Requiem “Wreck” Hanson, leader of PCA Team Ricochet.

Requiem currently holds position of chief editor for the Academy’s newspaper and though many accuse her of yellow journalism and similar tactics, no one has yet to ever prove her articles wrong; no matter how outlandish some of them seem, not one has ever been false. This has, of course, led to many believing she’s orchestrating events, but as it is with her species, they merely report the situations, not cause them, and Requiem is one of the best at it. Requiem herself shrugs off accusations, having gotten used to them long before enrolling at the Academy. Many such accusations, however, do have justification for being thrown at her; it’s a known fact that she is racist (or “typist,” if one considers her distinct abhorrence of Psychic types).

Requiem grew up in the rough slums of Saffron City. Through her species’ ability to predict immediate danger, she quickly learned how to avoid situations that could get her harmed, or worse, but having witnessed a number of street fights, she also learned ways of protecting herself should the occasion ever come up. Her father was a down-and-out trainer who tried to make a living teaching self-defense to people who had no other choice but live in these streets, but his methods and techniques were lacking compared to professional battlers, and many who sought his teaching were more interested in learning techniques for their own street fights rather than genuine self-defense. Requiem remained his top student, however; loyal and devoted to helping him out wherever she could and always willing to make him proud.

One night, however, her father’s foresight could not protect him from being attacked in an alley by a group of Psychics (type wars were frequent in those areas, and many ruthlessly attacked rival types to prove themselves). He was killed in the attack before Requiem could jump in to try to save him, even though she knew she would’ve been killed as well. From this she developed an intense hatred for Psychics, seeing the attack as nothing more than preying on a superior species. She began training harder, devoted to one day being able to take out any Psychic who might try to trump her, no matter how many there were. Fueled by anger and jealousy, she entered underground fights that were prevalent on those streets, lashing out with increasing aggression against any Psychics who she happened to be paired against. All the while, she sent anonymous reports to local newspapers, providing eyewitness accounts to goings-on in areas that most reporters refused to investigate. She also helped uncover a number of illegal underground battling rings (after she was finished using them for herself, that is). She used the reports as leverage when the newspaper began demanding a name to the person figuring all this stuff out; enroll her into the PCA when she reached the right age, and she promised to return to report in even more notorious circles, such as the mob. She knew that such a prestigious Academy could give her the proper training to take out Psychics of the future, and this was her ticket in there. Finally, a smaller newspaper desperate to get to the top of Saffron’s sales took the deal and eventually she was headed toward her goal. Her knack for investigation got her into the newspaper, which she quickly took over thanks to shrewd tactics not unlike those she used and observed in the streets. Mrs. Ferna, who oversees the student newspaper, was well aware of her extreme viewpoints, but did not restrict her as long as she kept personal opinions out of her articles. The teacher was no stranger to the wrath of students and even faculty members who fell prey to the Absol’s investigative journalism, and continually had to remind them that the reports were never proven wrong; be more careful next time you break a rule or do something otherwise socially unacceptable. It didn’t really help Requiem’s social standing at the Academy, no matter how true her articles were. It only fueled her interest to learn more about the rest of the people here.

Discovering that two of the Academy’s leaders were Psychics put a damper on Requiem’s motivations, but when Felinduce and Meow suddenly resigned and Aubtraum took over, she was overjoyed. Finally a true administrator could run the Academy! It was then that she took bolder steps to get her team known in hopes of impressing him.

Though Requiem doesn’t have any professional battle experience, she’s extremely proficient in low-hand tactics used in street fights and is not afraid to use them in sanctioned battles at the Academy. Her investigative nature, Super Luck ability, and natural Future Sight have also driven her to (successfully) get information on any and all possible opponents, especially Psychic-type ones, and she knows precisely how to use said information in her battles. Strengths, weaknesses, fears, reactors, she knows she can find it.

She has also taken a bit of sympathy to Fighting types, believing that they are oppressed by Psychics due to extreme weaknesses to them, and oftentimes seems a bit more encouraging to Fighting-type students, including opponents.

Her nickname, “Wreck,” was a culmination of her own shortened
name and the way she tends to fight. It’s not professional by any standards, and oftentimes seems to rely more on Super Luck and dirty tricks than anything else, making her fighting style itself seem like a wreck. It works for her, however, and has carried her through a surprising number of battles during her Academy career. As many would guess, such tactics (and journalistic techniques… and typism) has gotten her a number of enemies, as well. Her species’ natural disaster-prediction has saved her from countless pranks and fight attempts outside the arena. She seems to avoid them just before they even begin to happen…

Requiem copyright Aelius (me)
Pokémon copyright Nintendo/Game Freak
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