#personal evolution;headcanons

[prozagonist]

Zalaia's real birth parents are not as awful as you may think they were. They are worse.

She was an unplanned child as a result of a fling between two reckless adults. When her mother realized she was having a child, it was too late to stop the process. She was given up as soon as possible. Her parents never told the rest of the family about her. Avoiding any other responsibility, they effectively disappeared from the region. There big reason was that a child complicates their lifestyle and their words were 'we can't possibly take care of her in our state'.

Zal has never known family like those around her. Her social workers did her best to make sure she was cared for. They did her best to try and find her suitable foster families but failed multiple times. What makes matters worse is that she does have a blood family that would have taken care of her. Zal doesn't know she's cousins with Lyra @kotoyin who's uncle is Zal's father, but that day will come eventually.

For now, Zal resents her blood parents with unsatisfied fury.

[prozagonist]

👫

Relationship Headcanons [Accepting]

Taunie found it really weird when Zal was always happy to do Too Much Work for team MZ. Taunie was also the first person to get Zalaia's very nonchalant explanation of her childhood trauma. Taunie made A Face. You know the one. Inadvertently, it caused the both of them to work a little bit more so the other wouldn't worry. It came to a head at The Tower Incident and luckily both have kind of chilled out in doing things separately, and instead do reckless things together. No one really batted an eye when they started hanging out in each other's rooms overnight, because they both needed the sleep.

When Taunie went to Quasartico, Zal was terrified she would not see Taunie again. Zal did not want Taunie to become a CEO of a company and found that entire family thing rather sudden, and very unfair to her. Despite this, she still supported Taunie and saw her every day, even giving up Royale Nights for months just to see her. Zalaia never told Taunie this because she eventually realized it was selfish of her to just want Taunie to stay at the Hotel with her. Thus she cried her eyes out when Taunie decided it wasn't for her and to come back. Zal told Taunie afterwards the entire truth and still feels bad about it.

At least once a month they have a very late night where they go on the roof and have s'mores with just the two of them. They have a favourite blanket they like to share. It's one of those incredibly plush and soft ones they found while wandering about a local store in the city.

Zalaia literally cannot hide from Taunie. Taunie learned of every hiding spot of Zal's in the city. Taunie will always find her whenever she's having an isolation outside episode, it's only a matter of time.

[prozagonist]

What was it like growing up in Paldea, did you go to the academy?

Ask about the Past [Accepting]

"I did go to Naranja Academy. I lived there after what I call my third strike. My dorm room was nice, and I actually got to make friends like Theron, and keep Boushi with me. I wasn't much of a trainer until I went to Kalos.

"I never really participated in the Treasure Hunts each year. It felt cliche until I got older, and after a lot of therapy. Being able to actually do things with Pokemon was nice, I even earned my Tera Orb with Boushi. I think one of the staff took pity on me, saw my potential or both. Have not used it yet. I liked it when Mister Brassius came into art class with Mister Hassel. Those were the most fun days."

[prozagonist]

Did yo have a particular place you'd hide as a child?

Ask about the Past [Accepting]

"North Province A2. Yeah I walked there as a kid from Levincia. No one notices you gone when they don't care.

"Fury Falls and the bamboo forest were my favourite. The Pokemon there liked me. There were so many caves and burrows to hide in. A lot of berries to eat. I know about ten different ways to cook an Oran Berry. Everything out there was so calm and mysterious. When I go back to Paldea, I will be going there first. I hope some of the Pokemon out there still remember me. It's also why I like the Rust Syndicate garden. It reminds me of a place I could have called home."

Stella always knew where she was, though. Only she knew all the hiding spots.

[prozagonist]

Why the name choice? Is there meaning behind the name?

Ask about the Past [Accepting]

"I am not gonna keep name I am given by some poor excuses for parents. I only kept my last name because the social workers cared about me.

"The meaning is... It's like taking my given name, and smashing it. Reareanging it into something else. A z is just a sideways capital n after all. Stella said my name is close to another name that exists, so I put the z in front of it. Stella said Alaia was a name that meant joyful. So I put it there in hopes I would get that joy one day."

[prozagonist]

Describe a typical day in your childhood

Ask about the Past [Accepting]

"My "childhood" in like, what, the good parts?"

There wasn't one.

If there were, they were fleeting.

"Wake up, talk to my social worker, go to yet another courtroom. Talk on a stand too large for someone my size. Go back with my social worker to another temporary room. If it wasn't court, it was just waiting in my room until I hated it, climbed out the window and walked and explored outside with Pokemon. Wild ones. They were kind to me.

"When I was removed from families, Stella would take me out. I stayed with her for a long time. She made Levincia fun. Took me out on the tour ships, even taught me how to ride a bike and a Cyclizar. Even when she went to jail, she saw me every week, and on good behaviour, she was allowed out once a month with supervision to take care of me. At least she cared."

Maybe some parts weren't so bad.

[prozagonist]

has zal ever suffered recurring nightmares? what were they like, if so?

Ask about the Past [Accepting]

Zal does have recurring nightmares of a similar theme: all stemming from abandonment. She has had it about losing families that were meant to love her, friends she made that suddenly cut her off, and in some cases, her beloved partner leaving her for someone new. Specifically, she has a nightmare about what would have happened if Stella didn't step in when her so-called dad of the third foster family injured her knee.

Oftentimes, she wakes up in a panic attack. Thankfully, her Altaria is at the ready to soothe the mental anguish with a quiet song and soft wings to cuddle into. The reassurance that despite anything, she will always have her Pokemon with her.

[prozagonist]

does your muse have a celebrity crush, or look up to a famous person? if they don't, who do you think their celebrity crush could be?

Zalaia is from Paldea.

She was not, and is not immune to the Rika propaganda.