Do Pokémon in similar animal groups (like foxes and cats) get along? I ask cuz I recently acquired a butterfree and I’m worried about its interactions with my beautifly

For the most part, yes—when caught and introduced to a team, anyway. Of course, in the wild, the general answer is no, as pokémon often compete for resources or space. Or, well, eat each other, as nature is wont to do.

However, pokémon actually understand that being with humans means they no longer have to worry about their own survival. This is quite literally half the reason why pokémon are very fond of befriending and bonding with us humans: to them, we represent a plentiful source of everything they need. Hence, once caught and tamed, pokémon that may be bitter rivals in the wild—such as butterfree and beautifly, meowth and growlithe, and so forth—have no problem setting aside their differences and considering each other as partners, friends, or even family.

For the most part, anyway. It’s also not uncommon for two pokémon to fight for personal reasons (jealousy, anxiety over the possibility of being replaced, prejudice against a species or type, or simply a dislike for someone). If this occurs, however, it’s important that you address those issues as soon as possible. Check the team building tag (http://bills-pokedex.tumblr.com/tagged/team-building) for tips on how to handle this.

Best of luck, anonymous!

Bill, how do I make sure my metapod is happy? He doesn’t do much, and I miss him being a caterpie, at least he showed emotion. I don’t want to rush metapod to evolve, I just can’t read him right now and I’d be depressed if I couldn’t move.

Ah, yes. I quite agree with you, anonymous. It can be quite depressing to sit still. Nonetheless, keep in mind that inside a metapod’s shell, your (former) caterpie is hard at work, preparing to evolve. Evolution is an exciting time for a pokémon. The energy spike alone releases a rush of endorphins, and for days afterwards, a pokémon will feel stronger, happier, and more in-tune with itself than it may ever be. I realize that sounds depressing, but imagine ten of the happiest days of your life. Then imagine experiencing everything you did on those days within a single minute. That’s what evolution feels like, and caterpie get to experience that in rapid succession. No doubt your metapod has evolved recently (compared to other evolutions, anyway), so with that process fresh in his mind, it’s likely that your caterpie is eagerly awaiting the moment when it will experience it again and take flight for the first time ever.

That having been said, if you’d like to be sure, the best way to tell if your metapod is all right both physically and mentally is by watching for any sign of movement—or, rather, by watching for the lack of movement. The stiller he is, the more he’s reinforcing himself and conserving his energy, which in turn means he’s trying his hardest to evolve into the strongest possible butterfree he can be. In other words, the stiller he is, the more likely he’s focusing all of his attention on his eagerness to evolve. If, however, he’s shaking or struggling, then it’s clear that he’s growing impatient or anxious, and it will be important to calm him down in order to get his mind back on evolving. Usually, hearing your voice will be enough to calm him, but holding him may help as well. Any sort of reassurance you can offer him that you’re still there and that you’re patiently awaiting his debut as butterfree will be enough.

Congratulations on your previous and pending evolution, anonymous!

The Caterpie Line

Caterpie
The Worm Pokémon
Type: Bug
Official Registration #: 10
Entry: A small caterpillar pokémon with a voracious appetite for leaves. It spends considerable amounts of time preparing for evolution, usually by focusing on consuming large amounts of leaves. As such, it seems vulnerable and weak, but in actuality, it hides several techniques that it uses to protect itself during its hunt for more leaves. Namely, its antennae have the capability of releasing a strong, foul-smelling odor reminiscent of rotting cabbage. However, this is only one part of its defense mechanism. The rest of its defenses involve wrapping anything that comes close to it with String Shot and proceeding to Tackle until the aforementioned foul-smelling oils are rubbed all over the offending creature, which is then left in the sweltering Kantonian summer heat for hours on end as said offending creature struggles desperately to break free and get to a shower.

Metapod
The Cocoon Pokémon
Type: Bug
Official Registration #: 11
Entry: The evolved form of caterpie, by battle experience. A tenacious pokémon, metapod sits perfectly still as it waits for evolution. Its rock-hard shell is resilient on its own, but it uses its only move, Harden, to toughen its body even more in order to resist damage from predators. Even a pinsir’s spiked mandibles are no match for a metapod’s body. Incidentally, the fact that it will not move until evolution, as well as the facts that it is twenty-one pounds and a durable pokémon at that, make it the perfect pokémon to serve as a doorstop. Not that this writer has ever tried, of course.

Butterfree
The Butterfly Pokémon
Type: Bug/Flying
Official Registration #: 12
Entry: The evolved form of metapod, by battle experience. While the writer would normally talk at length about butterfree’s obsession with honey, the toxic dust that coats its wings, or the fact that much of its free time is spent either consuming vast amounts of honey or mating, in truth, this writer is more astounded by the fact that metapod—a pokémon incapable of independent battling, whose entire existence is devoted to avoiding any sort of movement whatsoever—can only evolve into butterfree by battling.