Thirteenth Transmutation | [video] SURPRISE!!!

[armoredsoul]

[The feed turns on to an odd view--at first it seems like it might just be a Type: Null running around in some woods, but when it skids on a turn and slams into a tree, there's no mask on it's head anymore. The crest is spread out and colored to a bright orange to match the webbing on it's tail, and it's feathers are a much brighter silver now, as well. It doesn't seem troubled about the tumble, though and scrambles up to it's feet again as a Pyroar and Luxray both catch up with it, panting loudly and clearly exhausted.]

[Al turns the camera around, looking harried, stressed, and completely bewildered.]

Amicus...evolved. Early yesterday afternoon, we were just doing our normal training and they just...it went! The pokedex says nothing about this, they haven't been holding any items, I don't have any evolution stones...This is ridiculous!

[He groans and rubs a hand over his face, continuing on while his eyes squeeze shut in frustration.]

They were level eighty-seven at the time, I haven't taught them any TMs or HMs...ugh, what else. They're a Fighting-type, they're fond of me so this has a chance of being related to emotional bonds...I've had them for five months now. I've already submitted a report to Silph but I'm at--speed, it's speed! Before evolving Amicus moved slower than average, and they didn't react as fast either, but now they're--well, you saw! They barely know how to stop!

[SIGH.] If anyone's got some idea of how this happened, I'm all ears. Or maybe someone else's has evolved and I'm just out of the loop?

Comments

[video]

[meteorman]

[aaaaaaAaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA]

That's incredible! It must be an evolution even the creators aren't aware of -- they can't be, or else those of us raising Type: Nulls would have been informed. This is more than likely the very first Pokémon of its kind to exist in this reality, ever.

[And it's running into trees. Wonderful. Perfect.]

I think your idea about emotional bonds is one of the most probable explanations, given the other information you've cited. How else could this have happened? Eighty-seven is a very late level to evolve if it was level-based.

[video]

[armoredsoul]

[AT LEAST SOMEONE HERE IS EXCITED. From the sounds of crashing and joyful calls in the background, Amicus has gone right back to their speedy circles, and Al sits down against a tree with a sigh.]

Seriously! The highest otherwise is...what, sixty-four? If it's not friendship or affection it would have to be some method no one's even heard of yet, like the jars for Inkay were.

[Alphonse is still not over that particular discovery, to be honest.]

They seem happy about it at least, and I have to say I'm glad that mask is gone. It seemed...I don't know, forboding? I never liked the look of it.

[meteorman]

It does put to rest the sticky question of how a Type: Null eats.

[Speaking of that mask, MIPS shoves its big old head into frame at about this point. It clips a little bit into Ford to do it, vibrating like a Bethesda dragon skeleton that's interacting with one too many polygonal trees. It is very curious about this other Null that apparently did a cool thing. What's up with that?]

At least with MIPS I could understand something phasing right through the helm, but MIPS is a Ghost. A Fighting type seems like it might have more trouble.

[armoredsoul]

[OH. Oh, that's...that's a thing, isn't it...]

It, uh...y-yeah. I never could figure out how...I'm sorry, but isn't that uncomfortable?

[Video]

[agent3]

[..............yooooo]

What'd it look like b'fore? Somethin' make it slow down?

[Video]

[armoredsoul]

Actually, they didn't look much different at all. Their feathers brightened up, and the mask--hang on, I'll send you a picture.

[Al messes with the gear for a moment before a picture of a Type: Null laying curled up and sleeping shows up in Thida's inbox.]

The mask wasn't enough to slow them down on it's own. The way Amicus moved it was more like an issue either with their nervous system or muscles rather than weight.

[Video]

[agent3]

Y'sure? Looks so heavy...prob'ly hard t'see, too.

[And it looks...barbaric, almost, to strap something like that onto a Pokemon. Thida frowns very hard.]

Came with that?

[Video]

[armoredsoul]

Yeah, and there was no way I could have taken it off, either. It was practically welded on.

[Al wasn't exactly pleased with the mask, either, in all honesty.]

Silph didn't mention anything about what it's purpose was, at least not in the paperwork I was given.

[video]

[tearsofademon]

[That gets an eyebrow raise.]

Well I mean, a lot of Pokemon evolve. If Nulls do too, that's not really that surprising.

[but then he's somewhat jaded after seven years, Pokemon have fully changed types without warning before okay, a new evolution is new and a pretty big deal but not really all that surprising anymore]

Still, though, congrats. Not every day you discover something like this.

[video]

[armoredsoul]

You'd think that Silph would have warned us about it, though? They're the ones that made the Nulls, and Porygon's evolutions were specific updates pushed out with the disks. The fact that the Pokedex has no information on this at all is what has be worried.

[Al was here during Hallowgeddon, okay, he knows types and new evolutions can come out of nowhere. But that was Pokemon coming from another region, not an already unstable new creation doing something completely without warning!]

[video]

[tearsofademon]

[He shrugs.]

Maybe they don't know. Experiments rarely turn out exactly as planned. Honestly, there are worse side effects than an unintended evolution.

[His tone is pretty carefully detached...]

[video]

[armoredsoul]

[Al frowns and glances up off-camera for a moment, then turns back with a sigh.]

And is that an excuse? Maybe it's not the worst thing, but evolution is a very big thing for Pokemon, both as a species and in the sense of the way Silph designed them. Yes, they warned us that some things might be odd about the Nulls, but they made it sound like most of the biggest issues had been ironed out and as a species they were relatively stable.

[video]

[captainash]

[My my. Is this what he can expect from SID in the future?)

This might be a ridiculous question, but you didn't lend him to anyone for training recently, did you? Then again, the effect would have been instantaneous...

[video]

[armoredsoul]

No, other than being handed over from Silph they've always been in my possession. And if it was trading related it should have triggered back then, right?

[video]

[captainash]

It should have, yes. Let's see... Maybe it's time-related, like Espeon and Umbreon? Or maybe it's a combination of multiple factors that are unlikely to occur simultaneously...

[video]

[armoredsoul]

Mmm, maybe...though Espeon and Umbreon are also based on emotional bonds. We won't know for sure until more Nulls start to evolve, if any others do.

[Video]

[thenightsky]

...Okay there was definitely nothing about that in the information that came with Hydrean.

[It's awesome that it does have an evolution just..well. It would have been nice if Silph Co had prepared them all.

Beside Noctis is his own Type: Null, Hydrean attempting to hide behind Noct's arm and failing. Miserably.

It's kind of hard to hide behind someone's arm when you're huge.]

Does the Pokedex say anything at all?

[Video]

[armoredsoul]

I was starting to worry I missed a page in all that paperwork...good to know I'm not the only clueless one.

[Al can't help a smile seeing Hydrean huddling behind there--it's cute, honestly.]

No, nothing in Type: Null's entry and there's no entry that matches this new form at all. I'm trying to work out the name of it, but--

Siiiiiv!

[Another loud crash in the background, and Alphonse sighs.]

It's hard to work out just based off of unordered cries.

[Video]

[thenightsky]

Definitely not just you.

[Not that it's going to make him regret taking Hydrean on. Sure it had it's quirks but..Noctis kind of adored the big fellow.

He can't help but wince at the loud crash.]

Yeah I can see how that would be an issue currently. I'm guessing no one else has had one evolve before?

Video

[seeingeyesteward]

A friend that returned home had a similar looking creature as your's. I did not realize it was an evolution. I had little interaction with it beyond traveling with it before it was returned at my friend's disappearance.

Video

[armoredsoul]

[Um excuse???]

He did? How long ago was this? Do you remember what he called the species?

Video

[seeingeyesteward]

I did not interact with it directly, I only knew its name. Unfortunately, that is all the information I had as he had it when I met up with him in this world.

[Video]

[foolishwren]

... Wow, holy shit... you're sure he evolved? He didn't just knock his helmet off?

_{[Like, Amicus definitely looks bigger and sleeker, but she can't tell if it's just because the big clunky contraption is gone or not...]}

[Video]

[armoredsoul]

I mean, he glowed and did the whole--thing? It was hard to tell, but I think I did see the mask breaking apart int he middle of it, but afterward there weren't any parts of it anywhere...

[Video]

[foolishwren]

Well, shit.

This is... is this the first time that's happened? Ever?