Line #36 FanonPokedex/Buizel


1	[[header:'''Buizel Line''']]
2
3	!! Morphs [Oak Catalog #]
4
5	* Buizel [418]
6	* Floatzel [419]
7
8	!! Physical Description
9
10	The Pokémon of the Buizel line are lutrine bipeds that share an orange-and-cream color scheme, ridge-like growths covered by blue scales extending from the sides of their arms, twin tails, crested heads, small ears obscured by their pelts, and yellow air sacs used aid buoyancy.
11
12	A typical Buizel stands 70 centimeters from from foot to the tip of its crest at the back of its head and weighs just under 30 kilograms. Buizel are characterized by an orange pelt, with cream regions covering its underbelly, muzzle, its paw pads, two regions above its eyes resembling eyebrows, the tips of its tails, and one or two dots along its back depending upon the individual's gender. Although they have no apparent claws, careful inspection of a Buizel's digits will reveal small but sharp claws which enable it to both better grip food as well as surfaces in order to exit bodies of water. A Buizel's yellow buoyancy sac rings its neck, giving a collar-like appearance.
13
14	Average individuals from Buizel's final stage, Floatzel, stand roughly 110 centimeters in height and typically weigh a scant 4 kilograms more than their younger and less lithe brethren. Floatzel pelts are similarly colored to those of their younger counterparts, and have cream regions covering the entirety of their underbellies barring a teardrop-shaped patch of orange fur on the front of their lower abdominal regions, the entirety of their forepaws and forearms, their muzzles, tail tips, one or two moderately-sized elliptical dots on their backs, and a small circular patch on their foreheads. Floatzel have more defined proportionately larger head crests than their younger brethren, more prominent claws, and have a buoyancy sac that rings the entirety of their torsos and abdomen, with an appearance not wholly unlike that of a yellow inflatable dinghy. Floatzel also possess proportionately narrower and longer scaled ridges on their arms than Buizel, which have an appearance not wholly unlike that of two large, dulled spikes.
15
16	In rare circumstances, members of the Buizel line with yellow and white pelts and white buoyancy sacs have been recorded, and are prized among collectors.
17
18	!! Notable Biology
19
20	One of the defining features of members of the Buizel line is the presence of inflatable air sacs that act as buoyancy aids. These sacs are extensions of the respiratory systems of members of this line, not wholly unlike the internal air sacs of many avian Pokémon. These air sacs are protected by relatively thick and durable tissue layers and are separated from the rest of a Buizel/Floatzel's respiratory system via a series of folds of connective tissue that prevent a Buizel/Floatzel's lungs from becoming flooded by water in the event of a ruptured air sac. In addition to greater buoyancy, these air sacs also enable members of the Buizel line to remain underwater for extended periods of time. It is not uncommon for members of the Buizel line to perforate their air sacs at some point during their lives. Individuals with such injuries typically adopt a temporarily terrestrial lifestyle until the puncture wound(s) in their air sacs have fully healed.
21
22	Another defining feature of these lutrine creatures is their unique double tails, which Buizel and Floatzel manipulate by forming corkscrew motions in water to propel themselves. These motions are very rapid, and are forceful enough to allow members of this line to slice through lesser obstacles in bodies of water such as mats of seaweed with ease. Members of the Buizel line with injured tails can easily be spotted by their slow, awkward movements in the water. A popular, though widely disparaged, practice among some Buizel trainers is to encourage their Pokémon to rotate their tails fast enough to allow for short airborne hops, as well as firing [=SonicBoom=] and Razor Wind attacks. Although amusing, this trick is both a safety hazard and puts the performing Buizel at risk of straining the muscles that it uses to manipulate its tails.
23
24	!! Habitat
25
26	Despite their classification as "Sea Weasel" Pokémon, Buizel and Floatzel can be found in a truly astonishing variety of aquatic habitats, ranging from coastal areas and estuaries, to swift-moving rivers and swamps, to isolated lake systems in caves and mountainous regions. Members of the Buizel line are most commonly encountered in Sinnoh, though small but stable populations have been recorded throughout Kanto, Johto, Unova, and Kalos.
27
28	!! Diet
29
30	Members of the Buizel line are noted for their fast metabolisms, and healthy individuals have been noted to consume in excess of 15% of their body masses in food on a daily basis. While Buizel and Floatzel appear to be capable of subsisting on an omnivorous diet like a majority of [[{{Mons}} Pokémon]], wild individuals appear to have a heavy slant towards a carnivorous diet comprised mostly of fish-like, mollusk-like, and crustacean-like prey. Both morphs appear to consume plant matter on a fairly regular basis, and appear to have an affinity for the Wacan Berry. In circumstances where both normal prey and edible plant matter is scarce, it is not unheard of for Buizel and Floatzel to hunt other aquatic creatures for sustenance.
31
32	!! Hazards
33
34	While Buizel and Floatzel's reputation for being playful and amiable and their perception as being creatures suitable for beginning trainers is not wholly undeserved, they are by no means creatures to take lightly. Like any Pokémon, Buizel and Floatzel are usually most hazardous when they are irritated or frightened. Members of this line have been known to lash out at perceived threats or aggressors through a wide variety of methods. Both members of this line employ a range of tackle attacks, including several that incorporate feigned retreats in order to catch opponents off guard. Tackles from a Buizel are more than enough to knock adult humans off their feet and can leave deep bruises as well as lacerations and scrapes from their claws, tackles from the aforementioned mustelid's elder morph have been known to break bones, cause internal bleeding, and leave gashes deep enough to necessitate medical sutures. Both morphs in this line are also known to attack by expelling pressurized jets of water out of their mouths. Although painful, these attacks are arguably among the least hazardous attacks employed by members of this line, though it should be noted that humans attacked by these jets of water have been known to suffer bruising, and in some instances involving attacks by Floatzel, loss of exposed patches of skin. Among captive Buizel and Floatzel, a there is a commonly taught battle technique that involves attacking opponents with jets of unusually salty water. Although this attack presents no greater danger on its own in comparison to the naturally learned attacks in this vein, it is typically employed on opponents with visible wounds, an experience which has been noted to be vastly more painful for the unlucky party on the receiving end. Both creatures in this line have been known to employ biting attacks, especially Floatzel. Buizel bites are seldom serious, and usually employed as a desperation attack, though they will easily leave puncture wounds and carry a risk of bacterial infection. Floatzel bites are far more dangerous, as the mustelid's unassuming jaws are more than capable of severing digits and fracturing bones. Irritated and frightened Pokémon in this line also pose risks toward imprudent trainers on bodies of water, as both Buizel and Floatzel have been known to attack foes in marine environments by creating localized whirlpools capable of capsizing small boats.
35
36	There are also a number of more mundane hazards that members of this line pose towards trainers, which can quickly turn an affectionate romp into a trip to the emergency room. The most prominent of these lesser hazards are the twin tails that members of this line possess. Both Buizel and Floatzel employ their tails as a means of propulsion in their native environment, using their muscles to manipulate them into moving in a screw-like fashion not unlike the motion of a propeller, a practice that manifests itself by habit when these creatures are on dry land. Although this practice is seen by many trainers as endearing, it is also capable of inflicting bruises, lacerations, and in more extreme cases hairline fractures and dislocated limbs upon a trainer foolhardy enough to stick a bodily appendage near a Buizel's or Floatzel's moving tails. Both Buizel and Floatzel are known to generally be very energetic and playful, which can lead to problems among individuals that have a poor grasp of their own strength. Poorly trained Buizel and Floatzel have sent many an inexperienced trainer to the hospital through well-intentioned but excessive roughhousing or overly playful nips and scratches. Reports of Floatzel accidentally drowning or nearly drowning their trainers while cavorting in bodies of water are not unheard of. Due to their popularity among novice trainers, a number of communities near large bodies of water with a large Buizel or Floatzel population maintain public awareness campaigns focusing on safely raising and encountering these creatures.
37
38	!! Courting
39
40	Both Buizel and Floatzel are capable of reproduction, though reproduction among Buizel is uncommon outside of captivity. Courtship is usually initiated by male suitors, which will attempt to impress a potential mate through a variety of observed methods including what appear to be marine "acrobatics" and the offering of gifts of food. It is not uncommon for a single female to receive advances from multiple males, which often leads to heated battles among prospective suitors. Buizel and Floatzel have also been recorded courting and being courted by individuals outside of their immediate line, though these interactions are fairly rare outside of captivity. After selecting an appealing suitor, a female member of the Buizel line will mate with her chosen male, typically in bodies of water, and typically remains with the male until her offspring are capable of fending for themselves. It is not unheard of for a single breeding pair of members of the Buizel line to remain together for the duration of their lives, though this practice appears to be more common in captivity than in the wild.
41
42	!! Social Structure
43
44	Both Buizel and Floatzel exhibit a biological quirk that enables their eggs to survive reproduction through both ovoviviparous and oviparous methods. The former reproductive method is most commonly seen among Floatzel, and typically occurs in the event of the birth of single offspring. The latter method is seen most commonly in the event of the birth of multiple offspring, and curiously, appears to occur in an overwhelming majority of observed captive births.
45
46	Buizel are born blind, typically in a holt either dug into the ground or fashioned from a sufficiently large hollow log, and are wholly dependent upon their parents and any older siblings for protection and sustenance during the first weeks of their lives. In addition, Buizel and Floatzel organize themselves into rafts consisting of anywhere from 6 to over 150 individuals, which act as an additional supportive structure for the offspring of members of a raft. During their first 2 months alive, Buizel develop their swimming capabilities through observation and emulation of its parents and siblings, and begin to receive their first hunting lessons from members of their immediate family as well as incorporation into the social structures of the broader raft. Buizel are typically sheltered by their parents for the first 12 months of their lives, after which they are left to take care of themselves as members of their raft.
47
48	Rafts appear to exhibit fairly loose social ties, and fluctuate in size due to members leaving due to internal squabbles or to start their own rafts. As Buizel age and draw near their evolution into Floatzel, they will typically join progressively smaller rafts due to increased competition for food.
49
50	!! In Human Society
51
52	Both members of the Buizel line are renowned for their generally genial and playful temperaments, and are one of a small number of Pokémon are considered (relatively) safe to be in close proximity to in the wild. Floatzel have also been recorded rescuing drowning humans and other creatures in bodies of water, which makes the creatures a staple among lifeguards. Among fishermen, Buizel and Floatzel are seen as both a blessing and a curse, as wild individuals have been known to steal catches and damage valuable fishing equipment, but captive individuals are prized among hobbyist fishermen for their assistance in herding catches into nets and near lures. Buizel and Floatzel were once prized for their pelts among fur traders, though the proliferation of media, particularly works directed towards children, revolving around Buizel and Floatzel and a corresponding surge in popularity has all but annihilated the trade. Buizel and Floatzel remain fixtures of modern media, and occupy prominent roles in a truly staggering number of movie, television, literary, and video game franchises.
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Context FanonPokedex / Buizel