#except for lusamine and faba

[ghostypetrainer]

I don’t talk about it enough on here but I love Alola. Top favorite region. They are all my friends there.

[glittercakes]

Which roles do Elio, Selene, Hau, Lillie, Team Skull, Aether Paradise, the Alolan Professors, Kahili, Molayne, Dove, Kiara, Hunter, Dessa, Venus and Quas have in the Winx Club AU?

I haven’t thought too far about exact roles (except Kukui and Burnett are teachers at the Alfea equivalent and Team Skull and the Aether Foundation are antagonists), but I have thought of who’d be a fairy, witch, or specialist.

Fairies: Lillie (Snow), Lusamine (Light), Wicke (Healing), Kukui (Power), Burnett (Portals), Kahili (Wind), Molayne (Metal), Dove (Beauty),

Witches: Guzma (Insects), Plumeria (Poison), Gladion (Darkness), Dessa (Love), Venus (Beauty)

Specialists: Elio, Selene, Hau, Faba, Kiara, Hunter, Quas

[crystalelemental]

"megazardx2: I’m so glad you enjoyed it, especially since you didn’t like the Gen 7 games much at all. Can’t wait to hear your thoughts!"

Then this is as good a time as any! Pokemon Sun and Moon anime thoughts, as much as I can stuff in there.

As mentioned in my last recap, the only history I have with the anime is vague recollections from the original seasons, and XY which we watched just before this. And of them, Sun and Moon pretty quickly got itself into top spot. I really like the friend group, and I think Ash works best as just some kid with the others. It feels much more natural to him than the big hero thing of XY, which was overplayed and frankly silly.

This hasn't really gone anywhere. The friend group remains the strongest aspect, I love them. Mallow's probably the favorite of the bunch, but there's not a single one I disliked. Lillie and Sophocles precious, Kiawe and Lana are hilarious, Mallow just vibes the hardest with how I am as a person so like...I get it girl. Even Team Rocket was far more tolerable this season, back to being mostly ineffectual villains with more mild goals and significantly fewer war crimes committed. Bewear helps a lot. I think the decision to swap out their old blasting off routine to Bewear's myriad entries was divine.

Nanu and Acerola had a great little arc. They were a ton of fun while present. I didn't really click with Olivia but she's fine. Same with Hala, who felt like he could've done more. I did wind up liking Hapu, which is very unexpected. Faba's alright, Wicke doesn't really do much, and I have many thoughts, none of them particularly nice, about Lusamine. That leaves the last two clusters.

Kukui and Burnet are a delight. They're adorable, they're hilarious, big fan all around. I am very glad they ditched Kukui's secret just before the final match, I don't know if I would've been able to stomach it through that. The Masked Royal thing was always a bit goofy, and this is naturally no exception. But their whole dynamic is cute.

Guzma. Ooooh Guzma. You got hit with the same bat as Lusamine. From a character in the main games with a lot of going on that you could infer, to...literally just some pissbaby loser who's mad he can't win. Dude, this is like the least compelling villain story. I do like the attempt to use Golisopod as a sort of showcasing of that same mentality, but it's a nice artistic touch on a generally bad approach. I do not like Team Skull at all in this. Or, for that matter, Ilima. Who I legitimately forgot about until this moment. Ilima just doesn't do much of anything. Oh, he's just soft-spoken and nice and talented and all the ladies love him. Sure. But he's no Ryuki. Who wins the award for funniest one-shot character in the series.

The Ultra Beast episodes were solid. I generally like the idea behind it. It's goofy, but it fits functionally. I don't strictly mind why they function in the way they do, but I'd be lying if I said the explanation being "It's the kid in Lusamine coming out" didn't rub me the wrong way given everything else about her character. Mostly I think what the anime nails are character moments. Sophocles getting over his fears and starting to appreciate battles, Mallow getting established as a talented chef in her own right with a strength in reading people's wants, Lana being...genuinely just talented at everything? Like, girl doesn't get enough time to shine because they often pass it off to Kiawe or Ash, but she's legitimately good at like everything they wind up doing.

The tournament was...interesting. I wasn't sure how much I'd like it, given how quickly they belted through top 16 and top 8. But admittedly? It works. It truncates a lot into the critical moments. Watching XY, the battles could be interesting, but often it's sort of a...going through the motions? Like okay, yes, Ash vs Sawyer was generally a good time, but there were plenty of matchups that amount to very little in the grand scheme. Ash vs. Alain, I would be willing to argue, is largely forgettable. Nothing all that interesting happens until the final Greninja vs. Charizard matchup, but I don't really respect Charizard, and I hate Ash Greninja, so it's not like I cared. But it's telling that the entire match and all the episodes in it could've been boiled down to about those 5 minutes with little lost in terms of impact or importance.

I think that's what Sun and Moon nailed best in this arc. The battles are just the parts that matter. Ash's Rowlet has one real rival, and that's Hau's Decidueye. Just do those two, and it's a nice, condensed fight. That ends kinda lame because man it really kinda feels like Hau should've won that, or they should've waited to call it a while so it didn't feel like taking something from him. Mallow has low confidence in her battling and tries to shy away from a battle she expects to lose, and Lana calls on her to make an effort. We only need the one Pokemon for that. Sophocles is learning to put his all into battles and wants to stand his ground against Kiawe, and again, we can do that in one. We need a showing of Guzma being a vicious trainer in how he battles, and boy do you get the point in the 1v1 with Lana. They do really well at linking up just the emotional connection part of the battle. Even in 2v2 matches this holds, as they quickly get to Kiawe's ace in Turtonator, and eliminate Scizor in two seconds for a story beat. It's well done! Even Kukui and Ash, which is a much longer fight, leads off the the big emotional showdown of Torracat vs. Incineroar, but both are recalled before a victor is decided leaving you waiting for the return and how that'll play out. Even after that, they manage to pivot into Tapu Koko vs. Pikachu, which was another battle that needed to finish (though I am slightly sad we don't know Kukui's actual sixth Pokemon).

The Pokemon just feel like they have real connections, not just within their team but with their rivalries. Which is...more than I can say for XY. Every major rivalry in Pokemon was Greninja vs. someone else's ace. None of that team mattered otherwise. They had cute dynamics, I really liked Hawlucha and Noivern. But what role did Talonflame play once it evolved? It ceased to matter. Why bring Goodra back? Ash just needed a sixth Pokemon, no other reason. Comparatively, when Naganadel comes back, it doesn't have a strict rival, but it's the first time it's battling and it came back through dimensions to see them again, and you get how much that means. This season did really well with connection and emotional impact for pretty much everyone involved, and it did it in a cute slice of life-y way rather than trying to big up drama to make someone matter. Which I generally vibe with a lot more.

I'm trying to think of other things to talk about but am kinda running dry. I'm sleepy, we did a lot of chores. The point is, Sun and Moon was really good. Big fan. Unfortunately, my wife and I discussed where to go next. And we have reached consensus. My wife never watched anything before this. And Journeys is more of a recap thing from all accounts, visiting characters and places from everywhere. So we will, unfortunately, be going all the way back to the beginning. I have acquired veto power over episodes if I remember them sucking shit. The original Kanto stuff is only two seasons, so hopefully this will go quickly, but from here it's sequential. I think the intent is to actually go through everything. Brace for impact. And salt. Because save for exactly five episodes I look back upon fondly, I don't know how I'm going to tolerate original Ash, or Brock and Misty.

[goon-account]

i made the list

it is a tad long so putting it below a readmore. i included leaders and prominent members of villain teams except for ones that might be slightly underage and team yell cuz theyre not evil enough imo. (and volo. he's included. even tho he doesnt really have a Team he just makes you fight the devil from the bible)

it's just names ordered from most fuckable to least fuckable, i didn't put any justifications for why but feel free to guess and/or ask

plumeria

tabitha

mars

courtney

shelly

maxie

wicke

jupiter

oleana

volo

archer

guzma

colress

saturn

proton

ghetsis

cyrus

giovanni

archie

ariana

rose

matt

charon

petrel

faba

malva

bryony

mable

celosia

aliana

lysandre

xerosic

lusamine

chat do we think i should make like. a list of pokemon villains ordered from most fuckable to least fuckable

not a "tierlist", a normal list for normal people

[kibibarel]

yall ever think about how team skull is just like a gang of poor teenagers who probably most of them dont feel like they have much of a family but then they FOUND a family and theyre all just living in shit poor commune po town... like i feel sorry for gamefreak they tried to make me care abt literally anyone except the villains but i will sit there at that poke center giving them all of my money they deserve it

“gamefreak tried to make me care about literally anyone except the villains” 

Team Skull is, as you said, made up of poor outcasted teenagers, most of whom are just plain too incompetent to be threatening villains and are actually more in the realm of Affably Evil just because they are so Normal™, silly, and pitiful…like yeah they steal Pokemon and hassle people but they aren’t even the main source of evil in either of the games that feature them, instead turning out to have just been used…and here’s your daily reminder that SM plays THE saddest track the soundtrack has to offer during the cutscene in which it seems as if Lusamine, the main source of evil and unquestionably a terrible, abusive person, might be dying

you seeming to think you weren’t supposed to feel sympathetic toward the villains is honestly pretty baffling to me…..judging by the presentation of everything, you’re supposed to feel at least a bit sad for literally everyone in Gen 7

and if you didn’t give Team Skull money during that one scene, YOU ARE A MONSTER

[bluemoondust]

Maxie headcannons would be amazing! <3

I actually had a small debate with myself if I should include the version of Maxie who accomplished his goals in Ultra Sun/Moon, however, I've decided I will do those hcs (along with the other leaders in those separate timelines) in it's own post. So, expect those at some point, but Ghetsis won't be there since someone already requested a scenario where he became the king of Unova.

Also, in terms of if this is RSE Maxie or ORAS Maxie: these hcs can apply to either since I don't see much of a difference between them in personality besides just different choice and events. But I mostly thought of ORAS Maxie for this.

✧General Yandere Headcanons✧—Team Magma Leader Maxie

Warning(s): Controlling Behavior, Manipulation, Belittlement, Mentions of Delusional Behavior, Mentions of Death, Mentions of Kidnapping

Controlling and Manipulative. Maxie... Has this mindset that if you do not agree with his ideals or seem to not know any better (according to him), it gives him the right to 'assist' you in life. Oh don't fret so much. It's the least he can do for you, who he has taken consideration of. It begins with the simple things that you wouldn't notice right away. Small decisions that you make due to his influence, though you still believe it was your choice in the end. Still, I would not say that the leash he has you on is a harsh one. Only if you force him to shorten it. Even so, he isn't as bad as other controlling yanderes like Faba.

At his worst, Maxie gets a little condescending. He gets in the mood where he will explain to you in a way where it's seen as belittlement. This would be taken down a notch if he noticed that you truly were affected by his words. It startles him and you could use that against him. However, be warned, he will catch on soon and when he does... You best believe a punishment is in order.

Maxie is a semi lucid yandere. It is apparent that what he is feeling and doing is wrong but on the other hand, he thinks it would be best to stick around. There are worse things in the world to concern yourself over and he can assure you, he isn't one of them. The delusional part of him really shines through when it comes to your wellbeing. He's only looking out for what's best for you, so you can't really argue against him. It would just give the impression that you're ungrateful for all he's done; which is so much. You... Do know he has enough to provide for you, yes? He hopes that you are aware.

This man will deny any assumptions of jealousy. It's uncouth of him to feel such a way. Even so, despite his denial, Maxie is prone to small bouts of jealousy but always manages to catch himself before it goes too far. He's a refined man as he deems himself, so he is aware such behavior would only drive you away. Of course, that is something he does not want. Oh, but some people... He'd just love to crush them under the dirt. They'd serve more purpose by becoming the fertilizer that supports the Earth. Even then, Maxie just deems people like that lower than dirt, but he's only keeping himself in check just for you. Though there are exceptions...

Maxie poses more of a danger towards others more than you or himself. However, he is less dangerous than certain team leaders like Ghetsis, Lusamine, Giovanni, or Cyrus. If I were to rate him on a danger level, he'd at least be a 4.5/10. He has the capabilities of endangering others if he wanted but this man uses more manipulation tactics than brute force to get rid of people. Besides, he does have the aid of Tabitha, Courtney, and the grunts to assist him should he require such so it's better to use what you have already to get what you want is what he believes. Maxie also thinks that trying to court you normally would work before trying anything drastic. He is confident in himself to think so. He can give you whatever you desire, he's a capable suitor, and oh, obviously he knows so much about you. What could be better?

Unfortunately, if you do reject him... He doesn't take it well. Maxie just can't believe you would pass this sort of chance up. Maybe... You don't know any better. Yeah, that's what it must be. He'd sigh to himself. Of course! Why did he leave that possibility out? You truly don't understand given that everyone else in this world do not fully comprehend his goals and why true evolution is being halted. These people surround you, which is why you can't see things from his perspective. It seems that he must educate you. He will fully oblige.

It's 50/50 in terms of if Maxie is more selfish or selfless, but I'd say he is only slightly a bit more selfish. Like yes, he does think of your well-being time and time again and knows how to restrain himself from acting out since you could poorly react. However, give it time and his patience will thin out sooner or later. I believe it's the bits of delusion that make it seem to him that he's only guiding you towards a better path despite in reality, Maxie is manipulating you. He does not see him kidnapping you nor dealing with your friends/family as selfish acts in order to get you to be his. No. Maxie deems it his way of making sure nothing could act as a bad influence on you. He does this because he loves you.

[shoofworldwide]

Lusamine Rant

Spoilers for USUM below!

So like, I'm cool with Lusamine not being unstable because of Nihilego's lack of importance in the plot. Fine, whatever. I'm okay with her being somewhat of a normal person and just a neglectful parent instead of literally abusive.

But like, she still has the fucking collection. She's still introduced with her whole "beautiful" spiel. And yet, the game fucking doesn't address it. It gets brushed over for the Ultra Recon Squad calling her out on being a selfish "my way or the highway" type gal.

She literally has hundreds of pokemon frozen forever...and that's it?

Like fucking come on. Either get rid of that or give it some proper justification in the narrative. She 180s and it's fucking dumb. USUM could've been the perfect game if they didn't fuck her up. Ugh.

[themattress]

Last sightings of the main human antagonists in Pokemon Adventures.

Giovanni - Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire. He’s still running his criminal empire.

Lance - HeartGold/SoulSilver. He’s fully reformed and ready to become Johto’s Champion.

Pryce - HeartGold/SoulSilver. He’s fully reformed and returning to the Mahogany City Gym.

The 4 Rocket Executives - HeartGold/SoulSilver. They’re still a part of Team Rocket...except for Petrel whom Giovanni allowed to be arrested as punishment for his treachery.

Zinnia - Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire. She’s fully reformed and recovering from her injuries.

Archie and Maxie - Omega Ruby/Alpha Sapphire. Unable to pull off a lasting physical reincarnation, their spirits return to the Distortion World after helping save the world. 

Cyrus - Platinum. He’s fully reformed and has gone off to do some soul-searching.

Charon - Platinum. He was arrested by Looker.

Sird - Diamond/Pearl. She’s still on the loose, having suffered no comeuppance whatsoever.

Ghetsis - Black 2/White 2. He suffered a complete nervous breakdown upon being arrested and realizing that he’s incurred the eternal wrath of practically all of Unova’s Pokemon.

N - Black 2/White 2. He is fully reformed and currently out on parole, returning all of the Unovan Pokemon that Team Plasma “liberated” alongside Anthea, Concordia and Whitley.

Colress - Black 2/White 2. He was arrested and has now gone full Hannibal Lecter as Interpol seeks to negotiate his scientific assistance, a process he’s gladly drawing out.

Lysandre and Malva - X/Y. Did they just....die? Y’know, it was really unclear.

Guzma - (Ultra)Sun/(Ultra)Moon. He’s fully reformed and recovering from his injuries.

Lusamine - (Ultra)Sun/(Ultra)Moon. She fell into a coma and has yet to awaken.

Faba - (Ultra)Sun/(Ultra)Moon. He was forcibly dragged through an Ultra Wormhole by a swarm of Nihilego attracted to his fear, who injected him with their toxin in the process.

[magicrabbiticons]

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[higgyisobsessed]

Why Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon have the Best Credits

Ok so I just finished Ultra Moon with only birds (super fun! painful with how limited the TMs are when you’re all birds but whatever) and I forgot how amazing the credits are!? How come no one talks about this? USUM are overhated bc they have a lot of cutscenes but they were super difficult, had story, lots of Pokemon, great OST... a big improvement to SM in basically every way except Lusamine’s character, imo (and I miss Guzma saying “y’all are stupid” in the Ultra Wilds or what)

The credits work in that they: -set up the post game while still feeling like a good ending -rewards the player’s hard earned efforts  -resolves plot points -so gosh darn cute -great ending to the DS Pokemon era, including a 5 minute reference to HGSS

ok so if ya keep reading, I’m going to do a thing explaining every moment in the cutscenes and elaborating on why some are so good

- Party at Iki Town! Kukui says that the player won, and Hala and Hau have a little moment about Hau recognizing he is strong even after losing to player. (that’s what I’m assuming here lol)

- Sophocles sees Molayne again! I love how close they are. :) Earlier in the game, when you challenge Mina’s trial and have to get the petal from Sophocles, he and Molayne have to say goodbye (because Molayne is leaving to become an Elite Four member), so this little reunion is cute.

- The party is going. You can see Kiawe doing a dance, which looks really cool and I kinda wish he had like a Marowak entourage but it’s still cool regardless

- Mallow tells everyone that Hapu and Lillie finally showed up! I love how everyone likes Lillie, even if she isn’t a trainer like they are. They all still recognize her growth and are proud of her. :)

- Now that everyone’s here, Hala presents to everyone the first ever Champion of Alola!

- Before Gladion leaves, he checks to make sure his sister will be fine without him. :) He sees that she’s having a good time with friends before he takes off on the (Finneon themed) boat that same evening. 

- Team Skull!! Guzma and Plumeria come down. Guzma seems scared of what Team Skull’s reaction will be, but Team Skull is completely supportive of Guzma and immediately change out of their Team Skull outfits into regular Punk outfits. Note the red X on the logo of Guzma’s jacket, and Plumeria wearing a bandana on her head. Also, since we don’t see Guzma’s face, we don’t see the change he made to his glasses. idk it’s just interesting to me

- Sina and Dexio! We see them in that one Aether lab place and it foreshadows that they will appear in the post game. (Mega evolution introduction, and Zygarde)

- speaking of Zygarde, we see the reason Sina and Dexio are in Alola in the first place! The game shows the player Zygarde, which is now accessible at Resolution Cave, a post game area

- Aether Paradise! We see Dulse and Zossie (US) / Soliera and Phyco (UM), who are both still learning about Pokemon. They also get to talk with Colress, which seems like a fun conversation, haha. Colress also notices Faba using the elevator to lower floors... (sets up Rainbow Rocket story)

- everyone doing the Z-Poses!! Nothing really to say here, I just think it’s cool

- Gladion leaving, and Wicke comes to wish him goodbye. As she and more Aether employees are waving, Gladion’s looking all angsty and teenagery and then his Mom shows up to wave goodbye! This display of Lusamine caring for him as a son again is enough to make him smile and wave back :)

- Back at the party, everyone goes to the Ruins of Conflict, where they pretty much tell Tapu Koko about the new Champion and League held in the Tapu’s honour. As everyone leaves, the game gives you a nice hint to come back and find Tapu Koko

- Everyone heading back across the bridge. Lillie takes a moment to remember her first time on the bridge, with Nebby attacked by the three Spearow. Lillie has come very far and I love her

- A moment to appreciate the Pokemon that helped the player become Champion. Cute but I wish it played the party’s cries or something. I get why it might be weird to show models with sizes and whatever but I’m a greedy son of a gun

- A FIVE MINUTE HGSS REFERENCE. These credits, with the Totem Pokemon dancing on the sides, is a reference to the HGSS credits with the dancing Bellossom. It’s so beautiful and I love it and they did NOT have to go this hard but they absolutely did

- then the player goes home. fun classic way to end a Pokemon credits sequence. The true ending of the adventure, when everything is normal and home again. 

- THE END. The relaxing, subtle music here also includes sounds of waves. I would listen to this to sleep, it’s just so nice. 

- Speaking of music, the music is SO GOOD the whole time. It’s so fun 

- This is the sendoff from Pokemon on DS consoles. This is the sendoff we get, and it’s the best it’s ever been. (even if I love XY’s credits for having a wholesome song with lyrics and everything, usum is still better)

so yeah anyways props to whoever were all in charge of the credits scenes, and yes I know how ironic that statement is

[a-tale-of-legends]

I just watched an animatic called Superhero with Lysandre in it ( thank you @faithie13 !) And UGH. It's so good.

Lysandre watching on TV about superhero's, as well as hearing about about other evil teams and wanting to be that same hero that stops them. But his want to become a hero clouded is judgment and thus only saw the world as " ugly" ( all except Sycamore, who he genuinely believes is good). Like??? His love for the works, but his clouded hubris was his downfall and I WISH THAT WAS SHOWN MORE IN THE GAMES.

I'm so using this in my pokeverse. It's just amazing.

Edit: it honestly makes me want to to a Lysandre lives, type thing. Maybe not a redemption, not entirely, but something a kin to how Maxie and Archie were in ORAS. At this point, I"m giving a " redemption arc" for some of the main villains except Lusamine, Giovanni, Ghetsis, and Faba. Rose is ...iffy, given Carol ( an oc)

[tunasama13]

OKAY OKAY I GOT BACK INTO PLAYING MY OLD POKEMON GAMES, and *sighhhhh* holy fuCK-

Pokemon White:

- N MY BABY BOY WHAT DID I DO TO DESERVE YOU AAAAAAAAA

- Bianca is a mood

- That. Fucking. Ranger. With the. Overpowered. Marcactus.

- I got into the game, tried to get my old team back together only to find that besides my starter, EVERYONE WAS UNDERLEVELED AS FUCK

- Did I mention how much I want to punt Ghetsis into the Distortion World? Giratina needs some dinner.

- (Not me headcanon N to be a half Zoroark AND biologically related to Lusamine, Lillie, and Gladion from his bio mothers side)

- NOT ME GETTING WAR FLASHBACKS IN VICTORY ROAD

- Elesa my QUEEN.

- I mayyyyy or may not ship Cheren and Bianca?

- Alder is N’s adopted dad now, FUCKING BATTLE ME.

- My game card was all fucked up because of my shitty DSi with an eternally dusty cartridge and me trying to scratch out the nonexistent dirt.

- Okay okay, TELL ME HOW I NOTICED THIS. Ghetsis= Lusamine/ N=Lillie/ The Sages= Faba x7/ Anthea and Concordia= Wicke(?) (sorry Gladion my baby 🥺)

- I will keep making connections to Team Plasma and the Aether Foundation until the day I die.

- ALSOOOO, the Juniper’s father-daughter relationship is wholesome as fuck.

- N has a boyfriend and a girlfriend, their names are Piers and Flannery (DON’T WORRY SHE’S 19 IN MY HC, also, she’s never given a specific age, and she looks slightly over 18?)

- I laugh everytime I defeat a Team Plasma grunt

Pokemon Ultra Moon:

- LILLIE I LOVE YOU SO MUCH YOU INNOCENT LIL BEAN

- GLADION, MY EMO BABY BOYYYYYY

- Lana is adorable, BUT I HAVE TO TRADE A FUCKING EMOLGA TO MYSELF TO DEFEAT THAT DAMN TOTEM ARAQUANID.

- Lusamine is Ghetsis but she’s attractive and actually gets redempted, I STILL HATED HER FOR THE FIRST PART OF THE GAME THOUGH.

- Speaking of Lusamine, Lillie, and Gladion. I will die with my headcanon that they’re N’s biological aunt/cousins.

- Hau, YOU ANNOYING RAY OF SUNSHINE.

- Kukui and Burnet’s relationship is sooooo sweet 🥺 IF YOU TEAR THEM APART I WILL BEAT YOUR ASS

- I love how Kukui found Lillie washed up on the beach and went, “HONEY GET THE ADOPTION PAPERS”

- Nebby is baby, I would willingly adopt the scared cloud baby.

- I don’t know why, but that flying type Elite Four member pisses me off. WHATWASHERNAME???

- Guzma is a traumatized stinky gremlin, and I love that traumatized stinky gremlin.

- FABA CAN FUCKING FALL IN A DITCH AND DIE

- Ghetsis you asshole, HIT LILLIE AGAIN AND NEBBY WILL RIP YOU APART.

- Also, uhhhhhh, Ghetsis just threatened to murder his “sons” cousin.

- Wicke? More like, THICKE

- Oh yeah, my dumbass made my Pokemon player character Lillie and Gladion’s younger sister, SUCH A DUMBASS I AM.

- Nanu, Acerola. Stop giving me Killian and NBB vibes. ( @usernose )

- ALRIGHT N AND LILLIE SIMILARITIES. THREE TWO ONE GO!

1. They have mentally abusive fuckwad parents (except Lusamine got redeemed)

2. Lillie has Solgaleo/Lunala, N has Reshiram/Zekrom

3. They leave at the end of the game (in Sun and Moon and Black and White) WITH EMOTIONAL ASS PIANO THEMES

4. Obviously show signs of being abused (I’ve seen theories with N having bipolar disorder/Multiple Personality Disorder, and Lillie just has straight up PTSD in the manga.)

- Of course, in my HC, N is Lillie’s cousin, soooo...

- THE ULTRA WORMHOLE IS SOOOOOO FUN

- I have PTSD from that fucking Totem Araquanid constantly murdering my team

- Wh- Colress. WHAT.

- I felt so bad for Popplio 🥺

- The fucking contrast between the girl preschoolers and the boy preschoolers. The boys start bawling and throw temper tantrums and the girls are like, “YAY I LOST! :D”

- Gladion is baby boy, emo baby boy, protecc him.

- Illima gives me weird Aoyama vibes, and that’s okay.

[mellowheartthecat]

TF2 Mercs as Pokemon Villans

Idea: the mercs but as pokemon villians. Yeah I’m just combining both of my hyperfixations. Obviously not all of them will be a perfect fit but i did my best.

More under the cut.

Heavy as Giovanni from Red and Blue -This man is rather smart and obviously pretty deadly, so it wouldn’t be hard for him to get to the top of a mafia. I feel like in this au he’d only be in it to support his family. -Wears Giovanni’s outfit from LGPE Engie as Maxie from Ruby and Sapphire -Besides the whole hating water thing this is a pretty good fit. They’re both nerds and make machines. -His goggles would have the mega stone thing embedded in the right side of them. His overalls would have Team Magma M on the front side of the straps. His belt would be yellow, and on his arms he’d have those turtleneck sleeves that go down to his wrists. He’d still have the gunslinger as his right hand, covered by a red glove. Soldier as Archie from Ruby and Sapphire -Himbos. -“More water.” “But why?” “MORE WATER, MAGGOTS!” -He’d keep his helmet, have Archie’s anchor necklace, and his battle clothes would be blue and waterproof. Sniper as Cyrus from Pokemon Diamond and Pearl -I believe that Sniper didn’t have many friends (if any) growing up and it’s already cannon that Cyrus didn’t have any friends growing up. The only thing similar to a friend he had was a rotom, and once that one left, he came to the conclusion that emotions are bad and he became the bad guy. The only real problem is that Sniper isn’t a nerd, so he’d probably be one in this au. He’d still be an outdoorsman, but he’d have some cool machines too. -Would keep his hat and glasses. His vest would be swapped out with Cyrus’. His battle uniform would be white with the sleeves being black. Pants are also black. Everything I didn’t mention would stay the same. Spy as Ghetsis from Black and White -Imo I kinda feel bad for putting him as that psychotic bush hair motherfucker, but he was the only one that could possibly fill this role. Obviously in this au he wouldn’t be as psychotic as the actual Ghetsis but he still wants to conquer the Unova region. -He’d keep his ski mask and suit, but would also have Ghetsis’ circus tent pattern as a cloak that he drapes over his right shoulder. -For his B2W2 design he’d change out the cloak for a black one. Medic as Colress from Black 2 and White 2 -This honestly was the easiest one. I mean seriously, go over to bulbapedia and search up this guy’s lines. He pretty much acts exactly like Medic. In this au medic would be more interested in operating on pokemon than humans. -He’d keep his gloves, coat, and boots. His hair would stay the same except for the addition of Colress’ signature internet explorer swirl. He’d have Colress’ clothes underneath the coat (you know, the black with the blue lines). Pyro as Lysandre from X and Y -Put down your pitchforks, let me explain. Lysandre thought he was helping the earth and pokemon by attempting to commit a genocide. Who else also thinks they’re helping? Pyro. So yeah. -The parts that’d normally be red on his normal uniform would be black, and the normally black parts would be orange, with the exception of his gloves, which would stay black. The yellow on his gloves would be orange Scout as Guzma from Sun and Moon -Honestly this is a really good fit. If you really think that Scout wouldn’t be the guy that beats you down and beats you down and never lets up, then you don’t really know scout very well. -He’d have Guzma’s jacket and a white shirt underneath, as well as a belt and scout’s usual pants Demo as Faba from Pokemon Sun and Moon.

-I was runnin out of options at this point and there was no way that he could be Lusamine, and I don’t acknowledge SS’s existence. So Faba it was. I mean, he’s got plenty of knowledge about bombs, so him being a nerd isn’t too much of a stretch. He definitely wouldn’t have Faba’s ego, so he’d be more liked around the Aether foundation.

-Would have Faba’s, um, ‘glasses’, but they would be black instead of lime green. Would have Faba’s lab coat, but it wouldn’t have a collar. On top of that would be Demo’s bulky vest. He’d also have Faba’s gauntlets, but they’d be black instead of lime green. No gloves, white pants, and his usual boots.

More info in tags

[refractment]

“Nothing screams music to my ears like everyone dunking on Faba... except maybe everyone dunking on Lusamine. Here, I’ll start: Loopy Lusamine’s hair is so ridiculously large it has its own zip code!”

[the-rainbow-mafia-blog]

Y don't u care abt UsUm?

// Short answer; because I feel Nintendo doesn’t either.

And now a long answer because I’ve been sitting on this rant for ages and I bothered the Discord server enough with it. I want to put foward first that the opinions expressed here are my own. I am a big fan of Nintendo and this is something that bothers me. This is no way shape or form an attack to people who love these games to bits. This is also not meant to hate on a franchise or a company. The purpose of this rant is to put some arguments behind my statements.

Sources are linked in the text. I used Nintendo but I always meant everyone involved in the making of these games.

The reason I feel comfortable sharing it now is because people have their, rightful, concerns about the upcoming games; Pokemon Sword and Pokemon Shield, releasing in a few short weeks for the Nintendo Switch. Nintendo’s newest and most succesful baby. 

Why doesn’t Nintendo care about Pokemon, according to you?

First we need to ask ourselves;

How much does Nintendo make on Pokemon?

While I do think they care in a sense the numbers won’t lie. Pokemon has made around $95 billion US dollars since the franchise came to life in 1996. To put it in a way bigger number; they make about 4130434782.61 US dollars PER YEAR on Pokemon. (This is my own math, I do not know the exact numbers per year. I divded their total by the amount of years Pokemon has been alive.) That’s a lot of money and it’s with right the most financially succesful franchise to date. 

Only a part is made by the video games $17.138 billion. It’s merchandise makes more; $64.1 billion.

I could not find a reliable source on how much it takes to make a Pokemon game in monetary value.  What I could find however is that Pokemon is making less and less per game they release. Without counting Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, Sun and Moon made LESS than X and Y.  

The only main series game that made less than Sun and Moon (again not counting UsUm) was Black/White.

Nintendo knows people will buy their games anyway;

Dropping sales or no, Pokemon still manages to fatten the piggy bank over at Nintendo because people will buy it anyway. The Pokemon craze of the 90′s should tell you that. People would buy it if it had Pokemon on it. Those people are now in an age group that has money to spend, hell some even have kids. So Nintendo is smart and releases commercials like this one or this one.  This marketing is beautiful (and no, not only Nintendo knows how to do this) because they play on your feelings. Who didn’ make a friend because you both liked Pokemon? And if you grew up with Pokemon like the person in the second commercial the whole feeling and setting is famillair to you, hell they could’ve casted you and it would’ve make sense.  They compare the whole bleakness of adult life, having to work to pay the bills, having less time for video games, to that warm familliar feeling of coming home and playing Pokemon. They feed on your nostalgia; your desire to relive those moments or if you have kids, to share the feeling those games gave you with your off spring. Or your younger siblings or other family memmbers.  I catch myself doing it! When a young one comes up to me, or I see a kid play the game on the bus I get that familiar feeling of ‘Hey I used to do that!’ It’s smart and it’s a thing Disney is good at too. It zooms in on what was precious to you and now resells that feeling to you. 

“Hey buy our game to feel something again. The world sucks anyway but Bulbasaur is still cute!” This isn’t a bad thing! Nintendo is a company and at the end of the day they need to make money. That is fair and I am in no way bagging on them over that. But it’s my belief that Nintendo keeps making money on the Pokemon games this way. Which leads me to my next point;

The Pokemon games come across as lazy.

Again, opinion but it feels like that. Which is also why I don’t care for UsUm; it’s lazy.

I truly believe Pokemon has some decent writers who don’t get their chance to shine. The beginnings of great stories and characters are there but it feels unfinished. Like someone bought the ingredients to a delicious dish but forgot to make them. Over the years Pokemon has a colorful bunch of characters, and the ones that stand out the most are the baddies. They usually get the coolest designs, the sickest themes, one way or another they are present in the climax but again. It’s lazy. How many of them pretend to be good or have a high moral standing and then turn out to be absolute dickbags? Almost all of them. Then they have characters (Ghetsis, Lusamine and Faba come to mind first) do something horrible (abuse of minors and playing God) and they get away with it what is basically a slap on the wrist. 

And after you beat them… for me the story stops. Yes you can go and beat some very powerful trainers and claim your title as whatever the thing in this game is and yes often that unlocks some post credit content but it’s bare. The big threat is gone.

“But,” I hear you say “It’s a DS/3DS game. There is only so much you can do.” Disagree. Phoenix Wright, Ghost Trick, Professor Layton and The Legend of Zelda OoT 3DS and Majora’s Mask all released on the same consoles and have a much richer story and even more characters. All games keep their pacing and the story really feels like it ends when the credits role. 

Then there is the overal quality. The main characters in Sun/Moon looks like someone forgot to progamme their soul in: /Screenshot take from THIS video/

I, again, easily could compare this other games who have much more expressions but let’s take one of Nintendo’s own;

There is so much more emotion in the Legend of Zelda one.  It released a few years earlier than Pokemon Sun/Moon too.

Second the frame rate drops like a hat. While some framerate drop is expected this much is a little too glaring to ignore.  To compare it to BoTW or Red Dead Redemption on the PS4, who both also have some frame rate issues at times it only happens in certain locations, usually a spot with lots of effects of NPCs. In my opinion, Pokemon does not have the luxery of that excuse. It would random drop in almost every location i was in.

The story

Every Pokemon has a story and I get that it’s basic. It’s a game for all ages after all. I get it won’t have a deep story like other games have. The basic gist of the game is to still enjoy catching all these mon’s with occasional story woven into it. But here is the thing that irks me; The little sneak peaks of story that we do get.. it’s good. It’s just so unfinished. It’s like there is a constant battle in the developers room betweeing writing a deep and interesting story (I’m not counting Pokemon Lore, just the story given in a game) and focussing on just the gameplay. There are many examples of rich story games with little gameplay (Grim Fandango, The Walking Dead, Almost every Visual Novel ever, Detroit; Become Human, just to name a few.) There are games with lots of gameplay and little story (Mobile games for example) and there are games that mix story and gameplay perfectly (Red Dead Redemption, Left 4 Dead 2, Persona 5 to name just a FEW examples) 

I feel Pokeon TRIES to be all three of these styles of games but ends up failing at everything.

Storywise they lured peopel in with Team Rainbow Rocket, like mentioned before this is for most people the reason they get drawn in; seeing their old baddies return and getting to interact with them again. It’s the same reason for me. But it feels unpolished, same with The Ultra Recon Squad. They seem like GREAT characters but again, so little is done with them that I feel there could be so much more.

Don’t change a winning team. 

Pokemon has been selling the same game to us for years. Again, I don’t blame them. Why bother. People like it, why change it? They try new gimmicks now and again and I respect them for trying. I personally like the Let’s Go Eevee/Pikachu versions. While they were FAR from perfect I can at least applaud them for doing something new and interesting. While at the same time trying to lure people who only played the mobile app into the main series by remake the first game all over again. Again, I understand. I would too if I were them.

But with Sword and Shield they are taking something away; Pokemon. And with that the whole thing comes undone. This is supposed to be THE Pokemon game, the big one, the game that will release on The Switch; home of BoTw and Mario Odyessy but also the upcoming Witcher 3, Skyrim. Games that are all much bigger than Pokemon and yet they took a vital part out of it.

The video is deleted now and I won’t link to the Chinese Bootleg game as it does steal user data, but the whole issue was the animations.  The animations in the bootleg were GOOD. And if we remember the amount of Pokemon makes per year they can afford themselves a team of good animators. This isn’t some indie studio who employs 20 people and have to live of Kickstarter donations, this is GAME FREAK, this is NINTENDO. And it’s not like they can’t, please remember Pokemon Stadium.  Look at the animation on that. Now remember that Legend of Zelda, Ocarina of Time, ALSO came out for the Nintendo 64 and got a beautiful update on the 3DS. If they can do that, surely they can port the animations.

And yes, I’m hearing you. You say that there are a lot of Pokemon.. but they’re taking a lot of them out of Sword and Shield. So there is no excuse for the battles to look like this. And remember this is the same console that has BoTW, one of the most applauded games in recent gaming history. A game with tons of content, tons of NPCs, tons of Items and has almost none of the issues Pokemon has.

I don’t care about USUM because it’s a lazy cash grab that adds nothing new to the table except some side story that doesn’t do anything to the main story. Play UsuM, Play SuMo, you’re basically getting the same game. Nintendo is smart and tries to sell you the same game twice due to a Pokemon being unique to a game. Meaning that if you want them all, you’re going to have to fork over 120 US dollars and guess what? That version is almost sold out where I live. So it’s working. And I don’t blame them. I am impressed.

Because I get the feeling that, with absolutely minimum effort they are forking in insane amounts of money.  Nintendo is a company. They need money. I don’t blame them for doing the things they do. I am however, entitled to my opinion and despite everything said above I will see myself getting a copy of Sword or Shield in the future. Because that is how it always is. Because I too, want to relive the moments of my youth when the biggest concern I had was chosing my starter.

[lesboinspace]

PKMN Villains Zine Fic: The Aether Foundation

This was written for @pkmnvillainszine !!  Digital copies of it may go on sale again if there’s enough interest~ I loved being able to write about Lusamine, she’s one of my favorite characters! Her past is hinted at in the game so I did my best to add to it :D I do feel that this is important to note: no one’s past is an acceptable reason for abusing someone else, and in no way am I saying that!! I just think Lusamine is a really complex character that we didn’t get enough focus on, thus this was born c:

Beautiful Disaster

Word Count: 2,583

Rating: T

Summary: Lusamine is an abusive mother, her heart black and mind rabid with dangerous dreams of destiny. However, she wasn’t always so void of morals; quite the opposite, in fact. It takes quite a traumatic past to corrupt an angel into her sinister counterpart.  [A Lusamine-centric overview of her history as well as the Aether Foundation’s]

Lusamine’s heart was, once upon a time, one of overflowing love.  Her gentle soul was angelic, admirable, just bursting with kindness as it sought hurt to heal. 

She was renowned for her remarkable compassion, it being deemed her most defining and enticing trait.  This unparalleled kindness led to swarms of adorers, treasuring her and the calming aura she carried with each soft step against the earth.  

She was treated like a saint by strangers; a mere conversation would be enough to fall under her coaxing spell.  Of course, Lusamine had also been blessed with a youthful exterior.  

Her lithe physique, long locks of golden sunshine, and glowing green eyes may have intrigued passerbys, but it was Lusamine’s pure heart that caused many to revere her.  It’s why Mohn married her.

Despite her perceived perfection, too beautiful to be of this world and a compassion rivaled by none, there was yet another factor that made Lusamine beyond mortals’ comprehension.

Lusamine had a brilliant, curious brain.  She’d eye a problem, an equation, a mystery, and with ease, the answer would come together like puzzle pieces.

However, her vast Intelligence was often omitted, made irrelevant by her exceptional beauty and caring disposition.  Of course, Lusamine’s logic was respected in her work environment, given its scientific purpose.  

Even so, as Lusamine contributed to breakthroughs for the good of all Pokemon, compassion was viewed as the main driving force by those around her, all while bearing the form of a gorgeous young lady.  

It didn’t matter that her brain functioned like that of a machine.  Rather, the attention was, as usual, on the fantastic results of such endeavors: All the time, all the effort, was chalked up to Lusamine’s caring nature instead of her wondrous intellectual mind.

To many, Lusamine wasn’t even human, too above such a dull title and abysmal fate.  She was spawned from the sky, an angel among men who’d abandoned the glorious heavens to be marveled at as she aided those in need.  A wingless deity with a pure soul, not to mention the IQ surpassing the common genius…

Then her children were born, and everything changed.  None of those things that marked Lusamine as heavenly mattered anymore.  Only her babies mattered.

Those first moments of existence for Gladion and Lillie, the shallow breaths as their children entered the world and the cries that followed, set the stage for the future.  When Lusamine held her perfect children close as Mohn caressed her shoulders, reality froze.  

An unforeseen flash captured the family in a still frame.  The picture hung in the forefront of Lusamine’s mind, framed and isolated.  That day, she sought to claim this bliss for eternity, expanding the feeling of absolute joy across her timeline.  

Life was perfect, too perfect to let subside.  A certainty cemented itself in Lusamine’s essence: she would enjoy this perfection every day until she dies, still bearing a smile.  

After experiencing the utmost level of happiness, Lusamine wasn’t going to let it go so easily.  

Perfection was tasted, and she refused to spoil her tongue with anything else.  They were a family, so beautiful in their completion.  Everything was as it should be.  Lusamine didn’t expect it all to be finite.

While studying Ultra Wormholes, Mohn was ripped from his dimension right in front of her.  An experiment had erupted into chaos as Lusamine tried with all her strength to pull her husband away, but it was futile.  She’d managed to ground herself behind a sturdy column.  

Mohn had been less reactive, mesmerized by the wormhole while Lusamine had immediately fled.  By the time her husband ran, Lusamine could barely grip his hand before he was sucked into the unknown, forever lost, forever out of reach.  

When the wormhole vanished, Lusamine screeched as she fell to her knees, calling for her husband over and over until it sounded like anything but a name.  The love of her life was gone in an instant, their children left without a father.  They founded the Aether Foundation together, yet the work Mohn had dedicated himself to betrayed him.  It wasn’t fair.  

This was all that ran through Lusamine’s broken mind when she screamed and pounded on the floor.  Wicke and Faba had burst in to find her beating the tile until her hands were bloody.  Neither of them could ever erase their boss’s shattered voice from memory.  

They’d tried to lift her from the floor so she’d stop harming herself, but Lusamine refused to be moved.  Each time Faba and Wicke pulled her up, Lusamine crumbled back down.  Eventually, they dropped to either side of Lusamine, stroking her back and waiting for her to explain what had occurred.  

The two employees, though very different, met each other’s gaze with the same look of concern as they comforted their sobbing, shaking superior.  They were so caught up in Lusamine’s meltdown that they failed to realize that their other boss was nowhere to be found.

The wings of a grounded angel cascaded one by one, abandoning the once seemingly perfect being.  Lusamine was crumbling, cracking and crying until her wings were eventually ripped from her back.  

She snapped, stripped of all that made her desirable.  While her pretty face remained intact, her interior was corrupted.  She was still beautiful to the eye but her soul was made ugly, twisted and distorted to the point of obscurity.  

Most abandoned her, just as she abandoned kind motives.  Ripping it out, taking a bite then stomping on it, Lusamine discarded her broken heart, blackened and useless and slowing her down.  

The few who stood by Lusamine were employees, and most feared her.  Those with any power within Lusamine’s ranks respected her for the panic she instilled in others, as if she did so by reaching into one’s chest and applying the pressure directly onto their heart.  

Faba was one of those who idolized her.  The Branch Director had always hungered for authority, and Lusamine was ripe with it from the start.  Before, she ruled through inspiration, which is admirable in its own way, but Lusamine’s shift to an iron fist left Faba with no complaints.  

How could he mind it? After all, Faba may be sneaky and influential when need be, but such magnificent brute strength was quite a sight to behold.  He respected Lusamine before because he had to, given his position underneath her.  

Then, like how most had been before her change, Faba was drawn to Lusamine like a marveled moth knowing flying into an unsympathetic flame.  Lusamine didn’t simply fall apart when her husband was snatched from her grasp despite how easy it would’ve been.  

No, Lusamine toughened up and got to work, doing whatever she could to get him back while crushing those that dared to slow her down.  That’s the type of person Faba can proudly state his allegiance to, unlike the soft-hearted pushover Lusamine had once been.

On the other hand, Wicke was one of the few who was neither terrorized or in awe of Lusamine.  Wicke attempted to replicate her boss’ once tranquil presence.  Sure, the atmosphere she paraded around each floor of the foundation was warm and healing and gentle.  

Wicke may have been a descendant of fae at most, her marvelous qualities stemming from mythical origins, but Lusamine was a goddamn angel.  At least, she had been an angel, once.  

Regardless, Wicke could never compare to the deity among men Lusamine had been, and in a way still is.  Her soul was tainted, yes, painted black by bitterness and despair.  While no longer a heart of heaven, a demon is still deserving of awe when compared to the mediocrity that is mankind.

All in all, she didn’t let herself latch onto what anyone else thought of her anymore: she didn’t need their opinions to get her husband back.  Mohn needed her objective and alert; anything else was unnecessary.  Nevertheless, a low growl always toppled out Lusamine’s lips when she spotted Wicke offering someone a hug, advice, or a shoulder to cry on.  

Lusamine may’ve left all that behind, but seeing someone essentially replace you isn’t the greatest feeling.  Not to mention when that replacement is less than subpar, though it’s not fair to Wicke to say so.  After all, there’s no comparison between a queen and a goddess.

Lusamine thought, at the very least, she’d have Gladion and Lillie.  Her sweet, obedient children would comfort her, praise and admire her as she spent every waking minute on saving Mohn.  

They were supposed to keep her somewhat sane, grounded enough to focus.  Instead, they betrayed her as well, tossing Lusamine aside when her halo shattered, the pieces contorting into horns.  Thorns sprouted out of her stem, pricking those who once found peace in her embrace.

Fine, Lusamine didn’t need them.  She didn’t need anybody!  Her studies of the Ultra Beasts and their wormholes were finally bearing fruit after about a decade.  One way or another, Lusamine’s quest to locate Mohn would soon come to an end.

Returning to consciousness, the scientist cracks her eyes open.  She immediately regrets it.  Not only is the sight of anything but blackness agonizing, but the room is drenched in absolute white.  

The overbearing amount of it blinds Lusamine, and she groans through the oncoming pain thundering in her skull.  Squeezing her eyes shut for half a minute, she tries again, though with more caution.  At least she’s prepared for the searing sensation that’s to come.

Lusamine anticipates the unavoidable pain from her brilliant environment, but she’s an intellectual.  The throbbing need to know the details of her situation outweighs the desire to fall back into a kinder, oblivious unconsciousness.  

Her curiosity burns much as her assaulted irises.  She gnaws on her lip through the pain as Lusamine attempts to raise her eyelids further bit by bit.

Fingers claw at the material beneath them.  Thin cloth curls under her intense grip, though the odd texture peeks her already raging curiosity.  Uncurling her fingers, Lusamine runs her hand over the fabric.  

Gritting her teeth, she lowers her gaze away from what’s directly in front of her to the bed.  It’s a specific type, one that Lusamine hasn’t experienced since…

Since childbirth.  Lusamine manages to open her eyes fully, brow furrowed as she gapes at the hospital bed.  She can’t help the immediate disdain that sours her mouth when she spots her hideous paper bag of a gown.  Why…is she here?  What happened to her?

Lusamine’s unforgiving headache punishes her soon as she tries to recall any recent memories.  Using any extra brain power isn’t worth the agony, so she returns to her original quest: analyze her surroundings.  

The bed and thin, teal gown give away where she is, but she’s desperate for more information when left with so little outside of that.  Peeping from under her eyelashes, Lusamine notes the expected: white sheets, white walls, white furniture.  

The room is pure as her angel wings had once been.  Although, the white of the room portrays anything but purity.  It’s more of a lack of color, devoid of passion, joy, and life itself.  

Dull and soul-sucking and somehow so bleak in its blankness.  Lusamine’s weakened state has made her even paler, almost ghost like as she blends into the monotonous background.  

At the same time it’s bright, scorching Lusamine’s eyes, existing as the opposite of oblivion.  It empowers the hammering within her head to stare anywhere and at anything in the room.  

The paint gleams as rays of the sun exacerbate its shine, protruding through a window that consists of almost the entire back wall.  Lusamine can barely take it any longer, eyes watering as they cry out for her to show them mercy by shutting them, but she doesn’t.  

The tears streaming down her face don’t stop her.  Her blurred vision manages to pick up the IV embedded in her left arm, and the outlines of contrasting items on the bedside table to her right.  The shapes become more clear after Lusamine sets her gaze on the stark objects, willing her mind to settle and focus.  

Several more seconds allow her to make out the assortment of flowers, stuffed Pokemon and cards piled atop the small table.  Leaning towards them, Lusamine finds that a few have even fallen onto the ivory tiles due to the little space and the sheer amount of trinkets awaiting her upon waking.

Her stare is blank as she reaches for a toy Teddiursa.  Lusamine drops it onto her lap, gaze flickering up and down the one of many similar get well gifts.  

Get well from what, Lusamine wonders, though a sharp pain in her skull cuts off that thought train.  She clutches the soft, eternally smiling bear tighter and tighter like a lifeline.  Fingers threaten to strangle it, grip demanding answers that she’s unable to ponder on her own.

Propping it beside her, Lusamine ignores the few other knick knacks on the floor and grabs one of the cards off the countertop.  An elementary poem about the strength behind recovery is printed inside, along with the names of several Aether Foundation employees on every inch.  

They’re not many in the mess that she recognizes, but there’s enough that she realizes that these are the lowest ranking peoples in the branch.  So they couldn’t even bother to buy separate cards…

Lusamine snatches another from the table, finding a similar set of stanzas inside.  Although, unlike the previous card, this one is less than twenty signatures.  Faba’s cursive and Wicke’s blocky handwriting with a heart instead of a dot on the ‘i’ are found underneath the printed text.

She doesn’t spare it a second glance as she grabs one more card.  Her eyes are dull, unsuspecting when Lusamine opens it, doing so just to pass the time and sate her incensed curiosity.  

What Lusamine finds wracks her already disheveled mind.  A sharp inhale burns her dry throat.  Inside is a polaroid picture of Lillie and Gladion smiling shoulder to shoulder, along with sweet messages and their signatures underneath.

It all comes crashing back into her in a single wave.  Memories of the Ultra Beasts, being merged with one, Lillie’s distraught expression as she begged her mother to stop.  Somehow, what sticks out most of all is her daughter’s defiance, the determination behind her hardened green eyes, her mother’s matching eyes.  

Lusamine drags a hand across her face, tears forming again.  Despite the rivers flowing down her cheeks, Lusamine can’t pinpoint why she’s suddenly so overwhelmed.  Grief over what she’d become and the people she pushed away in the process.  

Shame from letting herself be blinded by her search for Mohn that she disregarded the legacy they shared as husband and wife, their precious children.  Longing to embrace her babies, knowing how much they’ve suffered.  

Lusamine lost her husband, but because of her distorted desperation to be reunited with him, Lillie and Gladion lost both their parents.

They seem to have forgiven her last Lusamine can remember.  However, being able to forgive herself is a whole other venture.

What wonderful children they’ve become without her.  They’re kind enough to give a monster like Lusamine a second chance even when she believes herself beyond redemption.

“When did you both become so beautiful?”

Maybe if Lillie and Gladion see something worth saving in Lusamine, it just might be plausible.  With a small smile, she raises the picture to her lips, kissing both of her babies’ static foreheads.

“Maybe I can be beautiful again…”