Mia Mircada's News Book

Dark Intentions: The Author's Thoughts

The author would like to share her thoughts on her new story, Masked Destinies #1: Dark Intentions. THERE WILL BE SPOILERS!

Who was your favorite character in the story, and why?

I loved writing about Will because he's very mysterious. Will is a very underrated character in the Pokemon franchise so I wanted to give him some time under the spotlight. Through the course of the story, hints of his past are revealed and the readers sorta have to piece them all together. We all know he was part of the Masked Children when he was a teen, but what led up to that?

The challenge with writing the story was the fact that Will was much older than me. This was the same thing for Sith Rising, where Anakin Skywalker was much older than me as well. Both Will and Anakin are around the same age. I wrote Sith Rising before Dark Intentions, so I kinda got the gist of writing an adult character. I'm still a teen, but I'm trying.

What was your favorite part, and why?

I loved writing the last chapter of the story. By the last chapter, we learn that Archer had taken over Johto and that Will has to hide away. On top of that, we get the sense that Will had changed. In the beginning, he was excited to meet his father but scared of Lucian finding out about his past. Now, he's completely terrified of Archer. The fact that Carl and Sham forcibly shaved his head also contributed to that. In the media, hair has come to symbolize a life, an individual. To have that forcibly taken away is like having your identity suppressed. Hair grows back. In the sequel, Will has to come to terms with his mistakes.

The last scene in Dark Intentions is what really gets me. Will apologizes to Alyssa for lying to her before fleeing Johto. Morty and Falkner are watching him leave and the very last line of the story (spoken by Falkner) indicates that all is not lost. There is still hope for the Johto region and for Will's redemption.

I also liked writing the Celebi Time Travel scene in Ilex Forest. This scene is based off a special thingy for Pokemon Heartgold and Soulsilver. Basically, the player character and their friend (the opposite gender player character) travel back in time with the help of Celebi and get an insight of how things came to be the way they were. It wasn't exactly like that, given that Bugsy and Whitney could not interact with anybody, but it gives a hint as to how and why Archer, Carl, and Sham teamed up.

This story is full of big reveals, especially during the climax. Even though they are the second-in-commands, Carl and Sham get more time under the limelight than Archer. The scene where Falkner and Jasmine went to the Pokemon Association building is where Archer makes his debut. He is not seen again until Alyssa confronts him on top of the Bell Tower. It is then that Archer reveals that Carl and Sham work for him.

Another big one is right before Morty and Pryce fight Carl and Lugia. Throughout the story, Lucian's Gallade was acting strangely, and so was Lugia. Morty and Pryce witness Carl drugging Lugia before Carl reveals why Gallade was drugged. There are many plots in the story: Will finding his father, the attacks on Johto's significant trainers, Lucian's Gallade, etc.

What are the universal themes of the story?

Well, to start us off:

There's a LOT of action in this story. The first chapter drags the Elite Four into a conflict. There also was the attack on the lighthouse, the scene in Sprout Tower and the fire in Ecruteak City, to name a few.

Family has a prominent role in the story. Will has been separated from his family for many years and yearns to see them again. When he does meet Lucian, he is relieved, but he has to keep his involvement in the Masked Man incident hidden.

Forgiveness is there, but I have a feeling it will be more evident in the sequel. Will is obviously ashamed of what he did during the Masked Man incident so he tries to keep it hidden. Alyssa gets upset when she finds out about this and chews him out for lying to her. If he is to face Archer again, Will must forgive himself for actions he did in the past.

Fear comes into play in the end. When Archer takes over Johto, Will flees thanks to Lance's advice. The sun setting in Johto is a reminder of what's to come for our heroes back in Johto. To make a long story short, all hell has broken loose.

Friendship is also there, but I believe it will be more prominent in the sequel. Will obviously has a strong relationship with Morty and Falkner, but how is he going to cope without them in the sequel?

What should readers expect in the sequel?

The sequel's working title is Chaotic Evil and it takes place 6 months after the events of Book 1. The basic plot is that Will has to flee once again when his hideout is attacked by Archer's goons. He meets up with Karen and Lance. Together, the three of them head to Kanto. Things are looking pretty shady in Kanto, since a mysterious new admin of Team Necrom is lurking around. With the help of Vermilion City Gym Leader Lt. Surge and other characters, Will and his friends uncover Team Necrom's latest schemes.

In the wake of tragedy, Morty, Falkner, and Whitney create an underground rebel group designed to teach civilians how to defend themselves should there be an attack. In the midst of this, Carl and Sham are coming up with their own schemes to secure their power in the Johto region.

Any last words?

I really hope you enjoyed Masked Destinies #1: Dark Intentions, and Alola!