#lab nidoking

[asknidoking]

Dr Nidoking,I remember I had to delete my account for a while because of the death of my father,I was just hurting real bad and I wasn't feeling like talking for a while,I'm telling you my fathers death just hurt so bad but I'm back so I'm glad to be back so I wonder what you've been up to in your lab and don't worry I feel lots better now!

I’m glad you are!  I remember you mentioning that, I don’t blame you at all for needing some time away.  That’s a super rough thing to go through!

I’ve been working hard, my duties have increased because a few of our long-time members left for other opportunities and I suddenly found myself with a measure of seniority!  I’m trying to help train some of the newer hires in some of the important aspects of our lab, though many of them already have projects in mind it’s more all the logistics and everything!  Thankfully I’ve got my right-hand men to help me out as well!

[asknidoking]

If you could study any one thing freely, what would it be and why?

Well, really, I'm already studying the thing I find most interesting!  So I suppose that's the unsatisfying answer from a questioner's standpoint!Although, I suppose within the field, I really would be interested in being the first person to record information about a newly-linked Pokémon region!  That would be a fantastic experience, I'm sure!

[asknidoking]

Who funds your research?

I don't actually know.  I know there's a mixture of federal funding and private backers, but I don't know many of the specifics about those backers, nor have I really had much interest in finding out.  Beyond that, I don't know if these backers are funding specific projects or the lab in general, either.

The administrators in the research complex take care of those issues for the most part, as well as serving as liaisons for individual researchers whose work might catch the eye of those who might be able to benefit from having such an expert study a question that they're interested in.  I remember one instance where one of the administrators told me someone was interested in having me do a study for them, but that fell through when it turned out they just wanted publicity.  I wouldn't be opposed to privately-backed research projects, but they have to be for the sake of research, not just clowning around!

[asknidoking]

Mr. Nidoking sir, hello! It's nice to meet you. I was wondering, are you a real doctor who can treat Pokemon? Or are you a Pokemon scholar? If so, I have a great deal to learn from you!

Heh, I'm not really either!  I'm a Pokémon researcher, someone who actually does experiments with Pokémon to find answers to the many questions surrounding them!  This differs from a scholar in that they are usually taking in information gathered through research and disseminating it in a format that's easier for people to grasp!

As far as medical treatment goes, I know of some, but it's not part of my occupation!  Learning that would take quite a long time...I have to admire those who go into that profession, it makes my learning curve seem positively shallow!

[asknidoking]

Thanks for the tips. I'm kind of surprised to see a Pokémon working on a lab. Which of your qualities do you think influenced you into turning in what you are, a Pokémon scientific? --- Dr. Yew

Well, I think the most important characteristic was my curiosity!  Without that, I would never have gone on the journey that led me to travel the world and gain such a desire to learn more about why everything is how it is!  Curiosity is one of the most important traits to have - without it, what's your impetus for being a scientist?

I think it also helps that I am a fairly quick learner!  I'm able to pick things up a bit faster than most of my kind, which helps a lot in figuring out new techniques and new areas of knowledge!  This is big because science requires a lot of replication and repetition, and if you can't learn how to do something consistently, things can get pretty difficult down the road!

Finally, I think being more naturally fearless has also helped!  I don't tend to get overly intimidated by large amounts of work, or unruly participants, or anything of that sort!  That helps keep me going forward, and prevents me from stalling on a project!

[asknidoking]

Was there ever a moment where you were extremely prideful of any of your discoveries/experiments/observations? Would you like to share what this discovery/experiment/observation was?

Well, to be perfectly honest, I've been really trying to AVOID being prideful!  When I first started working in the lab, everyone was always just universally supportive, telling me I was doing such a great job, that I was an amazing example of what Pokémon are capable of!  But then the supervisor of the lab pulled me aside, and made me aware that while I may have been beyond many Pokémon, I was still far from the level that the other scientists were at, and that I always had to be aware of my weaknesses as a scientist in order to ensure that I continued to work on them!  Too much praise without criticism can affect one's outlook in a bad way, so I really am very thankful that he set me straight early on!

I've always been part of a research team - nothing I've done has totally been on my own.  That's how a lot of science works - it's very rare for just one person to be responsible for a discovery!  So any great discoveries aren't only my own, they're part of a team effort!  That helps me avoid taking too much personal pride - after all, I couldn't possibly do it all myself, or even most of it myself!

[asknidoking]

I've seen many Nidoking before but you are the first Scientist-Nidoking. What's it like to be a scientist? I suppose very exciting?

Well, certainly not the same type of excitement that you'd get in your typical Pokémon life!  I have to say, I imagine a lot of Pokémon would find it rather dull and boring - it's mostly time being spent reading, analyzing, and thinking, not being very active!  But it holds a lot of appeal for me, because...well, my mind just works that way!  The thrill of learning something new, making a new discovery, succeeding in a hypothesis I made before an experiment, those all are ways that I get pumped up about being a scientist!  And I don't know if many Pokémon can really appreciate that, even if they are interested in the idea of a scientist-Pokémon - it's something you really have to have the mind for to understand how it affects me!

That's not to say there aren't rather exciting moments!  Unruly participants can sometimes make a mess of things, and then I have to step in as more of a Pokémon than a researcher!  Plus, I get tested on occasion myself, and when I'm playing the role of participant, it's usually something that tests out my abilities as a Pokémon rather than a scientist!  Those can be fun in a way more Pokémon would understand!

[asknidoking]

-He hovers down to eye-level, giving the Nidoking a thoughtful stare-(Oh, so you're a scientist? That's pretty sweet. Make any real interestin' discoveries lately?)

Nothing recently!  Most of my research is ongoing stuff right now, not end-stage, so it may take some time before I reach the point of fantastic discoveries!

However, I'm looking into a lot of papers about psychics and the Psychic type!  So I may have a few questions for yourself at some point, as well!