Z-A LEGENDS AU WORLDBUILDING
Oct. 27th, 2025 11:52 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
oceanbearWORLD BUILDING DIRECTORY
The following are various categories of notes, describing in detail the mechanics of various things within the Pokemon World which Emporio comes from. While much of the world is based within Canon, this information seeks to clarify or 'ground' matters of canon into something more defined. It additionally acts as a way to further clarify the differences between Emporio himself and the world he's come to know for the last three years.
The Pokemon World is one filled with an abundance of natural energy. An ultra reactive force, which has been present within the world since the dawn of time. In pre-human times, human and Pokemon would have been one and the same; rather, 'humans' would have been a form of Pokemon themselves. At some point along the path of their personal, long-form evolution however, this changed. For whatever reason, it became more useful for humans to shed many of the abilities that would have been in line with all Pokemon.
Despite this fact, it remains that humans of the Pokemon world are vastly more durable than those of the mundane one. Humans are capable of taking blows that could otherwise severely injure mundane people, leading to a reality where it is an incredibly casual thing to remark on treating someone for injuries sustained within a Pokemon battle. What would result in severe, life-threatening burns for Emporio would otherwise be a simple 'patch-up' matter at a hospital.
Perhaps connected to this is the fact that humans are capable of a great number of feats given focused training. Dedicated Martial Artists become able to trade blows with Fighting type Pokemon on their own, while Psychics and Mediums utilize their mental prowess in a variety of ways. This flexibility has led some scientists to the theory that humans represent a recessed 'multi-type' Pokemon, having traded the extreme power that Pokemon bear for the ability to more flexibly adapt to their surroundings. Though a strong theory, it remains 'just a theory'.
Relevantly, it would appear that the purest of elemental types (Fire, Water, Grass, etc) are those which humans can only display in the most minor of ways; those trending to 'Fire' being passionate, even running warmer body temperatures, or 'Grass' leaning humans having a stronger green thumb than typical.
As a whole, Pokemon and Humans appear to understand one another - however, this is not a literal matter. The 'Pokemon Language' as it is colloquially termed is not one of translatable words, but rather a deep intuition towards the feelings of each other. This intelligence and intuition is what allows such deep connections between otherwise incompatible species to flourish, and it is a matter which extends even to the variety of human languages that exist at present.
To varying degree, all humans are able to get a general feeling of what someone else is communicating; greetings, hunger, a need for assistance, and so on. As such, while it pales significantly against the benefits of learning another language, it encourages communication to a much greater degree. In fact, those who have greater ability find it easier to learn new languages via immersion.
For the most part, likely due to the benefits of such an innate skill, humans have medium to high levels of intuition in this regard. Very rarely will someone be unable to glean meaning from foreign words entirely.
Pokemon as noted do not have a strictly translatable language, but it can be said that human beings are still capable of understanding them to an extent. Body language can be learned, and Pokemon themselves have been shown to learn 'extra steps' in order to communicate more readily with Trainers. There have even been scattered reports of Pokemon using vocal mimicry to actually speak, though these are often very old Pokemon who have spent years of time around humans in conversation.
There are those in the world who are said to truly 'speak' to Pokemon however, or in other terms, 'understand the hearts of Pokemon'. These people truly do understand what a Pokemon is 'saying', and are able to maintain entire 'conversations' as it were (unlike the average human, who could be said to commune with Pokemon as if they were particularly intelligent parrots or dogs)
This is more than likely not an inherited trait - in fact, recent studies have determined it likely to be a defense mechanism. With little exception, all known examples of such people are known to have experienced extreme childhood neglect and isolation at a young age; in other words, the only living beings they could communicate with, were Pokemon, and so they adapted.
In modern times, when Trainers are discovered to have the ability, they are often contacted soon after by various medical and social services to check-in on their living circumstances.
Notably, Emporio actually qualifies as one such Trainer, proving the theory that this ability is based predominantly in a natural intuition rather than actual exposure to Pokemon.
In the Pokemon World, there are regions where it is not unheard of for a person not to have ever raised a Pokemon. At minimum, Urbain is not surprised by Emporio (or the Player for this matter) lacking one, and when the topic of Urbain granting one to him arises, other characters involved make no significant comment on the matter. Pokemon Training, it would seem, is understood to be a matter of incredible responsibility as well as physical skill. In addition to needing the necessary time and energy to dedicate to a Pokemon - as seen in the adoption of one Hawlucha within Luminose - one must also be physically capable of seeing to their unique needs, or even seeking one out for capture.
These combined factors make it no surprise that in many ways, to train a Pokemon is to become an 'adult'. However, much like the mundane world, it is not so simple a matter. While Pokemon Trainers may be held responsible for many things, effectively being viewed as adults at a 'criminal' level, they are still considered children in many other ways. Across many regions, the age required to drive, drink, and consent, are all held entirely separately from the age at which children may optionally participate in Pokemon journeys or adopt their own Pokemon outside of parental supervision.
(There are numerous exceptions to this; many, many children have ultimately come to train Pokemon on their own before reaching their region's official journeying age.)
For the AU, it is noted that in Kalos the official age of 'Journeying' is 15, which further cements why it's little surprise that Emporio lacks a Pokemon upon arrival to Luminose.
Those who are chosen by Legendary Pokemon are considered Fables. Heroes in their own right, be it for good or ill. Due to the danger in separating Pokemon from Chosen, they are often granted a degree of international protections; nothing so ridiculous as to leave them immune to the law, but at the very least enough that they can walk without fear of being kidnapped or attacked.
If, indeed, they had such fears at all given their partners. Often, modern day Fables are chosen quite young. The theory is that the thing which makes them open to the hearts of so powerful a being, and indeed, even able to train their own 'mundane' Pokemon to such heights, is a thing now lost in modern adulthood. Where many would call it skill, power, or courage, others would call it recklessness and blind faith. Truly, the eyes of babes see none of the dangers that lay deep in the hidden corners of the world. They enter the dens of dragons without thought, and in doing so either survive to return with powerful companions...or fail to return at all.
Still, it is notable. Not only among Fabled, but the truly strong over all. It requires a degree of openness and resilience to train Pokemon as far and long, and to that end the strongest Trainers are often either eccentrics, or incredibly old.
Tourism is a lucrative business in the Pokemon World. Trainers of all sorts in particular enjoy the chance to see new Pokemon and possibly catch them as well - to encourage this, registration to become a Trainer is laughably easy in a great number of Regions. Rather than stress over if someone should be allowed to train a Pokemon, it is ultimately easier to focus on enforcing the rules against someone logged in a registry.
There is something of a snag in this system however, and it is a system that allows Emporio in particular to get by very, very easily. Trainer Registration is a valid form of Identification, but one that doesn't require proof of citizenry. This is because of course, many Trainers registering in new regions won't be from any singular location. Once again, it becomes easier to focus on keeping an eye on someone after their registration, than it does to fuss over the minor details beforehand. Often there will be a courtesy question of where a Trainer is originally from, but this is easy enough to lie about.
Fortunately - perhaps because of how many Trainers still provide to a Region's revenue one way or another - such 'illegal' citizenry often isn't an issue. If anything, it isn't even a concept!
Though, the fact that Emporio wasn't born in any region does ultimately come back to bite him, given his claims of being from Kemet.
The Pokemon World is one divided into many, many smaller pieces than the mundane world itself. The sheer scale and needs of Pokemon themselves often enforce broader borders, with many being drawn the moment a given location reaches a particular population level. Regions, as they are known, often maintain their own personal government despite being located within a larger country - the most immediate example being Yamato (what was Mundane Japan), which is divided into four regions. While collectively they can be said to occupy the landmass that is Yamato, with open borders among themselves, one would never say 'Yamato' if they could otherwise refer to specific regions.
Despite this example, there are in actuality only a handful of 'countries' with multiple regions within them, and fewer cases where the entire country maintains a single League and Government. Generally speaking, if a country covers a massive amount of land but otherwise contains a small amount of people, it will split itself into regions for the sake of governing Pokemon and land related matters while otherwise following a single governing power for human matters. Efisga is one such example, containing three massive regions but otherwise representing a mere 1% of the planet's population.
What is most notable about this fact is the resulting divisions within the country referred to as 'The United Regions'. Rather than define its regions as the states known to the mundane 'United States', regions within this country vary phenomenally in size. Among the smallest of these regions for example is Unova; in the mundane world, New York City would be a mess of infrastructure with local districts, but in the Pokemon World, it has instead grouped its human populations into cities and towns of their own.
Of course, this has not stopped Unova from standing out on its own, with a storied history and culture to share; indeed, the mass number of regions within the UR highlights just how many different beliefs and cultures existed before border lines were ever drawn.
The astute will often notice that Regional Boundaries do not necessarily cover the entire landmass of a given country. This is in fact quite intentional - whereas the mundane world designates swathes of land to be 'National Parks', the Pokemon world has pockets of land that are known simply as 'Wild'.
Despite this designation however, there are locations within such swathes of land that are in fact inhabited by humans, some to significant degree. One such example is the Kitakami prefecture north of Kanto; while not a region in its own right, being surrounded by thick forests and protected rivers, it still hosts the village of Mossui and has for generations of time. No country wishes to unseat the people who have already made their place among the wild Pokemon of the world, and so instead it falls upon a country's government to ensure that support is provided as needed - this includes matters involving Pokemon, which, given the League responsibilities in many larger regions, often works out quite well indeed.
A notable exception to this fact, though hardly unique in it, is the massive country of Efisga, and its three regions. As all three take the entirety of the country's available land, and operate as one under the Efisgan League, it may come as no surprise to hear that the country is in fact scattered cities and towns divided by pure wild. What may be surprising however, at least given the methods of other wild filled countries (such as the notoriously huge Arctos, or to lesser extent, Jiuzhou and Sindhu) is that children coming of Journeying Age in Efisga travel directly into these Wilds. It is this which often causes significant confusion between Efisgans and Galarians - as while Galarians have zones of 'Wild Areas' within their routes, and therefore assume the Wilds of Efisga to refer to such areas given their traffic, it is needless to say far from the case. Wild areas are mere parks compared to the Wilds, and it would be good to understand this fact.
As recently studied in the Wild Areas of Luminose, it has been shown that a large population of certain types of Pokemon will often result in significant changes to the land itself. A collection of Ice Type Pokemon will in time cause a region to grow cold and snowy despite warmer climates surrounding it. Likewise, numerous desert-borne ground types will quickly turn a location into a desert, as is found to have happened in the distant past to Unova's 'Route 4'.
The incidents within current Wild Areas move at so incredible a rate, that many researchers are now revisiting their original theories for other, more 'natural' such Pocket Biomes within the world at large. Where once the theory had been that such locations took decades of time to develop at minimum, it is now clear that such things can occur in as little as a few days!
With little exception, all animals on the planet are referred to as 'Pokemon', or a linguistic equivalent. As the world is somewhat more advanced in regard to research on Pokemon intelligence and sapience, many strides have been made through the years in regard to matters of humane farming and hunting for food, as well as treatment and habitation over all.
Even still, there is much that the world does not know about the various creatures known as Pokemon. Just as in the mundane world, new species are still being discovered to this day, with many regions delving beyond the surface of their local, common knowledge. Modern efforts are aided in these mammoth tasks by the use of national Pokedexs as well as Pokemon 'Boxes', which allow scientists and researchers to better catalogue and gather data as Trainers input and provide samples.
Over the past number of years especially, many strides have been made in the field of Pokemon research. Taxonomy in particular has come to reflect these adjustments; where entries and information on Pokemon in the past might have referred to 'mice' and 'elephants', we now see either the species specifically named (Pikachu, Copperajah), or even their now updated classification - a matter that may either reflect this old terminology (Pikachu and Raichu are considered 'mouse Pokemon'), or instead be adjusted to better suit (Copperajah is known as the Copperderm Pokemon).
All Pokemon naturally shrink themselves down to fit den-like spaces for safety, and comfort. It is thought that in the ancient past, ancestors to humans were no exception; part of evolving away from the need for specific bursts of power seems to have involved losing the need to hide to such degree, and it is theorized that this came hand in hand with the ability to build and construct reliable fortification and dwellings. Yet another theory however is that ancestral humans began to take advantage of this once reliable source of safety and refuge, forcing them to rely on other means of protection.
No matter the case, Pokemon - in keeping their focused and varied powers - were thus easily able to lure into small, enclosed spaces as humans began to chance the idea of harmony with their bestial neighbors. The mechanisms between old and modern Pokeballs are largely the same; a spherical case is fashioned to create a 'den', with contact triggering the instinctive response to hide in the nearest such thing. Enraged Pokemon understandably do not even try to enter Pokeballs thrown at them, as they are no longer concerned with hiding - instead, they are concerned with defending their perceived territory.
Modern Pokeballs have been outfitted with various technologies to allow easy health restoration and increased comfort, compared to handcarved models. As well, many leaps and bounds have been made to help encourage Pokemon to stay within the ball. Typically, a Pokemon capture involves a human proving their worth to the targeted creature - either in battle, or even stealth. They must have an open heart, one which resonates with the animal they are inviting into their lives - even if such an invitation is intended to simply move the Pokemon to another location.
Recent debates have therefore arisen regarding what legal restrictions may be necessary for certain Pokeballs; devices that tout 'higher catch rate', 'greater success', also bring the question of where free will ends, and inhumane capture begins. Currently, it is a wildly accepted fact that there are no Pokeballs from which a Pokemon cannot escape - in fact, after a recent incident from within Paldea's 'Area Zero', it was proven that even the legendary Master Ball can be broken.
Though the best theory that anyone can come up with for why the Master Ball has such an otherwise high rate of success is the baffling idea that Pokemon somehow understand the 'scarcity' of the ball being thrown at them. That, or it is indeed the most 'comfortable technology' to exist.
The first Pokemon Box system was a 'stasis' format. Pokemon entered within would enter a complete freeze from time, locked in the moment they entered in. Such boxes were rare and existed as a status symbol, one which could still be seen for a time within Aether Foundation president Lusamine's own office - whose boxes were in constant display of their contents. These systems were found, with time, to cause stagnation to Pokemon growth; the longer one was encased, the more stunted their growth in the time following release. Due to this, the practice has since been made illegal.
New boxes however, will connect to one of two types of location. The first type is a specified field within a natural preserve; while the islands of Alola are particularly well known for this, it is the preferred option for a great many nations adopting such systems. These natural preserves are often used to help re-encourage Pokemon growth in otherwise struggling areas, and Pokemon are carefully categorized to avoid risks of predation.
The second type however is one more recently developed, in that they double as either public Zoos or as research laboratories. While the boxes will often still translate to a tangible living space, Pokemon here are able to be studied in a controlled environment, tagging such specimens for proper study (and for easy access to the original trainer). Due to the relative peace within both types of Box, Pokemon do not typically grow in power while kept inside - though they do, of course, age.
The term 'Pokemon Evolution' differs from the general idea of evolution with time. As a whole, Pokemon are fantastically unique next to humans; while both interact with the energy of the world to an extent, Pokemon do so to much higher levels than humans. It is this interaction which so caused various species to gain the remarkable powers that they have.
The energy of the world is an incredibly reactive source, and one that is still studied intensely to this day. What is known so far is that over time, Pokemon gather this energy within themselves - ordinarily, a Pokemon living a peaceful, unbothered life, will potentially live out its lifespan without ever evolving. Such Pokemon may display traits normally seen prior evolution (ie: Vulpix being born with one tail and gradually having it split into multiple), but will never take the final step. In turn however, Pokemon who experience certain amounts of energetic enrichment, such as combat or sport, will naturally 'evolve' in a burst of this energy once it has gathered to a certain point. Certain unique evolutions often trigger in the same way; the energy within is reacting to a particular instance of change, and causing spontaneous cellular restructuring in turn.
Due to the relationship between the amount of natural energy and evolution, an international 'Level System' was eventually understood and noted down in the way one records measurements of height and weight. Systems such as Pokedexes and associated technology record automatically the levels within each pokemon, translating it as a particular 'level'. Over time, a method of preventing evolution was eventually understood as a result of these studies as well as studies of the mineral known as 'Everstone', which appears to have a dampening effect upon the more reactive and transmutative aspects of gathered energy. While current debates are hot upon the question of whether this could cause harm to Pokemon, thus far it is considered incredibly rare for any such creature to remain under-evolved by the time they reach the wildly accepted 'maximum level'.
It is a common joke among those in the community that Skitty can breed with Wailord. This is due to their classification within the 'Egg Group' sorting system, both being 'Field'. Such beliefs were not helped by gullible children leaving their Pokemon at Day-Care centers in recent years; until perhaps ten years ago, these young Trainers would often leave their Pokemon in the hands of the capable Day Care and come back with an egg - the quiet result of Breeders who did not keep quite so careful an eye on the species mingling with each other.
As a matter of fact, no Wailord has ever bred with such Pokemon; what Egg Groups refer to in actuality is the species connections within Pokemon DNA. Wailord, quite curiously, is thought to have the same early ancestor as Pokemon such as Hippowdon, and Copperajah. Whereas the latter two eventually honed earthen talents, Wailord's closer ancestors took to the seas, becoming Water Type. Ultimately their skeletons and DNA still reveal these ancient ties, earning them the classification of 'Field' Group.
Then, one might ask, how is it that Wailord could possibly pass talents for certain moves to the children of a Skitty or Delcatty? Putting aside the fact that there are understandably no such moves on record, recent studies have at last confirmed how it is that seemingly incompatible Pokemon pass on these talents; and it is simply a matter of community. These Pokemon would befriend another, and indeed spend much time together. While the egg would of course not be sourced to both Pokemon, the move talents would. In Paldea, the growth of a plant known as Mirror Herb was ultimately developed to help encourage this phenomenon, particularly once it became apparent that such things were not restricted by Egg Groups or species - all it takes is a little community, and a lot of training.
Eggs are fantastic. Eggs protect the young within from the elements, and allow the adult parents more freedom to move. In the world of Pokemon, only humans seem to have come to give live birth; a sign of, perhaps, their relative safety as a species. Pokemon are at constant threat from the elements, from each other, and so on after all. Laying eggs even as their species differentiated through life simply made sense.
But Pokemon Eggs have another secret - they're incredibly difficult to break. It appears that rather than evolve alternative methods to bear young, Pokemon as a whole instead came to put more energy into ensuring the next generation is well protected before coming into the world. The shell of a Pokemon egg gathers energy from the world around it, especially when put in motion. In the wild, this would help to ensure that a young Pokemon hatches faster if the nest is under pressure, hopefully allowing it to escape before the egg is otherwise eaten. In captivity of course, this means that many eggs are hatched simply by holding one close and walking until the Pokemon inside has gathered enough energy to break through.
The further advantage of this process as it seems, is that young Pokemon are almost immediately able to walk and fight after hatching. While hardly strong, it's enough of an edge to survive.
A relevant question in the face of this of course is eggs which are eaten, particularly those of Chansey, or Blissey, but this is an easy matter to lay to rest. Pokemon eggs require fertilization after all, so Pokemon species that regularly lay eggs outside such incidents can thus be relied on for ethically sourced eggs to eat.
Among the possible 'types' of Pokemon, the origin of Ghost types is a particularly interesting topic of study. Once assumed to be spirits of the dead, Ghost Pokemon are very much living beings - however it is clear that the ancestral creatures which became these Pokemon originated from more nebulous sources than simple animals. The existence of 'object Pokemon' is not unique to Ghost types of course. Trubbish and Magnemite are just a few examples of Pokemon who came into being due to the focused collection of natural energy and emotional purpose. Spontaneous 'sparking' of such energy gave piles of metal scrap, or sludge life of some sort, and as such creatures procreated and evolved, they became the Pokemon known today. This process, long discussed and theorized, is one which eventually became the key in creating pokemon such as Porygon and other synthetic species; energy is collected alongside matter (in Porygon's case, digital data), and a response triggered to create 'life'.
Ghost Types in particular find their origin very specifically in the gathering of human emotion more often than not. Indeed, the emotions of Fear and Grief are incredibly ancient things; fear of lights leading humans astray eventually became Litwick. Grief over treasured hounds became Greavard. It is no surprise that despite the affability of the Pokemon themselves, those classified as 'Ghost' are typically associated with such negative topics. A unique source of study however, can be found in Yamask and Cofagrigus. These Pokemon originated in the region of Kemet, where ancient peoples placed intense amount of focus upon being remembered after their deaths. These obsessive focuses became the small Pokemon who so carry and weep for 'their' faces, eventually guarding 'their' treasures to deadly extent.
This line of Pokemon has, however, brought forward a fascinating question on the study of Ghost Pokemon; at what point can emotion be called memory, and vice versa. Are 'ghosts' merely the result of emotions gaining form and growing over time, or do they carry deeper memory within their very DNA?
The relationship between 'Dark' and 'Psychic' Pokemon is one that has fascinated people for many years. Psychic Pokemon over all represent what is often considered the strongest display of immaterial or mental prowess; humans themselves can be born 'Psychic', displaying powers of similar merit to such Pokemon themselves. With 'Dark' Pokemon representing a void against such abilities, it is thought that the many villainous and 'evil' associations with even the most stalwart and loyal examples of Dark type species originate from human bitterness. That such Pokemon could resist the 'blessed' powers of themselves, clearly meant such creatures were 'evil'.
In more scientific context, Dark type Pokemon appear to have evolved such focus and ability in strict defense of Psychic types; it is thought to be similar to the development of the Fairy type against the indomitable Dragon type's power, with the advantages of complete nullification proving more necessary than anything else.
It is notable that, with exception to the piece-meal creatures that so result from Galar's fused monstrosities, all revived Pokemon borne from fossils are partially Rock Type. While it was once thought that Pokemon from the past were revived as true examples of their once living forms, it is found that Pokemon revived from the stone are therefore corrupted by the stone. 'Rock' is within the preserved remains, and becomes one with the resulting body. There can be no true telling of what the revived Pokemon was genuinely like in the ancient past as a result.
Such matters contribute to current theories on the origins of 'Pokemon Types', and the processes which led to the expression we see today. Pokemon who adapted to wield more combustive forces may have become Fire Type, while naturally the great many creatures inhabiting the oceans of the world trended Water. In recent years, regional variations of Pokemon such as those found within Alola's invasive species have helped tremendously in these studies - the switch that Pokemon have made over a handful of decades in order to adapt and make use of different Types helps to unveil how it could be that ancient Pokemon came to find their way into the forms we now know. Of course, the mysteries regarding nigh 'God-like' Pokemon, and their immeasurable powers over elements and Types, remain a mystery despite such studies.
Legendary and Mythical Pokemon fall into one or more of three categories. The first, and less known, is Pokemon who are considered 'Extinct in the Wild'. These Pokemon are the sole exception to 'legends' whose separation from chosen trainers provide considerable risk to their surroundings. Unlike the 'Godly' species of such categories, EW-class Pokemon - while certainly powerful in many cases - are still comparable to other, more readily known creatures. These Pokemon are often gifted to people by a facility, or an individual, with the expectation that they will eventually help to contribute to restoring its population. Rarely, an exception in the form of a Pokemon who was considered entirely extinct will appear - in such cases, facilities will often request permission from the trainer to study this Pokemon in the hopes of eventually restoring its population (or at the least, recording its data more fully for study's sake).
It is worth noting that so called 'Starter' Pokemon, while certainly rare in the wild, do not fit this category for that exact reason - they yet exist in their natural habitat.
When one says the word 'Legendary', or 'Mythical' however, it is of the other two categories that one thinks of. The more mundane, and better understood form is that of Pokemon who have gathered so much natural energy that they have become radically different from the species they originally were - and, more vitally, passed it onto any offspring they may have. Diancie, whose species branched from the less powerful Carbink, are the most notable example of such, though it is thought that the legend of the 'Three Dogs' is what remains of a similar case occurring after a disaster.
There are yet other Legendary Pokemon who have long been viewed as the sole example of their species, with as of yet no ties to existing Pokemon in any such way. Whereas even the 'mundane' Legendaries often display traits akin to immortality, even appearing as isolated examples of existence, Pokemon as old as this have understandably gathered worship over the many eons they have no doubt seen. Between their unfathomable power over elements of the world itself, and their great refusal to be tamed by any unworthy human, countless cultures have called such beings 'Gods'.
Despite the moniker, it is better to say that most cultures who revere such entities view them in the way that the mundane world viewed immensely powerful spirits of nature. These Pokemon are not often considered to be entities who will listen to prayer, or even reverence. They are Pokemon who demand respect and awe simply by existing, though the extent to such faith certainly varies region to region, and Pokemon to Pokemon.
To no surprise then - when these Pokemon do find among humanity someone worthy of partnership, they remain with an intense loyalty only betrayed by an utter disregard for the Pokemon's own ideals. To forcefully separate such a pair brings catastrophe on the region without pause, and so when such pairings occur, Regional governments can often do little more than request registration before observing from afar.
As for whether or not any such Legendary Pokemon are indeed 'Gods'...no facility is willing to concretely declare as such - though individuals within such places certainly may, and absolutely have. It is, however, considered too divisive a topic to make any singular being the 'confirmed deity' of any such thing. There are simply too many regions, a great many of which still remain silent regarding their own feared 'Legends' to this day.
Similar in nature to phenomena such as Galar's 'Gigantamax', or Paldea's 'Terastalization', Mega Evolution represents a rapid onset metamorphosis brought forth by the accumulation of a particular energy - in this case, 'Mega Energy' or 'Mega Power'. While the full origins and breakdown of such energy are still being studied, it is shown that this energy is found naturally through the world as a whole. Typically, this energy is barely notable in its amounts - only through specialized training and practice does it ever gather enough to trigger an evolution, and even then the evolution itself must be guided.
Rarely however, a Pokemon will indeed gather this power naturally. The overflow of energy will force sudden mutation in an often painful process, thrusting the creature into a berserk state. It is these 'Rogue Mega Evolutions' which fill the Pokedex for the most part; a warning for those who ever encounter such Pokemon in the wild.
In the professional context, a Trained Mega Evolution is always guided. The Pokemon holds a stone, created using both 'Mega Crystals' (the crystallized form of Mega Energy) and a sample of the Pokemon's DNA (such as some of their fur). The Trainer must then hold what is known as a 'Key Stone', an object which helps to ease the release of Mega Energy as the Pokemon undergoes their brief transformation. The ability to channel such power varies person to person - it is noted by Emporio in fact that the ability actually appears to align with those who would have Stand Potential, in that Trainers with particularly strong 'Will' are better capable of gathering and unleashing Mega Power without causing undue harm to their Pokemon.
Notably, this is the secondary function of the Keystone; under all other circumstances outside of battle, it slowly releases latent energy to prevent unnecessary build up in the Pokemon. As well, it prevents any botched evolutions from occurring, ensuring no Pokemon suffer the fate of their Rogue counterparts. Those who fear for such wild Pokemon need not worry for their fate, on this note - while it is recommended that one combat such Rogue Pokemon into submission to lessen their time within such a painful state, this power will still naturally fade with time. Unlike the release of energy that causes typical evolution, Mega Energy is always transient, and temporary. The naturally unstable cellular bonds will always revert given enough time.
Rotom are a unique Pokemon which have existed since before the advent of technology. It is thought that they were born from the natural fear of electricity - rather of lightning, of bolts striking the earth from nothingness. Static electricity being the more common occurrence in many regions, this uncertain understanding eventually gathered into the plasma being that is Rotom, which propagated into the creatures we see today.
As technology has advanced, Rotom in particular have adapted with great zeal. Their incredible compatibility with technology is something that companies have since capitalized upon, beginning to selectively breed this species for relative intelligence and trainability; it is a common misconception that a Pokemon must be highly intelligent to be capable of easy training. In fact, high intelligence often breeds more rebellious Pokemon, as they are more capable of seeing decisions their Trainers do not!
(Notably, this is why many assistance Pokemon are bred for such high intelligence, as it provides greater security for the assisted human.)
Bred Rotom are now sold as a joined package with devices that they are never expected to fully abandon. Where wild Rotom will happily jump between various technologies in order to cause mischief, Roto-Drones, Roto-Mi Dispensers, and even Roto-Bikes are now devices which fill the market. The latter are particularly encouraged as purchases, with the modern 'Roto-Phone' so prevalent as to even be required for modern day living in many regions. This has created some discourse - Rotom devices are not cheap in the slightest, and while replacing broken devices is far cheaper after the initial purchase, it does not remove that sting. The Pokemon are fortunately incredibly long-lived, meaning that many Rotom devices are effective 'one-time-purchases', but people are finding that as technology advances, their personal Rotoms struggle to adapt to newer phone models. They were trained for a particular system after all, and lack the easy adaptability of their wild counterparts.
Incidentally, while these bred Rotom are incapable of combat, it should be noted that Emporio's Roto-Phone is in fact not a legal bred Rotom. Rather, he repaired a broken phone and adopted a wild Rotom. As such, both it and his 'Roto-Bike' are considered 'off record', with the little ghost more than capable of defending its Trainer in a pinch.
As noted, there are creatures within the world that are not considered 'Pokemon'. Such things are small - smaller than the naked eye can perceive. Microbial organisms which are integral to the world yet exist, even within the body! While their presence is visually negligible, to the point that they are excluded from such blanket statements as 'all creatures' and so forth, they still carry their own fantastical abilities in the same vein.
The primary point of difference is scale; fire, grass, and a great many 'Typed' traits, cannot manifest in at all the same ways once they become too small in size. Thus, the side effects of most microbial organisms within the world do not appear any different from the mundane. All that can be seen is that certain new diseases happen to exist, either enhancing or weakening the abilities of the macro-fauna they mirror. Suffice it to say, the final nail in the coffin which so determined they were not Pokemon is their near invisible size. Indeed, with the exception of colonies such as Dhelmise, Pokemon formed by a greater whole of smaller entities, they could never possibly be contained by a Pokeball!
One growing theory relating to the abilities of microbes within the world is that they perform key roles in the formation of Pocket Biomes however. As 'like' is drawn to 'like', it is understood that many such creatures will follow larger populations. A gathering of Ice Pokemon does indeed bring with it a gathering of related microbes, which are vital in the restructuring of such an environment.
Much like the sporting leagues of the mundane world, there are varying degrees of competition and notoriety within the Pokemon Leagues. It would be quite accurate to say that the greater a country's population, the more leagues it contains - while not all regions will necessarily have one, these leagues act both as a governing force to help maintain relations between Pokemon and Humans, but also as a way to encourage anything from learning, to competition, depending on the region in particular. Galar for example places a great deal of importance on Pokemon battles as a sporting event, whereas regions such as Paldea often encourage their Gym Leaders to maintain primary jobs alongside their duties.
Notably, there are a great many regions which lack official leagues entirely - the concept of a Pokemon League is a fairly modern creation, as proven by the variety of ways they manifest. From Johto and Kanto's 'joint league' (from which any combination of eight badges will grant access to challenge their Elite 4), to Efisga's curious 'three region league' (which carries only nine badges despite this), it appears that the only true requirement for a Pokemon League is a gathering of highly skilled trainers referred to as 'the Elite'.
These 'Elite', alongside the reigning Champion, are those who determine league badges, Gym Leaders, as well as the responsibilities among themselves and the various trainers in the League. Typically, the Elite themselves maintain more generalized roles - akin to wings of government, ie, 'Land and Sea', 'Health', etc.
To say that most regions lack a league is not to say that they lack any government system however, nor even a system of raising new Pokemon Trainers. Many of these locations follow their own storied traditions, maintained for as many as hundreds of years - a great example being that of Alola, who only recently added a pseudo-League to their Island Challenge system.
(It is noted that despite being referred to as the Alolan League, the Elite of Alola do not actually hold the equivalent levels of power - this instead remains in the hands of the Kahuna, who are ceremonially tasked with their roles by the Legends of each Island.)
Pokemon Battles have been a constantly changing affair. Trainers and the Leagues that oversee official bouts are always seeking out newer, more entertaining formats, even to their potential detriment (as witnessed with Galar's 'Dynamax' phenomenon). Through much of modern history, Pokemon battles have in part been focused on the idea of 'Honor' and 'Control'. What was originally an organic battle form, emphasized by simply pointing at a wild Pokemon and commanding one's own to 'attack', became a system where each participant would strike in 'turns'. Whoever moved first would take the first blow, with emphasis placed on the ability to convince one's Pokemon to simply wait to strike again. While dodging attacks in such battles was of course allowed, this anticipation often made it difficult for Pokemon to simply avoid a strike.
A similarly connected trend which arose from such battles is the 'Four Move Limit'. Pokemon do not, of course, 'forget' what they are capable of. If a Pokemon has come to learn how to perform an attack or status move, only years without use could erase that progress. In order to add restriction and challenge however, early Pokemon professionals began to enforce a limit of 'four moves'. They would provide either the referee, or their opponent, with the list of moves they would use for each Pokemon, and go from there. This provided both honor- as any Trainer who acted outside their moveset would be disqualified immediately- as well as control- as it is not in most Pokemon's nature to restrict themselves.
What became an unexpected consequence of this, was in the limitations of younger Trainer's understanding; as children came to learn the 'four move rule', they began to mistakenly attribute it to actually forgetting the ability to fight, leading to the unwitting use of the trend even in wild battles! In modern day, schools are quick to therefore emphasize what is actually the case - otherwise, young Trainers could easily find themselves in trouble during a wild Pokemon battle.
Recently, there has been a rise in the trend of more organic battling once more though. While the four-move-limit is still a strictly maintained rule, historic studies of old regions such as Hisui have inspired Trainers to practice more organic styles, working with their partner Pokemon's natural speed rather than any imposed 'turn order'. While such battles are all outside of the official League, there have been talks in some regions to perhaps implement organic battling systems within them.
For Pokemon, their inclination to retreat to a safe place is often what allows Pokemon Battles to proceed without significant harm. The moment a Pokemon feels itself to be on their last legs, they will immediately seek shelter; for a Pokemon belonging to a trainer, this is often their Pokeball. Given the exhaustive state such Pokemon often reach when this occurs, it is to no surprise that the term given to such retreat is called 'Fainting'.
In professional battles, 'Fainting' would eventually come to refer to any loss, however. A referee often determines if a Pokemon is unable, medically speaking, to battle any longer (with referees receiving incredibly precise training to maintain as much objectively). Naturally, a Pokemon literally passing out on the arena is also considered 'Fainting', though yet another point of understanding that referees must learn is the difference between this and drowsiness.
For humans, there is a shockingly similar defense mechanism though; this mechanism is referred to as 'Black Out' or 'White Out' (though Black Out is the most popular). While the term can also be used to refer to Trainers who are no longer able to send Pokemon out for battle, medically speaking it is a state of false death that a human automatically enters when under severe threat. Pokemon are, by nature, disinclined to predate on human beings; they are not particularly filling prey, and for smaller Pokemon the effort of attack is often not worth the end result. Instinctively perhaps, Pokemon are additionally aware that to kill one human is to invite an entire host of humans upon their territory - which is even less desired.
Thus, a human 'playing dead' (however unwillingly) is often a foolproof method of escape. The Pokemon leaves to return to their own actions, while the human eventually wakes with the strength to flee and recover. Worth noting is that Emporio - being from a different reality entirely - does not have this instinct and ability. Instead, he relies on his Stand or his Pokemon to get him out of such situations with rapidity.
The term 'TM' and 'HM' stand for 'Technical Machine' and 'Hidden Machine' respectively. These are somewhat misleading as names, but ultimately names that have stuck to near international extent. Rather than any singular machine however, a TM and an HM are both involved training kits made to quickly help a Trainer teach their Pokemon particular moves. When such kits first began to hit the market, there was very little regulation on how they were created and dispersed; as such, such kits were made to be 'single use', even going as far as burning out the tapes upon which instructional videos were found.
In an effort to curb this, various governments first began to legally declare certain TMs as 'necessary' for public Trainers to have access to. In the resulting battle between the Law and Corporations, these became known as 'Hidden Machines' for their scarcity. What were meant to be 'Handy Machines' were now far from that, as despite being entirely re-usable, it was alarmingly difficult to procure a great many such kits.
With time and progress however, these issues have changed. As TMs become easier to manufacture, they have become permanent use items - in turn, one use 'Technical Records' have been released with recipes for their production, so that even mere students can gather the materials necessary to combine with online video records. 'HMs', as such, are now a relic of a bygone era.
The following are various categories of notes, describing in detail the mechanics of various things within the Pokemon World which Emporio comes from. While much of the world is based within Canon, this information seeks to clarify or 'ground' matters of canon into something more defined. It additionally acts as a way to further clarify the differences between Emporio himself and the world he's come to know for the last three years.
On Humans and their Powers
The Pokemon World is one filled with an abundance of natural energy. An ultra reactive force, which has been present within the world since the dawn of time. In pre-human times, human and Pokemon would have been one and the same; rather, 'humans' would have been a form of Pokemon themselves. At some point along the path of their personal, long-form evolution however, this changed. For whatever reason, it became more useful for humans to shed many of the abilities that would have been in line with all Pokemon.
Despite this fact, it remains that humans of the Pokemon world are vastly more durable than those of the mundane one. Humans are capable of taking blows that could otherwise severely injure mundane people, leading to a reality where it is an incredibly casual thing to remark on treating someone for injuries sustained within a Pokemon battle. What would result in severe, life-threatening burns for Emporio would otherwise be a simple 'patch-up' matter at a hospital.
Perhaps connected to this is the fact that humans are capable of a great number of feats given focused training. Dedicated Martial Artists become able to trade blows with Fighting type Pokemon on their own, while Psychics and Mediums utilize their mental prowess in a variety of ways. This flexibility has led some scientists to the theory that humans represent a recessed 'multi-type' Pokemon, having traded the extreme power that Pokemon bear for the ability to more flexibly adapt to their surroundings. Though a strong theory, it remains 'just a theory'.
Relevantly, it would appear that the purest of elemental types (Fire, Water, Grass, etc) are those which humans can only display in the most minor of ways; those trending to 'Fire' being passionate, even running warmer body temperatures, or 'Grass' leaning humans having a stronger green thumb than typical.
On Language in the World
As a whole, Pokemon and Humans appear to understand one another - however, this is not a literal matter. The 'Pokemon Language' as it is colloquially termed is not one of translatable words, but rather a deep intuition towards the feelings of each other. This intelligence and intuition is what allows such deep connections between otherwise incompatible species to flourish, and it is a matter which extends even to the variety of human languages that exist at present.
To varying degree, all humans are able to get a general feeling of what someone else is communicating; greetings, hunger, a need for assistance, and so on. As such, while it pales significantly against the benefits of learning another language, it encourages communication to a much greater degree. In fact, those who have greater ability find it easier to learn new languages via immersion.
For the most part, likely due to the benefits of such an innate skill, humans have medium to high levels of intuition in this regard. Very rarely will someone be unable to glean meaning from foreign words entirely.
On 'Those Who Understand Pokemon'
Pokemon as noted do not have a strictly translatable language, but it can be said that human beings are still capable of understanding them to an extent. Body language can be learned, and Pokemon themselves have been shown to learn 'extra steps' in order to communicate more readily with Trainers. There have even been scattered reports of Pokemon using vocal mimicry to actually speak, though these are often very old Pokemon who have spent years of time around humans in conversation.
There are those in the world who are said to truly 'speak' to Pokemon however, or in other terms, 'understand the hearts of Pokemon'. These people truly do understand what a Pokemon is 'saying', and are able to maintain entire 'conversations' as it were (unlike the average human, who could be said to commune with Pokemon as if they were particularly intelligent parrots or dogs)
This is more than likely not an inherited trait - in fact, recent studies have determined it likely to be a defense mechanism. With little exception, all known examples of such people are known to have experienced extreme childhood neglect and isolation at a young age; in other words, the only living beings they could communicate with, were Pokemon, and so they adapted.
In modern times, when Trainers are discovered to have the ability, they are often contacted soon after by various medical and social services to check-in on their living circumstances.
Notably, Emporio actually qualifies as one such Trainer, proving the theory that this ability is based predominantly in a natural intuition rather than actual exposure to Pokemon.
On Pokemon Training and Adult Majority
In the Pokemon World, there are regions where it is not unheard of for a person not to have ever raised a Pokemon. At minimum, Urbain is not surprised by Emporio (or the Player for this matter) lacking one, and when the topic of Urbain granting one to him arises, other characters involved make no significant comment on the matter. Pokemon Training, it would seem, is understood to be a matter of incredible responsibility as well as physical skill. In addition to needing the necessary time and energy to dedicate to a Pokemon - as seen in the adoption of one Hawlucha within Luminose - one must also be physically capable of seeing to their unique needs, or even seeking one out for capture.
These combined factors make it no surprise that in many ways, to train a Pokemon is to become an 'adult'. However, much like the mundane world, it is not so simple a matter. While Pokemon Trainers may be held responsible for many things, effectively being viewed as adults at a 'criminal' level, they are still considered children in many other ways. Across many regions, the age required to drive, drink, and consent, are all held entirely separately from the age at which children may optionally participate in Pokemon journeys or adopt their own Pokemon outside of parental supervision.
(There are numerous exceptions to this; many, many children have ultimately come to train Pokemon on their own before reaching their region's official journeying age.)
For the AU, it is noted that in Kalos the official age of 'Journeying' is 15, which further cements why it's little surprise that Emporio lacks a Pokemon upon arrival to Luminose.
On the Fabled
Those who are chosen by Legendary Pokemon are considered Fables. Heroes in their own right, be it for good or ill. Due to the danger in separating Pokemon from Chosen, they are often granted a degree of international protections; nothing so ridiculous as to leave them immune to the law, but at the very least enough that they can walk without fear of being kidnapped or attacked.
If, indeed, they had such fears at all given their partners. Often, modern day Fables are chosen quite young. The theory is that the thing which makes them open to the hearts of so powerful a being, and indeed, even able to train their own 'mundane' Pokemon to such heights, is a thing now lost in modern adulthood. Where many would call it skill, power, or courage, others would call it recklessness and blind faith. Truly, the eyes of babes see none of the dangers that lay deep in the hidden corners of the world. They enter the dens of dragons without thought, and in doing so either survive to return with powerful companions...or fail to return at all.
Still, it is notable. Not only among Fabled, but the truly strong over all. It requires a degree of openness and resilience to train Pokemon as far and long, and to that end the strongest Trainers are often either eccentrics, or incredibly old.
On Registration and Citizenry
Tourism is a lucrative business in the Pokemon World. Trainers of all sorts in particular enjoy the chance to see new Pokemon and possibly catch them as well - to encourage this, registration to become a Trainer is laughably easy in a great number of Regions. Rather than stress over if someone should be allowed to train a Pokemon, it is ultimately easier to focus on enforcing the rules against someone logged in a registry.
There is something of a snag in this system however, and it is a system that allows Emporio in particular to get by very, very easily. Trainer Registration is a valid form of Identification, but one that doesn't require proof of citizenry. This is because of course, many Trainers registering in new regions won't be from any singular location. Once again, it becomes easier to focus on keeping an eye on someone after their registration, than it does to fuss over the minor details beforehand. Often there will be a courtesy question of where a Trainer is originally from, but this is easy enough to lie about.
Fortunately - perhaps because of how many Trainers still provide to a Region's revenue one way or another - such 'illegal' citizenry often isn't an issue. If anything, it isn't even a concept!
Though, the fact that Emporio wasn't born in any region does ultimately come back to bite him, given his claims of being from Kemet.
On the Definitions of Countries
The Pokemon World is one divided into many, many smaller pieces than the mundane world itself. The sheer scale and needs of Pokemon themselves often enforce broader borders, with many being drawn the moment a given location reaches a particular population level. Regions, as they are known, often maintain their own personal government despite being located within a larger country - the most immediate example being Yamato (what was Mundane Japan), which is divided into four regions. While collectively they can be said to occupy the landmass that is Yamato, with open borders among themselves, one would never say 'Yamato' if they could otherwise refer to specific regions.
Despite this example, there are in actuality only a handful of 'countries' with multiple regions within them, and fewer cases where the entire country maintains a single League and Government. Generally speaking, if a country covers a massive amount of land but otherwise contains a small amount of people, it will split itself into regions for the sake of governing Pokemon and land related matters while otherwise following a single governing power for human matters. Efisga is one such example, containing three massive regions but otherwise representing a mere 1% of the planet's population.
What is most notable about this fact is the resulting divisions within the country referred to as 'The United Regions'. Rather than define its regions as the states known to the mundane 'United States', regions within this country vary phenomenally in size. Among the smallest of these regions for example is Unova; in the mundane world, New York City would be a mess of infrastructure with local districts, but in the Pokemon World, it has instead grouped its human populations into cities and towns of their own.
Of course, this has not stopped Unova from standing out on its own, with a storied history and culture to share; indeed, the mass number of regions within the UR highlights just how many different beliefs and cultures existed before border lines were ever drawn.
On Non-Regional Locations, and Wilds versus Wild Areas
The astute will often notice that Regional Boundaries do not necessarily cover the entire landmass of a given country. This is in fact quite intentional - whereas the mundane world designates swathes of land to be 'National Parks', the Pokemon world has pockets of land that are known simply as 'Wild'.
Despite this designation however, there are locations within such swathes of land that are in fact inhabited by humans, some to significant degree. One such example is the Kitakami prefecture north of Kanto; while not a region in its own right, being surrounded by thick forests and protected rivers, it still hosts the village of Mossui and has for generations of time. No country wishes to unseat the people who have already made their place among the wild Pokemon of the world, and so instead it falls upon a country's government to ensure that support is provided as needed - this includes matters involving Pokemon, which, given the League responsibilities in many larger regions, often works out quite well indeed.
A notable exception to this fact, though hardly unique in it, is the massive country of Efisga, and its three regions. As all three take the entirety of the country's available land, and operate as one under the Efisgan League, it may come as no surprise to hear that the country is in fact scattered cities and towns divided by pure wild. What may be surprising however, at least given the methods of other wild filled countries (such as the notoriously huge Arctos, or to lesser extent, Jiuzhou and Sindhu) is that children coming of Journeying Age in Efisga travel directly into these Wilds. It is this which often causes significant confusion between Efisgans and Galarians - as while Galarians have zones of 'Wild Areas' within their routes, and therefore assume the Wilds of Efisga to refer to such areas given their traffic, it is needless to say far from the case. Wild areas are mere parks compared to the Wilds, and it would be good to understand this fact.
On Pocket Biomes
As recently studied in the Wild Areas of Luminose, it has been shown that a large population of certain types of Pokemon will often result in significant changes to the land itself. A collection of Ice Type Pokemon will in time cause a region to grow cold and snowy despite warmer climates surrounding it. Likewise, numerous desert-borne ground types will quickly turn a location into a desert, as is found to have happened in the distant past to Unova's 'Route 4'.
The incidents within current Wild Areas move at so incredible a rate, that many researchers are now revisiting their original theories for other, more 'natural' such Pocket Biomes within the world at large. Where once the theory had been that such locations took decades of time to develop at minimum, it is now clear that such things can occur in as little as a few days!
On Pokemon Research and Intelligence
With little exception, all animals on the planet are referred to as 'Pokemon', or a linguistic equivalent. As the world is somewhat more advanced in regard to research on Pokemon intelligence and sapience, many strides have been made through the years in regard to matters of humane farming and hunting for food, as well as treatment and habitation over all.
Even still, there is much that the world does not know about the various creatures known as Pokemon. Just as in the mundane world, new species are still being discovered to this day, with many regions delving beyond the surface of their local, common knowledge. Modern efforts are aided in these mammoth tasks by the use of national Pokedexs as well as Pokemon 'Boxes', which allow scientists and researchers to better catalogue and gather data as Trainers input and provide samples.
Over the past number of years especially, many strides have been made in the field of Pokemon research. Taxonomy in particular has come to reflect these adjustments; where entries and information on Pokemon in the past might have referred to 'mice' and 'elephants', we now see either the species specifically named (Pikachu, Copperajah), or even their now updated classification - a matter that may either reflect this old terminology (Pikachu and Raichu are considered 'mouse Pokemon'), or instead be adjusted to better suit (Copperajah is known as the Copperderm Pokemon).
On Pokeballs
All Pokemon naturally shrink themselves down to fit den-like spaces for safety, and comfort. It is thought that in the ancient past, ancestors to humans were no exception; part of evolving away from the need for specific bursts of power seems to have involved losing the need to hide to such degree, and it is theorized that this came hand in hand with the ability to build and construct reliable fortification and dwellings. Yet another theory however is that ancestral humans began to take advantage of this once reliable source of safety and refuge, forcing them to rely on other means of protection.
No matter the case, Pokemon - in keeping their focused and varied powers - were thus easily able to lure into small, enclosed spaces as humans began to chance the idea of harmony with their bestial neighbors. The mechanisms between old and modern Pokeballs are largely the same; a spherical case is fashioned to create a 'den', with contact triggering the instinctive response to hide in the nearest such thing. Enraged Pokemon understandably do not even try to enter Pokeballs thrown at them, as they are no longer concerned with hiding - instead, they are concerned with defending their perceived territory.
Modern Pokeballs have been outfitted with various technologies to allow easy health restoration and increased comfort, compared to handcarved models. As well, many leaps and bounds have been made to help encourage Pokemon to stay within the ball. Typically, a Pokemon capture involves a human proving their worth to the targeted creature - either in battle, or even stealth. They must have an open heart, one which resonates with the animal they are inviting into their lives - even if such an invitation is intended to simply move the Pokemon to another location.
Recent debates have therefore arisen regarding what legal restrictions may be necessary for certain Pokeballs; devices that tout 'higher catch rate', 'greater success', also bring the question of where free will ends, and inhumane capture begins. Currently, it is a wildly accepted fact that there are no Pokeballs from which a Pokemon cannot escape - in fact, after a recent incident from within Paldea's 'Area Zero', it was proven that even the legendary Master Ball can be broken.
Though the best theory that anyone can come up with for why the Master Ball has such an otherwise high rate of success is the baffling idea that Pokemon somehow understand the 'scarcity' of the ball being thrown at them. That, or it is indeed the most 'comfortable technology' to exist.
On Pokemon Boxes
The first Pokemon Box system was a 'stasis' format. Pokemon entered within would enter a complete freeze from time, locked in the moment they entered in. Such boxes were rare and existed as a status symbol, one which could still be seen for a time within Aether Foundation president Lusamine's own office - whose boxes were in constant display of their contents. These systems were found, with time, to cause stagnation to Pokemon growth; the longer one was encased, the more stunted their growth in the time following release. Due to this, the practice has since been made illegal.
New boxes however, will connect to one of two types of location. The first type is a specified field within a natural preserve; while the islands of Alola are particularly well known for this, it is the preferred option for a great many nations adopting such systems. These natural preserves are often used to help re-encourage Pokemon growth in otherwise struggling areas, and Pokemon are carefully categorized to avoid risks of predation.
The second type however is one more recently developed, in that they double as either public Zoos or as research laboratories. While the boxes will often still translate to a tangible living space, Pokemon here are able to be studied in a controlled environment, tagging such specimens for proper study (and for easy access to the original trainer). Due to the relative peace within both types of Box, Pokemon do not typically grow in power while kept inside - though they do, of course, age.
On Pokemon Evolution and Power Levels
The term 'Pokemon Evolution' differs from the general idea of evolution with time. As a whole, Pokemon are fantastically unique next to humans; while both interact with the energy of the world to an extent, Pokemon do so to much higher levels than humans. It is this interaction which so caused various species to gain the remarkable powers that they have.
The energy of the world is an incredibly reactive source, and one that is still studied intensely to this day. What is known so far is that over time, Pokemon gather this energy within themselves - ordinarily, a Pokemon living a peaceful, unbothered life, will potentially live out its lifespan without ever evolving. Such Pokemon may display traits normally seen prior evolution (ie: Vulpix being born with one tail and gradually having it split into multiple), but will never take the final step. In turn however, Pokemon who experience certain amounts of energetic enrichment, such as combat or sport, will naturally 'evolve' in a burst of this energy once it has gathered to a certain point. Certain unique evolutions often trigger in the same way; the energy within is reacting to a particular instance of change, and causing spontaneous cellular restructuring in turn.
Due to the relationship between the amount of natural energy and evolution, an international 'Level System' was eventually understood and noted down in the way one records measurements of height and weight. Systems such as Pokedexes and associated technology record automatically the levels within each pokemon, translating it as a particular 'level'. Over time, a method of preventing evolution was eventually understood as a result of these studies as well as studies of the mineral known as 'Everstone', which appears to have a dampening effect upon the more reactive and transmutative aspects of gathered energy. While current debates are hot upon the question of whether this could cause harm to Pokemon, thus far it is considered incredibly rare for any such creature to remain under-evolved by the time they reach the wildly accepted 'maximum level'.
On Pokemon Breeding and Egg Moves
It is a common joke among those in the community that Skitty can breed with Wailord. This is due to their classification within the 'Egg Group' sorting system, both being 'Field'. Such beliefs were not helped by gullible children leaving their Pokemon at Day-Care centers in recent years; until perhaps ten years ago, these young Trainers would often leave their Pokemon in the hands of the capable Day Care and come back with an egg - the quiet result of Breeders who did not keep quite so careful an eye on the species mingling with each other.
As a matter of fact, no Wailord has ever bred with such Pokemon; what Egg Groups refer to in actuality is the species connections within Pokemon DNA. Wailord, quite curiously, is thought to have the same early ancestor as Pokemon such as Hippowdon, and Copperajah. Whereas the latter two eventually honed earthen talents, Wailord's closer ancestors took to the seas, becoming Water Type. Ultimately their skeletons and DNA still reveal these ancient ties, earning them the classification of 'Field' Group.
Then, one might ask, how is it that Wailord could possibly pass talents for certain moves to the children of a Skitty or Delcatty? Putting aside the fact that there are understandably no such moves on record, recent studies have at last confirmed how it is that seemingly incompatible Pokemon pass on these talents; and it is simply a matter of community. These Pokemon would befriend another, and indeed spend much time together. While the egg would of course not be sourced to both Pokemon, the move talents would. In Paldea, the growth of a plant known as Mirror Herb was ultimately developed to help encourage this phenomenon, particularly once it became apparent that such things were not restricted by Egg Groups or species - all it takes is a little community, and a lot of training.
On Pokemon Eggs
Eggs are fantastic. Eggs protect the young within from the elements, and allow the adult parents more freedom to move. In the world of Pokemon, only humans seem to have come to give live birth; a sign of, perhaps, their relative safety as a species. Pokemon are at constant threat from the elements, from each other, and so on after all. Laying eggs even as their species differentiated through life simply made sense.
But Pokemon Eggs have another secret - they're incredibly difficult to break. It appears that rather than evolve alternative methods to bear young, Pokemon as a whole instead came to put more energy into ensuring the next generation is well protected before coming into the world. The shell of a Pokemon egg gathers energy from the world around it, especially when put in motion. In the wild, this would help to ensure that a young Pokemon hatches faster if the nest is under pressure, hopefully allowing it to escape before the egg is otherwise eaten. In captivity of course, this means that many eggs are hatched simply by holding one close and walking until the Pokemon inside has gathered enough energy to break through.
The further advantage of this process as it seems, is that young Pokemon are almost immediately able to walk and fight after hatching. While hardly strong, it's enough of an edge to survive.
A relevant question in the face of this of course is eggs which are eaten, particularly those of Chansey, or Blissey, but this is an easy matter to lay to rest. Pokemon eggs require fertilization after all, so Pokemon species that regularly lay eggs outside such incidents can thus be relied on for ethically sourced eggs to eat.
On the Creation of Pokemon, and Ghost Type Pokemon
Among the possible 'types' of Pokemon, the origin of Ghost types is a particularly interesting topic of study. Once assumed to be spirits of the dead, Ghost Pokemon are very much living beings - however it is clear that the ancestral creatures which became these Pokemon originated from more nebulous sources than simple animals. The existence of 'object Pokemon' is not unique to Ghost types of course. Trubbish and Magnemite are just a few examples of Pokemon who came into being due to the focused collection of natural energy and emotional purpose. Spontaneous 'sparking' of such energy gave piles of metal scrap, or sludge life of some sort, and as such creatures procreated and evolved, they became the Pokemon known today. This process, long discussed and theorized, is one which eventually became the key in creating pokemon such as Porygon and other synthetic species; energy is collected alongside matter (in Porygon's case, digital data), and a response triggered to create 'life'.
Ghost Types in particular find their origin very specifically in the gathering of human emotion more often than not. Indeed, the emotions of Fear and Grief are incredibly ancient things; fear of lights leading humans astray eventually became Litwick. Grief over treasured hounds became Greavard. It is no surprise that despite the affability of the Pokemon themselves, those classified as 'Ghost' are typically associated with such negative topics. A unique source of study however, can be found in Yamask and Cofagrigus. These Pokemon originated in the region of Kemet, where ancient peoples placed intense amount of focus upon being remembered after their deaths. These obsessive focuses became the small Pokemon who so carry and weep for 'their' faces, eventually guarding 'their' treasures to deadly extent.
This line of Pokemon has, however, brought forward a fascinating question on the study of Ghost Pokemon; at what point can emotion be called memory, and vice versa. Are 'ghosts' merely the result of emotions gaining form and growing over time, or do they carry deeper memory within their very DNA?
On Dark and Psychic Types
The relationship between 'Dark' and 'Psychic' Pokemon is one that has fascinated people for many years. Psychic Pokemon over all represent what is often considered the strongest display of immaterial or mental prowess; humans themselves can be born 'Psychic', displaying powers of similar merit to such Pokemon themselves. With 'Dark' Pokemon representing a void against such abilities, it is thought that the many villainous and 'evil' associations with even the most stalwart and loyal examples of Dark type species originate from human bitterness. That such Pokemon could resist the 'blessed' powers of themselves, clearly meant such creatures were 'evil'.
In more scientific context, Dark type Pokemon appear to have evolved such focus and ability in strict defense of Psychic types; it is thought to be similar to the development of the Fairy type against the indomitable Dragon type's power, with the advantages of complete nullification proving more necessary than anything else.
On Fossil Pokemon and the origin of Types
It is notable that, with exception to the piece-meal creatures that so result from Galar's fused monstrosities, all revived Pokemon borne from fossils are partially Rock Type. While it was once thought that Pokemon from the past were revived as true examples of their once living forms, it is found that Pokemon revived from the stone are therefore corrupted by the stone. 'Rock' is within the preserved remains, and becomes one with the resulting body. There can be no true telling of what the revived Pokemon was genuinely like in the ancient past as a result.
Such matters contribute to current theories on the origins of 'Pokemon Types', and the processes which led to the expression we see today. Pokemon who adapted to wield more combustive forces may have become Fire Type, while naturally the great many creatures inhabiting the oceans of the world trended Water. In recent years, regional variations of Pokemon such as those found within Alola's invasive species have helped tremendously in these studies - the switch that Pokemon have made over a handful of decades in order to adapt and make use of different Types helps to unveil how it could be that ancient Pokemon came to find their way into the forms we now know. Of course, the mysteries regarding nigh 'God-like' Pokemon, and their immeasurable powers over elements and Types, remain a mystery despite such studies.
On the Classification of Legends, and Pokemon 'Gods'
Legendary and Mythical Pokemon fall into one or more of three categories. The first, and less known, is Pokemon who are considered 'Extinct in the Wild'. These Pokemon are the sole exception to 'legends' whose separation from chosen trainers provide considerable risk to their surroundings. Unlike the 'Godly' species of such categories, EW-class Pokemon - while certainly powerful in many cases - are still comparable to other, more readily known creatures. These Pokemon are often gifted to people by a facility, or an individual, with the expectation that they will eventually help to contribute to restoring its population. Rarely, an exception in the form of a Pokemon who was considered entirely extinct will appear - in such cases, facilities will often request permission from the trainer to study this Pokemon in the hopes of eventually restoring its population (or at the least, recording its data more fully for study's sake).
It is worth noting that so called 'Starter' Pokemon, while certainly rare in the wild, do not fit this category for that exact reason - they yet exist in their natural habitat.
When one says the word 'Legendary', or 'Mythical' however, it is of the other two categories that one thinks of. The more mundane, and better understood form is that of Pokemon who have gathered so much natural energy that they have become radically different from the species they originally were - and, more vitally, passed it onto any offspring they may have. Diancie, whose species branched from the less powerful Carbink, are the most notable example of such, though it is thought that the legend of the 'Three Dogs' is what remains of a similar case occurring after a disaster.
There are yet other Legendary Pokemon who have long been viewed as the sole example of their species, with as of yet no ties to existing Pokemon in any such way. Whereas even the 'mundane' Legendaries often display traits akin to immortality, even appearing as isolated examples of existence, Pokemon as old as this have understandably gathered worship over the many eons they have no doubt seen. Between their unfathomable power over elements of the world itself, and their great refusal to be tamed by any unworthy human, countless cultures have called such beings 'Gods'.
Despite the moniker, it is better to say that most cultures who revere such entities view them in the way that the mundane world viewed immensely powerful spirits of nature. These Pokemon are not often considered to be entities who will listen to prayer, or even reverence. They are Pokemon who demand respect and awe simply by existing, though the extent to such faith certainly varies region to region, and Pokemon to Pokemon.
To no surprise then - when these Pokemon do find among humanity someone worthy of partnership, they remain with an intense loyalty only betrayed by an utter disregard for the Pokemon's own ideals. To forcefully separate such a pair brings catastrophe on the region without pause, and so when such pairings occur, Regional governments can often do little more than request registration before observing from afar.
As for whether or not any such Legendary Pokemon are indeed 'Gods'...no facility is willing to concretely declare as such - though individuals within such places certainly may, and absolutely have. It is, however, considered too divisive a topic to make any singular being the 'confirmed deity' of any such thing. There are simply too many regions, a great many of which still remain silent regarding their own feared 'Legends' to this day.
On Mega Evolution
Similar in nature to phenomena such as Galar's 'Gigantamax', or Paldea's 'Terastalization', Mega Evolution represents a rapid onset metamorphosis brought forth by the accumulation of a particular energy - in this case, 'Mega Energy' or 'Mega Power'. While the full origins and breakdown of such energy are still being studied, it is shown that this energy is found naturally through the world as a whole. Typically, this energy is barely notable in its amounts - only through specialized training and practice does it ever gather enough to trigger an evolution, and even then the evolution itself must be guided.
Rarely however, a Pokemon will indeed gather this power naturally. The overflow of energy will force sudden mutation in an often painful process, thrusting the creature into a berserk state. It is these 'Rogue Mega Evolutions' which fill the Pokedex for the most part; a warning for those who ever encounter such Pokemon in the wild.
In the professional context, a Trained Mega Evolution is always guided. The Pokemon holds a stone, created using both 'Mega Crystals' (the crystallized form of Mega Energy) and a sample of the Pokemon's DNA (such as some of their fur). The Trainer must then hold what is known as a 'Key Stone', an object which helps to ease the release of Mega Energy as the Pokemon undergoes their brief transformation. The ability to channel such power varies person to person - it is noted by Emporio in fact that the ability actually appears to align with those who would have Stand Potential, in that Trainers with particularly strong 'Will' are better capable of gathering and unleashing Mega Power without causing undue harm to their Pokemon.
Notably, this is the secondary function of the Keystone; under all other circumstances outside of battle, it slowly releases latent energy to prevent unnecessary build up in the Pokemon. As well, it prevents any botched evolutions from occurring, ensuring no Pokemon suffer the fate of their Rogue counterparts. Those who fear for such wild Pokemon need not worry for their fate, on this note - while it is recommended that one combat such Rogue Pokemon into submission to lessen their time within such a painful state, this power will still naturally fade with time. Unlike the release of energy that causes typical evolution, Mega Energy is always transient, and temporary. The naturally unstable cellular bonds will always revert given enough time.
On Rotoms
Rotom are a unique Pokemon which have existed since before the advent of technology. It is thought that they were born from the natural fear of electricity - rather of lightning, of bolts striking the earth from nothingness. Static electricity being the more common occurrence in many regions, this uncertain understanding eventually gathered into the plasma being that is Rotom, which propagated into the creatures we see today.
As technology has advanced, Rotom in particular have adapted with great zeal. Their incredible compatibility with technology is something that companies have since capitalized upon, beginning to selectively breed this species for relative intelligence and trainability; it is a common misconception that a Pokemon must be highly intelligent to be capable of easy training. In fact, high intelligence often breeds more rebellious Pokemon, as they are more capable of seeing decisions their Trainers do not!
(Notably, this is why many assistance Pokemon are bred for such high intelligence, as it provides greater security for the assisted human.)
Bred Rotom are now sold as a joined package with devices that they are never expected to fully abandon. Where wild Rotom will happily jump between various technologies in order to cause mischief, Roto-Drones, Roto-Mi Dispensers, and even Roto-Bikes are now devices which fill the market. The latter are particularly encouraged as purchases, with the modern 'Roto-Phone' so prevalent as to even be required for modern day living in many regions. This has created some discourse - Rotom devices are not cheap in the slightest, and while replacing broken devices is far cheaper after the initial purchase, it does not remove that sting. The Pokemon are fortunately incredibly long-lived, meaning that many Rotom devices are effective 'one-time-purchases', but people are finding that as technology advances, their personal Rotoms struggle to adapt to newer phone models. They were trained for a particular system after all, and lack the easy adaptability of their wild counterparts.
Incidentally, while these bred Rotom are incapable of combat, it should be noted that Emporio's Roto-Phone is in fact not a legal bred Rotom. Rather, he repaired a broken phone and adopted a wild Rotom. As such, both it and his 'Roto-Bike' are considered 'off record', with the little ghost more than capable of defending its Trainer in a pinch.
On Microbial Organisms
As noted, there are creatures within the world that are not considered 'Pokemon'. Such things are small - smaller than the naked eye can perceive. Microbial organisms which are integral to the world yet exist, even within the body! While their presence is visually negligible, to the point that they are excluded from such blanket statements as 'all creatures' and so forth, they still carry their own fantastical abilities in the same vein.
The primary point of difference is scale; fire, grass, and a great many 'Typed' traits, cannot manifest in at all the same ways once they become too small in size. Thus, the side effects of most microbial organisms within the world do not appear any different from the mundane. All that can be seen is that certain new diseases happen to exist, either enhancing or weakening the abilities of the macro-fauna they mirror. Suffice it to say, the final nail in the coffin which so determined they were not Pokemon is their near invisible size. Indeed, with the exception of colonies such as Dhelmise, Pokemon formed by a greater whole of smaller entities, they could never possibly be contained by a Pokeball!
One growing theory relating to the abilities of microbes within the world is that they perform key roles in the formation of Pocket Biomes however. As 'like' is drawn to 'like', it is understood that many such creatures will follow larger populations. A gathering of Ice Pokemon does indeed bring with it a gathering of related microbes, which are vital in the restructuring of such an environment.
On Pokemon Leagues
Much like the sporting leagues of the mundane world, there are varying degrees of competition and notoriety within the Pokemon Leagues. It would be quite accurate to say that the greater a country's population, the more leagues it contains - while not all regions will necessarily have one, these leagues act both as a governing force to help maintain relations between Pokemon and Humans, but also as a way to encourage anything from learning, to competition, depending on the region in particular. Galar for example places a great deal of importance on Pokemon battles as a sporting event, whereas regions such as Paldea often encourage their Gym Leaders to maintain primary jobs alongside their duties.
Notably, there are a great many regions which lack official leagues entirely - the concept of a Pokemon League is a fairly modern creation, as proven by the variety of ways they manifest. From Johto and Kanto's 'joint league' (from which any combination of eight badges will grant access to challenge their Elite 4), to Efisga's curious 'three region league' (which carries only nine badges despite this), it appears that the only true requirement for a Pokemon League is a gathering of highly skilled trainers referred to as 'the Elite'.
These 'Elite', alongside the reigning Champion, are those who determine league badges, Gym Leaders, as well as the responsibilities among themselves and the various trainers in the League. Typically, the Elite themselves maintain more generalized roles - akin to wings of government, ie, 'Land and Sea', 'Health', etc.
To say that most regions lack a league is not to say that they lack any government system however, nor even a system of raising new Pokemon Trainers. Many of these locations follow their own storied traditions, maintained for as many as hundreds of years - a great example being that of Alola, who only recently added a pseudo-League to their Island Challenge system.
(It is noted that despite being referred to as the Alolan League, the Elite of Alola do not actually hold the equivalent levels of power - this instead remains in the hands of the Kahuna, who are ceremonially tasked with their roles by the Legends of each Island.)
On Battle Styles, and the 'Four Move Limit'
Pokemon Battles have been a constantly changing affair. Trainers and the Leagues that oversee official bouts are always seeking out newer, more entertaining formats, even to their potential detriment (as witnessed with Galar's 'Dynamax' phenomenon). Through much of modern history, Pokemon battles have in part been focused on the idea of 'Honor' and 'Control'. What was originally an organic battle form, emphasized by simply pointing at a wild Pokemon and commanding one's own to 'attack', became a system where each participant would strike in 'turns'. Whoever moved first would take the first blow, with emphasis placed on the ability to convince one's Pokemon to simply wait to strike again. While dodging attacks in such battles was of course allowed, this anticipation often made it difficult for Pokemon to simply avoid a strike.
A similarly connected trend which arose from such battles is the 'Four Move Limit'. Pokemon do not, of course, 'forget' what they are capable of. If a Pokemon has come to learn how to perform an attack or status move, only years without use could erase that progress. In order to add restriction and challenge however, early Pokemon professionals began to enforce a limit of 'four moves'. They would provide either the referee, or their opponent, with the list of moves they would use for each Pokemon, and go from there. This provided both honor- as any Trainer who acted outside their moveset would be disqualified immediately- as well as control- as it is not in most Pokemon's nature to restrict themselves.
What became an unexpected consequence of this, was in the limitations of younger Trainer's understanding; as children came to learn the 'four move rule', they began to mistakenly attribute it to actually forgetting the ability to fight, leading to the unwitting use of the trend even in wild battles! In modern day, schools are quick to therefore emphasize what is actually the case - otherwise, young Trainers could easily find themselves in trouble during a wild Pokemon battle.
Recently, there has been a rise in the trend of more organic battling once more though. While the four-move-limit is still a strictly maintained rule, historic studies of old regions such as Hisui have inspired Trainers to practice more organic styles, working with their partner Pokemon's natural speed rather than any imposed 'turn order'. While such battles are all outside of the official League, there have been talks in some regions to perhaps implement organic battling systems within them.
On Fainting and Blacking Out
For Pokemon, their inclination to retreat to a safe place is often what allows Pokemon Battles to proceed without significant harm. The moment a Pokemon feels itself to be on their last legs, they will immediately seek shelter; for a Pokemon belonging to a trainer, this is often their Pokeball. Given the exhaustive state such Pokemon often reach when this occurs, it is to no surprise that the term given to such retreat is called 'Fainting'.
In professional battles, 'Fainting' would eventually come to refer to any loss, however. A referee often determines if a Pokemon is unable, medically speaking, to battle any longer (with referees receiving incredibly precise training to maintain as much objectively). Naturally, a Pokemon literally passing out on the arena is also considered 'Fainting', though yet another point of understanding that referees must learn is the difference between this and drowsiness.
For humans, there is a shockingly similar defense mechanism though; this mechanism is referred to as 'Black Out' or 'White Out' (though Black Out is the most popular). While the term can also be used to refer to Trainers who are no longer able to send Pokemon out for battle, medically speaking it is a state of false death that a human automatically enters when under severe threat. Pokemon are, by nature, disinclined to predate on human beings; they are not particularly filling prey, and for smaller Pokemon the effort of attack is often not worth the end result. Instinctively perhaps, Pokemon are additionally aware that to kill one human is to invite an entire host of humans upon their territory - which is even less desired.
Thus, a human 'playing dead' (however unwillingly) is often a foolproof method of escape. The Pokemon leaves to return to their own actions, while the human eventually wakes with the strength to flee and recover. Worth noting is that Emporio - being from a different reality entirely - does not have this instinct and ability. Instead, he relies on his Stand or his Pokemon to get him out of such situations with rapidity.
On TMs and HMs
The term 'TM' and 'HM' stand for 'Technical Machine' and 'Hidden Machine' respectively. These are somewhat misleading as names, but ultimately names that have stuck to near international extent. Rather than any singular machine however, a TM and an HM are both involved training kits made to quickly help a Trainer teach their Pokemon particular moves. When such kits first began to hit the market, there was very little regulation on how they were created and dispersed; as such, such kits were made to be 'single use', even going as far as burning out the tapes upon which instructional videos were found.
In an effort to curb this, various governments first began to legally declare certain TMs as 'necessary' for public Trainers to have access to. In the resulting battle between the Law and Corporations, these became known as 'Hidden Machines' for their scarcity. What were meant to be 'Handy Machines' were now far from that, as despite being entirely re-usable, it was alarmingly difficult to procure a great many such kits.
With time and progress however, these issues have changed. As TMs become easier to manufacture, they have become permanent use items - in turn, one use 'Technical Records' have been released with recipes for their production, so that even mere students can gather the materials necessary to combine with online video records. 'HMs', as such, are now a relic of a bygone era.
