"Stop that." he frowned, right hand waving dismissively in the air. "Killian." would it kill these people to refer to someone by their first name? Killian shrugged. "Probably."

"Sorry to hear that, though."

He doubted she'd believe him.

"I'm...in a bit of a pickle." Killian's broad arms crossed over his chest. The slight hint of uncomfortable tension tugged at his bottom lip.

"I could use your help."

Lulu Flint

It wasn't too late to change his mind. Rocket had other scientists, and Natalie already agreed to help.

"No." a voice not his own whispered. "Use her."

"What do you know about aliens?"

Lulu Flint

It's hard not to notice the way she's looking at him. Like he'd struck a nerve, but Killian's not sure when. Nothing to do but shrug it off. Chalk it up as Lulu being Lulu and move on.

"No." he breathed a hefty sigh and stepped closer. Arms crossed over his chest as he leaned back against a nearby desk. Why the hell was he being coy? He pursed his lips, teeth sinking against the inside of his cheek.

"I'm talking the kind that come from space, not another dimension."

Another risk, another gamble that knotted Killian's stomach and pistoned stress into his shoulder blades.

Lulu was the enemy. "She's smart, useful - resourceful."

It's still not too late to turn back. Killian had yet to make the offer, to say the name on the tip of his tongue. "Natalie won't be enough."

He frowned. "You need her."

And if she slit his throat from the shadows, then what? Silence

"Does the name Deoxys mean anything to you?"

Lulu Flint

"I want it." he stated plainly.

"I've been looking for it since I became admin."

He paused letting silence fill the air and his thoughts gather.

"And I have something that might help locate it."

Lulu Flint

"I can." he beckoned toward the exit.

"Lead the way."

Lulu Flint

"Yeah, you mentioned that when we were hunting for Pokemon."

Apparently, she still hadn't figured out how to solve the issue. When Killian became an Avatar, is this what he had to look forward to? An inability to control the legend he'd bonded with.

"When? How confident of you."

He frowned.

"I'll be fine. Loveless is adept at dealing with dark types." weakness be damned. From his shoulder, Espeon purred. Her tail flicked as the door opened, and the muzzled Houndoom greeted them.

The crystal on Loveless's forehead glowed faintly. Espeon would do anything to protect her trainer. She'd proven that by staring down the Lord of Nightmares himself. A dog muzzled and drooling is hardly a threat. Still, she hissed, fur on her back standing on end.

"Calm." the feline obeyed, relaxing but kept her eyes on Djall.

Killian doesn't take the offered seat. He remained standing, leaning against the back nonchalantly. The last time Killian sat in that chair, his life changed. A week of nightmares. That months later still haunted him. A voice in the back of his mind. Dark whispers in his ear, tempting him - encouraging the darkness in his soul.

"Tell me, have you read the news recently? Or heard about the theft at Mossdeep Space Center?"

Lulu Flint