Nicholas Frosten

as the pair work together, lillian and ampharos do the same, softly calling to the herd and gesturing them to get closer. though slow and a bit stubborn, the shock from seeing the suddenly - large pokémon seems to have done just the trick! as soon as they’re close, lillian counts them all to confirm that no stranglers managed to escape. thank arceus, everyone’s accounted for! lillian sighs in relief. but then she feels heat rising to her cheeks, embarrassed to have to ask so much of him all of the sudden.

nicholas…. ah !! no wonder him and his partner looked familiar! her nerves spike just a bit more, the introduction confirming his identity.

“ thank you very much! both of you! ” she says quickly, bowing her head to nicholas and the abomasnow, “ lillian! i’m lillian, and these is meeps. and these are my family’s mareep. ” she introduces, gesturing to herself, her ampharos, and then the herd. “ uhm, if you’re not busy, we’d love the help. the farm isn’t far, you can see it from here. ” she points to the farm not too far in the distance, “ they seem calmer now, so it’s just a matter of making sure they don’t take off the wrong way again! i’m sure they won’t with you two behind us. ” lillian assures, already beginning to make steps down the path. just like she guessed, the mareep follow. she also beckons to nicholas and his pokémon.

“ thank you two again, and i’m so sorry for the trouble we’ve caused! ”

“Of course! It’s what we’re here to do!” Nicholas said, patting Abomasnow on the arm. Abomasnow turned his attention from the Mareep to Nick, giving a grin. Nick shot a thumbs-up at Abomasnow, letting it know it had done a good job. The Mega Evolution energy fell away, leaving Abomasnow in it’s base form. “It’s a pleasure to meet you and Meeps, Lillian! We’re not in any hurry, so we wouldn’t mind walking the Mareep back with you!”

Lacey laughs as Nicholas returns her embrace, shooting a cheeky grin up at the Norite star upon hearing his playful retort. “I guess you’re right…” she concedes with a wink, “…but a great story waits for no one! And Rotom won’t let me use the phone while it’s recording, so–you see–my hands are tied!”

Upon hearing its name, Rotom circles above the pair, eagerly snapping a few photos before returning to the livestream. “But…!” Lacey declares abruptly, taking a step backwards and jabbing a finger at Nicholas, her eyes twinkling. “…at least for today, it looks like we’re on the same page–great minds think alike and all that! And get ready, because I’m not gonna let you out of my sight!

“Now, as for what to do…”

Lacey puts gloved fingers to her lips, whistling sharply. Within seconds (and everybody in the vicinity wincing), Rotom zooms back with the cell phone, snapping candid pictures of Elekid, Togedemaru, and Glaceon before casually bringing up the Ace Reporter’s digital notes on the home screen. “Well, Mr. Nick…” she muses, poring over the festival details excitedly, “…looks like we’ve got options! There’s a parade starting in a few hours, festival booths, battle arena tours, a ball later tonight…I dunno…” Trailing off and glancing back at her friend, the reporter offers him a sly grin. “You know that I can’t choose, so I’m leaving the decision to you! It all sounds so great–Rotom, turn the stream on me!”

“Which option will Nick choose for us today?!” she asks with her over-the-top dramatic news voice and gestures, grinning into the hovering lens as Rotom pans out to include both trainers in the frame. “His choice could determine the very fate of our adventures…stay tuned for the latest Norite Decision, brought to you exclusively by MPN!”

Nick flinched a little at Lacey’s loud whistle, before regaining his composure and grinning at the TV star. “Ugh!” Nick cried melodramatically, pressing the back of his hand to his forehead. “You always make me choose! How could I possibly make a decision such as this?”

Grinning a little at his own theatrics, he scooped Glaceon up in his arms. She gave out a little whimper at suddenly being picked up before sharing a look with Nick. Glaceon wiggled out of Nick’s grip, walking up before perching on his shoulders. Nick turned his head up to Glaceon to look her in the eyes. “What do you think, Glaceon? What do you wanna go check out?”

★:  a wish my muse has

Nick would love to help everyone in Norite (and even Agron as a whole!), but he is only one man and can only do so much. Because of this, Nick would love to be able to slow time or extend the length of a day so he could really get to know and help everyone he meets.

☑:  something my muse has accomplished that they’re proud of

Nick is really proud of his Gym! When he was attending the Agron Pokemon Academy as a child, battle strategy was never his strongest suit and many of his teachers told him that he wouldn’t amount to much as a competitive battler. Because of this, his fight up the ranks and position as Agron’s strongest Gym Leader is something he takes a lot of pride in.

☢:  something my muse is afraid of

Nick loves helping people, so not being able to help them and losing the support of his community, which he loves so much, would be devastating to him and is his worst nightmare.

♪:  three songs that remind me of my muse

i’m bad at choosing music but here are a few that are kinda good??? idk

The Hockey Song- He’s a hockey boy

Mr. Blue Sky- just a happy, peppy song that reminds me of this sunshine boy

Don’t Stop Me Now- another high-energy song

☃:  does my muse like the holidays? 

Nicholas loves the holidays! The cheery atmosphere, the time spent with friends and family, and the fact that the winter months are just starting make the holiday period one of his favorites.

♌:  three things my muse is enthusiastic about

Nicholas loves hockey, helping his community, and hanging out with friends! He rolls all of this up by running youth hockey programs in his Gym where local kids can come in and he and his friends will skate around and have fun with them!

It doesn’t take long for Lacey to comprehend that cheery voice and warm smile. A moment of wide-eyed recognition flickers across her face, and then the reporter all but launches herself at the newcomers, a joyous exclamation of Nicky! spilling from her lips as she wraps both Nick and Glaceon in one of her classically-tight embraces. Upon seeing the reunion, Togedemaru squeaks happily and Elekid expectantly flexes a muscle, hoping to earn the approval of Nick, his not-so-secret idol. Releasing her hug, Lacey steps back to look the Norite City Gym Leader up and down, bouncing on her heels excitedly. “You and Glaceon look great, of course–and it has been too long!”

Turning towards her floating Rotom recorder, the Mimosa Port Gym Leader mimics Nick’s peace sign, her blue eyes twinkling. “Look who we’ve run into, everybody–its Norite MVP Nick Fooorsten!” she declares with a wink, doing her best announcer impression. “I’m gonna send Rotom on a quick break now, but stick with MPN coverage–we’ll be back in a flash!”    

As Rotom flies off to capture some overhead B-roll footage, Lacey visibly relaxes away from the lens, bringing her energy down from a ten to a conservative nine. Still, the grin on her face is as warm and genuine as ever.

“It is seriously so good to see you–we haven’t caught up in ages, and I was getting worried!” she scolds, poking Nick in the side teasingly. “Even though you’ve made it big now, you still have to check in with me!”

Lacey unconsciously glances about the port in a gleeful reverie, feeling completely at ease now. Something about Nick’s presence–ever since they met–is always so calming. She cocks her head curiously, a sudden thought entering her mind.

“Say, I thought the League wasn’t required to show up until tomorrow…” she muses, tapping her chin thoughtfully, “…so what brings you here so early? I mean, all the way from Norite City…I reckon that’s not a short trip at all! Whew!”

Nicholas manages to catch Lacey as the airborne girl flies towards him. He squeezes her tightly, his grin spreading wider across his face as he puts her down. Glaceon stays near Lacey as she moves back, rubbing up against her and smiling up at her.

As Lacey looks back over to her phone, Nick scoops up her Elekid, giving it a fistbump and putting it on his shoulders. As she gives her mock announcement into her phone, he and Elekid strike poses, flexing into the camera. By the end of her drawn out shout of his name, he’s bent over giggling, Elekid next to him doing the same.

As Rotom flew away, Nicholas lightly wrapped an arm around Lacey’s neck and ruffled her hair. It felt good to be back with her, joking around and having fun. “Now don’t you give me that you made it big, Ms. TV Reporter!” He said mockingly. “It feels like whenever I call you’re either on air or about to go on air!"

“Alola, Agron! It’s Lacey here, and yes–we’ve finally made it! Now coming at you live from the grand opening of the Battle Frontier and Resort!”

Lacey’s smartphone-currently being animated by her trusty partner Rotom-floats around the Mimosa Port Gym Leader, recording footage as its owner all but leaps from the arriving ferry, a huge, beaming smile on her face.

“For everyone not able to attend the event, this livestream is for you!” Lacey declares, pointing a determined finger at the phone lens. “Until you’re ready to see this place for yourself, tag along with us-we’re going to catch as much as we can! Come on, guys!”

Rotom swivels the smartphone downwards, bringing Lacey’s two equally excited Pokemon into the frame: Elekid is windmilling his arms wildly and throwing imaginary jabs (undoubtedly imagining himself fighting inside one of the new arenas), and Togedemaru is rolling around her Trainer’s feet, squeaking excitedly.

The camera pans back up to Lacey, who has since planted her hands on her hips, her eyes surveying the passing crowd with their usual bright blue intensity. “We’ve just made landfall on the northern Aster Island, and as you can see…” she explains eagerly into the camera, “…there are some real stars entering Snapdragon Port for the first time, too! Let’s see if we can get some reactions from the crowd! ‘Scuse me!”

Lacey picks her victim indiscriminately, tapping a passerby innocently on the shoulder to trap them grab their attention. “Hey hey, Lacey Lightspeed from MPN here–what brings you to the grand opening? Honestly, now–are you excited for Agron’s new digs?”

Nicholas had just arrived to North Aster Island. After the long boat ride from Snapdragon Port, he was excited to be among the crowds admiring the new battle facilities. He saw the Battle Tower looming above them, and he stared up at the top of it, a massive grin on his face.

He looked down, seeing Glaceon at his side, just as excited as he is. The two of them pushed through the crowd, excited to find and battle at one of the new facilities and be caught up in the festivities. He pauses when he hears a familiar voice call out and he turns when he feels a tap on his shoulder.

“Oh shoot, Lacey, how’re you doing? It’s been so long! ” Nicholas said, somehow lighting up even further at the sight of the fellow Gym Leader. Seeing her Rotom recording them, he grinned and flashed a quick peace sign at the camera. “I’m loving all these new facilities here and I can’t wait to try them all out!”

    league meetings.     iggy never was really one to enjoy the things, that is, if he even bothered to show up in the first place.     today seems to be a rarity though, as the champion himself sits towards a corner of the room and listens to the others ( gym leaders, elite four and then others affiliated with running the league ) drone on and on. it’s really… rather boring ?    it likely doesn’t help that his coffee wasn’t doing much to help him with staying awake. ah. shit. it’s gone cold, actually ? for arceus sake, how long had he been sitting here ?     it hits him then.     iggy had fallen asleep.    his pose says it all– body slumped low into his chair, arms lightly crossed over his chest, legs a bit spread. the prime positioning for catching some z’s.     out of the corner of the champ’s eyes, he spots … oh, what was this guy’s name again ? nick, yeah nick.     ❝ oi.     am i missing anythin’ ?     or did i miss anythin’ important ?     everyone must’ve gone on break since people are just sittin’ around. ❞

League meetings.

While Nicholas understood it was a necessary part of his job, he never enjoyed them. He liked being on the ground, working with the people and helping them out. This kind of meeting, talking about the budget or whatever was not catching his attention. Sure, he was somewhat listening, not like the Champion, fast asleep next to him, but his mind was elsewhere, thinking of how much more productive he could be.

When the meeting took a quick break, he heard the Champion shift around, and then begin to speak. Nick turned to Iggy when he heard him start talking

“No, it’s the same old boring stuff.” Nick said, rolling his eyes.

“The most interesting thing was a drier than usual season in the Jasmine Desert. Can’t be any drier than this meeting is. Why do they even make us come to these things anyway?”

For all intents and purposes, a Snorlax had wondered into the gym’s waiting room. Alwin’s legs were layered into two stubby tree trunks of trousers and his torso was round enough that he’d roll out the door he came from with a strong enough push. His expression, while covered in sweat considering they had not made it to colder clime, was rosy-cheeked and decorated with an excited (albeit nervous) grin.

“I, uh, I’m ready to head off whenever you are, Nicholas! I’ve come prepared like you said! Golurk’s outside with all our camping equipment… Thanks for agreeing to this, by the way! If anyone could safely guide someone to the Icy Rock up in the mountainside it’d be your family after all… Man, once we figure out the secrets to its constant endothermic state, coolant problems should be a thing of the past! Er, I haven’t interrupted anything, have I…?”

It was a chill day around the Gym. Nicholas was lounging with some kids in the lobby, talking with them about his trips around to other regions and listening to their plans for the future.

In a moment of silence, a voice appears behind him. It’s slightly familiar, and he leans back, leaning his head over the back of the chair to look behind him. Upon seeing the face of the PC manager, Nicholas freezes as he remembers the plans he had made for today.

“Shoot! I completely forgot! Hang on, let me grab a coat real quick and I’ll be right back!” he said in a panic. He turned his attention from Alwin back to the kids he was hanging out with. “Sorry kids, but I promised this guy that I’d help him climb the mountains today. He manages the PC network and wants to go study the Icy Rock. I’ll see you guys later, alright?”

He ducked out of a door, leaving Alwin waiting in the lobby for a few minutes. Coming back, flannel on and a winter coat tossed over his arm, he finally noticed the absurd amount of layers that the other man was wearing.

breeder nearly stumbles as she skids to a stop on the path ‘pon watching as the trainer calls a pokémon to his side. she pauses a brief moment to catch her breath but also to get a closer look at whoever she’s called out to. his appearance, his voice, the pokémon he’s called to aid … oh. lillian shakes her head ─ she can fret over his identity later! instead, she watches a glow envelope abomasnow, shape slowly changing until taking a new form altogether. mega evolution. something she’s never seen in person! the breeder watches with awe, temporarily forgetting the situation at hand. well, until her ampharos nudges her, drawing her back to reality.

the mareep have, thankfully, stopped running, also mystified by the giant pokémon before them. some take a few tentative steps back, others hesitate, freezing in place. the scene is quiet. lillian can practically hear her heart thumping in her chest.

“ okay, uh-! ” she slowly creeps to the edge of the pathway, ampharos taking the parallel side, “ slowly and calmly walk towards them so they come back to us! herd them along the path! they shouldn’t scatter as long as you guys go slow! ” she instructs. as if to back up her statement, the mareep gaze up at the mega with a mixture of curiosity and caution ─ definitely not a pokémon they want to mess with!

Wow, that actually worked? Nicholas thought to himself. Thought for sure those Mareep were gonna charge right past me. Trying not to look too shaken, he took a small step forward, gesturing to Abomasnow to do the same. The two of them crept forward, guiding the Mareep closer and closer to the breeder and her Ampharos.

When they finally arrived to her, Nicholas had to wipe sweat off his brow. While not a long walk back over to the girl, it felt like an eternity as they tried to keep the Mareep calm and in line.

“And here they are! Are you heading back in that direction?” He said, pointing down the path. A hand want up to run the back of his neck. “I can walk them back with you, make sure that they don’t run away again.”

“So let me get this straight.” Thin fingers curl into gloved hands as Cora finds herself on the verge of erupting. Sure, the Battle Frontier’s opening was a momentous occasion, and she would be remiss if she didn’t participate in the festival.

That being said…

“Dynamaxing? DYNAMAXING?! You mean the overhyped, useless phenomenon that singlehandedly turned Galar into a polluted wasteland that Poison Types can’t even survive in?! Oh sure, Macro Cosmos has plenty of resources to invest in fixing the environment or discovering alternative fuel sources, but they’d rather sink their millions into making the problem worse because ‘look at me, I made my Wailord the size of a skyscraper’!”

“It’s just Mega Evolution, but worse and with no bearing on the bonds between Pokémon and their trainer! At least with Mega Evolution it’s functional outside of a league setting!”

When Nicholas was called out to the Aster Isles by the League, he certainly wasn’t expecting this amount of hustle and bustle surrounding them. He also wasn’t expecting the Elite Four member to his left to be so irate about the whole thing. All the Gym Leaders and Elite Four members were lined up in order on stage, while people gave speeches about the new Battle Frontier opening soon.

“C’mon, Cora! Lighten up a little! This whole thing is gonna be great!” Nicholas said, continuing to look out over the crowd. “Dynamaxing is a lot of fun from what I did with Melony on my trip to Galar and I think you’re overstating how bad it is! Everyone’s gonna have a lot of fun with it!”

  Not even a moment to lift his head before strong arm catches him; the ranger in the very instant feeling as if all hell had froze over in the way his body turns statuesque. Heart skips beat, and eyes ringed with exhaustion lift wide and startled, never expecting the man he sought for to gravitate with touch.

  No words sound, nothing but a withered wheeze, and all at once, that lanky body begins to squirm and escape the leader’s arm. Stuttered steps taken back, and fingers rise up to tug along the neck of crimson uniform as if to clear airway and catch his breath. Body shudders, hands begin to smooth down wrinkled vest, and voice cracks at the edges when forcing another bout of speech.

  “I–I need the–the gym leader–”

  Anxiety toils, the lingering sensation of touch causing his nerves to twist, but with a heaved chest manage does the ranger to continue. Sometimes, one of nature loved his job, and other times, he wished to merely crawl into a hole and hide.

  “To–to catch a Pokemon in the d-desert. I was unsuccessful in, in c-calming it, and my–my team is not tr-trained for–for battle.”

Nicholas frowned, seeing how the man seemed to deflate as he shot out from under his arm. He cocked his head a little to the side. Did he smell? He had just showered, so he shouldn’t stink that badly. He walked a little closer to stranger, but stayed a respectable distance away for the sake of the other man’s sense of smell. He shook the thought out of his head, instead focusing on the task at hand.

“Of course I’ll help! That’s what I’m here for after all! Now, before we go out to the desert, we gotta pack up some supplies, like water and stuff! Which Pokemon was it that was giving you trouble?” Nicholas said, looking over at the man, noticing his Ranger uniform for the first time. “Ah, you’re a Ranger! Perfect! Your brains and my strength, we can take this Pokemon down in no time, no matter what it is!”

“ You’ve been to Galar, too. ”  She’s only assuming, but it’s safe to. Klara isn’t sure if her sudden appearance startled him, having quite literally crept through the woodwork and found him training there. The very outskirts of Norite City were typically pretty quiet, especially when approaching the mountains; but she’d been watching for a little while now, not only recognizing him as an Ice-type trainer, but as the Gym Leader as well. She’d read enough papers about him.

Her Dreepy, calmly curled up and snoozing across her shoulders, was just one sign that she had spent some of her time in the distant land.  “ And … you have a very strong bond with your team. I admire that. ”

While Nicholas usually enjoys the hustle and bustle of Norite City, it was also nice to go out into the wilderness alone to enjoy the calmness of nature. He was on one of those hikes, walking with Darmanitan, when he heard an unexpected voice behind him.

  The city atmosphere never was favored by man of nature–doing his very best to avoid the crowded streets at any and all cost; but misfortune would come to light as word of the nearby desert’s already dangerous sands being guarded by a Pokemon of ferocious stature. While the Ranger was skilled, had gained his title for being able to calm such beasts, it seemed he may have been outmatched.

  –That, is when he finds himself outside the doors of Norite’s gym. Vivid eyes stare blank at the large doors, anxiety coiled and settling a knot within the pit of his stomach, but if one was to clear the path? A trainer skilled more than he was requested. Armiin swallows, hands uneasy when fiddling with the hemming of uniform, but with one, shuddered breath, palm is out and grasping against the handles. A pull, a pause, and yet another inhale needed before rushing inside through a crack just wide enough to slip through.

  “Ex-….excuse me?”

  Hesitant tone pipes, and eyes are trailed to nothing more than his boots–the ranger unaware if the leader was even present, and despite such, he continues to force his voice.

  “I, ah–am re-requesting the–the aid of gym leader.”

Nicholas was exhausted. Having his own practice instantly followed with his weekly scrimmage against the kids team had left him sweaty and short of breath. That being said, he couldn’t get the huge smile off his face from how much fun he and the kids were having out on the ice. He hopped off the ice, and jumped in the locker room shower to freshen up.

Freshly showered after practice, Nicholas walked out into the lobby. He walked over to the front desk, the Gym Guide giving him a smile and wave on his way by. Nicholas stopped, when he felt a rush of cold winter air come in through the door. He turned his head to see a small, gaunt man slip into the building.

The stranger began speaking, and upon hearing his request for help, Nicholas put on a big smile and walked over to the man, throwing a large arm around the man’s shoulder.

it really isn’t like her to make such a simple mistake. sure, after years of being away from the farm, she’s been a bit slow to get back into the groove of things ─ but letting some of the mareep escape through a gate not shut all the way? she’s ashamed! it was only when her ampharos started frantically trying to get lillian’s attention that she noticed and sprang quickly into action. luckily, the mareep that had escaped didn’t get far. most were easily corralled in with the help of her ampharos and togetic. even rockruff participated, utilizing barks and quick movements to round them up.

but then there were the ones that had made it a ways down the road. lillian wastes no time in chasing after them, doing her best to call their attention back to her. but the mareep are stubborn and enjoying their new freedom ─ making her task all the more difficult. but she soon spots a long figure down the road, right in the pathway of the small mareep herd. she can’t make out who they are, but this is an emergency !! without any time to consider what kind of person they are, lillian frantically waves them down.

❝ h - hey! can you help? please, don’t let them pass you !!❞

Nicholas was having a nice, calm walk. He was on his way to visit family down in Kenyte City, the sun was shining, and there hadn’t been too many interruptions on his journey. He tilted his head up, letting the sun warm his face, and closed his eyes, enjoying the warmth.

His relaxation was ruined by a shout coming from far away. He opened his eyes and looked towards the sudden noise. He saw a girl yelling and running, behind a small herd of Mareep, charging right at him.

He reached for a Pokeball at his belt, and threw it out. He knew he needed something to intimidate the Mareep into stopping, and needed his biggest and scariest Pokemon to do it.