PokéVerse Lore (◆ Species: Marshadow ◆)

I FIXATE ON THIS POKEMON TOO MUCH SO THEY GET THEIR OWN LORE PAGE LET'S GOOOOO

General Info

• The marshadow are a species of Legendary Pokemon. Though they can be found anywhere in the world, the majority are native to the Sea of Light.
• Like other Legendary Pokemon, marshadow are created by the Universe itself. They do not have biological families and are incapable of reproduction.
• Most marshadow are Guardian Deities, though a few work under Giratina as Dimensional Deities instead.
• Marshadow have a strong instinct to hide and observe. When an unfamiliar pokemon appears, a marshadow will often hide in that pokemon's shadow, watching their every movement. If a fight were to break out, this would grant the marshadow an advantage, as they would already have a good understanding of the opponent's movements.
• In recent times, the marshadow from the Sea of Light have been targeted by Ultra Beasts for unknown reasons. As a result, most have gone into hiding, making it incredibly rare to see one nowadays.

Zenith Energy

• Marshadow have the ability to create Zenith Energy, which is the power source found within Z-Crystals. Zenith Energy, also known as Z-Energy, can grant the wielder an incredibly high amount of power, but only for a limited period of time. If a marshadow exhausts their supply of Z-Energy, they'll become extremely weak and must take time to rest and recharge
• In battle, a marshadow will transform into their Zenith Form. This form change occurs when their bodies produce high amounts of Z-Energy to prepare them for a fight, similar to how an adrenaline rush works. With enough training, a marshadow can learn to gain control over this transformation without relying on instinct.
• Z-Energy has several amazing abilities. It can grant the wielder a boost in strength, power up moves, and allows the use of a Z-Move without a Z-Crystal. A marshadow can also share their Z-Energy with others to grant them a temporary power boost as well. Since it's pure vitalizing energy, Z-Energy can even be used to revitalize plant life or heal those who are sick or injured (though it can't do anything drastic like bringing someone back from the dead).

Other Abilities

• Aside from creating Z-Energy, a marshadow’s trademark ability is hiding in shadows. This is possible because their biological structures are comprised of spectral energy, allowing them to physically warp and interact with incorporeal forms -- in their case, shadows.
• Marshadow can detect the auras of other pokemon. This trait is much stronger in hatchlings, and gradually fades with time. However, a marshadow can still use this ability to an extent when they’re fully grown. When they hide in someone else’s shadow, they’re able to detect that pokemon’s emotions and determine whether they’re a friend or foe.
• They’re extremely good at copying others, to the point where it’s almost uncanny. By observing someone’s movements from within the shadows for just a few minutes, a marshadow can perfectly replicate their exact same movements with ease. This trait is especially useful in battle, allowing them to analyze their opponent’s fighting style and beat them at their own game.
• A marshadow can take control of any shadow and warp it into whatever shape they please. They often do this to make themselves appear bigger or scarier from within the shadows in order to deter anyone who gets too close.
• Marshadow possess a lot of physical strength, even as hatchlings. As a result, young marshadow are very accident-prone, and tend to underestimate their own strength.

Biology

• A marshadow’s body is comprised of shadows that have been tightly bound by spectral energy, giving them a corporeal form.
• Their “helmets” are part of their body, and therefore cannot be removed. The basic structure of a helmet is present on every marshadow, but more unique traits may vary.
• A marshadow’s eyes are designed for seeing in the dark. This ability allows them to observe their surroundings very clearly without having to leave the safety of the shadows to get a closer look at something. However, this also makes their eyes extremely sensitive to light. While dim lighting is usually okay for them, being out in broad daylight can be very uncomfortable and may even leave them temporarily blinded, so they tend to stick to shady areas or stay hidden in the shadows during daylight hours. Marshadow who live in sunnier environments tend to have more of a tolerance to light than those who live in darker environments.
• Their “blood” is purple in color, and has a loose and misty consistency. If a non-Ghost type were to touch it, it would pass right through them. This “blood” forms when the shadows that comprise a marshadow’s body become unbound and return to a spectral form. Their bodies regenerate new shadows very quickly, but if their wounds aren’t dressed tightly enough, the shadows are unable to regain their solid form, and will continue to “bleed out” unless pressure is continuously applied for a long enough time. The longer a marshadow is left in this state, the more serious the damage to their body will be.
• Like other Legendaries, a marshadow’s appearance and stats may depend on the environment where their egg appears. For example, a marshadow born in an area exposed to strong moonlight will take on a paler coloration while retaining their original typing, while a marshadow born near an active volcano may take on a warmer coloration and become a Fire-Ghost Type. Regardless of the variation in their typing, a marshadow will always be part Ghost-type since their bodies are made of spectral energy.
• Purebred marshadow are the most common. Shinies are very rare, and species variants are exceptionally rare. Shiny variants are the rarest of all.

Known Variants
The following is a list of known marshadow variants.

• Sunlight Variant: Marshadow born in extremely sunny environments. They have brighter, more vibrant wisps. Marshie is an example of a Sunlight variant.
• Moonlight Variant: Marshadow born in environments exposed to strong moonlight. They have light, pale wisps with darker colors towards the tips. Their wisps may also appear tattered. Vex is an example of a Moonlight variant.

Hatchlings

• Marshadow are born with very blurry vision, and can only make out darkness from light. Their vision develops about one week after hatching. Until then, they rely on their ability to sense auras to make out who’s around them. They’re instinctively drawn to pokemon with gentle auras, and may latch onto them as their caretakers. Until their vision develops, they appear to have blank stares; some find this endearing while others find it creepy.
• Unlike most pokemon, marshadow aren’t born with a distinct fighting style, but rather an impeccable ability to mimic others. They learn how to do everything through observation and mimicry. Though some marshadow end up with the fighting style of one specific pokemon, the majority end up with a mixture of various techniques.
• A young marshadow is somewhat of a blank slate in their early years. Since they learn through observation, their personalities and behaviors often mimic those who look after them.