Bernarda was an original member of the Indigo League when it was formed in 1946. She is one of the most prolific figures in Kanto history and is known as one of the greatest Kanto leaders of all time. She functioned as a writer, fashion designer, factory worker, politician, model, environmentalist and gym leader all across her life, among other occupations.
If we are to pinpoint Adrianne as the "Skyla" of the Original Eight, we would be doing a disservice to Bernarda if we didn't call her the "Elesa" of the Original Eight. Bernarda's fame blew up worldwide during her time in the league. Indigo Misaka has Bernarda to thank for the success and fame of the Indigo League.
Bernarda was born near the ocean in Fuschia City, to a fisherman and a writer. No records are available concerning Bernarda's parents. At the age of 2, Bernarda was left with a childless couple, Matilda and David Rose, while her parents went out at sea for unknown reasons. When her parents never returned, the Rose couple adopted Bernarda as their own.
As a result of this tragedy, the Roses wanted to give Bernarda everything they could manage. They spoiled her in a sense. Matilda never got the daughter she wanted until Bernarda fell into her arms, and she treated her like a princess. David, on the other hand, was very protective, and suitors were often chased off with a double-barrelled shotgun throughout Bernarda's teenage years.
She was a very timid girl, shy but intelligent. Although, her timidness gave the impression to some elders that she was rather unintelligent. She struggled with mathematics, however. Her teachers couldn't understand what her exact problem was with it, but her response when asked was often, "The numbers and letters should not mix. They look like a puzzle to me." In modern times, we would diagnose this as a form of ADHD or dyslexia. Perhaps ADD to be specific.
At the age of fifteen, Bernarda published her first novella, titled "Lost at Sea". Ironically, it was a book of two lovers who braved a storm together on their tiny sailboat while out at sea. The story ends tragically with the couple dying, the male from hypothermia, and the woman from vague causes. Bernarda seemed to intentionally leave the female's death ambiguous, although most scholars believe the woman in the story took her own life from heartbreak. The book is an all-time bestseller, and is used in Kanto secondary school curriculum today.
However, Bernarda was a woman who believed in equality. She was the biggest advocate of female rights from a young age. She felt that women were able to do great things with their talents, and as a statement to her foster parents, whom of which disagreed, she took a job in the factories during the Great War in 1942, at the age of 17.
Bernarda worked in the Wave-Force factory of Tyronisius Excellerations Inc. in Saffron City for the rest of the war. She was still beautiful during her factory times, despite soot collected on her hands and arms.
"She always had her hair tied back in curly fashion, a ribbon holding it down. She looked dainty in appearance, and her eyes would pierce the soul of men and women alike, instilling the feelings of infatuation or jealousy. Yet, when you heard her voice or stood around her, you felt as if you stood near one of the most powerful beings on the planet, as if she was some great empress or queen."
Melissa Towns, Factory Worker, 1942
Bernarda was discovered towards the end of her factory work in 1945 by Indigo Misaka, who offered her a modeling job through various connections.
"I can't believe a woman of such beauty resorted to the work of miners."
Indigo Misaka, 25th Anniversary Interview of the Indigo League, 1962
She humbly accepted the position. Before long, her modeling was soon region-wide, and soon worldwide. People wanted to know who this girl from Fuschia City was. She had blown up in popularity in what seemed to be, quite frankly, overnight.
"She was everywhere. Posters in the streets, magazine covers, newspaper headlines… one of the first major media sensations we've seen surrounding one woman. If we are to apply all of this to Elesa of Unova within the modern era, then we would be mistaken not to say that Bernarda was the beginning of it."
Frederick Daniels, Historian, Saffron City University
Though, Bernarda never said she was proud of being famous. In fact, she was quite numb regarding her popularity. She disliked the traveling, the photoshoots, the autograph giving… She was too nice to say no, people close to her would say.
"Fame doesn't fulfill you. It warms you for a bit, but that warmth is temporary. It is no better than a sugar rush."
Bernarda, Personal Journal, 1946
Bernarda, as said prior, was a timid person, and the bustling about made her slightly depressed. Taking a gym leader position would help with that soon after, however. She embraced the Water type, for the special connection she had with the ocean. She soon took up writing full-time during her reign as fifth gym leader. Her first book during her time as a gym leader was published in 1950, titled "Tides of Existence." The book was an autobiography up to that point in her life, and gave a heavy outlook into the churning fires of depression inside her. Some quotes from "Tides of Existence" are below.
"They think I'm dumb because I'm the popular girl. I'd say they are the dumb ones. A smart person wouldn't judge books by their cover."
"Sometimes my foster parents would send me to the movies to get me out of the house, and there'd I sit all day and way into the night. Up in front, there with the screen so big, a little kid all alone, and I loved it. I loved anything that moved up there and I didn't miss anything either. And there was no popcorn either!"
"Nobody told me I was pretty when I was a little girl. Why is that being told to me so often now? All little girls should be told they're pretty, even when they aren't…"
"You girls have this feminism thing all wrong… You just be proud to be a woman and that's it. What is this anti-men stuff I hear about? You know, a lot of men will make you feel important - make you glad to be a woman."
"I still get the feeling, to this very day, that I was fooling somebody… I don't know who or what… maybe myself. I have feelings some days where there are flashes of situations that require responsibility, and I'll think to myself, "Jeez, maybe I should've stayed in the factory…"
After the book reached the top of the bestseller charts, Bernarda went to work on other ventures. She focused her attention to maintaining the city around her that she called home. Fuschia City needed to be tended to. With no official town governing besides a local police unit, the town was structured too much like a village. Within a town meeting, Bernarda called together the locals to tackle some of the major issues.
The first issue concerned Pokemon. Fuschia was a grassy place, where Pokemon like Pidgey and Ponyta roamed at free will, grazing cheerfully among the land. However, humans weren't too pleased with this notion. The town was in favor of creating a "Safari Zone" where they'd stash away all these Pokemon. These Pokemon would be paired with a town zoo, where people can still visit and care for them. The weight fell upon Bernarda's shoulders of whether to force all these Pokemon out of their natural home, or to attempt to let the humans live with them in peace. Bernarda had a soft spot for nature.
"You'll force these creatures out of their homes over my own dead body."
Bernarda, 1952, Fuschia Town Meeting
And so said, so done. The Safari Zone was never built during Bernarda's time in this world.
Despite this good gesture, the town lost a bit of trust in Bernarda's leadership. She would have to gain their trust in other ways. She built a fishing port at the nearby ocean border, and then crafted town services, such as the Mart and an early version of the Pokemon Center, which functioned much more like a trainer's lodge.
In terms of the league, Bernarda was very passionate and outspoken when it came to the league's personal meetings. The leaders would gather together in a round table within Silph Co., in Saffron City, where they'd discuss important matters. It was a famous event when it would occur, around three times per year. Saffron City would buzz about in excitement. News reporters would line the alleyways besides the Silph Co. building, reporting equipment at the ready as they awaited one of the leaders to exit the door. Bernarda, Tyron, and Indigo Misaka were their main targets. Bernarda became very paranoid due to this over time. In the meetings, however, she would be very vivid in her movements and dynamic in what she would preach. She thought of the gym leaders in the league as a sort of brotherhood, and was known for having good relationships with the rest of the leaders. The two she was closest with were Adrianne and Angelica. She would often be seen having tea with the two on the weekends. Every Thursday, she and Adrianne would reportedly discuss fashion in Pewter City, while Mondays were set for Angelica's mentoring abilities.
One person she was not very fond of, however, was Indigo Misaka. It is no secret whatsoever of their tense rivalry and consistent bickering at meetings. Not a meeting would go by without the two arguing philosophies over some kind of issue, often becoming unrelated in topic to Pokemon battling and the Indigo League as they argued.
"It was a Friday meeting, just before the Christmas break. As we walked in together, I rubbed Bernarda's shoulder gently. "No incidents this time, right?" I asked with a smile. A hopeful smile of wishful thinking.
"We'll see. I can't let him spit such nonsense. I'll end up choking him one of these days with a trochee until his cheeks are teary." Bernarda replied in a harsh tone, not directed towards me, but to her distaste of the man in question. She seemed to be dressed opposite of her attitude, in a fine elegant dress of a blue color, a long skirt flowing over her with elegance, the showcasing of an older fashion. The shoulders were puffy and the torso was white, with buttons along it.
I let out a sigh and rubbed my forehead. This wasn't going to get any better. The conference table was rectangular, with four seats lined along both of the long sides. A single seat was at the short end, facing the rest in a position that showed the person within the seat was of authority. We sat beside one another at the south end of the north long side, far from the seat of authority. Bernarda sat at the end of the row, while I sat to her left. She was fanning herself with a cute little paper fan designed with purple flowers. It wasn't even hot. I like to think she was trying to calm herself.
The seats filled in one by one of the glass encase conference room. It was highly professional and advanced, floor-to-ceiling windows behind us letting in sunlight to gleam along the steel gray table and matching leather seats. The founder of our league himself soon walked into the room, suitcase in hand. He set the suitcase down on the table. "I apologize for my lateness. I had a meeting prior to this one to attend to." Misaka said aloud to the room. He carefully managed his eyes, something I noticed about the man through the meetings. He never looked at any of us. Only down at the suitcase or at the ground, despite sitting right nearby. We thought it was philosophical in fashion. Bernarda was disgusted by it.
Fearing the worse, I moved my hand to my friend's knee in vain, giving her a glance in the eyes. With a smirk upon her lips, she tapped my wrist, as if to signal something. I pulled my hand away and nodded. I soon put the hand to my forehead when she piped up, drawing attention from everyone in the room… including Misaka.
"You know, my father used to say that it's never too late to do anything you wanted to do. And he said that you never knew what you could accomplish until you tried. Why don't you try being early for once? Or do you not care for the jobs we do for you on a daily basis?" Bernarda shot across the table at the businessman within the authority chair. I muttered an "Oh no.." under my breath.
Misaka, in his topaz suit, nodded slowly, as if soaking in the words. He had his hands pressed against each other professionally as he sat there, still looking down upon his suitcase. It was a few moments before he looked up at Bernarda and replied. "Coming from someone who didn't actually know their real father, I would protest that claim."
The eyes of the room shifted back to Bernarda. She had her mouth open in surprise at the insult briefly, but we knew the rage had set in when she swiftly closed her paper fan in a angered manner. She set it down… No, she threw it down upon the table surface and shot back her response. "At least my father intended for my creation in this world." She replied with a sly grin.
I could see Gil raise his eyebrows when he heard the insult, mumbling an "Ooh" under his breath in surprise. He sat up in his seat and adjusted his camouflaged outfit slightly, as if he had just been given a bag of popcorn for a movie. The rest of us just shifted our eyes back and forth between the two as they fired what felt like missiles across the room.
"How many men have seen your face in a private setting?" Misaka fired, the placement of his hands not moving. Oh Arceus please, just stop!
"None. Your arguments are invalid. Your inappropriate I.Q. level is being shown with your incompetent insults." Her word prowess was impressive, but arguing was the wrong setting for it!
"I am in a much more professional position than someone who advertised her body and covered herself in soot in the earlier half of her life." Misaka tilted his head eerily at her. Both Tyron, who sat across from me, and Jeffrey, who sat to my left, looked as if they had enough.
"You know, for a guy who does nothing but sit on his rear in an office while his hired lackeys print money for him, you sure do run your mouth far too much, especially to a woman." Bernarda fired back. Oh, the agony!
"And aren't you the one who preaches that women are equals? If that is so, then why am I at fault for responding to the upstart in the room?" Misaka glared at her angrily. He didn't like that last comment.
They had just begun to talk over one another before Tyron became the one to blow up. I was fearing that. I figured Jeffrey's rant would be more… sane.
"Silence!" Tyron bellowed, as if he was the guardian of the world's most prized relic. He raised from his seat and slammed his fists upon the table, the table rattling as if being hit by an earthquake filled with inhumane force. "Shut your mouths, for Arceus sake, before I have you both fed to the dogs bit by bit! You both should be ashamed of you childish banter!" Misaka tried to interject at this point, but Tyron wouldn't have it. Tyron jabbed a finger towards Misaka. "Not a word from you! You are the cause of this! The woman asked a well-formulated question, yet you bicker with her like a delinquent in the street!" Tyron spoke harshly, words fueled by pent-up insane rage. Yet, Misaka tried to object still. "I don't think I saw your name on the front of the business! Get out of that chair, you insolent pest!" And with that, Tyron dragged Misaka out of the chair, making him stagger out of it in surprise. Tyron swiftly took his place within the chair of authority before he settled down.
I released my forehead with a sigh of relief that it was now stopped. Almost everyone was tense after Tyron's outburst. Though, Bernarda had a smirk upon her face, casually fanning herself with the paper fan once again in an elegant, somewhat stuck-up manner. Jeffrey, who had a smile on his face during Tyron's rant, playfully bumped me in the side with his elbow.
They didn't argue much after that, really."
Adrianne, Indigo League Meeting Written Review, 1954
They say that Bernarda aged gracefully throughout the years. She became more and more paranoid as she got older. She in fact, feared for her life at times. As a result, she revealed herself less to the public, with her advisors tending to matters from afar. She also formed the Fuschia Guard, which is one of the smallest military forces in the world, but one of the most well-trained. They stand at the ready in case of any emergency. She seemed to be worried of something… but the cause was never found of exactly what.
Bernarda retired in 1997 along with her friend Adrianne. She wished to make way for a brand new generation of trainers, and stepping down would be the only way to do that. She had no regrets in retirement, even without a championship under her belt. Although, Bernarda soon went on to coaching.
Bernarda had an outstanding record as a coach. In the battling league she coached in, the Southern Kanto Circuit, where she coached the Fuschia City Rapidash, she won eleven championships to her name before she passed away in 2008. She was a riveting coach, known for inspiring her players in every way possible.
Bernarda has influenced multiple present-day trainers, including Misty of Cerulean City and Elesa of Nimbasa City. Her death was mourned by these two in particular, who were present at the funeral at Fuschia City. She was buried in a tomb in Fuschia City, close to the ocean, as she always wanted to be.
In 2012, a breakthrough was found when a relative of Bernarda's when searching through her things. Inside a hidden draw of her writing desk, the extensive work on a novel was found. The novel was written in Unown lettering, which requires scholars from across Kanto to decipher. It is unknown what her message was yet, but some of the wording deciphered so far leads us to believe she wanted to leave us all with wisdom… for us to understand the timid woman of wondrous beauty named Bernarda.