[Video / Action for National Park]

[whateveryoueatliveitspart]

[Well someone's looking a bit smug right now. The camera turns to show a male Combee eating his way through a small pile of Berries.]

I got third place in the Bug Catching Contest with this guy. All I had to do was ask the Pokémon if any of them would be okay with me catching them just until the end of the contest and then letting them go, and this guy offered to come with me. He never even needed to get hurt to get caught and now he wants to travel with me for a while instead of going back to his home. See? Some Pokémon will come with you if you just ask. You don't have to fight them all the time.

[The camera turns back to Apollo's slightly less smug face. He holds up the Sitrus Berry he won.]

I won this. It's supposed to heal better than an Oran Berry, so it sounds like they'd be good to collect, but has anyone seen these growing anywhere? None of the Pokémon with me have seen them before.

Comments

[Video]

[whateveryoueatliveitspart]

That's normal for some animals. I've had to deal with them before. If they win I die, if I win, they die. It's just how things work. [He definitely doesn't sound at all concerned about that.]

Why do you need a challenge?

[Video]

[islandshore]

Because it makes things more interesting. Just going around and asking to befriend Pokémon... it's not as thrilling.

[Granted, he steamrolls wild Pokémon these days with his level 100s.]

Plus, battles gauge a Pokémon's strength.

[Video]

[whateveryoueatliveitspart]

The world's interesting enough already.

[Why do they even bother attacking someone that strong?]

There's no point in fighting unless it's for survival. Since Pokémon don't eat each other they don't need to fight unless there's a conflict over territory.

[Video]

[islandshore]

Oh, sure. Try telling that to my Garchomp. He loves causing other Pokémon pain.

[And Venus the Serperior lets out a hiss, thrashing her tail back and forth.]

[Video]

[whateveryoueatliveitspart]

[That... gives Apollo pause. Maliciousness is something humans have but animals don't, as far as he knows.]

Maybe he's sick. Grandpa told me about a disease that makes whoever gets it attack everything and eventually die. You're supposed to burn the body and not let anything eat it if you find an animal like that.

[Video]

[islandshore]

No. He's been like that ever since he was a Gible-- it's a part of his personality. Quake puts himself above other Pokémon, and he gets his kicks out of proving it. He'd use Outrage on a level 1 Cleffa just to assert his power.

[It's said as a matter-of-fact.]

I've even had my Alakazam translate for him-- it's just who he is.

[Video]

[whateveryoueatliveitspart]

[Well that's... not what he wanted to hear. His simple little worldview is taking damage. Animals are just supposed to follow their instincts. Stuff like this is for humans only, right?]

Have you tried getting him to not do it as much? Maybe tell him everyone already knows he's strong enough to beat weak Pokémon, so he should be proving his strength by trying to beat the ones who are as strong as him? That would make him look stronger than going after weak Pokémon, since anyone could do that.

[He clearly doesn't like suggesting behaviour modification, but it's better than letting a Pokémon act like an evil human, right?]

[Video]

[islandshore]

Tried it, and he doesn't care. Quake has way too much fun causing pain to call it quits. It's like he gets his kicks out of hearing other Pokémon scream and squirm.

[Yup, apparently Quake is one tough nut to crack. Riku's had him for over a year; he knows this well.]

[Video]

[whateveryoueatliveitspart]

Hm...

[This is a new situation for Apollo, one he really doesn't like. He really wants to see it changed.]

What does he not like?

[Video]

[islandshore]

Losing fights, not getting enough food, not getting his way, when people or Pokémon stand up to him... and he always reacts with violence.

[Video]

[whateveryoueatliveitspart]

Maybe every time he's violent you don't feed him for the day and keep him in his ball. Eventually he'll want food so badly that maybe he'll decide to change.

[He knows that anyone can survive without food for a few days, so this wouldn't be a death sentence or anything, but he's still uncomfortable suggesting something that's essentially harming an animal and it shows. The desire to change the situation is only barely winning out.]

[Video]

[islandshore]

Or he'll just resent me. It's hard to say. Quake's a powerful Pokémon; even without food, he could probably retaliate pretty easily.

[Though Riku isn't particularly bothered by his aggression if he keeps it to battles. It's unpleasant, but he's a level 100 Garchomp; his attacks would hurt even if he wasn't such a bully.]

[Video]

[whateveryoueatliveitspart]

It might be something where I'd have to talk with him myself.

[Video]

[islandshore]

You'd have to come all the way to Kanto for that.