"I CALL HIM ENIGMA, BUT I BELIEVE THE POPULAR TERM FOR THIS CREATURE IS ROARING MOON." Sergei looks at his blue dragon with pride as it plays with the Gym Leader's Salamence in a battle for speed. When Alexei Ivanov asked where he got it, the redhead responds by airdropping a report to the former's phone. "I got a compiled initial report about it if you want to read! But to answer your question, I got mine from the Battle of Dewford. Gym Leader Josh helped me with this report as well."

Believing Alexei Ivanov wants a closer inspection, he puts his fingers to his mouth to whistle and call for the Roaring Moon. It swoops down directly in-front of them, the enigmatic dragon smiling while trying to hide a small wild Pikipek in its mouth that Sergei has to glare at dragon for it to release the poor bird.

He coyly smiles at the Gym Leader, trying to look apologetic as he diverts his attention to why he is at his place in the first place.

"Do we start here now?"

---

TL;DR
- SERGEI summons ROARING MOON and TATSUGIRI

GYM: SKYRIDER BADGE
Alexei Ivanov

THE ROOTS OF ASPEN

—POKEMON RESEARCHER/SCIENTIST WANTED AD

OVERVIEW

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THE ROOTS OF ASPEN is a community of researchers, academics, and scholars around the world invited, supported, and sponsored by PROFESSOR LILLIAN ASPEN in hopes of fulfilling her endeavor to establish a university free from the barriers of region, affiliation, and ideology.

THE ASPEN SCHOLARS

---

Click on the SPOILER TAG below to peruse available positions.

SPOILER: Click to show

PROFESSOR: LILLIAN ASPEN*

Professor Lillian Aspen is the head of the organization, having been acknowledged as a pillar of modern-day academe both in Hoenn and the outside region. Professor Aspen has a dream of establishing a university free from the barriers set by one's region, affiliation, and ideology.

*Professor Aspen is currently an NPC character.

DRAGON-TYPE RESEARCHER: sergei dachev
21 - HE/HIM - PLAYED BY LANCELOT

Sergei is a research student in the Unova University whose specialty is all about dragon Pokemons. During his last year in college, he is invited by Professor Aspen.

«SPECIALTY»: «CHARACTER NAME»
ANY - ANY - PLAYED BY ??

This research student is invited to the Roots of Aspen together with sergei dachev in their research trip to Hoenn. Recommended specialties include, but not limited to, the following topics: mega-evolution, terastalization, and/or z-move.

«SPECIALTY»: «CHARACTER NAME»
ANY - ANY - PLAYED BY ??

This research student is invited to the Roots of Aspen together with sergei dachev in their research trip to Hoenn. Recommended specialties include, but not limited to, the following topics: Pokemon history and politics, Pokemon zoology and anthropology, mythology, and/or Pokemon cultural studies.

HOW TO JOIN?

---

ICly, Professor Aspen gives a personal handwritten invitation to aspiring members. OOCly, anyone can join as long as they fulfill the IC requirements of being a Roots of Aspen member. This means existing characters and/or new characters can join this wanted ad.

For application, kindly fill up the following form by answering the questions provided.

[b]NAME:[/b] answer[break]
[b]REGION:[/b] your character's hometown (may or may not be from hoenn)[break]
[b]FACTION/AFFILIATION:[/b] list down all faction/affiliation (including affiliations from personal lore)[break]
[b]SPECIALTY:[/b] what is your character's cup of tea/specialty?[break]
[b]REASON FOR INVITATION:[/b] what do you think you can contribute to aspen's tree of knowledge? (this explore's the IC motivations of joining the organization)[break]
[b]PERSONAL GOAL:[/b] what does your character aim to achieve upon joining the organization? (what is your character's motive apart from the organization's goals? this helps in aligning your character's development with the organization)

Alexei Ivanov BLUSHING EVEN MORE PROVES HIS SUSPICION that he is more than just a challenger to him; the Gym Leader may have known him from somewhere that the redhead is not aware off. He shrugs it off when he decides to lead him outside the arena, thinking he might get an idea where Alexei Ivanov might have known him.

"Doubles, yeah! I had fun doing it in Mauville so I figure I might do the same here."

The outdoors area of the sanctuary is even larger from the inside of the building. It really appears to be a sanctuary fit for the avian Pokemons. What shocks him, however, is Alexei Ivanov's proud collection of dragon Pokemons as well. "I thought you only have flying-types as preference. It appears anything that is flying is within your cup of tea, am I right?"

Sergei releases two of his Pokemons from their ball: when Enigma soars into the sky to join the other flying Pokemons, Tatsugiri chooses to stay in her place just beside her trainer. He smiles seeing how far Enigma has come in socializing with other Pokemons, proving others wrong that a Roaring Moon like it will never be tamed.

"I say 'cuties first.' So, wanna do the first move?"

---

TL;DR
- SERGEI summons ROARING MOON and TATSUGIRI

GYM: SKYRIDER BADGE
Alexei Ivanov

SOME TIME IN JULY, SERGEI'S TEAM ORGANIZED A PUBLIC CAMPING TRIP IN THE MOUNTAINS OF FORTREE in light of the recent anomalies surrounding Route 120. While his teammates are not present for the events that transpired in Galar for the next twenty years in the relics' memories, Sergei is aware of the mysteries and curiosity that surrounds it. While this is supposed to be a lax affair for his teammates, the redhead thinks of this relaxation trip as an extension of his work.

The dinner is the highlight of the camping trip because everyone is already salivating on the burger-steak curry Sergei made for the campers. During which, one of them mentions the abandoned shrine their group saw during the trek.

"You mean that thing on the clearing? You mean those piles of stone is an abandoned shrine?"

---

MISSION: SUMMER CAMP (SS)
#OPEN

SERGEI PULLS OUT THE CAP THAT COVERS HIS FACE, revealing the redhead's smiling face when he approaches the bashful Gym Leader. Why Alexei Ivanov is as red as a cheri berry is beyond him, but he decides to shake hands with him anyway. "Hi! I'm here for the gym challenge. Sergei Dachev, do you remember?"

The thing is, Alexei Ivanov may have swiped on the redhead but the redhead may have not opened the amiGO app again during those days.

"I'm pumped for today's challenge! It's okay to go hard on me, okay?" He speaks as he continues to have a tight grip in Alexei Ivanov's hand, should he take it.

---

TL;DR
- SERGEI prepares for battle!

GYM: SKYRIDER BADGE
Alexei Ivanov

🌐 dragon.pokepedia.com/roaring_moon

ROARING MOON

---

FROM DRAGON POKEPEDIA, A COMMUNITY-DRIVEN DRAGON POKEMON ENCYCLOPEDIA

ROARING MOON is a type of PARADOX POKEMON that is first seen in the Ultra Deep Sea. While it resembles a Mega Salamence, there is currently no known connection with this Pokemon with the former. Roaring Moon derives its name from "moon" which it resembles when spreading its wings and "roaring" for describing its usual behavior (as depicted in the attached photo).

APPEARANCE

---

The Pokemon resembles a mega-evolved formed of the dragon SALAMENCE although there is no known connection with the former. It is primarily blue with red and yellow markings. Its head has white ridges resembling the shell of a SHELGON. Its front arms are notably larger than its hind legs but it has been known to fly around in order to navigate and look for prey.

BEHAVIOR

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Roaring Moons are usually more aggressive than most dragons. However, it is proven that there are also dragons that are more tame and friendly than others. These Pokemons also display an ability to be mounted and trained for battles. One way to make sure that this Pokemon is kept in line is to feed it with an adequate amount of meat, preferrably a jerky so they would continue chewing on it for the time being while they are being trained.

ABILITIES

Roaring Moons are known to exhibit an ability called PROTOSYNTHESIS. This is an ability unique among a group of Paradox Pokemons as well. Protosynthesis boosts the most prominent power of these Pokemons in the presence of harsh sunlight, allowing for stronger moves for hard hitting Pokemons and faster attacks for hasty ones.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

---

Huge thanks for Josh Devlin and his Roaring Moon, Ao, for helping contribute into creating this article.

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---

Do you want to volunteer at DRAGON POKEPEDIA? Click here!

FORTREE IS SERGEI'S NEXT STOP ON HIS ROAD TO LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP. He excused himself from Jack Napier telling he would be busy for the remainder of the month in this town, studying the site where the anomaly of the imaginary Galar twenty years ago (at least in his memory) began. Eventually, he would have received a formal invitation accepting the conditions of his gym challenge with the Fortree Gym Leader.

Defeating Josh Devlin and winning the Quick Badge is already a hard fought match and so he wonders how a battle with the flight king himself will fare for his team. His decision to change his lineup with Commander Wise is a gamble he is willing to try. After all, Enigma is already a formidable opponent on its own; a support from an equally daunting ally is everything the Roaring Moon could ever ask for.

And so walking towards the sanctuary, with both of his Pokemon's capsule in his utility belt, Sergei braves the challenge Alexei Ivanov has set for him today.

---

TL;DR
- SERGEI prepares for battle!

GYM: SKYRIDER BADGE
Alexei Ivanov

Name: sergei dachev [break]
Pokemon: [break]
Challenge Format: 2v2

Name: sergei dachev [break]
Pokemon: [break]
Challenge Format: 2v2[break]
Challenge Type: public

PURCHASING

welcome to the poké mart!

1X tm/tr (60 PD)
» TATSUGIRI learns PROTECT

REDEEMING

welcome to the poké mart!

3X tm/tr (from inventory)
» TATSUGIRI learns DRACO METEOR
» TATSUGIRI learns SUBSTITUTE
» TATSUGIRI learns SURF
1X typ. 3 evo (from inventory)
» ARCTIBAX evolves to BAXCALIBUR
1X kasib berry (from inventory)
» TATSUGIRI gains an ADDITIONAL MOVE SLOT

TOTAL

do come again!

60 PD

SURVEY #1
What do you like to wear to the beach or for swimming?
trunks all the way!

SURVEY #2
"What is your favorite water-type or fish Pokemon?"
(SUBMITTED BY THEO BECKETT)
tatsugiri of course! (or else my shrimp dragon is gonn be made at me!)

SURVEY #3
"What is the most pressing problem you have at the moment?"
how do you ghost someone?

SURVEY #4
"Do you have a bedtime ritual? What is it?"
a carefully curated nightime skincare routine where it starts with.....

SURVEY #5
"What would you kill for?"
nice try interpol

SURVEY #6
"What is your favorite summer memory?"
oh! when we went to humilau for the rest of the summer months just to go vacation

SURVEY #7
"If there is one thing you could change about yourself, what would it be and why?"
(SUBMITTED BY jayden cross)
and why would i do that?

SURVEY #8
"What's in your fridge?"
a meal prep of bibimbap

SURVEY #9
"What is your favorite hobby unrelated to Pokemon?"
(SUBMITTED BY Josh Devlin)
UMMMMMMMMM wait............. cooking? but for pokemons. hmmm wait this is hard. swimming? OH yes! swimming it is.

SURVEY #10
"What do you consider an overrated virtue?"
heroism

SURVEY #11
"What is your swear word of choice?"
(SUBMITTED BY wolfgang volkov)
yass bitch

SURVEY #12
"What's a piece of knowledge that you think everyone should know?"
(SUBMITTED BY GIDEON GRAVES)
alomomola is alomomola spelled backwards!

SURVEY #13
"What do you think is the biggest threat to Hoenn?"
(SUBMITTED BY Greyson Connors)
me and my charm *wink*

SURVEY #14
"Melody Miro has released a new album titled M.M. Listen to it here. Out of the tracklist, which is your favourite song and why?""
OH SHHHH- YOU DID NOT JUST ASK ME THAT! of course i like everything!

SURVEY #15
"Do you believe in canon events? Fixed moments in time that must be lived through?"
i think i just experienced it.

SUGGESTIONS?
"Do you have a suggestion for a future survey question? Please submit it below."
hmm, like, is it really hard to ask people to give you pokemon puns huh? beldum tss!

THE THING ABOUT LOREKEEPERS IS THAT THEIR TRUTH MAY NOT ALWAYS BE THE SAME AS A RESEARCHER'S. Sergei's is pragmatic, logical, sensible. Jack's, at least according to the redhead, is semiotical, sentimental, argumentative.

When Jack is quick to text him back about his whereabouts, the redhead immediately slips on his sneakers and hoodie to go for a walk. His mind is as lost as the fingers that run through his body, first through his pants and then through his hoodie pockets, trying to check for the missing key he's sure to have misplaced somewhere in his fit. But even this will not sway his tiny moment of clarity.

Today, he is ending things with Jack. But he hopes an ending like this will still be a good one. One that merits a friendship, at least.

JACK NAPIER

🟢 ONLINE

SERGEI DACHEV
hmu when you're nearby. i'll walk with you to the cafe. 😊
✓✓

JACK NAPIER 🟢
Heading to your location now, will join you shortly.
✓✓

SERGEI DACHEV
sure! just meet me by the cafe where we met last time.
✓✓

---

MISSION: POST GOODBYE GALAR
Jack Napier

🌐 dragon.pokepedia.com/the_skeleton

THE SKELETON

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FROM DRAGON POKEPEDIA, A COMMUNITY-DRIVEN DRAGON POKEMON ENCYCLOPEDIA

THE SKELETON is the name given to the serpent-like, skeletal Pokemon that appeared in the ROUTE 120 ANOMALY early July 2023 in Hoenn. Initial findings suggest the Skeleton to be a poison-dragon type, evident of the toxic sludge it summons in its presence. This Pokemon bleeds a bright particles that can be surmised as dynamax particles, allowing any Pokemon to DYNAMAX. As of present, no known evolution or devolution is linked with this Pokemon.

APPEARANCE

---

The Skeleton is a dark violet dragon with skeletal serpentine body.

BEHAVIOR

---

Poison sludge heralds the arrival of this Pokemon. As toxic substances creep through the ground, it forewarns the arrival of the Skeleton into the local soil through a pillar of light that reaches the sky.

In battle, this Pokemon is observed to have sadistic behavior, as documented from its fight with Necrozma.

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---

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