffy cat, either soft orange or pink. Gerudo Link... Maybe a gryphon? But instead of an eagle, he's got crow parts, or some other resourceful bird. The bird parts would purple and the lion parts would be orange.

Pick 1-6 Pokemon you think they'd have!

Boots would absolutely have a Wooloo. Heck, he'd probably have three Wooloo, just like he's got three sheep at home. He'd be happy with a full team of wooloo, honestly, but I could also picture him with a Growlithe, Yamper, or Rockruff. Stray would totally get along with a Nickit, but if not that, or if he had another, I imagine it would be some Pokemon he found abandoned, like maybe a Zigzagoon. It would probably remind him a little too much of himself not to take under his wing, and he'd constantly question his decision while sharing food with it. Gerudo Link... I like to think the Gerudo love the Helioptile line, so I think he'd have a Heliolisk. I also think he'd have a fighting type, but something a little silly to suit his more mischievous side - maybe Monferno? Although I could see him being assigned a third Pokemon for safety or something... Maybe a Blaziken, Gallade, or Lucario?

What is their favorite item and why?

Boots would be... Gosh, he's having a hard time choosing. He was hyped about getting bombs but he admittedly loves the Fire Sword and Lightning Sword - but special attacks with those, which is like, 90% of their fun, uses up energy, which is a bummer. The Cucco's cape has been incredibly handy, but also it's not very exciting. He's hesitant to pick any boots because... The principle of the matter, and so many of them look ridiculous, but- oh, actually, he takes it all back. His harmonica. Fast travel is the greatest thing in the world in his opinion, he was so sick and tired of walking everywhere and when it came to having to backtrack for a bunch of stuff? Phew, he's real glad he had that! I don't know for sure what items the other two will wind up having, but I can for sure see Stray loving a grappling hook if I were to give him one. Thieving off of monsters? Heck yeah. I could see Gerudo Link liking a lightning rod.

What was their initial motivation for starting their adventure?

For Boots, it was saving his family (and hometown in general!). It was caged by a dangerous barrier and negatively affecting everyone trapped inside, so he initially just set out to free them before deciding to continue on to stop Veskaris completely. For Stray, it was literally just to get Zelda out of his head. He did not want this girl stuck in his brain hearing some of his thoughts and sometimes controlling his body, terrible awful get her out of there!!! Tbf he was already actually helping out a bit before that by slaying monsters but that was primarily to make money as people hired him to do so. For Gerudo Link, it was to protect his people from the terrible and corrupt king of Midrule, Ganondorf!

Do they have/get an instrument, and if so, what does it do?

Boots gets a harmonica at some point, which is used to warp to certain locations. I haven't decided for the other two at all yet, but I'm tempted to give Stray a kalimba? Idk what it would do, I dunno if I'll give him one, but I do like Link's having instruments. I'd like to give Geruo Link something too... A small drum or - ooh, an alghoza would be cool.

Least favorite enemy? Not counting Ganon(dorf) or the main bad guy(s) of the story!

For Boots? Gibdo. At least for now... I've only written a handful, so I have a feeling that could change once he has to deal with enemies that make him drop his weapon and shield uwu but the Gibdo geniunely terrify him, so who knows. I'm not entirely sure what enemies Stray and Gerudo Link will face, but from the little I've got cooking for Stray's story, I'm not sure any usual Zelda enemy would be worse than Puppeted People. Gerudo Link would probably mostly hate the ones that are like, a pain to defeat or are inconvenient/can't be defeated but just must be avoided. Whatever he can't just muscle his way past. So like, Armos and Beamos, Bubbles that make it so you can't fight, etc.

How well did your Link know his Zelda before his adventure began, if at all, how did they meet, and what is their relationship by the end and/or post adventure?

Boots was childhood... Uh, well, I wouldn't say friends with his Zelda, but they spend time together occasionally as kids for a good handful of years when his grandpa brought him to the castle. They didn't really like each other. He gets to see her again at the end of his adventure, they trauma bond, and then wind up with a weird sorta sibling coded relationship afterwards where they annoy each other but also Have a Special Understanding no one else does thanks to what they went through. You can actually read their first meeting (+ a mini comic) here! Stray first meets his Zelda when she uhh, appears in his brain as a voice. Stuck there. LOL. He doesn't believe she's the princess at first because? That's crazy. Why would the princess be stuck in his brain. They don't get along at all at first but eventually he reaches a point where he doesn't know what to do without her and is terrified, feeling lost, when he temporarily loses her - as in she's no longer in his head or in the area at all. I ship them, your honor. Gerudo Link first meets Zelda under the guise of a marriage arrangement meeting and is Suspicious Of Her. Can't tell if she's innocent of Ganondorf's plans or playing innocent to try and trick him. Eventually he comes to realize she's genuine and, if all goes well and my kids don't stray from the plans I've got for them, they will be in love eventually <3 of course my OCs don't always listen owo;;; things don't always go as planned.. so we'll see.

No pressure tags for @skyward-floored @palmolli @interlink-au hope none of u mind the tags

But also, open tags - if you have a Link OC, feel free to join! Non-Linked Universe Links meet AUs count too!

[honorary-fool]

for the pokemon team thing!! :3 i'll drop a couple characters because i cant decide on just one awawa

how aboutttt... argenti, sunday, and/or rappa? if u wanna do boothill too you can, i just figured theres a lot of talk about pokemon aus with him so i wanted to change it up a bit lolz

Oh hell yeah!!!

They're gonna be below the cut 'cus I'm putting my reasoning for the choices

and doing all 4 'cus I like these dorks :3

Argenti

Roserade because of roses :] & I think they're cool so he gets them hehe

Sirfetch’d, Mega Gallade are strictly for the knight vibes

Excavalier also has those vibes, & as a bonus, they're a bug type- I don't know if they count as a Swarm reference but... I like it either way

Aegislash is in the same boat, plus after Yunli's companion quest... extra amusing. Though this was before I did her quest

small Pumpkaboo 'cus they remind me of a Wubbaboo- both in his companion quest & regarding his dialogue about them, I thought it was fitting

Sunday

Corviknight is an immediate thought. Shiny, especially. I'm thinking mostly vibe-wise, but also shiny coloring matches him better and Rookidee kinda reminds me of the Charmony Dove a lil bit at least shape-wise.

Chatot is 'cus it reminds him of Robin (and kind of the Dominicus)

Indeedee's male variant is like a butler of sorts- not that I think he'd have one, but my thought is that it'd help him out so he'd be less likely to work himself into the ground. Considering he's with the Astral Express, that workload of the pokemon's lightened significantly, but they still try to help.

Dartrix is mostly vibes- prim and proper lil owl. However, certain entries' mention of its emphasis on its feathers' cleanliness also remind me of him? I'm all in agreement on the OCD headcanons, but imo his obsessions don't fall into the need for cleanliness- so it's not leaning into that for me. Just something about it- maybe a habit left over from when under The Family and needing to keep his appearance at its best nearly-constantly?

The remaining two, admittedly, are from another artist's rendition of a pokemon team for Sunday (chocoinsomniaa - twt)- this being the Mega Absol & Musharna. In my mind, Musharna has to do with the whole Dreamscape thing in Penacony. Absol maybe is used as a bad omen, like its dex entries? I like the aesthetic, at least.

Part of me considered a Murkrow, given..well, crows, and his father, but it doesn't feel right.

Boothill

Mudsdale is a no-brainer. Grew up on a farm, probably had at least one or two horses, and Clydesdales scream 'farm work horse' to me. Whether that's the norm or not... I don't remember, I haven't had my horse girl phase in like a decade /lh

Phantump ... So y'know how their origin is deceased childrens' spirits possessing tree stumps? ... Next question-

Brambleghast because tumbleweeds...

Mega Aggron is inspiration from another artist's rendition (Boke_Aho_Nara - twt)

Houndoom looks like a doberman. They get a bad rep for being 'aggressive' and intimidating, but actually have wonderful temperaments. Sound familiar? (/lh) ; bonus points, red and black and silver color scheme. Li'l guy's intimidating at a glance but when you try to give 'em a treat he'll just gently nibble it from your palm and lick you afterwards.

For the last slot, I'm torn between Perrserker and Lucario. Perrserker's fitting 'cus of the Sword dex entry with the thrill of battle- and also funky-ass cat with sharp teeth like their trainer. The dagger-like claws could be handy. Lucario, on the other hand, can sense the auras of things a good while away, which would be useful for tracking down his bounties, with a bonus point for only trusting trainers that "have justice in their hearts" (Shield dex entry). I'm going with Perrserker actually, now that I think about it- you'll see why in a second :3

bonus- I'd like to think he had a Wooloo growing up!

bonus pt2- kid Boothill team 'cus I was thinking about the Wooloo bit too hard /lh

Wooloo, Mudbray, Skiddo- farm animals

Aron- same art as above

Eevee- purely vibes. the mental image is cute :D

Herdier- it's in the name, herding. Helps with the livestock

Rappa

Hers is tricky- out of everyone in this rn, she's the only one I haven't had pre-written ideas for, so fuck it we ball!!!!

Grafaiai's an immediate go-to. The vibes are perfect.

Greninja & Ninjask 'cus... Well. Ninjas.

[Mega] Lucario could be cool- they only trust trainers with justice in their hearts, which she most likely has, based on her introduction ("Through rigorous self-discipline, she roams the stars, upholding justice and righteousness").

Toxicroak's also been noted as supposedly having ninja vibes to people, so they're getting tossed in too.

Type:Null...hear me out. She was raised/brought up in a lab. Type:Null is an artificial pokemon that was also made/brought up in a lab. When she escaped, so did they.

[coeurdalene]

if i could pull you closer

masterlist | ao3

summary: leon and nessa are plotting something and gordie is 100% in on it, too. (hint: it has everything to do with you, but raihan doesn’t know that yet.)

pairing: raihan x reader

warning(s): leon being a little shit.

word count: 1.36k

Raihan doesn’t like a lot of things: Fairy-types. Boring Pokémon battles. Half-melted snow mixed with dirt messily sticking to Hammerlocke’s cobblestone roads in the winter. The way Leon and Nessa keep whispering to each other before glancing over at him like they’re plotting something. Or the way Gordie makes eye contact with him from across the room and gives him an encouraging thumbs-up, grinning as if to say that he knows something Raihan doesn’t.

He’s just trying to enjoy his Friday evening lounging on a couch in Leon’s Wyndon townhouse and spending time with his friends as they celebrate the end of another gym challenge season. But the excitement in Nessa’s eyes as she shoves her phone into Leon’s grasp and the sneaky looks they keep sending his way threaten to disturb his peace. Not to mention Gordie, who still has that stupid grin on his face—the absolute tosser.

There’s a sharp knock on the front door. Nessa bolts out of the living room to answer it and Raihan mentally braces himself for whatever kind of chaos is about to happen.

Then, when you walk in looking staggeringly beautiful and breathtakingly divine, Raihan determines that he’s going to kill Leon and Nessa—and maybe Gordie, too.

(Raihan meets you for the first time at Nessa’s twenty-fifth birthday party in Hulbury while scouring the house trying to figure out where the hell Leon disappeared to. Maybe he should keep calling him until the git actually answers his phone or track down Nessa and ask if she’s seen him. Or maybe he should just walk into every room and yell out Leon’s name in hopes that he’ll show up at some point.

Somewhere between the living room and the kitchen, he accidentally bumps into you and nearly sends you toppling to the floor if not for his quick reflexes—his hands reaching out to grab your waist, yours lightly pressing against his chest as you right yourself. And before he has the chance to finish his frantic apology, you reassure him that you’re okay, flashing a dazzling smile that leaves him speechless.

And at that moment, with his hands still on your waist and yours still on his chest, Raihan decides to throw every plan he had to find Leon out the window.)

The panic mode in Raihan’s head switches on the second you plop down next to him on the couch. He stiffens. Out of the corner of his eye, he notices Nessa and Gordie watching like a pair of Noctowl from the other side of the room, and suddenly there’s a palpable feeling of nervousness in the air. You’re seemingly unbothered by it, as your gaze meets his and your lips break out into a gorgeous smile that makes him feel like he’s going to implode. But then you start talking—your soft Hulbury lilt is adorable—and Raihan begins to find himself at ease again.

He wants to tell you how he feels—how he kinda, maybe, likes you a little bit and how he kinda, maybe, would like it if you went out with him sometime—but he pushes it away for later. There are too many people around anyway. Hop and Milo are sitting on the floor and having a conversation about Wooloo, not too far from where he’s sitting with you on the couch, and he isn’t too sure he wants them overhearing him confess his feelings to you.

But he can’t push away the surging feeling in his chest that he gets from the way you glance over at him with a brilliant grin when you tell him about your upcoming endeavors and from the way your eyes light up when he shows you pictures of his Flygon eating berries.

Somehow, during your conversation, his arm finds its way around your waist and your head comes to rest on his shoulder—at some point, he had decided he didn’t care if he was being subtle or not. And, later in the night when he’s feeling a little bolder, he dips his head down to whisper in your ear, “Do you wanna get out of here?”

You respond by tugging him to his feet. Raihan rolls his eyes at the wink Leon gives him as you pull him out the front door.

(“Your breathing is a little heavy,” you say. You’re standing next to him on Nessa’s balcony and leaning against the rail, your shoulder touching his.

“Are you making fun of me? I think you’re making fun of me.”

“I’m not, I swear,” you reply. “Only pointing it out.”

“I’m just a little nervous,” he admits.

“Nervous?”

“Yeah. Because you’re really cute.”

And when the sweet sound of your laughter fills the air, he can’t stop himself from grinning.)

Wyndon glitters in the dark, but it’s nothing compared to the way you smile up at him when you step out onto the empty street. A street lamp bathes you in light and Raihan has the urge to wrap you up in his arms and kiss you right then and there—and Arceus, he wants to—but he stops. Instead, after a reminder to not get too ahead of himself, he holds out his hand.

He can barely contain his giddiness when he feels your fingers intertwine with his.

“Where to?” you inquire as he begins walking down the street with you by his side and your hand in his in between.

“Wherever you want,” he replies.

There’s a glimmer in your eye as you ask, “I know it’s late, but do you think the Ferris wheel is still open?”

“The Hurricane? I doubt it,” he says, glancing at the circle of lights in the distance. Suddenly, an idea pops into his head and he hesitates, but ultimately decides that he’s daring enough to add on, “But I can take you sometime, if you want.”

You smile, “I’d like that.”

Raihan feels like he just won the League Championship.

(“Why’ve you got that moony look on your face?” Gordie comments from across the room.

“What are you talking about?” Raihan grunts, looking up from his phone and his text messages to you, suppressing his smile so he can shoot a questioning look at the blond. Gordie shrugs in response before returning to paging through his geology book.

“He’s talking about the fact that you look like an idiot in love,” Piers chimes in from his place on the other end of the couch, “and we, by virtue of being your friends, want to know why.”

“Hold on, who said I was in love?” Raihan scoffs. “I’m not in love.”

“That’s rubbish, mate,” Piers rolls his eyes. “You’re totally in love. Anyone could tell you that.”

“It’s Nessa’s friend, isn’t it?” Leon interjects, walking into the room with a cup of tea in one hand and a half-eaten slice of toast in the other. “The one you were talking to at her birthday party, right? You guys were on the balcony together for a while. You seemed kinda close.”

“We’re just friends,” Raihan grumbles. And that’s the truth because you really are just friends, even though he texts you every day and thinks about you all the time—and wishes that you were more than just friends.

Gordie lets out a disgustingly loud chortle and Piers smirks, “Whatever you say.”

Then his phone buzzes and his heart soars when he sees that it’s a new message from you.

All right, fine. Maybe he is in love.)

Raihan doesn’t like a lot of things: Poorly organized shelves. The Skwovet raiding the berry trees in his backyard. Spending hours in the shower washing sand out of his hair.

But he wakes the next morning in his flat and finds you still asleep on the couch. Then he remembers how he had spent the night exploring Wyndon with you, how he had mustered up enough courage to ask you if you wanted to stay at his place for the night, and how elated he felt when you said yes. So maybe, just maybe, he can appreciate Leon and Nessa’s meddling—only if it means he gets to spend more time with you.

(He’s still considering whether or not to send his Duraludon after Gordie, though.)