Tag: Anonymous

Hey Bill, an acquaintance of mine found some wild Dratini fry(barely newborn) and caught one. I was wondering how ethical it was to catch newborn Pokémon, and I’m actually sort of worried for both the mother and the Dratini in question! She’s a decent trainer, but that doesn’t mean she’s qualified to raise a literal newborn Dratini. Help!

I know this might sound a bit repetitive, but I wouldn’t worry too much about it. If a very young trainerless pokémon as rare as dratini appears before a human, there are two possible reasons for it. First, it was abandoned or lost as an egg. If this is the case, then its chances of survival are actually incredibly low. Second, it’s not a hatchling but rather a juvenile, which in some species’ cases are difficult to distinguish. However, the difference is extremely important; juveniles can survive on their own, whereas hatchlings cannot.

The driving reason behind both of these things is actually the same: most pokémon nests aren’t easy to find precisely because of human involvement. That is, while we aren’t technically predators for pokémon, it’s true that we do remove them from their natural habitat. Pokémon by instinct will make their nests hidden, inaccessible, or both precisely to protect their young until they’re ready to go out into the world on their own. While young pokémon won’t necessarily die if they leave their nests, they’re still vastly inexperienced and may not be able to stand up to predators or other pokémon without the watchful eyes of their parents, so it’s extremely rare for a pokémon that young to be on its own, without anyone to help it develop its skills enough to battle.

With that having been said, dratini nests are especially difficult for humans to reach. Part of this has to do with the fact that dratini are so few in numbers (and thus aren’t as bold as magikarp, for an off-hand example), and the other part is that dratini fry aren’t particularly strong. Unless your friend dove deep into very remote lakes and fought her way past a swarm of protective dratini or dragonair (or perhaps even dragonite), it’s likely she simply happened across a pool of slightly older, more independent dratini. If that’s the case, then her dratini will be fine in her care.

However, if, perhaps, the dratini she had caught was indeed a fry, it’s actually safer in her care than out in the wild, as the nest was apparently too exposed to be safe. It’s also worrying if only one dratini, dragonair, or dragonite (whatever the mother might have been) was on guard, as dratini form colonies of many nests clustered together and guarded by multiple dragons. It may be a good idea to contact a local pokémon ranger or other authority to check on the nest and see if there’s anything wrong.

why do the people of johto not ask ho-oh for blessings? is it a trickster?

Actually, it was more like our ancestors let three pokémon die in the blaze that engulfed the temple dedicated to Lugia, and then said ancestors reacted very badly to their resurrection via Ho-oh, despite their extreme despair over the death of these pokémon. So Ho-oh decided that the following generations don’t deserve its presence until humankind is capable of living in harmony with pokémon in general again, and it left the beasts behind to watch our progress.

In other words, we don’t ask Ho-oh for things because the last time we did that, we angered it so badly it flew away and hasn’t been seen in Johto since (except supposedly for one unusual circumstance, but quite honestly, I’m not entirely sure if the kimono girls were being literal there).

Of course, we still honor it with festivals, but that’s mostly a gesture of helplessly throwing offerings at it with the hope that this would placate it. Granted, it’s been four hundred years since Ho-oh was in Johto, but there’s always the hope that this year…

What info do you have on the “people of the water” or on samiya in general?

Unfortunately very little, as they keep very much to themselves and are so few in numbers and so quick to move from place to place that it’s difficult to keep track of them.

It is known that they’re a highly nomadic people whose origins are a matter of strong debate. Some stories say that they’re from Sinnoh, as what’s known about their lore seems to center around Manaphy. Others say they’re from Kanto, as their technology bears striking similarities to the tools of Pokémopolis, Pokélantis, and other extinct Kantonian cultures. There are even claims that they’ve come from Alola, Hoenn, Unova, and more than one region in the South Pacific. Perhaps the most creative theory is that they’re remnants of the lost continent of either Atlantis or Mu. However, as interesting as that theory is, it seems to only be supported by fringe conspiracy theorists on the internet. I would say that the most mainstream theory is the one that proposes the People of the Water are from Kanto, as that’s the one with the most compelling argument.

Regardless of where they’re from, what’s known about them is that the People of the Water are actually a collection of small, nomadic tribes scattered throughout the globe. Many take on odd jobs in the towns and cities they pass through, but some take on professions centered around water, such as one particularly notable tribe that formed a rather famous water circus.

Samiya, meanwhile, was built as a temple for the Manaphy. Stories conflict concerning whether or not the People of the Water ever used it as a place of residence—or, in other words, we’re not sure if it was ever a city for the People of the Water or even a part of one. It’s simply their best-kept secret, a floating fortress that travels from one ocean to the next, completely undetectable by even modern equipment. (It’s part of the reason why we’re not even sure if it actually exists, although we do indeed have one report of its sighting in recent times, from one of Professor Oak’s own proteges.) The Sea Crown, the People’s holiest object, is actually the item that powers Samiya and ensures it remains afloat. Supposedly, it has some sort of power over water-type pokémon as well, but again, this is merely a rumor, rather than confirmed fact.

In short, I’m afraid at most, all I have are rumors and very sparse scraps of information. It would certainly be wonderful to know more—especially if the People of the Water are connected to Manaphy—but unfortunately, unlike the Draconids, they’re not likely to divulge anytime soon.

So… Hypothetically… If I get a magnezone and it magnetizes my wheelchair to the top of its head, I could theoretically make a hover craft?

Well … I’d imagine this would be a rather tricky question to answer. Technically speaking, it’s true that magnezone are perhaps just wide enough, but their shape would make it difficult. For starters, there is the antenna, and contrary to what one might think, this antenna can’t really bend. So to begin with, you’ll need to work around that—perhaps by, instead of situating your wheelchair at the very top of its head, balancing it on your magnezone’s magnets. Then of course, there should be some consideration both for the weight of the wheelchair itself and the electrical equipment therein if you’re using a motorized wheelchair. You could very well render it inoperable after such a ride, but perhaps that would be a moot point. Third and finally, you’ll also likely need to take into consideration the fact that your magnezone won’t be battle-ready so long as it’s focusing on magnetizing your wheelchair—and for some time thereafter, for that matter. For this to effectively work, you would need your magnezone to periodically if not constantly charge your wheelchair, which would deplete its electrical reserves and wear it out. Likewise, it probably shouldn’t use its electrical abilities while supporting you for obvious, electrocution-related reasons. However, if you keep it calm and give it a moment before using it in battle, perhaps that won’t be so bad.

So in short … with some adjustments to your plan and some side considerations, very likely!

Best of luck, anonymous!

Don’t wish them the best of luck with something you would do! —LH

Come now, Lanette. We should be encouraging our young, inventive readers to be scientifically creative! —Bill

Hey Bill. What info do you have on the Draconid people?

A bit, actually, as they’re very similar to some of the clans of Johto, particularly the Blackthorn Dragon Clan, the (extinct) Alph Clan, and the Houou no Hito (that is, the People of Ho-oh, otherwise known as the subset of Johtonians that consist of sages, kimono girls, and those associated with them specifically), and thus, it’s either fairly easy to understand what Draconid culture is like … or we’ve had historical encounters with them. Either way, you could say it’s a bit of a personal interest of mine.

That having been said, the Draconids had lived in isolation far in the depths of Meteor Falls up until recent times, so consequently, their social and political ties tend to be … sparse, to say the least. That is to say, prior to the event known as the Delta Incident, when their lorekeeper (something akin to a chieftain, of sorts) came into the public and brought the Draconids with her, very few people knew much at all about them. The Blackthorn Dragon Clan knew, of course, but largely, this was because the two groups considered each other rivals, and to this day, the Blackthorns have a bit of a sore spot towards the Draconids. (According to some stories, there might have even been fights between the two over sacred grounds and pokémon, back before the Draconids built the Sky Tower and isolated themselves.) By contrast, while the Houou no Hito are aware of practically every ancient clan a Johtonian culture dealt with at one point or another, the Draconids and the Houou no Hito are largely neutral towards one another, with the latter essentially giving the former liberty to do whatever they want, so long as it doesn’t disrupt Lugia.

Politics aside, as mentioned above, the cultural structures within the Draconid people are similar to the ones you find among the peoples of Johto. Just as with our cultures, the Draconids worship a legendary pokémon (Rayquaza) and place heavy emphasis on the ancient lore of their region (particularly Mega Evolution and the battle between Groudon and Kyogre), which is preserved and retold by a priestess (the lorekeeper). Additionally, the Draconids likewise emphasize the importance of bonding with a pokémon and acknowledging the value of pokémon life (…despite the actions of the current lorekeeper). In fact, said lorekeeper supposedly knows the secrets to summoning the legendary central to their belief system, just as the secret to summoning Ho-oh and Lugia are passed down from kimono girl to kimono girl (or, well, their daughters).

Here’s where the similarities end, of course. As mentioned above, the Draconid people had retreated into an isolated village deep within Meteor Falls ages ago, unlike both the Houou no Hito (which actively embrace the rest of Johto) and the Dragon Clan (which will generally interact with people who venture into Blackthorn City, even if they deny that they ever would). Moreover, the Draconids discouraged visitors by ensuring their village would be difficult to reach, and those that manage would be driven away by high-powered pokémon or assimilated into their clan. All of this, supposedly, was to protect themselves and the secret to summoning Rayquaza, as much of their culture revolved around a prophecy concerning the destruction of the world. This is how the Draconids managed to garner their reputation, and even now, after they’ve opened up their village to visitors and reached out to the outside world, they still carry a certain reputation for being a reserved, somber sort of people.

Admittedly, their customs beyond the retelling of their core stories and the maintenance of their rituals to summon Rayquaza are not particularly understood. It’s always been known that they were responsible for both Sky Pillar and the murals that depict the Weather Triad across Hoenn, but their day-to-day life and customs outside of the Triad have yet to be fully studied. Hopefully, though, things might change, now that the Draconids are open to interacting with the outside world. Perhaps we’ll have ample opportunity to understand them and bridge gaps we’ve never been able to bridge before.

International police anon again, I found a website that looks like it… could -possibly- be official? The design is that level of bad that it could be outdated designers or could be a joke by someone just starting to learn how to make sites… Not reassuring!!

No, no. That sounds about right for the International Police. They’re a top-notch organization of justice, yes, but their webdesign department is … unfortunately lacking. I know a few people who have tried to apply for that position because one look at the site would lead one to believe that the webdesign department has been either vacant or understaffed since 1993, but for whatever reason, no one has gotten so much as an interview. Something about “letting the code chimchar do their work,” from what I understand.

(I sincerely hope “code chimchar” isn’t literal, but quite frankly, I don’t know.)

Hello, I was just wondering, and I’ll probably sound like a hick saying this, but is there actually an International Police? My village is fairly isolated, but last week we had someone in a trench coat practically move into the community center, saying he was on official business. He has an accent like I’ve never heard before in any movie or anything! I guess what I flew into town to send an ask for is, do we have a madman in our village or just an off kilter investigator?

While, yes, there is an International Police, it’s hard to say whether or not this gentleman is with them. You could very well ask for a badge, but quite honestly, it may be better to leave him alone, just in case he is, ah, not quite legitimate, so to speak.

Hey Bill, I’m preparing to take on the Alola Elite Four. My team is Incineroar, Snorlax, Salamence, Leafeon, Metagross, and Golurk. Opinions on my chances?

Fair, anonymous, so long as you have faith in your team. This is partly an acknowledgement and agreement with Karen’s philosophy that strength is irrelevant and that one should always try to win with their favorites (that is, the team they’ve bonded with the most).

It is also partly a statement that you could practically win an Elite Four challenge with any pokémon so long as it was well-trained. For example, not too long ago, someone took the Kantonian gauntlet using a magikarp … and only a magikarp. Bruno and Lorelei thought it was hilarious, but Lance refused to face the public for nearly a week.

In other words, yes, this is a sound team, anonymous. Good luck!

Are there any pokemon that dont like cosplay? Im asking because i want to make sure me and my friends can be the entire cast of Narutorkoal for a convention

There isn’t any one species, really—just individual preference. Start with smaller, singular, looser-fitting costume pieces, rather than a full cosplay. Watch for any signs of discomfort. If your pokémon is fine with the piece, work your way up, little by little, to a full costume. If your pokémon shows signs of discomfort or even distress, sad to say, you’ll need to exclude your pokémon from your cosplay group. Never force a pokémon into a costume.

Also, keep in mind that some pokémon can’t cosplay. For example, despite what the cartoons would have you believe, gastly can’t really wear anything except hats, and even then, they need to be calm at all times, else they’ll simply phase through.

Best of luck!