Pokemon S/V spoilers for those of you who still haven't beat this wonderful game
Penny/Cassiopeia is quite clearly written to be socially awkward, or at least shy/neurodivergent. Under her online Cassiopeia persona, she's stern, assertive, and eloquent. In person, both before and after she unmasks herself, she's hesitant and unsure in her speech unless she's monologuing. While monologuing, she's quite informal. Throughout her dialogue, she's occasionally quite self-deprecating, whether it's audible self-doubt or disdain for team star's Big Boss (herself) doing a terrible job.
I recently listened to her battle theme after not hearing it for a while, and I realized something: it's loud. It's not just loud, it's fast. There's something important about that.
Early in S/V's release, people were joking about how Game Freak "gave the quietest character the hardest song," and I believe that's on purpose. Every battle theme in the entire game (and most of the franchise) is descriptive of the opponent, whether it's Area Zero's alien serenity or Team Star's cheerful punk-sounding tune.
Penny's theme is fast-paced and loud because that's how she is. not only is this an important moment for her, battling the player for the downfall of her own organization, but she's as panicked as the song sounds. Outwardly, she's quiet and meek, but her mind sounds like... well, this song. Her thoughts are cacophonic in nature and swift in generation.
Almost every instrument and note blares in your ears, discordant with eachother and repetitious throughout the length of the song. The few instruments which blare less are the only ones with real variance, akin to a singer's voice carrying a repetitive beat. Every part of the song cries for your attention. I believe this is Penny's inner workings being explained by the devs.
Of course, I could just be projecting my own life on to some game character, but I think that her mannerisms and the form/position of the music is too similar to my own experience to not offer an attempt at analysis.
Here are screenshots of me with the Team Star bosses after getting their badges.
I think Team Star might be my favorite 'villain' team, even though they're not actually villains. The Bosses have cool designs, and their backstories and personalities are awesome. And battling them is a fun challenge.
Why do all of you only think Arven's sick dog in Scarlet and Violet is the only emotionally overwhelming storyline in the game. Fuck YOU team star is about LGBT themes and bullying and I am tearing up after beating it just now FUK
Sigh ... XD I think I may have bitten more than I could chew with those fic ideas I had earlier. The one where I wrote in 3 of them. Anyway, so I ended up writing one of them more in depth than the others, but still incomplete, but I wanna show what I have so here's a snippet of one of those ideas.
I hate to use this but English isn't my first language so there will be grammatical errors, but I did my best in writing them properly.
It's about Clavell's PoV of the Starfall Street route, and also I played Violet so it's in this version.
I begin to doubt my own resolve…
The Treasure Hunt is approaching and yet no member of Team Star has spoken up about anything.
And the deadline is fast approaching.
I really am at a loss of what to do. I pace around my office thinking of how to communicate with Team Star. It is one thing to be rebellious and break the rules. But this… this is beyond simple youthful rebellion. It's been more than a year since a few students have set foot to the school let alone a classroom. This ultimatum would surely try to cease this persistent truancy.
And yet ..
And yet… I have only been met with stubbornness and no response.
There must be a reason. There has to be. Why would Team Star and it's members blatantly break these many rules without any consideration to its consequences. It's maddening…
Or perhaps… I am looking at this from the wrong angle. It is not why they break these rules, rather they have to… but then…
I sigh as I collapse on my chair.
If there is a way, a way for me to communicate to the Team, maybe I could see their reasoning, understand their mindset…
See this whole situation through their eyes….
Maybe I could prevent any at all from being expelled.
I felt an embarrassing rumble in my stomach. I check my watch to see that it is lunch time. I seem to have lost track of time trying to think of anything that could help me and these students.
Perhaps a good lunch and a cup of coffee from the cafeteria could help me clear my head.
I want to know and understand their reasoning behind all of this. No one would just blatantly ignore this ultimatum. Otherwise, it would have been simpler for them to just drop out.
But I shouldn't think that way.
I just …
I just don't want to expel any of them…
They don't deserve any of this…
"Oh! Hello Mr. Director sir!" My attention was caught by a student who was taken by surprise. "I'm really sorry for getting in your way, sir…"
"Oh no, don't worry you're not, I was just in deep thought and I wasn't paying attention to where I was going. I must apologize."
The student looked at me with a face etched with shock and disbelief. I was simply apologizing for a silly mistake I made. Why would he look shocked that I have said that?
"O-okay then sir…" the student managed to utter, "Then I'll just head on to class then, thank you sir."
Even a thank you.
For what?
The student took off down the hall.
It was nothing more than a silly mistake that I had made. After all, I should have been playing close attention to where I was going….
….
I see…
If I was a student, like them…
I wouldn't have been faced with that disbelief expression.
If I was like any other student in this academy, especially with that young one, then that interaction wouldn't have happened.
But I am not a student.
I'm Director Clavell, the esteemed Director of this prestigious Uva Academy.
I'm the director.
And yet this is another silly mistake I have committed.
No wonder that student looked so nervous and anxious around me.
I look to see a group of students from what I can guess gossiping around the hallway. Then they turn to my directon and their conversation went to a halt.
I simply waved and said hello and went on my way.
The further I walk away from them, the more I began to hear them talking again.
How could I have been so blind?
If I simply approached Team Star as Director Clavell, I would be faced with nothing but stubbornness and silence. There would be no change.
If i were a student, maybe it would improve my chances and could proper answers I seek.
But I can't just….
I immediately noticed Master Arven running past me at a quick speed. I was in deep thought to once again not realize he was coming, but I reacted quickly enough to avoid him just barely. I wanted to tell him to stop running down the halls but it was too late as the teenager had dashed further from earshot.
I shook my head. I am surprised that he even came to school today. I’ve been worried about Master Arven ever since his father, Professor Turo, has fallen off the radar so to speak. I do worry about Turo as well. Maybe I should send him an email…
“This is Juliana, correct?”
“Yeah? Who are you?”
I stopped just at the Cafeteria doors. I hear someone from a phone speaking to Miss Juliana, the new transfer student that just enrolled.
“I hacked your smartphone so I could talk to you. Hope you don't mind.” The voice from the phone sounded like a young girl. But did she just say–
“Wait a minute, What do you mean hacked?!” Miss Juliana sounded angry.
“My name’s Cassiopeia.” the girl from the phone introduced herself. Is she a student? It feels wrong to listen in to this conversation, but I couldn’t help myself but to listen in.
“But never mind that–it’s you I want to talk about. I hear you're a trainer with serious potential.”
It is true, Miss Juliana has only been here for a day or so and the whole school has already been talking about her. Especially after she had beaten two members from Team Star earlier.
“If that description is accurate, there’s something I'd like to ask of you. Tell me, Juliana… You know about Team Star right?”
… Wait a minute. Is this about Team Star?
“Yeah I know of them…” I hear Miss Juliana hesitantly reply to her.
“Great. I appreciate you being up-front here.” I could hear that this Cassiopeia person felt relieved. “Team Star is a group of troublemakers formed by some academy students a while back… They cause headaches for the school and try to bring other students down to their level.”
Is this true? If so, have I really gone blind and deaf to the problems the school is facing? Was I so oblivious about all of this? In that case, what have I been doing this whole time?!
“And I refuse to sit idly by and let them get away with it!” It seems Miss Cassiopeia is determined to take down Team Star. How noble of her. But somehow I doubt this whole speech is her only reason.
“So I’ve come up with a plan to bring down Team Star and force them to disband for good.” A plan? The Academy and the School Board have tried everything at their disposal to try to disband Team Star and yet this girl has a plan to do so?
“I call it… Operation Starfall!” She sounds confident about it too. But how? And why?
“But I’ll need allies to carry out this operation… and I’d like you to be one of them.” Of course, Miss Juliana has already made a name for herself despite being her first day at school. Defeating those Team Star members surely must have helped in this as well.
“Really?” Miss Juliana sounded surprised. I wonder if she is unaware of the cause of her recruitment by Miss Cassiopeia. “Well… those grunts earlier were an annoying pain, honestly trying to convince that shy eevee backpack girl to join them even if she said no. So sure, I’ll help ya.”
I am not sure if Miss Juliana is naive or determined. But she did sound eager to help the girl who hacked her smartphone…
“No need to reply right this second. We can discuss the details some other time.”
I wonder…
“Till then, I’ll leave you to it. Bye.” Miss Cassiopeia is quick to hang up.
I shouldn’t linger around here as it would get suspicious if Miss Juliana comes out of the Cafeteria and sees me.
So i opened the door and walked inside and feigned ignorance to ensure that she wouldn’t think I’ve eavesdropped on the conversation.
“Ah, Miss Juliana.” I greeted her as I walked into the room, “Please do try to keep your voice down if you're making calls within the school, won't you?"
"O-of course, sir!" She sounded flustered, "I'll be more careful, sir!"
I nodded, "You don't want anyone else overhearing any personal information, after all." I do worry about you Miss Juliana, especially of what you have gotten yourself into.
"Honestly… there's so many things we need to be careful about in this day and age…" Not just the hacking but rather the Operation Starfall itself too… I don't want you to get into a lot of trouble and could even get expelled because of this…
"On you go then, young lady!" Please don't get into any more trouble…
I waved goodbye to her as I watched her leave the Cafeteria…
