Torracat (Litten, Incineroar)

Pyropanthera gladius alola

Overview

The primary appeal of torracat as a starter rests in their typicality. Children who grew up in a household with a pet feline pokémon already have a headstart in caring for and understanding their first partner. They are also the friendliest of Alola’s felines. Some of their behaviors may seem alien to those unused to dealing with cats, but their quirks are mostly harmless.

Champion Selene’s incineroar has inspired a great many trainers hoping to get into serious battling to pick a litten as their first pokémon. It should be noted here that incineroar evolution takes time, luck, and a willingness to go without the torracat for a while. Unevolved torracat are still loveable and capable of winning even moderately high-level battles if used well. Going without evolution is a perfectly reasonable choice for a trainer on an island quest.

Physiology

Litten and torracat are classified as pure fire-types. Incineroar’s greatly increased telepathic resistance merits a secondary dark-typing.

Litten have a rather typical feline bodyshape. Their fur is primarily black. The exceptions are red stripes on their legs and a red crest on their forehead. The exact hue and shape of the crest varies by age and individual. Litten possess an internal flame sac right below the junction of their neck and torso. All stages of the torracat line have thick, flame-resistant skin. The fur itself is surprisingly flammable. It is the fur they collect during grooming that serves as their primary flame source. Due to the time required for fur to regrow this does provide a limit to how much fire they are able to use in a given period, even with diet supplements.

Torracat are physiologically similar. They are far larger than their juvenile counterpart, growing up to roughly two feet in height at the shoulder, but the growth is mostly proportional. Torracat gain red stripes on their back and tail, and their head crest becomes more prominent. They also gain pronounced red whiskers that let them sense thermal gradients. The most significant change is the growth of a bell-like structure protruding from the flame sack. The bell is not metallic, rather, it is made of bone and coated in natural oils. The bell helps regulate the release of flames, something litten tend to struggle with. The bell is also capable of emitting a variety of sounds that other torracat can pick up on up to two kilometers away.

Contrary to popular belief, incineroar are primarily quadrupeds that sometimes rear up on two legs to reach higher, deliver more powerful blows with their forelegs or intimidate opponents. Their paws, claws and teeth are proportionally larger than torracat’s, and their muscles are more powerful and prominent. The incineroar’s headcrest has grown to encompass almost the entire head. Incineroar have replaced their reproductive system with additional flame sacs, allowing for more control and power. These replace the torracat’s bell.

Torracat can live up to twenty-five years in captivity and fifteen in the wild. Incineroar typically live about ten years after evolution, regardless of their age beforehand.

Incineroar can reach heights of three feet at the shoulder and can weigh up to 300 pounds.

Behavior

Torracat, like most felines, understand human behaviors and desires through the lens of their own. Many people are vexed by their tendency to stay within the same room as their trainers but seldom initiate physical affection. They will frequently reject petting or grooming from even longtime trainers. Due to the use of fur as a fuel source it is extremely uncommon for a torracat to allow another torracat to groom them, with the exception of mothers with very young litten or an adult torracat to very sick individuals. As such the offer of petting is an insult to them. Allowing their trainer to groom them is a great honor.

Captive torracat will frequently approach other mammals and offer to groom them to build up their fuel reserves. They will even do this with humans, although their preferred method of doing so is licking eyebrows with their rather coarse tongues. They can be trained not to do this through simple reinforcement with a spray bottle filled with water. Many trainers are reluctant to irritate their pets, but torracat are quick to pick up on humans’ boundaries with regards to grooming and will usually stop after the first one or two reprimands.

This only applies to humans they respect. Torracat will often weather water sprays just to irritate a human they don’t like. This is a good first sign that either the pokémon needs replaced with a more compatible companion or serious effort needs to be put in to earning its respect. A torracat licking a human’s eyebrows after several reprimands is an indication that the cat should be donated to the Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) breeding program before the insubordination escalates.

Torracat seldom harm humans in the wild or captivity and very well-trained torracat can be trusted alone with infants and toddlers.

Incineroar spend most of their time caring for their young in the wild. One incineroar in a pair will hunt or sleep while the other watches the litten. Once a pair’s litten have evolved and left them, they will often appear to be lost and sleep far more than they previously did. They will sometimes seek to rectify this situation by adopting orphaned babies of other pokémon species. Sometimes they will even adopt babies they themselves orphaned.

Husbandry

At six months of age a litten can be used in battle or gifted to trainers. At this point litten have fully developed coats and flame sacks. The litten provided to trainers are almost all male as female litten are retained in the breeding program. Sometimes a female litten that is particularly curious or combative will be given to trainers alongside the males, or a male litten that is physically or temperamentally unsuitable to be given to children will be retained.

Litten will generally provide their own exercise if allowed out of their pokéball for at least twenty hours a week for non-battling purposes. This exercise may be detrimental to the integrity of furniture and camping supplies, so it is advised to let them blow off steam in battle or more structured play with other team members or their trainer.

Even when properly exercised torracat and litten are well-known to scratch furniture and walls to mark their territory. This makes them somewhat unsuitable to be indoor pets for retired trainers without either extensive training and a close bond or a professionally done cat-proofing. They do not mark their territory through urination and are easily trained in the use of litter boxes.

All stages of the torracat line enjoy playing in the rain. Litten and torracat will even take submerging baths, although they will not do so if they are forced to take them. Torracat cannot be safely submerged for more than ten minutes at a time. Incineroar cannot be safely submerged for any length of time.

Torracat and litten are omnivores. They will happily eat feline mixes sold in every Pokémon Center and pet shop in Alola, although they will require roughly 30% more food than recommended for a generic feline pokémon as they literally burn through their food. They will also happily eat most produce given to them. They prefer dried produce as it is more easily ignited. Torracat will not eat more dried fruit than they need. It is advised to give them an overabundance at meal times and then simply remove and repackage what was not eaten.

Unlike most felines torracat crave additional fur to eat. This makes pokémon with high maintenance needs and thick fur such as furfrou, lopunny or cinccino ideal partners. Vulpix also qualify provided the torracat or litten is adopted first. If it is not possible to provide a mammalian partner fur supplements can be purchased in Pokémon Centers. These supplements are rather expensive for pokémon food.

The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

Incineroar are obligate carnivores and apex predators and will require very large amounts of calories and fur to sustain themselves. The exact details vary by incineroar, but it is best to assume they will need 20% of their body weight in meat and at least 5% in fur every week. Incineroar will continue to groom team members that allow them to do so, but most pokémon will be too nervous to allow it.

Incineroar are fiercely protective of anything they see as their baby, which often applies to young trainers and small teammates. They will often growl or rear up on their hind legs if they perceive another human as threatening their trainer or if they see one of their teammates hurt in battle. It is recommended that incineroar be withdrawn during battles and kept away from stressful social situations.

All stages of the evolutionary line require scratching posts to keep their claws in check. Otherwise they will seek out wood, be it forest logs or furniture, and take care of their needs.

Wild torracat can live in mated pairs, litter groups, groups of multiple mated pairs, mixed groups or solitarily. They can adapt to almost all team dynamics in captivity. Incineroar prefer to live in small groups of three to five individuals. They can tolerate being in a full party. Smaller pokémon are strongly preferred to larger ones.

Illness

All stages of the evolutionary line are vulnerable to typical feline illness. Captive-born litten are given all necessary shots before they are given to trainers.

A torracat exposed to particularly heavy rains or submersion for long periods of time will develop waterlogged hypothermia, the most common illness for all fire-types. A waterlogged torracat will become very inactive, refuse to eat, and obsessively groom its own fur to the point of ripping out entire patches of fur or tearing into the skin. They will not produce flames. Waterlogging is rather easily cured in torracat with the provision of oils under veterinary supervision. If a torracat becomes waterlogged and there is not a Pokémon Center readily available, withdraw it and keep it in its ball. Drop it off at a veterinarian or Pokémon Center as soon as possible.

Parasites are particularly tricky to deal with in torracat as they will almost never allow a human to groom them. Fortunately, the few parasites that do prey on the species are usually near-harmless. Make sure your torracat has a full checkup by a veterinarian at least once a year.

Any immersion of an incineroar’s open flames in water should be assumed to be life-threatening.

Evolution

Litten naturally progress into torracat as they age. This process usually takes roughly one year. The formal demarcation between litten and torracat is the first vocalization with their bell.

Torracat evolve after reproducing with another torracat. The male will begin to eat and hunt more while the female is pregnant and begin the process of evolving, which will be completed by the time the female gives birth. After delivering a litter the female will begin to evolve in turn.

In captivity, all torracat breeding and evolutions are handled by DNR approved breeding facilities. Contact the DNR if interested in evolving a male torracat. Female torracat can be handed over for evolution, but they will only be returned to their trainer after their litten have been adopted out.

Battle

Incineroar have a solid presence in competitive battling. As large predators they are eager battlers that can intimidate and overpower many opponents. Their attacks hit hard enough to bring out most opponents in a few solid strikes and they can take a few hits in turn. The Alolan incineroar is the easiest subspecies to obtain and train, but the larger species are highly sought after.

In the wild incineroar take down prey with powerful paw strikes. They will often rear up beforehand to put as much power into the attack as possible and bring their flames into play. They will grapple with their opponent for as long as necessary, steadily wearing them down with brute force, sharp claws, and burning flames.

Incineroar have three weaknesses that hold them back. The first are rock types that can tank most of thier attacks and knock them out in time. The second are ranged water-types that can exploit open flames. Primarina, with its high degree of arena control, can almost always counter incineroar. Large dragons, especially airborne dragons, can take incineroar’s fire attacks and overpower them in time.

Incineroar is particularly popular in doubles formats where its protective instincts can work in its favor. Seeing a smaller teammate hurt can drive them to fight harder. Alternatively, incineroar are great at drawing attention to themselves when the situation calls for it.

Wild litten and torracat primarily hunt with their claws and save their fire for self-defense, distractions, intimidation, and mating displays. They can be trained to use fire more regularly in captivity, although their diet will need to be adjusted to compensate. Torracat are capable of fighting at range with (relatively inaccurate) embers and streams of flame, or up close with their claws and teeth. As such, they should be trained in a variety of strategies and the one picked in battle should be determined by their opponent.

In the wild, torracat hunt through the use of rough terrain and large packs communicating over long distances to set up traps. In captivity this strategy is often unable to be replicated, as only the most experienced of trainers will be able to understand their torracat’s vocalizations in any detail and double battles are rare in Alola. It does mean that torracat are quite clever and can pick up on new moves and tactics quickly. This, combined with their reluctance to use fire, makes them less directly powerful than brionne or dartrix, but capable of using more complex maneuvers to compensate.

Like incineroar, torracat are most easily countered by rock-types that can shrug off their claws and aren’t seriously hurt by fire. Very accurate or powerful water- or ground-types can also force a torracat into surrender by targeting its bell. Litten are not particularly water averse and have no direct opening to their flame sacs, allowing them to take hits from those attacks more easily.

Acquisition

Children between the ages of ten and twenty can obtain a litten from certified distributors free of charge with a Class I certification. Children who have cleared the grand trial on at least one island and did not receive a litten as a starter can purchase or adopt one. Torracat in licensed shelters can be adopted with a Class II license or higher. Incineroar can be adopted by trainers aged 16 or under with a Class II license. Trainers above the age of 16 require a Class IV license, as they are slow to bond with adults.

Wild torracat colonies exist within Poni Island National Park. It is forbidden to capture wild litten or torracat without the explicit approval of the National Park Service. Following the introduction of pyroar to Poni Island a fierce territorial dispute has emerged. The pyroar have all but entirely won the conflict through their greater size and social cohesion. Incineroar without a litter will frequently hunt and kill pyroar in an attempt to reduce the threat to torracat and incineroar.

Wild incineroar will often attack adult humans on sight or younger humans that get too close to their litten. Trainers are advised not to enter Poni Island National Park without a pokémon capable of defeating a wild incineroar. Never approach a wild litten in the park, as at least one of its parents will always be close by.

All feral torracat encountered outside of Poni Island National Park are the property of the Commonwealth of Alola and, if captured, must be dropped off at a pokémon center within thirty days. Bounties for returned torracat are no longer offered.

Breeding

Torracat breeding with other torracat is handled by the DNR.

In captivity, torracat will mate with other felines and even mammalian fire types. They will also mate with subspecies of fire-types that are not themselves fire-types, such as Lanakilan vulpix. Mixed-species pairing will not trigger evolution. The resulting babies will only be fertile if produced with another member of the Pyropanthera genus. Torracat pregnancies typically last eight months. They should not be withdrawn into habitat pokéballs once the pregnancy becomes visible, and neither the mother nor her litten should not be withdrawn into any pokéball until the babies are six months old. The average litter size is six litten, but two, four, or eight litten litters have also been observed.

Litten typically abandon their parents at eighteen months of age in the wild. Litten of this age can be gifted to the DNR. Trainers will receive a $1200 tax break per litten handed over.

Relatives

The genus Pyropanthera contains multiple species of large cats, one of which has since been introduced to the archipelago. P. gladius alola is the smallest and tamest living subspecies of incineroar. Other subspecies can be found on the Indonesian islands and Sri Lanka. The largest incineroar subspecies, P. g. corbett, is critically endangered and only found in portions of Northern India. There is fossil evidence of the species stretching farther to the east and north on mainland Asia. The introduction of the social pyroar and deforestation on the continent has severely restricted the range of the remaining incineroar. Now they can only be found in dry forests too dense for pyroar.

It isn’t clear how an Asian feline that cannot swim long distances got to Alola. No other member of Pyropanthera is native to Alola, raising questions as to how and when incineroar arrived. They were present when the first humans came to the islands and the fossil record suggests they have lived in Alola for over 3,000 years.