An Introduction and Character Bios
Hello again! OceanSpiral here! Welcome to "A Spirited Extension".
First off, two things!
If you are an old reader, thank you very much for following my previous fanfiction, Spirited so dedicatedly and for coming to read the extension! I appreciate it very very much! Now, you can skip the next paragraph, the character bios and resume reading later on.
If you are a new reader, I would suggest going back to my profile and reading my fanfiction entitled "Spirited" as this is primarily an expansion, and although separate from the main story, you won't be at all familiar with the characters or storylines that are reference. However, if the idea of reading 200,000 words plus doesn't sit too well with you, (or if you're an old reader wanting a refresher) here is a summary of the main characters, which will allow you to pick up a feel of the storyline. However, I would still advocate a thorough reading of the first story to get the most out of these side-stories.
Protagonists (in order of appearance)
Sienna Volbeda
(Primary Protagonist of Spirited and Free Spirits)
A 15 (17 in Free Spirits) year old girl from Pallet Town whose life ambition is to become a chef, not a Pokemon trainer. Her father, Cal, owns a chain of Pokemon dojos, and her mother, Suzanne is a reputable breeder of dog Pokemon and a strong trainer in her own right. Sienna's reluctance to become a trainer stems from the disobedient, rowdy Pokemon her father raised and her adamant insistence she too becomes a trainer. However, fate soon lends a hand and Sienna soon finds herself trainer of a "spirited" Mareep, and a quest to find her mother who has mysteriously disappeared to the Hoenn region, rumoured to be chasing after her estranged father. Sienna is primarily a stubborn, headstrong girl, who, once she sets her mind on something, never gives up. She is revealed to have a softer side though once she begins to open up to her Pokemon, the new friends she meets and becomes stronger and wiser as her journey goes on. She successfully foils an attempt of a criminal organization (which she once assumed was headed by her father) to capture the Legendary Pokemon to take over the world.
Her team includes (at the end of Spirited): Meloi the Ampharos, Aurora the Sealeo, Monty the Persian, Kiba the Growlithe, Indigo the Girafarig and Cairo the Vibrava.
In Free Spirits, Sienna is shown to be a young woman attending pastry school, who has left her training days behind her. But on the release of her father from prison, she travels to Johto to confront him and inadvertently begins adventuring around Johto in pursuit of badges so she can prove to him she is a capable trainer. In the two years she has spent away from training, she finds herself falling behind and struggling with her Pokemon battling and suffers from a loss of confidence. However, she still remains her stubborn determined self, who will never let anyone or anything get in her way.
Suzanne Volbeda
Sienna's mother, who used to be a powerful trainer in her heyday. She favours dog Pokemon and runs a business on the side breeding powerful puppy Pokemon. She learns of Cal's actions and attempts to take him down, leaving her 15 year old daughter alone with no explanation as to her absence. She is a strong, independent woman, who claims she hates Cal, but she cannot help but feel upset when her husband is revealed to be a puppet of the organization, used as a mere front to further Nathan's gains. Her primary concern though, is and always will be, her only daughter Sienna.
Professor Oak (based upon the canon version)
The resident Pokemon Professor of Kanto who is neighbour to Suzanne and Sienna, and who provides Sienna with her first Pokemon. The Volbedas and the Oaks have a good relationship, Professor Oak even remembering Sienna's birthday without her prompting him. He is a trusted confederate of Sienna's during her journey, always ready to help her whenever she has a problem. He is the one who takes over care of Suzanne's Growlithe, and who sends Sienna a baby Growlithe for her to raise.
Elliot Wood
A childhood friend of Sienna whom she met again in the Pewter City Pokemon Centre. Initially arrogant and overconfident, obliterating Sienna in battle with his Umbreon. After discovering the two knew each other, Elliot's true nature is revealed. He is a geeky character, with a penchant for Grass and Dark type Pokemon, even going as far to co-ordinate his clothes black and green respectively. He calls Sienna a "greenhorn" and sticks to that nickname, even when she becomes stronger. He is a powerful Pokemon trainer, having challenged the Elite Four, but stumbling at the last hurdle. He is half-brother to the Elite Four member Lance, and has little contact with their father. His relationship with his brother, although losing to him in his elite four challenge, is steadily improving. He is never seen without his trusted Umbreon, Jet, at his side. He and Sienna begin to have feelings for each other in the final chapters of Spirited, and then they begin a romantic relationship. His team includes Umbreon, Tropius, Carnivine, Cacturne, Mightyena and Roserade.
In Free Spirits, now 18, Elliot has secured a healthy romantic relationship with Sienna, and also appears to be improving upon his rocky relationship with half-brother Lance. He also proves himself just as strong, if not stronger than ever in regards to his Pokemon training.
Jasmine Moore
A girl Sienna met out of chance in Cerulean Pokemon Centre. Seeing Sienna is having difficulty controlling her Pokemon, she forcibly dragsSienna to battle Misty at the Gym. She joins Sienna on her journey afterwards, after feeling responsible for the subsequent accident Sienna gets in. A blonde, petite girl, she appears delicate but she has brute strength to rival that of a Machoke, and is forceful and noisy. However, she soon becomes a trusted friend of Sienna. Little is known about her personal and home life. Her team includes (at the end of Spirited) Skittle the Delcatty, Heather the Ivysaur, Terra the Sandslash, Sulphur the Quilava, Mizu the Azumarill and Nightshade the Hypno. This is changed by Free Spirits in which she adds Albus the Hoothoot and Honey the Heracross to replace Terra and Nightshade respectively.
In Free Spirits, it is revealed Jasmine is an only child who comes from an extremely rich and powerful family, whose parents never really approved of their only daughter becoming a trainer, preferring her to become a businesswoman or marry into money. She reveals a side of superficiality to herself, particularly in regard to newest member of the gang, Bailey. However, it is suspected among the group that Jasmine may harbour some manner of secret feelings towards their newest friend.
Misty (based upon the canon version)
The water loving Gym Leader of Cerulean Gym, Misty provides Sienna with her first taste of Gym Battling. Her battling style is fierce and strong with an "all out offence" with water Pokemon. She doesn't take well to losing, but is fair in providing Sienna with a badge, TM and money in recognition of her win. Misty is also one of the characters that returns to assist Sienna in the battle against Nathan's organization. She doesn't get on well with Flannery.
Scott Harper
A 12 year old Pokemon trainer from Fuchsia City who initially travelled with his big sister Nikki before embarking on his own journey. He appears to favour ground and rock type Pokemon. He is arrogant, loud mouthed and hates losing, and dreams of attaining greatness one day in the Pokemon league. So far, by the end of Spirited, his only known Pokemon remain Rhyhorn and Cubone.
By the age of 14 in Free Spirits, Scott has become an incredibly powerful trainer. He has matured somewhat, and after suffering a defeat at the hands of the Hoenn Pokemon League, realised that he is not ready for any leagues until he has strengthened the bond with his Pokemon. He has however taken on the entire of the Johto circuit, and has amassed a powerful team including Marowak, Pidgeot, Rhydon, Gabite, Tauros, Torkoal and Quagsire.
Nicolle "Nikki" Harper
Nicolle, also known as Nikki, is a caring, shy, awkward girl who adores and dotes on her little brother, her friends and her Pokemon alike. She is not a fan of battling, preferring to shun it in favour of one day trying her hand at contests. She, despite her demure and delicate appearance, adores Fire type Pokemon, and for the most part of her journey carried around an egg her father found for her on Cinnabar Island. Her team includes (by Spirited's conclusion) Dixie the Ninetails, Blaze the Chameleon, Etna the Numel and the Magby that hatches from the egg.
Nikki has become a region famous contest battler by the time of Free Spirits, and is also engaged in a romantic relationship with Christian Hart, contest battler extraordinaire. She remains much the same in personality, still shy, sweet and retiring, a total contrast to her beloved fire types. Her team is supplemented with Darwin the Pansear, a present given to her by her Pokemon researcher father.
Flannery (based upon the canon version)
The fiery leader of Lavaridge gym, Flannery heads up to Mt Chimney after trainers and people mysteriously start vanishing near there. She helps Sienna and the girls escape on the back of her Charizard, and then returns alongside Misty and the other gym leaders to assist in the movement against Nathan's team. She is hotheaded and loudmouthed, often coming out with (unintentionally hilarious) one liners.
Alakazam (now deceased)
A very old, very wise and very powerful Alakazam that resides in the Safari Zone. He brings Sienna to him to tell her about her father's plans to go after Kyogre, and if he is allowed to capture them, the world will be forever changed. After Sienna fails, Alakazam returns to save her and Elliot's life, but greatly endangering his own in the process. When they bring him to the Pokemon Centre, Alakazam sacrifices himself to save Elliot and Sienna, telling them in his dying breath to stop the organization or the world would never be the same again.
Wallace (based upon the canon version)
The final Gym Leader in the Hoenn circuit, Sienna goes to Wallace to seek help for her cause. Wallace refuses to listen to her until she battles him. When she wins and tells him the story, he immediately decides to help, even allowing Sienna to stay with him and train with him. Wallace is obsessed with grace and elegance, forever focusing on the beauty of his beloved water Pokemon. Wallace has a more playful nature at times, and his devotion to beauty and elegance are reflected even in the food he prepares. He appears to have a good relationship with other Gym Leaders and enjoys a personal friendship with Lance.
Lance (based upon the canon version)
The Dragon Master, the final member of the Elite Four, and the half brother of Elliot. Lance is a cool, calm, sophisticated trainer that simply radiates elite and strength. Lance is immensely powerful and owns a plethora of magnificent dragon Pokemon, including a Dragonite which he lends to Elliot from time to time. He has an ever-improving relationship with his little brother, but often speaks down to him, often for his own good, even though Elliot does not often see it this way.
Bailey Grey
A student of Cal Volbeda, Bailey Grey is kind and perpetually optimistic soul. He comes from a large family and is chief caretaker of his younger siblings after the passing of his mother. He helped Cal with the dojo he opened, earning himself his starter Pokemon and a gateway into the Pokemon training world as a reward. He joins up with Sienna and the gang to gain real-world battle experience and privately cites it as the best decision he ever made. Often picked on for his chubby appearance, Bailey is a far deeper and more complex person than he presents himself as, and is a great philosophical thinker. His optimism can sometimes irritate the others, particularly Jasmine, who clashes with him occasionally. His team consists of Bayleef, Corsola, Misdrevus, Zubat and Onix.
Antagonists
Cal Volbeda (assumed primary antagonist of Spirited)
Sienna's father, Cal, who owned a series of highly successful Pokemon dojos in his home region of Kanto, favouring Rock, Steel and Fighting Pokemon. It is revealed that Cal is not the leader of the organization as Sienna presumed, but only a mere puppet, made to join up with Nathan under threat of the death of his family. Cal's power-hungry nature got the better of him as he served time in the organization, and although he originally only joined to protect his family, he soon yearns for the power the plans would bring him. However, he sees the error of his ways when Arceus appears, realizing that Nathan would never relinquish power to him. He is currently serving a prison sentence
Nathan (primary antagonist of Spirited and Free Spirits)
A man that Sienna meets only a few times through the course of her journey, without realising who he really is. The first time she meets him, albeit briefly is in the chambers of Mt Chimney, is where Nikki's Magby burns his face when he attempts to stop them escaping. She runs into him again outside the Safari Zone gates where she recognises him and accuses him of working under her father. He laughs her off and easily defeats her, leaving Sienna wondering why he calls her naïve and insists she "doesn't understand". She meets him again in Lavaridge Pokemon centre where she successfully defeats him. Finally, his nature as the true leader of the organization comes to light when he captures Arceus. He is successfully stopped however. He is an intensely powerful Pokemon trainer, is originally from Unova and is apparently a notorious wanted criminal. By the end of Spirited, he is serving a long prison sentence.
Helene Fontaine (secondary antagonist of Free Spirits)
A mysterious woman who worked with Nathan while the two of them still worked in Team Plasma. She is an incredibly clever woman, a scientist by trade and with a collection of degrees and PHDs under her belt, and is also deemed to be an incredibly powerful trainer with a team of well-trained Unova Pokemon at her disposal. She was once in a romantic relationship with Nathan.
She, and her Pokemon team, still remain shrouded in mystery.
Now, onto the more serious stuff.
This expansion pack, as I like to call it, should attempt to fill in a few blanks, provide some interesting side-stories, some fluff, and give some more character development. From Nikki and Jasmine's journey to find Sienna, to greenhornshipping fluff, to Nathan's past and all other manner of one-shots and drabbles, there should be something for every Spirited reader to enjoy.
All suggestions and ideas for oneshots are more than welcome, will be considered and may even be written if I like the idea enough so please don't hesitate to tell me via review or PM anything you would like to know more about.
So coming up first:
Left Behind. A short story that chronicles Jasmine and Nikki's attempts to find Sienna, revealing the important moments over the four months, their struggles, their angst, their new friends and how they became even stronger, evolving into the Pokemon Trainers they appeared as in the four part ending. This story is set from directly after Riding Solo and concludes just before the start of Facing the Final Curtain Part I.
P.S Any help coming up with the name for this extension is more than appreciated. I'm reserving Free Spirits for the sequel name so yeah... help?
