Art trade with @nikita-ezhuthachan 🤍🤍🤍

LALIAH RENARD (AU)

Yes, I added AZ there, because I kiiinda made things a bit different where Team Flare kidnaps him and take his key for his weapon and would later also take Xerneas for Team Flare to use it as a means for the “chosen” ones to be given eternal life. That would be his first plan to recreate the world, as well as the whole Zygarde thing…

Laliah didn’t really remember her parents, since she mostly grew up with her brother as some sort of a parental figure that cared for her. That led her to be very close to him, but also having difficulties with other people, since she was mostly dependent on her brother. Her brother Laurier didn't have problems being with other kids unlike her. She was quite closed off with other children at the Kalos Summer Camp, causing her to get later picked on. Fortunately, she made a friend in the end after some time.

When Laliah was on her journey starting at 10 years old, instead of a starter, she chose a Mawile that was one of Sycamore’s Pokémon in his sanctuary. Because Laurier became Sycamore’s assistant way before Alain, she would often spend time with the Pokémon in the sanctuary, as for her love for them. There, became really good friends with a Mawile, and Sycamore allowed it, seeing there potential for a powerful bond for Mega-Evolution.

Unfortunately, she would never even cross the thought of Mega evolving Mawile after her brother left and had become a professor who also specifies in Mega-Evolution, and Alain, whom she thought she could trust back at the Kalos Summer Camp, eventually turned in to Team Flare for giving him the Key- and Mega stone.

I’d like to think that at some point she met Aria, who started her journey way later with her Fennekin, during some sort of trouble or a circumstance where she helps/saves them. Laliah would teach Aria stuff like battling for self-defence and overall tips, whereas Aria would tell her about Pokévision, style and performances. Though Laliah had talent in Aria’s eyes, and would have liked to perform together, she ulitimatly declined it despite Aria insisting her, saying she has stage fright when in reality she feels more secure with Pokémon than humans. Though they’re now separated, they’re still good friends and Laliah makes time for herself to look at her performances.

“The Astrellegical Witch’’ is more like Laliah’s alter ego than her performance suit, kinda like Blaziken Mask but she watches over Pokémon and brings them joy as she performs herself in front of the wild Pokémon as her audience (out of Aria's influence, though may be little)

Though she is very tough and strong, she also is still a bit insecure about herself, now because of the others’ accomplishments. She doesn’t like it when she is just known as “Laurier’s sister” for example, which slightly pisses her off. However, she gradually begins to feel less pressured about it. She doesn’t really have a dream or a very important goal, but she is not searching for one. She just wants to have happy moments in her life by living it to the fullest with the people she loves.

I know what she experienced might be also traumatic, but compared to the canon timeline, the canon timeline is just more and worse, trust me…

“No stone can verify my bond with my Pokémon!” - that’s one of her quotes

(Yet she also has no idea that she’s with the man himself who made Mega evolution as a concept… yet)

LAURIER RENARD/RENÉ (AU)

Laliah used to have difficulty pronouncing her brother’s name, so instead she just called him “René” until she got older.

Fun fact, “laurier” in French means laurel, which is related to the bay tree. They are native to the Mediterranean region and originated in ancient Greece, where people would make wreaths for the victors and were also believed to be immune to lightning, but they can grow in other places as well, as long as it gets enough sunlight and won’t get effected by pests or diseases. Portuguese laurels grow in western France, and are also known as the “cherry bay”.

Though his and Laliah’s last name isn’t a tree, but means “fox” in French, and “strong decision” from a Germanic name “Raginhard” too, his full name has a tree in it, so it’s a professor in my books…

Being fascinated with Pokémon and Mega-evolution, Laurier started as one of Professor Sycamore’s assistants before becoming a Pokémon professor himself after years. He branched off, has his own lab, and has started projects of his own across the world to find new mega evolutions (except after Kalos), where he sends and shares his updates and results with Sycamore as well, perhaps for a deeper inspection into this himself, since he still likes to help his old mentor and share the same fields of research. Because of his large successes with his projects, he is quite well known in these regions too, especially in Hoenn and Kanto, but also including Kalos of course. He stays in contact with people he knows via sending them letters, making sure they’re okay while he’s out.

He loves his sister a lot, and hopes she doesn’t feel too pressured by his successes and wants her to be happy and find her own path, and will always accept it no matter what.

Yes, he can mega evolve two Pokémon, so what? May in ORAS trailer mega evolved two Pokémon at the same time TWICE, while Calem also was able to mega evolve his entire team in the manga, so why can’t he then?

I’ll admit, the relationship lore between Laurier and Diantha isn’t as deep as Alain’s and Laliah’s, because Laliah is my main Pokémon OC. Laurier was just really charmed at her beauty and personality ever since he first saw her at the Summer Camp. Later, they would just somehow start building a relationship where he would later send her letters, knowing she must be quite busy with her acting career while he is busy working on his research projects.

“Whether you’ll be young or old… you’ll always be a shining star in my eyes, the shiniest that’s ever been recorded in the history of all that the universe had to offer...” - Laurier’s quote to Diantha before proposing her after the crisis

Also I made Laurier’s sketches and Laliah’s dress more than 2 months ago, so pls forgive me if it looks weird and for not posting anything back then too. I’m currently hyper fixated on Pokémon rn, but my school didn’t, doesn’t, and won’t allow it now, so thanking you for baring this with me :)

Also smth else here with no context: