Nuki Raccoon: The DEI Program of Furry EroticaHuman-#Pokemon Marriage is basically that world's equivalent of Interracial-Marriage, except instead of skin color it's magical creatures.
#ShowerThoughts #FridgeLogic #TooDeepForTuesday #PokemonLeaks
TeflonTrout 
he/him@Nuki ok, but only if it's with Mewtwo or Team Rocket's Meowth. Don't think any others are mentally on par with people, are they?
And there's also the Ditto Problem...
@TeflonTrout
I see your argument, and will give you one of many responses...
https://pkmncoordinators.tumblr.com/post/150017481667/halfwaytopokemonsnap-my-favourite-thing-about
I see your argument, and will give you one of many responses...
https://pkmncoordinators.tumblr.com/post/150017481667/halfwaytopokemonsnap-my-favourite-thing-about
@TeflonTrout
To detail this: Rhyhorn and fletchling do not simply love their trainer's daughter, but are capable of understanding 1) what a fashion contest is, 2) how it is important to Serena, 3) where and when they need to watch it, and 4) how to set up a computer to watch it on a screen. Also they do all that to watch Live, no reward involved: they weren't trained to do that, they just wanted to.
That is not animal level intelligence, that is human level intelligence, and there are plenty of humans who would not be able to figure these things out. It shows the ability to understand complex, goal-oriented thinking, to act on a time frame, and to use advanced technology.
These Pokemon are capable of understanding the world, and capable of navigating it without their humans. Therefore, they are not only capable of consent, but one could have been meaningful relationship with them, because they would understand your hopes and dreams even if they didn't share them.
tekhedd@Nuki Honestly the one-word vocabulary does seem like an issue. Depends on *which* part of canon you're in though, as the 'mons in for example the Detective Picachu vision of the world seem quite capable.
Also, tbh, on the rumpy-pumpy side of the equation, some of them are quite... abstract. I mean like as long as it's mutually agreeable sure but. Like SNORUNT is literally a haunted snow hat. 🤔 I'm not saying the right couple couldn't make it work but...
@Nuki What worries me MOST about this is that I'm taking it seriously
@tekhedd
You should. Humans having relationships with non-humans is one of the more interesting things we can speculate about in sci-fi/fantasy, and pokémon is not only ripe for it, but has actually gotten into it a bit, both in the parts where they mention legends about people marrying pokémon, but also characters who seem to be in an actual committed relationship, like Korrina and her Lucario.
As for the lack of vocabulary, you can communicate a lot with just noises and gestures. There are plenty of humans who, without lacking any intelligence, cannot do any more than that. Is one incapable of being in a meaningful relationship with a mute person? An illiterate person? A physically or sensory disabled person? What is the difference between that and a Pokemon not being able to speak human words, even though it understands them?
We have seen people have deep conversations with Pokemon. We don't know why the Pokemon can't talk, but it is clearly not a mental deficiency.
@Nuki For people who don't read (movies mostly don't count) sci fi, pokemon is probably the closest they get to considering human-alien interactions in general.
It's strongly suggested that the Pokemon understand each other. It's not really much of a leap to suggest that most of then are competent to have a relationship. Uncertainty is a bitch, but that's true in the human human world too. 😬
@Nuki One great thing about fiction is you don't have to worry about being wrong. Unless that's part of the plot of course.
@tekhedd
I will say though, if you live in the Pokemon world, it shouldn't be that hard to test this. Literally just go find an adult Pokemon and get it to do some tests to see whether it would be capable of consent.
I guess the bigger question would be what those tests would be, but it certainly wouldn't be like giving it to say, a dog, because you could actually have a conversation with a Pokemon, albeit a nonverbal one. But as I said, whether or not someone is able to talk is not a clear determinant of whether or not they can consent or be in a meaningful relationship.