>>46843336I subscribe to the theory the greater the bond between human and pokémon the greater the ability to understand the meaning and intent behind the pokémon's vocalisations.
I mean we know that pokémon have human level intelligence and their own language, because Meowth speaks human and pokémon and has been able to understand every pokémon he's seen in the anime, except the Ultra Beasts who came from a different world. We know of three people canonically referred to be able to understand their pokémon through actions and vocalisations (the surfer bum with the Pikachu in OS, Mina and her Ribombee and Ash and Pikachu in SM. There may be more, there's all the ones I know). All three have one thing in common, they were all stated (or shown in Ash's case rather) to have travelled with their pokémon for a long period of time, to the point they were able to know what their pokémon wanted to say or convey, despite not being able to directly speak to each other. To me, a relationship with my pokémmon could nly begin to go in a romantic direction as soon as I was able to understand her more clearly than I had when I first caught/met her and she was unsure what type of trainer I'd be.
>>46843283No, but it's always been a low-key favourite since Gen i. As I said, I agreed with every bit of the Chairman's speech, as I wanted to bone it too, even if it took me a few more years to properly recognise that side.