Trainerville is a Smallville x Pokémon crossover universe loosely based off one of my own fics. I wanted to try a slightly different direction. For that reason, I'm reusing some of the worldbuilding.
This is a very heavy AU. Some things may follow Smallville canon, most things won't.
Posted stories may occasionally touch on sensitive topics, including but not limited to: Internalized homophobia, drugs, child abuse, violence consistent with both franchises, Pokémon abandonment, Pokémon death, etc. View at your own risk.
If you have an ask about the universe, feel free to send!
Story posts may be out of order. To view them in order, please see my Storylines page.
Character profiles will be updated as new information is released in-story.
Worldbuilding will contain links to meta posts about the universe.
Please enjoy!
Rules
Not many, just a few things to keep in mind.
I do not mind my work being bound, turned into a podfic, used as inspiration, or otherwise transformed as long as it is a) not done for profit and b) credited back to me.
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Ghost Type Pokémon - Biology, Care, and Everything Else You Need to Know
Identification
Ghost type Pokémon are, at their core, energy-based creatures that can be broken down into two categories: Amorphous and Object.
Amorphous Ghost types include the Gastly line, the Duskull line, and the Frillish line, among others. These are Pokémon comprised entirely of energy. Their bodies can phase easily through solid objects and even temporarily change their body shape (such as stretching their bodies in odd ways, or compressing them). Amorphous Ghosts are capable of possessing humans and other Pokémon on a temporary basis, living or dead, though their possessions can have lasting effects on the living, especially if done repeatedly. (See: Chloe's Case File #?: The Gastly Girl and Chloe's Case File #?: The Corpse of Crater Lake)
Object Ghost types include the Shuppet line, the Drifloon line, the Sinistea line, Mimikyu, and the Honedge line, among others. These are Pokémon born from the same energy as makes up Amorphous types, but instead attached to objects, such as toys, teacups, balloons, swords, etc. These Pokémon cannot possess humans or other Pokémon directly, and cannot phase through solid objects, as their body is itself a solid object, however they can notably influence unsuspecting humans and Pokémon that keep them nearby. (See: Chloe's Case File #?: Ghostlights at Luthor Manor)
Habitats
Both categories of Ghosts are created out of a particular energy, ectoplasm. Ectoplasm seems to form in areas with a high concentration of emotional energy. This can include (but is not limited to): Historical battle sites, century-plus old buildings, locations of particularly violent deaths, graveyards and other burial sites, and churches and other places of worship.
Certain locations are popular with trainers to search for Ghost Pokémon (See: Trainer Tourism), such as the New Jersey Pinelands; Gettysburg National Battlefield; the Winchester Mystery House; the Lizzie Borden House; Smallville, Kansas; etc.
Care
Ghost type Pokémon are actually quite low maintenance in the physical sense!
They do not require physical conditioning for prolonged battles, they do not need to stay in locations with highly-concentrated ectoplasm (though occasional visits are good for them, particularly for breeding endeavors).
They require regular feedings of lifeforce (see Feeding below). Young Ghost types typically require two appropriately-sized feeder Pokémon a day, while older Ghosts may only need one large meal a week. Trainers are highly encouraged to follow a regular feeding schedule, or they may find themselves on the menu.
A well-fed Ghost can theoretically never die.
Feeding
As Ghost type Pokémon are comprised of energy, it therefore makes sense that they require energy to feed on. While Object Ghosts can consume solid food formulated for Pokémon (preferably formulated for Ghost types specifically), it can take them days to properly digest it, and therefore is not an efficient way to feed your Ghost type.
Ghost type Pokémon feed most efficiently on the life energy of living flora and fauna, though fauna is preferred.
Amorphous Ghost types seem to feed most efficiently by possession; this act is theorized to grant Ghost types direct access to human and Pokémon lifesource. They can feed, if somewhat less efficiently, by direct contact as well.
It is theorized Amorphous Ghosts possess the dead, despite it providing no sustenance, in order to get closer to living targets without arousing suspicion. This has given rise to legends of vampires, incubi, succubi, and others
Object Ghost types seem to feed most efficiently by direct physical contact, as they are unable to possess the living. They can also feed by proximity as well, however this method is slow.
Different species of Object Ghosts prefer different feeding methods.
Objects that would normally be held--such as Honedge, an ectoplasm-infect sword, or Mimikyu, an ectoplasm-infected toy Pikachu--prefer direct contact to feed. Mimikyu tend to target children, who believe it to be a real toy and carry it constantly for comfort. Honedge have a ribbon they wrap around the arm of their target, so they are unable to be put down.
Objects that would not be held--such as Litwick, an ectoplasm-infect candle--tend to prefer close proximity, and feed extremely slowly so as not to be noticed. In this case, Litwick keeps its candle flame burning, providing light to its target. Its target must keep it close to use the light and rarely notice the flame does not extinguish, allowing it to feed steadily.
Some Object Ghosts may use a type of hybrid effect. Noticeable here is the Sinistea line. People do not constantly hold teacups or teapots, and rarely keep them close; but the Sinistea line infects tea made or poured into it with its own ectoplasm, which is then drunk and seems to somehow funnel lifeforce back to the Pokémon that provided the ectoplasm. The exact methodology is unknown at this time.
Both of these categories of Ghosts can also feed on plant life indirectly, resulting in the plants in question rapidly withering.
Wild Ghost types are incredibly dangerous, because they target humans and other Pokémon indiscriminately. They do not care if their target dies or not.
A well-trained Ghost type can be taught to only feed on feeder Pokémon, and some have even been trained to only partially drain their target. As a word of caution, these Ghosts are older, have developed an extreme amount of control, and training to this point is a long and difficult process. If done incorrectly, the Ghost can lash out at its trainer, resulting in injury and even death. However, if done correctly, feeder Pokémon can be rotated and given time to recover their lifeforce with sleep and food.
Breeding
Amorphous Ghost type Pokémon require an environment high in ectoplasm to reproduce. While the exact method is unknown, they do produce eggs that will eventually be laid. In order to successfully hatch, they must remain in this environment.
Object Ghost type Pokémon reproduce through entirely unknown methods. The presence of eggs is theorized, but has never been conclusively proven; however, some witnesses have claimed to see Object Ghosts bringing relevant objects into their territory. There's a video of a wild Mimikyu dragging a stuffed Pikachu into a locally-known haunted house, but the video quality is so poor it cannot be verified.
Warnings
Hunting wild Ghost types specifically can result in prolonged exposure to ectoplasm. Prolonged exposure to ectoplasm can cause the following symptoms: Paleness, insomnia, dizziness, nausea, loss of appetite, depression, anxiety, and paranoia.
These symptoms can also indicate a possession, but long-term or repeated possession (particularly noticeable in humans) can also result in: Changes in mood, demeanor, appearance, eye color, and voice.
Trainers that wish to capture and train a Ghost type should always keep a Dark type Pokémon on-hand, as Dark types are very adept in spotting possessed and influenced trainers and teammates.
If you suspect you or someone you know to be possessed by a Ghost type, please contact the nearest Ranger Station and request a Ghost-Certified Ranger be sent to assist you.
"Pokémon Academy" is a term used interchangeably for both private and charter schools that a) teach middle and/or high school curriculums and b) have integrated a variety of Pokémon-related courses into the curriculum that the students are required to take. In both cases, they are signified by having "Academy" or "Pokémon Academy" in their name and require the students to have Pokémon Licenses.
Charter Pokémon Academies are, like regular charter schools, tuition-free and more flexible in what and how material is taught than a public school. The main difference is that they use this additional freedom to integrate Pokémon-related courses into the curriculum, making them a type of specialty school. Often, the courses offered are geared toward a specific field.
One example is the Granville Pokémon Academy, serving grades 6-12. Students that attend learn specifically how to raise, train, and handle Pokémon for agricultural purposes.
Another is the Metropolis Pokémon Science Academy. This serves high school students, grades 9-12. Courses are specifically meant to prepare students for Pokémon research careers.
Private Pokémon Academies typically have much more variance in available courses for their students. Like other private schools, parents pay tuition for their child's attendance, and teachers have the most freedom available to them in what and how they teach. There are also far more of them than charter Academies. Most private Pokémon Academies have at least two different course tracks for Pokémon-related subjects, but some have more.
One example is the Meadows Pokémon Academy, a private high school in Kansas City. Their students have the option of learning how to breed, train, and raise Pokémon for Pokémon research or for the Battle circuit, and many students who choose the Battle track are scouted by universities and even professional teams.
Another example is the Hope Academy for Girls, a private high school with campuses in Wichita, Metropolis, Kansas City, and Topeka. Their students are primarily encouraged to take the Contest circuit track, though they also have less popular tracks for research fields and the Battle circuit.
A third example is Excelsior Academy, a boarding school located in Metropolis, with separate all-boys and all-girls campuses on opposite sides of the city from each other. Excelsior is a bit of an exception, in that it also serves elementary students (rare for Pokémon Academies) for day school in addition to middle and high. This is not typically allowed; however, their elementary students are required to take the school's Pokémon Licensing course in fourth grade (and repeat it in fifth if they do not pass it), and a Pokémon License is required to move up to their middle school division. As a boarding school, they accept students from all over the country into their middle and high school programs, even offering scholarships for academically-inclined students who cannot pay tuition. They also offer the most Pokémon course tracks to their students of any other Academy, including tracks for the Battle circuit, the Contest circuit, research fields, and preparatory tracks for Ranger School and ACE recruitment.
The Pokémon League is a yearly challenge where trainers must collect eight badges, cross Victory Road to reach the League Building, defeat the Elite Four, and defeat the current Champion to fully complete it. Anyone with a Pokémon License may register for the challenge. The official United States Pokémon League is known as the Oak League.
Badges are distributed by Gym Leaders, who battle the challengers to assess if the trainer has earned their badge. The United States has one gym per state, located in the state's capital. Young trainers are not usually capable of collecting more than one or two badges, due to various circumstances; most of the trainers who collect all eight badges are in their late teens or early twenties.
Victory Road is a National Park filled with high-level, aggressive Pokémon; these specimens are not recommended for capture, as most are at the end of their evolutionary line and do not often interact with humans, except to battle. Each entrance to Victory Road is guarded by Rangers, and entry is denied to any trainer who does not have eight badges. At the center of the park is the League Building, where the Elite Four and Champion wait for challengers.
The League Building also holds the Champion Hall of Fame, where images of previous Champions and their teams are displayed, along with a brief fact sheet about their challenge.
The Rose Conference, the United States' official Pokémon Conference, is a yearly event meant for high-level trainers. There are two parts to the Rose Conference: The battle competition and the lecture/panel/event portion. Trainers may participate in the battle portion if they have a Pokémon License and can a) buy a participation ticket or b) receive an invitation.
Entry tickets are expensive, but available to any official trainer with the funds. There are no minimum level, age, or badge requirements, but participating teams can be assumed to be experienced battlers.
Invitations can be earned in a variety of ways. Any trainer who has earned eight badges before the Conference is sent an invitation, for example. Trainers participating in the pro battle circuit can receive an invitation if they win or are runner-up to a state or national championship (both single trainers and teams). "Up-and-coming" trainers on a university or high school battle team may occasionally be sent one.
Gym Leaders, Elite Four members, and the current Champion are barred from the battle portion of the Rose Conference.
The event portion of the Rose Conference is open to anyone who can buy an entry ticket. This portion features demonstrations of new technology, lectures on individual Pokémon species and broader subjects such as Pokémon types, panels on Pokémon-related scientific papers and discoveries, and booths to purchase everything from official League and Conference merch to ACE recruitment and more. Entry tickets also allow the buyer to watch the battle portion of the Conference, though participation tickets are a separate purchase.
It's two weeks into the school year, and Clark is already bored out of his mind. Homework and chores can only provide so much of a distraction, but he remembers an old set of Pokémon encyclopedias up in the attic from their last spring clean. That's how he ends up sifting through old boxes, trying to figure out where it could have been moved to, because it isn't where he remembers seeing it last.
With a frustrated growl, he shoves yet another box of old clothes to the side. It knocks into another, which squeaks and rattles in response.
He pauses, eyeing the box doubtfully. For a few seconds everything is still and silent, and he just starts to think he imagined it when it rattles again.
"Great," he mutters. Probably another wild Ratatta, even though he's pretty sure his dad patched that gap the last one got into the house through.
That means he'll need to get either Ma or Pa to catch it and release it somewhere off the property. He edges carefully back toward the trapdoor--moving fast usually only antagonizes wild Pokémon--but only makes it a few inches before the flaps of the box pop apart, revealing a...Pikachu?
That can't be right, Clark thinks, frowning at it. It looks more like fabric than fur, dirty and frayed and patched, like a decades-old stuffed animal. Except this one has two holes on its belly, and stuffed animals don't pop out of boxes like a demented jack-in-the-box.
Logic says this must be a Pokémon, but it's not any species he even remembers hearing a vague description of. It could be a joke, maybe; his parents knew he was planning on coming up here, so it could've been like. On a timer, or something.
Has to be a prank, he decides, shuffling closer. His parents hadn't signed the permission form for him to take Smallville High's Trainer License Course, so they were probably trying to lighten the mood after the resulting argument.
He smiles at it. It is weirdly cute, in a creepy kind of way, like someone had made Pikachu into a Ghost Type. It's almost like a half-stuffed ragdoll, with floppy ears and head, and no arms or feet. And he wouldn't mind keeping it, either.
Keenly aware of how fragile and old it looks--one of Pa's old toys, maybe?--Clark picks it up, hands wrapped around the body and careful not to squeeze at all. It's cool as he sets it in his lap, like it has an ice pack inside; a pleasant surprise in the stifling heat of the attic. He brushes the fingers of one hand down its back while cradling it gently with the other.
It squeaks.
He freezes in place. The whole body of the "toy" shifts, head lolling back as the two holes on the front tilt up at him, and then it squeaks again.
"You're a Pokémon?!" he squeaks out, voice pitched nearly in the same range as the creature in his lap. It squeaks back, more demandingly this time, and butts its whole body against his hand. He hurriedly pets the fabric, because upsetting a wild Pokémon is just not a good idea. After a few minutes the body of the "toy" bulges out, like whatever's inside has curled into a ball.
But he can't stay up here forever, and whatever Pokémon this is, it isn't his. "Should I, uh, take you outside or something?" he asks it. Instead of responding with any kind of noise, a shadow slips out from under it, where its feet should be, and wraps around his free wrist like a cold rope. "I guess not, then..."
He totally should anyway, because it's really not a great idea to pet a random, unknown Pokémon like this. But part of him is too busy marveling at how this random, unknown Pokémon likes him enough to let him without mauling him for the offense. It usually takes strange Pokémon, even friendly ones, properly trained and socialized, a good while to warm up to him.
Well, maybe it wouldn't be so bad to keep it around for a while? He'll just have to...not tell his parents. They'll make him get rid of it. And he knows he'll have to release it eventually, but if it likes him, why rush?
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In order to have a Pokémon registered as owned by you, you must have a Pokémon License. Legally-speaking, the only requirement to a Pokémon License is to pass a written exam and be at least ten years old.
The license exam is difficult and comprehensive, with 150 questions covering a range of topics from Pokémon biology to care and handling and more. Examinees need 90% to pass. While many have previously complained about the high percentage needed, this is viewed as necessary due to the dangers of training Pokémon and traveling, especially for minors.
Public schools offer an optional semester-long class starting from Grade 9 or 10, depending on the state. Private schools typically offer such a class in elementary or middle school, though federal law prevents them from offering it to any student younger than 8 years old. School-offered programs must meet certain state requirements of education.
There are also a variety of private programs that have sprung up in response, the quality of which varies wildly as there is no minimum legal requirement of standard for them. These can be anything from a half-day lecture-style event featuring specific subjects to multiple-month, hands-on comprehensives. Summer camps are especially popular with younger children, and typically last anywhere from a week to a month, though children who only attend such a camp typically cannot pass their exam on the first try; they are still viewed as valuable experiences, however, as they typically offer campers a chance to work with Pokémon directly in a way most courses do not allow.
The bar is still closed, but the side door is propped open when Lionel approaches. A young man carts carefully-packed crates inside, and as he creeps closer he can hear the bustle of staff moving around inside.
Donny's is an odd place, a quiet little hole-in-the-wall that doesn't see many customers but somehow still exists. Rumor has it its patrons don't go for the booze, but no one really talks about what they do go for, and the last time he asked he had gotten the back of his head smacked. If Lachlan ever finds out Lionel came anywhere near here...he shudders.
It'll be worth it, though, he thinks. He had run into the barkeep a couple months ago, who had said they were looking for a couple boys to run errands for a little extra pocket money. Hopefully they were still looking.
The Poochyena pup shivers against his chest as he darts forward, squeaking its protest at the sudden movement as loudly as it can. Which isn't much, but it draws the barkeep's attention. He squints at Lionel, then grins.
"'ey, I remember you! Didja change your mind?" He sets the wooden crate down on the edge of the truck he's been unloading. There's something painted on the side, the letters P-O-T- just legible, though the rest is smeared too much to read.
"Yeah. If you're still looking, anyway." He adjusts his grip carefully on the squirming pup.
"Yeah, we still are--whatcha got there?" The barkeep leans forward for a better look, and Lionel leans slightly back. The man only grins, though. "Yeah, I think Trish'll be interested in you. He'll be here in a bit." He grabs Lionel's shoulder, steering him into the bar. "In the meantime--hey, Trish! Trish, where you at?"
The side door leads into a hallway, and down one side Lionel can barely glimpse the bar itself. He isn't led that way, however; instead, he's guided down the opposite way, past an open door marked "storage" propped open with a couple crates, until they reach an office. It's small, a bit crowded from the filing cabinets along the back wall, and there's a harried-looking brown-haired girl sitting at a desk covered in papers.
"Can it wait, Will?" she asks without even looking up, pencil scribbling rapidly. Lionel can't see exactly what she's working on, but it has to be important. "I need to finish this before Uncle Donny gets here."
"Well, at least you'll have good news for him," the barkeep, Will, says cheerfully. He ushers Lionel forward with a hand between his shoulder blades.
She glances up, pencil stilling as her eyes flick over him--no, not him, he realizes when they rest on his hands. The Poochyena he found. "Whatever Pokémon that is, is too young for the arena. Don't waste my time."
"I'm not giving him to you, anyway," Lionel says mutinously, running one finger gently over the pup's fuzzy head.
"Weren't you complaining about needing a new errand boy still?" Will asks pointedly. He waves at Lionel. "Well, here you go!"
This time she focuses on Lionel himself, painted lips pursed in consideration. "He might do. Go finish getting the delivery inside."
"Yes, ma'am!" Will snaps a salute, lips twitching into a grin before he leaves, and Trish just sighs.
She sets her pencil down carefully. "Alright, kid, what's your name?"
"Lionel." He tries to straighten his shoulders, abruptly aware of how he's almost hunched over his tiny passenger.
"Let me guess. Parents said you can keep it if you pay for it?" she says, gesturing at the pup.
"Sorta, I guess." No need to get into all the details.
"You got a license? Pokémon that tiny typically need milk still, and you won't be able to buy it without one," she warns, and his heart sinks.
Then he scowls. "I'll figure something out."
"I bet," she snorts. She grabs a paper and scribbles something on it. "Alright, follow me."
This time, he is led to the bar. Most of the chairs are still put up, but there's a dark-haired boy a couple years older than him sitting at the counter, legs kicking as he sips something from a glass and looking completely bored. Sitting on the counter next to him is a tan-and-white ball of fur, and the only reason Lionel knows it's a Pokémon is because it's breathing. Trish leads Lionel over, and the boy turns to them.
"Lionel, this is Morgan. Morgan, Lionel is taking over your route."
The boy, Morgan, brightens immediately. "I'm moving up?"
"As long as Uncle Donny agrees. Which he will, if Lionel does well," she says pointedly. She hands him the paper. "Show him the route to the warehouse and pick this up from Millie." She turns to Lionel. "Millie will get you the supplies you need until your new friend is weaned. Until then, you'll run errands to pay us back. After, we'll see about keeping you on. Got it?"
"Yes, ma'am."
She makes a face. "Don't call me that, I'm not old enough to be a ma'am. Just stick with Trish."
"Yes, ma-um. Trish." It feels awkward to call a stranger by her first name, but she grins at him.
"Better. Now shoo, you'll need to be back before Uncle Donny gets in."
Morgan jumps down. "Alright, we're going." Then he peers down at the pup. "You should leave him here, he'll just slow us down."
"I don't know." He doesn't want to leave his new companion behind.
"Don't worry, Scout can watch him." He holds out his hands expectantly, and Lionel reluctantly passes the pup over. "Wow," Morgan breathes, "he really is tiny."
Then he turns and offers the little scrap to the pile of fur on the counter. It picks its head up, revealing the masked face of a Zigzagoon. It yawns, then sniffs curiously at the pup.
"What d'you think? Willing to babysit?" Morgan asks. With a soft grumble, the raccoon Pokémon lifts its tail, allowing its trainer to settle the Poochyena against its belly. Then it drops its tail again and sets its head back on its paws, eyes half-shut, and Lionel releases the breath he only just then realizes he's been holding.
"Come on." Morgan grabs his wrist and leads him briskly toward the side door, face suddenly serious. "Uncle Donny's supposed to be here in an hour, so we're gonna have to run the whole way there and back. Try an' keep up, will you?"
Sweat makes Lionel's shirt cling uncomfortably to his skin as he dashes down the steps of the tenement he and his parents live in. Most everyone who doesn't have to be outside has already gone in to escape the sweltering heat, but he's stuck out here until his mother, Eliza, passes out. It's barely noon, but she's already been at her gin.
"Come back at dinner time," she had told him, words slurring but tone carrying a sharp, warning edge, and Lionel had scampered away before she could decide to use a more physical encouragement.
But he really only needs to stay gone for an hour or two. By then she'll have passed out on the couch, so as long as he's quiet coming in and doesn't wake her early, it'll be fine. Until then, it won't be terrible; he has the sandwich he managed to make before she decided he was too noisy, and there's a park nearby with a water fountain. He can find a patch of shade there.
He's a block away when hears a soft whimper in an alley and pauses. It stinks even just standing at the entrance from the piles of trash, two days away from collection and rotting fast from the heat. Going in would be stupid; he's seen a lot of guys get beat up for interrupting something they shouldn't. He should just keep going.
But he doesn't see anyone, and the whimper comes again, soft and inhuman, accompanied by a quiet scrape. Probably a Pokémon, he decides, listening closely. There's no talking, no yelling, no smacks of flesh hitting flesh, none of the indicators he's learned to recognize as warnings to stay away.
It's probably stuck. Probably only take a minute to let it loose, and then Lionel can be on his way again. Besides, no one deserves to be stuck in a garbage heap, so he darts in before he can change his mind, holding his breath to try to avoid the stink.
Halfway down the alley, Lionel finds the source: A tiny scrap of grey fur struggling its way out of a burlap sack. Another scrap lies unmoving next to it.
It takes a moment for him to identify it--a Poochyena, eyes still closed against the world.
He picks it up uncertainly, cradling it against his chest. He already knows he can't take it home--his family can't afford another mouth--but he can't leave it here, either.
There is someone who might be able to help, though, if they're still looking for an errand boy...