OOC; profile
Name: Vinnie, the IvysaurVENUSAUR
Game/Series: Pokemon
Canon Point: HG/SS, before player reaches Mt. Silver
Age & Grade Level: 21, senior
Personality:
Being a Venusaur comes with all sorts of responsibilities. Suddenly you're a patriarch figure, leading pods of little Bulbasaur, looking out for the well-being of the forest, all sorts of stuff. And Vinnie's a Venusaur now. He's a grown up, by all means.
But being a old's not enough. As far as Vinnie's concerned, being an adult means he's gotta act like a Real Man. And to him, that means you've gotta be able to protect your family. You've got no right to call yourself a Man if you're not strong enough to do that. Back in his more awkward Ivysaur days, he defined that as being tougher than anyone else, that he had to be rough and badass and beat up anyone who badmouthed his team. However, once he bloomed (literally) and evolved into his adult stage, his body got thrown headfirst into maturity. He realized he had to change.
Protecting your family means being reliable. It means being the big brother that'll beat up your bullies, attend all of your beauty contests, and look after you when you're feeling crappy, all at the same time. Which isn't to say that he's all that great at doing those things (other than beating people up), but that's what he wants to become. He can be overprotective sometimes, and his bold nature also means he's still got that stubborn, hot-headed, unapologetic attitude, but Vinnie's honestly been trying to keep that under control. He's just a bit thick sometimes, but makes up for it in determination. This is a man who doesn't do anything halfway; he always sees things through, and usually tackles his jobs with more intensity than it needs.
Problem is, he's not always aware of how he comes off to new people. If he's not careful, he can come off as coarse and intimidating, sometimes even callous. Articulation isn't really his strong point, which can really get kind of awkward when he's trying to speak honestly. Part of it is tough guy talk, which turned into habit from his Ivysaur days - he usually has to remind himself to stop swearing when kids are around. The piercings in his human form don't help much with making him less imposing. Neither does his stature or age or his willingness to fight.
What most people think of him, he doesn't care too much. It's pretty ironic that a fully bloomed seed Pokemon dislikes opening up, but that's how he is - the more he keeps that squishy stuff to himself, the less vulnerable he feels. No one else needs to know that he sometimes still feels anxious about the future, change, and his self-perceived responsibilities. He's not a jerk about it, he just doesn't really talk about it with most people. Seems much more valuable to funnel that energy elsewhere and blow off some steam by training instead of complaining.
(The only exception to this rule, apart from his team, is other Grass Pokemon. If you've got flowers sticking out of your face, or leaves for hair, hell, it's like they've got so much in common already. Vinnie can relate to plant-creatures faster and easier than most anyone else. Sucks for you fire types, because it's the opposite for them.)
Most things in his perspective are pretty straight forward. Either you do it, or you don't. Vinnie doesn't like making excuses for himself, and it peeves him off when other people do. In his opinion, you either stand up for your beliefs, or bow out. That sort of stubbornness is what estranged him from his first family, and he still doesn't regret it. Doing the right thing is always better than running away, even if it's harder.
Spend enough time with Vinnie though, and it's easy to notice that despite his rather brutish way of thinking, he's capable of being very kind. He always handles his flowers with care, and if anyone comes to him with a problem, he'll damn well do his best to help them, even if he doesn't benefit himself at all. It's a sort of side effect of being so closely attuned to the life energies of flora - empathy comes easily to him, even if being cuddly doesn't. Being earnest is all you need. He forgives quickly, and accepts a lot of eccentricities.
On the flip side of it, however, he'll just as easily make grudges if you piss him off bad enough. Are you a fire type? It doesn't matter to Vinnie. He'll take you on, even if it's not a smart thing to do. There's different kinds of fights out there, after all. In an official Pokemon Battle, he fights for strength and honour. If he's fighting to protect something dear to him, he'll pull out every stop, he'll sacrifice anything. But some punks just won't learn to respect you until you prove you can feed them their teeth - that's just how it is. So he'll fight them too.
If Vinnie decides you're worth caring about, good job. Yes, there's violent tendencies, and oh yes, he can be a little dense, but he has a great deal of affection and respect for everyone he calls his friend. He can be surprisingly thoughtful, a bit sentimental, and a good listener - even if he's not so great giving back advice. Plus, he loves being able to cut loose and have a good time with people, especially if it's a little competition between buddies. Vinnie may be easygoing, but he never breaks his word, and he'll do anything for someone he loves.
And the ones with the biggest place in his heart? His team, obviously. They're family to Vinnie - completely irreplaceable in his life. His loyalty is typical of the Bulbasaur line, and he takes pride in that devotion. Red especially - he owes the boy his life, and while he originally joined to become stronger, but there's a deep admiration that Vinnie continues to harbour that goes beyond reason. Being part of Red's team means he has nothing less than the utmost respect for him, and you should too. Anyone act to the contrary, and Vinnie's definitely going to lash out. Red's not just his trainer, but his boss, his idol, his partner and his brother.
Everyone else in the team has a similar spot in his heart. Kojiro is the eldest brother, the one of calm mind and decisive serenity that Vinnie looks up to - he wants to be able to master such self-control. Snorlax is the younger brother who's fun to hang out with and reminds him when to take it easy. Then there's Marie, who's always been the kid of the bunch - Vinnie's fond of him, but can't help with tease the guy, if only cuz he wants him to come out of his shell. And of his two younger sisters, Sasha keeps him together, and Euphie always knows what he's thinking. Vinnie can simultaneously confide in Sasha and be the idiot punk he is at heart, because she already knows what's there under his defenses. And Euphie? He really believes she's actually the wisest one of the whole team, even if she never talks. That's all right. He's extra-protective of her because of it, and he turns to her if he's ever really down. They're friends, siblings, comrades, fighters, and they complete him. Vinnie wants to look out for all of them.
He knows what's really important, so he doesn't sweat little details, like how smelling constantly of fragrant pollen affects his image. Really, he's gotten used to being a male Pokemon with a giant pink flower sprouting from his back, and he's secure with it. Vinnie's inextricably tied to his floral half, even in human form, enough that lack of water and sunlight makes him groggy, cranky and weak. That's why he takes extra care for the well-being of his plants, because he hates feeling helpless more than anything. Things like fear, grief, regret, he's not too good at processing - he doesn't know how to vent when there's nothing he can fight back against.
Fighting, that at least he knows how to do well. Vines, roots, trees, sludge - his favoured techniques are anything that hits direct and hits hard. Leaves, petals and powder are handy, yeah, but Vinnie prefers a beatdown. That's why he needs a strategic trainer like Red to direct him. His human form isn't to be underestimated either - he's definitely not adverse to just wailing on you with heavy objects and other... inventive weapons. If it's an official Pokemon battle, he'll play by the rules - after all, it reflects poorly on Red and his team if he doesn't. But he's got plenty of experience just flat-out playing dirty, and he'll do it if he has to.
Don't worry. Other than that, he's a pretty nice guy.
Backstory:
Bulbasaur are not widely found in the wild - their pods, often led by a Venusaur, live in isolation from Kanto's major routes. That was where the Red's future Bulbasaur began his life - in a lush, unknown forest near the Vermilion coastline. It was a place of exceptional beauty, situated with a perfect view of of the ocean, and human contact was rare. There were no established trails that led so deep into the forest, so only the most desperately lost of hikers could find them. Even then, the Grass Pokemon of the forest were peaceful creatures, and preferred to shy away from conflict.
Most of them, anyway. Among the young Bulbasaur, there was one that stood out from the rest, one who shied away from nothing and tackled any and every conflict head on. He was always getting into scraps, trying to get strong just like the Venusaur he looked up to so dearly. To little Bulbasaur, Venusaur was the greatest, most powerful role model he could dream of - and he was gonna grow up just like him. He was gonna protect this forest too.
One day, things started changing in their vibrant, idyllic forest. More people were coming. First, it was only with surveying equipment, charting the lay of the land. Afterwards, they began cutting trees to make paths, for people and for machines. They had bought the land that was home to so many wild Pokemon in order to expand tourism at Vermilion harbour with a luxury resort. Every day they cut away at the woods, and its inhabitants could do nothing but flee in the face of their bulldozers and Fighting Pokemon. The expansion showed no signs of stopping either - how many acres was this resort going to be?! How could humans be so destructive and greedy and blind to the suffering they were causing? Bulbasaur wouldn't stand for it.
Venusaur was also not ignorant to the devastation of their home, but ultimately, his judgment was not one Bulbasaur could accept either. Rather than stand up to fight for their forest, Venusaur decided that since coexistence was not possible, then they would simply have to leave. The humans could not be stopped, he wanted no needless casualties. He would lead the Bulbasaurs, and they would find another home, hidden away even deeper in the wilderness.
But stubborn little Bulbasaur, he refused to give up the home that was rightfully theirs - that had always been theirs - to these violent strangers who did nothing but reduce it to bare, dead gravel and fake grass. He would not be swayed. Weren't they guardians here? They had to look out for everyone, for all the Grass Pokemon who still remained, instead of running away from their problems. There were still baby Pidgeys, young Bellsprouts and Oddishes that couldn't handle such an exodus. It was impossible to empty an entire forest of life.
Their opinions could not be reconciled, but Venusaur's word was law among them. The rest of the pod couldn't bring themselves to make such a desperate last stand. So, it was with great sadness that they departed - but not without one final gift to the last Bulbasaur of the Vermilion coast. Venusaur acknowledged Bulbasaur's independence from the pod, and bestowed him the power to bloom and evolve into Ivysaur, thus signifying the right for him to leave their family.
No longer a child now, Ivysaur was more determined than ever to to protect his home, even if he had to do it alone. This sudden rush of power only magnified his hot-headed attitude, and he faced the burden by cranking up the teenage tough guy facade. This Ivysaur was not to be trifled with. He began taking up guerrilla tactics by night once the construction had stopped in order to sabotage their equipment and sneak sleep powder into their Pokemon food. Anything and everything to halt their progress, he was willing to try - and it definitely didn't go unnoticed. The humans didn't know who exactly was causing them so much trouble, but it had gotten to the point where they were very seriously about to hunt him down.
At the same time, so many nighttime activities was slowly leaving Ivysaur more and more weakened. Normally, seed Pokemon travel during the day to follow the rays of the sun and soak up energy, but Ivysaur's growing exhaustion couldn't provide him with enough sunlight. He was getting sloppier, and the calls were getting closer.
That was when Red stepped into the picture.
He had come into Vermilion with the intent to get a Thunder badge, ride a cruise ship, do some fishing and maybe even trade some Pokemon. Being the plucky protagonist that he was, of course he stumbled across the frustration of these construction workers, and offered to look into their plight. Besides, serendipitous encounters were practically a specialty for Red. Coupled with the survival skills of his loyal Pokemon, he eventually stumbled onto the source of the guilty party, caught in the act.
A pity that this intervention was exactly what these building contractors needed to find Ivysaur. They had been tailing Red the entire time, intent on finally catching the pest that had set their work back so long. The odds presented here - a dozen Machop against a single Ivysaur - was a rather large tip off that something about this situation wasn't quite right. Then and there, Red stood up for Ivysaur, saving his life and escaping with him.
Something about that boy and the bond he had with his Pokemon, or the understanding in his eyes (or maybe it was just the fatigue making Ivysaur desperate) let the seed Pokemon trust him just enough to show him exactly how much damage this construction was doing to the local wildlife. And this human actually understood. In fact, he wanted to help. He wanted to help so much that he actually managed to hatch a scheme to put a hiatus on this resort building indefinitely.
After all, the Kanto chapter of the Pokemon Fan Club was right in the city - and they took this hobby very seriously. Drop in a few words about this beautiful Pokemon habitat that was being befouled by the ugliness of deforesting, and that there were adorable Oddishes that were being harmed, and plenty of members were up in arms. What happened next was a blur to Ivysaur, it was so amazing. Joining him, they confronted those responsible, rallying an army of their Pokemon collections and the wildlife that remained to stand up against this resort. The Club Chairman somehow managed to cut off funds to the resort. They were all united in preserving the forest and throughout all of this, Ivysaur was simply wowed by Red's heroism.
He owed his life to this kid. This entire forest owed its continued existence to a single human. Even if he weren't indebted to him, Ivysaur knew that if he wanted to get stronger, then this paragon of complete manliness was the one to follow. He'd repay this man amongst men and learn from him - and that's exactly what he did. But what Ivysaur didn't expect was for this trainer and his Pokemon to slowly root themselves in his heart, eventually becoming more than just teammates to him.
Christened with a nickname, Vinnie (which he picked himself, because it sounded like vine and he liked vines) plowed through any and all battles before him with an aggression that wasn't too typical of most Seed Pokemon. This was a guy who had spent most of his Ivysaur life being a one man army, so this teamwork stuff didn't take too quickly to him. He was still in that teenager rut where he felt he had to prove himself with every fight, as though raw physical power was enough to make him feel wanted and respected. Plus, he was a pretty arrogant jerk about being Red's first evolved Pokemon. It meant he was tougher and had more authority, of course - he could do everything himself. That didn't exactly endear him to Sasha, the resident Fire type - especially after she evolved into Charmeleon. For a time, they were at odds, competing against each other in any idiotic way they could think of. Marie, the Squirtle, was almost an afterthought, seeing as he didn't pose much of a threat to him, and generally stayed out of the trigger-happy Ivysaur's way.
Celadon gym was an eye-opener. He was so determined to pit his own worth against a gym leader's Grass Pokemon, it left him unprepared for the beatdown that awaited him. His crushing defeat forced him to reassess himself and the limits of his own power, especially after witnessing the tight bond of tenderness that Erika and her Pokemon possessed. His mistake all this time was trying to do everything alone, when they were bolstered by strength from their allies. Maybe what he was really doing was pushing everyone away, so they couldn't find his vulnerabilities. Or maybe he was just being a huge, fat-headed jerk.
So Vinnie funneled this new direction of camaraderie towards the newest member of their team at the time, an Eevee they had also obtained in Celadon. He doted on Euphie like a baby sister, putting his dickish demeanor away just for her. Marie became the little brother he could tease, and he was even starting to grow less thick-headed towards Sasha. He never really apologized for his old behaviour, but actions spoke louder than words anyway. And as time passed and other Pokemon joined their ranks - a Snorlax they captured in battle and a Lapras given to Red as a gift of appreciation - Vinnie opened up more and more to them as family.
Then, to his own, private dismay, Sasha had ended up evolving earlier than he did. This rehashed a bit of his old mindset - after all, he'd been a second stage evolution way longer than she had! With all respect to Marie who was toughing it out as a Squirtle, Vinnie wanted nothing more than to grow up. Really, to be just like the Venusaur he once (and still fondly) admired. What was he doing wrong that he was still stuck as a teenager?
He stuffed these frustrations inside him. Sasha didn't need to be bummed by his stupid feelings of ineptitude, especially since she was so psyched and oh man she could fly. Even Euphie had evolved from the sweet, fluffy Eevee she used to be to a powerful but modest psychic mute. They were changing, and Vinnie couldn't help but feel like he had reached a wall.
All the same, he couldn't let that shake him. They were on a blazing trail, having fought a massive criminal organization and headed straight for Victory Road. As fighters, they had to trust their trainer and each other unconditionally. They relied on each other's strengths and compensated for their weaknesses; it was the spirit from this band of brothers, his friends and comrades, and he grew to accept himself. He had limits as an Ivysaur, sure, but he was still a vital part of the team. And besides, he was still small enough so Sasha could give him rides. He loved that.
So, they beat the Elite Four, they beat the smug grin off Green's face, and they were champions! They were amazing and Red was invincible in his manliness. Now what?
They were going to rock the pants off Johto, that's what.
Vinnie knew he could still get stronger. Hell yeah, not being a Venusaur just meant he had even greater heights to strive for now. That evolving thing would happen when it happened.
Johto was conquered by the sheer force of Red's fierce masculinity and pretty soon they had no equal among the trainers that challenged them. (Whatever happened to Green, anyway?) The team wound up stationed at Mt. Silver, a grueling habitat that raised only the strongest Pokemon. Naturally, a perfect place to stay and train. Vinnie appreciated it, actually - having stability again. Traveling was always an adventure with them, but after staying at Mt. Silver for so long, it was starting to feel like the first place he could consider a home ever since he left the Vermilion coast. He had his family. He could be happy here.
And that's where he finally evolved. Because when an Ivysaur leaves the pod, its life is wandering, fighting and survival - all in order to find itself a forest territory to call its own. They were guardians for a reason, and once Vinnie finally settled down and embraced his nature, that's when he finally bloomed. He was all right with staying at Mt. Silver, even after Red left to some place called Smash Academy.
But damn if he didn't miss him. It took a long while for any mail to reach them (local Fearows got pretty hungry sometimes), but when Red finally wrote back and mentioned that Giovanni and their long-time rivals were at the same school, it was unanimously agreed they were gonna storm the place and give their trainer the most triumphant surprise.
Other stuff
- Bold nature, Level 84 in HG/SS
- Moveset: Sleep powder, Giga drain, Sludge bomb, Frenzy plant. As in Ivysaur in Brawl, he also knows Bullet seed, Razor leaf, Vine whip and Solar beam.
- Used to be one helluva punk Ivysaur. Remember those days when he'd headbutt fire types just for looking at him funny? Yeah, that was great. Anyone who's met him pre Mt. Silver (coughGreenTeam) will know him as this guy.
- Always smells like flowers. It's a calming, sweet scent.
- As a human, he's 6'2" tall. As a Pokemon, he measures 6'5" from the top of his flower.
- The massive flower tattoo on his human back is actually a real flower from his Pokemon form. If he has enough sunlight stored, he can control it well enough to flatten it against his skin.
- That means at night, it slowly unfurls from his back. For this reason, he always sleeps shirtless, and on his stomach.
- Every morning, he wakes up early to go bask in some morning sunlight for at least two hours.
- During the spring, he emits more pollen than he can control. Anyone with allergies is advised to stay upwind.
- He can use all his attacks in human form, though the effort makes his flower un-tattoo. This means shirtless fighting. The Sludge bomb is vomit though.
- Vinnie's a vegan, but he'll eat bugs and dislikes root vegetables. He can live off water and sunshine if he wanted though.
- He wears sandals so he can take them off outside and feel the earth and grass between his toes.
- Usually wears flowery, colourful beach shirts, too. If he's feeling formal, he'll throw a suit on top of it.
- Has a weird fondness for portmanteau weapons for some reason. He thinks they're the coolest things.
- Chlorophyll blood means he bleeds green.
- He's the guitarist when they play Rock Band. Plays on Hard, but uses a vine whip to press the orange button.
- Loves foods that're a bit sour, just slightly before they're ripe. Is unable to handle anything even remotely spicy though.
- The idea of actually starting his own family one day terrifies him. Man don't even talk to him about it the last thing he needs on his hands is an egg.
- Used to totally have a crush on Erika's Vileplume, which to this day is top secret (except from Euphie). Nothing's hotter to him than a Grass Pokemon who can kick his ass.
Game/Series: Pokemon
Canon Point: HG/SS, before player reaches Mt. Silver
Age & Grade Level: 21, senior
Personality:
Being a Venusaur comes with all sorts of responsibilities. Suddenly you're a patriarch figure, leading pods of little Bulbasaur, looking out for the well-being of the forest, all sorts of stuff. And Vinnie's a Venusaur now. He's a grown up, by all means.
But being a old's not enough. As far as Vinnie's concerned, being an adult means he's gotta act like a Real Man. And to him, that means you've gotta be able to protect your family. You've got no right to call yourself a Man if you're not strong enough to do that. Back in his more awkward Ivysaur days, he defined that as being tougher than anyone else, that he had to be rough and badass and beat up anyone who badmouthed his team. However, once he bloomed (literally) and evolved into his adult stage, his body got thrown headfirst into maturity. He realized he had to change.
Protecting your family means being reliable. It means being the big brother that'll beat up your bullies, attend all of your beauty contests, and look after you when you're feeling crappy, all at the same time. Which isn't to say that he's all that great at doing those things (other than beating people up), but that's what he wants to become. He can be overprotective sometimes, and his bold nature also means he's still got that stubborn, hot-headed, unapologetic attitude, but Vinnie's honestly been trying to keep that under control. He's just a bit thick sometimes, but makes up for it in determination. This is a man who doesn't do anything halfway; he always sees things through, and usually tackles his jobs with more intensity than it needs.
Problem is, he's not always aware of how he comes off to new people. If he's not careful, he can come off as coarse and intimidating, sometimes even callous. Articulation isn't really his strong point, which can really get kind of awkward when he's trying to speak honestly. Part of it is tough guy talk, which turned into habit from his Ivysaur days - he usually has to remind himself to stop swearing when kids are around. The piercings in his human form don't help much with making him less imposing. Neither does his stature or age or his willingness to fight.
What most people think of him, he doesn't care too much. It's pretty ironic that a fully bloomed seed Pokemon dislikes opening up, but that's how he is - the more he keeps that squishy stuff to himself, the less vulnerable he feels. No one else needs to know that he sometimes still feels anxious about the future, change, and his self-perceived responsibilities. He's not a jerk about it, he just doesn't really talk about it with most people. Seems much more valuable to funnel that energy elsewhere and blow off some steam by training instead of complaining.
(The only exception to this rule, apart from his team, is other Grass Pokemon. If you've got flowers sticking out of your face, or leaves for hair, hell, it's like they've got so much in common already. Vinnie can relate to plant-creatures faster and easier than most anyone else. Sucks for you fire types, because it's the opposite for them.)
Most things in his perspective are pretty straight forward. Either you do it, or you don't. Vinnie doesn't like making excuses for himself, and it peeves him off when other people do. In his opinion, you either stand up for your beliefs, or bow out. That sort of stubbornness is what estranged him from his first family, and he still doesn't regret it. Doing the right thing is always better than running away, even if it's harder.
Spend enough time with Vinnie though, and it's easy to notice that despite his rather brutish way of thinking, he's capable of being very kind. He always handles his flowers with care, and if anyone comes to him with a problem, he'll damn well do his best to help them, even if he doesn't benefit himself at all. It's a sort of side effect of being so closely attuned to the life energies of flora - empathy comes easily to him, even if being cuddly doesn't. Being earnest is all you need. He forgives quickly, and accepts a lot of eccentricities.
On the flip side of it, however, he'll just as easily make grudges if you piss him off bad enough. Are you a fire type? It doesn't matter to Vinnie. He'll take you on, even if it's not a smart thing to do. There's different kinds of fights out there, after all. In an official Pokemon Battle, he fights for strength and honour. If he's fighting to protect something dear to him, he'll pull out every stop, he'll sacrifice anything. But some punks just won't learn to respect you until you prove you can feed them their teeth - that's just how it is. So he'll fight them too.
If Vinnie decides you're worth caring about, good job. Yes, there's violent tendencies, and oh yes, he can be a little dense, but he has a great deal of affection and respect for everyone he calls his friend. He can be surprisingly thoughtful, a bit sentimental, and a good listener - even if he's not so great giving back advice. Plus, he loves being able to cut loose and have a good time with people, especially if it's a little competition between buddies. Vinnie may be easygoing, but he never breaks his word, and he'll do anything for someone he loves.
And the ones with the biggest place in his heart? His team, obviously. They're family to Vinnie - completely irreplaceable in his life. His loyalty is typical of the Bulbasaur line, and he takes pride in that devotion. Red especially - he owes the boy his life, and while he originally joined to become stronger, but there's a deep admiration that Vinnie continues to harbour that goes beyond reason. Being part of Red's team means he has nothing less than the utmost respect for him, and you should too. Anyone act to the contrary, and Vinnie's definitely going to lash out. Red's not just his trainer, but his boss, his idol, his partner and his brother.
Everyone else in the team has a similar spot in his heart. Kojiro is the eldest brother, the one of calm mind and decisive serenity that Vinnie looks up to - he wants to be able to master such self-control. Snorlax is the younger brother who's fun to hang out with and reminds him when to take it easy. Then there's Marie, who's always been the kid of the bunch - Vinnie's fond of him, but can't help with tease the guy, if only cuz he wants him to come out of his shell. And of his two younger sisters, Sasha keeps him together, and Euphie always knows what he's thinking. Vinnie can simultaneously confide in Sasha and be the idiot punk he is at heart, because she already knows what's there under his defenses. And Euphie? He really believes she's actually the wisest one of the whole team, even if she never talks. That's all right. He's extra-protective of her because of it, and he turns to her if he's ever really down. They're friends, siblings, comrades, fighters, and they complete him. Vinnie wants to look out for all of them.
He knows what's really important, so he doesn't sweat little details, like how smelling constantly of fragrant pollen affects his image. Really, he's gotten used to being a male Pokemon with a giant pink flower sprouting from his back, and he's secure with it. Vinnie's inextricably tied to his floral half, even in human form, enough that lack of water and sunlight makes him groggy, cranky and weak. That's why he takes extra care for the well-being of his plants, because he hates feeling helpless more than anything. Things like fear, grief, regret, he's not too good at processing - he doesn't know how to vent when there's nothing he can fight back against.
Fighting, that at least he knows how to do well. Vines, roots, trees, sludge - his favoured techniques are anything that hits direct and hits hard. Leaves, petals and powder are handy, yeah, but Vinnie prefers a beatdown. That's why he needs a strategic trainer like Red to direct him. His human form isn't to be underestimated either - he's definitely not adverse to just wailing on you with heavy objects and other... inventive weapons. If it's an official Pokemon battle, he'll play by the rules - after all, it reflects poorly on Red and his team if he doesn't. But he's got plenty of experience just flat-out playing dirty, and he'll do it if he has to.
Don't worry. Other than that, he's a pretty nice guy.
Backstory:
Bulbasaur are not widely found in the wild - their pods, often led by a Venusaur, live in isolation from Kanto's major routes. That was where the Red's future Bulbasaur began his life - in a lush, unknown forest near the Vermilion coastline. It was a place of exceptional beauty, situated with a perfect view of of the ocean, and human contact was rare. There were no established trails that led so deep into the forest, so only the most desperately lost of hikers could find them. Even then, the Grass Pokemon of the forest were peaceful creatures, and preferred to shy away from conflict.
Most of them, anyway. Among the young Bulbasaur, there was one that stood out from the rest, one who shied away from nothing and tackled any and every conflict head on. He was always getting into scraps, trying to get strong just like the Venusaur he looked up to so dearly. To little Bulbasaur, Venusaur was the greatest, most powerful role model he could dream of - and he was gonna grow up just like him. He was gonna protect this forest too.
One day, things started changing in their vibrant, idyllic forest. More people were coming. First, it was only with surveying equipment, charting the lay of the land. Afterwards, they began cutting trees to make paths, for people and for machines. They had bought the land that was home to so many wild Pokemon in order to expand tourism at Vermilion harbour with a luxury resort. Every day they cut away at the woods, and its inhabitants could do nothing but flee in the face of their bulldozers and Fighting Pokemon. The expansion showed no signs of stopping either - how many acres was this resort going to be?! How could humans be so destructive and greedy and blind to the suffering they were causing? Bulbasaur wouldn't stand for it.
Venusaur was also not ignorant to the devastation of their home, but ultimately, his judgment was not one Bulbasaur could accept either. Rather than stand up to fight for their forest, Venusaur decided that since coexistence was not possible, then they would simply have to leave. The humans could not be stopped, he wanted no needless casualties. He would lead the Bulbasaurs, and they would find another home, hidden away even deeper in the wilderness.
But stubborn little Bulbasaur, he refused to give up the home that was rightfully theirs - that had always been theirs - to these violent strangers who did nothing but reduce it to bare, dead gravel and fake grass. He would not be swayed. Weren't they guardians here? They had to look out for everyone, for all the Grass Pokemon who still remained, instead of running away from their problems. There were still baby Pidgeys, young Bellsprouts and Oddishes that couldn't handle such an exodus. It was impossible to empty an entire forest of life.
Their opinions could not be reconciled, but Venusaur's word was law among them. The rest of the pod couldn't bring themselves to make such a desperate last stand. So, it was with great sadness that they departed - but not without one final gift to the last Bulbasaur of the Vermilion coast. Venusaur acknowledged Bulbasaur's independence from the pod, and bestowed him the power to bloom and evolve into Ivysaur, thus signifying the right for him to leave their family.
No longer a child now, Ivysaur was more determined than ever to to protect his home, even if he had to do it alone. This sudden rush of power only magnified his hot-headed attitude, and he faced the burden by cranking up the teenage tough guy facade. This Ivysaur was not to be trifled with. He began taking up guerrilla tactics by night once the construction had stopped in order to sabotage their equipment and sneak sleep powder into their Pokemon food. Anything and everything to halt their progress, he was willing to try - and it definitely didn't go unnoticed. The humans didn't know who exactly was causing them so much trouble, but it had gotten to the point where they were very seriously about to hunt him down.
At the same time, so many nighttime activities was slowly leaving Ivysaur more and more weakened. Normally, seed Pokemon travel during the day to follow the rays of the sun and soak up energy, but Ivysaur's growing exhaustion couldn't provide him with enough sunlight. He was getting sloppier, and the calls were getting closer.
That was when Red stepped into the picture.
He had come into Vermilion with the intent to get a Thunder badge, ride a cruise ship, do some fishing and maybe even trade some Pokemon. Being the plucky protagonist that he was, of course he stumbled across the frustration of these construction workers, and offered to look into their plight. Besides, serendipitous encounters were practically a specialty for Red. Coupled with the survival skills of his loyal Pokemon, he eventually stumbled onto the source of the guilty party, caught in the act.
A pity that this intervention was exactly what these building contractors needed to find Ivysaur. They had been tailing Red the entire time, intent on finally catching the pest that had set their work back so long. The odds presented here - a dozen Machop against a single Ivysaur - was a rather large tip off that something about this situation wasn't quite right. Then and there, Red stood up for Ivysaur, saving his life and escaping with him.
Something about that boy and the bond he had with his Pokemon, or the understanding in his eyes (or maybe it was just the fatigue making Ivysaur desperate) let the seed Pokemon trust him just enough to show him exactly how much damage this construction was doing to the local wildlife. And this human actually understood. In fact, he wanted to help. He wanted to help so much that he actually managed to hatch a scheme to put a hiatus on this resort building indefinitely.
After all, the Kanto chapter of the Pokemon Fan Club was right in the city - and they took this hobby very seriously. Drop in a few words about this beautiful Pokemon habitat that was being befouled by the ugliness of deforesting, and that there were adorable Oddishes that were being harmed, and plenty of members were up in arms. What happened next was a blur to Ivysaur, it was so amazing. Joining him, they confronted those responsible, rallying an army of their Pokemon collections and the wildlife that remained to stand up against this resort. The Club Chairman somehow managed to cut off funds to the resort. They were all united in preserving the forest and throughout all of this, Ivysaur was simply wowed by Red's heroism.
He owed his life to this kid. This entire forest owed its continued existence to a single human. Even if he weren't indebted to him, Ivysaur knew that if he wanted to get stronger, then this paragon of complete manliness was the one to follow. He'd repay this man amongst men and learn from him - and that's exactly what he did. But what Ivysaur didn't expect was for this trainer and his Pokemon to slowly root themselves in his heart, eventually becoming more than just teammates to him.
Christened with a nickname, Vinnie (which he picked himself, because it sounded like vine and he liked vines) plowed through any and all battles before him with an aggression that wasn't too typical of most Seed Pokemon. This was a guy who had spent most of his Ivysaur life being a one man army, so this teamwork stuff didn't take too quickly to him. He was still in that teenager rut where he felt he had to prove himself with every fight, as though raw physical power was enough to make him feel wanted and respected. Plus, he was a pretty arrogant jerk about being Red's first evolved Pokemon. It meant he was tougher and had more authority, of course - he could do everything himself. That didn't exactly endear him to Sasha, the resident Fire type - especially after she evolved into Charmeleon. For a time, they were at odds, competing against each other in any idiotic way they could think of. Marie, the Squirtle, was almost an afterthought, seeing as he didn't pose much of a threat to him, and generally stayed out of the trigger-happy Ivysaur's way.
Celadon gym was an eye-opener. He was so determined to pit his own worth against a gym leader's Grass Pokemon, it left him unprepared for the beatdown that awaited him. His crushing defeat forced him to reassess himself and the limits of his own power, especially after witnessing the tight bond of tenderness that Erika and her Pokemon possessed. His mistake all this time was trying to do everything alone, when they were bolstered by strength from their allies. Maybe what he was really doing was pushing everyone away, so they couldn't find his vulnerabilities. Or maybe he was just being a huge, fat-headed jerk.
So Vinnie funneled this new direction of camaraderie towards the newest member of their team at the time, an Eevee they had also obtained in Celadon. He doted on Euphie like a baby sister, putting his dickish demeanor away just for her. Marie became the little brother he could tease, and he was even starting to grow less thick-headed towards Sasha. He never really apologized for his old behaviour, but actions spoke louder than words anyway. And as time passed and other Pokemon joined their ranks - a Snorlax they captured in battle and a Lapras given to Red as a gift of appreciation - Vinnie opened up more and more to them as family.
Then, to his own, private dismay, Sasha had ended up evolving earlier than he did. This rehashed a bit of his old mindset - after all, he'd been a second stage evolution way longer than she had! With all respect to Marie who was toughing it out as a Squirtle, Vinnie wanted nothing more than to grow up. Really, to be just like the Venusaur he once (and still fondly) admired. What was he doing wrong that he was still stuck as a teenager?
He stuffed these frustrations inside him. Sasha didn't need to be bummed by his stupid feelings of ineptitude, especially since she was so psyched and oh man she could fly. Even Euphie had evolved from the sweet, fluffy Eevee she used to be to a powerful but modest psychic mute. They were changing, and Vinnie couldn't help but feel like he had reached a wall.
All the same, he couldn't let that shake him. They were on a blazing trail, having fought a massive criminal organization and headed straight for Victory Road. As fighters, they had to trust their trainer and each other unconditionally. They relied on each other's strengths and compensated for their weaknesses; it was the spirit from this band of brothers, his friends and comrades, and he grew to accept himself. He had limits as an Ivysaur, sure, but he was still a vital part of the team. And besides, he was still small enough so Sasha could give him rides. He loved that.
So, they beat the Elite Four, they beat the smug grin off Green's face, and they were champions! They were amazing and Red was invincible in his manliness. Now what?
They were going to rock the pants off Johto, that's what.
Vinnie knew he could still get stronger. Hell yeah, not being a Venusaur just meant he had even greater heights to strive for now. That evolving thing would happen when it happened.
Johto was conquered by the sheer force of Red's fierce masculinity and pretty soon they had no equal among the trainers that challenged them. (Whatever happened to Green, anyway?) The team wound up stationed at Mt. Silver, a grueling habitat that raised only the strongest Pokemon. Naturally, a perfect place to stay and train. Vinnie appreciated it, actually - having stability again. Traveling was always an adventure with them, but after staying at Mt. Silver for so long, it was starting to feel like the first place he could consider a home ever since he left the Vermilion coast. He had his family. He could be happy here.
And that's where he finally evolved. Because when an Ivysaur leaves the pod, its life is wandering, fighting and survival - all in order to find itself a forest territory to call its own. They were guardians for a reason, and once Vinnie finally settled down and embraced his nature, that's when he finally bloomed. He was all right with staying at Mt. Silver, even after Red left to some place called Smash Academy.
But damn if he didn't miss him. It took a long while for any mail to reach them (local Fearows got pretty hungry sometimes), but when Red finally wrote back and mentioned that Giovanni and their long-time rivals were at the same school, it was unanimously agreed they were gonna storm the place and give their trainer the most triumphant surprise.
Other stuff
- Bold nature, Level 84 in HG/SS
- Moveset: Sleep powder, Giga drain, Sludge bomb, Frenzy plant. As in Ivysaur in Brawl, he also knows Bullet seed, Razor leaf, Vine whip and Solar beam.
- Used to be one helluva punk Ivysaur. Remember those days when he'd headbutt fire types just for looking at him funny? Yeah, that was great. Anyone who's met him pre Mt. Silver (coughGreenTeam) will know him as this guy.
- Always smells like flowers. It's a calming, sweet scent.
- As a human, he's 6'2" tall. As a Pokemon, he measures 6'5" from the top of his flower.
- The massive flower tattoo on his human back is actually a real flower from his Pokemon form. If he has enough sunlight stored, he can control it well enough to flatten it against his skin.
- That means at night, it slowly unfurls from his back. For this reason, he always sleeps shirtless, and on his stomach.
- Every morning, he wakes up early to go bask in some morning sunlight for at least two hours.
- During the spring, he emits more pollen than he can control. Anyone with allergies is advised to stay upwind.
- He can use all his attacks in human form, though the effort makes his flower un-tattoo. This means shirtless fighting. The Sludge bomb is vomit though.
- Vinnie's a vegan, but he'll eat bugs and dislikes root vegetables. He can live off water and sunshine if he wanted though.
- He wears sandals so he can take them off outside and feel the earth and grass between his toes.
- Usually wears flowery, colourful beach shirts, too. If he's feeling formal, he'll throw a suit on top of it.
- Has a weird fondness for portmanteau weapons for some reason. He thinks they're the coolest things.
- Chlorophyll blood means he bleeds green.
- He's the guitarist when they play Rock Band. Plays on Hard, but uses a vine whip to press the orange button.
- Loves foods that're a bit sour, just slightly before they're ripe. Is unable to handle anything even remotely spicy though.
- The idea of actually starting his own family one day terrifies him. Man don't even talk to him about it the last thing he needs on his hands is an egg.
- Used to totally have a crush on Erika's Vileplume, which to this day is top secret (except from Euphie). Nothing's hotter to him than a Grass Pokemon who can kick his ass.