Ellis sat down on the tree stump he found in a clearing within the forest, frowning as he looked to his outfit. His lace, layered, minty green dress had a particularly large bow on the chest, providing an illusion of a larger breast. Plenty of trainers today used feminine pronouns today, alone, due to this dress--which he was perfectly fine with--but Ellis still found himself unsettled.
His Eevee hopped up, into his lap, and Ellis pet at his ear. "Oh, Chestnutella...You're doomed with a lonely trainer." Eevee shoved it's head firmly toward his trainer's hand, enjoying the pets, which prompted a laugh from Ellis, "Or maybe you'd prefer it that way." Shaking his head slowly, he sighed deeply, raising his brows. "I don't know that I'll ever find anyone else to accept me as I am, hmm?"
His fingers curled around an Eevee ear, slightly folding it downward with his digits. Eevee looked up at Ellis, whose grip lessened, and the petting stopped. Ellis felt his heart throbbing, and Eevee turned his head upward, concerned, as he sat upon his trainer's lap.
"Who would ever really want a stupid boy in a dress?"
Eevee felt a tear drop onto its fur from Ellis' cheek, and felt the quaking shivers from Ellis' hand. Immediately, Eevee stood on its hind legs and pawed at the bow on Ellis' chest, whining up at his trainer. 'Vuiiiouiii!?’ Ellis reached up and placed his wrist on his eyes, shutting them tightly, allowing the pain to absorb him. "I'm sorry! Just...give me a second--I, I just need a minute...!"
Ellis overflow with emotion as he drew both palms up to his face, completely covering his eyes. Eevee submit to that answer and sat down upon Ellis' lap, frowning sadly as he watched his trainer, growing helplessly quiet. Pointed, brown ears simply dropped, flattening to the sides of his head. Ellis continued to cry, sobs engulfing his throat, his shoulders jolting up and down with each catch of his breath.
Eevee reached up with a paw and pushed itself up on his hind legs--tiny paws digging against Ellis’ thighs--insisting on interfering as he pried his nose between Ellis' hand and his face. 'Vuii! Ouiii?!’ Eevee began licking at the salt he tasted from the tears that drowned Ellis' chin, before his tongue shoved against his hand, begging his trainer to confide in him that everything was alright.
Ellis pulled his hands away from his face and pulled his face from Eevee, shaking his head, "I'm so sorry..." Ellis sniffled and scooped Eevee's chin and cheek within hand, "You're just worried about me..." Ellis shook his head, "I don't know that you've ever seen me cry before...that was selfish of me, I'm--I'm sorry," Eevee kept it's head still within Ellis' hand, eyeing him with a frown as sadness still consumed him, "This just hurts so bad, I...usually keep myself so busy, and now that there's nothing really to do, I guess it's really getting to me. I don't really see my family, I...don't really have any friends, and...well..." Ellis shut his eyes. "I just want someone, and it just doesn't feel like...I'll find that person. Or..." He laughed very disheartened, "I found him and messed it all up..."
Eevee felt himself at a loss for words, and grew choked up, himself. He felt how disheartened his trainer really was, and felt his own tears gathering from his ducts. Ellis began scratching beneath Eevee's chin, scrubbing his fingernails beneath Eevee's neck.
Ellis found it in his heart to smile over the Eevee’s gentle reactions, looking over his face.
"Chestnutella, thank you...I must've had you so worried, I'm so sorry...I love you...thank you for being here for me."
Ellis leaned down and planted a firm, genuine kiss upon his Pokemon's forehead, in which the Eevee shut his eyes to receive the affection from his beloved trainer.
And suddenly, Eevee's body released a very vibrant light.
Ellis flinched, but his moistened eyes widened at the sight before his very eyes. Eevee's enlightened body grew, each paw's respective leg extending longer, the paws atop Ellis’ thighs getting significantly larger, and more defined. It's ears grew thicker, they widened out and rounded, after which, it's body began adapting to it's new heightened senses. It looked like feelers extended from his head and neck, until that light died down, and it’s new form revealed in it’s entirety.
In Ellis' lap now sat a prim little Sylveon on it’s hind quarters, who smiled joyously up toward his trainer. He cried, 'Sylveon!'
Ellis laughed in surprise, "Sylveon!!! Oh my gosh, this is so amazing!!! Oh my gosh!!"
Ellis stood, holding the Sylveon safely within his arms, "I can't believe you've evolved!!!" Ellis spun around with the Sylveon, then squeezed the Pokemon to his chest, shutting his eyes. The Pokemon settled into his trainer's grasp, smiling contently. 'Sylvie!'
"I'm so, SO proud of you, Sylveon! How the heck did this happen?!" Sylveon leaned up and licked Ellis' cheek. Ellis realized his face was dried now--for the most part--and he sighed deeply, shaking his head as he muttered, "...How incredible...”
Ellis smirked and pressed his cheek against Sylveon's, who affectionately rubbed against Ellis, the two embracing their newfound, evolved relationship.
"I guess sometimes it's good to just break down and let it go..." Sylveon responded with a nod, stroking Ellis’ head with one of it’s feelers.
“Now...Chestnutella was so specific to your color, I just can’t help but feel like maybe that’s not really appropriate for you, anymore?”
Sylveon tilt his head, ‘Syl?’
“Unless you like Chestnutella! I’d never wanna give you another nickname unless you wanted it.”
Sylveon thought, looking off from Ellis into the forest. ‘Syl...’
“We’ll give it some thought, okay? I want you to have a say in it too, so I’ll see if I can think of one, and we’ll see if you like it!”
Did Ellis challenge the Pokemon League in every region he went to?
///o/// Gods, no.
So, he rounded Unova and won, the first time. He spent his entire 11th birthday month inside of Victory Road, because he was pretty lost. He won against Alder, and because he’d spent the entire year alone and tirelessly training, by the time he won, he didn’t want the glory or the tireless responsibility involved in maintaining the Champion title, so he turned it down. His brother Umber–who trains under Alder–got very upset at him because he found it disrespectful (people fight their whole lives to even find themselves in the Elite Four’s presence, let alone win the title) they started to fight, his mother agreed with Umber because she felt as though he was turning an entire career down, his little sister witnessed all of the fighting, and that was the source of his familial issues today. After a long while of fighting, it caused him to run away to Sinnoh (which is what he wanted to do instead of hold up a Championship title, travel for research).
So he went to Sinnoh, collected all of the badges, and took his time–but after 3 years spent there, he didn’t bother challenging the Elite Four. He’d spent so long depressed over the fight, and trying to master Stat Training was taxing–he also began puberty at 12, so Sinnoh in general just wasn’t a very good time for him. Lots of angst, lots of body changes, lots of hormones surging. He got to Sinnoh when he was 11, and left Sinnoh when he was 14.
Then in Hoenn, yet again, he collected all of the badges in a year, but never bothered challenging the Elite Four. He spent most of the region going through his peak of puberty while he was there, and he was too busy researching whatever he could about Dragons and Stat Training to bother. He got to Hoenn when he was 14, and 16 when he left. So his puberty did start to calm down, but he was still pretty angsty.
In Johto and Kanto, he was a lot calmer and a lot more focused on his path. He collected all of the badges, and once he spoke with Clair in Johto and and really stuck around to be mentored by her disciples–the same way he did with Drayden and Iris, in Unova–it really centered him and it relaxed him. It allowed him to release a lot of tension knowing he could return to Unova with pride, and understand how to handle Thirio (his Hydreigon) with ease. He did challenge the Kanto/Johto Elite Four and won, but again, he turned it down because he decided it was time to return home to Unova. Ellis was 16 when he arrived to Johto and then 20 when he left Kanto.
He got back to Unova and collected some more badges that’d been added in the 9 years he’d been gone, and the fighting resumed in his home, but it was more resentment and awkwardness over past feelings of the fight. He fought it out with Umber and Anais (his brother and sister), but felt that there was no point in continuing to fight, and left to Kalos. He collected the Kalos badges, but never challenged the Elite Four. His focus was on the Pokemon he’d left, nurturing Thirio, and just enjoying being able to actually breathe from a higher place.
[ A 10 year old Ellis, out on his Unova journey! More frames from Ellis’ timeline are on the way, I just really wanted to share this one! Over 11 years later and he’s still so cute--but in a sexy shota sort of way! <3 ]
Ellis was ripened at 10 years old, and ready to go on his very first Pokemon adventure–regardless of whether his mother was ready for her little boy to leave the house or not.
Ellis sighed as his mother, Elynda, adjusted his hood, after which she ironed out the poncho part with her fingertips, pulling off a piece of lint.
Eyes cast downward, Ellis recited what his mother advised. “Always keep my bag organized, keep my wits about me and only trust the openly trustworthy,” Ellis continued, his mother mouthing the rules as her son spoke them aloud, “Remember to set up camp if I can’t make it to a Pokemon Center, and do it in the safest place I can find.”
His 8 year old sister, Anais, was playing with Ellis’ Cottonee, lecturing him in the rules regarding being cute on the road, and other things, in the meantime.
“Good. Now, what do you do when you get outside of Eindoak Town’s sight?”
“Keep walking Westward until I see the construction pillars. Then wait on the side of the road and wait until Umber gets me.”
“That’s right, baby. Okay…” Elynda paused and frowned, “Are you sure you’re ready?”
“Mom, come on–please?”
“Alright, alright—You’d better get going, then…” Elynda moved some stray strands of hair from Ellis’ forehead and gave him a kiss on the nose, before she turned around, toward the door. “I put those filled buns in your bag, just in case, okay? They’re all packaged up and ready to eat. Remember to check your map before you head from the town you’re in toward the next so you can understand how long you’ll be walking. You need to eat right at every stop you can, because you’ll never know when you’ll get your next meal. Same with washing your clothes, you need to find yourself a laundromat, change into your spare clothes, then wash the pair you just got done wearing. Next place you can, wash the spares, put them on, then wash your regulars. Understood?”
Ellis continued to nod his head throughout his mother’s lecture and grabbed his bag, which sat slouched against the wall by the door. Slinging it over his shoulders, he shouted, “Fuwa Fuwa! We gotta go,” before he glanced over his shoulder, and the sight he caught made his heart sink. Cottonee stood sorrowfully by a misty-eyed Anais, who stood with her hands balled up, trying not to cry.
Ellis frowned and pivoted his body around, stepping to his younger sister. He ran to her and slung his arms around her body, squeezing her close.
“Anais, I promise to come back home as soon as my journey is over and spend as much time playing with you as I can, okay? We’ll have as many tea parties as we can! And who knows, by then, maybe Cottonee will be a big Whimsicott and you can braid his hair!”
Cottonee gave a nervous laugh, but Anais’ face immediately turned around. She smiled brightly and giggled, nodding, “Ellie you’d better come home real soon, then!!”
Ellis turned around and his mother surprised him by grabbing him into her arms, squeezing him tightly as she knelt down to hold him. Ellis shut his eyes and felt his throat squeeze up, and gave his mom another squeeze.
“I’m gonna miss you, mom. I’m..I’m sorr-”
“No…don’t. Your brother went on his journey too.” Elynda pulled from Ellis and stood up, then placed her hands on his shoulders “I just can’t believe today isyour day, Ellis…But I want you to give it your all, Ellis!”
Ellis blinked back his tears and gave a nod, clenching his bag straps. “If I don’t leave now I won’t want to, any more–but I love you guys, and I promise I’ll make you proud!”
Elynda and Anais watched as Ellis and his Cottonee made his way into the Eindoak Town bustle, looking over his shoulder to wave with a smile. When he turned back around and rounded a corner, the tears began streaming down his face, and Ellis paused his stride. Cottonee, worried, tapped Ellis’ shoulder, and wiped a tear with his right leaf. “Nee?” Ellis shut his eyes and nodded, “I’m okay.” He inhaled and smiled, opening his eyes to look up at Cottonee, “That was the hardest part…but we’ve gotta keep going, or like I said, we won’t want to, any more.” “Nee!” And with that, Ellis continued walking, keeping his eyes up, toward the western horizon.
“Fuwa, look!”
Ellis pulled his hood back from his hair, and pointed, “The construction beams! Let’s go!” “Cottonee!!” Ellis’ boots began quickly pushing the sand behind him as he ran forward, toward the gravel of Route 4. “Umber should be here any minute now–”
“Hey, kid!” A very serious voice called to Ellis. Ellis’ eyes drew toward the voice, and they met another trainer’s.
It was a boy who wore a short sleeved, cobalt shirt to cover his rail-thin shape–and cargo shorts for his legs. His hair was a coal color, and looked dusty from the desert winds. Ellis caught a glimpse of his shoes, they were dirty, but cobalt, as well. He walked toward Ellis with haste, and he still seemed very serious to the point of being perturbed.
“…What are those stupid clothes you’re wearing? Is that a dress?”
Innocently enough, Ellis smiled, chiming back optimistically, “Y’see, I’m from Eindoak Town to the east, and I’m a child of the Vale–”
“Whatever, I don’t care anymore. Is that your only Pokemon?”
Ellis seemed hesitant to answer, but opened his mouth regardless to answer, only to be interrupted with the trainer’s words, again.
“Whatever, you’re pathetic! I doubt you’ll win. Now enough talk–let’s battle.”The trainer pulled his PokeBall from his waist and threw it onto the ground. “Sandile, let’s beat this wimp!” His Sandile appeared on the gravel, crying out it’s name once the PokeBall retreated.
Ellis’ eyes narrowed and Cottonee hovered in front of Ellis quickly, “Nee, nee!”Ellis balled his fists up, and gave Cottonee a nod. “We’ve got this!”
“Sandile, use your Sand Attack!”
“Fuwa, use Growth!” Ellis stood watch as Cottonee began growing itself, it’s Special stat raising.
“Sandile, use your Torment attack!” Ellis watched Cottonee’s back as it hovered there, shaking just a bit. “Fuwa, be careful! Absorb!” Cottonee glow a bright light as it pulled energy from Sandile. The Sandile shut it’s eyes and shook it’s head, glaring at the Cottonee.
The kid chuckled, “This is going to be too easy…Sandile, use your Bite attack! Crunch that weakling between your jaws!”
Ellis watched, feeling helpless as Cottonee was immediately pounced on, one of it’s leaves disappearing in it’s mouth as it’s body was pierced between it’s sharp teeth. “Fuwa!!”
“Keep squeezing it there, make it hurt!”
“Fuwa, use Absorb!”
The kid crossed his arms and scoffed, “How embarrassing! You may as well hand over your cash now, kid! Your Cottonee’s Tormented! It can’t use Absorb again!”
Ellis felt his heart drop. It was as if all of what he learned just disappeared. He watched Cottonee struggle within the grasp of the Sandile, and yet, his brows raised within seconds as he watched his Fuwa Fuwa give a little glow.
Ellis gasp and then immediately shout with haste, “Fuwa Fuwa! Use Leech Seed!”
Suddenly, Sandile’s legs were wrapped in roots from Cottonee’s leaves, and it shouted in pain, releasing Cottonee from it’s jaws.
The kid growled, “Sandile, use Rage!” The Sandile began stomping around, growing angry and a bit red.
Ellis pointed toward Cottonee with gusto, “Fuwa, jump right above it’s body and use Absorb! It can’t easily move it’s head without turning it’s body completely around, and it can’t look up that well!”
Sandile’s eyes widened in surprise, immediately turning around, beginning to spin in a circle as it’s energy was soaked up from the vines attached to it’s short feet, which made it uncomfortable to maneuver around.
“Ugh! Sandile, what gives?! Use Rage again!”
Sandile spun around and lept toward Cottonee, “Fuwa, try to avoid it!”
Sandile made impact this time with Rage, and the Cottonee winced in pain as it slid across the gravel, but immediately awaited Ellis’ next order.
“Fuwa, use Absorb again!”
Cottonee used Absorb, and finally, the Sandile lost it’s wind, stumbling over it’s own vine-wrapped feet before falling to the floor, fainted. Cottonee dropped to the floor instantly, exhausted from it’s battle, shutting it’s eyes in pain.
“Fuwa!” Ellis ran to his Pokemon on the floor, kneeling as he quickly pulled off a strap from his backpack, unzipping it, “Fuwa Fuwa…I’ll take care of you!” He pulled out a spray from his bag, and inspected the label as quick as he could.
The kid growled and scooped up his Sandile quickly, angrily cursing under his breath. “Stupid kid!” He then stood up, “Your stupid stuffed animal barely won! You’re lucky I didn’t crush you!” The kid turned left with his Sandile in arms and began to run. Ellis shouted, “Hey, wait!” He sucked his teeth before shaking his head, “It doesn’t matter! Fuwa Fuwa, just hold still!” Spraying the Potion on Cottonee, he smiled in relief, “That should do it!” He zipped his bag back up, and pulled the strap securely onto his arm, gathering his Pokemon in his arms gently.
“You kiss your mother with that mouth?”
Ellis heard his 14–almost 15–year old brother’s voice and immediately stood, cradling Cottonee in his arms. What he saw next made his jaw drop. Umber stood there with the neck of the kid’s shirt in hand, holding him up at least three feet from the ground. “You’d better cough up the cash, you little punk, eh? Fair is fair!” The kid immediately pulled out cash from his pocket and dropped it into Umber’s waiting hand. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry! Just put me down!” Umber dropped the kid, who ran even faster toward North, with his Sandile still in arms.
Umber stepped to Ellis with a smirk, holding out his cash. “Fair is fair, Ellis!” His smirk transformed into a grin as Ellis drew out his hand, allowing Umber to drop it into his palm. Ellis looked at the money and his eyes widened. “Whoa…”
“That was an awesome battle, Ellie! You totally deserved that cash–you did a really good job!”
Ellis’ voice cracked as he squeezed Cottonee to his chest tightly, “You saw me?”
“Hell yeah! He caught you right before I called you, myself. I just feel sorry for him, after all that smack talk…Anyway,” waving a hand toward himself, Umber pointed with his thumb, just over his shoulder, “Your chariot awaits…?”
Ellis looked over Umber’s shoulder to his brother’s Volcarona, patiently awaiting as it’s wings bat prettily at it’s back.
“Shall we, Ellie?”
Ellis gave a nod, and as his brother walked away, Ellis looked down at Cottonee, exhaling deeply before whispering, “This is gonna be a lot of tough work, Fuwa. But we’re gonna do this.”
Weakly, Cottonee gave a nod and a twitch of it’s leaf, responding quietly, “Nee..”
Ellis flipped his hair and looked into his compact, which was the shape and color of a Clamperl's shell. He reached into his bag and pulled out some eyeshadow, which was in a small, handheld box, and used the brush to reapply. "Juuuust a little. Training can really be a makeup waster. Especially in the Desert Resort. So happy we made it to Join Avenue in time." He clipped the brush back into place and pulled out his lip gloss next, withdrawing the tiny brush to smear a nice coat of it over his supple lips. He twisted the brush back into it's jar and smacked his lips together before making a kissy face into the mirror. "Gotta do my best Ducklett face to make sure it's on right." Clamping the compact shut, he winked down at Eevee. "Isn't that right, Chestnutella?" Eevee gave a swish of his tail, smiling eagerly up at Ellis. "Let's go, baby." He shoved all of his makeup back into his cosmetic case, then slid it back into his bag before slinging the bag back onto the proper shoulder, heading into the cafeteria of Join Avenue with his Eevee.
Ellis threw on his bag and tapped his Pokeballs, reminding the Pokemon sitting inside them. More stat training had to happen for the team to become the best they could. Ellis had been away from them for a while, but it was no excuse to get lazy. He was now in Nimbasa, and this was one of his favorite cities--namely because he loved the night life! Walking out of his hotel room, he closed it behind himself and ran down the hallway. He jerked his body to the right of the hall, quickly muttering, "Whoops--sorry!" As he passed a couple walking, who gave him a second glance before continuing their walk, surely to their own room. The Stat Trainer flew out the hotel front doors and smiled enthusiastically at the Nimbasa night sky. He closed his eyes as he felt the cool city's night breeze slide across his face, and he bit his lip with excitement as he opened his eyes. A giggle escaped his throat and he couldn't help but shake, his fists balled up before he sped off, his shoes slamming against the pavement as he moved toward the Rondez-View Ferris Wheel.
Ellis wiped the sweat from his forehead as he looked down to his Xtransciever. "...That desert can get so hot..." The desert certainly wasn't Ellis' first choice to train, but it was certainly needed for some stats with some of his Pokemon. They needed values that could only develop by battling Ground, Dark and Fire types. "Whew." He stopped alongside the road and pulled his bag from his shoulder, quickly unzipping the side pouch. His hand reached inside and he searched, before grabbing at one of his bottles and pulling it out. It was a Fresh Water. He pulled off the cap and started drinking, a small dribble coming from the side of his lip. He quickly withdrew the bottle from between his lips and wiped his mouth, looking around. "Oh...wow!" Ellis didn't realize how far he walked from Eindoak. He was on the road to Nimbasa, which was less than a mile or two from the looks of it. "The Rondez-View Ferris Wheel!!!" He capped his water bottle off and stuffed it back into his bag, tossing it across his shoulder again before he stepped with a purpose, aiming to see one of his favorite cities in Unova once more.
He hadn't seen his family--mother, brother, sister--throughout the entirety of his stay in Kalos. He kept his distance because he needed to. Needed to refresh, to recalibrate. His brother expected too much of him, his sister would ridicule him because he couldn't meet expectations, and his mother...well, she was never around to see it all. She didn't know, and Ellis was too insistent on handling things on his own to tell her. "Just one more day to myself. Then I'll face them and hopefully explain the whole thing." He sat in his Eindoak Town hotel room, looking down at his beloved Hydreigon, Thirio, who slept calmly at his feet. Ellis smiled and lay back, burying himself beneath the covers, giving a loud sigh. "It'll all work out."
