Solace

Pokémon: Ascendancy

Niall & Briar

"Give the lad a break, Hestia. Save it for the champ," Niall had come to the casual defense of their colleague's expected tardiness, looking between Briar and the Joy. For all of the time that he'd known her, Hestia did sometimes come towards an abrasive notch, and he'd found it somewhat of a stopgap which turned him away from befriending her in a more considerable manner.

Briar shrugged at the thorny jest, unbothered. "Unless the alcohol's gotten to the princess, already." The silvery-haired leader took the straw to his drink between the fingers, almost as if he were prompted to point it towards Hestia. "In that case, lay it off!" He commanded in banter, his lips creased into a smile.

Enough time had come to pass as the discussions of research between the scholars came to an end when the Champion arrived at their little gathering. Niall had followed Beryl's wandering gaze as he also looked upon the mess that was Ryker. "Looks like someone afforded the taxi a little too late," He offered a salutation towards the Champion, though the mention of the Chairman's supposed absence left him wanting.

Niall could not actually remember among the previous years if it was the usual that the Chairman added to their company on these nights before the challenging season. "Perhaps I'll publish that paper by the time our little team building exercise is entirely convened," He spoke towards Ryker, under the impression that the latter individual was unaware of the Chairman's whereabouts.

"Where did you go through? I wasn't aware that there was a storm about to begin with," Briar followed afterwards in question.

Pokémon: Ascendancy

Niall & Briar

Upon receiving his choice of drink, Niall held the glass up to an eye in a meticulous study; if there was anything that his studious mind was not acquainted with, it was the craft of mixology and all its complexities. He remembered playing things by ear during his first respective annual occasion in this manner, having overheard the components of the mocktail that would make it his annual go-to choice. Although, truthfully speaking, the memorization and recitation had come like clockwork as it was all he ever ordered and knew to order-- he did not want to suffer the commonplace embarrassment in taking long to order.

The ice pinged with an audible swish between his fingertips before Niall took a short sip from the glass, his lips releasing a refreshed drawl as he pointed towards Beryl and Hestia. "If we're making bets on who'll come around first," The silver-haired leader spoke amidst the episodic conversation, turning both face and hand towards the entrance. "Then frankly, my money's on Ryker. The coat guy's probably fallen into Lake Miloch, or something."

"Came in from Circhester this time around, actually," A stronger yet more serene voice followed after the tails of a long trenchcoat as Briar's boots carried the sound of his footsteps loudly from the entrance. Niall appeared visibly surprised at the Ice-type Leader's on-cue appearance, watching the darker-haired man stride towards the bar in earnest. Taking one of the unoccupied seats, Briar gave Charles a presently nod before doing the same towards the rest of the league members.

"There was some traffic on the road," Briar leaned his elbows against the bar, cupping his hands together. "A whiskey, please."

Niall raised a brow with the man's tardiness explanation, which did not make the fullest of sense to him. It was absurd enough to render shorter laughter from him as he vocalized his skepticism. "... through the Wild Area? Beset by a herd of Rhyhorn?"

Briar scoffed, completely unconcerned with the quip before he raised a question towards Charles. "Has Ryker arrived, yet? Or is it something he's finally lost to me at?"

Pokémon: Ascendancy

Niall

All things considered, Hulbury was one of the better places in Galar that Niall liked to visit, although he found it to be severely lacking for its convenient station by the sea. He had long petitioned the Chairman to fund his scholarly collective in way of establishing an actual lab of sorts, or at the very least, dish out some research grants. There was still so much more to learn and uncover from each and every single Pokemon that a mere paragraph from within the Pokedex could tell, and it was quite difficult to study the marine denizens without a significant base of operations to work out from. Nevertheless, focusing on more architectural development such as the stadiums and the profits raked in from entertainment was evidently a bigger priority, but was an expanding graph on a chart really that big of a deal when you were already in the green to begin with?

Rather than the trivialities of what to wear, it was these sort of questions that always served to bother Niall, even as the season of the annual Gym Challenge had kicked up and the respective gym leaders were due for the customary social gathering ahead of the gauntlet. It would have been so easy to abstain from the whole ordeal entirely-- hell, he didn't even have the like nor stomach for alcohol, but sometimes he had to know when to hang up the scientific life for a little.

Except for the lab coat, of course. That was something that always went with him, and he'd be damned if he couldn't fit it into the wardrobe somehow. A fine enough button-up shirt, some comfortable dress trousers and shoes with his standard coat layered atop should have been more than enough for the occasion, he figured. Niall had opted to fly into the port town on the back of Cygnus, given that Motostoke wasn't too terribly far, although he still needed to fly low and slow for fear of a quick mortal end if one did the opposite. He had to take a moment to himself once his feet landed upon the stability of familiar pavement, and only once did he take several drags of the ocean breeze did the silver-haired male make his way for the Cliffside.

The sound from the metal at the far end of his cane reverberated through his venture into the establishment as Niall carried himself with a bit of a characteristic awkwardness. A slight limp marred his stride as he came into the limelight, first spotting Doctor Chambers. "Still copying me, I see?" He made himself vocally known before his eyes settled between each of the gym leaders, one after the other. A quick mental count brought him to the same conclusion that everyone else always had with that Briar guy, but in this occasion, he himself didn't fall too far from the same branch. "Sorry, you know me and flying, I've gotta take it slow."

Taking the open seat beside Beryl, Niall glanced over the countertop and found himself doing the same thing he'd done every year: trying to figure out the differences between any and all of the drinks with their differing names. "I guess a mocktail would do," He offered Charles a weaker smile, shrugging before his attention returned to the rest of the crew. "So, I'm guessing we'll know Ryker's in town when we start hearing fireworks or the like?"

Pokémon: Ascendancy

Briar Blackmore

---

MAIN PROFILE

Name:
Briar Blackmore

Age:
Twenty-eight years old.

Gender:
Male

Birthplace:
Turffield, Galar

Appearance Information:
Standing at an even six feet tall, Briar has a healthy complexion and a fit build from his propensity as an avid hiker. He has dark raven hair with a very subtle plum hue and light green eyes. He tends towards darker clothing, specifically favoring trench coats and tighter-fitting garments to compliment the former-- people often say that this part of his wardrobe makes him look like a private investigator or noir-based spy. Briar always carries a particular pocketwatch on his person at all times.

Personality:
Despite cutting an ordinary and possibly imposing figure, Briar can come off as a rather aloof and strange character; he likes to keep his conversations brief and his connections fairly loose, seeming to carry more of a professional demeanor towards approaching others. Though, in regards to this 'professional' picture, his odd demeanor comes off quite strongly as he is aggressively against certain forms of convenience such as perusing the Flying Taxi. Instead, he prefers to navigate Galar almost exclusively on the ground, which lends credence to his famous reputation for always being late to business and matters with the corporate hemisphere of the Pokemon world. Suffice to say, he very much loves to hike and traverse lands both known and unknown; in particular, he enjoys carving a self-sustaining stead in the bounty of the wilderness. Otherwise, in observation or the company of others, he tends to wear a sullen or neutral look.

Short Biography:
Briar had an ordinary, modest upbringing in a fairly crowded homestead. The eldest among five children, their family owned a plot of land near the heart of Turffield where the Blackmores served the community as artisans, ranchers and Pokemon caretakers, his parents being the latest generation to carry the mantle ahead of their progeny. To that end, Pokemon had always been an integral and necessary part of Briar's life; he would fondly recall tending to and working alongside the Pokemon that coexisted with his family as they carved a humble life for themselves. Just as Turffield was a quiet settlement, the Blackmores too enjoyed the stillness in time's casual passing.

The peace in which their family observed came to be disrupted when a nine-year old Briar witnessed the arrival of whom he had always referred to as the "Suits"-- that is, the associates and representatives of Galar's most powerful conglomerate led by the Chairman of the Pokemon League. The landmark and grounds for a brand new stadium for the Turffield leg of the league was to be chosen, and the land of the Blackmores intersected with the league's blueprints. When efforts to ethically purchase ownership of the land had been refused by the Blackmores, the suits seemed to have abandoned the matter. Yet, as if by mere coincidence, the course of the year saw several notices and missives sent to the Blackmores for supposed infractions with their operations by none other than the conglomerate itself, the latter having exploited loopholes within grandfathered and poorly-worded Galarian laws to successfully evict the Blackmores from their ancestral plot.

This left the Blackmores with nothing but their name and the public perception of such. Though their family received a slew of support from their longtime connections, they opted to leave Turffield altogether and migrated to Hammerlocke, where the family struggled to "get with the times." Briar worked tirelessly alongside his parents to support his younger siblings throughout his younger teenage years, but a more lucrative opportunity arose in the annual Gym Challenge. Despite his qualms with fueling the very same system which took advantage of his family, the prize pool towards becoming the Champion was not the only intent; to become the Champion meant gaining the publicity to strike against and expose the conglomerate, as well as gain the necessary influence to enact change.

Without an endorsement, a seventeen-year old Briar participated within his very first Gym Challenge and, fueled by these personal motivations, swept through the Minor League despite his relative inexperience. He would fully utilize the wisdom from those encounters and make short work of the other competing challengers within the Major League who did not have the selfsame experience garnered from a Minor League gauntlet. He knew his Pokemon in and out, lending to his natural proficiency as a competitor, and though he gravitated towards Ice-types in favor of matching up against the strongest in Dragon-types, his sights had been set just a little too high as he faltered out of his first Gym Challenge just before the Dragon-type Gym Challenge that he had prepared so much for.

Year after year, Briar continued to participate in the Galar Gym Challenge without an endorsement. On his third year, he had even gone so far as to refuse one offered in part of his growing reputation as a regular. Every year, he chose to engage in the crucible that was the Minor League, for all of those battles were giving him more and more battle experience that put him ahead of the other competition-- that, and more of the battles won meant more prize money sent to support the Blackmores at home. In those years, he always fell within the preliminary rounds in the Champion Cup, but his fourth Gym Challenge saw his most successful run where he lost out in the very final round in a vie to challenge the champion themselves. Throughout this span of time, his participation was somewhat of an enigma as his vendetta against the conglomerate was scarce known or understood as he generally refused to speak with the media.

At the end of his fourth challenge was when Briar would be approached about working in the capacity of the Major League as one of its gym leaders. Under normal circumstances, he would have refused, but gaining more clearance on matters with the conglomerate had convinced him otherwise. He reluctantly took the job and his disdain in working for the Chairman was very much evident; throughout the years, he garnered a reputation for being repeatedly late to business and meetings of all kinds. It had come to the point where this tardiness bled into his responsibilities as a Gym Leader of the Major League where he was sometimes absent from his respective holdings during the battling season. This eventually came to a head when the decision was made to demote Briar into the Minor League, where he has served in capacity since.

Likes:

• Hiking
• Carpentry/woodworking
• Battling
• Classical music
• Fish
• Raising Pokemon

Dislikes:

• Authority
• "Suits" (ie: The Chairman)
• Lack of advance notice
• People who live in excess
• Dynamax
• Sweets

Quirks:

• Even with advance notice, Briar is almost always late to some degree for any particular occasion, important or mundane.
• On occasion, Briar likes to set up pranks at any of his previously constructed spaces in the Wild Areas to appear as if they are haunted for those who stumble upon them.

---

LEAGUE PROFILE

Type Specialty:
Ice Type

League Ranking:
TBD (Minor League; current)
TBD (Major League; former)

League Placement:
TBD

Gym Location:
TBD

---

POKEMON

Main Team WIP

[Pokemon #1]
Fir — (Gigantamax) Alolan Ninetales — ♀


[Pokemon #2]
Lime — Lapras — ♀


[Pokemon #3]
Hemlock — Abomasnow — ♂


[Pokemon #4]
Aspen — Baxcalibur — ♂


[Pokemon #5]
Lilac — Froslass — ♀


[Pokemon #6]
Pecan — Frosmoth — ♀

Benched Pokemon WIP

[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 WIP

[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 until all characters are created.]

Pokémon: Ascendancy

Niall Sharpe

---

MAIN PROFILE

Name:
Niall Sharpe

Age:
Twenty-four years old.

Gender:
Male

Birthplace:
Motostoke, Galar

Appearance Information:
Niall has shoulder length silvery-white hair and aquamarine-colored eyes. He stands at an average height of five feet and eight inches, and he wears a pair of dark, somewhat thick-rimmed glasses. Once afflicted with a frail constitution, his health has had a marked improvement over the years actively spent as a trainer and a gym leader. He has a lean and lithe composition, but still tends to tire somewhat easily. He prefers comfortable clothing, tending towards more baggier and casual clothes, but has a habit of simply showing up in his lab coat and researcher attire.

Personality:
The Sharpe scientist lives up to his surname; Niall is a sharp young man with an easygoing, unflappable demeanor. He is a social chameleon who admires the company of colleagues and companions alike, though his social battery has a tendency to burn out rather quickly. He is a fair bit of a geek about his hobbies and his work, and can often drone on and on about his research. This extended conversation can sometimes come off as over-explanation or paint him as a know-it-all, especially when it is the result from one of his pet peeves. In lieu to his occupation and interest as a researcher, he prefers a more hands-on and up-close approach compared to simple observation; this can often put him in the same spotlight as a workaholic to the point of disregarding his own health.

Short Biography:
Growing up, Niall Sharpe was a sickly child-- the second-born son to a dockworker and an industrial architect, the boy had a particularly frail constitution and sensitivity to the elements which left him housebound for a great majority of his adolescent years. The condition rendered him effectively isolated from the other youth as he was reclined to spend much of his own youth within the confines of the four walls called home; despite the modest and fortunate upbringing afforded off the back of his parents' well-compensated and highly-reputed jobs, the glass frame to his window were mere prison bars as he envied his elder sibling, the other children and the selfsame Motostoke street where his house lay.

His parents still made every attempt to involve and ingratiate their child. Niall's father, Nadir, relented in the endeavors, often taking many days and more of his own paid-time-off to carry his son into the wild area to bask in the married majesty of nature and Pokemon, though Niall himself strangely desired and preferred a tour of the mines nearby. On the other hand, his mother, Sakuya, would construct 3D-scale models of all Galar's established settlements to educate and show her son more than just Motostoke. Despite these efforts, Niall was still dejected and dissatisfied with his stake in life-- one night sometime after his thirteenth spring, the boy sneaked out of his house despite the danger to his health and the physical toll imposed upon him, in an effort to see the stars beyond the usual view of his windowsill. Using his knowledge from his mother's sculpted model of Motostoke, he knew the most favorable and secluded location for this event. Yet, it was not as all secluded as he thought.

A youth of barely twenty summers by the name of Igress had also been privy to the selfsame spot to gaze upon the stars, and it just so happened that this figure knew exactly who Niall was. However, the boy was not met with a stern reproach and a walk back home; rather, it seemed this Igress figure was also keen on befriending fellow troublemakers. That night, they formed a lasting friendship as the older youth taught Niall the art behind graffiti-- that is, by technicality, vandalizing the properties that his mother helped to design and plan. Before long, Niall took every other week to meet his acquaintance and spray-paint a new part of the city; though his art skills were fairly mediocre, the boy felt that it was his way of letting the world know that he was there.

A year had come to pass as Niall desperately clung to this new lifeline of sorts, but one particular night posed a life-changing question for the boy as Igress questioned why was it that Niall challenged his lot in life. The thirteen-year old realized beyond the star-gazing and spray-painting, just as art was the joy of expression to him, that expressing joy with others was what he'd always wanted. He'd become inspired by his friend to become a Pokemon Trainer, and even gifted Niall his Murkrow, his first-ever longtime Pokemon. The very next day, he declared to his parents his intention to journey the Galar region and undertake the renowned Gym Challenge. Despite the concerns and challenge presented by his health, their concerns were alleviated by a surprise visit and official endorsement by Igress, who revealed himself to be the very first Gym Leader of the Galar League and specialist of Ghost-type Pokemon.

Despite the official endorsement garnering a substantial amount of attention for the rookie trainer, Niall was very much that of a greenhorn coming into his first ever Gym Challenge. Though he was more than capable against the other junior trainers that were in the same position, his very first defeat came at the hands of Igress himself. His decision to cater towards Dark-type Pokemon would render him victorious in their next encounter the year after, and though Niall often suffered defeat throughout various points of the Gym Challenge, his tenacity year after year and consistent improvements in the placings made him a fan favorite.

The pinnacle of his career as a Gym Challenger came five years after his emergence into the world of competition at eighteen, when Niall won through the Champion's Cup and challenged Ryker himself in the latter's very first title defense. Niall inevitably lost out to the more seasoned Champion, but reaching the title match alone left him satisfied enough to turn away from battling. Over the span of his Gym Challenges, he'd built a rapport with the Pokemon Professor and various visiting researchers from other regions which served to stir his own interest in contributing to the scientific sphere of Pokemon and their realm. For three years, Niall served as a Pokemon Researcher and was an official delegate for Galar's Research Lab, collaborating with other regions' research teams. It was during this time when Igress approached Niall about the idea of inheriting his position as one of Galar's Gym Leaders: though the latter individual was hesitant to make a return into the battling sphere, Niall accepted the proposition under the promise that progress would always come first.

Likes:

• Rain
• Stargazing
• Logic puzzles
• Corny Pokemon puns
• Scientific discussion
• Graffiti
• Death metal
• Roleplaying games

Dislikes:

• Illogical statements
• Lengthy travel
• Loud people
• Heights
• Bullies
• Scary stories

Quirks:

• Is actively attempting to improve his fashion sense, but feels the need to always wear his lab coat.
• Uses a cane to support himself, but doesn't actually need it anymore.
• (Technically) Wanted for vandalism across several Galarian cities for his graffiti.

---

LEAGUE PROFILE

Type Specialty:
Dark Type

League Ranking:
TBD

League Placement:
TBD

Gym Location:
TBD

---

POKEMON

Main Team WIP

[Pokemon #1]
Cygnus — (Gigantamax) Honchkrow — ♀


[Pokemon #2]
Aries — Kingambit — ♂


[Pokemon #3]
Cassiopeia — Hydreigon — ♀


[Pokemon #4]
Lacerta — Krookodile — ♂


[Pokemon #5]
Pyxis — Sharpedo — ♂


[Pokemon #6]
Lynx — Umbreon — ♀

Benched Pokemon WIP

[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 WIP

[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 until all characters are created.]

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."