OOC:
Name: Ruby
Are you over 16?: Yes!
Personal LJ:
lady_kikyou Email: yuuko.reed@yahoo.com
Timezone: GMT -3
Other contact: AIM: dyed in indigo | Plurk: pinkgrasshopper
Characters already in the game: N/A
How did you find us?: Connie enabled me. 8|
IC:
Character name: Cynthia
Fandom: Pokemon
Timeline: After the Player character has met Giratina in the Distortion World, but before the Elite Four challenge.
Age: Not stated in canon; around her early twenties.
~*Magical*~ abilities and strengths: Cynthia is very much an ordinary human and doesn’t have any magical abilities. She does, however, come from a world where people live and work together with Pokemon, animal-like creatures that possess a wide assortment of special skills. They are her greatest strength, not only because she has trained them exceptionally well, as expected from the League Champion, but because their company and her love for them are enough motivation to keep her taking a step higher.
As seen from her interactions with the player character, she is also a great mentor, even though her methods can be a little unorthodox. As long as she sees potential, she will push a person forward and encourage them to fully develop their raw strength, even if it includes world-altering dangers they might not be quite aware they’re ready to face - in which case she will never leave their side, should the need for her intervention ever arise. That doesn’t mean she’s not familiar with more proper means to teach trainers, such as complimenting their skill and inciting their curiosity as to how much further they can go.
Aside from that, Cynthia possesses an impressive knowledge on Sinnoh folklore and mythology in general, and her particular field of research seems to have granted her a better understanding of the relationships between people and Pokemon.
How would they use their abilities?: For the greater good of all. I kid you not.
In all seriousness, her Pokemon would be used for helping out in any way they can, aside from the occasional battle - provided that a good, undisturbed placed can be arranged and that there are healing facilities, of course. They could probably run small errands and perform tasks, too. As for Cynthia herself, she would probably encourage trainers to keep practicing even while aboard the SS Thor.
Appearance:
Cynthia is a small build, average height young woman in her early twenties or so. She has lustrous blond hair cascading down to her knees, with a few curls around the edges and a side bang that covers the upper left half of her face at all times, leaving a single grayish-blue eye visible. The most visually striking feature about her is that she dresses all in black; from head to toe, she sports a pair of Umbreon-shaped hair clips on each side, a tank top, trousers and boots, as well as a long coat lined with fur on the hem, sleeves and neck.
Official art for reference. Background/Personality:
Background:
Like most Pokemon characters, not much is known about Cynthia’s past. From whatever little canon does tell, though, she was likely born in Celestic town, a tiny community that preserves the history of Sinnoh and the old ways of life. It is also home to a small shrine that dates to ancient times, as well as Celestic Ruins, a cave containing etchings of what is thought to be the legendary trio - Mesprit, Azelf and Uxie. It is assumed this is reason why Cynthia first became interested in Sinnoh mythology, coming to develop her own theory about the cave paintings years later.
It is hinted that, once old enough, she embarked on an adventure with a Pokedex at Professor Rowan’s request, filling in page after page so to help out with his research - while also keeping up with her own studies. Eventually, her journeys led her to move out from home completely, leaving behind a little sister, grandmother and grandfather. Her current place of residence is unknown.
Throughout the years, she assembled and trained a balanced team, grew stronger through perseverance and a great love for her Pokemon and eventually took on the Gym challenge and the Pokemon League after that. It was then that she successfully faced the Elite Four members and the previously undefeated Champion, earning the title for herself and becoming a Pokemon Master. She has been the longstanding Champion of the Sinnoh League since then.
While in her travels all over the region, Cynthia learned about a criminal organization known as Team Galactic, though she believed they were mostly harmless at first. She also met a young trainer who she deemed capable enough to entrust with a valuable Hidden Machine at first encounter. They would meet several times after that, with Cynthia either further helping them out or asking them to run simple errands along their way. Everything seemed to happen by chance, but there was something much greater in the works.
At one point, Team Galactic invaded Celestic Town in hopes to find valuable information, using a Galactic Bomb to threaten anyone who dared to get in their way. It was only then that Cynthia came to fully realize how dangerous they were, even though the Player character had already somewhat managed the situation by the time she got there. Later on, the three main lakes in the Sinnoh region went under attack as a successful Team Galactic attempt to awaken and capture the legendary trio. With Mesprit, Uxie and Azelf under possession, Galactic Boss Cyrus and his underlings could finally build the Red Chain and move on to their ultimate goal: to summon the rulers of Time and Space, Dialga and Palkia respectively, so to create a new world without emotions.
Cynthia then showed up at Mt. Coronet’s summit, the Spear Pillar, following Team Galactic’s schemes. By that time, however, Cyrus had already managed to bring forth Dialga and Palkia, as well as another Pokemon he hadn’t been expecting: Giratina, ruler of the parallel dimension made of antimatter. The angered Pokemon then launched at Cyrus and took him to its realm, the Distortion world, leaving behind a dimensional gateway that led to it. Cynthia, along with the Player character, combined forces and went through the portal, joining the other two in an otherwise empty world where the logic of Time and Space doesn’t apply.
After a long search in the twisted dimension and with the help of Mesprit, Uxie and Azelf, Cynthia and the Player character finally ran into Cyrus, challenging him for a final battle. Once defeated, the Galactic Boss attempted to lure the Player character into believing that, by fighting Giratina, the Pokemon would destroy the entire world, and so they would be merely following after his legacy; Cynthia, however, reassured the young trainer and urged them to go ahead and either try to becalm the renegade Pokemon’s violent spirit or to show the creature how much they wanted it to join them. Once that battle was over, both trainer and Champion returned to their original world, where Cynthia admitted she would have liked to be the one to face Giratina instead, but everything had been the work of fate just the way it had happened. The two then bid farewell, each going their separate ways.
Later on, they would meet again at the Pokemon League, where Cynthia would thank the trainer for all their help and finally reveal herself as the Sinnoh League Champion. Since this is the point she comes from, what happens next is irrelevant for game purposes.
That was also around the time she was abducted from her reality and sent to
discedo, a post-apocalyptic world. There, she went through all sorts of ordeals, from being kidnapped and almost killed to suffering psychological torture and, what Cynthia would likely consider even worse, she was separated from some of her Pokemon. Nonetheless, she managed to make new friends and face her darkest days with her usual smile, and even though she is aware the world is not all about rainbows and butterflies, she has kept her hopeless optimism in spite of all else..
Personality:
Cynthia is the Elite Four Champion of the Sinnoh region and, as such, she is a highly skilled trainer who cares deeply for Pokemon first and foremost, including those that don’t belong to her team. At one point in the game, she gives the Player character a Secret Potion and asks them to use it on a few wild Psyduck who are suffering from chronic headaches; at another, she claims to believe never losing one’s love of Pokemon and an ever-continued existence alongside them is the key to becoming stronger, since that is what it was like for herself. She is also very kind and polite, having helped the Player character quite a few times throughout the game - for instance, when she gifts them the Hidden Move Cut and, later on, a Togepi egg.
Cynthia is also a myth researcher, a famous archaeologist and a bit of an enthusiast, having been spotted on various places connected to Sinnoh history, namely Eterna City and Celestic Town. She is especially interested in finding out about what kind of relationship people shared with Pokemon back in the days of the deities. According to her own theory, the cave paintings found in Celestic town feature Dialga, Palkia and Giratina, as well as people’s feelings of awe, wonder and everything else at having met the rulers of Time and Space. She also seems to have been given the messy researcher stereotype; upon visiting the Player character at their Villa, she admits she doesn’t want to go back to her own place because it’s in complete disarray with all her papers strewn about.
Complementing that side of her personality, she has been endowed with insatiable curiosity, as Cynthia herself calls it. Despite her duties as Champion and her studies in Sinnoh, she will not think twice before traveling to other regions such as the Sinjoh Ruins, located somewhere between Sinnoh and Johto, and even faraway Unova if it means she will get a chance to explore ancient legends and archaeological sites. She also enjoys the academic universe, and while she doesn’t do it often, she will indulge in archaeological discussions with her peers when given the chance.
For the most part, those features make her a pretty cheerful and all around friendly girl who loves to have fun and for others to feel the same way, especially so when the things she’s most passionate about are involved. Upon meeting the Player character at the Celestic Ruins, she asks if they had fun in there and even encourages them to learn more about mythology at Canalave City’s library. In battle, if the adversary can bring her Pokemon down to less than half HP, she shouts out she will not let such a fun match end so easily, and will often resort to health-restoring items just to keep it going a while longer.
Despite her inherent light-hearted traits, however, Cynthia has a very composed, mature side to her. She’s pretty perceptive and intuitive, as shown at a certain point in the game when she accurately calls the rival character “more impatient than energetic” but especially so when in a Pokemon battle - she claims one can learn everything about a trainer when challenging them, and she lists all the impressions she got from the Player character after she’s defeated. She can also be rather resigned on occasion, namely when she doesn’t get to face Giratina and when she loses her title during the Elite Four challenge; if anything, she is actually happy to witness the rise of a new Champion.
Something else that should be mentioned is how reserved she can be, as she likes to keep certain aspects of her life private. Her current place of residence is a mystery, and even the region where it’s located has yet to be disclosed; her age also seems to be a secret, as a member of the Unova Elite Four mentions she can’t figure out how old Cynthia is, regardless of how much data is collected; finally, when visiting Undella Town, she will only swim when no one else is around - or at least when she thinks no one is, as said information is revealed by a random swimmer at the beach.
The most important thing to note about Cynthia is, arguably, her understanding and attachment to emotions. She accepts that feelings such as sadness and anger exist so people can experience joy and compassion, and that the world can only stay balanced because emotions, both good and bad, work together to keep the status quo. This also contrasts greatly with the main antagonist and his views on an allegedly illogical, incomplete world, further reinforcing her role in opposing his plans.
Battle strategy wise, she has a preference for female Pokemon, with Lucario, Togekiss and, later on, Braviary as the exceptions. She is a Champion without a type specialty, and so her team is quite balanced, featuring a Ghost/Dark, a Water, a Grass/Poison, a Normal/Flying, a Dragon/Ground and a Steel/Fighting type, all of which have perfect Individual Values, making them the strongest they can possibly be at their current levels. Her staple Pokemon and favorite powerhouse is Garchomp, being her highest-leveled monster and a major Physical sweeper. She doesn’t often switch out, instead opting for Full Restores when their health bars go red.
As a side note, Cynthia is a piano player. Her character theme, which plays right before the Champion battle, is a piano piece, and when the Player character first acquires the Piano for their Villa, she barges in and claims to love the sound of the piano and how much she “feels it in her very soul”, then admits to have cringed at her cheesy statement. Every time she comes for a visit after that, she’s seen in front of the piano, apparently recovered from any previous embarrassment.
Finally, a quirk that seems to have been added for comedy relief is that, regardless of having excelled in Pokemon battles that constantly demand quick action, Cynthia is terribly indecisive when it comes to trivialities, such as picking out a swimsuit to wear. In the anime, this is shown when she spends half the day trying to decide which flavor of ice cream to buy, eventually taking the easy way out and making up her mind on a triple cone.
Why do you want to continue their history here: Some of her previous castmates and CR from
discedo are on the SS Thor with their memories intact and I would like for them to keep building their relationships. Also, Cynthia's own character development over the past nine or so months has made her stronger as a person, as she had to deal with situations no Pokemon character could dream of. It would be a shame to see that go to waste.
Have you read up on how the game works?: Yes! The Guide plug-in that allows for communication between characters is called the FlamingFerret; as for how to earn money, a character can either do missions, open a business of their own or go the easy way and steal.
1st person sample:
[The feed opens with Cynthia sitting in front of her computer, an ice cream carton on her lap and a Garchomp standing a few feet away. They’re both quiet for a minute before something attracts her attention on the screen.]
Listen to this, Garchomp! [She beckons for the Pokemon to come closer.] Somewhere in the Johto region, there’s a place called Sinjoh Ruins. A long time ago, the people from Sinnoh went to Johto, and they must have built a temple there while longing for a home. [A small pause for a spoonful of ice cream and some pondering later, she goes on.] If the name is any indication, I think some of our own culture must have been mixed with the culture of Johto-- I hear both the Ruins of Alph and the Solaceon Ruins are connected through a strange presence, so maybe that would explain--
[At that point, Garchomp growls and prompts an embarrassed chuckle from her.] … ah, I’m sorry, I got carried away again. Still, I think there’s a lot to be studied over there, and there must be strong trainers in Johto, as well… It would be a fun trip, wouldn’t it?
[The Pokemon then growls again, though this time it’s a much happier sound - one that Cynthia returns with a beam of her own.] Wonderful! It's a plan, then!
3rd person sample:
Going back to routine would be a difficult feat after what had come to pass.
Never in her wildest dreams had Cynthia believed she would one day see the three mythical beings of spirit, those she had only heard of as old folklore in her hometown, never thought she would have the chance to meet the rulers of Time and Space themselves, the two deities she had been researching for years - and even a third Pokemon, one who had been completely banished from this world, even in the form of tales. That certainly put things in a different perspective. Perhaps the old paintings found in Celestic town had a different meaning than the one that had been passed down generations. She would have to investigate it even further now.
Of course, had she been given a choice, she would rather such grand events had not unfolded for the reasons they did.
This world is incomplete, that man kept saying. It didn’t matter how many times those words ringed on her mind, they would not make any sense to her. If anything, had Cyrus succeeded in creating a new world based on logic and reason alone, then it would be incomplete. Without sadness, people wouldn’t know what it feels like to be happy; it was because she had once felt angry that she could now feel compassion towards him. From their brief meeting, she got the impression Cyrus had been a brilliant yet lonely child in the past, and perhaps all he needed was someone to help - and she had tried, but he didn’t listen. Only time would tell what would become of him.
Still, there were better things to focus on at the moment.
With a friendly growl, Garchomp snapped her attention back to present, both that and the view ahead earning a smile from the Champion. The Pokemon League could already be seen in the distance, and she knew she had quite the story to share with her Elite Four colleagues, not to mention a new page to be filled in her research. More importantly, both this world and the Distortion World were safe thanks to that fantastic trainer Cynthia had met, the one who reminded her so much of her own journey with a Pokedex a long time ago. It was a different kind of thrill than what she had experienced for the past days, but a thrill, nonetheless.
And of course, she had a feeling that, soon enough, a worthy opponent would come and challenge her. That was certainly something to look forward to.
Questions?: Cynthia will be bringing six of her Pokemon inside their pokeballs. Is that okay?
Did you put your characters name and fandom in the subject: Will do!