Better Days
is a Storylocke by AeroJester203 built around the events of Pokémon Omega Ruby.
AJ, a fourteen-year-old boy has just moved to Hoenn, and is barely done greeting his neighbors when events lead to him receiving a Pokémon. Deciding to make the most of it, Professor Birch requests his help to fill the Pokédex by taking up the League Challenge to explore the region for new Pokémon to catalog.
But, before starting his journey, AJ decides to make one little change to his starter Pokémon, transforming him into a human/Pokémon hybrid with an odd device in his possession. What plan could he have?
Tropes in Better Days
- All Your Powers Combined: How Kuno uses her Beat Up move, taking energy from her teammates to either use their moves herself or create apparitions of their Pokémon forms to attack.
- Berserk Button: Don't insult Marcella's fur/hair. It's unknown whether it's a species trait or a personal quirk of hers.
- Comical Overreacting: When AJ's mom opens the moving truck, he shields his eyes while saying "Hisssss!"
- Death Glare: AJ's mom didn't seem to be doing it intentionally, but Leif was still terrified when she stared at him with a measuring look.
- For Science!: Professor Birch seems to take this attitude when he sees Leif's Half-Human Hybrid form, moving around to observe the changes and firing off one question after another.
- Friend to All Living Things: AJ seems to not just care about his Pokémon, but the wild Pokémon around him.
- Gosh Dang It to Heck!: AJ appears to use G-rated swears like "dagnabbit" in casual settings, but his language slips into worse ones as his mood drops further.
- The Hermit: Downplayed. AJ himself admits that he doesn't get out much once May's mom points out his rather formal greeting.
- Only Known by Their Nickname: AJ. Granted, it seems to be enforced by him, since he only ever tells others that nickname. Norman managed to get out "Ave-" before AJ let him know that he didn't want to be called that.
- The Quiet One: Kuno, though AJ brushes it off as being "word efficient".
- Shout-Out: A few.
- The game he's playing in the moving truck is clearly a Dragon Quest parody with Pokémon in place of the playable characters and monsters. Specifically Dragon Quest IX, if the Ariados boss he fights is supposed to be a counterpart to the Tyrantula.
- One of the Trainers AJ meets is a young boy with blond, spiky hair and a red and black striped shirt with a Zigzagoon named Hobbes.
- Speaks Fluent Animal: AJ can do this, apparently utilizing Pokémon Speak by repeating the two syllables of "Human" in varying tones.
- This Is for Emphasis, Bitch!: Marcella delivers a No-Holds-Barred Beatdown on a Poochyena that insulted her hair while yelling "Say My Name, Bitch!"
- Thou Shalt Not Kill: Downplayed. AJ tells his Pokémon not to kill if they can help it, but grants that if it's them or the other, to not hold back.
- Transformation Trinket: AJ has one seemingly built around his game player, but it seems to transform others.
