Caterpie Line

Caterpie, is a small bug pokemon native to forests worldwide. It evolves into Metapod and later, into Butterfree.

## Physical Appearance

### Caterpie

Caterpie is a small caterpillar-like pokemon around 11 inches long. It has a yellow underbelly with tiny suction cups underneath, and tan rings run down it's sides. Caterpie has a small tail (the design of it's tail was the inspiration for the that of the Porygon Line.) Caterpie's head is large and has a sponge-like mouth at the front. It's black eyes are large with yellow rings around them. It also has a pair of thick red antennae

### Metapod

Eventually, Caterpie evolves into Metapod, in this state, it's body is mostly a light green, with a pair of "lazy" eyes being the only notable feature. It's body has a crystalline structure.

### Butterfree

After spending a while as a Metapod, Caterpie will emerge as a Butterfree, now, it is a large purple butterfly-like pokemon, with a pair of massive white wings. It has a small mouth with a pair of sharp-but-small teeth, and enormous red eyes which can detect the slightest movement. It's antenne have now grown into a pair of black strands with enlarged tips. The pokemon has a pair of tiny blue hands, which it often keeps folded aganist it's chest. And bigger feet of the same hue. Which it rarely stands on, as it often gets around by flying.

## Notable Abilities

Caterpie and it's evolutions are capable of flying, bug, and the occasional poison-type moves such as gust and stun spore. Outside of battle, a caterpie can use it's suction cups to cling to walls and climb about. Often, a caterpie in captivity can be found on the ceiling, as they often like to hang upside down. They are also known to spit silk, which they later use to form their metapod casing. Caterpie can emit a foul stench from it's antennae to distract enemies.

As a metapod, the pokemon will instantly learn the move harden. Which it uses for defense as it cannot do much to attack. In this state, it often simply lies in silence.

As a butterfree, the pokemon is well, free, to do whatever it wishes. For it's wings are immensely powerful and can unleash moves such as gust. A butterfree can fly for miles, rarely stopping to rest, and they often will migrate in large groups. In this state, a butterfree can learn to use Stun Spore.

## Anatomy

Caterpie has a simple exoskeleton, which it uses for protection, the pokemon has many organs which it uses for defense, including one in it's forehead where it mixes two chemicals into a liquid with a bad scent, which it sprays as a gas at it's attackers. The pokemon also has many tiny hairs under the feet, which it uses to climb to just about anything. Lacking an internal skeleton, the organs are held in place by small "branches" of the exoskeleton which go inside the pokemon's body. Most caterpies outside of domestication, which have not evolved, will die when winter comes, or rarely, hide under dead leaves.

Scientists are baffled by the anatomy of Metapod, for dead specimens of metapods are almost always so protected by the harden move they used while alive, that they can't dissect it. But most theories suppose that the internal structures are constantly shifting positions during the long evolution into Butterfree.

A butterfree now owns a normal internal skeletal-structure. As well as a greatly improved muscular system which it uses to operate it's amazingly-powerful wings. It's mouth, much like Diglett's, remains a mystery. As it is unknown if the pokemon has a jaw.

## Diet

Caterpie feeds mostly upon leaves, often climbing up the trunks of trees to eat whatever it can find. It can also eat grass when leaves (rarely) cannot be found. It eats by pulling of tiny pieces of it's food using it's suction cups, then sucking it up using it's mouth. It eats as much as possible in order to gain the nutrients necessary to evolve. Which it typically does around level 7. As a metapod, it does not need to eat.

With it's newly grown teeth, Butterfree becomes an omnivore, fruit, vegetables, and nuts can now be eaten, as well as a few types of meat items such as fish.

## Trainer Tips

Caterpie and Metapod are labeled X on the ICOPL scale, as they both either cannot-or-perform-weak-moves. Although it is not a good fighter at this point, A caterpie is particularly adorable to most trainers and they are often caught simply for their cuteness. In fact, a popular belief in the Hoenn region, is that "*those who own a Caterpie, those who gaze into it's ever joyous eyes, are bound to possess immense happiness*." Caterpies are popular pets in Unova, Kanto, and Alola. And they are bound to bring much amusement to young children who watch them climb onto the walls and ceiling.

Butterfree is rated XX due to it's basic posion-attacks and powerful winds. Also because of it's sharp teeth which it has been known to bite with. Butterfree however, is not a very dangerous pokemon, and they are often quite friendly. Especially if you raise it from the beginning. This pokemon can make a great companion for your journeys.

## In popular culture

For decades, Caterpie have been the very image of a cute pokemon. Many trainers raise them simply to look into their large black eyes. A children's book was written, called "the very hungry caterpie."