Zangoos and Seviper

Certainly, anonymous!

Zangoose
The Cat Ferret Pokémon
Type: Normal
Official Registration #: 335
Entry: A tall, mongoose-like pokémon first discovered in the mountains of Hoenn. Zangoose are known for exactly three things. First and most importantly, they are famous for their blood rivalry against seviper, which itself was very likely born from the fact that seviper, their favored prey, are also eight-foot-long tubes of hate and violence. Second, zangoose are known for their massive, sharp claws, which are capable of slicing through not only boulders but also raging seviper. Third and finally, zangoose are known for quite possibly the worst and most inaccurate species designation of any pokémon in existence.

Seviper
The Fang Snake Pokémon
Type: Poison
Official Registration #: 336
Entry: A large, viper-like pokémon first discovered in the mountains of Hoenn. Seviper are known for exactly three things. First and most importantly, they are famous for their blood rivalry against zangoose, which itself was very likely born from the fact that zangoose, their foremost predator, are also stubborn and ornery balls of muscle and terrible judgment. Second, seviper are known for their long tail blades, which not only are sharp enough to slice a boulder or a zangoose clean in half but are also venomous (as if the sharpness wasn’t enough). Third and finally, seviper are known for the second worst species designation of any pokémon in existence, trumped by zangoose’s only because seviper’s is actually stating the obvious.

Why is Pikachu so popular? It’s almost like it has become a sort of “mascot” for Pokémon.

As someone who prefers eevee, I’m just as baffled as you are, anonymous.

Very likely because it’s cute, it can stand on its hind legs (and can therefore be put in tiny costumes), it’s bright yellow (and therefore highly visible), and human beings have an unfortunate tendency to perceive small, rodent-like creatures that invade their homes and destroy private property as lovable.

Although really, eevee are adorable, and they can be taught to do more tricks than pikachu. I just don’t understand it, to be perfectly honest.

I have a Tyrantrum who is not aggressive (actually very sweet and loving) but he is extremely excitable. We can normally deal with this but soon there’s going to be a new baby in the family and I would like to know how to safely introduce him to it?

As your tyrantrum is not aggressive, it would actually be easy to introduce your child to him (or at least easier than it would be to introduce a baby to an aggressive tyrantrum).

First and foremost, though, keep in mind that it’s extremely important to exercise discipline. Always keep your tyrantrum’s poké ball handy, and recall him whenever it seems that he’s getting too excited around your child. Additionally, never allow your tyrantrum to be anywhere near your baby without your supervision. And of course, be sure that your tyrantrum is well trained and can follow simple commands such as “heel” and “drop it.” Even if he’s sweet and loving, if he isn’t extremely well-trained, that may make introductions difficult.

It would help at this stage, before the baby officially arrives home, to train your tyrantrum in a way that prepares him for the new arrival. Getting him used to the sound of a baby crying, for example, or getting him used to all the sounds a baby would make would cut down on the likelihood that he panics when hearing them for the first time from your baby. You can do this by playing with the toys you intend on giving your child, playing videos of a baby crying, and so forth. If you’re the mother’s partner, it may also help to bring home things that smell like the baby (hats, socks, or so forth) prior to the mother’s and baby’s release from the hospital to ensure that the transition goes smoothly for your tyrantrum.

When introducing your baby, be sure that the event is calm. Hold the baby (or have the mother hold them) and let your tyrantrum investigate first by sniffing or observing the baby. When it’s clear that your pokémon isn’t about to grab them, only then is it safe to put the baby down. Continue allowing your tyrantrum to investigate the baby under your supervision.

Parties might put your tyrantrum on edge or wind him up prior to the introduction of your baby, so try to avoid throwing a celebration for your new arrival for the next few days, even if you want to. Try not to disrupt any routines you’ve already established with your tyrantrum (always feed him on time, exercise him, and give him affection). By sticking to routine, you can establish the idea that your tyrantrum isn’t being replaced by the baby. Doing this will decrease feelings of jealousy in your pokémon and avoid any instance in which he acts out in an attempt to gain affection.

In short, it will require some patience on your part, but it’s important to exercise care and discipline while emphasizing your tyrantrum’s continued importance in your life. Once your child is older and your tyrantrum is more used to them, you can include your tyrantrum in your child’s life (by, for example, allowing your child to play with him directly) to reinforce their bond. If you succeed in that, your tyrantrum may grow into your child’s foremost companion.

I wish you the best of luck, anonymous, and congratulations on your baby.

Will a Charmander actually die if the flame on its tail is put out? This always confused me because in pokemon battles where a Charmander is hit with a strong water attack (eg. surf or hydro pump) I find it hard to believe that the flame won’t go out.

Yes, but the flame on a charmander’s tail isn’t exactly like the fire one would get by striking a match. A charmander’s tail actually secretes a thick layer of grease that feeds its flame, so splashing water onto it actually causes the fire to grow in small bursts. You can see something similar at work here.

Of course, in addition to that, its tail flame is also supported by its own mystical energy, as it’s basically a representation of its life force. Suffice to say, short of any attack that would actually drown a charmander or any attack launched on a charmander that’s already been weakened almost to the point of death, it’s not necessarily easy to put out a charmander’s tail flame.

Cubone and Marowak please!

Strange that I’ve never covered this line. They’re truly fascinating pokémon. As they say, coming right up, anonymous!

Cubone
The Lonely Pokémon
Type: Ground
Official Registration #: 104
Entry: Because young cubone are both weak and the favored prey of many pokémon in its native mountains and cave systems, its marowak mother will almost always sacrifice herself to protect her child early in life. As part of its mourning process, the orphaned cubone, sometimes with the help of the rest of its community, will give its mother a funeral, complete with the ritualistic extraction of her skull and one of her femurs. These bones will then become the cubone’s armor and will serve to protect it throughout its life. Either because of the fact that it always carries around a reminder of its mother or because the experience of losing her early in life has scarred it for life, the cubone will never fully heal from the trauma. In fact, the lines that appear to be cracks along the eye sockets of its skull helmet are not cracks but rather stains left by the tears it constantly sheds. The author really has nothing else to add to this entry; he just wanted to inform his readers that those are tear tracks. You’re welcome.

Marowak
The Bone Keeper Pokémon
Type: Ground
Official Registration #: 105
Entry: The evolved form of cubone, by battle experience. Even after evolution, marowak do not find relief from the traumas they had experienced. Instead, evolution brings about the boost in power and confidence that they need to train harder and master the use of bones as melee weapons. Once mastering their style, they collect more bones to add to their armory. No one is quite certain where marowak gets these bones. Some say they excavate them from marowak graveyards. Others who are well aware of the fact that marowak evolve from cubone who had been forced to bury their mothers simply stare at the first group of people in quiet, unbelieving horror while silently praying that marowak just happen upon the remains of other dead pokémon.

Are legendary pokemon immortal?

That’s a difficult question to answer for certain, anonymous. Part of the reason why is because “legendary pokémon” is a term that applies to a wide variety of different species, some a little more powerful than others. The other part, of course, is because there are some legendaries no one has ever caught, so we can’t entirely run tests to figure this out.

Among the more terrestrial legendaries, all of the ones we’ve been able to study are indeed extremely mortal. For example, the latias and latios of Alto Mare are perfectly capable of dying, and there have been records in recent times of at least one of them doing so. Likewise, some legendaries are either sensitive or connected to their native elements. Celebi’s health in particular is said to be connected to the forest it guards, although its temporal abilities make it difficult to kill.

Once you get into more otherworldly legendaries, it really depends on whom you ask. The people of Johto, for example, believe that all of its legendaries can and do die, as evidenced by our stories of Celebi and the three legendary beasts. (The beasts were resurrected, yes, but that doesn’t mean they can’t die again.) Technically, we don’t really talk about death beyond that because it doesn’t concern us as much, but many of us—myself included, should you be asking for my personal opinion—believe in a certain reincarnation cycle of which Ho-oh is the embodiment. The story of the beasts, in fact, is really more or less a metaphor of this concept, where terrestrial beings become spirits or the embodiments of nature. Therefore, once the legends die, many of them will shed their mortal forms and live on in spiritual forms. The only exception is Ho-oh, which dies and is reborn over and over again.

By contrast, Sinnohans, our spiritual cousins, believe that Arceus is the infinite and perfect creator of the universe and thus incapable of dying (else the universe goes with it). Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina are said to share this quality, as all three of them are really embodiments of different facets of the universe. The others, however, are very much mortal and can die and become spirits, just as Johtonian legends can.

Then you have the Western followings. Kalos believes that its legends do not die but rather enter periods of dormancy, whereas Unova, which does not worship pokémon at all, is rather divided on the subject. (Reshiram, Zekrom, Kyurem, and Victini are said to be able to enter dormant states, but the others are perfectly mortal.)

In short, no one really knows the answer to this question, anonymous, but many of us have an answer. Which one you believe is true really depends on what you follow on a spiritual level. Should you be atheist, however, it may be worth it to note that all legendaries are physical. They’re beings of flesh and blood (or some equivalent thereof, in any case), and thus, very likely, they can be killed.

I’m aiming to become a Fire type pokemon breeder and trainer, and I want to start cooking home made pokemon food rather than buying it. Is there any advice you could give to me, or anyone I should talk to?

First and foremost, the idea that all fire-type pokémon like spicy food is a myth. Only a select few individuals do; there are no species that, as a whole, enjoy spicy food. I only say this because there have been rather nasty incidents in which a new fire-type specialist made this mistake and wound up taking Flamethrowers to the face as a result of a charmeleon reacting badly to meals heavy in tamato berries.

That having been said, always be aware of your pokémon’s species. Some fire-types have different dietary requirements than others. For example, the growlithe, vulpix, and houndour lines should be fed primarily meat or meals heavy in proteins. The litten and litleo lines require a largely carnivorous diet, as they need the taurine from raw meat to avoid going blind. However, by contrast, numel and camerupt are strictly vegetarian and cannot be fed the same thing as any of the aforementioned lines. In fact, it’s important to ensure that your litten or litleo do not eat whatever you give your numel, as although plants are not toxic to those lines, some can actually cause dietary or longterm health problems (including obesity). And then you have the slugma lines, which despite being slug- and snail-like, eat mineral-rich rocks.

Not only that, but in some cases, your pokémon’s condition may affect what their diets need. For example, it’s actually possible for litten and litleo to develop diabetes, at which point they must be put on a diet low in carbohydrates to manage their condition. They can also develop severe lactose intolerance, which means a number of popular recipes for litten or litleo kibble should be avoided.

In short, my advice to anyone who wishes to make their own pokéfood is to tailor your dietary plans to your pokémon’s specific species. Do some research into what your pokémon eat in the wild and try emulating that for your tamed specimens. If you need specific guidance (especially if your pokémon have health conditions), be sure to consult your local Nurse Joy. Consulting breeders would also help, as reputable ones will have an in-depth understanding of pokémon nutrition as well.

How well do pokemon (particularly wild) understand human language? They seem to understand commands – such as attacks – as soon as they’re caught. Would a pokemon from a french speaking region understand a command from an english or spanish speaking trainer?

Although there are a number of people in Johto who claim to be “pokémon speakers,” or those who can speak with pokémon, and although there are a few pokédex entries that imply otherwise, in truth, most pokémon can understand human speech just fine. It’s just that most pokémon—especially wild ones—respond better if a human attempts to speak with them in their “native language.” However, this is just because it’s easier to hold their attention this way; if you attempt to hold any sort of conversation with a pokémon, they should have no problem following what you’re saying.

Of course, things get complicated with languages, but for the most part, this is one of the reasons why we converted to an international language with the establishment of pokémon leagues. The other reason, of course, is because it’s easier for trainers to enter foreign leagues if they didn’t have to deal with a language barrier. This is why it’s easy for a ten-year-old from Japan to enter the Unova League.

For pokémon, meanwhile, it’s less of a chore to translate what humans are saying because we, for the most part, are speaking only one language, and that language was itself constructed from a pokémon tongue. This language, for those who are less well-versed in etymology (I know we don’t normally teach this in school for whatever reason) is Common, which is a language based entirely on the unown. For this reason, pokémon are capable of latching onto what we say because in a way, we are speaking one of their languages—just not their native language. (This is why we can’t exactly understand them unless we make a concerted effort to do so. Johtonian pokémon speakers rely on this fact in order to perform, but all they’re really doing is making more of an effort than most people to listen.)

Of course, it’s entirely possible for a human to speak one of the old languages such as French or Japanese, but this tends to cause more confusion than it’s worth, especially given how interconnected we are as a species at this point.

Do certain species of pokemon mate for life like some animals do? Or is it up to each individual’s own preferences?

Well, some part of it is up to the individual’s preference. While divorce is not a concept that exists among pokémon, capriciousness is.

On a serious note, absolutely, there are plenty of pokémon that mate for life. Many of the human-shaped ones do. The ralts line, for example, is well-known for it, although there are plenty of others, including the gothorita line, the mr. mime line, the machop line, the abra line (despite being fox-like as well), and so forth. Some dog-like pokémon such as the riolu line also do. Bird-like pokémon are also known for it, with some—such as swanna and members of the murkrow line—being symbols of monogomy for this exact reason. And of course, there are a few non-avian pokémon that are also monogamous, such as members of the deerling line, durant, finneon and lumineon, many rodent pokémon, and—of course—luvdisc.

Honestly, just about the only kinds of pokémon that are consistently not monogamous are the more “inanimate-like” pokémon, such as rock-like pokémon, genderless pokémon that can still mate, and a number of plant-like pokémon.

How safe is battling for pokemon? Can pokemon attacks actually do serious damage to pokemon or is “fainting” the worst that can happen?

So long as you’re engaging in league-sanctioned battles or battles against wild pokémon, they’re perfectly safe. There are strict rules within every pokémon league that prevent trainers from killing or seriously injuring opponent pokémon. It’s like boxing or wrestling: in legitimate matches, you absolutely cannot do permanent damage to your opponent, as any more than that constitutes manslaughter or even murder. The same concept applies to league-sanctioned battles. While you can’t be blamed for acts of God (although in some cases, the architect of the stadium might be), if you consciously attempt to disobey the referee and continue the match past the point where your pokémon or your opponent’s has fainted, you could be arrested after the battle if anything serious happens. However, if you engage in a league-sanctioned battle, you will either do so under the watch of an official referee (who will always call the match before any serious damage occurs), or you will outline the rules to a fellow trainer beforehand (so the both of you enter a verbal agreement to fight while following league regulations).

As for wild pokémon battles, wild pokémon typically have no interest in killing other pokémon except in extreme cases of self-defense. Wild pokémon are intelligent enough to recognize when an enemy has been incapacitated, and thus, they will leave you alone if you make it apparent that you won’t harm them after the match is over. (Note: For the most part. Some of the more aggressive pokémon or pokémon who believe you’re trying to kill them will make an attempt on your life and the lives of your pokémon, so it’s a good idea to exercise good judgment while in the wild. Do not, for example, attack a singular spearow, as spearow are just ornery and violent enough to call the rest of their nearby flock to attack you back.)

That having been said, there are also underground pokémon matches, or battles between trainers in settings that aren’t exactly by-the-book. You’ll know when you’ve found such a place when trainers never outline rules to one another or when large crowds gather to take bets on the matches. These matches are usually done to-the-death, and thus, they’re far less safe for either the pokémon or the trainers involved. Needless to say, they’re highly illegal and frowned upon by most societies, but due to their underground, secretive nature, it’s difficult to prevent them from occurring. The best advice I can give you regarding these is never battle in an arena unless you know for certain that it’s league-approved, and certainly don’t battle against a trainer who agrees to league rules beforehand.