I'M CAPTAIN KIRK

Marshadow?

 

I just found out that dratini are nearly six foot long and i'm a little shook actually

-Dratini is essentially the larval form of its later evolutions, and as such it exists to 1) eat things and 2) collect energy and grow. Both of these things it does with enormous efficiency. Contrary to its sweet appearance, dratini are voracious omnivores who will eat just about anything and are perfectly capable of hunting and killing other water pokemon, as well as feeding on aquatic plants, insect life, carrion and even rotting plant matter. Dratini have also been observed ambushing land-dwelling pokemon on occasion and even taking short journeys away from their watery homes to look for food on land if it becomes scarce.
-As for the growing, dratini hatch very small, under a foot long, but by the end of their first week generally have tripled their size, and although their rate of growth does slow down it never actually stops. The longest dratini known in captivity is over eight feet long, and doesn't seem to want to evolve any time soon, meaning it's only going to get bigger. There have been reports of the shed skins of wild dratini washing up that have measured twenty feet or more, but no observed specimen has reached near that length without evolving.
-All the energy goes into growing longer, so they often weigh surprisingly little for their size. Dragonair use their energy entirely differently and do not grow substantially in length during their life, so the length a dratini reaches before evolving influences the size of both later evolutions. A small dratini makes a small dragonair and a stunted dragonite, and so on. This means they are vulnerable to attacks from stronger pokemon even if the attacker is smaller, which is why they tend to live in small groups in deep water.
-Because they grow so fast, they shed their skin often and have basically streamlined the process. A healthy dratini can complete the shedding process in under a day and be ready to battle again only a day or so later, and it's very rare for them to have problems with it. They shed their head-fins wholesale along with the rest of their skin, and can look very funny while the new ones are still in the process of unfolding and straightening out.
-Dratini prefer deep, fresh water as their homes, although there have been small colonies noted living in the oceans as well. Wild ones spend the majority of their time submerged at or near the bottom and are very shy, which contributes to their reputation as so scarce as to be mythical. This was compounded by the fact that they often won't occupy water that is frequented by humans, and when human occupation began to spread more rapidly their populations dropped and were isolated to wilder places. However, better knowledge of their habits and favoured habitats has allowed both the establishment of reserves and changes in regulations for human habitation and land use around areas where they are known to live, allowing the two species to cohabit safely. They have been reintroduced to certain areas with great success and are also often popular attractions at aquariums. There are often restrictions on catching dratini in the wild so their populations stay stable.
-When kept by humans, the main problem is their need for access to sizeable areas of deep water as they are not as sturdy on land as, say, magikarp. They are also quite social and require company, though it is not always necessary for this company to be other dratini. It is not recommended for a trainer to attempt to fulfil these needs alone, however, as dratini can be prone to becoming codependent, and it's something of an issue to have a water-dwelling pokemon with separation anxiety.
- The flipside, though, is that they are very affectionate and, while it can take a little while to gain their trust, once they do trust you they love to play and socialise. They easily take to being trained to coil around a trainer's body and shoulders to go for rides, although if they grow long enough that parts of them drag on the ground it is advised to take them out in a wagon or similar instead. They are not prone to developing aggression issues as their usual response to stress is flight, and are not usually super-competent battlers until they evolve, although they excel in a support role. They do not do well with strangers as a rule, although aquarium dratini are often carefully selected and socialised to be comfortable with people. Being dragon-types they do have their own minds, and can be strong-willed, but they are much less difficult than other dragon-types and even their own later evolutions and for those able to supply the correct living conditions they can be a good introduction into dragon training, especially since they're so easy to feed.

 

bit of an odd one but giratina?

 

I want it to be known that i love each and every one of these headcanons A LOT

 

b u g v i b e s
although i don't generally adhere to the idea that there are normal animals in the pokemon world, it does make sense for there to be way more small, 'normal' insects around than just bug types, i think.

-Much like dratini, nincada exist to eat and accumulate energy, though they don't do the growing thing so much, as the size of a freshly evolved Ninjask has little to do with the size of the initial nincada and much more to do with how healthy and full of energy it was.
-Their primary diet is best described as Tree Juices, as they parasitise tree roots to take a share of the nutrients absorbed by the tree itself. They will also climb trees to drink sap from the trunks, and have been observed preying on small insects as well to suck out their innards. Bug-types are notoriously individual with their nutritional needs between species, meaning generalised bug-type foods are usually impossible to formulate. Nincada, not being the most popular choice for trainers (and therefore there not being that many commercially available nincada foods), are quite prone to suffering from this at the hands of inexperienced bug-type trainers, as they have a very limited ability to intake and digest solids. Most dedicated nincada-line trainers mix their own food, and there are some very vocal nincada-line fancier groups campaigning for better nin-nowledge, as the most famous one puts it.
-In the wild, Nincada spend most of their time underground during the day, and only spend short periods aboveground at night. This is due to them being photophobic enough that too much exposure to sunlight can damage both their eyes and their carapace. Trained nincada, who by necessity spend more time aboveground and in the daytime especially if they're part of a battling team, benefit from being covered up- which means trained nincada will often be seen wearing tiny outfits, or carrying parasols, or riding around in little covered containers. By all accounts they seem to actively enjoy this sort of thing, and many nincada owners report their pokemon developing strong opinions on style.
-Likewise, it often surprises people how social nincada can be. In the wild, they usually live in colonies, the size of which depend on how many of them their chosen tree can support without being drained dry, as they will usually feed on the same tree their whole lives. These colonies can be best described as a bunch of nincada all hanging out and enjoying each other's company without necessarily actively interacting super often, so while it's unusual for trained nincada to actively play or suchlike they generally do show a marked desire to be close to their trainers and their trainer's other pokemon most of the time. Shoulder or head riding is common, and some trainers elect to have a small bag or backpack that mimics a wild nincada's burrow so they can be carried around without having to be out in the sun too much. And while they don't necessarily seek them out, they are also tolerant of cuddles.
-Although some pokedex entries claim nincada will stay totally still just waiting for evolution, this is a misinterpretation of the way they feed by latching on to the tree and staying in that place for hours, sipping tiny amounts. They also tend to freeze when unexpectedly uncovered by humans. They are more active at night, but will not generally stray more than a few yards away from their home tree. Whole generations of nincada will be raised on the same tree, since even ninjask (who travel much more) will return to the tree they fed on as a nincada to lay their eggs. It is recommended that anyone chopping down trees first check for nincada, and that if any are found they are humanely relocated to a similar tree as close as possible to the one to be felled, as losing their tree under such stressful circumstances can cause immense distress, and wild nincada relocated too far away from their home turf without travelling there themselves have trouble adjusting.
-Of course they can lose their trees through other sources than human intervention, and after strong storms that have felled many trees it isn't uncommon to see whole colonies joining up in large groups to migrate their way to new grounds. Since they aren't the most efficient locomotors, said migrations are very slow, and make for tempting buffets for predators. Yet they can make their way surprising distances, colonies splitting off gradually as new homes are discovered, and even the most dedicated nincada-eater can find it off-putting to be swarmed by such large groups of them, all biting bad-temperedly. Some woodland walkers have reported coming across entire stretches of forest floor pockmarked with the bumps of buried nincada swarms, sleeping away the daylight hours before resuming their journey.
-Although nincada have wings or winglike structures, they cannot fly. They are however expert climbers, and can cling on to a surprising range of surfaces with their little grippy claws. If interrupted in any journey they do make, they tend to merely climb over the obstruction rather than go around it, which can cause interesting sights if what's blocking their way is a human-built structure. After one particularly bad winter of storms in Hoenn, where Nincada are most common, a massive swarm of them spent several days slowly commuting their way through a small town in the woods, blocking drainpipes, scaling buildings, and very effectively stopping even foot traffic until they passed by.

 

BUG VIBES
thank you for my bug son...... exquisite takes

 

Might I request some Wobbuffet vibes? >w<7

 

Ooh, one I don't know much about since it's a relatively recent event pokemon. cracks knuckles.
I'm ignoring the one pokedex entry that describes them as 'craven and cowardly', because rude much.

-Marshadow are legitimately extremely rare. Unlike some previously rare pokemon that have seen an increase in popularity and numbers in captivity recently, it is still rare enough for anyone to even see one, let alone have one on their team, that there are no commercially available foods or other products specifically for Marshadow available, and the only real communities for those lucky enough to be caring for one are on the Internet. Only a few academics have dedicated any time to studying them, but those that do tend to be very dedicated.
-The only place that has been yet identified as an area where marshadow are native is Alola, where they have been reported on all four islands. They have similar status to cryptids in most places, where people claim to see them and others laugh and say they're made up. This is because they are so effective at hiding; any patch of shade, even someone's shadow, is enough to hide a Marshadow. Other ghost types such as the Gastly line are capable of much the same, but they also have an interest in revealing themselves, to feed or just to amuse themselves. Marshadow seem to feel no such need to be seen, and therefore they aren't. They even seem to try and avoid being seen by other Pokemon in most cases, especially ones that live with or near humans.
-With this said, it seems odd that they are usually seen lurking around human settlements. However, observation of their behaviour (as much as it is possible) has shown that their goal appears to be the same in all cases: to watch. They seem intent on watching and, presumably, learning. Data from the very few observed wild individuals and from those lucky enough to catch or befriend them indicates that they are attracted particularly to places where martial arts are practiced, be they purely human martial arts, mixed human and pokemon training, or even just fighting-types training themselves. One or two of the Marshadow trainers have reported that their pokemon are also interested by other sports, more individual sports like tennis or golf rather than team sports, but there is insufficient data to determine if this is a species-wide interest or just an individual one.
-Only once has a wild Marshadow been observed battling, and that was a brief scuffle with a Mimikyu which was apparently encroaching on the marshadow's favourite hiding spot. Despite fighting-type moves having no effect on ghost-types, and the Marshadow clearly understanding this as it did not use any, it was still observed using martial arts style movements to attack in other ways. Their classification as ghost/fighting is based on this, their interest in martial arts in general, and their reported ability by trainers to learn and effectively utilise fighting-type moves. Almost all recorded Marshadow trainers battle with them, as they enjoy it and seem to grow antsy and bored without battle training or similar enrichment. All battle-trained Marshadow show an intense interest in improvement and learning new techniques, and it appears to be common to need to persuade them that chilling out a little is permitted and even encouraged. The one recorded Marshadow who has taken part in significant official battling clearly took a great pride in being something the opponent pokemon had trouble predicting and countering due to unfamiliarity with the species and the unusual and advanced moves that were used.
-This Marshadow has also been one of the only ones to be studied while in what has become known as their 'zenith' form that they take on while battling. This seems to be related to the way they channel internal energy, bringing it to the surface for easy use and also to provide a) a threat display and b) greater physical threat for opponents who may try to bodily attack them, as the energy channeled causes the flames on their arms and their heads to burn upon touch. None of the few observed wild Marshadow have assumed this form, presumably because it burns more energy and also prevents them from effectively melting into the shadows. Or perhaps the one observed battle was simply not enough of a challenge for the marshadow to bother, considering it took all of thirty seconds for the Mimikyu to decide to relocate.
-None of the wild Marshadow have been observed interacting with others of their kind, and they have all been located in different towns. Trained Marshadow remain standoffish and independent, rarely seeking out their trainer or other pokemon team-mates for company until they have been around them for a time that seems to vary between a few months and a few years. Once they are more comfortable, they still seem to prefer trainers who have no or very few other pokemon, and can be needy for their trainer's attention, especially during training. They can be difficult with other pokemon, especially ones that are less battle-focused, more playful or, for lack of a better word, 'frivolous', and responses vary between deliberately ignoring them and bullying them. One particular individual has been reported to enjoy cuddles and physical affection from their trainer, but reject it from other pokemon, and all other trained marshadow have seemed to dislike too much physical contact. It's not like they can't become insubstantial if they don't want to be touched, after all.
-Despite said ability to blend into the shadows, they seem to depend on a more physical diet than most other ghost-types, presumably because of their fighting subtype. They are omnivorous with a preference for meat and eggs, and seem entirely willing to steal food, even when fed by trainers.
-Recently, a few sparse Marshadow sightings have been reported in Galar. How they got there is still a mystery, as Galar is a long way from Alola, and has very strict pokemon import laws. It is thought that they must have either been deliberately brought along by a travelling trainer who did not report their existence due to their extreme rarity, or they have brought themselves via sneaking onto ships and aeroplanes. The leading Marshadow researcher in Alola is now launching a study in an attempt to find out if Marshadow are present in other regions and merely have never been officially reported.

 

(yes i am going to continue doing these and do giratina and wobbuffet as requested i'm just slow [double pistols and a wink])

 

may i.... have bonsly...... when ur done with the other requests....

 

getting spicy up in here!

-Just like there is only one Dialga and Palkia, there is only one Giratina, and since it is the Antimatter Pokemon (to complement Dialga's Time and Palkia's Space) it is highly unlikely that it would ever be compatible to breed in any normal way with any normal Pokemon. Nor would it presumably be inclined to try. There is no inclination that any of that trio aren't just (at the very least functionally) immortal.
-It Is Said, of course, that Giratina was banished to the Distortion World for its violence, but there are multiple different versions of the legend citing different violent acts performed, and folklorists have struggled to trace a singular, original version; the earliest version discovered, carved on a wall near one of the known entrances to the other world in Sinnoh's Turnback Cave, is sadly mostly destroyed and most of the pertinent details are missing. Early Sinnoh language is also known to be highly poetic and metaphorical, so linguists are still working on making the best translation they can with what they have.
-The most common version of the legend these days seems to have originated quite late on, and cites an attempt to destroy Hearthome City as the reason for its banishment. However, it's probable that Hearthome City did not even exist at the time, or at least not as a major city, and certainly no large-scale short-term destruction is discoverable in its archaeology or written history.
-Folklorists, historians, and experts on legendary pokemon have attempted to study the Creation Trio and Arceus for many years, trying to discover their true natures and such things as why Arceus worship has never gained much of a foothold (or died out) in every region other than Sinnoh, but due to the scarcity of any solid evidence or new data most of it has been academic bickering. Giratina has been the most elusive of all of them, since it is apparently unable to normally enter the physical world; there was a strong school of thought that it didn't even exist, and instead was an elaborate metaphor and attempt to make the notoriously difficult Dialga and Palkia look better in comparison.
-Recent events [of the games/anime/etc, of course] have made it clear that Giratina does very much exist, and so does the Distortion World, and as such there has been an explosion of interest in a previously rather sparse field. Very few people were around for the events where Giratina actually showed itself, and it has shown no indication that it's coming back out any time soon, so most of the study revolves around what video footage was taken, samples retrieved from the places the events went down, measurements that showed up on various scientific instruments even if they weren't actively being used to monitor, eyewitness reports, and aggressively examining locations. A popular avenue is trying to pin down the physics of the Distortion World, a place which is explicitly largely devoid of normal physical effects. Thus far, there seem to be about three different theorems per active researcher. Efforts to reopen the known doorways to get direct data have thus far been unsuccessful. Most of the discussions on the subject involve a lot of energetic shouting about the reported change of forme Giratina undergoes between the physical world and the Distortion World, and how this demonstrates the effect of the laws of physics.
-As far as behaviour goes, most of the time Giratina has spent in the physical world has not done much to disperse its reputation for violence. However, some of the closest eyewitnesses have emphasised that it also displays what could be interpreted as a sense of justice, and can even be occasionally gentle. Naturally, there is a great deal of debate over whether this is accurate or wishful thinking. What cannot really be debated is that it is extremely territorial and appears to hold grudges, especially against Dialga and Palkia. As such, many people have questioned whether or not trying to open the Distortion World is at all a good idea...

 

Alright mr. ghost book author you can be sceptical of science some time when you don't completely misunderstand the nature of the Big Bang

(don't worry wobbuffet and bonsly will come i just need to liveblog some ghost book reading first or something)

 

*settles down, chinhands*

 

lmao my apologies he's not saying all that much worth commenting on really.
He is definitely one of those people who are like EVERYDAY REALITY IS THE REAL MADNESS, EMBRACE HISTORY AND NATURE, GO INSANE, SEE GHOSTS
which is all very well but sometimes hard to fit in between having to buy groceries and feed the cat

 

he takes nice photos though

 

Ah he grew up in a house with a drawing-room and portraits hanging in such, that explains a lot

 

'I felt that the stones were drawing their power from some ancient, universal subconscious. Why not simply accept that some form of magic is at work, something far more powerful than the mind of man?'

you know bruh usually i'm all about that but the fact that you elected to phrase it that way and keep going on about how anything you term 'progress' is Destroying The Heritage Of The Country means i'm going to have to tell you to shut up instead

 

i'm getting the impression that the author genuinely thinks of himself (thought of himself? this was published in 1994) as a gothic hero. he just described his trip to romania as a 'waking nightmare which [he] hope/s will be laid to rest with this book'

 

i've invented a new rule: if you're publishing a book after mmm say 1915, you're not allowed to refer to anyone as 'peasants'

 

Oh No

is he talking about romanian 'peasants' oh no