April (& Samson)
painted-bees
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- 7 years, 9 months ago
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- painted-bees
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PERSONALITY
April is driven to a fault. Once she has set her mind to something, she will do everything in her power to see it through and, if told she cannot or should not do it, she'll stubbornly double down on her efforts. She has a hard time learning from other people's experience and wisdoms, opting instead to make her own mistakes and learn that way. Unfortunately, this means her life has been absolutely riddled with blunders, many of which could have been easily avoided if she'd only just listen to the advice that had been given to her. April is quick to cry in the face of overwhelming frusteration, but has never failed to pick herself back up and continue forward. Above all, she has tremendous empathy and assumes the best in everyone. Her faith in both people and pokemon are unwavering, and she endeavors to do well by those around her.
SINNOH:
April grew up moving from town to town across Sinnoh, but never outside of it. Due to her family's inability to stay in one place for very long, April never made many long-term friends. But, the need for friendship was eventually consumed by a conditioned desire to travel. To sate this need, April set her goals upon becoming a great Pokemon trainer.
At the age of twelve, her family moved to Sandgem Town, where April was quick to snatch up a summer opportunity, learning under the tutelage of Professor Rowan, along with a large class of other young, would-be trainers.
After her thirteenth birthday, the time came for the Professor to select and register the most promising students as 'official' Pokemon trainers; granting them the opportunity of one day becoming a national champion of the Sinnoh League.
April didn't make the cut.
After watching their daughter wallow in the doldrums the whole following week, her parents helped her organize a meeting with the Professor so that she may hear exactly why she wasn't selected to romantically travel the world collecting badges with a team of powerful Pokemon.
Without reservation, the old professor explained that April was 'too young'--not in age, but in maturity. Her reasons for becoming a Pokemon trainer weren't grounded in reality, and the professor worried that she was not well equipped to face the trials that awaited her.
In response to this, April made a point of showing how mature she was
...by crying.
A lot.
And between body-wracking sobs, she tried to convince the professor that by denying her the chance to experience these 'trials' he was denying her the opportunity to learn from them. Her plea to change the professor's mind fell upon uncompromising ears, and she left his office defeated.
With a heavy head, and eyes full of tears, she saw herself out of the Lab. Upon watching her navigate the haze of doom and gloom, a young, foreign understudy took some manner of misguided pity upon her. He pulled her aside, making her swear secrecy over the transaction that was about to take place. The young understudy proceeded to quietly gift April with six empty pokeballs, and urged her to 'borrow' his pokedex, explaining in a barely intelligible accent that he "looses it all the time" and that "Rowan wouldn't think it unusual". He begged her to stay safe, and to become the great trainer he wished he could have been--before bidding her farewell.
That was the last she saw of him.
And thus began April's turbulent foray into the world of Pokemon.
Catching your own starter pokemon is hard.
Impossible, even.
April came to this conclusion once she was down to her last gifted pokeball with nothing to show for it. Once again, her failure reduced her to tears.
She couldn't catch them in the grass, she couldn't catch them in the water, she couldn't even catch them in the darkest cave.
The danger of the situations she placed herself in during her fits of desperation hadn't even occurred to her. And it was by some small miracle that those dangers never caught up to her.
Regardless, she was about ready to give up and go home.
It was an embolden Sableye that found her before any other trouble managed to find her first. As he approached her, April half heartedly tossed her last pokeball at him; a self-depreciating joke to herself. The pokemon watched the ball curiously, as it rolled to stop at his feet. When he picked it up, April forced a laugh, saying that if he got in, she'd give him anything he wanted.
As if she had uttered the magic words, the sableye perked up. He summoned an old brochure and shoved it into the disheartened trainer's face; some battered, old advertisement for the Sinnoh League.
April pulled the decrepit piece of parchment from her face in time to see the imp's eager, toothy grin.
"Well, yeah," April explained. "That's kind of the point of being a trainer, isn't?"
And it was with that unenthusiastic sentiment that April found herself saddled with her very first pokemon.
It took some time before her defeated bitterness was finally overcome by the realization that she'd done it, she'd found her own starter! To celebrate, she gifted her eager counterpart with a proper name.
Samson.
It didn't take long for April to recognize that Samson was far greater 'trainer' material than she was, and she more than happily let him lead the way. Together, they developed a team of other wild Pokemon, all of whom were pacifically recruited by Samson to become allies in assisting the realization of his dreams of championship.
Under Samson's uncanny expertise, the team swept through Sinnoh, collecting badges, gaining more confidence, and developing more esteem for themselves as they progressed.
Finally, it was time to take on Sinnoh's Elite four at the Pokemon league.
And that's where their journey hit an unexpected wall.
April and Samson learned that before they could even sign up at the league, April needed to become an officially registered trainer, under the name of a recognized professor. Until then, she couldn't even step foot into the same room as the Elite Four.
Blinded by a bruised ego and a defeatist attitude, April was ready to give up there and then. It was Samson who, in his own wordless fashion, encouraged April to find a professor who might register her.
After some consideration April, Samson, and the team embarked on a new journey to find the young understudy from whom she borrowed her pokedex.
After four eventful years, her search had brought her far, far from home--to the romantically vibrant landscapes of Kalos. But this didn't mark the end of her journey.
April bounced from town to town in search of someone who could aquaint her to the professor she had been looking for. It was in the capitol of Lumoise, where she finally found a lead. It lead her to the Prism tower, and from Prism Tower, she was favorabley met by an illustrious woman named Diantha.
Diantha, it seemed, was more excited to discover the archaic old pokedex in April's possession than she was to see April herself. Who could blame her? Here was a woman who was--April would soon after be told--a very well known actress. And April was...well...April didn't even speak the language. She wouldn't learn until much later that Diantha also happened to be the region's champion (and chancing upon this knowledge would see the blood quickly drain from her face).
What April did immediately know was that Diantha had been excellent friends with Kalos' leading researcher; a relatively young Professor named Augustine Sycamore. And, as April had hoped, Diantha brought her (and the dex she carried) right to him.
At long last, April's search had found an end. Professor Sycamore would register her as an official trainer, and she would finally obtain the license she needed to fulfill her promise of championship to Samson.
Except...nothing had ever been that easy, and why change now?
Everything had been on the right track. Though the good professor was reluctant to see her at first, he too was excited to be met with his old pokedex again--and soon took absolute delight in hearing about April's exciting trials and tribulations as a globe trotting pokemon trainer. And so, it was no suprise that he was perfectly eager in registering her under his name as an official pokemon trainer. The required paper work was soon filled out, signed, and sent off for approval.
A rejection letter returned three weeks later. After a series of angry phonecalls and getting nowhere with them, the Professor was finally forced to break the news to April. Bureaucratic red tape prevented any trainer over the age of eighteen to register as a trainer... And, as luck would have it, April had turned nineteen just that August.
Once again, April's tireless efforts and hard work had been met with soul-crushing failure... And this time, by no fault of the Professor! In fact, he wasn't quite as ready as April was to concede to defeat in face of these unfortunate circumstances. Instead of seeing her journey meet a sad ending in Kalos, Sycamore offered an alternative.
"There is a colleage of mine in Alola. Yes, it's a twenty-four hour plane ride but... if you like sandy white beaches and tropical sun, I think you'll find the journey quite worth it. Now, this colleage--I think he would benefit from your assistance, and I owe him the favor. He'll be able to register you. The leage in Alola is very new, you see. They're handing out licenses to anyone who can complete their trials, no limitations! I would like to send you there."
And there she went. Of her pokemon, only Samson, Elinor, and Amelia wished to accompany her across seas. And so, after much deliberation over what was best, it was only they who went with her.
ALOLA:
Typical of her luck, upon landing in Alola there was no one to pick her up... Once again with only a name and a goal, April set off to find the Professor she was supposed to meet; Decker Cassia.
Samson had a trainer long before he ever met April. He was part of a powerful team, headed by a strong-minded and driven trainer who wouldn't settle for second best. Unfortunately this trainer also seemed to consider pokemon as somewhat disposable, as Samson was eventually let go from his team. Despite all his perfect potential, Samson lacked an important move-set. Once it was realized that there were certain moves that Samson would just never be able to learn, he was unceremoniously released into the wild.
Since then, Samson has dreamed of winning the league championship, if only to prove to his own worth and value to himself.
He was level 83 when he chanced upon the thirteen-year-old April sobbing beneath the shade of a tree. Back then Samson regarded her less as a trainer and more as a student and April filled that role perfectly, deferring to his expertise in team management. Samson is over leveled and over confident, but his genuine love for April as a person has shaped him into being suprisingly agreeable and pleasant to work with. He and April have since developed into a genuinine partnership built upon mutual love and respect.
Notabley, Samson is missing the gem on his stomach. April's theory for this is that he became so desperately hungry at one point that he must have peeled it off himself and ate it. Samson has neither confirmed nor denied this claim.
Joining Samson and April into Galar was no trouble for Elinor. She has developed a head for adventure by now and is as eager as samson to see what adventures await in new lands.
April never intended to take Rosemarie along with her into the colder climate of the Galar region, but to her suprise, the previously distant salazzle appeared somewhat adamant about accompanying April. Eager to get some quality bonding time in with Rosemarie, April was happy to bring her along--and has been suprised time and time again as Rosmarie has effortlessly carried April and her team out of the occassional pit of trouble they've fallen into during their encounters with the uncharacteristically aggressive pokemon in the region. It's almost as if she's trying to prove something...
Nolan began following April from a distance soon after her arrival into Galar. Perhaps it was her brewing fear and frusteration that attracted him in the first place, but it was her compassion that encouraged him to stick around. Once she took notice of the impish pokemon who tried so hard to go undetected, April made a point of leaving out plates of food and treats for him, with no expectation of recieving anything in return. An encounter with a somewhat jealous Samson encouraged Nolan to evolve into morgrem--but the fight was broken up by April before things escalated too far. Then after, Nolan kept his distance yet was never too far away from April during her journies into the wilderness. He evolved into grimmsnarl when April found herself frozen numb and staring face-to-face with a beartic during a harrowing hike up the Winter Hill. April doesn't remember how she made it to Wyndon after that, but somehow Nolan had joined her team within his very own pokeball, cozy on her belt.
April met Edison and Tesla while camping, late one evening. Maybe they were drawn in by the smell of food over a campfire. April, never one to turn away guests, allowed them to eat with her and her team, and they've just been kinda...freeloading off her, since. Eventually, she proposed that they join the team if they wanna keep reaping the benefits, and the pair just kinda shrugged and nodded...and that was that. They have proven to be suprisingly helpful when they put their minds to it..!
Epsilon was handed to April by an aquaintance turned friend near the very start of her journey. It was explained to her that the egg housed the spirit of a recently deceased pokemon partner, waiting to be reborn. During their short time travelling together the friend confided in April, saying that as deeply as she loved the late pokemon she had traveled with, she wasn't sure if she could bear the emotional weight of raising its' reincarnated form, especially since it was likely that the new pokemon would not even remember her. After seeing April's warm relationship with her own pokemon, the new friend entrusted April with the egg before parting ways. April still isn't too sure if she believes the whole 'reincarnation' story, but one thing is for certain, Epsilon is a natural born friend. Despite his fearful fragility in the beginning, he has quickly grown into a formidable, compassionate, and reliable ally.
Penh is registered on paper as April's "starter" pokemon, assigned by Professor Cassia. In actuality, Penh is a latecomer to April's team but takes her title seriously (much to Samson's chargrin). Penh refuses to listen to Samson, in favor of following April's leadership instead, and the two pokemon often butt heads over their differences. Penh is also extremely territorial and protective of what she deems to be her "home", team members and trainer included.
Elinor joined the team from Kalos to Alola without so much as a second thought. The hesitation that plagued her back in Sinnoh had vanished over the cours of April's Kalos adventures, and she now considers herself a perminant part of April's core team.
Amelia relationship with April has only strengthened with time, and following April to Alola posed no trouble at all. During her time with April in Alola, however, Amelia has come to realize and accept how much April has grown since Sinnoh... The young trainer has become wholly capable of looking out for herself, and Amelia has become more and more confident in April's capabilities...not just as a trainer, but as a person.
Rosemarie joined April's team somewhat by accident. April was tasked with investigating a hazard in one of the orchards, and found herself going toe to toe with the toxic Salazzle. In a bit of a panic, April captured her in a pokeball and Rosemarie has been with her ever since. Rosemarie is somewhat aloof, having yet to form any manner of emotional attatchment to the other pokemon in April's party. However, Samson appears to be quite taken by her...
Zeppelin joined April's party, because April found the pupper and loved her so much. Zeppelin doesn't know what's happening, but there's food and pets, and everyone's excited, so pupper is happy and excited, too!!
Elinor joined April's team solely because Samson has so kindly asked her to. Truth be told, Ellie never trusted pokemon trainers, and didn't much care for joining a pokemon team... But she had a long established friendship with Samson, and appreated how badly he wished to win the league championship...so, she joined April solely to help a friend realize his dreams.
When it became apparent that April would need to seek out the professor in Kalos before being able to even attempt battling against the elite four, Elinor did not want to leave Sinnoh. If it weren't for Samson's insistance, the mawile would have stayed in the region she had grown up in. Still, Samson's pursuasion won out in the end, and Elinor joined April and her team onward into Kalos. The new region proved to be every bit as comfortable as Sinnoh had been. April introduced her to deliciousness of poffins...which...she could never get enough of. Following her into Kalos turned out to a great choice, after all!
Amelia was invited by Samson to join April's team, and all it took was one look at the nervous, fumbling and crestfallen trainer to realize that this girl needed some help. Amelia has since kept a watchful and motherly eye on April throughout her adventure. She was, at first, very nervous to hear April's plans of leaving her home and family in Sinnoh behind. Someone had to keep an eye on her while she was abroad, and that is exactly why Amelia decided to follow April on her quest to find the professor in Kalos. And it was a good thing, too! Amelia was around to comfort April during her trials and tribulations during her romp around the otherwise luxurious Kalos region.
Bianca joined April's team--seemingly to spite Samson. The strong egos of both pokemon clashed the entire time they've travelled together, with Bianca challenging Samson's notion of what true strength is, all while attempting to convince April to take the leadership role as a trainer, be confident in her decisions, and to stop letting Samson steamroll her with his passionate ideas and notions about being an aspiring champ. When Bianca heard that April's next destination was Kalos, she couldn't believe her luck. Kalos was a land of glamour and luxury, and Bianca wanted everything to do with it. When Kalos proved to be everything it had promised, no one was suprised to learn that the new region would serve as Bianca's new home, indefinately. Seeing how much Bianca enjoyed the change of environment, when the time came to leave for Alola, April allowed the gardevoir to remain in Kalos under Professor Sycamore's care.
Elizabeth didn't require much convincing to join April on her journey. Being a rather easy-going sort, she was happy to have a group to tag along with, and very much enjoyed travelling across Sinnoh with her newfound friends. She had been, at first, eager to follow April into Kalos. Upon arriving, however, her displeasure in the warmer climate and a string of bad first impressions left the frosslass feeling somewhat unhappy in the new environment. Part way through her adventure, April took note of the drastic change in Elizabeth's disposition. Soon, it was arranged to have Elizabeth sent back to her home in Sinnoh, and after a heartfelt thanks and some sad goodbyes, the Frosslass returned to the snowcapped peaks that she had been pinning for.
Napoleon joined April's team very late during her Sinnoh adventures, and joined only on the condition that she never make him fly anywhere. Terrified by heights, Napoleon had always wanted to experience life with a pokemon trainer, but his fear of hieghts and flying made it nearly impossible to find a partner who'd want to travel with him. Since travelling to Kalos didn't involved soaring through the air at terminal velocities, Napoleon was perfectly content with joining April on her adventure into the new region. However, once the trip to Alola was brought up to him, there was just no way he was going to agree to being hurled through the air, across an entire ocean. Airplanes be damed.
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