Bastiodon and Rampardos

Life at a Pokemon research lab was actually quite nice. The 'subjects' of the studies had free range of the twenty-five acre farm the lab was located on. If it got too hot outside, one could always duck into the sleeping pen for welcome shade. There was a large pond, healthy grasses, loads of berry bushes, many kinds of trees, and even a pile of rocks for Pokemon that liked that kind of thing. Since all the predators were fed regularly, there was never a worry about being eaten.

Bastiodon was quite certain that she had found paradise.

Sure, there were some bad points. There was the large energy field at the edge of the farm, marking off the limits of their lands. But that fence thing kept them secure too, so it was forgivable. And the scientists often pulled them inside for exams and tests. Some of those could get annoying, but she had figured out that if she cooperated, the whole ordeal would be over quicker. Among the other research Pokemon, there were some annoying individuals. That happened everywhere, even in this paradise.

She was currently the largest Pokemon at the research facility. Her body was short and bulky, but her rectangular face shield stood taller than the human researchers. However, the others had grown used to her and were not afraid. Bastiodon was a gentle one, even watching her steps carefully to make sure she didn't crush any living creature.

On a warm and so far uneventful day, Bastiodon noted the other member of her research project walk by. She had been cloned from DNA found inside a fossil; so had Rampardos. The scientists said that they wanted to examine them as the first ones of their kind that humans had seen, before they gave permission for their kin to be recreated in the same manner. Which was good, Bastiodon supposed, as a third clone species had died early on. It hadn't been able to live in the present environment.

Rampardos was violent from time to time, but the scientists saw no reason this should be a reason to get rid of him. He was also, well, not too bright. Sometimes he came up with clever stuff, but it was usually by accident. Bastiodon was sometimes annoyed by him and, on some level, knew that his kin had once preyed on hers. Having lived with him her entire life, she actually found herself fond of him. It wasn't like he was going to eat her.

"Hey," Rampardos called, walking over to her. "Can I ask you some questions?"

"Mmhmm," she replied, as she was chewing on some grass. Since he didn't reply immediately, she swallowed, then added, "What questions do you have?"

Clenching his small arms as he thought, he said, "Oh right that. Well some of the humans were talking about something and I want to test out what they said. Would you help?"

"I guess it depends on what you want to test," she answered. If he hadn't been a predator, she would have agreed to help immediately. Even as a friend, some caution was needed.

"Hmm, yeah. Anyhow, you know how I can tear great big trees right out of the ground, even when I'm running? Does that make me an unstoppable force?"

"It would be unwise to get in your way when you want something," Bastiodon agreed.

Rampardos brightened in pride. "Yeah! Okay, so. On the other hand, if anyone tries to lift or push you out of the way, they would fail if you didn't want to move. Would that make you an immovable object?"

"Well no one around here could make me move if I didn't want to. Most of them ask nicely though, so I move on my own."

"Great! Then I can test it." Rampardos then put his head down against her shield and started pushing as hard as he could.

Bastiodon blinked. "What are you doing?"

"Seeing who was right. The scientists were saying something like, if you had an unstoppable force against an immovable object, which one would win? Would the force be stopped or would the object be moved?"

"Oh." She considered it, watching him strain to get her to budge. "That's unexpectedly intelligent of you."

"Yeah! My brain may be small, but that doesn't mean it's no good!"

Chuckling, Bastiodon replied, "True enough." Then she lowered her head to eat some more of the grass.

The movement caused Rampardos to slip and fall on his face. "Ow, hey! You're supposed to be an immovable object!"

"You're not moving me," she replied around some blades of grass. "I moved myself. Keep trying, unstoppable force."

"Right! I'll move you!" Getting himself upright, he started pushing against her with his head and left shoulder. She could feel the spikes on his head, but felt no danger to her mask. So she kept eating.

To his credit, Rampardos didn't give up easily. He kept trying to push her aside by putting all his strength against her shield mask. However, it was a shield. He would have an easier time at it if he tried pushing from another angle, at her regular body. That was armored too, but not as strongly as her front. But Bastiodon didn't have to tell him that.

After a while, he slumped down. Bastiodon lifted her head. "Is your experiment done yet?"

"No. I'm just resting. I know that I can do better than that. I am an unstoppable force! You can't beat me in a shoving match."

She wasn't even trying. However, she didn't feel like quashing his enthusiasm like that. "Okay, I'll give you some time to rest. I'm going to head for the watering hole." Then she turned herself around and began trudging towards the pond. She definitely wasn't the fastest Pokemon around.

On the other hand, Rampardos could run at a good pace when he felt like it. He got back up after a break, then ran over towards the pond after her. Bastiodon still hadn't made it when he caught up and then passed her. Arriving at the pond, he turned back towards her, spending a few minutes stepping about sideways.

"What is he doing now?" she wondered to herself, still continuing on her way. She watched as he found a spot he liked, then lowered his head. Next, he came charging right at her. Spooked by this predatory action, Bastiodon froze in place, bracing herself for the hit. Rampardos kept rushing.

KLONG!

Finding herself pretty much unhurt, she took a few more steps to where Rampardos had tumbled back to. "You all right?"

"All right?" he asked. "I'm great! No head injury is gonna stop my thick head!"

Chuckling, Bastiodon continued her walk to the pond. "You know, if the unstoppable force would just say please, I'm sure the immovable object with move aside politely."

"No way! The unstoppable force is unstoppable! And I will prove it." He took a deep breath. "After another rest. This science stuff is harder than I thought. Maybe I ought to leave it to the squishy-headed humans."

"They may not be as tough, but they do have great minds," Bastiodon agreed.

...

Rampardos HG/SS entry: Its skull withstands impacts of any magnitude. As a result, its brain never gets the chance to grow.

Bastiodon Diamond entry: Any frontal attack is repulsed. It is a docile Pokemon that feeds on grass and berries.

The question of unstoppable force against an immovable object is really kind of pointless. But it can be fun.