I like this concept more than I probably should. X’D Get ready for a long post…
The Main Cast
We first have the protagonist herself. She appears to be a Shiny Zoroark…or a Shiny Hisuian Zoroark. This isn’t even her true form either…but she walks all three worlds by disguising herself as a human or a normal, living Zoroark. She can also “shapeshift” into other Pokémon and people too.
I chose Zoroark for Pendara because of the shape shifting (illusion trick), and because Hisuian Zoroark is a Ghost type which fits the Spirit dragon thing.
Megaera the Shiny Haxorus. Of the dragons, I think Haxorus fits her best, especially the Shiny.
Calixthzan the Charizard, but a descendant of the clone Charizard from the first Pokémon movie. Because of this he feels this need to prove he is a real Pokémon and just as strong as any other. He’s that kind of edgelord, yes.
Went with Charizard because I love Charizard, and the Fire lizard fit best. It was between this and Groudon, but I wasn’t making anyone a Legendary here.
Frjord the Alolan Ninetails, because he’s an Ice dragon but likes warm, sandy climates, and Alola is Hawaii.
Azure was difficult because there weren’t any blue snakes that look like him…so I went with Inteleon. I know Inteleon is meant to be a cool spy like a James Bond character…but he just looks sleepy to me. lol And Azure, like actual pythons, doesn’t do much. He’s seen as lazy, but he’s just not much for high energy activity.
The Mentors and Leader
Arkelm would be a Shiny Gyrados. One that has the ability to Mega Evolve. The reason for this, he used to live among humans and acted as a protector and provider for them (this is in the actual story too). Because of this, his desire to protect those that cannot protect themselves lead to the gift of access to this stone and power.
Went with Shiny Gyrados…because it’s a red noodle dragon. So is he.
Maziah the Noctowl, still an alchemist. I chose Noctowl because she’s an Owl dragon in the story now. I think I based her on the Great Horned Owl…or a similar one.
King Blackthorn is a Shiny Haxorus like his daughter, but I wasn’t going to draw another normal Haxorus. Blackthorn also has a Mega Stone, and this is what he looks like when using it. (Credit for the design goes to lordmacguffin on DeviantArt)
When Megaera takes his place, she will be given the Mega Stone. When this happens, she will put it on her wrist cuff.
Villain
I still don’t have an official name for this guy…but he’d be an Arbok because he’s a Cobra dragon in the story.
Nox
Last but not least, Nox. He would be a Shiny Garchomp (which is slightly closer to his usual color…) Why? Because he’s a semi-aquatic dragon in the story and has shark teeth. As in multiple rows of teeth. Also Garchomp is a pseudo-Legendary, so that fits him too.
Some of the dragons of my Headworld (loose term), which is basically my fursona, BD’s in-character story.
I was listening to some Two Steps from Hell music (they’re a dramatic trailer and movie music-sounding I think group) and it got me feeling nostalgic for this “project” you could call it. Which is BD’s story, basically. The official, not brought into any other source story (and instead her husband Aara/vos has been written into it, but more on him under the cut with the rest.)
Story Summary: Meg had just graduated college when it happened. She was getting her future figured out and had been preparing to go about acquiring a position at a place of work she had been aiming for. She was getting ready to move out of her parents house completely as well, and start “adulting”
…until that summer something happens that changes not only her life, but her entire identity in one day.
Below is a bit of a briefing of the characters (right to left, top to bottom):
Meg/Pendara: The protagonist/hero of course, Meg starts out as a college student-to-graduate who isn’t happy with the degree she went for. She was going to try a different college to get a different degree, or another class that would help narrow her job choices...but during the summer she was dragged into going on a camping trip (or something. I haven’t worked out the details) with some classmates she considers friends.
This is where her plans are thrown out the window, as the night progresses with some dramatic event happening (again...details under construction) where she transforms for the first time (to her knowledge or memory) and she has to run for it. She ends up in a reasonably-sized cave where she falls asleep from the stress exhausting her. The next morning being woken by ANOTHER dragon! And long story turned short...he teaches her how to function in her new body and they journey together to the nearest place he knows where dragons live safely away from humans...and so her story really begins there.
Megaera: By official title, she is the princess of the hidden kingdom Meg (renamed Pendara eventually) is brought to, and therefore heir to the throne. By actual character...as of now she is the Big Sister character type, as in she starts tough, but will be there for her friends and warms up to Meg soon enough.
Her past is much less friendly, however. Megaera was once the infamous stereotypical dragons they write stories about. Arrogant, selfish, and tyrannical, she terrorized a specific spot of Europe until Arkelm the Golden arrived and used her arrogance against her to beat her in a fight she initiated. Later saving her life when she was finally taken down and about to be killed by the humans she once oppressed. He gave her a second chance, and she took it, traveling with him as his student and traveling companion for many years...but more on her later.
Arkelm: Not much is known about his early years, but over his centuries of life he was given the title of “Arkelm the Golden” by several, which spread around the world. He is one of the most famous dragons on the planet, known for his good deeds and heroic feats while remaining humble and kind. Megaera respects him deeply, as do many others, but they have a special connection (not romantic or parental, but their relationship is unique to them.)
He also has an interesting relationship with Maziah (coming next) and is one of the first to give Meg a chance when she comes to the city.
Maziah: Grumpy by default, Maziah would rather be in her study all day fiddling with her potions and pet projects relating to mixing concoctions and things. She is not a very sociable dragon at all, but is the city’s best alchemist. Arkelm is perhaps the only one you will see talking with her like they are close friends, and that is probably because they are. Anyone else is either treated to a long, hard look...or threatened with being force-fed poison.
She is one of the coldest to Meg when she arrives, but that isn’t out of character with Maziah. Deep down she is very loyal to her city, though, and her king.
Azure: At least for now, Azure is the dragon that found and brought Meg to the hidden city. He is a race of Serpens dragons (snake dragons) resembling and expressing mannerisms of pythons...and as of now I don’t have a lot to say on him. If I ever publish this story, he will have a different placement in it in Meg’s friend group.
King Aegeus: The king of the dragons, who rules and protects the dragons of the hidden city. When Meg arrives, he is wary of her, but allows her refuge in the city as he does all dragons that come here. He is a mysterious figure like Arkelm...but just and good deep down. He is also Megaera’s father, but they were separated when she was still a child, resulting in her eventual rise to power in the opposite way she should have.
Island Pit Viper dragon (unnamed): I...don’t have much to say on this one. I think it will be male, and he is heavily influenced by the Island Pit Viper, a snake of these colors and with this plated look to it. Very pretty snake. As the name says, he is of the Viper race of Serpens dragons.
Varsolus: One of the king’s most loyal and powerful soldiers, shown through the scars he has received in battle (though not all are from his service to the king.) Varsolus is very loyal to the crown...and to defending his city. (I don’t have a lot more to say on him. He isn’t a major part of the story I don’t think...)
Yandor: Varsolus’ younger brother and not near as brave or skilled in battle. He’ll probably end up being a traitor...because he doesn’t like how things are being run here.
King Cobra dragon (unnamed): I don’t have a name for this guy either...he is also a soldier, and one of the Cobra dragons in the Serpens group. That’s all I have on him, though.
False Water Cobra dragon (unnamed): Originally this was going to be the King Cobra’s sister, who when they were younger thought she was a King Cobra as well but grew out of it...but I’m leaning more toward her being the other character’s mate instead. She still was raised by true Cobra dragons, but by the time of meeting her husband, had been set straight on her adopted status (it isn’t tragic or depressing either. They loved her as they did any of their other children.)
Aara/vos: For a disclaimer, he is a placeholder character. If I end up publishing this story, he will be replaced with a different dragon of mine which I have shared on here before... I’m still not sure what his story is yet, but he is one of the oldest dragons alive, a member of the most ancient race which Pendara (on purpose) has some features of. As for his status...I don’t know if he will be a criminal, or just a mysterious character that she meets and is taught more about her identity from...as well as other things. Also the love interest, of course, because my headworld, my rules. (He will also be redesigned a bit, but not by much.)
This is only some of the characters in the story. There are others I couldn’t fit...like the central villains...but here are some of them. If you read through all this, thank you. I hope you enjoyed hearing about them.
An Answer To 'Why Bother Participating If You're Going To Lose Anyway?'
If you read some of the comments on this post on Brudirect's page, you'll find that a minority have expressed the opinion that Brunei shouldn't participate in competitions we know we are not going to win. This logic is flawed and cynical.
When dealing with defeatist statements such as these, it's often counter-productive to claim that the commenter is 'jealous' or that they have never done anything as substantial as Maziah's participation. This misses their point, and they will not be encouraged to change their opinion because such attacks on character will give them the kind moral superiority that is afforded to them by this perceived persecution.
1. Being with the best brings out the best in you.
This is evident from Anderson breaking his own personal record, and Maziah breaking both her own personal record AND the national record (EDIT: And now Hafiy has also recorded his personal best in the 400m). Not only that, she ran her first sub-60 race. Being around the world's best and competing against them often inspires you to give it a lot more than you usually do. It's the time when it feels like 110% is the least you can give. Would Maziah had broken the national record if she just kept on running in local races? It's possible, but doubtful.
It's the same reasoning on why football teams still participate in competitions they have no chance in winning. They may not beat the Manchester Uniteds and Barcelonas of the world, but they sure will do their best trying to. And there is no shame in losing to the best.
It's also very educational to compete against the best. You get to see their techniques, their routines and their preparation first-hand. You now can compare yourself to world-class athletes who are at the very peak of your chosen sport.
2. It's not a humiliating moment.
This is a common argument, in that if we lose, we are just humiliating ourselves. This is just simply not the case. The Olympics is not about humiliating the losers. It's about celebrating the global spirit, of friendly rivalries and miracle stories. People regularly cheer on for the underdogs, even if they do still end up losing. Remember the Jamaican national bobsleigh team?
In fact, if you go through a lot of the international media, many have expressed support for Maziah, citing her inclusion as a momentous occasion.
3. Why support a losing team when you can support a winning one?
When Bruneian football fans watch the World Cup, we obviously don't support Brunei. This isn't because we don't want to, but simply because the national team have never qualified for the World Cup. But imagine if we actually qualified for it, or even just given a wild-card or sympathy slot.
Would people still use the same reasoning? Would we turn our backs on the national team because we are nowhere near the level of Spain or Germany? Will we all be wearing Portugal football shirts when Brunei play against them?
I'd be willing to bet that 90% of Brunei people would say 'no' to all these questions. Liverpool fans don't abandon Liverpool and suddenly start supporting Manchester City just because their football club hasn't won any major trophies in a while.
We are not glory-hunters. We don't all support China because they are the most likely to get the most medals. We don't all support Chelsea because they won the Champions League. We support our own team through thick and thin, through losses and wins, and through successes and failures. Yes, we are allowed to criticise our own teams constructively, but don't abandon them when your athletes have done their very best against the world's best.
