The Galar region-- our home. As gym leaders, we were born and bred within its culture and among its people. We've strived to accomplish our goals and achieve our positions, and Arceus knows that we've had to make many, many sacrifices in order to remain gym leaders. Some of us are content as we are; farmers, breeders, scientists, musicians, or what not. But there are also members of the Galar League that have their eyes set on something much more grand: becoming the next Champion of Galar.
While our rivalries might run as fierce and vicious as raging fires, us gym leaders see each other as somewhat of a family. We might spend much of our time around one another or hearing stories or rumors about each other. Sometimes we swing by each other's houses for a friendly battle or an invitation to go out and eat or train together. We watch movies together, go on trips together, talk about the stresses of media and so forth together...
Yeah, life is pretty okay. Or it was, until our beloved Champion of Galar suddenly went up and disappeared.
No one knows where he went. He didn't let anyone know that he was leaving or where he was going. He just poofed, leaving the Chairman and us wondering about what happened. Well, he's bound to come back eventually, right?
Joseph Johannes, Steel-type Gym Leader in the Isle of Armor. Zeke Webber, Fighting-type Gym Leader in the Isle of Armor. Isla Owens, Ice-type Gym Leader in Circhester. Nordrin Yasmar, Gourmet-styled Gym Leader in Hulbury. Malik Harvey, Psychic-type Gym Leader in Wedgehurst.
1.) DO NOT GHOST US. If you need to step away from the roleplay, please let us know.
2.) THERE WILL BE A DISCORD CREATED AFTER THE APPROVAL PROCESS IS COMPLETED. Please join the discord and make sure to keep active in it.
3.) KEEP ALL DRAMA OUT OF THE OOC. That is all.
4.) NOT EVERYONE WILL BE ACCEPTED. A max of 8 people will be accepted. Please take your time in creating wonderful characters that will be a pleasure to write with!
5.) PLEASE POST AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK. Please focus on clarity when writing, as well!
6.) PLEASE TAKE YOUR TIME CREATING FUN, INTERESTING, COMPLEX GYM LEADERS. THEY DON'T HAVE TO BE PERFECT UPFRONT, BUT I WON'T BE ACCEPTING PEOPLE WHO PUT THE LEAST AMOUNT OF EFFORT IN THEIR SHEETS. Remember that this setting will be intimate and relying on personal interactions rather than just constant battles.
7.) TRY TO POST AT LEAST 3 PARAGRAPHS PER POST. Remember to give your character's Pokemon some attention as well!
[center][i]Insert Animu Image Here UwU[/i]
[i]Insert Character Quote Here[/i][/center]
[b]NAME:[/b] [First and Last]
[b]AGE:[/b] [Should be early 20s to [i]maybe[/i] mid 40s]
[b]GENDER:[/b] [Male or Female]
[b]BIRTHPLACE:[/b] [Has to be somewhere in Galar]
[b]GYM TYPE:[/b]
[b]APPEARANCE:[/b]
[b]PERSONALITY:[/b]
[b]BIOGRAPHY:[/b]
[b]TEAM:[/b] [You must include a "main team", but you may include as many smaller teams as you want as long as you stick to your character's theme. Make sure to keep each separate team in hiders]
[b]RELATIONSHIPS:[/b] [Relationships with other gym leaders]
I'll show you the strength of my Dark Type Pokemon
NAME: Tyros Valkor
AGE: 24
GENDER: Male
BIRTHPLACE: Spikemuth Town
GYM TYPE: Dark
APPEARANCE: Tyros wears a black jacket with red sunglasses while traveling. He doesn't wear a Pokeball around his neck like in the picture. He stands at around 5'11 and is a somewhat imposing figure.
PERSONALITY: To know Tyros is to love Tyros. That phrase mostly applies to his Pokemon however. Despite being an accomplished battler and well recognized Gym Leader in the Galar Region, he isn't the most social person when outside of his Gym. He has grown used to the trainers that help him keep his Gym running and has formed somewhat friendly relationships with them and he is very cordial towards visiting trainers wishing to challenge the gym but outside of that, he just isn't the most social person with other people. He loves his Pokemon unconditionally however and before becoming a Gym Leader was known to travel outside the Galar region to take them on mini-vacations where they could simply enjoy the sights and foods of the different regions. He does make an attempt once in a while to be friendly to new people however it doesn't happen that often.
BIOGRAPHY: Having been born in Spikemuth town, Tyros had a somewhat different upbringing. He never really embraced the punk lifestyle that came with living in the town and as such was ridiculed quite a bit. He eventually gave in a number of months after his ninth birthday and and began doing his best to fit in with how the rest of the citizens expected him to. This went on for a number of months until he began his own Pokemon journey. The first Pokemon he received was an Eevee which after a while evolved into an Umbreon late one night. It was shortly after Eevee evolved that he came to the realization that although he was expected to act like one of the citizens of Spikemuth town, he was under no actual obligation to do so. As he looked down at the newly evolved Umbreon which was staring back up at him with unblinking eyes, he began to think, dark type Pokemon were somewhat misunderstood, at least from what he had seen from a number of people he had met over the last few months.
What was stopping him from making his own team of dark type Pokmeon and showing people they weren't so bad?
And so began Tyros's new journey. He began traveling the Galar region and a few times even visited a few different regions trying to find more information on dark type Pokemon and how people perceived them. It was a long journey and the majority of the time the answers he got from people about how they saw the misunderstood type were not encouraging. a number of people saw them as bad luck or bringers of impending trouble. A few times, he was forced to step in to stop a few superstitious people from actually chasing certain ones off and on one occasion was actually forced to defend from from being injured by an angry trainer that has stumbled across it. The Houndour that he rescued became his second Pokemon and a close friend to his Umbreon. As his travels continued, he rescued a number of Pokemon, some of which he helped find homes for and others he ended up adopting. After nearly a year, he arrived back home in Spikemuth town and challenged the gym leader and after a very difficult battle, was able to pull off a win. It was quite a while after that Tyros was crowned the leader of the Spikemuth Gym Leader. In the time between that first battle with the Gym Leader and his coronation as Gym Leader, his team continued to evolve and grow until he found that not many people would pick a fight with him anymore. It took a while, but he became used to his life as the Gym Leader of Spikemuth town. It was lonely, but as long as he had his Pokemon by his side, he was happy.
He also possesses a very, very bitter and angry Tyranitar that he never uses in battle due to the fact that since it was a Larvitar it was usually hit and beaten by it's former trainer before it was rescued by Tyros shortly before it evolved into Pupitar. Although Tyros loves all of his Pokemon deeply, he simply doesn't know what to do with Tyranitar. On the few occasions he has released Tyranitar from it's Pokeball, it immediately went berserk and began attempting to wreck the gym and the surrounding area. On one occasion he was forced to knock it out before it would return to it's Pokeball. He's hoping one day to find a way to calm it down and either find a trainer who can handle it and give it the love and attention it deserves or find a way for Tyranitar to finally trust him and add it to his team. At the moment, he simply doesn't want to subject the poor thing to unnecessary anger and rage by letting it out of it's Pokeball.
RELATIONSHIPS: Tyros has a somewhat rocky interactions with a few of the other Gym leaders due to his social issues. He often feels that a few of them doubt his ability as a trainer.
”Hi! I’m Liam. And I’m the Fairy Prince of Galar! Wanna battle and experience the adorableness of the Fairy type?
Name: William “Liam” Prescott Anwell Gender: Male Age: 23 Birthplace: Wyndon Gym Type: Fairy
Appearance: Liam is short for a young man his age. He stands at exactly five feet tall. He is well aware of his small stature, and makes jokes about it if it get's brought up. While he does claim his lack of height adds to his appeal, he does wish he were taller sometimes. Despite seeming weak and fragile based on his appearance, he is actually stronger than he looks. Being a Pokémon Trainer for a while sort of helps with this. He keeps himself physically fit to compensate for his lack of height, and has a slender, though fairly toned physique hidden underneath all the clothes he wears. He was born with a pale complexion, He has messy blonde hair on top of his head, and his bangs go to his eyebrows. He has big violet eyes. A trait that seems to run in his family. As well as a small nose, and a round "Babyface", which give him a youthful appearance. His face is clean-shaven, and his upper body is free of any hair except the top of his head and eyebrows.
Liam is very into fashion, and likes to dress well. He designs his own clothes to reflect his taste, as he has a hard time finding clothes he likes in men's clothing stores. His fancy wardrobe mostly consists of button down dress shirts, vests, trousers, and dress shoes. He always keeps his clothes neat and tidy. He wears as much pink as he is allowed to get away with. His current outfit consists of a pink dress shirt that fits him well, and he rolls up the sleeves. Over this, he wears a pink vest. He dons a pink ruffled cravat around his neck, with a pink stone attached to it. He also wears a pink pearl bracelet bracelet around his left wrist, and a diamond ring on his right ring finger. On the bottom he wears a pair of pink trousers. His choice of footwear include a pair of pink dress shoes. He accesorizes this with a pink cap on his head that has a diamond brooch attached to it, a pair of pink diamond earrings hanging from his earlobes. He carries around in a pink messenger bag.
While doing his duties as a Gym leader, he wears a pink Fairy costume he made himself. It consists of a pink, skintight, sleeves unitard. The unitard is covered in glitter, and makes him sparkle like a fairy. It also has a pink heart pattern on the chest. He wears a sash tied into a bow around his waist. On his feet are a pair of pink knee-high boots. He wears a lot of pink jewelry including a long pearl necklace, two matching pearl bracelets, pink diamond earrings, and a pink tiara sitting on his head. The look is completed with a pair of large pink fairy wings that are glittery, and resemble a butterfly's wings.
Personality: The first thing people say about Liam is that he is very flamboyant. It is a trait he wears proudly. Liam is innocent, carefree, and seemingly always happy. He is faithful to his loved ones, and will stand by them no matter what. He wants to spread kindness to everyone, and is accepting of everyone. He enjoys talking to people, and being friends with everyone. His desire to be friends with everyone means he has a hard time making decisions regarding other people, for fear of hurting the rejected party. It also means he can easily be convinced to change his mind once he does make a decision. He tries to see good in everyone, and sees no reason to discriminate against others. Everyone is a friend or potential romantic interest, and he often comes off too strong. Some have been known to manipulate him because of tendency to trust people immediately, but he doesn't see that as a bad thing. He is the one who will cheer you up and offer words of encouragement when you are down. He values loyalty and kindness in other people.
Liam has tastes that are usually considered feminine. His favorite color is pink, and a lot of his things are pink. He is very into fashion, and designs his own clothes to reflect his tastes. While he doesn’t consider himself vain, he does like to take care of his appearance. He carries around a mirror, and often consults it when he feels like he needs a confidence boost. He also doesn't particularly care for getting himself dirty either. Due to the fact that he feels there is a lack of nice clothes for men, he likes to make his own clothes to suit his own tastes. He also has a passion for cute and pretty things. It's the reason why he likes the Fairy type. The Pokemon under it are gorgeous. Anything he perceives to be adorable whether it be a person or a Pokemon makes him squeal excitedly. He also has several childish interests as well. He likes candy and other sweets, and he has a rather large collection of fashion dolls that he makes clothes for, as well as cute Pokemon plushies, and his room is decorated with posters of characters from the cartoons he likes. Liam grew up wealthy, and is accustomed to living fabulously. As such, he is a bit spoiled, and he has an easy time indulging himself in the things he likes. Additionally, he enjoys battling Pokémon, and showing off the power of his favorite type of Pokémon
Liam is adorable, and he knows it. He does use it to his advantage if he knows if it will benefit him somehow. He’ll use his cheery personality, and childish behaviors to manipulate others, usually to flirt with guys, or get himself out of trouble when they get mad at him. He’ll play dumb, and act like he doesn’t understand the other person’s request, to avoid rejection, or just get out of situation he doesn’t like. Due to his small size, and child like appearance, he is often perceived as being weak. This has earned him both the ire of bullies who liked having an easy target, as well as the care of nicer people who felt like they had protect him. He works out regularly to compensate for this, but people still coddle him. He considers it both a blessing because it gets him attention and people think he's cute, and a curse because some people underestimate him. He works hard to prove himself, such as staying up late to study, or consistently practicing a new skill when it’s something that interests him. When it’s something that he doesn’t like (usually things that involve manual labor), he’ll procrastinate, or avoid it altogether. When people give him a hard time, he'll usually respond with some sassy comment, and get on with his life. He doesn't understand why so many people have problems with boys liking pink.
Regardless, Liam is a cheerful optimistic person. He is often seen with a smile on his face, and acting like life is all cupcakes and rainbows. He believes it's easier to live life when you expect the best than expecting the worst. This often means he’ll turn a blind eye to any problems he experiences with others. He has a difficult time empathizing with other people’s problems, and that makes it hard for him to develop serious relationships with others. His focus on positivity does not mean that he is never sad. He cries openly when he's sad, but it doesn't take much to make him feel better. He is also very affectionate. He likes giving, and receiving hugs, and often gets very close to people. He develops crushes on guys rather easily. These qualities make him a natural flirt. While he likes people in general, he is attracted to other males. You can often find him staring at, touching, and flirting with guys he finds attractive. While he does flirt often, Liam is a hopeless romantic who is in love with love. He does dream of having his own boyfriend someday, and maybe a husband in the future. In general he is an emotional person, and expresses all of his feelings openly. When he is happy, he is ecstatic. When he is sad, you'll see him bawling. The occasions when he gets angry, he screams, shouts, and acts rashly. While he seems childish at times, Liam is a happy, fun loving young man, who just wants to be accepted for who he is.
Biography: Liam was born to a wealthy, prominent family in Wyndon, Galar. His family contained a long line of skilled trainers, and Liam was expected to carry on that tradition. Liam lived a very lavish lifestyle. As a child, his parents put him in prestigious private schools in order to get the best education possible. Growing up, Liam learned he was never interested in the things typical boys were interested in. He liked cute little ponies, and Barbie dolls while most boys liked playing with toy cars and football. He also preferred Pokemon like Clefairy and Jigglypuff where the other boys were obsessed with Charizard and Garchomp. This made him the target of bullying by other boys.
Other boys often gave Liam a hard time. They made fun of his interests, and calling him a whimp, among other insulting nicknames. Liam didn't really care. He figured that if boys didn’t like him, then he would just play with the girls. They played better anyway. As a child, Liam had more female friends than male ones.
Liam's favorite type of Pokemon were always Fairy type Pokemon. They were adorable, but powerful and not to underestimated. Liam’s parents supported his interests. On his tenth birthday, his parents gave him a very special gift. A Mimikyu they encountered while on a trip to the Alola region. Liam bonded with the little guy almost immediately, and nicknamed him Boo.
Wanting their son to be a skilled trainer like they were, Liam’s parents gave him and Boo private battling lessons. Liam actually took to these lessons rather well. At first, Liam had wanted to become a famous fashion designer. However, after seeing how much he enjoyed battling, and the fact that he couldn’t find any other male Fairy type specialists, Liam made it his goal to be the best Fairy type trainer ever. Besides, there was nothing stopping him from designing clothes on the side. After all, Valerie from Kalos does it.
Things became different once he was of high school age. While other boys were interested in girls, he wasn't. As a matter of fact, he was more interested in the other boys. He kept his attraction to guys a secret for a while, out of fear of being bullied again. After a while though, Liam found it harder and harder to keep something like this to himself. First, he told his family, and they supported him. Then he told his friends, and they too were understanding. After that, he started flirting with boys openly. People didn’t really bully him anymore during high school, and made more friends.
When he finished school, he spent four years traveling around the seven Pokémon regions. In that time, he amassed a large collection of Fairy type Pokémon, as well as training them, and battling them against various Gym Leaders. His battle prowess soon became well renowned, and he started getting media attention. While he didn’t set out to become famous, he did enjoy the attention. At age 22, he was working on getting his very own Pokémon Gym set up in Ballonlea City.
Now, his life currently consists of being a Gym Leader, and all the duties that entails. His Gym is known known for being very whimsical, and designed to look like a Fairy Garden. He enjoys being a Gym Leader, as well as a role model for boys that don’t quite fit the norm of what boys were supposed to like. During his free time, Liam managed to date a few guys. However, nothing has developed beyond becoming friends, much to his disappointment.
Main Team: Boo the Mimikyu Gabriel the Togekiss Beau the Sylveon Rarity the Galarian Rapidash Primadonna the Primarina Honey the Ribombee
RELATIONSHIPS: Generally, Liam tries his best to get along with others. How others perceive him varies. Some find him endearing, others find him annoying. The truth is, I can’t fill this spot, as I don’t know who the other Gym Leaders will be. Once we know that, I can make individual relationships with the others. However, Liam would like a boyfriend, so I am hoping that there are some hot male gym leaders that aren’t straight for Liam to crush on. ;)
Is it alright if I apply with two different characters, and then you pick whichever one (if any) you think would go better with the rest of the crew you choose?
Give everything your all; that’s the only way to live. Let me see your determination!
NAME: Henrietta Durand
AGE: 24
GENDER: Female
BIRTHPLACE: Circhester
GYM TYPE: Ground
APPEARANCE: Henrietta is fairly tall for a woman at 5’ 10", while also being quite slim, which makes her look even taller. She has an athletic build due to her active lifestyle and her arms and legs, when they are visible, are noticeably toned with muscle. Her skin is naturally pale. She has short dark-brown hair and dark-brown eyes. Her hair falls in wavy locks on one side of her face, dyed with a gradient that starts as dark brown and transitions to caramel at the tips.
She learned fashion from her mother, who worked in a boutique, and as such pays a lot of attention to her appearance. Her clothes consist of a long, cocoa-coloured shirt with an upturned layered frill collar with a black single strapped waist cincher. She wears black trousers that have golden lining around the pocket and ribbons attached to the back of a golden zipper seam around her knees. She wears a pair of dark black, high-heeled leather calf-high boots with golden buckles. She also wears a number of accessories, including her black gloves with the index finger missing, a black beret with a cocoa brown trim and a pair of black, wire-rimmed aviator sunglasses.
PERSONALITY: Above all else Henrietta is someone who always seems to display a level of quiet confidence. There is self-assuredness to the way she moves and the way she conducts herself which is displayed in the straightness of her posture, the tilt of her chin and the little knowing smile she often wears; she has a certain poise to her that is hard to describe until you see it for yourself.
Henrietta is driven by an aggressive determination which pushes her to move forward no matter who or what is in her way, something which is apparent both in the way she battles and the way she interacts with others. She has a forceful personality and isn’t easily swayed by others; once she has set her mind to something there is little that can divert her unless she makes that decision herself and she has a bad habit of ignoring the concerns or needs of others.
She feels strongly about things and her emotions tend to be clearly on display, which can get her into trouble or rub people the wrong way. Her temper burns hot but is also short-lived, her mood can be changed drastically by small things but never for too long; she can come across as mercurial at times.
BIOGRAPHY: Although born and raised in the Galarian city of Circhester, her parents hail from Kalos originally and this has certainly had an influence on her upbringing. Her mother worked at the boutique in the city and her father was a trainer at the Pokémon Gym when she was young, though he had retired by the time she became a trainer herself. She inherited traits from both of her parents; her poise and bearing came from her mother, her love of Pokémon and battling came from her father and her confidence and determination came from them both equally.
Henrietta was always around Pokémon from a young age due to her father’s work and also because her mother also raised Pokémon of her own. She always wanted to become a trainer someday, a fact that she didn’t keep secret from anyone, and it was always a question of when, not if, she would begin her journey. Her parents were supportive of the idea, but they always expected her to keep her travels within the Galar region for a few years before becoming a gym trainer like her father or even a gym leader someday; when it became apparent that Henrietta wanted to travel the world, see every region from Galar to Kalos to Alola, they were less supportive.
After much arguing and persuasion a deal was eventually struck where Henrietta would be allowed to travel if and only if she could prove herself a capable trainer; one who would be able to manage travelling by herself where he parents wouldn’t be able to easily bail her out of difficulties. Her parents gave her an egg at the age of fourteen and tasked her with hatching, raising and training the Pokémon by herself. The egg soon hatched into a Mudbray and Henrietta began rearing and training the Pokémon to prove herself to her parents.
She and her Mudbray took to each other immediately and it wasn’t long before the two were inseparable. They began training together not long after and once Henrietta was satisfied that they were both strong enough she began battling as many of the local trainers as she could. Battling, it seemed, came naturally to her and although her parents tried to delay as much as possible they couldn’t deny that Henrietta had met their condition. Eventually her parents relented and gave her their support to begin her travels.
Since then Henrietta has visited many regions, battled many opponents and faced many challenges. Her team is drawn from the Pokémon she met across her journeys, from Sinnoh to Alola and some from much closer to home.
After several years of travel she eventually returned home to Galar. Upon doing she discovered that a position as Gym leader had recently opened up due to the previous leader’s retirement and on a whim she applied for the position. It was a chance to take on a new set of challenges, to face strong opponents and, most importantly, provided a path to the position of Champion.
How could she resist?
TEAM:
Atlas (Mudsdale) – The first Pokémon Henrietta ever had. Atlas is a reliable companion who is loyal to the end as well as being a hardy and stubborn battler, but years of being doted on by his trainer means he is just a big teddy bear at heart. Atlas has occasional moments of possessiveness towards his trainer, especially around strangers. Sheila (Gastrodon – West Sea) – Air-headed and forgetful. Sheila is the type to let the world pass her by as she sits and stares at the clouds. Everest (Mamoswine) – Stubborn and hard-headed. Everest is a grumpy old man in a Pokémon’s body; his temper is easily provoked but luckily he is the type to sulk rather than throw a tantrum, though this does make him hard to work with at times. Heracles (Rhyperior) – Arguably Henrietta’s most powerful Pokémon, Heracles loves to battle and love even more to showboat; he is right at home in the stadiums of the Galar region where he can show off to a crowd. Unfortunately he doesn’t know the meaning of the word ‘restraint’ and Henrietta has to be careful which battles she uses him in. Has a one-sided rivalry with Grace. Grace (Garchomp) – The other contender for Henrietta’s most powerful Pokémon, but far less concerned with the title than a certain Rhyperior. Grace is calm and poised and as such she tends to be the balancing aspect her team needs to function. Sahara (Hippowdon) – Lazy and unsociable. Sahara would gladly sleep the whole day away if she could.
Ferrous (Steelix) – The much put-upon leader of Henrietta’s second team. Ferrous spends most of the time trying to keep the peace between Henrietta’s other Pokémon. Forrest (Torterra) – There are two things Forrest cares about; food and sleep. Gregor (Gliscor) – Mischievous and energetic. Though he has been with Henrietta longer than most, he often falls into the role of younger sibling to the more serious and stern Pokémon around him. Charles (Nidoking) – The king of his kingdom of one. He doesn’t like to follow anyone’s lead but his own and can be unruly at times, but is also easily provoked into wanting to prove him strength to others.
Digby (Diggersby) – A joker who can see the humour in almost anything. Not the most responsible of Pokémon, as he is more likely to watch in amusement than put a stop to things. Fio (Trapinch) – One of Henrietta’s youngest Pokémon. Fio likes to burrow into the ground no matter where she is, so a diligent eye must be kept on her to ensure she doesn’t ruin the floorboards. Gobi (Sandyghast) – The newest addition to Henrietta’s team and one who is still finding her place.
RELATIONSHIPS: Henrietta sees her fellow Gym leaders as rivals first and friends second. She takes her position and Gym leader seriously and views the Pokémon league as a constant competition for the top spot.
Don't be scared. Win or lose, we'll be sure to show you a good time![/center]
NAME: Sable Hayes
AGE: Twenty-Five
GENDER: Male
BIRTHPLACE: Wyndon
GYM TYPE: Ghost
Hair color: Cherry Red Eye Color: Brown Height: 6'1" Weight: 188 lbs. Skin Complexion: Ivory Body Composition: Slightly fit Apparel: Sable has never been one to care about what other's think of his style. Almost always wearing multiple layers of clothing, his shirts are often seen with some type of varying pattern or wording on them. Pants always tight and skinny, a belt hooked tightly around his waist to keep any and all undergarments from being displayed. His feet are always adorned with colorful sneakers covering his mismatched socks. A man of many jackets, if it begins to rain, he just pulls on the hood or bundles up with another jacket. If it's too hot, he's not afraid to shed some layers to keep himself cool.
PERSONALITY: A man that never stops smiling, Sable has been through some of the worst things that life has to offer. Even from a young age, though, the boy never stopped smiling. Sable never wanted anyone to see him upset, or sad. He never wanted anyone to be upset for him, or become down because he was down. Early on, he changed the way he treated the world, so that the world would treat him differently back.
Sable lives by a very simple philosophy. Take every day as it comes, and live it to the best of your ability. There will be ups and downs, and sometimes life will pick you up and drop you off of the tallest cliff, but you'll make it out alright. If you just keep smiling, and hold your head up, you'll make it to the end.
BIOGRAPHY:
Sable was born to a simple family in the city of Wyndon. His father was a mechanic that worked for Chairman Rose, while his mother would stay at home to take care of him. While Sable didn't know it at the time, their life was good. They were happy, and if things had continued the way that they were, then maybe Sable would have had a decent childhood. He would think that every day as he grew up. That maybe, if he could just find a way to travel back in time, things could be different for him.
Not everything can be how we want it.
Sable had just turned eight when his parents sat him down. The man that he had called father, the very same that would carry him around and play wild imaginative games with him, had grown so weak lately. Coughing as if he had no more air left in his lungs, hair falling off in clumps, it was hard for even a young child such as Sable to miss the signs of the decaying body. Cancer, they told him. Death, they said. Sable didn't understand; how could he, being only eight years old at the time.
It wasn’t much longer before they were standing in a cemetery, the casket holding the body of the man Sable called father slowly being lowered into the ground. All he truly remembered from that day was holding his mother’s hand as she collapsed onto the ground, agonizing cries shaking him to his very core.
The boy never stopped smiling after that. At first, he smiled to try to make his mother happy. A smile was like a ray of sunshine, she told him long ago. A smile would brighten the day of anyone around them, she said. She lied. His smile never made her happy. His smile was never reflected back at him on her face. No. She was lost to her grief, almost entirely forgetting him when they were alone in the house.
Sable found the only thing to truly bring his mother peace was visiting the grave.
Visiting his father was a long and boring ordeal. Spending a few minutes speaking with the tombstone, it wouldn’t take Sable long to get bored of talking to the air, almost immediately wanting to go home. His mother, however, would want to stay for hours. Whispering softly to the carved rock, all but having forgotten her son was even there, she found her solace in the time spent there. Sable was happy to give it to her.
Letting his mother have her time was all Sable could really do, and the boy found that the graveyard was full of many interesting things. Wandering regularly, it wouldn’t be long before the boy ran into the first true friend he would ever make. Ghost Pokémon were a part of nightmarish tales. Stories told to children to keep them behaving, to warn them about wandering too far away from their guardians. They would steal you from your beds, suck your souls out of your bodies, do whatever they could to torment you for eternity. Sable didn’t see that, though. No, what Sable saw were two giant blue and yellow eyes staring back at him. He saw a smile stretched out onto a small Pokémon, barely any larger than he was. What he saw was...cute.
The smile that Sable gave the Shuppet in front of him was the first real one he had given in a long time.
“Wanna be friends?”
That question would be posed over and over again to a wide range of Ghost pokemon. His first introduction into the world of pokemon, that lone Shuppet in the graveyard where his father rested, set his path for life.
Eventually, Sable’s mother fell into a deeper and deeper depression. Never truly getting over the death of her husband, Sable was in over his head trying to take care of her, and she was soon admitted to a psychiatric hospital for her own well being.
The shuppet that was first met in the graveyard was by Sable’s side when he began his journey to become a Pokémon master. Two years had passed since that fateful day, and many more would follow as the two grew their ranks. Taking in the sights and the stories of the world around him, Sable decided on one thing very early on in his career as a Pokémon trainer.
Ghost Pokémon needed love and kindness as much as all of the other Pokémon in the world.
There was such a stigma to them, he found. Fear surrounded them, the stories of their hauntings and whisking away of children stretching across the globe, fogging the minds of the people in the world. As he grew older, and came into contact with more stories, Sable set out to prove them all wrong. Taking the plunge, he ignored the Gym challenge to travel away from Galar, setting his sights on every area he could find that would hold a story to prove wrong.
It wasn’t until years later that Sable finally returned to the Galar region. Returning with a renewed sense of duty, Sable found that the only thing he truly wanted to do was spread the ideas he had come up with. That Ghost Pokémon were truly loyal creatures, that they weren’t anything to be afraid of. They were just like all of the rest. They deserved to be loved, and not forgotten.
Training hard, Sable put all of his energy into becoming the best that he could. Ending up in Motostoke, the now young man was given the opportunity of a lifetime. The previous gym leader decided enough was enough, and Sable was able to take his place, and let his ghost Pokémon shine.
Finally, maybe he would be able to stop the stigma that revolved around the Pokémon that he valued as his truest friends.
TEAM: Pandora (Banette) - Sable's very first companion. Never losing that inquisitive nature, Pandora is the one who is almost always dragging Sable into things. She's always on the move and raring to go. Maestro (Cursola) - The shyest of the bunch, Maestro definitely prefers not to be used in battle, and is a last resort in most cases for Sable. Seven (Gengar) - A trickster through and through, Seven has a wild streak for pulling pranks on people. Never trying to intentionally harm anyone, he doesn't pull punches when it comes to scares, and Sable has to scold him quiet often to be nicer to the Gym Challengers that pass through their doors. Virona (Trevenant) - The ever watchful eye, Virona is the strong silent type. Probably the one that Sable worries the least about, trusting her the most. Cassiel (Misdreavus) - The newest to the group, this Misdreavus has a lot to prove to his new family. Often following Seven around, Sable worries he'll learn bad habits.
RELATIONSHIPS: Sable is a friendly guy, and that shows with his relations with his fellow gym leaders. Some might find him a bit more annoying than the rest, but his own opinion of them is high.
”You're here for a battle, aye? Fine, fine. Then let’s see if you can keep up with me in the open sky!”
NAME: Fiona MacConnell
AGE: 25
GENDER: Female
BIRTHPLACE: Freezington
GYM TYPE: Flying
APPEARANCE: Stands at about 5’8”. Skin is fair, long blonde hair, has a lithe build. Somewhat toned, moderate bust.
Typically wears casual clothing such as plain T-shirts and jeans, but makes the token effort of putting on a fashionable jacket. Always seen with a pair of flying goggles around her head, for use in the skies.
When the occasion calls for it, has a full Sky Trainer glider suit for both Sky Battles and official appearances as a Gym Leader.
Speaks with a Scottish Crown Tundra accent.
PERSONALITY: A free spirit by all accounts, Fiona prefers not to be burdened by much outside of her Pokemon and her Gym. She’s relaxed and lackadaisical, unconcerned with what others think so long as she’s satisfied with her own performance. She’s a wanderer at heart, spending much of her time outside of League-mandated Gym battles soaring the skies of Galar atop one of her many Flying Pokemon.
Despite her carefree nature, or, as some would believe, because of it, Fiona is a hard book to read. It’s difficult to accurately get a handle on what she wants or is thinking, and she tends to just go with the flow much of the time.
Of course, that isn’t to say there isn’t a brain underneath all the laziness and aimless wandering. She’s a quick wit when she’s forced to be, and aims for efficiency in what she does, so as to better get things over with and go back to a state of relaxation.
BIOGRAPHY: While born in the icy southern town of Freezington, Fiona only spent a portion of her early years there. By the age of nine, she moved with her family to Kalos for a number of years on account of her parents’ work. It was in Kalos that Fiona saw her first Sky Battle, inspiring a love of Flying Pokemon and the open sky itself that she carries to this day.
During her stay in Kalos, Fiona became a certified Sky Trainer by her teenage years along with her regular schooling before her family returned to Galar. Upon finishing high school, Fiona immediately set out on that year’s Gym Challenge, wanting to explore the homeland she’d spent most of her teenage years out of. She won her eight badges handily enough, but was knocked out in the semi-finals of the Champion’s Cup.
Losing didn’t particularly bother Fiona. Hell, she’d gotten further than she’d expected herself. And being Champion was a burden she wouldn’t have really wanted anyway. Interviews, public appearances, actual duties? No thanks. So with a smile and a shrug, Fiona decided to continue her journey, spending the next few years traveling from region to region, honing her skills and learning about different varieties of Flying Pokemon while exploring all she wanted to.
It was on a break from her journey back home in Galar that Fiona was approached to become a Gym Leader by one of the current Leaders looking to retire. While initially resistant to the idea of being tied down in one place, she was eventually convinced by the prospect of advancing the prestige of Flying Pokemon in Galar, as well as possibly bringing her favored hobby, Sky Battles, to the region. So with yet another shrug, Fiona stepped into the next chapter of her life.
TEAM:
Raptor: (Gigantamax) Corviknight - Fiona's starter and her oldest companion. Stoic and resolute, she watches over the rest of the flock and can be counted on to mediate disputes among the crew. The strongest Pokemon on the team by official League metrics, thanks to her Gigantamax form. Lightning: Noivern - Wild, hyperactive, and mischievous. He has a need for speed and loves to show said speed off, always eager for a battle or a race. Flanker: Gliscor - Relaxed and cheerful. The one closest to her own trainer's temperament on the team. Berkut: Talonflame - Egotistical. Preens a lot. Has a tendency to show off during battle and be the most visually spectacular among Fiona's team. Hornet: Yanmega - The quiet one. Doesn't interact much with the rest of the crew, but mostly out of nervousness due to being Fiona's newest addition, and due to the Bug type's inherent weakness to the Flying type. Felon: (Mega) Salamence - The true ace of Fiona's squad. Arrogant and bloodthirsty, but still loyal to Fiona and his fellow Pokemon on the team. Unfortunately, never gets the chance to show off his real strength in Galar League battles due to a ban on Mega Evolution and the League's preference for Dynamaxing.
(Gigantamax) Corviknight: Typically one of the Gym Corviknights that Fiona is training on behalf of the Flying Taxi service. Raptor very rarely gets brought out during a Gym Challenge, and only if the challenger is already blatantly overqualified for the level they're supposed to be at. Staraptor Hawlucha Xatu Aerodactyl (Excluded at 6 badges)
(Gigantamax) Butterfree Skarmory Mantine Archeops (Excluded at 3 badges)
Corvisquire Wingull Doduo (excluded at 0 badges)
RELATIONSHIPS: Makes her best effort to be friendly and approachable to her colleagues and have cordial relationships with them. Her carefree nature and lack of actual interest in the Champion title might rub some the wrong way, though, giving off the impression that she doesn’t care about her job.
