[attr="class","icon"]

"Mm."
[break][break]
The weight of her newfound title, Councilwoman, still lingered upon her heart, an elixir of pleasure and pride that fuels her every movement. In response to the melodious sound of her new role, her posture, already impeccable, undergoes the slightest of adjustments, as if eager to mirror the elevated stature she now embodies.
[break][break]
"This report does," she concedes smoothly, the words flowing effortlessly from her lips, embracing Eva's tacit agreement to jump right to it. There was little point in beating around the bush, after all.
[break][break]
With a graceful motion, the Malevolent glides the file across the scientist's desk, a silent invitation for the Peacemaker to delve into its contents with her discerning gaze. The report she offered belonged to Eva herself, detailing the tampering identified in skyler dross's Blue Orb. "I suspect I have something in my possession that might have suffered a similar treatment."
[break][break]
And then, a heartbeat later, "Can you tell me more about how the blue orb was tampered with? What was done to it? Can this be easily identified in other objects?"

[attr="class","bottom"]Eva Morales [break]

[attr="class","icon"]

Katherine's Cofagrigus continued to snore, its skin shimmering with the brilliance of terastallization. Having morphed into a normal type, it has resigned itself into a RESTING STATE, in which it could only fulfil a simple SLEEP TALK.
[break][break]
Again and again. It occasionally awoke only to heal itself by succumbing to another nap.
[break][break]
The FLARE BLITZ doesn't awaken it. Instead, spectral arms slip from the cracks in the sarcophagus only to deliver a final PAYBACK. Katherine's win is not earned but cheesed. Kyle could easily recognize that.
[break][break]
"Well, that was anticlimactic."
[break][break]
Not that the champion was to blame, but still.

[attr="class","bottom"]kyle lopez [break]

[attr="class","icon"]

The room pulsates with a symphony of applause, a chorus of admiration for the woman who has skillfully woven her web of deceit, presenting herself as a saviour, a champion of justice, and a force to be reckoned with. The camera captures her essence, freezing a moment in time where power and charisma converge. "Ah, yes, the celebration can wait," she purrs, her voice dripping with faux humility. "There is another matter I'd like to address if you would indulge me."
[break][break]
"For the past year, Team Rocket has been trying to extort me. It didn't start this way—they first tried to send their agents to assassinate me, but since they failed... They resorted to blackmail." Katherine confesses, her voice a delicate balance of vulnerability and resolve. She reaches up to delicately touch her neck with a perfectly manicured hand, tracing an invisible scar, her actions a masterclass in the art of manipulation.
[break][break]
"I refused to succumb to their demands then, and I refuse to do so now. Team Rocket believes I would rather lie to you, the people I've sworn to protect—but they are wrong. They have always been wrong about the people of this region." A hush falls over the studio as anticipation hangs in the air like a heavy fog. Katherine leans forward, her scarlet eyes already glassy, glistening with the smallest of crocodile tears.
[break][break]
"Several years ago, when I was much younger—I fell prey to their propaganda and empty promises. I briefly serviced their organization as an operative," there. The Malevolent confessed.
[break][break]
It's out. But it remains her story to tell; she leaves no room for Barnaby to interrupt her.
[break][break]
"... I'm ashamed of what I've done, But I stand before you today, transformed by the fires of redemption. My past actions have shaped me into the woman I am—a woman determined to right the wrongs of her past." Katherine is not just a wolf in sheep's clothing; she's a goddess wearing a human mask.
[break][break]
"I have worked tirelessly under the watchful eye of FERNANDO SILPH, proving my unwavering commitment to our region," she asserts, her voice carrying the conviction of a zealot. "I make no empty promises, no false claims. I vow to continue serving Hoenn, no matter the cost."
[break][break]
Katherine's words hang in the air, like a silent challenge to anyone who dares doubt her sincerity. She revels in her own audacity, the nerve to deceive, to manipulate, and to rise to power through the guise of selflessness.
[break][break]
Barnaby, like so many others, underestimated her true nature. The Malevolent was not a mere prop, a pawn to be used and discarded. The stage is set for her, and she dances upon it with grace and malevolence, a virtuoso of deceit and ambition.
[break][break]
Barnaby would do well remembering her true nature, should she ever grace his studio with her presence again.

[attr="class","bottom"]BARNABY FINCH [break]

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Katherine glances around the crowded room, soaking in the gazes of the people she claims to protect. The room is filled with potential voters, and she knows to succeed, she must convince them that she is the only one capable of bringing the change they so desperately need. It went well beyond just this studio, too.
[break][break]
She had to convince every person who was watching this interview from the comfort of their living room couch that she was their only choice.
[break][break]
"Change starts from the top, and I want to be at its forefront. So, I implore you and the people of our region to join me in this fight for change. Tonight I am announcing my candidacy for councilwoman," there is a much deserved, well-needed pause then. Her words linger in the air, echoing in people's minds whilst they process.
[break][break]
After all, it's not every day that one of Hoenn's elite four announces such a radical transition of roles.
[break][break]
"I may be new to politics, but I am not new to helping those in need. I have dedicated my life to serving the people, and I will continue to do so as your councilwoman. Together, we can bring the change that this region needs, and I believe—no, I know I am the person most suitable to lead this charge."
[break][break]
Katherine's eyes sparkle with malice before her smile widens ever so slightly, confident that she had delivered her message with just the right amount of charm and authority. Now, all she had to do was sit back and watch as the people of the region flocked to her banner. She could stop here - now - and all would be well. The role was hers in all but name already.
[break][break]
But she wouldn't. There was still more.

[attr="class","bottom"]BARNABY FINCH [break]

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Katherine's eyes narrow as she surveys the chaotic scene. The cacophony of thundering roars assaults her senses just as the fear-inducing reverberation surges through her, eliciting terror and fright to bubble within. She can still hear the sound of Zacian's blade striking the Ting-Lu's bowl ringing in her ears when she steps forward, her gaze snapping from one familiar face to another.
[break][break]
PENELOPE LIVY and her posse remained to her left, and the trio of illeana reyes , Greyson Connors , and aaron faust were to her right. The Malevolent makes no effort to add to her peer's instructions, allowing the coveted to take charge whilst she continues to silently judge and condemn those around her.
[break][break]
Her Mimikyu stands motionless beside her, a vacant stare in its beady eyes. And then she sees him, Greyson Connors , the first culprit of many. Her successor.
[break][break]
Driven by a ruinous terror, Katherine issues a command to her Mimikyu, her voice low and dangerous. "Blow it all away," she whispers, her words dripping with venom. And with that, her ghostly creature unleashes a pink typhoon, copied from maverick noah ryder 's SPRINGTIDE STORM. If successful, the fragments Greyson sought would be caught up in the swirling winds, carried deeper into the tomb, far from his grasp and beyond his reach.
[break][break]
"Connors," she calls to him, "follow your orders and sate your curiosity later. Am I clear?"

---

k2bp5PU0

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tl;dr:[break]
- katherine tells her mimikyu to blow the dark fragments away.[break]
- mimikyu uses COPYCAT on maverick noah ryder 's SPRINGTIDE STORM in an attempt to do so / stop Greyson Connors 's vespiquen from collecting the fragments.

[attr="class","bottom"]@ RUSTED SWORD [break]

[break]

[attr="class","icon"]

"Mm?"
[break][break]
Katherine remains perched on the edge of the couch, her back straight and her posture almost regal. Her eyes, a striking scarlet, flicker towards the councilwoman when she speaks before her head tilts slightly to the side, confused.
[break][break]
Her lips curl into a soft smile, a gentle invitation for Penelope to continue.
[break][break]
"Yeah, of course. Anything," she replies in a honeyed voice, her words dripping with the sweetness of false sincerity. She takes another sip of her drink, savouring the taste before placing it on the table with a gentle clink.
[break][break]
As she waits for Penelope's question, she twirls a lock of her hair between her fingers, her eyes glinting with the slightest glimmer of wickedness.

[attr="class","bottom"]PENELOPE LIVY [break]

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The clack of high heels echoes down the hallway leading to Eva Morales 's laboratory, punctuating each step with a sharp, crisp sound. They strike the floor with purpose, each click signalling the arrival of a confident presence. The tempo of Katherine's steps quickens the closer she is to the entrance until, finally, the door abruptly opens.
[break][break]
"Doctor Morales," Rayquaza's Peacemaker is bestowed upon with a soft, gentle smile by the Malevolent, polite and insincere in its arrival. "It's good to see you again."
[break][break]
Katherine definitely wasn't here to catch up or check if the woman survived the Ultra Deep Sea better than others, was she?

[attr="class","bottom"]Eva Morales [break]

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"Sure."
[break][break]
With a flick of her wrist, Katherine sends her Mimikyu darting forward, its ghostly veil trailing behind it like a cloak of mist. It bounces from one mirror to the other, zig-zagging left to right and right to left. The eerily silent Pokemon produces no sound even when it leaps, almost as though it were a weightless spectre made of wind-- nothing more than a simple breeze.
[break][break]
When the Malevolent snaps her fingers, the ghost acts, responding to her cue with a twist of its tail to conjure flames. Its BURNING JEALOUSY spews forth in a current of flames, seeking to engulf the bug-type with an inferno.

[attr="class","bottom"]John Sullivan [break]

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Katherine leans back, the epitome of poise and grace. Her lips curl into a small, gracious smile as she regards Barnaby through half-lidded eyes. Her words are carefully chosen, each dripping with a sense of self-righteousness. She knows what Barnaby wants - sympathy, validation, perhaps even a touch of heroism. And she is more than happy to provide.
[break][break]
Her lips fall flat when the host voices his question, a reminder of an event that many in their region are still haunted by. "Ah, I'm not sure where to begin... It's... It's one of those things you can't prepare for. Aliens, Ultra Beasts, the poisoned wild Pokemon— it felt like no matter what we did, there was already another issue to handle."
[break][break]
She pauses, allowing the weight of her words to sink in. The crowd remains silent, hanging on to her every word. They remember these horrors just as well as she does.
[break][break]
"I think it was the worst thing I've endured. It was undoubtedly the closest I've come to dying-- but I can't help but think of the valiant people who made the ultimate sacrifice for the sake of our beloved region. They have always been the real heroes." Katherine pauses again, her gaze sweeping across the audience. She could see tears in some of their eyes; validating that she had them in the palm of her hand.
[break][break]
"What I'm trying to say is... I was scared. We all were. I think a lot of people are still afraid, but I hope to change that."
[break][break]
How?
[break][break]
She keeps the audience on the edge of their seats by withholding that information. She is patient. Barnaby will get to it. After all, he must be equally as curious.

[attr="class","bottom"]BARNABY FINCH [break]

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"Go ahead."
[break][break]
Missions and rudimentary tasks like this were the few things Katherine didn't mind letting someone else call the shots in. She was usually at the front - if not on top - but Greyson gets to stand among the few lucky men who can proudly say to have dictated the pace for her.
[break][break]
It's an honour, really.
[break][break]
"Why did you leave your gym?"

[attr="class","bottom"]Greyson Connors [break]

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The practised, half-rehearsed chuckle that escapes her when Barnaby turns to his audience, and winks makes her want to hurl. The smile she forces upon her lips afterwards feels rigid on her face but is otherwise perfectly presentable. Classy and yet still approachable. This was one of the rare times where she actually bothered to get some media training done before an interview. For better and for worse, it will likely be her most memorable interview for the foreseeable future. At least until she decides to run for commissioner.
[break][break]
"Mm..."
[break][break]
Her humming implies that she needed to think and search for an answer, as though she hadn't been asked this before, "I think I've always known that I wanted to help our region. I didn't know how at first, but battling always came naturally to me," how humble and very down-to-earth. If only she was telling the truth. "I was inspired by people like kyle lopez, ALEXANDER STONE and the late Bailey Cooper. They all risked their lives for our region, and I realized that if I wanted to protect our home, I'd have to do the same."
[break][break]
Her smile softens and eases as though having shared too much and too quickly.
[break][break]
"I knew I was doing the right thing when the three-day war happened. I think I sort of accepted I wouldn't be able to do anything else after that," it's heavy. She's pulling no punches, starting with what many described as the worst thing in recent history to strike their region.

[attr="class","bottom"]BARNABY FINCH [break]

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The rumours that surrounded Katherine were rarely wrong. Some may have been exaggerated at times, but there was a shred of truth to them all. She was indeed a witch, as cait alfric once claimed. She was also a thief, as Zac Ramsay could attest. Even the tiny doubt people attached to her allegiance wasn't misplaced, for the Malevolant was indeed a part of Rocket for a time.
[break][break]
"You've known me long enough to call me Katherine, Doug," the Jinxed wasn't her average challenger, and when taking into account her upcoming promotion, she figured it was best to grace him with some kindness. At least for now. "But yes, you're welcome. I doubt this will take long."
[break][break]
Her scarlet eyes strayed from him to his legend, inspecting the Tapu as they stared into their many reflections. Her battle chamber consisted of nothing but mirrors; wherever one would dare look, they'd find someone else staring back. "No, we can skip the interview. If you'd like, you can ask to have it conducted by someone else," the blank mask of neutrality is maintained across her features, unblemished by emotion.
[break][break]
"For the record, I wouldn't advice using Lele for this battle. It's unnecessary," but Katherine leaves the choice to Doug, instead choosing to send out her first Pokemon. A Shiny Mimikyu materializes in front of her, its stare empty and vacant.

[attr="class","bottom"]John Sullivan [break]