Evolution and plot ect.

[K_S]

So how does everyone use evolution in their tales if they use it at all?

How does it effect 'mon, physically, mentally, and the like?

I'm curious as to who uses it, why, and how in their stories are shaped by the game mechanic when so many of us work around the mechanics for their tales of alter them for narrative's sake.

Personally since I don't write PMD it's rather common place in my stories. The lot's part of the training process and reasonably accessible to trainers and their 'mon. In contrast to that norm, stopping evolution, manipulating stats to twist the results of it and the like, well that isn't. Accessible, normal, or even legal.

Evolving is a mix match of ideal diet, exercise/training, and a nudge of psychological want/need that triggers latent forces that each 'mon have within them that triggers a transformation. I skip the "flash of light" step and they just surge into their shape. I've used scenery, crisis, or character distraction to get around having to actually sit down and describe it but the process is in my notes. Also, preceding an evolution there are some hints it's coming. Lengthening limbs of a Meowth, the buds of horns on a Charmanders' scalp before the Charmeleon stage ect.

 

[Flyg0n]

Im a big fat sucker for crises evolutions, like pokemon evolving during a challenging battle or evolving to save their trainer from danger. That stiff is my jam diggety

I think safely stopping the evolution would be impossible in the pokeworld without say, an everstone. But I think a pokemon could stop their own evolution. (I did this in one of my stories) but I resulted in said pokemon over exhausting themselves and collapsing.

If one wanted to get a little scientific, I've always thought of it as evolution being an explosive output of energy, so holding it back is the equivalent of trying to hold a door shut with an elephant on the other side trying to bust through, lol.

I do think having some 'signs' of evolution can be cool, depending on the setting. I don't use it much in mine, but that's because I like my evolutions to be a surprise.

 

[canisaries]

An important plot point in Seiren has the inkay pop star Shirlee be worried about signs of her evolution approaching. She plans to get everstone surgery to fix the situation. It's a minor spoiler, I suppose, so don't open the excerpt below if you don't want further information.

Spoiler: Excerpt from Chapter 8

“Wh… are you kidding?” She frowns. “Do you not know what malamar are like?”

Shit, I probably should know, since I claim to be such a big fan. But I don't know. So what do I say…

Agh, I’ve hesitated too long. I need to go with the truth. “No… sorry, I don't.”

“Well, that explains it,” she sighs, looking back down. Her face wrinkles in disgust. “Malamar are these… tubby, ugly, slimy, evil-looking garbage bags of… grossness. Nothing like inkay - inkay are small and cute and have happy colors and beautiful voices.”

The sleeves of her coat wrap around her. “Only inkay have any kind of chance at being liked by the public, too. I hate that I'm kind of contributing to that prejudice like this - malamar should be able to live like anyone else, and their appearance doesn't make them any worse as people. I just personally… really don't want to become one."

She stares into my eyes. “But I’m around the age where wild inkay evolve. Or the civilized ones that aren't careful. I’ve felt the symptoms that usually come. I want to eat more, I feel kinda moody, and most importantly, I’ve had weird urges to sleep upside down. Sometimes I wake up that way despite the tricks I try to keep it from happening, and I freak out and I gotta find a mirror. Every time so far I’ve been relieved to still be the mon I fell asleep as in the aquarium, but I can't count on that always happening. That's why I need the everstone implant. So that I can stop worrying.”

 

[DeliriousAbsol]

This is an interesting one. I primarily write PMD, and I think the only story I have published that has really explored evolution is The End. (I haven't reached this part in Rekindled quite yet! But it will remain very much the same.)

Depending on how drastically different the evolution is from the former can effect the pokemon afterwards. For example, growing an extra set of limbs or having a substantially longer neck can cause extreme distress during the process, and even pain and fatigue afterwards; although all pokemon will be effected in some way or another, with growth pains and tiredness, kind of like puberty in a way. It's a natural process that, like the games, has certain requirements. Some pokemon, like Harlequin and Tinker, abstain from it altogether (for their own reasons) and, as Spark commented to Harlequin, it is unusual to find an adult pokemon with a lot of battle experience who hasn't evolved yet.

There's no flash of light, and nothing fancy. It's a fast process that is over in an instant and can be pretty unpleasant. It's perfectly possible for a very young pokemon to evolve with enough battle experience, or access to an evolution stone or other item. I guess this relates to the games since you can hatch an egg and evolve that pokemon very quickly!

I may experiment with something new in any potential upcoming works. If I decide to add evolution into What? I'm a Pokemon?! it will very likely be close to the games in its typical fun-poking manner.

 

[Chibi Pika]

In terms of narrative, I love crisis evolutions, but I'm a total sucker for subverting the usual "save the day" flavor for presenting a situation where it looks like the evolution is going to save the day, but then doesn't. Bonus points for it somehow managing to make everything worse.

Mechanically speaking, my setting has evolution caused by a stimulus of some sort flipping a switch in the Pokémon's energy signature that activates the new form. The body then dissolves into infinity energy and reforms into its new shape, not too unlike the process of going into/out of a Pokéball, just a bit more drawn out because the new body is taking shape for the first time. The glow is just the light given off from the body converting into infinity energy.

As for the stimulus, well, it can be anything from the radiation given off from stones to the Pokémon's aura hitting a certain frequency, most commonly through training. Pokémon are malleable by nature, their energy signature changes and reacts to the world around it, and life experiences can leave their mark and actually get passed down to offspring.

 

[HelloYellow17]

Hi, I’m hopping aboard the crisis evolution hype train! I absolutely LOVE that stuff! Chibi’s take on it making things worse is also a good one. Maybe the evolved Pokémon fights more poorly than before because it’s not used to its new body? Or maybe it isn’t used to its new strength and accidentally hurts an ally? Oooh lots of good stuff there.

I haven’t thought too much about explaining evolutions mechanically, but I consider it a fairly natural part of aging. Not every wild Pokémon will evolve, but those that do tend to be the leaders of their packs/territories, not unlike how you come across some wild animals that are much larger and more battle-scarred than others.
And if Pokémon resist evolution for an extended period of time, it will have negative effects on their growth and health. Leaves on grass Pokémon will start to wilt, Pokémon with fur will start losing hair due to stress, water Pokémon will frequently have dry, itchy scales, etc.

As for stimulus, I like Chibi’s aura theory for training, though adrenaline (such as in a crisis) can trigger it early. Tbh I don’t mind the glowing aspect of evolution, so I’ve never thought to change that.

The really fun part, though, is after evolution. How does the Pokémon adjust to its new body and new strength? Some, like Eeveelutions, don’t have too drastic of changes, but others go from being bipedal to quadruped (or vice-versa), some sprout wings, some grow extra limbs or lose limbs. I’d like to see Pokémon learning how to function with their evolved forms more often in stories.

 

[WildBoots]

A lot of my characters are already established trainers with complete teams, so I don’t get a chance to play with evolution very often. In CD, one of my protagonists has three pokemon that aren’t fully evolved yet! So we’ll see how far she gets with them.

In my stories, pokemon are often metonyms for their humans, so I like using evolution to signal a character change for both the pokemon and the trainer. Like in Continental Divides, Natalie’s wingull evolves and saves her ass, sure, but it also reflects a commitment to defending her home ... and an alignment with Aqua. One of the first things we learn about her is that she has a brother who helped care for pelippers after an oil spill. So getting to pelipper in the middle of a pipeline dumping oil everywhere is a big symbol for where her heart is at.

 

[K_S]

I did not expect this angle but I will go for it...

Crisis evolution can and does happen in my tales. Persian evolved to shake off near death damage he'd sustained as a meowth and save Gio for example.

Its not common though or always for so altristic a thing as Charizard evolved per rage at a fight differed and took on a aerodactyle because his "crisis" was his pride being provoked and his mentality of "I am better than everything" taking a knock.

Also since my work is trainer centic the problems pokemon have post evolution is something anticipated. Trainers have to retrain evolved mon for basic things like coordination, body spatial awareness, ect. Thats thier jobsand if they do good it gives trained min an edge over wild.

And there a shadings of mental growth/evolution with each evolution. Mon become more rigid in thier natures as they are \ evolve up. This can be good. Or bad. Depending.


Ex gio talking to ash about charizard 's mentality

Spoiler: Spoilers for two paths

Most of your ‘mon are either childish or children themselves… There’s never been a conflict of interest between you and them, in short your Charizard when he evolved into a Charmeleon, he grew up, and I believe he resented being saddled to a child and lashed out initially. Your goal, of being the best,” to that Leo sneered, swiping at droplets, and Nidoking rumbled approval at his trainers efforts. “That left a mark, perhaps the activities of his previous trainer did too, but when he grew older per evolution and you didn’t adjust the first time that was when the damage started. When he evolved again, from rage and a battle denied it warped your ideals that he’d absorbed from you further. It became from being the best on your team, to being the better than you, to being better than everyone. Each one a progressive step worse and harder to remedy.”