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Description

"I hope I can make them proud of me."
sadhonks

Update 1/16: They evolved... Ball ears
Update 3/24: final evo!!

OVERVIEWName: Stevie Nicole Harris
Nicknames: SH, Stev, Sad Honk
Age: 19
Birthday: January 1st
Gender: Nonbinary (Any pronoun, they/them preferred)

Height: 6’03” ft (190 cm)
Weight: 165 lbs (74 kg)
Special Traits: n/a

Occupations: Party store employee
POKéMON INFORMATIONSpecies: Primarina (#730)

Ability: Torrent (Powers up Water-type moves when the Pokémon's HP is low.)
Nature: Lonely
Characteristic: Quick to flee

Moves:

★ STARTING MP
☆ PURCHASED MP
TOTAL MP = 16

(WATER) Bubble Beam (A spray of bubbles is forcefully ejected at the target. This may also lower its Speed stat.)
Move Power: ★
Description: A move that naturally manifested itself due to Popplio's ability to create bubbles, Stevie learned Bubble Beam at a young age when they were playing with their father; in a laughing fit, they snorted and created a flurry of bubbles. However, bullying in the past has made Stevie self-conscious of making bubbles and they will not use the move in public. The move is typically triggered by crying or sleeping.
Usage: A spray of bubbles streams from Stevie's nose. The bubbles are small and non-threatening due to its low move power, popping softly upon contact with a person or object. Using Bubble Beam too often will cause Stevie to have a runny nose and unable to produce more bubbles. Injury to their nose will also inhibit the move's abilities.

(FAIRY) Disarming Voice (Letting out a charming cry, the user does emotional damage to opposing Pokémon. This attack never misses.)
Move Power: ★★★★★
Description: During an instance of bullying when their frustrations and fear built to an overwhelming level, Stevie learned Disarming Voice to defend themself from their intimidators. Despite ending up in trouble for "harming" their bullies, they continue to rely upon this move whenever they are backed into a corner with no opportunity to run away. Repeated use of Disarming Voice throughout their childhood has allowed Stevie to have adept control over it and they often train with the move in hopes of evolving.
Usage: Stevie cries out and produces a sharp sound that causes pain in one's ears, occasionally causing others to become momentarily stunned. The emotional effects of those inflicted is based on the individual; anything from pity to despair to anger can occur. Those with stable emotions will not have a shift in mood. Stevie is able to control the pitch and volume of Disarming Voice, ranging from a whimper to a screech. Using the move repeatedly will cause a sore throat, impairing their voice, and physically drain Stevie of energy.

(NORMAL) Sing (A soothing lullaby is sung in a calming voice that puts the target into a deep slumber.)
Move Power: ★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆
Description: Sing was taught to Stevie by their mother. What started as an affinity for their mother's voice when she sang them lullabies grew into a treasured past time when the two would sing songs on the radio together. Stevie sees the move as a personal one and isn't comfortable with using it offensively. However, they enjoy using Sing around friends, especially if they need its calming effects.
Usage: Either using a song with a peaceful melody or simply vocalizing, Stevie sings in a soft voice. The longer they sing and the closer they are to their target, the stronger Sing's effects become. It causes a peace to fall over the listener, lulling them into a doze. It will cause the target to fall asleep if Stevie sings long enough.The effects of Sing will last up to five minutes after Stevie stops singing. Sing is able to affect multiple targets at once; however, it is indiscriminate and has the potential to inadvertently affect allies. Using Sing too often will cause Stevie to become drowsy themself.
PERSONALPOS Empathetic, perceptive, creative, modest
NEU Quiet, emotional, sensitive, withdrawn
NEG Cowardly, passive, insecure, neurotic

While they have a hard time opening up to others it isn't hard to assess Stevie's personality. They are quiet in most situations, even around familiars, and prefer to take the backseat in conversations and interactions. However they're not unfriendly—it doesn't take much to illicit Stevie's caring nature. They are kind when others approach them and they will go out of their way to help strangers out of the goodness of their heart. They find difficulty in social interactions (often they are awkward) but it is obvious they are not a loner and they value cooperation with others.

Those with more personal relationships with Stevie know that they are a creative individual. They enjoy the arts and sharing imaginative experiences with others. They are more outgoing and confident when participating in creative activities. They are also smarter than they give themself credit for; while they aren't knowledgeable and have trouble with remembering factual information, they pick up on other things quickly. They are perceptive of others and it's hard to fool them.

However, they are painfully self-conscious. They fear making a disturbance to the status quo and being punished for doing so—whether socially or physically. It leads them being passive to a fault: even when they disagree with something, Stevie will go along with it silently. They will also bend to the will of others to avoid confrontation, disappointment, or disapproval. They are anxious over how others perceive them and will go to great lengths to please people, even at their own expense.

Hometown: Dendemille Town, Kalos

History:

CW: Death, bullying, abuse

One word that can aptly describe Stevie's past is star-crossed.

It all started when two young Primarinas happened to meet by chance. Nicole Young was small town girl made independent singer with a budding career. She had enough promise to raise the interest of a few big-name labels in Kalos. Liam Harris was a television star—he was an actor born and raised in Lumiose City that participated in soap operas and other small network shows. He dreamed of bigger things: movie roles, book deals, red carpet, the whole shebang.

One day a studio in Lumiose had open auditions to the public to see what talent they could attract. Nicole traveled to attend the audition in hopes of earning a place in the industry. Liam was suggested by his manager to attempt the audition to try to broaden his résumé. While waiting for their turns, the Primarinas were lined next to each other. The two hit it off—until it quickly dissolved into arguing when each were adamant that they would get the audition. An impromptu sing-off occurred between Nicole and Liam before their turns were up, a ruckus in which resulted in both of them being kicked out from the auditions.

Despite both failing their goals that day, the two chopped it up to fate. After all, they seemed destined to meet, what with the way they harmonized with each other during their sing-off. It didn't take much for them decide to partner up and try to start a career of their own. Though they never got the fame that the other was searching for, they became popular enough to have a steady supply of gigs around Kalos. Between Liam's television productions they would travel together in his old, reliable van that doubled as their hotel room to save money on expenses. Needless to say, many fond memories were made in that rust bucket and satisfied Nicole's need for adventure after enduring a childhood in a boring town.

In an unsurprising turn of events, the two fell for each other. Things were going smoothly until Nicole turned up pregnant.

Riding the high of their youth and freedom, the to-be parents balked at the prospect of having a child. Their lifestyle was not suitable for a baby. A van wasn't a place for a crib, after all, and Liam's tiny Lumiose apartment wasn't as promising either. Nicole feared that Liam would leave in the face of difficulty, but the exact opposite happened: Liam secured a modest house in Dendemille to provide a stable place for the pregnancy and moved in with Nicole, picking up a part-time job as a delivery man to make ends meet between productions.

On a quiet New Year's Day, Stevie Harris was born. They parents were ecstatic and loved their newborn child with all their hearts. What originally intended to a temporary home until they planned for something more, the family settled into life in the snowy village quite well, though every summer the family would travel for a series of gigs once their child was old enough. When Stevie was three-years-old, their parents held their wedding in the backyard. It lacked all the bells and whistles that they used to talk about, but it seemed more fitting this way. It was like a storybook ending to a feel-good movie.

But it wasn't the end of their story. Stevie had always been a quiet child though not necessarily shy—they seemed to have inherited their parents' radiance and love for attention. When they began school, they hit it off with their fellow classmates, even rising to become one of the more popular kids due to their ability to make the other children laugh. However, as time went on, the jokes began to get old and they did not find Stevie's goofy appearance as charming anymore. Once they entered junior high, Stevie became the subject of bullying. At first the Popplio endured it well, laughing along as if their classmates were kidding around with them and took their rude comments about their clownish appearance and average grades in stride.

When Stevie was eleven-years-old, their mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. This shocked the family to the core—Stevie's father quit his acting career to stay home more and help his wife with her appointments, and their gigs ceased altogether. Their mother's brother, Stevie's uncle Daniel, often visited from Lumiose City with his Glameow daughter Natalie after the announcement of the diagnosis. Stevie and Natalie were similar in age and spent a lot of time together, though it was hard to say they were friends; Natalie was a loud and bossy cousin, berating and commanding the Popplio around, dragging them around on her misadventures. Stevie, struggling with the idea of their mother's mortality, passively went along with Natalie's whims. They thought she was just trying to be nice, in her own way.

However, their interactions and their mother's condition ultimately cut Stevie's confidence at the knees. The bullying from their cousin and classmates became tougher to handle, but they would never utter a word to their parents, knowing the Primarinas had enough to deal with. Stevie became quieter and started to keep to themself, especially when they got in trouble for fighting back against their bullies with a move on one occasion; their parents were called to the school and Stevie insisted it was their fault to avoid their parents discovering their bullying problem. After retaliating with a move, their bullies stopped overtly teasing them, but made an effort to isolate them. For the remainder of junior high, Stevie kept to themself in school to avoid any more confrontation with some classmates. Their only "friend" was Natalie whenever she would visit.

Before Stevie started high school, their mother entered remission after undergoing a combination of chemotherapy and surgery. Their uncle and Natalie stopped visiting and Stevie began to reconnect with their parents again. Things were looking up; high school was a fresh start, and the threat of cancer was slowly inching away from the forefront of the family's mind. There were even talks of their parents resuming their gigs once their mother gathered her strength. Inspired by her dedication, Stevie became determined. Once high school began, they worked up the courage to try out for a school play. While they didn't land a flashy role, they secured a supporting role, and more importantly, the friendship of many of the theater kids. There were talks of joining the club, which promised an eventful high school career.

Stevie was over the moon and texted their parents when they got out of class about the good news, unable to wait until they picked them up from school to tell them about it. They waited for their parents impatiently, but when minutes spanned into hours, confusion settled over the high schooler as they stood in the carpool lane. It was unlike their parents to be late or to forget picking them up. A kindhearted faculty member drove Stevie home, where a police cruiser was waiting in the driveway.

The news was broken to them: their parents were involved in a car accident. The old van where so many memories were made was blindsided at an intersection by someone who ran a light. Their mother died on impact while their father was in the hospital in critical condition. Stevie went into hysterics, and after some moments, it occurred to them.

Did they cause the accident?

The investigation followed the next few days. The possibility of texting and driving were inconclusive, as all cellular devices were destroyed in the crash. Stevie's father, reduced to a comatose state, quietly passed away three nights after the accident, taking the truth with him. At fourteen-years-old, Stevie was left parentless. All they had was their grief and the unfounded anxiety that they must had caused the accident—what if the driver, their father, read the text while he was driving? If Stevie hadn't sent the text, could the accident have been somehow avoided in the grand scheme of things? Many what-if's occupied the child's thoughts. They could not recall what happened in the month that followed their parents' deaths; they became non-responsive and everything passed in a blur, all the doctors and lawyers and social workers and therapists. It took a few repeated explanations for Stevie to realize what was going on. They were to be placed under the care of their uncle Daniel, their closest living relative, paired with a settlement made in compensation for their lost.

But what amount money could replace a parent's love?

Stevie moved to Lumiose City after all the legal matters were settled. Being in the large city after living in a small village made things harder to adjust; the flurry of activity going on every day overwhelmed them, and they spent most of their time inside. High school also proved to be a hard burden on them, their grades and sociability suffering because of the ongoing depression. They visited therapists often and took medication, but the treatments were effective only to a certain extent. Fortunately, they left all of their schoolyard bullies in Dendemille Town and no one paid mind to Stevie in high school, but such a thing was a double-edged sword. No one bothered Stevie, but the lack of familiar, friendly faces took some toll on the student. Isolation was not ideal and yet it was something they chose. They simply lacked the heart and energy to interact with others, especially when they thought the threat of the formation of new bullies were possible if they tried to make friends.

During this time, Stevie began to lose their sense of identity. They weren't comfortable with their ascribed male identity and how they presented to others, but they lacked the language to communicate the confusion they felt about their own person. They felt like neither a man or a woman, and they did not really "care" if they were perceived either way to be honest. It was not like they were ignorant about transgender individuals—but they knew about the hardships that they faced. Uncertainty and anxiety kept them quiet about their gender feelings, out of a desire to secure their safety and not ostracize themself further.

It didn't help that Stevie was now constantly subjected to Natalie's presence. It seemed that the Glameow cared for the Popplio, often describing them as her "little brother" to others, but that did not stop the abuse she would inflict on Stevie. She would offer "advice" that was simply backhanded in nature, focusing on how Stevie could improve their lacking appearance and depressing personality. Stevie believed she was sincerely trying to be nice and attempted to meet her demands. However, it only further skewed their perception of themself. It made them conform to things they weren't comfortable with, and it caused them further grief over their appearance as they were unable to reach what they thought to be "perfection."

As they grew "closer," Natalie revealed various personal hardships; how her mother left her and her father, how a relative had abused her, the problems that she had faced in high school. It made Stevie more empathetic towards Natalie, though they realized that she was trying to one-up them, like always. Natalie thought she was better than them, but she also had a worse past than they did. She was always better. Always. Stevie had conflicted feelings. They had grown old enough to recognize the emotional abuse they were enduring wasn't excusable, but they thought: wasn't Natalie just a messed up kid like them? Sometimes she provided companionship, something that Stevie desperately wanted. In truth, she was their only friend. Could they risk losing that?

Eventually, Stevie managed to graduate high school with low marks and began working as an employee in various stores to earn a living. It was also a small excuse to get some time away from their cousin, to try to make some sense of their feelings towards her. Lost and without purpose, they decided what they needed was to evolve. They thought they could become a better person, a prettier person, a smarter person, if they could evolve. They were all ideas Natalie and their bullies impressed upon them and Stevie supposed they were true. They felt so terrible about their appearance, it just had to be true. A part of Stevie also thought that they could be closer to their parents in spirit if they looked like them. Overall it was a highly appealing idea and they tried hard to evolve through exercising, training, and even putting themself in risky situations.

Nothing seemed to work. What if it was fate for them not to evolve? The thought of being doomed to their ugly, imperfect body forever made them lose hope, and it all they could think about until it consumed them. The implementation of the move ban caused further stress upon the Popplio. They cared little about the politics of moves in truth, but what if they weren't evolving because they weren't strong enough? What if they needed moves to evolve? Kalos could take away moves for all they cared—but only after they evolved.

Desperate, Stevie turned to the Argo Navis. They heard about the "extremist organization" through news about the Jaune stronghold. They weren't exactly keen to the idea of participating in illegal activities, but what else did they have to lose? It wasn't like they hadn't risked their life before to try to evolve, so what was breaking a law or two? Lacking a noble cause, they submitted their proposal to the organization after digging for their e-mail.ADDITIONALCafe Affiliation: Cafe Avior
Cafe Proposal:

"is naos open? i'd like to join that cafe, if i can. i think i could help with the image of move users and stuff. i would appreciate it. thank you for reading."

Note: They decided to join Naos knowing that they weren't exactly a fit for it—they wanted the traits that the cafe used to describe itself, and thought that maybe if they tried hard enough, they could take on those ideals.

--

SWITCHED to Cafe Avior in December 2017.

Trivia:

- Stevie changed their middle name to Nicole to honor their mother's memory.
- They have an affinity for 70's and 80's fashion.
- Their eyes, while mostly blue, have a hint of pink much like a Primarina's.
- They are knowledgeable about stage technology due to their parents' careers.

Description

"I hope I can make them proud of me."
sadhonks

Update 1/16: They evolved... Ball ears
Update 3/24: final evo!!

OVERVIEWName: Stevie Nicole Harris
Nicknames: SH, Stev, Sad Honk
Age: 19
Birthday: January 1st
Gender: Nonbinary (Any pronoun, they/them preferred)

Height: 6’03” ft (190 cm)
Weight: 165 lbs (74 kg)
Special Traits: n/a

Occupations: Party store employee
POKéMON INFORMATIONSpecies: Primarina (#730)

Ability: Torrent (Powers up Water-type moves when the Pokémon's HP is low.)
Nature: Lonely
Characteristic: Quick to flee

Moves:

★ STARTING MP
☆ PURCHASED MP
TOTAL MP = 16

(WATER) Bubble Beam (A spray of bubbles is forcefully ejected at the target. This may also lower its Speed stat.)
Move Power: ★
Description: A move that naturally manifested itself due to Popplio's ability to create bubbles, Stevie learned Bubble Beam at a young age when they were playing with their father; in a laughing fit, they snorted and created a flurry of bubbles. However, bullying in the past has made Stevie self-conscious of making bubbles and they will not use the move in public. The move is typically triggered by crying or sleeping.
Usage: A spray of bubbles streams from Stevie's nose. The bubbles are small and non-threatening due to its low move power, popping softly upon contact with a person or object. Using Bubble Beam too often will cause Stevie to have a runny nose and unable to produce more bubbles. Injury to their nose will also inhibit the move's abilities.

(FAIRY) Disarming Voice (Letting out a charming cry, the user does emotional damage to opposing Pokémon. This attack never misses.)
Move Power: ★★★★★
Description: During an instance of bullying when their frustrations and fear built to an overwhelming level, Stevie learned Disarming Voice to defend themself from their intimidators. Despite ending up in trouble for "harming" their bullies, they continue to rely upon this move whenever they are backed into a corner with no opportunity to run away. Repeated use of Disarming Voice throughout their childhood has allowed Stevie to have adept control over it and they often train with the move in hopes of evolving.
Usage: Stevie cries out and produces a sharp sound that causes pain in one's ears, occasionally causing others to become momentarily stunned. The emotional effects of those inflicted is based on the individual; anything from pity to despair to anger can occur. Those with stable emotions will not have a shift in mood. Stevie is able to control the pitch and volume of Disarming Voice, ranging from a whimper to a screech. Using the move repeatedly will cause a sore throat, impairing their voice, and physically drain Stevie of energy.

(NORMAL) Sing (A soothing lullaby is sung in a calming voice that puts the target into a deep slumber.)
Move Power: ★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆
Description: Sing was taught to Stevie by their mother. What started as an affinity for their mother's voice when she sang them lullabies grew into a treasured past time when the two would sing songs on the radio together. Stevie sees the move as a personal one and isn't comfortable with using it offensively. However, they enjoy using Sing around friends, especially if they need its calming effects.
Usage: Either using a song with a peaceful melody or simply vocalizing, Stevie sings in a soft voice. The longer they sing and the closer they are to their target, the stronger Sing's effects become. It causes a peace to fall over the listener, lulling them into a doze. It will cause the target to fall asleep if Stevie sings long enough.The effects of Sing will last up to five minutes after Stevie stops singing. Sing is able to affect multiple targets at once; however, it is indiscriminate and has the potential to inadvertently affect allies. Using Sing too often will cause Stevie to become drowsy themself.
PERSONALPOS Empathetic, perceptive, creative, modest
NEU Quiet, emotional, sensitive, withdrawn
NEG Cowardly, passive, insecure, neurotic

While they have a hard time opening up to others it isn't hard to assess Stevie's personality. They are quiet in most situations, even around familiars, and prefer to take the backseat in conversations and interactions. However they're not unfriendly—it doesn't take much to illicit Stevie's caring nature. They are kind when others approach them and they will go out of their way to help strangers out of the goodness of their heart. They find difficulty in social interactions (often they are awkward) but it is obvious they are not a loner and they value cooperation with others.

Those with more personal relationships with Stevie know that they are a creative individual. They enjoy the arts and sharing imaginative experiences with others. They are more outgoing and confident when participating in creative activities. They are also smarter than they give themself credit for; while they aren't knowledgeable and have trouble with remembering factual information, they pick up on other things quickly. They are perceptive of others and it's hard to fool them.

However, they are painfully self-conscious. They fear making a disturbance to the status quo and being punished for doing so—whether socially or physically. It leads them being passive to a fault: even when they disagree with something, Stevie will go along with it silently. They will also bend to the will of others to avoid confrontation, disappointment, or disapproval. They are anxious over how others perceive them and will go to great lengths to please people, even at their own expense.

Hometown: Dendemille Town, Kalos

History:

CW: Death, bullying, abuse

One word that can aptly describe Stevie's past is star-crossed.

It all started when two young Primarinas happened to meet by chance. Nicole Young was small town girl made independent singer with a budding career. She had enough promise to raise the interest of a few big-name labels in Kalos. Liam Harris was a television star—he was an actor born and raised in Lumiose City that participated in soap operas and other small network shows. He dreamed of bigger things: movie roles, book deals, red carpet, the whole shebang.

One day a studio in Lumiose had open auditions to the public to see what talent they could attract. Nicole traveled to attend the audition in hopes of earning a place in the industry. Liam was suggested by his manager to attempt the audition to try to broaden his résumé. While waiting for their turns, the Primarinas were lined next to each other. The two hit it off—until it quickly dissolved into arguing when each were adamant that they would get the audition. An impromptu sing-off occurred between Nicole and Liam before their turns were up, a ruckus in which resulted in both of them being kicked out from the auditions.

Despite both failing their goals that day, the two chopped it up to fate. After all, they seemed destined to meet, what with the way they harmonized with each other during their sing-off. It didn't take much for them decide to partner up and try to start a career of their own. Though they never got the fame that the other was searching for, they became popular enough to have a steady supply of gigs around Kalos. Between Liam's television productions they would travel together in his old, reliable van that doubled as their hotel room to save money on expenses. Needless to say, many fond memories were made in that rust bucket and satisfied Nicole's need for adventure after enduring a childhood in a boring town.

In an unsurprising turn of events, the two fell for each other. Things were going smoothly until Nicole turned up pregnant.

Riding the high of their youth and freedom, the to-be parents balked at the prospect of having a child. Their lifestyle was not suitable for a baby. A van wasn't a place for a crib, after all, and Liam's tiny Lumiose apartment wasn't as promising either. Nicole feared that Liam would leave in the face of difficulty, but the exact opposite happened: Liam secured a modest house in Dendemille to provide a stable place for the pregnancy and moved in with Nicole, picking up a part-time job as a delivery man to make ends meet between productions.

On a quiet New Year's Day, Stevie Harris was born. They parents were ecstatic and loved their newborn child with all their hearts. What originally intended to a temporary home until they planned for something more, the family settled into life in the snowy village quite well, though every summer the family would travel for a series of gigs once their child was old enough. When Stevie was three-years-old, their parents held their wedding in the backyard. It lacked all the bells and whistles that they used to talk about, but it seemed more fitting this way. It was like a storybook ending to a feel-good movie.

But it wasn't the end of their story. Stevie had always been a quiet child though not necessarily shy—they seemed to have inherited their parents' radiance and love for attention. When they began school, they hit it off with their fellow classmates, even rising to become one of the more popular kids due to their ability to make the other children laugh. However, as time went on, the jokes began to get old and they did not find Stevie's goofy appearance as charming anymore. Once they entered junior high, Stevie became the subject of bullying. At first the Popplio endured it well, laughing along as if their classmates were kidding around with them and took their rude comments about their clownish appearance and average grades in stride.

When Stevie was eleven-years-old, their mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. This shocked the family to the core—Stevie's father quit his acting career to stay home more and help his wife with her appointments, and their gigs ceased altogether. Their mother's brother, Stevie's uncle Daniel, often visited from Lumiose City with his Glameow daughter Natalie after the announcement of the diagnosis. Stevie and Natalie were similar in age and spent a lot of time together, though it was hard to say they were friends; Natalie was a loud and bossy cousin, berating and commanding the Popplio around, dragging them around on her misadventures. Stevie, struggling with the idea of their mother's mortality, passively went along with Natalie's whims. They thought she was just trying to be nice, in her own way.

However, their interactions and their mother's condition ultimately cut Stevie's confidence at the knees. The bullying from their cousin and classmates became tougher to handle, but they would never utter a word to their parents, knowing the Primarinas had enough to deal with. Stevie became quieter and started to keep to themself, especially when they got in trouble for fighting back against their bullies with a move on one occasion; their parents were called to the school and Stevie insisted it was their fault to avoid their parents discovering their bullying problem. After retaliating with a move, their bullies stopped overtly teasing them, but made an effort to isolate them. For the remainder of junior high, Stevie kept to themself in school to avoid any more confrontation with some classmates. Their only "friend" was Natalie whenever she would visit.

Before Stevie started high school, their mother entered remission after undergoing a combination of chemotherapy and surgery. Their uncle and Natalie stopped visiting and Stevie began to reconnect with their parents again. Things were looking up; high school was a fresh start, and the threat of cancer was slowly inching away from the forefront of the family's mind. There were even talks of their parents resuming their gigs once their mother gathered her strength. Inspired by her dedication, Stevie became determined. Once high school began, they worked up the courage to try out for a school play. While they didn't land a flashy role, they secured a supporting role, and more importantly, the friendship of many of the theater kids. There were talks of joining the club, which promised an eventful high school career.

Stevie was over the moon and texted their parents when they got out of class about the good news, unable to wait until they picked them up from school to tell them about it. They waited for their parents impatiently, but when minutes spanned into hours, confusion settled over the high schooler as they stood in the carpool lane. It was unlike their parents to be late or to forget picking them up. A kindhearted faculty member drove Stevie home, where a police cruiser was waiting in the driveway.

The news was broken to them: their parents were involved in a car accident. The old van where so many memories were made was blindsided at an intersection by someone who ran a light. Their mother died on impact while their father was in the hospital in critical condition. Stevie went into hysterics, and after some moments, it occurred to them.

Did they cause the accident?

The investigation followed the next few days. The possibility of texting and driving were inconclusive, as all cellular devices were destroyed in the crash. Stevie's father, reduced to a comatose state, quietly passed away three nights after the accident, taking the truth with him. At fourteen-years-old, Stevie was left parentless. All they had was their grief and the unfounded anxiety that they must had caused the accident—what if the driver, their father, read the text while he was driving? If Stevie hadn't sent the text, could the accident have been somehow avoided in the grand scheme of things? Many what-if's occupied the child's thoughts. They could not recall what happened in the month that followed their parents' deaths; they became non-responsive and everything passed in a blur, all the doctors and lawyers and social workers and therapists. It took a few repeated explanations for Stevie to realize what was going on. They were to be placed under the care of their uncle Daniel, their closest living relative, paired with a settlement made in compensation for their lost.

But what amount money could replace a parent's love?

Stevie moved to Lumiose City after all the legal matters were settled. Being in the large city after living in a small village made things harder to adjust; the flurry of activity going on every day overwhelmed them, and they spent most of their time inside. High school also proved to be a hard burden on them, their grades and sociability suffering because of the ongoing depression. They visited therapists often and took medication, but the treatments were effective only to a certain extent. Fortunately, they left all of their schoolyard bullies in Dendemille Town and no one paid mind to Stevie in high school, but such a thing was a double-edged sword. No one bothered Stevie, but the lack of familiar, friendly faces took some toll on the student. Isolation was not ideal and yet it was something they chose. They simply lacked the heart and energy to interact with others, especially when they thought the threat of the formation of new bullies were possible if they tried to make friends.

During this time, Stevie began to lose their sense of identity. They weren't comfortable with their ascribed male identity and how they presented to others, but they lacked the language to communicate the confusion they felt about their own person. They felt like neither a man or a woman, and they did not really "care" if they were perceived either way to be honest. It was not like they were ignorant about transgender individuals—but they knew about the hardships that they faced. Uncertainty and anxiety kept them quiet about their gender feelings, out of a desire to secure their safety and not ostracize themself further.

It didn't help that Stevie was now constantly subjected to Natalie's presence. It seemed that the Glameow cared for the Popplio, often describing them as her "little brother" to others, but that did not stop the abuse she would inflict on Stevie. She would offer "advice" that was simply backhanded in nature, focusing on how Stevie could improve their lacking appearance and depressing personality. Stevie believed she was sincerely trying to be nice and attempted to meet her demands. However, it only further skewed their perception of themself. It made them conform to things they weren't comfortable with, and it caused them further grief over their appearance as they were unable to reach what they thought to be "perfection."

As they grew "closer," Natalie revealed various personal hardships; how her mother left her and her father, how a relative had abused her, the problems that she had faced in high school. It made Stevie more empathetic towards Natalie, though they realized that she was trying to one-up them, like always. Natalie thought she was better than them, but she also had a worse past than they did. She was always better. Always. Stevie had conflicted feelings. They had grown old enough to recognize the emotional abuse they were enduring wasn't excusable, but they thought: wasn't Natalie just a messed up kid like them? Sometimes she provided companionship, something that Stevie desperately wanted. In truth, she was their only friend. Could they risk losing that?

Eventually, Stevie managed to graduate high school with low marks and began working as an employee in various stores to earn a living. It was also a small excuse to get some time away from their cousin, to try to make some sense of their feelings towards her. Lost and without purpose, they decided what they needed was to evolve. They thought they could become a better person, a prettier person, a smarter person, if they could evolve. They were all ideas Natalie and their bullies impressed upon them and Stevie supposed they were true. They felt so terrible about their appearance, it just had to be true. A part of Stevie also thought that they could be closer to their parents in spirit if they looked like them. Overall it was a highly appealing idea and they tried hard to evolve through exercising, training, and even putting themself in risky situations.

Nothing seemed to work. What if it was fate for them not to evolve? The thought of being doomed to their ugly, imperfect body forever made them lose hope, and it all they could think about until it consumed them. The implementation of the move ban caused further stress upon the Popplio. They cared little about the politics of moves in truth, but what if they weren't evolving because they weren't strong enough? What if they needed moves to evolve? Kalos could take away moves for all they cared—but only after they evolved.

Desperate, Stevie turned to the Argo Navis. They heard about the "extremist organization" through news about the Jaune stronghold. They weren't exactly keen to the idea of participating in illegal activities, but what else did they have to lose? It wasn't like they hadn't risked their life before to try to evolve, so what was breaking a law or two? Lacking a noble cause, they submitted their proposal to the organization after digging for their e-mail.ADDITIONALCafe Affiliation: Cafe Avior
Cafe Proposal:

"is naos open? i'd like to join that cafe, if i can. i think i could help with the image of move users and stuff. i would appreciate it. thank you for reading."

Note: They decided to join Naos knowing that they weren't exactly a fit for it—they wanted the traits that the cafe used to describe itself, and thought that maybe if they tried hard enough, they could take on those ideals.

--

SWITCHED to Cafe Avior in December 2017.

Trivia:

- Stevie changed their middle name to Nicole to honor their mother's memory.
- They have an affinity for 70's and 80's fashion.
- Their eyes, while mostly blue, have a hint of pink much like a Primarina's.
- They are knowledgeable about stage technology due to their parents' careers.