Profile
Mykhailo Zelenko
❝ I don’t know, I guess it’s like… some people’s fascination with the macabre? I just think it’s interesting. ❞
-Mykhailo, Nightmare Journals
Mykhailo
Mykhailo comes from a family of well off scholars, who had a family tradition of researching Darkrai. He choose to not pursue becoming a scholar like the rest of his family, but still decided to research the mythical Pokémon- even if it wasn’t his main passion.
In the end, a close encounter with Darkrai didn’t go as well as he expected, which lead to him passing away and Darkrai fleeing New Moon Island. His death would be counted as a missing person’s case until an old friend was asked to look into it- where it was discovered that he had in fact passed.
But that wasn’t the end of his story, as that same friend’s actions lead to him being revived. While Mykhailo has been adjusting to life again fairly well with the help of people around him, he can’t help but worry about what’s happened with Darkrai in the last decade… after all, there’s someone else that knows about his death.
Appearance
Mykhailo is 5’10” and has a lithe build. He has short blond hair, and blue-ish grey eyes.
He mainly wears an off white shirt with a grey jacket over it, pants of the same grey that appear tattered at the bottom, a predominately red scarf that gradients into an off white on one side, and white boots with black and grey accents. On his left leg he wears a black holster that attaches to his belt and holds Poké Balls.
Personality
Mykhailo is clever, and in combination with his stubbornness it can make him a force to be reckoned with. However that stubbornness can often get in the way and cause him to make poor decisions- usually to his own detriment.
He cares a lot about to those he’s close to, but can come off as very distant to others. When it comes down to it he’s willing to forgive and forget when people show that they’ve changed or are trying to get better, but understands why others might not be willing to do the same.
Story
Early Life (0-18, 1996-2014)
Mykhailo grew up in Solaceon Town, and had a fairly easy childhood. His family was well off, and while he didn’t get along with his parents perfectly everything seemed alright. His parents were both the academic type, and studied fields related to mythology. His father in particular followed a family tradition of researching the mythical Pokémon Darkrai. While he enjoyed the stories of myths and legends, it never really interested him as much as it did his parents- which caused some trouble when his father wanted him to continue the family tradition.
Growing up Mykhailo found interest in various animated shows and games, as in some ways they were similar to his parent’s stories, but had an additional visual element. Overtime he particularly found interest in how characters looked and how they dressed, leading him to wanting to try his own hand at designing clothes. Once he did, he found he enjoyed it so much that he decided to pursue a career in design instead of research like his parents expected him to.
Waning Gibbous (18-21, 2014-2017)
To his surprise, Mykhailo’s family supported his choice to pursue a career in character and costume design. His father however gave him one condition, and it was that he would also become a scholar afterwards- at the very least to continue the family tradition of studying Darkrai. While Mykhailo was hesitant to agree to this at first, he decided to lie and say that he would. When the time came, he could back out and go out on his own- as they wouldn’t really be able to stop him at that point.
He attended school in the nearby Veilstone City, with most of what he needed being payed for by his family. This included a decent sized apartment that had a room for a study, which Mykhailo assumed was his father’s attempt at a subtle reminder. During his time at college he would make a small group of friends, which included a person named Kitahoshi. Kitahoshi and him were closer to each other than anyone else in the group.
Read MoreAfter awhile Mykhailo found some interest in studying Darkrai after coming across information on legendary Pokémon while doing research on some historical fashion. Eventually he ended up asking to see the journals his family had kept from their research on it, which to them was an indicator that he would end up following the family legacy after all. While he was curious to read the journals, he felt as it might have been a mistake as he was worried that they would get the wrong idea.
Once he got his hands on the journals he gave each of them a read through- quickly realizing that most of them weren’t very exciting. The only interesting journal was the oldest one, which also happened to be the only journal that appeared to be written by someone that actually encountered Darkrai. However, that did give him an idea. He didn’t want to spend time collecting stories on Darkrai like other ancestors of his did, and instead decided that one of the best ways to impress his father with his research would be to capture Darkrai. Judging from the old journal, if he could find someone like the woman named Zorya who had connections to Cresselia, or even Cresselia herself- he should be able to safety encounter Darkrai to try and capture it.
Eventually Mykhailo mentioned his plan to Kitahoshi- he discovered that the Pokémon was likely staying on an Island North of Canalave city, which would make preparing to capture the Pokémon even easier. Kitahoshi told him that it was a bad idea and that he was going to get himself killed, which upset Mykhailo because he wasn’t foolish enough to walk in unprepared. Kitahoshi still thought it was too big of a risk, and the two ended up getting into an argument about it- with Kitahoshi eventually giving up and offering him a compromise.
“Just… How about this: promise you won’t go to Newmoon Island without me, alright?”
Mykhailo accepted, and the two of them went on to finish college. After graduation, Mykhailo knew that it would be best to try and encounter Darkrai sooner than later, as his family would start asking about when he was going to get into research before long. However another issue seemed to arise. He had promised Kitahoshi that he would not go without them, but Kitahoshi had basically disappeared. They had gotten a job shortly after graduating, and initially seemed very busy with it. However shortly afterwards it became suspicious, as it appeared that Kitahoshi had suddenly cut off all contact with their friends. Mykhailo initially thought it might have been them forgetting, especially considering their past history of severe time blindness. But after the day where the world had appeared to nearly end because of Team Galactic- the very company that Kitahoshi was working for- Mykhailo was not confident that he would see them again.
Waning Crescent (21, 2017)
Mykhailo wasn’t sure what to do at first, but started by visiting Canalave City. While there he figured out how he would make his way to Newmoon Island. He also decided to take a look at the library to see if there was any useful information about Newmoon Island as the place was occasionally close to fishing boat routes. While he didn’t find much at the library, he was luckily enough to run into someone who could help him.
Read More - WARNING - character deathCallisto Zorya seemed more than willing to help. In fact he seemed ecstatic to be able to help, and offered to bring as many lunar feathers as possible. Mykhailo was surprised to meet someone who was apparently related to the Zorya mentioned in one of the journals. He would later find out that Callisto was so willing to help because his family watched over Darkrai to make sure it wasn’t causing any harm. Not having to watch after Darkrai would be a major weight off of the family’s back, so Mykhailo was glad he would be able to help. He ended up staying in Canalave to properly prepare to go to Newmoon Island, even if it meant ignoring the promise he made to Kitahoshi. Mykhailo and Callisto would meet up a few more times to figure out their exact plans, as well as to just chat with each other. Eventually the two of them were ready to go to Newmoon Island.
The two set off by boat to Newmoon Island, and everything on the way there went smoothly. They arrived at the Island’s dock, and after Mykhailo tied up the boat they made their way into the forest on the island. Both of them had no reason to suspect that anything would go wrong.
The night was dark and cloudy, and the two of them carefully traversed the forest watching for Darkrai. It was difficult to see in the dark, but they did their best to travel quietly and not run into anything. Eventually they came across a clearing in the trees where they spotted the Pokémon that they were looking for. It seemed to float in place for the most part, occasionally moving around the other end of the clearing.
Mykhailo prepared the Pokéballs that he had brought with him as they approached the edge of the clearing, keeping his eyes on the Pokémon. Callisto followed close behind, and Darkrai hadn’t noticed them yet. Mykhailo walked forward to get close enough so that he wouldn’t miss. As he approached he reached a thin puddle of water in the middle of the clearing, and as he stepped into it the quiet splash of water caught Darkrai’s attention. It turned to the two of them and seemed to panic. In response Mykhailo quickly got in position to throw, but suddenly everything went black. The ball only left his hand when he hit the ground.
Waxing Crescent ('28', 2024)
Mykhailo did not feel very well. Of course, feeling sick was seemingly the least of his worries- the last thing he remembered was blacking out after seeing Darkrai- or maybe it was talking to someone on the island? The latter felt hazy, and there was no one he would have been talking to after blacking out, so it seemed likely that it might be a false memory.
Read More - WARNING - mentions of death, hospitalization, and missing personsAfter getting over the initial feeling of disorientation, Mykhailo came to realize that he was alone on the island. Not only that, but one of his Pokéballs was missing. After wandering around for a little while he eventually made it to the dock he remembered entering the island on. The boat he had taken wasn’t there, leading him to believe that he was left alone on the island. But the condition of the dock… time had passed, and it showed itself on the wood. Either he was in one of Darkrai’s nightmares, or…
A fishing boat eventually came into view, and Mykhailo attempted to flag it down. While everyone on the boat seemed a bit freaked out at first by his ghostly appearance, they stopped at the dock. After properly speaking to Mykhailo, they allowed him on the boat with the offer of bringing him back to the mainland. A few of them expressed worry about Mykhailo’s condition, to which he replied that he wasn’t sure what had happened, but that he should be okay.
Once back on land a man from the fishing boat insisted on making sure he was okay, and offered him a phone to use to try and get into contact with someone he knew. He wasn’t sure who to call at first, but eventually decided on his grandma. She answered, and was quite surprised to hear from him, as after all this time they had assumed he had died. After asking how long all this time was, he found out that he was apparently missing for 7 years. For a moment it occurred to him that maybe he did die, but he was apparently back now. His grandma then mentioned contacting Cynthia to pick him up and bring him to Celestic Town, which he agreed to. Little did he know that Cynthia was busy with something she couldn’t drop at the moment, and would be asking Kitahoshi to go in her place.
After a while there was a knock at the door, and the man from the boat went up to check. He asked the person there if they were Mykhailo’s cousin, and the person was confused as to what he meant. Mykhailo recognized the voice and realized it was Kitahoshi. He jumped up to meet them at the door, and upon seeing him they stared in shock for a moment.
And he stared back.
Eventually, Kitahoshi spoke. “You… look like a corpse.”
“I’m uh… honestly not sure if I am or not.”
After a moment Kitahoshi sighed, and encouraged him to come back with them to Veilstone for now. On the way there they explained some of what had happened in the last few years. They tried their best to answer Mykhailo’s questions from what they knew, and eventually realized that he should probably go to a hospital since he didn’t seem to be in a good condition. They assumed that this was from the fact he was dead yesterday, even if they weren’t sure how he was alive today.
Mykhailo visited a hospital once they arrived in Veilstone City, and ended up being admitted for a few days, as his condition would improve faster with some proper support. While he was there both Cynthia and Kitahoshi came to visit him, with Kitahoshi eventually offering him a job at Team Galactic for when he got out of the hospital. After some reassurance that Team Galactic was not still trying to destroy the world, he took them up on the offer.
Eventually Mykhailo ran into Ender when they stopped by the Galactic HQ, as Kitahoshi had asked them to transport someone back to Unova. The two of them talked for awhile, with Ender giving him some words of encouragement based on their own experiences. Mykhailo thought that they seemed familiar, but couldn’t place where from.
Present Day (30, 2026)
Despite the rough return, Mykhailo has been adjusting well to living again. It took awhile, but he was eventually promoted to a commander- although he’s sure that Ceres had something to do with it. He doesn’t mind as the other commanders also seemed open to the idea, plus the title doesn’t reflect how high you are in the team as much as it used to.
He’s worried about what happened with Darkrai after his death, but has not mentioned his want to investigate it. He knows what reaction he’s probably going to get if he mentions it to Kitahoshi, and it’s an understandable one. However he is worried about the fact that his Vaporeon has been missing ever since he got back- his best guess that it’s disappearance might have something to do with Callisto. Mykhailo would like to apologize to him given the chance, as he genuinely thought that the plan would work and thinks it was his own poor planning that caused it to fail.
For now he hopes that Darkrai isn’t causing any harm, and that Callisto is doing okay. While he isn’t aware of what’s happened, perhaps someday he’ll meet the trainer that did manage to catch Darkrai.
Pokémon
Mykhailo keeps his Vaporeon in a Poké Ball, and his Spirtomb in a Dusk Ball.
Water Absorb
Held Item:
Enigma Berry
Pressure
Held Item:
None
Relationships
Kitahoshi Svetich
He understands that Kitahoshi still feels bad about their actions, but to him at this point the past is the past. He’s just glad that they’re okay, and still his friend after all this time. He’s incredibly grateful that Kitahoshi’s been willing to help him out after his return, especially with the job offer for Team Galactic.
Callisto Zorya
He feels really bad about what happened on New Moon Island, even if it wasn’t fully in his control. He hopes to be able to meet Callisto again to apologize, and possibly get his Vaporeon back. Unfortunately, he’s not sure how to find a way to ask about meeting up, assuming Callisto might say yes.
Cynthia Shirona
Cynthia and Mykhailo have been good friends since they were kids, and Mykhailo is glad that she’s doing well. He’s a little surprised that she isn’t champion anymore, but is glad that it means the two of them get to see each other more often.
Ender Achroma-Keay
While Mykhailo doesn’t know them very well, they appreciate how they’ve helped Kitahoshi. Even if some of that help was helping them get into trouble. Finds it funny how good they are at messing with Cynthia.
Skills
- Character/Costume Design:
- Mykhailo went to school for character design and does this as his job at Team Galactic. He prefers designing outfits, but is perfectly capable of doing full characters.
- Art:
- Since it’s important for his job, Mykhailo has good art skills. His personal artstyle is probably something akin to Project Sekai’s cards.
- Sewing:
- Mykhailo learned how to sew from a young age, since his grandma would do alterations and taught him how to sew. He uses it to make clothes that he designs, usually for himself- but sometimes for his friends. Occasionally he’ll also make patterns of complicated outfits he comes across for cosplayers to use.
- Gaming:
- While it’s mainly just a small hobby now, part of Mykhailo’s passion for costume design came from video games. He’s good enough to give Saturn a run for his money in pvp games, although he prefers playing more casual games.
Trivia
- He designed his main outfit, and probably designed most of what he wears.
- The fact that Cynthia and Kitahoshi kept a lot of stuff from when they cleaned out his old apartment has been a pleasant surprise.
- He really wants to make an attempt at redesigning the commander outfits, but the other commanders insist that they’re just fine as they are.
- Ever since revival, he’s gotten frequent nightmares that he doesn’t remember when he wakes up. Luckily, he usually seems to be well rested after them so he ends up not needing to try and fall back asleep.
Gallery
Art by SnowAlutma
Art by cyborb
Art by zinnia
Art by causticx.jpeg
WIP
Art by Endercoil
Mykhailo, main outfit
Art by cyborb
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