I like the theory that Eri is either Emmet's daughter or a descendant of Ingo but I raise you this:

Ingo had been in Hisui for a total of five years, three more years than Akari/Dawn. In that time frame, he'd fallen for Zisu and eventually married her. After everything has calmed down and the village and clans have finally gotten along better, they decide to try to make a family. And at the same time, Akari has finally finished the pokedex. Arceus offers to take her home after the official publication of the pokedex as it signifies her mission finally being complete. They even restore her memories. Akari, now going by Dawn because, again, memories are back, asks Them to also restore Ingo's. Arceus does as such and then offers to take Ingo home, too. He's intrigued. He's aching to see his brother and friends and the station again now that he remembers. But there's Zisu. And now their daughter Eri, who'd been born 5 weeks too early. He couldn't just leave them, especially with how scared and worried Zisu was for Eri's health. He's prepared to tell her he was staying, refuse Arceus' offer, but Zisu, straightforward and stubborn as she is, tells him to go. And take Eri with him. Her reason being; "whatever this future you described to me is, maybe they have the stuff to help her? So please. Take her with you. She's gotta have a better chance of living there than here!" She pleaded. She broke down in tears, something she doesn't usually do, or tries not to anyway. After much serious talking, he agrees. He's sad to leave her, but he knows she's strong. So, together, they wrap her up in warm layers to combat the early winter air. And Ingo and Dawn departs to his destination— the Temple of Sinnoh. And so, Arceus takes them home. They're bombarded by press once word gets out. I mean the missing champion coming back in strange clothes with the missing, long presumed dead, Subway Boss who's also holding a baby? Yeah, that would definitely make the news lol. But in the end, Eri got modern medical attention and went on to have a very healthy childhood.

Skip seventeen years, and here we are. Eri is studying abroad. Ingo is working the station with his brother still. Ingo doesn't talk about his time in Hisui. He doesn't talk about Zisu to Eri in full, as it would be.... a lot to explain why she can't meet her.

So, You Want To See A Legendary Pokemon

This blog is primarily about caring for, owning, or directly interacting with Legendary and Mythical Pokemon - which is absolutely not for everyone and can be infeasible or outright dangerous for many people. So, interacting seriously with Legendaries, even through volunteering, is not easy.

However, there are ways of seeing and interacting with Legendaries that are safe, feasible, accessible, and outright easy! And in this post and a couple others, I'm going to detail some - whether you're an enthusiast, a professor, a current or future owner, or just curious, this is a post anyone can follow up on.

To start with, I'll go over places where it's easy to spot and see wild Legendary Pokemon, with low or no risk (below the cut, because long post):

Legendary birds tend to migrate to follow their preferred weather, particularly Kantonian Articuno and Moltres. If you find yourself in the extreme north or south in fall, you'll probably see Articuno arriving after a long global migration, heading for wintry ice cliffs. Mountain-dwelling Articuno rarely move, but those that live in the poles often do. But around high mountains, there are in fact Articuno - but those places are extremely hostile to people, as are the residents, so I don't recommend it unless you're highly prepared.

In spring, if you happen to be near a volcano, you might just see a Moltres - they hunt across the globe, particularly in grasslands where they can spark fires to flush out prey easily and there are few trees for them to accidentally light on fire while trying to rest, but volcanic soil and crags are their preference for nesting. Extinct volcanoes and regular mountains are also nesting places - famously, there are Moltres nesting near the Kanto-Johto Pokemon League - but the more active it is short of active eruption, the more likely you are to find a Moltres, as they love lava. The Alolan volcanic chain, being particularly active, is also famous as a Moltres nesting site. Do NOT approach nesting or bathing Moltres...but they are pretty safe and fun to watch.

Another great place for Bird watchers is Shamouti and the surrounding islands, with a bonus of a native Lugia or two. The Birds are notoriously unfriendly and their home islands are barred to laypeople, but they're easily observed from the Shamouti beaches or dedicated bird-watching boat tours. The native Lugia are reclusive and rarely seen, but quite friendly as long as they don't perceive a threat from you. There's even plenty of video of tourists being photobombed by them, or getting to pet or interact with them. The same specimens have also been sighted in the Orange Islands, but less often.

Ecruteak City is one of the best places in the world to see Legendary Pokemon! A family of Ho-Oh nests there, a Lugia used to, and Suicune, Entei, and Raikou pass through very frequently. Because so many live there or pass through, Legendary Trainers are also quite likely to go there, and it's a bit of a gathering spot. Any person strolling through the city is more likely than not to see at least one. As with the Shamouti Lugia, they're quite friendly, but well-guarded - don't try anything funny, trust me. I'm not allowed to talk in too much detail about the security in place, but I do know it's there.

The coast of Sootopolis is another great place to spot Pokemon. Latias and Latios are fairly frequently sighted on Hoenn's coasts fishing, flying, and playing during the summer - and during the winter and spring, Kyogre pods sometimes move through, though those are sighted more often far out to sea or near the poles.

There are a couple islands off the coast of Sinnoh where Cresselia and Darkrai tend to gather, though the latter can be difficult to approach as they're skittish and may give you nightmares if they're spooked...which is harmless, I'll be honest. Part of being approved to work with Darkrai is being intentionally hit by their nightmare powers and while the nightmares are deeply unpleasant, it's not that awful and as soon as you wake up, it's over. Cresselia, similarly, have an unpleasant but harmless defense mechanism - they make you really, really dizzy. It only lasts a couple minutes, and it's not awful if you lay down, and thankfully they're not as easily spooked.

Hoopa and Diancie seem to be drawn to Anistar city, seemingly by the sundial. They're usually reserved, and won't approach you, but it's quite fun to walk through the city and see them hanging around like any member of the crowd.

On all four Alolan Islands, the Tapu are quite close with the native people, and relatively friendly to tourists as long as you remain respectful to them and to the local flora and fauna. If you're cautious and polite, even strangers can approach them when they're out and about.

There is a location in Kalos called the All-Earth forest, where both Xerneas and Yveltal like to gather. Guided tours are available, and they have a pretty good success rate of spotting them, given that they know where the tours go and generally like to say hi. Even if you don't see a Legendary, the forest is beautiful, as is the massive waterfall that tours tend to swing by.

There are a few Mewtwo that are quite public and open about their existence and openly interact with people. Several Pokemon with the capacity of communication can legally emancipate themselves - being legally regarded as human from then on and owning their own Pokeball - and a famous example is the original Mewtwo, who does book tours and owns a nature reserve. While he's a recluse, his writing is a complete delight. If you've got an interest in Pokemon sapience, human-Pokemon relations, and cloned Pokemon, I highly recommend his works! The rumor in my field is that he's even applying for a Legendary license - which I'll get into those soon - soon or as we speak.

Short - Winter Snacks

Diamond takes Platinum on a date to get her to experience the kind of food that she had never tasted before. But... in this temperature?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Northern Veilstone City, Sinnoh, 11 am...

Platinum momentarily paused in her steps as a particularly strong gust of wind swept the area. She brushed away a strand of hair and breathed in the refreshing cold winter air.

“That was really chilly all of a sudden, huh?” Diamond said from the side, smiling brightly.

Platinum returned his smile. “Yes. It was quite refreshing.”

“We have to be nice and cold to fully enjoy the best winter snacks!” Diamond said as he resumed walking. “So this is the perfect weather!”

Platinum followed him closely as he led her towards the dozens of tents lined up by the wide street. As she got closer, she could smell all sorts of foods being prepared in the area. And they were all unfamiliar to her.

“What shall we eat first?” she asked, observing the various food stalls. She had initially expected a standard restaurant, but these food stands were simply set up in large portable tents, which she did not consider at all. She did not know what quality food she would get, but she trusted in Diamond’s judgment, so she was looking forward to the brand new experience.

“I think we’ll start with steamed corn,” Diamond answered. “Then maybe roasted sweet potatoes, steamed bean paste buns, bean paste waffles, and roasted chestnuts!”

“Steamed… corn?”

Diamond abruptly stopped in his steps and looked at her in shock. “Do you… not like corn?”

Platinum shook her head. “No. I am impartial. But I have never had corn by itself and not as an ingredient in a dish.”

“Then you’re in for a treat! Let’s go~!”

They soon reached the first stall with the steamed corn and Diamond ordered one for everyone. He took the first one and showed Platinum how to hold and eat it. The heiress seemed to hesitate at first, but soon followed his instructions. Diamond quickly realized that she was initially hesitant since she never partakes in food without using utensils, as per etiquette, with the only exceptions being small fruits and berries. In fact, he was certain that the only time the heiress ate any food with her hands was when she was with him, and even that wasn’t frequent since he often opted to take her to actual restaurants.

Platinum held the very hot steamed corn in her hands, watching the steam rising into the air. She carefully bit into it as instructed, and was pleasantly surprised at how tasty it was despite the simple preparation.

“This is delicious, Diamond,” she said in awe. “And this is merely corn that has been steam-cooked?”

“Yep! It’s real simple, isn’t it?” Diamond asked with a big smile. He took a big bite and trembled a bit as the corn was still quite hot. “Just… be careful. You don’t want to get burned!”

Platinum took another bite of the corn and savored the taste. She had to occasionally take deep breaths of freezing cold air in order to combat the heat of the corn. She now understood why Diamond chose this kind of temperature to take her out for this snack. And now she was even more excited for what was to come next.

…

“So Lady, which one was your favorite today?” Diamond asked as he finished his fish-shaped bean paste waffle.

Platinum looked at the variety of winter snacks that she had bought in the paper bag as souvenirs. “Um… I cannot say. They were all wonderful, and I enjoyed every one. And they were all very appropriate in this cold temperature, as you said. I did not realize these simple snacks could be this delicious.”

“I’m glad to hear that you enjoyed all the snacks. I was worried that they wouldn’t live up to your expectations. And I was worried that this might not have been an enjoyable experience.”

Platinum gently held his hand and gave him a reassuring smile. “Of course not. I trust your judgment, Diamond.” She raised the bag containing the snacks. “This has been a very enjoyable experience, and these snacks were wonderfully delicious. In fact…” She turned to look behind her. “I had so much fun today that it nearly slipped my mind that this was a double date.”

Diamond looked behind him as well. “Oh yeah! How are you guys holding up?”

“… Yeah… don’t mind us…” White grumbled, her voice barely audible thanks to the thick scarf.

“… Who goes on a date in -24C temperature…” Black grumbled as he shivered violently.

“My apologies. But this is a common occurrence in Sinnoh winters, especially in the northern half,” Platinum said with an amused smile. “But this cold temperature was indeed perfect to fully enjoy these snacks.”

White looked into her cup of hot chocolate. “… It froze over…”

“Perhaps next time, we should go to Snowpoint City,” Platinum said. “After all, heavy snowfall actually alleviates some of the coldness.”

“… I can’t even tell if you’re joking…” White grumbled. “… From now on, we’re going to avoid Sinnoh in winter…”

“All right, all right,” Diamond said with a chuckle. “Let’s go get an actual meal now. On a cold day like this, a nice hot bone soup would be perfect!”

Half Moon Datas #6: White Veil

Second part here

There’s a zone in Mt.Coronet trapped in a perpetual snow storm, at the east bottom of the mountain, called “White Veil”. Based from the analysis of the few alpinists who were allowed by the authorities to go around the area, the snow storm seems only located there and limited to one kilometer. No one knows the origins of this phenomenon or when exactly it was formed for the first time, but every sinnohians are aware of the existence of this mysterious place. For as long as the eldest people of the region remember, the perpetual snow storm was always there at this specific side of the mountain. All climbers of Mt. Coronet are forbidden to explore White Veil regardless of their experiences so as not to endanger themselves, because the temperature stays at 0 C°, a heavy mist prevents anyone from seeing what’s around them and there’s a high risk of being attacked by wild fully-evolved Pokemon.

As a native, Althea was warned about the dangers of White Veil since she was a kid. She only looked at the place from afar during her explorations in the mountain, seeing the snow storm swirling in the area. There wasn’t much reason for her to go there… However, when Dawn told her about Lucas’ household life narrated by his mother, the information about his father’s disappearance caught her attention. There was indeed a missing report about Logan in the Sinnoh Police’s archives, as well as three alpinists around the same time… And those created the first series of mysterious disappearances ever recorded (now classified as cold cases).

Sensing something strange about the zone, Althea decided to get information about White Veil through books and discussions with climbers. There weren’t much of them, but she carefully listen all of them. When she regroups all she knows about White Veil and reunited all the pieces, she comes to a hypothesis… Like any mysterious place, rumors surrounded the area, going from rational to farfetched like assuming that it’s the work of a spirit, even proclaiming that there might be a treasure hidden in White Veil or that you could meet with the Legendary Pokemon of Sinnoh if you reach its deepest level. That said, it’s possible for the private detective that the blizzard isn’t a natural phenomenon (or at least no longer really is) but was created by a Pokemon’s powers. The most logical explanation would be that a colony of Ice type Pokemon formed the snow storm to protect themselves from intruders. However, the most reported Pokemon at the east bottom of Mt. Coronet are Magnezone and Weavile, and a Froslass is a traveler wandering in cold areas, not a creator of one. Even in group, they wouldn’t be strong enough to trap a huge part of a side of a mountain on a kilometer for years. That said, one species of Pokemon living in Mt. Coronet is able to create strong blizzards on their own… One species that can become even more powerful with a millennium power given by a special stone.

Althea is aware that going to White Veil is risky. There’s a reason that the few selected people who were given the permission to approach the area only turned around it for observation and didn’t explored it on itself. However, she felt that freeing this zone from this eternal winter would lead to answers to questions of the past… So she resolved to go to the forbidden land.

When Dawn is the one helping the Unova Dragons in Hisui as mission control, the detective secretly prepared her excursion for White Veil. She refuses to let the Champion accompany her because she doesn’t want to endanger her in this area. One day, when she’s finally ready, Althea told Dawn that she will investigate a lead for an extra case she has before leaving her facility and going to Mt. Coronet. Usually, she wouldn’t be able to take the entry leading to White Veil because the authorities sealed it and regularly check out that nobody wanders close to it… But she can counter this problem by flying to the land. The detective then asks the help of her Lunala to take her there (she preemptively protected all her Pokemon with Safety Goggles to protect them from the snow storm), which it did without trouble and landing her in a safe high spot. Just as people said, the place is cold even with her multi layers of warm clothes covering her from head to toes, and it’s hard to see anything even with her most advanced goggles and technologies. However, she has a plan to get the responsible of the blizzard out of the darkness…

Althea used numerous light sticks and a smoke bomb that she shot from her spot to let them fall in the snow and attract the attention of Pokemon living in White Veil. She waited for several minutes, hidden behind rocks and looking down… Until a shadow finally appear close to the lights. A huge and imposing silhouette… Though the glows coming from the sticks were slightly overshadowed by the storm, the sound of the heavy footsteps, the spikes all over the shadow and the loud scream coming from it were enough clues for Althea to understand that it’s an Abomasnow - more exactly a Mega Abomasnow. Even without facing it, she suspected that this Pokemon is way taller than the average Mega Abomasnow she saw and its powers probably became out of control by the prolonged effect of Mega Evolution. How did it end up here? How or by who did it gains a Mega Stone? She doesn’t know, but she knows that she has to do something to stop the snow storm and end its rage.

The detective guessed that the Mega Abomasnow must be very strong and tough. It would be risky for her Mega Lucario or Lopunny to fight it in such bad weather because it would have the advantage of the field to back it up and may defeat them in one fell swoop, and she clearly isn’t going to recklessly endanger her dear Pokemon. On such situation, she decides to use her trump card… Just like she came to White Veil from above, Althea will take the Mega Abomasnow by surprise the same way. Her Lunala, still protected by its Safety Goggles and using its dark appearance as camouflage, charged towards the Mega Abomasnow until reaching a close distance to him while being away of his vision field before attacking it with Moongeist Beam. The Pokemon was weakened by the Legendary Pokemon’s power, but it wasn’t enough to KO-ed it and it retaliated against it, but Lunala escaped all its attacks and fought back when there were openings.

The battle continued for long minutes, intensifying the snow storm with Althea struggling to protect herself with her force field, until the Mega Abomasnow started getting exhausted, probably because it isn’t used to Pokemon Battles because of isolation. Seeing how the Ice Pokemon seemed in pain by the overwhelming wave of power emanating from its state, the detective and Lunala decided to not use its signature Z-Move, instead ceasing to fight and putting it to sleep with Hypnosis. It didn’t really make it asleep, but it stopped and fell on the snow. Lunala carefully came closer to it, hearing it breathing slowly, before realizing that releasing this amount of energy within it in a Pokemon Battle has actually helped it finally rest after how long it’s been mega-evolved. It thanked the Legendary Pokemon from giving it this opportunity, whispered a few more words before closing its eyes and peacefully took its final slumber.

After the Mega Abomasnow passed away, the snow storm stopped. The wind ceased to blow, the mist dissipated and the clouds slowly let sunlight reach the area. Now that the weather calmed down, Althea could go down and rejoin Lunala, who told her what happened. She then looked at the tall Pokemon before solemnly praying for its rest with her Pokemon team for a few minutes. When she has a better vision of the zone, the detective spotted a cave’s entry, which was what the Mega Abomasnow revealed to the Legendary Pokemon. Althea goes there, slowly stepping in the corridor entirely covered in ice… And when she reached the end of the tunnel, she arrived at a huge cavity where ice and crystal coexisted. She then lighted the place with a flashlight… Her eyes suddenly widened by what she saw.

There were four persons trapped inside ice blocks (four men), visibly sleeping. Those were the missing alpinists from the series of cold cases, and she recognized who was the other man with them…

It’s Logan, Lucas’ father.

After recovering from this shock, Althea carefully put her hand on one of the blocks, closed her eyes and used her psychic powers to verify if she heard something inside the cavity… She did hear the thoughts of the four people, asking for help to free them from their ice cage. Although their auras were slightly blurry because of their condition, they were still there. Althea understood that they weren’t frozen by the Mega Abomasnow… It actually cryogenized them to keep them alive and not let them frozen to death in White Veil. The Pokemon may have been driven violent because of the prolonged effect of Mega Evolution, but it managed to keep some lucidity and not blindly harm the unfortunate people who ended up in its territory, instead putting them in a safe place away from the blizzard and let them live in its own way.

A moment of silence passed, and then Althea sighted in relief… The mysteries surrounding White Veil disappeared. The perpetual snow storm is finally over. The series of cold cases of the past is resolved and the missing persons are still alive.

All that’s left is freeing them from their cage and bring them back to their loved ones.

// a brief timeline of events in grusha’s life!!

grusha was born in sinnoh, snowpoint city, to a sinnohan father and paldean mother. growing up there for the better part of his early years led to his passion for winter sports, snowboarding above all else.

when grusha was roughly 13 years old, his family moved to paldea. no matter the reasoning he was given ( work reasons ), he didn’t take to the change well, especially after having to leave what little friends he had behind. as a result, he threw himself even more into snowboarding as the one thing he had left.

his training paid off, quickly rising up in the ranks through the years, enough to reach international level in competitions. he’s traveled to other regions for competitions. when he’s not training or competing, he’s dedicated himself to ice types, the one type of ‘mon he feels the most connected to. he’s unofficially becoming an expert on the type. 

at age 22, grusha was already considered to easily be on olympics level, chosen to represent paldea in the next event for the snowboarding category. this is when he started pushing himself further and harder while preparing.

soon after receiving the news of his selection, grusha got injured in an accident while practicing in the mountains. despite having recovered from many injuries before, this one was serious enough that the doctors told him he couldn’t return to his sports without further compromising his health and running into life long damage.

forced to retire early and so close to his dream, grusha decided to basically isolate himself in glaseado mountain, the hurt too recent to take the pity and condolences from people he didn’t even know. soon, he receives the offer to become a gym leader. with nothing else to aim for after everything he had was ripped from him, he decided to at least hold onto what little he had left that could still be considered worthy, accepting the offer and taking the role of the ice type gym leader of paldea.

currently, grusha still tries to keep to himself near the top of glaseado mountain, spending his time taking on the coming challengers and caring for the wild population of ice types. he’s not coping anywhere near as well as he tries to make himself believe, and on bad days when his knee causes him discomfort it hurts all over again to remember, but he’s trying to at least move forward. it’s just not really working.

Bonjour Ranger Rai! My assistant and I have been researching Mega Evolution with our Gengar and Banette and we’ve found that some Pokémon revel in the process of Mega Evolving. My Gengar seems to get a sort of high off the power and Lena’s Banette behaves much more erratically. It isn’t clear of this is a trait of ghost Pokémon or of Mega Evolution itself but we’ll find out after we send our data to Professor Sycamore. How are things in the Sinnoh region?

I am not exactly a master of Mega Evolution, but I do know that a pokemon who is in perfect sync with their trainer can achieve better more stable Evolution over a weak connection.

I think when the connection is really strong then a pokemon can actually enjoy the evolution and really reach their full potential.

As for the Ranger Base, the seasons changing so we are preparing for the winter festival and of course more snow falling means more rescuing trainers who don't heed our warnings.

Give you a packet of rowlet seeds with a flower pot beside it

Oh?

OH!

Oh gosh, thank you! The Rowlet line evolves into Decidueye, right?! I saw one of them battling when we were in Alola! Spirit Shackle is BREATHTAKING to watch, so cool and eerie!

But, I wasn't prepared for this. Sinnoh's climate is SO different from Alola, it gets much colder here in the winter… Are they winter-hardy? Or will I have to overwinter them indoors? I've heard they sleep a lot, but are they diurnal when they're awake? Do they need to be out in the sun or will I have to get a grow lamp, especially for the winter? I'm a massive night owl and I sleep most of the day, are they going to be okay with that or will they get lonely?

Also, believe it or not, I've never had a proper starter before! Luckily I have some experience growing my own berries, so I'm, maybe, MARGINALLY more ready for this than I first thought… But I don't know how to care for the Rowlet line when they're seedlings!

If you'll excuse me, I need to go research to make sure these babies sprout up nice and strong.

@electrivolt​ said: Somehow, in the middle of the food and celebration, Volkner does manage to find it in him to slip out of his stupid man's warm and comfortable arms with a kiss and some excuse of needing the bathroom and he'll be right back, really— just a bit of a white lie, and he doesn't really want to get up when he's so happy and comfortable between sweets and affection, but he's been working hard to be the one treating his love for once to just forget about it and not treat him just like he deserves. And when he finally comes back, there are now not one, not two— three whole boxes, carefully wrapped up and cards decorated with careful linework. ( how long has he worked on this, let alone for this? the art littering cards is already so carefully prepared as it is— ) "Hey, love—" and just as carefully he puts the gifts down next to him, a bit of an embarrassed, yet eager smile on his face. "—this is for you. I love you." / CHRIMBO!!! 

To think he'd be spending the holidays like this—so much warmer than the last several. Maybe this added another facet beyond just family celebration in front of a blazing fire, variety of reptiles and steel and stone and flora comfortable as the chill officially settles around the west side of Sinnoh. This wouldn't be the last weekend of snow, but certainly it wasn't the first—an eve with his love and a day with his family—their family. It wasn't anywhere in the thoughts of a much younger Roark, but he wouldn't trade this for anything, now.

Volkner's been so excited this entire month between helping him decorate and putting silly hats on their 'mons, and that damned look when Roark knows he's been brewing a plan and making progress on it—the little bastard, he's at his most charming when he's excited, in the end. He loves him all the more for it, and he's curious, so so curious, for what this furfrou of his has been up to. He’s been out and about in ways that he wasn’t familiar with, and when the presents are offered to him, he understands quickly what he was up to.

( for someone like him who struggled so much and yet.. he put so much effort into just getting something for him of all people... man, what did he do to deserve this kind of light in his life? )

There’s no helping the warm smile, still buzzing from such a simple, parting kiss, only wider when he goes through his presents, and tearing them open like the caveman he is.

Spices reveal themselves to him, piquing his interest in their culinary escapades, and Roark takes the time to carefully read the labels and descriptions for each and every one of them—four in total, ranging from a deep red to a bright orange. Even the heat varied, and Roark can’t help a little laugh. This was consent for torture for dinner, considering how much they fooled around with fucking around and finding out when it came to the Scoville scale. “These look really nice.. I can’t wait to use them when we’re craving some spicy stuff. I betcha these will clear the sinus right up.” He’s seen his man desecrate a bottle of sriracheri sauce. 

The next is simple, and yet it swells up Roark with open excitement—slippers, in the shape of triceratops no less, and it takes no time for him to yoink them off of plastic holders and right on cold feet, wiggling them up and down with a beam. Clearly, he was going to wear these down until there were holes for them. No doubt about it. 

And the last, is of course, more dinosaur themed goodies in the shape of a mug, a happy little head sculpted off the rim and clay etched in the pattern of scales. “Oh, I love all of this so much, Volk—thank you! I love you so much—” he can’t help but ramble, careful to set down the fragile goods before taking the card that came with everything—he can tell immediately this was Volkner’s hand, so careful and with purpose ( he may have a very, very soft spot for anything volkner draws, knowing it takes such time and effort ), even carefully tracing the contours of such a simple yet lovely winter scene. Roark knows immediately he’s holding on to each and every one of these if more come.

If it wasn’t for the artistry, it would be for the words contained inside, Volkner’s scrawl such a normal thing to see among notes and drafts and plans. Roark knows he’s always been much better about wording things on paper than with his voice, each syllable his mind’s voice reading was carefully picked, and all the more special. Really.. what did he do to deserve someone so thoughtful like this, to trace back all the little things that make Volkner feel like he was home and loved and to thank him for giving him that chance to experience all of it. 

( roark is just so, so smitten ) When he carefully closes the card and sets it with the rest of his presents, he wastes no time in pulling his love back into his arms, squeezing him tight and resting himself against his neck. “Thank you, love—this means.. a lot. After everything.. I’m so happy we can have this. I’m keeping every card you ever make, too.”

AU Backstory Time!

So the backstory for my au is based on real events in my many, MANY years of playing pokemon. Other than in gen 1 where I I fed infinite Missingno Rare Candies to my pokemon(yes I’m that old, shut up) I’ve always had an aversion to using legendaries in my main team to beat the story. Usually, you never get them anyway until very late, and by that point I’ve already got a full team that I’m very attached to. This started to change somewhat in gen 4 with the events I’ll list out below:

(howdobulletpoints?)

- In HGSS I received the Event Arceus as one of the first event distributions I was actually able to get

- Even though you could catch Giratina in D/P, Platinum was not out yet so I decided to pick Giratina when Arceus asked you which of the trio you wanted to create

- Was very surprised that Giratina was legit LEVEL 1 instead of like lvl 70 or something

-Thought about how cool it would be to raise a legendary from lvl 1 and use it in a playthrough, but I had already beaten my HG file at that point and had no way of trading away my pokemon so I could start a new file

- Should mention I get VERY attached to my pokes and will transfer my teams and favorites up through every game I can

-Giratina gets boxed at lvl 1 for future games/playthrough

- SoonTM

- I buy Pokemon Platinum, Black and later Pokemon White 2(I wanted both Reshiram games for some reason) and continue to collect event pokemon

- Keldeo event releases after I’ve already beaten W2 once, and at that point I’m able to trade my pokes between games/transfer then up from old games.

- Why not do a legendary playthrough? Start a file, get Keldeo, and finally train my baby Giratina and a few other low level event legendaries

- Start game and get Keldeo, Giratina, Jirachi, and I think Mew and/or Victini? as fast as I can right after the first gym

- I love making up narratives in my head when playing, so at the Pledge Grove where Keldeo gains it’s Resolute Form I pledge that this will be the most Legendary Adventure EverTM

- Life and or college happens

- I barely play the file from that point on. Can’t remember if I ever beat the second gym or not

- Pokemon X and Y come out and I buy Y

- Why play an old game I already beat once again with overpowered legendaries when there is the New Hotness?

- Kalo is so unbalanced I legit raised 3 full teams of pokemon concurrently. I called them the Royal Kalosian Army

- Eventually transferred over old pokemon to Y, effectively killing off the whole Legendary AdventureTM idea for good

- Maybe I’ll do it for real at another point?

- Tragedy

- My 3DS with Pokemon Y and every single pokemon I had collected over the years up until that point gets stolen right as I’m getting ready to go home for Winter break. Never find the culprit

- I legit get SUPER depressed about this, so much so that I don’t even buy ORAS like I planned to until a few months before Sun and Moon come out

- It’s just not the sameTM

- Play Moon, Ultra Sun, and later Shield, with my love of pokemon slowly being restored

- Buy and play Legends Arceus before BDSP remakes because Sinnoh is actually my least favorite region and I’d rather see the new spin on it first

- Beat game, battle Volo, Giratina comes in pissed

- Oh hi mom, prepare for death. You broke your promise so I’ll break your face -Giratina probably

- My face when this headcanon sets up shop to live rent free in my head

- My face when I want to punch Volo in the face for calling my son a coward when I beat him

- My life when I now want to find a White 2 Rom and hack in Giratina and maybe Keldeo as my starters

- No, using the lvl 65+ Giratinas you can only get in post game areas won’t make this right.

- I must attack and dethrone god(gamefreak) and use roms to turn back time and set things right

- Not waiting 10 years for them to remake the second part of the gen 5 games when I just know they will only remake the original B/W and maybe do a Legends game with the full Kyurem given their track record

- I’m rambling at this point, so kudos to anyone who read all of this to understand my current brainrot

𝙾𝙱𝚂𝙲𝚄𝚁𝙴 𝙷𝙴𝙰𝙳𝙲𝙰𝙽𝙾𝙽𝚂.

WHAT THEY SMELL LIKE. ideally; fresh, clean linen, or a light 'spring mist'. very faint florals to fresh fruity perfumes. but in hisui, she more often smells like pine, earth, and campfire smoke. she also folds honeysuckles and lilac within her clothes so they carry the scent.

HOW THEY SLEEP. SLEEPING POSITION. SCHEDULE. ETC… usually curled up on one side, hugging a pillow/stuffed toy/Pokemon. Ideally, she practices good sleep habits, early-to-bed and early-to-rise, but since coming to Hisui there have been more sleepless nights and exhausting days, leading her to taking naps under trees occasionally.

WHAT MUSIC THEY ENJOY. she's a big fan of pop and follows the latest trends and idol groups. her family has a history with traditional folk Sinnoh music which her, her mother, and grandmother often bonded over as well.

HOW MUCH TIME THEY SPEND GETTING READY EACH MORNING. about an hour or so. she doesn't like rushing, and considers 'getting ready' to be something of a ritual that should be more relaxing and enjoyable to start the day right, from getting dressed to preparing food. back in modern times, she enjoyed various skin care treatments and doing her make-up, but in hisui she's had to 'make do' with what she can get her hands on. that said, she did her research and made requests to volo for various herbs that are available in this time, and has painstakingly made her own 'hisui style skin care regimen!'

FAVOURITE THING TO COLLECT. in modern times, she collected vinyl records of her favorite bands, cute clothes, scarves, and various accessories. in hisui, she likes collecting masks, scarves still when she can find them, and has been picking up all sorts of pretty rocks.

LEFT OR RIGHT HANDED. born right-handed, she isn't ambidextrous but is decent, or at least passable, when using her left.

FAVOURITE SPORT(S). she loves ice skating; her parents went ice skating on one of their first dates, and it became a family tradition they took her on ever since she was little. after her father passed away, she and her mother still carried the tradition on.

FAVOURITE TOURISTY THING TO DO WHEN TRAVELING. she loves seeing all of the historic sites a place has to offer, though admittedly some things do interest her more than others. then she's gotta check out the latest, trendiest restaurants and clothing boutiques. cityscapes aside, she enjoys stargazing while traveling.

FAVOURITE KIND OF WEATHER. she can make do in almost any weather, though she's not a big fan of the rain. mild, sunny days with a light breeze are of course preferred now that she travels so much, but she enjoys the winter snowfall quite a lot.

WEIRD / OBSCURE FEAR THEY HAVE. since coming to Hisui, she has a slightly more intense aversion to silence. Also, flying-type Pokemon pooping on her head. It's never happened to her and yet she's always a little paranoid about it.

THE CARNIVAL / ARCADE GAME THEY ALWAYS WIN WITHOUT FAIL. the one where you have to get the little rings on the tops of bottles - or equivalent. she's taking home every little plush they've got!

Senseless for the prompt thing

This took me a couple tries, but I hope you like the result!

---

Winter rakes its claws across the Coronet Highlands in the form of a rare blizzard. Warden Melli is unbothered, of course. He had the brilliant foresight to make preparations just in case. His hut is secure against the howling wind and fortified to resist snow, his hearth is warm and full of soup, and all of his Pokemon are nestled around him. Lord Electrode is safe too, as Melli had made him a similar hut for resisting the elements and stocked it with the lord's favorite foods. Truly, Melli has thought of everything ahead of time, and now nothing will interrupt his well-deserved rest.

"EMMET!"

Melli startles at the voice outside, booming loud enough to be heard over the storm. He knows that voice, even if the word is unfamiliar. Who, or what, is an Emmet? What is Warden Ingo doing so close by, instead of waiting out the storm with Lady Sneasler in her cave? How dare he interrupt Melli's perfectly serene evening?!

"EMMET, PLEASE WAIT! NOT SO FAST! I CAN'T KEEP UP!"

Ingo's voice is hoarse, and more panicked than Melli has ever heard it. Plus, either there is someone else out there with him, or he's chasing a wayward Zoroark that's wandered down the mountain with the storm. Almighty Sinnoh preserve him, this is unbelievable! The gall of this idiot to require Melli's intervention at a time like this!

"I should leave him to freeze out there," Melli grumbles as he wraps himself in winter gear. "A lesser man wouldn't bother. Oh, but I am so much better than most men. He better be grateful for this...!"

The wind stings his eyes and freezes the resulting tears as Melli steps into the storm, his Skuntank following him close for support. It's so hard to see, where is that fool...?

"EMMET, PLEASE...I'M SORRY..."

Right, follow the sounds of the sobbing warden, got it. For once, the man's lack of volume control is a blessing. Melli trudges through the snow and curses every minute of it, but he does not falter. No one will ever witness Melli failing at anything he puts his mind to.

Time loses meaning in the midst of winter's wrath, but Melli eventually catches the sight of a black coat and silver hair. Ingo's progress is slow, he's even more hunched over than normal...is he limping?

"Emmet...Emmet, I need to...I need to pull the brakes. Emergency stop. Please...wait..."

Before Ingo can collapse face-first into the snow, Melli catches him. Ingo's body is warm to the touch despite the frigid air. As if this couldn't get worse...

"Ingo, what do you think you're doing out here?" Melli yells, both to be heard over the wind and out of worry. "You're in no state to be in a storm like this!"

Ingo's glassy eyes refuse to focus on Melli, pupils swimming around without ever focusing. "I...I heard him. He's out here. I saw...his white coat."

"Everything is white right now, you fool! We're in the middle of a blizzard!" And so are Zoroarks, which also has the Diamond Clan warden on edge. Melli tries to pull Ingo to his feet, but the older man winces. Melli looks down at the snow. Red. "Ingo, you're injured, sick, and the biggest idiot I've ever met. I'm bringing you inside! Skuntank, help me carry him!"

The trek back feels just as long. Ingo is practically dead weight, and he keeps calling out for a man who isn't there. His senses and voice both depart him as the journey goes on. Eventually, Melli has to hold the man's hands down to stop him from reaching for this stranger. If Melli ever meets this Emmet, the white-coated bastard is in for a beatdown for making Ingo panic over him so much. (Not that Melli's worried, no. Not even a little. After all, The Great Melli can do anything, so long as Almighty Sinnoh wishes it.)

The inside of Melli's hut has never seemed so inviting, but he doesn't get the chance to enjoy it. He and Skuntank immediately set Ingo down and attend to the man's wounds. It appears the warden was attacked, with scrapes along his leg and a likely broken foot; the snow must have made him too numb to notice. This on top of a fever...

Melli isn't a healer. Far from it. But he is a warden, hardy enough to survive these lands and look after a Noble on his own, so he's picked up a few survival tricks over the years. He knows how to dress a wound, how to warm up from the snow and how to cool down a fever. Not that he's ever had to do all three at once, but what else is he to do? He can't leave someone else to die on his watch, especially not the only other human he shares the highlands with. So he wraps Ingo in blankets while delivering cool water in incremental sips, he cobbles together rudimentary splints and stitches a bleeding wound shut even if it stains his clothes. He works through the night and his hands quiver with effort and fear.

"Thank you," Ingo mutters at one point, clearly still delirious but at least conscious enough to see he's being helped. "You are...?"

Melli isn't sure what possesses him to answer the way he does. Maybe it's to keep his impromptu patient from trying to race back into the blizzard on a ghost's trail. Maybe because this is the first solid lead Melli has heard, and damn him if he isn't the tiniest bit curious to learn more. Maybe it is simply Sinnoh's will.

"...I am Emmet."

Regardless of reason, Ingo relaxes at the phrase, a rare smile blooming across his face even as pain pricks his eyes with tears. "Emmet...Emmet, I found you." He reaches and rests a hand on Melli's face. "I was afraid...I'd lose you again. Emmet, I lost you. Became uncoupled. I am so, so sorry."

"I know you are." Melli also isn't used to being soft or gentle, but just this once with no one around, he can allow it. "Ingo, I need you to stay with me. You're hurt and sick. Promise me you won't slip away."

"Promise. I'd never leave...on purpose." Unfocused eyes glowing with fever drift, never quite settling on Melli's face but looking at someone who isn't there. "You know that, right? That I...I didn't mean to leave you?" His eyes grow wet with tears. Truly, the man's truly lost all hold on his senses.. "Emmet, it's been so lonely without you. I've been...I've been so scared, Emmet. I want to return to our station...to go home."

Nobody but Almighty Sinnoh will ever know the way Melli's heart seizes at seeing his fellow warden so vulnerable. "I know you do. But you have to heal first, and I'm going to make sure you pull through this. So..." Sinnoh above, make sure Ingo doesn't remember what Melli's about to say. "Stay, ah, coupled with me. Remain on the rails."

A ragged cough rattles through Ingo's chest, but he's smiling again anyway. "Follow the safety rules. Don't forget...to smile. And aim for victory."

How foolish, for this fever-addled fool to keep clinging to these words. Yet Melli says with him "All aboard," as he gets back to work, so maybe he's a fool too.

credit for art goes to @sistabell ; posted with permission

So. I have had sinnoh brainrot for SO LONG and decided to commission some art for my fic platinum eclipse! and honestly aaaaaaaaaaaa it turned out so good! Gonna put some rambling below the cut because i have LOTS to say but i know not everyone follows me for poke content

I am. Listen I did not have a coherent picture in mind for this exactly but my idea was. Everyone has basically wrapped up their character arcs and is a lot more comfortable in their own skin than when they started. 

For Dawn, she still wears the dandelion choker over her scar, but also traded her red coat for a pink one that i found really cute when I saw it in animal crossing. She doesn’t have to act like a perfect adult all the time to be respected, and she’s slowly letting herself be more vulnerable. I like the coat she wears in platinum, but it honestly looks like she’s trying too hard to be seen as an adult, which is what inspired a good deal of her characterization. She’s ditched the hat, and FINALLY got some good thermal leggings for sinnoh winters. 

Lucas is the champion, and he’s. it is Not what they expected but honestly they’re settling in and asking help from the elite four and it’s going okay. Turns out his gender crisis in chapter eleven was something after all; he just needed some time when the world wasn’t ending to sit down and sort things out. They still keep the badges and pins on their scarf because. Well, Roark. Listen if the cool gym leader you have a crush on does something like that, it sticks with you, y’know? And Lucas is to the point where he’s forgiving of his past self for not knowing. Baby Lucas was doing his best and that’s valid. And teen Lucas looks very grown up with their dress shirt. The cape came from me googling something about champion designs for inspiration, then finding “CAPE” and deciding. All right the lad’s getting a cape.

Barry probably got the biggest design overhaul, since his canon design....doesn’t really say much about him? But I wanted to show a little of what he’s been through and how far he’s come. He went from....not really talking about his bisexuality to having a little pin for it, and I decided he stole Lucas’s jacket once and just. Never fucking gave it back. The boy is NOT prepared for sinnoh winters and I love him. There’s a portion of his scalp that just. No longer makes pigment as a result of taking a sludge bomb to the head during his fight with Team Galactic, so he’s got a funky little white streak in his hair, and he thinks it looks cool as hell. His game personality seems like kind of an. ADHD stereotype, honestly, but he deserves a lot better, so I tried to give some nuance to the neurodivergencies of the kids when I was writing, and flesh out his adhd a bit more. He’s biking a lot these days, hence the shorts and tennis shoes, and probably got the idea for a stim toy from Dawn.

anyways i love these three with my entire heart and. god damn the pokespe manga really had it right when they said “neurodivergent solidarity kiddos, do not separate.” they are in a poly qpr i make the rules

for @evoblue​​ !! | starter call (no longer accepting, for now)

It’s unseasonably chilly in Saffron City today, winter’s slate-grey clouds drooping over the Kanto metropolis. High up in one of Silph Co’s penthouse conference rooms, Eris Evans peers out of a frosted window and shivers, pulling her pristine lab coat tighter around her shoulders. Taking advantage of the room’s extravagant amenities, the researcher is finishing up preparations on two steaming mugs of ginger tea...when a tentative knock sounds on the oaken door. Seconds later, the door swings open (without waiting for Eris’s response) to reveal a young woman with unkempt hair, cheeks reddened by the cold.

“Come in, it’s a bit warmer in here.” Eris greets the new arrival with a comforting smile, nodding at the cushy chair and inviting tea in front of her desk. Taking her own seat in front of the window, the Devon scientist peers at Blue with an innocently curious gaze. “You must have a lot of questions and not much time, Miss De La Rue...so I will try to be as succinct as possible. Allow me to explain everything.”

“My name is Eris Evans, and I am a Pokemon scientist from Hoenn’s Devon Corporation,” she begins, gently pushing the tea towards Blue. “You may not know this, but Devon recently bought...a large stake in Silph Co. We intend to work together with Silph to build a better future for Kanto and the rest of Pokemon world. I even had the pleasure of meeting your parents at the introductory mixer...”

“I mentioned that I was looking for excellent trainers to assist in my studies, and they both couldn’t stop raving about you.” Eris trails off then, a sympathetic look of guilt crossing her features. “It’s here that I want to apologize...about the nature of this meeting. From what I have heard, your parents told you that there was a major emergency at Silph, and that you traveled all the way from Sinnoh to arrive here on time. I want to let you know that there is no emergency...I’m sorry that your parents led you here under those misleading circumstances. I promise I had no hand in that.”

Eris pauses again, allowing the moment to breathe as she takes a sip of tea. “Forgive me for assuming this, but I think your parents were just excited for you to have a connection with Silph again. You know them better than I do, of course, but I hope you don’t feel too angered over their actions,” she murmurs with another sympathetic smile. “Honestly, I understand if you don’t want to help me after what you’ve heard. However, I wanted to meet with you because I feel so lost in this unfamiliar region, and I badly need a capable trainer to help me navigate certain areas. I am skilled at scientific fieldwork, but...” A pause, a lie readied on her lips, “...I am not that proficient at actual battling. So, Miss De La Rue, let me ask this.”

“...Will you please assist my research studies by serving as a temporary guide for my fieldwork?” Eris lets the question hang in the air before tilting her head, amethyst eyes twinkling. “I’ll see to it that you’re compensated generously for your time, of course.”  

Hi, Professor! It's been a while! I've been preparing for my eventual trip to Sinnoh- I've been delaying for years, but Champion Cynthia finally convinced me after I had a chat with her, since I bumped into her in Undella Town. (By the way, if you're smart, don't wander into her villa... She'll destroy you mercilessly in battle.) I'm a badge collector, so I collect the gym badges from each region I visit! Other than the Gym Challenge, though- Is there anything you (or anyone else!) suggest I should check out or do while I'm in Sinnoh? -Hazel

Oh, Sinnoh is supposed to be lovely in autumn and especially winter!

-Eterna City has a statue that many tourists love to look at, it's of some Legendary Pokemon that no one can identify!

-Hearthome City has many attractions. A Contest Hall, Amity Square, and one of the largest Arceusian churches in the world!

-There's also The Underground, a sort of expedition/exploration game that's open to the public and sponsored by Roark

closed with || @gaburona

「 ❄  Red wished he could attribute something so polite and thoughtful as asking permission to camp on a sacred mountain to his own mind but really, it was Pikachu’s idea. The little mouse had been suggesting it (or perhaps something stronger) from the moment Red began packing the lightest of his campsite into his backpack, preparing for a few weeks or months in Sinnoh before winter really gripped the regions in tandem - strongly suggesting that perhaps his trainer would actually get in trouble when off his own turf, where his name didn’t matter half as much, and he wasn’t another trophy in the pantheon of legend assigned to something so ancient and central. Red’s beloved Pokemon would suggest and suggest until Red was off Mount Silver, on the plane, on the bus to Eterna City, in the parking lot, and well past halfway up Mount Coronet until he found somewhere equally impressive in altitude and shelter as his cave on Mount Silver was.

It took at least two weeks of settling and exploring before Red finally decided to take Pikachu’s advice, unable to ignore his partners reasonable pleas and ripped a page from a decades old Charmander themed notebook stained with spilt coffee.

In the letter, which he hoped to Arceus would make its way to Cynthia - the league could be so behind on these things - he wrote as follows:

hi

i hope it isnt illegal to camp on the mountain. telling you now so please dont let someone call the police. nice to meet you by the way

thanks

red

Red simply crossed his fingers that it would make its way to her. It. It was an easy enough campsite to pack up if needed - a small fire surrounded by one collapsable camping chair, his sleeping mat and sleeping bag, and Pikachu’s plush sleeping donut. Easy enough to find somewhere much more discreet if he did get in trouble. Like hell he’d leave now.

boss battle ( champion barry?!?! ) + reverse boss battle ( barry dethroning hika?!?! )

BOSS BATTLE MUSIC! || ACCEPTING

CHAMPION BARRY: *pant pant*

CHAMPION BARRY: “Whew! I ran...all the back here after I saw you beat Lucian. There’s a lot of stairs...but I couldn’t wait for the lift!”

CHAMPION BARRY: “I know you don’t need to hear this, but I’m proud of you, Hika. Ever since Chimchar and I lost to you for the first time, I knew you’d be special!”

CHAMPION BARRY: “I mean, I’ve been thinking lately. About how I always end up one step behind you, even if I run as fast as I can. Even if I try as hard as I can. When I beat Cynthia, I didn’t even celebrate that much--because I knew you were coming.”

CHAMPION BARRY: “I’ve fought so hard for so long. And finally, I’m a step ahead of you. Even though you’ve made it all the way here, I’m determined to keep that standing. You aren’t gonna win today, Hika!”

CHAMPION BARRY: “...And no matter what happens today, Twinleaf still comes out on top. No matter what happens today, I know we’ll still be friends. So, Hika, you better try your hardest...because I’m gonna fine you SO hard if you don’t! A-HEM! Now presenting: the Twinleaf Spectacular: Barry’s First Title Defense!”  

BATTLE START! [ Another Winter - Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game ]

CHAMPION HIKARI: “I always knew that you would make it back here again. ‘Grats to you and the team, seriously.” 

CHAMPION HIKARI: “You probably know that I have no intention of losing today. I have a reputation to uphold now, and I also know that you want me to try my very best. So Barry, I’m afraid your comeback ends here. Prepare to be crushed by Sinnoh’s absolute strongest...I’m going all out!”  

BATTLE START! [ Voice of the Blizzard - God Eater ]

AU BONUS UNDER CUT (REFERENCING THIS)

COMMANDER JUPITER: “It’s finally time to prove your worth, Commander Mercury. Eliminate her!”

COMMANDER MERCURY: “...”

BATTLE START! [ ...... - Fire Emblem Awakening ]