General blog TWs: emotional/physical/psychological abuse (People and Pokémon), neglect, misogyny implications, violence, potentially graphic descriptions of violence, murder mentions, harsh language, ableism implications, religious iconography, blasphemy, vague political implications, muse who is generally an asshole
I'm Mildew (he/it 25+), welcome to my RP sideblog for Ghetsis from Pokemon. The blog this one leeches off of is @aelirus
I wrote Ghetsis for a while in short-form RP back in 2016, and never in long form despite being super invested in him. So, here's where I'll be doing that.
I'm a pretty friendly person, I try to write with and befriend a broad range of people... with exceptions for the usual suspects (don't be a pos and dont be a creep.) I can be shy reaching-out first, and maybe tend to talk too much when I think it's okay. Never worry about annoying me or telling me off, I've dealt with it all and I can establish boundaries if needed/respect others' boundaries.
Thanks for reading.
⚔︎RULES:
Here are rules that are specific to Ghetsis' blog, as he will be played a bit differently than my Cyrus blog (@aelirus):
While Ghetsis is a very interesting character, he lacks the same amount of depth my other muses have. For this reason, he's going to be used more for the purposes of events and conflicts. Don't expect a lot of growth out of him or character arcs (although not entirely off the table in highly select cases.)
As an addition to that rule, I probably will have lower activity with Ghetsis and simply use him when the need arises. (That being said "lower activity" for me is a mystery. Because I love to talk and write.)
As another addition to the first rule, you can absolutely feel free to use Ghetsis as a set piece for events/conflicts. He is the "biggest bad" there is. Thanks to alternate universe fuckery that I subscribe to, I can even allow him to be defeated in a myriad of ways or timelines.
I have one condition with this: "Defeating him" needs to have meaning, and make sense. If I feel like he's being pushed around or being underestimated OOC, I will try to nudge things back in the right direction. If that doesn't work, I'll tell you directly in DMs, and I might lose motivation for the idea altogether.
Work with me, please. I would much rather your character have an interesting story to tell.
I should probably put this on my Cyrus blog too, but: Ghetsis is a STRATEGIST. He knows Pokémon battling like no one's business, and using Pokémon in general to get what he wants. I, HOWEVER... I haven't fought a single competitive battle in Pokémon. Have mercy on my soul 🙏 (And because of this, I typically subscribe more to non-game-logic battle sequences. Such as discussing generally what we want to take place, and trusting that both sides will make something fun and interesting come of it.)
That's all for now. Anything else, I'll add in the future and post about it so people know.
Now onto rules across both blogs for posterity-
More serious stuff.
Number one is pretty simple: If you're an asshole, I don't want you around. If you roll your eyes when someone brings up their experience as bipoc, or at pronouns or neopronouns or real shit going on in the world, get lost.
You can consider this rule 1a: If you delight in annoying people who don't want to see certain things, you're also not welcome. this includes anyone who calls themselves "proship". I'm not here for any of that.
Now the more simple/given rules:
GHETSIS IS AN ASSHOLE. Don't expect to change him without a lot of push back, don't expect him to feel bad for something he does to your muse. This in no way reflects how I, the writer, see you or your character. If you want me to dial something back, tell me!
Blog might be suggestive at times, and usually in joking fashion, but anything explicit will not take place here.
Related, but if I follow a blog whose Mun/Writer is under 18 and interacts with mature posts, I will reach out and warn them or block/unfollow depending on what it is.
Non-RP blogs can absolutely follow and interact with me! I'm chill. But please be mindful of interacting with threads that include other roleplayers, as their stance can be different.
When writing with me, don't assume what my muse will do unless previously discussed. AKA: no godmodding.
Don't be too pushy for responses. I'm an adult, I've got typically low motivation, stuff happens. However, if we both really like an idea and neither of us can get through a whole thread in order to pull it off, we can totally chat in DMs about the scenario and bring it to life that way!
Go wild with Asks, have fun. I'll pick and choose what I can and can't/don't want to do, whether because of my motivation or whatever other reason. If I truly have a problem with anything, I'll message or respond with the request to stop.
I might have more rules eventually, but this is a good starting place. Talk to me if you've got any questions or concerns!
Need to be able to make music so I can demonstrate what I want out of a musical au.
Wrestling and theatre are one and the same so if you saw my long ass post about wrestling au alder you already know how deep I can get in it. A wrestling match is a dance routine.
so anyway I'm imagining any part in the musical with plasma as being very operatic. The protags being more rock.
the battle between n and alder is represented by alders loud, deep and steady voice contrasting N's higher sharper tone eventually being drowned out by a rising choir that comes to surround the stage like the plasma castle surrounding the league building. Eventually alder goes silent and the song becomes a solo by N about his triumph, of course egged on by the plasma choir.
the first to sing in the choir is always ghetsis unless he is the one doing the singing. Typically in previous pieces he was off to the side and somewhat obscured by shadow, but now he's in the very center of the background taking up as much space as possible.
we go into the decisive battle with n, it's an amazing fusion of rock and opera. The songs general theme is that n and the protag take turns singing their pieces, end up always singing the chorus together since ultimately the line between truth and ideals is blurred, and by the end of the song they're both singing their different lyrics at the same time. And it flows perfectly. The last few lines are N copying what the protag is saying, and then finally following after the protag with less strength in his tone.
We finish out the song with a triumphant guitar..... we get a bit of a moment of reflection and dialogue as the backing drums from the rock portion of the previous song continue to beat like a heart in the background.
leading into Ghetsis' battle, this drum beats more frantic and erratic, until eventually it's drowned out and taken over by his symphony and timpani. Then we just have an extravagant, over the top operatic piece that goes all in. It's pure noise, unreasonable and unyielding. Any attempts at the electric guitar breaking through are promptly snuffed out...
this piece probably ends after the symphony and ghetsis' singing have accelerated to a point that anyone would think was inhuman, and the protag uses this momentum (riding off the coattails of an unstoppable, insurmountable force) as like.... an intro for their rock piece. When ghetsis and the symphony can't go on anymore, they're abruptly overtaken. The rock becomes screeching and angry as his rage reaches its peak, and when he finally escapes the stage he's followed by the ghostly howls of his choir, dwindling away to nothing.
I think the very final piece of this musical would be all the gym leaders and Rivals and elites and other friends met along the way coming together to sing, and then act as the backing vocals for the protags. N is long gone at this point, alder is given his voice back, uses that voice to prop up a young Iris-- and as the music dwindles away, the beating of drums like a heartbeat is all we're left with until it fades away too.
i love goofy silly fun as much as i love gunning for the potential of a character if they were given the opportunity to be as fleshed out as they couldve been
anyway, i just say that because ghetsis has his dorky "totally not an evil bad guy" lines in bw and im like yes, i can acknowledge that and love it, but you've gotta have some stakes. If not with mr Catholic Church over here, then who? The nerds who werent paying attention in geology class?
actually, just so this post has a point, lemme go into the relativity of stakes and horror and what constitutes as a "problem"..
the stakes of BW don't feel diminished despite just one game previously, the bad guy attempting to become god and rewrite the universe.
its because, while we can logically understand that "the fabric of the universe" is like, the absolute peak for what 'power' can look like, we don't connect to it emotionally. (cyrus approves)
Because its not tangible. And it inspires thinking like "well if this thing were to happen, we could do nothing to change it, so whatever." It means absolutely nothing to us on a personal level so our minds numb to it.
Whereas BW, while still wrapped up in a very Pokemon-y way of telling a story, it reflects a very real story that affects everyone playing it. politics, human conflict, people who are obviously, definitely evil but still one step ahead of us.... you can identify what a similar issue is in your own life thus you can project on it properly.
anyway, i dont know where i was going with this. i just think its neat. ah yes, impersonal vs personal stakes and how they entirely change a story despite still seemingly having the same components...
Grimsley’s instructions didn’t usually come as a private invitation, formal correspondence through the appropriate channels had become what the elite considered Ghetsis’s style. It makes his arrival one of great anticipation, the exalted leader of Team Plasma sweeping into the room with one extravagant sleeve. Part of Grimsley feels the almost irrepressible urge to bow, but instead, he politely lowers his head a fraction, his smile guarded.
“ It’s not everyday you ask for me in person, quite the occasion.” And even if his timbre was cordial it was quite clear that this particular pawn didn’t enjoy the lime-light in this particular setting.
And flanked on either side was he, two grunts and two black-clad shadows that promised the invisible presence of another somewhere else. A mere sage he'd call himself, but Grimsley knew better than to believe such a humble title because he'd been living in the man's orbit since he was young. Yes, this mere sage was what everything revolved around, and not even an organisation as powerful and beloved as The League could escape it.
He was showy, too. From the name 'Ghetsis' to the robes he wore. Whether simple daily attire or his eccentric regalia, it conveyed a message: that one should witness him.
Not exactly assuring in times of secrecy.
Grimsley, like the Dark-types he chose to train, valued secrecy and privacy. More so when in a casino or at a high-end betting table, and even more so when he was forsaking the people who had come to trust him.
Ghetsis was much the same way. A Dark-type trainer, though he wouldn't admit it, who valued secrecy and privacy... but what divided them beyond that was confidence. Age, experience, power.
Ghetsis knew he did not have to keep a tight lip because he could say so much that no one would ever be able to parse it for more. And not one of those things would be a lie, either, so no one would need to parse it.
Because when one was silent, they invited questioning. Because Grimsley was a silent sort, that was exactly why he was chosen for this role. The elite would pull away rather than answer those that confided in him, isolating himself and remaining strictly beneath Ghetsis' control.
He was accessible, easy, yes; but it was the self-destroying mystery he kept that would entertain Plasma's Great Sage as much as it would assure him their collusion would never be found out.
Testing this theory was the reasoning behind Ghetsis inviting Grimsley out of his chambers and into the common world. No longer in his seat above humanity, the head-turning Elite would've had to travel through the streets to find one extravagant building, entering with all eyes upon him. And within that building, he would be alone... until nearly thirty minutes passed, in which a separate set of doors would open and the Plasma entourage would make their entrance.
Windows at the ground level were cleverly shuttered, but many above were still entirely unobscured. The wide open space of the room, save for a massive circular table in the center, also inspired an impersonal feeling that could have the hairs of anyone trying to be discreet standing on end.
The feeling of being watched, that everyone knew the Elite had entered this room and presumably saw Plasma do so as well, was pervasive and sickening. Ghetsis' grin as he strode casually to a high-backed chair almost alleged he was enjoying this.
"It is important I check-in with my contacts personally, from time to time. It is the most trustworthy form of communication..."
He breaks his gaze from Grimsley to watch his attendants pull out his chair for him, which he then eases himself into. He makes a gesture with his hand, wordlessly instructing Grimsley to sit, before he folds his hands together properly over the table. He leans in as though interested.
"I hope our setting is not an inconvenience to you, Elite Grimsley, but it was what I could book on short notice. How are your friends within the League? Not many battles of late- I hear the Champion is making that difficult."
OOOOHH [despairing wail] pokemon moving away from whatever they were going for in BW was actually the WORST possible choice they couldve done.
they just went right back to the game being 70% [same gameplay as always], 20% story, and 10% "look how interesting and cool our character designs are"
bw gave us everything. it gave us plot, it gave us memorable character designs, it gave us lore, it gave us an overarching message that mattered, gym leaders that did something, difficulty settings, an attempt at real competitive battles...
saw some nerd (lovingly) on tiktok (thank you ray for sending it to me) talking about how pokemon black and white is the most politically deep pokemon game and man he didnt even scratch the surface. but he didnt scratch the surface and he's already realising it!!!
ooohh... falls over and faints
the day people realise what they were trying to do with bw is the day we might actually get some interesting storytelling in pokemon again..... ever since bw its been less and less complex
Just as she thought, he was someone important. Alysa felt her unease now climb to a level impossible to ignore, the old man's civil demeanor no longer enough to ward it off. It was reasonable for anyone to be uncomfortable around strangers, but it was rare for a disquiet to shake her composure off of that alone. Not to this extent. It could be blamed on his outstanding status as a contributor to what made the academy its remarkable, globally-accredited self to this day. Here he was, conversing with a mundane teenager like herself. It didn't settle right.
Something in Galt's eyes, one bathed in crimson from the monocle, as he scrutinized her was finally enough for her own to shift and break contact. Roaming vision allowed her to take in details her earlier survey had glossed over; she identifying the telling signs of age in its multiple forms. He has lived a long life. What sort of life, her curious mind questioned, but it faded with the next breath. There was activity present in the biomes everywhere, and she could feel the soft presence of her Altaria brushing against her legs, yet her mind could only take heed of the isolation that had suddenly presented itself.
❝That is…alright,❞ she responds to his admission of limits, surely caused by the weathering of his physical strength. Her instinctive desire to care for others encouraged her to remain mindful of his space while monitoring what she could make out of his balance, in case his cane lost its footing. Falling risked injury, and she could never willingly leave someone in need. An imposing figure or not.
The girl did perk up, surprised by the callout. Her accent was normally acknowledged as not standard to Unova, but never more than that.
❝Yes. I was born and raised there, during my earlier years.❞ The context surrounding her upbringing were memories veiled by shadow, but light shone brightly on what she held near and dear to her heart.
❝…I haven't gotten to see much of Unova, outside of the academy.❞ A pause. Small, restless movements were done with her fingers - a habit. ❝Do you live in the region, Mr. Galt?❞
"Kalos est une belle région, mademoiselle. A shame you weren't there longer." At the implication of her being somewhere in between Kalos and Unova, he began picking-out what the other hint of language in her voice was. It was certainly of a similar area, and the focus of the sound wasn't as high-in-the-throat as Kalosian... the answer was just there on the tip of his tongue, and he couldn't quite place it. The narrowing of his eye gave away his inquisition.
When he settles focus on Alysa again, he holds it for just a moment before following wherever her eyes went. All around the terrarium, to her Altaria that kept loyally close. When their eyes met again it almost felt like Galt had been mocking her. Head dipping lower, grin perking upwards. A contrast to her own uncertain twitching, he tapped rhythmically against his cane.
"I do. Though I haven't been here for some time," He straightens out, chuckles, and sighs, never giving away what was so funny, "Much like yourself, I should get out to see it again-- but tell me, how is the school? With it being underwater like this, they-- I mean we-- could've only hoped for it to emulate the real world in a more monitored environment. Have we succeeded? What about within the academy, how are your fellow students taking to their education?" He certainly had a lot of questions, but they could be so easily explained-away... and to not answer would be rude.
