Pokémon

**Pokémon**, scientifically referred to as **Pokézoa**, are a group of lifeforms native to the planet Kyodon. Pokémon are uniquely notable for a number of factors which baffle the scientific community, including their origins, biology, and connection to Infinity Energy, which they channel into seemingly supernatural powers.

## Etymology

The word "Pokémon" is a syllabic abbreviation derived from the Japanese ポケットモンスタ (*Pokettomonsutā*), which in turn is derived from the English *Pocket Monsters*. In ancient times on Kyodon, they were referred to as 魔獣 (*Majuu)*, simply meaning "magical creatures"*.*

## Biology

To the scientists of intergalactic society, the unique biology of Pokémon is a mystery. At first glance, the vast majority appear to simply be animals or plants, but display a variety of traits that make them unlike any other lifeforms. The current consensus is that they are their own kingdom of life, that have undergone convergent evolution to an extreme degree with animals and plants, although this is controversial. Religious Kyodonian researchers state that the similarity to life found on other worlds is due to their descent being manually guided by their deity, Arceus, but most reject these claims, although the degree of similarity leads to few plausible explanations.

### "Evolution"

Most forms of Pokémon can undergo a process the human inhabitants of Kyodon call "evolution" - however, it is actually a type of rapid metamorphosis, not to be confused with the concept of Darwinian natural selection. After evolution, a Pokémon can differ drastically in both physical appearance and behavior, and can only occur a maximum of two times. The metamorphosis is triggered via an epigenetic signal, activated in response to the environment the individual Pokémon is in.

There are drastically varying criteria for "evolution" to occur, but the most common by far is experience in battle. In fact, the very reason the process is called "evolution" is because it is technically an adaptation to a different environment - that being, getting stronger in response to a more dangerous environment. The difference to actual evolution, however, is that with other lifeforms, the process take place over generations, not within an individual's life.

Recent research has pointed to Pokémon releasing certain forms of electromagnetic waves when they lose consciousness, which resonate with the brains of nearby Pokémon - usually opponents in battle. Experiments conducted by the terrorist group Team Rocket in the Johto region, involving the exposure of Magikarp to radio waves, resulted in the forced early evolution of individuals in the Lake of Rage. Other forms of radiation, such as those emanated by Evolutionary Stones, are also semi-common evolutionary triggers. Alternatively, certain EM waves can result in Delta Species - Pokémon that exhibit a different elemental typing than the baseline of their species.

Contrary to popular belief, Pokémon do not necessarily evolve with age - some can live through their entire natural lifespans in their first forms.

### Energy and metabolism

Practically all Pokémon produce orders of magnitude more energy than would appear to be possible by their physiologies. Adenosine triphosphate numbers may not prove accurate to energy output, and even the comparatively advanced glycolysis occurring in their cells still does not match. For example, the relatively diminutive Machop (*Protathlitis quadribrachios*) is capable of lifting boulders hundreds of times its own weight. Following recent discoveries, some scientists believe a supernatural power dubbed Infinity Energy to be the source of the seemingly absurd energy output produced by even the weakest Pokémon.

Likewise, Pokémon are capable of surviving injuries that would easily kill most lifeforms of comparable size, either outright taking it or simply fainting. Furthermore, frequent loss of consciousness also seems to have no adverse effect on their brains, when most animals would have suffered severe brain damage. Nearly all Pokémon enter in combat on a regular basis, both intraspecific and interspecific, but deaths outside of predation are an extraordinarily rare occurrence.

Pokémon are almost exclusively endothermic, although many reptilian species still sunbathe like their animal counterparts, and most Grass-Types utilize photosynthesis.

#### Types

Each Pokémon belongs to one or two “types”, which correspond to an array of “supernatural” abilities. Some of these types are fairly self explanatory - “Flying” Types generally describe Pokémon that have avian features and have some control over the wind, “Water” Types are Pokémon that either utilize or live in water. However, there are complications and exemptions within the type chart, possibly the greatest example being Golduck (*Psychoanas cephalargia*), a Pokémon that displays psychic power, yet does not actually belong to the psychic type.

### Intelligence

Practically all Pokémon display evidence of sapience, though with drastic variation. An Alakazam (*Magoprudens gellerii*)  and a Slowbro (*Stultus testapiscator*) make the distinction clear, though even the least mentally developed species still fall under the "semi-sapient" classification. All are capable of understanding human speech, which baffles scientists to no end.

Some of the more intelligent species are fully capable of speech in human languages, be it via physical or psychic means.

### Reproduction

All species of Pokémon are oviparous.

There are technically only fifteen species, as defined by science, but bafflingly, most belong to two species, or “egg groups”. These egg groups allow for breeding between species, even some that would seem unnatural, such as a Skitty (*Enekororo alopecurus*), a small feline, and a Wailord (*Dominocetus vesica*), a large whale.

Some species are seemingly incapable of reproduction, especially some man-made and "Legendary" species.

### Artificial Pokémon

Numerous species of Pokémon are of man-made origin. Many are intentionally created via science (the first and most famous example being Porygon (*Denno senshi*)) or by supernatural means (like many Ghost Types). Some were unintentionally made, some examples being the Grimer (*Betobeta toxicus*) and Trubbish (*Fetorem unovaensis*) lines, Poison-Types made from toxic waste.

## History

The origins of Pokémon are shrouded in mystery. In legends, the earliest Pokémon were said to have been created by the "Original One", a God-like entity named Arceus, who some consider to be a Pokémon himself. However, genetic analysis of the Pokémon Mew has confirmed it to be the most recent common ancestor of all existing species, with its ability to change its genetic information at will, in essence being a perfect "shapeshifter".

Among the more religiously-inclined, it is believed that Arceus observed the evolution of life on Earth, and shaped the creatures of Kyodon in imitation. This theory is disputed, however, as there are Pokémon with no equivalent on Earth, nor any other planet. Another theory lies in the fact that since Mew is an inherently psychic being, the myriad forms into which it evolved were in subconscious imitation of that Prime World, including mythological entities which existed only in the minds of people.

Arceus eventually ceased shaping Kyodon, and is thought to have entered deep hibernation, perhaps in another dimension. His work was not finished, however, as his children embodied natural forces, and continued shaping the planet. Some examples include Groudon, who holds absolute control over the ground, and its counterpart Kyogre, who holds the same dominion over water. Some, however embody more abstract concepts, like Xerneas and Yveltal controlling life and death, or Azelf being willpower.

However, evolution is still a present force on the planet, and it shaped the Mews into countless forms.

## Cultures and societies

While many Pokémon are solitary and live animalistic lives, others form complex societies, both among themselves and with humans.

### Relations with humans

Human society on Kyodon revolves immensely around their relations with Pokémon. Within the last several centuries, they have become vastly more integrated into nearly every aspect of daily life and the general world, from simple things as companionship, to Electric-Types becoming integral to running power plants.

#### Pokémon Battles

The sport of Pokémon battling is a worldwide phenomenon on Kyodon.

Regional governments sponsor Pokémon Leagues, which in turn hold annual championships in which participants travel across a region to collect Gym Badges, which are gained after defeating appointed Pokémon Trainers known as Gym Leaders. After doing so, challengers face the League's Elite Four, then the regional Champion themselves. Leagues also license Trainers and enforce official rulings, such as the 6 active Pokémon per trainer limit.

There is some controversy associated with the practice. Critics of the sport (and of capturing Pokémon in general) liken it to animal cruelty. The most common counterpoint is that, as intelligent beings much stronger in every way to humans, if they did not want to partake in them, they would not, and partake in similar displays in the wild. In addition, the ideology of "Pokémon Liberation" is highly associated with the terrorist group Team Plasma, which attempted to perform a coup d'état of the Unova region's government.

#### Mythology

Pokémon are ubiquitous in the mythology of Kyodon. Despite the amazing abilities of even regular Pokémon, many still doubt the veracity of the claims of the powers many "Legendary Pokémon" are said to possess. A number of said "Legendaries" have been observed and reported to scientists who have reported their findings in publications, most famously Professor Samuel Oak of the Kanto Region's Okido Institute.

## Trivia

When it comes to envisioning Pokémon in Universum Eodem, assume they look somewhere in between RJ Palmer's Pokémon art, and how they are presented in the Detective Pikachu film.

In Pokémon canon, only two binomial names are known - *Oddium wanderus* and *Kabutops maximus* for Oddish and Kabutops, respectively.

Some aspects of their biology are inspired by Jesse Hawley's The Pokémon Encyclopedia.