#and i love their hisuian forms even more

[randomwriter02]

For today, I decided to draw one of my favorite normal types!

[vaugarde]

aro bi dewott :3

[nartothelar]

Even without his request for the Zoroark to turn into Emmet, Ingo is a friendly, open and kind person... Even without his memories he still has a very open, positive and respectful attitude towards Pokemon. Given how many Pokemon are feared across Hisui, I think especially Zorua and Zoroark face a lot of negativity when encountered, I feel like having suddenly someone treating the Pokemon kindly and friendly is weird at first but definitely welcoming. It probably didn't even took that long for the Zoroark and Ingo starting to have conversations. (in my thoughts it likely started with demands of certain types of food and evolved from there) And the more they warm up to each other the more they appreciate each others company, making the Zoroark less bitter and lonely and Ingo gets a sense of familiarity and comfort seeing Emmet again, as well as helping another lonely soul.

It makes me wonder if the Zoroark ever makes the connection that the person he reflects back to him isn't just a weird mirror version of Ingo but a person very near and dear to him. What I do think is that they indeed form a very close friendship that in a few ways mirrors the brotherly bond Ingo and the actual Emmet had.

(you might think that no one remembers him but I do, I loved the comic you first created way back when so much that I also made a lengthy ask a while back wishing to see more of it, I was very thankful and grateful back then and I'm very much looking forward to see the new one done soon! Take all the time you need though! Good things need their time! Thank you!)

reassurance

- ingo realizes that maybe continuously bothering someone to talk with you until they fold might’ve been rude 💀 but zoroark is too chill (and lonely) to really mind sksk

- though a few form packs, hisuian zoroarks tend to live and hunt alone

- ingo gets most of the gifts he brings from the pearl clan or jubilife village since the foods zoroark requests are fancier than what he usually eats

- melli notices when ingo leaves for his visits

- previous comic

[n7punk]

Lava_Beee (pretty well-known artist who draw she-ra fanart from time to time) is asking on twitter what would Adora and Catra main pokemon be. You're pretty knowledgeable when it comes to pokemon i believe, so what's your take?

hi i love lava_bee's art but here's the thing. i can't fucking answer this question. i can't. there are too many pokemon. and i don't mean this in a "i dont have every single pokemon + most of their shinies and types memorized" kind of way, because I do, i mean it is impossible for me to pick my favorite pokemon, which makes it very hard to have a "main", and even harder to ascribe a main to a character and feel.... idk, confident about it. i could give you 30 different answers and none of them would feel more correct. i've never seen a fan-team for them and went "oh yes this is the Correct answer" it's just an answer. its a little easier if you give me a specific gen and i can either 1) only use pokemon from that gen (so for gen 2 it had to be pokemon 152-251) or 2) only use pokemon from that game's regional pokedex (which includes all pokemon added to that gen and some from previous) as if we're saying okay if adora and catra were kalos trainers what would their team be, but even then, i think i would have a pool of like 20 pokemon i could call their team.

context also matters. are they casual trainers? are they gym leaders and confined by type? are they part of the evil team? are they really competitive and trying to get all the badges, and thus have balanced teams in mind? oh god are stats real in-universe? actually i refuse to acknowledge stats that makes this question a billion times harder, but typing is relevant.

anyway i think if adora was a dedicated trainer she'd care a lot about team balance but get too attached to some favorites and use them more than is logical, and if she isn't a competitive trainer than she's literally out here using her starter, the first three pokemon she befriended, and a fifth+sixth pokemon she saved spots for because she always found them really cool and had to work really hard to get

if catra is a dedicated trainer she'd be ruthless in cultivating a "perfect" team but she would end up falling for her in-universe melog equivalent and become a total softie for it even though it doesnt fit with the team so she only battles with them casually and drills her competitive team but then adora manages to talk her into a change of heart ("its not all about winning, its about the battle and the bond with your team too!") and she ends up putting melog on her final team against the champion/elite four/adora. if she's not a dedicated trainer she would outwardly refuse to learn about "good" pokemon and just pick based purely on vibes and completely ignore adora whining at her about type balance. and then she would be really good at playing around type, revealing she actually knows a lot more than she's pretending to care

and here's a small list of only some of my favorite pokemon to demonstrate what i mean: (Hisuian) Zorua (and Hisuian Zoroark but not regular) (Shiny form also) Slither Wing Torracat (Litten okay, NOT Incineroar at all) Sprigatito Chien-pao Alolan Ninetails Hisui Growlithe/Arcanine Cosmog, Cosmoem, Lunala (Solgaleo) Serperior Vivillion (Ocean, Savanna, Garden, Meadow, Marine, Sun, Elegant, Modern, Continental, Polar, Tundra) Applin (evols are good) Pumpkaboo Wooloo (not the evol) Rowlett (lowkey Dartix and Decidueye) Sinistea (not evol) & Poltchagheist (not the evol) Alcremie (varying by form but theres like 60 im not listeing them) Xerneas Marshadow Leavanny Xurkitree (shiny) Ponyta/Rapidash (kanto) and both galarian Lopunny Eevee(s) (Leafeon, Sylveon, Vaporeon, Jolteon, Espeon) Hisuian Typholosion Meowstic shiny Maerenie (and Toxapex) Dwebble Joltik Doublade Minior Mimikyu Galarian Zapdos Yveltal Lunala (esp shiny) shiny Zacian & Zamazenta Jangmo-o (and Kommo-o but not the middle) Tapu Lele Spectrier Galarian Articuno Spinda (for the mechanic) Walking Wake

NOW IMAGINE DOING THIS FOR SOMEONE WHO ISN'T EVEN YOU

[goldensunset]

OKIEEEEEE DOKIEEEE @deityofhearts has permitted me to infodump about some of my favorite pokémon so yay!!!!!

here they are YAYYYYYYYYY undead foxes that kinda look like peppermint whipped cream. hisuian zorua on the left (baby) and hisuian zoroark on the right (adult). as you can see zorua is just a pathetic sad little thing i mean it still very much is full of malice but like it’s really just a lost lingering child y’know? zoroark though. that design tells you everything you need to know. that thang ain’t here to cuddle

hooray for vengeful ghosts!!!!!! bitter towards the world of the living!!!!!! reincarnation gone wrong!!! always a banger trope. the part about using a power so strong that it hurts you and you don’t even care bc you’re just that full of rage… letting those emotions do damage to both yourself and others… the way the red parts might be its own blood….

as for the baby zorua there’s less anger and more sorrow bc it notably has a melancholy expression where its original form had a more mischievous one. like this is a dead lost child far from home basically. bitter for certain and trying to vent those emotions somehow. no guys it’s misunderstood ok!!!

^but also look how gosh darn cute it is. resentment who? that is a baby animal!!! this is from a beautifully animated short series called hisuian snow and the protag meets and befriends this little guy who comes back to save him later (and it’s a shiny too!!! alec is so lucky)

there’s also a cool hisuian zoroark mask that was an event distribution item in the game (which i sadly missed 😔) but alec gets one bc good for him

also these pokémon (and their original forms) are particularly notable for being illusionists that can shapeshift and/or create mirages to mess with people. sometimes in a purely mischievous way and sometimes to legitimately help themselves. zorua in particular likes to turn into a silent child so 👆 changeling am i right (although zoroark has been seen able to speak human language before)

also in case it wasn’t clear within the game hisuian zorua and zoroark in particular are Feared like children in the area grow up hearing scary stories about it. it’s known as the baneful fox. in the game you only really tend to find it in secret caves- and these are like pitfalls that normal people couldn’t get out of on their own. you might trip and fall into a hole you didn’t even see a moment ago and whoops you just landed in the murder fox den. better luck next life!

y’know what just watch this clip from hisuian snow actually my screenshots won’t do it justice please

but like they’re really only like this in bc they’re just fiercely loyal and trying to protect themselves and those they love from potential threats. hisuian snow in particular establishes that they’ve been mistreated by human beings and have turned into monsters as a way of adapting to it/coping with rage and grief. like at the beginning you see it in its original unovan form cradling an injured baby zorua and then it like gives a terrifying enraged cry and transforms into its hisuian form

alec’s friend later saves him by scaring off another pokémon— like imagine being so scary you stop a massive dragon shark thing just by looking at it. man

^the dragon shark in question

nonetheless. could a thing like this baneful undead fox ever truly be besties with humans? or even other pokémon???? it’s so distinctly set apart from everything else in the world… it leaves after this once again…

anyway i sadly can’t put more than ten images in here but in conclusion this thing is really really cool and i have keychains of these two so YAYYYYYYYYY

[grasshopperdoingdogpaddle]

Hypothetically speaking; if Omi, Kimiko, Raimundo or Clay drank the Lao Mang Lone Soup, what do you think their respective Heylin monster forms would be? What would their evil personalities be like?

Please note though that the personalities we saw when each one of them briefly turned to the dark side hardly count, since, A.) Heylin Raimundo was just Rai going through some emotional problems and looking for both an alternative choice and an outlet to take all of his frustration and anger out on, B.) Omi and Kimiko only turned evil because they both had their respective good sides magically removed by the Ying-Yang World, so, it’s kind of hard to count that as seeing what they would be like if they turned to the dark side, and C.) Clay was merely possessed by an evil entity, meaning that every single bad thing that we saw him do or say was all just Sibini using him for a puppet

I definitely subscribe to gravity-what's theory that "Lao Mang Lone soup transformations work by latching on to a person’s insecurities and current mental state."

Hence, Chase looking very much like a traditional, reptilian dragon/drake that even incorporates some of his spiky hair into its design, because Chase took the time to contemplate it and knew what he was getting into and ultimately decided he wanted this path to make the legendary name for himself that he envisioned, regardless of it costing him everything he believed in and everyone he loved.

And Guan having this harder exterior and a much more haphazard mix of pincers and claws and natural weapons because, when he accepted Hannibal's offer, it was some time after a strain had appeared in his and Chase's relationship with Chase having this unresolved enmity from not getting to drink the soup when he had resolved to abandon everything. So Guan wanted a means to lash out, but also a defensive outer shell to harden his heart.

So, my thoughts for how each monk's Lao Mang Long dragon form might be:

I love gravity-what's design for dragon Omi, can't improve upon perfection.

Tiny, but with this frill he can flare up to make himself look and feel bigger and scarier. Claws and fangs that are good for sharp, quick attacks. A tale that's not a good weapon but serves for good balance, so he's very agile and fast. Hyperactive and vicious, but still has this surprisingly kitten-like adorableness to him somehow. Confused and angry and tricked and lost but feisty and determined and sharp and wide-eyed and naive, this form definitely captures the moment!

He's scared and confused, and was tricked into it again, but he's always been a fighter, and he's prepared to fight now, too.

Once he acclimates, though, he'll be fueled by loyalty and devotion like he always is, so it's a matter of who he aligns himself with. There's no form of Omi that's ever going to want to go it alone, so he'd inevitably end up under someone he can cling to.

-

For Kimiko, her Heylin side is driven by ambition and passion. It was only half of her, but what we see is still genuine. She made it very clear, she wants the world, nothing more and nothing less.

Her dragon form would be the only one that incorporates her element into it, visually, and the only one that would have fur instead of scales. She'd look a lot like a Hisuian Typhlosion.

Hypnotically pretty in a dragon sorta way. Sleek, shiny, fireproof fur, beautiful eyes, fluffy ears and tail, graceful but powerful movements. A collar of ghostly flames that wisp and flare in a bright magenta red color. The ever-burning flames would be more of a Heylin magic thing and less of a true-burning fire by default, but they'll still burn whoever she wants them to burn. Kimiko's always been a little scared of getting too close to others and letting any shortcomings show, so the natural way to keep other's at whatever distance she wants or to draw them in with something eye-catching would suit her.

She can emit fire or smoke with a practiced ease, and its powers can be just as mystical and disorienting as they can be destructive.

She's still clever but temperamental, and is the dragon that'd be most focused on long-term goals, since her motivations are the most goal-oriented.

-

For Clay, he's a big guy that often tries to make himself seem smaller, take up less space.

We've never seen what it would take to drive him to the Heylin side, but we still have a lot of his hang-ups and motivations that we can draw from.

His dragon form would have the thickest skin, maybe even a hard outer shell of some sort he can retreat into. All defense. And his would have a "chameleon-like" (but more cuttlefish-like in the mechanics) ability to camouflage itself to any environment, even changing his texture and patterns to blend in. I don't have an exact visual analogue for this one, but if I had to pick, maybe something like the Mystery Shell Dragon from YuGiOh?

Clay would make some place his own, cultivate it, and be highly territorial over it. He'd have little interest in dominating the world, he just wants some corner of it that is his and his alone, like how he focused on building a new home in the alternate universe rather than actively fighting. But like Chase and Guan, he'd definitely gather up an army of people-turned-animals of some sort.

-

For Raimundo, he made the decision to betray his allies fueled by spite. He was fully of sound mind and didn't really have to be prodded or magically altered. Raimundo ultimately wanted the other monks taken down a peg. He was angry and frustrated, and he wanted to hurt them and make them feel as bad or worse than he did. That was more of a motivation for him than the riches.

Though the riches he sold out for were still some factor, so it'd be interesting if gold were incorporated into his dragon form somehow.

Aside from that, I think his form would be a bit like Guan's in that it would have a lot of natural weapons incorporated into it and boast a design most suited for offense, but far less shielded. An amalgamation of vulnerable sinew and sharp edges. He'd have a stinger on his tail, tusks and horns on his head, pincers on his hands, spikes along his body, rows of shark teeth, maybe even something projectile-like incorporated into his anatomy. The soup would draw out a form built for destruction and pain in accordance with his motivations for turning.

Again, I lack a perfect analogue here, but it'd be something to the vibe of Devidramon from Digimon.

[goddness-lunafreya]

Baldur's Gate 3 Characters' Pokémon Team (Part 1)

—Astarion, the Pale Elf—

Read the other parts at the end of the post.

Hello everyone, I had this idea for a while and decided to put it into practice. I will talk about my ideas for a Pokémon team, analyzing the characters' profiles, thinking about their narrative and gameplay functions within the Baldur's Gate universe to find the best pocket monsters for them.

The only rules are: 1 Starter, 4 common Pokémon and 1 Legendary or Mythical. The team also needs a Gigantamax or a Mega Evolution.

Today's character who will win a Pokémon team will be Astarion, the Pale Elf.

Let's start with your Starter, the one that the coach starts by forming a strong bond. They are small, friendly creatures that are easy to train, and they are also rare.

And your Starter could not be other than the Paldea Grass Starter, Sprigatito.

Sprigatito is an extremely friendly cat. And cat suits Astarion! They are fast, cunning beings, perfect for a rogue. But it's not just because this little one is a cat! They evolution, Meowcarada, is perfect for Astarion.

Meowcarada are Pokémon with a bold attitude, they like to appear to distract opponents while they perform a trick or cheat. Yes, this cat is the spirit of the liar! All theatrical to distract from the truth!

And its typing matches Astarion a lot, the second type being Dark, which gives the feeling of evil that surrounds a vampire.

The second Pokémon I thought of is Noviern, the evolution of Noibat.

This huge Dragon/Normal Pokémon brings all the vampiric energy of Astarion. Being a huge, powerful bat, fast and with a resistant type.

Furthermore, it is a Pokémon that I see Astarion using to impose his strength. While Meowcarada is his more deceitful side, Noviern is his more fighting side.

Astarion's third Pokémon would be a Weavile, a Dark/Ice type Pokémon!

Weavile are even more cunning and dangerous than Meowcarada, as they behave much more perversely. They are cats specialized in attacking from behind, hiding, they are fast and lethal. If Meowcarada had the personality, Weavile has the way of acting like a rogue.

Furthermore, they are Pokémon with a strong personality, hardly giving up on their goals, just as Astarion never gave up on his.

Astarion's next Pokémon represents his hatred, everything he accumulated in the years he was a slave to Cazador. This is Hisuian Zoroark, Astarion's fourth Pokémon.

This ancient form of Zoroark is not a Dark type, but Normal/Ghost. This Pokémon is practically a spirit, full of hatred for humans and aggressive behavior.

He even has the ability to change shape, disguising himself to deceive. However, this Pokémon has a less cunning behavior in general, and is more direct.

White skin with red, with a hunchbacked expression and posture. Sometimes, we just want to avenge those bad feelings we felt, and Astation knows very well what that is.

(Bonus: a friend of mine told me that this Zoroark reminds me of Astarion when he does the Ascension ritual! And well, it really seems!)

Astation's fifth and last common pokemon is unusual. But I think he manages to convey his less aggressive side well. This pokemon is Leavanny.

Leavanny may seem like a strange choice on this team, but it makes perfect sense! They are gentle Grass/Bug Pokemon who love to sew. That's right, sewing and weaving clothes, mending them.

I can see Astarion using this pokemon to help sew his beloved white t-shirt! Not to mention that he is someone who understands fashion and could give their opinion on it. Furthermore, they are gentle Pokémon, who make clothes to keep other Pokémon warm. They are attentive, calm and affectionate.

Not to mention, look at their claws! They're like two blades, these Pokemon are great for cutting and fighting too! In the end, Leavanny rounds out this team very well.

And lastly, we have the team's legend. One that even represents Astarion, Mewtwo, a powerful Psychic Pokemon.

See, Mewtwo was once a slave, trapped by his creators, forced to follow their orders. Totally lost, without anyone, alone... Deep down, Mewtwo wanted to be understood, and perhaps our Pale Elf understands they on several points.

Mewtwo would be your Mega Pokémon. And to top it off, he has two megas!

Mega Y is purely a Psychic type, much more mentally powerful and with an air of superiority. They is a Mewtwo above, ascended. It conveys well the absolute concentration of power in a single being.

And the Ascended Astarion would love to have you by his side. The best for the best.

Mega X has a secondary type, Fighting, and is much more humanoid. It's Mewtwo who has connected to their human side, who understands their strength. They doesn't need incredible psychic powers or superiority, he just needs to connect to his hidden side.

Spawn Astarion would choose them, as he sees the strength that change brings. This Mewtwo may look different from the original, but it's they, just with a different vision. Another force.

And now, we have the conclusion, where based on what was analyzed, I say that Astarion's favorite type is:

Dark type!

The Dark type is linked to Pokémon with the characteristic of "Doing evil", they are not always evil, but they do evil. They can be silly actions or really cruel actions, it all depends on the Pokémon.

This would be his favorite type, but as we saw, it's not the only one he would leave on his team. Let's be honest, Astarion would love Dark-type pocket monsters, with their greedy and cunning behaviors and incredible powers.

And I hope you enjoyed the analysis! I really want to team up with the other characters.

Other parts:

—Part 2 (Halsin)

Replots and reblogs are always welcome. Support the artist by giving a follow and like. Feel free to give suggestions for Pokémon and teams. 🌙 —Goddness Lunafreya

[lucius-morningstar]

Hazbin Pokemon (Part 1)

So I had a few ideas on pokemon teams around the Hazbin community and while some have interesting theories as to why, others are just based on either personality or what I could picture them with in a personal sense. So let's start with the Morningstar Family: (NOTE I may change some of Lilith's later on but I'm generally happy with Lucifer and Charlie's team of choice) Lucifer: Uxie -> Legends aren't technically legends for Angels so why can't they own them. Anyway, Uxie is the being/creator of knowledge, what was Lucifer sent down to hell for. Basically giving humans free will and the knowledge to use it. Uxie just seemed fitting. Reshiram -> The Dragon of Truth, again kind of self explanatory, for Lucifer he keeps him as a reminder that he made the choices he did and the truth is, they weren't all good choices. Reshiram is both a memory of the good and bad parts of him but he still holds it very dear to him. Pidgeot (Shiny) -> A golden giant cockatiel like bird, need I say more?, Honestly I just think it works but it's not my main bird for an obvious reason, you'll see who though shortly. Dubwool -> It's a cute goat/ram pokemon. Again nough said, I don't really have a reason behind this one, I just couldn't not add a goat like pokemon to his team. Hydrapple (Shiny) -> The golden apple, originally started off as an Applin but with time he got a strong shiny apple hydra. Cause why not? SirFetch'd (Shiny) -> Shiny golden duck, again need I say more, why wouldn't he have this golden boy. Yes it is his ace he often sends out in a panic. -------

Lilith: (Her team may change with time. I am open to suggestions) Azelf -> Having the will power to do whatever she wants in the palm of her hand. Depending on how she uses it will determine her path though. Meloetta -> A beautiful pokemon with an equally beautiful voice. (This one may change) Zoroark (Hisuian) -> A shapeshifting pokemon who looks quite haunting but quite beautiful too. Darkrai -> A pokemon that is given an equally bad rep and can cause quite horrifying nightmares, maybe even trap you in your own worst nightmare. Friend or foe, for her sake you better be a friend. Primarina -> Another angelic pokemon with a beautiful voice. Tends to be one of her main she uses far more often then Meloetta. Milotic -> Again just another beautiful and hard to obtain pokemon. -------

Charlie: Minun & Plusle (These are illusions, their true forms are Latios and Latias) -> These are Charlie's main supporters and protectors. If you see her out, these are usually the two you see with her the most, many have underestimated them and regretted it. Sylveon -> Honestly who doubted this?, an Eevee she genuinely couldn't decide what to evolve into so she just spent her time loving her little cutie for what she was and ended up with a Sylveon much later. Yes she is indeed spoiled. This is Charlie's main that she uses in battle. Togekiss -> Another pokemon mostly evolved out of love and admiration. Charlie hardly uses him but that doesn't seem to bother them at all. Bewear (Shiny) -> If Charlie was honest she had gotten this little one when it was a cute Stuffle, never really thinking just how big it'd get when she'd evolve. Yes Bewear loves Charlie and tends to be the most cuddly of her team. Bewear is also insanely protective of Charlie too, but don't worry she just gives people hugs of warning, bone crushing hugs of warning. Marowak (Hisuian) -> Honestly this one was just Charlie's bleeding heart taking in a crying Cubone, maybe a bit out of her own self need to help others and knowing exactly what it's like to not really have her folks around. Was she expecting him to evolve into a bone throwing little menace. No, does she loev him less for it, of course not.

Next up: Angels and Exorcists. (If you're interested or have suggestions feel free to comment or reblog)

[tricogarfield]

Pt. 2 of the Ninjago Pokemon AU!

Here are Jay's, Zane's and Lloyd's team's for the AU :D If you havent seen the first post, make sure to check it out here

Jay -Dracozolt -Archaludon -Luxray -Lanturn -Meltan

HAH, BET YOU THOUGHT I'D GIVE HIM ONE OF THE PIKACHU CLONES, DIDN'T YOU?! Dracozolt and Archaludon both represent his dragon type here a bit, but Dracozolt more :D Archaludon is more a nod to how he is/used to be a mechanic and inventor. There's no special reason to him having Luxray other than that I love it and wanted to give it to him lmao. Remember how he gifted a Zebstrika to Nya? Well, Nya gifted him a Lanturn in return! I like to think Meltan was his first pokemon, which he found in the junkyard of his parents :] It would also be funny to imagine him not knowing Meltan is a mythical pokemon and going about his life without a clue until one day finding out how rare it is LMAO There was also this thought of Jay gifting Nya and Kai a Plusle and Minun actually!

Zane -Baxcalibur -Alolan Sandslash -Tentacruel -Empoleon -Corviknight

Baxcalibur is his dragon type, obviously. Alolan Sandslash on the other hand is a nod to him being a nindroid! Tentacruel is a reference to how his father was kept trapped by a big kraken :D (it was a kraken, right?-) Him having been the Ice Emperor is referenced with Empoleon! And because I love the falkon, I gave Zane Corviknight to represent it!:D I miss the falcon, man TAT

Lloyd -Hydrapple -Hisuian Decidueye -Cubone -Alolan Ninetales -Houndoom

Lloyd's team may still change a bit more than the others, but oh well! Hydrapple is his dragon, of course, but it also references the Ninja's dragons becoming one Hydra in Season 2! Hisuian Decidueye doesn't have a special reason, other than it fits in all honesty. Cubone on the other hand I gave him because it's the one pokemon that is known for loosing it's mother, so I think it kind of fits xD not exactly, of course, since Lloyd still has his mother (I think at least…) buut yeah! And Alolan Ninetales is a reference to Akita! Maybe it was even gifted to him by her? Lastly, Houndoom is supposed to be a nod to his Oni Form. Alright, so, those are the teams I've got so far! If you want to see the team's I'd give to other Ninjago characters or have suggestions for the AU, be sure to let me! I'm getting a bit attached to it actually xD but I can't make any promises lmao

[leggerefiore]

If I can squeak a request in, I’d love to see a bit with the Zoroark twins where they go camping or out to see the stars somewhere, even if it’s from home, and they’re trying to suppress themselves from howling but end up failing.

Bois can’t help it sometimes :’3

cw: poly (Ingo/Reader, Emmet/Reader), Pokehybrid AU

Camping was always a bit stressful, you supposed. It was hot and sweltering, but you could see the obvious excitement from the twins as they helped you set up the tent. They had taken time off just for this, so there was no way you could just turn away from this. Emmet's excitement to back in the wild was plain as day, while Ingo was subtly enjoying himself out in the scenery.

It was not long until both of them had taken on their Zoroark forms, dashing off into the woods to do something beyond your understanding. An occasional bark, growl, or whimper told you they were alright. It seemed like they had decided to indulge their hunting instinct a bit. You took a seat on the chair you packed with you and just opened a book. Hopefully, they wouldn't get a ranger called on them, or you would have to handle that.

When they finally returned, you watched as Ingo collapsed against the ground, panting heavily. Emmet, on the other hand, seemed all too well. He sat down beside you and shifted back into his human form playfully. You looked at them both with a curious stare. Ingo managed to regain himself and shift back himself.

“Emmet… wanted to practice chasing down Sawsbuck,” he sighed and grabbed a bottle of water out from your pack. The younger twin giggled.

“Brother could barely keep up,” Emmet nuzzled his face into your neck, letting you feel how flushed and sweaty his skin was, “That is what he gets for surviving on hamburgers and coffee.” You shot a glare at him for the sweat and also the fact he was pretending he didn't eat almost purely sweets himself. You roll your eyes and lightly shove the Zoroark hybrid away.

“Hmm, so who was it that packed all those snack cakes then?” you asked, and Emmet gasped. Ingo gave a chuckle at that. The younger twin then sprung up and announced they also obtained firewood.

~

You threw a frisbee out into the air and watched as Emmet chased after it at startling speeds. Ingo sat nearby, watching as you played with his brother. You would throw the disk and Emmet would watch it (mid-air) and rush it back to you. Which would begin the cycle anew. He hated to admit how much for it looked. Except, he refused to indulge those behaviours from himself.

That was until the frisbee went towards him because of the wind, and he jumped to catch it. Emmet huffed when he did that, but Ingo felt a bit overjoyed. He ran the frisbee back to you with a flustered expression and ran off to the tent.

His dumb brain opposes him quite often.

~

“Hey, Ingo, can you start this fire?” you asked him as you finished up the set-up for the campfire. He cocked a brow up at the request but went to send out Chandelure for just that. You stopped him. “No, I mean you,” you explained more. He was even more confused.

“How… would I start a fire?” He didn't see any lighters or objects around that could help him. It really seemed like Chandelure was the objectively best option.

“Flamethrower?” you titled your head. He stared at you dumbfounded.

“I don't know that move,” Ingo politely offered.

“I have the TM,” you went to your bag, but Ingo was the one stopping you now.

“I'm using Chandelure.”

~

You sighed as a certain sound woke you up from your slumber. Crawling out of your sleeping bag, you unzipped the tent to see two giant Zoroarks standing out under the full moon, howling as loud as they could. You sighed at the sight. A spooky Hisuian Zoroark's holding something dark and lonely versus the Unovan Zoroark's loud and threatening.

They both stopped when they saw you approach, shifting back into their human forms. Ingo was flustered, while Emmet tilted his head. You put your hands on your hips and looked at them.

“Ah… Did we wake you, dearest?” Ingo spoke first, as he usually did, “I do apologise... It was just so nostalgic being out under the stars again.” He seemed genuinely sorrowful to have awoken you. Emmet, on the other hand, stood up smugly and rushed towards you to scoop you up into a hug.

“Heehee, we did not have our whole pack together, but now we do!” He proceeded to cover you in kisses. You sighed. They had stayed up to talk and play around some more, but it seemed their instincts told them that you were missing. There was little to do against their canine brains, alas.

“... Then let's head off to bed,” you stretched and escaped Emmet's right embrace, “That's the only way I'll forgive you.”

They both followed you back and cuddled with you inside the tent.

You, however, were woken up by more howling at the crack of dawn.

[blaiddraws]

Hello there! I been a silent admirer of your blog and I love the Submas and DojoShipping content here! Your Placeholder AU is fire and Ithe new WereZoroark! Zisu AU as is noice. Will it turn into a full blown AU because so much could happen in it! Like how did she turn into a WereZoroark? What about Ingo turning into a WereZoroark himself but maybe Hisuian or even a WereLuxray and Zisu helping him with his new self? Emmet’s reaction to her and maybe Ingo not being human anymore? So much fun stuff and thanks so much!

Whether or not something turns into a full blown au is completely out of my control. it is entirely up to the whims of my own brain, you see. lol

that being said. i REALLY DO enjoy drawing Big Dog Zisu, and consequently have had some vague thoughts about it all. For one, I know for a fact that Zisu was a were-zoroark Before she and the rest of the galaxy team came to hisui. I've been considering her being born like that, or just having become one in her childhood or as a young adult. Still undecided on that.

Probably not gonna have ingo be a were-creature here! nor any other people, except maybe one or two? odds are, it'll be someone in the galaxy team or ginkgo guild regardless, since the were-creature stuff came from elsewhere than hisui

were-zoroark zisu IS fully Aware and all that in her zoroark form, she's just got a few more animalistic behaviors as a consequence of being a creature at the time. so she's Not going to be going feral and biting anyone, and therefore spreading the were-zoroark.

[pokesmashorpokepass]

Gen I, Complete!

That's right, with Mew's poll finalized we can say we have made it through the entirety of Gen I's Pokemon (plus variants introduced in later generations)!

As such, I'd like to take a moment to recognize this generations...

Sultans of Smash!

(Which is just a fancy way of saying they got more "Smash" than "Pass" votes)

So then, lets go through the list! Our Smashables are (under the Read More because holy fuck we're gonna be here a while):

Venusaur! Voted 53.3% Smashable in Standard Form and 54.9% Smashable in Mega Form! Though sadly, Gigantamax did not make the cut.

Charizard, who really raked in the Smashes! Boasting a 58.2% Smash vote in Standard Form, a whopping 70.4% Smash vote in Mega X Form, an even 66% Smash vote in Mega Y Form, and a similar to standard 57.1% Smash vote in Gigantamax, we cannot deny it: Charizard is smashable however one pleases!

And rounding out the OG Starter Trio, Blastoise! Voted 57.4% Smashable in Standard Form! But, alas, only Standard Blastoise was voted smashable... I guess extra cannons just don't do it these days.

Looks like the Snakes are Sexy trope is in effect (maybe), because Arbok made the cut at 53.7%! Guess more people love snakes than you'd think.

Looks like this group has a queen. Or should I say, a Nidoqueen? At 61.7%, it seems she's managed to charm many trainers throughout the years!

But of course, where there's a queen, there's often a king! So it's only fitting that Nidoking joins the Sultans of Smash! Hitting a respectable 66.2%, it seems the Nido- royal family has made monarchists of more than a few.

It's a trend as old as time (or at least as old as the country of Japan). The Kitsune of Japanese folklore has always been seen with an aura of sultriness in even some of its oldest appearances, and it seems Pokemon is no exception. Ninetails has been voted Smashable, with the classic Kantonian Ninetails ranking at 64.5% and the more modern Alolan Ninetails at 66.7%! Though really, considering how common art of these two are, It's surely no surprise they've made it here.

Of course, a trend must be noted: Whenever Ninetails is anthropomorphized, it's almost always as a woman. So one has to wonder, if Ninetails is the lord of the female anthros, who's the lord of the male anthros? Well for that, look no further than Ninetails' counterpart from Red version, Arcanine! With an impressive 73% smashability in Kantonian form (plus the largest number of overall votes) and a fine 63.5% in Hisuian form, Arcanine's appeal is very much apparent to many.

I'd like to congratulate this next one for being the first non-final evolution to make the cut! Kadabra has managed to pull a 59.8% Smashability rating, earning them a spot in the Sultans of Smash!

Of course, Kadabra's not the only member of this family on here. Alakazam has also been voted Smashable, at 66.1% for Standard form and 55.4% for Mega! Seems Max was right, the ladies do love a good spoon-bending (which is impressive, considering he doesn't even like girls).

Perhaps you're not much for brains, maybe you prefer brawn. If that's the case, Machoke has you covered! At a 63.9% Smash rating, seems this Superpower Pokemon also has the super power of getting some.

But of course, much like their Psychic-Type counterpart family, it doesn't end with Machoke. Oh no, Machamp has also made their way to the list, with a 61.1% Smash in Standard Form and a 52.4% Smash in Gigantamax! I guess with four arms, there really is enough of Machamp to go around for everyone!

I suppose the allure of the tentacles is too strong for some to pass up, because Tentacruel has made it at a 51.3% Smash vote! Just, uh, make sure to have some Antidotes on hand for your fun times...

A loyal steed can get one through many things, and few steeds are so loyal as Rapidash! With Kantonian at 59.2% and Galarian at 64.8%, maybe we need to start calling them Nearl Arknights the way people wanna smash these horses.

I'm gonna be honest, this one I didn't see coming! Haunter has managed a 55.4% Smash vote, earning them a spot in the Sultans of Smash! Guess more people must be into ghosts than I thought.

This next one, less of a surprise! They're big, they're fun, and they can probably do all the stuff a Haunter can and more, Gengar has made the cut in all forms, with a 63.7% for Standard Form, a 60.8% for Mega, and a 53.4% for Gigantamax! What can we say, Gengar has it going on according to the statistics.

And next on the list, Hitmonchan! Making the cut at 52.6% and beating out the kick-based Hitmonlee, it would seem you can get some if you skip leg day! (...There's probably a fisting joke in here somewhere as well, but lets not go there. Low hanging fruit and all.)

It's one of the oldest questions: "Hey baby what that tongue do?" And it would seem Pokemon are not immune to this question either, or at least Lickitung isn't! And at a 55.4% Smash vote, the answer seems to be "This tongue does a lot."

We got ourselves a bit of an oddity on this one, as Tauros has made the cut... but only in two of its Paldean forms, with Blaze Breed hitting 60.4% Smash and Aqua Breed getting a 52.1% Smash! That said, the other two come close as well, so I must conclude that the additional elemental types just add that special something!

Many people love to be serenaded, it's just one of those facts of life. So maybe it'll come as no surprise that the musically inclined Lapras has managed to carve itself a nice 63.4% Smashability rating in the votes! That said, sadly Gigantamax has not had the same luck. Guess it's true, sometimes the original is just better.

Shapeshifting! Almost any time a super power with smash-based applications is thought of, shapeshifting is one of the first to be imagined. So it's almost certainly no surprise that the mercurial Ditto has managed to earn itself a hefty 70.1% Smash rating!

Oh boy queue up the copypasta, because Vaporeon has proven that people agree! Specifically, 52% of voters agree! ...No I'm not putting the copypasta here, someone already did that on Vaporeon's poll.

Of course, that's not to say the rest of the Eeveelutions are unloved! Why, Jolteon has managed to pull a 54.5% Smash rating!

And of course, Flareon isn't forgotten either (at least by the fans, the way the actual games treat it you have to wonder about Game Freak...)! Making it to a 52.4% Smash rating, Flareon (and Jolteon, as stated above) prove that all three OG Eeveelutions have their fair share of the love.

Coming in as the 25th member of the Sultans of Smash, Snorlax has proven to be considered big and beautiful by 56% of the vote! Though it would seem this does not extend to Gigantamax Snorlax, though judging by that tree on their belly they may simply be Too Big To Smash.

And of course, we now get to the OG Legendary Trio, the Elemental Birds! And starting us off is Articuno! Specifically, Galarian Articuno, who has managed to outsmash their Kantonian cousin and gain themselves a 69% Smash rating (nice). Personally, I think it's the Char Aznable vibes they give off, what with the mask and the psychic powers and the redder coloration (being purple to the Kantonian's blue) and the being faster (though not 3x faster).

And much like Articuno, Galarian Moltres has managed to overtake their Kantonian cousin and snatch the Smash rating! And at 60.8% Smash, it's clear that, at least for Moltres, they do go for the jerks.

We saw with Arbok, and now we see it here with Dragonair and their 61.8% Smash rating, serpentine Pokemon have their share of fans down to smash!

And as the first fully evolved Pseudo-Legendary and the first fully evolved Dragon-Type, Dragonite's 57.3% Smash rating has reminded us that sometimes, being big and friendly while also being strong enough to kick ass has its charms!

And finally, rounding out Gen I's Sultans of Smash, we have The Gamebreaker of their day, the original Bragging Rights 'Mon, Mewtwo! With a 68.8% in their Standard Form and a 56.7% in their Mega X Form, Mewtwo proves they still got it in terms of smashing! Though it seems that Mega Mewtwo just doesn't have the raw smashing charisma of their other two forms...

And that wraps up the Gen I Who's Who of Smashing! See you all after Gen II!

[bethanythebogwitch]

Let’s turn up the heat because I’m going over the real-life inspirations for all the fire-type starter Pokémon. Here are the links for when I covered the inspirations for all grass starters, all fish, and all non-fish aquatic Pokémon.

Gen I gives us quite possibly the most iconic starter line: the Charmander line. Interviews with the design team have revealed that Charizard was the first of the line to be designed and the other two were designed by working backwards from it. Both Charmander’s English and Japanese name (Hitokage) reference the mythical salamander of European folklore. Salamanders have been associated with fire in multiple cultural folklores throughout Europe, often to the point where their depictions have nothing to do with the actual amphibians. Interestingly, the oldest accounts that associate salamanders with fire comes from Pliny the Elder, who repeated an account their bodies were so cold they could extinguish fires. Somewhere along the line of legends being passed down, salamanders got flipped from repelling fire to living in it, possibly as a result of getting conflated with other mythical reptilians like dragons or basilisks. In the renaissance, the alchemist Paracelsus described salamanders as fire elementals, along with a group of other elemental beings (gnomes for earth, sylphs of air, and undines of water).

(image: an artistic depiction of a fiery salamander. Art by Michael Maier)

In addition to salamanders, Charmander and Charmeleon are given the upright poses and dragging tails of outdated reconstructions of theropod dinosaurs. Charizard is a classic depiction of a western dragon: a winged reptile that breathes fire. Western dragons are based heavily on lizards, with some of the earliest depictions being a dead ringer for monitor lizards. Charizard is said to love fighting, which is reminiscent of how western dragons have been depicted as dangerous, destructive, and even demonic monsters. It is only relatively recently that western dragons have been depicted as anything but evil. Charizard doesn’t have the dragon type (unless it mega evolves to X form), but that’s more because back in gen I, dragon was intended to be the special type exclusive to the late-game powerhouses that are the Dratini line. Charizards mega evolutions and gigantamax form don’t really add much to the origin, they’re just exaggerations of Charizard.

(image: art of a western dragon by Friedrich Justin Bertuch)

Cyndaquil is based on an echidna, an Australian monotreme (egg-laying mammal) that has a long snout and quills like a porcupine.

(image: a long-beaked echidna. I don't know why, but its snout makes me very uncomfortable)

Despite being an echidna, its species name is the Fire Mouse Pokémon. This is actually a hint to an additional inspiration for its origin. The Japanese word that got translated to “Fire Mouse” is “Hinezumi”. This is the Japanese name for a monster originating in Chinese legend called the “huǒshǔ”. It’s a flaming mouse that lives in volcanoes. The flaming mammal and volcano association continues through the line. Also, when I googled “hinezumi” the first thing that popped up was the Monster Girl Encyclopedia. If you know, you know (don’t google it). Quilava and Typhlosion completely drop the echidna inspiration, which is a bit disappointing to me. That’s why I made regional variants of them for my Australia/New Zealand fakemon region where they stay as echidnas. While being based on badgers, they retain the quills that are found in many animals, most famously porcupines and hedgehogs. Hisuian Typhlosion is based on Kamuy-huci, the Ainu goddess of the hearth. The Ainu are the indigenous people of Hokkaido, the island that inspired Sinnoh and Hisui. There are multiple Ainu references in Hisui’s design, plot, and regional variants. In the Ainu religion, the hearth was the connection between Earth and the world of spirits and was therefore never allowed to go out. It could also be used to communicate with the kamuy (gods and spirits) and was the passage through which the souls of the dead would leave the world and eventually return for reincarnation. This is why Hisuian Typhlosion is part ghost-type. The fire around H Typhlosion’s neck looks like magatama beads, which are used in the spiritual practices of multiple belief systems. These flames can release 108 ghost lights. 108 is an important number in Buddhism and is the number of beads in a Japamala, another type of beaded necklace used for spiritual practices in (among other religions) certain types of Buddhism.

(image: a japamala with wood beads)

The Torchic line is, I suspect, the place where the trend of basing fire starters on Chinese zodiac animals started. Typhlosion really doesn’t fit the zodiac, though some people say it’s supposed to be the mouse. The line is based on chickens. More specifically, they are based on the basan, a legendary fire-breathing chicken.

(image: art of a basan by Takehara Shunsen)

Torchic is a chick, a hatchling chicken. It being bright orange comes from a tradition of dying chicks bright colors to be sold at festivals. Male Torchics have a tiny black spot on their rear ends that females don’t. This is probably based on vent sexing, a technique for determining the sex of chocks, a notoriously difficult task. It is done by examining the cloaca, looking for a bump that usually only males have. Combusken and Blaziken are based on cockfighting, a form of animal abuse where people force chickens to fight and bet on the winners. The official art for Blaziken’s normal and mega evolved forms have it in poses used in the martial art of Muay Thai. Blaziken is usually depicted as fighting primarily with kicks and Muay Thai emphasizes kicking. Blaziken being an humanoid with a bird head may also reference the bird-headed Egyptian gods Horus and Ra, or off of the karura, a diving being that looks like a human with a bird’s head in Japanese mythology.

(image: a statue of a karura)

The Chimchar line are based on the monkey from the zodiac. Chimchar’s species name is the Chimp Pokémon, and it does bare some resemblance to a young chimpanzee. When Chimchar’s flame goes out, you can see prominent red marking on its butt. Several monkey species have marking on their hindquarters, but the most famous by far is the baboon. Chimchar’s lack of a tail identifies it as an ape, but its evolved from gain tails, making them monkeys. A lot of people think that apes are separate from monkeys, but really apes are a subset of old-world monkeys. Apes are monkeys, you are an ape, therefore you are a monkey and that’s nothing to be ashamed of. Monferno and Infernape both have prominent facial markings heavily reminiscent of those of mandrills.

(image: a male mandrill's face)

Monferno having blue facial marking and orange fur also makes it look like a golden snub-nosed monkey.

(Image: a golden snub-nosed monkey's face)

These are native to China and the line does have some heavy Chinese influence. The martial art that Monferno and Infernape use is most likely Monkey Kung Fu or Hóu Quán, which was inspired by the movements of monkeys. Infernape is based on the character of Son Goku, the Japanese name for the character Sun Wukong from the Chinese epic novel Journey to the West. Sun Wukong is the king of all monkeys, a martial artist, and has several magic powers.

(image: Japanse art of Son Goku/Sun Wukong. Art by Shunman Kubo)

Sun Wukong may be based on the older Hindu god Hanuman, a monkey-like god associated with strength and heroism who was also a member of the varana, a species of monkey people.

(image: a sculpture of Hanuman)

The Tepig line are based on the boar of the zodiac. Ken Sugimori said that the Unova starters were based on different cultures to reflect Unova being a very diverse place. The Tepig line were given Chinese design elements whole the Snivy line were “western” and the Oshawott line were Japanese. Tepig having a dark marking on its head and rear but being light everywhere else comes from the markings of the British Saddleback pig breed.

(image: a British saddleback pig)

The fire and pig combination references how pigs are bad at regulating their body head and need to use external sources like mud to cool off. Pignite takes on more boar traits with its exposed tusks. The markings on its body look like it is dressed in a wrestling singlet, which fits as both Pignite and Emboar are based on wrestlers. The yellow markings on Pignite and Emboar resemble patters found in ancient Chinese cauldrons called dings.

(image: a ding)

Ken Sugimori also stated Emboar was inspired by the character Zhang Fei in the Chinese novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms. In the story, Zhang Fei is betrayed and decapitated by his own men. This could be the purpose of the fire scarf Emboar has, to separate its head from its body. Pignte and Emboar also draw from another Chinese story, the afore-mentioned Journey to the West, specifically the character of Zhu Baije. Zhu Baije is a pig man who joins the titular journey. He is also jealous of Sun Wukong, which kind of fits with how Emboar is a much worse Pokémon than Infernape.

(image: an artists depiction of Zhu Baije. Unknown artist)

The Fennekin like take the place of the fox in the zodiac. Design-wise, their large ears mark them as being based on fennec foxes. They are also based off of the kitsune, magical foxes in Japanese mythology. Among the many powers attributed to kitsune were the ability to breathe fire and perform magic. Kitsune could also take on the form of human women, which is referenced in Fennekin’s evolutions becoming humanoid and having feminine designs.

(image: art of a Kitsune scaring two people by Utagawa Kuniyoshi)

Human could also learn magic form foxes, becoming  fox witches or kitsune-mochi/kitsune-tsukai. Braixen and Delphox take quite a bit of their design from these fox witches, they also draw from the classic wester witch, using magic wands and Braixen having a tail that looks like the head of a flying broomstick. The association of witches with fire might be a reference to witch burnings. Delphox is also based on a prophet or seer, with its ability to see the future. Delphox’s English name directly references the ancient Greek oracle at Delphi. The final forms of the Kalos starters are based on the fantasy character archetypes of the fighter, the mage, and the thief. Delphox is very much the mage.

Litten is a black cat with tabby cat features. Tabby cats are defined by the stripes on their faces and legs. The orange and black stripes also identify it as the tiger from the zodiac. Its eyes plus forehead stripes are a dead ringer for the alchemical symbol for brimstone, another name for sulfur. Sulfur is a highly flammable element, fitting the fire type. This is one of several references to alchemy found in gen VII.

(image: the alchemical symbol for brimstone. two horizontal lines crossed by a vertical line that leads down into an infinity symbol)

Torracat doesn’t change much from Litten, just adding more stripes and a fireball that looks like a bell on a cat’s collar. It does change when it evolves to Incineroar, and not for the better. Incineroar is my least favorite final stage starter and easily in my top 10 most hated Pokémon. I could go on for a while about how much I hate it, but this isn’t the post for that. It’s still a tiger, but now it has been combined with a professional wrestler. You can tell they really wanted to do another fire/fighting type but knew there would be backlash. The belt of fire is based on a championship belt and its dark type comes from being a heel. In wrestling language, a heel is a villainous character, someone the audience is supposed to boo (a face is a heroic character). This fits with Incineroar being describes as a violent and egotistical Pokémon. However, Incineroar does have a soft side. This fits with how wrestlers are performers playing characters. A performer playing a heel character may cheat, lie, steal, and generally be an asshole while in character, but when not in character they probably won’t be nearly as unpleasant a person.

Scorbunny is the rabbit of the zodiac. More specifically, it is a white rabbit and like with real rabbits, its feet are considered good luck charms. The yellow patch on its face comes from a Japanese character design trope where a bandage over the nose is supposed to indicate that the character is tough and rambunctious. Maylene from the Sinnoh games shares this design element. Its fire typing could come from the Jataka tales, a collection of Buddhist stories from India. In tale 316, a rabbit is placed in a fire as a burnt offering, but it is unharmed by the flame. Another connection could come from the fact that rabbits have unusually high body temperatures for mammals. If Scorbunny is cheerful child, Raboot is a moody teenager. It’s fur and the stripe on its head look like a tracksuit and headband, giving it a connection to athletics. This continues with Cinderace, who is now an association football (or soccer to Americans) player. Football is a huge deal in England, the basis for Galar. Its fur looks like athlete’s attire and it uses a flaming berry like a football. This is another one where you can tell they wanted to make another fire/fighting type.

The Fuecoco line ditched the zodiac theme to become a crocodile. Its upright posture makes it look like a chibified theropod dinosaur and its silhouette looks like a chili pepper. The white face of both Fuecoco and Crocalor resembles a calavera, skull imagery used in the Mexican Day of the Dead. This is a Mexican holiday which is a celebration of dead loved ones that is typically very spirited and cheerful as opposed to glum and mournful. Folklore says the ghost will return to the world of the living on the Day of the Dead. While Paldea is based on Spain and Portugal, several of the new Pokémon have designs based on elements from central and south America, possibly because of both countries’ history of colonialism in those areas. Crocalor adds several references to mariachi players. The flaming nest and egg on its head is a sombrero while the markings on its abdomen look like a traje cordobés, a type of vest often used in mariachi.

(image: a mariachi band wearing wests and sombreros)

The hat combined with the calavera face makes it look like La Calavera Catrina, a skeleton wearing a wide-brimmed hat that is used as a common symbol in the Day of the Dead.

(image: art of La Calavera Catriana by José Guadalupe Posado)

It could also be a bouquet of Tagetes erects, the Mexican marigold, a flow also used for the Day of the Dead. Skeledirge continues the mariachi and Day of the Dead theme by becoming an undead singing crocodile. Real crocodiles will vocalize during mating and nesting season. There are several stories of ghostly or monstrous crocodiles in Spanish folklore, such as the Cocollona and the Drac de Na Coca, the latter of which is displayed as a taxidermied specimen in a museum in the city of Palma de Mallorca. There is also the Coco or Cuca, a boogieman-like that originated in Spain and Portugal and spread to the Americas that is often depicted as a monstrous crocodile. All three of the Paldea starters are based on entertainers and Skeledirge is based on a singer. Given its typing and English name, it probably single funeral dirges. The fiery bird on its nose could come from the gharial, another type of crocodilian. Male gharials have large bumps on the tips of their snouts in the same spot the bird sits.

(image: a male gharial)

Another, possibly more likely source is the Egyptian plover, a bird that will land on top of Nile crocodiles and eat parasites off of their skin. Skeledirge could also be based off of alebrijes, very colorful statues of mythical creatures in Mexican folk art. This is making me think about how cool a Mexico-based region could be.

[buttersoftheshea]

Feral Frills (Dark/Poison) This Pokemon bears some resemblance to both Weavile and its ancient ancestor- Sneasler. Perhaps it’s an ancient common ancestor? It uses its sharp claws to overwhelm prey, and its vibrant-colored neck frills to intimidate enemies.

Iron Shears (Steel/Flying) This Pokemon bears some resemblance to both Scizor and its ancient ancestor- Kleavor. It’s possible that it was made with the purpose of trimming and maintaining care over hedges. Its wings are actually rockets that allows it to boost up into the air.

I’ve been in a sort of creative and artistic slump for a while, but just a few days ago I got the brilliant idea of ‘what if Weavile had a paradox form?’ And initially I was thinking of a giant prehistoric weasel but then realized ‘no- Paradox Pokemon aren’t natural and only exist thanks to the eldritch mind turtle. There’s no way a paradox Weavile would even remotely be based on a weasel, they made Suicune into a RAPTOR.’

And since I’m convinced Paradox Pokemon aren’t real, I thought of another thing that’s not real- that one acid-spitting dinosaur from Jurassic Park. And how Weavile has frills.

SO, Feral Frills was born in a sketch that I was so proud of I decided to color. And then re-color for the shiny. I know people have played around with the idea of past Paradox Weavile/Scizor and future Paradox Sneasler/Kleavor and I absolutely love all of those ideas. But I thought about how Iron Valiant is kind of a hybrid of mega Gardevoir and mega Gallade, and reasoned that if any of these lines had a paradox form, they’d probably be mishmashes of the modern Pokemon with their respective ancestors. But I still wanted them to primarily obviously more resemble the modern-day equivalent in terms of coloration and whatnot, because I was imagining ‘well what would happen if the crew (the player, Penny, Arven, and Nemona) came across this? How would they react?’

... Probably with a mental breakdown because I’m convinced Penny, Arven, and Nemona have never heard of or paid enough attention in history class to know what Sneasler and Kleavor even are. The only one who MIGHT have a chance of knowing what they are is Nemona, only because “oh damn I wanna fight them” until she’s informed they’re extinct. Then their entire existance just flies out the window to her.

And I think part of the ‘WTF-ery’ behind Paradox Pokemon is that they LOOK like familiar Pokemon, they just... are SOMETHING ELSE. So, Feral Frills and Iron Shears have the main colorations of Weavile and Scizor with some loose elements from Sneasler and Kleavor, like Frills’ gems or furry feet or feathery tufts at the elbows, or Shears’ eyebrows and segmented abdomen and saw shoulder-blades.

Speaking of Iron Shears, I wanted it to be able to form something like scissors to reference Scizor, but with one blade on each hand like Kleavor. Scissors cut paper, axes cut trees, leaves... are somewhere in-between that. So, I made it a futuristic gardening shear robot.

For the shinies, for Feral Frills, I wanted to highlight it being a hybrid of Weavile and Sneasler so I made its shiny just a mishmash of Hisuian Sneasel’s (I’m sorry but I hate shiny Sneasler) and Weavile’s shiny. Hence the yellow and pink feathers. Kinda reminds me of a fancy drink with grenadine in it.

And for Iron Shears, well, officially it would be just like all the other future Paradox shinies. But. I made a different version that would be more like how I would like it- and it was easier to make since, well, both shiny Kleavor and shiny Scizor are green. Even shiny mega Scizor is green, which, yes I did loosely incorporate elements of mega Scizor into the design as well.

As for the typing, for Feral Frills it was obvious- I wanted to make it a Dark and Poison type to pull from Weavile and Sneasler, and also still be an acid-spitting menace. For Iron Shears, it was a bit more difficult since Steel/Rock, drawing from Scizor and Kleavor, wouldn’t really work with my robotic hedge-trimmer idea, but... I remembered that Scyther is a Flying type. So I decided to go with Steel/Flying since it’s metallic and can fly all over- and I didn’t want it to be Bug type either since it’s more of a robot and less of an organic creature. So, Steel/Flying, it can hang out with Skarmory, Corviknight, and Celesteela. Feral Frills can chill with Skuntank, Drapion, Alolan Muk, and Overqwil as everyone questions this eldritch mind turtle-made unnatural abomination.

Anyways, again, sketches that I was so proud of I slightly cleaned up and ended up coloring. I’m proud of these. I love Feral Frills so much I wish it was in the game, and then I think about how it’s not and I weep. I hope y’all like it!

[front-facing-pokemon]

I don’t think ANYONE used gmax pikachu or eevee have you HEARD GMAX PIKACHUS CRY

i have! it has also been like an entire week since i've shown my face here. let's get through some asks, shall we?

i hadn't thought about that point. paradox beasts, paradox swords of justice… i wonder if there is more solid lore behind them—especially when tpc seems very unwilling to refer to these pokémon as being even remotely related to their very obvious modern-day counterparts. the lore of paradox pokémon in general has always been shoddy, i feel

thank you! i love hearing myself talk so it works out

and it's a VERY good impression!!!

not sure which one you're talking about, but we'll get there, probably! i'm almost through queuing up all the gmax forms and am getting close to hisuian forms, after which will be the dreaded gen 9 models with their fucked up eyes. but i'm sure i'll (hopefully) figure something out

i saw this a few times in the comments, and i'm not entirely sure what to do with it, since apparently a lot of the pokédex entries nowadays leave a lot up to speculation, considering how short and vague they are. i suppose they're like that on purpose, to leave the pokémon lore open and ambiguous (so they can keep it "consistent" across all the various forms of media, perhaps?), but this just seems like a weird thing to do. personally. to me. adding new regis makes a bit more sense, since regis have always been a little Loose on the lore, i suppose, but these guys are just darn strange..!

[hiddentrails7]

The BG3 Pokémon teams, Halsin and Minthara edition! I'm still working on Jaheira and Minsc, since I want to get more info on them outside of BG3 to form their teams. Maybe I'll play BG2 and BG1, we'll see if I can afford to do it. But for now, here's two more teams I thought a lot about. :]

Halsin

(Oh the love I hold for him is,,, a lot. Both romantic and platonic is so sweet)

Ursaluna

“I believe it was Hisui’s swampy terrain that gave Ursaluna its burly physique and newfound capacity to manipulate peat at will.” (Pokémon Legends Arceus)

…big bear… bear father…

Venusaur

“There is a large flower on Venusaur's back. The flower is said to take on vivid colors if it gets plenty of nutrition and sunlight. The flower's aroma soothes the emotions of people.” (Pokémon Omega Ruby & Pokémon Alpha Sapphire)

It's a big flower monster that can help potientally avoid a fight with its rad ass smell. Amazing. Much Halsin.

Arboliva

“This calm Pokémon is very compassionate. It will share its delicious, nutrient-rich oil with weakened Pokémon.” (Pokémon Scarlet)

It's a very sweet Pokémon, and Halsin would absolutely let it give out its oil/olives to the tiefling refugees and random weak Pokémon he finds.

Ampharos

“It gives off so much light that it can be seen even from space. People in the old days used its light to send signals back and forth with others far away.”

Halsin isn't really one for technology and over advanced stuff. So he communicates with Ampharos instead.

(Call Lightning was also reaaalllyyyy useful and I've come to associate it with Halsin)

Kangaskhan

“To protect its young, it will never give up during battle, no matter how badly wounded it is.” (Pokémon SoulSilver)

Okay, so tell me why Halsin WOULDN'T want the protective powerhouse that is Kangaskhan.

Golduck

“GOLDUCK is the fastest swimmer among all POKéMON. It swims effortlessly, even in a rough, stormy sea. It sometimes rescues people from wrecked ships floundering in high seas.” (Pokémon Sapphire)

He likes ducks :],,, and I really think him having a Psyduck at some point would be so funny. Like.

“Kagha shut the fuck up Psyduck is sleeping.”

☆

Minthara

(Ms. Strap-On department herself. I've actually grown to really like her)

Araquanid

“It launches sticky water bubbles. Foes who lose consciousness while trapped inside these bubbles will get torn apart by Araquanid's gnashing jaws.” (Pokémon Violet)

I like to think Araquanid was her first, since she was raised in a household that worshipped the spider god. Fierce, but capable of being sweet. On rare occasions.

Samurott

“One swing of the sword incorporated in its armor can fell an opponent. A simple glare from one of them quiets everybody.” (Pokémon Black)

Samurott is a very paladin Pokémon.

I actually chose Unovan Samurott over Hisuian Samurott because I don't think she really needs the Dark type– they're actually both really stern in their Pokédex entries, and it just… feels better idk.

Grimmsnarl

“With the hair wrapped around its body helping to enhance its muscles, this Pokémon can overwhelm even Machamp.” (Pokémon Shield)

A morally grey-coded Pokémon that is also an absolute unit? Fuck yes. Absolutely Minthara coded.

Drapion

“Possessing a sturdy build, it takes pride in its strength, taking down foes without using toxins.”

Of course, the prideful Poison/Dark bug is going on Minthara’s team. It really works for her, especially if you stick with the Absolute stuff.

Scolipede

“Highly aggressive, it uses the claws near its neck to dig into its opponents and poison them.” (Pokémon White)

The Paladin needs her poisonous steed!! Her very aggressive steed that tolerates her and her alone!!

Banette

“BANETTE generates energy for laying strong curses by sticking pins into its own body. This POKéMON was originally a pitiful plush doll that was thrown away.” (Pokémon Ruby)

She's a Vengence Paladin that put parasites in her brain while under the Absolute for power. She and Banette get each other.