Burrow Behind the Stars asks:

i have an idea on how to resolve the Yungoos and Gumshoos thing. What if there would be like a place in area where you could trade Yugooses and Gumshooses you caught for money or useful items or something? You would be told that the Pokémon are transported in their Pokéballs to their native region and released to wild, thus, in the long run, hopefully getting them all back where they belong. It’s just an idea though.

I kinda like this idea.  It does run into the slight difficulty of drawing more attention to Yungoos’ home region, which doesn’t exist yet, but otherwise, it presents a significantly more sane approach to an invasive pest that’s still compatible with Pokémon’s baseline ethical framework.

It’s Showtime Synergy asks:

Yungoos and Gumshoos have a “detective” theme because Rattata and Raticate have a “thief” theme! Notice the little moustache that Rattata has(like Froakie)it’s kind of a Japanese way to communicate “thief” because cartoonish burglars carry their bags over their heads and a cute moustache-looking knot under their noses. I think the idea is that Gumshoos is the detective who prowls for its prey at the wrong time of day,while Raticate is the fat mob boss whose underlings sneakily steal food for it.

Hmm; this works.  My approval of Gumshoos has risen!

Yungoos and Gumshoos

…so…

…it’s an angry mongoose detective…

…that… also kind of looks like Donald Trump?

sure?????

Yungoos.
Yungoos

Yungoos and Gumshoos, as their names and weasel-like forms indicate, are mongeese (this being, of course, the obviously correct plural form of the word “mongoose,” which I will extol and defend beyond all reason).  Although they look very like weasels, mongeese, as I only recently learned, are actually not part of the mustelid family (weasels, otters and badgers) at all, but part of an entirely separate branch of the order Carnivora.  They are related to cats, hyenas and civets, while mustelids are much closer to dogs, bears and seals.  This is probably the reason for Zangoose’s odd species designation “the Cat Ferret Pokémon” – mongeese are to cats what ferrets are to dogs. Continue reading “Yungoos and Gumshoos”

Pokémon Moon, Episode 12: In Which I Infiltrate A Gang Stronghold

Once I’ve stopped shaking uncontrollably, and the Rotomdex has reassured me that the horrifying undead Pikachu I just fought is only another Pokémon (a Ghost/Fairy-type called Mimikyu), Acerola offers me some suggestions on what to do next.  Although my success in her trial was in some respects debateable – I was, she reminds me, only supposed to get a photograph of Mimikyu, not give its lair a new back door – I did basically achieve its fundamental objectives, so she presents me with her crystal, the Ghostium-Z.  As Ula’ula Island has only two Captains, that means I now have the right to challenge the island’s Kahuna.  Acerola declines to explain who or where the Kahuna is right away, though, and invites me back to Aether House to talk it over there.  Unfortunately when we get there, with Hau just a few steps behind, someone who is definitely not the Kahuna is waiting.

Continue reading “Pokémon Moon, Episode 12: In Which I Infiltrate A Gang Stronghold”

Pokémon Moon, Episode 1: In Which I Am Rescued From Certain Death By An Island Deity

All I wanted was a goddamn holiday.

“Come to sunny Alola,” the brochures said.  “Let all your cares wash away,” they said.  “Relax on the beach and enjoy the sunset with a glass of cool Pinap juice,” they said.  “Immerse yourself in the vibrant local culture,” they said.

The brochures did not mention roads blocked by irritable Tauros, strange waifish girls with dangerous and suicidal cosmic Pokémon, “quests” handed out by mysterious and fickle gods, ritualised duels to please the aforementioned fickle gods, or anything that might be described as a series of “trials.”

But I’m getting ahead of myself.

Continue reading “Pokémon Moon, Episode 1: In Which I Am Rescued From Certain Death By An Island Deity”