Video

[neededlassie]

[It's not Shaun that the camera catches first, but his newest pokemon - a little Pichu peering curiously into the camera.]

Move, Calvin--

[He only sounds slightly exasperated, to his credit, as he picks it up under its arms and pulls it in close.]

Uh, I need some advice.

Calvin doesn't know how to control the electricity in his cheeks yet, and he keeps zapping me and my other Pokemon. Richie and Blaze can handle it, but Susie's a water type and I'm worried he's going to hurt her real bad. It seems mean to keep him in his ball, though, just because he's too little to control his electricity... What should I do?

Comments

[video]

[soggypastry]

[As someone who also had a Pichu, Lightning gets what this kid is going through. As someone who lived through the sparking, her Pikachu will be chattering at Calvin. Hello, little one!]

You'll have to train him. Pichu generally stop and get more control when they evolve. It might take a while, though.

[video]

[neededlassie]

[Having a Pichu with a water-type starter is suffering. Calvin looks excited upon seeing his evolved form, even though he's never seen a Pikachu in his short life.

Pi! Pichu pi!
Hello, big one!]

I've been trying to train him. He even learned a new move today. He's okay at directing it at wild Pokemon, it's just when he gets excited...

[video]

[soggypastry]

[A nod from Lightning, and Spark continues to chatter. Having trouble with your own sparking, little guy? That's gotta suck.]

He overloads. That's normal for his species. They can't hold much electricity and it has to go somewhere. [Generally down the path of least resistance.] Wearing him out can help, and so can keeping him away from anything weak to Electric types.

Re: [video]

[neededlassie]

[I can't help it, but it makes trainer Shaun angry.]

...My starter is a water-type. I don't want to put either one of them in their balls, but Calvin won't leave her alone.

[video]

[soggypastry]

[It's natural, little guy! Nobody expects you to control it! Though it helps to put all your paws on the ground if you're gonna spark. Takes the edge off.]

Have you tried talking to him? Explaining the danger she's in if he shocks her too badly?

[video]

[neededlassie]

[Calvin's cheek pouches spark in excitement. He doesn't seem to notice.

That sounds like a great idea!]

Hey-- Calvin, wait--!

[Shaun holds the little Pichu out at arm's length, away from the camera.]

[video]

[soggypastry]

[Of course it is! It worked for him and he's--uh-oh. Trainer's looking at him funny now because of course there's nothing else that could have set Calvin off like that.]

Spark...

[He gives a startled "Pika!" that amounts to a "what?!" before he chatters at Calvin again. Calm down, little guy! You're sparking again!]

Video

[naive_nature]

Maybe he needs an outlet for his electricity. Something that'll absorb it.

Video

[neededlassie]

You mean other than me and Susie?

[Shaun's hair is actually a little curlier at the ends with how much static he's been exposed to since the mischievous little brat hatched.]

Re: Video

[naive_nature]

Right. Like....a rubber chew toy. The rubber will absorb the electricity and it won't bounce onto anyone else.

Video

[neededlassie]

True! But...it's more a problem when he gets surprised.

His shocks seem really strong for his size.

Re: Video

[naive_nature]

Hmm...maybe you could get some rubber tubing and make a collar?

Video

[neededlassie]

[Shaun laughs.]

Then he'd look like Susie!

[The Pichu on camera pulls a face at that. Girls are yucky.]

video;

[timelymaid]

Apparently zapping one another - Pikachu, I mean - is a part of their language, so...it can help to have other electric types around it's safe with, but I'd say the best thing to do is training in the mornings, maybe? Enough to wear him out a bit for really big shocks?

video;

[neededlassie]

...I dunno if Susie would like having any more electric types around. I mean, the one we have is already a handful.

That sounds like a good idea. We'll try that tomorrow.

video;

[timelymaid]

Let me know how it goes! I hope it works, but if not, we can try to come up with something else?

video;

[neededlassie]

Thanks, Aradia!

The Pokedex says it'll get better when he evolves, too, so maybe that'll be soon.

video;

[timelymaid]

No problem!

And hmm...My pichu evolved after about two months of training, but I think it depends!

video;

[neededlassie]

Well, I think he likes me plenty, so maybe it'll be soon. I don't think I wanna send a Pichu up against Falkner, no matter how tough he is.

I think his shocks are stronger than most Pichu.

[Video]

[foolishwren]

_{[... Hmm...]}

... Hey. Ever seen one of these guys?

_{[A mass of fuzzy yellow with four little blue eyes poking out of it appears in front of the screen. It's a Joltik.]}

[Video]

[neededlassie]

[Shaun's eyebrows go up at the sight of the little Pokemon. Calvin's ears twitch upward as well, and both of them peer in interest at it.]

Noo... What is it?

[Video]

[foolishwren]

It's called a Joltik.

They're these little electric spider dudes.

_{[She gives the little guy a nudge with one finger and he scuttles to the other end of her palm obligingly.]}

They like to eat static electricity... so maybe if you kept one around, it could absorb some of the excess that's coming off of your Pichu.

[Video]

[neededlassie]

[His eyes go wide. Calvin's cheeks spark a little bit before he remembers not to shock his trainer.]

You think that could work?

...Where can I find one?

[Video]

[foolishwren]

... Hm.

_{[She looks down at the Joltik in her hands, which is happily nibbling on one of her fingertips.]}

Well... I sort of got mine as a gift last year... I'm not sure where you can find 'em in the wild...

[Video]

[neededlassie]

Oh.

[Well there goes that idea. He doesn't...really want to buy one, even though he might be able to from the same breeding center that the store clerk said Calvin's egg came from. He was sort of hoping he could find a wild one that could just...follow them around until Calvin evolved.]

I'll have to figure something else out, I guess.