[Bluebreezer]

Yay team mystic XD

[Kenn]

Mark

[migraine]

name: Isolde



Gender: Female
Personality: Stoic, poised, authoritarian, serene, reserved
History/Backstory:
What makes them a good leader:
Relationship with the other leaders:
Relation to element:
Favorite Pokemon partner and why: Froslass

WIP

[nowi]

i haven't entered a longer contest in. a long time. but. mystic >>>>>>>
so. i gotta


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ice burns, and it is hard for the warm-skinned to distinguish one sensation, fire, from the other, frost

Name: Séraphine
- The French form of the name Seraphina, which, oddly enough, comes from the Hebrew word seraphim, or "fiery ones." Although her personality is hardly fiery, she has retained the name due to its elegance and grace, which she appreciates.
- Among close advisors and those she trusts, she uses her given name, but is known to most of the gang and the rest of the public as Swan. Using her personal name at the wrong time can result on you being on the wrong side of her temper, which, although icy, burns just the same.
- After rising to her leadership position, she took the name "Swan" because she admired the elegance and grace of the birds, but also their aggressive defense of their nests.

Gender: Female

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Personality:
dignified
Above all, Swan values her public impression, and always holds herself in a manner that will inspire respect in others. No matter what is going on in her personal life, whatever she may feel on the inside, she consistently upholds her elegant manners and infamous poker face. She fully enjoys when others stand up straighter around her, or get out of her way as she walks around. She wants others to respect her and believes the best way to do that is to maintain her elegant and dignified persona. Of course, being composed and elegant on the outside means very little in the way of respect when your attitude towards others and your clear disdain for those you don't deem worthy enough needs a severe upgrade, but she hasn't really worked on that too much. Whoops. That poker face doesn't work as well when she's talking.

intimidating
Due to Swan's elegant manner and harsh words, she holds a really intimidating presence. Not only does her icy glare stare you down, but the words that come out of her mouth are equally as frosty and harsh. She has no qualms about shooting others down with words, and isn't afraid to bring up problems she has with others. If she has a problem with someone, they know. The combination of her sharp tongue and sharp glare creates a somewhat scary impression that Swan is satisfied enough to hold. Among rumors and talk through the city, she's created quite the reputation for herself as someone who is not to be messed with. Although she prefers not to resort to physical violence, her words can cause the same damage, if not more. If you're on her bad side, she won't hold back.

intelligent + cunning
Starting from her youth, Swan has always been interested in the pursuit of knowledge, reading as many books as she could possibly obtain. No topic was uninteresting to her, and she simply wished to know all that she could about the world. Any and all knowledge that she could stuff into her head, she would. Some of it hasn't been useful at all to her, but if you need any random facts or anything, she's got plenty of those. She is not only filled with facts from books and the like, but she is also particularly cunning and knows how to take advantage of the things she knows, working them into delicate and well-thought-out plans, which she is proud to execute down to the letter. In the present day, rather than learning more, she is much more interested in using her knowledge to anticipate the actions of her rival team, and create her own plans accordingly. Unfortunately, real life doesn't always follow the most probable action, which can throw her off guard. Luckily, she always has several backup plans and isn't awful at thinking on the fly.

arrogant
Swan thinks incredibly highly of herself, and doesn't take particularly well to criticism or any sort of indication that someone might think themselves above her. She holds herself in high esteem and looks upon her own achievements very favorably, even if they may have had many flaws. She's most certainly not afraid to brag, and often forces her successes upon others. Swan sees herself at a higher level than everyone else, and behaves accordingly. She dislikes taking advice from others because, first of all, she wants to be able to do everything herself, amd she also doesn't trust anyone quite as much as she does herself (she's the best, after all). She's incredibly prideful and doesn't bother trying to give a different impression. She's brutally honest, and if she doesn't think someone is up to her standards, she's never afraid to say so.

stubborn
Due to Swan's overinflated ego and extreme arrogance, she is also incredibly stubborn. She tends to believe that she's always right and doesn't want to admit when she's done wrong, so it's incredibly difficult for her to take advice or back up on an issue. When she has a stance or an opinion that may differ with someone else's, she never backs down, standing firm in her own beliefs. Although she does have some advisors within the gang, she takes their advice and usually never does anything with it, much to their annoyance. Even when she's wrong, or something goes off-plan, she's still not inclined to accept anyone's ideas. What she believes is best for Mystic isn't always the right play, but she's determined to follow her own path.


[click for full]


History/Backstory:
Quite honestly, Swan's past wasn't anything special - she lived a simple and normal life up until her involvement with Mystic. Even now, why she became a gang leader over any other path she could have taken still isn't completely clear. No matter what, young Swan could not have ever imagined herself in a leadership position, but she has made quite the name for herself now, even if it's not quite what she expected in the beginning.
In the kalon's childhood before her time with Mystic, when she was still using the name Séraphine, she lived quietly with her parents in the countryside. They were certainly not the most doting parents, but it was clear they cared for their daughter, a care that Séraphine reciprocated. They lived in a calm and simple manner, and there were few problems within the family. There was, however, always a small boundary between Séraphine and her parents, due to the young kalon's personality and her reluctance to share her emotions, instead preferring to keep them bottled up inside - usually to avoid any conversations with her parents she didn't want to have. Séraphine's parents were somewhat distressed by her avoidance, but upon any of their attempts to pry, she would simply back away further, and eventually they were forced to relent and leave Séraphine to her own doings.
In her free time, Séraphine often spent time alone, reading various books and manuals and shoving as much knowledge as she could possibly obtain into her head. She didn't often spend time with others, much preferring her own company rather than that of others, always rather distrustful of everyone else.
About midway through her teenage years, Séraphine became bored with the tiny library at her disposal and needed a larger selection of entertainment. To avoid confrontation with her parents, she wrote them a note about her desire to study elsewhere and simply left, making a beeline to the nearest large city, which she hoped would provide her more interesting pursuits. She felt a bit guilty about leaving her parents so abruptly, but she had written in her note that she planned to keep in touch once she had found a more settled path, although she anticipated that would take some time.
It was in this city where Séraphine first discovered Mystic, along with its counterparts Valor and Instinct - they were notorious in every corner of the city. Even just a few hours after she had arrived, Séraphine had already heard the names many times. The teams held a huge amount of influence over the city, and that peaked Séraphine's interest immediately. She felt drawn to the three powerful gangs and began investigating their affairs across the city. Of all three teams, among impulsive and fiery Valor, free-willed and unpredictable Instinct, and the elegant and wise Mystic, she was most interested in the latter. From what she had heard about Mystic, they believed in grace and wisdom above all else, in all endeavors. Almost immediately, Séraphine knew she had to find them.
Using dubious methods and some persuasive language, Séraphine managed to weasel her way into the lower rankings of the gang, where she hoped to expand her knowledge and refine her wisdom. In this time, Séraphine had forgotten that Mystic was not a literary club, it was a gang. And with it came more than bookish knowledge - they had to take to the streets at some point. Séraphine was completely unprepared and was taken unaware. She found some of the group's maneuvers and the harsh tactics repulsive. She thought Mystic focused on grace under pressure, keeping a calm mind, but instead she had found aggressive and destructive behavior. But something kept her there - a strange pull that Séraphine didn't understand. She attempted to leave many times, but each time she immediately felt a pang in her gut and felt compelled to turn around and return to Mystic.
Eventually, she gave up on trying to leave and resigned herself to stay within the gang, although she was still disgusted. It was after a couple months that Séraphine realized there was a possibility she could change the group from the inside. She was not opposed to violence or taking risks to get results, but she felt as if the current tactics didn't properly reflect the values of the gang. Mystic was wisdom and grace, not cheating and destruction. Sure, she was still at the bottom, but she could be quite persuasive, and believed if she could whisper into people's ears, she could get by undetected. She figured she could spread ideas for different strategies that could be less crude but still get the gang results. Séraphine began to do some research on the inner workings of the city, trying to fly under the radar - she was continuously concerned someone would realize what she was up to and cut her off.
Séraphine had thought she was doing quite well, maintaining a bored and uninterested facade on the outside while carefully implanting her own ideas in others with the right opportunity - whispering in ears, dropping notes, leaving careful suggestions. The process was slow, but she had begun to see results - the gang members were becoming less brutish and more clever, using more wisdom and words than force. Séraphine was careful to cover her tracks, wanting to avoid any issues or confrontations from anyone who might have realized.
At the top of the gang, the leadership was beginning to splinter - disagreements between higher-ups had caused chaos all the way down the pyramid. The previous head had mysteriously disappeared, leaving only a note that they had done what they needed to do and was leaving the group to their own devices. Many of the old head's closest allies were now fighting over who would next take the seat of power. Séraphine was not the only one trying to uphold Mystic's original goals, as some at the top also had concerns about the way the group had been acting as of recently. One of these advisors, equally as careful and perceptive as Séraphine, had noticed the young kalon's actions and accosted her, attempting to convince her to try to step up as head. He had a couple ideas on how they could get her to the top without causing too much chaos. He believed that she was the only one of the next generation who could bring Mystic back to its' original state. The gang could still hold control over the city but instead of resorting to the aggressive methods they had adapted, they could do it the Mystic way.
This kalon was cunning, and realized that Séraphine would not take the leadership position if offered. If she was to take it, she had to be forced into it. Over the course of several months, he slowly worked Séraphine up the ladder. At the same time, he carefully rallied many of the gang members behind Séraphine, who was of course hardly thrilled by the turn of events. Up until this point, she was just under the radar, but now she was at the top, much to her chagrin.
By the time the gang needed a head before splintering apart forever, Séraphine was essentially forced to take the position. If she wouldn't take it, the other main candidate (who would have driven the gang even further down the line away from the original Mystic ideals) to take it instead. Séraphine had, by this time, realized what the older official had been doing, but she respected his methods and his ideas and reluctantly took action to secure the position, directing her supporters to remove her biggest opponent from the gang by exposing their true goal to exploit power from the group.
In this way, Séraphine became the head of Mystic, a position she hadn't ever wanted, but after realizing how much work she had to do in order to reform the gang, she was reluctant to hand it over to anyone else, believing she was the only one trustworthy enough to take care of it.
Upon taking the leadership, Séraphine took the name Swan instead and began working slowly and carefully to restore Mystic's poise and rewriting their reputation within the city. They were still a force to be reckoned with, but with Swan's guidance, they turned away from the path of fury and back towards the traditional Mystic wisdom.

And yes, Swan still writes to her parents. She carefully skirts around the whole "gang leader" thing. She's managed to hide it thus far but what will happen when they finally want to come visit........

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[me, editing dr sprites in 2016.....who am i]

What makes them a good leader: From the beginning, Swan never even wanted to be a leader and never saw herself in any sort of leadership position, but after being forced into it, she found that she actually had somewhat of a knack for leadership. Even now she still is probably not the leader with the most commanding presence or the most control over her lessers, but she has kept the gang together thus far, and they are, arguably, much better off now than they were with their previous head.
Swan doesn't really have a huge desire for power and therefore isn't as corrupted by it as some other leaders may be. It's not to say that she doesn't enjoy having power - she does, she really does, but she doesn't have the feeling that she always needs to be on top. She can't deny that have the power over everyone is somewhat addicting, but she's satisfied enough where she is. She's more concerned about taking Mystic to the top rather than taking herself to the top. As long as Mystic is upholding their ideals and is standing their ground in the city, she's satisfied enough.
Swan took the leadership position mostly because she didn't trust anyone else to take it. She was afraid anyone else would ruin the group and take them even further down the path away from their original ideals. For this reason, she thought she'd be the only one trustworthy enough to take it. Sometimes it's hard for her to take advice from others because she tends to believe she knows best. It's hard for her to acknowledge that she could use help sometimes and that her decisions are not always the best. She does, for the most part, make good decisions and leads the gang well, but there have been times when she's been too focused on finding the best option for certain situations and actually making bad plays.
Most of the gang respects her, and although some have questions about her, they do generally agree as a whole that she's a better leader than their last. She's the kind of leader that doesn't often interact with anyone and typically keeps to herself, so most of Mystic doesn't really know what she's up to at any given time, but she's led them well in the past so they place their trust in her.

Relationship with the other leaders:
Since Swan took power, she's been doing her best to stay uninvolved with her rival gangs, staying separate and independent from the two. If possible, she'd prefer to completely avoid conflict with her rivals, but unfortunately, trouble finds her much more frequently than she'd like (and sometimes she's forced to cause it - it's a hard job). She does absolutely everything to stay out of their way, and yet, every time, one of them is always there. She's almost convinced they're trying to get on her nerves (wouldn't be surprising if they truly were - she's not the most popular).

Valor: Fire and ice are always an explosive combination, and the relationship between Swan and Valor's leader can easily be described as such. Out of the two, Swan feels the most antagonism to Valor, simply because their fiery attitudes and agressive tendencies tend to rub her the wrong way, more so than Instinct. However, this being said, Swan does acknowledge and is fully aware of their power - she knows they could easily defeat her own in a head-to-head collision, and often adjusts her tactics accordingly to avoid infuriating Valor any more. When face to face with Valor, there is often an extreme amount of tension and disgust, as neither leader wants to back down. Both are stubborn, in different ways, and backing down would be an extreme embarassment.
There have been several instances in which Swan and Valor have had to cooperate - much to the chagrin of both. Although one might expect chaos, the combination is actually surprisingly effective. What Mystic lacks, Valor makes up for, and what Valor lacks, Mystic makes up for. Mystic's more thinking-based approach and Valor's preference of action can combine, somewhat haphazardly, into a more effective combined force - working from both behind and in front. When forced to work together (in situations such as outwitting authorities, cleaning up serious messes, etc.) Swan and Valor's leader can form a temporary alliance that proves to be effective - if not incredibly wired. Although things usually go to plan, there is very little patience between the two and arguments break out often. It's a very thin line, and as soon as the job is done, it's immediately snapped.
Swan is fully aware that teaming up with Valor is often a good plan, and, at least deep down, begrudgingly admits her rival's proficiency and usefulness, but would never admit such in public, or to anyone, for that matter. Admitting that there is something she lacks isn't particularly easy for her, nor is it easy for Valor either.
For the most part, she sticks out of their business, but throwing them under the bus at a fight scene or framing them for one thing or another isn't below her. If she has to cause trouble, she doesn't want it to be for her - she'd rather pass the baton to Valor's leader and have them deal with it. It's a vicious cycle between the two, and probably will be for some time.

Instinct: Although Swan feels slightly less offended by Instinct's leader and the group as a whole, the word "like" is too strong. More than anything, she looks down upon them and feels some sort of pity. She's willing to, begrudgingly, admit Valor's power, but doesn't see Instinct as much of a threat to her. Much to their leader's chagrin, Swan hardly ever takes them seriously, believing they aren't really a problem and don't have the maturity or knowledge to be successful. Perhaps it's because she's never taken the time to know them, but Instinct is hardly ineffective, and their leader knows this, probably holding quite a bit of disdain for Swan for brushing them off so easily.
Swan's done extensive research on Valor and their leader because of her excessive hatred for them and her desire to overpower them, but she knows really quite little about Instinct because she usually prioritizes dealing with Valor. Her knowledge of Instinct's tactics and their leader's personality is somewhat acceptable - it's fairly extensive (she is a Mystic, after all), but it doesn't give her quite enough to really get an upper hand over them. She's only interacted with Instinct's leader a couple times face to face and most of the time she was thinking up other strategies in her head rather than paying attention to whatever they were saying. Someday it's really going to come around to bite her in the butt - all of Instinct is waiting for that day. She does realize that Instinct's leader has power for a reason, but still doesn't think particularly highly of them - they're just slightly more respectable than a bunch of others who really don't warrant any more concern. Like. On a scale of 1 to 10 they're like a 5 when everyone else is a 3.
Alliances with Instinct are typically tense because of Swan's dismissal of the entirety of the team. They work somewhat acceptably, but the results are notably less clean than the pair-up with Valor or Mystic's own independent work. The reason they work at all is because usually the Mystic members are typically less disdainful than Swan and are more cooperative. It's honestly a mystery how Instinct's leader has managed to deal with Swan up to this point. Someday they need to teach her a lesson - preferably sooner rather than later.

Relation to element: As probably everyone on this planet knows, ice is cold. Shockingly enough, right? Swan herself certainly has a cold personality and a cold impression. Her honest words are biting like the winter wind and her icy glare is probably enough to freeze you all the way through to the bone.
But that's not all. Ice isn't just cold - it can actually be surprisingly fragile. Sometimes ice is strong and thick and can carry weight without cracking and breaking apart. But sometimes it's think and weak and cracks easily - a very fragile substance. Swan herself, surprisingly enough, is actually incredibly fragile. She's easily upset and takes everything as an offense. If there's any indication whatsoever that someone is smarter than her, stronger than her, better than her in any way, it 'cracks' her quite a bit. She's really good at hiding it, sure, that poker face never drops, but on the inside she becomes really upset and torn up about it - she is absolutely awful at dealing with it and takes everything way too personally. She's very good at seeming unfazed, unbreakable, but breaking her is really a lot easier than you think. She's never as put together as she comes off as, thanks to the ice cold shell around her.
While the inside is fragile, the outside is cold. Seeing the ice on the outside crack is exceedingly rare, and typically it is only shows for a few seconds before the ice freezes back up and her center is once again protected. If someone could find a way to completely break the outer shell and take advantage of the fragile center, they'd probably be able to start melting her from the inside out. She's aware of this, and it's because of this that her outer "shell" is so thick and composed - she has to prove not to others, but to herself, that she's strong enough to handle it.


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Short story: (the kalon featured in this story isn't any specific one. it's just a generic one lol. i feel bad for him he's trying his best)
The room is dark. It's lit only by one small light hanging precariously by a fraying cord, secured with duct tape to the ceiling and the walls. The walls are all black and the only decoration is a very small, round table sitting in the middle of the room. There are no chairs, but even if there were, the table wouldn't be tall enough for them anyway. It's hardly tall enough to work properly even if he was sitting. It's cold enough to cause goosebumps to pepper his skin underneath his fur and make his heart beat faster. There's a tiny sliver of light beaming from under the door, which cannot be opened from the inside (he already tried).
He moves closer to the door, carefully, just in case it's opened again. He's already tried, sure, but maybe it's opened since he last tried....30 minutes ago? An hour? He can't tell - time has long since faded in the endless waiting he's done in this room. He places his paw on the door, and it swings open from the outside, the unanticipated momentum forcing him back as he trips over the table and crashes into the wall behind him.
There's a figure silhouetted in the door, long fur, flowing tail. He can't really tell - the light from the outside hallway is too bright and after spending so much time with very little light, he can only make out vague shapes. The door slams shut, and he squints through his tangled limbs to see a pair of sharp blue eyes. The new arrival has positioned herself literally on top of the table, her gaze piercing a hole through his head. "Get up," She says, firmly. Her voice is as hard as ice and flat and emotionless to fit. He stumbles to his feet, paws sliding underneath him. "I'm not going to hurt you," she says in a sharp tone.
He can't meet her eyes. Even looking at the soft white fur on her feet, he can still feel her eyes on him. "Look at me."
He forces his eyes up to meet her piercing gaze, and it takes everything he has to not break away and start crying. He can feel his whole body shivering but - he's wanted this his whole life and he's not going to mess it up now. Even though he's never been this terrified in his whole life, he has to prove it. He's heard about the gang under the leadership of the notorious kalon Swan. He has absolutely no doubt that this is her - she's the physical manifestation of every rumor that preceded her. No one was wrong. He's been everywhere, searching for connections, any hint of a way to get to her. He'd finally found a lead, and he wasn't going to just crash and burn here.
She seems to notice this, and a hint of a smile flits across her face, before disappearing into her frosty gaze. She doesn't say anything, just continues to look straight at him. This is probably a test, he's sure of it. They stand there in what feels like an endless limbo - as he's become accustomed to, time passes without any indication.
It's him who first breaks the staredown. He figured he was going to lose anyway, and, well, he just .........wanted to know what she looked like. It had occurred to him very abruptly that, well, he'd been staring into her eyes, but he hadn't actually seen the rest of her.
She was striking, he couldn't deny that. It was clear she put a lot of thought into her appearance - normally he'd assume gang leaders to be a little bit ..scruffy? But she most certainly wasn't. Her fur was sleek and well-kept, and it literally shone, even in the dim lights of the small room. Her tail was long and soft and silky, and it dropped off the edge of the table and piled onto the floor in a gentle swirl. She would have looked almost delicate, but the sharp look in her eyes and her icy expression made it clear she was not to be messed with.
"Are you done here?" Her voice cuts into him, and his gaze jerks back up to her face as he grins almost sheepishly. Her stare hasn't faltered. "I'll keep this short. I don't have all day, so just tell me one thing." He gulps. "Why are you here?"
He stops short. His first thought was, of course, to spill his entire life story to her and explain every single reason that's ever gone through his head that he's wanted to join her, but a split second before it all comes out of his mouth, he pauses. He's only been in this room with her for.....uh......well, actually it probably hasn't been that long.....but either way, he can already tell she wouldn't care. So, very intelligently, he says, "You probably wouldn't care." Shoot. He's always been bad at this whole talking thing. He squeezes his eyes shut and smacks his head against the wall behind him, mumbling apologies as he tries to collect his thoughts. When he opens his eyes again, Swan's back is to him and she's already almost out the door. His heart drops into his feet - it's over for him.
"Stop trying to make apologies." Her voice cuts into his thoughts. He jolts up. She's still standing in the doorway, although she's not facing him. "And don't look so upset." She turns down the hallway and walks away. "This is only the beginning," she says, her voice fading as she gets further away. "Show me why you deserve to be here."

Favorite Pokemon partner and why:

In Pokemon Go, Team Mystic's focus is on evolution, and no Pokemon better exemplifies the concept of evolution than Eevee. No other Pokemon can evolve into not just one or two different forms, but seven. For Swan, her most beloved Pokemon partner is the ice type evolution of the little brown cat-dog, Glaceon. Even if it was, really, quite the pain to evolve (the snow routes are really just a pain for everyone), Swan has found it's more than worth it in the end.
Swan has always favored ice types over all others, and although she knows they can be quite frail and not always used well in competitive settings, they're powerful if used right, something she understands herself. She particularly enjoys thinking of various unusual strategies in which to utilize the power of her Glaceon to its maximum potential. She's also not afraid to let her partner go down to ensure the win - it's a mutual agreement in order to secure victory. Although Swan has numerous other Pokemon at her disposal as well (her secondary resort is a Swanna - chosen for reasons I'm sure we're all aware of), Glaceon is the only one she takes with her at all times, no matter the situation.
Not only are they similar in personality - the loyal Pokemon partner is equally stoic and icy as her trainer, but in looks they resemble each other quite closely and, well, if Swan says so herself, they look like they match and fit very well with each other. She'll be firing off powerful ice beams and avoiding fire-types with her Glaceon for some time.


[click for full]

Extras: (5 allowed)
swan + glaceon
swan anthro
sprite edit

[she wolf warrior]

res !! heck yea

[Zuppe]

marking

[DragonGlitch]

Name:
"Darling, the names Naozumi. What does it mean you may ask?
It means pure truth. After all, Team Mystic doesn't want any liars right?"
Gender:
Male
Personality:
"Are you questioning my ways, darling? Do you really wanna do how I do things? Haha. If you insist then.. I, Naozumi, can tend to be flirty at times, but whats wrong with a little love? Oh right... Don't make me mad or else you WILL get my punishment. Hmpf. Because of how stern and strict I am, I tend to come off scary to others. By the way... Don't touch the person I love. If you even get near them I swear.. I will cling onto them. Huh? Who do I love? Darling why would you even ask about a man's love life? That's top secret.
History/Backstory:
What makes them a good leader:
Relationship with the other leaders:
Relation to element: (Speed, strength, bravery, etc.)
Short story OR Art:
OPTIONAL - Favorite Pokemon partner and why:

res!

[steamplonk]

mark to watch~
also, i'm entering in the instint com, if anyone wants to team up, please pm me.

[Goddess Sword]

Who are you?
I could ask you the same. Are you here in hopes of joining our team? Perhaps you should think before opening your mouth. You seem to be more fit for Team Instinct right now.
My name, if you must know, is Arktos - One of many shared with the deity of ice and snow.

Sorry. I do hope to join your team, but I was hoping to learn more about you and your goals before I joined.
You cannot simply join us, child. You must be deemed worthy. Not just anyone may claim to be capable of representing Team Mystic - Much less a human crawling forth from the streets, speaking without thinking. We are a proud and noble people; it is an image we wish to maintain.
If you truly must know more, I am male. But my gender is nothing of importance. It is who I am beyond mere appearances that makes me the greatest of all.

I see. May I ask what it is about you that makes you so great?
I suppose you may.
Many say that I am cold and distant. Ruthless, even. Some claim that I am even rather full of myself, narcissistic. I suppose if you did not take the time to know me that is understandable. But there is much more to me than that.
I value wisdom and knowledge above all else. The mind is the greatest asset any living creature with some semblance of sentience - And even those without - has. It tells the heart to beat and the lungs to breathe. It commands the stomach to digest so that the body can absorb nutrients and grow strong. It allows one to learn and grow, to become better. It houses the thoughts, the memories, the personality of its host. The mind is the center of life. It is who we are. To follow the mind is to learn and to grow, to better oneself. To understand. To follow the mind is to follow oneself - For who are we without our center?
Knowing this, I learn. From stories, from experience, from all that is around me. I can see a situation as clear as the sky on a crisp winter day, the sun glistening off of the ice and snow. I can analyze it, understand it. With the guidance of the mind, I can find a way to persevere and succeed in any occurrence, no matter how bleak things may look to one who has not seen the truth. I can lead my team to victory no matter the odds.
This, human, is why I am so great.

I see. You certainly seem to believe strongly in the power of the mind. So, how did you come to be the leader of Team Mystic?
You really do ask very many questions. You should be grateful that our people similarly hunger for knowledge and the secrets of the world and those residing in it, otherwise I may not be so happy to oblige.
Since I was young, I have sought to learn more of this world and how it works. But the world is not always so kind - It is a cruel and dangerous place more often than not, filled with death and pain and horrors nobody, least of all a child, should ever have to experience.
I hated to suffer in this world where I could not find the answers and knowledge I so desperately sought, but alone and weak in this world, I simply could not do it. And then the thought occurred to me - 'Surely there are others who seek the same goals as me, to learn more of this world and to make the most of it, to exploit the cracks and faulty logic to our advantage to perhaps make our lives easier and find what we truly wished most of all.' And so, rather than sitting and accepting fate for what it was, I sought them out. They became my new family, if you will - We learned and grew together as I led them to the truth we all wished to find. Truthfully, I am no more qualified than any other members of Team Mystic to lead us. It is simply because I took initiative that I was accepted as the ruler of our group.

That sounds like quite the tale. But what about the other groups and their leaders? What is your history with them?
Pah. Teams Instinct and Valor, you mean? For the most part, they are of little consequence. Instinct in particular means nothing to me - As their name would imply, they follow base urges that no evolved creature should be forced to rely on, much less pride themselves upon. More than anything, I find them... Disappointing. They could have so much potential if they simply followed the way of the mind and growth rather than allowing instincts long since forgotten and rendered useless by the intelligence we have gained to guide them.
Valor, on the other hand...
Let's just say that those brutes and I do not get along. Having bravery and courage is one thing - Being guided by sheer chaos and violence, on the other hand, I refuse to accept. Strong as they are, they lack the knowledge to know when their power should be utilized, and do not care to seek out that wisdom. They are a stain upon this world and my family's name of 'Team'.
Oh... But one day they will see the error of their ways. That, or they will fall in defeat before us.
How I look forward to that day.

I see... One more question, if I may? I don't suppose you've heard of creatures called Pokémon, have you?
Pokémon? Naturally. Though they are rare and many believe they are little more than myths, I know the truth - They are as real as you and I. The deity of ice and snow is a representation of our team, as a matter of fact. A phoenix of ice, wise and graceful, always keeping a cool head in even the harshest of conditions... Surely they are the greatest of all.
...Granted, I have yet to obtain one for myself, but I yearn for the day that such power and beauty may be mine. Until then, the wisdom of my dear Alakazam will guide me towards my goal.



The girl's face stayed frozen in his mind. It had been about a week since he had turned down her request of joining Team Mystic, at least for the time being - Though she had much interest and enthusiasm towards the team, he was unsure of whether she could be deemed worthy. She was so young, and seemed to have much left to learn.

He shook the thoughts from his head as best he could and, flicking a lock of hair behind his ear, pressed onwards through the snow. Now was not the time to be focused elsewhere - In such harsh conditions, one had to be aware of their surroundings at all times. If they were not, they would surely perish.

There had long been rumors spread about the existence of the legendary bird of ice, where it could be found, whether it even truly existed in the first place. Arktos had chosen to believe in its existence, even since he was a young child - In his mind, then, it was simply a matter of finding it for himself. And so, when word spread of the graceful blue bird nesting atop a mountain only a few hours outside of his home, he quickly sprang into action. Packing a bag full of dried fruits, nuts, and jerky - One could never be too cautious about bringing food that would last when traveling - he plucked his trusty Alakazam's ball from its usual place, gathered up several more empty balls, and headed off to the north. It was, perhaps, a bit reckless, but if the deity of snow he'd so long sought after was truly taking up residence here, he would find it.

For a time, the journey had been easy - Though the snow was deep and the slopes were steep, the weather had been calm, and the sheer cliffs with their icefalls had been surprisingly easy to climb. But it seemed conditions were quickly taking a turn for the worse. Where the skies had once been clear and calm, clouds were rolling in with the now howling winds. Without the warm light beating down, the air quickly grew cool, and then cold, and then downright chilly. Unknowlingly, Arktos shivered slightly - And then, upon realizing what he was doing, shook himself off. No... Now was not the time to give in. If Articuno was truly here, he needed to press on. Foolhardy as it was, he needed to find it. He needed to find this truth that he'd sought for so long.

It seemed, however, that nature had other plans for his journey. For not long after the clouds rolled in and the wind picked up, the skies grew darker. He didn't think much of it, until he noticed a tiny puff of snow. The flake danced before his eyes and then landed on his nose. He glanced up at the skies, as if debating something to himself. No... It was only a few little flakes. A flurry at best. He would be fine to continue. And yet, mere minutes after he determined this, the snow began to fall faster and harder, stronger and thicker than before. Little flakes disappearing into the snow soon became large, poofy chunks of crystallized water that built up around him, covering his tracks and piling up as he walked. They landed and combined amongst the trees, piling up in branches that hung before him, dragging them to the ground with their weight.

The Kalon looked around, turned back to see his path. His footsteps were quickly being swallowed by the snow... And yet, he'd come so far. He couldn't leave, couldn't turn back! Not yet. And so he simply plucked a dried slice of banana from his pack, popped it into his mouth, and continued forward.

This was a mistake. One that would nearly cost him his life. For as he moved upwards towards the mountain peak, the heavier the snow got and the harsher the wind became, until his vision was nearly all white, as if he were walking through a snowglobe. And so, seeking refuge from the harsh blizzard, he sought out a shelter - Anything, anything at all. And, by some miracle, he found one. It was a tiny alcove, covered on top by a stony cliff and guarded in the front by heavy icefalls. Small and uncomfortable as it was, it would have to work. And so, despite the howling winds pushing their way through the gaps in the little crevice, he curled up in the alcove to wait.

"Alakazam," he asked at last, calling forth his trusted partner. "Can you tell if the storm will be letting up soon?" He'd been staying there for several hours at least - Even from his cave, it was clear that night had fallen from the growing darkness.

The Pokémon looked out from the entrance of the cave, staring at the sky. The blizzard was not easing its wrath. It seems unlikely, I am afraid. This blizzard will surely last several more hours - Perhaps even days, he announced. You have brought food with you. It would be wise to ration it until the storm passes. It is better to eat rarely and grow weak but survive than to eat until you are full and then wither away in starvation for lack of supplies.

"I see..." So the storm would be continuing... How frustrating. "Understood. Thank you for your assistance, Alakazam. Return." He called the Pokémon back to its ball in a ray of light. At least there he would be comfortable.

And so he lay there, curling his long tail around himself, and waited for the storm to pass. He scratched occasionally at the cave floor, and occasionally popped a piece of fruit or jerky into his mouth. Truly, this was not going as he'd so desperately hoped, and being stuck in this cave certainly did nothing to dispel such thoughts. But soon, exhaustion overtook him, and he curled silently into a tight little ball on the stone floor and slept.

By the time he awoke what he could only assume was the next day, the cold had crept even further into his makeshift shelter, penetrating his fur and touching his skin. He shivered and puffed himself up as he looked about.

"Oh. Oh, dear." Walking up to the entrance, he pressed a paw into the snow. It sunk deep into the wall, but never reached the other side. "Oh, this is a problem."

He winced, then took a deep breath and steeled himself. He had to try it. If he didn't... Well, he didn't want to think of that. The Kalon took a few steps back, and then, taking a running start, twisted and launched himself sideways into the snow that covered the entrance of the little cavern.

His body smashed through the snow, and then came to a sudden stop as it hit something much harder than a simple crust. Yelping in pain, he leapt back into the cave and shook himself off, then trotted back to the puff of snow his impact had left behind.

Ice. A sheet of ice, thick and solid, sat over the lone passageway in and out of the cave.

"Oh... Oh, no."

He mustn't panic. No... He still had his Pokémon. Stealing one more uneasy glance at the wall, he called the Psychic-type from his ball. "Alakazam? There seems to be a... A problem."

The Pokémon watched as his trainer tapped on the sheet of ice. "As you can see... We seem to be stuck."

He looked at his trainer, and then at the frozen cover. He tapped at it with a spoon. Hm... Indeed. It is thick. I'm afraid I had not predicted freezing rain... The Alakazam seemed rather disgruntled. My apologies, Arktos. This is my fault. Had I been wise enough to predict this occurrence, we may have been able to leave and find another shelter.

The Kalon shook his head. "It's fine, it's fine... Do you have any moves that could allow us to escape? I know you've long since forgotten Teleport, but..."

I fear not. Charge Beam, even at maximum power, would not be capable of generating enough heat to melt this ice thoroughly. It lacks the PP to make for a viable option, especially with no guarantee of it growing stronger with each use. And I am afraid I was never taught the technique Fire Punch - Under any other circumstances, that would be a wise choice, given my species' focus on special attacks... And unfortunately, you have yet to acquire the TM for Focus Blast, the only special Fighting-type move my kind is capable of learning. He gave a sigh and looked at Arktos. The storm seems to have passed, at least, though there still seems to be significant cloud cover. I'm afraid the most I can do is try to weaken the ice a bit, but it will not melt it enough to break through. I will do all I can. In the meantime, you would do well to ration your supplies and preserve your strength while we wait for the cloud cover to dissipate.

"Right... Thank you, Alakazam."

Arktos huddled up in the back of the cave, far from the snow and ice, and watched quietly as his Pokémon launched attack after attack at the frozen wall. It did little to help, and he soon floated over to his partner, dejected. I fear this was all I could do.

The Kalon smiled weakly at his companion. "It's okay, Alakazam. You did your best. I will be fine. You should return to your ball and rest. I imagine it's more comfortable than a cramped little alcove like this." He placed a paw on the Pokémon's shoulder. "You've done well. You deserve it."

...Right. Thank you, Arktos. Stay safe while you wait. And with that, he vanished in a stream of red light.

And so he did as his Alakazam suggested, waiting in silence as he hoped the sun would reveal itself once more and the ice would begin to thaw. Once in a while he popped a piece of food into his maw, but as his rations depleted, he began to eat less and less often - Better to come out weak and alive than dead of starvation. And when drowsiness crept upon him, he slept. And then he woke, and he ate once more, stuffing a bit of snow into his mouth in hopes that it would ward off dehydration, and he felt less cold somehow. And then the drowsiness grew stronger. And he slept. And then he woke a third time, just barely functional enough to pop his last few pieces of jerky and fruit into his mouth and swallow. And then he slept once more.

The Alakazam withdrew from his ball while Arktos slept that day, as he had been the past few time he'd rested. The sun had been coming out after that first day of being trapped, after the storm had subsided, and at last the ice was thin enough to chip away at. He chiseled away at the sheet until at last there was a hole, one large enough for his partner to climb through. And then he flew over to the Kalon and shook him. Arktos, he called into his mind. Arktos, the ice is thin. I broke a hole in it. We can leave.

There was no response.

...Arktos? He pressed a hand into his fur. His skin was cold, his breathing slow and shallow. Oh... Oh, no.

Though he hated to admit it, in that moment fear set in. Not knowing what else he could do, the Alakazam lifted his partner into his arms, using what Psychic PP he had to ease his weight, and fled through the hole in the ice.

It was halfway down the snowy mountain that his telekinesis gave out and his arms collapsed under the weight of his companion. Too weak to continue with him but unwilling to leave him behind, the Pokémon collapsed next to him. In that moment, he realized they would not make it... Not on their own.

Someone... Anyone... If you can hear this, please... My trainer and I need help...

He sat next to his hypothermic and starving friend. Minutes passed, and the sky grew cloudy. A few minutes more passed, and snow began to fall. This was it...

And then a songlike coo called from above. "Eat this and return to your ball." A red berry with a yellow bottom fell into his lap from the sky, and he obliged. In moments he felt stronger... But he did as the voice requested, and he was soon wrapped in that familiar red light once more.

It was only several minutes later that he saw the light of day again. A blue bird with vibrant red eyes watched him intensely. He recognized it at once.

You... You are Articuno.

The bird nodded. "Your friend is dying. The berry you ate should have restored your telekinetic ability for a short time. I've left you at the outskirts of the nearest city. If you want him to live, you would do well to take him to a hospital." The legendary Pokémon turned, snow falling from its wings, then looked back at him. "I will not tell you not to return. Many seek me out. For my power, my knowledge, my beauty. I am sure you and your trainer were among them, and I am sure that you will one day be among them again. But the next time that you do, you would be wise to be a bit more prepared." And with that, it took off, snow falling as it flew back to its mountain home in the north.

Arktos awoke in a hospital bed the next day, weak and woozy. His Alakazam sat next to him.

"...Hey," he said at last. "What... What happened? How did I get here? Did you-"

It was Articuno. It came to us when you were freezing and I could carry you no longer because my telekinesis failed.

"Articuno..." It took a moment for him to process that information... And when he finally did, he let loose a small chuckle. "Of course... A legendary bird Pokémon that is said to appear to doomed people who are lost in icy mountains." He turned his head slightly to look out the window. The mountain he'd nearly died on loomed in the distance, and for the briefest of moments, he thought he saw something blue circling it amongst the clouds and falling snow.

"It seems I've still got much to learn."

[Bettalong]

very much a w.i.p. form!! qvq woo this is a mess so far,, I'll clean it tho I promise
Username: Bettalong
Name: Bryce
Gender: Male
Personality:
History/Backstory:
* wip to work around when I get my writing motivation back! >:'V
- When Bryce was a child, he had grown up in Spain - he knew at an early age how to speak English and Spanish tho :0
- he never actually valued studying in school!! Bryce had always been observant of things and learned more from nature & other environments around him than anywhere else
- wip wop so late over here ive been working on art but //cries/ sleep

What makes them a good leader:
Relationship with the other leaders:
Relation to element: (Speed, strength, bravery, etc.)
Short story OR Art:
OPTIONAL - Favorite Pokemon partner and why:
Lapras, possibly? :0 They'd think that the pokemon is majestic, and most admirable for its gentle demeanor and helpful nature. Its capability to understand human speech is another thing that the Kalon admires very much.

notes to work around;;
>>they have a Spanish accent though they cannot actually speak Spanish. I may write how that even happened in the history section ;'3
>>very analytic & thoughtful -- calm, but not entirely serious. has the tendency to give small smiles here and there (w/ a touch of humor in their personality) , but they'd become very dead serious and seek to resolve a problem in the wisest way think-able if a problem should ever come up. I'll expand later >:"V
>>mmmm,,, charming?? kind of?? but he isn't a people-pleaser so the most important priorities come first no matter what
>>open-minded, but very strong on facts. He will listen to what has to be said -- wrong or right, and will usually not dismiss others unless enraged. Otherwise, with that being said, he isn't the kind of Kalon to let others know of his certainty (most of the time) -- he will usually say things like "I believe", "I think", "probably", "most likely", etc. though he may very well know the answer.
>> The Kalon tends to wear a calming, laid-back expression with a nice lil' smile whenever he feels anything but negative and/or focused
>> w.i.p. oops
//whispers/ team mystic all the wayyy <33 B]]