Pokemon Evolution: A fanfic for older Pokemon Fans

Author's Letter: A Year Without New Chapters

Hooooooly crap... It's been over a year since I left this story on a cliffhanger?!? Things really seemed to get away from me, and you're probably wondering what happened to me in the last year. Well, allow me to fill you in!

I posted 'Chapter 76 - Gamma' on May 13th, 2019 with full plans to write the continuation after no more than a month or so of hiatus. That was when my life changed drastically. About a week later, my cat, Shadow passed away after months suffering from stomach cancer. He hadn't been showing any signs of pain, only that he slept more and had a hard time keeping food down, not surprising for a thirteen year old cat, especially given his condition. That last week of his life was the hardest struggle as a pet parent I had ever seen, and I still feel the aftershocks of his passing over a year later as I write this. He was a good cat, the best cat. Shadow lived to be thirteen years and one day old before passing in his sleep.

After his passing, I fell into pretty deep depression, my feet dragged so much that I even got a citation at work from coming in late for two or so weeks straight. Around this time, my mother had returned home after months away (it's a long story...) and her constantly misgendering and deadnaming me only twisted the knife in my back even more.

Thankfully, I had an opportunity come up that I couldn't refuse. One of my close work friends had a room vacancy in his apartment, a vacancy I gladly snatched up. The end of June and most of July was spent spending what little free time I had packing for the move and preparing things to live on my own, such as finally getting my first credit card! After moving, I was still working full time, so I slowly unpacked over the course of two or so weeks.

Soon after, things began to grow more serious between myself and two friends of mine. While they were both long distance relationships, and each didn't last very long, I can honestly say I was romantically involved with both of them, and despite things not working out with either of them, I learned something important about myself: I knew I needed an in-person relationship, but that the sexual side of relationships weren't my priority.

Come September, I became engrossed in Bioshock 2, the entry in the series that seemed most interesting to me initially, before completing it and starting Borderlands 3 on the same day. Borderlands 3 ate up a lot of my free time until Pokémon Sword and Shield came out. I absolutely loved Shield, and I look forward to the upcoming Isle of Armor & Crown Tundra DLCs. It honestly gave me a lot inspiration for the final arc of Pokémon Evolution, but I didn't have the motivation to write it at the time, due to seasonal depression that lasted most of December and January.

In the mean time, my name change is finally legal! for those of you who have been following me since the beginning, you likely remember I originally went by Ryanne under the screen name Metagrossfreak. Around the time it was legalized, I fully rebranded myself under the new screen name Sylvia Moonbeam. For long-time followers of Pokémon Evolution, don't worry, the Ryanne of my story WILL keep her name. Referring to her as Sylvia in the latest chapters was more of a celebratory thing on my end. Everyone's favorite auburn-haired, green-eyed Trainer will keep her name. Ryanne is HER name now, and I don't plan to take it from her anytime soon.

Back to my flashback, the depression I had those cold months all changed on January 26th, when I asked out one of my coworkers who I had steadily been gaining interest in. Our first date was February 1st and after several wonderful dates, we officially became a couple on Friday, March 13th. The date is fairly ironic in hindsight. I don't like to put a lot of merit into Friday the 13th's pop culture status, but it just so happens that I had a massive panic attack that evening, and I called her for comfort. It was during that phone conversation that we officially became a couple.

Soon after, Covid-19 hit the United States, with my area being one of the first to enact Shelter in Place. So, for the last 2+ months, I've been at home. Texting my girlfriend daily, spending time with the friends I live with, and passing my time by binging shows and playing Fallout 4. (For those interested, my character is a sniper and explosives expert, I ended up siding with The Railroad, and Piper is my love interest and main companion.)

Earlier this week, I was telling my girlfriend about the story so far and looking at some of my older chapters sparked a craving to write again. So here I am, telling you about the lastest year of my life. Thanks to all of you who have been watching and reading all this time, I'm really excited with where the final chapters of Pokémon Evolution with take the story! 'Chapter 77 - Insurgence (Part 1)' will be up shortly!

~ Sylvia Moonbeam