Gardevoir's TELEPORT delivered her to the top of Mt. Pyre—although it seemed that the pokemon had been a hair off this time.

Luckily, while she had not yet honed the powers she shared with the dark legendary, she had found that it allowed her to finally be free of her fear of places like these. So, when she and the Gardevoir materialized amongst graves and traveling spirits, Lulu’s blackened heart remained calmly in her chest.

She regarded an enthusiastic priam conrad with an interested, albeit exhausted look. Living under the curse of the sandman, Lulu got even less sleep than she had previously—which had not been much.

“Priam.” she acknowledged, hardly attempting to match his energy. Even her voice sounded tired. “Just here checking on the seeds.” She looked up at the headstone in front of him but wouldn’t ask.

“Congratulations.” Not on the death of whomever (it didn't occur to her that it might be taken that way) but rather on the acknowledgement, the mission, the Guzzlord. 

A bit of tired laughter welled in her chest and came out low, stifled. “I’m not much of a garden type.” Lulu admitted with a shrug. “Thought they looked sort of odd, though. Decided to give it a shot.”

She nodded at him, pleasantness fading a couple shades for a moment over a realization. Eighteen was when she’d been handed her first weapon. At least Rocket had waited that long. Any remnant of a bleeding heart was willfully breathed out with a light sigh.

Why did she care?

Perhaps priam conrad had grown on her, managing it when few could. Couldn't avoid liking people all the time.

“Quite.” She responded. In the end, she wouldn’t be the one to burden him with lectures and reveals of her concern. Even if she’d been capable, she had a reputation to uphold. It was part of the job; part of survival.

Nor would she say ‘one of those shits killed my weezing,’ however much it hung aggressively on her tongue.

Her smile was more pressed again at his contratulations. The lust for power which had caused such an impulsive seeking of partnership had been heavily subdued by backfire, and the weight of Darkrai’s influence. The crazy was still there, but ultimately rendered benign. “Thanks.” Was all she said in response.

“Care to join me?”

Her chin nodded towards the top of the mountain. “Up there.”

At his question, one side of her mouth creased. “It was per the farmers recommendation. I’d guess the ground is more fertile.” She had no idea, really, but she wasn’t about word it like that to Priam.

“Suppose we’ll find out.”

After her first trip up the mountain, and after realizing how little she knew about plants in general, she’d done some research—enough to know that these were no ordinary seeds. However, she was unable to focus on such studies enough to delve deeper. Beyond the process of photosynthesis, Lulu cared little about plants. And for her ignorance, she lacked a green thumb.

She began walking up the slope, expecting him to follow. Her hands slipped into pockets. “Know anything about the blue mulch yet?”

Lulu wasn’t always privy to the work of her predecessors, and it was frustrating to realize when such a wealth of knowledge had passed by under her nose.

She said nothing at first, instead making a mental note to check up on said research before coming back with more informed questions. “It’s certainly interesting.”

Regeneration was not something unexplained in biology, in one form or another, across all species. That wasn’t the part she was curious about. She was curious about what sort of qualities the mulch possessed to be able to cause such a timewarp in the healing process, and what other things could it be used for?

The scientist tucked a few mysteries away for later as they headed for the peak, ground crunching beneath them. “What’s your plan of action?”

Boots crunched, while the edges of Gardevoir’s skirt seemed to float over sacred ground. They ascended past headstones.

She shrugged at him. He gave her too much credit. “No idea. Let’s hope so.”

Her hands still hung loose in her pockets, shoulders swaying lightly with her steps. “Here to help in any way that I can.” Green eyes looked over at him, turning the tables. “Even… looking for trees.”

“People seem to think I should go outside more.” Darkrai included.

“Yes. Thank goodness for scientists, who have invented supplements so none of us ever have to go outside, really.” Except to dabble in agriculture, of course.

A lack of tan made the shade of Lulu’s blush all the more pronounced at Priam’s compliment. There were few existing in Rocket who had extended such boldness. For one, she was an acquired taste.

The finger guns proved to be too effective. She cleared her throat and averted eyes which had gone a bit wide, despite sleeplessly protesting the extra light. …?

“Thanks, Priam.”

They arrived to the top of the mountain, already well past the threshold of the Twilight Zone, to behold rows of greenery; the beginnings of her crops amongst the other farmers of Hoenn.

The two would stand shoulder to shoulder for a moment, both gawking at the sudden burst of green through the fog.

“Lord, no.”

“I planted three.”

Lulu started off towards the end of one of the rows, eventually squatting near it. Unsure of what she was looking for, she held out an index finger and swiped it left and right at the leaf, testing its strength (?). Her lips pursed as she wondered momentarily if she should ask Priam about it. He was the tree and mulch guy.

“Well... they're not dead!” she announced. “So that’s good.”