Morgue

When I was a baby, my family already had a boxer. He was…massive. He was a little extra chunky bc of medication he was on, so my first years were spent around this 85 lb behemoth.

This 85lb behemoth was the biggest crybaby and we loved him. Before he grew up my parents loved picking him up and people always said “what are you going to do when he’s too big to carry?”

Guess what: My dad would *still* scoop him up when he got scared (and trust me this dog was afraid of his own shadow), when he was tired, when we had to go somewhere but he didn’t feel like moving, the Dad Taxi TM was in business 24/7. Especially as he got older and couldn’t walk as far.

Now, if I remember correctly Mabosstiff Pokémon are closer to about 130, making my giant dog look like a toddler in comparison. Still, you can’t tell me as the two get older, or while mabosstiff is sick, Arven didn’t scoop him up like a little baby at times. Sure, the pokeball exists, but when they’re hiking in his favorite trail and mabosstiff starts to grow tired, he still wants his buddy to enjoy the outdoors too.

His arms are tired, there’s drool on his shoulder, and he’s covered in fur (you can’t tell me a dog that size doesn’t shed like crazy) but he’d do it 100 times over for his best friend.

Sorry, I just love the concept of massive dogs being the biggest babies at heart.

Oh yes anon!!! You're right and you should shout it from the hill tops!!!

Mabosstiff 100% still thinks he's baby. He's a lap dog, too. No one else understands that but Arven. That's all.

Arven also doesn't mind the sloppy drooly puppy boy 🥺🥺🥺🥺 mastiffs are so drooly but it's okay we love him anyway

Also yes he 100% sheds a huge amount of fur. Arven even says so in game. I'd bet at this point he could probably groom just about any furry pokemon just from his experience with meticulously caring for Mabosstiff as well as he does.

🎵I need a sandwich. I'm holding out for this sandwich that I'm making for lunch

I love all 3 partner characters but Arven makes m especially weak.

oh my god I know! Like, pretty boy with a troubled past but that doesn't make him entirely an asshole and is actually super caring and loving to his pokemon, can cook and is literally super fucking strong as a trainer??? Watch me leave him and his level 60+ pokemon for real-life DAYS to level up my measly level 40+ infants, and even scour the region for materials to make TM's that would boost my chances of winning.

No good at pokemon battles my ass, Arven actually beat my entire team and I was so shocked at how good he was that I had to restart my game 😂 also because I'm a sore loser. I've never lost to any gym leaders or team star leaders before OR after him and him doing that made me have so much respect for him.

He's a genius in battling, he just doesn't know it.

Also the universal experience of disliking Arven then doing a complete 180 and loving him.

I said and I quote; "The hell is this guy's deal?" but I did find him kinda cute at first meeting.

Game Freak, props to you for coming up with Arven. Peak character lore and design, give this man a back brace for carrying the whole damn game.

He's dealing and struggling with trauma that's been with him since he was a child. Heavy stuff that is not a simply thing to just heal from. He was abandoned. The moment someone is nice to him in a way he can understand - helping him find Herba Mystica and encouraging him onwards in more ways than one - he absolutely thrives and opens up little by little.

All he wanted was a friend - a friend that could keep up with his personality. He wanted someone he felt he could trust, someone that could help him heal the Pokémon that has been there for him when no one else was even when he struggles to ask for it - perhaps feeling wholly responsible yet helpless, and someone that won't abandon him.

The absolute dread he expressed in the ending scene when his "best friend" and "little buddy" left his side when he just had to watch what was left of his "parent" disappear forever? That HURT.

Forrest Walk, p.1, 2 and 3