Shell of Theseus
These walls you’ve built,
Some think it a home
This hole you hide in,
This cave the sun never sees
You’ve set up shop,
And refuse to sell
As though you are buried
In the depths of the oceanBut I see it, Theseus,
This ship you’ve made
They tear it apart, yet you rebuild,
For the waves still roll
You’ve docked at many a port,
Clashed with many pirates
And no matter the sails you’ve lost,
You don’t fail to set out once moreYou’ve built your ship to last,
Against storm and beast
Gathered your crew of merry men,
Armed them to the teeth
On the chase for your own Moby Dick,
Your white whale of peace
Good luck to you, captain
May she sail the seven seas
Squirtle, the Tiny Turtle Pokémon
“Squirtles rely heavily on their shells in their lives. Their shells are naturally made, grown with their bodies while still inside their eggs. When they do hatch, their shells are still soft and malleable, but this is as the Squirtle line wants them to be, as their parent Pokémon have them practice swimming in shallow waters at a young age so their shells can harden into a shape conformed and perfect for swimming and riding the waves when they get older. Once they do fully harden, young Squirtle are taught how to propel themselves forward with them, retracting their limbs into the safety of their shells and how to use Bubble and Bubblebeam to create streams of propulsion that let them skip over the water’s surface. Squirtle can outpace lower-end motorboats in the water once they’ve mastered this.”
“Beyond swimming, a Squirtle’s shell is also incredibly tough when fully grown. In wild battles, Squirtles are more reactionary creatures than instigators, so they will primarily use their shells to harmlessly block and parry most attacks. Their Water-type attacks can still be powerful, but many Squirtle learn to tucker out the energy of their attackers first with their defensive capabilities before they go on the offensive themselves.”