Well It Only Took Uh. Like. 5 Days. But I FINALLY Got My Designs For Maxie And Archie Done!! I Initially

well it only took uh. like. 5 days. but I FINALLY got my designs for Maxie and Archie done!! I initially just meant to draw over their official art to warm up, and then... I kept drawing so I just committed to it. whoops.

I wanted to do versions of them for the headcanon setting that @brannwen and I have! Featuring some slight tweaks to their ORAS outfits ( @endiecutieo6's lovely designs inspired most of them!! <3)

Headcanon rambling and design notes under the readmore:

Story/character headcanons:

(Overall, this setting is a weird mix of ORAS and Emerald. In simple terms, it's ORAS's characterization with Emerald's plotline)

Maxie is a trans man, and gay. Archie is a cis gay man.

Maxie is from Fallarbor Town, while Archie is from Lilycove. Maxie's family is fully Hoennian, while one side of Archie's family is from Alola. (He grew up visiting Alola yearly to stay with family there. He hasn't gone back to see them in a loooong time though, especially uh. after... gestures. all the kyogre and groudon shit)

They met after they both joined the Hoenn Pokemon Rangers in their 20s, and became best friends despite their differing personalities. Their mutual interest in the environment was an easy way for them to bond, even if they had different specific focuses

The major rift between them started when Archie confessed his love to Maxie, who rejected him. (Out of fear of being outed as trans, specifically. He was also in love with Archie, but was too afraid of what would happen if Archie found out about him being trans. the answer is he wouldn't have cared, u idiot)

When Groudon and Kyogre were awoken and underwent Primal Reversion, they possessed Maxie and Archie, causing the two to try and murder each other in Sootopolis City.

After Rayquaza quelled the fighting Legendaries, Maxie and Archie were left irreversibly changed -- neither human or Pokemon, with instincts and powers of the Legendaries that "blessed" them.

They spent a handful of months avoiding each other as much as they could (outside of the Delta Episode shit happening), until Maxie couldn't stand it anymore and went to visit Archie in Lilycove. While there, they realized that oddly enough, proximity to each other seemed to curb the surges of power (and irritability) they'd both been experiencing. Maxie hypothesized that it's due to the Red and Blue Orbs being able to calm the opposite Legendaries.

Maxie ends up visiting again after that, and. well. one thing led to another and they ended up confessing their feelings for each other and deciding to merge their teams to try and do Actual Good for the region. (keyword being try. they're doing their best, man)

May is basically their unofficially adopted daughter. Both of them think they don't deserve her forgiveness (she lost her parents in the natural disasters that the Legendaries caused) but she forgives them anyway, as long as they promise to try and Be Better. (Officially/Legally, May's been adopted by Steven and Wallace, who are only letting Maxie and Archie go without legal punishment because of May. also no prison could hold two people with legendary powers lmao)

May ended up in a similar situation re: Legendary powers, as Rayquaza offered her its power (either during the climax of the ORAS plot, or during the Delta Episode, haven't decided yet) and she accepted. While she doesn't regret her decision, it has made her feel even more aliened from other kids her age. Maxie and Archie have beef with Rayquaza over this, and they're particularly protective of May because they understand the struggle of being Less Than Human now.

Maxie's team consists of Camerupt (Igneous), Crobat (Travertine), Mightyena (Obsidian), Flygon (Arkose), Torkoal (Basalt), and Claydol (Shale)

Archie's team consists of Sharpedo (Styx), Crobat (Dango), Mightyena (Fang), Lanturn (Flicker), Kingdra (Admiral), and Dhelmise (Keelhaul)

Design/Legendary powers notes:

High emotions result in their markings (the black/blue lines on Maxie, and the red lines on Archie) to appear and start glowing. Especially high emotions/surges of instinct cause their eyes to change as well. Otherwise, they just have the "base" features shown in the post-game art.

If their power/instincts are particularly high/strong, they can start to become less lucid and more feral. It usually doesn't last long, and typically the other can snap the other out of it.

They've only been in their Primal forms when Groudon and Kyogre were, and were not in control of themselves at all during it. Both of them hope they never have to go through that again.

Weather affects them, with Maxie becoming lethargic and cranky if it's raining, and Archie drying out and losing energy if the weather is particularly hot and dry

Conversely, they are much more energetic during weather that "matches" them. Maxie LOVES it when it's super hot and sunny, and Archie practically bounces off the walls when it's raining/storming

To some extent, they can control the weather. Archie's been known to summon storms if he's particularly upset about something, for example

Prior to gaining the Legendary powers, Maxie ran cold (hence the 5 zillion layers of his Magma Leader outfit) and Archie ran hot. Now, it's the opposite, with Maxie's body temperature being very warm (and he has to consciously keep it from getting too hot, or else he risks melting things he touches), and Archie's being very cold. It doesn't bother them (they barely feel it), but physical contact between the two of them feels very good nonetheless.

Maxie's Mega Glasses were broken while Groudon had control over him, so he has new glasses post-game.

Maxie's post-game outfit is semi-based on his original RSE outfit, and it's specifically made so the slits at the side allow his tail easy movement despite him wearing a coat. He also specifically avoids wearing anything with the Team Magma emblem these days.

Archie's post-game outfit is basically just his RSE outfit, though he still likes wearing his wetsuit (after modifying it to accommodate his tail), and refuses to stop wearing his bandana, even though it has the Team Aqua emblem on it.

Archie got the facial X tattoo, and start filing his teeth to be sharp, after leaving the Rangers. He did it to match with his Sharpedo, Styx.

The scars on Archie's left arm are from wrestling with Styx.