This blog is to share my dystopian Pokémon storyline, Project Spectrum! This is a project I made for fun and to help keep me in the habit of fiction writing.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
🌟(Ideal) Update Day: Sunday🌟
I've finally started releasing the chapters of Spectrum: Book 1 on Ao3! It is currently only viewable for Ao3 members, but I will post the chapters in their own separate post on Tumblr. That way people have the option to view it on either or if they so desire.
✨Heads Up✨
I am a full time college student and am currently in my junior year. While I’d like to remain consistent in posting, I have a life outside of my projects. My school ultimately takes priority while this is more of a fun passion project to keep me in the practice of writing fiction alongside my academic papers. I don't want to spoil my enjoyment of this project by putting extra pressure on myself. Art will come when I make it, as will the updates, although my goal is to update on Sundays.
🔻Ao3 Details below 🔻
🌟Archive of Our Own: Current Tags and Summary🌟
Chapters: 1/?
Fandom: Pocket Monsters: Black & White | Pokemon Black and White Versions, Pocket Monsters: Scarlet & Violet | Pokemon Scarlet & Violet Versions, Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters: Black 2 & White 2 | Pokemon Black 2 & White 2 Versions
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Kudari | Emmet, Original Characters, Original Child Character(s), Original Male Character(s), Original Female Character(s), Reshiram (Pokemon), Zekrom (Pokemon), Lepardas | Liepard, Choroneko | Purrloin, Chillarmy | Minccino, Original Non-Human Character(s)
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Dystopia, Dystopia, Artificial Intelligence, Cyberpunk, Alternate Universe - Future, Future Fic, Fluff and Angst, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Pokemon Scarlet & Violet Spoilers, Pokemon Black & White Spoilers, Pokemon Legends: Arceus Spoilers, Found Family, Inspired by 1984 - George Orwell, Inspired by I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream - Harlan Ellison, Rating: PG13
Summary:
Despite its name, New Unova is a mere shadow of the glory it once had— the problem is, no one can see it. No one can unless they experienced the idle conspiracies and injustices firsthand. When the kick-off of the annual Pokémon League Gym Tournament is disrupted by a resistance group sworn to return Unova to its foundation of truth and idealism, thirteen-year-old Una learns two truths: she is apart of a much greater plan for New Unova, and her guardian is not invincible.
Shaken by the discovery of a newfound gift and the near loss of her guardian, Emmet, Una decides the time has come to see all that New Unova has to offer with her own eyes and seek out the answers her guardians can’t provide. Yet her re-entrance into the society of New Unova comes with those who wish to use or abuse her gift for their own ends. The world is not as black and white as it once seemed, and Una must learn to navigate the darker shades of gray before they swallow her and what she holds dear whole.
I am still alive, I’m afraid Ao3 updates of Onward have been paused due to school assignments, other writing projects, and an injury I acquired! I’m hoping to continue soon, but so far my creative writing time has been limited and my next few chapters still need some tweaking in planning department :’)
This is so long overdue but this is SO CUTE!! He may be a scheming little fella but I wouldn’t mind having a P.A.M plush someday 😔👉👈Thank you so much!!
I’ve had a little bit of downtime between finals so I went back and edited the previous seven chapters of Spectrum: Onward. I’m hoping I can resume new updates next week! Thank you for your patience!
My final papers, projects, and exams are on the horizon, so for the time being I’m putting any Ao3 Spectrum updates on hold (for the rest of my semester, or until December 20)! This is one of those times where I must put my happiness aside in order to uplift my GPA 🫠
Wish you fellow students the best during this time!
Not Spectrum related, but what's your favorite Pokemon(s)?
Also, your art is really cool :)
Aw no worries, and thank you so much!! I love talking anything Pokémon related, thanks for the ask! :)
Type: Null/Silvally and Stufful are tied for my favorite, but Walking Wake is my close second!
I love masks for character design and tragic characters so Type: Null really appeals to me. It’s part of the reason I chose it for my mascot. I LOVE stuffed animals and red pandas, so Stufful immediately won a place on my team when Sun & Moon came out. Walking Wake more appeals to my dinosaur loving side. I didn’t really have any hardcore favorite Pokémon until Gen 6. Before that, Purrloin was the closest :)
Unfortunately most of my favorites don’t come up in the Project other than Purrloin since the story focuses on Unova/Galarian Pokémon. I plan to squeeze in at least one of my favorites. These are two sketches I have on hand.
I’m currently on my week long fall break from college and decided to try my hand at digital art after months of only traditional art! I just finished watching Arcane (in its entirety) for the first time, and I've really enjoyed it! One quote from the first season stood out to me, and it was the main inspiration for this little piece. I found Arcane dealt with a lot of the same themes I also have in my Spectrum story/universe, and one of the main ones is familial/father-daughter relationships. One of my favorite scenes was the one with the line “is there anything so undoing as a daughter?” And I thought that line fit very well within the context of Spectrum.
Spectrum mostly focuses on the main protagonist Una and her guardian Emmet, who both currently reside in the distant future of Unova, but I couldn't help including Ingo and Akari. There is roughly 300 years separating Emmet and Ingo, and both lost their memories and learned to adapt to entirely new worlds. Yet mostly in Emmet’s case, his desires to rediscover himself and go home were pushed to the side when being passed the responsibility of raising a young descendant of the Unovan Hero of Ideals. Yet despite this unplanned adoption, Una became the closest Emmet had to family in the distant future despite undoing his intentions. For Ingo, I honestly love the found-family relationship a lot of the fandom has made for Ingo and Akari. I could definitely see the two becoming more like family considering they both came from another world with no way to return. I think that relationship would've changed Ingo’s outlook and his solitary life for the better. Ultimately, despite the drastic change in environment and separation from each other, the twins were able to find some good in their individual situations.
This was very much more self indulgent but it was nice to finally do some digital art after so long!
It has been a hot minute since I've uploaded on this account, but I have been working on this project when I can! I also have a collection of sketches I hope to find time to upload. I've been busy with school and other events, so my updates have not been as frequent as I’d like. I'm hoping I can resolve some of these things during my fall and winter breaks coming up.
In the mean time, I'd like to introduce the current region map for the project! This map is probably going to be changed further into the project I get, but for now it's proved to be a helpful visual.
🌟New Unova Map: Post Galar War🌟
✨Capital: Opelucid City
Gym Cities:
New Straiton (Normal)
New Castellia (Bug)
Nimbocirus (Electric)
Driftveil Dock (Rock)
Misty Villiage (Flying)
Undella Bay (Fairy)
Humilau (Poison)
Opelucid (Dragon)
Lucunosa (Elite Four & Champion)
This story takes place roughly 150 years after Pokémon BW2, and more than half a century after what is now know as the Great Galar War. The conflict lay mostly between Galar and Unova, although other regions like Alola and Paldea allied themselves with their fighting neighbors. Much of the fight took place in Unova and ended with the return of the Dragons of Truth and Ideals, as well as their heroes. Yet the end of the war was bittersweet since many lives and land were lost. As a result, Unova cut itself off from all regions except their allies in order to rebuild peace and security.
Many areas of New Unova are overcome by the wild or destroyed, becoming nothing more than empty wastelands. What cities remain are the few that managed to flourish under the reign of the current Champion, however they are the most heavily guarded areas in Unova. Only the fortunate loyalists can afford to live there since they are heavily monitored, constantly searching for dissidents and threats to the region. The blight must be eradicated before it corrupt what is still good in the recovering region. Cities like Opelucid, Straiton and Lucunosa (primarily the north-eastern cities) are considered the most populated cities as well as the great supporters of the League. Most of Unova’s government and league facilities are based within these selected areas.
The settlements outside the walls of the larger cities contain the most resourceful of Unova’s population. These citizens focus on trades and collecting materials to rebuild the once-great region. Places like Driftveil Dock and New Castellia are essential for mining and sea related trades. Despite the adaptive nature of these citizens, famine and low income remain constant struggles since most of the land has become infertile, disrupting the lives of humans and Pokénon alike (especially in areas around major trade posts). Many of these settlements are dependent on the aid from larger cities, which has proven difficult since security and trade in and out is tightly monitored. These settlements are also known to contain the most amount of dissidents and law breakers.
Currently the only thing uniting Unova is the yearly Pokémon League Gym Challenge, where trainers of all ages (mostly teens to young adults) travel around the region during the span of a few months and aim to collect eight gym badges before time runs out. The challenge was almost lost until restored shortly after the war ended. The hope was to remind Unova of the golden years while also offering aid those willing to fight for it. Although Champion Harlan reigns undefeated, the strongest and highest ranking trainers are given jobs and financial gain that one can only dream of, including Gym leader positions and other celebrity status opportunities. Be warned— it’s advised to read the challenge’s fine print.
I’ve been trying to do a few sketches idea in honor of Inktober, and I was really happy with this one I made of P.A.M :) I’ve been doing prompts from the Actually Infected 2024 challenge, and the second prompt was “Corrupted File”, and of course I wanted to draw my evil Pokémon virtual assistant.
I have a few other Spectrum related sketches, but I’m thinking of just collecting them to post later.
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the
Organization for Transformative Works
🌟Spectrum Book 1: Onward🌟
✨Chapter 1 | Familiar (Full Text Below Line)✨
Word Count: 2,553
As said previously, I’ll try and post the chapters on both Tumblr and Ao3. On Ao3 the story is restricted to members only as of right now, but I may open it to all as time goes on. I try to update on Ao3 on Wednesdays, and I will post on Tumblr sometime afterwards (I currently have no specified date for Tumblr releases, so times may vary).
Series Note: This series was planned and written in the summer of 2024 based on the context of the Pokémon In-Game Universe at the time. This series includes spoilers for Pokémon games including Black & White, Black & White II, Legends Arceus, and Scarlet & Violet. Any changes to the overarching storyline or characters that occur within any following Pokémon game releases (i.e. Pokémon Legends ZA and beyond) are considered non-canon within the context of this series.
This series was written out of my love for Generation V and wrote as a game plot, but with a few small twists. I wanted to simply try and write my own alternative storyline for a hypothetical Unova Legends game. My attempt at a Legends plotline became a passion project I wanted to share with those who may be interested in such a story. While it is written to have a darker tone due to its inspirations, I try to keep the series at a PG13 rating for fantasy violence. There is no sexual or NSFW content. Pokémon was ultimately made for young viewers, and I wish to carry on a similar openness in my writing.
After around seven years of being dragged along by Fajra, Emmet learned two big don’ts— don’t let Fajra drive and don’t let Fajra handle negotiations solo as people. It wasn't like he did much better when it came to socializing. Most often a discussion would— unintentionally — end with a passive-aggressive remark. His blunt remarks weren’t good for business. Yet it was one thing for Emmet to provoke their clients, it was another for the clients to provoke Fajra.
“You know the drill, just let me do the talkin’ here,” Fajra reminded her partner while her hand rested on the old battered door handle. “No weird greetings, don't point out whatever weird lil’ tattoo or mark you see on the guys’ face, or the ugly picture that's probably his mam or someon’— better yet, how about say nothin’ at all?”
She had shot him a look as if inviting him to protest, but instead he simply replied with a sly smile, “As you wish.”
“Nuh-uh, don’t smile like that. I’m serious, Em. We have an agreement, but you…”
Fajra held up her hand to Emmet’s face as if trying to grasp something with all her might before spitting out, “Keep your inside thoughts inside, that’s all I’m saying.”
That was all well and good— if only Fajra could do the same. Fajra excelled at misdirecting from her motives, but misdirecting her feelings was another. Now as the two stood before the grizzled manager of the dimly lit antique store, Emmet could already see Fajra’s facade slipping away as she tapped her fingers with great annoyance on the countertop. The manager glanced at her every so often as he inspected the items presented, but didn’t break under her pressure.
“I’ll give ya… about a thousand for this one.”
The store manager tapped one of the TMs, only for Fajra to scoff and push Emmet aside from the counter. She slammed both hands on the table as she leered at the manager, “A thousand? Don’ get smart with me, I know you sold this for five thousand last week! At least pretend to play fair. Suppose you’ll say these ones are worth even less now?”
Fajra gestured to the other TMs they managed to collect. They weren’t exactly mint condition. Dusty and scratched, he suspected they hadn’t been touched in many decades.
“We tested these ourselves,” Emmet offered, placing a firm hand on Fajra’s shoulder as if to pull her back. “They still work, if that’s your concern. They may not have the aesthetic appeal, but ultimately it's about their function.”
The manager still had a frown on his face. His eyes seemed to linger around the old store filled with second-hand items. It was a dark and dreary store, as if all the memories that the items once left held haunted the place with a gloomy presence. Emmet noted that his gaze steadied on an only television set placed toward the door.
“Look, I’ll shoot straight with ya,” the manager began at last with a heavy sigh, “One of my other suppliers brought me TMs and it turned out they were stolen from private League property. The authorities came knocking and I'm fortunate they didn't shut my whole business down. Haven’t seen the guy since then. I can give you a little money for the trouble, but unless you can prove these were legally acquired, I’m just going to treat them as damaged goods.”
Before Fajra opened her mouth, Emmet quickly intervened, “Understandable— we’ll need a minute to discuss. Apologies for the delay.”
“It’s a load of Bouffalant crap!” Fajra spat immediately once Emmet pulled her away from the counter. “He’s trying to cheat us out of our items! I’ve seen it before, you can’t possibly think—“
“I can’t take that track with you, Fajra. What if he’s telling the truth? You and I both knowwhere those TMs came from. You know full well if we get caught, we will be in serious trouble. Una and I would be in serious trouble. Take the hush money.”
He knew he screwed up when Fajra’s face became about as red as her flame colored hair. “I am not leaving with a measly thousand. Those blasted discs took too long to get to have such little reward! We need the money to fix that stupid handcar we busted just getting the loot here!”
“You busted the handcar. I’m a lot of things, but I’m at least a good driver.”
The front door jingled as someone entered the store, and both Emmet and Fajra immediately fell quiet. A young man and woman strided inside and their own eyes landed on the two other customers before heading to the counter. Their clothes were relatively ordinary of the scrawny Pokémon trainers in the area, although he noted that each wore a gold band around one of their ankles. Emmet tipped his head a little farther down over his face while Fajra shot a nasty glare back at the newcomers before whispering underneath her breath, “Great, just what we needed, an audience.”
The store manager pushed aside the TMs and other trinkets Fajra provided while greeting the couple with a weary smile. “Ah, come to collect your purchase, I see? I’ve been holding it for some time—“
“Yes, yes,” the man began with a wave of his hand. “We appreciate you holding onto it. Mr. Stotle would’ve come to take it himself, but he couldn’t find the time.”
Something bumped against Emmet’s leg, and upon peering down he found Liepard brushing up beside him. Liepard often wandered around the establishment while Emmet and Fajra conducted business, watching for any signs of a threat. Her glowing eyes were now fixed on the woman, who immediately turned her stare away upon Liepard’s appearance. A light growl began to vibrate from the Pokémon’s throat.
“Fajra, I don't think you can win this,” Emmet whispered while placing a hand on Liepard’s head. “We’ll find another buyer, please—”
His voice was drowned as the store manager pulled out a small box and opened it for the couple while saying skeptically, “Here you are! Hopefully this will be sufficient for Mr. Sto—“
“It’s perfectly fine, sir,” the man interrupted as the manager hurriedly closed the box and pushed it under the counter. He was not fast enough, for Emmet caught a glimpse of a polished, spherical stone the color of obsidian. He managed to see the three indents pressed in the shape of a triangle before the box clamped shut.
He couldn’t quite explain what happened next. His heart began to hammer against his chest at the sight of it. His surroundings became blurred, but his eyes could only focus on the stone. A numbing sensation of white noise engulfed his ears, leaving a ringing echoing to his very soul. Something stirred within him, dislodging images that had long since passed and buried. One stood out among the rest— a man adorning a black coat so similar to his own, his back facing Emmet. It wasn’t until the man turned that Emmet felt an ice pick stick through his heart.
The man had his face.
Before he could even begin to comprehend the sight, it was as if the world zoomed in beyond the man in black, revealing nothing but void— lonely and abyssal. Yet from the darkness shone two red lights, slowly dimming before a flash of electric blue light burst like a dying star.
“Em!”
A punch to the arm swiftly broke through his thoughts, causing him to recoil and jerk his hand to the spot Fajra hit. While Fajra still had her eyes narrowed in frustration, her lips formed a frown he had not seen in awhile.
“You… you alrigh?” Fajra asked, the usual sharp edge in her voice dulled. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost. Are you sick or… somethin’?”
His heart beat rapidly against his chest before turning swiftly to Fajra and whispering, “What I’m about to ask you is a one time occurrence. No questions asked— not until afterwards.”
Fajra’s eyes widened, but her disapproving frown churned upward into a sly smile. “Consider my interest piqued.”
“I want to initiate Protocol Thirty-Eight.”
Any frustration Fajra had with her partner seemed to vanish, replaced with an unnatural grittiness. Her smile broadened as told Emmet with a slight flick of his shoulder, “Protocol thirty-eight? The Protocol Thirty-Eight? Does this, perhaps, mean that you’ve changed your mind about… unlawful acquisition?”
“No, but—“
“Never mind— you can spill the deets later. Let’s get the wheels moving.”
Fajra didn't miss a beat as she strolled back to the counter, a disapproving scowl reappearing on her face as she laid eyes on the manager. The pair with the stone had opened up a case to hold the box securely when Fajra spoke loudly, “You know what? Fine. We won't be doing business with you today. We’ll take our goods elsewhere. It's about time, really— you hike up your prices just so you can get rid of the crappy rip-offs for some sort of profit.”
She then turned to the woman and remarked snidely, “Might want to rethink shopping here. The guy will do anything to make a quick buck.”
The manager’s face grew red at Fajra’s words, giving the other customers a quick glance before remarking hurriedly, “Ma’am, I know you're frustrated and I hear ya, but—”
Fajra had already done her part. The seeds of doubt sank into their targets as the woman glanced down at the box within the case. Her partner didn’t seem as convinced by Fajra’s claims, but merely stopped to watch the spectacle.
Emmet made a quick gesture to Liepard with his hands, signing to her in motions that only she would understand. Liepard gave a curt nod before brushing past her trainer and dipping behind the counter while the owner was distracted.
Seizing his chance, Emmet moved to the side of the other customers and remarked in a cheery air, “She is right— best be careful what you get from the Thievul’s hole.”
He leaned in a little closer to the man and continued in a low voice, “Ever think where he gets these items? Just last week one of his sellers was arrested for selling League property. I would be verrrry cautious with your purchase.”
His eyes met with the man’s, and he seemed to falter under Emmet’s knowing smile. He could almost see the gears in his head turning while his gaze narrowed suspiciously. It didn't last as the manager slammed his hands on the counter and retorted with frustration. “That’s enough! Get out of my shop before I call security! And don't bother coming back here, you scavengers!”
Neither of them needed to be told a second time. Fajra exchanged a dirty look with the manager as she threw her arms around their items before storming to the door with an obnoxious whip of her fiery orange hair. Emmet waited for Liepard to slink back into view, brushing against his side with a low purr.
The manager’s apologies were cut off as the door swung shut behind the two. Neither looked back as they were greeted by the streets of New Straiton City. There was no dark corner as the streets were ambushed with light from every screen, window, and billboard. It was late in the afternoon, and now the streets were swarming with men and women returning from work.
“Sooo, don’ hold out on me,” Fajra began as Emmet withdrew the small withered box from his coat pocket. “What is it that made you throw away seven years worth of integrity?”
Emmet glanced around to make sure none of the passer-by or the kiosks’s Minccino mascot was within listening range, he opened it enough for Fajra to peer inside. The obsidian sphere that lay within proved true to Liepard’s skills at thievery. His heart began to pound faster at the sight of it and his hand shook as he took a hand and pressed his finger to one of the indents. He didn't have the same visions as before, but his body trembled now that he was so close.
“This better be some rock because if we just lost revenue for a cheap— Em?”
Fajra’s criticism faltered as she noticed his shaking hand. She snatched his hand away from the rock, and without warning, jerked his glove off. Her eyes widened at the touch.
“You really are sick, aren't you?” She questioned, but her voice turned soft and concerned. “How long have you felt off? My gosh, what if this is radioactive—”
“Get back!” Emmet snapped as Fajra reached out to take the box away. She immediately recoiled, but a new expression replaced her concern. He had never seen her look at him with such fear. Even Liepard backed up, pushing against Fajra as if trying to shield her from him. Even now, the trembling ceased as soon as she clamped the box shut. All his symptoms, even his rage, had snapped away like the stone from his sight.
Emmet stepped back, still gripping the box in his hand as if it were his lifeline.
“I… am sorry,” he spoke earnestly. “I don't… I don't know why I did that. I don't know how to explain it…”
Fajra didn't speak. Her shoulders relaxed slightly as she took a step closer to Emmet. “Em, did you remember something?”
The question hadn’t been asked in years. Life had simply gone on, but now that his friend watched him with worry, he realized he had returned to the horrible darkness he had found himself in years before. Only this time, he had something to lose.
“This may sound silly,” he admitted truthfully. “But… I know this stone. When I'm around it, I realize there has been something missing. A part of me that's gone… and with this stone, it’s in reach, but I can't…”
His words faltered as Fajra reached to take his hand again. She kept him in between hers and told him with a small, but truly genuine smile, “You, my friend, are silly… but just because you're silly doesn't mean your feelings are too. Your situation is odd, and I understand that.”
He looked back at Fajra. “Thank you… I just can’t let him be separated from me again.”
Him. Even Emmet couldn't quite understand why he chose to include that one simple word. Fajra’s eyebrow raised skeptically at the inclusion of the pronoun. It didn't seem to matter though as she pried her gaze from his to glance around at their surroundings. It was getting busier, and based on the overhead announcements flooding the street, a celebration was about to take place.
“We can talk more later,” Fajra insisted, now pushing his hand back to his side. “Better to talk this out in a place that lacks a lotta ears. If you won't let me take the box, at least don’t open it again… for now. Whatever the rock is, your body is reacting to it, and I'm not ruling out radiation.”
She paused. “Do you need to go back to the handcar right away or—”
“No,” he replied promptly as he stuffed the box back in his pocket. “I’ll be fine. But I… I can acquire Una while you go on ahead. Where did you leave her again?”
I wanted to reshare the art I made for Spectrum’s banner. This was based on a sketch I did when first forming the idea of the series, and I decided to keep it as a “promotional” banner. Since Una and Emmet are the primary characters throughout the series and the story is told between each of their perspectives, I wanted a banner featuring both characters and their Pokémon (which as of right now is only Una’s Purrloin and Emmet’s Liepard).
For those who randomly found this on their feed, this was made for my recently released fanfic on Ao3, Spectrum Book 1: Onward. I’m hoping for it to be a trilogy revolving around a budding trainer who learns she can talk to Pokémon and her time-displaced guardian Emmet as they go on a divine-comedy-style journey through future/dystopian Unova. More information can be found on my other most recent post :)
Sketches and alternative images of this drawing can be found below🔻
This is the original sketch it was based on, as well as the “flat colors”. I messed around with the gradient tool in Procreate and I ended up liking the neon gradient to the OG colors. I felt it fit more with the futuristic/cyberpunk genre. I did make some small changes since some designs have been altered, specficually Sliver the Purrloin and Emmet.
I finally finished my piece for the second rival, Trice! I back tracked on her design a little, and in future I might still change some of her appearance. For now I think this communicates how I generally see Trice.
✨🌟✨
Trice is a returning trainer to the New Unova Gym Tournament, but with a different perspective than before. Trice was a finalist in the tournament a few years before, becoming the youngest finalist since the tournament’s revival years prior. Her ease on screen opened up a world of opportunities for her, including stardom in PokéStar Studios. However, her true passion lies in the unscripted, raw experience of Pokémon battles.
With this motivation, Trice has returned to the Tournament at fifteen years old and ready to become the last trainer standing. Like Crosse, she still has to juggle her celebrity status while on the road, resulting in her taking a false identity when not in front of the cameras. She tries to handle fans with grace. She prefers to be around those who do not treat her differently for her status.
Trice has a more big sister personality. She loves hanging out with the rookie trainers and helping them through their journey. She takes a great interest in Una as they both share the same fiery passions for battles and similar origins. Trice is familiar with the other rival Crosse, but their meetings never ended well. Trice finds Crosse to be too stiff and self-serving like his father, while Crosse finds Trice infuriating for what he sees as a “holier than thou” attitude she seems to adopt when they meet. Crosse sees her behavior as another person taking pity on him and his poor state.
Trice collected her fair share of Pokémon, but the League required her to start over with a new team upon reentering the tournament. Her current partner Pokémon is Hatenna.
Here are some of my sketches and concepts for Trice:
I started college again this week so I spent my last free night making some bookmarks from leftover paper from a commission. I based the bookmarks on two of my fan characters for Spectrum, P.A.M and Futile.
I can’t draw Futile as effectively since he doesn’t have a persona or form like P.A.M. If I were to compare him to another canon character, he plays a similar role as Cassiopeia— basically no physical presence throughout the story and rather speak through technology. Futile is a “virus” that is able to move through P.A.M’s main system, but is forced to possess gagets and Neo Pokémon in order to remain hidden. P.A.M and Futile have a close, antagonistic relationship with each other, almost like a rivalry. P.A.M is the more powerful entity of the two and does everything in his power to squash Futile. Throughout the plot, Futile most often inhabits Emmet’s Liepard, and can be identified when Liepard’s eyes turn from green to purple. He is more of a shade of gray compared to the other characters within New Unova.
I ended up finishing P.A.M’s illustration before the second rival’s, so I decided to share this one first 😅 So time for the mascot of not only Spectrum but the villains of this project. Of the original characters, P.A.M is my favorite. He’s also one of my favorite villains I’ve had the pleasure of writing so far, so I’m excited to share him.
✨🌟✨
P.A.M stands for Pokémon Assistant and Moderator, but such a title and appearance doesn't quite show the true power this one entity holds over New Unova. While used as the equivalent of our Siri within the Pokémon universe, this A.I controls and watches over New Unova like a more charming version of “Big Brother”. For the modern citizen, Pam answers any questions posed to it and helps organize technology interfaces. For those of higher status, Pam is the eyes and ears of the Pokémon League. He watches and listens for anything that threatens the rule of the Champion or the citizens of Unova. His ever watchful presence in Unova’s advanced cities and technology pushed many more shady characters underground and into isolation from any post-war technology. These restraints apply for characters such as Emmet and Fajra, who completely abandoned modern technology for their own illegeal gadgets and pre-war technology.
Like any good A.I assistant, P.A.M portrays himself as a friendly, happy-go-lucky Minccino who is willing to help solve any problem. At least, that's what the citizens are supposed to see. The criminals and outcasts instead whisper his name with fear. They sit the furthest from the televisions in bars and Pokémon Centers, give kiosks wide berths, and never speak their true names in a room with any sort of technology. The best case scenario is simply disappearing after being caught for treason by P.A.M, but no one knows what happens to those who disappear after speaking too truthfully about the current state of the region and League. The protagonist Una has never had to face P.A.M’s scorn, which often leads to careless mistakes. Emmet, however, has seen the true nature that lies hidden behind P.A.M’s grin, pushing him to consistently remind his charge not to speak to candidly in front of any tech. Una may not quite understand the reason for the fear, but she knows anything that can frighten her often optimistic guardian should be given some sort of respect.
Even the A.I Minccino is not exempt from having his own partner Pokémon. While P.A.M is a borderline omnipresent being, he still has his own “home base” within the Pokémon League’s headquarters in Victory Road. Upon Pam’s request, Champion Harlan allowed this Muk to remain in P.A.M’s lab where it quietly mopes. Very few people know of this Muk’s existence, and even fewer know why an A.I Minccino would be drawn to such a Pokémon. It is rumored that this particular Muk is the last in the whole region since no other wild Muks have been sighted since their native environments were wiped out after the war. This would explain why some witnesses (including Emmet) reported that the Muk appeared to be consistently depressed, although seems to find solace in P.A.M’s company. As sadistic and heartless as P.A.M appears, Muk’s presence shows that P.A.M is capable of forming some sort of emotional connection— what emotion is the basis of this connection is unclear.
P.A.M has the most concept art of all my Project Spectrum characters right now, but I'm only going to share a few. I plan to share my full pieces in separate posts.
I’m moving onto the rivals in the project, starting with Crosse! He is a new Pokémon trainer participating in New Unova’s Gym Challenge Tournament alongside the protagonist. He is one of two rivals I planned to have within the story and is one of my more fleshed out characters.
For this particular character, it’s important to note what events are considered canonical in this project. In this particular storyline, Pokémon Black is considered the canon series of events. That being, N was the Hero of Ideals and chosen by Zekrom while the protagonist was the Hero of Truth and chosen by Reshiram.
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Young Crosse is the trainer New Unova is hoping will finally win the Gym tournament, although it’s not because of his skill alone. Crosse is the son of the current Champion Harlan and Elite 4 member Ingrid. Battling is an essential skill within the family, and it’s only natural that Crosse would be just as talented as his father in Pokémon battles. It’s also common knowledge that Crosse’s family are the descendants of the Hero of Truth, making him an heir to a great lineage. The family is practically royal, and the respect for them only grew when Crosse’s grandfather helped end the Galarian War alongside the Dragon of Truth itself.
There is one problem— Crosse is a rather sickly boy who has spent most of his life sheltered in upper New Unova. As a result, he’s been sheltered from the world outside of the Chanpion’s residence and is only now seeing the whole region at the age of fourteen. However, his sickly appearance contrasts his blunt and direct attitude. Crosse believes his family’s values and push for a better future full heartedly. although he thinks his father tends to be too overprotective. Crosse sees the Gym Tournament as a way to prove himself worthy of the same respect and opportunities as other young trainers his age. He has no desire to sit in a palace and wait for greatness to come to him.
Partly to his sheltered upbringing and brutal honesty, Crosse doesn’t make friends very easily. On top of his directness, he has a tendency to keep people at arm’s length, especially now that the whole region knows he is participating in the Gym Tournament. Lying has also become second nature to Crosse. He has a hard time trusting others, haunted by the status of his parents. He knows people will try to take advantage of him and already sees signs that the region is not as welcoming to his father’s reign as he once believed. A target has now been placed on his back, for what better way to get revenge on a ruler than to take away his heir?
Crosse currently only has one Pokémon— a Neo Variant Lilipup which he dubbed Iron Pup. Iron Pup is a loyal aide to Crosse, not only assisting him in battles but also monitoring his health. If Crosse were in any real danger, Iron Pup can send out a distress signal. If you were to question Crosse on the closest connections in his life, Iron Pup would be at the top.
I do not have any sketches or additional comments right now, but I’m sure you’ll see more of Crosse in future :)
So I ran through the fire and I held out my hand. I’m not here to save you, I don’t have a plan. You see, love isn’t rescue, it’s someone to lose. My feet burn, but dear, now I’m in this with you.
— Vincent Lima’s “The Fire”
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I’m still solidifying more character designs, so until then, here is one of the sketches I liked :)
I have playlists for a lot of the characters in this project, and I feel Emmet’s has the most variety of songs. Most fit his personality and story, but one that has always stood out is Vincent Lima’s “The Fire”. I think it best fits Emmet’s motivations within the Spectrum Project.
Part of Emmet’s journey is piecing together his life before New Unova and how he came to this place. As of right now, he has a faint idea that he left someone behind. Something is missing, and it’s a hole none neither Una or Fajra can fill. He doesn’t know where this person is or how to get to them, but he knows he has to try. This search for a missing half helps push him into following his young charge Una throughout New Unova.
However, Emmet’s motivations may not be solely his own. He may have a benefactor that benefits just as much— if not more —from his search for his missing half. A benefactor who understands the same loss.
