Vlinder

Vlinder is the gym leader of Shiningsun City in the Islia region, specializing in bug types. She is not originally from the Islia region, instead being born in Johto. Her badge is the Cocoon badge, and the TM she gives out is Bug Buzz. Her gym leader title is The bug lover with a heart of gold.
As a gym leader, she is qualified to give out starter Pokemon to beginning trainers, which in her case are all bug type Pokemon.
== Story ==
=== History ===
Vlinder was born in the Johto region, near Goldenrod City, where she was a Bug Catcher. However, when she was 13, her mother was attacked by a wild Beedrill, an event that caused her to grow a hatred towards bug types. She forbad her daughter to be in contact wit bug types ever again, and told her to release her Pokemon. Vlinder only pretended to do so, however, continuing to care for them in secret.
However, this could not be kept hidden forever, and after a traumatic event when her mother found out, Vlinder gathered her Pokemon and ran away to Olivine City, where she took the first boat she could. This boat ended her up in the Islia region, where she was soon taken in by an elderly couple running a medicine shop in Shiningsun City. Here, her battling talent and love for Pokemon led to her being approached with the offer to become a Trial Captain, and she later continued as a gym leader.
=== First game ===
When the player enters Shiningsun City and attempts to head towards the trial site, they are told she is not there, and that she is checking up on the construction of the future gym building. She can be found not far from the entrance, and as the player talks to her, she apologizes for them having to search for her, and pproceeds to aattempt to make her way towards the trial site. However, as the player is about to leave the site as well, a scream can be heard.
Upon heading back onto the street reveals Vlinder in a confrontation with a woman, who has sent out a Fearow. This woman soon turns out to be her mother, angered that Vlinder ran away, and took up the profession of bug type trial captain, no less. She commands Fearow to continuesly attack Vlinder's Pokemon. However, before any serious harm can be done, a firey eruption knocks Fearow out, revealed to be coming from the Typhlosion of one of the other trial captains, who confronts Vlinder's mother and calls the police about what is going on. As she is taken away and the captain introduces himself as Tim, he tells the player that while Vlinder is clearly incapable of hosting the trial in this state, they should head north first to take on the trial located there. Before they leave, phone numbers are exchanged with Vlinder telling the player she'll call when she feels better.
Vlinder calls after the rock type trial is cleared, allowing the Buzzing Bog and Bug Valley to finally be accessed and her trial to be taken on. 
=== Second game ===
In the sequel, she is first found fighting off the game's evil team during their raid on the city, after which she is occupied with making sure everybody is doing fine until the player has conquered the team's secret desert base. After this, her gym is able to be taken on.
She later shows up during the attack on Cybit City to help, and again together with some of the other gym leaders and the champion during the final evil team confrontation.
== Profile ==
=== Appearance ===
Vlinder has short lime green hair and dark green eyes, sometimes wearing a big bug catcher's hat. Due to often wearing shorts and t-shirts even while working, her arms and legs are tanned and more often than not covered in bug bites.
=== Personality ===
Vlinder is very kind-hearted and loves to take care of Pokemon, mainly bug types. She can be stubborn and a little reckless, and is generally optimistic. However, this optimism is a way she buries her trauma, something that she tends to not deal with in a healthy way, causing her mental state to be somewhat fragile, and she often breaks down when things go really bad. She despises abusive trainers above all else, and also hates how bug types are seen as weak. She looks up to the other bug type specialists.
== Pokemon ==
* Butterfree, her starter Pokemon. She has am incredibly close bond with them, and Butterfree is very protective of her.
** Ability: Tinted Lens
** Moves: Sleep Powder, Bug Buzz, Attract, Psychic
* Forretress, one of the Pokemon she caught back in Johto. Due to trauma, Forretress is extremely shut-in, with only Vlinder being able to show personality most of the time.
** Ability: Sturdy
** Moves: Toxic, Stealth Rock, Explosion, Rock Tomb
* Yanmega, one of the Pokemon she caught back in Johto. Yanmega is the most caring of the Pokemon group, and often helps Vlinder carry things as well.
** Ability: Speed Boost
** Moves: Ancient Power, Bug Buzz, Double Team, Air Slash
* Ninjask, one of the Pokemon she caught in Islia. Unlike her other Pokemon, Ninjask tends to be more disobedient outside of battle, and their mischievousness tends to be a bit of a pain.
** Ability: Speed Boost
** Moves: Double Team, Swords Dance, Acrobatics, Dig
* Araquanid, one of the Pokemon she caught in Islia. They try to seem cool and tough, with a deep care for her and their teammates lying underneath.
** Ability: Water Bubble
** Moves: Liquidation, Infestation, Sticky Web, Aqua Ring
* Scolipede, one of the Pokemon she caught in Islia. Being Vlinder's ace gave them a bit of a superiority complex and causes them to act bossy towards the rest of the team, it is not truly serious and they really care for the others.
** Ability: Speed Boost
** Moves: Megahorn, Earthquake, Defense Curl, Rollout
== Trial and Gym ==
=== Trial ===
Her island trial is located in a bug sanctuary, and has the player search for injured Pokemon and safely escort them to Vlinder.
=== Gym ===
Her gym is located on the north side of Shiningsun City, in a large tower mostly made of glass. A large tree fills the building, and challengers need to hop on gigantic leaves and flowers to make their way to the cocoon on the top. Most of te gym trainers use traditionally "weak" bug types in order for her to catch opponents off-guard with her team.
== Relationships ==
=== Mimi ===
Mimi (the third rival in the first game and champion in the second) is the first person around her age that she met in Islia, and her closest friend.
=== Medicine shop couple ===
After they took her in, she sees them as parental figures.
== Trivia ==
* Vlinder is the Dutch word for butterfly.
* Her character theme contains the National Park motif.
* In-universe, she is the most well-liked of Islia's gym leaders.
Category:Characters
Category:Pokémon (series)
Category:Pokémon Characters
Category:Females
Category:Gym Leaders
Category:Pokémon Trainers