And now, a message from Silph Co...

[indigo_league]

_{[The screen is filled with the shimmering Silph Co. logo accompanied by a little fanfare chime. Then the logo fades and is replaced by a young man in a labcoat and glasses, a pristine office filled with towering computers visible behind him. He clears his throat and puts on his professional face, eyes fixed firmly on the camera.]}

Greetings from Silph Co, the leading name in Pokemon technology. My name is Theodore Theramin and I'm a scientist here at Silph Co. Many years ago, the creation of Porygon, the very first successful man-made Pokemon, put us on the map. Today I have the honor of announcing our company's newest and greatest acheivment-- a brand new type of synthetic Pokemon! Introducing... Type: Null!

_{[The camera draws back to show a large, strange Pokemon with mismatched limbs and an intricate helmet apparatus covering most of its face, standing side by side with Theodore. Its beak-like jaws are clamped firmly on his coat sleeve--which it appears to be sucking on. Theodore does not break eye-contact with the camera, though sweat does start to bead on his brow. He gives his sleeve a subtle tug, but the beast does not relinquish it, so the scientist is forced to carry on without full use of that arm. Nobody ever said science could be achieved without sacrifice.]}

Type: Null is revolutionary! While it has no gender and cannot breed, this Pokemon is fully customizable. They are made-to-order with the typing of your choice, perfect for any type of trainer, whether you require a top-notch battler or a loyal companion to guard your home at night. This is where Silph Co would like to extend a hand to you, trainers, to ask for your help in furthering our research. Type: Null is now ready for beta testing in the field.

_{[He clears his throat, starting to awkwardly walk towards a well-lit desk as the camera pans with him-- 'awkwardly' because the odd, chimerical Pokemon is simply not going to let go, and insists on walking so close to the man's legs that he can only move at a shuffle.]}

To enter our beta testing program, a trainer must possess at least six badges from any of the official Indigo League gyms stationed across Johto and Kanto, and inquire at the Silph Headquarters in Saffron City in person. There, you'll only be a bit of paperwork and a fast-track queue away from receiving your new, never-before-seen Pokemon!

_{[Sitting down at the desk, which was clearly arranged to be as photogenic as possible for the broadcast, he holds out a hand in a clear signal for the creature to do a classic 'handshake'. Instead, it takes the opportunity to slurp another inch or two of the sleeve fabric into its mouth. The scientist's grin grows a little strained, and he laughs awkwardly.]}

Of course, being a prototype, each individual Type: Null will have its own... ah, quirks. The Beta Tester program is completely free to participate in-- all Silph Co. asks in return is for each participant to report back to us with any discoveries they might make while training this remarkable new Pokemon.

_{[He rings his hands together, inadvertently tugging the Type: Null forward a pace or two as it stubbornly refuses to let go.]}

With your help, Silph Co. will be able to make Type: Null the best Pokemon it can possibly be, paving the way for an incredible future for all people and Pokemon!

_{[Before the broadcast ends, address information for the Silph Co. Headquarters flashes across the screen as their fanfare jingle plays again.]}




Type: Null is officially live!

To obtain a Type: Null for your character, please visit this page and fill out an application. Please keep all the following in mind oocly while doing so!

Type: Null aquisitions must adhere to the following stipulations:

Characters MUST willfully fill out an IC application, in person, at Silph Co. headquarters in Saffron City in order to be approved as a Type: Null “beta tester”. There will be no way to ‘accidentally’ stumble into obtaining a Type: Null, or for one character to forge the application in another’s name. Put simply, the only characters who can obtain a Type: Null are ones who are actively motivated to go and do it.

In order for their application to be approved, characters MUST have no fewer than six (6) Indigo League gym badges, from either or both regions.

One character = one Null. No exceptions! Silph Co. will not allow any trainer to have more than one Null at once.

Characters who receive a Type: Null will be unable to gift or transfer their Null to another trainer for any reason. Type: Nulls left behind by dropped characters will be swiftly repossessed by Silph Co. and cannot be taken in or claimed by the dropped characters’ CR.

Type: Nulls are genderless. They cannot be bred and will not produce eggs. No, not even if you give it lots of playdates with your friend’s flirty Ditto.

Yes, Silph Co. TOTALLY stole the concept from the Aether Foundation in the far-off land of Alola, slapped a patent on it, and put it into production before it could be contested. CAPITALISM!!

As these Pokemon are effectively bootlegs based on stolen, incomplete research, they will be much weaker (think Larvitar or Dratini) than their canon counterparts. They can grow stronger with love and training just like any other Pokemon, but will never exceed what could be considered ‘normal’ strength for a Pokemon.

Type: Nulls received by incoming characters as starters are of the same weaker Silph Co. variety.

Instead of using Memories to change types, each Type: Null (along with their evolution, Silvally) will be limited to a single type, the same way that a Pokemon’s “Hidden Power” attack-type is chosen. That is to say, pick a type for your Null and stick with it! Their “Multi-Attack” move will reflect this choice.

Silph Nulls may be noticeably ‘glitchy’ and exhibit odd behaviors or tics. The extent of which will be up to each player’s discretion (examples could range anywhere from having a tremor that flares up every once in awhile to being a total dysfunctional disaster Pokemon who bumps into walls and can’t seem to walk in a straight line), but as a general rule, they all seem to be a little… well, off.

While Type: Null’s unique function will likely come into play for a future event, there is not currently any information available to suggest its original rarity, power, or purpose. Silph Co doesn’t want people knowing that they stole the idea! As far as anyone in the game is concerned, Type: Null is Porygon’s weird, less-useful-for-cybercrime cousin.

Information on Type: Null was originally announced in this mod post.

Comments

OOC Questions!

[tearsofademon]

1. What level does Type: Null come at when received from Silph Co.?

2. So the way I'm reading it, a Type: Null with, say, Fairy type chosen for it will be Fairy type as well, right? If so, what does the RKS System ability actually do in this continuity...? Since in the games, Type: Null just stays Normal type, it's Silvally that changes typing.

3. So what do Silvally's Pokedex entries say, for whenever people start getting enough Happiness points? Type: Null's don't have anything too radical, but Silvally's Sun/Moon entries definitely reference memories and being able to change types, as well as Gladion. And since my assumption has always pretty much been that the 'dex entries from the games are what show up, are these being left as-is? Because if they are, hoo boy that could get suspicious.

4. Just for clarification's sake, is the entire form ICly written? Basically, is the choice of type one that has to be made consciously by the character?

[indigo_league]

1. Level 25!

2. Yes, this is correct! Silph Co. really wanted to market this critter as being super customizable, so being able to have differently-typed Nulls was a must!
As for the RKS System ability, after discussion, we've decided that without the Memories or the ability to switch types, having RKS System remain as it is would be a little pointless. While it was definitely a part of the original Aether plans (and also probably what allowed Silph to, with tinkering, create differently-typed Nulls in the first place), Silph's bootleg Nulls will receive the ability Adaptability upon evolution rather than RKS System.

3. Silvally is going to be a surprise! ... And by that we mean, Silph Co. has absolutely no idea that these things have the ability to evolve, so there has not yet been a Dex entry prepared for it! Anyone whose Null evolves should report it immediately to the hotline, at which point whoever's job it is to write Pokedex entries will have to dust off their pen and get to work! Until that happens, "Silphally"'s Dex info will show up as ?????????? for the first person who obtains one.
(AKA, we'll write a new one specifically for the game's continuity, since like you said, there's no way it can feasibly reference Gladion or the Memories).

4. Yes! The form is ICly written, so ideally the type they write down should be one that they would consciously choose themselves!