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#359: Absol
The Disaster Pokemon
Dark
Height: 3-4 ft
Length: 4-5 ft
Weight: 103-110 lbs
Sound: They have a very distinct, high pitched howl. More feline than canine in nature. This is a sound commonly heard in the mountain, and the ones making the noise are ALWAYS female. It's a mating cry. So, if you're carrying Field Egg group Pokemon with you, make sure it doesn't wander off towards the sound on its own without your permission. If you're going to let it go there, first confirm with it where it's going and why, so it doesn't appear as if it just suddenly disappeared from your side.
The other sound to take note of is its alarm cry. It is considerably louder, harsher, and more likely to get the attention of all Pokemon in its area. It's essentially telling the population "THERE'S A DISASTER COMING!!! EVACUATE FROM THE AREA!!! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES NOW!!!" And if you see other Pokemon hear this, and run away from the disaster site, then that's definitely the alarm cry. Run as fast as you can, with the other evacuating Pokemon, after you hear that cry. And don't stop for NOTHING until you are well clear out of harm's way.
Gender: 50% male, 50% female. The whole of Segment D is dedicated to talking about this because they've completely changed their habits according to their species' population. It's amazing how fast they were able to pull off this change, really. Normally, other species would have gone extinct by the time it occurred to them to change habits.
(Normal)
HP: 65
Attack: 130
Defense: 60
Sp. Attack: 75
Sp. Defense:70
Speed: 75
Total: 465
(Mega)
HP: 65
Attack: 150
Defense: 60
Sp. Attack: 115
Sp. Defense: 60
Speed: 115
Total: 565
Effective moves against them:
Psychic (0x)
Ghost (1/2x) Dark (1/2x)
Bug (2x), Fighting (2x), Fairy (2x)
Location: In Hoenn, Route 120
In Kanto and Johto, Slowpoke Well, Union Cave, Mt. Mortar, Dark Cave, Whirl Islands, the Cave in Mt. Silver, Ice Path, Cliff Cave, Diglett's Cave, Mt. Moon, Cerulean Cave, Rock Tunnel, Seafoam Islands, Victory Roads, and Tohjo Falls. Certian frequencies of sound will call attention to them in these areas. Ironically, these sounds can be produced with songs on the Pokemon Music Channel.
In Sinnoh, they are found in Mt. Coronet, and in Route 213. In the latter location, they are mainly found and free to capture when there's an outbreak of them. Just be careful with your other Pokemon during this time, and put earplugs on them. After all, there's a very high chance the ones you'll encounter are female.
In Unova, they are found in Route 13, 14, in the Giant Chasm, and in the Hidden Grotto in Route 23.
In Kalos, they are located in Route 8, and in the Friend Safari.
( A ) General: Wow, this is one really misunderstood Pokemon.
Centuries of misconceptions back then, and a few more today have made for a very poorly known Pokemon. And the few times people DO encounter Absol, it's usually during unfavorable circumstances. By all accounts, people these days don't exactly understand enough about Absol to be able to react to its presence. The Pokedex isn't very enlightening either, sadly (Then again, the only one that ever did give me good info was the Hoenn Pokedex. I commend their efforts.)
And so, here's where I come in! It's my job to investigate unknowns about Pokemon in their behavior, physiology, and development into what they are today. So that is exactly what I intend to do when writing this report. Keep reading! Absol may surprise you in several ways you might not expect them to!
( B ) Anatomy and Powers: They are essentially your run-of-the-mill Dark-type Pokemon. Mostly.
They have the ability to use negative energy like many other Dark-types. They are mainly attack oriented, being able to directly cut off Psychic-type powers with physical contact. And their aptitude for understanding how to manipulate other forms of energy also allows them a very wide choice of moves in its movepool, such as Psycho Cut, Shadow Claw, and Zen Headbutt. They also have an unusually large selection of SPECIAL moves they can learn via TM, like Blizzard, Flamethrower, Shadow Ball, and even Thunder! They have high attack stats, and relatively OK Sp. Attack and Speed stat, but have very poor defense stats. As well as having a relatively low HP count.
They are also very archetypal mammalian Pokemon. Their anatomy isn't very different at all from the average quadruped feline aside from a select few differences, having about all the same, strong muscles as most feline Pokemon. Along with a thick coat of fur on their body to shield them from cold mountain temperatures, they have a bald spot on the face so no blood or meat sticks onto it and chills after eating a kill. Their digestive systems are also more able to register other kinds of foods, such as fruits, berries and fish, since there isn't a lot to eat in the mountains. Their foreheads also have a small bald spot, which is just there to help it resemble a mountain rock while hunting. Their padded paws give them a lot of traction, to be able to have a good grip on the high mountain ledges. And its tail is unusually short for a feline, since they've lost the need for a long tail to communicate with other members of its species. This is because they can communicate using vocal cries instead. Albeit...there is one VERY noticeable difference in their physiology.
It's a horn on their heads.
This horn is a part of their skeleton, and it serves a very auspicious purpose: it detects changes in weather that lead to a natural disaster. This horn can sense changes in air current that lead to events like tornadoes, hailstorms, heatwaves, hurricanes, blizzards, and droughts. It can also sense changes in tectonic activity, which lead to catastrophes like avalanches, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, limnic eruptions, and tsunamis. What its horn can't do, the rest of its senses can, like detecting wildfires, or the arrival of an epidemic.
Because it's a predator, and a smart one at that, it can understand that it heavily depends upon other lifeforms in its region for its continued existence. So, no matter who or what it is, they ALWAYS go to warn as many of its neighbors as it can before it hits.
This had guaranteed the survival of its species for a long time, since the Pokemon they prey upon always survived to still be a part of the food chain. However, ONE species out of all its neighbors took its warnings the wrong way.
( C ) Relationship with People: MEDIEVAL. HUMAN. BEINGS. Oh, dammit....long story this is.
When Absol first became known to humans it was through situations like this: a disaster like an earthquake was going to happen. Because Absol knew Pokemon lived with people, they decided to warn them both about the impending disaster. The Pokemon living with people promptly fled away from their settlements. The humans didn't, because they didn't know what was going on. And then, that said disaster struck and completely destroyed their settlement.
The only thing people saw was Absol howling at them, and their own Pokemon running away from them. They also knew that when Absol stopped howling and went away, a natural disaster destroyed everything in the area. So naturally, human beings put two and two together and figured: maybe ABSOL is the reason why these natural disasters happen!
So, this was the point in time where people started HUNTING Absol, killing them on sight the very moment they were seen. It was in these times alone that their numbers had declined until 88% of their population had been killed. And they figured that if they do this, natural disasters will never strike again. They figured it so, until after the huntings, Groudon had awoken from sleep once. Several volcanoes had erupted, and killed off whole scores of cities full of people and Pokemon. This time, with no Absol to warn them of the impending doom.
People were starting to question these old, medieval ways of thinking towards Absol. And during these Middle Ages, Absol had started to see humans as one of their worst enemies, knowing that they are incapable of grasping rational logic and figuring out that they are merely warning them. Not playing the role of a harbinger of death. They had gotten to know people as not understanding how the world works, so, with all their great intelligence...they make up the truth instead. I.e. Pelipper feeds its young its own blood, Salamence was an evil wizard that used its magic powers to turn into a monster, and Absol can start natural disasters with its presence. Yeah....they're not human-level intelligent, but even they thought we were idiots back then. Albeit, Absol still have to do their job. Whether humans appreciate it or not, they HAVE to make sure that their ecosystem lives on, even without them.
As the Middle Ages were passing, and people moved onto the Renaissance, the relationship between Absol and human grew a bit more lenient as Absol saw this specific change: people actually tried LISTENING to them for a change. And predictably, people survived, Pokemon survived, and Absol survived! It was a breakthrough in human ways of thinking towards previously mysterious Pokemon.
This truth about Absol alone had in fact encouraged many people to start researching the TRUE biological functions and natures of Pokemon. Ever since they were starting to find out that perhaps, medieval people didn't KNOW a whole lot about science.
As of now, the idea that Absol are doom-bringers is a SERIOUSLY outdated idea, with only a select few populations of people scattered around the regions who actually believe this to be so. The more popular urban legend about Absol now is that the females prostitute themselves out to any male they can find in their Egg Group (Extensive explaining on this urban legend available on the next segment). This has some morsel of truth to it, but come on! Only 12% of their population was still alive by the time humans finished hunting them, and their numbers had only recently made a comeback these days! All they're trying to do is bring their own population back, so let them be! That means there'll be a lot more Absols available to catch and train in the future after all.
And heaven knows, despite these urban legends, Absol is still a very popular Pokemon for people who encounter it.
Circumstances for Bonding: Absol are still not very trusting of humans. Its happiness will be valued at 35; lower than usual, because it spends the first parts of its captured life being wary of you. Absol today don't exactly hate or fear humans, but they know for sure from their past generations that human beings are DEFINITELY not very rational in general, and may come to half-witted conclusions since humans usually replace their instincts with education. They also know that we humans tend to be unpredictable. Sometimes good, sometimes plain evil, sometime plain stupid, but there's never anything it can expect when running into a human. Anybody could catch it. So, at first, it treats you with suspicion since it literally knows nothing about you. However, unlike those whose base value starts at 0, they are still willing to give you a chance to prove yourself as a trainer. After all, you just caught it. You didn't do so intending to hunt it, it will give you that.
If you can prove yourself as a person who knows what he's doing, and knows how to take care of it, Absol will happily be your loyal companion. They'll still look after your other Pokemon, and be at least slightly wary of people it or you don't know, but by this time you've made Absol your friend. As long as you can feed it, and let it look for another Pokemon to mate with for life, it'll be perfectly fine in your care. But alternatively, if you are an impetuous and rash person who is deaf to reason, or a restrictive person who treats Pokemon as tools, it will somehow find a way back into the mountain you found it on. It will NOT stay with a person who is like that. And even more so, it will not stay with an abuser. After all, leading Pokemon away from danger is its specialty. You do NOT want to be a danger to your other Pokemon if you have an Absol. In fact...be a good boy/girl, OK? You'll do real good in that case.
( D ) Reproductive Habits: This is an interesting subject to talk about because it highlights a rare example of the entire species changing its habits depending on its current population's status.
Their reproductive systems are very typical for a mammal. They have all the same reproductive organs as other mammals do, so there's nothing really special about their abilities to reproduce.
The real trick is FINDING a mate. Back when Absol were more common, the females got as high as they can on specific mountain ranges, and cry out. Their cries echo in the mountains, and carry to the point where the males farther down below pick up the echo with their horns. Whoever can get up there and find her first instantly gets the right to mate, since it proves that they're strong and determined enough to scale a mountain to find a mate. And resistant to the hostile climate up there. Back then they did this at relatively average rates, for at least one month during the year. Back then their population didn't fluctuate much since few wild actually competed with them for food. Back then, male Absol departed and didn't see the females until next year, since the Absol don't need much help during pregnancy or motherhood.
But nowadays, their population has lowered immensely due to misconceptions from older generations. So, desperate measures for desperate times. Rather than one female posting herself in the mountain top, an entire harem of them goes up to the same spot. This is to encourage even more males to get up there, as their efforts will definitely help raise their formerly dwindled populations. And rather than risk organizing their reproductive schedules via mating seasons, female Absol will attempt climb the mountain heights and attract a mate the very waking moment they become sexually mature and fertile enough to birth a cub. And once the males find the females, they'll never separate. Now, Absol mate for life, raising their current litter of cubs with the best of care before they are sure they can look after themselves. They value their cubs' lives a lot more, and will make sure they all get to live into adolescence before they release them. After that, they will keep producing more litters until one or the other is no longer capable of breeding.
(FUN FACT: Did you know that Absol have very long lives compared to other felines. Absol can live to be up to 100 years old. In the meanwhile, their cubs become mature enough to go into the wild at 8 years old. They become sexually mature around 13 years old. This means that before they become infertile, they can have up to four or five litters within their lifetimes! A trait which was very advantageous to maintaining their numbers.)
Male Absol will usually just mate with other female Absol, unless it's already mated to another Pokemon out of a personal relationship. Males won't bother to mate with other Pokemon since they know that according to breeding, it will only produce the offspring of the female's species. But females are a lot more diligent in their search for potential mates. If there are a lack of male Absol present in the area, they'll instead resort to coming down from the mountains to advertise themselves to other male Pokemon in the Field Egg Group. Since the females know breeding with other male Field Egg group Pokemon will definitely produce an Absol cub, it's not uncommon these days to find an Absol when it's permanently mated to a Mightyena, or a Floatzel.
The mountaintops of their regions have become so populated with fertile female Absol that they've gained the rather unflattering nickname "Absol brothels." And in general, people who don't believe them to be harbingers of bad luck believe them instead to be promiscuous and salacious creatures who decide to have children too early. And sad to say, unlike the previously mentioned human notion, this one is actually TRUE. At least, when taking its low wild population into point. But these new and considerably more desperate efforts will--ahem, ARE helping their species immensely in the long run.
Don't call 'em out on it yet.
( E ) Conservation Status: As I've said before, out of the 88% that have been wiped out by the time the 15th century rolled in, the 12% that survived have indeed completely changed their reproductive habits as well as how they live in general. This new generation of Absol has greatly adapted to living in the mountains, and has also settled into their new capacities for raising their population. As of today, their current population (compared to their former population before medieval times) has jumped from 12% to 39%. They are making a very fervent comeback, from Critically Endangered to Endangered. If this keeps up, their population may be back up to Vulnerable at about two decades from now. Given six more decades from now, they'll be only Near Threatened. Albeit scientists and wildlife conservationists have indeed pitched in their own efforts to help Absol repopulate.
Several national parks had been set up around Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova and Kalos. All of them have at least one mountain range which is a likely location for Absol. These parks are very rich in resources that provide food and water for them, ensuring that they have a reason to stay around those areas in particular. These are also the ideal mountain ranges that females will use as a mating call roost. Indeed, these are some of the best hopes Absol have yet to recover their population on their own.
And don't forget, many several trainers and Pokemon breeders who have caught Absol have become willing to breed them, now that they've heard about their status as endangered Pokemon. Since female Absol aren't exactly picky about who they want to spend the rest of their lives with, it can become very easy to forget that they're endangered, once the number of cubs they're rearing start to skyrocket.
( F ) Abilities: I also forgot to mention these earlier on! But here you are, because you can tell the demeanor of an Absol through what ability it has!
Pressure is an ability which when activated, can make a Pokemon so fearful that their bodies are consequently sent into a state of overwork. Thus, making them lose attack PP faster than normally, in their desperate and frenzied attempts to fight back against this opponent. Absol who have Pressure are generally serious Pokemon. They indeed are good with other Pokemon, and VERY loyal to their trainers or mates. But if you come between them, or try to catch it for the first time in the wild, they will be as intimidating as possible. They will be very coercive towards you and your Pokemon, pressuring your Pokemon into reducing their ability to fight it. However, it highly commends the efforts of the trainer who does catch it. It sees the trainer as a person who came to this battle ready to face it. And so, it will stick around to see how competent this trainer is. If it likes the trainer, you have a new Pokemon in your party.
Super Luck is an ability which seems to automatically make the user aware of its opponents weakest areas, heightening the critical hit ratios of its moves. Absol who have Super-Luck tend to be wild cards. Even if they have a Serious or Lonely nature, pretty much all Absol with this ability have a degree of bubbliness. Those with more serious personalities are usually just kind of serious in a "Bunny Ears Lawyer" kind of way, while those with Jolly, Impish or Bold are just....just...well, as people nowadays say it, "Genki Girl/Guy". I literally don't know any other way to say it. Needless to say, you might have to be a bit more careful with these Absol, because their behavior is a LOT more sporadic and random than you'd expect from these Pokemon.
Justified is an ability which takes effect when the user's body gets hit with a Dark-type move, making their bodies' endocrine systems work harder to bring about more physical strength. These Absol are a rare sight, even among their kind. But they are special in the sense that they are very noble creatures. Even compared to others, they are willing to work hard for those they live with. They face their foes not intending to intimidate them into submission, but to confront them face to face, ready to fight them whether they'll win or lose. These Absol are also a bit hot to handle, since they'll frequently challenge you if they suppose you're not in the right. But either way, once you get to develop a bond with your Absol, via getting to know each other and doing things aside from constant battles, it will be happy to stay with you. Happier than most Absol if they know you are a good person.
( G ) Mega Evolution: This is one particular feature which appeals to many trainers who have an Absol. At least the ones who have proven themselves worthy of receiving one of these powerful objects. The chances of getting these and being able to use them is like winning the lottery, or finding teeth on a Blaziken. But I'll tell you how it works anyway.
Absol are one of 26 known species able to Mega Evolve using three materials:
1) A Mega Stone. A mineral superficially similar to an evolutionary stone in that it has components within which will activate certain growth hormones within a Pokemon, causing rapid growth spurts within the Pokemon. This has the effect of making the Pokemon's anatomy grow from all aspects, while also increasing its biological capacities until it's gained far more power than any member of its species can attain naturally. They become extraordinarily powerful. More powerful than their biological needs would ever require them to be.
Mega Stones are different from regular evolutionary stones in that they're not elemental, and their properties aren't entirely natural. It's been suggested that their energy signatures may come from the impact from Xerneas' and Yveltal's concentrated, weaponized energy powers which caused the AZ extinction 3,000 years ago. Perhaps even farther back, if we assume that Xerneas and Yveltal's energies have been stored in the ground from previous extinction events. When this energy has seeped into the ground, it may very well have clumped up and gravitated into the materials most able to conduct them, creating the very first Mega Stones. They can make a Pokemon Mega-Evolve if the unique energy they seep is transferred via rays of photons, directly hitting the Pokemon, and making its endocrine systems react. While sunlight definitely does make Mega-Stones more noticeable by making them glow brighter AND emit an invisible wavelength of light detectable by machinery...Mega-Evolution does not happen often in the wild. Not enough of its energy is directly concentrated into that particular Pokemon. At least not on its own. So, the next ingredient for Mega Evolution is...
2) A Keystone. The Keystone's purpose is to help absorb sunlight which can be directly shot into the Mega-Stone. How it works is that outside of battle, the Keystone is shielded by a medium which blocks sunlight. But when ready for use, that shield is lifted, allowing sunlight to come through and refract off of it. Once the Pokemon holding the Mega Stone fully absorbs the transferred energy, and is transferred into its endocrine system, VOILA!!! You have a Mega-Evolved Pokemon. Almost...one more ingredient remains. And this is something most trainers often forget.
3) Your Positive Emotions and Unwavering Support. Most Pokemon attempt to reject Mega-Evolution, because it tends to be an physically uncomfortable process for them to go through, and in some cases, they become frightened by their own changes in physiology and powers. This is far more likely to happen than you'd suspect. So if you ever do find yourself having the blessing of being able to Mega Evolve a Pokemon, do this: cheer on your Pokemon. We're not sure if some kind of Psychic power also gets transferred along the Mega-Stone's power, or if the Pokemon is simply lowering its defenses to let Mega-Evolution happen, but either way, this is for certain. Once it knows you completely believe in it, and you are cheering it on all the way through, it will allow itself to become a powerful fighter for its trainer. Also to note, the moment you think it will not win with its Mega-Evolved state, you have the chance of completely cancelling the effect out. Always remember this if you ever see that shiny, polychromatic mineral on your wrist.
In the case of Absol, it requires Absolite to Mega-Evolve. A Mega Stone which induces superficially minor changes to its anatomy. Its muscles get slightly bigger. It grows a lot more fur, including two standing tufts of fur on its back which resemble wings. And its horn grows broader, and longer. In general, Absol's anatomy doesn't change much after Mega-Evolution. But what does change is that Absol's attack stat is raised, along with its Sp. Attack and Speed. It becomes faster, stronger, and more able to use Special attacks it only somewhat understood before. Its new capacities for wielding energy also give it Magic Bounce, which allows it to reflect a status changing move directly back to the user it came from, ensuring that its stats never change in battle against its will. What doesn't change, however, are its defense stats. Which are still pretty poor, but more than made up for by its new offensive stats.
Trainer Tips:
- If you're just walking along, minding your own business, and you hear a howling cry from up in the mountains....IT MEANS YOUR SEXUALLY MATURE MALE FIELD EGG-GROUP POKEMON ARE MOST LIKELY ABOUT TO ELOPE. DO NOT LET YOUR POKEMON ELOPE UNLESS IT/THEY HAVE YOUR CONSENT. Otherwise, you'll probably never see it again unless you take a long trek up the mountains yourself to get it back.
- If your Pokemon have already eloped, and you've found it with a female Absol, TAKE IT WITH YOU. You're probably not gonna have much choice in this matter, so if you catch it, there's not much else you have to worry about it anyway.
- If you're looking for an Absol, LOOK AT THE LIST OF LOCATIONS I'VE PROVIDED YOU WITH, AND BE PREPARED TO FIGHT. Absol are pretty vicious in battle, and will tear up your Pokemon pretty good if they're not resistant to dark type moves.
- After catching it, CONFIRM IF THE SAID ABSOL HAS CUBS OR A MATE AROUND THE AREA. You know what? From now on, this rule is a staple when you're out catching Pokemon. When you catch any Pokemon, you NEVER want to leave its family behind. Same with Absol.
- After catching the Absol, LET IT EASE INTO ITS NEW STATUS AS A TRAINER'S POKEMON. AND MAKE SURE THAT YOUR DEMEANOR'S JUST RIGHT FOR HANDLING IT. You know, don't be immature or overtly impulsive with Pressure!Absol. Let the Super Luck!Absol be themselves while training them to be good Pokemon, don't be a jerk who only thinks about battling. And don't be horrible people towards others around Justified!Absol.
- ALLOW THE ABSOL TO MANAGE ITSELF IF IT WANTS TO. This is to say, don't spoil it. There's no need to. Any kind of Absol is well acquainted with how to provide itself with food and water, as well as other daily necessities.
- WHEN AN ABSOL IS IN THE HEAT, HERE's WHAT TO DO IF IT'S A MALE. If male, it's probably going to go on one very long journey towards the mountains when he hears the female's cry, and there isn't a lot you can do about it. The least you can do is have it tell you why it's going away from home, and once you know that, just wait. Wait for a few days, and soon enough it will come back with its mate. In which case, have supplies ready for a new, pregnant female Absol in the family.
- WHEN AN ABSOL IS IN THE HEAT, HERE'S WHAT TO DO IF IT'S A FEMALE. Check your Party Pokemon. See if the female Absol has a relationship with any of them. If so, TAKE THE TWO OF THEM TO THE DAYCARE CENTER, AND BE READY WITH SUPPLIES ONCE THEIR STAY IS OVER. If none of them have a relationship with the female Absol....um....UM....SEE IF ANY OF YOUR FRIEND'S POKEMON ARE INTERESTED? GO PLACE A PERSONAL AD? GO TO eHARMONY? I don't care how you do it, just make sure it finds a match before it starts to become desperate!
- FIGURE OUT HOW YOU WANT TO HANDLE ABSOL CUBS. You can either consult with your local Pokemon Breeder to raise them for you, and either release them into the wild, or put them up for adoption by another trainer. Or alternatively, you can raise them in your own home, and let the Absol raise the cubs with its mate. It all depends on the individual, but you'll want to figure out first how much the mother wants to keep its young. While many of them do enjoy being mothers, a fair lot of them are happier being able to replenish their dwindling numbers without having to raise each litter one at a time.
- IN THE UNLIKELY* EVENT THAT A FEMALE ABSOL IN HEAT APPROACHES YOU PERSONALLY, KEEP IN MIND THAT SHE WANTS A FAMILY. SHE WANTS ONE RIGHT NOW, AND CUBS COME IN LITTERS. SHE DOESN'T WANT A ONE-NIGHT STAND EVEN IF SHE KNEW WHAT ONE IS. Absol have an instinct trained for generations where they expect a male accepting their invitation will stay with them and help care for their children. This is not a nicety. This is a matter of survival. She will be vulnerable while pregnant, her newborn cubs even more so, and their chances of survival are slim without a mate to help protect and provide. BE ADVISED THAT FEMALE ABSOL WILL VIOLENTLY INTERCEPT MALES ATTEMPTING TO LEAVE HER RIGHT AFTER MATING. Not because of morality or social customs, but because of their state of near-extinction. They will readily go from pleading to inflicting pain to avoid being left alone with a litter of cubs to provide for. ell hath no fury like a mother-to-be so scorned.
- And never forget this: IF YOUR ABSOL IS TELLING YOUR OTHER POKEMON TO FLEE AHEAD OF TIME...ABSOL. IS ALWAYS. RIGHT. Absol is not a bringer of doom. It never has been. It never was. And it never will be. What it does do is warn others about oncoming disasters. It can distinguish between a light earth-shake, or the ground rumbling caused by a large truck, from a real, actual, DEADLY disaster. And if you want to see the next day, always listen to that Absol, and RUN FOR YOUR LIFE.
(Absol are relatively self sufficient and undemanding Pokemon. But for the demands that DO exist with raising these Pokemon, just be ready!)
Personal Experiences:
Hoo boy. Since they are endangered, and I am a scientist who regularly researches about rare Pokemon, it's no surprise I've had quite a bit of experience with them.
I couldn't tell you the number of fellow trainers and professors who've hit the ceiling once they've found out that their Pokemon had gone and eloped with a female Absol up in the mountains. Sylveon, Raichu, Ninetales, Quilava, dammit even Stoutland and Arcanine. At one point, these Pokemon have had trainers who were wondering why they disappeared, only to find out that they're having an affair with some Absol they've never met before. I was always called for advice during these times because believe it or not, Absol are REALLY territorial with their mates. Once they've found them, they will never give them up. Not even an exaggeration. That is the real fact, meaning that more often than not, these trainers have to add this female Absol to their party whether they want to or not. And also add their babies to the party if there are no Pokemon Breeders located nearby them.
However, I've also spent a lot of time on Hoenn managing the wild Absol populations in the national parks! I've had many times over there when I've taken treks up there to observe Absol behavior. Outside of battle, and outside of mating season, Absol are remarkably sedate. They spend a fair lot of day sleeping off their most recent activities. I've only seen a few instances where an Absol made a kill, and right after it ate, it fell asleep again.
And then one day, up in the mountains, I heard that dreaded cry...the alarm cry. The one that told about impending doom. I didn't even question it. I just ran for my life. And, lo and behold, an avalanche had completely brought the mountain down. Wiped out the mountaintop, and wiped out the forest below it.
That was probably one of the biggest blows in my work on national parks: seeing a natural disaster completely destroy it.
Eventually, I had to relocate them to Sinnoh, where another nationally protected area was in place. It was a long an hard process rounding them up and getting them there, making sure that they were all perfectly healthy and safe. But, I think our efforts paid off. Mainly because of the reports of Absol swarms in Route 213. I'm honestly surprised to see at how well they're doing on their own!
I'm very confident that with the right resources and areas, mixed with the Absol's intelligence and ability to adapt, they'll come back from the brink of endangerment very soon.
Related content
Comments: 54
goomyiscute777 [2017-04-29 22:59:43 +0000 UTC]
A while ago, I was camping near my Secret Base on Route 114, when my Absol, Lucky, just freaked out. As soon as I went over to him to find out the matter, a Minior crashed into the exact spot I had been standing! Lucky was the only one of my Pokemon out at the time, so my entire team was all right. Long story short, I owe Absol my life.
(PS. I caught the Minior, as well.)
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
risingstar1011 [2016-04-28 17:06:55 +0000 UTC]
A precaution:
-In the unlikely* event that a female Absol in heat approaches you personally, keep in mind that she wants a family, she wants one right now, and she has litters. She doesn't want a one-night stand even if she knew what one is. Absol have an instinct trained for generations where they expect a male accepting their invitation will stay with them and help care for their children. This is not a nicety, this is a matter of survival. She will be vulnerable while pregnant, her newborn cubs even more so, and their chances of survival are slim without a mate to help protect and provide. Be advised that female Absol will violently intercept males attempting to leave her right after mating not because of morality or social customs, but because of their state of near-extinction. They will readily go from pleading to inflicting pain to avoid being left with a litter of cubs to provide for and all hell hath no fury like a mother-to-be so scorned.
*They will try 'calling' for quite some time before attempting to go find a suitor as their voice has a long range and multi-species appeal.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
TipsyRa1d3n In reply to risingstar1011 [2016-04-28 17:55:31 +0000 UTC]
Something else to include in the Trainer Tips! I'll probably only be able to do so tonight, I've got a long day at school.
And while Absol are mostly successful in finding a suitable mate, there's always an exception, to the point where they approach people. The safest course of action in that case, pregnant or not, would be to catch the Absol in question.
Similarly to the case you presented to me a while back, documenting the "Fortree Twin Harlots". I.e a pair of twin Absol females who BOTH mated with a 14 year old Boy Scout out camping. Despite the fact that they had no cubs from this, they did indeed become fiercely protective of him, refusing to leave him, leading to him catching the two! And had strangely enough stayed by HIS side even after being impregnated by a compatible male Pokemon a few months later!
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risingstar1011 In reply to TipsyRa1d3n [2016-04-28 18:18:04 +0000 UTC]
...oops...I may have wrote that incorrectly if that's what you got from it...at the time I was going just off a faint memory from something I hadn't read in quite awhile and I was in a hurry to boot.
There were 'Mon at the camp, just not tons. The rule was 'bring your one best buddy' - which conveniently worked for them because if the camper ran into a wild animal they'd have help. He and his buddy got bored with the required camp activities and went fishing, where they ran into the two females. Now exactly who did what with whom and when was never revealed, but suffice it that when the camp staff noticed they were unable to convince him to leave! Now granted he was insanely lucky; all the wild berries were ripe, the lakes had been artificially stocked with fish, it was miles from any real pollution source, and there were no hunters allowed for miles around so the woods were swarming with game. And a GPS search shows that the camp is in the middle of nowhere in a state that isn't heavily populated in the first place.
By the time his parents came for 'Little Daniel Boone', as the local papers called him, he'd spent almost two weeks earning Scout badges the awesome way when he wasn't *ahem* otherwise occupied and the few state troopers they'd managed to call in couldn't have found him in a year. Left only with a promise that the two ladys could come home with him (I'd like to have been a fly on the wall to see his mother's reaction!) and there were indeed dubs later.
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TipsyRa1d3n In reply to risingstar1011 [2016-04-28 19:11:13 +0000 UTC]
Oh! Eheh, figured I was missing a few details. Good thing you commented beforehand so I don't accidentally spread misinformation.
But sounds about right! The location is obscure and mostly dominated by wildlands, and Dan (calling him Dan to protect his real name) along with his Pokemon partner had ran off to their own devices. Until they eventually came across the Twins. All possible affairs and activities with the Twins remain undisclosed, but those Absol were indeed pregnant, and neither Dan or the Absol Twins wanted to leave the other's company. Or leave in general.
And oh man...I can imagine the mother and the Twins were at odds in competing for "Little Danielle's" affections. ESPECIALLY from the mother's end in a "I don't like your girlfriend(s)" sort of manner.
Ironic, isn't it? Absol aren't bringers of death and disasters anymore, but have another unflattering reputation nonetheless!
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risingstar1011 In reply to TipsyRa1d3n [2016-04-28 20:21:14 +0000 UTC]
Yeah, they just can't catch a break, can they?
The funny thing is Little Dan left the camp in a panic because they realized they have effectively no way to keep it from happening again short of putting radio collars on all the campers. I imagine his parents are thinking about homeschooling right about now, both to make sure he helps take care of his little brood and not have to deal with reporters and nosy neighbors and curious classmates every day of the week!
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TipsyRa1d3n In reply to risingstar1011 [2016-04-29 03:08:36 +0000 UTC]
Quick question! I'm going home soon and will be able to update this report, but quick question about the Twin Harlots case.
Which Pokemon did Little Dan take as his friend?
(Mostly because there'd REALLY be some mysteries arising if his partner Pokemon was NOT in Absol's Field Egg Group)
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risingstar1011 In reply to TipsyRa1d3n [2016-04-29 04:10:24 +0000 UTC]
A Mightyena named "Quicksilver", due to his fur being a silver-ish color (really grey, but close enough) instead of the usual black-and-white.
Speaking of which, supposedly the younger campers are now repeating skipping-rope rhymes along the lines of "Dan be nimble, Dan be quick, Dan jump onto an Absol - slick!" Unfortunately the variants of it rapidly head into territory not suitable for small ears, humorous as they may be.
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TipsyRa1d3n In reply to risingstar1011 [2016-04-29 04:15:05 +0000 UTC]
Oh phew, that makes sense. XD
In any case, I'm gonna see to perhaps including this story as one in a few Incident Reports I'll be posting soon!
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Shikamarunara91 [2016-04-23 19:14:59 +0000 UTC]
Thank you so much for this field report on one of my favorite pokemon!
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TipsyRa1d3n In reply to Shikamarunara91 [2016-04-23 19:48:32 +0000 UTC]
No problem dude! Hope you learned some new things about Absol. ^^
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Shikamarunara91 In reply to TipsyRa1d3n [2016-04-25 16:27:15 +0000 UTC]
i did is the field report going to be a ongoing thing or is it just temporay?
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LightArcIndumati [2016-04-20 21:48:47 +0000 UTC]
Not bad, but...they're promiscous? Where did you obtain that information?
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TipsyRa1d3n In reply to LightArcIndumati [2016-04-20 22:01:40 +0000 UTC]
To be more specific, it's the females that behave this way, and for good reason. (Remember, eggs hatch into the mother's species!) I knew ahead of time that animals in general that don't change their lifestyle and reproduction habits don't survive for long after being hunted to near- extinction.
Meaning that if this was REALLY the case with Absol, there wouldn't be any left in the wild. Except that Absol populations recently started to go UP, knowing how much more common they've been becoming in other regions.
This theory wasn't something inspired by nature, but what I imagine to be a desperate, proactive approach to solving their population problem.
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risingstar1011 In reply to TipsyRa1d3n [2016-04-28 14:18:43 +0000 UTC]
It's interesting to note how (most) Pokemon are able to not only recognize that they must "adapt or die" in a changing situation but proactively do something about it. In my science classes there was so much made of how finches had v-e-r-y slowly adapted their beaks and how Darwin was such a big cheese for noticing it, and by comparison there's stuff like this where an entire species starts basically making inter-species booty calls so they don't go extinct. Some people say that too much study is 'wasted' on Pokemon - I contend there isn't darn near enough.
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TipsyRa1d3n In reply to risingstar1011 [2016-04-28 14:32:23 +0000 UTC]
Hear hear, friend! I think most people are far too content with simply calling Pokemon "magic", but they forget that the Pokemon setting as a whole has Professors. Very smart people who actually study these things for a living, and (allegedly) gain some kind of scientific knowledge from it, with which to better their understanding of Pokemon. But for all the studying they do, information on them can be shockingly scarce!
In this case, the mystery would have been "How did Absol ever manage to boom in population to the point where they started SWARMING in Sinnoh?" The answer? A theory such as this, which would normally go against all known parameters of animal behavior, but makes complete and perfect sense for a Pokemon!
People know surprisingly little about the Pokemon they love, and how they live the way they do. So...that's what I'm here for. To shed a little light on these mysteries, and see what theories I can bring to the table. ^^
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risingstar1011 In reply to TipsyRa1d3n [2016-04-28 16:03:20 +0000 UTC]
Oh, don't get me started. A few months ago we took a vacation to a little town populated with mostly hybrid/sentient Pokemon, and one of them ran a little corner shop. Miltank descent, sweeter than all the cookies on the shelf, but she had been burned by a Houndoom years ago and had a permanent scar from it that hurt like hell. She'd been suffering for years from it because someone took the idiotic Pokedex entry that their bites "burn for eternity" at face value, the local Clinic couldn't get rid of the scar (that requires surgery and horrifically painful skin grafts) and had tried every painkilling pill and creme imaginable.
After a 5-minute explanation on nerves and burn wounds she was crying because she had thought there was no hope; she was just a simple honest country girl that nobody had ever told better. Now she's scheduled for an outpatient procedure where they'll kill the damaged nerves in the wounded area - no drugs, no hour-long surgery, no hospital stay. She'll be on the evening boat home to her beloved shop, and all it took was little old me with my highschool knowledge of how the world worked.
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TipsyRa1d3n In reply to risingstar1011 [2016-04-28 16:22:33 +0000 UTC]
I tell you what, you'd be amazed what a little comprehensive knowledge on how the world works can save. In the case of Houndoom bites, it's easy to mistake "Burns for eternity" for hyperbole, seeing how unscientifically if was worded.
What actually happens is that the toxins from the flames or bite are infused into the soft flesh, which very slowly and continously eat away at the nerves without actually killing the nerves, causing unending pain. One can get rid of this pain by simply killing the damaged nerve cells.
In any case, you've done the right thing. ^^ Here's to hoping for her swift recovery once she's gotten her treatment!
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risingstar1011 In reply to TipsyRa1d3n [2016-04-28 16:45:11 +0000 UTC]
Yep. It's just flat-out impossible to make a one-sentence description of an entire species that's scientifically accurate but memorable to every mayfly-minded minor who buys a $10 'Dex at the local Pokemart from the clearance bin. You can't bloody do it. So either they say something really oversimplified or outright put in old myths and legends because everyone and their brother knows them already even if they've been as discredited as the idea of a flat earth.
Only recently has there been any kind of push for a new generation of 'Dexes that display accurate information, but for a funny reason: not because it's that much effort to type in a few more sentences or because computer memory is still expensive, but because the Dex then needs a much bigger screen to show all that information at once. 'Boo hoo, they'll cost people more!' is the cry. My answer is "Would you buy a car or a house made with golf cart wheels or windows six inches wide? You can't do everything on a rock-bottom budget!"
edit: I told Berribelle an analogy of a fire alarm with its wires half-cut and won't stop ringing instead of cut all the way and shut off. She grasped the idea in seconds. Felt pretty darn proud of myself!
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TipsyRa1d3n In reply to LightArcIndumati [2016-04-20 22:11:59 +0000 UTC]
Besides, I think that by the time the 18th century rolled in, no one actually believed in the "Harbinger of Doom" vision of Absol anymore! So I kinda figured THIS was the real reason people nowadays don't like wild Absol. XD
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risingstar1011 [2014-12-03 20:21:59 +0000 UTC]
I have a personal history with Absol and their warnings. One of them warned an entire campground including my family of an impending tornado that snuck up on the area - someone heard her, looked up at the sky and hit the sirens. We got a ranger pounding on our door in the middle of the night and had to run in our PJ's to the shelter...what a night. She's now the park mascot.
And I see you haven't toned down their penchant for sexuality, necessary as it may be. It extends even farther than you mentioned! Surely you heard about the twin females who apparently came to 'advertise' near a scouting group that had Pokemon with them? As fate would have it none of the Pokemon except one were in the right egg group, his trainer promptly came looking or them and apparently they offered him something more interesting than camping. And of course the kid didn't want to go back to school after summer was over.
They finally convinced him to come out...AFTER they promised not to separate them...and the Absols beat up THREE groups trying to make him!
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KakashiChidoriKun [2014-04-05 19:38:35 +0000 UTC]
This is incredible. I loved reading every word. Lol I have an rp with my bf that happens to have an Absol on his team, but one main thing about him was he was never interested in mating, just the bond with his trainer and the battling and freedom, until he found my char's Liepard. Lol then he became much more than what he was. Maybe better. This proves, in your report, that you learn something new every day.
Thank you for posting this.
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TipsyRa1d3n In reply to KakashiChidoriKun [2014-04-05 20:20:46 +0000 UTC]
Ah yeah! told me that!
But yeah, that's prolly because yours is a male Absol.
But either way, thanks fer reading! And hope you learned something new from this particular Pokemon! ^^
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KakashiChidoriKun In reply to TipsyRa1d3n [2014-04-07 20:17:32 +0000 UTC]
Lol His char has the Absol, Tasogore. Mine is the Liepard, Lithia. And np. Are you doing a Haunter one later on?
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TipsyRa1d3n In reply to KakashiChidoriKun [2014-04-08 01:58:56 +0000 UTC]
Yeah, I'm gonna do a Haunter report. But in the meanwhile, I'm also doing a few reports on Pokemon I've always wanted to do!
One of them, interestingly enough, is Garbodor. That Pokemon pretty much everyone doesn't like, but nonetheless, has a very profound impact upon the health of the environment!
And Shuckle, a Pokemon capable of generating some of the most durable substances known to humankind!
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KakashiChidoriKun In reply to TipsyRa1d3n [2014-04-09 16:08:06 +0000 UTC]
That sounds very cool. I'll look forward to ALL of them!! Happy Be-lated Birthday by the way, buddy.
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TipsyRa1d3n In reply to KakashiChidoriKun [2014-04-11 05:55:11 +0000 UTC]
Thank you so much!!
Again, no worries! You will be seeing more of my work!
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risingstar1011 In reply to TipsyRa1d3n [2014-12-03 18:52:03 +0000 UTC]
Your works are the kind that I prize like diamond-studded gold in the giant bin of $.99 paste jewelry that is much of Pokemon fan-fiction.
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KakashiChidoriKun In reply to TipsyRa1d3n [2014-04-12 17:54:21 +0000 UTC]
I look forward to them ALL! And I mean ALL!
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IntegerMova [2014-04-05 04:36:15 +0000 UTC]
More experienced people know that the Pokedex entries tend to exaggerate, so they're more for glorified storytelling than anything else.
Absol's Special Defense stat is 60, not 70, by the way.
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risingstar1011 In reply to IntegerMova [2015-09-25 03:35:35 +0000 UTC]
Pokedex entries can be generously compared to Wikipedia, and that's on the less-ridiculous ones.
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TipsyRa1d3n In reply to IntegerMova [2014-04-05 05:20:48 +0000 UTC]
Whup, mah bad. I'll go change that.
But on a side note, that is completely true! For the most part, 11 year olds receive this information. Whether they're the ones actually documenting it is a dubious fact, but I AM pretty sure that the 18,000 Degrees reading on Magcargo was a typo.
And for the stuff that IS true, 'tis hard work finding ways to explain it. XD
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IntegerMova In reply to TipsyRa1d3n [2014-04-05 13:52:49 +0000 UTC]
It is quite hard to explain, and as I said before, it's Pokemon we're dealing with.
By the way, how is it that there are birds in the Field group? I kind of understand why some reptiles, such as Sandile, are placed there, but why stuff like Torchic?
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TipsyRa1d3n In reply to IntegerMova [2014-04-05 18:59:34 +0000 UTC]
BIRDS? In the Field Egg Group? The only ones I can see are the Farfetch'd, Torchic, Piplup families. And that's understandable, since a mostly bipedal lifestyle on the ground has left them able to possess conventional reproductive organisms.
In the meanwhile, almost ALL bird-like Pokemon are left strictly unable to reproduce with anything that's not in the Flying Egg Group, because of a conspicuous lack of reproductive organisms..
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IntegerMova In reply to TipsyRa1d3n [2014-04-05 20:10:42 +0000 UTC]
Yeah, I forgot to specify those birds as Torchic, Piplup, Farfetch'd, Delibird, and their respective lines.
I see a few more reptiles in the Field Group, though, such as Scraggy, Snivy, Sandile, Dunsparce, Kecleon, and their respective lines.
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TipsyRa1d3n In reply to IntegerMova [2014-04-05 20:53:42 +0000 UTC]
I'm pretty sure that they too have gametes and genes that line up with those in the Field Egg Group.
But most of the Field Group is taken up by mammals! In the meanwhile, reptiles tend to have better luck with those in the Dragon or Monster Groups.
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IntegerMova In reply to TipsyRa1d3n [2014-04-05 20:56:24 +0000 UTC]
I was just mentioning the exceptions.
By the way, I see that you take requests for reports. Do CAP's count?
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TipsyRa1d3n In reply to IntegerMova [2014-04-05 21:07:06 +0000 UTC]
CAP's? *gasps* YES.
Those go into the "ED-Reports" (ED stands for "Extra-Dextrous". Pokes not in the Pokedex, but still existing in other regions or parts of the world).
Which one do you have in mind?
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IntegerMova In reply to TipsyRa1d3n [2014-04-06 02:07:07 +0000 UTC]
I have Fidgit or Cawmodore in mind, but I'm leaving it up to you.
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TipsyRa1d3n In reply to IntegerMova [2014-04-06 02:36:03 +0000 UTC]
Speaking of which, I've got a report on Syclant and Cyclohm! Here they are just in case you wanna look at 'em!
fav.me/d6qid82 = Syclant
fav.me/d630ztb = Cyclohm
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IntegerMova In reply to TipsyRa1d3n [2014-04-06 03:46:25 +0000 UTC]
I've read both of those, remember? The Cyclohm report was how I first found your work!
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TipsyRa1d3n In reply to IntegerMova [2014-04-06 03:47:17 +0000 UTC]
OH, WHOOPS. I just remembered now. XD
Thanks tho! I've got one for Fidgit underway!
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TipsyRa1d3n In reply to IntegerMova [2014-04-06 03:55:31 +0000 UTC]
Just one question, is there a forum or something where I can get more info on CAP Pokemon? I can't find a Dex entry on them to save my life!
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IntegerMova In reply to TipsyRa1d3n [2014-04-06 04:12:55 +0000 UTC]
Smogon doesn't seem to have dex entries on the Sinnoh CAP's, but I'll ask in their Simple Q&A thread.
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TipsyRa1d3n In reply to IntegerMova [2014-04-06 05:30:37 +0000 UTC]
Thanks! I'm just saying because aside from their height, weight n Egg Group, I'm still trying to find out things like their species, what they act like, since that's the basic stuff I need to base my report on!
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IntegerMova In reply to TipsyRa1d3n [2014-04-06 18:53:22 +0000 UTC]
I meant to say that I'd ask in the Flavor Discussion. XD
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TipsyRa1d3n In reply to IntegerMova [2014-04-06 20:49:38 +0000 UTC]
Was actually gonna say, I think I found some stuff! Three Pokedex entries!
"A FIDGIT'S brain is capable of focusing on eight different actions perfectly, using each of its hands for a separate action."
"The jewels on Fidgit's hands are capable of sucking poison from the bodies of their afflicted allies. Some are even used in Pokemon Centers during extreme cases of poisoning."
"Fidgit is extremely curious and stubborn. Whenever Fidgit sees a human doing any kind of manual work, he will immediately imitate it until he has bested the human."
It took SO long to find any Pokedex entries on them, but I think I've got some info on them! I think I'll be OK for the rest of the report! Thanks!
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