#cornelius montrey

As PRIDE, Senator Cornelius Montrey, arrogant and entitled sea baron who once represented his affluent island homeland on the global stage. His life took a sharp turn when a freak (?) accident mutated him into a giant newt thingy. He retired from the public eye and lost all social standing, as you do.

Too much a politician to keep his hands out of the world for long, he’s back in the ring again these days representing a very different slice of society- the disenfrancised so-called monster races. (Totally not self-serving, by the way. Not at all.)

Cornelius’ ego took a serious crumple there, but, despite being MUCH more pleasant as a newt person, he’s still one of the most imperious people you could meet.

And you think your partner falls to pieces on you?

Just these two dorks again.

Hey, I’m really grateful for the response on my last post, I thought at best nobody was around who remembered them and at worst someone would jump down my throat about them as a couple. Really pleasantly surprised they still have fans! You inspire me to dust my stuff off again and to carve out time for it, thank you so much for your comments!! <3

It’s been so long since I’ve shared my stories online a bunch of stuff has changed, and so has the following here. Trying to remember to reintroduce things that are familiar to me but not to the internets.

If you’ve been around a while you know these two bffs. Over two years ago I realized Tom and Cornelius are definitely more than friends, but I don’t think I’ve shared that online yet. So, surprise! This isn’t a retcon, this is the continuation of their story. Cornelius had his relationship with Diana, but she understandably got tired of his… strong personality, and she bowed out to move on with her life. Tom was prepared to always just be Cornelius’ best friend and secret admirer, so it’s been a pleasant surprise to find his feelings are reciprocated. Diana ships it, lol.

–

If you haven’t been around a while…

My second and third oldest OCs, these guys have managed to stay alive and well in my head since 2005.

Ambassador Cornelius Montrey is an old-blood multi-billionaire politician who spent his life championing free market capitalism and social segregation of the races. Until he got infected with a (usually) lethal virus that mutated him into a giant talking newt thing. He lost his support base when he lost his humanity, but after a few years of back-breaking, pride-wrenching soul searching has come back swinging for the other side as a powerful voice for the ‘otherwise’ community. Still widely considered a pompous, arrogant bastard (not for no reason), and attacked on both sides for merely supporting his self-interests (also not wrong). Ultimately a good person, but can be hard to be around.

Dr. Thomas Destastiel was born with rich parents and a chronic, wasting autoimmune disease. Wheelchair-bound and physically weak, Tom’s mind was razorwire lightning, a young genius obsessed with prosthetics (self-interest, hm? says Cornelius). People with Tom’s disorder basically don’t make it past thirty, but the young engineer was ready to meet his expiration date head-on. With his instructions, his loyal team of surgeons, mechanics, and doctors helped him jump ship in a way never seen before or since: moving his brain to a permanent life support system wired to contraptions allowing him to speak and see. Living inside a network of machines was clumsy as hell for a few decades, but Tom and team are constantly refining the system, and what they discover and invent along the way they develop for the public and their patients. Most people today are not remotely aware the good doctor is a totally hollow machine controlled by a distant brain in a tube.

–

Tom casually hated then-Senator Montrey through the television for the entirety of his political career, the imperial, privileged Ahjeean and his ilk helping hold back the advancement of non-humans across the entire union. His hard stances on medical insurance and welfare certainly did the disabled community nofavors.

So when news blew up that Montrey had been mauled and inflected by the rabid creature that carries the mutating virus, he said a grim huzzah.

Little could he have imagined that months later close alchemist friends of his would drag across his doorstep the ragged, pathetic, dead-eyed, clumsy, thoroughly-broken, miserably amphibious and shockingly not-dead remains of the politician and beg his help caring for him. Tom nearly kicked them all out. But they convinced him that studying Montrey’s virus was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and could save many thousands from terrible deaths.

Reluctant doctor and combative patient got on like wet cats. Tom kicked his tail out of the lab a few times early on after nasty fights. But his team would remind Tom of the greater good, and Cornelius’ sister would remind him he wouldn’t even have figured out what to eat without poisoninghimself without the doctor, and they would growlingly meet again for more tests and study.

As Cornelius became aware of exactly what Tom IS, despite himself he was morbidly fascinated. This man with no body, who controls a network of machinery with his MIND. Cannot touch, cannot eat, cannot venture out of signal reach of his control tower… he should be miserable. Being a newt thing is just peanuts in comparison. And what he does for others… truly lives for others, saves lives, repairs bodies. He isn’t talking about the future, he is buildingit.

For the first time in his life Cornelius truly felt… sorryfor someone else. And finally given an outlet, the feelings exploded. His heart broke for this man, he couldn’t get his head around him, he just wanted to see good things happen to him, begged the universe to fix what had befallen him, felt fairly honored to work with him and fairly rotten about how he’d been acting.

Tom wasn’t sure what to do with this. He knew what Cornelius was feeling was more than 'pity,’ and yet Tom just isn’t that broken up over his condition. He’s found better things to do than feel sorry for himself. He loves his work and is charmed to be alive to continue it.

But after this turning point Cornelius became infinitely more pleasant to work with. He learned to relax around Tom and trust him, the only person he would let his hair down around and lower his defensive shields. Behind the thick layer of pride Tom found a friend: a witty sharp mind that could spar effortlessly with his own, boiling over with ambition and energy. He became the rock in Cornelius’ sea of constantly churning personal and political machinations, misadventures, and victories. He cares deeply for him, sees in him the fire of his younger self to stay alive despite the odds.

Former enemies became best mates, and maybe more. When Cornelius fell in love with fellow politician Diana Brooks, Tom heartily celebrated with his friend for finally finding love and encouraged him at every turn, being his loyal wingman and their number one supporter. But in complete secret he fought down a feeling he felt unworthy to even have.

Cornelius and Diana were happy together for a few years, but both were strong personalities and neither would bend to the will of the other. In the end, Diana had too much self-respect to put up with her fiance’s bull any longer, his stubbornness, his alcoholism, his general self-harm and bottomless self-pity. She didn’t blame herself for any of it, but she figured she clearly wasn’t the right person for him if she couldn’t help him climb out of these things, and she had her own life to get on with.

As you probably expect, Cornelius is not a fun ex. They still need to work together from time to time and he is just stiff and cold and weird af around her. Diana is not, she is amiable and gives him his space.

It was many months after they ended things that Tom lightly, carefully left the door open to the notion that maybe… you know, perhaps, that which is beyond cordial friendship would not be, as such, unwelcome…

He was shocked to his mechanical core to find Cornelius feeling similarly inclined. In fact Cornelius was horrified to learn exactly how long Tom had felt this way and had quietly set it aside while he was with Diana.

–

Their transition from best friends to partners was almost imperceptible, and yet the entire world had changed.

They aren’t a very public couple and outside of their friend circles nobody really knows how close they are. To address the elephant, yeah, this is the first time either has been in love with another man and they are processing this very differently. They both consider themselves straight because they are in love with each other’s minds. (Take that as hypocrisy if you want, you wouldn’t be alone either way.)  Cornelius feels like he doesn’t need the drama of having a male partner muddying his professional life, but also it’s not like it would be any worse than what his public relations have been through in the past. Tom doesn’t give a shiiiiii what other people think but as Cornelius is the one with a big public presence he defers to his wishes there. Realistically it’s unlikely to stay much of a secret, and honestly unlikely to be much of a stir.

Tom and Diana remain friends. She still worries about Cornelius a bit and checks in on him through Tom. They like to commiserate about him and laugh. Roles have reversed and she is happy for Tom, thinks they’re a sweet match, and wishes him and her crazy ex the best. It’s really a relief for her to know Cornelius moved on into good hands and won’t be drunkenly blowing her phone up.

Tom is a natural caretaker and Cornelius is a wreck lightly held together by stubbornness and wine. Tom often doesn’t feel enough while Cornelius feels too much, and they moderate each other. Tom is also like, ten or twenty years older than Cornelius at least (yeah I should probably know that kind of thing, right?) and like a hundred years more mature. They will probably last as a couple merely because Tom is independent and confident and Cornelius knows he’s just lucky to be part of his life and it keeps his privilege in check. Cornelius is dependent af as much as he refuses to even consider the thought. The real glue in their relationship is just how much they have in common intellectually. They’ve been happily yakking semi-constantly for ten years and still haven’t run short on conversation.  

Another ‘what if my OCs were pokemon trainers?’ exercise. Rich kid Cornelius up today!

'You are challenged by High Ambassador Cornelius! Fancy your ragamuffin team of knuckle-draggers worthy to cross blades with the upper echelons of high society? Cornelius is more collector than trainer, but his rare specimens are nothing to sniff at.’

High Ambassador Cornelius
Specialty: Water, Steel

Final Challenge of the island nation of Ahjeea Kii is Ambassador Cornelius Montrey. Career politician and master of the wealthiest Ahjeean house, Cornelius is more collector than traditional trainer. Prepare to be dazzled by his carefully-cultivated team of shinies, rare hybrids… even a legendary! Lucky for you, most of his team have been softened by plush mansion life, but beware: they are ALL elite specimens with perfect stats, experience-boosted and backed by the best potions money can buy.

Oh. And the honorable Ambassador had a bit of an accident a few years back and isn’t entirely human anymore. I wouldn’t comment on it.

——

Neptune
Empoleon | Adamant | Proud of its Power
Defiant | Scald | Mystic Water

One of Cornelius’ two (yes, two) starters endowed on him by his parents as a boy. Cornelius’ father gifted him the rare frosted egg with the commandment to know adamancy and to cultivate regality. Like his master, Neptune is the natural leader of most any room, but also serious to the point of stuffiness and proud to the point of imperialism.

Verdigris
Serperior | Serious | Thoroughly Cunning
Contrary | Giga Drain | Rose Incense

Presented alongside the arctic egg was a deep emerald orb, still warm as the steamy jungles from whence it was claimed. This egg was placed in his hand by his mother, who impressed upon her son the twin virtues of grace and cunning. One must always be poised, and behind this display one must always be thinking. V’s style is to allow lordly Neptune the spotlight, then strike like a shadow.

Jörmungandr
Gyarados | Rash | Stubborn
Intimidate | Hurricane | Assault Vest

Evolved from a coveted black diamond koi magikarp and broken, as gyarados must be, by a professional trainer, Jörm is the original of the ambassador’s bodyguard duo. Cornelius elects his presence during any encounter in which radiating an air of power and intimidation would be advantageous. The threatening, forceful side of politics. Long considered sea gods by Ahjeea’s natives, gyarados are popular symbols of the nation’s aristocracy and feature on the Montrey family’s heraldry.

Scylla
Milotic | Careful | Vain
Marvel Scale | Disarming Voice | Water Gem

Cornelius’ second bodyguard, acquired after his accident. Milotic have a gift for calming emotions and quelling feuds. Her presence is far more socially-acceptable than Jörmungandr’s, and her master keeps her at his side whenever a situation calls for charm, guile, and impression. She is as powerful as her counterpart, in another fashion. And, as any politician knows, more flies are caught by honey than vinegar. She is the diplomatic, reconciliatory side of politics. Unlike Jörm, Cornelius raised Scylla himself from a sickly feebas fry, during the little bout of depression and alcoholism following the accident that cost him his humanity and social standing. Cornelius named her after the beautiful nymph of lore who was turned into a hideous sea monster, presumably in a moment of drunken poetic self-pity regarding his own hated transformation into a half-human half-pokemon mutant mashup.

Arthashastra
Persian | Sassy | Hates to Lose
Unnerve | Assurance | Silk Scarf

Artha is a family heirloom, an elderly and elegant feline bred by Cornelius’ great-great-grandmother and passed down generations. She is an exceptionally long-lived persian who is almost certain to pass on in his care. A rare hybrid, Artha combines the exotic Alolan breed with choice Kanto stock. Her Alolan blood gives her a cruel bent. Although the aloof feline has been trained to respond without fail to her family’s command, she does not recognize Cornelius in his mutated form and becomes aggressive.

Mykonos
Cobalion | Bold | Quick Tempered
Justified | Retaliate | Expert Belt

Once the idyllic island home of many indigenous peoples, Ahjeea was colonized hundreds of years ago and remains in the iron-grip of several powerful houses who vie for dominance. Traditionally, the head of the most influential house is granted supreme powers and represents Ahjeea in the International Congress as High Senator. This position comes with stewardship of Ahjeea’s prized cobalion, an ultra-rare ancient pokemon and symbol of ultimate status and honor. Cornelius held this position for many years, until his rivals used his mutation as an opportunity to dethrone him. At the time, he went down without a fight, but has since come back swinging as the unlikely leader of a minority party. Now particularly despised by the other noble houses, Cornelius further snubbed Ahjeean tradition by declaring his ousting illegitimate and refusing to pass on Mykonos… and there’s not really anything they can do about it. Mykonos and Cornelius share a gift for leadership, an air of command that instantly grants them control of most any room they walk into. Long ago Mykonos defended pokemon from humans, and its conversion into a trophy for the most powerful noblemen is symbolic. Much as its master has done an about-face to challenge the status quo, Mykonos has shaken off its stupor to again wield its powers in defense of the weak.

——

Do be advised, this engagement is invite-only… To gain VIP access to the Montrey Mansion you’ll need to do some social-climbing. Defeat the lesser sea-barons of this affluent coastal region for the privilege of your next Final Challenge!

.5% of you will be happy to know I’m making a conscious effort to write more, and to write in actual story form. Planning to make myself illustrate each written thing before I share it cuz I need practice in both mediums!

In this one, you eavesdrop on Cornelius and Eric mutually bemoaning life as part-time monsters, get a taste of Eric’s curse, and accidentally see a corner of Cornelius’ dirty laundry.

It was a sunshiney day on the isle of Ahjeea Ki. On a balcony of the Montrey Mansion two old monsters watched the glittering bay, bickering over who had it harder.

‘Fur sheds.’

'Gills itch.’

'Getting your tail closed in train doors.’

'Have you seen my tail?’

'Fair. Uh, claws are murder on your phone screen?’

'Same.’

'Curses.’

The speaker leaned back on the railing and switched tactics. 'Hell. I know you don’t love this body on you, but lookit you! Sleek and tall, cool and intimidating,  you’re in excellent shape…’

'I’m perennially ill, freezing at all times, waterbound, and you try having this giant awful tail.’

Eric Thedrial laughed out loud. 'Trade you for a belly that beats you into the next room, mate!’

'You, you’re all fuzzy and cuddly-’

'You’d wanna be fuzzy n’ cuddly?’

'Not personally. Merely saying you are approachable.’

'It’s the fat. Anyway, folks should be MORE afraid of a round monster than a skinny one, one of these is a better hunter.’ He turned back to the bay. 'Pft, hunter. The fearsome hunter of fast food, that’s me. Anyway, you’re hardly even a monster monster, Cornelius Montrey.’

A snort from the big blue amphibian.

'No! Really. Where are your horns? Cloven hooves?’ He clacked a foot against the marble of the balcony.  'I am a monster. A big, beastly, hairy, drooling brute. You are like…’ he raised a pinkie claw and mimicked Dr. Destastiel’s voice, ‘an enhanced evolution of the human form.’

Cornelius snorted at the (admittedly good) imitation of his partner. 'If by 'enhanced’ you mean 'trash at everything.’ Clumsy on land and in water, on two legs and four-’

'You seen ME on all fours? Er, sixes?’ Eric corrected himself, glancing at the sky and wiggling the claws of his four hands.

'And I have this mouthful of deadly virus juice-’

'My spit eats through plate glass, friend. Hey, at least YOU can shift between human and otherwise whenever you want! And you don’t have to immediately eat a corner grocery store.’

Cornelius broke into an actual laugh. ‘Alright, granted. But you know full well I can’t change whenever I want. Also I have to spend most of my time this way whereas you-‘

‘Have a psychotic voice in my head badgering me to eat everything in sight twenty-four-seven and have for nearly four hundred years and will until the end of Time?’

'When you put it that way.’

‘You have draconian charm, Cornelius. This shape suits you. A sea baron indeed. And you’re so young. You’ll grow into it. As for me… well, perhaps I shouldn’t say.’

‘Go on.’

‘Just that the terms of my curse were to make my insides my outsides.’

‘Sounds painful.’

‘No joke. Anyhoo, that is to say… well, it’s a bit embarrassing TO say. This body is, save the horns and hooves and hunger which belong to you-know-who… who I AM.’

‘Heavens, Eric. Anyone could tell you that.’

‘Wha? Yeah?’

‘Of course it is. You look exactly like you are.’

‘Oh. That bad?’

The sea monster scoffed and looked away. 'It’s all the things my sister sees in you.’

‘Oh?’

‘I’m not going to give you a list.’

‘Awww, c’mooon!’

‘No.’

‘Fine. I know myself. As does Penny. I’ll say frankly I wouldn’t mind all this,’ he said running his claws through his mane, ‘if it weren’t for the uh, eating disorder and associated infernal passenger. But it’s been my life for some time. Used to be much worse! Amazing what you can get used to, eh?’

‘Rather.’

‘There must be SOME things you enjoy about your second self?’

Cornelius continued studying the bay for a while. ‘Being tall is kind of fun,’ he conceded.

‘There it is!’ Eric punched his arm. ‘Right? And YOU can even fit through doorways!’

‘Don’t start up again.’

‘Deal. Hey, this will come as no surprise but I am peckish. You wanna grab a food? Penny should be just about back.’

‘Why not. By the way, you should know the staff utterly adore you.’

‘Oh?’

‘It’s ridiculous. They’re completely bored with only Mother and I here most days. Your appetite’s like catering a party, they live for this. Mind yourself. They will pamper you silly.’

Eric smiled and rocked on his heels. To no one in particular, he said quietly, ‘I don’t know about you, but I could go for some pampering, wot ol’ boy?’ His eyes flickered bright orange and he chuckled. He caught Cornelius watching him curiously. He winked, one eye returning to blue. ‘Tony says hi.’

‘Uh, good day.’

‘It would also say, ‘thank you most kindly, Master Montrey, for allowing us to visit your beautiful home and clear out your larders now and then,’ if it had any manners, which it does not.’

‘My treat,’ he said slowly, watching Eric’s mismatched eyes. ‘Does it talk? Gluttony?’

‘Never shuts up. Nothing interesting, though.’

‘Try me.’

Eric rolled his eyes and fussed with his sleeves. ‘Just constant bellyaching about food. That’s all it is, you know. Hedonistic hunger incarnate. It’d have you believe you’re starving to death while you are eating. It’s a frustrating roommate.’

‘Your eyes just there…’

‘I don’t really love talking about-‘

‘No, no.’ Cornelius wagged a webbed claw at him. ‘No, you can’t corner me up here about myself and then deny me a question or two. Can it speak?’

Eric smirked. ‘You really want to go there?’

‘You are, Penny assures me, my future brother-in-law. I should like to know the man my only blood is engaged to.’

‘Well, you won’t get that from Tony. Just… urgh. Don’t judge, please.’ He squeezed his eyes shut and snarled quietly, ‘And for heaven’s sake behave your goddamn self for once will you?’

Cornelius puffed up indignantly. ‘What?!’

Eric opened his eyes slowly. Luminous orange orbs without pupils. He had hunched, his four hands curled into claws, fingers twitching. His tail lashed as he appeared to scan the room. He- it, Cornelius realized- smelled the air deeply, two deep, long pulls as if drawing on a pipe, before exhaling with satisfaction. It chuckled quietly, deep in its chest.

‘Mm. Hay comida aquí, Theeedrial. Abajo. Montonesss.’

Ok… so it spoke Spanish. Fine, so did Cornelius. He cleared his throat and switched languages.

‘Master Tony, I presume?’

Eric’s head twisted to face him, a robotic motion, bird-like. It twitched.

‘Corneliussss,’ it breathed, grinning. Copper-colored smoke rolled out of its mouth.

Cornelius steeled himself as Eric’s body prowled towards him, dropping for a moment to all six limbs as if bipedal motion challenged it. It rose to face him, uncomfortably close, a full foot taller. He could feel their heat. And their breath… smelled like nigiri and red wine?

‘It iss not often we are invited to sspeak.’ The demon’s voice was Eric’s- what else should he have expected- but with an oiliness and a deep tiger’s purr. A voice he immediately distrusted. It had locked eyes with him above a frozen, fangy grin and was otherwise failing to emote. Cornelius found himself unusually speechless.

‘Theeedrial says we have not mannerss but,’ Gluttony cocked Eric’s head, ‘we DO thank you, Corneliusss. For your hospitality. This mansion remindss us of our castle, sso long ago. Sservants tending to uss. And the KITCHENSS,’ its grin widened well beyond the bounds of proper anatomy as it drew Eric’s tongue across their teeth, catching some drool, ‘HOW do you nOt indulge yourrrrrrRseLf consssssstaNtlY?!’

‘It’s… not my thing.’

Tony coughed up a laugh unblinkingly.

‘Oh yesss, perhapss not meals no,’ it said, settling back into its eerie stillness and twitching. ‘But we are pleassed to sssense that you ARE a man of indulgence, yes, yess, Corneliusss? No stranger to the ssweet abandon of the bottl—‘

Eric’s eyes flushed blue.

‘Enough, Tony.’

Eric straightened and backed out of Cornelius’ space, drawing an arm across his mouth.

‘Sorry ‘bout that.’

‘Not at all,’ Cornelius said. He carefully relaxed his fins in the vain hope maybe Eric hadn’t noticed them standing rigid.

‘Tony is… well. Personal restraint is not Gluttony’s strong suit, let’s put it that way.’

‘I wouldn’t have thought. Is that strange for you?’

‘Being moved around by another thing in your head? It was once. Again,’ he winked, ‘amazing what you get used to. Anyway, everyone kind of knows the feeling. We’ve all got… our thing.’

Cornelius turned back to the bay with a cough.

‘Did Penny tell you about my, uh…’

‘Oh, no. No, no. I mean, yes. But not before I already knew. Sincere apologies, Cornelius. We’re kind of the patron saint of excess. Tony can sense- smell, literally- things like, ah… alcoholism.’

Cornelius raised a sharp eyebrow at the seascape.

‘N-not that you ARE, or that you have a problem, I just… I mean… No. No, I’m sorry, friend. I can’t sugarcoat it. I’m afraid I know without question that you are.’
He joined his fellow monster meekly at the railing. ‘Hey, for what it’s worth, I am the LAST person on the planet who can judge. Look at me! Half my brain isn’t my own! Trust me when I say I know addiction. It hangs its coat in my head. That,’ he faked a twitch, ‘damn twitching of Tony’s? Withdrawal. Constant, unending withdrawal.’

Cornelius sighed quietly. His fins hung slightly wilted. ‘Nevermind it, Eric. It is what it is. But speaking of such things, Tony’s breath…?’

‘Oh,’ Eric chuckled. ‘That. Yes. It’s a quirk of ours. Consider it a tiny taste of Gluttony’s power. What was it for you?’

‘Sake nigiri and… wine.’

‘Ooh. Yes, it’s different for everyone. It’s piña colada and hot wings for your sister.’

Cornelius gagged.

‘I know, right. And if you weren’t hungry before, you are now, after breathing that in.’

‘Why?’

‘Are… you not?’

‘Not particularly.’

‘Oh. Odd. Well, maybe not odd. Many people with strong wills seem to be immune. Most people get terrible munchies.’

Cornelius scoffed. ‘Do I have a strong will?’

‘Oh, come now, sure you do. Of course you do. Willpower isn’t like some big umbrella thing. We’re all weak and strong in different places. Hey. I won’t tell a soul. But if pride allows, you should maybe get some help. I had to climb out of a HELL of a hole myself, a very literal coming to terms with my addictive personality. You just met the devil! So I know something about these things, if you are interested.’

‘I will consider.’

‘Good!’ The monster clapped all four paws together. ‘Bueno, even! Excelente Español, by the way. Tony is just like the worst part of me cut off and frozen on the day I was cursed. Three hundred and seventy years and it’s never grown out of our native tongue. Creature of habit, eternal.’

‘Does it see everything you do?’

‘I mean, it’s me. But frankly it only really pays attention when food’s involved.’ On cue his stomach growled enormously. ‘Yes, yes,’ he growled back. ‘We were headed that way, weren’t we. Cornelius, if you don’t mind, I am apparently starving to death.’

‘And I could use a drink. Lead on… brother.’

kupieckorzenny:

Cornelius for @leahfuhrman

A second gorgeous portrait from Joanna!