Nothing had changed. All the sensations she remembered were still there: the sinking feeling in her stomach, the deafening howl of the wind, the sharp pain in her eyes when she dared try and open them. The only thing missing was the rain. And... it was brighter too, she supposed. She was no longer cold.
Oh, and someone was screaming.
She was curious as to who and why, so she opened her eyes a little - but all she saw was the sky. It was strangely blue. Sort of calming, actually. If she was cursed to fall for all eternity, at least the gods had the courtesy to make it a sunny eternity.
Then she hit the ground.
Her entire world exploded into a flurry of dirt and grass, with a splash of petals to give colour to the chaos. Then, after a moment, everything settled. The sky was still blue, and she was still staring up at it underneath her new, makeshift blanket of mangled flora.
... Huh? Wait, was... that it? She’d expected it to hurt more. A lot more. So much more that she’d died on the spot in excruciating agony, with police sirens going off in the distance.
Saya sat up, realizing she did so in a crater. Crawling out was a menial task, but finding her balance afterwards was not. Her legs felt weird. Her body felt weird. Her head definitely felt weird, as if she had carried an extra weight that threatened to tip her forwards.
She took a step - and forwards she tipped, losing her balance and crashing right in front of some guy on a horse.
He asked if they’d just plummeted from the sky. Considering she was still lying face down on the ground, she could not see his expression - but she could hear his enthusiasm.
She hated him already.
But not enough to pry herself off the ground and give him a look.
Nah. The ground was, all things considered, quite comfy.
Reinstituting the speaker turned out to be a trivial task, done in a jiffy. Just in case, Duncan turned the thing around to make sure everything else was in place. Like batteries. Man, how many things even needed batteries nowadays? Talk about a blast from the past.
Pebs seemed to be done on her end as well. ‘Bout time, she’d been messing with the plant for a while.
It looked like whatever she’d been doing had went well though, if her face was anything to go by. The giddiness made Duncan smile a bit too, despite the circumstances. But hey, at least they were making progress. Anytime now, they'd get back to civilization and could go over their experiences over a beer or something. If she drank beer. .. Wine? Who drank wine, anyway.
Duncan grinned at her appraisal, and couldn’t help but chuckle at the words themselves. “You kiddin’ me? This old piece of scrap hasn’t been new in a decade. We’ll be lucky if we still get a sound out.”
She held up keys and another piece of paper. Apparently they were something the plant had coughed up. Well damn, he wouldn’t have... thought to check that. Who hid their shit in a plant? Well, whatever, he wasn’t complaining.
“Fingers crossed.” He crossed his for a brief moment, then set the car on the ground. With remote in one hand and the other hovering over the radio’s play button, he went on to announce, “Background music for suspense--- is a go!”
He turned on the radio and tried to steer the car forwards at the same time, hoping he had one more hand to cross fingers with.
* or just Saya for short; honestly, either one feels just as foreign to her
R a c e:
Oni
P e r s o n a l i t y:
Saya is not quite what one would expect from an oni. In fact, in many ways, she's the exact opposite, having retained large chunks of her personality from the life prior. Calm and reserved, she prefers to keep to herself and observe any given situation - or person, as the case may be - from afar until she can figure out the best way to approach it. Saya seems to consider every word carefully before letting it pass her lips, and has a tendency for needless formalities - much as she dislikes them, in truth. Somewhat of a pessimist, the list of things she genuinely likes is tragically short, and she isn't the warmest of persons out there. She isn't sure why, but it almost feels as though she's unused to both giving or receiving affection. Regardless, she will always try to solve any given problem with diplomacy first, provided she doesn't just try to ignore it in the first place. Her desire not to get involved with trouble runs deep, and she's become quite adept at simply 'not noticing' things she doesn't like.
However, with her new life, new body and new, strange blood running in her veins, Saya's calm, patient nature has started to show cracks here and there. While she used to keep all unpleasant feelings bottled up inside, where they could not cause any discord or trouble for her or the people around her, she's found it to be much more... difficult than she remembers nowadays. That is to say, when her feelings reach a fever pitch, they burst out violently - followed by literal flames. This has presented her with a dilemma; either she has to let her grievances show at the moment of experiencing them, or she must risk them boiling over and exploding all over the place at random. Neither option sounds all too pleasing, and she's yet to figure out which is the less of two evils.
A p p e a r a n c e:
Though she would prefer otherwise, it is her horns that people tend to take note of first. Long, sharp and distracting,, they protrude forth from her brow towards the sky. They're reddish brown in colour, and gain a deep red glow whenever she utilizes her magical prowess. They're also what cause people to make assumptions about her, and they make sleeping inconvenient at best, a hazard at worst. She hates them.
Apart from that, Saya isn't really all that memorable as far as appearances go. She's somewhat on the taller side, standing firmly at 5'7'' with a lithe build ideal for a martial artist. Which is weird, because something tells her she wasn't quite as physically active in her past life. She's somewhat curvy, though not really eye-catchingly so, and muscle makes her clock in at a heavier weight than one would expect. She has red eyes that seem to always be judging you or yours, and like her horns, they, too, flare up when she uses her fire magic. Her skin is pale and her hair paler, cascading down her back in long, white locks. She doesn't remember her hair having been this long either, and has some trouble keeping it out of her way.
When it comes to first impressions, Saya doesn't necessarily leave a lasting one. You'll probably notice the horns, assume she's a savage warrior from a tribe to the east -- and then quickly find yourself taken aback by her stiff speech and mannerisms. She'll probably get angry about it at some point and self-combust, and then you go right back to the savage assumption again. That is, unless you've forgotten she exists by that point. Despite everything, she blends into the background pretty easily, to a point she'd be pretty adept at surprise attacks. Is that another skill of hers?
B l e s s i n g - way of a million blades
Saya's blessing takes the form of a wakizashi, found on her hip upon spawning. Though unassuming in appearance, it is magical in nature and holds the capability to become whatever weapon its wielder wishes - provided they have witnessed the desired form before. That is to say, it cannot become an imaginary thing, or one of the world prior, nor something its wielder has only heard spoken of. Furthermore, it will only mimic the physical traits of whatever it transforms into, and cannot, for example, copy the magical traits of another weapon. There is no limit as to how often the wakizashi can change form, allowing for a number of combination attacks; from the stab of a spear to a few quick slashes and then a finishing blow by an axe.
While the wakizashi is the physical manifestation of Saya's blessing, there is another, purely magical component that accompanies it. After all, what would a weaponmaster be without knowledge of their craft? The first time Saya holds any weapon in her hands, she intrinsically understands how to use it - as if she had done so her entire life. She can wield her weapon as an extension of her body, and instinct can guide her where her mind cannot. This allows her to challenge a variety of opponents she would normally find herself instantly felled by. It also allows her to adapt to a variety of different fighting styles, going from a rogue-like stealth with a dagger to powering her way through enemies with a hammer.
At present, having just spawned, she only knows how to operate her wakizashi in its base form - as a simple short blade.
A b i l i t i e s - perfect flow
Though Saya doesn't remember having ever fought before, her body seems to know its way around a fight. Her movement in battle seem practiced and nimble, she isn't prone to exhaustion and the switch from one fighting style to the next seem impossibly smooth - eventually. Right now, all she can do is display some impressive side-stepping abilities and stab you with her tiny little sword over and over again.
M a g i c - dancing pyre
Unrelated to her prowess with the blade, Saya seems to have a strong affinity for certain type of magic. Namely, fire magic. However, her control of it is shaky at best, as it seems to be strictly tied to her emotions. Whenever excited, startled, angry, or experiencing other such sudden, strong emotion, fire bursts into life within her. Her weapon, being an extension of herself, can utilize these flames in all of its forms, from fire arrows to a burning blade - but Saya herself doesn't have much control of it, at least at present. Luckily, the flames don't burn her or her clothes, though her other belongings aren't quite as lucky. She probably should not be tasked with carrying any important papers anytime soon.
Whether she has potential for other similar types of magic, such as lightning, remains to be seen. More pressingly, she just wants to learn to control what she has access to now.
E q u i p m e n t - from one, many
Saya's only equipment, in addition to the clothes on her back, is her wakizashi. For some reason, she feels compelled to give it a name.
Oh! Right, see, that's what I thought since you have the same avatar and everything, but then your role says Vaal so I was confused :'D @CollectorOfMyst you might wanna fix that.
May contain typos and such, I'll have another look with better eyes later on.
"Right, the deal's this; I ain't need no Pokémon to beat your fucking ass. So you play by the rules, or I'll send out my fist."
Name: Fyodor Kaschak
Nicknames: Fedya, Fifi (note: only use this one if you really want to die - or are cute enough to get away with it)
Aliases: Mad Dog, Rotten Monk, That Crazy Fucker, The Beast of the East
Age: 22
Gender: Male
Origin: Ecruteak City, Johto
Appearance: As is clear from a glance, Fedya exudes trouble. From the fiery red hair to the many piercings scattered throughout his body and the rather aggressive body language constantly on display, he doesn't strike a very friendly image. It's rare to catch his face in anything but an annoyed frown or an angry scowl - unless, that is, you happen to catch one of his shit-eating grins. If so, run for the hills, because he is coming for you, and he runs fast.
Fedya stands at a rather tall 6'4'', with broad shoulders (don't let the picture fool you damnit), long limbs and large hands, in particular. Some would call him a punk based on his appearance, while others would liken him to a musclehead - neither observation being too far off. Either way, it's rare to see him wearing anything remotely formal; usually, he either dons his - heavily modified - monk garb, or throws on whatever he happens to find at the time. Honestly, as long as there's chains in his getup, he's happy.
Personality: The general public knows him by many names, none of which are pleasant - or entirely undeserved. He's reclusive and enigmatic, rarely appearing in public or giving speeches - and when he does, he always seems disproportionately angry about it. Rumours pin him as unpredictable, scary, even dangerous, having been involved in gang activity in the past. There is certainly truth to all that, and he is as crude as he is short-tempered, with violence a real, tangible threat when he gets angry enough.
With that said, those who know him the best have also seen a completely different side of him, one not known to the general public. The side that has him staying up the whole night to tend to a crying baby Pokémon. The side that turns him into a flustered, bumbling mess when anyone or anything cute bats eyes at him. The side that makes him throw himself into the fray with reckless abandon when someone he cares about needs protecting. That is to say, bad as he might be, it's not to the core.
He'll get angry if you point it out to him, though.
Short Biography: The trials and tribulations of Fedya's life are enough to fill multiple books. And yet, the details known to the general public are few. Fedya seems to have been living with the good monks of Ecruteak city for most of his life - until he started a violent altercation and had to be pried off his perceived victim. No Pokémon were found in his possession at the time, though quite many seemed intent on following him as he was carried away from the site. Mostly baby Pokémon, many of which seemed rather distressed when he was removed. One Azurill was particularly intent on following, so it was taken with him. The incident didn't make national news and remains something only a few local people can recall.
Years later, he emerged in the distant region of Orre. He was involved in a series of violent raids in the local colosseums and underground establishments as a part of a small gang, and earned quite a fearsome reputation. Supposedly, he was a damn fierce fighter. Not when it came to Pokémon, mind, but in pure martial prowess. He also had a scary water Pokémon with him, though the records don't agree on which one. Many suspected it to be a Feraligatr, a Gyarados, or something equally intimidating. The gang was eventually disbanded, and Fedya disappeared with it.
After years of obscurity, he re-emerged across regions, taking on gyms and other similar challenges with a team of ragtag Pokémon. It was unclear what had made him suddenly care about Pokémon training or the gym challenges, but he seemed determined as ever to get far. He reached the Elite of a few regions, but then disappeared. Whether he had lost, given up or gotten in some sort of trouble that forced him to quit his challenge midway through, none knew.
A few years ago, new rumours surfaced. According to them, he'd fought his way into joining the Sinnoh Elite - where he remained to this day. Whether true or mere hearsay seems debated, as he rarely makes public appearances, and many that take on the challenge lose before ever reaching him. Still, there are sightings of him together with the other Elites - some even claim they've seen him smile! But those, at least, must be fake news.
Pokemon: Fedya's team mostly consists of cute or pretty Pokémon - or at least those that used to be such in their earlier forms. Though if you ask him, he'll have you know Missy the Incineroar is still the most adorable fucking kitten out there, thanks.
In addition to the Pokémon listed here, he takes care of a bunch of baby Pokémon, as well as a few injured or abandoned ones. They are, however, neither capable nor meant for battle, and technically do not belong to him.
Current team (will update accordingly as this changes in the rp):
Full team
Name: Zuzu Species: Azumarill Gender: Female Ability: Huge Power Appearance: Zuzu's ears are much longer than usual, and both of them flop down at the ends. Personality: Headstrong and stubborn, Zuzu shares her trainer's reckless heroism, and never backs down from a fight. At the same time, very much unlike her trainer, she has an eye for detail and a strategic mind. She tends to be the strategist of the team, even if she does make Fedya think he was the one to come up with said ideas. She looks out for him, and is the first to jump to Fedya's defense if he's slighted. Same goes for the rest of his team, or anyone else she perceives to be weaker than her. Move Set: Belly Drum, Aqua Jet, Body Slam, Bulldoze
Name: Missy Species: Incineroar Gender: Male, though the name might suggest otherwise Ability: Intimidate Appearance: Missy is fluffy; there's no two ways about it. While his species usually has short, rough fur, he is a bipedal ball of red fluff. Very cozy to cuddle, if you're alright with the beating that will inevitably follow. Personality: Missy used to be such a nice kitty, always purring on Fedya's lap. Then he grew up. Even more short-tempered than his owner, Missy's one and only solution to most every problem is literally throwing his body at it. Repeatedly. If it doesn't work, he cloaks himself in flames and tries again. He's not the smartest cookie out there, but he has a good heart that is easily swayed by treats. Scritch his ears, and he melts into a puddle - and then probably melts you into a puddle afterwards. Fedya says it's worth it, though. Move Set: Earthquake, Fake Out, Swords Dance, Thunder punch
Name: Her Royal Highness (or Highness, for short) Species: (Alolan) Ninetales Gender: Female Ability: Snow Warning Appearance: Highness is quite unusual in a number of ways. For one, she has an extra tail. Though it is technically a birth defect, she considers it a mark of her superiority and feels not a shred of shame over it. Her fur is also more a pinkish shade than blue [like so.] Personality: With a name like hers, how could she not be full of herself? A spoiled little thing, she carries herself like an actual royal, expecting the whole world to bow down at her feet - and getting incredibly fussy when it doesn't happen. She abhors dirt and dislikes fighting, considering it barbaric. She can be easily coerced to fight if given enough compliments, though. Move Set: Calm Mind, Dark Pulse, Dream Eater, Solar Beam
Name: Sage Species: Reuniclus Gender: Male Ability: Magic Guard Appearance: Sage is a standard Reuniclus in all manners but one; his expression never changes. Come what may, his face does not reflect it. Personality: Does he have one? That's what many would ask when confronted with his silently floating form. Fedya knows better. A survivor of abuse, Sage had lost all emotion when Fedya rescued him. Ever since, he's gradually gained back bits of it, even if no one else but his trainer can tell. He's very contemplative and quiet, but very caring. He's always looking out for his friends and has a surprisingly good memory for details. He knows everyone's birthday, for one. So don't be surprised if you wake up on your special day with a gift by your pillow. Move Set: Trick Room, Calm Mind, Focus Blast, Energy Ball
Name: Neenee Species: Dedenne Gender: Male Ability: Cheek Pouch Appearance: Species standard. Personality: Childish, curious and always hungry, no pocket or bag is safe from Neenee's nosy little nose. He is a bit of a kleptomaniac, tending to nab everything that interests him - particularly food, but jewelry is a second favourite. He's mischievous as well, so don't be surprised if he purposefully paralyses you with a nuzzle so he can help himself to your belongings. He tends to sit atop Fedya's head, getting his fair all messy with cookie crumbles. Move Set: Magnet Rise, Double Team, Super Fang, Attract
Name: Spunk Species: Pancham Gender: Male Ability: Mold Breaker Appearance: Spunk is tiny, falling several inches short of the species standard. His fur is also much darker, bordering on black. Personality: As his name implies, Spunk is, well, spunky. Despite his small size, he's out there to take on the world. He really wants to be a fighter one day, and always yearns to prove his worth. The stronger the opponent, the better! ... Unless they're too strong, because then he'll have to make a strategic retreat. But it's only temporary, okay-! He's not scared, that stuff's for nerds. Move Set: Foul Play, Gunk Shot, Rock Slide, Zen Headbutt
Name: Spook Species: Mimikyu Gender: Female Ability: Disguise Appearance: While most Mimikyu tend to wrap themselves in a cloth resembling a Pikachu, Spook has opted to wear one made to look like an Umbreon instead. She finds it better suited for hiding purposes. Personality: Shy and reserved, Spook is nevertheless a very curious Pokémon. She loves to observe everything people and Pokémon around her do, yet gets very startled if someone actually approaches her. She's clumsy and tends to trip on the edges of her cloth a lot. She's also a bit of a crybaby, and has low tolerance for pain. Even so, she should not be underestimated; as a battler, she can pull her own weight. Move Set: Destiny Bond, Curse, Will o Wisp, Swords Dance
Name: Essie Species: Espurr Gender: Female Ability: Infiltrator Appearance: A regular Espurr with messy fur, the result of years of neglect. Personality: Espurr isn't technically ready to be used for fighting yet, even though he's part of Fedya's team. She was a rescue kitty that was supposed to be given to another young trainer after she was done recuperating - but she refused to leave Fedya's side. To this day, she tends to always find her way to wherever he goes, silently watching his every move with her unblinking eyes. It's... a bit disturbing, even if she means well. Probably. Fedya isn't exactly sure what she's like quite yet, as she's yet to open up to him - or speak, in general. Move Set: Skill Swap, Dark Pule, Charge Beam, Torment
Name: Bloom Species: Meganium Gender: Female Ability: Overgrow Appearance: The flower around bloom's neck is a darker shade of red, and its form resembles the petals of a rose. Personality: Bloom is the mother hen of the group. Calm, responsible and never at a loss for an answer to any problem, she's the rock that keeps the team together - and Fedya in line. The baby Pokémon Fedya takes care of particularly love her, and she treats them all like her children. Bloom tends to take slights against her in a stride, but only to an extent. Her patience is overflowing, but not endless. And once it runs out, heaven help the poor soul responsible for it. Hell hath no fury like a momma Meganium scorned. Move Set: Leech Seed, Leaf Storm, Heal Pulse, Substitute
Name: Caesar Species: Dragonite Gender: Male Ability: Multiscale Appearance: Your usual Dragonite, only littered with scars and bruises from fights past. A piece of his tail is missing, and the horn on his head has long since broken. Personality: If Bloom is the mother of the group, Caesar is the grandfather. He's old and somewhat grumpy, yet has a soft spot for youth, be they Pokémon or trainers. He's packed full of stories from his life, some pleasant - and some too traumatic to tell with baby Pokémon in the room. He used to belong to a Pokémon poacher, and has done many a bad thing under his previous trainer's command. He tries to atone for such things nowadays, attacking wrongdoers with a particular vigor. He's one of Fedya's strongest fighters, and he respects the old dragon a lot. Move Set: Extreme Speed, Stone Edge, Earthquake, Brutal Swing
Summary: Angry ball of anger with anger issues
Other:
- Carries a baseball bat with him wherever he goes. It's 'decorated' with nails and the signatures of his old gang mates - and though he always threatens to bash people's heads in with it when angry, he's yet to do so once. The bat's too precious - his fist will do just fine, anyway.
- Is disturbingly adept at hand to hand combat, as well as picking up random objects and swinging them around as makeshift weapons. Not that it matters much in the world of trainers; a hyper beam from a Dragonite tends to be much scarier than a punch from even the best martial artist out there. That is, if you own Pokémon. Oh, you poor bastard if you don't.
As long as the IC itself remains here, I'm up for using Discord for communication. It's really good for that, I just dislike using it for posts. You got a point that we should actually probably decide what we want to do together, and that's easier in a Discord too.