Pokemon
Nemesis
Cubone ♀
Rock Head | Impish Nature
Level 95
Starter Pokemon obtained from Team Rocket
Ken and Nemesis are the most unlikely pair. Between Ken's negative outlook and Nemesis' bad attitude, they were at odds for their first few weeks together. In fact, she didn't have a name until long after--he called her "Thing"--and he originally thought she was male. Their take and take relationship eased into one of mutual respect when Ken proved that he'd do anything to protect his starter and Nemesis proved that no one could mess with him but her. When Ken woke up again in New Bark Town, Nemesis was the only thing familiar to him. Since then, Nemesis has stood by him through everything. Coming from similar situations--lonely orphans, missing their mothers--eased what was left of the tension in the relationship. Though she can be trouble and has scared him more than once, Ken adores her more than any of his Pokemon, and is closer with her than he is even with his friends. Nemesis is a permanent member of his party.
Cerberus ("Kirby")
Growlithe ♀
Flash Fire | Gentle Nature
Level 87
Adopted on Route 35
You could say Kirby attacked Ken in the same way you could say that a two-week-old puppy attacks another two-week-old puppy. She tackled him from behind while he was trudging through the snow from Violet City to Goldenrod, and he fell face first into a snow drift. Through the rest of the day she followed him and he made the mistake of feeding her. She continued to periodically pounce him until that night he finally caught her. Ken loves Kirby to death, though he's nothing like he wanted in a dog. She's overactive and gets into your personal space and there are many times when she's not... all there. Still, Kirby is strong and violently protective of her owner and Ken dotes on her terribly. Kirby is a permanent member of his party.
Hermes
Nidoran ♂
Poison Point | Naughty Nature
Level 78
Adopted on Route 35
Ken met his kleptomaniac Nidoran near Goldenrod City when he stole Mitsuru's PokeGear. By using more gentle means than most others (offering him food in exchange for the gear), he got himself a very loyal partner. The aptly named Hermes still often steals from Ken, once in a while, but the habit has died down since Ken gave him a bell that soothes his need for shiny things and Kisa sent him a chew toy that he absolutely loves. Hermes gets Ken into a lot of trouble, between stealing and breeding (both with Nyx and Nemesis), but Ken feels he can deal. Hermes is on rotation.
Romulus ("Rom")
Minun ♀
Minus | Quirky Nature
Level 65
Obtained as Christmas present
Oh. God. Rom. Rom was the first egg Ken ever hatched, back around Christmas, and this endeared his Minun and all it's tomfoolery to him forever. Though shenanigans with Remus, the Plusle Miles received at the same time, could be crazy, there was never a question Ken loved his Pokemon. Though Rom always seemed much closer to Rem, and vice versa, than their respective trainers, the boys couldn't blame them. Though the boys had always just considered the pair brothers, it turns out that Romulus, indeed, was a girl, as proven by her first six eggs and babies. Though Ken is still shocked by this, he doesn't think it changes anything. Rom still has the best spot on his shoulder, male or female. Rom is a permanent member of Ken's party.
Polydeuces ("Poly")
Cubone ♂
Lightningrod | Bashful Nature
Level 40
Nemesis' offspring
Polydeuces was the smallest egg in Nemesis' first litter. Ken couldn't bear to separate a Pokemon who knew the pain of being motherless from all her children, and so let her choose an egg to keep. He was very surprised at her choice, considering it provided a very runty Cubone who can still fit into Ken's jacket hood. Poly is easy to panic, and Ken worries over him a lot, cursing himself for how poorly he named his second Cubone. He is very shy and even runs from his over-enthusiastic mother, which just gets Ken in the way of family problems. It's a big mess. Poly is on rotation.
Nyx
Bulbasaur ♀
Overgrow | Quiet Nature
Level 60
Adopted in the Ilex Forest
Nyx and Ken met after Ken accidentally stepped on the poor Bulbasaur's vines in the Ilex Forest and she strung him up by the ankles like a dead cow. After Ken dropped a few IQ points from blood rushing to his head, Miles' Growlithe frightened Nyx into letting him go, and she immediately after ran into a tree and knocked herself out. Though Ken has a slight phobia of Bulbasaur, he babies Nyx, and in return, she is the snuggliest plant dinosaur out there to him. Nyx is on rotation.
Io (previously Minako)
Umbreon ♀
Synchronize | Jolly Nature
Level 60
Obtained from Royji Mochizuki
Ken had wanted an Eevee since he met Heather's. He finds them adorable and sweet. So when one came to him a few weeks back, he was super excited. And, for once, the Pokemon didn't have an attitude. She just liked to crawl into Ken's shirts and jackets. All that ever did was tickle. He really likes Io, and it showed that she really liked him back when she evolved into an Umbreon due to the happiness of him coming out of his deep canon-update sleep. Io is on rotation. (Permanent until Ares grows.)
Lucia
Teddiursa ♀
Quick Feet | Bashful Nature
Level 25
Found during the Easter Egg hunt in the National Park
When Rom came to Ken with the egg in the National Park during the Easter Egg hunt, despite Ken's protests that they didn't need another teammate, he was adamant about it. Eventually he wore Ken down. When Lucia hatched, Ken didn't even notice. He looked up once and there was an egg. He looked up again ten minutes later, Ken looked up to a Teddiursa staring at him. He hopes this means she'll be good tempered. Lucia is on rotation.
Castor
Luxray ♂
Intimidate | Adamant Nature
Level 40
Obtained as Easter Egg
Ken woke up to the Shinx Egg resting on his nightstand. While this was slightly creepy due to the fact that no one woke him up in the night, he was very intrigued. This ended immediately when Castor hatched and decided that it was time to turn the hotel room into an obstacle course, jumping to each surface while Ken tried in vain to catch him. Since then, he's been nothing but trouble, chasing Romulus, Remus and their baby, Perseus. He'll start trouble with anyone and he loves shocking Ken. Ken's at the end of his rope with the lion, and considering it just keeps getting bigger, he has a problem. He's ended up at the Pokemon Center several times because of the giant cat. Castor is on rotation.
Artemisia
Lapras ♀
Water Absorb | Gentle Nature
Level 20
Gifted to Ken as Egg
Mitsuru gifted Ken one of her Lapras's eggs for his birthday when he asked for her to help him find a water Pokemon. He would've preferred she just suggested one, but he likes Artemisia, who he's named after Mitsuru. She's very graceful in the water and very gentle toward him. It's a nice change from Nemesis, Kirby and Rom, who all beat up on him to show their love. Artemisia is on rotation.
Ares
Eevee ♂
Run Away | Naive Nature
Level 1
Io and Neptune(Clover|999)'s offspring
The tiny fail Eevee was produced on Halloween 2011. A trick and a treat all in one, seriously. Ares has a problem of tripping all over himself, as well as walking into walls. Ken was seriously worried about him, not only because of his balance and vision being out of whack, but because of other people suggesting he discard his tiny new Pokemon because he wasn't physically strong. It just made Ken all the more determined to take care of the new addition, and give him a battle-free life. Ares is in his party, debatable permanence.
11/9/11