i've had an idea in my head for a while for a nuzlocke comic i'd do if i could draw

the idea would be that the protagonist is a glaceon who wants to be a pokemon trainer, and their trainer discovers this fact after they notice their pokemon showdown ranking going up despite them not playing any better

so the trainer looks through the Official Pokemon League Regulations to see if there's any rule against a pokemon being a trainer and discovers that there is not, but...

(cont)

there are a couple of rules that are technically still on the books despite not having been enforced in AAAAGES.

- to prevent population destabilization, you have to catch the first pokemon you meet on a route. if you don't catch it, tough luck
- any pokemon that you allow to faint must be released (in theory to prevent abusive trainers from just letting their pokemon faint over and over, plus back in the day they wanted battles to actually /mean/ something)

(cont)

even though they're not enforced anymore, the League recognizes that a literal /pokemon/ trainer coming away with victories looks pretty bad on them, so they're willing to throw the book at our protagonist if it means they can disqualify them.

(cont)

i've got this whole idea for a story where the glaceon's trainer is /so proud/ of them and wants to help them achieve their dream. they teach them to battle with actual pokemon (simulations are good but there's nothing like the real thing) and help them with strategy and stuff.

finally, the day comes for the glaceon to set out on their own adventure and the trainer comes up to them and says "i know you've grown attached to some of these guys, but i'm not going to let you take them."

(cont)

"do you know why the tradition is for battles to start when the trainers lock eyes?"

the glaceon shakes its head

"it's because trainers, all of us, have been through much of the same stuff. there's a shared experience. and you can see it in their eyes. when you and i took on team magma, and we stared down maxie, i even saw it in him. and there's some respect that comes with that. he could have been the most evil trainer in the world but we'd have seen parts of ourselves in each other."

(cont)

"you can tell, eventually. just by looking in their eyes, you can see the fire burning behind them. you see your own hardships, your own triumphs reflected back at you. that's why trainers lock eyes before battle. and it's why i'm not letting you take a party of six into the world. i would never, not in a million years, take that experience from you."

"i've bred one of each of this region's starters. level five. take your pick."

the glaceon picks and the trainer kneels down to hug it.

(cont)

"i want you to know", they say, "that no matter what happens. if you come back home /tonight/, having lost your license. i'll still be so, so proud of you. you did something that's never happened before. and you chased your dream."

they stand up and wipe a tear from their eye. "but i believe in you. always remember that. good luck, buddy."

the glaceon turns to leave, and the trainer says "oh, wait, there's just one more thing."

(cont)

they produce a hat, their own trainer hat from when they first set off on their own. the glaceon recognizes it, they've been through a lot with that trainer. and that hat. but something's different: there are a pair of holes carefully cut out in the top. perfectly placed to fit a pair of ears through.

"the sun beats down pretty hot out there. you should take this."

i've put /so much fucking thought/ into this story and i /cannot draw to save my life/

@loki @monorail 110% agreed oh my god this is amazing