#But although I love my Ninetales dearly I don't think it was very responsible of my parents.

[works-of-magic]

Ugh. Okay.

So, usually this is the time of year when I have to fend off request after request after request from people wanting to get a ghost type JUST for Halloween. Or for a prank, or to scare their sibling, or to add to their Halloween decorations, or to add a "real ghost" to a party. Or something. It gets really old really fast. And every year Mistress and I take all the frustration and channel it into warding the place like crazy because I'm sensitive to wandering spirits, they're out in DROVES this time of year, and I really don't want them getting into the center and disturbing the ghosts. This is a place of peace for them! And for me, come to think of it...

Anyways! Over the past month, I'd been in contact with a pair of parents that genuinely wanted a Misdreavus for their son. I had three phone interviews with them, as per my requirement, so I could get a "read" on them. They were both ghost specialists! They knew how to socialize a ghost! They were familiar with the otherworldly ways of our preferred typing! They were open to keeping me updated on how the baby settles in! In all areas, they seemed like the ideal candidates.

But I had... a hunch. So I told them, there was just one more step. I wanted to oversee their son meeting one of my Misdreavus, just to make sure he wasn't afraid. See for myself. That's not usually a requirement. But luckily, they agreed.

So then I met the kid. Typical ten-year-old, ready for his first Very Own Pokemon. And he wasn't... afraid, exactly. He wasn't "checked out". He just... wasn't at all excited. He actually seemed to dread coming here. He was so bored. I introduced him to three of my ghosts. And the parents did all the talking, and whenever they'd ask him, wasn't it exciting? Weren't my ghosts wonderful? And, I mean, yeah, thanks, I was FLATTERED! (The Alolan Mismagius was one of them, and he was positively preening.)

But this kid didn't even want to be here. The parents were doing all the talking. This kid was just... going along with it.

So I told the parents I'd have to think about which one would be the perfect match, and I'd need to be alone with their son for just a moment. They seemed hesitant, and I mean, I understand why. But I insisted I had to get a "read" on him and interview HIM, too, to make sure I made the right match. I told them I'd introduce them to my Mimikyu, and that served as a nice distraction.

And luckily, once his parents were out of sight, this kid let out a huuuge sigh, and when I asked him if he really wanted a Misdreavus, he just kind of... looked down, and shook his head. I told him that was okay, and talked with him a bit to understand why he was going along with this. He didn't want to disappoint his parents. Luckily I came up with a plan, and I told him I'd tell his parents none of my ghosts were a good match for him, and if he ever wanted to raise a Misdreavus later on in life, my doors are open. But I'm not going to send one of my babies home to somebody who doesn't want it.

That was the first time I saw him smile.

His parents were disappointed, but it was worth disappointing them to save both their son and a baby Misdreavus from a situation neither of them want to be in!

I guess maybe I always thought of ghost trainers as a little more... enlightened, than others? I mean. Home team bias, right?

But now I know that even ghost trainers can be as blinded by their excitement as any other trainer...

So, I guess this is my PSA for the month:

Parents, please don't saddle your kid with a pokemon they don't WANT! That's every bit as irresponsible as impulse-catching, or buying from breeding mills, or adopting any species without researching their needs.

(And that's how Missie ended up abandoned by her first trainer.)

Just TALK to your kids and let them be honest with you, you know? Please don't put both your kid and whatever pokemon you want to give them in a situation where they're FORCED to be together...