Zan was the gym leader of the Periwinkle Gym for too few years, in his tastes. As so few people came to Periwinkle City (and as those who did were rarely prepared for the air pollution), only eight people earned Chasm Badges.

Zan was born in Periwinkle Town, but he and his parents were forced to move out when the majority of the town was purchased by a mining company, and torn apart. When the mining operation fell apart, they returned to the now ruined "city", but were unable to live in the same house: all the original houses had been torn down, and besides, the Andrews' residence was one of the many whose original grounds have been replaced by Tier Canyon.

Knowing his parents planned to move back to Periwinkle if it ever became habitable again, Zan took to wandering around the area. He was able to watch as Periwinkle's permanent smog developed and thickened, and as a hole in the middle of his old home grew to monster proportions. Because of the disgusting conditions he saw, he chose to specialize in poison Pok�mon, first capturing a female Nidoran, then later a male, and finally an Oddish. Nida the female Nidoran is now a Nidoqueen; Nido the male Nidoran a Nidorino, and Bloom the Oddish a Gloom.

He was very proud to be the Periwinkle Gym leader, but it quickly became apparent that it would not be enough for him to live on, and so he took a job with Periwinkle Pok�mon Exterminators - a misleadingly named Pok�mon Relocation service. Through it, he added a Koffing and a Haunter to his list of Pok�mon. The Koffing, Asthma, has since evolved into Weezing.

Though Zan has evolved all his other Pok�mon at least once, the Pok�mon he most shares a personality with is Jester. Both enjoy kidding around and goofing off, and annoying people who they feel deserve it.

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Zan's Pok�mon

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Asthma

Once, A Koffing just wanted to get out of the rain. He took shelter in what he thought to be an abandoned attic... that turned out to be a storage area in the top floor of a museum.

Koffing and Weezing, with their dark, poisonous gases, are very unwelcome in places with priceless artifacts. Scared by the reaction of those that found him, the Koffing got himself jammed in a narrow window attempting to flee. The next day, thanks to some cleaning grease and a helpful young with dark blue hair, he was pulled free. The young man carried him out, taking him to a Pok�mon Center to deal with the friction burns on the Koffing's sides as well as its malnurishment from not eating for almost a day.

The next day, he was surprised to find that the man had waited to see how he was doing. Tenatively, he followed him outside; the man told him he was free to go. More tenatively still, he continued after him... and has followed him ever since.

Asthma, as the Koffing was named, has since evolved to Weezing, but beyond that he is not far changed. He is rather bashful of people, and used to being considered a pest, he is easily overwhelmed by praise. He is still unaccustomed to the greater respect he gains in his evolved state, and is hurt when people react as if they are frightened by him.

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Bloom

One night, just before dawn, an Oddish no different from any other burrowed herself a small hole in which to spend the day. She was rudely awakened a few hours later, pulled up by her leaves.

And so Zan gained his third Pok�mon. Over time (during which she learned to both respond to "Bloom" and get along better during the day), the Oddish evolved, and while at first she shared the same timidity as others of her kind, constant contact with her trainer lead her to enjoy human company. Like Asthma, she dislikes when people are afraid of her, though she finds it more annoying than hurtful.

Bloom dislikes being ignored, and will at times let herself out of her pok�ball to see what is going on. Should she do so and find the others are out without her, she becomes quite upset, to the point where she might start to smell discomforting. She enjoys being helpful as much as any Chansey, and becomes angry if she feels she is being left out.

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Nida

Nida was the first Pok�mon Zan Andrews ever caught, and in that has gained a (albeit it be only a little) measure of favoritism. He did not catch another Pok�mon for almost a year, focusing on training his first. (Unbeknownce to him, it was because the other Pok�mon was smitten with his and submitted willingly.) Six years later, she is now a fully evolved Nidoqueen, happily set with a human she admires, a mate who adores her, and fellow Pok�mon who respect her position as strongest and, in most points, first.

Nida is most proud of her strength and her mate, Nido. She loves to show her power off to those who might appreciate it, and in this shares the helpful streak that is in many of Zan's Pok�mon. She greatly admires her human, though his sense of humor tends to escape her more literal understanding of the world. Thanks to six years of experience, however, she's come to know most of his usual habits.

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Nido

Nido loves nothing better than his mate, Nida, though evolving to Nidoking is a related affection. While self-centered at times, Nido's affections for Nida are completely genuine, and he feels that he will not deserve hers in return until he, too, is fully evolved. Nothing enrages him more than when she is beaten in battle, though her being injured is almost as unforgiveable. He loves to battle, feeling that each victory brings him closer to his goal of evolving. It is unusual for Zan to choose Nido to battle before Nida unless he feels victory is assured, because Nido refuses to lose to anyone who defeats his beloved.

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Jester

Despite being the Pok�mon Zan has had for the shortest length of time, Jester is the one he most shares a personality with. Jester, too, loves to play tricks on those who deserve them as well as those he thinks will take them well. Despite his permanent joker's grin, however, Jester is a gentleman as far as Ghost Pok�mon go, and avoids playing tricks on those he thinks might be offended (unless, of course, it's what's coming to them).

Jester was a wondering ghoul, for reasons unknown: all that is certain is that Zan was called to Haven Town to get a Haunter out of the Pok�mon Tower. It seemed the Haunter was staying simply for the sake of pestering the resident Ghastly, which was simply intolerable. Just as stubborn as the human who now trains him, Jester had to be caught like a wild Pok�mon in order to be removed. On his way back to Periwinkle City, Zan released him, stating he could go wherever he wanted so long as he stayed out of trouble - though, true, it wouldn't be as fun that way, but he had to be more careful who he picked to pick on. Liking the human's dry wit and willingness to let him go, the Haunter gave him a chance, and in doing so, found a trainer he will fight for forever.

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