START Chapter 13: Poké Dimensional Cable (pt. 1)
"Testing, testing! Welcome to Poké Dimensional Cable, the frontier for all pokemon related content. We'll begin the show with former Twitch streamer Buena Cortez with her show: Buena's Passport! If you can guess the answers, feel free to dial us for a chance to win a special prize."
Buena's Passport - Studio 114
"Hello? Is the stream on?"
➤ [Mod] Joes_Toes: you should be all good, buena
➤ [Mod] silentlycrying: Opening livestream chat now.
"Alright. Welcome everyone to another episode of Buena's Passport. the show that takes you anywhere and everywhere that is Pokemon. I can't tell you how life-changing that these last two months have been for me. This journey, starting off with just ten viewers on Twitch to now having my own show on the Poké Dimensional Cable, just wouldn't have been possible without you guys!"
➤ mogle44: send feet pics
➤ [Mod] Joes_Toes: read the rules please
mogle44 has been MUTED by [Mod] Joes_Toes
"Let's get right into today's hot questions! Does everyone have their own little Buena's Passport at home? Use the special promotional code: BUENAS to get 20% off your purchase, as well as free shipping worldwide!"
➤ Ghost_Face**: Ordered mine a couple of weeks ago. Customer service won't answer my call
"Question, this one's for my, uh, Chinese viewers out there? In the region of Hokkaido, supposedly three mystical creatures emerged from three lakes, after the Catastrophe. Was there a second wave of legendary pokemon? Who knows! Can anyone tell me the names of the so-called 'lake trio' pokemon?"
➤ eaglesnipe1: Who's gonna tell her? LOL
"I'm sorry—Japan! Hokkaido is in Japan. I'm sorry, guys. I've never been that good at geometry. The answer was Azelf, Uxie, and Mesprit! Congratulations, jaysceptile_YT. One of my awesome mods will send you your Buena's Passport stamp over email."
➤ eaglesnipe1: Based commentary, for real. Who's gonna tell her that Mesprit basically wiped out an entire village during one of her fits? All the people suddenly started spasming, before killing each other while screaming about all their grievances. Like their emotions were dialed up to 11 or something.
eaglesnipe1 has been MUTED by [Mod] Joes_Toes
"Onto the next question. The development of the pokeball technology is largely credited to the SILPH programme, that's based out of Tokyo… Which is in Japan, right? Obviously! In the United States, there are currently two companies that have been instrumental in the domestic manufacture of pokeballs. Those are the Leona Monti Foundation and the recently created Devon Corporation, based out of Seattle. Mr. Monti was generous enough to fund our channel, and asked me to prep this next question!"
➤ mrmordenkainen: Buena already selling out lmao
➤ falko00*: ayo why did the other guy get muted
"Apricorns, one of the strange new fruits that emerged during the Catastrophe, come in various shapes and sizes. We've found that while they are indeed edible for human and pokemon consumption, their greatest use has been as an ingredient for the pokeball capture technology that we have enjoyed so far."
➤ mrmordenkainen: Gymshark already be using them for high density shakes
"The man who is responsible for single handedly developing them right after the Catastrophe, is a genius inventor named Masaki. Japan is very reluctant in sharing any personal information about him, not even with their partners in SILPH. Regardless, he really pioneered our ability to capture and contain even the strongest of pokemon within physics-defying technology!"
➤ falko00*: masaki is just a conspiracy theory
➤ falko00*: everyone knows that antonin monti made pokeballs
➤ DrPeppapig: No it's that cute redhead that does r&d that mdae pokeballs
➤ falko00*: ariana? Aint no way
"So my question for the viewers out there! Where are the majority of pokeballs created for consumer use? Is it Japan, or Germany, or…"
➤ sypress: so when are you gonna talk about the detroit massacre
➤ falko00*: stop making up bullshit to try and stir up some controversy man
"Congratulations, FionaraXD! You just won yourself a stamp for Buena's Passport! I think it's a good time to talk about the prizes you could win through Buena's Passport. Ten stamps, and you get a special edition quarter zip-up sweatshirt. Yes, it's like the one I am wearing right now! No, I am not going to give you the one that I am wearing right now. Mods?"
buenasitonme has been MUTED by [Mod] Joes_Toes
"Anyways! If you do get twenty stamps, I'll be sending you a brand new trainer bag, fully equipped with six pokeball-attachment straps. Now, for legal reasons, we're not able to actually send you any pokeballs. However, it should be easy enough to get pokeballs as long as you can pass your local trainer test. They're being administered by regional committees or leaders, depending on where you live!"
➤ mrmordenkainen: are you a registered trainer yet buena
➤ sypress: she doesn't know jack shit ofc not
"Me? I had the pleasure of getting registered with one of our very own producers. He was really generous, too. If you're ever in the Charlottesville area, then I would definitely recommend visiting him. In fact, his show is going to be playing soon-ish."
➤ sypress: so when are you gonna talk about the detroit massacre
➤ sypress: 78 people died when that rhyhorn was released into the city
➤ sypress: my sister was killed by monti
➤ sypress: antonin monti needs to be brought to justice
"Mod?"
sypress has been MUTED by [Mod] Joes_Toes
"I'm really sorry about that tiny little hiccup, chat! So with fifty stamps, you'll be able to trade that in for an all-expenses-paid-for trip to our studio here in Miami. While the rest of our staff is spread throughout the United States, Buena's Passport is lucky enough to be in the Sunshine State! You'll get to make a guest appearance in one of my episodes, if you manage to confirm fifty stamps."
➤ bunueostan: I love you Buena!
"I love you too! So, shall we answer the next question?"
Ghost Stories - Studio 666
A man dressed in a sleek, velvety black suit rose from his chair. His blond hair was combed back neatly, as though countless hours had been devoted towards grooming. Wearing skin-tight leather gloves, there wasn't a single wrinkle to his clothes to be found.
"Welcome, stranger. My name is Richard Morgenthau. And this is Ghost Stories."
A gong rang in the background. Digitally inserted, not that anyone watching could tell the difference.
"Today I bring you a fascinating story, from the dark trenches of… Geneva, Switzerland."
A flicker of lightning arced behind the man. Mischievous cackling followed suit. There was a hum in the air, a strange force that transcended even the confines of television.
"Now listen up closely. Like most other things, it all started with the Catastrophe…"
The image of a meteor slamming into the side of a skyscraper began to project behind the man. Morgenthau faded away, as the actual video played on screen. The video of the Catastrophe of Geneva.
With a crackling of some ominous energy, large black tendrils popped out of the meteorite, as though it were a cocoon. Blossoming out of the rock-like shell, a being coughed into existence. It bore a scaly exoskeleton, a golden crown of sorts gleaming with membrane.
More and more tendrils emerged from the meteorite, enveloping the body of the creature until its base form was practically shrouded. Smaller bulbs of black shot off from the frame of the creature, engorging themselves on the plantlife nearby.
As well as the people.
Screaming civilians furiously tried to tear away the bulbs. Some were successful, prying them off with their fingernails and hurling them as far as their arms could throw. Others weren't so lucky, getting engulfed by the darkness entirely. Swallowed into the nox.
The struggling forms of human beings all quietly succumbed to the darkness. For the longest of minutes, they remained still. Smoky wisps of grey matter emerged from their unmoving bodies, now corpses.
Until they rose.
The first to come alive once more were the purplish creatures of the night. With their cat-like ears and wide grins, they had an eerie look about them that didn't quite sit well with most people.
Enter the birth of a new classification of pokemon: popularly known as the ghost type.
Pausing the video, Morgenthau once again appeared on the screen. In his hands were two pokeballs, gleaming under the studio lights. They were polished to a fault, made camera ready by the amount of wax that had been scrubbed into their every crevice. Instead of the basic red capsule, these had a purplish glint to them, encased in their own little protective cover.
"Ladies and gentlemen that are now watching Ghost Stories, please meet my dear friends. Gengar, Misdreavus, come on out!" he shouted, tossing up the pokeballs in a magnificent arc into the air.
One of the purple ghosts from the video, the gengar, bounced lightly in the air, cackling as it emerged. A spectre of some unrecognisable substance, Gengar preened under the spotlight. His wimpy little arms waved about, almost hypnotic in their rhythm. His most defining feature, the pale pink tongue, was wagging as though he were a dog.
The other creature, who Morgenthau had dubbed "Misdreavus", was similarly a sucker for attention. She crooned, twirling in front of the camera while summoning the shadows that her trainer produced. Her mane seemed to flutter, as well-groomed as the pokeball from whence she emerged. The transparent hair had a shine to it, as though she'd been given a healthy dose of gel.
"Today, I will tell you of the Demon of Geneva. A terrifying beast that no man has yet to see with his own two eyes. No man, that is, until I."
Another gong rang, this one with a deeper chime. The casual observer could tell that Morgenthau was not a showman who skimped on the special effects budget.
"The beast's name is Giratina. As though we might believe it to be Satan incarnate, it is but a mindless slug that gorges on the souls of the damned. Only a true master of the phantoms could even imagine approaching its splendour!" Morgenthau cried out, spreading his hands in a wild gesture.
"Some have even devoted themselves to the worship of this wretched creature. Which is why I took it upon myself to try and do what no man has ever done… I took a flight to Switzerland, to Geneva, to quell the fury of the Demon itself!"
Gengar's cackling burst into the microphone. He curled over in laughter, spraying out small specks of some ghostly spittle. His eyes were narrowed in cruel joy, eager to hear the rest of Morgenthau's tale.
"With the most wonderful help of the Leona Monti Foundation, I took a team of daring adventurers and scientists to uncover the mysteries of the wyrm. From Geneva, we travelled to the site of the crater, where I just knew I would find Giratina…"
A single tear dotted Morgenthau's cheek, which he dramatically wiped away with a sleeve. Someone with a careful eye for observation might have noticed the bottle that Morgenthau had strapped to the wrist of his right arm. Most of it had been blurred out with post production TV magic, of course.
"My best friend from college… Cairo, why he was a brave soul. Braver than any of the others that I took with me on this noble endeavour. With his trusty arcanine, we blazed through the swarms of ghosts that threatened our entire expedition."
The image of Cairo, whose real name was Usman Kilinajedit, flashed briefly on the screen, almost as though it was an afterthought by the production staff. Then the video footage of a fiery dog burning swaths of gastlys and haunters quickly replaced it.
"Then as brightly as he shined in life… he tragically passed away as a hero."
It only took a single move to bring down Kilinajedit. A giant, hollowed out shell of sandstone lumbered from its resting place beneath the meteorite. Golurk. With tremendous size slowing down its every move, it lurked forward, slamming a fist into the arcanine which sent the dog flying towards her trainer. Crushed under the weight of a flaming dog, Cairo could do nothing else but scream. A boulder silenced him.
Two of the soldiers that had accompanied the group let loose a volley of bullets which bounced off harmlessly against the golurk. The sandstone guardian bellowed in laughter, a deep and unnatural voice ringing from its insides.
The bullets rose from the ground, glowing in a purplish ethereal light. At the speed of sound, they were sent careening back towards the armed military men, ending their lives in the matter of seconds.
And then there were four. Three field researchers and Richard Morgenthau, the adventurer.
Sally, who realised this mission to be futile, turned away and ran towards the gap between the destroyed cars. A pair of aggrieved gastly blocked her path, giggling. One of them used its pale tongue to lash Sally across the face, instantly paralysing her. Both arms jolted to the sides as she started to spasm uncontrollably. The gastlys instantly began to swarm her unmoving form, draining it like a blood bag.
Jabari and Clem, both from the SILPH team, unclipped empty prototype pokeballs from their belts, hurling them at the corporeal forms. Some of the capsules landed at just the right spots, engulfing the wild ghost type pokemon. Before they could do much else than blink, however, the swarm caught up to the two scientists. A particularly lethal cleave from a sword-like pokemon felled Jabari. Clem followed suit, crumpling like paper onto his knees.
And then it was just Morgenthau. He was alone against an angry mob of vengeful spirits.
Morgenthau acted swiftly, as though prepared for this eventuality. From his jacket pocket, he produced another set of pokeballs, along with some ritual incense. Using a zippo lighter, he sparked a couple of wicks, sending the soothing aroma out through the streets. It seemed to have a pungent warding effect, driving away the more malicious ghosts.
"That's the beta version of the REPEL-40. The Monti Foundation has been able to do away with the crappy incense entirely, making it into a portable spray. It saved my life in Geneva, and it might do the same for anyone that's in the field, researching pokemon," he said. Gengar made a face, as though recalling the odious fumes from firsthand experience.
With the majority of the malevolent spirits subdued by the spray, he eyed the remainder of them carefully, before settling his eyes on a haunter that seemed to resist the repel better than the others. Carefully, he took aim before slamming the pokeball right into the haunter's gullet.
Shake, shake, shake, click.
Morgenthau had no time to waste, not even to celebrate his newest catch. Pivoting his body to avoid getting rammed by a honedge, he retrieved the captured haunter's pokeball and then bolted towards the remainder of the meteorite.
The camera panned out, just as he reached the edge. One of the black tendrils just narrowly missed Morgenthau, as he ducked underneath.
"The JOY programme that's based out of University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, has received a lot of funding in order to study pokemon in the area of healing. Granted, it's not perfect but… a lot of these deaths might have been preventable, if a JOY doctor was on-site," Morgenthau explained. The pain in his voice was real. "Ghosts are dangerous. Far more dangerous than other pokemon you might have had the chance to encounter. For any prospective channelers out there, that is the number one tenant. Do not mess with a rogue ghost, if you value your life."
Morgenthau picked up a glass, which hadn't been there just moments before. It was filled with a crystal liquid, sparkling and chilled. He brought it to his lips, drinking it greedily, before setting it down on the table.
"I survived my encounter with a legendary pokemon. Mind you, it was the most terrifying experience of my life. If you keep watching, I'll tell you more about Giratina… In another episode!"
Boos erupted from the live studio audience. Morgenthau silenced them with a single gesture of his gloved hand.
"Before the Catastrophe, I prided myself as a man who knew how to get things. Whether it's through scuba diving for lost family heirlooms in the lakes of Scotland, or braving the tombs of ancient kings in the Orient…"
He raised his eyes, as though staring into the ceiling. A flickering of the camera showed the presence of even more ghosts than that of Gengar and Misdreavus.
"Nothing compares to the horrors of pokemon. They can be your friends, but they are far more likely to be your foes. Always be vigilant. A single swipe from a scyther can cleave your spine into neat little pieces. A rattata can gnaw your knee joints useless. If that doesn't kill you, then the infection almost certainly will. The apex of all pokemon, however, is the elusive ghost."
Gengar took this opportunity to form a crown above his head, made of shadows and the toxin that composed its body.
"This has been Ghost Stories. Tune in next time, for the harrowing tale of the Smithsonian museum. The night that the masks came to life!"
Then the outro kicked in, 90's Halloween music mashed up to the theme of what was once called the Lavender Town theme. Truly a monstrous melody to behold.
JOY Story - Studio 001
[Minnesota, USA]
"Tuning into JOY Story-"
"Back to your regularly scheduled programme-"
"Welcome to the JOY programme. What started as a humanitarian aid centre here at the University of Minnesota has thrived through the generous support of the Leona Monti Foundation. JOY Centres have popped up throughout the entire continental United States of America, with new stations being built all across the world."
"Pokemon are fantastic creatures, capable of catastrophic destruction. Following the Catastrophe, however, wonderful new discoveries have been made in the realm of healing. Yes- healing! It appears that the previous limitations of medicine have been lifted to unknown ceilings. Let's begin with a basic demonstration of this— the Reiss Centre for Cancer Research in Chicago, Illinois."
A pinkish blob of a pokemon popped up on the screen, holding up its two hands against the arm of a sickly looking older man.
"Meet Audino. Yes, an interesting creature. No doubt, it has proven its ferocity in the battling arts. Where it truly shines, however, is in the art of terminating malignant tumours."
The audino started rubbing its hands together, producing a faint glow that covered its palms. Once touched by the pink pokemon, the man began convulsing as though in a panic state. His arm, which had swollen up to nearly twice its size, began to darken to a violent shade of red.
"OH GOD IT HURTS!" the man screamed.
After a few seconds, however, his body immediately relaxed. The swelling died down until his arm was of a healthy size. The man adopted a peaceful look, nodding off into a pokemon-induced sleep.
"I apologise for the rather graphic display," the commentator said. "Heal Pulse is a rather unique ability that some pokemon are able to access. If used on humans, it completely mends most illnesses that aren't the result of genetic disposition. On the other hand, any pain that would or could have occurred through a more medical approach is felt all at once. We've learned that people with the common cold, for instance, are prone to some drowsiness."
The former cancer patient was wheeled off, still deep in slumber.
Another patient was brought to the audio, this one missing an entire leg.
"Mrs. Carlisle here was an unfortunate case of being at the wrong place at the wrong time. During the Chicago Catastrophe, her car was crushed by some debris shot up the main street by the pokemon known as Lugia."
The woman, who'd been identified as 'Mrs. Carlisle,' just waved at the camera. She had a wry smile on her face, while gesturing at the stump where her leg used to be.
"Now let's try and see what we can do with Heal Pulse, shall we?"
Audino approached the woman, holding out a small bluish berry for her to take. Carlisle cautiously picked it up, eyeing the doctors in the room before nibbling on one corner of the fruit. Her eyes widened at the burst of flavour, and she hungrily chewed through the rest of it.
While the woman was eating, the audino inspected the damaged area. It prodded the part where the limb had been amputated, frowning.
"Use your Heal Pulse, Audino," the researcher in the corner commanded.
The pink pokemon prodded at the injury again, examining every part of it, before shaking its head.
"Well, uh, there seem to be some limitations as to what else pokemon are able to affect. I'm sure we'll know more as time passes and more funding is devoted towards healing. That's all we have time for! Tune in next time for another episode of JOY Story!"
"Hey Alex."
"What's up?"
"Wouldn't it be terribly unoriginal if we named two of the programmes to have the word 'story' in them?"
…
…
"Roll with it. Morgenthau calls all the shots around here, and we don't want to upset the folks in the Twin Cities."
Lone Wolf VGC - Studio 947
"Welcome guys, to the first episode of Lone Wolf VGC. This is Ralphie, former World Champion of Pokemon. It's been a while since I've opened up a stream. Or posted a video, for that matter. As you can see, I've been busy."
Ralphie held up a belt with several gleaming pokeballs attached to it.
"Now, I don't want to get all political here, but… THIS IS AMAZING!" Ralphie shouted out, almost falling from his chair. His hair was all frazzled, as though he had spent the last couple of nights sleeping outdoors. "Pokemon are alive in the real world. It's like a dream come true!"
➤ Selpophane: world champ difference
"I mean, I'd like to take a moment to acknowledge all of the horrible and tragic events of the past few months. I've taken the time to reflect, and if you check out the link in the stream description, you'll find a page to contribute for the people who lost loved ones during the Catastrophe."
➤ fernandes33: ralphie always so wholesome
"That being said, I can't believe that pokemon are real. Pokemon are real, guys! It's absolutely the most insane thing that could ever have happened. Shit, I'm still not convinced that this isn't all just a dream."
➤ TudorVGC: So what are you gonna talk about during the stream?
"Obviously, it's going to be about competitive pokemon. I became World Champion a couple of years ago, and now… I'm going to be the champion of the world," Ralphie smiled. "Can you imagine all of the possibilities? I have the power of literal gods just sitting in these tiny metal balls. That's insane."
➤ Selpophane: Ralphie first real life world champ babyyyy
"So, like, I'm not saying that I'm going to use my particular set of skills to take over the planet. But, like, I don't see anyone else having the skillset to do it. Who wants to see my collection so far?"
➤ mrmordenkainen: did ralphie catch a multiscale dragonite already
➤ dawson_m: Nobody has a dragonite yet stfu
"Hey, it's Dawson. How are you doing? Still fuming about regionals? That's the world champ difference for you, baby. I've been on the grind, my friend. I've been going out there, catching the best of the best pokemon. Do you have the necessary IV spreads yet? I'm trying to find out more about mega evolution. I'm trying to get a mega blaziken before the end of the year. You think I could try and catch rayquaza sometime soon?"
➤ dawson_m: I've been protecting the Portland area
➤ dawson_m: not everyone is just messing around like you are
"World champ difference, man. You used to have it too, before you went all edgy. That's why I'm getting paid to become as strong of a trainer as possible. Leona Monti sent me an email this morning, you know? Wanting to meet me when I'm available to come to Chicago."
➤ dawson_m: you mean Antonin Monti right. Leona was his mom you insensitive prick
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Point is, you're just picking up scraps over there in Portland. Real trainers, who have legitimate skills, are out here making bank. Did you find a nice kirlia out there to catch? Maybe you can have a little tea party or something."
➤ dawson_m: fuck you ralphie
dawson_m has been MUTED by [Mod] pazhalusta
"Thanks Paz. Dawson is just butthurt that I kicked his ass in the Santa Monica regionals. Right before the Catastrophe too. Man, it feels good to see that jerk being a glorified security guard."
➤ TudorVGC: Are you gonna show us what pokemon that you have yet?
"Sorry bros. I signed a military contract with the government. They had suits and shit. It's totally confidential. I'm supposed to share some information about the game mechanics translating over to the real world. I promise that it's some important stuff."
➤ NoSunflora: like the type chart?
"Exactly! As you all might know, the type chart is a very real thing that is almost directly copy and pasted over with the emergence of pokemon. Certain types are weak to others, which is like Pokemon 101. There are some weird differences, like electric type moves not being completely useless against ground types. And if you catch a flying type being stuck on the ground, then a good EQ will take them out!"
➤ vikkkie: this is boring
➤ vikkkie: im gonna go back to Buena's Passport or something since at least she's cute
"Hold on, wait a second! This is all really important if you want to get your trainer's licence. You'll get quizzed and everything, you know? And Buena is pretty cool but she doesn't know half the stuff that I do."
➤ TudorVGC: we could probably google most of that lol
"Hey, now that's not fair. I'm getting paid some good money to educate the masses. You guys need to spread the word, you know? Get people coming to my channel. That's how I grow. If I get two million subs by the end of the month, Nguyen is gonna have to give me a White House tour or something."
➤ todorosshi: You're not as funny as Pokemon Trials
"To hell with that guy. He did nuzlockes, dude. It's basically a glorified calculator game for him. Pokemon is all about knowing how to read your opponents, then making the appropriate moves. Now that RNG isn't really a thing anymore, we need more trainers, real trainers, to pick up the slack."
➤ slugmap0keballz: Hikaru could put you on your ass
slugmap0keballz has been MUTED by [Mod] pazhalusta
"All of you are just jealous. You can't handle the world champ difference. You think it's easy to catch a bagon? I had to crawl into a run-down reptile preservation to snag one of these bad boys. I mean, it's not a hidden ability but let's be real, who really needs Moxie?"
➤ TudorVGC: Yooo Ralphie has a bagon!
➤ NoSunflora: holy shit is the world champ gonna get a salamence
➤ Selpophane: who else gonna dare try to raise a dragon? World champ difference fr
➤ vikkkie: show us your bagon
➤ TudorVGC: Show us!
➤ pokemannes: Hi Whant me? TAKE ME! come link, sign up and find my profile. I'll show you some n*des my honey
➤ todorosshi: show us plzzzz
pokemannes has been MUTED by [Mod] pazhalusta
"I- I fucked up. Jesus, this is not good. This is not good at all. Alright guys, I'm gonna end the stream now. I really can't be telling you what kind of pokemon I have. I'm gonna get in a lot of trouble for this. Please, uh, tell people to subscribe to Lone Wolf VGC!"
END Chapter 13: Poké Dimensional Cable (pt. 1)
A/N: Welcome back to another chapter of A New World. This was the first ever episode of Poké Dimensional Cable. I would definitely be the first to admit that the idea of an interlude chapter had always appealed to me. My execution, though leaving much to be desired, is an example of the format I've chosen to try out. I've always thought that live streaming would be incredibly interesting to write about, especially in a world of pokemon.
Any and all similarities to real people are entirely coincidental. Ralphie isn't real, Lone Wolf VGC isn't a real thing. (I don't think) Go check out PokeGhosty's fic, Shooting Star! Celeste is pretty badass.
Main Character: Holt Locke (24)
Nimbasa (F) [Misdreavus]: captured after she willingly joins him in Pinwheel Forest
Foongus (M) [Foongus]: captured in Portland International Rose Garden
Side Characters:
Shira Matsumoto (23): graduate student in museology at the University of Chicago, friend of Tetsuya Mueller, now a fully-fledged intern for the Leona Monti Foundation and sent on mission to Seattle with her boss, Alice. Currently travelling to California with Holt Locke
Clayton McArnol (47): owned a bar in Seattle with his wife who has since passed away, the owner of Rodie the herdier and currently acting as the leader of the Seattle Pokemon Trainer Committee. Has shown a surprising degree of skill with pokemon, with an affinity with ground types.
Matis "Surge" Vermuth (36): member of the Leona Monti Foundation and elected as one of the regional leaders of the federal International Trainer Association for Seattle. He is known for his use of electric type pokemon, based on his former training as a U.S. marine and expertise in combat on-site engineering.
Samuel Oh (56): researcher at New York University, grandfather of two children
Sabrina de Souza (28): research aide at New York University under Professor Samuel Oh, graduate student at Columbia University, sister of Cristina de Souza