When Lulu Flint opened the door, Chu-e nodded to her with a grin before slipping inside. He made himself comfortable on the seat as she spoke, placing the folder between them but shrugging off what she said. "No harm, no foul! I wasn't promoted then, anyway." Laughing to himself, he still reached out his hand out for her to shake; if she accepted, his grip would be firm and strong for his frail body. "Chu-e Choi. In public, call me Ji-Hoon Ki, though." Given his previous status as a Kanto Beast, his real name could cause problems if someone figured out who he was.

"Sorry for dropping in so suddenly! I thought it would be good to touch base." Patting the folder and scooting it closer, he motioned for her to take it. "I do also have a small request... and I know from your file and Cillian Quinn that you're the right person to come to!"

Shifting to cross his legs, Chu-e leaned forward a bit, voice lowering in a conspiratorial way. Just for Lulu's ears. "Now, this is more... confidential. I won't go into details, but before Blackwell's fall there were a few specialized labs working on... something. I don't know what for sure. Just that it was related to 'Prophet' and it was human experimentation. Most of the old files have been purged, corrupted, or just lost. But I bet if there's anything still left on any of the servers, you'd be able to find them."

Leaning back, Chu-e hummed. "Now, I know I'm Underboss, but think of this as more... optional work. You're one woman taking on two people's jobs right now, Miss Flint! I'd like to know to sate my own curiosity, of course, but we both know what side our bread is buttered on, right?"

"Wonderful! If you need any information or extra hands, just let me know. I'm not especially skilled in these things but I'm always willing to help." In the manilla folder, when Lulu Flint would look at it, would be all the data that Chu-e could remember and had compiled. Experimentation in offshore labs, the injection process, other small bits and pieces regarding the types of things they would do to him... all in carefully clinical terms. Even with all that, and as gruesome as it was, it still wasn't much to go on. Lulu would have her work cut out for her.

"Now, with that done, is it okay if I stick around and chat for a bit? I'm sure we'll have a close working relationship and I would like to get to know you." The statement itself was bland enough not to be threatening. Chu-e wasn't here to make an enemy; but he also knew not everyone in Rocket would warm up to him quite as quick as Cillian Quinn had. This was give and take and Chu-e was in a position of authority. He didn't know if she had experience with the Kanto branch of rocket but it was often more taught that the hand that fed you would be just as willing to hit you if you made one small misstep.

He was not above whipping dogs who deserved it. However, that didn't mean he would strike without reason.

"I've been conducting some questions with... well, everyone, really. Grunts. Captains. Enforcers. Admins. Anyone I can get a few moments to chat with. What is it you hope to get from Rocket, Miss Flint? What do you think Rocket can be?"

Chu-e hummed as he listened, nodding along as Lulu Flint spoke. He did wave off her cigarette, though. Chu-e only smoked when he was angry.

A brow is raised at the weird bug, but Chu-e is still quiet. He can be patient, allow the other to collect her thoughts. There is the temptation to reach out and touch the little metal creature but Chu-e doesn't think he knows her well enough for that. He wouldn't, say, lick rocks with Lulu just yet.

"Me?" He finally replies, when addressed. A short laugh escapes him. No one had turned his questions back on him yet. It seemed only fair to answer the woman, since she had been so open with him. "Well, I hate the League. It's as simple as that. I would do anything to see them topple. They do just as much harm as Rocket does, or they claim we do, but they get to justify it with laws and pretty words." He snarled a bit, face going from the placid and pleasant mask to hint at what was underneath: something bitter and angry. He clicked his tongue, glanced away from her, scanned the barren walls and schooled himself into his more chipper persona once again. "But I also want Rocket to be better than it used to be. The old ways were all about power and fear. It bred psychopaths. Myself among them. Hit dogs holler, though, Miss Flint, and you saw what happened to our number when they thought Hoenn failed. With no one to fear, they scattered like roaches in the light."

Sighing, Chu-e glances back at Lulu, meeting her eyes. His smile is back, this time a bit sharper than before.

"Loyal men will kill and die in your name. I want every Grunt in this organization to feel like they're special, like they matter. Then they'll do whatever we want them to do. I want Rocket to be family."

"Yes," Chu-e tilted his head, hummed as he thought over his answer. "and no. I don't enjoy killing, I don't enjoy suffering, and I don't want people to be harmed. Innocents. Civilians. Even the dogs most loyal to the League themselves. I don't want to hurt anyone." He sighed, almost weary, before his eyes flicked back up to meet hers again. They were intense once again, smoldering; where most of Rocket carefully hid how they felt, Chu-e's eyes were the window to his soul. If they were shuttered, it was a bad sign.

"But I will trample on anyone I need to too stop them, Miss Flint. I was an Enforcer in Kanto. The Enforcer for Kanto. And the people I used my 'skills' on? Were always the downtrodden and weak. Single mothers who couldn't afford to feed their children, even with state assistance. Teenagers kicked from their homes with nowhere else to go other than back to abusive situations. The desperate who had no where else to go. And that Rocket, Kanto's Rocket, would grind up those too weak so they could polish people like me into weapons.

"Rocket was just the tool that ended them. The League put the hit out on them by failing them long before they found us."

He was trembling, voice low from his little speech, but a sudden cough snapped him out of whatever trance he had cast on himself. It was rough and wet, from deep in his lungs, covered by his hand as he hacked. When he finally stopped, red was gripped in his fist, stained his lips. He cleared his throat and sat back again, forced himself to relax.

"I am a bad person, Miss Flint. I do bad things. But I can promise you, my goals are not selfish. I want Rocket to be a family in the now so they will die for me if I ask. I want that so the Rocket of the future will take care of each other, so no one has to go hungry or live in fear because of someone else's mistakes."

Lofty goals. Idealistic goals. Insane goals.

Chu-e Choi was someone absolutely unhinged who was very good at playing pretend he wasn't.

And Lulu Flint was the first person to even take a glimpse into his depths.

Where Lulu Flint had grown up with plenty, Chu-e had knew life with little. No power, no money, no ability to do anything but grasp at straws. If not for Rocket seeing something in him, his only life would have been laying on his back for money, dying young and miserable with a needle in his arm. Many people would not pity Lulu in that regard. If Chu-e knew, he certainly wouldn't. While he had made the first choice in his younger years to turn to drugs as an escape, his situation as a whole was one he had little control over until Rocket.

Rocket was full of snakes, liars, and thieves. What he wanted seemed like an impossible, at times, even to himself.

But he only gave another small laugh at her reply, this time more cordial. His eyes searched her face for... something. Chu-e's smile sweetened when he found, or many didn't find, whatever he had been looking for.

"Thank you for listening to me ramble on, Miss Flint. I do nope I've not bothered you for too long." Slowly standing up, Chu-e gave her a nod. "I'll leave before I make things too awkward for you. Expect a grunt to be by soon with a fresh cup of coffee. You look like you need it."

He made for the door, giving her a small wave over her shoulder.

"And do get in touch if you find anything. See you!"

Then he let himself out, leaving Lulu alone with her thoughts.

tw: body horror

The report was printed crisply. For what it was and what Chu-e was asking Lulu Flint to seek, there was surprisingly little information available, just one sheet after the documentation that necessitated that only Lulu and those higher than her had clearance to know this information.

Between the rough times of March 10th - August 29th 2017, I, [redacted], was held captive and experimented on under orders from [redacted]. I was located at a marine facility in southern Kalos where I was experimented on. Provided below are what details I can recall. Take note, my name has since been cleared of the accusations that [redacted] filed against me.

My memory is hazy as when not in the lab, myself and the other captives were kept heavily sedated. We were only partially conscious in the labs themselves. No scientists or guards were identifiable as full body coverings were kept on 24/7. Most scientists spoke in fast paced Kalosian, which I do not speak. However, I could occasionally parse out words or phrases related to religion and the occult, 'Prophet' being the most common among them.

When we would be experimented on they would strap us to metals tables. Vials of black liquid would be injected into us, usually in increasing doses. It always burned like your whole body was trying to eat itself from the inside. Many did not survive this part of the process. Regardless of if you survived or not, they would later open up your torso to take stock of your organs.

When you healed enough they would start the process over again. This is all I remember.

The next page is handwritten, a bit more personalized.

Thank you again for agreeing to research this topic. As you can see, information is sparse at best. With many records after the fall of Blackwell lost, it will difficult to track. Thank you for your time, Miss Flint.

- Chu-e Choi