I was today years old when I realized just how underutilized the Unova Elite Four are. I had to scour through all of pokespe to get icons for Marshal because the man never even got so much as a cameo in the anime 😭
Nate struggles to contain the heat rising to his face at Hilda's playful teasing, but despite his best efforts, the blush still creeps in.
"Alright, I get it. Everyone saw that..." He frowns and redirects his glare toward the palm tree behind Hilda, knowing his friend doesn't really deserve the frustration, which is mostly aimed at himself. Once his hands are free, he crosses his arms over his chest. Yeah, he's impulsive and stupid when it comes to Rosa... check, and check.
"Anyway, I don't... want her to know that it was from me." He sounds defeated, his arms dropping limply to his sides as he lets out a sigh. "I've already fucked up enough as it is." He's going to need some distance and a hard reset after this weekend.
Any trace of playfulness left in her evaporates and is replaced with something more solemn at Nate's answer. Her eyebrows furrow a bit in concern at his words and the sudden shift in mood with accompanies them. Hilda turns back to where she last saw Rosa, who is still engrossed in hitting a beach ball with some kids; unaware of the conversation the two are currently having.
She takes a Poké Ball off her belt to summon her Swoobat and offers the Love Ball and note to her. "Can you please take these back to the house for safekeeping?" Lyra nods, sensing the rather somber mood, and carefully takes hold of both with her feet and flies off to her trainer's beachfront home. "C'mon..." Hilda says, taking Nate's arm and moving them further away so that Rosa remains oblivious. She stops and turns to Nate once they are a safe distance away from anyone and crosses her arms over her chest.
"Why do you think you messed up? Is it because of what happened on the pier?" she inquires gently.
Nate rushing to Rosa’s aid when she was struggling to reel in the large Alomomola did not go unnoticed by several party goers. Aurel was no exception. Though he doesn’t make it a habit of teasing Nate when it comes to matters of the heart, it’s becoming increasingly difficult not to when his mentee is being the complete opposite of discreet.
“I have a gift for you,” Aurel says approaching Nate. He holds out the Heart Scale he obtained while observing the school of Luvdisc to him. “I thought it would be quite fitting for the occasion.”
"..." Nate stares at Aurel, then at the offered Heart Scale, then back to Aurel, a look of incredulity and #betrayal on his face. Finally, he lets out a startled laugh. "So you DO have a sense of humor, it's just twisted."
He takes the Heart Scale from his mentor and holds it up to the sunlight, marveling at the way it picks up every color of the rainbow. "I never knew they were iridescent like this. I just thought they'd be pink."
"Hey, Rosa is staying with you, right?" Nate later approaches Hilda while Rosa is distracted, hitting a beach ball with some kids. "Can you give this to her later when you both turn in for the night?"
He hands Hilda a Love Ball along with a folded note. Noticing how her eyes are drawn to the piece of paper, he adds dryly, "It's not a love letter, if that's what you’re thinking."
"Yeah, she is. What's up?" Hilda's attention quickly drops to the Love Ball and note being presented to her. Her gaze must have lingered on the note long enough for Nate to read her mind.
She snorts, giving him a knowing look. "It might as well be with that ball choice. It's pretty specific. Nevermind that show on the pier earlier with Rosa, helping her catch that Alomomola. Pretty slick of you," she retorts teasingly, taking the two items from him.
Hilda peers at the ball in her hand again and then back at Nate curiously. "I'm guessing this is a Pokémon you caught for Rosa. Why not just give it to her yourself?"
"Was it a Unovan? Because it wouldn't surprise me," says the Unovan who sometimes mispronounces English words the way one would pronounce them in Spanish. BurGUNdy is pretty out there, though; even he knows that.
The person was definitely a tourist based on their reactions to Lumiose City; that he is sure on. As to whether they were Unovan is the question. But if they're being honest here, there is a high probability of it being true.
"I can't say definitively, but they were, without a doubt, a tourist. It wouldn't surprise me either if they are Unovan."
This is part two of Green's Eeveelutions. Part one can be read here.
♥︎ Aylin ( Umbreon ♀ ): Aylin was the first Eevee Green caught in Johto and was the first to evolve. She was actually captured together with Elio; they are a set, please do not separate.
Aylin isn't the stereotypical dark-type that many may imagine. She doesn't have a gloomy, devious, or brutal bone in her body. She is curious, a little naive, sweet, and friendly towards others. She is more of an open book than mysterious. Aylin can hold her ground in a battle if necessary, but she isn't unmerciful. She's perfectly content with not battling, as companionship is more important to her. Aylin evolved underneath the stars while stargazing with Green while camping out.
♥︎ Elio ( Espeon ♂ ): Elio was the second Eevee Green caught in Johto was and the last to evolve. He was caught together with Aylin. He attempted to stop Green from catching Aylin and chose to come along with them to protect her. It took longer to earn his trust, but once he saw how well Green treated her and Aylin evolved, he warmed up to him. He would later evolve during a battle to protect Aylin and Green. Elio is rather finicky, reserved, and distrustful. He's rational and observant, but assertive, highly protective, and won't hesitate to jump into action.
Elio is one of Green's strongest battlers out of his Eeveelutions.
-
Like Kelby, Aylin and Elio were both Eevee that Green couldn't as easily read in terms what evolution would be best suited for them. It really just sort of happened once they reached a level of friendship with him. However, this wasn't a problem at all, as it still provided great insight into Umbreon and Espeon. It proved that predisposition couldn't always be used in determining Eevee's evolution ( and perhaps it was better not to worry about such a thing ).
A different, more powerful element can play a key role in growth and evolution: the bonds forged with others can be so strong as to shape one's own self and allow them to evolve into the individual they are today. How meaningful it is to have someone place their trust in you, and how easy it is to lose it. But that's something Green already figured out sometime ago.
♥︎ Hosta ( Leafeon ♀ ): Pronounced as "HAH-stuh." Hosta was the first Eevee Green caught in Sinnoh and was the first to evolve. Though this is is partly because the Moss Rock in Eterna Forest is the closest in comparison to the Ice Rock on Route 217. After observing her habits, Green had an idea of which evolution she may feel more in tune with between Leafeon and Glaceon. He guessed right. Hosta is gentle, laid-back, and likes to nap and sunbath. She takes great care of the environment around her, cleaning it up if she deems it necessary. She isn't big on battles, but can certainly end them if push comes to shove.
It was later discovered that Hosta has seasonal forms similar to Sawsbuck. In the spring, her leaves are a deeper green; in the summer, her leaves are the typical green you see in most Leafeon; in the autumn, her leaves are red-orange; and in the winter, her leaves are brown. Her leaves are dry and fragile in the winter and require specialized care to strengthen them. Sinnoh winters are particularly harsh on her. Discovering Hosta's form changes certainly took Green by surprise and requires further study into why she responds to the seasons differently than the majority of her species.
♥︎ Noel ( Glaceon ♂ ): Noel was the second Eevee Green caught in Sinnoh and the second to evolve. He was also one of the Eevee who took the longest to bond with, alongside Elio. He made Green work to gain his trust and friendship. Green spent the most time between the cabin on Route 217 and Snowpoint City trying to bond with him. There were times when it seemed as if Noel had no intention of getting to know Green. Eventually, he does choose to evolve into Glaceon after he and Green had a heart-to-heart.
Noel is aloof, quiet, stubborn, and overall temperamental. He isn't big on socializing and has a limit to how much he will tolerate before exiting out of it or becoming moody. He does enjoy battling, but his pride takes a hit if he loses. He has a tendency to mope for a while after losing.
♥︎ Pari ( Sylveon ♀ ): Pari was the only Eevee Green caught in Kalos ( and she liked it that way ). She was fairly easy to catch because she took an interest in Green early on. When she found out she wasn't his only Eevee, she aimed to become the top Eevee in his family of Eeveelutions. This sparked something of a rivalry with Floof specifically, as Floof is his main research partner. Floof isn't really bothered by it, but she will humor Pari occasionally.
Pari is easily jealous and doesn't always like to share Green with others, often pouting and fighting for his attention. It's why she was eager to evolve into Sylveon, because Green didn't have one yet, making her unique and getting more attention while he studied the species. She has also proven to be short-tempered and isn't above giving others a bombastic side eye. That said, she has learned to coexist with her teammates without always letting her jealousy get the better of her. Pari is friendly, caring, and affectionate, but does have a mischievous streak.
She is one of Green's strongest battlers out of his Eeveelutions.
This is the first of two posts detailing information about each of Green's Eeveelutions from his research into the evolution line; their name, personality, insights into their eventual evolution, etc. Before that though, there are some important notes to give about this journey.
- Green searched for and caught all of his Eevee; he wasn't just gifted them. He caught each Eevee in their evolution's region of discovery (ex. Umbreon/Espeon in Johto, etc.). While searching for Eevee in each respective region, he also studied their natural habitat and compared it to each region to see if there were any similarities or differences and whether it factored into each new evolution discovered.
- All of Green's Eeveelutions do act more like pets and research partners, but were trained to be battle ready in the case of ever needing to defend themselves.
- There was no time limit in each region ( Kanto, Johto, Sinnoh, and Kalos ). Green spends however long necessary studying each and every one, giving them the same care and attention.
♥︎ Jubilee ( Eevee ♀ ): Also known as Jubi and Floof for her super fluffy fur. She is the fluffiest Eevee Green has ever seen. Floof is the fourth and final Eevee he captured in the Kanto saga of his research. She actually followed Green around and evaded capture for a while, viewing it as a game until she finally allowed herself to be caught. Floof didn't want to evolve into any of the three original Eeveelutions and thus, became Green's Eevee subject.
Floof is energetic, friendly, and helpful. She is also clever, playful, and quick on her feet. She enjoys battling, but will become a little pouty if she loses. She also knows how to put on the charm to sway others and get out of trouble.
Floof is Green's main research buddy who accompanies him to every region he goes to. She currently holds an Eviolite. Despite having high friendship with Green, she doesn't appear close to evolving yet.
♥︎ Asha ( Flareon ♀ ): Asha was the second Eevee Green caught in Kanto and was coincidentally the second to evolve as well. She is sweet, friendly, and laid-back, but will not hesitate to jump into action when necessary, even without being ordered to. She is affectionate and loves cuddles more than anything. As an Eevee, she noticeably had a warmer body temperature, stuck closer to heat sources, and showed a fascination with fire. All of which led Green to believing she was best suited to become a Flareon. Asha agreed.
Asha is one of Green's strongest battlers out of his Eeveelutions. She is pretty resilient in battles.
♥︎ Lux ( Jolteon ♂ ): Lux was the third Eevee Green caught in Kanto and was the first to evolve. He took the longest to catch, second to Floof, because of how stubborn and agile he was ( and still is ). Like Floof, he also liked to play games with him. He definitely tested Green's patience.
Lux is the most like Green out of all of his Eeveelutions. He is energetic, stubborn, and overconfident, especially in his skills. He also LOVES battling. He has proven to be sensitive and takes losing hard. As an Eevee, Lux was the most prone to static shock and bristling his fur with his moods. This and his speed is what led Green to believing he was best suited to become a Jolteon. Lux immediately jumped at the opportunity, especially if it made him stronger.
He is one of Green's strongest battlers out of his Eeveelutions. Lux gets grumpy whenever he isn't chose to participate in a battle. He's also voted most likely to have the wildest zoomies.
♥︎ Kelby ( Vaporeon ♂ ): Kelby was the first Eevee Green caught in Kanto and was the last to evolve. He was the easiest of the four Eevee to capture, but wasn't the easiest to decipher in the beginning. Kelby is seemingly an airhead and goofy. Sometimes Green wasn't sure if there was a thought behind those eyes, but there is a side to him that comes out unexpectedly. Kelby can actually be cunning and levelheaded, especially in battles. Nothing ever seems to faze him. It took some time, but Green finally figured out that Kelby was just resting up for the perfect opportunity to show his power. It turns out that he also enjoys messing with Green.
It took longer to decide on what Eeveelution Kelby should be because of how eccentric he is. Vaporeon would be the default since he has a Flareon and Jolteon now, but he didn't want to make the decision for Kelby. So, Green gave him the choice. Before he could even finish his sentence, Kelby touched the water stone and evolved into Vaporeon, much to Green's surprise. Perhaps it shouldn't have surprised him with how Kelby is and the fact that he did always seem content around water.
Feeling brave enough to face certain death at Hilda's hands, Nate walks up to her and lightly nudges her side with his foot. "Dude, you okay? Those fish just clowned you."
When she eventually uncovers her eyes, he holds out a kabob to her. "Consolation prize?"
First, limbo and now this? The fishing contest was even more of a disaster. She doesn't know if her pride can take much more today.
Feeling the foot nudging her accompanied by the remark has one of Hilda's eyes twitching in annoyance from beneath the arm draped across her face. Is he trying to make her feel better or just irritating her further?
Hilda's arm falls away from her face to glare up at Nate, silently giving him one (1) warning to shut it. The temptation to grab his leg and drag him down to her level and push his smartass into the water is incredibly high. He better tread these next few seconds very carefully. Her features soften the next second though at the sight of the kabob being offered to her.
Hilda exhales an aggravated sigh, dispersing any remaining frustration as she sits up to take the kabob from him. "I'll let the clown thing go because you come bearing food. Next time, I'm pushing you in the water."
A small Carvahna was the first to take your bait. With a reputation for being aggressive, you expected more of a fight, but you were able to reel it in without problems.
Next, a medium-sized Goldeen bit down on the lure, and you reeled it in without issues as well.
For how small this Wishiwashi was, it put up more of a fight than expected. In the end, however, it was no match for you.
Finally, two medium-sized Qwilfish got tangled on your line, fighting it out over your bait with enough force to nearly throw you off balance. You stayed calm, however, and managed to reel both of them in with some effort. When you finished, Nate walked up to you with a wide grin and patted you on the back.
The judges have taken good notes and will work on assigning Aurel a score by the end of the contest.
Relic Forest has always had this feeling of mystique for as long as Rui can remember. Perhaps it’s because of this that two different worlds can converge at the same point in time by chance.
On this day, Rui ventured to Relic Forest to check on the Relic Stone and the surrounding area per her duties. Instead of a peaceful moment as expected, she is met with the surreal image of her own face.
“You’re… me?” she murmurs uncertainly, blue hues blinking back as she pauses in both surprise and confusion. Giving herself a mental shake, Rui urges herself to go on the defensive, recalling a time in the past when Wes’s identity was stolen by Cipher to get revenge on him. She cannot rule out a potential repeat just yet.
“No, that can’t be right," she shakes her head. Right? She frowns at the doppelganger. “Who are you? Did Cipher send you?”
Perhaps you used up all your strength or your good luck while stomping the Humilau gym leader during the handstand competition, because you were completely off your game during the fishing contest.
Your first bite was a large Finneon, and that thing thrased wildly so you eventually had to give up on trying to reel it in. You had similar luck with a particularly ragey small red-striped Basculin, a medium-sized Barboach, a small Seaking, and a medium-sized Barraskewda. They either kept stealing your bait or jumping off the reel. Eventually, you plopped back onto the pier in frustration, your arm thrown over your eyes to shield them from the sun. It looks like fishing may not be your forte.
Oh. This guy... Hilda was wondering what the commotion all of a sudden was about. Her enthusiasm from the PanTrio race instantly deflates to an expression of displeasure at the sight of the Humilau City's gym leader. She's heard plenty about him from Rosa and how he actively chose not to help in the conflict with Neo Plasma. Seeing Marlon's overconfidence ignites a fire in her and she's moving to join him on stage, removing her hair from its ponytail to tie it back in a bun to keep it out of the way. Here's to hoping including calisthenics as part of her workout routine helps in ruining his whole career.
"I'll take you on," Hilda smirks almost smugly, making sure her palms are dry. Without hesitation, she places both hands squarely on the floor and effortlessly kicks her legs upward. Let's see who lasts the longest.
Marlon has experienced his highs and lows, much like the tides. If anyone asks, he'll say he lost the last round simply because his nose was itchy! But this time, he's prepared; he won't let something as silly as that hold him back!
At least, that's what he thinks, until Hilda's words reach his ears, followed by a loud 'OOOOOOOOOOOOH' and jeering from the crowd.
"Those're some smug fightin' words, girlie!" he declares cheerfully. "Let's go, then!" He and Hilda have never met, and he's not so concerned with regional and League matters that he has any inkling of who she is. All he knows is that she's here to challenge him, and he's here to BRING IT ON.
Someone in the background counts down... 3... 2... 1.... Go!
While Marlon is motivated, Hilda is nothing but determined and fueled by fire on a mission to avenge Rosa's grievances. Even when Marlon's arms shake and his feet touch the sand, she keeps on going for twice as long, almost as if rubbing it in his face. Deserved, Rosa would say, if anyone asked her!
"Ugh, wipeout..." Marlon grimaces, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. Maybe next time?
Relic Guardians are individuals who have pledged to protect and maintain the Relic Stone, as well as Relic Forest and Relic Cave. With the exception of a few, most Relic Guardians are native to Agate Village and come from the Setsuma Family.
The Setsuma Family has produced many skilled guardians over the years, who have always succeeded in keeping out intruders. They are also well-known for using aura, which has aided them in the upkeep and protection of sacred ground. Unfortunately, the family has been decreasing over the years, having only four known blood members: Beluh, Evin (Rui's father), Kaden (Rui's brother), and Rui.
Of members married in, it has two consisting of Eagun and Aya (Rui's mother). Eagun specifically has been deemed as worthy of upholding traditions and protecting the Relic Stone and Celebi. While not a part of the family, Wes has been granted the title of Relic Guardian following the events of Colosseum.
Alongside Relic Guardians are another group of protectors called Cave Keepers. While Relic Guardians are expected to look after the whole shebang, they were given additional assistance in the form of Cave Keepers, who as their name implies, looks after Relic Cave. They are the first person(s) an individual must go through in order to see the Relic Stone. They act like a gatekeeper, keeping out all unauthorized individuals. They only answer to Relic Guardians or more specifically, the Heads of the Guardians, which at this time, are still Beluh and Eagun. They will only allow someone through if they receive permission from either elder.
It must be said that the Relic Stone and surrounding areas are not a tourist attraction. It is sacred ground, as previously stated. It is a place honoring Celebi and is a major source of purification. It's a very important landmark for everyone in Agate Village, not just to the Guardians and Keepers. Battling in Relic Forest or Relic Cave is only permitted if absolutely necessary, such as in the case of the first and second Shadow Incident.
The capturing of wild Pokémon in Relic Forest isn't permitted mainly due to the fact that one must first gain access to the forest to begin with. If a wild Pokémon wanders into the village, then the situation is different. However, the locals still have a mixed view on capturing Pokémon, viewing the resurgence of wild Pokémon as a blessing from Celebi. Due to this, some look down on the idea of capturing said Pokémon altogether.
Known Relic Guardians:
Beluh
Eagun
Evin
Rui
Wes
Known Cave Keepers:
The NPC who guards the entrance of Relic Cave in both Colosseum and XD
Known individuals with active permission to enter:
snowghoul
theartofmadeline
baratheonpilled
gracieabrams
gummygunk
