The best way to skip time?

[Charoshi]

The best way to skip time? And about eating Pokemon?

I'm currently working on my Fanfic, and I came to a bit of a roadblock. In my past chapters, whenever I needed to skip time, I just jumped to another scene. However, for this particular chapter I have no plans to add outside scenes, and it will for the most part focus on my main characters.

This brings me to my main issue. I'm not sure what would be the best way to go about it. I just want to skip a short little walk over to a little restaurant, but as I am a beginning writer, I'm not sure if that is okay with readers, or if they would prefer I describe a boring walk to said restaurant.

My other option, would be adding in another random scene, to fill time. I did that in past chapters, but the difference is, in those chapters the scenes were very much necessary. I don't really need one in this chapter.

My other issue comes from a simple question. What about eating Pokemon? This idea I've been thinking about for a while, but I'm not sure what I should do. Opinions would be great.

Help is greatly appreciated.

 

[Elemental Charizam]

You don't really need a scene break if you're just skipping a bit of traveling. Just describe it briefly in a sentence or two, or just start a new paragraph with something like "when they arrived at the restaurant" if it's not jarring to do so. It's an instinct best developed through reading.

 

[Charoshi]

Oh okay. Thanks. That was what I was leaning towards, so thanks for confirming that for me. Now I only need to figure out what I should do when it comes to my other issue about eating Pokemon.

 

[Umbreon Ruler]

Eating Pokémon is usually a divided issue, so it really depends on your opinion. Personally, I think they'd be just animals in the real world, meaning that they would be eaten, but some feel they're too humanlike to be cooked and fed.

If you're asking for a clear answer, I say that the more animal-like ones (Pidgey, Shellder, ore even Ponyta for you horselovers XD) would be eaten while the rest (Machoke, Gardevoir, Jynx) wouldn't be.

 

[Charoshi]

Okay, Thank you. That is a good way to look at it. Thanks.

 

[cooler3o5]

Personally I stand on the side that believes the Pokemon world has no real-world animals. As such, I would say they would eat Miltanks for their meet, or also very common Pokemon like Pidgey. I agree with Umbreon Ruler.

 

[Chibi Pika]

Oh gosh, eating Pokemon. xD One of the top five "INSTANT MASSIVE DEBATE" topics.

Fortunately, there are two ways to go about it that are fairly clear cut:

If you view the Pokémon as simply above-intelligence animals, like the video games support (I'm thinking like owls in Harry Potter), then the ones with less sentimental value would probably be eaten. Remember though that we humans do not keep every species of animal as a pet, wheras all manner of Pokemon are trained by humans in the Pokémon world. So which species would have said "sentimental value" is entirely up to the writer and could be explored (e.g. Miltank as default food is a bit tiresome to me.)

If you view Pokémon as fully sapient/sentient, like the anime supports (like Talking Animals in the Narnia series), then avoid having humans eat Pokémon. Killing a thinking/reasoning being like that would clearly be murder. This goes especially in cases where Pokéspeech is translated in one way or the other, but also works in cases where it's clear that the Pokemon characters are expressing themselves in a humanized manner. But remember that humans would still be able to have Miltank milk and Chansey eggs.

I'd say that sticking to one of those two is best, unless you can think of some alternate setup. (For instance, in my fic the humans do raise animals for food, as both humans and animals came from our world).

~Chibi~;249;;448;

 

[Charoshi]

Thanks Chibi Pika, that helps a lot. I think I will go with the first option you suggested. Now that you have given me these options, I think I could add in a bit of a plot revolving my protagonist (who btw can understand pokemon, only known person(so far) who can) where he realizes just how wrong that is. Might make a good story line. Thanks much.

 

[xmikeyxlikesitx]

As far as time skipping goes, it's always best to include a visual break, such as a bar going across the page separating the two events.

Always include some sort of time-narrative: something like, "it had been nearly two weeks since (so-and-so) had even seen signs of civilization..."


As far as eating Pokémon goes, it's pretty much fair game. Heck, it might even make a good story to narrate from Pokémon's point of view - i.e. a Pokémon that is going to be eaten calling one that is a pet, "lucky" or something.

In my story, they get eaten, because it's focused on the reality of the world. If you want a more G-PGish story, don't mention food, really...unless it's something like vegetable soup...but that might make an Oddish shudder...

XD

 

[Silverline]

Just make a regular scene change. Honestly, you ARE changing scenes, since it's a bit later in the story but you skipped over a bit that's happened. You could go the other way but that's your choice.

As for the Pokemon Eating issue...

I personally believe that Pokemon become sapient/sentient creatures only after being captured and trained. If anything, even in the show, most Pokemon that are in the wild are general going only by their instinct and not any intelligent thinking. Only occasionally you'll get the smart wild Pokemon and even then, that's because they've interacted with humans.

Other then that, I've seen one author treat his story in the fashion that unlike the real world, the Pokemon World put a ban on the majority of Pokemon eating after Farfetch'd was nearly hunted to extinction. He reasoned that after that, Pokemon are only eaten for food if they've lived out their lives and had died from old age. He also reasoned that certain things, like Chansey's Egg, were used for food as well.