Solace

What Are You Listening To?

<sup>wow, my last post here was six years ago

shura - what happened to us?</sup>

Pokemon: Ascendancy

Mentions: Hestia @Ambra, Astrid @LuckyBlackCat, Sebastien @King Cosmos, Iris @Serei2477, Bianca @Majoras End

With the raid coming to a decisive close, Mika resisted the urge to send in his full squad and pursue the town's attackers when they pulled out from the conflict that they abruptly started. He was slow to congregate with the others, opting to reconnoiter their immediate surroundings before joining the circle of gym leaders. "Whatever it is, none of it's obviously up to any good, that's for sure," he caught the tail end of the questions which arose from the attack, crossing his arms with a hard look on his face. Centurion arrived soon thereafter, flanking his trainer with a small whine; the Krookodile had suffered an injury, but unlike Hestia's Lazuli, it was far incomparable to the severity of the acrid flame that seared the dragon.

"Here, here," Mika comforted his Pokemon as a hand rummaged through his pack, revealing a Hyper Potion and spraying the restorative compound over Centurion's wound. Returning him to his respective Pokeball, another of his collection soon replaced the gap from Krookodile's departure. Excadrill stood at just under half of Mika's height, the tips of its blade-fingers tapping together in frustration over being removed from its preferred home in the Pokeball. "I know, boy. Give me a moment."

While he had just as many questions on his conscious as his colleagues did, there would be time to consider them soon enough. "Challenger and I will secure the premises and make sure there's no stragglers runnin' about," Mika informed the other gym leaders, looking to Iris in particular. "I'll also fill in the bloke about what's gone on here, and give a shout if more of 'em come around."

He gave all of them a weak smile before wheeling around and setting off down the road alongside Challenger, scrolling through the contacts on his phone before bringing the device to his ear. In a few short rings, Cane's familiar voice answered on the other line. "Oi, Cane," Mika spoke straight to the point. "Put Chairman Hyacinth on the line. Something's come up."

Pokemon: Ascendancy

Mentions: Hestia @Ambra, Astrid @LuckyBlackCat, Sebastien @King Cosmos

Mika had been on the edge of his seat as the momentum of the Gym Challenge teetered back and forth. His battling experience always placed him into the fray of the battle, even from the spectator's perspective; he couldn't help but study the contemplative look on Timmy's face, asking himself the same question as if he himself were battling against the boy-- 'What's it gonna be, kid?' It was those split-second moments that fired up the competitive furnace in his chest, almost urging him to get up from the seat and jump right onto the field proper, to sate that thrill.

Unfortunately, it wouldn't be Mika who would storm the breach, but rather, a frightful man with an emaciated look about his face. "Aw, rubbish!" his initial disappointment about the match's sudden interruption brought him to his feet, only for his expression to curl with mild confusion at the shriek for help. "Has he gone mad?" he questioned nobody in particular when the man claimed an attack on the usually peaceful Postwick. But as Hestia and the others were quick to jump on the case, he didn't hesitate to follow along, the droves of civilians running in the opposite direction quickly erasing his doubts.

Something was very wrong, that was certain. Figures clad in some sci-fi wardrobes commanded a legion of mysterious Pokemon, if they could even be called Pokemon. They were some strange amalgamation that disturbed the gym leader greatly, his stomach stirring at the sight. "Let's go, Centurion!" Mika opted to unleash the Krookodile upon the assailants, his stout form manifesting into reality. Centurion stomped each of his feet once, roaring as he raised his right hand up towards the sky and his left hand in the attacker's direction-- his usual pose of flair and arrogance.

In the brief seconds that Centurion wasted, Mika saw that Hestia's Salamence had already taken damage, prompting him to run up to Centurion and gently smack the Pokemon upside the head. "None of that right now, pet," he sighed as Centurion's swagger deflated with a sad groan, crossing its arms back into a normal pose. Pointing in the direction of the twisted Pokemon, the Krookodile set its sights on them.

"Eart- no, High Horsepower!" Mika contemplated the use of Earthquake, opting against the move in fear of causing collateral damage against the civilians and other gym leaders. Centurion's maw hung open as his eyes triangulated on the opponent. His arms came apart, facing the white claws of his hands towards them. With one mighty roar, Centurion took off in a mad dash, intentionally pacing himself for the Muddy Water to strike first before it would attack the leftmost one with its entire body.

Pokemon: Ascendancy

Mentions: Hestia @Ambra

Mika was no stranger to the Wedgehurst locale; it was his longtime home, after all. Coupled with his ties to the Pokemon Professor, he made it a routine to drop by the small town on a regular basis, whether it was a research call or a spell of homesickness that spurred a visitation. This time, it was all the paranoia of the Champion's abduction which constantly brought him home; his father was no longer the strongman from his childhood, and the busybody in Mika couldn't help but grow paranoid over his safety. Like a satellite parent, the roles had become reversed as he would monitor his father's return from the work day, half-expecting Ryker's assailants to target them next. The peaceful end to the day sequestered in his father's boisterous claims of surefire bravado in the event of an attack would always bring about a breath of relief.

Another native from Wedgehurst, who also happened to be one of Mika's acquaintances, had partially resurfaced from his quiet retirement from the Minor League. Aware of the possible dangers, his former mentor of sorts shared some of the Chairman's philosophy and cautioned him to err on the side of caution, but pledged to volunteer any discovered leads. "If the telepathy still works," the older trainer had told him with a chuckle. Whatever that means...

At the very least, Mika would adhere to the Chairman's mandate. Being the second to last obstacle in the Pokemon League, however, came at a downside in the early stages of the Gym Challenge; it would be quite a bit of time before he received any challengers, which is why he often traveled to spectate the early matches to kill part of the downtime. People like Hestia wanted to gain the competitive edge by looking out for prospective challengers, while he was looking for the next trainer that would set the crowd of his stadium ablaze.

"Don't speak so soon, Hestia. That kid could be the next Kai," Mika waved off the redhead's early dismissal of the challenger, alluding to her predecessor. He always thought that it was funnily cruel for the very first leg of the Gym Challenge to begin with Iris' Ghost-types; fresh sprouts were in for a rude awakening if their only Pokemon consisted of the over-abundant Normal and Bug-types of the local region. "Let's just see what he's brought to the table."

Pokemon: Ascendancy

Mentions: Chairman Hyacinth @Ambra, Everybody Else

The thrill and excitement that was originally meant to be the morning of the Galar League's Opening Ceremony had turned into a rude awakening for Mika and the inner circle. He had awoken hours prior to the event for an arrange with his media manager in Motostoke, overseeing the final editing process after finalizing all of the footage for a special program of Earth Power to debut alongside the day's peak of social media activity. Afterwards, he'd shown up to the venue early in order to prepare his surprise to the onlookers-- it was in the midst of creating his camouflage on the turf that the news suddenly broke out all over that the Opening Ceremony was cancelled. On his phone, beyond the outrage across the networks, a familiar face in the Chairman beckoned in a lone notification. Half-past ten o'clock, Hyacinth Tower.

Mika had arrived in Wyndon on the back of Ariete, who needed a reassuring prate after sensing the distress in her trainer. Through the pacing in the hallway to the silence of the meeting room, he'd twiddled his thumbs and listened quietly to the tic of an imaginary clock hand, the stress in his brow not ceasing as the meeting proceeded. The cancellation of the Opening Ceremony roused too many questions-- what would become of the Gym Challenge proper? What was so unprecedented that it warranted such a state of emergency? At the very least, the revelation would quickly put the latter to rest.

A case of kidnapping where Ryker was nowhere to be found.

It all just didn't seem real to Mika, who was fairly acquainted with the Champion. Surely, he wouldn't have gone without protest! With the signs of a human struggle, it was entirely possible that Ryker had been caught unawares and ill afforded the opportunity to resist. The Champion's assailants even had the forethought to take their victim's Pokemon, making it an obvious premeditated crime.

Having remained silent for the delivery of the minute details, the Chairman's intention to proceed with the overall Gym Challenge caused Mika to jump from his seat and angrily crumple the crown of his safari hat on the table. "That's utterly ridiculous and you know it. Cover it up and put on a smile for Galar?" the shorter leader quipped in uncharacteristic fury, turning towards Chairman Hyacinth. "What happens if we're next? You want us to wait, but the ones who took Ryker won't. Fuck the finances, we need to find him and deal with this."

Pokemon: Ascendancy

Mentions: Astrid @LuckyBlackCat, Bianca @Majoras End, Holly @Fabricant451

Two quick knocks against the bar brought Mika's attention to a fresh glass of his alcohol-free drink presented by the barkeeper. "Thank you kindly," he took the glass and raised it towards Mason in gratitude, only to flinch from the Snom's sudden recoil as he turned back to Astrid and her attention-seeking Raichu. He was quite familiar with Comet's temperament and the general public's preference of the Pokemon's preceding form, offering her a companion a light smile and giving Snom a reassuring pat. "No problem at all. And I agree, you only ever see Pikachu instead of Raichu on the big screen growing up! Looks like I've got the idea for my next episode, hehe."

Mika had only realized exactly how parched he was after taking a healthy sip of his drink, letting out an embarrassingly loud cheer from the refreshment of mint and lime. With the warmer reception towards Snom, Bianca followed through with Astrid's question on the Pokemon's name, causing him to begin pondering on the possibilities. "Now that you ask, I actually haven't thought of that yet," his other hand rose to stroke his chin, wearing an inquisitive look. The light crystalline sound in Snom's usual cry mellowed into a light purr, his little two black eyes curling up in a happy expression as he received many pets. "I think I'll call him Jewel."

With Jewel's name decided, Mika reached into his backpack and took one of the berries in stow, waving it near the Snom to reacquire his attention. He slowly lured the Worm Pokemon onto his wrist, carefully lowering Jewel back into the nest of berries that was his temporary shelter. "Heh, a little love and spoiling never hurt anybody," he raised his glass to Holly, taking another sip. "Besides, I can't bring Jewel into official competition, so he won't break bad from just appearing on my series every now and then. It's not too often a Bug-type gets the spotlight these days."

Pokemon: Ascendancy

Mentions: Hestia @Ambra, Holly @Fabricant451, Everyone Else

The hustle and bustle of Wyndon City was always especially apparent on the night before the opening of the annual Gym Challenge. Though Mika did not intend on being as fashionably late as he was, the usual snowstorm that painted the foothills of Route 10 seemingly beckoned for him to film a segment for Earth Power, and it was quite easy to lose track of time during one of his journeys into nature. He'd made an exciting discovery on the perfect day when the media bloom was at its fullest; after straying from the usual challenger's path towards Wyndon, he'd encountered a shiny Snom, an occurrence that people like him could only hope to happen once in their lifetime.

This event prompted an expedition longer than expected, and by sunset, Mika had only just returned to his hotel accommodation in Wyndon to adjust his wardrobe for the decadent evening before the ceremony. He swapped the thick layers of his wintry exploration uniform to adhere to his partial knowledge of The Last Dahlia's upscale dress code for the occasion. A tight maroon suit jacket pressed the white dress shirt into his shorter frame, fitting into a fresh pair of black dress pants and oxfords as he adjusted a dark blue bowtie at the collarbone. Finally settling with two small lotus-shaped earrings, he quickly departed for the preliminary gathering with a small backpack in tow.

Being among the last of the clientele to arrive at The Last Dahlia did not come to Mika by surprise, as he had taken the liberty to sign a number of autographs by the Corviknight statue at Wyndon Square before shuffling away from the crowds. He took in the familiar ambiance of the venue as he whistled along with the tune from the radio, seeing that just about everyone else had already come before him. "How dare you start the party without me," Mika sauntered towards the bar with a sarcastic tone, leaning back-to-back with the Champion for a moment before gesturing towards Mason. "Mojito without the rum, thanks!"

Bumping himself away from Ryker, Mika gave everyone a varying show of acknowledgement, from a bright smile to a light shoulder punch. "Looking out of place like always, Hestia," he buzzed near the pink-haired woman with a chuckle before stopping near Holly. He couldn't quite determine just how long it had been since he'd seen every individual person, but it was always refreshing for all of them to come together. His backpack rumbled gently as he waved towards Holly. "Yo, Holly!" he greeted Spikemuth's gym leader, a bright smile on his face. "Guess who I've brought along this time? Found this fella just today around Route 10, he ain't the same as--"

Mika gasped when a light pressure climbed up the back of his neck, the faint aroma of berries wafting from the slit of his backpack as the Snom now nestled around his hair. "Heh, this guy," he reached up to gently scratch at the Bug Pokemon. "He's a shiny one. Don't recall the last time I've seen a Shiny Pokemon out in the wild, to be honest."

Pokemon: Ascendancy

Mika Arenas

^{OC: Niki Shiina, Ensemble Stars}

"The ground on which you stand is your enemy! Pretty corny, right?"

---

MAIN PROFILE

Name:
Mika Arenas

Age:
Twenty-two years old

Gender:
Male

Birthplace:
Ballonlea

Appearance Information

Height:
5'4

Weight:
140lbs

Hair Colour:
Pale blue-gray

Eye Colour:
Blue

Complexion:
Tan

Body Composition:
Lean

Dressing Habits:
Likes to dress lavishly for casual scenarios. Wears his explorer's outfit when traveling into the wild or representing his Gym.

Personality:
Mika is an eccentric, bubbly young man with a scholar's knack for knowledge and adventure into the unknown. Spurred from his background, he is devoted to the research and conservation of all Pokemon for whom they have his utmost adoration. He is fiercely protective in his ideal to preserve their natural habitats, opposed to any rapid expansion which would displace or harm Pokemon. When he isn't in the pocket of the Pokemon League or the Professor for a task, Mika enjoys the leisure of the passing days, whether it's indulging the life of a luminary or foraying into nature. He isn't afraid to get his hands dirty when it comes to the latter.

Though he is rather soft-spoken and kind, his confidence is not lacking in the slightest; Mika tends to try and blend in with the situation depending on the company and scenario at hand. He'll often playfully jest and tease someone whom he knows is easily riled, as he has a penchant for corny jokes and pulling pranks on others. He naturally gravitates towards livelier characters, and tends not to overstep the boundaries of a quieter personality should his attempts of raising a smile result in failure.

Short Biography:
Born in the quieter northwestern reaches of the Galar Region, Mika Arenas' birth was mostly kept out of the media limelight from his family's quaint cottage in Ballonlea. It was the heart of the Glimwood Tangle where Maya and Enrico, his mother and father, took up residence; the former was a known celebrity from her status as Galar's nth Gym Leader at the time, while the latter was a handyman and "Average Joe" by all accounts. Though his relationship with his parents had always been strong, Maya's greater responsibilities often saw her across the Galar Region and beyond, which left Enrico as the predominant parental figure in his life. His stout father instilled virtues of hard work into the young boy, while the headstrong and free spirit of his mother influenced him to appreciate all the smaller instances.

Mika grew up over the years surrounded by Pokemon, quite literally as his household and the dense forest teemed with them. His mother's association with Pokemon played a major role in his aspiration to become a caretaker, while his father would playfully chime in that his ordinary occupation paid a higher salary than that of an esteemed Gym Leader. Unsurprisingly, life in Ballonlea was relatively boring for the likes of energetic children such as himself, and despite his many friendships, it was difficult to find entertainment in day-to-day life when his mother wasn't around to take him on a trip elsewhere.

There had always been numerous warnings from the town folk that venturing into the Glimwood Tangle was dangerous, as it was easy to lose oneself within the maze-like forest-- one day, a ten-year old Mika snuck out into the woods with his friends for a game of hide and seek. While finding a place to hide, he would stumble upon an injured wild Pokemon crumpled near an inconspicuous set of mushroom caps. Innocently approaching the scene, Mika found himself lured into the trap of an Amoonguss, whose prey in the wild Pokemon had already succumbed to its poison. It attacked the boy similarly with poisonous spores, but before substantial injury could be done, a wandering Gym Challenger intervened and rescued him.

This experience traumatized a young Mika, who now refused to associate with other Pokemon besides the ones within his household out of fear. Seeing this, his parents opted to relocate to Wedgehurst for a change of scenery, where Maya also introduced the boy to the Pokemon Professor in an attempt to resolve his trauma with Pokemon. It took an entire year before Mika could view them with the same child-like admiration, and under their recommendation, he was taken under the mantle of the Pokemon Professor as their aide to complete the Pokedex. As a gift from his mother, he chose Pancham as his first partner-- his tutelage was largely reserved within Wedgehurst and the local outreaches until the start of his teenage years.

At thirteen years old, Mika began to travel across the Galar Region and its Wild Areas in search of unfamiliar Pokemon and mystery, unintentionally discovering his longtime love for Pokemon battles along the way. The trauma from his past experience had come to pass as he now had his own Pokemon at his side, and he dutifully served the Pokemon Professor in their research tasks. His relation to the nth Gym Leader came under a brighter light as he easily defeated ordinary trainers, and word of gossip debated if he would follow in his mother's footsteps. For the time being, he focused on the Pokdex and his responsibility as an aide, catching several Pokemon as he braved the region's numerous biomes. Most notably among them was a Trapinch which would later become his most recognizable Pokemon, Flygon.

Though the bottomless entries in the Pokedex had greatly shrunk with his assistance, Mika had felt a newer passion well up within him throughout his journey for the last four years-- he had a desire to challenge the Galar League, just as his mother had done many years before him. With the collective blessings from those in his life, the seventeen-year old set aside his research responsibilities and donned the uniform of a Gym Challenger with an endorsement from the Professor. He only made it through halfway in his first year of the Major League Gym Challenge, disappointing initial impressions in a landslide defeat. The next year saw greater success from the young trainer as he bounced back, barreling past his previous hurdle and even defeating his mother in a tense confrontation-- he would lose out against the final gym leader, however.

Mika remodeled a majority of his team by the time of his third Gym Challenge, in which he intended to make the Champion's Cup with an entirely shifted dynamic. His full commitment to training had finally paid off as he trounced the entire Major League gauntlet, and entered the Champion's Cup as an underdog competitor. Claiming victory in the first round, a close battle in the semifinals would conclude in a dramatic fashion. Down to their last Pokemon, they both fainted at virtually the same exact moment, but officials decided to award his opponent the win upon closer observation, declaring that his Flygon had fainted just a few seconds before the other. This heartbreak of a loss to decision nearly drove Mika to return to his previous vocation; however, he was convinced otherwise by his mother, who intended to transfer into the Elite Four of the Sinnoh Region. The offer to inherit her spot was upheld by the Pokemon League after his performance, and the twenty-year old would accept.

Now serving as the nth Gym Leader for two years, Mika has fully indulged in his celebrity status. Along with this, he continues to run errands for the Pokemon Professor from time to time, as well as bolstering a larger social media presence to host his own series where he documents many varieties of Pokemon in their natural habitats.

Likes

• Lollipops
• Exploration, adventure
• Ancient Pokemon-related discoveries
• Hot weather
• Funny or fun-loving people
• Hiking, swimming
• Cracking (bad) jokes

Dislikes

• Mushrooms of all kinds
• Alcohol
• People who abuse Pokemon
• Destroying natural habitats
• Obnoxious tall people
• People who snore in their sleep (he claims to be a quiet sleeper)
• High-strung personalities

Quirks:

• Mika is an expert of camouflage, often taking advantage of this when he isn't wearing casual clothes in order to prank people.
• Hosts a short video series on his social media documenting wild Pokemon and their habitats called Earth Power.
• Loves loud music, such as metal.
• Has a peculiar swimming technique as a result of learning how to swim from his Gastrodon

---

LEAGUE PROFILE

Type Specialty:
Ground

League Ranking:
Major League

League Placement:
Seventh

Gym Location:
Stow-on-Side

Gym Description:
TBA

---

POKEMON (WORK IN PROGRESS)

_{Naming Convention: Military battle tanks}

League Team

Challenger - Excadrill – ♂
Ground | Steel

The Ace of Mika's team as the n^th Gym Leader of the Galar League. Challenger is a shy but cool, silent warrior who quietly exudes confidence only through its expression, stance and moves in battle. A few inches taller than the average Excadrill, he prefers to stay inside of his Poke Ball. Possesses the Gigantamax Factor, which is used against Gym Challengers. (Appearance)

Centurion - Krookodile – ♂
Ground | Dark

The yang to Challenger's yin-- known to jokingly mimic the latter's aloof mannerisms, albeit in a mocking manner towards his opponents. Centurion is arrogant, often 'toying with its food' in an attempt to patronize other Pokemon in battle to discourage their trainers. His tail is a deeper shade of maroon than the rest of his body.

Leopard - Gliscor – ♀
Ground | Flying

The newest member of Mika's team in the Galar League Gym Challenge. Though Leopard is faithfully obedient to her trainer, she is rather lazy in all other matters outside of battle, even during her active hours as a nocturnal Pokemon. For this reason, Mika doesn't often summon her from the Poke Ball, as he is essentially forced to cater to her lethargy.

Sabra - Gastrodon – ♀
Water | Ground

Sabra was rescued by Mika as a Shellos when she was almost dried out to death after being landlocked for nearly too long. She is very sweet and affectionate towards her trainer, initially out of gratitude and then out of genuine happiness after spending much time as one of his long-standing companions. Sabra has smaller tentacles at its neck than the average Gastrodon, which Mika likes to playfully tug at.

Patton - Camerupt – ♂
Fire | Ground

Ramses - Golurk
Ground | Ghost

Main Team

Ariete - Flygon – ♀
Ground | Dragon

Challenger - Excadrill – ♂
Ground | Steel

Merkava - Hippowdon – ♂
Ground

Abrams - Swampert – ♂
Water | Ground

Sherman - Nidoking – ♂
Poison | Ground

Matilda - Mamoswine – ♀
Ice | Ground

Benched Pokemon

[Benched Pokemon are Pokemon that your character can swap out into their League or Champion's Cup teams. They exist in your character's arsenal, but do not take priority over more active members of their teams.

Make sure to describe your Pokemon's name, appearance, and personality as you create your teams.]

[Pokemon #1]:

[Pokemon #2]:
...

Other

[These are Pokemon that don't fall under any of the above categories. Does your character have any Pokemon that they consider pets or mere companions? Pokemon that they had on their team when they were once rookie trainers? If not, you may delete this part.

Your character's type specialty does not matter here, but note that these Pokemon should not be used actively in battle, if at all. This is more for fun and slice of life reasons.]

[Pokemon #1]:
...

---

RELATIONS

[This should remain empty for now. When characters are accepted, players are expected to write down what their character thinks of the other gym leaders, along with other PCs and NPCs that might cross their path.]

Pokemon: Ascendancy

Mika Mika Mika Mika

^{OC: Niki Shiina, Ensemble Stars}

"The ground on which you stand is your enemy! Pretty corny, right?"

---

MAIN PROFILE

Name:
Mika Arenas

Age:
Twenty-two years old

Gender:
Male

Birthplace:
Ballonlea

Appearance Information

Height:
5'4

Weight:
140lbs

Hair Colour:
Pale blue-gray

Eye Colour:
Blue

Complexion:
Tan

Body Composition:
Lean

Dressing Habits:
Likes to dress lavishly for casual scenarios. Wears his explorer's outfit when traveling into the wild or representing his Gym.

Personality:
Mika is an eccentric, bubbly young man with a scholar's knack for knowledge and adventure into the unknown. Spurred from his background, he is devoted to the research and conservation of all Pokemon for whom they have his utmost adoration. He is fiercely protective in his ideal to preserve their natural habitats, opposed to any rapid expansion which would displace or harm Pokemon. When he isn't in the pocket of the Pokemon League or the Professor for a task, Mika enjoys the leisure of the passing days, whether it's indulging the life of a luminary or foraying into nature. He isn't afraid to get his hands dirty when it comes to the latter.

Though he is rather soft-spoken and kind, his confidence is not lacking in the slightest; Mika tends to try and blend in with the situation depending on the company and scenario at hand. He'll often playfully jest and tease someone whom he knows is easily riled, as he has a penchant for corny jokes and pulling pranks on others. He naturally gravitates towards livelier characters, and tends not to overstep the boundaries of a quieter personality should his attempts of raising a smile result in failure.

Short Biography:
Born in the quieter northwestern reaches of the Galar Region, Mika Arenas' birth was mostly kept out of the media limelight from his family's quaint cottage in Ballonlea. It was the heart of the Glimwood Tangle where Maya and Enrico, his mother and father, took up residence; the former was a known celebrity from her status as Galar's nth Gym Leader at the time, while the latter was a handyman and "Average Joe" by all accounts. Though his relationship with his parents had always been strong, Maya's greater responsibilities often saw her across the Galar Region and beyond, which left Enrico as the predominant parental figure in his life. His stout father instilled virtues of hard work into the young boy, while the headstrong and free spirit of his mother influenced him to appreciate all the smaller instances.

Mika grew up over the years surrounded by Pokemon, quite literally as his household and the dense forest teemed with them. His mother's association with Pokemon played a major role in his aspiration to become a caretaker, while his father would playfully chime in that his ordinary occupation paid a higher salary than that of an esteemed Gym Leader. Unsurprisingly, life in Ballonlea was relatively boring for the likes of energetic children such as himself, and despite his many friendships, it was difficult to find entertainment in day-to-day life when his mother wasn't around to take him on a trip elsewhere.

There had always been numerous warnings from the town folk that venturing into the Glimwood Tangle was dangerous, as it was easy to lose oneself within the maze-like forest-- one day, a ten-year old Mika snuck out into the woods with his friends for a game of hide and seek. While finding a place to hide, he would stumble upon an injured wild Pokemon crumpled near an inconspicuous set of mushroom caps. Innocently approaching the scene, Mika found himself lured into the trap of an Amoonguss, whose prey in the wild Pokemon had already succumbed to its poison. It attacked the boy similarly with poisonous spores, but before substantial injury could be done, a wandering Gym Challenger intervened and rescued him.

This experience traumatized a young Mika, who now refused to associate with other Pokemon besides the ones within his household out of fear. Seeing this, his parents opted to relocate to Wedgehurst for a change of scenery, where Maya also introduced the boy to the Pokemon Professor in an attempt to resolve his trauma with Pokemon. It took an entire year before Mika could view them with the same child-like admiration, and under their recommendation, he was taken under the mantle of the Pokemon Professor as their aide to complete the Pokedex. As a gift from his mother, he chose Pancham as his first partner-- his tutelage was largely reserved within Wedgehurst and the local outreaches until the start of his teenage years.

At thirteen years old, Mika began to travel across the Galar Region and its Wild Areas in search of unfamiliar Pokemon and mystery, unintentionally discovering his longtime love for Pokemon battles along the way. The trauma from his past experience had come to pass as he now had his own Pokemon at his side, and he dutifully served the Pokemon Professor in their research tasks. His relation to the nth Gym Leader came under a brighter light as he easily defeated ordinary trainers, and word of gossip debated if he would follow in his mother's footsteps. For the time being, he focused on the Pokdex and his responsibility as an aide, catching several Pokemon as he braved the region's numerous biomes. Most notably among them was a Trapinch which would later become his most recognizable Pokemon, Flygon.

Though the bottomless entries in the Pokedex had greatly shrunk with his assistance, Mika had felt a newer passion well up within him throughout his journey for the last four years-- he had a desire to challenge the Galar League, just as his mother had done many years before him. With the collective blessings from those in his life, the seventeen-year old set aside his research responsibilities and donned the uniform of a Gym Challenger with an endorsement from the Professor. He only made it through halfway in his first year of the Major League Gym Challenge, disappointing initial impressions in a landslide defeat. The next year saw greater success from the young trainer as he bounced back, barreling past his previous hurdle and even defeating his mother in a tense confrontation-- he would lose out against the final gym leader, however.

Mika remodeled a majority of his team by the time of his third Gym Challenge, in which he intended to make the Champion's Cup with an entirely shifted dynamic. His full commitment to training had finally paid off as he trounced the entire Major League gauntlet, and entered the Champion's Cup as an underdog competitor. Claiming victory in the first round, a close battle in the semifinals would conclude in a dramatic fashion. Down to their last Pokemon, they both fainted at virtually the same exact moment, but officials decided to award his opponent the win upon closer observation, declaring that his Flygon had fainted just a few seconds before the other. This heartbreak of a loss to decision nearly drove Mika to return to his previous vocation; however, he was convinced otherwise by his mother, who intended to transfer into the Elite Four of the Sinnoh Region. The offer to inherit her spot was upheld by the Pokemon League after his performance, and the twenty-year old would accept.

Now serving as the nth Gym Leader for two years, Mika has fully indulged in his celebrity status. Along with this, he continues to run errands for the Pokemon Professor from time to time, as well as bolstering a larger social media presence to host his own series where he documents many varieties of Pokemon in their natural habitats.

Likes

• Lollipops
• Exploration, adventure
• Ancient Pokemon-related discoveries
• Hot weather
• Funny or fun-loving people
• Hiking, swimming
• Cracking (bad) jokes

Dislikes

• Mushrooms of all kinds
• Alcohol
• People who abuse Pokemon
• Destroying natural habitats
• Obnoxious tall people
• People who snore in their sleep (he claims to be a quiet sleeper)
• High-strung personalities

Quirks:

• Mika is an expert of camouflage, often taking advantage of this when he isn't wearing casual clothes in order to prank people.
• Hosts a short video series on his social media documenting wild Pokemon and their habitats called Earth Power.
• Loves loud music, such as metal.
• Has a peculiar swimming technique as a result of learning how to swim from his Gastrodon

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LEAGUE PROFILE

Type Specialty:
Ground

League Ranking:
TBA

League Placement:
TBA

Gym Location:
TBA

Gym Description:
TBA

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POKEMON (WORK IN PROGRESS)

_{Naming Convention: Military battle tanks}

League Team

Challenger - Excadrill – ♂
Ground | Steel

The Ace of Mika's team as the n^th Gym Leader of the Galar League. Challenger is a shy but cool, silent warrior who quietly exudes confidence only through its expression, stance and moves in battle. A few inches taller than the average Excadrill, he prefers to stay inside of his Poke Ball. Possesses the Gigantamax Factor, which is used against Gym Challengers. (Appearance)

Centurion - Krookodile – ♂
Ground | Dark

The yang to Challenger's yin-- known to jokingly mimic the latter's aloof mannerisms, albeit in a mocking manner towards his opponents. Centurion is arrogant, often 'toying with its food' in an attempt to patronize other Pokemon in battle to discourage their trainers. His tail is a deeper shade of maroon than the rest of his body.

Leopard - Gliscor – ♀
Ground | Flying

The newest member of Mika's team in the Galar League Gym Challenge. Though Leopard is faithfully obedient to her trainer, she is rather lazy in all other matters outside of battle, even during her active hours as a nocturnal Pokemon. For this reason, Mika doesn't often summon her from the Poke Ball, as he is essentially forced to cater to her lethargy.

Sabra - Gastrodon – ♀
Water | Ground

Sabra was rescued by Mika as a Shellos when she was almost dried out to death after being landlocked for nearly too long. She is very sweet and affectionate towards her trainer, initially out of gratitude and then out of genuine happiness after spending much time as one of his long-standing companions. Sabra has smaller tentacles at its neck than the average Gastrodon, which Mika likes to playfully tug at.

Patton - Camerupt – ♂
Fire | Ground

Ramses - Golurk
Ground | Ghost

Main Team

Ariete - Flygon – ♀
Ground | Dragon

Challenger - Excadrill – ♂
Ground | Steel

Merkava - Hippowdon – ♂
Ground

Abrams - Swampert – ♂
Water | Ground

Sherman - Nidoking – ♂
Poison | Ground

Matilda - Mamoswine – ♀
Ice | Ground

Benched Pokemon

[Benched Pokemon are Pokemon that your character can swap out into their League or Champion's Cup teams. They exist in your character's arsenal, but do not take priority over more active members of their teams.

Make sure to describe your Pokemon's name, appearance, and personality as you create your teams.]

[Pokemon #1]:

[Pokemon #2]:
...

Other

[These are Pokemon that don't fall under any of the above categories. Does your character have any Pokemon that they consider pets or mere companions? Pokemon that they had on their team when they were once rookie trainers? If not, you may delete this part.

Your character's type specialty does not matter here, but note that these Pokemon should not be used actively in battle, if at all. This is more for fun and slice of life reasons.]

[Pokemon #1]:
...

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RELATIONS

[This should remain empty for now. When characters are accepted, players are expected to write down what their character thinks of the other gym leaders, along with other PCs and NPCs that might cross their path.]

Still some stuff to do here and there but it's mostly done wao

「 Persona: Reflections 」

Interactions: Nagi @Psyker Landshark, Goji @Ambra

Munehisa had quickly reverted back to his late night schedule after an early light's out from the previous day, though his habit of booting up the first-person shooter game lacked its usual flair. In a fit of inspiration, the boy had instead taken to his drawing tablet to illustrate some of his faithful recollections from the alternate dimension; the honeycomb-like structure, decorated in the adhesive substance that was nectar to its deity, to another full body illustration of the witch playing god within its walls. Just as so many questions would still remain unanswered until they decided to dig deeper, the talking crow was another conundrum on its own. Nothin' just makes any sense anymore, I swear. Drowsiness had come as quick as the hours had gone before then, and in the midst of drawing the lineart for the bust of Peter Pan, sleep overtook the boy at his desk.

During Okamoto's block in their class, Munehisa spent a lesser part of the hour comparing the ordinary world's harpy to the other world's hag, having transferred his drawing from computer to phone. Despite certain obviously exaggerated features, there was little to no doubt that they were indeed one and the same; he confirmed this much to Nagi outside of school before he discovered the crow in her schoolbag. "Who you callin' a dumbass the other day?!?" he'd exclaimed while vigorously shaking the bird within its bag of holding in revenge before realizing the potential of onlookers. With obligatory introductions aside, Munehisa was quick on the uptake as the crow explained to him what had been told to Nagi; Personas, the Metaverse, Palaces, Shadows, and how it all connected to a "Treasure".

"We sound more like thieves or robbers than Persona users if the endgame's called a Treasure of all things," Munehisa scratched the back of his head as they made the trek opposite of all the other students towards the school grounds. It was a lot of information to take in at once, but at least they weren't going in against the unknown anymore. He had his own skeptics in mind, wondering if Nagi felt the same way. "Let's say we do nab her Treasure-- is she just gonna do a complete 180 overnight? It sounds ridiculous, but then again, all of this shit is ridiculous. How about you, Nagi?"