♬ Third Score ; Video ♬

[secretpotion]

[You get a mildly interesting sight, vatheon; Cynthia with her hair up in a ponytail, casual clothes on, and a Gible in her lap. The gible is gnawing on a melon that's about the perfect size for its mouth.]So! There are some new trainers out there that are raising baby pokemon. I thought it would be a good idea to talk about making sure they're

Comments

audio;

[skyglide]

[Oh, this is good timing, as Booster has developed a keen interest in the lake.]

Should I keep my Flareon out of the water? He wants to swim, but I don't know if it would hurt a Fire-type Pokémon.

[secretpotion]

I would say to keep him out of water. A warm sponge bath is usually how you'd groom one, but dousing them isn't a good idea.

[skyglide]

Yeah, I have a spray bottle so when he gets dirty I can spray a mist on him, ne? And then brush out the dirt. Then he just evaporates the water off. I think he just wants to swim so he can chase the ducks better.

[secretpotion]

Good! As for the problem with ducks... well. Just make sure to exercise him plenty well before he sees them, and it will make him more compliant to taking orders.

Do you have a pokeball?

[skyglide]

We train all of the time, and he listens to what I tell him - if he didn't he would have jumped in already, ne? He just likes the birds a lot, so I wanted to know if the water would hurt him if he went in.

Yes. I won't put him in it unless it's dangerous though, like when the monsters came last.

[secretpotion]

That works well enough. Just remember that you can always recall him if he's getting up to mischief.

[skyglide]

I'm not going to punish him like that just for being curious. I just wanted to know if the water would hurt him. Now that I know, I can just tell him and he'll stay away! [A beat] He would probably have more fun in a sand box anyway, so I'll make him one of those to play in instead.

[secretpotion]

Using your pokeball shouldn't be a punishment. They're designed to keep the pokemon comfortable.

[skyglide]

Confinement is confinement. A comfortable cage is still a cage.

[secretpotion]

By that logic, no one should have a bedroom or a house to live in. Animals shouldn't sleep in dens.

[Sounds like N's been talking to you :T]

When pokemon are used to their pokeballs, it becomes nothing more than a break room for them. It's up to the trainer to give them the right amount of exercise and let them out responsibly. Pokeballs were designed to make traveling with pokemon a greater convenience for both the pokemon and the trainer.

[skyglide]

With a bedroom and a house you have the option to exit of your own will.

When he needs a break he takes a nap in my bed. He only goes in his Pokéball when it's dangerous for him and there's no other option. There's no reason to keep him in it any more than that, since it's not like I can go traveling here anyway.

[secretpotion]

Pokemon can exit their pokeballs at will, too. It's a matter of building a bond of trust.

You should still, at the very least, teach him that it isn't a punishment. That's not what it's designed for and that isn't what it should be used for.