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The Pursuit of Knowledge

Summary:

A series of epistolary works for each professor, and their respective academic discipline.

Notes:

A little while ago, I thought it would be a grand idea to do one of those “in this essay, I will—” posts. Figured it would get a few laughs.

What I wasn’t expecting were people asking me, “Hey OP, where’s the rest?”

Since there seemed to be an interest for this sort of thing, I thought it would be fun to write an epistolary piece, with every chapter dedicated to each professor and their scientific areas of expertise.

So, without further ado, here’s the rest. (And with more to come.)

Chapter 1: Rowan: Evolution

Chapter Text

Presentation from guest speaker Prof. Rowan, held at the Jubilife Conference: “Redefining Evolution through the Lens of Obligate Symbiosis.”

- 

The current paradigm for evolution, defined as a sudden, radical metamorphosis of a Pokémon’s physiology, has sufficed for many years, although it’s hardly gone uncontested. It’s a contentious subject amongst researchers—no doubt, I speak from personal experience—largely due to its complexity, and our inability to neatly articulate it.

One such topic is that of multi-constituent evolution, wherein two or more individuals simultaneously engage in the process. Our understanding of evolution acting upon a single Pokémon is muddied somewhat when we’re forced to define what counts as a “single” Pokémon. In cases such as these, the definition becomes rather vague.

Presently, there are two recognized categories of multi-constituent evolution: conspecific and heterospecific. For those that might need a refresher, conspecific is defined as an evolution where two or more Pokémon of the same lineage evolve together into a superorganism. Notable examples of this include the Beldum line, which culminates in Metagross, a Pokémon formed from two of its mid-stage evolution, Metang. The other category, heterospecific, is disproportionately rarer, as it involves two different species collaboratively evolving together.

I’m sure you don’t need to guess what Pokémon I’m referring to—it’s written on the pamphlet, after all—and its infamy certainly goes without saying.

Slowbro. A rather unassuming creature at a cursory glance, yet its existence challenges our fundamental understanding of evolution. For decades, it’s been argued that the Pokémon evolving into Slowbro is its precursor, Slowpoke, and that the Shellder merely induces the process, either by acting as a counterweight, or through the analgesic enzymes found in its venom. The counterargument—as proposed by some of our audience members in attendance today—is that “Slowbro” is a misnomer. Instead, Shellder is the Pokémon evolving, as evidenced by the change of its shell from a bivalve-morph to a gastropod-morph. The catalyst for Shellder’s evolution, in this scenario, would be the exudate secreted from the Slowpoke’s caudal glands.

Both theories hold merit. The only problem is that they emphasize the evolution of one species over the other—Shellder or Slowpoke. Neither considers the potentially obligate nature of their shared symbiosis, only the ways in which they superficially impact the other.

My proposition is that the evolution of Slowbro represents a holobiont—a superorganism composed of two distinct species whose synergistic interactions cannot be separated.

The primary argument against this theory is devolution—the hypothetical scenario in which the removal of the Shellder would force its host to “revert back” to a Slowpoke stage. At present, this remains purely conjectural, as no instances have been documented in the wild, nor artificially induced in a laboratory setting. Outside of the temporary phenomenon known as “Mega Evolution,” no Pokémon has ever been witnessed regressing to an earlier stage in its evolutionary lineage.

In addition to there being no substantiated evidence to back this claim, it hinges on a flawed supposition—that the Slowpoke partner can return to its default state, while ignoring the anatomical changes induced by evolution.

X-rays of the Slowbro’s skeleton show that it becomes adapted to a new form of ambulatory movement: bipedalism. Its hind feet become plantigrade, with a well-defined heel for energy conservation during locomotion. Similarly, the enlarged knees make it possible for the legs to support its weight under gravity. The lumbar and thoracic curvature of the vertebral column—absent in the pre-evolution—allow for the body’s center of gravity to be brought directly over the feet.

None of these anatomical changes to the Slowpoke would disappear in the absence of the partner Shellder, making a reversion to a quadrupedal gait impossible. I should also point out that the existence of the Galarian Slowbro—whose partner Shellder is clamped to the forearm—belies the argument that the Shellder is merely a counterweight on the tail.

It bears mentioning that evolution doesn’t just induce an anatomical shift in Slowpoke, but a behavioral one as well. Without the ability to fish for prey, Slowbro becomes reliant on active pursuit swimming, and, even more importantly, a wider repertoire of Psychic-type moves. There is a direct correlation between the Shellder’s venom and Slowbro’s increased proficiency in using Psychic-type attacks. This suggests that not only does the Slowpoke benefit from this arrangement, but the mutualism is obligate.

The same can be said for its Shellder partner, which becomes permanently sessile post-evolution. In exchange for amplifying its host’s Psychic potential, it is allowed to feed on the scraps of its meals. This not only eliminates the need for Shellder to passively hunt, but it gains an additional form of protection from its host.

If Slowpoke and Shellder are capable of independently surviving, you might wonder, then why would either species choose to evolve together? One possibility is that evolution reduces competition amongst Slowpoke, Shellder, and Cloyster populations through resource partitioning. Active predation, as opposed to passively luring in prey, has the potential to offset competition. Natatorial locomotion gives Slowbro access to fast-moving fish that were previously excluded from its diet, such as Basculin, Remoraid, and Bruxish. Both initial and replication studies have substantiated this fact. One such paper by Professor Westwood, of the Seafoam Institute, looked at the stomach contents of both Slowpoke and Slowbro where they occurred sympatrically. Gastric analysis revealed only a 10% overlap of prey species in their diets.

We can clearly measure and observe the benefits of this partnership, and why it has persisted to the present day. The more elusive question, though, is how this symbiosis came about.

And for that, we must turn to Slowpoke’s hunting strategy: fishing.

Here we verge into the realm of conjecture. While anatomical structures are well-preserved in the fossil record, evidence of behavior is harder to find. (The paleoethologists in the room have my sympathy.) That being said, trace fossils have been discovered over the years—enough to speculate on the origins of this behavior.

Fishing, as it’s widely theorized, is an exaptation of autotomy, or self-amputation. Much like its descendant, the ancestor of the Kanto Slowpoke is thought to have been rather sedentary and lethargic, due to its slower metabolism. When pinned by a predator, it could discard its tail as a decoy, and flee to safety. Over the course of the following weeks, the ancestral Slowpoke would regrow the missing appendage through epimorphic regeneration.

This was the point at which researchers were stumped, if you’ll forgive the pun. Then, thirty years ago, amateur fossil collectors in Azalea Town unearthed something quite extraordinary: coprolites from ancient fish Pokémon. With the remains of caudal vertebrae from a Slowpoke.

It is here we draw our conclusions. At a certain point in time, the ability to shed and regrow its tail became useful as a fishing line. The caudal gland—previously used for marking its territory, and attracting potential mates—was modified to lure in aquatic prey. From there, Shellder soon began to clamp down on Slowpoke’s tail, using its analgesic venom to prevent the Slowpoke from being alerted to its presence. Over the course of thousands of years, this interaction triggered the joint evolution of a new Pokémon—Slowbro.

A creature derived from two different species, whose existence cannot be neatly separated into its constituents.

Of course, further research still needs to be done to determine the catalyst for evolution into Slowbro—venom, exudate, or a combination of factors.

Perhaps, in a few years’ time, we’ll have a new controversy to talk about.

That concludes this presentation. I’d now like to open up the floor to questions from the audience.

Chapter 2: Sycamore: Type

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

From: [email protected]

To: [email protected]

Subject: Article status.

My dearest Lysander,

I wanted to tell you in person, but I couldn’t wait. I just heard back from the editor—all requests from the provisional acceptance letter have been met! After six months of running tests and compiling the results, it’s finally ready.

It’s an odd feeling. All this time spent on the task at hand, and now that it’s actually done, it doesn’t seem real. Perhaps that’s the nervousness talking?

I know you’ve likely grown tired of hearing it, but I cannot thank you enough for your support. Not just for the funding, but for your words of confidence when I faltered or hesitated.

Two more weeks until the study goes public, and our work changes the world.

Chaleureusement,
Augustine

-

Deconstructive Analysis of the Current Type Paradigm with Regards to New Elements
Augustine Sycamore1
1 Sycamore Labs, Lumiose City, Kalos

Abstract The present-day stoicheionic model, used for categorizing the seventeen types, has gone uncontested for the better part of half a century. Past revisions were deemed necessary when kinesiotypic inconsistencies could not be explained using older models. Although revisions have helped ameliorate type-matchup ambiguity, there were still lingering discrepancies in the relationships between draconic, pyrogenic, melee, metalloid, and aphotic species. This paper argues for the existence of a previously-undocumented type (dubbed “Fairy”), that went overlooked due to its constituent species being misfiled under other types. Its ambiguous characteristics are exacerbated by Pokémon of this type being diverse and varied in both morphology and habitat. An analysis of four end-stage evolutionary lines—Togekiss (Albenedictio alata), Gardevoir (Virdipropheta stolatus), Whimsicott (Eurascensor iocosus), and Grimmsnarl (Therochaetes intrudens)—revealed metabolism as a key unifying characteristic for members of this group. Fairy-types are highly pathoceptic, a response to their metabolisms being sustained by ambient emotions. The intensity of pathoceptic responses to negatively- and positively-valenced emotions were measured using the Plutchik wheel and its corresponding dyads. Other noteworthy traits observed in Fairy-type Pokémon include aggressive mimicry (Wicklerian-Eisnerian, mimesis/masquerade) and pigmentation (betacyanin, erythrophores, and pheomelanins).

Citation Sycamore A (VI) Deconstructive Analysis of the Current Type Paradigm with Regards to New Elements. Kalosian Journal of Biology 20(4): 256-271.
Academic Editor Sina Parterre, Santalune University, Kalos
Received January 8, 2013 Accepted June 11, 2013 Published October 12, 2013
Copyright © Sycamore. This is an open-access article under the terms of the Creative Common Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, access, and distribution in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Funding The author acknowledges Lysander Labs for grant L2-420251.
Keywords monotype, dual-type, stoicheiology, kinesiotypic advantage, dubious type, cognitive bias, affective sciences, Plutchik wheel, pathoception
Competing interests The author has declared that no competing interests exist.
• E-mail: [email protected]

-

The discovery of an eighteenth type?

by Gabrielle Esmeralda

It’s been an interesting week for the worlds of academia and competitive battling, as a new discovery threatens to undo the foundations of both.

In the latest edition of the Kalosian Journal of Biology, Professor Augustine Sycamore made headlines with his announcement of a new elemental type. “As humanity’s collective knowledge of Pokémon has deepened,” Sycamore wrote, “things that were previously overlooked, or lost in obscurity, have surfaced.” The “thing” in question was the Fairy type, allegedly misidentified under the labels of Psychic and Normal, or omitted as a Pokémon’s secondary typing. Its offensive and defensive properties, and its biological characteristics, were exhaustively detailed in the paper—as were the Pokémon species that Sycamore felt should be re-classified.

The reception to this idea has been controversial, to say the least.

“There are trainers who have spent years specializing in Normal types,” said Victoria Belmonte, an employee at the Goldenrod Gym. “Do you have any idea how many Pokémon we’d have to cut from the roster if they lost their type-status? This could kill people’s careers.”

Much of the pushback has centered around concerns of overhauling the League System, although it’s far from the only objection. There’s been skepticism as to whether or not the new type carries any validity.

For further insight on the debate, we turned to typing researcher Professor Quentin of Castelia University.

Q: Let’s get straight to the big question: Do you think Fairy could be accepted as a legitimate type?

Quentin: It’s a possibility. Discrepancies of this nature, while not common, aren’t unheard of either.

Q: So there’s a precedent for this sort of thing?

Quentin: Oh, sure. When Dark-types were first recognized several decades ago, they were identified as a subset of Psychic-types that evolved to prey on other Psychic-types. Prior to that, we had no idea they existed—and perhaps understandably so. It’s easy to point at fire and water and say, “Those are Fire- and Water-type things,” but how do you define something as vague as “dark”? In some ways, “Dark” is just a label; a means of conceptualizing something in terms that we can understand. With Fairy, we could be seeing another case of a type that went undiscovered because its subtletly eluded us, and we lacked a convenient label.

Q: There are some trainers arguing that Fairy is exactly that—a label. That there isn’t enough of a distinction between it and Normal-types to justify its existence. In your opinion, does the evidence support that claim?

Quentin: I’d like to see one or two more follow-up studies before I gamble my tenure on a yes or no answer. But since you mentioned trainers—I will say that when it comes to competitive battling, typing’s relevance in relation to moves is somewhat arbitrary. Attacks are less of an instinctive ability, and more of an artificial skill. It's why the League places greater emphasis on good technique. If your Pokémon uses Ice Beam, but doesn’t produce the cold temperatures necessary to freeze the attack solid, and it comes out more like slush—then does the type distinction matter? At that point, it’s semantics. A referee isn’t going to debate with you whether or not slush “technically” counts as Ice when your Pokémon has poor form.

READ MORE AT TVMAUVILLE.COM

-

From: [email protected]

To: [email protected]

Subject: Re: Asset Request

Good afternoon, Professor Sycamore,

After having reviewed your proposal and the requisition form that you submitted, we have chosen to deny your request for Occulacerta rufistriata (Kecleon) specimens. The board feels that there isn’t enough evidence to substantiate your claim—your publication notwithstanding—and that any resources allocated to you for this project would result in a fiscal deficit. For the time being, Devon would prefer to remain unaffiliated with your work.

While we cannot provide you with study materials at this time, we would be willing to put you in contact with one of Devon’s subsidiaries. The field technicians of Birch Labs might be able to pass along ecological data that could be useful to you in procuring your own specimens.

Regards,
Kennedy Steinmetz

-

From: [email protected]

To: [email protected]

Subject: Re: Progress on research.

My dearest Lysander,

I hope you’ll forgive the lateness of this reply. As I’m sure you’ve already gathered, I’ve been somewhat busy with fielding correspondences from third parties. I know that we expected some pushback, but I don’t quite think either of us was anticipating this. Even with Diantha personally vouching for my research, the response to Fairy-types has been…less than enthusiastic.

And no, to answer your question, the League committee hasn’t formally contacted my staff about reevaluating its move regulations. I believe they’ve taken the same stance as the scientific community—they want more “concrete” proof. Something that irreffutably demonstrates its existence, before they move to vote on the matter. The word “subjective” has come up in several conversations, perhaps most dishearteningly from my alma mater.

At the moment, I’m attempting to satisfy those demands, though without much luck. My backup plan is to try and get my hands on a Porygon, and the software for monitoring its type-state during Conversion. Hopefully Silph’s board will be more open-minded than Devon’s.

Chaleureusement,
Augustine

-

[handwritten notes from “Personal Logbook,” page 42]

—occurring in over 70% of all species proposed to be Fairy-type. Retention of neotenized features is extremely prevalent in mid- and end-stage evolutions, compared to other Pokémon lineages.

Notable examples include:

• Rounded head with defined stop; or, truncated dōnotsura-like physiology
• Large eyes relative to overall body size
 • Diminished ratio of limb length to torso length
 • Piebald markings (in Togekiss line, Azumarill, and Snubbull)

The presence of these in wild populations suggests that neoteny isn’t a result of human selection, but rather a natural (homoplastic?) characteristic of Fairy-types.

The youthful features derived from neoteny have a “cuteness effect.” Personally, I wouldn’t call Aromatisse cute, but à chacun son goût. While “cuteness” is traditionally associated with triggering parental care, in Fairy-types, these features can be used in predator/prey interactions.

According to the Kalosian Bureau of Tourism, Mawile is responsible for over 200 attacks on hikers and spelunkers. Visitors to the Glittering Cave often forego warnings from guides and attempt to interact with the wild Mawile, which lower visitors’ guards by presenting their fronts. Their diminutive, child-like stature and large eyes are enough to distract people from the massive, jaw-like, modified horns that protude from the back of their heads.

(Dexio once told me that its second pair of jaws connects to the esophagus. I would love to see that in person one day—from a safe distance.)

-

Polls: Trainer Talk

In the most recent survey by Gotcha! Magazine, we asked for trainers’ thoughts on the hotly-debated “Fairy-type,” and whether they felt the League should adopt it into its ruleset.

As you can see, opinions are fairly divided. Our data shows that of the 2,000 respondents, the slim majority (29%) were undecided on the issue. These trainers were largely ambivalent, and waiting on more information before forming an opinion. When taken together, trainers had an overall negative impression of the Fairy-type, at a collective 31% disagreement (both strong and moderate). Positive impressions, meanwhile, only accounted for a combined 22% of respondents. The final group that was polled didn’t have particular leanings one way or the other.

Those in the “neutral” group seemed to consist of trainers whose teams were largely unaffected by the Fairy-type’s proposal.

READ MORE AT GOTCHAMAG.COM

-

From: [email protected]

To: [email protected]

Subject: Re: Workshop attendance.

My dearest Lysander,

The reason why my name is not on the panel is because I am no longer going. The hosts of the Santalune Conference felt that, given the “controversy” of my recent paper, it would be best if I wasn’t one of the keynote speakers this year. Apparently the discovery of a new type is the sort of heresy that ostracizes a person from their entire academic field.

The writing was on the wall weeks before this, but this may very well be the coup de grâce. Revocation of keynote status isn’t just a show of tacit disapproval; it’s a death knell. Never mind that many of my former suppliers—companies that once gladly partnered with my research lab—are now refusing to lend me so much as a paperclip. Even with your help, we’re struggling to produce the definitive “proof” that everyone keeps demanding.

Perhaps it would be best if you formally withdrew your funding and severed our labs’ financial relationship. My career and reputation are already ruined; I won’t dare do the same to yours.

Augustine

-

From: [email protected]

To: [email protected]

Subject: Re: Workshop attendance.

Mon cher Augustine,

Do you think so little of me, that you believe I would renege my support of your work? Of you? My confidence in your research has not wavered. And I will not shy away from public contention.

All progress is controversial; any change, be it harmful or beneficial, is instinctively resisted until we acclimate. And is the act of change not beautiful? That transient state—that ephemerality—is it not the cornerstone of your work?

If nothing else, the truth of your research cannot be denied. Reality is not beholden to belief. They will recognize the validity of it, in time. We simply need to find the right Pokémon to silence any lingering criticisms.

The world already doubts you; you need not add your own voice to that crowd.

Fresh air and a change of scenery would help clear your mind. My calendar is free; simply choose a day and I will take you out to lunch. I believe there’s a café in the Vert Plaza you’re fond of, n’est-ce pas?

À bientôt,
Lysander

-

From: [email protected]

To: [email protected]

Subject: Breakthrough

Attached: eon_evolution.mp4 (1,494K)

Call me as soon as you get this.

- Augustine

-

League affirms Fairy-type with the discovery of a new species.

by Roxy Sinclair

When the announcement of a new type reached the global stage two months ago, it was doubtful whether it would be accepted. But now, it seems, the Fairy-type is here to stay.

In a press statement earlier this week, liasions from the League confirmed that its guidelines would be updated to include the newly-described eighteenth type. These ratifications followed on the heels of an even more shocking announcement: a brand new evolution for the Pokémon Eevee.

It was always theorized that Eevee—a species with unusually high epigenetic triggers—possessed the capability to evolve into numerous types. At least seven different evolutions have been documented, each representing a different monotypic, second-stage branch within the lineage. The newly-described eighth evolution, dubbed “Sylveon” by Professor Augustine Sycamore, has finally settled the debate around Fairy-type’s ambiguity, once and for all.

“There’s no mistaking it,” said Dr. Pinery, head of the Eevee Research Lab in Vermillion City. “Sylveon’s characteristics line up perfectly with other members of its type. The sensory organs on its body—what some folks have been calling ‘ribbons’—are extremely pathoceptic.”

Dr. Pinery was asked to consult for the League and determine if the new form genuinely was a Fairy-type evolution. Given that its method of evolving (learnset-dependant) is unusual for Eevee, there was some initial hesitation. When asked if this new information came as a surprise, Dr. Pinery laughed.

“You know what they say about assuming. I’ll admit, I wasn’t expecting it, but it’s really not all that shocking. Plenty of Pokémon species have kinesiotypic evolutions. Now, Eevee has a genetic quirk that makes it extremely sensitive to the radiation given off by evolution stones, hence why five of its forms are the result of exposure to them. But that doesn’t inherently preclude other methods. Two of its evolutions (Espeon and Umbreon) are outliers that depend on solar and lunar radiation. Sylveon, for whatever reason, just so happens to do things a little differently. To me, a Pokémon that challenges pre-established conventions is infinitely more interesting than one that conforms to our expectations. Especially with a Pokémon like Eevee. That, more than anything, says that there might still be other evolution-triggers out there.”

READ MORE AT JUBILIFETV.COM

Notes:

I know, I know; Sycamore's specialty is Mega Evolution. But hear me out.

 

There's some dialogue from X & Y that I think justifies Sycamore as the discoverer of Fairy-types. On Route 4, when speaking to Dexio and Sina, they ask the player if they've encountered Flabébé yet. They explain that Fairy-types are a recent discovery, and that they've been battling trainers with Fairy-type Pokémon at Sycamore's request. Is it speculative? Sure. But seeing as we don't canonically have a professor that specializes in typing, I'm perfectly fine with a little artistic liberty.