COMPLETE: Trainers of Fanfiction 2020

[Beth Pavell]

The Writers Workshop

A community event focused around your characters!​

Welcome to the May 2020 edition of Trainers of Fanfiction (And the third consecutive year we've run this event)! For those of you unaware of what this is, Trainers of Fanfiction is a community event that focuses on the characters created by our talented Writers Workshop authors! These characters will be given interviews, offering them a chance to dive into their backgrounds, or look at some of the unexplored lore of the story they're from. We've got a whole host of characters that'll be featured this month, let's get to meeting them!

Character List (Updated with each entry)

• Bress from Pokémon Magic Act & Everlight Stories, written by @Daren
• Icetales from SWAP!, written by @Cresselia92
• Marcus Samson from Hunter, Haunted, written by @canisaries
• Chelsea Mendoza from Pokémon: Stars of the Indigo Stage, written by @LightningTopaz
• Andrea Dennison from Land of the Roses, written by @Misfit Angel
• Angelo from Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Hands of Creation, written by @namohysip
• Cecilia Matthews from Orre: The Desert, written by @Ryoma Maser
• Gil from Dispatch Deferred, written by @unrepentantAuthor
• Ashleigh Martin from Setting Sun, written by @Felly
• Bethany Pavell from Kanto: There and Back Again, written by @Beth Pavell
• Prema Kannagi from Prema Kannagi: A Move to Adjudicate, written by @System Error

 

[Beth Pavell]

Bress
From Pokémon Magic Act & Everlight Stories
By @Daren

Interviewer: How did you get into your profession? And, was it something you'd planned for?

Bress: I became interested in machinery and technology—especially electronics—after visiting the Museum of Crafts and Technology in Everlight as a child. I started planning to become an inventor from that day. My parents were very supportive, and I was able to study and work hard enough to win a scholarship to the Advanced Technology Institute in Lodestrom city. I was in the Institute for five years--studying electronics, engineering, machinery, even medicine creation. After graduating I spent the next decade working for the Republic in various projects and research tasks. After that I saved up enough to open my shop and start doing my own projects.

Interviewer: What's your particular expertise? Is there something only you can bring to your field?

Bress: My specialty is recreating old human technology—I'm an expert in that field with over a dozen successful reproductions acknowledged in the Republic records--but I do lots of original work and standard productions as well. In fact, now that actual human tech is mostly illegal to trade I’ve been having trouble keeping up with demand for the last year. There’s one thing nobody else has managed—to create entirely new Technical Records instead of copying old human designs. My record for Aqua Jet is what won me official from the Science and Engineering Board to Master.

Interviewer: What's next after this for you? How do you hope to progress your career?

Bress: Right now I’m teaching an apprentice—a young Salandit named Antonius. He's a good kid and a hard worker. After that I want to try recreating Technical Machines--those human made devices that can teach moves repeatedly. Obviously there's plenty of interest in that! If that works out I think the Science and Engineering Board is quite likely to offer me a position on the governing board--there's not much more an inventor can hope for.

Interviewer: What is a typical working day like for you? Are there many shake-ups?

Bress: I get up early and spend some time creating products with Antonius—orbs and other adventuring gear, technical records, Pokégear program discs, and the more boring thing like tools, protective clothing, potions, toys for children, and batteries. My shop’s open twelve hours on weekdays, starting at eight. Running the storefront is pretty simple, although a lot of Pokémon don’t know exactly what they’re looking for and need help, and a few days are unexpectedly busy and I need Antonius to run it while I head out back to make more merchandise. On weekends I work on any special commissions I have—I have an assistant who runs the store on those days, of course. Seasonal shake-ups are common--Red Leaf Arena holds it battle season in the summer so those weeks I get up extra early to make more technical records and potions, while in the winter I create heaters and special electric blankets--and of course I had to restructure a lot of my work when the Republic passed that ban on many human items.

Interviewer: What do you like most about your profession, and why?

Bress: I love technology. I love creating things that make other Pokémon’s lives easier or more enjoyable, and to be honest I adore doing things no one else has done! Handing over special commissions is usually the best part--often tricky, and seeing someone's eyes light up when they get a one-of-a-kind item is great.

Interviewer: What's your working relationship like with humans? If you've never worked with a human, would you like to?

Bress: Of course my species doesn't live long enough for me to have met a human, but I wish I could have. Their technology was far beyond what we’ve recreated--if I'd studied under a human scientist I bet I'd be twice as good. I hear the same rumors everyone does that some still exist across the ocean—I hope they’re true, but I haven’t heard any reason to think they are.

Interviewer: Has your job brought you into contact with many different kinds of pokémon? Have you ever worried about being outshone by any of them?

Bress: Yes, on both counts. All sorts come by storefront, of course—adventurers, competitive battlers, ordinary Pokémon looking for high tech goods, and traveling merchants planning to resell up in the Northern Wilds or across the sea. Just about every species—except legendary Pokémon, of course—has come by at some point. As for being outshone, the Republic won't hire Water (or Flying) types for projects involving very large amounts of electricity, so I'm sometimes worried about my career being held back because of a lack of experience in that area. I had wanted to work on that project to build a new high-power generator up in Johrock six years ago--and I was more qualified than most for it--but they turned my application down immediately for safety reasons.

Interviewer: Have you ever had to be in any battles during a working day? How do you feel about that?

Bress: No, thankfully. Red Leaf’s a safe town but even aside from that plenty of members of both the Adventurer’s Association and the Competitive Battling league rely on me for equipment. Those aren’t Pokémon you want to make angry!

Interviewer: What invention of yours are you happiest with?

Bress: The Mark II Pokégear—it actually has a few features the original human design didn’t. I’m really proud of it. I hope someone else can improve the design even farther in the future. There were some things I wanted to do but couldn’t quite manage. To be honest, usually the harder an invention the more I like it, but I actually regret creating the most difficult project I finished. It was a confidential commission so I can't say any more.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

This year I'd love to see some discussion in the thread, so I'll start us off.

@Daren this is one of my favourite ToF interviews we've seen so far because it hints at a great deal of your setting and its evidently unusual take on PMD without dumping exposition. It's great worldbuilding, and it's got me interested! Good stuff.

Here's another (totally optional!) question, if you fancy answering it in character:

Q: You seem to be in a good place right now. Do you expect you'll ever evolve, (literally or figuratively), or are you happy the way you are?

 

[Daren]

I went back and forth on whether I should Like my own entry, but decided I should do so to show my appreciation for everyone running the event.

@Daren this is one of my favourite ToF interviews we've seen so far because it hints at a great deal of your setting and its evidently unusual take on PMD without dumping exposition. It's great worldbuilding, and it's got me interested! Good stuff.

Thanks a lot, that really does mean a lot to me!

I was worried entering the event, to be honest, because the setting is so different from a regular PMD one. Still, I forced myself to avoid exposition dumps by just answering the questions assuming that the interviewer would know in-universe common knowledge and not need to explain what the Republic is, or go into detail on the human technology ban, and I think it turned out okay.

Coming up with answers to some of the questions helped me add more detailing to the world so I'm glad I decided to enter!

Q: You seem to be in a good place right now. Do you expect you'll ever evolve, (literally or figuratively), or are you happy the way you are?

Bress: I can't be content with my current state, knowing how much more advanced the world was a few centuries ago. There's only so much one Pokémon can do, though, which is why I plan to step down from active inventing one day and open an academy here--I'm sure there's plenty of untapped potential from Pokémon unable to get into either the Advanced Technology Institute or the Everlight University of Science. I'll miss my current life, but if my own teachers had never made that change where would I be? That's a long, long way off, though!

As for physical evolution, I don't get much time for exercise or training, so I doubt I'll ever become a Floatzel, as much as I'd love the extra stamina (and being able to reach another shelf level at the stores). Of course instances of unexpected evolution do occur, so who knows?

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

This buizel guy is my new favourite.

 

[LightningTopaz]

Icetales​

From SWAP!
By @Cresselia92

Interviewer: How did you get into your profession? And, was it something you'd planned for?

Icetales: Hmm... truth to be told, this was not a profession I had planned to take. Not as my first choice, at least. To better illustrate, in my family every single member must have some occupation connected to aristocracy and royalty. Alas, as the youngest member of my family and the last who gets to pick their profession, I did not have many available choices by the time I had to pick a choice. The profession of the butler was the one that appealed to me the most, and as such I studied very hard to learn everything I needed to know to be the perfect butler.

Interviewer: What's your particular expertise? Is there something only you can bring to your field?

Icetales: My specialty lies in the way I serve tea. With my broad knowledge of the various kinds of tea and my complete mastery in the use of my ice powers, I can choose the perfect brand and lower the temperature of the served tea at the most comfortable degree for every specific consumer. To give you a fairly basic example, Ice-types like yours truly generally appreciate a fresh mint tea with no steam and a frosted layer on the cup to protect our bodies from the heat. It may not appear like much, nevertheless, I assure you that an impeccable treatment of the guests and accommodation of their tea preferences can make them far more amicable during negotiations. And as the only Ice-type in the castle, that is something that only I am capable of doing. Gafferine Delcatty knows how to control ice, too, even if her technique is more... shall we say, unfocused?

Interviewer: What do you wish you'd known on your first day that you know now?

Icetales: Hmph. The most obvious thing I wish I knew would be knowing that there was another Ninetales in Serenity Town. If I was aware of that, I would have made sure that this whole "swap" mishap never happened, and I would have worked at the mansion from the very beginning and without all the grievances that followed. ...Even though, would things truly have been better that way? This is an answer that I cannot answer, I am afraid. I do not regret meeting Mama Gogo and Mienshao, this much I can say.

Interviewer: What would be your advice to anyone looking to get into your line of work?

Icetales: One word: etiquette. That is the mantra that any potential butler must know absolutely. Among things everybody must know would be the art of discretion, always asking "Would there be something else, Sir or M'lady?" and elegance. Absolute elegance. These are very basic skills that anyone can master with some accurate schooling and dedication. *smirks* Yes, even a relaxed individual like Firetales could master those skills, if the desire is strong.

Interviewer: What's next after this for you? How do you hope to progress your career?

Icetales: ...I am unsure about this question. This job is essential to me as a way to gain experience and connections with the world of nobility. There is no knowledge waits for me, nor if I will keep this job or move onto something more ambitious. Nevertheless, I have made a lot of... friends thanks to my job. Yes, friends. It would be most regrettable to leave them behind to pursue something else, wouldn't it? So, for now, I prefer to focus on my current profession. Who knows, perhaps I will be made head butler someday.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

@Cresselia92

Icetales, between yourself and Firetales, which of you do you think handled the Swap Incident better?

 

[Cresselia92]

Icetales, between yourself and Firetales, which of you do you think handled the Swap Incident better?

Icetales: “Well, as much as I wish to say I was the clear winner, I concede that my fellow Firetales has managed things far better than yours truly.

To better elaborate, he almost got arrested and prosecuted by Her Ladyship, and from my experience in those noble environments, that would have almost certainly resulted in his whole reputation being utterly destroyed.

I’ve known a few unlucky fellows who don’t even dare to show their faces anymore after going through such experiences. And yet, as soon as we got to talk about that at Pangoro Café and told him about what could have happened to him if Lianaja didn’t come to his rescue, how do you think he reacted? *Pauses, before showing a small smile.* With just a smirk and a shrug. Almost as if that was nothing more than an everyday inconvenience. *Sighs.* He has a thicker skin than me, I admit. I quite envy that.”

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Bless this lad. He's learned a little respect.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Marcus Samson
From Hunter, Haunted
By @canisaries

Interviewer: How did you get into your profession? And, was it something you'd planned for?

Marcus: My religion has always been a strong part of my life. It's been there for me during tough times, a rock in the storm, as they say, and I've seen it help other people as well. And I like seeing other people get better. When they're better, they do more good themselves. And I figured that the best way to share this would be to become someone who shares it professionally. And it's not just about spreading the word - it's helping people regardless of their beliefs. Of course, in the ideal case they'll get more interested about this Arceus business once you've helped them, but forcing it to them is counterproductive. And only being kind to someone if they pay you back isn't very altruistic in the end, anyway.

Interviewer: What's your particular expertise? Is there something only you can bring to your field?

Marcus: In addition to being a regular priest, I am also a licensed exorcist. I calm down upset ghost pokémon with traditional methods, helping both them and the humans or mon they're bringing misfortune to. I even cooperate with the police on occasion, when there's a dangerous case of possession, for example. I wouldn't say I'm anything special in that field, though, just doing a good job is enough. It's about helping people, not being the best.

Interviewer: What would be your advice to anyone looking to get into your line of work?

Marcus: Be patient. Sometimes you will meet people who are aggressive or ignorant or dismissive of your help, but you have to remember those people do have their own problems and struggles you aren't necessarily aware of. Something that's clear as day to you might not be so obvious to them, and people never like being made to feel stupid. You have to take things slow sometimes and not think too much about some hurtful comments, as they're typically only made out of anger or confusion. If you keep yourself friendly and open, they will eventually warm up. And if they don't, you can rest assured knowing you did your best and only hope and pray that they'll warm up to someone else down the line.

Interviewer: What do you not like about your job? Are you in a position to change it?

Marcus: Sometimes I do meet people that are a little too spiteful to just shrug off. Some people yell in the streets, "go back to Sinnoh". I tell myself that they're doing it out of their own insecurity, but it still bothers me. There's just so little reason to do something like that; so little gained for so much more lost. But that's just an unfortunate fact of the world, people can be hurtful. It's what a lot of the suffering in the world is caused by in the end. Changing it, I suppose, is what I work every day to try and do. Let the anger and spite pass over me like water off the ducklett's back. I can't let it take hold of me, because then I'll only spread it. Forgiveness and understanding is key. And I think that, too, is infectious, but just advances a little slower. It needs to be given time.

Interviewer: Has your job brought you into contact with many different pokémon? What was a memorable one?

Marcus: It has. I've met plenty of pokémon seeking guidance during my days as a priest. A notable amount of them have come to me about their place in the world, society being mostly humans and their cousins being stuck in the wild and all that. This one time, a nickit came to me, rather young, and asked me what she should do about her instincts to steal. She knew that stealing was wrong according to Arceus, but she also knew that nickits and thievul naturally have an attraction to thievery, and she had her own tendencies to nick pieces of candy from a candy shop - she purposefully kept it very small in monetary value in order to minimize harm. She thought her species was forsaken, the poor thing. Honestly, it did make me ponder for a while, but in the end I could convince her that it was an instinct to help her survive in the wilds. And you can't blame creatures for trying to survive. It might clash with human rules and not have a place in human society, but that didn't mean it was inherently bad. She wasn't stealing to make others unhappy, after all. So I suggested she sought out some other nickit and thievul and suggested a community where they could set up some environment to pretend-play stealing to keep that instinct satisfied while not actually bringing harm to anyone. And I did convince her that, to large businesses, one piece of candy is really not that much and that she shouldn't beat herself up over it and just try not to do it in the future. She unfortunately had to move quite soon, so I didn't see her after that, but I wished her well and prayed for her. Hopefully she did manage to sort that out.

Interviewer: Is the degree of contact with pokémon in your working life something you're happy with?

Marcus: Absolutely. I think it's wonderful to get to see so many different kinds of pokémon and help them find harmony in living among humans. It really shows the diversity of life and Arceus's guided creation.

 

[System Error]

Sure why not partake in this asking further questions thing here?

@canisaries Marcus Samson

>How were you first introduced to your religion?
>Has there ever been an incident that has shaken your faith or otherwise affected your beliefs?

 

[namohysip]

Chelsea Mendoza
By @LightningTopaz
From Pokémon: Stars of the Indigo Stage

Interviewer: How did you get into your profession? And, was it something you'd planned for?

Chelsea: I knew from a young age I wanted to join the Pokemon Musical or the Pokemon Revue--so when an opportunity came up for an audition into Nimbasa's Melody Revue, I took it! I didn't plan to be trained by my elder sister Christine, though--that was just a sweet coincidence.

Interviewer: What's your particular expertise? Is there something only you can bring to your field?

Chelsea: I don't really specialize in any role per se--I'll play any role you want in a show. Christine is training me in playing heroic roles, if that counts; but I can also do comical roles, like tricksters.

Interviewer: What do you wish you'd known on your first day that you know now?

Chelsea: Getting the lead role is more than just knowing the role front to back--you have to be able to convey their emotions well.

Interviewer: What would be your advice to anyone looking to get into your line of work?

Chelsea: Don't give up, and listen to those that are better than you--they often have valuable advice for you.

Interviewer: What's next after this for you? How do you hope to progress your career?

Chelsea: I hope that after my trip to Kanto and taking part in their Grand Musical, I can come back as a better performer, and maybe try the Unova Musical Challenge again.

Interviewer: What is a typical working day like for you? Are there many shake-ups?

Chelsea: A typical day as a Musical performer is very busy, but worth it! Sometimes there are last minute changes--the script needs a tweak, an actor got sick and the understudy needs to step in, or sometimes something totally different forces a cancellation. If there's one thing Christine has taught me well, it's to roll with the punches!

Interviewer: What do you like most about your profession, and why?

Chelsea: The cheers and applause we get when the show's over--it makes all our hard work and any setbacks worth it

Interviewer: What do you not like about your job? Are you in a position to change it?

Chelsea: Every once in a while, I may have to work with a prima donna director that wants every detail of the script tailored to how they believe the show should look. But all performers have rights, and we try to work with difficult directors as best as we can.

Interviewer: Are there any pokémon employed in your workplace? Is their help essential to keep things running?

Chelsea: Yes! Live Pokemon often appear onstage with us (Legendaries and big Pokemon are often puppets), and help on the crew. If one of us ever forgets a line, my Espeon Athena is right there to remind us!

Interviewer: What qualifications are required to do what you do? Did you have to do some kind of study or training?

Chelsea: Every performer in the Melody Revue trains in an apprenticeship system--learning the basics of acting in a revue vs. a straight play or musical; how to sing, how to dance, how to fight (both with martial arts and weaponry), and circus acts, if the role requires it.

Interviewer: Has your job brought you into contact with many different pokémon? What was a memorable one?

Chelsea: Yes--meeting Ash and his Pikachu Tintri face to face. He's just as good an actor as he is a trainer. If becoming Pokemon Master doesn't work out, he's always welcome onstage someplace!

Interviewer: Is the degree of contact with pokémon in your working life something you're happy with?

Chelsea: Yes--Athena doesn't step in to help unless I ask for help, or she sees I really need help with a scene.

 

[System Error]

All right, discussioning. By which I mean asking the characters further questions again!

@LightningTopaz Chelsea Mendoza
>Do you ever worry about people liking you as Chelsea the Perfomer, and not as Chelsea the person?

 

[LightningTopaz]

@System Error

Not at all--I do my best to separate Performer Me from Everyday Me. Our impresaria stresses that we all do this for our safety and sanity (but insane fans are surprisingly rare in the theater world, so I don't worry about it too much)

 

[Beth Pavell]

Andrea Dennison
From Land of the Roses
By @Misfit Angel

Interviewer: How did you get into your profession? And, was it something you'd planned for?

Andrea: I will always answer a question like this the same: Luck. But people always insist it's not just luck that got me where I am, so I'll try to take a step back and analyze things objectively. I got into my profession because it was what I wanted to do. I set my mind to it from a very young age, when I nearly blew up my dad's tool shed with a runaway chemical reaction. That was when I knew I wanted to be a scientist. So from there on it was just... a lotta hard work, you know? I cruised through elementary school, got bumped up a year when it came time to make the transition to middle school and again when I went off to high school. I was off to university when I was just sixteen years old, and at that point, I realized the position I was in and how easy it would have been to throw away if I didn't keep up the hard work. Admittedly I did kinda throw it all away four years into my PhD program, but... that's another story for another time. Did I plan for it? Absolutely. You don't get to a prestigious research center after fourteen years of study by accident.

Interviewer: What's your particular expertise? Is there something only you can bring to your field?

Andrea: I guess my particular expertise is ecology and the effects of pollution on aquatic Pokémon, since that was the last thing I studied -- and did well at -- before I dropped out of university. I don't know how much I'll use it, and I kinda hope I don't. It's boring work. As far as anything only I can bring to the field... I don't think so. Biology, ecology and climate activism are immensely popular right now among my generation, so there's probably nothing unique I bring to the table, especially since I'm so inexperienced compared to some of the other people I work with.

Interviewer: What do you wish you'd known on your first day that you know now?

Andrea: That I should have dressed for the cold highland weather, and maybe worked out in the weeks leading up to my interview. Part of my hiring process involved a trial assignment. I was asked to make the lengthy hike to a nearby community that lacks rail service. Not only was it fucking freezing the whole time, my legs were ready to fall off after the first hill I climbed. I suppose that's a bit specific, so in general, I'd probably say I wish I knew more about office politics, or were more prepared for them. I mistakenly assumed that people with degrees from the various sciences would be more mature than they actually are. Had I known that I would be hazed because I was the first new hire in almost a year, I'd have had a much better time of it.

Interviewer: What would be your advice to anyone looking to get into your line of work?

Andrea: Stay in school and don't do drugs, kids. Seriously.

Interviewer: What's next after this for you? How do you hope to progress your career?

Andrea: Next? I hope nothing. This is my dream and I'm here! As far as progression, I'd love to finish my doctorate, get that snazzy Doctor title, and then make a name for myself in the field of biology.

Interviewer: What is a typical working day like for you? Are there many shake-ups?

Andrea: There is no typical working day for me. There's a surprising amount of variety in Pokémon research, even in projects that last a couple weeks. But there are also major shakeups, too. I could be working in the lab one day, and the next I'm shipped across the country to study... whatever.

Interviewer: What do you like most about your profession, and why?

Andrea: This is hard to answer, since I like pretty much every aspect of it. Some of the work can cause my eyes to glaze over and make me wish I was dead, but most days it's great. I get to research new ideas, go to places I normally wouldn't, interact with Pokémon species most people don't even know exist... Lotta good about my job.

Interviewer: What do you not like about your job? Are you in a position to change it?

Andrea: Honestly? The location. The Reiland Institute is in the city of Loch Alstan which I've always heard was beautiful, but my experiences told me otherwise. There's crime everywhere. Even the cheapest rent is absolutely insane compared to my old apartment. Winter practically extends into June thanks to the altitude, nearby mountains and the lake the city is named after. Can I change it? Probably not, unless I ask to be sent to one of the smaller research centers the Institute operates elsewhere in the country... But those aren't quite as glamorous and are a lot more specialized -- boring, in other words.

Interviewer: Are there any pokémon employed in your workplace? Is their help essential to keep things running?

Andrea: There are, actually, and they're not just research subjects! My supervisor was telling me how part of the building's power supply is generated by a handful of Electrodes. There's also apparently a Blissey serving as a nursing assistant down in the medical wing. Rumor has it that a Rotom is in charge of the security systems throughout the institute, though I'm not sure I believe that one, heh.

Interviewer: What qualifications are required to do what you do? Did you have to do some kind of study or training?

Andrea: As far as the biology department at the Reiland Institute is concerned, I barely squeak by in terms of qualifications. A four year degree is the lowest requirement to earn a position at the Institute, though most people have six or eight years of study under their belt, and years of experience on top of that.

Interviewer: Has your job brought you into contact with any particularly memorable pokémon?

Andrea: Technically? It's actually something I encountered before I got my job, but during my studies so I guess I'll count it. At one point, while I was on a field study in the arctic circle, I got a glimpse of an extremely rare subspecies of Gyarados that rarely leaves the lightless depths of the arctic seas. It must have come to the surface in search of food, because it was absolutely terrorizing a Walrein colony on some rocks and shoals off the coast of where I was staying at. I don't think I'll ever forget that.

Interviewer: Is the degree of contact with pokémon in your working life something you're happy with?

Andrea: I'd be happier if I could just work with the safer and more cuddly species, I admit. Tangling with a Steelix in its natural subterranean environment isn't my idea of a good time, for example. Not that I've experienced that! I should be grateful for that...

 

[System Error]

Because I still liked the idea of asking questions and it must be done...

@Misfit Angel
> What kind of "new ideas" have you researched, and if multiple, which was your favorite?
> Do you ever use Pokemon in the field, besides for self-defense against other Pokemon? If so, which?
> Is Gothic vampire proper dress code for your position?

 

[Ryoma Maser]

> Is Gothic vampire proper dress code for your position?

Just the fact that you asked this question....I'm laughing hard since I read both the original and the rewrite, this is hitting so many chords in me I didn't know I needed.

 

[Misfit Angel]

> What kind of "new ideas" have you researched, and if multiple, which was your favorite?
> Do you ever use Pokemon in the field, besides for self-defense against other Pokemon? If so, which?
> Is Gothic vampire proper dress code for your position?

Oooh! I'll try to answer these in the same style if I can!

ahem

Interviewer: What kind of "new ideas" have you researched, and if multiple, which was your favorite?

Andrea: You know, now that I'm thinking about it... I haven't really worked on anything truly new and groundbreaking, both at the Institute and during my time in university. I guess the closest thing would be a unit I did in molecular biochemistry, where one of my fellow students asked for my assistance in analyzing venom samples and how they react to various anti-coagulants. He actually did stumble on something interesting, boosting the effectiveness of one of the most common medicines on the market by mixing it with his "special ingredient." He never did tell anyone what that ingredient is, and now he's working a high paying job in the pharmaceutical industry. I guess that's the closest I'll get to a new idea until I've had years of experience under my belt.

Interviewer: Do you ever use Pokemon in the field, besides for self-defense against other Pokemon? If so, which?

Andrea: Personally, I'm a bit of a noob when it comes to Pokemon ownership, so I haven't even used one for self-defense yet. But last summer, a close friend and I hitched a ride on the back of a Golduck to get a closer inspection of a shallow water oil platform. That's nothing special, I guess -- realistically it was within paddling distance if we rented a kayak, but... How often can you say you've ridden on the back of a Golduck in the pursuit of truth?

Interviewer: Is Gothic vampire proper dress code for your position?

Andrea: You know? I wondered about that. When I visited for my interview, I did notice a few employees dressed in wacky fashion styles, so I figured there wasn't a dress code. However, when I was told I got the job, Patrick made a comment about the way I dress... He asked me to be more modest, as what I wore to my interview proved to be a little too, erm, distracting, heh. Now, is anyone going to take me seriously in the profession? Probably not, but I do hope so...

 

[LightningTopaz]

Angelo
From Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Hands of Creation
By @namohysip

Interviewer: How did you get into your profession? And, was it something you'd planned for?

Angelo: Well, I've always enjoyed drawing, and I don't think it's just because of my instincts. Being able to express myself through art... It's peaceful, don't you think? I had been encouraged to join the Thousand Hearts--an organization to help Pokemon in need, you see--but I'm just not a fighter. I don't have the spirit for it. I'm not very sociable, either. Being able to just hole myself up in my little home, making comics... I'm one of the lucky few talented enough to make a living off of it. It was my calling. And now, I don't have to go back to the Hearts again.

Interviewer: What's your particular expertise? Is there something only you can bring to your field?

Angelo: I'm much more versatile than most Smeargle, I think. I'm well-practiced in all kinds off two-dimensional art, and I've even done paintings for sculptures! But one thing that sets me apart from the average artist is the fine lines. Not a lot of Pokemon have the sort of grace required for detailed, delicate drawings. And, well, I suppose being able to quickly go to my destination with some of my old power also helps get the commissions done on-site much faster. I guess that's a more practical application...

Interviewer: What do you wish you'd known on your first day that you know now?

Angelo: There are a lot of strange Pokemon out there with even stranger requests. But... whatever pays for food, right? Sometimes you have to humor them... a little. But perhaps don't cave for some of those requests. It'll haunt you.

Interviewer: What would be your advice to anyone looking to get into your line of work?

Angelo: It can be very lonely at times. You spent a lot of time trying the same drawing over and over, the same line until you've run out of paper to work with. Don't be afraid to draw over your drafts if you don't like what you see. Nobody will know.

Interviewer: What's next after this for you? How do you hope to progress your career?

Angelo: Next? I don't think I want to go to a next. I'm happy right where I am. Perhaps if my comics really take off, I can ignore commissions, but to be honest, I like changing up the routine now and then. I don't think I'll ever truly abandon the random bits of work I can do for Pokemon in need.

Interviewer: What is a typical working day like for you? Are there many shake-ups?

Angelo: Well, I don't really have much of a work day compared to the average working 'mon. I'll wake up at around noon, have breakfast, draft out a few sketches or perhaps a full page if I'm in the mood, and then have lunch. I'll open my doors around then or earlier, let others in for commission requests, though I've had to raise my prices to lower demand so I could focus on my main work. There was a bit of a shakeup when I was asked to do some restoration efforts in a nearby village, though. There was a random mutant attack--oh, don't give me that face, it happens--and I had to help restore some of the ruined art there. They were so happy! I helped with reconstruction of the buildings, too, and healing up a few of the injured, but that's neither here nor there. It was such a wonderful mural! I hope I can do something large-scale like that in a few seasons.

Interviewer: What do you like most about your profession, and why?

Angelo: It's such a wonderful creative outlet. I can write the grandest battles, the most heart-stopping clashes, such wonderful characters, and I don't have to lift a finger to do the fighting! Well, er, I suppose I do have to lift a few fingers to get the drawings done, but--ah, it's just not so life-threatening.

Interviewer: Could another species do what you do, or does your job rely on your specific natural abilities?

Angelo: Well, while it's advantageous to have good grasping paws, I don't think my kind are exclusively capable of art. I've seen several other species able to do the same, and to great effect, even technical art! But I suppose it's not a calling for everyone... I don't want to discriminate, after all. It may be harder, but I believe with enough hard work and determination, you can get into art.

Interviewer: Have you ever had to be in any battles during a working day? How do you feel about that?

Angelo: I've had a few rowdy fighters make requests to me who were a little cheap. They asked if they could get a discount if they beat me in a fight, and, well, I'm not really interested in that kind of fighting. Still, in a perfect storm, where I need a change of pace and I find a rowdy commissioner, I accept. ...Do I win? Well, yes, I do. I almost became a Heart, remember? And my father, well, he trained me quite a bit with our versatility. So, if I ever did need to defend myself, I like to think that I'd do just fine.

 

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Well let's continue with Additional Questioning.

@namohysip
>What would you consider your finest work?
>What was the strangest request you've gotten? And the strangest you fulfilled?

And a question that isn't one to the character himself: so was he or wasn't he with the Hearts? It's a bit unclear: he said he was invited and he doesn't have to "go back" implying he was in them at one point. But he also says he "almost" became one implying he wasn't.