Post by Ashley "Ash" Willowvale on Oct 9, 2012 19:56:33 GMT -5
WRETCHES AND KINGS - - -
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PEN AND THE CONTRACT
B A S I C I N F O
★ NAME: Ashley Willowvale
★ NICKNAME: Ash
★ GUARDIAN TYPE: Fire
★ STATUS: Fifth
★ AGE: Twenty-five
★ HEIGHT: 6'3"
★ WEIGHT: 135 lbs
★ FACE CLAIM: Undertaker from Kuroshitsuji
★ APPEARANCE:
Ashley is a strange person at first glance. He's hard to miss with his height giving him a good edge over people (mostly afforded to him by the two-inch heel of his boot), but add to it the shaggy silvery-white hair and the long black fingernails and it's hard to ignore him. Ashley's hair is quite long, falling down his back with tufts spiking out randomly, the tip of his hair coming down to about the end of his spine. Most of his hair is quite unruly, though it's not coarse as one might expect from a first glance or from knowing the man. His nails are very long, kept that way to try to protect his fingertips from painful interactions with things, rounded and painted jet black. He's very pale since he doesn't really like being outdoors, it's too disorienting for him, so he often stays inside. His hair has bangs that brush down over his face, coming down to feather over his cheekbones, but if someone pushed them back, they would see a long, jagged scar across his face, the result of a collision with a wire fence when he was younger. It healed sloppily despite the sutures he got, but he doesn't really care since he doesn't really have to look at it and prefers to hide it with his hair anyway. His eyes are a beautiful silvery color, but they also lie hidden under his bangs, and since he never lifts or messes with his hair, it's a rare occurrence for anyone to see the mercury gems.
Ashley's taste in clothing runs rather old-fashioned and towards the macabre. He enjoys black robes that cover his entire body, mostly since they're fairly easy for him to put on, and he will often put on necklaces or the like on a whim. He is known for accenting the outfit with a black top hat with a purple sash trimmed in silver, a favorite if he has to venture outside. His pride and joy, however, are probably actually his boots. Crafted of supple black leather that hugs his legs until three-quarters of the way to his knee, they are adorned with all kinds of decorative buckles that serve no purpose: the footwear go on and off by a small zipper on the inside of the shoe, though Ash is most delighted with them for one reason. He loves the two-inch heel on his boots and enjoys the nice solid clack as he walks with them, not a wobble to his step despite the numerous occasions where he is likely to fall flat on his face. Ash is rarely seen without a Pokemon at his side to help him out, if only for a sole reason: the man is actually blind and can "see" only when a Psychic Pokemon chooses to let him see through their eyes via a psychic connection or, sometimes, when his senses will be stimulated in such a way as to activate his synesthesia, which is mainly found in taste though he will occasionally receive sensations of color from other things such as sound or touch.
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P E R S O N A L I T Y
★ POSITIVE:
- Optimist;; Even though Ash is blind, he is actually quite the chipper fellow, an easy grin on his face when he needs it and just in general always ready to face the next day with the same kind of energy and attitude he'd need as a Guardian.
- Goofy;; Ash is known (rather infamous for, in fact) being one of the clumsiest people around, running into countless objects who are "clearly out to murder him when he's not looking," but in reality, most of the objects he runs into he does to coax a smile out of those around him.
- Loyal;; Ash will go to any lengths to stay by the side of those he considers friend, and while this may manifest itself in weird ways, he will never leave behind someone he holds dear to him and will always be there when he needs to be to put a smile on someone's face.
- Affectionate;; One of Ash's favorite things to do is to show how much he cares, and that usually takes the form of feather-light touches along the torso of a person - to "see" them, of course - and in other physical ways such as crawling into their lap or playing with someone's hair.
- Trustworthy;; Ash will never betray a secret, even if he was held at knife-point, though with his flighty ways, it's sort of hard to try to intimidate him or expect him to know much of anything, though with that said, he still would rather not speak of something confided in him, saying that it's "their story to tell", not his.
★ NEGATIVE:
- Childish;; Ash is quite childish in that he will throw tantrums when he doesn't get his way, and while it's not over things like matches, it's a little alarming he hasn't obtained the self-control to restrain himself when around challengers.
- Possessive;; When Ash lays claim to something, in his head it is now his forever, and as such he will do anything to keep it, even if it means clinging to someone's leg and forcing them to drag him along with them.
- Unpredictable;; No one ever really knows what Ash will do next, and while this can help him in a battle since it means that it's hard to tell what his next move will be, it's also strange that he has no plan for anything at all in his future since he's too busy making a fool of himself.
- Whimsical;; A lot of Ash's actions he does absolutely spur-of-the-moment, an occasion where he suddenly has a random idea and decides to run with it, and this is most commonly found in one of his favorite past times of hoarding ice cream and devouring it or in his desire to sprawl himself in the exact center of the hallway before pretending to be unconscious.
- Self-conscious;; Believe it or not, Ash is actually very much aware of his own blindness, and that's part of the reason why he acts so silly and runs into things randomly, not because he actually doesn't know things are there in his path but instead because on the occasions where he actually does legitimately fall or run into something, he'd rather have someone write it off as him just being clumsy than have people fussing over him because they feel sorry for him.
- Irresponsible;; As one might imagine, Ash is a lot like a little kid, and while the very fact that he's blind entails that the man would need some assistance getting around and such when outside of familiar territory, it doesn't help that with his easy-going and playful nature, he almost embodies a carefree spirit that only seems to get him into trouble.
★ HABITS, QUIRKS:
- Enjoys eating ice cream. A lot. Don't get between him and the ice cream.
- Randomly decides to skip meals when his synesthesia acts up on him.
- Often acts like a complete moron by running into things and pretending to be unconscious.
- Rarely seen without at least one Pokemon at his side - usually it's the Pokemon he's had since he was a baby, Commodore Robinson.
★ OVERALL PERSONALITY:
Ashley is one strange, strange human. Born blind, he has the condition known as synesthesia - for those who don't know, that's when sensations in one sense cause reactions in another. For him, this entails most tastes to turn into colors in his mind's eye, though this can also be invoked through the occasional sound, touch, or smell. Ordinarily, as a human, he wouldn't be able to put a name to those colors, but he was lucky, growing up with a Psychic Pokemon that - although slow - had no problems with telling him the truth and allowing him to see through his eyes. He takes advantage of his condition a little, using it playfully to tease people, though he is actually quite perceptive with it. He can discern slight shifts in someone's color, which usually signify something about them has changed, and when he determines that, it's usually only a matter of time until he gets that out of them. He doesn't like a whole lot of noises or strong smells since they tend to mess with his head, so an effective repellent (hint hint fellow Guardians, there's a way to get rid of him!) is to make a lot of noise or to wear very strong fragrances in perfume or cologne. He enjoys plain food, as to be expected when dishes that have complex spice patterns can overwhelm his senses, but it's actually a common occurrence to see him wandering around with a spoon in his mouth and a galleon tub of ice cream in his arms. He loves ice cream, claiming it as a favorite food, and he's always careful to make sure he keeps several tubs in the freezer, all of different flavors. When combined with the fact that his hand-eye coordination can't be matched when he's stealing food from someone, it's hard to believe the guy hasn't gotten a little pudgy like his precious "Robin", but the solution becomes obvious if one remains around him for long enough: he will occasionally embark on long periods where he doesn't really eat much of anything, not wanting his synesthesia to act up on him.
Ashley's an extremely affectionate guy, the touchy-feely type, and he has no qualms with climbing onto someone's lap and settling himself there to soak up their scent and steal their warmth. He often insists on being allowed to stroke someone's face so that he can picture them even though he has Commodore Robinson to tell him or show him what someone looks like, though he's always careful not to scratch someone. He doesn't want to cause pain to anyone, not really. That said, he's quite possessive of things he considers his, including people, and being a childish fiend, he will go to any lengths to keep his things, including but not limited to: crying his eyes out, making dramatic accusations, pretending to be severely injured, playing the "being mean to a cripple" card, and clinging to someone's leg if they continue to resist him. In spite of being a big bad Guardian, Ash is almost like a Teddiursa bear, one of his favorite things to do being cuddling up to the sides of his fellow Guardians (and sometimes challengers if he feels like it). He's not really one for duty and decorum, a procrastinator to the end and the type to shunt his work onto others whenever he can in favor of being able to do something stupid.
Ashley may not grope around a lot, but with the way he will trail his hands along the wall (among other objects) and repeatedly running into objects that are fairly obvious, it's not hard to figure out the guy is blind as a bat. He doesn't seem perturbed by it though and even says that if he was given the choice to see again or to remain blind, he would probably stay as he is. For him, the sky is always bright and the future always ready to yield a new beginning, so it's hard to catch him panicking about something. He can be a buoying presence on the Guardians, the kind of person who can always put a smile on someone's face with his antics. Because, as it turns out, he's not as blind as he plays. He often shares vision with the Slowpoke he carries around in his arms, Commodore Robinson, and being blind all his life, he is more than accustomed to working around it. He just crashes into things since he can't stand for people to look at him with pity when he really does run into something he didn't know was there. So he'd rather have them think him a complete idiot and klutz than to pity him. There isn't a lot of sense to a lot of what he does, mostly because he doesn't plan for it himself, and that can be quite a bad thing since it tends to get him into trouble more often than not with his blindness not pairing well with his personality. He'll often get lost outside of the castle for hours on end because he decides to go out on a whim, doesn't leave a note, and it takes a while for people to realize he's missing, never mind send out a search party for him.
That's not to say Ashley isn't a good person to have in a tight corner though. For all of his flaws, he's actually a pretty respectful person and keeps his contact to a minimum if he senses someone is uncomfortable with it. He's there to accept challenges most of the time even if his Blaziken has to lead him in, and he knows how to be serious when he has to take them. He's always there when someone needs him, sometimes finding his way there before the person even realizes they need him, and he's a firm crutch for those who need to lean on him. Despite his chatty ways and his perchance for gossip (which he often obtains through Commodore Robinson), he will not reveal a secret told to him or even sensitive subjects that people might not want revealed yet. He feels that something like that is someone else's story to tell as they want, not his to spin as he pleases, so for all the coy hints he might drop (especially to the holder of the secret) and the smirks he'll pull, when asked for details he'll always greet people with a giggle, a finger to his lips, and a childish declaration of "It's a secret!"
So if you happen to be wandering around the Guardians' castle and trip over something in the middle of a hallway, chances are it's either a pudgy pink Slowpoke or an unconscious silver-haired man. Don't get mad... it's just the Fire-type Guardian and his loyal Pokemon. Just leave them to do their own thing. They'll find their way to where they need to be when you challenge them.
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H I S T O R Y
- Ashley was born Ashley Willowvale to a pair of loving working-class parents. Since both of his parents worked, he was actually raised by a Kangaskhan nanny alongside his first Pokemon, a young Slowpoke. The pair became inseparable and a common picture as the boy learned to walk was of the Slowpoke standing there by his side while he sniffled from a wound he'd given to himself by accident, usually by toddling into something. Some of his fondest memories of this time in his life include him riding "Robin" around, giggling and laughing at the fun.
- It was not until he entered school that anyone realized there was something wrong with the young boy. As soon as the Slowpoke left his side, the boy didn't really move much, and when he did, it was only when someone led him by the hand. Worried, his teachers investigated the matter and determined the truth. Young Ashley was actually blind and had been "seeing" through the assistance of his Slowpoke's psychic abilities. His parents didn't really understand how that was possible given that he distinctly could name some colors, but the fact could not be denied. Ashley was blind.
- Searching for answers, his parents took him to numerous doctors before it was a simple psychology student who provided the answer. Ashley had not lost his sight through anyone's fault. The boy had been born blind. The reason he was so adept at discerning color in his younger years was because he had synesthesia. Taste and smell for the young boy were so strongly linked to his visuals that even if he could not see, he could still generate flashes of color in his mind (although hearing and touch could have the same effect). These hues were easily identifiable to Robin, who was always at the boy's side. His parents were still alarmed... but Ashley took comfort in the knowledge. He wasn't being punished. He was just special.
- Since the other kids viewed him as a freak for his abilities, Ashley had few friends through elementary and middle school. He didn't really mind though. Robin was enough. He could endure the taunts and other such cruel behavior so long as his faithful companion remained by his side. That by no means meant that he did not feel them and it was fairly common for the young boy to find a quiet corner of the schoolyard to cry at how much the flung stones hurt the blind boy, feeling low for such a thing, but he would never give up. It didn't help that the kids were beginning to get into battling, and now they wouldn't take no for an answer, often teaming up against poor Robin until the Slowpoke fainted from exhaustion of having to protect Ashley from the attacks as well. In fact, this was how Ashley met Alpha, then a Torchic who couldn't believe that the other humans were hurting the poor blind boy and the Slowpoke.
- Alpha had a lot of potential, but Ashley couldn't bring himself to train him. He was too afraid of getting the other hurt because he couldn't see. His parents, seeing how much he opened up to the Torchic, got him another Fire-type, a small Cyndaquil that would often fall asleep on the boy's lap. Eventually, however, Robin had enough. He could tell that Ashley wanted to be a Pokemon Trainer, he was just letting the fact he was blind take over his life and make the biting words thrown at him stick. With some effort, he convinced Alpha and Gamma to begin training with him at night while Ashley was asleep, teaching them to be self-sufficient in a battle and not rely heavily on a Trainer's instructions.
- It was during one of these late training sessions that they met the plucky young Houndour that would train with them, and then the unthinkable happened: Both Alpha and Gamma evolved into Combusken and Quilava respectively. At first they panicked, knowing there was no way to hide what they were up to from Ash now, but Robin came up with a wonderful solution. The Slowpoke waddled over to Ashley and woke him up and took him out to "watch" the three train. And that really opened his eyes, that night right before his freshman year of high school. His Pokemon were willing to put in the time and effort to be great, so he should be able to as well. Nodding, he made a promise to them that he would honor their commitment by entering tournaments, and the Houndour ended up joining him as well, the young female wanting to stay with her training partners and developing a slight fondness for the boy they all spoke of so affectionately.
- It took Ashley a year to convince his parents he was ready for this, and another one the tournament administrators, but eventually they let the blind male and his Pokemon become competitors, the additional years of training giving that push Beta needed to evolve herself. As he battled with his companions, he actually won a lot more than he would have initially thought, people underestimating him since he was blind. He cleaned out brackets with his double team of Gamma and Beta, the two working amazingly well together, while solo battles worked well with Alpha. He made it to the final rounds every time before he would suffer a defeat or get disqualified because of needing Robin to see.
- Ashley was about to give up at the age of nineteen. His parents were breaking even from his winnings, but the defeats were crushing his morale and the wounds his Pokemon would obtain made him wonder if this was the right thing to do. Alpha began pushing himself harder, wanting to reaffirm Ashley's faith in him, and indeed, he succeeded when he managed to evolve once more to Blaziken. Stronger now, Alpha had Ashley enter them in one last tournament, a group for all three of them, and the unthinkable happened. Robin stayed in his Pokeball. Alpha guided Ashley on and off the field. The three fought stronger than they ever had before. And they won.
- The winning streak continued for three years, entering in higher and higher brackets and sweeping the tournaments easily, placing high and always coming out on top. Ashley had never been so proud of himself, and his confidence grew as he realized that being blind was a blessing. If he hadn't been blind, he would never have met any of his three companions. Having made enough, though, he decided to retire when he reached his twenty-third birthday, not wanting his Pokemon to burn out and really just trying to give them a decent life of peace and relaxation. They had already won enough to support them all for life anyway.
- On his twenty-fifth birthday, Ashley was awoken by Beta dropping a letter into his lap. Curious, the blind man opened it and asked Robin to read it to him. It was a request to join the Castle Guardians, an elite group of Trainers who were supposed to be "the best of the best". The man was reluctant, unsure if he wanted to go back to that life before he was persuaded by the firm convictions of Alpha, Gamma, and Beta. They may have loved the quiet life, but all three had missed the battling, the thrill and rush of the arena. So, with a laugh, the man agreed to take the job and packed up to move to the castle and his new life, Robin in his arms and his Pokemon at his side.
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P O K E M O N
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★ POKEMON: Blaziken
★ NICKNAME: Alpha
★ TYPE: Fire/Fighting
★ GENDER: Male
★ LEVEL: 60
★ ABILITY: Speed Boost
★ MOVE SET: Fire Punch, Hi Jump Kick, Scratch, Growl, Focus Energy, Ember, Double Kick, Peck, Sand-attack, Bulk Up, Quick Attack, Blaze Kick, Slash, Brave Bird, Sky Uppercut
★ POKEMON: Houndoom
★ NICKNAME: Beta
★ TYPE: Fire/Dark
★ GENDER: Female
★ LEVEL: 50
★ ABILITY: Flash Fire
★ MOVE SET: Thunder Fang, Leer, Ember, Howl, Smog, Roar, Bite, Odor Sleuth, Beat Up, Fire Fang, Faint Attack, Embargo, Foul Play, Flamethrower
★ POKEMON: Quilava
★ NICKNAME: Gamma
★ TYPE: Fire
★ GENDER: Male
★ LEVEL: 55
★ ABILITY: Flash Fire
★ MOVE SET: Tackle, Leer, Smokescreen, Ember, Quick Attack, Flame Wheel, Defense Curl, Swift, Flame Charge, Lava Plume, Flamethrower, Inferno
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P L A Y E R I N F O
★ OOC NAME:
★ AGE: ALMOST SEVENTEEN BITCHES.
★ OTHER CHARACTERS: Terra Alicia Rindalin, Lydian Bellecourt, Noah Kyo, Mercutio "Ghost" Pendragon, Alexander "Alexi" Kain, Isabelle Elizabeth Black, Gabriel Royce Edwards, Natalie Felicia Hardy, Aryl Seiren.
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★ template was made for wretches and kings, do not steal ★
★ template was made for wretches and kings, do not steal ★
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