ATBU App: Team Solar Power

I have a couple of team ideas for the rebooted ATBU, including updating some older team concepts. However, as soon as the Shadow Pokemon lore was revealed, I came with and hyperfocused on this team concept...which is why these boys are getting posted first.

Yet another team that was inspired by a playthrough of Pokemon XG! My MVP of my last run was my torkoal Hank who, much like Kaiden in my previous run, quickly and unexpectedly became my favorite. Hank and Kaiden have a lot in common character-wise, both being legends burnt out by tragedy, though Kaiden remained optimistic while Hank grew bitter. I imagine they'd get coffee together a lot (if they weren't in different groups and universes!) Kestrel was my typhlosion in that same XG run, the first time I've had two pure fire types on a team, and since typhlosion have Solar Power in that hack, he and Hank were a ridiculous combo in doubles with Hank's Drought. That's also where the team name came from

Torkoal is not a pkm I have drawn much before (considering I sort of hated them before that XG run), but Hank's design came together pretty quickly, going full detective noir. Connor's...not so much. No joke, Connor went through no less than six species changes. I knew I wanted him to be a bird, but I couldn't decide which so I drew them all. Pidgeotto, Swellow, Corvisquire, Skarmory, Staravia, even Togekiss! Ultimately, it was ATBU's rules that decided for me as, with Hank as a basic stage, Connor had to be a baby or basic stage...so he settled as a skarmory. I do love skarmory and have used the species for characters in the past, but I always struggle a bit with their anatomy, namely the wings and the head. Eventually, I did find a design I liked, based off the GS sprite which had multiple tail feathers and darker grey on the underwings instead of red, but I don't think I've struggled so much with a character design since my medicham Nights...

Anyway, enough rambling. Hope you guys like them! I got a ton planned for them and expect to see the other members of SINC (in NPC format) in the future. I love all the lore I've been building up for this team

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Team Tracker: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Q7zY56L3j4l3Nfyff65u2xipmLcp-JF4zD72ij1bFgc/edit?usp=sharing

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Starting Guild: Trailblazers

Rank: 1

Team Name: Solar Power

Name: Hank Anders

Species: Torkoal

Pronouns: He/Him

Age: Late Adult

Type: Fire

Ability: White Smoke - Hank is constantly expelling thick smoke from his shell and mouth, creating a near constant white cloud which obscures him and prevents his stats from being lowered by enemy moves or abilities.

Moves: 

• Flamethrower: Hanks breathes a stream of fire from his mouth, which has a chance of inflicting the target with a burn. This move isn’t as strong as it once was, due to Hank’s inner flame growing weaker.

• Solar Beam: A green orb forms in Hank’s mouth as he absorbs sunlight through the red spots on his shell. Once he has gathered enough sunlight, Hank shoots a massive green beam of energy from his mouth at the target. Hank can also release this beam from the hole on top of his shell if necessary (such as when his head is pinned down or he can’t open his mouth), though this is much harder to aim with. This attack is powerful but has the major drawback of a long charge up time, especially if the sun is obscured by bad weather. Under harsh sunlight, though, the move can be charged up and executed instantly.

• Iron Defense: Hank withdraws his head and limbs into his shell, and his shell glows pale silver. In this state, his defenses are sharply increased and he can shrug off most physical attacks easily.

• Clear Smog: Pale purple smoke billows out of Hank’s mouth and shell, dealing minor poison damage to any who breathe in the smog. This smog also has the unusual quirk of resetting any stat changes of the target back to normal. Hank tends to cough up this toxic smoke unintentionally after a night of hard drinking or when he is otherwise in bad health.

Special Item: None

Nature: Lax

Characteristic: Strongly Defiant

Personality: Even on the best of days, Hank is the definition of rough around the edges. He’s the “resident grump” of SINC and his short temper is only outdone by SINC’s Captain, Hank’s once close friend Jay. He has no patience for the arrogant or reckless idiots...which seems to include more and more of the population the older he gets. Hank is gruff and he might swear like a sailor, but he isn’t mean-spirited or intentionally rude. If he is met with respect or kindness, he will match it in kind. The torkoal does have a good heart underneath and his sense of justice, his desire to protect those who had no one else, is still strong. He’s lost his spark and sense of purpose in wake of his former partner’s death three years ago, but perhaps all he needs is someone to help him reignite that fire again?

History: By his own admission, Hank is “getting too damn old” and has been working “too damn long” in some kind of law enforcement capacity. He has spent time as an adventurer, an explorer, a rescuer, a bodyguard, a beat cop, a wayfarer, and even a pit brawler (now that’s a story). Hank couldn’t turn a blind eye to a mon in need, so if he saw a need, he filled it best he could. However, after a few decades or so of this life, he came to realize his efforts were ultimately meaningless alone. Mons always needed saving, especially with the emergence of the being called Selenium and the shadow pokemon outbreaks.

So, Hank got together with his closest friend, a blaze breed tauros he met on his travels named Jay, and the two of them formed the Shadow Investigation & Neutralization Corp (SINC). SINC was a specialized coalition of teams united to face the shadow madness scourge, with Hank and Jay forming Team Red Collar as the first members of the task force. Soon, other mons joined, each with specialized skills to identify and combat shadow corruption. Such work was not without risks and not every mon came home from the cases SINC took on, but overall they were able to help many in those troubling times.

As the years passed, Guilds rose into prominence and brought with them a new sense of order and safety. Vandrils Harbor was settled, and it seemed the worst days of the shadow scourge were over...for now. SINC was no longer in such high demand, and its teams joined with the Trailblazers Guild, though they remained unified with their own hierarchy outside of the Guild. Jay, now Captain within SINC, had quit active duty and now handled administrative tasks like communications with the Trailblazers Guildmaster and new hire paperwork. Hank became his Lieutenant and managed the other teams within SINC, deciding who was needed for each case and supervising from the field. Hank trained a number of recruits, though it was many years before he took on a new partner, that being a wide-eyed and passionate quilava named Kestrel. Kestrel reminded Hank a lot of himself when he was younger, dreaming of being a hero who could make a difference. Kestrel shook the torkoal out of his tired routine and lit a fire beneath him. The two pushed and pulled each other to become the best, soon becoming a powerhouse of a team that had a win streak a mile long. Kestrel had lost his family to the shadow madness, and he came to see Hank as not just a mentor but as a parental figure. Hank had never been good at relationships, considering his rough demeanor, but he came to care a great deal about his protege, feeling true pride as he watched the now-typhlosion shine.

Their last mission was the definition of routine. Neutralize reported shadows high in the mountains. One stray attack wasn't seen in time. Two fire types were sent over the cliff to the unforgiving rock floor below. With his sturdy shell, Hank survived the fall. Kestrel did not. The typhlosion was gone forever, snuffed out in his prime like a candle.

Hank withdrew into his cracked shell, grieving the loss of his partner...and he never came back out. The torkoal fell into a depressive spiral, growing cold to a world that would take one of the very few things he loved from him. Three years later, Hank had garnered a new reputation, having gone through thirteen different partners who lasted a week at best with the belligerent torkoal. Hank barely remained within the Trailblazers, despite many disciplinary strikes, thanks to a LOT of intervention from the SINC Captain. Jay hated to see his best friend decay like this, but he was at his wits end on how to help. Fights between the two became common gossip within SINC, with their latest spat being over Hank’s newest assigned partner. Bets are already being placed on how long this rookie skarmory will last before Hank roasts him alive.

Extra:

• Hank’s ability used to be Drought. However in the years following Kestrel’s death, he’s picked up a number of self-destructive habits and his inner fire is no longer strong enough to sustain that ability, changing to White Smoke instead.

• The team name “Solar Power” was chosen by Kestrel because the two of them are fire types who are much stronger in the sun. Kestrel would joke if his ability was Solar Power instead of Flash Fire, he’d be unstoppable in a fight...so long as Hank kept it sunny.

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Name: Connor

Species: Skarmory (GS palette)

Pronouns: He/Him

Age: Young Adult

Type: Steel/Flying

Ability: Keen Eye - Connor has very sharp eyes, able to spot the tiniest of details and ensure his attacks always hit their mark. Accuracy lowering or evasion boosting moves are completely ineffective at throwing him off target.

Moves: 

• Air Slash: One of Connor’s wings glows pale blue before he slices it sharply through the air, sending a blade of condensed air hurtling towards the target and exploding on impact. This attack has a high chance of making the target flinch.

• Steel Wing: Connor’s wings glow white before he slams them into the target, leaving behind a silver trail of light. There’s a chance this move will toughen up his feathers and increase his defense. Connor can also use this move to shield himself or deflect energy based attacks.

• Double Team: Connor’s body takes on a mirror-like sheen before he releases a blinding flash of light. When the light fades, numerous illusory clones surround Connor, making it much harder to find his true location and raising his evasion. These clones can all move independently of each other and even perform different actions, but they disappear once they are hit or if Connor himself is hit.

• Twister: Connor’s eyes glow brilliant blue as do the blue parts of his wings. Giving a mighty flap, he summons up a massive cerulean tornado which tears through all opponents and might cause them to flinch. Targets which are in the air, such as during Fly, are dealt double damage by this whirlwind. Connor can also create a Twister while flying at high speeds, spinning in a corkscrew and forming a vortex behind him that can suck in and trap pursuers or nearby objects. While on paper this move is relatively weak, in practice this is Connor’s most powerful attack.

Special Item: None

Nature: Adamant

Characteristic: Highly Curious

Personality: Most of SINC agrees that this skarmory is a bit of an odd ducklett. While on the job, Connor is the epitome of focus and cold efficiency. His greatest assets are his blazing flight speed and high intelligence. He possesses an eidetic memory and near-encyclopedic knowledge of pokemon species, moves, and abilities. He can be charming and persuasive, all as a means to achieve his goals. Highly perceptive and stubborn, he does not give up under any circumstances and does not entertain the possibility of failure. However, off the clock, Connor has the attention span of a tailow and will often wander off to investigate anything that is new or intriguing to him. He will pester total strangers with questions or stare from a distance, following two steps behind his chosen company. He is earnest and polite but can struggle with subtle social cues, leading to no shortage of unfortunate misunderstandings. Connor wants to please and is eager to prove himself. He must show that he belongs with SINC and can make a difference in the fight against Selenium.

History: **CONFIDENTIAL: LEVEL 5 CLEARANCE NEEDED**

Extra:

• Connor’s feathers haven’t completely fused into steel armor yet, a sign of his younger age and lack of battlefield experience. This makes him a bit fluffier and less intimidating than the typical skarmory.

• Connor can be a bit of a magpie, collecting any shiny objects that catch his eye. Where he stores such trinkets is anyone’s guess and there’s been a few...mishaps when he’s taken items that belong to others, such as from shop stalls without paying.