An Upcoming Free Digital Pokemon Zine centered around ordinary and mundane life within the pokemon world. Forget battles and beauty contests! From trips to the laundromat to tanning at the beach, we want to see your every day life with your pokemon!
woooo another zinefic just dropped, because I like the structure of fanzines and I tend to go stir-crazy on breaks from school if I don't have some sort of deadlines to work with.
this one involves cynthia my dearly beloved! with a Perfectly Normal Day (by her standards, anyway. it's a day off from the league so she'll take what she can get.)
t'was written for volume 1 of the @extraordinaryzine (which y'all should check out because it's really cool! and it's free! idk about you but I always like free stuff, especially if it's good free stuff!)
read it on AO3 here: Past, Present, and Future
(and/or read it in the zine to see some really cool spot art~)
“Check it out, Dawn! I can see the lighthouse from here!”
Piplup could hear the cheeriness in Ash's voice as he ran ahead of his trainer, leaving a concerned Dawn behind who simply shouted at him to be aware of his surroundings. The Water-Type Pokémon could only feel his own excitement settle as he also caught sight of their destination.
Sunyshore City.
Greetings and salutations, dear readers! ^^
I'm incredibly happy to finally be able to share my written piece for the Extra Ordinary Pokémon Zine! This is actually my first Pokémon related fic, considering I've only delved into the fandom quite recently thanks to Scarlet/Violet~
Please check out the zine for free here!
“Check it out, Dawn! I can see the lighthouse from here!”
Piplup could hear the cheeriness in Ash's voice as he ran ahead of his trainer, leaving a concerned Dawn behind who simply shouted at him to be aware of his surroundings. The Water-Type Pokémon could only feel his own excitement settle in as he also caught sight of their destination.
Sunyshore City.
The trio had been here a few times in the past, both to visit friends and participate in contests—yet it never stopped being as magical as the first time the little penguin had seen it. Dirt-covered paths shifted into sand under his feet, and he merely started running around and kicking in delight at the foreign sensation.
“Not you too, Piplup! We shouldn't forget why we came here!” Dawn's voice called out to the Pokémon trying to convey authority, but he could still hear a hint of amusement from her lips, which brought a smile to his own beak.
“Relax, Dawn! We're here way earlier than Volkner asked us to, so there's no need to rush over to the gym anyway.” Ash returned from his short exploration of the entrance while sporting a grin, hands behind his head in a casual manner.
“Oh! Almost forgot…” Piplup internalized as he stopped hopping around.
The reason they'd come here in the first place was because one of the Gym Leaders from the town—an old friend of Ash's, apparently—invited him over for some training now that he'd acquired some new Pokémon. After hearing this, Dawn invited herself to join him, claiming that she'd love the opportunity to sharpen her skills. So after getting confirmation from his friend, the trio made their way to the port city.
Apparently they'd arrived earlier than intended.
“Well, you know what they say! The early bird gets the worm! The sooner we get started, the sooner we can test our abilities against stronger Pokémon!” The girl chimed with conviction as she extended her fist forward. “And the sooner we get this over with, the sooner we can all go to the beach!”
Upon hearing those words, Piplup instantly started waving his flippers around enthusiastically. All their previous trips to Sunyshore ended with a visit to a vast mass of water surrounded by sand that other humans and Pokémon played around in. He'd later learn this was called a ‘beach’, and he really enjoyed it. So if all they had to do to get there was some training, the penguin was more than happy to oblige.
“Your friend has the right spirit, Ash! Maybe it'd do you some good to learn a thing or two from her.” A third voice quickly grabbed everyone's attention, and as they turned, they could see a young man with spiky blonde hair approaching.
The raven head was quick to run over and greet the other with a handshake. “Hey, Volkner! Thanks for inviting us!”
Volkner smiled as he returned the gesture, acknowledging Dawn with a nod as well. “Always happy to have you around! So, wanna get started while the sun's still out?”
After exchanging a look, the two young trainers gave affirmative responses, making their way straight to the gym.
Piplup puffed out his chest as they walked. He might be excited for their beach escapade later, but that didn't mean he wasn't going to give it everything he had!
“Finally!”
After what felt like hours of endless fighting, the human trainers eventually called it a day and bid each other farewell with promises of meeting again soon, making their way over to the local beach. Despite feeling exhausted from all the Electric-Type attacks he had to withstand earlier, the prospect of playing around in the cold water was much too enticing for Piplup to pass up.
Ash had also released Corphish, who'd helped the little penguin in his battle from before, doing everything from blocking attacks to just giving overall moral support. It was nice to have one of his friends experience the joy of playing on a beach for the first time!
Corphish was relatively more cautious than Piplup was when he'd first discovered the giant mass of water, despite the latter doing his best to show that there was no danger here and thus nothing to fear—everything from kicking sand to diving headfirst into the ocean, much to the crab's dismay.
Since it was the afternoon, it wasn't a surprise to see other visitors as well. Humans with Pokémon of all shapes and sizes were scattered around, each enjoying the outdoor experience in their own way. Snorlax sleeping under umbrellas, Magikarp swimming with people on their backs, and even Cyndaquil roasting marshmallows over bonfires.
“Hey, guys! I have an idea!” Dawn's voice called out to them with a smile, revealing a tiny bucket and shovel she'd been hiding behind her back. A set Piplup remembered her buying a few days before their trip. “How about we give sandcastles a try?”
“That sounds great!” Ash immediately stood from where he was crouched in the salty water to give a grin of his own. “We could make it a contest—Trainers versus Pokémon!”
Dawn could only sigh in response. “Not everything has to be a competition, Ash…” But otherwise didn't seem to protest his suggestion.
They'd agreed to start with a practice round, mostly to help their Pokémon understand the concept behind the new activity they were going to indulge in. Dawn knelt down and started scooping handfuls of sand and dumping them into the plastic bucket, with a few particles making their way into Piplup's nose causing him to sneeze, which coaxed a giggle out of her. He was happy that she was enjoying herself, but what was the point of putting all that sand in there, anyway? Were they planning on dumping it on each other?
Corphish was equally confused once Ash picked up the bucket and held it firmly between his fingers as he stared into the ocean. He seemed to be waiting for the waves to get closer, although not too close. After a moment, he bolted straight towards the water and scooped some into that very same bucket, quickly making his way back before he could sink.
The duo mixed the concoction in their container. Dawn then proceeded to quickly flip it over so that the top could be on the bottom, resting on the sand. But to the Pokémon's surprise, once she lifted it up, a semi-solid substance that used to be sand and water appeared, taking the shape of the bucket with strange indents on top which gave form to a castle tower.
Piplup and Corphish gasped in understanding—It seemed like such a fun idea! After giving the greenlight to their trainers, the competition officially began!
Corphish took the task of filling the bucket with sand, since he was the one who had a better grip out of the two. Something told the penguin that his flippers wouldn't be of much use while holding a shovel, anyway. Once the bucket was halfway full, Piplup held onto it with his beak as he waddled his way over to the incoming waves.
There was a group of people blocking his path, but he figured he could use them to his advantage once the water came closer and he was in need of a shield to not end up lost at sea. Almost dropping the container onto the floor, he struggled with the new weight the water provided, but still found the strength he needed to tumble his way back. Corphish went to help his friend carry it, and between the two, they miraculously found a way to flip it with minimal spillage. At least until they decided to lift.
Liquid came crashing down on them, leaving behind nothing but more sand that would undoubtedly get stuck on their bodies for the next few days.
“Too much!” Corphish went to nag at his partner while waving the shovel in the air in annoyance.
As such, they decided to switch places. Piplup struggled with the sand pouring, but it wasn't something he couldn't handle with a little beak coordination. After that, the crab clamped his claws around the handle and swiftly headed for the water. He effortlessly dipped the bucket and made his way back in less than a minute, much to the penguin's surprise. But then it happened again.
After lifting the bucket, a semi-solid consistency appeared, but was very brittle and quick to crumble under their touch. Nothing like the one their trainers did.
“That's too little!” Piplup ruffled his feathers as he voiced his own complaints. They would never get anything done at this rate!
Corphish however, was a stubborn little crab. He started pouring sand into the bucket again and making trips to get more water, while all Piplup could do was help him carry the heavy container on the way back with cheers of encouragement.
One. Fail
Two. Fail
Three. Fa-
The clumps of sand were sticking to one another perfectly, almost as if they belonged together from the start, and each small dent that formed the shape of a castle tower was properly in place. Best of all, nothing was crumbling. They'd done it!
Corphish twirled around with the bucket still grasped between one claw. Pride swirled from within him as he continued to sing his victories, quickly dashing back into the ocean to meld the next tower for their castle, ignoring Piplup entirely in the heat of the moment.
As for the Water-Type penguin, he couldn't help but turn around and seek his trainer's attention to show off what he'd done. It was something he was sure she'd be pleased to see. But after turning towards Ash and Dawn's sandcastle, the sight that greeted him was one he wasn't expecting.
First of all, it was already finished—composed of four towers, standing tall with what appeared to be a seaweed flag and a few seashells to act as its door and windows—and secondly, their trainers weren't there. Thankfully it didn't take long for Piplup to find them, since the duo rested not so far under a stray umbrella.
Something didn't seem right with Dawn, though. She almost looked… sad?
“You really think I can do it?” Piplup could hear the girl ask softly as he made his way closer, trying to remain unseen by approaching from behind.
“Of course you can! You wiped the floor with Volkner's Luxray today. He totally didn't see that move coming. Honestly, neither did!” Ash replied with the cheeriness he was always known for. He let a little sad smile decorate his features while continuing. “You're just really hard on yourself…”
The young girl let out a chuckle while holding her knees close to her chest. “I guess I am. I just don't wanna disappoint any of my Pokémon by not giving it my best, you know?”
Piplup almost let out a whine at the display before him. Dawn was indeed rather hard on herself when it came to training—often forgetting to take care of herself in place of bettering their gear, searching for strong opponents, or simply looking after him and his friends to make sure they were happy and in top condition.
Today, she'd definitely given it her all. The little penguin was certain of it. Because of this, she deserved to feel proud, and most importantly of all, to have fun!
With a new objective in mind, Piplup quickly made his way back into the mass of salty water where Corphish continued to build their sandcastle without anyone distracting him. Digging his flippers into the water, he began his search.
It thankfully didn't take long to find what he was looking for—a small, yet shiny pink seashell that seemed to gleam under the afternoon sunlight. He remembered how his trainer liked to collect these strange items, and would always bring her joy whenever they came to a beach escapade. Piplup hadn't seen this one in her collection yet, so hopefully it would serve its purpose in cheering her up.
After washing off as much sand as he could, he was ready to deliver his gift.
Tiny feet moved as fast as lightning as he made his way forward. He could feel the grindy texture of sand stuck in his fur, but he simply didn't care. He needed to show Dawn just how happy she made him. Extending the offering in both flippers, he grinned. “Piplup!”
Silence erupted between the trainers as they noticed the penguin's presence. A few seconds of staring passed by and all seemed right in the world.
That was until a screech caught everyone's attention.
Corphish kneeling on the floor, sand coursing through his claws, and a tumbled sandcastle left in the wake of Piplup's excitement in getting to his human friend. His glare was almost as sharp as his talons. “Almost. Finished!”
A yelp erupted from the bird's beak as he immediately went to hide behind Dawn's back. “S-Sorry!”
At that moment, the humans couldn't help but join in with laughter bubbling between them due to the very sudden interruption. Ash turned to face the girl with a grin on his face. “Guess Piplup wants you to stop worrying about things for a change.”
Dawn giggled. “I guess so!” As she picked him up from the ground, a smile graced her lips while looking at him. “Thank you, Piplup. This will make a beautiful door for the sandcastle!”
“Pi-Piplup!” The penguin cheered in response while waving his flippers once more.
“Don't sweat it, Corphish! We'll make a better one—all four of us this time!” Ash then consoled his Pokémon with a pat on the head as he took hold of his bucket. “Let's get to it!”
“We can't let you guys have all the fun! Come on, Piplup!” Dawn lowered her friend and began running towards the others, who were already halfway deep into the sea and collecting an abundance of water.
With a smile on his beak, he carried on with not a care in the world.
After all, days on the beach could only truly be enjoyed when you had friends by your side.
my piece for @extraordinaryzine, a book focused on the daily lives of trainers and pokemon outside of battle !! i got to draw my bug-specialist gym leader oc and since fakemon weren't allowed.. well i hope it comes across what his ace might be :] i can't express enough how much fun i had working on this piece, please be sure to check out the rest of the free digital book here (link) !!
[ID: the first image is an illustration of a cluttered sewing room, and the second and third images show cropped detail shots. cork boards and the walls are covered in sketches of outfit concepts, sewing supplies, and sticky notes. the artist's original character, Azor, is seen sitting in the back at a sewing machine. he has light, warm-toned skin, pink eyes, and short grey hair, and is wearing a form-fitting long-sleeve black top, white jeans, and black boots. a joltik sits on his head. he has one arm over his chair as he turns around to call to the pokemon in the foreground. standing on a bench covered in loose sheets of fabric is an Eevee, looking down and raising one paw excitedly towards a Galvantula, who raises a palp up. a Spinarak stands next to Eevee and stares at it.
more bug-type pokemon are seen throughout the image, including: a Scatterbug and Spewpa sleeping under the bench in the foreground; a Silcoon, Caterpie, Weedle, and Joltik all around Azor's sticker-covered desk; a Tarountula clinging to a dress form that a Sizzlipede rests on like a scarf; two more Joltik, including a shiny one, on a spider web in the back left corner; and another Spinarak walking on the ceiling.
other miscellaneous decorations scattered around the room include an empty, heart-shaped coat hanger on the wall, with a long pink 'moth wing' cape with a fluffy white collar hanging next to it; a board with a display of the Enjay region gym badges (from left to right: ghost, water, ground, normal, fighting, fire, dragon, and bug); and a photo of Azor with his two siblings. /END ID]
the zine’s officially out, so I can post my contribution for the @extraordinaryzine :D!
my piece is an interpretation of the caverns on Iron Island 🏝️ so I wanted to incorporate more of the water surrounding it by creating a sea cave to have light spill inside (akin to the modra špilja/blue grotto)
the focus of the zine was on the daily lives of trainers and their pokemon, so Riley uses a spot inside the caverns like this to meditate with his team, although any new Riolu he trains can’t resist wanting to jump into the water to play υ´˶ ･ﻌ･ ˶`υﾉ”
this piece alongside a ton of amazing artists can be found free to download digitally here! (and lastly some closeups bc I liked getting all the little deets down)
Happy holidays, Trainers! Since it's getting a bit chillier outside, why not spend a cozy day under the blankets with your partner Pokémon and a little zine to read? Celebrating the everyday life in the world of Pokémon, Extra Ordinary is now available to download for free!
🌟 Download now!
A huge thank you for all your support, and a special thank you to all our wonderful contributors for their work! We hope you'll enjoy their work! 💛
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
Hey surprise! I write too! This is my piece for @extraordinaryzine ! It includes my OC Frank and his new Therapy Pokemon Mochi! Also a cameo from his step daughter!
"His life is quiet these days. Francis Felwinter, a man closing in on his fifties, had previously been an Interpol Officer; and a damned good one at that. He’d been quite the high ranking agent, barely below their chief, but after a life of traveling and stressful nights, he was honestly happy to just…stay home. He still taught classes to the rookies at the academy on occasion, but he was plenty happy to leave the days of late night cases behind him."
Working by night looks way cosier when you have Pokemon around... Here's my piece for the @extraordinaryzine!! Everyone stay tuned for the release of the full PDF so you can check it out :]
jacobvanloon
prguitarman
janainaart
annaxmalina
gummygunk
