Hey Bill, what do you think would occur if a regular-form and an Alolan-form Ninetales were bred together? Or would they not even be compatible mates since they would never interact in the wild?

They’re technically breeds of the same species, so yes, they’re compatible. What’s interesting about both forms of ninetales is actually that whether their young is fire or ice depends on two factors: which region the egg is laid in and whether or not one of the parents is holding an everstone. The more obvious of the two is the regional detail. An egg laid in Alola will always hatch into an ice-type, whereas an egg laid elsewhere will hatch into a fire-type. This may be because the unique environment of Alola triggers the shift towards vulpix’s Alolan variation, even if one of their parents is the fire-type ninetales.

As for the everstone, that is an interesting object in general when it comes to pokémon breeding. By itself, the everstone has the power to override a pokémon’s physiological shifts. Outside of breeding, this means that the everstone has the power to block evolution, even if a pokémon wants to evolve and/or is in contact with an evolution stone. When it comes to breeding, however, an everstone has the power to boost a parent’s genetic traits and “lock” them into their young. For example, let’s say you have a pikachu with Lightning Rod as its ability. Even though this is technically a recessive gene for the pikachu species, giving that parent an everstone overrides the egg’s tendency to shift towards the more dominant option of Static and instead locks it onto the same ability as the parent pikachu. Something very similar happens when breeding an Alolan and a standard variation of a pokémon. If you give an everstone to the Alolan parent, the breed of the egg will “lock” onto the genes for an Alolan variation. If, however, the standard variation is given the everstone, then the resulting egg will become a standard variation of that species.

I got both Ninetales, regular and the alola kind, they are male and female so if I breed them would they be mix breeds, or they be same as one of their parents and could use some of their other parents typing?

Ah, as I’ve said in another ask (which I admit is in queue as of this writing), it depends on the environment in which the egg is laid and whether or not either parent is holding an everstone. If the egg is laid in Alola, then the specific environmental conditions unique to Alola will cause the genes inherited from the Alolan parent to express themselves, resulting in an Alolan vulpix, whereas if the couple lays an egg anywhere else, the standard-form parent’s genes will be expressed instead, which will result in a standard-form vulpix. However, if one parent holds an everstone, then the genes of that parent will express themselves over the ones inherited from the other parent, regardless of where the nest is located. For example, if you give a standard-form ninetales an everstone and allow your pokémon to mate in Alola, then the resulting hatchling will be a fire-type, rather than an ice-type.

Incidentally, should anyone be curious, this phenomenon does not occur if both parents are of the same variation, likely due to the lack of variant genetics in the combination. For example, if both of a trainer’s ninetales are of the Alolan breed, then the resulting hatchling will be an Alolan vulpix, even if the nest is located in Kanto.

I was comparing my Sinnoh pokedex to my Alolan friend’s pokedex, and it looks like a lot of the Alolan entries are really horrifying compared to other pokedexes! Drifloon’s body can burst with a screaming sound? Primape gets so angry that it dies? Why is the Alolan pokedex so scary?

There are a couple of reasons behind this, anonymous.

First and foremost, there are cultural differences at play. In comparison to Sinnohans, Alolans are blunter and gifted with a slightly darker sense of humor. Perhaps it has something to do with the capricious and often violent nature of their island guardians or perhaps it has to do with the fact that every island except Poni features a major site for the dead, but death is just a part of life to Alolans. They celebrate it as being an honorable or otherwise inevitable state of being, the final end to what had hopefully been a fruitful and adventurous life. As such, they talk about death in frank terms; it’s both important to talk about and a subject that one can make light of. So when you see an Alolan entry refer to death, it’s not meant to be morbid but rather a statement that death can and will happen to even the best of us. This is in stark contrast with the Sinnohan viewpoint of death, as Sinnohans have a tendency to avoid the concept altogether, likely due to its own (rather negative) folklore on the subject. Likewise, the Alolan pokédex may be gorier than any other regional index, simply because Alolans in general are a lot more open about discussing topics that are considered taboo or otherwise impolite to cover in other cultures. Even Unovans tend to be rather prudish concerning violence in comparison with Alolans—or at least, Unovans are when it comes to showing violence to their ten-year-old trainers.

In short, a lot of it has to do with the fact that the writers of these entries tend to write according to their culture, and the Alolan dex, while it had help from a Kantonian, was primarily edited by an Alolan.

The second reason, of course, is the fact that it was also edited by the ghost-type rotom, but it’s important to note that not all of the morbidity is because of the rotom by itself.

I recently received an Alolan Muk as a present from an old friend of mine… but I live in Sinnoh. How can I help her adjust to the colder climate?

Ah, your friend chose well. While it’s true that Alolan muk must be acclimated to cold temperatures (due to the fact that their bodies are primarily composed of actual liquid), they’re among the easiest pokémon to introduce to cold weather.

To do this, begin by keeping your muk indoors. If you live anywhere else but Snowpoint and if it isn’t winter, you can actually allow your muk to spend time outside for any length of time she can tolerate. Try to encourage her to increase the amount of time she spends outside little by little until she adjusts. If it is winter or if you do live in Snowpoint, however, the acclimation process should start by allowing her to wander about your home for any length of time she can tolerate, then withdrawing her into her poké ball to rest. Once she adjusts to your home, then she can move outside. Always watch for signs of freezing, however, such as spots on her body that seem a little stiff or the formation of frost. If you see any sign that she’s freezing over, immediately bring her inside and allow her to thaw by a heater or beneath a set of blankets.

Best of luck, anonymous!

Oranguru and Passimian

Oranguru
The Sage Pokémon
Type: Normal/Psychic
Official Registration #: 765
Entry: These orangutan-like pokémon are of particular interest to pokémon ethologists and paleontologists. This is largely because of its notably human-like behavior. While it often spends its time separated from pokémon and engaging in self-education through meditation, it will sometimes venture down from its home to feed and care for wild pokémon as part of what is apparently a human-like moral obligation. More importantly, oranguru also possess the ability to create and use tools as well as command other pokémon in battles against human trainers. Captive oranguru have even shown the capability of using poké balls, which all in all means that a pokémon uprising is a very real possibility for our future, but the author, for one, would welcome our oranguru overlords.

Passimian
The Teamwork Pokémon
Type: Fighting
Official Registration #: 766
Entry: These lemur-like pokémon are of particular interest to pokémon ethologists and paleontologists. For one, scientists have noted that passimian form primitive colonies that very much resemble those of humankind’s own primate cousins and thus, in much the same way, may help pokémonologists understand the origins of the more humanlike pokémon, such as sawk and throh. Second, passimian have been known to make their own tools (namely, the polished coconuts they’re often seen carrying) with an almost humanlike intelligence and level of care, thus intriguing pokémon ethologists on the subject of pokémon sapience. Third, very little else is known about the passimian, as they have a tendency to congregate in groups of ten to thirty specimens, each armed with a polished coconut, to swarm and attack pokémon paleo-ethologists … such as the author.

The Pikipek Line

Pikipek
The Woodpecker Pokémon
Type: Normal/Flying
Official Registration #: 731
Entry: A small, woodpecker-like pokémon native to the tropical forests of Alola. It’s best known for using its sharp, hardened beak to drill holes into tree trunks at an incredible rate of sixteen pecks per second. Once drilled, pikipek use these holes to store a variety of things, including berries that it will later feed on or shiny objects that have caught its attention. It also sometimes stores its eggs in these holes after mating but will often leave its nest if an egg falls out of it, a habit rarely displayed by any other bird pokémon. Because it’s such a rare habit, studies have gone into why pikipek will leave a nest and all its contents, including any other egg in it, if an egg falls out, especially given the effort pikipek expends to make such a nest in the first place, but the results are still largely inconclusive. Leading theories include “pikipek literally cannot adjust their nests once a clutch is laid honestly it’s that simple” and “pikipek just really hate themselves and trees and quite possibly also gravity.”

Trumbeak
The Bugle Beak Pokémon
Type: Normal/Flying
Official Registration #: 732
Entry: The evolved form of pikipek, by battle experience. This woodpecker pokémon is known for its ability to create a wide variety of calls by modulating its voice and bending its highly flexible beak. While there have been many studies into these calls (particularly in which different calls are recorded, interpreted, and indexed into a trumbeak lexicon), of particular interest to researchers and children alike is the “noot noot” call, which consists of a trumbeak rounding its beak and emitting two short, loud cries. Because of the amusing nature of these calls, a number of trumbeak cartoon characters have emerged since this pokémon’s discovery, all of which communicate primarily with this single call. However, it was only recently discovered that the “noot noot” call is actually a warning cry, as shortly after emitting this call, a trumbeak will often shoot a volley of berry seeds from its rounded beak at any invading human who has haplessly wandered into its line of sight.

Toucannon
The Cannon Pokémon
Type: Normal/Flying
Official Registration #: 733
Entry: The evolved form of trumbeak, by battle experience. Contrary to Unovan pop culture and marketing, toucannon does not “follow its nose” to “delicious fruit flavor.” First of all, that nose is actually a beak. Second, it does not so much follow it as heat it up to over 200 degrees Fahrenheit and proceed to smash it into boulders, stubborn fruit, and humans who believe following toucannon will lead them to delicious tropical fruit caches.

Morelull and Shiinotic

Morelull
The Illuminating Pokémon
Type: Grass/Fairy
Official Registration #: 755
Entry: This small, mushroom-like pokémon are why it’s highly inadvisable to go mushroom hunting in Alola (that is, its native region) unless you happen to be an expert mushroom hunter. Specifically, in the darkness of the Alolan jungles, the inedible morelull can easily be mistaken for the highly edible and delicious balm mushroom. There are, of course, two ways to tell morelull and balm mushrooms apart. First, if it’s resting beside a mossy rock, chances are it’s a balm mushroom, whereas if it’s resting at the root of a fruit tree, it’s likely a morelull. Likewise, if it does nothing when you nudge it gently with the toe of your boot, it is likely a balm mushroom. On the other hand, if it begins to glow and spew a cloud of sleep-inducing spores at you, there’s a good chance it’s a morelull.

Shiinotic
The Illuminating Pokémon
Type: Grass/Fairy
Official Registration #: 756
Entry: The evolved form of morelull, by battle experience. The other reason why it’s an ill-advised idea to hunt for balm mushrooms in the jungles of Alola is because morelull are often found in the vicinity of at least one shiinotic, which is not only bigger and more powerful but also is highly predatory and prone to feasting on the energy of any prey it considers to be worthy for consumption, including humans. While an effective form of protection against shiinotic would be the standard flying- or fire-type pokémon that can attack from outside shiinotic’s attack radius, it is often more recommended by locals to bring another mushroom-like pokémon, such as parasect or breloom. Shiinotic are often prone to engaging in territory wars with such pokémon, and thus, they provide an adequate amount of distraction while the seasoned, human mushroom hunter slips away. While one would think this recommendation is due to basic logic (fire and hurricane-force winds are far more destructive than close-range attacks from pokémon that are immune to shiinotic’s Sleep Powder), in actuality, it’s more because Alolan natives, for whatever reason, find the drama and in-fighting between fellow mushroom-like pokémon to be hilarious. (To be fair, they’re right in that regard.)

Dewpider and Araquanid

Dewpider
The Water Bubble Pokémon
Type: Water/Bug
Official Registration #: 751
Entry: A small, diving bell spider-like pokémon native to the tropical region of Alola. It lives primarily underwater and by large bodies of fresh water, using the air bubble on its head to survive. This, of course, means that quite literally nowhere on this planet is safe from bug-type pokémon, which in short means that the author is strongly considering adopting a dewpider or few for the educational benefit of a certain water-type gym leader who adores bug-types just as much as she adores trespassing.

Araquanid
The Water Bubble Pokémon
Type: Water/Bug
Official Registration #: 752
Entry: The evolved form of dewpider, by battle experience. Despite its fierce appearance, it actually cares deeply for pokémon and will often bring smaller ones into its bubble to protect them. However, it is more popularly known for drawing enemies into its bubble to drown them, a misconception born from erroneous observations of araquanid in the wild. Given araquanid’s fierce appearance and its reputation despite its actual behavior, the author is naturally also considering adopting a few for his property.

The Bounsweet Line

Bounsweet
The Fruit Pokémon
Type: Grass
Official Registration #: 761
Entry: The sweetness of this coconut-like pokémon is readily apparent just from its aroma alone. Gifted with a nutty but vaguely citrusy aroma, bounsweet attracts bird- and insect-like pokémon to its nests and allows them to feed off its sugary sweat. This same sweat can also be harvested and consumed by humans, but only after being processed and watered down, as the high sugar content makes the sap nearly inedible raw. Or at least most Alolan natives call this sap “nearly inedible raw.” The author calls this “a challenge.”

Steenee
The Fruit Pokémon
Type: Grass
Official Registration #: 762
Entry: The evolved form of bounsweet, by battle experience. Upon evolution, steenee’s formerly edible sweat becomes virtually inedible to anyone, pokémon or otherwise. This is not because it becomes unappetizingly tasteless and bitter (although, yes, it does that too) and more because the average steenee has a tendency to smash its hard, armor-like shell into anyone who tries to harvest her sap, usually before delivering a hard kick to the offender’s face.

Tsareena
The Fruit Pokémon
Type: Grass
Official Registration #: 763
Entry: The evolved form of steenee, by battle experience, if the subject knows Stomp. A royal pokémon in nature, tsareena can often be seen deep in the jungles of Alola, defending large groups of bounsweet and steenee. Tsareena is a formidable fighter in her own right, capable of delivering powerful kicks to predatory pokémon and anyone else who may be distracted by her enticing scent. However, it is said that touching her crown may render her immobile. Given that final note and the way the internet works, one would assume this entry is going into inappropriate territory, but the truth of the matter is that while it’s true that touching a tsareena’s crown renders her defenseless, the actual period of time she spends in this state is only a few seconds and is often followed up by a kick to the ribs with the force of a sledgehammer.

Fomantis and Lurantis

Fomantis
The Sickle Grass Pokémon
Type: Grass
Official Registration #: 753
Entry: This small, bud-like pokémon is nocturnal in nature, largely because daylight leaves it largely defenseless. During the day, it hides in tall grasses and gathers sunlight for sustenance as it sleeps. However, because fomantis are by and large fragile pokémon, it never stays in the same spot as either it or other fomantis had rested the day before. Rather, every night, each fomantis becomes active, seeking out entirely different areas of refuge to settle into as soon as the sun rises. For the most part, fomantis can go completely undetected, but because of its subtle but enticing aroma, cutiefly have been known to gather around fomantis during the day, thus revealing sleeping fomantis to potential prey. Cutiefly, of course, don’t actually feed off fomantis; they simply enjoy fomantis’s scent … and are also generally vicious, vindictive pokémon.

Lurantis
The Sickle Grass Pokémon
Type: Grass
Official Registration #: 753
Entry: The evolved form of fomantis, by battle experience, when exposed to sunlight. Noted for its beauty (and highly fashionable “pants,” for that matter), lurantis are highly sought-after by collectors, even though it takes a lot of time and effort to maintain its signature vivid coloration. In the wild, lurantis give little thought to their own coloration, opting instead on perfecting their sickle-shaped petals. These petals, when properly honed, can fire beams of sunlight and slice effortlessly through predators that may have harassed them as fomantis … including and especially cutiefly.