Idea Nuggets: PokeBon Adventures · 7:57am Feb 20th, 2018
This is going to be the first in what may or may not be a new series of blog posts, where I talk about vague ideas I’ve had in my head that I likely won’t have the time to write.
So, Pokemon. It’s easily one of the most successful multimedia franchises on the entire planet, and probably the one series that brings the most consistent and diverse sources of income to Nintendo. There probably isn’t a single person that grew up in the U.S. in the late 90s that wasn’t to some degree interested in it. Naturally, this means Pokemon crossovers are one of the most common types of crossovers you see in MLP fanart, and fairly common in fan-fiction as well.
I’ve had this vague idea of a Pokemon crossover in my head for a while, using humanized versions of MLP characters loosely based on their Equestria Girls counterparts. The series would be an alternate universe of sorts, a fusion of the Pokemon setting with these MLP characters, though with some liberties taken to make it work. Since I’ve not fleshed out the idea well enough for it to have a full plot, here are some basic bits of information about this idea, which I’ve titled PokeBon Adventures.
The Concordia Region
The main setting of PokeBon Adventures would be the Concordia Region, which is loosely based off of the Sinnoh region, but borrows several elements from other Pokemon regions as well. The region is shown to be one large island, divided down the middle by Mount Everhoof, a place held sacred by ancient Concordian traditions, where the entire world is said to have been born.
Main character
Bon-Bon
Starter Pokemon: Treecko
Bio: The protagonist of our story, Bon-Bon is an aspiring young trainer who sets out on her journey at the age of fourteen, hoping to go as far as it can take her. Little does she know that she will be caught up in a plot that may determine the fate of the world itself...
Rivals
Lyra
Starter Pokemon: Marrill
Bio: Bon-Bon’s best friend since childhood, Lyra’s reckless enthusiasm has often led to both of them getting into trouble. Despite this, she never loses her cheerful optimism and always finds the opportunity to have fun in a friendly pokemon match.
Quote: “Last one there’s a million rotten eggs!”
Sunset Shimmer
Starter Pokemon: Litleo
Bio: A juvenile delinquent with a nasty attitude, Sunset Shimmer leaves a lasting first impression when she breaks into Professor Fluttershy’s laboratory in the dead of night and steals the Litleo that had remained in her care. Though her attitude is at first callous, her repeated misfortunes eventually brings her to rethink her life’s choices.
Quote: “Stay out of my way if you know what’s good for you!”
Gym Leaders:
Maud Pie
Badge: Quarry Badge
Type Specialty: Rock
Team: Geodude, Boldore
Bio: The leader of the Sedentia City gym, Maud has earned the respect of the community through her many contributions. Many novice trainers make the fatal mistake of confusing her monotone speech with a lack of interest, as beneath her quiet exterior lies a truly unshakable determination.
Quote: “My name is Maud... I’m a gym leader. I like rock-types. I guess that means we should battle now.”
Cattail
Badge: Bayou Badge
Type Specialty: Grass
Team: Shroomish, Gloom, Carnivine
Bio: The leader of the Legacinne City gym, Cattail has played an active role in chronicling the history and traditions of Concordia since the ancient times. His friendly, relaxed personality makes him no less skilled a trainer, however.
Quote: “So you’re the trainer that helped deal with those Team Crystal hooligans? S’pose I owe you some thanks for that. The name’s Cattail.”
Vinyl Scratch
Badge: Beat Badge
Type Specialty: Electric
Team: Magnemite, Magneton, Eelektrik
Bio: The leader of Silica City, the second-largest city in the Concordia region, and better known by her stage name of DJ-P0K3. Though she never speaks, she somehow always manages to come off as the loudest person in the room.
Quote: [muffled electro-house music heard through headphones]
Bulk Biceps
Badge: Beef Badge
Type Specialty: Fighting
Team: Hariyama, Poliwrath, Machamp
Bio: The leader of Gracia City, home to the Concordia region’s pokemon contests. Bulk Biceps’s macho enthusiasm may seem one-note, but beneath it all he has a hidden sensitive side.
Quote: “YEAAAAAAAH! Thanks for helping me get my precious pokemon back! Now how about a victory pose? One... two... flex!”
Spitfire
Badge: Aileron Badge
Type Specialty: Flying
Team: Swellow, Pelliper, Talonflame
Bio: The leader of Clearice City, the northernmost city of the Concordia region. Despite the perpetually cold weather, its relatively clear skies make it an ideal location for the Concordian Pilot Training Academy, which Spitfire runs in addition to her position as gym leader.
Quote: “Five badges in just under three months? That’s got to be a Pokemon League record!”
Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle
Badge: Crusader Badge
Type Specialty: Fire/Water/Grass
Team: Meganium, Blaziken, Primarina (Note: All three pokemon are fought at once, using the Triple Battle format.)
Bio: The joint leaders of Cantoria City, Concordia’s largest city and a bustling metropolis that celebrates the harmony of people and Pokemon. Despite their unusually young age, the three have proven themselves capable of working together with a coordination that most trainers could only dream of.
Quote:
“Teamwork makes the dream work! That’s what Ah always say!”
“But you’ve never said that.”
“Well, maybe not, but it’s true!”
Shining Armor
Badge: Calibur Badge
Type Specialty: Steel
Team: Skarmory, Bastiodon, Forretress, Aegislash
Bio: The leader of Crystalight City, a city where gleaming crystals are seemingly grown organically into the architecture. Shining Armor is among the toughest gym leaders in the region, and his gym challenge has halted many an aspiring Concordia League Champion.
Quote: “I’ve always believed that the best offense is a good defense. Let’s see if you can leave a scratch on my ironclad pokemon team!”
Trixie Lulamoon
Badge: Illusion Badge
Type Specialty: Psychic
Team: Mr. Mime, Slowking, Gothitelle, Alakazam
Bio: The leader of Blackhorn City, a high-altitude city just to the west of Mount Everhoof and surrounded by rocky crags that make it virtually inaccessible, save for a single route leading in from further west. Trixie comes from a long lineage of powerful psychic trainers who have served as Blackhorn’s protectors and caretakers for nearly a hundred generations. Notably, she is a very sore loser and will refuse to relinquish her badge unless Bon-Bon can successfully complete a trial in the ancient Soul Shrine, and retrieve an artifact called the Mind’s Eye.
Quote: “Trixie... lost? No! That’s impossible! Y-you must have cheated!”
The Elite Four
Thorax
Type Specialty: Bug
Team: Scolipede, Scizor, Vespiquen, Araquanid, Heracross
Bio: A descendent of a disgraced warrior clan, Thorax disavowed his heritage and instead dedicated his life to charity. After many years of hard work, his widespread acts of generosity earned him a place in the regional Pokemon League’s Elite Four.
Quote: “Pokemon battles aren’t just about who’s stronger. They’re about opening up to your pokemon, and letting your feelings strengthen each other.”
Starlight Glimmer
Type Specialty: Normal
Team: Blissey, Miltank, Wigglytuff, Lickilicky, Porygon-Z
Bio: Very little is known about Starlight Glimmer or her past, other than the fact that she quickly rose to prominence among her peers and became one of the region’s most powerful trainers. She seems to believe her social status as an Elite Four member will help her find something, but it’s not quite clear what...
Quote: “There was another girl who lost to me a while ago. She said she was a friend of yours. I want you to be glad you have that. Hold onto that friendship while you still can.”
Discord
Type Specialty: Dark
Team: Malamar, Spiritomb, Muk (Alolan Form), Cacturne, Liepard
Bio: A former con-artist who made quickly his name through pokemon battling after his supposed reformation. Many have suspected him of cheating, though nobody has ever been able to prove which rules he’s broken, if any.
Quote: “You know what I like about dark-type pokemon? They’re not interested in playing fair. You could even say we have a lot in common.”
Ember
Type Specialty: Dragon
Team: Haxorus, Kingdra, Flygon, Dragalge, Salamence
Bio: A powerful dragon tamer who seemingly inherited her skills from her father, who retired from the Elite Four several years ago. Unlike the other Elite Four members, she is far more active in the everyday affairs of the region, regularly appearing to help Bon-Bon deal with problems, especially those that involve the powerful and nebulous criminal organization known as Team Crystal.
Quote: “You wanna know what your problem is, Sunset Shimmer? You don’t value the bonds you share with your Pokemon. I made that mistake once, and I wouldn’t be the trainer I am now if I kept making it.”
??? (The Pokemon Champion)
Team: Starmie, Mismagius, Ampharos, Garchomp, Glaceon, ???
Bio: The Concordia Pokemon League Champion’s identity is entirely unknown to the public, though it’s rumored that they’re the single youngest champion in the Concordia region’s history, if not the history of the entire world.
Team Crystal
Abacus Cinch
Team: Crobat, Honchkrow, Hydreigon, Weavile, Zoroark
Bio: The leader of Team Crystal, Abacus moves with cold, emotionless action to bring about the world that she desires. Little is known about her end goal, but she is very clear that she is a perfectionist who values order above all else.
Quote: “What I desire is a world without chaos, uncertainty, or weakness of the will. A world where all things are exactly where they are meant to be, like a lattice of perfect crystal. Would that not be a world worth fighting for?”
Commander Aria
Team: Houndoom, Salazzle, Turtonator, Camerupt
Bio: One of Team Crystal’s three commanders, Aria is known for her snide mannerisms and low tolerance for incompetence. Unfortunately for her, most of Team Crystal’s grunts trend very strongly towards incompetence.
Quote: “What do you mean the intruder’s in the base? Isn’t dealing with that your job?”
Commander Sonata
Team: Houndoom, Liepard, Mandibuzz, Sharpedo
Bio: The second of Team Crystal’s three commanders, Sonata is among the most well-liked of the higher administration, perhaps because she’s nearly as airheaded as the rest of Team Crystal’s low-ranking staff.
Quote: “Great job, team! Let’s move ourselves out of this lake and get ourselves some lunch!”
Commander Adaigo
Team: Clefable, Lapras, Altaria, Roserade, Absol
Bio: The highest-ranking of Team Crystal’s three commanders, and leader of the most elite faction within team Crystal, the Siren Guard. Though she nominally acts as Cinch’s right-hand woman, her motives at times appear diametrically opposed to Team Crystal’s goals, focusing on causing as much chaos as possible where Cinch wishes to impose order. The Siren Guard notably seem to be more loyal to her than to Team Crystal as a whole, and would not hesitate to follow her if she were to lead a mutiny...
Quote: “With the ecosystem destroyed, all of the remaining pokemon will have to fight each other over the few scraps of food that are left... I’m getting goosebumps just thinking about it.”
Other Characters
Professor Fluttershy
Bio: One of the most well-respected researchers in the world, Professor Fluttershy has studied pokemon and their natural ecosystems for more than a decade, and was the primary director in constructing the Concordia region’s Safari Zone. Now, she resides in the small town of Twinhoof, where she guides aspiring young trainers on their journey, offering them a choice of three starter pokemon: Treecko, Marril, and Litleo. Though soft-spoken, she is more than happy to offer Bon-Bon guidance on her journey through the Pokedex’s video chat function.
Quote: “Are you a boy or a girl? U-um, I’m sorry if that sounds intrusive, you don’t have to answer if you don’t feel like it.”
Twilight Sparkle
Bio: A mysterious, impossibly young scientist of unknown affiliation, she is never seen without her shiny purple Rockruff following closely behind. Though she remains dispassionate and aloof, there is always an insatiable curiosity behind her eyes as she seeks to unlock the true potential of pokemon.
Quote: “Trainers see pokemon as their pets, faithful companions who always remain by their side. Team Crystal see pokemon as mere tools, as a means to acheive their ends. However... I disagree with both. When I see pokemon, I see a power beyond imagination, unlimited potential just waiting to be released.”
Flurry Heart
Bio: A little girl, no older than six years of age, who nonetheless has become a truly fearsome pokemon trainer, perhaps moreso than any of Concordia’s gym leaders. Very little else is known about her, though she’s always friendly and willing to help out a trainer in need. Most impressively, the mythical pokemon Diancie has formed something of a kinship with her.
Quote: “Diancie and me have a special bond. We’ve been together since the day I was born!”
I've seen one or two good Pokémon/MLP:FIM crossovers. It could work, though I admit not having one or all of the Mane 6 as the primary characters does lessen my interest some. Not that it's a bad idea, just my taste, I guess. I'm sure you'll get a more clear picture of the reader base opinions as more people weigh in.
So who would actually be the champion? Red? Blue? Pip?
Also:
[Muffled Eurobeat Playing in the Distance]
Best of luck if you do it.
4801187
Flurry Heart is the champion, in case it wasn’t obvious enough.
4801189
Meh, guess I didn't read "more feared than gym leaders" part. It's late, I should've been in bed hours ago. Not the worst idea. Better than a Dire Potato, anyway.
This sounds amazing.
G2 flashbacks intensify...
Fascinating idea, though doubling up on Grass gyms (well, four-thirdsing up) bothers me more than it probably should. Hope you do flesh this out further.
Wow, you put a lot of thought into this. Honestly, considering you don't have a plot yet, I find myself wishing this was a gen 4 rom hack instead.
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When you have as much an overactive imagination as I do, you tend to think about these things a lot.
(Part of the reason I don’t really feel like writing this is that its plot would mostly be recycled from Pokemon Platinum’s, with a few twists.)