StarfrostedFox

Wellspring Tavern: The Lich War

Haha! Just picturing the group traveling together and all the odd looks that they are going to get is amusing. Fantasy is fun.

Pokemon: Professor's Academy

August Pine

“Every Pokémon starts somewhere. Sometimes all it takes is the right environment, a little patience, and someone willing to believe in them.”

Full Name: Augustine Thelonius Pine

Age: 23

Year at the Institute: First Year

Favorite Color: Green

Thesis Subject: The Influence of Environmental Conditions and Social Bonds on Pokémon Egg Development and Hatchling Temperament

Appearance:

Standing at 6'3",, August possesses a lean build more suited for long hikes and fieldwork than battling. His dark green hair is perpetually windswept, often falling into his lighter green eyes that seem to sparkle whenever Pokémon are involved. His face is narrow and long, with a pointed chin and sharp cheek bones. His wardrobe consists of comfortable outdoor clothing layered beneath a well-worn Institute jacket with far too many pockets. Various notebooks, incubator sensors, berry samples, and Pokémon treats can usually be found tucked away somewhere on his person. A permanent smile seems etched onto his face, and he’s rarely seen without a clipboard or notebook tucked under one arm.

Personality:

August is relentlessly optimistic and approachable. He possesses an almost infectious enthusiasm that makes it difficult for others to stay pessimistic around him for long. While many students focus on battling applications or evolutionary research, August finds genuine joy in observing the earliest stages of a Pokémon’s life.

As a new student, he approaches the Institute with a sense of wonder and excitement. He eagerly asks questions, volunteers for research opportunities, and is always looking for chances to learn from more experienced classmates and professors. His enthusiasm occasionally gets him into trouble, as he tends to jump into projects before considering whether he has the time or expertise to handle them.

Though intelligent and hardworking, August is still developing his confidence as a researcher. He sometimes worries that his focus on breeding and hatchling studies is less prestigious than other fields of Pokémon research, but his genuine passion for the subject always shines through. He approaches both people and Pokémon with kindness and patience, preferring cooperation over confrontation whenever possible.

Bio:

August grew up outside Solaceon Town in Sinnoh, where the Pokémon Day Care quickly became a second home to him. While other children dreamed of becoming Champions, August spent his afternoons helping caretakers feed Pokémon, clean enclosures, and observe newly hatched Pokémon taking their first steps.

His fascination with Pokémon breeding only deepened as he grew older. He became particularly interested in why Pokémon raised in different environments often developed noticeably different temperaments or physical characteristics despite being the same species. Throughout his teenage years, he filled journal after journal with observations on Pokémon behavior, incubation conditions, and hatchling development. Local breeders and Day Care workers quickly learned that if an Egg needed watching, August was eager to help.

When he was 15, he came across a solitary egg that had been abandoned on a beach, or so it seemed. Remnants of other eggs lay scattered about the sand, fragments of shells and dimples of small feet pressed into the ground. He claimed the lone egg and began caring for it at once, using a fabric sling to carry it everywhere with him. When it finally hatched into the tiniest Slowpoke he had ever seen. It fascinated him to know why she had developed so small. She was healthy otherwise, just tiny.

Unlike many Institute students who arrived with extensive field experience, August's knowledge comes primarily from hands-on work at local breeding centers and Day Care facilities. Though he lacks the experience of some upperclassmen, his enthusiasm and dedication have already made an impression on both staff and fellow students.

After submitting a proposal centered on the relationship between environmental conditions and hatchling development, August was accepted into the Laventon Institute as a first-year student. He arrived on campus eager to learn from professors and researchers whose work he had admired for years. Though still new to campus, he has quickly gained a reputation for volunteering whenever Pokémon care is involved. Many students have already learned that if an Egg needs monitoring or a hatchling needs attention, August is usually the first person to offer help.

Now beginning his first year, August hopes to develop the skills necessary to turn his lifelong passion into meaningful research. While his thesis is still in its early stages, he dreams of one day creating a comprehensive framework demonstrating how environmental factors and social interactions influence Pokémon growth from the moment an Egg is laid until maturity.

Pokémon:

Research Team

Slowpoke, F, Nugget

The first Pokémon he ever hatched, Nugget is completely devoted to August. Though she doesn't feel she brings much to his research, she's happy that he keeps her around. Endlessly patient, she enjoys observing long before she makes any comments. She has a deep love for dried pineapple.

Chansey, F, Sunny

August's second oldest partner and the unofficial caretaker of his entire team. Sunny assists with monitoring Eggs and caring for young Pokémon, often noticing signs of discomfort long before he does. Her nurturing personality perfectly complements his research interests.

Fletchinder, M, Scout

Energetic and endlessly curious, Scout helps August travel between field sites and locate nesting grounds. While not yet fully evolved, he is dependable and always eager to help with research excursions.
Minccino, F, Poppy

An obsessive cleaner who keeps August's workspace remarkably organized. Poppy frequently helps prepare habitats for newly hatched Pokémon and seems personally offended by dust.

Quirks:

• Keeps meticulous journals documenting the first moments of every Pokémon hatchling he encounters.

• Can accurately identify many Pokémon species simply by examining their Eggs.

• Gives encouraging nicknames to almost everyone he meets, often forgetting to ask whether they actually like them.

• Carries emergency Pokémon snacks at all times “just in case.”

• Has never successfully walked past an Egg without stopping to inspect it.

• Gets visibly excited whenever a professor mentions breeding studies, Egg Groups, or environmental influence.

Pokemon: Professor's Academy

@RisingRobin Thank you! I'll work on an introduction soon! Do you want me to wait and post it after a certain point or get it posted right away? glad you're through your move, those can be time-consuming. Did all go well?

Also, just as a heads up, I'm legally blind and dictate most of what I write, so there may be instances where things get misspelled. Homophones are my bane. Haha! Anyone is free to point them out to me and I can fix them, just be polite about it. :)

Pokémon: Battles of the ascendant League

But it was a wonderful tangent! I laughed. And I really shouldn't laugh right now, but it was worth it. Thank you! I haven't played Sims in years, but that didn't matter. It was completely relatable.

Pokémon: Battles of the ascendant League

Thank you. At least it didn't turn into pneumonia. How are you feeling?

Pokémon: Battles of the ascendant League

I agree. And if it helps, then enjoy it for sure!

I ended up going to the doctor today because I was getting worse. I have bronchitis, but I've started on antibiotics and other medicine. Fun times.

Pokémon: Battles of the ascendant League

My head cannot handle metal music. Heh. If Adolphian likes it, power to him. He can keep it. ;) I'm prone to headaches and have more sensitive hearing with my blindness, so that's part of it. The Finnish polka I was enjoying. It immediately struck me that I recognize the song and it wasn't until just a little while ago that I realized why. I had a memory of my sister being really into Vocaloids and her sharing some of the music with me. I looked it up and found that Miku had a very popular song based off of the one you shared. Listening to it brought back a lot of memories.

Pokémon: Battles of the ascendant League

Duh. Sorry, I guess I'm a little more out of it than I realized. I did catch it at the end of your last post, so I had to laugh at myself when I read your reply. And your reply was fantastic. I think the cursing was very clever.

Pokémon: Battles of the ascendant League

We should be currently progressing our characters to Jubelife City. They should get their letters and make their way to Sinnoh. You get to choose how you get your character from point A to point B. Be creative, time skip, set your course to intersect with someone else's character, whichever you would enjoy writing the most.

Frostecs, a crash sounds epically chaotic. It's a really fun idea. You did mention that the Pokémon he's currently flying on is injured, so it's very believable. Have fun with it. I look forward to the shenanigans.

I'm planning on listening to the music soon, but I think nerding out about our characters is part of the fun of making them. It's something that breathes life into them and makes us excited to play them and imagine them.

Pokémon: Battles of the ascendant League

Her laughter had subsided into softer giggles by the time Maeve’s attention was drawn away from the tussle of feathers and fur by another movement, another man waving in greeting in her direction. The last of the laughter immediately faded, though she did her best to keep a friendly smile in its place. At least she had managed to get herself off the ground by this point.

Her eyes swept over the approaching figure, instinctively assessing everything she saw. He was shorter than she was by several inches, with delicate features that could have been mistaken for a woman’s if she’d only caught a brief glance. He wore finely tailored clothing in various shades of pink, accented by similarly colored accessories. What stood out most, however, was the ease with which he carried himself. There was no hesitation or self-consciousness in his posture, only quiet confidence. Maeve found herself respecting that almost immediately. Confidence born from knowing exactly who you were tended to be far rarer a find in people than any particular fashion choice.

The immediate side effect, however, was a sudden awareness of her own appearance. She felt underdressed, under-groomed, and wholly unprepared to meet someone who looked so much more elegant and put together than she had ever been in her life. Surreptitiously, she brushed at a smear of dirt on her pants before quickly abandoning the effort. Her clothes needed a proper wash, and there was simply no getting around that.

When the man called out to her, she found herself mildly surprised by his tone. He spoke as though he were greeting an old friend rather than a complete stranger. It was disarming in a way she hadn’t expected, and she felt some of the usual tension that accompanied meeting new people ease from her shoulders. It was still there, but not as dominant as it usually was.

Maeve’s eyes quickly flickered back to the flowerbed and then returned to the approaching stranger. The contrast between the chaos that had unfolded behind her and the ease with which he approached was difficult to miss. She almost laughed. Tempest had only just managed to recover his dignity after being knocked out of the air, ruffling his feathers and giving the Zoroark a look of exasperated annoyance. Whisper looked entirely too pleased with herself, indifferent to the glare.

Maeve exhaled softly. "I'd like to say that this sort of behavior is unusual," she answered honestly, "but this is pretty normal for Whisper." She indicated the Zoroark, who grinned.

Her gaze automatically dropped to the Pokémon peeking from behind Liam’s leg as he was introduced. Boo’s hesitation contrasted sharply with his trainer’s confidence, and she found herself wondering how the pair had ended up together. She had thought that it was a Pikachu hiding behind him initially, but as she looked, she quickly realized that that assumption had been wrong. It was Pikachu like, but there were enough indicators to tell her that this was a Pokémon trying to appear like it was a Pikachu. It tickled at her recollection, but she couldn't quite put a finger on it just then.

"My Bridget is like that as well," she said, rubbing gently at the Amphiros's head.

Bridget, for her part, was showing a remarkable amount of self-control. Instead of running over and enthusiastically introducing herself or tackling the unsuspecting trainer in a hug, she was beaming at them and waving her arms quite enthusiastically.

“Nice to meet you, Liam. I’m Maeve Brennan.”
As he mentioned the invitation, she glanced down at the envelope still resting in her hand before looking back up at him, her gaze sharpening. So he had one as well.
"I did." The statement was simple and matter-of-fact, more confirmation than conversation.

As if realizing this, she shuffled slightly, and for a moment, she studied Liam, not suspicious so much as curious. He didn’t seem particularly bothered by introducing himself to a complete stranger in the middle of a minor disaster.

"Have you been traveling long," she asked. “Most people I’ve met on the road don’t stop to admire the scenery before reaching their destination. Not trainers strong enough to be invited to a high tier competition in any case."

It wasn’t quite friendly conversation yet, but it was closer than most of her interactions with strangers tended to be. An invitation to continue the conversation, if nothing else.