Cubone Theory Research Paper

In case you have never heard of the Cubone Theory, here's what it's about; apparently, Marowak was originally supposed to evolve into Kangaskhan. This would give credibility to a Cubone's grieving as there would be no reason a baby reptile/proto-mammal(?) would mourn the loss of a parent it never knew... unless its parent was a very caring mother who would do anything to keep her child safe and happy. The idea of this evolution line that could've been was that the loving mother Kangaskhan dies and the grief stricken baby learns to fend for itself, but keeps momma close through her bones. Take note that the bone Cubone wields is far too large to be a Cubone OR Marowak bone... but it would be possible for it to be a Kangaskhan bone. Here's what I think the Cubone to Kangaskhan evolution would be like, with the addition of a male Kangaskhan, in the format of a researcher's notes.

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I have spent several years in the Safari Zone near Cainwood studying the local Pokemon when I came across the discovery of a lifetime. Trainers come far and wide for the large variety of Pokemon that live in the protection of this Safari Zone, but I was also drawn here to study the wildlife, particularly, the Kangaskhan. Kangaskhan are… skittish. Prone to fleeing at the slightest noise, it is difficult to learn much about these mother lizard-mammals but I was determined. It may have taken a few days of coming in and out but me and my Larvitar partner, Samson, finally found a herd. Making note of where the herd regularly travels we were able to keep track of the Parent Pokemon when a few days later I noticed one of them was different from the others.

The most notable feature of this Pokemon are their pouches, where they raise their offspring. The Kangaskhan I found had no pouch. Its belly was scaly, plated, and tough, a clear difference to the majority of the herd's soft, pouched bellies. I initially thought of it as a mutation and kept track of this Kangaskhan for a couple days when I noticed it appeared to be trying to woo the matriarch of the herd. Honestly, I initially thought I found a case of homosexuality in wild Kangaskhan but it turned out that the "mutation" was actually a gender difference. The proof came months after the male's wooing when the matriarch's pouch wriggled with the arrival of a newborn.

During these months studying the Kangaskhan, Samson would point out the Cubone that appear every so often in the herd before the Lonely Pokemon leave. I am certain I am in the wasteland area and that Cubone only live in the desert area. This required investigation… But at a later date. I never leave a job undone. Fortunately, or heartbreakingly, I would have that questioned answered and learn more about Kangaskhan.

The matriarch I dubbed Maia was doing an excellent job rearing her child; not a big surprise here. It wouldn't be that hard to care for a baby when you're large and backed up by other overprotective mothers and the rare occasional male visitor. It seemed that Kangaskhan were the invincible super parent, but even these Pokemon had their weaknesses. Samson alerted me to look up to the sight of a large Fearow circling overhead. But there was still about a half hour of daylight left, had it found an opportunity?

Samson quickly knocked me down and laid low in the grass with me as the Fearow dove down and picked up a young Kangaskhan that was playing with a Machop. The Machop had cross chopped the Fearow in surprise, slowing it down long enough for Maia to run to the infant's aid. She grabbed the Fearow's leg and slammed it to the ground and pried the large bird's talons open and freed the infant. But before the other Kangaskhan could help her, the Fearow turned around and jabbed its beak through Maia's eye. Judging by how deep in the eye she was stabbed I was not surprised to see her collapse quickly. The rest of the herd rampaged and trampled the Fearow to a feathery mess of broken bones and bruised flesh.

It was all quick, it couldn't have taken more than three minutes for it all to start and end. The infant was saved, but the matriarch has died and her young child was orphaned. The herd had gathered around their fallen leader and appeared to mourn for her. I think even I shed a tear for Maia as Samson wept openly. But none of us were as grief stricken as her orphaned baby. It wouldn't leave her corpse, even as the herd moved on. This seemed very strange. Just over an hour ago Maia had died saving another's infant, and yet the herd has abandoned her child. I decided to take my eyes off the herd to study the orphan, now dubbed Sascha, and see if this blatant abandonment may have a reason. It's a good thing I stayed with Sascha.

Sascha cried endlessly and stayed with Maia, even as she started to decay. It refused to eat anything during its grieving and would chase away and beat anything that drew too close to Maia with a stick. Samson had wanted to console the child but I held him back and let nature take its course.

Eventually, the corpse was nothing but a skeleton, and even then, Sascha remained. But the next thing I saw left me perplexed. It dropped its stick and picked up a femur, a leg bone, and then yanked her skull off, separating the mandible, the lower jaw, before putting the skull over its head. The little Kangaskhan had started mimicking a Cubone.

Still grief stricken, Sascha left to rejoin the herd, me and Samson following behind. It took hours to find the herd but Sascha returned to what was left of its family. The herd seemed to welcome their missing member back. The young were overjoyed, but the adults seemed saddened. I chalked it up to grieving but there was another reason that I'd soon find out.

As Sascha grew, its purple color had started to turn brown. It also learned new tricks with its mother's bone, such as using it… as a boomerang. The mimicry was near flawless; but its dark eyes were a give away. It eventually isolated itself from the herd and practiced more with its bone. The adults had taught Sascha what was edible and what to avoid, as well as teaching it what Pokemon to avoid. One day, I returned to study the Kangaskhan to find Sascha was leaving the herd. It appeared to be heading to the desert. The herd seemed sad to say goodbye to such a young member of the herd, but they didn't stop its departure.

Out in the desert I had noticed Sascha's eyes had changed. They now had visible scleras and red irises. It also had a new cry. It was then I discovered that Sascha was not mimicking a Cubone, it became one. Me and Samson tracked Sascha as it lived its new life as a Cubone, with Samson eventually befriending it. I didn't reveal myself. That would affect its behavior or even scare it away.

Eventually, Sascha got over its grief and evolved into Marowak, the Bone Keeper Pokemon. Samson still liked to play with Sascha and Sascha seemed much happier now, even getting a mate. I lost sight of the two for months. I feared they had met a terrible fate. Leaving the desert, I returned to the wasteland to find the herd again until I stumbled upon the two again. They had moved out to the wasteland and made a nest.

Eventually, as the egg drew nearer to hatching, Sascha and his mate evolved. It was then I found out Sascha was a male when I saw his plated belly. He stood proud as his child hatched out of the egg; a cute, innocent eyed purple baby Kangaskhan. By this point I envied Samson a little as he was there to see it up close. As soon as the egg hatched, Sascha's mate, who I referred to as Gloria, put the baby into her pouch as he lead her to a familiar direction; a watering hole his old herd frequents.

He dropped his mate off with his old herd before leaving her with them. I found it sweet that he still remembered his old herd but why he left was a question I would've liked to solve had it not been that something spooked the herd. I didn't want to lose them, so I followed the herd and lost sight of Sascha.

Years passed; Sasha's first born grew into a healthy female Kangaskhan and he returned to his Gloria each few years, siring more children. Samson had become an honorary member of the herd, even if he was a Tyranitar. Gloria also became the new matriarch after Maia's successor died of old age. Things seemed peaceful until a Fearow attacked. Gloria died protecting the herd, leaving her infant grief stricken and orphaned…