victory_road | 02

[Oh, a familiar face. Lydia's just chilling on her couch petting a perrserker while a persian and alolan meowth either is looking over her shoulder or perched on the top of the couch.]

Oh right, that. No, that's perfectly fine and normal money here. It's just... something they can do naturally, while some other pokemon can learn it~. No reason to be worried about it, it's quite handy if you ever need a little spare change.

[She motions to the three cats with a small hint of a smile.]

Example being all three of these guys can do it. The largest cat being an evolved version of your meowth there and the other two here being region variants of said cat.

[Oh hey, yes she remembers you.]

A very strange thing to do naturally. Still, this is good to know. Part of me was wondering if she was eating money when I was not looking.

[However her attention is quickly drawn by the talk of region variants.]

It would make sense that a regional variant should share traits. Are there any other variants of a meowth?

[Dangerous game remembering her, but it's fine, she's being pleasant for once.]

It is, but if I've come to learn anything here, it's better to just not question it. Or why they have a coin on their foreheads to begin with.

[Ah, regional variants. She's shifting around a bit to set Cobbles the perrserker in her lap properly so he can be seen.]

As far as I'm aware there's only two variants of meowth. The Kanto one is the normal one you have there, then there's one like Cobbles here, who's from Galar. Though right now he's... a perrserker, which is the evolved form. The only one of the meowths that has a completely different evolution. [Shifting that camera over to the gray-blue meowth.]

Shaye is from Alola, the evolved form for her is basically the same color scheme she has but on a persian, [quick side-bar to the persian at her other side] and with a stranger fatter and goofier face. Hence why she's not allowed to evolve, in my opinion.

[At least it's just for giving her free pokemon.]

Yes, I may continue documenting such things but finding answers is something I may have to accept is not possible.

[Yet. She is still a scientists who is bad at letting go of things. She has however gotten better at not advertising that.]

The regional variants are very interesting, seeing how few of them there seem to be.

When you say not allowed, is evolving something that can be prevented from happening then?

[The rare moments of positive interaction with her.]

Unfortunately so, but your efforts are still well appreciated to those who have little the patience for such things.

[It's fine, she's actually sincere in the appreciative aspect. Scientists have their role as far as she's concerned and what cannot be explained by science can typically be explained by magic, a fine line and a complimentary duo.]

I've heard there's other regional variants, but I don't have any of them to say one way or the other. As far as preventing evolution~ You can. Sometimes a Pokemon just does not want to evolve, or there's an item called an everstone that, when given to them, seems to prevent them from being able to do so.

I would think if a Pokemon wished to evolve, they could simply stop holding that item, but I haven't encountered that yet as it seems Shaye is perfectly fine in not evolving. As is Mora, for that matter. Shaye having said stone while Mora does not, interestingly.

[Tenenbaum is still going on the basis that everything can be explained by science in some way. Even if it's just science no one has figured out yet.]

That is very interesting. I will have to keep an eye among my own to see what they think about evolving or if they do not.

I have already heard from some of the people in the pokecenters that sometimes it is possible to locate pokemon on the routes that are evolved but have not reached the level they should have to, to evolve.

So perhaps the records we have on evolution are not as well documented as they should be.

The money created by Pay Day is legal tender, yes. As for its origin, all I can say for certain is that a Meowth does not need to steal it from an outside source before throwing it, which... raises more questions than it answers, frankly.

[At Cecil's side, a Persian laughs delightedly. Excellent work, kiddo!]

[The Meowth is so proud.]

Yes, it raises many, many questions. Like how an economy manages to survive if there are creatures that can simply create money from perhaps nothing?

Perhaps they funnel the surplus into the Pokémon Centers' maintenance, which is why we are allowed to use them for free?

[Would Baron's financial advisors be able to figure it out? He's not even sure of that.]

Or perhaps Pokémon using Pay Day are, in fact, the only currency "mint" in the region. But if that were the case, they'd have no way of controlling the production, and surely we'd see an impact on the cost of goods...

You would think. Or that no one would be allowed to own a pokemon that creates money at all.

Even if this was a place where people would do or create or sell anything to make money....selling such a creature makes less sense them keeping it for themselves.

Barring unique species such as legendaries and the space available in the PC, this world is loath to impose any limits on a trainer's team. Besides, the cats live in the wild; the authorities could hardly capture and control the whole species.

If the goal was to maximize profit, it'd be even more efficient to catch a male and a female, breed them regularly, keep as many children as one can manage and sell the rest. A single clutch of eggs is not so big, but they add up quickly.

Speaking of the PC, is there a reason why a team is limited to six pokemon?

...I wonder if there are people here who do that to become rich. If there are few rules about owning types of pokemon.

Perhaps they've found that travelling with more at once leads to certain members being neglected? Or perhaps they merely chose to match the limit for official Pokémon battles. Unless the official rules were established later.

I've not heard of any large-scale operations. The occasional eggs for sale, of course, and the use of Pay Day to live comfortably... But no cases of true exploitation.

Perhaps. Do we know who creates these rules?

That is good to hear.

[Also surprising but she'll just be happy to be surprised.]

We do not. The highest local powers we know of are the Elite Four, but they do not appear to concern themselves with law-making. The police officers only enforce it. We've yet to hear of a local king, ruling elder or council of epopts.

The laws must come from somewhere....

It is not the police creating them?

If they were, surely they'd also take care of announcing them, since they are present on the network. ...Then again, it could simply be that no news laws have been passed since our arrival.

Not even laws about us?

You have a pokémon that can make money?

[He wants it.]

I'm guessing this is recent, but any idea how it happened?

From what people have been telling me, it is simply a move they have. It is called Pay Day and I have been told that all regional variants of Meowth are able to do it.

Also it is fine to use the money here.

There's variants? Of that cat-thing you have there?

That's good to know, I guess you won't have to worry about money that way.

So it appears. There are not many pokemon that have what is called a "regional variant" let alone two of them.

[She would really like to study this.]

It will be helpful, though I do not think I will be able to give up odd jobs just yet.

I would like to see the variants, it sounds interesting. Have you seen any of them?

[He nods.]

You shouldn't give up working, because how often so you think your pokémon will give you money?

A woman I was speaking with had all three types of the Mewoth with her, so I have now seen those. But other then them I have only seen a few pictures online when I was looking into it.

[It's really weird there aren't more of them all things considered.]

I am not sure how frequently they create money, considering the way this world works it may be random.

So seeing them in the wild is not easy?

[He nods, because really, that is completely right.]

Too true.

I have not been here long and have not travelled very far so it may be I have just not seen them yet. This appears to be a large area we are allowed to travel.

Same here. Do not we have restrictions.

Apparently this is only a small section of this world.

I am curious about what is in the other parts but it makes sense some places would not wish us there.

Wait, some places are actually not wanting us there?

[That's news to him.]

Yes. There are three regions we may go to. There are others out there that will not let anyone from another world go there. Apparently we are seen as a risk.

Oh, yeah, they do that. Get this, no one even cares? I mean, you'd think that should be all sorts of illegal. It's like owning your own personal printing press for counterfeiting, except you know, alive. And everyone's fine with it.

Yes, it is hard to really understand this.

It sounds like a thing that would be highly restricted or abused by people to become rich, or perhaps both. But apparently this is not the case here.

Welcome to your new retirement fund.

[It's said with a wry smirk. Riku's only in his twenties- bit too early to seriously be thinking about that stuff.]

But seriously, Pay Day's great when you're in a bind. Train that cat up, and you might even be able to coast by without working a "real" job.

Edited 2020-06-19 23:57 (UTC)

Does the pokemon create more money at a higher level?

Oh, definitely. Got a level 100 Persian, and he makes way more bank now than he did when I first caught him. It's just a matter of how much time you wanna dedicate to training them.

Not everyone's gonna have the patience for that, especially if they aren't as big on battles.

[He's not gonna pass judgments here- everyone has their own comfort zones with Pokemon. Though Riku being who he is, after all this time... it's hard to imagine not enjoying battles.]

Or if they have many pokemon to work with.

[If she could let them all out she would.]

Is battling the only way to train pokemon then?

It's the only way for them to gain levels, anyway. Well, besides rare candies, but... huge emphasis on rare.

You could probably still run 'em through workouts, but I'm not sure it'd make a huge, quantifiable difference in combat. Not that it's mandatory if you aren't gonna be a trainer, but it can help in a pinch.

And many of them seem to enjoy battling.

[Which is odd but okay guys.]

I think it's one of those things that you eventually just gotta roll with. Maybe it's just like sparring to them. Could be survival instincts.

Best thing you can do is touch base with each of your Pokemon and get a feel for their comfort levels. Don't be like I was as a teen and just treat 'em as glorified weapons.

[That probably won't be a problem, just based on what he's seen/heard, but a little self-awareness never hurt.]

[That may have hit a nerve because she looks horrified.]

I would never do such a thing.

[Sorry give her a moment. She's been worse then that sort of thinking in the past and never wants to become that person again.]

No, that is good advice. I- ....I believe in making sure it is something they wish to do. I would never want to cause them harm. But as long as it not killing them and they wish to... I can understand that more.

[He winces. Okay, so maybe that wasn't the best way to handle that. Sore spot, maybe? Hm...]

Yeah. That's the thing. Not every Pokemon's gonna want to fight- but those who do should get the chance. There are other benefits, anyway, like getting a team strong enough to protect you if the going gets tough.

And it can and will from time to time. Maybe not as bad as it was back when the Rockets dropped bombing threats every few months or sent out mind control waves, but there's always a chance.

[A very sore spot. However she does agree with what he's saying.]

Bomb threats and mind control waves.

Could you please tell me of such things. This is the first I have been told of them.

[She um, also may know a bit about mind control.]

It... happened years ago, honestly. There was this one weirdo who used radio signals to make bug Pokemon go berserk. After that, this one Rocket would repeatedly leave cryptic threats on the network. There'd be bombings all over the place. He kinda made a name for himself...

[Riku folds his arms, sighing softly and shaking his head.]

After that... I think there were a few other instances with either Hypnosis or radio waves. There's been some attempted train jackings, genetic experiments... And what's really terrifying is just how lowkey they've been. It's like they wised up after their louder members disappeared, so now there's no telling when they'll strike next.

....what types of genetic experiments?

[Oh hey very relevant to her interests/fears.]

Man... it's been years, but basically? People started getting weird mutations. Horns. Splotches of discolored skin. We could use Pokemon abilities, too.

[He rubs the top of his head.]

The growths stuck around for a while, too. Wound up with horns for a few months after the fact.

.....

But they were genetic experiments someone was running on people?

I can't claim to know all the ins and outs, but I know it affected several Rocket members. Went toe-to-toe with one myself.

And I mean, getting to wield Pokemon abilities does make for more dangerous human adversaries. I can see the logic behind it.

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