History Fanfic / PokemonStormClouds

* KickTheSonOfABitch: [[spoiler: Masque's murder of Giovanni]] is treated as a ''major'' KickTheDog moment or even an irredeemable act in-universe, but the readers cheered because [[spoiler: Giovanni]] had it coming.

%%* CanadaEh: For some inexplicable--and ''hilarious''--reason, Armor talks like this.

* TheReasonYouSuckSpeach:

* ThenLetMeBeAMonster: [[spoiler: Sabrina]] explains this as her philsophy, taught to her by Masque; ''"If the people of Saffron City hate you for no reason, give them a reason."''

* EatMe: The much smaller Nemo defeats [[spoiler: Tyrant]] in this way, leaping into his mouth and tricking them into biting down on his spines. Top it off with a water blast down the throat to choke them out, and one of Rico's strongest is easily defeated by one of Dan's weakest.

''Pokémon: Storm Clouds'' is a ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' FanFic written by former [[TroperWorks troper]] {{Tropers/deeman45}}, completed on May 26, 2010.. It follows the journey of two teens from [[RealLife "our world"]] who are [[TrappedInTVLand sucked into the world of the Pokémon video games]]. One is a VideoGame enthusiast named Dan, who tries to use his [[GenreSavvy knowledge of the game world]] to try to find a way back home; the other is Missy (real name Melissa), his best friend's younger sister who was [[{{Animorphism}} transformed into an Eevee]] and thus must deal with not only finding a way home, but also trying to find a way back to her normal body.

* RagtagBunchOfMisfits: Dan's Pokémon team give off this vibe. A human-girl-turned-Eevee (Missy/Storm), a somewhat comical but loyal Muk (Armor), a high-and-mighty Ponyta (Ruby), a timid but courageous Seadra (Nemo), a cynical Oddish (Nightshade), and a hyper Electabuzz (Artemis). Yeah ... and you thought ''[[Anime/{{Pokemon}} Ash]]'' sometimes caught the weirdest Pokémon.

* OfficialCouple: Missy and Dan. [[spoiler:TheyDo, eventually, but according to [[AllThereInTheManual the Author's Notes]], Dan first had to overcome the weirdness of having raised her as a Pokémon for a while. They actually broke up before going to university, and got back together in their mid-twenties.]]

''Pokémon: Storm Clouds'' is a ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' FanFic written by former [[TroperWorks troper]] {{Tropers/deeman45}}. It follows the journey of two teens from [[RealLife "our world"]] who are [[TrappedInTVLand sucked into the world of the Pokémon video games]]. One is a VideoGame enthusiast named Dan, who tries to use his [[GenreSavvy knowledge of the game world]] to try to find a way back home; the other is Missy (real name Melissa), his best friend's younger sister who was [[{{Animorphism}} transformed into an Eevee]] and thus must deal with not only finding a way home, but also trying to find a way back to her normal body. Along the way, they get caught up in a plot involving Team Rocket (the more competent Team Rocket, not the TerribleTrio from the anime) and find out that not everything in the Pokémon world is as happy-go-lucky as the games would make it seem...

Sound cliche? Most likely. The opening chapters are known for being fairly lackluster - [[WordOfGod the author]] [[http://deeman45.deviantart.com/journal/37159706/ is more than willing]] [[OldShame to admit his embarrassment where they are concerned]] - but the story soon [[GrowingTheBeard finds its feet, sculpting a more complicated plot]]. Adding to that, the progressing story fleshes out the two main protagonists into more realistic people. The same holds true for the supporting cast, who start off being somewhat archetypal, but gradually reveal [[HiddenDepths deeper aspects of their personalities as the plot unfolds]]...

Revealing too much of the plot would be criminal, but readers can be sure to experience unexpected developments, emotionally charged dialogue and entertaining fight sequences - and a unique interpretation of the Pokémon world which may be truer to RealLife than any canon interpretation to date, while never losing the story's initial charm. All of this eventually culminates in an climax. The final chapters were posted on May 26, 2010.

"Pokémon: Storm Clouds" is [[http://deeman45.deviantart.com/art/Pokemon-Storm-Clouds-Ch-1-91215266 here]] or, if you prefer Website/FanFictionDotNet over deviantART, [[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5420921/1/Pokemon_Storm_Clouds here]].

* HeroicBSOD: Missy has a [[NightmareFuel really scary one]] when [[spoiler: she returns back to the [[RealLife real world]] only to find that she's still an Eevee.]]
* HiddenDepths: Many people - so many characters give off a very specific air of personality type, only to show more complexity, either through character development or through traits we just haven't seen yet. For instance:

** The best example in this entire fic, however, would have to be [[spoiler: Nightshade]]. When we finally learn [[spoiler: the full extent of his backstory, and how much he's been beating himself up for [[FailureKnight failing to save his trainer from Team Rocket after the trust that was placed in him]] ... it may well be the biggest Tear Jerker in the entire story]].

* KarmicDeath: [[spoiler: Masque, having MindRaped many Pokémon into losing their sense of self and becoming his servants, ends up accidently killed by the one he probably considered his finest work.]] The Aerodactyl's death is also fitting - trying to slaughter defenceless schoolchildren, he is utimately inpaled on the broken monkeybars at his chosen site and bleeds out to death.
* KickTheSonOfABitch: [[spoiler: Masque's murder of Giovanni]] is treated as a ''major'' KickTheDog moment or even a borderline crossing of the MoralEventHorizon in-universe ... but the readers cheered because let's face it, [[spoiler: Giovanni]] had it coming.
* SugarAndIcePersonality: Nightshade. Only Artemis really gets to see his sweet side, and [[BeneathTheMask when she does]] ... well.

* ManipulativeBastard: Masque's greatest achievements come from his ability to read and manipulate other people as well as Pokémon. In his finest moments (his [[spoiler:murder of Giovanni]] and [[spoiler:the way he busts out of prison]] he borders on [[MagnificentBastard magnificence.]]

* MindScrew: In his little weekly tidbits for the sequel, WordOfGod has generally presented information that, if vague, is still comprehensible enough. And then week seven gives us [[http://deeman45.deviantart.com/journal/34785202/#comments this]]. Bwuh?

* ActionGirl: Ruby most notably, and Artemis when [[LetsGetDangerous she's pushed]]. Missy also counts, though thanks to her battling inexperience prefers to be a GuileHero.
* AlphaBitch: Ruby, [[BreakTheHaughty at]] [[DefrostingIceQueen first]].
* {{Animorphism}}: One of the main characters gets turned into a Pokémon in the first chapter. The main conflict for most of the story is her attempts to deal with the change and her quest to find a way back to normal. [[spoiler: Coming back home does not, by itself, help. She finally learns that she can only return to her previous form by dying. She ends up in a state of near death but is hospitalised and lives. As a result, Missy mostly regains her human form, but several traits from her Pokémon body carry over, which she finds herself happy with]].

* AxeCrazy: The Scyther is this to a tee.

* CanadaEh: For some inexplicable--and ''hilarious''--reason, Armor talks like this.
* CharacterDevelopment: You can bet your life savings that there's a lot of it going around - even the supporting cast aren't all what they seem to be at first glance.
* ClimaxBoss: Rico for the Team Rocket hideout. [[spoiler: Giovanni]] for the Saffron City ruins.

** Mind you, being darker than Franchise/{{Pokemon}} canon isn't a terribly difficult feat. It's still far from {{Grimdark}} levels.

* DeadpanSnarker: Nightshade has elements of this.

* DecoyProtagonist[=/=]{{Deuteragonist}}: The early chapters set up Dan as TheHero, but Missy takes the role of the main protagonist the rest of the way, while Dan is a SupportingProtagonist. WordOfGod confirmed as such.

* DiedInYourArmsTonight: [[spoiler:Missy. She comes back.]]

* DiscOneFinalDungeon: The Old Saffron City Ruins.

* TheDragon: [[CoDragons Both Masque and Rico]] to Giovanni. [[spoiler:Or not...]]
* [[spoiler: EarnYourHappyEnding: A definitive example of this trope.]]
* ElsewhereFic: Like most non-shipping ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' fics.

* EmptyShell: [[spoiler: Missy gets like this during her HeroicBSOD. [[SubvertedTrope Then the tears start]].]]

** [[spoiler:Of course, the terror he displays is less because Masque is crazy and evil and more because he's about to get murdered and '''''he knows it.''''']]
* EvilIsHammy : A large part of why Masque is so beloved.

* GoodScarsEvilScars: [[spoiler: Both Missy and Ruby sport some scarring after their run-in with Masque's Scyther.]]
** [[spoiler: Said Scyther has his scythe cracked and broken in battle with Missy. He's initially angry about this, but later comes to appreciate it for making him more unique, ''and'' for making the scythe sharper and deadlier as a result]].

* TheHeroDies: [[spoiler:Missy, though [[UnexplainedRecovery she gets better]].]]

* [[spoiler: HoistByHisOwnPetard: Masque is slaughtered by his own loyal Scyther while it's in a worked-up frenzy courtesy of Missy, and when he meets Death himself, he is terrified to see himself for the monster he always was]].

* {{Jerkass}}: ''Ruby.'' What a bitch... Well, at least until BreakTheHaughty kicks in, and she mellows out.

** The sheer ''style'' with which [[spoiler:Masque]] managed to pull it off certainly didn't hurt either.
** Of course, it's not so much [[spoiler: who he'd just murdered]] that counts, but the fact that [[spoiler: he'd killed a defenceless man brutally, and in the process revealed [[LackOfEmpathy just how little it affected him]]. The audience was just lucky that it wasn't a more sympathetic character who'd died]].

** Come the sequel, the [[PosthumousCharacter deaths of both Blaine and Dan's father during the interim]] makes this HarsherInHindsight.
* MalevolentMaskedMan: [[MeaningfulName Masque]], obviously.

* MindRape: In a sense, this is also [[spoiler:Masque's special ability - though it's tied to his emotions rather than to the mind.]]
* TheMole: [[spoiler:None other than Rico.]]

* MotorMouth: Artemis, even when she's ''exhausted''. [[spoiler: She's grown out of this by the time of the sequel.]]

* NiceGuy: Armor has a bit of a temper, but when he's calm he's the most level-headed member of Dan's team and one of the best friends you can have. ''Beautifully'' ironic, considering he's a Muk and one of the least-liked Pokémon species. Dan, Missy and Artemis also count.

* [[spoiler: NotQuiteBackToNormal: Missy. This is treated as a good thing because becoming completely human would have required her to die.]]

* PokemonSpeak: The reason why Missy can't explain her situation to the humans.
* PsychoForHire: Masque's Scyther is a Pokémon variant.

* RuleOfSymbolism: Is Masque--with his strange speech, strange mannerisms, and even stranger dress--completely at odds with the Pokémon world as we see it? Yeah. Why do we accept his presence in the story so readily? Well...see FridgeBrilliance.
* [[spoiler:SealedWithAKiss: Mm-hmm.]]

** It helps, of course, that the story was hugely inspired by ''Manga/PokemonAdventures'', the DarkerAndEdgier canon counterpart of both the TV series AND the games.
* [[spoiler: TheStarscream: Masque, though not for the [[AmbitionIsEvil usual]] [[ForTheEvulz reasons]].]]
* {{The Reason You Suck Speech}}: Several, but a standout is the rather scathing one the [[spoiler: Scyther]] delivers to [[spoiler: Ruby]] in Chapter [[spoiler: 15]].

* TrappedInTVLand: Most of the story takes place in the world of the ''Pokémon'' games.

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: Read the comments on deviantART: the fandom was going nuts trying to figure out what exactly Luke was up to.
* YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness: [[spoiler: Masque pulls this on Giovanni, cementing himself as TheStarscream and the story's BigBad.]]
** It's less "YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness" and more [[spoiler: "You Have Outlived Your Capacity To Amuse Me."]]

* TheAce: Alvovz.

* [[spoiler: ApocalypticLog]]: Kenneth's notes to Emily quickly become this as he starts to realize that [[spoiler: The Trumpeter is following them.]]

* [[spoiler:AvengingTheVillain]]: As of Chapter 7, we discover that [[spoiler:Missy's life will be in danger if Alvovz ever discovers that she was responsible for his brother's death.]]

* BloodKnight: From what little we see of her character, Bellum is this.
* CreepyChild: [[spoiler:Masque was this years ago, according to his brother Alvovz.]]
* DeadpanSnarker: Missy, at times, and Ripple.

* GenerationXerox: After Dan's father passed away during the interim, Dan inherited his old pawn shop.
** [[spoiler: Missy's son with Dan, Ivan, has inherited more than his fair share of unusual abilities thanks to his mother's own altered genetics.]]

** CrypticBackgroundReference: Thus far, the ambiguity surrounding the Assailment has meant that every mention of it is one of these.

* HappilyMarried: Missy and Dan.

* [[spoiler: IJustWantToBeNormal: Not a straight example, but Missy has been struggling to keep too many people from learning about her... unique condition. She left university after two years to return to Fox Creek because she was having to work even harder to hide than she had to in her hometown]].

* TheLeader: For their respective groups, Missy is a Type IV and Ripple is a Type I.
* MayorPain: B-type.

* TheMedic: Dulcet, being an Audino, acts like this in combat.

* RedOniBlueOni: Dan is the Red, Missy is the Blue.
* ObstructiveBureaucrat: The Mayor of Fox Creek tries to be this, but Missy and the other Council members [[BadassBureaucrat aren't having any of it.]]

* PokemonSpeak: While mostly averted due to the large focus on the Pokémon themselves, Missy does use it (intentionally) when explaining that she was Storm.

* BalefulPolymorph: Who do you ''think''?

* {{Animorphism}}[=/=]BalefulPolymorph: Looks set to remain a prominent theme, though not in quite the same way as it was in the first part. Instead of a human turning into a Pokémon, [[spoiler:Armor turns into a Gallade.]]
** And then there's [[spoiler: Ivan and his VoluntaryShapeshifting...]]

* BigBad: [[spoiler: Masque]]

* BreakTheHaughty: [[spoiler: Ruby, very much so]].

* CombatPragmatist: Nightshade.
* CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass: Artemis.

* [[spoiler:DiedInYourArmsTonight: Missy. She comes back.]]
* [[spoiler:DiscOneFinalBoss: Giovanni]]

* TheDitz: Artemis.
** Erika as well. Also, both are also [[HiddenDepths deeper than the initial impressions they give off would have you believe]].

* [[spoiler: TheHeroDies: Missy, though [[UnexplainedRecovery she gets better]].]]

* RomanticTwoGirlFriendship: Implied with Erika and Sabrina. [[spoiler: It's quite a complicated one, too ...]]

''Pokémon: Storm Clouds'' is a ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' FanFic written by former [[TroperWorks troper]] {{Tropers/deeman45}}. It follows the journey of two teens from [[RealLife "our world"]] who are [[TrappedInTVLand sucked into the world of the Pokémon video games]]. One is a VideoGame enthusiast named Dan, who tries to use his [[GenreSavvy knowledge of the game world]] to try to find a way back home; the other is Missy (real name Melissa), his best friend's younger sister who was [[{{Animorphism}} transformed into an Eevee]] and thus must deal with not only finding a way home, but also trying to find a way back to her normal body. Along the way, they get caught up in a plot involving Team Rocket (the more competent Team Rocket, not the TerribleTrio from the anime) and find out that not everything in the Pokémon world is as happy-go-lucky as the games would make it seem...

Revealing too much of the plot would be criminal, but readers can be sure to experience unexpected developments, emotionally charged dialogue and entertaining fight sequences - and a unique interpretation of the Pokémon world which may be truer to RealLife than any canon interpretation to date, while never losing the story's initial charm. All of this eventually culminates in an climax. The final chapters were posted on May 26, 2010.

[[http://deeman45.deviantart.com/journal/33636764/ Several months later, the author announced a sequel]]. Titled simply "Storm Clouds II", it is set 19 years after the events of the first story. To give hints of what was to come, he posted a series of updates through his Website/DeviantART journals over a 13-week period regarding 'elements' of his version of the Pokémon world which are to play a role in the story. More recently, he posted [[http://deeman45.deviantart.com/journal/37159706/ A Q&A about the characters, the plot, and the writing process, with all questions asked by fans]].

"Pokémon: Storm Clouds" is [[http://deeman45.deviantart.com/art/Pokemon-Storm-Clouds-Ch-1-91215266 here]] or, if you prefer Website/FanFictionDotNet over deviantART, [[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5420921/1/Pokemon_Storm_Clouds here]].

[[folder: Pokémon: Storm Clouds]]

* {{Animorphism}}: One of the main characters gets turned into a Pokémon in the first chapter. The main conflict for most of the story is her attempts to deal with the change and her quest to find a way back to normal. [[spoiler: Coming back home does not, by itself, help. She finally learns that she can only return to her previous form by dying. She ends up in a state of near death but is hospitalised and lives. As a result, Missy mostly regains her human form, but several traits from her Pokémon body carry over, which she finds herself happy with]].

* BigDamnHeroes: Dan's Pokémon: [[spoiler: despite being weakened in a recent encounter with Masque, they resolve to stop as many of the two dozen Pokémon Masque has released from killing people as possible. They save all the potential victims in the scenes they arrive at]].

* DarkIsNotEvil: Mr. Shadow, one of the supernatural inhabitants of [[HauntedHouse Pokémon Tower]]. He's a pretty nice guy, if somewhat creepy and obviously [[EldritchAbomination eldritch]] in nature. [[spoiler:Which makes sense, as he turns out to be ''[[DontFearTheReaper the Grim Reaper]]''.]]

* {{Deconstruction}}: Of the handheld Pokémon games. Many of the games' features are examined or analyzed; the six-Pokémon rule is given an explanation, for example. Dan also engages in some [[ContemplateOurNavels Navel Gazing]] in the earlier chapters.

* DefrostingIceQueen: Take a wild guess. [[spoiler: It's Ruby, if you're really that dense - and not only towards Missy, but also to the other Pokémon]]. Nightshade's a male variant.

* TheEmpath: Masque is able to read the hearts of Pokémon. [[spoiler:Which in itself just serves to make his monstrosity all the more horrifying.]]

* GuileHero: Missy herself. All of her defeats over the Scyther (and a good deal of her other victories as well) basically revolve around exploiting or tricking an opponent into doing themselves in. Of course, given that she's not actually a Pokémon, this is probably her best option in taking on the world.

* HiddenHeartOfGold: [[spoiler:Rico plays this so well - including actually ''capturing'' Missy in a Poké Ball when he learns Dan doesn't own her - that it was quite a shock to learn he was actually a mole in Team Rocket and a fairly decent guy. He later apologised to Dan for his actions.]]

** Team Rocket agent Rico takes the cake, as he seems to simply ''exist'' to be an asshole. [[spoiler: Turns out it's all a ruse to hide his Pokémon League affiliation.]]

* KarmicDeath: [[spoiler: Masque, having MindRaped many Pokémon into losing their sense of self and becoming his servants, ends up accidently killed by the one he probably considered his finest work.]] The Aerodactyl's death is also fitting - trying to slaughter defenceless schoolchildren, he is utimately inpaled on the broken monkeybars at his chosen site and bleeds out to death.

* ManipulativeBastard: Masque's greatest achievements come from his ability to read and manipulate other people as well as Pokémon. In his finest moments (his [[spoiler:murder of Giovanni]] and [[spoiler:the way he busts out of prison]] he borders on [[MagnificentBastard magnificence.]]

* NiceGuy: Armor has a bit of a temper, but when he's calm he's the most level-headed member of Dan's team and one of the best friends you can have. ''Beautifully'' ironic, considering he's a Muk and one of the least-liked Pokémon species. Dan, Missy and Artemis also count.
* NoHoldsBarredBeatdown: Dan delivers one [[spoiler:when Rico has captured Missy - he only relents when Rico gives him the Poké Ball.]]

* OfficialCouple: Missy and Dan. [[spoiler:TheyDo, eventually, but according to [[AllThereInTheManual the Author's Notes]], Dan first had to overcome the weirdness of having raised her as a Pokémon for a while. They actually broke up before going to university, and got back together in their mid-twenties.]]

* PsychoForHire: Masque's Scyther is a Pokémon variant.
* RagtagBunchOfMisfits: Dan's Pokémon team give off this vibe. A human-girl-turned-Eevee (Missy/Storm), a somewhat comical but loyal Muk (Armor), a high-and-mighty Ponyta (Ruby), a timid but courageous Seadra (Nemo), a cynical Oddish (Nightshade), and a hyper Electabuzz (Artemis). Yeah ... and you thought ''[[Anime/{{Pokemon}} Ash]]'' sometimes caught the weirdest Pokémon.

* RuleOfSymbolism: Is Masque--with his strange speech, strange mannerisms, and even stranger dress--completely at odds with the Pokémon world as we see it? Yeah. Why do we accept his presence in the story so readily? Well...see FridgeBrilliance.

* SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism: As Dan grows to better understand the realism in the world of Pokémon, he begins to realise how dark it is. The story edges even further towards cynical for much of the plot, with people and Pokémon actually DYING along the way. [[spoiler: In the end, however, it becomes an EarnYourHappyEnding}} and all the main characters survive]].

* TrappedInTVLand: Most of the story takes place in the world of the ''Pokémon'' games.
* TrueCompanions: Dan's other Pokémon become this for Missy. All of them, even Ruby, strive to bring her out of her {{Heroic BSOD}}. It becomes even more moving when you realise that they sacrificed their homeworld, their own sense of normalcy, and their chances of finding potential mates and having children in order to follow Dan and Missy back home, even when they don't need to. All they need now is a cheesy speech.

* {{Animorphism}}[=/=]BalefulPolymorph: Looks set to remain a prominent theme, though not in quite the same way as it was in the first part. Instead of a human turning into a Pokémon, [[spoiler:Armor turns into a Gallade.]]

* AscendedExtra: In-universe, [[spoiler: Rico]]'s role compared to the last story. [[spoiler: He's even attained a higher rank in the ([[InsistentTerminology New]]) Pokémon League.]]

* GenderEqualsBreed: Oddly enough, averted. [[spoiler:Although Ivan inherits some of his mother Missy's abilities, his Pokémon form is a Vulpix instead of a Growlithe, like his father Dan would have become (according to some of the [[TheMultiverse various possibilities]] the Hypno showed Missy whilst subjecting her to MindRape.]]
* GreyAndGrayMorality: The (New) Pokémon League vs. The Guilds appears to be one of these, as of Chapter 5. WordOfGod confirms that each side is biased towards another and has left certain details of their various explanations out.

* HorrorHunger: The Feraligatr has an insatiable craving for Pokémon flesh [[spoiler: that was deliberately inflicted upon him as a Totodile to turn him into a weapon.]]

* ImAHumanitarian: The Feraligatr enjoys Pokémon flesh.

* LateArrivalSpoiler: Missy returns to her human form [[spoiler:albeit with several Pokémon traits still remaining.]]

* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: Most of the Fox Creek town council (save [[MayorPain the current mayor]]). Bertrand deserves special mention - he openly confesses to [[spoiler: hating Pokémon]] because [[spoiler: his teenage daughter was a casualty of Masque's attack]], but he's not incapable of empathising with Missy when [[spoiler: her son is kidnapped]] and agrees to her proposition. Missy even notes that he usually opposes her on principle.
* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: As per AuthorAppeal (apparently), Missy gives one to [[spoiler: the arrogant Pokémon League forces commander who arrests them for "trespassing"]].

* PokemonSpeak: While mostly averted due to the large focus on the Pokémon themselves, Missy does use it (intentionally) when explaining that she was Storm.
* PosthumousCharacter: Dan's father (in the "Real World"), Blaine in the Pokémon world, and of course the characters that died in the first fic.
* SadisticChoice: When they've had Luke rebuild his special machine to return to the Pokémon world, Missy is afraid of touching it because she'd rather not become an Eevee again. Dan offers to do so, but Missy tells him that he himself might become a Pokémon [[spoiler: just as she saw while MindRaped by the Hypno]]. This is promptly [[SubvertedTrope subverted]] - see TakeAThirdOption, below.
* TheSociopath: In Chapter 7, [[spoiler:we learn the backstory of Masque (or rather, Mugann, Alvovz's brother). According to Alvovz, he was disturbed and unstable even as a child, and developed a sickening pleasure in MindRape of Pokémon from a young age with his special ability.]]

* TakeAThirdOption: [[spoiler: Missy and Dan aren't sure how return to the Pokémon world without risking Animorphism again, on either of them. Armor pretty much says "to Hell with this" and offers to touch the sphere which'll transport them ''himself'', since he's ''already'' a Pokémon and wouldn't suffer nearly the same existential angst Missy did.]]

''Pokémon: Storm Clouds'' is a ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' FanFic written by former [[TroperWorks troper]] {{Tropers/deeman45}}. It follows the journey of two teens from [[RealLife "our world"]] who are [[TrappedInTVLand sucked into the world of the Pokémon video games]]. One is a VideoGame enthusiast named Dan, who tries to use his [[GenreSavvy knowledge of the game world]] to try to find a way back home; the other is Missy (real name Melissa), his best friend's younger sister who was [[{{Animorphism}} transformed into an Eevee]] and thus must deal with not only finding a way home, but also trying to find a way back to her normal body. Along the way, they get caught up in a plot involving Team Rocket (the more competent Team Rocket, not the TerribleTrio from the anime) and find out that not everything in the Pokémon world is as happy-go-lucky as the games would make it seem...

Revealing too much of the plot would be criminal, but readers can be sure to experience unexpected developments, emotionally charged dialogue and entertaining fight sequences - and a unique interpretation of the Pokémon world which may be truer to RealLife than any canon interpretation to date, while never losing the story's initial charm. All of this eventually culminates in an climax. The final chapters were posted on May 26, 2010.

[[http://deeman45.deviantart.com/journal/33636764/ Several months later, the author announced a sequel]]. Titled simply "Storm Clouds II", it is set 19 years after the events of the first story. To give hints of what was to come, he posted a series of updates through his Website/DeviantART journals over a 13-week period regarding 'elements' of his version of the Pokémon world which are to play a role in the story. More recently, he posted [[http://deeman45.deviantart.com/journal/37159706/ A Q&A about the characters, the plot, and the writing process, with all questions asked by fans]].

"Pokémon: Storm Clouds" is [[http://deeman45.deviantart.com/art/Pokemon-Storm-Clouds-Ch-1-91215266 here]] or, if you prefer Website/FanFictionDotNet over deviantART, [[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5420921/1/Pokemon_Storm_Clouds here]].

[[folder: Pokémon: Storm Clouds]]

* {{Animorphism}}: One of the main characters gets turned into a Pokémon in the first chapter. The main conflict for most of the story is her attempts to deal with the change and her quest to find a way back to normal. [[spoiler: Coming back home does not, by itself, help. She finally learns that she can only return to her previous form by dying. She ends up in a state of near death but is hospitalised and lives. As a result, Missy mostly regains her human form, but several traits from her Pokémon body carry over, which she finds herself happy with]].

* BigDamnHeroes: Dan's Pokémon: [[spoiler: despite being weakened in a recent encounter with Masque, they resolve to stop as many of the two dozen Pokémon Masque has released from killing people as possible. They save all the potential victims in the scenes they arrive at]].

* DarkIsNotEvil: Mr. Shadow, one of the supernatural inhabitants of [[HauntedHouse Pokémon Tower]]. He's a pretty nice guy, if somewhat creepy and obviously [[EldritchAbomination eldritch]] in nature. [[spoiler:Which makes sense, as he turns out to be ''[[DontFearTheReaper the Grim Reaper]]''.]]

* {{Deconstruction}}: Of the handheld Pokémon games. Many of the games' features are examined or analyzed; the six-Pokémon rule is given an explanation, for example. Dan also engages in some [[ContemplateOurNavels Navel Gazing]] in the earlier chapters.

* DefrostingIceQueen: Take a wild guess. [[spoiler: It's Ruby, if you're really that dense - and not only towards Missy, but also to the other Pokémon]]. Nightshade's a male variant.

* TheEmpath: Masque is able to read the hearts of Pokémon. [[spoiler:Which in itself just serves to make his monstrosity all the more horrifying.]]

* GuileHero: Missy herself. All of her defeats over the Scyther (and a good deal of her other victories as well) basically revolve around exploiting or tricking an opponent into doing themselves in. Of course, given that she's not actually a Pokémon, this is probably her best option in taking on the world.

* HiddenHeartOfGold: [[spoiler:Rico plays this so well - including actually ''capturing'' Missy in a Poké Ball when he learns Dan doesn't own her - that it was quite a shock to learn he was actually a mole in Team Rocket and a fairly decent guy. He later apologised to Dan for his actions.]]

** Team Rocket agent Rico takes the cake, as he seems to simply ''exist'' to be an asshole. [[spoiler: Turns out it's all a ruse to hide his Pokémon League affiliation.]]

* KarmicDeath: [[spoiler: Masque, having MindRaped many Pokémon into losing their sense of self and becoming his servants, ends up accidently killed by the one he probably considered his finest work.]] The Aerodactyl's death is also fitting - trying to slaughter defenceless schoolchildren, he is utimately inpaled on the broken monkeybars at his chosen site and bleeds out to death.

* ManipulativeBastard: Masque's greatest achievements come from his ability to read and manipulate other people as well as Pokémon. In his finest moments (his [[spoiler:murder of Giovanni]] and [[spoiler:the way he busts out of prison]] he borders on [[MagnificentBastard magnificence.]]

* NiceGuy: Armor has a bit of a temper, but when he's calm he's the most level-headed member of Dan's team and one of the best friends you can have. ''Beautifully'' ironic, considering he's a Muk and one of the least-liked Pokémon species. Dan, Missy and Artemis also count.
* NoHoldsBarredBeatdown: Dan delivers one [[spoiler:when Rico has captured Missy - he only relents when Rico gives him the Poké Ball.]]

* OfficialCouple: Missy and Dan. [[spoiler:TheyDo, eventually, but according to [[AllThereInTheManual the Author's Notes]], Dan first had to overcome the weirdness of having raised her as a Pokémon for a while. They actually broke up before going to university, and got back together in their mid-twenties.]]

* PsychoForHire: Masque's Scyther is a Pokémon variant.
* RagtagBunchOfMisfits: Dan's Pokémon team give off this vibe. A human-girl-turned-Eevee (Missy/Storm), a somewhat comical but loyal Muk (Armor), a high-and-mighty Ponyta (Ruby), a timid but courageous Seadra (Nemo), a cynical Oddish (Nightshade), and a hyper Electabuzz (Artemis). Yeah ... and you thought ''[[Anime/{{Pokemon}} Ash]]'' sometimes caught the weirdest Pokémon.

* RuleOfSymbolism: Is Masque--with his strange speech, strange mannerisms, and even stranger dress--completely at odds with the Pokémon world as we see it? Yeah. Why do we accept his presence in the story so readily? Well...see FridgeBrilliance.

* SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism: As Dan grows to better understand the realism in the world of Pokémon, he begins to realise how dark it is. The story edges even further towards cynical for much of the plot, with people and Pokémon actually DYING along the way. [[spoiler: In the end, however, it becomes an EarnYourHappyEnding}} and all the main characters survive]].

-->[[spoiler: '''Masque''']]: Are you so shocked by murder, [[spoiler: Giovanni]]? Pitiful. You are like a vulture flying high above a pack of predators, waiting to pick off whatever they leave you. You can’t kill. You’ve ordered plenty of deaths to be carried out, but you’ve never done it yourself. Any weakling can order an execution, but it takes a certain caliber to actually join the firing squad. You should have known your ambitions would attract souls much blacker than yours.

-->[[spoiler: '''Masque''']]: Just like most of the fighters in this organization, that pokemon had been conditioned by me. Over the process I instilled a desire to serve you, to be sure, but behind that I hid something else. The pokemon of [[spoiler: Team Rocket]] will never act against me…Do you remember what I once told you? ‘You cannot control a marionette with only one string’. You dared to think you controlled me?! All of your enforcers have been conditioned by me before they see use. That’s one string. You allowed terror of me to grow within your organization, so that many of your followers feared me more than you. Another string. Despite the fact that I often acted against your interests, you never took action, signaling to me and to others that I had a certain leeway out of your jurisdiction. That's a third. You never did the dirty work yourself, instead delegating it to those even more amoral than you…like myself. That’s four. I’ve made you dance this way and that for years now, [[spoiler: Giovanni]]. You were my plaything. Well, now you and your organization bore me. [[PreMortemOneLiner I’ll cut your strings]].
* TrappedInTVLand: Most of the story takes place in the world of the ''Pokémon'' games.
* TrueCompanions: Dan's other Pokémon become this for Missy. All of them, even Ruby, strive to bring her out of her {{Heroic BSOD}}. It becomes even more moving when you realise that they sacrificed their homeworld, their own sense of normalcy, and their chances of finding potential mates and having children in order to follow Dan and Missy back home, even when they don't need to. All they need now is a cheesy speech.

* {{Animorphism}}[=/=]BalefulPolymorph: Looks set to remain a prominent theme, though not in quite the same way as it was in the first part. Instead of a human turning into a Pokémon, [[spoiler:Armor turns into a Gallade.]]

* AscendedExtra: In-universe, [[spoiler: Rico]]'s role compared to the last story. [[spoiler: He's even attained a higher rank in the ([[InsistentTerminology New]]) Pokémon League.]]

* GenderEqualsBreed: Oddly enough, averted. [[spoiler:Although Ivan inherits some of his mother Missy's abilities, his Pokémon form is a Vulpix instead of a Growlithe, like his father Dan would have become (according to some of the [[TheMultiverse various possibilities]] the Hypno showed Missy whilst subjecting her to MindRape.]]
* GreyAndGrayMorality: The (New) Pokémon League vs. The Guilds appears to be one of these, as of Chapter 5. WordOfGod confirms that each side is biased towards another and has left certain details of their various explanations out.

* HorrorHunger: The Feraligatr has an insatiable craving for Pokémon flesh [[spoiler: that was deliberately inflicted upon him as a Totodile to turn him into a weapon.]]

* ImAHumanitarian: The Feraligatr enjoys Pokémon flesh.

* LateArrivalSpoiler: Missy returns to her human form [[spoiler:albeit with several Pokémon traits still remaining.]]

* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: Most of the Fox Creek town council (save [[MayorPain the current mayor]]). Bertrand deserves special mention - he openly confesses to [[spoiler: hating Pokémon]] because [[spoiler: his teenage daughter was a casualty of Masque's attack]], but he's not incapable of empathising with Missy when [[spoiler: her son is kidnapped]] and agrees to her proposition. Missy even notes that he usually opposes her on principle.
* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: As per AuthorAppeal (apparently), Missy gives one to [[spoiler: the arrogant Pokémon League forces commander who arrests them for "trespassing"]].

* PokemonSpeak: While mostly averted due to the large focus on the Pokémon themselves, Missy does use it (intentionally) when explaining that she was Storm.
* PosthumousCharacter: Dan's father (in the "Real World"), Blaine in the Pokémon world, and of course the characters that died in the first fic.
* SadisticChoice: When they've had Luke rebuild his special machine to return to the Pokémon world, Missy is afraid of touching it because she'd rather not become an Eevee again. Dan offers to do so, but Missy tells him that he himself might become a Pokémon [[spoiler: just as she saw while MindRaped by the Hypno]]. This is promptly [[SubvertedTrope subverted]] - see TakeAThirdOption, below.
* TheSociopath: In Chapter 7, [[spoiler:we learn the backstory of Masque (or rather, Mugann, Alvovz's brother). According to Alvovz, he was disturbed and unstable even as a child, and developed a sickening pleasure in MindRape of Pokémon from a young age with his special ability.]]

* TakeAThirdOption: [[spoiler: Missy and Dan aren't sure how return to the Pokémon world without risking Animorphism again, on either of them. Armor pretty much says "to Hell with this" and offers to touch the sphere which'll transport them ''himself'', since he's ''already'' a Pokémon and wouldn't suffer nearly the same existential angst Missy did.]]

* ReverseMole: [[spoiler:None other than Rico.]]