u/Meeting_Neither

Right out of the trenches of the Garlyle Forces, we're starting off with Lilly for the minor characters. Funnily enough, half of her team came to mind immediately, with some being stretches but overall I think they all fit her. Here are the explanations:

Marowak - Represents Lilly being a mother... and her tray. Marowak, while having a 50/50 gender ratio, has always been portrayed as a "maternal" Pokemon, especially in the Kanto games where one of the key plot points is Team Rocket killing a female Marowak who tried protecting her Cubone offspring. Plus with how hard-headed (heh) Marowak is, it's only appropriate Lilly has one, especially since she was once known as "Lilly the Skull".

Dhelmise - Suggested by u/Diknihcs. Dhelmise is a Pokemon primarily found at sea, modeled after an anchor. As a former pirate, Lilly could've caught one during her early days. Considering we see various maces and other assorted weapons on the wall of her restaurant, Dhelmise would be a perfect 'Mon for her.

Ampharos - In the Johto games, Jasmine has an Ampharos who's in charge of managing a lighthouse for sea travelers. Probably not an ideal choice for Lilly to have, but I could see her having one during both her early days and to help ships sailing to Parm get there safely.

Lopunny - An oddball, but I think Lopunny would represent Lilly's "tough love" towards Justin. In the Pokemon games, Buneary has one of the lowest friendship rates, which is a problem since it needs to be at max happiness to evolve. Once it does evolve however, Lopunny is worth the wait, even if it's not the strongest Normal-type. Its personality matches Lilly's in lieu of that.

Pelipper - Suggested by u/Diknihcs. Lilly's restaurant is called the "Seagull Restaurant", so it's only appropriate she'd have a Wingull/Pelipper. I think it could also represent the letter she sends to the Adventurer's Society, since in the PMD games a Pelipper works as a mailman, so it could be a neat little nod to that.

Manaphy or Lugia - Her having one of these would teach people not to underestimate her. In all seriousness, I chose these two not only because they're legendaries of the sea, but also because both are depicted as somewhat maternal. While Manaphy is called the "prince of the sea", it is the only legendary that can reproduce in-game, producing Phione, and if Manaphy eggs exist it's not too weird to think a Manaphy produces those too. With Lugia, Takeshi Shudo actually intended Lugia to be an explicitly female Pokemon, only for that to be scrapped, but in a later episode of the Johto anime, we see a Lugia with a child, which I think might've been a little reference to the original plans for Lugia. Either way, which one do you think fits Lilly more? Because no matter which one is chosen for her legendary, they'd represent her love for her son is legendary (pun intended).

Weird headcanon for this whole thing: In Justin's post, I said that Kangaskhan would represent Lilly. Well, I had an idea that Kanga belonged to Lilly and she lent it over to him. Hey, if she can send Justin off to the steamer ship of course she'd give him one of her 'Mons.

MASSIVE SPOILERS FOR DISC 2 INCOMIN! Before we begin, have a little tidbit of story I wrote down for the "if Grandia characters had Pokemon teams" series:

"Long ago, in the vast depths of what scientists, researchers, sometimes conspiracy theorists would dub the "Multiverse", there existed a universe inhabited by both humans and the myriad species known as Pokemon. This species of powerful monsters capable of leveling entire cities, sometimes continents, ranged from cute and cuddly to ferocious and abominable. A rather predictable premise, but the world itself was quite vast and despite its threats, pushed on and outlasted most worlds of similar calibers.

"The source of these creatures stemmed from a piece of the Almighty: Arceus. The lamb-like deity was simply one of many hailing from an all-powerful God outside of time and space, each "Arceus" being assigned to create a universe of their own, multiple worlds where Pokemon would inhabit. To bring balance to each of these universes, every copy would be given the same guardians: Dialga and Palkia - masters of time and space; Giratina - demon of antimatter; Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf - embodiments of knowledge, emotion, and willpower; Mew - the oldest apex species of all Pokemon; and so on, so forth. These were essential to each universe, each world where Pokemon would spring into existence, building upon the foundations of life itself.

"No matter their size or elements, humans began to realize that by themselves, they were no match for these creatures, and so invented capsules capable of subduing even the most powerful Pokemon. Over the years, many have questioned this method, some forming violent protests, but ultimately the Pokemon didn't mind showcasing their power to humans whenever necessary. They were built to fight, after all.

"However, not all respected using Pokemon for good. For decades, there have been individuals gathering together troubled people and Pokemon alike to use for their selfish purposes, to cause harm or out of a desire to take over the entire world. By discovering the potential of a Pokemon's strength, these people wanted to play God by any means necessary. One of the first instances was Volo in the ancient Hisui, who caught and controlled Giratina itself all for the sake of meeting Arceus.

"There are too many organizations to name of, but the most notable ones include the following:

• Team Rocket: An organized mafia hellbent on stealing from the most unsuspecting trainers, even children. Their leader, Giovanni, had infiltrated the Indigo league as its eighth gym leader, crushing challengers in his wake with his Ground-types. He was also involved in the creation of Mewtwo, a clone of the Pokemon's ancestor Mew and a rather savage beast, considered the strongest of all Psychic Pokemon. Mewtwo had escaped its confinements, but Giovanni had spent years trying to find its whereabouts. He would have succeeded in having Mewtwo under his control had a boy from Pallet Town not stopped him for good, disbanding Team Rocket until they made another comeback in Johto, only to be bested by a newbie from New Bark Town. Giovanni's current whereabouts are unknown, but some say he's still looking for Mewtwo.
• Team Magma: One of the most notorious gangs in Hoenn, Team Magma's leader Maxie claimed that the world would be better off without its water, finding it baffling that the sea covered a majority of the planet. He attempted to evaporate the waters by reviving the renowned kaiju of the earth, Groudon, but the red lizard had other plans, much to Maxie's horror.
• Team Aqua: Team Magma's rival gang. Its leader, Archie, sought out Groudon's rival and kaiju of the sea: Kyogre. His plans were the complete opposite of Maxie's, desiring the sea to take over the land. Much like Magma's failed mission with Groudon, Kyogre refused to listen to Archie, seeking out Groudon to duel with it much like in ancient times. All seemed to be lost for Hoenn, until Rayquaza, king of the skies and mediator of kaijus, descended from the ozone layer and put the raging beasts back to their caverns, where they lay sleeping once more.
• Team Cipher: In the distant region of Orre, this organization would conduct inhumane experiments on Pokemon, turning them into raging beasts known as Shadow Pokemon. These types of Pokemon would be killing machines, uncaring of the enemy or their own wellbeing. Two different times has Cipher wrought havoc to Orre, and both times, if it were not for Wes - a former Cipher soldier who realized what they were doing was wrong - and another young boy Michael, the entire region would have been plunged into darkness by Cipher's Shadow Lugia.
• Team Galactic: Its leader, Cyrus, was always a troubled man. He sought to rid the world of emotions, wanting to make an entire universe for his liking. To do so, he harnessed the power from Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf, crafting the Red Chain - capable of controlling both Dialga and Palkia at once. Fortunately, Giratina intervened, casting Cyrus into the hellish dimension known as the Distortion World. Oddly enough, Cyrus resigned himself to his fate, preferring the chaotic, warped landscape without any love or compassion.
• Go-Rock Squad: A false group of "heroes" who stole valuable information from Professor Hastings to control the legendary Pokemon. They wanted to replace the Pokemon Rangers, but failed to.
• Team Dim Sum: They sought to control Almia with the stolen power from Rangers. Their solution to energy sources was to use enslaved Pokemon, but that was swiftly put to an end.
• Pokemon Pinchers: Targeting the Rangers and Pokemon of Oblivia, they made it their goal to use the legendary bird trio to brainwash the region's Pokemon. One of its leaders, Purple Eyes, was filled with so much hate and a god complex that Arceus intervened to remove him from existence, following his attempt to control the Alpha Pokemon.
• Team Plasma: One of the most notorious anti-trainer protestors. Its leader, Ghetsis, sought control over Unova using his adoptive son N, who had the ability to communicate with Pokemon. Having N spend his life around abused Pokemon, Ghetsis convinced the boy that trainers were unworthy of having Pokemon under their control, and that the legendary dragons Reshiram and Zekrom - truth and ideals - could set things right. Despite having one of the most powerful dragons in his grasp, N was defeated by a trainer from Nuvema Town, who harnessed the power of the rivalling dragon. Ghetsis cast N aside, failing to defeat this trainer, leaving Plasma to lay low until two years later, where they would attempt to freeze Unova using the power of Kyurem, the shell of the dragon that was once Reshiram and Zekrom's whole. Ghetsis attempted to fuse the dragons with Kyurem to no avail, leading to his second defeat by an aspiring trainer from Aspertia City and subsequent breakdown, and he has not been seen since.
• Team Flare: Similarly to Cyrus, Team Flare's leader Lysandre wanted to rebuild the world using the legendaries Xerneas and Yveltal. He wanted him and his team to be immortal via Xerneas, while also wanting to purge the world of its "filth" using Yveltal. He was able to keep up his publicly renowned image until a brave trainer from Vaniville town exposed his dark secrets; as it turned out, he was going to use the weapon that ended a great war 3,000 years ago, built by the former Kalos ruler to revive his beloved Floette, but said weapon ended up killing thousands of Pokemon. Once Xerneas and Yveltal were awakened, they were furious with Lysandre, destroying his labs and burying him beneath its rubble. A tragic fate, but a deserved one.
• Aether Foundation: While the foundation was meant to preserve Pokemon, its founder Lusamine is quite the unfortunate soul. Losing her husband and becoming obsessed with the Ultra Beasts - extraterrestrial Pokemon - caused her to neglect her son and daughter, leading to both running away from her insanity. Her son, Gladion, escaped with Type: Null, a Pokemon capable of combating the Ultra Beasts, while her daughter, Lillie, ran away with Cosmog, one of these extraterrestrial Pokemon capable of summoning Ultra Beasts. They would eventually unite once more, with Type: Null and Cosmog evolving into their final forms, putting an end to Lusamine's madness but also leaving Alola open for Necrozma's wrath, as it wanted to absorb the light of the region. With the help of a newly-moved trainer, Necrozma was put down for now, leaving Lusamine in rehab for her actions.
• Marco Cosmos: This organization sought to preserve the Galar region's energy crisis. Its chairman, Rose, believed using the extraterrestrial Eternatus would help power the region, but was quickly proven wrong when Eternatus's power became too much, requiring the warrior duo Zacian and Zamazenta to slay it as they did years prior.
• Paldea's professors turned out to be AI copies of the real ones, having maintained Area Zero, deluded into thinking bringing Pokemon from the past and future would create "a world like the one in the book — a paradise where we three can live happily together forever."
• And countless other evil people who wanted to control the various legendaries: Lawrence III with the Kanto birds; the Masked Marauder of Team Rocket and the ever-elusive Masked Man with Ilex Forest's Celebi; Annie and Oakley of Team Rocket with Alto Mare's Eon Duo; Butler with Jirachi of the Millennium Comet; Zero with Giratina and Shaymin; Grings Kodai kidnapping an innocent Zorua and Zoroark to bring out another Celebi; and so on...

"It wasn't just humans who were deeply flawed, however. For example, in Paldea, a Pokemon known as Pecharunt tricked three other Pokemon into killing a trainer, who owned an Ogerpon. Ogerpon took revenge against the three Pokemon, but wouldn't get justice herself for years to come.

"And in one particular universe, after bearing witness to all of these atrocities, Arceus had enough.

"To rid the world - and his children - of all the evils within, he decided the best course of action was to move his universe to another, where hopefully the Pokemon and good humans he selected would be able to live in peace. He had scoured countless worlds, trying to see if one of them was the perfect match for Pokemon to reside in. Then, after what felt like an eternity of looking, he found one that vaguely matched the description of his own: one little world known as "Grandia", a place where both humans and other species thrived, though separated by a worldwide wall, where magic was present and, much like the Pokemon world, monsters of every species imaginable writhed about.

"And so the merge began. Billions of Pokemon and humans were warped from their homes to a new one. Unsurprisingly, this led to strife amongst both inhabitants of both worlds.

"At first, the Pokemon were treated as invaders, with most humans of the Grandia world coming to fear them. It took the legendaries to intervene to state their peace and assure the natives that the Pokemon and good people selected - mostly the trainers who saved each region - would help protect this world. After seeing how benevolent the creatures were however, the ones deemed "acceptable" were tamed by humans. The non-humans - humanoids, Dightians, Lainians, Mogays, etc. - had an easier time taming the creatures, possessing strength on par with them. On the other hand, the Pokemon also had the wild monsters of Grandia to watch out for. While the Pokemon could thrive in the wild, these monsters ranged from giant dragons, to sirens, to even demons, some of whom had enough intelligence to catch the Pokemon themselves.

"One thing Arceus could not intervene with was the military known as the Garlyle Forces. Its leader, Baal, was much like the evil team leaders described above: filled with megalomania and a desire to destroy the Grandia world by using the beast of mass destruction known as Gaia. Most of his soldiers are unaware of his true intentions, as he only had his son Mullen not out of love but as a pawn to know secrets of the ancient Angelou and the long-gone Icarians. Now with powerful Pokemon at his disposal, plus the combined technology and interference of every prior team leader, now rounded up, will his plan truly be unstoppable? Only time will tell."

...Aaaaaaand that's the "lore" behind these posts. I figured I'd drop it under Baal's description. If it's too long, I apologize, but I figured I may as well include a little story behind these posts, even if it's just meant for fun at the end of the day. Anyhow, here are the explanations for Baal's team:

Metagross - Meant to represent Baal's advanced technology and the limbs he gains once fused with Gaia. Metagross is a tanky supercomputer so I could definitely see Baal using one.

Malamar - One of the only Pokemon to be usually portrayed as evil. It uses hypnotic powers to get what it wants, which could tie into how Baal kept most of his secrets hidden by gaslighting his soldiers, until he was busted. Still, with Malamar, who knows what else he could get away with?

Hydreigon - I mean it's called the Brutal Pokemon for a reason! Since Baal becomes a corrupted, dragon-like entity near the end of the game, it's only fitting he has one of the most dangerous Dragon-types... unless you have a Fairy-type, of course.

Spiritomb - Represents the Spirit Stones he sought out, since it's literally an ancient stone fused with multiple evil spirits. Spiritomb is made up of many wicked spirits, so it's tied with Malamar for being possibly evil (I say possibly because Spiritomb doesn't really do much in comparison but eh).

Shedinja - Weird choice but in his third boss fight, Baal is resistant to most magic attacks, meaning you need specific strategies to overcome him. Shedinja's ability Wonder Guard would sync perfectly with that, as it can only be hit by moves it's weak against... and status and weather conditions. 1 HP will only get you so far, sadly.

Zygarde - Represents Gaia! It helps that Xerneas, Yveltal, and Zygarde are based off of Norse mythology, with Operation Yggdrasil's name stemming from the same tree and beasts the three legendaries are based on. With Zygarde, it may represent the ecosystem, but it is still a weapon of mass destruction; in the XYZ anime Lysandre was able to gain control of one and nearly destroyed Kalos because of it, so I could see Baal doing the same. Needless to say, Baal would be a force to be reckoned with if he uses Zygarde.

Next will be the minor characters, starting with Lilly. I hope you enjoyed the little "lore" I gave this series too, even if it's a bit out of left field.

May contain spoilers for Disc 2, plus his boss fight. Regardless, this was pretty fun to make; not as much as Leen's but I definitely had to be creative here. Here are the explanations for each 'Mon:

Empoleon - Since Justin has Charizard, I thought it would be fitting for Mullen to have a Water-type starter to counter it. Out of all of them, I think Empoleon fits the most, since it has a king-like vibe to it and its Steel-typing helps strengthen it. Not to mention its wings and claws make it have some sword-like moves, which represents Mullen's own weapon. While it's not the strongest starter, I think it would be Mullen's go-to.

Arcanine - Of course he would invest in the "Legendary" Pokemon. Arcanine may not actually be a legendary but it is still extremely powerful and imposing, having one of the most appealing designs of the original 151. Since Mullen himself is just as formidable and has a fiery spirit, I could see him having one since it'd match his will to protect his men.

Dragapult - Represents him being a Colonel, since Dragapult actively orders its pre-evos in its own attacks. Since Mullen is able to use Dragon Cut in his fight I figured it'd be unsurprising for him to have a Dragon-type.

Froslass - Might be reaching with this one, but I think Froslass would represent Mullen's hybrid status. In Pokemon Legends Arceus, we see that a man was apparently tricked by a Froslass into falling in love with her, which actually ties into what Froslass was based on - yuki-onna, which in Japanese myths are spirits of women who appear during cold seasons. The latter isn't completely accurate to Pokemon lore (since Froslass evolves from Snorunt and isn't literally the spirit of a deceased woman), but combined with its humanoid features and its inspiration, you could make the argument that Froslass being in Mullen's team could represent how much Mullen values his mother; not that his Froslass is literally her ghost of course (that would be pretty stupid) but I think it would serve as a memorial to her in a way.

Kingambit - Represents the Garlyle soldiers. Kingambit’s Supreme Overlord ability is very fitting for Mullen, as it boosts Kingambit's attack once the rest of the party faints before it, and since in the game Mullen repeatedly makes it clear he values the lives of his men (even if he doesn't go about it in the best way), Kingambit would be perfect for him.

Genesect - Another seemingly odd choice, but I think Genesect would represent the cannon that was built to combat Gaia (hell, Genesect's shiny form is red much like that same cannon). Since Genesect is a formerly ancient Pokemon that was given modern features, I think this would fit perfectly with Mullen, since while he is invested in ancient secrets he usually uses modern inventions to help further his plans, to somewhat benefit said ancient secrets, such as why he's insistent on using both Leen and Feena to defeat Gaia. Also in Pokemon lore, Genesect was revived and later built upon by Team Plasma, so the Garlyle Forces having one wouldn't be too strange; maybe Baal wanted to use it for mass destruction but Mullen was forced to take it away once he saw his father was off the deep end.

Shouldn't be shocking, but Baal's next. After him, I'll do the minor characters from the game but how many ones depends on how much I can even come up for them.

Yet another team that contains massive spoilers for the character. Regardless, this was pretty easy to come up for, probably because half of her Pokemon are counterparts of Feena's, since yknow they're twins. Here are the explanations:

Absol - In Pokemon lore, Absol appears before disasters happen, not because it causes them but because it wants to warn others. I believe this fits with Leen very well, since in every appearance of hers in the game, something typically serious happens and her presence is integral to the plot. Absol also sprouts wings when it Mega Evolves, and guess who does something similar? Yup, Leen would definitely have one.

Ninetales - Specifically the Alolan variant, since Feena has the Kanto one. I think Alolan Ninetales fits Leen because its typing (Ice and Fairy) matches her sugar-and-ice personality; initially Leen seems pretty cold and standoffish, but as Justin gets to know her better, she's actually very sweet and wants the best for Feena, despite not being there for her. Alolan Ninetales doesn't carry the same stigma as accidentally causing curses like its Kanto counterpart, since it isolates itself in mountains, and it knows its way through them due to experience. I think Leen could use one in case of having to go through cold lands.

Roserade - Also represents Leen's personality, as though she is kind, she is still a Lieutenant and being an Icarian, she has access to dangerous powers (though we never see her in explicit combat). Similarly, Roserade may look beautiful on the surface, but it is still a Poison-type with access to powerful moves. I think it could also somewhat represent Leen's (one-sided) love for Mullen.

Gallade - Represents Leen's use of sword and loyalty to Mullen. Since Feena already has Gardevoir it wasn't too weird to give her the Sinnoh counterpart.

Skarmory - Its wings look similar to Leen's. That, and I think with its Steel-typing, it could represent Leen being rather tough, not just physically but also emotionally.

Latios - Ya'll saw this one coming. Since Feena has Latias, it's only appropriate her twin has Latios. Similar to Leen, Latios has been portrayed as being caring for Latias; in PMD Red/Blue, he steals TMs to help him find Latias, and in Pokemon Heroes the one there attacks Ash at first until Latias has to step in, later on he lets himself get captured so Latias can get help. I also chose Latios because (spoilers for the fifth Pokemon movie) >!in Pokemon Heroes, Latios actually sacrifices himself and dies protecting Alto Mare, leaving Latias left alive. This reminds me of how Leen ultimately decided to sacrifice herself since she did so for similar reasons, even if she did come back, unlike Latios in the movie.!<With all of these factors, Latios is the perfect Pokemon for Leen to have.

This was probably the most fun I've had making up a team in a while. Mullen's next, and hopefully it's one of the more easy ones since I've had a few ideas brewing for him.

Decided to do all three at once. Here are the explanations:

Sirfetch'd, Hitmontop, and Drifblim - Represent Saki's slapstick fan, Nana‘s yo yo, and Mio's nerve gas balloons.

Dodrio, Dugtrio, and Magnezone - Represents all three of them being a trio. Gave Nana the Alolan Dugtrio because of its fabulous hair that she'd obviously gloat over.

Salazzle, Tsareena, and Vespiquen - Salazzle and Vespiquen are Pokemon that evolve only from the females of their species, while the male pre-evos are drones, which reminds me of the sargeants. In Tsareena's case it doesn't function like the other two, but it is portrayed as a Pokemon that gloats in its own majesty, probably because its pre-evo forms were pretty weak.

Flareon, Vaporeon, and Jolteon - The first Pokemon trio, aside from the Kanto starters. Aesthetically they all match the three sargeants imo.

Manectric, Houndoom, and Mightyena - Weird choices but I based these off of that one throwaway line Nana mentions about using sniffing hounds to find Rem. The three also represent the names of their squads: Lightning Star (Saki), Bloody Rose (Nana), and Desert Moon (Mio).

The Galarian birds or the Loyal Three - Yet another two-way tie I'm not sure on. I thought the Galarian birds would work because the legendary birds are the most common of all the legendaries, and in Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness the main villain uses their Kanto counterparts as Shadow Pokemon. Personally I think the Galarian ones work better since they’re said to be more dangerous in some aspect. But on the other hand, I think the Loyal Three could also work for the legendary spots because they're just as nasty as the sargeants, and if Rapp has Ogerpon as one of his 'Mons I figured this could explain where the Loyal Three are. If I go with the Loyal Three, not sure where Pecharunt could be since I don’t see Mullen having it, so it’s probably uncaught. Anyways, I dunno about this one. As always, give me suggestions on this one.

Leen will be far more fun to come up with a team for. I'm not lying when I said this was kinda exhausting to make.

Liete was simultaneously both easy and hard to come up with a team for; easy because of the amount of picks I was able to get an idea for her squad, and hard because, as you can see in the image, there are some Pokemon I'm still debating on which specifically works best for her, mainly because of the two three-way ties. More in the explanations below:

Claydol or Bronzong or Sigilyph - In Pokemon lore, all three originated from very ancient civilizations, much like Liete herself and Alent. Problem is that they all kinda overlap with each other, and I'm not sure which one fits Liete more. Not to mention all of them learn some elemental moves so it's a hard toss-up. Maybe she has one of them on her main team but keeps the other two on hold?

Aurorus - Figured Liete would have at least one fossil Pokemon. She learns some freezing and earth skills so Aurorus could represent that. Not to mention since Liete lives near space, auroras would be a sight she's familiar with, so why not have the Tundra Pokemon part of her team? I think it would also represent her Enclose move too.

Volcarona - Volcarona is also another ancient Pokemon that was apparently revered as a deity, if the Relic Castle in the Unova games is any indication. It wouldn't be too shocking if Volcarona appeared in Alent as well, and could tie into the Icarians with its wings. It would definitely fit with Liete's fire attacks.

Flutter Mane - C'mon, Liete should have at least one Paradox 'Mon. Why not the one with the most fabulous hair? In all seriousness, Flutter Mane's typing, with its unique moveset, would be a great choice for Liete to have with her. It would represent her Magic Art spell.

Clefable - Do I even need to explain this? Clefairy is said to come from space so it's not too odd Liete would find one around her home. This one I also think would be a little nod to the Icarians because of Clefable's wings. It would also represent Liete's Star Symphony move.

Uxie or Mesprit or Azelf - Yup, the Lake trio. Wouldn't be too weird for her to have at least one of them. I think all of them represent her equally - she's very knowledgeable like Uxie, wants to know more about emotions akin to Mesprit, and is elf-like like Azelf. Thing is, I'm not sure if she would just have one of them, or if she has all three but rotates them around. It would be pretty unfair if all of them were on her team at once so it's probably the latter, but as always, lend me suggestions.

With the three-way ties (Claydol/Bronzong/Sigilyph and the Lake trio debacle), I'll let you be the judge because trust me when I say that I'm really not sure what decision to make there. After the party members, I'll try my hand at the major Garlyle Forces members, and they'll definitely be fun to work with.

After Guido, I'll be working on Liete's team. Thankfully this one was once again relatively easy to come up with. Here are the explanations:

Diggersby - Represents the Mogay as a whole. With its digging abilities, I suppose it could help Guido uncover some stuff to get money.

Wigglytuff - Represents Gina. The Wigglytuff from PMD Explorers also reminds me of Guido a bit so I think it could be a neat little reference.

Gholdengo and Persian - Do I even need to explain why they're here? Guido would definitely get his work done faster with these two.

Mantine - Represents the flying manta rays. I find it funny how Mantine is pretty much the exact same type of manta ray portrayed in Grandia too.

Shaymin - Bit of an oddball, but I think with how much Guido travels it wouldn't be too farfetched for him to catch one (plus it has a flying form so it wouldn't be hard to travel with him). It also serves as an analogue to Guido's gratitude towards the heroes, to the point where he eventually aids them. Shaymin's sky form looks vaguely rabbit-like, even if it's supposed to be a hedgehog.

I could totally see Guido spamming Pay Day and Make It Rain whenever he gets the chance ngl

Since Milda's the only party member who doesn't use magic, I figured her team would comprise of (mostly) physical attackers. Some you can argue are mixed attackers rather than only physical but eh. Anyways, here's the explanations:

Miltank and Tauros - Represent the Lainian people as a whole, with Tauros specifically representing Darlin. I chose the Combat Paldea Tauros because I thought it would fit Milda more than the Kanto one (Darlin would have that though). And if anyone is familiar with Pokemon, Miltank and Tauros were notoriously tough in earlier generations; Tauros is in Gen 1's OU tier and I shouldn't even have to mention Whitney's Miltank.

Weavile - Represents Milda's ability to use swords. Much like her, Weavile's pretty fast, and it's said that Weavile can quickly take down opponents that are several times its size, which I think fits Milda. Interestingly enough, despite being an Ice-type Weavile's pretty lacking in its special attack stats, which again ties into Milda's lack of magic.

Nidoqueen - Represents Milda's ability to use maces, and it's an obvious reference to her being the motherly type (which is ironic since Nidoqueen can't actually breed). Darlin would have Nidoking to compliment this one.

Excadrill - Represents Milda's ability to use axes (and swords as well). I also think it would represent her Splitter attack, which is basically an earthquake, and what better 'Mon to choose than the one that is basically a walking drill?

Zeraora - Given how it's said to rip its opponents to shreds at terrifying speeds, I can't help but be reminded of how Milda attacked Rapp when you meet her. It also gets electricity from outside sources rather than its own body, which probably wouldn't mean it uses its powers by pure mind, which also reminds me of how Milda stands out by not using magic like the others. Needless to say, I can see them getting along.

Again, probably not the best team I could've given this character, but that's the best I got. I know I've entertained Darlin having some 'Mons a bit here but I'm not sure if I'm actually gonna make a full team for him later down the line, or any of the minor characters, now that I think about it... unless you have any ideas, of course.

Fun fact: most of his team are more humanoid-looking 'mons because he's a humanoid. What a shocker (sarcasm). Anyways, here are the explanations for each:

Shiftry - Represents Cafu's chief and also the village as a whole since they live in a forest. Plus Shiftry's even got long ears.

Toxtricity - Definitely fits Rapp's unruly personality. He usually uses poison and electricity moves so it matches up with Toxtricity.

Golem - Represents Demon Ball. Electrode could also be used for that but I think appearance-wise Golem fits the description better. Rapp mostly uses earth magic too so it makes sense.

Scizor - Represents Rapp's knife, and since it's a Bug-type it would make sense if he found a Scyther near Cafu village. Scizor also learns Guillotine, which ties into Rapp's Deathsword attack since they both OHKO enemies.

Kecleon - Represents Rapp's Mist Hide move. Since Kecleon is a chameleon and is said to camouflage itself I thought it made the most since. And again, since it's a chameleon of course it would be located somewhere around Cafu's forests.

Urshifu (Single Strike) - This Pokemon is the evolved form of Kubfu, who is said to have trained in primarily mountain areas and usually explores to make itself stronger. The Single Strike form of its evolution is regarded as powerful enough to not only OHKO enemies but also use some dirty tricks to dispel a Dynamax Pokemon. I'd say those descriptions fit Rapp pretty well, especially since most of Rapp's attacks utilize dirty tactics too.

EDIT: ignore everything I said about urshifu, ogerpon fits more but because I'm stupid I forgot ogerpon existed, mb

Probably not the best team I could've given him but that's the best I got. Next up on my list is Milda, and thankfully she's easier to come up with some picks.

I bet just one glance at his team would have you think it makes perfect sense. Regardless, here are the explanations:

Aggron - References his armor. I mean it's called the "Iron Armor" Pokemon, so...

Kommo-o - Same reason as Aggron, but since Gadwin is a dragon person it's obvious he'd have a few Dragon-types.

Tyranitar - It's a Pokemon that lives near mountains, and since Dight is located close to some I think it'd make sense if Gadwin found one there.

Garchomp - This was suggested by u/OnyxWarden. It obviously represents Dragon King Slice!

Gyarados - Represents his Sea Dragon boat. Gyarados isn't a Dragon-type but it's basically a dragon nonetheless.

Terrakion - Since Justin has Keldeo, of course his mentor would have one of Keldeo's masters, and by far the one that's the bulkiest of the trio. On the other hand, I'd imagine Alma has Virizion and the Dight chief has Cobalion (dunno if I'll make teams for them though).

I just realized he's basically a Rock/Dragon/Fighting specialist lmao; take that as you will.

Had to spoiler this because some of the Pokemon here reference massive spoilers in relations to Feena. In any case, I had to stretch with some of the reasons, but hopefully it makes sense in retrospect.

Lapras - Lapras has always been portrayed as a Pokemon that helps ferry across the sea, and since Feena's a well-renowned adventurer I think her having Lapras to help her move around would make sense. And in Pokemon lore, Lapras was once a near-extinct creature but over time it has repopulated more, which would also tie into Feena being one of the last Icarians.

Ninetales - Feena typically uses fire magic, and one of her most powerful attacks is the fire attack "The End of The World". I could've used a better Fire-type for this but Ninetales is technically a fire spirit since it's based on a kitsune, and the one from PMD Red/Blue is said to be pretty long-lived, so I suppose it could also serve as a reference to how ancient Angelou is.

Lilligant - References the plantlife around Feena's home, as well as her "Tree of Life" spell. Lilligant also symbolizes love so it could be another reference towards Feena and Justin's relationship.

Gardevoir - Gardevoir is a very loyal Pokemon that is also capable of absolutely decimating its enemies, which fits Feena perfectly. I also included Gardevoir since I figured maybe it could represent Feena's Time Gate move? If we take the dex entries literally, if it really can spawn black holes I wouldn't be surprised if it could alter time in some way. You can argue I could've used Celebi, but for reasons discussed below I decided against adding it.

Cinccino - Represents Feena's whip (and her tendency to slap Justin a lot during Disc 1). Cinccino also learns some elemental moves, which could reference Feena's whip being able to utilize elemental magic as well. Cinccino is portrayed as being efficient with cleaning, which could tie into Feena keeping her home pretty clean as noted by Justin and Sue.

Latias - Represents Feena being an Icarian! By proxy, Leen would have Latios, but that's pretty obvious. Latias and Latios are a duo, and while not always twins, are very similar in appearance and are formidable to fight against. Latias is typically portrayed as the friendlier of the two, and it likes to roam, which fits Feena like a glove. Latias's inclusion in her team is why I didn't add Celebi here, since I thought giving Feena two legendaries would've been overdoing it.

Overall, probably not the best team I could've given her, but I hope the one I gave her makes sense.

The second part, and it was obvious that Sue was next on my list. This team was slightly harder to come up with, but hopefully it matches her nicely. Like the last one, here are the explanations for each Pokemon here.

Togekiss - Represents Puffy. I also think Sue would have one because, in the Pokemon anime, Misty's Togepi (while it never became a Togekiss) was typically treated like the "baby" of the group, who usually tagged along but could be formidable whenever provoked. Togekiss is also portrayed as a very docile yet powerful creature, though it values kindness over brute strength, which fits Sue's personality perfectly.

Decidueye - Sue uses arrows and bows, and Decidueye is the only Pokemon capable of doing that; connect the dots.

Altaria - Another representation for Puffy. It shares similar attributes with Togekiss so it's pretty clear why Sue would choose the softest-looking Dragon-type.

Oricorio (Pom-Pom variant) - Represents the "Rah-Rah" cheer!

Teddiursa - Sue has a teddy bear so it'd be neat if Teddiursa was on her team.

Victini - Since Sue typically uses fire magic and can help her allies with cheering, it reminded me a little of Victini and its victory boosts, according to its lore. Besides, if Justin can have one Unova mythical, why not Sue as well?

Leave thoughts and future suggestions down below if you have any, of course.

I'm gonna do a little series dwelling on if Grandia characters had Pokemon teams. What better way to start off than with Justin himself? Truthfully some of these picks were pretty easy, but I'll explain each anyways.

Charizard - Based on Justin's last fire skill: Dragon Cut. Charizard may not be a Dragon-type but it's very clearly a dragon anyways. Plus since it's the most popular starter of course it would fit with Justin's adventurous personality.

Aegislash - Based on the Spirit Sword. I mean, it's literally a ghost sword. What else can I say here?

Haxorus - References Justin's ability to use axes. Also to make up for Charizard's lack of Dragon-typing.

Lucario - References the Spirit Stone slightly, since Lucario uses aura like it's spiritual energy. Lucario has also always been characterized to be a very loyal and heroic Pokemon, which fits Justin like a glove.

Kangaskhan - Probably an oddball, but I think this one would reference his mom, Lilly. Before the game, Justin was always in his mother's "pouch", so to speak, like the baby Kanga. Kanga's mega evolution has the baby become capable of defending itself, which is exactly what happens with Justin in the beginning of the game since Lilly realizes he's ready to go adventuring.

Keldeo - Keldeo's backstory states that after departing from its kin, the swords of justice trained it to become a formidable fighter. This could reference Gadwin training Justin to become capable of handling bigger threats, and it helps that Keldeo's signature move is called "Secret Sword".

Any thoughts on what his team could also be? Or better yet, give me ideas for other characters, since I may need some help piecing together their own teams (I have some ideas for the Icarian twins but I won't spoil it just yet).

Since you all liked the last one so much, I decided to make another parody, this time of the original comic's third page. Hell, I decided to give the girls some dialogue as well, since I didn't want it to be just Gadwin replacing Sonic's lines.

Speaking of which, do you have any suggestions for character replacements in case I parody more pages? Especially since the original comic evolves into a crossover pretty early on.

sequel to this

I don't think I'm gonna parody the ENTIRE TGT comic but have this at least. I tried styling it like they were talking with the text boxes and portraits in the game instead of using speech bubbles because I thought it was funnier.

fyi they're supposed to be at the End of The World in the background, also thought it would be funnier than if they were in some field

This is part of a personal project of mine; redesigning all the relatively major characters from the first game. It's like if I wrote the game and made their designs. What better way to start off this than starting with the main character himself? I wanted to stay true to Justin's original design while adding some touches to it. I was kind of afraid it looks too "nerdy", but I thought giving him a little tooth gap was cute. I also made alternate costumes for him when he's in other places in the game, since I doubt he'd keep his usual fit on all the time. That's not all though; with my AU, I adjusted some of the lore and aspects of the characters, so let's focus on that.

Changes from canon:

• Justin has ADHD. This is a headcanon I have for him but I decided to make it the case here. He has medication that Lilly and Sue are in charge of providing him, so he brings it along during his journey.
• His scarf actually belonged to his dad, and he wears it most of the time to keep his dad's memory alive.
• Justin prefers the company of non-humans over humans. Because of the humans in Parm being wary of him and ostracizing him due to his ability to communicate with spirits (we'll get to that below), he doesn't trust humans despite being one himself. This is why he gets along with the other party members, most of whom aren't human and can relate to him being treated differently. He considers them family as a result (with the exception of Feena since she's his girlfriend).
• Justin is still a bit of an idiot, but in this AU, he's skilled at piloting, which his dad taught him how to manage before he passed away. This is showcased in the third image provided. He does this to not only traverse around, but also to get him and his friends out of perilous situations. Also because I wanted there to be an actual reason behind his goggles (which he never uses in the game for some reason).
• I decided to explain why he's able to tank so many hits that would normally kill someone his age; he has high pain tolerance, so his body doesn't exactly process pain but his brain does. For example, if he has a splinter stuck in his hand, he wouldn't notice unless someone or something deliberately tried pulling it out.
• In this AU, he and Sue are biologically related as cousins. This is because Sue's mom and aunt are Lilly's sisters. They see each other as siblings since Sue has known Justin her whole life.
• Huge divergence: during the point in the story where the Garlyle Forces capture his party and Rem, the GF takes interest in Justin's ability to talk with spirits and momentarily recruit him to do exactly that. They decide not to execute him and the others as a result, but to say it was stressful is an understatement. During this period, he and Mullen surprisingly got close and Mullen was the only one who didn't treat Justin as an anomaly. He offered Justin to be a Sergeant out of some respect for the kid, but at that point the party was already hitching up an escape plan. However, that didn't stop the GF from getting all that they needed from his powers, especially when Baal's concerned...
• He's actually known Liete since he was little, due to his ability to talk with all types of spirit-like entities. Though before meeting up with her in the Sult Ruins, she hadn't visited him in a long time since she was busy, so he doesn't recognize her at first since he was very young when she left. This is why in the fourth image, you can see her comforting a crying younger Justin (I'll leave what exactly caused him distress up for you to decide though).
• He loves fish, not as food, but as animals. He reasons it as them being allowed to be free and roam the world as they please, which he's always aspired to be. Whenever he's on a boat and out at sea, he tends to stare at the water to watch any species of fish he spots.
• Now to finally explain the deal with his powers: in this AU, the Spirits had not only blessed the Icarians, but the entire world with certain powers, which would be passed down through each family's descendants. Justin, his father, and their ancestors had the power to communicate with spirits if all types, further increased with their possession of the Spirit Stone. However, because of this, many assumed Justin and his family were either crazy or cursed, as they could see and talk with things that the average person cannot. They weren't ran out of Parm because of Lilly being fucking terrifying to anger (especially if her son is harmed), but that didn't stop children in the village (barring Sue) from shunning Justin. Rather than backing down, Justin opted to make it his goal to not only travel to Alent, but make new friends who wouldn't treat him like dirt for something he can't control, also to show Parm that the outside is not something to fear. And oh boy did he succeed. His ability is shown in the last image, where he's communicating with spirit-like beings ranging from a small mammal to a demon-like monster, all of whom are intrigued by his inner power.

Do you have any thoughts or suggestions thus far? Please let me know, God bless and have a great day!

Justin Gets Trolled when? lol

Sequel to my "Sue In Wonderland" drawing from a few days ago. Couldn't resist the temptation to add more to this crossover, featuring Mullen as the Hatter ("The Mad Colonel"), Leen as the Doormouse ("Doortenant"), and (seen from the back) Guido as the March Hare ("March Mogay"). Maybe I'll make a third one, since I'm still trying to figure out who'd be the Cheshire Cat; Feena? Maybe even Justin? I'd like to hear your opinion on that.

spoilered because the second image features Sue's design from the epilogue, in a parody of American McGee's Alice's fit

surely I'm not the only one who thought of this crossover, right? I mean it feels so obvious

fyi guido would totally be the march hare

Today is not only the 30th anniversary of NiGHTS, but also Dolly the cloned sheep. She was born on July 5, 1996, which is a pretty funny coincidence but also very heartwarming to think about; that she shares a birthday with one of the best video game franchises of all time. Rest in peace to the little angel.