The last time Sebastien had gone to a pub in Wyndon it had been a decidedly less classy affair than this; he hadn’t been wearing a suit back then, for one thing, it was a lot noisier and more crowded for a second and he was pretty sure there had been a lot more drunks vomiting in the gutter and fighting over taxis. Though the night was still young and surely even gym leaders would get rowdy given the right incentive.
The Last Dahlia was an upmarket establishment, far away from the kind of places he had wanted or had been allowed admittance to when he was younger and less… important than he was now. The choice of venue just went to show how much bigger the Pokémon League was compared to where he had been before, the fact that the entire place had apparently been booked out just for them even more so. This meet-up wasn’t even for anything important, just a chance for the gym leaders to catch up before the beginning of the new season, though the invitation Sebastien had received made it sound like attendance was not optional in his case. ‘Networking’ they’d called it; a chance to get better acquainted with his fellow gym leaders ahead of the opening ceremony, especially since he hadn’t had much chance to interact with them since officially joining their ranks. Some of the people here tonight he was pretty sure he had only ever met when challenging them to a battle. The champion was to be there as well, who Sebastien would be meeting for the first time.
This was going to be his first year as a gym leader, his first full year at least; his first year taking part in the Galar Cup as anything other than a challenger. Though in truth, all of the focus was going to be on the people tackling the Major League and the other gym leaders they would need to beat; a Minor League leader like himself likely wouldn’t get much attention, outside of being an unknown, and he expected to be spending most of his time training for the upcoming tournament over anything else. In that sense he was looking forward to tonight as an opportunity to get to see his competition early.
Pushing open the door to the pub he found that he was not the first to arrive, but far from the last as well; a few of the other gym leaders were already here, plus a young lad who had to be the champion. Rather than join them, he walked over to the bar and caught the attention of the bartender. “A pint; whatever you have on tap.”
As the man left to fulfil his vague order, Sebastien listened in to the on-going conversation taking place further down the bar. It was more casual than he had thought it would be; not that he had expected them not to know each other or to be hostile, but it was obvious right from the start that most of them had a history with each other and he hadn’t been sure if the gym leaders would interact with each other that much outside of work obligations like this and the tournament.
A pint glass being placed in front of him brought his attention back to the bar and he reached for his wallet to pay before the bartended waved him away. Tonight’s tab was on the boss then, it seemed. Sebastien reached for the pint glass with his right hand before he remembered himself and picked it up with the left instead; he still caught himself doing that, even though it had been years now, and it annoyed him every time it happened. Placing his right hand in his pocket, he leaned against the bar, drink in hand, and waited for a lull in the conversation so that he could start with this ‘networking’ business.
Sorry for the delay. I had no idea what to do next with Akeno.
I just noticed what Bouncer said to her in the last post though; is she Korean? She called Akeno 'big sister', which means my guess of Bouncer being the youngest might be correct.
Just like that, Bouncer was gone; vanishing from in front of her with only the sound of air rushing in to the fill the empty space to announce her departure. Akeno waved an arm through the air, checking to see if the other woman was actually gone or just hidden and sure enough there was nothing around her; teleportation then, most likely. Useful.
It was a shame she hadn’t stuck around a little bit longer before leaving because, as a matter of fact, Akeno had no idea where to find Bouncer if she needed to speak to her again. Not unless she was talking about the hospital where her friends were admitted; after all, it was probably safe to assume the other woman would be ignoring her advice about staying away from there, so if she did the same they might run into each other again.
Not that it would matter much. It was unlikely either of them would find out anything new in the next day or so.
With a sigh, Kitsune finally turned away from the vacant space and back towards the burning building and the crowd of emergency vehicles. The fire fighters seemed to have everything under control now, meaning that the building was less burning and more smouldering at this point and the ambulances had mostly left at this point since it was only Bouncer and her friends who had been hurt. No one else had been inside, just as the woman had said. That left Kitsune with no reason to still be here but also with nowhere else to go.
She walked over to the stolen van and opened the door, sliding in to the driver seat and grabbing the phone from the dashboard. It was still displaying the map and the address it had been before, but as she took it from its mount it returned to the home screen. Before it had a chance to turn off she went to the settings and disabled any password or security it might have had, lest it shut off and she lose all access to the device. That done, she slipped the phone into her pocket and exited the vehicle, leaving it where it was amongst the fire engines and ambulances and other parked cars as she began the long work back to her dorm building.
There was a report she still had to finish, before she could even think about what she was going to do next.
While he had been tasked with standing here and being the lookout, Tim hadn’t put much thought into what he would do if someone actually showed up. He’d called out to the others, let them know that a group of people, apparently trainers, were coming, but after that he wasn’t sure what to do. The idea that he might have to actually fight someone over this, to protect a bunch of criminals that he was now technically working with was something he wasn’t sure he was okay with.
Until that caped idiot had called him a loser.
As soon as the other trainer sent out his Pokémon, Tim was sneering at him. The dragon Pokémon, the fancy clothes, the voice that reeked of a sense of superiority, the talk of ‘dragon blood’; yeah, this was one of those pampered trainers the other guys had been talking about, a true dragon fanatic. Must have been nice to be handed a rare Pokémon like that right away; but he didn’t have to work for any of what he had.
“I’d like to see you try!” Tim reached for one of the Pokéballs at his waist, eager to get the battle started, when someone else jumped in and send out a Pokémon of their own. “Both of you then. I ain’t gonna back down just because you're ganging up on me!” He tossed the Pokéball over to his other hand and then grabbed the second one as well, throwing out both at once as he released his Houndour and Yamper.
“Hades, use smog on the dragon. Storm, nuzzle that rock.” Both Pokémon leapt into action, one a little quicker than the other thanks to their longer legs, to attack their opponents. Houndour unleashed a stream of poisonous smog towards the Bagon, while the Yamper jogged over to the Roggenrola and tried to rub its statically charged body against it.
”Let’s get one thing straight. I am not your stepping stone; you’re mine.”
MAIN PROFILE
Name: Sebastien Tomas
Age: 24
Gender: Male
Birthplace: Stow-on-Side
Appearance Information: Sebastien is someone of roughly average height at 5’ 11”, with broad shoulders and a muscular frame. He tends to dress plainly, but neatly, looking well put together but not someone who cares overmuch about looking stylish; typically he will wear jeans or cargo pants with either a sweater or a long-sleeved t-shirts. Occasionally he will wear gloves as well, to cover his bruised knuckles, after being told that having them visible was not “professional”. He always makes sure that he is clean shaven and gets regular haircuts to keep his appearance consistent.
Personality: A stern, humourless individual who takes everything seriously and has little time or regard for anything that he considers to be a distraction or a waste of his time. He places high expectations on himself and demands a lot of himself and of those around him. On top of this he is also inflexible, expecting those who want to work with him to keep up with his pace and refuses to slow himself down to their speed; he expects others to bend to his concessions and not the other way around and generally considers his time to be worth more than theirs.
This extends to his Pokémon too. Among the gym leaders he is likely the one with the fewest Pokémon at his disposal at any one time as he tends to only keep those who can work alongside or around his personality on his team.
Sebastien does not have much regard for his position of gym leader; or at least, he does not want anything to do with the parts of it that aren’t related to battling or training. He hates being dragged away for anything publicity related or anything dealing with the media or fans. He does not accept the idea that he is supposed to be a public figure or that he needs to set an example or act as a role model; a stance that frequently puts him at odds with the league officials.
Short Biography: There was a boxing gym just down the street from where Sebastien grew up. He would walk past it on the way to school each morning and on the way home as well and every time he did he could hear the sounds of people hard at work inside; the squeaking of shoes of floorboards, the rattling chains and heavy impact of people hitting the punching bags, the rhythmic staccato of the speed bags, the shouts of the trainers. For years he had no idea what kind of place it was or what was going on in there, his parents would always pull him along when he tried to stop and peer inside, and that mystery meant the place occupied a place in his mind for most of his childhood.
Looking back, he probably could have just asked someone what it was and gotten an answer; instead he waited until he was allowed to walk to school by himself and instead of walking past like he always had, went inside to see what was happening inside. For most people that should have been it; he had the answer to his mystery, it wasn’t particularly interesting, so he could go on with his day, but for Sebastien the fascination remained and an interest in boxing was born. A few years later he returned to the gym as a student, training to become a boxer himself. A few more years after that and he was competing as an amateur and was even preparing for his debut as a professional. He had the skill and the talent to do well and maybe even make a career of it, but more than that he had to drive and the competitive spirit to be great, to reach for the top and possibly even become a champion. Not the kind champion most people first thought of when they heard the word, Sebastien had never been interested in that title, but a champion nonetheless.
That would be years away though and even if the chance did come, the title didn’t matter much to Sebastien; he just wanted to box. He had always been a competitive person. He was only really content when he was working for something. Rather than fighting for a title, for the money or for the prestige, he was just interested in the challenge. If becoming the champion was the consequence of competing and winning enough times against enough people that you eventually reached the top of your field then he would become the champion. He would be at the top.
In his second professional fight he broke his hand. Badly.
In his third, he broke it again.
His career was over before it ever began, while he was still in his teens. The doctors said he had nerve damage, that it was too dangerous to keep boxing, that another injury might cause him to lose all functionality in that hand entirely. Sebastien couldn’t get back in the ring again. That fact left him adrift for a while, unsure of how to proceed from that moment. It wasn’t until he happened to see the opening ceremony for the new season of the Galar Pokémon League that he found an answer.
Becoming a Pokémon trainer was never something that Sebastien had considered; growing up his family had never owned any Pokémon and his focus had always been on a different kind of gym. The usual childhood fascination with being a trainer kind of just passed him by, but now that he was where he was, with a cast on his hand and no route towards the future he had expected for himself, he was beginning to consider it. Another challenge, different from what he was used to, but still another championship he could work towards. He wouldn’t be doing it on his own, but he hadn’t been able to do anything on his own anyway; and this stage was bigger, more prestigious. It was worth going for.
His journey as a trainer began at a later age that most, but the same drive that he pushed him to become a professional boxer at a young age and the determination with which he tackled this new path meant that he progressed rapidly. His only path to the Gym Challenge was through the minor league, as no one was going to sponsor a nobody like him; it took him a year to beat all of the lesser gyms. The next year he joined the gym challenge itself, bowing out after the third gym after failing to get past it. During his second year he made it past the fifth gym, then next year the sixth. He felt himself hitting a wall and took the next year off, then made it all the way to the eight on his next attempt. From there he would hit another wall, but this time wasn’t able to overcome it; his next couple of attempts ended in the same place, falling to the final gym leader and never even getting the chance of getting a chance to face the champion.
It almost seemed like that was going to be it, that this was as far as he would go; another competition he failed to succeed at. However, it seemed that somebody had different plans for him, as not long after he was approached by a league official about becoming a gym leader. Sebastien almost refused out of hand, at first seeing the offer as a way out, a way to give up and settle for a lesser title than champion. He stopped himself though and considered the opportunity being presented; being a challenger wasn’t the only way to get a shot at the champion after all. Unlike other leagues in other regions, gym leaders in the Galar region faced each other at the end of every season and potentially got to battle the champion as well. Becoming a gym leader meant he wouldn’t have to worry about travelling or training expenses again; he would get his own facilities, his own resources, plenty of time to dedicate to his training and would even have people lining up to be his punching bags.
He accepted.
Likes: Boxing Rainy/foggy days Rock music Swimming
Dislikes: Sweets Media attention/publicity Hitting a dead-end Hot weather
Quirks: Right handed, but mainly uses their left hand due to the nerve damage in his right. Still keeps up with his boxing training regularly, sometimes at the expense of his Pokémon training. When he starts to wear gloves in public you know he has been hitting the punching bag recently. As someone who only became a trainer later in life, there are still a lot of things about Pokémon and training he doesn’t know. He will never admit to his ignorance, however.
I don't know why but 'likes spicy food, hates sweets' or vice versa is always a common thing when the profile includes a likes/dislikes section. I almost did the same with my sheet until I remembered that I always do that and chose to exclude it this time; guy still dislikes sweets though.
I think it's just an easy barometer for where a character falls on the tough/hot-headed vs nice/easy-going scale.
"Okay, yeah, I think this character's coming together. Oh wait, he's supposed to be a Pokemon trainer, ffffu-"
Still need to add personalities for his Pokémon, but he's pretty much done at this point. I was thinking of just not having any benched Pokémon for the reasons specified in the sheet.
”Let’s get one thing straight. I am not your stepping stone; you’re mine.”
MAIN PROFILE
Name: Sebastien Tomas
Age: 24
Gender: Male
Birthplace: Stow-on-Side
Appearance Information: Sebastien is someone of roughly average height at 5’ 11”, with broad shoulders and a muscular frame. He tends to dress plainly, but neatly, looking well put together but not someone who cares overmuch about looking stylish; typically he will wear jeans or cargo pants with either a sweater or a long-sleeved t-shirts. Occasionally he will wear gloves as well, to cover his bruised knuckles, after being told that having them visible was not “professional”. He always makes sure that he is clean shaven and gets regular haircuts to keep his appearance consistent.
Personality: A stern, humourless individual who takes everything seriously and has little time or regard for anything that he considers to be a distraction or a waste of his time. He places high expectations on himself and demands a lot of himself and of those around him. On top of this he is also inflexible, expecting those who want to work with him to keep up with his pace and refuses to slow himself down to their speed; he expects others to bend to his concessions and not the other way around and generally considers his time to be worth more than theirs.
This extends to his Pokémon too. Among the gym leaders he is likely the one with the fewest Pokémon at his disposal at any one time as he tends to only keep those who can work alongside or around his personality on his team.
Sebastien does not have much regard for his position of gym leader; or at least, he does not want anything to do with the parts of it that aren’t related to battling or training. He hates being dragged away for anything publicity related or anything dealing with the media or fans. He does not accept the idea that he is supposed to be a public figure or that he needs to set an example or act as a role model; a stance that frequently puts him at odds with the league officials.
Short Biography: There was a boxing gym just down the street from where Sebastien grew up. He would walk past it on the way to school each morning and on the way home as well and every time he did he could hear the sounds of people hard at work inside; the squeaking of shoes of floorboards, the rattling chains and heavy impact of people hitting the punching bags, the rhythmic staccato of the speed bags, the shouts of the trainers. For years he had no idea what kind of place it was or what was going on in there, his parents would always pull him along when he tried to stop and peer inside, and that mystery meant the place occupied a place in his mind for most of his childhood.
Looking back, he probably could have just asked someone what it was and gotten an answer; instead he waited until he was allowed to walk to school by himself and instead of walking past like he always had, went inside to see what was happening inside. For most people that should have been it; he had the answer to his mystery, it wasn’t particularly interesting, so he could go on with his day, but for Sebastien the fascination remained and an interest in boxing was born. A few years later he returned to the gym as a student, training to become a boxer himself. A few more years after that and he was competing as an amateur and was even preparing for his debut as a professional. He had the skill and the talent to do well and maybe even make a career of it, but more than that he had to drive and the competitive spirit to be great, to reach for the top and possibly even become a champion. Not the kind champion most people first thought of when they heard the word, Sebastien had never been interested in that title, but a champion nonetheless.
That would be years away though and even if the chance did come, the title didn’t matter much to Sebastien; he just wanted to box. He had always been a competitive person. He was only really content when he was working for something. Rather than fighting for a title, for the money or for the prestige, he was just interested in the challenge. If becoming the champion was the consequence of competing and winning enough times against enough people that you eventually reached the top of your field then he would become the champion. He would be at the top.
In his second professional fight he broke his hand. Badly.
In his third, he broke it again.
His career was over before it ever began, while he was still in his teens. The doctors said he had nerve damage, that it was too dangerous to keep boxing, that another injury might cause him to lose all functionality in that hand entirely. Sebastien couldn’t get back in the ring again. That fact left him adrift for a while, unsure of how to proceed from that moment. It wasn’t until he happened to see the opening ceremony for the new season of the Galar Pokémon League that he found an answer.
Becoming a Pokémon trainer was never something that Sebastien had considered; growing up his family had never owned any Pokémon and his focus had always been on a different kind of gym. The usual childhood fascination with being a trainer kind of just passed him by, but now that he was where he was, with a cast on his hand and no route towards the future he had expected for himself, he was beginning to consider it. Another challenge, different from what he was used to, but still another championship he could work towards. He wouldn’t be doing it on his own, but he hadn’t been able to do anything on his own anyway; and this stage was bigger, more prestigious. It was worth going for.
His journey as a trainer began at a later age that most, but the same drive that he pushed him to become a professional boxer at a young age and the determination with which he tackled this new path meant that he progressed rapidly. His only path to the Gym Challenge was through the minor league, as no one was going to sponsor a nobody like him; it took him a year to beat all of the lesser gyms. The next year he joined the gym challenge itself, bowing out after the third gym after failing to get past it. During his second year he made it past the fifth gym, then next year the sixth. He felt himself hitting a wall and took the next year off, then made it all the way to the eight on his next attempt. From there he would hit another wall, but this time wasn’t able to overcome it; his next couple of attempts ended in the same place, falling to the final gym leader and never even getting the chance of getting a chance to face the champion.
It almost seemed like that was going to be it, that this was as far as he would go; another competition he failed to succeed at. However, it seemed that somebody had different plans for him, as not long after he was approached by a league official about becoming a gym leader. Sebastien almost refused out of hand, at first seeing the offer as a way out, a way to give up and settle for a lesser title than champion. He stopped himself though and considered the opportunity being presented; being a challenger wasn’t the only way to get a shot at the champion after all. Unlike other leagues in other regions, gym leaders in the Galar region faced each other at the end of every season and potentially got to battle the champion as well. Becoming a gym leader meant he wouldn’t have to worry about travelling or training expenses again; he would get his own facilities, his own resources, plenty of time to dedicate to his training and would even have people lining up to be his punching bags.
He accepted.
Likes: Boxing Rainy/foggy days Rock music Swimming
Dislikes: Sweets Media attention/publicity Hitting a dead-end Hot weather
Quirks: Right handed, but mainly uses their left hand due to the nerve damage in his right. Still keeps up with his boxing training regularly, sometimes at the expense of his Pokémon training. When he starts to wear gloves in public you know he has been hitting the punching bag recently. As someone who only became a trainer later in life, there are still a lot of things about Pokémon and training he doesn’t know. He will never admit to his ignorance, however.
That's a good point actually. I didn't think about whether or not Akeno would even be aware of her own online presence; considering she didn't even know who Wraith or Grim were and they're supposed to be known entities, if not actually famous.
Oh well, maybe she looked it up after her conversation with Grim about people finding out her identity if she wasn't careful.
Bouncer, or Rabbit; she didn’t look much like a rabbit, so Bouncer it was for now. Interesting that she only gave names that other people had given her rather than one she had picked for herself; the woman was similar to herself in that sense she supposed. That probably meant she wasn’t a vigilante, or at least not one that called themselves a hero if she wasn’t interested in marketing herself. Maybe she wasn’t a vigilante either and had other reasons not to want people to know who she was. Once they were done here Akeno would need to look her up and see what the news was saying about her exactly; find out who she was dealing with.
“People call me Kitsune, I guess.” People had called her Fox as well, either worked, but she might as well go by the name that the few people aware of her existence online had given her.
Member
KillamriX08
Alisdragon911
Forsythe
Fish of Oblivion
Luluna
SkyeOfStars