If the Rent characters were pokemon trainers. Go!
Oooh this will be FUN. Letās seeā¦
ā¢Angel would be a coordinator and is probably well-renowned in the local contest scene. Team includes Gardevoir (graceful, elegant), Delibird (Christmas, brings gifts), Leavanny (can make a dress out of an old tablecloth), Alomomola (healer, heart shaped), Kricketune (in La Boheme the character Schunard played the violin), and Ditto (can look any way it wants, so probably good in-universe in contests). Wouldnāt need a full team due to being focused on contests instead of battling, but probably keeps one for battling sometimes and just because of love of Pokemon.
ā¢Mark would be the kid who was so excited to go on his Pokemon journey as a kid and bring his camera for documentary-making about the Pokemon he befriends and finds along the way but finds out that not everywhere is Pokestar Studios (because obviously this takes place in Unova, the New York of the Pokemon world. Probably in Castelia City (also yes I know thereās no official contest scene in Unova but you bet thereās a local circuit set up by some people due to its popularity so Angel being a coordinator would still work)). Team includes Phantump (always feels alone), Dartrix (a nerd, probably his starter (yes I know I said theyāre in Unova but this fits better)), Smeargle (create and observe), Dwebble (detach from feeling alive (also it has the sturdy ability bc heās the ārockā of the group)), Whimsicott (surprisingly mischievous), and Espeon (loyal, sensitive, evolves from Eevee which most beginner trainers would get at some point). Also all of them are pretty low level bc heās not actually that good of a trainer.
ā¢Mimi would be a trainer who works as one of the npcs you fight to get to the gym leader, and she battles recklessly and without much strategy. Team includes Purrloin (cat-related, graceful) and Oricorio (a dancer) (she wouldnāt have enough money to care for more than two).
ā¢Roger would be similar to a washed-up version of Roxie; heās a former musician/gym leader (who just barely made it by the Pokemon leagueās strict process to become a gym leader btw) who was actually quite good in battle but fell victim to the Pokemon limelight and now lives in the loft with Mark who is also an unsuccessful trainer. Team includes Noivern (sound-based), Mankey (brash, has a temper), Carbink (cold and reserved, can know moonblast), Loudred (another sound-based low hanging fruit), Garbodor (bc heās literal garbage), and Abra (always running away).
ā¢Joanne would be a lawyer who in addition to all the normal stuff would prosecute in cases of Pokemon/Pokemon trainer labor exploitation. She doesnāt battle so she doesnāt have a team, but she would definitely keep a Growlithe as a pet.
ā¢Maureen is a performer who is protesting the local battle arena being torn down to build a Global Trade Station (like the one in Sinnoh, coming to Unova due to its popularity and the profitability of the cyber age in the Pokemon world, especially since it would allow Pokemon to be traded from all over the world instantly, a new concept in the 90s). Team includes Chatot (a singer and performer), Miltank (nicknamed Elsie (a Taurus would fit better but itās not really a cow)), Lopunny (spunky), Ursaring (honeybear), Incineroar (a tiger in a cage can never see the sun), and Diglett (caught very recently, is also gonna dress like one (itās to help protest the groundbreaking)). Theyāre all really high levels but just have random non-strategic EVs because she just battles anything that moves instead of training her Pokemon properly.
Collins taught at the Pokemon trainerās academy before he had his Pokemon blow up half the schoolās facilities to demonstrate his theory of actual reality. Team includes Porygon Z (computer related and glitchy, like all computers Collins tinkers with probably), Talonflame (cool, top tier (Collins is probably pretty good at battling)), Magnemite (to help him mess with electronics), Oddish (TO MARIJUANA), Scolipede (a complement to Angelās Leavanny), and Grovyle (fits with that Mystery Dungeon gameās plot, probably his starter (yes still not a Unova starter I know)). He was probably a trainer at some point but (sorta) gave that up to teach (and also because the Pokemon leagueās trainer program is very flawed and unfair and he was symbolically protesting it).
Benny is trying to tear down the battling arena to build a Global Trade Station (like the one in Sinnoh) (which, much like the Blockbuster he was trying to build in the NYTW version of Rent, would soon become obsolete). Doesnāt really keep Pokemon but hired a company with many Gurdurrs and Conkeldurrs for the job, as well as other Pokemon. Also instead of an Akita, Evita was a Chickorita.
(And I know none of these teams are balanced but itās about thematics not strategy plus they would all probably suck at battling anyways. Also I know that 99% of these Pokemon are not native to Unova but ignore that as well.)
