Name: Simon Braddock
Age: 20
Gender: Male
Hometown: Slateport City
Appearance:
Basics: Simon is 5'7" tall and weighs 130 lbs. He has blue eyes and light skin. His black hair is tapered through the back and sides and a bit longer on the top (it's supposed to be textured and styled but it tends to just stick out every-which way after Simon speeds down a hill on his bike). He has a set of crisscrossed scars that start on the back of his left hand and extend down his forearm about two and a half inches past his wrist. These are the result of an accident when he was younger.
Clothing/Accessories: His courier uniform consists of khaki pants, black and yellow-trimmed tennis shoes, and a dark red button up short-sleeved shirt (with a white undershirt beneath). When he's not wearing his uniform Simon wears dark jeans and a t-shirt. Simon is slightly nearsighted and wears glasses to correct his vision.
Personality: Simon inherited his mother's temperament and is a polite, conscientiousness young man. He tends to fallback on being polite when he is not sure what to say to someone. When in uniform he is more open and friendly, a learned tendency due to interacting with people often. When he is not in uniform Simon tends keep to himself.
Profession: Courier
Talents: Knot tying, Basic bike maintenance, Basic first aid, star navigation.
Inventory:
$800 in a savings account,
A $100 traveler's check
A Mach Bike (collapsible),
A bag containing:
Kanto Map,
Hoenn Map,
4 Pokeballs,
3 Potions,
Some lengths of rope wrapped around-
a small sleeping bag,
A spare set of normal clothing,
A spare uniform (shirt),
A pocketknife
A small medicine kit (bandages and disinfectant)
Small handheld air pump,
S.S. Ticket (used)
Starter Pokemon: "Shadow" - Poochyena (male) [Tackle, Howl]
Biography: As his mother tells the story, Simon's father was a handsome and charming deck cadet when she met him one sunny summer afternoon. Simon's mother, Elaine, was an assistant at the Oceanic Museum on her lunch break when she bumped into Jack, quite literally. After apologies from both sides the two talked for a short while, then parted amicably. Two weeks later when Jack's ship returned, he casually entered the Oceanic Museum and requested a lunch date with Elaine. Fast-forward a few years and Simon's parents were married aboard the deck of the S.S. Tidal III. Simon was born a year later. New father Jack was promoted to boatswain when Simon was two months old. Due to his new responsibilities, Jack's time with his family became extremely limited.
Elaine did the best she could raising Simon, as a busy almost-single mother. In addition to her assistant duties at the museum Elaine took a part time job at the local post office. Simon spent a lot of time with his mother at this part time job, and made fast 'friends' with her coworkers.
When Simon he was ten years old he took a job as a newspaper delivery boy for the post office. At fifteen he was hired by an executive member of the Ninjask Courier Company. As a new hire Simon was gifted a collapsible Mach bike and a map. On his next shore leave, Jack threw his son a small party in honor of his new job. During the celebration Simon's mother presented him with a sleeping bag 'just in case' he needed one on the road. Simon's father gave him an S.S. ticket stub, which would allow him to travel to a destination of his choice. His father also gave his son a pocket knife and several sturdy lengths of rope, having previously taught his son the art of tying knots 'as tough as a sailor'. Simon received some Pokeballs and Potions in the mail as a joint gift from his grandparents.
Simon started out doing only morning deliveries. When he proved adept at the low-income job he was bumped up to having regular routes. During one of these routine routes Simon met an elderly couple who specialized in raising Dark-type Pokemon. Simon delivered several large packages of food bi-weekly to the couple (who, of course, lived on top of a very steep hill). Late in the Spring a litter of Poochyena was born. This meant more food had to be sent. One particularly humid afternoon, as Simon was getting on his bike to leave the breeder's house, one of the litter escaped from the pen and proceeded to growl at his bike. The small Pokemon trotted to the front of Simon's bike and sat on its haunches next to the front tire. It took several bribes of food to convince the young Poochyena to return to its litter mates. The elderly couple apologized to Simon and insisted that the pen needed reinforcing.
The next time Simon stopped by, the same Pokemon once again escaped. This time it was scolded instead of bribed and with its tail tucked between its legs the Poochyena returned to its pen. Twice more Simon was delayed by a howling young Poochyen. The Pokemon's litter-mates were given or traded away until the only one left was Simon's follower. Finally the elderly woman asked Simon if he would mind capturing the Poochyena to take with him. The young man cautiously replied that he needed the night to think over the idea. That evening Simon asked his mother if she would like a 'pet' Pokemon because one seemed to like him. His mother replied that she wouldn't be able to care for the Poochyena, but if Simon wanted to train the Pokemon she could help point her son in the right direction.
On his trek back up to the Pokemon breeder's house Simon debated on his options. As a boy he'd been interested in Pokemon training but once he gotten a job his profession had taken over his dream. And at seventeen, he was a bit older than the 'usual' trainers. Simon was still debating when he knocked on the door. Before he could voice his opinion he was greeted by the sound of scrabbling paws and tackled by the young Poochyena. When the elderly couple reached the front door they found a laughing Simon holding a softly glowing Pokeball. "So, you're taking your shadow with you?" The elderly woman asked Simon. The young man looked down at his newly captured Pokemon and replied. "Yes, yes I am."
The next three years Simon spent his free time training and learning about his new Pokemon. At the end of the three years Simon ran out of printed and verbal material to go through. Simon's mother found some old articles about a 'Professor Oak' in Pallet town and suggested that Simon try to find the professor. He could even 'look into challenging the Pokemon League'. When his father voiced his own encouragement, Simon decided to begin his Pokemon journey. But he was not certain what to do about his job.
Simon requested a long-term leave from his boss. Not wanting to lose one of his best workers his boss decided to shift him to a different department. Instead of regular routes, Simon was instructed to, on occasion, call into or stop by one of the offices. If there were any deliveries to be made in the area Simon would then be given the authority to take care of them. It wasn't the steady paycheck he was used to, but it allowed Simon to still earn money while on his new journey. After thanking his boss and saying goodbye to his mother, Simon and Shadow boarded the S.S. Tidus III. Simon used his father's ticket to set sail to Pallet town.
Notes/Other: Simon's Pokemon is more adventurous than he is, often times forcing Simon to deviate from his delivery route because of its curiosity.