K so I really love Pokémon Go and the designs of the team leaders are cool, so I came up with this.
I'd love for it to be a comic but unfortunately, I can't draw. So I guess if anyone out there likes this story and wants to collaborate by being my art, maybe we can start a DeviantArt together or something? Idk. PM me. Or don't. Whatever works for you lol.
Anyway. Story time!
Footsteps filled the otherwise empty hallway as a young woman walked down it. She was thin, but not unhealthily, and despite her plain features she still seemed attractive as she walked with confidence and composure. Her white hair was tied into a long ponytail, and a pair of thin-framed blue glasses reflected the light shining above her as she adjusted them. Her white lab coat covered a pale blue shirt and a pair of dark dress pants, and she carried a clipboard.
Her focus was on the end of the hallway until it was momentarily pulled away by the door behind her opening. She paused and turned around. Behind her stood another woman, who was dressed similarly but had wildly different features - her skin was dark, her hair short and brown. Her yellow eyes sparkled and a friendly but confident grin graced her face, brightened by a touch of lipstick. She was curvier than the other woman and equally attractive. She wore a bright red shirt underneath her lab coat, and her dress pants had a tint of brown to them.
"Hello," the darker skinned woman greeted. "Blanche, right?"
The other woman nodded. "Indeed. And you are Candela?"
"That's me." Now acquainted, Blanche waited for Candela to catch up with her before continuing her trek down the hallway. "The boss call you too?" Candela asked curiously.
"Correct," Blanche responded, looking at her clipboard and adjusting her glasses again.
"Any idea why?"
"I assume he will inform us on the specifics once we arrive." Candela shrugged and shoved her hands into her lab coat pockets. Her eyes shifted between the door at the end of the hallway and Blanche, though Blanche barely seemed to acknowledge her as she studied the papers laying on her clipboard.
These two young women were just two of the many assistants to Professor Willow, a professor whose life's work was studying Pokémon. While they had been working alongside each other for months or longer, their workload, combined with Blanche's distant personality, left very little time to socialize.
They spent the rest of the walk in silence. Candela, being a more social person than Blanche, felt quite uncomfortable and was mentally trying to come up with a conversation starter, while Blanche, upon finishing her re-read of the paperwork she had finished before leaving to stop by the professor's office, kept her eyes steady on her destination. However, once they reached it, she paused and made eye contact with her co-worker.
"It was very nice meeting you," she said, a hint of a smile appearing on her face.
Candela grinned. "You too."
Their new friendship affirmed, Candela firmly knocked on the door to inform the professor that they had arrived.
"Come on in," Willow's voice called from the other side. Candela held the door open as Blanche walked in before following her.
Professor Willow sat at his desk, adjusting papers, Poké Balls, and various other items he kept on his desk at all times. Across from him, on the other side of the desk, there were three chairs - while two were empty, the third was occupied by a boy who Candela and Blanche vaguely recognized as another one of their co-workers. What stood out about him now was his wide, careless grin and his ungroomed hair. His lab coat hung loosely off of him as he lounged in the chair, his legs propped up on the arm of the seat to his left. Underneath his lab coat he wore what appeared to be a sleeveless hoodie, his somewhat muscular arms visible before the loose labcoat's sleeves covered them, and he wore torn blue jeans - an outfit that was much more casual than any other assistant of Willow's.
Not that anyone was sure why, as, with the exception of his lab coat, Willow was always dressed as though he was hiking, the reason for which being that he usually was. Despite the professor's youth, his hair was almost entirely gray, and on top sat a pair of goggles. His face was handsome and smooth, with the exception of some scruff at the chin, and he wore a skin-tight black and green shirt with a zipper that was always lower than necessary and sleeves that went just below his elbow, showing his well-built body. His gloves and shoes shared the same design as his shirt, but his shorts were brown and baggy. If she was being completely honest, Candela would admit to some small amount of infatuation with the attractive professor, an infatuation shared by a large portion of his female employees. Blanche, however, was an exception, having never thought of Willow as anything but her boss.
"Candela, Blanche, you're looking well," Willow remarked, making eye contact with both women as he said their names. "Please, take a seat." They quickly complied, Blanche calmly sitting her clipboard on her lap while Candela nervously shifted, attempting to find a comfortable but professional position.
"'Sup," the boy next to Blanche greeted. Blanche squinted at him.
"You are a very odd person," she stated bluntly.
"Thanks," he responded, unfazed. "I'm Spark."
"Blanche."
"Um, I'm Candela," Candela added, even though she wasn't sure if Spark's introduction was targeted at her as well as Blanche.
"Now that everyone's acquainted," Willow stated, rising to his feet, "we can get down to business. I'm sure you're all wondering why I called you here." The three muttered affirmative responses. "As you are all aware, our laboratory has been researching Pokémon habitats and distribution. In the process, we have located many areas believed to be empty to have abundances of many kinds of Pokémon - even rarer ones like Charizard or Raichu. We believe these strange 'nests' are related to the influence of three special Pokémon." As he said all of this, the professor was loading up his tablet. Once he got to this point, he turned it to show Candela, Blanche, and Spark what was on the screen.
"I know this!" Candela announced, recognizing the image. She immediately became flustered at her sudden outburst, but Willow motioned for her to continue. "It's the three Legendary Birds. Moltres, the Flame Pokémon; Zapdos, the Electric Pokémon; and Articuno, the Freeze Pokémon. It's said that they can create blizzards and thunderstorms or end winters, respectively. Some people even believe that they created the oceans."
"Correct," Blanche affirmed. "However, these Pokémon are so rare that they have only been observed in the Kanto, Sinnoh, and Kalos regions. Their discovery in a location where no Pokémon have ever been encountered before would be… fascinating. Exceptional, even!"
"Precisely," Willow continued. "However, our attempts to learn more of this phenomenon has been limited due to the few scientists we have on hand. We wish to recruit the assistance of Pokémon Trainers to learn more about the Pokémon that can be found in these areas and possibly lure the Legendary Birds out so that we can learn more about their influence. To help keep our research organized, we want to form three different teams of trainers. This is where you come in."
"You want us to lead your teams?" Candela asked, surprised.
"Sweet," Spark grinned.
"I've spent the last several weeks watching all of my lab assistants as they do their work and I believe you three are the most suited for the jobs." He made his way to the other side of his desk as Candela, Blanche, and Spark watched. He spoke first to Blanche, holding a light blue clipboard with Articuno's silhouette on the back. "Blanche, you remain calm and collected under the most stressful of circumstances. Your wisdom is matched only by your skilled analyses. You are the perfect embodiment of the Ice-type Articuno, and the perfect leader for our Team Mystic. Will you lend your skills to the studies of Pokémon Evolution?"
Blanche nodded, accepting the clipboard. "It would be my pleasure."
Next, Willow made his way over to Spark, holding a similar yellow clipboard with a silhouette of Zapdos on its back. "Spark, you're unstoppable. You rely on your intuition to learn and it has turned you into quite the intelligent young man. Your personality is as electrifying as the Electric-type Zapdos, which makes you the wisest choice to lead Team Instinct. Do you think you can rely on your instincts to learn more about Pokémon eggs and their inherent intuition?"
"Duh!" Spark responded quickly, grabbing the clipboard and observing it, admiring the Zapdos picture. "Can't wait!"
"And last, but certainly not least…" Willow held a red clipboard with Moltres's silhouette out to Candela. "Candela, your passion for your work burns like the sun. You're kind, powerful, and brilliant, just like the Fire-type Moltres. I would be honored to have you lead Team Valor and channel your passion into learning more about the strength of Pokémon. Will you accept?"
"Gosh, professor," Candela responded, her cheeks pink. She wasn't used to receiving compliments. "I mean, how can I say no?"
"Excellent!" Willow cheered as Candela took her clipboard. "Now that you're all in agreement, I would like to present you with something special to help you in your research." He walked back to the other side of the desk and dug through a drawer for a moment before pulling out three round objects: Poké Balls.
"Whoa!" Spark gasped, leaping to his feet. "Our very first Pokémon? You can't be serious, professor!" As lab workers, the three had no time to go on Pokémon journeys and therefore had no need to have partners, although Spark had befriended many of the Pokémon who lived in the lab and always dreamed of having one of his own.
Willow released the three Pokémon from their Balls, revealing the Kiss Pokémon Smoochum, the Electric Pokémon Elekid, and the Live Coal Pokémon Magby. "These Pokémon should be excellent partners for the three of you."
Spark quickly kneeled down took Elekid into a tight embrace. "I'm gonna call you Li'l Sparky!" he announced. The Elekid buzzed happily in response.
After watching this adorable exchange, Candela made her way over to Magby and kneeled down next to it. "I guess we're going to be partners now, Magby. What do you think?" Magby looked at her and tilted its head a bit, an action that Candela mimicked. Satisfied, Magby let out its signature cry and embraced her leg. Candela grinned and patted its head affectionately.
Smoochum, meanwhile, had also attached itself to Blanche's leg, although Blanche was less enthusiastic than Candela or Spark about her new partner. She bent down to scoop it up in her hands, holding it at arm's length in front of her face. "I suppose you will be a sufficient assistant in my research," she remarked. Smoochum cooed happily, jumping up and nuzzling Blanche's face, which Blanche reluctantly allowed.
Willow chuckled as he watched the three bond with their new Pokémon. "I've had some of my other assistants set up spaces for you three to use for your research at landmarks across the locations you'll be studying. However, there is a limited amount of these locations. My recommendation is that you have the trainers you recruit test their Pokémon's skills by battling for the rights to each 'gym'."
"Pokémon battles?" Spark gasped, still hugging Li'l Sparky. "This day just keeps getting better!"
Blanche was less convinced. "Would the time spent on battling not be better spent researching?"
"Pokémon battles are an important part of research, Blanche," Candela explained, standing up. Magby was now comfortably seated on top of her head. "In a Pokémon battle, you get to observe each Pokémon's individual strengths, weaknesses, instincts, and abilities in full force. It's integral to learning more about and understanding Pokémon."
"Precisely, Candela," Willow agreed.
"I see," Blanche stated thoughtfully. "I suppose I will have to experience it for myself. Would you like to assist me?"
It took Candela a second to process what Blanche just requested. "Did you just ask me to battle you?" Blanche nodded. "Well… I'm in!"
"Excellent! Let's head to the battlefield outside," Willow said, moving to the door of his office.
"Oh boy! I wanna watch!" Spark cheered, quickly falling in line behind Willow and the girls. "This is going to be great!"
Hopefully, this was a good introduction to each of the characters. Given the limited material, I hope I was able to get their personalities right. I've actually been working on this for several months, but with the recent release of Smoochum, Magby, and Elekid in-game I thought it was perfect so I picked it back up (also a ton of fanart has been appearing on my Tumblr dash which inspires me of course).
If you liked this, send a review and let me know! If not, send me a review explaining why. This isn't permission to be hateful, but I'd love to hear what you think I'm doing wrong so I can be better! Thanks, guys!