With a wry smile, Howard gave Adrian a look.

"I'd assume that Regirock's fragments are made out of rocks. Call it several years of experience talking." After laughing at his own wit for a few moments, the admin gave it some thought. He hadn't done too much research into Regirock's composition, on account of the fact that the golem was constantly killing whatever it deemed a threat. "Various stones infused with Dynergy. I assume it functions in the same way Regice does."

After several days of testing, the admin came to the conclusion that his golem interfaced with Dynergy in a unique way. While it was constructed with the aid of the power, the Dynergy within was a closed system. If the golem was shattered, Dynergy leaked out. He was unsure how the Dynergy that powered the construct was regenerated.

If it did at all. What if the Power Spot Regice had within itself had been put there for a reason? Could it really be as simple as type advantage?

It was likely wise to not mention that Howard still had no idea how the type chart worked.

"It could be seeking to incorporate its other pieces into itself, but why would it come here? I'd assume that the Pokémon League has the other fragments. I'd pay to see Regirock lay siege to Ever Grande." It'd be funny up until the moment that the golem was shattered and taken into League custody.

"Any other tips for fighting this thing? You have the most experience with it of anyone in Rocket, besides maybe priam conrad or Cillian Quinn."

---

Adrian Malcolm

"You tell me. I haven't seen the sheriff in weeks."

Being a member of the Elite Four was busy work, but Dewford's Gym Leader was busy far more often than he wasn't, and that meant he was hardly in the town. A small part of Howard understood why Navy was gone. It was a terrible thing to lose a friend, especially when that friend was Hoenn's Top Champion.

Still, Noel was a solid substitute, seeing how he dealt with that Nihilego without breaking a sweat.

"That's crazy! You're super strong!" Howard's eye grew massive as he stared at the deflating corpse of the Ultra Beast, his fear of Scream Tails momentarily forgotten. "Why didn't you use that thing at the tournament?"

It all came back to Vital City.

More Nihilegos began to descend, and Howard nervously swallowed. Noel was strong, but there had to be... what? Twenty Nihilegos here? That was a lot for Dewford's sheriff on a good day, and he was one of the strongest trainers that Howard knew. Meanwhile, Serizawa sat dormant, still refusing to budge.

"This is bad. You can't stick around either. We can't deal with this many." Howard turned to Noel. Somewhere deep in his heart, Howard suspected that this man would rather die than retreat. That was just the type of deputy that Navy liked to hire. "I'm not leaving you! We'll fight together."

"Tar." Serizawa agreed as the Nihilego descended. As their tentacles outstretched, the Pupitar lunged forward with a massive bang, shattering three Nihilegos like glass as it blasted forth. Serizawa didn't break a sweat as it landed next to Noel's foot. "Tar."

---

Noel Parker

"Sorry." He cringed at Shred's screaming. "You're right."

But Howard was right. He knew it in his heart. If Shred fought Grigori now, the Rocket Beast would lose every time. A lifetime of vice had dulled the blade of a man with great potential. In an attempt to pursue liberation, Shred shackled himself with the failings of man. Grigori Sokolov was a peerless blade by comparison.

Why hadn't Grigori accepted the position of Rocket Beast? It would've been easier for him.

"I don't know why she's here! I don't know her!" He lied as easily as he breathed. He knew exactly why June was here, even if she herself didn't know. The Giant Chasm and Area Zero held great appeal to the League, but that wasn't why she was down here. "But what do you want Grigori to do? Lock her up? Wrap her in chains?"

June was here because of him. Because of that visit to the hospital. He could never admit that to Shred, though. If he was a prophet, he would've never structured that visit as he had.

He rose up, cringing in spite of Shred's voice thundering in his ears. He gave the beast a shake.

"Tell me right now that you'd wish that on anyone. Tell me that. Tell me you'd confine someone for reaching for more than they're given!"

---

Shred Zeppelin

"I could feel it."

The admin crossed his arms in thought. It was not uncommon for Legendary Pokémon to connect with trainers; most of Rocket's high command consisted of Avatars by this point. Even declan walsh had Darkrai whispering in his ear. Who wasn't contaminated at this point? Amor Rose? THEO BECKETT? Shred Zeppelin? Himself?

Rocket was being ruled more by demigods than humans every day.

"I spoke to it once, but on this I am confident, Quinn. You do not build a defender with emotions, because emotions are the death of duty." Or perhaps they were the life of them. Howard's lips tightened at the mention of priam conrad. Each time he tried to find the grunt, he was off on assignment or hiding in the submarine's gym.

"I'll look into it, but if you're giving me consent to go after Priam, then that means..." The admin rose to face Cillian. "I'm..."

He almost dared not say the words.

"...good to go?"

---

Cillian Quinn

Damn, she was good. Isaac Merlo had taught her well.

"Eheh... Eheheheheh..." It was like a magic spell. Howard was deflating before Eris's very eyes. As the bluster disappeared, the desperation for something to eat reared its ugly head. This was a man who hadn't eaten in about two days, and it was becoming clear that he valued food over dignity.

"Little lady..." Howard swallowed and looked at her pleadingly. "Eris..."

Behold the might of the mythical Admin Fox.

---

Eris Halla

Of course he kept it unlocked. What did Cillian have to fear from the likes of Rocket?

"Gotcha." The secretary didn't really care. They were on Cillian's payroll, not Howard's. It didn't matter if the money came from Howard's network, one of the many shell companies that Rocket possessed, or from simple extortion. It didn't matter if Howard's funds paid many Rocket salaries, it mattered who signed the check.

In this case, Cillian Quinn. The wrathful little shit.

"Oh?" Howard shuddered under the pressure. Moments like this reminded the admin of jayden cross , who drank deep from the wrathful chalice that Chien-Pao provided. "What do you mean?"

Observe. Fish for intel. If he could guess what Cillian knew, he could pivot appropriately.

---

Cillian Quinn

RedBouffalants? Shit. Howard hadn't drank those in a while. Not likely since his college years, where many sleepless nights were spent poring over geological charts, runic texts, and historical textbooks. Those had been the days, back when he only had 20 PD to himself every month.

Where had those days gone?

"Sophia." Howard nodded to her. His smile made it clear that he realized that Laurence's gift was worth more than gold. Of course, Rocket could have easily did a dig on Laurence's personal life. To an extent, they did. Nonetheless, a gift freely given was worth far more than one forcefully taken.

"Yeah, I'm one of his patients! He saved my life. Your old man's got a heart of gold." He beamed at Sophia, before turning back to Laurence. A heart of gold, a soul of silver, and chains of uncaring cold steel that threatened to take everything away. "I was just buying a few things for the breakroom at work."

The mysterious man who stocked the Team Rocket breakroom with Blitzle Cakes was actually... Howard? For many nameless grunts, the admin was likely a hero.

"Well, it was nice to meet you, little lady." He gave her a smile. "Mind if I talk to your dad for a moment?"

So chivalrous of him to ask the daughter instead of the father, as if Laurence could refuse him. Even off the clock, Laurence was Rocket's. Just as Howard was Rocket's. The best way to avoid the inconvenience of that fact was to simply go with the flow regarding the call of duty.

---

Laurence Whateley

"NAVY!" Howard slammed his fist into the door of the locked Dewford Gym. "I KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE!"

In actuality, he didn't know anything. All he knew is that Michael Navidson wasn't at the police department, Granite Cave, Dewford's docks, or drinking coffee at any of the corner diners. He didn't even know if Navy liked buying coffee or tea from diners. He always struck the admin as the sort of man to own a thirty year coffee maker and drink exclusively from that.

"Fuck's sake...!" Howard slumped against the door, defeated. "Where the hell is he..."

kyle lopez 's death had shaken the region, and as a result Howard had immediately began to scramble as Rocket prepared to capitalize on the tragedy. It was a tragedy for Howard. Kyle had been his hero, but he had been Navy's friend.

His eye flickered as he saw someone within the gym through the glass doors.

"Tsubaki! Hey! Let me in!" He tapped on the door to the gym.

---

Hyakkaryōran Tsubaki

Apples were cheap in Sootopolis, these days. For the first time in a while, fresh produce was finding itself into Sootopolis's stores that were not grown locally. Instead, these had come from far away; a farm in Ultra Desert that Howard had harvested alongside bryan delarosa.

It gave him great satisfaction to see the fruit of his labor. For something to manifest and rise from his passion for the betterment of the world around him. A mere distraction to remind the admin from the fact that he was a member of Team Rocket.

"Hm?" Howard looked over at Sophia and smiled. "Sorry, little lady."

Step. Step. Step.

The figure moved out of her way. As Howard looked past Sophia, he smiled at her father. It was an innocent smile, full of warmth, but this was a man who had strong-armed the Whateleys into a war that they had no reason to be in. All for the sake of 'keeping people alive'.

Yet as long as he didn't say a word to Laurence, this could all pass without iss-

"Doctor, it's a pleasure to see you off the clock!" Howard beamed at the man and offered a handshake to the doctor. "I didn't know that you shopped here."

His eye lingered on the PikaHuts that Laurence had in his cart. Even off the clock, Laurence's fate was chained.

"You're stricter on my diet than you are on your own!"

---

Laurence Whateley

He was not worthy to stand up and fight.

That was an charge given to the worthy and the strong, those capable of overturning the shackles that bound them to this world. The strong who had long been subdued, but were now beginning to rouse themselves. Michael Navidson had found his flame. Knight Naito had faced his mockery with the foolish brazenness of youth.

Where does that leave me? The admin thought as he woke. He gave a nod to PENELOPE LIVY as the eerie silence. The calm before the storm, mere moments before the world was overturned and wrath erupted forth. Nobody wanted to be chained up and confined in this nightmare world.

Even those chained beyond the walls of this prison did not want to wake, realizing that they were trapped. He would not end up like Cillian Quinn .

"This is it, councilwoman." Howard's voice was a murmur, a rasp like a brush over stone. Eerie in the silence before the breakout. "When this started, I was fine with rotting in a cell. Hell, I still am. I knew many of us would escape, eventually, but I never counted myself among them. Only the deserving should get to escape. Only those who are worthy should get to dictate their fate, but..."

The cell doors grinded open.

"I want to live." His mask gleamed. "It's what Doug would've wanted."

The damn broke. Chaos erupted.

---

Hear me, false world. I proclaim our victory, here and now. I proclaim the failings of our species, here and now. Our vision is blurred, our limbs fragile, and our perspectives have stagnated.

I have studied history for all my life. I declare this:

These flaws will be cast down into nothingness. I can't guide anyone, but...

...I can look forward, just for a moment.

---

Perhaps this was the reformation of the human perspective. Rocket and League cooperated, every once in a while. If they could fight this monkey with as much fervor as they fought each other, this war against a dying world would be won. Hoenn would not be turned into another page in someone else's history book.

One way down.

As he dodged a blast of latent psychic energy, Howard realized he could see from both eyes. His gaze was hazed magenta. Whether that was from his own rage or the chain's influence, he did not know. He did not care. He already used the power of one god for humanity's benefit. What was another?

"MONKEY!" Howard screamed at the drooling thing as it attempted to foretell a future where its victory could be assured. There was no need for it to do that, because all futures were the same now: mankind's victory. "WHAT WAS IT FOR?"

He didn't want the Megalopolans to answer. He wanted it to. He had been mocked by it, laughed at by his cellmates, and scorned in the false dream.

"I SAW YOU!" Howard screamed, spittle flying from his lips as he rushed towards it. Visions flashed in his magenta haze, visions induced by strange mochi and odd herbs. Memories of four creatures fleeing Route 119. It had dodged his question. He wasn't even sure if it could answer.

He would pursue the answer to his query even if it cost him his other eye.

TOXIC CHAIN ABILITY: Les Prophéties

Howard's other eye works, though his vision is now a shade of magenta. He is now functionally colorblind. League and Rocket are symbolically the same.

When he or a bestie are in mortal peril, he can foretell it through a 'vision' or 'flash' or 'sixth sense'. Only works if the attack is mortally perilous (kills you).

"BACK THEN! THAT VISION WAS YOU! IT WAS YOU RUNNING AWAY FROM THE CRIME! Suddenly, his vision shifted. It was like he was looking behind him at a strike that was yet to come. "ANSWER ME!"

He ducked. The strike missed. The historian who looked backwards elected to look forward instead. It was what Doug would have wanted.

"ONE WAY DOWN!"

---

Return of Paperwork Guy:tm:
Remembers the MONKEY
ONE WAY DOWN
Weird retrospective like what???
his power is that he's now munkidori (the memes foretold this)
Jumpin' dat monkey
5rTsYYlO

"What I do best, Walter." He gave the man on the clap of the shoulder. "Plausible deniability."

People could suspect, but if they couldn't prove anything, then Walter's ship was safe. The Pokemon League kept a tight grip on the sea network, that populated Eastern Hoenn, but the admin knew that their grip was slackening. With skyler dross losing control of Kyogre, it fell onto Cillian Quinn and Lugia to control the seas in their stead.

A big pair of shoes to fill, but Cillian often rose to the occasion when Rocket was concerned. It was the League's slackening grip that Howard and Walter would abuse, with Marco's help.

"Get that tracker out of the nut. Don't break it." Howard gave the young mechanic a nod. Howard was dexterous with his fingers, but he was hopeless with technology. Hopefully Walter's crewmate could do what he could not. "Come with me, cap."

He jumped off the ship and walked down the dock, hat flapping in the wind. His Aerodactyl gave Walter a side-glare as they walked. She remembered him, though distantly.

"You slipped up with the tracker, Walt. That was sloppy." The admin's eye flickered with concern as he gave Walter a look. "I need you to be careful. This isn't Paldea or the Levincian docks anymore."

---

walter delmar

They appeared, but they were not blessings.

Admin Fox was a specter. He lurked in the darkness cast by this world's harsh electronics lights, wiggling and squirming like a worm attempting to escape the harshness of the world it existed in by carving a route back into the dirt from which it came. The mask remained on, hiding Howard's face from any passing onlooker.

"Doug..." His voice was a rasp, like a harsh stone brush scratching against stone. Instead of clearing away dust to reveal a fossil underneath, all this prison had revealed was that Howard was mortal. Fallible.

He thought that he learned that lesson in the Island Cave. He thought he had learned it when fighting Palkia. Apparently not. Apparently the world still had another lesson to learn.

"Doug..." The bear's death had been broadcast. Everyone would know it. Few would recognize it as Howard's bear, but Grigori would. "Where...?"

He had yet to find the container it was suspended in, yet. He wandered the city with that purpose, ignoring Azelf's call to the central tower that held up this dream.

The specter stopped.

"Grigori?"

---

Grigori Sokolov Shred Zeppelin