[video / action for Route 37]

[meteorman]

[As is usual whenever Ford makes a post, the feed clicks on and he immediately starts talking.]

Take a look at this!

[He lifts up his hands -- both of them, because as usual, Roswell is holding the 'gear. Cradled in his palms and looking just a tad bit overwhelmed to be on video is--]

Fungus!

[Yep. It's a Morelull, and he is just over the moon about it.]

I had thought that Foongus and Amoongus were the only mushroom-imitating Pokemon (not counting, of course, the parasitic variety that preys on the Paras line). I have read through the Pokedex quite a few times since my arrival and there was never mention of this species, but lo and behold, an entry has appeared for Morelull sometime within the last few days. Is this a common occurrence? Is there always potential for completely new Pokemon to simply materialize out of the ether? Fantastic.

And sensible. There are over fourteen thousand species of mushroom native to my own dimension, to say nothing of molds and yeasts. That only a select few Pokemon have ever adapted a similar biology is surprising when fungus is one of the more successful organisms as a general rule; my assumption now is that there are many, many more and we simply haven't stumbled upon them yet. Not only that but Morelull is Grass and Fairy type! I wonder if they naturall congregate in rings in their resting day state--

[Oh my god. This is so cool. This is so cool you guys. Does this mean he's going to be spending the rest of his time in Johto aggressively checking rotten logs for new Pokemon species? Probably.]

Comments

[Video]

[agent3]

[Look who's back to chat with you Ford, it's the girl with blue hair - and even though it's likely she didn't understand two thirds of what you just said, the way her eyes light up and how easily a grin comes to her face is universally known.]

Mushroom!!

[IT'S A LIVING MUSHY ROOMY FRIEND AND IT'S SO SMALL AND CUTE]

Pokemushroom! Where's th'Pokemushrooms???

[She knows she can't eat it if it's a Pokemon but she needs fifty of them]

[meteorman]

[Y'know, for all that he and Thida are superficially very different, he's pleased that they seem to so often be on the same wavelength about things.]

I found this one on Route 37, so I would assume there and the surrounding areas are your best bet.

[agent3]

[Ford. Mushrooms were a dietary staple for this kid growing up. She loves loves loves them for all their versatility and variety. Who wouldn't want a sentient mushroom for a friend?]

Gonna try t'go! 'N you said there's more?

[video]

[beastofasister]

Oh! It's so cute!

[Has Ford caught onto her interest in cute and pink Pokémon yet?]

Where did you catch it? I want one!

[meteorman]

[Oh goodness, no, he never would have guessed.]

Route 37, though given that it's a mushroom I would assume its habitat is very widespread. Fungus can adapt to most any environment, you know.

[Ford, that's not how Pokemon work... Ford...]

[beastofasister]

Oh, I'm not very far from there!

[In excitement, she claps her hands together in front of herself—but then, abruptly, her expression goes blank again, Manaka lifting her eyes toward nothing in particular as she thinks.]

Ah, but is it okay to assume it behaves like a normal fungus...? Pokémon do lots of things real mushrooms don't, like walk around and make noises.

[Ford obviously needs to work on his childish cartoon logic, okay.]

[Video]

[tearsofademon]

It doesn't happen often, maybe once every couple years, but this isn't the first time there's suddenly been a whole bunch of new species. And a far-off region that's suddenly shown up on the map despite no mention of it in any libraries years prior.

[no, he's not salty...]

...Hadn't seen that one yet, though.

[meteorman]

So you're saying this universe is constantly re-writing its own history in a series of semi-regular reality shifts?

[Ford do not]

[tearsofademon]

Well I mean, it doesn't really overwrite anything that's already been established, except when Fairy was introduced... But you know, yeah, you could put it that way.

[and thinking of it that way explains a hell of a lot...]

Audio:

[seasalthands]

New creatures? I'm still trying to get a handle on what we already have. Fungus too... That's pretty cool. I guess that means there might be new fish.

[Oh, oh he hopes there are new fish and sea creatures.]

I've only recently come to discover that these creatures can take plant forms. Which makes me question their biology and gene structures. Your fungus find makes me even more curious. I can't bring myself to dissect anything though. [He puts his hands over Lapras's spiral ears so she doesn't hear about his deep desires to find out how all these creatures work, inside and out. Shh, girl. Not you. Never you.]

[meteorman]

Oh, no. I would draw the line at dissecting anything so clearly intelligent.

[Sure, some Pokemon are smarter than others -- his Beheeyem is certainly hundreds of IQ points above a common Pidgey -- but they all seem to be more than aware of their surroundings and able to understand humans on a level more 'normal' animals can't. Best not to chance it and instead study them in non-invasive ways.]

Their biology is certainly a point of interest for me as well. Their ability to store and release vast amounts of energy, the drastic physical changes involved in evolution, the fact that they all hatch from eggs regardless of apparent species -- it's fascinating. They look like familiar animals but the similarities are clearly only cosmetic.

video

[mon_dieu]

Why are you happy about all of zis? Eet's too weird!

[meteorman]

Nothing is ever too weird. Besides, look at her. She's harmless, comparatively.

[The Morelull blinks its tiny lil eyes and looks as cute as it's possible for a collection of mushrooms to look.]

Video;

[schachmeister]

[Wow, what a nerd. That's okay though, Armin is one too.]

It seems this world has tons of surprises.

[There is a new pokemon perched on Armin's shoulder too. The rowlet opens one of her eyes to eye the pokegear for a moment, before closing it again and returning to snuggling the fuck out of Armin's cheek.]

I met this pokemon in the forest just the other day. I know for certain they weren't available there before, but it seems since the strange atmosphere of this weekend, a lot of things have changed.

[meteorman]

[Ford Pines is the Alpha Nerd, and don't you forget that.]

From what I have observed and been told by other non-natives, it is not uncommon for this universe to occasionally 'reset' and make changes to its fundamental structure. I have never visited a universe that does it in quite this way, but it's fascinating to watch all the same.

video

[zoomied]

Never thought I'd see anyone excited about mushrooms for scientific reasons!

[meteorman]

Why else --

[Oh.]

I'm not going to eat it, it's intelligent.

[Video]

[callbacks]

Whoa there, Professor. You know there is a Mold Pokémon, yeah?

[Oh my god, Ford. Ford, let Dave enlighten you.]

[meteorman]

Are you by chance referring to Shuckle?

video;

[oldestfriend]

It looks like you'll be pretty busy keeping up with all of these, huh?

[meteorman]

Most likely, but that's what makes the discovery enjoyable! I always prefer to be busy.

video;

[pipers_son]

Ha, yeah, I remember the last time strange Pokemon just suddenly started poppin' up everywhere. That was a fun time.

S'a little strange ta think I've been around long enough for it ta happen a second time.

[meteorman]

From what I've heard it's very likely I will spend upwards of several years here. I hope this isn't the only time I see such a radical change. It's something I would love to document if given the time.

[video]

[quickattackjack]

Amazing! That's the great thing about this place--it keeps changing! Why, I remember a few years ago new Pokemon started to appear and our Pokedexes had no idea what to do! they hadn't been updated yet, so for a long while, people referred to Goomies as Bloobers.

I think some still do.

[meteorman]

You know, in their defense, Bloober isn't an unreasonable name for a Goomy... but I'm glad this transition seems to have been smoother.