Playful

Vex’s fun-loving nature inspires him to find entertainment in any situation. He enjoys pulling light-hearted pranks on the Pokémon who visit the isle and messing with his opponents’ heads in battle. While he’s not above poking fun at others, he never acts mean-spirited, and will only go at it with someone if he knows they can take it.

Laid Back

Vex likes to live in the moment, and rarely plans ahead for anything unless he knows it’s serious. He doesn’t get much time to himself due to his busy schedule, so he always appreciates the peaceful moments in life. He enjoys leisurely activities like going for walks, exploring new places, and taking naps in his favorite tree.

Responsible

Contrary to his playful and carefree demeanor, Vex can be very serious when he needs to be. He understands the importance of his role as a Guardian, and prioritizes his job over anything else. Despite how he was treated in the past, he still cares about Alola and its people, and works incredibly hard to ensure their safety.

Confident

Though he was once insecure and struggled with self-loathing, Vex has since developed a healthy amount of confidence. He takes great pride in his skills and accomplishments, and no longer relies on the opinions of others to determine his self-worth.

Strong Willed

Vex marches to the beat of his own drum, determined to follow his own path in life. He hates being told what to do or how to act, and will outright ignore any orders that don’t come directly from Luna in favor of doing whatever he wants.

Rash

Vex is quick to jump straight into action without a second thought. Although he’s good at strategizing on the fly, his dependence on this skill doesn’t always guarantee his success. His reckless behavior only worsens with his temper, which clouds his judgment and prevents him from realizing the consequences of his actions until it’s too late. Fortunately, his rash thinking has lessened in recent years as he’s found better ways to manage his anger.

THE VEX

Vex hadn’t always been the Guardian of the Isle of the Moone. After the original Guardian’s sudden yet tragic passing, he was born to become her successor. The announcement came as a shock to all, and quickly sparked outrage among the locals, who found it incredibly cruel to replace their beloved Guardian so soon after her death. The more superstitious members of the community were convinced that the young marshadow was a bad omen, and the sudden increase in Ultra Beast attacks across the Lunar Archipelago certainly didn’t quell any rumors.

Growing up, Vex felt immense pressure to live up to everyone’s expectations. Since no Legendaries wanted to mentor him in fear of the backlash they’d receive, he dedicated himself to learning as much as he could through observation and imitation. He did his best to prove himself worthy of his role, striving the match the ideals of a perfect Legendary. But no matter how hard he tried, he was never good enough for anyone. The locals refused to accept him as their new Guardian, and the other Legendaries were too preoccupied to notice his efforts.

As the years went by and the disdain from other Pokémon continued, Vex’s attempts to fit the mold began to decrease. By the time he was in his late teens, he’d dropped the act entirely in favor of a more rebellious persona. Pulling pranks on visitors to the isle and vandalizing old relics of the previous Guardian had become his favorite pastimes, much to the dismay of everyone else. Vex claimed he no longer cared what anyone thought of him, but truth be told, it bothered him more than it ever had before.

Vex’s antics never went unpunished, and he frequently found himself in hot water with the other Legendaries. He continued to go out of his way to cause trouble despite the negative consequences, desperate to release the anger that had been steadily building within him. After making an honest mistake that resulted in the destruction of the previous Guardian’s old shrine, he was confronted by the Head Guardians of Alola, who revoked him of his role and sent him away from the Isle of the Moone. Vex pleaded with them to reconsider, swearing that the event had been an accident, but his words fell on deaf ears. With no other choice, he left the isle as his anger reached its boiling point.

THE CRYSTAL

That same night, while searching for a place to stay, Vex was suddenly attacked by an Ultra Beast, who held a strange prismatic crystal. Although he was caught off guard, he managed to defeat the Ultra Beast after knocking the crystal out of their grasp, forcing them to make a hasty retreat. Once his opponent was gone, Vex’s attention turned to the crystal they left behind. As he picked it up to examine it, it began to glow brightly as a surge of Zenith Energy flowed through him, restoring his strength and healing his wounds from the fight. Recognizing the power this mysterious crystal held, he came to a realization: he could use it to get revenge.

With the crystal in his possession, Vex set out across the region, determined to make the other Legendaries as miserable as possible. He destroyed anything that meant something to them, from the shrines created by the mortals who loved them to the relics that they’d treasured for years. Anyone who tried to stop him was no match for the level of power he now wielded. Not even the strongest Guardians in the region were able to stand against him in a fight. As long as he had the crystal, he was invincible -- at least, that’s what he thought.

Upon learning what was taking place in Alola, Lunala returned to the region to put a stop to Vex’s schemes. Though he put up a good fight, the marshadow was ultimately no match for his opponent. His fighting chance disappeared the moment she was able to snatch the crystal from his grasp, shattering it before he could retaliate. As the Moone stared down upon him in judgment, Vex’s anger was instantly replaced with fear, and he quickly retreated to the safety of the shadows.

THE MOONE

The night after his defeat, Vex was visited by Lunala, who managed to coax him out of the shadows to talk. Vex didn’t trust her one bit, and immediately became defensive, demanding that she skip the lecture and punish him already. But to his surprise, Luna refused to punish him. She apologized not only for fighting him, but on behalf of everything that had transpired in her absence. While she couldn’t excuse his actions, she didn’t want to turn him away like everyone else had, and instead wanted to help him learn from his mistakes.

To say Vex was surprised would be an understatement. The marshadow was stunned into silence, unable to do anything other than listen. He’d never expected an apology from anyone, let alone Lunala herself. Overwhelmed by the kindness he’d been shown, the walls he’d built up for the last several years crumbled to dust as his feelings came rushing forward. He apologized profusely for his actions, and vented his frustrations and fears to the Moone, who listened patiently to every word he spoke. When he had finally finished, Vex felt an immediate sense of relief. He was grateful to finally have someone who truly listened to him without judgment.

After learning that Vex never had a proper mentor, Luna offered to fulfill the role herself. Vex was apprehensive at first, fearful that working with him would tarnish her reputation among the people of Alola. But after she reassured him that she didn’t care what others thought of her, Vex hesitantly agreed. From that point onward, he spent each night with Lunala, who taught him everything there was to know about the Universe. She told him stories of grand adventures out in the cosmos, and of gentle moments with the Pokémon of Earth. Vex learned how to harness his own powers, as well as a few secret skills like opening Ultra Wormholes and using telepathy. With Luna’s guidance, he saw the world from a whole new perspective, and began to truly understand his role as a Legendary.

Vex was rather wary of Luna at first. He wasn’t sure if she truly valued him as much as she claimed, or if she was merely humoring him. However, his defenses slowly fell as he found that she was just as kind and patient as she appeared to be. She reminded him of the mothers he'd seen with other Pokémon, and as they grew closer, he couldn’t help but start to see her as his own.

Once Vex had completed his training, he was officially appointed as the Guardian of the Isle of the Moone. Shortly afterwards, Lunala left his side to return to the skies, promising to always stay in touch and watch over him. Vex swore to do right by the Moone, and vowed to protect her region and its people.

THE PRESENT DAY

Vex now stands as the proud Guardian of the Isle of the Moone. Each night, he fulfills the role of the Moone’s Messenger, acting as the mediator between Lunala and the people of Alola. He’s also become allies with Team Ultra, an organization dedicated to capturing Ultra Beasts, and frequently helps them out on their missions. Vex is more confident in himself than ever before, and continues to work hard to make Luna proud. As a result of his kind deeds, many Pokémon who were once wary of him have started to see him in a new light.

• Vex was created on May 27th 2023 and designed on June 21st 2023.
• His design was based on old concept art from late 2021 - early 2022.
• He’s a moonlight variant of marshadow. Since he was born in a location exposed to strong moonlight, his wisps appear more tattered and have a paler coloration in his Zenith Form.
• In addition to his regular powers, he can also open Ultra Wormholes and use telepathy.
• He didn’t have a nickname growing up, and was simply referred to as “the vex”. During his training with Lunala, he decided to go by Vex, hoping to put a more positive meaning behind the name.
• His eyes are sensitive to light, but he spends so much time outside during the day that he’s built up a tolerance to it. Despite this, he’s still susceptible to eye strain and headaches; the latter of which can greatly impact his ability to use telepathy.
• Lunala gave him a scarf with a Z-Crystal sewn into it, but he rarely wears it since he’s hesitant to use any sort of power enhancing items again.