victory_road | 148th moon [video]

Entry tags:

148th moon [video]

[Cecil is sitting at his Official Gym Desk today, looking... well. Not unkempt, not exactly, but like a man who has been very busy dealing with unplanned complications. This may or may not be related to the occasional Pokémon attack that can be heard distantly. Still, he smiles as he speaks.]

Everyone, should you be having slight... infestation issues at home or at your hotel, feel to come stay at the Lunar Gym. Exceptionally, our facilities will include additional portable cooking appliances and cots, open at all times to anyone who may need them while this lasts. In addition, Gym challenge hours will not be affected and we will operate as usual. Yes, those mice have started appearing as far as route 7, but we are not nearly affected as Vermilion or Saffron, and have the situation under control.

[A Tandemaus (two Tandemice?) chooses that exact moment to scramble up his chair's back-rest, pieces of cheese clutched between their paws. A growl rumbling off-screen is all the warning Cecil gets before he has to dodge one of his own Luxray as she attempts to recover the goods. Both Pokémon fall off the furniture, and the chase continues through the room.]

...Mostly under control.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I saw a lot of them around the forest but I just thought I stumbled on a swarm in my area.

Are those San Rio rejects that bad?

[The what rejects? Cecil will have to ask, but first...]

Strictly speaking, they are weak and not particularly difficult to defeat, especially not for high-leveled Pokémon. Individually, they are easily manageable.

[BUT.]

However, I could swear their numbers grow exponentially, and they've proven capable of entering rooms even when all entrances are blocked. My team throws a pair out, and five more take its place. If they've already reached the forest... Viridian's, I presume?

[Jotaro pauses as he racks his brains. If he remembers correctly, the Lunar Gym is in Kanto, right?]

... Well... If they are multiplying, then they've spread much further than I thought possible. [Jotaro's brow furrows.] I'm in the forest around the Lake of Rage. In Johto. [Oh.

Oh no.]

[The Lake of–

Oh. Oh no.]

...Word started spreading of these mice in Vermilion yesterday, how could they possibly have reached past Mahogany already? Unless they also arrived through Olivine...

[Ports can be vectors of transmission and infestation, Cecil knows that well. But Olivine isn't exactly close to the Lake of Rage, either. However they arrived, those things have spread far too quickly.]

Most trainers should still be fine as long as they keep an eye on their supplies, but the number of non-combatants that may be in need of assistance just rose drastically.

Word may have been spreading but they could have been moving through the region before then. Alternatively, they could have taken a teleporter... [Jotaro almost posits the idea that maybe his encounter with the Tandemaus was coincidentally a swarm but stops himself at the last minute. That would be too convenient. Too optimistic.

Realistically, he hopes that they did take a teleporter and were not that fast to repopulate. Maybe there were swarms in dense pockets and not everywhere.]

... Yeah. And I imagine most trainer's Pokemon aren't too happy to be robbed by rats. [Jotaro's own Type: Null is in the background of his video, trying to get up a tree where two groups of Tandemaus (or is it a Maushold?) are hiding.] Is there any way to keep the mice away using means other than battling? Repels or something?

And wouldn't this have been a lovely time for those teleporters to be sabotaged and lead directly into a few Team Rocket bases...

[Is Cecil still bitter about his ruined anniversary plans last month? Maybe. Despite that, the mental image almost makes him smile.]

Repels do work, to some degree, but the quantity needed to keep them away from a whole building for so many hours quickly becomes impractical. That said, it might be a better option for a tent... though that depends on how many you've already purchased and the duration of this infestation.

[A beat. Please let it be a short infestation.]

Trying to bribe them with food is useless, however. Why accept a small offering when they could simply try to claim the whole pantry by force?

Agreed...

[Having run through several Rocket Bases in only his underwear, Jotaro is also pretty annoyed with everything that happened last month. He gives a deep sigh and shakes his head.]

Damn. I suspected as much but still. I hoped the lack of moving around would have kept wild Pokemon away from buildings; I've seen it done in Vermillion before. [Well, he's seen it on a garden in Vermillion...]

Noted. Guess that's better for traps then. Good grief... You'd think in a world full of super-powered monsters, damn mice wouldn't be a big problem.

It is possible that certain factors, such as the weather or other smells in the vicinity, could have an impact on the long-term efficiency of repels... But the circumstances are not exactly ideal for proper testing, unless you're willing to risk some of your supplies.

[All of them, probably, but let's be optimistic for a moment.]

Ah, but the mice are also super-powered monsters. That are potentially not subject to the same breeding limitations as the rest of the monsters. ...Then again, maybe they are teleporting from elsewhere; I've yet to see any eggs.

Next time, when I'm not in the wilderness, perhaps. [Jotaro won't say no to an interesting experiment but it's just not practical at the moment.]

Both are equally valid and horrific options. [He snorts, amused as a thought crosses his mind.] Maybe I should capture one and see how that goes. Would be good for study. Then again, I'm not searching for more Normal Types for my team...

Hopefully, they move on soon enough.

Edited 2025-10-04 10:09 (UTC)

If they truly can breed without limits, I'll not risk it, without even taking typing into account. My clutches are generous enough as it is.

['Generous' being very much derogatory in this context.]

If nothing else, they'll surely move on once they run out of food to pillage.

Hmph. I'll have to get breeding tips from you at some stage. Maybe it's because I'm constantly on the go, but the eggs from my Pokemon are modest at best.

[Jotaro does frown at Cecil's last statement though.] Hopefully, that's not going to have as of a disastrous effect on the ecosystem. Things tend to work out in this world but a plague like this to wipe out a whole food supply? That rarely ends well for the rest of us...

[Sorry, he's king of pessimistic thinking.]

Whoa. No kidding. The place I’m currently staying in is being swarmed by a pack of them a while ago.

Not sure on how they managed to reach it but it took me and several others to shoo away as many as them as we could

Be careful. They tend to return in even greater numbers after an hour or two. Luckily, their individual strength appears stable over time, but they can still inflict some damage upon our supplies.

Yikes. That is terrifying. That does explain why it took a long while for many of us to get them out of the building. The Maushold line can grow more in numbers pretty fast like normal rodents.

Although them making a dent on our supplies is even scarier. I will have to keep out on my food supplies at all times even if I am just inside.

Should they still manage to steal your food, please do not hesitate to contact me. I've stocked up on everything, to account for anyone that might seek shelter; one of my flying Pokémon could easily and safely deliver some of the surplus, if necessary.

...Assuming that the mice cannot jump that high, of course.

Oh this is really nice and kind of you to send in the food supplies to everyone affected by mice antics. An emergency food delivery is a great idea to have in a time like this. I will remember to give you a call if ever those mice did stole some food under my nose. That is a good thing to do to help people out while they are running amok.

Oh dear, seeing those guys being able to jump so high would be a very scary thought.

Food, safety and a place to sleep the least I can offer. Not everyone has the means to buy in bulk to that degree, the space to stockpile those supplies, or a large number of high-leveled Pokémon ready to defend them, after all.

[And there is a reason why he's bunking down at the Gym, rather than his house.]

As far as I can tell, they are limited to ground movement and some amount of low jumping. But both Fly and Bounce can be learned by a surprising variety of species.

Yeah. Anything to help folks out in certain areas is greatly appreciated. I’m sure that the people who don’t have those things at the moment are happy to accept as much as help as they can while the mice are still around for the time being.

Whoa! Almost any Pokémon can learn Fly and Bounce? I initially thought that only Flying type Pokémon can access Fly in some form.

Hopefully they'll be gone soon! But in the meantime, there's plenty of help needed, and plenty I can offer.

There are plenty of limitations on both moves, especially on Fly, but I've found that for compatibility, the presence of wings is far more important than the type. In fact, I've four non-Flying Pokémon in my team who learned the move successfully! As for Bounce... well. Even a Rapidash or a Froakie can learn it naturally, no TM needed.

Oh okay, I understand now: that does make sense for wing presence to make the move compatibility possible. Perhaps I can find more non Flying Pokémon who can use Fly and train them well.

Speaking of Bounce and Rapidash, that means that he could learn the move at any moment. Maybe he is able to learn it and use it right now.

Once the move is learned, I strongly suggest using it against Ground-types! It greatly reduces the threat of all those pesky Earthquakes and Digs, and many trainers simply do not expect it.

Ohhhh, a surprise attack when the trainers with Ground types least expect it? Now that sounds like a clever plan of attack. Bounce is starting to look like a very promising move to use in battles.

I bet that Antonio will have a great time using it against any opponent he faces.

I've no doubt he'll be delighted, if only by the damage he'll be avoiding. It's also a popular move for pranks on other Pokémon, if that is something that might interest him.

(Ho boy, she could already see Cappy and Matcha wanting to learn Bounce pretty bad once they get to see Antonio use it in battle. But right now, Isabela is just too much in awe of the move that the concern in question is not taking up half her brain.)

Ohhh… Useful in pranks? Nice, what a versatile move. That makes letting Antonio to learn it even more promising and fun. I’ll try to find Bounce in the store if I have the chance to do so, just maybe not while the mice are still running all over.

...If it were a Fighting-type move, I'd suggest going immediately to have one more weapon against them, but for a Flying-type move it'd be safer to wait, yes.

That is a good tip I’ll keep in mind. Having another thing or move for backup is going to help in the log run during the battles so my Pokémon plus Antonio can last longer and be able to defend themselves.

I don't think it's difficult to be doing better than Vermilion.

[As someone who lives there, this has not been a fun experience.

Min looks tired, and so do the Skitty and Mabosstiff napping next to him.]

I imagine not. They may have spread farther afield, but it does not sound as though their numbers have shrunk in the city itself, from what I've heard?

[Which says some very horrifying things about their breeding speed. Cecil barely represses a shudder.]

Do you need a relatively mice-free space to rest, additional emergency supplies? I've plenty of both to share, and my Pokémon can take care of any delivery.

No... if anything it's been getting worse.

[Not even everyone's best efforts seems to be enough to thwart them. It's pretty scary to think about.

Despite that, he shakes his head at Cecil's offer.]

That's okay. Ryan and I have enough saved if we need extra supplies. I'd rather stay here and at least try to keep our stuff safe.

I suppose some may have previously fainted in battle and regained consciousness since, but it's not as if catching them all would be practical, either.

[A Tandemaus-sounding cry resounds offscreen, only to be swiftly interrupted. Cecil barely glances in that direction.]

Very well. Still, if you change your mind, or if any of your neighbors need assistance, please let me know. Frankly, I'd not be surprised if they started to damage the buildings themselves.

Yeah, I think that's probably part of it. What we really need is some way to keep them away from each other. Or somewhere to send them where they won't be taking over somewhere they shouldn't.

[The Mabosstiff twitches in her sleep at the sound, ears lifting and nose twitching.]

I hope not. They're big enough they could cause some pretty serious structural damage.

I'd almost be tempted to suggest sending the mice deep into Cerulean Cave and leaving the horrifically high-leveled Pokémon there to deal with them, but this would be overly cruel to one of those groups.

[He has not yet decided which one.]

My Electric-types have been keeping watch over the cabling since we decided to bunker in the Gym. From what I understood of their occasional shouts, some of the mice do at least try to nibble on them, which is very alarming as far as I'm concerned.

That's not a bad idea. We've been keeping all our equipment locked away, but I bet it'd take a while to get power back if the electricity for our building went down.

To be honest, I lack the familiarity with such systems necessary to estimate how long it'd take for repairs, but considering the number of mice around, the number of cables they could nibble at once... Weeks, surely. Some talented workers will be very rich once this is all over.

It doesn't sound like it'd be an easy job. I bet they could do some real damage to the buildings too.

[Not that he's any expert either.]

Hopefully we can figure out something before they do too much.

I tried to see if cat Pokémon could potentially scare them off, at least temporarily, but I've come to the conclusion that those things would not fear Arceus if it manifested before them in a flash of divine light.

[A beat.]

I'm still open to trying that option out, mind you.

Yep. We tried that.

[He gestures to the sleepy Skitty who's clearly exhausted herself.]

There's just too many. It wouldn't surprise me if even Arceus couldn't bail us out of this one.

[He's kind of assuming that Cecil's joking, but also not. His feelings are pretty much the same on that one.]

...You'd know, there was at least one instance where Arceus directly facilitated our intervention to stop a terrible threat affecting this land. Defeating these mice could also be a task meant for us.

[He's actually seriously considering that theory.]

I hate that that wouldn't even be the weirdest thing that's happened here.

[Why can't they just exist quietly and live their lives with their Pokémon without trouble?]

At this point, I doubt it'd even reach the top 20. There is a precedent, after all, even if it has been years since.

[The ledges are on that list, though.]

If it is, then we're not doing a very good job of it.

I'm...handling it. I think.

[In the background of the video, a Vulpix can be seen chasing a Tandemouse pair away from III. Looks like Kallinikos is having fun at least.]

...I might be starting to regret going to Viridian Forest.

Your Vulpix is making great efforts to stave them off, certainly. With any luck, that'll allow you to reach relative safety.

['Relative' being the key word here. Even on his side, the occasional shout from a Pokémon can be heard in the distance.]

Do you need any additional supplies, just in case? I could even send one of my larger Flying-types to fetch you, should you wish to return to Viridian or Pewter safely.

I'll be fine for now, but I'll probably go back to Pewter soon. I've been trying to find something to help with taking on Misty, and I don't really want to make my Rotom do all the work in that gym-

[The Tandemaus suddenly leaps right onto III's lap in an effort to escape Kallinikos, in full view of the camera. The Gear is seemingly dropped in shock, judging by the sudden view of the ground and yelling, then after a few moments III appears back in frame, now with a Pokéball in hand and an annoyed looking Kallinikos visibly glaring at the ball.]

...I just caught a Tandemaus. [More like he threw a random object at the Tandemaus in his shock, which turned out to be an empty Pokéball.]

[Ah, a gym challenger! It's been a very long time since Cecil faced Misty, but from what he remembers the plan is sound, and Viridian Forest should– Um.

UM.

Well, that is certainly a thing that just happened. Baffled, he starts clapping in confusion.]

...Congratulations! You might as well see if it can learn any Grass or Electric-type moves. Who knows? If she runs away screaming upon seeing it, you might win by default.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

148th moon [video]

Video

Video

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

Video

Video

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

Re: video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

Video

Video

no subject

no subject