L is for Lulu Flint, apparently.
[break][break]
Or, at least it is at that very moment, because it’s the first thing that crosses Mars’ mind when seeing the Unown that comes to meet his own, and the woman that closely follows. Is the choice of letter a coincidence or one done on purpose? She doesn’t seem like the sort of person who would care for things like those, but then again, first impressions can often be wrong.
[break][break]
”Martín del Mar.” He starts with an introduction, because people like him will always want others to know who he is, even if in this case it’s a carefully crafted identity just like is the case for many of Team Rocket’s members. Then again, it’s probably also closer to who he really is.
[break][break]
”I was coming here to talk to you. About that, actually.”
[break][break]
With these words, he subtly nods towards the pair of Unown that stare at each other with what seems close to curiosity. Mars can’t really tell, and he doesn’t really care for it; being more preoccupied with reaching into his pocket to retrieve the mysterious device containing the equally mysterious “Unown Report”. What really matters here. Nothing more.
[break][break]
”And this.”
[break][break]
At this point, he would have elaborated more, given one of his usual charming and confident smiles, and maybe even added some witty words, but the flow of the conversation is interrupted as the device makes a sound – beeping a few times while the screen signals the registration of the ‘L’ Unown.
[break][break]
Curious.
[break][break]
Lulu Flint doesn’t have a device of her own, then?
[break][break]
She does have an Unown though, and she may have her theories about what’s going on. Despite this new discovery, she still seems like the sort of person who could be extremely helpful when attempting to figure out the truth.
[break][break]
And they better figure it out soon, because mysteries are among the things that annoy Mars the most.


[BREAK][BREAK]

+ Lulu Flint

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

In Mars’ defense, it’s not like he actually intended to use the device. The damn thing hadn’t come with an instruction manual, and it apparently reacted really weirdly when Unown were nearby.
[break][break]
Then again, does Mars feel any sort of guilt or remorse over the fact that the device registered the Unown L without the woman’s consent to do so? No. It honestly wouldn’t have even crossed his mind if she hadn’t exclaimed to stop it. Still, he offers an apology, one that doesn’t sound too apologetic and more like a mere courtesy:
[break][break]
”Sorry about that, it starts on its own and there’s not much way to stop it.”
[break][break]
Unless the device were to be destroyed in the middle of a scan, perhaps, but of course Mars wouldn’t do that.
[break][break]
”You’re familiar with the report, then?”
[break][break]
Even if she has no device of her own, this comes as no surprise. The Unown Report may not be Team Rocket’s doing, but many of them had received the device, so perhaps he wasn’t the first one who thought of reaching out to Lulu Flint and asking for her input on such things. She could also have other reasons for knowing, of course, so as per usual, Mars remains cautious.
[break][break]
”I actually wanted to ask for your opinion on it.”



[BREAK][BREAK]

+

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

”That’s fair enough, for all we know they could be tracking anyone who has one and listening in on every conversation.”
[break][break]
His words come casually and in the company of a slight shrug, but it does make Mars wonder if anyone has actually tried to disassemble the device to find out more about it. It might be something to look into if meeting someone skilled enough at that sort of thing, but then again, what if the device stops working because of it?
[break][break]
It would be a gamble.
[break][break]
A risk.
[break][break]
It’s the mention of Sootopolis that distracts him from these thoughts, and his gaze meets that of the Head Scientist. ”Sootopolis?” What could Sootopolis have to do with all of this? For a moment, he finds himself thinking back to reports on it, and to what Killian Decker had told him about the way space itself was being warped by an unknown force when Team Rocket had taken the city.
[break][break]
Turning his attention to his Rotom phone, Mars clicks the strange logo of Unown Report's app, looking at those words he has read so many times as of late and frowning just so slightly when doing as much. Some of them are much more familiar to him than others. Some of them he has become all too familiar with as of late...
[break][break]
”Yeah, it could be. Anything specific making you say that, though? The timing does seem too coincidental… Limitation, by the way.” With these last words, he nods towards the Unown L floating near them.


[BREAK][BREAK]

+ Lulu Flint

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

’Everything going on lately.’
[break][break]
At first, Mars hadn’t considered that there might be a connection between the Unown Report and everything that had happened at both Sootopolis and Mt. Chimney, but now that seems like an obvious fact. What else is there, then? What other pieces are they missing? Could it be, perhaps, that his own encounter with that mysterious pokémon has something to do with all of this?
[break][break]
As Lulu Flint speaks, the words mentioned by her are read on the screen. She talks of the universe, of reality, of different dimensions, and of consciousness, and while it’s a lot to wrap his head around, there’s two words that jump out at him even if she doesn’t speak of them.
[break][break]
Dialga and Palkia.
[break][break]
Time and space.
[break][break]
Once, long ago, back at his family’s villa in Canalave City, he had read about the ancient legends of such pokémon and the Sinnoh region itself, and even though those memories are as vague as his current knowledge on the subject, it’s not difficult to see the connection between these pokémon and most of the report.
[break][break]
It’s at this thought that Mars sighs, putting his phone back in his pocket before his gaze once again falls on the head scientist. ”I have my suspicions, but if the report being completed is what they need in order to do whatever it is that they want to do, then they’re just using everyone who got the device, and there’s a lot of us.” He crosses his arms, considering. ”If they didn’t reveal their identities, then they obviously have nefarious purposes.”
[break][break]
The Unown N spins, circling around its fellow Symbol Pokémon while always keeping its singular eye on it.
[break][break]
Symbols.
[break][break]
Words.
[break][break]
What could they possibly get out of a few words? Unlocking something, maybe?
[break][break]
”Keeping an eye on it could be worth it when it comes to preparing for whatever may be coming.” For there’s really no stopping this now. And, even if there was, is it really something he'd want to try to stop? There really is too much that is unknown.
[break][break]
Once more, he sighs. ”Thank you for your input, it was helpful.”
[break][break]
Despite it all, it really was.


[BREAK][BREAK]

+

[attr="class","pokeclass"]

The answer should have been obvious from the start.
[break][break]
It would have made sense to be as cautious as Lulu is about all this; to be wary, and to want nothing to do with it.
[break][break]
As cautious of a man as Mars usually is about most things, he does have his concerns and there’s plenty of them – otherwise he would have never come to her for her opinion in the first place. Concerns like who might be behind all this. Concerns like what the report is really about. But, be it because of all his goals and plans, or be it thanks to those words that won’t leave his mind ever since that cute but fucking creepy little pokémon spoke them in his mind, those concerns don’t outweigh the opportunities he sees in all of it.
[break][break]
It’s more than just about how much he hates mysteries.
[break][break]
With the way things are, with how many people received the device, there’s really no stopping whatever will happen from happening, but even if Mars could stop it, he’s not sure if he’d want to do it...
[break][break]
Is it his own ambition compelling him to want to see this through to the end? Greed? Desperation, maybe? It’s unclear, but those are questions he won’t waste time with trying to answer – not today, at least.
[break][break]
Nor will he waste anymore of Lulu’s time, since what more is there to gain out of this conversation right now?
[break][break]
He already got what he came all this way to find.
[break][break]
”Well... I’ll let you know if I find out anything else.” A faint smile, because that much he obviously should do – especially considering how many people in Team Rocket are involved in all of this. ”Again, thank you for your time.”
[break][break]
The Unown N is called back to its pokéball, leaving L floating all by itself as Mars steps away.
[break][break]
Just like that, this impromptu meeting of their ends.



[BREAK][BREAK]

+ Lulu Flint