Antoinetta Lavern
Aspiring Coordinator | “Netty” | 16
At 5'5", Antoinetta isn't particularly tall, but her presence makes up for this. She has a carefully cultivated air of sophistication about her, with her neat and stylish clothes, and her confident stride. She dresses more practically for travelling, but still has a put-together appearance. Her golden-brown eyes would be warm looking, if not for the expression of self-assuredness bordering on smugness she usually has. Most of the time, she wears her bright green hair in one or two braids, whether hanging down or coiled up. No matter how she styles her hair, thin antenna-like wisps stick up from it, to her annoyance.
Background: Antoinetta was born in Sinnoh's Eterna City to an entomologist couple, and shared their love of Bug types. Growing up, she'd accompany them and other researchers to Eterna Forest and Floaroma Meadow, running around, climbing trees, getting dirty, and observing bugs in their natural habitat.
It was a shame few of her peers thought highly of the type. Oh, some trainers favoured Bug types if only to challenge Grass gym leader Gardenia, but many found they lacked the impressiveness of Fire, Flying and Ice types, or simply viewed them as pests that ruined their plants. This made Antoinetta the subject of taunts, with people calling her "creepy-crawly" and "a nerd like her parents". Some people would pretend to film her and comment as if they were running a nature documentary: "The wild freak curls up in a defensive gesture after being pushed onto its back."
She was all too glad when the family moved to the Marvalo region to study its vast range of wildlife. While she did have a few friends in Sinnoh - her closest being a female Combee she'd bring honey to in Floaroma - she decided it was time to reinvent herself like a butterfly leaving its cocoon, and make many more. The Combee never left her side, even allowing Antoinetta to catch her and bring her to Marvalo, but even so, the teen presented a "queen bee" persona of confidence and sophistication at her new school. It worked, the kinds of crowds that had rejected her before now accepting her, yet she still felt the need to prove herself. And what better way than by changing schools once again, to the glamourous and prestigious PMA?
Applying shouldn't have been as nerve-wracking as it was - surely she could do this with no problem? - but she hid it well enough in the video she recorded of herself and her Combee. The speech she gave, and the impressive petal flurry from Combee's Gust, helped her get through the recruitment process.
Personality: Some would describe Antoinetta as outgoing and sure of herself. Others would simply describe her as a showy, stuck-up snob. She likes attention (as long as it's positive), and is quick to get into situations she's unprepared for out of sheer overconfidence - or rather, the need to prove herself. The more successes to brag about, the better.
Those who get past this will find she's in fact far from the airhead she seems; she's highly studious and determined, with good problem-solving and practical skills. Her experiences have taught her basic outdoor skills, such as berry foraging, repairs and navigation. She also cares a great deal about her friends and Pokemon - it isn't just herself she wants to prove, but her bugs, an "underrated" type, through battles and contests. That assured front hides the constant fear that her loved ones secretly dislike her, or will abandon her.
What are some ways you would like to affect the story: I'd like emphasis on the competitive side of the academy, with her struggle for recognition, and the mistakes she makes along the path to success. A situation where she has to choose between a big event that would showcase her and her Pokemon's skills, and helping with a greater cause, would be interesting - maybe this subplot would have something to do with Genesect?
As for her goals, her main one is to be a coordinator. The gym leader route is a possibility she'd at least consider though, since she's a type specialist, and would likely know about Ghost leader/coordinator Fantina.
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