The relative peace of the breezy afternoon sun was soon interrupted by the low purr of a modified engine approaching from down the road. The revs remained low and consistent, a sign that the driver was comfortably cruising down the wooded route rather than racing through it.

Enjoying the vibe of the slow, leisurely drive, Daichi rested one arm on the frame of the door window and palmed the top of the steering wheel with the other. Still new to the region, he was enjoying the chance to explore the southern coast without having to worry about any other responsibilities or time pressures.

A single Fletchinder trailed along behind the vehicle, easily keeping pace thanks to the tailwind at its back. Its wings were spread wide with the comfortable coasting motions as it soared up above, effortlessly swooping and swerving to avoid the occasional tree branch hanging low overhead.

With the windows rolled down, it was easy for bystanders to hear the music that the driver had been enjoying along the way.

Soon enough, the silhouette of his white S14 emerged from around a relatively blind corner leading to a wider stretch of open roadway heading in the direction of Petalburg City.

Lydia Magnusson

Daichi set his jaw, considering his options as his dogged pursuer continued closing in. That was the moment when the psychic pokemon in his passenger seat suddenly spoke up, giving the established signal that they were approaching other vehicles beyond the next turn.[break][break]

"Drowzee! Drow, Drow."[break][break]

As predicted, a set of headlights would indeed suddenly round the corner up ahead, closing in on Daichi and Josh from the opposite direction. The two lane mountain road did not have enough room for all three of them to pass each other at once.[break][break]

It was the perfect opportunity for Daichi to put his planned maneuver into action. Just as the Zeraora pulled up alongside the car, he hit the brakes, shut off his headlights, put the car in neutral and shut off the ignition entirely.[break][break]

With the bright headlights and engine noise of the other car up ahead providing a distraction, Daichi effectively vanished from view. He used that cover to steer his car as it coasted through its own self-imposed darkness. Hoping that his pursuer wouldn't catch on in time, his car veered left to split off on a downhill residential sidestreet. The downhill momentum kept him moving forward, the lack of engine noise kept him almost silent, and the audible directions from his psychic pokemon helped direct his otherwise blind steering.

Josh Devlin

Daichi's car continued accelerating, now facing a long stretch of straight ascending roadway, the reverse of the same route they'd just descended. Unfortunately, his modified tuner car was at much more of a disadvantage on uphill courses. As quick as the vehicle was, it lacked the raw horsepower to truly thrive in drag scenarios. Remaining calm, the driver focused on cleanly shifting through the first few gears, tuning out the sounds of the 2-liter turbo engine raging in protest at how hard it was being pushed.

That was the moment when the compact police scanner mounted on his dashboard chose to light up. Daichi turned his stereo down just in time to hear the rest of the call that his pursuer had put out over the emergency frequency. Scoffing, he tightened his grip on one side of the steering wheel and narrowed his gaze.

"... Fucking really?"

Clearly things were a little different around here compared to what he was used to in the mountains near Pewter City. The same levels of leeway from law enforcement didn't seem to exist in Hoenn. Honor among drivers (as he knew it) seemed absent as well. He would have to be a lot more careful going forward.

To make matters worse, he glanced towards his side mirror and noticed the unmistakable silhouette of the electric pokemon beginning to catch up. Knowing he had no other option, he kept his line and eased off the accelerator a little bit, giving the other rider an opportunity to pull up alongside him while they both kept moving.

When the second player decided to join him, Daichi barely seemed to acknowledge their arrival. His brow merely perked a little bit on one side before he cast an idle glance the newcomer's direction.

"Mmm." A single, non-commital hum was all that was offered.

It wasn't exactly a warm reception, but he didn't make any move to kick her off either.

When inevitably presented with the menu for a multiplayer battle, he selected his go-to fighter as if he'd been matched up against any other competitor. As soon as the match started, he put his years of practice to work and ruthlessly dispatched the apparent newcomer in the first round. The second round was no different.

It was only after the match ended that he fully processed the apparent gap in their skill levels. When his opponent was presented with the dreaded "Continue?" prompt, he paused for a moment of consideration.

"Been meaning to try that one over there." His tone was low and sounded uncaring as he nodded towards a co-op side-scrolling beat'em up cabinet nearby. It would be a much more merciful option than going head-to-head in a 2d fighter against this girl again.

Elise Calcifet

Daichi didn't have any hope of actually hearing the shouted words from inside his car. Not with both the engine, the closed windows, and the thumbing eurobeat to contend with. He had no intention of slowing down or pulling over anytime soon either.

One corner after another, the driver worked his way along the downhill course, keeping pace with the mounted pokemon rider. As time went on, he drifted less and less, abandoning the reckless flair in favor of clean driving and tighter racing lines. Each time he made ground in downhill straightaways, the Zeraora always seemed to catch up with its abilities and greater traction through the corners.

Soon enough the landscape began to level out, and the two riders began approaching the edge of town. The thrill of the downhill was no longer present, and Daichi began to lose interest fast. Easing off the accelerator, he began to coast, letting the other rider go on ahead. He looked around for an opportunity with sufficient space, ultimately opting to hit the breaks and instigate a stylish handbrake turn, pivoting the car to turn around 180 degrees. There was a brief, momentary window where his care halted, preparing to start accelerating up the mountain roads again.

Josh Devlin

Even after a long day spent working and training with his Pokemon, Daichi still felt oddly restless after the sun went down. He figured it was as good an opportunity as ever to wander the streets of Lilycove City for a little bit. He was still fairly new in town, and he hadn't found time to check out the night life yet.

His original idea was to grab a beer at a yokocho-style bar, but his ambling stroll through the inner downtown area inevitably just brought him to one of the arcades.

The multi-story establishment was surprisingly quiet, probably owing to the offseason time of year and the fact that it also happened to be a weeknight.



Daichi gravitated towards one of the machines he knew best, an old 2D fighter that he'd been playing all his life. The fighting game section was about as you'd expect, with a wide selection of different titles all arranged in similarly shaped cabinets that all sat lower than most. There was just enough space for two players, with a an old CRT screen and stools for each contender to sit at. 

He sat himself down with a weary sigh, setting his cup full of coins aside after feeding his first credit of the night. There didn't seem to be anyone else around that he could challenge. For the better part of an hour, he just grinded away in a silent flow state, practicing combos on his long-time main.

Eventually though, he pushed himself up with a stretch and glanced around the place. There was an idle curiosity there, scanning the other machines present to see if anything new caught his eye.

Elise Calcifet

Heading into the next corner, he picked his moment and steered into the direction of the turn. As soon as he could feel the car's weight begin to shift, he reached out and pulled sharply on the e-brake, letting the back end of the car slide with its momentum. Releasing the break just as quickly, he floored the accelerator, red-lining at a lower gear to set his rear tires spinning freely in another controlled drift. The only thing more pronounced than the loud screech of his tires was the smoke they produced, but the driver managed to maintain a tight racing line throughout the maneuver.

As clean as the drift was, the electric pokemon still *blew* past him with that quick attack. Daichi even found himself shielding his eyes with one hand as the shower of sparks passed through his peripherals.

The car was overtaken with a clear gap as the two riders emerged into the next straightaway.

"Drowzee."

"What pokemon even is that?" Daichi's brow furrowed with concentration, but he could feel his pulse begin to spike with a returning thrill."

"Drowzee."

"Think they're up for a dogfight?" The hint of a smirk began to return as he smoothly shifted into the next gear up and floored the accelerator again.


Josh Devlin

"Drowzee."  The psychic pokemon chimed in helpfully from the passenger's seat.

Daichi caught the flicker of movement in his peripherals, and shifted his gaze towards the rear view mirror. His stern brow furrowed at the reflection as he struggled to discern what he was even looking at back there.

"... What the fuck is that?" The driver reacted in an incredulous tone.

"Drowzee."

"Hmmm." Daichi's stony features remained impassive as he continued onwards, only sparing occasional glances for the rapidly shifting shape catching up from the shadows. Approaching the next corner, he shifted down and eased off the accelerator, preparing to initiate his next drift. "Well... let's see what they got."

Between the very infrequent interruptions of passing motorists, the distant cicadas were the only sounds to fill the area. It was a cool autumn night, with only a light breeze rustling the accumulations of fallen leaves. The sky was clear enough to bathe the mountainous region with an unobscured view of the distant stars.


The road winding down from Route 119 tended to be almost deserted at that time of night. One particular downhill straightaway was flanked by sharp hairpin bends on either side, the scene of far too many deadly accidents over the years. The vista at the side of the road overlooked the Mauville skyline, its benches often a popular spot for hikers and stargazers to enjoy the view far down below.




The relative peace was ultimately interrupted by the distant roar of a modified SR20DET engine. Loud and high pitched, it approached with a sudden crescendo, before headlights peeked and glinted from the corner in view up the hill. The loud screeching of tires heralded the driver's arrival as he drifted around the bend at a surprising clip, barely losing any momentum in the process. The cloud of tire smoke gave way as the white Nissan Silvia all but exploded into the straightaway, accompanied by the sound of a quick gear shift to further enhance its acceleration.


A faint smirk pulled at the corner of Daichi's mouth, dimly illuminated only by the light of the dashboard. Sitting at his side, safely buckled into the passenger seat, was his copilot (a Drowzee.)

DAICHI KURIMOTO

Driver, Roamer, Contender

BASICS

AGE: 27
HOMETOWN: Vermilion City
CURRENT RESIDENCE: Lilycove City
OCCUPATION: Driver (Courier/Deliveries)
BIRTHDAY: July 15th

VISUAL

FACE CLAIM: Keishin Ukai from Haikyuu
HAIR COLOR: Black (with blonde highlights.)
EYE COLOR: Brown
HEIGHT: 6'2"
DISTINGUISHING FEATURES: Stern facial features, short-trimmed stubble, two studs in the upper lobe of his left ear.

RELATIONSHIPS

CONTACTS: Very few, though he does keep in contact with some of his old friends from his first pokemon journey.
SEXUALITY: Straight
RELATIONSHIP STATUS: Single
POKEMON: Doku (Nidorino,) Gyoza (Drowzee,) Kogeru (Fletchinder,) Konohana (Seedot)

PERSONALITY

STRENGTHS: Resourceful, Street-Wise, Athletic
WEAKNESSES: Impatient, Ignorant
TRAITS: Guarded, Dismissive, Confident, Independent
HOBBIES: Racing, Baseball, Gaming (Arcades)
GOALS: Completing the Hoenn Gym Challenge (and then moving on to another.)
FEARS: Totalling his car, prison time, getting caught up in Team Rocket nonsense.

GENERAL

Daichi often makes a pretty rough and guarded first impression, but he’s a much more driven competitor than he would have you believe. As loath as he is to admit it, he has something to prove, and unfinished business with the world of competitive battling.


After an unsuccessful pokemon journey to complete the Kanto gym challenge in his early twenties, Daichi settled in Pewter City for several unproductive years. Purchasing and upgrading an old Nissan Silvia Spec-R gave him a hobby to focus on while living a relatively quiet period out in the mountainous area. All of his traveling companions scattered to the various regions they originated from, and he opted to spend his time enjoying the bachelor’s life in an area he had fond memories of. He didn’t accomplish much (besides the occasional street race win,) but those years suited him just fine.


Once he felt like he’d saved up enough funds and wasted enough time, he packed his things to start a new adventure. Armed with only his car, his camping gear, and his pokeballs, he took the ferry to Hoenn and left Kanto behind.

EARLY YEARS

Having never known his father, he was raised by a single mother who passed away when he was around ten years old. Bouncing around different foster homes, he ended up being a troubled teen who got wrapped up in some delinquent behavior over the years. One of his foster fathers got him hooked on playing baseball, before being arrested for white-collar crimes.


Daichi himself was caught for several petty crimes during his teenage years. His childhood friend group was a pretty rough crowd and eventually made the decision to join the ranks of Team Rocket as grunts. Daichi was the only one among them who refused, kickstarting the events that led to his first pokemon journey with a new friend group.

HOOKS

LILYCOVE CITY NIGHT LIFE - He can be found in bars, batting cages, gyms (for people,) training his pokemon outside, or battling travelers who make their way to the area. At night, it’s also possible to find him driving the winding mountain roads, racing other drivers from the area, or just practicing by himself.


DELIVERY DRIVING - Despite having recently arrived from Kanto, he still fulfills orders for various rideshare and delivery apps to keep the cash flow coming. So many interactions with customers and passengers leave a lot of possibilities for meetings.


KANTO ACQUAINTANCES - His party’s attempt to complete the Kanto gym challenge took place five years ago, they traveled all over the region and fought in plenty of battles, so they could have encountered just about anyone during that time.


DELINQUENT PAST - As mentioned in his backstory, he has some long-lost childhood friends still within the ranks of Team Rocket. He has no love for the organization, but anyone playing a Team Rocket character could potentially be one of those friends he lost contact with.

REGARDING THE LEAGUE AND TEAM ROCKET

Daichi is currently listed as “League,” and he is a civilian. But I want to make it known that he is a very neutral character with a potential for involvement on either side of that conflict. He doesn’t seek such things out, but his skillset is very well suited for aiding in certain criminal activities (like getaway driving.) His rough demeanor is perfect for undercover work on the league’s behalf as well (hypothetically speaking.)

Depending on who he meets in Hoenn and how the RP goes, he could potentially be convinced to perform work for either side at this point. He has no love for Team Rocket, but that kind of trouble has a knack for finding him time and time again.