{Below is another lost ask. Sorry about that, anonymous!}

Oh, without a doubt. Not to be sarcastic about this answer (because it’s the last thing I intend, I promise), but there are very likely many, many species of pokémon we don’t know about, even if they’re not technically legendary or mythical in any way. In fact, we seem to be discovering more and more new species every year. Many of these species are often inconceivable, too. Why, just five years ago, I doubt any of us would have thought there would ever be a pokémon that’s essentially a ghost inhabiting a pikachu costume, yet now we have mimikyu. So I know there are many new pokémon out there to discover, and I can’t possibly choose which one I would wish to meet the most. Honestly, I would love to meet them all!

Of the pokémon we know about, though, I’m afraid I haven’t met many pokémon from Alola yet, just because the region is so far away and because its league is so newly established they haven’t needed my services yet. Molayne has done a wonderful job setting up a storage system himself, so thus, I haven’t really had an excuse to go yet. If it counts, I am rather curious about the stories Lillie has told me concerning type: null and silvally in particular, but I would also love to befriend mimikyu as well.

Hello Bill. I was under the impression that information on the UBs was classified by the international police. Do they know you’re doing dex entries on the ultra beasts?

Well, they didn’t have a problem with my entries on mewtwo or genesect. Nor did anyone else have a problem with my entries on the Elite Four and the Kanto and Johto gym leaders. Or the legendary pokémon.

…

…come to think of it, I do a lot of entries many people should be at minimum mildly upset about, haven’t I? I wonder why no one’s ever said anything.

I think it’s the same reason why you can go about your business without being kidnapped by the criminal organizations that keep coming into existence, despite the fact that you’ve built a matter-to-data converter, a method of storing physical objects and organisms on a cloud-based system, a literal teleporter, a device that merges and separates two completely different organisms, a handheld device that detects a trainer’s “battle-readiness” via technology that might as well be artificial telepathy, and a working time machine. —LH

To be fair, several of those things are actually the same invention. —Bill

…those people also run on the same kind of logic that drove you to think that was the point. —LH

#AMA Bill and Lanette, favourite colours? Please go into full detail. This is important.

BILL
I fluctuate between red and purple. Both have always been bold, striking colors to me, but from a scientific perspective, being on the very edges of the visible spectrum, they’re also rather fascinating.

LH
Green. No reason, really. I just like that color. Pink as well, actually, which either is why or explains how most of my favorite pokémon are that color.

#AMA for both of you. Pancakes or waffles? (The mun may answer too, whoever that may be…)

BILL
That depends. Are we referring to lactose-free pancakes and/or waffles? Because if not, then both would make me rather ill, but if we are referring to lactose-free variations, then I really have no preference. And no, colleagues, it has nothing to do with the fact that I don’t eat breakfast to begin with.

LH
Waffles. There’s something satisfying about using a waffle iron … and then topping your creation with an abundance of whipped cream and chocolate syrup.

Again, why do you like dessert for breakfast so much? —Bill

Because unlike some people, I understand that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so you might as well make it thoroughly enjoyable. —LH

{MUN
Pancakes! :D}

#AMA Bill and Lanette, if you were in the Hunger Games (a fight to the death on live television, with 24 participants), what would be your strategy and how long do you think you would last?

BILL
Fight to the death?! I’d rather not, reader, but thank you.

LH
I would locate and gather as many poisonous berries as I can find, then put them in the containers given to me by sponsors and leave them all over the arena. I would use any remaining berries to taint any available food supply I can find, and I would strike up alliances, then claim the berries are perfectly edible and offer them as gifts for my new allies. If anyone is still standing after all of that, I would run them ragged through the arena and then force berries down their throats when they’re at their weakest.

Why are you so quick to answer this question? —Bill

#ama did you make up bill and lanettes last name or are they revealed somewhere

{Lanette’s is the easier one to explain here, and the answer is, yep, I made hers up! If anyone’s wondering, Lanette’s last name partly comes from her Japanese name (Mayumi, which refers to Hamilton’s spindle) and partly from this awesome systems engineer.

The history of Bill’s last name is a bit more complicated because I actually stole it from the official Pokémon website’s episode summaries back when they weren’t as well-written as they are now. Whoever wrote the summary for Bill’s episode pretty much just tried to turn his Japanese name (Masaki) into a western one, rather than use his actual localized name. I just thought at the time that it was about as close to a last name as we’re ever going to get, so I’ve been using it ever since. Long story short, I technically didn’t make it up, but it’s also less an officially given name and more of a translation error.}

#AMA. Bill and Lanette what pokemon do you think best represents yourself and which one best represents your partner? Please don’t share with each other until you post them.

BILL
When it comes to myself, I’d like to think I’m an eevee. Eevee work hard to win the trust and love of their trainers, and they have so much potential within them that they eventually realize by choosing their own destinies and deciding for themselves what they wish to be. I’d also like to think I’m about as adaptable as an eevee.

As for Lanette … hmm. A pokémon that represents Lanette. Well, let’s see. She’s brilliant, sweet, fiercely loyal, not afraid to speak her mind, patient (somehow, given … the rest of us), but tough when she needs to be. Not only that, but she’s a perfectionist in her work, yet also delightfully human in certain other aspects I’ve sworn never to talk about in public. Feminine but not overly so. Motherly to Amanita and some of our rougher administrators but not exactly matronly. Friendly but not entirely one who actively seeks socialization. Down-to-earth and reliable above all else, but still one of the most passionate people I know.

Considering all of that, I’m inclined to say something like venusaur, nidoqueen, blissey, or kangaskhan—all stable, sturdy pokémon who are one way or another dedicated to helping others of their kind or their trainers. Perhaps even Cresselia, the elegant guardian of dreams.

No, actually, come to think of it, Lanette strikes me as more of a nidoqueen.

LH
I consider myself a combee. I’m a hard worker, but ultimately, I’m just part of a greater whole that is our team. It’s true that I might be able to stand on my own—even excel in the right circumstances—but I’m really at my best when working in tandem with others.

As for Bill, he’s a clefairy, and he knows why.

Hey, Bill and Lanette, I was wondering what is your guys’ favorite desserts are?

BILL
I’m not entirely fond of desserts, I admit. Quite a few of them contain milk in some form or another, and in any case, I don’t care for sweet things in general. I suppose if I had to choose, fruit with a bit of honey—particularly rawst berries.

LH
Flaugnarde. Especially warm spiced aspear berry flaugnarde with fresh cream. You would think that the sourness of an aspear berry would make the dish inedible, but adding sugar and cooking it dulls the tartness to the point where it’s wonderfully delicious. The fresh cream makes it even better. And the best part is you can have it for breakfast, too!

I will never understand why you would want a dessert for breakfast. —Bill

Bill, your definition of “breakfast” is a cup of coffee as you run down to the lab, so you’re the least qualified person among all of us to judge me. —LH

#AMA. Hey Bill, I found an internet conspiracy theory that involves you and the PC System. Basically, there is a somewhat popular theory that you are trying to get the PC System in all of the regions for nefarious reasons. According to the internet once you have the PC System in all regions you’ll be able to perform a ceremony to summon MissingNO. or something that will when summoned destroy the world. What do you think of this theory and if you could summon a unique pokemon like that would you?

In all honesty, that’s the mildest I-am-secretly-evil theory I’ve heard. Many of the other theories involve me working for Team Rocket, attempting to dominate the planet, or working for an evil elder god who happens to be a fossilized kabuto. They’re all rather silly, if you ask me.

I suppose part of that is my fault, though, because I’m so passionate about pokémon and my work that many people insist that I’m hiding something, but the truth of the matter is that the only reason why I want the system to be present in every region is because it’s my hope that the entire world will be connected through pokémon. The system makes training accessible, so wherever the system is, trainers are. In turn, if there are trainers, there are humans bonding with pokémon and with each other through battle, so we’re that much closer to a truly unified world.

Johtonian history is full of stories of wars, so I was raised with an intimate understanding of just what humans can do to one another. What’s worse, war isn’t entirely a thing of our distant past yet either way, and the most recent wars (from what I understand, having spoken for more than five minutes with Lt. Surge) are far more evolved than the wars fought in feudal Johto. I hope that through the system, we can ensure that we don’t go back to that state of being by strengthening our bonds with each other through training. Simply put, what I want from the system is actually the exact opposite of what many of these rumors say.

Besides, why would I want to destroy the planet? I live here, after all. Taking it over might be a bit more reasonable, but having seen how governments work thanks to the Pokémon Association, I would rather not, to be honest.

Still, if I could summon a unique pokémon, I would jump at the chance but certainly not for any nefarious purposes. I would give anything for the chance to meet and study a real legendary pokémon. Just think of how the scientific community would react to a paper dedicated to Ho-oh!

#AMA Bill (and company), do you guys ever do Developer Game Night?

Yes indeed! At least once a year, we’re able to meet in person for a proper game night, but otherwise, we hold a weekly session over video chat. Not everyone attends, but many of us make it a point. It’s a fantastic way to relieve stress, bond with one another, and talk about something other than business (or talk about business but in a relaxed setting).

For those curious, we play something different every night. Some nights, it’s a tabletop game; others, we play board games. It really depends on who’s in attendance and what everyone feels like playing.

On that note, I’d like to add that Bill is our reigning champion of Cards Against Humanity. Make of that what you will. —LH