#the pokemon give people a means to understand each other and communicate beyond words

[yarnclan]

Lysander does really piss me off tho

[humming-pokemon-helpers]

“Does my Pokémon…?”

“Is my partner Pokémon…?”

A guide to FAQ’s I get from trainers about their Pokémon partners, since I’m lucky enough to understand Pokémon speech!

“Does my Pokémon actually enjoy battling?”

I’ve gotten this one a lot, probably in part due to Plasma’s messaging having a pretty big impact on Unovan culture! And yes, unless your Pokémon is showing clear signs of anxiety or burnout, and as long as you see that they’re willingly using the moves you’re asking them to, they do enjoy battling! Like most anybody with cool magic powers would, they love showing off their skills and working to improve them with you! It’s natural for Pokémon to battle (even if not all of them do), and it’s great exercise as well.

“Does my Pokémon feel the same emotions I do?”

With the disclaimer that they may not feel or express emotions the same way as us at times (much like humans vary in emotional experience and expression), yes! Pokémon are happy when they eat a good meal and spend time with their loved ones, sad when they lose an important battle, angry when they can’t see eye-to-eye with their trainers, scared when they’re in over their heads, and so much more! One of a trainer’s most important jobs is recognizing these emotions and tending to them, like a parent would with a child.

“Is my Pokémon as smart as a human?”

This one is a controversial question at best, but I’ll do my best to give an answer based on my experiences. The first point, frankly, is that it varies. All Pokémon have the smarts to use moves and abilities, understand and communicate with each other and with humans, and to take care of their needs in life, but beyond that it can vary widely! Typically Pokémon tend to increase in intelligence as they evolve, for one rule. I’ll also note that type does NOT impact general intelligence: there are bug types that are smarter than psychic types, for one example! (I mention this because there's a well-noted phenomenon of assuming psychic-types are more intelligent due to their abilities; while highly intelligent psychic-types like Alakazam exist, there's also Pokemon like Hatterene that put very little critical thought in before deciding to thrash something that annoys them.)

But also, the question of intelligence doesn’t generally make a huge difference in human-Pokémon relationships. Pokemon might communicate less eloquently if they're a Magikarp versus an Empoleon, but they're still capable of love, competition, and everything else that makes Pokemon Pokemon!

"Does my Pokemon love me?"

The vast majority of the time I get this question, the answer is already pretty clear from how their Pokemon behaves. If you treat your partners with love and care, odds are that love will be returned with time! The tells vary from Pokemon to Pokemon, but if you look up your partner species' body language, you'll learn very quickly that most of the time, the bonds humans and Pokemon build are amazingly deep and strong even without words!

(With words, my partner Pokemon are frequently telling jokes, telling stories about their days, and expressing their love in so many ways I feel as though they're the best friends I could ever have. I hope some day the technology opens up to allow for open communication for everyone; it's a wonderful feeling.)

"No, no, I meant like... romantically."

The amount of times I have heard this from trainers of humanoid Pokemon like Gardevoir, Machamp, Lopunny, Incineroar, Zoroark, and Arceus knows why, but for some reason also one trainer with a Vaporeon??? is more than a little disturbing.

Firstly: just because your Pokemon has a humanoid shape does not mean it has human intelligence, something I neglected to mention above. They do feel love, and appreciation, and joy. They are loyal to a fault and would probably die to protect you. They show affection frequently in ways that might come across as romantic to some people: hugs, hand-holding, generally being up in your face.

But for the love of everything holy, that does not mean that your Pokemon is capable of a romantic relationship with you. Or that it would be willing. Most Pokemon are vaguely confused at the concept at best, because the relationships we build are fundamentally different from human-human and Pokemon-Pokemon ones. Relationships where there is already an inherent power dynamic of trainer and Pokemon. Relationships where there is a clear gap in communication.

In not a single one of the cases I have seen was there anything resembling "romantic feelings" from the Pokemon these trainers were talking about, and there was a very swift move to discussion of how to interpret displays of affection, the trainer's own intentions, and what led them to their own conclusions. Most of the time, luckily, it's just the trainer's own worry that their Pokemon is interpreting their bond wrong.

But in the cases where trainers have developed feelings for their own Pokemon... I'm sorry, but that's one boundary I keep in therapy. I just can't handle those kinds of clients, just because of the disastrous results it usually leads to. (And to be perfectly honest, I have my own personal biases here as well due to my... past experiences.)

...I think I got a bit off track here. But I'm happy to answer any other questions people have about their Pokemon in general! Just not the last one.

[timepetalscollective]

It's nice you're trying to get people involved in charity, but I worry requiring monetary/item donations to participate may alienate younger creators or those who aren't financially independent. Making fanworks can be hard enough without stressing about being able to meet an obligation for a charitable contribution as well. Even $1 is a lot to someone with controlling parents or an abusive partner who demands explanations for every penny spent and people who can't afford it might feel guilty.

(cont’d) Same Nonny, but I also worry that creators who are either physically, emotionally, or financially unable to donate time, items, or money might feel like they can’t participate in creating the fanworks either because of guilt, and that worrying about meeting those requirements may make something that’s supposed to be fun feel like a burden or chore. Sorry, I’m having a hard time articulating. I think having people create fanart of/from each other’s work is brilliant, though.

Hello! This is a wonderful thing to bring up. I would like to hopefully alleviate your fears and concerns, because we discussed this at a great length, not wanting to give any pressure to people or upset anybody at all – but also wanting to help create change, no matter how small. I would like to start by emphasizing that these events are voluntary! You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. If you don’t want to participate in anything, no sweat! You can choose to participate in the events if you would like to. You are not required to participate in a single one to get your work reblogged, recommended, or even promo’d by us. 

I have changed some of the language so that the inclusiveness that myself and the other mods had planned is more obvious, and the larger events posts will highlight this. We had planned to be far more explicit in these posts, but for brevity sake on an already giant post, and to try to keep a little bit of surprise to the posts, I was being very basic, and typing it up at 9am my time without having yet been to bed. I apologize. Hopefully my changes and explanation will help. 

The concept we were hoping to express was charity in the dictionary sense of the word -- being kind and paying things forward in any way you can. I know that we mentioned donating to some charities, but you can still be charitable to your fellow human being without using money. I’m so sorry that this apparently did not come across. I have added further example to the original post to hopefully alleviate this. 

We honestly ask that you do what you can. We aren’t requiring proof of action beyond your word, so it really is based on the honor system. If you tell us you’ve done something, we’ll believe you.

Donating time can mean exactly that. I know a lot of people are unable to go to an actual charity event and do running around or helping them physically, but it doesn’t have to mean that at all -- it can honestly mean doing something kind and helpful in some way, shape, or form that helps your community, friends, family, etc.

During February, you can literally donate anything to a charitable cause, even if that cause is spending time reading with a child you know who is learning, cleaning up garbage on a sidewalk, giving to a charity or a food drive, paying ahead for the next person’s coffee, tipping your waitress extra, giving some food to a homeless human, being there for someone who needs it. Literally anything that you can do to make the world better

During March, the donation is also entirely up to you. It’s about getting rid of the old and welcoming the new. Even if you give it away to your next door neighbor who needs new shoes, a coworker who always runs out of pens, or a chotchke that looks like a squatting deer for a human you know who likes deer, we are all good with that! We just want to make these more about being charitable and positive, even in the smallest seeming ways, because this is how you give back to your community and help make change.

During May, even something as small as a Get Well Soon card sent to a hospital to cheer up a child in there is more than qualifying. You would only be out the cost of a stamp. This is literally about giving back any way you can. I was in the hospital a ton as a child, and I got a really wonderful card once with a leopard toy and it really made my day and week even better that someone would take the time to care.

In the month of August we chose the Plant a Tree campaign because the donation is so low to make such a giant difference – the donation is only $1. We understand that some people cannot donate this much – I have now appended the post, but we were going to explain in the large event post that you can ‘donate’ anything charitable to the environment, even something so small as cleaning up a pile of trash, starting to recycle, composting, joining a street cleanup or river cleanup, anything that contributes. Maybe you start using light bulbs that are more environmentally friendly. The smallest things can make the biggest changes. Maybe you can’t donate, but you can buy seeds and bury them in a place where things can grow. Plant a tree. Buy a plant and take care of it.

 In September -- Can you help tutor someone? Can you read with a child in your life? Can you donate last quarter’s books or maybe notes to someone in need? Can you do anything, no matter how small, to help a student in some capacity, or education as a whole? That’s exactly what we’re hoping for. For some people it can be backpacks their children may have outgrown, or maybe they’ve finished school and no longer need theirs, and it’s in good condition! Perhaps their kids no longer will be using a bunch of school supplies as they move up a grade, or they can buy a few extra supplies to donate to a classroom! Can you chaperone a dance or help out your little brother’s softball team? Can you help your niece practice her spelling every day, or your next door neighbor learn more about Shakespeare for his high school essay? Be creative, loves!

During November, donating anything you can give to helping animals. Literally anything. Some people play Pokemon Go and walk shelter dogs, or perhaps your next door neighbor’s dog for them, as a kindness. Can you make a birdfeeder to help them? Can you plant bee friendly flowers? Can you buy someone a dog license who cannot afford one? Maybe paint a doghouse for a friend, help clean up the dog park, start a facebook campaign for your city to add a dog park or add those doggy poo bag boxes every few blocks? Can you donate old dog toys or supplies to a friend or a shelter? Can you give time to petsit for someone and save them a lot of time? 

Again, in December, the cards have meant the world to someone on our own staff, myself, being honest. I was often very ill as a child, to the point of needing hospitalization often. You’d be surprised how quickly your friends stop coming about or asking after you as a child when this happens. The kindness of a stranger doing that for me and sending me a Merry Christmas Leopard literally meant the world to me. I still have the card and the Leopard too. I was a child, therefore dubbed him Leopardo di Caprio (comments from the peanut gallery are optional and highly discouraged >.>). 

We just all around were trying to help create a good atmosphere and a better 2018. Your input is very important, and we are so grateful that you took the time to highlight some serious concerns. 

I’m so sorry it worried you – but we will try our best to be inclusive of everyone. If we can do better – we would love to hear how so we can do better and learn immediately.–Mod Natural Blues